Life.........

Man how things change! And before you know it, you don't know what a whirl wind it was, until it's slowed back down! We have been through a lot. Then I got behind on blogging.. And well I became overwhelmed with jumping back in...... So please bare with me....

As I mentioned a while back about a baby, things did not work out... The state at the very end of the time, decided to give birth mom another chance, because said state believes birth parents and children should not be seperated and that it's too much for them to over come emotionally. And when we were in the process and working towards it all, I wasn't allowed to share details or anything. This was a big reason I wasn't in blogland, as I wanted to share share share.... Then life kept on and I got behind and overwhelmed more and more.... So now it's a no go... And I don't believe this is God's will. I believe that Satan is working through the hands of said state and officials, (this is what happens when you remove God from our schools and Country), because to me, God would not put a child back in harms way.

Then we have fought a fall winter of upper respiratory infections and pneumonia too. It's been crazy, that's for sure! They said it's due to the extreme droughts here, as to why there is so much of this stuff going on.

We moved, but only to a new to us home. But we love it.

And if you didn't hear, we are back to homeschool! And it's keeping me so busy, but I love it so much, and I sure wouldn't have it any other way! It's been awesome and to see Lil E so into school, it makes me happy. Tonight she told me I was the greatest teacher! Sure made my night!

We are working on lots of new things and a possible relocation and all the while trying to keep things going here.

So that sorta kinda catches you up. I hope you are doing well and that 2012 is bringing goodness your way!

Hugs and Blessings,

Cooking Thursday ~ Quesadillas

I am going to participate in Cooking Thursday this week, that is hosted by the most awesome, Sandra @ Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. So check it out, there are some really yummy recipes!

I am going to share something that our family really loves! And it's so simple to make.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas

8 flour tortillas

1 c cubbed, grilled chicken seasoned with fajita seasoning.

1/4 to 1/2 c cooked bacon crumbled

8 tablespoons of ranch dressing (yes you can use light)

Monterey Jack Cheese

Mild Cheddar Chesse

optional is sauted onions and bell peppers

You can either marinate your chicken and grill it, or use chicken you have already seasoned and grilled. I often store up grilled chicken for quick meals like this.

You can either use the quesadilla maker or spray a pan with non stick spray and just cook it in a skillet.

Toss your chicken and bacon together. So you spread 2 tablespoons of ranch of 4 tortillas. Spread the chicken bacon on top. Add onions and peppers if you desire. Top with a mixture of cheese. Place a plain tortilla on top. Then either cook in the quesadilla maker or place in skillet. Cooking on each side for a couple of minutes, until the tortilla is lightly browned.

Serve with sour cream and salsa!

To make a meal, goes great with rice and beans!

Hope you enjoy!!!

Hugs and Blessings,

Faithful Friday..... Do you know????

to check out other Faithful Friday posts click here...

It's another Faithful Friday post... And am I so glad to share this with all of you. This week we lost a very special person to us. Papa has went home to be with our Lord and Savior. And as we set out to make the journey across several states, to be with family and all, it had me thinking..... I know kinda hard to believe... But it did.... I'm so thankful that God's promise tells us we have ever lasting life, so that I know he is in Heaven and I will one day join him too. Did you know you can be saved and ensure you have a peaceful pain free everlasting life? And you will be rejoicing with our Savior? How awesome is that?

So I wanted to share with everyone, incase someone doesn't know this, just how to be saved and know you too will one day be rejoicing with the King of Kings. So I am going to share a couple of scriptures and then a prayer.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life.

Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.

Psalms 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

So see, it's that simple! God gave his son Jesus, so that we who believe in him are SAVED. Therefore Christ is in us! And no matter what we do, as long as we keep believing, he will never turn his back and push us out! What a beautiful and wonderful blessing this is for us!!! It makes me so happy!!!

It's simple, it really is! And all you have to do is believe and ask Jesus to come into your heart.

