Great Memorial Day

We had a great time seeing some old friends and some of our family in Sumter yesterday. We each were blessed with a ride in this 1942 WWII trainer plane.(not exactly sure what it's called: ) It's been restored to it's original beauty,though. Thanks Jeff and Sally. It was such a blessing spending some time with your sweet family! Great Day!

Dinner for Twelve: )

I like cooking for a crowd. I daily cook for ten and often havee a few of the men who work for Richard to dinner too. Tonight I'm making a triple batch of Black Bean Chili Spaghetti. So so much better than boring spaghetti---in my opinion. It's still very easy though!!

Black Bean Chili Spaghetti

1 lb ground beef or venison or turkey

1 can black beans drained

2 cans diced tomatoes/or fresh depending on the season

1 small onion diced

1 bell pepper chopped

clove garlic pressed

1 TBSP chili powder

pinch cayenne(optional of course)isn't everything?

cilantro

sour cream

Brown and drain meat. Saute veggies with meat adding. Add garlic and seasoning. Add tomatoes and beans and simmer for awhile. I'm putting  in the crokpot on low til dinner. Serve over whole wheat spagheti noodles. Top with fresh cilantro from your herb garden and with sour cream.

By the way, here is my herb garden this year. Thought I'd spruce up my porch with this cool outdoor coffee table from my awesome brother-in-law, Dennis, and some terra cotta pots and 

plants.

Slices of Life

Just started reading this book Slices of Life  about the life and  work of bible translators Ed and Aretta Loving outloud to the children today. I've been looking at it for weeks and wanting to find time for reading aloud but have not been able to carve out the time to snuggle down on the couch and indulge. If I had to pick my all time favorite single activity(other than alone time with R), it would be reading aloud stories to my children that touch their hearts. I love to glance up and see them all--even my older children- staring off into space engrossed  in the tale. I am known, however, to not be able to finish a sentence sometimes because of my own tears. I read, stop, try to compose myself,squeak a line out while trying to hold back tears. They stare at me somewhat amused but ready to hear the best part. I begin again, voice quivers again and then I announce that I'm  ridiculous, someone offers to take over reading, I hand the book over and this child (it never fails and it tricks me everytime) reads about two lines and then breaks into fake blubbering tears!!!! Everyone breaks into laughter! It was Kimmi today. I was having a hard time getting thru a story of how Arettta, pregnant with baby #1, needed protein and was craving eggs and God continually provided for her dietary needs in amazing ways!!! Great story of trusting God and seeing Him provide. So so so glad to be done with editing BJU dvds now and forever!! Yesterday was my last day and I feel like a free woman with plenty of time for couch snuggling and reading to my extremely funny children!!

Swimmer Boy

Cason out with Mom, dad and Jessie at his end of year swimming banquet. Cason broke a Mt. P record this year. There were actually loads of records broken by the swimmers. Their coach is terrific. We are very blessed to have her. Even though its a little blurry, I like this photo. It is hard to get that boy to pose: )