Thankful Thursday

Top 10 Things I'm Most Thankful This Week

1. Availability of Perpetual Adoration/Daily Masses
2. Vision to see all things God had created (children, flowers)
3. Hearing to hear children's laughter/voices and nature (rain, wind, animals)
4. Voice to sing/speak of Blessings/Prayers
5. Modern/Close Health Facilities
6. Wonderful Locally Owned Small Town Like Catholic Bookstore
7. Spring Rains to green up the world after a long winter
8. A fully repaired Roof (Thank You to Jacinta's BIL)
9. Two Local Catholic Radio Stations
10. God's warnings to keep me aware of the evils in the world

Tasty Tuesday

The recipe as promised yesterday... I've made several different 'chicken n' biscuit' recipes over the years and this one is very good and easy!

Biscuits (8-10) you can make from scratch like I do or buy the can kind

32 oz chicken broth and 17.5 oz chicken broth

1.5 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breast cubed, browned in skillet w/ olive oil

.5 - 1 lb carrots, coarsely chopped (used can of carrots, drained {had on hand})

3-5 ribs of celery, chopped

1 med. onion, chopped

1/2 C. frozen corn (I omitted and put in 1/2 C. frozen peas and 1 lb. frozen green bean cuts)

Spices - I used my own 'secret mix' it calls for 3 t. basil and 1/4 t. pepper

1 C. flour

Bake biscuits according to can/your recipe... In large pot combine 32 oz broth, chicken, carrots, celery, onion, corn {peas, green beans}, and spices... Bring chicken mixture to a boil... Reduce heat and cover... Simmer 7-10 minutes or until veggies are tender...

Whisk together flour and 17.5 oz broth in bowl (I like to use my 4 C. Pyrex measuring cup)... Whisk into chicken mixture until smooth... Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened...

Split biscuits and spoon chicken mixture over top...

ENJOY!

Making It On The Homestead - Monday

As many of you may have read on Facebook... I'm offering all my crosses this month (May) and leaning on the strength of the Blessed Mother... Praying for the intersession Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Anne, St. Monica, St. Gianna, my Guardian Angel, St. Micheal the Archangel, and Blessed Kateri to assist me in accomplishing many things as a wife, mother and keeper of my home... Things have improved... I've been focusing on the homestead and not on the world... There are bumps in the road as is expected... Still much room for improvement... Thank you to all of you who prayed for me while I was away... I appreciate that... We are in full swing as far as remodeling 'season' goes... I sanded our banister and it is ready for us to start staining it... The children and I made a fun game of spread the grass seed today to try and recover our snow mashed and flood drowned lawn back to it's former glory... All the dishes were washed and put away... I spent a good part of the day vacuuming and wiping down all surfaces of the 'dust' provided by our sanding job... Several loads of laundry were done and I made a delicious new 'chicken n' biscuits' recipe which I will share on Tasty Tuesday... It's simple and quick! I browsed through the June issue of Martha Steward living... She has a wonderful section on grillin'... The children and I had a wonderful drive singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet and checking out the latest construction projects at the Hour of Mercy (3 PM) this afternoon... I'm instructing yet another FMCHE member in the wonderful art of SFG... I look forward to sharing her 'creation' and mine once I find the key to my garden... ::smirk:: I'm off to continue in my homestead...

Tired - Thursday

I wasn't posting because I was busy but now I'm just in a bad mood... I doubt anyone wants to hear about how irritated and just plain spiteful toward anyone who dare even breathe near me...

Thankful Thursday

Here are my top 10 this week...

1. A husband who loves me despite all my faults
2. Spring Sunshine
3. Movies that Transform your Heart and your Soul
4. Generosity of Others
5. Knowing others personally who are open to Life
6. Spring Flooding is almost over
7. My children
8. My home
9. A table where no one leaves hungry
10. My parish

Where? Wednesday

Where does the day seem to go? I'm not really sure... I don't want to board my readers but right now I need my blog to list my accomplishments during the day... Right now at the end of the day I'm thinking what did I do today? I feel that I didn't do much... I know that isn't true... Starting today I'm going to work on listing all the many tasks I preformed on most messages till I'm out of this so what did you do today? Only to think did nothing...

Breakfast
Taxi Mom
Peanut ST
Laundry - 3 loads
Oldest Psych Appt
Lunch
Nap
Monkey ST
Dinner
Return Library Materials
Cook Dinner For Tomorrow - BBCue Chicken in Oven
Apple Pie
Pick Up House
Nurse/Change Linebacker - Several Times

More to come later...

3rd Tooth - Tuesday

Linebacker's 3rd tooth arrived over the weekend... It is on the upper right side...

