Enjoying Our Homes

 

Snowing very softly today. 

Hello ladies!  As you can see, the snow is coming down rather prettily.  It won't amount to much today, but come tomorrow evening into Friday morning we're supposed to get another 6-9 inches.  If it goes over 5 inches it will be record snowfall for a winter in our area.  So, I say, why not go for it!!!  Then maybe it will be done?  I'm glad we're at least in the month of March, but March around here can mean anything so, we'll see!  Oh, well.  I know we're not alone in this so I hope this is finding all of you doing okay wherever you are and as the title of my post says......enjoying your home.

I've been writing list after list these days.  A new list for every new day and then re-writing it after checking a few things off.  Doesn't that feel good?  Working at something and scratching it off the list?  It keeps me motivated.  

I keep going through things as I'm finding that my tastes are changing as I get older and I'm finding that keeping a lot of stuff isn't for me anymore.  What I have in my home is what we truly love and what we truly use, and like everyone...some things are nostalgic. Everything is else is going away.  This also helps when it comes time for daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning.  Less stuff means more time saved.  We have a little house, so I can whip through my cleaning in no time at all and I like that, especially when I want to spend time on other interests.

I spent all morning in the kitchen yesterday.  It was a rare sunny morning and the kitchen window faces east so that beautiful sunshine was streaming in while I worked.  I put some soft jazz music on and just puttered.  This is something that I didn't even have planned so it was a pleasant surprise.  It started by looking at my menus and seeing what I had planned for supper.  The first thing I knew I was going through all my spices - in the spice rack and in the spice drawer - and throwing out old spices and rearranging the ones I had.  Then I went downstairs to the pantry and brought up the new spices to replace the old and then write down what I needed to buy on my next shopping trip.  While going through the spices I noticed that I didn't have many taco seasoning packets or pizza seasoning packets left so I got all those spices together on the counter and made those and they are now tucked in the drawer waiting for our next pizza or taco night.  I also noticed that I didn't have anymore homemade Hamburger Helper mixes left so I made a couple of those.  And, then, I noticed that I had kitted up a homemade donut mix a while back so I thought I'd better make those before the ingredients got too old.  Then to top it off, I ground some coffee beans and put them into an airtight jar so that they would just be ready in the morning to make coffee with.  It was just a wonderful morning and those are the little things that no one else will notice but me (and that's okay).   : )

BOOKS:

Like always, I've been reading and this is my book to share this time around -

Not JUST this Nancy Drew book, but the whole series.

I know, I know, how juvenile, right?  No!  Not when you've never read them before.  Not if they're classics.  I'm collecting the whole series and there are a couple of people who know this so whenever they're out and about and see some, they call or text me to see if I want them.  : )  I have quite a few already, but I have a ways to go yet to have them all.  In my quest of getting rid of stuff, books are the one constant that I continue to bring in because I love books and I share books and I re-read books - so, of course I can justify that!  : )

They are a fun read and if you have older daughters or granddaughters, I would highly recommend that you introduce them to this classic.  They are, of course, mysteries.  But I think they are more than that.  They were written with good moral characters.  I love it when the author makes the point of saying that they went to church.  I always have to laugh at how much Nancy can do!  So far (what I've read anyway) she can tap dance, dance ballet, drive a beautiful car, flies an airplane, has the appropriate outfit for every occasion, scuba dives, pilots a boat, knows how to cook, can eat everything and never gains weight, has a mind that can solve every mystery............  It's just something light and fun to pick up.  

The cup is from a friend who moved away from this area years ago but we still try to stay in touch.  She sent this to me one Christmas.  The sentiment is true for me as well.  : )  In the cup is just regular black tea which paired nicely with this awesome dessert!  Recipe to follow.

RECIPES:

Okay.  Hang on to your earrings, ladies.  Have I got a recipe for you!!!!!  We had friends over after church last Sunday and I made this for dessert.  We all took one bite and looked at each other.  It was a winner.  I KNOW you'll love it so I hope you try it and tell me what YOU think.  The only thing that I didn't realize is that I was treating it like a regular pie.  You know.  Cutting it into eight slices.  While eating, I was thinking that this is too rich to have this size of slice so I went and looked at the recipe and it says that it serves 12 to 16 people!!!!  So I made the slices WAY to big to eat at one sitting.  Anyway.....here is the recipe (which I got from DessertNowDinnerLater.com).

NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Crust:  either make your own Oreo crust out of 25 Oreos mixed with 5 Tbsp. of melted butter OR just buy (and always have on hand!) store-bought Oreo crusts.

Filling:

*1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

*8 Tbsp. butter

*1 cup powdered sugar

Ganache:

*1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

*2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

*1/2 cup heavy cream

For the filling, whip the peanut butter and butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.  Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.  Pour into Oreo crust and smooth out with a spatula.

For the Ganache, heat heavy cream on medium-low heat until just boiling being careful not to burn the cream.  Pour over chocolate chips and peanut butter in a separate bowl and allow to rest for 1 minute.  Whisk together until smooth and pour over the top of the peanut butter layer.  Smooth over and try to make a pretty design on the top with a spatula.

Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.  To cut, heat a knife under hot water, dry with a paper towel and repeat when needed.

Enjoy!!!  Seriously.  You've GOT to try this.  : )  

CRAFTS:

As always, I need something to work on so after finishing my last cross stitch project, I just had to begin another.  This is what I have so far:

It's just in the early stages but I love stitching houses so I started with that first.  I've said this before, but I usually pick out a "Pinker n' Punkin" design that are free to print out and then I make it my own.  I put motifs in different areas and add motifs and/or words of my own to it.  I'm so surprised that that Aida 14-count fabric looks off-white because what I'm stitching this on is a light green called "SPA" from Zweigart.  When I'm finished I'll try to get the full effect of the pretty fabric as well.  I'm using DMC floss in numbers 221, Blanc white, 223, 3345, 370, 3371, 801, 938, and 782.  I'm really liking it and it's been a joy to work on.

Other than that, I'm really trying to get to other crafty things like wool applique and embroidery.  I have a skirt that I need to cut and sew for the spring/summer, and a prayer shawl to keep knitting.  I love to be able to have a lot of different things to pick up and work on as the mood strikes.

BIBLE VERSE:

Here is another "fear" verse for you.

From 2 Chronicles 20:17 - "You will not have to fight this battle.  Take up your positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you..........Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.  Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you."

Again, this is encouraging.  The Lord fights our battles and we all have battles.  I know mine, what is yours?  Give it to the Lord to fight them for you!  We all need to be delivered from something.  I do, how about you?  To not be afraid takes courage and trust that the Lord will handle what you have going on - joblessness, illness, loneliness, depression, addictions........you are not alone.  Please remember that.  Ask Jesus for the help you need.  He will be there.

Well, I think that's it for today!  Thank you SO much for dropping by because I appreciate all of you and love hearing from you.  I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend ahead.  God bless.  : )

Mary