Praise Storms of Life as Well

with more storms and rain predicted for this evening I thougth this song would be perfect to share. He is there for us in the storms both the ones we face in real weather and those that we weather in life.

Matthew 26 He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

It Is Possible To Get Away

With the price of gas up as well as daily expenses it may seem that getting away this spring is just not possible. There are a few things that you can do to make sure that you getting your best dollar out of gas milage
One thing you can do is to check tires regularly  Keeping tires properly inflated will help to avoid premature wear and mileage loss If you do not know how to do this find someone who can teach you. When I was a kid the local gas stations would help you with this but now days service is definetly not what it used to be.
We all know that driving  on the highway is better on gas mileage than driving in the city. The reason is that the car can maintain momentum. Keeping the car rolling is better than a stop and go situation. If you do find yourself in the stop 'n go traffic then make sure that you don't use up more gas than needed shut off the air conditioner
If you are traveling you will want to take along some items but it is very important to eliminate the unnecessary weight. Removing car racks believe it or not will help you to save gas as well because it will help to take off between 50 to 100 lbs.
Keep your car in good running condition we all know will help to keep your car running and save gas as well. Keeping the filters clean will allow you engine to run easier This is a rather cheap way to cut down on gas and does not require much work for repair work either.
I can remember in the past you had only one type of gas leaded then it went to two leaded and unleaded and now there are several versions of unleaded gas. Many may think that the higher octane gas helps your car out more than the others. Some say that the high octane gas is only required if you engine is knocking or you drive a sports car that requires it.
Speed limits are different in town and out of town with the later being the higher.Using Cruise Controll on the open highway to maintain an exact speed allows better gas mileage. Keeping the windows closed as well as sunroofs shut will help save gas as well

I hope that you are able to use some of these tips to help you make the most for your gas.

http://lifeasmom.com/

Mothers Day Idea: Bouquet of Photo Flowers

Construction paper, various colors


Glue stick

Photos

Scissors

Tape

Green chenille stems, one for each flower

Cut photos into circles to be used as the center of the flower. Cut simple flower shapes out of construction paper. Glue photo circle to the center of the flower. Tape chenille stem to the back of your flower. Make sure the tape is secure by pressing onto the tape with your fingernail. Trim ends of chenille to the length you desire, depending on what you are using as a vase. If making a handheld bouquet, don’t trim the chenille; simply tie a ribbon bow around them all.

Bouquet of Photo Flowers source: Kaboose

http://www.504main.com/

Crazy Good Peanut Butter Squares

20 Oreos (or other chocolate wafer cookie)


2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1 pkg. (16 oz.) Cool Whip

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

15 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

1 c. milk

1 pkg. (4 oz.) chocolate instant pudding mix



Put all but four cookies in food processor. Process until cookies are coarse crumbs. (Cookies can also be crushed manually-- just place in a resealable bag and crush.) Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in a square 9-inch pan (ungreased). Toss to mix. Press into bottom of pan. Combine cream cheese, one cup of the powdered sugar, and the peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth and combined. Fold in half of Cool Whip. Spread filling over the Oreo crust and sprinkle with chopped Reese's cups. In a separate mixing bowl, combine milk, remaining sugar, and pudding mix. Beat on med-low for two to three minutes. Gently fold in the rest of the Cool Whip. Spread mixture over peanut butter filling & Reese's cups. Sprinkle with crumbs from remaining four Oreo cookies. Cover dessert, refrigerate at least three hours. Slice into generous squares. Then watch Mom melt with delight as she takes a bite of this insanely good Mother's Day recipe dessert

recipe source: Divine Dinner Party

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Cottage Cheese Fruit Salad

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese


1 small apple, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons mixed dried fruit bits or raisins

2 teaspoons reduced-calorie mayonnaise or salad dressing

Dash ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, or apple pie spice

1 lettuce leaf

In an airtight container stir together cottage cheese, apple, dried fruit bits, mayonnaise, and cinnamon. Chill 4 to 24 hours. Serve cottage cheese mixture atop lettuce leaf. Makes 1 serving.


PECAN COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups crushed pineapple, drained--reserve 1/4 cup juice

1/4 cup hot pineapple juice

2 cups cottage cheese

1 tbsp unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup whipped cream



Combine the celery, bell pepper, salt, and pecans together; set aside. Soften the unflavored gelatin in the 1/4 cup of water for 5 minutes; add the hot pineapple juice and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the pineapple and allow to cool. Mix the c cheese,mayonnaise and powdered sugar together in a large bowl; fold in the whipped cream. Add the celery mixture, mixing in well. Stir in the gelatin mixture and chill until firm.



