Many thanks to you all for your kind words! Kathleen, the glasses are part of the crystal we got when we were married, almost 26 years ago. I love the pattern and am always happy when I can use it. Superchick, you're in NM, too? How wonderful! What part? Sheesharee: I got the runner several years ago. Can't remember where, as I have many of them. I'm a bargain hunter, though, so it had to be at Marshalls or TJMaxx, etc. Karen, I'm honored that you think it's nice enough for our Inspirations album. DD, I was thinking about the placemat situation, too. Just today I saw Slinkey's Thanksgiving table and got inspired. I love her lace placemats and think they'd work perfectly for my own table. Especially if they were in an ecru. If I can't find them like that I can tea-dye white ones. I love the inspiration I get here! Lynn

Thank you all! You are making me so happy. :) I am not really a cook and have to say that the new space is inspiring me. I love being in the kitchen. Roserx - the faucet is Grohe's Bridgeford. It is awesome. Megaul - the window is an Andersen 400 series. The sides are casements and the center is a fixed picture. The dimensions are 6 feet wide by 3 feet tall. We originally discussed a taller window but it didn't work out and now I am so glad - with the taller backsplash behind the sink we get to see more granite and we don't have all the water splash on the window! :) I love my new window! :)

Here you go, Mara! Campbell's Cheesy Chicken & Rice Prep: 5 min. Bake: 45 min. 1 Can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup 1 1/3 c. water 3/4 c. uncooked long grain white rice 2 c. fresh or frozen vegetables 1/2 t. onion powder 4 Skinless,boneless chicken breast halves 1/2 c. reduced fat shredded Cheddar cheese. 1. Stir soup, water, rice, vegetables, and onion powder in 12" x 8" shallow baking dish. 2. Top wit chicken. Season chicken as desired. Cover. 3. Bake at 375° F. for 45 min. or until done. Top with cheese. Makes 4 servings. I made some wild rice and added that to it in addition to everything else. It was really good. I need to remember to make it in two foil pans next time. It's too much for just the two of us. DS is rarely home for dinner. We'll probably have the left overs tomorrow night, as I will be gone all day. We had meatloaf tonight! With mashed potatoes and gravy, and some wild rice mixed with green beans, salt & pepper. No problems with the tooth. DH is doing fine. By the time I had dinner ready, he was no longer numb. Tami

I really don't like granite. It's too speckeldy, too pretentious, too cold, too ostentatious, too expensive. And maybe it's just me, but doesn't most of it just look like rust stains? I also researched all the other countertop choices. Throughout our homebuilding we've tried to remain focused on our twin goals, Durable and Low Maintenance. And so we've come back to granite. What I found out is that granite showrooms only have a tiny selection of slabs onsite for you to look at. And most of those are ugly speckled rust stains. BUT, when you've found a company you want to work with, they'll hook you up with the huge granite yards where you go to pick out a slab and they send it to the installer. In our case it's a two hour drive to a huge city where there are a half dozen granite yards and acres of slabs of granite to choose from. You walk around for a couple of hours dragging your husband (who really doesn't want to be there and doesn't like anything unless it's cobalt blue) and your kids (who are fighting over a piece of gravel they picked up in the parking lot) and suddenly you turn a corner and find The Perfect Slab. And you hear a heavenly chorus that swells to drown out the sound of the kids squabbling and the perky salesperson who doesn't have a clue what you're really looking for (you couldn't tell her because you weren't really sure either.) And tears of relief and joy spring to your eyes, your husband drops to his knees in shock when he hears the price, and then you're done. Then you get to choose a backsplash!