Mandii's Muse

 I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! I can't believe that it has come and gone and we are well into the Christmas season! Here was a quick recap of my turkey day! My dad wanted to take some meals to a few of his customers, so on Wednesday I had a chiropractor appointment, and my mom stayed back and started prepping the food. She made a whole meal, but we were only going to eat the green bean casserole. My dad and I helped when we got home. On Thursday morning, we got the meals ready, and my dad went on to deliver them. Meanwhile my mom and I got ready. We loaded everything up we were supposed to take, and headed to my aunt and uncle's house.  We ate, had too much food as usual. We had the usual, turkey and chicken, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and corn. For dessert we had chocolate, pumpkin, and rice pies.  It was a nice day! How was your Thanksgiving? Did you end up in a food coma after dinner? Let me know in the co...

I hope your Labor Day weekend was relaxing! I'm saying that Summer is officially over, and now I am in full on Fall mode. I wanted to share with you a little bit of what I did over the long weekend, so let's get right on into it! Thursday: My parents and I went to the last Cleveland Indians afternoon game of the season. It was absolutely the most perfect day for baseball. The weather was just right, not too hot or cold. We were able to get into our favorite parking lot, our seats were fantastic, and the Tribe ended up winning! We ended the night at our favorite pizza place. (Because ballpark food is expensive, y'all!) Friday, I went and got a haircut. I love my hair long like it is, but it was time for a little trim. I swear, coming from the hairdresser is like the best feeling. You are relaxed, you look great, it is the best! I got a few highlights, and just enjoyed the "me" time. I finished up some Act 48 hours I was working on, cleaned the upstairs area, an...

I'm soaking in the last little bit of Summer and enjoying Labor Day with my family! I hope you are doing the same!

I really didn't take many pictures from the 4th. I guess that's what happens when you host. I was busy helping my parents set up, tear down, and do the dishes. Earlier in the day, I had to run to the store because we were out of ketchup and mustard. Those are major staples for a picnic! Surprisingly, the store was quite busy. As I was driving home, I drove along one of my favorite roads. I call this an "enchanted forest" road. I love when the trees line both sides, and you feel like you are in some type of Disney princess movie. We had a "smaller" picnic. Meaning there were less side dishes. By the looks of my plate, it doesn't look like it, but we usually have so much more food. My Bubba made rhubarb and strawberry pies, which were delicious! My mom also made lemon filled cupcakes which were also very good! It started to sprinkle just as we were sitting down to eat, but we prayed it would hold off for an hour and a half, and it did! Right when we ...

Image I want to wish all of you a very Happy 4th of July. Stay safe, enjoy your family and friends, food, and fireworks!  Stay tuned for new posts coming your way TOMORROW!!

Image I wanted to wish you a very Happy 4th of July! You will probably find me wearing some red, white, and blue, and eating a hot dog, and hopefully enjoying some fireworks!  Have a happy, and safe 4th! Please remember those in the military who are continuing to protect our freedom.

My plate! Today, I'm participating in a link up with Andrea over at Momfessionals . I just adore her blog, and you will too! Today's theme is What's on the menu, so I wanted to give you a taste ( pun intended! ) of what  we had for the 4th of July! I will throw in some decor too, so you can feel like you were there with us! First of all, the weather was absolutely perfect. The humidity that we had been having vanished, and it was breezy, sunny, and wonderful. FOOD: I took some full table shots, so you might not be able to see everything so I will list it here. Hamburgers/Hot dogs Poppy seed coleslaw Cucumber and onions in Greek yogurt Baked beans Mac n cheese Dirty rice (if loving this is wrong, I don't want to be right!)  Pickle/relish tray Hot dog chili (homemade!)  Fruit salad For drinks, we had lemonade, mint tea, iced tea, and different varieties of pop. We also set out bottles of water! DECOR: This year, my mom and I deci...

Me in NYC 2011 I wanted to wish my readers a Happy Memorial Day. Take a minute today to thank those brave men and women who have served our country. I applaud your braveness and thank you for keeping us free! I hope you enjoy whatever plans you have today, and are spending it with the ones you love. Have a Great Day!!

I wanted to wish all of my blog readers a Happy Easter! Remember the real reason we celebrate this day. Jesus dying on the cross to forgive us of our sins.  How wonderful to know that Jesus has forgiven me of my sins! Proverbs 19:21 says "People can make all kinds of plans, but only the Lord's plan will happen." I find comfort in knowing that my steps are already paved, and that the Lord is directing my path. This is one of my favorite hymns for Easter. Take a listen to the lyrics and pause to reflect them. Have a blessed day!

I had planned on doing a lot more for St. Patty's Day, but it was a low key instead.  However, I did do a few things to get in the Irish spirit! I swear this shirt is green... I had to sub today, so I wore a green sweater, and then when I got home I changed into my Love Celtics shirt that I got from Old Navy. It instantly says "Irish!" Next, I listened to Celtic Thunder. It is extra special this year, because one of the principal singers George, passed away so suddenly last Thursday. Needless to say, all of the Celtic Thunder fans are pretty sad right now. I mean, you DO have to listen to Celtic Thunder on St. Patty's Day! Lastly, I made some Irish coffee! Nothing says "Irish" than coffee, brown sugar, whipped cream, and whiskey. Right?! I'd love to hear what you did for St. Patrick's Day! Leave me a comment and let me know! Ryan Kelly~one of the principal singers of Celtic Thunder It is also my Grandpa's 91st birthday today! He i...

As a lifetime single girl, I have always had a disdain for Valentine's Day. Could these feelings change one day? Perhaps, but I am just not a fan of the holiday. This year though, I tried to keep my mind open. Here is how I spent my Valentine's Day! In the morning, I created a spa day for myself. I put on a paper mask, did a hand scrub, and painted my toe nails. For dinner, I used this as a cheat meal, and had some pizza. After dinner, there is no better treat than chocolate cake! My mom made this cake, and it is clean. It is made using beets, and unsweetened cocoa powder. It was delicious! I can't even describe how delicious this cake was!! Plus, how cute is the heart shape?? I mean, seriously! At bedtime, I chose to watch Sabrina. This is a great classic movie starring Harrison Ford. Nothing like a romantic movie on Valentine's Day right? So that was my Valentine's Day! How did you spend the day? Leave me a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear fr...

Can you believe it is the 4th of July already? I can't. We have this joke in my family that goes "once the 4th hits, summer is over." Obviously, that isn't true, but summer does seem to fly after this holiday. The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our freedom. Freedom isn't free, there are countless men and women serving abroad to protect us, and to keep us free. Take a minute between the hot dogs and fireworks to stop and say a prayer for those overseas. I leave you with a song wrote by the late, great, Marvin Hamlisch. Listen to the lyrics, a moving song about uniting as one. Have a great 4th of July everyone! ~Mandii