Kids in Mexico - Photography Series 2

My friend Wanda was showing these kids their pictures on her screen.

We travel quite a bit, and I love taking pictures of kids. The are so cute, innocent, and fun.

I had such a good time getting these shots.  The kids were really funny, and when they knew I was taking their pictures they were really clowning around.  They loved that they could see their picture on the screen on the back of my camera. 
Anyway, on to the pictures.  The saying is that every pictures says a 1000 words, and I really believe that can be true at times.  Have fun looking at them.

 

She was so cute, she had been eating candy and was licking her fingers.

I loved this baby, she is just so sweet

These boys were so funny.  They were just strutting.  They made me laugh.

This was a cute little brother and sister watching a soccer game.

I love doing this series of this little girl above.  She was having so much fun in the water.  Her movement was wonderful to catch.  These are just a few of what I took of her.

She was trying to learn how to blow bubbles with bubble gum, and had not yet figured it out.

Is there anything more free or beautiful then this girl in this picture.  I loved that her arms were opened wide.  I loved her dress, and the water and the beach, and the freedom that she seemed to feel that day.  It just says "Ain't Life Grand".


Let me know what you think of the pictures.  I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Summer Reading List

I love summer reading.  It is a time to catch up on different books that I have not been able to read during the rest of the year.  I love all different kinds of books, fiction, non fiction, mysteries, romances, end times fiction.  I am excited because I am going to Mexico for about a week and a half, and I will be able to spend some time reading without interruption.

So here is my summer reading list.  I hope that you find some of the books interesting.

Fiction Books

I need to finish Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  I read the first book the Hunger Games, and I started Mockingjay, but did not get to finish it.  I am also going to read her other book Catching Fire.
They are both already loaded on my Nook and ready to go.

I am also going to read Jonathan Cahn's book The Harbinger.   This book is about a man in the executive office who receives messages from a mysterious person he calls the prophet.  The prophet gives this man ancient seals, and tells him about things that are going to happen that were prophesied in the Bible.  I started to read it and then got distracted with something, so now is my chance to finish it.

 

There are also two other books that I want to read, both fiction.   The first is from Peter and Paul Lalonde Revelation, and the other is Smitten written by four authors Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter.

There are several non fiction books that I want to read also.

Two are books by John Bevere.  They are about things that I am working on in my life.  They are Relentless and Under Cover.

The last book that I want to read for right now is one I read about online.  It is written by a woman named Emily Freeman who writes the blog Chatting With the Sky.  I was reading her blog, and read about her book called Grace for the Good Girl.   I have already started reading it, and it is a wonderful book.  Emily is doing a Bible Study on her blog with this book.  I am going to try to do it also.

I hope that this gives you ideas about books that you might like to read this summer.  Send me a message and tell me what you are going to read this summer.

Enjoy your reading!!!
Debi

Favorite Friday Blog Links # 6

I can't even believe that we are now into week 6 of our Favorite Friday Blog Links, and I am so happy that you are visiting today.  We have some great bloggers to feature this week, and I can't wait to introduce you to them.  So, here they are.

Domestic imperfection - Lazy Girl Tiling

Our first blogger this week is Ashley from Domestic Imperfection - Lazy Girl Tiling.  I absolutely fell in love with this post.  This is my way of doing something.  She makes tiling look so easy.  I have been so afraid of tiling, this I can do.  Also, take a look at her penny counter top, you will be surprised at her innovative ideas.

We also have Laurie at Heaven's Walk - Romantic French Candelabra.  I think this piece is so beautiful.  Her pictures are dreamy and beautiful, and the pieces that she shows are great.  Take a look at some of her other posts.  I loved her Ruffles and Roses Post.  I am hoping that you find Laurie's blog as beautiful as I do.

