Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year and Year in Review

Happy New Year my peeps!  Hope you had a wonderful New Year's Eve.  Hubby and I participated in our "normal" annual New Year's Eve ritual - we went to an early dinner, had dinner and drinks and then came home and put on our pj's and snuggled up watching tv until the ball dropped.  We are REAL party animals, can't you tell?! HA! :)  This year I am joining in with Nicole from Three 31 and others on their Year in Review linky party.  You can go here to play along too! :)  Nicole was great enough to provide the prompts, so all we have to do is provide the answers.  So.... without further adieu - here are mine:

What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?  Husby and I went with our best friends on a cruise at the end of September and went zip lining through the rain forest of Belize - IT.WAS.AWESOME!!!  We have been on many cruises before, but never zip lining.  I can now mark that one off my bucket list. :)

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions? Will you make more in 2015?  I didn't make any resolutions, and probably won't again this year.

Did anyone close to you give birth?  Yes, my brother and his wife gave birth to a handsome baby boy who just happened to be born on my birthday - talk about an excellent birthday gift...a new nephew and on my birthday made it even more special! :)  

Did anyone close to you die?  Yes, some life long friends of our family who lived back home.  They were like another set of grandparents to me  :(  

What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?  More willpower when it comes to eating healthier  

What was your biggest achievement of the year?  Changing jobs and careers after being in the legal field for the past 16 years  

What was your biggest failure?  I had a lot of them but can't recall off the top of my head, at the moment, which one was my biggest.  

Did you suffer illness or injury?  Yes, the week before Christmas, I had emergency gall bladder surgery.  I never had any type of symptoms - it just hit out of the blue at 11:00 at night  

What was the best thing you bought?  My other 2 Boston Terriers babies - Bree and Beaux  

Whose behavior merited celebration?   My son for his hard work and efforts in keeping a 3.25 again in college and becoming a sophomore 

Where did most of your money go?  Buying healthy food - why does it have to be so darn expensive as opposed to junk food?  

What did you get really excited about?  My Arkansas Razorbacks making it to a Bowl game against the Texas Longhorns and being there to watch them kick their butt a few days ago! :)  

What countries did you visit?  Mexico, Hondurus and Belize

What song will always remind you of 2014?  All about that Bass sung by Meghan Trainor along with all of the parodies played off of that song  

Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder Happier, Thinner or fatter?  Neither - the same, but want to be thinner and healthier, Richer or poorer? Richer

What do you wish you’d done more of? Spent more time with family and friends back home 

What do you wish you’d done less of?  Work 

How will you be spending Christmas? We stayed home - I had just gotten out of the hospital after having emergency gall bladder surgery 

Did you fall in love in 2014?  No - still in love with my husband (17 years and going strong) 

How many one-night stands?  None 

Who were your best friends?  My mom, sister and the same friends as always from back home

What thing did you do that was meaningful to others? Nothing that I recall, unless paying it forward (or backward) in the line at Starbucks counts... :)

What were your favorite TV shows?  The Blacklist, Scandal and Glee

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?  Nope, because I don't hate anyone

What was the best book you read in 2014?  I didn't get to read any books this year, unfortunately

What was your greatest musical discovery?  I didn't really have one

What did you want and get?  A new wedding ring because my other kept losing the diamonds constantly

What did you want but did not get?  A new house to rent because this place we live in currently isn't big enough anymore and the parking stinks 

What were your favorite films this year?  God is not Dead and Malificient are the two that come to mind at the moment.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?  I turned 46 years old and we went to a Houston Astros baseball game in Minute Maid Park in Houston and it was a blast

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?  To have moved back home to Arkansas 

What kept you sane?  Friends and Family

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?  Luke Bryan - I love hearing him sing

What political issue stirred you the most?  ALL political ads and anything and everything relating to OBAMA - I can NOT wait to get a new president!!!

Who do you miss?  My daughter who lives back home in Arkansas but I get to see her in a couple of weeks! :)

Who are the best new persons you met this year?  Jim and Elaine from our cruise last February and they actually live close enough to hang out with

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.  That your health is important and you need to keep working hard to improve it daily, or you will be like me and end up with an emergency gall bladder surgery, which included no prior symptoms.

Quote that sums up the year:  Only you can make yourself happy

What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory?  The day my beautiful baby girl got married

Well, there you have it my peeps!  Be sure to play along if you'd like to.  Have a Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by to say hello, as well as reading my little blog here in my corner of the world.

Lots of love and hugs,

 







Thursday, December 25, 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS

to all of my wonderful readers and thank you for another great year!  I hope you and your families have had a wonderful CHRISTmas so far, but let's not forget all of our wonderful soldiers and their families who can't be together this year.


Lots of love and hugs,

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Missing in Action......

Hello friends!  I'm sorry that I have been missing in action for the last week or so.  I had to have emergency gallbladder surgery last week and it has taken its toll on me.  I am just now able to start getting up and moving around somewhat.  And of course, since I've been down and out, I've not finished up my CHRISTmas shopping yet - ACK!! I think we may celebrate our CHRISTmas a little late this year.  I am just hoping to be able to go see the lights tomorrow night on CHRISTmas eve like we have done for the past 3 years now.
 
In the event I am not back up and on the computer between now and Thursday, I want to wish you and your family a very wonderful and Merry CHRISTmas from me and my family.  I hope the Lord blesses each and every one of you this Holiday season and for years to come.  Thank you for taking time to stop by and read my blog - I am very grateful for friends like you and I am looking forward to a great 2015.
 
