Gratitude...and Contentment

I had a "mini meltdown" this week...I felt so overwhelmed with "things"...driving to activities a lot, homeschooling 4 children, babysitting my 15 month old nephew....not sleeping....not to mention being behind in laundry, cleaning...you name it. One day of feeling like my head was going to pop off and spin around....of feeling sorry for myself and wishing my life were different. I guess, if I could, I would just stay home, take care of my family and home and rarely go anywhere or do anything outside of my family....I'm not one to enjoy running around. I don't know how most of the moms I know do it! LOL

But...God is SO good to me...He didn't allow me to be in that place for very long, He had me counting my blessings and He kept putting reminders in my path about self-sacrificing love...and that is just what I needed to remind me to die to self, care for my family...and look for ways to cultivate gratitude. The roses above were a surprise from my wonderful husband...he took my 2 little ones to the store for a couple of things, and they wanted to 'cheer me up'. Aren't they beautiful? And yes....they make me smile whenever I look at them.
Our little Anna "Peony"...she was so excited to get to go bowling with Ronnie and the cubscouts this week....they all had such a good time...I'm grateful for good friends, and the fun activities our family is involved in thru Cub Scouts.

I am extremely grateful today, because we took Anna to have her hips x-rayed today. The orthopedist wants to check her yearly to make sure the angles don't change in her hips, like Ronnie's did. With the history with Meghan and Ronnie...we are especially watchful...and today....grateful...Anna's x-rays were perfect!

Had to put this in...homemade french onion soup! I was VERY grateful for this yesterday, when it was very chilly and rainy...the bread was homemade zucchini onion bread....homemade beef broth and melted swiss cheese....Oh, it was so warm and comforting!

This is what we came home to tonight! How cute is that?! I was grateful that Ron and I had a "date" tonight. We met our friends, the Calano's, at Eat N park for coffee tonight...just to talk, catch up and to see how we could pray for each other. I am grateful for the time with my husband...and for good, caring friends. When we came home, Ronnie and Anna had helped Sara make oatmeal bars and had mugs of hot cocoa, while Meghan straightened up the house.....I am so grateful that my children are healthy AND for what helpful, caring daughters I have! I am also very grateful to have 2 teenage daughters to babysit when needed! LOL

Now....I am off to bed. I will leave you all with a quote from my favorite devotional "Streams in the Desert"...this spoke to me so powerfully recently....what am I willing to give up, to be more like Him? : (speaking of Jesus' disciples) "Their life from that moment on was one of inexpressible fellowship solely with Him above. They were willing to live without possesions that others owned and that they could have had, in order to be unlike others...so they could be more like Him."

God bless! ~Sue~

Michaela's Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party

This past Friday, Sara, Mum and I attended the sweet 16 birthday party for Michaela! It was such fun-and yummy! The theme was 'Coffee-Bar'-in essence, YUM!! Mrs. W, Michaela's great mom, opted for decaf coffee, though. :) Such wise women we have as our mothers! :) It was so special to celebrate Michaela's upcoming 16th birthday since we've been friends for almost ten years now. Love you, Michaela!

The colors were very pretty-red, white and black. I had a vanilla latte-and Michaela had mocha. Just one of the ways where we differ-though I do still love chocolate. Michaela had some of her closest friends around her as you can see in the picture below:

Back row: Sarah, Me, Sara, Michaela's sister Arianna,

Middle Row: Michaela's sister Morgan, Michaela and Bella

Front row: (Two of my favorite little girls) Michaela's sister Tess and Rachel, Sarah's sister

Michaela got so many neat, and pretty gifts! Sarah C made her a homemade bowl out of an old record-she's going to teach us how to make them soon. It was SO cute. :) We played a very fun game where we all had to write down answers to questions on slips of paper, toss them together and Mrs. W read them aloud. Then we all had to guess who gave each answer-it was a blast! Even Mum, Mrs. W and Mrs. P (Michaela and Bella's moms, respectively) participated.