COTTAGE CHEESE-MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

1 large container cottage cheese

1 large box orange gelatin

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained

1 can Mandarin oranges, drained

1 small carton frozen whipped topping, thawed



In a large bowl, mix the c cheese and dry gelatin together. Add the pineapple and oranges and blend in. Gently fold in the whipped topping. Chill all day or overnight.






recipe source: here and here

shared here

Chicken and Red Pepper Stir Fry

3 3/4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups julienne-cut red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and next 4 ingredients (through hot pepper sauce) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 3/4 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and chicken in a medium bowl; toss well to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cashews to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan; place in a bowl. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger; cook 30 seconds. Add chicken and cornstarch mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick. Sprinkle with cashews and green onions. Juick rice pilaf: Cook 1 (10-ounce) package frozen white rice (such as Birds Eye SteamFresh) according to package directions. Combine cooked rice, 2 tablespoons drained chopped water chestnuts, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

recipe source here

Book Review : Max On Life

I have been a long time fan of Max Lucado for quite a long period of time. When offered the chance to review the book Max on Life authored by Max Lucado I jumped at the opportunity. To read Max's real thoughts and theories backed by biblical reasoning seemed very interesting. The topics in the book ranged from those seen in every day life to those that we hear about in the news. Questions were arranged in chapters by themes that put them together. One part that I enjoyed was that each question was set up sort of like a devotion, offered biblical scripture verses that helped place a light on the question and answer and Max's answers were well written and explained. Topics that we may not feel able to discuss with our friends or spouse like is it right for a married man to look at another woman in a lustful manner or who is it ok for the woman to be in charge of  the finances at home.

Having questions is natural. Every young child is full of questions and as they grow the questions may change but the inquiries of life and their surrounding is still present. Max Lucado offers his twently-five years of writing and ministry to help us better understand the questions of life by offering answers to questions he has been asked during his years of ministry. More than 150 of the most pressing questions on topics ranging from hope to hurt and from home to the hereafter are all answered by Max. Offering his thoughts on the importance of prayer, purpose of pain, and reason for our ultimate hope. He responds to the day-to-day questions—parenting quandaries, financial challenges, difficult relationships—as well as to the profound: Is God really listening?

The book Max on Life includes topical and scriptural indexes and is filled with classic Lucado encouragement and insight, Max on Life is a great tool for pastors and ministry leaders as well as new and mature believers.


I received the book Max on Life to review as a member of the group Book Sneeze

April 29, National Shrimp Scampi Day

Does this not look just delightful? It would please me for sure. In America April 29 is national shrimp scampi day.

shared on Designs by Gollum

ProFlowers Review and Giveaway $50 gc

ProFlowers

My mom has had beautiful flower gardens and enjoyed cut flowers for as long as I can remember. Any time of year that you visit my mom you will find beautiful plants whether inside the house or in the yard. Me and my sisters have always presented her with flowers in one form or another for Mothers Day. So when ProFlowers contacted me concerning featuring their gifts for mothers day on my blog I jumed at the chance. Knowing my mother this was the perfect thing for her. That was the easy part saying yes to the review and hosting the giveaway. The hard part was what would I choose for her to recieve. With so many special items to choose from that are available from ProFlowers the decision was a hard one. Finally I resolved to choose some beautiful cut flowers to offer her some beautiful mothers day flowers and a plant that she could add her mother's day plant  to her collection.

My choices were

One Dozen Rainbow Roses that arrived in a beautiful vase that can be and will be reused even after the beautiful roses have died out. I must say that when these roses arrived I took pride in the thought that I had such a beautiful item to offer my mother for mothers day. After all she is a very special person to me and there are none that will ever compare to her. One thing that I loved is that the roses arrived with plant food to help keep it alive. I was thrilled that the beautiful roses lasted quite a lengthy period of time allowing my mother to enjoy them. Things that make my mother happy are things that make me happy and I was very pleased with the way the roses arrived, the way they looked when they arrived, and the length of time they lasted so that my mother could enjoy them

I was also allowed to choose a live plant to give my mother as well. My mother like her mother like her mother..... loves to be sorrounded with beautiful plants. There are several plants that are available at ProFlowers that would be perfect for any occasion Mothers Day is a perfect time to give the gift of a live plant because in many areas the weather is pefect for growing gardens and other areas may be a bit cold so a plant that could be cared for would be the perfect item to brighten the home. 

