2010- where did you go?

Today is the last day of the year. I barely remember last January...

oh yeah it was that earthquake in Haiti...what a terrible time. Well, it still is terrible there. My heart aches for all those children who lost their parents, for parents who lost their children.

February- I was working on patience. And cleaning poop out of the carpets...daily.

March- I discovered the audio books at the library's website

April- I got older, again.

May- Spent a lot of time praying for family members in the hospital.

June- Saw the neurologist and for the first time in over four year there was no sign of seizures!

July- I spent most of the month outside in the yard/garden or watching the boys at the pool.

August- Boys to school, at least part-time

September- I got to go the state fair for the first time ever!

October- I made and finished a Halloween quilt!! YEAH, on the finished part

November- Kids were all home. It was great, just went by too fast,

December- Surgery for the little guy and a recuperation that overwhelmed Christmas. Actually I don't feel like Christmas even happened. No kids Christmas program with cookies and fellowship, no caroling, no having a fun night at church decorating...ah...well apparently I am the only one misses these thing.

I discovered Pandora,
and watching Netflix instant play,
I took a real estate class and loved it,
I read more books,
I joined a quilt club that requires me to finish a block each month,
I put many miles on my carpet cleaner,
I stepped down as MOPS coordinator,
I participated in some online swaps,
I had one of the best gardens ever,
I discovered I have anger and depression issues,
I am struggling to forgive, it's very hard,
I am lonely,
I miss my old church, or the church it used to be...
I am looking for my niche in this world and not finding much success,
I am seeking guidance and help from my God...
I am learning to lean on HIM.

2011 is just around the corner...I am working on some goals. I'll share them later.

The books I've read this year

I put a star by my favorites:

A Perfect Christmas


*A Cedar Cove Christmas

Pinheads and Patriots

Angels at Christmas

Silver Bells

Gold of Kings

*Unlocked

A Time to Dance

Between Sisters

Divine

Keepsake Crimes

Angel Falls

Distant Shores

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

The Omnivore's Dilemma

Comfort and Joy

The PennyPinchers Club

The RAVE Diet

He's Not Autistic But...

Special Needs Kids Eat Right

Respectable Sins

Firefly Lane

*Winter Garden

**Lessons at Blackberry Inn

A Promise to Believe In

Shopaholic Ties the Knot

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

30 Days to a More Generous Life

Sleeping Arrangements

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Waiting For Morning

Twenties Girl

Can You Keep a Secret?

Remember Me?

The Undomestic Goddess

Fast Women

The Lost Symbol

Welcome to the World Baby Girl

One Month To Live

Overcoming ADHD

I Can't Wait To Get To Heaven

The Friday Night Knitting Club

Children With Autism

Comfort Food

Speaking of chocolate...

This goes back to the days in England again. My very favorite candy bar was called a Cabana bar. It was like an Almond Joy bar but it had bits of cherries mixed in with the coconut, a thin layer of caramel and then the chocolate. I've always thought I should try to recreate that sometime.

A trip down memory lane

Many, many moons ago hubby and I lived in England. We were there for 3 1/2 years and loved it. In fact we had always planned on going back for our 25th anniversary, but of course that didn't work out.
Anyway, one of the things I loved while in England was their chocolate. I grew up on Hershey's chocolate bars so the candy we got in England was glorious! I especially love the Cadbury's Quality Street candies. After being gone for many years I wondered if the chocolate was really that different or if my memory was just playing tricks on me. My second daughter has a best friend who currently lives in England and when she came home she brought me a box of Quality Street.

 On the side of the box it tells you what each little candy is. Yeah, nothing icky like the boxes of chocolate you buy here.

Don't they look like little gems. I think they would look gorgeous in a glass bowl, but I doubt they would last too long at my house. I have been rationing them out, and yes I'm sharing. :)

Are they as good as I remembered? Oh yes, they really are. Their chocolate is unlike anything I've had here in the states. And the toffee? Mmmm...so good.

Thank you Kelsey! I owe you one.

My Mom Heart Matters

Sally Clarkson is doing a series of conferences titled My Mom Heart Matters! They will be in Colorado, California, Texas and North Carolina. At this time I don't see how I can go...our time and money are all invested in medical issues at this time. But if I enter the drawing and win I can give it to a friend! And since I have many friends whom I would like to encourage in their Mommy paths of life I'm hoping to win.

I met Sally one year at a homeschool conference in Denver. She and her husband took the time to talk to me and encourage me...and they didn't even know me. Many things that I read in Sally's books have come back to me and encouraged me as we took the little boys in and began to raise them.

