The Shewbridges of Central Florida

Monday, August 29, 2011

Monday's Music Moves Me: Aug. 29, 2011 ~ This Weather Sucks!!

Welcome to a Monday's Music Moves Me, the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, my dearest of friends Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast, Callie from Jamerican Spice and the wonderful Stacy from Stacy Uncorked. This week is FREEBIE WEEK, so you can post anything that moves you!

Since so many of us have been facing such really crappy weather over the last week - earthquakes, hurricanes, and even tornadoes, I decided to post some songs about the weather. So with my prayers and hugs going out to all of you in the storms path, here are my choices for this week.....

Hurricane ~ Bob Dylan
**NOTICE: This has some lyrics that may be objectionable to some people**

Riders on the Storm ~ The Doors

The Unicorn Song ~ The Irish Rovers

Goodnight Irene ~ Nat King Cole

So what's moving you today? Write up a post and let us know... Here is all you need to do to play along:

First step: Head on over to You Tube, or anywhere you get your music videos and post them on your blog! Upcoming themes are to you LOWER RIGHT of XmasDolly's blog.

Second Step: Grab our "Monday's Music Moves Me" Button, mine is on my right sidebar, or off of any of the hosts' sites.

Third step: SIGN THE LINKY - Follow your hosts, grab their buttons too when you visit them and show them some love by leaving a comment.. (mine is on my right sidebar above the 4M button)

Final step: Go visit the other Rockers on our Linky and PLEASE show them some love by leaving them a comment, you know you like comments, they do too!

Once you write up your post, link up with us (on any of the host's blog - they are all connected) and you may be chosen as our SPOTLIGHT DANCERS like this week's lucky couple in our #1 and #2 linky spots.....

Stacey of ArtSnark's Artifacts ~~ and ~~ Denise of RunDMT

CONGRATULATIONS!!

If you are one of the lucky ones who is chosen for our spotlight dance, don't forget to grab the Spotlight Dancer Button from Dolly's right sidebar and proudly display it on your blog... WooHoo!

Now, don't forget to sign the linky, visit the participants, and leave a comment - you know you like them, so does everyone else. For more Monday music fun, visit Lady Estrogen and my friend Denise at Run DMT.

ROCK ON, MY FRIENDS!!

**HOPE YOU ARE ALL SAFE AND SOUND, AND DIDN'T SUFFER ANY DAMAGE FROM THE HURRICANE... HUGGLES!**

We're very sorry to say there are some people not playing along just using our linky to get traffic for their blogs! Unfortunately, these bloggers will be marked and ignored, you will not get any benefit from our linky, so don't bother. All we ask is that you leave a comment, grab our button, ad/or follow us. If you don't want to post a video, you can post a link to a video, or post some lyrics, but please - at least attempt to make it music related. Thank you for your understanding. We will not follow you and we will not promote your blog!

*** Just one more thing...

PLEASE, we are family friendly blogs and while we really don't want to censor anyone,

but we do ask that you keep your songs rated PG13 or less.

If you find that you need to post songs of an explicit sexual nature or language,

please find a different venue. If your song does contain a small amount of questionable language, please put a disclaimer BEFORE the video.

Thank you very much!***

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Thursday Recipe Swap Meet - Brownie Covered Oreo Cups

OK... we know you have all these recipes that you love to make. You got them from your mother, your grandmother, a magazine, or maybe you made it up, perhaps you don't even remember where the recipe came from. Well, how about sharing them with all of us? We are going to share ours with you every Thursday!

My good friend and (according to her husband) excellent cook, Dolly over at XmasDolly and I are now doing a recipe swap; we want to share ours with you and wold LOVE to get some of your favorites as well... So, Welcome to Thursday's Recipe Swap Meet, here is all you have to do:

Post a recipe on your blog, sign the linky on either blog (they will be linked), grab our new button - isn't she cute - hubby says she looks like me... TeeHee? (above, on my sidebar and on my Co-Chef Dolly's blog) and check out the recipes. Don't forget that each week you actually will be getting at least TWO for the price of ONE because both Dolly (Hi, my dear friend!!!) and I will post a recipe on each of our blogs. How simple is that??