The beautiful Canterburry Bells potted plant arrived in a planter that was natural in color. The plants theirselves were in two seperate pots ready to plant. My mother had the choice of using the basket they came in to plant or she could easily plant them in another pot of her choice. The plants were full of beautiuful blue colored buds. I do not think that I could have found a nicer plant if I had of went to the nursery and picked it out myself.

Want to offer your mom some beautiful Mothers Day Flowers or a nice Mothers Day Plants? Well Good News ProFlowers has offered one of Annies Home readers the chance to win a $50 gc to choose the perfect item for your mom from ProFlowers. This giveaway will end May 13, 2011

To enter this giveaway please visit ProFlowers and let me know what you would choose for the special lady in your life.

Extra Entries after the above has been answered:

• Like ProFlowers on Facebook {1 entry} {leave your First Name, Last Initial}BONUS! By friending ProFlowers on FB, you get 20% off your next order
• follow ProFlowers on twitter (1 entry)
• follow my blog via gfc (1 entry)
• follow my blog on twitter (1 entry)
• tweet about the giveaway (1 entry per tweet unlimited) leave link in comment
• comment on any post on this giveaway (1 entry each)

Good luck Email must be in comment or on blog profile or entries will not count. Winner will have 36 hours once contacted to claim prize.

I would like to say thank you to ProFlowers for sponsoring this review by providing me with my choice of products to review as well as sponsoring this giveaway by offering a lucky reader a $50 gc.

Giveaways I Entered

MomStart is having a giveaway for a $50 gift card from 1-800 flowers In the giveaway a fun question is asked who is your favorite t.v or cartoon mom. Now I have always loved Roseanne but I would love to know who your favorite is. Actually that is the entry question at the giveaway at MomStart that ends May 16, 2011

Wordless Wednesday : Princess and the Egg Hunt

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

shared here and here and here    

In Honor of the Royal Wedding : Princess Wands

In honor of the Royal Wedding perhaps you would want to make these cute princess wands for your princess you can find how tos here

White Wednesday: Something Many Will Talk About

Thats right just like I always thought the President was born and is a natural born citizen of the U.S. now I wonder what they will talk about next

shared on the white wednesday

Redensday In Spring

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/2011/04/rednesday-flowers-and-winning.html

Water Everywhere Wednesday

here where I live and the sorrounding area the area is being overran with water because of large rains that we have been experiencing

http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

Wedding Cake Balls

In honor of the royal wedding these cake balls are being featured on Kraft

Centrum Get Fit

Many T.V. shows now days feature celebrity stars as well as those trying to get fit. Centrum Mulitvitamins and Celebrity Personal Trainer Harley Pasternak Share Star Tested Secrets to Shape Up for Summer Harly Pasternak is the individual that celebrities call when they want to get fit. He is also credited with the creation of the 5 factor diet. Now Centrum multivitamins are teaming up with pasternak to bring star worthy tips to Americans. Besides the great tips that will be offered Centrum will also award a trip to Los Angeles and a training session at the gym with Harley to a lucky individual. If you were like one of the many adults who made the resolution to change in the New Year and getting fit is the top way you want to change then you may be interested in this. If you want to shape up before bathing suit season then you may have all ready started and Harley Paternak knows that getting fit for summer requires both exercise and good nutrition, and one way to stay healthy and meet the goal is by taking Centrum multivitamins.

To get started like the new Centrum Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Centrum and getting useful tips on how to meet your summer goals, learn how to enter for a chance to win a Wii FitTM Plus every day for 60 days and receive a special $3 coupon for Centrum multivitamins. In addition texting every day through June 22, 2011 will give you the chance to text an image of a Centrum multivitamin bottle to 89800 for a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles to receive a personal training session with Pasternak. See Centrum® Mobile Sweepstakes Official Rules for details.

Five Great Tips for looking and feeling your best:

1. Go global with your diet. Exposing your palate to different cuisines can help you find foods that are
nourishing, slimming and never boring. Whether Greek yogurt, Japanese tofu, or Swedish rye bread, the world’s healthiest countries take pride in a few very special ingredients.

2. The healthiest solutions are often the simplest ones – like walking instead of driving, broiling instead of
frying, and taking a daily multivitamin. Making commonsense decisions about the way you eat, move, and live can help you exponentially increase your health and wellness level.

3. Try to stick to low-sugar beverages and drink more water. Try all sorts of tea – black, oolong, and green - for an antioxidant flavor boost.

