'Life Just Got A Little Easier' Appetizers

Blessings to you! 'Life Just Got A Little Easier' with these quick to fix APPETIZERS. Get togethers coming up with Graduations, Family Reunions, Weddings and Just Because. So easy. Cheese Spread plus Flour Tortillas equals Tasty ApPeTiZeRs.

God Bless and may your Spring be a fun one,
~Deanna~

Memorial Day

May God's PEACE flood your soul as you remember those that have died in service for our Country.

Embracing Memorial Day with a appreciative attitude and grateful heart full of THANKFULNESS. May God comfort us as we remember those that we have loved. GOD BLESS AMERICA and GOD BLESS OUR PEOPLE.

Shall we pray for those in the Service and our Political Leaders?

~Let Freedom Ring~

~Deanna~

Clara H. Scott

Open my eyes, that I may see

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;

Place in my hands the wonderful key

That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready, my God, Thy will to see;

Open my eyes- illumine me,

Spirit divine!

Feel Like Blogging

Feel like Blogging...oh heavens, when this happens I can whip out 4 or 5 post in one day. My Granddaughter is down for a nap. She said she didn't want to take a nap. I gently told her that she doesn't have to want to, but needs to...so she'll be rested for this afternoon full of energy to play and be ready for the evening. Nap Time is time to stretch and get comfortable. So far so good...it's working!

We had spaghettio's for lunch. Didn't eat the baby carrots. Might have these for afternoon snack with milk. Will push vegetables for supper.

Before nap, we were playing run and catch me! Fun. We took turns slowly chasing each other through the Family Room, Diningroom, Kitchen and Utility Room. When one of us caught the other one, it was their turn to chase the other. Tiny exaggerated steps were viewed as so funny by the Grand. She giggled and laughed as she hid under the Diningroom table.

Sometimes I pretend that I don't see her and say out loud...I hear her, but I don't see her!!!! OHHHHHH Where are you? She thinks this is soooooo funny.

To slow the pace down before nap, we watched Flamenco Dancers on the Internet. We have a little Flamenco Dancer Doll and had her dancing right along with the serious Internet Gals. Very interesting. Thinking what a great form of exercising. Lil Miss watched with interest. This is wonderful.

The Family Room is a comfortable temperature with the windows open and the ceiling fan running. Weatherman said it was suppose to reach 87 degrees today. If the room stays as comfortable as it is right now there won't be any need to run an air conditioner today.

This is one of the wonderful features of this old 1885 stone house. The air is circulating and it is comfortable. Praying that our utility bills this Summer are way lower than this past Winter. We have plans of getting a newer boiler in the Fall to help eleviate the high natural gas bills that Winter brings.

If I could get through Summer and Fall without the use of utilities...that would be a pipe dream...huh?

My plans for this week-end are to work on wall papering the Family Room. This has been sorely neglected and I'm guilty. When it's completed...for real...I will take photos and praise the Lord that it is finished!

Haven't decided what's for Dinner. This afternoon, I have to sort through some important papers. Have to clear the Diningroom Table off. Gonna play Tablescape and take photos for the blog. Will they turn out? Not sure, hope so. This is a form of relaxation that helps lower my blood pressure.

Speaking of Blood Pressure...about three weeks ago I went off of a new Blood Pressure Medicine that was causing my feet to swell up. I was to let the doctor know if this happened. He switched my meds and while I waited to pick up the new medicine I continue to keep a journal. My readings have been pretty good. In the 130s over 90s. Resting heart rate in the 70s. So I am watching the BP and seeing how it goes without medicine.

I have admitted that I was drinking far too much coffee and tensing up over a matter that I am not at liberties to blog about at the time. I will continue to increase full body motion and pray. Drink more water and have my 3 o'clock V8. Low sodium that is.

When you take your Blood Pressure, you should not have any caffeine before hand. BUMMER???

Sit with both feet on the floor.

Be calm and still before taking BP.

Don't talk and no moving during test.

Make sure the arm cuff is the correct size to fit your arm.

Avoid sodium as much as possible.

If the reading is elevated...be sure that you are honest with yourself and not emotionally upset about anything.

