HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

WOW! What an ending to this year. Back in the classroom, teaching 4-yr-olds, has allowed me time to spend with my sweet, baby girl who just turned 7! 

My Oklahoma State Cowboys had an AWESOME season and will top it off with a win at the Fiesta Bowl on January 2nd.  GO POKES!!!!!

I have a renewed desire to start writing again. I don't know where that will lead or how long it will take to get there, but my ADD brain needs some sort of outlet, so off I go into the novella world.



I want to dedicate this blog more to the activities and adventures in my classroom as well as to our family adventures. In addition, I want to determine how to "monetize" the blog in an attempt to supplement this teacher's salary.  So, to get that started, I will need to start my lesson planning for the new year.

As for today, it's laundry, cleaning house and gearing up for a family New Year's celebration complete with snack foods prepared from recipes in my new "Hungry Girl" and "Biggest Loser" cookbooks; the hubs will head to the bedroom to read and Hannah and I will probably watch a movie or two.  I'll ring in the new year by watching the ball drop around the world and top it off with finishing story #2 in "An Amish Christmas" novella collection.

Tomorrow is a new year and a new start. I go in hopeful and anxious to see what 2012 will bring.

May you all have a safe celebration and

most prosperous,

blessed 2012!

Extreme Couponing

It's the latest craze in grocery shopping...extreme couponing. I could soooo become an addict, very quickly, but thanks to inheriting my father's frugality AND due to the fact that we live 20 minutes from the closest town which has only two grocers, I am at a loss to practice the program the exact way it is intended.  I somewhat envy my friends who

live in that town and others who live in towns surrounding our little Ghost Town who travel an hour to the nearest metro area to trek from Wal-Mart to Target to Aldi to Walgreens to CVS to Rite Aid and so on... in order to maximize their booty!

I am a very organized shopper. I go through local ads, make out my menu for the weeks I'm buying for (I usually shop two weeks at a time), then I clip coupons according to what I need . . . I don't typically purchase insane amounts of one product because we simply do not have the storage space.  I once had extreme coupon envy and, therefore, was fantasizing about moving to a larger house with a full basement where I could coupon until the cows come home and store all of my loot in the basement . . . then that frugal thing kicked in and, well, the fantasy evaporated like the rain that has not gotten past 30,000 feet this summer!

You see, when this family makes a trip to the city, it's a full day . . . we start early, hit a few stores (one of which HAS to be the local Christian book store where Mountain Man spends hours on end making lists of books he wants to purchase and/or read), then we head to lunch with the in-laws, then it's back to more shopping, leaving groceries to the last stop so all the frozen goods aren't completely thawed and in the beginning stages of cooking by the time we get home.  So, needless to say, we're tired by lunchtime, then since we usually eat down-home cookin', like Swadley's BBQ, for lunch. We all know what happens when our bellies are full of good food and we're already tired . . . you get the picture! So by the time we make it to our usual grocery spot in the city, we're all flat worn out, patience is hanging by a raveling thread and when everyone goes, we have to travel down every isle in the store and make more lists of things we want to buy or put on our birthday/Christmas lists. 

Now, tack on the fact that it is summertime in Oklahoma . . . especially this summer with it's incessant heat and weeks on end of 100+ degree weather . . . the more we can stay away from the concrete jungle, the better off we all are because when this mama starts melting, everything in my sight melts . . . it ain't a purty site!!! With that said, I am happy to stick to my usual plan of shopping with the small-town grocers and say that I am perfectly content with making out my list of things I need and searching for coupons on those items. It still gives me the thrill of the hunt and the victory of a kill, yet saves me the anxiety of driving into the city with husband and six-year-old in tow, navigating through the insatiably outrageous traffic. Staying out of the city will create less traffic in the metro areas, leaving more room for my couponing friends who have hit the extreme isle with a vengeance!

So, fellow couponers, happy couponing and for those of you who have the science of extreme couponing down to an art, clip on!

