Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Went to a little party at Jordan's

house last week and our friend

Kathy brought this little treat!!

Am I the last to know?

Did you know about these??

Have you had these before???

Where have they been all my life?!?

Well, my friends,

just in case I'm not the

last to know about these

and you've never seen or

eaten these sinful little devils,

let me just share them with you.

Pre-heat your oven to 350*

If you are making enough for a party then start un-wrapping your Rolo's. If you are smart and just want a quick treat then just open a small roll of Rolo's. There are 8 in a package and you don't have to unwrap them. Toast your pecans. (I toast mine in the microwave.)

Place pretzels on baking sheet.

Top with a Rolo and a pecan.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 3-4 minutes, until the

chocolate just begins to melt. (3 mins was plenty of time

in my oven) Do Not Over Cook!!

Pull them out of the oven and

push the pecan down gently.

Now stand in front of the oven

and shove as many as you can

in your mouth

pop one in your mouth while

they are still warm!

Or just eat two because there

is no way you can eat just one!

Hurry and share the rest

before you eat them all!

Sneaky Little Girl

Happy Birthday Harrison!

Going in for that

pretend birthday kiss...

opps! one candle out...

both blown out!

!Mission accomplished!

That child can't stand it if she doesn't get to blow out

every ones candles. She loves a party and cake!

Croc Outlet

These were $15.00 off the regular price.

It's like walking on a cloud!

Now if I could just find a cute sassy dress to wear with these I'd be soooo happy!

I Love me some Croc's!!!!!!!!

These normally sell for $24.99 each.

These are for Shelby.

Rea only got the turquoise.

That's the thing about the outlet, they don't always have every size and color you may want, but the price is to good to pass up sometimes.

Beautiful Blessings

Staying Young

I heart Lucy and Ethel so much!!

1. Try everything twice. On Madams tombstone (of Whelan's and Madam) she said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice...loved it both times!

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches;)

3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.

6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.

Reggie Girl posted this list on Wednesday and I loved it and borrowed it from her. Check her out sometimes.

Last Nights Dinner?

Sixty Uses For Baking Soda

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways:

1. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.




2. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and one part cornstarch.
3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won't damage anything it touches.
4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease - stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.
16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.
33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.
34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge - sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
40. Add 1/2 cups or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby's bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
57. Add to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game.
58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

Bon Voyage

We waved good bye to our oldest and his lovely bride today.

We laughed all the way to the beach with the GRAND girls!

They were celebrating that 30th birthday, you know from last week?

Hope they have a loverly time!

I know we will!

I'm with Maxine, I really don't like sleeping in a closet!

Wordless Wednesday

This is one Pop Pop lovin youngin!

He stopped by the house to drop something off the other day and she got up in that truck with him and pushed and pulled every knob and button in there. It took me 10 minutes to get her out of his truck. Him sitting there loving every minute of it.

Harrison asked her the other afternoon did she want to go to the store with him and she said, "unhu, Pop Pop~Gigi." That wasn't one of her options but now that she can talk she can sure tell him where she wants to go.

I just love that she wanted to come to our house!

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup water
3 Tablespoon cocoa (I add more)
3/4 milk or buttermilk

(I like buttermilk)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
Mix dry ingredients and set a side
Mix wet ingredients well and add dry ingredients a little at a time until all incorporated. Bake 350* in two layer pans for 40 45 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Chocolate Icing

1 stick of butter

2 Tablespoons cocoa

3 cups powder sugar

dash of vanilla

(I will sometimes use a block of cream cheese and make this a chocolate cream cheese icing, either way it's yummy)

I've had this recipe for 33 years. I got it from a Ricks College roommate by the name of Cheryl Jones. I don't make it often but when I do, it's the best and always makes me think of her. It's one of Travis' favorites.

Music Mondays

Can you guess what one of my

all time favorite songs is??

I know my mama and daddy know

this New Orleans native,

I bet Katherine also knows who this is!

Do you know ?

Does Louis Armstrong ring a bell?

Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901– July 6, 1971), nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer.
Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an innovative cornet and trumpet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence on jazz, shifting the music's focus from collective improvisation to solo performers. With his distinctive gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also greatly skilled at scat singing, or wordless vocalizing.

Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and deep, instantly recognizable voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extended well beyond jazz, and by the end of his career in the '60s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general: critic Steve Leggett describes Armstrong as "perhaps the most important American musician of the 20th century."

Satchmo

And now for your listening pleasure:

What A Wonderful World!

Isn't it?

(This song is the song that I danced to with both boys at their wedding receptions when they had to dance with their mama.)

You Can Make This

Ashley over at Forever and Always introduced this site to me! You need to check it out too.

