Whats new . . .

Not much is new here, praise the Lord!  We have made it past the holidays and moved past all the January birthdays as well, man there were a ton of those!  Now we are settling into a nice winter pattern, with glimpse of spring ahead; such as seed catalogs and making camping reservations.  Our oldest son received a car for his birthday and it looks like we will pay for his tags, but haven't found a good price on insurance yet.  One more year and our middle daughter will be on the road, heavy sigh.  Hubby is already on the look out for a Mustang for her, not the fox body and not a convertible, that is what she told us anyway.  In the mean time hubby keeps looking at pick up trucks since he gave Z his Camero.  Me?  I just keep driving the Durango - LOL

What else . . . ?   Well we had our taxes done on the first day the Gov. allowed, so hoping to be getting a washing machine in the next few weeks!  I never thought I would make it six months with a hand wring system.  Don't want to do that again soon!  Speaking of taxes, we are also passing on almost all our camping/vacation trips this year, including our annual trip to South Carolina, in an attempt to finish paying up the medical bills from our oldest son.  We almost lost him two years ago, and the bills are bad.  We just want them gone and we are going to use our tax money to try and get most of them paid off.  Each time he had an MRI it was $8000, wow and he had 3.  But we are grateful we have him still with us and hubby had a job with insurance and a way to pay our bills, eventually : )

Lets see, as of today I am 3 weeks soda pop free and am now on decaf ice tea.  Still doing the half calf w/ coffee however.  Did the $GM thing again today, another $5 off coupon.  I had two, so made hubby get a cart and we split it.    It was a good day for shopping as the snow and cold seem to have dissipated and the sun was out.  Ran into an 'ol timer, he has lived here for 91 years and said this was the worst winter ever.  Great, we moved here to get away from that - LOL

Still have the knitting bug and I am doing great if I do say so myself!  I currently have 5 items started on the sticks and two are for me!  LOL  I taught B, and she is left handed, and she is now doing good.  I wish I could talk her into helping me with commission type items.  She still has trouble with knitting in the round and on double point needles though.  Practice should take care of that. 

The twins are learning to read in school, we are working on the difference between short and long vowel sounds.  It is so neat to see your kids learn.   I turned in Z's grades for last semester and discovered he already had 33 credits!  He needed 21 to graduate, but he still needs his Gov/Ec. credit, so no dice yet.  But he will be ready in May.  I can't believe it, 4 months and he is done, wow.  B is in the middle of her first year of high school and seems to be doing well, slightly better than previous years.   Wonder if that is because she and Z are separated and he isn't distracting her?  Hmmmmmmm, not saying he's a drama king . . .   Anyway, trying to start a local co-op so as not to have to drive to far, with a couple of church friends.  Looks promising and we will have a President Day party and presentation.  Looking forward to the fellowship and lots of yummy food!

Blessings, Beth Ann

The kitten formerly know as "Nala"

Just wanted to share some random pet pic's with you today and thought I would update our rescue kitten Nala.  We found her last fall, half dead under the Camero.  She was about six weeks old and we took her to the vet and got her all fixed up.  Well about a month or so ago our ds Z is poking at her (it's what he does) and exclaims, "hey, he's a boy".  Z claims it's easy to make this mistake with kittens since sometimes their . . . stuff hasn't fully dropped.  What ever.  Anyway, he declares we have to rename this cat.  No one else felt that way, but Z is very melodramatic to say the least.  So we just let him do it, it's not that big a deal.  Now Nala is Chester!  Z loves that name and found it in a series of books he read 4 years ago.  I can't remember the name of the series, but the first book was called 'Bunnicula'.  Now Chester is starting to do unmentionable things to B's stuffed animal's and he is going to get fixed in two weeks, before the spraying starts.  Looks like Z was right, a boy cat.

Here is Chester curled up on B's pillow while she is sleeping.

Back when he was still Nala, sleeping on the laundry basket.

