Billyhomesteader

The Original Comb-over

Happy Birthday America!

  Happy Birthday America!  Today I am especially grateful for the wonderful freedoms we enjoy.  The freedom to worship, the freedom to praise God, the freedom to own our own property and live and work as we wish. For all these freedoms and more I very thankful for!

I pray each one of you enjoys a blessed & wonderful day!

Gloria

Three Cheers For The Red White & Blue!

Did you know our first American Flag was made of wool?  If you know anything about spinning and weaving, you can appreciate the effort that went into making our first American Flag.  That's just part of the process.  To learn more about it and the woman who created it, this is an awesome site. 

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/#faq 

You can take a virtual tour of Betsy Ross's home, learn facts you might not know about the flag and even learn how to cut a 5 point star with one snip!  Betsy Ross did!

Did you know she outlived 3 husbands and had 7 daughters, all while maintaining her own business?  Her pew at Christ's Church was right next to George Washington's.  Think about the grit it took back then just to survive. 

Independence Day!

Think about it.

July 4th

Patriotic Fruit Pizza

Patriotic Fruit Pizza

1 (16 1/2 oz.) pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 C of sugar, divided
2 T of cornstarch
1/2 C of orange juice
1/4 C of lemon juice
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 T of milk
1 t orange peel, grated
2/3 C of heavy whipping cream
1 apple, peeled and sliced thin
1 1/2 C of fresh strawberries, halved
1 C seedless dark purple grapes, halved
1 banana, sliced thin
1 C of fresh raspberries
1/2 C of fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the cookie dough and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Carefully spread the dough onto an ungreased pizza pan. Bake the dough 15 minutes or until a golden brown. Remove and allow the dough to cool on the pan.

Dump half of the sugar into a small saucepan. Add the cornstarch and toss slightly to combine. Pour the orange and lemon juice into the mixture.

Place the pan over medium heat bringing the mixture to a steady boil.
Continue boiling for 2 minutes stirring constantly then remove the pan from the heat, setting aside to cool. Cube the cream cheese and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk over the cream cheese. Add the orange peel and the remaining sugar. Beat the mixture until blended together well and smooth.

Place the whipping cream into a small mixing bowl. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks begin to form. Fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture until blended in well. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Place the apple slices around the outside edge of the crust.

Next layer the strawberry halves around the crust. Circle the halved grapes on next. Add the bananas to the ring. Place the raspberries onto the crust next. Finish the ring with the blueberries. Spread the reserved glaze evenly over the all the fruit. Place covered in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until chilled.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes

Firecracker Cupcakes

Firecracker Cupcakes

1 (18 oz. ) box of devils food cake mix
1 1/4 C of sour cream
3 eggs
1/3 C of canola oil
2 T instant coffee crystals
1/2 t ground chipotle chili pepper
1 (11.5 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chunks
2 t flour
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 C butter, room temperature
1/2 t vanilla
2 1/2 C of powdered sugar
Red and blue food coloring
2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 C of whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Dump the devils food cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add in the sour cream, eggs, and oil. Sprinkle in the coffee crystals and pepper.

With an electric mixer on low speed beat the ingredients for 45 seconds.
Adjust the speed to medium and continue beating 2 minutes making the batter thick.

Place the flour in a small bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and toss to coat.
Fold the chocolate into the cupcake batter. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full of the batter.

Bake 20 minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to continue cooling.

Place the cream cheese and the butter into a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture reaches a frosting consistency.

Separate the frosting into 3 small bowls and tint one bowl with the red food coloring and 1 bowl with the blue food coloring. Frost the cupcakes dividing between the 3 different colors.

Place the chopped chocolate into a small mixing bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a saucepan over low heat to just boiling. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes then whisk until smooth.

Place the mixture into a sealable baggie. Snip one corner of the baggie and drizzle the chocolate over the frosted cupcakes.

Makes 24 cupcakes

A Few More Garden Pics For Your Viewing Pleasure

Yellow and white with purple splashes!

I really like this one!  Only one bloom and it didn't last long.  I am glad I got the picture.

Feverfew and Peonies

Fourth of July Plans & Menu

                              I have been planning our weekend.  Tomorrow we will enjoy a quiet day at home.. just family ( all 12 of us!).  We always enjoy a special meal on America's B-day.. so this year I will be making grilled steaks ( a rare treat) , baked potatoes, homemade baked beans, watermelon & homemade apple pie! It's not the fourth w/ out homemade apple pie! 

