L♥ve my twins!

JohnDavid & Bethany, age 17½

What to do when home from college?  Go hunting with your brother!  =)
I believe they are in the double tree stand in this pic.  No, they didn't get anything but cold.  ;)

sMiLeS,

Callie Anne -- 12 days old

Our grandbaby!! ♥♥♥

♥♥♥,

We are GRANDPARENTS!! ♥♥♥

Callie Anne  ~ 21 ¾ inches, 8 lbs, 4 ½ ounces

Almost 12 hours old... this is one of my favorites. ♥

These were taken when she was just a few hours old...

So precious!! ♥♥

In awe of her...  After birth, but before all the family saw
the baby, Caleb texted his Dad, "This is so awesome."

Look at that hair!! =)

"holding" Daddy's finger

Found her fingers ♥

Proud Mommy & Daddy

Age Zero -- I just had to do this!!  =)

One day old...

I just love this one!

Two days old...

Little family headed home ♥

BIG sMiLeS,

3 more weeks!!

...or whatever God decides.  ;)

Callie Anne Moore =)

♥ ♥ ♥

sMiLeS,

My three kids... plus one! =)

♥ ♥ ♥

Rebekah and Callie Anne, JohnDavid, Bethany

Does she even look like she's gonna have a baby in about 5 weeks??

sMiLeS,

Missions Conference

Many of you may know that my daughter Bethany began college this fall.
This week they had their Missions Conference and here are some things she did.  =)

At the beginning of the year, she had chosen Asia as her continent to pray for, so when her RA (Resident Assistant) encouraged her to volunteer for this project, she chose to work in the Asia room.  Of the several countries to be exhibited for Asia, she was assigned India and Burma, and worked together with the son of her Bible Geography professor, Dr. Jacob, who is actually from India!  =)  They recruited two more girls to assist them, and they all did a wonderful job!

They began last week doing research and gathering material for the displays.

Burma Table -- The writing around the edge is Burmese, and is
John 3:16.  They looked it up online and found it written in a missionary's
journal!  The writing and map were both done by Bethany.  She had already 
had some practice drawing maps in Dr. Jacob's Bible Geography class! =)

India Table -- Since her Bible Geography teacher is
from India, they had some authentic items to display.  

Besides their two countries, they also made a section for some videos to be played, set up the Asian Market, and decorated the room in general.  They went to the real Asian market to get food and tea, and shopped for supplies for whatever they needed.  They researched for facts and pictures to put on each of the boards.  I still just love that Burmese writing!! =)

The 3 on the left - Bethany and her other two helpers - are in authentic dress from 
India, courtesy of Dr. Jacob's wife and daughter.  =)  The groups dressed for their country 
each day of the conference, and were at their tables each evening awhile before service 
to give a presentation about the country, and to request prayer for that nation. 

Other people in the church dressed up too!  Dr. Jacob's daughter in the pink.  =)

Monday, Bethany posted the above picture with this caption:  Missions Conference was such a blessing today! These girls are the best! I thank The Lord for the Jacob Family.  Helping them in our Asian Village has been so much fun and encouraging. Please keep us in your prayers this week as we continue to work and seek the Lord's guidance.

Dr. Jacob's wife in blue; his older son in the back (the one who also worked on this project)

Asian foods and chai tea to sample (chai rhymes with pie)   Bethany
said Mrs. Jacob makes amaaazing homemade hot chai tea. =)

This looks like an incredible experience!  Much work and research went into this, so Bethany learned quite a bit.  They didn't have classes the three days of the Missions Conference (M-W of this week), so she was able to fully enjoy it.  =)  I would love to have been there!

I get to see her next week!!!  Fall break.  =) =) =)


sMiLeS,

Homemade Vegetable Soup

My Mom's recipe -- this is the best!

• 2 lbs. beef (optional) cut into cubes, boiled w/ 3 T. powdered beef bouillon 
  
• 5 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 c. chopped onions 
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 29 oz can green peas
• 1 can baby lima beans 
• 1 can of corn 
• 1 28 oz can Bush's pinto beans
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 T. garlic salt
• 1 T. basil
• 1 T. Italian seasoning
• 1 T. parsley
• 1 t. pepper
• 3 T. powdered beef bouillon, or bouillon cubes

In a pinch, (or if you're a tired mama)♥ I have cans of vegetables I can just dump in, and have a meal pretty quickly.  About 12 15oz cans of your choice (liquid included) for the amount of spices listed (include the bouillon also), and add water as needed.  I've done this, especially when having company without much notice. 

