Low Carb Butter Beer

I am a Harry Potter fan. I have been for a long time. I am a member of the house of Ravenclaw.

I even wore my House Colors to the last Harry Potter Movie last year.

So when I saw the recipe for Butter Beer I had to try it but of course, I had to make it low carb

I found the recipe here and made changes to create the low carb version

Low Carb Butter Beer Latte

2 Tablespoon Butter

1 Teaspoon Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1/2 Mug Unsweented Almond Milk (I used Vanilla flavored)

1/4 mug heavy Cream

1/4 mug water

Dash of Cinnamon

Melt the butter and brown sugar blend in a saucepan to make Caramel.

Add milk, cream water and cinnamon to pan and stir to combine

Bring mixture to a boil and pour into a mug, top with whipped cream.

If you do not use Vanilla flavored milk then add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the saucepan.

On a cold rainy morning it was warm and wonderful. Do you have a movie recipe that you really like?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Summer Time and the Hodgepodge is Easy

I love Summer Time, Don't You? The weather is warm and the hodgepodge is fun.  Won't you join in?

1. What do the words 'freedom' and 'liberty' mean to you? Does your mind go more in the direction of not being persecuted or discriminated against or does it head in the direction of doing what you please?

WOW! Right off the bat I have to think?  Well, I don't think about doing whatever I please but more that I am not persecuted for thinking or doing whatever I do.  I can go to church and worship God without going to jail for it as so may Christians do in other parts of the world. I am grateful for that. It cost a lot of lives so that I can go worship. My thanks to them all.

2. Nathan's sponsors a hot dog eating contest every 4th of July. Last year over 40,000 people attended the event and almost 2 million watched it on TV. The winner ate over 60 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. How do you like your hot dogs?

I like all Beef Hot dogs and with green relish, spicy mustard and onions.  Since I eat low carb if there is a low carb hot dog roll I will have that, if not then no roll at all is fine!

3. If you were going to enter an eating contest what would be on the menu?

That is a hard one since I really am a small eater. I tend to eat every few hours all day long and not a large meal twice or three times a day.  So sitting down and just going at it I would get full fast so I guess it would have to be something small like walnuts or bonbons.

4. Do you run your house more as a dictatorship or a democracy?

Democracy is my answer.  Since there are only two of us here, it's pretty easy to talk over whatever needs to be done. Hubby is great at pitching in and helping get stuff done and he is not afraid of the vacuum cleaner!

5. Where was your favorite summer place when you were a kid?

Nut's Pond.  It was named after local circus performer, “Commodore Nutt”.  It was a small swimming pond where we all went.  There was a roped off beech and a life guard. I remember the changing house, boys on one side; girls on the other and a life guard sat in the middle!  At the end of the of the building was a small stand where you could get ice cream, chips, tonic and candy. The beach and building are all but gone. There is a boat dock so you can still go and enjoy the water but no more life guards and changing house. No more snack stand.  It just doesn't look the same anymore.

6. Do you have a guest room? Would you want to stay there?

No, we don't have a separate guest room. We have a futon that opens in our family room.  Our family room is downstairs by the pellet stove.  The futon is comfortable and those people who have stayed there all said it was comfortable and when we loose power and have to run the generator, we sleep down there (the pellet stove runs off the generator) and it is very comfortable.

7. Next Wednesday America celebrates her independence. Do you have any special plans for the 4th of July? If you live outside the USA when and how does your country celebrate its own patriotic holiday?

In the past, we have gone  up on the hill and far away from the center of town, where we can see the fireworks. We like that we are far from the center and so there are less people. Plus all the other people up there have their pets with them so it's easier on the pets ears!  I hope we do that again this year.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Last night Hubby and I watched "A Dolphin Tale" on HBO.  Have you seen it yet? We really liked it very much and it was inspired by a true event!  

S.W,M.B.O. YUP that's me!

S.W.M.B.O.

I don't remember when it all started but at some point I became S.W.M.B.O.

Maybe it was when our son, one day told me he would get to cleaning his room "sometime".

Or maybe it was a time when our daughter decided she would climb a tree in her pretty Easter dress and didn't want to come down.

Whenever it was, Hubby got up and defended  me as he always did and declared that they had to follow S.W.M.B.O. Because I was a gift from God.

Can you image how I felt. Our children were giving me grief about something, I was working lots of hours, going to college, running a house and feeling like I was failing at everything and my Hubby called me a gift from God! I sure didn't feel like a gift, hair in my face, laundry not done, dust everywhere, and leftovers for dinner.......AGAIN.

