SUNDAY DINNER

It ain't lunch on Sunday...
After worship today, as we were gearing up for the first NASCAR race, I decided to make dinner. Knowing we were out of propane for the grill, I decided to try the meatloaf in muffin tins that I had seen on Pinterest. I had thawed patties, so I broke them in half and put them in metal cups. It left a hollow cup that I filled with picante sauce.
I had one leftover patty, and split it to create caps for them and then topped with BBQ sauce.
Baked at 400 for 30 min or so, and voila!
My spin on easy meatloaf, with whatever is handy!
Enjoy!
BTW, thoroughly enjoyed Junior finishing second with no wrecks! Go 88!

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT REIGNS

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT REIGNS SUPREME-DECEMBER 5, 2012

Today on HLN, I saw a story about a veteran who paid the electric bills of several people in line behind him at the power company where he was from (I at first thought they meant a veterinarian-silly me).  The man said that he had been homeless just the day before.

I shopped with baby girl yesterday for our Angel Tree gifts, two young people wanted simple gifts-boots for the girl and a gaming store gift card for the boy.  While I was out shopping earlier in the day, I overheard a man say that he "sadly needed to buy a Cape Central sweatshirt".  He revealed that he too was shopping for an Angel Tree child.  I politely tried to eavesdrop as to why he said "sadly".  Turns out, his kids attend Notre Dame, the regional Catholic high school.  It was then that I rudely laughed out loud, turned to him and rudely said "Glad you are able to lower yourself."  I wasn't feeling his pain, as my poor little tropical storms very proudly attend Cape Central High School.

But the truly important part of the story isn't my rudeness or his pride, but rather that we both had taken it upon ourselves to shop for someone else for Christmas.

For the past 5 years, Mr. Hurricane, the little tropical storms and I have participated in The Advent Conspiracy-a program to encourage families to give each other homemade, handmade, or other such gifts, and then take the money that they would have budgeted and give it to charity.  This year, we have opted to give through the Angel Tree program, and are actually buying gifts for the little tropical storms too.  Either way, we are giving more than we ever have.  Perhaps it is a trend everywhere?  We hope so.

If you would like more info on The Advent Conspiracy, go to their website:  www.adventconspiracy.org

                                

Happy Giving!

TUESDAYS WITH COFFEE, A BAGEL AND SCHMEAR...?

TUESDAYS WITH COFFEE, A BAGEL AND SCHMEAR...?

Some mornings you wake up and all you want is a bowl of cereal.  The little tropical storms often have cereal for breakfast-so does Mr. Hurricane.  But I love bagels and cream cheese, and English muffins, and nuts, and substance.

Sometimes you need more.  Sometimes you need substance.

Baby girl says I should enjoy having some time off, but I am struggling to keep my patience in check. I have been working multiple jobs/roles for so long that "just being at home" is tough for me. I feel like my day of work should have more substance.

I realized today that taking care of my family-particularly the boy who threw up this morning-is my priority. For now, for today, I will let go of my desire to have a job that defines me and just be comfortable being me...with the substance that God provides.

Then there are those times that you want more out of someone else...Blake Shelton on the Voice knows what I mean.

THE PAST IS...PAST?

NOVEMBER 25, 2012 - THE PAST IS...PAST?

Today is one of those days that your past meets up with your present, and you wonder how you ever got to be this old...or at least how all this time has passed so quickly.

I sat on the sofa with Baby Girl, and we began watching STAR WARS Episode III.  I tried to tell her who the characters were, and how they were related to Luke and Leia.  I began to count back how far it was since I was sitting in a theatre watching Episode IV.  I was in 5th grade.  Wow.

When you realize that it has been that long, and then how some films stand the test of time, and some do not...it makes you wonder whether anyone will remember the finer things of the 20th century.  Disco, the Muppet Show, and Pop Rocks.  I'm kidding, but there are some things that we hold on to from literature for decades that kids hate:  Wuthering Heights, the Catcher in the Rye, and even Moby Dick.  Why haven't we moved on from some of the past?

