Are there any safe investments still out there?

I have been doing some research as of late and have found a cool web site which describes what I think would be a great place to put some of our money, a place that is secure and could possibly get a nice return on our investments.

Their high yield investments are safe and with a high return rate (12%) on first trust deeds looks great to us. This web site describes in length the opportunities and how you can get started making our money work for us.

It sounds like a great way for us to add to our IRA portfolio or as a retirement income.

My little one is growing up!

Our youngest rides the school bus to school, the bus stop is at the street corner and is only a few houses down, but we can’t see the corner from our house.  We have always made it a point to walk with him to the stop and wait with him for the bus to come, but it seems that those days are coming to an end.  Not that I enjoy standing on the corner every a.m. in all kinds of weather conditions with a bunch of unruly children, but I do enjoy knowing that my child has boarded the bus safely.

We had a talk with him and it seems that he no longer feels comfortable with one of us there with him anymore, so it looks like next week might be a giant stepping stone in his quest for independence.

I should be happy, but……….       

My happy

Crème brûlée French toast

Saw this recipe on T.V. the other day and wanted to share it here.

Crème brûlée French toast

From Epicurious.com

This highly rated recipe from Epicurious.com is a cinch to prepare — and one of the tastiest breakfasts you’ll ever eat.

Why not marry two of the most delicious dishes of all — crème brûlée and French Toast? This easy and extremely popular recipe can be prepared the night before and baked in the oven the next morning. You can spice it up even more by cutting the bread with heart-shaped cookie cutters and then serving it to your loved one on Valentine’s Day.

Although the Diehls use large slices from a round loaf of bread and remove the crust, we also tried the recipe with a baguette, leaving the crust on, and found it just as delicious. At La Maison, challah is often the bread of choice.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

An 8- to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread

5 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350° F and bring bread to room temperature.

Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot French toast immediately.

Whitewater rafting in the Poconos

Premier whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River in the Poconos, Pennsylvania.  Wow, sounds good to me.  I haven’t gone rafting in such a very long time, probably since my teenager was little.  I remember going to a place in West Virginia with my sister and her kids and having a blast rafting down the whitewaters.

I really am tired of winter and am thinking of things that we can do come summer time.  The Poconos is PA is a great place any time of the year and I’m sure that there is tons of  FUN for all abilities and ages.

Guess we will be busy this summer watching Cher in Las Vegas and Lehigh River rafting in the Poconos in PA, sounds like a good start in my planning calendar.

Making plans for Friday “Date Night”

Am hoping that this Friday evening hubby and I will go out to dine at the new Red Lobster here in our neighborhood.  For Christmas my sister sent us gift cards for Red Lobster and I have been anxious to use them but we haven’t gone out for a “Date Night” since the holidays.  I love that restaurant, great seafood that is affordable and there is no need to get too dressed up for the meal.  Now I just need to figure out what movie is out that we both will enjoy, that can be the challenge.  Hubby will eat anything, anytime, anywhere, but picking a movie that makes us both happy isn’t always easy.  I’m sure there is something out there that I can find that will please us both.

Cher is replacing Celine Dion at Caesars!

I heard on a radio spot the other day the Celine Dion is leaving Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  I didn’t get to hear all of what they said but I did hear loud and clear that Cher is replacing Celine with a show of her own come May of 2008.  How cool is that, I mean Celine is awesome but Cher is still the Queen, even after all these years.

 When I was in my 20’s and 30’s I had a lot of people telling me that I resembled Cher, Marlo Thomas and Olive Oyle.

I remember watching the Sonny and Cher show along with all the other Variety Shows that were so popular in the 60’s and 70’s.  Laugh-In was by far the coolest of them, Sonny and Cher were on that show a few times, along with just about every other celebrity in those days.

It was sad to see Sonny and Cher break up, but he got into politics and she went on to bigger and better things, one of them being the guy from KISS, Gene Simmons – the guy with the huge long tongue.  Of course she also went and made movies, outrageous videos and kept coming out with new song hits one right after another – and looking great the whole time. 

I’m sure that I have several of her C.D.s and probably still have an album or two, and a handful of cassettes that are buried somewhere in the basement.  I feel the need to break some of those out soon and take a listen.  Haven’t heard “If I could turn back time” in a while or “Half Breed” or even “All I ever need is you”

When I heard she was coming to Las Vegas I found a great web-site Cherworld.com. I’m sure hubby will like to check it out, he has always had the hots for Cher and Barbara Streisand both.  Hey, maybe going to Vegas and seeing her show would be an idea for a much needed long weekend getaway!  Sounds like I need to email him the link for the Tickets to see Cher in Las Vegas and start the hinting, wish me luck, I’m feeling lucky.

Hearing awful news down Tennessee way

Am worried today about my sister and her family that live in Tennessee.  The news is now saying 48 fatalities and I can’t seem to get through to her over the phone.  The T.V. is saying that a lot of lines are down so I’m not too surprised about not getting hold of her. 

It is rough having family members living in so many places south of us that are always dealing with some kind of severe weather issues such as North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida.  They are all such beautiful places but I’m glad once again that I live in Virginia, we rarely deal with such disasters.

Guess I’ll just keep trying to reach her.

Who would have thought that the Giants would win?

This years Super Bowl, in my opinion of course, was not the most exciting game I’ve ever witnessed.  The commercials weren’t all that “awesome”, but there were a few that got hubby and myself to laughing, but the game couldn’t keep my attention so I nodded out at middle of the end of the 4th quarter, which of course ended up being the only “exciting” part of the game!

I’m surprised that the Patriots didn’t kick butt, I am glad the Giants won though.  I guess I have a soft spot in my heart now a days for New York, since 911 and all.  I ran across a nice coffee table book with a great collection of wonderful photos taken on that day.  I pulled it out of one of our book cases the other day and put it where it belongs, on my all ready overly crowded coffee table, for all to enjoy.   

I have finished reading the Civil War book and need to choose another out of the stack of books that I brought upstairs last week.  There is a huge selection to choose from, I will take a look later.  For right now it is all about figuring out what am I going to cook for dinner tonight.