The whole evening was a blast-full of sugar, games, laughs, but best of all, great friends all celebrating Michaela's 16th birthday together. So here are a few pictures of the evening with accompanying captions. :)

The lovely birthday girl opening a gift

Isn't that smile precious? This is the huge project I've been working on for awhile-for Michaela to keep in her hope chest, on her bed, and use in her future home. :)

Two peas in a white pod. :) This picture was Michaela's idea. :) Isn't it cute?

I am SO getting this picture framed!!! I am so blessed and privileged to know and love Michaela! I thank the Lord He saw fit to bring each other into our lives for so many years and many more years to come. Love you!

Autumn Apple Picking!

Our family FINALLY had a sunny day....to go apple picking! We went to Simmon's Farm and had a wonderful time in their orchards and doing their nature challenge, as well! (Steph...I'm sure you and the boys remember that!)Ronnie and Anna amidst the apples....what fun we had! Ronnie was so serious...and Anna was so excited, she practically danced thru the rows of apple trees!

My beautiful older daughters...we had a fun time with a family photoshoot at nearby South Park as well!

Anna insisted that Raggedy Anne and Andy had to come apple picking with us...

My sweetie and I...leaning on a wooden bridge and laughing at the kids!

Dad made a great ladder to pick Anna up to reach the "perfect" apple!
Ron, Sara, Ronnie and Anna did the "Nature Challenge" trail...Meghan and I cheer them on! Here they are at the end...climbing the rope up the side of the hill. Anna kept yelling "Look at me, Mom...Look at me! I'm Nim!!!" (she loves the movie "Nim's Island"!)
The Rope bridge....
Enjoying a little hike thru the fall leaves...
Our Peony climbing thru the tube...

They also had a petting zoo...while the older girls chatted, Ron & I took the little ones to see the animals...Ron made friends with a goat!
Anna made friends with a bunny!
Ronnie liked the ducks!
We ended the day at South Park, where Ronnie and Anna enjoyed rock climbing. What a special, memorable family day we had! We are so blessed to be able to be together, to live, and work, worship and praise, serve and have fun together as a family! What a blessing! This was a day that will give us wonderful memories thru the long, cold winter ahead! ~Sue~

Our 300th Post!!! Why I blog...

I have been thinking of this all week....why do I blog? I knew this would be our 300th post...since last December. I had no idea we would be so prolific with our writing...but God had other plans. I blog first and foremost....for my family.

I blog because I have discovered, that I love to write...it is a great creative outlet for me! Mostly, I blog as a sort of family journal/scrapbook of our everyday life. We have many family members and friends who keep up with what is going on in our lives...and it is a good way to keep in touch. I would like to have it printed, year by year and have as a keepsake...still looking into how cost effective that would be, but I would love it. But, I also know that it is out here in "cyberspace"...that if our computer crashes, it would all still be there....that as my hands hurt more and more and writing by hand becomes much more difficult than typing....this is also how I like to journal. (I still have my hand written journal...but, sadly, I don't keep up with it as much as I would like)

Blogging is a great 'homeschooling' tool for creative writing for my girls as well. They have distinctive writing styles, personalities...and I have always encouraged them to write. I like the pieces that they have done, and Sara is turning into quite the computer artist! (Is that the correct term?! I'm not sure...but I think you all know what I mean!)

After scrolling back thru the blog, thru the past year....I wonder what this coming year holds for us...of course, the holidays are coming up...many, many family birthdays...2 weddings...vacations....and of course, just everyday life in our home.

So to all of our family and friends....thanks so much for caring about us and reading this little piece of our lives! God bless you all today! ~Sue~

A Beautiful Bridal Shower

We've just arrived home from our dear friend Courtney's bridal shower. It was so much fun and Mum and I had a great time. Regrettably the littles both still had icky colds and Sara volunteered to babysit them....thank you Sara!! Courtney greeted us at the door-glowing, as usual. :) The fellowship hall of her church was decorated beautifully and the tables were very pretty. :) Courtney's mom, sister Hannah, and three aunts all set up, cooked for and set up this beautiful shower for their dear Courtney. She received so many beautiful gifts for her and Dan's future home! My gift to Court is going to be a wedding gift, as it isn't done yet. :) Mum got her the Betty Crocker Cookie book and made her an adorable apron, as was pictured in the last post. After a delicious lunch of warm chicken salad, pasta and salad, the games began. The first was tricky but very creative. The second was the traditional bridal 'bingo' as the bride-to-be opens her gifts. The centerpieces were so beautiful and quite a few women there were very happy to go home with them as prizes.

