Thursday Thoughts-Week 26

Week 26-Skinny isn't the only pretty!!

As a woman and a mother of a 12 year old girl...I just need to say this!!!  I get so tired of feeling like unless I am a size 5 and eat a salad for every meal that I am not beautiful!!  Pretty people come in every size, every ethnicity and every age.  In fact for me beauty comes from within...a drop dead gorgous person can be ugly...being kind, honest and true are important parts of being a genuinely pretty person!  Society has created a distorted idea of the ideal body image and I think that is so unfair.  We are all different and that is how God wanted it to be...Sweet pretty-

Fourth of July Decor...

Are you in disbelief like I am??  How can it be the 4th of July next week??  Time is getting away from me and although I am enjoying life so much right now...I wish it would slow down a bit...I could really use a breather!!  Luckily on Sunday I got a tiny break (if that is what you call it) and was able to spruce up my house a little for the holiday.  For starters I went to the store and bought a bag of navy (but they are white) beans, black beans and small red beans (for $1.59 each)...

Then I came home and started layering.  This is one of the candle holders that I made from Dollar Store items at Christmas time...now it is the perfect vessel for some patriotic fun...

A few other bottles, my America sign and a few stars complete the hutch...

Last year I made this star banner and was so glad to have the top of my hutch back because I love it...

My favorite place to decorate for the holidays...complete...

A switch of the pillow and another star on the wreath make my entry holiday ready...

To my window and wreath outside I added a garland of berries and additional stars...

Then a cute sign that I bought years ago tied to my garden chair...love it...

So now Casa de Lightle is filled with red, white and blue...let the fireworks begin.  Sweet freedom-

Grilled Corn Salad...

I made this salad a few weeks back and I just couldn't get it out of my mind.  So what does a blogger do when that happens???  Make it again and take pictures this time!!  I love this time of year because I love to grill (I know that is getting old) and I also love all of the fresh produce.  My favorite meal in the summer is a nice juicy steak and grilled veggies...luckily all of the peeps that I love cooking for like it too!!  It is a great alternative to a heavy potato salad and I love the amazing flavors...

To make it I used 4 ears of corn, the zest of one lemon, 1/4 cup of cheese (italian blend or whatever you have on hand), a handful of grape tomatos that are quartered, 1 avacado (even though I show two) and 4 Tablespoons of Italian dressing...

Before grilling the corn I rubbed it with olive oil, salt and pepper...

While the corn was grilling I quartered the tomatos and zested the lemon in a bowl...

Grilling the corn took about 10 minutes...be sure to move them around and turn them often because you want color but you don't want burnt.  When the corn was finished I removed the kernals from the cob like this...

Stir in the cheese, chopped avacado, italian dressing and additional salt and pepper to taste.  I made mine about 30 minutes in advance but you could make it the day before and add the avacado at the last minute to insure that it doesn't turn brown.  Another tip is to cover the salad with saran wrap and be sure to press it against the salad so that air does not turn the avacado. 



I served it with a steak and grilled aspargus...it was D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.!!!  Perfect for a picnic or bbq any time of year.  Sweet corn-

Cupcake Display

On Saturday another set of sweet friends got married.  Instead of a layered cake the bride chose to have a small cake for them to cut and then cupcakes for the guests.  Cupcakes are such a great alternative to a large cake and eliminates the cake cutting/plating all together.  Guests can easily help themselves to an individual cake or three.

To display the cupcakes the bride wanted something rustic...so I used old crates, candlesticks, jars and cake plates that I made.  I started by stacking items that I had brought, with the larger items in the back.  Then I added a few cans with flowers that the bride had planted and the coordinating cupcakes..

A single cake with a monogram was perfect in front...

An antique milk crate turned over makes a perfect surface for flowers and cake...

Coordinating candlesticks are perfect to highlight the cuppies...

Stacking an antique soda crate, sewing machine drawer and cake plate gave lots of area for display...

The deer horn, burlap and rustic display items fit perfect with the couples decor...

Making vertical lines of the same cupcakes keeps everything looking simetrical...

Chocolate anyone??

I'm so happy with the way the display turned out and so was the bride.  It was a fabulous wedding...Congratulations Trent and Shara!!!  Sweet cuppies-

Our sweet baby boy...

Yesterday was a very sad day at my house...our poor sweet baby Jack was killed by a neighbors dog.  I still can't believe that he is gone.  I will forever hold a spot in my heart for him because he touched it in a way that no other animal ever had.  If you don't have an animal it may be hard for you to understand the loss that my children and I are feeling.  I may not have quite understood it myself had Jack not been in my life.  He was the glue for my kids and I through some very tough times in the past year and half...that may sound  silly but he was.  Every single day he made each one of us smile and laugh...even on days that we didn't feel like it.  We loved him more than ice cream with sprinkles...more than Nascar...more than crafting...more than anything.  Thank you Jack for being such a wonderful addition to our family.  We will miss you and love you forever. 

