It's Thursday!

Outside My Window~  12 new inches of fresh snow!!  More snow flurries for the weekend.  As I was helping to shovel our driveway this morning, I said to my neighbor, I thought I was back in Alaska!
 
(can you see the neighbor's driveway?)

(our snow piled driveway. . .about 6 feet tall)

Around The House~  Gingerbread candles burning in two places around the house, Mazda parts laying here and there, Christmas decorations down and furniture has been polished with Old English.

 
I Am Thinking~  Thinking and dreaming always.  Dreaming about that big Dodge truck in my driveway someday!
 
I Am Praying~   Praying for Aaron.  Can't wait to get my first real letter from him with a proper address!  Sent my first letter to him via the C.O. (Commanding Officer)  I am sure that will go over really well!
   

 From The Leaning Room~   No school today.  I sent my student out with his dog to play in the snow.  They lasted about 20 minutes outside then came in to warm up and dry out!


(Banjo keeping warm after playing in the snow!)

  I Am Wearing~  Jeans and navy blue tee.  My hair is wild because I just blew it dry this morning and went outside to shovel snow.
 
I Am Creating~   Does it count as creating when I cleaned my room last week and changed my bedding?  Or took Christmas decorations down yesterday?  I am making a big grocery list for shopping on payday.  We're quite low on supplies.

(fresh non-Christmas decorations-dust free!)


  One Of my Favorite Things~   Iced tea even in the dead of winter.

From The Kitchen~  Bacon wrapped chicken breast, Rice a Roni, broccoli with homemade cheese sauce,  pear salads.  We had popcorn for lunch!
 
I Am Enjoying~  "My" new laptop.  It is so nice to be able to turn the mattress heater on in my bed grab that laptop and snuggle in for a quiet evening.

 
Upcoming Events~   Our evening with the birthday boy to Medieval Times has been postponed until February 5th.  I can't wait it will be fun.  Mazda truck repair this weekend.  I think most of the parts have arrived.


I am Sharing~  Have you read the newest Jan Karon book, In the Company of Others?  I received one for Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed it!!


 
Stay warm. . . Have a great weekend dear ones!

 

Wacky Wednesday Post

A post with a bit of this and that!  First,  a recipe I am going to try.

http://www.deepsouthdish.com
Thank you deepsouthdish for sharing your recipe!

Bean with Bacon Soup

1 pound bag of dry navy (pea) beans

8 slices of bacon
1 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 of a 6-ounce can of tomato paste
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
8 turns of the pepper grinder
Pinch of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon of chicken base
8 cups of water, pork, vegetable or chicken stock
   or broth, or a combination
1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke
Couple dashes of red pepper flakes, or Cajun seasoning
Hot sauce, for the table

The night before, place the beans into a pot or large bowl, cover with water and let soak overnight.

When ready to cook, drain the beans and set aside. Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon into pieces into a soup pot or Dutch oven; cook over medium high heat until softened but not crisp.  Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook and stir until softened about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the tomato paste. Cook and stir until the tomato paste begins to slightly brown.  Add the drained beans; stir. Add in the salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf; stir in the chicken base, water, stock or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours or until the beans are tender. The last 10 minutes of cooking, remove 2 cups of the soup and whirl it in a blender until creamy. Add back to the soup pot. Add the Liquid Smoke and pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning, if desired.

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MORE!

 

My birthday boy and the purple cake and ice cream he picked out!
 



His own pizza.


 A picture of the front yard this morning.  6-10 inches of snow forecast for today and tonight!  More snow early next week too!

Menu Monday!

Monday-  Dad at work tonight-catch what you can for me and #2 son

Tuesday- #2 son's 8th birthday. . .PIZZA from Pizza Hut, purple store bought cake with purple ice cream

Wednesday-  Chicken and apple sausages, hashbrown casserole, fried apples, garlic broccoli

Thursday-  Hawaiian chicken, rice a roni, green beans with carrots, pear salads

Friday-  Swiss steak, cheesy noodle casserole, fried cabbage or wilted spinach, dinner salads

Saturday-  Fish and Chips with Cole slaw

Sunday-  Beef Stew, homemade rolls, Twinkie Cake

~~It's Friday!~~

Its Friday. . . I am back

Outside My Window~  We recieved almost 6 inches of snow during the night.  It makes for quiet morings listening to traffic outside.   School was 2 hours late today around the area.  Most public schools around here only allow for three snow days.  They've already reached that after 4 weeks!!

Around The House~  The wind is blowing from the north.  Here come some frigid wind chills for the weekend.  I love that it makes my windchimes sound!
 
I Am Thinking~  Thinking about spring and summer already.
 

I Am Praying~  Praying for Aaron at boot camp.  Today he gets to send mail out with his address.  I can't wait!
 
 Praying for bachelor David.  Praying in general for stuff.

 
From The Leaning Room~   My student had a 2 hour delayed start today as well.  He just took a spelling test and did terrible.  He is writing  the list again. . .twice

  I Am Wearing~   Jeans, Green top, hair curly, no make-up, tennis shoes.  I took a few photos for new profile pictures last week.  I must say, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my short hair!!  ((I added one of those color wash products to it for Mickey's funeral.  Should wash out 10-14 washes.))




 

  I Am Creating~   Not really creating yet.  Got some ideas~  photo albums, a flower swag such as this one. . .


I am getting spring cleaning fever.  When #1 son left I cleaned the rest of his room.  I vacuumed, washed windows, washed curtains, washed bedding and mopped the floor.  It looks different and empty.  I'll add some more decorations to the walls soon. 





I am tiring of my blue bed set.  Inspired by cleaning Aaron's room, I am switching bed sets and going back to yellow.  I have the windows open blowing in 10 degree fresh air.  When my manly man gets home, I'll have him help me turn the mattress.



  One Of my Favorite Things~   I always say this but it's one of my favorites. . . my cozy warm bed, a bowl of popcorn, good movie and a snuggly person to enjoy them with!!

From The Kitchen~  Bachelor David is coming over tomorrow afternoon to hang out,  Not sure what the meal plan is yet.  Sunday is not planned either!!  I have a ton of meat in the freezer and need to build meals around that.


(beautiful rosemary bread, fresh from the oven)

I Am Enjoying~  Watched a great movie last week-  A Christmas Memory with Patty Duke (I love her!!)


Upcoming Events~  #2 son has a birthday next week.  We are planning a birthday celebration with our friends Chris and Sharon to this place. . .

(Medievil Times) ((click on name to take you to this sight))

 I may be watching Alison's girls and house Sunday and Monday.  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.  They will be moving to the Washington DC area soon because their Daddy got transferred.

(baby Ariya)

I am Sharing~  It's been a hectic week at our home.  I amazed that it is almost the end of January.  Where has the time gone? 

We bought that new rig for #1 knowing it had a problem (check engine light) and got a GREAT price for it.  It didn't make it home   My manly man and  Mr. Chris went and got it late Monday at a BAR parking lot about 7 miles from where we purchased it.  Bought a couple parts for it and it limped home Monday night.  On Wednesday afternoon my manly man decides he wants to take it back to the dealers shop where it was purchased and have them diagnose the problem and pay them to do the work.  Ha!  We tried to get it back up there, a 35 minute drive away.  It made it 2 miles and the same part blew up!  We had it towed to the local Mazda dealer Wednesday afternoon.  For $4,500.00 they can fix the problem with "GENUINE" Mazda parts or we can fix it at home with internet parts and $1000.00  It is back home sitting in our garage waiting on Daddy to fix it.  We are praising the Lord it didn't end up being the transmission it is just exhaust system (cadillac converter) and plugs and plug wires!!  We're sad that Aaron only got to drive it about 2 miles before it broke down.  We were hoping we'd drop him at the recruiters office on Monday afternoon in it.  His poor Daddy was very upset at himself for letting Aaron down.  But Daddy is lots better now.


Yes, that is a lego man holding a bug. . . inside the house

~~Have a great weekend friends!~~

Yipee!

Congratulations for a job well done #1 son!!  Momma loves U   you're a super son.  Thank you for honoring your commitment to Dad and I.  Your 2 year degree!!  And your  3.2 G.P. A.









His new baby. . . sorry Maggie!

Family Week

 



Taking a bit of a blogging break the next week or so.  It is a pretty emotional time for our family right now.  #1 son leaves for Coast Guard basic training on Monday, January 17th.  We're grouping together and forcing spending family time.  The men are out right now looking at cars for #1 son's graduation present. (college 2 year associates degree of General Studies in Science)  The car is a present from us for honoring our requirement of a two year degree before entering to the vocation of his choice.  Be in prayer for the health of #1 son, Aaron and all the things that will be required of him by mama Coast Guard next week and for his future direction.  Be in prayer for Daddy.  He keeps saying I am having a hard time letting go of our son but it's really him who has struggled watching Aaron grow up these last few years.

 
We bid Bachelor Mickey farewell on Friday.  It was a small, tasteful service.  I am thankful to have known Mickey.  Be in prayer for bachelor David.  I think things will change for him in a big way soon.  He will not be able to afford his present apartment without Mickey's income also.  Not sure what Mickey's guardian is planning to do to help David, or if David's church will be stepping up to the plate to help, remains to be seen.  Pray for David.

I'll keep checking your blogs, but will probably not post until next week sometime!