Little tidbits of my life

Friday 5th September

Keeping in touch with your homestead blogger friends.

Thank You Jesus For Everything!

I was visiting a blog and someone was wondering how you keep up with your friends. Someone told how.

This is what you do. When you are on your blog your link in the white thingy just go up to it and after / type in friends. Then do what ever to get to that site, I just enter and brings my link up. Anyway it will bring my blog up with the new entries of my friends right on it. It is simple! I then save in my favorites.

I hope this explained it enough where you can understand it.

 I am new at this stuff and trying to learn as I go. It has been a challenge although I love learning something new. It seems to make you think clearer and creative.

Have a blessed weekend ALL!  rilda

Photo Album Friday

Here are some random pictures from our photo albums!

Me & my BF Niki.  I was 9 months pregnant with my oldest, Ashley.  See the baby bump?

Don't ask me why we look so cheezy because I don't know.

1993

Me pregnant with my youngest, Katie. 

1996

Me, Ashley & Katie

1998

Ashley

I don't know why she liked to rub food on her feet!

1994

Ashley

Ashley

1999

Katie

She was sooo sick here.  I wanted her to pose with the cake I made her so we took a really quick picture before she threw up again.

2001

Katie & Suzy the cat.

Katie with hair extensions.  LOL!

I wanted to see what she would look like once she finally grew some hair!

Katie

1997

Katie with her Pooh cake that I made her.

2000

Katie

1999

Ashley & Katie

This was Ashley's first day of kindergarten.

1999

Katie as Baby Bop & Ashley as the pumpkin.

1999

Ashley & Katie playing Barbies.

2000

Ashley & Katie

2000

Katie & Ashley sharing a rocking chair.

2000

Gustav and Summer UPDATES!!!!!

WE HAVE ELECTRICITY AGAIN!  There were several "Thank you, Lords" and "Hallelujahs"  spoken (loudly) around here by my hubby and I when the power came back on yesterday at 5:pm!!  I even found out today that at least one of our grocery stores is up and running and has replenished what they lost.  So after being shut in for days I'm off to the bank and the store today.  I hope I never take those things for granted again...try going for very long without your bank, grocery store or gas station...

As for my daughter, Summer, she is expected to be in the hospital on into next week we know.  They are trying to reach her Urologist but haven't been successful due to the phone systems being down in the city where he is.  They have found that one of her kidneys is not emptying like it should.  It's emptying at about half the speed her other one is and there is a blockage.  That's probably why she's been swelling so much.   All along it's been kidney stones and infections but now kidney function?  That worries me a lot.   Poor thing.    Thank you for remembering her in your prayers.  God bless you for that!

Taco Soup

Believe it or not...IT'S SEPTEMBER!!  Those cooler temps are on the way!  I LOVE fall...it's my FAVORITE time of year!!  Along with those falling temperatures that invite us to pull on our favorite sweaters, collect pumkins, go on hayrides and build bonfires comes my desire to make wonderful, hearty soups and stews!  One of our family's favorite cold weather soups is Taco Soup!!  Oh...it is yummy, stustaining, it's even attractive to look at in your bowl.    I hope you enjoy it!!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

TACO SOUP

1 lb. ground beef or chuck
1/2  med. onion - finely chopped
1 lg. bunch of fresh cilantro - finely chopped
4-6 jalapeno peppers (depending on your taste buds & stomach lining!) - finely chopped
2 15-16 oz. cans kidney beans (UNdrained)
2 14-15 oz. cans whole kernal corn (UNdrained)
1 15-16 oz. can black beans (optional)
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 pkg (1-1/2 TB) taco seasoning
1 c. water

~ Brown beef, drain; add onion, peppers, 1/2 of the cilantro and cook until onions and peppers start to get tender.
~ Mix everything together in a dutch oven OR crockpot.
~ Heat through in dutch oven for 45 min. - 1 hour OR in crockpot for 2-3 hours on low.
~ Top with shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese, sour cream and corn tortilla chips crumbled like crackers.

Friday already?????????

Wow I can't hardly believe it is Friday already.. :) I get out of classes at noon today... WOOHOO I have some laundry to do then I am going home to clean and finish putting away all my groceries I got yesterday.. I need to get the kids stuff packed up to go with their dad although he would not acall us back last night to let us know when he would be there to get the kids..

