I have to share this.

Anyone watch The Rachel Ray Show?  I hardly watch tv but I think it was meant to be that I watch it this morning.  While I was cleaning house this morning, I I decided to turn on the tv.   I happen to leave the channel on the Rachel Ray Show and this segment of this young girl really touched my heart.  I had to stop and say a prayer of thanksgiving.  I bet most of us complain about the smallest things but we need to realize that we are lucky.  Lucky to wake each morning.  Lucky that we are even able to complain, kwim?   Please click on the link and watch the touching story about a girl named Chrissy.   I was full of tears this morning y’all.  Omgosh, she really touched my heart.   God Bless her and her family. 

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/new-face-chrissy/

The following link is about her triumph.  People thought she could never go on with life.  They thought she would never have a baby! Look at her now!

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/chrissys-triumph/

I hope this story touches your soul like it did me.  

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

My Table with Fall Decor.

Hello! Welcome to My Bella Rose.  Today I am joining Marty and Tabletop Tuesday.  I really enjoy participating in this weekly party!  Thank you Marty for hosting. :)

I purchased these two sweet little angels two years ago at Hobby Lobby.  I call them “Harvest Angels” 

 

I placed fall picks in the bottom of the apothecary jar and the bird couple on top of a little piece of styrofoam because I want them to be higher up. :)  On the bottom of the apothecary jar, I made a ring with some of the fall picks. 

These hurricanes were made by moi. :)  This great idea is from Creative Home Expressions.  I didn’t make them exactly as she did because my Dollar Tree was out of the smaller hurricanes.  As soon as they have them and I’m lucky enough to be there, I will definitely buy a couple. :)   This is such a great idea!  You can use these thru out every season! Love them!   I think they would make great gifts too!  Basically, you buy two hurricanes and two candlesticks.  Glue the candlestick to the bottom of the hurricane and that’s it.  Easy peasy!!

Thank you for visiting my blog!   I do hope you enjoyed my little post and I certainly hope you come back for a visit! :)  

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

 

Blessings.

You may think you have challenges, but you have so many blessings. Sometimes it takes only a moment of conscious effort to recognize those blessings. Once you focus on the gifts instead of the problems, your whole perspective will change and you will see blessings everywhere. 

I think most of us tend to think of our challenges day to day.  I know I do. I am now trying to focus more on my blessings.  :) May this be a reminder to all of us to recognize those blessings from our Heavenly Father.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Sandra

Pumpkin Bread Anyone?

Hi y’all!   We are having some cool mornings finally! Actually, I’ve had my windows open all day today!   It is so nice to have some cool breeze coming in and not having to use the A.C.  This morning I was in the “baking” mood and made a pumpkin bread and a banana bread.  I made the banana bread for a neighbor.  I love baking goodies and sharing with my neighbors. :) 

Here is the recipe I used.  I also made a cream cheese frosting and used just a smidgen of it for the topping.  I don’t like too much frosting, do you? :)

Ingredients:

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin or fresh pumpkin if you’d like.  (I used canned)

Directions
Grease and flour pan.  Heat oven to 350*F.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, and eggs; stir until well blended.  Stir pumpkin into the egg mixture.  Gradually add sifted dry ingredients to the pumpkin and egg mixture, stirring well after each addition.  Spoon batter into prepared tube pan.  Bake for 1 hour and around 15 to 20 minutes, or when cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

• 6 oz Cream Cheese at room temperature
• About 2 to 3 cups of powdered sugar.  I didn’t use all three cups.  I used a little over 2 cups.  It was good.
• 1/3 cup of butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter in medium bowl.   Add vanilla and milk to reach a smooth texture and desired spreadability.

Well I hope you all are having a wonderful day!  Please take time to relax and enjoy yourselves. :)

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

 

How Fights Started

These are so funny!!   I hope y’all get a good laugh at these like I did! 

How Fights Started.......

One year, a husband decided to buy his mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift...
The next year, he didn't buy her a gift.
When she asked him why, he replied, "Well, you still haven't used the gift I bought you last year!"
And that's how the fight started.....

================

I asked my wife, 'Where do you want to go for our anniversary?'
It warmed my heart to see her face melt in sweet appreciation.
'Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!' she said.
So I suggested, 'How about the kitchen?'
And that's when the fight started....

================

My wife and I are watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were
in bed.. I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have sex?'
'No,' she answered.
I then said, 'Is that your final answer?'
She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying 'Yes.'
So I said, 'Then I'd like to phone a friend.'
And that's when the fight started....

================

I tried to talk my wife into buying a case of Miller Light for $14.95.
Instead, she bought a jar of cold cream for $7.95. I told her the beer

would make her look better at night than the cold cream..
And that's when the fight started.......

================

I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason, took my order first..
'I'll have the strip steak, medium rare, please.'
He said, 'Aren't you worried about the mad cow?'
'Nah, she can order for herself.'
And that's when the fight started.....

================

My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping

the channels.
She asked, 'What's on TV?'
I said, 'Dust.'
And then the fight started...

================

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming

anniversary.
She said, 'I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 200 in about 3 seconds.'
I bought her a scale.
And then the fight started...

================

My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school
reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as

he sat alone at a nearby table.
I asked her, 'Do you know him?'
'Yes,' she sighed, ' He's my old boyfriend...
I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since..'
'My God!' I said, 'who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?'
And then the fight started...

================

I rear-ended a car this morning.. So, there we were

alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car. You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny? Yeah, well I couldn't believe it... he was a DWARF!!!
He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted, 'I AM NOT HAPPY!'
So, I looked down at him and said, 'Well, then which one are you?'
And then the fight started...
================

SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST! ...

