Chocolate Eclair Desert

This is so rich.  But ooohhh so good.

C"est si bon.  

Chocolate Eclair Desert

2 - 3 oz. pkg French Vanilla Instant Pudding

9 oz Cool Whip

Graham crackers

3 cups milk

Icing:

1 stick butter

4 tbs. cocoa

6 full tbs. milk

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Butter 9 X 13 pan.  Line bottom with whole graham crackers.  Beat 2 - 3 oz. packs instant pudding as on package directions.  Fold in 9 oz. Kool Whip.  

Pour half over graham crackers.  Top with layer of graham crackers. Pour rest of pudding then another layer of graham crackers.

Icing:  Bring to boil butter, cocoa and milk.  Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Pour over graham crackers.  Refrigerate overnight.

BLOG-SEEING

As promised this post is about other blogs I follow.  I love the ideas they share and can't wait to see what they are going to come up with next.  (Click on the blog names and it will bring you directly to their blogs)

This one is from Edie, her blog is Life in Grace.  Two years ago she decided to give up her career as a family practice physician to stay home full time with her family.   She is a blogger, a homeschooler, and a self-proclaimed goddess of the domestic arts.

 This post was the before and after of her kitchen renovation.

Next up is Chris and her blog, Just A Girl.  So cute and she is a school teacher to boot.  This post is about a buffet she redid, before and after.  We could do this.

Ok, then there's Layla and her blog, The Lettered Cottage.  She is renovating a cottage in Alabama with her cute hubby.  Go check out her blog for so many befores and afters, but I wanted to share this post about cute Halloween decor that she did.  Layla specialized in Virtual Design Consultations, you have to check this out.  She is soooo talented.

 

 

Susie Harris, Where Friends Become Family lives right here in Louisiana.  A good ole Southern chick and very crafty.  Look what she does with old screen doors.  Amazing.  Click here to see her

Etsy store where you can view and purchase her amazing artwork.  (Just in time for Christmas)

 

 

 

And last, but not least is Rhoda from Southern Hospitality.  She is a big time thrifter, she loves a bargain.  While visiting her blog, you will find before and afters, recipes and diaries of her travels.  She writes for her local newspaper and I love to see what she's going to do next.

That's Rhoda, on the right.

Look at what she does with beadboard wallpaper.  I had never heard of this before.  It looks like real beadboard paneling yet waayyy cheaper.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy their blogs as much as I do.

Have a great Thursday!

WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN YOUR WORLD?

What's been going on in your world?  Now that I live out in the country it's hard keeping up with everyone.  I like to keep in touch through e-mail and the occasional telephone call.  But what I love the most are visits with my friends.  There is something to be said and something very healthy about having girlfriends.  And I don't know what I would do without mine.

I know I haven't been blogging lately.  But I still follow such wonderful blogs, and in my next post I'll be highlighting some of my favorite ones.  So be sure to check back because these girls got it goin on.  From wonderful holiday crafts to room transformations to furniture makeovers.

If you want me to feature your blog in that post, please email me at debtib1@mac.com and I will! :)

I know it's been a while, so let me get caught up.

First off, my new favorite treat.  yum yum

It's a Vanilla Chai Tea from Bolthouse Farms.  You keep it in the refrigerator and serve it chilled.  It's not high in calories for a snack and I think it's delicious.

I have been really working hard at exercising and eating well.  It comes natural to some people, but not to me.  At all.  I have to plan the workout and plan my meals.  It takes work, but I do see the belly going down and the butt shrinking (a little).  I just hope I can stick to it.  Watching the biggest loser is motivational, if they can do it, I can do it.  No excuses.

Look at this mess.  This was what was left at my other house.  When we got a purchase agreement on it, Bryant and I moved all of this out and into the new garage.  And of course I had to go through it all, one thing at a time.  I thought about having a garage sale, but decided that if we weren't going to use it, we would give it away to people who could.  Having a garage sale just wasn't worth the stress or the 100.00 that I would probably make for a few day's work.

I did save my favorite things and have put them in storage.  My friend Toni will be opening a consignment shop.  I will be helping with the marketing and other aspects of the business and I'll have a booth there.  So that's where my treasures will go.  The name of the business will be Brocante Market.  Brocante is french for second hand goods.  I will keep you posted on the venture.  She is looking to start after Jan 1 of 2010.

I've also had to keep up with these 3.  Avery on the left and her 2 friends from next door.  What a handful.  They are so funny.

And I have to deal with looks like this from time to time.

But I much prefer this look.  Love you Avery girl.

