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Yoga Van
Happy Valentines Day
Randy gave me the best present ever!!! Today has been just a perfect day so far. It began when he presented me with a gift certificate for a facial and massage and then took me to In & Out. Then…here comes the best part, he let me rearrange the furniture, bringing down our chairs from in our bedroom and taking the chairs that we have been glued to this past year, upstairs. In case you don’t know me well, one of my favorite things is to rearrange furniture and I am married to a guy that when he sees “THAT LOOK” in my eye, he knows just to go ahead and give in because he knows that until I rearrange what I am thinking about, there will be no sleep for the weary. I just cannot turn it off; I will keep going over and over in my mind, how I want it to look, what I think it will look like and what I will do if it doesn’t turn out like I thought. So…he just goes ahead when he sees the look and goes out to the garage for our sliders and pours a glass of tea and says, “we might as well get started” so we will be finished and you will be able to sleep.”
We just finished. Of course, rearranging means having to change the pictures on the wall and all the little knick knacks, but that makes me dust, which also makes us vacuum, which now means I have a clean house to wake up to in the morning. I just remembered that I am leaving town next week and Randy will be the only one here to enjoy the clean house. But, maybe that can be one of his Valentines presents. Ouch! I got a massage and facial and he gets a clean house, (after moving chairs, couches, lamps, pictures). Poor guy. But at least when he is sitting here next week wondering why I didn’t make some frozen meals for him, he will look around and at least be glad he is getting to watch TV from the new lazy boy chair (which we hauled downstairs, knocking a few paint chips off the wall going down the stairs) in a clean house. Am I a good wife or what? I’m so glad I made chocolate cake for tonight. Maybe that will get me out of the dog house.
Actually I baked the cake for a party we are going to tonight, with a few favorite sayings of the birthday person, but I will be sure Randy gets a slice. Happy Valentines Day from Valentino and TKBakesalot
Hospital Chat
I thought it appropriate to reblog this as Randy will be going to to get the battery replaced tomorrow that was inplanted in his chest in Feb, 2012. We thank the Lord that the surgery then was such a success and we are grateful for the wisdom that the Lord has given to people who invent these wonderful “gadgets” for people with Parkinson’s. This story will let you inside the walls of our experience of them giving Randy a new lease on life with Parkinson’s. We are so grateful that we were able to laugh all the way to the operating room.
As most of you know, my sweet husband has had to be in the hospital a couple of days last week and then today for some follow-up procedures. We are so grateful to family and friends who have sent us cards, emails, phone calls and prayed for us. Thank you for your love and caring of us. We truly realized how blessed and loved we are.
Knowing that we were in for another day of being in the hospital today, we both decided to go have a last great mexican food meal last night before being subjected to hospital food today, so off we go to Mijeras for enchiladas. Now, normally this would give us the little bit of sunshine that we needed to send us off to a dreaded situation, but last night, well, it was just too much and too loud. As we tried to order our meal…
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Mess In the Midst
A couple of friends ask about this posting and suggested that I reblog it. Hope it makes you smile.
This morning we woke up to the doorbell ringing at 7:15. Randy told me that he had not seen me move that fast in 20 years. I am one of those that think about things like, will I have on make-up and a “wouldn’t mind being caught in this outfit” outfit in case of rapture, earthquake or unexpected visitors. It dawned on us that the painters were here to paint the kitchen back to the original blah color that it was when we moved in. What happened to the lazy guy who never shows up until the afternoon? When did people start showing up for work at 7 a.m.? I guess I am already getting use to this retirement phase of watching GMA in jammies and finally getting a shower around 10. I just remembered that when I opened the door, I was apologizing to 4 strange men that I…
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Princess On The Porch
Just got word that more books are finished being printed and will pick them up tomorrow. So if you are still looking for that Christmas Stocking Stuffer, under $20, this is a perfect choice. It has stories that will lift spirits and make you smile, plus great recipes that are from friends and family covering the last 40 years. You can purchase them on Etsy, or write me at trudykcox@yahoo.com. They will be mailed out tomorrow, 2 day delivery…..$18.00 plus $3 for shipping.
