Thankful Thursdays - Being an Aunt

Alright, I know I've raved about how much I love my nieces and nephews on here before, but I have to say - they are one of the biggest blessings in my life.

I was lucky enough to become an aunt at age 16.  It is one of my most cherished roles in life.  When I first held Sophia in my arms, I never thought I'd see such a precious, adorable baby again.

I was proved wrong ... 4 times.

I have loved getting to spend time with and spoil my nieces and nephews - and then hand them back to my siblings when they begin screaming :O)

(Sophia)

A few years ago, I began making the habit of calling my eldest two nieces on their birthdays - and let me tell you - it has been one of the best cures for a bad day.  If you're ever having a bad day - I highly recommend calling a small child on the phone - it's always hilarious, and you can't help but smiling :O)

(Gwennie)

I have loved watching Sophia and Gwen grow up and develop such strong personalities - such great senses of humor.  If they're in a good mood, you can't help but be in one too.

(Isaiah)

Several years ago - I was finally blessed with a nephew - my brother's oldest child.  And it was about time! Snuggling my baby nephews and nieces has done a great job of keeping my baby-needs at bay.

(Eleanor)

And though I've been at college, while these two were brought into the world - I've spent many a happy summer day at home babysitting them.  And you know what? My husband makes a spectacular co-babysitter ... though he would always hog the baby snuggling with Ellie, while I chased Isaiah around :P

(Jackson)

And the most recent addition to my every-growing number of nieces/nephews.

I've only been able to hold and snuggle him once - I problem that I will soon have to remedy.

There you have it, I am extremely thankful to be blessed with the most adorable nieces and nephews, hands down.  And I've been blessed with an ample amount of them too :O)

Babysitting them, talking on the phone with them, and playing with them, can always brighten my day.

Who has never failed to brighten your day?

Much Love to All,

Cheryl

Humorous Harry

Well, it's been a while since I've made an update on my Harry Potter reading adventure, so here it is.

I'm a few chapters or so away from the end of The Half-Blood Prince and I cannot wait to finish this series! I really want to know how it ends...

It has taken me longer to read the book I'm on than it took to read The Goblet of Fire for a couple reasons - 

I could not put down the fifth book! I think it's going to be my favorite with The Prisoner of Azkaban in a close second.

I've realized that I have ample time to finish the books, and I've been making sure that I take time to, you know, clean the apartment and go to work ... dishes and dust were beginning to pile up ...

I am really enjoying book 6 - I just realized, while reading the other day, that JK Rowling uses a lot of humor - and uses it well - in these books.

I've mentioned my other 2 favorite fantasy series before - The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings.  Lewis and Tolkien do both use humor - and quite cleverly too.  But Rowling uses it much more frequently.  I have actually caught myself laughing out loud reading these books.

Here's a couple of my favorite humorous parts in the 6th book:

Harry (while talking to Dumbledore about his conversation with the Minister of Magic): "He accused me of being 'Dumbledore's man through and through.'"

Dumbledore: "How very rude of him."

Harry - who recently discovered he had a crush on Ginny - wakes up in the hospital wing after a quidditch accident -

"'Ginny came into visit while you were unconscious,' [Ron] said, after a long pause, and Harry's imagination zoomed into overdrive, rapidly constructing a scene in which Ginny, weeping over his lifeless form, confessed her feelings of deep attraction to him while Ron gave them his blessing..."

Anyway, I am going to get back to reading so I can finish these books, and then watch all the movies before the final one comes out in July! Cannot wait!

Much Love to All,

Cheryl

Tasty Tuesdays - Dad's Iced Tea

Iced tea during the summers at my house growing up was a staple.

We drank it like water.

So much so, that I just assumed that everyone knew how to make a pitcher of iced tea.

Once I left home and entered the real world, however, reality sunk in - not everyone knows how to make a pitcher of good iced tea.

On beautiful warm days like today - treat yourself to this yummy, perfectly sweetened, yet not too sweet, iced tea.

Here's my dad's recipe for perfect iced tea:

1.  Fill a small pot (1 qt.) half full with water.

2.  Add 3 teabags for 2 qts. - or 6 teabags for a gallon - pitcher.

My dad would use Red Rose tea - which makes a really good iced tea.  Today, though, I'm using "Mad Hatter" tea - that I got in Ireland a year ago.  It makes excellent iced tea.

3.  Place pot on burner - slowly bring to a boil over medium heat.

4.  For a gas stove - allow tea to boil for about a few minutes before turning heat off.  For an electric burner - once tea begins boiling, turn heat off - leave pot on the burner.

