Pumpkin Spice life

 

At this time of year I am completely OBSESSED with Pumpkin Spice Anything  and Everything. The Local Organic store Trader Joes is also obsessed...

Here's my latest haul

 

 

 

Photobomb courtesy of Teddy Bear

 

Found this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte that calls for real pumpkin...

 

Made it and it is TO DIE FOR!!!

 

Super thick and rich...

 

I did not have evaporated milk so made mine with 1 can Sweetened condensed milk and omitted the milk and sugar from the recipe

 

I like strong coffee so made mine extra strong and it was perfect...

 

Go for it

 

You Will Need

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
• 1-3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix (see headnotes)
• 1/2 cup strong hot coffee
• whipped cream

Directions

1. Add milk, canned pumpkin and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot, but do not boil.
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, pumpkin spice mix and coffee.
3. Pour into two large mugs then garnish, if desired, with whipped cream and an extra pinch of pumpkin spice mix.

They are called War Stories for a reason...

Yesterday was Veteran's Day...

They are called War Stories for a reason...

If you have ever listened to a Veteran tell their tale of service you will realize that they have been on an adventure...

And lived, to die another day!!!

The key word is IF you have ever listened...

We went to Denny's to get our free Veteran's day meal and next to us was a man in full uniform who was more than happy to share his adventures with Steve and our friend Reggie...

 

Funny thing I noticed that as he was talking none of his family was listening...

I am sure they heard it all before...

 

But have they???

 

I realized I didn't really listen to my dads "War Stories"

I regret that...

 

I know he served during WWII but that's about it... Yikes...

 

Gonna have to get together with my brothers and sisters cause I think they listened..

 

I hope so...

 

Listen to the War Stories...

 

They are important...

 

10, 11, 12...

I have 33 first cousins on one side of my family... I love that I have tons of relatives, but one thing I especially love is that I have a cousins whos birthday is the day before mine and another the day after mine...

Happy Birthday Rayes 11/10

Happy Birthday Troysie 11/11

Happy Birthday Annie 11/12

I wonder if you think like I always have that it takes WAY longer for my birthday to come around that anyone else's

Grateful for another year...

Thankful

What a day!!!!

I needed this reminder today...

Tomorrow is my birthday, my birthday is my rough day, it is my "I miss my mommy" day. Some years are worse than others and I never know what kind of year it will be till I get there...

Was feeling a little under the weather, so I was super thankful that my birthday is on the National Holiday Veterans day... I get to rest and have a day off tomorrow and celebrate my birthday with a wonderful day off. I was expecting the rest to begin as soon as I got home, bit down on my snack and the next thing I knew I was in the dentists chair getting a root canal and crown...

But...

I am thankful my dentists office could get me in, I am thankful for dental insurance, and I am thankful for a hubby that knew that after three hours of dental work I was in no condition to drive myself to get my prescription...

Home, resting, pain medicated...

Thankful...

We went to Jared...

When we got engaged 32 years ago I got a simple solitaire engagement ring and paired it with matching wedding rings...

Over the years I partenred the solitaire with many other wedding rings but I always wanted a matching wedding ring set...

As we approached our 30th anniversary Steve said I could get a new wedding set so we went "looking" at rings at a jewelry store called Jared.

I was fully expecting to take Mr. Miller to the cleaners, after 30 years I was going to get any ring (any size) I wanted and that was all there was to it!!!

Come to find out, I am not a large stone girl, I am completely happy with my original 1/2 carat stone and had it re-set into another setting which I COMPLETELY LOVE!!!

 

Every time I put on my ring I am happy...

 

Because the setting has so many small stones, I have been diligent in having my ring inspected and cleaned every 6 months in order to guarantee my ring for life...

 

Thank God I did!

 

Took my ring for it's inspection and cleaning and the next day looked down and I was missing a stone!!! Yikes!!!

 

Took it in to Jared, they looked at it, discovered other loose stones, my ring spent the night at the jewelers and today I picked it up looking just as lovely as it did two years ago when I took this picture...

 

No questions asked, no strings attached...

 

I know you can purchase jewelry for a lower price elsewhere but today, I was so grateful...

 

We went to Jared...

The Magic Fridge...

Oh how sometimes I wish I were a male in the Miller house...

I would feel the joy of opening the cupboard and always finding Peanut Butter and bread for when I want my sandwich...

I would reach up and always find a box of cereal ready and waiting for my snacking pleasure...

I would open the fridge and there would always be milk...

The coffee canister is always full and there is always my favorite creamer available for the times when for some reason Coffee is not magically already made and hot waiting for me...

I would go in the shower and there is always body wash, shampoo and razors there for me...

When I leave a new roll of toilet paper on the counter the next time I go in the bathroom it is magically on the roll...

I would go to feed my dog and the dog food container is always full...

I would use utilities without a care. My TV always works, as does my cellphone...

A girl can dream... But instead I hear...

"Honey you look tired, How about you just make something simple for dinner"

That's me...

M( Magical)
O (Organizer)
M (for Men)

( Disclaimer...This post is a comical observation only...I am married to the most wonderful, kind husband in the world... I also have the most wonderful son at home too! I just don't want a peanut butter sandwich or cereal for dinner!!! )

What a difference a year makes...

Last year, my retired hubby who has taken a part time crossing guard job was asked by his schools PTA to play Santa and walk around the school to see the kids.

Well, that experience changed his life (and mine too)The joy on the kids faces was such an unbelievable experience for him that my darling hubby...

 

Who never had facial hair in our entire marriage decided to see if he could grow a beard...

He looks a little different these days...

 

 

He is different too! Being a real bearded Santa has brought him a joy he never expected. He is thrilled when kids come up to him and he is always armed with his favorite Santa question "are you being good?"

We all were so excited when we came up with his Santa name Smilan Santa which combines his first initial with his middle name Milan... We feel this is indeed Gods plan for him... He even naturally says Ho Ho Ho in his laugh...

Our mission is to spread Gods love and to remind the real reason for the season is Jesus with the fun of Santa included...

Smilan is available for personal appearances, call us with your ideas and we can probably work something out...

It is an exciting time for us... And hopefully for you too...

We thank our family and friends in advance for their support

I'm Such A Copier...

My girlfriends Kim and Jane got one...

So I had to as well, but it wasn't snowing in Bulid A Bear when I went there...

It wasn't until I got home that I realized we took our pics in the same place...

My friends KNOW I'm a copier... That's just how I roll...

But... I named my snowman Eaulaff cause he is Olaf's cousin...

I cracketh myself upeth...

Wind... Not a Fan

I remember 29 years ago when we moved into our first house we had such a lovely wind chime collection...

It took no time at all for us to realize that wind chimes and my house do not mix.

For I live in FONTANA Ca.

Home of the wind tunnel of the world...

Chicago the windy city has nothing on us...

No matter how long I live here...

I will never...

Ever...

Get used to,...

Or learn to live with...

Wind...

Don't like to use the word much...

But,

I HATE WIND

Just Sayn'

Weather Wimps

I live in Southern California and to be honest with you I have never been cold...

I have never been in under 29 degree weather and that was just a reading in my car when we were driving somewhere so if you want to get technical I have never been out in weather below 40. Last year I visited my brother in Ohio, it was beautiful weather to them in the 50's my whole visit. I was dressed like this...

 

But when we went to the grocery store I saw people happily running around in their Gym clothes and saw even one guy in shorts.

 

I remember back in the day I used to work with a gal from Pennsylvania, she used to laugh at us complaining about our chilly 65 degree weather... She would always say the same thing... "This is swimming pool weather to us"...

 

Today is was a breezy clear 68 degrees, a little chilly by our standards but I just had to laugh when I went to the grocery store where I saw people dressed anywhere from full on Ugg Boots, coats, scarves and beanies to spaghetti straps, shorts and flip flops...

 

Gotta Love Cali... Home of the weather wimps (myself included)

My Morning Begins With Bulletproof Coffee

Over the summer I made a vow that I would savor and enjoy my first morning cup of coffee and finish it while it is still HOT!

To me that is quite an accomplishment that requires me to get up and ALLOW myself more time in my morning routine.

The results...

I get up earlier than everyone else 5:15-5:30 depending on the coziness of my bed I have the house to myself... Ahhh peace and quiet.

