Today was.....a "Ty" day!!!!

I promise, I won't post quite so many pictures every time I have Ty! But...today was a "typical Ty day" at our house. Whenever we watch him...we are all so enthralled with him, that we just make a huge fuss over him. We say that in our house, Ty is a celebrity! For those of you who might not know...Ty is my sweet little nephew...6 1/2 months old. I thought it would be fun to post about Ty's day today! (especially for my Mom who is away in Alabama (where it is WARM) helping my aunt recover from surgery...and is missing everyone!)Look at these eyes....he is a heartbreaker, isn't he?!
As we were sitting at the table eating our oatmeal...I was surrounded by everyone wanting to be close to me....or is it close to Ty?!

Ty is also a huge 'Star Wars' fan...he comes by it honestly...his cousins are into it, and he inherited it from his dad...who still has all of his origional Star Wars figures and sets from when he was little!

This little boy gets tons of "tummy time" here....look at this smile!

When he is having tummy time or just playing on the floor...there are at least 2 or more others with him, encouraging his crawling skills, and entertaining him!

This is Sara and Ty making a video on her laptop! Scroll down to the end if you would like to watch the video. I am on the other side of the door playing "peek-a-boo" and making him laugh!

I love this one! Anna has helped all day with Ty! She helped with changing his diapers and here she is snapping him back up! He loves watching her!

Ty discovered 'Lightening McQueen' today! He talks...

This is the smile I got when I sneaked up on him to get him up from his nap! How sweet is that?!

Oh, my....either I am terribly out of practice with this or he is a messy eater! Peas go in.....

And....peas come out! He actually DID eat the whole jar...I just kept scooping them back in again!

Here he is with his favorite Uncle Ron! Every time he hears Ron's voice, he doesn't take his eyes off of him...it is so funny! I told them to put their bald heads together for a picture!

Now, Daddy ( my brother-in-law Todd) came to take him home. It was funny...he was playing with Ron on the floor, but as soon as he saw Dad...he got a 'boo boo' lip and wanted his Daddy! It was so cute!

Here he is ready to go home in what we call his "escape pod"!

~And....we get to have him again tomorrow! ( I hope she sends bananas instead of peas!) What a joy it is for all of us to get to have him all to ourselves a couple times a week! We enjoy him so much! I realize that there are no pictures of Meghan with Ty...but she took a lot of them, and she hates to get her picture taken! I'll get some of her with him tomorrow! Scroll down a little bit for the video of Ty and Sara. Now it is time to light a fire and relax with my little ones while the girls get ready for a busy day tomorrow! ~Sue~

Here is the video: hope you all like it!

Snow and Goodies

Today was great for me! Once I got all my school work done, I decided to call and ask a friend who lives up the street if she needed me to pick up her daughter from the bus stop (right down the street) rather than take her 1 year old out in the cold. She said they were planning on playing in the snow anyways, so I invited them to our house for some winter fun! Snow can be a menace, but it can also be great! Here are some pictures of our snow fun!Anna loves making snow angels, then making smiley faces on them!

Ronnie sliding down the hill on the toboggan! I think he was about to bail out!

Ronnie was making a, "Jedi Angel"... he made a light sabre on it!

After our snow day, we came back inside and just chilled (Ha ha, get it?) until dinner was ready. With a yummy dinner of lentil rice casserole (see previous post) and veggies, I cleaned up the kitchen while my mom went to Michael's to buy more yarn for her scarf. As I was drying a pot, I noticed a gluten free cook book on the counter. I picked it up and found a recipe that looked really easy, so I asked my mom if I could make it and she agreed. One stipulation: I had to clean every scrap up. I said yes, and got to work. It is also Tuesday, so this post will also be my taste tester Tuesday because I made successful gluten free brownies! They tasted real, and everyone loved them! Here is a picture of the dessert and one of me, holding my prize!

I must say, these were really tasty!

The cook book is Special Diet Solutions by Carol Fenster, Ph.D and it's a great book! She also wrote Wheat-Free Recipes and Menus and Special Diet Celebrations. The recipe for the brownies is on page 115. Here is the recipe and it's definitely a keeper!

Gluten Free Brownies

1/2 cup of brown rice flour

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca starch

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 TSP. baking powder

1/2 TSP. salt

1/2 TSP un-sweetened gelatin

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 TSP. Vanilla extract

1/3 cup hot water

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 11x7 pan. Stir together dry ingredients (From flour to gelatin) then set the bowl aside. In a large mixing bowl (This is where the K-Tec comes in handy!) beat the oil, sugars, egg and vanilla on medium speed until mixed. With the mixer on a low speed, add the dry ingredients and the water to the mix. Mix until just blended, and the mixture should look somewhat thick. Stir in 1/3 cup chocolate chips, then spread the batter in the prepared pan with a wet spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into nice size pieces, it makes 12 brownies.

