tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76472146061033191562024-03-14T07:31:27.656-05:00Russell Family BlessingsBlessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
Jeremiah 17:7Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-66272120584979069122019-12-28T21:56:00.001-06:002019-12-28T22:50:09.622-06:00Favorite Banana Pudding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfeJj2otFJcEXbQ9gR8Vvt75zxgHcMlXdur4f8PhHn4daTMN3Q8DXwDZ-P9swOeOCbzHt04bCyRxBCPY9ydvoKvxH2PXEDqY82Al-KirDZlplc8qpa-W8hsvxUXAvBO1hvBFZ_pf0jO4/s1600/IMG_2422+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfeJj2otFJcEXbQ9gR8Vvt75zxgHcMlXdur4f8PhHn4daTMN3Q8DXwDZ-P9swOeOCbzHt04bCyRxBCPY9ydvoKvxH2PXEDqY82Al-KirDZlplc8qpa-W8hsvxUXAvBO1hvBFZ_pf0jO4/s200/IMG_2422+2.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
Ingredients:<br />
1 large box instant vanilla pudding/pie mix<br />
3 cups milk<br />
1 block cream cheese, softened<br />
2 Tbs. Vanilla<br />
4-5 bananas<br />
1 Can Eagle Brand milk<br />
1 Large container Cool Whip<br />
1 Large box Nilla Wafers<br />
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Blend 3 cups of milk into the pudding mix. In mixer bowl, cream together cream cheese, Eagle Brand Milk, and vanilla flavor. Once it is smooth, stir in pudding. Fold in about 3/4 of the Cool Whip (be sure to reserve enough to cover the top of the bowl for later). Layer Nilla Wafers, banana slices (we like them sliced thin) and pudding mixture. Repeat until pudding is gone. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.<br />
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Credit: Recipe taken from "A Taste of Heaven" by Sweetwater Baptist Church WMU Cookbook<br />
Recipe submitted by Thera MottSamanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-78140020928216349412013-07-29T12:52:00.001-05:002013-07-29T12:55:33.334-05:00Ranch Potato SaladMost recipes that I use are not original to me. I almost always use recipes from friends or the internet. This recipe, however is one of my own. After I graduated from college and before I got a teaching job, I was a waitress at a small restaurant in town, MD's. Some of you may remember it. They served a delicious potato salad...This is my version!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7eCWI51f6HvcfFHx2el-dvOu48M98_vgI1COUct220l1yEvnYkq4VKLvaNtXJaJkim9tmfZ4wE7koeFh6ciUsHcClB4wk_dy8j1Ga_7LMwXXiXFHjZl7DFwUIyMvmlpnGK2sV90i-oM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7eCWI51f6HvcfFHx2el-dvOu48M98_vgI1COUct220l1yEvnYkq4VKLvaNtXJaJkim9tmfZ4wE7koeFh6ciUsHcClB4wk_dy8j1Ga_7LMwXXiXFHjZl7DFwUIyMvmlpnGK2sV90i-oM/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ranch Potato Salad</h2>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">3-4 lbs. Red Potatoes, washed and sliced</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 small red onion, finely chopped</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">2 (3oz) jars real bacon bits</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">16 oz sour cream</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/4 -1/2 cup mayonnaise</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">salt and pepper to taste</li>
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Directions:</div>
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Boil potatoes until tender, but still firm. Rinse in cold water and drain. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.</div>
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-11023673672276640572013-06-27T23:44:00.001-05:002013-06-27T23:49:07.871-05:00It's Been a Looooooong Time!We've been busy, busy, busy!<br />
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No excuses, just life! Between managing a full-time job and our home and family, there has been no time to blog. I think about it often...I even go as far as thinking about what to say. I just never follow through. Mostly because I'm too tired to consider organizing my thoughts and actually uploading pictures! So many things take up my time...not all are good!<br />
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Sometimes I feel like all I do is RUN! I know I'm not any different than any other mother...but it does feel therapeutic to actually type it out! Let's see...a typical day...wakeup, get ready for work, get Oki ready for school (no small task since she is NOT a morning person), run out the door like a shot heading to work, work (busy, busy, busy), hurry home, pick up kiddos, referee the fight in the backseat while driving home, cook supper while trying to get homework done, laundry, supper, clean kitchen while monitoring bath time, prayers and bedtime, then prepare for tomorrow (clothes, backpacks, lunches), fall into bed exhausted! Are ya'll as tired as me? Now, I don't want to give the wrong impression...I love my life, but sometimes it's hectic! Well, MOST days it is...I know there are lots of women that have a much more difficult time. I DO have a MARVELOUS husband that helps so much! He makes my breakfast and coffee EVERY morning and helps with dishes, bathtime supervision and lunches at night. By the time I throw in some Mommy/Daddy time and Bible reading/study...It seems as though there's just NO time! Ok...whining is over! I'm one blessed lady! Check out our sweet kiddos below:<br />
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Let's see...a lot has changed in the 14 months since I blogged (Mainly our children have grown!). Eli, Max and Oki have completed an entire school year!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli- 8th Grade, Max-5th Grade, Oki-1st Grade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Qc-iqT5JQAldo1kH7U267xs07fcFEqdYKk3OmjflrgUu2W7z3Dbshai1er1zw70U-QHP0CYPhJ7T1Jma3Zdn8yCeH5GPzMjH3fs1nq9bsEYLojZ8p1P8YLxemocDe6XkCRcjbsrpJdY/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Qc-iqT5JQAldo1kH7U267xs07fcFEqdYKk3OmjflrgUu2W7z3Dbshai1er1zw70U-QHP0CYPhJ7T1Jma3Zdn8yCeH5GPzMjH3fs1nq9bsEYLojZ8p1P8YLxemocDe6XkCRcjbsrpJdY/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Day Of School 2012/2013</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7p7WoaIAxM5zzVMhYgqwH58hMH9JKSje5ErjQ6QjQGnedzXrUeKOGse6wmsSl89HKj0vazslwMk0jM0qfehyNBqHuYMaIB5R8rPhZpivJQLmmKIIVMmM1pvmuNQEUBH0S3gsUKJ-Vnzs/s1600/DSC_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7p7WoaIAxM5zzVMhYgqwH58hMH9JKSje5ErjQ6QjQGnedzXrUeKOGse6wmsSl89HKj0vazslwMk0jM0qfehyNBqHuYMaIB5R8rPhZpivJQLmmKIIVMmM1pvmuNQEUBH0S3gsUKJ-Vnzs/s320/DSC_0160.JPG" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli - Last Day 2013</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0-2MSWPA3i8AoSVxfstjj4j3RpdJ3JhqE_yCxlYNvvUw_Fn5AJf-1e_ks7ARIpZBPPsPUph08PdqmLjUpYBBud0WPCyPVmAyWyflVLAYSUuCUCD7iCFgxSJdcMKN9Y66TfNYSMsJNb8/s1600/DSC_0162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0-2MSWPA3i8AoSVxfstjj4j3RpdJ3JhqE_yCxlYNvvUw_Fn5AJf-1e_ks7ARIpZBPPsPUph08PdqmLjUpYBBud0WPCyPVmAyWyflVLAYSUuCUCD7iCFgxSJdcMKN9Y66TfNYSMsJNb8/s320/DSC_0162.JPG" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oki Last Day 2013</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIEf4h9HR5sSJm1Vvr14m8g8w2sGoAs45-1_fhE-BgH2osfmWMcRPgFoBGGtuYo5rmcDVP6081Q1waw_IB2bD3OWl7G9p-LvPqhi-E9CZfEDwAOxI8bif_oIkP11O5lDkiTTf7ovXC1E/s1600/DSC_0164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIEf4h9HR5sSJm1Vvr14m8g8w2sGoAs45-1_fhE-BgH2osfmWMcRPgFoBGGtuYo5rmcDVP6081Q1waw_IB2bD3OWl7G9p-LvPqhi-E9CZfEDwAOxI8bif_oIkP11O5lDkiTTf7ovXC1E/s320/DSC_0164.JPG" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max - Last Day 2013</td></tr>
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It's amazing to me that when school starts in August we will have a child in all three schools...OHS, OMS and OES. </div>
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Oh well, it's getting late. Maybe I will post again soon! </div>
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-50844032901891380832012-03-28T17:16:00.006-05:002012-04-03T21:45:15.793-05:00Spring DaysIt's been a while, I know...it seems that every time I blog I begin the same way! I can already feel it coming...we've been busy, I want to blog more, I will try to do better...blah, blah, blah! The truth is that in all honesty, it will probably be a while before I blog again! Anyway, we have been enjoying the wonderful spring days lately. Since the time has changed, we stay outside as much as possible in the afternoons. We really love living in our new neighborhood because we have a great place to ride bikes and walk without worrying about safety.<br /><br />Since Christmas when Oki got a new bike, she has been learning to ride. She's come a long way, from this...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO96EluA3Mn9Y9jHtKnNl4__ujf2h0p5ggDfwOS4DQWngsmsOeAjbJaZtb-QtMzNAuLd5rL3CMX8L0AwBQbtjRuD8OwPlROLXMU_luinVyVzS3_nE8DGBBiHAZrUYjO_GDGPZw7cSp8Ik/s1600/DSC_0538.JPG"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw12vXpMSBF9E3c5h1SFa4w5AeeJPctivn9kQhkK2QgTYadquHVDynGEJyeQbXYzzAU2nHpsNzSG8iNQQqdUA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></a><br /><br />To this!!!!<br />Here's my little princess on her bike now...notice the costume, boots and skinned knee!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe61SGXAuTE_lYMPITvfdNP4CDsolF9kJyUf1UJSIjenCs5IMsrYuMDizRQwW7_R4suRlFgXkDil0y8uWGYcWgRpquzccoI0WoVzgOYT7YRC0M7m3NGfmDiorAYP_pNINr9S2DinoXVKA/s1600/DSC_0526.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe61SGXAuTE_lYMPITvfdNP4CDsolF9kJyUf1UJSIjenCs5IMsrYuMDizRQwW7_R4suRlFgXkDil0y8uWGYcWgRpquzccoI0WoVzgOYT7YRC0M7m3NGfmDiorAYP_pNINr9S2DinoXVKA/s320/DSC_0526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725076909883214210" border="0" /></a>Now she's a whiz at riding and doing great! I have a hard time keeping up with her!<br /><br />Last week Max got a new bike and he LOVES it! Of course he could already ride well, but he has had the best time every afternoon. We can hardly keep him off of it! He and Wayne took a special "them only" trip to WM to pick it out. A little one-one time never hurts!!!<br /><br />The sad thing is...I don't even have a picture of him on it! The afternoon he got his bike, he went to see his friend play in a baseball game. As you might expect, Eli was feeling a little left out, so I gave him permission to ride Max's new bike around the neighborhood with Oki...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pbiELQ_LdCN4EAptbpw18pQ7Vx25jxWOsU7awsEYzYmljocouZ0V0q535rTZ2J1wbZnV_OIHac_YLEVi_ZzUm1Y1JtxQhY3W6RcJiqKt0Sf2noNOW29CI_gVq2iR1ouBQASK1DXCoww/s1600/DSC_0524.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pbiELQ_LdCN4EAptbpw18pQ7Vx25jxWOsU7awsEYzYmljocouZ0V0q535rTZ2J1wbZnV_OIHac_YLEVi_ZzUm1Y1JtxQhY3W6RcJiqKt0Sf2noNOW29CI_gVq2iR1ouBQASK1DXCoww/s320/DSC_0524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725076950735765074" border="0" /></a>Too bad that he took a little tumble on the pavement and got these...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZ7P7fBJcnYOL7gmSWCVvD1wRyGmm5U963cXOrosXuEj9xzE_MiTxnYYS5v03-Yta7PwqqDdMxnjO43k8fnJ0BRYQsOQv5rsw_tHzTruk3dhmGAYYAiyV-lkltEn7YXzspPzp-91yorE/s1600/DSC_0541.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZ7P7fBJcnYOL7gmSWCVvD1wRyGmm5U963cXOrosXuEj9xzE_MiTxnYYS5v03-Yta7PwqqDdMxnjO43k8fnJ0BRYQsOQv5rsw_tHzTruk3dhmGAYYAiyV-lkltEn7YXzspPzp-91yorE/s320/DSC_0541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725076937446630610" border="0" /></a>This picture does not do those wounds justice!!! He had tire burns up his leg and a skinned elbow. Thanks to some sweet neighbors, he got home. Oki was scared to death! She said, "I thought he was going to die!" She flagged some neighbors down to help her big brother!<br /><br />This is what happens when a little busy girl gets still....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhFOKnvygWwpOTIzDLz1NNBzSLR9N4wZ5xpOtIgo8tvWhTig6Z5q9Vm51WJaFjdwoHzn88CXJaH9yRXiZWh7hlsk4WAYuUKy_H7DEXs0tWTpumcBET3gJDOUEESYGvl0tX4yrelfmX2o/s1600/DSC_0540.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhFOKnvygWwpOTIzDLz1NNBzSLR9N4wZ5xpOtIgo8tvWhTig6Z5q9Vm51WJaFjdwoHzn88CXJaH9yRXiZWh7hlsk4WAYuUKy_H7DEXs0tWTpumcBET3gJDOUEESYGvl0tX4yrelfmX2o/s320/DSC_0540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725076928787746802" border="0" /></a><br />This is what happens when a daddy needs some quiet time in the woods...he brings some sweet flowers to his wife!