Determined to make this recipe this week....

For the past 3 weeks I have been wanting to make this recipe for Chicken Chili Rellano Casserole... and it has proved impossible to make it for one reason or another.... But I will make it this week, if I am the only one eating it... It just looks so yummy, I can't wait any longer to make it..

http://crumbsinmymustachio.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/chicken-chili-rellano-casserole/

I bought all the ingredients weeks ago, and I am so excited to make it....

I am going to make my Grandma Sally's Spanish rice to go with it, and maybe even 

make some homemade tortillas to go with it...

Doesn't it look amazing???

I'll let you all know how it goes when I make it... 

I have complete faith that it will be absolutely amazing... 

you can't go wrong with chicken, green chilies and cheese!

Hmmm...... 

Maybe I will make my favorite home made salsa recipe too... 

Great way to start a wonderful Mexican dinner, by eating some fresh made salsa and chips.... 

(the recipe for this is one of my blog posts.)

Well, family... will you all be available to eat with me this week.... 

I know our schedules are crazy, but I am willing to make this great meal... 

can we all be in the same place at the same time this week???

~Brat~

Blog comment problems...

Hopefully some time this month, I will be able to figure out how and why I can't get comments to this post...

I would really like to be able to hear from those who read the blog, but for some strange reason, the function to post comments to this blog does not work.

I am trying to figure out why, and will hopefully do so soon..

Have patience while I figure it out, and thanks for reading the blog...

I do care about those of you that take the time to read me, and I hope to clear up this problem soon..

Thanks again, for sharing my blog with me...

Have a Blessed Day...

~Brat~

Those whom I love more than anything...

These two girls are the light of my Life..... and bring me so much joy, I don't know what I would do without them in my life, a mom couldn't be more proud of them.

This was taken at Aliza's bridal shower.... What a great day that was.

Same day, and before my new hairdo.....

My two beauties, from this weekend at Shawn and Aliza's wedding.... Wonderful day!

And the Love of my life, without whom, I would not have my two beautiful daughters..... 

And me with my new Hairdo....  Shortest I have had my hair in 20 something years... 

Photo is from this weekend, in Ohio....

Spending time with Gods Creation

This morning I was able to sit on the front porch while reading my bible and drinking my first cup of coffee of the day....

It was such a peaceful experience.... It was a very cool morning, rare here in the summertime, and it was raining just ever so slightly.... Just enough to excite the birds to go looking for the nice plump earth worms to tickle their pallet...

There is nothing like spending time with God in his Awesome Creation....

Reading the bible, and watching the cardinals, and blue birds dancing through the tree branches, so happy to enjoy the early morning mist and rain...

What an awesome experience to while away the morning, praying, and enjoying all the nature in my front yard.... I was visited by an adorable little bunny that sat and eat right in front of me, 3 feet away for about 5 minutes.... just looking at me, and munching away on the grass.... then came a chipmunk to the same spot, and played around in the grass in front of the porch.....  the birds kept coming and going, singing, and eating away.... not a care in the world...

Just about when you think no other wild life will make an appearance, here comes a lone turkey walking through the yard....

Now I know I don't have to worry too much about all the creatures visiting me, because they came one at a time, not two by two... So I am pretty sure they were just out for a morning stroll, and not a major biblical event or anything...

It is so nice to just spend quiet time with the lord while all his creation is welcoming you with eagerness to live and survive... enjoying what God has provided for them, and enjoying the early morning mist... 

God takes care of his little creatures, and he will take care of you too....

Don't forget to slow down and enjoy your surroundings..... take the time to thank God for all the blessings he has placed in your life, and for all his beautiful creation that is there for your pleasure....

Each and every creature he created specifically, he knows the number of feathers on the birds wings, he knows how many hairs are on each rabbit or squirrel, and he knows how many hairs are on your head....

Take the time to thank God for his many blessings, and to let him know that you are thankful for all he provides for you....

Take time to be still and experience his awesome presence....

Slow down and truly enjoy his creation, and his wee small voice that he is waiting to speak to you with...

And don't forget to get up early some days, enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea, and spend some quiet time with the Lord..... 

