Happy new year

We have been so blessed in 2009. We have had a great school year so far, our church is doing well and growing and our kids are happy and healthy.
Looking forward to an amazing 2010! Happy new year from our house to yours.

Snow day

Merry Christmas form Esther Hope

Esther's Baptism

Esther has been wanting to get baptized for the longest time. She came to me over two years ago, when she was just 6, and wanted me to explain to her how to go to Heaven. We have waited a while for her to get baptized because we wanted her to understand a little more fully what she had done and make sure she understood.

The last time we had communion at church, Greg mentioned not taking of communion if you had not followed through with the command of baptism and Esther cried and cried because she wanted to get baptized, but her daddy wouldn't let her!:)

Well, we had a baptism coming up at church and Esther and another little girl from church both very much wanted to be a part of it. So Greg was able to baptize Esther. It is such a blessing that all three of my children have received Christ and now are baptised!

Thanksgiving

We actually had two amazing Thanksgiving feasts this year. We had dinner with my parents, sister and Amy in Virginia the weekend of Abby's birthday and then on Thanksgiving we were at Greg's parents cabin in the mountains of western NC. Both were sooo yummy! We have so much to be thankful for! I couldn't help but think that there is a good possibility we will have to more additions to our family to be thankful for by next November!

Abby's birthday

Ok...so I am only about three weeks behind blogging about my eldest turning 12. Here are some pictures from Abby's birthday. We went to Virginia and mom and dad took us to Kabuki's Japanese food. YUM! We also got her midnight tickets to go see New Moon and she got a cell phone. I cannot believe my little redheaded baby is now a beautiful 12 year old! I love how she color coordinated with her cake! AND she said that it wasn't even planned!

Turkey Gravy

Here is a yummy recipe for Turkey Leftovers from my mother in law, Lynn.

Chop a whole bunch of celery stalks and 2 onions and saute in butter until soft. ( My MIL says that the more celery the better, so don't be shy)

Add chopped up turkey

Add flour to cover and coat (about 1/2 cup)

Add a carton of chicken broth and cook until it begins to thicken. Salt and pepper, then pepper a little more.

Serve over toast.

A slice of Fall...

Made this pound cake this afternoon and it was really yummy... Thought I would share:

Pumpkin pound cake

1 c. Wesson oil
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. soda
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
2 c. plain flour (presifted)
2 c. cooked mashed pumpkin or canned

Mix all ingredients in single bowl and bake in tube pan (greased and floured) at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and dribble the following sauce.

SAUCE FOR PUMPKIN POUND CAKE:

1/3 c. butter
1 2/3 c. powdered sugar
2/3 tsp. vanilla
Few drops milk or egg nog

Melt butter. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and a few drops of milk to make thin enough to pour.

Zoo Day

We went to the NC Zoo yesterday. It was the first time we have visited the zoo and we had a wonderful time,. The weather was great and the kids just had so much fun! They came home and watched National Geographic videos of seals and sea lions because they had such an interest in them after watching them at the zoo.

The old rock house

Greg and I were able to go off Thursday night and Friday for some alone time. We were able to spend the night in alovely little cabin on the Blue Ridge Parkway and then we went to Floyd, Va to shop and eat. We had some time beofre we went to eat, so we rode over to my family's old home place. It is in Riner, Va and the house my grandmother was raised in is still standing as well as the graveyard where my great great grandparents, Joseph and Abigail Feather are buried.

Such a beautiful place out in the country. If those hills around the rock house could talk, I am sure they would tell us many many stories of past days.

Rockstar party

We went to some friends of ours house for a rock star party. It was so much fun! Esther really got into character. The food was great and we had a blast playing rock band.

Trunk or Treat

We had Trunk or Treat a chicken stew and hayrides at church last Wednesday night. It was sooo much fun!