I get my morning devotional done

I get to work relaxed and not rushed...

For quite some time my girlfriend has been going on about how much a morning cup of Bulletproof Coffee has benefited her, she feels great and has maintained her weight loss...

Sounded worth a try to me... If you google Bulletproof Coffee you will be directed to a person trying to see you the ULTMATE bulletproof coffee ingredients but my budget wont allow for that so I searched until I found the stuff. Went to Trader Joes at first, but found Winco had a better price on all the ingredients...

I got a mini immersion blender on Amazon for under $6.00 that I love and it makes my coffee yummy...

I am on a Chia seed kick so I add a teaspoon to my coffee and I am good to go until 10:00am, good on energy and satisfied...

Enjoy...

Heres the skinny on Bulletproof Coffee...

Main Components Bulletproof Coffee

Coconut Oil or MCT Oil – Coconut oil technically is MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) oil, well about 65-80% MCT anyway. MCT oil is just more concentrated than coconut oil, but both have been shown to aid in fat loss. I use coconut oil because, to me, it gives it a nice taste and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper where I live!
Grass Fed Butter – Cows that have a diet of fresh grass yields butter that has improved consistency and nutritional properties. The increase of fresh grass in the diet proportionally increases the amount of fat content, specifically unsaturated fats, which gives a pleasant firmness. The nutritional quality also increases, it’s loaded with Vitamin K2 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
Immersion Blender – Go on and try to mix this up with a fork, you’ll be sitting there for 20 minutes and having terrible results. Oil doesn’t mix with water unless you give it some help. You need a blender to be able to force these 2 liquids together, giving you a finished look like a latte – foamy on the top.

Benefits of Bulletproof Coffee

Fat Loss. Plain and simple, the consumption of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) has been shown to lead to greater losses in adipose tissue (fat tissue), in both animals and humans.
Eating Fat? Do I even need to explain this one? Eating fat has been shown to lead to greater amounts of energy, more efficient energy usage, and more effective weight loss.
More Energy. Studies have shown that the rapid rate of oxidation in MCFAs (Medium Chain Fatty Acids) leads to an increase in energy expenditure. Primarily, MCFAs are converted into ketones (our best friends), are absorbed differently in the body compared to regular oils, and give us more overall energy.
Heart Attacks? The myth that saturated fats increases the chance of Coronary Heart Disease has been debunked over and over. Recent studies show that saturated fats can actually have a positive effect on your overall heart-health.

What You Need for BPC

It’s a simple recipe, but don’t let that fool you. It tastes great, fuels you during the day, and has tons of additional health benefits. If you want to make it 0 net carbs, simply opt out of using the vanilla and heavy cream!
I want to say that I am not the creator of this recipe. David Asprey is the “inventor” of the original bulletproof coffee, but keep in mind that the name has become mainstreamed and is used to describe any cup of coffee with fat in it.

• 2 Cups Coffee
• 2 Tbsp. Grass Fed Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tbsp. Organic Coconut Oil (or MCT oil)
• 1 Tbsp. Heavy Cream (Optional)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract (Optional

I'm excited to get this cute cup for my birthday thought I would show you

Funeral Picture

A few years ago my best girlfriends Kathy, Dee Dee and I attended a funeral. It was a wonderful tribute to the one who passed but what we were impressed the most by was the gorgeous picture of the departed on the memorial pamphlet everyone received.

We all thought about it and wondered if we had a picture good enough to be our funeral picture...

Maybe it was because we were too young to think about our funerals, but we all decided we did not have a picture good enough to be our funeral picture...

YET...

Kathy is a world traveler and one time when she returned from a European Cruise she informed Dee Dee and I that she had taken her funeral picture... She showed us these amazing love filled portraits of her and her husband and seriously the most beautiful picture of her I had ever seen...

Funeral picture for Kathy... Check

As a lunch lady, every year I take a picture for each of the schools I work at some years I am silly and take my picture with my hair up in my hairnet (cause that's how the kids know me) and other years I give the picture a little more effort and take a more realistic picture with my hair nice and may even change out of my uniform.

