Our Thanksgiving Menu~

Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

~Menu~

Sage Rubbed Turkey

Delaware Farm Dumplings

Green Bean Casserole
(*the Green Bean Casserole was changed to
Lima Beans because my in-laws brought some
wonderful fresh beans from Delaware)

Corn Pudding

Baked Stuffing

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Homemade Applesauce
(*We left applesauce out because we had plenty of food!)

Seven-up Jello Salad

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Homemade Butter

Pumpkin Pie

Peanut Butter Pie
(*The P.B. pie was made 2 days later to go with leftovers!)

Cherry Cheese Pie Dessert

Cream Puffs
(These did not materialize since they are so time consuming.)

Lots of food means lots of leftovers! 

And, I like leftovers! 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We have so many blessings to count.

~

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

                                                              Psalm 100 

The Little Stranger ~

I am thankful for LIFE, LOVE, PRAYER, FORGIVENESS, GRACE, PEOPLE, CHILDREN, BEAUTY, FOOD, a HOME, and every opportunity to make a difference! Life is good!!
** Yesterday, I was coming out of our small town (604 population) pharmacy and a little hunched over woman leading a old blind woman were walking toward me, crossing the street. I was zipping past on my quest to get home, when the plain little woman said, "You have a nice Thanksgiving, ma'am." Whoa! Smack. Am I too busy? Too focused on my day? She made me smile, as I wished her the same.

 ·  · about a minute ago

Look familiar? Facebook. This was my Facebook post for the day. That woman really had an impact on me. She was small, plain and humble. She was most likely poor. Many in our area are. Yet, she left a mark on me with just a few kind words. Oh, that I could do that every chance I get.

We are getting into the holiday season. People are more warm and fuzzy. But are they really? Or is it that the holidays give them something acceptable to say, where at other times they would be at a loss for kind words? Kindness begets kindness, oftentimes. And when it doesn't...let your kindness be the last thing that old grump remembers.

We are such a blessed people, even in the midst of the messes we create or in the midst of circumstances, we are still very blessed. We should be sharing our blessings, encouraging others to do the same by our example. That little lady was an example to me yesterday.

Often God uses people like her. She is not all puff and fluff. Not adorned, not dressed fashionably. Though those are not bad things, they can distract us from our character. They can cause me to compare myself to others. There will always be someone more beautiful, better dressed and with a nicer home or car. Someone with a better job. But, that's not where it's at. It's in the heart of man that matters are settled.

If we focused on the things that matter more than things, we could see our relationships thriving. I heard news yesterday of a divorce. It always breaks my heart. Times get hard. Don't turn against your friends, your family, your spouse. Encourage, lift up one another, don't be easily offended. We never know what someone else is going through.

Well, I could go on and on...It's Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for the grace of God that gives me strength when I am weak. I am thankful to know his salvation, and have a changed heart.

²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

 ²⁶For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

 ²⁷But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

 ²⁸And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

 ²⁹That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 ³⁰But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

 ³¹That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1 

The Little Brother Football Game- 2011

Last Saturday, we hosted a home-schoolers' football game. This was a great way to spend an afternoon doing something the boys would enjoy, and it cost us nothing. Just some popcorn for sustanance- homemade Kettle Korn, and homemade cheese popcorn. Easy.

 The idea was for the big boys to get together, grunt, spit, get dirty and see who was the "top dog," as big boys like to do, but in the midst of it all we ended up with a bunch of younger brothers.

 Hence a game of younger players went on alongside the older boys' game. While Ron looked after the older boys, it was my job to keep the younger game in line, and take some fun pictures in the process! 

The huddle of Team Super Hero.

Run Caleb run!

 The big ones did a fabulous job of making the little one feel very BIG!

And Team Super Hero throws...

This is Team Hugger. Well, at least two of them. 

After a while, the one in blue shirt was traded to the Super Hero team and the more 

gentle spirited Super Hero player was traded to team Hugger. LOL! 

That was NOT a good idea. Super Heroes and Huggers need to be mixed to keep a balanced team.

Looking for the interception!

Yes!

Warrior face! Wow.

Happy face! Sweet victory.

Hence the name, "Team Super Hero." 

(The one on the end was traded to the "Hugger" team.) 

He could be on my team any day, I love those Huggers. :)

NOTE: I did not actually call them these names. Their differences were apparent during the game, but the names just came to me as I went over the photos! 

This one is blurry, but I love the expressions.

Tackled and lovin' every minute of it!

Comin' Through!

 Not too many boys would say this is a bad thing.

 Pretty cool whether you're on the top or bottom of the pile.

 They're tough looking, if I do say so! 

Most importantly, a great afternoon was had by all.

 And this is the littlest player, who loves leaves. 

During the game, a pile of leaves easily caught his attention.

We grown-ups miss out on these simple pleasures.

The End.

Oh, yeah.

