FOR SALE

This is how our front lawn looks as of Monday.

Our place has been for sale for a little while but they have finally put out a sign so it seems a little more official!

As of now,we are looking for a place to buy.So if you want something to pray about you can pray that God would help us find a place :) Places are scarce in the area we're looking  and so far the ones we've looked at and have  been interested in have fallen through the cracks.

Anyway,good night to all!Just figured you might want to see our beautiful green lawn :)

I had a plan....

....for this 50 cent jar that I found at the flea market.The moment I saw it I knew I wanted it,but it was that HUGE decision I always make myself go through before I ended up with it...
""Do I want it? yes! Am I ever going to use it? I don't know...? Where will I store it or will it just be another piece of junk I'll end up with? I don't know....?""
This time common sense told me that it only cost 50 cents and if I end up not using it,it will not be such a huge loss.
So I came home,owner of this beautiful jar.

I knew instantly what I wanted to do with it.I wanted to use chalkboard paint on it.Then possibly use it for a cookie jar.

So I bought my chalkboard paint and painted it.and repainted it about 2 times and could not get it on straight! And that bugged me - ALOT! So I scratched it off and decided to leave it till later.

Joel had off of work 2 days last week so I got him to help me.He's so much better at measuring and squaring things off...and this is what we ended up with.

I like it,LOVE It actually.

And in my mind I have another plan,but I'm not telling, because...well,just because :)

Sweet Potato Fries...A new favorite.

Sweet Potato Fries

Recently I saw sweet potatos on sale.One of my friends had recently told me that she makes sweet potato fries and they are yummy.And I know sweet potatos are healthy for you so I decided to give it a try.I found a recipe on Taste of Home and gave it a shot.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons beaten egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large sweet potato (14 ounces), peeled
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 
  MANGO CHUTNEY MAYONNAISE:
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons mango chutney
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• Dash salt
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley, optional

They were a success...well for the most part anyway :) I loved them hot out of the oven,not so much after they cooled down.Joel likes them,and that is a huge success if I can get him to eat vegetable related things :) But on the children's part they didn't go so well.Brax chewed it then came around and told me "I don't wyke these cawwots," so of course Hailey "didn't wyke the cawwots" either. I made them again since that time and me and Joel enjoyed them :) We do dip them in ketchup instead of this sauce but I expect this sauce would be yummy to.

This and That....

Sorry to those of you who have been checking for updates and have not found them the last couple of weeks :) I finally am here with a few new posts.
Our life seems to have been very hectic the last while! It was a good and fun hectic tho :) Just been really,really busy.
Last week we had meetings here at church with Dale Keffer.If any of you is looking for a preacher to have meetings at your church,I recommend him.He was a very gifted speaker.One of those speakers that you look forward to hearing!Unfortunatley we didn't make it every night of the meetings but the evenings we did make we thoroughly enjoyed!
Last Wednesday the school started their Easter break so we took advantage of it and nabbed Jan and took her to town with us.
For those of you who don't know who I'm talking about...Ernie and Jan are a couple from church.They are married about 5 or 6 years but got married when they were a little older.They do not have any children of their own and our kids took a HUGE liking to them.Jan is great with them and is kind of like a second mommy to them.
We went to town to get groceries and then took the children to the park afterward for lunch.

I packed a picnic lunch and then later got us frosties from Wendys.Brax thinks it is so cool to have picnics.It's kind of fun doing it when I know they enjoy it so much!

Braxton also took his bat and ball along to play with and this nice man stopped by and was playing with him for awhile.Nevermind that I thought the guy was kind of a creep to begin with.First impressions aren't always correct =)

The weather has been absolutely beautiful the last while.Certain persons are already complaining about the heat but you'd better believe I'm not complaining!!I've been waiting for this all winter.I decided to do supper on the porch one evening.Since that Brax has been asking me off and on if we're gonna have a picnic on the porch :)

I'm thinking that someday Hailey will make a good mommy.She wanted to give her baby medicine or a shot or something :)  AND....someday...

...Braxton will make a good daddy.I love to see them play together.Brax loves to play baby sometimes and I think it's cute to watch.

Well,I think instead of making this update on our lives really huge,maybe I'll leave the rest of the pictures and make another post later.Sooner than this one came I hope :)

Y'all have a great week.I know this last week it was so easy to remember what Christ did for us because it was Easter and all,but let's make a concious effort to remember every day of the year what He did for us! So glad he's ALIVE!!!

~Staci

Discouragement...

This morning I read a devotional that I thought I would share.It spoke to me in a few different ways.It made me realize that being a grateful person is the kind of person I want to be.It also made me realize that I want to be careful with my words and actions to other people because I do not want to be used by Satan to discourage another person.I want my life to shine so that I can be an encouragment.

It is good to remember that the teakettle,although up to its neck it hot water,continues to sing.

An old legend tells how a man once stumbled upon a great red barn after wandering for days in a dark,overgrown forest.

Seeking refuge from the forest's incessantly howling winds,he gladly entered the barn.When his eyes adjusted to the dark,he discovered to his great astonishment that he was standing in Satan's storehouse of seeds to be sown into human hearts.More curious than fearful,he lit a match and began to explore the seed bins around him.He couldn't help but notice that the containers labeled "discouragement" far outnumbered any other type of seed.

Just as the man had drawn this conclusion,one of Satan's foremost demons arrived to pick up a fresh supply of seed.The man asked him, "Why the great abundance of discouragement seeds?"

"Because they are so affective and they take root so quickly!" the demon laughed.The man then asked, "Do they grow everywhere?" At this the demon became sullen.He glared at the man and admitted in disgust,"No.They never seem to thrive in the heart of a grateful person."

Today,choose to be thankful in every circumstance.Don't let the seeds of discouragement take root in your soul.

Rejoice evermore.In everything give thanks;for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16,18



Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle...

...it is so yummy!
Yesterday I had the Heart and Soul children for lunch.Every Sunday us families from church take turns and feed them.I always enjoy it.Having been involved with the clubs at home it just makes it so much fun.They're cute,energetic,fun loving kids.Anyway,I decided to try this dessert.It was a new recipe for me but I think it's going to go into my cookbook and I thought I'd share it with you.It is so easy to put together and if you like peanut butter and chocolate,this is your kind of dessert!

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

1 fudge brownie mix (13 x 9 in. pan size)

1 pkg. (10 oz.) peanut butter chips

2 pkg. (13 oz each)miniture peanut butter cups

4 cups cold 2% milk

2 pkg. (5.1 oz. each)instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup creamy peanut butter

4 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cartons (8 oz. each) whipped topping

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions;stir in peanut butter chips.Bake in a greased 13x9 in. pan at 350' for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake).Cool on wire rack;cut into 3/4 in. pieces.

Cut peanut butter cups in half;set aside 1/2  cup for garnish.In a large bowl whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes or until soft-set.Add peanut butter and vanilla.Mix well.Fold in 1 1/2 cartons whipped topping.

Place a third of the brownies in a 5 qt. glass bowl;top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups.Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top.Repeat layers twice.Cover with remaining whipped topping.Garnish with reserved peanut butter cups.Refrigerate until chilled.



Summer is here!

All I can think of to say about today is that it is absolutely GORGEOUS,BEAUTIFUL,BREATHTAKING....I think you get the picture! This is the weather I have LONG been waiting for.I have a hard time staying inside.Even updating on my blog is hard for me to do when it's beautiful outside!
It's the kind of day when I simply can't resist this...

Brax wanted to wear his swimming shorts so of course Hailey wanted some too :) so,since I don't have to many summer clothes for her yet,she ended up wearing the 2nd pair of Braxton's swimming shorts.I thought it looked funny - so Hailey!

Saturday was also an absolute beautiful day! We had decided we are going to try and finish cleaning up our yard.That includes raking pine needles and pinecones! Sadly the needles and the cones got to me.They made me say "something" I shouldn't have (and yes,I confessed!) and they even drove me to tears! I was so tired of it!It was one of those days when you felt like slapping Eve across the back end and asking her what in the world she was thinking when she ate that fruit!?

But after all the hard work we had us some fun.We put in some flowers and it felt so good to do something pretty around here :)

My little helpers.They had the greatest fun being outside all day long!

I love Gerber Daisys.I think they are so pretty.This crate and sackcloth is something I got when we still lived in Ohio.I've been wanting to make it into a planter ever since and after 3 years of procrastination it is finally holding beautiful flowers.

I'm also trying to revive this guy (or girl,don't really know!Seeing all the little ones hangin on it I'd assume maybe it's a girl :D ) I ignored her all winter long and she refused to die.This beautiful sun and the fact that I finally had some potting soil to work with made me want to see if I can't get her to bloom.She's a cutie I'd say!

I think Joel has just as much fun putting flowers in as I did.I love it that he helps me with these things and actually enjoyes it!

At the end of our long day, let's say at about 8:00 we helped ourselves to the luxury of Hunt Brother's Pizza just down the road.We were wore out and hungry by that time!

We had a good day workin' together as a family  :)

Wishing everyone a day full of warmth and sun!