tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61962445104422270502024-02-20T05:10:42.156-08:00Wendy Darling Ltd.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12221705613894074531noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-28800007982400682722011-03-04T12:24:00.000-08:002011-03-04T12:25:02.182-08:00I wish I was normul<span style="font-size:130%;">My lovely bloggy friend, <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/">Beki</a>, does a carnival every Friday called "<a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/2011/03/fingerprint-friday.html">Fingerprint Friday</a>" for people to share where they see God's fingerprints in their lives. Do you have anything to share? Why not link up over at <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/">her blog</a>?</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It's been a rough couple of weeks around here. My daughter's diabetes has been acting up and it's been putting us through the ringer. There have been a lot of nights with very little sleep and my daughter feeling really yucky while I did everything I could to try to keep her from having to go to the emergency room. Not fun. Not fun at all.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In our house, we have a two-story entryway and my daughter's bedroom door is right next to the railing upstairs. My daughter has figured out how to use this to her advantage. When she's been sent to her room, she likes to write notes then throw them over the railing for me to find on the ground. Lovely, caring notes. Yeah. (See <a href="http://weightwhat.blogspot.com/2009/09/life-is-funny-guilt-starts-here.html">here</a>, <a href="http://weightwhat.blogspot.com/2009/11/post-that-wasnt.html">here</a> and <a href="http://weightwhat.blogspot.com/2009/11/life-is-funny-another-week-another-note.html">here</a>.) Then the other day, I found this one...</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/?action=view&current=note-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 456px; HEIGHT: 313px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/note-1.jpg" width="700" height="456" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">That one broke my heart. </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">It was time to have a talk.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">She snuggled into my lap and I asked her about the note. She told me that she hated having diabetes and she wished she could be like "normul" people. I told her that I hated that she got stuck with diabetes, too, but there really isn't anyone who's normal. God made each and every one of us to be different and unique. We all have special gifts that He's given us. We all have burdens, too, but how we face these things makes us who we are. She's been so brave facing her burdens and I've been so proud of her for it! The way she's faced them makes her gifts shine more brightly. I told her that I hoped she never tried to be normal, but would always let the gifts that God has given her shine through.<br /></span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/?action=view&current=IMG_2114.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="WIDTH: 493px; HEIGHT: 344px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/IMG_2114.jpg" width="679" height="428" /></span></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">She's 8 years old now. I wonder how many more times we'll be having this conversation in the years to come. I still have to have this conversation with myself from time to time. Wouldn't it be nice if we could see ourselves the way God sees us?</span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-70372287726006718482011-02-16T16:29:00.000-08:002011-02-16T16:29:10.474-08:00Homemade Laundry Soap<span style="font-size:130%;">Yes, I know that there are recipes all over the web for homemade laundry soap. So why am I putting up another post? Because my online friend, Sarah, asked me to! And because it seems that most of the posts out there are for the liquid version of the recipe. Before I started making my own soap, I used liquid laundry detergent, but the idea of having a big ol' 5-gallon bucket of detergent to have to find a spot for in my laundry room is just not my idea of fun. The powdered version is much more compact and manageable, plus it can sit right on top of my dryer. I've also read comments online that the liquid version seems to turn your whites a bit gray, and I've not had that problem with the powdered kind. So, how do I make it? Easy!</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=snow2010072.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 432px; HEIGHT: 353px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/snow2010072.jpg" width="661" height="539" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">It only takes three ingredients: Borax, washing soda (NOT baking soda) and Fels Naptha laundry soap. I've heard of people using Ivory soap in their recipe, but I can't tell you how that works since I've never tried it. These three items took a bit of searching for me to find. My beloved Target only carried the Borax - say it isn't so, Target! But after searching a few grocery stores, I found one that carried all three.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=snow2010070.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 437px; HEIGHT: 320px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/snow2010070.jpg" width="448" height="453" /></a></p><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">You'll need to grate the bar of soap first. Everywhere I've seen this recipe online I've seen people hand-grating the soap. A little something I learned: Those people are crazy! Unless you're up for a strenuous arm workout, don't try it. This soap is really dense and doesn't grate easily! I took out my handy-dandy food processor* and grated it that way. Just cutting the soap into slices to put into the processor was arm workout enough, thankyouverymuch.</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=snow2010074.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 443px; HEIGHT: 299px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/snow2010074.jpg" width="609" height="444" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">I then dumped the grated soap into a plastic tub (Why yes, that is a giant Red Vines tub I'm using. I'm not addicted to Red Vines. I can stop at any time. I just don't wanna.) and added 3 cups of washing soda and 3 cups of Borax. Mix well!<br /></span><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=snow2010077.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 455px; HEIGHT: 307px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/snow2010077.jpg" width="392" height="465" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Find yourself a scoop you can use. Mine is an old coffee scoop that holds about a tablespoon. For a regular sized load of laundry, you'll only need to use 2 Tbsp. of soap. Yup! That's all you'll need! And since this soap won't get all foamy, it can be used in front loading washers, too. I've given some to both my mom and sister to use in their front-loaders and there hasn't been any problems. </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">This soap recipe will last you a good, long time, too. The ingredients cost much less than commercial detergents out there, and who doesn't love a bargain? I've been really happy with how well it cleans, too. The first thing I ever washed with it was my dog's very dirty bed cover. Ick. I was shocked to find it came out looking like new! If you have stained items you're going to be washing, you'll still want to pre-treat them like you normally would. This stuff is good, but it's not a miracle worker. I like it just as well as I did the Tide I used before, so that's saying something. </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">So, happy laundering! And remember, stay away from the grater. You'll be a happier person that way.