You will see things differently if you start to spend time with him each morning.... your life will be a little bit different, and before you know it, you won't be able to start your day without that special time...

Waiting on God....

Waiting on God......

Have you ever just wondered when God would move in your life?

You pray and pray and pray and you just don't see him working in your life...

You keep praying, and you know God is working, but he just seems to be holding that answer right out of reach..... sometimes he even shows you the answer, but holds it just completely out of reach, or shows you the possibility of what could be, yet isn't.....

During those times it can get very discouraging, and some times we yell at God for keeping us in limbo.... we know that if only it would happen this way or that way, everything would be just wonderful.....

We forget that God knows everything, and all time is in his hands.... he has all the answers, and all the grace to sometimes not give us the desires of our heart, when we want them....

Sometimes it makes us stronger to wait on the Lord, and grow closer to him in the process of our journey to receiving the answer we are looking for...

Sometimes it isn't even us that needs to change or act differently.... it might be that someone else is in the situation that God is waiting on, it might have nothing to do with your pleading and prayer at all.... And all with the people around you, you might be the object lesson for someone else....

God is always working, always trying to draw us near to him, and he will use any way possible to get his work done here on earth...

When you are discouraged, remember that he is using this opportunity to draw you closer to Him.... that is the most important thing...  yet sometimes he keeps waiting for you to see the answer he is working on for you, or to see that his best for you is better than anything you have in mind.

Occasionally his answers are no, and that is always the hardest to understand.....  God knows the ending of your story, and all the in between too... it can be hard to get the unwanted answer, but God's best is the only way to live... don't try to do it your way, it will always lead to heart ache....

Believe he knows what is best, and trust in his timing...  

Sometimes it is easier than others.... Sometimes it is really hard....

But Wait on God, and it will be the best thing for you....

Bleeding Hearts are not just for liberals, they stand for friends too!

When spring time comes, I look forward to seeing all the new flowers that the spring showers bring.  The best flowers that bloom at my home are the bleeding hearts.....  Why you ask?   Well, because they were given to my by a really awesome friend of mine.

When her and her family uprooted their family many years ago, she dug up her bleeding hearts and gave me some to plant in my yard to remind me of her.  As if I could or would ever forget that wonderful friend of mine.

As I look around at the flowers, and trees in my yard, many of them have a history of friendship, most if not all were given to me by friends, or bought with friends.... I am not a gardener, so everything that is planted in my yard is there because of a special person or friend.  And when they return in the spring, it just reminds me of the love and friendship God has blessed me with.

That is one of the best things about life... the friends that God sends into our lives to share our journey with us.... sharing in our joys and sorrows, laughter and tears.

I thank God every day for all the special friends and family in my life, I am so very blessed!  

Every day is wonderful to experience when you have the support of great people to make life easier and joyful. To laugh with, and cry with, and do fun things with.

Spring flowers just remind my of God's provisions for us in our lives... like the daffodils that come back every year, bright and beautiful, pushing their delicate little faces up out of the lifeless ground to declare that summer will soon be on its way, so full of bright color and promise.

Friends are like a bouquet of flowers, all different kinds, all beautiful in their own way..... some bright and bold, some light and delicate...... some strong and sturdy, and some with thorns.  Some smell absolutely beautiful, and some really are stinkers at times.... Each flower in your bouquet is there for a different purpose, some to brighten, some to support, some to add a dash of wow and some to quietly just add that something special.... each fills their own purposes in making the bouquet complete, and making your life a better place.   

 As time goes by, we add to that arrangement, my adding new flowers when needed, and removing those that have out lived the purpose that they were there for.  

 It is ok to rearrange your friendship bouquet from time to time, some times we might even preserve that one special flower in hopes if keeping a memory alive.....

I hope each of you can say that your bouquet of friends is full and beautiful and makes your life richer and better because of it.  Everyone deserves to have a full and beautiful bouquet of friends to fill your life with beauty and a heavenly aroma of friendship....

Keep God as your Gardener, and designer of your garden, and his blessings will continue to bloom, and they will keep flourishing....

Time to recharge your batteries???

Wow, this month has been a whirlwind of activity at our house....

