Pastor Installation Service and Celebration Sunday!

What a great weekend! Busy, exhausting, but exciting!

It started early Saturday morning with a cleaning-fest. I am still trying to recover from the Great Window Project (I'll give a full Home Remodeling update tomorrow). There was dust, grit and grime in my entire house! There were finger prints around every window sill. Any dust bunnies that were in my house have multiplied... like bunnies! I spent about four hours cleaning our master bedroom and bathroom - basically from floor to ceiling. Walls, tile, cabinets, window sills, door casings, baseboards, etc. I couldn't have beautiful, new shiny windows and a filthy room! With less than an hour to go, I finally finished and was scurrying around to get cleaned up for...

Thousand Oaks Pastor Installation Service

Bro. Justin Prather (with his wife and 2 girls) is the new pastor of Faith Tabernacle in Thousand Oaks. This is a neighboring city, and Les has preached there a number of times, so we are acquainted with the majority of the church family there. It was a tremendous service, many men of God were in attendance, showing their support to this young man (28!) as he takes on the role of pastor for the first time. Bro. Prather's pastor, Bro. Sam Howard, preached "Follow the Template" and it was excellent!

Celebration Sunday
Sunday morning we had a combined service that started at 10:00. Bro. and Sis. Jason Bohannon were our guests and were a tremendous blessing. Our emphasis for this service was towards the children and Bro. Bohannon did a great job getting on their level. We sang interactive songs (I loved "I'm in the Lord's Army!"), there were puppets, lots of volunteers from the congregation, and a great move of God's Spirit at the end. I LOVE seeing children praying and was especially touched by the little boy I was praying with.

After service we ladies provided lunch (I made a meatloaf during all my madness on Saturday, too!). Then there were fun and games - a dunk tank, bounce house, ping pong, face painting, a clown, balloons, bobbing for apples and more! A great time had by all. I didn't take many picture, but here are a few to enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Sunday Morning Sightings

I headed out for a run at 5:30 this morning.  The heat has been so oppressive that if I don't go early, I won't go at all.  I saw the usual bunnies and birds, but I also saw an owl.  It's so cool seeing a bird with a large body flying overhead.  They also have a huge wing span.

Just a few minutes from home I saw a sign for a yard sale, with yesterday's date and the address.  At the bottom of the sign it said, "Good Stuff."  I wonder if anyone every advertises "Pure Junk" on their yard sale signs?  Kinda sorry I missed this one...

Friday Foodie

If you're my age (or older) you may remember an ad campaign for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the 1970s. Two people are walking down the street, one eating a chocolate bar, the other scooping peanut butter out of a jar. They bump into each other and their snacks collide. This is followed by the famous exchange:

You got peanut butter on my chocolate!
No, you got chocolate in my peanut butter!

Of course when they try the combo they are pleasantly surprised.


I've always been a peanut butter-chocolate fan and this week just had to have some! I just happened to have a Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix (how convenient) and the back of the package had a recipe for Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars. So I put chocolate on my peanut butter!


Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray.
Make cookie dough as directed. Press in pan.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.
In small microwaveable bowl, microwave 2 cups chocolate chips on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until chips can be stirred smooth. Spread over bars.
Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Cut into bars. Makes 24. The package said makes 24, I got 30 good size pieces of out it. Believe me, these are really sweet, so a small piece is plenty... or you can go back for seconds!

Nutritional info: Sometimes you just need to ignore this stuff and enjoy a good desert! That's what I did!!

Spring Cleaning in August

Our stone work continues, but today we are also starting phase 2 of our house remodeling - new windows! We have 33 windows and 3 sliding glass doors, so this will be at least a 2-3 day job.

In preparation, I've taken down and washed all my valances and cleaned all my blinds. Furniture is getting moved out of the way. Nooks and crannies are being cleaned that haven't had it in a while! It will be great when everything is complete - it will not only look good but will be extra clean! But I sure have stirred up a lot of dust in the process!!

To My Family and Friends

I'll Take the Sticks and Stones, Please

Remember the childhood saying:

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will never hurt me...

I have no idea who came up with it, but they were wrong in so many ways! A child who hears that can grow up into an adult who says whatever they want, whenever they want, thinking their words are harmless. But words DO hurt. Words wound. Words scar.

More people have been hurt by a careless tongue
than a sharp sword.

- Mom's Bible

I've been on both sides. I know that I have spoken out of turn and those words can never be unsaid. I've also been hurt by words. I have a physical scar from a car accident that took place more than 30 years ago. While I remember the pain and can see the scar, there is no pain now. But words spoken days, months and even years ago can still bring pain.

Ephesians 4:29 is one of my favorite verses regarding words. I looked up several translations this week and they are all worthy of putting to practice.

King James Version
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

New International Version
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

The Message
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

Amplified Bible
Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.

Contemporary English Version
Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.

God's Word Translation
Don’t say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you.

And finally, the most well-known interpretation, one I heard my entire childhood, the MOM version:

If you can't say anything nice,
Don't say anything at all.

'Nuff said.

Home Improvement Week 2

Our stone work continues! I think (hope, pray!) this part will be done this week.


We are having part of this wall removed...


And we decided to add another bathroom while we are it...


JUST kidding!!! This was a bit of a surprise one day, but since Mario (our stone worker) has been working 10 hour days, it's kinda necessary...

Midlife Crisis?

No, weren't not having one! But this is the car we drove for a day or so this week...


Our SUV was in the shop and they loaned us this!!


This thing was scary fast!! Especially when Les was driving...



I don't know if any other car will be as faithful as our Saturn, though!

Friday Foodie

Les had chicken and dumplings at Cracker Barrel during our last visit to Tennessee. Since that time I've been wanting to try my hand at them, so I finally did. I found numerous recipes and combined several to get what I thought I wanted. Most of the recipes used biscuits as the dumplings, but I wanted the real thing! I finally found a dumpling recipe I liked by going to The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. This led me to the Eat at Home blog! I tweaked the chicken part to get a little more flavor because chicken breast can be pretty bland.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk (yes, I used Soy milk!)
1 can chicken broth (+ about half a can of water)
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup (+1 can of water)

In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

Heavily flour a work surface. Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter (I used my pizza cutter) in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x 2″.


To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken, cream of chicken soup and water together.


Place dumplings on a plate and cover with chicken and ENJOY!! We sure did - with corn, fruit salad, and chocolate soy milk!

Nutritional info: 250 calories/ 0.75 g fiber/ 5.2 g fat/ 5 WW points. Makes 4 servings.

This is exactly what I was looking for! And for a Southern type dish, it is relatively low in calories and fat, but high in flavor.

I Think I Need a Computer

I got this in an email from Dad and loved it!!

If Abbott and Costello were still around today their famous sketch "Who's on first?" might have turned out something like this....

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT . . .

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write Proposals, track expenses and run my business. What have you got?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, lets just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?

ABBOTT: Yes, you want Real One.

COSTELLO: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!

ABBOTT: Real One.

COSTELLO: If it's a long movie I also want to see reel 2, 3 & 4. Can I watch them?

ABBOTT: Of course.

COSTELLO: Great! With what?

ABBOTT: Real One.

COSTELLO: OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?

ABBOTT: You click the blue "1".

COSTELLO: I click the blue one what?

ABBOTT: The blue "1".

COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue w?

ABBOTT: The blue "1" is Real One and the blue "W" is Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: But there's three words in "office for windows"!

ABBOTT: No, just one. But it's the most popular Word in the world.

COSTELLO: It is?

ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there.

COSTELLO: And that word is real one?

ABBOTT: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even part of Office.

COSTELLO: STOP! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

*
A FEW DAYS LATER . .

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on "START"..........

Happy Birthday, Les!!

Today is my best friend's birthday!! I am so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. We have an amazing life together.


Lance has been converting old family slides to digital format so I thought I share some of my sweetie!

(Yes, he looks like his Dad!)



Future VP??
This is a new favorite of mine!!


Little Brother

Lance is exactly 17 months older than Les. They have always been close! When they're together, they're usually on their bikes, solving the problems of the world while they ride!

And when they're 80, they'll be wearing their pants like this again ...



Big Brother

When Lisa was born, Les was 4 years old. He took one look at her and said, "I like her two cheeks, I'm gonna call her Tooz." And Tooz she is!


I'm thinking he's trying to get one of those cheeks in this shot...


Musician...
Here he is at his first family Christmas concert with his cousin, Johnny.


This is what he's going to look like in 30 years!! And I plan to be even more in love with him then!

Happy birthday, babe! I love you so much!!

A Chat with My Doctor

I had my annual physical yesterday. The first half of my appointment I spent with Natalie, one of the nurses. She started with my weight, no surprise and no I'm not telling you what it was!


My blood pressure was 108/60 (very good!)


It took her two tries to get blood (ouch!)
Then on to my chest x-ray and EKG. Yes, my doctor is very thorough!


When my doctor came in he said his chart on me is empty! That's a good thing. I'm healthy as can be!

Since my last visit they have upgraded their x-rays to digital, so we went in his office to look at my x-rays on his computer. First we looked at my heart and lungs - all clear and where it's suppose to be, no enlarged arteries or other issues. We then looked at the side view. My spine is nice and healthy, disk spacing still really good. While looking at my spine, my doctor noted that there is little deterioration which is good, as he put it "for someone your age."

"Someone my age????" What is that suppose to mean?? Don't you say that to old people? You're healthy "for someone your age." You look good "for someone your age."

It's really a good thing I like my doctor! And he's much older than me, so it wasn't a young whippersnapper saying that to me! But still...


"Someone my age" needs to be treated a little more kindly!!