5.  Allow to sit and continue to brew for about 15 minutes.

6.  Use two table spoons to fish out teabags and drain them.

7.  Pour tea into pitcher.  Add 1/4 c. sugar for 2 qts. - 1/2 c. for gallon.

(Use splenda for a healthier choice - you can always add more sugar if you prefer the southern sweet tea level of sweetness - personally, that's too much for me).

8.  Fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water - stirring as filling.

9.  Chill in fridge - or pour over a glass of ice to serve immediately.

I know those were a lot of steps - but they were all really simple - I'm sure you can manage! 

For extra yuminess - 

If you like lemon tea (which I don't...) - slice up a lemon and toss in the pitcher!

Try flavored teas! (like Celestial Seasons Cranberry Apple Zinger)

The Flowers of the Field

Thankful Thursdays - Flowers

There are so many things in nature that I find absolutely stunning.  One of them is flowers.  I love taking pictures of flowers, I love smelling flowers, and I love getting them from my husband :O)

(Giant's Causeway - Ireland)

You'd think it was enough that God gave us life - that he provided a world that can sustain that life.  But He didn't stop at just giving us the minimum - He made that world absolutely breath-taking.

I am so thankful that we are surrounded by so much beauty.  Look at how those tiny little flowers pop up in the cracks of the rocks - really no detail is too small to be beneath God's notice.

This reminds me of one of my favorite verses - Matthew 6:28-30

"...And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow? They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith? So do not worry saying, 'what shall we eat?' or 'what shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."

As much as I worry - as many hours as I spend wondering where we'll get the money to pay bills, when will I get a teaching job, etc, etc - I forget that these flowers that I love so much were made by God.  He cared enough to clothe the grass and the fields - how much more does he care about me and my needs?  He will provide.

So today, take a deep breath - no matter what you're worrying about, no matter what's going on in your life - God cared enough to give us this beautiful world.  To fill it with tiny flowers, towering trees, and vivid skies.  How much more does he care about your needs?

So thank you, God, for the flowers.  And thank you for reminding me that you've got it all under control.

Much Love to All!

Tasty Tuesdays - 5 Cheese Macaroni Chicken Cordon Bleu

So I got talked into doing Tasty Tuesday with my sister in-law.  Didn't I tell you that I buckle under the slightest bit of peer pressure?

I really don't have any of my own original recipes to share, but my husband is an excellent cook and loves experimenting, so until I find my own, I'm going to post his.

This week's recipe (like most of my husband's) isn't the healthiest thing you can it - it contains a lot of butter and cheese, but it is very, very creamy and delicious.

5 Cheese Macaroni - Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

1 lb. Macaroni pasta

1-2 Chicken breasts (or about 1 lb.)

6 oz. Pre-cooked ham

10 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded

8 oz. Velveeta cheese (about 1/2 of the 1 lb. block)

1/2 Container of parmesan/romano cheese 

1 c. Milk

1/2 lb. Butter (1 stick)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Directions

1.) Boil macaroni until tender, drain and set aside.

2.) Using a sharp knife, butterfly the chicken breast(s), season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

3.) In a large skillet, melt 3-4 tbsp. of butter, cook chicken on medium high until lightly browned and cooked thoroughly.

4.) Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.

5.) Cut up ham into bite-sized pieces also, and cube Velveeta cheese (about 1/2 inch cubes).

6.) In a large saucepan, combine milk, 4 tbsp. of butter, mozzarella, 8 oz. of the cheddar, and parmesan/romano over medium heat - stirring often - until cheeses are mostly melted and sauce is runny.

7.) In a large mixing bowl, combine/toss macaroni, chicken, ham, and velveeta until blended well.

8.) Preheat oven to 375.

9.) Evenly spread macaroni mixture in a large (9x13), glass baking pan.  Cover with melted cheese sauce, sprinkle the top with remaining 2 oz. of cheddar cheese and more parmesan/romano.

10.) Bake for about 25 minutes or until cheese begins to brown slightly on top.  Remove from oven and season the top with salt and pepper - let stand 3-5 minutes before stirring.

Enjoy!

Harry Potter and the Enticing Goblet of Fire

It finally happened.

On Friday, I got my hands on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through this book and I both love and hate it at the same time.

Harry and his friends are now 14 years old - high school aged, for us Americans - and there is a significant difference in this book from its three predecessors. 

