Yes or No

So, I forgot to ask this in my post last night. Does anyone else do black eyed peas for New Years Day? I grew up with that tradition, going to my Grandma's having black eyed peas, cornbread and fried potatoes. Ummmm Ummmm GOOD! I love them and fix them often. My guys are not too crazy about them, I could eat them every day. My husband never heard of such thing, I couldn't believe EVERYONE didn't do my tradition!!! Nothing better than a nice bowl of peas and watching the Rose Bowl parade..another thing my boys really dislike! Oh well.
Just curious what other traditions are, or if my State Line upbringing was the only one that involved Black Eyed Peas!!!

Wonderful Christmas

Whew! It's been a busy one since I last posted. But it has been all Good! Had a wonderful Christmas everywhere we went and good times with family. Those kinds of things just can't be replaced! My family was blessed with many nice gifts and love from family as we celebrated the birth of Jesus. I am so thankful for all the many clothes we all received...but oh my gosh! The LAUNDRY was BIG! The boys got some money for Christmas and wanted to go and spend it the day after Christmas...I agreed to take them WITH the stipulation that their rooms be totally cleaned out, sweeper ran, etc. We weeded out toys, clothes etc that are no longer being used and took a nice load to the Goodwill store on our way...what a wonderful feeling I had after that! The boys just don't understand it!

I got a new sweeper from my folks...YEA! LOVE IT! My sister and her husband got one too! We just had a great week, I didn't have to work Wed-Fri and it was great. We just didn't have to hurry around and that was so nice. Did chores, doctored a few sick cattle, took the boys to shoot their new rifles and had a blast Christmas day. It was windy as heck but warm. We shot many a hedge apples that day!

I officially only want to wear my sweats...as jeans are now uncomfortable. YUK! I hate that. With the new year comes the thought of spring/summer on its way, my white, fat legs will be showing...ICK ICK ICK!

Today, I worked until noon. Was planning on tackling my laundry room/mud room. It's in a real need for some organization and cleaning. It was workable when the boys were little, but now that they are older, we all have coveralls, coats, boots, etc, etc, etc AND the laundry which never seems to be caught up. EVER EVER EVER...anyway I proceed to start clearing it out, moving stuff and mix up my pine sol water and start scrubbing the floor, which led to wiping down walls that had cobwebs on them, which led to I really hate how my laundry room looks and it needs painted, which led to the garage where I found some Kilz which led to a paint roller and brush which led to me shakin the tar out of that can of Kilz which led to, yep, you guessed it, I'm painting. I'm such a spaz! Oh well, I got half the room done, got it dry with the help of my fan and have applied a coat of paint and I'm feeling much better about life! What's the sense in organizing and re-arranging when it needed a coat of paint?!?!?! Huh? Huh? Exactly, It just needed to be done. So now I have laundry strung all over the place, paint brushes, paint cans...yep it's a sure fire disaster! Thank the Good Lord, my boys have gone to MeMe and PaPa's for a few days...maybe I'll get this done before they get home. If I ever build a house...the kitchen and laundry room will be TOP priority for me. I'm not sure who designed mine, but they had to be....well, not into big laundry rooms!

I hope that Santa left you something fun in your stocking and may you receive many Blessings from the Good Lord!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve to all! I wanted to share another quick recipe that is Delish! I just finished making these little jewels and wanted to share...if you can't make them for Christmas...do it for New Years!

Water Chestnut Appetizers

2 cans whole water chestnuts
1 1/2# bacon, cut into fourths
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 tsp. chili powder

Roll bacon around water chestnuts and stick with a toothpick to hold. Place on a rack--I use a
9x13 pan or sheet cake pan and bake for 45 mins. Mix brown sugar,ketchup and chili powder and pour over baked water chestnuts and then place back into the oven for another 25 mins. You just well plan on a double batch...these are great!

Gotta run, pie dough to roll and presents to wrap!!!

A new Recipe

I told Brenna I would share this recipe awhile back...I nearly forgot until just now, I ran across it! Enjoy!


Tortellini Soup

2# Italian Sausage
1/2 cup sliced onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh zucchini
8 oz cheese tortellini
3 (14oz) cans chicken broth
2 (14oz) cans stewed tomatoes
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Brown sausage in a skillet, drain off fat. Set aside on a paper towel to absorb excess grease. In a large pan, add onion, garlic & zucchini and stir fry for 5 mins. Then add chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 15 mins. Finally, add the cheese tortellini and sausage and simmer for 20 mins or until tortellini is tender. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve with Italian or French Bread.

