Busy-Busy-Busy~But Big News!!!!

I apologize for not

visiting your blogs this week

as I faithfully try to do....

It's been an awful week...

don't ask..

Awful!

Okay-

Now that you HAVE asked..

It's been busy at home

and busy at work...

people out sick..

people in training..

short-staffed to begin with.

As SweetCheeks likes to ask...

GOT IT?

However,

even during a crummy week,

you can get some good news..

Some Very Good News!

Nope!

I'm not pregnant..

the stick didn't change colors

(but that's a story to be told

another day)..

Did you know you can

pick a stick up in the yard

and pee on it to find

out if you have a baby

in your tummy?

You didn't?

Well, obviously you

don't have access to

a 4 year old!

SOOOO

What's the good news

you ask?

Well....

See this little monkey?Last year about this time

he looked like this...

Wasn't he cute here

at my daughter's house?

I even think he's pretty cute

when he has a cold and

is sucking a bottle

(which he doesn't do anymore)

Sad..huh?

Someone ELSE thought he

was pretty cute too!

They loved this picture of him...

and

THIS PICTURE

of him...

So....today.....

He was signed up by a modeling

agency that represents

Midwestern stores...

Kohl's

Shopko

Toys R Us...

Watch out world~

You might be seeing this little face

soon...

Yep! That's him

our precious little

BabyEthan!

Or...

as SweetCheeks likes to call him

Baby EEEEfan!

I wonder how she will

ever stand the competition?

I don't know about you

but I do think this is about

the cutest little butt

I have ever seen!The End!

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Now I admit

I am prone to opening

a box of Velveeta

Mac & Cheese shells

to make quick

Mac & Cheese for the girls.

The routine when the girls

stay over is I fix them

Octopus on the Rocks.

You will find that recipe

-here-

It is THE BEST

ever and something for you

to try to expand

your bland diet.

However, when Pam from

FRENCH BUTTONS
posted this recipe it

sounded ever-so-good.

She has the recipe over

there for you to print out..

so I will let you pick it up

there..

But- I made it

and it is the

best mac & cheese

we have ever had-ever!

You start with the recipe

and a few staples...

The base starts with a bit

of melted butter

with flour stirred in and

then some milk added...

and cream cheese

cut into cubes Once that has melted down

you add the good old

sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese.

(That's the trick- you MUST use

Wisconsin cheese because we have

the finest, cleanest cows you can imagine-

they are so clean they don't even poop

when you are walking by them-

they excuse themselves and go to

another room- You think I'm kidding?

Well, I know this is a fact because

SweetCheeks told me so)

Anyway...stir in the cheese...Add a bit of salt and pepperIt is a paler yellow than regular

mac & cheese..

makes no difference..

You mix it with the

pre-cooked box of noodles..

(forgot that picture-sorry to say)

Add the seasoned bread crumbs

and it will look like this...I made some mini-meatballs

and green beans to finish the meal

out...

And..

because it is at Nana's house

they can sit in front of the TV

and watch Snow White

while dining...

as you can see by Ria's happy face..

the Mac & Cheese was a

big hit.So, Pop by my friend's blog.

Her name is Pamela

@ French Buttons...

(and don't call her Pammie-Cakes

cuz she doesn't like that)

You're day will be enriched

when you meet her...

because she is a

good soul!

Amen!

SweetCheeks~ Deep Thoughts~ On Death

I know I alluded to the fact

yesterday

that I would do a post

about

The Twins

(who are not really twins

at all)..

but I want to write this

post while it is

fresh in my mind..

Nana!

What?

Youh know what isss sad?

No, what?

Youh arhe gonna die!

I am?

Yep!

Youh gotta die!

Well, when am I gonna die?

When youh get old.

I thought you said I WAS old!

Well, you iss only a littdle bitt old.

But..when youh gett reahlly old..

you iss gonna die..

Isn't that sad, Nana?Well, it sure is sad news to me,

SweetCheeks.

Yeah...thaht is kinda sad, Nana..

You know whut else?

I'm afraid to ask!

