As I sit and think about all that's going to happen this week, I get excited and a little overwhelmed all at the same time.
It's not like we never have other busy weeks around here.
It's just that this week, we're shipping 150 calves, going to town to get all paid up, I'm packing for 4 people, the kids are going to Roseau for a week, and Matt and I are going to Montana for a week.
So you see, I'm definitely not complaining.
It's just that it all seems to pile right up at the end, and it doesn't stop until we're on the 18 hour drive to Big Sky. (which, by the way, I occupy the first half of the drive reading......the second half has pretty scenery and fun shops, so I look out the window more)
Today, we've got a guy from town coming out to learn how to do chores; I'm making and freezing chicken pot pies to take with for our suppers, I need to start packing, I need to make bulletins for Wed. and Sunday, blah, blah, blah..........I won't bore you with the minor details.
Anyway, last night, about 11:45-ish, Miss Adina woke up.
She wouldn't stop crying until some time around 2.
I was a frustrated momma!
My friend from high school was just talking about this on fb last night, how her little girl stands in her crib and whines for a while every night.
I posted on her wall that Adina's been doing it now for a couple nights....I definitely jinxed myself......because boy did she ever do it last night.
I let her cry and cry and cry.....nothing seemed to wear her out. Then, she'd throw her pacifier on the floor (I know, it's time to get rid of it, but Carmen....Matt's mom.....says we need to wait until we get back from Montana so she has something to calm her down with, which I totally agree with). That would make her cry even more. So, I'd go in, search around on the floor for a stupid pacifier, give it to her, try to lay her down, she'd pop right back up, and be bawling again before I made it to the door.
Hope she doesn't keep this up much longer.....it's hard on my sleep!
Fortunately, Matt was kind enough to get up with Clarence this morning, and I was able to sleep for a little longer.
He took both kids out with him to start chores, too, but Adina didn't last long. Her fingers were cold, so she's back in with me.
Tomorrow, a semi's coming to take our heifers; the steers are going Thursday morning. I'm excited to see what they'll end up weighing. It's always nice to get rid of most of the calves - actually, it's very reassuring - because we get paid, we don't have to feed them anymore, and Matt's chore time reduces considerably. Then it starts all over again in a couple weeks.....yay for new babies!
Hope you have a great day!
I've been trying to upload pictures, but my computer's been really slow lately, so you'll just have to be patient.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Highlights
Well....here's the highlights from the rest of our week:
Wed. - we were home, hanging out......
This will be a great week - the calves are leaving Wednesday, and we leave for skiing Thursday.....Yippee!!!
Wed. - we were home, hanging out......
- I made supper for a neighbor couple who'd just had a baby;
- the kids played;
- Clarence helped Matt, Dad and the vet out in the barn with preg-checking the calves;
- Nikki and Baby Harley came over for coffee;
- I found out Ethel, my 13-year-old 4-H cow, is OPEN......which means she won't be with us much longer. :(
- I played piano at the Lutheran Church in Kennedy for their Ash Wed. service
- we went to the Gjesdal's (our neighbor's) for the morning.
- They have 2 girls, Esther (2 1/2) and Lilly (1), and Lindsay (my friend) babysits Anna (3)
- They have big snow hills in their yard, which are nicely formed for sleds to slide down quickly;
- the kids had a blast!
- so did I!
- all five kids took turns riding their little pony, Apache, who's very pregnant. She's also quite short. And cute.
- Clarence and Adina were SO SORE! from riding her. Just kidding. But they sure were cute.
- Then, they harnessed up their big draft horse, Maggie, and took us for a sleigh ride. Clarence was talking about "Little House" the whole time.....he felt like he belonged on the show.
- We had a fun lunch, then headed home for nap time.
- The kids were sure tired out from their fun, busy morning.
- Mom, Nikki, Adina and I headed to G.F. to meet our new cousin Audrey Adelle Deere. (Clarence was busy and needed to stay home and help Matt with the cows)
- She's the daughter of my cousin Joel and his girlfriend, Kim.
- She's absolutely beautiful, perfect, tiny and pretty.
- I'm so excited for them!
- And I'm glad they live close by so our kids will be able to grow up together.....it's so fun having cousins around!
- We had fun visiting, then went out for supper with Joel's dad, Jeff, and some other friends.
- And, we got home really late, so I was tired waking up for subbing Friday morning. (Oh, well, such is life!)
- I subbed
- Adina went to the babysitters.
- Clarence stayed home to help Matt (he's a huge help, you know.....).
- We had our couple's bible study last night.
- It's always so much fun to get together, have a delicious supper, then spend time studying the bible together.
- Last night's session was on prayer.
- Persistant prayer......how it's so necessary to learn to know God better.
- how we can pray actively, while we're doing things with our kids, driving, walking, etc., and how we can pray privately together.
- and how God answers our prayers more than we'd ever want or need if we are persistant. Luke 11:1-11......Ask and you shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened......(all in all, be persistant!)
- Another late night, but so much fun to get together with our friends!
This will be a great week - the calves are leaving Wednesday, and we leave for skiing Thursday.....Yippee!!!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A conversation
Today I was talking with my friend and pastor, Melodi. It's something we do every week - get together, pray, visit, and discuss the text for each coming Sunday. That way it's easier for me to pick out good hymns....they need to go with the text. It helps me to talk with her because there are a lot of texts I don't understand.
One of our topics today was church and the huge age gap we have in our church. There's Sunday School age kids (a few), some later thirty-ish people, a few in the 40's, 50's, and 60's, and a lot of people over 60. We were talking about why people my age don't really go to church.
Now, please don't take any of this personally; I know there are people my age that do go to church. But, in general, around here (and many other places, too, I believe), there are a lot of people my age who don't view church as a vital, necessary part of their life.
