Don't Knock It 'Til You Try It

I tried a rather intriguing recipe over the Easter weekend.  It turned out to be a hit! 

From the Apr/May 2011 Simple & Delicious, here is the recipe for French Quarter Cheese Spread.
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1 T grated onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (I used 1/2 cup and there were plenty of pecans for my taste.)

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, and garlic.  Transfer to a serving plate; shape into a 6-inch disk and set aside.
Heat oven to 350.  Place chopped pecans in a shallow pan and bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring once.  Remove from oven.
While the pecans are toasting, combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard in a small saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
Cool slightly.  Spoon over cheese mixture and serve with crackers.
Let me know what YOU think!

Easter Fun

 We had a most fun Easter weekend.  We started Good Friday with a little egg dyeing.

 Saturday brought relaxing . . .

 an Easter egg hunt . . .

 and Melius cousins!

 Sunday brought my parents' 35th anniversary, a wonderful day at my grandparents' house . . .

and a chance to get all dressed up!
Happy Easter!  He is RISEN!

Wishing you a Blessed Holy Week

I really tried to wait until Easter to share this song with you. But, looking ahead at my Holy Week, I'm not sure it will leave much room for blogging. If you want to wait until Easter morning to unwrap this little present, you are sure welcome to do that! :o)
This song by Matt Maher has been one of my favorites this spring. It is such a simple song, but yet so beautiful. I love, "Our God is not dead. He's alive! He's ALIVE!" This is a sing-at-the-top-of-my-lungs while I'm driving down the highway kind of song.
And you thought I was talking to myself when you met me on the highway.
Nope. Just singing.
I wish you God's greatest blessings in these next days as we await Easter morning!

WalkMS 2011

As the snow continued to fall on Friday, I was getting quite apprehensive about WalkMS on Saturday.  I knew they walked "rain or shine"--but snow??? 
As it turned out, we had a great turnout overall and for our team.  We missed those who were unable to join us, but we'll be back next year!  Official totals aren't in yet, but our team did meet our goal of $1250! 
Another BIG thank you to everyone who supported us!

Tuesday

Here it is--Tuesday already!  I just wanted to drop in for a quick update:
--WalkMS:  Aberdeen is THIS Saturday!  It looks like it should be partly sunny and 45-ish.  No shorts this year for me!  We are going to have one FABULOUS team.  Thanks again to everyone who has supported us!  We are right around $1000 in donations so far.
--Easter is coming!  We are excited for celebrating our Lord's resurrection with our family and friends.  My parents' 35th Anniversary is on Easter Sunday, for an added celebration.
--Last but not least, the high school spring play (directed by yours truly) will be April 29!  We will be serving an indoor picnic this year before our western show.
It's been a busy month, but a fun one, too.  May will bring graduations and weddings.  I LOVE spring!

Around the Farm

A little footwear photography . . .

Sweet Treat

Some foods don't leave room for just liking them--you either love them or hate them.  Sauerkraut comes to mind.  (Mmm.)  As does horseradish. (Blech!)
And then there are bananas.  Whenever bananas come up in conversation, there are those who smile longingly as they start to picture banana bread and all yummy things banana and those who start to gag in the corner of the room. 
My sister has about a five-minute window for optimum banana enjoyment.  My kids are fine as long as they are not brown on the inside and they can eat them "like a monkey" (with the peel still on the bottom).  Unless they are still green or extremely mushy, I'm fine with a banana at just about any stage of the game. 
Why all this banana talk?
I was making lunch one day and noticed the only fresh fruit I had to serve were bananas.  I can put a bunch of bananas on the table at breakfast, but if I tried that at lunch, I may get a funny look from my husband.  (I can hear him already, "What's with the bunch of bananas next to the casserole?")  :o)

With lunch time approaching, I decided to cut them up in a bowl and make them a little more exciting.  I drizzled a little honey on top and sprinkled them with cinnamon.  The idea was a winner with everyone!  We've had bananas this way several times since.  Now the only thing this dish needs is a catchy name--I'll put Nathan on that. 
P.S.  Frozen bananas make a great ice cream fakeout.  Drizzle a little chocolate on top of a sliced frozen banana, add a few peanuts for a little salt . . . yum!

That's all for today.  Go bananas this weekend! 

(I know . . . that was bad . . . but it was just too easy.)

Sugar & Blind Blind

 We thought we had escaped bottle calves this season.  Then, late last week, our very last cow to calf just had to go and die after giving birth. 

Landen couldn't have been happier.  He loves his new calf, who has been officially named Sugar.  He even woke up this morning at 6:15am and wondered why his Dad hadn't woke him at 6:00am to feed his calf as promised. 

Today a new friend for Sugar joined our farm from Grandpa's farm.  Nathan named his new calf Blind Blind.  The calf isn't blind at all. 
When David asked Nathan what the calf's name would be, he said, "Blind.  Is Blind a name, Dad?"
I really hope he isn't given full responsibility to name his own children someday. 
Before Landen was born, I was "Mom" to five calves at once one spring.  I am thankful that I now have children old enough to give these new babies the attention and bottles they need!

A Little Advice

What comes after babies?  Diapers?  Night-time feedings?  That permanent "baby dough" tummy?  Hips that are never the same?  Well, unfortunately, yes. 
But, so do baby showers! 
I am going to a baby shower for a new little girl named Kaylee Sharleen this weekend.  Her mom and her family were my neighbors across the street growing up.  Her grandma Sharleen passed away from cancer in her early 40's.  Sharleen's two girls have done her proud many times over.  When I saw her granddaughter's name, I cried tears of joy for their family.  I know she is smiling down from heaven, just as she has done all these years. 
So, I was thinking about this baby shower.  Usually baby showers ask for the guests' advice on child rearing.  In preparation, I have gathered a few tidbits I think new parents may appreciate.  You may take it or leave it.  After all, I am far from an expert at this gig after only 7 years in the trenches.  But, here's a sampling of what I have learned so far: 
1.  It is OK if your child eats his own poop or sprays pee into his own mouth.  If it is someone else's, call a doctor.
2.  It is an appropriate fashion statement to go to communion covered in baby spit-up.
3.  You are NOT a bad mom if you work outside the home, work at home, bottle-feed or breastfeed.  Do what makes you the best mom you can be.
4.  We all need a little time away from our blessings now and again.  As my mom says, "If they sleep all night, they are always cuter in the morning."
5.  WD-40 takes crayon off walls and mini-van interiors.
6.  McDonald's will accept a check written in purple crayon.
7.  Potty training can take a loooonng time, but your child will eventually "get it."
8.  Sometimes it's best to put down the camera and live in the moment.
9.  If think you smell poop or puke, you most probably do.
10.  Cantaloupes split open when thrown from grocery store shopping carts.
11.  So do sour cream containers.
12.  Always take along an extra pair of underwear and pants for your toddler (and for yourself if you plan to be holding that toddler on your lap).
13.  Just because you are a different parent than someone else doesn't mean you are doing it wrong.
14.  Play with your kids, but mostly encourage them to play independently or with each other.
15.  If you want to know where your kids are outside at all times, get a litter of kittens, a huge mud puddle, or a wheel barrow filled with toads. 
To be continued . . . .