Taking time to enjoy those whom you love......

Loved ones..... Those whom are near and those who are far away... everyone has them, or at least I would hope that you have "Loved Ones"

Each of us is given 24 hours a day, and some days that 24 hours seems to go by so fast, and others seem to drag on........ But each of us is only given 24 hours to do what we choose, good or bad, high intensity, or relaxing.

Each and every day we have to spend with our loved ones, is a gift from God.  He blesses us so much by the people he puts in our lives, our family, friends, church family, neighbors..... each and every person we come into contact with God knows about before it happens.  When we stop to help someone in the grocery store, or talk to our waiter or waitress, God planned for you to be put in the path of that person at that moment in time, and our words and actions have lasting consequences to everyone we touch with our lives.

Your family was created specifically for a purpose, and is a gift from the Heavenly father.  We are each given people in our lives that need us, and that we need, to make our lives better and full of love and joy.  Sometimes it is to bring sorrow, and sadness or personal growth.  How we look at our situation will depend of our own internal workings, and our relationship with God.

I has been 22 years that I have had to spend with my daughter Stephanie..... watching her grow up and become a wonderful woman of God.  Years helping her with her schooling, and with her everyday life.  Watching her grow deeper and deeper in love with the Lord, and grow to be a wonderful woman of God.  The time has gone so fast.... 22 years in a blink of an eye.  There have been so many happy memories that I could never count them if I tried, and I know there will be many more to look forward to in the future.  

Things will change here in a couple of weeks... My little girl will be starting on a new path, and beginning her own life with her new husband, and making new memories.  No longer will I be able to kiss her on the forehead before bed, or watch her try to wake up with her sleepy walk into the front room bouncing off the wall just a little because she isn't quite awake....  She will be in her own home, with her loving husband, making new memories for her family to be...  I know it will be wonderful for them as they begin as newly weds.

Just remember that each day you should make the most of your loved ones that you have close, and also not forget those who are far away either.  You will not always have them to tell "I love you " to.  One day they might not be there to hear "I Love you", and you don't want them to wonder if you did.   

There are so many things I wish I could have told some people that are not alive anymore, like to my my father and a very dear and special friend....  So many things I wish I could have said or done, things I should have thanked them for, and also apologized for..... Hugs, and Love that should have been shared more... Time and life is so short, make the most of it while you have the opportunity.  You can never say enough to those who are special to you, don't live with regrets and wishing you had said those things that are resting in your heart unsaid... 

 Embrace those who are special to you and give them all the Joy and Love you can.  Don't be afraid to become a little vulnerable... Share your love and happiness with everyone that you can, while you can.... Because when you share Love, you are sharing Christ.... and that is the best and most important gift of all. 

~Heather~

Salsa recipe that's fast and delicious

My darling daughter got a new Ninja blender for her birthday and the first thing we made were smoothies, which were wonderful, but later that evening, my friend and I made this wonderful salsa.



Basic Salsa Recipe:
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes with green chilies
2 med. onions cut in quarters
2 jalapenos, seeds and membranes removed
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and cleaned
1 tsp. cumin
1-2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp. chopped garlic or more
the juice of 1 lime




Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse for 10-15 seconds until no large chunks of veggies are left and it is uniform consistency.
If you want it really spicy then leave the seeds and membranes in the jalapeno.
Flavors come together as it sits, but is great right out of the blender.


This tastes fresh and yummy, close to the salsa you find at Mexican restaurants


Make sure you have lots of tortilla chips on hand, because this stuff is addictive and there is nothing worse than having salsa and no chips to dip in it... and besides, you will just look silly eating the salsa with your fingers!



This would be wonderful on a western omelet, or scrambled eggs, or a breakfast burrito.



Hope you enjoy it as much as we do...

~ Brat~

Bridal Shower filled with Love and Friends ~Part 1~

What a wonderful time we had in celebrating my daughters upcoming wedding.... The invitations went out, all pretty and pink... cute little white doily dresses with little pink bows.... 

Friends traveled from Michigan to help us get things ready, and be the power house of the kitchen.  It was a wonderful time to honor Stephanie and her fiance Danny.

two of our helpers from Michigan

The color scheme was pink and yellow and coral, the same colors of her wedding... Lots of bright bold colors, like her personality.  And for this shower, we were able to get balloons that would actually float (previous post talks about our balloon fiasco in California).  

Bright and cheery color scheme... and the balloons doing what they are supposed to do!


