So the story begins...

And so the story begins...He first saw her on college registration day...He can remember what she was wearing.  She, on the other hand, did not see much of anything that day.  Too many butterflies in her stomach.  That was over a year ago.  The story continues as a friendship was made.  He was very patient... asking the Lord for his timing. When school ended in May she returned home.  In June he sent a text...she had just come out of a difficult situation.  He wanted to check on her.  He was once again patient and she was cautious...and thankful for a friend who cared.  The texting continued.  He asked if he could call.  She asked her parents what they thought about this.  A phone call every now and then from a friend would be fine...the first time he called...well, she almost did not answer....The friendship continued.  In November there were a couple of private conversations between between two men.  Seems Eugene asked Sara Rose's dad if he could court his daughter.  With the approval of both sets of parents...permission was granted...and plans were made.  On Christmas Eve Eugene surprised Sara Rose with a visit.  She never suspected a visit because he lives four hours away.  You see, everyone knew of this visit; except her! It was planned out perfectly.  Eugene presented her with a story written in a journal (with VERY cool illustrations...we had no idea of his hidden talent).  The story is about their friendship, and about the beginning of a courtship... their courtship. 
And so the story continues...

The day after Christmas, and all through the house...

The day after Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring...until about 8:30 a.m. when the kids started waking up.   Are you tired?  I definitely am!  What a wonderful and blessed time I have had this weekend.  Today we are planning on this being a slow day....catching up on some rest, and cleaning up around here. It is now 1 p.m. and we have only done the "catching up on some rest." I am enjoying some coffee from my new coffee maker today.
 My son had a pot of coffee brewing for me on Christmas morning....The fun part of that is that I woke up to get the coffee going...but smelled coffee going already!  I was going to surprise the kids with their stocking gifts...all kinds of cappuccino, creamers, iced coffee...Guess they turned the surprise on me! If I plan things just right...there will not be any cooking done today.  I think we will try this recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/  to use some of our ham leftovers.

Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/3 cup diced celery

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 cup diced cooked ham

3 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste

5 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

Directions

1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

I am excited about some things I am planning for the blog.....I will keep the recipes going, finish our Fifty-Nifty Recipe Tour....and a few new topics I have in the making.

Let's do a few more of the Bible virtues....praying for your children.  Remember that your children are never too young or too old to pray for.....each day.  I have a scheduled prayer time, but there are other times I remember to pray for specific people throughout the day.  For example....My mother-in-law~ I have a small Irish wind chime hanging in  the bedroom window....As I fold laundry~I pray for that person....There are little reminders all over the house that encourage me to think and pray for that person.

#22  Contentment  Phil.4:12-13  Not only that they should be content with what physical things they have, but also in the situations that they are in....
#23   Faith   Luke 17: 5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40  I pray that faith takes root and grows in their lives...
#24   A servant's heart  Eph. 6:7   Wow...
#25   Hope   Rom.15:13
#26   Willingness and ability to work  Col. 3:23

Well, thank you for stopping by today....Enjoy some quiet time!

 

10 days until Christmas...uh, oh....

Only 10 days until Christmas...really?!  Someone might be in trouble....me.

Seriously.  The menu is planned.  I did add "A special Day Fruit Salad".  It is my mom's recipe.  If you go to categories-salad-A Special Day Fruit Salad, you can find the recipe there.  It is delicious.

Cookie Day is coming up soon.  The girls and will spend the day baking and frosting the cookies (and munching on them).  My Christmas shopping is about 60% done...not good.  Now I am down to the hard to find things...Maybe I will get out today...

10 days...I think we will watch a lot of Christmas movies, play board games...oh, and I will find my Christmas fireplace DVD (You know, the screen is a fireplace and it has Christmas music playing) that I am pretty sure my kids have hidden from me....and I will play it while playing while we play games.  Cookies to make....and shopping to do.

Make this time special for your family...Moms, we are the hearts of our homes.  Here are a few ideas!

~Make a gingerbread house.

~String popcorn and cranberries.  Um, this was a good idea until my cats discovered it.
~Watch you favorite Christmas movies.  I like the old Christmas Carol with Alistair Sims, the Nativity Story, Christmas in Connecticut...
~Make Christmas cookies together.  Give some as gifts!
~Drive somewhere to see Christmas lights.
~Have a special Christmas Eve dinner...we make a lot of enchiladas!

Enjoy some time with family and friends! 

Have a great day!
~

Researching with my cup of coffee....

