a goulash-y post (a little of this, a little of that...) & SCT

Thank you so much for all your laughter my dear bloggy friends at my unfortunate experiences on Tuesday, it makes it all so much easier to bear knowing that my mistakes and misfortune cause you so much pleasure! No, seriously though... thanks for all the sweet comments! Life is pretty much back to some kind of normalcy, whatever that is.

sonic ice!!!

The new fridge is installed, it has food in it, the food is cold... it has even made a lot of ice! I tried out the filtered water in the door at 3 a.m. last night and I would give it a thumbs up! And regarding the old friend, two things I forgot to mention about that... 1) I did get dressed to go shop for a fridge and he was still with my dad visiting outside so I at least was able to show him I did know how to 'clean up,' and 2) the first thing out of my mouth when I stomped in the front room looking like I described was "don't look at me" Isn't that hilarious? I can't even believe I said that or that I am admitting it... but, it just came out of my mouth before my brain caught up. Oh well. I did take that lesson to heart and got dressed early yesterday morning so that I wouldn't be embarrassed when the refrigerator delivery people came. Good thing too! They came earlier than I expected.

Next subject... Sandra's slow cooker Thursday! I love my crock pot. I had crock pot meatloaf on my MPM for Tuesday night, but with the Memorial day cookouts it got bumped to last night. It was really good! I left it cooking while we went to church and everyone came home and ate it up! Even Amanda who hates meatloaf! (Bailey didn't eat it because, well, he doesn't eat meat...)
So, I already linked to it on my MPM... but, it was good enough to share it here. By the way, I also used the crock pot liner and those things sure make clean up easy! I used the foil over that because I thought it might be necessary for browning or something.

Crock Pot Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup italian breadcrumbs or crushed crackers

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion (diced)

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into a meatloaf shape that will fit into your crock pot. Cut a strip of foil and place under the meatloaf in crock pot. Cut it long enough to cover the bottom and sides of meatloaf. Place meat loaf in crock pot and top with an additional 2 tablespoons ketchup & chili sauce. Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours or high for four hours.

We've been putting Izzy in the stander that we borrowed from school a lot recently. Since we are home more with no school this is possible. This includes wearing the foot splints too, which I have to say she isn't thrilled about either. I do see her legs getting stronger, that is very encouraging. This is a pic of the stander. Our den is basically full of her equipment. It is tucked away everywhere and whatever we are 'using' at the time is just kinda in the middle of it all! I am getting used to it and it is just how things will be until we get her running around. I have said it before but feel it necessary to say again, "I believe Izzy will be restored completely through the healing blood of Jesus Christ, I believe that she has been healed by the stripes of Jesus, we are simply waiting and expecting the manifestation of this healing." If you don't agree with this, don't pray for her. I also don't need to be felt sorry for or talked out of my beliefs. These beliefs are based on God's word alone and have taken root deep inside me now, they will not be moved.

We went to church last night (cornerstone). There was a guest speaker. I am pretty aware of things so when they were having singing I noticed a gray haired gentleman standing by the pastor of the church ... I told Matt, "that guy has spunk, I hope he is the guest speaker." I was right! He did have spunk. His message was "shake it off and step up." He told a story about a donkey in a well that was being buried because they couldn't get him out and each shovel of dirt thrown down he shook it off and used it to step up until he was out of that well. It was a great motivational lesson and lots of good scriptures went along with it.

New topic... Amanda. She is leaving for montreal in less than two weeks and her passport has yet to come. We applied at the beginning of March and were told there was no problem and now here we are with a problem. I plan to spend the day on the phone trying to have it expedited. That and deciding how many american $ to change into canadian $'s have been the topics the last few days. We've been told she will need canadian money for niagra falls too. She is going with our church to visit our old preacher who has a church in montreal now. She is SOOOOO... excited.

Another thing I didn't mention is that Saturday on my way home from that brunch we hosted and while my mil was here, I got a letter from the health care authority stating that as of 5-31 Izzy no longer has tefra which is the program I had to jump through 8 months of hoops to get her approved for. Anyway, I couldn't call until Tuesday, because Monday was a state holiday but I finally found out that they deleted her from the system because I called when they mispelled her name "iszbell" instead of "isabelle" and that correction deleted her somehow. I was on the phone with them when I discovered the dead fridge and while I poured the gunk on Izzy. So, it was a fun morning all in all. I promise that is the last I'm going to say about that. ok?

