Three Random Things

A challenge issued by @victoriantomboy!

If you read this . . .

please post on your site. . . .

Three random things about you.

1.  I like to drive with my purse zipped up.  That way if I'm in an accident, the contents of my purse wont come flying out and spread all over the highway.

2.  I love peppermint gum.

3.  I have very skinny ankles.

~~It's Thursday!~~

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...  It's been really beautiful around here.  Everything is so green and pretty.  The wild roses in the area are blooming so the air has a sweet smell.  We've had a lot of rain so the grass is very green.

I am thinking...  I'm thinking about lots of things of course.  I've been waking before 5 AM most of the week, unable to shut of the 'thinking' in my brain!

I am thankful...I am thankful for answered prayer.  I am thankful for God's grace and mercy.

Psalms 84:11  
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory:
 no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

In the kitchen...  I really should have been cleaning yesterday.  Instead I spent two hours baking.  In my defense, I WAS using up ingredients from the pantry. 

(Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bars and Rhubarb Pie)

Not sure what I'll make for dinner tonight.  I've got some large pork steaks marinating to have with salad and baked potatoes, I was thinking we'd have those on Saturday.  I've also got some macaroni and cheese but nothing to go with it.  Bachelor David will be coming over tomorrow and we're having chili dogs and those Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars.  I've got lots of leftover mashed potatoes from our dinner last night.  Pretty much, after Saturday, whatever things are left, are getting tossed or donated.  I'm done cooking at this house Saturday evening.


I am wearing...  It's still very early, I'm in my pajamas. 

This is what I wore yesterday.


I am praying...  You ladies (and gentlemen) are so good at praying!  Thank you so much for praying for me recently.  You don't know how much it means to me!

I am praying for our move, of course.  For the Lord to grant me the desires of my heart.  For health.  For safety.  For travel mercies. 

I am praying that this place will still be available the weekend we arrive.  I REALLY, REALLY LOVE IT!!






I am reading/watching...
I picked this up at the library this week.  I like this author's books tea mysteries.  She often writes about different brews and pretty china.


I also picked up this mystery.  I like these mysteries.  Sometimes they are a little bit coarse in language.

(www.suegrafton.com)

We are still enjoying our Due South series.  We've been a little disappointing with season two as one of the main characters left the show.  His replacement is not very good.

I am looking forward to...  We're spending about four days with my in-laws in Tennessee next weekend.  It will be nice to have someone else cook and for me to spend a bit of time relaxing after these last two weeks.  My married children will be making the trek from Mississippi to spend some time with the family as well.  FUN!!

From the learning rooms...  Division and sentences.  We're taking next week off.  I'm looking forward to that.  I've got plans to enter grades into my grade book while we're on the road to San Diego.  My little student will be doing bookwork while we're on the road as well.


Around the house...  Most everything is done around here.  I've got to wash windows in the basement today.  I also need to remove the couch cushions and vacuum in there.  Monday I'll be disconnecting the t.v. stereos and the the big computer.  I need to pull out the stove and see if I can clean around that.  I wiped the oven out yesterday.  Cleaned the vent hood a few days ago.  I've a few kitchen cupboards to wipe out. 

I need to pack our suitcases!

All the walls have been cleaned, we've even done some touch up painting.  The baseboards are clean.  I've patched holes.


There are piles of stuff here and there, all around the house. 



New looking windows. . .freshly cleaned.



Temporary schoolwork center among more piles of stuff!



The movers should be able to come in and pack things, load them in the truck and I'll be cleaning floors right behind them.

One of my favorite things...

I LOVE MR. CLEAN MAGIC ERASERS!

This is the third house I've cleaned with this product.  IT IS WONDERFUL!!  If you've never tried them, you should.  One of the houses, cleaned up so well, the landlord could have moved someone right in after us, without painting.  They work so well.!!


A few plans for the rest of the week:  Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

We're planning a Memorial Day picnic with Bachelor David, Sharon and baby Anastasia.  We're going to our super secret fishing pond with sandwiches.





Have a great weekend friends.  I'll be posting from Tennessee and from the ROAD TRIP!  See you then!!

Approved!!

We're free to look for housing!!  Thank you for praying!

A Little Down

I'm a little down with worry today.  We found out that some paperwork we thought was done, was not done.
The paperwork was seeking approval to exempt us from living in military housing.  The paper work has now been submitted and we are waiting approval 12 days before we leave.   

Please pray that we will be given the approval to live outside of military housing and that we will hear about it quickly.

I'm really praying about living in the country, it is my hearts desire.

Jeremiah 33:3  

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not."



(This is my favorite!!  It came down in price too!)







Thank You for praying with me!

~It's Tuesday!~

Outside my window...  It's rainy.  It rained off and on yesterday and has been raining most of today.  I don't mind the rain.  It sure does keep the grass green and healthy. 