Menu Plan Monday...sort of!

Ok...I KNOW it is Tuesday...but better late than never! We had so many leftovers from the party on Sunday and company yesterday...that yesterday was a leftover day! I'm back to trying to culture kefir, and the girls and I are racking our brains for menus including snacks that have the maximum nutrition for the least amount of money...hence, culturing our food and eating healthier! Even Sara, my favorite junk-food junkie, said to me last night " Mum....I can't wait to get back to really healthy, gluten free eating again....I'm sick of feeling sick and tired!"....for that to come from Sara was amazing! God is doing a work on her heart. Seems since Ronnie's surgery, we've all had SOMETHING...either the stomach virus that was going around or now...seems we're fighting off colds and coughs...no one is "sick in bed" sick....just tired, sniffly and coughing a little. Also, since Thanksgiving until recently, we've been eating the "SAD"...standard American diet...even fast food, which we normally don't eat... So....along with our menu, we're trying to make our carrot juice everyday, a kefir smoothy every day, fruit, salads, veggies....I'm getting a lot of cabbage into us....and hopefully, we'll start back on our "green lemonade" again as well. I don't list these things on the menus, because they are 'in-between' meals. The girls and I were talking about canning a lot this summer and fall....we want to make a plan starting with the greens in spring . We're just finishing up the grape jam I made last summer....it was so good this morning on gluten free crepes! Ok....here's the plan for the week! ~Sue~

Tuesday
gluten free crepes with homemade grape jam
leftover seafood salad and spinach dip on beds of romaine and spinach with cucumbers
brown rice/lentil casserole with green beans and steamed carrots

Wednesday
oatmeal, bananas and juice
gluten free pumpkin bread, vanilla yogart, and pineapple
venison steaks, mushrooms, peppers, salad and oven fries

Thursday
cereal, bananas, juice (have to be out the door early!)
cheesy eggs, pototoes, fruit
chicken and vegetables with brown rice pasta

Friday
gluten free blueberry pancakes
gluten free banana bread, yogart and fruit
chicken and rice soup, sweet potato biscuits (gf) and salad

Saturday
oatmeal and fruit
veggie omelets and potatoes
(Maggie's birthday party) at 6pm....have to think of a filling, healthy "appetizer" to take!

~Parties are tough....there is so much wonderful tasting food...most of it very unhealthy for us...but boy, does it take a lot of self-discipline! Wouldn't miss this party for the world, though! Our cousins, John and Kim's little girl Maggie turned 8 on the same day that Ronnie turned 7. Please keep Kim in your prayers! She is on high doses of chemo for a rare autoimmune disease...and after just speaking with her...in spite of the high doses...she is still having a flareup right now. Thank you for your prayers! Have a blessed day! ~Sue~

Abundantly blessed!

As a friend recently pointed out to me....I am abundantly blessed! Not only having all our family over yesterday....but, oh the friends that the Lord has blessed us with!!!! Some of our friends came to visit this morning and stayed for lunch....and others are stopping here for a short visit before leaving for Disney World tomorrow! ( she is graciously allowing me to "babysit" her new Taste of Home cookbooks for her while she is away!) And....tonight Meghan and Sara and I have our "Maiden's" bible study...more good fellowship, encouragment and friendship! I can truly say that "our cup runneth over...."with family, friends and fellowship! ( which is why my "Menu Plan Monday" is going to be a little bit late!) Here are some pictures from our morning visit! Here is my good friend, Danielle...another old neighbor...thank goodness, we still get together! She makes me laugh so much!
Here is her youngest son, Jude Francis...I love, love, love his 'Hanna Anderson' hat!

This is her beautiful daughter, Isabelle...I taught her to crochet today and sent her home with some cool pink yarn and a hook....she caught on right away!

Jude was hysterical with this little broom...he swept the whole time he was here!

Ronnie and Miles being "jedi"!

These handsome boys have known each other since birth...I love looking at the old pictures over the years from the time they were babies until now! They have a lot of fun when they get together!

Now....I am off to read 2 chapters and prepare for our study tonight! Thank goodness dinner is leftover from yesterdays party....I am wiped out! Tomorrow, it's lots of laundry and I think, a big pot of chicken and rice soup! ~Sue~

The Desire of My Heart

I remember reading in one of my old journal attempts about what I wanted to be when I grow up. Sometimes at night I'd lay in my bed and picture myself in the future doing/being one of these things. At the time, when I was about 10, I had many, *ahem* varying interests.

