On the hunt...

I have been looking for goats for awhile, and I knew in my mind that spring will bring many babies into the world.  I miss goats, we had them before and they make wonderful pets and hard workers when brush needs to be cleared.  We got our goats in Texas for a very low price.  In Georgia, goats must poop gold because they seem so expensive.  I am still on the hunt, I don't want to sign over my first born or spend an arm and a leg for a couple of sweet babies, so I am hoping that spring will lead me to affordable goats.  I want to be able to milk, so I need a good breed that milks and I want more than one goat, they are social animals and don't do well alone.  If anyone knows a good resource for me in North Georgia, I am open to all suggestions!  Until I find my sweet goat babies, I love seeing the photos and reading about them on other peoples blogs.  For the time being I do have my chickens and rabbits and all my dogs that keep me busy, but obviously I'm not busy enough I want goats and eventually a pig to raise.  Of course, I know absolutely nothing about pigs so that will be a fun learning challenge for me.

I am helping with the Lenten service soup, salad, sandwich dinners during Lent. They are on Wednesdays and I have to make sandwiches and soup and a dessert this week.  I am going to make a nice chicken salad with grapes and pecans and a ham salad with Swiss cheese and a delicious pumpkin soup with the pumpkin from our garden.  I found the cutest cross to set in the center of my cheesecake I'm going to make and take.  I was surprised at Wal-Mart that the little crosses like the one I bought were the only thing there that was "religious" everything else was chicks and bunnies.  It makes me feel sad that the biggest christian holiday has been downplayed so badly that the only thing you can find, in a big store like that, is a 3 inch cross tucked deep in the corner on a shelf.  I am always one to believe "to each his own" and allow everyone their own free will, as God gave us on this earth.  But, for those of us that are Christians, that follow our lives through Christ, wouldn't it be nice that we were allowed "to each his own" and our own free will? It saddens me that the principles this country was built on, In God We Trust, has been virtually denied and buried, with disregard to how it makes us feel, with all the political correctness to not make others feel left out.  I feel very left out sometimes when it comes to my beliefs and it's just as wrong to deny Christians as it is to deny anyone's beliefs. Okay, I had my little rant and I'm better now! At least I found that sweet, little, resin cross, and I am thankful for it.

I'm including my recipe for pumpkin soup, this is a family favorite and even my husband likes it and he does not like pumpkin!  Give it a try if you are looking for something that goes perfect with a nice light chicken salad for an easy dinner, lunch or brunch.

Pumpkin Soup

• 
  6 cups chicken stock
• 2 -3 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic , minced or 1 Tablespoon powdered garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 5 peppercorns or 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup cream or evaporated milk 
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1. 
   
   In a covered saucepan, heat the stock, pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt, thyme, and peppercorns to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.
2. Remove 2 cups of the pumpkin with a slotted spoon; reserve.
3. Simmer remaining pumpkin mixture, uncovered, 20 minutes longer; transfer to a large bowl.
4. Puree 2 cups of the pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; return pureed mixture to the pot.
5. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
6. Stir warm cream into the mixture and simmer 10 minutes.
7. Serve hot.

Weekends

(The old fence on our land, Rustic, worn and full of untold stories)

The excitement of the weekend stills comes upon me on Friday, as if I am a child still in school and have two days of carefree living.  However, they aren't that carefree anymore like when I was a child; But, I still love the weekends! Saturday wasn't very eventful for me, I had to bake cookies and cakes for fellowship on Sunday.  Although, I normally love to bake and cook, I wasn't really in the mood Saturday so it made it hard to enjoy.  I was so tired, honestly, I could of gone back to bed and slept all day!  The youth group from church was going to the movies, and my oldest was going out of town so that left dad to take my daughter to the outing.  I think they had fun, it is nice when the two of them spend time together.  I want them to have that special bond between father and daughter.

We have a chicken that is getting into the bunny hutch to lay eggs.  I get a giggle every time I find one.  Sunday, I found three!  It must be a good spot and the one chicken has told her friends and they all want to try it out. I get that vision of the Cadbury commercial in my mind where the bunny is clucking like a chicken when I think of the hens in his hutch.  I'm getting more and more eggs every week and that is exciting.  My dreams are coming true, finally, after feeding and caring for these chickens for so long now.  I was starting to think I'd never see an egg!

Sunday was the best day by far from the weekend.  Church was lovely and our Sunday school class is just so in tune and amazing, you leave the room feeling so up beat and positive for the week.  The service was, as usual, touching and positive.  As we move through our 40 days of lent, I feel a strong attraction to following the times of Jesus and what he went through during his life.  I love to read the scripture and follow the story of his journey to the cross.  Although, a feeling of sadness comes over me considering what he endured, a feeling of peace, love and hope over shadows that feeling with knowing that he died for our sins, and there was a purpose in the large scheme of things. Truly, no better gift could ever have been given to us and I am so thankful for it.  After church we went out to eat dinner and ran into to shop for pants for my middle son, who...drum roll please... GOT A JOB!  It has been such a difficult process for him to get a job.  But, finally after almost a year of consistent applying and trying, he succeeded.  Yay, I'm so proud of him!  We all came home and started working on my flower beds that I have designed in my mind.  We have so many downed trees laying there and it is such a waste not to re-purpose them somehow. I have decided to build all my beds from the trees, stacking two or three high, and securing them with very large screws to hold them together.  We have the first row of logs on both sides of the area now and I can see it coming together.  It is going to be exactly what I pictured in my mind.  The beds will be rustic, beautiful and perfect for years to come. So, today I will continue to shovel dirt and fill the areas with soil so that I can begin planting in the next few weeks. What a wonderful weekend overall!

