DWTS Cast - Season 13

Where are the Stars???




The cast includes: transgender advocate Chaz Bono; CNN host Nancy Grace; model Elisabetta Canalis; NBA player Ron Artest; former "The Hills" starlet Kristin Cavallari; TV personality Ricki Lake; singer Chynna Phillips; U.S. soccer goalie Hope Solo; actor David Arquette; Kardashian family member Rob Kardashian; celebrity stylist Carson Kressly; and "All My Children" actor and Iraqi war veteran J.R. Martinez.

Bono told People.com, "Doing this show is an opportunity for me to reach a larger more mainstream audience with just a simple message of being transgender is okay and not something to be scared of."

The contestants, whose professional dancer pairings will be announced Wednesday on "Good Morning America," will hit the dance floor September 19 on ABC!

A DOZEN Years!!!

"It was an improbable romance. He was a country boy. She was from the city. She had the world at her feet, while he didn't have two dimes to rub together. But in spite their differences, they had one important thing in common, they were CRAZY about each other." - The Notebook



Today is our twelve/two year anniversary!!

12 years ago this month, I began dating the Man of My Dreams & two years ago today, I FiNALLY married him!

I fell in Love with Big D the moment that I met him and I haven't stopped falling since that day.

I want to be one of "those" couples, the ones that are old and gray, but still look at each other with tenderness and refuse to walk alone without holding the hand of their love. I want this for us. From this day forward...

Big D, I absolutely LOVE that you picked me to go through life with and I love that no matter what happens, you are STILL the Man of My Dreams!

*Tiffany

Wordless Wednesday - Botox

This makes me smile!
(At least I think I'm smiling! Ha!)

School's Out For Summer!

I’m so proud of my Lil Man… He finished his 3rd grade year on top and I couldn’t be anymore proud of him!!

He was Gold Commended on his TAKS tests, which is a VERY big deal. He has come a long way this year and he makes me more proud every single day.

Looking forward to what 4th grade has in store…

Galveston, Oh Galveston!

AND... most importantly, I adore that Lil Man LOVES Galveston just as much as I do!

BKN Girl of the Year!

Guess who was announced Beta Kappa Nu's Girl of the Year!?!

ME!



And what an honor it is! As one of my Sisters stated, "To be voted Girl of the Year, is an honor in itself. It is the woman who gives so much of herself to helping others and expects so little in return."

What can I say?? I absolutely LOVE helping others!

Girl of the Year is annouced annually at the Beta Sigma Phi Founder's Day event. This next year, Beta Sigma Phi will be celebrating 80 years!

I am so blessed to be apart of this amazing organization and so grateful to have the most beautiful Sisters (inside & out)!

Here are a very few photos from Founder's Day... Enjoy!

This year we hosted the event and decided to tie this event with a cause that is near and dear to our hearts.

Breast Cancer Awareness!



Beta Kappa Nu
Love this picture of my Sisters
(minus a few... who were most definitely missed)

Teacher's Gifts GALORE!! (Part 1)

This week is Teacher Appreciation week and I just hit the Jackpot for Teacher's Gifts! This is Part 1 of a 3 Part Teacher's Gifts Galore Update.

I am ALWAYS looking for great Teacher's gifts and think these ideas are absolutely A.DOR.ABLE!

Can I just say how much I WISH I could receive one of these gifts?! I'm not a Teacher, but I am sure that I have taught at least one person something. Does that count? ;-)

The photos above are of just ONE of the gifts featured at the website below. They have a MILLION (slight exaggeration) more with pictures, tutorials, and free downloads.

Hurry! Hurry! Click here to see!

This post is for the "Journal Jar" for Teachers. Super cute AND you can print out all the questions to go in the jar. What a great, creative & thoughtful gift!

Enjoy your day Crafting Away!

*Tiffany

Good Friday Should Really Be Great Friday

(Although I wrote this post last Good Friday, I believe it is a great reminder for every Good Friday, so I've re-posted it at the top of my blog. Wishing everyone a VERY Happy Easter... May you focus on what this Holiday is truly about!)

Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day, Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Many Christians spend this day in fasting, prayer, repentance, and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross.

The biblical account of Jesus' death on the cross, or crucifixion, his burial and his resurrection, or rising from the dead, can be found in the following passages of Scripture: Matthew 27:27-28:8; Mark 15:16-16:19; Luke 23:26-24:35; and John 19:16-20:30.


Photo I took of the Sagemont Church Cross

Today is Good Friday. If you read the account of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus in the passages above, each of the gospels will tell a slightly different account of what happened that day. However, the core details are the same.

