My boys' favorite

Betty's Banana Pudding!!!

This is my mother-n-law's recipe, but I stole it!!!

You will need:

5.1 oz package of instant vanilla pudding

4 cups cold milk

a dash of sugar

8 oz container of cool whip

a box of vanilla wafers

around 3 or 4 bananas, give or take

Here's what ya do:

Add milk to pudding mix. Add the dash of sugar. Whisk together for 2 minutes. Fold in cool whip. In a seperate bowl, layer the vanilla wafers, 1/2 of the pudding mix, then bananas. Repeat. Refrigerate for about 4 hours for best results.

Not my best bowl, but this was taken to someone, so it's a bowl that doesn't need to be returned!

Tips:

*I always add more than a dash of sugar!

*Depending on the size of your bowl (I've made a triple recipe before and put it in an aluminum roaster!!!), you may need to split the ratio of layers...like, vanilla wafers, 1/4 of pudding mix, bananas, then repeat 3 more times. Or 1/3 of pudding mix...you get it.

*Always make sure that the bananas on top are mashed down into the pudding mix. If they are left out, they will be brown.

*I have refrigerated for only 3 hours before, and it was o.k., but 4 hours really is best!!!

In loving memory

Aunt Ruby

It's been one year since you went to be with the Lord.

I miss you and love you always.

Your Sweet Girl T.

True Stories-Happy Friday

1.One day last week, my mother took Noah to school for me. As they were pulling out of the driveway, Noah asked Grammy if Milky the cat could come with them. Grammy told him no, Milky has to stay home. Well, of course, 5 year old Noah asks "why" and Grammy told him that Milky is kind of like a watch dog, only a cat. That Milky watches over everything while they are gone. Without missing a beat, Noah replies, "No Grammy, God watches over everything!"

2. Yesterday, Noah's teacher sent home some of the Kindergarten work that they have been doing this week. In it was a picture of Humpty Dumpty. I asked Noah who was in that picture, and he said, "Honkey Donkey!"

And last, but not least, we have a funny picture....it's from Christmas Eve 2008!!!

Happy Friday!

An apple a day...

Right after we planted our garden (which was good for cukes, carrots, and beans...not so much cantaloupe or tomatoes), Noah had the wonderful idea that if he planted a seed out of his apple, that an apple "bush" would grow. I told him an apple tree might......

Of course, I didn't think it was going to actually grow and, because I didn't have any extra flower pots, and Noah was quite anxious to plant the seed, I went ahead and put holes in the bottom of a butter bowl, and here's what we got...

So, today was the day that we put her in the ground!!!

Ta-Da!

I Am

Enjoy! Happy Wednesday!

It's Monday!

Yep. And it's Chocolate Chip Cookie time!

The original recipe, penned in my grandmother's writing, says:

Sift together 1 cup, plus 2 TBS. flour, 1/2 tsp. soda, 1/2 tsp. salt---set aside.

Blend 1/2 cup soft oleo, 6 TBS. sugar, 6 TBS. brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. water. Beat in one egg. Add flour mix and mix well.

Stir in 1/2 pack of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup nuts. Drop by 1/2 tsp. on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

The only thing that I do different is leave out the nuts, make them a little bigger, and eat half of the dough raw.....and that may not be sooo different!!!

26 years

After 26 years with the Mississippi Air Force National Guard, Sr. MSgt. Joseph F. Conway retired!!! He is my brother-n-law, and a wonderful person as well. I am very happy that he has made so many accompolishments in his military career also. For the majority of his time there, he was a recruiter, and he enlisted 537 people!!! He received a lifetime achievement award for this.

We are very proud of him, and happy for D's sister and their whole family!

Happy Friday!

Q.Why wouldn't the little boy's parents let him go see the pirate movie?

A. It was rated "arrrr"

"What is your age?" asked the defense attorney. "Remember, ma'am you are under oath." "Twenty nine years and some months," she answered.

"How many months did you say?" the lawyer interrogated. In a barely audible voice, she replied, "Three hundred and ten!"

Wife: What's on TV?

Husband: Dust.

Then the fight started!

Worship Wednesday- I Will Search

Oh Majesty, I live to see Your face and be transformed, into Your image!

Mealtime Mondays!

Along with Worship Wednesdays, and Funny Fridays, I want to have Mealtime Mondays! If I told my husband this, he would surely laugh his head off, because it's no secret that I am no gourmet chef, but I do like to try new things, and typically simple things. So, I will be sharing a recipe every Monday, and hopefully will begin to get some feedback on them. I will try to post pictures of each recipe as well, but for today, I forgot to take the picture of this meal, and we ate it last week, so, no picture today!!!

