More Gifts Found!

I mentioned in previous posts about Ken and Melissa Brown staying in my home while I was away and how I was finding gifts they had left for me.  This past Sunday, I did my usual Sunday morning routine of cleaning, and I found more gifts I had missed...a new sewing set, and Ground Buffalo Meat.  Buffalo meat is so yummy and a specialty, so I seasoned it and made buffalo burgers for Tiffany Watson and myself.  They were yummy.  Thanks for the Buffalo and sewing kit!  Can't believe I missed it.

 and two "original drawings" by Ken and Melissa's kids that they left as a gift.  Nice work .

Comments!

I'm VERY sorry.  I didn't realize that people were trying to post comments on my blog posts.  I somehow accidentally turned off the comments, and just now stumbled on tons of comments friends had left me that I haven't published.  I'm sorry.  I wasn't ignoring, just never saw them until now.  From now on, I'll keep a watch on them.  Thanks for all of the comments.  I love the feedback on the designs, recipes, and life.  Keep 'em coming!  Thanks again!

Sneak Peek of Tucson Arizona Pics!

 It's no secret that I love for people to dress nicely; not for vanity, but to represent well and out of love for others!  Jimmy Hochstetler in this picture blew me away with his fine white fashionable suit, so Kristen Billinghire and myself absolutely had to get a photo hanging out with him!

 I love this pic.  Hanging out with the girls.  Can't believe how old Lauren Fraser has gotten, AND ERICA AMOS WOW....I have known this gal since she was two.  When her family lived in Oklahoma she use to come over to my house a lot as a kid and now look at her....a teenager!

 Jason Cocomise poses with his son Titus!  I like this pic...they are dressed alike thanks to Brooke, wife to Jason and mom to Titus shown below!  Love her sense of fashion!  I have to say, west coast people know how to dress very nicely!

 Brooke Cocomise poses with her sleeping beauty daughter dressed like her in black and white!

 Hanging out with friends at "The Last Territory" a Western Themed little area in Tucson.

All feast I was happy to run into EVERYDAY my friends the Barkei's.  Above is a photo of Anita and her daughter Laurel.  Since I just visited them in July in New Jersey their kids totally remembered me in Tucson, Arizona.  Anita told me that her son Jonathan kept asking about me the entire trip.  Made me happy. 

 Jonathan Barkei poses at breakfast!  He's got the best smile and bought me a gift too.  Loved that!

 My mom wanted to pose by a cactus.  It was her and my dads first time out west.  They really liked the desert.  This trip made me realize how many friends I have in the west....I've visited alot!

 A group of us went mountain hiking bright and early at 6AM one morning.  We ended up going more like mountain climbing towards the end!  We took a wrong turn and ended up using our hands and knees to crawl up and down steep slopes.  Fun stuff, though we used wisdom and turned back before we fell off the mountain!

Believe it or not I had climbed up to this point using my hands and knees b/c of the "steepness."  I was nicknamed "Diva" by a friend for singing opera seeing how my voice echoes on the mountainside, and I refused to wear hiking boots or tennis shoes...I hiked with my cutesy fashion shoes.  Made it just fine with only a near slip or two.  A bee was almost my demise....so scared of bees I was afraid I was going to jump off the mountain when one flew past me and I was on a steep part of the mountain.

 Jimmy Hochstetler poses on the steep part of the mountain.

 See this sign...this sign reads that we were headed up the steep bold path, but it's so rusted out we missed it until it was too late.  We caught it on our way down and were like oh, that's why our hiking turned to climbing!

 Mr. Winston Davis showed me that he knows how to fold a napkin all fancy.  Was impressed!

 Kofi Appiah took me to this swanky uptown restaurant in town with the Davis' Stewart's and McCombs.  Was a lot of fun and the food was definitely fabulous!

 Adorable pic of one of Brandon and Misty Lowe's fraternal twins.  She didn't have pockets, so she made her own.  Love it!

 And we can't leave out Brandon and Misty Lowe's other fraternal twin; the twin brother to the pocket twin gal!  :-)  Oh, that's his mom Misty too!  Misty is married to Brandon, Brooke Cocomise's brother.  Loving all the family connections friends have!

 Kayla Glennon and myself struck a pose.  Kayla is a great friend.  Love the Glennon's.  Her brother Robert was a groomsman in my brother's wedding too.  They look a lot alike!  Gorgeous family!

 Kayla and I posed at "Sunset Point"  Love Kayla's sense of style.  Again, the friends from the west coast dress so fashionably nice!  Love it!

 Rachel Szabo took this pic of her daughter Katrina that she emailed.  It looks professional to me.  Katrina is a little fashionable gal.  She told me that I'm a funny person.  Love my friends kids! 