Pretty easy huh! I hope that you enjoy this soup and it warms you on these cold winter evenings!

Holiday Swap Box from Georgia!

Lookee, Lookee what I got today!! I received a very cool box from my very cool cousin, Erin. I LOVE everything! I love to bake cookies and love Taste of Home recipes. Perfect, can't wait to try these out! Decorating sprinkles, a snowflake spatula and a whisk, Taste of Home Christmas cookie recipe book, a candle--evergreen scent, Michael Buble cd, rolling pin, cookie decorator set and last but not least...awesome slipper socks!

I couldn't take them off for the picture...I was too busy enjoying them!

THANK YOU ERIN! I love it all and can't wait to try it all out, believe it or not...I have been wanting the decorator set for awhile now...just never got one, don't usually decorate my cookies, but now I have NO excuse! And of course, it dawned on me once I opened my box and read your great little letter enclosed, I FORGOT to enclose my letter....duh! Oh well, all those things are favs of mine and hope you enjoy it all! Love Ya~

Ok, is anyone else on a serious crunch for Christmas? He..lll...oooo....it's only 6 days away!

I'm sooooooo NOT ready!

First Snow

Well, we received our first snow on Tuesday and it really came in with a bang! I have gotten to the point that when the weather men/women start in several days before the storm comes with their warnings, I completely tune it out! Blah Blah Blah. But...this was a real live snow storm out of the south west...kind of like a thunderstorm..when it comes from that direction, get ready for a little action!


It really snowed and blowed on Tuesday. Of course on Monday it was 68 with serious WIND....By Tuesday it's 30 and dropping and just as windy! We ended up with 3-4 inches I guess. But it was nice and icy underneath...even at a crawl in the van, I could hardly stop. Last night coming home, JB got rear-ended by a teenager in an SUV....JB stops traffic at one of the busiest lights in town and gets out...it looked as if our hitch got hit(not bad) and maybe saved our bumper...the kid never got out, asked if anything was ok----NOTHING! Oh well, His momma would probably not be proud. Thank God no one was hurt and no damage was done.


My boys were soooo excited about the snow...CB even played in it for awhile last night in the dark! Tuesday they couldn't wait to get home and sled...it was such a wet snow, it didn't work out like they planned, but they had fun.

I am participating in another swap...my cousin in Georgia organized this one. A Holiday swap. So I've got my box together and going to mail it in the next day or two...Erin, be on the lookout!

JB and I are hoping to Christmas shop tomorrow...not sure if its going to work out..but we're getting into a time crunch and I really dislike shopping in the big city this late---it's sooooooo busy and people are not always the nicest. They have totally forgot the reason for the season.

I have not yet done my Pass It On challenge...I will, God will show me what I need to do and I'm patiently waiting for the opportunity! Have a great day!!

Quick Post

Don't have a lot of time this a.m. Running Late...
Anyway....yesterday had a great trip to OKC to the Dr aaaannnndddddd.............
Met up with LeAnna! Oh my gosh, it was wonderful! She is more beautiful in person and sportin that little baby quite well! We sat and visited for 2 hours and I thought the time just FLEW by! I had a Wonderful time meeting my new friend. Looking forward to my next trip down....as there will be a baby Flowers in tow! We took pics, mine are not too great...I'll wait for LeAnna to post hers, a very nice lady took it for us! Praise the Lord for new and great friends. We never lacked for anything to talk about. Thanks LeAnna....it was fun! And THANK YOU for the new goodies...love it!

A wonderful day...ZB and shopped, really got nothing done except get him a new pair of shoes that were badly needed. Got home and was tuckered out. Going to have another shopping spree today, its our work party, we're headed to Wichita to eat and then disperse to shop....going with my 2 shopping buddies, Lisa and Jennifer...Look out Wichita...last year we did this and got home at midnight! Whew! Actually. I just hope I get some Christmas shopping done. Have a wonderful weekend!

Pass It On--My Christmas Challenge

This has really been weighing on me the last several days....

I'm challenging anyone and everyone who reads this blog, knows someone who reads this blog, or talks to someone who reads this blog to take the Pass It On challenge.
Christmas is the Season for giving...Right? Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 So here we go. I'm asking that we(yes, I'm included) do something for someone, preferably someone you don't know. Like, buy a meal for someone, give to the food pantry, buy someone's gasoline next time you stop at the gas station, pick an angel off the angel tree, the sky is the limit really. Just ask God to show you and I promise he will!