Bunny Wars

The stillness of early morning really fills my spirit. I get up very early, before anyone in the house, to sip my cup of tea and just ponder on thoughts that fill my head. I feel close to God, as I have my morning chat and rattle on with him about things he already knows and understands, yet I'm still learning. I am thankful that I have God there with me all the time as my constant companion. Sometimes words are never needed, just the feelings in my heart are enough for our conversations.

This morning, when I let the dogs outside I could feel it is still warm outdoors. We were expecting rain that would cool things off again. I am happy that we may have another warm day, yesterday was gorgeous and it made my spring fever even stronger. I know better than to let Mother Nature fool me, but I yearn to do something, anything that requires planting and beautiful flowers. I was outside gathering small twigs to hot glue on my self-watering pot I made the other day. That turned out so cute. I had some fabric that looks like burlap and I gathered it all up around the neck of the mason jar where the other part meets and tied a red ribbon. I'm quite proud of my creation and now have to do the same to the other two I made.

I had another day of bunny drama and finally have sorted out the trouble, I think! We have one bunny that has chewed through the wire on his hutch, and I didn't know that when I let the other buck out into the yard to play. I was standing in the kitchen window looking out and saw this white fluff flying, and dropped everything to run out and break up the fight. I grabbed the one bunny by the scruff of his neck and carried him into the chicken pen and let him run around. I originally was worried about letting the rabbits in the chicken pen, due to being pecked. But, they have dug into the chicken pen so many times that the chickens couldn't care less about them. I had the boys move an old hutch into the pen so that he can live on that side of the fence and the other buck can have the rabbit yard all to himself. We house our two females together in our old chicken tractor. They love that they are always able to run around. They have ten kits between them and they are starting to run around now. They are adorable when they are babies! I hope that I have finally found the right solution to the bunny wars and that we don't see anymore drama. Of course, I know when I say that I mean for today!

Literacy

Literacy is very important to me and I try to keep it in the forefront of what I strongly believe in, help with and want to see improve all over the world.  A new article I have written is included here.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is always a very reflective day for me.  Today is the beginning of Lent and a time to be  repentant and remember the shortness of life.  The weeks prior to Easter, during Lent allow me to get closer to God.  To realize my downfalls and be thankful that God's grace wraps me up like a big warm hug and lets me know that I am loved, even with my faults.  I feel drawn to the life of Jesus and how his journey even then, so long ago, is still so relevant and important in my life; and in other Christian's lives.  Lent is a good time to bring something new and positive into my life.  I try to find something that will become part of me and enhance my spirit and bring goodness into my life and my family. I am looking forward to our Ash Wednesday service this evening.  The men of our church will provide a pancake supper before the service and I am proud that my two sons will be participating in this event.  Every Wednesday for the next seven weeks we will have a service and a nice soup, sandwich and desert dinner.  I am looking forward to all of them and bringing some yummy things.

I made the neatest little flower pots yesterday.  First, I'm a saver and love to re-purpose a lot of things!  I have some old large, plastic, vodka bottles that were given to me.  I love the long neck on liquor bottles, perfect for a self watering flower pot.  I cut them in half, keeping the bottom part to use as feed scoops for my chickens and rabbits.  I put a small piece of nylon pantyhose in the bottom where the hole is to keep the soil from spilling through, also the liquor bottles have that little spout in the hole to keep it from flowing freely, this makes a nice stopper for soil. Once you fill it with soil you set it into a water- filled, large, quart, mason jar. Plant your flower or foliage into the top.  I like to mist it with water to get the soil damp and then you just have to watch the level of water in the jar and keep it filled.  It is a great self watering flower pot.  It can look a little plain un-decorated.  I like to tie a wide ribbon around the top of the mason jar where the two pieces come together, just to give it a little color.  Some colored stones in the bottom of the jar are pretty and if you are a fish lover, even a nice Betta Fish in the bottom is lovely, they don't like a lot of space and would love the bottom of the mason jar.  I kept a big pickle jar for years with Pothos vine in the water and a betta fish.  He lived for years and loved the vines and roots to swim through.  However, I digress, back to the flower pot!  I made three of these yesterday and nothing looks more simple and lovely than a few of them in a row in front of a sunny window. It is good medicine for Spring fever, to see a few colorful blooms in the light of the window.  Hopefully, those that know me will save their liquor bottles for me so that I can make a few more of these.  I do think a 2-liter bottle could work but they don't have the long neck like the liquor bottles do so it would have to sit in something shallow to be self watering.  I wish I could take a photo and show it off, I will eventually get that new camera I want.  And then, look out I will be a picture taking fool!

General Musings from a Scattered Mind!

                          (the sunset from my front porch through the trees)

Sitting on our front porch is the best place I find to think and ponder!  Rocking back and forth in my favorite rocking chair and watching the birds fly, seeing the bright blue sky or the dusky evening sky and setting sun and listening to the sounds of nature, especially my wonderful clucking hens in the background, is the perfect place for me.  I am on top of the world, contemplating foreign affairs, great inventions, Nobel prize worthy writing; oh yeah, and to do lists, what is for dinner, how to fix something that is continually breaking and what is the best way to break up the next teenage argument.  I think the latter is more apt to my style then the ways of the world.  I love when it is warm enough to sit outside in the mornings to drink my tea and I am yearning for those days to get here quickly.  I get a warm sensation in my heart when we sit outside together as a family and eat dinner, laughing and enjoying ourselves.  I get nostalgic and remember wonderful moments in my life outside under the bright stars and vast, black sky.  I just love to be outdoors.  Although we have had a mild winter, and I am so thankful for that, I am about over the dreary cold days and all the rain, that again I am thankful for, but am ready to see warmer weather.  I have an urge to play in the dirt, to see blooms and color.  I want to go for long walks with my herd of dogs and enjoy the sun on my face and not wear a jacket or long sleeves.  I am severely infected with a disease that is Spring Fever!  

I am including tonight's dinner recipe.  I have some chicken already cooked and I thought it would be a good day for some comfort food.  I have to learn to start writing things down more often, I get these great ideas for dinners throughout the week when I'm doing something off the wall like mopping or cleaning the bathroom.  They disappear from my memory as fast as they come to it and then I find myself standing at the freezer mumbling "what will I cook for dinner?"  Just yesterday I had three different things come to mind and I thought right then, you should write these things down!  So, I have concluded that I am going to make myself a little string line against the inside of my pantry cupboard door, so that I can close pin notes to it.  That way it will be nearby and easy to write with and I will have everything I need right there, pen, paper and a way to keep from losing it.

I am in a very crafty mood lately, and I really think that I have to thank Pinterest for it.  I get so many great ideas from that website, and then my mind goes wild and I come up with even more.  I have been storing water, for that emergency mode that I am in lately, and I made myself a nice dark place to store it for up to six months.  I used two coordinating pillow cases to make a cute drape over the front and I was quite proud of myself.  So, thank you everyone at Pinterest for cultivating my creative juices again, I think they had gone flat!

Chicken Biscuit Pie

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup frozen diced carrots
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken meat
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2.  Butter a 2 quart casserole dish.
3. In a large saucepan, saute chopped onion in the butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add frozen peas and carrots and cooked chicken. Pour into buttered 2 quart casserole dish.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk just until dough is moistened, then drop by spoonfuls onto chicken mixture.
5. Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown, and cooked on the bottom. This tends to bubble over so I place a piece of aluminum foil under the pan to catch the drips.

Soggy, Soppy Sunday

I don't get on the computer on Sundays.  I feel that one day a week can be devoted to family and church and away from technology.  We had such a lovely sermon at church that I had tears in my eyes with the beauty of it, and I found out I wasn't the only one.  It feels good to know that our hearts aren't as cold as they feel sometimes and the words from our pastor can really touch us!  Sunday was the youth fundraiser for camp.  We had a "lunch-in" and it was a real success.  I didn't bring home one bite of manicotti, so that went over well.  The tiramisu was a big hit and so was my antipasto salad.  There was so much good food I was stuffed when we got home.  I was worried all day about one of our chickens.  She is handicapped, her legs are spradled and the lady just gave her to us.  I wasn't thrilled getting this chicken when my husband brought her home, but of course, I got attached and she is such a sweet girl.  She's not very apt at getting out of the rain, she can move around using her wings but she's not very mobile.  She CAN get into her little house on the ground if she really wants to, but most often will sit there and get soaking wet until we put her into the house ourselves.  We were at church and it started to rain and I couldn't stop worrying whether she got in or not.  I was thankful when we got home and saw she was in her little house. Speaking of chickens, I ordered my baby chicks today.  Like a dummy I knew what I wanted and saw the date they are available, today, and went to order them.  Well, I didn't know I should of ordered them before to get them for today.  So, now I am on order for March 5, 2012 to get my chickens.  Live and learn I suppose.  I lost out of some of the chickens I wanted because of my mess up! I'm still very excited and can't wait for them to get here.

I had all these grand plans for Sunday.  I am building a flower bed on the side of the house, and want to use the down trees in the woods to make it rustic and fit the look I want.  But, it was raining all day long so there was no chance of dragging my husband out in the rain to cut the logs with the chainsaw and since I'm getting over a cold, I wasn't going to be out in the rain either.  We all just hunkered down and watched Doomsday preppers and Swap people on television.  It is so hard for me to sit and do nothing but I did enjoy a nice family day together.  I love that Doomsday preppers it really makes you think about what you need to do in case of an emergency.  I've got all sorts of things dancing in my head that I want to prep!  I wanted to rake out the hay in the chicken pen and take it up to the garden for the boys to till into the soil for spring planting.  But, again the rain really did change all my plans.  We did get the top half of the garden tilled and the potato seeds, onion sets and some other seeds in the ground on Saturday.  Now I have that off my to do list.  I hope they grow well, we have never grown potatoes before.  I have all my seeds for the indoors planted and some are sprouting.  I get so excited when I see that first little bit of growth burst forth from the soil.  I'm in Spring mode so heavily, I just want to plant, plant, plant!

