All About The Attitude

 

Florida will be getting a glimpse of winter this week and we will see lows in the 40's for a few days.  I don't like it, but it is better than some of you guys experiencing snow.  The hope is that it will go away since I do not have a heater (and don't want one).  But I do have a lot of heavy clothes that usually works for me unless we get in the 30's.  No worries here for now, it is all about the positive attitude.

My blog focus for the next day or so is all about New Years Eve, food, traditions, etc.  My black eyed peas have already been purchased and I will start the soaking process tomorrow.  Other than that, I think a pork tenderloin sounds good and will last a few days.  No sweets this holiday week since I have blood labs due this coming month and I want the doctor to be happy.

Hoping that everyone is enduring the cold weather and bad storms in the US, not sure about the other parts of the world.  Have a good week!

NEW BLOG POSTS

Subtropical Gardening

How to Propagate Succulents (for More Free Plants!)

Jump-Start Spring by Forcing Bulbs Indoors

The #1 Reason Houseplant Leaves Turn Yellow & The Instant Fix

Fabulous Frugalista

Understanding Food Expiration Date Labels Made Simple

Peace Love Happiness

One day at a time

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Lemon Cake

Buttermilk Biscuit Ham Pot Pie

Collection of Ham Posts from Baking to Leftover Ham Recipes UPDATED

Ham & Egg Pockets

Farmhouse Chicken Cornbread Casserole

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Country Potato Pancakes

Skillet Lasagna

Pecan Cobbler

Better Than Starbucks Lemon Loaf Copycat Recipe

Banana Bread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup

Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops With Mushrooms

Let them eat cake!

 

It has been a quiet, peaceful Christmas week.  Of course I had my terrible grief moments and momentarily lost it, but I pulled myself together fast.  Progress is getting over the moment quickly.  I'm happy!

Yes, I'm craving a beautiful, delicious cake.  You can tell by all the cake posts!  And I have not posted all the recipes I have found.

Doing research for my blog posts has really been enjoyable.  For most people, it would be considered work, but for me it is fun.  I have always been a geek like that, loving work and being the classic workaholic.  Not a bad way to be.  

Have a fabulous weekend!

NEW BLOG POSTS

LaBelladiva

A Lifetime of Memories Packed Away for Another Year

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Cannoli Cake Semi-Homemade

Chocolate Cheesecake

Cheesy Country Ham Grit Balls

Cake Mix Cookies

Tagliatelle Pasta (Homemade)

Honoring the cheesecake and searching for the perfect one

Root Beer Bundt Cake

Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork

Turkey Leftovers UPDATED

Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

Mississippi Pot Roast Slow Cooker

Limoncello Cake

Lemon Ricotta Cake

Italian Cream Cheese Cake

Come-Home-to-Mama Chocolate Cake

Happy to be living in Florida!

 

We are enjoying the beautiful weather that makes us Floridians happy to be living in Florida.  Loving these open window days!  Much of the south has been experiencing very nice warm weather, however, our friends in the north are having awful weather.  The news was showing the travel difficulties at a time when everyone is going back home from the holidays.  So sorry for you guys!

My lifestyle change of no sugar didn't work so well for Christmas.  One of my Christmas gifts to myself was a pumpkin pie.  Not just one piece, but a whole pie.  Treating myself on special days helps me stay on track when I know the treat is coming soon.  But I did go a little overboard on the treat.

Facebook gave me the gift of keeping me out of my account.  Too many problems with Facebook.  When it finally comes back, I think I'm done with it.  I will learn how to use Instagram instead since I don't hear of too many problems even though they are owned by the same company.  Maybe it is a better program.

Looking forward to a new year, even though I made much progress this year.  It is nothing more than going from one day to the next, psychologically a new chapter in the book of life, a new beginning.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday week and being grateful for all your blessings.  I know I am so grateful for all the good Lord has blessed me with . . . especially those awesome memories that still make me happy and sad and always will.  Love and miss you Captain and Kiki.

NEW BLOG POSTS

Gina's Italian Kitchen

The Best Way To Store Cookies To Keep Them Fresh

How to Make Homemade Pasta

Italian Almond Cookies (Amaretti)

Chocolate and Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Lemony Butter Cookies

Sausage Gravy Breakfast Lasagna

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

DIY In-N-Out Burger at Home

Subtropical Gardening

7 Smart Ways to Use Old Potting Soil, According to Gardening Experts

Composting Methods That Turn Food Scraps Into Garden Gold

Great Ways To Use Coffee Grounds In The Fall

How to Propagate Fruit Trees

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

Seeds And Feeds To Attract Cardinals This Fall & Winter

Fabulous Frugalista

What Happens To Your Fridge Food When The Power Goes Out

Merry Christmas Animal Lovers and everyone else!