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">* If you have a light-duty food processor, you'll want to be careful if you try to grate the soap in it. Like I said, that soap is dense. You don't want to burn out your processor's motor!</span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-86399913574342551122011-02-15T08:41:00.000-08:002011-02-15T09:19:36.895-08:00Appreciation<span style="font-size:130%;">Okay, I'm just going to say it. When it comes to all things computer, I am an idiot. Technology has not been my friend. Every once in a while, people will ask me a question thinking that I'd know the answer since I have a couple of blogs. After staring at them in stunned silence, I have to admit to them that I know nothing. Nothing except what I've been able to learn from others, that is.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Hi. My name is Wendy and I ask questions.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">That's right. If I see something on someone's blog that I think is really cool, I'll email them and ask them how it's done. I'm very much in the "It doesn't hurt to ask" camp. And although some bloggers have been less than, um, giving, some have been wonderfully helpful. I love that! </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The other day I did my first tutorial and ended up needing to use some drawings because I didn't take pictures of the process. While I'm actually pretty good at art, I was not thrilled with my quickly drawn, and very wonky, pictures. For a while now, I've absolutely LOVED the drawings that Meaghan over at <a href="http://www.thedecoratedcookieblog.com/">the decorated cookie</a> uses for her blog.<br /><a href="http://www.thedecoratedcookieblog.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 293px; HEIGHT: 198px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/mish%20mash/howto5.png" width="370" height="313" /></a> <a href="http://www.thedecoratedcookieblog.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 251px; HEIGHT: 156px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/mish%20mash/howto7.png" width="348" height="219" /></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><div align="center">Aren't these drawings cute as can be?!</span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Her blog is just full of wonderful things! You should really check it out when you have time. Anyway, she doesn't know me from Adam. The likelihood of her ever even reading my blog is slim to none. But when I emailed her to ask her how she did her drawings for her blog, she got back to me really quickly to explain how she does it. How nice is that? Don't you just love kindness? </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I really appreciate the people who will take the time to help others. It's a nice trait, don't you think? And they're out there! So if you see something on a blog somewhere that you wish you could figure out, why not send off an email? Good things can come from asking questions.</span>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-21214346504336521872011-02-14T07:55:00.000-08:002011-02-15T07:28:46.091-08:00Pasta e Fagioli Soup<span style="font-size:130%;">Oh, how I love this soup! It's one of those soups that just make you feel all warm and cozy inside. And if you're watching your waistline, it's easy to make a low-fat version that tastes just as good as the higher fat version. Ready to fall in love with soup all over again?</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2326.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 453px; HEIGHT: 280px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2326.jpg" width="500" height="460" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Brown up your ground beef or ground turkey. When I make this, I use ground turkey. I've used the beef before and really? I couldn't taste a difference. Once the meat is browned, drain any fat left in the pot.</span><br /><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2329.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 445px; HEIGHT: 306px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2329.jpg" width="648" height="482" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Add in all the other ingredients except for the pasta noodles and the beans. If you love your veggies, go ahead and double up on them for this recipe. Even throw in extras like spinach and celery if you'd like. It's fun to make a recipe your own! Cover pot and simmer for 30-45 minutes. If you're wanting to cut the fat and sodium, look for a 100% fat free and reduced sodium broth. I found one from Swanson that's good. </span><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2334.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 449px; HEIGHT: 281px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2334.jpg" width="613" height="395" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Add the pasta to your pot and cook until al dente (not all the way done), about 7-8 minutes. If you have kids, consider getting fun colors or shapes of pasta. It can be a good way to divert attention from the veggies... </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2338.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 441px; HEIGHT: 289px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2338.jpg" width="422" height="415" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Stir in the beans and lower the temp a bit. Heat through, about 10-15 minutes. As a side note, you might want to have extra beef broth on hand for this, especially when it comes time for leftovers. The pasta really soaks it up! </span><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2343.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 457px; HEIGHT: 278px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2343.jpg" width="732" height="505" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Around here, we love this soup topped with some parmesan cheese and served with garlic bread or bread sticks. Mmmmm... Bread... Enjoy your soup!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Pasta e Fagioli Soup</strong></span></p><p align="left"></p><span style="font-size:130%;">3 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey<br />2 C. chopped carrots<br />1 large onion, chopped or 1/2 C. minced onion<br />6 cloves garlic, minced or 3 tsp. minced garlic<br />8 (14 oz.) cans beef broth<br />1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes<br />1 tsp. black pepper<br />3 tsp. dried thyme<br />3 tsp. dried basil<br />3 tsp. dried oregano<br />4 C. small pasta<br />2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In a large pot over medium heat, cook the meat until it's browned. Drain and return to heat. Add the broth and all other ingredients except the pasta and beans. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes, uncovered. Reduce heat and add beans, cooking another 10-15 minutes until heated through. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://beautyandbedlam.com/can-you-freeze-soda/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+beautyandbedlam%2FMCXv+%28Balancing+Beauty+and+Bedlam%29" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/blog%20carnival%20buttons/TastyTuesday200pix.jpg" /></a>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-10169532048204966352011-02-11T20:05:00.000-08:002011-02-12T13:38:37.763-08:00Valentine Card Box<p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=IMG_2352.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 499px; HEIGHT: 352px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/IMG_2352.jpg" width="706" height="481" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">My daughter's 3rd grade class got an assignment to make Valentine card boxes to bring to collect their cards and goodies in this year. Being that she's <em>completely</em> dog crazy, I came up with this idea for a dog box for her and I to make together. She needed to have it in by today, so of course, we waited until last night to make it. I'm guessing that we aren't the only ones out there who've waited until the last minute and need a Valentine box, so I figured I'd do a tutorial in case anyone needed a little help out there. Unfortunately, I didn't think about doing the tutorial until after we'd completed the box, so I did some drawings to show the steps instead. Yes, I did the drawings, not my 8 year old. Next time I should probably consider getting out a ruler...</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>What you'll need </strong></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">A box that has good depth to it (so it won't tip over when loaded w/cards)<br />paint and paint brush<br />markers<br />tape<br />glue<br />colored construction paper<br />card stock<br />box cutter or exacto knife<br />scissors<br />sticker</span></p><p align="left"></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial.jpg" /></span></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Close up the top of your box and paint it the color you'd like your dog (or other animal that your child picks). Once the paint is dry, tape down the sides of the lid so they don't stand away from the box.</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial004.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial004.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Draw the dog's face on the card stock. You'll want to make it about ½" to 1" wider than your box. Color in the face of the dog with markers or paint. We outlined the dog's head with black marker to make sure it showed up nicely. </span></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial001.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial001.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Draw a line across the front of the box that's a couple of inches above where the bottom of the dog's head will be. This will be where you'll need to make a cut. Then on the sides of your box, measure down a couple of inches on the back edge and make a line going from that measurement down to where it will meet up with the line on the front. You should have a diagonal line on each side like I've drawn in the picture above. Then <strong>very carefully</strong> cut along those lines with the box cutter or exacto knife, leaving the back of the box still connected. Fold back the part you've cut and that will become the lid of the box.</span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial003.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial003.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Now to make the envelope that the dog is holding in its mouth. Cut out a rectangular piece of construction paper that's width is suitable size to fit your dog's face. Make a three-way fold as I've shown in the above picture and tape the sides of the bottom two folds to create the pocket of the envelope. Cut the top piece in a triangular shape so that when it's folded down again, it will look like the back of an envelope. We took markers and outlined the edge of the pointed part so the shape will be seen more clearly. Then use a Valentine's sticker to close the "envelope." </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial007.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial007.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">With the dog's head and the envelope face down on a table, tape the envelope in place so it will look like the dog is carrying it in its mouth.</span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial002.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial002.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Take another piece of construction paper that will match your chosen dog and fold it in half so it's tall and skinny. Now cut out both halves at the same time in the shape of dog's ears. Keeping the two cut pieces together, fold over the tops of the ears about 1½" down. </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial005.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial005.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Tape the folded part of the ear on the side of the box up at the top. Taping it like this should let the ears stand out from the box a bit. </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=tutorial006.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/tutorial006.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Glue the dog's face onto the front of the box on the lid you've created. You'll want to make sure the dog's face goes a bit higher than the top of the box while still hanging down a bit lower than where you've made the cut for the box lid. If you use white glue for this step, I'd recommend spreading out the glue on the box with your finger to flatten it down. Even card stock will ripple if you don't follow this step. Don't ask me how I know. Yeah. </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/?action=view&current=IMG_2347.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 499px; HEIGHT: 334px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/tutorials/IMG_2347.jpg" width="710" height="490" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">This box really was pretty easy to make, and my daughter had a really fun time making it with me. If you and your kiddo make one, I'd love to see pictures of it! Enjoy!</span></p><br /><br /><aborder="0"href="http: target="_blank"><img alt="JoinusSaturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the weekend wrapupparty!" src="http://hadfield.smugmug.com/photos/825895175_xmTVA-O.jpg" /> <img border="0" src="http://www.rememberthemoments.com/images/blog/satbutton.gif" width="180" height="180" /> <a href="http://www.lovinmylovebugs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Rachelle%20Czuk/featureyourselffridaybuttoncopy.png" /></a> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.localfunforkids.com/"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/Jo1971/combinedbutton4.jpg" /></a></p><br /><a href="http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/search/label/show%20and%20tell" target="_blank"></a><br /><center><a href="http://www.localfunforkids.com/"></a> </center>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-11315220618481442342011-02-01T12:58:00.000-08:002011-02-01T12:58:30.495-08:00Turkey Chili<span style="font-size:130%;">Is it a bit cold where you live? How about some turkey chili to warm your belly? Yeah, I know what you're thinkin'. Turkey chili? Blech. But that's just because you haven't tried my turkey chili. While ground turkey can lean towards the bland, this chili is like a happy dance for your mouth. Really. Just look at the low fat and the fiber as a bonus! </span><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_1553.