I'm Back :-)

I'm back from the Singles Leadership Conference. To say, "I had a good time and learned a lot" would be an understatement. It was that good. ;-) Grab a drink, sit back and let me tell you all about it. This could take awhile... :-)

First, 6 of us rode to Georgetown in a mini van together. That in itself was a lot of fun. I have only been a member of this church/Singles Dept. for about 2 years, so I am still really getting to know everyone. I had a wonderful time getting to know them better, and in turn they getting to know me. It was non stop laughing for the most part. :-)

We stopped and ate Mexican Food before registering at the church, and then going to the hotel. The food was amazing. ;-)

After reaching the hotel we all unloaded the van, helped everyone get their things to their room and decided we would play Farkle before going to bed. We all exclaimed, "just let us shower and get on our pj's and we'll be right there." My roommate and I showered, changed and got our things prepared for the next day. By that time, we were ready to just go to sleep. We went to the leader's room to let her know that we had changed our mind about playing the game, only to be told everyone else had the same idea.

We're a wild bunch I'm telling you. ;-)

So, we went back to the room and finished watching Twister on TV and fell asleep.

The next morning we all got up early and headed to the church. The theme for the weekend was "Extreme Makeover: Singles Edition", and to go with the theme of the weekend we were given a ministry opportunity to work with Habitat for Humanity. It was a fantastic experience. There were about 30 volunteers, including the future homeowner. We got to learn all about the program of H4H, and work on her house.

I was able to help paint her shed and then help put up siding. I learned to use a nail gun. :-) Talk about POWER! :-) We were there for about 6 hours, and with all of the volunteers we were able to get A LOT accomplished. ;-) The homeowner was so sweet, and we were all truly blessed by the experience. The only drawback....

.... no one brought sunscreen, and I am a walking testimony to that fact. The arms? they are RED. Not quite as hot though and, surprisingly, I have not blistered. ;-)

We then drove back to the hotel where everyone had less than 1 hour to shower and change for the first session on Friday night. I still can't believe I showered, washed my hair TWICE, scrubbed the paint off of my hands, arms, body, hair, etc; dried and curled my hair, put on my makeup and changed my clothes in less than 40 minutes. And I looked presentable. I count that a miracle in itself. ;-)

H4H fed us pizza for lunch that day, and we later had Mexican food at the church during the Friday session. For that session we first met our speaker, Dave Edwards. They man is an amazing speaker, y'all. If you ever get a chance to hear him, watch one of his DVDs, or read one of his books, I strongly encourage you to do so. ;-) He is funny, yet is a strong speaker at the same time. :-)

On Friday night we were all still a little jazzed up enough to play a couple of games of Farkle before bed, although I have no idea how since we were all so tired from the day of physical labor. ;-)

I lost both games BTW... ;-)

Saturday was really the full day for the conference, and my cup was so full by the end of the day I am still processing everything that I learned.

We had two more sessions with Dave Edwards throughout the day, which were heart changing to say the least.

We also had a very talented Christian Comedian, Robert Burkhart, perform for us. He was hilarious, and I would LOVE to have him come to our church some time. You can hear samples of what he does HERE.

We also had a chance to choose some "Break Out" sessions to go to. I chose the following 3:

Living the Transformed Life by Michael Perron. Yep, the "ESPN/Abs of Steel" guy. He has an awesome testimony, and his entire session was about WHY it is important to tell your testimony, "your story." It was very inspiring.

The next session I attended was "Vacation with a Purpose", which told you how to plan a mission trip that was both productive and relaxing for your Singles group. The leader, David Nobles, was very inspiring, informative and motivating. I left that class wanting to plan a mission trip in the worst way.

The last session I attended was the "icing on the proverbial cake." It was the "Five Love Languages" of leaders, based on the "Five Love Language" books by Dr. Gary Chapman. The class was taught by Rev. Marcus D. King, and he was so down to earth, entertaining, and eye opening. I had read several of the book in the "Five Love Language" series, and learned so much. I had even mentioned it just a couple of weeks ago in our Bible Study about.... what else.... LEADERSHIP. Coincidence? I think not. ;-)

If I had to sum up the entire weekend in one word I would have to say "Motivating."

For several months our Singles Dept. has been discussing how we could better serve/reach out to our community, especially to the singles/single parent families. We have had a collective "burning" in our souls to do this, but, we had no game plan. Now, after this weekend, we have a game plan, and we ALL have such a desire to run with it. :-)

I even made the difficult decision to NOT continue my role as Club Manager of our 4-H club next year. We will still participate, because "Little Mark" loves it so, and I enjoy it as well. But, it will be as a participant rather than a leadership position. (Perhaps even another family member might take on the role of being involved in the 4-H part.) ;-) I want to be available for whatever position God wants me to have in our Singles Ministry. I am so excited about this I can't even describe it to you. ;-) When God gives you even a glimpse of what He has planned it is exciting. ;-)

That was my weekend. I hope I didn't bore you with it, but honestly words cannot describe just how awesome it was for me, and still is. ;-) Sorry it was so long, and please forgive any grammatical/punctuation errors. I honestly do not have the energy to go back and correct them. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

I'm off for the weekend. ;-)

This afternoon I will be headed to Georgetown for a Singles Retreat. ;-) It is the first one I have ever attended, and I am excited. Tomorrow we will be helping with Habitat for Humanity, and then the actual retreat begins tomorrow night. I'm not even sure what seminars/classes will be offered, but I am already expecting to learn a lot. ;-)

I am also looking forward to getting to know the others from the Singles class who will be attending. We have become a pretty close group, and we love to study the Bible and fellowship together; and of course have FUN. I have only spit something out from laughing once, honest. ;-)

Dave Edwards will be our speaker. I've never heard him before, but I am looking forward to it. I'll tell you all about when I get back. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Recipe Swap Friday...

