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Here is something Gary came across that will just blow you away.  It defines the saying of "Expect the Unexpected" or "Don't judge a Book By It's Cover." (It will be the BEST 10 minutes you will have today!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Way to Go Susan Boyle!!!!! Absolutely Amazing! I still have goosebumps!

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Riley

Here is the picture that captured our hearts...just look at those eyes...                                       

Riley was found by a fellow caver,John, near the entrance of a cave this past summer.  After trying to no avail to find the owner, John decided to keep the dog.  However, John soon learned that this coon hound was not an inside dog, it needed lots of running room.  So, John posted Riley on a caver blog. Well after one look, Gary was ready to adopt. 

After I saw those eyes, I said yes too.

(Now keep in mind I'm not really an animal person. I think animals are beautiful and wonderful, but I really don't want to touch them and I definitly don't like to jumped on or licked. I've been like this since childhood.) 

We also thought that Riley might be a good dog to help Ethan deal with his fear of animals. He loved animals and wanted to touch them so bad, but was so afraid.  We had researched and learned that Coon hounds can be trained very easily.

It didn't take long to teach her not to jump or lick.  And, It only took a few weeks for Ethan to be right on the ground playing with her.   Even I got to were I would pet her.  It seem that she knew I was the gentle one for her and if she wanted me to pet her she had to be still.

Yesterday, we said goodbye to Riley.  Ethan & I were at my Mom's house when the neighbor called and said someone had hit her with a car and she was dead.  My dad, bless him (and thank you), went to take care of Riley so Ethan would not have to see. 

I held Ethan on my lap and told him the sad news.   I wasn't sure if he would understand because he is only 3 1/2 years old.  He did understand and he cried.   I cuddled and comforted him. We talked about how important it is to look both ways when crossing the road and never just stand in the road.  We talked about Riley going to heaven to be with Jesus.  I told Ethan about my childhood pet dogs.  After a few minutes, Ethan seemed to be OK. 

Of course later, in three year old fashion,  he tells me this: "Mama, I'm going to go up to the sky, cut a hole in it and put the puppies in a bucket to bring them back, and I'm going to tell Jesus that I need to borrow them for a long while."   

 Yes, Riley you will be missed.

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Here's a blog challenge for you: Categories

I found where I add the label of my catergories in the "Entry Categories" and when you post a new blog entry at the bottom you pick which category to enter it into.

On the right side of my blog, I have a Categories section.  If you click there nothing happens. 

So I'm thinking I have tinkered with my template and messed up something.

Would someone please email me a copy (or post in comments section) a copy of their html of categories from their template so I can compare  with mine and see what I messed up.

Thank you so much. Suzanne

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This recipe is easy to make!  It is great for dessert or breakfast. 

Cream Cheese Danish   (by Suzanne Collins)

 13” glass baking dish

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Main Ingredients:   2 cans of Crescent rolls

                             2 packages of Cream Cheese

                             1 cup of Sugar

                             1 tsp Vanilla

                             1 Stick of Butter- melted

Glaze Ingredients:  1 cup Powered Sugar

                              3 or 4 tsp Milk

                              1 tsp Vanilla

Bottom layer:  1 can of Crescent rolls

Middle layer:  Mixed Cream cheese, Sugar, & Vanilla

Top layer:  1 can of Crescent rolls. Then add melted butter evenly on top

Bake: 20 minutes

Top with Glaze Mixture (I drizzled on with a spoon)

Serve & Enjoy…

Note: I purchase Walmart brand crescent rolls last time and I didn't like their quality as much as the name brand. The Walmart brand did not tear apart very well.

Also, I'm working on making this receipe more Diabetic friendly for my Mom. I think it might incorperate lemon into it just for her.  I'll post it as soon as I have it fixed.

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(Gary took these pictures the other night)

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  Here is a  truly "Sweet activity" that Ethan & I did on our "iced in" day.

At first, we were going to make an igloo out of sugar cubes.  Well, that didn't work out.  

So then we tried building a traditional gingerbread like house; however, we couldn't get the roof to stay pitched. 

 Frustration was starting to set in.....

and then the perfect house just Clicked in my mind....

a simple house of older times ...or better yet a stable.

The Front View

The Side View

(Made of sugar cubes, karo syrup, pretzel sticks, alumnium foil and powered sugar)

Yes! Jesus is the reason for the season!  

Merry Christmas!

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Just sharing some pictures of Halloween Fun.

 Ethan's 1st Halloween (He was a little over 3 months old) 

Ethan's 2nd Halloween -No Tricks, just Treats (15months old) We just went to our families homes. (Here's my "Little Pumpkin" as I called him when I was first pregnant.) 

Ethan's 3rd Halloween - No Tricks, just Treats (2yrs old)  

This Year, 2008, Trunks & Treats (3years old)

 Ethan was standing in front of my trunk looking at a "scary creature."

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I think I finally have a grasp on how to add pictures to the Blog and make them a decent size so they don't take up the whole screen.

Last night I learned how to add the Music player. (Yes, I have quite an ecclectic taste in Music.)

Many Thanks to all who helped!

"Your never to Old to learn something New, just might take a little longer."

