Ideas For Your Summer Porch

Create a simple backyard bistro to enjoy a cold drink! Match the colors of your flowers in your pots and garden with your table umbrella.

Today, I thought I would share some pictures of some outdoor and indoor porches. Since I am not a very creative thinker...I like to look at pictures and get ideas. No, none of these are my porches but maybe someday I will have a porch to share with you. Today, it was snowing where we live in Reno, Nevada...so I still have to wait to work on my "porch". :)

So, sit back and enjoy these pictures. Get inspired!

This is a great simple style for a country farmhouse.
It has an Americana feel with the red and blue colors.

I like this earthy style. You can really enjoy the outdoors without a lot of fancy distractions. You don't even need a big porch or patio.

Create this style with an old farmhouse table and folding chairs. Add an umbrella and tablecloth with the trimmings to create a fancy setting for your next meal.

Create an informal and cozy setting with a simple table and set of chairs. Add an outdoor fountain for beauty and serenity.

A simple indoor setting to enjoy your breakfast on your airy porch.

A cozy porch setting for the family. Tie a set of brown wicker furniture together with simple colors and various blankets, pillows and tablecloth.

Go for the vintage look with a used work bench for your table...add seat cushions and lots of flowers ... and you have a beautiful porch to enjoy your next cup of tea.

The Conclusion to the Pit Bull Dog Fight

Hello friends! I wanted to share an update with you on one of my recent blog entries regarding our neighbors and the pit bull dog fight...

Our neighbor, Joy, came over to our home on Friday and I spoke with her. We had a good conversation and I took her number so my husband could call her on the weekend.

On Saturday, my husband worked from 11 - 3pm and the kids and I went to pick him up. He then met with two men from a small family company called Friendly Fence Repair. We are having some repairs done to our fence...gates put in, etc. He was then going to visit on our new bus route for our church that we started a couple of weeks ago. While he was getting an estimate for our fence, Chris (Eric's bus calling partner) was here and actually signed up Joy's two boys to ride the bus (not knowing the story behind our neighbors).

On Sunday morning, we loaded up the church bus and headed to pick up the kids. When we got to Joy's house...out came her two boys! Praise the Lord! My heart was full thinking that even through a dog fight...God can work out good! He can't do it without your part though! You are His vessel on this earth...to show His love to others!

Be kind...give others the benefit of the doubt...don't judge on the outward appearance...and go the extra mile even though it may not benefit you!

We could be angry that our dog was attacked...that our day and time was interrupted...that we are paying $225 to have our dog kennel fence reinforced...but what does all that really matter when two children came to church in the end?
All the money in the world does not mean a thing when a person's eternity is at stake.

Every time I ride on our church bus or even look at our fence at our home, I will be reminded of this important lesson! And what a story to share with others!
Praise the Lord!

A Day at the Brookfield Zoo

Adam and Rachel with their kids - Kylee and Evan. Mom and me.

Being silly with auntie!

Mom, Rachel and me.

Gotta love those goats!

The Wolfe family.

One of the beautiful flowers in the tropical area.

Isn't this picture neat! A live parrot!

On my visit to my sister's home, we visited the Brookfield Zoo near Chicago. I went with my sister, Rachel, her husband, Adam, their two children, Evan - 2 yrs. and Kylee - 3 yrs. and my mom.
Here are a few pictures from the day!

Gift Idea: Mother's Day Bath Set

Invite Mom to relax in the luxury of bath salts chosen just for her. Use sticker label paper and spice jars to give a basket of bath notions a personalized touch. With the help of a computer, arrange a block letter (an M or O) on label paper with the name of the salt fragrance underneath in smaller type. Trim the label to the size you want and cut out the block letter. Arrange the bottles in a basket of bath soaps and lotions.

Dog Fights and Meeting Your Neighbors

This past week, I was in northwest Indiana visiting my sister. On this past Sunday, I received a rather frantic call from my husband saying that our neighbor's three pit bulls had broken through the fence and were in the kennel with our two dogs. All three pit bulls were attacking our border collie, Max. Max was doing his best to fight them off. Animal control was called, neighbors came to help...it was a scary situation. I was in Indiana...nothing I could do but pray.

As bad as the situation was, the outcome was good. Max was OK for just having a 3 on 1 fight. He is a scrapper for sure! Except for a little swelling and occasional limp on his front left leg, you would not know anything had happened. We were very worried about what this might do with our relationship to this particular neighbor. They actually live in back of us so we had never met them. Our relationships with our neighbors are very important to us and we work very hard to keep them good. My hubby and I prayed Sunday and all day Monday for this situation. On Monday evening, my hubby received a knock on the door - it was our neighbor! My hubby welcomed her and her two daughters into our home. He assured her kindly that we held no anger toward their family and would love to reconcile the situation. She asked if he would be willing to lessen the charge on their dogs to help them to be able to pay the fine. He said he would be happy to do anything to help. Our neighbor was very grateful. We are thankful the Lord answered our prayers to reconcile with this neighbor! We are sure this is a step to a friendship with this lady and her family.

What would have happened if my husband would have handled this situation differently? He had every right to place the blame on her dogs and be angry for the injustice of this situation. This attitude would not have helped the situation or made friends with our neighbor.

There are many situations every day that we may come across...that though we might feel that we are in the right...we can change these situations and the attitudes of those involved. A cranky cashier at Wal-Mart...a waitress who didn't take your order right away...a driver that cut you off on the freeway...a doctor or office who didn't return your call right away...a customer service rep that wasn't very helpful. I could go on and on. Why do we feel that we are always the victim and then we have "the right" to take justice in our own hands? I despise that attitude.

Today, I challenge you to take the high road! Stop the victim attitude...stop the "I have the right to act this way" attitude! I guarantee that when you do...you will have the greatest feeling in your heart! There is nothing like it.

What was that statement that became popular several years ago? What Would Jesus Do? We won't use that statement because we can't live by it.

So, today, take the high road! If the waitress is late taking your order, double your tip. If someone purposely cuts in front of you, let them! Instead of the customer service rep being the friendliest, you be the friendliest! You will be amazed at how it makes you feel! Let God use you every day to be an example for His work!

A Child's Prayer

There are many precious things about children. One is the prayers they say to God. Everything is so simple in their minds about God. HE is like a parent...they know that he is there to give them their needs and even their wants. The simplicity of a child's prayers is very refreshing. As adults, we can have so many things bogging down our minds. Children do not have these cares...they simply trust.

At our dinner meal last evening, my oldest daughter (6 yrs.) prayed..."Dear Jesus, Help Mommy to have a baby boy and help him to be just like Daddy." Then our youngest daughter (2 yrs.) prayed, "Dear Jesus, Help for me to ride the elephants." (We are going to the zoo for a field/family trip in 2 weeks and that is all our 2 yr. old can talk about :)

No matter what may be going on in your life...good or bad...pray to Jesus like a little child! HE is there and HE listens! Even about riding elephants! :)

A Spring Wednesday...

Yesterday was just about a perfect day! :) Sunny...bright, blue skies...and 69 degrees! I decided that I would go outside and do some yard work.
The girls and I raked up some twigs and put them in the fire ring. I raked up a few small piles of dead leaves from last fall. The girls cleaned up the doggie doo doo - - I am glad that is not my job! LOL! I hoed and weeded around my annual plants that have came up around the back and side of my house. I laid some plastic and mulch in the front of the house. I swept out the back shed and cleaned it up for summer storage. I even started a compost bin for my garden.

The girls enjoyed a tea party in the backyard. I didn't want to stop...it was just so nice to be outside working after the long winter. :) Today, we are mowing the lawn, watering and spraying weed killer around on some unwanted weeds. It is another beautiful day and I intend to enjoy each one!

What are you doing on your spring days?

A Spring Monday

I hope you all had a blessed Easter! Ours was busy and yet quiet. :) We had 113 for our "Sonrise Service" and breakfast! The day was a bit blustery and cold-in the 40's. We had 130 for our morning service! God has been so wonderful in blessing our little church and we are thrilled! Our family enjoyed a delicious Easter dinner with my father-in-law and then a relaxing afternoon and evening.

