Two good friends "tying the knot" this weekend. Although knowing Vicki and Mark (aka Vixen and Markus Aggravatus) the knot will probably be more along THESE lines.
To make it even better...Diane is officiating! Maybe PERFECT, as our little family becomes even tighter. Although I cannot be there in person, I am certainly THERE in spirit and can't wait to host the DS Indiana Gathering this year where we will also be having a post-post Wedding Reception (all of us together) at Almost Home Tea Room. Hoping Dave can make it in from the UK for the Gathering...and Shirley and LuAnn from Canada. WTH do you mean "doing Crete" in August? Do it quickly and get here, man...and bring me back a rock, okay?"
Yeah...still collecting the World one stone at a time.
Jainine has snagged me one from her recent trip to India!
Can't wait to see all the photos. You are going to look lovely in that Cream Dress! And there is always the option of shoving Markus off the dock...a wedding on the dock...brilliant. Off he goes, and more CAKE for us!
I don't usually use the blog as a platform for outside services...but today I am making an exception. For the past year or so I have been involved in online New Product Testing and Consumer Marketing Research. The gist of it being that they send you samples of products that haven't been released yet. You test them, and then give your opinion.
At the end of last month I was sent an endeavor of a product mash-up between Keurig and Campbell's that was so innovative (and good) I not only wanted to share it here...but also want to encourage those who are interested in trying product testing for themselves to check out this link.
https://www.mysurvey.com/
In addition to product trials...they often send a brief survey concerning existing products, advertising and the like. It is always interesting and you get to make your voice heard. And they give you regular PERKS.
Since I enjoy a monthly mall-ratting here and there, with friends, I usually choose the restaurant cards...but they offer a plethora of PERKS...or they will just deposit cash in your Paypal Account. Haven't had to pay for a meal at Red Lobster, Fridays or Applebees since I started doing this!
Anyway...February's new product mash up was this
Keurig's Campbell Soup. Comes (well, will come) in a variety of flavours including Chicken and Noodles with Vegetables, Tomato Basil and Southwest Chicken. To be honest..I had low expectations. I thought it was going to be a bit like Cup-O-Soup or maybe those little flavor packets they have with Ramen Noodles.
Was I EVER mistaken.
The K-cup itself held the dried soup mixture...but absolutely NOTHING like the above mentioned. It was thick and rich. Had a beautiful flavor and aroma. And thickened a little after you made it. It appeared and tasted like made-from-scratch soup.
The dehydrated chicken, noodles and vegetable packet reconstituted into a very rich and enjoyable meal and the entire bowl was only 60 calories! They could have left the noodles out and it would have been even better.
I can see this working especially well with Mushroom Soup, too.
So there you have it. Keurig Campbell's Soups...coming soon to a store near you!
And catching up with a few of the Grands...who are growing like weeds.
Kaylee who is 9 now, and trying out a new sophisticated hair cut.
Hannah at 7...who is my Girl Scout Cookie Connection :) May have to order more...supplies are running thin.
And Aiden at 9 months...who wasn't at all sure about his first snowfall...
And is an absolute Doppelgänger of James (dad) when he was this age! Right down to the laugh! 9 months old and now WALKING...there's no stopping him!
Hoping to catch up with Preston and Brenden, soon.
And I ran across something this week that I didn't even know existed...and everyone knows how I adore pearls.
Coming from New Zealand...formed in the Paua Abalone shells...presenting Blue Eyris pearls. Most of these form as blister pearls...and are set a lot like Mabe except for the vibrant colours (naturally) ranging from light teal and even lavender on occasion to deep blues and dark violets. A few become beautiful perfectly round pearls, though. The perfect pearls are outrageously expensive set starting in the five to six figure range. These make Mikimoto's look like pastes.
Just exquisite.
More anon...