Our lives are too comfortable.
We have too much luxury.
Our homes provide everything we need....church not being one of them.
Where does church come in then?
Back in the way early days, church was important. It was vital. Many people lived on farms, and church was the only time they got to see people. They went to church because it was the highlight of their week; only in church did they get to see their friends, neighbors and family; only in church did they get to visit, rest, and feed themselves spiritually.
l l
l l
l X X lX
l l
\ /
\ /
\ /
\_________________________/
All right, pretend my ugly diagram up there is a half circle. The red x in the middle represents the church from way back when....when church was the center of everyone's lives - it was the highlight of their week. The blue x is the people that go to church now on a fairly regular basis; church is as close to the center of their lives as it will get. The blue "x" people will never be in the middle - nobody ever will...that's something that's gone because of the way our lives are now - all our conveniences, our luxuries, and our comfortableness. The green x is those who don't go to church. It's the people who don't "need" or "want" church.
So what's the point of my rambling?
Why all the church talk?
It's something I've been thinking about all day - something that's been nagging me. I want my friends, peers, people I don't know, acquaintances and neighbors to go to church. I want them to realize the importance of Jesus and that He wants to be in their lives.
I want to encourage everyone who reads this - whether you agree with me or not - to take a look at your own life.
Where does Jesus fit into it?
Where does church and fellowship fit into it?
Question yourself: How's my faith today?
That's something I'm going to do throughout the 40 days of Lent.....wake up every morning and ask myself, "How's my faith today?" and "How can I improve it?"
One of our topics today was church and the huge age gap we have in our church. There's Sunday School age kids (a few), some later thirty-ish people, a few in the 40's, 50's, and 60's, and a lot of people over 60. We were talking about why people my age don't really go to church.
Now, please don't take any of this personally; I know there are people my age that do go to church. But, in general, around here (and many other places, too, I believe), there are a lot of people my age who don't view church as a vital, necessary part of their life.
Our lives are too comfortable.
We have too much luxury.
Our homes provide everything we need....church not being one of them.
Where does church come in then?
Back in the way early days, church was important. It was vital. Many people lived on farms, and church was the only time they got to see people. They went to church because it was the highlight of their week; only in church did they get to see their friends, neighbors and family; only in church did they get to visit, rest, and feed themselves spiritually.
l l
l l
l X X lX
l l
\ /
\ /
\ /
\_________________________/
All right, pretend my ugly diagram up there is a half circle. The red x in the middle represents the church from way back when....when church was the center of everyone's lives - it was the highlight of their week. The blue x is the people that go to church now on a fairly regular basis; church is as close to the center of their lives as it will get. The blue "x" people will never be in the middle - nobody ever will...that's something that's gone because of the way our lives are now - all our conveniences, our luxuries, and our comfortableness. The green x is those who don't go to church. It's the people who don't "need" or "want" church.
So what's the point of my rambling?
Why all the church talk?
It's something I've been thinking about all day - something that's been nagging me. I want my friends, peers, people I don't know, acquaintances and neighbors to go to church. I want them to realize the importance of Jesus and that He wants to be in their lives.
I want to encourage everyone who reads this - whether you agree with me or not - to take a look at your own life.
Where does Jesus fit into it?
Where does church and fellowship fit into it?
Question yourself: How's my faith today?
That's something I'm going to do throughout the 40 days of Lent.....wake up every morning and ask myself, "How's my faith today?" and "How can I improve it?"
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Cream Cheese Crockpot Chicken
Well, I'm really on a roll today - all these fun pinterest recipes I have been trying.
This is what I'm making for supper tonight. It's in the crockpot as we speak....or read....or whatever. I can't wait to try it and see what it's like!
.
Here is what you need:
- Bag of frozen Chicken Breast Tenderloins (2.5-3lb bag)
- 8 oz block of cream cheese (don't use Fat Free! 1/3 less fat or regular is fine)
- Can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed. (or Pinto Beans if you prefer)
- Can of Corn, drained.
- Can of Rotel
Directions:
Put frozen chicken in the crock pot.
Put Cream cheese on top of the chicken.
Dump in the Black Beans (make sure they are drained & rinsed!!!)
Dump in the drained corn.
Dump in the Rotel, (I used a can of diced tomatoes, then added some chili powder, cumin and a little garlic for extra flavor....and I was going to add a little can of diced chiles, but I didn't have any.)
- 8 oz block of cream cheese (don't use Fat Free! 1/3 less fat or regular is fine)
- Can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed. (or Pinto Beans if you prefer)
- Can of Corn, drained.
- Can of Rotel
Directions:
Put frozen chicken in the crock pot.
Put Cream cheese on top of the chicken.
Dump in the Black Beans (make sure they are drained & rinsed!!!)
Dump in the drained corn.
Dump in the Rotel, (I used a can of diced tomatoes, then added some chili powder, cumin and a little garlic for extra flavor....and I was going to add a little can of diced chiles, but I didn't have any.)
Cover & cook in your Crock Pot on low for 6-8 hours.Every 2 hours, stir the ingredients.
You can shred the chicken when it is done, or just leave it as tenderloins.
This is what it looks like after 6 hours:
Turn the crock pot off & let it sit for about 30-45 minutes.
It is a little soupy, but letting it sit causes it to not be as soupy.
It is a little soupy, but letting it sit causes it to not be as soupy.
Serve this over rice. The rice soaks up some of the soupy-ness.
It makes a lot, it feeds 6-8 adults. You could have it for dinner a couple nights & for lunch.I actually like it better on the 2nd day, when it isn't as soupy.
So, you could make this the day before & then keep it in your fridge overnight.
