It's a Boy!

Another nephew to spoil. I'm so proud.

He sure is a peach.

The 'big' brothers, thing 1 and thing 2.

Never a dull moment with them.

A happy Auntie,

Hope

Come, ye thankful people, come,

This song has been running though my head all morning...

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

Words: Henry Alford, Psalms and Hymns, 1844.
Music: St. George’s Wind­sor, George J. El­vey, 1858

  That is my heart today.
May all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Hope

Tomato Juice

Today I canned tomato juice...

yes, I canned tomato juice in November.

It was great. No flies, no heat and no summer rush.

I think I will can tomatoes in winter from now on.

My sister and I had happily shoved bag after bag

of tomatoes into our freezer this summer. 

While others were slaving away... we were drinking lemonade.

Yea right.

It really was great though.

Just quarter your tomatoes- skins and all and 

freeze in gallon, zip-lock bags. Sit back and drink lemonade.

 Then pull them out in the winter. Thaw and

cook them until soft, blend them with a handy dandy,

hand blender, strain them and ta daa you are done.

Season with salt and sugar.

Well, you have to put it into jars, of course.

Hot water bath for 25 minutes.

 Cook tomatoes until soft. It doesn't take long.

 Blend until smooth. It doesn't take long.

 Strain with a cone strainer. A food mill works also.

Season with salt and sugar. 

We added 1/4 cup salt and 1/2 cup of sugar to this big bowl.

 Fill jars. Hot water bath 25 minutes.

Enjoy,

 Hope

Charity's Baby Shower

Last night I hosted a baby shower for my dear sister, Charity.

It was an extra special shower because it's an extra special time for all of us.

She has been married for ten years and the Lord has answered

their prayers in wanting to have children. She had a miscarriage in 2010

 which was devastating to her. Here is the post I wrote before she miscarried.

Just to give you some background.

It has been a long journey with quite a few bumps- but the Lord has been faithful and we praise Him for blessing her with a child.

Here are a few photos from her shower.

Two pregnant sisters... tums are their best friend,

everything smells funny, and heavy breathing is often heard.

I am their gopher most of the times when we are together.

It will be worth it in the end.

I can't wait to be Auntie again!

Hope

Taco Corn Soup

Well... today surely was a soup day.

It was just hard deciding which

soup to make. I decided on a

classic, taco corn soup. 

 It's good, it's easy and it's comforting.

The recipe we used at home was in

our school cook book from ages ago.

I didn't have that cook book here,

so I went a dumping and a pouring

and came up with this.

Comforting to the core.

Taco Corn Soup

1 lb. hamburger

1 medium onion, chopped

1 quart of tomato juice

1- 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

1- 28 oz. can of Bush's Original Baked Beans

1 pint of corn

3 Tbsp. taco seasoning

3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder

 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. corn starch (to thicken)

Fritos

cheddar cheese

sour cream

Brown hamburger and onion. Add remaining ingredients

and simmer for 20-30 minutes. If you like your soups

thick like me- dissolve 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch in a little

water and add to soup while simmering.

Top with fritos, cheese and sour cream.

Enjoy the rain,

Hope

Joshua's 25th Birthday Party

Yesterday my husband turned 25.

My, we are getting old.

I threw an outdoor party

for him which turned out to

be quite chilly- we survived

by the camp fire.

It was a fun, fall evening.

 The birthday boy really was happy about his party.

Even though the photo does not portray this.

Happy birthday Hubby.

I love you,

Hope

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

I needed some cookies for

Joshua's lunches and started

paging through cookbooks.

I was trying to talk him into something

besides chocolate chip cookies.

He wanted chocolate crinkles and all

kinds of cookies that have to be

 refrigerated before baking.

I came upon Chewy Oatmeal Cookies,

and that was it. I have been looking

for a chewy oatmeal cookie 

recipe for a long time. 

It was like finding a long lost friend.

 

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup Crisco

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups oatmeal

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup currants or 1 cup raisins

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut

Mix together in order given. Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes.

Under baked they fall flat and over baked they aren't as chewy.

I found that 11 minutes was perfect. Even if they seem a little wet,

they will dry up once they sit a little.

Enjoy,

Hope