Treat Yourself to a Good Laugh....

Oh yes, spending time with friends is the

glue that holds many of us together....

We all need to break away from our daily

routines and learn to get involved in something

that brings us a lot of laughter..

Like.... Bunco!!

I am really becoming a social butterfly..

last week it was Pokeno, and this week

it's Bunco......

Last month, Shanda was the Bunco Queen...

This week....Amber was the winner!!

In this picture, is the "Ghost" player...?!?

If there is an uneven number of players,

then we have to call in the ghost!

I wonder if the ghost ever wins!!

Actually, this was my first time ever to

play, and I had no idea that my cheeks

would be hurting when I left....I laughed and laughed!

You know, God gives us the Blessings of laughter,

and it is our job to keep a big smile on our face in order to bring joy to others as well...

Our church ladies get together once a month

for a good ol' Bunco night...We are all able to share

a generous dose of fun and laughter with one another as we fellowship and strengthen our relationships as fellow Christians...

Maybe next month, I'll get to wear that crown home

and be the "Bunco Queen" for a month....

Have Fun...Invest in friendship....and don't forget to

LAUGH!

hugs,

Shug

Mental Energy...

Good Morning Precious Friends.......

As I was putting this little collage together last night, it suddenly

came to me that the top picture was perfect for this post....

 A simple little leaf that is stuck way out on a limb....

My mental energy is in desperate need of some B-12.

We have just entered the season of Fall, and everyone knows that Fall brings about all kinds of things...whether it be crafting, coming up with new and exciting recipes, baking, designing or  just plain excitement that is brought on by the new and refreshing colors that this season offers.

It is true...My mind is having a mental block...

I write about Inspiration, and here I am being the one that needs to be inspired!!  What is up with this?  I am blank when it comes to writing right now....

I know that often, we face hurdles in the pursuit of doing the things

that we love, and goodness, I know that my writing challenge holds no comparison to those who are facing difficulties in life right now....

I know that in my situation, I have learned to Rush in life, when what I need to be doing is WAITING!!

I know that when I take the time to focus on the possibles, then I will be able to positively change this challenging Mind Fog that I am experiencing at the moment...

I think I'll listen to some music, try to slow down, and instead of searching so hard, I'll just let it come to me......

Honestly, I think I have way tooooo many thoughts in this head of mine...

I just can't seem to put it all together... Editing and adding certain pictures of simple creative subjects, or editing and adding pictures to my writing topics....

Not to worry....this too shall pass.....and I know I will be back on track soon!

I suppose it just depends on how you look at that picture above....

Is that a lonely leaf, hanging there on that bare limb, all by itself?

Or....Is this leaf hanging there, all by itself, because of it's beauty, it's strength, and it's ability to endure? 

Thanks for letting me share today....and  I hope you have all the happiness that you can possibly handle today.....

Hugs,

Shug ~

Calling All Bakers....

Calling all "Bakers!"   I need help!

with

Sugar Cookies to be exact...

As crazy as it might sound, I want to learn to make Good Ol' THICK Sugar Cookies.

You know.....the big, beautiful, sugar cookies like they sell at some of those

speciality shops.

Aren't these just the cutest cookies ever?

You see....I don't want to learn to make them to SELL ....and I'm not looking to enter them at the State Fair.

NO......I just want a good recipe to make them for my grandkids! 

These are just the kinds of things that I like to do for the kids...

Something special to look forward to when they come in from school....

Do any of you have a recipe that you wouldn't mind sharing?

I don't want to be in competion with anyone, and I'm not looking to

bake cookies for a living, I just want a good recipe...

SO....what I need is an awesome Sugar Cookie Recipe and a recipe for the

icing that has a good smooth look!!

Is there anyone out there that can help me?

Is there anyone that would be kind enough to share their recipe with me?

Hugs,

shug

All About Color

Fall.....It's all about color....  

Bright, beautiful colors that are meant to warm the heart!

I found these gorgeous dishes, last year at Pier One and fell in love

with them...so much color and you can just mix and mix the colors and come up with a new place setting every week...

I can mix fruit, sunflowers, oranges, reds, greens, browns, and yellows with these dishes.....and did I mention the colors of cream and white?

Now....let's see if we can find some more color....

The cabinet in my entry way......

Picture above the fireplace....

