Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge

1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. milk
5 large marshmallows
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

In a heavy 2 qt. saucepan, combine sugars, milk and marshmallows. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring until sugar dissolves and marshmallows melt. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour into a greased 8x8 square baking dish. Cool. When firm, cut into squares.

Body Scrub

This is an easy, all-natural and really, really inexpensive way to pamper yourself. Not to mention this is a great gift for your friends.

Lemon-Salt Body Scrub

2 cups Epsom salt
1 cup body oil (Burt's Bee's or Neutrogena)
Lemon zest, as much as you want for color and fragrance
Combine Epsom salt, body oil and lemon zest in a large bowl until fully incorporated.
Fill jars and enjoy all summer long!!

Healthy Snack

1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 Tablespoons canned pumpkin
a couple pinches of pumpkin pie spice

114 calories, 1g fiber, 6g protein, 2g fat

My Office Family

We had our Secret Pal Revealing Lunch earlier in the week.

Here I am (below) with the lady I had all year. Her husband died last year, so I felt my job of encouraging her was very important.

One of the ladies made all of the food and displayed it girly!

She made baby quiches, chicken salad with grapes, fresh kiwi and blueberry medley, salad and other goodies.





Everyone loved the food!

The pretty floral centerpieces were leftover from a weekend wedding.
In case you can't see them, they are bright red roses, red carnations, red berries and pine cones.

Me, Sheri, Brenda, Susie, Teresa, Pam, Michele

Jennifer, Becky, Angie, Kathy, Candy, Emily, Courtney, Renee

Maddie, Wanda, Lora, Deborah

This little lady in the red sweater was recently diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. She and her husband had their first appointment at MD Anderson in TX. She'll have surgery scheduled sometime in January. She's only 27 and hopes to start a family someday. This is her second struggle with cancer in her young life. See Courtney (in red) below. Always happy!

Emily and Courtney

Teresa and Angie


Michele and Becky


Sheri and Wanda

Wanda got teary-eyed because Sheri made a shirt for her with her grandbabies names on it, including one who only lived for a few short hours.


It was very emotional, but Wanda loved it!







Michele, Becky and me!!!




This is the lady who made all of the food! Outstanding job, Deborah!










Candy and Deborah






Friends are the family you choose!!! I'm glad I have my co-worker friends, otherwise I'd feel totally alone since none of my extended family lives in Oklahoma near me, my hubby and two children.

Grandma Grunt Cookies

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups finely ground nuts of your choice (pecans)
• Confectioner’s sugar

Cream butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy.

Add flour and vanilla, mix well, scraping down sides as needed.

Add nuts and mix until well incorporated.

Shape into one inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 325 for twenty minutes, but don’t let them brown.

Cool cookies. When cooled, roll in confectioner’s sugar.

Missing

Instead of thinking about what you are missing,

try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Homemade Traditions

I've enjoyed cooking all day today!!!

I started with a big pot of homemade chili and just pulled a made-from-scratch cherry pie out of the oven.

The chili was delicious and we're waiting for the pie to cool off enough to have a slice. My family is hovering over it hoping it will cool faster.

For as long as I can remember, my (former) mother-in-law always made a huge pot of chili every year and friends and family would stop by for a bowl of chili and mug of hot chocolate before heading out to see everyone in our rural community. When I moved to the city 10 years ago, I decided to continue the tradition. For years my neighbors came over for a bowl of chili and now even though they've all moved away, several of them still come by for a quick bite.

I miss living in our small community and miss my dear sweet former mother-in-law. She was so easy to be around. She always smiled and never said a negative thing ever. She was a joy! Even though I still get to see her from time to time, I miss living right down the street from her and miss our visits!

Well, it's time to greet the trick-or-treaters!!! They are all so cute! I just had a dad and little girl dressed alike as a pair of dice. So very cute.... Fun memories for them! Halloween is what you make it! It can be fun and friendly!

Fall Photo Opportunities

The changing of the seasons ushers in new opportunities for rest and recreation in Oklahoma when fall colors decorate the landscape. As the weather cools, Oklahoma becomes the go-to place to experience glorious fall foliage and family-friendly festivals.


Enjoy a scenic drive through one of the prime foliage areas with the windows down or hike through an outdoor recreational area, watching as the autumn leaves seem to change colors before your eyes. Meander across the tops of ancient mountains and marvel at the breathtaking vistas as you overlook miles of rolling hills set ablaze with spicy fall colors on the Talimena National Scenic Byway.

Or explore the Arbuckle Lake and Chickasaw National Recreation Area to gaze upon nature's magnificent colors reflecting on the lake's surface and lining the rippling creeks. Plan your fall escape during late October and the first week of November to catch the peak foliage displays.

The Oklahoma land produces a bountiful autumn harvest.

So pack up the family and head out for some fun on the farm at pumpkin patches and giant cornfield mazes.

Or, schedule a weekend getaway around one of the many fall festivals and celebrations across Oklahoma.

Click here for:

Best Bet Fall Foliage Drives

Discover the golden autumn glow that sets Oklahoma's landscape ablaze. The map below highlights the top fall foliage routes in Oklahoma and offers frequent foliage condition updates during peak season. Click on a leaf icon or on the name of a route in the green box and more detail will appear below the map.

14 Fall Foliage Routes:

1. Boiling Springs State Park
2. Chicksaw National Recreational Area
3. Great Salt Plains State Park
4. Lake Murray State Park
5. Oologah Reservoir
6. Osage Hills State Park
7. Red Rock Canyon State Park
8. Robbers Cave State Park
9. Roman Nose State Park
10. Miami to Tahlequah
11. East of Tahlequah
12. Talimena National Scenic Byway
13. Kiamichi Trace
14. Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

My Biggest Fears

• Driving on busy freeways
• Parking garages
• Having nobody around
• Being without a home (landlord will sell this one soon)
• Winter driving
• Getting turned around in unfamiliar areas while driving
• Change