Good Morning Sunshine!

i'm so happy i chose HAPPY as my 2012 word again.

it's just a good way to start the day.

it seems i rarely listen to news in the morning anymore.

today, i have country music videos on...

just heard a song with the lyrics:

"it's A-OK,

save your troubles for another day.

put a big old smile back on your face

looks to me like it's gonna be OK"

a few things making me happy this morning...

the sun is shining.

i woke to maui, my goldendoodle sharing my pillow:)

i'm sipping the most AMAZING coconut latte.

a clean house...finally:)

spaghetti for dinner tonight.  

started reading a great book...Grace for the Good Girl.

so far, it's a wonderful book...and i know i'll talk more about it soon.

thank you to my friends who emailed and commented on my 

Whitney Houston post.

You wrote me such wonderful notes and letters...

i'm working on answering each one as thoughtfully as you wrote me.

i didn't know the reaction i would get...

but knowing i am not alone in my thinking is so encouraging in this

 mixed up world.

now for a few odds and ends...

because i'm really good at odds and ends;)

need something YUMMY and EASY for dinner?

well, look no further!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN POT PIE

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces       3/4 cup sliced celery
• 1 white onion, diced finely (about 1 cup)       2 (14.5 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed       1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper    1 (16.3 ounce) can Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits
• 1 (12 ounce) bag Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers

Directions

1. 1Spray a 4-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the cubed chicken to the slow cooker and top with the celery and onion.
2. 2Sprinkle vegetables with celery seed, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Pour the cream of chicken soup over the vegetables and cook on low for 4 hours.
3. 3After 4 hours or when chicken is done, stir in the frozen vegetables and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables are heated through.
4. 4While vegetables are cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake biscuits for 13-15 minutes.
5. 5To serve, spoon some chicken filling on a plate or bowl and top with a biscuit that has been split in half.

my husband is going away for a few...

and if i had my way, i would make my kitchen look 

JUST LIKE THIS!

soooooo stunning!

as that cutie Tim Tebow says...

HOLY SWEET CHEESE AND CRACKERS!!! Those of you who take delight in decorating kitchens or homes may be interested in learning about design degrees.

to make sure YOU are smiling today...

oh my gosh, sometimes i actually think this...

 awww...this is just too dang cute...

 ahem...and guess what?

i actually think this way too...

(good ol' Maxine...always telling it like it is:)

 and i am POSITIVE my girls think like THIS...

hahahahaha.

now, have yourself a lovely day.

need help?

and if i recently posted this,
i'm sorry.
but think about it.

maybe there's one person who needs to see it today:)

CIAO...

Suzanne

all about STUFF...

wow...that would almost be a good name for a blog like mine...

since i seem to just ramble and it's not about anything

special.

it's just about STUFF.

well, not this time.

i DID change the name

(same web address...can't change that. DARN:)

so while the blog address is still shabby chicks,

the NAME is

land of sugarplum fairies, southern girls and sandy toes...

courtesy of my sis Deb.

she wrote me over the Holidays and ended her email with

"i hope things are good in the land of 

sugarplum fairies, southern girls and sandy toes".

NO WAY!!!!!

the proverbial lightbulb EXPLODED in my head:)

i was amazed at how that covered the fun stuff we love...

ballet, southern/country life, the BEACH...

all of it.

except our love of junky stuff...but i still have "shabby chicks" to cover that:)

COOL, huh?

thanks Deb!!!!

so, to launch my newly-named blog, which "they" say you should never do

(change the name of your blog.)

  who cares...life is short...make it fun, i say:)

anyway, to celebrate...i'm having a week full of 

STUFF i LOVE.

i know, i know...what DO i know.

hey...i ask myself that every day:)

but maybe someone out there will like SOMETHING i mention.

at least i know my mom will! (thanks mom)

first up for Monday...

STUFF i LOVE 

BEAUTY products.

i might even show a before and after photo.

might.

maybe.

but probably not.

STILL...you never know:)

before i go, here's something i REALLY love.

 inspirational messages.

sometimes they're deep...and sometimes they're a short, simple reminder.

like this...

have a beautiful day!

Suzanne

Cowgirls, Country and Caramel Corn...

so it's FRIDAY...

and we need to have some fun around here!

