Remembering Joann

The other afternoon I was on the couch taking a light nap. I was dreaming about Keith's Aunt Joann. It was during her last days where she was laboring so much just to breathe. I was taking a walk and who came by on a bike with a huge smile? Joann. I woke up so happy, believing for a fleeting moment that I could still touch her and see her smile.

The Coming

Today is the first day of Advent. We are reading Jotham's Journey (thanks Leslie!), the children were spellbound. I decided I wanted an Advent wreath so I rigged one up I incorporated some things from my brother and Stefanie's wedding. It took about 5 minutes to hot glue that baby together. I think it looks slightly better in person. Yes, those are emergency candles. I still will be on the lookout for a real one if I ever get out shopping again.

We also decorated outside and put up our tree. I "toned down" Christmas for a few years for various reasons but I feel like amping it up a little.

Bless your Heart

Aunt Rum had a very insightful question:

Okay, now we will address the elephant in the room. Frank's intestines. Dare I ask?
Southerners do not address the obvious nor ask questions like "Why are Frank's intestines hanging out?" We say "Frank, so good to see all of you." Then we wait until Frank leaves the room and say in bug-eyed wonder "What's wrong with Frank? It looked like his intestines were hanging out, but I could be wrong."

My reply:

Wait, I thought Southerners said anything, if it was followed with "well, bless his heart" .

ie~ *"did you see that hideous hat? ghastly...bless her heart"

*"did you see Uncle Frank's entire digestive system hanging out? sickening..bless his heart"

Poor Uncle Frank had surgery Monday, his intestines were protruding through his belly button. Thankfully he is home and feeling better...bless his heart.

Consume Less, Live More

There is a van I drive by that has this written on its back windshield in huge letters.

This post was thought provoking

http://intent.squarespace.com/brush-strokes/2009/11/10/the-revolutionary-next-door.html

Good stuff :-)

Thankful

We had a stellar day today. Uncle Frank's intestines stayed corralled and finally someone noticed my hat around 5:00. What else could a lady ask for?

Keith's Grandma known as Mim sharing a moment. As we always say, all children and animals love Mim.

The children were so excited to look for acorns with their cousins.

Our Family has much to be thankful for this year. The most glaring one for me is Keith's improved health. He has done a 180* turnaround, more than I could ask for or think. Only our loving heavenly Father could do this.

The best is not behind us, it is in front of us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful

As it is Nanette's Birthday week and Thanksgiving it is only fitting that I share a few of her recipes she has shared with me. Four out of the five dishes I am making are from her!

Nanette is a huge blessing in my life and a great friend.

Cheesecake

1 pt sour cream

3 8oz cream cheese

1C. sugar

4 eggs

1tsp vanilla (I used Rum (!) flavoring)

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat over to 350*. Beat sour cream in bowl, set aside. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Beat in 1 egg at a time. Add sour cream and mix. For crust (I always at least double the crust ingredients and press it up the side of the spring form pan) mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Line pan with crumbs. Pour cheesecake batter into pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave for another 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door. Cool before refrigerating. For Thanksgiving I increase all ingredients by half and add pumpkin and the ingredients on the pumpkin can to make pie filling. That way I have 2 pumpkin cheesecakes.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 lb cooked chicken breast (I cook these in bulk, dice them, freeze them on a cookie sheet, then put them in a ziplock in the freezer so they are not in a clump)

1 8oz cream cheese

1 cup blue cheese dressing

1 1/2 cup colby jack shredded

Frank's hot sauce

Place chicken in 9 by 13 pan, coat with Frank's Red Hot to taste. In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese and blue cheese dressing. Spread over the top of chicken. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 for approx 30 minutes.

Let cool a bit and enjoy with crackers, celery, tortillas or my brother in law's favorite: shrimp.

Sweet Potato Gratin

4 or 5 sweet potatoes.

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch freshly ground nutmeg (yeah right)

4 tsp butter

2 cup mini marshmallows (if your children (or dog) do not find them and eat them)

Place potatoes in large saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain. Place potatoes o a bowl of cold water until skins loosen. Peel potatoes.

*OR* forget to read the recipe first. Peel and dice sweet potatoes, boil for about 15 minutes until tender.

In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, spices and butter, using your fingers to blend. Slice potatoes 1/4 inch thick.

Heat oven to 450* Butter and 8 inch square baking dish. Layer a third of the potatoes. Top with a third of the topping. Make two more layers of each. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Top gratin with marshmallows, broil for 30 -60 seconds.

