Incredible Tablescapes

Welcome all my blogger friends.  I have missed you so.  Thank you for all your support through my difficult time.  I want to share some tablescapes with you.  My sister is a very lucky woman.  She has 40 hours in each day.  I figured that out several years ago.  It is the only way she can do all she does!  It is the only explanation.  She runs 2 successful businesses, is very active in her church, a wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt and friend to so many.  One of her many causes is the American Cancer Society.  She hosted a brunch fundraiser for the Cancer Society on Saturday at her church.  The theme was a a cruiseship.  She did two tables, this one is the captains table.

Notice the dolphin ice sculpture!  I thought it was a brillant idea. The red cape code Avon pieces are from our mom's collection   i

These are lovely as well but I don't know who to give credit to.

I don't know who did this table but I thought it was lovely.

Maybe not a table scape but a cutie pie!

Another lovely table but I don't know who to give credit to.My sister did this table also and I just love it.  She borrowed some things from me. 

The dishes are another find from CEBO's booth at the antique mall.  If my husband is reading this I have had them forever.  If he is not reading this I got them for a song a couple of weeks ago.  She has such cool things in her booth.  You will be seeing these dishes again.  The bunny chair covers I bought at Lillian Vernon many years ago.  I bought the gazebos at QVC on clearanceEverything is so precious.  The silent auction was a great sucess!

Now what would a cruise themed brunch be without entertainment.....Elvis of course!

My beatiul sister and one of her precious friends.  I love you sista!

Well what do you think my blogger friends, pretty cool huh?

A very bad week at the Parsons!

Hello from Sunny Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this is Doug filling in today for Jeanette.

I' m adding some very sad news to all of our Blogger friends. Last Saturday afternoon we lost our precious Keelie. She was the heart of this family and we know from all the previous posts SHE was the Boss. She was hit by a car right in front of our house. And to make things worse the guy NEVER stopped. Jeanette was right there for her but couldn't do anything to help her. She died in Mom's arms.

It will be a few days till Jeanette will be back to posting. It's been an extremely hard week for us both. She has had the brunt of it. It's been so hard from 8000 miles away to do anything but have tears and communicate by Skype with Jeanette. We have many many wonderful memories which at times makes it harder to cope.

So everyone I will be keeping people updated as best I can and Jeanette will be back soon.

Dad loves you Keelie and misses you!!

Please Help Me!

I am giving my most precious pretend daughter a bridesmaid luncheon in May. I had these imprinted invitations ordered and paid for. I have not been able to reach the people in three weeks. This morning I tried calling them and the phone is disconnected.

Does anyone have any suggestions for an extra special invitation. My budget is $7.00 an invitation. Help me please.

Oh, I forgot to tell you before.....gas in Saudi is 60 cents a gallon. Can you imagine?

Please put any links in your comment or email me directly Gafoodies706@gmail.com. I know I can count on you. She wants an old fashioned southern luncheon. Help! Oh her colors are brown and green, they have fancy names but bottom line is brown and green. Jennifer from Gordon Gossip has been helping me with ideas. Check out her blog, it is incredible.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

ETA- I know $7.00 is a lot per invitation but she is close as to a daughter to me. When I lost my own daughter in 1995, I knew planning a wedding would never be part of my life. This precious one has given the opportunity by allowing me to host her bridesmaid luncheon and I am on cloud nine about. My wonderful husband gave me a generous budget to work with.

Protect yourself

My sister sent this to me and I thought it was so important I should share it. Send it to you daughters, nieces and granddaughters in college! Please take the time to read this.

In daylight hours, refresh yourself
of these things to do
in an emergency situation.
This is for you,
and for you to share
with your wife,
your children,
everyone you know.
After reading these 9 crucial tips,
forward them to someone you care about.
It never hurts to be careful
in this crazy world we live in.
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point
on your body.
If you are close enough to use it, do! 2. Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you.
Chances are that he is more interested
in your wallet and/or purse than you,
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole
and start waving like crazy.
The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.
This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.
DON'T DO THIS!)
The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in
on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR,
LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.If someone
is in the car
with a gun
to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
Repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF!
Instead gun the engine
and speed into anything, wrecking the car.
Your Air Bag will save you.
If the person is in the back seat
they will get the worst of it.
As soon as the car crashes
bail out and run.
It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting
into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:
A) Be aware:
look around you,
look into your car,
at the passenger side floor ,
and in the back seat.
B) If you are parked next to a big van,
enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women
are attempting to get into their cars.
C) Look at the car
parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone
in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back
into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator
instead of the stairs.
Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot.
(This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun
and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target)
4 in 100 times; and even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig-zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying
to be sympathetic:
STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well educated man, who ALWAYS played
on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last,
and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird. The police told her
'Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door.'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer
has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it,
but have had several calls by women saying that
they hear baby's cries outside their doors
when they're home alone at night.
10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours!
Please pass this on
This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because
the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on
America 's Most Wanted when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana.I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know.
It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle.
I was going to send this to the ladies only,
but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc.,
you may want to pass it onto them, as well.
Send this to any woman you know that may need
to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it
and it's better to be safe than sorry.
Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or
a loved one's life.