This morning in Sunday school, we were reading John 3:16-20.  Perhaps the things we try to hold on to are not always the worst for us, but the messages that we must carry forward.  Our pastor preached on Revelations and Doomsday Preppers today.  I used to think that "doomsday" meant the world coming to an end, but then I realized recently that the New Madrid Fault could be the "doomsday" that comes sooner than later.  If I had only a few minutes to pack and go, what book would I take in my "doomsday pack"?  At first I thought about pictures, or books to read.  Then I remembered.  The Bible.  It has more information, more stories, more lessons, and more history than any other book in my possession.  More importantly it has the hope of the risen Christ, the only comfort I would find in a world devoid of electronics, books, and tv.

Letting go of our human past is difficult, whether our childhood, or that of our own children...and what of the past-and the Bible of the past?  It has all the history you need in the future you find~today or tomorrow.

HAYDEN ADOPTS TAYLOR'S GUITAR

HAYDEN ADOPTS TAYLOR'S GUITAR - NOVEMBER 16, 2012

While living in Nashville filming her show Nashville, Hayden Panettiere has made friends with some of country music's leading ladies including Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, Kelly Clarkson, Kellie Pickler and with Taylor Swift. Panettiere was recently on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and while on the show, Jimmy Kimmel asked her if she had ever borrowed a cup of sugar from any of her new friend's and she said, "I went to go write a song with a friend of mine who is an amazing songwriter, Jessi Alexander, one night, and I freaked out because I didn't have a my guitar -- I'd left it in my trailer. I literally texted every one of those girls: 'Does anybody have a guitar?' Finally, Taylor Swift came through for me. Two of her security guards brought down this guitar ... I had to fill out a form. It was very intense." Hayden told Kimmel that she still hasn't given Swift her guitar back yet, saying, "I still have it! I've adopted it. I saw (Swift) at the CMAs and I was like, 'Hey, girl - good to see you! You know, I still have your guitar.' And she looked shocked. She was like, 'Oh. Oh, yeah?' I was like, 'Wait a second, two security guards and piece of paper later and you don't know that I have your $10,000 guitar?"

Click the link for Hayden's official "Telescope" video:     http://youtu.be/u7cN-zeLUuI

A COOKING PLAN THAT WORKS

A COOKING PLAN THAT WORKS - NOVEMBER 15, 2012

COOKING AND BAKING IS NOW EVEN EASIER!

If you are like me and enjoy cooking and baking, but sometimes struggle to have all the items on your menu come out at the same time, you will love the new app i found for my iPhone.  It is available online as well.  

                                         

Cookingplanit.com, or the app cooking plan it are both incredibly easy to use, and while the app cost me $2.99, the online service is free.  

                                   
              

        

The menu choices are great, and you can modify the sides or the entrée, without wrecking your entire plan.  There are settings to choose what you do not want included in your choices.  I prefer not to cook with pork-i just don’t care for it.  And i rarely have wine in the house, so i also set it to exclude alcohol in the recipe choices.  Perhaps that will narrow my choices considerably, but ease of prep, without going to the store for non-standard ingredients is my approach.

See what you think, and email me if you come up with any good menus!  Enjoy!

TODAY IS A NEW DAY!

TODAY IS A NEW DAY! NOVEMBER 14, 2012

I FOUND THIS POSTER ON A WEBSITE CALLED COOLPEOPLECARE.ORG.  IT IS PART OF THEIR CAMPAIGN TO MAKE THE WORLD A POSITIVE AND CARING PLACE FOR EVERYONE…

                                        

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THEIR DAILY EMAIL:  http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8ccdfc0dc22f10c6f14890677&id=547de1d342

AND THEY SEARCH FOR NON-PROFITS TO ASSIST IN ADVERTISING TO THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS, WHO ARE ALL ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA:

Cool People Care's audience is comprised of motivated do-gooders of all ages. They like to buy and share things that make the world a better place - including your products and services.

More specifically, Cool People Care's online audience is made up of Generation Y (also known as Millennials - people born after 1980), nonprofit professionals all across the US, and moms who care deeply about the future for their children's sake. So, if you're looking to reach any of these groups and want to present your nonprofit or company to a group of people actively looking for ways to save the world, then we need to talk.

THIS IS THE FB POST THAT LED ME DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF CARING: