April 26, 2010

Thank you, sweet bloggy friends, for all the kind birthday wishes you left for me on Friday! I felt very special and very loved! You helped make my day incredible!

Also, a HUGE thank you to my sweet Hubbie, for all your thoughtfulness.  :)  I love you!

For Monday, April 26, 2010~

Outside my window~cloudy, rainy, around 55 degrees

I am hearing~the chatter of family members :)

I am thinking~about how special I felt on Friday!

I am thankful~for sweet friends and family who love me

I am remembering~the surprise I felt when I opened my blog on Friday morning and saw the most wonderful birthday gift from my Hubbie and how many birthday wishes I got on the blog and on Facebook

I am reading~my Bible, a flower book, and sales papers

I am hoping~that my folks have a safe trip down to our house today

On my mind~is Ruby (my friend, Diane's mom)

From the learning rooms~polygons, quadrilaterals, Yikes! The beginning of Algebra in fourth grade?!?!?

Noticing that~the dining room is almost clutter-free :)

Pondering these words~

"God is always good, and God is always right!" ~Evangelist John Bishop

From the kitchen~

Monday~out to eat with my parents for my birthday

Tuesday~cheeseburgers, salad

Wednesday~BBQ chicken, mac-n-cheese, lima beans

Thursday~pizza noodle casserole, salad

Friday~taco bowls

Saturday~spaghetti

Around the house~I need to get some cleaning done today. I was hoping to do some yard work this morning, but it is raining...so I guess that's my cue to get busy indoors! :) Well, after I get this post published...

One of my favorite things~is watching grandparents with their grandkids

A few plans for the rest of the week~not very busy this week, except Wednesday, when I am planning to go to a curriculum sale (It's hard to believe that it's already time to purchase for next school year!)

From my picture journal~some memories from my birthday

Out for early dinner at The Cheesecake Factory~and yes, that is Orange Chicken :)

 

Our server and some of his coworkers singing to me

Birthday cheesecake

Snickers Cheesecake (I shared with Hubbie)

My goodness, I was spoiled! ;) and loved every minute of it!

After church on Friday night, we had this ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery (and Hubbie did use a coupon for the cake)

Chocolate cake with chocolate peanut butter ice cream, topped with Reese's peanut butter cups

Again, thank you so much for all the sweet birthday wishes. This is one birthday I won't forget!

I hope you had a great weekend, and that you have a blessed week ahead!

I will be linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook on Tuesday. Hop on over there if you would like to read other Daybooks.

 

Happy Birthday, Donna!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

DONNA!!

Today, April 23, is Donna’s Birthday.

Just a quick post to let you know that the children and I are hoping that you have a very special Birthday!

Hopefully, some time to enjoy a nice cup of Coffee:

For your Birthday,

maybe we will take you to Disney World….

maybe on a Cruise to the Bahamas….

maybe the zoo…. BUT remember I am cheap, so maybe a year from now or two.....

Maybe a hike in the woods or a romantic boat ride, rowed by you know who.…..

or a stroll in a cave or two.....

maybe a picnic or even a walk around the garden, maybe even a chance to milk the MOO…..

maybe some shopping and even get a new pair of shoes (you know that is what I like to do??)….

maybe a no diet day, remember it is just one day for you…..

OR a quick trip to the moon......

maybe a day of no cooking - OR I guess we could even bake you a cake....

no cleaning,

OR even better,

maybe a day out eating at Mimi’s for Breakfast (with a coupon!!)

and for dinner:

and maybe for dessert, some Cheesecake and/or ColdStone Creamery Ice Cream Cake (with a coupon!!)

followed by a night of special services at Church, etc.

Well we will see how the day progresses, but I imagine their will be some eating, some shopping, and even a laugh or two.

Presenting the "Gallagher Family Trio" and a tribute to Mommy!!

