The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, February 14th, 2012...

Outside My Window...
It is cool and the sky is just beginning to turn light. They say it will be clear, but cool today. Perfect for Valentines Day. I would not want it to be raining. All the world seems a better place when the sun shines don't you think?

I am thinking...
How did I get so lucky??? I have a lovely comfortable home. A husband who loves the socks off me. A beautiful pup who does likewise. The Gospel in my life. Enough to eat, warm clothes to wear and to keep me dry. More friends than I can shake a stick at. I want for nothing. I have my relative health. I have lovely children . . . beautiful grandchildren. What more could anybody want?? Not much , I dare say! Life is good and I am happy.

I am thankful for...
A Heavenly Father who KNOWS and who LOVES ME! As Angie would say . . . warts-n-arl.

From the kitchen...
All is in preparation for tonight's festive celebratory Valentines Dinner. An intimate Dinner a Deux. Thai Fish Cakes served on a bed of salad with a Thai Dressing to begin. (We love Thai Fish Cakes.) For the main, Seared Steaks with a Cognac and Pepper Sauce. (Man food) On the side, a mixture of freshly prepared vegetables and some boulangere potatoes. (My man is a meat and potatoes kind of a guy.) and for afters . . . well, you'll just have to take a peek at The English Kitchen to find out! You WON'T be disappointed! (Or course you could just scroll down to the bottom of this page to see the photo. Duh!)

I am wearing...
Turquoise nightie, black and white jim jam bottoms, slippers and my robe. Layering for warmth.

I am creating...
Oh, I have been very busy! First there are the two samples I have done for the cookie decals.


She wanted something symbolic of Enid Blyton's The Faraway Magic Tree, and so I did Silky and then a lovely toadstool with a fairy slipper . . .


I have not heard back from the lady to show her though, so I don't know. In any case I had fun doing them.

Then yesterday I was so inspired by my Daughter In Law's comments that I did these . . .



Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.



Twinkle Twinkle Little Moon.

I'll be winging some copies over to my Grandsons, pronto! I hope that they like them. I think I will be putting them into my Etsy Shop as well, to be sold as a pair. What do you think?? I may do a set of girls' as well. We shall see.

I am going...
I have the daily reading lessons of course, and then Todd and I are going out to teach with the missionaries tomorrow afternoon. Thursday there is a pot luck luncheon at a friends and that is basically all the plans for this week thus far. Oh, I forgot. There is a Stake Relief Society Day on Saturday and also my RS Presidency Meetings tomorrow night. Whew! It's a good thing I remembered!

I am reading...



Say When, by Elizabeth Berg

'He felt his stomach tighten, his heart begin to race. The coffeemaker beeped, signalling its readiness, and Ellen got up and poured two mugs. She set one in front of Griffin, one in front of herself. Griffin watched the steam rise up and curl back on itself, then dissipate. He said quietly, "I'm not going anywhere." "Pardon?" "I said, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not moving." She nodded. "I see. Well, I can't. I have to be here to take care of Zoe." Griffin pictured his daughter, a redheaded beauty who would knock the stuffing out of any man who crossed her. "All right, you can stay, too," he told Ellen. "Griffin. One of us has to go."

In Say When, Elizabeth Berg negotiates perfectly the fine balance between humour and poignancy as she charts the days and nights of a family whose normal life has been shattered. Told from the point of view of a man who goes overnight from being a husband to becoming his wife's roommate, this is a gripping and heartfelt story. I have only just begun to read it over the past few nights and I am really enjoying it. But then . . . I love everything Elizabeth Berg writes! The language that the husband leaves a bit much to be desired at times . . . which is sort of disappointing, but then I guess she is writing it from a man's perspective and also a worldly one. Just coz I don't swear doesn't mean nobody else does! I just skip over those words.

I am hoping...
That Todd loves the card I made him for Valentines Day. I do love my sweetie pie.

I am hearing...
Nothing much. Mitzie is snoring away on the sofa. The keys are tapping. All is quiet outside . . . the birds are waking up so a bit of chirping and the odd car that drives by. A very normal, ordinary, everyday start to the day.