So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:4
I don't need to know who, what, where, when and why...I simply want this to be a personal challenge.

Think of all the lives we could touch with just a handful of us doing something like this! That is so exciting! What a way to share the love of Jesus during the greatest season of all! By doing this we are also setting a great example.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

Happy Thanksgiving

I am wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I'm trying to decide which pair of jeans are going to fit the loosest! I don't guess I'll wear sweats to Thanksgiving Dinner. I've been up since about 4 am. Not by choice of course. My youngest one started in coughing, needed another dose of cough syrup and DH is snoring like a bear in a cave...just decided about 5 to quit fighting it and get up...decided to make some rolls for dinner today. Last night I made 4 pies and a sweet potato dish. I must admit, my pies are getting better! My very dear friend, Lisa, gave me a pie crust lesson a couple of years ago and I've been thinkin I'm pretty good at it since then! ha ha
They are not as pretty as hers...but each one gets a little better! 2 pumpkin, 1 pecan, 1 chocolate. Took one pumpkin to a friend of ours...he's having a lot of family over, cookin the turkey himself. I'm the only one who is excited about the sweet potato dish...None of my guys appreciate a good sweet potato. You can't go wrong with this...sweet potatoes, butter, pecans, brown sugar, need I say more? I didn't think so!

I forgot I had some Southern Pecan coffee beans in my freezer...Oh my that makes good coffee.
I would like to begin the task of putting up my Christmas tree tonite...not sure I'll get to it, but I love to put on Christmas music and decorate. I always put my stuff up on Thanksgiving night and/or the day after. A tradition in my family is to watch Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase on Thanksgiving night. I still get tickled at that movie and I've seen it a hundred times. I think my mom has it recorded and we've just always watched it.

Does anyone do the Friday after Thanksgiving shopping day? JB and I went last year for the first time...it's totally over-rated! It was ok...we weren't after anything that was on the BIG SALE, we just thought we would go. We didn't like it mainly because the stores were such a MESS....people just have no respect for anyone else's stuff. We got a lot of shopping done, but we decided we probably wouldn't do it again any time soon!

Well, I'm off to check my bread dough...have a wonderful day and enjoy all the many blessings!

A New Do

Well, my haircut which is usually a trim with the same ol, same ol turned into a real live haircut!

I decided about 2 hours before I went, I wanted something new. So here it is.

My boys are not really liking it...JB has not seen it yet. He won't care too much, he's not totally obsessed with my hair. My philosophy....it's hair and it will grow back. In fact my hair grows quite fast. Not too worried...got some new color too. Brown/red, that is what JB won't like about it...

Note to self.....Not a big fan of taking my own picture...felt and looked like a complete DORK! After all that, you can't really even see the cut. Oh well!

Busy Week

I tell ya...I don't know where all my time goes. I've been busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rockin chairs! Whew! My dad had back surgery on Tuesday...everything went fine...hopefully he'll be home today. Please keep he and my mother in prayer as the healing process begins...let me tell ya...my dad is not a sit in the house kind of guy. God Bless my folks' neighbors as they are looking after the cattle, etc. I'm afraid that Dad will be itching to get out and about sooner than he's supposed to. We'll see. Wednesday brought a big run of cattle for us...it was 9 pm before the boys and I got home...nothing like walking in and sending them to bed. Today...should be kind of normal! Tomorrow is our church bazaar...it should be fun, it's always fun to get with everyone and work/fellowship together and have delicious food! We serve cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfast and then serve chili, homemade chicken and noodles and vegetable soup for dinner with condiments and pie. Lots of handmade items for sale, we have a great group of ladies...we call them the "Hallmark girls" and they are great, they work so hard all year long preparing things to sell for this. I've sent some chow chow, apple butter and will try to get pies and/or cookies made this evening for the baked goods sale.

Can you believe it's almost Thanksgiving? I have got to get organized and make a little shopping list for the little things I need. I have hardly thought about what I'll make, that's out of character for me. But that seems to be my life here lately. Oh well.

I hope that all of you have a blessed weekend and enjoy every day....God is good. I'll leave you with a little something...we're singing this song Sunday at church and it's one of my favorites, the words are so simple but yet so powerful!
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.
I find it easier to Love God than to love everyone else! That has really been my work in progress this past couple of weeks. We are commanded to LOVE one another, not who we want to love or who it's easy to love but EVERYONE! That can sometimes be really hard for me. I remind myself OFTEN...Love them like Jesus!