In Light of the Truth is hosting a weekly memory verse. I signed up! This week's scripture is:
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Thank you Tori for the cd you mailed! It is such beautiful music, I can hear it playing on the kitchen cd player! (it is her husband playing) You are so sweet! I love good mail!

TTT next week I was thinking about memories of our fathers since father's day is around the corner. What do you think?

Ever had one of those days...?...

Today started with a 'puddle' of water in my kitchen floor... followed by an exploded bag of rolls in the freezer, can you guess why??? ding ding ding, lady in the corner? Yep, the refrigerator died! Just what I wanted on a nice Tuesday morning right? Oh, it gets better...
So I was feeding Iz her blueberry, vitamin, protein, soy milk drink and she was kinda whiny like something was hurting so I tried to reposition her and when I did I sloshed the cup of drink all over her head. So, we headed directly to the bath and didn't pass go ...
And then... I was trying to unload things to try to salvage them from the freezer when I walked in the front room (my dad was here) to find a guy I used to know when I looked like I do in those pictures right below this post about 20 years ago... wasn't it just lovely of him to stop by to say hello? I couldn't be more pleased... except that I had on my big t-shirt, no bra, pink pj pants with christmas packages on them and blueberry soy drink all down my front... my hair was in a messy bun with my bangs bobby pinned back, get the vision of loveliness? He did. It was kinda mortifying.
So I spent the afternoon shopping for a new fridge and cleaning out the old fridge... they will trade places tomorrow when the delivery guy comes.
Lessons learned... don't slosh blueberry drink on people, don't be so ugly even when at home where you think no one will see you, and always look for the bright side of things... play the glad game like pollyanna did... you know.
I'm glad I am alive. I'm glad I get a new fridge. I'm glad tomorrow is a new day. :o)

Time Travel Tuesday ~ First Date Edition

Today for our travel through time, we will be visiting our first date. Can you remember who your first date was with, where you went, etc.?

Us about 8 months after we met, just home from church...

Matt...

Here's me & Matt not long after we started dating...

I was the youngest, with two older brothers. My parents were very trusting of me and let me go out at a young age. I can't really call these dates though. I mostly went with guys from church youth group places or with a group of people. Sometimes on a group 'date' but not really a date. . . until I met Matt. I met Matt right after his 18th birthday and two months before my 16th birthday. The first day I met him he asked me out on a date. I had gone to an amusement park the night before with a friend and two guys and felt like my social life was just taking off so I didn't mind telling him, "I have plans Friday." He asked about Saturday to which I replied, "I have plans Saturday too." This was a Thursday, so he said, "how about tonight?" and I said, "sure."

This is a picture about two years into our relationship...

So, for our first date we did take along my best friend and his best friend (who got along great)... and went to eat and to his friend's house an hour away from home with no parents home. My parents would have been mortified had they known that at the time. We popped a ton of fireworks (all at the same time) and then headed back home. We sat in the car for almost an hour with the song "You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips..." playing in the background. It was planned that way, he had the cassette tape in the tape player ready to go. I fell for him that first night, although I kept my plans the following two nights. We dated pretty much exclusively for several months and then he decided to date some fellow college girls. I didn't mind much because I had met a guy at a FBLA (future business leaders of America) conference and was 'dating' him. This dating other people thing went on until my dad called him by the wrong name mistakenly one evening. He showed up later with a gold cross necklace and a request for an exclusive relationship again. The rest is history... We're about to have our 18th wedding anniversary in June. I can't believe how many years have passed and it's funny to think of our early conversations and dreams.

I can't wait to read about your first date!

As always, if you have any suggestions for travel let me know. I was thinking about traveling to our first birth experience but don't want to leave out those who don't have children yet ... so maybe there will be an alternate path for them? Let me know what you think.

MPM~May 28

Monday
lunch ~ cookout for Memorial Day...
Dinner:
Chicken Cacciatore
(didn't get to this last week)
green beans w/ new potatoes
pasta


TuesdayCrockpot Meatloaf
mashed potatoes
corn on the cob


WednesdayTacos
spanish rice
refried beans


ThursdayCoconut Lime Chicken
Rice
broccoli

Friday
"like" KFC Twisters
potato salad
baked beans

Click on links to view recipes... and visit Laura to join in and see more menus...

