Eeyore's House in the Woods

 Today I am thankful for the discovery of a really cool stick structure in the woods, and an AMAZING 7 year old who has the imagination to turn it into "Eeyore's House!"

 

 

 

 

"A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference."

- Eeyore

Undies as bunny ears

Ahhh....November.....that month where we reflect on all of the many things that we are thankful for.

This should be fun.......

Today I am thankful for a sweet little gal who is gracious enough to allow her big sisters to dress her up, using undies as bunny ears!

 

It's the little things in life that matter most!

Excuse Me While I Put My Kids to Bed

I think it's really, really  sad that my kids never get to eat their Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.  In fact, I'm not even sure they know that these amazing delicious morsels exist.

 

 

Excuse me while I put my kids to bed!







Darn Target Catalog!

We got our Target catalog in the mail the other day, along with LL Bean, Bed Bath and Beyond, Oriental Trading Company, and many others.  It seems that everyone is gearing up for the Christmas season already, before the Autumn leaves even have a chance to fall to the ground.

 

My birthday and Christmas just so happen to be really close to each other, so this time of year, my family begins asking the age old question, "What do you want, mom?"

 

Hmmmm....let's see....well.....

 

Months ago, a friend told me about the Fagor Muli-Cooker.  It has a pretty impressive resume, including:

 

 "An exceptionally versatile addition to any busy kitchen, this 6-quart multi-cooker offers a variety of functions all in one handy appliance--use it as a rice cooker, a pressure cooker, or a slow cooker. In rice-cooker mode, the unit automatically cooks any type of rice to light, fluffy, restaurant-quality perfection. In pressure-cooker mode, the appliance offers high (9 psi) and low (5 psi) pressure settings for cooking healthy meals in no time. The higher the pressure the faster the results. For peace of mind, the unit's self-locking lid comes with an automatic pressure-release setting, which means the lid won't open until all the pressure inside gets safely released. In slow-cooker mode, the appliance can be used to make delicious pot roasts, soups, and stews. Simply add the ingredients in the morning, set the timer, and dinner will be ready and waiting after a long day at the office. Best of all, the multi-cooker automatically shifts to "keep warm" at the end of any cooking program, keeping food hot and ready to serve without overcooking. Other highlights include a "brown" function for true one-pot cooking, an LED screen with soft-touch control buttons, a programmable eight-hour delay timer, stay-cool handles, overheat protection, and two independent pressure-control valves for added security. When finished, the nonstick cooking pot can be removed for quick cleanup by hand or in the dishwasher. A user manual with 40 delicious recipes comes included."

 

 

Rumor has it that it cooks brown rice to fluffy perfection in less than 10 minutes!  Doesn't that make your mouth water?!  (I bet you also just added this amazing contraption to your Christmas list as well, didn't you?!) 

  

 

I've left gentle reminders to my family that this is ALL that I want.  Nothing else....Nada, Nunca, NADIA!

 

You think they would get the hint after I used duct tape to hide the 80s green ivy on my tired, weary, OVERUSED crockpot...(hint, hint all family memebers reading this post!)

 

 

 

So the Fagor multi-cooker is indeed ALL that I want!

 

 

Well....I did see this cute little gadget just this morning....

 

 



And this....

And this...

And this...

 

 (Just kidding!)

Oh yeah, and one more....Have you seen these?....guuurrrrllll!  I really need these if I'm gonna get that bow! 



Commercialism has already reared it's ugly head in our household!!  It seems that everyone is getting caught up!



 

Darn Target catalog!!!

The Ultimate Veggie Omelet

Yikes! This summer I have gained about 10 pounds!  I am thinking my man's famous cinnamon-vanilla milkshakes have something to do with it! 

So to combat my expanding waistline, I am going to post some simple, healthy, high protein, and low fat recipes.  Let's start with one of my family's favorite.....The Ultimate Veggie Omelet!



The Ultimate Veggie Omelet!

First, you must have some farm fresh eggs!  (If you don't the store bought ones will suffice!)

Mix two eggs or 4 egg whites with a little milk, fresh or dried herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add egg mixture to preheated, well seasoned, and greased skillet.

Cover with a lid to get the convection action going and cook until eggs set up and all of the liquid is gone. (About 2 minutes)

Meanwhile, saute veggies in a separate pan.  We love mushrooms, spinach, black beans, garlic, and green onions.

