Monday Madness - Giveaway Alert!

As if I don't already have a full plate, I've decided to host another giveaway! I am holding it in conjunction with the fun that is Blogtoberfest.

Pretty simple stuff (for the most part). Since I am also participating in a Homegrown Swap with some of my i-friends in the Herbal world, I think that is what the prize will be. We haven't completed the swap yet, so you will just have to wait with bated breath to see what you win! I will tell you that the majority of the ingredients/supplies are "homegrown" and that herbs may or may not be involved. I have some other "homemade" goodies that will probably get dropped accidentally into the box as well. I do like surprise giveaways... Clear as mud? It's a mystery to me too.

Now for the particulars, there are 4 ways to get entries in the drawing:

1: Leave a comment and tell me : what your favorite flower is and what part of the world you hail from (I will ship internationally - so ALL are welcome!).

2: Follow my blog.

Bonus: If you are already a follower of my blog before today (Oct 5th), you will receive an extra entry (on top of the one above) in the drawing! Just because I appreciate you sticking with me.

3: Subscribe to my newsletter.

4: Blog about my drawing, I will give you another 2 entries. Just be sure to leave another comment with the link to the post.

That's pretty much all there is to it. I will draw the winner on one of my favorite days, October 31st. You never know, I may just have to have more than one prize! I'm having too much fun..Be sure I have a way to contact you if you aren't a blogger. I hate it when someone wins and there is no way to tell them how lucky they are! I will ship internationally so ALL ARE WELCOME!!

Sunday Selections

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." - based on 1 Corinthians 13

Instead of creating posts on Sundays, I will be sharing some of the various quotes and passages we used during our wedding and reception. I hope you enjoy them as much as we have.

Saturday Sweetness - Cherry Delight

This recipe is one that Mom uses when she needs a yummy dessert in a hurry. Pretty much all of the ingredients are usually on the pantry shelf. I'm planning on making this for the weekend to celebrate our moving (and the fact that I have a great, usuable kitchen!) I hope you will enjoy this quick treat as much as we do!

Cherry Delight

1 can cherry pie mix

1 sm can crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 box white or yellow cake mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup chopped nuts (I usually end up using closer to 1/2 cup - I like it crunchy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cherry pie mix into a 9x13" pan. Layer the pineapple over the top of the cherry mix. Sprinkle the cake mix over the top of the fruit. Pour water over the entire pan and sprinkle the nuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Mom notes that you can add whip cream or a scoop of ice cream on top for an extra jolt of yummy. Voila! A super easy, super fast-disappearing dessert treat! (Only one pan to clean up too - my kind of recipe Mom!!)

PS> I've made this with blueberry pie mix too, it's pretty tasty as well!

25 Years Ago......

I been working so hard
Keep punching my card
Eight hours, for what?
Oh, tell me what I got

I get this feeling
That times just holding me down
Ill hit the ceiling
Or else Ill tear up this town
Tonight I gotta cut

(chorus)
Loose, footloose
Kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise
Pull me offa my knees
Jack, get back
Cmon before we crack
Lose your blues
Everybody cut footloose

You're playing so cool
Obeying every rule
Dig way down in your heart
You're yearning, burning for some
Somebody to tell you
That life aint passing you by
I'm trying to tell you
It will if you don't even try
You can fly if you'd only cut

(chorus)
Loose, footloose
Kick off your Sunday shoes
Oowhee, Marie
Shake it, shake it for me
Whoa, Milo
Cmon, cmon let go
Lose your blues
Everybody cut footloose

First - we got to turn you around
Second - you put your feet on the ground
Third - now take a hold of your soul
Four - whooooooooa, I'm turning it
Loose, footloose

Well, can you guess the theme to our reunion? Did you get the hints above? Does this Kenny Loggins' #1 hit song from 1984 ring any bells? Yup, FOOTLOOSE! One of my all-time favorite movies, soundtracks, (and actor?)..

As well as being our 25th High School Reunion (ugh), it is the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie Footloose. We used Footloose as a theme for our senior prom that wonderful year of 1984, so we thought it'd be appropriate to do the same for the 25th reunion! Especially since a remake of the movie is due out next year (hello people, would have been better to have it released this year if you must make one!) Anyway, I'm sure it won't hold a candle to the original, sorry Zac Efron. But seriously, can you say KEVIN BACON?? I am still crushing on the ORIGINAL Ren McCormack after 25 years.

If you're reading this Mr. Bacon, we would love to have you as our special guest for the evening of October 17th in a little bitty town called Chowchilla in the state of California. We're serving tri-tip and of course, your beautiful wife is invited as well. You can sit at our table. As a special incentive, we have a great big green John Deere tractor at the ranch that you could drive around that morning and create some new memories.

(I'm afraid there is only one though, so we couldn't play "chicken", sorry 'bout that.)

Please RSVP and let us know if you'll be able to attend! We look forward to your response..

BTW, my husband is very tolerant of my long-standing crush on you and he also looks forward to making your acquaintance.....

Blogtoberfest 2009

Well, I stumbled across this last night and decided it would be a great way to get my act in gear and start blogging with some regularity. (It's not like I've been reclining on the couch eating bon-bons, mind you...) Now, that we're starting to settle in to the new house and we're getting back to a more normal state, I think I can try to commit (myself to an asylum?).

This blogging festival was created by Cathy (tinniegirl). Bloggers participate by posting every day for the month of October! (You can find a list of these brave blogsters by clicking on the button at the top or on tinniegirl's link.) It is a great way to really challenge yourself and share. I'm looking at it as a way to get my mind back to what is important to me and the family. I have some thoughts on different things I want to write about in the coming month. Many of these are subjects I haven't covered before and hopefully won't have too many of you scratching your heads saying "What the heck?".

I will also be doing a giveaway sometime during the month - I just haven't decided what or when..or how? If you go visit the fabulous blog Curlypops , you will find a list of some of the participants who are also having giveaways! Lots of fun to be had by all. I'm looking forward to seeing what so many bloggers will be coming up with to talk about on a daily basis. Hopefully, I will keep up the pace! Until tomorrow.....