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Quilt of Holes |
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Good Saturday Morning! Im sitting here drinking my morning coffee, and thinking about how much I have to do this weekend. If I just sit here and think about it, it can be a bit overwhelming. I need to make a plan to attack this weekends tasks. It actually started yesterday. I hosted an appreciation luncheon for about 20 people who volunteered for me at work during the Holiday Season. I did all the cooking myself. I did a baked potato bar using yukon golds, so yummy. I had all the fixin's chili, sour cream, shredded cheese, olives, green onions and salsa. They were able to just go down the line and make it as they wanted. We also had salad and then cookies for dessert. I was surprised at the comments made of how some of them had never had a potato that way? They all loved it and I was so glad they had a good time. They ALL worked super hard and many days late and under deadlines. Today we have daughters basketball game and then after that I have a cooking class im giving with the young girls in our church. Im teaching them how to make Easy Chicken Enchiladas. I will be bringing all the ingredients and pans etc so there is a very tight window to run home after the game and then head to the church where we're holding the class. I will have about 7 8-12 year olds today so it will be fun. After cooking class today I will head home and finish up the tithe envelopes and year end statments for our church members. Im hoping to be able to make a pan of enchiladas for my family so I dont have to make dinner tonight ~smile~ (multi-tasking, love it!) Tomorrow we have church and then I MUST get this house in order. I need to clean house and finish up the laundry (after a long 2 weeks of issues with the dryer and vent) Ugg! I have made a make shift desk at the end of my dinning table for all the work i've been doing on the church year end stuff and it's been driving me crazy. I cant wait to finish this project and clear up my table. Its been so busy so there are piles here and there of items as we run in and drop off and head to the next thing. We're winding down so that is good - things can get back to normal (what is normal anyway? LOL ) I will also plan my menu for the coming week and do any ahead prep and cooking I can do on Sunday to make my coming week easy. I have a meeting on Monday night and then friends over on Thursday so some cassaroles or crock pot meals are in my future. We just finished up our Daniel's fast and im looking forward to a healthier way of cooking and trying to find alternatives for things we use to eat and how we use to eat them. I havent had a soda since last Sunday. That's a big deal since I have one (at least one, sometimes two) everyday. The sun is shinning although its cold outside right now. The sun has been out all week and has really helped. Seeing and feeling the sun brings a little bit of happiness and lifts my spirits. Im looking forward to the Spring, I know its a ways away but im still looking forward to it. We really need the rain here in California so while I love the sun I do hope it rains so there isnt water shortages. Well, im off to get ready for this basketball game and my super busy and productive weekend hahaha. Im thankful that im able to do all these things so not complaining about being busy. Its a good busy! Have a wonderful blessed weekend with your families!
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My daughter started basketball this weekend. I have to say that my husband and I were very impressed. We didnt realized what a great player she was and how aggressive she plays (in a good way and by the rules of course). She's already talking about Jr. High and playing for High School. We are going to be taking her to a High School game this Friday so she can see the girls varsity team play. One of her assistant coaches is on the High School team there so she'll be able to see how they play. After that we took her the back way to the next town so we could enjoy the view and then to this new little place we like to eat, they have the best burgers. She and I found it by mistake a few Saturdays ago so we wanted to take my hubby there. Of couse he loved it. I was totally craving a cherry-coke with is just so weird because I dont care for coke and I so do not like cherrys. When I ordered one the waitress said "oh you want a Roy Rogers". It was so good that I even got a refill to go when we left. There's something really funny about this place we eat at. So, its in a regular town next to a gas station and a car wash and across the street is a Home Depot store. Well when you walk up to the front of this place you can hear chicks making little peeping noise. They have a rooster and 2 hens and a ton of baby chicks that live right there in front in the bushes. I guess what happen was someone just dropped of the rooster about 2 years ago at the gas station and left it. The rooster wandered over to the resturant and they started feeding it. Then it just stayed. One day the cook decided to bring one of his hens so the rooster would have a "friend" and then it all started...chicks. So now they all just live there. They never run into the street or run away when you walk up and they