Celebrate Life!

A love note Some of us move so quickly through life that we miss the little things. 

Blueberry Coffee Cake Grease a 9X13 Pan Preheat oven at 375 Cream together: 1/2 Cup Sugar 1/4 Cup Butter 1 tsp Vanilla Add 1 egg and beat well. Add 1 Cup Milk and blend. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingrediants: 2 Cups Flour (2 2/3 cups fresh ground spelt) 3 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Salt Then slowly stir into wet mixture. Spread on the bottom of pan Next spread 2-3 cups blueberries. Crumb Topping: 1/2 Cup Flour 1/2 Cup Butter 1/2 Cup Oats 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Canoe Tipping It all started a few years ago. Uncle Keith likes to have fun, so he introduced all the cousins to this game I'll call "Canoe Tipping"   At first I watched, because my kids couldn't swim.  "What are they doing?" Now years later  I watch because it so interesting!  They take the canoe out in very shallow water, where all the kids can touch bottom. Then they purposefully try to see what it takes to sink the canoe! If we all lean to this side.......... If we rock it back and forth........... Fun!  You outta try it!!

Fancy Pork and Beans  To make a 9x13 pan you will need these ingredients. -Measurements are "give or take a 1/4 cup here...add some there.."       5 Cans (398 ML size) Pork and Beans 1 Cup Brown Sugar                             1/2 to 1 Cup Ketchup 1 pound of Bacon                                 First you put the beans on the bottom of the pan. Then stir in some brown sugar and ketchup. Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and lay on the top. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 1 hour. Delicious served as a side dish for a Cook Out. Very Simple and Quick!

Madison, age 6 (almost) Happy to have another girl cousin on the way! I was at Walmart - looking at cards... but couldn't decide on one.  The children chose to make cards for their aunt and uncle instead.  Personally, I think this card, written by an almost first grader (with help from big sister) is better than any I found at Walmart... Think Pink!

Bubbles! 6 Cups Water 2 Cups Dawn or Joy Dishsoap (not antibacterial) 3/4 Cup Corn Syrup Mix well and pour into a kiddy pool. Use a hula hoop to create a human size bubble wall. This was one of our Imagination Station activities at Vacation Bible School. The kids really enjoyed it!

To Make "Octopus" 1 Pack of Hot dogs -Cut into bite size pieces for the head. Uncooked Spaghetti broken in half for the legs. The kids simply poke the uncooked spaghetti sticks into one side of the "octopus" head. Poke as many spaghetti sticks in as they want. Four legged Octopus! Cook spaghetti until tender. Drain water and serve plain or with ketchup or pasta sauce. Enjoying the  Octopus!  Some had more legs than others!

We had our church campout this past weekend. Saturday morning LaMar and his family made these delicious pancakes for everyone!   I had them before and knew I needed this recipe.   They are so light and fluffy! Elena frying the pancakes for us! Buttermilk Pancakes 2 Cups Flour 3 Cups Oatmeal 2 tsp Baking Soda 2 tsp Baking Powder 2 tsp Salt  2 Tbsp Sugar   Then add: 4 Eggs 1 Quart Buttermilk 1/2 Cup Oil Mix together and fry at a medium high heat.

12 Cups Oats 2 Cups Bran 2 Cups Wheat Germ 2 Cups Coconut (opt) 2 Cups Sunflower seeds 2 Cups Almonds 1 Cup Brown Sugar 2 Cups Powdered Milk Stir together dry ingrediants,  then heat separately: 2 Cups Oil 1 Cup Honey 1 Tbsp Vanilla Pour over dry ingrediants and bake in a greased pan, cookie sheet or roaster. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, stir every 15 minutes.

So, today is Wendy and my 37th birthday!  Instead of being bummed that we can't celebrate together, I have gotten into the habit, of being thankful for what I do have - my kids and hubby and a great support system of other family and friends!  Here is how my family made my day special. Card my kids made for me  Last week when we went shopping for groceries, I told my oldest daughter that she could pick out a cake mix for my birthday.  She didn't have to be reminded to make it this morning.  I got "banned" from the house while they made preparations.  They even ran over to the neighbors for milk since we were out - and she offered to mix up the icing for them since I didn't have any on hand.  Last week for July 4, I showed the girls how to clip a small hole in the corner of a ziplock bag to use to pipe icing in designs onto a cake - that is what she did here - she tinted the icing the neighbor made by adding cocoa to it!  Very sweet.  Certainly not "per

