Category Archives: Best Friend Dogs

Backyard Fun illuminations

02 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, homemade ice cream, rafting, recipes, stay-vacation, therapy dogs, wisdom and understanding

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“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”        Ephesians 3:20, 21

We decided to take a stay at home vacation this summer.  I usually prefer to go to the mountains where the nights are cool or spend time on the beach enjoying the ocean breeze on early morning walks.  But with the cost of everything skyrocketing, it seemed like a wise idea to stay home. I wasn’t sure how much fun this would be, but I was sure that God always does “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”  Following is a list of some of the fun things we’ve done in our back yard during past summers with our children and grand kids.

Big Box Fun:  

My husband brought home a large refrigerator box and the grand kids had a ball rolling down the hill in our back yard inside the box.  It is possible to also use it for a clubhouse cutting out windows  and a door and letting the kids paint it with poster paints.  There are so many things you can make with a big box.  It can be turned into a lemonade stand, a rocket ship or used as a sliding board, the possibilities are unending.

Huckleberry Finn Fun Rafting:

It just takes a little imagination, a few inner tubes and a creek.  We are blessed to live in the woods on a creek and it has always provided fantastic  entertainment for our children and grand kids.  It is only about a foot deep and on hot summer days, it gives hours of fun rafting with just some peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for a picnic along the way.  Add in a little imagination and oh the wonderful places you can go!

Croquet Games  

Our kids have always enjoyed a good game of poison croquet.  Regular croquet is   better for very young children who do not appreciate having their ball sent rolling away when they were just about to tap it through a wicket.  But the older ones understand the humor and advantage of playing a challenging game of poison croquet.  Our biggest problem is keeping our Golden Retriever from retrieving the balls.

Delicious Dinners

Evenings provide endless opportunities for delicious meals of grilling out  hamburgers and hotdogs which seems to be everybody’s favorite.  Another favorite of mine is shrimp brushed with a little garlic butter and grilled to perfection.  Frozen pineapple chunks make a great accompaniment and so do raw carrot sticks, celery, broccoli and cauliflower served with a sour cream, parsley and dill dip.  Fresh corn on the cob and a few chips finish out an easy summer meal that never requires heating up the oven.  My husband sometimes likes a grilled pineapple ring placed on top of his burger which gives it a taste of Hawaii.  Grilled chicken with pineapple is another favorite of ours.  While waiting for dinner a little down time in the hammock is always great.

Sour Cream, parsley and dill dip,                                                                                 (a favorite of mine)

  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 3/4 cup Miracle Whip
  • 1Tbsp. dried minced parsley
  • 1 Tbsp dried minced onion
  • 1 tsp. beau Monde seasoning
  • 1 tsp. dried minced dill weed

Stir together and let chill in refrigerator over night to blend the flavors.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe:

Desserts have always been my favorite part of any meal and what could be better than homemade ice cream!  This is the recipe for strawberry ice cream we made when I was growing up and it is yummy!

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • few grains salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pt. half and half cream
  • 1/2 pt. whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 qt. strawberries

Scald 3/4 cup of milk, then add flour which has been thoroughly mixed with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt.  Beat the egg with remaining 1/4 cup milk, then add to the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook while stirring about 3 min. or until mixture coats the spoon.  Thoroughly cool; and add vanilla extract.  Place mixture in refrigerator to chill.  Put strawberries thru food mill to puree.  A blender can also be used but the food mill gets out most of the tiny seeds.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar to the strawberry puree (sometimes I add a little more sugar and sweeten to taste).  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.  After dinner pour the puree, custard mixture, cream and half and half into your ice cream freezer can adding a little extra cream or milk until mixture reaches fill line.  Be sure to have plenty of ice and a box of rock salt on hand and mix together according to manufacturer’s directions.  I usually buy an extra bag of ice and extra rock salt just in case we don’t have enough.  Enjoy!  

