My recent Goodwill find...

Well, the little white cabinet I showed you last week made a short appearance in my kitchen.

I spied this little addition for my kitchen at the Goodwill this week and snatched it up.

I've been wanting one since I first saw a similar one here.

Unlike the little white cabinet, it actually has some practical uses.

It holds our coffee pods and favorite teas, as well as some stevia.

The little white cabinet is back out on the shelf in the garage for now.

Of course I had to set a few odds and ends on top as well.

I'm happy about my thrifty find!

still following,

     
         

"Simple" a little Texture Tuesday fun...

(edited with Kim's 1011 texture, dark mode, 50% opacity)

Today's Texture Tuesday photo prompt is "Simple".

I thought and thought and decided to photograph a simple ironstone bowl full of brown eggs.

(edited with Kim's 063 texture, multiply mode 30% opacity)

For some reason, I think brown eggs seem healthier, 

sort of like brown rice is better for you than white rice.

I know it makes no sense.

(edited with Kim's villa texture, screen mode, 30% opacity, then I erased most of the texture from the eggs and bowl)

I wish I could tell you these were gathered from my own chickens

or, at the very least, purchased at a nearby farm.

The truth is that I buy my eggs at Costco.

How unromantic!

(edited with Kim's rest texture, screen mode, 30% opacity)

I think my two favorite shots are the top photo, which is pretty heavily textured,

and the last photo with no texture at all.

Which photo do you think is "eggs-actly" right?

( no texture added)

still following,

Easter gratitude...

How can I not be overflowing with gratitude on Easter Sunday?

I just read on someone's Facebook post, 

"God's love language is Jesus", 

with a photo of Jesus on the cross from the movie "The Passion of the Christ".

What a price God was willing to pay for my redemption!

And the fact that Jesus rose again and that He, God in human flesh, is ruling on the throne of the universe, and will one day return to rule on the throne of David and make all things wrong in this world right again, 

well it just doesn't get better than that!

A million thank yous would never be enough to show my gratitude,

but I can at least try.

And so, I keep counting...

******************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#4546-#4572

4-14-14-

-lilacs blooming

-beautiful spring weather

-a yummy dinner at my middle daughter's house

-watching my grandson play baseball

-the "blood moon"

-the team from our church's safe arrival in Kumasi, Ghana

4-15-14-

-a phone call from Ghana from my husband 
-an Easter banner from a blog friend

4-16-14-

-facetiming with my husband

-what Augustina told my husband

-our two youngest granddaughters coming over for the evening

-snuggling with them on my bed and reading my favorite Robert McCloskey books to them

4-17-14-

-my Bible study groups

-praying together

-dinner with one of our elder's wives

4-18-14-

-Good Friday-thank You for the cross!

-spending the afternoon with a friend

-good news-hearing about answers to prayer, healing, job's provided, things going well with team in Ghana

4-19-14-

-getting the two youngest granddaughter's ready and taking them to "Code Orange Egg Drop"

(their mama and daddy pastor Hope City that puts on the egg drop so they were working at it)

-seeing volunteers from Truelife Church helping at Hope City's egg drop

-texts and photos from Ghana

(working on the orphanage)

4-20-14-

-CHRIST IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!

-the Truelife Church worship team,  children's ministry volunteers, elders, and our speaker for today doing an excellent job even though pastor and several of our people are in Ghana

-someone we haven't seen in years showing up at church

-flowers from my friend

-lunch with all my girls and grandkids at my oldest daughter's house

-a really great report from Ghana about the Easter service

gratefully yours,

Join the community of gratitude gatherers here...

Christ is risen!

Have a BLESSED EASTER!

still following,

Remembering the cost...

(scripture reference is 1 Corinthians 6:20)

Remembering the price He paid on this Good Friday.

I am His because He created me.

I am His because He redeemed me back from the enemy,

from my slavery to sin.

He is my Beloved Kinsman Redeemer.

Have a blessed Easter weekend.

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!

still following,

Friday Favs...Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Cookie Bars {with browned butter and sea salt}

A couple of week's ago I posted a recipe for Easter M&M Cookie Bars.

A few days later, I needed to take a plate of goodies to an event at church.
I thought to myself, why not use the same basic recipe but add
macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips to the batter instead of M&Ms?

They were delicious!

Here is Leslie's recipe that I "tweaked"- (my tweaks are in italics)

Whisk together and set aside:

2 1/8 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Brown 1 1/2 sticks of butter and slightly cool it.

Whisk butter with

1 cup brown sugar 

and

1/2 cup white sugar. 

Add and stir in

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add dry ingredients, mixing until combined but not over mixing.

Pat dough into a 9x13 baking pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray.

Sprinkle 1 cup macadamia nuts and 1 cup white chocolate chips evenly over the dough.

Press nuts and chips down into the batter with your hand or spatula.

Sprinkle top of dough very lightly with sea salt. 

Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Do not overcook.  Bars should be soft and chewy in the middle.

Enjoy!

(hobnail tumblers from Pier 1)

It's almost Friday, friends!

I hope you have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a BLESSED weekend.

                  

Jennifer Rizzo's Fabulously Creative Friday