2012 is knocking on my door...

Christmas has come and gone, and I didn't blog much this month. I think it's because I was busy living and by night time I was too tired to put my thoughts into writing. It's also the month of short days and I struggle with depression when we have little sunlight. In fact I find myself dreaming that I'm looking for sunlight.
Alex has been off his anti-seizure meds for nearly three weeks and we have seen no sign of seizures or tics or anything similar. What we have seen is a much better use of speech...and he talks all the time, literally ALL THE TIME! My ears are tired. We are also noticing that his attention spans are getting longer. Sadly, he still struggles with the anger and impulsiveness. I guess I can't expect everything to go away.
We had a wonderful Christmas with kids and grandkids. A couple were missing from our nest, but we've learned to appreciate what we get.
I am one book away from meeting my reading goal for the year. I am halfway through the last book, so I think I'm going to make it.
I didn't do so well with my crafting goals, but I'm just going to keep working on them. I don't want to finish my life with a lot of unfinished projects lying about.
I have also been spending quite a bit of time working on researching family history. It's fascinating but very time consuming. My grandmother already had done much of the work, I'm just trying to go a bit farther back with the aid of my trusty computer.
I know I've been scarce around here, but that just means I'm busy, and busy is good.
Happy New Year,
Kris

Christmas preparations are underway....

This picture made me laugh. I remember when I used to spend hours getting Christmas cards ready. The last few years I haven't even sent out cards. It just didn't seem like a high priority. And thanks to email and Facebook, I am able to keep up with friends and family on a more regular basis. I wonder if the next generation will read books and wonder what a Christmas card is.

Deer

In my family it's my sister who is the "great white hunter". I can spot a bargain aisles away, but hunting wildlife has never really tripped my trigger. My sister on the other hand enjoys it very much, whether it's with a rifle or a black powder gun. I benefit by getting jerky, so the end product is pleasing to me. (smile)
Here is a picture of the deer she bagged last month.

This is the type of deer I am likely to get. At least I wouldn't have to field dress mine!

Untangling Christmas

I just got this book and am anxious to read it. You can find more details at Untangling Christmas

I also watched a neat vido over at Women Living Well on how to make a Christmas binder. I think this is a great idea and hope to get one organized this week.

I think if I am organized I am less stressed and I can enjoy the holiday season more. I'm also thinking that this will help me to focus more on Christ's birth and not all the busyness. I hope this helps someone else too.

Kris



Oh Christmas Tree

 This is the kind of Christmas tree my husband would like!

This would be fun to do for a party. don't you think?

Another thing I like about these ideas is that they are healthy. My husband is not fond of sweets and always complains that when we go places on the holidays that everything to eat is too sweet. So it's nice to find some festive ideas that are not sweet heavy.

Thankfulness

Today is the last day of November. Before we head into the busy holiday season I wanted to take a moment to reflect on Thankgiving. At our home we had a busy thanksgiving. My husbands 91 year old grandmother passed away last week. So after spending a good couple of days with my parents and sister's family at our home, we headed back to our hometown to attend Grandma Em's funeral. It was a busy time mixed with the blessing of stomach flu for half the family. But through it all I noticed one particular thing. My mother in law was very happy. Happier than I have seen her in a long time. At first I thought it was because her dialysis must be working better so she was feeling better. But on the drive home it hit me. She was happy because for the first time in 10 years she had all of her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren under one roof.
And because I got to see all of my children and grandchildren at one time...I got it. I really got why that made her so happy.
I am blessed to have 5 wonderful children and 3 wonderful little granddaughters. And to top it off, I have the best husband I could imagine having. He's not perfect...but he's perfect for me. :) So I end the month feeling very rich in blessings and thanking God for all that He's done for me and given me.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.

Once upon a time...1964

Apparently I won a baby contest when I was little. My mom and I are the second from the right. I love this picture because it looks so much like my granddaughter. Did you notice all the women are wearing dresses? They look so nice. My mom was quite pregnant, but I think she looks pretty good.

The days I wish I had my camera on....

This morning as Alex was slowly finishing his breakfast and Preston was brushing his teeth we heard a scream. Preston came in to show us that he had lost another tooth. When he went back down the hall Alex gave me his version of the story.

Alex: "Preston was brushing his teeth and goes AAAHHHH! And then his tooth came out...and it was bleeding."

We call that narration folks. And it was sequential!! I am one happy momma!

Don't Look!

"NO! I don't want my picture taken..."

"Okay, fine...but I don't like it!"

Apparently he didn't want to show off his new glasses.

Happy Halloween!

Recipe: Pepper Jack Chicken

I got this recipe off of a blog several years ago. I was sharing it with my daughter today and though someone else might like it too.

Recipe Name: Pepper Jack Chicken by Kelli Winn - Copy
Categories: Casseroles, Main Dish, Mexican, Poultry
Serves:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2  pounds chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 pkg frozen multicolored sweet pepper strips
1/2 cups chunky salsa
1/4 tsp chili powder
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cups milk
1/2 to 3/4 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
Instructions:
Place the first 4 ingredients in a slow cooker.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and salt and cook until bubbly. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the milk until smooth. Return to heat and cook, stirring until mixture is thickened and smooth. Stir in the cheese until melted.
Pour this sauce over the other ingredients in the slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Serve with hot cooked rice.
Serves 6
This recipe exported by PDACookbook Plus - www.wakefieldsoft.com

Angry Birds

I found more amazing cakes. All you have to do is search Google Images and you can find just about anything. I have a 7 year old who loves Angry Birds. I may have to try my hand at making him a cake for his birthday, but I know they won't hold a candle to these cakes. Hat's off to the designers.

