Ten Simple Valentine's Day Ideas

Ten simple ideas for Valentine's Day...

• Frame an old love letter or poem.
• Make heart-shaped pancakes, waffles or biscuits and serve breakfast in bed.
  
• Make a special dinner just for the two of you...eat on the floor on a blanket with candles...or when you return from dinner out - have a special treat such as chocolate dipped strawberries and sparkling juice.
  
• Scatter a trail of rose petals.
  
• Sit in front of a cozy fire in the fireplace or share a blanket and watch romantic movies.
• Cuddle up on the sofa and look through vacation photos or your wedding album.
• Hide love poems or notes for your sweetheart to find throughout the day.
• Watch your home videos of your honeymoon...ours was Gatlinburg, TN...June 2001.
• Make a homemade Valentine card for your spouse this year.
• Play a long game of Life or Monopoly.
  

"Be A Friend"

My thought for the day is..."Be A Friend".

The longer that my husband and I serve in the ministry...the more we learn about people. People are very complicated! LOL! Yet, they are very simple at the same time. :) I have realized that people want to be accepted, loved and cared for. Of course, that seems simple enough. Yet we fail so often in being a true friend.

Think of a friend...someone you have known a year or less. Try to think of all that you know about that person. Do you know their background...their past? Have you even taken the time to ask? Sadly, we could be friends with someone for years and not know anything about them.

One time, we invited a couple who were our friends, over to our home for a meal. This man told us his story-the background of his life. My husband and I enjoyed it...learning about this man...his growing up experiences, how he came to know the Lord, how he met his wife...etc. After he finished, my husband said, "Does your pastor know your story?" He replied, "He has never asked. When I talk with him, I feel like he doesn't care." He had gone to his church for 5 years. What a tragedy!

If there is one thing I have gleaned from working with people...it is this:

1. Show them that you are real.
This man's wife said after their visit..."I feel that I can be myself around you both." What a compliment!

2. Show them that you are reachable.
Open yourself up. Invite them to your home. Let them see you as yourself and not just as the "pastor...SS teacher...Christian leader".

3. Listen and care!
Do not be a fake! We all have met people who were genuine and cared...and you knew it in an instant. And we have also met people...when you walked away...knew they really didn't care.

My husband and I will soon be starting a church...and loving people is at the top of our agenda! Make it part of your year to care and love at least one new person! You will be surprised what a blessing they will be to you!

"People want to know how much you care...before they care how much you know."

Our Announcement...

Our family would like to announce the soon to be arrival of our newest family member! I am pregnant with our fourth child - due September 23! We are all excited...the girls keep looking and feeling my stomach waiting for it to grow. :) And yes, we are praying for a boy...just for all of the curious ones out there. So say a prayer for us! LOL!

Last Monday, I made up a treasure hunt with clues. Eric and the girls had to read the clue and decide where the next clue would be at. At the end, they received a clue asking what all these clues had in common...they were all relating to children...toys, bed, pet, books, etc. When they guessed it...they received their prize. Eric's prize was my pregnancy test! :)

Last night, we told our church. When someone is having a baby in our church, the couple writes a poem to announce it. Pastor sets out a Bam Bam doll (from the Flintstones) and everyone knows when they see that doll...that someone is having a baby! Then sometime in the service, he reads the poem that announces who it is. I think everyone was surprised! :)
Thank you for sharing in our joy! Have a great day!

Recipe: Hearty Sausage Stew

I made this hearty stew for dinner on Saturday night. This is my revised version - I had to change it because the recipe only served 4. This will make a large pot. :)

Serve it up with garlic bread and a side salad and you will have a delicious meal for your family!

Hearty Sausage Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, chopped
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 ounces uncooked spiral pasta

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, cook sausages over medium heat until no longer pink.
• Saute onion and pepper until crisp-tender. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, apple juice, parsley, garlic, basil, oregano and sausages. Bring to a boil; add pasta. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
  

Recipe: Cottage Mashed Potatoes

Tonight, we are having one of my hubby's co-workers over for dinner. We are having marinated steaks, cottage mashed potatoes, grilled garlic asparagus and garlic bread. Some friends had asked what "cottage mashed potatoes" were. So here is the recipe! It is a nice change from regular mashed potatoes. :)
Have a great Friday!

Cottage Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups warm mashed potatoes (without added milk and butter)
• 2 cups (16 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 to 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

• In a bowl, combine potatoes, cottage cheese, sour cream, onion, salt and pepper. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Drizzle with butter.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Spring Fever...

