A Little of This and That

That's about what today's post is, a little of this and that. Really I have had things to post about for ever and just haven't. I'm like Paul, I know what I should do and I don't and what I shouldn't do I do!

Life has really been a whirl-wind lately. We have been keeping busy with both the work in Varazdin and the original work in Cakovec. Seasons have changed so decorations need to change also (which I'm not complaining about one but, love the whole decorating thing). Fall is my favorite time of year, not so much in Texas since it's pretty much brown all year but here in Croatia Autumn comes in in an array of colors that just can't be described. I'm sure the fall here is similar to the north in the U.S..

I have been in the fall mood so much lately. Making nice fall foods, big pots of soup, chichen and dumplings, pot pies and tons of other warm fall favorties. Oh yea and I usually have a pot of oranges, cinnamon and cloves simmering on the back burner just for ambiance, it works too, my husband and kids love it.

I been in love lately with all the wonderful gourds around. I'm talking about every color and
shape that you could possibly imagine, they're wonderful and works of art in themselves. I read somewhere that they really keep a pretty good while, or at least the very hard ones. I decorated the church with some gourds and I sure hope they hold out until it's time to change the decorations for Christmas.
Hey if you know how long they last, please chime in and share that info. with us so we will all know too!


Last Saturday night we had a family fun night at the new church in Varazdin. How much fun was that?? We had a great turn out, around 20 folks turn out and we had way too much food, which is my biggest sin in life. I have no idea why but I always make too much food, without fail! We found a great old fashioned recipe for Popcorn balls over at Allrecipes.com and Joshua and Hannah had a ball making them. ( get it? a ball???) This is a great recipe for missionaries because it doesn't require marshmellows which are usually totally hard on the mission field.

Grandpa's Popcorn Balls

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (optional)
• 5 quarts popped popcorn

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter and water. Stir and heat to hard-crack stage or 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Remove from heat, add vanilla or vinegar; mix well.
2. Pour slowly over popped popcorn while stirring. Wait 5 minutes and shape into 3 inch round balls.

These were very good and the Croats thought they were very interesting. :0)

We were going to have bobbing for apples at the family fun night but after I did some thinking about the hygeine of the whole bobbing practice we decided against it. Have you ever watched people bob for apples? They stick their face in the water with their mouth wide open trying to catch that apple between their teeth. Most times they miss and slobber goes into the water as their mouth slips from the apple and they go for a different one. After a few people, those apples are floating in a bath of mixed saliva and who knows what germs. Eek! I know I'm a downer and all but I think I'll pass!

We also made some yummy M&M cookies, which always go over good here in Croatia. There are usually only a few varieties of goodies here, we have a kolac (kolach) which is usually a creamy layered desert then we have a Torta which is what our cakes would be considered and lastly they have keks (cakes) which are their cookies. They don't really have any drop cookies like we do with our chocolate chip and so on. Anyhow, they like all the different things I come up with, they think I'm creative and I'm not telling them any different! :0)

Anyhow, this is basically what I've been up to lately other than home schooling my kiddos which are now in the 6th, 8th and 11th grades. (I had to read over that a few times to believe it, I have no babies any more) I also noticed something yesterday as I was thinking about our oldest son Cody, he is about to be 16 and I realized he is just two years younger than I was when I was married at 18, wow time really flys just like my mother always said it would. You were right Mom!

BTW, would you please remember my mother in prayer, she's going through one of the hardest battles she's ever faced and it breaks my heart that I can't be with her. Her name is Deborah so if you do pray for her you can call her by name. TIA!

Anyhow, I'm blogging this morning as the rest of the family is at church. Actually my oldest is a sleep on the couch. He's is havng stomach cramps and some naseau so it looks like he's coming down with a virus, oh joy! And I have been sick for 3 days with some upper respiratory junk so I'm hoping I can medicate enough tonight to be able to go, I'll just have to steer clear off our yummy tottlers.

Hoping you're all having a great Lord's Day and see many come to know Him as their Saviour today.