FYI...

I've created a linked and seperate blog for my ramblings. Those interested in seeing the sweet boobahs can simply go to this site and those interested in my "deep thoughts" can go to the Blogging Along site under my Fun Links. Love yas!

Twirly Girly...

Every little girl probably had a twirling dress. I was picking out Emma's Easter outfit and she decided she wanted to wear a dress. I squeezed a sun dress over her outfit and soon she was spinning about. Ahhhh, so precious.

I hope this video works....

Simon and Garfunkel Funky Chicken Dinner...

I crack myself up and it's a good thing too! Ha ha ha *snort! I was planning to make Sage Chicken tonight for dinner and starting thinking of the song, "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" made popular by Simon and Garfunkel. The more I thought about it the more I thought it would be neat to create a dish with all four and call it Simon and Garfunkel Funky Chicken! He he he! Soooo, here it is and it tasted great!

Simon and Garfunkel Funky Chicken Dinner by: Bobbi Wells

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken meat (I used tenders)
1 large yellow onion roughly sliced
1 T. Sage
1-2 T. Parsley
1 t. Thyme
1 t. Rosemary
Salt/Pepper

I put the chicken frozen in the bottom of my crockpot-- sprinkled the spices on top, sprinkled the onions on top and cooked it for about an hour and a half on 250. Made the house smell wonderful! I served it with a leafy green salad. Yummmo!

Smiles!

RobertA Frost? HA HA!

Here is a poem that I love by Robert Frost. Since I had such a good time with the Maya Angelou rewrite, I thought I'd try it again.

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March.
Robert Frost
Two Tramps in Mud Time (1936)

The sun looked warm but it wasn't, I checked.
That's how it is on an April day
When it makes you feel happy then wrecked.
You think you're on into the month of May.
But if you dare plan a playdate at the park,
A snowy cloud will span the sky,
The sky will look cold, empty and stark,
And you'll hunt out the snow stuff again, oh my!
Roberta "Frost" Wells

My bulb flowers are peaking their heads above the ground. Not that it is any guarantee but it gives me hope that warmer weather is ahead, eventually!

Easter Cuteness...

Here is Emma in her Easter outfit. She looked like Alice in Wonderland. She wanted to hold the apron up to her face. Very cute--if I do say so myself!

Here's Emma and Mommy. She looks so cute with her legs all crossed! She was pretending to be camera shy!

Caleb, always the happy boy, smiled even though he didn't like his hat. He and Daddy are

sooo handsome.

After church Emma decorated her brother with her Happy Easter stickers! He seemed to think he looked great! He was right! Cuteness!

Resurrection Sunday...

Yeah! Emma saw the tomb was empty! We also had eggs-- for new life! The cookies were super sweet and she didn't really eat it but what a fun teaching tool!

Resurrection Eve...

The Roman soldiers beat Jesus. Emma wasn't sure she should hit the table quite this hard. Eventually, she did get into it!






Jesus was offered vinegar when he was thirsty. She insisted on tasting the vinegar. We shouldn't be surprised--she loves pickles after all. She agreed it wasn't something to drink. We quickly dumped the egg whites in so she wouldn't try to taste them.






Jesus tears were salty--and his suffering bitter! Emma tasted the salt and spit!







Sugar! The sweetness of our Salvation! She liked this one!









We mixed them up for a LOONNNGG time--in two year old time! It turned white as snow--just like us if our sins are washed away.






We folded in the nuts and made little tombs on the cookie sheet. Mommy put it in the oven. Emma helped seal the tomb just like the soldiers did with the big stone. They thought it would keep Jesus in the tomb!

Resurrection Cookies...

I have to share this recipe with ya'll. Every year I think it is sooo awesome and this year I'm going to try it with Emma. I'll let you know how it goes!

Resurrection Cookies

Read the whole recipe before beginning...
Try to do together Saturday night before Easter Sunday.
Ingredients: You need:
1 c. whole pecans Wooden spoon
3 egg whites Bible
1 c. sugar Zipper baggie
1 tsp. vinegar Tape
Pinch salt
Preheat oven to 300°
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19: 1-3
Let child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19: 28-30
Add egg white to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give life. Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 c. of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 11-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by tsp. onto waxed paper covered cookie sheets.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:65-66
Put cookie sheet in the oven. Close the door and turn the oven OFF! Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22
On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie! Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection Day, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

HE HAS RISEN!! HALLELUJAH!!!

Learning from trials...

After just going through a rather harrowing experience with the intestinal/stomach flu in our family, I decided to study and fortify for next time...