This is what I saw outside my window on Saturday.  We have a few dead trees in the back yard.  During one of the last big winds this spring, we lost the top of a tree.  When it fell, it fell onto another tree.  Fearing for the children of the new tenant, my husband thought he'd chop the tree down and make the back yard a bit safer.  He was going to use the winch on the TOY-ota to help pull the tree over, but that required pulling the TOY-ota out of the garage, too much work.  He used the new MONSTER truck's winch instead.  Even for such a big truck, it seemed small in this backyard!



(if you click on the image, it will blow it up larger so you may be able to see the winch cable hooked to the tree and monster truck!)





I am thinking...I am thinking only 15 more days!!  We're so excited! 

I am thankful...I am thankful for the provision of the Lord, over and above, anything I could  want or need!

In the kitchen...An inspired cooking day today.  Tomato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches, a great dinner on a rainy day!

I do have a menu for the next week or so.

Chef salads, baked potatoes
Lasagna, garlic bread, salad
Macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, cooked carrots, pear salads
Cheese baked chicken, onion roasted potato, green beans and tomatoes, sour cream coffeecake
Taco's
Velveeta shells, grilled chicken breasts,garlic broccoli
Afredo stuffed shells, grilled chicken, garlic bread, salad
Beef Stew with crackers
Aldi's barbecue riblets, garlic mashed potato, wilted spinach, garlic snow peas

Chili Dogs, peanut butter chocolate chip bars
Pork Steaks, baked potatoes, green salad
picnic sandwiches, cookies, chips
Memorial Day-pizza or Chinese buffet

I am wearing...I am wearing a fantastic sunburn from our Mother's Day fishing adventure.





I am creating... I made a watch as a thank you present for #2 son's piano teacher.  We will present her with it on Monday.  Monday is our last lesson until September when we resume with a new teacher!


I am reading/watching...We're still watching Due South and loving it!

I read a juvenile fiction book by John Grisham yesterday.  It was called Theodore Boone- The Abduction

I am praying...Praying always for the desires of my heart.  Praying for my mother's recovery from her fall and healing of her knee.  Praying for travel mercies for us.  Praying for God to have our special house saved and ready for us in San Diego.  Praying for my health.

From the learning rooms...Multiplication, Division, Sentences, spelling

Around the house... Around the house, my ever shifting piles.  We've patched nail holes, done some touch up painting, I've taken a load to the thrift store,  completed yard work, I need to dust off pictures, finish cleaning in the two bedrooms, wipe out cupboards, clean carpets.

One of my favorite things...Dreaming about a new house and furnishing it!




A few plans for the rest of the week:  Cleaning, patching,  Bachelor David on Friday or Saturday, a Wal Mart trip, grocery store trip

What I've been doing...  Mother's Day Fishing in the canoe with my guys.  We caught, and released 19 fish total.  Crappie, Sun Fish, and Bass.



Thirsty butterflies at the lake's edge.





That's #2 son's fish!


That's his too!


mamma's fishie!



That's my bass he is holding . . .really!

Something to share... A recipe by request from @donnaledford  I made this cake for her son's birthday.  It's a nice alternative from German Chocolate Cake. . .he (my manly man) loves the topping best!

Oatmeal Cake

1 c. quick oats
1 1/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. shortening or butter
1 c. white sugar**
1 c. brown sugar**
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon

In small bowl, pur hot water over oatmeal, let stand.  In medium bowl, cream together shortening and sugars.  add beaten eggs and vanilla.  Sift in flour, soda, salt and cinnamon.  Add Oatmeal.  Stir to combine.  Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

ICING:  Boil for 1 minute, one stick of butter, 1 T. milk, one c. brown sugar.  Then add 1 c. flaked coconut and 1/2 c. chopped walnuts.  Pour over baked HOT cake and then brown topping in broiler.  (I've even doubled this frosting recipe.  I've also used chopped mixed nuts.  We prefer pecans around here too!)

**  (I'm going to try to cut the sugar amounts next time.  It seemed too sweet this time.)
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I saw the following recipe on food network yesterday.  I love most anything from Paula Deen.  I also love Almond Joy candy bars!

Volcano Cake

Ingredients

Cream mixture:

• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 2 cups 4X or 10X sugar

Cake:

• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 (18.25-ounce) box German chocolate cake mix, prepare by following directions on box
• 10 bite-sized almond and chocolate covered candy (ALMOND JOY"S) or candy of choice

Glaze:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

For the cream mixture:

Beat ingredients together with an electric mixer. Set aside until ready to use.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch cake pan.

Line bottom of greased pan with coconut flakes. Sprinkle pecans on top of coconut. Set aside.

Follow directions on back of box to prepare cake. Beat for approximately 2 minutes, using an electric mixer. Fold in bite-sized candy. Pour into cake pan. Evenly space dollops of cream mixture on top of the cake. When the cake cooks, the cream will sink down to the bottom. This will be your "volcano" of flavor. Place in oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While cake is still hot spread the glaze evenly over the cake.

For the glaze:

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in cocoa powder and add milk until you get a thin consistency. If glaze is too thick, add more milk. While bringing the butter and milk mixture to a boil, whisk in confectioners' sugar and almond extract. Glaze should be thin. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.

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Have a great week friends!