I'm Back!

Wow, my house is clean. I am finished painting the furniture and the last piece will be taken over tonight. I starched shirts, packed & said goodbye to my dear husband. Thursday I got to welcome him back from his triumphant victory. I am exhausted! Yesterday my mom arrived to attend her grandson (our younger son) perform as Romeo. We went over to water for a friend who was out of town then to dinner at my sister-in-laws house. My mom, Abbie and I went to save seats early as there are no reserved seats for the spring play. Today mama went home and we took naps after church and lunch. Wow, do I feel better. I love watching Riley perform. He loves acting. Abbie has a drive for running and sports. Travis love playing and writing music. Ashley loves being around family, but they all seem to.

Wonderful Cookie Recipe

My mother-in-law sent me this recipe from the Pillsbury Bake-off contest. This is the million dollar winner.

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
1/4 C. Dry Roasted Peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 C. Granulated Sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 C. Jif creamy peanut butter
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 roll Pillsbury Create n' Bake refrigerated peanut butter cookies, well chilled

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In another small bowl stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into 24 (1-inch) balls. Cut roll of cookie dough into 12 slices. Cut each slice in half to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls. Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat mixture completely onto balls. On ungreased large cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Spray bottom of drinking glass with cooking spray; press into remaining peanut mixture. Flatten each ball to 1/4 inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into dough. Bake 7 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.

Abbie and I made these this afternoon since she didn't have track practice. They are wonderful!

Today I finished sanding the furniture I have been working on and got the primer on the bookshelf and nightstand. The nightstand is going to be so cute when it is finished. All of this furniture was black and red. The lady I am doing this for wants it all white except for the back wall of the bookshelf which will be the same color as the walls of the room they will be in. Terry grilled tonight and I made baked beans, deviled eggs and mac & cheese. For dessert I made lemon angel food cake w/ raspberries and cool whip. It is a very easy and light dessert. Here is the recipe.
LEMON ANGEL FOOD W/RASPBERRIES & COOL WHIP
1 angel food cake mix
2 lemons
2 C. powdered sugar
1 bag frozen raspberries, thawed
light cool whip

Mix and bake angel food according to recipe but pour into a 9x13 pan. When you remove it from the oven invert onto a cooling rack. Once cooled turn over and poke holes in cake with a fork. Mix together powdered sugar, 1/3 C. lemon juice, and zest of one lemon. Pour over cake. Cut cake spoon raspberries and cool whip over cake.

It's Friday!!!

Wow, where did the week go. I was just checking out one of the blogs that I keep up with and she had a link for a free giveaway at Live Laugh Blog
Check it out for free note cards or bow pad. I am working on the furniture I am repainting today. I hope to start the priming today.

I'm singing in the rain....

Wow!!! What a rain we had yesterday. I set my little bell pepper plants out in my garden to harden them yesterday morning and had to leave them there overnight. We got so much rain that the backyard was flooded and I couldn't get to my garden. I have flowers and seeds I need to get in the ground but that will have to wait a day or two. This weekend I will post pictures of my garden. It is really beginning to grow. If I can keep the cabbage worms under control we will be good. The reason the water is red is we live in central Oklahoma where the dirt is red. That is a raised bed of cinder blocks with 4 inch capstones on top. That is how deep it was.

Busy!!!

Wow, it has been sooo busy around here. I made 192 cupcakes for a wedding and sent and retrieved one of our son's from NYC. He had a blast! He and his friends saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, and a lot of other major NYC sites. The cupcakes consisted of making fondant/gum paste daisies (half yellow w/ white centers and half white w/ yellow centers). These were put on white cupcakes w/ yellow icing and yellow cupcakes w/ white icing. I am trying to finish up some furniture that I have sanded/striped and repainting for a lady at church. The weather and my schedule have not been cooperating.