are so not bothered by us. They just hang out and all the little chicks follow their mother around. Its the oddest, yet cutest, thing. We wont be eating any burgers for then next 7 days. The first of every year we do a Daniel's Fast. We set aside the first part of every year for this. There were some events that we couldnt control the first week which is why we are starting this week. Redeeming our year. Im actually looking forward to it. I make lots of veggie soup, beans, potatoes. Side note: I just bought the e-book on Beans from Crystal - you can get it on her site at The Family Homestead. There are a ton of recipes and there are photo's etc. I cant wait to start making them this week (meatless this week of couse). Some people dont do eggs or peanut butter on thier fast but we do as a source of protien. I do have a confession...I do continue to drink my coffee. I've rationalized that its a bean. I know, I know ~smile~ This is going to be a super busy week for me so I've already got my menus planned, laundry in motion, Fridays appreciation luncheon planned (just need to buy a few things) Saturdays cooking class with the girls planned (need to buy the ingredients) and almost all of the 2008 tithe letters completed for the church. Tomorrow I need to get my Christmas thank you cards finished and some other paperwork done after work. I see it's 10pm already. Im trying to make a goal of heading to the back by 10pm and getting ready for bed. Not sleeping, although I so could do that, but showering and setteling in. One of my favorite things is to just lay in bed and chat with my husband. That's it for my weekend. Im excited about the coming week and going to face it with Joy in anticipation of all that the Lord with do. |
Posted in The Kitchen ~ The Heart of our Home
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Well, I found my new favorite way to eat popcorn. Pumpkin Pie Popcorn with Raisins 1 bag of microwave popcorn (or the equiv if you make it yourself) 1/4 cup sugar 1T. pumpkin pie spice a bit of melted butter 1 cup raisins 3/4 cup pecans - coarsely chopped Prepare the popcorn, empty into a large bowl and remove all unpopped kernels. Stir sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Melt butter and lightly coat popcorn with it. Add raisins and pecans. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and toss until popcorn is well coated. Im sorry I didnt take a photo of this one. It was so good once I put it in front of my hubby and daughter it was gone! This is a really yummy recipe. Give it a try - let me know if you tried it or added anything new. |
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Today was a good day. Although it was hard to get up for church today since we are so off schedule still around here, I managed anyway. The first Sunday of every month is Communion Sunday and my girls group. I have a group of girls that I disciple, 8-11 year olds. I teach everything from basic home making skills, crafts and cooking to peer presure, modesty, friends and of course Jesus. You would think that this is the standard taught in the homes of all your girls but not so. In our church there are folks from all walks of life. Many difference nationalities and girls from broken homes. Some of the basic skills, like how to sit through an entire service at church with out getting up to how to sit with a dress on, are not something they've been taught or posses. In 2006 the Lord placed it in my heart to start this group. We've had a lot of fun lessons and the girls have just blossomed. We've had classes on setting the table properly, manners at the table, how to be a good friend and what to look for in a friend. They've learned how to write thank you cards and why it's important. They have gotten to be a great friends and look foward to these classes as much as I do. One of the classes I hold each month is held in my home so the girls learn"home skills" and normal home settings. I teach that their true value is not in others or what other think but their true value is in the Lord. That each one of them is wonderfully made and precious to Him. I love our gatherings and have so enjoyed watching each of them blossom and remind each other some of the lessons we've learned. Something new that has come to my attention is that with differnt cultures some of the girls parents did not learn properly about their special time of month and had to get the information from thier doctors when they came to the United States. So, this month we are having a very special class to learn about this and teach the girls and some of their parents all the "paticulars". I plan on making it a very, very special evening for the girls and their mothers. I will have a special rose ceramony, kind of beginning to their journey on becoming young ladies. Have any of you done anything special with your girls in this area? Here is a photo with the girls at a Ladies Tea. Each year my MIL has a Ladies Tea and we've started inviting my class so they can learn to be young ladies in social settings etc. They have a ton of fun and learn so much. They look foward to this each year. They participate in everything we do that day and really feel set apart and special. The girls are from left: Beulah, Lillie, Rhema, Ariana, my daughter Nicole (in the glasses), Angelique and Hepsi (her face got cut off). Daesia is one of our girls also, she was not there. Yes, im the sturdy pastey white chick amoung the sea of lovely girls. LOL