Venison Sage Sausage

Venison Sage Sausage

Ingredients:

6  pounds trimmed venison 

1  pound pork fat (our local grocer gives away 10# packages of pork trimmings for free)

5 Tbsp. kosher or pickling salt

1 Tbsp. ground white pepper ( black works fine also)

2  Tbsp. rubbed sage

1  tsp. ginger

1  Tbsp. ground nutmeg

1 Tbsp. ground Thyme

1  Tbsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

1 pint ice water

Directions:

Grind meat well. (Sometimes it takes two grindings to get meat finely ground and the fat mixed in throughly.) 

Mix spices and stir into ice water. Be sure salt dissolves well.

Pour over ground meat and mix.

When you think you're done mixing, mix 5 minutes more. Be thorough. 

Lastly, I fry a sausage patty (Never over high heat! Lean, grass fed meats need lower heat. High heat will dry them out and make them taste bad.) Cook slowly using medium heat and do not overcook. 

Taste test your sausage and add more seasonings according to your taste, if necessary. 

Makes 10 lbs. 

Enjoy! 

Extreme Makeover- Mailbox Edition

When we moved here to small town, mid-west, U.S.A., our address came with the option to use this abandon mailbox from a vacant house that looked worse than the mailbox. Ron was sorta for it; I was grossed out. So he put in a nice, standard black box. 

But every time we got a package, there was a note in the clean mailbox to get the package out of the gross mailbox. So, after Ron's suggesting (several times over the last few years), today we had Extreme Makeover- Mailbox edition. 

The exterior of the mailbox before...

This is what we started with. The old mailbox suffered from a rotten, bug infested "foundation." There were bullet holes allowing the water in the mailbox and all sorts of other problems that were not conducive to a healthy environment for our mail. 

The interior...eeww. Just EEEEEWWW.
 Gross.

First we demolished the old structure.

 Explosives would have been desired by my volunteers, but I didn't give the option.

Old mailbox on the ground so we could redo its foundation; taking down of our current mailbox in progress. 

  

New foundation going on, using the giant bolts from the previous box.

 They got the job done.

My tool box- don't be critical. I am a woman. 

 I'm not sure where the football comes in. 

Old mailbox remounted. I also used painters caulk and filled in the bullet holes.

Next we put cement into the ground around the bottom of the post. 

The old post was solid, but leaned backward. 

Then the paint crew came in. The volunteers did not agree with the designer's choice of  color, but were assured when they have their own home someday, their mailbox can be whatever color they like.

We also put rock around the base to hold her steady while the cement set.

 Then we decided to put rock all the way around the base and leave it. 

Next the old box got some dressing up.

Jake spray painted the inside. 

Although this project had a rough start because teen boys think that mom knows nothing about man things like building or fixing anything, they were humbled and we had fun. 

The old girl is still in rough shape, but it's a rural mailbox. 

I don't care about the roughness. The thing is probably 50 years old.

It really is straight. The picture is crooked. 

And the post needs some staining another day, when I have stain.

But, I am thrilled with the results. And the boys had to admit, 

though they would rather have blue flames,

 it is nice.

Surprise, Mr. Mailman!

Welcome home, Wright family mail.
 Welcome Home! 

Pumpkin Bread ~ Pumpkin Cake

The other day, when I was looking for a diversion from the breakfast doldrums, 

I remembered something a generous friend and neighbor made us years ago.

Well, with fall and pumpkins- it was the perfect remedy!

Mmmm.

That orange batter screams fall is here! And the smell does too.

I doubled the recipe and made two loaves of pumpkin bread and one 9X13" pumpkin cake.                    

The cake was the bread, of course, topped with cream cheese icing.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. of sugar
• 3/4 c. veg. oil
• 1 can pumpkin  ( I doubled my recipe and used 1 large can, not the regular size can. I also used 6 large eggs instead of doubling to eight. Everything else I doubled as called for.) 
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Directions: 

Mix eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to other ingredients. Mix well. 

Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. in an ungreased pan. Cool.

Cream Cheese Icing:

• 3 oz. of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of confectioner's sugar (You can use two, but I just use one. Add more as you like.)
• 1/4 c. margarine or butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk. This will depend on how much sugar you added. Add gradually to be sure the icing does not get too thin.

Mix well with an electric mixer. 

Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy! 

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

                                                                                                            

"Autumn

 is   a 

second  spring

when every leaf 

is a flower." 

                                                                                                                                                                            A. Camus

We visited Spring Hill Pumpkin Patch with fellow home-schoolers this week.

What a relaxing, wonderful time it was! 

Moms chatting, roasting hotdogs, kiddos playing, hayrides, hay forts (or a hay house if you're a little girl), corn mazes, and just fun, fun, fun. 

Of course, with liking painting and photography...the colors and textures were what I loved. I could have taken a hundred photos. The little children playing in the corn box were adorable. But, I refrained, not wanting to intrude on someone else's child and appear "creepy!" Unfortunately, ours are too big for such things and I couldn't keep up with Joel in the hay fort. 

Joel

   

Jake

Dylan

Dalton

All that effort...and notice where the football is! 

 They really did have a wonderful time playing ball with friends all afternoon. I think they played ball for 3 or 4 hours!

Bestest Buddies ~ the daughters of the the pumpkin patch proprietors. 

                                          

And I end with this infectious smile...

 Doesn't she just make you want to smile too?!