HappyAnniversary to me...a couple days late!

Well, I had in my mind I would do this really cool post about my anniversary that was Wed...November 12th. Here it is Friday and I'm hurrying to post something and it's going to be quick. Nothing like I planned. That has been my life for the last 2 weeks. My boys were sick and out of school for 3 days the week of Halloween, had major homework and catching up to do there....JB's wonderful 100 yr old Grandma died that weekend...totally unexpectedly, JB's mom's husband was not feeling well and was in the hospital for a brief stay during that, funeral was last Thursday and last weekend....I was gone scrapbooking(so much fun) and here it is Friday again. It is hard to enjoy this time of year when it's passing me by like a race car....and I really DISLIKE the time change! I do not, repeat...DO NOT like it to get dark at 5 pm YUK! Anyway

JB and I celebrated our 14th anniversary on Wednesday. I use the term celebrated loosely there...it's sale day on Wednesday, there was no celebration! We'll do something...not sure what. Probably look at our new boat we bought(new to us) a few weeks ago and I have not had time to talk about or share pics! Anyway...back to the anniversary. I can't believe how FAST 14 yrs have gone. When I stop and think about that..it's a long time and it's been so good! If the next 14 go half that fast...whew! I won't know what to think!

I'm sharing a couple of my favorite pics....was going to do more, but time to get my Friday really rolling!

A few things to share real quick....I think we look like a couple of kids playing dress up when I see these! I wore my mom's wedding dress, white boots, my m/i/l made my veil/headpiece, the guys wore black jeans, boots and tux jackets. I had lots of wheat in the flowers, etc.(grown by my daddy!), we were married in the church we now attend, my home church was very small and would not accomodate the 500 people that attended! We had 2 attendants each and my flower girl wore a pantsuit! How's that for non-traditional!?!? We had a wedding dance in my hometown and it was fun..we left early of course as we were flying out the next a.m. around 4 for Reno, NV. That all seems so long ago, but yet it doesn't!

THANK YOU SUZEE!!!!

I must have received my Fall Swap box yesterday and just found it early this a.m. on my front porch! I felt like a little girl on Christmas morn...the anticipation was BIG! My swap partner lives in Utah. Let me back up a minute...Another blogger...Laura...organized a FALL SWAP--if you were interested...you let her know and she drew the names...etc. You were to send your partner your favorite things about Fall. No $ limit, just things you love and want to share. I had never done this so I thought it sounded fun, as I love FALL! I sent Suzee, homemade apple butter, pecan dip, mulling spices, note pads, a Fall handtowel and 3 recipes. Now in reciprocation.....this lady ROCKS! I received an awesome box of goodies! Take a look over here to the left...I almost needed a wide angle lens to get it all in!!!!smile

First thing I pulled out was the apron, made by Suzee, I love everything in the box, but I have been WANTING an apron for sometime now and hadn't purchased or made one. Thank you , thank you, thank you I absolutely LOVE IT and LOVE the colors!!!!!! I got chips and homemade salsa(family favorite of ours), brown sugar and pumpkin(necessities in my pantry), some serious smelly goodies for my house, fuzzy socks(mine are looking pretty bad), Pine nuts(only had on pesto, these look like she stepped out back and picked them--can't wait to eat them!!)and 4-5 wonderful Recipes I can't wait to try! It's funny, this was a random drawing for partners...my partner and I have many things in common and that was really neat!

This was the most fun...when I really stopped to sit down and make a list of my favorite things of Fall, it got a little lengthy! I will definitely do this again if the opportunity arises. I've met another really neat lady with a neat family and I look forward to keeping in touch. The internet is not always a good thing and I was reluctant to begin my blog...but it has been used for only good in my house and I've met several wonderful people that I would love to see in person. Who knows, maybe I will!

THANK YOU AGAIN SUZEE!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING IN MY GOODIE BOX AND CANNOT WAIT TO THROW ON MY NEW APRON AND GET TO COOKIN!!!!!!!!!!

A New Day

"What, then shall we say in response to this?" If GOD is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus who died---more than that--who was raised to life---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

Have a beautiful day and give thanks to the Lord, our God and King for his love endures forever!

Family Pics

A friend took these pics a few weeks ago...the weather had been awesome and this particular day, the wind blew like it normally does in Kansas on a Hot July Day. Good Lord. Ignore my BIG hair! They turned out pretty good...we took a big family pic with my folks and my sis and her family as well. I'm anxious to get them printed off and framed.