Easter Weekend 2011

As I sit here writing, I can hear the rain pouring from the guttering on the front porch. It seems that I may be going through some sort of mid-life something-or-other...I wouldn't necessarily call it a "crisis" as so many do. I have no desires to run out and buy a convertible sports car or run off to Vegas, unannounced, leaving my husband and daughter behind...I can't imagine going anywhere without them, nor can a envision myself driving around the back roads of Ghost Town, Oklahoma, USA, top laid back, wind blowing through my hair as I inhale the choking clouds of dust that engulf me at every spring gust the Oklahoma plains can muster.

No, its more a yearning for times past...simpler times...times of childhood where there were no worries and each day was as carefree as the day before. Not that I want to be that young again, just that I wish I could share that time with my daughter. 

Countless Easter weekends spent on the Horse Creek section of Grand Lake O' the Cherokees with my family...coloring Easter eggs in the "kitchen" of Grandpa and Grandma Puckett's fifth-wheel; playing cards and other games inside, waiting out the rain so we could go do...something...even if it was just a walk across the highway to Bernice Point or up the hill and around to Indian Hills Resort on the Creek side of the Bridge; or simply sitting in the swing on the screened porch sipping on hot cocoa or coffee or hot tea and enjoying the quiet serenity of a good, old-fashioned Oklahoma spring thunderstorm.

Today, though, it is Easter 2011. Not unlike many other Sunday afternoons, the house is quiet except for the occasional rumble of thunder or resounding, yet peaceful snores of father and daughter lost in their weekly after church nap. It is Easter, once again, and yet it's the same...or is it?  I sit here enjoying the freedoms and blessings God has endowed our family with...a roof over our heads to shelter us from the storms that rage outside and a faithful, loving God who saves me, time and time again, from the storms that rage within.  Yes, we serve a risen Saviour who dies on the cross for each and every one of us and yet he died only for me, only for you and would have done so if I were the only one. That he loved me so much, centuries before I was even but a glimmer in His eye, He bore those stripes for me, His flesh was pierced for me, the Veil was torn for me! What mortal man would have suffered and bled and died without argument, without fighting for his own life? Any mortal man would have succumbed to death just from the torture He endured leading up to His crucifixion...all for the wrongs of another?!?! All that considered, how can anyone question His purpose, His existence? And yet, on this day, thousands of years ago, He overcame the torture, the shame; death gave way to victory so you and I could live forever!

"For God so loved the world that He gave
His one and only Son, that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16NIV

Advocate

It just amazes me at how some people choose to lie down and allow others to walk right over the top of them...especially when it's a business or insurance company. Take a recent situation involving a medical facility and two insurance companies.

We received a letter from an internal accounts receivable management service from our medical facility. It stated we owed $51. Having not been to that facility in over a year, I was greatly confused. I called the number on the letter and asked what this was. It was from a service date of 7/28/09...July 2009?!?! 2009?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!! So why is this the first we're hearing of it?????????? Well, not the FIRST time, but the first time since I discussed the issue with the medical facility and they said they would file with my secondary insurance.

So, a series of phone calls ensued which led me back to the medical facility. The last conversation

I had with them was November 2009 when they were having everything recoded (the reason why we got the initial bill was that things weren't coded correctly), then resubmit to the insurance companies...apparently it DID NOT happen...the insurance companies said so...one never received the recoded information, the secondary never received a claim, at all! Man, did I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick a football!!

Now, everyone has been in a situation where they have paid for something and received less-than-standard service/product, etc. Some people would brush it off and go on only to have to rearrange their budget and cut others short to make up for the less-than-standard issue they chose to ignore. Grrr, I just don't get it!

Maybe that's why God has put me where I've been several times...advocating for our helping and encouraging others to advocate for themselves.

So, the moral of this story is: Standing up for oneself doesn't have to be or mean a person is rude and obnoxious, just articulate and assertive.

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV

Favor

As I look out the window over our yard and across the front pasture, I see the snow that's fallen overnight and the early morning. It brings to mind that Christians are a lot like what I see. Jesus' blood has washed us white as snow, much like God bathed our little Ghost Town in snow overnight. Our humanness, our immorality, our sin is like the dead, brown grass that pokes through. Because we are human and fall short of God's glory, that brown grass can get in our way of seeing the snow, Jesus' sacrifice and our salvation; God's gift to us.