This week is filled with an appointment tomorrow, laundry, an online school presentation for home schooling parents, home schooling and preparation for my trip next week. We also have a Ladies' Fellowship tomorrow evening - "Spring Clean-Up" is the theme. I am going to make some fresh vegetable pizza for the meeting.


I have been enjoying seeing the daffodils in bloom - my rosebush is beginning to bloom as well - even though our weather has not been very springlike! :) Today, I am looking forward to hot weather and gardening...sitting on the front step on a warm summer night with a glass of cold sweet tea looking up at the stars...relaxing around the campfire making s'mores and talking with the family...taking camping trips with my husband and girls. So while I think about these things, I think I will go "thin" out my closet. It could use a freshening up for spring. Have a great day! :)

Happy Easter!

Wishing all my friends and family a blessed Easter holiday!

Easter is definitely one of my favorite holidays! What a more wonderful time than to celebrate our risen Saviour!
"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." Matthew 28:6
I love to read the account in the Bible of the crucifixion and the resurrection of our Lord. There is no other greater story on earth! What I would give to be a fly near the tomb when Mary and the disciples discovered the stone rolled away and Jesus' body gone! Hallelujah!

Our Easter Sunday will be filled with wonderful activities. One of my favorite is the "Sonrise" service which begins at 8am. We will remember the true reason of Easter at this time. We will then enjoy a delicious breakfast with our fellow church friends catered by the Hometown Cafe. We will then enjoy more worship and preaching for the morning service.
The children will have an Easter egg hunt in the nearby park after the morning service.

For lunch, I am preparing an Easter dinner for our family. Baked ham, cheesy hash browns, green bean casserole, cornbread corn, hot rolls...along with shrimp cocktail, the Holt cheeseball and crackers, olive tray and deviled eggs for munchies...with punch pop (Hawaiian punch with 7-up-name created by my daughter) to drink...ended with warm peach cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
The girls will hunt for Easter eggs and their Easter baskets in their new Easter dresses and white sandals.
It will be a wonderful day with family and friends.

(Photo of what some believe is the tomb where Jesus was laid to rest.)
Happy Easter! He is risen!

Caulking the Bathtub, Broccoli-Cheese Soup and Tuna Melts

For the past three days, it has been cloudy and cold with snow showers off and on during the day. Today, the weather was kind of getting to my spirit. I knew I should do something out of the ordinary - a project of some sort - accomplishing something to boost my spirit. So I cleaned the bathtub and redid the caulking. Woo hoo! It looks so much better! Every time I go into the bathroom, I open the shower curtain to look at it again! LOL! I haven't showed my hubby...I am waiting until he gets in the shower tomorrow morning to discover it! Why not? It is more fun and satisfying that way! And I realized that there is a lot out there that we can do if we just try!

For dinner, I made broccoli-cheese soup (oh my!) with tuna melt sandwiches (double oh my!). The soup was warm and comforting on this blustery day. The sandwiches were divine. :) I combine two cans of tuna, mayo and a little butter, chopped onion, 1 chopped fresh tomato and some shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Mix this together and put a generous scoop on a whole wheat or multi-grain English muffin (as a sandwich). Wrap in a piece of foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 -18 minutes. This will make 6 sandwiches. They are warm, melty and oh...so good!

The rest of the evening, I am going to organize some recipes that I want to use this weekend for the holiday. Can you tell I love cooking? LOL! Enjoy a cup of hot tea, some graham crackers and a warm little doggie by my side. :)
Have a wonderful evening!

Recipe: Easter-Horseradish Honey Ham

Horseradish Honey Ham

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless fully cooked ham (5 to 7 pounds)
• 1/4 cup honey, warmed
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup prepared horseradish
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions:

• Cut ham into 1/4-in. slices and tie with kitchen string. Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Combine honey and cloves; drizzle over ham. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 140° and ham is heated through, basting often with drippings.
• Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, horseradish and lemon juice. Increase oven temperature to 400°. Baste ham with brown sugar sauce, allowing sauce to drip down between the slices. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Yield: 16 servings.