Here is Chester helping K read the bible, while twin dd sneaks in a pet.

What ever his name is or isn't , he is turning out to be a good cat and the only one who could catch a mouse when we had them in our pantry.  What more can you ask for?

Blessings, Beth Ann

Menu's, Monday and More

Hey all, trying to get in the grove here after a major blow=out party yesterday celebrating hubby and son's b-day's.  We were blessed with a sunny  semi-warm day and were able to sit out on the deck sipping wine while hubby grilled and even deep fried some onion blossoms' for us.  The party lasted into the night and I was left feeling amazed at our blessings of friends.  Moving on - LOL

Speaking of the party, most of the food came from a separate budget and not my reg. grocery budget.  K did a couple car jobs and we used that money.  So my total for week three spending in Jan. 2011 on grocery type items was$121.  So right on track.  Hubby and I had decided on enveloping $125 a week for food/paper/pet and house hold items.  I did spend an additional $60 in pet items but was reimbursed by son when he was paid.  That money was put into the gas tank and tithing plate.  I think I mentioned before that our Dollar General Market does a 1cent item each week, with a $10 purchase.  This past week was their brand t.p.  Not the best quality but for 1cent . . . So I made a couple different trips during the week (yes I added them to my total) and scored 3-six packs of cheap quality t.p.  This should get us through to Friday, which is a pay day this week.

I haven't posted a menu in a while, but if your my FB friend you still get to hear about what we're eating! LOL  Here is a look at this week:
Monday ~ Ground turkey Shepard's pie w/ fauxtato topping
Tuesday ~ Beef & Broccoli stir-fry w/pecan rice
Wednesday ~ Cheesy Chipotle Soup (taken to church pot-luck)
Thursday ~Chicken risotto w/broccoli
Friday ~ Turkey loaf w/baked pot and mixed veg.
Saturday~ Crock pot Jambalaya
Sunday ~ Cream of Cauliflower soup and salad

Breakfast usually are eggs cooked in a variety of ways, our favorite is eggs in a hole, oatmeal, and some home made spelt muffins.

Lunch this week looks like this; left overs from party, sandwiches, hot and sour soup, chicken salad and a meatza.

Most of these meals are lo-carb and high protein as we try to get back on track from all our holiday and post holiday/b-day celebrating.  Remember, no white bread, white sugar and mostly dark green veggies.  Oh, we are day 9 with no soda and half/calf coffee.   Well everyone except Z.  He asked everyone he knew for Mt. Dew for his b-day.  Kids.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Snow day pic's

It was another snow day here in middle TN. and you know what that means . . . snow pictures!  LOL  Yep, we got about 2" here and it was the good packy snow, so in between  school work we took a snow break : )

All four kids worked together and came up with these 'snow aliens'.  B felt the classic snowman had been done to death I guess.  The twins were thrilled as we had just finished reading a book called 'What snowmen do at night' a couple nights ago.  Love that book, it was an old RIF book of B's

This is the baby alien with E's scarf.

Here is the adult alien with B's scarf.  Both feature carrot noses (don't tell the rabbit) and leftover holiday hard shell nuts for eyes and buttons.  I believe pecan eyes and almond buttons.

Isn't it beautiful?  Snow makes even the mundane look elegant.

Our road early this morning, looking towards Davenport's.

We were also visited by snow angles.  We are so blessed.

Everyone was chilly, so I served hot tea with pineapple corn muffins for a snack.  Please ignore the large sleeping white cat that should not be on my table runner.  Grrrrr.

So there you have it, a snow day here in the 'bury.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Saturday Shopping

I prefer to do my shopping on Friday mornings, it's the best time for mark down food at the local market (and I did get some), but today was the only day for the $5 coupon at the $GM.  On top of that the store was packed as there was mention of possible snow flurries tonight (oh my).  So braved the hordes and loaded up a cart for me and a cart for hubby (don't tell).  We were able to use two of the $5 coupons and I also had two 1cent egg coupons to redeem : )    I prefer farm eggs but these are good for making hard boiled eggs (farm eggs are not).