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO96EluA3Mn9Y9jHtKnNl4__ujf2h0p5ggDfwOS4DQWngsmsOeAjbJaZtb-QtMzNAuLd5rL3CMX8L0AwBQbtjRuD8OwPlROLXMU_luinVyVzS3_nE8DGBBiHAZrUYjO_GDGPZw7cSp8Ik/s1600/DSC_0538.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO96EluA3Mn9Y9jHtKnNl4__ujf2h0p5ggDfwOS4DQWngsmsOeAjbJaZtb-QtMzNAuLd5rL3CMX8L0AwBQbtjRuD8OwPlROLXMU_luinVyVzS3_nE8DGBBiHAZrUYjO_GDGPZw7cSp8Ik/s320/DSC_0538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725076915044963122" border="0" /></a><br />Happy Spring!!!<br /></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-35108851399724363322012-01-04T21:40:00.000-06:002012-01-04T22:18:59.231-06:00Oklahoma 2011<span style="font-family:arial;">Just a little background...</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">God has given our church a heart for missions and our church has been listening and responding to God's call.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> During the last year our church has sent teams to Venezuela, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. During our Thanksgiving break, it was our turn! Our family participated in a missions trip for the first time! We traveled, along with 22 others from Ino Baptist Church, to Carnegie, Oklahoma to minister to the Native Americans in the name of Jesus. Our mission was to encourage others and demonstrate God's love by helping to provide a Thanksgiving meal to the people of Carnegie.<br /><br />It all began like this... </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXatvIk1czlDNro-ekgNSGLo4Vzd7-pUTQceH1m1scIdcDHH3GrWtk9hrF4gwdcnQH2viRlcOCfKNw13AN18USm5zQNzfIb4zFaRoVhQg36v8s255w0fYIaHjQE9XZksef1iIXh4sZkK8/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXatvIk1czlDNro-ekgNSGLo4Vzd7-pUTQceH1m1scIdcDHH3GrWtk9hrF4gwdcnQH2viRlcOCfKNw13AN18USm5zQNzfIb4zFaRoVhQg36v8s255w0fYIaHjQE9XZksef1iIXh4sZkK8/s320/DSC_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680258998673892994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Lots and lots of laundry!!! Haha! Packing for five people for six days is a chore! Of course, I was the only one that could do it! I'm a little OCD about packing...clothes must be in sets and in the order that that they will be worn. I don't really know why I bother, but it's just how I pack.<br /><br />Thankfully, I took the day off of work on Friday to pack and get everything ready because we packed the bus on Saturday morning. I was so afraid that I would forget something, so I packed the whole house! ;) Anyway, we pulled out of the IBC parking lot at few minutes after 5AM on Sunday, November 20th. There were 27 people on the church bus! Of that 27, there were 11 children between the age of 13 and 4. It was a LONG ride! All jokes aside, the children were WONDERFUL!!! We traveled all day and arrived in Carnegie sometime around 11:30 pm. We quickly got most of our belongings out and set up in the church. Cedar Creek United Methodist Church was our home for the week. We slept on air mattresses in their Sunday School rooms and church sanctuary.<br /><br />Here is our room all set up...we shared a room with our good friends, the Ashberrys.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mRMwPq0UrZHmjb5-S2ci1PaTVteBKo7QuydmdfAQ2h9RUj-ZNXHUHRP3xWaODIGxzFmjL4ppeJFUvP6S3mIMB7KtdFkGw21_9pRuC8uwCHx8Pl2V4EWCgfCfM9cvvg_p3xnQlUoMFnI/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mRMwPq0UrZHmjb5-S2ci1PaTVteBKo7QuydmdfAQ2h9RUj-ZNXHUHRP3xWaODIGxzFmjL4ppeJFUvP6S3mIMB7KtdFkGw21_9pRuC8uwCHx8Pl2V4EWCgfCfM9cvvg_p3xnQlUoMFnI/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680259029961632930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">On Monday, all the ladies and a couple of (young) men went to the next town over to stock up on our supplies at Wal-mart. We had to feed lots of people (our team) so we had to get lots of food!<br /><br /><br />Our children were also involved in ministering through music and puppets. Here's our Max practicing. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nHJywQWyDKfILuc165KrSWA5pud42ddFPKs3RNmhWLDjCme6hb0KXwIJrHk9L-XJ3aPlQsoYzy54RWpOd-v4vjKPekKK1z6vrNNaxfJEUEpiQS9aLMNMzp3wf7hwh63gf6uANmhUodQ/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nHJywQWyDKfILuc165KrSWA5pud42ddFPKs3RNmhWLDjCme6hb0KXwIJrHk9L-XJ3aPlQsoYzy54RWpOd-v4vjKPekKK1z6vrNNaxfJEUEpiQS9aLMNMzp3wf7hwh63gf6uANmhUodQ/s320/DSC_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680259035503753090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">On Tuesday night, the ladies of CCUMC cooked us a delicious dinner of Indian Tacos. Boy were they a treat! The tacos were like a taco salad served in "fry bread". They assured me that it was not corn bread, but "fry bread!" It is a bread made of flour that they stretch and then deep fry, almost like an unsweetened doughnut. Anyway, they were tasty! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On Wednesday, we did a little sightseeing and traveled to the Kiowa headquarters in Carnegie where we visited their museum. We also drove to visit the Wildlife Reserve a few miles away. While there, we saw buffalo, elk and prairie dogs! The prairie dogs were super cute and would just stand there and let us look at them. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCewxITqUScfbc41IH9kElCjYXGjKg5zpMe0ehnogcTUzIRzGS_igUf9hm-tj9LnfjP5LdXPFP9CgyHfZ4xtKRSrlwHFG8VSOT0oSwZQxXOmHJgC3Yl-q7HMnn-5eT6wSNPefbITbZc_0/s1600/DSC_0123.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCewxITqUScfbc41IH9kElCjYXGjKg5zpMe0ehnogcTUzIRzGS_igUf9hm-tj9LnfjP5LdXPFP9CgyHfZ4xtKRSrlwHFG8VSOT0oSwZQxXOmHJgC3Yl-q7HMnn-5eT6wSNPefbITbZc_0/s320/DSC_0123.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680624546295817682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">We also saw all of these neat windmills. They were everywhere!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb9ba5YfUbFhTTZCjqys9vfiM1THtsf_lcBFrimHfrfVUJUhyinytYUohu1OyoiT4A-OOZGHipxg8BNLYERUFk5gkd-cKVcPSXoQaWxEB8nOtV8QosKVmGjlePZwUSckOdC3UBidDnxE/s1600/DSC_0050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb9ba5YfUbFhTTZCjqys9vfiM1THtsf_lcBFrimHfrfVUJUhyinytYUohu1OyoiT4A-OOZGHipxg8BNLYERUFk5gkd-cKVcPSXoQaWxEB8nOtV8QosKVmGjlePZwUSckOdC3UBidDnxE/s320/DSC_0050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680624530722487602" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Here is our little family as we toured the museum at the Wildlife Reserve.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdT_FDFphol5Br5FraxQt-oZVEFLbIpNcjXa-2SnAEkIG38ZfNd_9Zsugi5E3y7Cmzfm3L15SI-dhTeswrEZ726HDT0PwHB703Mvhdhf4yBDUzhIEP_9C9KC7TwEvMV9CRZ2Bk1MJK3l0/s1600/CSC_0252.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdT_FDFphol5Br5FraxQt-oZVEFLbIpNcjXa-2SnAEkIG38ZfNd_9Zsugi5E3y7Cmzfm3L15SI-dhTeswrEZ726HDT0PwHB703Mvhdhf4yBDUzhIEP_9C9KC7TwEvMV9CRZ2Bk1MJK3l0/s320/CSC_0252.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680258994290619202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Wednesday evening, we got to attend a pow-wow that was held to raise money for the Carnegie football team that was to advance in the state playoffs. That was a neat experience. I forgot my camera so there are no pictures! It was interesting to see how they honored the players, coaches, alumni, etc. to raise money. There were men beating a big drum and chanting as well as some children and adults dressed in their native clothing.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On Thanksgiving morning, we got up early and began preparing the meal. We all worked hard! There was so much food to prepare! Turkeys, dressing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, corn and assorted desserts were on the menu!<br /><br />During the meal, the children sang and provided puppet shows. The adults also provided some special music. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij59lut3M7_THj-pGRnWYnova9c03Pd3ciMaDpMbw5Jezt-bXBxk440hVdFGUe6ZEvIPKg-NVIeORbYfvVP7oipXPYizb1fT9X-65LAHkYaLjXZVmAmuYTKsJMeD42iqM3FSLGYTe5hZ4/s1600/DSC_0172.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij59lut3M7_THj-pGRnWYnova9c03Pd3ciMaDpMbw5Jezt-bXBxk440hVdFGUe6ZEvIPKg-NVIeORbYfvVP7oipXPYizb1fT9X-65LAHkYaLjXZVmAmuYTKsJMeD42iqM3FSLGYTe5hZ4/s320/DSC_0172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680624554869979106" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zsvhUIlByOfjHdy0u642ZT_fwLbIp79wqWzprkWFVbRv41j5-yMWTFdX4QgGIDKkU61zfLYJz9DRJt1DWc4U6rU9tOzB404b0cYiCc190iyp1VJm_1lDV4Cgb6FAiJgA3CQlUEFQzyo/s1600/DSC_0190.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zsvhUIlByOfjHdy0u642ZT_fwLbIp79wqWzprkWFVbRv41j5-yMWTFdX4QgGIDKkU61zfLYJz9DRJt1DWc4U6rU9tOzB404b0cYiCc190iyp1VJm_1lDV4Cgb6FAiJgA3CQlUEFQzyo/s320/DSC_0190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680259013476632914" border="0" /></a>H<span style="font-family:arial;">ere</span> is our entire team after the meal in downtown Carnegie.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHz4csCdifcVgy0RsAW-GPII6Q9GlUgd9ayeXW56gLNVON2xnHCJ6hAQbzOiJrSAvVKdLve2i5O6WBo9AjPCyEUtqKTTXLJoE4litkL1DtFVrs4_jQtjSOYIf3HUICCmsZsTA-k6Gh9I/s1600/DSC_0240.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHz4csCdifcVgy0RsAW-GPII6Q9GlUgd9ayeXW56gLNVON2xnHCJ6hAQbzOiJrSAvVKdLve2i5O6WBo9AjPCyEUtqKTTXLJoE4litkL1DtFVrs4_jQtjSOYIf3HUICCmsZsTA-k6Gh9I/s320/DSC_0240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680624571126761234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">The meal, the trip, the ministry could never have been possible without a lot of teamwork!<br />First of all, we needed God's leading. We needed the willingness of His people to give up their plans for Thanksgiving. Also needed was the work and vision of the area missionary, Mr. Howard and the pastor of CCUMC, Mr. Gerald. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our family was very blessed to get to serve in this way!</span>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-76356923383002861952011-12-20T23:21:00.002-06:002011-12-20T23:26:41.215-06:00Christmas Card 2011For the first time ever, I actually had our Christmas cards created and ordered before December 1!!!! Too bad it took me 2 weeks to actually get them addressed and in the mail. I had to order more since I ran out...they were delivered to our old house yesterday...I hope they aren't wet! I just realized that they were delivered to our old address! It was my fault, though. Anyway, I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if our renters have them. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I hope you like the card. We love Shutterfly! <br /><br />Check it out!<br /><br /><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0CZsWLVo3ZMXrQ&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=118"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/0CZsWLVo3ZMQ/0CZsWLVo3ZMQdw/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1323660297000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Stationery card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-34366879209865896672011-10-14T19:37:00.006-05:002011-10-15T14:32:13.689-05:00Russell Sprouts, Anyone?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRmNUpXXtZwXnFtUnrk7P5bP4McIzcwO0wNz9xVyjtakP7DjPibcKXbW4l94MxhhgES1hU2mpWN_iCrqAmrxSDNEH9CEA7FQmRxeEws6yjwBCAwVjvq23p5efKuvJQOjqGi8qg811T7M/s1600/brussel_sprouts1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRmNUpXXtZwXnFtUnrk7P5bP4McIzcwO0wNz9xVyjtakP7DjPibcKXbW4l94MxhhgES1hU2mpWN_iCrqAmrxSDNEH9CEA7FQmRxeEws6yjwBCAwVjvq23p5efKuvJQOjqGi8qg811T7M/s400/brussel_sprouts1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663516981294124914" border="0" /></a><br />I was just wondering if anyone else has trouble getting their children to eat anything that is good for them?<br /><br />In an effort to be good parents, Wayne and I want to provide healthy food for our children. We try to serve at least one green vegetable with almost every meal. Being the the good mommy that I am I served Brussels Sprouts tonight. Our menu was as follows: Savory Meat (Sirloin Steak), Mashed Potatoes, Whole Kernel Corn, Brussels Sprouts and French Bread. Yummy, I know!