Next Challenge: Add Picture of Us (Gary, Ethan, & myself)...This will be quite a challenge because for some reason there are not to many, always seems either Gary or I are doing the taking of the pictures.

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How do you have Joy and Happiness in your life?

It's real simple if you break it down.

J = Jesus 1st  (Believe, Love, & Do in Jesus)

O= Others 2nd  (Help Someone- Make their Life Happy -which will make you feel good too.)

Y= Yourself last (By doing J & O first, Y will fall into place, with a smile upon your face!)

Have a Happy Weekend!

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Ethan & I watched the Curious George movie today.  If I knew how to play the guitar, I would have to learn to play this song.   Maybe Ethan will someday. (Musical talent comes from Gary's side of the family not mine.) I am a kid at heart. I love this song. What a perfect uplifting and fun song to dance around the house on such a gloomy rainy day.  I think I might just have to put one of those music players on the blog.

Until then here are the lyrics to Upside Down by Jack Johnson:

Who's to say
What's impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There's no stopping curiosity

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs
I don't want this feeling to go away

Who's to say
I can't do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren't always just what they seem

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs
This world keeps spinning and there's no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down
Who's to say what's impossible and can't be found
I don't want this feeling to go away

Please don't go away
Please don't go away
Please don't go away
Is this how it's supposed to be
Is this how it's supposed to be

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Yesterday we went with our Homeschool group to the Farm.

Here are a few pictures of "Farmer" Ethan. (Note to other Mom's: If I have a picture posted of your child and you don't want it posted just let me know & I'll remove it. )

And of Course.... 

 "Mr Detective"

 I just have to go up there and investigate...

 Yes, My son was the only little one who just had to get up....ugh!!..

Oh well ,at least he was quite about it. And the speaker handled it so well. Bless her.

I thought about removing him to the back, but that would have probably made a big ugly scene. I have to remind myself he is only 3 years old and he could have done worse. Something we will have to work on, Staying Seated! 

Overall it was a wonderful day!

I have some other pictures, but It seems I have run out of allowable memory space..another blog challenge to conquer! I have learned how to upload pictures and adjust the size though, woohoo!

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It's been 2 years now since we sold Our first house. The first house that my husband & I bought. The Old house I always dreamed of owning. The first home of Ethan. Many great memories!

There are only two things I miss about Our first house.

1. Ethan's Baby Room...Sentimental

AND.....

2. The Smooth Top Stove!..Practical

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Eeekkk!

No, Mama doesn't like snakes! No, It's not poisonious.

Yes, Daddy set Mama Up!

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I finally saw the link to click on to add Friends! 

Now for my next computer blog challenge. How do I reduce the size of my pictures so that they are not HUGE!  I have forgotten how to do this since I posted Ethan's gardening picture.  I might accomplish this today to since Ethan has a cold and today we will be resting at home.

Any help would be appreciated.

Many Blessings,

Suzanne

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Found this one on Nancy’s Blog…

Answer the question below, do a Google Image Search

with your answer. Take a picture from the results,

answer with minimum words.

 (I simplified since I could not get the copy/paste

to work.)

**Note to young bloggers-ASK PARENTS PERMISSION

& HELP!- Remember there are bad things on the

computer as well as good!

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A few weeks ago we had a Bob The Builder day. (Actually it turn out to be a week.) Ethan is a fan of Bob and the gang. We read some of his Bob The Builder books and watched a couple of his shows. Bob’s theme is “Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle.” So in honor of Bob the Builder week, we took some aluminum cans to the recycling center and came home with $12.75. I was shocked! It was a lot of money for a few cans, about 5 kitchen size trash bags. Ethan got excited when he saw the very large crane machine. Mom and I laughed when he said, “Look at all this junk!” We explained that they were going to take all the junk and recycle it by crushing it up and shipping it somewhere else to be melted and transformed into new metal items. Last Christmas Ethan received several of the little matchbox like toys of the machines like Dizzy and Lofty, characters of Bob the Builder. This Spring, I found 2 pre-school Bob The Builder learning books at the Dollar Tree, one of my favorite stores. So we did a couple of activities from the books and played with the toys and had lots of fun!

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Yesterday, we planted tomatoes and peppers.   A few days ago we planted yellow summer squash, okra, cucumbers, and corn.  We still have to plant zucchini, watermelon, pumpkin and gourds.  The pumpkins and gourds are for the Fall celebration, my favorite season.

This is our first year to plant okra and watermelon.  In the past, we have received watermelon from my uncle.  He has always had plenty to share, although last years crop was not as good due to the drought.  I thought we would try to grow some too so that we would be able to share. Not to mention, Ethan picked up watermelon seeds when we were shopping and the look of delight was too good to pass. 

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The other morning, Ethan was piling several of his stuffed animals into the recliner.  He then says, “Mama look!  I’m on top of the food chain.” 

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A couple of days ago we started planting the garden.  Yeah!  We planted one row of white onions and one row of red onions.   Ethan helped so much!  He didn’t play out until we were 3/4ths of the way done.  We learned about spacing the onions evenly and did some counting along the way, a science and math lesson all in one.  Ethan loves to do activities/crafts so I think we will have to make a notebook of our gardening adventures.

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