Born Blonde

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Independence Stage

2012-02-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

I am very happy with myself for installing this last week:

I have intended to install one for some time but the first thing I bought didn't work (as in it was poorly made) and it was a different type of security lock. The Chick has tested this one several times trying to return home from her job. It works.

I got on the ball though because I suddenly began hearing "my do it" when the dog asked to go out. Then I realized and watched as Rugrat both unlocked and opened the back door to let him out. Multiple times. So I knew that something a little taller than she is was in order -- at least on the front door (the back lets out into a fenced yard but we'll probably add one there too).

"My do it" is something I've been hearing more and more (we're working on the "I" pronoun). Rugrat has begun to display that desire for independence that causes (in my opinion) most of the adult frustration with toddlers. But it's also a good thing that every toddler must go through -- which adds a layer of guilt on top of that frustration. You know its a good thing for them to want to be independent so you feel guilty when they try and you get frustrated. Ahh, parenting.

I remember once telling someone when we were discussing needing Bible school teachers that the two groups no one ever wanted to teach were toddlers and teens. The woman's teen daughter took offense to that because she felt that their group of teens wasn't troublesome. Not knowing the individuals, though, most people assume that toddlers and teens are both pains.

It is that same fight for independence that is prevalent in both groups. How interesting for me that I have both groups in my household at the same time. Fortunately, all of mine tend to be fairly even keel.

In Rugrat's case, however, I love hearing her "my do it" (will love hearing "I" even more :) ) because it is another indicator of just how far she has come from that fearful little girl. If we had been willing, she would have let us do everything for her -- from carrying her everywhere to feeding her -- when we first came home. I understand her being fearful. It was totally new and very strange to her.

But she has gotten now to the point that she is mostly potty trained, letting doctors get near her and examine her, doing new things almost daily, touching and getting into everything, speaking to and interacting with most people and doing much of it all on her own without my help or, often, even encouragement.

We still get glimpses of that fearful little girl occasionally. Usually now it is hidden behind a giggling "no" when we try to get her to do something. And then she'll go ahead and do it if we push her to once or twice more.

I'm ready for Rugrat's push for independence. I'm not so sure I'm ready for Chick's though. In a few short months, she'll be a senior. As in graduating high school. As in starting college is the next thing. Yikes!

And she keeps stepping out on her own a little more. And a little more. And, somehow, I'm managing to refrain from running after her, grabbing her by the arms, and yanking her back into our safe zone.

I'm pretty happy with myself for that one too.

Easy Does It

2012-02-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hubby had to go out of town again this week so our menu isn't terribly difficult. We'll be enjoying Pigs In Blankets (hot dogs rolled in crescent roll dough and baked) with a light dipping sauce (mustard).

We also plan to enjoy some gourmet (boxed) Macaroni and Cheese. We may even have Brinner at some point (breakfast for dinner). And, of course, there is always the elusive Take Out.

So, I'm afraid my Monday's Menu is a little lacking this week. So sorry. I'll try harder next week. :)

Not Much

2012-02-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure what to write about. I feel as though I've been out of pocket for weeks but I think it's just that waking up after all the Christmas fuss stuff.

Hubby has had a couple of business trips come up. That always throws off every schedule we have (except Rugrat...if you even try to throw her off of her schedule, she demands that it is adhered to).

We also began getting back on schedule ourselves -- with my ladies class beginning again and Chick's new violin lessons and Scouts, etc.

Rugrat has annual doctor appointments getting scheduled now that she has been with us just over a year.

We also have a few things coming up to look forward to -- some expected visitors, possibly going to Ladies Retreat with my South Carolina congregation, some furniture shopping, state testing for the kids, and decisions about schooling for next year.

I guess we have quite a bit going on but not much to tell about it all.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

Found this on a Facebook friend's wall and thought it too true not to share.

Growing Up

2012-01-31T06:14:00.000-08:00

The Chick begins violin lessons today. This morning is her first class with her new instructor (a lady who very strongly reminds me of my friend Cathy from South Carolina). It is also her first time driving there by herself.

The instructor doesn't live near us -- she is about 30 minutes away in a part of town that we aren't terribly familiar with yet. I offered to take her the first few weeks but she didn't want me to. She wanted to do it herself. There is a striking parallel between toddlers and teens.

So I gave her Tomtom to take with her but she doesn't like him much. She accidentally programmed in the wrong address the first time she used it and ended up in Shawnee, OK. It wasn't Tomtom's fault but she blames him. Poor fella.

So, as a mother, I am nervous about her first lesson. And hoping I gave her all the paperwork I was supposed to.

And, as a mother, I am nervous about her driving to and finding the instructor's house this morning while still making it to her appointed time.

But, see how good a mother I am. I'm letting her do it anyway. At her age, I think mothering must be mostly about letting her branch out on her own and supporting her as she does.

And not letting her know about the nervous ulcer I eventually develop.

Monday's Menu

2012-01-30T06:59:00.000-08:00

Last week, I contributed some pies to one of the senior citizen activities at church. I had intended to make a peanut butter pie and an apple pie. When I pulled the apples out of the freezer though, I realized they were cut into chunks rather than sliced. While trying to decide what to do about it, I spied a large bag of frozen blackberries and made this pie instead.

It turned out very pretty; so pretty that I really wanted to take a bite even though I'm not much a fan of blackberries. But I restrained myself.

I often forget about brushing the crust with beaten egg and sprinkling sugar on top when making pies but that adds a certain home-i-ness and flavor that I like a lot. It is a detail I shouldn't overlook when making pies.

I hope you enjoy these if you give it a try.

Blackberry Pie

2 pie crusts
4 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 beaten egg
sugar to top

Grease and line a pie plate with one pie crust. Mix together 3 1/2 cups berries with sugar and flour. Pour berry mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup berries on top. Gently lay top pie crust over berries. Vent the top crust then seal and crimp the edges. Brush top crust with beaten egg. Sprinkle sugar onto top crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes. You may need to allow a little more time for frozen berries.

The Eye Doctors Have It

2012-01-26T07:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Rugrat had an eye doctor visit. I fully expected to schedule an exam under anesthesia for her at it's end. We changed our insurance to cover these twice-a-year glaucoma exams. Because of her fear, she has made it really difficult to even look at her eyes much less be able to get a pressure on them to check for glaucoma. As a result, we expected to do at least one more exam under anesthesia in the hospital.

I had been working with her at home for weeks. Talking up the doctor. Reminding her that he gave her her glasses. And trying to be excited about the upcoming visit. I even promised her a trip to Orange Leaf if she cooperated.

She definitely wasn't happy to be there and whimpered a little when we were led to the exam room. But I was working at remaining calm myself and distracting her with things on the wall and the movie playing on the tv.

She sat on my lap through the exam. He is pretty thorough and really looked at her eyes for about 10 or 15 minutes. To that point, she had sat on my lap, occasionally pushing back against me. But she wasn't crying or whimpering even though you could see her visibly trying not to especially when I told her she was doing a good job.

Our first visit was a dance. He would come close, she would cry, he would back away. On our second visit, she allowed him to do a little looking but when he touched her, she start crying in earnest. So she had already taken great strides on this one.

Imagine my surprise then when he was able to get pressure readings as well. The little machine he used takes six readings and averages them. He was able to get all six on one eye and three on the other before she started crying hard. That was enough for him though particularly since the readings he got were good.

We were both ecstatic. I couldn't believe how well she had done and he just kept saying over and over how proud he was of her and that we were doing a great job. I don't know if she has begun to trust in our presence or if she is simply understanding more when we explain. Maybe it's a little of both. So far though, all of her doctors have been anxious to prove to her that she doesn't need to fear them.

I had begun to believe that it would be a couple of years minimum before a doctor visit wasn't a frustrating hassle. But as we sat at Orange Leaf enjoying her reward, I found myself looking forward to possibly changing back our insurance next year and maybe some less stressful doctor visits in the future.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-26T07:04:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law found the under cabinet radio/cd player I wanted for our kitchen and we were enjoying it after the installation.

Monday's Menu

2012-01-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

I had some oranges that weren't getting eaten as quickly as I would like (in fact, I was starting to worry that I might have to throw them out) sitting in the fridge. So I decided to juice them and make some orange rolls.

Orange rolls don't always work out simply because the orange flavor doesn't really come through unless you add a significant amount of it. Orange marmalade is usually a better choice to get that orange flavor.

But you can use pretty much any yeast roll recipe and throw in a 1/4 cup of orange marmalade to make them. Instead of using cinnamon, sugar and butter for the filling, you can mix together butter, sugar and orange zest although I still threw in some more marmalade. Then top them off with a glaze of powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest.

The orange flavor is still somewhat subtle but it makes for a nice change of pace. And if you have oranges sitting in your fridge (or juice or marmalade for that matter), it can be a nice way to use them up.

Orange Roll variation

Add 1/4 cup orange marmalade to cinnamon roll dough (like this one) AND/OR substitute orange juice for milk.

For filling: Mix together softened butter, 1/2 to 1 cup white sugar, and 3 Tablespoons grated orange zest. Add a tablespoon or two of orange marmalade, if desired.

For glaze: Mix together 1/2 cup to 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon orange juice and 1/8 teaspoon grated orange zest.

Another Jumper for Rugrat

2012-01-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

Remember when I made a Christmas dress for Rugrat using some fabric I found in my stash and one of my favorite little girl patterns last month.

Well, it seems to have worked pretty well for her height and skinny frame. So I decided to make a less seasonal one.I raided my stash again and found this sort of school days themed fabric. I did add ties this time so that it wouldn't seem quite so large around her itty bitty waist. I think it turned out pretty well and she seemed excited about it.

As an aside: I watched the movie "The Help" not too long ago. It was a great movie but as I was completing this dress, I was reminded of one of the scenes. It was set in, I would guess, the 50's maybe. One of the ladies who was playing 'keeping up with the jones's' was getting ready for her visitors and asked if the maid could tell that her dress was homemade.

I was struck that, in that time, when most women still had sewing skills, it was considered humiliating to not have store-bought clothes. Now, when most women do not have sewing skills or consider it too much work or time to sew, receiving a well-sewn item takes on a special meaning. When I sew a gift for someone else (usually baby shower things), they tend to cherish it.

I think its a shame that this is a skill that has faded like it has. But I am glad that people understand it's specialness. When someone expends the time and energy to make something for another person, it is that person they are thinking of with each moment they spend in the making. I am grateful that we are beginning to comprehend the true gift of love that such things are.

What's Going On...

2012-01-19T08:20:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been keeping up lately. Between dental work on Monday, feeling utterly miserable on Tuesday, and what now seems to be constant back pain, I haven't quite been up to par. On top of that, Hubby and I have pretty much come to the conclusion that we may be in need of a new mattress. I haven't slept well in about a week or so and he has had issues as well. Which, of course, may also be the cause of my back pain.

I dearly, dearly hate shopping for things like mattresses. So you can imagine the joy I'm feeling about that.

Rugrat has been somewhat whiny as well so I've been having to exercise a lot of patience. Which is harder when you aren't feeling well.

Some of the things that seem to set her off make me wonder if she is missing someone who she used to know that did that thing. For instance, she'll sometimes ask me to sing "la la la" (her Elmo doll sings a la la la song) and, then when I do, she'll start to whimper and cry a little. It's only when I sing it a certain way -- I just haven't quite figured out what way it is.

One night we went to pick her up from Bible class and her teacher said she had just started crying in the middle of class for seemingly no reason. The only thing they could figure out was that they had mentioned mommies during the story but she usually doesn't get upset about things like that when she is in familiar territory. And there have been other instances too.

So I find myself wondering if she is going through a mourning phase right now. Or if she is succumbing to the same allergies and seasonal griefs that plague me (and others). Or if she is just being a moody 4-year-old who is decompressing after the Christmas season.

Thankfully, those instances seem to be declining so perhaps she'll be a little more constant soon. And I have found that Nyquil does wonders for me so maybe I'll be the same too. Fortunately, Chick and Dude have been very even keel and even seem to be getting along better than normal. Maybe that can continue too.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

Good things sometimes come in big packages!

I have been looking at this very doll in the store but it costs $20 and I wasn't about to pay that. We found it at the thrift store the other day for $6 -- still a little high but we decided to grab it anyway.

Dora has been Rugrat's constant companion ever since. She even sleeps with her at night and for naps. She has been drug around by her arms, hair, and torso. Rugrat loves her! Well worth the $6.

Toddler Games

2012-01-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

You know what's a fun game!

You pull tissue after tissue out of the box until someone runs at you yelling, "Stop! Don't do that."

Whoever has the biggest pile wins.

(They're like magic. Every time you take one out, another one appears. I just wanted to find the bottom.)

The Invisible Woman

2012-01-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel invisible. I think it may be a typical problem of most women, particularly stay-at-home moms. But it isn't a fun feeling.

I don't enjoy feeling like I don't matter to anyone. Or that I could easily be replaced by just about anyone.

It's a feeling I've struggled with over the course of my lifetime. Most of the time now it comes from feeling unappreciated but it also can be the result of feeling very average and typical. I like to think there's something special about me that makes me ME but sometimes it doesn't seem to be there. And it certainly doesn't seem to be recognized by other people.

Feeling invisible can be frustrating and depressing and bitter. It can cause me to see only the worst in others.

That's one reason I like the story of Hagar in the Bible. If you don't know of her, she was an Egyptian servant to Abraham and Sarah.

They had been promised a child by God even though they were closing in on the century mark in age. Sarah decided to 'help' God by giving Hagar to Abraham as her surrogate. So Hagar went from invisibility (that she expected as a servant) to having importance -- both in filling a need for Sarah and in the obvious intimacy that would be present between she and Abraham.

