here I am with my new hair

Busy Days

Our Bumble Beeeeeee

Our Kitty Cat

Our Fairy

What a day! Oh what a crazy crazy day! I am glad that it is almost over. Just a busy day.

Started out by getting costumes on kids and out the door to school, then spending an hour on the phone with the cell phone company to try and change our plan (we pretty much have to sell the first born to cover a month) well it really isn't that bad... well, then again it is pretty bad how much that cost. So I did fix it cut the bill down by 3/4 of the price. WOW! a miracle. Then I get off the phone with them and the phone rings. it is my sister crying. (I get so worried when people call me crying) Anyway, she had to take Bubba, the cat, to PA to the vets. It a little over an hour It was an emergency he was not able to urinate..... (tinkle/pee/take a whiz) ((GROSS))

so they had to put a catheter in him... OUCH, Bubba Kitty, he would have died if they hadn't done it.... so sad. anyhoo, it being Haloween her kids needed to be picked up at their lunch hour and taken for lunch and then home to change. Aunt Amy to the rescue. So that was actually fun. And then I ran over to get my hair did..... I did alright that took FOREVER (4 hours) beauty just takes me longer to achieve I suppose anyway, I like it. I have to get used to it. It is a lot shorter then I thought. But I needed a change I was in a slump. Came home cooked Chili for dinner, Sara gave Maddie her bath while I walked the dog and then I put Maddie to bed, and know I am writing this and then Sara and I are going into the Living Room for a fire and game night.... that should be loads of fun. Oh did I mention that Emily is done at her friend Krissy's house they are going to Great Adventure tomorrow. Fun, to be 16. oh well. Off to probably have my butt beaten in whatever board game Sara picks........

I will let you know how it all turns out....

Toodles & Goodnight.

Sunflower

Well, My husband is in there talking to the TV.... the world series. (need I say more)

I am in here playing with Photoshop. I bought it months and months ago. (probably outdated by this time) anyway. I have not had the time or patience to sit and play with it. Until now when my TV was confiscated : )

I love those black and whites where there is just a wee bit of color. So this was my first attempt. Pretty. I think I will do a few more (not tonight)

Well, that is all for today, Tomorrow I have to make some Fairy Wings for Sara's costume. I will take pics and let you see how that turns out. Oh and I made some delicious fried chicken last night that I will share the recipe for tomorrow. YUMMY, unless you don't care for fried foods, and if that is the case, Stop reading my blog right this moment.

toodles

Let it go

Ok I just have to let it go..... but why is it so darn hard to do that? Anyone ? Any comments are welcome.

I just couldn't help it.... Dwight.

Give Thanks

Do I really know what that means? To Give Thanks? I think I do. but then,

It is really easy to give thanks when everything is hunky dory, but when things don't look so bright, and it is hard to see the sun (God) shining, it becomes really hard to give thanks. I was reminded about this, from a wise woman the other day. She told me, "you have to focus on the good things" YES that is it. I was allowing myself to be brought down due to the circumstances going on around me. I was not remembering that God is still providing me with all the little things that we think should just be there. Like how about Food, Water, Shelter. When was the last time you thanked The Lord for the glass (or bottle these days) of water you were putting up to your mouth to quench your thirst? I don't do it. I am wrong in that. It is a privilege to have these things... We forget that so easily. Well, I do anyway. So today I will start to remember to just Give Thanks for the tiny things thru out the day. I forget to be thankful for those things and Always am looking to God or the GREAT bug things.

Trust in Him for everything.

For this is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Sara Lynne

The Name Sara is from Hebrew meaning Princess.

The Name Lynne is Gaelic meaning From the Lake.

The Little Sister

& Now The Big Sister

Sara Lynne

This is my Sara! She came to me at an amazingly hard time in my life. She was truly a gift from the Lord. Because of her I managed to get thru each hard day. She is so easy and happy. God made her so Loving and with such a Caring Spirit. I am not so sure I could have survived without having her in my life. So her she is an actress (Comedic & Dramatic) An amazingly gifted child but GOD has given her the gift of not being a showoff! She is a talented artist and story teller, She loves Gymnastics and puts all of her heart and soul into it and I have never met a child who loves to learn more then she does.... although I think these days she doesn't think it is cool to say that she loves school so she plays that down..... That will pass. Here she is our Bean. (Have no idea where her nickname came from but that is what it is! )

Walking on Water!

I hope that her Faith will grow and she will be able to Walk on Water.

Jumping For Joy

Let the Joy of the Lord be in your heart.

First Day of School

She was little here! I love this picture of Emily and Sara. It really wasn't all that long ago....

Sisterly Love

I am Praying for this right now! "WE can do it"

Crazy journal

I made this journal the other day following these great directions.

Today

Today was spent...... In no particular order.....

Sara went to Gymnastics... ( my entire next blog will be on Sara)

Emily got ready for her homecoming dance (by the way I think she began getting ready last night... and resumed about 3 - 6:45) not even kidding but doesn't she look lovely.

