Hot Artichoke Dip

This is one of my go-to appetizers.

Perfect for any occasion, celebration or covered dish event!

You will love the creamy sauce, tangy artichokes

and lovely hint of garlic. Yum!

***

Hot Artichoke Dip

2 cans Artichokes (drain & chop)

1 c Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)

1 c Parmesan Cheese (grated)

1 c Mayo

2 Garlic Cloves (minced)

Mix ingredients together and place in a casserole dish.

Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Thanksgiving Thursday

Thomas & Concetta

Forever Young

*******

Love bears up under anything

and everything that comes ...

It is ever ready to believe the best of every person...

It's hopes are fadeless under all circumstances...

and it endures everything without weakening...

Love never fails...never fades out

********

Our Valentine's Weekend was very romantic ~ with some very unexpected twists! Due to circumstances that we did not forsee our finances were not as plentious for our trip as we thought they would be. So...we had to be very creative! It was beyond fun to come up with ingenious ways to spend unforgetable time together without spending any money!

Thankfully - and I am so appreciative for this on Thanksgiving Thursday - our accomodations were already completed! Before we left we went through our kitchen and packed food galore - I also included our toaster and electric skillet! All of the items necessary to make our hotel room beautiful were also tucked into a bag. My husband said to me - "Let's go to St. Augustine and have a Lock-In!" I loved that idea!

We spent a relaxing time just being together...talking-laughing-reminicing...we could not do all the things we initially planned to do - but we were still so abundantly blessed! The only disappointment my husband had was that he was unable to buy my favorite flower for Valentine's Day - the grand tulip! Get ready to smile as you read the bottom portion of this post for a sweet surprise!

TJ and I have had 21 Valentine's together...and I think this was my favorite!

Covenant

The Love Chapter

I Corinthians 13:4-8a

LOVE suffers long.

LOVE is kind.

LOVE does not parade itself.

LOVE is not puffed up.

LOVE does not behave rudely.

LOVE does not seek it's own.

LOVE is not provoked.

LOVE thinks no evil.

LOVE does not rejoice in iniquity.

LOVE rejoices in TRUTH.

LOVE bears ALL things.

LOVE believes ALL things.

LOVE hopes ALL things.

LOVE endures ALL things.

LOVE never fails...

*********

LOVE = Seeking the highest good for another...

Unconditional & Unfailing

Undefeatable Benevolence

Unconquerable Goodwill

Vilano Beach

Friends trying to join the party...

Sparkling grape juice ~ beach side...

Valentine's Tulips

This is the story of my beautiful tulips....on Tuesday night at our cell meeting my beloved Mary Ann surprised me with these lovely flowers. Guess what? They were just because...an "I love you" gift...and she did not even know that they are my favorite flower or that TJ was unable to buy them for me. God is so awesome...He takes care of all of those details that are so important and meaningful to us.

Favorite Things Friday

Quiet mornings with my daughter...

Gabriella Grace Young

18 months old

Outside on Forever Young Farm...

There are animals on the farm...
What do you see?

Pot-Bellied Pigs!

Darth Pigger

&

Luke Pig Walker

Let's head back to the house - Mama!

Thanksgiving Thursday

Fourteen Days of Valentine's Prizes

Hello Dearest Blog of Life Friends~

It has been very busy at the Young home this week! Between my mom's birthday celebration, my daughter's Science Fair Project and getting my son prepared for a weekend of skiing - my blog posts have suffered! The Fourteen Days of Valentine's have continued faithfully thanks to my amazing husband!

Here is a snapshot of my collection ~ all little things to bring on our trip ~ except my ivy pot which is my favorite green plant so that was part of my prizes! I received refreshing packs of gum, a black jacket to wear during our moonlight walks, a beautiful heart necklace, a new magazine to read while driving, a combination package of four romantic movies (plus a coupon to see the movie Valentine's Day) and a collection of worship music Cd's for our listening pleasure!

Of course each present was paired with a poem and a Scripture.

Tomorrow we leave on our getaway! I am so excited!

Thomas & Concetta Young

Always together we will be...forever young you and me!

