Stash Chai Spice Black Tea

I think I might have found my new favorite beverage. It is like Christmas in a cup!

Chai Spice Black Tea

Stash has a rather large line of Teas but this one is so very good.

The description from the box: Spicy, aromatic blend of black teas, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove and cardamom.

It also comes in a a decaf version as well as a double spice version. I like mine with with a splash of milk and some sweetener. This is so good I told my husband tonight that it is almost dessert.

And when it is cool, rainy and you feel like you have been staving off a cold all week, it is just right for warming and relaxing after a long day in the office.

Magic Eraser

This Cleaning product is AMAZING! We had scuff marks on the walls where suitcases and boxes rubbed up against the stairwell that have been really bugging me.

I didn't want to tackle painting so I had tried to clean with many different cleaning products to no avail.

Then one day last week while at the store I came across the Magic Eraser and thought I would give it a try. It really works...and all the scuff marks are now gone!


This Guy ROCKS and I love his Magic Eraser®

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing birds is come,

Song of Solomon 2:12

Did you see the flowers dancing? Did you hear the robin sing? They are happy, just as I am God, and full of thanks for spring!

Amen

The Birds are singing praises early in the mornings and the flowers have been

dancing in the sunshine every day. Yes I am so thankful for Spring~

Thank you Lord.

Granddaughters

It has been difficult to be away from my sons during our time in Germany. Knowing we can’t just last minute decide to meet for dinner or drop by for a visit has been so different to us. But it has even been harder to be away from our granddaughters!

Our oldest turned 10 this month and I missed her birthday for the second year in a row. This year I didn’t even get to talk to her on her special day. I missed seeing her open her gifts and watching her face light up as she was able to see all the special gifts she was given. We do get to talk and skype occasionally and I get such joy out of talking with her. I have a Hey Tell message saved from her where she says “I love you too Nana, goodnight!”. Each and every time I replay it I get a smile that starts in my heart and spreads all the way to my face. She is growing into a young lady during the time I have been in Germany and thankfully I won’t have to miss a third birthday being overseas.

Our youngest granddaughter will turn 6 months tomorrow. We get to skype with her occasionally too. This week we got to see her roll over and listen to her sing. We watch the computer screen as her daddy walked by behind her and thrill to see her face light up as a big smile takes over her face. Her parents are good to send us video clips and pictures on a regular basis. But this is just not the same as being there in the room with her. Loving on her, seeing her face light up when we walk in the room. I am so hoping we will get to be there for her first birthday party!

WE have had so much fun and have had so many experiences that we would have probably never had the opportunity to do otherwise. But it has not been without some sense of loss home-sickness and sadness. We will take these European Memories back to Oklahoma with us and share them with these girls in the years to come. Who knows maybe just maybe we will get to experience Europe with them at some point in their future!

In the meantime skype sessions, phone calls, text messages and quick Hey Tell conversation will have to do!

Spring time in Germany

On the drive to work we go past the park which is in full crocus bloom right now. Along the pond, in the median along the sidewalk along the road. There are white, purple and yellow ones. They are closed up in the mornings and open up mid-day and are still open on the drive home. They grow very low to the ground, and the foliage looks a lot like the Rye grass surrounding them. They are so very pretty right now.

I did some checking on if they really open and close and found out that Crocus are part of a group of flowers that produce fragrance to attract bees and other pollinators during the day, but at night when there are no bees around they close to conserve their fragrance. Isn’t God amazing!!

And did you know the stamens of the fall-blooming crocus are the source of the spice saffron! I’ll have to remember this next time I am having Saffron Rice~

Next will be the Iris and Tulips, I cannot wait to see them!