This is Maddie eating her dinner.....which I made at sometime this afternoon. Very tasty Recipe to follow. (As soon as she sees the camera she yells "CHEESE" and makes this silly face.

My Mom & Dad (haha) Sent us these gorgeous Flowers today for our anniversary. I put them in the sap bucket that my sister Beth gave me last year... Which I love!

More Sewing whilst Madelyne was napping, this is part of Maddie's bday gift. I am almost done : ) YAY

That Sucrets tin has pins in it....

Dom fixed the broken step on the front porch.

Here is the casserole I made It was very good.

Mostaccioli Bake

1 box Mostaccioli (looks like a small penne to me)

1 egg

1 egg white

1 16 ounce container cottage cheese

1 package chopped spinach thawed and drained

1 c shredded mozzarella

2/3 c shredded parmesan

1/3 c minced parsley

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 cups sauce

Preheat oven 350

cook pasta

while it is cooking in a large bowl combine egg, egg white, cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley salt, pepper, ( I add a little nutmeg) and spinach

to cooked pasta add sauce

layer in a big baking dish half the pasta then add the cheese mixture then add the last layer of pasta. throw some cheese on top. Put foil on top and cook for 30 min. take foil off for next 10. Enjoy : )

Anniversary

It is our anniversary today..... It is a loooooong story but we Got Remarried (yes, to each other) Five years ago today.

Praise God, Thank you for these last five years! good bad & ugly.... Cause I guess that is what life is all about.

Pizza Pie

My Dad makes THE best Pizza in the whole world.... (and he's not even one of those Italians....) : ) Look at him go! (by the way it took me like 12 shots to get one spinning up in the air like that) note to self no drinking wine before trying to get an action shot!

School Project

Did I ever mention how talented and Beautiful (bonus) My daughter Emily is? Well, She has taken an amazing liking to school and I couldn't be prouder! She had to do this project for U.S. History (very cool by the way) any way this was the poster that she drew for that. It didn't photograph well...Bummer but it was so neat! So I thought I would boast for a moment..... : )

I 'm allowed it is my blog!

An Amazing artist & she is pretty darn cute too! : )

Pictures

Which Baby is it?

Unbelievable

Unbelievable-

Did you ever experience something so unbelievable that it seems that it couldn't possibly be true? Like, you just can't wake from the dream (bad) that you are? But the Dream just keeps going and just keeps getting worse and worse? You wonder how someone could do something so wrong and horrible to someone you love? How it could effect them so deeply and on so many levels that you can't even begin to imagine? The most awful part being you can not seem to do anything to stop the inertia! How this will affect everyone around this person probably for the rest of the life we know on earth!

I Am going thru this right now! I want it to stop. I pray for it to STOP! But it just keeps going.

Soup

Restaurant Style Cream of Potato Cheddar Cheese Soup

4 C. Finely Sliced and Diced Potatoes (peeled)
4 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 C. Finely Diced Yellow Onion
1/2 C. Finely Diced Celery
2 Cans Chicken Broth (14.5 oz)
1/4 C. Water
4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
8 oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 + 1/4 C. Half and Half ( add a little more if needed)
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1/4 tsp. White Pepper
1/4 tsp. Salt (or to taste)
Shredded Colby/Jack Cheese (garnish)

On medium low heat in a 3 quart sauce pan saute celery and onions with butter. Cook onions until clear and celery take care not to let onions brown. Add chicken broth, potatoes and water. Place on medium low heat and cook until potatoes are very soft and tender.
When potatoes are done add chicken bouillon cubes and cook until cubes have been dissolved. Mash the potatoes slightly but leaving most of them in chunks. Reduce heat and add half and half, stir mixture. Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until cheese is completely melted and dissolved into mixture. Sprinkle sugar, pepper, and salt into soup, stir. Let soup simmer very slowly for 20 – 30 minutes taking care not to let soup scorch. When ready to serve garnish with shredded Colby cheese, jack cheese and maybe a little parsley. Add a crisp salad and hard rolls and you have a wonderful meal.

done but not finished

Well, I am Done. Okay, not really. Are we ever really finished? Well, I 'm not anyway. It has taken me weeks to get that Living Room Painted. I still have to paint up the stairs. But that can wait while I catch my breath. I will resume painting next week or maybe this weekend. Haven't decided. It will depend on how I feel.

I Will try and get some pics taken and up later today.

I think I am just a gluten for punishment. I picked up 3 chairs from the "El Garbagio" I am going to paint them they are all different. My Mom got me an early Christmas Present in Sept. An enamel top table. So excited about that. I wanted to have 4 different chairs around it. I already had one and it was my Mothers Grandmothers on her father's side. So cool. That one is already painted a funky 60's green. Love it. Don't get me wrong it is not the Avocado green of the 70's.... It is softer. Anyway, I thought I would just get around to finding 3 other chairs at yard sales eventually, when this morning as I was taking the kidlets to school, Low and behold. Chairs, old chairs out for someones bulk trash. YAY ME : ) I dropped them off to school and went back and loaded my car. So Anyway, I really don't like painting chairs, but I do love the outcome of the entire process.