These were taken at my cousin's house. He lives where my grandparents lived...I LOVE this ol' barn. Made a great backdrop for pics!

Another Gorgeous Weekend

New costume in stores soon!

"Unhappy Chiefs Player"

The "Big Ugly" with really dry, white legs!!

My neighbor's tree across the street...oh so pretty.

We've had another beautiful weekend here....it has been warm and beautiful. Nothing like I expected the end of October and beginning of November to be. What a treat! We went Trick-or-Treating last night. My boys are not that crazy about it....anyway, long story short...CB decided he didn't like his mask and cape we bought a couple of weeks ago and he didn't want to go. ZB wanted to stay home and scare people....no one comes to our neighborhood. Anyway, we did take off and hit a few houses...grandparents and friends. We were home by 8:30 or 9 pm. Today we went to my aunt and uncle's house in Ark City...every year they have a bonfire/skeet shoot/chili, potato soup supper and fun! This year I wore shorts! It was so darn nice out. We just got home....the boys were sick and home from school Tues thru Thurs. They were pretty tired when they got home yesterday from school. We had wonderful food tonite...I made pecan pie bars, corn/jalapeno dip, my aunt Gail made her wonderful cinnamon rolls....3 pans and they were awesome! In our family, if you don't get enough to eat, there is something wrong with ya!!!!

A little pumpking carving Friday afternoon..ZB carved an awesome "KSU Power Cat" CB carved...I'm not sure I think he called it....an injured football player with a scar on his head?!?!

ZB is very artistic and does great work in this area. He has great ideas and visuals in his head and is very capable of putting it onto paper or in this case a pumpkin!

Beautiful Weekend

Leslie, Brianna, Lana, Mom(l to r)

Mom on the left playing her guitar

What a gorgeous weekend it was. Yesterday, we couldn't have ordered better Fall weather if we had tried! Friday night my mom, sister and I went to Ark City to the Arkalalah Coronation. Our neighbor's daughter whom we have known since birth was up for Queen Alalah...(for those who have NO idea what I'm talking about, this is a BIG Fall Festival in a town about 10 miles from where I live). It was a fun girls night and we had a good time, even though our Brianna didn't win, she looked beautiful and is such a true witness for the Lord! Each contestant got to present a little slide show about themselves...her's brought a tear to my eye! It was so neat, It's All about God for her and I was Sooooo proud of her. Actually, all the girls gave glory to the Lord and all are active in their churches/youths. It was really refreshing! After that, headed home and walked into complete quiet...everyone in my house was crashed out! I stayed up awhile(totally out of character for me) and enjoyed the peacefulness--that is something do treasure. Saturday morning brought a breakfast of waffles, coffee and me running around still in my robe until about 10. Did a lot of laundry, picked up the house, etc. Then it was time to get around to go back to Ark City to the parade at 2. We left a little before noon, made it down there to get a delicious pork burger and visit. My Grandma Birdell was there, JB's grandma Pearl, who is 100 was IN the parade, my mom was in the parade, playing music with a group. It was fun. Today was beautiful as well, but WINDY!

Grandma Pearl in a sporty little Red Car

The Good Lord gave me a scripture a few weeks ago, Ephesians 4:19...it was a Friday and it just kept coming to mind, I was busy at work and finally took time to look it up online. Didn't make a lot of sense at the time, when I got home later that day, I looked it up and understood it a little better.

Les, Grandma Birdell and Jennifer

Ephesians 4:17-24 says.....(NIV)

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility(useless account) of their thinking. (18)They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardeneing of their hearts. (19)Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (20)You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. (22)You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (23)to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (24)and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

So many people in the world today fall into this. Especially(sp?) our government/politicians/etc. I wonder how many of them were separated from God because of their ignorance? How many of them were taught the way of Jesus and have been corrupted by deceitful desires OR were they raised not knowing Jesus? I have pondered this for several weeks now...wondering if I should share this and the Lord has said "OK" I'm certainly NOT a Bible scholar, I'm a constant work in progress for the Lord. I am sure there are many other ways that these verses can be interpreted. I'm simply sharing with others what the Lord has shared with me. Let's be in PRAYER for our country and our leaders as we face our upcoming election. God be with us and let the mud-slinging be OVER!