TRUST ME when i say...we need fun and happy this weekend.

but before i get started, thank you for the care and concern

and many prayers for my dad...

who is still fighting it out in the hospital.

3 weeks now and counting.

he has a long road and we are confident he will make it...

but keep praying, please!

one other thing...

i recently found out i had comments that i was not aware of.

they are not coming to my email for some reason

so i have to work that out.

i know i'm not always the best at this but i truly 

didn't mean to ignore everyone!!!

and i put on comment moderation hoping that helps.

okay...on to some fun stuff.

COWGIRL...

 growing up, i always went through "phases".

thankfully, i STILL go through them...

and now my girls do too.

makes life interesting, you know!

this summer was our COWGIRL/COUNTRY/CARAMEL CORN phase.

let me explain...

we've always had a fascination with the 

cowgirl/west/country girl thing.

but this summer, we REALLY got into it...

and we're having so much fun!

did you know there's a whole culture out there for this?

everything from mild to down home rodeo stuff.

the Picker Sisters have a cowgirl/antique feel to their show.

two of my current favorite online stores

are Junk Gypsy

 (where else can you get a funky shower cap and a crown shower curtain:)

 and i wanted these mugs so bad but they sold out.

 ...hopefully they'll be back

and Island Cowgirl...

  their jewelry pretty much makes up our wish list these days!

we have hats but are really wanting some cool BOOTS.

i think our next summer vacation will be to a dude ranch (cool, huh?)

and on my 50 things before i'm 50 list i'm making,

it includes a visit to the Roundtop Texas Marburger Farms antique fair

 ...and a stay at Rachel Ashwell's Prarie B&B and

horseback riding on the beach.

 three of our favorite shows recently are/have been

Sweet Home Alabama

Hart of Dixie

and Donna Decorates Dallas.

and of course, don't forget Cowgirl Cookies...

 check out Bakerella for the recipe:)

yep, we're having fun with this lil ol "phase" of ours.

Pssst...i don't think it's just a phase but we'll see.

now on to COUNTRY...

i wish i could get back the days my dad drove me to piano lessons

in his brown pick-up truck, playing country music.

 (okay...not his truck but it's pretty, huh?)

anyway, i made SUCH a big deal of it...

how uncool it was...

but NO MORE!!!

we've always liked the occasional country song...

but now we are full-fledged country fans.

shoot...a few of our favorite songs are 

Big Green Tractor and

Hillbilly Bones!

 hahahaha...don't knock it till you've tried it:)

AND the music playing on my blog...

(scroll down to turn off if you don't like it, okay...although
it's playing God Gave Me You...great song:))

but i'll tell you how this really got going.

i got TOTALLY fed up with "pop" (stupid name for it) music today.

i mean, the stuff they "sing" about...if you call it that...is gross and indecent half the time.

and the language...half the song gets bleeped out.

and i don't mind saying i listened to the songs that were

"popular" before my girls to check them out...
UGGGHH!!!

it breaks my heart to be out and hear little girls repeating lyrics innocently to

Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and pretty much

all rap.  and this isn't the whole list.

anyway, we went off the radio cold-turkey...

and fell in love with the music of Nashville!

i know...not always perfect.

but it most often is catchy and tells a story...that makes some sort of sense.

like "Just Fishin"...about enjoying those special times with your kids.

in case you're wondering, my girls don't feel forced into this...

they LOVE it.
we had a BLAST at the Rascall Flatts concert

it's so nice to not have to switch the channel all the time

because a song is "inappropriate".

Here are some of our favorites...

 yep...we're COUNTRY!!!

(and yes, even my husband is walking around singing 

Hillbilly Bones and Crazy Town:)

CARAMEL CORN...

well, this is the reason half my clothes don't fit, i swear!

we managed to find a reason to celebrate with homemade

caramel corn all summer.

oh my gosh...we pass around that bowl

 and practically lick it when we're done...

it's that good!

but our version is a quickie, 2 step recipe...

so if anyone out there has a real, true recipe that doesn't have to be eaten immediately,

i'd love to get it. 

not for us but to give away...of course:)

I see some online but just want to know it's good before making it.

we tried some that was...ummm... downright yucky! 

we can't have peanuts in it due to an allergy,

but anything else goes.

okay...that's where i'm at these days.

trying to enjoy little things, have fun...

and work off this caramel corn:)

Happy Friday!!!
Suzanne