How would you feel if at your lowest, you were declared a gift. Not just any gift, a gift from God! I have something important to do here,  I have to live up to this gift thing!

WOW I sure did feel good and from then on I was SWMBO (pronounced "swim-bow")  When the kids asked their dad if they could go someplace, he would ask "Did you ask SWMBO?"  When asked if he could join other men to do something, his response was "Well, let me see if SWMBO has plans and I'll get back to you."

I like having a pet name. I like having a name that came from Hubby and I like being SWIMBO
(She Who Must Be Obeyed)

So what is your pet name and how did you get it and, more importantly, do you like it?

Wednesday Hodgepodge:

 

Thank you Joyce, you all know what to do by now right?

1. Summer officially rolls in with the Hodgepodge this week, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere anyway. What song says summer 2012 to you?


Anything by the Beach Boys - they just scream SUMMER
Oh and "Whipe Out" Who needs a lot of words, the music alone makes me feel warm all over.



2. What's your favorite quintessential summer food?
Favorite food? As in 1?  You must be kidding Joyce!  Watermelion, ice cream, anything grilled and eaten outside, ice tea, ice coffee, fried dough (at the beach), strawberries, rasberries and list goes on and on. I love it all.

3. I've spent a lot of time traipsing up and down the NJ Turnpike in recent weeks. Did you know the rest areas on the turnpike are named after people who lived or worked in NJ? Clara Barton, Walt Whitman, James Fenimore Cooper, Molly Pitcher, Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Edison, and Gover Clevland just to name a few. Of those I listed, who would you most like to have known and why?
Well since I don't like the dark it would have to be Thomas Edison.

4. At what age did you move out of your parent's house and what prompted the move?
I was 18 years old when I moved out. I got married 3 weeks after graduating high school and married my best friend.  Come July 1st, 2012 it will be 40 years and he is still my best friend and I would do it all again.

5. What's more satisfying to you-saving time or saving money?
BOTH!  Have you heard that I'm scottish! 

6. Name something you think brings out the good in people.
Hardship. It seems when people hear about someone in trouble, entire communities come together to help them out. I've heard about people who let it known that they were sick and entire communities come together to hold fund raising events or blood drives or whatever that person  needs.  We do it with our own families. One person looses his job and other family members show up to help out.

7. This last question comes to you courtesy of Kathy over at Reflections...will you be taking a vacation or a staycation this summer? If so where will you go? If a staycation is on the calendar have you made any special plans to fill the time?
We are taking a staycation this summer and will do day trips but we do not have definite plans. Now that Hubby is retired, we sort of have a "Whatever" attitude.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
As summer officially starts, the weather is suppose to be 98 today!!!! YUP I'm loving that but hubby is not so happy. He will have the AC on in the house and I will outside every chance I get to soak up all the heat.  We start to cool down tomorrow.

Now it's your turn to answer the questions.

A Day (or two) in Our Town

I thought it would be fun to spend a few days looking at our town and you can tell me about your town.

Hubby and I live in Goffstown, NH. The Census back in 2010 reported a population of 17,651.   Goffstown also includes 2 villages, Grasmere and Pinardville which are included in that total number.  Although the town is small it does include Saint Anselm College (and its New Hampshire Institute of Politics) and the New Hampshire State Prison for Women.
It was named after Colonel John Goffe in 1761. Before that the community had other names: Narragansett No. 4(1734), Shovestown, and Piscataquog Village before it became Goffstown. The entire town is 37.5 square miles large! Not very big at all.

According to Wikipedia, Goffstown (that little yellow square) is located in the eastern part of Hillsborough County, directly to the west of Manchester, the state's largest city. Concord, the state capital, lies 16 miles (26 km) to the north. The town center is on the Piscataquog River near the western boundary of the town, around the intersection of New Hampshire Routes 13 and 114. The village of Grasmere is located in the eastern part of town, and the neighborhood of Pinardville is located in the southeast corner of the town, essentially forming a continuous development with the adjoining city of Manchester. Like I say it’s the upper right hand corner of the USA.

We have 1 kindergarten, two first through fourth grade elementary schools, 1 Middle School that serves Goffstown students in fifth through eighth grade and it also serves 2 smaller nearby towns for grades seven and eight. 1 High School for not only Goffstown but the same 2 small towns as well. There is also 1 Catholic independent school that serves pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Yes, we have a police department and a fire department and even streets lights, but more on them some other day.

So what do you know about your town/city?  