No..this is sumthin' good.

Okay..What is it?

You know when you die?

yeah..

Well...youh are gonna look

like this!

Great!

Can hardly wait for THAT

opportunity!

Whut opphoroonidy?

Dying...I can't wait to look just

like that SweetCheeks.

Well...youh won't loohk 'zackly like that!

I won't?

No! Cuzz I ahm jus' a kid showing youh

how youh arhe gonna look..

but YOUH will look

old...

and dead!

Thanks!

Youh're welcome!

Thank you Lord for giving me this

child to remind me of

how short life

really is!

It makes me want to live

every moment to its fullest

extent.

I was just thinking...

do you realize that someday

SweetCheeks

could have a grandchild

just like her?

I would pay to see

THAT show!

SweetCheeks-American Idol Contestant-Short Version

Our little

SweetCheeks is quite taken

with the whole

American Idol

experience.

Because SHE is a

performer extraordinaire

she watches every week

faithfully.

Last night she said

she would like to

TRY OUT

for American Idol.

Never one to dash

dreams we sat in

a row to watch

her performance..

We were the judges..

She was the

SHOW~

So, SweetCheeks..

What's your story?

Why are you here?

Welllll,

My name is Rose.

Rose?

Yes Rose! Hhhhnh~

My fathahr is dead

and my Mom drived

me all this way in a bus

to try out for the show.

An' now I gonna sing

forh youh!

Ready?

HIT IT!

(said to the invisible band)

A song sung to the tune of

Are You Sleeping

(as best we could figure)

Ih'm on American Idol..

Ih'm on American Idol..

Yes Ih ahm,

Yes Ih ahm,

An' Ih gonna sign a song.

An' Ih gonna sing a song.

Yes Ih ahm..

Yes Ih ahm..

An' thatss it!

How'd I do?

Well, you were a little pitch-y

starting off but I'd say

all in all you did pretty good.

You got a YES from me (Nana)

I thought you did really, really

good..

You could sing the phone book!

A yes-definitely a yes from me-

Ahhh.. I thought you were a little off

and it's a NO from me (big sister Lulu).

Hmmmfffpfff.

Never mind Lulu cuz I got

TWO YESSESS

an' I goin' to

HOLLEEE WOOODDD!

Hooooorayyy forh me!

This was just one of the

American Idol contests

we had this weekend.

If you get

REALLY LUCKY..

tomorrow I will

share the story of

The Twins!

God Bless Us All-

It is Sunday night!

Amen!

Another Book GiveAway~

My lil' ole'

Suthern' friend,

Jettie

sure likes to read.

And

because she likes to

read she has been

selected by

a couple of publishers

to read and review

their books.

Now the

GREAT THING

about this is that

sometimes they

send her

2 books.

One to keep

and one to give..

The other

GREAT THING

is that I

can call her

MY FRIEND..

and because of that

I get to brag about

her a little bit..

and she is worth

bragging about.

She is a Christian,

a wife,

a Mom,

a gramma,

a soap maker,

and a wonderful

dear, caring

friend.

A friend that you

can tell a secret to

and know that it

will stay with

her forever.

So, this friend,

this dear person

who has had more

than her share of heartache..

who has suffered

through many losses..

who has had much taken

FROM HER

is still

A GIVER.

Pop over to her blog

Jettie's Ramblings

and sign up for

her book give away..

She'll be glad to

know ya..

and

the blessing of knowing her

can be yours!

And..if I'm a little

scarce this weekend..

it's because

The Trio

has descended on my house..

Uh-huh...

........just when I thought it

was safe to come out of

the woods.I am blessed..

very, very blessed.

Amen!

WANNA TRAYED FOR SOMETHING?

HA!

JUST KIDDING!

First off you thought I

was an idiot and couldn't spell,

didn't you?

Well...that was a

SET UP and

I would not

TRADE

this

TRAY

for anything!

Nothing!

Nothing in the world..

Well...maybe

$500,000....

Any takers?

Anyone?

Anyone?

