New Addition/Missouri-Made Mondays

Introducing our newest member of the family. The proud parents are cousins of mine. The whole family is pretty darn happy at baby announcements. 

And just because this post just happens to be about Missour-Made, I figure you can't get much more Made in Missouri than this 💗

From our home, we want to extend our warmest congratulations to Arica and Ryan!!

But there's more!  In a previous post, I mentioned "The Long Project" in which I was creating a somewhat secretive item and only shared the color scheme. 

Now I can show you the finished item.....

As well as how close I came to running out of one particular color

I must have crocheted at the speed of sound.

😉

The Lesson for this Missouri-Made Monday?

It will all work out.

Across the Missouri Border/Missouri-Made Mondays

After last night's heartbreaking loss between the KC Chiefs and that other team who will remain nameless for the purpose of this post, I'm steering towards a new direction in sports. That of KU in Lawrence, Kansas who are currently ranked #2 in the nation. My daughter gets bragging rights as a student there, in case I haven't mentioned it a kazillion times.

Field of Kansas Sunflowers photographed by Rachel

And this matters in "Missouri-Made Mondays" because?????

Part of my weekend was spent creating a potato bag for Rachel's apartment. While on a fabric excursion, she noticed these in the remnants bin and so it saved a few pennies in creating this 'legacy team' potato bag. Fun fact,  James Naismith (November 6, 1861 – November 28, 1939) wrote the original basketball rule book and founded the University of Kansas basketball program. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Naismith

The 'gotcha' moment from the weekend. 

Practicing her sewing skills with some pillow creations amid her mountains of research. 

From Missouri, wishing you a wonderful Monday!

Girlfriends/WPC

Face

Where in the world would I be without my Best Girls?!

Just want to take a second to give them some well-deserved recognition.

Lori and her boys. 

Currently in Tennessee. Miss your face!

Marty and a recent reunion. Such a happy day :)

Currently from Louisville, Kentucky. Thanks for letting me know how to 'properly' say Louisville. ;)

Rachel and Kirsten.

Couldn't be any prouder of you two!

And of course there's Mom and Sis. 

I'll always be thankful for your love and support.

I have a theme going on here you probably don't know unless you know all of us.

It's Faces of Strong women. I'd put these women in politics any day and there'd be

 no racism, no starving babies and world peace.

'Call us' whoever wins the U.S. presidency. We have some great pointers.

Check out some other Photo Challenge entries here.

This and Last /Tasty Thursday

Last Thanksgiving was a mite different from a year ago.
For one, our dining area looked like this:

Our space was cozy and served our growing family well, but there was the issue of not being seated together.

That is not the issue this year.

We even have 2 more leaves for this table.

A get-together dream.

But most thankful for the faces seated around it this year. We weren't all able to be here, but we were all together in hearts.

Thanks to Morgan (on the right) for snapping that photo. You did well getting them to pay attention and not make rabbit ears :)

Now for the Tasty Thursday food aspect of this post......

I had plenty of leftover turkey to add to this dish and this recipe appealed to us.

We tweaked it a bit by adding some extra chicken broth (it didn't call for any) which cooks out in the end but keeps it from burning to your pan.

We also like a bit more soy sauce and use our leftover stash of vegies in the freezer instead of simply cooked peas and carrots. Much more colorful (and frugal).

I present Turkey Fried Rice for a great leftover idea.

Other Tasty Thursday events:

https://worldandtimeenough.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/tasty-thursdays-mulled-wine/

https://newpeasant.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/tasty-thursday-1-cauliflower-curry/

http://itsthyme2cook.com/seasonalrecipes/a-surly-sort-of-day/

https://vnktchari.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/tasty-thursdays-a-popular-nutritious-and-energetic-drink-known-as-lassi/

https://ladyleemanilasphotos.wordpress.com/2015/11/28/chicken-and-cashew-nuts/

How Do You Do It?

