Goodbye and Good Riddance, Monday..................Till Next Week

I took Monday off from the internet world so I could get caught up on some much needed things around the house that I have been neglecting. It is so easy to get caught up on all the many wonderful things the World Wide Web has to offer, but sometimes, before I even realize it, I have spent my entire morning pushing a mouse around a foam pad instead of doing what needs to be done........being the keeper of my home!

The garden needs to be tended too, my pool does NOT contain crystal clear water, there are clothes that need to be mended, and the rabbits in my yard have to pole-vault to get through the grass. I have dust bunnies the size of my 60 pound Border Collie, and Mt. Wash-more has literally taken over my dining area in my kitchen. EEEEEKKKK!!!!

So, as you can see, I had to take a stand!!! I made it a point yesterday to stay off the internet and get busy. Blogging would have to wait, my facebook friends would have to survive without me, and twitter was NOT going to find out what I was doing every 30 minutes!

All was going well and I was getting things accomplished. That is until........I was on my second load of laundry. For some unknown reason that we have yet to figure out, our washer, which sometimes has a mind of its own, decided that my kitchen floor was a liiiiittle too dirty and needed a good mopping up. The nerve it had to just 'throw up' in the middle of my cleaning frenzy. I will tell you though that MY first thought was NOT to run and get something to clean it up with, but was to run and get my shorts on and lie down in the cold, trickling waterfall, and I probably would have if my sister wasn't here, but SHE wanted me to get her some towels so we could clean it up. (RATS! what fun is that?) Who needs a pool in the back yard when you have a washing machine that overflows in the kitchen! LOL

Needless to say, this put quite the hamperdamper on the rest of my day. Now I had to "babysit" the washing machine, shutting off the water after it filled, then turning it back on when it was time for the rinse cycle while running back and forth between the other things that I was doing. URGGHH!

After we got the water in the kitchen cleaned up, I went in to my bathroom to get the clothes hamper for the next load of wash. "FAST BREAKING NEWS FLASH" I yelled to my sister. "THIS JUST IN: Pool from the kitchen of Goose Hill Farm has decided to re-locate to the BATHROOM!" All I could do was LAUGH!!!!! What a day!

Takin' The Day Off

My house is a DISASTER.....so what do you suppose that means?

See ya'll tomorrow!

OMGosh....Are You Serious?

For Kiddo's birthday, my friend Daisy and her daughters, Sunshine and Wild Flower, gave him a little hand-held game called 20 Questions and it is REALLY cool!!!! You think of an object, and it asks you 20 questions which you answer with, YES, NO, or SOMETIMES, and by the responses you give, it guesses what your object is. I have tried this about 10 times and it has only missed once, and that is because I answered one of the questions wrong. Next time, I will answer YES when it asks if my object (a match) burns!

Well, the other day, Kiddo picked it up again after a awhile and gave and was playing with it. He stood there, answered all the questions, and then said............

"DARN!! I don't know how it knew my answer. I whispered really softly so it wouldn't hear what I was saying!"

My response was....what else....OMGosh....are you serious? What else could I do but laugh!

A Giveaway!

I am so excited that I found a blog called Joyous Notions. Each month, they will be giving away TWO full subscriptions to their magazine, Seasons At Home! How AWESOME is that? I just LOVE giveaways......don't you? So, every month, I am going to re-post this entry until my name is picked! :> )

Seasons At Home magazine is a full-color, print publication created to encourage families and better prepare themselves through the passing on of life skills needed in the home. Seasons is filled with articles and projects that revolve around homeschooling, sewing, cooking and baking, gardening, Titus 2 encouragement, themed teas for mothers and daughters, father/son projects, and daughters at home.

You have many opportunities to be entered into the drawing. You will get one entry for each of the following:

1. One entry just for leaving your name (First name and last name initial or full name)

2. One entry for tweeting the giveaway on your Twitter page (you must leave a link in the comment to your Twitter page for us verify)

3. One entry for blogging about the giveaway (again leave a link in the comment to your blog for us to verify)

4. You may grab one of the graphics below to link to us from your sidebar. (Again, leave a link in the comment for us to verify!)

For a full list of entry details, please go here
Good luck and God Bless!

Feeling Frugal

I just read a post over at Mocha Momma's on penny pinching. She asked if we could share some of the frugal tips that we were using to save money so of course, this "frugal female" just HAD to chime in!

Frugal living is not just about saving money...it's a way of life, and one that I wish we had started a long time ago. It is amazing the feeling of satisfaction I get, knowing that we are the ones that made these things. But the most important thing is that we know EXACTLY what is and is not in the food that we eat and the cleaners that we use.

When we first started practicing frugality, living within our means, almost 2 1/2 years ago, I went to the library and borrowed a bunch of books. Two of my favorites that I found were "Miserly Moms"

and "Frugal Living for DUMMIES"

Both have a ton of ideas to cut costs and even recipes that I have tried that are delicious. One thing these recipes don't skimp on is TASTE!.

Around our house, we make, rather than buy, as much as we can. We cook/bake as much as we can from scratch. We make our own breads, snacks, desserts, Bisquick baking mix, taco seasoning, apple pie spice, iced tea, and grow and dry our own herbs. I used to re-use my coffee filters over again, but now I have a percolator and it does not use filters, it has a basket. WAHOO!

We use washcloths in place of napkins, grow our own vegetables, and go to pick-your-own farms for our fruit. When we do shop for things that we can't make or grow, we go to one of the two discount grocery stores in our area called Sharp Shopper or Aldi's. Also using coupons and comparison shopping is another way to save a great deal of money. You can also get on-line coupons that you can print out to take with you to many stores. My sister is the "discount code" queen! LOL

We also make our own laundry detergent/fabric softener, and household cleaning supplies. When I know I am running out of detergent, I wait until a day when we are grilling or cooking meat for the week to make more by using the hot coals from the fire. It doesn't take very long to do, so the coals are still good and hot after we finish and clean up from dinner. I only dry our clothes for about 4-5 minutes to get the wrinkles out, then it all goes out on the line or hung up in the house to dry. We also use hurricane lamps and candles for lighting as much as possible. I also wash and re-use our plastic storage bags as well.

There are so many things that you can do and so many different ways that we can cut costs around our homes that it is impossible to list them all. There are, however, a TON of resources available at your local library as well as on the internet. Word of mouth is also a good way. Ask your friends and neighbors if they have any money-saving-tips they would like to share with you, and vice versa.

The only thing it takes to live a "frugal lifestyle" is a little bit of time. And if you do decide to live a more simple life, you will find out that the rewards are AMAZING!

Blessings~
Laura

Blueberry Pickin'

Today is our annual blueberry pickin' day and we are sooooo excited! It is supposed to be 94 today so we are going to get an early start. I will have some pictures and a DELICIOUS recipe to share when we return.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Blessings~
Laura

Michael Jackson

(TO VIEW VIDEO, PLEASE PAUSE MY MUSIC PLAYER LOCATED ON MY SIDEBAR!)

I am and always have been a Michael Jackson fan and I am NOT ashamed to admit it! My girls and I used to watch his "Thriller" video over....and over....and over....and over again. We had so much fun doing the dance moves and singing together. Memories we made that I will forever keep in my heart!

I tried to find the full version to "Thriller" but so many of his videos have been disabled by request, so here is a short one.

RIP, Micheal Jackson
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family!

Blessings~
Laura

Sixth Photo Challenge From Mocha Momma

Nannette over at Life: Be In It has challenged me to post the sixth photo in the sixth folder I have on my computer. I'll tell the story that goes with the photo and then explain the rules for the five people I select to challenge. So here goes:



The other day, I was looking all through my pictures, trying to find the ones from Kiddo's 13th birthday trip to DISNEY. I looked everywhere and still could not find them. "Ok, Lord....please help me locate these pictures!" I prayed. :D

Well, yesterday, I got a message from Nannette that I had been tagged for this challenge, one I had never heard of before. COOL! So, off I went to my sixth folder to find the sixth picture and you will NEVER guess what I found....Kiddo's 13th birthday pics! My prayers were answered. THANK YOU, GOD....and Nanette! :D What's really funny is, is that I normally blog from my desktop in the office but today, I am on Skippy's laptop. Had I been, I never would have found these pictures! WOW!

This is me with my sister, Dawn (Noony). When we go to Florida, we usually stay with her and her family and have a WONDERFUL time! And this time, was no exception! :> ) We went swimming, ate dinner out at a restaurant, visited with our niece and nephews, and just relaxed, enjoyed each others company, and had a great time in the process. I was so sorry to see it end. But I will tell you this, if Noony has her way....we will one day be living in the "Sunshine" state!

I thank God for my family. I only wish that we all lived closer together!

Blessings~
Laura

Ok, now I need to select five bloggy friends to take the sixth photo challenge:

Christina from Christina's Created Creations
Renee at Glow Academy
My Cheesey Girl over at Great Adventures II
Brit over at Toddler Mania
Manuela over at Manu's Place

Rules:
1) Go to your photo folders
2) Select the sixth file folder
3) Open it and select the sixth photo in that file folder
4) Write a story for that picture, post it and
5) Select five bloggy friends to tag
6) Be sure to let them know they've been tagged

Have fun with it and I'll be looking for your sixth photos and stories.

Blessings~
Laura

Where Did All My Berries Go......

That's where! :> )

Delicious Corn Pudding

Goose brought home this recipe from MIL's and said I just HAD to try it..........so we did. Goose used a 13 x 9 inch pan but then realized after she baked it, that she should have used a smaller pan so it would have been a bit more moist. I really liked it though the way it came out, however she didn't. The following morning, Kiddo and I cut it into squares and fried up some up with butter in my cast iron skillet. YUMMY!

YUMMMY!!!!

This is a definite must if you love corn as much as I do!! ENJOY!!!!

Easy & Delicious Corn Pudding

1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 stick butter (melted)
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 - 8 oz container of sour cream
8 x 8 inch glass pan

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8 x 8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, put aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients. (are you still with me? lol) Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 1 hour. The top will be a nice golden brown.
Now isn't that one of the easiest recipes you have ever seen?

We I couldn't wait for it to cool! lol

Mmmmmmmmm.....It's soooo good!

Blessings~
Laura

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Come for a walk with me down Memory Lane!
And if you have a "Memory Lane" post, head on over to Scottsville to join in on the fun!

Last year Skippy installed a wood burning stove in our family room. He had to cut through the wall to insert a pipe. I was taking a picture of the leaves through the hole when up-popped Skippy.

"Come back and take another one" he said, "But wait until I count to three, then snap the picture. Ok, 1....2....3!"

I pushed the button and this is what I got.............

My grand fur-baby, BAILEY BOOS! ROFLOL! She is soooo precious and what a HOOT!

I am so glad that Goose went to her friend's house the other day to go swimming because I got to watch the Boos for a few hours! WAHOO!

I just love being a grandma! :>)

Blessings~
Laura

A Hubby Tag

"I am my beloved's and my bleloved is mine!"Solomon 6:3
1. WHO IS YOUR MAN ? Skippy

2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER? In November, we will celebrate our 22nd anniversary

3. HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? About 2 1/2 years

4. HOW OLD IS YOUR MAN? He will be celebrating his 41st birthday this year

5. WHO EATS MORE? ROFLOL! It's a tie!

6. WHO SAID I LOVE YOU FIRST? He did!

7. WHO IS TALLER? I am! I stand 6'1", he is 5'11".

8. WHO SINGS BETTER? We both can sing, but together we sound BEAUTIFUL!

9.WHO IS SMARTER? Definitely, Skippy!

10. WHOSE TEMPER IS WORSE? He just has a shorter fuse than I, not a bad temper

11. WHO DOES THE LAUNDRY? I do most of it, but he makes the most of it!

12.WHO TAKES OUT THE GARBAGE? We both share in the responsibility of taking out the garbage. I take it OUT of the garbage can in the kitchen and put it by the back door, and he takes it OUT to the recycling center

13. WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED? Is there a wrong side?

14.WHO PAYS THE BILLS? He does. I just remind him.......sometimes

15. WHO IS BETTER WITH THE COMPUTER? It really depends on what it is we are doing on it. We both have different talents in that area

16.WHO MOWS THE LAWN? I do. Thank God for my tractor!!!

17.WHO COOKS DINNER? I do most of the time unless I'm not home.......then they eat P I Z Z A!!!.

18. WHO DRIVES WHEN YOU'RE TOGETHER? He does, unless he has worked long hours and is tired

19. WHO PAYS WHEN YOU GO OUT? He does, of course! :D

20. WHO IS MOST STUBBORN? We both have our stubborn side, but I believe I am the most stubborn

21. WHO IS THE FIRST TO ADMIT WHEN THEY ARE WRONG? Neither...........we are both always right! :>)

22. WHOSE PARENTS DO YOU SEE THE MOST? Skippy's. Both of my parents have been Promoted to Glory!!!

23. WHO KISSED WHOM FIRST? Hmmm......I think it was he who kissed me first

24. WHO ASKED WHO OUT? Neither one, it just happened

25. WHO PROPOSED? Skippy proposed to me on Christmas morning at my Grandmother Foxy's house

26. WHO IS MORE SENSITIVE? Absolutely ME!!!

27. WHO HAS MORE FRIENDS? I do, although we have a lot of mutual friends.

28. WHO HAS MORE SIBLINGS? I do. I have 7 siblings, 4 sisters and 3 brothers, Skippy has 2 brothers

29. WHO WEARS THE PANTS IN THE FAMILY? Skippy wears the pants in the family. I just them out!!!!! ROFLOL! Just kidding!

30. HOW DID YOU MEET? We met when his mom and I worked together for The Salvation Army. I tried to fix him up with my sister. I WON!!!

Ok ladies, I tag........umm, lets see.........everyone on my friends list who would like to participate!

Blessings~
Laura

When There's No Tomorrow

I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 1:13-14

We only have today. Should God take you today, have you accomplished everything that you wanted to or needed to? Have you said all the things that needed to be said? Let’s have no regrets, let’s make sure we get to those things, so that when we’re standing before the Lord, the only thing we need to do is to worship him, and not regret not getting to that thing on our to do list.

I would LOVE to say that I don't have any regrets, but I would be lying. There are things that I wish that I would have said to the people in my life that have passed on before me, but unfortunately, I will not have that chance and that weighs heavily on my heart.

I can't do anything about what has or has not happened in the past, but I can do something about what will happen in the future. I will put God first and foremost in my life. I will have a closer relationship with God. I will be more deligent in spreading the word of God and witnessing to others. I will make it a point to tell my family, as much as I can, how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I will be the best daughter/wife/mother/sister/aunt/friend that I can be.

When God decides that my time on this earth is through, I want to have a clean heart, empty of regret, but overflowing with love for my Lord and Savior, so I can then bow down before my God and praise His precious, holy name!

Blessings~
Laura

Happy Father's Day

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” -Lydia M. Child

This is my dad, Ralph Gordon van Deurs. This is his graduation picture taken back in 1947. He stood 6'11". This is one of my favorite pictures of him. Isn't he just the most handsome fellow?

It is hard to believe that Dad has been gone 19 years this past May. He was a wonderful dad with a great sense of humor and a love for the Lord.

I love you, Dad, and can't wait until the day that we will all be together again in God's glorious kingdom!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, PAPA!!
We LOVE you!

FREE McCafe's at McDonald's

I just found out from my friend Deb, that McDonald's is giving away FREE McCafe's this weekend in honor of Father's Day. They have a variety of different flavors to choose from.

So, don't forget to get your FREEBIE tomorrow.

ENJOY!

Homemade Bisquick Mix

I really like using Bisquick, and I had for years, but with the amount we used, it was getting rather expensive. They have so many wonderful recipes on that cute little box of theirs. However, I can't tell you how happy this frugal female was when I found a recipe where I could make my own. YIPPEE!!

This recipe is SUPER EASY to make. This is all we use now and we really like it. One thing I have done when I use this for pancakes, and I guess you could use it in waffle batter as well, is use flavored coffee creamer instead of milk. My favorite is French Vanilla or Cinnamon Bun. Mmmmmmmm! I hope you will like using this recipe as much as we do!

Homemade Bisquick

6 cups of flour
3 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
1 cup shortening

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together three times into a large bowl.
Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter/blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Use the same amount of homemade recipe as you would for Bisquick
ENJOY!

Blessings~

Magic Cookie Bars

I hope you are reading today, Christina....this is for you! :> )

While I was growing up, my grandmother, Foxy, used to make these treats for us when we would come over to visit. And oh, what a "treat" they are. Packed full of ooey, gooey, OMGoodness!

I have not made these bars for quite some time, but after posting about Foxy and mentioning her cookie bars the other day, I now have to make these for myself family.

Ok, now onto the food recipe!

Servings: Makes 2 to 3 dozen bars
Serving Size: 1/36 of a recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass dish). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13X9-inch baking pan. Pour EAGLE BRAND® evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.

Recipe Variations: Substitute chocolate chips or nuts with: candy coated pieces, dried cranberries, raisins, mini marshmallows or butterscotch chips.

I hope you like these...WE DO!

Blessings~
Laura

Amish Friendship Bread

I used to make this recipe all the time when my kids were little but then everyone I knew stopped making it. Goose got some starter 10 days ago and I was so excited. Last night was the last day so I got to make it. It is DECLICIOUS!

Although the history of Amish Friendship Bread is vague, it typifies the strong Amish community. The term "Friendship" relates to the custom of sharing some of the bread starter with your friends, like a food chain letter. The base of the bread recipe is actually a type of sourdough starter, which begins as a mixture of flour, sugar, and water. Airborne yeast ferments the mixture, which was a staple to early pioneers in bread-making; this was before you could buy active dry yeast at the grocery store. The starter, which is the leavening agent, can be used to make pancakes, breads and cakes.

To make a Starter Batch: In a plastic bowl (do not use metal anything) place 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk and blend together. Do not refrigerate. Put the mixture into a large gallon size bag. If any air gets into the bag, let it out. It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble and ferment.

Day 1: This is the day you receive the batter - so do nothing. (if you are the one preparing it, this is the day you would hand it out to others having been made that morning.)

Day 2: Squeeze the bag to mix the batter.

Day 3: Squeeze the bag.

Day 4: Squeeze the bag.

Day 5: Squeeze the bag.

Day 6: Add 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk right into the bag, careful for any leaks or tears. Mix the contents by using a spatula or by squeezing the bag.

Day 7: Squeeze the bag.

Day 8: Squeeze the bag.

Day 9: Squeeze the bag.

Day 10: In a large plastic bowl, combine the batter, 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk.

With a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together. Pour four (4) 1-cup starters into large ziplock bags. Keep one starter for yourself, and give the other three starters to your friends along with a copy of these instructions. To the remaining batter in the bowl:

add 1 cup of oil

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

and 1 large box of instant vanilla pudding

In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon to create a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Grease two loaf pans. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture into the bottom and on sides. Pour the batter into the pans. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture between the two pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Eat and enjoy!

Blessings~
Laura

What's On The Menu?

Tonight's dinner on the farm:

Grilled cheese on five grain bread w/salad

Dessert:

Vanilla Skinny Cow chocolate dipped ice cream sticks

(This menu is subject to change at any given moment!)

A Giveaway - YEE HAW

How would you like to win a beautiful hand-crocheted hat or a have a new blog makeover? I know I would. If you would like to participate, please click here!

Blessings for a happy Wednesday~
Laura

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Come for a walk with me down Memory Lane!
And if you have a "Memory Lane" post, head on over to Scottsville to join in on the fun!

I would like you to meet my Aunt Dee (on the left) and my grandmother, Foxy (on the right). They were two of the most loving, compassionate, hysterically funny people you could ever meet. This picture was taken at Foxy's house in Farmingdale, NY around 30 years ago.

I have a funny memory about each one that will always stick with me. Aunt Dee Dee had the LONGEST nails I have ever seen on anyone. And oh, did she LOVE those boxes of assorted chocolates. However, she did NOT like certain cream fillings in the center. To make sure that she didn't get one that she wouldn't eat, she would stick her looooooong fingernail into the bottom of the chocolate and then pull it out. If it was one she liked, she would eat it. If it was one she didn't, she would smooth the bottom back over and then put it back in the box. EEEEEWWW!!! I'll bet you can guess that when we went to Aunt Dee Dee's house, NO ONE ate chocolate! ROFLOL!

Ok, now for my Foxy. Being Norwegian, it was a tradition in our house that we celebrated our Christmas on Christmas eve, at home with our families. Then on Christmas day, we would ALL (cousins, aunts, and uncles included) go to Foxy's for presents and dinner. That was always so much fun. There were a LOT of us! LOL Now EVERYONE loved having dinner there because Foxy was an AWESOME cook and she made the most delicious macaroni and cheese and a mean pan of Magic Cookie Bars )I will post the recipe for these later).

While we were opening our gifts, you could just smell the aroma of the mac & cheese baking in the oven. Mmmmm.....I couldn't wait. The food was set up on the buffet hutch and we all anxiously took turns getting our food. As usual, the mac & cheese was the first thing to go. As we all took our seats, said the blessing and started to eat, a hush came over the room. Everyone was eating their mac & cheese. But what I started to notice was not the usual face of cheesey satisfaction, but the look of extreme horror. One by one their faces became distorted, but yet no one said anything. I took a bite of mine, and to my dismay, that same look now appeared on my face as well.

I got up and went to my mom and said, "Mom....what's wrong with Foxy's mac & cheese? It feels like I'm eating sand!"

Perhaps she dropped the cheese on the floor and didn't get all the dirt off of it," she said.

"But mom, it's not just on mine. Look at everyone else's face. Theirs is the same way but no one wants to say anything to Foxy!"

My mother stood up and whispered in my grandmother's ear, "Mom, did you drop the cheese slices on the floor while you were making dinner?"

"No," Foxy replied.

"Did you do anything different this time?" mom questioned?

"Well, I did put grated parmesan cheese on top instead of bread crumbs like I normally use."

"Mom," my mother said, "Would you please go get me the can cheese that you used?"

Foxy got up and went into the pantry closet in the kitchen, grabbed the can and came back and sat down. "Here it is," she said, passing the can to my mom.

"EVERYONE STOP EATING IMMEDIATELY!!" my mother yelled.

"Foxy," my mother said, "This is NOT cheese......this is COMET!" Well, I have never seen so many people get up and run to the bathroom in my entire life! I laughed so hard my stomach hurt!

"I can just see the headlines now," my mother said. "Matriarch kills entire family on Christmas with her Macaron & Cheese!" ROFLOL!

Needless to say, no one ate the beautiful white cake Foxy made for fear she had used shredded Ivory soap instead of coconut!

Thanks for the memories, Aunt Dee Dee and Foxy. WE LOVE YOU and MISS YOU BUNCHES!

Friends

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
Ecclesiastes 4:9


People today, have lost sight of what a true friendship is. So, in the sprit of my good friends, real life and on-line, I thought I would try and explain what true friends are.

Friends don't have to be exactly the same. They can have similarities, but they have their differences. We need to accept each other they way they are, faults and all. Be a WYSIWYG person (what you see is what you get), it's the best kind to be!

Friends should be able to argue! You can't always agree on everything. I think if you do, then you really are not being true.

You have to be comfortable together. You should never feel nervous or uptight, or feel like you are walking on egg shells. If you do, something isn't quite right.

Friends love each other UNCONDITIONALLY! Sure, we have our liitle "tiffs", but when all is said and done, we forgive and forget...it's done, over-with, it's in the past!

Believe in love at first sight because there IS the equivalent in friendship. You don't have to know someone for a really long time or really well to become good friends. Nor do you have to have met someone in-real-life. Many life-time friendships have grown with the only communication coming from chatting on-line or on the telephone.

Friends are FOREVER but only if YOU keep it that way! . Don't diss your buds, love them instead. And when they drive you crazy, love them that much more for being just a little bit different and maybe just a little bit quirky!

Blessings to you, my friends~
Laura

What's On The Menu?

Tonight's dinner on the farm:

I don't have a clue!!! ROFLOL!

Dessert:

Something sweet and ooey-gooey.
Any ideas?

(This menu is subject to change at any given moment!)

A Sad Day On The Farm

If you remember, few weeks back I told you about our cat, Mopey. He had gotten seriously congested and came down with a nasty sinus infection. After a trip to the vet, she put him on a strong antibiotic. It seemed to help but then Mopey took a turn for the worse.

Sometime yesterday, our sweet Mopey passed away. This has been extremely hard for our family, especially Skippy, as Mopey has been his best buddy since birth.

Goodbye, sweet Mopey. You have left a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. We LOVE YOU and you will be greatly missed!

"The Lord will hear your crying, and He will comfort you. When He hears you, He will help you!"

Isaiah 30:19

What's On The Menu?

Tonight's dinner on the farm:

Homemade chicken noodle soup and buttermilk biscuits, salad

Dessert:

Chocolate chip cookies w/walnuts.....SOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!

(This menu is subject to change at any given moment!)

Blog Rights

The purpose of my blog is to write and share my life, beliefs, interests, etc, and to encourage others. This is my site and it belongs to me. It is my right to share my feelings, my convictions, my beliefs, and my opinions, as I please.

Whatever I write here is my right to do so. If something offends you, you are welcome to press the little red X in the top right corner of your screen just as I do, when I come across something that offends me or goes against what I believe, or I feel is inappropriate.

I welcome you to comment and discuss topics with me, but only if it is in a civil manner, without profanity, and one that is not in a demeaning or offensive manner. I have the right to delete any comment that I deem necessary or inappropriate. Any comment that is NOT family friendly WILL BE DELETED!!!

Thank you for your understanding!

Blessings~
Laura

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...June 15, 2009

Outside my window...I can see the dogs playing. We have one, and I am watching my sister's 2 dogs while her and her family are in Florida. They are so adorable and playing nicely. Although the cats aren't too happy! :> (

I am thinking...that there is a TON of laundry to do and lots of weeds to pull

I am thankful for...that I live in a country where I can freely worship Jesus Christ

From the learning rooms...we are finished with testing and will be taking a break for a bit. We will still do reading, spelling, and some handwriting over the summer, otherwise it will be SO HARD to get Kiddo back into the swing of it in the fall

From the kitchen...I am making homemade chicken soup for dinner

I am wearing...my nightgown

I am creating...a mess in my kitchen

I am going...to my sister's to feed the cats and the fish, and maybe even enjoy a little A/C

I am reading...Having A Mary Spirit, The Devil's Mathematics

I am hoping...to get a new crochet hook today so I can start an afghan for Needles for the Needy

I am hearing...the birds chirping outside....BEAUTIFUL!

Around the house...there is sewing that needs to be done, but I hate to sit in front of the machine on such a GORGEOUS day!

One of my favorite things...is my ipod. I love to listen to my christian music while I mow the lawn

A few plans for the rest of the week...I hope to get a new clothes line put back up

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is my dear, sweet Emma. Gone but not forgotten!

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, please visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Blessings~
Laura

Scripture Pics

I absolutely LOVE photography (I don't believe the word "photographer" will EVER be used in the same sentence with my name! lol) and I LOVE scripture, so I decided to combine the two. Here are some of the "Scripture Pics" I have made using my personal photographs. I hope you enjoy them!

Blessings~
Laura

A Chocolate Request

Martha over at Fly Away Birdie is accepting contributions of chocolate, so I thought I would be a good blogging neighbor and help her out.

Hey, Martha....will this do?


ENJOY~
Laura

Cast Iron Skillet Biscuits

Kiddo and I made these nice biscuits this morning and we really liked them. They are super easy to make and their baking time is only about 10 minutes. However, I think the next time I make them, I will add just a bit more salt and make them a little thicker.

To make this recipe, start with one tablespoon of shortening in your Cast Iron Skillet. Place your skillet in the oven and turn on to 500 degrees. By the time you get the rest put together, you'll be ready to use it.

1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons of shortening
1/2 cup Buttermilk
Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the shortening and cut in. Work it with your pastry cutter or a fork until very small clumps are left. Add the Buttermilk. Mix slightly.

Knead a bit but not much. The more you knead, the flatter they will become.

Flatten out to 1/2" thick. Cut out bisquits with cutter. I don't have a cutter so I whenever I make bisuits, I just use a mug instead.

Your pan should now be hot enough. Be very careful and use a hot pad to pull the pan out of the oven.

Place the bisquits in the shortening.

Quickly turn once....

then place back in the oven.

They'll be ready in about 10 minutes. ENJOY!!

Blessings~
Laura