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
 
 
Lots of love and hugs,

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Fabulous Giveaway!! FREE Blogger to Wordpress Transfer for ONE lucky Winner

Hello my friends! How are you?! I'm SO EXCITED.  I have the pleasure of having been chosen as one of the stops along the way on the 31 days of Giveaways at Blogelina and I can't be happier than to share it with you. :) ONE lucky winner will win a FREE transfer from your blogger service to Wordpress. Have you ever thought about transferring your blog but wasn't sure how to do it exactly?  I, for one, have been wanting to do the transfer from blogger to Word Press for a long time, but I didn't know how to do so, which makes me even more excited to be sharing this giveaway with all of you.   



Here is some information describing what you will get if you are the chosen winner. The regular price for this service is $149.00 but one of you will get it for FREE! 


In order to win this fantastic giveaway, you need to follow the instructions listed below:



Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK!  :)

Lots of love and hugs,

Thursday, December 11, 2014

FREE Blogger to WordPress Giveaway for ONE of my lucky readers - THIS SUNDAY!


A Gentle Reminder because I don't want you to lose out on this awesome giveaway THIS Sunday! :)

I was chosen as a host in the 31 Days of Blogging Giveaways by Blogelina and I am SO excited!  It is a giveaway for one of my lucky readers (that's YOU) to win a FREE Wordpress Transfer from Blogger to Wordpress.  This is a $150 value that one of YOU will win for FREE!!!  SO.... come back for the giveaway which takes place HERE on my blog THIS Sunday, December 14th beginning at 5 a.m. CST promptly.  In the meantime though, be sure to go to Blogelina's website (click on the word, Blogelina and it will take you to the giveaway page) and you can follow along and enter and see all of the wonderful prizes you can win over the remaining 31 days! :) 
 
Lots of love and hugs,

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Scalloped Pineapple Dessert

Happy Thursday lovies!  I made a recipe for the first time for Thanksgiving and wanted to share it with all of you.  It is one my mother used to make at the holidays and I had completely forgotten about it.  It turned out spectacular and was even better than I recalled. :)  The only downfall to it is that I didn't get a picture of it before my boys had devoured it all..... But...I was able to go onto the wonderful internet and locate a picture for you:
 
 
Scalloped Pineapple

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cream or milk (I used Heavy Whipping Cream)
3 eggs slightly beaten
6 slices of white bread (broken up into small pieces)
2 sticks melted butter
1 large can of Crushed Pineapple (drained)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and place in 1 1/2 quart baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes.

Trust me when I say - if you like pineapple, you will LOVE this recipe wholeheartedly!  It has such a wonderful BUTTERY taste that it's hard to stop eating it.  I prefer eating it warm, however, others enjoy it cold.  This will be a wonderful and quick and easy addition to your Christmas meal - I promise.  :)

On another note as a reminder:

I was chosen as a host in the 31 Days of Blogging Giveaways by Blogelina and I am SO excited!  It is a giveaway for one of my lucky readers (that's YOU) to win a FREE Wordpress Transfer from Blogger to Wordpress.  This is a $150 value that one of YOU will win for FREE!!!  SO.... keep checking back for the giveaway which takes place HERE on my blog on Sunday, December 14th beginning at 5 a.m. CST promptly.  In the meantime though, be sure to go to Blogelina's website (click on the word, Blogelina and it will take you to the giveaway page) and you can follow along and enter and see all of the wonderful prizes you can win over the remaining 31 days! :) 

Thanks for stopping by to say hello.  Have a fabulous day guys and dolls! :)


Lots of love and hugs,

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Weekend Recap and an AWESOME Giveaway

Happy Hump Day guys and gals.  Hope you had a fabulous weekend and are having an even better week so far.  I wanted to share a few pictures of our Thanksgiving weekend and then tell you about an AWESOME giveaway that will be on my blog a week from this Sunday, on December 14th.  So be sure to read to the end of this post as well as check back for the giveaway.  It is one I promise you will not want to miss! :)

My three babies after they got their bellies full on Thanksgiving Day
 
Obligatory picture of carving the turkey by my handsome hubby:
 
Some of the spread:
 
We always make extra food each year and take it to my husband's staff who has to work that day.  We took them Mashed Potatoes and homemade gravy, rolls, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce and of course, Turkey!
 
Mark and his son, Reece:
 
Friday after work - Me and my friend, Mark.  We've been friends since 5th grade and he and his son came to celebrate the holiday with us. I know I look rough here but I had worked all day and I think my Hogs were on tv at that moment - I was probably in the middle of screaming at the tv right before that - HA
 
 
Road trip taking Mark and his son back home on Saturday - I loved the scenery:
 
 
Close up of a tree in a gas station - I fell in LOVE with this tree and want it for my house.  The downside was it was about 30' tall!
 
See how beautiful and tall it was!
 
On our way home we stopped at a little store and gas station and there was a Sonic IN the store! I was so impressed I had to take a picture - I've never seen a Sonic inside a store before - LOL
 
 Then I fell in love with the table carvings inside the same store and had to have pictures of that as well:   
 
 
 I LOVED this bench!
 
Now on to the goodies and AWESOME giveaway!  I was chosen as a host in the 31 Days of Blogging Giveaways by Blogelina and I am SO excited!  It is a giveaway for one of my lucky readers (that's YOU) to win a FREE Wordpress Transfer from Blogger to Wordpress.  This is a $150 value that one of YOU will win for FREE!!!  SO.... keep checking back for the giveaway which takes place HERE on my blog on Sunday, December 14th beginning at 5 a.m. CST promptly.  In the meantime though, be sure to go to Blogelina's website (click on the word, Blogelina and it will take you to the giveaway page) and you can follow along and enter and see all of the wonderful prizes you can win over the remaining 31 days! :) 
 
Well, thanks for stopping by to say hello.  Please let me know you were here!  Have a great rest of the week friends. :)

 
 Lots of love and hugs,