Eggs, Manicotti, and my broken camera!

(these are past Easter eggs the kids and I dyed, but I wanted a picture for my post!)

It feels so good to cook with my own eggs!  I have patiently been waiting for my chickens to start laying and my patience is paying off.  I am far from getting a lot of eggs but at least one every day, and today for the first time I used my own eggs in the manicotti I made.  Our church is having a "lunch-in" tomorrow and our theme is Italian.  I was so excited because it gave me the opportunity to whip up my home made manicotti and I put together a nice antipasto salad and a quick and easy tiramisu.  I'm so bummed that I can't take photos of things right now, but I'm having to save for a new camera.  My camera must just be worn out, it sucks the batteries dry right after I put them in and I can't upload anything on my computer even if I do get a photo taken.  I feel so lost without my camera, it was like an additional appendage for me!  I thought since I can't share a photo or three then I would at least share my recipe for manicotti!  It takes some time to make the manicotti "shell/crepes" but it is oh so worth it and delicious!


Home Made Manicotti

8 Eggs

3 Cups Water

3 Cups all-purpose

1 ½ Teaspoons Salt,

Combine eggs, water, all-purpose flour and salt in your mixing container. I use my kitchen aid mixer, but a bowl and hand mixer works well too. Blend until mixture is smooth.

How to Make Manicotti Shells

Lightly spray pan with Pam and then heat the pan for about a minute over medium high heat. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the hot frying pan.

Quickly and carefully tilt the pan in a circular motion until the batter forms a round, thin layer in the pan. (Similar to a crepe or a very thin pancake.)

Cook about 1 or 2 minutes until the shell surface appears dry.

Carefully lift the manicotti shell out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cool stack with wax paper squares on top of each other.

Repeat process to make approximately 24 shells.

Lightly spray pan with Pam and then heat the pan for about a minute over medium high heat. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the hot frying pan.

Quickly and carefully tilt the pan in a circular motion until the batter forms a round, thin layer in the pan. (Similar to a crepe or a very thin pancake.)

Cook about 1 or 2 minutes until the shell surface appears dry.

Carefully lift the manicotti shell out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cool stack with wax paper squares on top of each other.

Repeat process to make approximately 24 shells.

The Filling

3 pounds Ricotta Cheese

3 Eggs

1 pound shredded Mozzarella Cheese

½ Cup finely chopped Parsley or a full 11g spice bottle of dry parsley

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon Onion powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons salt

Directions

Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir until well mixed.

Spoon about 2 or 3 Tablespoons into the center of a manicotti shell and roll. Fold the ends in over the filling and then roll the shell like a burrito.

Spoon your favorite tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan to cover.

Arrange manicotti in the pan and lightly cover with additional tomato sauce.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly.

Pinterest

Oh dear, I think I have found a new toy!  If there is one thing about me, it is that I'm usually the last to get on the train of anything.  I still am reluctantly fighting the cell phone although beginning to give up my resolve as I find they can be convenient.  Of course, I'm the last one in the house without one!  I joined facebook and thought "what do I do now", slowly learning how useful it is to share photos of the kids to family all over the United States.  The new timeline? Well, lets just say I have it but I'm again thinking now what? But, what I have found that I am very excited about is this pinterest.  This is right up my alley, where I can put photos and set up boards with things that I like, and look at other peoples boards that like the same things.  I think I'm in love and this time I'm not fighting it, I'm getting on the train!

Spring is lurking!

Winter on the farm can look dreary for the most part, but there is something very nostalgic about this broken down fence line.  It draws me to look at it and wonder what people, what animals and what greener pastures were here before us.  Perhaps, my wonderment is why I haven't knocked it all down yet!

Taking long, winding, walks brings a new perspective to life when you are out among nature.  Just taking in the simple things that God has blessed us with and appreciating them can really lighten a winters heavy heart.

I am looking forward to spring and seeing some greenery and color, of course I'm not discounting the green pine trees we have everywhere.  But, blooming dog woods and strange unknown bushes and wild flowers do stimulate the senses and touch my heart.  I know that day will be here soon, if I can only hold out and not start trying to plant flowers that will freeze before their time!

Until spring arrives, I will take every glorious sunny day and hold it dear to my heart.  As I wait for those light breezes, bright mornings and cool evenings where the stars fill the black sky like twinkling Christmas lights, I will appreciate the glory of winter a few weeks more.  Rain to feed our soil, wind to blow the dust away and cold, crisp days that take your breath away are still upon us, but will be laid to rest as soon as the warmth of spring that is lurking, arrives.

They can make me laugh!

