Humbled Lessons Learned....

There have been so very many lessons learned in our family over the course of the winter...this very interesting winter.

The Lord has answered our prayers...He has humbled us. Brought low by illness that never seem to end...and challanges that only He can make right and only He can provide....we are called to be hopefull and to trust during this time. And, we are called to support each other in our family thru this journey called life. Many of the lessons the Lord has shown our family is the area of 'activities'....It is pretty clear that He doesn't want us to have very many outside activities at all. We are to work together, being busy at home...to work and help our friends and family and community...and to do it together...a family effort.

I, as the mother of almost a senior in high school as well as a junior....only 1 more year for Meghan and 2 for Sara....are needed by them to be WITH THEM...to teach, train, disciple them and LISTEN to them...to share with them and help make their dreams come true..and to teach them that our family comes first...before anything that would capture their time, talents or imangination....it would have to fit into the Lord's plan for our family. Working together to run this family the way God wants it to be. I'm glad I am honoring Ron's wishes in a lot of areas...and I'm glad the girls are as well. It is amazing that all 6 of us are on the same page, and value the same things. We are all putting our family lives at top priority....Jesus first, our family second. I am anxious to see what He is revealing next to us! I know that He will honor and bless us if we are in agreement with each other and in His will. Thank, you , Lord Jesus...for leading us, for your provision....you are worthy of our trust and faith in you ! So grateful that we are a family! Thank you ,Lord! ~Sue~

My Friend Autumn

"Autumn is here!" We all heard that from Anna as she raced downstairs to open the garage door. That could only mean one thing: no it isn't fall yet, but my dear friend Autumn has arrived! We always have so much fun! Lately, we have been emailing back and forth and talking on the phone, but technology cannot equate to running into their house, announcing "We're here!" and giving them a big hug. That is what happened last friday. (Since my mother and sister keep posting about food and knitting, I can never find the time to do a post!) We chatted, we started a music video (Autumn and her friend Kylie made a video, so we are trying to do another with a new song, You Belong With Me), and we played out in the snow. I found out that Autumn hates snowballs! She loves to throw them, but hates to be on the receiving end of them. So after I pelted her a few :-) we declared a truce and threw them at Meghan! Man, it was a hoot! She would fall backward into the snow and we would restock our snowballs. She would get up, and BAM! We showed her no mercy *EVIL LAUGH!!!* Anyways, after our snow war, we came back inside and played on Anna and Ronnie's scooters (Those wonders can hold up to 225 lbs!) and we loved it! Once she got the hang of it, she could zoom! She is like a sister, and we always have a ton of fun! I commented that we have only known eachother for less then a year! It feels like forever, which is a sign of a good friendship.

Being the camera hogs we naturally are, we decided to video tape ourselves on the scooters. We got 16 minutes of footage of us acting nuts, and I decided to clip it and make a music video. I set the footage to a Fracesca Battistelli song called, "Free To Be Me"... so after editing it and adding special effects, I wanted to publish it here on the blog! Here it is:

ENJOY! LOVE YA AUTUMN!

Learning to knit...

Tonight, while my little ones soaked in warm tubs....and hubby was here to lend a hand, I decided that I was going to try to learn to knit. Now, I know how to crochet and love the feel of a wooden hook and the yarn in my hands...but, I am of the humble opinion that knitting is so much harder and slower than crocheting!

It took me forever to get the hang of casting on....and after that, making the stitches wasn't too hard, simply switching from one needle to the other...but, boy, is it slow going! I am determined to master this, though....knitting uses 3 times less yarn than crocheting and I have 2 scarves that I have 'special' yarn I want to use and want to make the most of it..and I do like the look of a knitted scarf....I'm just using leftover yarn to make a starter scarf right now...in between crocheting my other projects! LOL I love having something in my hands while talking with the kids, or homeschooling my little ones (who require me, for the most part, to sit at the table with them while they do their work ) or watching a movie...it is very soothing to me (except learning this, right now!), and I just got done reading an article about keeping your brain "exercised"...and knitting as well as crocheting work both sides of your brain at the same time....I figure, the older I get, the more help I can use! LOL Off to knit a few more rows while waiting for my daughters to come home from a church game night. Any knitters out there...any tips for a beginner?! ~Sue~

Between snowstorms....

So what do you do between snowstorms? (the weather channel is calling for 6 plus more inches with some mixed precip. Monday into Tuesday...we'll beat our record for snowiest month ever) We spent the day with our wonderful friends, the Teeter's! Mike, Jolyn and Autumn drove to visit from Ohio for the day!

Jolyn and I talked and talked and laughed so much! Wish we lived closer than 2 1/2 hours away!

Sara and Autumn jumped and danced on top of the igloo...

Anna FINALLY had a chance to play in the snow! The igloo is coming along nicely! LOL

Even Meghan had a great time in the snow!