When we have it on a leftover day, sometimes I combine the rice & the cream cheese chicken mixture and use it for burritos. Add a tortilla, some lettuce, cheese & salsa.
Easy. Good. Healthy.
And, you could use pinto beans instead of black beans.Make a tostada or a rice bowl.
So many options!
Whatever floats your boat!
I'm going to serve it with rice in tortillas. It seems like a yummy supper! I hope it's as delicious as it sounds!
Enjoy!
oh, and p.s. (This recipe is adapted from thelarsonlingo.blogspot.com and off of pinterest.)
Cheerio (or any cereal) Treats
Here's a quick and easy recipe for a fun treat. Most people already have all of these ingredients on hand. The only thing you'll have trouble deciding is if you should eat it for breakfast, a snack, or a dessert.
These are so good! Adina just loves them.
I didn't happen to have cheerios on hand, so I used rice chex. They turned out great!
Cheerio Treats
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. corn syrup
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1 t. vanilla
• 5 c. Cheerios (or whatever cereal you'd like)
In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.
Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.
Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.
Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.
Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.
Makes approximately 2 dozen.
Adina's a huge fan of these; I can't get Clarence to try them yet, though. I highly recommend! They're a great snack or treat.
These are so good! Adina just loves them.
I didn't happen to have cheerios on hand, so I used rice chex. They turned out great!
Cheerio Treats
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. corn syrup
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1 t. vanilla
• 5 c. Cheerios (or whatever cereal you'd like)
In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.
Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.
Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.
Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.
Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.
Makes approximately 2 dozen.
Adina's a huge fan of these; I can't get Clarence to try them yet, though. I highly recommend! They're a great snack or treat.
Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
I made these scones this morning; they're delicious. I've been thinking about making them for weeks; today was the day.
Here's my review:
You only need to make half the glaze. That is definitely plenty. Unless you have a 20 month old princess who likes to eat the leftovers by the spoonful. She helped finish mine up.
I've never made scones before. So, at the point where it tells you to take the dough out of the bowl and knead 10 times, I was a little unsure as to what I was supposed to do. I used a lot of flour because this is quite sticky dough. I actually probably used too much - mine turned out a little dense. Total, beyond what you put into the bowl the first time, I'd add about one extra cup of flour. The dough may be a little sticky from there, but I think they will be fine because you're putting them on a greased cookie sheet.
They really do taste delicious.
I'll definitely make them again - using the knowledge I now have.
Have fun!
Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold butter
- 1-1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries, chopped
GLAZE: (I'd cut it in half.....it makes a lot!)
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon 2% milk
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1-1/4 cups cream just until moistened. Fold in strawberries. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times.
- Pat into a 9-in. x 7-in. rectangle. Cut in half horizontally. Cut each half into four rectangles; separate and place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with remaining cream.
- Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. For glaze, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, butter and milk; drizzle over warm scones. Serve warm. Yield: 8 scones.
- Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min.
- Yield: 8 Servings
Snow and Sick Day
#1 I'VE BEEN JINXED! Two days ago, I was writing about the beautiful weather and how I wanted it to stay and melt and then it'd be spring.
No such luck.
We've got at least 5 inches of snow in our yard - actually probably closer to 8 or 9. Matt was out blowing snow all morning (for us and a few neighbors).
I guess it's ok...it's still February. Clarence was excited when he saw Matt making a big hill. I guess that'll be a great place to take the kids out to play this week. We can make forts in the side of it and sled down it. I'm sure they'll have a lot of fun!
It's even snowing more right now. I can't believe we can get this much snow in the course of a day - it's almost foreign since we haven't had this much since last year. It's something I like to forget, mostly because winter seems to last too long and I was enjoying the lovely weather we were blessed with over the weekend.
Oh well - the good thing about all this is that I know spring will come eventually.
In a couple months. :)
#2 I'm home from subbing today because Clarence woke up during the night and was sick. He threw up two times, then slept fine until morning. He hasn't thrown up any more today, but he complains of his tummy hurting, so we've been taking it easy.
He watched "Little House" for a while, then we cut out bull and cow pictures from magazines and he glued them on paper to make a picture, then he and Adina have been playing with Ruby. Ruby's so tolerant of the kids - they lay on her, brush her fur, herd her into Clarence's "dogpen"...... She's so nice - I hope she never gets so irritated she'd do anything mean. I don't really think she would, though. Usually if she's really sick of it, she'll come and hang around me so I'll let her out.
Clarence seems to be feeling a little better now. He's napping, but most of the morning, he's been acting pretty normally. He's even eaten some and hasn't gotten sick again. Hopefully it was just the quick little flu bug that's been going around.
#3 Matt's out working with the vet right now. They're preg-checking some older cows. We're going to get rid of the cows that are open because they're old; then, we're going to use the money and buy a couple young bred ones back. Hopefully, though, there won't be many open cows - that's always quite depressing for us.
Clarence has been begging to go out and help all morning. We'll see how he feels when he gets up, I guess.
Hope you have a great day! If you're out on the snowy roads, be careful! And go out and make a snowman!
No such luck.
We've got at least 5 inches of snow in our yard - actually probably closer to 8 or 9. Matt was out blowing snow all morning (for us and a few neighbors).
I guess it's ok...it's still February. Clarence was excited when he saw Matt making a big hill. I guess that'll be a great place to take the kids out to play this week. We can make forts in the side of it and sled down it. I'm sure they'll have a lot of fun!
It's even snowing more right now. I can't believe we can get this much snow in the course of a day - it's almost foreign since we haven't had this much since last year. It's something I like to forget, mostly because winter seems to last too long and I was enjoying the lovely weather we were blessed with over the weekend.
Oh well - the good thing about all this is that I know spring will come eventually.