Easter - Monday

We had a wonderful Easter... I will work on posting daily again this week... We survived the history making flood... We never had to evacuate but we were prepared if that was to happen... The ones in bold below are all the ones we have lived through since our residence here... We did make it down to 30 something or lower feet but it is going back up to 38 something feet in the next couple of days and then expected to go back down and cease flooding at all till next spring... Many things have happened since I last published it seems like months ago even though it was just a little over two weeks... I will have lots of 'back' messages to put up as well as new messages with many photos...

Here is now the new Top 10 Historical Crests:
(1) 40.82 ft on 03/28/2009
(2) 40.10 ft on 04/07/1897
(3) 39.57 ft on 04/17/1997
(4) 37.80 ft on 04/11/1882
(5) 37.34 ft on 04/15/1969
(6) 37.13 ft on 04/05/2006
(7) 36.69 ft on 04/14/2001
(8) 35.39 ft on 04/09/1989
(9) 34.93 ft on 04/19/1979
(10) 34.65 ft on 04/16/1952

Kitchen Remodel FINISHED!

What do you all think?

::photos to come::

I still have some more work to do but wow what a difference...

Kichen Remodel - First Project

Here is the first project I did... Just something small till I can do the 'big' project... This is a small cutting board/cookie sheet cabinet next to my cabinets that are under my sink...

Here is a 'before' I started:Everything that was in the cabinet:
Here it is 'after' I finished:
What a difference!

Weather Wednesday

As if historic flooding occuring we didn't have enough to deal with but yet ANOTHER 'mini' blizzard blew through our area... It was a blessing because it helped slow the river so we could strength, build or build higher all the various levees around town... It is beautiful... I'm glad I could just stay home...
This what it looked like when we first woke up mid storm...

This was later on after things had calmed down... I always find it interesting how sometimes the snow clings to our roof and other times it doesn't 'stick' at all...

This is out of 'library' window... The snow is almost up to the 'sash'...

This is a view from outside when the snow is melted... Helps give you some idea how high the snow is!
::photo to come::

Remember our Mid March Blizzard... Look at the PIC of Peanut playing... She would now be completely hidden from view of our backdoor now...

This is me showing how high the snow is next (left) to our driveway...

Kitchen Remodel - Let's Start

I've decided to give my kitchen a makeover with the help from some friend VIA the internet... Here are some 'before' PICS of my "mess"... LOL!!!


::photos here::

Flooding - Friday

I'm writing to let you know that I won't be posting here until the flooding stops... We haven't decided if, when, and where we are evacuated... I will have updates on Facebook... If you aren't already my 'friend' on Facebook, I consider doing that soon because I may not have computer access for long... I will have a running comment section for a friend VIA phone to update once we do leave...

Thankful - Thursday

Ten Things I'm Most Thankful This Week

1. Working Utilities
2. Dry Land Around My Home
3. Plenty Of Food/Water/Emergency Supplies
4. Flood Protection Materials/Machines
5. Volunteers
6. Internet Access
7. Radio Stations Devoting 24/7 Programming To Flood Coverage News
8. Safety of My Family
9. Faith and Grace
10. Global Network of Support

Here is a list of our top highest flooding levels... The bold ones are the ones we have been here for...

Historical Crests

* ft on 03/ /2009 (what ever the new record will be)

(1) 40.10 ft on 04/07/1897

(current level when last measured 39.61 ft)

(2) 39.57 ft on 04/17/1997
(3) 37.80 ft on 04/11/1882
(4) 37.34 ft on 04/15/1969
(5) 37.13 ft on 04/05/2006
(6) 36.69 ft on 04/14/2001
(7) 35.39 ft on 04/09/1989
(8) 34.93 ft on 04/19/1979
(9) 34.65 ft on 04/16/1952
(10) 34.41 ft on 04/02/1978

I last read our projected crest went up a foot to 42' feet now... I will know more after the 10 PM news... I know I've told some of you there are 7 evacuation zones that the city officials mentioned... I looked at the maps provided by the city and we aren't in an evacuation zone... I'm not sure what that means for us... The other zones are told to leave the area by coming into our unnumbered zone... So, I guess they move everyone to the middle and when water goes down we would branch out... Seems strange but we have only been here 10 years and never experienced anything like this prior to living here either... So, we have to trust that the officials know best... I will update when I can...

We Need Flood Prayers - Wednesday

I'm asking for all my family and friends if you could please pray for ND and MN residents fighting flood waters... We are expecting the river to crest at 41' on Saturday which is 23 feet above flood stage... They canceled school today and for the rest of the week... Thank you for your support...

We are 1.6 miles from the river and still pretty safe if the river hits 42' (according to the 'prediction' maps)... It's our neighbors, stores, schools and friends that are being directly affected... People in the rural areas not even 4 miles south of me are calling the local radio station in tears please come and help us...