Love,

"Hubbie," "R," "D," and "S"

Something New and Thankful Thursday

Have you tried Kentucky Fried Chicken lately? We love their extra crispy fried chicken...mmmm! Maybe not the most healthy choice, but it is a yummy choice.  :)

Well, today, was a day to try something new! Our KFC is in the same shopping center as Lowe's, so in our many recent trips to get some flowers, vegetables, soil, etc., we had seen an advertisement for a new sandwich at KFC. Are you ready?

Double Down Sandwich~two grilled or two fried chicken breasts and between them is bacon, jack cheese, and maybe some other kind of cheese. The advertisement on their website says it is so big there wasn't room for a bun! No bun is not a big deal for folks trying to watch their carbohydrate intake!

My review:
Delicious!
Definitely worth the special trip over there
Would purchase it again
Hubbie liked it, too


THANKFUL THURSDAY~Hubbie was able to go back to work today! I'm so thankful he wasn't furloughed for a longer period of time. We are thankful that he had plenty of "leave" saved up, just for emergencies like this!

Hope you're having a great day! Thank you for stopping by today. :)

FYI~I'm getting close to my 100th post...Stay tuned for a giveaway in celebration of that post!

Thank You!

Thank you, dear blog friends, for all your kind comments yesterday. We all know that Diane is in Heaven, but we're still in a state of shock. Questions of "Why her, Lord?" and "Lord, what are you doing?" are running through my mind...but then statements of "Lord, You are in control" and "Lord, I will trust You" also run through my head...I guess it's pretty normal to have all these questions, and some of them I know will not be answered here on Earth.

The following verses are ones that are familiar to me. My Oldest Daughter is learning them in her Bible class, so every morning, she recites them and it's been a blessing to me. I'm amazed at how God knows exactly what we need, and how He uses His Word to comfort us.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18

13. But I would  not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Today, I am abiding in God's unchanging, infallible, comforting Word!

On a side note, we were spending time together as a family yesterday, so I did not get to visit any of my favorite blogs...I have a lot of catching up to do today!

April 19th

For today, Monday, April 19, 2010~

Outside my window...the sun is shining, and our temps are to reach the 60's today!

I am hearing...the furnace and refrigerator

I am thinking...about a sweet friend, Diane, who went home to Heaven on Friday...she's seen her daddy who just went to Heaven in December, she's seen the Apostle Peter, Apostle Paul, my nephew, Darrell, and most importantly, she's seen her Lord and Savior!

I am thankful...that she had a clear testimony of knowing Jesus as her personal Savior

I am praying...for her husband, Darrin...they were married for ten months

I am remembering...the fun times we had with Diane's family as we were growing up (just going over to her family's house and having snacks, talking, playing out in the yard, or her family coming over to our house...)

I am hoping...that you will keep reading this post! :)

On my mind...is my brother and his family

Noticing that...the pollen around this area is really affecting people this year (more than normal)

I am creating...some clean laundry :)

Pondering these words..."When you can't trace His hand...trust His heart..."

From the kitchen...trying to stick to the diet, so no sweet stuff around here!

Around the house...is clutter from the weekend that needs to be put away

One of my favorite things...is talking to my best friend, my soulmate, my Hubbie

A few plans for the rest of the week...spending time with family today

HOA meeting on Tuesday

church on Wednesday

special revival meetings Friday through Sunday

Diane's service on Saturday

From my picture journal...

Library fun last week

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a great day...and if you think of it, would you please pray for Diane's family? Thank you, sweet friends!

Beyond Cute...

Our little girl, S, was sitting in her booster seat eating some baby goldfish crackers and drinking some water from her sippy cup. I knelt down beside the chair to clean something off the floor when she proceeded to "feed" me. She got a baby goldfish and put it next to my mouth, so I ate it. She repeated it. Four times. I giggled at her and told her she was a silly girl.

But she wasn't done yet! She got her cup and with a gleam in her eye, she tried to get me to drink from it. That's where I had to draw the line...

Have a great weekend!

These are a Few of my Favorite Things...

about springtime! Jennifer did a post here about spring, and I thought it was a great idea. :)

Here is my version of things I love about spring.

~my favorite holiday, Easter, is during spring
~the promise of new beginnings
~taking evening walk with my sweet Hubbie
~redbud trees in full bloom (Stephani has some beautiful photos of some redbud trees here)
~daffodils, crocus, and tulips popping up out of the ground
~talking to my brother, William, who lives in Lithuania~I do not talk to him only in spring :)
~birds returning from their winter hiatus
~pansies that are still blooming (we planted them in the fall, and yippee! they survived our winter)
~not having to wear my winter coat
~watching the children enjoy playing on the swings
~cleaning out the flower beds
~spring birthdays
~fresh mulch
~planting the TopsyTurvy~this is our first year trying this out, so we'll see how well it works.
~hearing lawnmowers
~the smell of freshly cut grass
~being able to work outside in warm weather
~cool, crisp nights and warm, sunny days
~browsing homeschool materials for the next school year
~talking over the backyard fence with my neighbors
~looking at gardening magazines

~Crocus~

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a great Thursday!

Taco Salad

Last night for supper, I had planned on having Taco Salad. I enjoy getting a taco salad in a Mexican restaurant, but knew I did not have the time to deep fry the bowls. I had seen an idea for taco bowls in a Kraft Foods magazine and thought it would be fun to try. And, it's healthier than the fried version!

SO EASY! Here's what you do:

• Fix your taco meat and all the toppings that your family enjoys. We had meat, cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, and lettuce.
• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Roll pieces of aluminum foil into 3 or 4 inch balls. I made four aluminum balls since I was making four bowls. Place them on a cookie sheet.
• Lay your flour tortillas on top of the balls. I used 8" tortillas.
• Spray with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle with chili powder (if you want a little kick). I did this for Hubbie and I.
• Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes. I used an "Air-Bake" cookie sheet, so it took a little longer for them to crisp up.
• Remove from oven and let stand for about two minutes.
• Fill with toppings and enjoy!

Have a great day!

Childhood Poems

As a child, I loved just about every subject in school and really enjoyed my teachers. My favorite subject was probably Spelling. During Spelling class, we not only learned our words, but we also got to learn poems. There's something about children and poems that just "go together!" It's like a breath of fresh air. ;)

One of my favorite poets is Robert Louis Stevenson. He was not a strong child and spent many hours laying in his bed. He did have an active imagination. Here are a few poems from A Child's Garden of Verses. This book has about 65 of his poems, including The Lamplighter and My Shadow.

Singing

Robert Louis Stevenson

Of speckled eggs the birdie sings

And nests among the trees;

The sailor sings of ropes and things

In ships upon the seas.

The children sing in far Japan,

The children sing in Spain;

The organ with the organ man

Is singing in the rain.

The Swing

Robert Louis Stevenson

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a child can do!

Up in the air  and over the wall,

Till I can see so wide,

Rivers and trees and cattle and all

Over the countryside-

Till I look down on the garden green,

Down on the roof so brown-

Up in the air I go flying again.

Up in the air and down.

Rain

Robert Louis Stevenson

The rain is raining all around,

It falls on field and tree,

It rains on the umbrellas here,

And on the ships at sea.

Happy Thought

Robert Louis Stevenson

The world is so full of a number of things,

I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.

I hope you've enjoyed this small collection of poems. Our weather today is supposed to be rainy and below 60 degrees. I think we're going to stay inside~dry and warm.   :) Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by!

Monday

For today, Monday, April 12, 2010~

Outside my window~the sun is beautiful, and the sky is blue!

I am hearing~the kids playing with a friend and the dishwasher running

I am thinking~that I am blessed more than I deserve!

I am remembering~the nice Friday we had as a family~Hubbie was off, so we had the whole day together! :)

I am reading~my Bible, and I need to re-read Elizabeth George's A Woman After God's Own Heart

I am hoping and praying~the week goes well, and that Hubbie's work contract gets renewed

On my mind~is the gardening that I need want to do this afternoon

From the learning rooms~Oldest Daughter is busy learning all kinds of new things in Health class (and loves it!), Son is working hard on his reading skills, and Little Daughter is busy walking all over the place

Noticing that~I really enjoy doing these Daybooks on Mondays~it helps me organize my thoughts for the week, and as a little bit OCD, I love lists! HeeHee!

