a beautiful love letter...

i'm not sure where i came across this out there on the web,

but it is a sweet, touching love letter,

written by former President Ronald Reagan to

his wife, Nancy Reagan.

they always said theirs was a great love story. 

if this letter is any indication, i would have to agree.

(i KNEW i liked that man!:)

here's the letter...

the writing is kind of small so i'll re-write it for you.

"My Darling Wife,

     This note is to warn you of a diabloical plot entered into by some of our so called friends (ha!), calender makers and even some of our own children.  These and others would have you believe we've been maried 20 years.

20 minutes maybe......but never 20 years.  In the first place,  it is a known fact that a human cannot sustain the high level of happiness I feel for more than a few minutes......and my happiness keeps increasing.

I will confess to one puzzlement but I'm sure it is first some trick perpetrated by our friends (Ha again!)  I can't remember ever being without you and I know I was born more than 20 min. ago.

Oh well......that isn't important.  The important thing is I don't want to be without you for the next 20 years, or 40, or however many there are.  I've gotten very used to being happy and I love you very much indeed.

Your Husband of 20 something or other."

so SWEET.

a real life love story.

that's it for today, my shabby friends.

still waiting on news of my Dad.

thank you so much to all of you who have contacted me

and to those of you who popped in for a visit and took the time 

to say a prayer for him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Suzanne

prayers, puppies, pumpkins and pics...

oh yeah...

lots and lots of things to talk about today...

and they all start with the letter "P"!

PRAYERS...

yes my friends, i need your prayers.

 i was up in Michigan last week as my dad was told he needed

emergency heart surgery.

long story short...he DOES need the surgery but not quite as quickly 

as they thought...seeings how he is STILL in the hospital

waiting for it.

 but we are told it will be this week...

which is why i need your prayers.

for my dad...a truly WONDERFUL father,

 for the doctors who will be operating,

for my mom...

 who is being so strong and has great FAITH... 

 but is still scared like the rest of us.

for his children and grandchildren...

and also for all of the MANY people who have been blessed

to call him a FRIEND.

i made this little picture/quote up

while flying to be with him last week... 

i looked at my blog "stats" today,

and saw that over the weekend and today, i have had

visitors from the following countries...

United States...2,533 visitors

Canada...151 visitors

United Kingdom/England...145 visitors

Australia...64 visitors

Philippines...44 visitors

France...41 visitors

Russia...41 visitors

Germany...30 visitors

Italy...30 visitors

Mexico...22 visitors

pretty COOL, huh?

 anyway, I can't wait to tell my dad that people ALL OVER  the world

will be praying for him!!!!!

okay...now that you know about my dad,

let me tell you about my sweet little PUP, Freddy.

 he has to have a tooth pulled tomorrow.

i know...not exactly heart surgery...

but my little buddy is going to have his very own "boo boo" tomorrow.

 the vet said they put him out...and if you knew Freddy Bear,

you'd say that was a great idea:)

PUMPKINS....,

i LOVE sweater pumpkins...

 but had pretty much decided to pass on making them this year.

i mean, we are busy making tutus...

they're hanging all over the

house.

 (go ahead and say it...your poor husband...all that TULLE:)

but he's very cool with it.

although I haven't told him how EARLY we are

planning to put up the Christmas tree this year.

hehehehehe

ANYWAY, i was at goodwill looking for a few plates for plate stands

and i found a some VERY cool sweaters so,

time to make sweater pumpkins.

but these will be in non-traditional colors with some BLING!

i'll post pics soon:)

and speaking of pumpkins,

check out this recipe for....

Pull-Apart Cinnamon Sugar Glazed Pumpkin Bread
(Adapted from Willow Bird Baking)

Ingredients
Bread2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Glaze
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar

WOW! 

looks so yummy.....i think i gained 10 pounds

just reading the recipe!!!:)

cool PICS...

this one is going ALL OVER my place...

my blogs, my house, my phone, flickr...

 look what you can do while bored and flying at

33,000 feet:)

okay friends, i know i ended this on a light note

because that is how my dad would want it.

i also know you don't know him,

but trust me, this man of God that i call dad

is a truly GOOD man who will be so grateful for your prayers.

so for my dad, i'll say thank you  because

i know people we have never met will be praying for him.

