My Heart's Desire

Prayer Request

My Aunt Malinda is facing lung cancer and surgery. However, the review of her EKG showed significant heart issues. She is going to have further testing to determine if she can withstand surgery or if she will need to have heart surgery prior to the lung cancer surgery. Her tests are on Tuesday. Please pray for healing and wisdom for the doctors.

Thanks prayer warriors!

Marcia

New addition to our family!

After much thought and prayer we have ventured into the land of pets! We have added the most beautiful little girl to our family. Her name is Bailey Sarah and she is of the Beagle variety. Needless to say that we have had our hands full the last few weeks getting acquainted. She is 6 mos old and just a joy. She is crate training and working on sit, stay, up, down and pottying outside. She is at least 50% trained in all except for stay, which is about 25%. If any of you have any training tips please feel free to share with me. Our boys are overjoyed with our new baby girl and have even taken to cleaning up her messes occasionally. Here is a photo of our beautiful baby Bailey!

Still alive and kickin'...so watch out for my feet!

I have had a busy few weeks. I have adjusted to serious low carb living and have already lost 16 lbs. I have been feeling great and cannot wait to visit the doctor in a few more weeks and have an update on bloodwork. My dh had been low carbing too! He has lost about 22 lbs in that same time. Loosing or not I know that this is the way I have to live for he rest of my life. It was only difficult a few times. For the most part I have been eating and being very satisfied. I am so grateful for the opportunity to change my health without medications!

Marcia

Choosing to be Thankful

The Lord has seen fit to see our family beset with challenge after challenge after challenge in the last few weeks. We are choosing to be thankful for His many blessings.

We began our school year on August 3rd! Our boys are doing well getting back into the groove. We even went on our first fieldtrip of the year! We learned about aquatic ecosystems with one of our local parks programs.

I was recently diagnosised with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.  Along with it comes many answers to certain health issues as well as some new concerns. The new concerns are a higher risk for heart disease and diabetes. They even wanted to put me on diabetic medications now, even though my blood sugars are ok. My other option was to begin living like I am diabetic, since I am becoming insulin resistent due to the disorder. Boy this is a challenge as I am a baker and a carb-a-holic.!!! So I have had to drastically reduced any sugar and carbohydrates. However, I am thankful that this disorder was discovered before diabetes became an issue and that I have the opportunity to change now!

Last Thursday my husband's car died!  Yes died! We bought it the month before we were married and that was nearly 12 years ago. It only has a resale value of about $500 - $1000 in perfect condition.  It needs an new transmission at about $2000. Well we cannot see putting more money into it if it is not worth it. However, we will be trying to live on one car. We have many, many scheduling conflicts as my husband often works until 1 or 2 am, we have many doctors appointments and therapy appointments with my oldest son, and church. Right now I am waking the kids up and going in to pick up my husband (35 miles away). However, I am thankful that we are blessed with at least one car that is working. We are praying for wisdom and guidance.

In our society we are often swayed into believing that we deserve good health at all times....yet we as sinners deserve only death and punishment. In our society we are often taught to believe that anything that is an inconvenience to us is a terrible trial....yet we are only promised the things we need for life. A working car is not a necessity for life.  I fall into the temptation of oh, woe is me quite easily but lately I have been convicted! Am I not to accept all that God has for me, both blessings and hardships? I am choosing to be thankful in all circumstances, after all I have yet to suffer to the extent Paul, my brother in Christ had!

Marcia

Dog Attack Update

Thanks to all who visited and posted on my blog! The young lady attacked by the dog this week is doing much better. She is off of he pain medications and is beginning to heal. Her husband has banned her excercise to the treadmill at least for now. The dog is going to have to be put down as it charged at a worker where it is being quarentined right now. It must have had a horrible past to become so aggressive. Nearly everyone in our neighborhood has a dog and all are well trained, happy and a joy to have in the neighborhood. Thanks for all the love and concern it was a very scary incident. I am so grateful to God that his timing is perfect! Remember to have some method of defense with you as you walk for exercise or with your children. There are unfortunately animals out there that are not safe!

Marcia

BLOOD CURDLING SCREAMS!

Whew! What a day! I got to meet one of our neighbors under the worst circumstances! We we quitely enjoying our lunch on our upper deck. Everyone had just finished and went inside when I heard a blood curdling scream for help! We have no fences between our back yard and our neighbors so I ran downstairs and across the yards to the street on the other side. A woman was standing shaking from head to toe with blood running from her hand and legs. She was walking in the neighborhood and a dog came charging out of a home and attacked her. She was bitten 5 times on her legs and 2 times through 1 hand. I grabbed the car keys and the boys and took her to urgent care. We are grateful to God that we were in the right place at the right time to be of help. She is fortunate to not have to have any stitches but is on pain medication and antibiotics. Another good thing to report is that the dog's owner returned him to the shelter they had gotten him from and it has been determined that he is too aggressive to adopt out to another family. I am so glad that it did not attack one of the many small children in the neighborhood or the outcome could have been much, much worse. Please always remember to take a stick or pepper spray with you as you walk for exercise and be aware!

Marcia

HELP! Dehydrator Questions

I am thinking of getting a food dehydrator. I am interested your recommendations. So please let me know what model you use and how happy you are with it. Let me also know what I should be looking for in a dehydrator. I know all of you are a wealth of information!

Thanks in advance!

Marcia

Whew! What a month!

I have had quite a month. I have so wanted to sit down and blog, but each time I did ....I didn't. My Mom flew in from CA for three weeks. We had a wonderful time. I so enjoy her visits! With the price of airline tickets increasing so much we may not get to see her as much as we would like. We took time to visit some aunts and uncles while she was here. My dear husband came home from Management Training the first week of June and hit the ground running. He worked three weeks at his previous restaurant and is now finishing up preparations and staff training at his new restaurant. He is currently working 70 + hours and 6 days per week. He will drop down to 5 days and 60 hours per week once the restaurant is open and settled in. Don't you just love salary jobs!  I have been trying to adjust to him being home, but not really being here. Hopefully, with God's grace things will get more settled in the next month and we can begin to get some routines in place.

Marcia

Overcoming Obstacles

My oldest son just finished a very special bike camp call Lose the Training Wheels. He has cerebral palsy and has been riding a bike with training wheels since he was 5 years old, (He will be 9 next week) He has been unable to get the balance thing down. We found this organization on the internet.... www.losethetrainingwheel.org . I highly recommend it! In 5 days (1 hour and 15 mins per day) Nathaniel was able to ride a two wheeled bike without training wheels!!!! It has given him such a sense of accomplishment. They are able to work with almost any child with disabilities, provided they are self supporting and ambulatory. They have an 80% sucess rate as well. Here are a couple of photos from the week long camp! I am so proud of all of his hard work! Go Nathaniel!

Marcia

Thinking outside the box with square foot gardening!

I am trying out the square foot gardening method this year. I am training my vining crops, cucumbers, melons and squash to grow vertically on a trellis. Well the other day I went hog wild and bought 50 strawberry plants. So I researched space saving ways to grow them. I combined my strawberry planters with my trellis. Take a look at what I came up with.

Here's how I did it!

1 - 10 ft  3" PVC Pipe

1- 10 ft 1 1/2" PVC Pipe

2 - 3" x 1 1/2" PVC T Pipe fittings

2 - 3" PVC Drain covers

Strapping and screws

Nylon Trellis netting

Zip Ties

I cut the 3" pipe into two 5ft lengths and drilled 25 1" holes into each Pipe. Capped clean cut end with drain covers and coffee filters to keep dirt in but allow for drainage. Fit T's onto rough end of 3" pipe. Strapped pipes to raised bed frame. Measured inside length between 1 1/2 T fitting and cut 1 1/2" pipe to fit. Insert pipe between fittings. Secured netting to pipes with zip ties. I will fill 3" pipe as I go planting the strawberry plants that are to arrive any day. Top of T pipe is open for watering. It can be covered as well if you have critter issues. TADAH! My trellis will not only hold up my vining plants it will be growing strawberries for me to eat and pick without getting down on my hands and knees.

Hope this gets you thinking of how to make things do double duty. I am growing 3 cucumber plants, 3 squash, and 3 cantaloupe in a 2x4 raised bed as well as 50 strawberry plants. Now that's what I call maximizing space.

Marcia

Busy as a Bee!

I have had a busy few days around here. My dear husband is still away for management training... but only 3 weeks left! We were blessed by a dear friend and his son who came over and mowed our very large lawn for me. It was just such a blessing to have that off of my plate. On Saturday we hit the local farmers market for the first time this year. We found some beautiful vegetable plants for 50 cents each, so I went hog wild! However, that meant I had to get busy with the garden plans. I had built a garden box out of scrap wood earlier this spring, so it finally got filled. It still needs to have the plant support  built and attached but that will not take long and can wait a few weeks.  I was determined to try growing tomatoes upside down so.....I had to get to work. I mounted hanging brackets, drilled holes in buckets, prepared my secret recipe soil and planted them upside down. I also bought one patio tomato. It is supposed to be self supporting and at 8 inches tall has half inch thick stock. Here are some pictures of the fruit of my labor. I even included a picture of my beautiful peonies that are blooming like crazy.

http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk118/marseeyah/

There is much more to be done but at least I feel like I have a start.!

Marcia

Bible Memory Super Stars!

Just last week my boys finished their first year of AWANA. They were both able to complete their whole first book. They were able to memorize more than 40 bible verses and the books of the bible in order. I am so very poud of their accomplishments and so very pleased that they are treasuring the word of God in their hearts at such a young age. May the Lord help them to recall it in times of need or doubt!

Save Now! Get Forever Stamps while you can!

I just thought I would let everyone know about the rise in postage set for Monday! If you can go and get the "forever" stamps now you will be saving some money for the future. They will no longer be offering "forever" stamps! The "forever"stamps can be purchases at today's postage prices and used forever. I got a pack of 100 from Costco! These will help out come Christmas and Birthdays!

Marcia

Boy, I have done A Lot in my life.. How about you?

Copy and post on you're own blog.  What have you done?  I've borrowed this from another blog (with permission) and added a few things myself.  The highlighted ones are things I've done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
08. Said “I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
42. Had amazing friends
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
26. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Satisfying Saturday

We have sick here for nearly 4 weeks. My youngest son has mononucelosis, an upper respiratory infection and an ear infection. Whew! We all just had the upper respiratory. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. One chest x-ray, 3 blood tests, 7days of anitbiotics, 6 boxes of tissue and 240 Tylenol later we are finally feeling much better. My youngest is still quite weak and has lost over 8lbs (he was only 58lbs) but no fever for the last 48 hours!

I am simply satisfied that my boys are feeling better, that I am feeling well enough to get some laundry done as well as some basic cleaning, and that we are going to be able to visit my dear husband who is gone for eight 65 hour weeks of management training. So we are packing up a few things to surprise him! I am so blessed to have an amazing husband that would do anything necessary to provide for us and allow me to be home with my boys.

A Simply satisfying Saturday!

Marcia

Back Ye Beasty remnants of Vacation!

I have discovered that the only thing that contrasts perfectly with the beauty of a wonderful family vacation is the voluminous mass of destruction and cleaning that I must contend with once I am home from vacation. I am currently working on one battle at a time. Not only was there the mess from vacation, there was Hurricane Ray! My dear, sweet husband was preparing to leave for management training for two months. It was a bit like watching a chicken with it's head cut off as he is a bit anxious beginning this new chapter in his life.

I have managed to tame the laundry beasts! I have managed to clear the livingroom of laundry, suitcases, games and piles of mail! I am working on the kitchen and then on to the general cleaning! I will prevail! I will be victorious over the beasty remnants of vacation. Now if only I can get my mind and my children focused back on school.....ok......not everything at once! I leave you with a few pictures of the loves of my life from our vacation.

The love of my life and man of my dreams. (the one with the goatee)

Nathaniel

Ezekiel

I have missed you all!

This has been an extremely busy last month. My dear sister visited us from Maui, HI. I had not seen her for a year and my DH and kids had not seen her in 5 years. She had last visited KY 28 years ago. We had a full and wonderful week of visiting museums, family and the family's old home place that was sold over 15 years ago. It was bitter sweet. It has fallen into complete disrepair. We remembered a very different home filled with so much love and life.

My children have been very ill over the past 3 weeks. My youngest has had a fever for 15 out of the last 20 days.  Despite the illness we went on our first family vacation in 3 years. We were blessed with the gift of a week at a cabin at Rough River Lake. We had a terrific time! We medicated the kids and did a lot of fishing, hiking, game and card playing and little tick removal. It was the boys' first experience with ticks.

My DH leaves today for 8 weeks of manager training for his new promotion. We will be able to visit him occasionally during that time, but he will be sorely missed.

I have been behind on getting my garden put out and have been very upset about it, but God is good! We are expecting a freeze here tonight (It was supposed to be our frost free day)! I guess it all worked out for the best.  I look forward to spending a little more time blogging while my DH is gone. I have missed keeping up and all the great information and encouragement here with you all!

May the Lord grant you a terrific week!

Marcia

Happy as a pig in slop!

I am so excited! I have been hunting for a pressure canner all over! You see I really don't like to buy much of anything new (except underwear) due to the outrageous costs! I just found out that Goodwill has a web site and an online bidding system like ebay. I found a 22 quart Presto canner in terrific shape in MI ( I'm in KY) and it was purchased and shipped for $30.00. Yep! I cannot wait to begin by adventures in canning! Now if only spring would hurry up so I can get my garden going! AHHH! The simple things that can make this girl happy!

Marcia

Granola Recipe

This was a BIG hit with my whole family... even my 6 year old son.

Cinnamon Granola

4 Cups Rolled Oats (Not Quick Cooking)

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans (0r any other nut)

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds (Or any other nut)

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries (Or raisins or other dried fruit)

1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 Cup Canola Oil (I have been able to reduce this to 1/3 to lower fat)

1/2 Cup Honey

Mix oatmeal, nuts, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl. Add oil and honey and mix well. Spread on lightly greased cookie sheets (or my lazy way...parchment paper on cookie sheets). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and stir, bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool and add dried fruit. When completely cooled store in an airtight container.

We love this with yogurt! Enjoy!

Marcia

Easy Mexican Chicken and Rice Skillet Dish

I have been trying new recipes and tweeking lately. Here is one that was a big hit even with my kids.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Skillet Dish

1 box  Spanish Rice

Amount of water required by rice (mine was 2 C)

1 can Diced Tomatoes (15 oz)

1 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil

1/2 C Diced Onion

1/2 C Diced Green Bell Pepper

1 can Small Red Beans, drained and rinsed

2 C Cooked, Cubed Chicken (0r leftover chicken pieces)

1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese (0ptional for garnish)

In oil brown rice, onion and bell pepper in a large skillet. Add tomatoes, beans and chicken. Add water and seasoning packet from rice. Simmer for 20-30 minutes covered. Serve with tortillas and shredded cheese. (There is just enough time to whip out a dozen flour tortillas while this mixture is simmering. Serves 4-6 depending on appetites.

Hope you enjoy as much as we did!