The problem came when she actually got pregnant. Sarah's jealousy caused some bitter behavior towards her and, eventually, Hagar ran away.

Hagar had been used and then made to feel invisible again to someone with whom an intimacy had developed which probably hurt more than being despised by Sarah, who had likely at least been friendly before everything happened.

But God found her. In the wilderness, He spoke to her. He knew her name and called to her. He comforted her and told her about what would happen. And that's why, from that point on she knew God as "the God who sees me." She did return to Abraham and Sarah.

And when the child that was promised did actually arrive about 13 years later, Sarah despised her again and kicked out both she and her child, who had been loved by them until that point.

But God still saw her and He took care of her again. Just like He sees me and takes care of me. He calls to me and is with me. Whether I am seen by my spouse, my children, my family, or my friends or not, I can know that the God of the universe sees me. Specifically me.

And He thinks I'm special (even if it feels like no one else does). Because He told me so.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T09:25:00.001-08:00

The picture we used for our Christmas card

Sewing, Sewing, Gone

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

I had grand visions of sewing several gifts for Christmas this year. I feel like I've gotten to a point that I can do a good job of putting together a gift -- choosing a color and pattern that works for a specific person. And I started off with a bang.

One of the first things I made were the stockings for my brother and sister-in-law that I showed you here.

Then I made a casserole carrier that turned out rather well, I thought, for my mother-in-law. Especially considering that I had only instructions - no pattern - compiled from several sites and had to do a lot of measuring and figuring to put together a paper pattern that I could use.

***Just as an aside, these are such handy things that it looks like there would be a clear pattern somewhere online. Maybe I'll figure out how to scan it and put it on the blog.

Of course, I didn't get a picture of it but she seemed happy with it. Hopefully, it will be of some use to her when she heads to her family reunion with a backseat full of food.

After that, I made some matching (or maybe I should say coordinating) aprons for my mother and her husband which I also did not get a picture of. They work together with a group at church and often serve food or help with it.

I thought they turned out rather well. I used my much loved t-shirt transfer paper to put a picture of geese on each one. On my mother's I put "What's good for the goose..." and on John's I put "is good for the gander." So I imagine a lot of the young at heart that they serve will enjoy it if they don't.

From that point on though, my motivation fizzled out along with the time I thought I had to do it in. I guess three gifts is better than none though. Maybe next year, I'll manage four.

Monday's Menu

2012-01-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

In November, we went to Branson for our girl's retreat. When we were at Dixie Stampede, part of our meal was a Creamy Vegetable Soup. Now, I am not a fan of vegetable soup. At. All. But this one was very good. Rugrat even ate her whole bowl plus some of Chick's.

I think one reason I don't care for most vegetable soups is that they are tomato sauce based. I have come to the conclusion that I pretty much don't care for most soups for that reason. I like chili and taco soup but all the other soups I tend toward are cream based. And so was this one.

I kept thinking about it and finally decided to see if I could find something similar. Well, forget that. Apparently, Dolly Parton has published a book of recipes and I found this one online, supposedly taken from that book.

After making it, I have to agree that, if not the same, it is really, really close. Yum -- mee! Whatever was left over, I cleaned up for lunch the next day. It was sooo good.

The soup they served was didn't have chopped (even finely chopped) pieces of vegetables in it. I think it must have been pureed or something. There were more like specks of vegetables. I ran mine through the food chopper until they were just short of pureed and it worked fine.

I hope you'll try it out. It was "mighty fine."

Creamy Vegetable Soup

3 Tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon corn syrup
3 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup very finely chopped cooked vegetables (potatoes, corn, green beans, lima beans, carrots, onions)
1 pint half and half cream

In a 3 qt. saucepan, melt margarine. Whisk in onion powder, garlic powder and corn syrup. Simmer 1 minute. Add flour, pepper, slat, broth, water, and vegetables. Simmer 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in half and half. Simmer until desired consistency (it takes a while to get thick -- just be patient and keep whisking). Stir constantly, careful not to let it come to a boil. Serve warm.

One Year!

2012-01-08T20:40:00.000-08:00

Then: "I'm a citizen now!"

One year ago today, Hubby and I walked out of an airport gate and hallway with little Rugrat in our arms. Peering toward us at the other end were her new Granny, aunt and uncle, and an anxious brother and sister.

As we made it past the barrier, they approached with much the same awe on their faces as a three year old Chick had had when first seeing her new baby brother at the hospital. A dream, something we had spoken of for a very long time and looked forward to, something we had planned and prayed for was finally here... in the flesh... touchable... real.

It is amazing to think that it has been a year. The time has flown so quickly and yet it seems she has been a part of our family all along.

Now

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

We're with family. Hope you are too. See you in January!

Sugar Cookie Men

2011-12-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

waiting patiently to go to the Caring and Sharing event at our congregation last weekend. Sugar cookie dough and royal icing... what else do you need?

What's Going On...

2011-12-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

So. Yes. I am alive.

The last three days have been something. We have been working to get Dude to the semester mark on his school work.

And got there.

Chick had semester finals on all three days. Plus spent the weekend getting any and all work caught up since her late date was Sunday at midnight.

It's done.

Over the weekend, we realized that Dude had about 75 percent of his gifts still to buy. Yikes! I convinced him to take the morning on Monday to get it done and just do a light school day. We left about 9:30 or 10:00 that morning and returned at 2:00 with only one to buy left (and it could be had from a local store).

So, now he's done.

We are officially changing our insurance over to a new company as of January 1st. Pro: they will cover Rugrat's eye exams under anesthesia. She has to be checked for glaucoma twice a year. The last one ran about $3000 and we paid a third after it cleaned out our health account which meant we pretty much had only preventative health care the rest of the year. And dental (that I discovered late and had not yet found a new dentist). Con: if the new one covers dental, it isn't much.

So, I was hoping for a cancellation at the dental office I had set up appointments with that would allow us to get our cleanings done this year under our current insurance. Monday afternoon they called and worked four of us in (everyone except Hubby). Two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

PLUS -- Rugrat actually let him examine or "count" her teeth. Willingly. Like on her own. I was standing there with my mouth open. I couldn't believe it! We had planned to come back to the health account once she was a little more cooperative and it looks like that might not take forever after all. Yayyyyy!

So that's done.

And now it's Wednesday evening. School is done. Dentist is done. Bible class is done. Shopping is done. Wrapping is done. And all I have to do now is wait.

And enjoy!

Bah Humbug!

2011-12-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling quite disgusted right now. I ordered some great Christmas cards with a family picture on them to send out at the end of November.

They have yet to arrive.

I checked yesterday and apparently they were finally being shipped. But when I hit the tracking number this morning, they have a scheduled delivery date of Wednesday. You know, the 21st. As in 4 days before Christmas.

All I can say is one very prolonged "Grrrrr!"

I don't know that I will ever use this company again. I ordered something from them a couple of months ago and it was great. They arrived just when I expected them too and it was done exactly the way I wanted. Now I'm just really frustrated with them.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T13:13:00.000-08:00

A Successful Outing for Mom and Dad

2011-12-13T08:51:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we went to an annual event at our congregation -- the Couple's Christmas party. It was a lot of fun and the fondue pot we bought for Dirty Santa got passed around until it was frozen so we got a few laughs from that too.

This also marked the Rugrat's first time getting babysat by Chick. They had free babysitting available but I was a little leery. At our old congregation, the babysitting (except for a very few events) usually consisted of throwing all the kids in one big room and letting them 'play' (which looked more like "Lord of the Flies" to me or, at the very least, a whole lot of sugar-induced craziness). We usually didn't participate in the babysitting until the children were old enough to hold their own. Even then, I was a little concerned and didn't usually use it. I wasn't sure what this congregation's idea of babysitting was.

But that wasn't the only reason we decided to keep her at home. She still doesn't always play well with others. It may be that is only in her own territory but I don't know and I knew I wouldn't be present to correct any of that type of behavior.

If she didn't play the bully, I was afraid she might be freaked out by how many children there were. Any time we've been in a large crowd, especially if it was close, she gets pretty concerned and wants to be held, usually by me alone. So, I was afraid she would either be scared-freaked-out or gangsta-freaked-out.

On top of that, the thing was supposed to last until 9:00 pm. Her bedtime is 8:30. I figured if she stayed with Chick (and Dude), I could give her a bath before we left. She could have her supper with them and just stay up until we got home. Plus, she would be in a familiar place with familiar people and familiar things. So, it was a pretty easy choice.

Chick said she only started to cry once. Fortunately, she was able to appease her with Blue's Clue's videos and chicken nuggets so she ended up not crying at all. I had told her that Baba and I were going out (to the store -- it's about the only 'out' thing she understands really) but we would be back soon. After I got dressed to go, she got a little weepy and clingy but other than then, she didn't really seem to get too distressed.

So I'm calling it a success. I checked on them once or twice during the party by text (lest a phone call upset her) and they did well.

But after all, you would think an almost 17-year-old (in a matter of a couple weeks) and a 13-year-old would be able to handle their 4-year-old sister. And, hey, what's the point of living with a teenager and a toddler at the same time if you can't take advantage of the 'once in a blue moon' babysitting opportunity.

Monday's Menu

2011-12-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

A lot of times I don't really make rice as a side dish unless it's one of those kinds that come in the little packets. Otherwise, rice tends to go into some dish that I have.

The other day I tried this recipe. It won't blow your mind but it does give just a nudge of flavor to regular old white rice. If you don't want the preservatives in those little packets but do want something that will accompany pretty much any main dish, this might be what you're looking for.

Again, most people would probably consider this kind of bland but the point of it is not to overwhelm you with a flavor effectively killing whatever your main dish is but to act as a background for your meat.

I found the original recipe here. So enjoy.

Onion Rice Pilaf

3/4 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 - 1 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until soft and translucent. Toss almonds in butter and onion mixture. In a small saucepan, combine and bring rice, onion/almond mixture, and broth to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then fluff with a fork.

Me & My Shadow

2011-12-09T07:06:00.000-08:00

I noticed that Rugrat had found her shadow yesterday.

(sorry the tv is so loud but I was standing right next to it when videoing)

A Dress for the Season

2011-12-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, I went digging through my fabric stash and came across this gingerbread/candy cane fabric. Lucky Rugrat. She got a dress out of it.

She always seems very excited about my sewing. And, once I told her this was a dress for her, she really got interested. She kept running her hand over the fabric and telling me it was "my dress."This picture is from the try-on session. I needed to check the length and make sure it fit since I used a 4T pattern. She is still a 3T for the most part but I usually just go ahead and get 4's for shirts and dresses now since they don't require a good fit on her little waist.

I loved these kind of dresses when Chick was growing up because they could be used all year long (if not made with a seasonal fabric). In summer, she can wear it alone or with a short sleeved shirt underneath and, in winter, with long sleeves underneath. It also tends to keep her warmer with it's layering in winter and because the bodice is lined.

She, of course, had to wear it the next Sunday.

It is her first official Christmas dress. While I'm sure she won't get a whole lot of wear out of it, her excitement over it was enough to make it worth while. And with her skinny little behind, I wouldn't count on it only being a one year dress anyway.

The Family Tree (this year)...

2011-12-07T08:36:00.001-08:00

You may remember that we have had an ongoing discussion in our household about the live tree versus the fake tree.

You may also remember that I came to the decision that in order to get a big tree to complement my super high ceilings in our home in South Carolina, I decided that I would be willing to compromise and get a fake tree if it was a 9 foot tree. And you may have been as disappointed as I was to learn that they couldn't be had for less $500. I would have had to buy a lot of $60 live trees to come out even.

Possibly you may have rejoiced with me when I found a 9 foot fake tree at the thrift store for $2 as well.

And then, of course, between traveling to China and selling our house so we could move across the country, we didn't get to use our newly purchased 9 foot tree. We only got to have a small potted one.

After moving into our new home, we discovered that we had 9 foot ceilings. Oops. We may have moved that tree for nothing.

But Hubby insisted we at least try and use it. So on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we gave it a go. Turns out, our ceilings are 9 1/2 feet. The angel on top has her head rubbing the ceiling but it works. And since we already had it up, we just went ahead and decorated it.

So this year marks the advent of two completely new experiences for me. I have never (we're talking since the womb, people):

(A) had a fake Christmas tree.
(B) had a tree up before December.

And I do have to say, it's a beautiful tree. It looks like something from a storybook.

We had a great time. We didn't really get to have much of a Christmas last year. Hubby was already in Oklahoma and we were still in South Carolina. There was no decorating at all, except for our little potted tree. I don't even think we had received any cards when we left -- maybe one or two.

Not that I'm complaining. It was definitely worth it. But I suppose someone could understand why we might be a little excited for Christmas this year.

Rugrat was very excited and kept examining everything.

And she still is. I have caught a lot of glimpses of her checking out the tree.

I told my son that she is worse than a cat. At least the cat can only reach what's on the bottom to slap at and knock off. She's constantly taking things off of all sides. That's okay, though. We just remind her she's not supposed to be playing with them.

And unlike the cat, she can at least put them back.

This is going to be a fun, fun Christmas. I can't wait.

Monday's Menu

2011-12-05T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hubby has tried to make potato cakes a few times since we've been married. He has often commented on how much he likes them. I always thought they sounded kind of... well... ick. I'm not sure why really. I just did.

We had made a small version of a Thanksgiving dinner after getting home from celebrating Thanksgiving with relatives though, leaving us with a bowl of leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge. So I decided to give it a try.

I had expected that Hubby would be happy. I did not expect that Chick and Dude would go nuts over them. Rugrat is good about eating anything like that so I had assumed that it would be she and Hubby mainly eating them.

