Pioneer Woman GIVEAWAY ~ WINNER!

************* WINNER **************
Sarah! (We share the same aversion to stinky eggs.)
Congrats, please send your contact info to wifemcfrugal@gmail.com to claim your prize!
Thank you to all who participated. Stay tuned for more Favorite Things giveaways.
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No, I'm not actually giving away Pioneer Woman, I think that includes criminal kidnapping charges and I look horrendous in horizontal stripes! Although, a little Ree bobble head cheering me on while I cook seems like a brilliant idea! I'll look into that.

Today, since it's Good Friday and making people happy is GOOOOOD, I'm giving away a copy of Pioneer Woman's Holiday Cookbook. Super Hunk gave it to me for Christmas last year and it quickly became my complete  holiday guide...my fingers do the walking (name that commercial).

Ree walks you through the entire year, sharing all of her favorite holiday recipes (and a few funny stories, confirming your suspicions that there's other crazy families out there...you're not alone). It's not only packed full of deliciousness, it's a good read!

Here's a little glimpse of the Easter section.

If this is already part of your culinary library, register anyway and gift it to a friend! 

To enter, comment below with your answer to the following question. "Deviled eggs...yes or no?" I know this question is random but people feel very strongly about these little Easter creatures, I'm anxious to know where you stand! 

Winner will be selected at random on Easter evening!

PS. No posting for me tomorrow, I'm spending the whole weekend with family and food! I hope you're doing the same. 

Blessings and Happy Easter!

A new dress, Jesus, and eggs full of dessert? What's not to love?

Easter is my second favorite holiday, next to Christmas. I love everything about it...the canvas of blooming colors, the sundresses, the sandals. But most of all, I love the Resurrection reason for the season...the day the stone was rolled away will forever make me weepy.

This is also one of my Mother's favorite days (my love for her also makes me weepy). I have cherished memories of a house full of pastels, delightful (tasteful) bunny decorations, and a tree with mini egg ornaments. (She has a way of "sprucing things up"...it's a gift, really!)

Also, presented with the opportunity to wear my new Easter dress (that had been hanging in my closet with a "Do not touch until Easter" tag) made me jump out of bed a wee bit faster than normal!

With my new dress and Bible, off to church we went. It was unexplainable but Easter Sunday was unlike every other Sunday. There was always an extra special spirit present. The pews were packed a little tighter, voices were a little louder, and hugs lasted a little longer. Even the visitors, who knew nothing about this man we call "Jesus", could feel something different in the air. I'm so thankful my family taught me the true meaning. The understanding of a man who would die for me and rise again as a promise of eternal life for all who believe! Bunnies and eggs are adorable but I choose to celebrate a God who knows my name.

A Church Potluck (or lunch with family) usually followed. Maybe this is why I have a partially unhealthy attachment to food, it's a key element in almost all of my favorite memories. As it should be! Now, where's the eggs full of dessert?

What's not to love about this day? A new dress, celebrating Jesus, meeting strangers, yummy food, and hunting for dessert...can we do it again tomorrow?

Don't keep your love of Easter to yourself, invite a friend to join you!

Pitter Platter GIVEAWAY WINNER!

************* WINNER *************
Sheila!
Yippee, yippee! She is one of my faithful readers and enters EVERY giveaway! I'm so excited she FINALLY won!
Thank you to all who participated!
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Today is Day #2 of our 2 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS!

If you missed the hello, frenchie giveaway yesterday, there's still time to register here. Winner will be selected for the stationery this evening (April 11th). You can never have too many thank you notes, right?

Let the giving continue...

I'm excited to share this next freebie with you because it's one of my Favorite Things! My Mom purchased one for me during her last visit and I use it almost everyday. It's so versatile and so adorable.

Cue drum roll...

(Cookies not included!)

The simply delightful design of this platter makes my heart happy!  Life's too short to have boring dishes!

To enter, comment below with your answer to the following question. "Are you a cloth or paper napkin family? No napkins? Wipe it on your pants?"

Winner will be selected randomly on Sunday. Happy registering!

Caring is sharing and free stuff is worth talking about! :-) 

Blackberry Cream Cheese Crescents

Holy habanero!

I just realized this is the first recipe I've posted all week! What has happened in the universe?

On behalf of all things yummy, I apologize! I will schedule a more balanced weekly post in the future.

Super Hunk and Little Man were out the door early this morning, the cows were calling (figuratively and possibly literally). Mmmooooooooooooo!

I needed a breakfast I could pack, unsure if they'd take a moment to sit and inhale or eat on the go. While I enjoy the standard turnover with fruit preserves, I thought I'd mix things up a bit. Yep, I might even wear white shorts before Easter...I'm a rebel!

Here's the quick and easy recipe.

Blackberry Cream Cheese Crescents
Ingredients
1 tube of crescent rolls
1/2 block of cream cheese (softened)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup berries (I used blackberries)
powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon.

Slightly chop berries and add to cream cheese mixture. I love the purple hue, food is better when it's pretty!

Roll out crescents on baking sheet. Add tablespoon of cheese/berry mixture to middle and fold over.

Bake in oven for 11-13 minutes (I prefer a little crunch to my crescents so I go the full 13...rebel with a crunchy cause).

Let cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yum...I challenge you to eat ONLY one!

If you enjoyed this, caring is sharing!