In a couple months. :)
#2 I'm home from subbing today because Clarence woke up during the night and was sick. He threw up two times, then slept fine until morning. He hasn't thrown up any more today, but he complains of his tummy hurting, so we've been taking it easy.
He watched "Little House" for a while, then we cut out bull and cow pictures from magazines and he glued them on paper to make a picture, then he and Adina have been playing with Ruby. Ruby's so tolerant of the kids - they lay on her, brush her fur, herd her into Clarence's "dogpen"...... She's so nice - I hope she never gets so irritated she'd do anything mean. I don't really think she would, though. Usually if she's really sick of it, she'll come and hang around me so I'll let her out.
Clarence seems to be feeling a little better now. He's napping, but most of the morning, he's been acting pretty normally. He's even eaten some and hasn't gotten sick again. Hopefully it was just the quick little flu bug that's been going around.
#3 Matt's out working with the vet right now. They're preg-checking some older cows. We're going to get rid of the cows that are open because they're old; then, we're going to use the money and buy a couple young bred ones back. Hopefully, though, there won't be many open cows - that's always quite depressing for us.
Clarence has been begging to go out and help all morning. We'll see how he feels when he gets up, I guess.
Hope you have a great day! If you're out on the snowy roads, be careful! And go out and make a snowman!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
It's Sunday again!
The days are flying by again. The weather has been so nice this weekend - it's like spring! I hope we're not being teased and that the weather will just stay like this until the snow decides to melt completely.
We've had such a busy week - I've been subbing this last week, Matt's been feeding cows - pretty much non-stop, it seems. Friday night, we drove to Bemidji to watch Mary's hockey team play Sartelle in the Section Championship game. Roseau won 4-2, so this coming week, they'll be heading down to the cities to play. I hope they do well. I think we'll be able to watch them play on tv, so we're looking forward to those games, too.
Saturday, we participated in the fishing derby up at Warroad/Springsteel. It was very cold out on the ice, even though the temp. was 32ish. The wind was really blowing, so I only really stayed warm enough when I walked around and avoided Matt. He seemed to think it was fun to tackle me - ??? I don't know...he's weird, and it made me cold. Oh well.
Fishing wasn't very good - nobody around us caught anything. We went back to Matt's parents' house, then went back in to Roseau to visit Matt's grandma Jeanette. Last week, she'd had surgery on her leg to open an artery. I was surprised to see her up and walking around so well. She looks like she feels good - and she says she feels much better, which is always great to hear. The kids stayed with Mary and Carmen while we were out fishing and visiting. Adina hadn't been feeling well Saturday morning, so it was best to keep her home and rest. Clarence didn't want to go fishing, so he helped Carmen in the house. He's a huge help, as I'm sure you can imagine!
Today, we had our usual busy Sunday morning at church - I played organ, Matt was up feeding cows early because he's gone at a meeting all afternoon for his new church council position. He was really excited about it.
Not.
Well, it was just necessary for him to go because he'll be on for 3 years. It's good to know what he's supposed to do, I guess.
Nikki's coming over in a bit and we're going over to our neighbors' house to play. She has two little girls and a new little horse they can ride. We'll see if the kids want to ride it when we get there.
Hope you have a good week!
We've had such a busy week - I've been subbing this last week, Matt's been feeding cows - pretty much non-stop, it seems. Friday night, we drove to Bemidji to watch Mary's hockey team play Sartelle in the Section Championship game. Roseau won 4-2, so this coming week, they'll be heading down to the cities to play. I hope they do well. I think we'll be able to watch them play on tv, so we're looking forward to those games, too.
Saturday, we participated in the fishing derby up at Warroad/Springsteel. It was very cold out on the ice, even though the temp. was 32ish. The wind was really blowing, so I only really stayed warm enough when I walked around and avoided Matt. He seemed to think it was fun to tackle me - ??? I don't know...he's weird, and it made me cold. Oh well.
Fishing wasn't very good - nobody around us caught anything. We went back to Matt's parents' house, then went back in to Roseau to visit Matt's grandma Jeanette. Last week, she'd had surgery on her leg to open an artery. I was surprised to see her up and walking around so well. She looks like she feels good - and she says she feels much better, which is always great to hear. The kids stayed with Mary and Carmen while we were out fishing and visiting. Adina hadn't been feeling well Saturday morning, so it was best to keep her home and rest. Clarence didn't want to go fishing, so he helped Carmen in the house. He's a huge help, as I'm sure you can imagine!
Today, we had our usual busy Sunday morning at church - I played organ, Matt was up feeding cows early because he's gone at a meeting all afternoon for his new church council position. He was really excited about it.
Not.
Well, it was just necessary for him to go because he'll be on for 3 years. It's good to know what he's supposed to do, I guess.
Nikki's coming over in a bit and we're going over to our neighbors' house to play. She has two little girls and a new little horse they can ride. We'll see if the kids want to ride it when we get there.
Hope you have a good week!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
BRRR!
Wow, have the last couple of days been cold!
I'm not really going to sit and complain about it, don't worry - it's just that we've really had another "winter" experience.
I headed down to Fargo for my LPM class again on Friday.....the windchill was like -20 or something. We (Kathy and I) started driving down there. By the time we were in Kennedy, we were quite cold. By the time we were in Fargo, I was shivering, had goosebumps, and Kathy had cold feet.
We found out her heater didn't work.
It was a very cold ride.
Our class was so much fun this time! I learned about the buttons on the organ, what they're used for, and which ones sound good together. It's really a great thing- this will give me confidence with our organ at church, and make me not so scared to switch them....I can adjust them to what I think sounds best and feel like I know what I'm doing.
We learned how to sing the psalms - the way they were originally intended. I can't wait to pop this on my choir this week and see how they receive it - I think there will be some hesitation, but I think they'll really like singing them in the end....better than reading responsively.