<br /><br />As we stood around the bar in our kitchen serving plates and getting everything ready, I popped one steamed Brussels sprout into my mouth and gave one to Wayne. He didn't really care of it, but I liked it ok. Wayne went on to put one one sprout on the plate of each of the children. Immediately, they started to complain! Max, our good sport, tried one (of course he thought it was gross!) After a discussion about what they were, Oki announced that we could all eat our Russell sprouts, but she didn't want any!<br /><br />That's the way our eventing ended up...no green veggies for my kiddos and a laugh for Wayne and me!Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-824240117295759502011-10-13T21:41:00.002-05:002011-10-13T21:41:34.194-05:00Playing Catch Up!I started this post way back during the summer...These pics were already uploaded so I just thought I'd share...<br /><br />The first one is what I found as I looked out my back door one summer morning...Can you tell we're country folks? My kids love to deck out and play outside!!! Eli and Max have even corrupted my little princess!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nSkkbQJaaQrR62rEqJM7iVGHx2FPJrv-Oc2u5ZH9tkBsgmXi3bzM1goEsy2ltEbpMCSHvh2825Idvw7MUczpgjVtdMkMaCXP8dlQ3IWPyWc6VfXoYt_lxt4UAPLRLUkuMffArxgUEhM/s1600/DSC_0341.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nSkkbQJaaQrR62rEqJM7iVGHx2FPJrv-Oc2u5ZH9tkBsgmXi3bzM1goEsy2ltEbpMCSHvh2825Idvw7MUczpgjVtdMkMaCXP8dlQ3IWPyWc6VfXoYt_lxt4UAPLRLUkuMffArxgUEhM/s320/DSC_0341.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625240699098018034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We spent a tremendous time at the baseball field this spring.<br />Max and Eli both playing baseball+ different age divisions=6 weeks of M,T,Th and F nights at the field...Plus 2 practice sessions on Saturday. That was a lot of baseball!<br /></div></div><br />Eli played Third Base, Second Base, Catcher and he even pitched one game...Max played mostly Right field. It was his first year in regular play (not coach pitch) and he was a little out of his element. The main thing was that they had a great time.<br /><br />Here's Max up to bat and Eli waiting to field a ball...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mfeR4SfJF2_Ky3wrI2QuQwCinniBOpz_BC_8v12FeGjy3QACr_ziu58jjYAGbn44T75FEgoan4aDO_ObbwhKTRT6rrP4uMdZKWK9yqg-ju94wglOTE91UcQ_6OYNR4zt6r0Y1SR0up8/s1600/DSC_0101.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mfeR4SfJF2_Ky3wrI2QuQwCinniBOpz_BC_8v12FeGjy3QACr_ziu58jjYAGbn44T75FEgoan4aDO_ObbwhKTRT6rrP4uMdZKWK9yqg-ju94wglOTE91UcQ_6OYNR4zt6r0Y1SR0up8/s320/DSC_0101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625240666477030514" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWXy2lv0K493v38kL1ZoF9TGAJzL2-OI0S045Tkk_zwDYbGGONDK6gmmqWgts3UlGnwhPLKp_Nmbt9Wv58B8zaD5aica6dJzhE-IHjY8RYHj47OtGttp2NNcJqHGSKevghJ-YegLTkbo/s1600/DSC_0244.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWXy2lv0K493v38kL1ZoF9TGAJzL2-OI0S045Tkk_zwDYbGGONDK6gmmqWgts3UlGnwhPLKp_Nmbt9Wv58B8zaD5aica6dJzhE-IHjY8RYHj47OtGttp2NNcJqHGSKevghJ-YegLTkbo/s320/DSC_0244.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663171732885493506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is what Oki did all those days at the ball field...she played!!! Here she is peeking in the dugout.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4Ac_jXpdN6roQqDHw197_XEQPuAFrv4JnsPwRJwKiz357eyPqJpFD9SY-UiIyHZcbbV4zX6wnJT64vaRn7Xd8mVCS_WeS-AaGczouNoq6YhhNx3SFLuLPmXxBVY_SqWpEjwUoMbhpJc/s1600/DSC_0097.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4Ac_jXpdN6roQqDHw197_XEQPuAFrv4JnsPwRJwKiz357eyPqJpFD9SY-UiIyHZcbbV4zX6wnJT64vaRn7Xd8mVCS_WeS-AaGczouNoq6YhhNx3SFLuLPmXxBVY_SqWpEjwUoMbhpJc/s320/DSC_0097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625240663344427618" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-18869909767393423592011-10-10T22:04:00.000-05:002011-10-10T22:03:38.341-05:00Whew!We've been EXTREMELY busy!<br /><br />When I first started this blog, I thought it would be easy and fun to chronicle the goings-on of my family. Well, blogging is really fun and easy, but really...who has the time? It seems that all I do is run at break-neck speed all day and fall into bed exhausted at night, only to do it again in the morning! Now, please don't misinterpret me...I love my family, my life and my job, but sometimes it seems a little hectic! All funny business aside, I am a thankful woman. Seriously!<br /><br />I have been trying to write this blog post for a month now, but haven't been able to find the time. Well, I've been a little under the weather for a few days so it seems that I have finally "found the time" to blog! Yea! There IS a bright side to everything!<br /><br />Our summer ended, as has been tradition for the past few years, with our BIG family vacation in Destin. The weather was a little less than desirable, but we had fun none the less!<br /><br />The first few pictures were taken our last day on the beach. The waves were crazy big and oh so much fun! This first picture is so funny to me...there's Max and my nephew, Trevor...with my sister's hand holding his shirt in a death grip! I never have to worry about my kids when she's around! She's super protective...and I love her bunches!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZw-suzOfVfANFcEFrCCcdxl-sYjeA-ITpb2Jxix7HJVJW2roiRAlYEM6cxeUcjNBIWJyHXJ-9-SXC0bHLx0TZaQVRdZfLxy-e1WTdkunQ9T7b5hJf-BK7doJvdADc8MTzIr-kz5fDns/s1600/DSC_0469.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZw-suzOfVfANFcEFrCCcdxl-sYjeA-ITpb2Jxix7HJVJW2roiRAlYEM6cxeUcjNBIWJyHXJ-9-SXC0bHLx0TZaQVRdZfLxy-e1WTdkunQ9T7b5hJf-BK7doJvdADc8MTzIr-kz5fDns/s320/DSC_0469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649442456571465714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The kid caught this big sand crab...I had to make them let it go before they killed it...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MHu6Samo_NbwEze_z1p032_I7L7aeyqYngO6NqwVYQpfFriaEQwaAIEVLxJfwh5lEUgyJ90Vnfo7QCF-0thPLhVZRqNqGHZDne9vLHvAyvtosig597_AU4dj9oWcC-bWVVY_ajcEIhI/s1600/DSC_0438.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MHu6Samo_NbwEze_z1p032_I7L7aeyqYngO6NqwVYQpfFriaEQwaAIEVLxJfwh5lEUgyJ90Vnfo7QCF-0thPLhVZRqNqGHZDne9vLHvAyvtosig597_AU4dj9oWcC-bWVVY_ajcEIhI/s320/DSC_0438.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649442454079158002" border="0" /></a><br />Our handsome half-grown boy, Eli!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEAbx57dCNOktRalcULzc_1ad1qtpYjZS8org5wqd9AC3yR3s-QlD7iBSpsHkzoyHw-qGp0qYVoT0OHaWnx9ezizoMvkk71U008JHPukQqR5857gVPQbtw0ghw3b2godA9ZeVZwTW9cE/s1600/DSC_0434.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEAbx57dCNOktRalcULzc_1ad1qtpYjZS8org5wqd9AC3yR3s-QlD7iBSpsHkzoyHw-qGp0qYVoT0OHaWnx9ezizoMvkk71U008JHPukQqR5857gVPQbtw0ghw3b2godA9ZeVZwTW9cE/s320/DSC_0434.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649442447805538850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here's our sweet Max...always "cheesing" for the camera!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUxT8EN2cVTmKbckY1l6bS4ti6u_H5OQSqxPpNeQ4urcmUIWwfAEK0DBZRMIbKbhzC9Hb0QnSyTyX2ELTUy8rPbuS3S-t58_07HOPvdbF8KT59rB4QOU55D8ptibDieN1qYBpeOaP6PU/s1600/DSC_0514.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUxT8EN2cVTmKbckY1l6bS4ti6u_H5OQSqxPpNeQ4urcmUIWwfAEK0DBZRMIbKbhzC9Hb0QnSyTyX2ELTUy8rPbuS3S-t58_07HOPvdbF8KT59rB4QOU55D8ptibDieN1qYBpeOaP6PU/s320/DSC_0514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649442459151652834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIQ0MW0C3vKzIkpejn6rrQDGHevsaM2YQZlSVc1qeI83g9Lo9Q5hG4XzgpMz0kvTR0BLdgLeBi3nV6sueR4Oqcm134zt_i63cdwIz5J1TNMQXLZOnPN7-cX621k14XcXlZPX0bCfpdfw/s1600/DSC_0275.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIQ0MW0C3vKzIkpejn6rrQDGHevsaM2YQZlSVc1qeI83g9Lo9Q5hG4XzgpMz0kvTR0BLdgLeBi3nV6sueR4Oqcm134zt_i63cdwIz5J1TNMQXLZOnPN7-cX621k14XcXlZPX0bCfpdfw/s320/DSC_0275.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649440459955392082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Max again...the master of the boogie board. That boy can ride a wave like no other!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQO-8Xhx09z8Eb0Xm2818Usw7EhPI3Vm7FNjgDoJuCtJH0lPs-7_SqO1gOCb4LLvEVzsUNXR-b6EXOOY4laucJHmmU88hzpktsnDC1crdTvt3gQ3bwrqBe3jRGLnHxHITWh1MmPlJ8CGo/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQO-8Xhx09z8Eb0Xm2818Usw7EhPI3Vm7FNjgDoJuCtJH0lPs-7_SqO1gOCb4LLvEVzsUNXR-b6EXOOY4laucJHmmU88hzpktsnDC1crdTvt3gQ3bwrqBe3jRGLnHxHITWh1MmPlJ8CGo/s320/DSC_0367.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649440475461389682" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Our little starlet...Oki.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOt9MyTGGfYL129EFTonuIuf7k2YD21NIGLu74wY2EKjyYdvxhIRu3klD7ah4lDzgnBU3CRtdfPe4a_D7XucDmDhVXuU-JF8RXV3QZoT68NENJ24AOSkxdb4qgg-ocgeBmKtM-_APHwo/s1600/DSC_0273.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOt9MyTGGfYL129EFTonuIuf7k2YD21NIGLu74wY2EKjyYdvxhIRu3klD7ah4lDzgnBU3CRtdfPe4a_D7XucDmDhVXuU-JF8RXV3QZoT68NENJ24AOSkxdb4qgg-ocgeBmKtM-_APHwo/s320/DSC_0273.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649440457418448146" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Our traditional facing the water picture...I've been snapping one of these for years!!!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfASvGnILkVGJ3Tmns1IPdSislmGf-3Yh_pFk0iVYjxZlV-kWH9eA_wlmU25EP5-O8mEEvlJYP6Kk4Z-bwHQKKEptYFr0ovXWhuE1IXk8NQ_R5s2k54NwfOgQrD0bqP4y0FGj1b1oiZo/s1600/DSC_0428.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfASvGnILkVGJ3Tmns1IPdSislmGf-3Yh_pFk0iVYjxZlV-kWH9eA_wlmU25EP5-O8mEEvlJYP6Kk4Z-bwHQKKEptYFr0ovXWhuE1IXk8NQ_R5s2k54NwfOgQrD0bqP4y0FGj1b1oiZo/s320/DSC_0428.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649440486006092802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The picture below shows what you will see on many afternoons in our back yard...Wayne and the boys playing some football. I absolutely LOVE seeing them tossing the ball around! I have so many pictures of this. I know Eli and Max will cherish the memories of this time with Wayne when they are grown...<br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8W0D7hJC4y0UpE68tGTZu39t7RByBwBineCptloAc-1nrrIc7yYm2xzrTKmyNJYH52Gw9dQUhRIXwyJaTtTc3VmoL5imITZ5Yf00K3LxnOvWqlnVjvp_QZKe95BEr_3wKR0SeKEG_3Gk/s1600/DSC_0811.JPG"><img style="width: 388px; height: 258px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649067848701450082" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8W0D7hJC4y0UpE68tGTZu39t7RByBwBineCptloAc-1nrrIc7yYm2xzrTKmyNJYH52Gw9dQUhRIXwyJaTtTc3VmoL5imITZ5Yf00K3LxnOvWqlnVjvp_QZKe95BEr_3wKR0SeKEG_3Gk/s320/DSC_0811.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The beginning of school brought with it a first and a last...Oki's first day of big school! Yipee!!! She loves school and her teacher, Mrs. Mikel! We are so glad she loves it! The last is that she's our last "first day of school"!!! *sniffle*<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UnvLUjNbFBrXinM8WLuwIHlSJBLsh3G67klTtSZBWZAcCS48fV2R-DGHydtS3sFE7s547kepf7SY11rkTd86lxlYb99D27wTtJaBfS9jHCZ0zczFaWXcxjo7jtSsjTMKmTBjSFiSg14/s1600/DSC_0610.JPG"><img style="width: 213px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649065167393632354" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UnvLUjNbFBrXinM8WLuwIHlSJBLsh3G67klTtSZBWZAcCS48fV2R-DGHydtS3sFE7s547kepf7SY11rkTd86lxlYb99D27wTtJaBfS9jHCZ0zczFaWXcxjo7jtSsjTMKmTBjSFiSg14/s320/DSC_0610.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5f3Trgcx9FySepIRzpB8QWRXdsmki7UFlBTL7n9ifChoDWc38QM9A1nwkmgDA2lU7qWO1pI5980qlJLcQDRR4rDIrSot0AKWf1O7e6F6Do7gbTrDKnclJ7mIdyYrE2HVbMY2JqRJ7aEc/s1600/DSC_0617.JPG"><img style="width: 320px; height: 213px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649067847385265650" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5f3Trgcx9FySepIRzpB8QWRXdsmki7UFlBTL7n9ifChoDWc38QM9A1nwkmgDA2lU7qWO1pI5980qlJLcQDRR4rDIrSot0AKWf1O7e6F6Do7gbTrDKnclJ7mIdyYrE2HVbMY2JqRJ7aEc/s320/DSC_0617.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first day of the 2011-12 school year...Eli - 7th Grade...wow! Can hardly believe that! Max - 4th Grade...Oki - Kindergarten...