First week total for Jan. ended up being $78 as of last Thursday the 6th.  Second weeks total started Friday the 7th and is currently at $145.  I would like to do better than this, but it does include pet food.  I am also proud to say that all food choices and purchases were with high protein/low carb in mind and was successful.  I almost caved yesterday as I had been battling a flu bug and didn't feel like cooking but decided the cost of prepared food/frozen for all of us was not much cheaper than a nice piece of corn beef I found and plopped into my slow cooker with a bunch of veggies.  Much more satisfying and tasted delish!  Today sees a nice roast with low starch veggies in my crock pot and a wonderful smell in my kitchen.  I also whipped up a batch of bread machine hot dog buns made with spelt flour (have you seen what is in the commercial pack). 

I do have a couple of recipes to share but want to point out that sometimes there are other benefits besides financial.  I will share a recipe for toothpaste and deodorant.  Besides being cost effective they are extremely earth and health friendly.  There is no fluoride, and you don't need it, in the toothpaste and  no aluminum (why do they put it in there) in the deodorant.    Just trying to be the best me I can be.  If you would like the book info on where I get my information just drop me a line.

Toothpaste:
1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon salt.

Mix and store in an air tight container.  You may also add a couple drops of any natural oil you prefer for taste.



Deodorant:
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch

Mix it up.  Store in air tight container.  Use powder puff to apply.



Whats next for us?  Well I am officially giving up soda.  Eventually coffee too I hope, but baby steps for now.  I will drink ice tea and half/calf Folgers.  When my tea bags run out I will then switch to decaf. green tea.  I am also only buying brown sugar and using local honey to sweeten.  Eventually only the honey .  Just some small steps for us to look forward to : )  Will keep you posted as the month progresses and so does our money spent on groceries.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Ferret Fun

Decided today was a good day for a quick ferret update.  We adopted 3 ferrets about a month ago now.  None are siblings but all are neutered and de-sented.  We are there second rescue home, first one could no longer afford them as she had other animals and was attending school.  Ferrets require a huge amount of time and unfortunately money.  Seems like Z's entire paycheck goes to vet bills and animal food, that's with us chipping in too.  Anyway, they all had mange, flea's and ear mites.  Actually the worse case of mites the vet had ever seen.  One, the oldest - Bob, had a tumor on the tip of his tail the size of a nickle.  We had that removed about two weeks ago and since then he keeps breaking the stitches.  Good thing son has the patients of Job with animals (funny enough not with people however).

Here is Z holding up Bob.  Isn't his tail bandage cute? : )

Here is the other male, Hobb, he is a cinnamon.  Z dressed him up in an elf outfit for Christmas.  Gotta love kids - LOL

The last ferret is a small white female named Squish, for obvious reasons when you see them all sleep.  I am happy to announce that all the mange is on the mend, and Squish has grown most of her hair back.  The flea's are on the run, but the mites . . . well we are still battling those.  Oh, and they have all gained a bit of weight as well.  So all is well that ends well, just look at Bob's tail if you don't believe me!

Blessings, Beth Ann

Sock it up

I did it!  I finished my first sock ~ ever!  This was my third attempt at it too.  First attempt, dog at it and my needle too.  Second attempt, small child pulled out all the needles (used 4, knitting in the round).   Soooo, you can see why I am so excited.  It even looked better than the other attempts as well : )  Now I am just praying I have enough yarn left for second sock (wouldn't that be irony).  It has been so long since I started this and with losing some yard to . . . lets just say acts of nature, well I don't have the saved yarn wrapper to tell me how much was in my skein so that I can compare it to the pattern.  I am just moving forward with the assumption I do, and yes I know what they say about assuming.

This was a tub sock knitted in a spiral round, funky huh?