He was innocent. He was mocked. He was beaten. He wore a Crown of Thorns. He was nailed to the cross. His mother was there. He died. He was buried and He WAS raised from the dead.

There were many who believed that soldiers had removed Jesus' body from the tomb and there was no resurrection, UNTIL they saw for themselves the undeniable scars. His nail scarred hands and feet. Those scars represent redemption and they represent forgiveness. Those scars represent the love for mankind that our Heavenly Father and His Son bestow upon us. In His complete restoration, the nail scars and the scar in His side were left intact.

I see my resurrected Savior without the dirt and mud covering His body, without the dried blood matted hair, and without parts of the whip left in His back. However, I see the scars and although the jagged scars on his back may be gruesome to some. To me, it is a reminder of the love he showed that day. A mark of magnificence.

Do our scars mean the same thing?

I have had self-inflicted wounds from insecurity and little belief in my self worth. These wounds that are more than fleshly wounds. They are wounds left from hurtful criticism and every.single.one of those wounds has left a scar. Unless I forbid the enemy to use them against me, those scars will continue to ridicule and haunt me.

Choose to see your scars as a representation of redemption not only today, but everyday. They represent forgiveness. They represent a love for us that only our Heavenly Father and His Son can bestow upon us.

Dear Lord, may we realize afresh today what Your death and resurrection mean for us. Forgiveness … Freedom … and the ability to walk with You through this fallen world into eternity. May we always find our satisfaction in You and Your willingness to offer Yourself to us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Have a GREAT Good Friday!

*Tiffany

St. Patty's Day Recipes

St. Patty’s Day RECIPES:



Courtesy of Epicurious.com...{clockwise from top left} Beef and Guinness Pie,
Bittersweet Irish Chocolate Whiskey Cake,
Irish Soda Bread (several recipes available), and
Champ (mashed potatoes).

St. Patty’s Day COCKTAILS

CHEERS!

Raise a glass with one of these tasty, Irish-themed cocktails:
• Dublin Dream (Irish cream, vodka, Chambord, & more)
• Irish Snakebite (Irish stout, hard cider, & blackcurrant syrup)
• Everybody’s Irish {Irish whisky, green crème de menthe, & Green Chartreuse}
• White Knight (Irish cream, Irish Whisky, coconut rum, half & half

Beer Cupcakes - St. Patty's Day

"BEER CUPCAKES"



Aren't these FAB?! Looking for some creative party ideas for St. Patrick’s Day?

Entertaining expert & cupcake guru Jeanne Benedict has some fabulous ideas in the dessert department… my favorite being the “Beer Cupcakes”!!

This design is all about the presentation, so you can still stick with traditional cupcake flavors topped with a generous helping of vanilla or cream cheese frosting.

For the “beer” wrapper, look for scrapbook paper with a similar motif or purchase a beer background stock photo and print & cut them yourself.

Love Bug Cupcakes

Love Bug Cupcakes

Aren't these the cutest cupcakes ever??

Ingredients
1 box (18.25 ounce) devil's-food cake mix
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cans (12 ounce each) whipped vanilla frosting
Pink icing color
Clear crystal sugar
Tootsie Roll Midgees, yellow Laffy Taffy candies, black licorice lace, red and yellow jellied candies, M&M Minis, and Junior Mints
1 can (16 ounce) chocolate frosting

Directions
1. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Prepare cupcake batter using cake mix, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 4 eggs. Bake as directed on box. Let cupcakes cool completely. Tint vanilla frosting light pink using icing color. Frost cupcakes with pink icing. Roll edge of each cupcake in crystal sugar.
2. To decorate Bumblebees: Cut and shape Tootsie Rolls and Laffy Taffy into small rounds. Alternate two brown pieces and two yellow ones for body and head. Attach two pieces of licorice for antennae to the brown end to complete head, and slice a yellow fruit jelly in half for the wings.
3. To decorate Ladybugs: Place chocolate frosting in a freezer-weight zip-top bag and snip off one corner. Pipe a mound of chocolate icing in center of each cupcake. Slice a red jelly in half for the wings; place on top of chocolate icing. Attach M&M Minis to wings using frosting. Attach a Junior Mint for the head and two black licorice pieces for the antennae.

Guinness Stout Stew

This week, I went to a local pub with my SATC girls and we enjoyed the fabulous Charlie Robison and Guinness Stout Stew for the first time. They were both TO DIE FOR!!