Thanksgiving Thursday~Valentine's Day 4

Today ~ Day 4 of our Valentine's celebration ~

I received a bottle of bubble bath.

This is not just ordinary bubble bath plucked off the shelf -

the kind that my husband chose is very significant -

he selected the fragrance of milk & honey.

Many years ago, someone we love dearly

and hold in high regard shared with us

that together as a couple we are ~ Milk & Honey.

Milk = Nourishment ~~~ Honey = Sweet

All those little sacred things in our relationship

that mean so much - my sweetheart remembers.

Not only does he remember - he does something so

thoughtful and heartfelt. He is truly a gift and on

this Thankful Thursday I am overflowing with

with gratitude that this man is my only Valentine!

Numbers 14:8

If the Lord delights in Thomas & Concetta,

then He will bring us into this land and give it to us,

a land which flows with milk and honey.

Leviticus 20:24
But I said to Thomas & Concetta,
"You will possess their land;
I will give it to you as an inheritance,
a land flowing with milk and honey."
I am the LORD your God,
who has set you apart from the nations.

Deuteronomy 26:9

He has brought Thomas & Concetta

to this place and has given them this land,

a land flowing with milk and honey.

Day 3 ~ Valentine's

My husband's adorable feet!

He loves my feet! I can't believe it, but he does!

One of my favorite things to do is get a pedicure-

so lovely and luxurious - the ultimate way to relax.

A pedicure is even better when you are enjoying

it with someone else - and no better person than my love.

One day I talked him into getting a pedicure with me - and

he thought it was fantastic - sans the nail polish of course!

I always get the French!

So, for day 3 of our Valentine's extravaganza - I received

a coupon good for 2 pedicures - one for me and one for him -

to be redeemed on the day we leave for our trip!

I can't wait to be pampered and have beautiful feet for our getaway!

Poem Excerpt:

"I love you, I love you my sweet -

So, I am giving you something to pamper your feet."

...and a Scripture:

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my FEET

and a light to my path.

Valentine's ~ Day 2

Look at this adorable prize my husband gave to me

for Day 2 of the Fourteen Days of Valentine's!

He picked me up from work this morning and we

enjoyed a lovely breakfast at a local cafe - yum!

I can't wait to try out my massager!

My poem was tucked inside my little journal again.
My husband cannot believe I am blogging our holiday tradition -
I told him that he was the most important thing in my life
so how could I leave him out of my Blog of Life??

I am including an excerpt from his poem~
(I can't post the entire poem...hmmmmm)
"Your gift for today makes the stress go away
and makes you feel so good you could blog all day!"
Go Blog Wild!
See why I love him?

February Traditions

February is one of my favorite months...

because it is has one of my favorite holidays!!

VALENTINE'S DAY

This Valentine's Day will mark 20 that I have spent

with my one true love ~ Thomas ~ my husband.

Twenty years ago he started the most amazing

tradition to celebrate the day of love and romance.

The Fourteen Days of Valentine

It is a holiday every day starting on the first until

the big finale on the fourteenth.

Each day I receive a special prize and a

handwritten poem!

Look what I was given today!

A beautiful little journal.

The poem is written inside the journal!
This man is not only so thoughtful he is
the most creative person that I know!!
He thinks up a new theme every year -
I don't know how he is able to still come up
with them after 20 years, but he has outdone himself again!
One year he surprised me and crept into my office at the
hospital before I could come to work - he decorated my whole
office and had roses there as well for when I arrived.
The year I was pregnant with Gabriella (our 18th Valentine's)
every day I received an adorable baby-inspired present!
This year he is taking me away for Valentine's
weekend - we are going to our favorite place in Florida -
and where we honeymooned ~ Saint Augustine!
So every day I will receive my poem and a lovely
gift that will prepare us for our trip!

My husand knows how I love to journal, so he started me off with this little book so I could record all the days leading up to our getaway and our marvelous weekend!

I love my husband more today then
the first Valentine's we were together.

He truly is the man of my dreams...

the love of my life and my best friend!