<br /><br /></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZqO17US7pP0MNnWCCf0xBvJenzzShLYNiFPOZVfHvUK9szk7t9myreoEfcUsHinvTPjvN60Ky2AL_S4pyyqMvSVkV8WaTk7AS9kBNPYdLwjA0KoB2P8c21U4P-w6LSP1PkwghK1SYa8/s1600/DSC_0606.JPG"><img style="width: 213px; height: 320px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649065158390043250" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZqO17US7pP0MNnWCCf0xBvJenzzShLYNiFPOZVfHvUK9szk7t9myreoEfcUsHinvTPjvN60Ky2AL_S4pyyqMvSVkV8WaTk7AS9kBNPYdLwjA0KoB2P8c21U4P-w6LSP1PkwghK1SYa8/s320/DSC_0606.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then...more exciting stuff! Eli turned 13! For the past few years, Eli has shared a birthday party with his friend, Cutter. Their birthdays are just a few days apart. For the past two years, they have opted for a skating party. Don't they look happy about having their picture taken? Typical teenagers!!! ;) Gotta love 'em!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5O9HPs8JDhIwMpToW8spTA4miw_fBEkrJxJ5nTr-qKmOWK_4kUSeujf-CE_QOOyhydggJqpk5nfnsxE71i3GmCuK3WjdvHpYdyNB2c7rvak5hn_eSwLDL9Gv-Usz6EAbvPS5oWGHvXs/s1600/DSC_0730.JPG"><img style="width: 320px; height: 213px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649065175744556514" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5O9HPs8JDhIwMpToW8spTA4miw_fBEkrJxJ5nTr-qKmOWK_4kUSeujf-CE_QOOyhydggJqpk5nfnsxE71i3GmCuK3WjdvHpYdyNB2c7rvak5hn_eSwLDL9Gv-Usz6EAbvPS5oWGHvXs/s320/DSC_0730.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><div><br />Eli being sweet and letting dear 'ole mom have a picture with him on his actual birthday...things have changed a bit since 1998!!!<br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYE_4ojAp5kKnkE4mHeI7k1KA4mPOjJjB0oazPnC8lxfaFh85qiyR2dgyTNKorL9vj8IdOX2Xq5XDQRvVafE34X6Z7WGE0kbJn1eWFco8tUxlgzFs1opZFrEsD80ClhjyXAtNj5T4GLs/s1600/DSC_0787.JPG"><img style="width: 320px; height: 213px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649065168529401666" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYE_4ojAp5kKnkE4mHeI7k1KA4mPOjJjB0oazPnC8lxfaFh85qiyR2dgyTNKorL9vj8IdOX2Xq5XDQRvVafE34X6Z7WGE0kbJn1eWFco8tUxlgzFs1opZFrEsD80ClhjyXAtNj5T4GLs/s320/DSC_0787.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />I had to snap this picture...This is the view I have from my back yard...If you will notice the house in the background...That's my sister's house. For 12 years she's been my neighbor. First just a few yards away, then from a short distance across a pasture once their house was built. When she lived just a few yards away, we would sit on our back steps and talk on the phone...when she moved into her new house I had withdrawals because I couldn't see her everyday!!! Well, now there is going to be more distance...only a few miles, but distance just the same. We are moving soon, so this will not be my view anymore. Adjustments will come as we move from the country...away from family. Not too far...just to town...visits will be frequent I'm sure!<br /><br />I just wanted a pic of my kiddos and her house for the memory book!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYmpuzdQzxLVkpfSpEN25fsrOw9nyOvNYEwg90vcQlYxmc8Owh8o4p9f0ACvUNgr88JEa-hhd1EAVmYXtQOtYhfgAibHSrnNgD4JG4b1-Ko01XBfea0_7QOGjzex5AcPZaPAZFj-Ju9I/s1600/DSC_0824.JPG"><img style="width: 320px; height: 213px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649065161803133634" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYmpuzdQzxLVkpfSpEN25fsrOw9nyOvNYEwg90vcQlYxmc8Owh8o4p9f0ACvUNgr88JEa-hhd1EAVmYXtQOtYhfgAibHSrnNgD4JG4b1-Ko01XBfea0_7QOGjzex5AcPZaPAZFj-Ju9I/s320/DSC_0824.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hopefully, I will have updates on the new house soon!<br /></div><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-49955337313702810272011-07-09T16:14:00.005-05:002011-08-13T10:31:35.949-05:00Old Fashioned Banana Pudding<span style="font-family:arial;">Today I'm going to share a yummy recipe for Old Fashioned Banana Pudding, the kind you cook. My Papa loves it! I made it for him instead of a cake on his birthday, so I thought I'd take a little extra time to type it out for everyone to try. I wish I could take credit for it, but it's not my recipe. I got this a few years ago from a lady at church, Mrs. Betty Danford. I'm so glad she shared it! I am posting a few pictures so that you can see how mine looks. I wish I had more to share and that they were better quality!!! Anyway, here goes...</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >Old Fashioned Banana Pudding</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Ingredients: </span><ul style="font-family: arial;"><li>3/4 Cups Sugar</li><li>3Tbs. Plain Flour</li><li>3 Large Eggs (separate whites into another bowl and refrigerate)</li><li>1 tsp. Vanilla</li><li>2 Cups Milk</li><li>Vanilla Wafers</li><li>3 Bananas</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In a heavy sauce pan, combine sugar and flour, mixing well.
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbRhlzLLqwazzY4jeiy6ctPL2zN2qZALzmXDaUpfZjX42HM7iqgi4HCjiO92aD7uq0nFpkdJ4funKG_RFsj4UbrxPODm0YDDTOlW8NTTGMA4tlhQllBNDg0gQMMjtrfpGErNaD4rnoM4/s1600/DSC_0211.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbRhlzLLqwazzY4jeiy6ctPL2zN2qZALzmXDaUpfZjX42HM7iqgi4HCjiO92aD7uq0nFpkdJ4funKG_RFsj4UbrxPODm0YDDTOlW8NTTGMA4tlhQllBNDg0gQMMjtrfpGErNaD4rnoM4/s320/DSC_0211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640359379073963874" border="0" /></a>
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Add milk, beaten egg yolks, and vanilla. </span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnMWrDuZ9W4AO6IcCNuBkUyhToOsLiDrUPHzdNExoN1WKpapwk_atshwW5K-bpkAuj7jpHq5B8k4kqk49CGwKQfUIWhrwzClqTO6_8G7ycGj6nUdrgxI0Z7DXQOuNVb081iYllNqT9IA/s1600/DSC_0213.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnMWrDuZ9W4AO6IcCNuBkUyhToOsLiDrUPHzdNExoN1WKpapwk_atshwW5K-bpkAuj7jpHq5B8k4kqk49CGwKQfUIWhrwzClqTO6_8G7ycGj6nUdrgxI0Z7DXQOuNVb081iYllNqT9IA/s320/DSC_0213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640359372877717346" border="0" /></a>
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Cook on medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until mixture thickens. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Remove from heat. In a casserole dish (I use a 8X8 baking dish), layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture. </span>
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Whip egg whites until stiff. Add 2 Tbs. sugar and whip until stiff peaks </span><span style="font-family:arial;">form. They will look something like this... </span>
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAMLrlWdbpiJ1PuSpzUMJyr6pBXAvTyON7gjECqvfhN6h_ofs_107vXhYOFTcVpLDZVVCSBIEYRZU8nDHnHzO0fHj89cNkxBt9wkDZJor-LenLi3tLwBH2bRXw8LsbIGWa-NUQ5Fhq88/s1600/DSC_0217.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAMLrlWdbpiJ1PuSpzUMJyr6pBXAvTyON7gjECqvfhN6h_ofs_107vXhYOFTcVpLDZVVCSBIEYRZU8nDHnHzO0fHj89cNkxBt9wkDZJor-LenLi3tLwBH2bRXw8LsbIGWa-NUQ5Fhq88/s320/DSC_0217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640359369869475714" border="0" /></a>
<br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Spread on top of pudding.
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3atjfxMUIA3kTVIezXPbYp1qytMeS8yDBbCkeBKIJq-drtIGY-f3-4z2jZrBFxI6WapD_Lr06ypISFBcs7M3srxp406Rg-v3-j-tg3Pzs097koajKy1hEUezxiE3bbLk8mbGvKkeTQS8/s1600/DSC_0220.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3atjfxMUIA3kTVIezXPbYp1qytMeS8yDBbCkeBKIJq-drtIGY-f3-4z2jZrBFxI6WapD_Lr06ypISFBcs7M3srxp406Rg-v3-j-tg3Pzs097koajKy1hEUezxiE3bbLk8mbGvKkeTQS8/s320/DSC_0220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640359365731793602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">
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<br />Brown top in the oven. Be careful not to over-brown.</span>
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<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe-aZkcwKlJjOEh78_kUwcNlJX_57z2xE3uMlBb4FJmIYh6Zb84l10AIE1o26aTvpXexBK4fbcq5uCPl_5JlFH3lmFM0Plw8xru_7C-Kz33p30VHGFTMCF0E7I56r3qoQtNAMZscg4Uc/s1600/DSC_0222.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe-aZkcwKlJjOEh78_kUwcNlJX_57z2xE3uMlBb4FJmIYh6Zb84l10AIE1o26aTvpXexBK4fbcq5uCPl_5JlFH3lmFM0Plw8xru_7C-Kz33p30VHGFTMCF0E7I56r3qoQtNAMZscg4Uc/s320/DSC_0222.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640359360415684066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">
<br />Enjoy!!! It is delicious warm or cold!</span>
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<br /></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Be sure to let me know how yours turns out!!!</span>
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<br />Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-90409467896426810142011-05-14T21:33:00.006-05:002011-05-14T22:37:51.305-05:00The Kid's World Academy AwardsI've got to get better at this! Promptness is definitely not my forte...and I've never claimed to be anything other than a procrastinator. I have so many pictures that need to be uploaded and blogged about. This post is an exception, though. I'm actually going to get this one done in a timely manner!!! Kudos to me! ;) Anyway...<br /><br />Thursday night, our baby, our caboose, our little princess, our Oak Tree...Oki graduated from Preschool! I absolutely cannot believe that she is going to Kindergarten in the fall! Where did the time go? I guess the time flies when you're busy...and boy have we been busy!<br /><br />First, I need to say that we have been very blessed to have the <s>staff</s> family at Kid's World care for all three of our children. Mrs. Pam and the ladies there are an outstanding group and have loved and nurtured Russell children since 2002. For ten years (wow! That seems like forever!) we have been leaving our kids there for care while we work. Not everyone can say that they have confidence in their daycare provider like KW parents can. The graduation ceremony the other night was just one more feather in their cap, too! Ladies, you did an OUTSTANDING job! The program was a great success and the children were adorable.<br /><br />The theme of the night was "The Kid's World Academy Awards" so the kiddos had to dress up...<br /><br />Here's Oki getting ready for her big night...She wasn't happy that I insisted that we roll her hair. Any other time, she would be begging me to do it!!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNgGsR75GDS68hKOpIwaZZBHi_YPK1MILRJDMvo7aQmWL3AdfN48yMW5O7Rn7bQJ-jKzeEPzGE0S7PMXiFOBkw2W5CL0XTFOYnARiSnF69Y0kQR8pxIdp61ddIZhUEe26P0nXxZSUFmI/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNgGsR75GDS68hKOpIwaZZBHi_YPK1MILRJDMvo7aQmWL3AdfN48yMW5O7Rn7bQJ-jKzeEPzGE0S7PMXiFOBkw2W5CL0XTFOYnARiSnF69Y0kQR8pxIdp61ddIZhUEe26P0nXxZSUFmI/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606768782834884018" border="0" /></a>Each child got to walk the red carpet and go up on stage. They stood in a line and waited for everyone to get on the stage...Here she is doing a little dancing!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXs1KZHWbnjwe-YUvmNbWNidAlnIxeRxdeqKIkxzCXBiRsDIU97DxOC43TDmhJmO0igEpPYfPCYFM7BwcTQsfuEXiSO2sohyphenhyphen-5iQuCFb-zCVhSANWngd5ucTf59fb9M_r7737OEWnd9Y/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXs1KZHWbnjwe-YUvmNbWNidAlnIxeRxdeqKIkxzCXBiRsDIU97DxOC43TDmhJmO0igEpPYfPCYFM7BwcTQsfuEXiSO2sohyphenhyphen-5iQuCFb-zCVhSANWngd5ucTf59fb9M_r7737OEWnd9Y/s400/DSC_0008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606768785406498338" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here are the little stars getting ready to sing us a song...Aren't they adorable!!???<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3eBSnmjKOY7qI3KwphVqUc20p4mu1oi4cfxz3nVvUlYFLCLFJzQNUxXLYQTn3UgiuOa-UbwybkoxuAoFqOeCObHdQJPa3W9Oz0kZ82oQCCSSGV9WzFu6VtHBaZnaFQp5F348N5lARwc/s1600/DSC_0035.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3eBSnmjKOY7qI3KwphVqUc20p4mu1oi4cfxz3nVvUlYFLCLFJzQNUxXLYQTn3UgiuOa-UbwybkoxuAoFqOeCObHdQJPa3W9Oz0kZ82oQCCSSGV9WzFu6VtHBaZnaFQp5F348N5lARwc/s400/DSC_0035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606778338418077730" border="0" /></a><br />Waiting patiently while Mrs. Angie talks to the grownups...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVXVqXPKmAioo3VtbHjc-a_9_lU9KimdBmHds9SMrfwILn_u3COItx9mQtJeAmcNO-g76SKF90fl1fXc4K8k_KqyIniS8Wy6uezqDhXSSL8fpQqA6eRNcMJcL3mU6zA5fVxHva0x5cHw/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVXVqXPKmAioo3VtbHjc-a_9_lU9KimdBmHds9SMrfwILn_u3COItx9mQtJeAmcNO-g76SKF90fl1fXc4K8k_KqyIniS8Wy6uezqDhXSSL8fpQqA6eRNcMJcL3mU6zA5fVxHva0x5cHw/s400/DSC_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606768793935714946" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Angie helping them get lined up "just right."