John 3:16

This aired during the playoffs for the Broncos and Patriots. God's Word is simply beautiful.

http://youtu.be/HIdq_SipL-A

or

http://bit.ly/xkErCO

Parental Rights

There are only a few political stances that I hold truly dear. Among them: religious liberty, freedom of speech, and parental rights. All of these have seen increasingly more government entanglements and it makes me cringe. Actually, it makes me angry.
Here is a link to a brief "movie" addressing the state of parental rights in the United States right now. I hope you will watch and pass along.

http://overruledmovie.com/

Christmas Eve at Our House

This year was a quiet Christmas Eve. But with plans of dear friends visiting after Christmas, we didn't mind. And we were all decked out for the occasion anyway. We always throw a birthday party for Jesus and this year we served Cornish hens with cornbread and fig stuffing, gravy, fresh salad with oranges and blackberries, fresh deep dish apple pie and homemade chocolate cake with Italian buttercream frosting. We also picked up some vegetarian Cornish pasties to accommodate the vegetarian. It was completed by the elegant country bouquet from our straggly rose bushes and bits of beauty around the house. Here's some pics. Hope you enjoy!

A Messy Kitchen is a Happy Kitchen

We live in our house. I mean, really LIVE in our house. We do our major house cleaning once a week. Which means by Friday it can be disgusting. Last night, after making peppermint bark and fudge, my husband and I decided to make a Chocolate Panforte. He had bought the hazelnuts. When I went to roast them, I found they were still in their shells. Joyfully, I used the metal meat tenderizer to individually crack open each one before roasting and then rubbing off the skins. The shells were flying everywhere, the dog was looking cowardly for flying objects, and I was giggling incessantly. Note the dirty floor and the full counter of mess after mess. We decided not to clean up between projects and didn't really care. We would get to it eventually. Working hard for something tasty, filled with love, and making a mess in the process is quite fulfilling. Now, if we only had a maid...

No Chicken Soup Today

My husband kept jokingly threatening to make chicken soup if they didn't lay more eggs. He gave them a pep talk, "Ladies, if you don't start layin'..." I guess they listened!

A Touch of Autumn

Growing up in upstate NY gave me the gift of many a breathtaking fall season with vivid display of lavish foilage. This year I was desperate for it. I took my girls to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum for a taste.

Curls

This determined beauty is exploring the field of police work. Can you believe?!!