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 509px; HEIGHT: 374px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_1553.jpg" width="546" height="488" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Start by browning up your ground turkey in a large skillet. This makes a lot of chili, so the bigger the skillet the better. After you've browned the turkey, drain the fat. </span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_1554.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 515px; HEIGHT: 371px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_1554.jpg" width="544" height="502" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Add in the tomato sauce and water. </span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_1557.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 517px; HEIGHT: 405px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_1557.jpg" width="704" height="504" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Toss in all the other ingredients except the beans and simmer, covered, for half an hour. This chili has a good kick to it, but if you like it extra spicy, add more ground red pepper to taste after this simmer. I'd recommend sampling it first before adding more though. Better safe than trying to down every drop of water within reach.</span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_1560.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 521px; HEIGHT: 397px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_1560.jpg" width="640" height="490" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Stir in the beans and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.</span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_1562.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 527px; HEIGHT: 358px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_1562.jpg" width="719" height="475" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Add your favorite toppings and enjoy! This chili freezes beautifully, so it's great if you're making prepare ahead meals. It's the dish that just keeps giving!</span></p><p align="left"></p><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Turkey Chili</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">2 lbs. ground turkey</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">2 C. water</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">2 15 oz. cans kidney beans</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">4 cloves of garlic, minced (2 tsp.)</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1/4 C. dry minced onion or 1 sm. onion, diced</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1 tsp. oregano</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1 tsp. paprika</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1 tsp. black pepper</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1/2 tsp. salt</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">6 tsp. chili powder</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1/4 tsp. ground red pepper</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet then drain the fat. Add all the other ingredients except the beans, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the beans and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.</span>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-13055847796502934192011-01-21T11:28:00.000-08:002011-01-21T11:28:45.648-08:00A Two-fer<span style="font-size:130%;">It looks like <a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-little-surprises.html">last week's</a> <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/2011/01/fingerprint-friday_21.html">Fingerprint Friday</a> has turned into a two-fer. Why? Because my daughter is totally tickled about my find in the eye shadow, so she's now looking for her own Happy Little Surprises. And wouldn't you know it? A child seeking a little love note from God has found it. </span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/?action=view&current=IMG_2228.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 477px; HEIGHT: 329px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/IMG_2228.jpg" width="604" height="490" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Yes. That is a Captain Crunch Crunchberry. 'Cuz I'm Mom of the Year. </span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/?action=view&current=IMG_2224.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 479px; HEIGHT: 310px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/IMG_2224.jpg" width="604" height="481" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Are you looking for God's fingerprints? They could be anywhere. Including your sugary breakfast cereal. </span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-24778875943160580802011-01-18T22:27:00.000-08:002011-01-18T22:31:59.310-08:00Think these are still good?<div align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=349dy03.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 517px; HEIGHT: 267px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/349dy03.jpg" width="517" height="267" /></a></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:medium;">You know those dates they put on food items? They kind of make me crazy. With some things, it's the "sell by" date and with others, it's the "use by" date. Madness! Fortunately I have a way to figure out if my eggs are still good. I mean, who wants to crack open a bad egg? Yuck. All you have to do is put the egg in a bowl of water. If it floats, throw it away! Eggshells become more porous as they age and more air gets into the shell - the kiss of death for eggs. As long as that egg of yours sinks, it's still good.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:medium;">On that same subject, did you know that eggs that are a bit older (but still not floaters) are actually better to use when making hard boiled eggs? Yup. A bit of air under the shell helps make peeling the boiled egg a lot easier. You like easier, right?<br /><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:medium;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:medium;"><br /></div></span><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; CLEAR: right; cssfloat: right" href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"><img style="WIDTH: 171px; HEIGHT: 150px" border="0" src="http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7055/wanderingwedbutton.jpg" width="171" height="150" /></a></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/2011/01/wfmw-what-to-bring-a-friend-on-bedrest/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/blog%20carnival%20buttons/wfmw-300x198.png" /></a> </div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"></div><br /><center><br /><center style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><br /><center style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><br /><center style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><br /><center style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><br /><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" align="right"></div><br /><div align="right"><a href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"></a></div></center></center></center></center></center>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12221705613894074531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-84278318952344222072011-01-17T09:55:00.000-08:002011-02-14T08:52:40.665-08:00Baked Potato Soup<p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2171.