Happy Blogoversary...

.....to me!  I just realized it when I read a comment from another reader (thank you, Teena in Toronto)!  You'd think I would have noticed my own blogoversary button! 

It's been three years!  Here's to another three and many, many more!

BTW,  this was my very first post!!

Congratulations!

One year ago today I began my blogging journey! Here is a link to my very first post! It has been a very incredibly rewarding experience! I would recommend it to anyone who is interested.

There really wasn't much celebrating today....Nathan left for the Home of the Mother Boys Camp and it's all I can do to NOT FREAK OUT! (More on all of that later)! In the mean time, I did manage to make a Tastefully Simple Almond Pound Cake for the occasion! It's absolutely delicious! I should have taken a photo when if first came out of the oven this morning as this is what it looks like now.

I never even bothered to take it out of the pan! Nathan did get to have a piece before he left this morning!

Ok...on to the more exciting stuff! There were 15 people that entered to win the beautiful rosary made by Barbara at Praying for Grace. Amelia and Olivia helped me to pick the winner!

Here you can see everybody that entered!

I folded the pieces together as tightly as possible and put them in the basket.

Amelia held the basket while Olivia got to choose.

And the winner is..............

...................MARY333!!! Congratulations, Mary!!! Please email me with your address!

Thanks to all of you for your visits, your friendships and your prayers! Here's to another year of laughter and tears, food and fun, faith and family!!

Only hours left!

There are only a few hours left to leave a comment on my Blogoversary Giveaway post in order to win one of the loveliest rosaries I've ever seen! Get on over there......I'll wait! Oh, and tell some of your friends.....I will draw the winner at 5:00pm tomorrow evening!

Just 3 days left!!

There are only 3 days left to enter my Blogoversary Giveaway! You do NOT have to have a blog in order to enter! Just leave a comment on this post and you will automatically be entered to win! Winner will be selected on Saturday, July 25th at 5:00pm and announced soon after!

Fruit of the vine

Yesterday, my MIL sent over several pounds of fresh blueberries! Apparently, there is a family connection with a blueberry farmer (who knew?). I can't tell you how much I love blueberries!

Because I couldn't control myself, we ended up having blueberry pancakes for dinner last night.

Every single one of those puppies were eaten. Olivia even licked the bottom of her plate!

Late last night, I perused the internet for more blueberry recipes. I found one that seemed easy enough and this morning at 8:00am...I was baking! I found a recipe for Blueberry Crumb Bars from the Smitten Kitchen. The recipe is simple so I'll print it here:

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

zest and juice of one lemon

4 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

(Let me tell you right from the start....I did not have a lemon, nor did I have any cornstarch.

The recipe turned out TERRIFIC without either)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

In a medium bow, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and the egg. The dough will be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently fold in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the berry layer.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Cool completely (if you can wait that long) before cutting into squares. I recommend serving it with French Vanilla Ice Cream!!!

Here's how mine turned out. Surely not as nice as the Smitten Kitchen....but I bet mine tastes just as good!

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I would also like to introduce you to my first crop of cherry tomatoes! I'm very proud! Dan and I decided to try one of those upside down tomato plant "thingy's" and, well, it worked!



Here's the bad news.....I think 4 cherry tomatoes will be considered my bumper crop! Yes ladies and gentlemen.....That's it for this upside down "thingy". It cost us $9.99 for 4 cherry tomatoes.
What a bargain! Sigh......

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One last thing, if you haven't entered to win the beautiful Rosary made by Barbara at Praying For Grace, click here to enter!

Blogoversary Giveaway!!

This coming Saturday will be my ONE YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!! I was telling a blogging friend recently that when I started out, I wasn't sure what kind of blog it would be. Would it be a mommy blog, a Catholic blog, a political blog, or a cancer blog? As it turned out, I think it's been all of those things at different times. Most importantly, it has been a record for my kids about what our life has been like since my diagnosis. It's been a place where I could share all the things about being a Catholic mom with cancer who loves politics. It's been a place to share about the things in life that make me laugh and that make me cry.

In honor of this momentous occasion (at least for me), I wanted to have a Blogoversary Giveaway....one that would show my appreciation for all those readers who visit here and for those who truly have become my friends. Plus, I think these giveaways are fun!

One of my favorite blogging friends has a very special talent. Barbara at Praying for Grace makes some of the most beautiful rosaries I have ever seen. There was one that she made recently that caught my attention right away. Check out these photos and see if you agree:

You can read all of the information about this beautiful rosary here! I love the bronze center and crucifix!

If you or someone you know would like to receive this lovely rosary as my gift in honor of my one year of blogging.....please leave a comment on this post! Please make sure I have a way of contacting you! The winner will be chosen and announced at 5pm on Saturday, July 25th.

Good Luck!

Stay Tuned!!

Well, I just hit 13,000 visitors to my blog (12,000 of which are probably mine!), 343 posts and my first blogoversary is in 11 days!!! I'm very excited!

To celebrate this event, I have a VERY SPECIAL giveaway planned! Keep a look out for details!!