Red, side table.....

Love this table....

The Bookshelf......

As an ex-flower shop owner, I can tell you....

Flowers are fun!!

I am sold on color.......I love all the colors of Fall, but it doesn't

stop there....Colors are for every season!!

Thanks for stopping by...

hugs and more hugs,

shug !

Rooster In The Yard!

I needed a (Rooster) just this big this morning...

I needed it to be my alarm clock!  I have always wanted one....maybe not this big, but I have always wanted a rooster!  My neighbors might not appreciate me having one, but hey, I just might need to get me a rooster and name him "Henry!"

The mornings are now dark, and it is so hard to get up.

I decided this weekend that I need to start getting up EARLIER, and I am going to really try to do so...

I am an early morning person....I like to wake up, cook breakfast, put the laundry on, clean the house, run my errands and be back home by noon...

It is very hard to do all of this, when I don't wake up until 6:30!  And...you noticed that said:  "I like to" not that "I do"

Once I do finally wake up at 6:30, my feet are going non-stop until late in the afternoon. BUT... For some reason, this schedule is just not working out for me.  I can't seem to keep up.   SO....this is the reason that I have decided to become a 5:00 morning person.

If this big ol' rooster would just show up at my window around 5:00 and start crowing, I know that it would be easy to pull myself out from under the warm covers and hit the floor in a hurry. 

An hour and a half could make a big difference for me!  Would anyone notice if I did miss a few (90) minutes of beauty sleep?  Probably so!  I need all of the beauty rest that I can get, but I also need to accomplish and get done, everything that my day holds.

 Woo Hoo....Time Change is just around the corner!

Perhaps this will be the answer for me....

~ ~ ~ ~

Need something great for a snack??

Try this:

Hershey's Rolo Nibbler

Small Pretzels

Milk Chocolate Rolo Chewy Caramels

Pecan halves

Directions:  Heat oven to 350 F.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Top pretzel with Rolo.

Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until Rolo caramel piece begins to soften (not melt)

Remove from oven; top with pecan half.  Cool completely.....Enjoy!!

Have a fabulous Monday...

Warm hugs and Sweet smiles!

Shug ~

Measuring Ourselves...

Oh My...Measuring Ourselves?? 

Do I even want to go there??? 

This is something that very few women want to do.....Oh sure, I wouldn't mind it, if my brains were attached to one of those size 4 bodies....