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZPPCVqUmAZKJx9wbwOICZL1dmZY7f7obxRkdbG5lQN1TRdXoLXei7_bAjijIDKffajGeoIU1SghszaJAFhIjp3KQDJcQ-ch8_2cZstg0cfqqFdGI_FwW48pMSjrzvrRso4FSyBYVBnQ/s1600/DSC_0014.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAQ9fr0zBTLqGwTP1toWw0mA1bscw1MjVs5YuCb71ZpycwCLyiBO4VNEmqjSoGd1HuJwFtrOoHI80Cm0gnFXXSues78JozsqiPcq9zBVqr15MXWGhm47uNP8joHNNpJHISwZD1I1qgBk/s1600/DSC_0036.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAQ9fr0zBTLqGwTP1toWw0mA1bscw1MjVs5YuCb71ZpycwCLyiBO4VNEmqjSoGd1HuJwFtrOoHI80Cm0gnFXXSues78JozsqiPcq9zBVqr15MXWGhm47uNP8joHNNpJHISwZD1I1qgBk/s400/DSC_0036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606768801534279794" border="0" /></a>Here's Oki with one of her favorite friends...Heidi. Such pretty little girls! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVMH_0LdbGEBwz_5KUrUViSStxNm0pV5uxXRRNhkdsO_B_oZBKw3UKK0qzQJAQCV7iTTDyJI7F5CU-lB-kSs5hWNSpiIdRMP2sCsQYRpumpypYgxCGe-bLfYDee_KcpiWmfBq8EDs0xo/s1600/DSC_0083.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVMH_0LdbGEBwz_5KUrUViSStxNm0pV5uxXRRNhkdsO_B_oZBKw3UKK0qzQJAQCV7iTTDyJI7F5CU-lB-kSs5hWNSpiIdRMP2sCsQYRpumpypYgxCGe-bLfYDee_KcpiWmfBq8EDs0xo/s400/DSC_0083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606778353665489778" border="0" /></a>Here she is with another KW friend, Reeve. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXWE6TQPmgQN29f9hKPo-pat8CMNm1T9H6rSWq10XZDybg-gOOtaDtpXlwBz_ywi9gn_-CPrvPzpK-Z3e7kClhQI3wkGUyrQcd_BY6fkPWTjyMBieV9_Nry4fTyExxUsK6DXwpzaOIW0/s1600/DSC_0082.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXWE6TQPmgQN29f9hKPo-pat8CMNm1T9H6rSWq10XZDybg-gOOtaDtpXlwBz_ywi9gn_-CPrvPzpK-Z3e7kClhQI3wkGUyrQcd_BY6fkPWTjyMBieV9_Nry4fTyExxUsK6DXwpzaOIW0/s400/DSC_0082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606778347031866018" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Angie, Oki's teacher...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXINYIwbSv6dSjvL1kzd9qkjYXfFKhKx77UDpUb8KKBYGjqFSX7C843KaPCf1uzvzcymibeKsZ4nd2eAoh1LOC_SL54c_KVD3f2CfWifNToH9ni_VMlNkXMGEWXXIPVDlIZoinJxs1Ac/s1600/DSC_0080.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXINYIwbSv6dSjvL1kzd9qkjYXfFKhKx77UDpUb8KKBYGjqFSX7C843KaPCf1uzvzcymibeKsZ4nd2eAoh1LOC_SL54c_KVD3f2CfWifNToH9ni_VMlNkXMGEWXXIPVDlIZoinJxs1Ac/s400/DSC_0080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606778356114011074" border="0" /></a><br />Last but not least...our little family...I wonder what this picture will look like in 2025 when she graduates from high school??? Let's not think about that quite yet!!! ;)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQO1pKrlfyv-oeC28WKfET5ZF1O2j1Hp8SxZwWIAyLxMzeF0jJtbMjtwzr6Yoq73P2qm62NxZM8VOPrL1_tGjHeM2TTIoggVaiQw4SeCWxJrp-ojhkys9xH8HEZjnuQrdRbMPkv4WRhw/s1600/DSC_0086.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQO1pKrlfyv-oeC28WKfET5ZF1O2j1Hp8SxZwWIAyLxMzeF0jJtbMjtwzr6Yoq73P2qm62NxZM8VOPrL1_tGjHeM2TTIoggVaiQw4SeCWxJrp-ojhkys9xH8HEZjnuQrdRbMPkv4WRhw/s400/DSC_0086.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606778342453286978" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNgGsR75GDS68hKOpIwaZZBHi_YPK1MILRJDMvo7aQmWL3AdfN48yMW5O7Rn7bQJ-jKzeEPzGE0S7PMXiFOBkw2W5CL0XTFOYnARiSnF69Y0kQR8pxIdp61ddIZhUEe26P0nXxZSUFmI/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG"><br /></a>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-42401536919813621102011-02-13T19:43:00.002-06:002011-02-13T20:28:38.969-06:00Happy Valentine's Day!With Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow, I spent my Saturday baking and decorating cookies for Max and Oki to take to school. Giving homemade gifts is something I enjoy doing and I really enjoy decorating cookies, but not the time that it takes me! Oki was some help decorating...<br /><br />Here she is decorating her own cookie...<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573358175335105218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIp4tJEEHIQIVbGn9rkiUJUOSx6yT2B3GWG9k2RfWTFCwi5tjCOO04X2MbY9D3l8fQH3bp-TLUwqvKZekcsdSJrAhnljnru1WsiJoDU60qat1SQPVt07jrLaxwfXUibHtFSqS8NTw90c/s400/DSC_0573.JPG" />Some I did with sprinkles and I experimented with some other designs too. Some turned out better than others!!! All in all, I think I made something like 63 cookies! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3J3sGK7HZ5MLzKR2gwUds2ZL-pSwp4QHgNeK1R46mIUg8_flPQRtZybTgkeRth2CY6Bq58glXkTfpXxLzcR0JVI9rFB3FKjudNpnf0jjJ0kTNEfwnNum4tO3a67bDRY1H0ZbVYL7VT4/s1600/DSC_0581.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573358187281430946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3J3sGK7HZ5MLzKR2gwUds2ZL-pSwp4QHgNeK1R46mIUg8_flPQRtZybTgkeRth2CY6Bq58glXkTfpXxLzcR0JVI9rFB3FKjudNpnf0jjJ0kTNEfwnNum4tO3a67bDRY1H0ZbVYL7VT4/s400/DSC_0581.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIn_J_vfkw9t7fzvKA8bA42XI-syYHCKOQOxceVNoqxcpKxbV8ZlnzJDm1ldki9fP20ngIFCazX8AqWWw277BvwGG2CZo9tAfv2BpoXVyaM5LQosONCzimMwSv27QBeX1wTVHO0bXEbk/s1600/DSC_0579.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573358188258809666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIn_J_vfkw9t7fzvKA8bA42XI-syYHCKOQOxceVNoqxcpKxbV8ZlnzJDm1ldki9fP20ngIFCazX8AqWWw277BvwGG2CZo9tAfv2BpoXVyaM5LQosONCzimMwSv27QBeX1wTVHO0bXEbk/s400/DSC_0579.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5EQ8B24GenZvk7NRRIXz0lSU_HpXiFAdfcCriyle4eb08dT7agefBMlyVbUqRFAkH1tZNwG53jTo29yTAk8RCoTMvyegNmWibJvjj9djEbpYowrSB9mpvGNyz_ljTR3_ITzCNUyJh0w/s1600/DSC_0577.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573358186395711954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5EQ8B24GenZvk7NRRIXz0lSU_HpXiFAdfcCriyle4eb08dT7agefBMlyVbUqRFAkH1tZNwG53jTo29yTAk8RCoTMvyegNmWibJvjj9djEbpYowrSB9mpvGNyz_ljTR3_ITzCNUyJh0w/s400/DSC_0577.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuSwZ97ySlUa8HExlUA9e4IRfC-4Tixf43wAzwnUwD0rA9kaok0VFd9LFTxsJclRhjtwgP65cpVjk_oln-jx-zIGJro9-Ok6YUl7YEpCC1KMvL7OMGd894xWNrxsUeJ3Cl9gqgkpRo3w/s1600/DSC_0578.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573358178826555138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuSwZ97ySlUa8HExlUA9e4IRfC-4Tixf43wAzwnUwD0rA9kaok0VFd9LFTxsJclRhjtwgP65cpVjk_oln-jx-zIGJro9-Ok6YUl7YEpCC1KMvL7OMGd894xWNrxsUeJ3Cl9gqgkpRo3w/s400/DSC_0578.JPG" /></a> I have the best recipe...click <a href="http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/">here</a> to link to a master cookie and cupcake lady!!! She gives tips on decorating. I love her blog!<br /><br />Hope your Valentine's Day is great! <div></div></div></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-61584043970933351352011-01-06T22:50:00.004-06:002011-01-06T22:59:07.055-06:00My Talented Brother-In-Law<span style="font-family:arial;">My brother-in-law, Harrison is working on this drawing for me and I couldn't help but share this "sneak peek" that he sent me today! He is so talented! Thanks H!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Carnley Girls"</span></strong></div><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559303021864482370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x7Bq2-c-y9K4nDgDhWS3p_pH9uYKV-biM-FRz8GoUduHW017EIisSdLPNzx1vt5JlYHlMVhz8umF2iy2FvuJFEvMy4sU15YQVq_QcjzLyhcMiy_B5_iBC-Xfn_L3GhUar6-FMD3tBX8/s400/018.JPG" /><span style="font-family:arial;">My sisters, Missy and Gail and me in the middle!<br /></span></p>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-80389713969123415812011-01-06T13:51:00.003-06:002012-05-07T20:09:10.092-05:00Sweet Potato Dumplings<div align="center">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0hS1xLeHrcYhvJmvtRtJTJrucQFu4GJq9Ci7ZwHxAr3fec8Mx0HUpChnjEGo0kQ9fgAQTCwDqA_wfiCxFdvPi3Y-dPPkMdrst6oQLelDyYrSUHO9q33fzORizbjGHuGoT1bU_eKlauc/s1600/DSC_0383.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559163835173981282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0hS1xLeHrcYhvJmvtRtJTJrucQFu4GJq9Ci7ZwHxAr3fec8Mx0HUpChnjEGo0kQ9fgAQTCwDqA_wfiCxFdvPi3Y-dPPkMdrst6oQLelDyYrSUHO9q33fzORizbjGHuGoT1bU_eKlauc/s400/DSC_0383.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> </a><br />
<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0hS1xLeHrcYhvJmvtRtJTJrucQFu4GJq9Ci7ZwHxAr3fec8Mx0HUpChnjEGo0kQ9fgAQTCwDqA_wfiCxFdvPi3Y-dPPkMdrst6oQLelDyYrSUHO9q33fzORizbjGHuGoT1bU_eKlauc/s1600/DSC_0383.JPG"></a><span style="font-family: arial;">I really don't know what to call these things, so I just made the name up! I got this recipe at church the other night from Mrs. Berry. It was so tasty that I thougth I would share it!</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<b><span style="font-family: arial;">Sweet Potato Dumplings</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b><br />
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: arial;">Ingredients:</span></b><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">2 Cans Crescent Rolls</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">1 Package of Sweet Potato Patties (Cut in Half)</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">1 1/2 Cups Water</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">3/4 Cup Butter</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">1.5 Cup Light Brown Sugar</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">1.5 tsp. Vanilla</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Cinnamon</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Directions:</b></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Wrap each 1/2 Sweet Potato Patty in a crescent roll and place in a large shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. (You will have 16 rolls) Combine water, butter and sugar in a small pan and boil until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over rolls, sprinkle with cinnamon.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Allow to sit a little while before serving. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I made 1/2 of this recipe and it turned out fine. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Happy Cooking!</span></div>
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</div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-13026960778201330382010-12-27T08:36:00.004-06:002011-01-06T13:49:57.164-06:00Christmas 2010<div align="left">I am not sure what was so different, but we had the best Christmas this year! It just seemed that everything just went well. Praise the Lord for our family!!! It was great getting to spend time visiting!</div><div align="left">I've included some pictures from "The Day." Maybe I will be more regular in updating. I really do want to get back to blogging!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">My children are growing up so fast, I can hardly keep up! As you can see, I don't have babies anymore! Eli is 12, Max is 9 and Oki is 4... </div><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXPLMZqo5oem4ke5vF4a4VKi0dc_CwdkIczimv_LydYaa-EPaGRlXaDeU4MnUKlt5eezxSTijT5hkgbpcXyp6nt61Ft01wsF47_aHvvyHfmXzl7bXRM65AGB7gUPtt-EJmkbChbUG4zk/s1600/DSC_0273.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555374434387993586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXPLMZqo5oem4ke5vF4a4VKi0dc_CwdkIczimv_LydYaa-EPaGRlXaDeU4MnUKlt5eezxSTijT5hkgbpcXyp6nt61Ft01wsF47_aHvvyHfmXzl7bXRM65AGB7gUPtt-EJmkbChbUG4zk/s400/DSC_0273.JPG" /></a></p><div align="left"><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UYFHlb1BRM8MwzUfPc3R5IMWH_98PPwXGpgQTNl_lgdt8tZAJNCRn0TjBRSS8VQXb2ilRD1VqE6UpDLZPFO_VA8613MeaNLvubEGmLtwnJZfYwzYJ-xaTa9TqFlO3R5OOzH_ZZKMRY8/s1600/DSC_0286.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555374431264672994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UYFHlb1BRM8MwzUfPc3R5IMWH_98PPwXGpgQTNl_lgdt8tZAJNCRn0TjBRSS8VQXb2ilRD1VqE6UpDLZPFO_VA8613MeaNLvubEGmLtwnJZfYwzYJ-xaTa9TqFlO3R5OOzH_ZZKMRY8/s400/DSC_0286.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SrSRzqxK97XLXZx18wC2rEn_Ow00sHQLyXuWJJR2laYFhEtc1K5-08N8NvRYeP0jMVO7JYrMJU6tjfMOJUUSKXWY1ytwh78KBrDs2KX2_lffdmP-Tqslm2eVZsla6uDRZrb9LkQ_At8/s1600/DSC_0343.