Chocolate Revel Bars and Coffee-- aaahhh!

Not too much can beat chocolate and coffee, don't you think?  There is a cooler feel to the air the last few days so I decided to have my coffee out on the porch this evening.  I made the little pinwheel quilt about seven years ago, back when we were expecting to adopt a baby girl.  (You can read that story here, if you haven't read it already).  It's never been used for a baby, but it does look pretty good on the porch swing. (:

I'm using some more red transferware tonight, both the teacup and dessert plate are the pattern Romantic England, by J.&G. Meakin.  Did you see all the castles in Great Britain during the Olympics?  They made me want to go visit even more than I did before!

According to the bottom of the saucer the teacup features Anne Hathaway's cottage.  I didn't know who Anne Hathaway was, so I looked it up and she was William Shakespeare's wife and this was her childhood home.  It is now a museum.





For dessert I made some Chocolate Revel Bars.  These are my favorite brownie, so I made them for the kids today when they got home from school.  Unfortunately I can't eat them now, since I had to go off gluten, but LA happily ate it for me.  I have included the recipe below.

This is the dessert plate (after LA ate the brownie!).  It features Penshurst Place.  I found out that this home, which was built in 1341, was used in the movie, The Princess Bride, as well as lots of other movies.

The little dish with the bird was a gift from my Mom this summer.  It's made by Royal Copely.  Isn't it cute?



Chocolate Revel Bars

1 c. butter
2 c. light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. quick oats
Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients and oatmeal.  Set aside.

1/2 package (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
Place first four ingredients in microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50-70 power until chocolate chips are melted.  Stir occasionally.  Or melt over double boiler.  Stir in vanilla.

Press 3/4 of oatmeal mixture in bottom of a greased 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan.  Cover with chocolate mixture.  Press small amounts of remaining dough into flat pieces and lay on top of chocolate.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

I'm joining Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday and A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday again today.

I Would Gather Children

Some would gather money along the path of life.

Some would gather roses, and rest from worldly strife.

But I would gather children from among the thorns of sin.

I would seek a golden curl, and a freckled, toothless grin.

For money cannot enter in that land of endless day,

And roses that are gathered soon will wilt along the way.

But, oh, the laughing children as I cross the sunset sea,

And the gates swing wide to heaven,

I can take them in with me!

~Author Unknown

I have had this poem on our wall for many years, I love how

it gives perspective to life, especially as a mom.  It's so easy to get

caught up in this earthly life and forget about eternity

and what's really important-

people!



The times they are a-changin'

PD started football practice this week.  He is loving it, which I'm so thankful for, because it is a big commitment.  He has practices 4 times a week this first month before the games start.  Seems a little crazy to me but I'm not the coach.  PD loves to tackle, when he plays football with his brothers he goes slow enough that they can catch him just so they can tackle each other.  It will be fun to watch him play. 

Last night was Meet your Teacher night at the elementary school that DJ, SJ, and AJ will be going to this year.  I'm glad that it looks like all our boys will have good teachers.  We are starting something new with all the kids attending public school this year.  For the last four years I have been home schooling them.  But times and needs change and we really feel like this is what God wants us to do now. 

LA passed his driving test yesterday and now has his farm permit.  That means he can drive to school and to farm related work by himself.  He is sure growing up. 

I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself now with all the kids in school all day!  I mean, I have a few projects I can work on for a while but then what?  I guess I'm having my mid-life crisis. (:  I have some ideas but none seem quite right yet.  I'm sure with time God will make things clear.

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

The coolest kid fort ever- (maybe I'm biased?)

This is the last week before school starts and you know, I really wish there was no such thing as school.  The boys have been having a great time building this fort and playing "Indians" this week.  I wish summer could last forever.

I love how they used the sticks and wove them together to make this fort.  It's like a little wigwam. (:  Old carrot weed stalks make good spears.

Watch out!  DJ is armed and dangerous!

Simple little pleasures

"After all, I believe the nicest and sweetest days

 are not those on which anything very splendid

or wonderful or exciting happens...

but just those that bring simple little pleasures,

following one another softly,

like pearls slipping off a string."

~L.M. Montgomery, in Anne of Avonlea

I hope you can find time for a simple pleasure today, something

that brings you happiness.  Take a walk in the cooler evening,

enjoy a cup of coffee, or play a game with your family, and

remember who it is that has blessed you!

...but to put their hope in God,

who richly provides us with

everything for our enjoyment.

1 Timothy 6:17

A walk around our place

I decided to go out in search of something pretty to photograph

this afternoon, however, since we have had 30 days over 100 degrees

already this summer and very little rain I wasn't too hopeful.  The grass

is dead, the leaves on the trees are turning brown and falling- in fact

I told the kids this morning that you could almost look outside

and imagine that it was fall and 50 degrees, since the leaves are

all falling.  Kind of sad.  But, as I walked around our place I did

find some pretty things!  I hope you enjoy a little walk around

our place here in the country--

This little bee was busy on this black eyed susan!

The wind was rustling the leaves of the big cottonwood down

the road, I love cottonwood trees.

This is a pretty pink zinnia, don't you think?



I don't know what the proper name is for these little daisies,

they're only about 3/8 in. across.



We still have lots of tomatoes in the garden, isn't a warm

tomato from the garden so yummy?

 

The little pony on the left is LA's, her name is Smoky,

and the one on the right is PD's, her name is Spot.

 

These are an interesting plant, we call them Japanese lanterns,

but I'm not sure if that's their real name.  Aren't they cool?

God has given us beauty to enjoy, even in the hottest summer ever!



15 Years of Bliss

This week Andy and I are celebrating 15 years of marriage!  It's hard to believe we've been married that long but when I think back to all the experiences we've had I guess it has been awhile.  Five children, nine houses, one college degree, nine jobs, three states, and three countries later, here we are!  God has blessed us and we are so thankful he gave us each other! 

We haven't changed that much in 15 years, have we? I guess you could say we grew up together!