What a Sweet Blessing!

 Christmas of 2021 will forever be ingrained into my soul...Our granddaughter has finally allowed me to scream the news from the hilltop...We are going to be Great Grandparents!  Precious Baby is expected in August!  Samantha and Everett had been trying for just a little while when, God blessed their union. 

To say we are excited is so inadequate...the word pales to the true emotion we feel.  I just pray Sweet Baby will be healthy, happy and they bring the adoption papers...well, one can wish!! Lol

Praying you are healthy and feeling blessed...💗

                                         

                                       Samantha and Everett

Crystal our daughter and soon to be Grandmother, Lolly...

        Crystal and hubby, Tim... later to be known as...Lolly & Pop

                                               Everett & Sam

                                                  

                             I'll be having some fun shopping...😁

        Great Great Grandpa Gerald (Larry's Dad 96) He was thrilled!

Old Dogs and New Tricks...

 Good morning!  Hope this post finds you all well, safe and content.  

It's been chilly and rainy here in central Texas for the last several days.  Nothing severe but just enough to be irritating.  I'm praying it doesn't freeze...what a nasty mess that would be.  Texans and icy roads are not a good combination.

To try, and not only learn something new, but to also alleviate retirement boredom in the midst of Winter, I've purchased an online course on creating rose blossoms using buttercream...to decorate cake.  I've really been enjoying the course so far...and today, I think I feel confident enough to mix up a batch of buttercream and experiment.  Wish me luck.

I made several attempts at making Gingerbread...the first pan was not very good, in my opinion.  Recipe called for not enough spices and too much molasses.  In other words, it was awful...but Larry liked it...lol...oh well.  So, the hunt for a better recipe commenced.  I found the Starbuck Copycat gingerbread loaf recipe.  It worked!  First bite flooded my senses with memories...I also found an extract I really like!  It's called Creme Bouquet.  Lemon and vanilla notes...wonderful!  It's advertised as a replacement for vanilla...I use both!  Don't be shocked at the price either...Vanilla alone has risen in price, terribly!  I ordered the 32oz bottle and got it for $32 dollars from Amazon about a month ago.  I see you can still get it for that price...you just need to look around in the Amazon app.  Don't let the immediate $55 price tag scare you away.  They may even sell it at Walmart, I need to check that lead out.  But seriously?  32ozs will last me for ages...It only takes about a half a cap full...concentrated! I now use it in all my baked goods...It makes everything I bake smell and taste like a bakery.

Here's hoping you are safe and happy in your part of the world. Stay warm or cool wherever you are! 

 

                                       The course.... a template.

                              Starbucks Copycat Gingerbread Loaf

                                           Creme Bouquet Extract

                                                 A rainy day

A Good Morning Dutch Baby...

 Good morning, friends!  Hope you are doing well.  Winter has decided to play with us this week.  Cold...then warm and windy...cold and windy.  Here in Central Texas, you rarely know what you are going to wake up to. Makes it a little hard to plan a meal...that is, unless you have a sweet voice whispering in your ear, "Oh go ahead!  Make that Dutch Baby!!" 👀 🌷💗🌷 And no... it's not locarb.  

So, I did.  I'll also post the recipe in case you find yourself in need of an easy fare.  It's TOO easy so beware!  

Have a super wonderful Saturday and when you step on that scale in the morning...those five extra pounds are not my fault!! 😁

Heartbreaking for Any Parent…😢

This is heartbreaking…This is my granddaughter, Samantha’s, best friend, Raygen and her husband Michael.  They’d been SO happy only a few days ago…now their son, Sutton, is gone.  

Please say a prayer for them…💗🌷💗

Raygen writes……💙

 Our sweet Sutton went to be with Jesus this evening. He is resting in the arms of our Lord. He fought the good fight, and now he’s our perfect guardian angel💙

Selfishly, I wish we could have kept him here with us forever, but his little body was so tired. 

He is so handsome, so loved, so perfect. He made it way longer than they thought he would, and exceeded many expectations in his few days on earth. Every single second we got with him was an amazing blessing, and I’m so grateful for all the moments we spent with him. I cannot thank the NICU team enough for taking such good care of our boy, and us too. Those ladies are true angels on this earth.

Sutton Zane is the best gift I’ve ever received, and my proudest accomplishment, and I’m beyond proud to be his mama. 💙 I’m so thankful to have had his Daddy by my side through all of this. He is my rock. Please continue prayers for our family in the days that lie ahead. 💙

2022...

 Morning friends... Christmas has come and gone once again.  It seems that the years are picking up a bit of speed as time moves forward.

I've almost always been an early riser...and a firm believer that the early bird always gets the worm.  So... after a few pleasant detours, I find my way to the kitchen, open the refrigerator, and stand staring into its abyss.  After some minutes of thinking what sounded good on a cold but sunny morning?  Quiche'.... the old standby.  Out came the eggs, a tad of onion, bell pepper, bacon bits, cream cheese and shredded cheddar.  Threw it all together and 60 minutes later, quiche'.  It was very good...I was pleased.

 I don't believe Libby the puglet, was impressed...brunch time is her nap time.  I then proceeded to mix up hot chocolate.  The kids loved the junk with the Rabbit on the front...the Nestles' stuff.  I'm not a fan but they thought it hung the moon so... anyway, I use dark cocoa, powdered sugar and Carnation Creamer.  It always turns out delicious.

Well, sitting here plotting my next move.  Laundry or...?

I'll be dropping in on you, so be ready!  Stay warm or cool, wherever you are.