Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Pictures

I usually try to take the kids Christmas pictures myself, but this year it just did not seem to be working. So since it had been a while since I had had professional pictures taken I decide to have some done. These were taken at Portrait Innovations.

Whew! I survived the weekend. Friday we had our church Christmas dinner which I was in charge of. Saturday was Christmas program practice. Sunday was the Christmas program and Brittany's birthday. Monday I had a birthday party for Brittany. I think I can relax now and enjoy the Christmas season. I still have some more shopping to do and have not started any Christmas baking~but that is the fun stuff:-}
Thanks to everyone that left a message for Brittany on her blog. She was very surprised and is already thinking like a blogger. Last night she had to take pictures of all her gifts so she could put them on her blog. She has also learned that she can use her blog to blackmail her brother into being nice to her.
Since I hate posting without pictures here are a few from Saturday night when we went downtown.

Nathan with Santa Clause.

Brittany, Walter, Charlie and Cris with Santa Clause.

(This picture was taken under great protest from Walter.)

I need your help

Brittany turns 13 tomorrow. She has been asking for a blog for a long time, so I am surprising her with a blog for her birthday. I would like for her to have a lot of comments on her blog when I show it to her tomorrow. The blog is still a work in progress but you can still leave a comment, so head over there and leave her a birthday greeting.
Thanks for your help!
http://teengirlbcs95.blogspot.com/

My Baby turned 7 yesterday!!!

It is hard to believe that my youngest is seven already. Makes me feel old!!

We just had a family party. Chris got a Playmobil Police set that he has been wanting.

One of the ways I have cut back in our budget is to make the kids birthday cakes instead of buying them. Chris wanted a snowman cake, so I made this one by using three different size bowls. I could not get the icing right for a black hat so I used chocolate graham crackers.

He got the whole head of the snow man~~but he did not eat it all at once!

Thanksgiving

Although I was so busy before Thanksgiving that I did not get a Thanksgiving post up, my heart has been filled with gratitude this week. God has been better to us than we deserve. Even in the seemingly bad things that happen I am determined to find something to be grateful for. I am thankful for Gods grace, my family, my Church and my friends. These are the things that make my life complete.
We were blessed to have most of my family, and Tim's Mom and Dad here for Thanksgiving. I did not take many pictures because I was busy, and because my family does not care to be published on my blog!

We had 18 people here. I put a table in the living room for the adults and the kids ( and 2 of my nieces) ate in the kitchen.
The kids have been begging for a month to put up the Christmas tree. We hope to get it up tonight.

Launching a new blog

A few weeks ago I discovered a new hobby~Glass Etching. I have started a blog to sell some of my creations. Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Etched in Glass

Kroger Deals

I was quiet pleased with my deals I got at Krogers tonight. They had a mix and match deal that if you bought 10 items you got 5.00 off your total. Combine these deals with coupons and you really get a good deal. I also had a 10% coupon off my total because it was a new store. This is more than a weeks worth of groceries, and I got some things for my Christmas baking. Best of all it is under Budget!!

I will not list everthing but here are some of my deals:

• 1/2 gallon Milk 1.oo (4)
• Cereal 1.13 (4)
• Peanuts 1.00 (2)
• 1/2 gallon of ice cream FREE
• Quacker oats Free (4)
• Domono Sugar 1.50
• Pizza Rolls 2.50 (7)
• Betty Crocker pototoes -Some FREE others less than a 1.00 (5)
• Hamburger Helper FREE (1)
• Tylonal Rapid Release FREE (4)
• Tylonal PM Rapid Release FREE (3) 1.00(1)
• Toaster Studal 1:00 (1) 1.50 (2)

I did this in three transactions but my combined total before sales and coupons was..............

248.20

Total I paid...............

72.12

a 71% savings

I LOVE a good deal!!!!

A New Blogger

I want to welcome my friend Lisa Plemmons to the blogging world. You can also access her blog on my link list.

Why I am not without Hope since the election

Here are a few thoughts that have been rumbling around in my head the last two days. I think that it goes without saying that I did not want Obama to win. I was very disappointed that he won so handily. I was also disappointed today to find out that the Republicans did not come out to vote in as great of numbers as the Democrats. McCain was not my 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd choice, but he was the candidate that was picked, and to not come out to vote for him was a vote for Obama.
All that being said, I am still proud to be an American! Our country has had bad Presidents before. We have had things in our past that I am not proud of (aka slavery), and I abhor of our stance on abortion. But America is still in the best country in the world. I will not be joking about moving to Canada.(I apologize to my Canadian friends.) I did not think that it was funny or patriotic when Democrats said it after Bush won.

Here are a few reasons I am not without hope because of the election.

• My hope is in God and not politics. "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Ps. 31:24 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."Ps.43:5
  
• God is still on the throne.
• To be hopeless means having no hope, no possibility of solution, and impossible to solve. "With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26
  
• The Dems did not get a filibuster proof congress. So I will be vigilant and call all my congressmen when a bad bill comes up.
• Kentucky is still a red state! Kentucky was the first state called for McCain. We also sent back our Republican Representative and Senator (one of the ones that the Dems had targeted to take his seat).
• Gay marriage ban passed in all 3 states where it was being voted on.
  
