The Virginia Queen Bee

Beth and Ben's Birthday Party November 2011

2012-01-02T17:45:00.004-05:00

Beth turned 17 in November and Ben turned 14 in November. They both love to dance, so we had a combined birthday party for them. They both invited several friends and we all had a good time!

Mamaw, Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy and Aunt Janet

Ben and his cousin, Alley.

My niece, Susie, putting raspberries on the Raspberry-Mocha Cupcakes

My great-nephew Daniel with his daddy, Robbie.

Laura and Beth swing dancing

Ben on the right

Time for food!

Looks like the girls claimed this table!

I made Keylime Cupcakes and Raspberry Mocha Cupcakes

We had hot dogs, potato salad, mac and cheese, cole slaw and chips.

Beth and Alek dancing

Getting ready for a line dance.

Myrtle Beach - November 2011

2012-01-01T23:09:00.007-05:00

We were blessed to be able to spend a few days in Myrtle Beach in November. We went with my mom and we stayed in a new hotel.

Definitely a great place to stay!

The other side of the hotel was rounded. Every room has a view of at least part of the ocean!

Neal spotting some dolphin!

Ben celebrated his 14th birthday while we were there. In addition to a ticket to Word of Life Superbowl, he also received gold fish (his fav) and sunglasses.

Neal and I got up early so we could write this in the sand. It ended up staying the entire time we were there!

This was the view from Mom's bedroom balcony.

Cool view from the living room.

This was our first sunrise while we were there.

I love the pink hues!

Ben chose Chinese food for his birthday dinner!

Family! Myrtle Beach 2011

2012-01-01T22:32:00.005-05:00

Hello there! lol

Beautiful Beth!

Fun shots under the pier!

Walking on the Boardwalk

Me and my hubby, Neal

My two beautiful children -- Ben (14) and Beth (17)

Movie Star Ben

Under the pier

I LOVE this picture!

A serious side of Ben

Lounging on the Adirondack chair

What a handsome young man!

Neal and Teresa

2012

July 4, 2011

2011-07-18T14:03:00.003-04:00

It was a rainy 4th of July, so we ate inside and played inside.

Rummikub anyone?

Lots of good food to choose from!

Good friends and family, too!

Every time I see this picture of Beth (purple shirt) I think it's Jessica. :)

Ben with the Chicks

2011-07-18T13:47:00.002-04:00

This was taken a month or so ago. These chicks are now two months old.

Ben letting one of the chicks perch on his hand.

The one out front stretching her wings is Frost...Ben's chick. The one in the "first row" in the center is Parfait...Beth's chick.

Ben had a piano recital back in the spring.

Here he is playing...it's a bit dark, but you can see his white shirt. :)

The Ongoing Journey

2011-07-18T13:46:00.003-04:00

I'm still going to Weight Watchers and although the weight loss has slowed down, it's still going in the right direction. I've now lost about 27 lbs. I still have a long way to go, but that's okay...I didn't gain it overnight and I'm not going to lose it overnight!

I'll try to add a picture later. :)

A Little Get-Away

2011-07-18T12:57:00.004-04:00

Neal and I were blessed with a little mini-vacation last weekend. We had a wonderful time getting away together. (I feel the need to mention that while we were having such a nice time away from home, we didn't know that my dear friend, Perri, was fighting for her life! You can read her incredible story here.) Anyway, it had been too long since Neal and I had gone away alone, so we decided to take a drive up in the mountains and spend the night in Charlottesville. Usually when we go on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we have a certain route we take and we always cover the same area. This time we turned right instead of left. :) And we thoroughly enjoyed the breathtaking views along the way.

There was a spot that had a Mountain History Museum and a recreated homestead. This is the chicken coop.

They had 7 chickens

This was an original cabin from the early-mid 1900's. Two adults and five children lived in this one room cabin with loft.

They moved this cabin from another part of the mountains and added a porch. There were several things they had to do to fix it up, but they've maintained the time period with this building.

This was on Skyline Drive. They made special note of the "hand carved tunnel" and we just knew it was going to be incredible. Well, as you can see, it isn't very long at all. When we saw daylight before we even reached it, we were a bit disappointed. I'm sure it was spectacular in the 1930's though!

These guys were repelling at one of the overlooks on Skyline Drive

Gorgeous!

Me and my wonderful hubby, Neal.

In addition to traveling in the mountains, we spent the night in Charlottesville. One of my favorite stores, Whole Foods, is there, so we spent a couple of hours looking at all the interesting foods. We bought various dried beans and sprouts, locally roasted coffee, Blue Agave syrup, trail mix and several flavors of tea. We also ate supper at a local Mexican restaurant. Their food was really, really good! Then the following day we had lunch at an Indian restaurant. They had a lunch buffet, so we were able to sample everything. It was good, but I prefer Mexican. :)

I'm so thankful for my husband and for the fact that we love spending time together!

Before and 18 Pounds After

2011-03-14T22:35:00.005-04:00

This is before (and I'd already lost 6 lbs here)
January 17, 2011

And as of today, March 14, 2011
I've lost 18 lbs

I know I have a long way to go, but I needed to see these before and after pictures so that I could see the difference. Weight Watchers is working...I just have to stick with it! Thank you, Lord, for helping me these last 9 weeks!

The Journey Continues

2011-03-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

I know it's been a while since I posted about my weight loss, but I'm still chugging along. :) I started this journey on January 10th and am now in my 9th week. I've lost 16 lbs so far. This past week, when I weighed in at Weight Watchers, I had gained almost a pound. That may not sound like much, but when you are striving to see the scale go down, it can be quite discouraging.

In the past, when the scale started going in the wrong direction, I would turn to food. Stupid, huh? Yeah, I know. However, that's the way my emotions run. This time I'm trying very hard not to let my emotions rule me. I'm trying to allow the Lord to direct me and keep me on track.

This weight loss is a journey and a lifetime commitment to eating healthy. I know there will be days when I will overeat, but instead of saying "Oh well, may as well eat what I want", hopefully, I will get right back on track and refocus. There will also be times when I "choose" to eat more than I should, or something that I know is not the best choice, but again I'll just have to get back on track immediately....and, it's OKAY!

Exercise is moving in slowly. I know that's an area I need to improve in. Walking for exercise is still out of the question right now. I have so much pain in my foot, that it would only make the pain worse if I walk for exercise. I have been lifting weights though, and as a reward for losing 15 lbs, I purchased an exercise ball/dvd kit from Weight Watchers called "Belly, Butt and Thighs." lol Funny name, sore belly, butt and thighs! :)

This week I finished reading "Reshaping It All" by Candace Cameron Bure. This was an excellent book filled with good tips, challenging thoughts and practical advice. Candace is a Christian and she fills this book with convicting scripture and stories of how our Father has helped her in her journey. She was a bit overweight and she had an eating disorder. Now she is 25 lbs lighter and healthy -- both physically and spiritually. At the end of each chapter in her book she reviews the verses she shared, she includes a letter from a fan and her answer, some favorite quotes and a recipe she uses with her family. I highly recommend this book!

I'll try to post more often about my weight loss journey and if any of you are on this same journey, let me know! I'd love to pray for you.

Chicken Cat!

2011-01-25T12:08:00.003-05:00

This is what Ben found last week when he went out to the chicken coop!

Mom's goofy cat! Does he think it will hatch and give him a meal?

Before and After Pics

2011-01-24T21:47:00.002-05:00

I was watching Rachael Ray the other day and she had a woman on her show who had lost 40 lbs in the past six months. On the woman's blog, at the very beginning of her journey, she posted a picture of herself in a bikini. (Don't worry...you'll NEVER have to worry about me doing that!) Then she would periodically update her blog with pictures to show her progress. I thought that would be a good idea for me to do, too. Even though it's not a bikini, it was still difficult to put these pictures on here. I can't wait to see my "after" shots!

January 24, 2011

January 24, 2011
(This is after 9.8 lbs lost, but, unfortunately, I still look the same.)

Oh, stink! I just realized that I shouldn't have smiled. You know...all those before pictures on infomercials shows the "before person" not smiling and the after person with a BIG smile. Oh, well!

Weigh In Day #2

2011-01-24T20:37:00.003-05:00

Today was my second weigh in at Weight Watchers and I was very happy with my weight loss. I lost 3.6 lbs this week for a two week total of 9.8 lbs! Next week I should reach my 5% weight loss goal.

Making menus for our suppers and having plenty of options for breakfast and lunch help me a lot! I don't like to be bored with my food...I need variety. Some of my favorite breakfasts are:

1 fried egg, 1 slice of turkey bacon and mustard on a toasted lite multi grain English muffin

1 cup oatmeal with about a teaspoon of crunchy peanut butter and half a banana (and milk)

Multi Grain Cheerios

Bagel with a thin spread of whipped peanut butter

fruit smoothie

Some favorite lunches are:

Whole Wheat tortilla with 2 oz of chicken or turkey, mustard and romaine lettuce and a sliced apple

Sandwich (same as tortilla only use my whole wheat sandwich rolls)

Salad

Soup

Leftovers

Some favorite snacks are:

Apple

Banana

Plain Greek yogurt with a bit of sweetener, a tablespoon of Grape Nuts and a few mini chocolate chips

Quaker makes some mini rice cakes in various flavors (I separate them into serving size and put them in little zip lock baggies)

Two Rice cakes with a small spread of whipped peanut butter

Suppers vary: soups, grilled meat, baked fish, lots of veggies!

Chug, Chug, Chug, Chug...

2011-01-20T14:30:00.005-05:00

and no, I'm not drinking anything, I was thinking of a train chugging along the tracks ... uphill. That's my journey right now.

I continue to feel good on this program and continue to lose weight. I do weigh myself daily (I know the "experts" say you shouldn't do this, but it does help me stay on track), but I am only going to post my official weight loss here after I weigh in at Weight Watcher's on Mondays.

I'm trying some new recipes that I found on the WW's website. I've tried a really good crockpot chili with pork (pork instead of hamburger), crockpot chicken burritos (kind of like fajitas), and a few others. I hope to add recipes that we like to my food blog soon.

Exercise is still a struggle for me. I've worked out once this week. I hope to work out again today. For some reason I'm really resistant to it right now, but I know I need to do this!

Neal hasn't been here this week. He's on a business trip in Tennessee. Usually when he's away I really struggle with cooking. I usually take a kind of "cooking break" while he's gone, but I knew I couldn't do that this time. I haven't cooked every day because we've had leftovers, but I have cooked. I've also stayed on program for which I'm very thankful and excited!

I don't remember if I mentioned this before or not, but we went to a birthday party last Saturday night and I knew they were going to be serving pizza. So ahead of time I purchased a Lean Cuisine pizza and a Weight Watcher's dessert to take along with me. It worked out great and I didn't feel deprived. They also had fresh veggies, so I enjoyed some of those, as well! This is do-able!

Okay, gotta get off here and go do some cleaning and cooking. May you all have a healthy, blessed day!

Weigh In Day!

2011-01-17T17:39:00.003-05:00

Today was my first weigh-in and I lost 6.2 lbs! I knew I had lost some weight, but I didn't realize how much. I was very pleased with my first week's loss. I'm sure the following weeks will be less, but I hope I continue to lose at least some each week!

I'm reading a great book right now called "Reshaping It All" by Candace Cameron Bure. It's a book about physical and spiritual fitness. She uses a lot of scripture and gives a lot of advice from experience. So far I've gotten a lot of good nuggets out of the book!

Peanut Butter!

2011-01-15T12:27:00.000-05:00

I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER!

I stood in the aisle at the market on Thursday looking for the best peanut butter. I knew Reduced Fat must have the lowest points, so that's what I looked at. I ended up buying Jif Reduced Fat. Today I decided I wanted two rice cakes with a thin spread of peanut butter on them. I got out the Jif and figured out the points again (I hadn't written them on the jar yet). There were 5 points for 2 Tbsp. I looked at the regular peanut butter next to it and figured it out (it was Kroger brand). There were 5 points for 2 Tbsp...the same as the reduced fat! Since they took out the fat, they added more sugar which doubled the carb count! I also had Peter Pan Whipped in my cupboard, so I check that and guess what? It has 4 points for 2 Tbsp! I also didn't need to use even a Tablespoon for my rice cakes because it spreads so easily! This is what I'll be buying from now on. Bye, Bye Reduced Fat Jif!

Day Four of Weight Watchers

2011-01-15T12:24:00.002-05:00

So far, so good!

