Monday, December 28, 2015

Kernal..... originally posted in 2008



We took him to get his hair cut yesterday.... cute or what ?????
He always looks like a poodle when he gets a haircut, but he's a Bichon/ Shi Tsu.
See the pretty bows in HIS ears... already gone 

WISE WORDS.... originally posted in 2008

We watched a movie tonight... it was
one Ken wanted me to get for him for
Father's Day.
It was funny, sad, and overall a good
movie.
But there were some wise words... words to make me think......
1. HAVE YOU FOUND JOY IN YOUR LIFE?
2.HAS YOUR ACTIONS/ LIFE BROUGHT JOY TO OTHERS?

........ Well .....
Something to think about...
at least something for me to think about....

Surprise Cookies... originally posted July 2nd, 2008

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.
3. Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begins to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
5. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.

Frosting:

Makes 1 cup

* 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
* 1/4 cup cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
Makes about 2 dozen.

STORMS AND STUFF... originally posted July 1st, 2008

We have had such strange weather happening here.
We've had LOTS of storms...with hail, thunder , lightening
and flooding in some parts.
There have been Tornadoes around the outside of the city.
Its scary stuff... at least for me.
Last night the SW part of the city had a terrible
storm, and lots of hail and sooooo
much water. Some basements were flooded.
In my part of the city, we got nothing last night...not
even a raindrop, so it was a surprise reading
about what happened where I live..
We are in for more Thunderstorms tonight... * SIGH !! *
Just 2 more weeks and Ken will go to see
Paul and Elisha... wish I could go, but impossible.
I just started back babysitting this week,
after a 2 week break.
Its hard getting up again at 5am, after being
able to sleep in a bit.. thus.. I'm still not
dressed yet this morning... terrible.. !! ha ha
A couple of weeks ago, a couple of my students and I
put on some Korean face masks... actually they feel lovely
but boy are they scary looking when you have them on.
Here's a couple of pics to prove it.


They are so different than our face masks here...
they are wet and stay that way... but our skin
afterwards, feels lovely.

Father's Day... originally posted June 15th, 2008


“A father’s calling is eternal, and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity. Harold B. Lee truly stated that, ‘the most important of the Lord’s work that you [fathers] will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.’ …
“Your homes should be a haven of peace and joy for your family. Surely no child should fear his own father. A father’s duty is to make his home a place of happiness and joy. He cannot do this when there is bickering quarreling, contention, or unrighteous behavior. The powerful effect of righteous fathers in setting an example, disciplining and training, nurturing and loving is vital to the spiritual welfare of his children.” ~ Ezra Taft Benson
I am Thankful for my Father... I love him and miss him terribly....
I am grateful for a husband who is a wonderful father to our children.
Happy Fathers Day... Love you ~

BEING PREPARED ANDHAVING FUN...... originally posted June 13th, 2008

Just a couple of pics from the Ward party





Last night I went to a family preparedness fireside.
They talked about getting a 72hr kit and how
important it is to be prepared.
It was so interesting... some things
I knew already and some I did'nt.
Even so, its good to be reminded.
We have kits for my hubby and I
but I know there's more we have to work on
in that area.
They also talked about getting our food storage in, and
how important having water is... water is THE most
important thing to have.
I would say that is where we are lacking...
we dont have enough water at all.


We do have some storage though not all.
I want to have enough to help my daughter
and grandchildren also.
Our Ward goes once a month to the cannery,
so we went this month.
I have never been before.. I LOVED it... so much
fun, and its good to be working toward a common
goal... its so important to be prepared.

Tonight we went to our Ward activity.. I took

a couple of pictures that I'll post here.
We had Beef on a bun and different salads.
There was fruit for dessert... it was good,
and the turnout was also great !!
Unfortunately we had to leave before the
activity they were going to do actually
got started. Ken had been up since 1;00am
for work, and was too exhausted to stay longer.
Tomorrow we are up early to go to Banff again..

