Our Saturday with Ashlynn...

We had a fun Saturday with our granddaughter and loved having her spend the day with us.  It is amazing how many different things a 2 1/2 yr old can play with in just one hour.  Her day was filled with coloring, games, puzzels, Barney, dance, books, Dora, and music.  What joy she brings us!

Molly helped with the last of the applesauce!

And the last of the yogurt!

Can't watch Barney without dancing!

Cute cookie cutters...

I found the cutest cookies cutters online a few weeks ago and decided to order some.  Cookie Cutters, Cookie Cutter Set, Wholesale Cookiecutters, Metal Cookie Cutter, ...  not only has really cute cookie cutters but also a variety of yummy cookie recipes! Check the web site out and buy a cookie cutter for the next time you want bake sugar cookies or give one as a gift!  I look forward to giving the ones I bought as gifts. 

The one thing that is needful...

A friend writes a devotion for our ladies group and it is sent out each Wednesday.  This one really spoke to my heart. It caused me to think about how busy my life has been yet how important it is to spend quiet time before the Lord.   Have you been too busy with the demands of your day to sit at the feet of Jesus?

A Heart to Hear

~~Jennifer Davis

 Yesterday morning, my mind was bombarded with a dozen different thoughts pulling me in as many different directions. I struggled just to pray through the Lord's Prayer, distracted by everything from the state of my carpet to the state of the world. Then the Holy Spirit gently dropped a word into my mind: single-mindedness. I needed single-mindedness, the grace to focus on "the one thing that is needful". I like that word "needful". It means necessary or essential. Isn't it wonderful how the word of God can come to mind long after you've heard it? This phrase "the one thing that is needful" must have bubbled up in the King James from my childhood memory. It is from a conversation Jesus had with Martha when she came to Him to complain about having to do all the work while her sister Mary sat at His feet. Jesus heard her out and then He gently told her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Jesus was telling Martha that the best use of her time at that moment was to sit down with Him. He didn't want her running around trying to anticipate His needs and rushing ahead to meet them. He wanted to meet her needs. He wanted her to be refreshed and restored by listening to His words for her.
There will always be too many things that need to be done. Before we plunge into action, we need to stop and listen to the Voice that speaks with the perspective of eternity. Jesus faced tremendous demands from those around Him, but He took the time to get alone and listen to the voice of His Abba Father. He knew that it was the one thing that is needful. It is often the hardest thing in the world, dragging my eyes off my to-do list and getting quiet before Him, but it is always, always worth it. He alone has the words of life and it is His delight to speak them to a listening heart.

Luke 10:41-42, John 6:68


Lord, please give us a heart to hear you.

Muffins...

Tomorrow is my turn to bring snack for our Ladies Bible Study.  I made two new recipes.  I hope you enjoy them.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

3 1/4 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1 C. milk
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/4 C. poppy seeds
2 T. lemon juice

2 t. lemon rind

2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

Using an electric mixer, mix together at low speed.

Bake in muffin tins at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or bake in four small loaf pans for about *45 minutes.

*As you can see from the picture, I baked mine in small loaf pans but they were done before 45 minutes.  I would check them at 30 minutes and if not done continue to check every 5 minutes.

Raspberry Crumble Muffins
          ~~from the cookbook 1 Mix, 100 Muffins

2 C. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
heaping 1/2 C. superfine sugar (didn't have so used reg.)
2 large eggs
1 C. plain yogurt
6 T. sunflower oil or melted, cooled butter
1 t. vanilla extract
scant 1 C. frozen raspberries

Crumble Topping

1/2 C. flour
3 T. butter
2 T. superfine sugar

Make crumble topping and set aside.  Put the flour into a bowl.  cut the butter into small pieces, add with the flour and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.
Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the yogurt, oil and vanilla extract.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the beaten liquid ingredients and add the raspberries.  Stir gently until just combined;do not overmix.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pan (greased or paper liners).  Scatter the crumble topping over each muffin and press down lightly.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch.

Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or let cool completely.

Birthday fun...

Yesterday we celebrated my sister, Stephanie's birthday.  She will be in Honduras, where she serves as a missionary, on the actual date so we wanted to bless her before she left.  In our home everyone gets to plan their own meal and choose their own cake.  Stephanie wanted meat loaf, mashed potatoes, peas, cooked carrots, salad and rolls.  She wanted strawberry shortcake for her cake.  These are things she doesn't have in Honduras. Stacy prepared the carrots and Shawna brought the strawberry shortcake. There were 14 of us and we had fun visiting during lunch. 

Opening gifts and reading cards always brings laughter!  Our family buys the funniest cards!  Ashlynn loved helping Aunt Stephanie with all her gifts.

Ashlynn loved helping blow out the candles on Stephanie's cake!

Happy early Birthday Stephanie!

We love you !

Kitty, Merry- go-Round, cookie, and smiles....

Today Jim and I took Ashlynn to Build A Bear.  It was our Christmas gift to her.  She didn't know what she was going to do with us, only that Nana and Pa were taking her someplace.  It became clear to us she had no idea what Build A Bear is because when we told her what we were going to do...build a bear...she said, "is that a slide?"  As we entered the store and we were greeted by the person that would explain to Ashlynn what we were going to do.

Next she began making a choice of a bear, dog, bunny, or kitty.

The kitty won!

After choosing the kitty we picked out a heart for her.  Then went to the station where the kitty would be stuffed . In went the heart and then Ashlynn helped stuff the kitty.

After stuffing and sewing the back she went to the area where she brushed and fluffed up the kitty.

When the kitty was ready it was time to shop for clothes for her.

And dressing Kitty!

Then it was time to name Kitty.  I sat down with Ashlynn and asked her what she would like to name her new kitty.  Without hesitation she said, "spider".  I wasn't sure what to say.  I talked to her some about what other names she liked, called her mommy for some ideas, talked to her some more and she chose...

DORA for her kitty's name! 

Time to get the birth certificate for Dora!

Ready to take Dora home !!

We ended our day with a carousel ride, lunch, a cookie with red sprinkles and play time on an ice cream truck.

I hope Ashlynn had as much fun on her day with us as we had with her!  She is a delight!

Friendships...

A friend sent me this prayer today.  I don't know where it came from but I really liked it and  as I read it thought that I want it to be a prayer for me this year.  I want to be a better friend to my old friends and to those that will become my friend this year.  How about you?  What kind of a friend are you? 

Lord Jesus Christ,

While on earth you had close and devoted friends,

such as John. Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

You showed in this way that friendship

is one of life's great blessings.

Thank you for the friends that you have given me

to love me in spite of my failures and weaknesses,

and to enrich my life after your example.

Let me ever behave toward them

as you behaved toward your friends.

Bind us close together in you and enable us

to help one another on our earthly journey.

Amen.

Christmas memories...

We had a wonderful Christmas.  We were so thankful to have the family together.  My sister is here from Honduras, where she services as a missionary and my nephew from Ft. riley where he is stationed with the Army.  The Lord blessed us with a white Christmas (first in the area for over 80 yr.) and many fun filled days.  My brother and sister in law arrived for New Years Eve.  Today we had some traditional New Years Day  foods, played some games and just enjoyed being together.  We thank the Lord for our health, our family and His presence in our lives.