I've been able to stay on track each day so far. That is an accomplishment for me, to stay on track for four days without cheating. The cool thing is that I can eat anything I want, I just have to count it. I went out to breakfast at Panera with a friend this morning. I looked up the nutritional information before I went, so I knew what I was going to order ahead of time. I ordered a sesame bagel with reduced fat sun-dried tomato cream cheese. I only ate about a third of the cream cheese, so that helped on points. It felt very liberating to be able to go to a restaurant and order something I liked and not feel guilty!

Each day has been an adventure deciding what to eat and how to spend my points. It reminds me of when I get money for my birthday or for Christmas and I'm very careful how I spend my money. The same is true for my points. I don't want to waste them by spending them on something that I don't like, won't fill me up, or satisfy me.

I'm SO excited about this new way of eating!

I'm Tired of Being Fat!

2011-01-15T12:13:00.002-05:00

Not that I haven't been tired of it before, but I'm even more tired of it now! 2011 is the year for change...permanent change.

On Monday, January 10th, I joined Weight Watchers (WW). The WW website has a wonderful community and tools to use on your journey. You can also have a blog on their website. Since I know I won't be on it forever (Please Lord!) I'm going to post my weight loss blog posts over here, as well. Here is my post from Day One:

I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting today. I'm excited about the program and truly believe I can stick to it! I joined with a good friend, and we are going to pray for each other every day and hold each other accountable.

I'm not a huge fan of fruit, however, I did buy some apples, bananas and grapes today. I had an apple with my lunch and it tasted really good. We make fruit smoothies with our Vita Mix and the only thing I add to it, other than fruit, is a bit of Splenda and skim milk. I'm going to try thinning it with water so that I don't have to count the milk points. This will be a good way to get fruit in.

I've been overweight to one degree or another almost my entire life. I've lost weight and regained it numerous times. However, I'm 44 years old now and I do not want to continue this cycle of lose--gain, lose--gain. My health is really telling me I've got to lose the weight and keep it off!

I also want to be a better example to my 16 year old daughter and 13 year old son. They are not overweight yet, but if we don't change some eating habits soon, it will happen to them too. :(

Living Life

2010-12-15T11:03:00.002-05:00

Living Life ... that's what I've been doing, but I haven't been recording it as much as I would like. Maybe that will be a new year's resolution, to spend more time on my blog!

As I go through the days of my life, I tend to think I will remember everything important that happens, and that I might even remember the not so important things. Now as I sit here trying to sum up the year, I find that I have forgotten a LOT! That's why I need to make this blog a priority, so that I can remember the important, and not so important, things in my life!

Thinking back over 2010, there was, of course, good and bad. I lost two special cousins this year. They were both named Richard. The first Richard, Richard Johnson, passed away in March. Richard had been in a wheelchair for probably 25 years or more. I always saw him with a smile on his face and he didn't seem to let his paralysis defeat him! He did however contract an illness from a blood transfusion and that was what ultimately killed him. It was a very sad time, but I believe Richard is in heaven now and I look forward to seeing him walk and run some day!

The second Richard, Rick Reynolds, left us very unexpectantly this summer. I saw Rick in July at our family reunion. It had been several years since I had seen him, so I'm very thankful for that last opportunity. Rick was in a car accident in August and hit a tree. He was killed on impact. He was such a talented and fun-loving man. He is missed by so many!

One thing I remember about 2010, was that it was an extremely hot summer! Hotter than any I've experienced here in Virginia! It was so hot that most days we didn't even want to go to the pool because the water wasn't even cool enough to be refreshing! Now, here in December, it's so cold that we could probably ice skate on the pool if it had water in it! :)

I didn't lose the weight I wanted to lose in 2010...probably gained about 5 lbs instead. :( Hopefully 2011 will be a better year to get focused and lose weight. I did, however, walk/jog in a 5K in October! It was mostly walk, but I DID IT and I FINISHED! Beth walked it with me and I so appreciated her company!

In June we went to the annual homeschool conference. We went as a family this year and thoroughly enjoyed our time away. We stayed near Neal's sister, Janet, so we were able to spend time with her as well. It was a fun weekend!

We had a great trip to Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky in June/July. My brother, Darrell, celebrated his 50th birthday on June 25th. We were able to go celebrate with him, so that was a special treat! We also were able to spend time with my brother, Robert and his family, and my aunt Alberta. At the end of the trip we went through Kentucky to go to my family reunion. It was so nice to see aunts, uncles and cousins that I hadn't seen in a long time! After the reunion, we went about an hour and a half away to spend the night with my mom's sister. That was a sweet visit, too!

August brought our annual camping trip with friends. Although it rained, we still had a great time! We had great hopes of camping once more this year, but it did not happen.

In September, Neal's cousin Ruthie and her mom, Mary Beth came for a week. We had such a nice visit. We went on a couple of walks together, went up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, went to the D-Day Memorial, and to Colonial Williamsburg. I loved spending time with Ruthie and Mary Beth...I wish they lived closer!

September also brought Myrtle Beach! Mom, Beth, Ben and I went to the beach for a few days. It rained every day, but we still had fun! Well, I take that back, it didn't rain on the day we left. :P We were blessed with a beautiful sunrise that morning and Ben and I took a quick morning walk on the beach before we had to leave. Ben and I also went for a walk on the beach at night. That was fun!

October brought the women's conference from church. It was a good time of relaxation and refreshment in the Word.

November brought a round of birthdays: Neal, Ben, Mom and Beth. Ben became a teenager! I can't believe both of my children are teenagers now. Beth turned 16! Wow! It's hard to believe that my kids are getting that old!

Now December is upon us and it's been busy, busy, busy! The kids had their Christmas cantata at church, we had a 90th birthday party for Neal's grandpa, Beth started working, Neal and I had a fun date night while the kids went to the youth Christmas party, and Mom and I went to Colonial Williamsburg for two days. Now to enjoy the rest of the month and celebrate in our Savior's birth!

God bless each of you as you celebrate Christ's birth this holiday season!

Menu Plan Monday for July 25, 2010

2010-07-26T11:33:00.001-04:00

If you'd like to see our menu for this week, please check out my food blog: Teresa's Table.

Menu Plan Monday for July 19, 2010

2010-07-19T13:32:00.003-04:00

I used to make menus weekly, but for about the past year I've failed to do so. I started back last week, and thought it would be fun to start blogging my menus. I love the blog "I'm an Organizing Junkie" and on Mondays, she hosts Menu Plan Monday.

Here is what we are planning on having this week:

Sunday (we had this yesterday): Ranch Turkey Bacon Wraps

Monday: Spaghetti Pie and sauteed summer squash with onions, mushrooms and garlic

Tuesday: Oriental Salad with Chicken

Wednesday: Taco Soup and Cornbread

Thursday: Baked Tilapia (I just use Grill Mates Salmon seasoning), Greek Salad and Cowboy Caviar

Friday: Homemade Pizza and salad

Saturday: Pork Ribs (cooked in crockpot and add barbecue sauce), sauteed squash and oven-baked red potatoes

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-20T21:28:00.005-04:00

We had a great time today with Neal celebrating Father's Day!

Beth made Neal scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms, feta cheese, chives and dill. That's one of his favorite breakfasts. We went to church and afterward we went to Arby's for lunch. We had a buy one combo meal for Dad and get one free coupon. :) So we enjoyed roast beef sandwiches and then Jamocha Shakes for dessert.

After lunch, we went driving around a part of our town we'd never been before (well, Neal had been when he was a kid, but probably not for 30 years or more). We ended up going down a one lane gravel road. I was driving and those kind of roads always scare me a bit. I'm always afraid I'll meet someone and have to back up and then drive off the road. Crazy! We didn't meet anyone and saw some beautiful scenery!

Then we went to a car show that was in town at our old church. It was fun seeing the cars and also running into old friends. The car show was more fun than I anticipated. They did something called a burnout where they throw water on the pavement near the rear wheels and then the car stays in place for several seconds spinning its' wheels. Then it takes off really fast. Several of the cars blew smoke and were extremely loud. I know it may sound crazy, but it was so much fun watching those cars! The picture above is of a 2008 Corvette. Most of the cars were old (at least much older than 2008). My favorite car there was a beautiful red Studebaker. It ended up winning Best Car in Show.

After the car show we came home and rested a bit and then Beth and I made one of Neal's favorite meals: Spicy Curry Chicken and Cous Cous. Beth actually made most of it, I just helped by getting out spices. While she cooked, I made a blueberry sauce to put over the cheesecake (pie) I made this morning. The pie was so easy and so good. Here's the recipe:

2 packages of low fat cream cheese
1 8 oz container of lite cool whip
1/2 cup Splenda (or sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice

Cream together the cream cheese, cool whip, and lemon juice until smooth, then add your sweetener and vanilla and mix well. Spoon into regular size graham cracker crust and refrigerate. I made a blueberry sauce to put over it...about 3 or 4 cups of frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup of honey, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and just enough water to make the sauce. Cook for a while until berries soften and let cool. It was really good!

I think Neal had a nice day and it was fun to wait on him for a change! :) He's such a wonderful husband to me and father to our children!

"Thank you, Lord, for bringing Neal into my life 20 years ago!"

Heather's Wedding

2010-06-07T09:53:00.004-04:00

Saturday was Heather's wedding. Heather is the daughter of my best friend, Tammy and her husband, Peyton. She is a beautiful young lady that I have had the pleasure of watching grow up. I was at the hospital when Heather was born and I heard her first cry. I made the baby shower cake for her mom, and I made her 1st birthday cake, 16th birthday cake and a few in between. I also had the privilege of making her wedding cake. I admit to being a bit fearful, okay, a lot fearful, of making her wedding cake, but it turned out great! I have some wonderful, cake-decorating friends who gave me tips and advice and it all came together!

The wedding was beautiful, although it was very hot! (in the 90's with no air-conditioning in the reception hall). The wedding was outside and it was gorgeous! Here are a few pictures from the wedding:

Tammy and I have been best friends for 28 years!

This is Heather walking down the aisle with her daddy, Peyton.

This was a funny moment when Drew's best man wiped the sweat from his face.

This is a picture that Beth took of the cake. I was very happy with how it turned out!

Cherry Blossoms (the cake was French Vanilla with Buttercream frosting)

Sky Watch Friday (only it's Monday now) :)

2010-06-07T09:25:00.003-04:00

I know it's no longer Friday, but I was very busy on Friday and over the weekend. So, here is my Sky Watch "Friday" picture. This was taken at a wedding in Virginia on Saturday. The sky was so pretty, but it was over 90 degrees out there! Whew...it was a scorcher! However, the bride looked nice and cool as she walked down the aisle!

I cannot take credit for this next picture (wish I could since it's better than mine!). My daughter Beth took this and I thought it was so pretty I wanted to share it on here, as well!

If you would like to see more beautiful picture, click here: Sky Watch Friday!

Sky Watch Friday!

2010-05-28T12:41:00.005-04:00

It has been a very long time since I've participated in a Sky Watch Friday; however, on Wednesday night I saw a beautiful sunset and it made me want to take a picture! :) These were taken as we were leaving the church Wednesday night. I happened to have my camera with me, so my husband pulled into the parking lot across from the church and I snapped a few pictures. Unfortunately, there were unavoidable power lines in my way, but I still thought they turned out pretty. Hope you enjoy them! To see more beautiful sky shots, hop on over to Sky Watch Friday!

Endings and New Beginnings

2010-05-27T11:02:00.010-04:00

Some Endings:

The 2009/2010 school year at the Dogwood Academy is coming to a close! Tomorrow is the last day of school! WooHoo!!! The pool opens on Saturday and we have at least 2 1/2 months to enjoy the summer vacation!

The school year went well this year. We stayed on track better than any other year so far! It was a very encouraging year as a teacher, and I believe the kids felt good about it, too. It was a very difficult year for Beth...her first year of high school; however, she did an outstanding job and I'm very proud of her hard work!

Ben finished 6th grade and is now moving on to "middle school." I can't believe my youngest child is going to be a teenager this year! Time sure does fly by! Ben finished Awana last night. Awana is a program at our church for ages preschool-6th grade. Ben received the Timothy Award last night, which is the highest award a 6th grader can receive for completing all of the Bible memory books. I'm so proud of him!

Some New Beginnings:

My best friend's daughter, Heather, is getting married next weekend (June 5th). She asked me to make her wedding cake and she picked out a beautiful cherry blossom cake. I haven't made a wedding cake in about 13 years, so I hope I can do a good job. I practiced a bit and here is my practice cake:

The real cake will be 4 tiers and the icing will be much smoother! I was really practicing on the "tree" part of the design. I'm so glad I practiced because it taught me a lot of things not to do! For example, I will use a smaller tip for the border, and I will use a bigger cake pan for the 2nd cake. I'll be using 6", 10", 12" and 14" cake pans.

New Beginning #2: Chickens!