I try to spend some time each week looking for new recipes.  So here I sit with my coffee searching for new recipes.  I have collected recipe books for years....I still love them, but more and more I find myself using my computer.  More and more I also find myself telling my girls,"You can find the recipe for that on my computer."  I found this yummy sounding recipe that will probably make its way to next month's menu!  Stuffed pizza rolls!  She also has a good recipe for ham sliders.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls | The Girl Who Ate Everything

Let's continue a little more on the virtues that we can pray for our children....I am working ahead because I am planning on an overnight trip with my girls this weekend.  Looking forward to a lot of giggling and and some one on one time with them.  My girls are awesome!

#17  Joy  1 Thes. 1:6  My prayer is that my children will be filled with the joy that the Lord gives...not of the world.

#18  Perseverance  Heb. 12:1  Run the race...  Have you ever read the definition of this?  Wow!  Such an important virtue for our children to grasp!

#19  Humility  Titus 3:2

#20  Compassion  Col. 3:12

#21  Responsibility  Gal. 6:5

Keep praying for your children...even when it seems your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and walls.  Remember that God makes all things beautiful in  HIS time!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend~

The Cookie Contest

Once upon a time there were two cookies made around Christmas.  One was a soft butter cookie with a wonderful frosting.  The other was a crisp Christmas cookie with cinnamon and nutmeg in it.  My husband recently requested the crisp cookie.....why?  He said he likes them better....The contest begins.  Which is better?  We will bake both kinds and see what happens!

Christmas Cookies

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 salt

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients, and gradually add to creamed mixture.  Mix well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool.

Frosting

2 egg whites, beaten

1 tbl. lemon juice

3 1/2 cups confectioner sugar

Christmas Butter Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter,softened

1/2 sugar

1/2 brown sugar

2 egg yolks

3 1/2 flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Combine butter, sugars, and egg yolks in medium bowl.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool.

Frosting

4 cups confectioner sugar

4 to 6 tbl. milk

assorted food color

LOVE this time of year....counters covered with cookie dough, flour, and the smell of the cookies baking....and frosting everywhere....add a little Christmas music....don't forget the occasional snatching of a cookie before the frosting is dry!  Good times!

Have a great day....

Oh, Christmas tree....

My oldest daughter is 19 years old.  On her first Christmas she received a home made ornament from my mom.  Just last week my children, now ages 19 ,18, and 17, received their ornaments.  Mom has asked me if they are getting to old for this...my reply to her is that they give me a look of disbelief.  Never will they be to old!  Every year she has sent them an ornament.  We started with a small tree, but two years ago we "graduated" to a six foot tree.  We call it the Mammaw tree....some garland and candy canes and ONLY Mammaw's ornaments!

This is the very first ornament...

One of this year's ornaments....

A few more....

I always think of these ornaments as gifts of time and love.  Thank you, Mammaw!

Speaking of Mammaw, I would like to feature her brownie recipe.  When I was younger she would sometimes make a batch of these for a bedtime treat.  It makes a 9x9 pan....

Brownies

1/3 cup shortening

2 tbl. cocoa

1 cup sugar

2 well beaten eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Warm drink on a chilly night...

I must confess.  I did not enjoy Michigan when we first moved here.  My husband grew up here and loved it.  As time has passed I have grown to love the distinct seasons (although they are confusing at times).  Fall is by far my favorite.  I do love the snow...from the inside of my log house...please don't ask me to drive in it. 

Here is a recipe for hot spiced tea.  My mom would make this each winter.  It smells wonderful - definite comfort drink.

Hot Spiced Tea

3/4 cup instant tea with lemon

2 cups Tang instant orange drink

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

2-3 tsp. to one cup of hot water...or to taste.

Hope you enjoy this.  This warm drink could also make a nice Christmas gift for someone!

Several weeks ago I started sharing a prayer list that I have for my children.  Here are a few more.  If you missed the others, click on prayer in the menu.

#10  Biblical self-esteem  Ephesians 2:10

#11  Faithfulness  Proverbs 3:3 

#12  Courage  Deuteronomy 31:6  I hope that my children are courageous with character, convictions, actions...and in their faith.

#13  Purity  Psalm 51:10

#14  Kindness  1 Thess. 5:15

#15  Generosity  1 Timothy 6:18-19

Keep praying!

D. L. Moody said,"  Let us pray, and as we pray, let us make room for Jesus in our hearts."

Thanks for stopping by!