Wrist Corsages

It's that time of year all over the United States when girls turn into princesses. They get a date, a pretty dress, a makeover, a gorgeous hairdo, new shoes, acrylic nails, jewelry, they get to ride in a limo and have a fancy dinner and jump into a vat of glitter. And they get flowers.

We like to help them out with the flowers. Here are some of my favorites this year...

New Link

There's a new blog link over in "my favorite blogs" BRUSH UP WITH DAISY That's my little sis... so check her out!

Tagged!

I was tagged by Erica

Here are the rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2.Post it on your blog, and include a visual illustration if you so desire.
3.Link to the person who tagged you in their post.
4.Tag five more blogs with links.
5.Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs inviting them to play.

My six word memoir:

I am a big sister again.

I tag:

Serena
Merry
Kristi
Tyson
Katie

Bible Challenge Week Twelve!!! LAST WEEK!

Monday: Acts 6:8 thru Acts 16:37

Tuesday: Acts 16:38 through Acts 28:16

Wednesday: Acts 28:17 thru Romans 14:23

Thursday: Romans 15:1 thru 1 Corinthians 14:40

Friday: 1 Corinthians 15:1 thru Galatians 3:25

Saturday: Galations 3:26 thru Col. 4:18

Sunday: 1 Thess 1:1 thru Philemon 25

Monday: Heb 1:1 through James 3:12

Tuesday: James 3:13 through 3 John 14

Wednesday: Jude 1 through Revelation 22:21


You're done!!! Great job!!!

How does my garden grow??

I don't know... I've never had a garden of my own... But, this year! We will!!! Can we do it??? YES! WE! CAN!!!

Actual Proof: Tomato and Pepper plants that actually sprouted!!!!

Fashion

Dr. Jak's Remedy. Guaranteed to cure what ails your hair in 30 short seconds.

ProficioCapitus
AKA: The Hat

In which I expound on the fabulousness of my new stove!

Old stove: Very cute and retro, I admit. Nice to look at. But, if you worried about your house blowing up every time you turned it on, and if you were an expert at putting out fires in places there shouldn't be fires... you'd want a new stove too.

Pretty, isn't it???

So nice and clean.... and all the burners work!
And there are no gas leaks!

Yippee!!!

Bible Challenge Week Eleven

Monday: Matthew 26:57 thru Mark 9:13

Tuesday: Mark 9:14 thru Luke 1:80

Wednesday: Luke 2:1 thru Luke 9:62

Thursday: Luke 10:1 thru Luke 20:19

Friday: Luke 20:20 thru John 5:47

Saturday: John 6:1 thru John 15:17

Sunday: John 15:19 thru Acts 6:7

You're in the homestretch!!!!

How is everyone doing??

And I'm AWOL....again...

I've got several blog posts in the works. Well, in the "still in my brain" stage anyway. Once I get a camera back I'll be on the road again... reminds me of a song my mom and dad used to sing: "Becca Joy is on the road again" Guess we used to travel a lot when I was little.... Anyway, I'm rambling again... so I'll talk more later!

Movie Review: August Rush

A little Musical History:

-Katie: violinist, plays in orchestras, Handle, Baccherini, understands theory, probly would have gotten along well with Vivaldi...

-Me: plays piano, (notice I didn't call myself a pianist, I'll save that title for people that actually deserve it.) I'm one of those people that believes music is an art. So, I treat it in the same whimsical fashion that I treat all the other artsy things in my life. I disregard pattern, throw in some color, and slap it together hapharzardly and decide the finished product is original and therefore "artistic." Where other people may say "imperfect" or "amateur" I prefer "impressionistic" or "conceptual" :)

-Steph: took piano lessons once upon a time. Loves music. Her instrument is the CD player.

ok, on to the movie:

The story is this: A young cellist and a rock star wannabe meet at a party. They hit if off right away but are seperated the next day. Note: there is a reason my little brother won't be watching this movie. It has what we call "other" or "fast forward" scenes. :) Also, more swearing that I'm really comfortable with, although, it is only rated PG. Eleven years later their son is all alone in an orphanage.