But the Chick, who has always despised potato foods with the exceptions of loaded baked potatoes and barbecue chips, ate several (I made them small). Mashed potatoes are the bane of her existence so that really shocked me. Dude wasn't quite as big a shock. Mashed potatoes are among his favorite foods, but I thought he might take offense that I had 'messed with' the mashed potatoes.

To me, they pretty much tasted like a hash brown from Mcdonald's. I didn't really get the fuss. In fact, sometimes, I think they talk great about something I try by unspoken consensus just so I won't get frustrated and stop cooking at all. But these disappeared so quickly I couldn't believe it.

I had assumed that, if nothing else, making these would give me a reasonable excuse to get rid of the mashed potatoes even if I threw out half of the potato cakes. It had made quite a pile. Imagine my surprise when I put an empty dish in the sink then.

The recipe I played with (of course:) ) was here. I followed some of the advice in the comments and changed it up. I've already had requests for more. Here's what I did.

Potato Cakes

1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
approximately 1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar, if desired
oil

Saute onion in butter until tender. In mixing bowl, lightly beat one egg. Mix in onion, potatoes, flour, salt, pepper, and cheddar.
In skillet, heat oil. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil. When golden brown on bottom, flip over to cook other side. Remove from oil. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

Big #4

2011-12-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the Rugrat's birthday. It was number 4 for her but our first to celebrate with her. And she is at just the right age to understand that it is a time that is all about her.

Because we love her so much, we stepped through the doors of a place we had sworn off many years ago -- the forbidden zone -- the land of indigestion and headaches for all those over 8. To celebrate, we took her to kid heaven for an early dinner -- otherwise known as Chuck E. Cheese.

We used one of those coupons for pizza, soda, and a cup full of tokens (approximately 85 which she added 3 more to when they found out it was her birthday). While waiting for our pizza, we took her to check out the games and rides.

We picked the perfect time to go. We were the only people there until we were sitting down to eat our pizza. One other family came in then and I think that was it until we left. So we were by ourselves checking out the games and rides to start.

It was probably a bad idea to do the monster truck first but we didn't realize it would do this:

The first thing it did was raise the hood up to almost my height, then it started rocking back and forth. She thought she was going to fall out at one point. Mercy! I probably would have gotten spooked too. The gentle rocking horse we talked her into next made it all okay though.

She's a pretty smart cookie and it didn't take her long to get into the games.

Or to figure out what made them work:

This game was probably her favorite. I bet we played it 8 or 10 times. Maybe more.

It didn't give us many tickets but Chick and Dude racked up playing Skeeball and other games. At the end, she figured out why we kept collecting those. She spent them all (the benefit of having an older sister and brother who aren't interested in the little plastic prizes) and got a lot of bling bling.

Then it was home for these:

and this:

She got a little shy on me when she got ready to open everything. But she knew exactly what to do. She ripped right into them.

She got a cool playhouse,

some fancy house slippers,

and a Dora kitchen.
Plus the grandparent gifts, of course.

Then we sat down to let her blow out the candles. She absolutely cackled every time we got to the part of the birthday song that says her name. Every single time. She thought it was hilarious that we were singing about her.

And while we had some cake,

the engineers went to work.

Daddy & Daddy-in-training

When all was said and done, I think she had a pretty awesome birthday! She seemed to be enjoying herself. And she ran back and forth between playing with one new toy and the other.

I couldn't help but wonder if her biological mom was thinking of her today at one point though. Surely it crossed her mind to wonder if that baby girl she held so tightly to for 4 months was doing well. I hope somewhere deep in her heart, God will give her a peace and pleasant feeling so that she knows our little Rugrat is fine. And that He will bless her in return for the blessing that she has given to us.

Happy Birthday...

2011-12-01T04:00:00.001-08:00

to our little Rugrat! She turns 4 today! Her first birthday with us and we intend to enjoy it!

Old Time Photo Session

2011-12-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is not some group of ladies from our ancestry.

These are the pictures from our Old Time Photo session in Branson.

I think Chick probably made the best choice of dress. She truly looks like she stepped out of a history book to me. Plus it just looks really good on her.

The photographer noticed that I laughed every time this picture of Rugrat popped up when we were reviewing them. It captures her personality to me.

And here we all are in the color version...

A fun way to end our Girl's Retreat!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is the largest McDonald's in the world (or so they claim) in Vinita, Oklahoma. It stretches across the freeway there such that while you are eating in the dining room, you are looking out at the cars driving on the turnpike towards you and then disappearing underneath you.

Below is Chick and Rugrat standing in front of the window there.

This is where we had our lunch on the way up to Branson (it is on a toll road and your choices are McDonald's or the gas station).

Our Girl's Retreat

2011-11-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I, the Chick, and Rugrat all made our way to Branson, MO to meet up with my mom. We had originally planned for it to include my sister-in-law and the daughter of my mom's husband as well but life and work got in the way.

My mom wanted to go ahead with it and the Chick and I were kind of excited about going, so we just went ahead with hopes that we could organize it a little earlier so that all of us could go next time.

We had wanted to see one show (things are kind of expensive there) and my mom had gone enough with others that she had seen Dixie Stampede twice already so her only desire was that it not be that again. We settled on a show and went to it. Guess where we went...

It wasn't my fault. Really.

When Mom found out that we might be able to go to the Christmas version, she decided she would like to see that one. Apparently, one of the showings she went to before was supposed to be the Christmas one but turned out not to be. The Chick and I had been to the original show when she was in about the 5th grade in Myrtle Beach on a class field trip, so the Christmas version was new to us as well.

We showed up a little over an hour before showtime only to find out that they were 'sold out.' After finding out that we were leaving, the woman ran to the back, then returned saying she had found us four seats that ended up being very nice seats in my opinion. We were essentially on the 50-yard line (except the 50 yard line would have been at the end of the arena rather than in the center on one side or the other) so we basically directly faced the 'stage.'

I am claustrophobic so I really needed to be at the end of a row and that's where we were plus it was below a waiter's station so we had extra space for Rugrat if she got antsy. The lady was also nice enough to throw in a souvenir boot cup for each of us (special drinks come in them and they usually cost a couple of dollars a piece).

I wasn't sure how the Rugrat would respond to the show but she was into it. She didn't start asking if it was time to leave until about half an hour before it ended when her tummy was full and they were finishing everything up. It began with some falling snow and she turned to me and asked if we were outside. And she loved getting to 'stampede' by banging on the table. I got a flag for us. My mom and Chick sat there picking at each other and having fun being silly. We had a great time even though we had ruled out the whole show to begin with so I'm really glad we went.

Afterward, we drove through their light display. It wasn't even close to as massive as the one in James Island County Park in Charleston, SC but it was nice. And it put me in the Christmas spirit.

We also, of course, engaged in Branson's most famous tourist activity -- shopping. Chick got several more of her gifts taken care of. I got a couple of things too but it was more fun to me to look at everything.

On our last day we went to an Old Time Photo session. This post is getting rather long so I'll show the pictures from it on Thursday.

I'm glad we got to go. I had a lot of fun and the Chick chattered all the way home about how much she enjoyed it.

Monday's Menu

2011-11-28T09:52:00.000-08:00

I was going to share my waffle recipe because we just got one of these on Black Friday but then I realized it was on the side there already.

So, instead, I'll share my Lasagna recipe (or my mother's actually) because my sister-in-law had asked about it. I made it once when visiting for my mother-in-law and apparently my nephew liked it quite a bit.

My mother came up with this lasagna because my dad didn't like ricotta cheese. Fortunately, neither does anyone else really in my family. In fact, about the only way we'll eat it is in my friend's manicotti or cheese ravioli.

My mother also realized that if there is enough liquid in the sauce, she didn't have to cook the noodles first. This was when I was about 12 years old so it was way before any of that oven ready noodles nonsense. I have come to the conclusion that all of that is just a scheme to make a person spend more on the noodles. Maybe they actually do something to the noodles and maybe they don't, but you don't need special noodles to make it work. I've been doing it her way for years and I never bought anything special. {off my soap box}

I have played with it enough now to know that you can also throw extra stuff in without a problem. Hubby's favorite additions are mushrooms although the kids prefer me to layer in some pepperoni. If I had my way, there would probably be about a half inch layer of extra cheese. I love the cheesy part.

You can play with the amounts of the ingredients in this recipe. Those kinds of recipes are my favorites -- basically, they are suit-to-taste recipes.

Mom's Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked (or cooked if you wish)
1 1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained well
1 jar/can of spaghetti sauce (26 oz. or larger)
1/2 to 1 cup water
3 cups shredded cheese (preferably mozzarella or mozzarella-cheddar mixture)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray lasagna pan with non-stick spray. Spread a little sauce on bottom of pan. Mix together meat, sauce, and water in a bowl. Begin layering noodles on bottom, then sauce mixture with shredded cheese on top. Make a second layer of noodles, sauce, and cheese. If desired, continue layering until top of pan is reached finishing with shredded cheese. Cover pan with foil or lid. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Before serving, insert knife into noodles to make sure they are soft.

Good News!

2011-11-25T09:13:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday afternoon, we received a call from the Rugrat's geneticist. Her second genetic test results were in.

She does NOT have the mutation for WAGR's syndrome. That means she is NOT at risk for the Wilm's tumor! No more kidney scans. No more worries about developing a tumor.

They did find the mutation for her aniridia, which was good news. That explains that the aniridia was genetic and did not have another cause (which we would have had to start looking for if it wasn't genetic). As she said, usually they don't want to find any mutations but this was one that they were hoping to see.

Those two things combined are very good news! And we got to celebrate one more reason to be thankful on Thanksgiving.

And I'm sure Rugrat won't mind missing out on all those extra doctor visits either.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

Have a wonderful holiday!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Going to the Disney store with Granny is so exhausting!

she fell asleep holding on to her new Tink doll

Back in the Stocking Game

2011-11-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Remember when I found a stocking pattern and made a couple of stockings for a friend who lost hers to a nest-making rodent. That post is right here. Well, that same year after our Christmas visit, I decided I wanted to make some for my brother and his wife when Christmas got closer the next year.

I didn't do it though. A little 30+ pound Christmas present arrived last year and we spent the months preceding the holiday getting ready for her and then traveling to get her (on about 2 weeks notice). [Not that I'm complaining, trust me. :) ] So my plans fell through.

But I still wanted to make them some. So I did. And I mailed them last week. Now I can feel free to share.

My sister-in-law is a lover of all things penguin...

And my brother, well, he is a hunter...

Just to get them in the spirit, I made sure to poke a candy bar in each one. They liked the stockings quite a bit and I found out that they had been shopping for some just the weekend before. So I think the timing may have been just right.

The link to the old post has the address of the pattern if you'd like to make one too. It's a free pattern (my favorite kind :) ). And they're a whole lot of fun to make.

In fact, I'm trying to decide if I want to make the Rugrat one. I haven't begun her cross stitched one yet (still deciding on a pattern) so I'll be using one of the others we have.

Monday's Menu

2011-11-21T06:53:00.000-08:00

Our household is comprised of a bunch of tortilla fans. For a while now, I've been trying different tortilla recipes. The finished product always seems too stiff though to use the way we typically use tortillas. The store bought ones are much more flexible, even cold, and easier to roll into a wrap or an enchilada or whatever the heart desires.

That, however, doesn't stop my children (or, occasionally, husband) from singing the praises of fresh homemade tortillas or constantly requesting them. While I'll admit that they are good, they are still a lot of work. And, quite frankly, keeping up with the tortilla demand would require making a LOT of tortillas.

However, one of the things I like about cooking from scratch is that I don't have to run to the store to get a special ingredient or one specific thing that we need. If I don't have it on hand, I can make it up and keep right on going. That, to me, is the essence of convenience. Particularly, if (as in the days when I began cooking from scratch) you live very far from a good grocery store -- defined as one that is well-stocked without making you bankrupt.

I also like knowing exactly what is in the food I am eating. One of the things that happened when I made the switch to cooking the majority of what we ate from scratch is that I suddenly realized after a few weeks that I was several pounds lighter -- like double digits. The only thing that I could trace that back to was the lack of additives and preservatives in our food. I made that switch when my now soon to be 17-year-old was about 18 months. Even after all this time, I still think that was the only thing it could be.

So making my own tortillas still appeals to me. Recently, I tried this recipe. It seemed easier and they also seem to be slightly more flexible than the others. I am thinking that to get them truly authentic you would have to use lard (as in the original recipe here) but they worked just fine with shortening for me. I also remember reading that authentic tortillas don't usually have any kind of baking powder in them. But you know how we crazy Americans are.

My children were begging me for fresh ones right out of the pan which they ate plain. This will probably be my go to recipe from now on. They were pretty hard to beat.

Flour Tortillas

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 cups water

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the water, mixing until the dough comes together. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Divide into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Using rolling pin, roll each ball until very thin.

Preheat a skillet. Lay one tortilla in skillet and cook until bubbly and golden on bottom. Flip and repeat for other side. Set aside and repeat for remaining tortillas.

Monday's Menu

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you've been reading this blog for very long at all, you know that I'm one of 3 people in the world who doesn't like strawberries. But I still occasionally buy them (when they are on sale) because other people in the house do like them. I have purchased them more often since Rugrat joined us to chop up and add to yogurt for her.

Recently, I found them on sale for $1 a pound, a good price, and got some. We used about half of them before I started noticing that they were getting a little ripe. Hubby doesn't really eat them fresh. He prefers strawberry pie or other dishes.

Not having strawberry gelatin on hand and unable to find a recipe that didn't require it, I happened upon this one.