DIY Sunglasses with Rhinestones

We also have Khadija's Creative Mind - DIY Sunglasses with Rhinestones.  I love this tutorial on how to bling up your sunglasses.  This is such a great idea.  I love rhinestones on everything, and since I have to wear glasses all of the time, this is a great way for me to get a look that I want, when I can not find them in the stores.  I hope that you find her blog as informative as I do.

Kate from Cheap and Crafty Mama

The last blog of the day is Cheap and Crafty Mama - Top 10 Tuesday DIY Rugs.  Kate's blog has a lot of inventive decorating and craft ideas, and quite a few interesting and easy recipes.  There is a lot in her blog for everyone.  She has Top Ten Tuesday posts every week.  I particularly enjoyed the DIY Rugs, it gave me so many ideas for my living room.  I know that you are going to enjoy reading Kate's blog.

I hope that you  have enjoyed reading about this weeks Favorite Bloggers.  Let me know who your favorite bloggers are.  I would love to include them in my Favorite Friday Blog Links.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Cream Cheese Roll Ups Low Carb

My friend Susanne introduced me to these Cream Cheese Roll Ups a long time ago.  I mean a really long time ago.  They were not low carb (we didn't worry about carbs in the 80's and early 90's), but they sounded so good today that I decided to make them with my low carb tortillas.  They taste great, and can be eaten as an appetizer or lunch, like what I did today.

Cream Cheese Roll Ups Low Carb

Ingredients

2 Mission Low Carb Tortillas                      12 Carbs
1 12 oz whipped Cream Cheese                   30 Carbs
1 can sliced olives with jalepenos drained     4 Carbs
1 can chopped olives drained                         8 Carbs
1/2 cup sliced green onions                            1 Carb      (I used freeze dried, because I did not have fresh)

Total Carbs                                                   55 Carbs

20 pieces  - each piece is 2.5 carbs

Mix cream cheese, both cans of olives, and green onions in a bowl.

Once well mixed separate in half, and put each half of the tortillas.

Spread cream cheese mixture on the tortilla.



Roll tortilla up.

Slice so that you have 10 slices from each tortilla.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe.  It is easy and delicious.  I would love to hear what you think about this recipe and what easy low carb appetizers you like to make.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Natural Aftershave and Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop 4

Welcome to my Wednesday Adorned from Above Blog Hop 4. This week I am featuring the three top blog that were voted with the most likes by all of you. Make sure that you click on the like button for the blogs that you like the most for next weeks featured links.
 
I am thrilled to feature the following posts this week.  So without further ado, I would like to present these beautiful and informative bloggers.  To those of you that I featured I would love for you to feature this link to the blog showing that you are featured blogger at the Wednesday Adorned from Above Blog Hop.

I am a featured blogger at Wednesday Adorned From Above Blog Hop

Our first blog are the cutest little pies from  A Home on the Ridge: Little Pies.

Next we have the cutest hanging lamps with colored mason jars at Cheap Crafty Mama.

And we also have the cutest little kleenex box I have ever seen from Southern Flair Crafts

I want to thank everyone who linked with my Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop.  All of your projects are wonderful and I would post all of them if I could, but I think that the blog would probably be a little too long.  I hope that all of you link more posts today.


Your posts can include:

• anything DIY
• Recipes
• Arts and Crafts
• Sewing
• Knitting and Crochet Ideas and Patterns
• DIY Cleaning Solutions
• Natural Beauty Product Recipes
• Decorating Ideas
• Thrifting
• Book Reviews, Movie Reviews, Christian Music
• Inspirational Articles, Poetry, Life Stories, or Short Stories
• Bible Studies 

1. Bloggers, use the linky tool on the bottom of this post to share your best post. Non-bloggers, feel free to add a comment here with any ideas or thoughts you have. 
2. I would love for you to add the blog hop link posted below to the post that you are linking also.  It will give us additional opportunities for more people to see our blogs. This is not a requirement just a request.
3. Please take a look at what other people have posted and vote on the ones that you like.
4. I would also love for you to post a comment in my comments section telling me a little about yourself and your post.  This also is not a requirement just a request.  I would love getting to know you and your blog.
5. Please link your posts back to my blog hop. Linking back here helps build our little community by sending your readers to all of the other posts shared.  Just create a text link somewhere in your post back to this blog. (Especially since I do not have any buttons yet.)
6. Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop Link
7. I would love to have you follow me.