Upside Down German Chocolate Cake
This is a week of popular reblogs from Chocolate Castles. I made this last night and we both agreed that this is ONE GREAT CAKE. This will prove to be one of your best recipes. The flavor is amazing and it doesn’t need any other frosting. Make this one of your desserts for your Christmas Dessert table. You will get more compliments than you can imagine!!!
No matter what cake comes out of our kitchen, Randy’s favorite remains the same, German Chocolate. This recipe is a quick version to put on the table when I don’t have time to whip egg whites or spend 12 minutes stirring the frosting that goes on top. I found this recipe on the side of a Duncan Hines German Chocolate cake mix. It is so rich because of the butter and cream cheese. Will keep this recipe right on top. It has Randy’s seal of approval!.
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 pkg Duncan Hines German Chocolate Cake mix
1 ( 8oz) cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter, melted (this is not the same butter listed above, but an addition)
1 lb powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350; grease and flour a 9×13″ pan.
Melt 1/2…
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2ND Annual Griswalds Storage Unit & WallMart Trip
A frew friends had told me that I should reblog this story. As I reread it just now, I realized that maybe our “keep it simple” theme didn’t last very long..but we have had a little better luck this year with our trips to WalMart. So far, this year, we have not got 1 dirty look or even a “your are not welcome back here” thrown at us. Ah…life is good.
We haven’t figured out yet why these things always seem to happen to us. I remember Erma Bombeck saying that she felt that God allowed the circumstances in her life so she would write about them and give people the gift of laughter. Maybe that is why these things happen to us. All I know is that if Candid Camera were still being filmed today, Frosty and I would probably be the stars of the show, as we just seem to attract “situations”.
It all began Saturday morning, when, “with visions of sugarplums danced in our heads,” we set out to storage with our sleigh to pick up our Christmas decorations. After Frosty dropped the first box of “treasures”, and us scrambling around trying to salvage the unbroken nativities and the shattered ornaments,we decided that maybe a flat bed dolly would be good to use. So, in a few minutes…
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Melt In Your Mouth Cookies
Once again, these cookies are the favorite this year. At a cookie open house that I held yesterday, this cookie was the one that everyone could not get enough of. They simply do melt in your mouth and the flavor is so buttery and sweet. You have to make this cookie one of your Christmas Cookie Keeper Recipes. You will be making them year after year. Merry Christmas!
This truly do melt in your mouth, due to the amount of corn starch, they seem to just disappear the minute you pop it in your mouth. They are just such a light and wonderful Christmas cookie.This is one of Frosty’s favorite cookies.
1 cup butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Sift flour and cornstarch and add to creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12-14 min. Makes
5 1/2 – 6 dz cookies. When completely cool, frost with the following:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tables butter
2 teas vanilla.
Mix the above 3 ingredients together with enough cream to get it to a good spreading consistency. About 1/3 cup cream. If you need more liquid, add by tablespoons, one at a time. (I use either whipping cream…
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Raspberry Thumbprints Cookies
This Friday I am giving an open house for my neighborhood ladies for a Cookie Gingerbread Open House. We are new to the neighborhood and I thought it would be a great way to meet some of the neighbors. This recipe goes with me where ever I go…it is our favorite little thumbprint cookie and reeks of butter with the delicious flavor of the raspberry jam in the center. So easy to make (especially using the Thumbie to make the indentions).
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teas salt
2 teas vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup of raspberry jam or preserves (love Trader Jo’s brand)
Combine butter and sugar and beat until well combined about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium for about a min. Add the flour and mix in until all is incorporated with butter mixture. Form 1″ balls and place on baking sheet.
Make indention with thumb or the Thumbie (which can be purchased from Etsy shop, “Chocolate Castles for $3.00). Put about 1/4 teas of raspberry jam in center of indention. I also sprinkled red colored sugar over the top of the cookies before baking.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 10-12 min. Let cool and keep in air tight container. Makes 4 dozen
Chocolate Castles 