"Some more random thoughts and things I love"

Silly me...I totally forgot to tell you about the newest class I signed up for..

Am I like so excited or what..

I just finished the "She Art Workshop"

and now Christy is starting 

"She had three hearts"

Here is her link so that if you are so inclined you can take a gander..

http://christytomlinson.typepad.com

Trust me, should you decide to sign up for this next class of hers you will absolutely love every minute of it and if you sign up before May 2nd it is only 35.00 for 3 full weeks!

Next random thought..

I absolutely love "The Pioneer Woman"!!!

Ree is incredible..I mean incredible in every way..she makes me smile and laugh every single time I read anything she has written..

I totally dream of meeting her...and I so want to give her Charlie a huge hug!!!

Is that not a face to love or what..are you kidding me, such a cutie patutie..ok its decided, my next dog will be a Bassett..

I love eating leftover casseroles in the morning..a big bowl of um, topped with Kraft American Cheese, yes you heard me right, heated in the microwave and devoured while my beggar dog Maddie stares at me..

A cheesy mouthful of yumminess!!!

I would live in my jammies if I could get away with it..

And not the fruffy kind or the fancy kind, just the comfy kind..I think I want these..

In fact I know I want these..I mean why can't we all just run around in comfy jammies..who made that rule anyway...?

I love to do puzzles..but they take me a long time..I mean set up on the diningroom table for a year long time..every time my son in-law, who  helped me get the one I'm working on started, which is still just sitting there..anyway every time my son in-law stops by he always sees it still sitting on the table and says "still haven't done anything on that puzzle??"

But I do love them, or maybe I just love the idea of them..not so sure, since it is still sitting there...maybe its because it has a thousand pieces and they all look the same to me...eeeeekkkk!

I think I am done now with random thoughts..

Okie dokie, bye now..

Blessings,

Me

"Random stuff flying out of my head"

Its Friday already

Where does the time go?

Quite scary actually, that time just whizzes on by and before you know it 5 days have passed.

I vaguely remember the week, the busyness of is but a huge blur..

I am left with feelings of accomplishment for all of the things I was able to achieve...but I am also able to look around at my messy house and am totally reminded of all the things I didn't quite get around to..

The vacuum is still standing in wait in the living room..

The ironing board and iron in the same place as it was 2 weeks ago, right next to the vacuum..

Dishes in the sink and on the counter..

Laundry waiting to be folded and more waiting to be cleaned...

I totally want this washer and dryer, but I refuse to dress up!!!

Floors to be swept, dust to be dusted...

Dare I admit that I really don't care...as I sit here and write..

There are some things that just don't seem to have the same meaning as others to me anymore..

Ok I admit it, I would rather be watching the videos for my class, working on my SHE ART, or creating a new page in my art journal..

And I still have projects from my Brave Girls class to finish.......

These are the things that call me with louder voices than the dust or the dishes..

I am learning to embrace my messiness after years of obsessing about tidiness..!!!

And thats a very good thing!

No more questioning or feeling obligated

I will now embrace what God places on my heart each day

I will listen to the chores HE has in store for me this day..

So I will do a little of this and a little of that and whatever gets done gets done..

Yeah I think I like that plan...it feels right..makes me feel happy...and you know what they say

I leave you with that thought..and when you really think about it...its totally true!!

Love to all and wishes for a very wonderful weekend... 

"Some new loves"

Have been working on a couple of things that I wanted to share...

If you haven't had a chance to be a part of the "She Art Workshop"

For heavens sake do your sweet self a favor..

I have learned so much, had so much fun and loved every minute of it..

Christy is such a kick and her sweet, sweet, enthusiastic personality during the classes just makes you giggle and want to run and get started.

So here are my 2 newest, one girl, one scene..and more to come...

I hope you enjoyed seeing as much as I enjoyed doing...

Have a beautiful day...its finally sunshiney here!!!

Love and Blessings..

Me

"A New Day, A New Beginning"

I awaken this morning, wipe the sleep out of my eyes, throw the covers to the side of the bed and welcome "A New Day" "A New Beginning" a new chance to be all that I can be..

Living each moment, just that one little moment in time..

All those little chances that make up a day,

to do my best, be true to me, to view the world through the eyes that I have been so blessed with..

Its a beautiful day..the sky is beginning to lighten, to start it's new day..

The air is crisp and clean and has that wet earthy smell..a life smell full of memories..

There is a song in the air provided by just one little hopeful bird waiting for the sun on its wings..so many places to fly, so many songs to sing..

songs that are instinctual..

I think I will join in adding MY song and I will be grateful for my voice..

Blessings

Val

"Monday Sharing"

I was wondering this morning, when thinking about 

"Monday Sharing" what wonderful blog I would share..

You see there are so very many incredible places I could share with you to visit...incredible people doing amazing things..

It never ceases to amaze me how unique we all are..how every single solitary human being is just them...there is not another person on the face of this planet alike, even identical twins are not completely alike, they remain individual in some way as God has made them!

Its almost overwhelming thinking about it..

Well, again I divert..

Anyway, as I was saying, I was having trouble trying to narrow down what very special blog I was going to choose to share today..

Should I do eenie meenie minee mo or something..

And then I opened my e-mail and there was "Heart to Heart with Holley" waiting patiently for me, in fact it had been patiently waiting for me since March 6th..how in the world did I miss that? In opening and reading her message for that day she referred her reader's to a friend...and well the decision was made...

Here is the blog for Reese

Very heartfelt and inspiring thoughts and stories...

Enjoy and blessings as always..