A Spot of Tea

We have started enjoying Hot Tea with our meals. I found a lovely Tea Pot with tea light warmer. We can brew a 5-6 cup pot of tea and keep it warm with a small tea light candle (gives a whole new meaning to tea light candle). Of course there is caffeine in Tea but Green Tea is a GREAT lower caffeine alternative. So which tea is better -- green, black, white? There really isn’t enough difference to get overly excited about. All teas generally contain the same amount of flavonoids. Green and black tea come from the same plants. But Green Tea is dried for a shorted period of time and doesn’t go through a fermenting process used for Black Tea.

Just Some of the Believed Benefits of Drinking Hot Tea:

For those who have digestive problems. It also contains antioxidants, and has other health benefits:

• It eases irritability, headaches, nervous tension and insomnia.
• It acts as an anti-spasmodic agent, to relieve stomach cramps.
• It boosts the immune system.

Other benefits:

Arthritis: Research suggests that older women who are tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea.

Flu: You may be able to boost your fight against the flu with black tea.

High Blood Pressure: Tea lovers may be surprised to learn their beverage of choice touts yet another health benefit: blood pressure control.

Colon Cancer: Green tea and white tea probably fight colon cancer.

Heart Disease: Tea consumption may help heart disease patient.

Onset of Alzheimer’s: Drinking tea might delay Alzheimer's Disease.

But forget about all these benefits, a warm cup of tea helps relax away the troubles of the day.....So have a cup sometime today and enjoy!

Wishing you a Rainbow

Wishing you a rainbow

For sunlight after showers—

Miles and miles of Irish smiles

For golden happy hours—

Shamrocks at your doorway

For luck and laughter too,

And a host of friends that never ends

Each day your whole life through!

Legend of Saint Patrick Good St. Patrick travelled far, to teach God's Holy Word And when he came to Erin's sod, a wondrous thing occurred He plucked a shamrock from the earth and held it in His hand To symbolize the Trinity that all might understand The first leaf for the Father And the second for the Son The third leaf for the Holy Spirit All three of them in one.

May those who love us, love us.

And for those who don't love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if he can not turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we may know them by their limping.

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

What Shall I Say About the Irish?

The utterly impractical, never predictable,
Sometimes irascible, quite inexplicable, Irish.Strange blend of shyness,
pride and conceit,
And stubborn refusal to bow in defeat.
He's spoiling and ready to argue and fight,
Yet the smile of a child
fills his soul with delight.
His eyes are the quickest to well up with tears,
Yet his strength is the strongest
to banish your fears.
His hate is as fierce as his devotion is grand,
And there is no middle ground
on which he will stand.
He's wild and he's gentle,
he's good and he's bad.
He's proud and he's humble,
he's happy and sad.
He's in love with the ocean,
the earth and the skies,
He's enamoured with beauty wherever it lies.
He's victor and victim, a star and a clod,
But mostly he's Irish—
in love with his God.

Blessings

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields and,

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Driving Around with the Top Down!

Grilling burgers out on the balcony, roasting some pablano peppers and stuffing them with pepper jack cheese...I just chilling while Alan is grilling.

We drove around with the top down today....ha ha, well as close to top down as the Mini allows! It was so nice and the sun was so warm! I enjoyed just being outside. We went to the Mall to get pretzel (just like in High School when I would go to Crossroads for a pretzel). This place has the best fresh made pretzels! Then we browsed around the mall but ended up outside looking at the jonquils (white, yellow and purple) while we ate our pretzels.

It is going to be a beautiful week in the Stuttgart area with temps in the mid 60’s, sunshine and no wind! Spring is not here yet but we will get spoiled with days like today! The forest is still brown but it wont be long with days like today before we start seeing buds on all the trees.

The parks were filled with families enjoying their time outdoors. But it is funny seeing people all bundled up in coats and scarves as if it were still the middle of the winter. Some people just are not as warm blooded as I am.

Well dinner is almost ready, the sun is slipping behind the hill and the burgers are coming off the grill... YUM!

