Family Zoo Trip

Each year we take a family day and go to the zoo...this year we went to the COlumbus Zoo in Ohio where there is a really cool new polarbear exhibit....with underwater veiwing.

Sour grapes being as they are- we had a terrible time trying to view because parents let their kids run amuck and it was CRAZY!...

However, it costs our family the same to get in for one day as it does to go for a whole year on a membership, so we just go when we want to go....

More pics to come...

new things...ideas

I havent been around for a while..been kinda busy ....neglectful for my poor blogs....I figured Id come back because I put so much work into these things that I owe it to my writing to at least cisit them once in a while...right?

School is keeping me busy this summer- preparing for fall quarter, and working an internship all at the same time...

I am very blessed to have great kids and a fabulous husband...

And did I mention we have already canned?
Green beans and apple butter, apple sauce, bread and butter pickles and dills....

Here is my recipe for apple butter....I have no clue where I got it- but its one of the best borrowed recipes ever! ENJOY!

Apple Butter
16 medium apples
4 c sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves

wash apples, remove stem and blossom end-chop into pieces and boil with 2 cups water until "smooshy"

Run through food mill 2x to remove and pulp the apples...add sugar, cinnamon and cloves...

cook slowly until thick enough to hang on spoon- fill hot jars 1/4" from top

process in water bath canner for 10 minutes...
about 5 pints

YUM!

Spring has Sprung....:)

Spring has sprung....I am so psyched at the prospects God has put in front of me!
School is going great, the garage maybe replaced due to wind damage, and Im looking at working in my field of study...FINALLY...
Finances are T-I-G-H-T....but we will manage somehow.

Its all about priorities and what do I need and what do I want?
I have some awesome pics and a lot to share with you all..so hang on to your hats...cause its gonna be a crazy ride!

I am ready for spring.....

Why am I still looking at this?

And this

Now this is what I am ready for.....

Single game tickets go on sale tomorrow- on my birthday....someone needs to call my husband and remind him. Or maybe I will email him this link as a subtle hint....:)

Never have I wanted spring so badly.

Talkin ABout Thursdays...

This recipe is for delicious broccoli cheddar soup....
and its relatively inexpensive...

did I mention YUMMY?


place 1 bag frozen broccoli florets in crock pot
add 1 cup milk (sometimes we use cream)
add 2 cups water.
add 1 can cream of ------soup-
this is where it gets tricky

I like cream of mushroom in mine
Morgan likes cream of chicken
we fight. :)

add 1 can of cheddar cheese soup

stir stir stir

after the broccoli has cooked - about 2 hours on high-
we add teensy weensy egg noodles.
they make the soup creamy, and filling.

we top ours off with cheddar cheese...
sometimes with more steamed broccoli...
sometimes mushrooms..

you can make it to your liking...
and comfort food is always welcome when the weather is somewhere in between rain and snow.

For those who do not like this, we also have a cheesy potato soup...

1 bag frozen hashbrown cubes...
2 cups milk
2 cups water
bring to a boil so potatoes get done
add
2 cans cheddar cheese soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup

let simmer for 15 minutes or so, until steamy and HOT

we add things like shredded carrots or tiny broccoli pieces for color.
Can be cooked in crock pot as well..:)


dont forget the crackers and hummus!

Quilt Raffle!!!!

God is so good.
This is a picture of my friend Rita ( clear on the left cheesin') and Jeff ( clear on the right, also cheesin') and all of the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti from Vals Orphanage.

This is whats left of Vals Orphanage.

And this is how we are going to rebuild it. One quilt at a time.

This quilt, made by Rita and a friend, will be raffled off, and all of the proceeds will go to rebuilding the orphanage.
Cost for raffle tickets are just $1 for one, $5 for 6
I am so excited to be a part of this concept. This is something everyone can contribute to. If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say they are helpless, we could have already built it again.
But I don't
Instead we have a beautiful quilt to raffle off.

Please feel free to repost this or link to it. I am excited I can do something to help.
For more info on my friends in Haiti...please visit these links....

Doug and Amy

MY Post on my Other Blog

Haitian Christian Projects


You can either reply to this post for tickets, or mail Rita at:


Haitian Christian Projects
808 Ophir St. #7
Moncks Corner, SC, 29461

Mackenzie says...

Hi I am MackenzieThis is when I went sledding. It was fun.Someone fell in the ditch.It was at
john bryan.Then we went hiking.Thats where this was taken.this is my first time blogging so i don't know what to say now.