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555374424842801602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SrSRzqxK97XLXZx18wC2rEn_Ow00sHQLyXuWJJR2laYFhEtc1K5-08N8NvRYeP0jMVO7JYrMJU6tjfMOJUUSKXWY1ytwh78KBrDs2KX2_lffdmP-Tqslm2eVZsla6uDRZrb9LkQ_At8/s400/DSC_0343.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J2IC6Cnuh2ffxjg0CyxvL32r5sgvRmxXHtZXy11T5HdJ1bPZ8BAm4tFugVNj1K4NQMVcFlBdruNPkZfxWxBU94_uUHU9-TCjmqG9p6UNiMS07BwBs_yBv_7lg0tfr2YSIN0WiRTbmmc/s1600/DSC_0289.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555374421478922562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J2IC6Cnuh2ffxjg0CyxvL32r5sgvRmxXHtZXy11T5HdJ1bPZ8BAm4tFugVNj1K4NQMVcFlBdruNPkZfxWxBU94_uUHU9-TCjmqG9p6UNiMS07BwBs_yBv_7lg0tfr2YSIN0WiRTbmmc/s400/DSC_0289.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSom61HHVyGrgnVfWFqmchiblyYsWIojvSETuHhKJVSXhTa87u6SMgIcE19Vu-vpDo7m5L8XXj7RbGs0BEx0ZXX5RWVDbaxW3vaSs57yYrFL1HKQ3gPzPF4pRZ1jz5JMsCnkOhkyWh8Y/s1600/DSC_0309.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555374420611740994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSom61HHVyGrgnVfWFqmchiblyYsWIojvSETuHhKJVSXhTa87u6SMgIcE19Vu-vpDo7m5L8XXj7RbGs0BEx0ZXX5RWVDbaxW3vaSs57yYrFL1HKQ3gPzPF4pRZ1jz5JMsCnkOhkyWh8Y/s400/DSC_0309.JPG" /></a> Last but not least...our traditional family picture at my sister's house on Christmas night... <div></div></div></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-41438703750475195882010-12-07T22:26:00.001-06:002010-12-07T22:26:20.268-06:00'Tis the Season<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/0CZsWLVo3ZMQ/0CZsWLVo3ZMQcl/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1291782305000/0/"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>With Love Chartreuse Christmas Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Shop Shutterfly for elegant <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/" style="color: #6666cc;">custom Christmas photo cards</a>.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-23609572854750715452010-11-09T17:45:00.006-06:002010-11-11T15:44:27.440-06:00Santa Fe Soup<span style="font-family:arial;">This recipe is super yummy! I have gotten so many requests for the recipe that I thought I'd share it here. As much as I would like to, I can't take credit for the recipe! I got it several years ago from a friend at work...I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Santa Fe Soup<br /></span><br />Ingredients:<br />• 1 lb. Ground Beef<br />• 1 lb. Baby Link Sausage (sliced)<br />• 1 med. Onion (chopped)<br />• 1 can black beans<br />• 1 can red beans<br />• 1 can pinto beans<br />• 2 cans white kernel corn<br />• 2 cans diced tomatoes<br />• 2 packages taco seasoning mix<br />• 1 package ranch dressing mix<br />• 2 cans water<br /><br />Brown ground beef, sausage and onion together. Drain. Place in crock pot and add other ingredients (do not drain water from any cans). Cook for about 2 hours.<br /><br />Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream. Corn Chips are also great with it. Sometimes I substitute ground venison instead of beef. Using spicy sausage and seasoned tomatoes also gives it a little extra kick!<br /><br />Happy Cooking!</span><br /></div><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537703123068619426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_ymiaNWD62aWfuNYBc2RjKVHswlG6aKutgQkvsN9mX3nYR5mbvwlc_F-r7-46gDXWGS86KNrmuMPcNPpVaYbRjrVrzvcnO9lKmZJmZIWbd2ylZHNxTdcX5-Q-Uo23nLU2KXXXl7rANU/s400/DSC_0519.JPG" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB84qqyiC-bai78Vqli1OLxG_A66XHNkFUcmtV8rGWXzMceL6pQPnp96eGD6Ks20QtcbaSfiNDqOiqrkhMXZEED2so2jOxx92WP4jNQ6pUmyouXVgqUdNQe0SIN88DR8Y7P9Z1Uh7N9w/s1600/DSC_0520.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537703132744866658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB84qqyiC-bai78Vqli1OLxG_A66XHNkFUcmtV8rGWXzMceL6pQPnp96eGD6Ks20QtcbaSfiNDqOiqrkhMXZEED2so2jOxx92WP4jNQ6pUmyouXVgqUdNQe0SIN88DR8Y7P9Z1Uh7N9w/s400/DSC_0520.JPG" /></a></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUoyH667YSKoUTukkmNfmi6-D6GIwtA-xAUSLmmj47OOR5OqyBUIPig2YjTXzgAtvmMAyzLMkyiSuYGAfy-njjOumP257K7Xu5jj-u69b1NcYIav9pnR8nIFdr6sItusGvYpG9CCNXNs/s1600/DSC_0526.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537703103529344994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUoyH667YSKoUTukkmNfmi6-D6GIwtA-xAUSLmmj47OOR5OqyBUIPig2YjTXzgAtvmMAyzLMkyiSuYGAfy-njjOumP257K7Xu5jj-u69b1NcYIav9pnR8nIFdr6sItusGvYpG9CCNXNs/s400/DSC_0526.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-27932703850025705652010-10-17T12:34:00.005-05:002010-10-17T13:07:41.790-05:00SewingAbout the only thing I like about hunting season, aside from the fact that my husband loves it, is that I am afforded a little free time. Wayne is usually occupied at the hunting club this time of year, so I often find myself with some extra time. This year has been especially good already. Wayne has been helping out at home a lot more by organizing things (anyone who knows me well, knows that I am anything but organized!) and insisting that we ALL pitch in to keep things neat. I have been so pleasantly surprised at how much better our home is running and how neat everything is! With the house staying in order and hunting season upon us, I have really been able to do a lot of sewing lately! I have had the best time the past two Saturdays at my friend, Valerie's house sewing with her. She is so gracious to allow us to intrude and make a huge mess! Our girls play while we talk and sew...I am including a few pictures of my recent projects. <br /><br />These two were shirts that I embroidered for birthday presents...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBMHHOoWeZM-JirR37LNNYE_gutiUGgkjCBfMlUpeIs8jh8znI_JvA0s1IrjA5rd3nNXKhuJfNhbzXJ-VecCNydqhg3Q8C-Ks9jse9eVBh023h_84JlNC27iiZrZOO9OcVRyBlvZva2w/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529073310815223234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBMHHOoWeZM-JirR37LNNYE_gutiUGgkjCBfMlUpeIs8jh8znI_JvA0s1IrjA5rd3nNXKhuJfNhbzXJ-VecCNydqhg3Q8C-Ks9jse9eVBh023h_84JlNC27iiZrZOO9OcVRyBlvZva2w/s400/DSC_0301.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiih4hRbMis9g_oi9TzMKba4lVR-KOxwBM7YOaQOs0R15PCEFe0vOKj-9f_Wgy4mkJMAvH9emt0s4ZnXVqwkBxUBayWNxuzQMJ2gJeZxQeA6i2mpQZNh46g4LeOjf3RA6q5-Tu6PIJcE/s1600/DSC_0303.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529073311209614258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiih4hRbMis9g_oi9TzMKba4lVR-KOxwBM7YOaQOs0R15PCEFe0vOKj-9f_Wgy4mkJMAvH9emt0s4ZnXVqwkBxUBayWNxuzQMJ2gJeZxQeA6i2mpQZNh46g4LeOjf3RA6q5-Tu6PIJcE/s400/DSC_0303.JPG" /></a>Yesterday I attempted to make a reversible "longall" for a friend. I also embroidered appliques on each side. I was pleased with the outcome!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclqFyb1Ksl3Yl-KUBPNg18yJtiyOmrie8xwDLWN2uLa7RSoaPgdXOMC1kxDnQNwnR9xwLA8cqspmAkExZijpjUX1adnazGIH2zW7TJeUCCkWwsiGrW6ZcsUoLu_D2M8RsasDYCGSPEWg/s1600/DSC_0348.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529073303984986594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclqFyb1Ksl3Yl-KUBPNg18yJtiyOmrie8xwDLWN2uLa7RSoaPgdXOMC1kxDnQNwnR9xwLA8cqspmAkExZijpjUX1adnazGIH2zW7TJeUCCkWwsiGrW6ZcsUoLu_D2M8RsasDYCGSPEWg/s400/DSC_0348.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HA8HyaDyELTYXl2WtWibAZ4r14EHLAbJRcGrWiDxv0_S_C78umWgsV2kWnIov_o56UmVlv8BvPeXQE6UDcUdo09MoD38jmvid7I6UIOGrapGKzKHUdxWWyOMxbIMaIX2-yfaPAKwApk/s1600/DSC_0350.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529073290004070162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HA8HyaDyELTYXl2WtWibAZ4r14EHLAbJRcGrWiDxv0_S_C78umWgsV2kWnIov_o56UmVlv8BvPeXQE6UDcUdo09MoD38jmvid7I6UIOGrapGKzKHUdxWWyOMxbIMaIX2-yfaPAKwApk/s400/DSC_0350.JPG" /></a> This skirt was sewn for a friend's daughter. I can't take all of the credit, though. Valerie helped, too! We make such a great team for sewing. While I help her with some of the more tedious aspects of sewing, like gathering, she helps me by doing the things I don't like to do! I really do not like cutting patterns! She cut the skirt out and did most of the construction, but not the gathering!!! ;-) </div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILww4l3um1pC8EvBBQt8eLyUZV8OgOwHaHEeziyb-sWNCW5m3ZS2WBbBVT2fb2IiEY4HAU-rvju-3r9kUNNJRVTuAK5VpP2bYA9JB7OIS6RtHB9yZ9ZmbcO3PtLX1TxFwDnFaxIENPn4/s1600/DSC_0353.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529073278427805186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILww4l3um1pC8EvBBQt8eLyUZV8OgOwHaHEeziyb-sWNCW5m3ZS2WBbBVT2fb2IiEY4HAU-rvju-3r9kUNNJRVTuAK5VpP2bYA9JB7OIS6RtHB9yZ9ZmbcO3PtLX1TxFwDnFaxIENPn4/s400/DSC_0353.JPG" /></a> Maybe you will see some more things before long! Keep checking! I hope to do a better job of keeping my blog updated!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-53213663470362513332010-10-14T21:12:00.003-05:002019-02-28T17:32:51.107-06:00The Best Ever Pound Cake!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK52g_rGJMv7C0V_XZC5FXtQbNvol1AQouhUApJwK7Af9A7NQgXoZ2KyTw74FW_SXHLmUi0HkYFvFG_UfIQpzscFurXeFaluzgTgC0FJVXyjJ7OSS-pd32Gr242-M6o4ATlxHWnioXk_0/s1600/DSC_0198.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528091225033723394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK52g_rGJMv7C0V_XZC5FXtQbNvol1AQouhUApJwK7Af9A7NQgXoZ2KyTw74FW_SXHLmUi0HkYFvFG_UfIQpzscFurXeFaluzgTgC0FJVXyjJ7OSS-pd32Gr242-M6o4ATlxHWnioXk_0/s400/DSC_0198.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Anyone that knows me and has been around me at all knows that I love to bake a pound cake! I have been using this recipe since I was about 18 years old...if you know how old I am, that's a long time! My sister gave me this recipe, where she got it I don't know. For years, I made it using margarine. I always got compliments on it, but it wasn't until I switched to butter that it really did become "THE BEST EVER!"<br />
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I promise you this: BUTTER REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!<br />
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I'm not one of those people that doesn't share recipes so here goes...<br />
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<div align="center">
BEST EVER POUND CAKE</div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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<strike>3</strike> *4 Sticks Butter, softened </div>
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1- 8 oz Bar Cream Cheese, softened</div>
3 Cups Sugar</div>
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2 T. Vanilla Flavor</div>
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3 Cups Cake Flour</div>
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6 Eggs</div>
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</div>
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Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add 1 cup flour and 2 eggs. Beat at medium speed. Continue adding 1 cup flour and 2 eggs until all are mixed in. Beat until smooth. (About a minute or two at medium speed) Pour into a prepared <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bundt</span> pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1.5 hours. </div>
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A few things...</div>
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I sometimes use unsalted butter. It really doesn't matter to me which I use. It always turns out well.</div>
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Baker's Joy cooking spray makes the prettiest cakes</div>
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I usually have to bake my cake a few minutes longer. </div>
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I don't sift my cake flour.</div>
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Never let my sister, Gail around your "crusty" pound cake...she will eat it (the crust) all!!!<br />
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*Post edited 2/28/2019 to reflect a change in the amount of butter that I use...thanks for the tip, Mary Lynn! </div>