Have a great week...Pastor Dennis shared today about LOVE...the greatest commandment. We need to learn to LOVE intentionally. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. Have you really, really thought about that? Then...after that, LOVE EVERYONE ELSE!!!! My challenge to you (and myself) is to find someone to love this week and Love them with the Love of the Lord! I didn't mean to make this a sermon or soapbox....Bye Now!

What do ya think?

I've been making a few scarves for our church bazaar...keeping 1 or 2 for myself and thinking of gifting a couple. Let me know if you think they are goofy! They are super easy to make and not too expensive! Forgot to rotate the picture..but you get the idea!

These are just some dish cloths...they are my favorite to use.














Some chow-chow I'm cookin up to can.

Bread Recipe...as requested!

This recipe can be used for bread, rolls or cinnamon rolls...it's a tried and true recipe given to me by my Aunt Gail who makes THE BEST cinnamon rolls EVER!!!! She always brings 2 large pans to any family gathering and we've been known to hide a whole pan somewhere just to assure ourselves of one of these delicious rolls...every time I've attempted the cinnamon roll thing, it's never like hers...I'm saddened by this...but I'll keep trying. Anyway. I use my bread machine to mix my dough, yes I'm lazy and I'm ok with it. I half the recipe for my bread as it makes a nice loaf for my family and the whole recipe doesn't fit in my machine. For the garlic side of it...I bake it as usual...as soon as it comes out, I cover the top with butter and garlic powder. Pretty easy huh?



Sweet Bread/Rolls/Cinnamon Rolls



1 1/2 cups water(warm)

2 eggs

1/2 butter or margerine--I'm a butter gal

5 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup dry milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1Tbsp bread machine yeast...or 1 pkg of quick rise yeast.



When I put this in my bread machine...I put all these things in as listed, all wet ingredients on bottom and dry on top...I usually dig a well to put my yeast in. Viola!

Enjoy!

Leanna...I know you'll love it and it really is good with that ravioli stew!!!

Give it a Try!

You guys have motivated me to Post a recipe. This is one of my favorite Fall/Winter soups. It serves a lot so it's great for company.

Ravioli Stew
1# Italian Sausage or ground Beef(it's what's for dinner in my house!)
1 chopped onion
1 jar Ragu Chunky Garden Style(any flavor of your choosing)pasta sauce
1 8oz pkg sliced fresh mushrooms, and 1 large can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes w/Italian seasonings
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can black olives, sliced
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
1 sm. pkg pepperoni slices
1 25 oz. bag frozen cheese ravioli
Mozzerella cheese(shredded)

Brown your meat and chopped onions in your favorite large soup pot. Drain thoroughly. Mix the rest of the ingredients in, except ravioli and cheese. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add raviolis. Simmer for 15 mins uncovered or until desired tenderness in raviolis. Serve with shredded mozzerella on top and Enjoy!

I always make a loaf of homemade garlic bread to serve with this. It is great! I hope you guys all enjoy this as much as I have! Also, I use 2# of meat. My beef is in 2# pkgs and my guys like lots of meat!

Rain, Rain Go Away

We are really getting a lot of rain. That peaceful sound tapping on my roof is wonderful. It also makes me want to be at home, baking, taking a nap, reading and doing domestic things! What is it about rain and/or snow that makes a person want to cook something wonderful? Does anyone else have this problem? I'm curious to see what everyone else loves to cook, I'm asking that anyone that reads this to please list 1-2 things that you love to cook. Be prepared...you may be asked to share the recipe! I'm in somewhat of a cooking "rut" so I'm open to new recipes. I made something new last night that JB and I really liked...my boys thought it was awful. Whatever. I'll share it later. Gotta run now. Can't wait to see what everyone else loves to cook!!!

More Pictures

More of the pumpkin patch.














Remember CB's pumpkin creation? It made a perfect Halloween Kitty!




Miss Pearl, the baby Shih-tzu!





















My front porch.























My homemade noodles....drying.

Another Sunday

Miss Piper and her new puppy...Pearl

Piper's Pumpkin was definitely the most trendy!

Mom and her boys...or at least part of one!

CB's creation. I wasn't sure what we would do with it...

Where does a full week go to? That should be the title of my blog since I seem to ask that question about every other post!

