Bowl Full of Goodness!

Oh how we love strawberries. We finally made it to the u-pick stand this morning and now I am in heaven with the smell! Next comes jam, shortcake, and I just might have to try this recipe here.

Hello...ello...ello...ello...

Well, I am not going to try and give an excuse as to why I have not posted in so long...life gets away from me sometimes.

I want to give a big thanks to Mother Hen over at Ship full 'o Pirates, I have won her last two contests ( I am never one to win contests). I entered the newest one she has but i am afraid of what may happen if I win again LOL. I won two wonderful books from Vision Forum. I LOVE these books, I wish I could buy them all! For now I have these two.

The best lemon cookies...EVER!!

I found this recipe at Cooks.com and they are the closest thing to a store bought child favorite. Home made of course is always better! Here is this the recipe...

Lemon Snowball Cookies

2 Sticks butter (softened)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups flour

Coating:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kool-Aid lemonade unsweetened drink mix powder

mix these together in a bowl.

Cream butter, sugar, and both extracts together. Add flour and mix until a thick dough forms.
Roll into 1" balls and bake 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350F for 15-18 minutes.( they will not brown on top )

When cookies are just barely still warm toss them in coating and finish cooling on a plate. Makes about three dozen.

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For some reason when my husband or I cook the kids like to lay around and do nothing...on our floor. At least they like being with us. I can't tell you how many times we have tripped though! :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Raspberry cream cheese coffee cake, elf shoes and kids in front of the Christmas tree...
I love this time of year. I don't particularly like the fact that we have six inches of snow and another storm coming tonight! At least it should be a white Christmas!



Here is the recipe for a family favorite. I have been making this once or twice a year for many years now. I had it posted on my old blog "Morgan's Musings" but I am not blog savvy and did not know how to transfer things over. Since it is that time of year again I though I should re-post. This is very unhealthy but one of the most DELICIOUS things I have ever tasted.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Cake Layer:
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1 egg

Cream Cheese Layer:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Grease and flour bottom and sides of a spring form pan. In a large bowl mix flour and sugar together. Using pasty blender cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for later.To remaining mixture add baking powder, baking soda, almond extract, salt, sour cream and egg. Blend well and pour into greased pan., spreading out evenly and bringing batter about two inches up the sides.In separate bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and egg. Blend well and pour into batter lined pan. Carefully spoon raspberry jam over cream cheese mixture.Combine remaining crumb mixture with almonds and sprinkle over top of jam. Bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes or until cream cheese is set and crust is golden brown. Let cool at least 15 minutes.




I have been Elf-ing around with these...aren't they adorable? I got the idea here.



At least they all look happy!

Off to more projects...see you soon! Merry Christmas!

Playing catch-up for big Thank yous!

First of all I want to say a big thank you to my new friend Rebecca over at Renaissance for sending me some of her home made grape jelly along with a couple of other goodies and a beautiful note. We are enjoying the jelly!!!

Next Thank you goes out to Marianna at Cardinal Acre for being my swap partner for a napkin swap that took place at Down-to-Earth. I had lots of fun with this and the extra goodies were a wonderful surprise. I love the hand embroidered roses...she knew what she was doing. Chocolate is always a safe bet and lavender dryer sheets...how did you know lavender is one of my favorite scents???The vanilla cupcake candles smell like the real thing. Yum! Thanks again!

Lastly I wanted to share my last roses of the season... 'til next summer this picture will have to do.

God in Mathmatics...

Hi everyone, I got this sent from a friend and I thought it was
interesting.....

This is fascinating. Be sure to go all the way to the end.

Absolutely amazing!
Beauty of Math!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...

101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER
100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these
questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will
get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Food for Thought!

LAUS DEO:

One detail that is not mentioned, in DC, is that there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument. With all the uproar about removing the Ten Commandments, etc... This is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this historical information.On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probable y could don't care less.Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched on top of the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, un-noticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!"Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo ......Praise be to God!"From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments.>From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant ..a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution.So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.Praise be to God!When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God!Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy. "One Nation, Under God."I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."Laus Deo!When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look.You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo," its location, or the architects, but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)It is hoped you will send this to every child you know; to every sister, brother, father, mother or friend. They will not find offense, because you have given them a lesson in history that they probably never learned in school