One of the fun things we did at the shower was to have a Smash Book as our guest book and scrap book.  We provided a large selection of scrapbook supplies and had instructions on what to do.  Guests were asked to place their name on a butterfly and glue it into the book on any page they chose.  They were also encouraged to write personal notes to the bride, write helpful hints for marriage, give date night ideas, and be as creative as they wanted.

The finished product was absolutely wonderful, and there are enough spaces left to put pictures from the shower on unused pages.  It has some really precious entries from all of the guests.  Young and old were able to use their creativity to have fun and make a memory for the bride.

It was a great way to fill in the time that was idle so that no one got board, or felt like they had to just sit and wait for the next activity.  It was nice to see that the table was occupied the whole afternoon, and that people were really having a wonderful time making their entries.

More on the bridal Shower in California

The First Bridal Shower we had for Stephanie was in California with all our friends and family from there.  It was a wonderful day and absolutely beautiful... Here are the invitations that we made for the shower...  Do they look familiar to anyone???

We did the same invitation for the shower here in Pennsylvania... They all turned out so cute.  This was a Pintrest  Idea, and it worked really well for us.  The hardest part was tying all those little bows, and locating the pink card-stock!

The favors were supper cute too... I spent a couple days making the envelopes out of old cookbooks, sewing them into an envelope.  After I sewed the envelope we tore the edges to make them look a little better...

There I am....  The Brat... Actually using a Sewing machine, and sewing the 

pages into the envelopes.....

My mother decided during this craft project that she 

"Does not tear paper for decorative purposes".

The envelopes done and in a basket.... Inside is a surprise to be revealed when opened at home... Just a little something to make them smile...  Here is a peek...

I had a hard time finding the perfect book to make these envelopes out of..... First I brought home Little Women, and antique book with old weathered pages that I purchased at the consignment store in Penn Valley CA.  My daughters completely vetoed that idea.... something about that book being special and really old, and I couldn't rip the pages out.  The next set of books I brought home for the same purpose, were piano music, to be specific, worship music, and I felt guilty using them for this purpose since we were filling them with these cute little cookies.  So back to the thrift store I went.  I searched through all the books there and finally found a cookbook that was the right kind of paper, the size was just big enough, and it wasn't something that would be missed from society.....and made my purchase.

As we were making these, I came to realize that the recipes in the book were really good! I started to feel bad about destroying the book... But it had an added perk.  

Each person was going to get an awesome recipe that they could try at home.  

My mom insisted on picking out a specific envelope favor because she loved the recipe...

 It was a fun favor to make and to give to all the shower attenders, since everyone was asked to bring a recipe to the shower for Stephanie.

And the cookies that Savannah baked and decorated were 

absolutely delicious and adorable...

Bridal Showers, a wonderful way to celebrate a Bride and Groom

My daughter was blessed by having two bridal showers, and the bridal showers were both a wonderful experience for Stephanie and us as we planned and executed the events.  Both were beautiful, and attended by loved ones and family, and both had some very wonderful elements that made them special, but the thing that made them the best is that they were both for my beautiful daughter Stephanie! This is about the California shower.... the Pennsylvania shower will be for another post....


Last summer we had a shower in California so that all our west coast friends and family could help in celebrating with Stephanie on the great event of her wedding.  A wonderful friend allowed us to hold the shower in her beautiful home.  Thanks Leslie!!!

Some of the Delightful food that Savannah, Nene(my mother) 
and I prepared for the shower

                                 

Stephanie with some of our lovely collection 
of teacups we have in California... There is Nene in the background cooking

One of the best parts of having the shower in California while we were there, is that we were able to share this day with two very special women, that have been such an impact on my life, and also the girls.  We were able to share this day with my two of my Grandmothers, Sally and Beulah.  Two very wonderful ladies that have been such a blessing to us in so many ways.

Stephanie and Nene's mother, grandma Sally.
She is such a  wonderful Lady

                         

Grandma Beulah, My Dads mother, and the Matriarch of our family.
She is definitely a force to be reckoned with
We were so glad that Danny made it through the
 interview process and passed!

Our princess opening some presents, Locally made
soap from Grass Valley California

Pearl earrings from Grandma Sally.
 Stephanie has a passion for pearls.

   

The shower was so beautiful, Savannah, my mom and I did a great job in making Stephanie feel like a princess.  In our Family that is her rightful honor, self proclaimed as a child and It has remained so her whole life.  We warned Danny that she was royalty, but he still loves here anyway...  What a wonderful day it was to celebrate a great new adventure for Stephanie.