This is our chicken coop! It was a tree house that belonged to Neal's sister (she's 24 now) and we had it taken down and placed on blocks in our yard. This was before we did anything to it. (by the way, do you see my "Amish Man" in the pic?!!)

This is what it looks like right now. We still have to put another coat of paint on it and paint the trim an Eggplant color.

The chicks arrived on Thursday, May 20th in this box! 21 chicks were inside (we ordered six for some friends and we kept 15)

This is their new home for a couple of weeks.

The chicks started drinking the water right away.

Two of the cutest chicks! We bought 5 Delaware chicks, 5 Welsummer's, and 5 Blue Andallusion's.

Our dog, Suzi, is very protective of the chicks. She growls anytime the cat gets near them!

This picture was taken yesterday. One of the Blue Andallusion's flew up on top of the water dish. We had to put some chicken wire over the crate so they wouldn't fly out!

Also, taken yesterday...this is one of the Delaware chicks. You can see the wings growing and the feather's coming in!

Last weekend, both of Neal's sisters came in for a visit. We had a big dinner on Saturday night, talked and played games. It was great spending time with Neal's family!

We played Pit!

The color is off on some of these pictures, but this is Neal and his mom, Betty.

Neal and his grandfather, Randolph.

Some of us sitting outside on a nice, cool evening!

A couple of weeks ago, Neal and I went out with some friends for supper. On the way we stopped by this pretty field and took some pictures. This is down the road from our house, and that is red clover growing in the field!

We had our end of year homeschool banquet last week. This is Ben receiving his certificate. Each year we choose something in particular we want to honor our children for. This year Ben's certificate was for "New Endeavors -- Construction and Child Care." He's been helping his daddy with the chicken coop and he's been helping me with childcare and he'll be working with kids this summer at church.

Beth received her award for "New Horizons -- Guitar, Dissections, Counseling and College Courses". She started learning the guitar this year, she did four dissections (worm, frog, fish and crayfish) in Biology, she'll be working as a camp counselor this summer, and she is taking three Bible classes (I'm taking them too, at a local Bible institute) for college credit.

This was Beth's photography project at the end of year banquet. She is very good with a camera and would like to start doing more with her photography. Right now she is taking pictures of some of our friends for practice, and they are getting very nice pictures out of the deal!

Well, that's the latest for us here in Virginia! More later...

Around the House

2010-05-05T16:12:00.002-04:00

Lots going on this spring around our house!

We're winding up our school year. Only three weeks left after this week! Woo Hoo! We're all excited for summer break! This has been one of our best school years yet. I'm really looking forward to next year though and trying some new things with the kids. Beth is going to be getting into reading classics more next year, and she's very excited about that. We're also going to be doing an Astronomy unit study as a family. It will last about a year and we will learn a lot about God's creation in the sky...sun, moon and stars!

I'm preparing to make a wedding cake for my best friend's daughter, Heather. She's getting married June 5th and I get the privilege of making her a cherry blossom wedding cake. It has been almost 14 years since I've made a wedding cake, so I'm quite nervous. I made several of Heather's birthday cakes throughout her life, so it will be fun to make a cake for such an exciting milestone!

We're getting chickens! We're in the process of fixing up the chicken coop (I'll have to post pictures later) and they are supposed to ship the chicks out on my birthday, May 19th. We're getting 15 chicks -- 5 Welsummers, 5 Delawares and 5 Blue Andalusians. It will take several months, but I'm looking forward to our first eggs!

Bread baking is still a constant in our house. I've been grinding my own wheat and baking my own bread for three years now. It has been such a positive addition to our family's menu. I make sandwich rolls and blueberry muffins every week. Additionally, I make a loaf of bread here and there and other types of muffins. Sandwich roll and blueberry muffins are a staple in our house though. :)

Beth and I are winding up our first semester in the Bible Institute we're attending. We started in January and are really enjoying it. In total, it includes 6 semesters of Old Testament, New Testament and Theology. At the end of the three years, we will receive a diploma and will have 18 college credits that will transfer to our local university. If Beth decides to go there, she will have most, if not all, of her Bible classes that she needs. I'm learning so much and have truly enjoyed this new adventure!

We're planning a trip to Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky this summer. My brother, Darrell, will be turning 50, and we will be there to help celebrate! We'll also be able to visit my other brother Robert, and his family, my aunt Alberta, and hopefully some friends. Then we'll go to Kentucky for a family reunion. I'm looking forward to seeing cousins I haven't seen in years!

Ben is playing soccer this spring. He is having lots of fun and learning a lot. So far they've won both of their games.

The garden is producing already! We've eaten fresh spinach, asparagus and strawberries. There is nothing like grilled asparagus! We eat it like french fries. It's sooo good!

Cinco de Mayo is today! To celebrate, in our non-Mexican home, we will be eating chicken enchiladas tonight with guacamole, chips and salsa. Yum!

Well, that's some of what's going on around here. I'm hoping to be a bit more faithful to my blog now. :)

Memories of 2009

2010-01-01T21:30:00.012-05:00

Our family in February

Neal in deep thought at our campsite. :o)

Playing cards with Mom in Myrtle Beach.

On our way to Walton's Mountain!

The "real" Walton's (Hamner) home

Me with Beth and Ben in front of the Walton's Museum

Robert Wayne sampling some of the "recipe"

Having lunch in the library of the museum.

Ben in the Lifeguard's chair

Beth playing Lifeguard

Mom and I on our annual trip to Williamsburg, Virginia

Ben and Suzi in the 15 inches of snow we got in December!

Beth dressed to play in the snow!

Fun at Layman Farms with our homeschool group

Our dear friends, the Gordons, welcomed Isabella Jane into their family!

Learning to play Skip-Bo with my cousin, Alvin.

Beth found some really tall corn in Kentucky!

Visiting with family in Kentucky

Ben on his way to camp for the very first time!

Saying goodbye to a dear friend as she moved to New Zealand! We miss you, Becky!

Tragedy in the loss of Heidi and David

Playing corn hole with my brother, Darrell.

Kids enjoying Myrtle Beach! (October 2009...not September)

Beth took a picture of me taking a picture. :o) This was at the Dixie Stampede.

Camping in the backyard in our new tent.

Ben "rock climbing" at Blackwater Creek.

Beth and her new friend.

Oh, my...Beth dressed up as the old hag in Snow White.

Memories of 2009!

Happy New Year (2010)

2010-01-01T21:23:00.002-05:00

I did not get many Christmas cards sent out this year, so I thought I'd post our Christmas letter on my blog. I pray each of you have a very happy and healthy 2010!

Dear Friends and Family!

I can remember when I was a kid thinking it would be FOREVER before the year 2000! Now it’s 2010! Time seems to go by incredibly fast!

2009 was a good year. It started off with Beth and me (Teresa) going on a mission’s trip to Mexico. We spent one week at an orphanage and mission in Vicente Guerrero, Mexico. It was truly a life-changing experience. We were able to help out at the mission in various ways. Most of it seemed like menial tasks, but were very much needed to keep the mission operating. On two different days we chopped tomatoes in the kitchen. A local farmer had donated lots of Roma tomatoes, and they needed to be diced and put in the freezer to use for meals at the orphanage. Another day we worked at “The Nut House.” They have a large macadamia nut orchard, so they roast, flavor, package and sell macadamia nuts. The profits from the orchard go to the mission. Our second night there, we babysat for some of the orphans while their caretakers took a well deserved break. That was fun and interesting…especially since we speak a different language! It’s amazing what you can say with your hands though! We were able to go on three outreach visits. The first was to a poor neighborhood. We went door to door inviting them to “dinner and a movie” and then we set up in a big open field. We played with the kids and then fed the women and children. We served hotdogs on tortillas with hot sauce, tortilla chips and a cookie. After the movie we showed them a Bible story cartoon, and then a film about Jesus. There were a few that responded to the message. Another night we went to a migrant camp and took gifts to the children and families. They were so appreciative of the little things we did for them. Another day we had Bible club in a neighborhood. A local woman taught the class, and we helped with crowd control and giving out milk and peanut butter to the children after the lesson. For some of those children, the milk and peanut butter was the most nutritious “meal” they had that day. We also had a free afternoon where we went to a local crafters market, went to the beach (our first time in the Pacific Ocean!) and to a nice restaurant. We thank God for allowing us to go and serve Him, and we are praying about going back in 2011 and taking Ben with us.

Neal is doing great! His health is excellent, and he feels better than ever! He’s been working out regularly – running about 2 ½ miles 3 or 4 times a week. He’s even got the kids running with him. We now have a new treadmill, so I guess my excuses are over! Neal’s heart is in fine shape, as far as we know. He has a pacemaker check every three months and so far there are no problems. Neal continues to enjoy his gardening and wood working. He was blessed with a lot of nice wood from his cousin, Ben, so I expect we’ll see some new items being made in the months ahead!

Beth turned 15 in November, and has gotten quite tall this year. She is still keeping busy with home school, church, singing, piano (although she’s not taking lessons this year) and her new passion is guitar. She loves it! She’s a freshman this year…it’s hard to believe she’s in high school! Beth’s involved with her youth group, she sings in the youth choir, and she sings with three of her friends in a small vocal group. She also works in children’s church 2 or 3 times a month. She loves working with young children. Beth also enjoys photography and writing short stories.

Ben turned 12 in November, and he is also getting very tall! I’m sure he’ll be passing me up soon. Ben is still taking piano and loves it. Last winter he played on our church’s boys’ basketball team, and he just started playing on it again this year. He really likes basketball. Ben went to camp for the first time this past summer. He was a little apprehensive about going away for a week, but he ended up loving it! He can’t wait to go again next year! Ben also goes once a month to “Redemption Club”. He collects Redemption cards, which are based on Bible characters. They meet monthly to trade and play with the cards. He still enjoys playing on the Wii – especially his new game “Mario Kart”. I also discovered that I like Mario Kart, and Ben enjoys having me play with him. J

I continue to enjoy home educating the kids, grinding wheat and making fresh bread for my family, working with 2^nd graders in AWANA at our church, and chauffeuring the kids around town! J My mom, Dora, continues to be in good health. The kids and I were able to travel with her a few times this year. In March, my aunt Alberta turned 80, and we drove to Indiana to be there for her surprise birthday party. While there, we were able to visit with my brothers and their wives, and with Robert’s children and grandchildren. It was a fun trip! In August, we went to my family reunion in Kentucky. This year, Neal was able to go with us, and we all enjoyed having him there! In October, we went to Myrtle Beach, SC. The weather was great! Ben and I even found an “almost perfect” sand dollar! I was so excited because you rarely find those in Myrtle Beach anymore. We also went to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, which we all enjoyed! In December, Mom and I went on our annual trip to Williamsburg, VA. We looked at the decorations in Colonial Williamsburg one day, and went shopping at the outlet stores the next. We always enjoy our little excursions!

If you’ve made it through this entire letter, I’m impressed! J We love you all and “thank our God upon every remembrance of you!” (Philippians 1:3)

Happy New Year from the Beasleys!!!

“You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Random Things for the "Older" Folks

2009-05-21T14:03:00.003-04:00

I found this on Amy’s blog! Since I just had my 43rd birthday on Tuesday, this seems to fit. :o)

Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids? Have you ever kissed someone? Missed someone? Told someone you loved them? Drank alcohol? Here you have 39 questions for the people who are a little older…

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Credit Card - we usually pay it off each month, so it's a doozy!

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? We went out for our anniversary in February to a new restaurant downtown...can't remember the name of it, but it was nice and it was romantic since it was just the two of us.

3. What do you really want to be doing right now? Taking a nap!

4. How many colleges did you attend?
Two. Southern Ohio College and Liberty University

5. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now? Because it was clean and short sleeves

6. What are your thoughts on gas prices? They went up *again* last night!

7. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? "uggghhh"

8. Last thought before going to sleep last night? Praying for my kids

9. Do you miss being a child? Sometimes...only because I'd like to sit on my Daddy's lap one more time and because I'd like to change some things I did.

10. What errand/chore do you despise? Going to Wal-Mart

11. Get up early or sleep in? I like to sleep in until about 8:00, but try to get up earlier to get my quiet time done.

12. Have you found real love yet? Absolutely!

13. Favorite lunch meat? I don't think I have one. I like turkey breast and bologna on occasion

14. What do you get every time you go into Target? It varies...last time was water balloons. :o)

15. Beach or lake? Beach

16. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? Absolutely not!

17. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives? Neither

18. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Glen Beck -- only because Neal would love it!

