Something smells yummy....

….it’s Cinnamon Rolls!!!!

  We hadn’t had these forever so I decided to mix up a batch, well actually I had to double the recipe!! The whole family loves these so much that I have to make a double batch.   These are so yummy but they aren’t your typical cinnamon rolls.  They are more like Cinnamon "biscuit" rolls!!  Imagine a southern "baking powder" biscuit, but rolled up with cinnamon and sugar in it and topped with a cream cheese and powdered sugar glaze.  Yuummmmmm!!!  Here’s the recipe if you are interested…

Cinnamon Rolls by Nelda Robinson (Homemade Memories cookbook)

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 Tbs. cinnamon
• Nuts or raisins, if desired

Mix flour, salt and baking powder.  Add in butter and milk.  Mix.  Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.  Brush with additional softened butter.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.  Roll up like a jellyroll.  Cut in pieces 3/4 inch thick.  Place in buttered tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until browned.  Makes about a dozen rolls.

Now, I don’t measure the softened butter that I brush on the rolled out dough, nor do I measure the sugar and cinnamon.  I just "eye" it.   I don’t add the nuts or raisins but I’m sure it would be good with those too.  I top these with a cream cheese and powdered sugar glaze.  I don’t measure that either but I use about 1/3 cup cream cheese and 2 Tbs. butter, creamed together.  I then add a cup or so of powdered sugar.  After that I add a little milk (Tbs. or so) to thin it a little bit.  You might want to look up a real recipe for a cream cheese and powdered sugar glaze.

These are so yummy though.  And, very different from your normal cinnamon rolls.  I’m sure you noticed that this doesn’t have yeast in it, hence the cinnamon "biscuit" roll. 

Never a dull moment around here...

It was another beautiful fall day here this morning so I had the kids go outside and play.  I was keeping watch but doing some cleaning.  Lanie ran in to me and said, "My foot is hurt!"  I look down and sure enough, blood is dripping (running) off her toes…  …all over my carpet too.  Scott was in school so I’m the only one here.   I pick her up quickly and take her into the kitchen to the sink so I can  "access" the gravity of the situation.  It’s bad.    She has cut her foot and it’s bleeding like crazy, over an inch deep and about an inch long.  Right at the "pad" of her foot and up between her 2nd and 3rd toes.  So, my mom comes over to hold it together and put pressure on it while I get dressed.  I take her to the clinic.  They only put in 4 stitches b/c it must heal from the inside out so the stitches just basically hold the skin together on the outside.   Here’s a picture of her foot….

You can’t tell a whole lot but that gives you an idea.  Poor baby.  It will take over a week to heal.    What a pain!!!  She cut it on a mason jar that our son forgot and left outside and then another son dropped and broke and left it there…   And, he didn’t come tell mom either.    Lanie isn’t very happy about being cooped up and not being allowed to run around…see….

Hopefully it will heal well w/o any infection or anything!

I've been tagged! What are MY quirks?

I have been asked by Misty at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MistyKrasawski/

to share 6 unspectacular, quirky things about myself.  Ok, this is going to take some thought.  I’m pretty boring I think!! But, here goes…

1)     I cannot touch cotton balls. 😫 It gives me the same feeling that so many people get when they hear finger nails being scraped down a chalkboard.  UUUuuggghhh!!

2)     I do not like anyone to mess with my hair. 😩 Drives me nuts!

3)     I MUST sleep with 3 pillows and they can ONLY be MY pillows.  I carry them around wherever I go if we are going to be gone over night.  What a pain!!!😏

4)     I CANNOT stand June bugs!!! 😵 I’m “scared” to death of them and go nuts if they are flying around.  (Yes, I KNOW they can’t hurt me but I just can’t wrap my mind around that one as they are flying around.)

5)     I WILL NOT drink milk out of a plastic glass and I WILL NOT eat cereal (with milk) out of a plastic bowl.

6)     I have only 1 plastic cup (for iced tea) and 1 coffee cup that I use.

Ummmm…now that I read that list, I’m beginning to think I’m pretty weird!!!! 😜

Spring (oh, I mean Fall) Cleaning

I am staying very busy today.  The Lord has me on a Spring cleaning (in the Fall) mission.  I had been praying that the Lord would help my days be filled with joy.  As John 10:10 (KJV) says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  I know that Satan is here, ready at every moment, to suck the joy right out of my day.  But, I want to be joyful!  I chose to be joyful!!   I chose to live life more abundantly.  In order for me to do this, the Lord has shown me that I must purge my life of anything that "sucks the joy" from it.  For me, that is clutter.    I can’t stand clutter.  And, He’s also shown me that I will live life more abundantly and joyful if I will keep up with my cleaning/organizing.  So, for the past 2 weeks, I have been cleaning and organizing and de-cluttering like mad!  Trying to find any and everything I can to keep up with all the day to day "must do’s".  I’ve gotten my weekly chore lists updated and now I’m down to the de-cluttering.   

I’ve also found joy in this verse, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands…" 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NIV)

I see work now as a way I can glorify God.  I know without a doubt that the Lord wants me to work diligently taking care of my children, my husband and my home.  How blessed I am to have a home to clean and de-clutter.  How blessed I am to have children and a husband to take care of and love.    It also helps when I listen to praise music as I do my "chores".  This helps me to use the time for praising God and realizing all the blessings He has brought to my life. 

So, today I praise the Lord that He has shown me how to do all these things more abundantly through Him.  I chose to glorify Him by working with my hands as I de-clutter!   What a great way to begin finding that extra joy in my life!

Yummmmm...Taco Soup

Oh we had such a great day last week!  It was a cooler fall day and I couldn’t resist the urge to make soup.  I’ve been craving Taco soup for weeks but just hadn’t taken the time to make it. But, the weather was perfect and I decided it was time!!  So, we all had a yummy bowl of soup (or two 😋)…
 

All the kids just love this soup!!! 😁 Which is kind of surprising, as normally it’s difficult to find a meal that everyone loves. Here’s Mason enjoying his bowl of soup….

Can’t you tell that he just loves it!?! He doesn’t normally eat soup either.  I thought I’d give you all the recipe too.  It is so easy and quick.  I got this recipe from a Mary, a lady at my previous church, but I’m not sure where she got it.

Taco Soup

• 1 lb.  – hamburger meat, browned
• 1 – small onion, finely chopped
• 1 – Taco Seasoning packet
• 1 – Ranch Dressing packet
• 1 can - Rotel tomatoes (milder?) 
• 1 can – whole corn
• 1 can – carrots (or mixed veggies)
• Chicken broth
• Grated cheese
• Tortilla chips/strips

Brown hamburger meat with onion, drain well.  In boiler, add Taco Seasoning packet and ranch packet to the hamburger mixture.  Add canned corn, carrots (or the mixed veggies) and Rotel tomatoes, including the liquid in the cans.  Then, add just enough chicken broth to cover the mixture well.  Heat this on med-high until beginning to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes to an hour.  In individual bowls, top with tortilla strips and cheese.  Yum!!
I make my own tortilla strips by frying corn tortillas in a very small amount of oil until crisp.   Uuggghhh…bad for us! So, next time I’m going to try baking the tortilla strips in the oven! Enjoy!!!

This is so yummy on a cool fall day.  I know you could make this in the crockpot but I haven’t done that yet.  I probably will though, because I just love my crockpot!!!  I have tried it both ways, with carrots and with mixed veggies.  It is delicious either way but my kids like it better with the carrots.  I know, it sounds like it would be weird with the veggies but it isn’t.

May God bless and hold each of you today!!!

Put on the Armor of God...

Each morning, normally before my feet hit the floor, I pray and dedicate my day, body and soul, to the Lord. I have such trouble during my day when things don’t go as they should.  Like those times when I’ve just finished mopping the floors and here come my kids running through with dirty feet. Or, when my daughter comes in and has changed clothes again. 😩 My children know not to do these things but they do…time for correction and teaching, again. 

These are the times that I desperately need the Lord’s help.  Help to respond as Galatians 5:22-23 shows us, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law."  (NIV)  But, the KJV really speaks to me where it says "long-suffering" instead of patience and "meekness" instead of gentleness.  Wow, long-suffering!  So, this is what I long for and cry out for God to help me attain during my day. But, I fail so often. 😪

So this morning, when one of my devotionals challenged me to put on my spiritual armor, the "armor of God", each morning I immediately felt drawn to this scripture!

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…      Ephesians 6:14-18

As I dedicate myself each morning to God, body and soul, I will also pray for the Lord to "fit" me with each of the items mentioned above.  Wow!!!  I love the imagery of being clothed in "God’s armor"!!  And, praying "in the Spirit" just reinforces all the wonderful attributes that Gal. 5:22-23 speaks of!!  I had such a wonderful time with God’s word this morning!!!

Lord, I love You!  I praise You for all You are in my life.  Thank You for opening my eyes this morning and giving me "extra" strength and peace as I put on Your armor!!  You are everything to me.  I dedicate my life to You, body and soul.  I pray You will honored today in everything I do.  In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

May the Lord hold you and keep you all today!!

A lazy Fall day...

Well, today it is cool and cloudy here in East Texas. I just love rainy days so I’m hoping we have some showers this afternoon.  Right now, my kiddos are outside enjoying the cool weather.  We started school this morning and then the pull of the outdoors was just too great!!  But, others are putting their schoolwork to good use…

Lazy kitties…  I guess the kids aren’t going to get much learning done with those cuties lying on their books!!  Oh well, the kids need time outside and that is the beauty of home schooling.  We can adjust our schedule as needed (or wanted). We will just move our school time to this afternoon.  And, since they already got several subjects completed, it won’t take long to finish it up.
I read a wonderful devotion this morning, on a subject that is near and dear to my heart…patience.  I must give this need to my Savior each day, the need for patience.  I do not handle my emotions well at all when I feel that "things" are not going to way they should.  If we are running late for example, I get upset and I will act badly toward my husband and children.  You know, one of those mornings when I have done everything I possibly could the night before, to get us out the door on time.  Something always comes up and I just get so frustrated.  I certainly do not react the way God would have me to act.  Today’s devotional from Crosswalk: Girlfriends in God helped me to see that God is using all these trials to "painfully rub off the rough edges of our character", my character.  I’ve been painfully aware that I have a basket full of rough edges.  I don’t respect my dear husband some days as I should.  But, I do praise the Lord that He is opening my eyes to all these "rough edges"!!!  This helps me to make sure that I allow the Lord to give me the strength to correct these imperfections.  

I am working so hard on becoming the person that Ephesians 4:2 speaks of, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (NIV) And, going right along with that scripture for me is Proverbs 31:26, "She openth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." (KJV)  This is where I have such difficulty but the Lord is using little trials in my life to smooth my those rough edges.  PTL!!! Pray with me for growth in this area. I will be this woman today from Proverbs 31:25, "She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." (NIV) I know the Lord is molding me to be a better woman, wife and mother.  Better days are on the horizon for me as a wife and mother and person!!!  I have such joy and praise for the Lord as He opens my eyes to the things in my life that I need to change or areas that need spiritual growth!!!!

Lord today, I pray You will give me strength, wisdom and dignity to only speak with kindness and love. I pray You will give me patience with my family.  Thank you Lord for James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."  (NIV)  I love you, Lord with all that is in me.  You are all I need today and tomorrow.  I will rest in You and the knowledge that although my tomorrows are numbered, I have eternal hope in You!!!  I will wear that crown!!!   In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
If you’d like to read the whole devotional on patience here’s the link…
http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/girlfriends/
BTW, you may have noticed that I used quotes from both the KJV and NIV in this blog.  I normally read from both of these, and normally the wording of one will speak more to my heart than the other which is exactly what happened today! 

May the Lord hold each of you today…. 

I have been blessed...

Oh, do I have a story to tell….    

For many years, I have wanted a sewing machine.  I don’t really know how to sew, but I did sew curtains for my classroom about 8 years ago with the help of my sweet MIL – THANKS Mom! I have been a member of Momys for nearly 3 years now and so many of them are talented seamstresses, it has made me want to sew even more.  As the years have passed, I have so wanted to be able to sew clothes, make things for my home, or give a home-sewn gift.  The Momys have had a couple of Sew A-long’s that I really wanted to do but no machine.   

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I felt that the Lord was urging me to put a “wanted” post on Freecycle for a sewing machine.  I thought, “Yea right, I’ll get a machine all right… a monstrosity of a thing that won’t work and then I’ll have it sitting around adding to all my clutter” but I just pushed the thought aside.  Then, a day or so later, again I really felt the Lord was prompting me to put a post on Freecycle.  So, I did.  Several days later I got an email from a lady asking if I still wanted a sewing machine.  I replied that I did but at the same time I was wondering what I was getting myself into. I asked her if she had one I could give a “loving” home. She said she did have one that she wanted to give me…a brand-new still-in-the-box machine that her MIL had given her.  She said she had never used it and never would.  WOW!!!!  I couldn’t believe it and thought that it can’t “really” be a “real” sewing machine. We met the next week and here’s what she blessed me with….

Yes, it was brand new and never used… Thank you, Daina.  God bless you!!! 💖 I am so grateful!!

As I went through these past two weeks exchanging emails with Daina and being amazed with God’s goodness, I thought of a couple of scriptures…

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.     John 16:24

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.        Matthew 21:22

I praise the Lord for this wonderful gift, for the wonderful Daina that He wrought and for her preacher daddy that taught her "not to be selfish with her material possesions".  I pray the Lord will give me the opportunity to bless someone like Daina did me!!!  I never actually prayed that the Lord would provide a sewing machine, but He does know my heart.  This was a blessing to me and my whole family.  I can learn to sew and so can my children! 

But, as I thought about this blessing, I must say the Lord had me thinking of other things too!! My thoughts and prayers were on Aaron and Morieen who just lost their 3 yo son Cole from cancer, Corrine & Pete who lost their precious Rachael, the Drews family who lost their beautiful Christian, Cathy (who right now is in the fight of her life against the cancer that might take her home), precious Baby Emmy who is playing at the feet of Jesus right now and so many more.  The list goes on and on…  I don’t know them IRL but I love them.  Some I know better than others, but the Lord has given me a love for each of them that is indescribable!!!  As tears pour down my face, I just don’t understand why the Lord didn’t bless them with their hearts desire. I have prayed so many prayers for these wonderful people.  Oh, if I could have just given them their hearts desire….  I will never understand these things this side of heaven.  But, I do know that God loves them with all His heart.  And, I know this…

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”          Jeremiah 29:11

That is one of my favorite verses.  In my life, when I don’t understand God’s ways, I hold on to that verse with everything in me.  It gives me hope and comfort.

I also know that God gave His own son for each of us.  Jesus Christ died in my place…in your place.   How I wish that the Lord had given each of these families their heart’s desire and I am praying for that very thing for Cathy.  But, without a doubt His will is perfect, even if I do not understand it.  I will continue to pray for God’s comforting arms to be wrapped around these families and all the others in our world that are hurting….  May God bless each and every one of you!   

Making bread....

Oh the smell of fresh baking bread…  There is just nothing better, not that I can think of anyway. It’s been a long time since I baked bread every week but I am going to make it a habit again.  Whole wheat bread at the store (which isn’t even good for you) has gotten so expensive, nearly $3 a loaf. So, I’m going back to grinding my own wheat and making/baking my own bread.  Wow, it is so delicious and GOOD for us.  

I just love my NutriMill and my Bosch.  I couldn’t do all this without them, that is for sure.  My husband is such a sweetie to get them for me!!! 

Today, I made 5 loaves of whole wheat bread and 2 loaves of whole wheat cinnamon swirl.  Boy, are they delicious.  We are having BLT sandwiches for lunch, just as soon as I get the bacon finished up in the oven.  That is about the best tip anyone has ever given me…make the bacon in the oven!!!  No getting splattered with bacon grease and having to stand over a hot pan on the stove!!!  Wahoo!!  

As I sit typing this, I’m enjoying the smell of fresh baked bread and bacon cooking.  And, there is a wonderful breeze blowing in my open windows.  We have been able to have the air conditioner off for the past 2 days and it has been heavenly.  Last night I even got cold and had to cover up!!!  PTL!!!   Our electric bill has been OUTRAGEOUS this summer.  So, these cool days and nights are a wonderful blessing from God!!!

Now I’m off to get those BLT’s ready for the kiddos!! Oh, get some schooling done with them too… 😜 LOL!