Dreaming What Ifs...

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #11 or Turkey Skeleton

I think I've worked on this project with all my children.  Even though my older two attended a different school, I remember hiding "Tom the Turkey". 

Thanksgiving is coming and Tom doesn't want to be served on a plate.  The teacher sends Tom home with the kids and they disguise him.  

I think Jammin' dressed up Tom as an Astronaut.  I vaguely remember Buttercup dressing Tom up as a princess.

This year it was The Caboose's turn.  He thought about it for a split second and said his usual answer.  "A skeleton."

So - Tom The Turkey is a skeleton this year.   I wonder if my real-life turkeys wish they could hide too.

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #10 or FAIL

Because I failed to post yesterday AND couldn't come up with a good enough post for our Veterans today, I am showing this.

Anyone with kids of a certain age will totally get it

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #9 or Without a dog, you might forget your pants

 

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #8 or Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Crockpot Soup (a recipe given to me by a friend)

- 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken- (to save even more time - cook in the crockpot overnight, with some salsa, so it would be done in the morning, to add the rest of the stuff.
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced peeled tomatoes,
- 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups water
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn-(or canned if what is in the cupboard) 
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Directions Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.    

Top with cheddar cheese and crunch chips.

It's what's for dinner - TONIGHT!

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #7 or God Provides With a Little Seed Money

I haven't spoken of my faith on here before - mainly because I didn't fully understand it myself until two and a half years ago.  Cancer has a way of putting things into perspective.  It helped me reevaluate the important aspects of life.  And also, it helped that God actually spoke to me.  It was hard not to sit up and listen when receiving a WHAM like that! 

Recently, our church gave back $5,000 dollars to it's parishoners as "Seed Money" to help  the church's food pantry this Holiday Season.  They passed around the offering basket full of envelopes, containing different denominations of money.  I pulled one of the largest bills - $50.   The pastor asked us to use our talents, "invest" the money using these talents, and then return the results in 4 weeks.  All the money goes to the Food Pantry.

I stressed for a solid week straight.  Then, I decided my chickens needed to play a role.  I used the $50 to purchase feed.  I'd give the money back I made selling eggs.  A simple calculation resulted in a doubling of the money in 4 weeks.  However, I decided to give back as long as it took my chickens to eat through $50 worth of food. (~3 months)

After I had figured the entire scenario out, my regular egg buyers stopped buying.  Three of them left town.  One went on a special diet, another stopped calling.  No eggs sold for a solid week.

I started to stress again.  My eggs piled up in the fridge.  I had to do something to sell these eggs.  Dave started making a sign for our driveway.  I quickly placed an ad on Craig's List.  Surely, someone around here was interested in buying eggs.

As I placed the ad, I daydreamed a bit and laughed, "Hey Lord, it should would be nice if someone called up and wanted ALL of my eggs....like some local chef or something."  But, I knew that wasn't going to happen....

Do not doubt God.

Within hours of placing my ad, I received a phone call, and the first words out of the man's mouth were, "I want all of your eggs."  He is an egg distributor and needs more local eggs for some of his markets.  He wants free-range local eggs from small farms.  

I couldn't believe it.  I jumped for joy.  I Praised God and Thanked Him...He put the situation in place - not only helping the church (and their food pantry) but in helping me find a permanent buyer for my eggs.

God provides and He is good. 

 

 

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #6 or Meeting the Mayor

One of the important Merit Badges for becoming an Eagle Scout is "Citizenship in the Community". 

There are several requirements.  One is viewing a City Council meeting.  Jammin' and his dad attended the Regular Session yesterday evening.  Afterwards, Dave suggested they walk up and talk to the mayor.  Jammin', being shy, was VERY hesitant.  But, Dave poked and prodded until he agreed.

As it turns out - our mayor is not ONLY an Eagle Scout himself, but he was once a member of our very own troop!!! (and later we found out he is good friends with our Scoutmaster)

So, he spent time chatting and talking with Jammin'....sharing stories of his time as a scout and encouring our son to continue!  What he thought was going to be a long boring evening turned into an entertaining and surprising opportunity!

Yeah Scouts!

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #5 or Disappointing Pumpkins

This is a picture of my kid trying to look pleased with the Kindergarten field trip to the pumpkin patch.  Don't get me wrong - he loved the field trip, but was disappointed in the pumpkins.

The farm let the kids choose one pumpkin and one gourd.

When he saw the tiny pumpkins his face dropped.  He looked at me and asked, "Is this it?"

"Yes!"  I said trying to get him enthusiastic about choosing the small "cannonball" variety pumpkin.  "You get to pick the best one!"

He looked around, quickly picked one up and then said, "I'm ready to go."

Then I reminded him to choose a gourd.  That sparked his interest a little bit.  He found one, thought it was "just okay" and then he jumped around until the other kids were ready to go.

It's not that he doesn't like pumpkins.....

 

 

It's just hard to visit a pumpkin patch and choose such a little pumpkin when we grew all these beauties in our own garden. I think he was expecting a little more variety in size. 

Needless to say, as soon as we arrived home, that little pumpkin was set on the front porch and then completely forgotten.  What can I say.  We grow them bigger at home. 

 

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #4 or Fun Monday - Favorite Plants

How is THAT for a flashback? 

 

I have decided that I don't have a "favorite" plant.  I love whatever is blooming at the time.

However, I do have a particular fondness for certain ones at certain times.

In the spring, I adore the first tulips that show their colors.  In later spring, I get excited when my Rhodies bloom.  In summer, I dance a jig when my Lillies perform, and later in the summer, I always stop and admire the Hydrangea and marvel at the abundance of color emerging in my flowerbeds.

However, I will admit there is one flower that always has me anticipating its arrival, so maybe it is close to being as much a favorite as any of them.

I LOVE Lilacs.  I love to smell them.  I can't NOT smell them.  If I am walking by a lilac in full bloom, I've got my nose in there.

That old saying, "Stop and smell the roses."  It should be changed.  Most of those fancy roses don't have any scent.  I've never met a lilac I didn't like to smell....

So, sometimes on a busy spring day when life is at its most hectic.....Stop and Smell the Lilacs.

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #3 or Slippery Fish

Jammin's Boy Scout troop fished at a local pond for their Fishing Merit Badge.  Dave and the Caboose went along too.  Jammin' caught the 2nd largest fish of the day and he was showing off to his dad....

NaBloPoMo 2013 - #2 OR Serious Soccer

I am going to brag about my child.  (*spit to avoid the evil eye, right?)

 

I LOVE watching my daughter play soccer.  She's not the best soccer player that ever was - but she has the heart of one. 

She loves competition.

She has drive.

She stays focused.

She enjoys a challenge.

She wants to win.

 

When she is on the soccer field, she plays her heart out.  She runs after the ball and takes it from the opposing team.  She won't give up.

When she has the ball, she dribbles it down the field and passes to teammakes who can make the score.  She doesn't make the goal herself, but she is bound and determined to get it someone who will.

 

 

 

There isn't a position she excels at.  She is strong in them all and plays each position with her whole being.  Make her goalie and she IS the goalie.  Place her at defense she becomes the defense.  Put her at Forward - then that is what she does. 

She is fun to watch.

She doesn't have a strong leg so her kicks don't have much power behind them.  Her coach just smiles and says to me, "Just wait until she has some leg strength - that will be the day for some serious soccer." 

I don't know if soccer is her favorite.  I don't know if she'll play it next year.  All I know is she enjoys it now...and so do I.