Great Grandma Gingerich's Caramel Corn Single Batch:                                    Double Batch: 16 Cups Popped Corn                      32 Cups Popped Corn (1 Gallon Ice Cream Bucket full)      (2 Gallon Buckets Full) In a large sauce pan heat: Single Batch:                                  Double Batch: 1 Cup Brown Sugar                         2 Cups Brown Sugar 1/2 Cup Butter                                1 Cup Butter 1/4 Cup Corn syrup                         1/2 Cup Corn Syrup 1/2 tsp Salt                                    1 tsp Salt Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and add: Single Batch:                                   Double Batch: 1/2 tsp Baking Soda                         1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Vanilla                                    2 tsp Vanilla Pour over popcorn and stir well.   Bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Heart Heathy Granola: Mix together: 12 Cups Old Fashioned Oats 3 Cups All Bran Buds 4 Cups Nuts Add any additional nuts or seeds desired. Heat for 1 minute: 1 Cup Olive Oil 1/4 Cup honey 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (optional) Pour over grains and stir.   Spread onto a cookie sheet or in a roaster.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.  Stir occasionally. Serve topped with your favorite yogurt and fruit!

During our crazy busy week of Vacation Bible School and Beach days, this was our staple! Peanut butter and honey sandwiches, dipped in a cold glass of milk! And an Apple!

I am thankful for my washline.  At least I can use it in the summer! Tia loves folding wash if she can listen to Adventures in Oddessy! The never ending pile of laundry! Ever since I got married I have been trying to follow the Flylady. I am not a born organized person, so my days are most times out of routine. When things are going smoothly my goal is to do a load of laundry a day. You know, start to finish.................. Well, to be honest that is a rare sight in our house! If you have piles of laundry, you are not alone! Just slow down and enjoy the journey.... put some music on and enjoy the moment! For kids, Adventures in Oddessy can be found at www.whitsend. org/radio   You can listen to the current story anytime of the day.

I got this recipe from Sue Hochstetler.  Alabama and I made this for our camping trip. I am going to make it again!  Very simple and nutritious! Preheat Oven at 350. Spray 9x13 pan with non stick spray. Combine until crumbly: 5 Cups Oatmeal 1 Cup Oatbran 1/2 Cup Wheat Germ 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter 1/2 Cup Margerine Using dough hook Add and mix well: 1/2 Cup Honey 1/2 Cup Corn Syrup 1 Cup Coconut (optional) 1 Cup Chocolate Chips Pat firmly into a 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Do not overbake.

It is July 4th,   American I ndependence Day! It's a day off, in the middle of the week, in the middle of the summer.  Weird for sure.  What is on the schedule for the day? Not much - some tidying up of the house - kids are playing.... Trip to Walmart later to gather supplies for making homemade icecream!  Yes, I should have prepared ahead of time, but I didn't.  It is an area I am working on - preparing, planning ahead.  Just haven't arrived yet!  We love home made ice cream! We have a 6 quart ice cream freezer - White Mountain brand. The recipe I use was passed on to me by my husbands' mother. Here it is in case you want to try your hand at home made ice cream! Home Made Ice Cream   (Mary Jane Brown's recipe - Brian's grandmother) 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 1 1/2 quarts whole milk 3 cups cream or half and half 1 can evaporated milk 2-3 T. vanilla Mix all ingredients together in a mixer. Pour into ice cream freezer canister and chill in

We went to Mike and Helen's cabin one weekend.   No toys came along.  Not on purpose, just didn't think about packing anything. The weekend was spent four-wheeling, playing in the sand and creative play! I just love it when I see kids use their creativity and imagination!!!  I was sitting in the boat beside them while they played. They had know idea they were on camera.    Simplicity at its best!  

With 4 kids, Papers seem to take over my counters and desk tops! For a long time I wondered..... What do I do with all these cute papers that are too cute to throw away? I don't want to send tons of boxes with them when they move out! What to keep and what to throw away was the question I kept asking? I have saved my favorite pieces to put in their scrapbooks. The first time they wrote their name. Their first kindergarten writings.  Favorite stories they wrote..... Then the scrapbooks were filled, now what? I started putting them into a three ring binders,  until the binders got too full! Last year I came across this awesome tip! You can lay out 4 of those papers and snap a picture, a digital picture. You have the memory and you get rid of the paper clutter. Later, you can decide if it is worth keeping. If your child ever wants to print the picture, they can decide.

Crust: Cream together till smooth: 1/2 Cup of shortening (I use coconut oil) 1/2 Cup of White Sugar 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar Add and beat until fluffy: 1 egg 1 tsp of vanilla Then add: 2 1/2 Cup Flour 1 tsp. Baking powder 1 tsp. Baking soda 1/4 tsp. Salt 1/2 Cup of buttermilk or sour milk (You can also use regular milk, just increase the baking powder to 2 tsp instead of 1 tsp.) Cream Cheese Layer: 8 oz cream cheese 1/3 Cup Sugar 2 Tbsp Milk 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Cream together  and spread onto cooled crust. Decorate with your choice of fruit. Strawberries Raspberries Kiwi Peaches Pineapples Grapes

Camping and being together with family and friends is the best way to celebrate any holiday! Sparklers and a lovely sunset help to make it special!