Book Club

Last evening we met at Susanne's house for our first book club of the new reading year. Our book for September was At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon. What a delightful book was the belief held by most of those that attended. One of our ladies couldn't finish it and couldn't wait to give it away. Another said that she didn't like it that his prayers were always answered with a 'yes', Dooley came home and so did Barnabas. But when I talked with her further and I said " life is hard, and I need to go to a place like Mitford to get a glimmer of heaven", she agreed.

Susanne made Esther Cunningham's Orange Marmalade cake. It was really good. It was like a pound cake with yummy filing and frosting. Susanne read to us that when Jan wrote these books she made up the cake. It was pure fiction but as she wrote more and got out in the public more the question she got more than any other was What is the recipe for the Orange Marmalade Cake??!! So the folks at Victoria magazine got a chef and came up with the recipe for the books. I never knew. Susanne also had Little Debbie cakes for those who didn't want Orange Marmalade, because Father Tim loved his Little Debbie cakes.

Sandy shared with us about the gospel side of the church at Mitford. The gospel is the right side because of the readings done during the services in the Episcopal Church and which side they are done from in the front of the church.

Evelyn liked that Miss Sadie was not bitter with all that had happened to her.Evelyn also loved Uncle Billy's jokes. In fact, she was ready to move to Mitford. KimT liked the variety of the characters.

KimT has a sister who loves these books, no LOVES these books and knew she did when she asked for prayer for Father Tim in her prayer book because he had become so real to her

We had about 25 in attendance and only about half had read this before.

Corrie shared that the only grandmother that she knew, who is now dead, loved these books and Corrie enjoyed reading what she knew her grandmother loved.

If you weren't there, you were missed. Next book is The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig. Happy Reading.

Grape Salad

Last week at Gladys's party Jan brought this salad. It is from her sister-in -law Marsha. It is fabulous and a little different.


Grape Salad
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
8 oz. Sour Cream
½ cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
Grapes, seedless (Recipe calls for 4 lbs. I used 2 lbs.)
Beat the cream cheese and then add sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Add to the mixture the clean, seedless grapes. Pour into a 9 x 13 container.
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
Sprinkle the brown sugar and nuts on top. Refrigerate over night.
Note: I use light cream cheese, light sour cream and Splenda.

War Eagle

Last Saturday, Kaitlin wanted to take some pictures of us in our AUBURN clothes. Carl and I were her first models.

then bedlam broke out

She finally got us all in position. My extra child is Bri, who spent the weekend with us.

This week because AUBURN is playing tennessee. tennessee colors are orange and white so the AUBURN fans have been asked to wear blue. AUBURN colors are orange and blue. We are showing our support even here at home. My friend, Liz, gave me an early Christmas present. She was shopping at Tuesday Morning and found this statue of AUBIE. He is AUBURN'S mascot. He is wearing his blue too. We were having fun with the sunglasses too.

The gangsta in us came out

Go AUBURN!

Night Shots

It is great fun having children! I am so thankful for our children and that they want to do things with the family. Last night we went to church so that Kaitlin could take some photos for her class this semester. Now she is thinking about night shots. In these shots, glow sticks and flashlights were used with a wide open shutter. Ross and Bob are two of Kaitlin's friends that always say " Why didn't you write my name?" Now they can't say that any more. John has always love sharks and he drew the shark. My stellar performance is in the first picture. I am on the right. The rest of the time I was pushing the button on the camera after Kaitlin set everything up. Carl and Marisa helped too.

Here they are. Enjoy!

Fall Bible Study

We are studying The Friendships of Women Bible Study Guide by Dee Brestin. I read the book The Friendships of Women in 1990 when my friend Linda G. gave it to me. I really enjoyed it then and I am so glad to be reacquainted with it now. If you have not, I encourage you to read it.

