Happy New Year!!

What a wonderful few days we have had with family around! We have shopped, cooked, sewed, knitted, played, etc!!! We have definitely been busy bees around this house! I can not wait to see what 2013 has up 'its' sleeve- I am very optimistic that there are many blessings in store for us this year!

I was thinking of resolutions today and then we talked about it at the dinner table this evening and our daughter asked me what a resolution was. I thought to say its a promise that we make to lose weight, be healthier, etc. Instead, I told her that it is something that you do- so with that, she is resolving to knit caps for the children at the hospital that need hats to keep their heads warm. What a great idea! I thought that walking as a family on the weekends is good idea and I think I am going to do something for myself (maybe an art class, more golf lessons, etc.) I am going to also continue to volunteer and be an advocate for congenital heart disease and food allergies. I am so happy that Samantha 'gets it'- she really makes me proud! So, with that, what is your resolution?

I hope and pray that everyone has a wonderful year full of many blessings!

- Casey

Eggless Bread Pudding!!

I was looking at all of the crescent rolls that we had left over from Thanksgiving (about 15 or so) and thought that I should use them to make something yummy- and then it hit me!  Bread Pudding!  I made an eggless bread pudding with skim milk and it was yummy!

I preheated my oven to 350 degrees and then I tore up the rolls and placed them in a greased 9X13 pan.  After that, I took 1/2 cup of sugar and sprinkled it on top of the rolls.  Next, I poured 2 - 2 1/2 cups of skim milk on top of the rolls and added some semi sweet chocolate chips (1/3 cup) sprinkled on top.  I then 'squished' the bread down with the flat side of a fork so the rolls would soak up the milk.  I placed the pan in the hot oven for 40 - 45 min.  It will puff up some.

After taking it out, I made an icing of powdered sugar and a tiny, tiny bit of water (it should be as thick as icing that you drizzle).  Slice the bread pudding and pour the icing on to each ind. slice.  I hope that you all enjoy this as much as my husband and I did!  *side note- my husband said that it tasted even better the next day.  He warmed it up in the microwave and then did the icing.  Good luck and Enjoy!

~Casey

  

Thankful

It is funny how we all say how thankful we are for the people in our life right now and the loved ones that we have lost.  Instead, we should be thankful for all of the people in our lives, good or bad, because that has helped to shape and mold us into the people that we have become.  Maybe we have gained a bit more compassionate or even have the ability to stand up for ourselves.  I feel as though everyone has been placed in my life for a reason and I am grateful for the many relationships that I have had along the way.

My parents are a gift- God gave me the best parents in the world and the best brothers, too!  My husband is my ROCK and I am not sure where I would be without him.  Our little girl is a precious angel and because of her, I now know the true meaning of LOVE!  Our nieces are perfect and beautiful and our nephews are wonderful, too.  I am thankful for my sweet sister in law and am grateful that she makes my brother happy!   I have great cousins, aunts and uncles - I just wish that we could see each other more often.  My mother in law and father in law are fantastic, loving people and I am so happy that they are mine.  I am also thankful that Samantha has 4 grandparents and 2 great grandmothers that she knows and loves very much.

My friends~ the saying goes 'Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.'  For my family, this is very true.  I have had friends in my life for a long time, for a short time and for some time in the middle of life.  For everyone of you, whether we speak or not, I am thankful for you.  I have learned something from each of you that has helped me grow as a person.

I am going to end with a quote, but before I do, I hope that everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving and has time to sit around the table to remember all of the people who have touched their lives.

'People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do'   -unknown

~Casey

The Great Pumpkin

When Samantha was diagnosed with her peanut/ tree nut allergy, so many thoughts ran through my head- How will I explain this to other parents? How will I be able to keep her safe when she is away from me? And then Halloween creeped up on us and 'OH MY GOODNESS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO??'  "She can NOT go trick or treating!!" (that was my initial thought) But that is not the right way to handle the situation.  So, I was talking to a friend one day and she suggested that 'The Great Pumpkin' come and visit our house (kind of like Santa, Easter Bunny, etc).  AH HA! What a great idea!  So, now, Samantha goes trick or treating just like everyone else, the only difference is that I carry safe candy for her and her friends to eat while they are out together.  At the end of the evening, we give our candy to the other children.  By the next morning, 'The Great Pumpkin' has visited the house and left a little (non edible) gift for Samantha.  This seems to work well for us and I hope that it gives some parents a good idea for their children that deal with life threatening food allergies.