Hugs,

Suzanne...

Shabby Chicks Online Christmas Party...Calling all Sellers!

Christmas Countdowns at WiddlyTinks.com

hahaha...

NO, i'm NOT kidding!

i'm talking real, honest to goodness, Christmas shopping.

i mean, have you noticed the survey

at the top right corner of my blog?????

okay...IF you're still with me,

here's the deal.....

this is september.....

and before you know it, december will be here.

this time of year gets crazy for so many of us.

the older i get, the more i hate that.

i don't LIKE that we get lost in only the FUN stuff of the Holidays

and lose sight of the REAL reason for the season.
(but i DO believe it's okay to be real AND have fun:)

this season is also NUTCRACKER season around our house

so it adds one more twist on this time...

and i end up wishing i had started earlier.

besides, you'll have more time to decorate like THIS.....

i KNOW it isn't the gifts that matter,

but since we DO exchange presents, i really like to put a bit of

thought behind this...but then i end up grabbing

SOMETHING just to be done.....
just to lose the crowds.

(bah humbug:)

so why not start early this year and even better,

why not support the WONDERFUL

friends we have all made who sell online?

it could be through a company website that has your name on it,

an etsy store, your own website, blog.....

wherever you sell your pretties and what nots:!
 and the beauty of it is, you can get involved
in as many of these parties as you like...
even more business, right?

PLUS, we all know that when you sell your own creations,
you still have a life.....
and the SOONER you get orders done,
the MERRIER your own HOLIDAYS will be.

so even though it's early,
i wanted to give you a head's up about our first annual
SHABBY CHICKS online Christmas shopping party.

 i'm starting it OCTOBER 1st.
that gives me time to make a link to the party for you to tell ALL
your readers where to shop,
time to make a shopping section on my blog...
good stuff like that.
it might start small at first but as we get rolling and gather more links...
it WILL be awesome, i promise you that!

so don't miss out!
all i need is this.....
send me the link to your site,
along with a brief line or two about what you sell,
 if you offer any early shopping specials, order deadlines, free shipping.....
any info you would like shoppers to know about.

what i will do for YOU is this....
each week i will PROMOTE at least one shop,
i will visit every possible place on the web and tell everyone i know
about our little party to bring in shoppers,
tweet often...HECK......
i'll even re-activate my facebook
to tell the snoops sweet people of this world all about it!
HEEHEEHEE!

and did i mention a few GIVEAWAYS???????
(that always gets everyone's attention:)

like i said...i still have work to do but i am DETERMINED
to make this work.
last year i did a bit of my shopping online and guess what?????
those ended up being my most creative, unique, clever gifts.
so let's DO this!

no matter what you sell.....
(except NOTHING inappropriate, of course)
from tupperware to tutus......
join in.
it's free advertising!!!

so take my shopping survey, send me your info,
start gathering your supplies,
make some RED VELVET hot cocoa
and
LET"S SHOP!

HO,HO,HO

Suzanne

RED VELVET HOT COCOA

• 4 cups Whole Milk
• 1 dash Water
• ¾ cups Premium Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 teaspoon Red Food Coloring Paste
• 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Whipped Cream Cheese 

In a medium mixing bowl or a stand-up mixer, pour in heavy whipping cream and sugar. Whip on medium with the whisk attachment for 2-3 minutes. Just before it peaks, add the teaspoon of whipped cream cheese and whisk for another 2 minutes. Taste the whipped cream and add more cream cheese to taste. If you like it more tart (i don't) ,  add another 1/2 teaspoon.  just be careful to not over-whip or you’ll have butter on your hands in no time.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. Add a splash of water and the chocolate chips, constantly stirring gently. When almost melted, add the red food coloring paste and stir some more. The color should be a deep red, similar to the picture above. When the chocolate chips are all melted, pour the hot chocolate in four mugs and top with the whipped cream.

Fantabulous Friday Favorites...

don't you just love that word...

FANTABULOUS?

what's not to love about a word that has

fantastic and fabulous all rolled up in one great word!

no mindless rambling today...

(not yet anyway)

let's just get right to the favorites!

favorite BALLERINA Taylor...

 is auditioning tomorrow for her part(s) in the Nutcracker

with Naples Ballet.

i'm proud and she hasn't even taken the stage!

that's because when she dances, she SHINES!

the flier for Nutcracker 20011...

my little girl.