Well, here in the Sunflower state the last week flew by...literally, it's been HOT and WINDY here. ICK. Hello...it's October 12th not June 12th. Not often do you go to the Pumpkin Patch in shorts and a tank top and flip flops and still feel Warm. Anyway. We went yesterday. It was sort of a fast trip as we had somewhere to be so we sort of grabbed our punkins, took some pics and vamoosed! I'm sorry to say that the trip to the pumpkin patch was not what I wanted it to be. My boys wanted pumpkins, but they were NOT into taking any pics(another repeat) or just having fun there....you know, taking pics and stuff.(smile) Anyway, I sat down and had one boy on each side and tried...repeat, tried to take a pic of the 3 of us...didn't happen, well not very well anyway. I look so ridiculous...never mind the fact is blowing my wig all over the place and ZB proceeds to be too cool for school.......anyway. I cherish the memories I have taking my boys to the pumpkin patch and them having so much fun and getting the best pics. When we did arrive to our destination....aka my cousin's house we had a ball, her daughter is turning 9 the end of this month and she rec'd an early bday present....baby Shih-tzu....she is an absolute ANIMAL LOVER! So we all got together to surprise her with the dog and....paint some pumpkins! Oh what fun we had. It was good. Lots of pics to share. Great weekend just went to fast as usual!

ZB's creation...pretty cute huh?

Dad and the boys...making a decision or wondering why I have to take pics of Everything!

Sunday

11:30 pm Saturday--Hit the Hay--very late for me
7:00 am Sunday--get rolling-also late for me-have coffee and just get re-grouped for the day
7:30 am Hit the shower
8:10 am Head out for church
12:00pm Sunday dinner at Pizza Hut
12:30pm Finally home, change clothes and think about a nice little nap while watching the Chiefs get throttled.
12:45 pm Head upstairs to watch the game and try to nap...DH and oldest DS are too loud for me.
1:15 pm DH cell phone starts ringing and it's of course UPstairs in our room, I let it ring....
1:25pm DH cell phone starts ringing again and I answer it...someone about cattle
1:30 pm It's IMPOSSIBLE to get a nap
1:35pm Head to the laundry room and start a nice big load.
1:40 pm Getting some iced tea, thinking about how I really wanted to nap for just a little while.
1:50 pm My poor football team is pathetic
2:00 pm Decide I can't watch the Chiefs...too sickening.
2:15 pm Head out to start mowing the yard
3:00 pm Finish mowing, need a big drink of iced tea
3:10 pm Fire up the weed eater and get moving
3:30 pm Finish weedeating--now I'm officially filthy and itchy
3:40 pm Another iced tea break(darn pizza makes me thirsty) I can hardly lift my right arm, it's got a case of the shakes from holding that darn weedeater!
3:50pm Decide to start pulling flowers, trimming the dead ones, watering, etc and as I go into the garage I decide it needs to be cleaned out.
4:00pm Garage can wait a bit...I've got apples all over the ground and a few left on the tree...
4:20 pm 2 1/2 five gallon buckets of apples sitting on the patio--I proceed to take some to my neighbor.
4:30 pm Head back to the garage project...ever since we sold our boat, I've had this "PILE" of stuff in the garage and you can hardly walk thru there. So I got some trash bags and started bagging up stuff, life jackets, etc to move out to the shed. Skis, knee boards, wake boards, bouys, etc etc...
5:00pm Well, now I can see the garage floor, it must be swept! Stuff thrown away, oh I feel better about all that!
5:30 pm Head to the kitchen to begin supper....whip up some corn bread, start warming left over potato soup and I have about 30# of green tomatoes in my kitchen that a friend gave me and I have not yet had time to grind them up for chow-chow. So I decide I'll fry a few with supper.
6:30 pm Supper is over, everyone needs haircuts in our house...DH heads back to the garage to set up for that. I put MY dishes in the dishwasher and head down. 1,2,3 haircuts out of the way.
7:00 pm Sweep my garage AGAIN! Oh yea, that load of laundry I started...just now getting into the dryer.
7:30 pm Supper mess is finally cleaned up...and......I start peeling apples for apple butter. Thank goodness for the Pampered Chef, Apple Peeler, Corer, slicer....wow!
8:30 pm Apples in crock pots, mess cleaned up, boys showered, headed to bed....they were tired and crabby.
8:45 pm I got into the shower...it was so nice!
9:00 pm I sat down and worked on a scarf I'm crocheting.
9:30 pm I decided I wanted to read, headed to bed....aaahhhh to lay down!
10 pm I crashed!

Now I listed all of this...not to sound like "I'm so busy" I was busy but it was a very productive day in our household. The guys all did stuff too....I love those kind of days when you get a lot done and....there's a little something to show for it! My goal is for this week to be as productive as my Sunday was!