Arent they just beautiful. They are all so special to me. Rhema the little once in the rose flower dress just loves dresses. She wears them always. She has a tremendous gift to memorize scripture and is very quick with the jokes. She is my little side kick. The Lord has a sweet and wonderful way of giving you what you need with out you realizing it sometimes. As my husband and I have not been able to have more children, the Lord has given me something very special. These girls - an abundance of little changing, high pitch squeeling, frilly, honest, sweet and full of personality girls. And they ALL love Jesus! I just love Him for that. I wish we could meet more than the few times a month we do but I see them at church 2-3 times a week and we chat and laugh. Thanks for stopping by and learning a bit about my girls (I always call them "my girls") ~smile~ Blessings
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Hello ~ Can someone point me in the right direction to learn more about how to change my template (other than those provided here) and html? This is my firsts blog spot (i've only been blogging for a few months). Where did you ladies learn what it takes to make the blogs so creative? I appreciate your direction and help :) Blessings~
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So i've read from other bloggers and will now put into practice this: put an entry in on my own blog before I spend so much time reading other blogs. This way I can get my thoughts and info down and not feel so rushed. I can alway go back to other blogs and read them ~smile~ I love reading your blogs. Your stories, recipes, photo's. Its been like a little family community to me and i've so enjoyed my time here so far. Today the sun has finally decided to show up. Yea! It's still windy but at least its not overcase and raining. We've been in the house for 2 days. Not due to the weather but my husband has been on vacation this last week so we've enjoyed having him around more. We've been watching movies, playing some new learning computer games we got for Christmas and well, just plain being lazy (that's what I call it when I dont do anything for more than a day!) LOL Yesterday I managed to start the laundry only to notice that water was dripping from the fan in the ceiling fan. So began the great inspection..is the roof leaking, is there something wrong with the fan, its is condensation from the outside weather and the heat of the dryer in such a small space? We still havent been able to find the leak but it has stopped so today hubby will inspect somemore. He thinks now that maybe the hose from the dryer to outside has a kink in it and the dryer maybe pushed to close to which would have cause it. For now im thankful to have the washer and dryer I have and the tiny wash room. I will be a good stewart of this and other areas of my home so the Lord will bless us with a larger home which we are praying for. Today my daughter and I will go out "tottling" around town. I have some earrands to do and we just want to get out of the house. We'll take a drive and stop for coffee (ok, I know you know she's 11yrs old but she likes this vanilla frap drink - no coffee in it :) ) Maybe we'll run my the thrift store. There is a little road by our house and some folks say it will take you the back way to the next town so I wanted to maybe drive that before all the tree's totally loose all their leaves. Hubby will take the tree down. He's really good about that part and does it every year. He will back all the boxes up and put them in storage and then bring the camping gear to the front. (we rotate - we camp in August so that's in front, then when we get back the camping stuff gets put to the back and the Christmas stuff get put in front) My schedule has been so off since Christmas that my bed time and waking time are out of wack. So last night while I was laying in bed my mind was going a mile a minute with all these things I want to get accomplished around the house, in life, crafting etc. As my mind raced I recalled the scripture in Proverbs that says "He will give us sweet sleep" - it helped and off to sleep I went. I think putting all my goals down on paper, then praying over them will be a great help. Getting them out of my mind will allow me to focus on the task at hand and be sure Im in God's will each moment. While being a Mother, Wife, Boss (at work), Daughter, DIL, Leader at Church etc, I am very busy..like all of you. I want to slow down this year. I want to say "ok Lord here is my plate, take from it what is not your doing and will and help me to walk daily in what is left. Help me to enjoy the journey as well" This past year i've learned that being and doing are two seperate things all together. I get so busy doing that I lose being who God wants me to be at that moment or in that journey. Being the wife and mother at the moment that im needed to be. Being in the Lords presence. I pray that whatever your goals for 2009 are that your first priority would be "being". Being in His presence daily. Being what the Lord created you to be. Being in His will. Blessings~ Desiree |
