SATURDAY NIGHT - A GREAT TIME TO WRITE!

Good evening!! Can't believe I was so busy I haven't written in almost a week! It truly has been a very busy and fast week! I could never tell you all that has happened and if I did - I would either lose all of you -- or you would be bored out of your mind! I will give you a short synopsis on some of it! Monday - was hairdo day - Tuesday - I actually cooked and it was very good stew! Wednesday I was very bad and took my sister to Mistletoe and Magic's Preview night - and we had a really good time. We both looked good and saw lots of pretty things and a lot of people we knew! Good sister time - even though we were in a crowd - it was good time alone! Is that an oxymoron or what???

Thursday was Veteran's Day and I went to Nacogdoches with my friend Mary - and we had a wonderful time with Jeana. Her home is beautiful and she is so sweet. Her sweet husband, Juan Carlos bought our lunch at a quaint little sandwich shop! Thanks Mary, Jeana, and Juan Carlos for a great time!!
Oh Friday was wonderful! I had Angie Hines come decorate my house -- well part of it -- for Christmas and it is wonderful! Travis had said he didn't want me to do as much this year as the past several where I put up about 9 trees. He didn't really explain - but I think he could not bear the pain of having to get it all down and then put it back!!! Anyway - I love it -- he loved it!! Angie has a knack for knowing the perfect place for everything!!!

Today - Alice, Michelle, Maura and I went to Dallas. Got a late start, got turned around, and finally showed up at Lexus at about 11:15. I was just going to have the oil changed and the right signal light repairs with a new bulb but oh no -- I was due for the 30 thousand mile checkup -- so they gave me a loaner and we headed toward the Galleria - wanted to take Maura to the American Girl Doll store -- but by the time we ate and went to Macy's -- we had to hurry back across town to get the car before 5:00. Macy's was wonderful - twice as nice (bigger and much better stocked) that the one at Northpark and probably 3 times more as Tyler.

So now you know!!! I have so many recipes for you - I really don't know where to start!! Here are a couple of great recipes for Christmas giving or keeping (the bread) and a wonderfully different salad.

APPLE BUTTERMILK BREAD

3 cups flour
1 tsp.baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1 cup
granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 cups pared, cored and finely chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. grated orange peel
3 eggs

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside. Cream butter with sugars; beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla. Stir in buttermilk alternately with flour mixture. Fold in apples, nuts, and orange peel. Pour into two 8-1/2 X4-1/2 X2-5/8th inch greased and floured pans. (I prefer sugar to flour. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Makes 2 large loaves or what I prefer - 5 small loaves (for gift giving!) Wrap them in red or green tulle and tie a pretty ribbon on them!!!

Here is the other one!!

CRACKER SALAD

5 eggs, boiled and chopped
1 small jar pimentos
1 tube crackers, crushed
1 cup sweet pickles, chopped
1 cup red onion, chopped
3/4 pint salad dressing or to taste**
Mix all ingredients and chill before serving.

** Got to be something more healthy than salad dressing -- at least do light!!

My cousin was finally back on email tonight - had missed him and his great postings - and did not know he had had surgery. Tonight he had these thoughts which I certainly think are worthy of sharing:


The Power of Personal Treasures
Luke 12:34
“Where you keep your treasure is the place you will most want to be—and will end up being.”

Whatever it is that you value will hold a unique power over your life. You will schedule your time, spend your money, organize your plans, and expend your efforts in direct proportion to the esteem and desire you hold for that thing—whatever, or whoever it is.

When you love someone, you want to be with them as much as possible. When you love something, you want to do it as often as possible.

People who love sports are most often, if not always, found in some sport setting. People who love money are always occupied with money talk. People who love to hunt, Deer, Birds, or Ducks, (it was hard to use this one, I had rather talk about your vices) is all some want to do.

What do you treasure? Good or bad—it doesn’t matter. If you value it; if you treasure it—you will end up with it.

This puts a premium on the choices our hearts make, and highlights the great importance of making sure that the things we most cherish are heavenly, rather than hellish. For the last thing in the world you would want is for your lifelong desires to end up taking you into hell.

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling you minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”(Philippians 4:8)

Make sure your treasures are of such worth, that you prove to be a worthy person once they take you to be with them.


“May the Lamb that was slain receive the rewards of His suffering.”

Have a great Sunday - the best way to start it - is be in church praising God!

Thanks to each of you who take the time to read my blog!