All in all, the shower was beautiful and so much fun. It was fun to gab with friends we don't see very often and to celebrate with Courtney her impending marriage. I was just thinking the other day...each of my friends one day will get married and I'll have the joy to walk with them during this precious season...laugh with them and cry as I witness each of their weddings.

Anyway, here are a few pictures taken of the bridal shower! I didn't take any of the decorations-I could kick myself for not taking any, but oh well. Courtney's mom informed me I would get to wear black flats with my bridesmaid's dress-WOOHOO! I'm pretty excited about my feet not hurting. :)

Here is Hannah, Courtney's sister, who announced and explained all of the games and is such a huge help to her mom and sister.

Miss Bride-to Be, opening a never-ending gift, it seemed. She kept pulling things out! :)

Friends forever. Back row: Hannah, Michaela, Me....front row, Morgs and Bella. :)

Best friends...sisters...maid of honor and the bride

Hannah and Courtney

Our two moms. :) Both of them are such wonderful mothers and examples of Godly wives, mothers and homemakers!

Me and Courtney. :) Isn't she just glowing?

I am off to do some resting and spend some time with the family....Maidens is tomorrow so expect a blog post for that, too!

Ce la vie!

Cold, dark, wet...what do you do?

Below is a picture of our dark, rainy sky....(and a beautiful autumn tree I couldn't resist adding)...It is cold, dark and dreary here in Pittsburgh, Pa....the way it has been for the past few days....so on this Saturday, what did we do...we got creative!

Meghan....crocheting a gift for a friend....I love the rich, red color of this cotton yarn.

Tent "forts" were built in the livingroom....


A WONDERFUL play was performed for Meghan and I...costume changes, lighting and curtains....above you see Isabella (Anna), Odette, (Sara) and the "Prince"...(Ronnie)... Job well done, everyone! (Sara...thanks for doing this with them...my creative genius!)
Crocheting slippers from warm , soft wool...

Sewing an apron for a new bride...with cherries on it!

Teaching the cat to"walk"...Anna's idea of fun! Chloe doesn't mind, either.

Spending most of the day in the kitchen...above, homemade bleu cheese salad dressing for the bridal shower tomorrow...
While all day....homemade molasses baked beans simmered on the stove. Yum! (the story behind this old family recipe will have to be another blog post!)
Crocheting another bridal afghan...this one in soft, soft yarn...in rich, warm fall colors....I am loving my wooden hooks...so smooth. Crocheting instantly relaxes me...and helps me focus. Plus...I feel good that when I sit down to rest ( and I have to rest often lately), I am being creative and productive.

~So now....little ones are bathed and in warm pajamas....hot bowls of beans are cooling for supper...will make some popcorn later on for a snack in front of the fire. I have one more salad dressing to make, and will finish sewing the apron after Ron gets up ... Ron will wake up in time to watch the Penguins beat the Tampa Bay Lightnings at hockey...and it will be a warm, cozy time here tonight.

I'll leave you all with this quote from Max Lucado:

"Constructing something engages only the hands, while creating something engages the heart and soul that our Creator gave us."

~Sue~

Quote of the day....humility

~Remember-the root word of humble and human is the same: humus; earth. We are dust. We are created...it is God who made us and not we ourselves.~
Madeleine L'Engle

Humility...being humble. This is my 'quote of the day' from a flip calender that Meghan got for me last year...I love this, and it sits right on the windowsill where I can see it, thru out my day.

This quote reminded me of part of what our pastor preached on last Sunday...and what our small group talked about last night. Humility....God's grace. We are no better than anyone else...and lower than most. We were reading in Luke 14 about the banquet...and one of the questions that our pastor asked was "who will you invite"? Even something as basic as inviting people to your home...will you only invite family? Other christians? Or will you go and open your hearts to friendships with non-believers...not necessarily to 'hammer' them with the gospel...but to gently show Christ' love to them...let them see and feel His love in action...thru you. It may be sacrificially...it may be a stretch for you to 'step out of your comfort zone'...but, think about it....who did Jesus befriend, serve and love? The sinners...the lost, the ill, the lonely, the outcasts....today, it could be the homeless, the drug addicts...the sarcastic, angry people....the people lost in 'worldliness'...loving the things of this world. I've really been thinking about this this week...who can I...who can we as a family reach out in friendship and Christ' love to befriend and serve? I think for us....it spreads to our extended family...and spirals outward to neighbors, friends...but we want it to extend even further.

I was talking to a friend last night , and one of the things that came up was going to a bar...sounds funny for me, but after talking to her, we could really make friends with some people who need to know Jesus' love and serve them with His care....just one example that would put ME out of my comfort zone...and today I ran into acquaintances from Ron and my dating days...20-something years ago...and they asked if we would be at the bar next Saturday to hear another friends band play...I haven't gone yet, but will pray about this, with the new insight that the Lord has given me....these people know we are Christians, they know we don't drink....but by being friends, being kind and meeting them where they are...maybe the Lord could minister thru us....show His love. I can't help the phrase echoing thru my mind lately...."but for God's grace....that would be me"....ONLY thru His grace.

So....who can YOU reach out to? Food for thought......~Sue~

Make it from scratch: Beef Broth

I was asked recently how I made my homemade beef broth. I had to think about it for a minute...I've been making it since before I was married, so I just throw everything in the pot! The story behind this broth is one of my favorites. My great- grandmother, my Baba, had 8 children. Her husband and 4 sons worked in the steel mill in Hazelwood (Pittsburgh, Pa.), and my great-grandfather insisted on having soup to eat every single day. They had other meals, as well...but a meal always started with soup. Apparently, the broth replaced everything that they sweated out in the mill. So, my Baba would make this soup, serve it with homemade noodles...then ONLY the men would eat pieces of meat and potatoes with butter...along with bread and butter with every meal. IF there were any meat or potatoes left...then the women could have them. When I think of everything that my Baba did in the course of a day back in the early 1900's....I think SHE worked much harder than anyone else....especially with carrying 9 babies ( I did say 8 before, but Margaret died of the whooping cough when she was 3 years old), nursing them all for well over a year...along with doing everything by hand. As I was growing up, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandmother, and she would tell me stories about her mother ( my Baba), and her growing up years....then I was blessed to live with her for 2 years before marrying Ron....so I learned A LOT! Here is a 'rough' recipe for homemade beef broth! Hope you enjoy! ~Sue~

~Baba's Beef Broth~

First, I melt 2 tblsp butter along with 2 tblsp olive oil in the bottum of my 20 quart stock pot.

Then, I season the meat ( I only had round steak yesterday, but usually use chuck...either one is good) and brown both sides VERY WELL. Then, I added 2 big beef soup bones. (now, these I used yesterday were organic from a butchered cow, that someone gave me, but I've bought them in the grocery store in the beef department....or ask the butcher)

Ok....so your meat is well browned and you've added the bones.....now I fill up the pot with cold water. As it is filling, I scrape up all the wonderful brown, carmelized bits off the bottum of the pot. Add in 4-5 celery stalks with the leaves, 5-6 large garlic cloves, smashed....2 large onions quartered with the skins ON, and a couple large carrots.....salt and pepper....and simmer for hours.
***Note: as the 'scum' rises to the top, skim it off and get rid of it...it will make the soup bitter if you don't***

Usually, after a couple of hours, it is a rich golden brown color, and I take everything out and strain. Since it has cooked down, I usually add some water to get it back up to almost the top. Then, I put the meat back in. A lot of fresh carrots, and a peeled whole potato for everyone and "one for the pot".....when that is tender, we eat the soup with the carrots, then everyone gets a piece of meat (kids usually want ketchup on it) and a potato with butter and salt. And that is it! (if they had them, my Baba would add in whole tomatoes at the end..sometimes I do and sometimes I don't...Sara and I are the only ones who like them)

We made enough for 6 of us for dinner last night, lunch today, 2 quarts given away....and 2 HUGE containers frozen to make french onion soup out of one and beef stew out of the other....each one is usually 20 quarts. Any questions, just let me know!