I have a new appreciation for farmers today…

Last night, on our way home from Jayden’s birthday party, the Farmers in Sunbury were loading or unloading large trucks at their barn; we had to maneuver around them. I didn’t think too much about it, until Anthony called me this morning to tell me the farmers were tilling the field. I do not envy them that. Every parent should drive their child by & show them how hard farmers work to bring them the food they eat/waste. What boy doesn’t want to see major machinery at work?

Then maybe they’d want to eat their vegetables.

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. ~ KJV Ecc 11:4

 

New Year’s Day Menu

~ beverages ~
Coffee – Sweet Tea
Pop – Water

~ soup ~
Chili

~ main ~
Pork loin
Smoked Sausage in Sauerkraut
Hot Dogs

~ sides ~
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Black Eyed Peas
Hominy
Cornbread
Beets
Fruit & Cheese Tray
Crackers
Cranberry Sauce
Chips
Relish Tray

~ desserts ~
Banana Pudding
Sweet Breads
Cream Cheese & Jellies
Cookies
Candy Buffet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will. ~ Jonathan Edwards & me

 

Continental Breakfast

Just out of curiosity, does anyone else have trouble getting the kitchen cleaned up from breakfast? No matter what type of breakfast we have (& believe me, they’re not elaborate most days), it seems to take me forever to clean up the dishes, toast crumbs, etc. Make me feel better – it’s not just me, right? Right?!? Thank you.

At my age, I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ve all set our kitchens up wrong. Scientists insist that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet we make little to no effort to prepare for it. My mom would make big meals for breakfast, but I never ate it. I didn’t like it – then or now. I cook it for everyone else, most days, but can’t really stomach it for myself. No pun intended. I don’t mind something quick with my COFFEE! Like a granola bar or donuts, something easy.

This morning, I had an epiphany & decided to round up a few ideas. If I could sit the kitchen up like a hotel breakfast bar, complete with Continental Breakfast, nothing too fancy, just the basics. The fam could just grab the milk &/or juice… Voila! And there you have it! Done & done. It would also be a way to streamline the snacks. The fruit & granola bars are already out, the kids would have to put forth effort to get to the pop & chips. What do you think they’ll grab first?

Honestly, I think if Julia Child had – had children, her kitchen would have looked a whole lot different than the one placed at the Smithsonian. Just sayin’

To include any variety of sliced bread or toast with butter/jam/jelly/honey, cheese, meat, croissants, muffins, pastries, bear claws, Croissant & Scones, rolls, pancakes with syrup, cornflakes or other cereal, yogurt/granola, coffee/tea, fruit juice(s). Use paper plates, plastic forks & spoons, paper napkins, etc.. Don’t feel guilty, you’re saving time & water. Less mess. Heck, I may even start to order the paper, I could sit & read it; gain some badly needed quiet time.

A simple enough pleasure, surely, to have breakfast alone with one’s husband, but how seldom married people in the midst of life achieve it. ~ Anne Spencer

 

The lessor of the 3 evils…

As you know, I try to avoid the three evils on my blog as much as possible.
I mean, nothing gets a rise out of a person quicker than a heated debate religion, politics or sex. No pun intended; just stating a fact.

Although, my husband says that my youngest son Steven and I can’t be in the same room together for more than two minutes without starting a heated discussion (argument) about one of them, its usually always politics. With him being a scorching liberal and me (in his words) a crazed conservative.

He shocked me this year by being furious with me for refusing to vote for Ron Paul, because of his advanced years. I do respect the man, and would love to see him as someone’s advisor, but not trying to see how long he can live, holding the highest off ice in the land, without some kind of dementia from setting in. Maybe that’s just me?

Most teens want him elected since he’s for legalizing drugs. Now, I just want to have Steven drug tested. But seriously, Steven can recite more of his life, probably than he can. I chose Mitt Romney from the start, for my own reasons, and my feelings toward him haven’t changed. That being said…

Basically, we cancel each other out. This isn’t about me or my family, any political agenda, nor do I even want to start that conservation.  It’s just something to ponder.

How politically informed do you try to be? This isn’t a question about anyone’s politics, just about how much you keep up with political events (e.g., the Iowa Republican caucus). Is it something that interests you, or not so much? Are there certain websites you frequent to get information about issues/candidates?

Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts. ~ Coleman Cox

 

2012 Is here…

With the inevitable question – have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Maybe you can tell us one of your resolutions for 2012, or one from another year that you accomplished & how proud you are for sticking with it. I think we can make resolutions any time of the year, but there’s something about starting fresh with the whole year ahead that feels exciting (or sometimes overwhelming…but doable!)!

I’ve shared my resolutions over the years, some I managed to complete, others not, but this year, I’m resolved to just take it easy. I’m starting brunch for the kids, but not sweating the small stuff. Simplicity at its finest. I’m not going to overdo anything.

I did want to take a minute and tell you what struck me odd last night while watching the ball drop (yes, I stayed up. I’m shocked too). It wasn’t the condition of Dick Clark, post-stroke as host, but it was moreover the young girl whom when asked her resolution said, “I want to recycle more!” WHAT? This was a pretty young girl and the only thing she wanted to change or do in 2012 was recycle. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a avid recycler, just ask anybody, but when I was 15 or 16 years old, the last thing on my mind was the trash. What about adventure, experiencing and learning new things; enjoying life? She’ll have more days than she can count sorting & taking out the trash, you’re young – its time to dream!

If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves. ~ Maria Edgeworth

 

New Year’s Eve celebrations…

I had asked Anthony to take me to New York to watch the ball drop this year, but he quickly vetoed that. So again, just like last year & several years before, we’ll be in bed by 9:00 p.m. Just not up to the late night antics I guess.

I was reviewing all of the news & reviews; the craziness that went on this past year. Pondering what the next one will hold for us. Thinking of those that won’t be with us in this new year. I’m trying not to be sad about any of it, when life altering things happen to me, I feel (good or bad) that its all part of God’s plan for my life.

My sister-in-law posted this little poem on Facebook this morning that summed it up for me.

I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too.
I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame.
Your memory is a keepsake, from which I’ll never part. God has you in his arms. I have you in my heart.

I want to face each new day as an adventure, with hope & the promises of new things to come. I’ll continue to remember those that have gone on before. Respecting the past while embracing all that God has in-store for me this year. “Let us resolve to do the best we can with what we’ve got.” ~ William Feather

What are your plans? A party at a friend’s house? Watching New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on t.v.? Time Square in party hats? Tell us how you’ll be ringing in the new year tonight!

The measure of life is not its duration, but its donation. ~ Peter Marshall