Posted in The Home ~ Cozy and Welcome
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Happy New Years ! 2009, wow, I remember when it was getting ready to head into 2000 and thought that was a HUGE deal. Last night we had New Years Eve service at church. We read through Revelations (a tradition) and then headed home. We made finger food last night. My daughters favorite. We dont usually have that kind of food except at New Years. We have bagel bits, taquitos, little quiche, jalepino poppers and crackers with artichoke dip. I set the table buffet style and we just picked off the table and "grazed" all night. We watched The Bee Movie and Underdog. I know, so grown up! Sometimes you just plan an entire night because its special for your daughter. My husband is a big kid sometimes so he enjoyed it also. :) This morning we woke up slowly and had some coffee. My daughter slept in until noon - oh goodness that's late. It was kind of nice because sweet hubby and I had a chance to just sit with the tree lights on and chat. We watched a program called Extreme Homes he likes. He works for an Architech Firm so he really likes that program. I made a new dish today for breakfast. Its called Wagon Wheel Breakfast Pie. (The recipe is below) The only thing I would change is the pie dish I cooked it in. I cooked it in a cute Christmas pie dish that is a little thicker than normal so it took a bit longer than normal and I had to cover the top with foil so I wouldnt burn the top leaving it in longer. Also, I didnt have the cream cheese so I used sour cream and it taste just fine. Hubby and daughter love it.
1-1/2 cups shredded hash brown potatoes (I used raw and grated them) 3 T. cream cheese-softened (I used sour cream) 2 T. plus 2 t. milk- divided 1 green onion-chopped 1/8 t. salt dash of pepper 8 uncooked breakfast sausage links 1/2 cup biscuit/baking mix 1 egg Place the hash browns in a 7" pie plate coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, 2T. milk, oinion, salt and pepper. Spread over potatoes. Arrange sausage links in a spoke like pattern. In a smal bowl whisk the biscuit mix, egg and remaining milk until smooth. Poor between sausages. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes of until golden brown and filling is bubbly. Now that i've made this for the first time I can see where you can alter this in so many ways. Using left overs in fridge you can add veggies, cheese etc. The potatoes dont get fried and crunchy like normal hash browns but they are cooked and yummy. You can also use different flavors of sausage. I used sage. The rest of the day is looking to be pretty relaxed. Its very overcast outside today so it makes for a great day to just relax. We watched the Rose Parade this morning and are getting ready to watch the Rose Bowl right now. (I hope USC wins!) Tomorrow we take down all the Christmas decorations and the tree and get the house back in order. Im looking foward to that and a fresh start. I have a ton of purging to do. I see a garage sale in my future LOL. Happy New Year, may this be a prosperous one for all! ~Blessings |
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Even though I live in California the weather is anything but sunny here today. Its cold, raining, windy and the sky is a hazy blue. It's not depressing weather but it is the winter weather that comes at Christmas time. I have been reading alot of your blogs and cant imagine those single digits and all that snow. One gal had tons up to her basement door. Because im born and raised in California we have never had to deal with snow where we live. I think once in 1975 it snowed here and then way up high in the mountains it has snowed this year. I have been praying for you all that have been hit with these unusual storms and those having to travel in it. Christmas - Christmas - Christmas oh how I love Christmas! There is just something about this time of year that warms my heart. Our family has a few Christmas traditions that we do every year. Like many of you baking and cooking are some of them. My husbands Grandmother makes chocolate covered peanut butter balls and as she moved along in years she's not able to do them so for the past few years I've been making them and have added this to our families traditions, which my husband totally loves. We allow our 11 year old daughter to open one gift on Christmas Eve, its always pajamas that she can wear to bed as she gets excited about Christmas morning. Christmas Eve we have service at church and then my brother in love and his family come (they live about 2 hours away) and we all go to my in-loves for dinner and fun times. They stay the night there and we go home. On Christmas morning my husband, my daughter and I open stockings at our house and spend some time together before heading back over to my in-loves (they only live 10 minutes aways its wonderful). Usually they'll call and say "are you on your way, this kids are getting antsy waiting to open gifts (the kids = nephew#1 is 9, nephew #2 is 7, and niece #1 is 5). When we get there everyone is so excited, including the dogs! We all sit in a circle and my husband hands out gifts. We all sit and watch as each one opens one gift at a time (another tradition) there are 11 of us total this year so we'll have breakfast, gift opening, a break to fill the