LeeLee's Likes

     Last week I mentioned that I am going to post a blog once a week titled LeeLee's likes and I am going to feature the stuff I like.

     I like chocolate and I like crafting.  When I can combine the two together, I, really like it a lot.  I am going to show you how I made my cute give-away I had on my fb page earlier this week.

     First of all, you start with Hershey Kisses.  I had a couple of bags left over from Valentines Day.

     It is always a great idea to have a stash on hand, especially, when you can get them half off after the holiday you just celebrated is over.  This way, you, are always ready for your next big craft or for those moments when nothing will do but a little kiss here or there.

     Next you are going to unwrap all of those bad boys.

     See that wasn't too hard and you can reward yourself with a little bit of chocolate if you work yourself into a sweat.

     The next part is the fun part.  You are going to cut squares from the gold foil you have purchased at your local beauty supplier.  It is pictured above.  It is manufactured by Spilo. It is a lightweight foil that your very talented hair dressers use when they weave your hair.  I use it to wrap my kisses so they are golden.  Any kiss can be silver, but, it takes a special one to be golden.

     This is what the foil looks like when you have cut it into the squares.  Use your silver foil for your pattern.  My grandson was spending the night and he loves trains.  Hence, the train book in the background.  See the clear glass in the background?  I purchased it for one dollar at the Family Dollar.  Cut all of your foil into squares and wrap them around your kisses.

     You are now going to put your golden kisses in the clear glass.  Next, if you own a cricut vinyl cutting machine you are going to cut out a cute St. Patrick saying and some cute polka-dots.  Adhere them to your clear glass and viola you have a cute St. Patrick day gift for the golden people in your life.

     Remember, a chocolate kiss a day, keeps the moodies away!

Teri and Paige.......Aka The Tale of Two Sisters

The Tale of Two Sisters

          I met Teri back in high school.  The class of 1976.  We were the Bountiful Braves.  I was a cheerleader and she was in politics and drama.  By this I mean she was a class officer and she was in all of our school plays.  

         She was one talented girl.  She could sing and dance but what I remember most is her ability to make people laugh.  I well remember our pep rallies and the little skits the officers would come out and do and how funny she was.  She was also beautiful.  

     When we graduated from high school we went our seperate ways and I wouldn't see Teri for many years.

     In the meantime; I got married to the Silver Fox and started a family.  We moved to Kaysville, Utah and lived in a small house in the heart of Kaysville City for 17 years.  Nine years ago we moved just down the road about two miles to a bigger home still in Kaysville, Utah.

     One of my new neighbors name is Paige.  Paige is a cutie too.  She is funny and has long blonde hair and has a bubbly personality also.  I had been friends with Paige for five or six years.  I thought I knew her well.  We are facebooks friends and how much better can you know a person than on facebook. (lol)  As I started paying more attention to Paige's facebook posts I started noticing that my friend Teri from high school would make comments on Paige's comments.  She was showing up on them all the time.  I finally asked Paige how she knew Teri and she said she is my older sister.  I couldn't believe it! I had to tell Paige how I knew Teri from high school and that we went way back.

     Skip to the summer of 2012 ( I believe it was the summer of 2012 it could have been 2011 ) the Silver Fox and I enjoyed going to some concert series at a park in Layton, Utah.  At the end of the concert series a play about a diner was going to be performed.  We attended the performance and wouldn't you know one of the leads in the play was my cute friend Teri.  After all of these years of being out of high school she was still singing and dancing her heart out.  She was still as cute and talented as ever.  I don't think she knows that I saw her in that play, but, Teri you are amazing!

     Teri and I became facebook friends a few years ago.  Lately I have been having give-aways on my facebook page.  I always see her name as someone who just likes my pictures or she will even make a comment on my status.  She has now moved to the Maryland area.  It is fun to share in her adventures as she posts pictures of the Washington D.C. area.  It is fun to see her living strongly as she participates in races, travels to North Carolina and tomorrow night as she is going to be hearing the Dalai Lama live and in person.

     The thing I love most about Teri though is she has HEART!  I received this in the mail last Saturday:

     It came all the way from Maryland.  Teri had been to a church meeting and the writer of this book was a speaker.  She listened to him and thought about me and bought me his book.
     The card reads:  This author spoke at our church last week and his thoughts on giving made me think of you.  It's good to bring joy to others and you do that through your facebook page and blog.  Hope you have a good day. God bless-Teri.
     Coincidence that Teri and I would reconnect by means of facebook through her sister Paige?  I don't think so.  God knows how to bless us and how to lift us and how to give us the encouragement we need to believe in ourselves.  Most times He does it by bringing special people into our lives.
     Teri and Paige thanks for being two special people in mine.  I love you both! 

