Christmas Tree DE-Light

Thought all of you might appreciate this...
I got out my huge pre-lit 3 year old Christmas Tree today to dress it all up for the season. Just about every other branch wouldn't light. I changed fuses, bulbs, cords and fiddled for hours on the internet trying to discover what ailed my poor tree... spotted fever?

Well, I came to the conclusion that some of the light strands had overheated and melted the wiring so I checked the warranty. No luck, it was out of date.

In order to save Christmas I went to plan-B....save the Tree....scrap the lights.

The De-Lighting commenced at about 4pm.

My two boys and one of their friends worked on the tree for 4 hours with me. They are saints!
I don't think I can touch it for a few days now...I'm still to mad at it for puking out on me! It's only 3!

In between changing heavy metal music, pizza bites, and clipping the lights off our tree
with a side cutter, Brandon had some hilarious commentary during the procedure:

"I hate pre-lit Christmas trees....mine don't work and now i have to rip all the lights off of it and they are KNOTTED INto the tree so.......BBBRRRUGH!"

"Never buy Christmas trees from countries that don't celebrate Christmas. (especially CHINA!)"


"I'm pretty sure this is child abuse. They are going to ask me if I'm EMO when i get to school, my arms look whacked!"


"Is this a communist plot to terrorize Americans via CHRISTMAS trees? Eventually the pre-lit tree trend HAS to go!"

"Finally done DE-lighting my retarded tree.....4 hours later!"

Yeah, he was a little hot under the collar by the time we were done, but all for a good cause. We get to have a tree!.. ( And I promised him $20 for he and his friend to spend on football cards tomorrow. I'm not THAT mean of a MOM!) Ha

My friend and her Famiy had to do the SAME THING today. She called it her "man-eating tree" when she looked down at her family's hands and they were all scratched and scraped to bits.

Now if this happens to you, you'll know what to do, wear gloves!

Happy Happy Thanksgiving

YUM! A holiday with Friends doesn't get any better than this!

CORN CASSEROLE

CORN CASSEROLE

1 can whole kernel yellow corn, undrained

1 can cream style yellow corn

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

2 eggs, beaten

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 stick butter, melted

Mix all together and pour into large, lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

NDEA 3 Days

We had so much fun over NDEA this year. The kids were out of school Friday and we took advantage of the time off by trecking through South Dakota. WOW, the fall colors were beautiful as were all the sights we saw! Sometime I'll get my pix together and post the art photos from our trip. Amazing, just amazing! If you haven't visited yet, plug it in for next year's October fun. The temps were great and comfortable, and the fog lifted by mid morning. COOL!

Interesting Signs From our Road Trip

Ok, let me understand this right, it's 10 dollars a person, but if you have less than six people it's free, but if you have a whole car load it's $27. What were they thinking? HA!
Like there aren't any large cattle? They don't really come in small and medium!
This was at Wall Drug. IF the hotel had anything OTHER than color TV I would be severely worried! BTW, this is NOT where we stayed. HA!
Yes, they have a posted a sign at the park entrance, but NOT near the prairie dogs. They actually have THE bubonic plague, BLACK DEATH, that killed everyone back in the 1300's. OUCH!
A wheelchair ramp connecting two platforms at CrazyHorse actually had a sign that said, NO WHEELCHAIRS. Things that make you go hmmm!
Ehhhhh, someone tell the sign maker that the viewpoint is covered by the dew point! U can't see nothing jack!

Who would make a tunnel of rock to DRIVE thru then put a sign that said FALLING ROCK right next to it. Makes you want to ZOOOM thru right? He He

Corn Palace

Badlands

Crazy Horse

Custer State Park

Mt Rushmore

Wal Drug

Wilder than Wilder!

Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead in South Dakota

Life is like Coffee Movie

Life is like Coffee Movie: "Life is like Coffee. Do you know people that just seem to be happier in general? Do you say to yourself, "I want to be more like them"? Often, the happiest people in the world don’t have the best of everything...they just make the best of everything!"

Just Push

PUSH

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room
filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work
for him to do, and showed him a large rock out in front of his cabin.
The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all
his might...

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from
sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive
surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might!

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling
that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing
discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by
placing thoughts into his weary mind. (He will do it every time)!

You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't
moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was
impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and
disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? You tried. Quit wasting your
time and move on. "

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a
matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your Service,
putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after
all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter.
What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My child, when I asked you to
serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push
against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done.
Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your
task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent,
thinking that you have failed.

But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and
muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from
constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass
that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But
your calling was to be obedient, to push and to exercise your faith
and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my child, will move
the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own
intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is
just simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that
it is still God Who moves the mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong..........................Just P.U.S.H.

When the job gets you down...........................Just P.U.S.H.

When people don't do as you think they should...............Just P.U.S.H.

When your money is "gone" and the bills are due...............Just P.U.S.H.

When people just don't understand you..........................Just P.U.S.H.