I love your comments.

Some pictures from Saudi

Welcome my blogger friends! Doug sent me some images from Saudi and I wanted to share them. This is the women's market. It is amazing to me that women still have to wear those berkas. And that they have to have a separate market. The things Doug about how the women are treated just make me so angry. This is the watertank in Saudi City.

This is ones of Doug's most exciting finds. He loves ice hockey and to see a skating rink in the local mall was so thrilling for him.

Now you won't believe this one. What do you see here? Yup pretty flowers. What does Doug see? First let me tell you that when Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

turns on the table scape addict in someone, it does not turn off easily. Now this is what Doug, my precious husband who is 8,000 miles away from home said this is a picture of. "Flowers for Tablescapes!" Yes Susan has turned on my husband's tablescape addiction. LOL

This baskin robbins treat is what Doug had on his birthday. Today he went to Tony Roma's for dinner. He has more american restaurants near him than we do in our little Georgia town.

Alsalum Headquarters in Rhyaid

Airport in Rhyaid

Airport in Rhyaid

Thanks so much for stopping in. I so appreciate your visits and love reading your comments.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Fun St. Patrick's Day Facts

• 19 US presidents have claimed Irish Heritage.



• Corned beef is completely an American invention, but very popular Irish- Americans nonetheless.



• Seattle paints a green stripe on roads on St. Patrick's day



• For St. Patrick's day every year, Chicago dyes its river green every year to celebrate.



• The three leaf clover was used to teach the Holy Trinity to pre-Christian Ireland.



• Legend has it that St. Patrick chased all the snakes out of Ireland.



• St. Patrick was born in Scotland, but spent 40 years teaching Christianity in Ireland.



• Irish immigrants living in New York actually outnumbered the Irish people in Dublin, Ireland at one time.



• The first St. Patrick's day parades were not in Ireland but in Boston (1737) and New York (1762).



• Leprechauns are the official shoemaker to the fairy kingdom.

And finally, Happy St. Patrick's day to all my bloggerland friends.

Remi's First Birthday Party

I shared last week that our grandson's first birthday was on the 11th. Today I want to share pictures of his birthday party. This is Remi's beautiful mom, Shelly. Do you think he is scared of that cake? I sorta do. But isn't it cute?
No not afraid.

Definitely not afraid!

Driving along in my automobile. LOL

Can you believe his mom made him open cards first? LOL

No body was scared of that cake!

His first Harley!

Shelly was so sweet and she skyped Doug during the party so even though he is in Saudi he got to be a part of our grandson's first birthday.

Did anyone else let there child have their own 'first' birthday cake? I did it for my daughter and she fell asleep in the cake. Head first! I love reading comments!

A rose by any other name......

I was in the grocery store yesterday and noticed the gentleman in front of me for a few seconds, he was writing a check. He was 50ish. As he walked out of the store, the cashier let out a little yell. I looked up from putting my groceries on the counter. She was laughing hysterically. Another cashier looked at her. She was holding her stomach she was laughing so hard. She said, the man that just left.....his name was.... Jack Ash! I sorta smiled but I did not have the reaction she did. What could his parents have been thinking? I went to school with a guy named Rusty Nails. I often wonder if he changed his name when he got older. Whose parents would do that to them? On of my clients had an employee named Mary Christmas. I would have reconsidered my marriage plans!

A waitress in a diner I used to frequent had a waitress named Candi Barr. She was single so again I say, what were her parents thinking?

And finally, maybe I have more sympathy than others. You see when I was 2 days old my Daddy changed my name. A day does not go by that I don't whisper a thank you to him. You want to know don't you? I can tell, you really really want to know. OK, it was Urilla. It is a family name. Thank you Daddy.

Do you know anyone with an unusual name?

Newest Go To Recipe

I started reading The Pioneer Woman the end of last summer. I guess you could say her blog was my very first. The above photo is her apple dumpling recipe. It is my newest go to recipe. It is just so easy and good and easy. I have yet to prepare it for anyone that they did not ask me for the recipe. I am almost embarrassed to give out the recipe, it is so easy.

Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 whole Granny Smith Apples
2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
2 sticks Butter
1-½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Cinnamon, To Taste
1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda
Preparation Instructions
Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.
WARNING: Prepare this dish at your own risk. It is beyond imaginable.

I am joining in with our hostess Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday. Go check out some wonderful recipes.

Happy First Birthday

Today, March 11th is my grandson's first birthday. I thought you might enjoy a couple of photos from the past year.

So happy first birthday Remmington, you are so dearly loved by so many.

What to do?

I never wished I could use a camera as much as when I got up this morning. I even picked it up and tried to figure out how to turn it on. No such luck. This is what I walked into this morning. Josh, who is usually so good had torn up a pillow. I know I miss Doug. The dogs miss him also. They have gone overboard in the missing department. In the almost 2 weeks since he has been gone, they have started fighting like no body's business. Keelie will not let Josh into the bedroom. In fact Josh acts like she doesn't even like me anymore.

Any thoughts about what I can do? My puggle (Keelie) will be 2 in April and our lab/shep mix (Josh) will be 1 the end of this month. Help!

Edited To Add - The above picture is a stock photo. I can't take pictures and would have loved to share with my blogger friends what I saw, this was close.

The Mayonnaise Jar

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,

When 24 hours in a day is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and start to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full... The students responded With an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - Faith, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- The small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for the things that are important to you.. So... Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. 'Take care of the golf balls first -- The things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"
I just did........

My first craft attempt

Welcome to my first exciting attempt at a craft. Now don't get real excited, just a little excited. Some of you may not know this but my picture is in Hobby Lobby (and other crafty stores) with this over my face.

I heard that Martha Stewart had a bounty on me at one time. That may or may not be true.

Anywho, as I have gotten older more and more of my friends are alone, their spouses have passed on, children are across the country, all sorts of reasons. So many of my friends are hundreds of miles away. I want to do something extra special and if they were closer I could bake them a cake or a pie or cookies. That's just what us southern gals do. But we are all watching our weight and who wants a whole cake sitting in the house just calling our name? I put a lot of thought into this. And tada.....

Have you ever seen these things in the store?

They come in 4 flavors I think. It has cake mix and frosting in the container, just add water and microwave it. Now it is not one of those good ole Southern 12 layer chocolate cakes, but it is easy and you can buy them in minis for just a bite of cake.

First, take container out of the cardboard box. I typed up the instructions on the computer and printed it on pretty paper. Then I took one of those full sheet labels and made a cute Happy Birthday to (insert person's name) and cut it in a circle to fit the cake container, then stuck it on the container. I had some paper stickers and stuck them on the cake container and jazzed it up the best I could.

Cake, candle, card and postage was less than $5. There are a zillion ways you could make this special and those of you with creative abilities I can only dream of the things you can do.

Well what do you think? Has this already been done and I missed it? I sure have to get this whole picture taking thing figured out.

Today is my Momma's 80th Birthday

Welcome my blogger friends. I invite you to share my wonderful Mom's 80th birthday. This picture was taken last week with Doug's daughter and my mom. She came to the USA from Germany in the 1950's. She is a self made woman. She taught herself English from watching I love Lucy and Andy Griffin. No pressing #1 to get the language of choice in those days. She is totally self taught and has owned many successful businesses. She has always been the person to get the ball rolling when a neighbor's house burned down, when our school needed a basketball court. I could tell you a zillion stories of the ways she has helped others in the community. But I will share only one. Every Christmas my mom and dad would take the station wagon with bags filled with an apple, an orange, peppermint and bubble gum. Remember those station wagon with the rear seat facing backwards? Well she would dress in a Santa Suit and daddy would drive. They made hundreds of those bags. The poorer section of town in our community was called 'The Quarters". They went to all the quarters and Santa would ring a big bell and the kids came running from all the houses. Daddy had a gallon of moonshine and paper cups. The men got moonshine (and some women) the kids and most women got the bag of goodies. To this day she still works for the community in every way you can imagine. This is a picture of her and my niece Taylor. Taylor loves to drive Maw Maw around. My momma always puts her family above everything. She is one of the most kind, compassionate people I have ever me. Plus she has really good hair. I mean beautiful hair. I am so lucky to have her as a mother. She took care of my Daddy until the day he died. Even when the hospice nurses came to give her a break she stayed with Daddy. And Daddy adored her.

So happy birthday my beautiful momma. I love you more than you can imagine. But I will never forgive you for me getting your bad feet instead of that beautiful, thick hair. LOL

Thank you visiting me today and sharing my Momma's 80th!