Basketball In The Driveway

After dinner the kids all like to play basketball in the driveway.  But as for me, I’m usually ready to sit down and relax for the rest of the evening with a good book.  This summer I plan to read “Stillmeadow” by Gladys Taber again.  It is a charming book with some delightfully funny moments .

The grand kids never get tired and after running and romping all day long they only sit quiet for a moment before asking, “what can we do now?”   Lightning Bug Lanterns  

I try to keep on hand a supply of clear plastic jars with lids for these lanterns.  Empty plastic peanut butter jars are great for this.  Cut a few breathing holes in the lid and turn the kids loose to run in the back yard. Thankfully this always gives  the adults some much needed quiet time to relax and enjoy a little dog therapy.

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Mother’s Day Tribute

07 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts, Fun stuff for kids, homeschool, Mother's Day Love, recipes, wisdom and understanding

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“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”  Proverbs:31:30

When I was thinking about doing a Mother’s Day Post, I could only think how  blessed I am to have grown up with such a wonderful mother and now to have two loving daughters who are both such great mothers. My mother taught me to love Jesus from the time I was tiny and she also told me that I must always remember that my name stood for J – Jesus first, O – others second, Y –  yourself last.  When I left for college she gave me the book, “Leaves of Gold” an  anthology of prayers, memorable phrases and inspirational verse and prose.  In it she wrote:

Darling,
Let’s always try to remember that the golden key to happiness is found not by seeking happiness for ourselves, but by seeking ways to give it to others, for Jesus sake.
May all your New Years be filled with true happiness and joy, my precious little girl.                                                                           I love you!                                                                                                               Mother

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.    Proverbs 3:6

I would give anything now if I could just hear her speak, hold her hand and tell her how much I love her and appreciate the things she taught me.

I am so thankful to have two wonderful daughters who love the LORD with all their heart and are teaching their children to love and talk to Jesus who is the best Friend any child can have.

The talents and abilities of my daughters are my inspiration but their friendship now that they are grown with children of their own is one of my greatest joys.  Being a mother means giving of yourself, no matter how tired you feel; your time even when it is inconvenient and most important of all, your love.

Mary Ladd gave up a great job teaching 8th grade English when her first child was born.  She fixed up a fantastic one room schoolhouse in her basement and now home-schools all four of her children, teaching 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grade.  She is also a wonderful cook, baking yummy sweet rolls and bread and delighting her kids with homemade ice cream and cookies.  She has a lovely  flower garden and does beautiful stained glass creations in her spare time (I don’t  see how she has any spare time).

Mary Ladd’s Cinnamon rolls:  she also uses this dough to make pan rolls

In small bowl, combine:

  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 and 1/2 t. active dry yeast (let the yeast proof – 5 min.)

Mix together in food processor:

  • 1 and 1/2 sticks butter or margarine
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk

Mix in a separate bowl:

  • 4 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp. salt

Next, add the yeast mixture and flour mixture to food processor bowl.  Mix ingredients for around 30 seconds until small ball forms (you may need to add a little more flour).  Remove ball and with a little more flour, knead it until it forms a smooth ball that doesn’t stick to your fingers.  Cover and let sit until doubles in size (2 hours).  Roll dough into a rectangle and spread butter on top.  Then, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and roll into a log.  Cut 1/2 pieces with a  dough blade and place pieces in a greased round cake pan.  Let rolls rise until doubled in size.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. 

For the cream cheese icing:  Combine at room temperature and spread over tops of rolls:

  • 8 oz.  cream cheese
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 t vanilla
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp. milk

Our entire family loves these!