Around the house...

Source: lovely-little-things.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

I just love this wall decal . . . and this bed. The bed is beautiful and I love the words on the decal . . . what woman did not dream of being a princess when she was a little girl. Really it is two single beds pushed together, which is how they do things on the continent, especially in Germany and Austria. I love that. You each get your own bed, but you are still close enough together to canoodle if you want. Nobody can steal your covers during the night, but you can just reach out and touch the other's arm if you wish. I don't know how Todd would like this idea though . . . I mean the princess words and the green beds . . . I did order some new pillow cases the other day . . .

Source: achica.com via Marie on Pinterest

Aren't they pretty!!! They have white organza ruffles on the edges and white daisy embroidery trim. I do so love pretty things . . .

If I could change one thing it would be...
That my ex husband's wife's heart would soften and I would be able to be with my daughter on the morning of her wedding in July. I would love to be able to help her put on her dress and share some tender thoughts with her. It is really breaking my heart that she has banned me from doing so . . . I don't understand it. Would she not want to be with her daughter in the same situation?? Her daughter got married several years ago and I am sure it was a very special time for them on the morning. I was not able to get home to my other daughter's wedding at all, and I really can't afford to be going this time, but after having missed our Amanda's wedding I decided that I could not afford to miss any more weddings . . . and so we are going no matter how much it costs . . . I just wish things were a bit different. I am looking foward to my baby girl finally being able to marry her one true love . . . but I am not looking forward to the rest of it and being made to feel like an interloper . . . that part I could very easily give up.

I am looking forward to ...
I see each day as a gift just waiting for me to unwrap it. I wonder what I will find beneath the wrappings today??? Something good for sure. There is good in every day if you have the eyes and heart to look for it.

One of my favourite things...
Is sharing my love of the Gospel with people who want to listen. I just love my Heavenly Father and my Saviour. I want to share that love with the world.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
A bit of work . . . a bit of play . . . and everything in between!! Not a heck of a lot really.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Source: tineye.com via Julie on Pinterest

I breathed a song iinto the air,
It fell to earth . . . I know not where,
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song . . .
The song from beginning to end,
I found again in . . . the heart of a friend.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

We must treasure our friends. I like to think of them as family we get to pick for ourselves. I love this picture thought. That is a friend indeed. Real friends enjoy looking silly together.

As a closing thought I would like to leave you with this:

"Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully."
~Rev. Phillip Brooks

I just love this . . . it is so true.

And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!

Here's a little something you can make your sweetie pies for breakfast on this Valentines Day! I just know they will love them. Who wouldn't! You can use refrigerated crescent roll dough if you really want to be quick about it, but I have chosen to use homemade biscuit dough simply because homemade is always better in my books.



*Cheery Cherry Breakfast Buns*
Makes 12 rolls
Printable Recipe

Quick, easy and delicious. You can vary the flavour if you wish, using a different jam such as seedless raspberry or apricot, blueberry, strawberry, etc.

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut into bits
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 free range egg yolk
1 recipe of biscuit dough
1/4 cup of cherry preserves
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp water

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Spray a regular sized muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place the granulated sugar and almonds into a food processer. Blitz for about 30 seconds, until the almonds are finely ground. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, almond and egg yolk. Process for several seconds until well blended.

On a lightly floured surface pat or roll the biscuit dough into a 12 by 9 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough evenly, then carefully roll into a log, beginning from the long side. Wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Take out from the refrigerator and cut with a sharp knife into 12 slices. Place each slice, cut side up into one of the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until light golden brown. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make an indentation into the centre of each. Fill with 1 tsp of cherry preserves. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup to loosen. Remove from the cups and place on a wire rack to cool somewhat.

Whisk together the powdered sugar and water together until smooth. Drizzle this over top of the warm buns. Serve warm or cool. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today some delicious Baby Berry Custard Cakes, just in time for Valentines Day!