Sally says, "This year, I will be recasting a vision for the Biblical and significant call of mothers in this strategic time of history. God’s design was to use mothers strategically in each generation to bring about civilization, moral strength, beauty and spirituality in each generation. God wants to use you to change the world for His glory, right from your own home. But you cannot do it alone! We want to provide support, friendship, fellowship and strength for you to complete your task."

If you are interested in going you can check out her website to find out more information and register.  Mom Heart Matters If you are unable to go, find one of her books and read it. I promise it will encourage you no matter where you are on the Mommy path.

15 Authors I Love

This is simple, name 15 authors you love or who have impacted your life. Don't think too hard. Here is my list:

1. Louisa May Alcott
2. Laura Ingalls Wilder
3. Bess Streeter Aldrich
4. Sally Clarkson
5. Mary Pride
6. Elizabeth Elliot
7. Frank Perretti
8. Randy Alcorn
9. C.S. Lewis
10. Tom Clancy
11. Francine Rivers
12. Karen Andreola
13. Debbie Macomber
14. Fannie Flagg
15. Karen Kingsbury

A trying week...

This was the week of the little man's surgery. They removed part of the muscle from his leg...cut the muscle above both eyes and reattached the drafted muscle. He has stitches on his leg and over both eyes. He's not supposed to be using that leg until Tuesday...hmm, that's been impossible. We also have to put this ge like stuff in his eyes 4 times a day and cover his eyes with plastic guards at night so he doesn't pull the stitches out. Needless to say, having to watch him like a hawk and keep him from hurting himself has me a nervous wreck.  But I don't want to have to put him through this again, so yes, I'm being a bit paranoid about not letting him touch those stitches. Not the best Christmas for the little guy, but he seems to be doing good. Too good perhaps. I think if he hurt a bit more he'd quit trying to run...and jump...and give me a heart attack!

 Tuesday night after surgery

Wednesday morning after surgery. He looked pretty good. I think they are more red and swollen now than they were then.



Eggnog Punch

This is a favorite recipe with my family and it's super easy to make. It has 3 ingredients.
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 quart eggnog
2 liter bottle Sprite

Mix the ice cream and eggnog until nice and creamy, add the sprite.

Delicious!

Merry Christmas!

When I was a little girl my mother taught Good News Club at our school. This was a song we used to sing:

"Merry Christmas everyone

Do you know God’s loving Son?
Who was born in Bethlehem
Shepherds came to worship Him.
Come let us worship,
Come let us worship,
Come let us worship,
God’s Son, the King of Kings.
Wise men guided by the star
As they traveled from afar
Came to see the Baby small
Let us worship one and all"

Adoption Reflections

Today is the day. One year ago today we were in court and became the legal parents of our two little guys. Of course in our hearts they were "ours" long before that.
Today I had plenty of time to think on the long drive home. It seems like I meet more and more grandparents who are raising their grandkids. We decided to adopt for several reasons, but mainly because our daughter and her ex-husband asked us to make it permanent. It was hard...it's still hard. I know this has been hard on our daughter, and yet in a strange way I think it's made it easier to move on with her life.

Would we do it again? If the circumstances were the same yes we would.

Do we have regrets? You bet. Once these little guys came to live with us our lives took a total different direction from where we were headed. There are still times I mourn lost dreams...but the past is the past, better to leave it behind.

Today we celebrate the one year anniversary of parenthood- The Sequel.

I'm busy, busy, dreadfully busy...

Can anyone identify what movie that comes from?

Right now it's the theme song for my days. I've been busy sewing Christmas quilts...time is short and I'm running behind...so posting has been last on my to do list! :)

Cranberry Eggnog Muffins

I found this recipe over at the HomeBased Mom. This is probably one of the best muffins I've ever eaten. While baking the whole house smelled like Christmas.

Even if these are a couple of days old you can pop them in the microwave and for about 10 seconds and they taste like they're just out of the oven.

2¼ C flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 C plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

2 large eggs

¾ C eggnog

5 1/3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. almond extract

1½ C coarsely chopped cranberries

1 C white chocolate chips

Streusel Topping:

½ C sugar

½ C all-purpose flour

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, slightly softened

½ C chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line 14-16 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a bowl, add together the flour, baking powder and salt and stir to combine. In a large bowl, add together 1 cup of sugar, eggs, eggnog, melted butter and almond extract. Stir until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Do not over mix.

Chop the cranberries. I used my mini food processor and just pulsed a few times. Toss the chopped cranberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, and fold into the batter along with the white chocolate chips. Fill the prepared muffin lines 2/3 full.

Streusel topping:
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or a fork until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms. Add nuts if using. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the muffin batter.

Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or a until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.