This year, Picture day fell on my day off. I had taken a vacation day because my brother was in town from Ohio, so I had BOTH of my brothers over, they spent the night, had a great breakfast and we were headed out to have a fun day together. After losing our parents, we siblings have scattered all over so getting together is so special it makes my heart full of love and happiness.

I think it showed on my face because that day I took my funeral picture

I realized that A funeral picture weather it is a studio print or it or a candid shot should capture the essence of the one being remembered, A Love Filled picture, that's the key... Kathys funeral picture was taken with the one she she loves the most so naturally her picture was love filled, my heart was full of love from the thing I miss the most my family. Now I get it! That's why I Love these pictures so much...

My Dad

My Mom

My Aunt Irene

Funeral picture for Troysie... Check.

 NOVEMBER BLOGGING TIME...

 

For years since the good Ol' MySpace days my friends and I have been blogging every day during the month of November... I don't blog as often as I would like, but this year I thought why not...

Come join me on my blogging journey...

Its a tough job but someone's gotta do it...

Might as well be me...

 

HAPPY NOVEMBER!!! Love Troysie

 

DRIVERS LICENSE

November is my birthday month and this year its drivers license renewal time. I was excited because I got a renewal without testing notice WOO HOO!!!!

 

When you get a driver's license renewal in our state, you get a new license but your picture remains the same. I looked at my new license and I realized this is a picture of Troysie from 10 years ago!...

This girl wasn't a mother of High School Graduates, a Mother in law, or a Grandma, What a fresh face she had...

 

I remember I loved this picture of me, good hair, nice eyes, happy smile, all in all a picture of a blessed woman.

It is cool to carry a picture of yourself from 10 years ago and expect that people will still be able to identify you...

No one has ever asked so I guess I am aging well...

Happy Birthday Month to me...

If You Ever Wonder...

Dear Steve Miller,

If you EVER wonder if I love you... Remember this...

On our first date you took me to see THIS Barbarian Twin movie...

Lots of unmentionables went on in this VERY bad movie, not very romantic and STILL I married you...

And Today on one of our very, very rare dates you took me to see this...

I was thinking of the old Kevin Sorbo Hercules TV show we used to enjoy watching as a family, but boy oh boy was I wrong... In our house this is called a Cameron and Daddy movie and since Cameron joined the Air Force and is now stationed across the country I had to fill in...

I Love you Steve but I can only take so many battles and witness just so many enemies creatively killed by one warrior before this girlie girl needed a break.

BUT...

You were happy... So that makes me happy...

The House Coat

My mom called hers a Mu Mu and purchased them at first from the local Thriftys then she progressed to department stores and finally catalogs. I love remembering my mom in her nice lightweight dresses.
When the temperature reaches the triple digits my mind wanders back in time to an era where this was way to beat the heat was lovely and fashionable... The House Coat

Lovely, light weight seer sucker fabric and you can still look glamorous while doing your chores. For years I have been searching for the solution to my house coat desires and all I can find are large tee shirts or really drab polyester yuckiness that would not be comfy at all...

Until Today!!!

Hallelujah I have found it! my dream house coat!!! (or as they call it a lounger)

Light weight seer sucker fabric... Check. Easy zipper on and off Check. Pockets, On Clearance...Check!

 Met all my dream house coat criteria plus it is actually cute!!!!

I am one happy, cool comfy gal...

The house coat, move over Grandma... I am a believer...

Why The Red Bead???

My Son, My First Born, My Baby has made a decision to serve our Country by enlisting in the United States Air Force...

"I am in the Delayed Entry Program so I won't be leaving till at least February"...

"They Called me Mom... I leave Dec.3rd..."

Welcome to the world of service honey, your life is no longer your own...

We sure have learned this over the past month, our family has been sent into a tailspin of getting ready and sending our son off to serve, and feeling the effects of his sacrifice.

His wife and babies are horribly missing him, he has been married and out of our home for five years, we didn't think his leaving would change our household that much...

But it has...

Everywhere we turn we are reminded of our son. "That was Cameron's favorite" keeps coming up over and over. We keep saying things like, "That's a Cameron and Daddy movie" and "Cameron would LOVE that!" He is on our minds constantly, He is in our hearts always...