Today, we were outside playing and I took this cute video of the dogs playing.
Max will hold a stick in his mouth and run back and forth in the yard and Belle chases him.
They sure do have a lot of energy! :)

Happy Birthday!

Dear Mom,

Today is a very special day! It is your 60th birthday! This is a special birthday message from your oldest daughter. :) Happy Birthday and I love you!

Six decades of life...someone once said..."Success is not measured in years, it is measured in decades." Mom, you are a very successful lady! I pray that the remaining years that the Lord will give you will be the happiest times of your life.

Thank you for being a pillar in my life...someone I can always talk to...someone that will be praying for me...someone that never judges but just loves...someone that loves my husband and kids as much as me...someone that is true through and through...someone that has always had God first place in her life...someone that walks with God as her best friend...someone that loves others no matter what...someone that will go the extra mile for a stranger...someone that has never given up...someone that is a true blue Christian...someone that is one of my best friends.

Mom, you are a wonderful and awesome person! I hope that your special day is all that you would love it to be! I wish that I could be there to celebrate in person with you but that can't be. So I am sending you my love through this letter...Happy Birthday, Mom!

Love,
Rebekah

Count Your Blessings - Name Them One By One

God has been so good to my husband and I! We truly are blessed beyond our comprehension! I just wanted to "jot down" a few of my personal blessings today...

***My 2 yr. old daughter clicked last week with the potty training and is doing excellent! A true blessing of any potty training mommy! :)

***We have been able for the past year to teach an adult SS class called The Crossroads Class. The people in our class are amazing and have extended their friendship in so many ways! We have truly "enjoyed God" together this past year each week in our class.

***My husband and I have been praying earnestly for a certain request for a couple months. Today, we were able to see an amazing answer to our prayers! I will share this in the future with you but for today...I am praising the Lord for showing Himself real to my husband and I!!!

***Yesterday, we were able to take our 10 yr. old nephew to church with us. I pray that God will work in his heart while it is still tender. His name is J.T.

***I talked to a friend from my church today. The things she said to me about our friendship was a blessing and an encouragement to my heart tonight. You never know who is looking at you...

***I am thankful for the Word of God. I was reading my Bible this morning and told my husband..."The Old Testament is filled with amazing wonders and impossible events!!" I just wanted to keep reading and reading about God's mighty works.

***I am thankful for my godly husband. I have seen him grow and mature in these almost 11 years that we have been together. I spoke with another church lady yesterday and saw her tears of how she wants to serve God more yet her husband is sometimes a discouragement to her. She is not sure of his salvation. What a blessing we have everyday if we have a godly and loving husband!

Let us count our blessings every day! God is amazing!

Recipe: Ranch Mac-N-Cheese

Here is a recipe I tried when my mom was here to visit. I loved it!!! A great comfort food for those cold days!

Ranch Mac-n-Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) elbow macaroni
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic pepper blend
• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby cheese
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1/2 cup crushed saltines
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the milk, butter, dressing mix and seasonings; heat through. Stir in Monterey Jack and Colby cheeses until melted. Stir in sour cream.
• Drain macaroni; stir into cheese sauce with the saltines. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

Sounds of Heaven...

Today, I went outside to take the dog potty (LOL!-what a way to start out a post!:) and I heard birds singing!
Normally, it would be no big deal. However, after a long winter month of December with snow, cold temperatures and more snow...it was a great sound!
I guess I didn't realize what a happy sound that a bird can make. It just helped to make my day a little more bright and cheery!
Yes, there are still clouds in the sky and slushy snow here and there on the ground...but the birds made it seem like an early spring day!

I am thankful to God for giving me a little sound of Heaven on Earth here in Reno today!

Recipe: Beefy Jalapeno Corn Bake

Here is a new recipe I tried last week. It was yummy! The jalapenos add just enough heat to warm you up on a chilly day! :) The ingredients are simple and inexpensive.

Beefy Jalapeno Corn Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

Directions:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs, corn, milk and oil. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well.
• Pour half of the batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 cups cheese; top with the beef, onion and jalapenos. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; top with remaining batter.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into corn bread topping comes out clean. Serve warm. Refrigerate any leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Recipe: Crock O' Brats

Here is a simple and tasty crock pot recipe for those cold winter days!
If you prefer your sauerkraut to be "sour", decrease or eliminate the brown sugar in this recipe. Enjoy!

Crock O' Brats

Ingredients

• 5 uncooked bratwurst links (1-1/4 pounds) , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 can (27 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 1 medium tart apple, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions

• In a large skillet, brown bratwurst on all sides. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir in bratwurst and pan drippings.
• Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or until potatoes and apple are tender. Yield: 6 servings.