A New Norm

Here it is almost Christmas Eve. This will be my fifth Christmas without Mike after thirty-three with him. I have come a long way in this five years. I'd dreaded the holidays every year since his death and this year was no exception. I just wanted them to pass. This year the fact that my kids moved out of state & the month was filled with snow storms, ice storms, and cold weather normally would have done me in!  Normally even the thought of being alone in snow storms, power outages, and ice would have been my horror. BUT I have made it very well. Perhaps it's because a few weeks ago, I felt the Lord said to me, "Do you really believe I am sovereign?" Of course, my answer was "yes"! Then I felt He asked me that again,and then a third time...and I had to realize that if I really believe that He is sovereign, then I have to accept as from His hand all of the changes that have come my way. & I have to embrace the loneliness, knowing that He has truly said "I will never leave or forsake you!" I can with His help accept that all has changed and I AM OKAY!!! He is in charge...the loss, the change, THE CHANGE, the unknown..are in His hands. Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness. Thank You, for the lessons that You are teaching me. Thank you that you are strengthening me!

Trip Between Storms!

The weather man has told us we have a break in the weather(a short break)...we are supposed to be pounded with another storm tomorrow evening so this grandma headed to Tulsa to see her babies!  If the weather holds off long enough for me to head home tomorrow afternoon, I will! I have a new lap top and took these pics with the computer....the boys thought that was rather fun.  I found it bit challenging...attempting to turn the computer towards us, scrolling on the screen with one hand, and clicking the right button while trying to hold little ones and get a smile.  Challenging but FUN!   They are fast asleep and I am blogging to unwind!

Ice Storm - 2007

The ice storm started to hit late Sunday evening and by yesterday morning, by ten a.m...my entire addition and several around me had lost their electricity. Other areas lost it earlier--some later--the news has declared it the largest power outage in the history of our state with 500,000 families across the state without power. I called my kids in Tulsa and found their power went down in the middle of the night--about 2 a.m. At least I had it until morning. As the day progressed, I was dreading greatly spending the night alone in a cold and dark home so I was very thankful when a girlfriend invited me to her home for the evening. She lives about four miles away, West and North of me. I packed up my car and headed out to her house about 3 p.m. to make certain I was there before it iced more. Her power stayed on through it all. Thankfully mine was back on this morning. It has rained all day but is warm enough that it is not freezing...in fact, much has thawed and I am just now thinking to take pictures...so it looks much better out than it did. The icicles are almost gone...they were about seven inches long and hanging off of everything on my back porch earlier this morning. So with my heat and lights back on, I am delighted to be at home.

Now if this big tree doesn't have any of its branches break!

Cold Day But Warm Hearts and Fun Cookie Exchange!

There were ten of us. We baked our cookies and pooled them together. Then we met for lunch at my house, and we laughed a lot and did I mention, we did eat just a few cookies and everyone got to take home 4 dozen calorie filled treats.

For lunch we had Chicken Lasagna with salad and French Bread. I made a recipe of "Kissmas" Cookies and have included the lasagna Recipe and cookie recipe below.
Recipes:









































White Chicken Lasagna
Cook 8 lasagna noodles and set aside.

Saute in 1/2 cup butter:
1 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tsp. minced garlic
Add:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup of milk
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 large carton cottage cheese
8 oz. cream cheese'
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

Alternate in backing pan:
Layer of noodles
Layer of sauce
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Bake at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted.

I made this a week ago and froze it..put it in the refrigerator last night and baked about an hour today. Tossed a salad, and baked some french bread!! Yummy!

Kissmas Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
21/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped cherries (drain them well)

Mix all of the above, stirring in cherries last. Make into small tsp. sized balls...roll in:

1 egg white beaten with 1 Tb. water. Then roll in:
Chopped pecans(It took me a little over 2 cups of pecans to have enough)...I had an asssembly going...rolled in the egg white and then rolled it in the chopped pecans....I flattened slightly and baked at 375 for about 12 minutes. As soon as they came out of the oven, I had 48 hershey kisses already unwrapped and stuck them quickly into the centers of the cookies. I baked them Friday night so you can look at Friday's blog and see them fresh out of the oven on the wire racks.

Baking Cookies!!!

Don't they smell good? : )