Letters are arriving ACTUAL HAND WRITTEN LETTERS!!! I didn't know my son even knew how to write a letter! In them we can hear his voice, he is so excited about all he is learning, what he is doing, the History he is making... BUT also in his letters we can tell he is anxious, very anxious... Anxious to see his family, not just his wife and babies, he is wanting his ENTIRE family, that means US! Daddy, Mommy and Brother...

Especially Daddy..."Dad, I cant wait to see you, Dad I cant wait to show you what I am doing here, Dad you are coming right?" Dad, Dad, Dad... Eric and I were feeling like small potatoes until my friend summed it up...

"Cameron KNOWS you and Eric will come" But my dear husband will have to overcome himself in order to see his son again. Steve has fears of flying, heights and leaving his home and his doggies. These are real issues to him, his fear is crippling.

But his love for his son is greater...Cameron KNOWS his daddy loves him, but Cameron wants his daddy, and in spite of himself and his fears, Daddy will go... Because his son wants him to.

We want this important reunion to take place and that is why I am selling crafts, I don't normally sell my crafts, I would rather give them away because with each thing I make, a piece of my heart goes with it, plain and simple.

Because of my strong desire to reunite our family and make this Airman's dream come true, we are creating and selling crafts all with one red bead, to remind you that YOU are making a difference in the life of a young man who, for many good reasons has decided that protecting and serving our country was his calling...

God Bless Cameron Miller, God Bless this Journey, God Bless America, and God Bless You, and Thank You for your support...

Oh Yes, I remember it well...

 

Oh Yes, I remember it well...

 

Saw this on Facebook today and I was spiraled back in time...

 

I was eight months pregnant with Cameron and Steve caught me in the bathroom in the middle of the night crying my eyeballs out... I was in the bathroom for the third time that night and all of a sudden it hit me " I am never going to sleep through the night again". When I told Steve he just chalked it up to another pregnancy drama moment (believe me there were plenty) but the thought of the loss of my precious sleep was real and I was bummed.

 

Flash forward 25 years (which have really sped by) and I now see my Daughter in Love Beka dealing with two little ones and one on the way, she is alone because my son is in Basic Training in the Air Force keeping his "Eye on the Prize" which is an excellent future for his family. She has the babies on an excellent schedule and for the most part they sleep through the night, but there are always exceptions to the rule, sick babies, teething whatever...Children and her being alone robs her of the peace that allows her to rest.

 

My heart goes out to her and to all the mothers I know out there with little ones or soon to join the ranks of the mommies union.

 

My mom had four little kids and was going crazy until her lifeline my Aunt Audrey gave her the famous line she repeated to all new moms (including me) "THEY WILL GROW".

 

Yes, they will grow, you will have a day without crying and you will sleep again.

 

I Promise...

Story of my life...2014 Version "A New Start"

A friend told me I should blog... I looked back on things and realized I haven't actually "Blogged" since 2011! Time sure flies when you enter Facebook land. My facebook posts short and sweet have taken place of my blogs but when I looked back, Blogs are SOOOO much more fun, So, I decided to resume my blogs, they are fun and a great way to remember the goodness of this life given me.
Here we go again...

                                                                A New Start...
                                             
My new years resolution for 2014 is to thank God in advance for the blessings I will receive in the coming year... The Scripture Nehemiah 8:10 The JOY of the LORD is your STRENGTH is my motto and I am determined to live with the Joy of the Lord in all things I do...I expect my year to be amazing...

 

Last year,I made a blessings jar in a cute little Mason Jar like Pinterest showed me to, the jar was filled by January so that project was over...I guess I should be grateful of that but to me it felt like another unfinished thing added to my list. This year, I found this GIANT jar and decided to cute-ify (Troysie word) it up beginning with removing the label... Forget it, too frustrating, so here the jar sits waiting to be filled with blessings...

 

Next, I decide to take a picture of the super cool "Joy" themed birthday gifts my girlfriend Judy White gave me to use as the picture of my scripture of the year and love the results.

 

Took a few tries though...

 

Story of my life, it is a good, and Simple Blessed life indeed hope you enjoy the journey with me.

 

By the way, my Blessings Jar turned out cute and is ready to be filled with Troysies Joysies