**I saw a recipe similar to this on another blog and I cannot remember where, so if it was yours, PLEASE let me know because I want to THANK YOU... I totally LOVE these!!**

Brownie Covered Oreo Cups

1 Pkg brownie mix (I prefer Duncan Hines, but Publix had a BOGO on Betty Crocker and I am all about saving money!)
1 Pkg Oreo cookies (I always use Double Stuff and I found this new flavor with chocolate and vanilla flavor - TO DIE FOR!!)

Plus my secret ingredient for everything chocolate that I make..... 1/4 tsp. Espresso Powder

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees; spray muffin pan generously with cooking spray (I only use Pam)

~ Mix brownies according to package directions, adding Espresso Powder to the dry mix before adding wet ingredients.

~ Put approx. 1 Tbs. of brownie mix into each muffin cup; then add one cookie to each cup; followed by one more Tbs. of brownie mix.

~ Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (you'll see the top crack just a little)

~ Let them cool in pan for 10 min. then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

~ Serve plane or as I like them with whipped cream (Reddi-Whip is my favorite) with each bite..... of course I have to share the whipped cream with the doggies. TeeHee!

But that is ALL they get - no chocolate for my babies.

See the delicious layers of the Oreos!

So now all you have to do is sign our linky so we all can find your recipes. You check out all ours and we will check out all yours. If you don't want to write it all down and you know of one on line just post a link to it on your blog or leave it in a comment if you prefer!

Let's get cooking..... Bon Appetit!

{Disclosure: I have not been paid by any of the companies who's links I have included. I have found that they work best in my recipe and wanted to share them with my friends. However, if any of these companies want to contact me to do any reviews or giveaways, I am more than happy to oblige!}

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Color Carnival ~ August 21, 2011: Centerpiece

*** Voting is now open... Head over to Maria's Space to vote for your favorite!***

Maria's Space

I am joining my friend Maria over at Maria's Space who hosts this fabulous photography meme called Color Carnival where you post a photo you have taken of something colorful and link up to her blog. Then return on Thursday to vote for your favorite photo.

Here is my submission for the week a gorgeous centerpiece on one of the tables at the Disney Social Media Moms Conference I attended in March.

Now, let's see your best colorful photo, I know you all are wonderful photographers, and then link up to Maria's Space, then return on Thursday to vote for your favorite.

Have a terrific weekend and don't forget to keep your camera at the ready!

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XmasDolly: UPRINTING.com Review & Giveaway 18" x 24" Poster P...

I have one of the UPrinting Poster Print of my doggie Nano and it is so gorgeous, so I won't be entering this giveaway over at XmasDolly's Grand Gala Giveaway.... but any of you with children or new babies (hint, hint Trisha) should really head on over to enter this amazing giveaway!
XmasDolly: UPRINTING.com Review & Giveaway 18" x 24" Poster P...:
UPrinting.Com is the bomb! I'm the wife of a musician. A mother of four who are all married & a grandmother of nine.......

Head on over to Dolly's Blog to see the rest of the info on how you can win this amazing giveaway!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: August 24, 2011 ~ Hi Ma!!

WORDLESS

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday..... I'm looking forward to to seeing all of your photos, so if you leave a comment, please leave your email address so I can come on over and take a look.

Mandie Kathryn Shewbridge

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, head over to the WW Hub, leave your link, check out the other participants, and don't forget to leave a nice comment - you know you like comments, they do too!!

And don't forget about our recipe sharing meme tomorrow: "Recipe Swap Meet Thursday" - have you got your recipe ready??? Don't forget to grab our button and play along... Happy cooking!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Monday's Music Moves Me ~ School Days, School Days....

Welcome to a Monday's Music Moves Me, the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, my dearest of friends Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast, Callie from Jamerican Spice and the wonderful Stacy from Stacy Uncorked. This week's theme is Songs that Have to do With School!

This is the first song that came to mind when this theme came up and I LOVE this video of it, almost as I love the Staples commercial that used the song.....

School's Out ~ Alice Cooper and The Muppets (yep, I said Muppets)

I think of my oldest son, Nikolaus when he was in 6th grade and Bill asked him why he sat in the front row of this particular class when he sat in the back of all the other classes... then we met the teacher: a very pretty, young, blond who was..... "well developed," should I say? Bill told Nikolaus that he would have sat in the front row, too. Here is.....