Miss Rylee had to have tubes put in her tiny little ears.  She did great.

Last weekend I went shopping in Lafayette with 3 of my favorite girlfriends.  There was a new store that we wanted to check out.  omg, it is now my favorite store.  Find one and check it out, you will not be disappointed.  It was full of Christmas items.  Beautiful.  But I can't wait to go after the season to see what they are going to fill the store with.  The prices were great too.

I bought new Christmas decorations that I will show when we get around to decorating for Christmas.

I bought 2 new blue platters.  I forgot to take pictures of them.  But if you want to see them you'll have to come for a visit down Irish Bend Road.

The name of the store is:

The Paul Michael Company store

Click on the name and it will bring you to their website.

This is another treasure I found.  I will be placing it on top of the entertainment center.

It's pretty big and it was only 40.00.

It reminds me of an antique french wine bottle which run anywhere from 100.00 to 200.00.

A bargain for me.

So really please email me or leave a comment and let me know what's been going on out in the real world.  I'm trying to get used to being home all day.  Some days I get so much done and some days not so much.

Anyway I hope today is a good one and your weekend is better.

FISHING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

Bryant, myself and our neighbors, Tricia and Edgar went fishing this past weekend.  We took the boat offshore.  Way offshore, I couldn't tell you exactly where we were but I know it was far because it took about 2 hours by boat to get out there.  The weather was perfect, the gulf was calm and the trip was productive.  This was the first oil rig we pulled up to.

I have to tell you, I did not fish too much this time because I was busy trying out my new camera.  I took many, many more pics but could not put them all.  So I am showing my favorites.

This was under the platform.  I just love the colors.

This is a ladder going up onto the platform.  We did not go onto the platform, we just tied up to it.

This is a big (pink) jellyfish.  But you can hardly see it in the picture.

This was our (gross) bait, pogey.

We caught red snapper but had to throw them back because they are not in season right now.

We caught gray snapper aka mangrove snapper.  We kept these, they are good to eat.

We caught sharks.  Threw them back.

Then the catch of the day!!!!  Tricia hooked a cobia.  It was a struggle.  Edgar, her husband had to help her.  They fought if for about 15 minutes.

Bryant looked on in disbelief at how big this fish was.

It was huge!

They finally got in in the boat.  (We did keep it and we did eat it)

The end of a great fishing trip.

The ride home was awesome.  Slick calm seas.

This was a shrimp boat we saw along the way home.

Tricia is still talking about her "big" fish!  It weighed 48 pounds and was taller than the girls.

The catch.

Have any fishing stories to share?

Debbie

NEW BLOG LOOK

This is Jackie.

She is my blog designer.

I love working with her.

She was very patient and listened to my wants and needs.

I highly recommend her if you would like to update your blog.

Thank you Jackie!!:)

Go to her website and check out blogs that she has designed:

click here:

Memories By Design

TO CELEBRATE MY 100TH POST, STAY TUNED FOR A GIVEAWAY!!  :)

Happy Labor Day!

Debbie

MY GIRLS

I am so blessed to share my life with such special girls.  My daughters, my son's future wife and my precious granddaughters.

This is my oldest daughter, Megan.  She is beautiful and is still a little girl at heart.

This is my baby, Avery.  Those eyes say it all.

This is Shani, my oldest son's future wife.  I love her because she loves him and makes him happy.

This is us at the hospital while Megan was in labor.  

My Haylee bug.

My Ry Ry

My girls..........


Debbie

USING WHAT YOU HAVE

I love re-using what you already have.

Here's an example of furniture that I had in our other home:

The hutch that I had custom built for this small wall in the dining area (on the left)

Here it is in the new house, looking like it was meant to be there.

A chest of drawers that I picked up at a local antique store years ago. It was in the foyer.

I don't have a foyer in this home, but found a place for it in front of the brick arch wall.

A small armoire picked up at an antique warehouse in Baton Rouge. I knew it would fit perfectly in the master bedroom so I loaded it into my suburban (with no room to spare) and hauled it home.

It is now on the other side of the brick arch.

Just a shot of the top of the armoire, again using what I had. The only thing new is the urn that I picked up at Old Time Pottery in Foley, Alabama. I'm loving this blue color right now.

Looking toward the television and fireplace.

If there is anything that you have re-used and have before and after pictures, email them to me and I will share it in a blog post.

Oh and the art class was great. The first class was mostly lecture, but we did get to paint a base coat on our canvas for the next class. I'm mainly taking this class to have time to myself and to spark the ole creative streak. What are you doing that's just for you?

Debbie