Savannah did most of the work for this shower, planning, baking, decorating, cooking... she is a powerhouse when it comes to party planning.  She has a passion for that kind of thing, and everything she touches comes out wonderful.  She is such a joy to us, and keeps us in stitches with her crazy ways, but that is what we love about her.  

Savannah and Stephanie, my beautiful daughters!

The funniest part about this shower, were the balloons...... Balloons, you say.... Well, in our family, balloons say "I love you and I want to show it". All along in the planning, balloons were a major part of the decorations and such.  We planned on putting balloons along the road to the event,a cheery way to say this is the way, and since it was out in the country, and people were coming from all over, and most had not been there before.  Any way... Balloons were part of the center of our theme.  Then, one week before the shower, we started calling, and checking into prices for balloons.  Store after store told us the same thing...... there was a helium shortage, and they could not help us.  We tried in 3 different cities, countless different stores, hoping and hoping that one place would have helium.  You won't believe how many places actually sell balloons usually.... and not a one could help us.  Who ever heard of a helium shortage!!! Well, the shower was a success even if we didn't have a single floating balloon at the party..... we did however still have balloons, they were just floating the opposite direction.... in other words, they were hanging down, instead of up!  It was still beautiful and we still had balloons, just not the floating kind....

The Wonderfully Beautiful Couple,
Daniel and Stephanie...

We are so happy for Stephanie, and Daniel.... Yes, His name is Daniel, like his father, and his father's father, and Stephanie's father, and Stephanie's cousin, and Stephanie's other cousins husband, and then there is also my cousin Danny..... do you see a pattern here...... hehehe....  Oh well... we will keep him anyway...

Have a Blessed Day

~Heather~

Reminiscing about Spring and Home Schooling......

Well it seems like spring has finally arrived here in our little corner of western Pennsylvania... daffodils in all their glory are shining there little faces up to God, bright and beautiful.  tulips are bright and cheerful....bits of happiness to catch your eye as you drive by.  It is this time of year that I loved our time home schooling so much.  All of God's creation begging to be noticed and enjoyed.

Nature studies in the parks, bird watching and nature journaling.  We spent so many hours out experiencing nature as a family and with friends that it seems odd to not be doing it any more.  Yes, there were many Happy memories spent while home schooling, out learning about our beautiful world.

 Went for a hike a couple of weeks ago, and it brought back many memories of previous hikes, although this time we didn't need to document everything for our portfolios.  Of course it didn't stop me from noticing all the new spring flowers pushing their little heads out of the crisp fall leaves laying on the forest floor, trying to remember the names of them.  I know one was a spring beauty, which one I'm not sure. I guess all those years of learning didn't quite stick when it came to flower names....

What a beautiful time of year to acknowledge Gods beautiful creation outside.  Take the time to take a stroll through the park and enjoy Gods continued gift of spring.  And if your really adventurous, take a nature journal with you and jot down your observations.  A field guide is always  a good thing  to take along too.

Don't get so wrapped up in life that you forget to stop and enjoy the beautifully simple things of God's creation, his precious gift to us.  And maybe, if you can, you could share it with someone who you love....

Happy Spring!

The smell of carnitas wafting through the house

There is nothing like the smell of waking up to Carnitas cooking  in the crock pot.... it takes about 12 to18 hours to cook, so I usually start them about 10 pm the night before.  they are done when the liquid has evaporated and turned to a nice caramelized texture.

here is the recipe:

1 large pork roast about 8 lbs
garlic
onion powder
1 can of Coke

place these in Large crock pot and cook on low over night.
in the morning place a spoon in lid to vent and let moisture to cook out.
watch it as it cooks, when it has mostly evaporated of the liquid, shred meat and remove any bones. keep on warm until dinner.  it should have a nice caramelized look to it.

(This is my daughter Stephanie's Pork Roast Carnitas sitting in a bubbly pool of Coke)

2-4 bunches of cilantro  cleaned and chopped
1 lime per person cut in wedges
green tomotillo salsa
shredded parmesian cheese 1-2 containers
corn tortillas 4-6 per person maybe more

prepare corn tortillas by rubbing with oil and frying them in a skillet until cooked, folding like a taco.  keep warm while cooking them all.

layer the pork, cilantro, parmesian and tomotillo salsa into tortillas. Squeeze lime wedges over the top of it all and eat.... yummy.... you will also need lots of napkins.

(Pictures taken by my beautiful Daughter Stephanie)

I hope you love them as much as we do.

You can do this ahead of time and freeze the meat, and it will be ready when you have a craving.

~Heather~

Wedding count down

Weddings are a time of Love and happiness, Tears of Joy and peels of laughter....  
                        