Today is Friday, and that means Gayle is hosting the Grocery Cart Recipe Swap. Be sure to head over there after you finish here. There are always lots of great recipes to be shared. She even has a very easy Rocky Road recipe there, and it looks fantastic. ;-) Join in the fun, if you are so inclined. :-)

I first learned today's recipe WAAAAYYYY back in Jr. High. It was one of the things we made in Home Ec. I always remembered it, because it was so easy, and very good. ;-) I don't remember the exact measurements, though, so I kind of wing that. Feel free to "tweak" it as you wish. ;-)

Biscuit Bubble Rings

1 can of 10 ct biscuits
1/4 - 1/2 C butter or margarine
3/4 C brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
1/2 C pecans

Melt butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and pour into the bottom of a pie tin. Sprinkle the pecans in the tin. Once the butter is melted dip the entire biscuit into the melted butter and layer all of them into the pie tin. They will touch, but that is okay. Bake according to the directions on the biscuit can. Most are 400 for 10 min. or so. You want the biscuits to be golden brown, and done. As soon as they come out of the oven put a plate on the tin, upside down, and turn the whole thing over onto a plate. It'll be gooey, just like sticky buns. ;-)

This is great for a fun, quick breakfast on a Saturday or for a Sunday brunch. ;-) Heck, I think it's great anytime. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Yeah, it's a "hodge podge" of a post...

I really have had a lot of things I've meant to post. I could make a list, seriously. Then, there are the things I would make comments about, but it's not worthy of an entire post. So, we'll just call this one a "hodge podge"; sit back and enjoy the ride. ;-)

1. It is amazing how much a person can get done when they are extremely busy and overwhelmed, but when one has the time to "get caught up" very little gets done. "Little Mark" has been visiting in Dallas for almost 2 weeks. On any normal day I can teach, make lesson plans, work on 4-H stuff, church stuff, personal stuff.... the list goes on. However, since he has been gone I haven't been motivated to do too much. I have a list of things I have wanted to accomplish, and I have done some, but not everything I wanted. Why is that?

2. This last Sunday I taught a Sunday School lesson for the first time in YEARS . It was the first time I have ever taught my peers, much less a co-ed class. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I worked on it for a couple of days, and then felt the need to change everything late Saturday night. I stayed up until 2:00 am and rewrote the entire thing. God did a great work, and even convicted me AS I WAS TEACHING. Don't you hate it when that happens? ;-)

3. I have a lot I could say about the state of our country, economy, etc., but I'm not going to turn this into a political blog, so let's just say I am praying A LOT!

4. Speaking of praying, our church started a prayer room at church. It is open for the entire community to call in prayer requests. I am in the room 1 hour every week. I have been so blessed by this ministry that I cannot even describe it to you. ;-) God is good.

5. I am LOVING the Bible Study on Esther by Beth Moore. It's definitely NOT the story you learn in Sunday school as a child. I have had a real blessing being the facilitator on this one. I hope I can do it again, sometime.

6. I have really enjoyed catching up with old friends and family on facebook. I am still addicted, and someone might need to start a 12 step program for this. I heard on Fox and Friends this morning that people are even giving up facebook and myspace for Lent.

7. I made this cake today, and it is PHENOMENAL!!

8. VBS is only a little over 4 months away. I am helping to get it organized this year, rather than teaching. We are doing this one. Should be fun. :-)

9. "Little Mark" has been doing a wonderful job in 4-H and has even made it to the district level in the fashion show. :-)

10. I have decided that I would REALLY love to take a photography class, and perhaps turn it into more than a hobby. After all, once "Little Mark" graduates High School I'll need to get a "real" job. ;-)

I think I have bored you enough. Tomorrow is GCC recipe swap, so I need to find a recipe for that. Stop back by tomorrow. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Grab Your Kleenex and Go Here:

http://virtuealert.blogspot.com/2009/02/tissue-alert-timely-message-for-us-all.html

Love,
Wendy Darling

GCC Recipe Swap....

It's hard to believe it is Friday already. ;-) Be sure to visit Gayle over Grocery Cart Recipe Swap for more great ideas. She has a great recipe for making your own Ranch Dressing Mix, rather than buying the envelope of dry mix. ;-)

I guess this one could actually be considered a "third installment" post. ;-) I'm giving your the recipe for the puppy face cookies I have been posting about. ;-) It is really pretty easy, but they make amazing cookies.

I have to give credit where credit is due. I got this from the Disney Family Cookbook. I bought this back in '96 or so, and it has served me VERY well with the kids. If you find a copy I encourage you to pick it up. It is a great investment. ;-)

Anyway, here is the recipe.

Sugar Cookies
1 C butter, softened (use REAL butter)
3/4 C sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 oz unsweetened Bakers chocolate

Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Mix the 3 dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add to the creamed mixture in 3 installments, mixing well between each installment.

Dived the dough in half. Place the "plain" dough between two pieces of wax paper and roll into a disc, about 1/4 inch thick. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and then add to the remaining dough. Mix well. Place that between two pieces of wax paper, roll out. Refrigerate both discs for 2/3 hours.

Using a heart shaped cookie cutter cut out one "plain" heart and one chocolate heart. Place the "plain" heart upside down on your cookie sheet, creating the "face". Cut the chocolate heart in half and place one piece on each side of the "face", pointed tip at the top of the "head." Decorate the "face" however you would like. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

You could even wait until after they have baked and cooled and decorate with icing and candy. ;-) Be creative!

** Tip - be sure to keep the dough chilled. If it gets to warm to work with just put it back in the fridge for a bit. You could also just make pinwheel cookies by rolling the two pieces into a log and slice and bake. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Puppy Cookie :-)

I found ONE, lone cookie in the bag, so I snapped a picture of it for you. "Angel" decorated this one. The main thing with this cookie is the recipe, and using the two heart cutters to make the face. The decorating could be done many ways. We used what we had.

