Recycling

I have had this flower pot for years. I had it in my office on my old job and moved it home with me when I started my own business. However, my plant recently died and I am just not in the mood to get another plant. I was cleaning it up, washing it and thinking I guess I'll put it in the yard sale pile. But I really like it so I don't really want to get rid of it. My hallway bathroom is done in these colors with birdhouses as my theme. I looked at the pot and thought, how could I recycle this into the bathroom without putting another plant in it. I walked into the bathroom, looked around the limited counter space and had a great idea. The result isn't anything brilliant or anything that will cause oos and aahs of delight, but it now serves a new purpose and I can continue to enjoy it.

If you have recycled any of your home decor and found a new use for it, send me a photo and I'll create a new page on my post to showcase recycled home decor projects.

Watch for new basket photos on Friday

You will notice I have added a new page on my blog called Basket Showcase. I would love to see some of your wonderful baskets and the many ways you use them. Please email me photos to brendakeefer@comcast.net and I will post them on the Basket Showcase page. I will just keep a running photo of different types and styles of baskets and their many uses.

Where do the years go....

I was looking at some photos this morning and found this one of my nephew Jacob Tyler Garretson. I remember it like it was yesterday that we found out Angie was expecting. I remember them talking about naming him Jacob Tyler and he was going to be called J.T. Once he arrived, he looked more like a Jacob so we alternated between the two. I remember when he was about 2 or 3 and had started talking pretty good, they started calling him J.T. because they thought that would be cute when he started in sports. Shortly after that somebody asked him what his name was and he smilingly said "Goatee." From that day forward he has been Jake or Jacob. No more J.T. Eighteen years later, that little tyke has grown into a tall handsome young man. When I see him or look at his pictures, it seems like yesterday that he was our little "Goatee". I have to wonder where the years have gone.

For my friends......

Debbie, this one is for you!

Most of us suffer bouts of craving for chocolate....many, like myself, on a daily basis. We all know the benefits of dark chocolate. It is all the rave. That is why I eat so many Junior Mints...because of the health benefits of dark chocolate.

But did you know that the BEST and healthiest chocolate is actually unsweetened cocoa powder? Like Hershey's makes for baking. It has even more health benefits than dark chocolate. Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.

So in honor of Hershey's Cocoa and for all you chocolate lovers who want to have your cake and eat it too, here is my favorite quick and easy cake recipe that is delicious.

Cake:

One box Duncan Hines Swiss Cake Mix. Mix as per box instructions and add 1 tsp. cinnamon. It really changes the flavor and is delicious. Once cake cools, make the frosting:

Frosting:

1 Box 10x sugar

5 tablespoons Hershey's Cocoa Powder

1 stick softened butter (I use Parkay, but different butters will change the flavor)

4-5 tsp of milk (mix to your desired consistency)

1 tsp vanilla

Beat until smooth, frost cake, eat, enjoy and stay healthy.

Why I love summer.....

Could somebody please remind me why I love summer. I've always loved the feel of the sun on my face. I love getting outside and enjoying the fresh air. But this summer is stifling. The heat is oppressive and their is NO breeze anywhere. Not sure how much more of this I can take. I keep thinking it will cool down, but so far...not so much. Me and Diana went to Dollywood Saturday for the first time this year with Shelby and Caleb. We picked the hottest day of the year. Whoever said women don't sweat they perspire, never went to Dollywood in the middle of July. We just took them over for a couple of hours and by the time we left, let me tell you we were sweating. I was on the verge of a heat stroke and Diana had to drive because I thought I was going to pass out. Caleb was so hot he could barely walk and it was all we could do to drag ourselves from the tram to the car. I told Diana I'm renting one of those electronic wheel chairs next time. I'm getting too old to walk that much in the heat. Caleb said he was going to ride it with me if I did. For those of you wondering how Princess Shelby did in the heat, see for yourself......

She handled it very well. Of course she was in her stroller being pushed everywhere. She was dressed in a real cool shirt and shorts until she spilled milk all over her clothes. But she still survived her first Dollywood trip better than the rest of us did.

Next week, I'm taking Garret and Alexis to Splash Country. That is walking I can handle. By the time you get hot from walking, you are at a new water adventure you can hop into and cool off.

Be prepared...

Whenever we expect company, we prepare the house for their visit. We change the sheets and put out fresh bath linens for their use. We dust, mop, and clean the house from top to bottom lest a spec of dirt they should see. We go to the store and stock up on food, pop, coffee, dessert, etc. When we think we are ready for their visit, we make one last walk through the house to make sure everything is in order. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Can you imagine the work that is going on in heaven as God prepares for us to come home?

Is your heart prepared to receive Him when He comes? Have you cleaned out the cobwebs and swept out the dirt and dust?

I challenge each of you as you go through this week. Watch your words, take note of your actions. If Jesus walked up to you today, what would you "sweep under the rug" in hopes that He would not see it.

Did you know.....

The internet is full of fun facts, trivia and totally useless information. Here are some of the things I have learned by surfing the net. DID YOU KNOW...... ...The dot over the letter 'i' is called a tittle. (What’s wrong with calling it a dot?) ...Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2-6 years of age. (I did not know that) ...Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants. (Never understood why you would invent Donald with a shirt and hat, but no pants) ...The cigarette lighter was invented before the match. (I find this very strange.) ...TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. (Did you also know facetious is the only word in the US language to use all the vowels in order) ...Coca-Cola was originally green. (OOO, Yuck) ...If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (I wonder if this is why so many mother’s need a morning cup of coffee after yelling at the kids all morning trying to get them up and off to school.) ...Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury. (Then why don’t they just make Monopoly money spendable?) ...It is impossible to lick your elbow. (It’s human nature, you WILL try this now) ...Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. (If I take a zinc vitamin, will it make me smarter?) ...The tune for the "A-B-C" song is the same as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." (Hmm, I thought the ABC’s sounded familiar) ...The names of Popeye's four nephews are Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye, and Poopeye! (So glad I know this. I can rest easy now.)