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-65092619017361244532010-07-23T21:26:00.000-05:002010-07-24T12:07:50.027-05:00To The Mountains We Went<div>I do realize that this post is...oh, something like 4 months late. But, I still wanted to post it! I actually uploaded all of the pictures about 3 months ago, but never typed the post. I wish I had enough energy, time and productivity to do all of the things that roll around in my mind. I might be dangerous then!!! Anyway...<br /><br />During Opp's Spring Break in March, our family took a trip to Bryson City, North Carolina. A couple in our church offered us the use of their cabin there and we jumped on the opportunity. We had never been to the mountains before and we were so in awe of the beauty of God's creation there. We had a very low-key get away, not "doing" and "going" constantly. We left after school on Wednesday and returned on Sunday afternoon. It took us about 9 hours to get there. We couldn't believe how well the children did on the drive!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mm-6aCC5C5Tu6CCjxXXN77PHKgDpf9EuCiixLaJL3RXTBXsIEOYlFwfmlaMMnyO_H5LEMS_Mp5py0LAHz6K4Vk2O-P5kzkgORadA9J9Q8ChKiaNGkrJVaZs4jDmpQmcCxe5JTrgyWEQ/s1600/DSC_0309.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457973054912770034" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mm-6aCC5C5Tu6CCjxXXN77PHKgDpf9EuCiixLaJL3RXTBXsIEOYlFwfmlaMMnyO_H5LEMS_Mp5py0LAHz6K4Vk2O-P5kzkgORadA9J9Q8ChKiaNGkrJVaZs4jDmpQmcCxe5JTrgyWEQ/s400/DSC_0309.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />One day, we went up the road a few miles to the Cherokee Indian Reservation. There, we enjoyed walking and looking. We visited the museum there and the children had their faces painted by a Cherokee Indian!<br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzo9W4y6y-CNkyBAXZLcqBsA71d79lgp-UgBeroDpXJepoOZ0fKRrFk1N7EswhVSIb55AFbE8rHt2S_8Va5so3KWaR3mbLiAP8FIVrJjLZ1l3XXDU9i7M6cG76cJG6UjwyXe6bVYl7ZY/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457973050015667874" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzo9W4y6y-CNkyBAXZLcqBsA71d79lgp-UgBeroDpXJepoOZ0fKRrFk1N7EswhVSIb55AFbE8rHt2S_8Va5so3KWaR3mbLiAP8FIVrJjLZ1l3XXDU9i7M6cG76cJG6UjwyXe6bVYl7ZY/s400/DSC_0375.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTahzjf378Md3PWvnAZP0gY3yfrerhUDI0TgBoPQW4q2JWytR8BVHqfEIK1Gz3NZuylbeUF7Yq6wiSTDpHZP1Kuv5-TDlS0KUzgBFB_Bx4MYDd_v65O5cSeW7RdoWzVkWhMQSMDhmdMNc/s1600/DSC_0148.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457977463659162210" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTahzjf378Md3PWvnAZP0gY3yfrerhUDI0TgBoPQW4q2JWytR8BVHqfEIK1Gz3NZuylbeUF7Yq6wiSTDpHZP1Kuv5-TDlS0KUzgBFB_Bx4MYDd_v65O5cSeW7RdoWzVkWhMQSMDhmdMNc/s400/DSC_0148.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oPIzoOCO1CIy1Um14Rwh-OBBAjZHe0tiZ9QiiMbLruupogpXLmSAszygYRhaHE3LUC6W7q4uKG9h-2qrz_R7_DX6f73vK7Pzf7PP3WqbriAmxVoUhlVM7X7UglqMwX-wRm2i8V-Mw14/s1600/DSC_0151.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457977459536822098" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oPIzoOCO1CIy1Um14Rwh-OBBAjZHe0tiZ9QiiMbLruupogpXLmSAszygYRhaHE3LUC6W7q4uKG9h-2qrz_R7_DX6f73vK7Pzf7PP3WqbriAmxVoUhlVM7X7UglqMwX-wRm2i8V-Mw14/s400/DSC_0151.JPG" border="0" /></a>While the children were getting their faces painted, the man told us that we should visit Minga Falls, a local waterfall that is a popular tourist attraction. These were the steps we had to climb...I counted them on the way down, but now I can't remember how many there were! I am thinking it was something like 172 or something. Needless to say, I was out of breath when we got to the top!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzo9W4y6y-CNkyBAXZLcqBsA71d79lgp-UgBeroDpXJepoOZ0fKRrFk1N7EswhVSIb55AFbE8rHt2S_8Va5so3KWaR3mbLiAP8FIVrJjLZ1l3XXDU9i7M6cG76cJG6UjwyXe6bVYl7ZY/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 266px; display: block; height: 400px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457977432360507618" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nw8Luz-e7rgvpmUKpu9FNhk6jjNXksCfMmqAm7z_3IG_Y2hVYbqMntpsJFmfBDuDtCvi-4pPU5Yo_Z54V9AA1vPCWIOCn3hi2xAJJJEmPqBoUKEvxGqV3Th_q2XjaS9bhsK4J_9lgY4/s400/DSC_0181.1.JPG" border="0" /></a>We were rewarded for our efforts because this is what we saw when we arrived!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Tx5mRi9Gpg7C-pWNorW6yR_J_zlDXxRYvln6A57bd-xJxARINvYZhXAlHaaq1OiJHdZ2v5HvjK9KWe3fAkS7DIbG8foA0iBJHg8bwAaqFk3Dzfyp0iu4oC3ZYzBIu6suEXJsorOuk20/s1600/DSC_0155.1.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 266px; display: block; height: 400px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457977449628605666" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Tx5mRi9Gpg7C-pWNorW6yR_J_zlDXxRYvln6A57bd-xJxARINvYZhXAlHaaq1OiJHdZ2v5HvjK9KWe3fAkS7DIbG8foA0iBJHg8bwAaqFk3Dzfyp0iu4oC3ZYzBIu6suEXJsorOuk20/s400/DSC_0155.1.JPG" border="0" /></a>Here are our precious "Indian" children with their faces painted...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBnpgrSJFVSdM6y1ofHYMNHjKMK8tGKCWbaB-09MHp6ygbGUq00w7aWTswZMSHwugncuK3KrA-1PgXhA_URR5msPLsICygjnW78qLcElOe1ZotGLeRXTFz3L3uVBi0o6cYXZmtX0_xFs/s1600/DSC_0178.JPG"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; display: block; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457977446551731794" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBnpgrSJFVSdM6y1ofHYMNHjKMK8tGKCWbaB-09MHp6ygbGUq00w7aWTswZMSHwugncuK3KrA-1PgXhA_URR5msPLsICygjnW78qLcElOe1ZotGLeRXTFz3L3uVBi0o6cYXZmtX0_xFs/s400/DSC_0178.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-33654100363081862722010-07-14T21:27:00.007-05:002010-07-14T23:00:16.667-05:00A Wonderful DayWayne and I have had a wonderful day!!! I am super worn out from walking, walking, walking eating way too much! We both enjoy history, so Natchez is right up our alley. We began our day at the Natchez City Cemetery. I know I'm not well traveled, but I have never in my life seen such a large cemetery. The tombstones, gravemarkers and mausoleums were amazing. It's neat to think about all the lives that are represented by each marker. It is also very humbling to know that really all that will be left of us in a few years is a marker. I was so saddened to see all of the children's graves. As I walked around looking, I mourned for their mothers. I can only imagine their heartbreak. The view below is from one of the Jewish sections of the cememetary. <div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493965596995415458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMdjn1zqMQ8oCjIwdR9ssMH_sCGSc4vA57KM1YkhB9CeW5Gf_kUzivCTMEThwPO0xUDa8nQj7VlvQOjBkYBQpbFh8_Tx3p_lAcwTTqL2onqse6jTR_GDXSlITPgO78j-kYW0dbXmkOtw/s400/DSC_0177.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493965592942459186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzE4IC4CCa1T_EHxfC59TL81kf0hNo5RFCwO9ZgVXAUjwpLlLRJMrJGQxrxPUshkK6EjVJDSJuqS4JzDJUYxFqvRs7c2MoxjvThLfnYFN80HD3Vt0Cl2rhIKTcG-AcvL_ct1h1AMcmEs/s400/DSC_0157.JPG" /><br /><div>The next photo was taken on bluff in the cemetery overlooking the Mississippi River.</div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493965583644260642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDn0iUsGTNJWzQdom5JC7RTKCAx0c7v1zDNp0-ZWRBr8ORMnXnykzUMEqvwumjqlI4OTztr2TB8VsuXx1bpTBtCunqfmu_2r0q5dGLKFs61Sr651zeoeUPyWTT_yOquAW7SyBiGrjsU0I/s400/DSC_0179.JPG" /><br /><br /><div>Our next stop was <a href="http://stmarybasilica.org/">St. Mary's Bascillica </a>in downtown Natchez. I've never been inside a Catholic Church before. This building was beautiful!!!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493962235339349362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVl1xPCSOUkv6cOiEu2YW_DS5DaePNxpqBBUU9AwADgtc5jO6NTvPnCvFhJJvB227Xuw7-sHWnr2NVO1tFU6xaunTq094h_-6fJFLrVErhtIkPNxHQOIl53epDGxfCcgkwj0x_8k-Snkg/s400/DSC_0204.JPG" /><br /><div>Our first home tour of the day was <a href="http://stantonhall.com/">Stanton Hall</a>. This house was amazing! I am so glad we went. Our tour guide was a true Southern Belle with the cutest accent. I'm sure she was at least 75 years old, but she did a great job! She told us that every screw and piece of metal hardware used in the house was silver!!! Can you imagine??? This home cost (I think I'm remembering correctly) something like $84,000 to build way back when...It was so well preserved and in great condition. </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493962220481983826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidG5hIOVPOcd10HDPfRJeXbbikCNWejziWAjVi-mepmv4gE_AqpJBlPrJA2GbOAxXOpVkYKiH5FulcVAm1yMPajwFlM1XiyVFtB6KZZ-Qhx_EVt_zBOCyiGRjh3pZBQCnKXNrM1SRrSyA/s400/DSC_0196.JPG" /></div><div>The next home we toured was <a href="http://www.rosaliemansion.com/">Rosalie</a>. This home was also beautiful. It was used by the Union soldiers during the Civil War. According to our guide, the troops occupied one side of the home and the family the other. Talk about a house divided!<br /></div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493962203250165202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0AgFOOsQpSTlVkgdax4ig4nhMGxb9GCmLBLdv849EKiQ9xzAK8Mapv2PDI6Mywgv_PjvoDSN6aHjLq5Y6KatA6v19WEzHIY_AePXVeKLt1LpNiAjFU0VQEDxY3VS9tskMGATFuCTJtg/s400/DSC_0262.JPG" />While visiting Rosalie, I got to play the piano. Let me say that I have taken a total of 3 years of piano lessons, but I can only pick out the right hand. I got to play for our little tour group because no one else in our group could play! Can you tell how much fun I had wow-ing everyone with a little "Heart and Soul"? Thank you to my good friend, Haiden for practicing with me all those times on the OHS stage!!<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493962215959203250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvBnnCJodnKz2eoOYZEWgm7-OCFUmvAr7CScMRgYucYQ7YEAvuUohQlKbMaM4myzgmcGdqQR3F-UsmhvqlTemb_OetjW2vn727dLAsGPXE_t8_4eNxIoyB1gJOawYhurHam-ZTFQq-xQ/s400/DSC_0231.JPG" /><br /><div>This is us on the second story veranda at Rosalie. Note the Mississippi River in the background.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493962211525824674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupCnE9yCY8pyN7-QfIoSYCqVKOQ2Ep_h5NtzrR88SEWyJZTfwamhozjOQmrplgI2qGiHV5dSqOW82NCjrFuvP4m0-1VbYdessvn1pIn6V-XoBbDbKeNWA4pw4l7oJ2pVmju-ZW3I708Q/s400/DSC_0252.JPG" /> <div>The grounds were beautiful! Wayne and I had fun setting the timer on my camera and running to get in the picture. Since this was our anniversary trip, I couldn't resist making him pose with me for the next picture!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493957230632027714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR00Q3yHPVEhuN9UUYi9xdk_NNVsIxBz8XSgItJMrIFXhlRJiyCYUbbNf2QE98Op_iE1uwnPZIktXTxF7aucdNSz_exKqXg3FMsYYiG5S_ERvsvzjbPcDP0A1lAjQqCbT7_TvXp61xGw/s400/CSC_0265.JPG" /><br /><div><div><div></div><div>This evening we ate at a super restaurant called Breaud's. I would HIGHLY reccommend you try it if you are every in Natchez! I had the best ribs ever and the cole slaw was yummy, too!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Afterward, we went to the river to collect some water for Eli. For some reason, my sweet boy said he wanted us to bring him a bottle of Mississippi river water. These pictures were taken on the boat ramp in the area called "Under the Hill."</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493975559416675826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G2VTwSDYzpeu28Q7svf0bBrGw6R53IX7D2wrc03dYNCQROzwEEiqg_2gbEqXzlOJvZk7rVhDX_xPA127a52h3kmyDkJIxSDB06xvs3mymJWVTbPHOQpEw49SrHTLJ7Tw9Y-bSKNPjpo/s400/DSC_0302.JPG" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgNcSyWR4vR9V1hpupIooR71Glo6iXacJaKl08SzCMNbNwfF8PGpHkUF4zP0zQMM-FLKLpFIzsIAiAUufPSlr_VUp1_xeKOboQEt46f-Rh_xHTMtv7ZzmlSdem94XIxH23zzVTQdke5c/s1600/DSC_0299.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493957219473200418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgNcSyWR4vR9V1hpupIooR71Glo6iXacJaKl08SzCMNbNwfF8PGpHkUF4zP0zQMM-FLKLpFIzsIAiAUufPSlr_VUp1_xeKOboQEt46f-Rh_xHTMtv7ZzmlSdem94XIxH23zzVTQdke5c/s400/DSC_0299.JPG" /></a> Look at this sweet daddy, risking wet feet to collect his boy some river water!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQASbQa_S2UgmFRV1knYEeJGCKEqaIXtXyXkeZ09yl1Lhs-dqshYc99fvj5i5pmNlLVC7eXm6ORGWSKCSb4Ds-X1jL11-dcN68Kxl9SntmMvpRcdhUBf6X7jhrPKofz1hxZ_zyOHwWwLQ/s1600/DSC_0310.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493957208698716594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQASbQa_S2UgmFRV1knYEeJGCKEqaIXtXyXkeZ09yl1Lhs-dqshYc99fvj5i5pmNlLVC7eXm6ORGWSKCSb4Ds-X1jL11-dcN68Kxl9SntmMvpRcdhUBf6X7jhrPKofz1hxZ_zyOHwWwLQ/s400/DSC_0310.JPG" /></a> I love this next picture. What a wonderful way to end our getaway...an evening photo on the banks of the Mississippi. It was breathtakingly beautiful this afternoon!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BRgLbVOwq2EItNkwtDOuE5vjeTJcIkrAKkL6xkeGkN30EgSdKZcu_VMcpWWwIscCQYYQWN9-V5ehpk2ogyvD_XRpkZj733M67OfHLXiBK5HQACH-1qIG7o93J9woolMnnPkbJo2RtgA/s1600/CSC_0307.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493957202529872338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BRgLbVOwq2EItNkwtDOuE5vjeTJcIkrAKkL6xkeGkN30EgSdKZcu_VMcpWWwIscCQYYQWN9-V5ehpk2ogyvD_XRpkZj733M67OfHLXiBK5HQACH-1qIG7o93J9woolMnnPkbJo2RtgA/s400/CSC_0307.JPG" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-62461570405399072772010-07-13T22:26:00.004-05:002010-07-13T23:02:50.279-05:00Wayne and SamI feel like the most terrible blogger! Several blogposts sit unfinished in my "dashboard" and many ideas are swimming in my brain, but none ever seem to materialize here. Since I'm on vacation and Wayne is watching a baseball game on TV, I thought I'd take a few minutes to update. My last post was an anniversary post. Let me tell you about my anniversary...I went to VBS!<br /><br />If you read my last post, you will know that my wonderful and romantic husband planned a trip for us...We drove 6.5 hours west to our destination of Natchez, MS. I didn't know where we were going until about 1.5 hours before arrival!<br /><br />We are staying at an Antebellum home called <a href="http://www.monmouthplantation.com/">Monmouth Plantation</a>. It is a wonderful and beautiful place! This is the main house. Our room is actually in the renovated kitchen area.<br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601818873141682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqOZNW6frT4n0p7CL-2b6EGMaPDZQMTZzdHEQxgCE34DW0UKD_PdTwy_nIi6Wqu0RJDUQsgmPdm5-pu792k9_Ta8nbvfoP1wgJktX0xEZhBmFNjivpdcQTsX2xa2M3P2D-YWgnF80Xew/s400/DSC_0072.JPG" /></p><p>This picture was taken this morning near our room on Monmouth Plantation. The grounds here are beautiful and cover about 30 acres. </p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601875910814754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzX_Vvn3Xl88-zcqIOvZc9TarFGkyWyX2ZvTfnDiI8JcBs8Fs-jvRnFrxqqo7krHLSxl2LM1fKNDyP_HZvqtBKKI3q9arK3S276-cjFoT-gJQBgb4KTOzKmHwtZJAYJLsDHqZ7rzkOzk/s400/DSC_0006.JPG" /><br />Today, we toured another Antebellum home called Longwood. This home is the world's largest octaganal home. The sad thing is that it was never finished. I can't imagine the splendor that it would have had if it had been completed.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601855417635090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiRVUPJG4-YwsZ0t8Q1ITPqlvS-SdDMiMCD_ynYr1pRV2_iDYIlC0itQ1QURV5uDzGj_5NnunpCqeJPOakbyyZM7DdMce0lRQUGq0pkvfMHc1atLVBL-_zei5nf_nWcELmuIAU-CNZKM/s400/DSC_0109.JPG" /></p><p></p><p>This picture was taken this afternoon before supper. We dined at the Chef's table in the main house with a few other guests. It was my first five course meal! It was delicious!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOBBIPzJw2A4QLLWPm6DFRhrVtyn-aoV9dxuZ9B2Y0sAejoTrx98MVzqa6nh7JcSQTkT54YdyayhVDqP1kxO1ovUmU6LbfkOYrVl4GqZnvkFQ7S0hVkDNag-uXfqVt4co4lsmkNdE_Vo/s1600/DSC_0134.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601893826014914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOBBIPzJw2A4QLLWPm6DFRhrVtyn-aoV9dxuZ9B2Y0sAejoTrx98MVzqa6nh7JcSQTkT54YdyayhVDqP1kxO1ovUmU6LbfkOYrVl4GqZnvkFQ7S0hVkDNag-uXfqVt4co4lsmkNdE_Vo/s400/DSC_0134.JPG" /></a> This is the dining room and table where we ate tonight. It was very fancy, but a great experience!</p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493601885015148994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimH6mwtPVJiH-5Bkpb2FXYIA2_gGseHjNSL4NsMQNlwBFNk_IOImVDlVsSye6DXVRlhQgJxuPEi7T6DFWdYKrddik5M7psx4WbUciM4uHEXaGLwL7aYWuDNOGVmhZwnEsyc9wzVVViceY/s400/DSC_0051.JPG" />Wayne and I were treated to a horse-drawn carriage ride this afternoon. Our driver, Mr. James, did an outstanding job showing us around and providing us with a lot of knowledge! This carriage ride was a first for both Wayne and me. </p><p>There is more to come soon! I have tons of pictures! We are planning to tour two other homes tomorrow, visit the cemetary and the area called "Under the Hill."<br /><br /></p>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-34275568013732947492010-06-10T22:26:00.002-05:002010-06-10T22:56:28.924-05:00Happy Anniversary!I just had to type it out!!! Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband!!! Fifteen years is a long time, but it has flown by! See my <a href="http://newblessingseachday.blogspot.com/2008/04/wow-thirteen-years-later.html">post</a> from two years ago to see some pictures of us then. I feel so blessed by God to have such a wonderful and Godly husband and father to my children. We have been so completely crazy busy at our house lately, so I haven't given much thought to our anniversary other than to be a little sad that we wouldn't be able to celebrate on "the day." So, when I went to the kitchen first thing and saw a box of gourmet chocolate on the bar, I thought that was the end of the anniversary surprises...boy was I wrong!<br /><br />After I arrived at work, Wayne called and told me that there was an envelope in the console of my SUV. I was expecting a card or letter (he writes me often) or maybe even a gift certificate for a pedicure...I was definitely in for a surprise!<br /><br />I cannot describe to you how pleasantly surprised I was to find an amazingly sweet card and three pages of information about a surprise trip!!! I don't know where we are going, only that I am to tour the city in a horse drawn carriage, eat at a really nice restaurant the second night we're there, have a gourmet breakfast each morning and have a really great guy to carry my luggage! (That last part was from the email that Wayne sent to me.) Anyway, to say that I'm excited is an understatement! The last time we got away together for a vacation was 5 years ago...I think we're wayyyyy past-due. <br /><br />I will post pictures soon.Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-22520575751634755582010-03-01T21:01:00.008-06:002010-03-01T22:02:08.110-06:00Oki's New Do!<span style="font-family:verdana;">This afternoon I took all three children to the beauty shop for haircuts. First of all, getting haircuts for all three children in one afternoon is enough to make me want to run away! I can only imagine how Nonnie felt by the time she was done! Between the volume of the T.V. where Eli and Max were being entertained and Oki running around like a complete maniac, I really needed a pill for anxiety! Anyway, I guess all of the trouble was worth it because I now have two very happy boys (they’ve been begging for haircuts for two weeks) and one cute little girl!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As you can see in the picture below, Oki's hair has gotten very long. A few months ago, I began thinking about cutting it for Locks of Love or some other charitable organization. We've been debating about waiting to cut it or going ahead. After talking to Oki about it, she has become very excited about giving her hair to "some little girl who doesn't have any." I've also become quite tired of worrying with all of the trouble of long hair on a three year old. Hence our decision...Cut it now! Nonnie, along with several of my friends, were not at all happy about our decision. I really think Nonnie thought I was going to cry, but I didn't! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Scroll down to see the before and afters...<br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxzQSWQzkXzpm-D9rQktuRfI5yoCTLuE9-HMN6KLQlcm1Yytx73poNw02s5OCP5IrAf1shDcBVLgEbcE3msemCGo-ZrynD5l5jZhK5DbJIwGTL-8ZK2CjywxKEwRGHDDtqmM5Fm6_OxA/s1600-h/DSC_0009.1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxzQSWQzkXzpm-D9rQktuRfI5yoCTLuE9-HMN6KLQlcm1Yytx73poNw02s5OCP5IrAf1shDcBVLgEbcE3msemCGo-ZrynD5l5jZhK5DbJIwGTL-8ZK2CjywxKEwRGHDDtqmM5Fm6_OxA/s400/DSC_0009.1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443880545293448738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghwMSqrg_iWFTSpZOCfDr3oYGm5l3AKOJftm0CzWUm4x_JiBT7K7J6hYb_3WTBYK6wyNkT1bgfgfOQ7RwsIGbvK8oIKzjvggxOKaOrl6R4L-u4m7upqmnDBVM_Ogiq2wspLG2AiTUrfY/s1600-h/DSC_0008.1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghwMSqrg_iWFTSpZOCfDr3oYGm5l3AKOJftm0CzWUm4x_JiBT7K7J6hYb_3WTBYK6wyNkT1bgfgfOQ7RwsIGbvK8oIKzjvggxOKaOrl6R4L-u4m7upqmnDBVM_Ogiq2wspLG2AiTUrfY/s400/DSC_0008.1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443880537255622978" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">And.....</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">here goes......</span><br /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;" >AFTER!!!!</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZH40reK9Js_iFPckyrfPId7bbhhyjL2ha9BMNW1X3aPeNwa-iKy6z_tmuiyadyO51PuuXMnQKxiMecakOC2K0n2dHiyuER7ALDKTAD_uubi04bYjYfW2XcYMqgkAjeoyHilHwuYxd5M/s1600-h/DSC_0015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZH40reK9Js_iFPckyrfPId7bbhhyjL2ha9BMNW1X3aPeNwa-iKy6z_tmuiyadyO51PuuXMnQKxiMecakOC2K0n2dHiyuER7ALDKTAD_uubi04bYjYfW2XcYMqgkAjeoyHilHwuYxd5M/s400/DSC_0015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443871123412709762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rA0X0IrjAGR0L1iID3QVeHhu_BF1qhCnhUIKiv9m5e_VWnylVOlpWh9Ww9V7pBOBObowKEaJzNNMGXFBr6v7G72i0bHrBL5XCxxTvZk4Pat9Zdv2TFE_gsjf3yfbLeZnTTi0N0y1tjI/s1600-h/DSC_0019.1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rA0X0IrjAGR0L1iID3QVeHhu_BF1qhCnhUIKiv9m5e_VWnylVOlpWh9Ww9V7pBOBObowKEaJzNNMGXFBr6v7G72i0bHrBL5XCxxTvZk4Pat9Zdv2TFE_gsjf3yfbLeZnTTi0N0y1tjI/s400/DSC_0019.1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443871113917894850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">These last ones were taken after her bath...When I was drying it, Oki said, "It's growing!" I guess she heard me telling Nonnie today..."It's just hair, it will grow!"</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXmozQ2i-NMYuaH3yxZKwOw6cPlH3iwUYwS2_H7XoyS7IsttnCEDiLm0J3672UzSpuxc87nKPhUrzYn5E6Q5CADxlKL2GY99Tm5115gfpxTUIc8hBOdMdCiOwbfE0qVdBIg5g4olwf2c/s1600-h/DSC_0024.1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXmozQ2i-NMYuaH3yxZKwOw6cPlH3iwUYwS2_H7XoyS7IsttnCEDiLm0J3672UzSpuxc87nKPhUrzYn5E6Q5CADxlKL2GY99Tm5115gfpxTUIc8hBOdMdCiOwbfE0qVdBIg5g4olwf2c/s400/DSC_0024.1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443871110628066114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7i9PMYstMhYzKMJ_wyL-G-Urqf3jENyNz1n9FQOT1o6z5sKQ9oxxs6bTTM9q8ffua8P1UMobiBNSmKA1Nk3L5RHnfXPD-CfhM-LmUeJ5ZaT819x3iOlnScLDHWGXYSqLQUWENNmFMs00/s1600-h/DSC_0026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7i9PMYstMhYzKMJ_wyL-G-Urqf3jENyNz1n9FQOT1o6z5sKQ9oxxs6bTTM9q8ffua8P1UMobiBNSmKA1Nk3L5RHnfXPD-CfhM-LmUeJ5ZaT819x3iOlnScLDHWGXYSqLQUWENNmFMs00/s400/DSC_0026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443871100181603330" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3w-3az-2rZl_ghN6WNu8TEBS-6Uydx9VEGwfjkfG-zTN9xz2o4UC2k6A-FAUts0cgUVwvNTgFrtE03_lnI7tP5qWkNGEk7LBXa_FclKG0jFKnCrbgkFSsKFzd_zxyR-d64pePJH3kfFo/s1600-h/DSC_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3w-3az-2rZl_ghN6WNu8TEBS-6Uydx9VEGwfjkfG-zTN9xz2o4UC2k6A-FAUts0cgUVwvNTgFrtE03_lnI7tP5qWkNGEk7LBXa_FclKG0jFKnCrbgkFSsKFzd_zxyR-d64pePJH3kfFo/s400/DSC_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443871096352256194" border="0" /></a>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7647214606103319156.post-31475438481410938632010-01-08T21:15:00.002-06:002010-01-08T21:19:43.054-06:00Please Pray!I came across <a href="http://www.laneannmiller.blogspot.com"></a>a blog a few weeks ago when I saw a post on another blog. I went there and read it from the beginning. It brought to the forefront of my mind just how quickly our lives can change. Lane Ann Miller is a woman in need of a miracle. Please check out her story and pray for her...<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.laneannmiller.blogspot.com">here</a> to read her story.Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06070244808547091147noreply@blogger.com0