If I were in the "perfectionist" mood I would have used 3 SMALL chocolate chips on each cheek, a black jelly bean for the nose, and a glob of white frosting for the eyes before placing the M&M. ;-)

But, we were going for fun, not perfection. And they taste amazing. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

I am still here... ;-)

Sorry that I haven't posted much lately. We have been busy, and then the last couple of days I have been lazy. No excuse. "Little Mark" is in Dallas, so I am trying to take some time to just relax. So far it isn't working well, but I'm hoping tomorrow I can be a little lazy.

Then, there's that whole "addicted to facebook thing." ;-)

However, I did have a sweet visitor today that I thought I would tell you about. :-) I woke up about 7:30 this morning. I slept in a couple of hours. ;-) Before my eyes could even adjust the doorbell rang, and I heard my mother answer it with these words, "Well, hello darling..." and her voice went up a couple of octaves. That tone of voice is reserved for 3 people, and two of them are in Big D, so I knew that "Angel" was paying us a visit on her way to school. ;-)

I went to the front door and there she was holding out two pictures she had colored for us, and written at the top of mine was "I love Aunt Wendy because we make the best cookies together." ;-) And she signed her name.

Yes, I was touched. ;-)

She then asked if she could PLEASE come and visit us after school today. We said, "Yes" and I prepared some cookie dough later this morning. I thought she might like to make some puppy face cookies. I saw it in a magazine a couple of weeks ago. I have tried to find a picture of it, but I can't, and they have been eaten. Sorry.

Anyway, she had a great time cutting out the dough with heart shaped cookie cutters, and cutting the chocolate heart in half with the pizza cutter to make the ears. In her own words "I'm a good cook, because I can use this and not cut myself." ;-) She did a great job.

Then, we watched some TV, played on the computer, and listened as she enthusiastically told us about the dream she had in which she went to Heaven and a little girl made a fire and took care of her. And then the very big cross was there (and here she interjects very dramatic, broad movements with her face and arms to show just how big this cross was) and she just looked at it forever and ever. And then she woke up. ;-)

So, I didn't get my day of relaxation, but I got a day of affirmation. I think that's better. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

GCC Recipe Swap...

Happy day before Valentine's Day; or for those of you who are single (like me) and will not be celebrating (like me) "Have a great Saturday." ;-)

Today is Recipe Swap Friday over a Grocery Cart Challenge. Please, check them out for more great recipes. ;-)

Anyway, with tomorrow being Valentine's Day I thought perhaps you might like to make this little gem of a dessert for your romantic dinner. I believe when I made this the word used to describe it was "sensual." You might remember when I posted about it HERE.

So, if it can be "sensual" for a bunch of women sitting around scrapbooking, just imagine what it could do for you and your spouse on a romantic day like Valentine's Day. I bet you might even score some jewelery with this one. :-) Enjoy :-)

Chocolate Truffle Pie

1 1/4 pkg. (10 squares) Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 C whipping Cream
4 eggs
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C flour
1 C Cool Whip , thawed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place chocolate in large microwaveable bowl. Add whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted; cool slightly. Add egg, sugar and flour; beat with wire whisk until well blended.Pour into lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake 35 min. or until outer half of pie is puffed but center is still slightly soft; cool. Serve topped with the whipped topping. Makes 10servings. May also dust with powdered sugar for decoration.

Love,
Wendy Darling

http://burnsfamilystudios.com/movies/pendragon/media/

The following is a direct quote from the HSLDA newsletter. I hope they don't mind. ;-)

Families Make Historical Epic Movie

By Natalie Harris

Unaware that it’s impossible to film an epic movie on a micro-budget, the Burns family did it anyway. Although everyone contributed, the vision and work was driven by the cousins of both families.

Northern Burns family: Back row, left to right: Aaron, Nathan, and Andrew Burns. Front row: Marilyn, Tracey, and Shannon Burns.

Southern Burns family: Back row: Ray and Adriane Burns. Front row, left to right: Chad, Peter, Nick, Sara, and Lisa Burns.

Twenty-six-year-old Chad Burns and his siblings and cousins have succeeded in filming, producing, and now promoting Pendragon: Sword of His Father with only $80,000. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, the average cost of an MPAA film was $106.6 million in 2007.

Pendragon is about Artos, a young British warrior who must defend his native Britain against invading Saxons in 411 A.D. To do this, Artos must escape Saxon slavery, his own despair, and treachery.

The cousins had made movies before for fun, but with Pendragon, they wanted to get serious. They worked on the story for a year before presenting it to the family.

“They said, ‘We think this is what the Lord wants us to do, and here it is,’ ” Chad’s aunt Tracey said. “ ‘While the moms sat in stunned silence, the dads responded, ‘This is going to cost a lot of money. Where are you going to get the money?’ ”

Eventually, the families became a cast and crew. Chad directed. Nick, Marilyn, and Aaron acted and managed various tasks. Lisa, Sara, Peter, Shannon, and Nathan took on jobs such as photography and blog maintenance. Moms Adrianne and Tracey hosted. Dads Ray and Andy acted and advised. Everyone pitched in.

“The faithful support of many other Christian families, most of them homeschoolers, was what made it possible,” Chad said.

“The first big answer to prayer was the horses,” Tracey said. Unexpectedly, the Burnses received an email from the Atherton family who heard of the project and volunteered their horses. They even taught the Burnses to ride.

They were the first of many volunteers who sewed costumes, acted, and built sets such as the hill fort. One homeschool graduate turned cardboard and coat hangers into axe heads and spearheads, held together with glue and spray-foam insulation and finished with spray paint. About 450 people served as extras.