Christy finished up her last two years at Asbury University attending the night program because she was married with three children.  She managed to miss only one week when Shepherd, her fourth child was born and still graduated with honors.  She now teaches 1st grade in the public school system as well as Sunday School classes in her church.  She is a basketball mom and soccer mom who tries very hard never to miss her kid’s games, (even when it means being at the soccer field all  day, like this past Saturday.)  She hosts most of our Thursday night cousin’s nights at her home and is a super cook. She is also very creative and makes fantastic cakes for her kid’s birthdays.  This was Shepherd’s firetruck birthday cake with gum drop lights and chocolate Oreo cookie tires.  May 1st was Shepherd’s 3rd birthday and since he is still crazy about firetrucks and firemen, Christy decided to make him a fire station for his cake.

I pray for each of my children and grandchildren by name daily and this prayer found in Ephesians is a part of what I pray for them.

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”                  Ephesians 1:16,17

In the blog, simplystriving.wordpress.com, Nikki wrote a beautiful prayer in her post, “Prayer for our Children – Praying with Purpose.”  I intend to use parts of it in my own prayers and I’m sure that if you check out her post, it will bless your heart as you read it.

Crafts for kids:  Mother’s Day Presents: 

  Forget-me-not flower pots with sticky note coasters

  • 2 1/2″ white painted clay flower pots
  • Pencil or pen (I got a package of 10 pencils for $1.00 at Michaels) 
  • Flower with bendable wire attached (Package of five for $2.99 at Michaels)
  • Pad of sticky notes
  • assorted stick-on jewels
  • Best Mom or #1 Mom and “I love you” stickers. (In scrapbook dept. at Michaels.)
  • glue sticks for jewels that do not have sticky backing
  • bag of coffee beans (I used chocolate mint coffee to add a delicious fragrance to the flower pots. 
  • Hot glue gun
  • cellophane wrapping paper
  • Pretty ribbon to tie a bow on package

Decorate the clay pots by gluing or sticking on some jewels and stickers.  Add about 1/3 cup of coffee beans to pot when finished decorating.  With hot glue gun run a bead of glue around top of the pencil just below eraser and bend the flower around pencil above it.  Stick a few jewels on top sheet of sticky note pad and write a Happy Mother’s day message on it.  Place the sticky note pad under the clay pot and pull up cellophane wrap around it with just the flower showing at top.  Tie ribbon around it in a pretty bow.

Recipe:  Mother’s Day Super Easy Ice Cream Sunday Pie

  • Graham cracker pie crust 
  • vanilla ice cream, or your favorite flavor or combination of flavors
  • chocolate, strawberry and caramel ice cream toppings
  • fresh strawberries
  • M&Ms

This is great for Mom’s special day because there is practically no work and everybody loves it, especially the kids.

Golden illuminations: 

This is Sunny and when she had puppies, I had fun celebrating Mother’s Day with her.  She was a wonderful mother and had beautiful puppies.

Glorious illuminations part II

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, beauty, Best Friend Dogs, Christianity, crafts, Easter, flower gardens, Fun stuff for kids, health, Hearts Filled With Joy, therapy dogs

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“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”            John 11:40

You may not think caterpillars are beautiful.  Many have stripes or spots that help protect them from birds and other predators by breaking up their body’s outline.  This coloration also blends well with the plants upon which the caterpillar eats.    They crawl slowly in a wave-like motion using three pairs of true legs, and as many as five pairs of “pro-legs” which function the same as the true legs.  The true legs later develop into the legs of the adult butterfly, while the pro-legs are lost during metamorphosis.  The caterpillar’s feet are capable of wrapping around and grasping the branches and stems of the plants they like to eat.

Obviously, God’s purpose was not to make the caterpillar attractive but to protect it from danger.  But how beautiful is God’s purpose when we see his entire plan.  He chose to use a miracle to transform an ugly earth bound caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly that can fly.  What a great illustration of what happens to us when we die.  Death is not the end, but a beautiful new beginning.  We are much like the caterpillar with no beauty of our own until God transforms us by His grace giving us new life and beauty when we place our trust in Jesus who died for our sins so that we might have eternal life.

