God's Amazing Handiwork

I wish you could see the size of the flowers on this cactus!  They were amazing.  Last night as Precious Husband and I walked through the RV park we came across the blooms in front of a park model.  The residents have left for the summer so I felt free to snap away at these short lived beauties.  At first sight I actually thought they were artificial because they were so large.  God's creativity and handiwork never cease to amaze me!

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Life In East Mesa (Again)

Huge sunflowers spotted last night in a neighbor's yard - beautiful!

Precious Husband and I have been living our new lifestyle for over 2 months now.  Wow, 2 months?  We have been busy moving things from our house in Maricopa where we lived for over 8 years to our new home on four wheels.  We love being back in the east valley.  

I have given up the "fru-fru" life I once enjoyed for being more sensible.  It is a hard change I must admit :-(  There is only so much room for vintage doilies and rosebud china.  The decision of what to take and what to pitch has been hard I will tell you!

42 years ago this summer I moved to Arizona from California to live in East Mesa.  East Mesa - home to SNOWBIRDS!  How I remember back then seeing the influx of winder visitors at the grocery store and post office each year from October till about April.  Full time East Mesa residents would "sigh" at this influx.

Guess what? Now I am a SNOWBIRD!  We are living in an RV park in East Mesa.  I have returned to my Arizona roots as has my Precious Husband who has lived in Mesa since he was a teenager.  We love being back in an area where there are lots of stores and places to eat.  My shopping in Maricopa was pretty much to Walmart only unless we drove 25 miles to Chandler.  Now it is easy to go have our favorite Mexican food at Rositas.  Whoooo!

We will leave in May for Kentucky where it is cooler but more importantly where our daughter, son-in-love, and 4 grandkids live.  Our trip will also include seeing our oldest grandson, Tristan graduate from high school and pack his bags to attend Eastern Kentucky University, with a full scholarship I may add.  

I love our little RV park.  So much variety in the residences here and lots to see and enjoy as I walk around the park.  There are lots of park models here but also quite an array of recreational vehicles.  It is amazing to see all the personality shown in peoples rigs and their patios.  All the people are so friendly and out going which adds to enjoyment here so much.

Henrietta and Henrietta came with us along with Wilbur, our pig and Timmy Tim, our turtle.  Feels like home on our new patio.  Oh, yes Mr. Frog came too.  They will all ride snuggly together in a bay under the motorhome when we travel.  

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Feeling Like Home

Especially since it is true,

home is where the heart is!

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Fajitas

Baked Chicken Fajitas from 

http://www.plainchicken.com

Good morning, it is Tuesday and here is a recipe we call a "keeper"!  We love Mexican food at our house and I was so happy to find a fajita recipe that included seasoning made from scratch.  These are sooo easy and soooo gooood.  I put the ingredients in a baggie and then into the fridge early in the day and then just baked at dinner time.  They will be a go to recipe for sure.  

Interesting note too is the recipe is from Plain Chicken who gave me my "Fall Off The Bone Recipe" that I have become famous for.  Go check out http://www.plainchicken.com for wonderful recipes.

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

serves 4

 

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
•  homemade fajita seasoning (below)
• tortillas
• sour cream
• cheese
• additional salsa


• Homemade Fajita Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 2 tsp chili powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 3/4 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1/2 tsp onion powder 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 400.

In a small bowl, whisk together homemade fajita seasoning ingredients.

In a large bowl. combine chicken, onion, pepper, salsa, mushrooms and fajita seasoning. Stir to coat.  Pour mixture into a greased 9x13-inch pan.

Bake 20 minutes. Serve chicken and vegetables on tortillas. Top with sour cream, cheese and additional salsa if desired.

Enjoy your Tuesday and get in your kitchen and stir up something tasty and good for your family.

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Moving On!

Precious Husband in front of "Addie"

After a month of drama, excitement, a little fear (yes, I admit to that) and a whole lot of emotional roller coaster riding I can give you our news.

We are becoming RVers.  Our new home is going to be on 6 wheels.  I have named her "Addie" because when we shared our plans to buy a motor home with our 11 year old grandson, Trent, he said, "Oh, Mèmére's Great Adventure Bus!"  So Addie she is.  Hope you can see how I came up with that name because in all honesty Precious Husband doesn't get it.

We began thinking about this months ago and then Mom moved in with us and our dream was shelved for 5 months.  At times we thought it a foolish dream too and would not think any more about it.  But hey we decided, we aren't getting any younger and if we are going to live this dream we better get moving.

We will keep our home until we have tested the waters to see if we really can live full time in Addie.  We plan to move to Mesa this week and live in a lovely RV park till May.   In May we will take Addie on her maiden voyage to Kentucky and see our oldest grandson, Tristan graduate from high school.

So you can stop wondering what in the world is going on.  We are moving on to the next chapter of our lives and we are so excited and yes, a little scarred.  Sometimes fear can be a healthy thing, right?

Love and Hugs,
Mèmére

Wordless Wednesday

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Monday Memo: Our News!

❤ February 2, 2015 

Today starts a new chapter in our lives.  

Precious Husband and I are so excited

 and a little scared! 

 Details coming A.S.A.P

Love and Hugs,
Mémère

Sunday Smiles

Love and Hugs,
Memére

Weather By Pooh

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Wordless Wednesday

Love and hugs,

Mèmére

Bean Soup

Rain came yesterday and through the night.  Today was a soup day for sure.  Susan Branch is one of my favorite artists and has a great blog with lots of fun things to see and read.  Read about her bean soup recently and it sounded good and today was the day to try it.  Oh my, it is a keeper for sure.  I was concerned it might be a little bland but the flavor was wonderful.  This recipe will go in my family cookbook file for sure.  Give it a try and tempt your tummy with a hot flavorful yummy bean soup.  

Susan Branch Bean Soup

1 pkg. ham hocks

1 lb. small white beans (great northern)

3 sliced carrots

3 stalks celery sliced

2 medium onions, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste
water to cover

Put all ingredients in a soup pot and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer till beans are cooked and all good and flavorful.

Serves six

Note: I chopped veges in the food processor and it worked well. 

Love and hugs,

Mèmére

Monday Memo: Who Said Kids Aren't Smart!

Love and Hugs,

Mèmère

Being Wise

My Grandma Turner's Ball of String

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without." 

--unknown

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Wordless Wednesday

Love and Hugs,

Mèmére

Monday Memos

"A new year is a clean slate, a chance to suck in your breath, decide all is not lost and give yourself another chance."
--Sarah Overstreet

Love and Hugs,
Mèmére

Listening To Precious Husband

Beauty of recent sunset

Precious Husband said he couldn't read my blogs because the font was as hard to read as my handwriting.  I want him to read my blogs so tonight I changed the settings back to plain and simple.  See Honey, I do listen to you.

Hugs and Blessings,
Mèmére

More Review of 2014

Grandma arriving in Arizona in style of course.

Here is a little more on my review of 2014.  I tend to put things off that are hard and this post contains some hard stuff for me but I need to get it done.

Precious Husband and I always told my mom that we would be here for her when and if she needed us.  June 2013 was a pivotal time when physically my mom's health took a turn due to an injury.  She lived in an independent living facility but we had to move her to assisted living.  When we went home for our family reunion in June of 2014 we could see major decline and when we told mom we thought it might be time to move to Arizona with us she was receptive to the idea.  A week later she fell and was admitted to the hospital for a week with pneumonia.  She said she was ready to come to Arizona and live with us.

My brother and sister-in-law packed her belongings and put her in the passenger seat of their motor home and moved her over July 1st.

It was a transition for her and for us of course.  She began showing early signs of dementia and then on Labor Day she had a bad fall.  About a week later and mom became a hospice patient.

Precious Husband was amazing through all mom's care - we physically tended her as a team.  It was a hard 9 or 10 weeks but we were able to make good on our promise to be here for my mom.

Mom was born in Tombstone Arizona and she returned 87 years later to live out her days in Arizona.

Hugs and Blessings,
Mèmére

Wordless Wednesday

Hugs and Blessings,

Mèmére

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies

Get the hot chocolate ready and let's make cookies!

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday.  In keeping with my past format I am sharing a family favorite recipe today.  Last August I found this chocolate chip cookie recipe and it is a keeper for sure.  Give it a try and see if you don't agree.  

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped peanut butter cups (about six 1.6-ounce packages)

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter cups.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking

sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.  Yield: 7-1/2 dozen.  

—Taste of Home Recipe

Note: I buy the mini peanut butter cups that are already unwrapped and just chop them slightly saving time.

Blessings and Hugs,

Mèmére

Blessed!

I try very hard to never take my life for granted.  I am blessed beyond measure by a wonderful husband, amazing children and even more amazing grandchildren.  Some days the normal and routine comes and goes and yes I fail to let my blessings encourage my heart as they should.  That is when I am glad for gentle reminders.  

Yesterday I met a gentleman and after a short visit he turned to me and said, "You are married to a very good man.  He loves you a lot."

Yes, truly I am married a a good man that loves me a lot.  I am thankful to a stranger for being so bold in reminding me of those facts.

Counting my blessings and reminding myself to never take my blessings and life for granted.

Blessings and Hugs,
Mèmére

2014 In Review

2014 came and went with not one blog post from me.  I wish I had followed through and blogged the many events of our year.  Events of great adventure that I never dreamed I would participate in.  Events that changed our family forever.  Events that inspire new challenges and risks for the future.

I can't turn back the clock but I can try to improve with this new year.

March 29, 2014 found Precious Husband and I arriving at our daughter and son-in-love's home in Kentucky.  We helped our oldest grandchildren, 17 year old Tristan and 13 year old Amber pack their new suitcases and we flew on an air bus to London, England.  We spent 3 days there and then went by train under the channel to Paris, France for another 3 days.  Never would I have imagined that I would be going out of the USA!  The trip was too short but made for wonderful memories with our grandchildren.

March 29, 2014 Headed over the Atlantic

Tristan 17 years old.  Amber 13 years old.

My first thought getting on the plane, this is like an "E Ticket ride" at Disneyland!

We rode the London Eye on our first day of sight-seeing.

I enjoyed the architecture.

Cute sign where we stopped for coffee of course!

Boat ride down the Thames River

Under the London Bride

Tristan was thrilled to go through the British Museum

Teenage girls don't mind posing for the camera -

teenage boys - not so much.

Amber posing with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Amber in front of the Eiffel Tower

Tristan in front of the Eiffel Tower.  

Their Pèpére was so smart in how he photographed each of the children.  

The locks we hung on the Pont des Arts Bridge

Better close for now and continue my review and catch-up on another day.

Hugs and blessings,

Mèmére

Putting The Memories Away

After my long absence thought I would remind readers that my blog is written as a form of journaling for me personally. It also is a tool to share memories, pictures, information/history and hopefully words of wisdom with my family.

Usually the tree is down and the Christmas decorations are put away no later than New Years and actually it is usually done on New Years Day.  This year I was a little slow and had better things to do.  The TLC's came and spent 3 days with us.  TLC's are my 4 grandchildren that live here in Arizona.  They are named with their initials forming - you guessed it - TLC.

Today I am sharing some Christmas decoration history.  The little elf came from my mom and dad and sat on our tree when I was a kid.  Sometimes he hides in our tree, this year he sat on a lamp overseeing activity in the dining room.

One of the first things that I put up at Christmas is my nativity scene.  My mother-in-law took up ceramics when Precious Husband's father died and in 1988 she gave us a beautiful nativity set, painted just perfectly.  In 1998 the little donkey caught the eye of our first grandchild, 2 year old Tristan.  Quick as a two year old can be the donkey didn't have a chance.  Tristan's mom and dad were chagrined but I got out the Elmer's glue and quickly the little donkey was given life again.  

Precious Husband and I were married in 1983 the year that Avon produced these precious little Christmas angels.  Good friends of Precious Husband gave them to us for a wedding gift and each year they find a place among the animals and wisemen.

A few years ago I found this nativity set in Kentucky half price after Christmas.  I love the sweet faces and the detail.  They remind me of Precious Moment figurines.

Look at the chubby cheeked angel with her sweet smile.

Joseph with his crook.

Mary

Baby Jesus

Memories, all wrapped up and put into storage boxes for another year.  Fewer boxes will be stored this year because I only packed the things that make me smile and have history.  We are making changes in our life this year and with that change comes a great need to downsize our belongings but this is all news for future blogs . . .

Love and hugs,

Mèmére