But what’s a movie without an audience? The Burnses were working on promoting the film long before they released it in November 2008. The movie premiered at Oakland University with standing room only for the 300 people attending. On January 24, Chad said the Burnses have sold 1,937 DVDs, though the Burns families have only spent $2,000 on promotion. They have received as many as 100 DVD orders in a day. The Burnses want to use the proceeds to promote the film and get the project out of the red. To do that, they will have to sell 20,000 DVDs. In the meantime, they have several distributors lined up to sell the film, and the Burnses hope to have Pendragon in 500 bookstores this February.

Without homeschooling, the Burns families don’t think the movie could have happened. Adrianne and Tracey agreed that homeschooling prepared their children for the world’s secular influences. At the same time, it gave the Burnses a desire to impact the world through film.

“To me, the measure of success is that they’re doing their best to walk in the truth and please God with their lives,” Tracey said.

Throughout the all-night film shoots, brutal retakes, and hours of editing, Chad and others kept going because of their mission statement: “Impacting history by inspiring young people to embrace the vision God has for their lives.”

“There are many dark days that happen along the way,” Chad said. “If we hadn’t felt that the Lord had led us along this path, it would have been difficult. I don’t know that we would have made it through to the end.” Chad’s advice for other homeschoolers interested in filming is to pray and to make sure the project is God’s will.

To find out more, visit the Burns’ website.

I ordered my copy tonight. ;-)

Love,

Wendy Darling

We are "bracing" ourselves... ;-)

Please, forgive my feeble attempt at a pun. ;-) I have not forgotten about the post for yesterday, it is just taking longer to write than I first planned. It is in the works...

Please, also forgive this "ramble" of a post. I can assure you that there is not much substance here, no earth shattering changes or epiphanies; just my "this is what's happening in my world" type thing. ;-)

"Little Mark" has his first orthodontist appointment today. We have our consultation and preliminary visit to decide if he needs braces. Based on what the dentist said when he recommended we get the Orthodontist, I'm betting he needs them.

I never had braces, so I have not been able to answer the MANY questions "Little Mark" has been asking. The #1 question being "Will it hurt?" is especially difficult to answer. SO, "Little Mark" took it upon himself to do some research. He now knows a lot about what the braces do, how they will help him, how they are put on, etc. I was glad to see him show that much initiative.

In other news, I have been busy preparing for our college homecoming. It is this weekend, and we are expecting a couple hundred people. I am in charge of refreshments, again; and I am making a cake, again, this year. ;-) I am very excited to see everyone, but also sad that I cannot accompany "Little Mark" to the district food show this year. It's Saturday, the SAME DAY as homecoming.

The last couple of years I have skipped homecoming to attend the food show, but this year I actually have to participate in the meeting, so Cleggy and Aunt J will be attending the food show. However, my phone will be on and I expect a phone call to let me know how things go. ;-)

So, what's going on your world?

Love,
Wendy Darling

Hello, my name is Wendy and I am addicted to Facebook...

Just in case you have wondered where I've been. Anyone with me?

I will be back tomorrow with an actual post. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Grocery Cart Recipe Swap.

It's Friday, and that means another recipe. ;-) This one has been on my mind lately. I guess because I love it, but haven't made it in awhile. I learned about it when I was a girl from a friend of mine. I don't even know the real name for it, so I just call it "skillet chicken", and it is GOOD. ;-) I'm doing this from memory, so I hope I remember it right. ;-)

For more great recipes head over to the Grocery Cart Challenge and visit the links. If you would like to participate just follow the directions there. Enjoy! :-)

Skillet Chicken - for one serving

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
about 1 T flour
ground ginger
season salt
rosemary or parsley
pepper
1 T butter (I guess you could use EVOO if you want, but HELLO, BUTTER.) :-)

Heat your skillet to medium heat. Wrap your chicken breast in plastic wrap and pound it pretty thin. About 1/2 an inch. Lightly flour each side of the chicken. I don't really measure my seasonings and spices for this, I just sprinkle it on to taste. Melt the butter in the pan, lay seasoned side down and season the other side. Cook each side until brown and cooked through. This won't take long if you pounded it rather thin, so don't overcook it. Serve with a salad.

Love,
Wendy

You can win a $250 Keurig Platinum Brewer!

Gayle over at Grocery Cart Challenge is giving away a Keurig Platinum Brewer plus 4 boxes of K-cups. How awesome is that!? ;-) Please go HERE for more details and sign up for it. She will be giving it away on February 2nd, so hurry! ;-) THANK YOU GAYLE!



Love,
Wendy Darling

Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival...

FYI, the quarterly carnival begins today. I will not be participating this time around, but if you would care to participate, or sign up for the MANY giveaways just go HERE. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

At least he's honest...

Update: "Profits" as opposed to "prophets"; Proof that medication, lack of sleep and blogging do NOT go together. I have corrected it now. ;-)

On Friday "Little Mark" was retaking a Bible Quiz. I say "retaking", because he chose not to study before said quiz and failed miserably. I went over everything with him, including studying all of the prophets. I knew he would have to list all of the major and minor prophets IN ORDER on the test, so before giving him the quiz I instructed him to be sure to study them, come to me and say them and once he could do that I would give him the quiz.

About an hour later he came to me, rattled off all the major and minor prophets in order and took the test. He made a 98. That is a respectable score, so we moved on.

Later that morning my Mom and I were talking about her new Myspace account. (We are dragging our Mom into the 21st century...) ;-) "Little Mark" then said, "Nana, I know you login and password for myspace." Oh really?! Yes, turns out the little guy heard us discussing it ONCE, several DAYS ago. It is well noted in our family that "Little Mark" has a wonderful memory for phone numbers. He can remember phone numbers we haven't had IN YEARS. I think he has most of my phone book in my cell phone memorized. Seriously.