I learned about salaries, what my time is worth, and how to draw up contracts for my job at church - none of which I plan on using right now, but all good information for future use!
I learned about the huge importance of communion. In the gospels, it is heavily repeated over and over how Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it. And we are supposed to do that and know Jesus is there, with us. I love it!
We were taught about our hymnal and which hymns can be used as anthems for choirs or children. I'm so glad - the hymnal is a great resource and since we're limited on music funds, it will be a great resource for me in the future. Yay!
So, I have lots of great new information to spring on my choir this week......
I hope they still like me by the time we're finished. :)
We got to the convent (the nunnery...whatever it is) on Friday night, expecting to have nice warm, quiet rooms to head into (you know, after our cold jaunt in the car around town - we'd gotten lost, etc.). We made it into the warm entry, but (89-ish) year old Sister Irene wasn't waiting for us, nor would she answer her phone.
So, we slept on the floor in the entry.
Just kidding.
We ran back out to Kathy's freezing car, and headed back towards interstate to get a motel room.
I guess we won't be going back there - we're not really sure what happened, I guess.
Oh well - a motel is just as good.....(at least we know we'll get in the doors).
The ride home was freezing too; we borrowed blankets, though, so that helped keep us a bit warmer. As the sun went down, though, it got colder and colder.
Moral of the story: We'll make sure the heater works before we go on to our next class.
Have a great day and STAY WARM!!!!
I'm not really going to sit and complain about it, don't worry - it's just that we've really had another "winter" experience.
I headed down to Fargo for my LPM class again on Friday.....the windchill was like -20 or something. We (Kathy and I) started driving down there. By the time we were in Kennedy, we were quite cold. By the time we were in Fargo, I was shivering, had goosebumps, and Kathy had cold feet.
We found out her heater didn't work.
It was a very cold ride.
Our class was so much fun this time! I learned about the buttons on the organ, what they're used for, and which ones sound good together. It's really a great thing- this will give me confidence with our organ at church, and make me not so scared to switch them....I can adjust them to what I think sounds best and feel like I know what I'm doing.
We learned how to sing the psalms - the way they were originally intended. I can't wait to pop this on my choir this week and see how they receive it - I think there will be some hesitation, but I think they'll really like singing them in the end....better than reading responsively.
I learned about salaries, what my time is worth, and how to draw up contracts for my job at church - none of which I plan on using right now, but all good information for future use!
I learned about the huge importance of communion. In the gospels, it is heavily repeated over and over how Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it. And we are supposed to do that and know Jesus is there, with us. I love it!
We were taught about our hymnal and which hymns can be used as anthems for choirs or children. I'm so glad - the hymnal is a great resource and since we're limited on music funds, it will be a great resource for me in the future. Yay!
So, I have lots of great new information to spring on my choir this week......
I hope they still like me by the time we're finished. :)
We got to the convent (the nunnery...whatever it is) on Friday night, expecting to have nice warm, quiet rooms to head into (you know, after our cold jaunt in the car around town - we'd gotten lost, etc.). We made it into the warm entry, but (89-ish) year old Sister Irene wasn't waiting for us, nor would she answer her phone.
So, we slept on the floor in the entry.
Just kidding.
We ran back out to Kathy's freezing car, and headed back towards interstate to get a motel room.
I guess we won't be going back there - we're not really sure what happened, I guess.
Oh well - a motel is just as good.....(at least we know we'll get in the doors).
The ride home was freezing too; we borrowed blankets, though, so that helped keep us a bit warmer. As the sun went down, though, it got colder and colder.
Moral of the story: We'll make sure the heater works before we go on to our next class.
Have a great day and STAY WARM!!!!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Funny Papers
When I was little, I used to go to my grandparents' house all the time. We'd play all day with Grandma, go for drives with them, sit on the "hump" in the car, and play in the woods with some kid dishes Grandma had. We had so much fun growing up close to Grandma and Grandpa. They lived 1/4-1/2 mile away from us, and since my dad farmed with Grandpa Dean, we were always over there. It was so fun having them so close.
My grandpa was a great guy who was always laughing. He always had funny sayings to go with what he was talking about, and he was always ready with his camera or the video camera - he didn't want to miss a thing. Anytime we left their house, he'd say to us, "See you in the funny papers."
I also remember going for drives with him and Grandma all over the county - especially the county museum, where they were very involved. He'd always sing to us when we drove somewhere. Recently, I've started singing two of them to my kids. They are:
I see the moon,
the moon sees me,
down through the leaves of the old oak tree.
Please let the light that shines on me,
shine on the ones I love.
and
You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine.
You make me happy,
when skies are gray.
You'll never know, dear,
how much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
(Grandma is really happy to hear that I'm singing these songs to my kids......she seems to think it'll make my kids turn into more musical people if they're sung to more often.....after all, she sung to her kids.......and they're great singers.....haha. just kidding. She's funny, though.)
I think it's time to start "funny papers" for my own kids.
Last Saturday, we went to the Eagle's in Hallock for a spaghetti benefit supper. The place was packed, wall to wall. Hundreds of people came that night to visit, eat, and support the man the benefit was held for. My kids were starving, as usual. We quickly got them their plate of spaghetti and garlic toast, and they gobbled it all up. Then, I got them each a bar to eat for dessert.
They love bars.
I think they get it from me.
By the time we were ready to go home, each child had eaten three or four bars. And, they ran around the crowded place multiple times. I was running into people trying to keep up with them, afraid they'd maybe sneak through the door and get outside, or get lost (although it'd be hard). I'd be trying to have a conversation with someone, and one of them would take off. It's really hard to have conversations these days without that happening. Anyway, two hours after we'd come for supper, the kids were pretty tired, and we decided to head home.
