Hey y'all, just wanted to pop in and say hey and let you all know that I'm gonna take a little (week long) break. I'm gonna enjoy the colors of Autumn and work on some UFOs. Hope you guys have an awesome week. See ya back here in 7.
Oct 28, 2015
Time for a Break (a little one)
Hey y'all, just wanted to pop in and say hey and let you all know that I'm gonna take a little (week long) break. I'm gonna enjoy the colors of Autumn and work on some UFOs. Hope you guys have an awesome week. See ya back here in 7.
Oct 23, 2015
INSTAFriday #11
We have a new little one in our church due to arrive in
January. She's gonna be super-loved by us all. The sweet couple in our church is naming her Hannah after our daughter. What an amazing honor!
So, after a long year and half of eating entirely low carb I've decided to give low-cal a go. I need something to change things up a bit. Johnny's at his goal and has maintained for over a year but I've still got some to go. So, I cooked up some Italian chick and rice with veggies and popped those suckers in the freezer. Today, i'm going to make 4 more pasta meals.
Okay so I just thought this was funny. I didn't even notice the Hepher's daughter Milcah! HA!
I'm missing my Nana girl lots lately. I love being able to look up and see her smiling face.
I can't believe I have a son old enough to be a father. How did that happen. It seems like yesterday he was a toddler and now he's a man. 23 years sure pass fast.
What's the opposite of drought? Yep, that's what's been going on here. It's been so rainy. I was glad to see that it was sunny on our son's 23rd birthday.
Okay so Johnny and I recently took a trip to the hardware store and I was mesmerized by these toilet seats. Yes, toilet seats! Are they not the most amazing things!
Love this one the most. Although I think if we had those in our bathrooms we'd spend way more time in there than we already do. :0)
Okay lovies, that's my INSTAFriday for October 23rd, 2015. I'm gonna add the link-up for those who want to participate. BTW, make sure you add your name to the link-up so we can find you!
Oct 20, 2015
To Do Tuesday
Tuesday again! I know I say that every Tuesday but every Tuesday I'm surprised shocked that it's already Tuesday again. I actually remember being a teen and telling my mother that I was bored. I would complain about how long the days were and she'd say, "The older you get the faster the days will pass.". At the time I didn't believe her but I'm here to tell you, Mama was right on.
Okay so I'm trying something new this week. I'm actually finishing some of the stuff on my list! I know you're shocked to see this fabric actually on a pilllow but I did it! I know it's been on my list since back in August but not any more! It's done! Checked off! Marked through! Finito!
I actually only have two things on my list this week because I was super busy yesterday and I did most of the stuff I needed to for Gypsy church. So I don't even have to list those, actually it would be good if I did then I could check them off and that'd look really good for me. Ha!
So the other day while rummaging through a drawer I found this one. It was our middle son's Bible and he hardly used it. It's a Rock of Ages Prison Ministry Study Bible and I love it! It is used a little but not much. Apparently he stopped using it because the cover fell off but it's perfectly intact inside and has some great notes.
Okay so why is it on my to do list for today? Cause it's nude! It needs a little coverin' up so I'm gonna make a Bible cover for it. See, there was a point to all that rambling.
Okay now it's your turn! Link up so we can all come and check out your to to lists and get motivated to make our own.
Oct 19, 2015
A Great Read!
I just got finished reading Why Modesty Scares Me over at The Modest Mom Blog and I have to say, ditto to everything! What a clear but brief clarification.
Please take the time to scoot on over there and check it out. She hit the proverbial nail on the head!
Oct 15, 2015
❤Thankful Thursday❤
You know, the last couple months have been some of the hardest of my life. I hate even admitting that because perfectionists don't admit weakness easily but it's true. Leaving our last child in the States and returning home to an empty house has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. I thought it was going to be easy. I figured it would be like being newlyweds again. In my mind it meant lots of things; freedom, leisure, free time, Oreos that last longer than an hour, but I didn't realize how much loneliness would fit into the whole scenario. I didn't realize that being a mom for 23 years was going to be such a hard habit to break. Sure, I'm still a mother but with kids that live 5700 miles away my duties have been seriously diminished.
So my hero through this whole ordeal has been my sweet husband Johnny. I can't even begin to express what this man means to me. (Hey I know this is mushy but it's true.) No one knows me like he does. He knows me better than I know me. When I am feeling rather useless and unneeded he's always there and knows before I do. He really is (after Jesus) the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Oh yea and I'm linking up with Lori over at Frog's Lilypad for Thankful Thursday.
Oct 13, 2015
To Do Tuesday & UFO's
Hey Guys, it's To-Do Tuesday again! It seems like the weeks are flying by at lightning speed. I can't believe it's mid-October already.
Anyhoo, it's To-Do Tuesday and I'm ready to list all my to-do's a hopefully get some of them done.
1. Okay so this is back on my to-do list. I should have made these pillow covers a month ago but they seem to get pushed off for more important tasks. I'm seriously going to get them done this week and maybe even today! I even found a good tute for it here.
2. I'm going to finish this quilt! I'm on a mission to finish it before Christmas season arrives, which is right on our tail! I thought it would be a nice thing for Hannah and I to do together before she left for school but sadly, with all the hustle of the holidays, shame on my lying self! With all my procrastination it set taunting me till Christmas was over. It's that rebellious streak I have that's to blame. Anyhow, this is sitting over my machine reminding me hourly to get my stuff in gear and get'er done!