I then asked the obvious question, "How is that you can remember things like passwords and phone numbers that you hear ONCE, days or even years ago, but it takes you an hour to memorize the minor prophets?"

His response: "Minor Prophets aren't fun."

Allrightythen.....

Love,
Wendy Darling

I got an award! :-)

I want to thank Kwizgiver for honoring me with the "When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade Award". Thank you, Kwizgiver!! ;-) According to the rules I must:

1) You must link back to the person you received the award from.
2) You have to nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award!

So, my 10 will be...

1. Gayle at Grace for Gayle and The Grocery Cart Challenge
2. Melanie at Big Mama
3. Monica at Daily Dwelling
4. Julie at Elisha Rose
5. Dee Dee at Fiddledeedee
6. Leighton at My Best Investments
7. Cleggy at The White Horse
8. Lori at Queen of Dirty Laundry
9. Candace at Be Jolly, By Golly
10. Ree at Pioneer Woman Homeschooling

Thank you to each of you for the joy you bring me, the inspriration, laughter, tears and lessons learned. I love visiting each and every one of you. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Recipe Swap Friday...

Gayle over at Grocery Cart Challenge is hosting the weekly recipe swap. Thank you, Gayle! ;-) I actually just made the following recipe last night. I saw it on 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray, and I had to adjust it a bit, because I didn't have the exact ingredients, but it looked so good I wanted to try it. It was, in a word, "GREAT." ;-)

Chick Pea Salad

1 can Chick Peas (Garbonzo Beans)
1/2 small onion, chopped (she used red onion, but I didn't have red.)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 C celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated or chopped really fine
1/2 tsp rosemary (she used fresh, but I used dried)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of red wine vinegar
about 1 T of EVOO ( I just drizzled some on and eyeballed it.)

Stir everything together and let set for about 10 minutes. ENJOY. See, very easy, inexpensive and healthy. ;-) For more recipes be sure to head over to the Grocery Cart Challenge. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Pray for President Obama...

I was going to post about today's inauguration later today, but I just saw that Beth Moore has begun a prayer chain for him at her blog. It is no secret that I did not vote for President Obama, but he was elected by a democracy in what I still believe is the greatest country on Earth.

I prayed diligently before the elections, during the elections, and after the elections. I have not stopped praying. Today is not a day to be divided, but to be united in prayer for God to give President Obama wisdom, and a clear direction of where HE would have us to go as a nation.

Please, visit Beth's blog and leave your own prayer for President Obama in the comments.

Love,
Wendy Darling

Apologia Biology Give-Away...

If you homeschool you have probably seen this curriculum. Principled Homeschooler is giving away
a set of "Exploring Creation with Biology" second edition. Please, go over to Principled Homeschooler to sign up for the giveaway. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Better late than never....
UPDATE: I ended up linking this post to Friday's Recipe Swap, so I want to make sure you guys go over to Gayle's at Grocery Cart Challenge to see the other wonderful recipes. :-)

I told y'all the other day that I would be back with a recipe. Obviously, that didn't happen. BUT, I am now here with it. :-) I made these last week to take the Bible Study. Yes, the same Bible Study in which they served the YUMMY Taco Soup. ; -) They were ALL eaten. And there were only 5 of us at the Bible Study. ;-) I guess they liked them. LOL... I know I did,.

OK, here's the recipe.

Spice Cake Cookies

1 box Spice Cake Mix
1 egg
1/2 C oil

Mix all three ingredients together. Dough will be a little "crumbly", but still moist. Form small balls, about 1 inch round. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, flatten the cookie with your spatula. Let set for 2 minutes and then remove from pan. If the dough in your bowl begins to dry out, just mist it with a little water.

These actually make a crispy cookie, and is VERY good. We made them even better by spreading vanilla icing on them. ;-) I bet cream cheese icing would taste good too. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

It's a list...

I have to apologize. I have been meaning to blog for a couple of days now. Truly, I had all kinds of plans, I had the post thought out in my head, and everything. But, LIFE happened, and I just didn't do it.

I sat down at the computer several times to blog, and then I just couldn't get it all down, or I was too tired and changed my mind.... you know how it is.

SO, given all of that I have decided to just give you a list of what I would have blogged about this week. :-)

1. "Little Mark" competed in the county 4-H food show. He competed in 3 categories and came home with 3 blue ribbons. :-) He was excited, and he did very well. Really. The only constructive criticism that the judges had for him was to "relax." ;-) He goes to District in February, and he is looking forward to it.

What did he make you ask? He made these Oatmeal Bars, and these Multi-Grain chips. :-) He also did a place setting.

2. I know I have mentioned it in awhile, but "Little Mark" and I have been going back to the gym 3 days a week. I have been watching my eating, again, even though I have not done the diet I was on. For some reason I just can't seem to do those first 9 days again for phase 1. HOWEVER, I am eating much more fruit and yogurt. I am drinking a lot more water, and watching my portion control. WE EVEN BOUGHT A SCALE! :-) Results? This week I have lost a whopping 1.3 lbs.

OK, so it isn't the huge 15 lbs. I lost the first week last time, but it is a loss! :-)

3. I am almost finished with the Bible Study "Believing God" by Beth Moore. If you have not done this Bible Study may I urge you to RUN to your nearest Christian Bookstore and purchase it. It is amazing. ;-)

4. We begin the Beth Moore Bible Study on "Esther" this Sunday evening at church. I am leading it. ;-) I can't believe I am doing it. The leader of the Ladies Ministry asked me if I would do it, and after a few days of prayer I agreed. Pray for me, please. ;-)

5. A friend loaned me some DVDs to the Moody Science Institute. Y'all, I have fallen in love with the DVDs. I want to own a set! Dr. Irwin Moon did the "films" more than 50 years ago, but they are still relevant today. The way they are put together, the scenery... everything about them is amazing, and glorifies God as our Creator. I have had so much fun watching them with "Little Mark."