Thank You Thursday

************** WINNER **************
Terri Phillips Montague
Yippee! This is ironic because she's the thank you note QUEEN! Congrats!
(I have your contact info and will get your cards to you ASAP!)
Thank you to all of you who participated, make sure and register for today's giveaway here.
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Today is my second favorite day of the week, next to Sunday. I spring out of bed a little faster on Thank You Thursday, knowing there's notes to write...I need help!

I started Thank You Thursday a while back with the purpose of reminding people to take a moment to express their gratitude. I also feel strongly about preserving the written word, I wrote about why it's important to me in my The Reason I Write Letters post (in case you missed it, you can read it here).

In this electronic media age, letters seem antiquated. Emails...texts...tweets, these are preferred modes of communication. While I recognize their usefulness, there's something so heart-warming about a handwritten note peeking from behind an electric bill. See what I mean? Just the thought makes my heart happy!

Because it's Thank You Thursday, because I love pretty stationery, and because I love you, I'm giving away an EXCLUSIVE! Here we go...

Charli Gause is the beautifully creative mind behind HELLO, FRENCHIE. We worked together many...many moons (and a few Jupiters) ago. Her design talents know no limits, can you tell I'm a fan?

She has designed an EXCLUSIVE thank you card, just for us! Yippee! The winner will receive a set of 15 cards (printed front and back as seen below) and envelopes. If you win, will you send me one because I adore it? Did it just awkwardly invite myself to be thanked? Weird!

Drum roll...tadaaaaaa!

I know, right? So charming!

Today, we are mixing things up a bit. This will be a Facebook giveaway ONLY! However, I will never leave a note writer behind! If you don't have a Facebook account (Mom), please comment below.

To enter, you must Like our Facebook page and comment on this post with a tag to a person you'd like to thank. For example, "@Sarah, thank you for never telling me I talk too much!" Understand? Winner will be selected tomorrow evening.

Okay, ready, set, go!

For more HELLO, FRENCHIE designs, visit her Etsy store or Facebook page.

"Oompa"', the Blueberry Bush

Super Hunk and I thoroughly enjoy gardening. This is our fourth year and we have more plants than ever. The first two years were a huge learning curve. With only a few casualties, and enough tomatoes to feed the neighborhood, we were hooked!

Last year required more labor and research as we built raised beds and added more plants. It makes me proud to know the ingredients I'm using are a product of our hard work (and it makes me feel "pioneerish" to head out with my scissors and chop down some dinner).

As our little plantettes grow big and strong, I'll post occasionally so you can follow along. Here's a peek of them today, reaching for the sky!

(Onions & Spinach)

(Various Greens, Arugula, Green Leaf Lettuce...and more Onions, oh the Onions.)

(Sugar Snap Peas, Super Hunk's favorite.)

And here's my little friend, "Oompa" the Blueberry Bush. In the growing season, we plant most everything we buy in the winter months. Little Man is a blueberry fanatic! In his world, the streets in Heaven will be paved with blueberries.

Oompa (I selected the name for obvious Willy Wonka reasons) is new to our gang, I bought him as a sad little stick with one pitiful little bloom. It was more of a sympathy purchase, it looked up at me with those little budding eyes as if to say "If you'll take me home, I promise to grow big and strong!" Tell me, who could say "no" to that? Also tell me, who talks to plants?

(Oompa, 1st week)

(Oompa, 2nd week)

(Oompa, 3rd week)

As you can see, he's living up to his promise. Never underestimate a Wal-Mart plant's will to live...I wouldn't want to die there either! I'll keep you posted on his progress, so far...so yummy!

(PS. This is what "NO, don't pull up those plants" and overdue for a nap looks like. Eeeek!

Have a great day, friends. I'm off to locate a paci and teddy bear!

People with OCD, spell it CDO!

Our little Texas town is soggy today! Yesterday was a full day of rain, drizzle, rain, drizzle, repeat...and we are so very thankful!

Little Man even enjoyed the moisture, it gave him an excuse to wear his frog rain coat. Ribbit. With no sign of the skies clearing, he headed out to become one with the mud puddles! Ribbit.

His adventure lasted all of 20 minutes and back inside he came, wet from head to toe. So thankful for that rain coat...why didn't I think of rain pants? Oh well, this is life with boys.

(I'll post the puddle photo journal tomorrow.)

With a dry change of clothes (#3 for the day), I dug into my "rainy day activities" bin and a race track in the kitchen was born!

Who knew electric tape, boxes, and a sharpie could be so much fun?

Here's the OCD...uh hum, CDO...part (because people with true OCD can't stand for the letters to be out of order). Do you see it? Is it just me that has the twitch? I know, I'm crazy...batty...nuts...but does it bother you too?

Okay, for those of you who live carefree lives without color coded closets, I aspire to be like you! I was in such a frenzy to occupy my toddler with a severe case of cabin fever I didn't even notice I cut the boxes upside down (and sideways).

I'm sharing this because I know I'm not alone, there are others out there. Moms who organize bookshelves according to book height, who make sure socks are turned right side in before turning inside out, who arrange cans in the pantry based on category, and separate accessories by degree of "sparkle".

Let us unite! May we make the world a better place, one label at a time. (Support Group time and location to be announced!)


PS. Maybe the fact I didn't immediately notice the boxes were upside down (and sideways) means I'm not clinically OCD! You think? There's hope.


Happy Monday, friends!