Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients

1 (8-quart) box powdered milk
1 (11-ounce) jar Coffeemate (about 3 cups)
1 pound powdered sugar
1 pound Nesquik (about 3 1/4 cups)

Directions :
Combine all ingredients together in a big, sealable container. Use about 1/3 cup cocoa mix per 1 cup hot water. It mixes best if you stir the water into the cocoa, instead of vice versa."

Quote

Christmas 2006

"When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.

~ Bob Hope, American film actor and comedian."

Our day in court

Tuesday, December 22nd is the big day! We go to court to finalize the adoption of two of the sweetest little boys I know.
We have to celebrate...but I'm not sure what will suit the occasion....still thinking on that one!

Link Love

I am so thankful for Bloglines. It allows me to keep track of many blogs without having to go to each of them when I want to catch up. I've recently bookmarked a few that I thought were worth sharing. So today is like show and tell.

Face Off with a deadly predator

Cranberry Bliss Bars- I actually made this recipe for a church function. I thought they were good.

Christmas Tot Pack- Fun activites to do with your preschooler

Using Moda Turnovers- I've seen these turnover packets at the fabric store. Now I see that they're quilting made for people like me who hate the tedium of cutting...I may have to try them, someday, in my spare time, when I'm 80...

One of the cutest Advent Calendars I've seen in a long time. We made calendars out of cookie sheets for MOPS last year. Maybe I'll have to try something like this for next year.

Single Serving Pie in a Jar- these would make fun gifts.

Beautiful Minds- Okay, everyone needs to watch this. This is about a young artist who happens to be autistic. This would be an encouragement for any parent of a child who is special.

Printable paper dolls

Flower Fairies coloring pages

Signing Savvy- Need to know the sign for something? Just look here, it will give you a video demo of the sign. We access this several times a week at our house.

Well, that's all for now, I need to get back to work. Have a great day!

Fighting doubts- one day at a time

As many of my friends know, we are in the process of adopting our grandsons. They've lived with us since they were babies and 21 months ago we started the process. We paid our attorney a nice litte retainer which he said should cover it and started what we thought would be a simple and easy process. Why shouldn't it be? The boys parents had requested that we adopt them so it should be smooth sailing.
Well, no...it's not that easy. First we have to do a home study. Oh, and another large check is required for that, thank you very much. Background checks, fingerprints, pages and pages of questions...we're on the road. Then our son-in-law decided to throw a curveball which derailed us for several months.
Finally...we're back on track...home study is done...it's looking good...then we don't hear from our attorney- for a very long time. Calls made assure us that everything is fine he's just taking care of details. Meanwhile, our retainer has been used up and then some.
Then last summer everything started moving again. The parents had signed all of their paperwork, we got a hearing date scheduled for October, and our daughter threw us another curveball. So we recheduled for November....things still aren't settled. We have to hire an attorney in Virginia, where our daughter and her now ex-husband live. But our hearing was reset for December 22nd.
Last Thursday night I lay in bed pondering this whole situation. Were we doing the right thing? If we were then why has it been so complicated? Why wasn't God opening doors for us? And why does it always have to include worrying about having enough money to take care of it all?
And the biggest thread of all was why?, why?,why???
Friday morning just as hubby and Preston had left for the day I get a call from our attorney's aide. She told me they found an attorney in Virginia who would do this for us and didn't think it would be a problem to get things done in time for our hearing. But, the aide said, (oh Lord, why is there always a but?) attorneys charge a lot more on the east coast and this one was requiring a $1000 retainer fee. I told her thank you and I'd get back to her. After I hung up I called my husband and told him. We were both upset. We didn't have the money. This entire process has us tapped out. We decided to pray about it and then decide what to do. Now, I'll be honest...I was praying, but I was crying also. And all of the questions from the night before came flooding back to me.
As I was praying and crying a friend called. I told about what was wrong and asked them to pray. A little while later this friend was at my door, with a little over $900 in cash in an envelope. They said they wanted us to have the boys and this was their way of helping us accomplish this. After I closed the door...I knelt on the floor and wept. Yes, God had once again provided for a need when we didn't know where it would come from. But even more than that...God had shown me that He did care about the boys, about the adoption and even about the financial worries.
I deposited the money, wrote out a check for the attorney, and then I posted the deposit slip on my regrigerator door as a reminder that God is working behind the scenes, where I can't see, and is there taking care of the details for us.
My verse for the month:
Isaiah 65:24
Before they call I will answer;
While they are yet speaking I will hear.

The attorneys are still ironing out the wrinkles, and they need to take place before December 22nd. Please pray with us that everything will be done and ready in plenty of time so that we can have our hearing as scheduled. I expect that this Christmas we will get the best gift ever.
Kris

Things I've recently learned...

I've learned that attorneys in Virginia charge $300 an hour and require hefty retainer fees.

I've learned that those childproof caps on medicine bottles are NOT....and can be gotten into in the small amount of time it takes you to change another child's diaper.

I've learned that I can never, ever go to the bathroom again. Because when I do, this is what happens......

Yes, the television used to hang on this. I was assured it was safe, that they couldn't pull it off. I had already moved the coffee table used to reach said television, and the videotape that he was obviously trying to put in.

