First Day of School...

Well, here we go! It's the first day of school, and it's Braden's first day of Kindergarten!
It's so quiet here... it's amazing how much noise is produced by children! McKenna is feeling their absence, too. She is missing them terribly. All she has is poor ol' mom. ;) I cried today after coming back from taking the kids to class. Braden didn't want me to kiss him. I even tried "sneaking" in one on the cheek, but I was brushed away. Does my little boy actually think it's "not cool" to kiss his mama? Hmmm.....I sure hope it's just the first day jitters...
I feel that this year is going to busier than any other year before... And I am believing that it just gets busier every year after...
Gracious Lord, I pray for my family and all their activities... may they thrive & learn, and share your blessings...Amen.

Well, off to figure out some of this "home improvement"
dilemma that is on-going! Lotsa Hugs!

Time with the girls...

Well, I'm off to Women of Faith! I am so looking forward to this, and really need the "girl" time away. I will have to tell you all about the fun when I return...
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs,
Shannon

The little things...

OH the joys in the little things... I am just so excited! My neurotic-mess-of-a-self is finally coming around to becoming organized for real, in REAL life! No more piling here or there, no more procrastination, I'm going to do it now, to make a better home for ME and my FAMILY! Okay, what ARE you talking about, Shannon? I am talking about the recipe binder I have been wanting to put together of all the recipes that I print off the web (practically daily), that's what! ;) I have been collecting for YEARS, literally, and my current binder (one that my darling BEO sisters gave to me when Bryan and I got married, is over flowing with recipes, magazine tear-outs,etc. What a mess! And to try and find a recipe that I once fixed, that the whole family enjoyed, that was easy to fix, it's not here! OH forget it, let's eat out tonight. Enough of that mentality. I love to cook new recipes for my family. They enjoy most of them, too! So, to change this mess into something organized, to find what I want, easy to flip through, AND something that is nice to look at too, here's what I'm going to do...

Okay, so now is the perfect time, it's back-to-school and the stores are brimming with school supplies, including some really cool binders! Yes, me the crafter, taking the easy way out and not "altering" a binder. Hey, I need to take one step at time. And actually, that IS another reason why I have the mess I do... I've wanted to alter my own binder to put them in, but just don't get one done!
Anyways, off to Walmart, because Braden still needed markers for school, and I needed deodorant. ( I won't go there) ;)
This is what I came up with. I love the bold stripes and brightness about it, along with the contrasting polka dots on the inside! I also bought poly dividers, repositionable poly tabs, and sheet protectors (cuz I can be a messy cook). Each divider has a pocket in them, so that when I do find another recipe, I can place it in the pocket until it's worthy of adding to the book. (It actually has to be a yummy recipe before it goes in!)
I do have a slight problem, however. I have a ton of stinkin' recipes! It's basically full now! And I still have loose recipes laying about. Okay, I admit. Some of them have not been tried and tested, so they may not be worthy of being there. But on paper, they sound delicious!

On another note, I wanted to share something. This lady is going to be at the Women of Faith event in Dallas this weekend, which I am attending (for the first time). I am going with my friend Michele and a group of ladies from her neck of the woods. I absolutely can't wait! I really don't know what to expect, but I do know that it's some time for me, which I really could use about now. I have not seen Anita Renfroe live, but you have to check out her site. As a mom of three, she has a comical way of inspiring moms from all walks of life, all along with serious moments of faith. She has been described as “a triple shot of espresso in a decaf world". She makes you laugh and cry and bond with one another like never before. I just can't wait to see her. She has numerous books, dvds, cds, and who knows what else. I just can't forget my purse! lol

I guess before I go, I have this overwhelming idea of sharing one of my "newly organized and filed recipes with you! I am not sure where it originally came from, but in actuality- this is a result of a couple recipes combined. I hope you enjoy!
Hugs,
Shannon

PORK AND POTATO CASSEROLE

A good shepherds pie/pot pie combo! Mmm Mmm good!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 Tbls butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning (thyme, sage,tarrogon)
1/8 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 can (10 1/2 oz) condensed chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/ 1/2 cups diced roast pork
1 1/2 cups (10 oz pkg) frozen peas and carrots, cooked and drained
4 cups prepared seasoned mashed potatoes
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese, optional

Preparation:
Heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; add onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended; add salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Gradually add broth and water, stirring until thickened and bubbly.

Add the diced pork and vegetables; heat through. Add sour cream. Pour into a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spoon prepared mashed potatoes evenly over the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, topping with cheese the last 5 minutes, if desired. Serves 4

Add a big green salad and a whole wheat dinner roll and be prepared for something REALLY tasty!