This recipe makes 1½ gallons.  You'll need a really large pot!  =)


►Fill 1½ gallon pot halfway with water, put in beef & bouillon (if you only have bouillon cubes, you can add those later), and bring to a boil.  Cover and turn on low for about 3 hours or until beef is fork-tender.

►Chop up vegetables and have them ready about the time the beef is done.
If needed, remove meat for dicing right before adding vegetables.  Cut into several chunks and allow to cool a bit while doing the next steps.
Add all vegetables and spices to pot.  No need to drain canned vegetables unless it looks like the pot will be too full.
Add water if needed to within an inch or so from the top.

►Bring back to a boil.
If you did not use powdered bouillon and are using bouillon cubes, dip out about a half cup of boiling liquid and dissolve bouillon cubes, mashing a little w/ the back of a spoon, stirring until dissolved.  Return to pot.

►Cover and turn on low.

If needed, cut up meat and return to pot.

►Continue to cook on low for about 45-60 minutes until all vegetables are tender.

Great with a grilled cheese sandwich!  =)


sMiLeS,

Ranch Roll-ups

These are delicious!

• Eight large flour tortillas, burrito-size.
  I think the ones we get are about 9 inches across.  Using this size rather than the very small ones will eliminate so many "end" pieces.  
• ham, turkey, and/or pepperoni
• 1 8oz. block of cream cheese
• 1 packet of dry ranch dip/dressing mix
• ¼ cup green pepper, finely chopped (about 1/3 of a pepper)
• ¼ cup onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
• lettuce, optional

NOTE:  If you use rectangle ham as in the picture, 12 slices will be enough.  (1½ each tortilla).  If you use thinner, round ham, you may want several slices.
One 6 oz package of pepperoni looks like enough for an entire batch if you put about 10 pepperonis on a tortilla (check serving size info on package), but we usually make some of all three meats, so we have never actually counted everything out.

Actually, that ham needed to be over to the side,
and an additional half piece beside it.

►Divide the cream cheese into several chunks and heat in a microwavable dish - about 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
--Add in the ranch dip mix, peppers, and onions.
--Mix well.

►Spread a spoonful of the ranch mixture onto the tortilla, making sure to get all the way to the sides that will be the "ends" after you roll.

►Place a slice or two of ham, turkey, or slices of pepperoni on the ranch mixture.  We like to put lettuce on the turkey ones.
Be sure to get some mixture and meat all the way to the edges that will be the "ends."
In the pic above, this wasn't done.  We now use 1½ slices to get the tortilla covered across.  The ends all get eaten.  =)
When rolled up, if needed, smear on a little more mixture on the last edge to make the roll stay closed.  Lay on a plate edge side down.

►Refrigerate for about an hour before slicing.
You may be able to get about 10 slices from each tortilla.  Or simply cut in half and eat it that way.  =)
Store in refrigerator in air-tight container.

When sliced, a double batch fills up a 13-cup Ziploc or Glad container.

My whole family loves these.

sMiLeS,

IT'S A GIRL!!

My baby's having a baby.  =) =) =)

I'm gonna be a GRANDMA!! =D

This little one should arrive around December 6!! ♥♥♥

BIG sMiLeS,

Our Country!

Told by David C. Gibbs, founder and president of the Christian Law Association.

Faith of Our Founding Fathers



Story of the Star-Spangled Banner




sMiLeS,

Country Style Steak

Happy Father's Day!! =)

Oh my!
That's about the only way I can describe this dish.

• 2 lbs. cubed steak (I had close to 2½ lbs)
• flour - about a cup or so
• salt and pepper
• ½ c. oil or so
• Two 10.5-oz cans of cream of mushroom soup (I had a little more meat, so I used one 26-oz. can)
• Two cans of water (or 1 large can)

►In large pan, heat the oil on medium heat.
You can mix the salt and pepper with the flour, but I just did the pepper.  I can see it, and know about how much I put in.  =)  I didn't use a whole lot - just a little.
Salt both sides of the meat then bread both sides with the flour.
Cook on medium heat about 4-8 minutes each side, depending on how many you have in the pan and if your pan fits your burner, how hot your oil is, and how thick your steaks are.  (I cooked mine about 7-8 minutes in a large, full pan -- they were around 1/2 - 3/4 inches thick.)

