"It's So Easy EVEN Molly Can Do It!"

So...earlier this week, my friend Petra, posted pictures on her facebook page of "Candy Corn Bark". (You KNOW what a fan I am of C.C.) I called her (all the way in DeRidder, Louisiana) to see how she made it!
Simple instructions that included the phrase..."Molly, it's so easy, EVEN YOU can do it!" Remember that phrase.

Here is a site that you WILL not see often...me IN the kitchen!
I had 2 packages of almond bark, and 2 PRECIOUS packages of C.C. AND pretzles! I wanted to go for the sweet/salty taste.
I even have a smile on my face.
I have HOPE...I have BELIEF...I have FAITH!
I'm not even breaking a sweat!

This is my FIRST batch of Candy Corn Bark....yeah, I know, it looks like throw-up.

Then I went for the second batch!

It will NOT harden!

It's still just as soft and mushy as the first batch.

Could it be that I put TOO much C.C.?

Could it be that it's really humid?

Could it be that I had the air conditioner on?

Could it be because I was sweating bullets by this time?

Please, do NOT get excited...this is Petra's batch.

This is the picture that I SHOULD have looked at

before I made my BATCHES and wasted C.C.

Did I say WASTED C.C.?

OH NO....I can pick it out!

Don't Forget Saturday Night....

You Know What Day It Is?

It's HUMP DAY. And if someone would politely give me a little shove....I can make it!

Beautiful Site To See...

I have an idea ! ! !

I've figured out a way to make me think deeper...

If this little light bulb would pop up each time I had a good idea, I'd be sitting around contemplating EVERYTHING constantly! I found this over at one of my favorite blogs. Click here to read their entire blog.

Happy 3rd B'day to the Spencer Girls

Avery & Roslyn Spencer celebrated their 3rd birthdays today!
They aren't twins...they're cousins!
Born on the same day a few hours apart.
Roslyn came first, born here in Paris.
Avery came next, born in Dallas.
Normally on Wednesday night Simple Suppers at church, I sing happy birthday, to whoever is celebrating, and bang pots and pans for them. Roslyn doesn't like the noise! So, a couple of weeks ago I asked her if I could sing to her when it was time for her birthday. She said "Sure, but you have to do it quite!"
These girls are so precious and, once again, I thank their parents for sharing these sweet girls with me!

Pumpkins, Lepreuchans & Grandfriends

I was so lucky to be invited to our KFC (Kids For Christ) Fall Celebration tonight. Louie & Marolyn Woodall (no relation) graciously opened their ranch for all types of goblins, large and small, to come and eat and just have a good time.

Carrie Johnson and Robbie Padgett are trying to figure out how to get all the "stuffin" out of a pumpkin. I honestly think the adults had as much fun, as the kids did, with this project.
"Lepreuchan: In Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief." This is Johnny Nabors...he's definitely not an old man, but he sure played the part tonight! I kept singing the "Lucky Charms" song everytime I was around him.

Dianna Welch (aka/Mimi) ..... this is proof that grandparents will do whatever the granddarlings tell them to do! Hahahha....Told you this was not attractive!

Payden Daniels was a racecar driver. He even had his name on the back of his racing outfit.

This is Mr Brody Kace Dyess....sleeping through his first Halloween party! He was born on Oct. 11 and is the son of Jason and Sheridie Dyess and the little brother of Gibson....never even got a picture of Cowboy Gibson tonight!

This is Miss Alexis Daniels...and she is celebrating her first Halloween as a Zebra! She feasted on formula, while we all had hotdogs.

I have a confession...

I know you're probably going to say that this is a very deep blog...probably the deepest one I've ever written! But, I have to come clean....I have to confess.....

I AM

It's a problem...I know it is...

I see these funny shirts this time of year....
they make my addiction even worse!

But, as you know, I am diabetic! It's a HUGE issue....

On the back of the Candy Corn package,

it says that I can have 18 pieces of C.C.

and that will be 37 carbs! TOO MANY!

That's too many carbs for a snack.

So, I recount - divide it up and re-figure...

I can only have 9...NINE...

That makes it 18.5 carbs for a snack

I count them out....

eat them slow....

eat the white part first...

Doesn't seem worth it does it?

DUH...Yes it is!

Chigger Festival/Extravaganza 2009

WoooHOOO! My sister Mary and I had an itchin' good time in Cooper today! We got up EARLY and at pancakes, prepared by the Lion's Club, then to the donut shop for dessert! We walked around the square, visited with folks and saw the sites. We took a break and went to the garage sale our older sister, Martha and her girls, were having today.
At the Civic Center, they were having a Health Fair. When we walked in, they gave us a big bag and said there would be "freebies" at each table. I told my sister that it was like "trick or treat for old folks". We got samples of arthritis cream, pill boxes, yard sticks, lotion, purse packs of tissues, candy, tape measures, pens....just fun stuff!
There was an elderly lady there today that had homemade jelly. Mary and I both got some Muscadine jelly. I can't wait to try it at breakfast!


I had told my facebook friends that I was contemplating competing for the Miss Chigger title. But, I didn't want to see those little girls cry...so I bowed out of the competition!

Then on to lunch at BIG JON'S BURGERS. I graduated with the owner, Jon Thomas, WAAAAYYY back in 1974. There's only 4 tables in there so you may have to share a meal with someone else....our lunch-mate was a man who came from Dallas, just to eat a Hamburger Steak! You better be hungry when you go there - you gets LOTS of food!

Then later in the afternoon, we were getting a little "weak and lifeless", so we went to Miller's Drug store for a treat!

This is Mabel Wheat. She's in her late 80's and is STILL a "soda jerk". She's been doing this for over 50 years. They make the ice cream there...you get chocolate or vanilla. If you order a Coke...it's made with Coke syrup and the "fizzy stuff". There's no automatic quick anything at Miller's! I had a choclate milkshake. Mary was good and had a Diet Cherry Lime-Aid.....and it was good.

The owner of Miller's asked her, while we were there, if she'd like to take a break and walk around the square. She declined, saying "Nope, anyone I want to see will come in here!"

Talon Andrew Gregory

Isn't this the most precious smile?

This is Talon...he's my GREAT nephew. His "father", as he's calling him now, is my nephew Theron...Mary's baby boy.

Talon has such a GREAT personality a giggle that makes you want to laugh too!

When he came into his Pappy & Mammy's house, on Friday night, he came right to me and gave me the biggest hug! And you know how I love that!

HOLY COW . . . It's been Y E A R S!!!!!!

Imagine my surprise when this lady walked up to me....I didn't have a clue who she was! (I blame it on sunglasses!) This is my friend, Vicky Helms! Vicky and I were running buddies back when we were in our "early" 20's! I have so many memories of trips to Dallas and Commerce! She even helped me decorate my first little apartment in Cooper.....well actually it was a window in my bathroom...but that's a story for another time! hahahah!

Now, for the small world part! Vicky's daughter Nicole is one of my Mommy's nurses! Nicole had told her Mom about meeting this lady named "Melinda" (which is what my family calls me). It finally dawned on Vicky that she was talking about Molly Melinda McMillan! Tah-Dah!

We exchanged phone numbers and hopefully, after all these years, we can reconnect and become close friends again!

What fun!

Mary & Fay

This is my sister Mary and her friend Fay Lancaster. Fay is 87 and she is so cool! She is a computer and e-mailing fiend! (She sends out some of the funniest jokes!) To me, Fay looks younger now than she did years ago. She's just one of those eternally young people.

Life is short, you need to have lots of friends....friends of all ages!

Chattin' With My Mommy

After all the festivities today, I went to visit with my Mommy!

When I opened the door, she was humming to herself...I have such good memories of hearing her hum when I was growing up! If she was cooking, washing dishes, or sewing, she'd hum whatever her "song of the day" would be. That made me smile as soon as I walked in.

THEN....when I sat on the bed, she looked at me and said

"Who the heck are you?"

"I'm Molly Melinda."

"Well...Melinda wouldn't be THAT fat!"

She just laughed...then said she was hungry! We had a little picnic with Diet Dr. Pepper and Chips Ahoy mini cookies.

She said she liked "whatever it is we're eating."

She has this thing about her fingernails being painted and right now I have my fingernails painted black with red undertones. She took my hand and said;

"I like your....whatever those are! I want that color!"

I had some polish with me so we settled on Maroon!

Mary and I saw one of her classmates on the square today...she said I looked just like Ease. Thank you Mary Reynolds...that is such a compliment!

Happy Birthday Lindsay!

My sweet friend, Lindsay (Welch) McCarter is having a birthday on Saturday! I won't tell how old she is...but she's on the downhill side of a "3" number! hahaha!

I met Lindsay about 12 years ago, when we first moved to the area, and we hit it off IMMEDIATELY! (There may be a "few" years that are between us...but, it doesn't matter.)