Keeping an even keel while caring for 9 children is somewhat of a curiosity to some. So what do I do in my down time to remain sane?

Everyone who knows me personally knows I've recently been blessed with a house addition and am even more blessed with a room dedicated to my hobbies, crochet/sewing/quilting. What would I do without my time to be creative?

Another way to keep it real is to spend time gardening. Somehow, with my back yard still in mud pit mode, I managed (with my hubby's help) to put in a raised bed garden. Love my vegies and hoping for a good year since my neighbor so generously donated some of his fertile farm soil to our new garden spot. He's farmer 3 days a week and neighbor 4 days. He and his Mrs. have been living this arrangement for nearly 10 years. I'm getting off track here so on to the sanity savers.

Spending time with my family is also one of the best ways I keep the brain in lower altitudes. I have some of the greatest relatives on the planet. Just sayin. We have awesome get-togethers just bringing pot luck items and shooting the sh*t. We are probably pretty red-neck to most, but we don't judge and most always get along with anyone. Our White Elephant Family Christmas parties are awesome and the reunions ain't bad either. And my husband and daughters are top of the list in keeping me steady. Wouldn't know what to do without them.

My list could go on as I have a multitude of ways I enjoy my free time. Honestly, I have to say my job isn't really that stressful anyway. Who else gets paid to play all day and cuddle babies? They aren't critics of my banjo playin either :)

Oh wait, I guess I should mention that banjo is my ultimate weapon against insanity.
Hear it below:
https://youtu.be/oo5lDg3oKNo

You Are My Sunshine

 Dedicated to my family. I have been truly blessed! You all know who you are :)

And you don't know how blessed you are that I'm not long-winded.
I can honestly say I Know some writers :)

Check out some other A to Z blogs Here

 

Eight More Miles to Louisville

My letter E goes out to my niece, Evette. She's a Senior in high school this year and I know she hasn't seen any of these photos before. At our Easter family gathering yesterday we had everyone at dinner except for her. We missed her very much, but in her defense, she had been given free tickets to watch Sporting KC play soccer at a home game. Good choice Evette, since they won 3 - 2. And way to go Sporting KC!! Wonderful way to end Easter Sunday.

Check out other A to Z Bloggers Here

Life is Too Short

Feelings that can come to pass when you have been singled out by your family.

1. Despair: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
   Philippians 4:8
2. Anger: "Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools."
   Ecclesiastes 7:9
3. Depression: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
   Isaiah 41:10
4. Grief: "Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."
   1 Peter 5:7

 Yesterday at a local craft show while attending my booth there came along a lady who was reminiscing of yesteryear as she tasted the goodies from the booth next to ours. She described in great detail the recipes of her grandmother who was an immigrant of Austria and how it was rumored she was held for some time by the Royalty there for her great talent of baking and finally allowed to come to America. Great stuff. A story to be very proud of.

I said as much and said I hoped she had those wonderful recipes. The next thing I know she's telling me she is estranged from her sisters who have the book of recipes her grandmother had written them all down in and who won't allow her even copies of the recipes. Or copies of family photos. They won't even speak.

She was in tears slowly telling me more and more about wrongs of her siblings towards her and she was unaware of why they treated her this way. She talked about her brother near death but recovered and hearing about it from a family friend.

She offered her help in a family member's time of need and was firmly refused; given excuses that seemed sensible at the time, but revealed later by another friend as just another part of her alienation.

The story went on and on for about 45 minutes.
Ron, sitting there, was totally convinced we knew each other. I never learned her name.

We've all been in situations where someone is mad at us. My theory after losing my father at a young age:

Life Is Too Short

 





I'm not here to preach about wrongs and rights. Only about feelings.
During this upcoming holiday season, if you can lend an ear to someone, do it.

We all have struggles.

We all have been wronged.

We all feel pain.

And we all have the ability to lend some human spirit of caring to someone.

Pass It On.