That concludes the list. Perhaps I'll be back tomorrow with a recipe. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap...

Obviously my goal to blog more this week didn't work out too well. I'll strive to do better next week. ;-)

Last night I attended our first Singles Bible Study of the new year. I love Bible Study. I love the fellowship, studying the word, and the food.

Did I mention we eat at the Bible Study? I didn't? Well, we do. And it is good.

Last night our host made a Chicken Taco soup. I had never had this before, but OH. MY. WORD. It was amazing. We all had to have the recipe, and even though I have not actually made it, yet, I am passing it on to you today. Because you must make this soup. It taste fantastic, and is very easy.

Chicken Taco Soup

1 family size can of chicken and rice soup
2 cans of water (use the soup can to measure)
2 large cans of canned chicken
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 can of ranch style beans
1 can of Rotel
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 envelope of Ranch Dressing mix

If you want it "heartier" you can add more corn and beans, etc. You serve this with cheese and Fritos or Tortilla chips. OH, and we also had a salad, because we like to be healthy. ;-)

For more mouth watering recipes please head over to Gayle's at Grocery Cart Challenge. If you like, post your recipe and link up as well. ;-)


Love,
Wendy Darling

Book Recommendations

Hello, Everyone :-) I hope you are having a really great new year. Things are beginning to get back to "normal" here. Whatever "normal" is... ;-) We had a nice two week break from school, and we started back today. "Little Mark" is doing well, so far. ;-)

We went back to the gym today, and I feel like my legs are heavy pieces of cement now. We worked out in the pool for over an hour, and according to the trainer that showed us around when we first joined that is like working out for over two hours on the machines.

It feels it too. But, I'm glad I did it. ;-)

Now that the holidays are over I hope to be better about blogging regularly. I'll strive for that anyway. :-)

For my first post of the new year I thought I would share some books with you that have really helped me the last few years. I guess I could have titled this post something like "Self-Help Day", but who would want to read that?

Now, naturally the Bible will be at the top of the list, so we are just going to give that a given. I can't even tell you how much The Scriptures have changed my life. That would require MANY blog posts just for the Bible. So, we will move on.

Breaking Free by Beth Moore



Now, I have made it very clear how much I enjoy Beth Moore Bible Studies. I did do the Breaking Free Bible Study as well, but before that I read the book. A lot of is covered in the study/workbook, but if you don't want to get into all of that the book is a tremendous help. I learned how to take my negative thoughts "captive", and to just let go of a lot of junk. Junk that was keeping me from not only growing in Christ, but hurting personal relationships with friends and family. This book really helped.

Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley AKA "FlyLady"



If you have not heard of FlyLady you are missing a treat. I cannot tell you how overwhelmed/stressed I used to be. I would be so upset if someone saw my home and it was not "perfect." And, to me, it was NEVER perfect. I would also set myself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals for the day.

I would make a "To do" list for that day and there would literally be 25 things (or more) on the list. BIG projects. Things that would normally take a week a to do. Then, I would kill myself trying to get it all done, and I would beat myself up when I didn't finish the list. OR, I would do most of it and still beat myself because I didn't finish. Not to mention I would be cranky. Can anyone say "martyr syndrome?"

Once I heard about FlyLady and I resolved the fact that I am NOT superwoman I became much more relaxed and much happier. :-)

This book will totally change not only your life, but the entire dynamics of your family/household. :-)

Taking Care of the Me in Mommy by Lisa Whelchel



OK, so I'm not a "Mom." But ANYONE who deals with children on a regular basis, runs a household.... heck, if your a woman you need to read this book. It taught me that it IS okay to take time out for ME. To renew my spirit, my health, my sanity. I can't praise this book enough. :-)

OK, it's a short list, but a good list. Maybe I'll do some more later. ;-) I really hope you were inspired to read one of them. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Resolutions...

Do you make them? I used to. I "resolved" several years ago to stop making resolutions. All they did was depress me, because I always made the same resolution most people made and, like most people, I would fail. So, I just didn't make any.

However, as I look back on 2008 and take inventory of just what all I did do I have to say that God did some amazing things in my life. :-) He did lead me to join a gym which helped my health tremendously, and even though I didn't lose the weight I wanted to lose, the fact that I went at all (and was relatively consistent) is a HUGE improvement.

He showed me that I am much stronger (with Him of course) than I ever imagined I could be. He put to rest some old demons and stopped others before they could even arise.

He showed me Beth Moore Bible Studies, and put a fire in my heart to want to learn more, and LIVE His word, not just read it.

He has been my protector, my comforter, and my Best Friend when I needed Him, and even when I didn't realize I did. He has literally saved me more than once this year. I am almost finished with "Believing God", and this week God showed me that He has truly been with me even before I was born. He not only "knit me in mother's womb" He protected me.

When my mother was in her early stages of pregnancy with me she became ill. The doctor told her she had miscarried, but they did not perform a D and C, for whatever reason. She went home (to Texas) for rest and went to her "family doctor". He confirmed that not only was she pregnant she NEVER miscarried. Who knows what would have happened had the first doctor done a D and C? See, God was there. ;-)

Because of what He has taught me, this year I have decided to actually make a resolution. In 2009 I resolve to do my Bible Study EVERYDAY, no matter what. I resolve to memorize scripture every week, and "hide His word in my heart..." I resolve to look for evidence of His work in my life everyday, and I know I will find it; and praise Him for it. :-)

How about you? If you make resolutions what are yours?

Love,
Wendy Darling

Another Christmas has passed...