This is one that my great-grandmother made, and my grandmother made also. Na-Na said that she used to take this to potlucks and funerals often!!!

So, without further delay:

Ground Beef Casserole:

1 lb ground beef

1 chopped green pepper

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can mushroom soup

1 can water

1/2 to 2/3 cup uncooked rice

1 medium onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat; combine with other ingredients. Top with buttered crumbs. Bake uncovered in 325 to 350 degree oven 2 1/2 hours or until rice is done.

*** Personal thoughts.....I left out the peppers because my boys don't like them, and I went with 325 degrees for 2 hours. We enjoyed this meal as something different, but with everyday ingredients. It has a different flavor to it than most things I know how to cook!!! I would probably double the recipe if I were making a big casserole with it.

Also-----I know it is not Monday, but I did it on today because of the post about the first day of school being on Monday!!!

It starts

Noah B. Givens- A new Summerdale Panther!!!

My big Kindergarten Boy!!!

A Back Pack Shot

A Silly Face shotThat's Noah on the right, under the teacher.

Us, just being silly!

That's one proud mom, and one happy boy!

Friday Funnies

1. The congregation met for church that Sunday morning. The pastor announced that whoever gave the largest offering could choose 3 hymns for the morning service. So, the offering was collected, and to his surprise, the little, old, widowed Granny gave a $10,000 check!!! He told her, "Ok Granny, come on up front and pick your hymns." Granny got to the front, got up on the platform, looked out over the whole crowd there, and pointed her finger out and said, " I'll take him, and him, and him!!!"

2. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days!

3.The sign in front of the church read as follows:

Sunday AM Message-Jesus walks on Water

Sunday PM Message-Searching for Jesus

Worship Wednesdays

My poor little blog has been pitiful this summer. I think sometimes, it just happens that way. More time outside, and with my little one, less time blogging! But, with school coming up next week, I am ready to get back to business! The first order of business will be "Worship Wednesdays" where I will be posting either worship lyrics, or a video, or both, or just words of worship from my heart to my King!

So, hopefully you will take time to watch the above video, and read these words. To me, seeing the words is so powerful.

Healer:

You hold my every moment,

You calm my raging sea.

You walk with me through fire.

You heal all my disease.

I trust in You.

I trust in You.

I believe that You're my Healer.

I believe You are all I need.

I believe You're my portion.

I believe You're more than enough for me.

Jesus, You're all I need!

Nothing is impossible for You.

Nothing is impossible!!!

Nothing is impossible for You.

You hold my world in Your hands.

All mixed up!

Noah at Kindergarten Registration

Noah's Daddy in Kindergarten
Noah's Mom in Kindergarten

The countdown begins, and I'm all mixed up!!!

One week from today, my little boy will go to Kindergarten!!!

He went to preschool for a year and a half, but he only went 3 days a week, and only half a day for a year of that, and when he no longer qualified for those services, (read about it here), he was mine all mine again! But now, as the first day approaches fast, I have nothing but mixed emotions. Noah is so excited, and he should be. He'll be around other children all day in a structured environment, and he'll be happy. And I am happy for him, to an extent. See, before when he went to school, still had him home two days a week, plus weekends. Now, I'll only have weekends. And before, those 2 days I had him, it was just the two of us, then the weekends, it was the three of us. So, I am obviously mixed up on the subject!!! I know he'll be happy, and having fun, it just really hit me as real today, when I realized it's just a week away! And there's no turning back!!! Wow! My sweet little man will be in Kindergarten!!!

So, now I will add his K teacher's name to my prayer list, along with the speech teacher, who he already had for a few months. I want to make sure to cover them in prayer, as I trust them with my child for this coming up year. Although, I've already heard from good accounts that his teacher is one of the best there is, and a good Christian lady.

And he'll be attending the same school that me, my dad, and several of our other family members have attended!!! That's something to be happy about.

Noah, have fun pal!

Here's your sign....

Everyone, did you see that?!?!?! Punkin is back!!!
I guess BP had to compensate for the oil by offering fine wines!
And next we have the Shell Station across the street, not to be outdone...

Yeah, you read that right, here's a close up!

Only in Lower Alabama would you find such as this!!!

And it is all found on one county road, the one we happen to take to church. I have been passing these signs for months, and finally remembered to stop and get a snapshot!!!

I know, you needed that laugh today!

Happy Trails

We are bad to the bone!!!

More to come later!

Update on Hannah Grace

Back on July 14th, I posted a story about a little girl named Hannah, and her battle with cancer. I just found out that this past Sunday, she went to be with Jesus. Read about it here. Let's remember to keep her family in our prayers. I cannot imagine the amount of pain this family must be going through.

Thanks.