Here's a prayer to pray, if you haven't ever asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and wish to do so.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in believing that you are our creator, and that you gave your son, Jesus Christ for me. That he died for our sins on the cross at Calvery. He then rose from the dead. Your word tells us in Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, then we shall be saved. So Father, I believe that Jesus died for my sins and was raised from the dead by you. I ask that Jesus come to my heart, and I accept he is my personal savior. I thank you father for this gift of eternal life. I think you Jesus for being my personal savior. That so I shall be saved. In your Son's precious Holy name, Amen.

It's really that simple! I am not asking you to follow a particular religion, instead I am asking and hoping you will find a relationship with our Lord and Savior, so that you too shall have an everlasting eternal life. If you would like to talk more about this, message me and I'll be glad to visit and pray with you.

May you all have a beautiful blessed weekend!

Hugs and Blessings,

Back to.....

HomeSchooling!

We have gone back this week to start the new semester as Homeschoolers!

And I am so excited about this journey!!!!

Hugs and Blessings,

Faithful Friday

It's Faithful Friday!! I have been really missing blog land and sharing and keeping up. I know that I have had a lot of adjusting and things going on, but I plan to work really hard at being better at this. Not only because I miss all of you, but for a better family journal.

On to the topic of this post... I am so glad to share in Faithful Fridays, and if you want to join in, it would be great. You can click on the button and it will take you to our awesome host.

I thought I'd share about what I have been up to... I have been working hard at being a Virtues Woman! I am striving hard to be a Proverbs 31 Woman. To be the best wife and mother that I can be.

Not that I didn't before, but since we moved (New Years was started in a new home to us). I have tried even harder to be better and happier at doing my chores and all the tasks of a wife and mom. Many ask me why I take the role of being a stay at home mom so serious, because I wanted this job for many many years. It was literally my dream job! I wanted to be like my momma. And when I think of a Proverbs 31 Woman, I think of her.

So I share with you today, the 3 areas that I have taken to another level in how I am striving to be better.

Being a better happier wife. ~ Marriage – A Virtuous Woman respects her husband. She does him good all the days of her life. She is trustworthy and a helpmeet. (Proverbs 31: 11- 12, Proverbs 31: 23, Proverbs 31: 28, 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 5, Genesis2: 18)

Being a better mom. ~ Mothering - A Virtuous Woman teaches her children the ways of her Father in heaven. She nurtures her children with the love of Christ, disciplines them with care and wisdom, and trains them in the way they should go. (Proverbs 31: 28, Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 22: 6, Deuteronomy 6, Luke 18: 16)

Being a better home keeper in many many ways. ~ Homemaking – A Virtuous Woman is a homemaker. She creates an inviting atmosphere of warmth and love for her family and guests. She uses hospitality to minister to those around her. (Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20 – 22, Proverbs 31: 27, Titus 2: 5, 1 Peter 4: 9, Hebrews 13: 2)

(like keeping a cleaner house all the time, but also doing the chores with a smile and a purely happy heart. Staying on task instead of being so easily side tracked. Keeping our routine has made a big difference. I don't know about you, but once I get behind, I become overwhelmed and then before I know it, I get discouraged. This was the cycle and Satan kept it going. But now I am not letting him win, and I am following God's word and doing all I can do to fulfill the job he has blessed me with.)

I found this list to be so helpful and it's easily lined out. You can find it here, 10 Virtues of the Proverbs 31 Woman.

By no means am I perfect, but the closer I grow my walk with Christ, the more I want to be a real Proverbs 31 Wife and Mom! I want others to see what a joy this job is! I want it to be used to be a true testimony of his!

I have began to follow many other virtues to help improve our family. It is making a big difference, with the harder I yearn to be that, the happier and smoother things are going in our home! Not to say they were bad before, but I can for sure tell it's at a new better level.

