And the walls came tumbling down...

My Dad and brother needed to knock down their

old silo because it was in their way, so we all

went over there to watch the show.  It took awhile

to get it to go but when it did it was pretty fun to watch!

 

Irises and Double Decker Brownies

Happy Memorial Day!

I drug the family over to the cemetery to look and remember

those who have fought and died to make us free-

they don't enjoy cemeteries as much as I do,

but I think all the history is so interesting!

 

Anyways, today I'm sharing with you a lovely

bouquet of irises that our neighbor lady

brought over last week.  What a sweet surprise!

They made the whole house smell good.

 

 

I think this violet colored frilly iris was my favorite... I think-

they were all so pretty!

 

Of course I had to use my iris tea cup!

 

And I couldn't resist a Double Decker Brownie-

the recipe is below.  It works very well if you are

on a gluten free diet too, since they don't take much flour.

 

Double Decker Brownies

 

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. white sugar

2 eggs

3/4 c. flour or gluten free baking mix

2 T. cocoa

1/2 t. baking powder

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 c. peanut butter

1 1/2 c. Rice Krispies cereal

2 c. miniature marshmallows

 

Mix together butter, sugar, and eggs.  Blend in flour/baking mix, cocoa, and baking powder.  Place in greased 9x13 pan.  Spread evenly and bake at 350 for 20 min.  Remove and sprinkle miniature marshmallows on top.  Return to oven for 3 minutes.  Let cool.  After bars are cooled, mix the chocolate chips and peanut butter and melt over low heat or in the microwave.  Add cereal and then spread on cooled bars.

 

I am joining Tea Time Tuesday and A Return to Loveliness

Relaxing

 

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but life's just been

a bed of daisies since school let out this week! 

It's great having the kids home-

the first morning home AJ said,

"Mom, you don't have to yell at us to hurry up this morning!" 

Yes, it's nice.

 

We are keeping "busy" around here as you can see!

The last few weeks the weather has been just about perfect.

Spring is so lovely.

 

I hope you have had a great week as well and are taking time to

enjoy all God has given us!

Vintage quilt top

Last week my mom, sister and I went garage saling.

This was my most exciting find-

a vintage twin size quilt top!

 

 

I'm not sure if you'd call it Sunbonnet Sue or not?

I love the vintage fabrics!  The lady I got it from said

her aunt, who died in 1968, made it.  So it's quite old.

 

The muslin was pretty yellowed, but it washed up quite nice.

Now I have to figure out how to quilt it...

Country Egg Scramble

 

When you have 20 something chickens, you end up with lots of eggs.

Here's the best scrambled egg recipe I've come up with yet!

(This is for a family of 7, by the way)

 

Country Egg Scramble

 

Melt 4 T. butter in skillet.

Add frozen hash brown potatoes (I used approximately 5 cups worth) and 1/2 chopped onion.

Salt and pepper.

Fry until potatoes are almost done.

Add 2 cups or so of chopped ham.

Continue to cook until ham and potatoes are lightly browned.

While cooking, scramble 18 eggs.

Pour over potatoes, onions, and ham.

Salt and pepper again.

Add about 1 cup of velveeta cheese, cubed.

Cook and stir until eggs are set and cheese is melted.

 

Add a jar of applesauce and you're all set for supper!

 

An Adoption Update

 

We are happy here at our house for 2 reasons--

 

1. Our adoption homestudy is done!

 

2. We have submitted our homestudy for 2 possible adoptions-

one is an 8 year old girl and one is 7 and 9 year old sisters!

 

So now we have to wait and see if the girls' social workers

choose us out of however many families submitted homestudies.

 

More waiting!

 

We are so so glad that we can trust God to send us the right child-

He's never sent us the wrong one yet! (:

Only One Thing

Here at our house it seems like there is always something to worry over, wonder about, and decide.  I suppose it's that way for everyone.  Kids activities alone is a huge one.  I don't know how many camps we've gotten fliers for this month- football camp, basketball camp, golf camp, Bible camps, VBS in 3 places, you name it our kids could be busy all summer.  Of course each one sounds so exciting and if their friends are going then they want to be there too!  This morning as I was pondering this and other things we have going on, God brought the story of Martha and Mary to my mind in Luke 10.

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered,

"you are worried and upset about many things,"

 

Um, yes.

 

"but only one thing is needed."

 

What was that one thing?

 

"Mary has chosen what is better,

and it will not be taken from her."

 

If you look back a couple verses, it tells us about Martha's sister Mary-

 

She had a sister called Mary,

who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.

 

We can't let ourselves get so busy that we fail to sit at Jesus' feet and listen.  That is the one thing that is needed.  A good reminder for me this morning!

 



Where is the church?

I found DJ playing Legos under the trampoline the other day-

this is the battle of Helm's Deep.

 

Since we are in the process of finding our next child these days adoption has been on my heart a lot.  Right now in our state there are 850 children waiting to be adopted.  There are over 100,000 children in the United States who are just waiting, some for years- now listen to this- there are something like 300,000 churches in the United States right now also...  Umm, doesn't something seem wrong with this picture?  I'm not trying to guilt you into doing anything, guilt is not a good motivator, I'm just trying to make you aware. 

 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:

to look after orphans and widows in their distress

and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27 

 

At our church we have begun an orphan ministry, and last Sunday night we watched a video by Family Life, and Dennis Rainey made this point.  For decades the church has campaigned to end legalized abortion.  That is a good thing.  We need to protect life at all stages.  But let's just imagine that Roe v. Wade was overturned- there would be thousands more children who would need to be adopted then, right?  If the church can't or won't take care of the thousands of kids waiting right now, why would we take care of thousands more?

 

Now you might say, well... those kids that are waiting, they have all sorts of issues that I don't think we can handle.  

But he said to me,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:9

 

No, you or I probably will not be able to handle everything these kids might throw our way, but we have God!  In his power and strength, we can do it.  We do not need to be afraid.  You know, when God adopts us into his family, does he only adopt those of us who are perfect, who haven't made any mistakes or gotten into any trouble?  Of course not, he delights in redeeming us and healing us from all our past problems.  So why do we only want to adopt perfect babies, who haven't made any mistakes yet?  (I'm talking to myself here too, you know).  Adoptive parents wait for years to get their perfect baby, and 13 year old children wait years for their adoptive home.  Doesn't quite add up.

 

Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,

humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

 

Is there a part God wants you to play?

Lilac Tea

 

Welcome to tea today! 

I picked some more lilacs this morning-

they smell so good!

 

I've been looking forward to filling this pitcher with lilacs all year.

 

This teacup was a gift from LA for Christmas one year.

It has violets, not lilacs, but I love it.

 

I love the paintings of Sandy Clough, and have a couple

of these little plates and a teacup featuring her work.

 

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

And without faith it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:1,6

 

I am joining Tea Time Tuesday.

Lilac Love

Today is one of those days I wish I could add scent to my blog and not just pictures!

 

 

Is there any scent better than Lilacs?  I grew up with a whole row

of Lilac bushes in our yard and after we were married I always

wished for a Lilac bush.  Now we have one- and it's in front of

the stone house too! 

 

I wish I could bottle up that scent and keep it all year.

 

~Happy May Day!~

 

I'm joining-

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