I love all of these cakes! But wait...

How about some cupcakes? Or....

CAKE POPS! WOWSERS!!

So much talent for something that will be gone in two bites!

He's Still Working On Me!

Do you remember that song? Did the Gaithers sing it?

He's still working on me,
To make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars,
The sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient He must be,
He's still working on me.

http://youtu.be/AGjrqV-EOfg

Anyway, I feel like I've been having some open heart surgery the last few weeks. It's painful but needed. I'm so glad that I'm under the care of the Great Physician.

Sandburs

Sandburs are the curse of the Sandhills. I guess it's a price we have to pay for living in such a beautiful place. But I have to say that when God talks about the thorns in the ground being a curse, I can certainly relate to it. I have people who don't live in this part of the country ask me what they are. So to set the record straight, I'll give a little pictorial.

 This is what they look like, they are little globes with needle sharp points all around. And when they stick to you they must have little prongs that hold tight. It's not uncommon to pull out a sandbur and find little slivers in your finger for weeks. Sometimes they swell up and get infected. These suckers just plain hurt. This is one tiny little bur...

 This is what they look like in early summer when they're green. This is when they need pulled out. I've heard that each tiny sandbur can hold over 1,000 seeds. They are pretty at this stage....

 Here are some more. They are prolific and grow tall and in patches. Even if you mow them down they will continue to creep low on the ground and then shed their harvest to reseed for another year. I've also heard they can lie dormant in the ground for years.

Here are some that were drying and ready to drop their burs. Our old house had tons of these things. The first few years we lived there, the kids and I would go out every morning and pull them out of the ground. We could pull for an hour every morning. The work did finally pay off and the grass took root enough that the sandburs were nearly eliminated by the time we sold our house.

Shaun The Sheep

Shaun has become a celebrity in our house. Shaun, Wallace and Grommit and Phineas an Ferb...I know, we're a weird family. I saw thisShaun cake and thought it was cute.

 

Yes, we all love Shaun.

Carrots

These are a few of the carrots I picked from the garden. I left most of them. My neigbor tells me if I wait until after a hard frost that the carrots will be sweeter. He's a pro at gardening so I'm taking his advice. The funny thing is that all night I dreamed I was picking carrots. I kept picking and picking and yet my little patch was still full. Weird, I know.

22 More Books

I set a goal to read one book a week this year. Some weeks I read a couple, and sometimes several weeks go by without reading a single book. I used to always find time to read, but lately I seem to busy to find the time. Or the boys get to bed and I just drop into a fatigue haze. So here we are...three months left in the year and I still need to read 22 books. Usually the fall months are a good time for me to read because it's cool and I'm not working outside so much. But this year I have a long to do list for the house and a list of unfinished craft and sewing projects as well. I've made the commitment not to start anything new until I finish my list. So will I get those 22 books read? We shall see.

I do have my Nook loaded and ready to go...just in case the reading bug hits me.

By the way, I just read Of Thee I Zing by Laura Ingraham. I loved this book. Although she is a high powered career woman, I think we could sit down and have some good conversations together.

My Only Gems

“She came tonight as I sat alone, the girl I used to be…
And she gazed at me with her earnest eye and questioned reproachfully;

Have you forgotten the many plans and hopes that I had for you?
The career, the splendid fame, and all the wonderful things to do?
Where is the mansion of stately height with all of its gardens rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you and the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad for I wanted her please with me…
This slender girl from the shadowy past the girl that I used to be
So gently rising, I took her hand, and guided her up the stair
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems, and precious they are to me;
That silken robe is my motherhood of costly simplicity.
And my mansion of stately height is love, and the only career I know
Is serving each day in these sheltered walls for the dear ones who come and go.

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest, she smiled through her tears at me.
And I saw that the woman that I am now, pleased the girl I used to be.

- Author Unknown
Quoted in Womanly Dominion by Mark Chanski

Smile

He had to get a hernia fixed. At first he was just goofy, but the closer he got he started to get pretty nervous. This is the before picture, while he was hamming it up.

This is after. He was very crabby. Apparently anasthesia makes him grumpy. This was Thursday, today he is feeling much better. I can see it's going to be hard to keep him from being too active while he heals.

Pantry Door

My brother and his wife have a cool pantry off their kitchen. When I saw this picture I immediately thought of them. Isn't this a cute idea? (of course you would have to keep your pantry orderly eh?)

Some Alphabet Fun

It's Here, my favorite season of the year!

Here are a few things I like about Autumn:

Cooler Nights
Sunny Days
Trees starting to turn
The sound of marching bands practicing
My Autumn Joy Sedum turning a dark rusty pink
Cleaning up the garden and putting it to bed for the season

I love it when Spring comes around, but there is something so inviting about Autumn. I intend to enjoy it!

The Oldest Grandgirl

Looks like someone is having some fun at the beach.

Molly and Emily

A Bit of England

When we lived in England, many eons ago, I fel in love with this pottery. It's called Carlton Walking Ware. I used to see it in the shops and I thought it was cute, whimsical. But I never bought any. Why? I don't know, I guess I was busy making sure my kid had clothes and food. And I thought there would be time for fun stuff later. Well, now is later, and wowsers this stuff is pricey! And I really don't have a place to display it anyway. So I'm displaying it on my blog. Enjoy a bit of whimsey.

 Cute cookie jar, look at the detail on the socks



Egg cups, all different



 What a fun cuppa this would be!

See the details?



They make me smile!



I hope they made you smile too!