Dealing with teenagers should come with a free sample of Tylenol!  Don't get me wrong I love my children with every last breath, but they do know how to push our buttons.  I do love those moments when one of my kids really makes me laugh.  Even out of frustration you have to stop and laugh.  This morning our chihuahua, Ziggy, jumped up in my chair and over my shoulder and down my back to get warm.  Of course, scratching me down the back as well.  I grumbled at him, and my daughter looks at me and says "do you still lovvve him?" I looked at her still frustrated with Ziggy and the searing sting down my back from the scratch and replied, "I still love you when you make me mad!" She replies "Good to know!" Well, that just made me laugh!  Does that mean she is hatching some sinister plan now to test the theory? Teenagers today just make a parent go "huh?"

I have to commend that father that shot his daughter's laptop after her disrespectful rant on Facebook!  I think more teenagers need a reality check these days, to let them know they don't really know it ALL, nor do they have it so bad!  Of course, in their minds without them parents would sit drooling on themselves all day long.  It is hard to remember being a teenager and I know we probably said, thought and did the same things just in different formats.  Oh how we get paid back for what we dealt out when our parents were looking at us and saying "huh?"

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Back to the basics

We are building a small family farm and it is very exciting for all of us!  There will be many new posts as our journey is laid out in front of us.  READ MORE

A Spooky Night

The entire family was excited waiting for darkness to arrive. The first night of the haunted corn maze in our town was fast approaching and the wait was building the anticipation. Autumn brings cooler evenings and a nice meal of clam chowder and crab cakes seemed perfect. We all had a nice dinner together talking about what we were expecting and about how much fun this time of year is for all of us. We discussed pumpkins and carving them together and who would win this years annual pumpkin carving competition. After we finished our meal, it was time to gather our jackets and head out to the pumpkin farm.

The cool crisp air left our breath fogging when we laughed and talked in the long line. It felt like half the town was there already. There was a petting area off to the side for the kids to go and pet the animals while the parents waited in the line. They had some cute animals to pet, a llama, some chickens, a goat and a baby pig. There was a lot of laughter and chatter in the line with everyone so excited about the haunted maze.

Finally, we reached the beginning of the line and our turn was next. Our daughter was the most excited and couldn't wait to start the maze. We started out it was pitch black and the ground was uneven under our feet. The scent of hay and corn was heavy in the air. It was so hard to see and you could hear other families screaming in fright as we made our way through the maze of corn stalks. We could hear the loud buzzing of chainsaws and a long blast of a car horn. Our daughter was holding tightly to her dads arm and following closely behind our oldest son and me.

Scary creatures would jump out of the stalks and scream out loud making even me and my husband jump in our skin and yell out from time to time. We rounded one corner where we were blinded by the constant blinking of a strobe light and we knew that there was something that was going to scare us next. We were right when a big skeleton flopped over out of nowhere.

A ghoul came chasing after us with the chainsaw and even though we had heard it all through the maze expecting it, we all ran screaming. We came upon a coffin with a scary creature inside and we bent over to look when something jumped out behind us and screamed, we all tore off running again. We were nearing the end when we had to step inside this black tent and it was so dark not even the light of the moon could shine inside. Our daughter was hanging on my arm tightly as she and I stepped inside and we both sunk down onto something. I just knew our feet were going to be covered in something icky. It was a wonderful illusion and as we stumbled off the mushy sinking ground we stepped out the other side just to be greeted by a scary skeleton ready to chase us again. The fog became very thick and we weren't sure what was coming next but suddenly we saw an opening and the end of the maze.

We all felt breathless and the adrenaline was still pumping as we walked the long trek back to the car. It was a great night for all of us and we had such a great time being spooked and scared.

Soup and Stew Weather

The nights cool down so quickly once fall is upon us and even though the days are still sunny and slightly warm the cool breeze from the wind blowing makes the temperatures feel cooler than they are. Nothing makes weather like this more cozy and comfortable than a big pot of hot soup or stew. Add a crusty loaf of bread and you have a meal to warm you from the inside out.

Our family has so many different soups and stews that we enjoy in the Autumn and Winter, we could almost eat a different kind every day. No doubt that chicken noodle soup is a common comfort food especially in the cold and flu season. But, turning that chicken and broth into something even more hearty can really satisfy a family; try making chicken and dumplings. This recipe is a family favorite and is also a family gem as it has been passed down through the ages. It does require a little effort but it is so worth the work you put into it. It makes a lot so you can freeze it or share it with neighbors.

Chicken and Dumplings

For the chicken: Boil until falling from the bone:

1 Whole chicken ( the liver, neck and gizzards removed) in
3 quarts of water and add
salt and pepper to taste along with
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

Once the chicken is done remove it from the broth to cool. De-bone and set aside. ( TIP: to cut the fat from the broth, cook the chicken the day before and put the pot of broth in the refrigerator. When all the fat hardens at the top of the pot, scoop and discard for a low fat broth)

Let the seasoned broth come to a slow boil as you begin to prepare the dumplings.

Dumplings:

5 cups all purpose flour mixed with
1 cup all vegetable shortening until crumbly then add
2 cups of very cold water and mix thoroughly. I use my Kitchen-aid mixer but a strong powered hand mixer will make the job as easy. If neither of those are available use a very sturdy spoon or your clean, bare, floured hands to mix into a doughy ball.