Social Worker: "How long have you been here, Evan?"
Evan: "Eleven years, 16 days... I've been counting"

His name is Evan and he dreams of finding his family and insists that he can hear them through music. He is certain that his parents love him. He sets off on his own to find them. From this point on the movie takes an "Oliver Twist" turn. Complete with a Fagan-like character, who instead of teaching the boys how to "pick a pocket or two" teaches them to play their music on street corners. The movie revolves around Evan, and his parents, living separate lives, all trying to find each other. Will the music bring them together?

ok, so sounds corny? well, it is...

So, we walked out of the theater...

Me: (who by the way, started crying half way through the movie, wiping tears as we exit) "That was sooo good... actually, you know what??? it was really corny!"
Katie: "No, it wasn't! I loved it !!! It could totally happen."
Steph: "Eh... yeah, it was ok."

So, if you're a music lover, you'll love it. Otherwise, you'll probably laugh... just warning you...

Quiz I stole from Debbie

1. Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

Lord of the Rings trilogy. I know I should read them. I know I should. I just... don't. That is irrational, isn't it?

2. Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde, you are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for a while, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

hmmm... well, War and Peace might be boring... then again, I might get interested in it and live longer... :)

3. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

*looks around* *whispers* I haven't actually read Pride and Prejudice all the way through *dives behind sofa*

4. You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Adviser to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why?

Depends on what kind of VIP. Seriously, I would try to find something that was entertaining and addressed issues I knew they would be interested in. So, this is a tough question. Off the top of my head... Looking Glass Wars, Chronicles of Narnia, just to whet the appetite, they're easy reads and very engrossing. Then, we'd start on Dicken's, because VIP's just need to read Dicken's. And Hugo.

5.A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Hmm.... probly French

6. A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you choose?
What book am I not already reading annually? :) Ok, I'll say, Nicholas Nickleby, or no, Our Mutual Friend, or wait! Emma! no, no.... Looking Glass Wars, or The Ark, or The Chestry Oak...The Count of Monte Cristo! *ahem* I need to quit my job and become a full-time reader. Is there anyone out there willing to pay me to do that? *smiles angelically*


7. That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather-bound? Is it full of first edition hard covers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead – let your imagination run free.

ok, big, lots of windows, super comfy chairs, espresso machine, leather bound books, sure, some expensive first editions, sure, that would be fun. Just a library!

Why are weekends so short?

Seriously, who invented weekends? what crazy person got to decide that we only get 2 days a week to recuperate, and take care of personal things? My personal life is MUCH more important to me than my work life.

However, considering that I sleep approx 9 hours every night, and work about 9 hours every day, that leaves only 6 hours a day to: take care of my personal needs, get my reading done, spend time with my family, cook,eat, clean, blog, ALL the other internet responsibilities I have, take care of my dog, pay bills, do laundry, shop, etc. So, of course, some things don't always get done. Like cleaning for instance :) Also, I am seriously considering converting to shopping exclusively online. What do you think? Maybe that would be weird to have UPS deliver my Charmin and milk and eggs? hmm...

Weekends are supposed to be for working on special projects and relaxing, right? well, they usually end up being about catching up, (which doesn't really get accomplished, either)
So, I was thinking about that the other day and wondering just how it is that I manage to do everything I do in a day. One word (or maybe it's 2, I'll let you decide): MULTI-TASKING! This, however, is a very draining thing, so this is probably a logical explanation for why I am always so tired.

I have 2 options at this point. Drop some of my things, or drink more coffee.
I think I'll go with the coffee option. I love my crazy busy life.
(even if I complain sometimes)

Bible Challenge Week Ten

Monday:Daniel 9:1 thru Hosea 13:6

Tuesday: Hos 13:7 thru Amos 9:10

Wednesday: Amos 9:11 thru Nahum 3:19

Thursday: Hab 1:1 thru Zechariah 10:12

Friday: Zec 11:1 thru Matthew 4:25

Saturday: Matthew 5:1 thru Matt 15:39

Sunday: Matt 16:1 thru Matt 26:56

Weekend Project

Updating my blogger template and profile picture to something more spring-ish...

what do you think?

another quiz.... for fun!

1. Name someone who made you smile today? Sarah B.

2. What were you doing at 8:00 this morning? Sleeping :hide

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? working

4. Name something that happened to you in 1992? I can't remember what happened yesterday.... you know? that was 16 years ago!