For time travel Tuesday this week we are traveling way back (well for me anyway :) to our first date... can you remember where you went... with who... did you eat out... movie... Hope you'll play along.

weekend reflection~

Family~

• Friday was the last day of school
• I made these for Izzy's teacher's and therapists.
• My mom & brother Mike ate lunch at Old germany, it was good. I was going to take a picture of my food but I ate it before I remembered (oops!).

Here is Mike in front of Old Germany...

Here is the front of the restaurant...

Here is mom waiting for our food.

• Mom & I hosted a going away party for my aunt Colleen, she is moving to Denver, Colorado where her (grown) children live. She and her husband moved to Choctaw years ago to be close to some of her siblings (like my dad) and a few years ago her husband died (of cancer) so she has decided to move back to Colorado.

Amanda, mom & Colleen

Here's the spread of food we had (yum)!

• Then... Matt's mom and her husband John came over for the afternoon ...
• John cooked penne pasta with greek olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, and lots of garlic! I made my famous garlic bread!
  
• They brought a box full of brownies from panera bread.
• Do you see her ears... the decision was to give them to her! (the earrings)
  

Here is Gram with Emelia

Paula, Amanda, and John

Food~

• I followed the mpm pretty well, except didn't make the chicken caccitore... Jenna's spaghetti was good again (Matt really enjoyed it).
• I made this for the brunch today....If you look at that table full of food, I'm sure you'll be surprised to hear this was the only thing that was completely gone when the party was over. It was good....
• Here is the recipe! I used some jalapeño bread and it was really good.
  

Blogville~

• I got some good mail from Judi & Angel & Annie!
• Jenna sent me a really neat believe sign & a pretty bow for Izzy!
• Time travel Tuesday was good this week, lots of people played along!
  
• Next Tuesday we will travel to a first time something happened in our lives... can you guess which one?

I'm thankful for~

• Church at Cornerstone.
• Summer
• family
• good mail
  
• blog friends
• irl friends
• you!

Visit Judi for more weekend reflections...

mail call!

I just got the mail!

I got some good mail from Annie (not myself, of course, this annie!).

She sent some black toile stationary, how did she know that I love love love black toile???
and a sweet laura ashley notebook! I love laura ashley designs. just perfect.

thanks Annie.

AND!!!!

I got the earrings I ordered from etsy.com. Now I have to decide if I give them to Matt's mom tomorrow (yep, they are coming for belated mother's day) or if I run to town and buy her something else and keep them, because you know I do collect believe things, right????

(isn't bailey a great hand model, and how sweet that he didn't even question why I suddenly take pictures of all kinds of things and run to the laptop)




What do you think I should do?

Favorite Ingredients Friday ~ No bake cookies

Here's what I'm making today:

• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 3 cups oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Izzy's teachers seemed to really be touched by the keychains and notes. Niecie cried, but that's Niecie :o). Izzy brought home a book of pictures chronicling her year in school. I have looked at those sweet pics so many times in the last 24 hours! She had a great year and we are so blessed. She is an absolute doll. Well, today I am going to lunch at the German place I mentioned in my restaurant post. My (OLDER) brother Mike is taking me! So I'll be back later to tell you how perfect my schnitzel was!

Go over to Overwhelmed with Joy's blog to see more recipes on fif!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Name a sound you like to hear.
silence. I think that is a mom thing, but it doesn't get much better than the late nights when everyone is asleep in their little beds and the house is peaceful and quiet... or early mornings when you are the only one up and it is so quiet. I love hearing their conversations, laughter... all the good noises don't get me wrong, but the silence is music to my ears.

Soup
What is your favorite kind of cheese?
parmigiano reggiano. Love it. I could eat it plain or on so many different things from eggs to pasta. yum!

Salad
Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
No. Matt is an early riser even on the weekends and if Matt is up I am usually up too. Besides, Izzy is usually ready to get out of her bed and be fed. Sometimes I can get away with an extra few minutes if I let her snuggle with me on Saturday mornings, that's always nice!