My son requested a Natural Aftershave to go with his Pre-Shave Oil and Natural Shave Soap.

So I have had to do some research.  I read the ingredients on the bottle of his aftershave, and it was mostly chemicals, not a good thing.  So I decided to bring out my arsenal of oils and essential oils, to make Vince a new aftershave.

Natural Aftershave

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Witch Hazel Astringent
 1/2 tsp Glycerin
1/2 tsp Aloe Vera
1/2 tsp Jojoba oil
1/2 tsp Grapeseed oil
30 Lemon Essential Oil
20 drops Clove Essential Oil
8 drops Anise Essential Oil
6 Bergamot Essential Oil
5 Sandalwood
10 Tea Tree Oil

Put all ingredients in a dark bottle and shake well.  Use as you would normally use your aftershave.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Homemade Furniture Spray Polish

In my quest for  a chemical free home,  I am making my own homemade Pledge.  I did some research, and decided that I was going to mix a couple of recipes together.  So here it is, my Homemade Furniture Spray Polish.

 Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
10 drops tea tree oil
5 drips lemon essential oil

Cut Lemons

Olive Oil and Water

Fresh Lemon Juice & Olive Oil and Water

Put all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake before each use.  I have added tea tree oil and lemon essential oil for their antibacterial qualities.  I figure with all of the animals in my house I wanted to make sure that the furniture is really clean.

Unpolished Table

Homemade Furniture Spray Polish on Table

Polished Table

Let me know what you think of this furniture polish.  It seems to work well on my dining room table.  I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Important Update for Half and Half S'mores and Reese's S'mores

Hey Everyone,
My friend Kerry just called and was trying to make these.  I forgot to put how much flour in the ingredients.  I have updated it, but if you have already printed out the recipe you will need to add 1 1/3 cups of flour to the ingredients.
Sorry and Enjoy!!!
Debi

The Apron Gal - Baked S'mores

I was inspired by the Pinterest Pin at the link above to make this delicious dessert pictured below.

Top is Baked S'more and two bottom are Baked Reese's S'mores

I made the Baked S'mores from the Apron Gal at The Apron Gal - Baked S'mores, but with a twist.  I am going to add Reese's Peanut Butter cups in one half of the pan for me and I will add the Hershey Bars on the other half for my husband.  I featured a link the The Brady Girls Blog this week Cookin' Up Good Times - Reese's S'mores.  I had wanted to make the Brady Girls recipe, but it is too windy today in Denver and will be the whole weekend to roast marshmallow outside.  When when I saw this recipe for Baked S'mores, I realized that this was the answer to my craving for Reese's Peanut Butter Cup S'mores.

I must say these Half and Half Baked S'mores and Baked Reese's S'mores were outrageously good. I of course had to test both last night.  The recipe from The Apron Gal is so simple to follow and easy to make.  So here goes. 

Half and Half Baked S'mores and Baked Reese's S'mores
recipe courtesy The Apron Gal, Baked Perfection, and Cookin' Up Good Times.
Adapted by yours truly Debi Bolocofsky

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 large Hershey Symphony Bars
12 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
1 7oz jar Marshmallow Creme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 inch pan with non stick spray.

In a large bowl mix butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light.  Then add egg and vanilla.  Mix well.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, graham cracker crumbs, and baking powder.

Next add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.

Next separate the dough in half and spread one half in the bottom of the prepared pan.  Place the 2nd half in a large ziploc bag, and roll it out to the same size as the ziploc bag.  It can be about 2 inches narrower then the bag.  Set this aside until you have finished with the fillings.