Round you up some delicious, fresh salsa.  I used leftovers from my man's Fantasy Football draft.  I make this by the blender-full and store it in the fridge.  (Recipe coming soon!)

Add sauteed veggies and fresh salsa to one side of the cooked omelet.

 



 

Add cheese and/or sour cream or plain or Greek Yogurt.

 

Because of my "Gettin' Skinny" quest, I've been holding on the cheese and adding Greek Yogurt to mine instead.  My family loves to add both!

Now for the fun part....this does require practice....flip the "vacant" side of the omelet on top of the veggies and cheese.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let sit for a minute or two, while the flavors mesh together.  Is your mouth watering yet?

 

Slide omelet out of pan onto a pretty plate and top with your favorite toppings!  Greek yogurt, fresh salsa, green onions, and cilantro add an amazing addition!

 

Voila!  The Ultimate Veggie Omelet!!!

Who needs a cinnamon-vanilla milkshake anyway??!!

 

 

Been Farmin' Long?

We were blessed to stay at my in-laws farm this past week while they were out of town.  Even though it was a lot of hard work, we loved every minute of it.  It has always been our dream to own a farm, so we were all in heaven, especially the girls! 

What did one of our days look like?

Well....

We usually started the day off by gathering eggs.

They have eight hens which lay about 5 eggs a day. I think those other three hens better get on their job!

This is Goldie....isn't she a beauty!

And Flappy......

Next, we usually fed and watered the horses.  We also attempted to apply fly repellent, but as you can tell, we weren't always so successful. 

A girl and a horse.....Did I mention that she was in heaven?!

Next came tending to one of the MANY dogs.   Meet Bubba!

Don't worry, he's just a big baby!

Along with all of the dogs, came many extra-curricular "dooties!"

Mama's absolute FAVORITE part of coming to the farm...Well, favorite ONLY next to driving the 4-wheeler....

The Garden

When mama's in the garden, EVERYBODY'S happy!!!

Pure goodness...Straight from the garden to our table......

At the end of the day, we usually did a little unwinding "Farm-style!"  (I'm sure I wouldn't let them do this, if I viewed the water under a microscope first!)

FARM LIFE:  Where you kick your boots off and stay awhile!!!

I may never get them to put their shoes back on!!!

Dirty, Dirty, Dish Rags

It's been several weeks now, since my sweet friend, Joanne went to be with the Lord.  She was only 52 and left behind a loving husband, and two amazing kids.  I miss her.  I can't imagine what her family is going through.  So many questions....how can God allow such an amazing woman, who meant so much to so many people, suffer and then die at such a young age?

After the funeral, many gathered at Joanne's home to fellowship and pay honor to her life.  As I was helping wash dishes, I noticed something.....her dishtowels and dishrags.... 

They didn't look like the perfect ones you often see in magazine pictures......





They were worn, stained, and tattered.  You could tell that many meals were prepped, dishes washed and dried, and precious memories shared while using these towels. 

It simply breaks my heart knowing that Joanne will never be able to share in another one of these memories with her husband, son, and daughter, but I'm so thankful that she was the kind of mom who was a part of her childrens' lives, so they have wonderful memories to hold onto.

When I get sad, I pray for her family and find comfort in these words...

"The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.  Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."
- Isaiah 57: 1-2

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." -  Deuteronomy 29:29.

"He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - Matthew 5:45.

The Lord doesn't promise our lives here on earth to be easy.  In fact, He tells us that we will face trials of many kinds.  It's during these trials that we grow.  When we're in the valley, we can only look up and look to the Lord to illuminate the way.

We can praise Him in both the good and bad times.  It reminds me so much of the symbiotic relationship between the peone flower and the ant....

Our peonies just recently bloomed.  They are magnificent! The dew holds on steady while the morning sun reflects in each divinely fashioned crevice.  

What most people don't realize is that as annoying as ants are, they actually aid in the process of the blooming peone.

They love to eat the nectar of the bud, and encourage this tightly, compacted ball to bloom to it's fullest....

It's very similar to how we grow in times of adversity.  We need those "ants" in our lives to help us blossom into the people that the Lord created us to be.

Our lives here on earth are but a vapor....here today and gone tomorrow.  We must make the most of them, in the good times and the bad.

I look forward to seeing Joanne again one day.....

This Mother's Day, hug your mama a little bit harder and together,  put some stains on those dishrags!

"HAPPY MUDDER'S DAY!!!"