You Know It's Bad When....

I joined Facebook.


After I discoverd Ashley and Katie, two of the cutest girls I know, were on Facebook, and then my sister sent me an invitation, and then, two cool bloggers I know, Baloney and Dawn, talk about it all the time... well... I decided to try it out.

That is not the Bad part. I am actually amazed at what a great tool it is and how I am already connecting to people I haven't seen in a long, long time.

I do have some questions though. What if you said "yes" to a new friend but then that person barrages you with all kinds of weird green patch somethingorothers and other odd requests? That bugs me, but that is not the bad part either.

The bad thing is this: I found a word game that I am kind of obsessed with. It provides you with 6 letters and you have to spell every word you possibly can using those letters. As fast as you can.

Do you remember that I read words backwards to see what they may spell? Well, anyway, I have to make myself stop playing that game. I'd like to play it right now.

Actually, this is not exactly the bad part either. Here it really is, the bad part.

You know it's really bad when you are driving behind a SUBURBAN. And you start thinking of all the smaller words that big word could spell.
BAN
BANS
SUB
SUBS
BUS
NAB
NABS
BRAN
URBAN
BUN
BUNS
SNUB
STOP!!!!

Ok, the light is green. Move on!!!

Next stoplight, I pull up behind a LIBERTY.

BILE
LIB
LIE
IRE
TILE
RILE
I told you. It's Bad.

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A Sweet Activity

It seems like this time of year, my kiddos are in the mood to do a craft any given moment of the day. As I am elbow deep in making pumpkin rolls or up to my eyes in wrapping, my 5 year old boy will say sincerely (and with gusto), "mom, I am feeling creative. Can I pleeeease do a project?" Aargh. Mom guilt. I cringe as I think.... There is no way I can go pull a project together for my kiddos right now with all MY projects going on!!!!

Problem solved:
Last year, I found a big square box (12X12X12) and then cut a piece of cardboard that would fold in half to make a roof. After hot gluing that together, I cut out two triangles to fill in the empty spaces under the roof and hot glued that on too. Then, armed with lots and lots of graham crackers, I hot glued and hot glued until it was covered.

I made sure to use the homemade icing that really dries solid. The storebought icing is too greasy and never completely hardens. Then, I left the enormous gingerbread house out on a little table with the icing (tightly sealed) and bags of a variety of different candies that I bought from the dollar store. The kids spent some jolly time designing it and every time a friend came over, it was a ready-to-go activity that they really enjoyed. Probably because candy was involved; however, the house turned out darling. After Christmas, I stored it in a bubble wrap in a big plastic tub and when we opened it this year, it was perfect! There is another side left to cover, so I'm thinking next time I get that craft project question, I'll know exactly what project they will be doing. Look at Works For Me Wednesday for more great ideas!

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I Am a Messy Cook

I don't know that I'd call myself a cook.

But when I do cook, I'm definitely a messy cook.

I like to move fast. My sister teases me because I don't mess around. I get 'r done, as they say, and am kinda rough doing it. So when it comes to cooking 12 pumpkin rolls, the quicker the better.

But....

I forget that it's hard to be fast when I am cooking.

I just end up slinging pumpkin all over the cabinets...
and the counters and floors have a nice coating of powdered sugar everywhere...
And I ruined a whole sheet of pumpkin bread (tried to peel it off the pan too quickly).
Last year, when I was making pumpkin rolls, I was being quick and careless and was scraping the side of the mixing bowl with one hand while SIMULTANEOUSLY mixing with a beater in the other hand. Left hand slips down into the beater and I honestly thought I had cut off my thumb. The pumpkin rolls had a little red hue to them last year. Just thought it was food coloring, huh?

They are delicious though and messing up my whole Body for Life diet something awful.

Here is the recipe, in case you'd like to try them.

Yummy Pumpkin Rolls
Ingredients:

• CAKE
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup Pumpkin Pie Filling
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• FILLING
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions:
FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Allow to cool. Carefully remove cake from pan using wax paper underneath cake. Then, carefully peel off paper and lay cake on fresh piece of wax paper sprinkled with powdered sugar.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Spread thin layer of cream cheese mixture over cake. Cut cake into thirds, widthwise. Roll up carefully and roll in powdered sugar if necessary. Wrap in wax paper and then plastic wrap; refrigerate at least one hour. I like to freeze mine. I take them out and cut off the ends to make the ends looks crisper. I then put back in freezer and hand out when needed, making sure to tie up with a bow!

Also, I had some request for Thanksgiving Day recipes, so here they are!

Carolyn's Salad
Lettuce of Choice, cut into 1/2 inch shreds. (she used romaine)
Craisins
Bleu Cheese
Toasted Walnuts
Pre-made Raspberry Vinegarette Dressing

Easy and DELICIOUS! I want it right now!!

Finally, here is the corn recipe:

Judy's Corn

Cook 2 lb. bag of frozen corn according to instructions. Drain off most of the water.

Add:
1/4 C. butter
8 oz of cream cheese with chives
1 tsp. onion salt

Stir on top of stove until blended.

I never said I loved healthy recipes, now did I???