coffee and coco cups and back to opening presents. It takes most of the morning but its a really fun time and we chat and share. Then we all just hang out, play games and get ready for Christmas dinner. This years its prime rib, baked potato and green salad. Im in charge of desserts so im making a Cherry Dream Cake (yum!), a Cupcake Christmas Tree Cake for the kids and some of the Apple Bread and Pumpkin Spice bread I made and for sure those peanut butter balls. I'd say dessert is covered LOL. The 26th is my brother in loves birthday so we all go to the mall. Yes, can you believe it, after Christmas shopping etc we all go to the mall!! They really have great sales the day after Christmas. We actually got one of the gifts that we're giving to my daughter this year from last years sale. We've had it hidden all year. This year I also made my daughter one of those fleece tie blankets and bought her this little sewing basket that comes with all she needs to learn to start sewing. Needles, tape measure, scissors, pins etc. Its "sew" cute, her very first sewing basket. Now she can sit with me and sew. I just love those little gifts that are between mother and daughter. She has been a little sneaky herself these days. She'll run from her room to the Christmas tree snickering and then back to her room and then I'll see a gift she's put under the tree. Now, mind you, I havent given her any wrapping paper, gifts etc. She is making everything herself and making her own wrapping paper so I cant wait to see what she's making for us all. Whatever it is will be special because she is making it from her heart and from a heart of joy and giving. I LOVE that she has that spirit of "joyful giving" about her. The whole meaning of Christmas is found in the first 6 letters of Christmas "Christ". I pray that you all have a blessed Christmas and that you really, really enjoy the time spent with family and remembering Christ and love for us. Christmas Blessings on you and your families~ |
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What is a Secret Sister? I keep seeing these entries about Secret Sisters and things they're making. Is this an on going thing or something just at Christmas? Its wonderful...how do you get involved? Christmas Blessings |
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Well, i've finished the baby blanket. Im so pleased with how it turned out. This is my very first crochet projet ever. I didnt have a pattern or anything I just learned a triple crochet stitch LOL. Im still learning and trying to figure out the lingo so I can learn to follow a patter and make other things. I was a bit sad when I finished it. It was a great sense of completion but then I felt like, "ok, now what am I going to work on?" Well, never fear, when there's a 11 year old daughter in the house looming over you wondering why the blanket wasnt for her I knew another one wasnt far behind. She like it so much she asked me if I would take her to the store and she could pick out the yarn and if I would make her one. Of course, of course...how could I not. Im glad that she has been able to see me pick up something I wanted to learn and then start learning about it, try it and complete it. And she still see's me learning about it. I pray that she will always have a desire to learn. Here are the photo's ~ I love this little blanket.
I really enjoyed making this and look forward to my next one. Christmas Blessings |
Posted in The Kitchen ~ The Heart of our Home
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Well, my husbands got the stuffy nose, congestion and cough thats going around. I made a little homemade remedy today that seems to be working great and cleared him right up. I ground a 1000mg vitamin C and a honey lemon cough drop in the grinder and put it in a mug. Then I put hot water in and stirred until disolved. Then 1-2 teaspoons of honey and a tea bag. Let sit until the desired strength you drink your tea. Remove tea bag and stir. Drink up. Its not your average cup of tea that you'd sit and sip just because but it sure loosened everything up he's able to breath a little better. I'll make him another in the morning and send some with him to work tomorrow to keep him cleared up. (the cough drop I used was honey-lemon but had eucalyptus in it) He seems to really like how its working so woohoo, saved me a trip to the market so late tonight and out of the freezing cold. I would've gone for him anyway but he didnt want me going out late in the cold. Let me know if you try it and how it works for you or if you have any other suggestions for cough and chest congestion other than Nyquil or something. |
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I been sick since Monday and in bed just about the entire time. Well, from the bed to the couch, back to the bed - you get it. We have health insurace but the best advise they can give me right now is "you have to let it run its course". Im not one to just sit around but this cold/flu has really been kickin my behind this week. It took all the energy I could muster just to change a load of laundry. I felt so useless. My sweet husband has been helping a ton, bless him! And my precious 11 year old daughter has been making my husbands lunch and breakfast for the past 3 days. She just steps right into my shoes when im not feeling well and she just takes over. She's such a little mother ~smile~ So my family hasnt had the most nutritious meals for dinner this week. We had pizza one night and In and Out burgers tonight. I havent even had time to do any baking this week ~ugg. I hate these kind of weeks. I feel so disorganized and off schedule and the worst part is I feel my family isnt being loved on like only I can by getting up early and doing breakfast and setting the tone of the house, or dinner ready when my husband comes home. Im pretty much on the tale end of it so PTL! My new bread machine came on Wednesday and I havent even opened the box. I prayed it would come early and it did and here it sits ~Ugg. I will open the box this weekend and get to work. I also have lots of backing to catch up on. Im not going to stress myself out if I cant get all of it done, i'll just do the best I can. I still have about 12 days so that's good. On my baking list: chocolate covered peanut butter balls (our tradition), pumpkin spice bread, cherry suprise cake (for Christmas day), a few pies and various cookies. The peanut butter balls take the longest so i'll start with those. I love to cook and bake so it wont be such a true chore or tiring, it will fun and make me feel like im back in the "grove" of things. I love to be in the kitchen in general. I taught myself how to crochet. I've been working on a "faith" blanket. My husband and I are trying for more children and have been unsuccessful the past 2 1/2 years so I crochet a baby blanket by faith. I've finish the bulk of it and just need to put the finishing touches on it and will post photos next week when im completely finished. Im kind of sad to be almost finished with it. I've enjoyed making it and have been doing it each night while sitting with my husband or watching tv. I'll be making another for my daughter as she's asked for one. I told her we'd go to the store and pick out some yarn in her favorite colors and make her one. We havent received many Christmas cards this year. Is this a lost thing? Do folks not send out cards anymore? Each year we get fewer and fewer...hmmmm. I usually take the pile of cards after Christmas and each day pray for the person who sent it. Some years I have one a day for the entire month of January. As of right now I only have 4. Well, if 4 is all we get then those folks will just get extra prayer in the month of January as I will rotate those 4 cards ~smile~ Im glad to be feeling a bit better and am eager to get my house back in order, menus done, baking started, laundry finished and quality time with daughter and husband. I will have to make a special dinner of appreciation for them for all the help and nursing they did for me while I was sick. What a blessing my family is ~ Thank you Lord. Have a wonderful weekend and Christmas Blessings on you and your family. ~Desiree
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Posted in The Kitchen ~ The Heart of our Home
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So for some reason after working a 10 hour shift today (which is normal this time of year at our ministry) I decided to come home and do some baking to help relieve some stress and relax. I love to bake and just be in the kitchen in general. Today I made 2 loaves of spice bread and about 48 little spice muffins. Yummy! I got to use my new stacking cooling racks, love them! I normally use a vegtable oil spray on my pans put was out so I had to grease and flour them. I so do not like doing this because I am horrible at it for some reason. Is there a short cut or another alternative I can use, some tip im not aware of? Flour gets everywhere and I never know how much butter/shortening to put on to make sure it doesnt still. And then it looks like the flour is caked on~HELP! The bread came out super yummy and moist but I have to dust flour off first, the second loaf stuck a little because I didnt use enough shortening to great the pan. Here is the yummy goodness. My house smells wonderful and my husband is waiting for breakfast when I will melt a little sugar, butter and cinnamon and pour it over the top...mmmm. Wish you could stop by and join me for a cup of coffee and a treat. ~smile~
I would love any advise on the greasing and flouring of the pans. Anyone have any tips? Thanks ~ I appreciate you! |
Posted in The Home ~ Cozy and Welcome
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I love Christmas. The lights from the tree the smells of baking. Family and Friends. And the gift of Jesus. I posted a few days ago that we decorated for Christmas already. We do it the weekend of Thanksgiving each year. This year we simplified it quite a bit. We normally go all out and from the front door to the back is Christmas. This year its nice, its simple and its cozy. We are focusing on each other and appreciation this Christmas, not material things. Spending time with each other, doing things together and loving Jesus. Here is my mantel. I left the garland from Thanksgiving up, added lights, added evergreen and holly (fake holly type). I love the little starts also :)
Here is a wooden bowl my mother-in-love gave me, I love the bowl so I collected pinecones from the trees around the house and added some Christmas bulbs and this cute little bird ornament.