Fun stuff for Kids

Caterpillar Craft (for a younger child)

You will need

  • 5 fuzzy balls,(one color or a rainbow of colors)
  • one large fuzzy ball
  • Strip of poster board, 1,2 inch by 5 inches
  • a set of googly eyes
  • glue stick or hot glue gun(for adult use)

Fold poster board strip like an accordion and glue on small fuzzy ball with large one for the head.  Let glue set.  Glue on googly eyes.

Cocoon For Your Caterpillar

Use an ordinary bathroom toilet paper holder and wrap it with green or brown peel and stick foam.  Fold the end of it together to form the top of the cocoon and add a thin strip of cut foam to wrap your cocoon around a branch.

Butterfly Craft

You will need a large white paper coffee filter, washable markers, a wood clothes pin, pipe cleaner, spray bottle, Elmer’s white glue, googly eyes.

  • Spread newspaper or a plastic table cloth over work space.
  • Color coffee filter with markers using several different colors.
  • Fill spray bottle with water and lightly mist coffee filter so colors run together.  Let dry.
  • Put a little glue on inside of the clothespin and carefully insert coffee filter.
  • Cut a pipe cleaner in half and wrap it around the neck curling it up behind the head to form antennas.
  • Glue on googly eyes.

Easter Egg Coloring Fun

The Coming of Sunshine

Sunshine was born on Easter Sunday and it was love at first sight.  She was the sweetest puppy and never caused a bit of trouble.  It was almost like she was a gift from God because she came into my life at a time when I was feeling very blue.  Some dogs are wonderful therapy and Sunshine reflected her name and always brought me happiness.

Beauty Tip

As you appreciate the beauty of a garden of flowers, take deep life giving breaths of the flower perfumed air and gaze at the amazing beauty of a flower until it sinks deep within your spirit and soul and you reflect that beauty and the love God has poured into his wondrous creation.  You may not see the beauty when you look in the mirror, but you will be reflecting it to others in a smile or kind deed that lights up your countenance with God’s love.


 

The Easter Lily

The beautiful white flowers of the Easter Lily symbolize purity, hope, love and life which is the spiritual significance of Easter.  Lilies were found growing in the garden of Gethsemane after the Crucifixion.  They were said to have sprung up when drops of Christ’s sweat fell to the ground in his final hours of sorrow and distress.  At Easter time churches bank their altars with masses of Easter lilies to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of everlasting life.

Health Tip

Eternal life is not just life everlasting up in heaven, it is youth giving, revitalizing, joy producing, purpose filled life here on earth.

The Garden of Gethsemane

Just before Jesus was arrested he and His disciples went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”  He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them.  “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  “Abba. Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.  “Simon,” he said to Peter, “Could you not keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”                          Mark 14:32-38

What a wonderful Savior we have in Jesus!  

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   John 3:16

Searching For Springtime

18 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, Hearts Filled With Joy, spring flowers, spring snow storm

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See!  The winter is past;  the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear on the earth, the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.           Song of Songs 2:11, 12

Have you heard it yet?  How I love the cooing of the doves in springtime.  They seem to be whispering peace, peace.  Quiet your racing heart and experience God’s wonderful peace.  The little Carolina wren that nests all winter long in a hanging basket of dead flowers outside my kitchen window, gets up before dawn and merrily starts singing, ‘It’s here, it’s here!’  And I rejoice in knowing it’s true.  Springtime has come once again.  Tornadoes have all given way to sunshine, birdsong and flowers.  I feel like singing too.  God is faithful and has renewed what appeared to be dead.  The grass and the woods are sprinkled with lovely flowers and I am filled with hope.

And then came the spring snow storm on March 5 2012.

The snow is gone, the temperature is in the high 60’s and Ladd has his tennis ball.  God is faithful and good.  The time for singing has come!  How Great Is Our God! Chairein!  That is Greek for, Joy to you!