They were:

1. A Wife and Mother; I mentally added, "Before that..."

2. A Writer

3. Maybe a fashion designer ('maybe' being a key word)

I know there might havebeen one or two more but they escape me at the moment. :)

After my horrible sketching/drawing attempts, I gave up my fashion designer 'dream' because all I kept drawing was wedding gowns and characters from books. (Big suprise there?!)

I still write and hope to at least self-publish (eventually) the book I'm currently working on now. However I don't want to have a career outside the home as a writer. I can still write from home! But I am content and happy with writing stories, novels, and articles.....not to mention all my schoolwork writing assignments. :)

My one 'dream' that has stayed true and steady since I was little was to eventually be married, run my own home and have children. Since I've grown older, that 'dream' is becoming almost a reality. It's the desire of my heart. At my mother's feet I am learning to do all the practical and useful things a wife and mother does. I learn mostly by doing, watching, listening and inquiring. At times I have a discontented heart because I can't do the things I feel are best in our home. Mum gently reminds me that it is HER home and she knows best. And that the Lord knows best for placing me in this home with this particular family. Mum hardly ever says this with a harsh tone or impatient countenance. Instead she lovingly guides me and instructs me with never a complaint. A very good character lesson I'm learning through this is to keep my heart under my parent's leadership and authority; as I will someday when I am married.

Pride is one area I struggle in, with many different faces. How can, when I'm married, be content and humble under my husband's leadership with a prideful heart?! How can I listen to advice or opinions of my husband if I can't do so now with my parents without snapping at them? I am so thankful that the Lord is slowly molding and shaping my heart through my parents discipline and love. I'm so glad that I know the Lord and I am being raised by the most wonderful parents. :) Though sometimes I may grumble at the slightly cluttered condition of the counters, or throw a disrespectful retort towards one of my parents out of pain or anger, my parents lovingly and gently correct me and I'm reminded of God's grace and love when I hear the words from my Mum or Dad, "Of course I forgive you!"

The desire of my heart is to be a wife, homemaker and mother someday. I hope to be as good and wonderful a wife, mother and homemaker as Mum is. But more than anything I want to be the wife, homemaker and mother the Lord wants me to be someday.

The Keepers at Home Goal:

To have a teachable spirit so that I can master the different crafts and skills which will enable me to become a competent, well-balanced Christian girl who loves God, and who will one day be a proper helpmeet and keeper at home.

*This future hope-to-be 'keeper at home' needs to get some shut eye!*

A birthday party...and a "pre-Super Bowl" party!

What a great day! Church was wonderful...worship made me cry...and having Ron there, actually, all of us together made our day even more special!

Today we had a party to celebrate Ronnie's birthday! Filled with family...even though some of our precious family couldn't be with us today, they were in our thoughts. ( Hi, Mum!) Of course, with the Pittsburgh Steelers in THE playoff game today, everyone was talking about that. Here are some fun pictures from the party!

Happy 7th Birthday Ronnie!!!

My sister... Lori, Ty and Todd

My youngest sister, Pam and her son Justin
My wonderful nephew, Shayne! (NOT liking getting his picture taken!)
Ty ( 6 months old) I enjoy him so very much! Thank goodness, Lori is good about sharing him with me!


I love this!!! My Dad and Ty...guess who they are cheering on?!


I caught my Dad laughing...and eating pretzels at the same time!


Ronnie got an 'Anakin Skywalker' costume...I think it's really cool! Before him, I only had sisters and 2 daughters...so all of these "Guy" costumes and interests are all new to me!

Opening presents...


My Dear friend and old neighbor, Jamie! Boy, do I miss living across the street from her! I'm so glad that she and Elissa were able to join us!

My step-mom, Maryellen...a BIG Steeler fan! (makes great crab dip, too!)





My beautiful daughter, Meghan and I...it's rare that she agrees to have her picture taken, let alone posted on the blog...I still can't believe that she will be 16 soon!




My lovely mother-in-law, Ro...the kids call her "RoRo" instead of Grandma....my niece, Amanda started that when she was little and it stuck! Another big Steeler fan!Look at my sisters....aren't they beautiful?!




Of course, we're gathered around the food!

And.....as of RIGHT NOW....Pittsburgh Steelers are going to the Super Bowl!!!!!! Way to go, Steelers!!! Darn....I guess we'll have to have another party! ( it's the day before my sister Lori's birthday....we'll have another celebration!) ~Sue~

Random Musical Questionare!