Hugs and Blessings,

Happy Birthday Lil K (Nov)

 

 

Happy 4th Birthday Baby Girl!! K Bugs, we are so proud of you and love you always and forever! You are precious to us!!! (Nov 2011)

 

She wanted a rainbow cupcake, so Momma made her this cake for her birthday. And Lil E added a piece of Chocolate Candy to the cupcake as a special treat for her sister. It was a piece she broke off her candy bar to share with her sister, and to make her cake even more special.

 

Every Birthday they get to pick what they want for dinner, and she wanted spaghetti. So I decided to make it colored and fun! :) So that is what we did.

Lil E is such a good big sister, she even colored her a picture of Dora, Lil K’s fav to decorate her gift.

 

Then It was birthday picture time. :)

Hugs and Blessings,

Merry Christmas

We wanted to wish you and yours a very Merry and Blessed Christmas from our family to yours!!! May we all remember the real reason for Christmas is the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.



May your heart be filled with the Christmas Love and it carry you all through the next year! Keep Christmas alive all the time!

Hugs and Blessings,

Christmas Program

Last night we had our Church Christmas program! It was Camellot! So so cute! And I'm so proud that both my girls were able to participate....


The girls dressed and ready to go by our Christmas Tree...


Lil E was a singer through the entire program! And she actually did sing! For those that know her, know she has stage fright. But she did awesome! She didn't do the motions much, but that is because her arm was hurting.





Lil K was so ready for the preschoolers to get to close our the program, that when they called them, she ran from the back to the stage so fast and was the first one on the stage!




And the last off the stage, even after it was totally over, as she wanted to sing more. She was such the entertainer and sang the loudest!!

I was so excited and proud of the girls!!



Hugs and Blessings,

Revised Healthier Out of this World Meatloaf

I made my favorite meatloaf, and one of the only ways I will eat it. But tonight I made it a leaner and healthier way. And it turned out even better than traditional.

Original Recipe ~

Out of this World Meatloaf!!

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 box chicken flavored Stove top stuffing
1 small can of tomato sauce
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 beaten eggs
1 small minced onion

garlic powder or mince/ pressed garlic clove
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, including the stuffing mix. Mix just until combined. Lay slices of bread on the bottom in the middle of your 9 x 13 pan. One single layer row. (I always do this so that it will absorb any extra grease and also keep the bottom from sticking or burning. Form meat into loaf and place on top of the bread. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until it's cooked through. Add glaze and put back in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Glaze
Mix some ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce together. Find the right combination and sweetness you like, and then brush on top of the meatloaf for the last 5 to 10 minutes.

New REVISED Healthy Version

Out of this World Meatloaf!!

2 lbs. ground turkey
1 box chicken flavored Stove top stuffing
1 small can of tomato sauce
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 beaten eggs
onion powder

garlic powder or mince/ pressed garlic clove
Season Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, including the stuffing mix. Mix just until combined. Lay slices of bread on the bottom in the middle of your 9 x 13 pan. One single layer row. (I always do this so that it will absorb any extra grease and also keep the bottom from sticking or burning. Form meat into loaf and place on top of the bread. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until it's cooked through. Add glaze and put back in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Glaze
Mix some ketchup, smuckers sugar free syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and a little squirt of mustard together. Find the right combination and sweetness you like, and then brush on top of the meatloaf for the last 10 minutes.

I can't say enough good about the meatloaf with the turkey. It was so yummy! Everyone loved it too. And you can't beat that is't so much healthier for you. I never thought I would like it better than how I have been making it, but let me say this way took the top!

Hugs and Blessings,

WOW The rest of the month of Gratitude

I'm so very sorry for the lapse in posting... I just haven't been in blog land.. But I wanted to finish my Gratitude post. I did it on my facebook, but didn't get it done here all the time. I had hopes to right longer posts than little blurbs like this. But once I fell behind, I really became overwhelmed and then before I knew the month is ending. I hope you enjoy the rest of what I'm thankful for.