Linda S. is our fearless leader again. She does a wonderful job of herder of this group of cats (not that we are catty which I know we all are but I mean we all go in different directions) into a study. She gently guides the discussion back on track when folks misunderstand where we are or go off on rabbit trails. Linda also has us praying, at the end, in groups of four, for two families a week in our church. That is so needed because I know of some deep pain of some close friends of mine and to know that they are being lifted up in prayer sure encourages me.

It is such an encouragement to gather together with this group of women.

Cream Cheese Chicken Cresent Puffs

3 oz of cream cheese
2T butter
2 cups cut up cooked chicken
1/4 t of salt
1/8 t pepper
2T milk
1T chopped onion
1 pkg crescent rolls

Mix all ingredients except the rolls. Make the crescent rolls into 4 rectangles on a greased cookie sheet. Fill each rectangle with a 1/2 c of chicken mixture. Pull the sides of the rectangle up to form a puff. Bake at 350 for 20- 25 minutes.

That is what the cookbook says to do. I have been making these for years and I have done a little tweaking. I do use all the ingredients but I am not a person that measures so I add maybe more of this and less of that. We like it with more than called for cream cheese and onion. I pulled the four corners of the crescent rolls together and twist. It is not all enclosed. I also spray the top with Pam and give it a light dusting of bread crumbs.

This is a crowd pleaser and when I made it on Wednesday I made 20 of them.

Gladys is 94

On Wednesday we, in the kitchen, celebrated Gladys' 94 birthday. Gladys is the mama of our kitchen chief, Barbara. Gladys, until a few years ago, worked right along side with us in the kitchen. One of my favorite memories is when she made chicken and dumplings for the Wednesday night meal for the whole church- those that didn't come that night missed a treat. One of my favorite Gladys quotes is when she told Andrew that he was short but very good with children. How random... and we all just laughed as did Gladys.

Sandy made an Italian Cream Cake.

This pictures are by Kaitlin and she had to get some artistic ones in too. Here is a Rosemary plant someone gave Gladys. Parker was our youngest attendee. He is 4. His big sister, Olivia, grew up with us in the kitchen. Kaitlin babysat for her every Wednesday while we cooked.Several ladies brought salads and I made chicken crescent squares

The group

Kaitlin set up tables before she went to class. We had a laughing good time.

2nd Sam, 2 Cor, Ezekiel and Ps.

Carl faithfully reads his Bible every day. He has encouraged the rest of us to join him. This year he is using M'Cheyne's calendar for daily readings. It is arranged by Robert Murray M'Cheyne. The reading is and I quote A concise course whereby one can read through the whole Bible once a year- the Psalms & the New Testament twice.

We all started in January with high hopes. I got behind one day and then another. I didn't think I had time to catch back up so I didn't read at all. One day I had a thought- these don't happen too often- I didn't have to go back and read all that I had missed, I could just read what was assigned for the day!!!!! What freedom! Since that day I have not missed too many days and if I do, I don't fret about it. I can do this again next year and fill in the gaps.

http://bibleplan.org/ Here is a web site that gives lots of Bible reading formats. Why wait til January if you don't have one...start today.

I thought our offense looked great

I have been an AUBURN fan for some time now.

I am not used to AUBURN winning on a consistent basis.

I am happy if AUBURN wins one game. That game is against alabama.

Any games before that are pre-season for me.

If you are from a state that has only one big school and your school doesn't have an instate rivalry game you do not understand.

Home

I am now at home after a wonderful two week vacation. It was truly a vacation. Carl and I drove down to south Georgia with a LARGE chest of drawers for Taylor. Carl stayed a few days then drove back in Andrew's car so I could have a van to ride around in (because of my back the sitting position in a van is more doable than a car).


We went shopping in Valdosta for a card table. Carl set it up for me and I spread out a suitcase full of my scrapbook stuff. My goal was to finish their wedding scrapbook before I left. I worked most days on it. I finished it the day before we left to head back to Arkansas.