I like to use my left arm which is closest to the side in which the heart is.

Take several readings through out the day.

Last January my Blood Presure was reading in the 170s over I forget, but I had reasons that I cannot mention that caused my pressure to go through the roof. AND it did.

I am waiting for results from Doctor about a sonogram and echocardiogram that I had on Tuesday. Goodness, technology has advanced, but the need to stay healthy is the same.

What are your plans for the week-end?

I'd like to have ALL BEEF Hot Dogs with Relish

Baked Beans

Potato Salad

Water Melon

Chips

Dessert of some type

Lemonade

May you have a wonderful Memorial Day. Not far off.

I am falling in LOVE with my little Town. Under 1000 people live in this Community. The surrounding Communities are small as well. In June, I hope to enter a Meatloaf in the Paxico Meatloaf Festival...have I got a trick up my sleeve. Have to start practicing getting just the right recipe. If I don't win or place...I still have won because I participated and my daughter and I will have done this together. It's a win win situation!

Better close for now.

Have to get a bath in while I can.
This was fun just rambling.

You take care and know that God loves you and wants good things for you.

~Deanna~

Foxes and Carseats

Out and about on Tuesday and took my Granddaughter to the Pet Store. She wanted to show me the snakes and rats. I'm not a huge fan of reptiles and rodents, but she likes them and wanted to show me these creatures. So we leisurely went to the store. We saw a variety of hairy creatures, but no snakes. Okay with me.

I didn't have my camera with me or I might have sneaked a photo of a young guy probably 20something walking about the store with a 4 foot bushy black with red tipped tail hanging out the backside of his pants. Not even Halloween. He donned a classy hat on his head, but the tail was out to lunch.

He wasn't an employee. Nobody else was wearing animal parts. Wasn't scared, but decided that we didn't need to stay in the store. Time to go. As I walked out of the store...I heard footsteps behind me. Turned and looked and mister 20something was behind me. I picked my granddaughter up into my arms and turned toward him. Decided to not go to my parked car and would wait by the lamp post. He had parked beside my car. Hum.

He entered his nice auto and slowly drove away. Quickly I loaded Lil Miss into her carseat. So careful to be aware of what's going on around me while putting a child in a carseat. Have to keep an eye on what's around.


Don't have back completely turned where you could get hit in the head or taken by surprise!

As I walked around to get into the car...mister 20something was headed back my direction as he drove the parking lot. We left the area and went to get a Sonic soft drink. No more mister 20something.

This all could have been an innocent situation, but I don't think so! I know that it's better to be safe than sorry. Amen and amen.

Watch your back and walk in wisdom.

Will I return to the Pet Store? Absolutely.

Sly like a FOX,

~Deanna~

Camera Acting Up

As of late my camera has presented some challenges not asked for. The pics are washing completely out when the pics were taken in natural outdoors lighting. I'm not quite sure what's going on. Hubby tinkered with her and thought she was all better and then she started acting up again. I got very brave tonite and decided to go ahead and experiment with my camera. Perhaps I would discover why she's acting up.

Liked the way these pictures turned out...special effects especially for you!

Having fun being an amateur photographer,

~Deanna~

Home Haven Window

This morning it's a little stuffy in the house. The Family room is stuffy. Decided to open some of the windows in here. The windows can be opened from the bottom or the top. Wonderful.



Raised the window treatment and then lowered the window pane so it's opened from the top. The fresh air is permeating the room and the sound of chirping birds is present. It is delightful!!! Refreshing. We have seen a variety of birds since living in this little town. I love it! A cool breeze is drifting in. When I hear the cooing of Morning Doves, it's so peaceful.







Thank God for windows!!! This morning I have a new appreciation for windows in houses. Immediately after opening the window the room's air was refreshed.



Have you heard that saying that when God closes one door HE opens another or when HE closes a door HE opens a window? Somehow these sayings just didn't comfort me. I wasn't satisfied...HE opens a window? Over the years I have heard this so many times, but the God I know can knock the wall down to where you don't need a window!

Grins.
Luv u,
~Deanna~

Thrifty Treasures

I'm about to pop at the seams with excitement...if I don't get these pics shared I will pop. I so love what I call JuNkIn'...this is when I purchase thrift items that I can only find ever so often for little of nothin'!!!