More Water - Monday

So, what do you think of my backyard? This isn't flooding from the river... This is what happens when the snow first melts... Lovely huh?
My oldest is having a good time... The tops of his feet are completely covered... He wears a Men's size 6... He's wearing his 'mud boots'... They are just pretty much the standard issue farm boots... Solid black w/ the orange soles...
Here he is building his own 'levee' to hold back the water...
Today was a quiet day... I made a chicken, noodle dish for dinner... I also baked more cookies... This time I made Monster cookies... I scrubbed the fridge... I chatted with a friend on the phone... I started and finish the Walton's Season 3 Disc 1... I have many errands to run tomorrow... I will be dropping in the box... I'm excited for the next disc... This one only had two episodes... It seems like there was no time inbetween when I finished the 2nd season (library has that) and started this 3rd season... I dream about my own large family living out on the mountain some where like the Waltons do... I can't wait to go back to a slower time and move away from all this go, go, go and technology... I did several more loads of laundry today... I'm looking forward to empty baskets and filled drawers... Off to fold mine and Linebacker's... I wish mine with baby when I'm nursing and use a gentler 'baby' type laundry soap... No dreft! I don't like the way that stuff scented at all... We used Ivory snow for years too... I grew to not like that scent either... I'm all about no perfumes and no dyes now... Today I struggled with eating enough grains... Otherwise I did quite well...

My eating day went as (recommended in parenthesis):
Grains 8-1/2 oz (10 oz)
Fruits 2-1/2 C. (2-1/2 C.)
Veggies 3-1/2 C. (3-1/2 C.)
Milk 3-3/4 C. (3 C.)
Meat/Beans 8 oz (7 oz)

I could use some prayers for Linebacker and I tomorrow morning... Thank you...

Study - Saturday

Here is my counts for today in regards to my eating...

My eating day went as (recommended in parenthesis):
Grains 7 oz (10 oz)
Fruits 1-3/4 C. (2-1/2 C.)
Veggies 3-1/2 C. (3-1/2 C.)
Milk 4-1/4 C. (3 C.)
Meat/Beans 12-1/2 oz (7 oz)

I will update on the rest of the day later... Linebacker is calling...

Failing Friday

Today was a failure of a day... I didn't do much of anything... I've been tired all day and haven't wanted to do anything either... Roofer came by and put plastic up for the rain storm due to arrive in a few days... You can see I didn't do much eating either... Here is my counts for today in regards to my eating...

My eating day went as (recommended in parenthesis):
Grains 3-1/2 oz (10 oz)
Fruits 1-3/4 C. (2-1/2 C.)
Veggies 3/4 C. (3-1/2 C.)
Milk 1-1/2 C. (3 C.)
Fish/Beans 7-1/2 oz (7 oz)

Thankful Thursday

10 Things I'm most Thankful this week

1. A Freezer Full Of Food
2. A Clean Clothing
3. My Children
4. Internet Access In My Home
5. Enough Dishes For Each Member To Have Their Own
6. Hot Water For Bathing
7. Ability To Hear My Children's Voices
8. Ability To See My Children's Many Daily Accomplishments
9. Ability To Splash In Puddles While Walking With My Children
10. Safe/Crime Free Area Outside For My Children To Play

Today I did many small loads of laundry today... It is so much easier to go through the 4 stages of laundry when you don't have 50 pairs of socks, 35 pairs of underwear, 20 undershirts, 8 bath towels, 10 dishcloths, etc to wash, dry, fold and put away in one load... I also wrote my Congressman and 2 Senators today in regards to the President's proposed budget plans... I ran quick to the store during the lunch hour and picked up a list of juice, eggs, PB, milk, ceral, and cheese... Amazing how you run out of things all of a sudden... I just opened the fridge and poof no milk... I know the other day we had a gallon and half... Of course that was the other day... ::smirk:: I finished one of my Netflix DVDs... One more till I have my 2nd Walton disc... I can't wait to watch them over the weekend... My husband started on his 'Vietnam' movie that he wanted... He is enjoying it very much he told me this morning... Here is my counts for today in regards to my eating...

My eating day went as (recommended in parenthesis):
Grains 12-1/2 oz (10 oz)
Fruits 1-3/4 C. (2-1/2 C.)
Veggies 2-1/2 C. (3-1/2 C.)
Milk 4-1/2 C. (3 C.)
Meat/Beans 9 oz (7 oz)

First Step!

Linebacker stood up and took one completely unassisted step then squatted and crawled away... I think he maybe be walking by Easter... How exciting!!!! I will share PICS when he does it long enough to catch on film...