St. Patrick’s Day illumination

10 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, crafts, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, recipes, St. Patricks Day

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

When Patrick was taken prisoner at age 16 by a group of raiders who were attacking his family estate in Britain, he probably was angry with God blaming him for what had happened.  He was taken to Ireland and remained a prisoner for 6 years serving his captors as a lonely shepherd with only sheep for companionship.  But like David, he had a lot of time to talk to God and probably voiced not only his complaints but also his fears and dreams.  He finally escaped by walking 200 miles to the Irish coast and returned to Britain.  Once in Britain he began religious training and became a priest.  His dream was to return to Ireland and convert the pagans to Christianity.

He used the lovely shamrock leaf to explain the Trinity; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit three in one.  He became the Patron St. of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 which is the anniversary of his death.

Fun Craft For Kids: 

Shamrock Pins

  • Using Sculpey green clay (can be found in most craft stores) on a piece of Cut-rite wax paper, let each child flatten out 1/4 of a small package.
  • Flatten to fit a metal shamrock cookie cutter shape.
  • Cut out the shamrock shape pressing down firmly with cutter so as to cut out completely.
  • Pick up shamrock shape which is still on wax paper and carefully bend back wax paper around it to peel off extra clay.
  • Gently peel away wax paper from shamrock and lay on a fresh piece of wax paper on a cookie tray.
  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees and bake shamrock on wax paper for about two hours till firm.
  • Let cool completely on tray
  • Using a hot glue gun, glue a jewelry pin (which can be found at most craft stores) to the back of the shamrock.

When I was growing up anyone who did not have on something green on St. Patrick’s Day got pinched.  I didn’t have any green outfits and I remember how grateful I was that my sister Judy had crocheted me a green shamrock pin to wear so I wouldn’t be pinched.

Rainbow illuminations

I’m still searching for rainbows and I imagine Ireland has lots of them.  It is known as the Emerald Isle because of the abundance of rain and beautiful green grass.  Kentucky also has abundant rain and it is known as the Blue Grass State.  I guess the grass sometimes looks blue in the misty atmosphere after a rain.  This is a picture of some of our puppies who are a bit muddy after playing in the rain.

Fun Stuff For Kids

The Fresh Market

It is still too cold for the farmer’s market to open so we decided to take a visit to a beautiful Fresh Market store.  The fruit and vegetables were placed in rainbow assortments and it all looked so yummy it was hard to resist.  It was a great learning experience for Shepherd.  He wanted to know about everything and seemed determined to load up the grocery cart with all he could get his hands on.

When I returned home I made a fruit tray using some of the pineapple, cantaloupe, Honey Dew melon, strawberries, raspberries, Kiwi, grapes and blueberries.  I believe it had all the colors of the rainbow which I learned long ago to remember with the letters  ROY G BIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.

Recipe:  Favorite Fruit Dip

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp.almond extract

Stir all together and serve with fruit.

Mind illuminations

It is a myth that St. Patrick got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.  It is more likely that he rid Ireland of a lot of the evil attitudes which some might attribute to Satan who was disguised as a snake in the garden of Eden.  A young teenager had all his life plans altered and what seemed like a terrible tragedy, God turned for the good not only for the boy but for an entire country.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you!  

AN IRISH BLESSING FOR YOU.                                                                        MAY THE Irish hills caress you, may her lakes and rivers bless you, may the luck of the Irish enfold you and may the blessings of SAINT PATRICK behold you.

illuminations on love and laughter

04 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, crafts and recipes, Friendship International

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“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.  Then it was said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.'”  Psalms 126:2

Golden Illumination

Did you know that our dogs sense our emotional moods?  I have seen this time and time again.  If I am sad or not feeling well my dog will come over to me and lay his head on my knee, looking up at me with the saddest most understanding eyes you could ever imagine.  But if I am laughing and happy my dog gets a twinkle in his eye and even laughs with me (not out loud, thank goodness.)  My husband thinks that God made a slight mistake when he made women so that’s why he made dogs who don’t talk.  Well we all know that God doesn’t make mistakes.  I do believe that dogs talk with their eyes and of course wagging tails.  If you think that dogs don’t laugh with us, just take a good look at this picture!  This is Christy laughing with Bailey who was the only puppy in Happy and Sidney’s first litter.  Naturally she was very spoiled!  I remember one of her favorite things to do was climb up in my favorite chair the moment I left the room.  She would be sitting there like a queen when I returned.