Oh ye of little faith, it does fit and doesn't look to bad either : )

Sigh, just waiting for a mate, but sooo comfy.  They say once you wear a hand knitted sock there is no going back.  You will never want to wear a store sock again.  Oh and as I was trying this on, Z walks over and wants to know when he can get a pair.  I swear he will not make it to his birthday in 11 days!  Just something for me . . . once . . .

Blessings, Beth Ann

Getting Started

Today is the first day of a new year and a whole bunch of new possibility's!  I usually do my grocery shopping on Friday, but with the holiday decided to hold off a day.  Another motive was my $5 off coupon at $GM and starting with a clean shopping/budgeting slate for the new year.  Starting with today's trip, I will keep all grocery receipts for the year, in order to get a better grip on our spending habits, in hopes of it helping our budget bottom line.  I was real worried as hubby had just shared with me that food cost in 2011 would go up 3% and gas 6% (his pay only went up 2% - that's a major corp. for you).  Anyway, my goal was higher protein, low carb and more veggies (a-la-Leptin diet).  This being a tight after holiday week (real budget will start with first pay day in Jan., which is next week).  So with $40 (cash - always use cash) and my coupon to pay for tax, I went to the $GM.  I was so happy when I left and felt goals had been met!  I ended up spending$37.64

Here is what I found:

2 bags Romaine- marked half off - $1.50

2 bags 1lb. carrots-$.85 each (we share these and the romaine with bunny)

2lb. bag popcorn kernels - 1.85 (great snack in our air popper)

1lb. Mexican chorizo sausage- $2.25

2c. shred. cheese - $1.85

pkg. sliced provolone cheese - $2.00

4-1lb. ground turkey chubs- $5

green onions - $1

creamy peanut butter - $1

celery - $1

head of cauliflower - $2

3lb. bag sweet potato - $2.25

cinnamon broom marked half price - $2 (total splurge)

pantyliner - $1

pretzel sticks - $1

wheat bread - $1.05

15oz. tomato sauce - $.55

season salt - $1.65

4% cottage cheese/16oz. - $2

3lb. bag frozen chix tenders - $4

2 - pint size bottle 2% milk, marked half off - $.75 (will be used in morning coffee)

2 dozen eggs - $3

The chicken tenders were only $1 more than hot dogs for lunch and wayyyyyyyy more protein!  They will be great cooked on our table top grill with a little season salt.  Great price on those.  I probably should have skipped the broom, but I do enjoy the smell.  I try to get one every year and hang it on our pantry door.  Besides, it's right across from the ferret cage if you get my drift . . . LOL  Unfortunately I will have to pick up a few more items during the week, such as rabbit and dog food and maybe t.p. for us.  I will keep those receipts too.  Not sure how I will sub categorize them at the end of the year i.e. pets, paper products, food, ect.  But I feel this is a step in the right direction in reclaiming our pocket books and getting a handle on being a good steward of the blessings God brings us.

Here is twin dd E.  She went out with me today and wanted to spend some of her Christmas money.  She did well also, she got these two fairy dolls for only $2 each!

Not sure why I am tossing in this pic, but here is where a ton of our money goes!  Tina, the narcoleptic cat.  She has junk in her trunk, as the kids say : )  Here she is passed out next to our coffee cups on the hutch in the dinning room, on a pile of Christmas stockings awaiting to be put away.  Can we say precarious?

So here's to you and yours and hoping we all have a healthy and happy new year!