HOT,HOT, HOT!

It's just plain hot around here. I can't stand getting into the van, it's just like an oven! McKenna can't stand it either, her poor little legs get hot in her seat. I need to remember to take it in until it starts to cool off... I ran across this site and had to share, cuz it's just so hot, and making snowflakes makes me feel so much cooler!

We've had a bit of excitement around here (again). Our washing machine overflowed and sent a massive sudsy tide over the top and onto the floor, out the laundry door and into/onto the carpet and padding that lay out and about all over a good portion of the first floor-minus the master bed/bath. And in it's fury, left behind a multitude of HUGE, roaring 747 fans, ripped up, tack-exposing carpet, and ugly yellow and various-coloring staining all over! Not to mention a deteriorating wall behind the entertainment center (okay, that's from another problem that's been in the making over sometime now- but it's just now being discovered from this event). Ugh. It could be worse, I guess. I don't have any damage to furnishings or other "stuff" and it was on the first floor, not the second.
Home improvement, here we come...

Texas is still our home for now....

Whew! Well, I'm glad that's over.... still trying to straighten things in my head though. I really thought we were moving to Colorado! But alas, we are not. Not today anyways.
That had to be the most difficult decision for us! But it's just so expensive to house there! And the salaries just don't match that cost. Don't know how you folks do it!
Like I had said before, we are truly blessed either way. We are finding out how much of a blessing we are to others, which is a blessing in its' self! Thank you, Lord, for your love and blessings...

Well, moving on(here in Texas)... school will be starting soon. Need to go school supply shopping! The kids LOVE to do that(okay, so do I!). I did as a kid, too. All new fun and "designy" notebooks & folders, unused pencils, the smell of glue, oh! and the brand new box of 96 Crayola crayons! That was the BEST! (That was the time when we got to choose the size we wanted).

I am also looking forward to a couple times a week where all three will be in school & MDO for a little mommie/creative time in my studio. Need it so desperately. Right now, it's a collect-all of, well, you name it! Started, but not finished art projects, estate sale & thrift buys, kids pictures and projects, some mail, magazines, toys, paper, paper, paper!!! Time to reorganize and re-coop. I've been lazy the past few days, barely getting dishes done, letting some laundry pile up, watching movies and playing with the kids (alot!). I wanna be a kid again(just for the pure non-responsibility of it - but only for a couple days...) ;)
The free, the fun, the laughing, the joy... I love watching them, and for the past two days, I have enjoyed doing it with them! Such sweet spirits they all are. They each add spice, a kick, a punch to life. JOY, that is what they are to me!

OH! Bryan's 39th birthday was fun. He didn't get to come home as early as he had hoped, but we met him at Joe's Crab Shack, and practically had the place to ourselves! It was great! And the food was pretty good too! We had not been there in probably a year, and he had the hankerin' for it, and the kids have fun with the wait staff dancin' and singin'. They have a new menu, which was right up our alley, I ordered the biggest crab plate they had, and Bryan got the all you can eat shrimp-- Oh, it was scrumptious! I even joined McKenna in tying on my "crabby" bib! The kids ordered the paint a crispy crab (a rice crispy treat in the shape of a crab). It came on a white plate shaped like an artist paint pallet, with 3 molded 'dip' areas. One was filled with chocolate, another with strawberry, and the last with rasberry sauce. And of course a paint brush came with it and they painted their crispy crabs and had a blast! What an awesome idea. I loved those plates! (I totally forgot the camera, or I would have taken a picture) Gotta find out if those are purchasable!
I still need to make his apple pie for him... (which I should be doing now). ;)
Anyways, be good, have a beautiful weekend, enjoy the kiddos and family! We love our family in Colorado, I miss my sister so much, but we'll all have to wait a longer... BIG HUGS!

"There's always hope"...

" Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible."

I received this quote in a forwarded email this morn. I could not open the actual email (for whatever reason), but somewhere in amongst the people who had seen the email, was this quote. I don't know where it came from, who said it, but I do know it was meant for me to see at that moment. The Lord IS so desperately trying to comfort me and support me through such a desperate time. He knows my fears of the unknown, and an uncertain future. I want to have a secure financial future. I want what's best for everyone. I want my family to have wonderful memories, and I know they could happen here or there. It's still difficult to think of leaving the "family" we have come to grow and know here. We DO have roots here. Ones that go deeper than we really thought. I guess what do you expect after 16 years? ;) We have been blessed, and we ARE so blessed. Thank you, Jesus.

I guess there IS always hope... be still and see the blessings as they have been given to you, and recognize them as they are given.
Hugs,
Shan