5. When is your birthday? February 27th

6. Four words to explain why you last threw up? can't remember last time

7. What color is your hairbrush? ummm.... black?

8. What was the last thing you bought? Gas.... *chops off arm and leg*

.9.here do you keep your money? what money?

10. What was the weather like today? Cloudy, rainy, and cold.

11. Where did your last hug take place? At Mom's house

12. What are you excited about? The Weekend!

13. Do you want to cut your hair? yes :( I have split ends...

14. Are you over the age of 25? yes

15. Do you talk a lot? I don't know... do I?

16. Do you watch The O.C.? O.C.????? UM..... no.

17. Does your screen name have an "x" in it? no

18. Do you know anyone named Kelsey? no

19. Do you make up your own words? yep

20. Are you ticklish? um..... *pleads the fifth*

21. Are you typically a jealous person? I don't think so

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter "C": Catherine

23. Who's the last person to call you? Mom... who lost something... that I filed in the wrong place... oops

24. Do you chew on your straws? emphatially, no!

25. Do you have curly hair? yes

26. What is the next concert you're going to? probly South Pacific (does that count as a concert?)

27.Where did you go today? To work. Out delivering flowers....

28. What is something you say a lot? oops

29. Have you seen the movie 'Donnie Darko'? I've never heard of it.

30. Do you have to work tomorrow? No! that is what is so wonderful about weekends!!!!!!!!!!

31. Who was the last person you said "I love you" to? Mom

32. What should you be doing right now? reading my Bible

33. Do you have a nickname? Jak

34. Are you a heavy sleeper? sometimes

35. What are you listening to? Steph washing dishes

36. What is the best movie you've seen in the past two weeks? Enchanted *sigh*

37. Is there anyone you like right now? I like everyone!

38. When was the last time you did the dishes? last night

39. Did you cry today? no

Dollar store wedding dress

Dollar stores don't actually sell wedding dresses... but if you're as ingenius as this girl, you might be able to make one with dollar store purchases.

THE DOLLAR STORE WEDDING DRESS

Days like today...

make me feel like whining all day.

rain, rain, rain, SO windy, and freeeeezing cold. evidently my boss has decided to cut expenses by cutting out the heating bill. it was only 53 degrees today in the shop. brrrr....

so, I want to whine and cry and blow my nose and go home and get a big comforter and 20 cups of hot chocolate.

into every life a little rain must fall
some days must be cold and dark and dreary

then I'm reminded I don't have it so bad... when the man who lost his wife 2 weeks ago to a horrible skin cancer comes into the shop to pay his bill. he's dealing with his grief in a different way... he wants to talk. a lot. so, I listen. and I think... I don't have it so bad...

SOMEbody has been watching too much Enchanted...

Or else my chocoholic-ness has reached a new level.


Yesterday I found myself standing in front of a freezer at Wal-Mart looking at a display of

chocolate pies

Grinning like it's going out of style and clutching my hands in ecstasy.

Giselle fashion.
Hmmm...... :)

Book Review: The Ark

The Ark, by Margot Benary-Isbert.

If you are one of those highly blessed people whose library actually owns a copy of this book, CHECK IT OUT!!

Or, if you're willing to take it on my recommendation alone and buy it, you can get it on AMAZON HERE for only $24. E-bay isn't any cheaper.

Why is it so expensive? Because it's rare. I couldn't even find a picture of it, to show you, and alas I already returned my copy to the library.

But, if you can get this book, do! It was so very good!!

I'll give you a little history.

Margot Benary-Isbert, lived in Germany during World War II. After the war was over she and her husband were relocated (their house had been destroyed) to a one family apartment which they shared with two other families. Margot wrote this book by candlelight while they lived there. So, if you're wondering about aunthenticity, don't. This is a very clear and accurate picture of life in a defeated country.

The book tells the story of the Lechow family. They're not Nazis, but they live in Germany. The father is a Dr. who was drafted and sent to the front lines in Russia. Their house is destroyed in a bomb, which also takes the life of one son. The family is moved around to various refugee camps, and finally after the war is over the housing office sends them to live with an elderly woman who has two attic rooms for them. The heart of the story is the strong binds of family love, it is the only thing that remains to this family who has lost absolutely everything. Including their future. Every plan they might have had is thrown out the window as they fight just to survive.