It required about the right amount of strawberries and sounded like something Hubby would like so I made it. And he had two slices that night. It was gone pretty quickly. He was the only one who ate it though he suggested to Chick that she might like it and to me that Rugrat might like it.

You can see that it looks pretty darn good. If not for the strawberries, I would have been all over it. I ended up using a store bought crust (I had to make a trip after all to get whipping cream -- that plan fell apart) but it's easy to make your own cookie crust if you so desire.

Strawberry Cream Pie

chocolate cookie crumb crust
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mashed fresh strawberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 Tablespoons confectioners sugar

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in strawberries.

Beat cream in another bowl until it begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners sugar to cream, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon into prepared crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Thought for the Day

2011-11-11T09:26:00.001-08:00

What's Going On...

2011-11-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

***The Chick was going down quick in her studies. She had been working herself into some bad grades. However, the manager there gets it and, besides wanting to keep a good worker who time is mostly flexible, affirmed what we had already told the Chick -- that school comes first and is more important.

Last week, she marked the Chick's schedule for this week as 'not available.' We had had our doubts that she wouldn't be called in but they have yet to call. She has, as a result, had the entire week to get caught up and her grades show it. One example, her pre-calculus grade was a very low 'C' to begin the week but is now a very high 'B.' She has been able to give it the time she needed now to understand what was stumping her.

Now we'll just have to see if they stick to the maximum 20 hours a week (or she'll have to quit) that we requested.

***Those grades, of course, would not have worked well with the Senior High Retreat she's going on this weekend either. But God knows how to plan our lives well. Because she has had the week to get caught up, she won't have to back out of the retreat -- an annual youth group event apparently that both we and she had wanted to be able to attend.

***The girls and I are getting ready to hit Branson, MO next week with my mom. It was initially intended to be a weekend for all the girls of the family but life got in the way. We'll miss my sister-in-law and ... stepsister (do you get those AFTER you're grown? I don't know what else to call her though). We're hoping that we can plan something similar again next year and, with the extra notice, everyone will get to go.

***I find it completely unfathomable that Thanksgiving is almost here. I'm sure there's a mistake somewhere. I must write my congressman.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

It's official. She's a licensed driver now.

Just a Smidge Territorial

2011-11-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, we had friends come to stay with us for the night. They were traveling and we happened to be right in the middle of their route so they made a pit stop with us. Their family boasts five children so getting to stop for the night made things a little easier for them. And we were absolutely pumped about getting to see them again.

The Rugrat is pretty quiet with other children for the most part. But, she usually doesn't have them in her home. At church, she sits at the table or plays the teacher's pet. She is always excited when we are around other children in other places, avidly watching them.

The only place I've ever seen her act a little pushy was when we visited with one of the families we traveled to China with (while in South Carolina). Even then, I wasn't sure if she was being pushy or if she was just an older child (by almost two years) getting her way.

But, well, she's definitely aggressive. She had no issue with snatching or grabbing things away from the other children. And it didn't bother her too much to push or hit them either -- even the ones who were quite a bit bigger.

I knew she was territorial already. She has attempted to stake her claim on me since we got her home. Hubby has had to assert his previous claim several times when she tries to pry our hands apart or shove herself in between us on the sofa. She has even gone so far as to start to cry when he hugs or kisses me.

Poor Rocky takes any opportunity he gets to sit in my lap when she isn't around. Something he used to take for granted initially got him pushed off or slapped at. While she's learned that isn't acceptable, she still tries to sneak in a reprimand ("Doggy, no no. Go. Go.") or nudge him off before I tell her it isn't okay. Once, I turned him over and held him baby-like causing her to break down into weeping and wailing. Her response is a little better now.

But she is territorial and, now that we know she'll get aggressive too, we'll need to begin addressing that. The problem is that in order to do that I might have to subject other children to her. Whoops. That seems like a bad plan.

The good news is that she did seem to be getting it by Friday. At least, I thought so and then she'd do something else. I really didn't have this problem with Chick (who was always compassionate towards the underdog). Dude did deal with this to some degree but it was usually in context of defending his friends so we had to discuss how to defend them appropriately.

Bullying, though, which is where I can see this headed, is not gonna happen. Period. So it looks like sharing is going to be the emphasis for the next few months (along with getting potty training down) as well as a few lessons about not hitting or kicking.

I suppose this is part and parcel for a child who lived with several other children. Most large families I know of have to deal with it to some degree. So it shouldn't surprise me.

Dealing with it may be more difficult though since everyone around her is essentially adult-sized. Poor Rocky may have to be the guinea pig some more. Guess I better stock up some dog treats -- the good stuff.

Monday's Menu

2011-11-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Hubby's birthday and, even though I was sick with a cold, I managed to get enough of a cold medicine high going that I could make some yummy cupcakes (while washing my hands repeatedly) for him.

I used a simple devil's food cake mix and pushed a Reese's peanut butter cup down into the center of each one.

If the man knew he was going to be marooned on a desert island, all he'd need is a few zillion jars of peanut butter and some crackers. If we don't have peanut butter in the pantry, he starts getting the shakes. So I knew that would be a hit.

The frosting, however, is what I planned to share today. I used a recipe from a site I was pretty sure I got from Skip to My Lou but I couldn't find it again so I profoundly apologize to the author. If anyone recognizes it, please let me know and I'll gladly give credit where its due.

He really likes the whipped frosting that some bakeries use and this is one that tastes a lot like that. I had to add more peanut butter because even doubling the amount called for did not make it look brown like the picture that is with the recipe. I'm not really sure what kind she must have used but it obviously wasn't the same.

Of course, Hubby wasn't going to complain about MORE peanut butter in it.

He seems to think they taste best right out of the fridge but I have discovered that they are okay on the counter too. At first, I thought they might get a little melty but they don't. Hope you give this one a try.

Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

1 8-oz. tub of whipped topping
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
6 Tablespoons peanut butter (I used creamy but I imagine either would work)

Mix whipped topping and brown sugar together. Add peanut butter and blend on high until combined. Spread onto cooled cupcakes or spoon into piping bag to decorate.

Happy Birthday...

2011-11-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my dear Hubby today.

Maybe I'll give him one of these t-shirts...

Our Halloween This Year

2011-11-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

For Halloween this year, we joined in our congregation's annual Trunk-R-Treat and Fall Festival. We provided a trunk.

We decided to go with a theme in our costumes. The Rugrat was a fairy.

Dude was a medieval knight.

Chick was my sorceress. She made her costume herself with only a little guidance.

Hubby was my court jester. He really played it up too. He had a pack of riddles to tell kids and was very... um... flamboyant in his gestures.

I was the queen, because, as Hubby said, "We gotta keep the Queen happy. "

We had a lot of fun. And, once the costumes were all sewn and finished, we could relax too. Plus, now I can get my kitchen table back without my sewing stuff spread out all over it like it has been for the last week.

We'll definitely plan on doing a trunk next year.

Monday's Menu

2011-10-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Some fun treats to make for this fun day....

Caramel Corn

Pumpkin Bread

Popcorn Balls

Sugar Cookies

What I'm Doing This Weekend....

2011-10-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Chick's Costume -- raw ingredients

She is sewing her own costume however, with me in the background to play supervisor and google (be available for questions).

Dude's costume - raw ingredients

It should be one the easier ones to finish (in fact, partially done already) which is a relief. I hope to finish his today.

My costume -- raw ingredients

if, in fact, I actually have time to do it as well. I guess we'll see. :)

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-10-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

P.S. please forgive all the funky fonts -- blogger and word apparently do not get along. i try to fix it as I catch it but sometimes it jumps right back to the weird stuff.

See verse 30 here.

**************************

Proverb 31:31

Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

I had a hard time putting this final verse into the same format I have been using for the others. It seems to me that this verse is more passive than the others.

She has done all these things and has worked very hard. This final verse seems to be saying that others will know it; that encouragement and praise will come her way. She will not have to self-promote. People see, even when you don't know they're looking.

Her husband and family sees her work. They know she is a "woman of noble character" who fears the Lord. Her friends and neighbors all see it too. They all have benefited from her motivation and dedication.

Perhaps this verse is simply stating fact. Or it might be reminding us to appreciate one another, to give praise and encouragement where it should be given and put away the negative and critical thoughts toward one another. Of all the people who can be most negative toward women, the one who is generally the worst is the woman herself. Second only to that is, surprisingly, other women. We can discuss our loving and nurturing natures in one sentence and completely rip each other apart in the next.

I am taking this verse as a reminder -- both to be kinder to myself and to be encouraging to other women.

In this way, we could make this verse into one that is simply stating fact... when you give your all and do your best, you will be rewarded.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hubby's costume -- raw ingredients

yes. you read that right -- Hubby's. Our congregation here does Trunk-r-Treat and a festival thing so we're dressing up for our 'trunk.'

Mr. Bottle Bones

2011-10-25T06:50:00.001-07:00

What can you do with a bunch of these?

The same thing we did a long time ago when we were living in San Diego. Dude doesn't even remember it because he had just turned one when we left to go to South Carolina.

But we made one of these to hang on our pomegranate tree there...

His name is Mr. Bottle Bones. I had printed the instructions and left them in our Halloween decorations box. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they still have the directions online too, albeit in a different place than before.

The Rugrat thought it was fun. She keeps referring to him as "hunging in dining oom" and slapping at his feet and hands.

You can find directions to make one here. Even though the older ones are too dignified to acknowledge that Mr. Bones is cool, they can't help but mess with him every time they get near.

Monday's Menu

2011-10-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

You may have guessed that I am not a salad person by now. It's not that I don't like salads nor do I have a problem with making them. I just don't usually have them much.

The main reason is that, generally speaking, they are cold. When I eat something, even in the summertime, I am usually looking for something hot. Cold stuff may come along and enjoy the ride but the main dish is gonna be hot. So salads don't really fit the bill there.

Another big one is that there have never been a lot of salad eaters in our house. That has begun to change as Chick, especially, and Dude have gotten older. But even Hubby, who has no problem ordering one for himself at a lunch with his co-workers, considers a salad to be, for the most part, a side dish.

And to be honest, Hubby's idea of a dinner salad means it has grilled chicken strips and sliced fresh mushrooms in it. Anything wilder than that he tends to look at suspiciously (unless its in a restaurant where he will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they know what they're doing).

So salads have a tough row to how, so to speak, in our household. On the flip side, that means that the three salad recipes I have are fist-pumping good... but they had to earn their place there. However....

The other night I had a wonderful salad! One that I could have happily returned my soup and dessert to get more of. One that I could have enjoyed a very large portion of -- like the whole bowl. It was really quite good.

And the lady who made is an angel because she gave out the recipe when asked for it.

Well, I'm not one to be greedy. It has to be shared. It's too good not to. So look. Now I have four salad recipes.

Lana's Spinach Salad with Orange-Curry Dressing

Dressing:

½ c. cider vinegar

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp dry mustard

¾ c. olive oil

1 heaping Tbsp orange marmalade

¼ c. sugar

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp Tabasco

½ tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients except oil in blender. Add oil in a fine stream, processing constantly at high speed until thickened. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours, then chill until serving time. Note: I combine all ingredients and use an immersible blender – this is faster!

Salad:

1 large bag or container of baby spinach or other favorite salad mix

3 apples, chopped

1 c. golden raisins

¾ c. walnut halves (pecans are good too)

3 green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

½ lb bacon, fried and crumbled

To toast sesame seeds, place in dry skillet and heat over medium-low heat, shaking occasionally until they are starting to turn golden brown. Layer salad ingredients in large bowl and toss gently. Top with dressing and serve immediately. Serves at least 6-8.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-10-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

P.S. please forgive all the funky fonts -- blogger and word apparently do not get along. i try to fix it as I catch it but sometimes it jumps right back to the weird stuff.

See Verse 29 here.

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Proverb 31:29

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

Character Traits:
Placing the Lord above beauty and charm

Character Trait:

Fears the Lord

Definition:
--showing awe or respect towards the Lord

Verses in the Bible about it:
Psalm 2:11

Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 119:161

Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word.

Isaiah 66:2

My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.

Psalm 128:1

How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways!

Revelation 15:4

Who will not fear you, Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

Philippians 2:12

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.

Summary:

These verses are pretty clear that God will bless those who fear Him. While actual fear is a part of that, fear of God usually implies a reverence or awe of Him. It is this ‘fear’ that stands as a foundation to grow faith most often. Recognizing the power, majesty, omnipotence, all-knowing and eternal qualities of the One who created us is where true faith should begin. Without that, it is harder to see and understand just how truly amazing it is that He chooses to love us.

Conclusion for this verse:

This verse is about a woman who puts more of her time and effort into behaving in a way that honors God and shows her respect and awe for Him. She is much less concerned with her appearance or popularity. That is not to say that she is not neat or that she does not take care of herself; only that it is not her primary concern. It is obvious in previous verses that she makes sure she is dressed well and represents her household (and her God) well. But it is not those things that occupy her time and energy. She recognizes the value of eternal things over those that will pass away.

Comments:
While I don’t often really get caught up in my appearance, I do find myself holding back offering my home or other things to be used for God based solely on my own feelings that it is not good enough to be used. I also will sometimes place other priorities above my God which is really what this verse is about. The woman here has decided that her love of the Lord comes first and that she won’t let anything else interfere or usurp His place. And this is what the author of the verse says should be praised; not the things that will pass away like beauty or charm.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Rugrat's Halloween costume -- raw ingredients

A Grand Afternoon at the Zoo

2011-10-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

After our trip to the Cowboy Museum, we headed over to the zoo which was just a ways down the road.

These lorikeets broke out into a 'fist' fight shortly after I snapped these pictures, rolling on the ground and making a racket. The lady had to break it up with a net. I guess, whether animal or human, sometimes you just don't get along with your roommates.