Just About Anyone Can Be A Father, Right?

After all, it only takes sperm and once the deed is done then, it's done right?
Well maybe, but it takes a lot more to be a DAD

Dads, hold your hand and make you smile while you are giving birth to their children.
Dads, call all the far away relatives and tell them the good news and even defend the baby from comments like:"WOW he big (as in fat)!" with "Not at all, he's perfect!"
Dads, clean the house so when you and the baby come home,it's ready for you.
Dads, help change diapers and not just the wet one either!!!
Dads, take pictures - boring everyone at work them.
Dads, talk about every thing the baby does "Little baby rolled over today, you should have seen him!"
Dads, take the 2 am feeding or diaper change.
Dads, sit up with sick toddler and read "Good Night Moon" for the 100th time.
Dads, take you to the doctor while Mom is home sick or taking care of the other child.
Dads, put lotion on Chicken pocks on girls with his eyes closed so he will see the "girly parts".
Dads, sleep in uncomfortable chairs while son is sleeping in a hospital bed because he broke his arm in 2 places and needed to spend the night.
Dads, break out is smiles as the his little girl climes a 15 foot tree, in a dress and says "That's My Girl"
Dads, join TaeKwonDo classes with his son so they can do it together. And stick with it!! Both becoming Black Belts.
Dads, take there family to church and teach them about the love of God.
Dads, sit up night while the kids are out on dates waiting for them to come home safe and sound.
Dads, make the boys comes in to meet him before being allowed to take HIS daughter out for the evening.
Dads, cancel dates with boys who drive up and honk the horn for HIS daughter to come out. (Dad went out, Daughter didn't).
Dads, have the "bird and the bees" talk without  blushing.
Dads, cry when his son goes off to college
Dads, cry when his daughter moves out of the house to live on her own.
Dads, go to the restaurant where daughter works and leaves a huge tip because she is his little girl.
Dads, show up in a snow storm at the restaurant and follows daughter home, in case her car breaks down or she gets into an accident.

Dads, teach his children what it means to love one woman (their mother) with all his heart.

Dads, teach his children what those wedding vows mean.

Dads, get asked to be best man at sons wedding and does so with grace and pride.

Dads, beam with pride when he holds his grand children for the first time, and every time after that wondering what he did to deserve such joy as grand children.

Dads, push a pink stroller around (carring the "blankey") for HIS granddaughter while the said granddaughter is running around playing.

Dads, do all this and more, but then this post would be WAY TO LONG TO READ.

YUP, Being a father is easy, Being a DAD takes a lifetime.

So Happy DAD's day to my husband who has proven just what it takes to be a DAD.

I love you so much Honey.

Treat you DAD special this weekend, they deserve it!

The Last Spring Hodgepodge

Thank you Joyce for another set of wonderful questions. Come on, by now you know how to play right?

1. In what way are you your own worst enemy?
Yes, in some ways I am.  I worry about things I have no control over.  I get myself all set to hear bad news about something only to find out that it is not bad news after all. I try to tell myself to SHUT UP but apparently, I am not listening.

2. Jacques Cousteau's birthday was Monday, June 11th...ever been scuba diving? Is that something you'd like to try? What's your favorite 'under the sea' creature?
I have never been scuba diving. It is one thing I would like to do but I'm not sure that I could carry the weight of the air tank on my back.  I'm not very strong back there. The other thing would be that I would like to go scuba diving in Bahamas!    My favorite creature would be the Sea Horse. Did you know that the male has the babies?????? Oh Yeah I'm all up for that.  Plus they come in such beautiful colors, don't you agree?

Photos from Google

3. On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you in and around the water? (1=not at all, 10=very) Do you know how to swim and if so how and when did you learn?
10 ---I learned how to swim at a very young age and went swimming all summer long for many years.  We had a small public pool a few miles from the house and my girl friend Susan and I would walk down to it and spend the day.  It was great fun.  I love calm water so I don't swim in the ocean - besides the water is way too cold for me!! Now the public pools are pretty nasty so I would not go in them but  back oh-so-many-years-ago they were clean. I even took my lifeguard test. I didn't pass because one of the tests involved putting on shorts, button shirt, socks and sneakers over the swimsuit, diving in and while staying under water getting all of that off before coming up with all the clothes in tow.  I could not stay down there long enough. Not becuase I ran out of air, but because I float!! I mean I would come up feet first sometimes because I simply could not stay down there.  Guess I am really full of Hot Air!

4. What's something you do to motivate yourself to tick an item off your to-do list?
Simple, I put it on the list.  I love to cross off things as they are completed. I even have an app for it so I can cross it off the list on my iPhone.  I get great satafaction at looking at a list of crossed off items!

5. What makes a good neighbor? Are you a good neighbor?
I think a good neighbor is quiet after dark so everyone else can sleep and minds their own business most of the time. Even offering a place to stay when the neighbor locks themselves out of the house.  Helps out when they can with snow plowing or house watching while the neighbors are gone. I think we are good neighbors.

6. Who loads the dishwasher at your house? Is there a right way and a wrong way?
Both Hubby and I load it and I really don't care how its loaded as long as it is started before it gets too full.  I like to run the dishwasher in the middle of the night so I set it because Hubby has yet to figure out that function. 

7. You know it's summer when I take off my sweater.
As many of you know I have Reynolds Disease which means I cannot maintain my body temperature. My normal body temp is 97.2 degrees.  Even that is hard to maintain as it can can go down to 96 degrees so I wear sweaters a lot, all year. Hubby has gotten into the habit of bringing a sweatshirt or jacket for me to use as a blanket over my legs because he is bigger than me.  So come summer, when I can, I take off the sweater, drop Hubby's jacket over my legs and enjoy the heat of summer.  Bring on the 85 degrees, and I'm fine with 102 as well.
We still have a comforter on the bed. The ceiling fan is on for the dogs, the window is open for them and I am under the comforter.  Curled up. Cold!  I still have one pair of winter pj's that I have worn on a few colder nights.  With socks!
When it get warmer, the AC will go on and I will put on the winter pj's again.


8. Insert your own random thought here.
This is the last spring time Hodgepodge. Next week we will be in Summer.  I love summer, the heat, the sun shining in the window at 5am, having Moxie floats after dinner. Grilling outside most of the time.  Ever had a grilled salad? It's delish!!!  Bring on the summer!!!

Believing the Lie

Our Sunday Night Small Group has been studying the book of coffee makers - He-brews.  That is just a joke among the small group since as soon as we get together, the coffee is flowing.
Anyhow, we were in Hebrews Chapter 11 this past Sunday night we only got the first 4 verses done!

Something hit us all!
Like it was NEVER in the bible before.

It must have just been put in there we thought.

By faith Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice to God than Cain did, for which he was commended as righteous. God commended him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. (Hebrews 11: 4.)

Adam and Eve had a face to face relationship with God. They only had to obey one rule "Leave the Tree Alone".

Genesis 2:16 "And the LORD God commanded them saying,You may surely eat from every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die." (ESV) They didn't have the faith to carry that through. They didn't believe God had their best interest in mind.

Cain and Able had a relationship with God because they knew what sacrifices were acceptable. Able  offered the acceptable sacrifice and Cain did not.

Photo by Google

How often do I think "If only I could have a face to face discussion with God, then I would have more faith." It will not happen!! It didn't work for Adam and Eve, and it didn't work for Cain and Abel. It is just not true!! I can have a strong relationship with God without the benefit of ever touching him or seeing him face to face. I can, because I choose to!

Lucifer, a premier angel, had a face to face relationship with God but he didn't have the faith to know that God was in control. He became proud, tried to usurp God and was tossed out of heaven and thrown down to the earth, and many like minded angels were thrown down with him. Rev 12: 9 (ESV)

I used to believe this lie. Why did I believe this lie?  Because Satan is the father of lies.  John 8:44 records Jesus speaking about the devil "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth. because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and THE FATHER OF LIES.  (ESV).

What I must remember is Ephesians 6:12 which tells us "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (ESV)

What lies are you believing?

My Reading List

Our Lilac tree finally bloomed - it must have been all the rain we got!

 As many on you know I was reading a Christian Mystery Series by Debbie Viguie.

Of course, because I was unaware that the 3 books were a series, I read them in the wrong order.

It turned out OK. They can stand alone. The main characters are the same and you don't need book 1 to understand book 2 and so on.

Book 1 takes place during Easter Week

Book 2 takes place during Thanksgiving 

Book 3 takes place during St. Patrick's week

Now if I had looked at the 3 titles, I would have figured out that they belong together, but I'm not very good at putting clues together so I didn't get it.  Together they make a great series. I would recommend them to you for quick reads with lots of turns and twist.

So now my Nook reader on my iPad is in need of some more so that when the sun finally does come out, I can enjoy another good read.  Do you have a series that you would recommend? I'm looking forward to some reading this summer on the deck.

In the sun!

In the heat!

With some of hubbies ice coffee next to me!

Have a good weekend everyone

Keeping me Honest

Yesterday on the Hodgepodge I told you all that there were 650 students in our graduating class. I was wrong. I didn't know I was wrong, but I was-has that ever happened to you?

Hubby and I have a friend who now lives in Anchorage, Alaska and I have mentioned Debbie in the past. She is such a sweet soul and send me a private Facebook message to let me know that we didn't have 650, we only had 501. She remembered that number because she was part of the National Honor Society and only 10% of the schools population can make the National Honor Society.
She didn't want to hurt my feelings by posting on the blog but sent me a very sweet personal message.  She also didn't want to come across bragging, which she didn't. What a sweetheart she is! She always was a tender soul - looking out for, and after others.

So I publicly want to thank Debbie for keeping me honest.  I never knew we were that small.  I wonder where I came up with that number now?????

BTW Debbie is enjoying a little over 19 hours of daylight each day. Not sure I could handle that.  I mean going to bed and waking up in daylight!!

Have a great day all.

Thank you Joyce for this weeks questions, click on the button above or answer here. The important thing is to join in and have fun.

1. How many students were in your high school graduating class? Did you know most, if not all of them?

Our graduating class had about 650 students. Several small towns fed into the high school where I went. No, I didn't know most of them. The one person that I did know very well, I married 3 weeks after we graduated.

Our Senior Prom 1972

2. What was the last thing you photographed?

A card that I made for a friend. We celebrated his birthday at Sunday small group.

3. Pickles-love 'em or loathe 'em? If its love what's something you eat that needs a pickle?

I love pickles, sweet bread and butter pickles.   I love subs and hamburgers with lots of pickles on them.

4. What's a stereotype you seem to perpetuate without meaning to?

Joyce always seems to ask a hard question.  I had to ask Hubby and after agreeing not to hit him, he told me that I am directionally challenged.  It's true, I can get lost in anyplace.  I drive until I run out of gas or hit an ocean, which ever comes first.  And considering how far the ocean is from our home, that's a long way.

5. Ever been horse back riding? If so is it something you enjoy? If not, do you have any interest? Did you watch the Kentucky Derby? Will you be watching the last leg of the Triple Crown this weekend?

The last time I was on a horse was about 7 years ago.  We went to Yosemite National Park and my son and I went for a ride on horseback.  It was part of a guided tour and it was very fun.  I did not watch the Kentucky Derby and will not be watching the last leg this weekend.  Not really an interest of mine.

6. What's your favorite 'wedding' movie?
I really had to google "Wedding Movies" since there are so many out there.  I did like this one.  It was cute.

Photo by Google

7. What is one 'tourist attraction' in the USA that you'd like to see in person?

Old Faithful.

Image from Google

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I have two thoughts this week
1. Looks like we are getting more rain this week. I'm really tired of rain! And what is rain with sun??  At least the temps start to come up!  Hopefully by the weekend, it will be sunny and warm.
2. Summer is officially 14 day away!! I'm so excited about that!

OK, now it's your turn. 

Weekend review: Rained Out!

After working all week I really looked forward to the weekend where I can sit outside in the sunshine and feel it's heat on my skin. I also looked forward to grilling, playing in the yard or at least take the dogs for a walk! Instead this past weekend was pretty much a wash out! 

As in it rained.

A lot.

A whole lot.

Saturday it poured! And boy do I mean poured! We had flood watches in most parts of the state! We watched the rain come down and didn't do much besides watch movies and took naps. It was nice to be able to watch movies and take naps but at one point, it did feel like a waisted day. I told myself, that God was giving me time to rest up because at some point, I will need the strength! I have the feeling that tough times are coming our way and I need to be rested for it. So I rested up by not even getting dressed. I had a pj day! Ever have a pj day?

Sunday it didn't rain as much but it was still gray and very cool.  After a great worship service we enjoyed a lunch of Italian chicken and squash. Even the dogs enjoyed chicken and squash. They like Sunday lunch! Then I made a birthday card for a friend of ours who is celebrating his birthday this week. His party was celebrated at our small group because we like to party when we get together to study God's word.

Not having any grand girls this weekend seemed strange and I missed them very much. I'm glad that they got to be home with their parents this weekend! 

Looking back on the weekend it was pretty boring but I want to be real here. Some weekends are just boring!

The work week has now begun and it looks like we will be getting rain all week. What fun! Maybe we'll build an ark.

How was your weekend?