19. Have you ever crashed your vehicle? Yes

20. Ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? No

21. Ring tone? Ring, Ring ;o)

22. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth? camp site

23. Somewhere in California you’ve never been and would like to go? I've only been to San Diego, so I would like to see the rest of the state. :o)

24. Do you go to church? Yes

25. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship?
Neither :o) I wouldn't mind starting a new career down the road. I'm not opposed to starting new friendships, but I don't feel like I spend enough time with the friends that I have now.

26. How old are you? As I said above...I turned 43 this past Tuesday (May 19th)

27. Are you where you want to be in life? Yes, but I'm not where I'd like to be with "me"

29. Growing up, what were your favorite cartoons? Scooby Doo and the Jetsons

30. What about you do you think has changed the most? My boldness..I'm not as shy as I used to be.

31. Looking back at high school, were they the best years of your life? Not even close! Life just keeps getting better and better.

32. Are there times you still feel like a kid? There are a few people in my life that I tend to feel "immature" around. I hate that feeling though.

33. Did you ever own a troll doll? No

34. Did you have a pager? No

35. Where was the hang out spot when you were a teenager? Friend’s houses

36. Were you the type of kid you would want your children to hang out with? For the most part

37. Who do you think impacted your life the most? Everyone I'm friends with have impacted my life to a certain extent, but I would say my Mom and my husband

38. Was there a teacher or authority figure that stood out for you? Two of my friends moms -- Daisy and Johnny

39. Do you tell stories that start with “when I was your age”? You know it! It's my turn now! :o)

Recipes

2009-05-09T15:35:00.001-04:00

I've posted a couple of recipes on my food blog.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad

and

Crockpot Yogurt.

I made my second batch of yogurt last night, and I used Lactaid instead of regular whole milk. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, Lactaid is a "lactose free" milk for people who are lactose intolerant. The first time I made the yogurt, I made it with regular whole milk, and let's just say it didn't agree with my system! The Lactaid worked great, and so far -- so good! :o)

The Rotisserie Chicken Salad is really good. A mixture of different flavors that come together very nicely!

Let me know if you try either of these!

Easter Pics

2009-05-05T06:03:00.005-04:00

Teresa and Neal -- Easter morning 2009

We weren't crazy about this picture, but I wanted to show the kids outfits. Aren't they cute?!!!

Sweet picture of Beth and Ben!

Ben looking stylish (he didn't know this picture was being taken)

The kids asked Neal to wear a tie for Easter. Here's his answer to that question!

2009-04-09T12:07:00.001-04:00

On March 13, 2008, the phone rang. A call that would change our lives! It was Neal's cardiologist, and he was only supposed to call "if there is a problem." He told me he'd lost Neal's cell phone number and needed to call him. Amazingly I recalled the number since my mind was flying in a million different directions. I gave Neal about 15 minutes before I called him. In the meantime, I: 1) Prayed; 2) Shot an email off to my friend Perri to start praying; and 3) Went down to my Mom's to make the phone call to Neal. (I knew I would need her support and I didn't want the kids to overhear my conversation.)

Neal answered the phone and tried to ignore my questioning. I said "Listen, the doctor called here first so I know something's up, and I have to take the kids to piano and I will not be able to function if I'm worrying the entire time." He gave up. He told me that he was going to finish up at work and come home and tell me in person, but since I called he told me what the doctor said. Neal had an aneurysm in his aorta. His aorta was double the size it was supposed to be. The doctor said it was only a matter of time before it could rupture and then he would most likely die. He also said that while they were in there, they should go ahead and replace his bicuspid aortic valve (a defect he'd had since birth). When Neal told me all of this, I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. I literally doubled over and could barely catch my breath. I knew something was up, but I didn't think about it being that serious! Thankfully I was at my Mom's and she was there to support me.

The next three hours or so seemed like an eternity. About 5 minutes after I got off the phone with Neal, the surgeon's office called to set up a consultation (good thing Neal told me what was going on!). Then I went upstairs and called Perri to tell her the news. I could barely get the words out, it just didn't seem real. Then I had to take the kids to piano and act "normal." My answer to acting "normal" was to turn the stereo up high in the car (which they love) and play Toby Mac. Of course that's more normal for Daddy...not Mommy. Beth said she knew something was up.

We went to piano and not long after we returned Neal came home. We sat the kids down in the living room and told them what was going on. We cried, laughed (because we always laugh with Neal!) and prayed together. That evening we went and told Neal's parents. I'm sure that was difficult to hear about your son, but they handled it so well. I made a few phone calls that night and got the word out so that people could be praying.

After seeing the surgeon a week later, surgery was scheduled for April 9th. One year ago today!

We were so blessed during those weeks before the surgery. The outpouring of love and concern was incredible! One of the most special times was the following Sunday after we found out about the surgery. Our Adult Bible Fellowship class (ABF) spent the entire class time listening to Neal's story and then praying one by one for Neal and our entire family. It was extremely moving and comforting.

One year ago today....right now....11:14 am...Neal was in surgery. They came out at 8:10 am and told us they had started. They came out at 10:10 and told us he was on the heart/lung machine. We had family and friends around us all day...supporting us and praying with us. Those who couldn't come were praying at home and calling and emailing me throughout the day. I've never felt so cared for in my entire life! (Thank you friends!)

Neal's surgery lasted about 8 hours, and he came through with flying colors. The first few days after surgery were a bit scary...the bottom chamber of his heart didn't start back up and they put an external pacemaker on him. After 3 days had gone by and it still didn't start on its' own, the doctor thought it wasn't going to happen. I started calling and emailing people to pray for his heart to start beating on its' own. The next morning when Dr. M checked his heart I was standing there watching his face...and praying. I knew the moment when *he* knew Neal's heart was beating. His mouth dropped open and he said "well I'll be .... It's working!" And a big smile spread across his face and I just started crying.

Neal did end up having to get a pacemaker two days after he was discharged from the hospital, but it's to keep his heart in rhythm...not to keep it beating. It's kind of like a nice insurance policy! :o)

Today Neal is healthy! He feels better than he ever has. He has more energy. He can work out longer and harder...walk longer on the treadmill, lift more weights, etc.

I'm just so thankful that God allowed us to find out about his condition before it was too late. But I'm also thankful that no matter what had happened Neal was ready. He was ready to meet God if he had not made it. We're very glad (obviously) that he did make it, but he truly was ready either way.

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name!" Psalm 100:4

Hip Hop Flight Attendant

2009-04-05T16:32:00.001-04:00

Love it!

Hip Hop Flight Attendant @ Yahoo! Video

Sunday Night

2009-03-30T20:09:00.005-04:00

Remember Mike Huckabee? He ran for President last year...and, sadly, didn't win... Last night he was in town at a local church, and we had the opportunity to hear him preach! What a blessing. We also had the opportunity to hear him play bass guitar with some of the church's band members. Here's a picture I got off a friend's facebook:

That's Governor Huckabee playing the red guitar at the front.
He preached about the parable of the prodigal son, and did a great job.

We were surprised to have another well-known speaker last night. Actor Stephen Baldwin (Alec Baldwin's youngest brother) was there. He's been a Christian for 7 years now (he got saved one year after his wife, and about a month at 9/11/01). He has such an awesome testimony. I first heard his testimony about 2 or 3 years ago, and the Lord impressed it on my heart to pray for him and for his family. I really wanted to speak to him last night, but we had to rush out after the service was over. I was hoping I'd get to bump into him on the way out, but it didn't happen. At one point he was about 3 feet away and I was so tempted to run over there, but he was doing a book-signing and it would have appeared I was just cutting in line. I guess I would have been cutting in line. lol Anyway, I just wanted him to know I was praying for him.

This is Alec on the left and Stephen on the right (picture taken from a website)

I left my camera in the car last night! I had planned on taking some pictures of Mike Huckabee, but it didn't happen!

Anyway, last night was fun, and it was great to hear our future president speak. ;o)

Yay!

2009-03-04T13:52:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I entered a give-a-way at Andi's blog, and I won! It was for the "Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Timelines." The title may sound dry, but let me tell you, the book is anything but dry! It arrived late last week and it is a beautiful, interesting book. A wonderful book for a Christian homeschooling mom!

Thanks Andi!

These pages tell about different festivals/holidays in the Bible

The Tabernacle

Creation

Christian History Timeline

31 Days of Prayer

2009-03-04T13:10:00.001-05:00

(I know this has been hit and miss, but I still pray daily for my husband!)

Day 9

Pray that your husband handles finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord's work. Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family.

Proverbs 23:4-5; Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:5

Snow!

2009-03-03T15:30:00.007-05:00

Our front yard

Yay!!! We got lots of snow Sunday night and had lots of fun playing in it yesterday! We received 10 inches...which is the biggest snow my children have ever seen.

Neal took the day off (our road wasn't cleared until late in the day) and helped the kids make tracks for sledding. Neal's sister Janet came and spent the day with us. We built a big track out in the woods. I forgot my camera when we went in the afternoon, but that night after dark, our friends came over and we went back out there. The sky was very clear and the snow helped illuminate everything so we could see. I took a few pictures, but then my battery died. My friend, Colleen, took some pictures, so I hope to get copies of them from her.

Leah looking for Han Solo and Luke

Maybe they're hiding in one of the snow caves!

Ben making a snow angel!

Erin and Beth (it's hard to keep your eyes open when you're hit with a bright flash in the dark!)

Ben sledding down to the bottom of the hill

Ben sledding backwards

Looking up through the trees at night. The brightest light is the crescent moon.

All Fired Up!

2009-02-27T11:36:00.002-05:00

Last night I got together with several of my homeschooling friends for a mom's night out. We met at a local ceramics shop called "All Fired Up." On the last Thursday of the month they have a ladies night and all the pottery is 10% off. We had so much fun.

At first it was a bit overwhelming trying to decide which piece of pottery to choose. I didn't want something knick-knacky to sit around and collect dust (it sounds like I've been spending lots of time with Neal, doesn't it?), so I ended up choosing a small pitcher that I want to use as a vase in my kitchen. I'm planning on painting my kitchen soon in shades of red and mustard. I bought some cool salt and pepper shakers last summer...one is shaped like a red pepper and the other like a yellow pepper. I loved the color combination and decided I wanted to redo the kitchen in those colors.

With the pitcher I painted the inside yellow and the outside red. I painted some yellow flowers and dots on the outside (not too many, just enough to make a pretty design), and on the inside lip of the pitcher (where it is yellow) I painted some red dots to tie it together. I can't wait to see it glazed and fired! I hope I covered it well!

Yesterday was a beautiful day here, and I actually wore short sleeves last night and didn't even need my jacket when I left at 9:30. Today and the days ahead will be a different story!

Longer

2009-02-27T11:25:00.002-05:00

I have my music (at the bottom of this page) set on random, so I never know what song will pop up when I get on here. I have a mix of mostly Christian, but also an electic mix of different music I've enjoyed as an adult. Today when I got on my blog the song "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg came on. When Neal and I were dating he had a cassette tape by Dan Fogelberg that we listened to some in his car, and he loved the song "Longer." That is the song we chose for our wedding. Our friend, Jay and Neal's aunt Wanda sang it...it was beautiful!

If you want to hear it, go down to the bottom of this page to the player. Scroll down to #27 and click on it. :o)

Another song I loved at that time was "Groovy Kind of Love." We didn't have anyone sing it, but Janet did play it on the keyboard before the ceremony...along with a lot of different songs. It was fun!

31 Days of Prayer

2009-02-27T11:21:00.002-05:00

Day 8

Pray that your husband will work hard to provide for your family, to the best of his ability. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career and ministry will be a growing part of his character -- persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, positive relationships with people, determination, etc.

Romans 12:11; 1 Corinthians 15:58

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband

2009-02-26T16:30:00.001-05:00

Day 7

Pray that your husband will safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex. Pray that his heart will be pure and undivided in his commitment to you.

Prov. 6:23-24; Romans 13:14

31 Days of Prayer

2009-02-24T20:22:00.001-05:00

Day 6

Pray that your husband will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture. Pray that he will recognize and avoid wickedness in his own life, and if necessary, take a clear, strong stand against evil.

(Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Family Picture 2009

2009-02-24T14:42:00.004-05:00

Elizabeth Jayne (14), Neal, Teresa, Benjamin Ward (11)

***As a side note, everyone had on flat shoes except me, and I wore my highest heels. I wish I had thought about it before we took the picture and I would have removed them. I am actually an inch shorter than Beth!***

Anniversary Celebration

2009-02-24T14:27:00.003-05:00

Well, Neal did a great job of planning our day on Saturday. He arranged for his parents to take the kids after Ben's basketball game (which they won!).