Went from a 4 person family to a 3 person family structure.... and got to spend some wonderful time with a lot of family that came for the wedding...

Got to visit Amish country with my Mom and Grandparents....

We have been going strong for so many months that we decided to take a little break and recharge our batteries.... 

Nothing says recharge your batteries, than spending time with special people....

When you are down, or tired of spirit, the best way to make your life better, is to spend time with the Lord, and with friends that point you back to the Lord...

When ever I am weary, there are certain people that I love to turn to, to help me refocus and turn my path back to where God wants me....

I find such encouragement from Godly Friends.... I am so blessed to have some pretty amazing people in my life that I can turn to, to help me to see God working in my life.

Friends are the evidence of Gods blessings in our lives....  

There are some people that just make you want to be a better person, make you want to stand up straighter, or be more focused, or to eagerly want to do better things with your life....

Friends should always make you feel better about your self....

God Has blessed me so much with so many wonderful people in my life, young, old, and in between.... 

This life that God has granted me has been one great adventure,  from the wonderful times growing up in the most beautiful place on earth, to traveling around the rest of the united states, trying to find a place just as beautiful, God has handed me one adventure after another, and he has also sent people to share the journey..... Wonderful, Awesome, Beautiful People to share the adventure with me..... and they continually help me to be a better person, and make my life a better place.

Life can get  very hard some times, it can get discouraging, lonely, sad, and troublesome at times..... 

That is when you go straight to the Bible to search out your best friend.... The maker of Heaven and Earth, the Lover of your soul..... He knows exactly what you are going through, and it is not a surprise to him...... He knows you and what is coming up in your future, and your past, and how it will all turn out.... and He is patiently waiting to help you draw closer to him,...... He wants to help, to encourage, to lift, to support, to love you and show you a peace that it absolutely amazing....

When you are weary, go to the Maker of the Heavens and the Earth.... 

If he can create the whole world, he can bring you a little encouragement..... 

He has all the answers.... and he is waiting to share his love, mercy, grace, and friendship with you.... all you have to do is take the time to be quiet and listen to the sweet small voice..... Draw near and find the peace and Love that you are needing....and seeking..... 

He is waiting to give you more than you can imagine, beginning with Love.......

Things to do this Summer

What are your plans for this summer?

Before you know it, it will be gone, so make plans now and try to squeeze in as much fun as possible.

Here is a list of some of the things I want to do this Summer.....

1)  Visit Presque Isle with some wonderful friends.

2)  watch the fireflies

3)  Read some good books out under the trees with some seet tea

4)  spend time with friends

5)  Watch the stars on a warm summer night

6) Spend some time at Buttermilk Falls

7)  Sit on the front porch and watch the birds

8)  Get rid of all our Homeschool books that are overtaking the basement

9)  Down size all our belongings, and have several Yard sales.

10)  Spend time with my church family

11)  Bonfires and fellowship

12)  Spend time with very special people

13)  Do some sewing in the hopefully New sewing room.

14)  Go to the drive in

15)  go for a walk in the park

16)  Get my Blog working correctly..... 

17)  start packing for moving

18)  get a plan of date for our relocation to the west coast.

19)  Grill some awesome dinners on the Bar-B-Q

20)  find a way to make the summer longer, and completely full of friends......

I know there is much more to do this Summer but this is what is on my heart right now....  with the house so much quieter, I am hoping to fill it with activity...

Bring on the summer.....

Seasons of life.

We go through many different seasons in our wonderful and beautiful lifetime.... 

When we are young it seams that we are in the spring time of our life, with new beginings Blooming all around us, and fresh things happening in our life, like a new life event or a new beginning...

Those are exciting times in our lives, living in daily expectancy of life happening all around you, and embracing all the new adventures that God places in our lives... watching those babies learn to walk and talk, and skip and ride a bike... so many new beginnings to experience and joy...

Spring time of our life goes on with lots of wonderful firsts, and eager times of discovery of our selves and what God wants for us in our future, we lean on him for guidance and for direction....