I am creating~a new look for our deck (with Hubbie's help)

Pondering these words~"Let go, and let GOD!"

From the kitchen~Monday, Italian chicken

Tuesday, taco salad

Wednesday, lasagna

Thursday, hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, broccoli

Friday, mozzarella chicken

Saturday, marinated steak

Around the house~laundry is getting done, memories are being made, and the family room is getting played in

One of my favorite things~is talking to my sweet Hubbie

A few plans for the rest of the week~

Ladies meeting Tuesday, church on Wednesday, yard work on Friday and Saturday, church on Sunday

From my picture journal~

Getting ready to separate the eggs into color and size

Organized eggs ;) filled and ready to go into cellophane bags

Finished product! They were fun to create, and the children in our Junior Church classes enjoyed receiving these bags...along with invitations to use to invite folks out on Easter Sunday.

I'll be linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook tomorrow, if you'd like to hop over there and  read other Daybooks.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great Monday!

Thankful for~

Delicious recipes! You know, the ones that have been handed down from one generation to another...

I have made this recipe a couple of times in the last year. I made it for a ladies meeting in March, 2009, and Jennifer shared it on her blog. Then, just two weeks ago, I made it for my sister's birthday. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, and some more chocolate, and you're not on a diet,   ;)  then I highly recommend this one to you!

Peanut Butter Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.
Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

~Cook these ingredients in a saucepan until it boils.

1 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

~Combine the following ingredients in a mixing bowl:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

~In a small bowl, temper 2 eggs with a little bit of the chocolate mixture along with 1 teaspoon vanilla. Then mix the eggs with the flour mixture and the chocolate mixture. (I usually just do this step in the saucepan, with a whisk.)

~Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool completely. Leave in the baking dish.

~After the cake has cooled, mix together:
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

~Spread on top of the cake.

~In a medium size saucepan, combine the following, and cook until bubbly:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons buttermilk

~Then add:
1 pound (about 4 cups) confectioner's sugar (for some reason, we used to call this 10x sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
(I usually mix this together with a whisk)

~Spread on top of peanut butter.

~Enjoy a slice with your favorite drink. I love this with a tall glass of milk!

~Store in the refrigerator.

Now a few pictures of the cake (and my sister and I)!

No, Sis is not just 6! But those are some cute candles!

A slice of yumminess!

Me and Sis (I know that's not proper English!)

What are YOU thankful for today?

Easter~2010

Easter~not just about Easter bunnies, and chocolate eggs, and jelly beans! What a wonderful day for Christians! We had a great weekend...

On Saturday evening, we made the Resurrection Rolls. The two older kids really enjoyed them and thought they were really neat.

R and D dipping the marshallows in cinnamon sugar...

One cute observer...

The rolls are empty~just like Jesus' tomb!

We will definitely do these again next year...Not only do they taste delicious, but this is a great object lesson for the kids!

On Sunday, we had a great church service, and five folks received Christ as their Savior. What a wonderful day to start their Christian life! Then we drove to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner. The cousins and aunts and uncles were there. It's always good to see family and spend time with them!

Easter morning, all dressed and ready to go to church...

The view from Grandma and Grandpa's front door!

Yea! I found some eggs!

The four oldest cousins decorated Easter bunny cakes

Grandma with the two youngest grandbabies. I love this picture!

Grandma and R waiting for the eggs to color...

D waiting for one of his eggs to get some color.

He said, "Tell me when five minutes is up and then I'll check my egg."

We had a great Easter remembering what the Lord Jesus did for us on the Cross, and how He came back to life on Easter morning! I'm so glad I know Jesus as my personal Savior. Do you know for sure that you have accepted Him as your personal Savior?