Silly face....

"Act right, John!"

Yeah, she even convinced me to do it.

The National Cowboy Museum

2011-10-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday evening, we had some special visitors arrive -- my mom and her husband -- to spend a few days with us.

After dropping the Chick off at work on Thursday, we headed over to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum here (Dude didn't want to join us and Hubby was at work). I know what you're thinking... I was kind of the same way when we were encouraged more than once to go check it out by a friend while we were still in South Carolina. That may be why we've been here for 10 months without going. But I was shocked to realize that it was quite entertaining.

My mom and I both agreed that we usually go to a museum to see the one exhibit we're interested in and then we're done. But I didn't get bored at all. I enjoyed the whole thing.

My favorite section was the western town they had set up in one part of the museum. It had two streets that intersected in a "T" shape. Each had buildings and businesses. Many of them allowed you to go inside and check out all the old-timey stuff associated with that particular business.

Like the Sheriff's office....
There were also a chapel, a saloon, a general store, a livery, a doctor's office, a hotel, etc. It was a lot of fun, especially with the sheriff and his deputies wandering around.

They also had a 'children's corral' with activities sized just right for the Rugrat. She got to try out some western wear.

And then take it right off.

And there were some other things for her to do.

After our visit to the museum, we went to have some more fun at the zoo.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-10-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

P.S. please forgive all the funky fonts -- blogger and word apparently do not get along. i try to fix it as I catch it but sometimes it jumps right back to the weird stuff.

See verse 28 here.

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Proverb 31:29

“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”

Character Traits:
surpass

Character Trait:

‘going above and beyond’

Definition:
--to be greater, better, or stronger than; to go beyond the reach, powers, or capacity of

Verses in the Bible about it:
Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

2 Peter 1:5-7

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

Psalm 16:3

The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!

2 Peter 3:18

Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Philippians 1:6

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:9

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Colossians 1:10

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

Summary:

It’s obvious that getting better, growing, and surpassing is part of what God wants us to do. He seems to expect that we will never stop growing, never stop working to be better at doing those things He has called us to do. And He is ever there for us to lean on when we tire, refreshing ourselves and stepping back out to fight. “Running the race to win” should be part of our daily battle. And others can’t help but notice when a person who excels at what they do has such an intimate connection with the Almighty because that relationship fuels and permeates everything about them.

Conclusion for this verse:

Excelling should be something we see regularly in those who are doing God’s work. Part of maturing in Christ should involve fighting to follow Him on a daily basis and growing in Him. That suggests too, that as you grow, it should become easier to recognize and conquer those temptations. While I think that must be true to a degree, I know many older people who struggle on a daily basis with new temptations as well as the same old ones. Satan is a crafty being who knows how to come at you from every angle. This life in Christ is not something that you accomplish and then go on to the next thing. It is ever changing. As soon as you conquer one thing, you are sure to find the next goal waiting. It truly is more like a marathon with an ending far in the distance that you must run despite the heat or cold, hunger or thirst, weariness, depression, frustration, etc.

Comments:
It is easy for me to forget sometimes that I am running a marathon rather than checking off my to-do list. I am goal oriented and I love checking off goals that have been completed. I can’t take my certificate of completion and walk away though. A Christian life is a day to day work in progress that never ends until I see Jesus’ face. I must learn to keep that perspective as I run this race.

The Rugrat's First Camping Trip

2011-10-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

The Rugrat's first camping trip is what I would consider a success. We left sometime after one in the afternoon on Thursday to make our way to Beaver Dam Lake in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We arrived after dusk around 7:30 or so but had such a difficult time finding our campsite that we didn't actually pull into it until around 8:30.

By that time, it was pretty dark so we set up our tent by the light of flashlights and the lantern. We had a hasty dinner and then chilled out by the fire for a while before heading to bed.

The Rugrat was using her MyCot but we still thought there might be some protest. She didn't make a sound. I put her in her pjs and laid her down on it without even a whimper. She just waited until I could lay down and hold her hand for a bit. Then she passed out completely.

I couldn't believe it and neither could Hubby. I don't know if it was the shock of sleeping in this fabric balloon or what but she didn't complain about going to bed the entire time we were there.

We did have a midnight visitor so some of us didn't get as much sleep as everyone under 30 did. I find it amazing that none of the kids woke up through all that but they didn't.

He however wasn't the only wildlife around. Across from our site was the shower/restroom. To the side of it grew a large patch of clover. There were at least 3, possibly 4 deer who visited it early in the morning and during the night for a snack. That was a lot of fun to watch while sitting around our fire.

Later, on Friday, we went to check out the water.

Around 5 or 6 pm, a horn will sound to let everyone know that they are raising the gates at the dam. If you so desire, you can even go sit and watch as the water steadily rises. This entire 'island' (for lack of a better word) the Chick is standing on gets covered by water as well as most of the rocks in the pictures above.

While the Chick was the first to venture over to it, we followed suit eventually. This is at one of the other access points (there were 3 total in our campground, ours was in the middle).

A walk back to the campsite to get some dinner.

The Rugrat loves anything to do with being outside. She also loves finding treasures to keep with her -- such as the flowers above. She found this walking stick and thought it needed to come along with us. She seems to know how to use one.

But even with a walking stick, it was pretty tiring.

I finally conquered grilled pizza that night over the campfire. It turned out quite well, I think. Mine was the only one that got burned. grrr

Shortly after we finished dinner, my brother and sister-in-law arrived. They came up to hang out with us for a couple of days.

Hubby was close enough to go see his Hogs play in Fayetteville and so he made the trip on Saturday evening while we visited. Shortly after he left, that horn sounded and we went to check out the rising waters.

that evening's fire

On Sunday morning, we had a pancake breakfast and then packed everything up to head home. I don't have any more worries about camping with Rugrat. She had a blast. As did we all.

On the way home, we even discovered a hitchhiker.

And I had planned to leave the walking stick there.

Why Eating Potato Chips Could Be Bad For You...

2011-10-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well...

If you want to eat potato chips, you might be tempted to steal some in the middle of the night from a nearby picnic table.

In the process of stealing them, you might knock over some stuff on the picnic table inadvertently awakening the people who are sleeping in the tent behind the picnic table.

That might cause a woman with wild hair in white and blue plaid pajamas wearing horrid pink garden clogs to come out of the tent and start shining a light in your eyes while you're munching.

That same woman might come stumbling through the trees toward you, occasionally stomping her feet (in those horrid pink garden clogs) in such a way that it is sure to give you nightmares for week.

What's more, she might mumble and grumble at you, calling you unsavory names like 'thief' and 'bandit' and 'rodent' and other things.

As you waddle away (you're quite good at stealing potato chips, you must admit), you might even hear her suggest that she wouldn't have cared if you had the chips if you hadn't already taken and eaten HER HOT DOG BUNS! It might not have been a good idea to take the potato chips over to the empty bun wrapper to eat.

Then you might have to watch as she shoots you a dirty look and snatches up the empty bun bag and the still half full bag of potato chips and stalks away only to throw them in the trash and -- aw, man! -- hide the bag inside the van.

Because you know, that no matter how that Furry Vengeance movie makes it look, you can't open up the van and get to the goodies inside.

And with the salty goodness still on your tongue, you may have to watch as she packs anything and everything else that might have been worth checking out into that same van, realizing in the process that you missed out on the box of Hostess cupcakes. Grrrr.

That's why eating potato chips could be bad.

(And if you're a real big dummy, you might even wander back into the campsite a couple of evenings later while everyone is STILL sitting around the fire startling yourself and making a run for the woods yet again!)

Monday's Menu

2011-10-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

For about a week, I have been craving peach cobbler. Yet I never thought to pick up any peaches (fresh or canned) to make it with. Finally, I grabbed a can of peaches at the store the other day only to realize when I got home that I didn't have something else I needed to make it. But now I was really craving the peach cobbler.

So I made something else -- peach crisp. I used the topping recipe from my Pioneer Woman cookbook (her peach crisp uses fresh peaches and requires a lot more) (not that I would have minded more) ( just sayin').

I have to say it was quite yummy! Hubby wholeheartedly agreed (and he really isn't a peach fan either). I had more than one child ask what the lovely smell coming from the oven was.

The only thing that could have made it better was a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on the top of it (by the way, that was NOT the thing I was missing even though it is one of my favorite ways to eat peach cobbler).

Peach Crisp

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter/margarine
1 29-ounce can peaches, drained (or other fruit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread fruit on bottom of 8 or 9 inch square baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle approximately 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, if desired, lightly over fruit. In a mixing bowl, blend flour, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over fruit. Bake for about 40 minutes or until topping has browned well. Serve warm.

Gone Camping....

2011-10-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

We are currently on our first camping trip in a year or so....

and we are currently on our first camping trip with the Rugrat.

I'll let you know how it goes. If you think of us this weekend, please feel free to say a little prayer for our safety (both in traveling there and while there).

We're all very excited to finally go again. Hopefully, the Rugrat will enjoy camping as much as the rest of her family.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-10-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Thinking back over my prayer journals, one thought comes up a lot. I want to be a better wife and mother. There is a description of a woman that begins in Proverbs 31:10 that is THE woman. I've decided to go through it one verse a week and look into what makes her tick. I can work on the same traits in my own life and maybe feel like I'm getting somewhere. Join me on Thursdays when I'll share this week's verse.
P.S. please forgive all the funky fonts -- blogger and word apparently do not get along. i try to fix it as I catch it but sometimes it jumps right back to the weird stuff.

See verse 27 here.

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Proverb 31:28

Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:

Character Traits:
worthy of blessing/praise

Character Trait:

praiseworthy

Definition:
--having enough value or excellence as to cause others to express approval or glorify

Verses in the Bible about it:
Isaiah 30:18b

For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.

Psalm 91:14

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.

Proverb 22:29

Do you see any truly competent workers?
They will serve kings
rather than working for ordinary people.

1 Thessalonians 3:9

How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.

Deuteronomy 2:7

For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the Lord your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.”’.

Psalm 90:17

And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!.

Summary:

I had a hard time finding verses that specifically said to praise someone for their hard work. Rather, I kept finding ones that did praise someone and then give thanks to God for that person. That is perhaps a better goal. Doing things that earn praise so that you might point back to God as the source of your initiative and hard work.

Conclusion for this verse:

The author here has listed so many examples of how this woman works to oversee her household and to bless her family. Now he tells us that her children and husband recognize her hard work and praise her for it. It is not just that they are blessed by it but rather that they cannot help to notice how much her life blesses theirs. I imagine this woman’s home as a place where the neighbor children like to gather and other families enjoy visiting. Who would not want to rest in the glow of someone who thinks so often and in everything she does of others?

Comments:
This one hit me in the face. I often get frustrated and take the attitude that since no one will notice anyway, why should I bother? That is forgetting, of course, that my Father in Heaven – even if no single other soul does—will notice that I put the effort forth (or didn’t). Every little thing, even cleaning a toilet, should be done as if doing it for God. In the end, isn’t it true that I am?

The Big 2-0

2011-10-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate our 20th anniversary. And so, I give you a photo collage....

Dating (????)

At my prom (1989) -- 'Time after Time' by Cyndi Lauper

Our Engagement Picture (appx. 1990)

Our wedding (1991)

And now....

Rock Band Here We Come...

2011-10-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

Monday's Menu

2011-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, I got a copy of the Pioneer Woman's new cookbook. I was already a big fan of her site so her cookbook was a happy addition to my shelf. I had tried a lot of the recipes in it already but I saw this one and decided to try it too.

Until recently, Hubby was the only one who liked apple pie so I would make one occasionally just for him but it wasn't something that showed up a lot. However, sometime last year, the Chick decided that she really liked apple pie (somewhat in thanks to an accidental tasting of one of the McDonald's ones that my mother had purchased -- or at least that's my opinion).

And, of course, the Rugrat will eat anything like that. So, now, Dude and I are outnumbered on the apple pie issue. But, I like this recipe a lot for other reasons...

*Pioneer Woman's recipe makes two flat pies which are the equivalent of one regular sized pie so my halved version below makes one that is equivalent to half a pie. Half a pie equals less of the pie's badness and still getting to enjoy it for them. Plus no chance for part of it to go bad.

*No pan means no pains dealing with getting it in there after rolling it out, no bubbles to be concerned about, less clean up, easier handling the pieces.

*It's Pioneer Woman's so you know it's great anyway.

Plus, I learned a new way to do crusts. Liking this book a lot. I highly recommend getting a copy if you haven't already. It's a lot like her website -- yummy recipes with lots of commentary about her life interspersed.

oops. too much light. sorry.

Flat Apple Pie (Pioneer Woman)

3 peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pie crust
3 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together apples, flour, lemon juice, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Roll out pie crust into large circle and place on baking sheet. Place apple mixture in center of circle. Fold edges of crust up so that it covers most of the apples leaving center open if desired. Dot top with butter. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until filling is bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

What's Going On...

2011-09-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

* We're saving our milk jugs to do a neat Halloween craft that we haven't done since the year my son was born.

*I've been sewing, sewing, sewing -- busy making some Christmas gifts and things.

*The Rugrat had a follow-up appointment with her eye doctor and he actually managed to get near her before she started crying in earnest. We call that progress.

*Dude has just about decided on a new scout troop.

*Chick has been marveling at her growing bank account and is starting to look at a few Christmas gifts and such that she wants to buy.

*I'm looking forward to our first camping trip with the Rugrat next week. And our first camping trip in a year or more with all the craziness that was last year.

*Hubby is starting to get involved with several charity fundraisers at work and has been enjoying himself. I think he's feeling more comfortable everyday with his new job and I like that a lot.

