I WANT TO LIVE HERE




Can you imagine!?

. . . AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR

What a blessing to have this great tree in our front yard. 
How do you like how it's decorated?  ;)

HUMMINGBIRD



This hummingbird is a little wet.  It swooped in for some nectar and a chance to dry off after the rain.

Here's a better angle without the bush in the background.

STUFFED PEPPER CUPS

I haven't had Stuffed Peppers in ages.  The last time I made them they didn't turn out so well.  I tried making them from memory using what I remembered of how my mom made them.  Let's just say they were pretty bad.  Not mom's . . . MINE.  Haha!

I used the sweet red, yellow, and orange peppers this time.  Next time I want to toss in a few green ones.

So cheesy, hot 'n tasty - not to mention saucy!

I served mine with cucumber spears and avocado slices.  Muy delicioso!

Check out the recipe at the top of this page. You'll find it under my Stick Family on my RECIPES tab along with lots of other great recipes to try.

THE PARENT RAP

PRETTY IN PLAID



"Beauty" and I worked on her new skirt this week and finally finished it. 
Little did we know that plaid wasn't the easiest material to work with on this particular pattern. 
She cut out eight (8 - count 'em) panels for this skirt. 
We had the task of making sure the plaids lined up.  Whew!  What an adventure. 
We got it done, and think it looks pretty good.  What do you think?

The waistband gave me the hardest time.  I've never done one like this before - only elastic . . . Ew! 
I sure am happy to have access to You Tube videos.  They really built up my confidence and tutored me well.  :)

This is such an easy and FUN skirt pattern.  If we can do plaid, we can do ANYTHING!  I always think of my sewing teacher, Yolanda, whenever I sew.  "Thank you, my friend, for getting me started." 

WATER HOSE DISCOVERY

OVEN-BAKED AND BREADED PORK CHOPS

If you're in the mood for some chops, but don't want to fuss with frying them - this recipe is for you!  These come out so tender and flavorful.  An added bonus is that they are incredibly easy to make.  Here are the ingredients you will need to make 4 servings:

4 pork chops, bone in, about 1/2 inch thick

salt and pepper

1/3 cup mayonnaise (estimate depends on the chop size)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use flavored or not and this is also an estimate depending on size)

oregano and garlic salt, to taste

Rinse and pat dry each bone-in pork chop then season generously with salt and pepper.



Using the back of a spoon spread mayonnaise on each side of each chop. 
Use less mayo if the chops are smaller or if watching fat content. 
You just need enough for the breadcrumbs to adhere.
(Throw out any unused mayo because it will now be contaminated from the raw pork.)



Thoroughly coat in breadcrumbs on all sides.  Sprinkle with oregano and garlic salt. 
Place on baking sheet and bake at 325*F for about 1 hour.



I served ours with steamed broccoli, sweet beets, and little baked red potatoes seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and parsely. 
(Please stop back by and let me know how you served yours.  :)

A CHUCKLE 4U - "This is Sparta"

LITTLE MAN BAKES COOKIES



Just look at that face!  It screams, "YUM!"

Laying them out on a cookie sheet.

We hardly ever bake store bought cookies, but the back-to-school theme hooked me while I was grocery shopping this week.  Also, I liked the idea of having most everything done for me.  It made it so easy for our lil guy to "bake" them.

What to do with all that leftover dough?

Roll out some more, of course.  :)

Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  So cute, too!

A backpack and a pencil . . . good choices, Little Man. 
LOVE THAT SMILE!

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

Saw this beautiful sight on an early morning drive last month. 
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  (Psalm 19:1) KJV 

BIHON GUISADO (SAUTEED NOODLES)

I recently discovered a $10 Fiesta gift card lurking in my paper clutter.  It was from 2006!  I almost threw it in the trash, but decided against it and called Fiesta instead.  The representative on the line asked me to send it to her so she could issue me a new one . . . and she did.

I got it in the mail a couple of weeks ago.  I stopped in at a Fiesta and bought most of the ingredients for the recipe I will be sharing today.  I love Oriental cooking - especially Filipino foods since visiting there.  (Hubby introduced me to Lumpia and it was so good.  Forgive me, but I drool.)

We had this for lunch and dinner today along with some very yucky cookies.  I hope the birds liked them better than we did.  :(


These are the ingredients needed to make approximately 6 servings.

1 Tbs canola oil
1 small red onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup chicken, cut into thin, bite-sized chunks
15 shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into thirds
5 Tbs soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
1 Tbs oyster sauce
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup carrots, pre-shredded
1/2 cup stir-fry veggies
8 oz. package of rice noodles

It is best to have your ingredients prepared BEFORE beginning to cook them because things go pretty fast and there might not be time to mince, dice, and shred once you get started.  (I took the photo above before I had finished prepping the shrimp.  I left the frozen veggies in the bag until I was ready for them, and if you notice, I left the chicken on the cutting board.  It didn't even make it to the photo-shoot. ;) 

Pre-heat a wok on high heat.  (If you don't have a wok, a large, deep skillet should work fine as long as it can take high heat.)  Next, add your oil, onion, and garlic to the wok.  Saute just until the garlic starts to turn golden.  Do not overcook as garlic burns quickly and will taste extremely bitter.  Next, add in the chicken and shrimp and cook about 3-5 minutes on high.  While the meat is cooking begin adding in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper.  Stir to mix well. 

Gently pour in the chicken broth and add the cabbage, carrots, and stir-fry veggies stirring once again to coat all the vegetables.  Bring to a boil, and remove meat and vegetables using a spider or a slotted spoon in order to leave the broth in the wok.  The meat will be cooked and the veggies will be crisp but tender.

This is what the veggie/meat mixture looks like when removed from the broth.

 

Bring the broth back up to a good boil.  Add the package of rice noodles and immerse in the broth.  Stir constantly and cook according to package directions.  (I cooked mine for 3 minutes.)  The noodles soaked up the broth and turned a nice brown color.

All that's left is to plate your food and enjoy a delicious meal. 
I highly recommend serving it with lemon slices if you like the tang of citrus.

LEST WE FORGET . . .

“You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, and training them up in God’s fear, and minding the house, and making your household a church for God, as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of hosts.”

~ C.H. Spurgeon



♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
All hail the power of Jesus' Name!
♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥
 

FOCUS POCUS



Too fuzzy for ya?

How's this?

GOD'S PROMISE IN THE SKY



Last week we saw this beautiful rainbow on the way home.
Its colors were so vivid! So vibrant! So brilliant!

"And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.  And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.  And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:  I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:  And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.  And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.  And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth."  (Genesis 9:8-17 kjv)

When I see a rainbow it reminds me that God is also looking upon it, and He is remembering His covenant.

Amazing!