Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Taking a break

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I will be taking a break from Menu planning and posting until next week. I am not complaining when I say I am busy, I know everyone is busy during the Holiday season. If you are like me I had to make a list and I am checking it twice! lol


My to do list:
1. Thanksgiving Holiday
2. Big family dinner
3. Black Friday (shop till you drop)
4. Decorating my house
5. The Empty Nester's from church over Friday night.
6. Saturday our annual shopping trip out of town
with my girlfriends from Central Office
7. A surprise Birthday party for friend (also 6:30 Saturday night)
8. Church Sunday
9. A very big Junior Auxiliary Fundraiser with Christmas in the Park,
which is Tuesday night, Dec 2nd.
10 Babysitting with nephew and niece while Jalen had minor surgery today.
Jalen is home and doing great. We (Jensen, Karigan, Nona (J.B's mom), Ms. Kirby, and myself)made a welcome home sign and we each made a sweet card to help Jalen feel better. So keep my sweetie in your prayers and I am sure in a day or two he will be back to his normal self.
I will be back next week, until then may you each have a very blessed Thanksgiving and safe and happy day with you loved ones.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Email from Richard....

Those who trust in the Lord
shall soar with eagle's wings.
Richard sent me this email yesterday. I just had to share it. The body of the email included these words/quote.
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'
Have a blessed day!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

WiShInG FoR SnOw!!!


No this is not in my neighborhood, nor is it even in Tennessee :( My cousin Theresa lives in Michigan and she email me a couple of pics. from her neighborhood. I will be the first to admit I am not a big huge fan of months of snow, but I do like to have a little snow. The last few years we have been passed over by the snow fairy! Tonight I walked outside and it just feels like snow outside. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hopefully the white stuff will be in Tennessee before February....lol

Monday, November 17, 2008

Monday Menu Planning

Wow, is it really Monday again! The Holiday Season is upon us, so girls you know what that means......overbooked schedules, holiday parties to attend, gifts to buy and wrap, the list goes on and on. I think I will keep my Menu simple this week and hopefully not add to the chaos of this time of year:)
Thank you Luara at Orgjunkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday.

Menu
Mon: Enchiladas, rice, beans
Tue: Chicken~Fried Rice, green beans, salad
Wed: Grilled Chicken Salad, bread (carry over)
Thur: Homemade Veg. Soup, cornbread
Fri: Eat out or take out
Sat: Left overs (clean the fridge.)
Sun: Dinner MIL....yummy

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Sunday Quote



For a good tree bringeth not forth currupt fruit, neither doth a currupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(Luke 6:43)
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Give time to your children each day. The time you give makes the words you speak of more value to them.
(Motivation for Moms)




Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sweet Home Alabama

pics. courtesy of flicker

I love this picture and just had to add it when I read the inscription on the tag! It is so near to how I am feeling today. I had to find some sort of replacement for the pictures I couldn't take with my camera being on the blink.

I made a little trip to my hometown in Alabama to visit with my extended family today. We had a great time visiting, eating, talking and best of all laughing. I am so blessed to have cousins and aunts and uncles to share in my life. I love to be with them and recall our childhood memories.

Childhood memories just flooded my mind as Richard and I pulled into the driveway of my grandparents home place (my grandparents are no longer with us, neither is the home they shared with each other.) It has been replaced by a more efficient home for our family members to come and enjoy. The most important parts of my history to this piece of land is still there. Isn't it amazing the ties we have to locations, people, things that remind us of our past. Most of my childhood friends have moved on, and I didn't recognize the neighborhood the way I remember it as a child. The corner store is still there, although Mr. and Mrs. Payne are not. Several of the houses have been torn down, and from the way it looked to me, the neighborhood is headed into more forgotten era. The part that has not change are the memories. Memories of sitting with my sweet grandmother on the front porch of that long ago home. I wish I had a penny for all the days spent talking, daydreaming or just listening to her recall her childhood, or of her telling me the story of how she met my grandfather, or how she raised her 8 children. Those are the memories that will never be erased.

Something very special happened as we pulled up the drive. I was talking to a dear friend from McMinnville. This sweet friend did not realize the impact she has made in my life, by her christian example, the great mother and wife she is, and most of all her commitment to her grandmother's memory, or how her grandmother's inspiration on her life today, and how it has blessed my life. I felt so blessed to be having a conversation with her as we pulled up to the place that held so many of my childhood memories and my heart was just overflowing. I hope she is reading this and realizes how she touches so many lives by her example.

Yes today was a Grand day. We spent it with precious family members reminiscing about our past, planning our futures, and just thankful to be together.

My wish for my children is to always take the time to make those wonderful memories with their dear loved ones. The kind of memories that stay with you a lifetime. I pray that one day in the far away future, they will pull into our driveway, or the driveway 3/10 of a mile up the road, and those same loving memories come flooding back to them. I pray that God will place friends in their lives who's example is in direct comparison with their own.

God Bless each of you, and please take time to make some memories today with your loved ones!

Weird Things!

OK, I guess I have to do this. I have been tagged a couple of times so here it goes Susan! lol
Seven weird things about me...hmm where do I begin?

1. I can't leave my house without making my bed.
2. I only talk on phone when driving (I know dangerous)
3. I am night owl, do my best task at night when family in bed.
4. I hate when feet are cold, wear socks at night in winter.
5. It's hard for me to ask for help, rather do it myself.
6. I can't accomplish anything with out a plan or list.
7. I hate mint toothpaste.

I know you all have been tagged or played along at sometime or another. So if you are reading this tag your it!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veteran's Day


Thank you to all the Men and Women who serve or have served in our Military. Lets all pray for those who are still working to preserve our freedom and lets pray for their safety.
May God bless our Nation and those who are protecting it.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Menu Plan Monday

Is it me or does Fall seem to passing by more quickly than before. It must be our over~scheduled, hectic, busy lives that make the time seem to move faster with each year.
Today is my birthday and I guess it just making me reflect on the past year and how quickly it has seem to come and go. My Mother and Grandmother always said time goes more quickly the older you get. Whew....did they ever know what they were talking about.
Back to the subject at hand, yes it is Menu Plan Monday. I have several birthday dinner invitations so that is a gift in itself (no cooking) yeah!!
Don't forget to stop by and visit Laura at Orgjunkie for other great Menu ideas.
Happy Menu planning....

Mon: Kitchen closed eating Birthday dinner out!
Tue: Grilled Chicken Salad, Bread, drink
Wed: Lasagna, Salad, Bread
Thur: Left overs
Fri: Hamburger Steak, Baked Potato, Salad (carry over)
Sat: Birthday Dinner with my family in Alabama
Sun: Birthday Lunch at sweet MIL

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Sunday a Day for Worship


I can't imagine not attending worship service on Sundays! As we all know there are many people who stay home for whatever reason they chose.
I need my church family and I look forward to our sermon and the strength that it gives me to get through until Wednesday night and I come again to recharge my batteries. I attend most of all to Worship God and give him thanks and show my appreciation for the sacrifice he made to save me from my sins. I pray for strength to live this life outside of the church in my daily walk with God.
I just don't know what life would be like with out God..................................................................lost is what comes to mind.
Have a blessed Sunday.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Updating, Catching Up and looking forward to the weekend.....

pics courtesy of flicker

I just had to post this picture this is what it looks like outside today. It has been raining all day long, when you work in an Elementary School, rain is not the most popular thing (even though we desperately need it!!) I am so glad it is Friday, and the weekend is finally here. This week has been a somewhat regular week, other than having subs on Thur and Friday due to Teacher Conferences. The students are just a little more than ready for the weekend. I guess they are just like adults in needing routine.

The Ladies Retreat is this weekend in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinbug and I am sorry to say I couldn't make it this year. I have missed several days from work this month and could not get away at this time. Keep them in your prayers for a safe trip. Ladies I will be with you next year!!!!

On another note, my sweet Aunt Betty from Michigan is on her way down South for a visit. I am so excited, can you tell. She should be arriving at my house apprx. 4-5 pm. My cousin Sharon is coming with her and her husband Bill. I miss them so much and am looking forward to seeing them. If you remember I visited with her and all of her daughters during Fall Break. We had so much fun just being girls (females!!) lol

Thank you for the prayers for my Mother. She is doing much better, she is home from hospital and my sister is taking care of her. Please continue to pray for my Mother and my sister as she takes on the challenges that go along with caring for an elderly parent. She is so strong and she is doing a wonderful job.

I hope you all find time to have family fun this weekend and just relax from a week of work.


Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Election 2008...Vote!!!!!!

pic. courtesy of flicker


Don't forget to Vote!!!!!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Menu Plan Monday



Wow it seems like forever since I posted my Menu Planning! I guess I have just been a really bad slacker. Hopefully I am back on track. I hope you enjoy this weeks menu and if you need other great menu ideas visit Laura at Organizing Junkie.

Mon: BLT, fruit, and tea
Tue: Kraut and Summer Sausage, Black Eyed Peas, Mac/Cheese
Wed: Hamburger Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad
Thur: Spaghetti, Salad
Fri: Left overs
Sat: Stew or Soup, Cornbread
Sun: Eat out (MIL on Ladies Retreat)

So much to be Thankful for


This is the time of year we begin to think of our blessing in life, and it is also a time to reflect on the past months of the year and make goals for the coming year. So with this in mind, I am again participating in the "Giving Thanks Challenge." I did this last year and it was so rewarding. So if you would like to play along join in and I must not forget to thank Leah at South Breeze Farm just hop over for a visit and she has all the details on how to participate.

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Please keep my Mother in your prayers she is in the hospital but she is doing much better. Also keep my sister in your prayers as she takes care of our Mother. I am so thankful that my Mother can be with my sister and her family.
Have a blessed Monday!