Val

"Sunday Recipes"

Sunday's oh lovely Sunday's

my favorite day of the week.

No plans, no places to be, no obligations to fulfill, just us at home, relaxing and being near to each other..

A day for jammies, moving slowly, resting, movies on the television, reading snuggled in a nice warm bed and cooking for the day, for the week...cooking with love..a day for creating something or many things..my husband at the computer doing post work on the photographs taken on Saturday..

Me in my little studio experimenting on canvas, in my journal..

A day of quiet, a day of all the things of home..

That is why I have decided to share my favorite recipes on Sundays..share what I am cooking..

My kitchen is such an immeasurable loving place for me..a place where I relax and embrace the elemental pleasure of feeding not only our tummies but our souls..

For today...

"Gyoza's"

I was given this delicious and oh so easy recipe by a very beautiful lady I used to work with.  Her name was Claudia Todd and she was such a genuinely sweet and kind lady.  I loved her very much and miss her to this day.

Claudia passed a couple of years ago, but she left with all those that knew her, the true essence of who she was..she made us better for having known her.

Ingredients:

Chopped cabbage-1 small to medium head..as green as you can find (more vitamins)

Finely chopped green onions-1 bunch both white and green parts

1 pound ground beef browned in a little canola oil, finely crumbled

A teaspoon or so of sugar, more if you so desire

Soy sauce to taste

Wonton wrappers

Directions"

In a frying pan put in hamburger, cabbage and onions.  Cook until tender.  Add sugar and soy sauce to taste.  Place 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of wonton skin, wet edge of wonton with water, fold in half to the shape of a triangle and press edges together.

In a large non-stick frying pan add a tablespoon or so of canola oil. Heat over medium to medium high heat add wontons, also adding 1/4 cup water.  Cover tightly and cook for approx 10 mins or until water has evaporated and left a crispy skin. Be sure to keep an eye on these as they will burn..

So yummy...serve with sticky rice, asian cucumber salad (recipe to follow) teriyaki and soy sauce for dipping or drizzling.

"Asian Cucumber Salad"

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers-halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced 

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

4 fresh red chile peppers or red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Directions:

Put the cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt, set aside to drain for 1 hour

Whisk the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved; add the sesame oil, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds, stir.

Rinse salt off of the cucumber slices by running under cold water, let dry or pat with paper towel and add to the bowl with sliced red peppers.

Drizzle the dressing over the veggies and toss to coat.

Serve immediately

And lastly we can't forget something deliciously tempting and sweet..

"Sunshine Pie"

Now this is one of those all time favorite "Cool Whip" recipes..it is light and fluffy and wonderfully yummy with a hint of orange..the perfect ending to a wonderful asian inspired meal..

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia cream cheese softened

1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk, divided

1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip

1 (6 ounce) Honey Maid Graham Pie Crust

1 orange zested and juiced

1 (3.4 ounce) package Jell-o Vanilla instant pudding

"Directions"

Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup condensed milk with mixer until well blended.  Whisk in 1/2 cup Cool Whip.  Spread onto bottom of crust.

Whisk orange juice, remaining condensed mild and dry pudding mix in medium bowl for 2 minutes.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the remaining cool Whip.  Spread over cream cheese layer.

Stir in orange zest and remaining Cool Whip, spread over pie.  Refrigerate for 4 hours.

I hope you have enjoyed this sharing of recipes and will enjoy these recipes with your family and or friends..

Blessings

Val

"Its Friday Sharing.."Heart to Heart with Holley"

Somehow Holley's words seem to always be perfect for me just at the right time, and it never ceases to amaze me that her Thursday or Friday posts totally sum up the week for me...hmmm, do you think there might possibly be a very special reason for that??

So here it is...you can also find or subscribe to her everyday words written on her blog here Holley.

This is actually Thursdays post of this week and touched every sad, sensitive part of me...but in the end her words truly lifted me up and reminded me that I am never, ever alone, even when it might feel that way!

The dirty little secret of loneliness Posted: 17 Mar 2011 06:35 AM PDT I pull my car into a spot, turn off the engine, and a feeling unexpectedly wraps itself around me. Loneliness. I brush it off--who has thoughts like that in the parking lot of her favorite coffee shop? I think of my family, friends, all of you and shake my head. What's the matter with me? But from time to time, loneliness pays me a visit. I don't ever talk about it. I really don't even want to talk about it now. Oh, yes, God isn't a big fan of my comfort zone. What am I learning about loneliness? First, it's universal. We all feel lonely sometimes. It's not a personal reflection on us but rather "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy" (Proverbs 14:10). So don't let the enemy trick you into believing it's about you--that it's some sort of sign that you're not good enough, loveable enough, worthy enough. No, ma'am. You just put on some pointy-toed shoes and kick those lies to the curb. Elijah was a prophet in the Old Testament who challenged the prophets of Baal in a serious showdown and God made an incredible victory happen. So what does Elijah do? Hightails it to the wilderness and tells God he's done. He says, "I am the only one left..." (that's loneliness talking). God's response is full of tenderness: The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When we're lonely, the first thing we need is to sense God's presence with us. Yet even after this, Elijah repeats to God, "I am the only one left...." Then God tells him that there are seven thousand others faithfully serving Him too. Hmm, I'm thinking back to the coffee shop parking lot incident. Yep, loneliness distorts our perspective. I'm learning sometimes we just need a little reminder of the truth--that God is with us, others are alongside us, and loneliness is just a feeling not a fact about who we are. Blessings for a most lovely weekend!!!