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 453px; HEIGHT: 296px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2171.jpg" width="661" height="333" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Okay, I'm just gonna say it: Potatoes are a gift from God. Yum! And if you love potatoes like I love potatoes, you're going to be one happy camper when you eat this soup. Just so you know, this is not soup you eat when you're on a diet. This is comfort food, and it's good. </span><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2174.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 467px; HEIGHT: 302px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2174.jpg" width="666" height="460" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">What's not to love about things like bacon, half and half, garlic and onions? Okay, I'm going to admit something to you now: I never use fresh onions when I cook. That's right, I use those dehydrated minced onions. Why? Because I like the flavor that onions give to food, but I really hate biting into an onion. Ick. So if you're an onion lover, substitute a medium onion sauteed in some butter for the minced onion in the recipe below. Go ahead. It won't hurt my feelings. Those tears are from the onion vapors...</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2180.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 463px; HEIGHT: 310px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2180.jpg" width="695" height="489" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">What you're going to want to do is put broth, bacon, onion, garlic and spices into the pot and bring it to a boil.</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2182.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 477px; HEIGHT: 301px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2182.jpg" width="683" height="410" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Cube up your baked potatoes (You're going to want to do this when the potatoes are cooled. Trust me on this one.) in good sized chunks. I like to leave the skins on, but feel free to peel them if you'd like.</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2187.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 493px; HEIGHT: 298px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2187.jpg" width="695" height="474" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Add the potatoes to the broth mixture and turn the heat down.</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2189.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 501px; HEIGHT: 372px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2189.jpg" width="635" height="445" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Pour in your half and half and heat through, but don't boil it.</span><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2194.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 489px; HEIGHT: 342px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2194.jpg" width="655" height="466" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Look at all that yummy basil! </span><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2196.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 497px; HEIGHT: 370px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2196.jpg" width="624" height="597" /></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Now if you're like me, you like your soups on the thick side. To thicken up your soup, add some instant mashed potato flakes, a small amount at a time, to your soup pot. The soup will continue to thicken after you're done adding the potato flakes, so you might want to stop adding the flakes before it gets to the consistency that you'd like it to be. Continue to heat through without boiling.</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_2202.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 501px; HEIGHT: 375px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_2202.jpg" width="735" height="461" /></a></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Serve with a garnish of shredded cheese if you'd like. And I like! Then prepare to get a thank you from your mouth. Happy eating!</span></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Baked Potato Soup</strong></span></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">5 medium baked potatoes, cubed<br />6 cups chicken broth<br />2 cups half and half<br />1/3 cup crumbled bacon<br />1/4 cup minced onion<br />2 cloves minced garlic (about 1 tsp.)<br />1 tsp. salt<br />1 tsp. pepper<br />2 tsp. dried basil<br />instant mashed potato flakes (optional)<br />grated cheddar cheese (optional)<br /><br />In a stock pot, pour in the chicken broth, then add the bacon, onions, garlic, salt, pepper and basil. Heat to boiling, then add your cubed baked potatoes. Reduce heat and add the half and half. Do not let your soup boil now, but heat through. If you prefer a thicker soup, start adding the mashed potato flakes in small amounts, stirring continuously, until you have your desired consistency. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese if desired. </p><br /><br /></span><br /><center><a href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2zeauwx.jpg" /></a></center>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-49734990123863420082011-01-14T12:00:00.000-08:002011-01-14T12:00:30.984-08:00Happy Little Surprises<span style="font-size:130%;">My lovely bloggy friend, <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/">Beki</a>, does something called <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/2011/01/fingerprint-friday_14.html">"Fingerprint Friday"</a> on her blog (almost) every week. She asks that we share how we see God's fingerprints in our lives. So, without further ado...</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 541px; HEIGHT: 393px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/mish%20mash/IMG_2223-1.jpg" width="620" height="517" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Joyful little surprises! Yes, that's a happy face in my eyeshadow. I noticed it there not too long ago. I'm not sure how long it was like that before I noticed it, but there ya go. I love God's sense of humor!</span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-57441473355162622222011-01-11T22:21:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:44:32.235-08:00Helpful Hints - Saving yourself some time and money<p align="center"><a href="http://photobucket.com/images/steak" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 527px; HEIGHT: 323px" border="0" alt="Porterhouse steak - frozen Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i606.photobucket.com/albums/tt144/Kidordinn/PorterhousesteakP1020295.jpg" width="875" height="671" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:58%;">photo courtesty of photobucket</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Do you ever go shopping and see those mega-packs of meat? I love that you can get them for a better price than if you're just buying a small pack of the same type of meat. Unless you've got a really big family, you probably aren't going to use the whole package at once though. Freezing the meat is a great option, but it's also a way to save some time for yourself in the future. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">How? </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Put the meat in a plastic zipper bag with some marinade before you throw it in the freezer. Now when you go to thaw your meat later, you're marinating it at the same time. I don't know about you, but I like to marinate meats for a good long time to really get the flavor going, so this works really nicely for that.<br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/?action=view&current=IMG_1616.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 491px; HEIGHT: 293px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/food/IMG_1616.jpg" width="685" height="406" /></a></p><br />Also, if you like to make your own marinade, you can just pour the ingredients into the plastic bag before putting your meat in, give it a good shake (after zipping the bag), and save yourself from having to wash a bowl afterward. And really? Who wants more dishes to wash? </span><br /><a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/2011/01/wfmw-how-to-tie-a-scarf-vlog/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/blog%20carnival%20buttons/wfmw-300x198.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 164px" border="0" src="http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7055/wanderingwedbutton.jpg" width="150" height="216" /></a><br /><p align="right"><a href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"></a></p><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"></a></center>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12221705613894074531noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-57007150540577601132011-01-11T11:50:00.000-08:002011-01-14T12:39:38.449-08:00Broken - My tale of infertility and miracles<span style="font-size:130%;">I am broken.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. My ovaries are covered in cysts which keeps me from ovulating normally. I found this out before I got married. My doctor told me that I would probably never have kids. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My heart was broken.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a mommy. I had visions of having lots of little ones to love. Even as a youngster, I enjoyed having smaller kids around. God just seemed to give me a heart for kids. It felt like He was preparing me...</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My dreams felt broken.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I cried buckets of tears and felt pain that can't be described. I prayed. I ached. I longed. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">God does His best work with the broken.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But deep in my heart, I still hoped. I felt like God had put this longing in my heart, so there must be a reason for it. I held on to my favorite Bible verse: </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:45 (NIV) </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">These wonderful words are spoken to Mary, while she was pregnant with Jesus, by Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. If you haven't read it lately, it's definitely worth a read. So amazing...</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">God fixes the broken places.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I felt so sick. So many pains that I just couldn't explain. I took home test after home test, each one telling me that I was not pregnant. Surely I must be dying then. But God knew the truth. He knew before He blessed me. And finally, science was able to see what God knew all along: I was pregnant. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">God gave me a miracle.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When I was 5 weeks 5 days pregnant, I got to see my miracle on an ultrasound machine. I saw her tiny beating heart, and felt my brokenness healing. The months that followed brought so much joy! Every movement she'd make was a reminder of the miracle. And when the day of her arrival finally came, His blessings overflowed. When I held my daughter, the love I felt was like nothing I'd ever felt before! The miracle of her birth brought on another miracle - a small glimpse at the love that God has for us, because as much as I love my daughter, it's small in comparison to how much He loves us. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My miracle is 8 years old now. God's gift brings joy to me every day. Every day, His love overwhelms me.<br /></span><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/?action=view&current=IMG_2114.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="WIDTH: 509px; HEIGHT: 347px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/IMG_2114.jpg" width="730" height="508" /></span></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">And my heart is whole again.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">I'm linking this up to <a href="http://peterpollock.com/2011/01/broken-blog-carnival/">Peter's One Word carnival on "broken"</a> today. Why not see what others have had to say?</span></p><br /><center><a href="http://ambocullum.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/ambo14/journeyoffaithfriday2-2.gif" /></center></a><br /><a href="http://ambocullum.blogspot.com/"></a>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-78519081888264271712011-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:002011-01-10T11:42:56.987-08:00The chicken came first<span style="font-size:130%;">If you read <a href="http://weightwhat.blogspot.com/">my other blog</a>, you might remember me talking about our chickens. We <a href="http://weightwhat.blogspot.com/2010/06/life-is-funny-my-peeps.html">got them when they were newly hatched</a>...</span><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 505px; HEIGHT: 335px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/mish%20mash/IMG_1640.jpg" width="739" height="485" /></a><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 507px; HEIGHT: 314px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/mish%20mash/IMG_1638.jpg" width="703" height="474" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">...and they were the cutest things ever! Can I just tell you that baby chicks grow up way too fast? Yeah, it wasn't long before one of our <a href="http://weightwhat.blogspot.com/2010/08/going-to-live-on-farm.html">"chickens" started crowing</a>. That wasn't a fun discovery. </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">So now we have two chickens left. They've started a new chapter...</span></p><p align="left"></p><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 521px; HEIGHT: 341px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/chickens/IMG_2151.jpg" width="674" height="435" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Do not try to adjust your computer screen - that is the color of the eggs! Aren't they gorgeous?! Our chickens are Easter Eggers, and that kind of chicken lays fun colored eggs. It looks like the color of choice for our chickens will be this lovely greenish-blue. The color is so pretty it makes me want to go get some matching paint and paint something! Hmmm... Could be a future project in the making...</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Have you ever thought about getting chickens? It's been a lot of fun having them! My daughter just loves them...