(sorry Donna-the

$500,000. is a

number I can't resist)

ANYWAY~

See this blue-eyed gal

just below?

Yep! That one!

Her name is Donna.

My friend, Donna~

My friend, Donna, has a blog

called

My Shabby Chateau

She also has an etsy shop

called..

Hmmmm..

Well...I think it is called

Etsy Shop My Shabby Chateau

(correct me if I'm wrong)
She sells all sorts of

items she has found

and redone...

let me amend that

PAINTED..

and

GLITTERED..

She is definitely

The Glitter Queen..

See her hat?

It used to be white.

Now it is blue and covered with

glitter- Okay..it's not- I lied..

but I'll bet you scrolled back

to look at the hat, didn't you?

Well, the other day

I went to my mailbox..

and there was a package there

for me.

Now MyHero has been

ordering crap stuff

for

ThePearl aka PearlyGirl

(don't ask cuz I don't want to

talk about it..K?)

so I was sure it was

just some junk stuff

he had ordered.

But NO!

Lo and behold

this package was for me..

From one state over, Michigan..

With my name on it.

Now, being a BAD BLOGGER

I immediately ripped open the

package without taking any pictures.

But inside...

Well...first I saw this...

and then I looked a little closer

and it was painted white..

with little ball feet... Ohhh...There she is...in all

her glory..

A TRAY..

A beautiful tray..

MY TRAY..

Just for me!

It is hard for me to put

things on a tray...because

I like to SEE the tray...

but these two little birds

hopped on before I could

blink an eye...And then I thought they

needed a nest...

but..a paper nest..

because I might need a napkin.The next thing I knew there

was a cup accompanying them...But wait!

It was lacking something...

WHAT was it lacking?

Well, coffee, of course..

You know me and my coffee...And what goes with coffee?

Cookies you say?

Naughty! Naughty!

No!

I am NOT succumbing to

the cookie temptation..

I am having an apple!

Yes. I. Am.

I NEVER eat cookies..

I only eat apples.

I hope God doesn't strike me

dead for lying about the cookies..

Donna-Thank you SOOOO

much! You are a friend that

I have come to love...

I will think of you everytime

I look at this tray.

It is a special as you are!

Deep Thoughts-SweetCheeks And Company

SweetCheeks appears

lost in deep thought!

Mama almost dreads

asking because

she never knows

what the answer will be.

Finally,

unable to contain herself,

Mama TPot asks~

What are you thinking

about, SweetCheeks?

I wuz jus' wonderin' 'bout

sumfin.

What were you wondering about?

I wuz wonderin' why my head

stays up in the air..

and my hair

jus' hangs down.

Her older sister, Lulu,

came up with the perfect

response...

SweetCheeks- Your hair

hangs down because

your head is heavier

than your hair..

SweetCheeks

GOT IT!

It doesn't take too

deep of an answer

to satisfy her..

And...to our

Literal Little Lulu

THAT

makes perfect sense.

God bless

Big Sisters...

who seem to have the answers

to some the most

puzzling questions

in life!

Amen!

All The Way From Australia~Mate~

Today

I want to share something

that someone from

Australia sent me..

Her name is Lisa...

and no...

I don't have a picture of her..

I'm guessing she is rather shy..

Well, she may not put her

face out there but

she sure shares her
heart.

She shares it in a blog

called

Informal Home.

Informal is defined by Webster

as

Charateristic of/or appropriate to

ordinary , casual or familiar use..

Lisa is

ANYTHING BUT

ordinary..

although she is casual enough

that you feel immediately

at home visiting her blog..

And she has quickly

become a familiar place

for me to visit.

She's another

old soul..this Lisa...

Here's her header...Those better be pictures

of Australia, mate!

Well, here is what came

ALL THE WAY

from Australia..

THIS is the OUTSIDE

of the mailing package.

Seriously!

Could it get any cuter?

Can you believe this is

a mailer?

Obviously she doesn't know

that I wrap everything I send

in brown paper sacks!

No...She picked this out special..

and I love it..

I carefully peeled all the

mailing tape off it so I can

use it again..

and then someone,

somewhere will think

WOW! Look at that box

Diana bought special for me!

Yeah-I'm like that~ So...

are you wondering now

what is IN the box?

Hmmmm...it's got a boat on it...And a ship in a bottle...

And this netted trap....And I think these are buoys..

No! Not BOYS- Buoys..

the floaty kind..And a Map screened on...Give up?

Do you?

Do you give up?

Can't guess?

Well....

It's a plate, you silly goose!

Did you EVER see a plate

like this one?

I never did!

I LOVE IT!

Truly love it!Here's the maker's mark... It is going to have a place of honor

in my china cabinet..

I will think of Lisa everytime

I pass by..

and it is joining this little

sailing ship teapot

that belonged to my mother~

one of the few pieces I have

that belonged to her...That's how precious the plate

is to me...

I will treasure it always..

and think of how someone

that lives

All The Way Down

in

Australia..

thinks I am worth

sending a plate to.....

and that

means the world to me~

Just a quick question for you though...

How is it that the people that

live

DOWN UNDER

don't just fall off?

SweetCheeks was just wondering.....

Do YOU Have A FloraDoora?

Is THIS a

FloraDoora?

NO- It's NOT!

This is a Jane!

This is a Jane

that lives in Naples, FL.

This is a Jane that lives

in Naples and she

MAKES

FloraDooras..

Hmmmm...or

is the plural or

FloraDoora...

FloraDoori?

Makes no never-mind..

THIS IS JANE!

I'll bet you think that is coffee

in her mug, don't you?

Nope...Guess what it is?

Well, I can't tell you but

you will notice that she is

SITTING and not walking around!

(Now, no one TOLD me what it is

but I have a pretty good guess-hiccup)

Jane is one of the sweetest

people I know..

and No...

NOT just because she
makes FloraDooras

(and sent me one---

Nanny-nanny-boo-boo

stick your head in doo-doo)

Wait-

I digress..

or is that

REGRESS?

Anyway..

her little bloggy badg-y

thingy- whatever they're called..

Looks LIKE this! And I think that badg-y thingy

is a picture taken in her laundry room?

Am I right, Jane? Maybe not...

Anyway...

Look what I found in my mailbox!

I did a post on lavender..

and Jane found a piece of

fabric with lavender flowers

and the rest is history..

well, almost...

Here it is..lying flat on

my scanner..This doesn't do much for it, does it?

So...here it is hanging on a door.... Still lacking a little something,

wouldn't you say?

Oooooh...How about this?

Turn your head to the left..

It is beautiful....

Filled with lavender

and hanging in the bedroom

that has lavender accents.

You can see pictures of that

here

Here she is up close and personal...

Look at that fabric!!!

And it is lined with plastic..

so that you can fill it with

water and put fresh flowers in it.I hung it in the little space

between two doorways..

One door goes

to the bathroom

and one goes to the closet.

A perfect little piece

for that particular spot.

That odd spot that

nothing ever seems to

work in.

Can you believe it?

Is that perfect, or what?Quick...quick...

Turn your head to the right...

Ooooooohhh....Love it!!!!And just inside..

In this guest bathroom..

you will find this little

bit of lavender...I love this little jar..

I keep drugs in it..

Nahh..just kidding..

It holds Q-tips..

securely latched to keep

SweetCheeks from

sticking them up

someone's nose...

Did you know that

I am one of those weird

people that likes to iron..

Well, I told you I was weird..

but I DO like to iron...

and I LOVE to iron with this...

there is nothing like it in the

world...

Imagine pillows freshly laundered

and sprayed with this and ironed.

A bit of heaven on earth...And one more bit of

Heaven-On-Earth?

My friend, Jane,

who for no reason

I can fathom...

sent me this..

just because...

just because..

she is that kind

of sweet person.

And now I think

of her every time

I walk into this room..

I see my lovely friend's

face...reflected back

in fabric that her

hands touched.

Thank you Jane..

You are a good soul.

Please pop over and

visit her blog...

It is as lovely as she is....