God's promises when I'm sick...
Ps. 23:4-No matter what He's with me and comforts me.
Is. 57:18- Even though He sees us truly, He'll heal and comfort.
Mt. 8:16-17- Jesus took our illness on himself.
Jn. 16:33- Peace...He has overcome the world.
Rom. 8:37-39-NOTHING can seperate us from the love of God. He has overwhelmingly conquered!
James 5:14-15- Be sure to confess sin, be faithful in prayer. Important healers.

I was feeling discouraged that I hadn't learned anything or gained any virtues. I mean, obviously this was a trial--to be sick, and have two sick kiddos to care for alone while Darren was in England. Yikes! After thinking about it maybe it helped me realize His grace is sufficient. My Dad pointed out that I kept it together and did what needed to be done and that itself was important. Some good friends helped carry me through with deliveries of Pedialite and Bread. Maybe I just learned to humble myself and ask for help. Anyone who knows me understands what a "control freak" I can be and it is an area that I agree needs "sanded down." My tendancy with things like this is first--"Ach God--I didn't ask to be Job-ina--I don't want any new virtues." Thankfully, God doesn't just give us trials when we ask for them. In my case, I'd never learn anything important. I joke about "Be careful what you ask for (ie.patience) because you just might get it." Truthfully, I shouldn't be afraid to ask for changes that I know will be established through pain. God will sustain me through those times--and restore me. God knows I need to be more patient--he gave me two beautiful children. He knows I need to ease up and stop trying to control the world so he gave me a laid back husband and oodles of other things. Sheesh, I could write a book on that one. Anyhew, these are just my recently revised thoughts on trial.

Poem facelift...

As I'm sure many people do, I subscribe to Real Simple magazine. I enjoy it for its price comparisons, fashions, gardening, etc. Overall, a magazine I enjoy. They always have a "simple list" in the front of each month with odds and ends of info. For April this included a poem by Maya Angelou that I found ludicrous. I can't come up with the right word for it...dispairing...wrong...lost...celebrity wisdom...

When we come to it/
We must confess that
we are the possible/
We are the miraculous,
the true wonders
of this world/
That is when,
and only when/
We come to it.

by Maya Angelou

I decided to rewrite it because it bothered me so here it goes....

When we come to it/
We must confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord/
We are His miraculous image bearers,
we truly wonder at the Creation
of His world/
That is when,
and only when/
We come to Truth.

by Roberta Wells

It helps that it didn't rhyme to begin with--ha ha! Maybe I should try writing poetry like this--such as it is...ucky!

Anon.

I have recently gotten onto Facebook. It is fun to find people from college and students from my teaching days. It has made me think of the Anon. factor though. I was realizing how many sites I pull up to see if they are anyone I know. Often (usually) I don't comment on their pages, etc. I've been sort of bummed lately about my blog. I would like more feedback but at the same time am afraid of it too. I guess what I'm wanting is POSITIVE feedback and well, beggars can't be choosers! Ha! I realize that I should be careful what I wish for--but I should also take the time to say hey to friends who have truly beautiful and inspiring blogs. It takes two seconds and just like comments on my blog make my day--it just might make theirs' too!

Brain Dents...

Here are some simple things that although not necessarily profound have seemed to make a dent in my brain lately. The following are things remembered from recent sermons and WITW Bible study.

If something is wrong in every area of your life the common denominator is you.

The Accuser (Satan) does everything to get us to quit and then snarls at us "you quitter." He doesn't respect our unbelief.

There is no excuse for sharp tongues and self-righteous attitudes in the name of good works.

God-sized problems don't fit women-sized hands. (or guys either for that matter)

Patience waits when it wants to whack.

If we were finished we'd be dead.

Convenience never produces character.

Don't judge by the level of ease but by importance.

No mercy equals torture.

Unforgiveness is the means by which we securely bind ourselves to that which we hate most.

The way I see it, it's easier to be the clay than the potter. Let's allow the buck to stop with God. He is the only wise Judge!

Drool paths...

Well Caleb has finally done it--er, sort of. My sweet boy has been working on this crawling thing. He spends a lot of time being frustrated as he sees things that he wants or that his sister has just taken away, etc. Yesterday he came up with a very interesting way of getting around. He slides backward on the pergo floors and rather than continue in frustration to go forward he has decided to shuffle backward on his knees and hands (looking over his shoulder for direction) and then simply sitting up when he has found his spot/toy. The really cute thing is the drool path that he leaves behind. I'd love to say that it is from the exertion given to this shove technique but the truth is that he drools all the time. My Dad says that he may become dehydrated. HA!!! What a cute smart boy! His sister better lookout because in a few weeks he'll be going after her for those toys she's taking away.