National Pop Corn Day

Celebrate National Pop Corn Day with a big bowl of Popcorn

or a batch of homemadeCracker Jacks

or Sting up popcorn and cranberries for the birds outside

Enjoy Pop corn today!

From a Lump of Dough

Cooking from "scratch" is something we enjoy doing. We make yogurt, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, fruit leather and dehydrated fruits and herbs, all our own breads, sausage, and so many more -- even Pasta.

We were having a gentleman for dinner Saturday night.

Lydia cooked homemade Apple cheddar cranberry meatballs in the crock pot.

A big Apple Waldorf Salad was prepared.

Butternut squash and shallots roasted in the oven.

And Christianna made pasta to complete the meal.

She took her ingredients and whirled them in the food processor 

until she had a lump of dough.

She took this lump a dough and put in through the metal rollers of the pasta maker.

First they went through on a large setting until the dough was quite pliable.

Then she turn the knob to put a bit more pressure on the dough.

Then again she turn the knob to put a bit more pressure on the dough.

She did this 6 times until the dough was soft and thin -- just right.

When she had the dough just like she wanted...it was time to cut it.

This is fairly easy with the pasta maker.  We have several different cutters 

that we can run the dough through to make them different sizes.

Some very thin, just thin, a little wider, wider, and then finally lasagna size.  

Christianna was the creator of this batch of pasta...

she could make it any size she wanted.

Then she put them on one of our laundry driers to dry...

waiting for their time. 

Finally all the pasta was finished rolling into the right thickness,  

finished cutting into the right width.

Now we just waited for the pot to boil with the water.

After the boiling of the pasta 

We enjoyed a wonderful meal with wonderful conversation.

Today Steve spoke at the meeting from James 1.

Talking about the Trials of our Faith.  

This week I have been reading a devotional: 

Trust: A Godly Woman's Adornment by Lydia Brownback

This week Steve has been reading a book to us nightly:

 Power Perfected in Weakness The Journal of Christopher J. Klicka.

We listened to an audio book by Lamplighter Publishing this week:  

Sir Knight of the Splendid Way

Each message, audio book, or devotional book 

pointed out that this life we live in 

is not meant to be easy.

But to be a struggle or even a war 

as the Lord God 

REFINES

us into a useful

 Vessel fit for the Master's use.

We all have trials on every side...no one is without them,

each ones trials are different from another-- but we all have them.

The Lord uses each trial and testing time to make us more pliable.

Christianna conformed that rough lump of dough

into beautiful and delicious pasta--

fit for a wonderful meal.

Oh that I would be  like that rough lump of dough -

fit for the Master's use.

The Bitter Cold of Winter

This morning the temp was -4 degrees at our house.

On the way home from the church meeting.

One of the girls says,

"  Think we will go skating today?"

Brrr...

Why do they want to go when it is worse than 

COLD.

AND

They have to make a path on the pond for skating...

before they can even begin.

Now it is 8 degrees.

Brrr...

So we load the van-

Steve and I

the Girls

the shovels

and to the pond we go.

Steve stays warm as he shovels for his girls

 in flannel lined jeans 

and

fur lined bomber hat.

 Christianna comes along to help him with the path.

David Ross makes shoveling a path much quicker.

It's still COLD. 

Brrrr...

The temperature begins to drop.

Lydia is the first one to put skates on and try out the paths.

Christianna takes to the ice on skates.

 Although the girls were enjoying the skating...

they were getting COLD.
Hands in pockets or covering ears!

It's 6 degrees now.

Brrrr...

Keziah's delight on the ice 

is worth the 

shoveling

bundling

and 

shivering 

as I aim my Canon xTi 

at my dear ones.

Brrrr....

Back in August 2011, I posted a picture of three darling little grandchildren on my "Favorites Wall"

They all have grown quite a bit...

so, I'll up date my "Wall" soon.

I also posted another set of frames

Kamran  is here to fill our Baby MacPhail Frame.

Baby Galla is still waiting to make a grand arrival in April.

But what I didn't show was the whole set of frames

that I put on the wall.

These have been hanging just like this since August on the

Favorites Wall.  

Lots of company has  come through our house and asked about this unique frame. 

 I said I was praying for another little soul to fill the frame.

I just waited

and waited

and waited.

Until the the beginning of January 2012

then I got a very special phone call.

A phone call that delighted a grandma again to be!!!

Nathanael and Jesharelah will be filling the frame!!

 Baby Pena will be arriving

near the end of August 2012!!

What a blessing!  

In 2012 we will have three grandchildren born into this world 

giving us 

six --that is 6-- SIX

grandchildren altogether.

Well, so far anyway!

God is so Good!

New Hampshire"First in the Nation" Primary.

After taking phone surveys all week

and talking to numerous people

including 

Nathanael,

We went to the town hall to do

What all Americans have a right and responsibility to do.

Vote for who we feel is closest to our beliefs.

 

 The girls voted with us.  We vote all together.

And then we pray that who ever the Lord gives for the Presidential candidate

We pray that he will be a tool in the hand of the Lord.

And

That we will trust the Lord in what he is doing.

Our trust is in the Lord 

and

not in men.

Kamran Scott MacPhail

Rejoice with us!!

Just a little visit with our fourth grandchild who tied the girl and boy grandchildren.  

In April the tie will be broken...
we will just have to wait and see
what Baby Galla will be.

What a blessing to hold this little guy.

Born January 6, 2012

Weight 9.3 pounds

Length 20 inches

Parents:  Scott and Susanna 

Sister:  Ashlyn