Using a floured surface, pinch off a small piece of dough and roll out thin and flat. Cut into 2 inch strips. Drop 3 or 4 strips at a time into the boiling broth and then stir to incorporate. Continue pinching off dough, rolling on a floured surface, cutting into strips and dropping into the broth until all the dough is in the pot.

Stir well and then add the boneless shredded chicken into the pot. Lower the heat to warm or the lowest heat setting on your stove and let cook for about one hour so all the flavors incorporate together.

Add 1 cup of milk to the thickened stew to add to the creaminess and serve.

What happened to modesty?

Normally I try to contain my rants and raves but I just have to speak out on the morals of manufacturing. What happened to yesteryear where people dressed modestly and did not want every aspect of their being hanging out? Today's messages to our young people are so warped and lack all value and morals. I appreciate people wanting to be individuals, to stand out in a crowd; but do we have to do it almost naked?

Last night we had a family outing to Walmart to find a Halloween costume for my daughters school dance. My daughter is at that age where she is still a child but is wearing more adult sizes, so we are in a quandary with modest things that I will buy. As we start to look through the costumes I realize that almost all of them are meant to put a woman in a sexual light. Skimpy, short and barely there on most of them and the ones that do cover you up are the witches and the ghouls and the ghosts. That leaves little choice for a young lady to find a costume that is appropriate for a school dance and follows the guidelines for dress code and that is allowable by a parent that does insist on her daughter dressing with some modesty in today's time. Even the simplest raggedy-Ann or Dorothy from Wizard of Oz has gone sexy with over the knee stockings and a skirt length that would barely keep anyone warm on a cold October evening.

Not every woman that spends her money in stores wants to look like she just left a strip club. There is very few choices in mainstream retail stores for a lady to look like a lady. It is very frustrating trying to raise a daughter in today's society, that wants our children to look like they are much older than they truly are; what happened to children being children and letting our kids grow up before subjecting them to all the adult things in life? It truly does frustrate me when I have to go out shopping. School clothes are a battle with all the styles leaning to adult fashion and so many of the kids are wearing what society deems fashionable for a child. I do not plan to budge from my way of thinking and I will continue to buy things that are appropriate for my daughters age. Hence, she was delighted to find a costume that went to her knees and did not show off much of her top. She tried it on and looked really cute! Thankfully, there was one cute costume that did not send her to her school dance looking like a monster!

Fall Fun

It is that time of year again, the crisp cool mornings that warm up slightly as the day passes by and the filtered sunlight invigorates us and urges us to be outdoors. The evenings cool down quickly and the smell of Autumn is in the air. The trees are freckled with colored leaves adorned in deep reds, golds and browns and the sound of the crunching leaves and damp grass under our feet brings flashbacks of many fun days in childhood running through piles of raked leaves on a sunny afternoon.

With the emergence of fall or Autumn as it is best known comes the fun of many festivals for families and activities that bring us all together. Here in north Georgia we are in the midst of the annual Apple festival in Gilmer county. There is one more weekend for the festival and it is worth the trip and the time to visit.

A family favorite for us is a visit to Yahoo Farm to spend a dusky evening with a camp fire roasting marshmallows and the dull thudding pop of the corn cannon as children giggle and laugh at such a simple activity. Climbing into the wagon when dark finally covers the evening and riding along on a spooky haunted hayride is a must do as well as getting our flashlight and map of the darkened corn maze that takes quite sometime to get through. Finding our way out of the maze means it is time for a piping hot cup of cocoa and for each person in our family to pick out their pumpkin to take home for carving. Our family each sits down and carves their own intricate pattern on their pumpkin and we light them all together and have a contest. The talent and skill is revealed in each pumpkin no matter the age of the artist. We then get together and cook all the pumpkin and prepare it to freeze so that we have plenty of pumpkin goodies throughout the rest of the year. There is so much family fun during the Autumn months for parents and kids of all ages to enjoy.

Another great activity is to visit a haunted house. Most big cities have an attraction that is put on for a larger fee, but local smaller towns usually put on a decent haunted house for a family that is affordable and fun. In our town the local Lionsgate Mortuary is a big hit and everyone has a great time being scared during the month of October.

What is October without a fun filled Ocktoberfest? A trek to Helen will bare all sorts of fun activities for a family and the entire town makes Ocktoberfest something memorable and incredibly exciting with good music and great fun and wonderful people.

One thing about Georgia is that there is never a moment that you cannot find something fun to do with a family. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter bring all sorts of activities that are easily accessed with a short drive and a car full of excited people ready to make memories and create traditions together.

How about a great activity with the kids to kick start fall fun? Try making candied apples together. Be sure to supervise young children with this recipe because the hot sugar can be very dangerous!

More exciting recipes for Halloween and Autumn can be found on the internet. Try this site for easy recipes for kids. There is a great recipe for caramel apples to make with the family.

Are you looking for great templates to help you carve amazing pumpkins? There are sources on the internet that you can use to print them off. Try having a pumpkin carving competition with your family. It is a family favorite with my kids and a long standing tradition now.

Enjoy fall fun with your family and start new traditions with your kids. There is nothing better than sharing great memories with those that you love.