*Fall is my favorite time of year so I'm in a pretty good mood pretty much all the time right now.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-09-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

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Proverb31:27

She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness..

Character Traits:
carefully watches, not lazy

Character Trait:

I’ve gotten the point about not being lazy. I don’t think this woman knows the definition of that word even. So I’m going to focus on the watching part – being a good steward of her household.

Definition:
--the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care

Verses in the Bible about it:
Psalm 50:10-12

For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.

1 Corinthians 4:2

Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

Matthew 25: 14-30

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

1 Peter 4:10

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

1 Corinthians 9:17

If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.

Lamentations 3:40

Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.

Romans 12:8

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Summary:

It seems clear that God expects us to take care in whatever he entrusts to us – whether that be millions of dollars, a household, or precious little lives. He has given us the guidelines and expects us to be trustworthy and hardworking, recognizing that it all comes from His hand and one day we will account for how it was handled.

Conclusion for this verse:

Once again, there is a picture of a woman who not only refuses to be lazy, but is diligent in keeping watch over every aspect of her household. The fact that this is stated so many times and in so many ways makes me think that this must not only be a major temptation to anyone in charge of a family but also that it is one that is easy to fall victim too. In this day and age of two income families, I would imagine that it is even more of a temptation to let things slide, particularly where children are concerned. But, these verses seem to remind us that we need to examine our priorities and make an effort to keep the important things on top of the list.

Comments:
I am the queen of excuses when it comes to being diligent to watch over what is happening in our home. I need to learn to be more purposeful in getting involved and staying that way. Accounting for how I have spent these moments that are gone forever is a scary thought indeed.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Pigtails getting a little easier to do.

A Brave New World??

2011-09-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Dude and Hubby were at a Scout meeting. The boys had been sent outside for some reason and the adults were sitting discussing plans and such. At some point, Dude came back up to Hubby and told him that he wanted to go home and never wished to see any of them again. He had still not calmed down once home quite a bit later.

Discontent with his new troop has been building for several months. It was something he seemed determined to overcome but he finally had his fill. So last week and tonight, they are visiting new troops.

My son is very determined to get to Eagle. He figured he could do that even if his troop didn't care about working together toward it for all the boys -- and that was true. He was at a point where he had fewer things to finish and most could be done independently. What he got sick of was the attitudes of his peers.

They were apparently a little too much "South Park" for him. And they weren't interested in listening to anyone -- not the boy leadership nor the adults.

What is truly disturbing to me is that I see more and more of this in children all the time. I don't understand why people encourage their children to behave this way. And, believe me, it is encouraged.

When the Chick was younger, she loved to watch the Jackie Chan cartoon that was on. But I noticed the more she watched, the more smart mouthed she became with me and other adults. It was banned on a temporary basis when I informed her that watching the sassy, smart-mouthed niece, Jade (I believe her name was), and acting like her were two different things. When it didn't improve, it was banned for good.

And I became more aware of the characters, even in CARTOONS, and how they behaved. If they showed the same disrespectful, smart-mouthed, and mocking behavior that seems to be even more prevalent in everything on television now, we had a talk. Almost everyone of them ended up banned.

I wasn't alone, I found out. Other parents I knew were doing the same as they identified the cause. It seemed to be more prevalent on Nickelodeon cartoons but was still everywhere. Now, it is not only disrespectful and smart-mouthed, it is also raunchy and disgusting.

Hubby was trying to describe some of the things the boys had said and done that showed what kind of behavior they had been dealing with. He ended up having to explain a couple of the things to me because I had never heard of some of it. I recognize that I'm naive but should 11-year-olds know that kind of stuff either? Or even 13-year-olds? (That was the age group causing the problems -- not the older boys who had been taught better).

It's very frustrating to me. And as parents become a dying breed, replaced by adults who only want to be their child's friend, I am not sure that it is going to get any better. I fear for a world run by such adults as these children will become if left unchecked.

Monday's Menu

2011-09-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

When we were in South Carolina visiting friends recently, one asked me if I had discovered any region specific dishes. Like the boiled peanuts (ugh) that are so popular there and in Georgia -- maybe other places too but those were the ones we experienced first hand.

I had to think about it but I finally said no, not that I had discovered. Everybody here pretty much cooks like I always have... kind of a Cracker Barrel menu, I guess.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned the Western Days celebration that went on in our small town. The Chick had been begged to work that day. At one point, her manager gave her some money asking if she would mind going to the carnival (set up in the parking lot they shared with some other businesses) and getting her an Indian Taco.

Hubby and I were both confused when she mentioned it. Neither of us had ever heard of such a thing. She couldn't give us any details because it was in a box other than to say it was dinner plate sized.

Last week, at the fair, here it was again. People ordering these Indian Tacos. We got to see one but they tend to pile up the stuff on top so we couldn't really make out what was on it exactly (good thing they pile it up too for $7 or $8 a pop). And, well, neither one of us had chutzpa to ask a complete stranger what was in their food.

Instead, we looked up a recipe. Essentially, it is like a tostada except instead of a tostada shell on the bottom, it has a piece of Indian fry bread. And, after we looked up a recipe, well, we had to try it.

Mine are nowhere near as big as the ones at the fair (and all 6 together didn't cost $7 or $8 bucks either). The fry bread is pretty yummy by itself. Drizzle on some honey and I could go to town just on that. Or powdered sugar -- ummmm .

But throw on the toppings and I won't complain either. They were pretty darn good. Period.

Are there any regional favorites in your part of the world? Give me a few more recipes to look up.

I don't mind. Really. :)

Indian Tacos

1 lb. ground beef
1 can ranch style beans (or seasoned chili beans NOT canned chili)
3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon powdered milk
1 Tablespoon lard or margarine
1 1/2 cups warm water
vegetable oil
optional accompaniments: grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, salsa, sour cream

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and powdered milk. Cut in lard/margarine. Add water to make soft dough. Refrigerate until ready to use. Tip: dough will keep several days refrigerated.

Brown and drain ground beef. Mix together with beans (including sauce in can). Heat until warmed through. Set aside.

In heavy skillet, heat 3/4 inch of oil to 375 degrees. While oil is preheating, pat or roll out dough into approximately 6 (1/4-3/8 inch thick) rounds. Carefully slide one round into hot oil. Puncture center. Fry until golden brown. Flip gently to fry other side. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat for each round until all are done. Serve warm.

To assemble: spoon meat and bean mixture onto one round. Top with choice of accompaniments. Enjoy.

The Rugrat's First State Fair

2011-09-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Every year, we go to the State Fair when it comes around. Even last year, when Hubby had gone ahead to Oklahoma and life was it's own roller coaster ride, we went to the State Fair. This year was no exception -- even though everything looked completely different and had different names.On Monday, it was kid's day. In addition to getting kids who were 12th grade and under in free, Sanctus Real was the band playing that evening. So Hubby came home a little early and we went.

The Rugrat didn't know what we were doing but she was excited anyway.

And, of course, one of Hubby's favorite Fair activities: figure out what the newest, grossest food there is (not that he wanted to try any of it).

Dude actually did eat a chocolate dipped corn dog. The fact that he didn't need any Pepto that night tells you just how much younger his tummy is than ours. I think we all agreed that the winner this year was the Fried Turkey Nads (not to be crude but that's what it was called). Hubby forgot to get a picture of that one.

I was waiting to see how the Rugrat would take the rides. I really wasn't sure but I've decided to adopt the same approach that I had with Chick and Dude. When they were very young, someone told me that children take their cue from you (the parent). And, except for with doctors, it seems to be the case with Rugrat too. If I'm excited, she gets excited. If I'm nervous or upset, she gets that way too.

So, we decided to try out the carousel. She had no problem sitting on the horse at all. She just sat there and talked to me about it while we waited for it to start.

Then, the thing started up. She looked at me a little startled, threw her head back, and giggled. She loved it and pretty much laughed the entire way around.

When it suddenly stopped, she looked over at me again but this time her face fell. I think she was deciding whether or not to cry. She went with, "More, again." I told her we'd have to let someone else take their turn but we could ride something else. She accepted that with grace and off we went to find more rides.

This was the first one she rode alone.

She and the Chick went on this one together. Apparently, she was also a big fan of spinning.

Her last ride was the balloons. We had suggested she ride it earlier but it was shut down. Given the choice later between the carousel (horses) or balloons, she chose the balloons.

Of course, in between all that was a fair food dinner, a concert, a hypnotist show and several exhibits. Our first Oklahoma fair was a fun time.

And, I feel fairly safe saying it was the Rugrat's first state fair. She was pretty sad that we were leaving at the end of the night. I know she'll be looking forward to the fair next fall when it comes around.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-09-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

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Proverb31:26

When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.

Character Traits:
speaking with wisdom and kindness

Character Trait:

Speaking in love

Definition:
--the use of speech that conveys good sense or the ability to see beneath the surface of things and shows or grows out of gentleness or goodness of heart

Verses in the Bible about it:
Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

2 Timothy 2:15

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Ephesians 4:32

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Titus 3:2

They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.

1 Corinthians 4:21

Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?

Ephesians 4:2

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

1 Peter 3:15-16

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Colossians 4:6

Let your conversation be gracious and attractiveso that you will have the right response for everyone.

Ephesians 4:15

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Summary:

Speech is one of those things that can be used in both good and evil ways. Obviously, God wants us to speak to others in a way that recognizes them as worthy of respect. Often, our speech, particularly from Christians, is judging, condemning, and arrogant. These verses are clear, though, that our speech should be the exact opposite in many cases.

Conclusion for this verse:

It is our responsibility to use the kind of speech that shows our love for others. The perception of Christians that I run into more often though is one of people who consistently condemn, are intolerant, and unloving. While that may or may not be truth, it makes our responsibility of using wise and loving words even more necessary. We must not only show Christ’s love with our words but also counteract the hateful words of those who have spent too much speech condemning.

While there is a time and place for judgment (for example, when something evil is happening without remorse or repentance), it seems that is often too easy for us to go to. As Christ’s followers, we should NOT be eager to go for the jugular. Instead, the old adage about drawing more flies with honey should apply. That is not meant to suggest that we brown-nose non-Christians but rather than we accept them as a person loved dearly by God and on an equal plane with ourselves treating them with the same loving guidance and relationship that Christ himself used to woo us in.

Comments:
This is one of the verses in this proverb that can take a bite out of me. My tongue is much too easy a trap for me. I should really spend a lot of time and effort learning to control how and what I speak. It is just as easy for me to go from the extreme of being critical and gossipy as it is to go to the other extreme of being the insincere flatterer. I need to find the middle ground and practice speaking wisely with kindness.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T10:37:00.003-07:00

A Bone Rattling Experience

2011-09-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

On Friday of last week, we made a trip to the Museum of Osteology here in Oklahoma City. It was small but I really enjoyed myself. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. It claims to be the only one in the nation, started by a man who found a dog skeleton as a child and, at his father's suggestion, put it together for his science project. Not only did he win an award for it but he became hooked on bones.

Most of the skeletons were arranged in scenes around the museum. Some, like the ones above and below, were out in the center.

I think I would probably enjoy hanging out with the founder. He seems to have a somewhat quirky sense of humor -- like the raccoon skeleton that hunched over a torn open box of milk duds. And the human skeleton standing upright in the primate scene with his 'tool' -- a hammer.

They had larger ones...

and smaller ones.
We were able to get several good posing shots too.

I'm not sure what the kids liked the best but I thought the teensy, tiny ones were the most interesting. They had a mouse (standing under a cat, of course), a shrew, even a bat that had it's own magnifying glass so you could see it well. It is amazing to me to see such things. That God took the time to create such intricate works of art in these tiny creatures speaks of His love and care very loudly to me.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:29-30

The Museum was pretty cool. And despite it's small size, it still had a gift shop where we found some pretty cool things -- Skulls Unlimited. Hee hee. I told you the guy had a sense of humor.

Good News

2011-09-16T06:33:00.001-07:00

Recently, we had the Rugrat's genetic test done. We received the results back on Wednesday. According to this test, she does NOT have WAGR and so is not at risk for the Wilm's tumor or anything else that goes along with it.

She may have to have one more test done to be certain, but this one was the big one.

The way it was explained to me is that the gene for aniridia and the gene for the WAGR sit right next to each other on the dna strand. If she only has aniridia, then only that part of the strand is missing but if she has WAGR then both pieces of the strand are missing. This test caught whether both pieces were missing. The other test, if she needs it, would find any very small pieces missing that would link the two.

But this one catches a very large percentage of the cases that occur. That works for me and I'll definitely take it. If she had WAGR, this would have been the one that probably would have found it. She doesn't seem to have any of the other symptoms though, so it may be that this test is enough for confirmation.

I'll talk more to the doctor to find out but, for now, we're celebrating!

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-09-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

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Proverb31:25

She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.

Character Traits:
clothed with strength and dignity, prepared

Character Trait:

When I see the phrase ‘clothed with strength and dignity,’ several women I know pop to mind, all of whom shine with an inner strength and dignity.

Definition:
--the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or respected; a look or way of behaving that suggests seriousness and self-control

Verses in the Bible about it:
1 Corinthians 13:1-8

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languagesand special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

Galatians 5:22-23

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Romans 5:3-5

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

1 Timothy 2:9

And I want women to be modest in their appearance.They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.

Summary:

Dignity can encompass a whole slew of character traits but I think the Corinthians verse probably sums it up pretty well. Every woman I know who would fall into this category (of being ‘clothed with strength and dignity) has an underlying love for others that dictates what she does and how she behaves.