I don't think I've ever shared my LOVE for Pampered Chef. I have a lot of things that I've acquired over the last 12 yrs or so and I LOVE THEM ALL! I refuse to bake anything unless it's in my stoneware. It is the Best! If you have never tried it...I recommend their stuff. Now some of it, I would NEVER use...but the day to day stuff that I have purchased...I would replace if something happened to it! There's your tidbit for the day!
Have a good one!

Not too much is new!

Well, I'm posting out of obligation! Paula sent me a little note saying"I hope your updating your blog!" So, here I am. I do have a few pics to share. Above is a nice Big Apple off my tree...don't ask why I took that picture...I just did, no explanation at all! Then we have the nice apple pie I took to our church dinner on Sunday. I must say, it turned out quite nicely! I don't have beautiful edges on my pies...I'm more about the taste. I LOVE TO EAT PIE CRUST! Especially when it's got cinnamon/sugar and Butter on it. Good Lord, that should be outlawed.

Tonite, after supper, I took my boys north of town to a sunflower field. I've been wanting to get their picture there for several weeks and had not made it. I about waited too long, they were not nearly as pretty as they were a few weeks ago. But we got a few pics. Not because they wanted to....but simply out of..."I'm your mom and I said so" obligation. AAAhhhhh...my boys do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT like having their picture taken any more. They think I'm obsessed with taking photos...what? Maybe so, but I can if I want to!!! They were being so silly it was very hard to get a picture and on top of that, we had mosquitos as big as a.....well BIG---chewing on us fast and furious. After about 20 mins we left...oh well, I got a few decent shots, none I want to jump up and down over, certainly nothing like I planned in my little brain! But...despite all the hassle, I'm thankful for the few I did get. Some of those sunflowers were SOOOOOO Big. Wow. I didn't have my camera a few weeks ago when they were in all their Glory. What a beautiful sight it was. Sorry I won't be sharing that with you guys.

Ok, Now I'm frustrated...the picture of the boys walking will NOT turn the right way after I've put it into the blog. Go figure. I neglected to do it before I downloaded it. I'm sure there is a way, but I'm not up for messing with it tonite. Have a great week. Keep smiling!

GO CHIEFS!!!!! Our team was back yesterday! YEA!

BlueGrass '08...an Interesting One

Well, it's official, Bluegrass is over and we actually Camped at our family business...kind of weird, but it was actually pretty darn fun. The flooded fairgrounds made for a quick evacuation of the camping and dispersal throughout our county and the one west of us. It all worked out ok. It certainly wasn't the same but everyone made it work...and it's definitely one for the books! My boys ended up with tshirts that stated this: Flood, Mud and Pickin, 2008. Pretty cute and oh so true. We had some pretty good music camped out at the barn, some from Kansas City, Topeka and some from Texas. I had a lot of fun singing with them. Of course we camped with our usual crew and cooked good food, drank hot coffee and had campfire at night! I took some pics, none of which I'm very impressed with but I do have proof we were there.

I'm very saddened this evening as my neighbor across the street has passed away. She was not very old(50's), had cancer and had gotten the flu over the weekend and was put into the hospital. It just doesn't seem fair, although I didn't think it was fair to see her suffering like she was either. I had gone over a couple of weeks ago and taken her an apple cobbler and we had a really nice visit. I'm so glad. I need about 10 sympathy cards...I love to get mine from the Dollar Store, in pkgs of 8 and low and behold they have been out. I must go tonite and see if they have any yet. Need to think of something to do for my neighbor's husband...they have 4 daughters...youngest is in college. I can't imagine losing my mom right now, at 36, but I sure couldn't imagine it at 20....God be with them.

I'm on a mission for a new Bible. I have an NIV that I've had for several years and I do like it alot...but I recently read upon something that I was NOT happy with how it was worded. Bummer. I do know what I want...I want the Amplified Version...Joyce Meyer. Also...one of my dear friends has read the book, The Shack....she HIGHLY recommends it and I'm going to be purchasing it as well as both of these things can be found at our local Wally World...not that I want to purchase it there, but....my options are limited and it would be more cost effective than ordering it. Ooooohh I can't wait to get going on a new read! I've got so many irons in my fire right now...Oh well, makes life interesting! Need to help out my neighbor with some pics...Have a blessed week!

Also, thanks to all of you who took my "washing machine" poll. Your comments were all helpful as well. I do think I'm going to purchase a front loader...but the great thing is...I'm not in desperation for it now and I've got time to shop and compare!