Hurry up and wait!

by Mothersense, posted in Uncategorized

I am not a patient person.  I am more patient than some only because of years of practice as a mother, but I am still not very good at waiting.  Well here is how I know God is preparing me for something….EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING that I have had to do over the last few weeks has required waiting.  Waiting for doctors to call back about Jarrett.  Waiting for prescriptions to be filled. Waiting for Christmas to get here. Waiting for the ball to drop on New Year’s.  Waiting for test results from MY doctor. It just seems endless and forever frustrating me.  And then today I sit with my dear nephew, trying to get him squared away with his college admissions…grr, well actually it wasn’t horrible, I was quite productive today.  I took J to college campus, made sure he is set to register, and see a counselor, and get the $ to pay for whatever classes he registers for….YAY ME, plus I was also able to pick up my husband’s books for his classes while I was on campus AND buy the materials my son needs to complete his cell project.  ALL IN ALL it was a good day I suppose and then I got back in time to pick my girls up from school.  Now it is nearly dinner time and my oldest daughter comes and asks me if she can start fixing dinner!! BONUS!! (ok, so its only frozen pizza, not too hard, but kind of her to offer)

So God is trying to get me to appreciate what I have, to slow down and smell the coffee, or roses, or whatever beauty he is bringing my way. Well thank you Lord for giving me the strength I need!!!

I look forward to the beginning of a new semester of college, and I am thrilled to still be able to volunteer at the school, and help with the community garden at the Utterly Divine Center. I have also been invited by my friend Kristin to begin an exercise regime with her and I am thinking I should take her up on it!!

Until later, my pizza is almost done. Until then, learn the lessons while you wait.

Farewell 2010

by Mothersense, posted in Uncategorized

Oh 2010, where have you taken me? I suppose it has not all been bad.  I did finally get my associate’s degree after much procrastination!! Yippee!! I went through the ceremony and while I said it was for my kids it did feel really good to dress up and put on the cap n gown and do the whole show.  So Thank You Hill College for that opportunity!  We spent several days in Louisiana re-connecting with family and that was incredible!! We have also been able to use Facebook to connect with distant cousins that we normally would not get the chance to get to know.  I have a place to display my beautiful kids and all of their silliness. When faced with adversity we have managed to make it through.  We had the opportunity to walk away from this little cracker-box house that we call home, but decided instead to make it HOME.  I hope you can understand the difference.  A house is a place to lay your head, shelter that is necessary.  A HOME is a refuge from the storm, a safe place that is yours. It is where you know you can be you and not worry about judgment.

And I guess that is the most I can say about TWENTY TEN, because the rest of it kinda stunk.  But for TWENTY ELEVEN, well it holds all of the hope and possibility that comes with every new year, and I will continue to tell my story, and be grateful for my HOME!!

Farewell 2010, you were not the best year, but you were not the worst!!! You certainly won’t be missed.  Bring on 2011!!!  Sincerely, J*

 

 

images found through google

What I am reading 12/30/10

by Mothersense, posted in Uncategorized

I am currently reading a wonderful book that was part of my most awesome Christmas gift at the family “Chinese Gift Exchange”  the title is God Always Has a Plan B.    It is part of my current plan to read more and write more.  I have also been perusing various blogs that are of interest to me.  Many of these blogs are about cooking for a large family, organizing for small spaces, or spiritual things, but they have all helped lead me to other resources and get my creative juices flowing.  That is a huge step for me because I will take all of the help I can get to help me keep my new year’s resolutions!

So for those that need help getting organized I suggest you check out  The Simple Mom blog. She has tips for frugal living, organizing, and much much more!

I also found an appropriately titled blog to let me know I am not the only one “Stumbling Impatiently Along” !

The internet has opened so many avenues for “at your fingertips” knowledge and while I am grateful for the convenience I hope it does not signal the demise of the printed word.  I long to “publish” something more than a simple blog, something tangible, something I can autograph! : )

That is all for now, as I continue on my way through the scores of  blogs out there and find even more helpful ideas, some new and some familiar with a twist!

Monkey bread or Pull Apart bread

by Mothersense, posted in Food Stuffs - Recipes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.
  • 2In large plastic food-storage bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Separate dough into a total of 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan. Mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.
  • 3Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.
For the best results, keep the biscuit dough in the refrigerator until just before you use it. Warm dough might get sticky and be hard to handle.
found this at http://www.pillsbury.com and it was so oooey gooey and delicious and we plan to add walnuts the next time!!, I suggest using a sheet pan instead of the traditional bundt and turn it out like a pineapple upside down cake

Mississippi Mud cake

by Mothersense, posted in Food Stuffs - Recipes

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

4 eggs

1 1/4 c. flour

1/3 c. cocoa (Hershey’s, not the kind that you make choc milk, the baking kind)

1 c. pecans

1/4 tsp. salt

3 T vanilla

Cream sugar, oil and eggs together by hand. Add flour, cocoa, salt. Add vanilla and nuts. Mix well by hand. Spray 9 x13 pour in mixture. Bake @ 350 for about 30 mins . Cool 10 mins then spread a jar of marshmellow cream on top. I let this set up for awhile.

ICING

1 stick butter

1 bag of powder sugar

1 c. pecans

1/2 can evaporated milk

1/2 c. cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter, milk and vanilla. I just heat in small saucepan until melted and heated thru. Pour over cocoa. Start out with maybe 1/2 bag of powder sugar and you can always add more if needed. Should be somewhat of a thick icing. Spread over marshmellow cream.