</span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 463px; HEIGHT: 726px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/chickens/IMG_2147.jpg" width="463" height="766" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">If you get bantams (a smaller sized chicken), they don't take up a whole lot of room. They aren't really high maintenance, you'll get the best eggs you've ever tasted, and the poop is great for your garden! Plus, they're really entertaining. We've spent quite a bit of time watching chicken antics around here. Raising chickens has been a new thing for me - not a lot of chickens where I grew up in Southern California! But it really has been a great experience. Maybe I've got more farmer in me than I thought!</span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 465px; HEIGHT: 302px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/chickens/IMG_2154.jpg" width="708" height="461" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Now if I could just talk my husband into getting a fainting goat...</span></p><p align="center"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f_3Utmj4RPU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f_3Utmj4RPU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-73135738019575734442011-01-05T07:49:00.000-08:002011-01-05T16:13:12.101-08:00Shocking, but true.<div align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/vintage/Ironing.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Hi, my name is Wendy and I don't iron. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Shocking, but true. It's not that I can't iron, I just can't be bothered. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Don't judge me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">That's not to say that my family goes around in wrinkled clothes all the time. I've got a trick, you see. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Get ready for it... </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A spray bottle of water. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I know, you're amazed. But really, a light misting of water on your cotton clothes and a bit of a tug on the fabric and the wrinkles will pull right out. A handful of years back, I saw a commercial for a product that some company was touting that did the same thing. I just had to laugh. Why would I go out and by some chemical something-or-other to do a job that I'd been using plain water for for years? Crazy, huh? Anyway, give it a try. It takes a lot less time than ironing and it's a lot easier. Easy is good.</span><br /><br /><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; CLEAR: right; cssfloat: right" href="http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7055/wanderingwedbutton.jpg" /></a><a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/2011/01/wfmw-what-doesnt-work-for-me/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/blog%20carnival%20buttons/wfmw-300x198.png" /></a></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><br /></div><br /><br /><center style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"></center>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12221705613894074531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-3665645565438879912010-12-29T09:37:00.000-08:002010-12-29T10:07:06.868-08:00Recognizing Diabetes in Your Child<span style="font-size:130%;">I was all ready to do a completely different post today. Something of much lighter fare. But then when I saw the theme for today's <a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/2010/12/wfmw-2010-reflections/">"Works For Me Wednesday" </a>carnival, that all changed. Kristen asked, "If you could tell people just ONE THING. What would it be?" While there a ton of great possibilities for this topic, the one that jumped out at me was to talk about Type 1 (or juvenile) Diabetes. Why? Because my beautiful little girl was diagnosed with it when she was only 15 months old.</span><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://wendydarlingltd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 551px; HEIGHT: 409px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/OtherPictures524.jpg" width="582" height="424" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Let me just say right now, there's very little chance that your child has Type 1 Diabetes. I'm not writing this post to try to cause people to worry. Unfortunately, this condition is out there and it isn't necessarily something that runs in families. There's no sign of it in either my or my husband's families. Its symptoms can go unnoticed, and many times do, until a child is in a diabetic coma. This is not something I'd wish on any parent, so I've decided to talk about some of the warning signs.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">One of the first signs of Diabetes is weight loss. This can easily be overlooked because children will often have growth spurts which tend to thin them out. Weight loss caused by Diabetes occurs because the body is losing glucose (energy) through urination. The body will then use the body's fat and muscle stores to try to regain that energy. There can also be an increase in hunger as the cells become malnourished. Diabetes can also cause weakness because of the cells being robbed of their energy.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">The thing that really tipped it off for me with my daughter was the increased thirst and urination. Now by this, I'm not saying that there was an extra diaper change a day. No, she was completely soaking through diapers. Repeatedly. I'd put a clean diaper on her before putting her down for a nap and she'd wake up 45 minutes later with both her and her crib soaked. When blood sugar (glucose) is high, the kidneys can't get all the glucose back into the bloodstream so the glucose is put out in the urine. Unfortunately, this makes the urine very concentrated, so water is pulled from the blood to reduce the concentration. The water and glucose fill up the bladder quickly and repeatedly causing the excessive urination.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">As I said at the beginning, there's a good chance that your child does not have diabetes. But if you do notice your child experiencing the symptoms I've listed above, a simple finger poke at the pediatrician's office can tell you one way or the other. Should the doctor come back and tell you that your child does have Diabetes, please know that treatment options are so much better now than they've ever been. My daughter, who is now 8, has an insulin pump (Hooray for not having to do shots all day!) and has as much freedom to have a piece of cake at a birthday party as any other child would. While we have made changes to make sure she's as healthy as possible, it's not been anything horrible or drastic. It just becomes the new normal. And hope for a cure is alive and well.</span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-27161595164328308122010-12-24T11:27:00.000-08:002010-12-24T11:36:59.852-08:00Fingerprint Friday - Tidings of Great Joy<span style="font-size:130%;">Merry Christmas! For today's <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/2010/12/fingerprint-friday_24.html">Fingerprint Friday</a>, I wanted to share the best Fingerprint God gave us: His Son. May His Fingerprint be alive and well in your hearts. Blessings to you and your family!<br /></span><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/christmas/?action=view&current=IMG_2135.