Here is our tree. Its only decorated with half the ornaments we normally put on it - can you believe that! I love the ribbons and bead garland and the ornaments collected through the years.
Here are two of my favorite ornaments. I got these at this cute little Christmas store that's open year round in Columbia, California on the way home from Ladies Camp this year. I very rarely ever find Ginger bread ones. I love Gingerbread people. How cute are these ~ I love the cowboy hat's with the boots hanging!
And finally, here is a picture my husband drew when he was very young. My mother-in-love gave it to me for Christmas last year. I loved it, it was a great gift ~smile~
Well, that's about it for the Christmas decorating. I pray your Christmas is filled with Christ, lots of love,laughter and joy. Enjoy all the traditions that make your family special. Christmas Blessings! |
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We had a nice Thanksgiving at my in-loves, lots of food and of course our traditional Tur-duc-en (im not even sure how to spell that!). There was 11 of us and it was tons of fun. I made my sweet husband his favorite cherry pie so he was excited. We always decorate and get the house ready for Christmas the Saturday after Thanksgiving...that's today. I love Christmas, its one of my most favorite holidays. We normally go all out and decorate, however, this year my husband and I both agreed to keep it a bit more simple this year and put our main focus on our family and spending time enjoying each other and our daughter. We're still decorating and getting things organized so i'll post pictures tomorrow :) Nicole went to ice-skating today with some of her little girlfriends from church to celebrate one of their birthdays. Tomorrow she has another birthday party for another little girl from church (both girls have the same birthdays so one does Saturday and the other Sunday after church) While Nicole is gone tomorrow I will be doing an entire overhall on her room. OMG somehow it has just gotten out of hand. I think she is just a bit overwhelmed at this point so im going to jump in and take over so moving forward she can just maintain. This season is a great time to go through her things and give away many of the lightly used items. I will also be putting the small Christmas tree in her room with a few decorations. I love to share the joy of Christmas with her and let her have her very on small tree (really its only like 2 feet tall) in her room. I've started making a faith baby blanket. I taught myself how to crochet and im making a very simple, and I mean very simple blanket. Its just a triple crochet stitch - not sure how i'll do the outsides yet. As my husband and I have been trying to have more children for the past few years (about 2 plus years) with out success i've decided to make this blanket in faith. God is good and I trust Him and His timing. Also, I've been researching bread makers and waiting for a good sale for about 2-3 months and finally I found the one I want for a great deal. I was talking to my sweet husband and he just said "its that the one you want, that is the best deal we've found" and the next thing I knew he bought it for me. It should be here in a few weeks (we got free shipping so delivery was a little longer but im so ok with that). I was so blessed by my husband today and im so thankful. I can not wait for the bread maker to come and to get started. Well, its getting a bit late and church comes early tomorrow. Sweet blessings dear readers. |
Posted in The Home ~ Cozy and Welcome
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Meals in our home are always served at the dining table and we all sit down together to eat. I love having a big dining table and always use placemats and cloth napkins. It makes my table to welcome and says "sit down and enjoy your meal here". Its my 11 year old daughter Nicole who sets the table each night in our home and she's very creative at doing so. Her new inspiration has been a book on napkin folding someone gave her. She has read and re-read this little book and can pretty much do just about every napkin fold there is. Her new talent has been not only a conversation piece at our meals but we have come to enjoy these little pleasant surprises. There are only 3 of us right now so she gives us each a different fold each time. I love the attention to detail she puts in her folding and the love she puts into each persons "special just for them" fold. Below are just a few she did this week. She's incorporated putting the utencils in the napkins as part of the decoration. I think these are just lovely and add that special touch to our table.
