Paths and Ways

I have prayed these verses before, but as I read them again I wonder if I really meant it. Do I really want God to show me His ways and teach me His paths. His ways are not always easy, glamorous, or popular. His path maybe bumpy, uphill and through seemingly scary places. To the world God's ways and paths may seem like this, but to Christians they are full of love, joy, and companionship. When we allow God to show us His ways and paths, we grow in our relationship with Him, we trust more and love harder.  Though the it may not be how you imagined it, let God show His path and ways, let Him teach you the truths and then enjoy being filled with love, hope and companionship that never ends! 

Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Being a Grandma or Nonna or Queenie!

At the age of 50, I now have a granddaughter!  She is a month old and I still don't know what I want her to call me.

Grandma
Nonna (Italian translation of grandma)
Queenie (this is my favorite, but not my daughters)


When I was growing up you just called your grandparents Grandma and Grandpa or Grandmother and Grandfather.  My girls were the first of the grandkids and they called my mom Grandma and my dad Pawpaw.  Of course that stuck through the rest of the grandkids.

When my daughter first found out she was pregnant she asked what we wanted to be called and 10 months

later we still can't decide.  I think my husband would like Nonno (Italian version of grandpa), that is what he called his grandpa in Italy.  So I am thinking Nonno and Queenie!! Queenie comes from the boys at work calling me queen!

What are your thoughts? Here are some photos to help you decide!!

Craft Room Explosion

Many of you don't know it, but I am a craftaholic, though not just with one craft, but many.  Seems I can't not have something in my hands, be it a book, knitting needles, computer, beaters, food or my newest craft - making wreaths.

Over the years I have tried my hand a rug hooking (the old fashioned type with strips of wool and they call you a hooker), making and painting Victorian style birdhouses, making baskets, short dabble at jewelry making, woodworking, knitting and crocheting, cross stitch, another short dabble at scrapbooking, and various little crafting projectes along the way.  I still paint a little, do woodworking, sewing, and knitting and crocheting.

Recently I have added deco mesh and burlap wreath making to the list.  I had seen the wreaths on Pinterest and a friend at church had made some and I was really interested in making one, so I did the thing I do best and googled it!  I watched a few videos, read a few blogs, asked a few questions and started.  I have been making wreaths for about 4 months now and I have seen improvement in my skills and clutter in my craft room

 

One of my first wreaths

Last two wreaths I just made

Speaking of my craft room, formerly my oldest daughter's room. I was prompted by my youngest daughter, when she and her husband bought a house and she wanted the bed in that room, to make that room into my craft room.  I wasn't sure about it, but she convinced me I didn't need the extra bed and did need a craft room. Well I am not sure that was such a good idea. As the youngest often says now, "Mom, it looks like Hobby Lobby had a baby in your craft room!"

I had great intentions of organizing the "room" while we were off on Christmas break, but I barely made a dent.  However, Jim and I are working slowly on adding some organizational items and stacking and hanging things.  It is looks better all the time.

I was going to post a picture of it, but still not wanting to embarrass myself too much!

Next post will include some of my recent knitting projects and burlap wreaths.  Now I am try to figure out how I can work from home so I can craft more! I also have a great recipe for you, forgot to take pictures when I made it last.  Have to work on remembering to do that!

Have a blessed day and stay warm! (20 F here right now)

New Recipe

It has been forever since I have posted, but tonight I tweaked a recipe from Pinterest and wanted to remember so I thought I should just blog it!

Taco Casserole - My version

I had pinned this recipe recently for a low cal taco casserole, Healthy. Delicious. "Doritos Locos" Taco Bake.  It looked delicious and just 272 calories per serving so I decided to try it tonight.  I didn't have garlic or ground beef or ground chicken, so I swapped a few things.