Neal had told me he had four things planned for the day. The only thing I knew was that he told me to wear my sweats to Ben's game. I figured out that we were going walking, but I didn't know where. He took me to a local walking trail called Blackwater Creek. It's really nice and the day was cold, but sunny. After we'd walked a half-mile or so, we started warming up. We walked a total of 3 miles. Then we went home, ate some leftovers for lunch, and then changed clothes. We headed out and he took me to a play at a high school in the next town over. They were performing "Beauty and the Beast." It was so good! The high school had borrowed the sets and some of the costumes, etc, from an off-broadway production in NYC. They were awesome! After the play Neal took me to a new restaurant in town. It is always busy and they do not take reservations, so we had about a 30 minute wait. It wasn't bad, and the food was definitely worth the wait. We had Greek Pizza and Crunchy Thai Salad (can't remember if that's the correct name or not). The food was really, really good. Finally he took me to Olive Garden for dessert. We had Tiramisu which is one of my new favorite desserts. Olive Garden was busy, so we found two seats at the bar and the bartender told us we could order our dessert and coffee there. The line was about an hour long, so I'm glad Neal did that!

Anyway, we had a fabulous day, and it meant so much to me that Neal took the time to plan such an awesome day. Don't I have a wonderful husband?!!!

I love you, Neal!

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband

2009-02-21T08:47:00.001-05:00

Day 5

Pray that your husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ's love for the Church.

Prov 20:6; Gen. 2:24

Wedding Anniversary

2009-02-20T19:47:00.003-05:00

Monday is our 18th wedding anniversary! I can't believe it's been 18 years already! We are going to celebrate tomorrow. Neal is planning our day. Ben has a basketball game at 10:00 in the morning, so we will go to that, and then Neal's parents are going to take the kids home with them for the day.

He says he has four things planned. All I know is that for the first part of the day I'm supposed to wear workout clothes. (weather permitting) I already guessed that we're going walking, but I don't know where. I hope the weather's nice, because a good, long walk sounds wonderful right now!

I assume one of the things is dinner, but I don't have a clue as to the other two.

I'm so excited to spend an entire day alone with my husband! I'll let you all know later what we did.

Have a wonderful weekend!

31 Days of Prayer (Day 4)

2009-02-20T19:42:00.003-05:00

Pray that your husband will grow in leadership skills in your relationship -- protecting and providing for you. Pray that he will lead you wisely and love you sacrificially, so that God will be glorified in your marriage.

Ephesians 5:25-29 and Col. 3:19

31 Days of Prayer (Day 3)

2009-02-19T23:51:00.001-05:00

Day 3

Pray that your husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

31 Days of Prayer (Day 2)

2009-02-18T13:49:00.001-05:00

Day 2
Pray that your husband’s relationship with God and His Word will bear fruit in his life. Pray that he will be a man of wisdom and understanding, fearing the Lord.

(Prov. 3:7, 9:10; Ps. 112:1)

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband

2009-02-17T13:06:00.002-05:00

I saw this on someone else's blog (they are on day 16), and I decided to do it for Neal. What better way to show him love than by praying for him on a daily basis!

If you read this, I hope you join along with me by praying for your husband (or boyfriend).

The Apostle Paul instructed all Christians to pray for one another (Ephesians 6:18). This includes wives’ responsibility and privilege to pray for their husbands. Earnest prayer for your husband is good for him, for you and the spiritual health of your home (Proverbs 31:11-12). Satan desires to destroy your husband, especially his character and his leadership in your relationship. Trust God through prayer as you daily surrender your husband and marriage to the Lord’s wise, loving care.

31 Days of Prayer

Day 1

Pray that your husband will grow spiritually and consider his accountability before the Lord. Pray that he will guard his heart by developing spiritual disciplines—Bible reading and study, prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc.
(2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

Catching Up

2009-02-17T10:51:00.003-05:00

Wow, I sure haven't posted much lately, have I? I should never have joined Facebook...it's addicting. I'm trying to break that though, and actually spend less time on the computer.

So, what's going on around here? Today we're doing school and staying at home. I have some laundry to catch up on and some housework to do, and that's about it. Nice!

This past weekend we had planned on going to visit some friends in SC. We made these plans several months ago, and were going with another family that lives near us. We were to leave at noon on Friday and return Sunday. Neal was in Georgia on business, so he was going to meet us there. Friday morning my mom called me and I could tell she was upset. She said her sister (who is 89 and had been in the hospital for a week and had had surgery earlier in the week on Tuesday) was going to have to have surgery again and she was going to drive to Kentucky to be with her. I hung up the phone with her, but didn't feel comfortable with her driving there by herself. She's done it before, but it was well thought out and she drove early on Sunday morning when the traffic wouldn't be bad...and she wasn't upset at that time. I called Neal and told him I felt like I should go with her. So we worked it out where the kids rode to SC with our friends, and Neal met them there. I drove Mom to KY and we spent the weekend at the hospital and at another aunt's house. My aunt is recovering well from her surgery. We ended up having a really nice visit with family, and I always enjoy that!

Neal and the kids had fun in SC visiting with our friends. They did fun stuff like eating tons of ice cream late at night, playing follow the leader ... outside ... after dark ... jumping over bushes and walking around fountains ... you know -- stuff they don't do with Mommy. :o) On Saturday they all went to Charlotte, NC to visit the Billy Graham museum. They enjoyed it, and Ben took lots of pictures for me.

We all returned home within an hour of each other on Sunday night. Everything turned out fine! :o)

Last night we watched the movie "The Ultimate Gift." The kids and I actually watched it last week while Daddy was out of town, but we wanted him to see it last night. I cried harder last night than I did last time we watched it!

We've recovered from our trip and illnesses. Beth does have a fever this morning, and I don't know what that's about. Hopefully it will not amount to anything!

I guess that's it for now. Nothing much going on right now...which is just fine with me!

Perri's Dad

2009-02-03T11:33:00.003-05:00

Perri left such a beautiful tribute to her dad on her blog that I wanted to share it here. If you can, take a moment and check it out.

I pray that some day my kids will have such wonderful memories of their Daddy and I.

Perri

2009-02-02T16:58:00.002-05:00

My friend Perri just called and told me her dad died this afternoon. My heart aches for her. I lost my dad 6 1/2 years ago...I know how she feels. Perri was extremely close to her Dad and had to watch him go through Alzheimers this past year. He's much better off now since he knew Jesus as his Savior and he's in Heaven, but Perri (and her family) are hurting. Please pray for her.

Does it make a difference?

2009-01-30T14:17:00.005-05:00

The other night as Neal and I lay in bed talking about my trip, he asked me if I thought these short term trips really make a difference. I told him some of the stories I'd heard of people coming to know the Lord through the outreaches there. I told him about all the work that the mission does, and how we, as volunteers, help by doing the everyday jobs that need to be done. It may not sound like much to pull weeds in a garden, dice tomatoes, clean bathrooms, roast macadamia nuts, or clean a trailer, but those are all jobs that need to be done. If the short term volunteers are not there to do them, then the full time staff and volunteers would have to take time away from their jobs to get them done.

Then you may wonder how much good does it do to go to a migrant camp and blow bubbles, hand out candy, stickers and toys, and maybe some food? But when you are there, and you see the faces of these children and parents light up just because you took an hour or two of your time to spend with them...you know it's worth it! It's a short amount of time where they are distracted from their surroundings. They get to experience the love of Jesus through groups of people who take time to go and smile at them...even if they can't speak the same language! But you know what? I got to experience Jesus through them! I am blessed to live in a nice home, have food on the table three times a day, have healthcare, have a car to drive, and I have clothes to wear. I don't have to depend on someone coming to my neighborhood to tell me about Jesus. I can pick up my Bible anytime I want, I can go to my church several days a week, or I can turn on the radio or tv and hear about Him 24/7. I don't have to depend on someone coming to my neighborhood to bring me food or clothes. I live 5 minutes from Wal-mart, and have a car to take me there and money to purchase the things I need. Yet I am still not satisfied most of the time. I looked at some of the people in the camps who know the Lord as Savior, and although I'm sure they'd love to live in a better environment, they had real joy on their faces. They really made me re-examine my life and if I could I would tell them "Thank You!"

A verse I read in my quiet time yesterday reminded me of these wonderful people:

2 Corinthians 6:10 (New Living Translation) "Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything."

I'll close with a story that our Youth With A Mission group leader, Barry, sent in an email today:

“MAKING A DIFFERENCE”

One sultry and wind swept day after a battering storm, a small boy walked out on an empty stretch of beach. On the sand, just beyond the reach of the receding tide the boy noticed something. There lay thousands of starfish stranded in the glaring sun. The sun beat down on the quiet and lonely beach. The air was hot and droplets of perspiration stood out on the boy’s brow. As he took in the sight a feeling of urgency and determination over took the lad, and despite the heat, he began to fervently work.

He stooped down, picked up a starfish and threw it as far as he could into the surf. The youth paused for only a fraction of a second to smile, and then picked up and threw the next one and the next one and the next one.

As he continued to do this, an old man watched him as he drew closer to the boy. Closing the distance between them, he noticed just what it was exactly, that the boy was doing. And in his worldly wisdom began to chuckle to himself at the futility of what the foolish child was doing.

The boy barely gave the old man a glance. He continued his pace, undeterred by the smirk on the elders face. Finally the man could hold his tongue no longer.

Laughing out loud, he called out to the youngster. “Why are you wasting your time young man? There are thousands of starfish on this beach. You can’t possibly make a difference!” With out skipping a beat, the little warrior picked up another starfish and hurled it into the sea. “It makes a difference to that one!” he replied. Then he stooped to offer life to another of God’s precious creatures, as a smile spread across His face.

"Lord, help me to make a difference every day!"

Mission in Mexico II

2009-01-27T22:32:00.002-05:00

Here are some more pictures from our trip:

Back from Mexico

2009-01-27T00:39:00.003-05:00

These are the first pictures I'm posting on my blog. I'll have more later.

Our trip was incredible! God taught me so much in this trip...especially about how spoiled and selfish I am! Sounds like a great time, huh? LOL Actually it was. It was a needed lesson. I pray I don't forget it, and will move forward on this journey of life remembering it. I really don't know how to express my thoughts clearly yet. Maybe I never will. I sit hear thinking about it and tears just spring into my eyes.

"Why me, Lord? Why am I allowed to live so lavishly when a family of 11 in Mexico live in a house smaller than my son's bedroom?" I just pray that I do not fail Him, and that I give however I can, whenever I can!

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15

Mexico

2009-01-17T13:23:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't written much lately. I've been trying to focus on other areas of my life that needed attention, and have put my blog on the backburner. Hopefully I can get back in the swing of things soon!

I just wanted to let you all know that Beth and I leave tomorrow morning for Mexico. We are going on a mission's trip to an orphanage there, and will also be visiting migrant camps and taking them food and clothing.

We are looking forward to this experience and would appreciate any prayers you are willing to send up for us. :o)

BTW...if anyone reads this that lives on the West Coast (Amy?...Theresa?), we are going to In and Out Burger tomorrow in San Diego. What is your favorite thing to eat there? Do they take credit cards or will I need cash? I'm hoping to save my cash for Mexico.

I'll be back in a little over a week. God Bless!

A New Year

2009-01-05T10:32:00.003-05:00

2009! Wow!

Last night our pastor's sermon was entitled "Spiritual Tools for Success in 2009." I have many areas I want to work on this year, and his sermon last night was very motivating for me.

Two of the areas I want to work on this year are physical and spiritual wellness. I need to be more consistent in my daily time with God...both in prayer and in Bible reading. I've been doing much better in these areas, but there is definite room for improvement. I also need to lose weight, but beyond that I need to get healthy! I've been working out on the Wii Fit for almost two weeks now and I can already feel the difference in my body. I've only lost two pounds, but I have improved my strength and I can see improvement in my knee pain.

The following verse really spoke to me last night:

Job 23:12 "I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread."

If I'm honest with myself and with God, I know that I do not put His Bread (the Bible) before my bread (my food). Food is like an idol to me in the sense that I eat too much and put too much emphasis on our meals and eating. With food my focus needs to be on feeding my family healthy, well-balanced meals. period. That doesn't mean they can't taste good, but it means they need to nourish my family, not just fill them up.

So, these are two of my goals for 2009. These are not my only goals, but they're the ones I want to share now with you.

I pray that 2009 is a good year for all who are reading this! God bless you!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T13:00:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it's the last day of 2008! Where has the year gone? There are so many things I'm thankful for this year:

1. First of all, I'm thankful for salvation through Jesus Christ and my personal relationship with Him! My life would mean nothing if not for my hope I have in Jesus!

2. I'm thankful for good health...both for me and my family.

3. I'm thankful for modern medicine! Neal is a walking miracle right now!

4. I'm thankful for friends. I am blessed with many friends...some old, some new.

5. I'm thankful for my brothers! Even though we live far away, we're just a phone call away or a thought away. Even though they are much older than me (LOL) we always have lots to talk about! I always thought I wanted a sister, but I wouldn't trade my two brothers for anything in the world!