Conclusion for this verse:
I skipped going over the part about being prepared for the future because I think so many of the previous verses have addressed this very thing so well. The first part of this verse is a summary of many of the character traits too. Her modest, her care for others, her skill both in and out of the home, her attention to the details, her organization and preparation – all of that speaks to me of a woman who is self-controlled and serious yet she ‘laughs’ because she doesn’t have to worry thanks to her forethought. I really want to meet this woman. I want to spend a week or two with her, learning from her.

Comments:
I would like very much to be thought of as being ‘clothed with strength and dignity’ by others. I’d like to think that I am on the path to that. But I think I need to develop that love for others that would be it’s foundation. It’s very easy to love those you know or who have some kind of connection to you. I want to love those who don’t. I want my knee jerk reaction to a smelly, homeless person to be compassion, not wrinkling my nose and stepping to the other side like the holier than thou people in the story of the good Samaritan. I need to ask God to help me develop a love like His. I need to ask that He fill me with it so that it can’t help but overflow onto others.

The Rugrat's New Trick

2011-09-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Rugrat is very proud of her new trick that she's learned -- the flip. She wants to do it over and over and over and over. And over again.

Western Days Parade

2011-09-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am loving this little town we live in. I think it's just the right size for me. And they are always having fun things to do.

This past weekend was Mustang's annual Western Days celebration. In addition to many other things, they set up a small carnival in the lot at their main cross streets, have a rodeo, magic show, car show, and parade. We attended the parade (minus the Chick who was begged to work since it happens that Arby's is one of the businesses in that same lot and they stay super busy the whole time) on Saturday morning.

They began with the typical police, fire, and ambulance cars.

presented the flags...
followed by the military...

and the Grand Marshal.
Then came the Teachers of the Year (riding in, of course, Mustangs)...

After that, the high school showed it's stuff.

You might recognize the Autism puzzle piece there.
More of the high schools...
If it's Western Days, you gotta know where to get your western wear.

The Chick did actually have to dress up for it. Thankfully, I had a denim shirt and cowgirl hat that she borrowed to go with her jeans.

After that, the local businesses and such kicked in.

We didn't stay for the whole thing. Hubby and Dude were both starting to grumble (it was a little warm and I didn't bring any water). Rugrat and I were having fun though.

The Rugrat loves anything to do with outside and in this case, she was getting lots of time with the "pretty flowers" (= dead grass she kept pulling up) and flashing lights and clapping.

I was just the total nerd enjoying a hometown parade. No dead grass required.

Monday's Menu

2011-09-12T06:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I shared the gyros recipe I had come across. This week is the pita bread recipe that I used from here.

My pitas are a little puffy (nothing like alliteration). I had to run an errand while waiting for them to rise and they ended up getting longer than they were supposed to. It wasn't something I could help but I would plan a little better next time.

It didn't stop the kids from digging in though. They loved them. And I have to admit that even puffy, they were pretty darn good for the gyros.

This recipe is written for a bread machine but it's very easy to convert that to a manual recipe. Instructions can be found here. If you want the 'pocket' to be easy to locate, you can let them get puffy like mine did. It worked quite well for that. Enjoy!

Bread Machine Pitas

1 1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons yeast

Put ingredients into the bread machine in order listed. Run the dough cycle on your machine. When the bread machine beeps, pull the dough out of the bread machine and divide the dough into ten pieces. Roll each piece into a six inch circle. Place these on a baking sheet (or your pizza stones) and let them rise for twenty minutes (I can fit about four rounds per pizza stone or three pitas per baking sheet). Bake at 500 degrees for three minutes. Using a spatula, flip the pitas and cook for another three to four minutes on the flip side.

Side Note: When you pull the pitas off of your baking sheet, wrap them into a damp kitchen towel for a few minutes. This helps keep them from drying out. Once they are cool, you can store them in a food storage bag. Freeze extras for a rainy day! After the pitas have cooled, slip a piece of wax paper between them and store in a freezer bag. You can take out what you need…when you need it!

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-09-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

See verse 23 here.

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Proverbs 31:24

She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants..

Character Traits:
Makes to sell

Character Trait 1:

Contributing or Providing

Definition:
--to have a part in bringing about something; to supply what is needed for support

Verses in the Bible about it:
2 Corinthians 9:8

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Ecclesiastes 5:12

People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

1 Timothy 5:18

For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”

Summary:

I didn’t pull too many verses on this one. It seems to be more of the same – she is a hard worker who looks toward many avenues to care for her family.

Conclusion for this verse:
It seems to me that it is not enough that she haggles over prices, buying quality goods. But she also works constantly providing income, not content to control only what goes out. Here is another example of using her own skills to make things to sell and give more of an income to her household. She truly looks at every opportunity to give her household security – both in and out of season, during fat and lean times.

Comments:
This is a reminder to me that I can add to our home financially as well as controlling what goes out. Even if it is simply choosing to use an interest-bearing account, every decision can make a difference. Nothing should be too small to be considered.

It’s also becoming obvious to me that this woman probably takes a lot of the stress off of her husband’s shoulders. Financial concerns are usually listed as number one in lists of reasons for marital failures. If that’s the case, perhaps working so hard to remove this concern is a valuable effort toward maintaining both your marriage and your spouse’s health. As head of our households, men often have many pressures to deal with, finances being only one of them. Perhaps a good wife would look for ways to lessen those burdens, whatever they are, so that he could do the job God gave him more easily. It’s a thought anyway.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

Bling, bling!

Phoebe Bag

2011-09-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

I completed this bag the other night. It was another free pattern I found online and I think it is very pretty. It turned out quite well. And the fabric is so perfect for ....

Fall????

Okay. So this one may have to wait until spring to be seen much but I still think it turned out well. It was also fairly quick to make.

If you'd like to check out the pattern, you can find it here. Or you can check out the author's site here.

And I guess you can check out my new bag... in the spring. :(

Monday's Menu

2011-09-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

I learned to love gyros a few years ago in a place in Charleston named Manny's. Dude was a little leery of the whole euro-meat thing but they had burgers and the like for him.

It's actually pretty amazing that I tried them. I'm not terribly adventurous in the food department. Hubby gets frustrated because 90 percent of the time, I'd just as well have the one thing I like at a place. Subway is an example. I really love their meatball sub. I have ever since I first tried one. I don't really need another sandwich. The fact that I've tried others is more due to Hubby getting tired of taking the same thing on the other half of the footlong than my own adventurousness. I'm like that with a lot of places too.

It had never occurred to me either to try making gyros at home until I saw the recipe here. Guess what. Everyone loved them. And they could choose whether or not to put on the cucumber sauce (which was sometimes forgotten when ordering at restaurants).

I also made home made pitas to use with them but I'll share that later.

Grilled Ground Beef Gyros

Sauce:
1 8-ounce container plain yogurt
1/3 cup chopped seeded cucumber
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
Filling:
1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
4 pita breads
shredded lettuce
tomato, chopped
onion, chopped

In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients (I used my hand blender on it to smooth it out but you don't have to). Cover and refrigerate. In separate bowl, combine ground beef and seasonings. Mix well. Shape into 4 patties. Grill until cooked through. Cut patties into thin slices. Stuff into pitas with lettuce, onion, and tomato. Serve with sauce.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-09-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

See verse 22 here.

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Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Character Traits:
While this verse is more about her husband, it still suggests something about her. She doesn’t do things that embarrass or shame him. Instead she shows him respect and, probably in large part because of the way she helps to run his home and treats him in public, he is respected by the others where they live.

Character Trait 1:

Respects her husband

Definition:
--high or special regard; expressions of regard or courtesy

Verses in the Bible about it:
Romans 12:10

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Philippians 2:3

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.,

1 Peter 2:17

Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.

1 Peter 3:4-5

You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.

Leviticus 19:32

“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord.

Ephesians 5:22- 24

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Genesis 2:18

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

1 Peter 3:1

In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over

Proverbs 12:4

A worthy wife is a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.

Summary:

Pretty much every verse suggests the same thing. The husband is head of the home and wives should honor him as such. I don’t think it suggests that she is his slave, beaten or mistreated at his will (read in context, it is fairly clear since we are not often called to love slaves as our own bodies, etc.) but rather that she understands both his and her own responsibilities to God and family. Knowing that he will be called to account even more so for his leadership of the family, she tries her best to make his job as head easier and smoother.

Conclusion for this verse:
Even the little, minor things we do every day make an impression. We might not think so but others see them. Running a household well can be frustrating and hard but others see your efforts and know that you are a worthy partner. This man is respected at the city gate by the elders of the land. Certainly, that has much to do with his own character. There are men that have good wives but who are not people that we respect because of their character. Often, in those cases we feel pity for their wives. But we have words for men who are not respected in their own homes too – words that show just how we feel about the situation. How many men do we respect while also calling them something like ‘hen-pecked’ or worse?

Comments:
Ever since Hollywood has made men the designated jerks in all situations, I have noticed this more in people around me. You don’t have to flip many channels to find a father or husband figure being portrayed as stupid and bumbling. This is something that isn’t just on sitcoms either. Commercials and movies have jumped on the bandwagon too.

Although I have been guilty of complaining too, it is never okay to disrespect your spouse in public. He/she is your partner and, for better or worse, you signed up for life. Why anyone would want to deliberately undermine the intimacy of your marriage to get a laugh is beyond me. And if bolstering your self-esteem requires that you tear up someone else, regardless of who it is, you might want to take a closer look at yourself.

This verse has been a good reminder to me to watch how I speak and behave towards my own husband around others because disrespect can be expressed without words. Rolling my eyes or ignoring him can say volumes as well.

It is also a reminder to me that everything I do speaks to others, not just the stuff I think people see but every little thing. Making the effort to do a good job in our home makes a wave in our community that reflects on our lives both as a couple and as Christians.

First Barbie

2011-08-31T06:19:00.000-07:00

On a trip to Wal-Mart, I ran across a buggy with clearanced toys for $3. Several of them were olive-skinned Barbie dolls. So I grabbed one for the Rugrat.

She was surprisingly excited about it. She's really not into dolls too much. It might have helped though that this one had a sparkly ballerina skirt and sparkly butterfly wings.

She's been enjoying it ever since. Her first Barbie was the one that the White Swan gave us in China but I put that one up to save so I think this will count as her first Barbie since she actually gets to play with it. :)

Earning His Way

2011-08-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

What you see below is the accumulation of a few years' work in Scouting. This is Dude's sash currently (I stress currently because he is waiting to receive a couple more badges so he's actually earned more than what is on it).

The first one was a 'limited edition' badge that can not be earned now -- one they brought back for their anniversary year only. He is pretty proud of that one. That's why he wanted it first. Of the 21 badges that you must earn to reach Eagle, 12 are specifically required for Eagle scout. Of the ones he has earned above, the ones circled in silver are Eagle required.

Scouting was something we started on a fluke when he was in 3rd or 4th grade and somehow have continued with. Now that he is a boy scout and no longer a cub, I thought he might lose interest but he is serious about making it to Eagle. He is right now only two levels away.

And I think he'll make it. He has until age 18 to get it done. A lot can happen in 5 years but he seems motivated.

And I'm really proud of him for doing as well as he has. I was never interested in anything like that and certainly not energetic enough to put in the time to do it. So I'll be rooting him on all the way.

Monday's Menu

2011-08-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

With the beginning of school, I thought it might be prudent to revisit an old post -- Lunch Box Ideas. These are things I have been doing since my now 11th grader started kindergarten. The list grew as I began to figure things out a little more.

Now that they are using the Oklahoma Virtual Academy and therefore, at home, lunch is generally leftovers or heat and eat items (like chicken nuggets).

Nonetheless, these ideas work for both children and adults. And, if you hadn't read it before or are new to school age children, maybe it will give you some ideas.

*****************************

August 25, 2008

There is a short super easy yummy cookie recipe at the end today but first, I thought, with the beginning of school, I might mention some lunch box tips I've found helpful. If any of you have others, I would love to hear them too. Most of these ideas either came from or were inspired by reading the Tightwad Gazette or Hillbilly Housewife's lunch box ideas. And by the way, some of these are good for adult lunch boxes too.

I always begin lunches the night before. It is part of my routine before bed. That way when my I.Q. is substantially lower (in the morning after I wake up), I am able to follow the clues I left myself the night before (like a spoon in there means something that needs a spoon to eat it).

Lunch boxes don't seem to come with a real thermos anymore. Instead it looks more like a water bottle kind of thing and isn't usually insulated at all. The last few I bought didn't have a drink container at all -- not just thrift store ones but also new ones from retail stores. I guess they assume everyone will have a juice box. Once in a great big blue moon, I will buy some small disposable type drinks in bottles if they are on sale and I can get them at slightly less than dirt cheap. When I do, I look for plastic bottles with screw on lids. Instead of throwing those away after drinking the juice, my children are trained to put them in the sink or dishwasher. I then wash them and we reuse them until they are misshapen such that I can't get the lid on or they are broken. They usually hold roughly 8 ounces which is one serving size.

There are two advantages to using these. They are the right size, both in serving and for the lunch box and they are disposable (so I don't end up with a second mortgage or an ulcer if one gets accidentally thrown away). You could also use a purchased drink bottle. I have several of those as well. I just like not worrying about the loss of one of the others, especially when my children were younger and still learning to be responsible.

Whatever drink bottle you use, on the night before, put about an inch (depending on the size of the bottle) of the liquid you'll be sending in it and place it in the freezer. In the morning, you fill it the rest of the way. That little inch will keep the drink cold until lunch time. This works for picnics or day trips too by the way. In an insulated thermos, an inch would make my daughter's drink slushy at lunch time so I had to put a little less -- although she kind of liked some of them to be slushy. This works wonderfully with milk too. I used to hate getting milk in my lunch because it would be warm and gross. As my children have gotten older, they have needed a little more than this to drink. If their school didn't request that they have a water bottle for recess and class, I would probably include another drink bottle of water in their lunches. As it is, they can drink from their water bottle if they are still thirsty.