She has shared LOTS of her exciting times with me! Moving to Mesquite after graduating from college, moving to Paris, parties with her friends, her engagement to Michael, planning the wedding, the beautiful wedding, the birth of her girls, their birthdays.....just LIFE!

Lindsay is so much fun and has a personality that will bring everyone to her.

She is a talented music teacher (Teacher of the Year for Justiss Elementary).

She became an instant Mom, when she and Michael married, to Kaitlyn. Then along comes Aubrie and Emma. They are the sweetest family! Those little girls are so sweet and have their Mom's personality!

Michael is such a wonderful man...he is loving, talented, hard-working, Christian man. God blessed Lindsay when he brought the 2 of them together.

The McCarter Girls:
Aubrie, Kaitlyn & Emma

I love you Lindsay Lou-Lee-Bell!!!! Thank you for being my friend and for letting me a part of your family! (And...just because I love you, I didn't even put the "labor" picture on here!)

Happy 5th Birthday Izzy!

Tonight I went to Roxton to celebrate the 5th birthday of my great-niece, Isabella Theye! She had her sister Destiny, her cousins Megan, Develon, Cayla and Trenton, her best friend Maddie, and her "brother from another Mother" Alex.
Izzy is a John Deere tractor girl. She got caps, shirts and tractors with John Deere on it!
Happy Birthday little girl...Menna loves you!

Back Row: Destiny, Develon, Cayla, Megan, Alex, Trenton
Front Row: Maddie & Izzy

Bunco Halloween Party

A group of 12 ladies, that I go to church with, meet once a month to play Bunco. It's not so much about playing Bunco as it is just getting together, eating, laughing, eating, talking, eating...oh, and we play Bunco too!
Kristi Garrett was our hostess this month...and we could NOT believe all the food she, with the help of Jessica Daniels, cooked up for us.

These are Bone Brownies with "bone" confetti!
How about these Mummies?

And Graveyard pizza

Melted Witches! (Almond bark, Oreos, pretzels, and Bugles!

OH MY STARS!!!!!!!

Ghostly Cookies

My DREAM Car

Webber & his Dad

Webber's Dad, Lavelle, is now in the Veterans Nursing Home.

He loves being there and it's so nice.

But, it breaks your heart to see so many young men.

Thank you to all service men and women!

These are a few of my favorite things.....

A Sunday afternoon with the girls!

Laney, Abby & Kaitlyn!

And...did I mention, Sunday afternoons with the girls?

Abby, Chandler & Laney!

Peace, Love & LOTS of lipgloss!

Megan and Menna

This is from a month or so ago...when my great-nieces spent this afternoon with me.

Megan is my nephew Shane's daughter. She is 15 and goes to Roxton High School. Megan is on the volleyball team and just THE coolest G.N.! I love you Girly!

And, in reference to the title of this post; all my nieces and nephews and most of their friends, call me Menna. The story behind the name is that my family calls me by my middle name Melinda. When my oldest niece (only 5 years younger than me), Melody, was learning to talk, she couldn't say Melinda....so it came out Menna - and the rest is history!

Abe & Abby

I just love this picture...it's so colorful!

Abby & I were in Wally's one day, and there stood Abe...

I just didn't realize, until after I took the picture that it was SO colorful!

Abe's a little bland though isn't he?

Yes...this is EXACTLY what it looks like!

So...I was on my way back to work after lunch one day...sitting at the light...here's what was sitting on the other side of the street! I ALWAYS wish I had my camera with me when I see things like this...and Tah-Dah - I pulled out my phone and clicked a picture,

as I was going through the light!

Must have been a REALLY good garage sale to have bought a couch and strapped it to the top of the car!

My Larry...

I haven't posted anything about my sweet son lately....

so, here he is!

He's taking me to see KISS in December! WoooHOOO!

He knows how to make his Mommy happy doesn't he?

Happy 28th Becky D!

Happy 28th Birthday to my co-worker and friend, Becky Davis! I've worked with her for the last 8 years and have literally watched her grow up. She is such a sweetheart and always so kind! She and I share a love of music and appreciate a good-looking man! (teehee!!!) Becky has the coolest laugh...you know she is really tickled when you hear it! We have lots of stories and LOTS of inside jokes! (Ride 'em cowboy!) This picture shows Becky D's personality...just cute and sweet!

And then there's this..................................

I know you wanna kill me for this one - but oh well, I couldn't resist!