While the adults played Wii bowling....oh, my goodness...we haven't laughed this hard in a long time! Jolyn...I challenge you to a rematch!
We ended our evening with some homemade chocolate mousse with chocolate sauce! What a way to end a wonderful day with wonderful friends! ~Sue~

My Wanderings in the Kitchen: Betty Crocker Apple 'Pudding'

I think this hit it out of the park! I tripled the recipe and there were no leftovers! I'll write out the real recipe's ingredients, and then the recipe where I changed some things to suit our needs and the directions which go for both recipes. :) Oh, and I don't have any pictures because we all scarfed it down too fast! :)

Gluten recipe:

Ingredients:

3/4 c. sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 tea. vanilla

1 egg

1 medium apple, chopped

1/2 c. chopped nuts

Gluten-Free, low sugar, for a larger family recipe

1 c. sugar (we used natural)

1 c. sweet white rice flour or brown rice flour (you can use white or wheat if you can)

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of vanilla

4 eggs (note: I found it very hard to mix which is why I added an extra egg)

3 medium apples, chopped

1 1/2 c. nuts (I used a scarce cup because that's what we had on hand)

Optional: pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

(Variations for gluten recipe in parantheses)

1. Heat oven to 350

2. Grease 13 by 9 pan (or 9 by 1 1/4 pie plate), set aside

3. Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and eggs in bowl

4. Fold in apples and nuts

5. Pour batter-it was thick and rather chunky-into pan

6. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes clean

It was really good and I believe Sara is making it this week. :) Enjoy!

Birthday Celebrations!

It was especially nice, in the midst of this exceptionally snowy, cold winter to get to spend time with lots of family on Saturday to celebrate 3 special birthdays! It was so nice to spend time with family that we don't get to see as often as we would like! First, we went to Mike and Jill's to celebrate Mia's 4th birthday! Sara did face painting, Jill made lots of homemade goodies from scratch....we got to spend some time with all the cousins....it was a wonderful time!
Then, we went to our cousins John and Kim's house to celebrate Maria's 14th birthday and Maggie's 9th birthday! What a blessing to be able to laugh, and spend time with special family! It was snowing gently (it's always snowing daily, anymore!) outside, but inside was so warm with laughter and yummy food....so much food!

~We're very much looking forward to Spring, when we can get out more and get together more often! It was a gift to be able to see everyone this weekend! It is so important to remember the gift that God gave us in families! ~Sue~

Fat Tuesday..Gluten Free Donuts!!!!

Oh, yes....I made gluten free donuts tonight! After explaining a little bit about the history of "Fat Tuesday" to my children....and why Mom is frying 'unhealthy' (Ronnie even said, why are you using white sugar? ) donuts....these turned out wonderfully!
The dough was a little difficult to work with, and I had to tweak the recipe so much that I don't think I could post it, but I am grateful for the experience in the kitchen that lets me know what the proper texture of the dough should be and adjust it...let's just say I used a lot of cornstarch!

When they puffed up and turned golden brown...I don't know who was more excited, me or the kids!

Sara...in donut heaven! LOL Good thing I'm only going to make these once a year! God bless you all on this cold, windy, snowy night! (yes...3 inches more tonight, and the chance of 3 inches tomorrow and 3 more tomorrow night....we needed donuts!) ~Sue~

When it snows....and snows, and snows.....

So...what do you do when it just keeps snowing and snowing....and you have 2 little ones coughing and coughing....first, you count your blessings! I love this flag hanging outside our front door!Then, you let them work off as much energy inside as possible! These scooters in the basement are a God-send! They also have those large balls with handles to bounce out some energy down there...and Ronnie is able to rollerblade all over the basement....we're so grateful for the basement! LOL

And you sew...and have your little sister "help" you!

You bake cookies....and make 'fun' messes!

You play games....and sew holders for your card games...(thanks, Dayna, for the idea!)

You enjoy going thru "Baba's" button jar looking for just the right one...


You crochet warm slippers....

And sew some more!

And crochet some more....

If you are one of our cats, Chloe or Doc....you spend a lot of time under the warm lamp!

And.....sew some more! Neutral, patchwork placemats from thrifted fabric~
You sew matching craft/beading bags for little cousins who love to bead!
After you go thru the 2 huge bags of fabric that were so generously given to you!
And sew some more bags!

~In addition to all the sewing and crocheting and beading going on around here, Ronnie has been making the coolest Lego creations....lots of Lego vehicles from a set he got for his birthday....setting up and playing with his hockey guys in anticipation of the Olympics, experimenting with his Snaptricity kits...and beating everyone at Wii bowling!

Anna LOVES to color...and has been making lots of artwork for her dolls and everyone else! Sara and Meghan have been in the kitchen making lots of yummy things! Lots of reading books going on....and make-believe battles with Playmobils....lots of tents/forts made out of blankets....in spite of it feeling like a very long winter with all the snow and coughing....it has also been a very cozy, warm time and the Lord is teaching us so many lessons thru this winter...lessons that I am writing down to be able to remember, and make some changes towards what is God's best for our family!

May you all be warm and blessed this Winter!!! ~Sue~