Hot for Teacher ~ Van Halen

These next two are actually something that helped me in English class during my school years, but were shown during Saturday morning cartoons and I really loved them and I can still remember them. There was a whole series on several subjects (which I now own on DVD) but these are the two that are my favorites - and use for answers on Jeopardy!.....

Interjections! ~ Schoolhouse Rock

Preamble ~ Schoolhouse Rock

This next group is another one that Bill and I were able to see live in concert, let me tell you, it was the LOUDEST concert we have ever been to, but it was AWESOME!

School Days (School of Rock) ~ AC/DC

So what's moving you today? Write up a post and let us know... Here is all you need to do to play along:

First step: Head on over to You Tube, or anywhere you get your music videos and post them on your blog! Upcoming themes are to you LOWER RIGHT of XmasDolly's blog.

Second Step: Grab our "Monday's Music Moves Me" Button, mine is on my right sidebar, or off of any of the hosts' sites.

Third step: SIGN THE LINKY - Follow your hosts, grab their buttons too when you visit them and show them some love by leaving a comment.. (mine is on my right sidebar above the 4M button)

Final step: Go visit the other Rockers on our Linky and PLEASE show them some love by leaving them a comment, you know you like comments, they do too!

Once you write up your post, link up with us (on any of the host's blog - they are all connected) and you may be chosen as our SPOTLIGHT DANCERS like this week's lucky couple in our #1 and #2 linky spots.....

Olivia of Olivia Blue Music ~~ and ~~ Lori of Dollycas's Thoughts

CONGRATULATIONS!!

If you are one of the lucky ones who is chosen for our spotlight dance, don't forget to grab the Spotlight Dancer Button from Dolly's right sidebar and proudly display it on your blog... WooHoo!

ROCK ON, MY FRIENDS!!

We're very sorry to say there has been some people not playing along, and just signing our linky so other people will stop by their blogs for giveaways or whatever! Unfortunately, these bloggers will be marked and ignored, you will not get any benefit from our linky, so don't bother. Leave a comment, grab our button, or follow us. If you don't want to post a video, you can post a link to a video, or post some lyrics, but please - at least attempt to make it music related. Thank you for your understanding. We will not follow you and we will not promote your blog!

*** Just one thing, please...

We are family friendly blogs and while we don't want to censor anyone,

we do ask that you keep your songs rated PG13 or less.

If you find that you need to post songs of an explicit sexual nature or language,

please find a different venue.

Thank you very much!***

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Some Silly Puns to Make You Laugh

~ The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Circumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

~ I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

~ She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

~ A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

~ No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

~ A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

~ A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

~ Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

~ A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

~ Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

~ Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

~ Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

~ I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger... Then it hit me.

~ A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

~ The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

~ The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

~ A backward poet writes inverse.

~ In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

~ When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

~ If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine.

~ A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

~ Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

~ Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

~ Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?'

The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

~ There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh... No pun in ten did.

Thanks to my friend, Butch in Connecticut who we used to live next door to, for sending me these puns that made me smile. =) Hope you got a smile also. Have a great weekend.

Big Things Coming Over at XmasDolly's Blog

**UPDATE: MARIE HAS DONE IT!!

XMASDOLLY NOW HAS OVER 1000 FOLLOWERS - YIPPEE!

STAY TUNED FOR INFO ON THE FABULOUS GIVEAWAYS...***

I'm sure you all know my friend Marie over at XmasDolly by now... I am SO excited to let you know that she is just about to reach her 1000th blog follower - at last check, she had ONE MORE TO GO! I am SO proud of her, she has worked so hard on her blog and truly deserves all the accolades she has received.

Now on to the goo part... once she reaches those 1000 followers, she is having a Grand Gala Giveaway - one giveaway a day for an entire week! So for that reason - and SOOOOO many more, head on over to XmasDolly's blog and follow her, you will be glad you did.

Good luck, my dear friend... I am so happy and so proud of how far you have come. Love you!!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Thursday Recipe Swap Meet ~ Party Punch

Post a recipe on your blog, sign the linky on either blog (they will be linked), grab our new button - isn't she cute - hubby says she looks like me... TeeHee? (above, on my sidebar and on my Co-Chef Dolly's blog) and check out the recipes. Don't forget that each week you actually will be getting at least TWO for the price of ONE because both Dolly (Hi, my dear friend!!!) and I will post a recipe on each of our blogs. How simple is that??