4 x 4

I was tagged by Annaleise for the 4X4 Tag:

1. Four places I go

* Work

* Downtown Stuttgart

* The Base Exchange

* Walks in the Forest

2. Four favorite smells

* Roses

* Babies

* Apple Pies baking in my oven

* BLT’s

3. Four favorite movies/TV shows

* Fairly Legal

* Fools Rush In

* Grey’s Anatomy

* Return to Me

4. Four Recommendations

* When you get the choice to sit it out or dance.... DANCE! The last year and a half our “dance" has been exploring Europe, we took a chance and it has been so much fun!

* Read... pick up a book and spend some time reading! Don’t know where to start? How about the Bible.

* Enjoy your family! Spend time with them, talking, playing sharing. You never know when your time with them will come to an end.

* Explore your own home town, get and out go to the museums, festivals, art shows. We have so much in our own backyards but so often we neglect our own cities and towns in favor of going elsewhere. Have you been to the Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, enjoyed a kolache at the Czech Festival, been to an Art Gallery in the Paseo, The NCAA Women's College World Series, Concerts in the Park, Chisholm Trail Gazebo....?

Missing my Mexican Food!!

Here in Germany Mexican food is not found on every 4th corner like in Oklahoma City so we have to make do with home made when we get a craving.

We have gotten pretty good at making do! Tonight Alan made Chicken Quesadillas, Spanish Rice and Guacamole ! It was so very good and I even have leftovers for tomorrow lunch!

I still miss Momma Garcia’s (better known as Casa Juanito, Mexican Restaurant in Del City Oklahoma) but until we move back to Oklahoma home cooked will have to do!

Out for a Sunday Drive

We traveled home from Verona Sunday afternoon/evening. The views were so beautiful. There were lots of mountains, vineyards and tunnels along the way and the temperatures went from warm 82 F on one side of the longest tunnel through the Alps to 37 F on the northern side.

Click on the Drive to see some pictures~

Surgery Prayer

Lord, I offer up this prayer before surgery today so that Mom may feel your love. And Father, please bless my mother so that she be comforted and free from worry or stress during this time.

I am grateful for the skilled surgeons and medical staff that are all around her now. I ask You to bless the doctors and staff that will attend to Mom that they will be inspired by You, that their skills be made strong, hands be made steady and sure and that the operation will go smoothly and be a success.

AMEN

Where the Boat leaves from

There's a place,
where the boat leaves from
It takes away all your big problems
You got worries you can drop them
in the blue ocean
But you gotta get away
to where the boat leaves from

....

Probably not the picture you would associate with this Zak Brown song but it has been going through my head all day. And Alan is making our traditional Anniversary dinner this evening, boiled shrimp, guacamole, corn on the cob, baked potatoes and Pina Coladas; which match this song.

Plus we are headed to Venice soon, this image and the song are running together in my head!

I am so going to ride in a gondola!

Wind.....

Oh my it is windy today. I do not recall it being windy like this in Germany before today. It is blowing so hard it makes me feel like I am back in Oklahoma.

The fall leaves are fluttering around and the bare trees are swaying in the forest. The Rolladens (external rolling shutters) are rattling and while there is no howling it is a noisy wind.

One of my German friends told me of course it is windy it is March! And I thought that was just an American saying.

10 years ago today

I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I am thinking about you all day to day. It was such a blessing 10 years ago when you came into this world. We have been so fortunate to get to spend so much time with you in the early years. We have missed you so VERY MUCH the last year and a half. Birthdays are a way to celebrate all the good things in your life and you are so lucky to have so many people that love you and want only the best for for.

You know they tell us grown ups that if we knew how much fun a grandchild was we would have had them instead of children... I love this saying and with you it has been so much fun. I think of all the sleep overs we have had and all the time cooking in the kitchen, singing silly songs again and again, playing games, camping out in the living room, watching movies, fixing your hair, spending time in the mornings talking about Cappy before he comes in from the computer room. I have been blessed by our time together and hope and pray we will always remain close.

The love a grandparent has for a grandchild is measured in so many different ways and our is measured in bunches and bushels!