6. I'm thankful for my church! We are so blessed to be involved in a good church. Our church family was so instrumental in ministering to us during Neal's surgery and aftermath. What a blessing it is to be involved in a good church!

7. I'm thankful for my on-line friends. I've met many people "online" and a few of those are now "in real life" friends. Thank you for your friendship!

There are so many things I'm thankful for this year, and those are just a few.

This morning I went to breakfast with my best friend, Tammy. She and I have been best friends since 1982! We went to high school together in Ohio and then moved here together to go to college. We met local boys and got married, and now live about 3 miles apart. What a blessing!

Last night we got together with our good friends Bill and Colleen (and their girls). We've known Bill and Colleen for over 20 years. Our friendship has been very sweet through the years. We both have two children, and we were both pregnant at the same time -- twice! Thank God for old friends!

Tonight we are gathering with our friends the Gordons. We met the Gordons a little over four years ago. We quickly became friends and camping buddies! We have homeschooling in common and lots of other things. Even though we've only known each other for a relatively short time, we feel very close to them and are deeply thankful for their friendship! Thank God for new friends!

I pray that all who read this will be blessed with a happy and healthy 2009! Happiness does not always have the same face...sometimes it's obvious and sometimes we have to dig deeper to find it. True happiness can only be found through a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray that if you do not know Him personally, that 2009 will be the year that you make that decision! If you want to know more about how to receive Christ as your Savior, click here.

Happy New Year!

Teresa

The Weekend Before Christmas...

2008-12-20T21:09:00.002-05:00

and all through the house, lots of creatures are stirring...except for the mouse.

Okay, I don't know where that came from, but I'm going to leave it. ;o)

On Thursday I went and got my haircut. I love my new hairdresser. My friend Tammy recommended her and she is awesome! She likes to take chances and do different things...and she's inexpensive! She doesn't wash my hair (which is fine with me), but she spritzes it with water and then cuts it, and then she styles it. She's quick too. I'm usually out in under 30 minutes. She only charges $12.00! I think that is quite a deal. So the pictures in my earlier post are of my new haircut. I've fixed it myself now, and although it doesn't look as good, I still like it.

Thursday night I went to Neal's work Christmas dinner. I had a yummy steak dinner, baked potato and marinated mushrooms. Neal and I split Tiramisu for dessert.

Last night we went to see lights at a nearby Elks Home. They have over 60,000 lights on display with lots of different things like the nativity, santa and his sleigh, etc. I made homemade pizza rolls and we had a picnic supper! It was lots of fun.

Today my friend Tammy and I went shopping and out to dinner. I finished up my Christmas shopping and just have to work on a project I'm doing. Hopefully I'll get it done by Christmas!

Well, that's what's going on around here! Now we're going to watch Wall-E (is that how you spell it?).

Have a good night!

Photo Shoot

2008-12-19T10:36:00.003-05:00

Neal and I had a Christmas dinner to go to last night, so Beth took a bunch of pictures of her Daddy and I before we left. We had fun, and she did a great job!

More Shadow People

2008-12-19T10:21:00.012-05:00

For those of you who have been reading my blog the last few months, you've seen our shadow people make appearances at Myrtle Beach, an amusement park and various other places. This time they followed us to Colonial Williamsburg!

We were done shopping, but the shadow people were lagging behind.

I think they spent some money, too!

Here they are standing at the stocks.

Oh no! Her head is stuck!

Mom found these people on the side of a house.

Okay, I know I'm weird...but we have lots of fun taking pictures of our shadows! It's the little things...ya know?

Colonial Williamsburg

2008-12-19T09:56:00.006-05:00

Two weeks ago today, my Mom and I went to Williamsburg, VA. We did this last year and had so much fun that we decided to do it again! We left Friday morning and arrived in Colonial Williamsburg three hours later. All of these pictures were taken there. I took a ton of pictures, but these were the ones I thought I'd share.

This was one of our first stops. It was a little garden and a place where the workers made wreaths, table toppers, etc. This cute little fireplace was by the entrance and we warmed up before we headed on down the street.

This is a view of one side of the street. I love these houses and how they decorate at Christmastime.

Here's a shop where a couple of the "Colonial people" were outside. You can see the firewood stacked up...now just imagine the smell of wood smoke and you'll know what we were smelling.

Here are some of the decorations.

A Colonial Woman staying warm.

There were several horse and buggies traveling along the streets.

Another "Colonial Woman" walking across a lawn.

Do you see the apple in the wall? There were recessed areas about every 1 1/2 feet on this house. They alternated red and green apples along the front of the house.

The Governor's Mansion

I love this candle holder. Maybe I should try this with one of Neal's Granny Smith apples!

Another decorated door.

Mom and I had lots of fun looking at the decorations and going in the shops. After we finished here, we went shopping and out to dinner. We ate at a nice steak house, which was unfortunately too expensive! We didn't want to walk out, so we ordered the cheapest thing on the menu. My meal ended up being better than Mom's, but we wished we had chosen a different restaurant! Live and learn!

On Saturday we spent the day at the outlet stores. That was lots of fun! I did a bit of Christmas shopping and Mom bought me a new purse from Aigner for Christmas.

Advent

2008-12-04T00:27:00.007-05:00

Our Advent Candles and the book I use that tells about Advent (and many other wonderful Christmas traditions)

Neal reading the Bible during our family devotions.

Our Advent Hershey's Kiss calendar chain. Starting on December 1st we give Beth and Ben a candy Kiss each day.

Before they get their candy kiss, they have to give one of us a real kiss.

When I'm doing it, this is my favorite part. I think Daddy enjoys it, too!

Here's a close up of the chain. It's fun and easy to create, and makes for some great memories!

Happenings in the Hive

2008-12-04T00:10:00.008-05:00

Our neighbors have chickens, and although they usually stay in their own yard, sometimes they wander into ours!

6:00 am...the day after Thanksgiving! Ben's first time hunting.

Mighty hunters are ready to go get meat!

Neal's Dad gave Neal and his sister Janet tickets to a Virginia Tech football game a couple of weeks ago. It was really cold and there was even snow on the ground. See all the orange? If you look close, you might even see a Hokie bird!

Touchdown! I was on the phone with Neal when the fireworks went off. It was loud even on the phone!

Tech wins! (Sorry Duke...)

Beth's 14th birthday! Beth had her party a month early this year, so we had our family come over for dinner. I made Beth's favorite: Mexican! In this picture is Neal's Dad, Neal's sister Jessica, and Neal.

Beth and her Mamaw (my mom)

Beth and Grandma and Grandpa

Beth being "gangsta" in her new jacket and sunglasses.

Aunt Janet being a friendly gangsta

Aunt Jessica being a bug (she said the sunglasses make her look like a bug!)

The Simple Woman's Daybook - Dec 1

2008-12-01T16:48:00.005-05:00

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook on Mondays, to learn more and find links to other ladies who are participating.

For Today...

Outside my window...naked trees

I am thinking...that I'm glad our Christmas tree is up and decorated!

From the learning rooms...along with our "book learning" today, our kids have been working on their housekeeping skills! :o)

I am thankful for...my warm home and the smell of soup cooking on the stove.

From the kitchen...Turkey Vegetable Soup

I am wearing...blue sweatpants and a Navy t-shirt.

I am reading...my Bible and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

I am hoping...that the weather is nice this weekend when Mom and I go to Colonial Williamsburg.

I am creating...a mess! (putting up Christmas decorations)

I am hearing...music from my daughter's blog.

Around the house...cleaning up after decorating, laundry, need to write Christmas cards...today I made soup, wrote out bills (and hand delivered one), did school with the kids, caught up on my blogs, visited briefly with my best friend.

One of my favorite things...listening to Christmas music.

A few plans for the rest of the week...tomorrow is a Ladies Night Out and cookie exchange, Wednesday is church and shopping, Thursday is piano and shopping, Friday and Saturday will be spent in Williamsburg with my Mom (our 2nd annual Mother/Daughter Christmas shopping trip)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Memories from our weekend away at the cabin.

Booked for the Holidays

2008-12-01T16:24:00.003-05:00

I am so excited about the book Linda (at Mocha with Linda) is giving away this week! I love Amish fiction books, and this is one written by a new (to me) author! The title is "Plain Perfect" by Beth Wiseman.

If you'd like a chance to win this book, click on the Booked for the Holidays button in the sidebar and enter the contest. The deadline is this Wednesday - Dec 3 - at noon.

Thanksgiving Quiz

2008-11-28T13:20:00.002-05:00

I found this on Linda's blog and thought it looked like fun:

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together.

People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

I'm not too sure how I feel about this!!!

Beth

2008-11-28T11:24:00.006-05:00

I had one of the happiest days in my life fourteen years ago today! My daughter, Elizabeth Jayne, was born! Life has never been the same. She has brought so much joy into my life. She was a good baby, a cute toddler (except at bedtime!), a fun preschooler, a sweet little girl, and now she is a funny, interesting, helpful, beautiful, caring, and Jesus-Loving teenager! I've always been told "just wait until she hits the teenage years!" Well, I'm so excited about these teenage years so far! My daughter is just getting better and better! We have lots of fun together, whether it's at home or shopping or going to church...playing games or doing school work. I love her and I'm so thankful to God for giving me such a precious daughter!

I love you, Beth!

I am thankful for

2008-11-26T23:07:00.002-05:00

so many things!

Tonight we had a Thanksgiving service at church. We were given a time where we could stand up and give a testimony or tell what we are thankful for. I wanted to stand up so badly, but every time I started to do so I'd feel the tears start to come. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to be understood through my tears, so I didn't say anything. :o( So, I will say what I wanted to say here:

I am thankful for my husband and for modern medical technology! For anyone that doesn't know, my husband Neal was diagnosed in March with an aneurysm in his aorta. His only real option was to have his aorta replaced. If he let it go he would be a walking time bomb, and his aorta could have ruptured at any time.

(Miracle #1 was that they found the aorta!)

On April 8th Neal entered the hospital and had a catherization. Other than the aorta and his defective aortic valve, his heart was very healthy. No blockages (Miracle #2).

On April 9th at around 5:30 in the morning, they wheeled my beloved off to surgery. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. We had enjoyed a wonderful time of prayer together around 3:00 in the morning. He told me that although he wanted to live, that he was also okay with dying. He was sure of his salvation through Jesus Christ, and everything would be okay.

The waiting room rapidly filled with my family and friends. It was a wonderful testimony to Neal that so many people came out to support him! There were even more people who were supporting us through prayer that could not be at the hospital. We are so thankful to all of them!

The next 8 days were an emotional roller coaster. His heart didn't start back on its' own, so he had to have an external pacemaker. The bottom of his heart wasn't working at all. I prayed and asked others to join me in prayer that his bottom half of his heart would start working. The doctor didn't give us much hope on Saturday. He was very discouraged. On Sunday morning Neal's heart was beating on its' own! Praise God! The top and bottom were not "communicating" but his heart could beat without the pacemaker. They took it off on Monday. He was discharged Tuesday. We had a couple of days at home and went back on Thursday for them to check his heart beat and see if the top and bottom were communicating yet. Not long after we arrived at the doctor's office his heart rate dropped into the 30's and they could not get a blood pressure. (Another Miracle -- it happened at the doctor's office). I immediately took Neal to the hospital and he received a pacemaker the next day. (Thank you, God, for modern medical technology!)

Friday night we returned home and that was the start of his real recovery. He spent two months at home before he went back to work. It was another miracle how God provided for our financial needs during that time!

Today Neal is healthier than he has been in years. He is stronger and working out more and more. His color is good, and he feels good. I am so thankful to God for giving Neal good medical attention, good friends, and a new lease on life!

I love him more than I can say, and if I could have said anything tonight at church, I would have at least said "Thank you, God, for my husband!"

Neal's Addition to the Husband Meme

2008-11-25T16:11:00.003-05:00

I know many people do not read the comments, so I thought I would post what Neal wrote about the previous "Husband Meme."

I would also have to add liver, cooked carrots, and salmon to foods I don't like.

I like any kind of sandwich that I happen to be eating that particular day - but my favorite is a Whopper with extra pickles. Other than that I will eat anything if necessary. I am ready for the Great Depression II where we have to eat rocks and twigs and stuff like that including the parts that now go into souse and hotdogs.

I REALLY dont like sweaters - they are hot and itchy and you can't take them off.

So, there you go...Neal's revision to my aforementioned post! But my question is "what is souse???"