3. Number three on my list is finishing a blog design I started for a friend.
5. Come up with some games for our Saturday morning Gypsy kids meeting. I really need to find some simple games, no words or reading involved, that can be played by about 5 at a time in a space that's 8x6. That's it, that's all the space we have so finding games has been a booger. Hey if you have any ideas, please leave them in a comment. Our little ones would be so happy to play something other than balloon pop and day & night.
6. Make something yummy with the fresh pumpkin I cooked yesterday. I baked a small pumpkin and got only two cups from that thing. Maybe gluten free, low-carb pumpkin cheesecake! Oh yea!
7. Finally, I'm going to try to figure out what's going on with my diet. I'm in such a slump and I'm in a dangerous place right now. You know that place of decision that I'll probably look back on and regret or pat myself on the back and say, "you did it!" Anyhow, that's where I'm at and all this cool weather isn't helping. All I want to do is eat and hibernate. Not good.
Anyhoo friends, that's my To Do Tuesday for this week. I'm seriously motivated and I think I'm going get on those pillows right now!
Make sure to link up!
Oct 9, 2015
InstaFRIDAY #10
My Instagram feel is seriously lame these days, I admit it but it is what it is. Life has been pretty quiet here lately especially with the weather being a little lot wet. It's okay cause rain means green and flowers and that's cool but after days of it you sure start to feel a little Noah-ish.
I guess rainy days are good for one of two things. Actually more but I'm thinking that they're good for sleeping and office work. So I got a little crafty this week and made that paper garland I was telling you about. No, you can't see it yet, I'm waiting for a big reveal of my Super-room.
BTW, brace yourself! Yesterday of no fault of my own, uhhh, I completely cut through my Silhouette mat! No, I'm not kidding. I was gutted and so sick. It's hard to get stuff like that here and a Michael's store is a long piece from here. Anyhow, after bawling for a while I remembered the fix all in the drawer and got out my trusty duct tape. I know, Redneck is what you're thinking. Not really but I know a life saver when I see one and Duct Tape is just that. So I flipped it over and taped away and for now, while looking rather ghetto it's working. I found a site here in Europe but the mat's double what it would be in the States and I'm not about to be ripped off so I'm looking for a different option. I'll let you know what I come up with.
We did get a big treat. When we got back from the States we headed over to one of the good restaurants here in town and the only one that serves any sorta (good or bad) Mexican food and had our hopes dashed against the rocks. It was closed. Actually it was there but now it was now pizza joint #2567 in our town. We have pizza out the wazoo here.
Anyhow, we took our loss, mourned and went on with our less spicy life. So then the other day a lady at church was telling us about this really cool new restaurant named Santa Maria. What?? Our restaurant? For real, it was our Santa Maria, it had just moved and forgot to send a forwarding address. So, guess who got to go to Santa Maria? Yep, you guessed it, Us! Date night was super yummy thanks to my honey-man and delish food. BTW, I know it's mushy and all but I seriously love this man and adore those lines around his eyes when he smiles. I'm one happy chickie.
Okay so I know what you're thinking. Why in the world would I post a photo of a seriously worn out skillet and a rather average pancake. Well, glad you asked. First off the pan, well, I know I need to replace it but I am a skin-flint and tend to use things till they're done, I know, this one is almost done. Anyhoo, what you see is dinner. Johnny had the pancake in the pan. It's low-carb, low-glycemic, no GMO, and you can just imagine all the other good stuff but what it did have was gluten so that left me out. So mine are the sadly thin ones in the back. They are made from egg and cream cheese and are also low-carb and gluten free so I was in business. Plus, the cream cheese pancakes crepes are actually delish and served their purpose perfectly.
Make sure to link up below!
Oct 7, 2015
Dutch Apple Yumminess!
I made this Dutch Apple Loaf today and it was so good awesome. As a rule I don't love cooked apples but this was so moist and yummy and makes the house smell heavenly. I feel so domestic when I bake and it actually turns out like it's supposed to. This is an interesting recipe 'cause it doesn't have any spices in the dough and only takes some cinnamon in the topping but it's so good even without all the yummy spices. Anyhoo, loved this recipe, so easy and worth the time. Oh yea and I used my apples from my trees. Actually I have about 15 apple trees and only one had fruit this year so I'm making use of my 20 apple harvest.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups diced peeled tart apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.
Fold in apples and walnuts.
Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan.
For topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter.
Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices).
Happy baking!
BTW, I'm linking up with Wise Woman Fall Link-up.
reposted from October 3, 2013
Oct 1, 2015
Thankful, thankful, thankful and just really thankful
Hey y'all, it's Thursday again and I'm linking up with Lori over at Frog's Lilypad for Thankful Thursday.
Today as I sit here thinking about all the things I can't help but think about Jesus. For Thankful Thursday I'm highlighting...
1. a Friend that sticks closer than a brother
2. a Father than never forsakes
3. lover of my soul
4. Master of the sea
5. Lilly of the Valley
6. the promised One
7. the God-man
8. the Way the Truth and the Life
10. sinless One
11. the Narrow Way
12. Redeemer of my soul
13. the virgin born
14. merciful
15. Son of God
16. the final payment for sins
17. Friend of sinners
18. the Living Word
19. the Creator
20. soon coming King!
There are so many things in my life that I'm thankful for but none of them would even be possible without Jesus. The One who found me, saved me and set my feet on a solid Rock. I'm simply thankful for Jesus!
I'm also linking up with I Choose Joy