THE BROKEN LAWN MOWER
When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed..
But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the truck, the car, playing golf, 
Always something more important to me.
Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, 'When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway.'
The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.

Have a great day!

Sandra

Mr Rooster and a Wreath.

Hello and welcome to My Bella Rose!   Today I am linking up with Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, and Inspiration Friday at Southern in my Heart. 

I am slowly transitioning my home into fall decor.  I dressed Mr. Rooster with fall picks from Hobby Lobby.  I love H.Lobby!   I used a casserole dish to hold everything in place.  You can see a little bit of it on the bottom.   I bought the “fall” sign last year from H.L. as well. 

This wreath is hanging from a mirror in the living room.  Basically, I had the magnolia flowers on the wreath already.  I added fall leaves and picks to it to make it more of a fall look. 

 

And there it is hanging in front of the mirror.  That poor mirror just went through a lot of changes.  First I painted it a white antiqued style but the look just didn’t match my living room.  Then I painted a red shade and my this time my husband thought I was going bonkers!  He immediately said “no!” Ha ha!  Finally, I painted it a black and added Rub & Buff to the edge and finally I’m happy with it.  

 

  I hope y’all (do I sound like Paula Deen?) :)  have a wonderful Friday!

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

My Fireplace in it’s “Fallness”

Hello and welcome to “My Bella Rose” I am so excited to be a part of these wonderful parties!  Please visit Marty  &Tabletop Tuesday, The Nester’s Fall Mantel Party (Wednesday), Maryann & Power of Paint Party, and http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/  I am slowly getting back in the groove of blogging! Yippee!! 

I made some changes on my fireplace.  Here is a picture of “before” This was during the summer. 

And here it is in it’s “fall” look.  I love the warm colors of fall.  The picture is from Kirkland’s.  The letter “M” is from Hobby Lobby, as are all of the fall picks.  Those beautiful red and gold plates are from Home Goods. 

Mr. Birdie does not want to fly away so he is nestled in the fall picks. 

I painted the “M” in a color called Spanish Tile by Valspar.  I also applied Rub & Buff to it.  Love it!  I love the combination of the colors red and gold.   I am slowly adding more red and gold to my living room.  I love love red and gold!

I think these plates are so pretty!  I saw them at Home Goods and immediately grabbed a couple for me!  I was tickled pink when I saw these!  I wish I had bought more, they are so pretty.  I don’t know if they’re “fallish”  but I like them. :)

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday.  Please come back and visit “My Bella Rose”

As I always say,

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

Oh The Joy of Getting Older…..

I’ve been having problems with my eyesight and decided to go to an optometrist.  Boy was I shocked when he told me “People your age start to have problems with their eyes”  What do you mean “People my age?”  Why, I’m only in my twenties!  How can you say “people my age?” LOL  Ok, maybe I’m not really twenty years old or even in my twenties but I sure feel like it.  ha! 

You can’t tell but they are bifocals. *blush* I’ve been wearing them for a while and I’m still having problems. I can’t see clearly!  They may have to tweak them or something. 

Lord help me tolerate these glasses. 

As I always say….

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

 

Who Likes Wrinkled Silk Flowers?

  Hi everyone!  Welcome to My Bella Rose!  Today I am linking with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday!  Thank you Susan for being such a gracious hostess! 

Have you ever taken your previously stored silk flowers out of the box and they are as wrinkled as can be?  You want to just throw them away and buy new.  Now I don’t about you, but I can’t be buying new flowers every year.  So what do I do?  I steam them!  Let me tell you, it does work! Here is a “before” picture of some sunflowers I just took out of a box and they are very wrinkly.

I fill a pot with water and let it boil.  While it’s boiling, I hold the flower and let the steam do the work.

Please be careful once the water is boiling.   Protect your hands with gloves if you have to.  The steam gets very hot!

Look at them now!  They look good as new! Don’t you think? 

Pretty! Pretty!

 

I am ready to hang them on my garland for fall! :)

So there you have it! I hope this tip helps you!

And as always…

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra

 

Remember Me?

I’m still here! :)  I hope you guys haven’t forgotten me. 

  Marla, thank you so much for that card.  It really made my day! :)  I am so glad that I found your blog way back when, my friend!

To those of you that left me messages, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!  God bless each and every one of you. :)   Love you all!!

My wrist is finally on the mend.  I did have an orthopedic appointment and after x-raying my wrist, the dr told me that it was not broken.  Woohoo!  He said that it was more than likely that I had sprained it.  He said that with time it would get better and that’s exactly what is happening.  Yay!!  At least  I don’t have the pain I used to.  whew! 

I hope to get back into the swing of blogging.  Do you ever get out of a routine and find it hard to get back into?  It’s been so long that I’ve blogged and just as hard to get back into it.  I even asked myself “Why do I blog?  Am I blogging for myself? Am I blogging to connect with people who might have the same interests as I do?” I’ve been pondering a lot lately about this.  I guess I can answer that I blog to hopefully connect with people that have the same interests as I do.   One of my interests here recently (more like I started this past Monday 9/13/10) is Zumba!!  I ordered the DVD set and just got it this past Monday. Have you heard of Zumba!!?  

Zumba!!

OMgosh, it is so much fun!! It is like dancing! But it’s a workout!  Now granted this is exactly how I’m feeling at the moment…. Ha ha!!  My body is in shock right now.  Especially my lower half. *blush* 

But I am determined to look and feel healthy some day……ah I will not give up.

Share with me, your experiences about Zumba:)  I would love to hear from you especially if you Zumba!  And like I always say……

TA TA FOR NOW!

Sandra