Happy Birthday BFF :-)

Loss

It may shock us for the moment. We may feel hurt, outraged, desolate, helpless. That is our humanity. But the Lord can show us the "long view," the incalculable gain in spiritual and eternal terms, if we love HIm above all. Everything that belongs to us belongs also to Him. Everything that belongs to HIm belongs also to us. What, then, can we finally lose? If we lose not Christ HImself, we have finally lost nothing, for He is our treasure and He has our hearts.
-- Elisabeth Elliot

Gillianne use her privilege pass to make pancakes from scratch for our family this morning. I have to say the privilege was all mine :-) She also had a big first step of getting bangs cut by Nana Deno.

Here is our Monte activity for the day courtesy of Lynne's idea factory.

Write numbers you want to work on on fish. Neatly put out fish and marbely-countery things. Of course all found at the $ Store.

The child lays out the fish and gives each fish the corresponding number of "bubbles" (counter).

Ollie and Christian were fighting. After we prayed together I made them hold hands and we each said something we love about each other. It worked :-)

I'm Mrs Heatmiser...

The kiddos enjoyed sawing in the sun.

Montessori and Mayhem

To practice fine motor we did this activity ala Lynne with parm containers, pipecleaners and beads. All from the $ store. It was a hit with everyone.

Are you sick of the Sophie in her seat pics?

Ollie's finished project.

It was a beautiful fall day today.

Abby Gabby

Ollie and I had another late night date. His bloodsugar was 65 at 2am. He was happy to get up for 4 Starbursts and a couple stories.

Bliss

Oliver made snowflakes starting at 6am. All day.

Keith was sick so we self quarantined. When snowflakes got old we embroidered.

Abby tried too.

Christian built a horse for Sophie. He was pleased as punch.

Check it out

Christian has joined the blogosphere.

http://denoriot.wordpress.com/

Where is Keith?

In case you have noticed, Keith hasn't been blogging much( www.keithdeno/adosr.com ).

That would be because he has been busy sweeping, doing dishes and mopping floors. A lot. He has taken total responsibility for maintaining the kitchen. So, please cut him some slack regarding not sharing his wit and sometimes wisdom.

Diabetes Supply Storage

This hutch is in our dining room. My Aunt Sue gave it to us when she redid her dining room.

It is great because it is smallish for a hutch. Last summer I painted the white trim a greenish, gave away my dishes and covered the glass with Laura Ashley garden fabric. Actually I did the fabric a while ago when we were home educating in our dining room.

It is now home to Oliver's diabetes supplies. They are handy yet not out on the counter in

plain view. The detergent bottle is for our sharps but I have to buy another actual red sharps container for when we dispose of them at the nursing home.

Thank you for sticking with me on this mini tour.

Walking Trainwreck

I couldn't make this stuff up.

We broke down shortly after 9 am on the way to our co-op.

Oliver's insulin pen jammed. Thankfully I had syringes by accident. I wont be traveling without them and a back up of insulin. What if I break the glass bottle?

My dad tried to get us going for a long time. Finally we called a tow truck. Dad left with my 4 biggest kiddos. (thank God for Bob!)

I had hours to clean out my van while I waited.

Julianna and Sophie were very excited to ride in a tow truck.

The girls had fun playing with our neighbor, Alyssa, who they call Melissa.

This describes me to a T .

You can get yourself one at www.artsyfartsyfinds.blogspot.com

On Asking God Why

Is psychology good or bad? Perhaps neither as it is a method of inquiry.

The rub is when we don't start with theology, the knowledge of God.

Psychology describes. The Bible prescribes.

*Proverbs 3:7-8 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones

in other words Turn from evil, let that be the medicine to keep you in health.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-5, 7 Love suffereth long, and is kind, love envieth not; love

vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemingly, seeketh

not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Beareth all things, believeth all

things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

I substituted the word love for charity. Love is kind, doesn't take quick offense. Love

keeps no score of wrongs. There is nothing love cannot face, there is no limit to its

faith, hope and endurance.

Help on another carry these heavy loads, in this way fulfill that law of Christ.

I read this in Trusting God in a Twisted World by E. Elliot.

"Do not try to teach pigs to sing. You'll only frustrate yourself, and irritate the pigs."

Franciscan Monk

Some ideas

Gillianne is having a hard time with telling time. I found a supplemental workbook and some blank time stickers. After our regular math we do a page in the wb, show the time on the Judy clock, and make a page for a book about what she does at each time during the day.

Everyone loves manipulatives! (yes, that is marker)

Today the children had moonsand (do not use the dollar store brand) and shells on their trays to sculpt and make fossils.

Monday we made pumpkins. I printed out some pumpkin books and activities.

Gilli planted some corn kernels on Monday.

The pumpkins were a big hit. I got the idea from www.mymontessorijourney.com .

An important part of Montessori is making the materials available and attractive. My friend Lynne and I found these trays at the dollar store. We also found some other goodies I will share with you soon.