Happy anniversary to my Sweetheart

My dearest sweetheart,

As I sit here and reflect on the past 36th years, I can't thank you enough for loving me the way you did. You were my #1 fan and my biggest supporter no matter what I wanted to do. You took me places I had never been and showed me a love I had never known. You showered me daily with your love and spoiled me in so many ways. 

I don't know why God took you home so soon. I wasn't done loving you. I saw a t-shirt once that said "I'm still a wife. My husband just lives in heaven." That's exactly how I feel. You will forever be my one and only, my soul mate, my true love. Someone asked me one day why I wore my wedding ring since I'm single. My answer was simple. I'm not single. I will be with my husband again one day. He loved me with every beat of his heart. I will not become "single" because when there is no breath left in this old body of mine, I will be reunited with the love of my life." That is why I still  wear my ring.

I miss you so much. I miss being spoiled. I miss the way you loved to cook but didn't like me in the kitchen because I had a tendency to get in your way. I love how you would fix me a Pepsi and a little bowl of malted milk balls for a snack when I got home from work. Then you would send me to the tub to have a hot soak in a deep bubble bath while you cooked dinner for us. I love how you shared every household chore. If you got home before me, you put the laundry on. If you got off work before I did, you would do the grocery shopping. You were so good to me. You even made sure the toilet seat was always put down. Men just don't normally do things like that. 

But most of all you told me you loved me. You showed me and you told me every single day of our life together. You made me feel so special. I loved how you always called me Sweetheart. I rarely heard you use my name. You called me Sweetheart so much that I actually asked you one time if you even knew my name. We had a good laugh about it. 

There are so many memories that I think about today and I know as I remember the laughter and the fun times that you are remembering them with me. There were several of our favorite stories that we loved to "remember when...." with. Like the first time in the log home when both kids were out at the same time so we fixed a giant plate of french fries and snuggled on the couch with the plate of fries and watched the 101 Dalmations movie and thought it was the most romantic night of our life because we shared fries and a movie. We talked about that all the time. Or the time we went to the beach and I checked the house and said we got all the luggage and we got to the beach and I had left the entire garment bag of all your shirts at home. And we were staying seven days. I was thrilled because I finally got to force you to get some new shirts. You had your good old favorites and that is all you ever wanted me to pack. But you had on your favorite because you had driven down in it. You made me promise to bury you in that favorite shirt and I did as you asked. You wore it so much that you would say "I think I'll wear my shirt." and I would know what one you meant. 

I could go on and on about our memories but you know them as good as I do. I just wanted to tell you I love you and miss you with every beat of my heart. But I am doing good considering I don't have you here with me. I even learned to make gravy...which you thought would never happen. You always said "You could make it if you tried. And I would replied "Yes, but if I learn, you might make me cook." And we would have a good laugh. 

I love you, sweetheart and hope you are having a wonderful anniversary. 

Forever yours,

Your sweetheart

Sunday's Songs

I love music. I'll listen to just about any kind of music if it fits my mood. But my favorite music is Southern Gospel. I love the truth in the words and the way the lyrics to my favorite songs makes me feel. They bring me joy, peace and comfort. Sometimes I listen to them because they just make me happy. One of the ones I really like listening to is Jason Crabb and the Crabb Family. Today I am featuring some of my favorites by Jason and The Crabb family as my Sunday songs. May they bring you as much joy as they bring me.

An interesting Friday...

I picked up my sweet Alexis after school yesterday so she could stay all night. We are heading out early this morning to watch Colby place baseball. 

She wanted to go out to eat at KFC. We normally just do the local one, but I was telling her about one in a neighboring city that had all you can eat buffet. Since the child could eat her weight in KFC mashed potatoes, she wanted to go to it. She is still 12 so it was just $5.25 for hers and I am a senior so mine was $7.25. That included our drinks. Afterwards, we went up the road and stopped at Walmart to pick up some things. When going through the grocery aisle, this caught my eye. Krispy Kreme discontinued their chocolate iced cake donuts. But bless Betty Crocker's heart for buying the rights to create it in a cake mix. These have always been my favorite Krispy Kreme.