My friend over at Unworthy Maiden has done these, and they looked really interesting! Since I don't have a playlist on our blog, I'm using my playlist from my laptop. I am very curious on the answers, for I have many different songs on this thing!!!! What you do is for every quuestion, your answer has tpo be a song. Just keep clicking Next for each question...here we go!

If someone says, "Is this okay? "Stand" by Rascal Flatts... what the heck???

How would you describe yourself? "Baby Girl" by Sugarland...awww, I guess this is true with my daddy.

What do you like in a guy/girl? "Change" by Taylor Swift...okay, changing..."Would You Go With Me" by Josh Turner...much better!

How do you feel today? "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift...thats a good one!

What is your life's purpose? "Love Story" by Taylor Swift...*sheepish grin* thats not all I think about! Just Sometimes...

What is your motto? "My Hallelujah Song" by Julianne Hough...neat! Look on the bright side of life

What do your friends think of you?"Adore" by Jaci Velasquez...good to know 8)

What do you think of your parents? "All that I Need" by Soverign Grace

What do you think about very often? "You lift Me Up" by Rachel Lampa

What do you think of your best friend?"Boondocks" by Little Big Town...odd

What do you think of the person you like? "Heavenly Father, Beautiful Son" by Soverign Grace...good: I like Jesus, so it makes sense! : )

What is your life story?"O Great God" COOL!!! God has been my life ever since the beginning!

What do you want to be when you grow up?"Live For You" by Rachel Lampa

What do you think when you see the person you like? Odd, "That song in my head" by Julianne Hough

What will you dance to at your wedding? "Love Story" by Taylor Swift

What will they play at your funeral? "Long Black Train" by Josh Turner...ohhhkay!

What is your hobby/interest? "Imagine Me Without You" by Jaci Velasquez...hmmm...

What is your biggest fear?"Lost Without You" by Jaci Velasquez (Talking about Jesus)

What is your biggest secret? "God So Loved" by Jaci Velasquez

What do you think of your friends? "Every time I Fall" by Jaci Velasquez

Okay, I tag Ella, Dani, Tia, and Lane so tag you're it!

Sabbath Rest....

I've been continuously reminded lately, of the Lords presence with me and my family....daily, minute by minute, with each of us...and His deep love and care for us! As you celebrate the Sabbath today, I pray that you are blessed with the following devotional about Jesus presence in your daily life from 'Streams in the Desert'. Have a blessed day...enjoying the love and presence of your savior with you! ~Sue~
"O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee" (Dan. 6:20).

How many times we find this expression in the Scriptures, and yet it is just this very thing that we are so prone to lose sight of. We know it is written "the living God"; but in our daily life there is scarcely anything we practically so much lose sight of as the fact that God is the living God; that He is now whatever He was three or four thousand years since; that He has the same sovereign power, the same saving love towards those who love and serve Him as ever He had and that He will do for them now what He did for others two, three, four thousand years ago, simply because He is the living God, the unchanging One. Oh, how therefore we should confide in Him, and in our darkest moments never lose sight of the fact that He is still and ever will be the living God!

Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. An older brother who has known the Lord for forty-four years, who writes this, says to you for your encouragement that He has never failed him. In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but because I was enabled by His grace to trust Him He has always appeared for my help. I delight in speaking well of His name. --George Mueller

Luther was once found at a moment of peril and fear, when he had need to grasp unseen strength, sitting in an abstracted mood tracing on the table with his finger the words, "Vivit! vivit!" ("He lives! He lives!"). It is our hope for ourselves, and for His truth, and for mankind. Men come and go; leaders, teachers, thinkers speak and work for a season, and then fall silent and impotent. He abides. They die, but He lives. They are lights kindled, and, therefore, sooner or later quenched; but He is the true light from which they draw all their brightness, and He shines for evermore. --Alexander Maclaren

"One day I came to know Dr. John Douglas Adam," writes C. G. Trumbull. "I learned from him that what he counted his greatest spiritual asset was his unvarying consciousness of the actual presence of Jesus. Nothing bore him up so, he said, as the realization that Jesus was always with him in actual presence; and that this was so independent of his own feelings, independent of his deserts, and independent of his own notions as to how Jesus would manifest His presence.

"Moreover, he said that Christ was the home of his thoughts. Whenever his mind was free from other matters it would turn to Christ; and he would talk aloud to Christ when he was alone--on the street, anywhere--as easily and naturally as to a human friend. So real to him was Jesus' actual presence.

The public domain version of this classic devotional is the unabridged edition of Streams in the Desert. This first edition was published in 1925 and the wording is preserved as originally written. Connotations of words may have changed over the years and are not meant to be offensive.