Nicole is such a great blessing to me, she'll be a wonderful mother and homemaker someday. Arent you just so grateful for the Lords blessings of daughters? |
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I made this wonderful Banana Nut Cake for my Father-in-loves birthday. Normally my Mother-in-love makes it for him as its his favorite cake, however, they are in the middle of having their kitchen floor redone and she wasnt able to get to the stove. When she told me she wasnt going to be able to make it she said she would just buy a cake and bring it to the dinner I was making (homemade chili, homemade salsa and homemade cornbread) for him. I told her I would just make the cake if she was ok with it - and, of course she was. So...even though I didnt have a reciepe and never made it before it came out FANTASTIC! Im not the best cake decorator. I tried to write Happy Birthday on it with the icing pen but you couldnt even read what it said so I used this other icing tip I had and made a big 'J' (for Jerry) and put walnuts around the outside. The cake was so so moist and so so yummy! Pretty neat lookin for my first one dontcha think We had a great time visiting with them and he just loved the cake (whew). Walnuts arent my favorite but when they're in a banana cake they're just fine :) |
Posted in The Home ~ Cozy and Welcome
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Yesterday I spent the day cleaning and cooking. Although we're human and there are some days that I just cant get to my chores ! My home is cozy and warm and its my favorite place to be. I decorate in which ever season we're in, right now its Fall. The weekend after Thanksgiving the Christmas stuff comes out. Wait until you see those pictures then. My husband and I are Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Im most comfortable in the kitchen so that is one place that is ALWAYS clean and organized. Its kind of like my "command central". Im one of those gals that uses everything we have. I dont have anythings that is "for company" only or "special occassions". We live in our home and nothing is off limits. We have taught our daughter the value behind things and respect so she treats our antiques well. For example we have my husbands grandfathers chest in our living room. Everyone knows not to sit on it or lean on it. Its in our living room because its of value to my husband and well,,,it looks nice there. There are a few area's that still need work so im not placing those photo's up just yet. I'll do before and after of those another day. My laundry room/pantry needs major attention and my bedroom. My husband and I are readers so we have a ton of books and have somehow collected just "stuff".
Thanks for taking a quick look into my home. Its super cozy and we love to have friends and family over. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
Posted in The Kitchen ~ The Heart of our Home
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So tonight was the first time ever that I have canned anything. (side note - why do we call it canning when its in a jar? Why dont we call it jarring? LOL just something I was thinking about today) Anyway, I got this salsa receipe from one of the gals off her blog and decided to try it. And, since I have never canned...ever...I dont have any of the proper equipment except for the jars (somehow I got a dozed brand new jars and lids somewhere). I went on YouTube and watched a few videos on "how to can salsa" and went right to it. It only took me an hour to do everything. I had already ran the jars through the dishwasher so they were hot and ready. I prepped and cooked the salsa for 25 minutes, had the lids in a pan, had my spagetti pot going for the completed jars. I used one of those little metal seamers you put veggies in the pan - the one that looks like a spaceship and then opens up flat. I put that in the bottom of the spagetti pot so the jars werent touch the bottom. I dont have those cool tongs with the rubber around them to take the jars out so I use my regular kitchen tongs. Once they were finished in the water bath (for 30 minutes) I took them out and put them on the towel. About 3 minutes later I head a pop and then another pop. The receipe I have only make 4 jelly jars of salsa. One im using for tomorrows dinner so I didnt put it in the water bath but the lid popped - even thought I didnt put it in the water bath does that popping mean I can store it? Whats the difference of letting it sit hot and waiting for the lid to pop or doing the water bath? I was surprised at how easy it was . You really have to have everything read though and I can see how the "proper" tools will help the process. I went online and found a place called Canning Pantry - anyone purchased from them before? They were out of stock on alot of item but they have a "kit" with the funel and tongs etc for pretty inexpensive. I thought I would just get the waterbath pan at Walmart of something. What foods can I NOT do in waterbath but need to be done in pressure cooker (is that what its called)? I wish you were here, I was so excited when I heard that first pop. I been dancin around. There is just something so fulfilling when you make your own salsa and have it in stock. I want to can more foods for my family. I appreciate any canning advice :) Today im thankful for learning new things. For being able to learn how to find an avenue to save money and fill the pantry. How rewarding it was. Blessings on you!
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