 

Tuesdays Taste Buds.......aka Shawn's Shepherd's Pie

Shawn's Shepherd's Pie

     I had never heard of shepherd's pie until my son was in high school.  He had a friend named Quincy.  Quincy's mom made shepherd's pie and my son loved it.  One day I came across this recipe in a magazine.  It's been fourteen years since I found it so I honestly don't remember which magazine I took it from.  I call it Shawn's Shepherd's Pie.

     So here is how you make it:

Brown one pound ground beef and one fourth cup chopped onion over medium-high heat until onions are tender: sprinkle with one half teaspoon salt.  If you don't have a fresh onion you can substitute dried onion  ( about two shakes worth) . I say shakes because you are dancing along with Pink.

Prepare one oz. brown gravy mix according to package directions.  ( Or if you have one of these pictured bad boys just make enough for one cup. )  Add to meat mixture.  After gravy thickens, add one ten oz. package of mixed frozen peas and carrots and one half teaspoon basil.

Cover the above and simmer for five minutes.  Pour into a one and a half quart casserole dish.

In the meantime you have been boiling potatoes to make home-made (one to two cups worth ) of mashed potatoes.  After potatoes have boiled mash them with butter and milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fold one fourth to one half cups of shredded cheese into potatoes.  The more the cheesier.  Spoon potatoes into a ring on top of meat mixture.

Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned on top.  Makes four servings.  If you have a big family I guess you will have to double it.  Enjoy!

True leaf love.......aka 67 plus years of marriage!

True Leaf Love

     I was enjoying a perfectly normal day when the cutest couple walked into my life.  I was at my place of employment (HairMax Salon and Beauty)  talking to a nine year old girl.  The doors of the salon opened and I saw a man and a woman coming through the doors doing the senior shuffle.  They were holding hands and both were smiling as they entered the salon.

     Right away I knew this was a golden moment.  I walked over to greet them and the gentleman asked if he could have a seat while his wife looked for her product.  He told me that his legs could not hold up and he would have to sit while his wife shopped.

     I helped him into a seat and his wife began to look for hairspray.  My co-worker Rachel was helping out his wife to find just the right hairspray.  We have so many to choose from that a lot of people forget exactly what it is they are looking for.  

     Alas, after several minutes (about ten) when the cute lady was about to give up, hope Rachel decided to ask her if the product was refillable.  When she acknowledged that it was Rachel took her over to the Paul Mitchell products and this is what she was looking for:

     She brought up to the counter a 33 oz. bottle of hairspray.  I was so excited for her that she was able to find what she came in looking for.  I rang her up and I said  "Oh good you are getting enough to last a while!"  She told me that her husband saw the bottle and said " Are you going to  leave us before you use all of that up!" I just laughed because she was so adorable.  Now you will hear the rest of the story.

     These little cuties have been married for 67 years.  They told me they had a fishing business in Alaska for fifty years.  They were able to spend their summers in Alaska.  They told me how beautiful Alaska is and that I really need to go and see it.
     When I asked them how long they had been married she couldn't quite remember.  She had to ask him.  When they were ready to leave he couldn't manage to walk out of the store without holding on to her.  Together they were making their relationship work.  They were compensating for each others weaknesses and turning them into strengths to get through however many years they have left together.
     Recently, my son-in-law Danny had a heart to heart with me.  He told me that everyone needs to put Christ in the center of their relationships. Having charity is having the pure love of Christ.  Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
     I believe that my true leaf loves have figured it out.  I hope I can too.

LeeLee's Likes

I like stuff.  I like lots of stuff and I thought it would be fun to feature my likes on Saturdays.  The first like I want to feature is in West Haven, Ut.  It is called Another Man's Treasures.  It is a consignment shop and you can have a booth where you pay rent and manage your booth.
Here are some pictures to show you why I like it:

We (my neice and I) are starting a new business.  We will have hand-made items for sell in our own little booth.  It is a work in progress right now, but, it is going to be state of the art as far as boutiquing goes.  If you are ever in West Haven you should look us up!  We are also going to have fun holiday gift days.  Further information to come soon.  We will love to see you!

LeeLee's Likes

     I like stuff.  I like lots of stuff.  I thought it would be fun on Saturdays to showcase the stuff I like.
Today I would like to introduce you to a new venue in West Haven Utah.  It is called Another mans Treasure.  Here is a picture of the trailer that advertises their name. There is a building that is right behind the trailor.  There are a lot of cool things in the building that people would be interested in seeing. There are several people who make wooden chests.  There are people who refinish furniture in very fun colors.  There are a lot of antique finds inside the building.  It is full of treasures that you and I might see as junk, but, the next guy could come in and see it and it to his collectiom.  We want to show our fantastic booth that we set up yesterday.  It is still a work in progress but we hope to make it thrive.  Here are a few pictures;