Husband Meme

2008-11-24T11:49:00.003-05:00

I read this over at Marsha's blog, and thought it would be fun to do!

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? He's watching Fox News or Spongebob!

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? It would depend on the restaurant and the salad. If he gets his favorite Buffalo Chicken Salad, then he would order Blue Cheese Dressing. His favorite dressing at home is Ranch.

3. What's one food he doesn't like? There's not much he doesn't like, but I'd say his two least favorite food items are sweet potatoes and cinnamon.

4. You go out to the bar. What does he order? We don't go out to bars, but he occasionally has to go with work. I think he orders sweet tea or a soft drink.

5. Where did he go to high school? Amherst County High School in Amherst, VA.

6. What size shoe does he wear? 9.5 wide

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Hmmm...probably tools

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? This is so difficult because he doesn't get stuck on one of anything...however, I would guess and say a Club sandwich from Subway. (what would you say, Neal?)

9. What would he eat every day if he could? Probably a spinach salad. He loves anything green!

10. What is his favorite cereal? He doesn't eat cereal anymore, but when he did his favorite was Basic 4.

11. What would he never wear? As soon as I'd say he'd never wear something, he'd probably wear it. But I know he has a strong dislike for sweaters!

12. What is his favorite sports team? This one's easy: Virginia Tech Hokies Football team!

13. Who did he vote for? McCain/Palin!

14. Who is his best friend? That would be...ME! :o)

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? Snore!

16. How many states has he lived in? Two: Virginia and Georgia

17. What is his heritage? Redneck! lol No, I'm not really sure. His family's like mine...we've been here in America for more years than any of us know!

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what would it be? Trouble! He hates cake (oh, I forgot that one up above!!) I usually make him a big cookie or a cheesecake.

19. Did he play sports in high school? No, with his heart condition he wasn't allowed to play sports. He did like to play football in the front yard though!

20. What could he spend hours doing? In the summer he could spend hours working in the yard and garden. He loves working with his plants and doing landscaping.

21. What's something cool about him? The "coolest" thing about Neal is his love for our family. He would rather be home with us than anywhere else. It was not a problem at all when he had to spend two months at home earlier this year. It was hard for us to have him leave and go back to work!

Neal is a great husband and father and I love him very much!

Fridays Fave 5

2008-11-21T19:18:00.012-05:00

I had so much fun doing Fridays Fave 5 last week, that I decided to give it another go. Again, Susanne at Living to tell the Story is hosting it. If you want to read more, or join in, click on the picture above.

Here's my Fave 5 for the week of November 16th:

1. Our Fireplace: When we built our house six years ago, we did not put in a fireplace. Neal said that if we wanted to add one down the road, we could get a mantle and gas logs. We did that at the end of the season last winter, but we are really enjoying those logs now! This week has been unseasonably cold. When we woke up Thursday morning we were out of gas! Yikes! Neal filled up our tank and we had a fire again Thursday night. The Fireplace has been one of my very favorite things this week!

2. Fat Ladies -- no, not real fat ladies...just cookies that will make ladies fat. I got this recipe from the blog Mocha with Linda:

FAT LADIES

1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 6 oz. package chocolate chips
32 caramels, unwrapped
¼ c. half & half
1 c. chopped pecans (or your choice of nut)

Cut dough into ¼ inch thick slices and press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Melt caramels in half & half and spread over top. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate. Indulge!

3. Home school Moms: Home school mothers are a special breed of ladies! I'm not just saying that because I'm one, but after spending the evening with 14 other HS moms last night I know how special they are. As I listened to these ladies share their joys and struggles, it was so evident how much time and effort each one puts into their children's education. I'm proud to be a home school mom!

4. Lower gas prices! I was so happy to fill up my gas tank for $20.65 instead of $40!!! Yaah! I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

5. Time with my best friend - I've had two times this week when I was able to spend time with my best friend, Tammy. On Wednesday we spent time menu planning together, and this afternoon she rode along with me to take Ben to basketball practice. We had a couple of hours to talk and ride around. It was so nice! We've been best friends for about 26 years. We went to high school together in Ohio and came here to Virginia at the same time. We met "local boys" and got married and only live about 3 miles apart. She is such a blessing to me!

Thanks for reading about my week and some of my favorite things!

My Christmas Present

2008-11-19T23:49:00.003-05:00

Check out what Neal got me for Christmas (just a wee bit early)at my cooking blog:

Teresa's Table

Overheard

2008-11-18T13:34:00.001-05:00

while the kids were playing their Wii:

Ben to Beth: "You've got the brains, and I've got the bronze!"

(sounds like we need to increase our vocabulary class!)

Christian Book Give-A-Way!

2008-11-16T17:31:00.005-05:00

I love give-aways...although I've never one an on-line giveaway before, it's fun to post my little comment and hope for the best! I absolutely LOVE to read Christian fiction books, so this is a double whammy!

Linda over at "Mocha with Linda" is starting a give-away tomorrow (November 17th). I can't wait to see what book she's giving away. So, if you want to join in and have a chance of winning a free book, click on the "Booked for the Holidays" link above on Monday. Good luck!

Sky Watch Friday

2008-11-15T10:49:00.004-05:00

It's been a few weeks since I did Sky Watch Friday, so I really wanted to get back to it! Even though it's already Saturday, I'm going to join in. These pictures were taken about 30 minutes ago. Some were from my back deck and others were from my front porch. The leaves are falling and it's starting to look like winter here. There are still some leaves hanging on though...even through the heavy rain we had earlier this morning! A cold front is supposed to come through this afternoon...maybe next week's sky watch will have snow in it! :o)

For more Sky Watch photos click HERE!

Fridays Fave Five

2008-11-14T10:36:00.010-05:00

This is something new that I haven't tried before. Fridays Fave Five. You're supposed to list five of your favorite things from the week. It doesn't have to be anything big, just something that brought you happiness during the week. :o) I found this over at Linda's 2nd Cup of Coffee, but it originally came from "Living to tell the Story."

So here we go...five of my favorite things from the week of November 9th!

1. "There's No Place Like Home" After a difficult week last week, my family and I were totally worn out on Sunday. We always go to church, but my husband made an "executive decision" to stay home this past Sunday. Although we missed the fellowship at church, we realized how much we needed that day at home. We all slept in very late. I got up around 11:00, and Ben had gotten up sometime shortly before me. Neal and Beth both slept past noon. We spent a day together talking, eating, reading and watching movies. I was so refreshed after that, and I'm very thankful my husband made that decision for us! (but I look forward to going to church this Sunday!)

2. "Routine" The past month has been all out of routine for us. I worked several days during October leading up to the elections. Although the kids were able to continue with their schooling, it's not the same as when I'm here all the time. So, this week we got back on track and had a great week of school!

3.Ben celebrated his 11th Birthday! This boy is so precious to me! He was definitely one of my Fave 5 this week!

4.Although the telephone is an annoyance to me a lot of the time, I was so happy when it rang last night and it was Neal's cousin Ruthie. She called because she knew I'd had a difficult week last week and she wanted to "be there for me." I live in Virginia and Ruthie lives in Connecticut, so it's pretty difficult to give each other a hug. :o) So, she did the next best thing and gave me a call! What a great surprise! (Thanks Ruthie!!!)

5.Although he may not think so, I enjoyed listening to and watching Neal watch the Va Tech game. I do not enjoy sitting down and watching the game, so I make periodic stops in the living room to see what's going on. I love seeing him there with his orange wig on, yelling at the players. :o) Ever since Neal's surgery in April, I am often hit unexpectedly with waves of emotion and thankfulness about Neal. This morning was one of those times. I was sitting reading my Bible when something made me think of how helpless he was right after surgery. It makes me cry typing about it. I'm so thankful that the Lord allowed us to find his aneurysm in time to fix it, and I'm thankful that he is here to wear a silly orange wig and yell at people on a tv screen that cannot hear him!

Ben

2008-11-13T09:26:00.004-05:00

Eleven years ago this afternoon, I gave birth to a precious little baby boy. He weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs, 7 oz! We called him our little Sumo wrestler. He was so cute! We named him Benjamin Ward, and he has brought us so much joy his entire life!

Ben has a gentle, giving spirit. He loves to do for others, and hates it when he sees people mistreated. He's very sensitive.

Ben also enjoys playing super heroes, reading, playing piano, listening to his Christian music cd's, watching movies, playing the Wii, and spending time with his family. (Sounds like I'm advertising him for a dating service, doesn't it?)

Anyway, we love this guy! And we are so thankful to God for bringing him into our lives!

This is Ben in his new jacket he got for his birthday. It's reversible, and you can see the other side in the picture at the top of this post.

Ben enjoy his musical birthday card. ("Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go Play!")

Neal called this the "Breakfast of Champions!" Ben requested sausage balls and I threw in his favorite donut and a freshly made fruit smoothie!

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY, BEN!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a GREAT-Aunt!

2008-11-12T16:12:00.002-05:00

Actually I've been a great aunt for over 30 years (ahem) but now for the second time I'm a real "Great-Aunt!" My niece, Susie, gave birth last night to Robert Daniel ______________, III. They will call him Daniel (we have lots and lots of Roberts/Robbies/Bobby's/Bobs, etc in our family). He was three weeks early and weighed in at 5 lbs, 10 oz, and is 19 inches long! He, of course, is beautiful! Even though I have not actually seen a picture of him yet, I know this without a shadow of a doubt. How could it be any other way?!!!

The coolest thing is that he was born on my Mom's birthday yesterday! So he shares his birthday with his Great Grandma -- GiGi.

We are so happy for Susie and Robbie and my brother Bob and his wife Debbie.

Didn't I tell you "God is Good?!"

Life is Hard, but God is Good!

2008-11-12T15:00:00.003-05:00

As I was driving to a friend's house yesterday, I heard this song on the radio. Pam Thum is the artist. I think they played it just for me...they can do that, you know. I think God placed a special request just for me. :o) Here are the lyrics:

You turn the key
Then close the door behind you
Drop your bags on the floor
You reach for the light
But there's darkness deep inside
And you can't take it anymore

'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you
And sometimes living is all you can do

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

You start to cry
'Cause you've been strong for so long
And that's not how you feel
You try to pray
But there's nothing left to say
So you just quietly kneel

In the silence of all that you face
God will give you His mercy and grace

Jesus never said
It was an easy road to travel
He only said that you would never be alone
So when your last thread of hope
Begins to come unraveled
Don't give up, He walks beside you
On this journey home and He knows

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

I love this song! It made me cry, but it encouraged me too. God has allowed various trials in my life this year, and I'm okay with that. I have learned from each one of them. Hopefully I won't forget what I've learned! I pray that He won't have to hit me over the head too many times in order for me to listen!

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for me this past week. You know who you are! :o) It's wonderful to have precious friends like you!

April

2008-11-01T23:49:00.001-04:00

Beautiful April and her husband, Paul.

***April went home to be with the Lord last night. She is already missed by many! Please continue to pray for her family.***

Update

2008-11-01T22:56:00.002-04:00

The family have been told that April is not going to make it. The swelling on her brain is too severe.

April's parents are in the process of traveling to Virginia right now.

Please continue to pray!

Please Pray!

2008-11-01T20:15:00.005-04:00

Today my friend, April, had a sky-diving accident. She was tandem diving and apparently her chute did not open, and the other person fell on top of her. ***Correction*** Her chute did open, but she and the instructor got tangled before the landing. She landed underneath the instructor.*** To my understanding, she has been unresponsive and unable to breathe on her own since the accident. She is in very critical condition. April has two daughters -- Anna is 13 and Emily is 8 or 9.

Please pray!

This Weeks' Update

2008-10-30T16:42:00.001-04:00

Another busy week around here! I was home Monday, but worked Tuesday and Wednesday. Home today (except for piano and errands) and I'll be working tomorrow. I really enjoy helping out at the Registrar's office. It's so busy right now, and it's an exciting place to be right before a presidential election!

Neal and I hadn't had any time together lately, so last night we went out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants -- Moe's. They have awesome Mexican food, but we especially love their salsa! It might even be better than ours. ;o)

While we were there we saw a friend we hadn't seen in a while and I found out he's still keeping up with my blog (Hi Scott!). I couldn't figure out at first how he knew about my blog, but then he reminded me that he started reading it when Neal went through his surgery. Duh! I forgot about that!

That also reminded me that I haven't given an update on Neal for a while. I don't even think about it very often anymore. He is doing SO well! Every once in a while I see his scars and say "hey, you had heart surgery." He just says "yes, I did" and grins at me. We do continue to praise God for healing Neal and bringing his condition to our attention! I would hate to think what we may be going through right now if He hadn't seen fit to do so! Thank you, Lord!