God's direction and blessings lead us into the summer time of our lives... all those years of Happiness and growth for you, your family, and friends.... every one loves the summer time, always a wonderful time of Happiness, joy, blooming where God has planted you.  Watching those you love grow, and embrace our Heavenly Father, and his continued blessings in our lives and in those around us.

These years, like summer, passes us by before we know it....  Just like the summer does each year, there never seems to be enough time to do all we want during the summer..... we are always left wanting just a little bit more time.... And looking back with warm memories of the times spent with the ones we love the most... And wishing for just one more sunset together on the beach.....

It's just like raising your children.... you always think there will be more time to spend laying in the sunshine with them, enjoying the love and closeness of shared memories, but they are entering into their spring time of their lives..... they are starting a different season in their lives, and our late summer is a new spring bloom to them, and the seasons start to separate us by time, distance, and circumstances.....

Summertime like we knew it turns into fall, things change drastically, yet it is still a beautiful time and season, rich with the blessings from God still evident all around us..... it really doesn't look like the beautiful spring time of our youth or even like all those years of summer time... but it is still new and beautiful if you take the time to stop and see the beauty of this season of our lives... Fall brings big changes, and lots of possibilities..... 

I'm somewhere between summertime and fall in my life right now.... still wanting to hold onto summer, but seeing the leaves starting to change and the wind is changing, and turning my life upside down down and topsy turvy....  I love the beauty of fall, but summer time is still calling me..... to come run in the wild flowers, to stop and see the lightning bugs, and curl up under a tree to read a good book.... to sip sweet tea, and soak up the warmth of summer and the joy of life...

I hear you God.... I know the seasons are changing.... but I'm not ready to leave the warmth and happiness of summer... give me a little more time please.... I still have so much and so many, I want to embrace.... And there is still so much I want to do and share..... soon, but not just yet....

If you need me, I'll be looking for wild flowers and lightning bugs.....

But stay near Lord.... I really need your presence right now...... 

I will always need you Lord, in springtime and summer, and fall... for life without you just isn't life worth living...

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heaven.......

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A new room at the Thornton home...

The room that has housed my little girl since she was two years old is now almost empty...all her belongings are at het new home....

The furniture is almost all gone, only an IKEA shelf  and a cherry dresser remains....we refinished the dresser the day before she was born 22years ago... now it holds some odds and ends of Savannah's... she she has claimed it, and wouldn't let her sister take it away...

All the ugly orange carpets are being ripped out, and beautiful hard wood floors are peeking out from under the carpet padding... saying hello world....

What once was a nursery is now being transformed into a guest room for all our favorite out of town friends, and it will also be dedicated sewing room.... Now Savannah will have all the space she needs to do all her sewing projects.... she can leave her projects out, and not have to worry about cleaning it all up to use the kitchen table at dinner time and spoiling all her creativity....

I can't wait to see all her clothing alterations that she wants to do, she has a way of taking old clothing, cutting it apart and mixing different things together to make upcycled clothing.... she has a way with fabrics, and creative ideas..  I am also looking forward to sewing some things that have been in the back of my mind for a long time.... yes, I do sew on occasion...

Next step is to pull up the tax strips, and give the floor a good scrubbing with Murphy's oil soap....then to move the futon bed and desk into there.... And also the sewing supplies and machines.... I think there are 4 or 5 if I remember right....

Yep... it will be nice to hear the roaring of the sewing machines going.... a sound that brings lots of good and comforting memories in our house.... Daniels mom used to sew all the time when he was growing up.... And at my mom's house, it is a constant background sound at the farm.... so many sewing machines, and so little time....  there is just something soothing about the whirring of a sewing machine...

It will be different to not see all Stephanies stuff in that room, but I think a lot of new happy times times and experiences will happen in the new room.... beautiful new creations will come to be, and hopefully many special people will come stay and make new and wonderful memories with us.....

One chapter of our life is ending, and a new one is just beginning..... but that is definitely a good thing.... Life keeps going on, each day we hopefully walk closer with God, and keep in his will...each day we continue to look to him for our many blessings, whether it is a new purpose for a room, or a new lease on life.... keep in his will and your path will be a happy place to be...

Stay tuned for the new adventures at the Thornton homestead....