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 543px; HEIGHT: 370px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/christmas/IMG_2135.jpg" width="666" height="485" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom He is well pleased. </span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Luke 2:8-14</span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-74249436453060264052010-12-21T08:55:00.000-08:002010-12-21T08:55:45.883-08:00The Untrained Eye - Snow Day<span style="font-size:130%;">Every now and then, I'll be reviewing a book I've read or a movie I've seen. Why am I calling it "The Untrained Eye"? Because as the name implies, I have absolutely no training or background for reviewing these things. I'm just a normal person giving my opinion. If you're like me, you have no idea why critics come up with the critiques that they do. So I'll just be putting out a critique for the regular guy/gal. You know, one that makes sense...</span><br /><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">For my very first review, I'll be talking about <em>Snow Day</em> by <a href="http://www.billycoffey.com/">Billy Coffey</a>. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that Billy is a friend of mine on Twitter (you can follow him at @billycoffey). I was beyond thrilled when he offered to send me a copy of his book and I sat impatiently by the mailbox and waited for it to arrive. In hindsight, I probably could have waited a couple of days before I started camping out at the mailbox... That being said, I may be biased, but that doesn't mean I'm not right about this book. </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://billycoffey.com/" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 217px; HEIGHT: 281px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/mish%20mash/Snow-day.jpg" width="217" height="258" /></a></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Have you ever sat down to read a book only to find yourself smiling? That happened quite a bit for me while I was reading <em>Snow Day</em>. It's such an engaging book! It's the story of Peter Boyd, a factory worker who fears he may be out of a job soon. When a winter storm comes in one day, he decides to call in a snow day from work. But there's to be no sitting around at home for Peter this day. He's got things to do in order to be prepared for the coming storm, literally and figuratively. This is where things get interesting...</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Billy Coffey is a master in the Art of Observation. Everyone and everything has a story if you'll just sit back and take it in for a bit. His character, Peter, does just that with his day. It's amazing what stories come out when you just pay attention. I especially love chapter 4 when Peter comes across a wonky Santa figurine and a sweet couple who give him a new perspective on things. Be prepared to smile during this chapter! </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">This book is full of hope, faith, joy and surprises. Who couldn't use more of those things? Christmas is just a few days away now. Do you have any last minute gifts you need to get for others? Do you want a treat for yourself? Then I'd highly recommend this book to you. It's in book stores everywhere, so you don't even need to wait. It's one that I see myself taking out year after year to re-read. Doesn't someone you know deserve a Snow Day?</span></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-56433857170966132722010-12-20T08:07:00.000-08:002010-12-20T08:07:06.395-08:00When did "Christmas" become a bad word?<p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/christmas/?action=view&current=PCChristmasComic.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/christmas/PCChristmasComic.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Okay, I'm going to be a rebel right now. I'm going to put it all out there and wish you a Merry Christmas. That's right, I said "Christmas." </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">When did "Christmas" become a bad word?</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">I went to my daughter's "winter program" last week at her school. Yeah. Let's not even call it a "holiday program" because that may infer that there's something being celebrated that could be offensive. I had felt a slight glimmer of hope when I looked at the program that was handed out - it had "Do You Hear What I Hear" listed as one of the songs being performed. It appears that that was just a typo though and someone had accidentally added on the "What I Hear" part. Nope, it wasn't the Christmas carol we're all familiar with. Although it was a lovely song about winter. I found it amazing that they were able to find so many songs for the season that didn't have the word "Christmas" in them. Of course, I was shocked when a few of the songs included the word "holiday." Shocked!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">When did our country lose its grip on reality? </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">The vast majority of people in this country do celebrate Christmas. And for those who don't, are they really offended by the holiday? I'm not Jewish, so should I be offended by Hannukah? Why would I try to squash a holiday so steeped in tradition and the celebration of something miraculous? And who am I to try to put limits on another person's religious beliefs? Or lack thereof? I'm not saying that atheists should be forced to participate in Christmas, but they shouldn't be able to keep me from celebrating it.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Let's stop putting a damper on joy. These days, we could use all the joy we can get! And really, what can bring that joy more than celebrating the Miracle of Christmas? Let's claim our holiday back. Merry Christmas to you!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span> </p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-84621349292321967202010-12-17T13:17:00.000-08:002010-12-17T13:56:05.335-08:00Fingerprint Friday - Family<span style="font-size:130%;">Well, here it is - my first 'real' post on my new blog. Yeah, that last one doesn't really count. And since it was <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/">Beki</a> that put the idea in my head about doing a second blog (whether she realizes it or not), I thought that my first post should be one for her <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/2010/12/fingerprint-friday_16.html">Fingerprint Friday</a> carnival. How did <a href="http://www.blog.therustedchain.com/">Beki</a> put the idea in my head? I'll be saving that for a later blog post. Gotta keep people guessing! Now, on to the post!</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/?action=view&current=snow2010002.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="WIDTH: 569px; HEIGHT: 380px" border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/mommy2charisse/charisse/snow2010002.jpg" width="568" height="452" /></a></p><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I see God's fingerprints all over in this picture! I see love, joy, laughter, beauty and family here and God is the author of all these things. I am so blessed!</span>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377069690077072368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6196244510442227050.post-53558223312499847642010-04-25T17:05:00.000-07:002010-04-25T17:12:17.280-07:00Coming Soon...<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Blog posts coming soon! Soon is a relative term, right?</span></div><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://photobucket.com/images/coming%20soon" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="coming soon Pictures, Images and Photos" src="http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo52/organicwellness/coming_soon.jpg" /></a></p>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12221705613894074531noreply@blogger.com4