• I still have a great husband, kids, family, church, and friends.
• The sun is still coming up everyday.

Is there things that I don't like and am worried about? Yes! But you get less gray hair, sleep better and are happier when you look at the glass half full!

Here is a link to a great post about the difference faith in our lives makes, and also brings into perspective our blessing that we enjoy in America.

A Few Political Thoughts

Here is link to an excellent article by Gerald Wolf of Greater Vision on why he is not voting for Barack Obama.

Here is a thought provoking letter to the editor written by a man who escaped from Cuba 40 years ago.

And here is a funny for you!

A couple fall recipes

I have enjoyed bringing out some fall recipes and adding new variety to our menu. Here are a few I have made lately.

White Chicken Chili

4 chicken breast cooked and cut up (I like to cook them in the crock pot)
1 Tbs. oil
1 chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
5-6 cans of great northern beans
1-2 cans of light red kidney beans(optional but I like the added color)
1 can of green chilies
3-4 cans of chicken broth
Salt, pepper, white pepper,cumin, and chili powder to taste.

Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add in chicken, beans, green chilies broth, and seasonings. Heat through and serve. Also works great in the crock pot.
Serve with sour cream and Monterrey Jack cheese.

Dill Bread
1 pkg yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup of cottage cheese- lukewarm
2 Tbs minced onion
1 Tbs. dill seed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
21/4 -21/2 cups flour

Mix yeast and water and set aside. Mix cottage cheese, onion, dill seed, salt, baking soda, and egg. Then add yeast mixture. Add in flour until stiff. Let rise 1 hour or until double. Punch down and put in a greased, round baking dish. Let rise again for 30-40 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Pumpkin Crumb Bars
I got this recipe from my sis-in-law Glenda

1 15 oz can of pumpkin
12 oz can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
11/2 cup sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2t. salt.
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 stick melted butter

Mix first 6 ingredients together and put in greased 9x13 in. pan.
Sprinkle with yellow cake mix and pecans.
Drizzle with butter.
Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

September Update

Many things have happened this month that were blog worthy. I have blogged about most of them, to bad they never made it from my head to my blog:-} The two biggest highlights of this month were seeing McCain and Palin (see post below) and..........

having a new baby join our family. We picked up Nathan from the hospital when he was three days old. He is a sweet little guy, and is doing well. His parents seem to want to do what it takes to get him back. They were at the hospital when I picked up Nathan. They asked for a Chaplin to pray with them. They told the Chaplin that they had gotten away from God. We are praying that we will be able to minister to them.

Another special thing for us was being able to see Olivia. It was good for us to be able to see that she is doing good with her new family. She defiantly remembered us and had a good time playing with the kids.

She found Chris's shoes and socks and put them on~funny kid

She loved holding Nathan. That is her baby sister Kyllie in the picture.

Olivia and her Dad

We have also taken 2 field trips this month. The first one was a picnic with some other homeschoolers and then we went to the firehouse for a tour. For our second field trip we went to the Cincinnati Zoo. We had a fun family day with monkeys abounding~they just happened to be of the two legged verity and they were related to ME!
Click on the albums below to view more pictures.

Fire house

Zoo

Tim and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary on the 25th. We had a nice evening dinning out and then enjoying Starbucks at one of our favorite spots on the riverfront. It is great being married to your best friend! We have been redoing our bedroom and are almost finished. I will share pictures when it gets done. Thanks honey for spending so many long ours painting it for me!
I think that about wraps up this month. Maybe next month will be slow and boring~ha ha

McCain-Palin!!!

Today we left our house at 5:40 and drove about 45min, stood in a long line and then waited for 3 hours in the rain to see John McCain and Sarah Palin. And it was worth it!!! I had prayed that we would be able to shake hands with the candidates, but when we got there and saw how many people were already there, I kind of gave up. But God worked it out that we got to be right on the line where they walked from, and back to their bus.We were pretty close to the podium but behind it. That was OK with me to be able to shake hands with them!

Senator John McCain ~ with Tim's hand reaching out

Gov.Sarah Palin ~She was very gracious and personable. When asked for an autograph I heard her say "Thank-you for asking me to do that" ~WOW

Todd Palin~he was almost as popular as his wife. He looked like he was having the time of his life.

Our view of the podium.

The Straight Talk Express

This was while we were waiting in line.

This girl was beside us and I had her pegged as a liberal. Sure enough while they were speaking she pulled out a sign thath said "Be a Maveric Stop Global Warming."

Busy!!

I know that it has been a long time since I have posted. Life has been busy around here. We have started school, had company, and have been making yummy stuff from our garden. Yesterday I made fresh garden salsa. It was delicious!
Since I hate to post without pictures, here are some from when we went fishing a few weeks ago.