Anyway, Neal and I had a really nice time last night eating and talking. After dinner we ran over to Sams to get milk, and then to Old Navy to look for some birthday and Christmas presents for Ben. We bought him some items he needed and I hope they fit!

Today Ben went to piano, but Beth didn't go in because she has a cough and didn't want to spread her germs around. Afterward we went to Goodwill and Beth found one shirt, and Ben found some clothes! Yaah! It's so hard to find clothes for him. He hates to shop, so that doesn't help!

It's been a good day!

Fun, Busy Weekend

2008-10-27T16:58:00.005-04:00

Friday morning started off with a homeschool field trip to Layman Farms in Montvale, Virginia. This was the best corn maze I have ever been to! The farm was outstanding, and there was lots to do for preschoolers all the way through adults! We had 82 homeschoolers come out for this field trip! Lots of fun!

Here are Beth and some of her friends.

Here I am with some of my friends! :o)

This is one of the two wagons we filled up with our homeschool group!

Beth and some of her friends on the big tires!

Here's some of the girls getting ready to enter the maze.

Even teenagers have fun playing in the corn!

This is an aerial view of the corn maze. That is the face of Frank Beamer (Va Tech football coach).

Friday night we had Fun For All at our church. FFA is a halloween alternative we have at our church. There's lots of games, those big blow up jumpy things ;o), pony rides, and Bible stories. At the end of the night the kids go home with a bag full of candy. It goes up through 6th grade, so Ben has one more year. Beth worked in the game room and I worked in the preschool bouncy thingy room. (I'm really drawing a blank of what those things are called!) We had fun, but after having the field trip and then FFA that night, I was ready for bed!

Saturday we had Beth's birthday party! Her Birthday's not until the end of November, but we were hoping to have an outside party. It ended up raining though, and we had to have the party indoors anyway! We had it from 1:00 to 6:00, and at 5:00 it was nice enough that they could go outside. Beth posted pictures from her party, so I'll let you go over there and check them out: Beth's Blog.

Yesterday I visited a friend in the hospital, went to church, went home and finished reading "The Rapture," took a nap, went back to church, went to Walmart, visited Neal's grandpa, went home and ate a late supper, went to bed. Tossed and turned all night, and then started the day all over again. :o)

Now I'm looking foward to a quiet evening at home.

Vote Your Conscience

2008-10-27T09:38:00.003-04:00

This video was shown in our church yesterday. We are not Catholic, but this video speaks to everyone. Please watch it and "vote your conscience."

You will want to pause my blog music in order to hear the music on this video.

Sky Watch Friday

2008-10-23T11:42:00.003-04:00

These two pictures were taken by my Aunt Alberta (she contributed some pictures a couple of weeks ago). Aren't they lovely? In the top one I can just picture Jesus standing there returning for his children! What a day that will be!

If you want to see more Sky Watch pictures click HERE! (I'm posting a little early, so you'll have to check them out after 2:30 pm est.)

Food For Thought

2008-10-22T14:08:00.001-04:00

(I did not write this, it was forwarded by a friend.)

Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read "Vote Obama, I need the money." I laughed.

Once in the restaurant my server had on a "Obama 08" tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference -- just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in
concept than in practical application.

Also, employers could announce the consideration of employee raises, then withhold those raises and give the proceeds to a worthy cause, preferably one involving non-workers ... PRICELESS!

My New Food Blog

2008-10-22T11:53:00.001-04:00

For quite some time, I have been wanting to start a food blog. I finally did it this morning. If you like trying new recipes and finding out about different foods, please come visit me at "Teresa's Table."

My World Tuesday

2008-10-20T21:11:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to tell you about My World Tuesday. This is put on by the same group that sponsors Sky Watch Friday. The rules are basically the same, but in this meme you post pictures of your world....however you see it. Next week I plan on putting on pictures closer to home, but this week I'm going to share pictures from Douthat State Park in Virginia. This is about an hour and a half away from our home, and one of our favorite camping destinations.

It is located in the George Washington National Forest.

I think this dam is so pretty. We usually camp next to the lake here.

This is one of the creeks that run through the campground.

Virginia has many beautiful state parks to visit. We usually hike, ride bikes, swim, and just enjoy the company of friends and family.

What's going on in your world? Check out what's going on in other areas by clicking HERE.

Sunday Adventure

2008-10-20T20:00:00.008-04:00

While driving home from church yesterday afternoon, Neal commented on how clearly we could see the mountains and how pretty they were (or if he didn't comment on them being pretty, I'm sure he thought it). Sometimes it's hazy and you can't see the mountains as clearly, but you could practically see the roads on the Blue Ridge Parkway! I looked at him and batted my eyes and asked if we could go up there after lunch. He said he was going to take a nap. I kept batting my eyes, sticking out my lower lip, and practically begging until I figured he couldn't resist. No, actually I didn't figure I had a chance of going up there when a nap was on his mind; however, he surprised me and relented! We kept it secret from the kids, because we like to be mean that way... We went on home and I grilled tuna steaks while the kids and Neal bathed the dog aka Suzi. The kids knew something was up, and it was killing them. After we cleaned up the lunch dishes, I told the kids to dress warm and we all (Suzi included) piled into the van. (We decided to splurge and drive the van since gas went down over $1.00 a gallon -- WooHoo!)

We were planning on going to the Parkway, but Neal pulled over at the Food Lion parking lot to have a "Council Meeting" with me. We stepped out of the van and he asked if I'd like to drive up to Cave Mountain Lake to see where he and Ben camped last weekend. I agreed, and we ended the meeting and resumed the drive.

About 45 minutes later...after driving around curve after curve...we arrived at our secret destination. Ben was excited to show us where they had camped! First we went to the beach:

While we were out walking, we went across a foot bridge:

Now this may not seem a big deal to most, but Suzi hates bridges. We live next to a bridge and she will not cross it. Neal can pull with all his might, and she will pull harder in the opposite direction. We've tried foot bridges in the past, as well, and she wouldn't go over them. So this was a big deal for us! We took many pictures to celebrate the glorious occasion! ;o)

Neal wanted us to check out the camp sites to see if we'd want to camp there sometime as a family. The campsites were fine, but the real test was.... the bathrooms! Yes, that's right. We have to have a decent potty! Beth and I decided it was doable, so we'll probably camp there in the spring.

As were were leaving the park, we spotted a sign that said Parkway 4 miles. Neal asked if I wanted to go that way, and I said sure. That was our original destination anyway. So after about 1 mile the road turned into a gravel road. Hmmmm, it was a halfway decent gravel road, so we decided to forge ahead.

Next the road starts curving and going up.

It was okay at first, but then it just kept going and going and getting higher and higher.

And did I mention it was a one-track road? Only wide enough for one vehicle and there were NO guard rails?!!!

And did I further mention that I am afraid of heights...especially when I'm in a car? Well, I am, and I was very afraid! I was so afraid that I wouldn't look out the window.

But I was curious enough to wonder what was out there so I turned the camera to the window and blindly took this picture:

Not much to see there. So we kept driving and I kept taking pictures. I mentioned at one point that maybe we should turn around. But since Neal kept driving I figured he didn't like that idea much. Actually I think he figured since we'd driven that far, and the gravel road was still pretty well maintained, that we would eventually end up on the Parkway.

Right when I didn't think I could take it anymore, I built up my courage and glanced out the window and saw this:
The fear actually left me at that moment, and I was glad we'd taken this scary route! (not that I would do it again!) About a quarter of a mile later, we saw a stop sign and we were there...we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway! WooHoo!!! We were all quite relieved to get to our destination and hit pavement!

We pulled over at the next scenic overlook and saw this:
It was very pretty!

Here's a shot of Neal and I in our cool shades! ;o)
Next we drove to one of our favorite spots.

Here's Beth sitting on a rock looking at the view.

Here's the view from the overlook!

I always take a picture of the kids on these rocks. Beth didn't want to get up there this time, but she gave in to make her Mama happy!

Here's another big rock Ben had fun climbing.

There was another family at the overlook with their dog. For some reason their dog doesn't like other animals, so we kept Suzi at a safe distance to keep the peace.

As it turned out the man was a former co-worker of mine. I hadn't seen him in over 14 years. He is a professional photographer now, and was taking lots of pictures of his family and the view. When they finished, he took a few shots of us with our camera.

The lighting wasn't the best, but it turned out pretty good.

It was a fun day spent with my wonderful family! It's so nice to live so close to such beauty! We were in awe of God's beautiful creation yesterday!

A Couple More "Ben Funnies"

2008-10-18T22:35:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I mentioned how stopped up my nose was, and Ben said "it most be those Algerians you're allergic to." (Algerians = Allergens)

Beth planted a Magnolia seed in a pot a while back to see if it would come up. Ben asked her how her "Mongolian" tree was doing! LOL

Those Yummy Cookies I Talked About

2008-10-18T22:06:00.003-04:00

Okay, so here are those yummy chocolate cookies I told you about. And the best thing is they are SO easy!

Here's what you need:

1 cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Devils Food)
2 eggs
1 stick butter softened
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together in bowl. It's a very dry mixture, so I added just a little bit of oil to help mix it together. Apple sauce would have been a good alternative. I used a small cookie scoop -- probably about a tablespoon -- and placed on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes. They will have a glossy look to them, but they will settle down and harden. These are a soft, moist cookie!

This will be a fun recipe to play around with...different flavors of cake mix and different additions like M&Ms, different flavored chips, etc.

If you make these let me know how you like them!

Hokie Fans

2008-10-18T21:45:00.004-04:00

Virginia Tech Football is on ESPN tonight!

Neal is in his "game clothes." If he doesn't wear his orange wig, Va Tech will lose ya know!

Neal's Dad came over to watch the game.

I made a yummy spinach and artichoke dip tonight to eat during the game. I also made some very yummy chocolate cookies. I'll post the recipe in a minute!

GO TECH!!!

Obama on Star Trek?

2008-10-16T20:34:00.003-04:00

Did you ever notice the similarities between Senator Obama and Commander Tuvok?

Just wondering...

Sky Watch Friday

2008-10-16T19:49:00.003-04:00

These pictures were taken when we went camping a few weekends ago. The sun was starting to set in the first two, and I thought it looked pretty coming through the trees.

If you want to see more Sky Watch pictures, click HERE!

Shadow Update

2008-10-16T19:38:00.003-04:00

I took Shadow to the vet and after a few hours and a few hundred dollars we found out that he is extremely anemic. They're not sure why, but they put him on an antibiotic and prednisone (steroid). He was so anemic that if he had been much worse they would have had to do a blood transfusion! So, I'm very thankful we took him to the vet today! He'll be staying up in our house until he starts to feel better. Right now he's just laying around.

Thanks to anyone who may have said a prayer for our special kitty!

Two things

2008-10-16T07:54:00.002-04:00

Okay, I have one funny and one serious.

Serious first: If you all don't mind, would you say a prayer for my Mom's cat Shadow? I know it may sound trivial to some, but Mom loves this cat, and he's been sick for a week now. I'm hoping to get him in at the Vet this morning. She tried yesterday but they were booked. She's going to be gone all day and she was going to wait until tomorrow but he looks so pitiful this morning I told her I'd take him. He isn't eating (he's a 20 lb cat with no appetite for a week -- something's wrong!), and he just lays around. He usually goes to the woods to go to the bathroom, but now he just goes in Mom's flower bed. He's only two years old, so something has to be wrong. I'll update later.

Funny: Yesterday Ben told me he needed toothpaste. I asked him what kind and he said Aqua Fresh, and then he proceeded to read all the benefits of using this particular brand. At one point he said "it fights Plague!" Beth (laughing) said, "it's not plaGue, it's plaQue!"

So if you know of anyone with the Plague, give them Aqua Fresh!

Cabin Pictures

2008-10-15T17:28:00.006-04:00

I finally found some time to sit down and download my pictures from our camping weekend. We had the best time getting away to the mountains! Here's some pictures from our mini-vaca!

On the way to the cabin it was rainy and foggy...pretty though!

Suzi was excited to finally go on a vacation with us!

After we unpacked the van, the first item on business was building a fire!

Here's a shot of our living room. The cabin was small, but had everything we needed...including indoor plumbing!

Here's the tiny, but stocked, kitchen.

This was mine and Neal's tiny bedroom. Although there were sheets and bedding, we decided to sleep in our sleeping bags. It felt a bit more like camping!

The kids' room had twin beds. The bathroom was in between our bedrooms.

Here's a view of the cabin. It is a real log cabin built in the 1930's.

Another shot of the cabin. I loved the rocking chairs!

Beth and Suzi enjoying the porch. This was taken the morning we were leaving.

Here was the hardest job of the weekend...putting the bikes on the bike rack!