Have you heard about this cool site yet? Youcanmakethis.com offers the neatest instructions to make the cutest stuff! Here is some info:

http://www.youcanmakethis.com/

was created by a mom who wanted to provide downloadable instructions on how to make just about anything from children's boutique clothing and jewelry, to handbags, home decor and more.

What makes the site unique is that these instructions are written by everyday moms who have an expertise in an area. They are written in a way that makes you feel you have a friend sitting right next to you, telling you what to do next.

They all have detailed instructions and step-by-step full-color photos so even the most "craft-challenged" person can make these items for their homes and families.

If you'd like to try out some products for free, you can sign up for their FREE newsletter. After sign-up, you'll receive a link to your email inbox asking you to confirm subscription. Simply click on that link, and you'll receive all of these product instructions pictured here, plus an online video and digital scrapbooking frames. http://www.youcanmakethis.com/ycmt-newsletter.htm

Let the children come

Artist: LIZ LEMON SWINDLE

30

My first born child turns

30

today!

( He seriously will hate me for this post. I'll be in hiding if any of you need me. But then he doesn't read my blog, but I know one of you will tell him :) This is way to much information for the rest of yall. This is my blog/journal and I needed to write these things for me. )

After a 36 hour labor, which nearly killed me

Carlos Harrison Griffis was born!

Wednesday, March 28, 1979

9:00 P.M.

8 lbs. 11 1/2 oz.

20 1/2 inches

Look at all that hair.

I had some serious heartburn.

He was a wonderful baby!

From 2 weeks on he slept all night!

He started walking at 8 1/2 months old.

I started chasing.

18 months

He was the funnest toddler.

2 1/2 years old

And he said the funniest things.

He was the only little one in town and his Aunt Carla and Aunt Angie spoiled him so much. They couldn't help it.

He was our first Eagle Scout on either side of our family. I think that alone did more for preparing him for the rest of his life.

1997 Senior Picture

He served a two year Mission for the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. First one on the Griffis side of the family to serve a mission.

He has always enjoyed many hobbies, fishing, golfing, hunting and others.

He brought into our life's our first

daughter in law, Christon.

our first Grand Girl, Shelby.

And our 2nd Grand Girl, Reagan.

He's a good hunter.

A good son.

a good brother,

a good grandson,

a good nephew,

a good friend and cousin,

a good husband,

and I pray he will always be a good father.

I know how much he loves his family.

Happy 30th birthday son!

We are very proud of you.

And love you very much!

I could say a lot more but will stop at this. But my heart is full. Harrison turning 30 is harder on me than when I turned 50 last year. Ugh I'm getting old!

Remembering

A wise friend once told me that "there are worse things in this life than death."

I believe that to be true.

But knowing this still doesn't make death easy.

Vivian Padgett

passed away Sunday March 22, 2009

As some of you know, we just attended my mothers brother and my Uncle Wayne's funeral in Memphis the end of January. He passed on Ja. 27th. I found out this morning that his wife, my aunt Vivian died on Sunday. They had a hard time and were unable to get a hold of us until last night. She was sick and when you talked to her, all she wanted was to go on and be with her beloved Wayne. They were separated less than two months.

James E. Hill

passed away Monday, March 23, 2009

Uncle James is the husband of my Grandma Padgett's sister, Betty Valentine Turner Hill. She's always been Aunt Betty to me but she is my Great Aunt Betty.

He was a righteous man and an active lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many church positions during his life time, including president of the Atlanta Georgia temple. He was very beloved of his family and will truly be missed.

Laura Leigh Kirkland

passed away March 24, 2008

It's been a long and sad year for her family and all those of us who love her. We miss her bubbly personality so much.

Only praying that time will help to heal our broken hearts.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

(Matt. 5:4.)

Of all the Beatitudes, this one appears at first glance to be the most unusual and contradictory. How can it be a blessing to be in mourning? To mourn is to show grief or pain at the death of a loved one. This intense feeling cannot be hidden from the world or from God; it cannot be eased or pacified except with comfort and consolation from God through the Holy Ghost.

So why would the Savior say that it is a blessing to mourn? It may be that pain and suffering at the death of loved ones is an essential part of our mortal experience that obliges us to face the question of the reality of the spirit world and the hope of the Resurrection. It is through suffering that we discover what is eternally important.

It might be that it is a blessing for us to become more fully aware that God’s ways are not always our ways, and that we must trust him when things don’t go as we believe they should. When we can see the Lord’s purposes fulfilled in our sorrowful moments, the Holy Ghost can console us and the Atonement and Resurrection can become the cornerstones of our faith.

(Robert E. Wells)