Blessings, Beth Ann

Inbetween booty

I popped out today to do some in between shopping, you know, after one holiday and before the next.  Just enough to get through.  These week-end holidays have my nice little routine all discombobulated!  The bonus is that the Dollar General Market is having another $5 off coupon this Saturday, Jan. 1st.  They seem to do this every other week, for one day only, always a Sat. and never before a holiday.  That $5 off takes care of sale tax on $50 worth of food!  Anyway . . . I just wanted to brag on a major mark-down find I found today at the Bi-Rite.  I snagged their last three bags of fresh cranberries at less than half price!  I don't know about where you are, but here they reached $2.50 a bag - I know!  So we only had one bag for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas.  These I will freeze for next year (they are good in the freezer for up to a year) when they might just be $3 a bag, geesh.  I got a couple of other good finds as well.  I just want to remind everyone in these tight times to always look for reduced items.  Most major stores mark perishables and discontinued items to half price and keep them in a special location.  There are even stores that cater to discontinued items, down here they are called grocery outlet stores or united grocery outlets (u-go's).  You can often times even find organic items at these stores.  I do the bulk of my shopping with reduced food and at our Dollar General Market.  I save on gas as out local Wal-marts and other chains are over 20 miles away.   I haven't grocery shopped at a Wal-mart in over a year, except to pick up some extras while camping.  However I will go to our 'uptown' Kroger to get hard to find specialty items such as aluminum -free baking powder and egg replacement powder.

While we are on the subject of being frugal, I want to pass along a little tibbet of wisdom I gleaned and have made my mantra: Never buy anything new if you don't have too.  That has sure helped us live on one income so I can be a SAHM whom homeschools and raised godly children.  I mean if you bed sheet rips . . . sew it.  Paying  $15 for a large bag of clothing (works out to about  $.80 for 20 pieces) is much better for growing kids than $10 an item at the chain store.  You get the picture.  Take back your lives and your cash and stop being lemmings with a heard mentality for the consumer company's who make cheap items so that you will have to keep purchasing new every 4-6 months!  And above all else, let God take care of you.  Pray to Him, give all glory to Him and put all your faith in Him.  He needs your help far less often than you suppose.  Look to Matthew 6:19-34. 

Ok, enough, off my soap box (recycled don't ya know) now.  LOL  Blessings, Beth Ann

Comish

I am proud to say that I finished my first commissioned knitting piece on time : )  Although it gave me kittens quite a few times, but I tend to be a perfectionist.  It was worth it by the look of the finished piece however.  I took the order right before Thanksgiving and started it a couple days after.  I finished it two days before Christmas and put the finishing touches and fringe on it Christmas eve, about one hour before delivering it!  I was very happy with this piece and myself for setting a goal and finishing it.  I might have been able to do it faster if I hadn't also been teaching school, cooking, decorating for the holidays, attending parties, gift shopping/wrapping and cleaning!  Whew!  Many people saw me working on this and now they want one too!  I said no more scarves until next year!  I would actually like to do something for myself for a change, but we will see.  I am still working on a pair of socks and I still have that specialty yarn for the knitted cargo pants I want to make.  Sigh.  While I was helping B with her knitting last night (see, nothing for me), Z walked up and asked if I could make him a matching beanie for his scarf.  Double sigh.  I still have B's scarf to finish and none of these people pay!  LOL

Here is the finished scarf, in Griffindor House colors.

The small narrow strips indicate a year 3/4 scarf

Here are the two Harry Potter scarves side by side.  Larger stripes are year 1/2  and this one is Z's in Raven claws house colors.  Other differences are that year 1/2 is knitted in long tube and tied off with tassels.  Scarf 3/4 is a single ribbed knit with fringe ends.  Both are pretty good looking and a nice pattern to knit.

Let me know if you want one and I can also make matching hats, mittens, socks, and bookmarks : )

Blessings, Beth Ann

All done

Am I the only one who feels a post holiday let down?  I almost hate to see the actual holiday arrive.  The anticipation is the best part, that and seeing the smiles when someone opens a gift they adore!  But here are a few of those smiles as we close out the holiday memories of 2010.

Here E is rocking out to here new 'electric' guitar.  It came with a psychedelic mic stand too.  If you know E, then you know how much fun she is having with this!

We make sure all the kids get plenty of art/craft items.  Here is Z with some 'blow' art pens and stencils.  He also received two boxes of origami (which he is great at), and it is almost empty!