BUT......it's not!!

~~~

Today I am not talking about the measurements of our body, such as in inches and pounds....No,..... I am talking about measuring our self worth.....

Self Esteem and Self Worth....these are the attitudes of respect or in some cases, the dis-respect, that we hold for ourselves.  It's realizing the true source of usefulness and value that we measure ourselves by....What is so important here, is that we Must not focus on our weaknesses, but only play to our strengths.  We need to stretch ourselves and dig deeper to see the values that are within us.

Values of honesty, purity, unselfishness, full of compassion, a willing spirit, kindness, seeing the glass 1/2 full or full....Seeing our own beauty from within, and not judging ourselves by what we see in the mirror.  Not by judging ourselves based upon our position in life....

Did you know that in God's eyes, we are a "Priceless Treasure."  We are objects of His infinite Love, therefore, our value is much greater than we can even imagine...

It is time.....TODAY.....for us to throw away the tape measures, the scales, or anything else that could cause us to measure ourselves based upon numbers or things of the world. 

Today...we need to take a long look inside at our attitudes.  We need to use this as a measuring tool to help us determine the changes that we must make in order for us to see that we are Women of God and that it is up to us to learn to be 

that priceless treasure...

 How we measure ourselves, is what our daughters and our granddaughters are

taking notes of....Be that example that can teach them, that we are loved by God and that we are His prized possessions...

Blessings....

shug ~

Fun Post...

Ok....before you think I have lost my ever-loving mind, let me explain....I was listening, and NO, I didn't say eavesdropping, to a group of ladies talking the other day, and the topic of conversation was MEN and how they dress.....

I thought it was kinda interesting, so I just sat there and continued to LISTEN. 
There is so much hype about the way (WE) women dress, but in our area, one hears very little about the way men dress or their styles....

I do know that there a lot of places in this country where the dress style of men is just as important as that of a woman...Take New York City for example....The men are all about style and the way they present themselves....Same probably holds true for other places like Hollywood, LA, Chicago and many of the larger cities throughout the country...

Lets see here.....

We have the Business Casual look

The Casual look.....jeans, shirt worn outside, T-shirt, stylish shoes...

The Tim McGraw look.......western men's wear

                                              
                                                The working man look

The golf shirts and slacks look.....

The Farmer look

The Business Look.....

I know there must be some styles that I missed, but these are just a few that I heard them talking about....

Can you guess what was the #1 picked style??

It was the.......

Casual Look....

Again, that means some nice jeans, shirt tale OUT....t-shirt and stylish shoes..

Oh yeah..the sleeves rolled up just a bit!!

#2 was......

The Tim McGraw Look

Western look....faded jeans with a worn look....

Since this is just meant to be a fun post, I thought I'd let you give me

some feedback as to which of these you like.....

How do you prefer your husband or friend to dress???

Have a good Day....

shug !

Chasing Talents...

Do you ever dream of seeing your name written on a Billboard?

This just might be something we all need to explore....especially, if you are a

person that

loves being in the highlight of things.....

How about Talents?   Do any of you ever Chase after your talents?

You know...

Seeing yourself becoming a musical artist, or desiring to be a famous

actor/actress.

God has given each of us our own set of talents, but yet, we often spend

day after day in search of the talent/talents that WE DESIRE for ourselves....

Take me for example....God has given me the talent of being a wonderful

caregiver.....This is what I do best!  I want everyone to be happy, so

therefore, I do what ever I possibly can to help make others happy.....

But....I often find myself chasing after other talents......And I will admit, that

I find myself sometimes questioning God about the talents that are NOT mine..

Like....why can't I sing??   Why can't I be a talented musician?  Why can't I

be a famous artist?  Why can't I, why can't I, why can't I????

While I am out there chasing the talent's that God has given to others,  I am

neglecting my own......Who knows what God has in store for me, if only

I would be more grateful for what He has already given me in the way of my own talents!!

Perhaps I have talents that I fail to see, because my eyes are always focused

upon something that looks a bit more GLITTER-E.

It is not my desire to be a person that is always chasing after talents, but I would

like to know if I do have other talents within me that are being overlooked.....


Isn't it strange how other people can recognize the talents that we possess, yet

our own eyes are blinded from seeing these things?  I think the reason for this,

is the fact that we possess talents that we don't want or are not interested in.......



The Truth is....God has given each of us these special talents in order for us to use

them for HIS GLORY.....It's not even about us.....it's about serving God.


I think it's time that I start being the Best at whatever God chooses to Bless me

with....If God wants me to be the best "Fried chicken cooker" then I need to be

the "BEST" fried chicken cooker.....JUST SAYIN'   we need to strive to be the BEST

at whatever Talent He has given us!!


Hey....I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and GREAT weekend!

Hugs,
Shug ~

Only....????

Only as High as I can reach, can I grow...

Only as far as I can seek, can I go....

Only as deep as I look, can I see....

Only as much as I dream, can I be....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love this picture, and it is even more precious with the words written on it!

Does this mean that I still might grow?  At 5'4", I would love to still have hopes of growing a bit Taller....  I guess you could say, that I like what I see when I wear hills that make me the height of 5"7".....