This morning's devotion brought me to Genesis 6:9-22 and more specifically, v. 9 "This is the account of Noah.  Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God."  God knows we are not perfect in character, but we can live our lives with genuine faith in God. Walking with God as Noah did.

We live in a corrupt, wicked world, much like Noah did. I believe we are living in the last days. The signs are there. God is redding up my mansion in Glory where there will be no more laundry or dusting or vacuuming. There will be no night for there will be no need for rest. He is preparing to tell Jesus, "Son, go get your children." Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3xu5U__n3U be sure to watch the video...I still have chills!

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my ROCK and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 NIV  In doing so, we can find favor in the eyes of the LORD.

"For I know..."

Have any of  you ever wondered what God's purpose is for the circumstances you are going through? I mean, you know God is in it, so you're content with the circumstances and thankful for God's presence, provision and purpose even though you don't know what it may be. " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.' " Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV.

I had these thoughts this morning as Bug and I drove the dark, barely two-lane road to the highway. Headed in to town to start our morning. As I drove, I wondered why God has me driving a school bus and scrubbing toilets while I'm still trying to pay the $20K plus students loans I incurred while obtaining my degree in Early Childhood Education. Why, after 20 years of experience teaching, managing and training, is this where He has me? Where is He going to move us next?

I am so thankful for God's purpose and for His provision. I rest in knowing that He is in the driver's seat and I can just kick back and enjoy the scenery. I don't even have to navigate because He already knows the way.

There are many mornings that I wish I could stop and take pictures of the beautiful sun rises He gives me while driving through and around our Ghost Town. Many times I have desired to stop and capture, in writing, the serenity of fluffy snowflakes floating all around as we bounce down the washboard path of a recently graded gravel road. (Yes, even with a bus-load of chattering kids, there is solace) A gentle snowfall is a salve to the heightened senses.

I never, in a million year, imagined I would be where I am today; doing what I am doing. There have been several times when I have wanted to move onward and upward, but just didn't feel a peace about it. I am at peace with where I am. God's blessing comes when we do what He says. So I press on, thanking God for His blessings and praying that I can hear "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

What's for Dinner?!?!

Last night, I prepared a soup and accompaniment that I've prepared a few times before. My family seemed to like it, at least they didn't complain when I set it down in front of them...not so, the case for last night.  I love soup, year-round. Mountain Man doesn't unless it's winter...well, it's W~I~N~T~E~R.... Never giving a second thought to whether or not there would be any complaints. Well, I shoulda known...

Tomato~Florentine Soup with Pasta

and Ham & Cheese Crescent Roll-ups

I shoulda known better, at least for Bug. She doesn't like anything green (hmmm, who does that sound like?!?!) unless she's had it before, i.e. green beans.  So, she would not eat the soup...she had leftover Spaghetti-o's with her roll-up.  In comes Mountain Man with the usual "what's for dinner". He checked out my potful of creation (by the way I had discovered this soup when we ate at a steakhouse buffet and figured out how to replicate it). His observation was quickly followed by, "Why do you always fix stuff you know we don't like?!?!"  Ummm, the last time you ate it, you both liked it, and besides, I ALWAYS fix things you like and what about when I eat Chinese food, even though I don't like it?!?! UGH!!!!!! Well, he ate it anyway, but only with a slight modification...I added some frozen meatballs to his, rather, I heated them and gave them to him so he could add them.  It was WONDERFUL!!! (Even if I do say so myself.) Absolutely delicious and enough left over so I can have some for lunch later this week.

So, without further ado, here are the recipes:

Tomato~Florentine Soup with Pasta

4 cups beef broth

1 pkg onion soup mix

2 medium carrots, grated

4-5 oz frozen, chopped spinach

2 cans tomato soup

3-4 cups cooked pasta

Dissolve onion soup mix in broth, then pour into large soup pot. Add grated carrots and cook until carrot and dehydrated onion are done. Add spinach and stir until heated. Add tomato soup and pasta. Cook until heated.  Variations: add meatballs and serve with bread sticks; use vegetable broth base and add diced zucchini.

Ham & Cheese Crescent Roll-ups

1 can big & flaky crescent rolls

Thinly sliced deli ham

6 slices American cheese

Separate crescent rolls. On each triangle of dough, place 6-7 slices of ham onto the dough and top with 1 slice of cheese. Roll into crescent and repeat for each triangle. Bake according to package directions. Serves 6.