As to food, here are some things my children like getting. If you have other ideas, please share them. I've heard of some people who make a weekly menu and allow their children to circle a number of things they would like that week. Having a say in the contents can mean that picky eaters are more likely to eat rather than toss it into the garbage. And I've been in the cafeteria on a few occasions only to be astonished at what is thrown out. My brain, however, barely functions in the morning (I'm a lot like one of those "Resident Evil" zombies) and following a menu wouldn't work for me. If you try it, I'd like to know how it goes over though.

Apple quarters (occasionally with a snack bowl of peanut butter or caramel for dipping but not always)
Bananas, raisins, grapes, and other fruit - usually cut up and prepared depending on the child, you could send yogurt to dip them in if you like
Crackers with a quartered cheese slice or string cheese (sometimes I include quartered ham, bologna, or pepperoni)
Chili (with crackers in a snack bowl or bag and shredded cheese in a snack bowl or bag)
Mini home made pizzas (this is usually highly bartered for and they both often share a slice - click to get instructions for making)
Hot dog in a bun
Hamburger in a bun (if we grilled the weekend before)
Cheese crackers (for example, Cheese Nips, Cheez-Its, Goldfish, etc. ) bought on sale of course.
Soup and crackers
Your basic sandwich (peanut butter, lunch meat, pepperoni, etc.)
Leftover casserole, mac and cheese, chicken, etc.
A wrap sandwich
Cookies or other baked goods - home made or store bought (check this week's recipe)
Granola bars - home made or store bought
Yogurt - home made or store bought (I plan to talk about yogurt in an upcoming Monday meal)
Pudding - home made or store bought
Chips - this is super rare in our home but my son in particular loves tortilla chips and cheese dip if I have it. You could also send a mexican layered type dip or just refried beans as dip. Or no dip.
Tuna sandwich on toasted bread
Tuna and crackers
Finger vegetables like carrots, broccoli, etc. (my children don't like ranch dressing but, if yours do, you could send some to dip them in.)
A Small Salad
A Baked Potato (with or without fixins)
Burritos
Soft tacos
Popcorn
Home made trail mix - make it to their taste or, better yet, let them make it. Use granola and add chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, dried fruit, even M&Ms if you like.

That's all that springs to mind right now but let me say that the home made stuff is usually better -- even if home made only means you put store bought ingredients together to make something a little more unique. Completely pre-packaged foods usually have more sugar, sodium, preservatives and artificial things that aren't as healthy in addition to being more expensive and having a lot more packaging to throw away into a landfill.

One thing I've found with my children's lunches is that the more pre-packaged stuff it has in it, the more boring it is. When I put a little more effort into their lunch, they not only seem to enjoy it quite a bit more but they often comment that their friends asked for tastes as well. And I've even had a few recipe requests.

Now, you put in your time so here's a recipe to reward you for listening to me drivel on. This is quite possibly the easiest cookie recipe I have ever heard of and they are very good. My husband introduced me to them. So here goes:

Cake Mix Cookies

1 boxed cake mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 cup additions (chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet. Bake about 8 minutes or until done.

Our favorite variety is Chocolate Chocolate Chip (I know, big surprise right?) - use a chocolate cake mix and chocolate chips for the addition.
You can play around with the flavors you might like and try different ones.

Sing A Song

2011-08-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-08-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

********************************************

Proverbs 31:22
She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

Character Traits:
skilled; representing her family well

Character Trait 1:

skilled

Definition:
--ability that comes from training or practice; a developed or acquired ability

Verses in the Bible about it:
Proverbs 14:15

A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
while the fool feeds on trash.

Proverbs 18:15

Intelligent people are always ready to learn.
Their ears are open for knowledge.

Summary:

The Proverbs woman is not only skilled but adding to her skills so that she can continue taking care of her family in a manner that shows her love and care for them.

Character Trait 2:

Representing her family well

Definition:

--to present a picture, image, or likeness of; to serve as an example or instance of

Verses in the Bible about it:

I had a hard time finding verses that spoke specifically to this trait.

Summary:

Pride in oneself and one’s familial standing is something that has a place in such a woman’s life. While I imagine she would not be one who was too good for someone or thing, I still see her as a woman who would be careful to represent her family in a dignified way in public.

Conclusion for this verse:
She is a woman who makes an effort to continue learning skills that will benefit her family. This is obvious in that she can make these things and also in the desire to make sure her family members, as well as herself, are dressed in such a way that others can see that are they are cared for and loved.

Comments:
This hardworking woman has encouraged me to add to my own skill set. She has also encouraged me to make more of an effort in representing my family (and my God) well, whether it be in my self-respect by the manner of dress or if it is in my behavior around others.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Enjoying our friends' visit

The Refuge

2011-08-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

While our friends were visiting this past week, we had the opportunity to go meet some extraordinary people down town. A group there has been living together in an old apartment type building. As part of the living arrangement, they are required to become a community. They meet and work together much as the first church did. While they have jobs and lives, they also have 'things in common.'

They spend their free time working to take back the not-so-nice area of the city the building is located in with Christ's love (but not by handing out meals or other things.) It started with cleaning up the neighborhood -- literally. They picked up the trash on the streets.

It has become something much more. Currently, he told us they are attempting to learn how to teach those living in urban settings how to grow food where they are. And they are about to spread some of their residents to a new building in a different not-so-nice part of town. That will also open up the waiting list of people wanting to live there too.

They believe that Christ's love is best spread by relationships. That relationships are what God wants both with us and for us. They believe people who are living in poverty, both of body and soul, are hurting in large part due to the lack of relationships. The example he gave us was by asking us that if we were in need, how long it would take us to find a meal or a bed? We have a plethora of relationships; ones that we could call on and find those things, ones that would help us get back on our feet. The impoverished that they minister to don't. They are still hungry or still homeless or still hurting because they are missing that vital part of human interaction. They are still caught up in a life of slavery, sin, and pain because no one cared if they were snared by it.

In providing relationships, they point the way to Christ and, in the process, they help with physical needs too. It was pretty wild to be standing there seeing and hearing someone who is living the life of Christ, not just studying it or meeting in a building somewhere or trying to live righteously. It was pretty wild to be standing there with someone who was so convicted by Christ's love that he had placed himself in a position of complete and utter submission to it.

I haven't quite processed it all just yet. I know myself well enough to know that its boiling around up there trying to figure out how I'm going to respond to that. But I'll let you know when I do.

If you'd like to take a look at their site, you can find it here.

Monday's Menu

2011-08-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

Last week, some friends came to stay with us for a visit. We were all very excited and looked forward to their visit. The Chick even decided to make a dessert in honor of their visit.

She looked around and finally decided on Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Originally, the recipe calls for a brownie crust but I didn't really care for it. Because you cook it first, then cook the cheesecake, it ended up kind of dry once you hit the brownie. I would instead just use a regular graham cracker crust for the best result.

To make the cheesecake itself, follow the recipe below.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare crust as desired. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix well then add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared crust.
Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Bake 50 minutes or until set in center. Cool then chill thoroughly. Garnish as desired.

Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-08-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

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Proverbs 31:21
She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warmclothes..

Character Traits:
no fear; prepared

Definition:
--lack of concern about what may happen; trust

Verses in the Bible about it:
Romans 4:21

He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the Lord always,
for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Isaiah 64:4

For since the world began,
no ear has heard,
and no eye has seen a God like you,
who works for those who wait for him!

Joshua 23:10

Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised..

Matthew 25:1-10

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

Psalm 37:5

Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.

Summary:

Obviously, this woman has had the foresight to prepare for the seasons. We could apply this to having the foresight to be prepared for emergencies or the ups and downs of life. The verses suggest that we should be prepared for the future as well as that God is taking care of us and we therefore need have no fear.

Conclusion for this verse:
This is only another aspect of this woman’s willingness to work hard to provide for her family. She has had the foresight to be prepared for whatever may come yet knowing that the Lord is fighting for them and will take care of them in every situation. It may be that is why she feels free to be generous (as in the other verses) and care for the poor. She looks ahead to be ready and then uses her resources to honor her God.

Comments:
I am good to some degree at being prepared but I tend to get distracted as well. I think I need to work on the distraction part and motivate myself to put more effort towards having foresight so that I will too be free to give generously – not stockpiling and holding on to things, trusting in them to provide for me. Trust is probably at the heart of this verse. And I’m not that great at it.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Dancing Queen

The Chick's New Do

2011-08-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

Now that we have gotten back from our South Carolina visit, I am 'allowed' to share about the Chick's new hair style. But first she had to have her own little reveal to her friends.

We were watching old "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" tv show episodes one night and had been discussing how to get the Chick's hair cut.

It is terribly thick (much like Mama's) and grows very fast (much like Mama's) and she really doesn't like to mess with it too much (unlike her Mama). In fact, most of the time, I have to tell her to go brush it or do something with it. Usually that involves a ponytail -- actually that was pretty much all she did with it.

The Chick is a home body at heart and she is just as happy to lay around in her pjs all day as to do anything else. Her hair has always reflected that to some degree. She went with practicality and ease over too much girly-ness and effort.

So, as we were discussing this and watching old episodes, she mentioned that she really liked Willow's (the character) new college hairstyle. We talked about it that day and then trekked down to the local salon the next day or two with a printed picture of Willow.

By the time it was finished, the hair that had been cut off was in little haystacks on the floor around the chair. And the stylist did something that encouraged me to tip her well -- she instructed my daughter about how to fix it that way. I have actually paid extra before to get the stylist to do that and gotten nothing from it. So I was pretty happy with the lady.

The Chick was very happy too. Her hair is in short layers now. This is what it looks like when straightened completely. I really like it this way.

The way that she wanted to style it (like Willow's) is to straighten it and flip the ends out. I don't have a picture of it that way at hand but when she does it, it kind of reminds me of this girl:

minus the pink of course. It looks good on her and fits her personality really well too. It is cute and fun and a little different than every other teen. Just like her.

To work, she can just comb it out and let it dry and it looks nice enough. But any other time she straightens it and flips (her favorite way).

I'm thinking we may have finally hit on something.

Monday's Menu

2011-08-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Dude turned 13 yesterday (YIKES!!!) and we had a quiet family celebration.

Do you see that in his hand? Do you know what it is?

It is a Dr. Pepper 2 liter soda. Dr. Pepper unwittingly became the theme for this year's birthday. It is his favorite soda by far.

So, in addition to buying the soda for him to drink (something I don't often do) here at home, we also got some of this for his ice cream:

And I even made him a Dr. Pepper cake...

complete with Dr. Pepper ad themed birthday wish!

The cake actually turned out very moist and dense -- quite good, in fact. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you today. I found it here originally (kind of funny I discover a South Carolina blog after I move away from there). There is a recipe for a cooked chocolate frosting that is poured over the cake there as well. I just used chocolate buttercream though since I wasn't sure how I might be decorating it. Also that type of frosting is usually just too sweet for us.

Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups Dr. Pepper soda
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a pan by oiling and flouring it.

Combine Dr. Pepper, oil, butter/margarine, and cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, mix well, and remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour and baking soda. Mix in Dr. Pepper mixture. Do NOT over beat. Batter will probably be lumpy but be sure not to over beat it.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs with buttermilk. Add to the batter and combine being sure NOT to over beat it.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for about 23- 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Happy Birthday...

2011-08-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

to the Dude! He is 13 today...

making me officially the mother of 2 teenagers and 1 toddler. Things could get confusing.

Born Blonde

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Celebrating Independence Stage

Easy Does It

Not Much

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Growing Up

Monday's Menu

The Eye Doctors Have It

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Monday's Menu

Another Jumper for Rugrat

What's Going On...

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Toddler Games

The Invisible Woman

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Sewing, Sewing, Gone

Monday's Menu

One Year!

Merry Christmas!

Sugar Cookie Men

What's Going On...

Bah Humbug!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

A Successful Outing for Mom and Dad

Monday's Menu

Me & My Shadow

A Dress for the Season

The Family Tree (this year)...

Monday's Menu

Big #4

Happy Birthday...

Old Time Photo Session

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Our Girl's Retreat

Monday's Menu

Good News!

Happy Thanksgiving!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Back in the Stocking Game

Monday's Menu

Monday's Menu

Thought for the Day

What's Going On...

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Just a Smidge Territorial

Monday's Menu

Happy Birthday...

Our Halloween This Year

Monday's Menu

What I'm Doing This Weekend....

Proverbs 31 Woman

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Mr. Bottle Bones

Monday's Menu

Proverbs 31 Woman

Verses in the Bible about it:Psalm 2:11

Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 119:161

Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word.

Isaiah 66:2

Psalm 128:1

Philippians 2:12

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

A Grand Afternoon at the Zoo

The National Cowboy Museum

Proverbs 31 Woman

Verses in the Bible about it:Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Psalm 16:3

2 Peter 3:18

Philippians 1:9

Colossians 1:10

The Rugrat's First Camping Trip

Why Eating Potato Chips Could Be Bad For You...

Monday's Menu

Gone Camping....

Proverbs 31 Woman

Verses in the Bible about it:
Psalm 2:11

Verses in the Bible about it:
Philippians 4:8

Verses in the Bible about it:
Isaiah 30:18b

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.

Verses in the Bible about it:
Psalm 50:10-12

Verses in the Bible about it:
Proverbs 15:1

Verses in the Bible about it:
1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Verses in the Bible about it:
2 Corinthians 9:8

Verses in the Bible about it:
Romans 12:10