  

2009

2010

2011

It's been a while.... AGAIN!!

Writer's block!  Yep, that  is what I will call it!  I feel like every time I sit down to write something, I have no inspiration, well, that is until the other day.  I was thinking of ways to help me with my anxieties- journaling- check and daily prayer and meditation- check... What else could I do?  As I sit in my chair covered by an afghan that my Granny spent many hours crocheting for Kevin and I, it hits me- I should crochet!  My Granny taught me how to crochet when I was a little girl and what a great gift that was.  So, I got in my car and went to Hobby Lobby and picked out some yarn (boy are there a lot of choices)!  I came home and crocheted a pretty cream colored, curly scarf and I am going to give it to my Granny next weekend!

It is so nice to realize how loved we must have been and still are.  My Granny crocheted a blanket for every one of her grandchildren, her own children, their spouses and not too mention the extra blankets that she crocheted for our families 'just because'.   I can't even begin to imagine how many hours she spent making these blankets for us.  We never had a 'store bought' blanket in our home when I was growing up and God help you if you took one of your siblings afghans!

So, with that, I am excited to have made this scarf and bring it to my Granny- making it brought me so much happiness and wonderful memories.  People show affection in many different ways- and this was one way that my Granny showed us how much she loved us.  I will post pictures of Granny and her new scarf next weekend.

OH and the other reason for writing today- BLUE BELL'S HOMEMADE IN THE SHADE is back in the freezer!!  YAY!!  I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

~Casey

Granny and I

Mini Kolaches

So, I came home last night fully prepared to make mini kolaches for this morning.  I had the cream cheese, butter and flour all ready to go - when what to my wondering eyes should appear?? A blue, shiny can of Pillsbury biscuits in my refrigerator, rear (how do y'all like my poetry??)!  OK- no more rhyming, I promise!  So, I pre heated the oven to 450 degrees.  I then flattened ea. biscuit with my hands and used a pizza cutter to cut them in half.  I put a little smokie at the end of each half and rolled them up and set them on a cookie sheet that was lined with foil.  when the oven was heated and all of the sausages were snug in their biscuit roll, I put them in the oven for 8 min!  Yep, it was that easy and they are that yummy, too!  My husband wants me to make more to dip in spicy mustard now!  So, if you need something quick to make for breakfast or even a football party snack, try this!

Enjoy!!
 ~Casey

Just a couple of things....

So, I went to Target the other day with my Mom and grandmother.  I had to get a few things and then head home- when I was taking everything out of the car, I realized that my hand sanitizer was in the plastic tub that I had bought.  I checked the receipt and realized that I had not paid for it!  YIKES!  I called Target immediately (they giggled at my honesty) and today when I was there, I paid for that bottle of hand sanitizer!  I know you all must think that I am crazy for making such an ordeal out of this, but this is a very important lesson for everyone- especially our children.  I told Samantha not to use the hand sanitizer until Mommy paid for it and before I could finish telling her I was going to pay for it- she screamed 'You stole?!?! Momma you are in BIG trouble!' After her rant, I was able to explain to her that it was an honest mistake and that as soon as I figured out that it had not been paid for, I called the store immediately.  I was able to explain to her that everyone makes mistakes, but as long as you tell the truth and then fix the situation, everything will be OK!  She was very happy that I was not in BIG trouble, but more than that, I am happy that she learned an important lesson about telling the truth.

I also wanted everyone to know that this weekend we will be participating in the FAAN walk for food allergy awareness in Houston. Please see the link below to donate to Team Samantha!! FAAN is a great organization that has educated my family as we learn to live with our own food allergies.

http://www.foodallergywalk.org/site/TR?team_id=74352&pg=team&fr_id=2250&et=iVS8Byy8G6PVSo2v_AQHzg&s_tafId=28662

I hope that everyone is having a great Wednesday!

Samantha, GG and Mommy! 

~ Casey