I'm going to make this in mini bundt pans. They should be delicious.

After we got home a friend send me a picture of some items she saw for sell. I hooked up with the seller because I was interested in the tea pot since I collect them and this would be gorgeous in my beach bathroom (yes, I have teapots in every room in my house just about.

She had several items in her picture and I asked how much for just the tea pot. I was willing to go up to $10 because I know how much a tea pot can cost of this size. Normally, $39.95 and up. She came back with a price of $10....for everything in her picture. So I said YES. Now mind you, it was a small picture on Facebook so I thought it was a smaller version, but when I met her and got it all, I was overwhelmed by the size of the two other matching pieces as well as the teapot.

And that wasn't all. She had these two pieces in it as well. Not a big fan of the soap dispenser, but for these to come with the other, I was fine with getting them all for $10. I will probably put these two in my yard sale next month and get about $7 or $8 out of them total, which would make my three pieces cost just $2 or $3 dollars total. We will see what happens.

I would normally not meet someone at Food City after dark, but I already knew the lady.  And me and Alexis were craving chocolate ice cream so I met her and picked them up since today was going to be crazy. She is going through stuff she put in storage when her mother-in-law passed away three years ago. She said she was ready to get rid of things now and has a lot of vintage glassware. She's going to call me when she gets ready to have her yard sale. I can't wait to see what else she has. We got our ice cream and came home and ate ice cream.

Friday Foto Friends

Hope everyone is having a great week. I have had a busy week. Not only have I been training hard for the new part of my job, but I've been feeling in where needed. Including blowing up balloons and decorating a large cubicle for a birthday party.

I was going through some old files to clean my computer this week and found some things I thought I would share today. These were from old blog posts when I had two different blogs. I did this for my planters a few years ago. Used coffee cans so they had room to grow. It was so neat. I'm going to do it again this year. 

I want to find some more of these photo props and get some pics at VBS again this year. I did this four years ago and it was a great hit.

Even Ms. Gladys joined in the fun. 

There was a lady at a craft fair one time who had taken old watches and put a stone or jewel on hold watch band faces to make cute bracelets. I had forgotten how cute they were.

 I had a lace tablecloth one time that was actually a very soft, pliable vinyl. It was so pretty and so easy to keep clean. But after using it for so long, the lace ripped some and I had to throw it away. I need to look for another one. They are only $5.00.

I made this bag many, many years ago and not sure whatever happened to it. I want to make me another one. I always loved it.

One of my favorite Pyrex pieces that I had and ended up trading it. I wanted to collect the whole set but never could find the others to go with it so I traded for something to complete another set I had. Wish I could find another one like this.

When I saw this, it made me hungry. Alexis is staying all night tonight and she loves gravy and biscuits and bacon. I may see if she wants breakfast for supper. I need to stop at the Apple Barn today to get some apple butter anyway.

Well, that's it for the day. Have a great weekend! Be sure to visit Ms. Debbie at Friday Foto Friends!

It's been busy...

It's been a busy week at my place. I've worked some strange schedule this week since I was training and the training went great. Not to mention, we are gearing up for the opening of Dolly Parton's newest dinner attraction and show, Smoky Mountain Adventures. It is going to be amazing and I can't wait to attend it to see what it is like. 

Yesterday for lunch before I went to work, I fixed a grilled pizza sandwich. My grandson came up with this idea when he was 10 or 11. You butter a piece of bread like you do for grilled cheese and put it in your skillet, butter side down. Cover the top with pizza sauce, your favorite topping(s), I use pork sausage. Then spread on your fave cheese. I use finely shredded it works better and I always choose Colby Jack cheese.

