Fingerprint Friday

So thankful my kids have cousins nearby.
From both sides of the family.

My prayer, as they grow older,
is that they will support and encourage each other.
Especially in their walk with Christ.

The only girls.
They for sure need to stick together. The youngest two.
Well, for another week or two, anyway.
That's right.
I'm going to be an aunt again.
Twice.
In the next month and a half.
Yippee!
Two babies to love on.
And then...give back to their mommies.I Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another
and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Oh, So Easy

You will love this.
It's soooo easy.
And ooey, gooey yummy.
We ate them warm.
A little hard to cut.
But well worth it.

S'More Cookie Bars
3/4 c. butter/margarine, melted
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9x13 pan, combine butter with crumbs; press in bottom of pan. Evenly sprinkle with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and marshmallows. Pour condensed milk over mixture. Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly. Cool. Cut into squaresThis recipe comes off the Imperial margarine box.
Well, really it's not margarine.
It says: 53% vegetable oil spread.
It's old-fashioned looking packaging.
It's probably extra unhealthy.
It's what I use for nearly all my baking.
My grandma always had it.
And she was a wonderful cook.
So now it's what I use.
Hoping that wonderful cook-ness will rub off on me.

Besides, butter is just too expensive.
Especially as much as I bake.
My grocery budget would be busted.

Hubby: Gina, why don't we have any toilet paper?
Me: Well, dear,
(cuz, that's how I always respond to my hubby)
I had to buy butter.

See, if I bought the real stuff,
tp would have to take second place.
That. would not. be good.

Wow.
This is not all where I thought this post would go.
Down the drain.
In a hurry.

I will quit with the bathroom references.
Now go enjoy some s'more cookie bars.
You can even use real butter.
I won't hold it against you.
I just may not come to visit you.
Since you won't have any tp and all.

Hmmmm

I think fall has finally arrived.
It took awhile to show up.
But once it did, it wasted no time dropping leaves.
Every day I feel compelled
to search for leaves as I walk Ezra to school.
They are beautiful this year.

Every season I think:
This is my favorite time of year.
Except winter.
I like winter until Christmas is over.
Then winter should be over.
But its really only just begun at that point.

So, for now, this is my favorite time of year.
Leaves.
Cooler temperatures.
Mums.
Halloween.
Thanksgiving.
Love it all.

Coincidence?

Yesterday morning.
I was minding my own business.
Jobie was across the room from me.
Looking for a Veggie Tales to watch.

Jobie: Mommy, you smell like a walrus.
Me: Did you say walrus?
Jobie: Yep.

Yesterday afternoon.
Roaming thru the $1 spot at Target.
Look what we found:Hmmmm.
A little scary.

Further walrus thoughts:
What does a walrus smell like anyway?
It can't be pleasant.
Can it?

Shouldn't the plural of walrus be walri?
The plural of alumnus is alumni.

Smiles

Recent pictures I like.

Brookelynn and Jobe holding hands.
On a hayrack ride.
Everytime it got a little bumpy, Jobie grabbed her hand.Snapped from the haywagon.
Why it speaks to me, I don't know.
I don't even know what it is saying to me.
I just know that I like it.I can just hear him thinking:
How do I get in here?His aunt told him if he walked with his hands behind his back
the dog would not jump up on him.
He walked all over like this.
Even when the dog wasn't nearby.
He dressed himself, by the way.Mooooooo! Tasty!The only thing missing is Jakie.
He went to a football game with Ryan.
Otherwise this would be my new favorite of the kids.Hope your fall as been as beautiful as ours.

Not Sure...

I'm ready for this.Brookelynn has been begging lately.
Begging to drive.
Not sure where it came from.
She's not even 12 yet.We were out in the country this weekend.
Ryan stopped.
Asked Brookie if she wanted to drive.
Kicked me out of the passenger's seat.
And away we went.

Lara was really not sure.
This is how she looked.
The whole 3 minutes Brookie drove.Brookie didn't quite make the turn into her uncle's drive.
Had to back up.
She learned it's harder to get it into gear than she thought.
She'll really have a shock when she learns manual.She didn't do too bad on the turn.
Although, at one point,
I did think we might end up in the pig pen.But we arrived.
Safely.
And with our sanity intact.She actually did pretty good.
The first time I drove with my dad did not go well.
At all.
It ended with me in tears.
My dad very angry.
And this statement:
I am NEVER driving with you again.
From me.
Although my dad was probably thinking it.

And I haven't.
I have not been in the driver's seat with my dad in a car since.

He just better hope I change my mind.
Someday he's going to need me.
To drive him to a doctor's appointment.
For the enema he's in desperate need of.
He'll be begging me then.

Not sure...
I'm ready for that either.

Fingerprint Friday

The kids have been out of school the last few days.
Yesterday, we went to the zoo.
My requirement for the day was
to get a picture of each one of them with me.
They could pick the location.Lara wanted to take a pic with the lions.
But they were just lying around in the middle of the exhibit.
It was a beautiful day.
But the animals were lazy.
So we just found a pretty shrub.Brookie had no idea where to take hers.
So we just snapped it on the bridge to the gorillas.
She wanted a picture though.
For her locker at school, she said.
Ahhhh. She still loves me.
She's really easily embarrassed.
At one point (by the buffalo) I was singing
"Home on the Range" (the state song of KS).
I had to...
Lara hadn't ever heard it before.
Brookie was so embarrassed.
Especially when some people walked by.
The teenage years are going to be so much fun with her!Jakie did not want his picture taken.
He finally decided on the zebras.
But they are so far away you can't see them.
He didn't like it when I put my arms around him.
Not in public, Mom!Ezzie knew exactly where he wanted his.
In the jungle.
His favorite place.And Jobie wanted his taken everywhere.
The animals cannot be seen in any of them.
But this one was in front of the grizzlies.
For his daddy.
Who works at a college.
With the grizzly as the mascot.God is great.
I give Him all the praise.
For my 5 fabulous kiddos.

Deuteronomy 32:3
I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.