I also wanted to thank all of you that reached out to us yesterday.  We are blessed with such amazing people in our lives!!  The warm thoughts, flowers and kind words meant the world to each of us.  Sweet baby Jack-

Thursday Thoughts-Week 25

Week 25-  Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.

As I get older I find myself less willing to push the envelope & try new things.  When I was younger I was up for anything but now I think that fear of failure stops me from trying.  Lets face it...nothing is as easy at 36 as it was when I was 22.  Lately I have been making a conscious effort to not let this happen.  Sure learning to wake board can hurt for days but the sense of accomplishment that it fills my soul with far exceeds the sore body I have been hobbling around in.  Going on a real date for the first time in 20 years and enjoying every last moment was good for my body and mind.  Stepping outside of the normal box that we create for ourselves is a scary adventure but I am telling you that is worth it!!  The accomplishment that you will feel even if it doesn't go exactly as planned (and especially when it does) far exceeds the fear within you...so I am challenging you to try something new!!  Sweet accomplishment-

Grilled Pizza

Today is the "official" first day of summer...YEAH!!!!!  At my house this means it is time to grill...anything and everything I can think of...I just want to grill!!  Burgers, steaks, chicken, veggies, garlic bread and one of my very favorites...PIZZA.  If you have never grilled a pizza then you really need to step out of your comfort zone and just do it!!!  They are fabulously scrumptious!!  The crisp grilled crust and the tasty toppings take an ordinary pizza to an entirely new level of YUM!!

I started with a store bought pizza crust that I found in the freezer section of my local grocery store.  I let it thaw in the fridge and then spread it out onto a baking sheet lined with a little corn meal.  To the top I brushed on some olive oil so that it wouldn't stick to the grill...

Lay the crust olive oil side down on a preheated grill until it begins to bubble...

Once bubbly and browned then turn it over for a about a minute...

 

Remove crust from grill and top with you favorite toppings.  The possibilities are endless!!  On this pizza I used ranch dressing as the sauce, grilled chicken, an Italian blend of cheeses and then a mixture of onion, zucchini, garlic and basil that I sauteed together...

Then it is back to the grill.  At this point you are wanting to warm through the toppings, melt the cheese and finish off the crispy crust.  Once it is cooked to your liking then remove from grill, cut and serve...

A slice of fresh tomato and my slice was complete...

A perfect summer menu item!!  Fire up the grill and create a pizza masterpiece for your family.  Sweet pizza-

What a fun weekend...

Can you believe that it is Monday already??  Me either!!  The weekend is over and I am tired.

First of all I want to send a HUGE congratulations to my friend Katy and her new husband Ben.  It was a wonderful wedding in a secluded location that was absolutely beautiful.  Now I have to admit that hauling a wedding cake 40 miles really stressed me out but I think that it turned out great and I was glad to be a part of their big day.

On Sunday we headed out to my favorite location in the ENTIRE universe...Albertson Reservoir.  My first trip of the summer season and it was magnificent.  My sweet Padre came up for a yummy Father's Day lunch, courtesy of my brother-in-law and hamburger extraordinaire.  The kids swam and played in the water.  We played bocce ball, soaked up some good o' Lake County rays and my cousin was even sweet enough to drag me behind his boat until I finally got up on his wake board (can you say SORE).  It was a fabulous weekend and would have even been better if I had remembered my camera. 

You can't beat summer time...it makes me happy!!  Sweet summer-

Brownie Cutting Tip...

Whenever I am asked to bring a dessert for my kids they ALWAYS want brownies!  Now I am just going to admit before we get any further...I don't make homemade brownies...I just use the good ol' box.  They are consistently good and because my children usually are telling me very last minute (like 9p.m. the night before they need them) that is important.  I will tell you that I usually double the amount of batter needed.  For instance if the box says it is for a 9x13 pan then I use 2 boxes because I like for them to be thick.  I also tend to under cook them a bit.  I want them to be cooked but still extra gooey. 

When it comes to cutting them the main thing is for them to be COMPLETELY cooled.  For years I used a regular kitchen knife and the brownie would stick to the knife, clump and look all a mess...

Then one day I realized that if I use a plastic knife then they cut perfectly...every time!!  If you haven't heard this before then be sure to remember it because it will save a whole of frustration and time...

Just a fun brownie tip...so bake a big and yummy batch today!!!  Sweet tip-

Thursday Thoughts-Week 24

Hello to all my sweet and faithful readers.  I wanted to take a minute to thank all of you for visiting my little ol' blog...it is so nice to hear from you and know that you are enjoying what I share.  For most of the year my weekly thoughts have reflected things going on in my life but today I wanted to take a lighter note. 