Daybook

For today, Tuesday, April 6, 2010~

Outside my window~61 degrees and cloudy skies

I am hearing~Oldest Daughter's alarm clock

I am thinking~about our weekend

I am thankful~for the EMPTY TOMB

I am remembering~visits to my Pappaw's house when I was a child, and just playing out behind his house for hours and hours until Mom called us in to wash up for supper. My Nanny went to Heaven a few weeks after I turned five, so I don't have a lot of memories of her. But, I am so glad that one day, I will see her again in Heaven!

I am reading~my Bible, a new flower book (Thank you, Hubbie!), and as usual, I'm also looking at cooking magazines and cookbooks

I am hoping~that none of us have cavities

UPDATE: We are all cavity-free! Yippee!

On my mind~is my brother (a missionary in Lithuania) and his family

From the learning rooms~back to school today

Noticing that~the pollen is starting to get thick on our vehicles

I am creating~some clean laundry today :)

Pondering these words~"He is not here; for He is risen as He said."

From the kitchen~not much recently because we went somewhere for Easter dinner (read that as "Donna didn't have to cook!")

Around the house~are some Easter eggs that need to get corraled today

One of my favorite things~spending time with my Hubbie and our children, and visiting with family

A few plans for the rest of the week~dentist appointments today, church on Wednesday, Hubbie is off on Friday, church activity on Saturday, and then church on Sunday

From my picture journal~

Model train show...

This number one engine is always a favorite around our house...

If you would like to read more Daybooks, go here!

Have a wonderful day, and thank you for reading!

Resurrection Rolls

Of all the wonderful things to learn and love and understand in our world, more than anything, I want my children to understand and love the fact that Jesus arose from the dead. We indeed serve a RISEN Savior! I received this Easter idea from a friend at church (Thanks, Jo Ann!) and I also found this recipe on Jennifer's blog, Smelling Coffee. She has some really great advice and some good ideas for family activities. This is a great object lesson~perfect for the little ones in your life!

Resurrection Rolls

crescent rolls~represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in
large marshmallows~represents Jesus
melted butter (about 1/2 cup)~respresents the oils of embalming
cinnamon/sugar mixture~represents the spices used to annoint the body of Jesus
350 degree oven~represents the tomb

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Give each child a triangle of the crescent roll and a large marshmallow.
3. Dip the marshmallow in the melted butter.
4. Then dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
5. Completely cover the marshmallow with the crescent roll, so that the marshmallow is completely sealed.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. (Pretend it is three days)
7. When the rolls have cooled slightly, the children can open their rolls (representing the cloth) and discover that the marshmallow (representing Jesus) is no longer there! The marshmallows melt and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Thankful

Thankful Thursday is such a wonderful day...just a time to set aside all other cares and focus on the blessings that the Lord has given me!

Today, I am thankful for my salvation. You can read my testimony here. I certainly don't deserve forgiveness, but I'm so thankful that God offered it freely to me (and to anyone who will accept it!) I am so thankful that Jesus was willing to leave Heaven for me. I am thankful for His willingness to die on the Cross and take my punishment. He loved me so much that if I was the only human being in the world, He would have still died in my place! I am thankful that Jesus did not stay dead, but on Sunday morning, Jesus arose from the dead and came out of that tomb!

Last night, our pastor showed some pictures he had taken on his recent trip to Israel. WOW! They were amazing, and he did such a good job with all the history and explaining things...Anyway, he took a picture of the place where historians believe that Jesus was buried. Tests have been run in that tomb, and they have discovered that nothing has ever decayed in that tomb! HALLELUJAH! Just across from the tomb, a tree (approximately 200 years old) has been growing, nothing has ever been done to the tree, and it is shaped like a cross! Amazing!

GOD IS SO GOOD!

God is so good,

God is so good,

God is so good,

He's so good to me!

He cares for me,

He cares for me,

He cares for me,

He's so good to me!

He answers prayer,

He answers prayer,

He answers prayer,

He's so good to me!

He died for me,

He died for me,

He died for me,

He's so good to me!

He's coming soon,

He's coming soon,

He's coming soon,

He's so good to me!

***One final thought***Pastor's tour guide told the group that all the pieces for the Temple are built and ready. They're just waiting....

JESUS IS COMING SOON!