 

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all are having a wonderful joyous Christmas.

Here is an old Christmas video I made that never gets old:

Since I am a huge animal lover, I am always looking for others on You Tube and I found the cutest ever Merry Christmas video from a big time animal lover.  They are special and precious!  Hope you enjoy it as I have.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas is sad without
The Captain and my sweet Kiki,
but I'm OK, I have awesome memories
to keep me smiling

NEW BLOG POSTS

LaBelladiva

Sew A DIY Casserole Carrier

Holiday Decorating Made Easy: Your Guide to a Beautiful and Festive Season

How to Sew a Pet Collar

Subtropical Gardening

Keep Your Chickens Healthy Over Winter

Things Everyone With An African Violet Should Know

Grow Garden Pansy Flowers for Early Blooms

Grow Vegetables Without a Greenhouse in Winter

Colorful Succulents That’ll Brighten Your Home All Winter Long

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Feast of the Seven Fishes - Shrimp Scampi

Martha's Prime Rib Roast

The Best Christmas Recipe Guide - UPDATED

Pecan Pie Dump Cake

Spicy Mexican Shrimp Pasta

Loaded Breakfast Puff Pastry

Healthy Appetizer Recipes

Naughty or Nice?

 

He's making a list and checking it twice . . . have you been naughty or nice?

I've been nice . . .

This year has flown by and I can't believe Christmas is almost here.  At least I am glad time has flown since I am closer to being "normal" and over all the sad stuff.  But I'm getting there!

The world continues to go crazy, but what else is new?

I'm just happy for all the dog people breeding and selling dogs, letting us watch them grow up on You Tube and also the horse people showing off their horses or letting us in on their day to day stuff on a horse farm.  For some strange reason, it has helped me deal with losing my Kiki girl.  I love animal people and I have grieved alongside them when they lose one of their precious animals.  I've watched some of them for years.

One of them just had a Christmas party for their horses and they dressed them up in festive attire.  They were precious!  Here is the link to the party if you enjoy festive animals having a Christmas party . . . 

 

Hope you are all having and joyous and festive holiday season! 

Listed below are new blog posts.

NEW BLOG POSTS

Subtropical Gardening

How to Care for Poinsettias Now and After the Holidays

Feeding and Attracting Cardinals to Your Feeders In The Winter

Peace Love Happiness

Coming out of the fog

LaBelladiva

Christmas Tree Decoration Ideas For A Dazzling Holiday

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Chocolate Lasagna

Italian Cream Cake

Sparkling Linzer Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Cake Balls

Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Dr Pepper Sheet Cake

No Bake Oreo Pie

Chocolate Éclair Dessert

Baklava from The Pioneer Woman

Grilling/Smoking . . . A Collection of Recipes

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Bisquick Apple Coffee Cake

Grandma Dot's Stuffing Balls

Hummingbird Cake

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

Alice Springs Chicken

Cattle Drive Casserole

Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes

Russian Tea Cake

Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Cherry Cheese Danish

Slow Cooker Classic Goulash

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Christmas memories

 

Happy Friday!  Seems like we just started a new week and here we are at the weekend.

There is an article I posted to LaBelladiva that took me back to exceptionally good Christmas times with JR.  It is about your first wedding Christmas ornaments and I thought about little things I haven't thought about in 20+ years.  Stuff like shopping for Christmas ornaments and remembering conversations we had while selecting them.  Priceless memories of times with JR after he's been gone over 20 years.  Seems like yesterday.  Check out the article and see what memories it brings up for you.

My posts the past couple of days have focused on recipes I would like to try since I am really bored with food.  For one thing, cooking for one sucks and I really don't like leftovers.  So I have decided to focus on meals that leftovers can go in the freezer for another time.  I found lots of them!

Hope your pre-Christmas time is joyous and memorable.  Cherish your loved ones and tell them you love them while you can.

NEW BLOG POSTS

Peace Love and Happiness

Positive anything and everything

Agree to love

LaBelladiva

Why My Favorite Christmas Ornament Will Only Get Better With Age

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Potato Puffs

Ham and Swiss Casserole

The Best Coconut Layer Cake

Slow-Cooker Crab Rangoon Dip

Quick Cannoli Dip

The Best Coconut Cream Pie

The Best Focaccia

Bacon Ranch Cream Cheese Wellington

Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Lemon and Garlic

The Best Stuffed Peppers

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes . . . a collection of recipes

Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole

Funeral Potatoes

Potato Chip Chicken Tenders

Stromboli

Baked Tilapia

Lemon Thyme Chicken

Sausage Bread

Angel Biscuits

Caesar Chicken

Shipwreck Casserole

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Orange Rolls from scratch

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio UPDATED

Cowboy Cookie Bars

Oven Roast Beef

Slow cooker breakfast casserole

Better be good . . .