Friends and family will come together to celebrate the love and happiness of the young couple.  Traveling over the miles to come to the blessed place chosen for the ceremony.  The invitations have gone out, and the little pink envelopes are coming back in the mail every day.... Friends and family coming here to Western Pennsylvania to share in the memories with Stephanie and Danny and us on their wedding day.  

                                             

Where has the time gone, it seems like just yesterday she was just a little girl, in polka dots, baseball cap and bunny slippers.  Well whether or not I wished her to grow up so fast, she has gone and done it.  A little over a month until the blessed day when Airplanes and cars will bring our loved ones here with anticipation and happiness in their hearts.  The day we will all remember with Joy and hopefulness.   The day a new journey will begin for Stephanie and Danny, and also us as a family.... going from having her here all the time, to living a few miles down the road. New beginnings for all of us.  

All those years spent praying for the husband of my little girl, someone I didn't know,  didn't have a face to put to, and now it is so clear who he is.  And it is so clear that God answered my prayers for her husband to be.  He is everything I prayed for, for her.  He makes her happier that I could have ever dreamed, and brings her love and laughter and a relationship based on our Heavenly Father, which is the best part of it all.  In the blink of an eye, years have flown for us, and in a blink of an eye she will be looking back also, and wondering where the time went.

God gives us each the same 24 hours in a day, and we are responsible for how we use it.  It is our choice as to whether we spend it for good, or evil.  If we spend time wisely, or waste the precious time he gives us.  Never let a day go by without thinking about the gifts God gives to you each day.  Gifts come in many different forms, it might be friends, family, time, a rainbow or rain.  Take the time to look at Gods creation around you and thank him for the beauty all around you.  Thank Him for the friends he puts in your life to walk beside you through the good and the bad, the happy and the pain, the Weddings and the sadness we might have to experience.  And lean on God through it all, He is waiting for you to come to him all day long. He is waiting for you when you wake up in the morning, and patiently waits to commune with you all day long.... just hoping you will remember he is there with you, along with you through each and every task you do each and every day.  Longing to hold your hand, and listen intimately to your needs and desires, and your hopes and dreams, your happiness and your sadness.

Dreams will be fulfilled on June 1st 2013, dreams of a little girl, when she walks down that isle, on her fathers arm.  Walking to the hand of her beloved, her intended.  To the man I have prayed faithfully for, for 22+ years, He will take her hand from her father, and promise to love, honor, cherish  and  protect her for the rest of his life. They will be given a chance to begin their marriage in a church that Loves them and wants what is best for them, surrounded by their family and friends, and start a beautiful family of their own.  

What a beautiful gift, and answer to all those prayers..... Thank you God for answering my heartfelt prayers for my little girl....and for the "Husband" I always hoped for, for her....

I Love you Princess......You finally found your Prince Charming...... How very blessed and Loved you are..... I Can't wait to see you write your own story, and begin your own family... with little princes, and princesses.....  

~Mom~

                                             

Life, a journey of gifts

Do you ever wonder why you are taking the path that God has placed you on? Some times, as we are traveling without sight of the goal, it can be very tiring and disheartening.  But as we walk down the path, looking constantly for the goal, we miss all the beautiful sights along the way that God has left for us as precious gifts. He knows the outcome, and the trials it will take to arrive there, and because of that insight, he leaves wonderful gifts for us along the way to encourage us and keep us moving in the right direction.  But so often we are so focused on where we are going, we forget to enjoy the journey. We forget to take the time to thank God for all the little joys that he blesses us with each and every day.  Some times the journey is the goal, and some times He has a greater plan for us than we ever imagined.  Don't miss all His blessings along the way and miss out on some of the most precious times of your life. Remember he loves you greatly and wants the best for you, Don't miss out on the whole picture and get too focused on the end goal..... the journey there is also a gift.

Love is in the air

     Well..... I honestly and truly wanted to start this blog, but my mind must be going. After starting it I completely forgot how to find it..... must be the age or the stress of life that plays tricks on your mentality.
      if you are not aware of it... Love is in the air, and i mean literally. Weddings are happening all around.  We have the privilege of attending 3 in the next few months, an each and every one will be wonderful, to see young couples standing before God and beginning their journey together.  It is so refreshing  see young Christian couples that love the Lord as well as each other.
     We have had a great week here.... spending time with friends, doing wedding things and getting ready for the bridal shower for my daughter Stephanie.  it will be wonderful to get to see friends that we have not seen in a long time.  I know the day will be magical.