Fun Stuff For Kids

Monkey Puppets

  • Open the end of an individual box of cereal and remove the cereal.
  • Cut the box in half leaving one long side uncut.  Bend the box back to make finger holds for your puppet head.
  • Cut a strip of brown paper sack about 1 1/2″ wide and 10″ long.  Staple the strip around the bottom three sides of box for the monkey’s chin.
  • Glue a pink or orange 5″ by 3″ piece of paper on the inside of the monkey’s mouth.
  • Add a red tongue.
  • Cut a peanut shaped head  out of a brown paper sack about 2 1/2″ wide for top part of head and 3 1/2″ wide for cheeks and 4 1/2″ long.
  • Add 2 black eyes with glue (I used small black pom poms and a tiny pom for the monkey’s nose) but buttons would also work.
  • Cut a heart shape out of the brown paper sack about 2″wide 2″ long.  Cut the heart in half and you will have two ears to glue on your monkey’s head.
  • Add some brown crinkle cut strings of hair with glue.
  • Glue the monkey’s head to the box.
  • Using the long side of the brown sack cut two long legs and two arms and fold accordion style.  Staple to sides of box.
  • Holding box with your thumb and three fingers you can make your monkey talk and dance.  Have fun!

Sometimes on cousin’s night it sounds like a gang of monkeys escaped from the zoo and entered the house.  This week we will be making Monkey Bread for our dessert which is a favorite with everybody.  It is easy and fun to pull apart and best when just baked and eaten while still warm and sticky delicious!

Monkey Bread Recipe (Found on Pillsbury Flaky Layer Biscuits can)

Preparation time 25 minutes.  Start to Finish: 1 hour 30 minutes

  •  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 cans (7.5 oz. each) Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  1. Grease or spray 12-cup Bundt cake pan
  2. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in 1-gallon bag.  Cut each biscuit into quarters.  Shake quarters in bag to coat;  place in pan.  Mix melted butter and brown sugar; pour over biscuits pieces.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 49 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes.  Turn upside down.  Serve warm.  12 servings

Love and Laughter illuminations

Monkey bread reminds me of the rhyme my kids loved when they were little.       Five little monkeys jumping on the bed; one fell off and bumped his head;  Momma called the doctor and the doctor said, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”   It goes all the way down to one little monkey and the kids loved saying it over and over.  One of the best memories I have of Mommaw, my children’s much loved grandmother on their father’s side was coming into my son’s bedroom one Saturday evening to find her jumping on his water bed with all four of our children with the music blasting on his stereo playing “Saturday Night” sung by the Bay City Rollers.  Those were fun times!  Now the trampoline takes the place of the water bed and kids seem to love bouncing and tumbling on it. Sorry the pictures are out of focus but the kids were jumping like monkeys none stop!

Friendship International

Smiles Are Contagious

If you are looking for joy, you’ll find plenty of it at Friendship International. I felt honored to be one of the teachers and the year that I taught the art of paper mache clown making was filled with laughter and fun.  If you have never been a part of this organization, you really should come to one of the meetings.  It is something you won’t soon forget.

Our theme at the clown clinic was “smiles are contagious.”

Therapy Dogs & Friendship International

28 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts and recipes, Friendship International, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, therapy dogs

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“Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13”

Friendship International

“Friendship International is a gift of Christian love from American ladies to Internationals living in the Lexington area.  The purpose of Friendship International is to help make the adjustment to the American way of life easier, to provide activities of interest and to facilitate building cross-cultural friendships.”