 

This week has been a pretty decent week for me.  Not for anything in particular, but I am feeling positive about everything.  That has been one of my goals and it makes me happy.

I'm feeling pretty sad about all the killing that went on all over the world this weekend.  So sad that killing people has become a sport and Rob Reiner and his wife . . . it is unbelievable that a child who I assume was very spoiled and ungrateful would kill his parents in such a vile way after all they did for him.  The media has been in a frenzy and they make me sick.  The whole experience has been horrible and it seems like it is going to be full blown madness.

My blog posts from the last day or so is listed below.  I'm really bored with food and my new focus is going to be finding new recipes that I would like to make.

Hope everyone is having an awesome week!  Better be good because . . .

New blog posts

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Johnny Marzetti Casserole

Carrot Cake Recipe Collection

How to Cook Dried Beans for Better Flavor, Creamier Texture, and Big Savings

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Almond Joy Cookies

Snickerdoodle Cobbler 

Vanilla Red Velvet Marbled Pound Cake

Oreo Fudge

Key Lime Pie

Strawberry Shortcake Puffs

Swiss Mushroom Chicken

Stuffed Pepper Skillet

Country Chicken and Gravy

Cashew Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

Subtropical Gardening

How to Use Coffee Grounds to Get Gorgeous Christmas Cactus Blooms Every Year

How to Propagate Roses for an Endless Supply of Beautiful Blooms

Fruit Trees You Can Grow Indoors

LaBelladiva

Holiday Decorations I Always Buy Secondhand

Busy Weekend!

 

Since it is now early Christmas with not much longer to go, I have been busy finding interesting stuff to write about Christmas.  While I am still looking for more gift giving homemade food recipes, I am tired of looking at all those sweets.  It is torturing me since I cut out sugar from my life.  But my discipline has been excellent.  I still have those canned refrigerated cinnamon rolls in the fridge and although I think about them, I have not made any.  The recipes are tempting me to make them!

Funny thing about my neighborhood . . . we have traveling chickens and some very vocal roosters.  The hens cluck along with their babies.  Don't laugh, but I enjoy them very much.  They have been around since before Kiki passed away.  She would look at me like to say "what is that noise?"  When they are traveling through my yard talking to other chickens, I think of Kiki.  Missing her like crazy.  I'd give anything to have her and The Captain back with me.  This house is so empty without them.  The cycle of life is maddening at times, yet so wonderful at the same time.

I've got gardening on my mind.  That explains why I am starting to post more stuff on Subtropical Gardening.  Looking forward to my container gardening.  It is awesome to have desires again after none at all.  The healing process is entering another grief phase which makes me very happy.

By the way, I am enjoying some new music for me . . . French love songs.  Check them out, I love it!

Listed below are new blog posts . . . check them out!

Happy Early Christmas everybody :)

NEW BLOG POSTS

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Butter Pecan Cookies

Ree's Chicken-Fried Steak with Gravy

Homemade Spice, Seasoning and Gravy Mixes

Key Lime Cake

Easy Fudge Bites

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Air Fryer French Fries

Pie Crusts - Everything You Need To Know 

Chicken Dumpling Casserole

Seafood Mac and Cheese from Kardea Brown

LaBelladiva

Ways to Make Outdated Wood Cabinets Look More Modern

Real Touch Evergreens are the Upgrade You Didn’t Know Your Christmas Décor Needed

Subtropical Gardening

Keep Your Flowerbeds Weed Free

Holiday Cactus Growing Guide

When & How To Bring Ferns Inside For The Winter

Love Christmas Cactus? 10 More Unusual Houseplants You’ll Adore

Are You Ready For Christmas?

 

All I can say is that I don't have to watch television commercials anymore since I cut the cord.  My main channel is You Tube Premium.  I pay to not have to watch commercials and I love it.  Thinking back to my cable television days, the Christmas commercial bombardment started around Halloween.  They tortured me and I hated them so much.

No, I don't hate Christmas.  It was just my choice to not celebrate it anymore since my first husband JR passed away.  For he and I, the Christmas/Thanksgiving holidays were as special as it gets.  We had huge parties for both days.  We decorated to the max.  A week after he passed away, a huge tree fell on the storage shed where all the decorations were and destroyed them.  For me, it was a sign from God.  Christmas is about the birth of Christ for me anymore.  JR passed away in October as the commercials started.  Anyway, when The Captain and I got together, it was a relief to find out he felt the same way about Christmas.  Another sign from God.