Main Course
When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
Wow, thats hard to remember... I forgot the blender at Jane Ann's house in Dallas! It took me from Dallas to over the Oklahoma state line before I realized it and I sure wasn't driving back.
It turned out good though because now I have my lovely wonderfully convenient immersion blender from kitchen aid. I have used that thing for so much more than just Izzy's food!

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I notice ____________ when ___________.
I notice Matt's faults when I'm trying to ignore my own.

good mail

Got some good mail today!
Thanks Angel for an envelope full of fun!

There was a sweet note, address labels, a folded heart, instructions on how to make a folded animal with paper, feathers, raffia, a notepad...so creative and so cute.

The good mail girls rock.
I also mailed out several packages today, this is so much fun.

Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken

frozen skinless chicken breasts or tenders (about 2 pounds)

1/2 cup Lemon juice

several crushed garlic cloves (10-12)

1 teaspoon Seasoned salt

1 teaspoon Poultry seasoning

2 dashes Tabasco

1 cup White wine

Skin and cut up chicken. Combine with other ingredients in slow cooker/Crock Pot. Set on low. Serve over rice.

click on the picture to visit Sandra for more slow cooker recipes.

teacher & therapist gifts...

I made keychains for the teachers and therapists that work with Izzy.
I put two swarovski crystals in Izzy's birthstone,
A silver charm of each of their initial,
and a believe charm...

Here is a close up of Camilla's (izzy's physical therapist)

I then made little notes to each person telling them thank you
for different qualities they exhibit and an
explanation of the gift...

Here they are, all packed up and ready to go to school with
Izzy tomorrow for her last day!

Emelia wanted to get in on all the pictures being taken so
here she is, notice her new cut and highlights as well...

I'm so relieved to have this project completed. I am not a jewelry maker, so this was a challenge that I'm sure would be so simple to someone who 'does' this... but, they turned out cute and my goal was just to give a token to show my love and appreciation for their love of Isabelle.

this & that & more...

So, TTT yesterday was fun! Great participation! I think Karen was the only one with a suggestion for next week and it was one I had been thinking about. It has to do with firsts~that's all I'm saying for now :0)...

Well, the kids' bunny had baby bunnies the other day. Right now they are just movements in the 'nest' in the rabbit hutch. I'll have them take pics when they are more out and about. They read in a rabbit care book not to handle them for two weeks. I'm glad emelia read that! She's excited to get her hands on them.

The three legged pit bull had to have surgery last week. Yes, that means I actually had to spend money on that beast my hub loves so much. She had a prolapsed uterus. Gross right? It was. She had a complete hysterectomy or whatever you call it in the dog world. She's fine and back home... happy, and ugly :o).

Here's a pic of Amanda, I foiled and cut her hair the other night... I love it. (yes, she has on my new shirt!)

Took Izzy to bear Monday. He does really neat things. He tried to teach me some techiques to work with her hips and legs this week. I just tried some of them before her therapy and I'm getting the hang of it. He is really good at what he does. I took him some tortilla wraps this week. His wife said something about him not having sweets so I hesitate to take him something sweet. But, the wraps turned out great so that worked. I'm going to cheat and take him some of mom's cinnamon rolls soon.

Tomorrow is Izzy's last day of school. I'm off to work on her teacher and therapist's gifts. I'll show a pic of it tomorrow (I hope).

Time Travel Tuesday ~ Blog beginning edition!

For time travel Tuesday we are going back to our first blog post, posting it again, and telling about how we got started blogging...

I first started blogging because of Isabelle (pray for izzy). We had been emailing updates out for about a year to hundreds of people. With such a big list, it became hard to keep it all straight when addresses changed, etc. I started her blog so that anyone interested in her progress could just look whenever they wanted at the updates that I posted. It made my life a little easier. This first post was actually typed by Matt.