Bad News: TV is history

Good News: Alex seems to have missed getting hit when the tv fell, and the little girl I babysit was upstairs with me.

These are the things that make my hair white, my heart pound and my knees weak. I think I need a nap.

A nice surprise

I got Pioneer Woman's Ree Drummond cookbook in the mail last week. Apparently I won one of the many drawings I signed up for. But no return address, so I don't know where it came from. Anyway, thank you. I love it! And here is the first recipe I tried. I know, it's not pretty but it was tasty! It was simple cook an egg inside your toast. The toast was crispy, the egg was perfect. If you had a large griddle it would be a great way to cook eggs for a crowd.

This cookbook would make a great gift. It's got lots of pictures just like the recipes on her website.

I really love Ree. She has done a great job of showing what ranchers do. The only quibble I have with her is that she gets to stay home and cook. When I grew up we all had to go out and work. I thought all rancher's wives had to work out in the cold and mud. Hmm, if I'd have know differently I may have married a rancher. :)

Seriously Ree, I love your blog, love your cookbook and if you ever get into western Nebraska I'll share some of my favorite recipes with you.

For a little bit of cupcake fun, look and see what Bakerella has made.

Wish List Meme

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
A Wii....I know it's extravagant, and I know it was on my list last year...but I still want one.
For December 22nd to come and we're in court finalizing the adoption
progress for Alex
For fun with family and friends
to hold my grand girls

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
probably the bowtie quilt Grandma made me

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
to crochet an afghan

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
my Chrissy doll

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
a horned lorry
gift cards
dvd's

6. What is your favorite holiday food?
fudge or Pandora cookies

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
lots of food

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
Miracle on 34th Street or A Charlie Brown Christmas

9. Favorite holiday song?
There is no way I can pick one, but Thou Dids't Leave Thy Throne is on the list of favorites.

10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Talking and playing games with family

Make your own Wish List Meme and enter here for a pretty cool drawing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings to you all on this day of Thanksgiving. Please take the time to thank the Lord for all He has done for you this year.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Kris

You get what you pay for...

Last spring a large semi broke down near here that was full of five pound bags of flour. Apparently the owner decided to leave the flour and take the loss, thus giving the flour away to many people in the community. I have a bunch of that flour in my freezer.

Fast forward to today. I was making rolls for our Thanksgiving dinner and used the above mentioned flour. The dough was very sticky, it didn't rise well at all. Then after they came out of the oven I tried a roll. UGH! They were terrible. I can't tell you what they tasted like but it wasn't very good.

So now I'm making another batch with my good King Arthur bread flour. The dough is so nice; just smooth and perfect. I'm waiting for it to rise as I type, but I'm expecting it to taste much better. This is a very good example of "you get what you pay for". I'm sticking with King Arthur. "smile"

Maybe my Windows problem is fixed

I mentioned on Facebook the issue that I was having with my cursor popping around the page while I tried to typ. It was suggested that it could be my wireless keyboard. Well, I don't have a wireless keyboard, but I do have a wireless mouse. Sure enough, that was the problem. Weird, huh?

Christmas giveaways

There are drawings every day for 12 days. Go here to enter.

A Window's problem?

I've been having quite a few problems typing the last couple of months. I'll be typing along and all of a sudden the cursor jumps up a few lines or whole paragraphs. My husband says this is a Vista issue. I don't know how to fix it, but I do know that is has jumped three times while I've been writing this little paragraph. It's enough to drive a person bonkers!!!

Noel Swap

I was thrilled to once again join a Sister Shoebox Swap hosted by Carrie and her sister Monica. These two young mothers have been an encouragement to me. Sometimes I worry about the state of young families and am saddened to see so many moms of young children anxious to flee their home for the workplace. (and yes, I know for some it is necessary, but that's a post for another day)
Carrie and Monica are two young women who have taken on the challenge of making their family their career and ministry and I am heartened to watch them grow as they post on their blogs.
I was also blessed to be given their mother as my swap partner. From the short emails we shared, I sense that she is a sweet, quiet soul. Here are a few pictures of what she sent in my swap package.

The cute metal box contains a christmas votive candle. There was a cd of christmas music, a christmas towel, a couple of little Pampered Chef cookbooks, a handmade tree, some gingerbread tea and a Mary Engelbreit bookmark. (I wonder how she knew I love Mary?)

This is the cute little tree that she sent. It's adorable! Thank you so much Ruth, and thanks Carrie and Monica for letting me participate again. I love your swaps!

A Clean Slate

I went through my old posts and I didn't really like them. Some of them were whiny, some were redundant, and in some posts I had shared things that should have never been put out there in public like it was.

I could have kept some of my recipe and craft posts, but I was in a mood for a fresh start. So I deleted them all. I get in those kind of moods once in awhile. Sometimes when I'm cleaning house I throw out a bunch of stuff I've been saving for a long time. I just decide it's been long enough and clear stuff out. Rarely do I regret it, I like getting rid of clutter in my life. I figure as long as I keep the important things like my husband and kids it's okay.

How about you? Do you ever go through a spell where you just want to clear your life of all the clutter?