I can't tell you how much this book affected me. It is clearly and simply written, and the author's yearning for better times jumps off the page and right into the reader's heart.

I've got 2 thumbs, they're both up.

Bible Challenge Week Nine

I am so sorry I didn't get this posted earlier!!

Monday: Jer 33:23 thru Jer 47:7

Tuesday: Jer 48:1 thru Lamentations 1:22

Wednesday: La 2:1 thru Ezekiel 12:20

Thursday: Eze 12:21 thru Eze 23:19

Friday: Eze 23:20 thru Eze 35:15

Saturday: Eze 36:1 thru Eze 47:12

Sunday: Eze 47:13 thru Daniel 8:27

You made it through the toughest reading of all. It will get easier from here on out, and the books are much shorter which is encouraging!

I am...

Who are you in Anne's Circle of Friends?

who are you?

I don't know

if I'll be around much the rest of the week. Sorry, I'm not organized enough this week to have posts made up ahead of time...

It's just one of those weeks... you know? you probly never have them... :)

We've got guests coming this weekend, and the play all weekend too. So, that's 3 performances, plus dress rehearsal, plus guests to entertain, food to make, besides fitting in the normal work schedules...

Stephanie and I and another friend are in charge of filming the play... so that should be interesting.

On another note, I spent all night tonight baking for the weekend, Sarah Beth helped me, she was so cute!! I wished I had a camera! I gave her a little bowl with some sugar in it and she stirred it very diligently for an hour. She kept asking for new things to put in her "cookies" but I just let her have the sugar. At one point I turned around to find her with sugar on her fingers, and her fingers in her mouth, she looked quite guilty, so I only reprimanded her a little... she was very quiet, and then she said: "Becca? I love you." Oh!! so sweet!! I love you too, sweetie!!!

So, anyway, hopefully next week I'll have play pictures for you all!! And I'm working on a book review and a movie review, too, so those will be coming up!

stay tuned...

Book Review: Prisoner in the Third Cell

AUNT ALICE sent me this book.

"Prisoner in the third cell" hmmm... interesting.

It's an easy read. Only 80 pages. Fascinating. Truly. Especially the last 10 pages.

The question is not, "Why is God doing this? Why is He like this?" The question is not, "Why did He not answer me?" The question is not, "I need Him desperately, why does He not come rescue me?... The question before the house is this: "Will you follow a God you do not understand? Will you follow a God who does not live up to your expectations?..... 'And blessed are you if you are not offended with me."

I give it 2 thumbs up. And recommend you read it.

Bible Challenge Week Eight

Monday:Isa 14:1 thru Isa 28:29

Tuesday: Isa 29:1 thru Isa 41:18

Wednesday: Isa 41:19 thru Isa 52:12

Thursday: Isa 52:13 thru Isa 66:18

Friday: Isa 66:19 thru Jer 10:13

Saturday: Jer 10:14 thru Jer 23:8

Sunday: Jer 23:9 thru Jer 33:22

Luke and Sarah B. can cook too!

They can help spread caramel sauce over the ice cream

Luke takes a break to check the basketball game

They both can sprinkle oreos on top

Joe makes sure they don't eat any

Strawberry Shortcake

Not this one:

This one:


now that we have that clear....


I'm sick of winter. Really. So, I have an idea!!! let's pretend it's summer! who's with me?

ok! great!! get out your fork, 'cause I'm making Strawberry Shortcake.



1/3 cup butter flavored Crisco
2 C. Flour
2 Tbsp. Sugar
3 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Milk

Strawberries
1 Tbsp. sugar

Whipped cream

Wash your strawberries

Chop up strawberries, sprinkle sugar over them and put them in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut in the crisco until the mixture is crumbly. Add milk and stir. Roll dough out on floured surface. Cut into biscuit rounds. I use a jar ring or the top of a glass. NOTE: if you place your shortcakes close together on the baking sheet they will rise better.

Bake @ 450 for 20 minutes. Cool, cut in half and serve with strawberries and whipped cream! YUM!!!

Sarah Beth's birthday!!

I can hardly believe our little baby is 2!!! Luke (and Grandpa, mostly Grandpa) built her a step stool. For brushing her teeth.

I bought her this adorable dress. If they made it in my size, we could have had matching sister dresses.