I'm all good with it now, but no commercials or celebrations.  It does bring me joy to see other people celebrating the holidays as I once did.  That is why I am focusing on Christmas posts, to help others enjoy the holidays to the max as JR and I did.

Speaking of the Christmas posts, I've posted a lot of them from recipes, cooking and Christmas decorating tips/ideas.  Below is a list of all the new blog posts.  I sincerely hope they touch even one person's life.  This is the time before Christmas that I always enjoyed the most.  

Happy Holidays to everyone!  May God bless you all . . .

NEW BLOG POSTS

LaBelladiva

Unique Christmas Tree Ideas for Every Decorating Style

Is It OK to Leave Your Christmas Tree Lights on All Night?

Subtropical Gardening

How To Water Poinsettias – Why You Should Be Misting Your Poinsettia Plants!

Peace Love Happiness

Live For The Moment

Gina's Italian Kitchen

How to Freeze Cookies and Cookie Dough

Secret To Silky Smooth Melted Chocolate

How to Quickly and Safely Bring Butter to Room Temperature - And Only Way to Store Butter

Leftovers That Spoil Faster Than You Think

White Chocolate Bark

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Smothered Chicken

Pecan Pie Coffee Cake

Foods You Didn't Know You Could Cook in an Air Fryer

Baked Two-Cheese & Bacon Grits

Fried Potatoes And Onions

Raspberry Crumble Bars

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Butter Pecan Cheesecake

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Roasted Pork Shoulder (Italian-Style)

Basic Thumbprint Cookies

White Chocolate-Cherry Shortbread Cookie

Hot and Spicy Hush Puppies from the Neelys

Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Cherry Fudge Truffle Coconut Cheesecake

Ground Beef Taco Dip

Cheesy Crab Poppers

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Collection of Ham Posts from Baking to Leftover Ham Recipes - UPDATED

Ribs - Informative Info and Recipes

Days are flying by!

 

Happy Thursday everybody!  It feels like Friday since this week is flying by so fast.  

I've been focused on Christmas with lots of posts on foods that are good for the holidays, gift-giving sweet treats and Christmas decorating inspiration.  Hopefully you will find them useful in your preparation for the Christmas holiday.

The weather has been beautiful in Florida which has me thinking about gardening and the critters that have visited my property.  There is a post about squirrels, everything you would want to know about them and a very happy memory of those quirky little creatures and how they affected my dogs.  I sure do miss those days!

Writing and posting to my blogs has really picked me up from a couple years of grief and sadness.  It has brought up memories that have brought me so much joy.

Have a joyous day!  Following is a listing of new blog posts.  

NEW BLOG POSTS

LaBelladiva

Are Permanent Holiday Lights "Tacky" or Worth the Investment?

Alternative Christmas Tree Ideas

Easy DIY Placemat

The Secret to a Stunning Christmas Tree, According to a Macy’s Designer

Subtropical Gardening

How You Can Help Birds in Cold Winter Weather

How Long Poinsettias Really Last—and How You Can Maximize Their Lifespan

Nutty and Fun Facts About Squirrels

What To Do For Daylilies In The Fall – For Bigger Blooms Next Year

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Does Pie Really Need To Be Refrigerated?

Classic Sloppy Joes

Pecan Tassies

Homemade Turtles

Pecan Pralines

Cashew Clusters

Pecan Pie Brownies

No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake

Pecan Pie Cake With Browned Butter Frosting

UPDATED Collection of Ham Posts from Baking to Leftover Ham Recipes

New Orleans-Style Spicy Shrimp

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Buckeyes

Wendy's Copycat Chili

Better Than Anything Toffee

Peanut Caramel Brownie Bites

How to Craft and Send the Perfect Holiday Cookie Tin

Organized grocery shopping tips to help you save time and money on groceries

Gina's Cuban Style Fried Rice

Gina's Crispy Cornmeal Fried Shrimp

Culture change memories for a babyboomer

 

Keeping busy has made a huge difference in my general attitude and mood.  When you don't have the time to think about a bunch of negative stuff all the time, it is natural to feel better.  Lesson learned - stay busy!

In updating my blogs, I have revisited good memories of the past, like The British Invasion and The Beatles first visit to the US and their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.  It took me back to a time where I experienced a huge culture change for my generation.  I wrote a post about it for Babyboomer Flashback back in 2011 and have reposted it.  It put a huge smile on my face since it was a phenomenal time in my life as I was not quite a teenager, but no longer a child going through this awesome culture change. 