Parenting a Teenager

How many times have you seen the eyes roll and heard the deep grunting sigh when speaking to a teenager? It is a communication tool they use to let others know that they are feeling tread upon and unwelcoming the discussion. Teenagers are their own species, and are best studied by far as not to get to close as one would a lion in the jungle. A teenager can be a lot of fun if we approach them in a way that does not threaten their individualism. They can also be a lot of stress when we want to reach out to them and they have closed the door on us.

Patience is the key to successfully navigating the teenage years. Finding creativity in parenting to allow the teen to be who they want to be as well as guiding them in the right direction. Hopefully, without them realizing that we are guiding them at all. Teenagers want to be thought of as adults that know everything they need to know in the world, and they do not like their knowledge challenged. However, of all the age groups in adolescence the teenager is the one that needs the most guidance. Today's world is complicated and riddled with messages that can confuse a teenager trying to find their way. Parenting requires a lot of patience and some homework as well. Keeping up to date on the current fads, lingo and what music is hot is a good way to stay in touch with a teenager. Of course, we cannot go about it in a way that makes us “lame” as a parent talking about such things as if we understand it. Knowing who our teenagers are spending their time with is very important. More and more there are unsupervised children practically raising themselves and these kids are the ones that seem cool and fun to teenagers. Monitoring a teenagers emotions is important with parenting. There are a lot of kids that are slipping through the cracks, dealing with depression and apprehension in their lives. Keeping an even balance in a teenagers life is a good way of allowing individual assertion as well as activities that challenge their minds and allows social interaction. Extracurricular activities are best to keep a balance in their lives. Sports, Drama, clubs and or a part time job will allow a teenager to find independence and responsibility.

Being determined and consistent in parenting will get both the parent and the teenager through the maze of those hardest years and bring forth a well rounded young adult. The key to making it through is a sense of humor and looking back into our past and remembering what it was like to be a teenager ourselves. Sometimes as we grow older we tend to forget the emotions and angst that we felt at that age. Tapping into our past helps us to be better parents to our kids. Finding it in ourselves to relate on a level that allows open communication and growth keeps the door open with our young forming adults.

The entire process from small loving child to happy young adult is trying and a lot of hard work. It makes us remember the sleepless nights of infancy and the constant chasing of toddlers as times that we cherish and although sleepless nights and constant chasing down of teenagers is not much different in our own exhaustion; the way in how we handle it makes all the difference in the world. We do not have to be their friends, but we should be friendly. We do not have to allow their every whim, but allowing expression and discussion teaches communication. We do not have to accept their answers or excuses but listening and keeping an open mind to their reasoning teaches them that they are not being shut out. A teenager needs validation and acceptance not only from their peers but from the adults in their life as well.

Take time to put aside the impending doom you feel when your teenager rolls their eyes and sighs loudly at your words. Keep in mind that the time goes by so quickly, that before we know it they are off into the world following their dreams and aspirations. How we help guide them through this tumultuous time in their lives is the precursor to how they make that first step into adulthood.

Betrayal

Betrayal


According to the definition from the free dictionary.com the definition is as follows:


be·tray
tr.v. be·trayed, be·tray·ing, be·trays
1.
a. To give aid or information to an enemy of; commit treason against: betray one's country.
b. To deliver into the hands of an enemy in violation of a trust or allegiance: betrayed Christ to the Romans.
2.To be false or disloyal to
3.To divulge in a breach of confidence
3.To make known unintentionally:
4.To reveal against one's desire or will.
5.To lead astray; deceive


The effects of betrayal are many but the first most prevalent effect is distress. This emotion encompasses a person and takes over all of their thoughts. The loss of trust can be devastating to a person that feels betrayed. The more trust a person has in another the bigger feeling of loss and the stronger the effect of betrayal.

Following this initial feeling of distress, comes anger then fear and repulsion. These emotions can put a person into physical illness or undue stress.

The next effect of betrayal is the human inclination for justice. A person wants to right the wrong and reach out and cause distress to the one that has betrayed them. The natural effect such as in the bible, an eye for an eye comes to mind first and foremost. However, later in the bible Jesus says love thy enemies and God instructs to love thy brother as you would love yourself. How then can one who believes in the word of God, look for justice?

This topic brings me to where I am today. I feel I have had a confidence betrayed and I feel at a loss as what to do about it. How do I do the right thing and also find the closure and the right frame of mind to even absorb this issue.

I find in life we feel that we can trust certain people in our lives enough to let them into our own private worlds. For me, that is not an easy task, I'm not that open to bringing new people into my life and I find it very hard to build trust in others. But, I did feel I had found a person that I could trust and share things with, and allowed her to know more about me as a person. But, now I have found that my trust in another has left me feeling distressed and very sad. A person that can share another persons information without regard to how it will affect anyone and then nonchalantly feel like it is no big deal and when confronted blames the person they told the information too, is just plain wrong. No matter how you work that scenario it still equals betrayal.