 

Another million dollar smile shot of B - LOL  The smile is for more 'Twilight' stuff, sigh.

And here is twin son E, busy building with the new marble run set, sent from Vegas.  It has kept all the kids and even K pretty busy, also a cat as well : )

One last look at the tree for another year.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Lights of the season

I finely found the time to pop outside to take some pic's of the lights in our yard.  It is an on-going project of my oldest son's.  He works on it and adds to it daily.  He is already plotting what he wants to add next year (think frosty from Christmas with the Kranks).  We have taken to calling him Clark, as in Clark Griswold from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation - LOL  The only thing holding him in check is money or lack of it.  On the other hand, last week we came home from church and there was a huge box of holiday lights and extras on our front porch.  Pre-loved, but still . . . The word has gotten out, and I couldn't be prouder : )  There are worse things for a kid to be into, right?  Let me share a few glimpse with you:

This is our side yard, next to the main drive way.  I received the deer last year as a gift, which Z promptly put together and put outside!

Here is our mail box.  It is hard to tell, but Z affixed a star to the top post.  The snowman flag hangs from a solar lamp post and changes with the season.  This pic is of the other side yard, next to the RV drive way and fence.

This is an angled view of the front and does include some of the side yard and driveway.  We bought this little snowman to make sure we had one each year since snow is a scarce commodity here.  Notice the small inflatable toy soldier in front of the porch pillar, there is a matching one on the other side and ditto with the spiral tree too.  If you look in the window you can see our Christmas tree.

Here is a view inside looking out . . .

And this pic is just for Grandma S and has nothing to do with Christmas except that we miss you and Grandpa D and wish we were together this time of year.  Just wanted you to know Pumpkin is still kicking and missing you.   Remember the holiday you were so busy feeding her turkey you didn't realize baby Eli was putting stuffing in your pockets?  LOL  Love you and the rest of our family too.  I hope sharing these pic's helps to make us feel closer  as we can't be with ya all.  Hugs and kisses.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Others

Last Sunday in church we learned about doing for others and how even Jesus washed the feet of His disciples.  I received the chance today to do something for 'others', and it felt soooooooo good!  I wanted to thank the people who gave me the opportunity to spread a little Christmas spirit to a family who needed some help.  It was awesome and I can't wait to do it again!  I love my church family and am thankful everyday that God led us here!

Speaking of Christmas cheer, aren't these two, too cute?  They are getting so big, can't believe they will be 7 in the spring ~ wow!

I know it's hard to tell, but there is more than one ferret in this picture : )  The big one on top is a cinnamon male named Hobb, and he is very social.

These two aren't half bad either - LOL  Zach will be 18 in three weeks!  WOW and double wow!  When did that happen?  Bre is turning into such a beauty.  Notice the wonderful brace - free smile, she is such a sweetie : )

Well enough bragging on my blessings, Beth Ann

"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving" Psalm 95:2a

Holiday happenings

I know it's been a few days since I blogged, but blessedly there really hasn't been much going on here.  I have been cooking, cleaning and knitting on a commission piece.  Hubby has been doing the Zone thing and some car jobs, praise the LORD!  Those extra jobs ALWAYS come just when we need them most, the way God planned I imagine : )  The kids have been, well kids - LOL  The twins are pretty wound up about the holidays and even the older kids have been spotted shaking a few packages.  The weather has been the big scene stealer.  We had an Indian summer, right through Thanksgiving.  It was wonderful to enjoy our holiday on the deck in bright sunny weather.  Then bang!  Next thing you know the furnace is on!  We even had three snow days for our public school system here.  There is only one plow in our county and that doesn't help with the ice in the hallows.  Don't fear though, we still had school here!  LOL   Other big news is that as of yesterday, two weeks until the end of the year, we met the deductible on our pharmacy insurance and I got my pills for free!  Yea baby, that's what I'm talking about - LOL  Better late than never I guess : )

This one of our most cherished ornaments.  We picked it up on Edisto Island, South Carolina.