Now sometimes I get distracted, and this was one of those times.  I forgot to take pictures of the next steps, so I will just have to tell you what to do, or you can go to The Apron Gal - Baked S'mores Recipe, she did not forget to take pictures.  My recipe is a little different, because we will be also using Reese's Peanut Butter cups.

So now, place your first Hershey Milk Chocolate bar and break your second bar lengthwise, so that you have 2 long rows of bars.  The chocolate bars should fit on 1/2 of the pan.  Next unwrap the peanut butter cups and start placing them next to the chocolate bars.  I had 3 rows of 4 peanut butter cups next to the chocolate bars.

Next, spread the marshmallow creme on top of the chocolate bars and peanut butter cups.  I used a knife, and just did it very slowly.

Next, you will cut open your ziplock bag.  Pull the sides all the way back.  The bag is wider and shorter then your pan.  Once I had the bag pulled back all of the way, I then spread the dough to make it longer, so that it would be the length of the pan.  Then I flipped the bag on top of the marshmallow creme, so that there was a top crust.  As you can see at the end I still had to piece it together a little bit.

Next, put it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Once done, pull it out of the oven, and let it cool off, before cutting.

I let it cool for about 45 minutes and then cut the pieces.  The second picture on the page is how it looked cut.

I would love to hear what you think of this recipe, or what desserts you are making this weekend.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

Bible Study Week 7 - Sharper Then A Two-Edged Sword

Here is a link to Barnes and Noble for the book Sharper Then A Two-Edged Sword.

This is the second half of last weeks Bible Study.  We are on chapter 5, The True Nature of God.  We will be starting with question 5 of the workbook.

Question 5: Doesn't the Bible say somewhere that God use hardship to teach us things and help up grow?

• No what is says is:

 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: 

for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

James 1:13

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 

and cometh down from the Father of lights, 

with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

James 1:17 

• A lot of people think that the Book of Job proves that God does this, but it does not prove this.
• Job was alive after the flood, but before Abraham.
• Job did not have the knowledge of Satan.

  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:

 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

• Job did not have a covenant with God.  Because Adam and Eve sinned they gave Satan the right to this world.  When that happened God had to remove this remove his protection from this world.

• The new covenant is through blood.  The blood of Christ.he new covenant is through blood.  The blood of Christ.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: 

old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

• The workbook says that we are a temple to God, and he will not defile his own temple.
• Job did have sin.

Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, 

of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, 

because he justified himself rather than God.

Job 32:2

• Job's knowledge of god was very limited, and from the oral stories.

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, 

and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given 

unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,

 through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: 

that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, 

having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 1:2-4

• Jesus gave us the power to oust demons and rebuke the devil in his name.

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, 

and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Luke 10:19

• We do not live in fear because of Jesus, but Job did not have that so he lived in fear.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, 

and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

• Job did not have Jesus to petition for him.  Jesus is our intercessor with God.
• Nothing can separate us from God because of Jesus.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

Let your conversation be without covetousness;

 and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said,

 I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:5

Question 6: If God is good and all powerful, then why is there so much tragedy and suffering in the world?

• One of the first things that we know is that when Adam and Eve sinned, man was spiritually separated from God.
• They gave Satan domain over the earth.
• Because this world is Satan's domain his is in control on earth.
• Satan comes to take the word away.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; 

but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, 

and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

John 10:10

• Most tragedy comes from our spiritual separation from God.
• Our sin causes tragedy - IE: driving drunk causes a car accident which causes suffering for you and others,  possibilities of suffering: physical, financial, emotional,  or cheating on your wife - possibilities of suffering: loss of marriage, loss of family, financial difficulties, emotional difficulties for all parties.
• God has given us free will because he only wants us to come to him of our own free will.  It must be our own choice to have that relationship with him.  Once we have a relationship with him we receive forgiveness, grace, and mercy.
• But the Bible also tells stories about God stepping in to save his people.

Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; 

and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

Exodus 14:30

The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

Psalms 116:6

• I thought it was interesting in the workbook  that Andrew Wommack said, " We wont know how much evil god has prevented in our lives until we get to heaven."  I believe that is true.
• Tragedies from natural disasters are a result of our planet taking on sin.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Romans 8:22

• Creation has been negatively affected by sin and wont be healed until Jesus returns.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: 

for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;

 and there was no more sea.

Revelation 21:1

• Satan is responsible for the tragedy, and Jesus came to destroy him and set us free.

He that committeth sin is of the devil;

 for the devil sinneth from the beginning. 

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,

 that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8

• We are also responsible.  We have fallen natures and when we choose not to follow God bad things can happen.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; 

but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, 

and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

John 10:10

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, 

as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1 Peter 5:8

• God sent Jesus to overcome our sufferings and sins.  Jesus said,

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. 

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; 

I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

• God does not cause tragedy but tries to help us have a better outcome.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, 

to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

• The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our healer, our security.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; 

and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, 

neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Revelation 21:4

Question 7: Does god send disaster? (terrorist attacks, war, hurricane, natural disasters as a judgement for our sin?

• No God does not send disasters.  We talked about this in the last question.
• This world is Satan's domain, he is in control of what is happening here.
• God loved us so much he sent Jesus to help us.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

• He wants us to come to him, so for God to cause a disaster that could cause death before we have come to him, would not be "of God".

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; 

but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:17

• God does not want us to perish, but come into his Kingdom.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;

 but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,

 but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

• Sending disasters as judgement would be the opposite of what God wants for us.   He sent Jesus to save us, not for us to continue to be judged.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, 

while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

• Romans 5:8 says that God loves us even though we are sinners.
• Luke 13:1-5 says that even though someone suffers a tragedy, it does not mean that he is a sinner.  It just means that we live in a fallen world.

I hope that all of you have learned from today's Bible Study.  I would love to hear what you have to say.  

Have a great week.

Debi

Father's Day Gift Basket

Happy Father's Day

I am so happy to wish all of your families a very Happy Fathers Day.  I hope it is a wonderful day for all of you.

I decided that I was going to put a gift basket together for my husband this year for Father's Day.  It was a really fun project.  I wanted to get some of his favorite things to put into this basket.

So Thursday morning I set out with a plan.  I started at the the liquor store and got him some of his favorite beer, some little bottles of some of his favorites ( vodka, amaretto, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, and a Cherry Brandy), I also added a really good Bloody Mary mix, and a muddler ( right now he is into making cucumber basil martini's).  I am so excited for him to see all this stuff.

Then I went to World Market and got a basket and different kinds of snack stuff to go with his drinks.  I put salami, crackers, pate, anchovy stuffed olives, a bottle of seasoning stuff to make Bloody Mary's, and a bacon salt for his rim of the glass with his Bloody Mary's, and cookies and chocolate.  He is a chocoholic, so chocolate bars are a must.

My next stop was Michael's to get stuffing for in the basket, some styrofoam to anchor the little bottles of alcohol, and cellophane and ribbon for wrapping the basket.  I taped the bottles to sucker sticks and stuck them in the styrofoam.  This way I had things over the top of the basket, not sitting in the bottom of the basket.

I think it came out really cute, and I think he is going to love it.  He will certainly be surprised.  I am also giving him some framed family pictures.  Also, by Monday our middle son, who was honorably discharged on Friday from the marines after 2 tours in Afghanistan, will be home.  That will be his best Father's Day present.  His son no longer in harms way, and to have all 3 kids in the same state for a while.

Tell me what creative ideas you have for the men in your life.  I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy!!!
Debi

P.S. UPDATE - Middle son Danny will be home by 10:00PM tonight.  He just left St. Loius, so he is getting closer.  Can't wait to see him.  We haven't seen him since February.