      Sunday our Church is holding an evening meeting and then a potluck meal. I'll be brining watermelon, lemon meringue pies and spinach salad. The girls are making cookies & cupcakes.  We are also going to bring a pinata & water balloons!  It should be a fun evening!

      Fourth of July is one of our favorite holidays!  We sure enjoy celebrating and taking time to remember how blessed we are in this land of the brave and home of the free!  I am also thankful for the freedom and perfect law of liberty thru Christ our Lord ! Jesus died so ALL men could be set free!  How grateful  I am for that!  We are no longer under the bondage of the law -- but are free thru the grace and liberty in Christ! Thank you Jesus for your precious blood shed on calvary so all men can be free!

  Hope you all enjoy a blessed Holiday!

Gloria

Cute Children and pets pictures

My Mom sends me some cute e-mails.  I love these one and had to share with you all.

Who is walking who?

I look like you or is it you look like me?

Ah, can I keep him?  (the dog is asking):

Um mom, why am I wearing clothes and his is not??

Look Mom at what I learned :

Just one little bite that's all:

Are you sure they taste like chicken??

Are you sure they are in here???

That's all for now, Blessings,Mj

Due Date And More...

Dear Friends,

Today was another mile-stone for us.  We had our first OB appointment with the High Risk specialist.  The appointment was 3 hours long and quite eventful. 

We started out at the desk where we filled out the usual paperwork and back I went to run to the bathroom stop.  I went into a room on my own as the nurse (Karen) asked for information.  I am 35 now, and not considered a spring chicken anymore, so they asked right away for genetic testing and an Amnio.  I denied the tests and signed papers denying each genetic test.  While I'm sure they have their reasons for them, I find no cause for us to have them.  If God created this little Miracle and has since continued to care for him or her, I am faithfully trusting HE will know best and there is no reason to cause fear and discontentment.  God doesn't create trash and thus, our baby is wanted no matter the outcome.  While we pray our baby is healthy and happy, we also accept it's diversity if he or she has a genetic predisposition.  I find no good in this testing for me and actually put more trust that God knows what He is doing with the miracle He has created as our Great Physician.  Praise Be To God for such a miraculous creation!

My husband was brought in the room shortly after, where we discussed insulin questions and agreed to focus on getting the "pump" for insulin regulation.  We want to keep this baby safe and having regular "good" readings  through pump regulation will help lessen a WHOLE lot of stress.  So I'm doing the paperwork as we speak, will call the company on Monday who will get the ball rolling with our insurance company ((please pray Pomco doesn't give us any problems. The sooner I get on the insulin pump, the better and healthier it is for me AND the baby)).  If all goes well, in a month or two, I will be hospitalized for 2-3 days to place the cathetor and pump inlay.  I'm hospitalized because I'm pregnant and they MUST watch the baby.

After our questions were answered, I asked if they would give me a sonogram to date the baby and make sure our baby was doing well.  We got into the room, and the Dr. couldn't see anything or hear anything.  My heart skipped a beat...but I just kept praying that God would again provide a miracle to see the baby and hear his or her heartbeat so early.

He got up and asked to have a pelvic sonogram done to get a closer look.  While we waited, I had the basic checkup done, breast exam, paps, heart rate, etc.  Then was led to the room with the sono technician.

She too had a hard time seeing the baby and then had me put both hands under my back and lift my bum up.  Sure enough...there was our wee little one with a heart.  The heart monitor was flat and I began to pray again to ask God to help us hear the babys heartbeat.  Please God....Let us hear the babys heartbeat.  Bless us dear Father with Your presence.  Give us confirmation though many have said it's too early.  Sure enough......We heart the heart beating.  Praise God!  129 was the heart rate.  Not only was there a heartbeat, but a GOOD heart rate.  We prayed and God answered.

Shortly after, we found out we are 6w3d and are due February 23, though the Dr. is confident it will be earlier.  Would you believe our Wedding anniversary is February 9th?  What a blessed month in February....when most find winter to be a time of death and spring to be a rebirth, I have found nothing but LIFE in the winter.  God has been VERY good to us and my life is an absolute testimony to His grace, love, protection and mercy.  I do not deserve anything I have, yet I am blessed by His gifts and am content where we ARE.

Again, Praise Be To God.  My Cup Runneth Over!