I am also going to get my hair cut and my eye brows waxed today.. I called my sister in law last night and was like HELP I need my hair cut.. LOL so I am supposed to go there this afternoon or evening and get it done.. I am so excited...

Well it is about time for my first class to start so better run for now.. Have a great morning and a blessed weekend..

God Bless,

Mars

All Things

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

                                                                             ROMANS 8:28 NKJV

   Whenever unfortunate events or even tragedies happen, you hear people ( and I'm one of those people who say this... alot) murmur, "Well, they say everything happens for the best." Often we don't realize we are quoting a scriptural promise found in Romans 8:28. God is aware of every situation you encounter, and he can fit it all into the master plan for your life.

   That doesn't mean everything that happens to you will be good. You live in a world where problems and difficulties happen daily, where bad things strike without notice, to all people. But no matter what happens in your life, God promises he will use it - even the tragedies - for some redeeming purpose. He is Lord in your life, during the good days and even in the bad moments.

   Today, no matter what life throws at you, rest in the promise and the hope that God can use anything, good or bad, to create the beautiful tapestry of your life.

Summer Colds? Steam it away

Summer colds or any cold for that matter isn't fun. This week our entire family with the exception of  Dad, have come down with summer colds. Because I'm always looking for new or better ways to find relief I found something a bit surprising. Chamomile relieves sinus or head congestion!

Pour yourself a relaxing cup of hot chamomile tea, while it's cooling place a towel over your head and breath in the steam, the anti-inflammatory properties of the chamomile help open your sinuses bringing pressure and congestion to a halt. After your done with your herbal steam sweeten with a bit of honey and enjoy.

Chamomile is known as a soothing tonic which is good for the nerves, soothing to the stomach and beneficial for inflammation. The only potential negative is that chamomile may cause allergic reactions to those already sensitive to ragweed, or other chrysanthemums.

Death Is Not The End

He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.

                                                               ISAIAH 25:8 NKJV

    Carelessness, sin, disease, and many other things end the lives of young and old. Death is part of the reality of life. God will comfort you and bring healing when death comes, but he also has a forever place for you all to spend with him. Death hurts now, but you and your family can rest in the assurance that the day is coming when God will wipe away every tear.

   God is the answer to death. He defeated death and will give joy forever with him in heaven.

Final Storm Preparations & Oh Yeah, The Ants Were Right!

 Family & Friends~

It seems that Hanna is heading our way. We are now under a Tropical Storm Warning/Hurricane Watch. The forecasters say that we should "feel" the brunt of the storm during the early morning hours of Saturday.

 I like it much better when these kind of storms come in during the day. Just listening to howling of hurricane force winds with no lights on in the house is a scary experience.

We won't evacuate for this storm. We'll ride this one out. We made it through Fran with 120 mile an hour winds. Hanna's winds are expected to stay between 65-75 mph. We feel safe enough where we are and that's about 45 miles from the coast.

Now, that other storm out there, Ike, looks to be a different storm altogether. If that one keeps up its wind speeds and heads our way, we will be evacuating. We live in double wide mobile home and know that winds in the excess of 120 would tear our home apart.  Sweet Lord, please keep all of us safe and in your hands!

Here goes the list of the final preparations:

Wash all clothes
Bake some brownies (hurricane comfort food)
Clear the yard of all debris
Put up all of my hanging baskets
Clean the house  (I do that all the time)
Get ice and fuel (hubby is taking care of that)
Fill tubs & washing machine with water (for flushing toliets)
Precook extra meals to be put into the coolers for dinner if power goes out
Make up extra gallons of tea
Get radios fitted with new batteries

I really should have paid more attention to those ants that invaded my home earlier in the summer. They really are a sure sign of a hurricane in our area. They have ALWAYS shown up in the house, everywhere, before hurricanes come. I should have listened to hubby. (Read my post about the ants from earlier this summer. Trust the ants people!)

 Please keep us all here in southeast NC in your prayers. I know that The Lord is in control of all. I just get a wee bit apprehensive when these storms come our way.

Bless all who pass this way and for those who are in the path of this storm, stay safe!

Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7