RAIN...... originally posted May 21, 2008


Just some pictures of the rain on my trees and things .... its lovely !!
Its raining today, and I think its supposed
to rain the next few days.
I LOVE the rain.... it makes me happy.
It makes everything fresh and new... makes the
grass greener, makes the flowers grow..
I LOVE RAIN.
I think because it reminds me of my hometown in Scotland
here are a couple of pics... one a street looking down to the River Clyde
the other picture is of the River Clyde...

I miss Scotland...
Have a lovely rainy day !!!!

ANOTHER MOTHER"S DAY STORY......Originally posted 9th May, 20088

I found this and loved it, wanted to share, so ENJOY ^^

In honor of Mothers Day, here is some food for thought:Invisible Mom By Nicole Johnson
It started to happen gradually. One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?" "Nobody," he shrugged. Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?" I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" - and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing.Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking. That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me. I'm invisible. It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.I'm invisible.Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please." I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.She's going, she's going, she's gone!One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

BEING A MOTHER...... originally posted May 6th, 2008

I remember getting this on an email a long time ago, but saw it on
another blog and thought with Mother's Day coming, it was appropriate to share it with you

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would Love to spend some time with you.' The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my Mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.'What's wrong, are you well,' she asked?My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. 'I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,' I responded 'just the two of us.' She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I would like that very much.' That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got into the car. 'They can't wait to hear about our meeting.' We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half-way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mother sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,' she said.'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,' I responded.During the dinner , we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed.'How was your dinner date?' asked my wife when I got home.'Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined,' I answered.A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. 'I love you, son' At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: 'I love YOU' and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till some other time. Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby... somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, 'normal' is history. Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first... somebody doesn't have two or more children. Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery....somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten... or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.' Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married... somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings. Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home... somebody never had grandchildren. Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her... somebody isn't a mother. This is for all the GREAT 'mothers' in your life and for everyone who ever had a mother. This isn't just about being a mother; it's about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them... no matter who that person is! Watch your thoughts, they become words.Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits.Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes...your destiny. 'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle,

I Love and apprieciate the ones in my life...sooooooo much !!!

THE WEEKEND....Originally posted May 4th, 2008

Its almost over... wow !!!
Where does time go?
Sometimes I think I live just for weekends... Mmmm... not good right..haha
Lets see....
Friday was our grandson's birthday, I cant believe that he is
now a teenager. We went up to see and give him his present.
It was lovely to see them all again ( My daughter, grandaughter and grandson )
My daughter just got home from work when we arrived.
She was tired, but happy.

Saturday, Ken was in charge of highway cleanup.
So with a bunch of volunteers from church, off he went .
He was tired / exhausted when he came home.
I stayed home and did the laundry and cleaned the house.

My Seo-Yeon leaves next Sunday to go back to Korea.
Once again, my heart will feel like someone tore it from my chest.
I get too close ... too quickly !!!
I love the students we have had, I feel like they were meant to come to my home
And I've learned so much from them.

I talked to Paul tonight... he and Elisha are great.
His Fiance visa came through, so now they have to start on more paperwork
to get the next visa he will need to stay in the States.
I want everything to go well..... I know its been a worry for them both.

Well. I better get to bed, I have to get up early
for the babysitting children coming ~~~

MY DOGS... Originally posted May 2, 2008

I'm a real animal lover and have 2 of the sweetest dogs ever...

This is Kernal...

And..... this is Besse



Am I lucky or what ??? !!!   Love them...

CHANGES Original post May 1st, 2008

Getting work done on our home... this is before they started

This is with all the siding taken off

They just had to come back and put the eavestrough on
We also have to get some top soil...we had our big trees removed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID Originally written October 18th, 2008

He messed his hair up for the picture  :)

I remember the day he was born.
He came early, my other boys were late...
he slept through the night at just 3 weeks old,
now he's probably up half the night.
He's my youngest... and he's 25 years old today

He's stubborn, yet loveable... he has the BEST
sense of humour.. the bluest eyes, the biggest
dimple on his chin and the most friends of any of us.
I love him with all my heart.
I feel priviledged to be his mother
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON... I LOVE YOU