Memories can be so healing to a grieving soul and I'm so grateful for them.

Following is a list of new blog posts.  As I clean up the blogs, I am also bringing back some very old posts that are special.  

Here's to everyone having a wonderful rest of the week!  Stay safe and grateful for those you love.

New Blog Posts

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Cowboy Pork Chops

Cheeseburger Quiche

Easy Holiday Casseroles for Christmas Dinner

Cinnamon Pecan Cookie Bars

Almond Crescent Cookies

Easy Crock-Pot Candy

Peanut Brittle

Mint Sandwich Cookies

Peppermint Bark

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy

Buttermilk Pecan Pralines

Cheese Grits Casserole

Breakfast Crescent Ring

Alabama Corn Sticks (Cast Iron Pan Recipe)

Hot Tamale Pie

Copycat KFC Chicken Pot Pie

LaBelladiva

Christmas Tree Themes That'll Inspire You

Babyboomer Flashback

The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show

Subtropical Gardening

Make Your Real Christmas Tree Last All Through The Holidays

Peace Love Happiness

Blessed beyond the chaos

Excuse me while I pat myself on the back

 

Happy weekend everybody!  We are having a rainy weekend in Florida, but we need the rain.  I'm sorry for you guys experiencing all that snow.

That is Kiki's photo posted . . . I just wanted to see her precious little face.  I miss her so much!  The photo is blurry, but I took it with my phone in a dark room.  It turned out to be one of my favorites.

As promised, I have gone wild with posting Christmas sweet treats that are great any time of the year.  Many of these items are perfect for gift giving.  Make up tins of cookies for situations like giving to a host of a party you are going to, for example.  It was something I always did and I have posted the fudge recipe I used year after year.  People started asking for it.  Homemade treats are awesome!

It has been easier to manage the grief and I am feeling so much better emotionally and physically too since I have made several lifestyle changes.  

The biggest thing is that I have continued to be a non-smoker, it has been over 2 years.  Giving up sugar has proved to be equally as difficult, but my discipline is holding up great.  Of course I will treat myself for a job well done for Christmas as I did for Thanksgiving when I had one piece of pumpkin pie and that was it.  Pepsi that I was addicted to . . . no more!  It has been weeks since I had one.  My discipline has been strong and I'm proud of myself.

Have a great week everybody.  Below are new blog posts.

NEW BLOG POSTS

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Cherry Cordials 

Brownie Bonbons

Almost Famous Molten Chocolate Cake

Amaretto Almond Bundt Cake

Gina's Chocolate Fudge

Peppermint Fudge

Chocolate Cream Pie

Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Holiday Cookie Recipes from the Food Network

The Best Christmas Recipe Guide

Christmas Cannoli Cake

No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel

Copycat Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake

Coconut Macaroon Blossoms

How to Make the Best Sugar Cookies from Martha Stewart

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

The Ultimate Snickers Pie

Babyboomer Flashback

Marilyn Monroe . . . Suicide Blonde?

LaBelladiva

Should You Bring A Gift To A Family Member Who’s Hosting The Holiday Meal?

How To Make A Sunglasses Case

Life's bizarre times and desires

 

December has brought me the desire to create, so I've decided to start making jewelry again.  For now, just for me, to fulfill that desire and see where it takes me.  I'm happy to have even a little sense of direction.

The Christmas season is upon us and I will be posting seasonal stuff.  Don't ask me what that means, but I also have the desire to look into everything Christmas and write about it.  Of course I will continue with the food blog posts and find festive recipes.  And I'm definitely getting back into graphics, but it has been like having to learn all over again since it has been several years and the software has gone through dramatic changes.  At least it is keeping my mind occupied.

Maybe I should say that this month has brought me to a new beginning with definite desires after a couple of years with no desire to do anything at all.  I know how it sounds but I like to be honest about how I feel.  Life makes us go through bizarre times.

Hope everyone is having a good week and continue to an awesome weekend.  Another online friend has passed away and it made me very sad.  Anyway . . . below I have listed everything I've posted this week.  The emphasis has still been on food.

NEW BLOG POSTS

Gina's Italian Kitchen

Maple Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

The BEST Homemade Biscuit Recipe

Chef John's Prime Rib

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Crack Chicken Penne Pasta

Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes

Lemon Chicken And Rice Casserole

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Copycat Almond Joy Candy Bars

Shrimp and Grits

LaBelladiva

How to Make Fast and Easy Pincushions

Unexpected Ways To Reuse Dryer Sheets Outside The Laundry Room

Fabulous Frugalista

Ways To Use Christmas Decor Basics Year After Year

Peace Love Happiness

Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart