Happy Birthday To My Wonderful Husband

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday. It has been a great last 7 years together celebrating his birthday. God really has blessed me with a special man. We celebrated his birthday one day early, because he is working and going out of town tomorrow. I wish he could stay home.

 

 

We had a nice birthday dinner. Nothing fancy. I cooked his favorite dinner. Steak, twice baked potato and sauté spinach with garlic. For dessert, I made a strawberry cake. He loves strawberries. I tried this strawberry cake that I made from my own recipe. And he loves it. Yay...!!

 

 

We don't really give each other gifts on birthdays. Usually,  we do something special for both of us that the birthday person likes. This time we are going to see the Gaither Vocal Band . My husband had 2 choices... either the Gaither or a Football game. Sure enough he chose Gaither.

 

I'm so grateful to have you in my life. Thank you God for bringing him into my life. Happy Birthday babe !! I love you more and more everyday.

 

PS : You are the most handsome 38 year old man I ever met :) Despite your white hair

Isaiah 46:4

 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

 

Skyline Drive in the Autumn

Are you a spontaneous person ? My husband and I are. This Saturday we didn't have any plan for the weekend. This how it started. Woke up in the morning with the sun was bright and clear. Beautiful gorgeous day ! Still didn't have any plan. We had a little devotion. I made peanut butter pancake for breakfast for a change. And my husband didn't like it. Now I know :) Watched TLC Four Houses show. Took shower. The only plan I had was go to Post Office before noon to send out stuff from my EBay store.

After done with Post Office stuff. And back in the car at parking lot with this conversation:

My husband : " Now...where we going....?

Me: " I don't know..? Mm mm...How about we go to Skyline Drive...?

My husband: What....?? That is 2 and 1/2 drive..!!! I guess we can do that..! 

Me: How about we go the house and packed a couple of things such a drink, food, and stuff ( my frugal nature came :)

We did packed drinks, left over pull pork sandwich, apples. We had nice last minute picnic inside the basket. And off we go !!!

 

 

We have been wanting to drive through Skyline park. Last time we didn't want to do it because we I didn't want to pay $15 just to drive on it. But this time I was glad we did it. The view was amazing. To see the leaves changing colors and the valleys from the mountain top. Such an amazing experience to see God's creations.

I will share with you the pictures that I captured with my camera. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. We were thinking to have camping there sometime next year. For sure not this time of the year. Last Saturday it was freezing up there about 35- 40 degrees at 4 pm with bright Sun. Can you imagine how cold it is at night ??. But some people still do camping there. As a matter of fact the camp site almost fully booked. Other than cold weather we had a great time. We love our spontaneous life :)

Weekend Blessing

Psalm 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

This Apple Cake..!! Yum !!

Good Morning Everyone ! Friday is here...Yay...!
Since it is weekend. I will share something sweet today.

This cake is really yummy. Make my house smell delicious too. This recipe is one of the recipes that I searched on internet what to do with apples. I found it through this blogger which is she adapted from this blogger. This is the first time I tried this and I love it.

I used Granny Smith Apples and sliced them with knife instead mandolin because I don't have one but it works fine.

Before going to the Oven

Here is the recipe from the blog ( thanks for this great recipe :)

Salted Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

For the sauce and topping

• 2 cups very thinly sliced apples (3-4 apples)
• ½ cup salted butter
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake

• ½ cup salted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Sea salt for topping

Instructions

1. Generously grease a round 9-inch cake pan. Slice the apples with a mandolin to get them super thin, like paper. Or if that’s not possible, as close to paper as possible.
2. Sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla. Keep over medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes until smooth and thickened slightly. Pour the caramel into the greased cake pan and top with the apple slices. Sally does this the other way around but I loved how it turned out with the caramel on the outside.
3. Cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat the remaining butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and milk and beat until incorporated. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Pour the cake on top of the caramel and apple layer in the cake pan.
4. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes (Sally says 10 minutes is just right, and mine came out of the pan perfectly at 10). Invert onto a plate and tap the top until the cake comes out onto the plate. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with vanilla ice cream.

 

 

Hmmm....the smells were so inviting to eat them right away !! Fresh from the oven.

 

 

Served it with ice cream. Totally the winner for nice evening dessert with the person you love !!!

 

Hope you have a sweet weekend !! Just like this piece of cake :)

Links
thepinjunkie
astrollthrulife
shabbynest

5 Desserts Using Apple

Fall is more real to me lately with the tree changing colors wherever you go. When I go to the store I see lots of  pumpkins, mums and the smells of good baking pies.

Since we got lots of Apples from the Orchard. I was searching on the internet for different kinds of recipes with Apple. I was amazed what you can do with Apple. And I can't put all of them here. So I picked 5 dessert recipes that interest me and will try one of them this week.

This Apple Crisp by Ina Garten looks very yum. I love her style of cooking. It shows 5 star with 354 reviews . That it self will tell how good is this recipe.



Source

Salted Caramel Apple looks very delicious and sweet. Since my husband love sweet. He might love this one. I have never try or eat this kind of apple cake so I probably will try this one.

Source

Muffins ! Hmmm....yum in the morning for breakfast. This Apple Strudel Muffins looks very simple and easy. Most of the time I have all the ingredients in my pantry and fridge. 1040 reviews with almost 5 stars from All Recipes site.

Source

I love Apple Turnovers. Every time I go to the bakery if they have it I always get some. This recipes interest me from all the recipes I found through Google about Apple turnovers. It has 4 and 1/2 stars with 345 reviews. Good enough to say is yum !!

Source

Last but not least with Apples. I love Apple Pie with Ice Cream on the side. We bought one slice from the Orchard last weekend. It was so delicious and topping it with butter pecan Ice Cream.

Wow...this recipes got 5463 reviews and 5 stars. Can you imagine how good this Apple Pie must be. I have to give it a try some time this Fall.



Source

Now it is time to try one of them and will share with you how it turned out and how good they are.

Link

livingwellspendingless



Apples Picking And Beyond ( Weekend Recap )

This weekend we went for Apples picking up to the Mountain at this Orchard. The weather wasn't so great. But we still had a great time.
On the way there the rain was start to come. Thank God when we got to the Orchard we just had the dark cloud.

We picked apples for about 10 pounds. So, we will and have to eat or do something with those apples.

I'm thinking to make apples pies.

The main reason for us went to this Orchard was for their famous Apple Cider Donut . We bought a dozen of them. Love them !!

With the forecast wasn't that great we would think less people there. But wrong. We were standing for about half an hour in line for those donuts. And there were 6 lines. Crazy...!! But it was worth it. My husband love their cider too.

Apparently, people not only sitting on the chair or hay anymore :)

 

Sunday after Church we explore Yorktown. The weather was beautiful. We really enjoyed it.

We had lunch at this restaurant by York River. The food and the atmosphere was great. This was the first time we tried this restaurant and might come back again when the weather is nice.

My husband just being silly with George Washington ( I forgot the other one ) statues.

Enjoying the nice crisp Sunday afternoon by the water. Also, I sold 2 of my project this weekend :)

I hope you had a great weekend as well.

Weekend Blessing

Matthew 5:14-16

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven

Why I Love Dumpster ( Shopping Cart ) Diving #4

Happy Friday ! Wow...love this season. The sun just shining bright through my windows. And the smell of fresh air after a week of raining last week. Love it !!!

This trip to the Goodwill Auction, we didn't get much furniture just one ottoman. I will make another post about it.

After the Auction over and people start to throw away things they don't want. I start to look what I can use from those trash treasure.

All those baskets and silk flowers I got from the Dumpster ( Shopping Cart ) diving. Don't you just love it. I could use those basket for gift basket on this coming Christmas.

Storage box not sure where its came probably Target. The healing foods book, really interest me and cant wait to read it. Vases that I already collected a bunch of them and ready to put it on Craigslist to sell them. And all those knick knack that I can use.

Bunch of Christmas boxes and gift bags. They are still in very good condition. Will be very useful to for gifts. And Apples to Apples games. Books for my Operation Christmas Box.

Assorted of frames and easel. The easel is from someone painting project so there is paint all over. But I can just spray paint it and good to go.

Yes, this table came from the diving too. There was two of them and I put back the other one. Because I wasn't sure what it was. And my husband told me it was a folding table. And we went back to checked it out. Of course its gone in less than 5 minutes :)
But one is good too.

This big frame still in very good condition. I can use it to frame something or project.

Just love this picture so I will show you one more time :)

Hope you all have a great weekend ! Enjoy this nice crisp weather before Winter is come with its own beauty as well !!

Links

shabbynest
astrollthrulife
findingsilverpennies
craftberrybush
rainonatinroof

The Easiest Reupholster Ever

I got this foot stool from Goodwill a while back. I got it because the price was just right for my budget. Also, I want to put something by the end of my bed. And this foot stool is perfect fit because we don't have much space.

I didn't want to paint it. The wood still in very good condition. Just wanted to change the fabric. I had this fabric that I bought from local fabric store.

What I did was unscrew the cushion and put the new fabric on top of the old  one and screwed it back. That was about it. How easy is that. Magic, new foot stool at the end of my bed.

Love with the result. This project took me about less than 10 minutes.

Have you done a project this easy??

Link
impartinggrace
livingwellspendingless
missmustardseed
bebetsy