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Dollar Tree Find

I found this cute little lady bug in the baby section at my local Dollar Tree. As soon as I saw it, I thought it would work out great for dusting or washing things down while I am cleaning. It sure beats the sock I was using. It not only workds great for dusting but works well with wet task as well because it doesn't drip.  I keep it in my Dollar Tree dish tub that I store under my kitchen sink. It holds all my cleaning supplies so that I can slide it out and carry it with me when I am cleaning. I have enjoyed using this cute little lady bug.  It works great for my plantation blinds because it is like a glove. Nice for cleaning baseboards too. I use her all the time for wiping down the bathroom countertops & sinks. I use alcohol a lot for cleaning and always keep some in a spray bottle. This little lady bug is easy to wash out when I am done. I just hang her in the shower and when she is dry, she goes back in my cleaning bucket.   Well worth $1!

Dollar Tree Find

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Greetings from my kitchen!

I just had a taste for something sweet. I try to keep the basics in my kitchen. You can create just about anything if you stock your pantry with sugar, spices, flour, and butter. These ingredients are the base for so many things! I love to bake and love to be at home.

Home is truely where my heart is!

I have a very special Chocolate Chip recipe that I always use. I worked on the recipe for years. But I have had a tough year and still have things boxed up and can't locate them. So I decided to try a new recipe. It was a success! I used the ice cream scoop to make these. I had tons of cookie dough left for later!

Here is the recipe as promised! Toot-a-loo ( I say this when I am happy!)

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups unsifted flour ( I used whole wheat unbleached)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup butter ( 2 sticks)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 375.  Stir flour with baking soda and salt. Set this aside.

Beat the butter (room temp.) with the sugars at medium speed until creamy.

Add the vanilla and each egg, one at a time.

Mix this on a very low speed and then you can stir

in your nuts and chocolate chips.

Scoop out with an ice cream scoop on a buttered cookie sheet. I really like using the Ice cream scoop.

**(Update: I baked a second pan without using the ice cream scoop and cut them from the roll. I took one slice and cut it into 3 parts and baked. They were much smaller and they were good but I really like the larger size the best! It makes up a nice large cookie like you get at the fancy cookie shops!)

Bake 9 - 11 minutes until golden brown. I baked these large sized cookies for exactly 11 minutes and they were perfect.  The second batch that were smaller were cooked 9 minutes. Always check your oven about 2 minutes before the actual time, because all ovens are different. Remove from heat and let cool (if you can!) They are so yummy!

TIP: If you are like me, you won't need to bake the whole recipe at one time. I baked these and took the rest of the dough and rolled in in waxed paper. This enables me to have cookies later. You can also scoop them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them. Then once frozen move them to a freezer bag or container. This is a great way to freeze them for single people like myself. That way you have individual frozen cookies to pull out for the next sweet attack!

Enjoy!!!

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have been baking away today and will be posting pics & recipes soon! Happy Thanksgiving!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Thanksgiving!

Live What You Love: Tate's Bake Shop

I love to bake and wanted to share a video about Kathleen of Tate's Bake shop in the South Hampton's. Her story is such an inspiration. I have often been asked why I don't start a baking business. Baking is a passion and I love to share the goodies that I prepare. Maybe I will act on this one day.... I have another passion as well, and that is a love for cosmetology. I am in cosmetology school at this time. It has been a challenge. Through this time I have still found time to bake. When life gets tough, I find time to bake which soothes and calms me down. It makes me happy! I hope you enjoy her story. I would love to have a farm stand and bakery as well. Hmmm.... I wonder how I can pursue all of my passions. There is just one of me! lol Enjoy this story and as always, "Thank you" for visiting with me today. Toot~a~loo

Live What You Love: Tate's Bake Shop

A New Focus and magazine feature!

I am so excited that I will be featured in a magazine.  Please stay tuned! I also will be changing the focus of the blog. Please bookmark and come back often. I have changed the name and will be posting a new logo soon! I am very excited about blogging again!

A New Focus and magazine feature!

Embracing Change

"Embrace Change" ~ once you do, you can learn about the new world you are in and take advantage of it. Change has brought you to a new level. The best is yet to come!

I was interviewed for a magazine article and I am very excited! I have had a year of change and it has been a challenge. I have learned and I have grown in the past year. I have learned to live with less. I have donated and purged many items that I thought I needed. It was hard but afterwards I experienced a nice lighter feeling, a new peace and freedom. Possesions were owning me.
                                                          
I have enjoyed my RV. I have traveled and I have learned so much about owning and driving an RV. I have enjoyed many meals and lots of soul searching in my little home on wheels. I made it through a long, cold winter! That was a learning experience for another post.  Miss Laguna (RV) has been my best friend. She has been my saving grace. I am so thankful for my RV.

Allow your mind to explore what your heart is calling you to do.
I am at a point in my life that I am exploring my heart and my future. I have so many decisions to make. Will I do what is best for me or what is best for everyone else? I pray that I make the right choices. God Bless!

Embracing Change

It is a beautiful day in Eastern North Carolina!

Today is such a beautiful day. I am enjoying seeing my parents today. I was so excited to get to spend time with my mother and to see my RV! I sure wish I could park it in my subdivision. I could get so much more done that I plan to do. I have got to take a trip very soon!

Life is so unpredictable and so very busy. Seeing my mother go through these chemo treatments just makes me realize how special life is and what is REALLY important in my life.  Having God in my life is number one. Sure, I make mistakes and I fall down from time to time, but he is always there to lift me up.  My life is one zillion times better with him in it. I have tried it without him and knew I was missing something. Just knowing that he loves me with my sins and imperfections is so amazing.  Family, friends, dreams........ It really puts things in perspective. In the end all of your possesions are not so important. It is all about the journey. In the end to have loved and treasured life and all that is in it,  is what it is all about.

I have always been a dreamer. I only have this one life.... so if I want my dreams to come true, I will have to act on them now. Happiness is not something I should wait for, but create for myself....


Life is short so I pray that you also make those dreams come true. Love with all your heart and when things don't go our way, just be thankful for all of the wonderful things that we are blessed with. Enjoy your day.
Hugs,
Terri

It is a beautiful day in Eastern North Carolina!

Dreams

Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." Napoleon Hill

Dreams

Emily's Birthday dinner at Bahama Breeze!

I took Emily and Melissa out for dinner for Emily's birthday. She decided she wanted to go to Bahama Breeze. The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was even better!

Emily's Birthday dinner at Bahama Breeze!

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.

I am sharing beautiful flowers! Have a beautiful day!

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.

Time for a Hair Cut!

It sure is nice having two daughters that are Hair Stylist! My hair was getting very long, thick and too hot for me to deal with. My oldest daughter has been cutting my hair for years and does a fantastic job! This past fall my youngest daughter also got her license. My oldest daughter is so very busy so I asked Emily to squeeze me in her busy schedule! This was the first time she has had time to give Mom a cut. She did a fantastic job and I love the cut. It is much easier to manage for the summer!

oops... please excuse me without makeup.
I hope all of you had a very safe and nice 4th of July holiday!

Time for a Hair Cut!