Between the Junior League Sale named Next To New Sale, City Wide Sales, Senior Center Sale and purchases from my favorite Thrift Place....I have some fun stuff to clean up and give a new home at Home Haven. Hello!!! Can I hear an AMEN?

Think I will post some more pics tomorrow when my Computer Whiz helps me with downloading or uploading my pics. I hope to learn how to do this for myself sometime this Summer along with putting music on my blog AND learning some photography tricks that my little camera does that I had NO CLUE it could do. I want to have a teachable spirit...I think.

Hope your day goes well.

Love ya,

~Deanna~

$2.00 for 24% Lead Crystal Pitcher!!! I flipped. I luv crystal.

I bought two of these silver plated serving dishes with lids and deep set Pyrex Bowls that go inside. I paid more than I wanted to, but have been wanting some of these for so long that I cracked and bought them for what they were asking. $10.00 each.

This is a nice match to some other iron pieces I have...just a few dollars. Fruit looks great in it. A lady at the Senior Center thought floating candles would look nice in this and I agreed. Think floating roses would be sweet.

My 50 cent Tray. 2 quarters!!!

Sorry about this blurred photo of this metal bowl with etching, but not sorry about the 50 cents I spent on her.

Happy Happy Joy Joy.

GRANNY NANNY CHRONICLES

AND shoes to match...ohhhhh so pretty.

Granny Nanny Here and lovin' it! Something really neat and fun about being a little girl is how massive the imagination can be. Lil Miss's Mom put together a dress up box that Lil Miss just loves. Lil Miss's Mom had outfits to dress up in as a little girl herself...my sweet Momma helped with this years ago. So in a way it's a tradition that's being passed down and around. As a child I remember going to the toy section of some stores and drooling over the plastic high heels...I thought they were just soooooo preeeeettee.

These days I am falling more and more in love with the color PiNk!!! Eventually Lil Miss's bedroom will be painted a quiet gentle pink. Can't wait.

God knew what HE was doing when HE created little girls and the color PiNk.

I think PiNk looks beautiful on all females no matter what the skin tone is.

Havin' fun wearin' PiNk.

God bless,

~GRANNY~

Home Happenings

Welcome to HomeHaven. Here it is almost 9 in the morning and I haven't had my coffee with half and half yet! It may take me awhile to type this out and post as I am a very slow typist and will willingly get interrupted again and then again with peek a boo!

After I think about what I did last week and have to do this week, it may be noon before I post this one.

Last week...I'm having trouble remembering what all I did each day...kind of a blurrrrr.

Oh yes....now I remember. Almost got caught up with the piles of laundry. This was a good feeling to watch the mounds and piles shrink. Have some towels to fold yet and put away then about two more loads of casual clothing to wash, etc. It always makes me feel extra special when the laundry is D O N E...for at least a day.

The thrift buys I bought were being unwrapped and slowly those pieces that need washed are making their way to the sink. Still too much is stacked on the Diningroom table. Gotta get these treasures put away in their proper places. Want to set a table with some of the NEW Dishes and do a Tablescape for a post. A simple goal that I desire to do.

Paperwork worked on...always a must.

Thursday was a LONG day, but a good day. It ended as a DATE NIGHT with my hubby. Started out with a farewell party for a dear friend of mine that's moving to Colorado to live with her daughter. Mary has lived in Manhattan for nearly 50 years. She is having some tearful moments as her home has been Manhattan and now off to Colorado she goes. I don't have the pics downloaded...when I do I'll share a few pics of my friend MARY. I have known her for about 11 years and she's a sweet example of what a dear Christian Lady should be like. At prayer meetings her prayers were always so tender and sweet. I will miss her, but have plans to write her. She's 95 and still walks a mile a day.

After this fellowship, I had Lunch with my hubby and did some shopping. This is when I shopped the Thrift store. I am delighted to say, YES! I walked away with some thrifty buys.

Got a half off Sonic drink and drove home. Little Miss fell asleep on the way and I really didn't want to wake her as I parked out front of our home...so I decided to take a quiet drive and found myself at a little ole Wamego. Make it count...Thrift store and Library stop. More pics to show later.