On the menu tonight: Spaghetti with Turkey marinara, corn and garlic biscuits.

Suburban Weekend

I have had the opportunity to know a few great men. Some of them have been called to be with God, but some still remain to continue to influence my life. This past weekend, we were able to celebrate 66 years of the first great man who touched my life.

My Daddy turned 66 this past Friday.

In addition, we had the joy of celebrating the smartest 10-year-old nephew anyone could have.  Austin turned 10 last Tuesday.

So, there we are hanging out in their Little Rock suburb partyin' with Austin's friends with presents and movies and apple pie with ice cream...while just a couple of blocks away is the freeway with cars whizzing by on to their respective destinations.  We had a blast!

Now, one thing we cannot do without when we visit is a trip to Gander Mountian, especially this time since Mountain Man had a gift card burning a hole in his pocket since Thanksgiving (when we celebrated Christmas with my family). Well, right next to Gander Mountain is Mardel...one of my most favorite places to shop! As we walked in, my sister-in-law commented on the book displayed on one of the tables right at the front door. The title is Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. Now, I've read 90 minutes in Heaven by Don Piper and 23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese and both of them were very intriguing, but Heaven Is for Real is about a child. Children hold a very special place in my heart and are what I have based my whole career on. What drew me, even more, to this book was the name of the author. Todd Burpo. I went to school with a guy named Todd Burpo. His aunt was my accounting teacher. Well, I just kind of passed it off as a coincidence and started looking at items on another table. Then, my sister-in-law called my attention to pictures in the book...it was him, the guy I went to school with. So, then, well, I HAD to buy the book. I'm a reader, but since our daughter was born, it usually takes me at least 6 months to finish a book, at least!!!  Let me tell you, I finished that book in less than 24 hours. What a story! An amazing account of Colton Burpo's time spent on Jesus' lap while undergoing emergency surgery. If you have the opportunity, read it!

Happy New Year!!!!!

Wow! A lot can happen in six months, but then a lot might not happen....  So, I guess I'll settle for somewhere in between.  As I've said before, I life can be quite mundane, but we have our comic relief here and there as we did recently when we thought the spedometer on our van was acting up.

Thursday before Christmas, we had gone to town for lunch with a friend and to pick up some last-minute stocking stuffers. On the way there, I was busy talking and Facebooking, not paying much attention to anything else.  We finished our business and headed home.

A few miles out of town, I happened to glance over to the instrument panel and noticed we were going well over 100, but yet everyone was passing us. I called it to the attention of Mountain Man and we were both flabergasted that our normally dependable vehicle was starting to act up. The next day being Christmas Eve, then Christmas day, we knew there was no chance of getting it looked at before Monday, so we just mosied on home, praying we wouldn't add to the already illumened countryside with more flashing red and blue lights.

On Monday morning, I scheduled an appointment with a dealer in a town near us. Mind you, I had not driven the van since Tuesday before we went to town.  After lunch, we each climbed into the vehicles and headed that way, with Mountain Man leading the way in his truck, I headed toward the highway in the van. I happened to look down at the odometer and remember thinking, "This thing is really going crazy! There's no way we could've rolled 100K in less than a week, especially when we hadn't been any where."  Then it clicked, I checked out the odometer again and sure enough, there was the answer I had suspected...someone (probably our button-punching little Bug) switched from US to Metric and we were registering Kilometers/, not Miles/per hour....

I called the hubs and asked him how fast he was going and our speeds matched up. I said, "Turn at the next mile-section. I fixed the problem." He was flabergasted, but turned anyway. I explained what had happened, but he wanted concrete proof, so I told him to climb in and we took off down the gravel road. After slight discontent expressed by him because he thought I was about to drive 65 mph down a gravel road, I turned around in a drive and headed back to the highway. We drove another mile south so he could see that I wasn't making this up; with his disbeliefs proven unfounded, we turned around and headed back to his truck, then back to the house....

Back in the kitchen, I explained to him that I charged $50/hr, so since it only took me 20 minutes, I'd only charge him $25. He still owes me!