4. Every step counts. Walk everywhere, whether it’s to the grocery store or to work. Take the stairs whenever you can. If you have to be on the phone, pace around while you talk, or do jumping jacks during TV commercial breaks. Regular movement has an infinite number of benefits.

5. Enjoy one free day a week! Indulge in eating a treat such as dark chocolate and sleep in late. It will motivate you to keep up a healthy lifestyle during the other six days. As the summer nears, there is no better time than now to start taking the right steps to reach a healthier you. Join Centrum multivitamins and Harley Pasternak and get inspired to rediscover a healthier you!

I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in the post are my own.

A Blog Tour For Pet Lovers : Pedigree

My blog is going to the dogs for a wonderful blog tour that I am participating in sponsored by Pedigree and Mom Central Consulting Pedigree is a trusted brand that offers a nutritious food for all dogs and has been involved in helping out shelter dogs through the Pedigree Adoption Drive on Facebook and @PedigreeUS on twitter. I love this because while Corky did not come to us through an adoption service he would have ended up there. Corky was a dog who had been dropped off because his owner no longer wanted him. Each year there are hundreds of dogs that are abandoned by their owners. Sadly many of these dogs will not find new owners. Pedigree is taking a stand to help dogs find new owners.

This is a picture of Corky outside enjoying the sun. While primarily an in the house best friend sort of dog when he goes outside he must be on a leash. He is the sort of dog that loves the outside and we love to take him for walks ranging from 20 to 45 minutes in length a couple of times a day. In the meantime when not snoozing on the couch or hanging out with the kids he likes to hang out in the back yard. She has a picky sort of appetite and prefers to eat food that is small bite size for her. I was very pleased with the dog food from pedigree its bite size chewable product is perfect for Corky.


Corky investigated the new food at first before attempting to try it. I offered him the new food by mixing it in with his regular food that he had showed some interest in. I was happy to see that he seemed to enjoy the food as much as normal Being a picky pup I was quite surprised that he did eat his food even with the new pedigree mixed in.

I look forward to sharing with you more about Corky's adventure through this blog tour. I hope that you will follow along and share your comments as well.

I wrote this review while participating in an Ambassador campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Pedigree and received dog food to facilitate my reviews and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Check Out Some Of Our Favorite Post

Orange Cream Desserts Recipe
Old Fashioned Ice Box Cake Recipe
Skoy Review
Easter Yellow
Five Step Daily House Clean

Check out giveaway that ends tonight for miracleblanket as well

Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Bake

12- to 16-ounce loaf good-quality white bread (such as Italian or French bread from the bakery), crust removed, cut in half lengthwise, and then into thin slices.




For the custard:

5 large eggs

2 1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt



For the cinnamon cheese filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar



Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Layer half of the bread slices in the baking dish, overlapping and wedging them in tightly so they are in an almost solid layer. To make the custard, whisk the eggs until fully beaten, then whisk in the milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour half of this custard over the bread in the baking dish, letting it settle in and soak the bread thoroughly. Set aside the rest of the custard. To make the filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with the butter, egg, cinnamon, and sugar. Beat until very soft and whipped. Spread over the layer of bread and custard in the pan. Layer the rest of the bread over the cream cheese filling and pour the rest of the custard on top. (At this point, the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Sprinkle with extra cinnamon. Bake, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, or until it is firmly set. Cool for 15 minutes, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

Recipe Source: http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/food/recipes/article/recipe-cinnamon-roll-breakfast-casserole.html#ixzz1Kf2HTozL

Chicken for Dinner

1 tablespoon olive oil


1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon butter

1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini), cut into 3-inch pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

4 lemon slices (optional)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine breadcrumbs and pepper in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add wine, broth, juice, and butter to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broccoli rabe; cover and cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is tender. Stir in parsley and capers. Serve chicken over broccoli rabe mixture. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

source: my recipes

A Gift For Mom

This is a very cute and easy project that would be perfect to make for mom on Mothers Day. I found this cute easy craft here
Colorful disposable plate


White craft glue

Dried macaroni noodles

Yellow and green split peas

Use white craft glue to draw a heart shape on the plate. Place macaroni shapes onto the white craft glue heart. Use white craft glue to write "mom" in the center of the heart. Place flat side of split peas onto the craft glue, using yellow peas for both letter "m's" and green for the "o." Let dry completely.

for smaller hands one tip is to use dried beans that come in a variety of colors these will be easier for little hands to hold on to
don't want to spend extra money on the colored paper plate? Think about coloring or painting it.