Party Punch

2 Gal. jug Hawaiian Punch (cherry flavor works best)
2 - 2 litre bottles of ginger ale
1 Can of Dole pineapple juice
1/2 gallon rainbow sherbet

You can also make this an "adult" beverage by substituting the ginger ale with champagne/sparkling white wine.

Mix all the liquids in a punch bowl, stirring gently; float scoops of sherbet on top of liquid for flavor and to keep punch cold.

I made this recently for a friend's baby shower and of course forgot to take photos of it and since the puppies weren't there, I have no puppy tail wags for you - I do know they LOVE sherbet, however. The punch was a huge hit at the shower, everyone asked me for the recipe which is why I am posting it today. =)

I do have a photo of my friend and I from the shower that I can share with you:

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: August 17, 2011 ~ Putting Together Our Entertainment Center with the Help of the Doggies

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday..... I'm looking forward to to seeing all of your photos, so if you leave a comment, please leave your email address so I can come on over and take a look.

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, head over to the WW Hub, leave your link, check out the other participants, and don't forget to leave a nice comment - you know you like comments, they do too!!

And don't forget about our recipe sharing meme tomorrow: "Recipe Swap Meet Thursday" - have you got your recipe ready??? Don't forget to grab our button and play along... Happy cooking!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Monday's Music Moves Me ~ Been a Bad Week

Welcome to a Monday's Music Moves Me, the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, my dearest of friends Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast, Callie from Jamerican Spice and the wonderful Stacy from Stacy Uncorked. This week's theme is FREEBIE WEEK!

I have had a really busy, lousy week that ended up with a horrible migraine on Sunday that kept me in bed until about 7pm when I could finally keep down a piece of toast and a Popsicle, plus enough meds to take the pain away. So here are a couple of songs that describe how I feel.....

19th Nervous Breakdown ~ The Rolling Stones

The ironic thing about this next song is that it was recorded the week I was born Dec. 3-8, 1965 (I was born on the 7th).....

Mother's Little Helper ~ The Rolling Stones

So what's moving you today? Write up a post and let us know... Here is all you need to do to play along:

First step: Head on over to You Tube, or anywhere you get your music videos and post them on your blog! Upcoming themes are to you LOWER RIGHT of XmasDolly's blog.

Second Step: Grab our "Monday's Music Moves Me" Button, mine is on my right sidebar, or off of any of the hosts' sites.

Third step: SIGN THE LINKY - Follow your hosts, grab their buttons too when you visit them and show them some love by leaving a comment.. (mine is on my right sidebar above the 4M button)

Final step: Go visit the other Rockers on our Linky and PLEASE show them some love by leaving them a comment, you know you like comments, they do too!

Once you write up your post, link up with us (on any of the host's blog - they are all connected) and you may be chosen as our SPOTLIGHT DANCERS like this week's lucky couple in our #1 and #2 linky spots.....

Chloe of Mama's Musings ~~ and ~~ Kayla of The Eclectic Element

CONGRATULATIONS!!

If you are one of the lucky ones who is chosen for our spotlight dance, don't forget to grab the Spotlight Dancer Button from Dolly's right sidebar and proudly display it on your blog... WooHoo!

*** Just one thing, please...

We are family friendly blogs and while we don't want to censor anyone,

we do ask that you keep your songs rated PG13 or less.

If you find that you need to post songs of an explicit sexual nature or language,

please find a different venue.

Thank you very much!***

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Thursday Recipe Swap Meet ~ Nutella Swirl Pound Cake

~ Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.

~ In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed of mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

~ Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife - do not over mix; sprinkle crystal sugar on top of batter.

~ Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes; invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

This comes out SO moist and I love the chocolaty/nutty flavor of the Nutella inside. Bill and I both like to add a little ice cream and whipped cream on top for an added treat. The cake gets 6 out of 6 puppy tail wags, too - we just make sure not to give them any of the Nutella. =)

So now all you have to do is sign our linky so we all can find your recipes. You check out all ours and we will check out all yours. If you don't want to write it all down and you know of one on line just post a link to it on your blog or leave it in a comment if you prefer!

Let's get cooking..... Bon Appetit!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: August 10, 2011 ~ Stormy Skies

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday..... I'm looking forward to to seeing all of your photos, so if you leave a comment, please leave your email address so I can come on over and take a look.