FFF ~ Fun in the Midst of Slumps…

Time to get your favorites together to share. Susanne at Living to Tell the Story is our hostess for this event. Click on over and see what events, products, people, books, made the list!

I shared earlier this week that I’m in a bloggy slump of sorts but even in the midst of slumpiness there are lots of good things around me. The Light always shines I just need to see it. So here are my favorites from this past week.
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1. Soccer is my favorite sport in general but I have to say that the Seahawk football game against the Saints makes it on my favorites this week. Mostly because of this unbelievable run that you all probably have heard about already. The Seattle fans even made the Seismic charts.
Seattle is all a-buzz and on Sunday they’ll play the Chicago Bulls Bears to see if they keep their amazing run alive.
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2. I’m happy to report that my big toe was not broken last week but just bruised badly so I was able to go to Zumba on Monday morning. I’m really enjoying this form of exercise and have met some fun ladies my age and younger who keep me going. Here’s how Zumba is described: “Zumba Fitness® is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a “fitness-party” that is downright addictive”. At first I felt like I had 2 left feet but the routines are the same every time you go and before long you can do the steps automatically.
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3. The blower/fan in our fireplace insert died. Dear had to take the whole thing apart to figure out what part we needed. We ordered it online because it wasn’t available locally. It finally arrived on Wednesday and Dear put it all back together and we now have heat in our living room area again. This is our 2nd major heat source so we were pretty chilly for a few days and cuddled up in the family room where our little cast iron stove kept us warm. I’m happy Dear could fix it for a fraction of the cost to replace it.  $150 instead of $1500. Now Dear thinks he should be able to buy himself something for $1350. There is something suspect in that reasoning…
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4. Dear and I went to our local Mexican Restaurant this week and it was a great relaxing time with good conversation and debriefing on things that were on our minds this week. Sometimes it is just good to get out of the house so you aren’t a slave to your normal routines. We know the waitstaff by name here and they always make us feel welcomed. That’s Carne Asada and I’ll share the recipe closer to summer time on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog.

 

5. Speaking of the Mennonite Girls, we’ve had fun news about our upcoming cookbook this week. A few weeks ago the cover was released. This is what the cover will look like. Some of the gals have been interviewed by their local papers and this week one of the T.V. stations in Canada is interviewing a couple of the gals on their Sunday show. We keep pinching ourselves. Our Royalties from the sale of the book will be going to an organization in the Ukraine that feeds children. You can click on the cover to see more information on the book.

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Hope you are doing well. I’ll be coming around today or tomorrow to see your Faves…
Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Fulfilling Promises…

When I showed you the cake for our daughter’s birthday a couple weeks ago I promised to share the recipe. I have shared this recipe on my blog before but I’m posting it again. This cake is a family favorite. When I asked my daughter what she’d like for her birthday cake she requested this one.

The photo below was added in 2022 and is from our daughter’s birthday party in December of 2021. She’s still requesting this cake.

Applesauce Spice Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. 4 serving size Jello instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. all-spice (optional)
1/2 cup raisins, finely chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl of electric mixer and blend then beat at medium for 4 minutes. Pour into well greased and floured 10 inch tube or fluted tube pan. (I’ve used a bundt cake pan and angel food cake pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. Cool in pan for 15 min. remove and cool on rack. When the cake has cooled and before I serve it I give it a dusting of powdered sugar.

When I went out to purchase ingredients for the cake I forgot to buy applesauce. I didn’t want to make another trip to the store so I checked my cupboard and found a jar of spiced pear butter that my friend Sandy from the Reluctant Entertainer gifted me when we met for dinner earlier this year. Here’s her recipe for Sweet Spiced Apple Butter which looks just like the Pear butter.  Since the pears were already spiced nicely I omitted the spices from the recipe and just added the jar of goodness to the recipe. It turned out very nice and the spices were just right. Thank you Sandy!

For the record, I’ve never added the raisins to this recipe. My family prefers it without.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Good Thing it Snowed…

…cuz I’ve got nothing else for you.

 

I’m in a blogging slump of sorts. Moving on…

One look outside this morning and I knew where I would be.

 

I’m holed up inside away from the slush, hibernating in my den.

We are waiting on a part for our fireplace insert that died which makes this weather seem even colder. We have been congregating in our family room where our little stove is working and keeping that room warm.

 

These photos were taken before the sun was up.

 

Dear did make it out early this morning and reports he only had one trouble spot on the way to work. Later in the morning Katie braved the roads to go into work to train some people to do her job. She gets points for overcoming her snow driving fears. I still might get brave enough to make a trip to the post office and library. Time will tell. For more weighty matters…

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Our DIL works at World Concern and if you want a trustworthy place to donate money for the work in Haiti check them out. They have been working there for years and were there when the earthquake struck and are still there helping to rebuild homes and lives. World Concern in Haiti.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Got Thorns?

“They gave our Master a crown of thorns. Why do we hope for a crown of roses?”
~ Martin Luther ~

 

The New Testament does not paint a rosy picture for the Christian life on this Earth. Instead it assures us that if we follow Christ we will face trials and persecutions. Because we are identified with Christ we will receive much of the same bad treatment and rejection He received.

II Timothy 3:12 ~  Indeed, all who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I Peter 4:12 ~ Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

In our Women’s Bible Study today we talked about suffering, trials, persecution. We’re studying Philippians and Joy in everything seems to be the  theme so Joy in suffering was discussed.

James 1:2-4 ~ Count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The trials are inevitable. How will I react?  How should I behave in the midst of these trials? Will I choose joy trusting in Almighty God and His plans and purposes? I hope so. I want to experience steadfastness. I want to rejoice and be glad when Christ’s glory is revealed. I choose to trust that God will teach me in and during my trials to react and behave in a way that let’s steadfastness have its full effect bringing me homeward towards perfection and completeness, lacking nothing. I don’t want a crown of roses now, I want a crown of life so when I get to heaven I can cast it at Jesus’ feet…

Missing…

…my mom and pop.

 

This is a photo of them at the family Thanksgiving get together in California. We were in Washington. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my parents in person. I hope to be able to see them soon. Aren’t they the cutest!?

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Love is in the Air…

…and already stocked in some of the aisles in the local stores. I thought it was a good time to share about a fun party coming up just before Valentine’s Day.

 

Laurie is hosting this again this year. It’s a fun time to let the red, pink, and love flow freely. And speaking of love…

Here’s my sweet niece that I love dearly at Huntington Beach in California. I missed seeing her and the rest of my extended family this Christmas and New Year but at least I have photos to enjoy…

 

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

A Mind at Perfect Peace With God ~ Hymn

 

 

A Mind at Perfect Peace With God

A mind at perfect peace with God;
O what a word is this!
A sinner reconciled through blood;
This, this indeed is peace.

By nature and by practice far,
How very far from God;
Yet now by grace brought nigh to Him,
Through faith in Jesus’ blood.

So nigh, so very nigh to God,
I cannot nearer be;
For in the person of His Son
I am as near as He.

So dear, so very dear to God,
More dear I cannot be;
The love wherewith He loves the Son,
Such is His love to me.

Why should I ever anxious be,
Since such a God is mine?
He watches o’er me night and day,
And tells me “Mine is thine.”

FFF ~ Back to It…

 

I’ve missed a few weeks of Friday’s Fave Five because of Christmas and all but I’m getting back to it now. Thank you to Susanne at Living to tell the Story for hosting this event each Friday. Click on the logo above to join in…

 

1. Fresh flowers in the winter are such a treat. Our winters can be pretty dark so it’s so nice when the sun shines and brightens things up.

 

2. Our very cold and clear weather has afforded us some beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Sunrises are easier to see from inside my warm house then sunsets. This is a Sunrise…

 

3. Lots of good food has been cooked and eaten around here. These were the lamb chops we had on New Year’s Eve with a pepper cream sauce.

 

4. Dear’s new smoker is becoming a favorite around here.  Dear has smoked ribs, a Prime Rib Roast, and Pork Roasts in it already.

 

5. This last one is therapy I purchased for myself for $1.60. When I was little I always wished I’d get a package of Life Savers like this for Christmas. I saw them at the store and then saw kids at church who were flaunting them on Christmas morning. I never got one. When I was at the store this week there they were…a whole table of them for half-price. I stood there looking, then I picked one up and opened it to check the flavors of the rolls inside. I almost walked away and then I decided it was time to lay the wanting to rest and I threw one in the cart with a smile on my face and walked away. Ahhh…I’m free from that deprivation in my childhood!

6. This is an extra. Our daughter Katie was feeling ill at the beginning of the week and we were afraid it was appendicitis but it ended up being a kidney infection that could be treated with antibiotics and she’s feeling a whole lot better.  Yesterday a bag of groceries tore and a large bottle of juice landed on my big toe. Boy was I in a lot of pain and I thought it was broken but it’s feeling so much better today.

I’m looking forward to catching up with all of you this week…

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Snowflake Tablescape

Our daughter Katie turned 25 last week and on the morning of a little dinner party planned for her it snowed here! A theme is born…the snowflake table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her snowflake taco party was a success!

 

The cake was a spice cake with snow on top. Yes of course that’s snow in the form of powdered sugar! The only problem with snow on top of a birthday cake is when you go to blow out the candles you also get a snow flurry!

I’m linking to the lovely Susan at Between Naps on the Porch please click on over to see some very nice tables set for our enjoyment!

 

Plates: Nikko – Vintage Lace Platinum from Marshalls  ~ Snowflake tablecloth, centerpiece, napkins and napkin rings are from Martha Stewart K-Mart collection  ~ Candle holders are from a garage sale ~ Goblets, cut glass dessert plates, cake plate and scarf I used as a runner are from thrift stores ~

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

60 in 2011!

 

This won’t be the last time you hear about this but I’m turning 60 this year. 60! I saw this great idea when I was visiting Pink Purl, Tracy’s Blog in Norway. She had a list of 40 things she was going to do before her 40th birthday in 2 years. I really liked the idea but I don’t have 2 years until I’m 60 so I’m trying to come up with 60 things to do this year. If you have any suggestions leave me a comment. Some good ideas I’ve gotten so far are:

~ Take $60 in dollar bills and hand them out randomly.

~ Send your parents 60 cards thanking them for having you and the way they raised you.

~Take a cross country road trip with your daughter.

~Do a book signing in a local book store and invite some friends to join you!

~Each month drive 60 miles on a different route……

~ Do 60 posts about one memory for each of your years – granted you may need some help for the earlier years!!

I’ll be coming up with some of my own and then honing the list down to 60 things soon. Or maybe I should start on some and keep adding others till I get to 60. Time will tell.

This weather we’ve been having has given us some real nice sunrises. I took this one at the top of the post on New Year’s Eve morning.

Hope your week is going well. I’m getting back in the regular groove around here.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.