31 Days of Slow Cooker Cooking

I have heard the challenge (or at least read about it)  :)

and I have accepted!!!!

Stephanie O'Dea does a blog: You can read it here!

In 2008 she made a new year's resolution to use her crockpot every day for a year!!! 

Randy LOVES crock pot food!! So I decided to have a month of crock pot cooking. A year is too long for me. And realistically a month is too much too. There are only 3 of us most of the time and we would NEVER eat that much food. 

Soooo, I am going to make 31 crock pot meals in the next 2 months. As I try recipes, I'll share them here on my blog.

Do any of you want to share this challenge with me???

WEDNESDAY WISDOM (a day late... because....)

Wednesday Wisdom is 2 days late this week because I took my parent's to Fort Scott, KS for a funeral.

Wednesday Wisdom this week comes from my January, 2012 Real Simple magazine.

To Subscribe click here

 Or if you don't like to "waste paper" on a subscription, you can get it on e-readers.

2 to 4 

The approximate number of cups of coffee that you can safely drink each day, according to the Mayo Clinic...... A new study in Archives of Internal Medicine shows that a morning (and midday and afternoon) cup of joe could stave off the blues: Of more than 50,000 women followed over 10 years, those who downed two to three cups each day were 15 percent less likely to get depressed, and those who consumed four cups lowered their risk by 20 percent. Truly buzz-worthy.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM

Continued wisdom from last Wednesday! 

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree."

Roy L. Smith

 

WEDNESDAY WISDOM

There is an excitement in the air that you can't feel any other time of year. 

Sometimes, depending on what is happening in your life - it's hard to feel Christmas.

It comes from within.

Each one of us has the power to embrace it.

Or to ignore it and bury it deep within so we don't feel.

The celebration happens with or without us.

Because God's Son did come.

He does live.

He knows that whether you or I feel Christmas or not -

It is real.

CAN YOU FEEL IT?

This picture I found on Pinterest and it came from: http://www.thediaryofdaveswife.com/2011/11/holiday-comforts.html

Curly Girl Bags at Craft Show!!

I used to live in Wichita. Years ago. :)  It was 1986 through 1990. - or sometime around then. I made some very dear friends at Glenn Park Christian Church. Now that I'm back in Wichita, we've had the wonderful opportunity of reconnecting. 

My friend Linda is now the Pre-school Director at West Heights United Methodist Church and this week she is having a craft show for the pre-school parents and church members.  She asked me if I would like to bring my phone pockets. I had such a good time there this morning and I get to go back tomorrow. 

 This is my friend Linda on the left. 

The couple she is visiting with have sold Premier Jewelry for 25 years

and they also have a display.

This is my other friend Deb, looking in her book for a customer. 

She is a successful 20 year salesperson with Tupperware.

(the picture may be blurry because Deb NEVER slows down & is always on the go!)

This is Rita Jones and she sells Usborne books.

I took this picture because I have a place in my heart for Usborne.

I used to sell these books and I love them.

This is my table with the Phone Pockets.

Also represented are Pampered Chef, Scentsy, Avon, Children's wings, tutus, hair bows etc,  a bakery, a lady that does children's face painting at parties and a lady that travels all over taking pictures that look like letters and then sells them to be framed.

A nice selection of goods and displays, a very nice selection of people to meet and get acquainted with. I had an enjoyable day and I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

If you live in the Wichita area, this show is at West Heights United Methodist Church, 745 N. Westlink, from 8:30 - 12:30 Tuesday morning. We would love to see you there.

"Happy Holidays"

I love this post from "The Path Less Taken". Please read this post and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/2011/11/happy-holidays-and-other-four-letter-words/ 

Thank you Jennifer!

WEDNESDAY WISDOM (a day late)

"You don't have to put your whole life in your purse."

Judith Leiber

This picture is  a Crossbody purse at Macy's

Oklahoma History Lesson for Adrian Walker!! :)

Oklahoma - where the wind does sweep down the plain - and in the hilly areas, too. There are beautiful wheat fields - beautiful to those driving by - dusty and dirty to those of us driving the combines or hauling the wheat to the Co-op in the OLD truck. (I'm speaking for my family!) My frugal Dad always  "fixed" never bought "new"!! He's a good man.

And as for the red dirt you should read my blog from August: for-all-my-okie-peeps

I have many more stories like this!!
 