Well, I am off to start doing laundry.... HOW much fun should I be allowed to have at one time...........?

toodle loo

Sick

I have the measles and the mumps

a gash rash and purple bumps........

remember that Shel Silversten poem that is all I can remember at this moment.

I started to feel like el crappo last night. Haven't felt like myself at all. Fell lousy. But I have much to much to do to feel like this...

Thank Goodness for my girls, Both of them looked after Maddie so that I could go and work with Dom today, yes in my sickness.. sometimes you have to take one for the team.... Well, thankfully we were able to complete the job and it looked great. I am sure this did not help me feel any better... Oh well there is always tomorrow... which I just noticed the time, is really today.

going to try and go to sleep. Ever feel so tired that you can't sleep? That is what is going on with me right now.

Later gator.....

Zach and Em

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not feeling well,

I should be on the sofa laying down sleeping but I am laughing so hard ...... I think I may be delirious this jib jab thing is riot....

mom and dad

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monster mash

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To busy

To busy Painting to Post anything of interest. In face this is the first time today that I sat down at the computer.... and Maddie was up for some odd reason at 5:30... That is a rare occurrence. Thank goodness.

I am soooo sick and tired of painting. I think tomorrow I will be done. Oh how I can't wait for that moment. Then on Tuesday they are coming to put down the new carpet. Oh how lovely. I can't wait to sit in the "new" room and read a book or finish sewing the binding on Sara's quilt. hmmm that sounds wonderful to me. Maybe even have a fire. pictures will come next week. that's all for now. Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite.......

Missing

I was outside and heard the geese going overhead. I looked up holding Madelyne and said "there are the geese. They are flying south for the winter." Then I started to look around at the beauty of the colors in all the surrounding trees. The yellows, oranges and deep reds. I then felt a funny feeling as I looked across to the spot where my Grandma's favorite tree still stands. The mighty copper beech. The Top leaves have been kissed and are turning the most glorious shade. This tree is probably 75 years old, at least. You see it is on the property of the home that my Grandfather was born in. I guess it has a doubly special meaning to me.

I had never in my life noticed that tree until I was out driving with my Grandma, I think we may have been going to vote on that day, She pointed it out to me. I will never not look at that tree without thinking of her.

I miss her so. I want to tell her everything and yet I will have to wait till we meet in heaven someday.

I try and remember things she just to say, "Take it Slow"

How life just whizzes right past you wit

hout you even blinking an eye. I wish I could just tell her one more time that I love her. I would wrap my arms around her and she would stroke my hair. I just miss her so. I just miss her so.

I have to laugh when I see this picture, I can hear her telling me "get out of here, Kid" chuckling. Can you see her smirking at me... "your a bad child" was probably the next thing to come out of her mouth to me. I had to take pictures, Grandma was finishing the blanket she made for her 11th great grandchild, Katelyn Jade.

It is always better to pray than complain.

Stumbling

this is what I just stumbled on today....... What a beautiful prayer.

"We need to let God be God, hour by hour, day by day, experience by experience, time after time...And we lie there, praying that the Lord won't let us waste what is going on in any way: 'Help me, Lord, to be what You want me to be in this, to learn what You want me to learn in this, to demonstrate what You want me to demonstrate in this...'"

-Edith Schaeffer, Affliction

http://farmgirlpaints.blogspot.com/

"We need to let God be God, hour by hour, day by day, experience by experience, time after time...And we lie there, praying that the Lord won't let us waste what is going on in any way: 'Help me, Lord, to be what You want me to be in this, to learn what You want me to learn in this, to demonstrate what You want me to demonstrate in this...'"

-Edith Schaeffer, Affliction

thinking

I was thinking while I was looking thru these photos......

time goes by sooooo quickly. Emily is only 9 in these pictures! She is now 16.

Now she is bigger then me. I can no longer cuddle her in my arms or hold her tight so she won't
Fall off the swing, But I can still try my very best to protect everyday for the rest of my life with the prayers I pray over her. My little girl is growing up to fast. I love you my Emily Elizabeth.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us,

he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever

dare to ask or hope.

Ephesians 3:20

Today

Today, I am just going to try and get thru the day.

Today, I am just going to try to do the best I can.

That is all I can hope for today.

Dolls

Please check out Bit of Whimsy Dolls. She has the best Patterns in her Etsy store. I just Love them all. Perfect to make as gifts for the upcoming holidays. I just purchased the Billie Anne Pattern for a gift for Madelyne who will be turning 2 very shortly. They are also on sale right now.... GREAT!

This is my Best Friend, Paul. Did you ever have a friend that makes you cry because you are laughing so hard? Well this is him. He is so kind and generous. I love him very much. Thanks for always having the right words Paul. I can never say thank you enough for that!

Fall....

My Pie Birds sit on the window sill begging me to put them into a pie....

How I know it is starting to be Fall...

I get out my this strange looking contraption from the cupboard. It was my Gramma's Applesauce maker and the Rounder Rounder thingy......

"The more you trust and rely
upon the Spirit,
the greater your capacity
to create."
---Dieter F. Uchtdorf