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Thank-FULL

Thanksgiving Dinner was as usual, fabulous! My top 3 favorite items on my plate? *Granny's Mashed Potatoes *Mom's Cream Cheese Corn *Carolyn's Salad w/ Bleu Cheese and Cranberries -The ham and turkey was very, very delicious too. I also had my first pop in 10 days, which fizzled fabulously as it slid down my throat. Here are some pics of our day at cousin Ronda's house: We played our annual game of spoons, of which I believe I am the defending champ. It is cut throat (especially right beside Kim R. and her nails.) We had a BLAST playing and I am proud to say that I defended my title well.

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Giving Thanks Where Thanks Is Due

I couldn't let this day slip away without making a record of what I am so very thankful for in this year of our Lord 2008.

I'm going to make it simple.

Could write at length on each of these, but they are what they are.

No sense expounding too much.

In no particular order:

~Church. I am so deeply thankful and glad that we have finally found a new church home. We have not "joined," but it is pretty obvious that Fellowship Bible Church is where we should be. And that feels so good. Finally.

~Basketball. Tom's job is hard to love. But God gives me great peace and thankfulness for the way He has directed our steps. I even love his job sometimes. And that is nothing but a Godsend.

~Husband. Tom is not hard to love. He is a solid man who God put me with to balance out my wacky emotions. He anchors me, and there are no words for my thankfulness for T.

~Blogging. Blogging is my friend. When I am sad, blog listens. And when I am feeling happy, blog proclaims my happiness to the world. I am thankful for this fun, creative outlet that allows me to write and express my feelings. Thanks Dawn, for the award! I've passed the award on to some people at the end of this entry.

~Children. My kiddos and their varied personalities. They are so all stinkin' different, and we absolutely love it. We derive such immeasurable joy from watching them interact with the world around them, in such different yet wonderful ways. I am fall-on-the-ground thankful for my children.

~My kids' school. I find myself just thanking Him for where he has put us. It is not a perfect school, but it is where He wants us. And I take great comfort in that.

~Family & Friends. They bless the heck out of me. The thankfulness in my heart for these wonderful people flows like a river all the day long.

~Hot water. I love hot water to make tea with and hot water to take a bath in. Hot water is one of my most soothing things that I crave and love and am thankful for.

~Pics. Pictures make my heart sing with joy. I love taking pictures and am thankful for the opportunity to do so.

~Creative Juices. Not much makes me feel more alive than bein' crafty. I just love it. I am convinced that in heaven I am going to be chief craft creator for His heavenly kingdom. I may not be as talented as some, but I feel blessed by using my mind and hands.



And my awards will go to....
Ellen for a beautiful blog with GREAT pics!
Audra for the tireless pursuit of excellence!
Ashley for being so fab.u.lous!
Amanda for being such a faithful blogger!
Roxanne Kristina for her hard-hitting posts!
Amber for being so crafty and having such cute girls!
Katy for her homeschooling passion and sweet words!

Katie for her heart-felt and always scriptural entries!
Baloney because she's funny, something I have no talent for!
Rena for precious words and an awesome heart!
There are so many more of you! I could list many more, but I will save all of you for the next award that (might!) come my way.

Blessings!

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God is Good, So Good So Good

A blogger friend of mine, who I just adore, has started a meme with her sister. On Sundays, bloggers are encouraged to share a story of how we’ve seen God’s mercy at work in our life or in the lives of others and then link to her blog.

Believe me, I have no shortage of ways that He has taken up my slack and watched out for me. I can be pretty much a walking disaster at times, if not for His amazing mercy and grace. Seriously.

He has given me unmerited mercy by helping me with stuff, both big and small. For example-

Big: He pulled me out the dark and frightening corner of fear and worry that I had worked myself into a few years back.

Little: He helps me find my keys everyday. I am serious about that.

The one I want to talk about today is a pretty big one that has occurred over the last few days.
It has to do with that maddening, orange sphere called a basketball.

More specifically, game day in the basketball arena.

As I was driving to the ORU vs. TU game a few days back, I began to feel that familiar gush of adrenaline that does wacky things to my heart, head and bowels. It is unbelievably unpleasant and if the game is a big one, can truly feel like an out-of-body experience.

And then I asked myself, WHY? Why is this happening to me?
I told myself....

We are driving to the game.
Nothing is even happening at the moment!
Why do you feel like you are a squirrel staring down a Mack Truck?

And then it hit me.

Pavlov.

I am a Pavlov dog. Show me a basketball game: my body responds (and not by drooling.)

It was at that moment that I began a sincere and desperate plea to God to help me handle these games with more poise and spiritual maturity... with the peace that passeth understanding. I had a few friends pray. I thought about this verse:

You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

And then... my friends, his mercy came like a wave.

Two games down, absolutely no anxiety.

None.
Zilch.
Nada.

And that... that... was a major mercy. It was NOT of myself. He provided peace and assurance for me throughout those 2 games!

Check on me again on Tuesday when we play Louisiana-Lafayette at Louisiana-Lafayette.
and then again next week when we play Missouri at Missouri.
and how about in December when we play none other than the number 1 team in the land, North Carolina. AT North Carolina.

I could certainly use your prayers and more of His Daily Mercies.

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Turkey Sink Hole

Turkey

Sink

Hole

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