No, I don't really think I'll be getting any taller, but you know what, I can still reach for the stars..  I can reach for more of God's wisdom....

Only as far as I can seek, can I go......Not to worry with this one, because I am always seeking and I am always on the GO!!

It is up to each of us as to what we are truly seeking in life...I am seeking God's direction for me and I hope to walk daily in the path that he has planned for me....

Only as deep as I look, can I see.....This is so true!  I must look beyond the outer core of life and see the truth....see the simple.....see the beauty that God has set before me...

Dreams....what would life be like without dreams?  Through our dreams, we are setting goals to reach...we are constantly seeking the happiness of life, and we are searching for a deeper understanding of our purpose.  Dreams are important!!

(the enemy was testing me this morning.....I had this post completely written and when I went to publish the post.....only the first four lines were published.  So, you are getting a more simplified version of the original post)  sorry!

I love life!!

Sweet Blessings..

shug ~

Party Time....

Good Early Morning Y'all!!

I really should be sleeping in this morning, but NOPE, I am up making "Breakfast Bread"

for all my young-N's.

Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way!!

So.....why do I have a picture of a piece of crock ware that says Sugar on it?

Because....I found it and it had my name on it, and that is why!

SHUG....SUGAR...SUGAR BOOGER......  my names!!

Now that I have given you a short lesson about my name, let me get on with my thoughts..

The title of my post is "Party Time." 

Party is what it has felt like around here this week for me....

I have been living in a world filled with entertainment and I'm not sure this body of mine can keep up

with all the action and fun...

Civic Theater.....Saturday night, 

 Walmart.....Sunday night, (wow....this really was a party in its on way)

Book club.....Monday night, 

and "Pokeno" ...Tuesday night.....

I've already told you about the Civic Theater, so lets move forward to Walmart night.

This truly is like attending a Comedy Play and believe me, there are always a LOT of

characters.....

There I was....standing in line...(You know, only 4 checkers and people with their buggies backed up 4 and 5 deep in each line) .....I am now next in line and the person in front of me just happens to have a buggy full of groceries and STUFF.....about a forth of the way through, this person announces that they forgot one item, could they just run back and pick it up......I kid you not, when they returned, they returned with a brand new red bra....size BIG!  The rest of us waiting patiently in line while one goes back to find this Big RED bra!!!

See....I told you it was comedy!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Monday night book club was wonderful.....We are reading the book "The True Measure of a WOMAN" by Lisa Bevere.    This is a Great Book!

We have a group of ladies that meet at our church on Monday nights and we basically go over (in detail) the chapters for the week.   This book is teaching us how to discover our own individual value.

I am one of those 9:00 go to bed people, and I am usually watching the clock, starting around 8:00.

But....I can honestly say that I was not ready for our meeting to come to a close Monday night...

These ladies are wonderful and each of them have such beautiful and sincere hearts.   They make me laugh, they make me cry, and through their words and actions, they are teaching me about my own strengths and my own values...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Last night it was "POKENO" night!

I have never played this before, but I had a FABULOUS time!  Do any of you play pokeno?

It is very similar to Bingo, with the exception of a few rules and different kinds of cards...

Sorry ladies....I had to alter the picture some what.....second thought, I should have left the picture as it was.....If I had posted the original picture, then lets just say, I am almost positive that at the next Pokeno meeting, you all would  be leaving MY gifts alone....Next time I'll bring my GOOD camera!!

This group of ladies are something else.....they too kept me laughing all evening...Their rules are kinda CRAZY if you ask me....for example.

If you win and you get to shout out Pokeno (however, I always yelled out ME, ME, ME) then you get to go select a gift....After all the gifts have been opened, then the rules get crazy...

If you win, you can go take some one's gift from them.   So, a person could actually leave with several gifts, one gift or as in my case NO GIFTS.

I did get this beautiful white pumpkin, but someone, not to mention their name (KAY) took it away from me....

These girls are (Hilarious) not to mention LOUD!

I'm still not sure how they did it, but it seems that Kelli and Shellie would call out Pokeno at every other calling....We all were a bit suspicious about their cards... How can two people win every other time?? 

I had a GREAT time and all I've got to say is, they better be on guard for next time....I'll have my camera and notepad in hand at all times...

BTW...did I mention that the food was Sooo Goood??

If you're looking for some fun...stop by my place!

I'll take you straight to the action!!

Walmart ???

I don't think so......

Hope you all have a fun filled crazy day....

I know I will!!

Hugs,

Shug ~

Fall Is Looming

It is true....FALL is Looming just around the corner...

The rich colors of Fall are so welcoming and they bring such warmth to any home...

The Fall decorating around this place may not be completed, but at least it is off to a good start...
One side table is dressed, and now I think I have my
mojo back when it comes to decorating...I am now ready to tackle the rest of our home!

I found this white pumpkin at Hobby Lobby and the moment my eyes saw it sitting there on the shelf, I knew it was a must have!

And Just look at the richness of color in this single pear......gorgeous isn't it?

I instantly fell for these clear-cut grapes.....They are beautiful and can be used in so many different ways...

In spite of what the weather is like outside here in good ol' East Texas....(extremely dry and still HOT) It really is beginning to look a lot like Fall in our home!!

Blessings to each of you...
shug ~