5 20 05
Isabelle continues to do really well.
We had a neurologist appointment today, I was really hoping she would be perky and alert today.
She was tired and not really very alert at the appointment, but still continues to make improvements.
The neurologist said it was 'dramatic' that she is not on any medication and not having any seizures, she also said it was 'huge' that at one year out from her accident she is not being fed by a tube anymore.
It was a year ago yesterday that Isabelle got into the pool. Since yesterday, I keep having these overwhelming realizations of how much God loves us and has blessed our family. That may sound a little strange, being as my baby drowned in a pool and all... but this last year with all it's trials has been filled with more blessings than trials. I don't quite know how to articulate how I am feeling. I am getting some sense of how deep & how wide His love is for us.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19
The last couple of days I have had some small sense of what I think this scripture is talking about. Also I have found lately that my prayers have been filled with more praise than with requests. In the beginning, it was more of "Lord get me through this night." and then "Lord get me through this moment." with a little praise sprinkled in there and from there it went on with prayers and petitions for Isabelle's recovery. Now my prayers are full of extreme thanksgiving and praise, so much so I can not find the words to express the gravity of the knowledge I am beginning to grasp. I have started to study the Psalms to find words to speak what I am experiencing. Some of the words I have been using to describe God are: shield, shepherd, refuge, stronghold, helper, King, defender, rock, deliverer, savior, dwelling place, and resting place. I'm not finished, but that's what I have come up with so far.
This may sound like a lot of rambling, but I guess what I am trying to say is that the Lord has lavishly and richly blessed us here in Choctaw and has blessed us with the love shown to us by our family, church family, friends, coworkers, and all of Isabelle's new friends in cyberspace.
Please join us in praising and glorifying God for what He has done for us this last year and what He continues to do.
Sincerely,
Matt P.
p.s. When wondering why Isabelle's recovery is slow, I realize that a slow-cooked miracle probably tastes a lot better than a microwaved one!!!

Psalms 34

I will bless Jehovah at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in Jehovah: The meek shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 Oh magnify Jehovah with me, And let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were radiant; And their faces shall never be confounded. 6 This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them. 8 Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good: Blessed is the man that taketh refuge in him. 9 Oh fear Jehovah, ye his saints; For there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; But they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah. 12 What man is he that desireth life, And loveth many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it. 15 The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry. 16 The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cried, and Jehovah heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles. 18 Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked; And they that hate the righteous shall be condemned. 22 Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; And none of them that take refuge in him shall be condemned.

After a while, I started seeing fun meme's and other things I wanted to participate in. I didn't feel like Izzy's update blog was the place to do that so I started my life as annie. I have met some really good friends and neat Christian ladies since I've been blogging. It has been a great way to be social when I am home with Izzy. I am so thankful for all my bloggy friends who encourage me, pray for me & izzy, and read my blog. I also have a few friends who blog too, and it is another way to keep in touch with them. I love blogging! This is my first post to my blog. It is an odd post huh?

11 29 06

I started a new bible study a few days ago and I am learning a lot. King Uzziah was King when Isaiah was growing up. His story is in 2nd Chronicles. He was a great leader and became too full of himself. He ended up going into the temple and burning incense, which was only permitted by priests. He was stricken with leprosy and died alone. Wow, pride can really inhibit a real relationship with God and ruin your life. This week is less hectic than last. I still have not been inspired enough to face pulling out all the Christmas boxes (ugh). I did look at them today while putting away the containers of Fall decorations...and I did hang the Christmas flag... I made a wreath for the front door. I love all the believe signsI am seeing this year. I bought just a cheap (inexpensive...) wreath, put the believe sign and red bowalong with some silver stars. I think all together I spent $7 and it really is cute. Hopefully I'll get the drive to do what I need to do.I also really really really need to clean out my closet (double ugh). It is cold and rainy today which is great. I took Iz to school today. When I picked her up it started thundering and lightening so much that we sat in the car for a little while waiting for the rain to let up a bit. I'm still trying to diet. I want to start exercises but haven't figured out when. I could during Izzy's school, but right now I have been using that short time to run errands. I guess I need to prioritize. I think I've lost about 15-18 pounds in the last month or so. I made a pretty good new recipe last night Matt's mom gave me during Thanksgiving. It was black bean cakes with spanish rice. It was really good, matt & emelia loved it.

Okay, I have a few ideas for next week... but could really use your input!

bloggy blessings~

I received a double blessing from my bloggy friends Saturday!

It was so much fun to get the mail to not only find some 'good mail' from my friend Judi,

a pretty notebook & card

but also a package from my buddy JennaG.
a new believe sign!
&
a bow for izzy! (how sweet)

Thank you so much girls, you made my day!