Onto Manhattan and picked daughter up from work...did I mention it was a wet soggy day the whole day and hubby had a flat tire to fix. So we met him over at the tire shop. It was here that I stayed with my husband as daughter wanted to go on home...she's fighting a spring cold.

After the tire was taken care of, hubby and I went to a movie! We do this about twice a year is all. Bought some popcorn and a sprite. Watched Ironman 2. Liked it! It was early enough when we drove home to put our feet up and watch the news.

Was a nice day! And don't we all need these!

I was thrilled that the next day was going to be Friday.

Ahhhhh Friday!!!!!! Take a deep breath and know that the week-end is coming soon and I get some time off from baby sitting. Little Miss was not feeling well at all. Through out the day it was "I WANT MOMMY! I WANT MOMMY!" I'm not exaggerating if I say she said this at least 300 times. It made for a very long day. We got through it, but it wasn't easy. What do you say to a little girl who wants her Mommy and Mommy has to work (employment) when telling her that Mommy has to work doesn't comfort her? I do my best to distract her and talk to her in a upbeat tone of voice. Daughter would love to be a wife and stay-at-home momma. My prayer is that she be blessed with her heart's desire.

Friday night I watched 'The Young Victoria' which I watched again on Saturday Night. Deliberately watched it a second time to look closely at the costumes.

Saturday was fun as hubby and I went to Topeka and ate at On The Border. We had QUALITY TIME...Off to the Lumber Yard for time to dream about house updates. Shopped some at SAMs.

The Church my daughter attended on Sunday failed to mention that it was PENTECOST. They wanted to talk about all people being children of God and there was no mention of Pentecost...hum. According to the Bible one must be a born again Christian to be a child of God. It's after you are adopted into the Family of God when Jesus becomes one's Saviour that you are a child of God. Yes, we are created by God...all of us, but not all are children of God.

I remember the year we went to Church in Spring Texas and on Easter Sunday the Pastor talked about Jane Pauley and how great she was by over coming her problems......there was no mention of Easter and that Jesus ROSE from the grave! We stopped attending this church. Where is Jane today? Not sure...perhaps I should Google her. Last I knew she was having Panic Attacks and aging. I'm sorry about her troubles, but she isn't Jesus Christ on Easter for anyone.

On Sunday afternoon, my sweet hubby and I went back to the Topeka and drank some fancy coffee as we sat in our car in the Lumber Yard Parking Lot discussing what we needed to talked about so we'd have a pleasant rest of the day. The coffee was good and the conversation even better. Lumber Yard supplies were bought and off to Aldi's.

I have wanted a 2 step folding ladder for about 30 years...well, Aldi had them and the price was right at $13.99. Home we go. The one we bought looked similar to this, but better.

Since the lumber yard supplies were sticking out the rear window of the car, we decided to drive home on less traveled roads than the interstate.

People drive way too fast and we had to drive under the norm to avoid damaging the supplies...so we were BLESSED to see countryside that makes my heart melt. It was soooo relaxing and uplifting. BEAUTIFUL GREEN ROLLING FIELDS in the sunset. SHUCKS no camera.

There's a little Cafe called the SOMMERSET HALL CAFE in Dover, Kansas. We are going to have to go eat soon. We explored Dover and for some reason this name stuck in my head. Googled it and it was here that Good Morning America awarded a dear Lady PIE QUEEN with "BEST SLICE OF PIE IN AMERICA." About two years ago NORMA GRUBB had made over 8,000 pies. I'm not sure if she's still alive or not...will find out and maybe we will have some of this Award Winning Pie. If not...we'll say we should have.

We also found the 1878 Historic SAGE INN and STAGE COACH STATION and BED/BREAKFAST that we'd like to visit this Summer! It was very quaint!

Tomorrow is the big day at the Hospital for me. Sonagram and Echocardiogram. Time out of the house. Need to groom myself and shampoo my hair today so I will look human to the techs. Tomorrow I will be able to ask, "Did I shave my legs for this?????"

May you have a sweet week and God Bless you real good,

~Deanna~