Week 24-Nothing if officially lost until your Mom can't find it...

This totally cracks me up and is so darn true at my house!  When things are lost at my home and my children say that they have "looked everywhere"...I often wonder if they did so with their eyes closed.  How is it that as a Mom you have a built in CCF (Children's Crap Finder...there is also HCF, Husband's Crap Finder)?  It is like a mentally charged and frustration powered ability to sniff out what it is that your whiny sweet babies/hubby can't locate.  What the heck would the world do without Mom's??  Sweet mama's-

Last Day of school sadness & gift idea

This morning when the door shut and my babies left for school I was reminded that this sweet boy...

and this sweet girl...

are moving on.  It seems like I was just taking pictures of their first day of school for Kindergarten?  Now they are on to high school and junior high.  By the end of the summer I will have two teenagers and a driver!!  It is so hard for me to believe!!  I think I will go and pout now...
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I always like to do a little something for the teachers at the end of the year.  Nothing big...just a little something to let them know that I appreciate all of their hard work.  This year I took a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows and a package of Hershey's bars...because lets face it...who doesn't like a gooey smore on a warm summer night?

This is what I wrote on the card but you could mix it up and change it for almost any occasion.  It would be perfect for a summer birthday...

A little apple ribbon that I bought in the $1.00 bin at Michael's and the gift is ready to go...

On to the summer break and I am hoping some fabulous weather!!  Sweet summer-

Filling a Cupcake...

Cupcakes seem to be the "in" thing lately.  I have more and more people requesting them instead of an actual cake.  I can't really blame them...they are cute, little, individually wrapped and absolutely delicious.  Especially when they are filled with something extra yummy.  It may sound a little intimidating but it is actually really easy...let me show you how.  First you will bake the cupcakes and let them cool...

To make an area for the filling I used a small knife to cut a cone shaped piece from the top...

I then took my raspberry filling and put it in a pastry bag (but you could use a Ziploc) being sure to cut a small area from the tip...

Then I took the filling and piped it into the hole that I made but being sure to not over fill...

Lastly I took my frosting and piped it on over the cupcake and filling...

A perfect and simple surprise hidden inside every cupcake.  What could be better then that??  Sweet cake-

Summer Projects

I have been a little neglectful the last couple of weeks!  My home is in terrible need of TLC and I just haven't been motivated enough to get it done.  So yesterday I decided it was time to get busy and finish a few projects that desperately needed done.  After two trips to Bloomers and True Value and hours of hard work here are the rewards... 

This is my front flower bed.  I wish that I would have taken a before photo so that you could understand exactly how it looked before.  My idea was simplicity...nothing that is going to take a lot of time but will look great anyway...

I also planted two tomato plants (a cherry and Roma) and basil...I can smell the tomato sauce on the stove already...

I also finally hung the old window that I had purchased a while ago.  It was very simple...two hooks on the back and there you go.  I also love the potted plants that the girls and Bloomers did for me...

My hanging basket is also beautiful.  A perfect addition to the back porch...

Another view of my hard work in the front flower bed.  I just couldn't help it...for the time it took to complete, it deserved a second shot...

So even though it could literally freeze tonight...I just couldn't wait any longer.  It is nearly the middle of June and I am ready for summer to begin!!!  Sweet summer-

Wednesday Thoughts-Week 23

Week 23-We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have!

Being happy with what we have can be such a blessing.  The most important things in life are not things...they are people, relationships and memories.  In such a materialistic world it is easy to forget this, especially when you are a teenager!!  I wish I could get my kids to understand this...the world would be so much easier for them if they did.  Sweet happiness-

Weekend Recap...

First of all I want to congratulate Brandon Hileman, Baili Raines, Mary Staub and all of the other seniors who graduated on Saturday!!!  Good job guys...sorry I missed the fun.  I did make a couple of cakes for the festivities though...

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Once the cakes were dropped off the kids and I headed on a road trip to Medford for my cousin Laura's baby shower.  We shopped, ate more than we should have and even relaxed a little...

Its a tough life.

Auntie & Gavin...

Auntie & Owen..

Tales and Hayden...

Tater getting a little push by Gavin...

Then it was shower time!!  Lo is looking great...

I wonder if she is having a boy or a girl???  I'm guessing a girl but I will just tell you right now that I am almost NEVER right!!  Lindsey did such a great job on the decor...

&

Here is the final picture of my gift.  I filled it with flannel burp rags that I made, a old jar filled with q-tips, a few diapers and some other cute stuff...

I love the way it turned out.  Wishing all of you a wonderful week!!  Sweet times-