Nikki called me yesterday to tell me a couple stories about my kids from Saturday night.
She said after we'd left to go home, two men who'd been sitting across the aisle from us came over to her and Mom and said they'd been watching the kids running around all night. They'd seen Clarence one time (when Matt and I were off visiting someone) by himself, walk over to the bar (dessert) table, and stand there looking at his hundreds of options. He stared for a couple minutes, then turned around and kept walking away. A minute l ater, he came back. He stared longingly at the bars again. Then, out of nowhere, he turned around, grabbed Rick Clow's (a very random person) bar off his plate, took a bite, and set it back down. Rick Clow didn't know this was happening, either.
I wonder if it was a delicious bar and there weren't any left?
Or was it just so tempting?
Or do we teach him to eat off other peoples' plates?
Just kidding.
Seriously, though, who knows what was going through his mind. I nearly peed my pants, though, while she was telling me all about Clarence and the bar he took a bite from.
Do you think Rick Clow noticed?
Adina sat by Nikki and Mom a lot of the night. She loved sitting smiling at them, saying "hi", and eating bars. She loves bars. She's a lot like me. She was sitting at the table eating a yummy brownie and thoroughly enjoying it. My Uncle Jeff came up behind her (she didn't know it, though), put his arm around her head and held a carrot bar in front of her face.
Adina leaned forward and took a huge bite of the frosting.
Then she started eating her brownie again.
She never once turned around and looked at Uncle Jeff. She didn't try to take another bite of the carrot bar. She just ate that delicious bite of frosting and went back to her chocolatey brownie. Good one, Adina!
See you in the funny papers!
My grandpa was a great guy who was always laughing. He always had funny sayings to go with what he was talking about, and he was always ready with his camera or the video camera - he didn't want to miss a thing. Anytime we left their house, he'd say to us, "See you in the funny papers."
I also remember going for drives with him and Grandma all over the county - especially the county museum, where they were very involved. He'd always sing to us when we drove somewhere. Recently, I've started singing two of them to my kids. They are:
I see the moon,
the moon sees me,
down through the leaves of the old oak tree.
Please let the light that shines on me,
shine on the ones I love.
and
You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine.
You make me happy,
when skies are gray.
You'll never know, dear,
how much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
(Grandma is really happy to hear that I'm singing these songs to my kids......she seems to think it'll make my kids turn into more musical people if they're sung to more often.....after all, she sung to her kids.......and they're great singers.....haha. just kidding. She's funny, though.)
I think it's time to start "funny papers" for my own kids.
Last Saturday, we went to the Eagle's in Hallock for a spaghetti benefit supper. The place was packed, wall to wall. Hundreds of people came that night to visit, eat, and support the man the benefit was held for. My kids were starving, as usual. We quickly got them their plate of spaghetti and garlic toast, and they gobbled it all up. Then, I got them each a bar to eat for dessert.
They love bars.
I think they get it from me.
By the time we were ready to go home, each child had eaten three or four bars. And, they ran around the crowded place multiple times. I was running into people trying to keep up with them, afraid they'd maybe sneak through the door and get outside, or get lost (although it'd be hard). I'd be trying to have a conversation with someone, and one of them would take off. It's really hard to have conversations these days without that happening. Anyway, two hours after we'd come for supper, the kids were pretty tired, and we decided to head home.
Nikki called me yesterday to tell me a couple stories about my kids from Saturday night.
She said after we'd left to go home, two men who'd been sitting across the aisle from us came over to her and Mom and said they'd been watching the kids running around all night. They'd seen Clarence one time (when Matt and I were off visiting someone) by himself, walk over to the bar (dessert) table, and stand there looking at his hundreds of options. He stared for a couple minutes, then turned around and kept walking away. A minute l ater, he came back. He stared longingly at the bars again. Then, out of nowhere, he turned around, grabbed Rick Clow's (a very random person) bar off his plate, took a bite, and set it back down. Rick Clow didn't know this was happening, either.
I wonder if it was a delicious bar and there weren't any left?
Or was it just so tempting?
Or do we teach him to eat off other peoples' plates?
Just kidding.
Seriously, though, who knows what was going through his mind. I nearly peed my pants, though, while she was telling me all about Clarence and the bar he took a bite from.
Do you think Rick Clow noticed?
Adina sat by Nikki and Mom a lot of the night. She loved sitting smiling at them, saying "hi", and eating bars. She loves bars. She's a lot like me. She was sitting at the table eating a yummy brownie and thoroughly enjoying it. My Uncle Jeff came up behind her (she didn't know it, though), put his arm around her head and held a carrot bar in front of her face.
Adina leaned forward and took a huge bite of the frosting.
Then she started eating her brownie again.
She never once turned around and looked at Uncle Jeff. She didn't try to take another bite of the carrot bar. She just ate that delicious bite of frosting and went back to her chocolatey brownie. Good one, Adina!
See you in the funny papers!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Day By Day
Today has turned out to be another gorgeous day here. I love looking out my window, seeing a little snow on the ground, seeing some frost still on the trees, the bright, beautiful, shining sun, and the comfort of knowing I'm inside in a warm, snug house.
I love knowing my kids are upstairs taking a nice, long afternoon nap......I love when they take long naps, don't you?
Matt's even taking a little nap today. It's nice to do that on a Sunday afternoon.
I'm baking some chex mix that I'm taking over to the neighbor's house later on when we go and watch the superbowl. Earlier, Clarence made jello jigglers that he's bringing over to share with the other kids. He's really excited about it - the playing and the jello.
Clarence and Matt stayed home from church this morning to feed the cows - they had everything done by the time Adina and I got home. That's nice - it seems like chores has really been taking a long time lately - probably because Matt's got all the yearling calves separated (a pen of heifers, a pen of steers, and a pen of the smaller calves) and he has to mix feed up separately for each pen. The kids and I usually enjoy heading out to help feed the big cow herd - it's so quiet and peaceful out in the pasture, and the kids really get a good dose of fresh air!
Nikki and I played piano in church today. It's not really unusual that we played, but I'm just happy with the way everything went. The songs were so pretty - we sang "On Eagle's Wings" for our hymn of the day....it's one of my favorites! - and Nikki and I played a duet on the piano for special music, which turned out well, too. I love being able to play piano/organ in church - it makes all those years of piano lessons worth something, I guess. And, I love having a reason to play - otherwise, I'd probably skip the piano and clean my house more or something.... :)
Well, I'm sure the kids will be waking up soon, and I should go throw a load of clothes in the wash or something....hope you enjoy your beautiful day! Have fun watching the superbowl!
I love knowing my kids are upstairs taking a nice, long afternoon nap......I love when they take long naps, don't you?
Matt's even taking a little nap today. It's nice to do that on a Sunday afternoon.
I'm baking some chex mix that I'm taking over to the neighbor's house later on when we go and watch the superbowl. Earlier, Clarence made jello jigglers that he's bringing over to share with the other kids. He's really excited about it - the playing and the jello.
Clarence and Matt stayed home from church this morning to feed the cows - they had everything done by the time Adina and I got home. That's nice - it seems like chores has really been taking a long time lately - probably because Matt's got all the yearling calves separated (a pen of heifers, a pen of steers, and a pen of the smaller calves) and he has to mix feed up separately for each pen. The kids and I usually enjoy heading out to help feed the big cow herd - it's so quiet and peaceful out in the pasture, and the kids really get a good dose of fresh air!
Nikki and I played piano in church today. It's not really unusual that we played, but I'm just happy with the way everything went. The songs were so pretty - we sang "On Eagle's Wings" for our hymn of the day....it's one of my favorites! - and Nikki and I played a duet on the piano for special music, which turned out well, too. I love being able to play piano/organ in church - it makes all those years of piano lessons worth something, I guess. And, I love having a reason to play - otherwise, I'd probably skip the piano and clean my house more or something.... :)
Well, I'm sure the kids will be waking up soon, and I should go throw a load of clothes in the wash or something....hope you enjoy your beautiful day! Have fun watching the superbowl!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Oh, what a wonderful thing!
If you're not on it, you should be! I'm finding such great things to try at home, a place to store all the cool house ideas for "someday", great recipes, cool do-it-yourself projects, and homemade dish/laundry/dishwasher soap that I can make and is so much cheaper.
So, since that's what's been calling my name lately, I'll probably be sharing some cool things I find on there.
Enjoy your day!
Today's been such a beautiful day here in God's country. The kids and I went out and helped Matt feed the cows - we love taking the sled out back, helping take the twine off the bales, visiting with the cows, and enjoying the wonderful fresh air. I especially like the rare moments I can spot one of my old 4-H cows: Ethel, Rocket or Stella. They're the only three left after 8 years of showing animals (and some years bringing 2). It makes me really sad, so I like to say "hi" whenever I get a chance. :)
We also took a walk around the pasture together looking for our calf - our first calf of 2012!
He (the calf) was born February 1, 2012, and it's been decided (by Clarence) that he is Clarence's calf. Anytime we talk about him, Clarence pipes in that it's his calf and he's bringing it to the fair. Ok, ok, Clarence, we get it. He doesn't realize that by fair time, he'll have 250+ more babies to choose from.
He's also quite determined that our yearling calves are staying on the farm forever. I've told him a few times now that at the end of the month, semis are coming to take most of them away. He gets mad at me and tells me that he's keeping all his "heifers" here. As much as I can, I try to prepare him, but he's determined not to believe me.
I've also been baking today.....I love making bread - the whole house smells wonderful!
And, in a little bit, we're heading to town to watch snoball coronation. My cousin, Bailey, is up for a queen nomination, and we want to go and cheer her on. Then, we'll watch the hockey game and go to a spaghetti benefit supper for a friend's dad. So, we've got a fun-filled afternoon ahead of us, too.
Hope you have an enjoyable weekend! Enjoy this wonderful winter weather we're being blessed with!
If you're not on it, you should be! I'm finding such great things to try at home, a place to store all the cool house ideas for "someday", great recipes, cool do-it-yourself projects, and homemade dish/laundry/dishwasher soap that I can make and is so much cheaper.
So, since that's what's been calling my name lately, I'll probably be sharing some cool things I find on there.
Enjoy your day!
Today's been such a beautiful day here in God's country. The kids and I went out and helped Matt feed the cows - we love taking the sled out back, helping take the twine off the bales, visiting with the cows, and enjoying the wonderful fresh air. I especially like the rare moments I can spot one of my old 4-H cows: Ethel, Rocket or Stella. They're the only three left after 8 years of showing animals (and some years bringing 2). It makes me really sad, so I like to say "hi" whenever I get a chance. :)
We also took a walk around the pasture together looking for our calf - our first calf of 2012!
He (the calf) was born February 1, 2012, and it's been decided (by Clarence) that he is Clarence's calf. Anytime we talk about him, Clarence pipes in that it's his calf and he's bringing it to the fair. Ok, ok, Clarence, we get it. He doesn't realize that by fair time, he'll have 250+ more babies to choose from.
He's also quite determined that our yearling calves are staying on the farm forever. I've told him a few times now that at the end of the month, semis are coming to take most of them away. He gets mad at me and tells me that he's keeping all his "heifers" here. As much as I can, I try to prepare him, but he's determined not to believe me.