A state not unlike Kansas. (except for the red-dirt thing)

So, Adrian - this is for you: 

      Sooners is the name given to the settlers in the Midwest. They entered the unassigned lands - which were in the center of the lands ceded to the US by the Creek and Seminole Indians after the Civil War. By 1883 it was bounded by the Cherokee Outlet on the north, several relocated Indian reservations on the east, the Chickasaw on the south, and the Cheyenne-Arapaho reserve on the west.

        In 1989 President Grover Cleveland officially proclaimed this land open to settlement with the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889.

 

         Sooners were often deputy marshals, land surveyors, railroad employees, and others who were able to legally enter the territory early. These people plus many others crossed into the territory illegally at night and they were called "moonshiners" because they entered "by the light of the moon."  These Sooners hid in ditches at night and suddenly appeared to stake their claim after the land run started - way ahead of legal settlers. - the guys who jumped the starting gun to claim their acres. (which is a very interesting bit of history.)

Then, Adrian, there is a whole other history lesson on "Boomers"!! 

My Dad was raised on a "centennial" farm - which is a farm that his family acquired in the land run. And as far as I know, they did it legally and didn't "jump the gun"!!!  

(the information about the Indians and the dates were found on Wikipedia)

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 6

Day 6:

I am so thankful for my book club! Even though I'm not there anymore, I still think of them as "my" girls!! I miss them but am so very thankful that moving 2-3 hours away has not made them forget me! Love my book club friends!!

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 5

Day 5:

I'm very thankful that in all my life, I've always had a roof over my head. God has blessed me greatly with the home I live in now. Randy is a good provider and this house was his home when I met him. I love it and I love the yard. Sometimes I miss my little house in Ringwood - but not often. I'm slowly adjusting and this is becoming home.

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 4

Day 4:

I am thankful that my parents are still alive and that they are still able to live on the family farm. I know it may not be long before other arrangements need to be made, but for now, they are content. My Dad is planting wheat this fall! Which is wonderful. He did have someone else cut his wheat, which was a good decision but a surprise to all of us.

My Mom, she doesn't do so well. I know it's hard on her that my brother and I both moved away in the same year. I do try to talk to her several times a week and so far have been able to go visit them once a month. - and my brother goes by to see them once or twice a week.

I pray these twilight years are easy for them.

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 3

I am thankful for my family.

I have four great kids

3 great in-laws

5 beautiful/wonderful grandkids

1 great step daughter

her wonderful husband

her beautiful/wonderful kids (more grands for me!!)

and Andru - who lives with us!!

Does life get any better than this???

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 2

Day 2:

I am thankful for my husband! God has blessed me greatly with a wonderful Godly man!

It was nice living alone. I liked being able to do what I wanted when I wanted! I enjoyed my friends, my job. But I came to the realization that I didn't want to be alone for the rest of my life. Then God led a wonderful man into my life.

Thank you God for Randy!

30 days of Thankfulness, Day 1

Day 1:

I am grateful for My God for seeing something in me that no one else could ever possibly see,

for giving me strength when life gets tough and makes me weak,

for courage when I am afraid,

He gives me peace when my life becomes chaotic,

He helps me to be kind when I don't want to be,

He shows me grace so that I might learn to be gracious,

and He gives me dignity - when I want to throw fits!

This doesn't even begin to touch all He does for me - all He calls me to be.

But I will spend my lifetime striving to be the woman He wants me to be

and call on His forgiveness when I fall short.

This is my prized possession.

My instructions from Him.

This is my favorite verse. 

Philippians 2:5

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."

I know I often fall short of this attitude.

That's okay because He understands

and 

He knows my heart.

Thank you, God.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM (a day late)

Grateful 

means that you appreciate what someone has done for you and you want to express your thanks. 

 

Thankful

means that you are relieved/pleased that what you hoped for has actually happened.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM

If you’re not using your smile, 

you’re like a man with a million dollars in the bank 

and 

no checkbook.
~ Barney Snell 

My friend Dianne - She has ALWAYS had a beautiful smile!

Where does my time go?

I have been spending my time sewing. Randy and I are retired and to supplement our income we have been involved in two of my favorite things! We sell books on amazon - which you can see

HERE

and I've been sewing phone pockets and selling vintage purses on etsy! And you can see those

HERE

How much better can life be than to be working with books and purses! FUN!!! and it has been especially fun working with Randy. He is such an encourager and he really works at both businesses. What a joy it has been to work along side my husband and to enjoy the work we share!

We have also enjoyed reading. However, I can honestly say, I haven't read as much as usual since I've been married! Too busy enjoying life!!

WEDNESDAY WISDOM

Change your Thoughts - Change your Outlook;

Change your Outlook - Change your World.

Think positively and enjoy life. 

Laugh often!!