I knew immediately that I had to create a copycat recipe and I must say, this is pretty darn close. My boys went CRAZY over this recipe and insisted that we add it as an everyday meal! They will get no arguements from me!



Ingredients
2 pounds stewing beef
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch (or Two) of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons of salsa
1 1/4 cups Guinness Stout (Do NOT Subsitute any other type of Guinness & No worries if you don't have Guinness on hand. MOST grocery stores are selling bottles individually now!)
2 cups largely diced carrots
6 small red potatoes quartered
Sprig of fresh thyme

6 small bread bowls
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Fried Onion Strings, for garnish

Directions
Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, and cut into 2-inch cubes. Toss beef with 1 tablespoon of the oil. In a small bowl, season the flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss meat with seasoned flour.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Reduce the heat, add the onions, crushed garlic and salsa to the skillet, cover, and cook gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a casserole and pour half of the Guinness into the skillet. Bring Guinness to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan. Pour over the meat, along with the remaining Guinness. Add the carrots, potatoes and thyme. Stir and adjust seasonings. Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat, or in a 300 degree F oven until the meat is tender, 2 to 3 hours.

Garnish the beef with parsley and onion strings. Serve in a bread bowl (as shown in photo).

This is a MUST try recipe... You will NOT be disappointed!

Enjoy

Merry CHRISTmas from The Jones Family!

(Photo by Southern Grace Photography)

As you and your family celebrate this holiday season, we hope and pray that you have joy in your hearts, great family and friends to share it with, and good times that build warm memories. We pray that you are blessed with all you need and much, much more!

Thank you Lord for Blessing us with another Christmas. May you alone be the Reason for the Season!

Wishing you and your family a VERY Merry CHRISTmas!

Much Love,

Abel, Tiffany & Ashton

What a GREAT gift idea!

Little Birdie Secrets had this GREAT idea! A home-made hot cocoa mix and in the picture below, they found an electric milk frother at IKEA for $2.00! Score!

Here are further details she had posted on her blog...This simple hot cocoa mix is another great neighbor/co-worker gift that you can put together super fast. We used these mini "quilted" jars, mostly because they're just so little and cute, and because for one person, it provides several cups of cocoa. (One jar holds one cup of mix.) If you wanted to make some for a couple or family, try using a pint or quart jar. Just add more mix!

Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe
10 cups dry milk powder
4 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups powdered non-dairy creamer
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store in a jar or airtight container.
Yields 15 cups (enough for 15 of the small jars pictured here).

To make the cocoa, stir 3 heaping Tablespoons into 3/4 c. hot water or milk. I always advise topping it off with whipped cream as well, but that's just me (and my sweet tooth).Cheater version: Buy the bulk size Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix at Costco or WalMart and add 3 teaspoons of flavored non-dairy creamer per serving to make a gourmet flavor (see below). Try the Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate mix plus a few teaspoons of Ghiradelli Sweetened Cocoa for a dark chocolate flavor. Go ahead--cut corners. It'll be our little secret..If you really want to make an impression, why not make gourmet hot chocolate flavors? Or add layers of sweet treats for a cool presentation.

Here are a few more ideas for truly gourmet hot cocoa:
*Substitute the non-dairy creamer with a flavored non-dairy creamer, like hazelnut, amaretto, vanilla, or cinnamon for gourmet flavors.
*Peppermint cocoa can be made by crushing candy canes and mixing them with the cocoa mix in your food processor (this makes the pieces even smaller so they blend well with the cocoa). Add a layer of crushed candy canes in the middle or on top of your mix to show off the flavor in the jar!

*Add a few teaspoons of instant coffee crystals per serving for mocha cocoa.
*Layer fun dry toppings with the cocoa mix in your jar. Try mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, red and green jimmies (sprinkles), or crushed candy canes.
*Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave and dip the head of a plastic spoon in it. When it dries, wrap the chocolate-covered head in a plastic or cello bag and tie with a ribbon. Attach it to your jar of hot chocolate to be used with the first cup. The chocolate will melt when they stir, adding a little extra creaminess!

Now for the jar…. All supplies are Stampin' Up! We traced the inside of the ring lid on the back of patterned paper, cut it out, and glued it to the top of the lid. Then we layered a strip of coordinating patterned paper on a piece of card stock and wrapped it around the jar, securing it with adhesive. We stamped tag stamp, layered it on card stock, and adhered it to the front. Then we tied a matching ribbon around the top and tied on a little tag with the instructions for mixing the cocoa (see above). Another classic idea is to put a square of Christmas fabric between the lid and the ring for an old-fashioned look.