(yes you are Taylor and always will be so deal with it;)

xoxoxoxo

favorite FUN LOVING girl Jordan...

 was interviewed this week by the Naples Daily News and will be featured

this weekend in a story about her swim for MS...

which she has raised over $1500 for with more donations coming in.

 she had a photo shoot last week, so that was COOL 

I'd say she did something pretty

AWESOME with her summer!
xoxoxox

my favorite DAD in the whole world...

 and his golf buddies.

(he's the one in the hat!)

reminds me of the saying 

"you don't stop playing because you get old...

you get old because you stop playing".

and somebody should add......you also get old when you don't LAUGH every day...

because ya gotta laugh sometimes.

these guys knew that!

 (haha)

one of my favorite blogs is Brayton Homestead Interiors.

Karen is the amazing decorator who had the idea for our

BARN CHICKS PARTIES.

 that was when i REALLY fell in love with old barns!

anyway, she has a new website so i'm spreading the word for the 

sweet and very talented Karen.

you can click on either link to pay her a visit:)

yes girls, we have the barn chicks to blame for me DESPERATELY

wanting one of you to get married in a barn.

don't hate me......it'll be SPECTACULAR!

a few favorite images from PINTEREST...

a pretty hydrangea wreath on a chippy frame......love CHIPPY anything!

frozen cookies and cream hot cocoa...

these ADORABLE silhouette tags.

 you will not BELIEVE how many free printables you'll find on this site...

everything etsy.

it's no secret what i think about facebook...even if i end up back there for

reasons out of my control...i still think THIS...

 hahahahahahaha...come on!  

you KNOW it's true!!!:)

somebody pinned this quote and i was so HAPPY to see it...

 yes virginia...there ARE still a few nice girls in the world.

my last favorite is of a beautiful photo that i "picnik'd"

with one of my favorite quotes.

 hope you like it too!

XOXOXOXO
Suzanne

wishing...

it's just me again.....

wishing.

dreaming.

possibly whining, too:)

this is Wednesday, isn't it?

so it must be "WHITE WEDNESDAY"

in blogland.

usually that means some pretty shots of

white, vintage, rustic, CHARMING decor.....or something like that.

but not today.

today, i am WISHING for snow.

you got it......

SNOW!

 after living in south florida for 16 years,

i've come to realize that september is the HOTTEST month....

even worse than july and august...

and let me tell you, those months BURN YOU UP!

maybe it's beause we are thinking of all things FALL too.....

but it still feels like summer and it seems it might just last forever!

(i did say a bit of whining might be going on here:)

i've been THINKING,

with the weather patterns changing the way they are, 

couldn't we be BLESSED with just one, old fashioned

SNOW STORM?

 just once?

(definitely snowed in!)

in the meantime,

i'll gaze at these pictures and dream on:)

i want to make one of THESE......

and drive one of THESE.......

 so what are YOU wishing for today?

besides wishing I would shut up and stop whining

about the blue skies, white sandy beach and glistening Gulf of Mexico

that i am forced to live with every day?

 (heeheehee)

maybe you're wishing for a YUMMY recipe....

one like SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS.

 oh my goodness...

just think how good these would be on a SNOWY morning.

in front of a fireplace, with a steaming mug of cocoa.

 let me know if you make these.

and also what YOU are WISHING for these days.

 

well.....guess i'll go for a walk on the beach this morning

before i start digging out my pumpkins.

my WHITE pumpkins:)

getting ready for FALL...and wishing for a SNOW DAY:)

happy WHITE wednesday!

 

and just because i like you......

here's the recipe for: 

 

Snickerdoodle Muffins
2 sticks unsalted butter       1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla       2 eggs
¾ tsp baking soda      ¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp cream of tarter       ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 and ¼ cup sour cream             2 and ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar and 2 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for rolling
1.Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.
2.In a separate, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and cream of tarter.
3.Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture in the additions. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out  muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar.. Place muffin into a greased muffin tin.. Depending on the size of your tins, you should get about 12 to 14 muffins. Bake them for approx. 20-22 minutes in a 350F oven or until they are golden brown.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Suzanne