Day 17 ~ I'm thankful for fall! I love all the colors changing and the leaves falling! I love pumpkins and pumpkin patches. I love hay rides and everything fall! I love Thanksgiving and that everyone is full of thanks! And this happy time takes me right up to Christmas time! It's perfect!

Day 18 ~ I'm very thankful for the gift of weight loss surgery. 6 months and 97 lbs gone. I'm very very thankful that I was blessed with the surgery. It has saved my life in many ways. I feel so much better, and didn't realize just how crummy I was feeling. It has improved my migraines so much. And even the Psuedo tumor cerebri is like almost gone!!! It has already done more than I ever imagined.

Day 19 ~ I'm thankful for a special friend that always has the words and messages to deliver to me. Not just messages of encouragement, but a different connection. She is more than a friend, but like a sister! One of the most beautiful people inside and outside. The biggest hearts I have ever seen. She is always helping others, even when she is in great need herself. She has struggled years with many health issues, but manages to still keep going and not giving up. Despite the struggles and hardships she has dealt with. We have a deep connection that many will never understand or get. I couldn't be more thankful to have her in my life! She is a special aunt to my kids, and the most open and loving person. She doesn't trust easily and doesn't consider many to be real friends, and to be one of her real friends even means more.

Day 20 ~ I'm so thankful that I have a husband that helps me. Not only when I am sick or down, but all the time. He is so helpful and i'm thankful, as I see many friends struggle because their hubs do not help.

Day 21 ~ Today we got some much needed rain! And I'm really thankful for it. We are in extreme drought.

Day 22 ~ I'm so thankful that I found my wedding ring after I lost it earlier today. I had been so sad and crying and crying. But after calming down and prayer, it was found! Thank you, God!

Day 23 ~ I'm thankful for my friends. They are very important to me. They are part of my family. Each one holds a very important place in my life. Not only are they blessing me with the usual friendship way, but they make life grander in business too. I really like that I get to work with them in many different areas. I'm very thankful for the lost friendships that have been restored, and some even grew stronger. For those that were brought back to me, after being apart for just going to different ways and paths. I love each and every friend and I'm really thankful for them.

Day 24 ~ I'm so very thankful for the Thanksgiving Holiday, were we are all giving thanks for the many blessings in our lives! Wish it was the normal way of life and last all year long.

Day 25 ~ That we were able to put up our Christmas tree as a family. It was really awesome and full of memories as we went through our ornaments and they carried us back through time, and we were busy making new memories decorating the tree.

Day 26 ~ The last few days (Thanksgiving weekend) have been low key, full of family time, and lots of relaxing. It was perfect! We didn't travel and no one traveled here. We just made our own super special thanksgiving and then spend the weekend doing family things together without stress or hussle and bussle. It was wonderful!

Day 27 ~ I'm thankful that we have the inside Christmas decorations up~ I love to just sit and look and enjoy them! I love the lights, the knick knacks, the nativities, the gingerbread men, the snowmen, the memories that each one holds and that I get to go back to those memories when I sit and look at the goodies.

Day 28 ~ Birthday's. They are each persons special day and full of fun and memories as we celebrate.

Day 29 ~ I'm thankful for God's Word! For God working it out behind the scenes so I don't have to worry. Today in Bible study, I was given scripture that confirmed to me, that even when many don't agree with us, we are doing the right thing.... (many don't agree with growing our family or homeschool).

Day 30 ~ Today I am thankful for Scentsy! It has been a big blessing to our family. The business has been a help in time of need. I'm thankful that I was able to reach my goal this month! And I'm so excited to for my delivery tomorrow of my incentive warmers that I earned this summer! I'm so thankful that Scentsy brought a childhood friend back to me! I'm thankful for the new friends I have made. And I'm thankful to part of a company that really and truly believes in making the world a better place! I'm thankful that Scentsy has me striving to be better! I can't say enough good about Scentsy, the products and what the business has done for me and my family!

Hugs and Blessings,