26 Weeks

Today marks another milestone in my heart...we are six and a half months pregnant and I saw my midwife yesterday. FUN! Baby's heartbeat was 150-which is so very consistent each time we have heard the wqur wqur wqur from the womb! I measured 29 cm which is also consistent for me to measure larger than the weeks I am pregnant. So, all is well! We have another appointment scheduled for four weeks and then we will be down to the final ten.

NOTE: IF I delivered on my due date (and I don't) then today we would also be down to double digits on the countdown to Baby arriving. 99 today! But I go one week past my typical due date so next week we will be down to double digits.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: In the Marine Corps, deployments were a part of our lives and we would wave with tears burning our cheeks as Daddy went away. Again. So, during the first couple days to help with the adjustment, we would make paper chains: one link for each day he would be gone. Each night, we took turns tearing off a chain having managed to get through another day. At first, the chain looked endless. Most deployments were six or more months. A chain for each day almost looked hopeless but using this method was realistic for the children to see and it helped us get by. DOUBLE DIGITS was the big deal for us. It was the finale. We would begin homecoming plans and prepare for the big arrival (and another adjustment period.) I am so thankful that portion of our lives is RETIRED.

Creativity Test

My precious friend Kari had this test on her blog today. Always up for those self-test thingies, I clicked the link! Visit her site to take the test. This is what it said about how God knitted my creativity:

Happy Dabbler

About Me: Your creativity lies in everyday objects. You don't need to roll up your sleeves or embark on a major project to get creative. And in fact you may not have much time for grand artistic schemes. But you still find plenty of ways to express yourself in your daily life. It's just a natural reflection of who you are. You like to immerse yourself in another world, switch off and live another life...It doesn't take much to fire up your imagination.

How I Create: Life is one big catwalk. Dressing is all about expressing yourself. You are what you wear. It is all about being able to find your space to think...Being out in the wild offers organic beauty. Your strength lies in your ability to understand your medium, but pushing the boundaries to create an original, new look.

How I Think: Deep down, you're a free-thinker with a really positive take on life. The way you see it, the glass is nearly always half-full. You're pretty fearless and willing to take creative risks to achieve the right results. Your work tends to have a darker edge that adds real depth.

Aunt To Lunch

The girls (and of course, the two little boys) and I had my dad's sister over for lunch today. It was so nice having her here with us! We made the Layered Jell-O last night (it is a process!) and then prepared the lunch itself this morning. It is so fun to have them in the kitchen with me. They are learning so much about food preparation and come up with creative ideas to display the treasured treats we make our guests. (When I got married, I almost killed my husband and two of his Marine friends with the first meal I made for them! I had so much to learn!! The girls have a huge head start!) We had yummy Loaded Potato Soup with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon, chicken salad sandwiches on heart shaped bread, red grapes, veggie tray with ranch dip and then cheesecake or cookies for dessert. I don't want dinner, now. lol Layered Jell-O (pictured above)
2-3 oz pkgs of each of the following flavors of Jello-black cherry, orange, lemon and 1-3 oz pkg of lime Jello
1-12 oz can of Milnot

Use 9x13 dish and layer Jello as follows: First layer use 1 ½ cups boiling water & 1st pkg of black cherry Jello. Let each layer get solid before attempting to add next layer. The first one takes the longest to set up.

Second layer, use 1 cup boiling water to dissolve second pkg of black cherry and then when it has cooled add ½ cup Milnot. Spoon this mixture onto the first layer then refrigerate. Because the first layer is already cold, it does not take long for second layer to set up.

Repeat these layers the same way with each different flavor until the top layer is clear (meaning no Milnot) lime Jello. Here is a tip: while the first layer is in the frig, continuing on with the subsequent layer, I go ahead and mix up the next layer and let it come to room temp. That helps shorten the time it takes for each layer to set up.

DO NOT POUR THE JELLO INTO THE DISH AFTER THE FIRST LAYER OTHERWISE THEY MIX INSTEAD OF STAYING AS INDIVIDUAL LAYERS.

Chicken Salad
1 package chicken breasts-cooked and shredded
1 chopped green pepper
1 bunch cut-up red grapes
1 medium chopped red onion
1 package sliced almonds
1 cup chopped celery
1 small box raisins
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise-just enough to hold it together
A lot of black pepper-when you think you have enough, add some more.

Serve either on or with your favorite rolls or bread.

Oh, The Memory!

The girls and J have been memorizing Scripture verses weekly for months. When the older children were younger, I had a general plan for what verses we would memorize like the Romans Road and character trait study going along with our homeschooling lessons but I didn't have a life-long plan for them. We have one now! We have a list of 500 Bible verses (which will take nine years to complete memorizing one verse each week) and they are through 95 of them. I say they because the last six months of life for me have been pregnancy-brain and they have left me in the dust. I am still on verse number thirty-five. (They are in Proverbs and I am still in Psalm and that is the huge spread between us.) We are also learning the Westminster Shorter Catechism. They are on Question 22 and I am still on Question 19. My mind will simply not retain the information that I am taking in (or trying to take in) when memorizing these verses and answers to questions. Now, WJ just memorized the SECOND verse in the whole series so although he is slow on the upswing, once it kicks in, he can hide these precious words in his heart along with us. He can say Genesis 1:1 and 2:7 on his own with no prompting now. It makes me cry! No Greater Joy!

The Hudson Truth

What REALLY Happened On The Hudson

More Snow

WE HAVE MORE SNOW! We woke to over six inches of the stuff this morning! WOW I was sure that the whole town was sitting dormant. Nope! Even those crazy District 118 schools were open. I was going to call a Snow Day here at The Way Christian Academy but decided I would just have to make it up so we pressed on! (I am so glad that we did too as we accomplished so much!) We were to have ice skating lessons today but DH called me and said HE was cancelling them for us. To him, it just wasn't worth the risk of us getting out. I heartily agreed.

When I realized how much snow we had, the children and I aaaaaw'ed for my youngest niece (pictured above.) The last time she was to come play with WJ, the plans were cancelled so she didn't get to come over. I was so glad when I talked to my s-i-l that things were still a "go" and that the two little cousin-playmates would have an afternoon of fun. These two amaze me! They play so, so, so well together. Two little peas in a pod. The cutest!

Then, we had a wonderful family come by with shovels and cleaned off our driveway. (J bundled up and went outdoors to shovel along side them!) Isn't that amazing? What great friends God has blessed us with! Thank you all so much!!

I thanked the Lord for the beautiful snow, enjoyed the flakes falling most of the day as well as my niece being here with us, thanked the Lord for thoughtful, good friends that blessed us today and what do you know...I hear more snow is forecasted.

Hearts At Home University

Have you always wanted to attend a Hearts at Home conference, but there isn't one close enough for you to attend?
Have you ever wished that Hearts at Home happened more than once a year?
Have you ever wanted your husband to be able to take your favorite Hearts at Home workshop right along with you?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, then the new Hearts at Home University webcasts are just for you!

Hearts at Home University is a new Hearts at Home resource designed to encourage and equip you in your journey as a parent! These live webcasts will be affordably priced for you to tap into continuing education as a mom on a regular basis. To introduce you to this new resource, our first live webcast, Love for a Lifetime, is completely free!

Do you long for a love that lasts a lifetime? When we say "I do," most of us have the expectation that our love will last a lifetime. What most of us don't know is that it actually takes work to have a marriage that goes the distance. In this seminar, Mark and Jill Savage will look at six decisions we can make to improve our marriage. What's unique about these decisions is that even if your spouse never changes for the rest of your married life, your marriage can and will change because of the intentional decisions you have the opportunity to make everyday. Join us for this special Valentine's webcast which promises to strengthen your marriage and help you pursue a love that lasts a lifetime.Click here for additional information or to register at no cost.
We hope you'll join us next Thursday, Feb 5 from 8:30-10pm Central Time.

Hearts at Home 1509 N Clinton Blvd Bloomington IL 61701

Sewing

A friend started a dress for her daughter and then felt a bit overwhelmed with it so I helped her finish it on Monday. This is the final product! Her daughter wore it today and I told her she made it look so cute!!!

Now I have three daughters taking out their machines and material and the creative juices are flowing over here. I guess that means that I am going to have to get busy making ME some clothes, too.

We are going to have a skirt-sewing class with some of the girls! FUN

Another Potholder

By RJM

Baby Belly: 25 Weeks 3 Days

Is your guess BOY or GIRL?

Photo By ELM

Snow

So today: we have T Time together with other hsing families. I knew that the Weather Guessers had said four inches of the white stuff but they have been wrong-often-so off we go. We had a great time and then prepared to leave. (Quite the expedition in itself!) So I glance out the door and whined when I saw the stuff snow-storming down out of the sky. Not wrong today! I HAVEN'T LEARNED! I was instantly complaining in my heart to God about the snow! So I prayed and got that straightened out (I am sure it is just for the moment!) and then ASKED HIM to help the children and I get home safely. Ain't that just like a child...asking for something else right in the midst of the trouble I found myself in! Wow am I glad my Heavenly Daddy loves me!

My Potholders

By RJM

These are three of the potholders I have made this week. The red and white one is for my grandma to match her kitchen. The multi-colored one is for Joy. The middle one is a sample of a new technique I was trying.

It turned out nice, I think.

This picture is of the multi-colored potholder for Joy that is still on the loom. I am making a step-by-step instruction manuel with pictures I have taken to help others that want to learn how to make these.

Let It Snow

We woke on Sunday to a downfall of snow and my mood quickly went down with it. I began lamenting aloud over the SNOW! (In my heart is bad enough but make no mistake, everyone in my house knows how I feel about snow!) My DH was on the draw with an attempt of verbal redirection saying it was a beautiful snow and that it wasn't coming down sideways or sleeting while snowing. Bless his heart! I just grumbled that I hated THAT kind of snow even worse. I didn't want to go out in it but he got me safely to the van and off to church we went.

Opening of the service prayer: "Thank you Lord for the snow..." I didn't hear anything else. I was cut in my heart that He says to give thanks in all things. I was so quick to complain! How great would it be if my heart was so QUICK to thank Him?? He is so good to me all the while I deserve hell! How sad that I showed up to worship the King of Kings and still hadn't redirected my heart. He sure took care of that for me!

A Carrot, An Egg or A Coffee Bean

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl, pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl and then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "What do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did noting that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Travels

T left today for a week of travels. He is visiting with friends in Michigan (Marquette area) until the Heart Conference begins in Wisconsin at Northland Baptist Bible College on Tuesday. When that concludes at the end of the week, he will go back to the U.P. to visit and then return home that weekend. He is anticipating snow boarding, skiing, and other winter sports in that snow-filled land. This is his third year attending this conference. I am excited as I pray for him while he is away. Matthew Henry sums it up well: What a good Master do we serve, who has made it our duty to rejoice before him! Let us devote with pleasure to the service of God that portion of our time which he requires, and count his sabbaths and ordinances to be a feast unto our souls. They were not to come empty-handed; so now, we must not come to worship God empty-hearted; our souls must be filled with holy desires toward him, and dedications of ourselves to him; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Aunt M

We invited my aunt-my mom's sister-over for dinner tonight. We hadn't had her over to our home since we moved so I discussed with the girls what yummy dinner we could make for her. We had fun planning the meal and preparing it for her. Chicken Acapulco, Rice, Pea Salad, her recipe for cauliflower that I CRAVE and Pretzel Salad for dessert! She is beautiful on the outside--I remember always wanting to be like her when I was young. I would wear her shoes around the house, put her hair up in the wildest mess of a hair-do (or as our family says, a hair-don't) and she'd let me, paint her nails, strum her guitar that I always made sound terrible, play in her stationery and wax seals and beg her to let me try on her clothes. I must have been a pest during her high-school days. But wow, how lovely she is inside also. She has learned alot in life at the School of Hard Knocks and was genuine in sharing it openly and honestly with my daughters. It is so great to be able to talk about the Lord over the evening meal! She has completed the whole Bible in her daily reading and has started it again. It is so exciting to me as she shares this with our family...what encouragement it is to me that they hear others saying the same thing that we as their parents are training them to do! We had such a great time with her and didn't want the evening to end!

Why?

So, I just went to the gym with Eldest Son. It felt so good! Then promptly came home and ate a candy bar. What is UP with that?

Sewing

The deal with the sewing machine coming in the house now is that I am to the point of being forced to use it! Little I try to wear fits well anymore. Initially, I purchased a few "regular clothes" that were larger than the size I am currently wearing and that worked for awhile. It isn't working now and I still have four more months to get through. Flannel nightgowns are great while I am at home but aren't my choice for church or the grocery store. I tried several times to purchase actual maternity clothes but I can't make myself wear the current fashion! I really tried! It was terrible!

So, DH and T brought in my sewing machine from the garage! It is in a sewing cabinet and won't fit upstairs in our sewing room. Initially, I was sad about this but the girls have their machines up there so we can eventually all still work in that room together...when we get it organized! So THAT is the reason that I am not so sad that we can't fit it through the doorway into the actual sewing/craft room. I don't work well in messy rooms and quite frankly, I am overwhelmed by the organization needed in that room. (I still have four other projects I want to complete before I start looking through stored boxes of baby items to find out what we are going to need for Baby. Organizing the sewing/craft room isn't on that list!!)

R helped me and we cleaned out all of the drawers of the sewing cabinet (displayed in the family room!) and used the hose of the vacuum in each one before replacing the notions in the drawers. It looks so nice! Inside!! I am not really thrilled that it is in the family room. I was overwhelmed by the thought of HAVING to sew--it is typically something I would call a hobby and I love to do but it changes definition when it goes from enjoying it to HAVING to do it--and then the mess upstairs really was contributing to the issue.


I tried to hunt for "shiny" in the whole scheme of things and found a pattern. It was a good distraction from the situation. I could begin the mental imaging of material options and creating the actual clothes and get my mind off the situation frustrating me. I have the first two ideas of what I am going to make from the material I already have and called my mom to schedule a trip to Joann Fabrics! This may turn out to be fine after all!

Answers

I have been pretty emotional lately. I know a good deal of it is hormones and although I don't want to blame that I also needed to acknowledge it. Done. Typically, when a situation doesn't go as I had planned or intended, I can pretty much roll with it. (For clarification, I did say a situation. This doesn't include a series of them nor a long-lasting one!) God has done much honing in this area. The military life was the training ground!! I have had times since those training days and will this side of Heaven when I kick against the goads or balk at the situation but God has proven Himself faithful again and again and I can count on the Future Grace He abundantly gives. Well, last week the red van's radiator began to leak. Again. DH is great at accurately diagnosing and fixing our vehicles but living in town now has limited him with no space to do the actual work. (One time since we moved here, the van broke down away from the house and he fixed it in the parking lot where it was! He amazes me!) So, DH determined what was wrong with it and told me what he needed to do and the look in his eyes wondered where he'd work on the van. He eventually ended up deciding to take it "in" to be repaired due to the lack of space and cold, cold weather looming over him as well as the need of the family vehicle to be in working order much sooner than it was looking like it would be. Upon return of the van, the weather temperatures plummeted and it wouldn't start. Frozen something or another. Typically, I am at home. I am a keeper at home, I like homemade, we home educate, homebirth is my preference, encourage home businesses in our children--you get the point. I am fine to clear the calendar and just stay at home! (I wasn't always that way...further training from the Master!) Well, I did that. We kept busy at home! Then today. I had several errands I had put off and it was basketball day for J. Although T tried again and again to get the van running, it wasn't cooperating. I called my parents and they were "in town" so I asked them to come get us for the game. J had picture-taking with the team so I didn't want to have him miss it. Everyone else had to stay at home as there wasn't room for all of us in the vehicle. : / So I thanked the Lord for working things out to get him there. I had figured I would walk from the basketball game when it was over to the store next door to wait for DH to get off work. My parents called instead and picked us back up. I asked them to take me to the grocery store so I could get that job done while I waited for Hubby. All this worked out and I was thankful in my heart but I was so emotional over it. I am not sure why. The children were safe at home listing to me on their own before I left what all they planned to accomplish while J and I were away. J got to his game AND his team pictures. Everyone was well and safe. I even had the grocery shopping done and DH picked me up from the store when he was done at work. I don't know what bothered me so much about the day but the unsettledness continued through the evening. Giving thanks in all things can be so difficult to do. Still looking for the answer!

January 17th

MILESTONE! I am 24 weeks today so we are SIX MONTHS PREGNANT! I am thrilled again and again as my mind's eye tries to picture the face of this child. How exciting! I always have a gut feeling what Baby is so we usually have a name we are already calling Baby way before now. We just call this little person, "Baby." And this is fine, I guess. Something new and different. See, even with sixteen pregnancies, it is still different with each one. Initially, I thought that God had given us twins...a boy and a girl. Now that we have only seen one baby on ultrasound and my tummy isn't large enough for there to be two Munro's in there, I am all confused as to which kind this baby is! This doesn't cause me to waiver in wanting to know the sex of this wee one before delivery but I keep having dreams about birth and the big discovery. What JOY fills my heart!

Necklaces

What a day! We are having my parents over for dinner tonight and so the girls and I went over the menu to make certain we have everything we need for the preparation of said dinner. Ranch chicken, seasoned vegetables, Aunt M's cauliflower, apple salad and then brownies and ice cream for dessert. Okay, we determined what all we FORGOT when we shopped for this meal. lol Then somehow we managed to get distracted by Kari's shiny things...and wound up making necklaces all afternoon. I laughed when DH called and asked what we were doing. Uh........... I didn't think of something witty to cinch this all up in a nice homeschool project. (I have one working brain cell and it is pregnant!) I just said "making jewelry." I gotta get with it! lol

SO...the girls and I giggled and said we had so much fun making these that we will have to do this again. Soon! We might need to come up with a subject title in the school planner for this! So now we have the mess all cleaned up and put away and dinner started! Whew! And good thing Hubby called so he can stop and get the things we managed to forget at the store!!

As of Today

If Baby is born on May 15th, which is my prayer, then we are four months from delivery! EXCITING!

Hard Working Man

The Love of my Life

He is such a great provider for our family and takes such good care of us!
He is devoted, kind and caring and I am so thankful for my man!

Helpful Hint

AG was just in the kitchen chopping onions for our taco dinner tonight. The onion overwhelmed her eyes and she went running from the room looking for relief. Looking! ha ha Anyway! I quickly headed her off and escorted her to the kitchen sink. I turned on the water, took her two hands in mine holding her fingers onto the blade of the knife with mine, touched the knife to the spout of the faucet and the running water. She looked at me and said, "Mom's are amazing!" Ain't that great?!? I fix her burning eyes and she thinks I am amazing! Can I get her to recall this on the other side of puberty!?!?! A reminder that MOM'S ARE AMAZING!

Just another helpful hint: place a wooden spoon over the top of boiling potates and it won't spill over. Be careful not to have the flame too high to burn the spoon, though.

Memories

T drove us to ice skating lessons in the SNOW today and all was well. My sister-in-law cancelled her class so my niece didn't come home with us and was sorely disappointed that she couldn't come play with W. I asked my S-I-L to tell her that she could come next time. : ) My brother stopped by the rink when he saw us walking in. He had honked HELLO to us and then parked and came inside to talk awhile. It was REALLY NICE to see him. I am SO THANKFUL to God for my family! Our whole family is planning a Wii Game Day at my parents' home in February so we all are looking forward to that. Last year was spent together often having cookouts at my parents' farm and then most all of us playing games late into the night. Capture the Flag was by far the game of choice and we have wonderful memories from the gatherings we spent together last year!!

Upon returning home from skating, T is playing Lego chess with J --who is on cloud nine--and doing math with R. He shoveled the walk and the driveway and moved the vehicles around so he could get his truck off the street as his dad requested and cleaned off the vehicles. He is sure preparing to be a great husband and daddy! It is such a blessing to have his help and family participation!

Since the Fall

I am beginning to relax a bit regarding Baby. I feel movement often and that is reassuring and there is still no spotting so that is a relief. I have this overwhelming sense of fear about the ice now and I am currently doing a study about overcoming fear. lol What timing! I was trying to eliminate fear not add to it and that doesn't seem to be happening. I keep singing It is well with my soul...and mostly it is but the battle still needs fought. Thank You, Jesus, that it has already been won in You!

Fear

I am working through a study called Overcoming Fear and had it ranked as something do-able. And of course with Jesus, it is! But I really didn't think that fear was all that big of a deal in my life. I wanted to do a new study along with my daily Bible reading so I chose this off my shelf. I was thinking I could (simply) work through this and yet still "work" in my quest to grow to be more like Christ. wow Here I sit with a list of sins piled up to pray about each one asking God for forgiveness, freedom, and redemption just from the sin of fear:

• Lack of Trust
• Fear Itself
• Anger
• Bitterness
• Frustration
• Pride
• Jealousy
• Covetousness
• Selfishness

I had no idea. What a challenge this has already become and I am only on chapter two.

Going Again

We accomplished much last week and here it is Monday and I didn't get all of the planning done over the weekend that would have helped me greet MONDAY with at least a bit of a smile. I was so pleased with all that the Lord allowed us to get done last week. Getting started again is usually difficult for me so it trickles down to the children.

We did get all of the Christmas decorations down so that helped my focus for this week also. What a task!

As for the fall, my tailbone still hurts really badly and that will take some time to heal. My prayer is that it will be healed completely before we deliver Baby!

Ouch!

I stepped out on the front porch to put an envelope in the mailbox to go out in the mail. I never made it. One foot off the step and that foot went out from under me. No warning. No slipping or sliding. Just straight down on the porch!! Before I knew it, I was on my bottom and my heart was beating rapidly. Immediately, my heart sank and I felt panic-stricken. I just sat there. I wanted to cry. I began to pray. E came out the door and helped me to the staircase just inside the front door. The children sent the Everybody-Comfort-Mommy alarm amongst themselves and were all huddled about me. Thank you Lord for the care You provided to me through them, their presence and their sweet concern for both me and Baby. We prayed. I headed SLOWLY to the tub to soak. My back was hurting and I was feeling scared. I just kept praying because as much as I have tried to keep an open hand regarding this baby and even prayerful about our other living children, I wanted to cling so tightly instead of ask for God's will to be done. I would try to give it over to God but my flesh and spirit warred. I ended up taking a nap trying to keep myself on "bedrest" but moved to the sofa to stay near the family. No signs of spotting and the baby keeps moving. In fact, movement increased significantly and I wasn't sure if that was comforting to me or not. Certainly feeling Baby move was great relief. So my tailbone is still aching and fear lingers in the outskirts as I try to put all my trust in the Lord and lean upon Him in the midst of this uncertain time. (I was in a wreck when I was carrying WJ and began spotting two days after the wreck so that is the fear hanging in the balance.) Please pray with us for God's will to be done.

More Recipes...

Pull Apart Bread
3 pkgs biscuits cut in quarters
Mix 3/4 cup sugar & 1 tsp cinnamon in dish
Roll each piece in mixture & place in well-buttered tube pan
1 stick melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup nuts
Mix and pour over the top of biscuits
bake 40 minutes @ 350°

Sausage & Cheese Balls
3 cups Bisquick mix
1 lb uncooked sausage
4 cups shredded cheese (16 oz)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
½ tsp rosemary leaves
½ tsp parsley flakes
Grease pan. Stir ingredients together and form into 1” balls.
Bake 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan.

Easy Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo

1-8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 ½ cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
½ cup milk
8 oz fettuccini cooked and drained.
Toss until completely mixed.
*Option: add grilled chicken & mushrooms

Coming Down

The Christmas decorations are coming down today. I would usually have them all down and put away the day after Christmas but the older I get, the longer it takes me to even get the boxes out to put the decorations back into! The girls are older and they are so much a part of the decorating now. It is fun to spend the time with them and they, too, are dragging their feet about putting them away. Once we get our "big breakfast" mess cleaned up in the kitchen, we are heading to the attic and taking down the empty boxes to fill.

Recipes

Chicken Acapulco
1 whole chicken cooked and shredded
(I cook it in a crock pot with diced tomatoes,
Italian seasoning, garlic and pepper.)
Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
4 oz diced green chiles
shredded Jack cheese (but I use whatever I have on hand)
Heat on stove, in oven or crock pot.
Serve over rice, our favorite, or noodles.
EASY to double ingredients and serve in crock pot
for multitude OR use for freezer meal. Freezes great
in a ziploc bag. Don't forget to label the bag first.

CROCK-POT PIZZA
1 package(12 ounces) wide egg noodles
1-1/2 lbs gr beef or turkey
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (4 1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1-1/2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni, halved
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion
over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and italian seasoning.
Drain noodles. In a 5-qt slow cooker coated with nonstick
cooking spray, spread a third of the meat sauce. Cover with a
third of the noodles and pepperoni. Sprinkle with a third of the
cheeses. Repeat layers twice. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours
or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Beef Stroganoff
1-2 lbs stew beef diced and browned with 1 chopped medium onion
1 clove minced garlic
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
Boil water for 12 oz pkg egg noodles. Cook noodles.
1 cup water with 2 T flour and shake together
add to cooked meat in skillet; stir until thickening begins on med. heat
lower heat and add ½ cup ketchup, stirring often. Add water if it
thickens too much.
Drain noodles. Arrange egg noodles on plate, spread sour cream on
noodles. Ladle meat and red gravy mixture onto noodles.

Recipe Reading for Jen...

Spinach & Mushroom Manicotti
1 box manicotti
2 T. olive oil
1 can mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bag fresh spinach, chopped
2 eggs
1 container ricotta cheese
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 jar Italian baking sauce
½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350. Cook manicotti 7 minutes; drain & rinse
in cool water. Set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium
heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute’ 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Stir in spinach; cook for 5 min. Beat eggs lightly
in medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, basil and salt. Stir in mushroom
mixture. Spread 3/4 c. Italian baking sauce over bottom of 13x9
baking dish. Fill Manicotti with mushroom mixture; place in dish.
Pour remaining sauce evenly over filled shells; sprinkle with cheese.
Cover with foil. Bake for 30 min. Uncover; continue baking 5-10 min.
Or until cheese is melted.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Easy Recipe for Meatballs to Double or Triple and Freeze!
1 ½ lbs ground beef
2/3 cups Ritz crackers, crushed
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 egg
1 ½ salt (opt)
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 cup milk
Mix together and shape into balls
Brown meatballs. Remove from pan. Start water boiling for rice. Follow package directions.
12 ½ oz can pineapple tidbits (I like crushed better.) Drain and reserve juice.
1/3 cup vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/3 cup diced green pepper
Using same pan, add 2 T cornstarch. Add reserved pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce
to skillet. Mix thoroughly until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickens. Add
meatballs, pineapple tidbits and green pepper. Heat. Serve over cooked rice.

Teriyaki Chicken
*Steamed rice
*boneless chicken
*frozen or fresh oriental vegetables
Teriyaki sauce:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
pinch of garlic and ginger
Mix sauce ingredients together. Saute chicken until done. Pour over
chicken and cook until chicken is glazed (about 15 minutes.)
Cut up chicken and layer over rice. Save liquid. Saute veggies
and add to pot or on plate.

Shopping

Just trying to buy a book on amazon and I read BOY, 6, TRIES TO DRIVE FAMILY CAR TO SCHOOL.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/WREK07_20090106-222145/170787/

Chocolate Delight

Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ sticks butter, melted
3/4 cup pecan pieces
Mix butter, flour & nuts in 9x13 baking dish. Pack with fork to the bottom of dish.
Bake @ 375° 20 min or until golden brown. Cool completely.
Next layer:
Mix 8 oz cream cheese, 1 ½ cups powered sugar and 1/3 of an 8 oz container of Cool
Whip & spread onto cooled crust.
Next:
Mix 1 lg box or two small boxes Instant Chocolate pudding and pour over cream cheese
mixture.
Topping:
Add the rest of the Cool Whip on top of pudding. Sprinkle some pecans on top of Cool Whip
and chill. (I also like to add mini chocolate chips either with the nuts on top or instead of the
nuts on top.) Also: you can use butterscotch pudding in place of chocolate and then use
butterscotch chips on top. Yummy!

Live Longer Casserole

This is the recipe that I make when T doesn't want to make it home for dinner but it is a FAVORITE of the whole rest of the family!

1 pkg fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 medium tomatoes, cut up
3 small zucchini, washed and sliced
1 bag baby spinach
sliced swiss cheese--the more the better (or any other kind of cheese)
1 pkg vermicelli
Cook pasta to pkg. directions and while it is cooking...
In skillet with lid, sauté the mushrooms in butter on low heat
Add tomatoes. Cover and cook about 2 minutes
Stir. Add zucchini and cover/cook about 2 minutes
Add the spinach and cover
Lightly coat 9x13 dish with butter
Drain pasta
Add half the pasta to coated baking dish and half the veggies on top of pasta
put cheese over the veggies
put the rest of the pasta on the cheese
add the rest of the veggies and juices from skillet onto the pasta
add the rest of the cheese
broil with low heat to make cheese bubbly
serve (with garlic bread if you'd like)

Now

Baby has hiccups.

Dinner

Today we are having my in-laws over for dinner. FIL has to have a tooth pulled next week so we opted for this week to have them over. I called DH at work yesterday to find out what he wanted me to make for this family dinner gathering. LASAGNA! Our family favorite. I should have known! So I delegated the jobs to the children based on the menu: main dish, salad, bread and for dessert, Chocolate Delight. Will. Post. Recipe. We eat at 6:00 so T can be home from work in Urbana in time to eat with us! One dinner he won't want to miss. (Will post recipe of the dinner he doesn't want to have!)

Ice Skating

Since I went home yesterday instead of T Time, I was really missing my meet-with-moms time! I had missed most of the meetings in December except the Christmas party. I love these ladies and enjoy the iron-sharpening sessions as well as just catching up with each other. The dental appointments had already taken priority over Writing Class on Tuesday but I contacted the instructor ahead of time and made arrangements for the girls to attend today. We loaded up and my fantastic chauffeur drove us to the DPL for the class. He drives well, gives us curb-side drop off (and sometimes pick up) service and READ TO BOTH LITTLE BOYS ALMOST THE ENTIRE TIME. Wow! What a gem some gal is gonna be blessed to serve! : ) Once class was over, we headed to McD's for a nutritional meal (lol) but mostly there for the children to use their gift cards they'd received. T purchased he and I a Polar Pop (his thang he shares with his mom!) and we headed to the ice rink for ice skating lessons. Already my heart was waaaa-ing because my new-found dear friend K has moved and this was the sure meeting place each week. Upon arriving, sure enough, the rink seemed empty. No friend, K! It is the location of the giving of the HAT in PINK knitted with love! And prayer!! (Awesome friend, huh?? I will pray for others as I make gifts for them now because of her example to me!) The children all received ice skates for Christmas from my in-laws so they were eager to get them on their feet and get onto the ice. NOTE: New skates have to be sharpened before you can skate with them. JUST INCASE you didn't know that. Like me! So we finished up lessons, headed to the grocery store to pick a few things and then headed home to prepare dinner and for the evening church service. We are BACK AT IT!

T Time

Today the children and I had dental check up/cleaning appointments scheduled so I intended to accomplish that and then head to T Time. While we were there, ice formed over the roads and the news said someone on I-74 was dead. I was rethinking the whole Red-Rocket-On-Ice idea and decided since I was two streets from home that I should consider that instead. No No No That is a replica of the ark. I drive a big red van! Many think it is similar to an ark. lol Anyway, I called to see who was already at T Time since we were to meet for the Passionate Housewives study. After reliving the red-van-in-the-ditch story, I confirmed in my heart the decision to just go home. And we did.

Back At It

We are entering a new year so we are trying to get a routine down. Again. I went through our homeschool planner and reorganized the dates I had written in it. With all good intentions, I had planned to "school" until just before we moved. It took most of November to move out of our old house so THAT didn't happen. I dug out the block eraser, used a good deal of it and started the new dates from where we had left off before we moved. I began the task of planning for table time to begin again. (LIFE is learning so I don't minimize what all they do when we don't have typical books open and pencil lead flying!) I restructured our Weekly List of Service To Our Lord aka: chorelist. I did five weeks of menu planning so all I would have to do it write out the grocery list before our trip to the grocery store each week. (I had the great idea to make a standard grocery list for each menu labeled 1-5 and planned to just print it out before shopping but that hasn't happened.)

I had signed the children up for homeschool PE but after rethinking it, I withdrew them from the class. We have T Time, gymnastics and basketball on top of ice skating lessons so we cut out PE this session. Being in town now, it was tempting to try to fit it in but I am so thankful that I stuck to it! I still want to get our list of things to do complete before spring!!

Family Vacation

Holiday World Advocates! We were a military family so any leave time (civilian term: vacation) DH earned was spent traveling back "home" to visit family. We did that for twenty years. Upon retirement, we made arrangements to take our children to a theme park. We don't do "name brand" theme parks but we found one in--get this--Santa Claus, Indiana, and being Hoosiers, we set a date to travel. Their site said that Memorial Day wasn't busy so we planned to leave directly after the evening church service and stay at a hotel to be at the park when it opened. It was outstanding! Easy drive! We found an AFFORDABLE, brand new hotel with adjoining rooms and that in itself was huge. We have to have two rooms when we travel and connecting rooms are great!! The park was wonderful! First thing off, they gave all our smaller children bracelets that we wrote our cell phone numbers on incase they were separated from us. The attendants could call our phones and help us quickly reunite with our lost little ones. (Fortunately, that didn't happen but that is a Munro Law: If you are prepared, it won't be an issue!) The parking was free, the park was clean with employees with busy brooms, the drink stations were everywhere, the bathrooms had attendants in them and were fully supplied and home-like clean, smoke-free environment, they supply sunscreen-pump it right into your hand and apply, they have a dress code both inside and outside the water park, the restaurants were very reasonably priced and the food was decent but you can bring a cooler and use the Lakeside Picnic Shelter and re-enter with a stamped hand. The music was generally Christian. I was astounded as I heard it piped through the speakers. I kept laughing in amazement at how great this was turning out. The set up of the park has the entrance for the rides for older/taller people in the same area with rides for the younger riders. I could still stay with the family because the older ones could ride the faster rides and I could still take our younger children to ride right there. It was great! That being said, there is a kiddie section but a roller coaster entrance is right near it!! Lastly, they have a new ride this year!! It is in the water park. Check it out!! Buy tickets! They open in May!

Consider The Stranger

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home... Not from us, our friends or
any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His
comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name? We just call him 'TV.' He has a wife now....We call her 'Computer.'

To-Do

The new bedding for the girls arrived today--finally! It has been on back-order since November. I am washing their sheets that match--part of the set--to put on their beds and they already have the bed skirt and the pillow shams on. E is ironing the new curtains! New things can be so fun! They have had their old bedding before AG was born so this is so fun for the girls...okay, me too!

Once we:

• paint the trim around the closet in the boys room
• paint the trim on T's bulletin board
• paint the rest of the trim in the dining room under the fireplace
  
• paint the trim in the family room
  

we can go get the paint for the girls room.

Once we can do all the above AND...
-get the garage straightened
-nicely arrange the lawn furniture piled on the patio
-put the Christmas things away

I will feel ALMOST moved in.

Happy New Year!

I saw the year displayed on our telephone: 2009 Plain as day! I guess seeing helps more for believing but Jesus said greater is he who believes and has not seen. I was aware a new year was coming but doubtless, it is here. I will write '08 on a few more checks before I get it down but it will come.

My list of resolutions is still being worked over but it is taking form. I added a few things I didn't manage to do last year (okay, OR the year before) and am prayerful about what God has for me this year. I want it to be His list for me to accomplish.