I've also been baking today.....I love making bread - the whole house smells wonderful!
And, in a little bit, we're heading to town to watch snoball coronation. My cousin, Bailey, is up for a queen nomination, and we want to go and cheer her on. Then, we'll watch the hockey game and go to a spaghetti benefit supper for a friend's dad. So, we've got a fun-filled afternoon ahead of us, too.
Hope you have an enjoyable weekend! Enjoy this wonderful winter weather we're being blessed with!
Baking Substitutions/Emergency Ingredients and Homemade Creamed Soup Recipe
Here are some substitutions I found on pinterest that you can use in baking. It's really nice to know what you can do if you're missing an ingredient or you're a little short.....usually you have the things you need to make a substitute.
Allspice – 1 teaspoon: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
1/3 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar or
1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup yogurt or buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Bread Crumbs (Dry) – 1 cup
3 slices of bread, crumbled.
Butter – 1 cup
1 cup of regular margarine or
1 cup of vegetable shortening (for baking) or
1 cup of oil (but only if melted butter is called for)
Buttermilk – 1 cup
1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar plus enough regular milk to make 1 cup (let sit for 5 minutes)
Cream / Half and Half – 1 cup
7/8th of a cup of whole milk plus 1/2 tablespoon of butter or
3 tablespoons of oil, plus enough milk for 1 cup or 1 cup of evaporated milk
Cocoa – 1/4th cup
1 ounce (square) chocolate (decrease butter/oil in recipe by 1/2 a tablespoon)
Condensed Milk – 1 cup
Heat 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, 3/4 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of butter until dissolved.
Cornstarch (for thickening) – 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons of flour (must cook for at least 3 minutes longer to thicken)
Egg – 1 whole egg
1/4th cup of egg beaters or
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (for baking batters only)
Flour (All-Purpose) – 1 cup
1/2 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (don’t substitute more than 1/2 the flour)
The following alternatives require more leavening, so add 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of flour. Also recommended, use buttermilk and 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda instead of milk to decrease heaviness.
3/4 cup rice flour or
1 1/2 cups of oat flour or
1 1/4 cups of rye flour or
5/8 cup of potato starch flour or
1 cup rolled oats or
1 cup fine cornmeal
Sugar (Powdered) – 1 cup
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
Sugar (White) – 1 cup
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar or
1 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar (not for baking) or
3/4 cup maple syrup (reduce liquid in recipe by 3 tablespoons)
Whole Milk – 1 cup
1 cup buttermilk plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (if baking, reduce baking powder by 2 teaspoons) or
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk , 7/8 cup of water, and 2 teaspoons of butter
Plain Yogurt – 1 cup
1 cup buttermilk or
1 cup cottage cheese (blended smooth) or
1 cup sour cream
It is a dry mix that, when you need some cream soup for a recipe you just add water. It is much less expensive then buying a can of soup at the market.
Cream of "something" soup recipe
I haven't tried making this yet, but I plan on it....anything for a cheaper version (and healthier, since I know what's going in it).
Allspice – 1 teaspoon: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
1/3 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar or
1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup yogurt or buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Bread Crumbs (Dry) – 1 cup
3 slices of bread, crumbled.
Butter – 1 cup
1 cup of regular margarine or
1 cup of vegetable shortening (for baking) or
1 cup of oil (but only if melted butter is called for)
Buttermilk – 1 cup
1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar plus enough regular milk to make 1 cup (let sit for 5 minutes)
Cream / Half and Half – 1 cup
7/8th of a cup of whole milk plus 1/2 tablespoon of butter or
3 tablespoons of oil, plus enough milk for 1 cup or 1 cup of evaporated milk
Cocoa – 1/4th cup
1 ounce (square) chocolate (decrease butter/oil in recipe by 1/2 a tablespoon)
Condensed Milk – 1 cup
Heat 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, 3/4 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of butter until dissolved.
Cornstarch (for thickening) – 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons of flour (must cook for at least 3 minutes longer to thicken)
Egg – 1 whole egg
1/4th cup of egg beaters or
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (for baking batters only)
Flour (All-Purpose) – 1 cup
1/2 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (don’t substitute more than 1/2 the flour)
The following alternatives require more leavening, so add 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of flour. Also recommended, use buttermilk and 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda instead of milk to decrease heaviness.
3/4 cup rice flour or
1 1/2 cups of oat flour or
1 1/4 cups of rye flour or
5/8 cup of potato starch flour or
1 cup rolled oats or
1 cup fine cornmeal
Sugar (Powdered) – 1 cup
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
Sugar (White) – 1 cup
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar or
1 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar (not for baking) or
3/4 cup maple syrup (reduce liquid in recipe by 3 tablespoons)
Whole Milk – 1 cup
1 cup buttermilk plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (if baking, reduce baking powder by 2 teaspoons) or
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk , 7/8 cup of water, and 2 teaspoons of butter
Plain Yogurt – 1 cup
1 cup buttermilk or
1 cup cottage cheese (blended smooth) or
1 cup sour cream
It is a dry mix that, when you need some cream soup for a recipe you just add water. It is much less expensive then buying a can of soup at the market.
Cream of "something" soup recipe
1 cup non-fat dried milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup bouillon (if you have cubes you have to smash them up)
You can use whatever kind you like (ie, beef, veggie)
You can use whatever kind you like (ie, beef, veggie)
4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions (I used the minced onions from Sam's Club)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme (I couldn't find the thyme so I used dried parsley instead)
1 teaspoon pepper
(For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream soup, mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cup water. Cook until thick)
I haven't tried making this yet, but I plan on it....anything for a cheaper version (and healthier, since I know what's going in it).
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