Here it is:

24 corn tortilla chips

1 sm.-med. onion

2 t. olive oil

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 - 12.5 oz canned chicken, drained

1 T. taco seasoning

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 sm can diced green chilies

1/2-1 c chunky salsa

3/4 c. shredded cheese

1. Heat oven to 350

2. Heat oil and red pepper flakes in skillet

3. Add onions and sauté until soft

4. Add chicken and taco seasoning. Break up chicken and stir all together

5. Heat for about 5 minutes and then add black beans, chilies and salsa.  Heat until no longer juicy. (My salsa was very think so it didn't take long.)

6. Line bottom of a casserole dish (I used a 2 quart dish) with the tortilla chips, press down to break chips into bite sized pieces.

7. Spoon chicken mixture on top of chips and top with cheese.

8. Bake for 20 minutes.  

Serve with sour cream or guacamole and extra chips

Approximately 272 calories per serving and 7+ WW Points

Happy, healthy eating!

It is never too late!

I haven't written in 9 months, but I thought it is never too late to share pictures from the wedding with you all and then hopefully catch up to what is happening now over the next few post (done a bit more frequently).

Wedding Day
















Tears and Smiles, falling off false lashes and stuck in dresses with broke zipper.  Fun times.

Rehearsal for the big day!

The day before the wedding we loaded up what seemed like the entire house and headed the three hours to a beautiful part of Arkansas, almost as beautiful as the part we live in!

I must say the Days Inn in Mountain Home is most accommodating.  They were fantastic and let us do whatever we needed to to get ready! We were mixing up pasta salad in the lobby - wish I would have remembered the camera for that. (Picture is really small because I didn't take it)


We headed out to Lydia's Weddings for the rehearsal.

Everyone is trying to figure out where to go - Nick thinks the sun is too bright!

This is Michael escorting me to my seat.  Every picture someone took of me, I am in some awkward stage of moving.

Tyler being the ever dutiful cousin, holding Kaylyn's bag, yet maintaining his macho image (Captain Morgan pose).

My Dad and Granny look quite nice in their matching white. The great place about Lydia's Weddings, lots of places to sit!

Jim was being his usual self so I had to step in and make sure we got through this rehearsal in a timely manner.  Notice Tyler (filled in as groomsman during rehearsal).

Michael saying, "Whoa, slow down Abby!"
Brother of the groom and sister of the bride.  Abby got there a little late so Michael is explaining how things go. Her first time in a wedding and she was not quite versed in how things went, but she caught on fairly quickly and didn't trip once!


The rest of the night was a blur.  We drove an hour back west for the rehearsal dinner and then back an hour east to the hotel.  A little time by the pool with family and then to bed.  I am surprised I slept that night, but I did (only about 3 hours).

Family

It has been forever since I posted. Things have been a bit busy around our house. Our youngest daughter was married on July 9th and the two weeks prior to and the week after are just a blur.  Over the next week I will be posting different aspects about the event.

The first is Family.  Family can be that in which you are born into and that in which happens as a group bonds as family, that would be my church family.  Both were instrumental in making the wedding fantastic!

My sister, brother, sister-in-law and nephews went above and beyond in helping with the wedding.  They helped prep all the food, cook most of it and serve and clean-up all of it for the buffet dinner at the wedding.  I will be ever indebted to them all...still makes me tear up when I think about all they did.

My nephew, he was also one of the ring bears and runs the household most of the time!

The twin cousins - often mistaken for brother and sister. Tyler doesn't quite have the olive complexion Kaylyn (the bride) has, but they have the same noses and smile.

My brother, the chef, and all his minions.  Actually his wife, Jill, might be telling him how to cut the veggies.

It was a busy kitchen.  My sister, wearing the Razorback shirt, was sporting a new haircut. Jim is instructing the boys on something, though I am not sure it had to do with cutting veggies.

This all took place Thursday before the wedding.  We had another prep party at about 10pm that night and again early Friday morning.  We then packed up the house, so it seemed, and headed 3 hours away to the wedding venue.  A destination wedding in Arkansas!

To follow will be rehearsal and wedding day prep.