It truly was a vacation because I worked on their scrapbook, ate, slept (I slept so well that Taylor let me have the pillows off my bed), went shopping, had wonderful times of visiting and then did it all over again. I took my laptop and had it on my table too. It got, as Carl says 'the blue screen of death' on Monday of my second week. I did use Taylor's some but not to really blog just to check email and facebook. Both of my brothers came for a visit. Lots of laughs were had by all as you can tell from the pictures we did put up. We went to AUBURN on our way back and I got to visit with two of my nephews. My final stop on the way home was at the home of Chris (one of Andrew's AUBURN roommates). What a nice place to start the re-entry. Carl, John, Marisa and Kaitlin met us there. They went to the AUBURN game and I stayed at the house with Taylor, Chris' mama and four dogs and watched the game of tv.

Kaitlin and I had fun telling in pictures what all we were doing. Here is one of my favorites. I don't like anyone near my desk so they took a picture of themselves messing with my stuff.

Now I am back to the 'real' world. I am ready to be back but I sure enjoyed my vacation.

Fun pictures of babies by My baby

I know I am a little biased but these are darling pictures that Kaitlin has taken. I especially like the first one. Enjoy!

Taste Test Part III

Here is Uncle Charles tasting the Naked's from Monday Night...Actually this is a painting titled "The Bitter Tonic" by Adriaen Brouwer

Faceless Picture Tower

Family Visit

Here is where the Titletown celebration took place- Valdosta High School and Valdosta State Universary play football here.

Andrew in front of his building

Uncle John enjoyed his lunch

We ate here.

I think maybe I can take pictures like Kaitlin?!?

Ok, so we took a new twist on the pictures. These are body-less!

My title is a joke!

How are we doing?

I think we have perfected the faceless portrait. What do you think?

Faceless Portraits

I think it is funny when folks tell Kaitlin that if they had a camera as good as hers they could take pictures as good as she does. For all those folks, think about that for a minute- if you had Tiger Woods' golf clubs would you golf like him or if you had one of those handy dandy swim suits like Michael Phelps would swim like him?

Here is a faceless portrait for you Kaitlin!

John couldn't remember if he had been on the blog and now he is all over it today. Charles, are you going to come and see us and get your picture on the blog?????????????

Taste Test Part ll

John and Elaine have never had Nakeds. I bought these at Walmart. A large bottle is 2 servings. The calories vary so check each label.

My able assistant, Andrew, pouring our first taste - Black and blueberry rush

Not sure

We all voted that this one was good.

Our second was Protein Zone- Banana chocolate. Here John is getting the bouquet

Trying to decide

Taylor enjoying

We decided that it tastes like Chocolate Milk and it was good.

John is gathering the bouquet from the Probiotic Tropical Mango

Not sure but finally decided it was good.

Here is the final drink of Pomegranate Acai- the best so far.

Here we are

Here we are plus Paul last night.

Paul and Melissa came through Valdosta on their way to run a race in Jacksonville, FL. We met with them after we got back from Gainesville.

For the love of a child

Today Andrew, Taylor and I went to Gainesville so we could buy Kaitlin some Universary of Florida stuff. I was looking for Tim Tebow to stuff him in the van or at least have him call Kaitlin but alas we didn't see him anywhere. Sorry Kaitlin

They had these buttons for every game. I bought one for Kaitlin, John and Marisa.

Super Tebow shirt

click on this picture and see the huge gator in front of the stadium

the campus is so spread out that lots of students ride these scooters

The college game day set for the game tomorrow night

Stadium

The gameday bus
We had a blast. We drove down and ate lunch at a place called 'The Swamp' which is fitting since that is the nickname of the stadium . I had a pork sandwich, Andrew had a burger and Taylor had a chicken sandwich. Then we went to two bookstores. There were a ton of cars on campus so we couldn't park plus I can't walk that far.

This is for you Kaitlin and please know if Tim Tebow played for alabama this would not be happening! :)