P = Pray
U = Until
S = Something
H = Happens

Pass this on to your loved ones and friends who may need it; they may
receive this just in time. "Though no one can go back and make a brand
new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have
trouble remembering how to fly.

May you be blessed with God's tender mercies..

Tortilla Soup

I'm re posting this because so many people have asked for it as the weather turns cold. It's VERY kid friendly and I haven't met a person yet who hasn't like it!

Dene's Tortilla Soup

This soup is the BEST comfort food. Yummy. I have to warn you that it makes a lot, but it is great to freeze and eat later or share with friends.

TORTILLA SOUP

6 TBS. oil (I used olive oil)

4 chicken breasts ( I use whole smoked chickens from the butcher shop or rotisserie chickens from the deli)

3 corn on the cob grilled (or 1.5 cans or I use 2 cups frozen)

8 corn tortillas cut into small pieces

12 cups (yes, cups NOT oz.) chicken broth

6 crushed garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 TBS. cumin

1 TBS. chili powder

1 medium onion diced

1 cup chopped cilantro (fresh makes this soup awesome. Dried just isnt the same!)

4- cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

3 bay leaves

Saute onion, cilantro, tortilla and garlic (in a little oil) for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Then add everything else BUT corn and already cooked meat. I like to let it simmer for a while so that all the flavors mix and the tortillas dissolve in the soup. THEN LAST add corn and meat, heat for 10 minutes on low or until heated through, serve immediately or freeze.

Serve with chips, cheese, sour cream and avocado on top! Superb.

Therapy Dogs got all the charm!

Cole and I went on a site visit to Ronald McDonald house today. It was just an initial visit to see if there was anything we needed to work on (smells, temptations, noises etc) before we start our resident visits with them. The have two families who travel quite far for their little one's cancer appointments on a weekly basis who are particularly interested in visiting with therapy dog Cole. The kids are both under the age of 5 and have so little to look forward to when they come to Fargo because of their medical condition. The house staff and administration is excited about Cole too. They have never had therapy dog visits in the past. He will be their first!

It was so cute, the administrator that was supposed to show us around was very upset and harried because of a family that wanted to stay at the house and her inability to find them a room in the timeframe they needed. She was franticly calling other places to house them while we were standing in the conference room waiting for her. She got off the phone with apologetic words and a very troubled face. After shaking my hand in greeting she leaned down to say a brief hi to Cole. He put his paw on her arm and just sat there being petted while she explained to me how sorry she was about her busyness. Within moments she was seated in her pant-suit on the floor with Cole leaning into her just offering comfort and gently wagging his tail. He definitely made a friend in her. Oh my lil rescued puppy has come so far this year! He's settling down into such a great therapy dog. Three years old must be the charm with labs or setters!

Cleaning a room Tyler Style!

All you mom’s out there. Can you relate?

We are getting the house ready to sell, and I asked Tyler to clean at least 1/2 of his room one day, and then he could clean up the rest the next day.

I came in at night to say goodnight and this is what I found. He said, “Well YOU said I only had to clean 1/2 today!”

Tyler, my little mathematician went out to the garage in the morning and grabbed the painters tape, sectioned off his room into 4‘ths and cleaned 1/4 in the morning, took a break to watch tv and have lunch, then cleaned the 2nd 1/4 in the afternoon.

Eventually he cleaned all of his room over two days, but the painters tape was too cute. Bite sized pieces for such a BIG job!

HA! Gotta love him!

Horse Show with added umph!

Ever rode a horse in a thunder and lightning storm? How about during a horse show? What an exciting Labor Day holiday I had! I was in my first dressage horse show and just as I'm about to do intro test a and b the claps of thunder shake the arena. The rain pummels the steel roof, and lightning lights up the only windows. Did I mention my horse is skittish, oh and a young 6 yo thoroughbred? Ahhh, the fun! The judges ordered all the other horses out of the arena except my super spaz Brandonburg. I did my test with canters instead of trots and when it was all over and I gave my final salute, I hugged my dear gelding and said quite loudly, "you didn't kill me! Thank you!" As I passed by the judges, one said, "we all have our own riding goals!" Yeah! Mine was just to stick like glue, and get away unscathed!

Despite all the trauma and drama, I had so much fun with the horses and riders. The boys did amazing and both took home ribbons! What little equestrienne buffs they are becoming!

So my question to yall, is what did YOU do for the Holiday?

I'll post pix as soon as I get them from the photographer!

Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (11 ounce) can condensed cheese soup
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (16 ounce) jar picante sauce
• 1tsp Garlic Salt or minced garlic clove
• 1/2 pound processed cheese food, cubed

Directions

1. Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.
2. Drain beef and place in a large, heavy saucepan with condensed cheese soup, refried beans, picante sauce, garlic and processed cheese food. Cook on high until boiling, then reduce heat to low. Stirring constantly, cook until mixture is melted and bubbly. You may combine ingredients (cooked ground beef) and cook or reheat in crock pot for parties! Serve with tortilla or pita chips.