Homemade Ice Cream

For each person you will need:
1 quart size zip-lock bag
2 gallon size zip-lock bags
Ice (lots)
Rock salt
...and the recipe below:

Mix together:
2 quarts of whole milk
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 can Eagle Brand (the optional secret ingredient)

Pour 2 cups of the above mixture into a quart size freezer zip-lock bag. Seal tightly and squeeze out as much air as possible. Place this bag into gallon size zip-lock bag. Seal tightly and squeeze out as much air as possible. Place these two bags into another gallon size zip-lock bag. Fill this outer bag three quarters of the way with crushed ice. Sprinkle lots of rock salt over the ice and seal the ice bag tightly squeezing out as much air as possible. Wear mittens and shake the bag till your ice cream gets solid. Eat immediately! Enjoy!

Do you know where you are going?

Do you know what your destination in life is? Without a clear destination you will find yourself and your family wandering aimlessly through life or perhaps arriving at a place that you don't want to be. Having a purpose and a plan will help you get where you want to go.

I would invite you to develop a family mission statement. Your mission statement should reflect your goals, values, and morals. What are you trying to accomplish with your children? What will your children learn from you? What will your children teach your grandchildren? What will the great-grandchildren carry on? In the business of everyday life it is easy to forget that daily habits and attitudes can carry on far beyond your lifetime.

I want to leave this world a better place and I want my children to also make a positive contribution to others. Here is my family's mission statement:

Our family will strive to discover our God given gifts and talents. We will develop those gifts and use them to further God's kingdom in service to others.

Let the journey begin!

Winter Wonderland

My Velveteen Rabbit

This wonderful old rabbit was made by my dear Aunt Marie for my mother in about 1928. Aunt Marie was a wonderful seamstress and overall sweet lady who always had ALL her candy dishes full (and she had lots of them!).

Mr. Rabbit was loved and played with by two generations and he shows his age just like the Velveteen Rabbit. I sometimes feel like Mr. Rabbit worn old by life's wear and tear. I have had my share of troubles in life (as we all do) but I will have to say I have become WISE THROUGH MY WOUNDS.
Here are some things I learned the hard way:
In dealing with sickness, I learned empathy.
When I was unfairly imposed on by others, I learned to be unselfish.
When I was treated badly, I learned to establish emotional boundaries.
When I failed, I learned to be humble and depend on God not my own resources.

The lessons of life leave us battered and wounded but they also leave a treasure trove of wisdom.

Please share a piece of wisdom you learned during a hard time.

The 100 year plan

Father time... He is relentless in his march forward. How should we be spending our precious family time? What will count for something in 100 years? It easy to get caught up in the rush of life and forget to "stop and smell the roses" together. The perspective of 100 years makes baking cookies seem a lot more important.

What do you think?

Passing the baton....

I have been giving a lot of thought to what is really important in life. I am old enough that most of the older generation has passed away. While I miss them I also realize that I have the opportunity to pick and choose what I carry on to the next generation. What did the older generation leave behind? What things should be deleted and not passed to the next generation? What things should be kept and nurtured for future generations? As I look back on the legacy that was left to me I realize that some of the most meaningful things are very, very simple. To list a few of the positive things that meant a lot:

*phone calls just to see how we were doing
*little hand-made gifts
*cookies
*making a favorite food for a family gathering
*sharing a recipe
*laughing
*doing fun things together like picnics or hot dog roasts

How do you carry love forward to the next generation?

Mr.Ugly Pumpkin

Backyard Bounty

Look what's hiding in the Rose of Sharon

Magenta Petunias

Black-eyed Susans