My Mamaw's Would Be Proud Of Me

Both of Mamaw's were excellent cooks and could make a meal out of anything. I am not talking about fancy, looks perfect on the plate food, I am talking good old fashioned eating.
This has become a little challenge for me and I have created lots of great dishes with a little of this and a little of that. I can cook! Waste not want not. In their day and time they did not waste a thing.
So here was my creative, stretch your dollar, waste not menu this week.
Tuesday: Red beans in the crock pot with left over Easter ham, smoked sausage, jiffy cornbread and  delicious chow chow
Wednesday: Red Beans, mac and tomatoes, left over cornbread
Thursday: Goulash with mac and tomatoes, red beans. I added  corn, hamburger meat. A little of this and a little of that and it was yummy.....that is if you like good ole cooking!.

Delish for a few meals, but really I have had enough. Today my fat dogs will get a good treat. I know it is not good for them....... but.....waste not want not!!!

Just another quick thought. How many cool whip containers, butter tubs, and pieces of foil

does a household really need!

Praise!

I have behind on my updates.
Clay started his new job on April 2nd and he seems to be enjoying it. He had 8 years of a very flexible schedule. We are all adjusting to his new work hours and having to adjust to only seeing him a few hours in the evenings. We feel very blessed and just know God's hand was all over this.
On our way to Gruver over Spring Break, Clay received a random call from a friend of Garrett's dad. The dad knew Clay had trucking/freight experience and we think he had heard from the son that Clay was looking. He wanted Clay to interview with his company for a shipping manager position.  Clay went in on the following Tuesday and had the job the next day. A great fit for his past experience. The new position is in a manufacturing company, so now experience on the other side, aligns great for Clay.
We have just really been amazed. Nothing was coming from his searches online and with contacts he had in the industry. A stand still and very frustrating. Then he gets a calls from a basketball dad out of the blue....really. Yes really..... that is how God works.
A job in Mesquite, an easy commute, great benefits, insurance, a stable company. They understand family so Clay should not have to miss any of Garrett's sporting activities the next two years. (yes that was important to us) Yes, he is working long hours, but he is working and thankful for a job in this economy.

Remember that lil bean/ seed and my " I trust you I really do". We had not grown weary from the job search, both of us were handling it very well and when it all happened the way it did. We knew that was God's answer.

I admit it. Yes I am a kid person

and to be honest so is most of my family. We love babies and kids of all shapes and sizes. We center activities around the kids. We have sat in mom's living room and watched unborn babies in tummies kick and move. We have watched lil babies learn to roll over, to crawl and to walk. We have watched toddlers throw fits and do the shaky shaky. We cheer and clap, and cheer and clap some more. They just do something ordinary and to us it is special. They get their moment of feeling important, of feeling special.
Here are a few ones I remember of our kids:
Blake was so pretty and so cute we loved whatever he did. He would preach from the brick fireplace, he danced. Really whatever he did we loved.
I loved to have the girls Ryan and Heather do their little Razzle Dazzle Boom Boom Boom cheer.
JC sang  ---I got friends in low places, he played his guitar and performed dumb and dumber over and over.
My kids loved to be introduced. We would say " Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls.....Introducing the cutest kids from Josephine,Texas ......Blair and Garrett. They would run down the hall and we would all clap and cheer. Mad and Vic loved this too. They all  like running into a room full of people, with all eyes for them.  They would do it over and over and over......... Ladies and Gentlemen......

So, I think kids feel this. They know we value them, we love them, we want them to feel special, we are proud of them.  So here you have it----my thought for the day. Go love on a kid, any kid. The one in the line at Walmart or on the bleachers at the ballgame. Give them a moment of your time. A smile, a kind word, a sweet pat on the back. You never know how it might make them feel. They might not ever get to be the center of attention.

Rambling....I know.....I have been thinking about little Stella getting ready to join this world. She is already loved and we are all so excited. Little Allie comes into mom's and knows it is a place of joy. I saddens my heart to think of all the little people that do not get to feel this. So the next time an annoying teenager or goofy random kid is getting on your very last nerve.Try to show them some love!

A little behind

I know.... I was going to be on top of this and I do not know what happened. Well, yes I do, it has been a busy month. I been across Texas and back.
Weekend of March 4th --- Ft. Worth for the night to trade cars with Blair. Clay and I decided to use the priceline negotiator, got a 68.00 room in Sundance Square and made a fun little trip out of it.

March 17th we headed to Gruver,
spent one night in Amarillo and two in the Big G.

.

March 26th, off to Big D with my Sunday School class for a slumber party.

                                          Much needed girls weekend trip April 1-3rd

Shreveport to see Tim McGraw April 9th

Houston April 14th and 15th

Home in Josephine April 16th

Easter April 24th and just  planned the Abbott Amazing adventure!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXBoVHZqmwQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Teams were given a CD with 6 songs. The songs were their clues to various stops around town. At each stop that had to perform tasks. First team back home was the winner.