...and it was wonderful. :-) We had our Christmas Eve service, complete with candles, and it was such a blessing. Christmas morning we did the Advent Wreath, again a blessing. "Little Mark" read the corresponding Bible verses to go with each candle.

We had breakfast pretty much ready and just popped it into the oven. We all took turns opening our stockings, so we could see what each other got. I got the "Double Twelve Dominoes". The ones you need to play "Mexican Train". I have been wanting them for awhile now, and we have had a wonderful time playing the game together. :-)

I received the most wonderful Bible Study from my sister, "M".



I believe I have established how much I LOVE Beth Moore Bible Studies. Each one that I have done has improved my life for the better. ;-) I can't wait to begin this one. :-)

"Little Mark" got a new camera. I believe that was his favorite gift this year. :-)

Like most families we had a small Christmas this year, but as always we try to keep it meaningful. The goal is to spend it with family and make memories. ;-) I believe we succeeded. :-)

How was your Christmas?

Love,
Wendy Darling

I think we are ready... ;-)

We finished up our shopping yesterday. All that we had left to buy were stocking stuffers and the food for Thursday.

A LOT OF FOOD.

We don't do a big dinner or anything. We save that for Thanksgiving. For Christmas we just do "party" food, and we snack All. Day. Long. It's very relaxing. We also just play games, watch movies...whatever. Again, it's relaxing. ;-)

Here is our "menu" for the day:
Breakfast:

Pigs in a blanket
Fresh Fruit
Juice/Milk/Coffee

Lunch/Snacks

Stuffed Mushrooms
Sausage Balls
Cheese Dip
Spinach Dip
Bean Dip
Finger Sandwiches (Turkey, Beef or Chicken)
Cheese and Crackers
Veggie Tray
Seasoned Crackers
Cherry Salad

Supper:
Chicken Fried Steak
Mashed Potatoes
Veggie

That's pretty much it. We have to have so much, because not everyone likes the same thing, so we have to make sure everyone is represented. ;-) I cook all I can in advance, and then just reheat around lunch time. :-) Like I said, we really try to make everything with as little trouble as possible, VERY little clean up, and just have a day of FUN! ;-)

So, what's your menu for Christmas Day?

Love,
Wendy Darling

The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap....

I have been to two parties in the last week, and therefore have tasted some WONDERFUL new treats. Let me say, again, just how wonderful the holidays are. :-) Anyway, two dishes were so amazing to me that I immediately asked for the recipe, and then let the "cook" know that I would be posting it on my blog for the recipe swap.

That means you get two! :-) I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :-)

EASY SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP Printed from COOKS.COM

2 pkgs frozen chopped spinach
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 can chopped or sliced artichokes
1 8 oz pkg fine shredded italian blend cheese
1 table spoon minced garlic salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix together all ingredients but half of the cheese in a oven safe bowl or pan.

Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes cover with remaining cheese & bake till melted and slightly golden. Serve with chips or crackers

Easy Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

Make It

MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

OH MY WORD! Y'all have to try these!! :-)

For more wonderful recipes head over to Gayle's. :-)

Love,

Wendy Darling

I'm requesting your help...

This pertains to a subject that I have blogged about before, and is very close to my heart.

My family and I have adopted soldiers in the past. This year, financially, we could only do one soldier. So, we adopted one, as a family. We send one care package a month, because postal charges do hurt. This is a petition to ask congress to allow citizens to send letters and care packages to our heroes for FREE.

My comments to my submission stressed that we could help more soldiers, or buy more supplies for our hero, if we didn't have to worry about the postage. That would also help the economy, because we would be purchasing more things.

I have never posted about a bill, or a petition before; and I don't see me doing it again. This one is important though, so I am posting it.

Please, click on the link provided, and sign the petition. Then, send the electronic letter to your Senators and Representatives. Finally, pass it on to your friends, or better yet, link back here on your blog. The more signatures we can get the more of our heroes we can help. :-)

Go here: www.rallycongress.com/...-soldiers/

Love,
Wendy Darling

It's pretty much a list, again.... ;-)

Fist, don't forget that tomorrow is the deadline to sign up for the giveaway over at Boomama's. :-) I'm hoping to win the camera for Cleggy. ;-)

Speaking of Cleggy, Today (Wednesday actually) is his birthday. :-) Head on over and surprise him by wishing him a Happy Birthday. ;-)

Let me, again, bring your attention to Gayle's recipe swap she hosted last week. There are a lot of amazing recipes that may be beneficial for all of your holiday baking/cooking next week. I know I found a few that I will be making. :-)

I, finally, broke down and bought pecans at the grocery store, ya'll. I cannot believe I spent $6 on a pound of pecan halves! I live in Texas; our state tree is the pecan tree! I should be able to get these for A LOT less than $6.
Of course, I could probably get them free if I wasn't too lazy to shell them myself...but that takes a lot more time than I am willing to commit. And it ruins my nails...

Anyway, I bought the pecans so I could make caramel and chocolate pecan bars for the bake sale last week. They are AMAZING! And so sweet that I could only eat a small one (bite size) without getting ill. But, they were worth every penny of the $6 for the pecans. I only needed a cup of them, though. So, I used the rest to make these:



I have been craving fruit cake cookies ever since I mentioned them in this post. Even though it was a short mention, the seed was still planted. I needed fruitcake cookies. I, finally, made them today, and they smelled heavenly. Fresh grated nutmeg makes everything smell better, ya'll. Just sayin'.

And my craving was completely satisfied when I ate 2... or 5..., but who's counting. :-) Besides that, I am a firm believer that fruit cake IS health food. There's fruit, and nuts, and carbs for energy...

Please don't burst my bubble by reminding me of the butter and sugar... I prefer to live in my own little world, at least until after the holidays. ;-)

Here is the recipe for those of you who are interested. Enjoy. :-)

Christmas Fruit Cookies

1 C of butter, softened
1 1/2 C of sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp of baking soda dissolved in 2 tsp of hot water.
3 C of flour
2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
2 lbs of pecan halves
1 lb. of candied fruit (for fruitcake)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. (Yes, I did say 275) Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and dissolved soda. Mix well. Put dry ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans and fruit. Drop on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. About 1/4 cup scoops. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. :-) These make REALLY big cookies. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Digital Camera Give-away!

Boomama is giving away a digital camera at her blog. Deadline to enter is December 17th. Hurry over and sign up. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Grocery Cart Recipe Swap...

Sorry, y'all. I had a bake sale early this morning so the recipe is late. I hope you enjoy it anyway. :-) For more recipes don't forget to go over to Gayle's. :-)

BBQ Cups

1 lb. of ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bottle BBQ sauce
grated cheese
1 can 10 ct biscuits

Brown ground beef and onions in a pot. Season with salt and pepper. Drain. Add in on bottle of BBQ sauce. Flavor and brand is your choice.

Using a muffin tin, place one biscuit inside each muffin hole. Push down to "line" the sides of each, making a "bowl" shape. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture in each biscuit. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. Take out and top with cheese. Place back in the oven for just a minute longer, giving the cheese time to melt. Serve with a salad. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies...

I missed the usual Friday Recipe swap last week, so this week you get two. ;-) Today I am joining Candi's Christmas Carnival. She has 2 really great recipes over there. :-)

I cannot take credit for this recipe at all. I saw it the other night on Paula Deen's Cookie Swap show and I just HAD to make them. ;-) They are AWESOME y'all. Here is the direct link to the recipe.

And here is the result:

As you can see, mine are going in a bake sale tomorrow. However, I did eat a couple and they are amazing. :-) They do take some time to make, but they are definitely worth the time investment. ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow.... ;-)

Guess what it is doing in East Texas?! It's been light flurries on and off today, but tonight as we pulled up to church HUGE flakes began falling and sticking to the cars. As we exited the church and saw all of the cars covered in blankets of white.... well, let's just say we were ALL excited. :-) The kids immediately began scraping off the snow and having snowball fights. ;-) I really hope it lasts awhile. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

This may end up being a list...

I've been meaning to blog since last week. First, I ran out of time, then there were times I just didn't "feel like it." Then, of course, there is the dreaded "I have nothing to write about." So, this may actually turn into a boring list.

I apologize ahead of time. Truly, I do.

To start off I slept most of the day. Now, for those of you going "Man, wish I could..." don't. I had a massive sinus headache from "you know where" most of the day. For the first half of the day I survived on Excedrin for Sinus headaches, water and saltines. I hate it when you have a headache so bad you don't want to move, but your so nauseous you have to eat something. If it wasn't for the really bad sinus pressure I would have thought I was having a migraine.

I did get up and get dressed around 11:00 am. I thought that would make me feel better. It did a little. I then ate a sandwich and drank more water, which also helped. After that I took more aspirin and sat in the chair in the schoolroom with a cold rag over my eyes. I did nod on and off as "Little Mark" finished up his schoolwork. He worked fairly well, independently today. :-)

My original plan was to bake all day for the bake sale we are having on Friday. That didn't happen. I did get up around 4:00 pm. I felt much better, and I did make a batch of mini, red velvet cupcakes. That was all though. The rest will have to wait until tomorrow. ;-)

I, finally, managed to get "Little Mark's" Christmas picture taken, so tomorrow the last of the Christmas cards will go out. :-)

"Little Mark" has actually said some VERY humorous things lately that I have been meaning to blog about, but now I can't recall them enough to do so. Don't you hate it when that happens? ;-) He seems to have inherited his Uncle Cleggy's sense of humor. Which is probably a good thing. :-)

I do remember once when we were young we were listening to a Sunday School lesson about Lot and his wife. The teacher got to the part about Lot's wife turning to a pillar of salt, and said that even today that land is very salty. Cleggy responded, "Man, she must have been one big woman." LOL... :-) That's the kind of humor "Little Mark" is adapting. :-)

I've been meaning to post a picture of our Christmas tree this year. This is the first time we have ever had a white tree. I have to admit, it took some time to "grow on me." I'm a pretty traditional person, and to not look in that room and see a green tree took some getting used to. :-) But, I have to say, I really do like it. :-) What do you think?

I know it looks pink, but believe me, it is white. :-) The ornaments look really nice on there too. Especially this one:
Sorry, "T". We do have Little One's ornament still here. We'll bring it with us when we exchange gifts so he can put it on your tree. :-)

Our family did indeed get to go to Santa Land this year, albeit a week late. But, we made it. It was so exciting. There were new things, again, and we had the best time. I even attempted to use the video feature on my camera. I found out just how much video my card will hold.

About 20 minutes less than I need it too. :-)

However, the audio worked great as well. When I can figure out how to upload a video to this thing I'll be happy to share some of it with you. Unfortunately, my card filled up before I could get us all singing Christmas carols driving through the park together. It was really fun. ;-)

I am hoping we get to go back one more time, and this time I'll wait and video the second half. ;-) If nothing else, this weekend I'll get Cleggy to teach me how to take still photos from a video and I'll post those.

Well, I've bored you enough for one blog post. I will really try to do better this week about blogging. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

The Reason for the Season...

Little Mark is competing in the 4-H photography contest at the district level. He decided to put this photo in the "special effects" category. He used a black bed sheet as the back drop, and then in Poly View he wrote "The Reason for the Season" on the photo. He chose the font and everything. Doesn't it look like it could be a Christmas card? ;-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

It's ON!! ;-)

I'm rooting for you both. ;-)




Love,
Wendy Darling