Of course this goes right back to the topic overcoming obstacles. Now this obstacle is before me and I must find the right way to overcome it with a positive attitude and the correct frame of mind. This goes to my conclusion that life is a maze. Choices guide us with each step and every choice we make matters in the long run. I made a poor choice trusting someone and now it has created an obstacle for me to overcome. Will I get past this? Yes, with a lot of thought and contemplation I will overcome this obstacle and will do it with the right intentions and stay in my beliefs that I am to love thy brother and thy enemies. I will not seek justice nor will I let the fear and anger that I am feeling take over my life. I will work through the feelings I am dealing with day by day and learn from my mistake. For me, that mistake is letting others get to close. That saying never show your hand makes a lot of sense to me. I won't get caught off guard again, age does bring wisdom.

Overcoming Obstacles

Life is a maze. The journey is riddled with obstacles in all sorts of situations and maneuvering through the journey and making the right choices is the key to success. Do we always make the right choice? Sadly, no we do not. However, learning from our mistakes is part of the experience that makes us wise and gives us knowledge on how to move ahead. My father once told me that he could tell me all the mistakes that I would make but then I would never learn anything from them. This information has stayed with me throughout my life. When I make a choice that did not work for me, I remember those words that I have to learn from my mistakes. Raising my children, I too have borrowed that statement and shared that information with my children. Will it stay with them as it did me? I do not know the answer to that yet, but I can hope that it will and whatever mistakes they make, that they do learn from them.

You may be saying to yourself right now, I do not have any obstacles in my life, everything goes as I want it to. Is that true? Taking a moment to reflect might show you that you combat and deal with obstacles every day and do not even realize it. You could have had to overcome an obstacle just logging onto the computer today or with a search engine trying to find what you were looking for on the internet. There are many different forms of obstacles and learning to recognize the strength and abilities we as human beings have in overcoming them is the beginning step in finding ways to make the most of your life.

Some people choose to tackle obstacles head on and just bull rush right through them, taking no prisoners effect and just looking out for themselves. This could seem ideal at first until you see the path of destruction behind you. Others might find it easier to go the Ostrich route. Bury your head in the sand and it should all go away. This usually leads to a larger situation in the long run. There are those that turn every small detail into a major catastrophe so that the most minor obstacle seems like a mountain to cross. There are some that find it easier to evade and blame others and then take no true responsibility for their path. No matter how people deal with obstacles in their lives, it definitely affects others around them. One might see a small obstacle as just a small obstacle but the other with them sees things with blinders on and only sees their own version of reality which then entails a dramatic catastrophic event. The other person is left with a gaping jaw and confusion as to how the other can make a mountain out of a mole hill.

From birth the maze of life is nothing more than overcoming obstacles that occur from the moment we take our first breath. How one learns to cope with life as we move through it is the difference between happiness and discontent.

My obstacles today might seem overwhelming to some and to others a typical day in their life. For me, I have been planning on how to get through a day full of activities with my family and make them all come into place with the least amount of stress. I am a planner and a list maker. I must have everything laid out so that I can see how it plays out. On the other hand my spouse is a casual it will all work out guy. I know this about myself and about him, so I plan accordingly. I have no worry that with all the current activities that are required today that they will all happen as they are supposed to. Does the thought of it stress me out and give me unnecessary worry? Of course it does and I will turn to what works for me most and that is my faith in God. Prayer and hope and my lists and planning will get me to the end zone of this day.

How will you get through today's obstacles? Do you have something big to deal with that requires all your energy or are you having an easier day where your biggest obstacle is filtering through the television channels? Whether is a day full of obstacles or a day where the obstacles seem easy to overcome, take a moment to reflect on how you make the choices that get you to your end results.

Getting back into the swing of things

The holidays came and went like a firestorm and kept me and the family busy. I got out of the swing of things with my blog but I'm ready to dive in and get back to writing again. The family has been making some important changes and we have had some positive experiences. Working to convert to the Catholic faith has become a priority in our family and we are all working hard to get the work done to become confirmed in the church. The kids are enjoying it and I'm seeing so much progress in their interactions with each other. It is nice to see the kids blooming in their faith. The kids are the ones that pushed the family in this direction, so we are all working hard to make this a reality in our family. It is a lot of work but well worth the effort and we all love learning about history and of course about Jesus and his life on this earth.
Evan got a new guitar for Christmas and he has been working hard improving his playing and writing some of his own songs. I am so proud of him and watching his talent grow is impressive. Playing only six months now he amazes me with his ability to pick up a song and have it down pat in no time.

He's been putting some of his stuff up on youtube! He tells me he is going to become famous on there! I should help so I'm adding his link, subscribe and watch him get better and better!

My oldest Trevor has a band it is called Church on the Move and they are taking North Georgia over with their fresh sound and great vocals. They are getting more and more interest from people and getting some playing gigs together. They have some amazing video as well and they write most of their own songs. They do play some cover songs but their own songs are incredible. Check them out as well I am going to put their links up to show them off too! If you are looking for a great band for an occasion, consider them! The Ballad of Alexander Supertramp is fabulous and the video is haunting but serene. The Waltz of Yesterday is another magnificent song they have written showing off their skill and talent. They have a facebook page for the band that anyone can join to download their music or keep up on their latest events. They also have a myspace too to listen to their songs.

Give them all a listen and tell them what you think, they love to hear feedback! That is about all the catching up I have for my blog. I am going to get back to a routine and keep it updated. I felt so guilty taking so long to write, but then again I have been so busy time just flew by!