Before I read this books, I knew that the author wrote each one according to the typical reading level of Harry's age.  The first three books were all fairly similar, there was a lot of continuity and fairly simple vocabulary.  Very appropriate for readers aged 11-13.  This fourth book however, makes a bigger leap forward.  

-It doesn't follow the same format (which is fine)

-The author throws in some difficult vocabulary

-The story line is becoming more complex.

I love that this book keeps you wanting to read more.  No wonder these books are quick reads - they are so enticing, that you can't put them down! And your speeding through, reading as fast as you can because you cannot wait to see how it ends!  I love that the reading is gradually becoming more and more suspenseful and that the story has more twists.

What don't I like about it? Well, this is difficult.  I really, truly like that the characters are very true to life - Ron and Harry especially - are very, very typical teenage boys.  They have short tempers, they get in fights, and they are clueless - especially when it comes to girls.  Unfortunately, all of this also makes them a little irritating for me - a girl.  It's especially irritating when they take things too lightly - like Harry's dream in the beginning and his scar hurting, or when he took forever to try and figure out the clue from the golden egg.  Yes, I find these teenage boys irritating - but would I have it any other way? Would I have them be polite, easy-tempered, and quick to admit when they're wrong? Definitely not.

On the other hand, I'm liking Hermione more with every book I read.  I've liked her from the beginning, but it was a little difficult for me to relate to her at first.  As much as I love school in general, I'm not nearly the over-enthusiastic, over-achieving student she is.  I'm almost the opposite - I care enough to get decent-good grades, but nothing beyond.  I can't even imagine taking more classes than there are hours in the day.

I'm beginning to relate to her a lot more, though.  Her constant struggles to get Harry and Ron to be friends again, and the way she gets up and walk away from them - rolling her eyes and muttering "boys" when they're being stupid.  She is extremely loyal, extremely smart, and let's just say that I can relate to a teenage girl a lot better than a teenage boy :O)

So without further ado, I am going to stop typing and go finish Goblet of Fire because I just cannot wait to see how this book ends, let alone the whole series!

Much Love to All!

Thankful Thursdays - Mi Madre

I know Mother's Day is now past, but since my mom won't get her gift until the end of this weekend, I was working on it yesterday.

Yes, my Mother's Day gifts are still homemade - though they've come a long way since the construction paper cards and homemade pencil holders proclaiming "#1 Mom" scribbled in crayon that I proudly gave as a 5 year old.

So yesterday I set out to make my mom's gift with a little inspiration ("I Love Lucy") on in the background.

I can honestly say, without a doubt, that I have been blessed with the best parents.  Ever.  Sure, they're not perfect, but if I said they were, you wouldn't believe a word I said from now on.

To help you understand how awesome my mom is, I think it would be best to tell you some of my childhood memories:

I remember breaking a beautiful, expensive, figurine that was perched on a shelf in the living room.  Horrified that I had broken something valuable, I started tearing up.  My mom very calmly came in the room, cleaned up the mess, and told me that it was okay, that I was worth much more to her than a figurine.

When I was in elementary school - around third or fourth grade, I began getting terrible headaches on the bus ride to and from school.  My mom was able to rearrange her schedule at work so that she could drop me off, go to work, and get off in time to pick me up (the elementary school I went to was also out in the country - about a 15 minute drive).

When my brother, sisters, and I got a little older - entering our teenage years, we had received a Nintendo 64 from our uncle for Christmas.  Our mom was the "cool mom" out of our group of friends, because she would play Nintendo with us for hours on end.

One day when I was in middle school, I needed new clothes about halfway through the year (I was going through the inevitable 7th grade growth-spurts).  My mom asked me if I wanted to go with her to pick up my older sister from work - she took a wrong turn on the way, and ended up taking me up to Kalamazoo to go clothes shopping.

She has always tried desperately to keep the peace in our family - making our home feel like a very safe environment.

She gave birth to four kids in five years, and just when we were all beginning to grow up - she started the process all over again with my little sister, Laura.

She has been patient, caring, comforting, and strict all at the same time.

She makes the best apple pie.  Ever.

She is a strong woman of God and has a real heart for worship.

She has made mistakes (don't we all?), but she realizes when she's wrong, and tries hard to make it right.

So I am thankful that I have been blessed with an absolutely amazing mother who has taught me that all life's answers can be found in I Love Lucy, that taking time to pray and worship is essential, and that time spent with family is invaluable.

She has given me her knack for creativity and baking, her desire to always keep the peace, and her love for old shows and movies.

I love you mom!

Who are you thankful for in your life today?

Much Love to All!