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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Treasure Hunt 2010

So - I decided to do a Halloween Party again for Chloe this year. I'm just as excited as she is about it - if not a little more. I am CHERISHING these days with her as I know there will come a time (ALL TOO SOON) when she won't want anything to do with Halloween parties. :(

This year I decided to do a Treasure Hunt for the six girls who will be with us this evening. I had TOO much fun making this little rhyming game up and so I wanted to share it with you. I've included the anwers for all of you to see... shhh!! :)

I will post pictures tomorrow!

CLUE # 1 (Chloe reads)
Happy Halloween all you witches and warlocks
here is your first clue...
He scares you as you enter into the long driveway
that's where you will find clue # 2
(blog friends - this is our scarecrow in our driveway)

CLUE # 2 (Hannah Blakely reads)
So you found clue # 2 and that was GOOD
but you have so much to see...
hope the tree ghosts don't scare you
as you search for # 3
(blog friends - this is the paper ghosts we have tied up in our tree)

CLUE # 3 (Victoria reads)
You are doing well and on your way
closer than you were before
be careful not to cross the bridge
as you look for # 4
(blog friends - this is the bridge we have over our pond)

CLUE # 4 (Maya reads)
Do you like to dance and groove?
Do you like to jive?
Check out where there's music
and you'll discover # 5
(blog friends - this is a boombox I'll have with music playing)

CLUE # 5 (Hannah Bartenslager reads)
On summer days it's nice for dad
to swing out in the sticks
but don't sit around too long
as you're finding # 6
(blog friends - this is Trevor's hammock he got this year for Father's Day)

CLUE # 6 (Samantha reads)
There is a sky so blue
when you look to towards heaven
but something else is up there managing the wind
could it be clue # 7?
(blog friends - this is our windmill we have by our pond)

CLUE # 7 (Chloe reads)
“Be careful” is what my mom says.
You'd better have a mate...
because it's lots more fun that way
as you jump to # 8
(blog friends - this is Chloe's trampoline)

CLUE # 8 (Hannah Blakely reads)
You are getting very close
but the treasure will be mine
if you can't locate in the cornstalks
for the next clue # 9
(blog friends - this is the decorative stalks I have on our front porch)

CLUE # 9 (Victoria reads)
AHA! There's only one clue left
Find it if you can!
Don't burn yourself in the fire
as you arrive at # 10!
(blog friends - this is the bonfire pit)

Friday, October 29, 2010

Recipe Friday

When I was blogging before, I did a RECIPE FRIDAY, and had so much fun with it - I decided to continue it. I am hoping some might find these recipes helpful. I will only post those in which my family and I have tried and found tasty ourselves. :)

I tried this one this summer... and it's not a very "warm-weather" dish, but would certainly be good as a fall/winter meal for a larger family. It's delicious and filling! (And if you're anything like me - you'll appreciate the one-dish meals!) Don't be discouraged by the long list of ingredients - they can all be prepped ahead of time and placed in small baggies until you're ready to cook! Note: I didn't include the jalapeno pepper when I made it.

ENJOY!


Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya


Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced
* 1 pound smoked ham, cubed
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 1 cup diced celery
* 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
* 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
* 1 cup seeded and diced tomato
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
* 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
* 3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
* 3 bay leaves
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
* 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.

Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and 1/2 cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.










Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Hairspray

I ran out of hairspray yesterday. It's never a good day when this happens. At first I thought - WHAT am I going to do? But had I really paid attention to the weather outside and the almost SIXTY-miles-an-hour winds, I would have passed on even the ATTEMPT to do my hair.

After realizing that my current bottle was completely out, I began to panic a little bit. Superficial, I know, but my hair requires hairspray to look half way decent when I leave the house.

In a panic, I began searching the bathroom cupboards for perhaps an old bottle remaining somewhere. Anywhere. One was not to be found. UNTIL I reached my hand to the VERY back shelf and found a VERY OLD and DUSTY bottle of spray. Alas.. an answer to prayer! (Well - okay, I wasn't actually PRAYING I'd find a bottle of hairspray - but it did save me for a time.) :) It still worked and did the trick. I was grateful.

But then it got me thinking...

I wonder if that's how God feels sometimes. I mean... don't we tend to "put him on a shelf", tucked away neatly behind all the other junk in our cupboards, only pulling him out when we desperately NEED Him? We try it on our own... perhaps we try other things to help me, give us answers, make us feel better - only to discover that we really can't to it without Him.

I've been completely guilty of this! There have times in my life when I've felt myself saying, "God, I've got this, why don't you go ahead and sit this one out." And so - I put Him on that shelf... way in the back... and try to do life my own way. But here's the thing... it never works! I always find myself in that desperate place of needing Him.

Perhaps it's a crisis going on in your life... a cancer that was just discovered, an accident led to tragedy, a broken heart, a wounded spirit, an intolerable child, an angry spouse, an opportunity missed, a friendship broken, a marriage crushed. I believe God's waiting for us to discover our EVERY DAY dependency on Him. I believe God's saying, "I GOT THIS... you can go ahead and sit this one out!"

We were NOT meant to do this thing called life alone! He's just a prayer away and longing for us to reach out for Him. Will we continue to put him on the shelf, in the back of the cupboard or will we allow Him to work in our lives every day?

He's got this, friend, He's got this!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

I Am A Mom




I waited my WHOLE life to be a mom. Really. I did. I remember playing as a child with my baby dolls and having a longing to mother another human being. I guess God blessed me with that innate desire for nurturing.

I remember when Chloe was first born. I couldn't stop looking at her. I stared for hours into that tiny face, studying her every feature. The way her nose twitched, the way her mouth drooped when she giggled and those eyes... those beautiful eyes that could melt your heart!

I remember praying for her. I prayed that God would protect her. I prayed that she would have a heart for pleasing Jesus and she would grow up tall and strong, kind, caring and smart. I prayed over and over again that she would make wise decisions and live a life filled with joy and peace.

I still pray every day for this precious daughter of mine! She is a gift from God. Now my prayers include thanksgiving. Chloe loves Jesus and lives her life to serve Him and others. She is strong, kind, caring and smart! With Gods help, she is making wise decisions that make her daddy and I very proud.

I am a mom. God, help me to be the best mom I can be!

Monday, October 25, 2010

I'm Out of Blog Retirement!

Well... it's been almost 21 months since my last post!! WOWZERS! Where DOES the time go? Lots has changed for me within those months. I should have lots to say - and I DO... but I will need to learn how to refrain to one post per day. :)

This... is my journey. This is a glimpse into my daily living. Glad you've stopped by to join me on this ride! I hope you will stop by often.

Because of His Grace,