Then butter another piece of bread and put on the top, butter side up.

Grilled on medium heat until golden brown and then flip to the other side and finish it off. 

Doesn't that look loaded and deliciouse. I am here to tell you it is devine.

I am strange, but I love M & M's as a side dish on anything that is pizza related.

I had made some brownies earlier and was wishing I had some icing or some type of topping for them. Then inspiration hit. I remember something I made years ago and the icing recipe was simple. I melted a couple of miniature Milky Ways with a little bit of peanut butter and just a splash of water. This made a gooey delicious ganache. I poured it over my one slice of brownie as a test. Instant success. This was SO good that I'm doing a whole pan like this for work next week. 

I needed a new shower curtain and liner. But I can't find what I want. When I was in Family Dollar the other day they had heavy ones that act as the liner and the curtain. So I thought I'd pick one up for temporary use. It was just $4.00 but I am happy with it for now. And because it is heavy, it doesn't blow against you with the power of the shower going.  

I had a little sea shell shaped dish that I put some fake sea glass in to add to the decor on the ledge of the tub. 

I have to wear closed toe shoes to work which stinks in the summer when I love flip flops. In addition, we can't wear wild or bold nail polish (in keeping with our time theme). But my granddaughter Shelby had a great solution. She said to do my toes wild and nobody at work will ever see them, but I will know that at least my toes are bold even if my fingers aren't. I took her advice and did my toes in this pretty turquoise and decorated them with the pink with dots. I now have polka dot toe nails. 

But my nails are still a pale pink.

Well, that's life in my world the last few days. Have a great Thursday. 

Words for Wednesday

Here are some cute quotes I found that I really like. I need to print them out and make a collage. 

Weekend wrap up...

I  spent most of my weekend working as I am training in a new position at work. But Sunday night I went out to Texas Roadhouse with the family to eat. I was so happy to be with family that I forgot to get any pictures of the birthday boy, but we had a great time. And the cactus blossom onion appetizer was perfect.

In addition to learning my new position at work, I am cross training to work our Dixie booth inside Dollywood in case I ever need to be sent over there when we are shorthanded. That meant getting up at 5:00 a.m. yesterday so I could be at Dollywood for orientation by 7:00.

Orientation was small and of the 8 attending, 5 of us were Dixie employees. The teacher was really fun and made attending "school" really enjoyable. Afterwards we went into Dollywood and walked all around the park on a tour. We even got to stop in a few of the shops. I was so happy when we went through the chocolate shop. The smell was heavenly. I need to make a trip back over there to try out their orange creams.

We also stopped in the blown glass shop. I fell in love with the beautiful oil lamps.

She bought our lunch in the host lounge. They change up what they fix everyday and lunch for employees is $2.50 each. Yesterday, one of the choices was meatloaf, mashed potatoes and a choice of one more side. I chose corn. It was really good. After lunch, we finished our tour and took in a show. Since it is the Festival of Nations all shows are from different nations. We picked Switzerland to go to. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was just different. Very, very different. But wow one guy could really yodel.

I didn't get home until around 2:30. Then I went through some office supplies to look for a few things I was needing from my stock pile. I fixed a snack and did a little laundry. Next thing I knew, it was time to head to church for VBS training and a look at the theme and the crafts for this year.

We weren't impressed with the crafts because they are geared toward the bigger kids with lots of glue, glitter and paint this year. Nope. Not with 2 thru 4 years olds. Especially when we have around 40 of them come through every night for crafts in that age. So we will resort to Pinterest for our ideas. I am really excited about the telescope. They will love those.

I got home and finished off the last 90 minutes of The Voice. The battle rounds started last night. The final one was the best of the night that ended in a three chair steal so both these ladies will be moving forward in the competition. I really liked them both so I was glad to see the steal.

Well, heading back to work today to continue more training. This will be day three of training and each day I have learned a different facet of the company. My brain will be on overload before I'm through.