These will not be tender yet, and will not be totally cooked through.

►►Cooking the meat the night before saves a lot of time in the mornings if you're going to church, etc.

►When meat is browned, place in crockpot.

►If there are any burned clumps of flour, etc, in the pan, scrape and remove those.

--------------
►►If need to cook the night before, put the meat in another container, put a lid on your pan and put it in the fridge, then reheat in the morning.
Don't add the soups yet.  They will heat quicker at room temperature the next morning.
--------------

►Pour can(s) of cream of mushroom soup into the pan along with the still-hot drippings from the meat.  
Add can(s) of water.  (I tend to forget this!)  Mix thoroughly with whisk and heat for a few minutes.

►Pour soup mixture over the cubed steaks in the crockpot.
Cook on high for 6 hours, or on high for 1 hour and low 9-10 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes and biscuits.
Cut with a fork.
Yummy!


Update: 
I saw this video on facebook that showed that after browning it on both sides, you could add the soups then cook it on low in the pan, covered, for 45 min - 1 hour. 


sMiLeS,

Class Party

PARTY!!
We had Ham and Cheese Rolls, Ranch Roll-ups, home canned garlic pickles from one of the moms (and she brought me strawberry jelly -- strawberry!  My favorite!),  and homemade cupcakes from another of the moms who runs a business making yummylicious cakes!  And she left extra for my family!  And one of her daughters made homemade cookies.  And of course we had the regular chips and dip and drinks, etc.

It's been 3½ hours since lunch... and now I'm thinking about the leftovers that are for supper.  =D  Hubby will be happy too.  He loves those ham and cheese rolls.  =) =)


When we have class parties, I always invite all the family.  After all, we can't leave the littles at home!
I wanted to include them, so I figured some allowances in our Minute to Win It games.  We had 2 teens per team and one younger sibling.  They participated in the games a little, but usually ended up running around, lol.  And "helping."  =D  But it was fun anyway.  Even for the losing team, who had a wonderful "helper."  ;)  We had a great time.

The boys' team was simply The Boys.  Courtney and Ava were Team Cava, and Bethany and Sarah had to choose between Team Barah or Team Sethany.  They chose Team Sethany.  =)


I tried to name these games, but couldn't come up with anything catchy, lol.

Without touching the balls, each teen had to thread all 3 Wiffle balls onto a pipe cleaner, then drop them all into a glass.  The littles had to place a ball on a magnifying glass and "pour" it in, one at a time.  They were allowed a little assistance, esp the 4-year-old.  =)

The teen teams had to blow 4 cotton balls onto the same sticky note (Post-it), and the littles had to do 1, 2, or 3, depending on age.  They each had their separate sticky note, placed strategically away from the older kids.  ;)

 ↑The timer  ;)          

We did this game twice because the Wiffle balls kept bouncing out, but the second time we put a hand towel in the bowl.
Each team went separately on this one.

We had about 25 Wiffle balls, and even though kids were scurrying around trying to re-gather them up for the throwers, we still kept running out.  How many balls can 2 boys throw in one minute??  A LOT!
Some girls got tired of scurrying... and decided to be catchers.  ;)

Awww, little Jeremiah hugging his sister.  =)  He kinda "launched" himself into her arms, lol.  =D

And here we have one of our helpers.  ;)

We did have to keep a lookout for helpers who wanted to put the balls into the orange bowl instead of back into the clear bowl, lol.  It was kind of chaotic, but altogether a lot of fun.  =)  I guess I wasn't very clear about where to return the balls.  ;)

We actually played a few more games than these - using straws to put beans into a glass, and a relay with 8 items that had to be picked up with skewers! (littles used clothes pins), but I forgot to get out my camera!  And... those were the pics Ava would have been in!  But she had to leave early for Driver's Ed!  First day driving.  (Hang in there, Mom.)

So... go here to see Ava.  ;)  She's one of the cute ones.

No, not those goats... keep scrolling!  =) =) =)


sMiLeS,