 Another pic that Rachel took and sent of Katrina and I. 

 My long time friend Kim Bacon poses with me at Church services.  Can't believe how long we've been friends now.  Good times!

 Austin Szabo, Katrina's little brother shows me that he can stand up all on his own now.  Last time I saw him he was on 7 weeks old and look at him now...turning into a big boy!

 Family portrait of Steve and Rachel Szabo's family.  I have known them for a loooong time!...Rachel all the way back to my Texas teen days.

 Poppy Hochstetler and I strike a pose.  Poppy is one of the sweetest friends that I have.  I love her kindness always putting others first as we all should.  She has some great character!  Definitely a jewel!

My dad chats at Church Services with someone.  He really enjoyed his first trip out west!

 An old friend of mine Rashelle Randall had on the cutest little leopard shoes in Tucson, so I asked her to foot model for me, so that I can find me a pair that look similar.  :-)

 Anita took a photo of her son Jonathan and I with my camera after he gave me this gift all on his own which is really sweet I think.  He was all shy about it...I LOVE his fachial expression...it says...I like you Aunt Carolyn, that's why I bought you the gift, but do I have to hug you b/c you are a girl!  :-)

 Hanging out with fellow single friends.  James Armstead wins the prize for best smile at the table!

My buddy Kims bro, Justin!  Love this guy...I've known him since he was a little boy and now he's turned into a man in his 20s.  I feel like another big sister to him.

Gifts From Ken and Melissa Brown!--THANK YOU!

 While I was away in Tucson, Arizona.  A GREAT friend from Texas that I've known since I was in 3rd grade came to Oklahoma and stayed at my house with her husband, 2 children, father in law, and brother in law.  I came home to a very, very clean home...almost like spring cleaned and the gifts shown in these pictures!  Specialty Teas....I LOVE TEA!!!....original drawings by Melissa's kids, AND NEW "designer" sheets.  I say designer b/c of the design on them that matches perfectly with my bedding theme.  WOW....THANK YOU.  What a blessing.  I'm very happy that y'all stayed in my home and I hope you enjoyed Oklahoma!  Maybe we'll see you all at Thanksgiving NEXT MONTH at some point if you're up visiting!

A Coats Farewell Family Lunch!

Had a family lunch this Sunday at my parents house with my parents, brother, and sister in law.  We got together before we take off later this week.  My parents and myself are headed to Tucson, Arizona, and my brother and Sonia are headed to Tampa, Florida. Will be nice!  Thanks to my dad and mom for cooking and hosting!  T'was so nice to come to a literally "home cooked meal!" at the parents.  The neighbors rooster and duck were wandering in my parents yard, so I took a photo of them before I captured them and my parents cooked them for the lunch.  JUST JOKING!   The pic really was taken in my parents yard our our neighbors "runaways" though. With this said my recipes and designs will be on hold for two weeks while we are away having fun!  The cookbook of culinary elegance should be ready to hit the press mid October for those who have asked for a copy.  Until then, everyone have a nice 2 weeks; will be working hard on new designs upon return!

Healthy Granola Bars!

Mrs. Harrison sent me a recipe for healthy granola bars.  They are sweetened with honey, so they are gluten, but honey is natural, so every now and then I'll "get wild" and have some honey which is very healthy for normal people who get to eat gluten!  :-)  Anyway, THANKS to Mrs. Harrison for sending me this recipe.  I now have a new party treat that's healthy for guests!

(following recipe I was sent) Not shown, but I poured oats (half old fashion oats style and the other half gluten free steel cut oats) on non greased baking sheet and baked for 10 minutes at 350F.  Also, not pictured melted honey and olive oil together in a sauce pan.  Once this was done, poured oats into honey and oil sauce pan along with slivered almonds, as well as all natural TOTALLY unsweetened chocolate; not 70% unsweetened chocolate, but TOTALLY unsweetened and mixed everything together.

Put waxed/parchment paper on a small 10X15 baking sheet and evenly distributed the granola mix packing it down tightly onto the baking sheet on top of the wax/parchment paper.  Put in oven and baked for 10 minutes.  Removed from oven and let cool completely.  Put in freezer overnight, and this morning cut the bars apart.  (Easier to get a clean cut when they are frozen.  BTW--they taste really good eaten frozen; crunchy granola bars; if you eat them thawed they are the chewy granola bars.

Vahlah!  Finished healthy homemade granola bars!  So excited to know how to make another new favorite healthy snack!  It's always more fun using someone elses recipe too!  You never never know how they will turn out first time you make it.  Fun!  :-)