Before they call...

I've been sick now for a couple of months, and I'm starting to get to the boiling point... you know the place? I think to myself: "I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired... I think I'll scream" but, then, I try to scream and I just give myself a coughing fit and regret it.

So, at this point, it becomes an attitude issue. I've got to have a healthy attitude even if I don't have a healthy body. You know the scripture... "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine?" well, it's true.
I'm not talking about having heaps of fun and laughing a lot. (because laughing at all gives me coughing fits also, so, I really can't do that too much :-) It's more that my heart needs to be in a merry state. Cheerful, not moping around feeling sorry for myself, because I don't have the energy to work , so therefore I don't get paid.

Anyway, I read this verse the other day, and it just encouraged me so much. I had started to wonder if God even cared that I was sick. I wondered if He had forgotten about me, or was just too busy to deal with a little thing like helping me get well again.

But, my God has NOT forgotten me. I will believe.

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

-Isaiah 65:24

Bible Challenge Week Seven

Friday: Psalm 89:14 thru Psalm 108:13

Monday: Psalm 89:14 thru Psalm 108:13

Tuesday: Psalm 109:1 thru Psalm 134:13

Wednesday: Psalm 135:1 thru Prov 6:35

Thursday: Prov 7:1 thru Prov 20:21

Friday: Prov 20:22 thru Ecc 2:26

Saturday: Ecc 3:1 thru Song of Solomon 8:14

Sunday: Isaiah 1:1 through Isaiah 13:22

We're halfway done! Keep up the good work!

you probly all want to know...

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don't think plain - instead think, uncomplicated You're a low maintenance kind of girl... who can hang with the guys Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that's you: the friend everyone invites. And your dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.

What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You?


HA!!! I must have answered some of the questions wrong....

Painting the Kitchen Red

"So, you're Renee's daughters?"
We sat at a table, stitching (and ripping) mermaid costumes and making small talk with homeschool moms and daughters.
"Yes!" we're happy enough to admit
"And you're the oldest 3?"
"Yes, we are"
"So, how do you girls like living on your own?"
"We like it a lot"
"Didn't you paint your kitchen red?"

so, the truth comes out... this is what my mom tells her friends. 'My daughters moved away from home. They painted their kitchen red'
"Ummm... yeah (a little sheepishly) we did..."
Homeschool mom laughs. "My daughters moved out on their own... they painted their kitchen red too!"

AH.... so it's a trend...

It's all quite funny, really. It's not as if we're doing anything truly crazy. Painting the kitchen red is not at all symbolic. There are no allusions toward painting the town red. It's just the kitchen. That's all.

We're just young, and we're trendy (sort of)....

Dinner

Hi, my name is Rebecca...I like to take pictures of my food...
all together: "Hi Rebecca"

I also like to sneak around in my sister's room looking for the camera while the girl's are sleeping...

I love color, everywhere, even in my food...

This is Tomatoes, Olives, Cilantro and cubed Mozzarella
(of course I chopped it all up on my lime green cutting board)

I put it all in some Pasta with Sausage and Shrimp, squeezed a Lime over it and dusted it with Parmesan...
because you can never have too much cheese on your pasta

Play Costumes

The homeschool support group here is ambitious enough to produce a play every year. This year it's Peter Pan! Katie volunteered to help with costumes and was put in charge of the mermaids. So, this past Saturday we got together and whipped out 5 mermaid costumes for these lovely ladies....We put together the basic costumes and sent them home with their respective actresses and instructions to decorate them however they liked. Can't wait to see what they come up with!

Bible Challenge Week Six

Monday: Nehemiah 13:15 thru Job 7:21

Tuesday: Job 8:1 thru Job 24:25

Wednesday: Job 25:1 thru Job 41:34

Thursday: Job 42:1 through Psalm 24:10

Friday: Psalm 25:1 thru Psalm 45:14

Saturday: Psalm 45:15 thru Psalm 69:21

Sunday: Psalm 69:22 through Psalm 89:13

What to post???

hmmm...

Well... for some reason I've been feeling pretty stressed out lately. Not sure why unless is has something to do with my job uncertainties, life uncertainties, busy schedules, piles of unfinished work, irritating dog, WINTER!!!, mud everywhere...