We went Christmas caroling with our church last night.  Good times were had by all.  It was very icy and I almost fell, but son and hubby saved me.  I have great guys and am very blessed.  A friend took this family pic of us after at the coffee & cocoa portion of the evening.  I wonder if I can get these into cards in time for Christmas?

This is another favorite ornament.  I made it the center of a wreath I made for our front door.  Sh .......

Blessings, Beth Ann

Excursion

Last night was soooo much fun that I thought I would blog about it this morning, while enjoying my raspberry-chocolate friendship coffee : )
We did something we don't usually do very often . . . went out as a family and had dinner!  All six of us, plus B's friend and Z's girl friend = zoo!  We picked Z up from work and let him drive (always fun) into the 'boro.  Just want to say right here, praise the Lord for our Durango and it's 8 seat belts : )   Our first stop was Animal City (guess which one of us wanted to go there . . . ).  Love that place, they always have fun and exotic animals as well as the mundane, at good prices.  They are not a chain, but good christian family owned business that puts the welfare of the animals first.  Believe me, take a look and you will notice that not one animal looks like it has missed a meal in quite a while - LOL  Yesterday they had a pen of 'Beannies' or what we call 'Deagles', a Beagle/dachshund mix, puppies.  They were a brown dapple, and sooooooooooooo cute!  I am such a sucker for a doxin, sigh.
Next stop was dinner at Ci-Ci's pizza.  It is a buffet place w/video games.  In other words, a kids haven and total chaos reigns.  Yes, the kids loved it, especially the twins.  The last time we were there the twins were two.  With the Christmas carols playing on the radio and all the decorations lite up in town, and all the kids chattering away; it was such a festive atmosphere, sigh- happiness. After dinner we strolled down to the Goodwill which was in the same mall and poked around.  Clark, I mean, Z (we call him Clark, for Clark Griswold in the Christmas vacation movie) scored several boxes of un-opened Christmas lights.  He was litterly floating in estcasy on the way home.  We let him drive back home and after we dropped off his girlfriend, well it was 10:30 before we got the twins in bed.  Z decided he had to put all the lights up last night, so there he was at 11 p.m. and some how he coerced his sister into helping him!  We went to bed!
Now it is the next day and the twins still got up early : (  They have been battling colds for a week and now they are weepy.  It is also raining outside and I find myself wondering if I should take them to the Christmas Parade at noon or not . . .    Anyway, it's worth it.  Last night was soooo wonderful.  As the children get older it seems to get more complicated time wise and money wise too, to travel as a family and do things outside our home.  I feel last night was a special gift from God.

For the past couple days I was in a funk, thinking and praying on some farm land, still : (  We have been praying on this for about 3 years now.  The answer is always, not now.  Sometimes I just get sooooo impatient.  Especially when we are having issues with the managiery we already have.  I know we need more room and I don't ever want to be a problem to our neighbors.  So I spent two days on the computer looking at property everywhere from Maine to Montana.  Yesterday I was so frustrated that I layed down and did some heavy duty praying.  I told God I would go anywhere He wanted me to, just let me know what His will was.  Nothing.  When I hear from God it is usually pretty quick.  I think I haven't been still or quiet enough lately.  After a while, when I was very quiet and still, I got it.  The answer was that I could go anywhere I wanted, as long as I stayed in Cannon Co.   LOL  I always knew God had a sense of humor.  But I was also reminded of all that He moved to get us here.  We were not headed here when we started out.  The answer floored me and gave me reason to sit and think and remember some more.  I went upstairs feeling sad and sorry for myself.  I came down feeling restored and remembered by my father, savior and God!  I am sooo grateful that He is never to busy to let me know that He knows my wants, but  not to always give it to me if it's not whats best.  Just like any good father would!  Amen.  I hope this makes sense.  I have had to stop typing several times, as I have to keep putting out fires with weepy children and answering questions for a husband who apparently knows where nothing is in this house we have lived in for almost ten years now - LOL  Man I love this house, this family, life and God!  AMEN

Blessings, Beth Ann

Time passing . . .

Thought I should check in, it's been a week or so since I last blogged.  There has been some ups and downs.  The ups are; Thanksgiving was sooooooo wonderful!  At one point there were almost two dozen people here!  Only half that stayed to eat, the others came and went for coffee, fellowship and dessert.  The weather was perfect and so was the food.  Hubby deep fried a 20 lb. for us and a 9 lb. for some friends to take home.  We also had some blooming onions ~ delish!!!!  There were 3 different coffee's, 4 different pies and more finger foods than the kids could eat in one sitting (and they tried).  Another up was black Friday.  We didn't do the actual black Friday thing, but that was hubbies pay day, and there was some overtime on there.  So we did the bulk of our holiday shopping before 8 a.m. and I am proud to say we stayed in the 'bury.  Between that and the computer, we now have 95% of our Christmas shopping done.  After that I headed into the city or the 'boro with a friend, and we went to a huge sale at a resale place.  I scored some flannel sheets for $3, yea me!  I had been pricing out a second pair of them for our queen size bed, so was a major find.  Now for the down side . . . The night before Thanksgiving our cat Bubbles passed away.  It was sudden and it was sad.  She was our paralyzed cat, and her bladder collapsed.  That is common we are told, in animals that have to be expressed manually.  We only had her two years, but she was special.  Our oldest son took it extremely hard as it followed on the heals of him loosing his much beloved guinea pig (whom he can't sleep without).  So our house has been full of sudden angry outbursts and  much misdirected anger.  He is such a sensitive soul and we can only pray and encourage him that this is a lesson on which path his future may rest.

Here is Bubbles in her 'pack n' play' that we borrowed from the twins

Here is Bubbles at a birthday party for another one of our cats, Tina, back in Sept.

Bubbles liked to be put on the back of the sofa to sun her buns, like all other cats

Bubbles was brought to the animal clinic after being attacked by about 6 pit pulls and we aren't sure how old she was, some where between 1 and 2.   RIP Bubbles 2006-2010

Blessings, Beth Ann

Pumpkins, pumpkins; we like pumpkins . . .

Tomorrow is the big day, Turkey day that is and with that, the coming of the holiday season.  So pumpkins are done, and time to be cooked down and froze for a future yummy recipe this winter.   The kids were sad to see their Halloween pumpkin patch finds "killed" as they so eloquently put it, but will rejoice in the delish food to follow.

To start: smuggle in before mentioned p's without drawing attention to  yourself, put on some good Christmas music and stab the buggers - LOL  Seriously, cut them in half, gut them and scrap clean.  Save seeds for roasting latter if your into that.  We are, but no pic to show since they got gobbled up (pun intended) ASAP!  Just remember to soak your seeds in salt water overnight (I used pickling salt) before roasting.

There are two ways to cook/steam your squash.  You can put them on a jelly roll pan with 1/4 cup water, cover with foil and bake at 400 for 1 1/2 hrs.   Much like cooking a spaghetti squash.

I prefer the crock pot method.  Chop up your cleaned pumpkin and toss in your largest crock

with 1/4 cup water.  Cover and cook on low 5 hours.  

Either way you choose to cook it, make sure to let it cool completely before scraping cooked flesh from shell. 

I package my cooked pumpkin up in 15 - 16 oz. size freezer bag, even though canned pumpkin is sold in either 15 oz. or 29 oz. cans. 

I turned mine into home made pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.  I made spelt pie crust for these beauties.

Perfect!  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn down to 350 for 50 minutes, works every time.  Now I just have to fend the kids, husband and animals off until tomorrow  : )

Blessings, Beth Ann