Friendship International meets in Immanuel Baptist Church each Thursday during the school year, unless Fayette Co. Public Schools are not in session.  Childcare is provided for preschool children.

Here is a list of some of the classes that are offered:  Bible Study, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Cross-Cultural Parenting, Cross-Stitch, Exercise, Knitting, Line Dancing, Needlepoint, Quilting, Scrap booking, English (levels 1,2and 3), and Spanish.

The day that I attended they were celebrating the countries of the International ladies with a Parade of Nations.  The traditional dress of their country worn by many of the International women and their children was breathtaking.  I am sorry I was unable to take pictures of all the lovely ladies and children.

Following the Parade OF Nations I visited the cooking  class and enjoyed listening to Kim Okesson explain and demonstrate how to prepare and cook Ramen Cabbage Salad, English Muffin Pizzas and Rice Pudding.  The English Muffin Pizzas were not only just what my grand kids would love but also very easy and inexpensive to make.   The recipe is as follows:

English Muffin Pizzas                                                  

English Muffins

Pizza or Pasta Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese

Toppings:  Meat: cooked chicken, ground beef, ham and sausage.

Vegetables: onion, green pepper spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, what ever you like.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Split English muffin in half and toast in toaster if you like a crunchy crust.  Place split muffins on cookie tray.

Spoon on sauce, then add toppings.  Add the cheese last.

Cook in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes.  Once the cheese is melted, your pizzas are ready.  Enjoy!!

Best Friend Therapy Dogs

Baby is a therapy dog as well as a service dog.  The way that Lee and Linda explained the difference to me is as follows.  A therapy dog does something for someone else.  A therapy dog has a “bachelor degree” and has to like people and get along with them well.  He must not be spooked by walkers or loud noises like a plate dropping to the floor.  Baby has provided therapy to anxious parents and children in emergency rooms and waiting rooms.  Baby has worked at the V.A. Hospital on Leestown Rd., at U.K. children’s Hospital oncology unit, and with Alzheimer patients at the local Best Friends program.

Lee developed a vision problem in 2006 and now Baby is pretty much a full time service dog for him.  A service dog has a “master’s degree” and does something for it’s owner.  Baby has traveled with Lee on airplanes to California and accompanies him into restaurants.   She is very well behaved and should not be petted when she has her service vest on because that would distract her focus from her job.  She is able to sniff out smoke and help Lee not run into things.  Some service dogs sniff out bombs and drugs.  A seeing eye dog has a P.H.D. and is highly and specifically trained.  The key trick in training a dog is repetition that is reinforced.

Baby will be 10 years old in March and was rescued from a “kill shelter” the day before she was going to be put down.  I met Baby at the Heirloom restaurant in Midway and immediately fell in love with her.  When you look into Baby’s eyes, you see great depths of compassion, wisdom and love.  No wonder she has made such a great therapy and service dog.  What a blessing she has been both to Linda and Lee as well as all the people she comforted through the years.

Fun Stuff For Kids

We decided to take our two year old grandson with us when we took Ladd for a check up at the vet.  Shepherd decided that his dog Raffy needed a checkup also.   The doctor at the Animal Hospital of Nicholasville was so understanding and examined both Raffy and Ladd explaining patiently everything to Shepherd and answering all his questions.  What a joy it is to find doctors who are concerned about their patients as well as their owners.

More Fun Stuff For Kids

When our daughter Christy was young, she wanted a dog house for her best friend Snoopy.  One weekend, my husband agreed to help her build one and together they constructed it out of a cardboard box and lots of tape.  They had a wonderful time painting it and made a beautiful and priceless memory of fun and laughter.

Time with our children, loved ones and friends is so precious.  We should never take it for granted.  Make the most of every moment you are given!

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you.”  Psalm 139:17, 18