I guess it might have something to do with one of those things... or all :-)

Anyway, it's Friday, which is a always a very nice thing. Even when my Saturday is already jam packed crazy, it's still nice to think that this week is almost over.

And tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it.

Yet.

Saturday Morning Pancakes

Saturday Morning means pancakes.... as you can see the recipe has been quadrupled for the times when we fed 11 people with this recipe.

Perfect Morning Light


Perfect Pancakes

Creamy Coffee

In His Steps

I remember when my Grandma first mailed me this book. I was probably in 5th or 6th grade and literally devouring every book I could get my hands on. But, my taste ran more towards light fiction... as Molly Gibson said: "I don't much care for steady reading as Papa calls it" Well, I read a lot of Nancy Drew, anyway...

So, Grandma thought I ought to read something with a little more value, and so she sent me one of her favorites In His Steps. Being a teacher she also required a book report. I dragged my feet... I had a pile of Nancy Drew to read... but, once I picked it up, I never regretted it. I loved it.

"What I am going to propose now is something which ought
not to appear unusual or at all impossible of execution....
I want volunteers from the First Church
who will pledge themselves, earnestly and honestly for an entire year,
not to do anything without first asking the question,
"What would Jesus do?"
And after asking that question, each one will follow Jesus
as exactly as he knows how,
no matter what the result may be..."

Bible Challenge Week Five

Monday: 1 Chron 1:1 thru 1Chron 9:44

Tuesday: 1 Chron 10:1 thru 1 Chron 23:32

Wednesday: 1 Chron 24:1 thru 2 Ch 7:10

Thursday: 2 Ch 7:11 thru 2 Ch 23:15

Friday: 2 Ch 23:16 thru 2 Ch 35:15

Saturday: 2 Ch 35:16 thru Ezra 10:44

Sunday: Nehemiah 1:1 thru Neh 13:14


How is everyone doing?

California Homeschooling Ban

GO HERE to read this terrible development.

Cranberry Chicken Roll-ups

3 chicken breasts, thawed
1/4 cup cranberries
1/2 onion
dab of butter
2 tbsp walnuts chopped
1 slice bacon, crumbled
3 slices Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp. fruit jelly





Pound chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness. Saute onion in butter, add cranberries, cinnamon, mustard and jelly. Spoon cranberry mixture into center of the chicken breasts, sprinkle 1/2 of the walnuts and bacon on top of cranberries. Roll up chicken and place seam side down in baking dish. Top with a slice of mozzerella cheese and sprinkle with remaining walnut and bacon mixture.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Good with Rice Pilaf.

Brett Favre

If you don't live in Wisconsin you probably won't understand....

Let's just say he's the most popular guy in the state. He's been threatening retirement for 3 or 4 years now. Every year,
we all hold our breath, we say things to each other like:
"He'll never do it, he loves the game too much."
or
"He can't leave after a season like the one we just had."
and then some pessimistic person always says:
"He's getting old you know."

At the end of the last season, we all thought it was over. We watched the last few minutes of the last game and knew it would be his last. Lukey cried.

But! He came back!! Yahoo!!

I delivered Packers balloons to high school boys that missed the announcement because they were in class.

Then the team had a good year. They almost made it to the super bowl. But, they didn't. When they lost that last game, Lukey cried again.

Then, the big day came. Favre made his decision. He decided he really was getting old. He retired.

So, Dad took Lukey on his lap, and said gently: "Luke, Brett Favre decided that he's done playing football, he's going to retire. He won't be back next year."

Luke's response? "Who's going to replace him?"

Dad: "Well, Favre is done. This is it." (trying to drive home the point)

Luke: "That's ok. I reacted too much last time."

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips


Beat shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to shortening mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets, flatten slightly. Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed. Let stand 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Bible Challenge Week Four

Monday: 1 Sam 28:20 thru 2 Sam 12:10

Tuesday: 2 Sam 12:11 thru 2 Sam 22:18

Wednesday: 2 Sam 22:19 thru 1 Kings 7:37

Thursday: 1 Kings 7:38 thru 1 Kings 16:20

Friday: 1 Kings 16:21 thru 2 Kings 4:37

Saturday: 2 Kings 4:38 through 2 Kings 15:26

Sunday: 2 Kings 15:27 thru 2 Kings 25:30