Boy or Girl?

A NEW GRAND BABY ON THE WAY.

Today was a very special day for me as I would receive a package in the mail that 
my Daughter-In-Law prepared for us to 

REVEAL their BABY'S GENDER.

I cheated and opened the box after collecting it from the POST OFFICE, but before I opened it I sat in the car and cried.  This is such good news with a Baby on the way that I cried tears of joy.  

I carefully took a peek, found a yellow cookie and took a bite 

to see the color inside.  

Blue for a BOY…Pink for a GIRL.

Hubby, Daughter and Lil Miss had to wait until supper time to have their cookie.  SURPRISE SURPRISE….it's a ??? 

 Scroll down and see.

Opened a tissue paper filled box with a note inside:

There were candy bars for us…..

 ….and yellow star shaped cookies with attached poem.

IT'S A BOYYYYY!

Praying for a healthy BaBy

and a healthy momma.

A bundle of joy in late AUGUST.

All my love,

d

EASTER SEASON

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Long ago in the twilight zone I was a very young momma that had her hands full with three children under the age of 5 and thought my LIFE would always be like it was so hectic I didn't have time to sit down and sigh.  A dear friend of mine told me that this would pass and wouldn't always be like this.  I couldn't hardly believe her.  I didn't see how it would ever be different than all the diapers and cleaning I was doing.  Boy, was I wrong.

My Mother-in-Law told me that her Mother had said that these would be the best years of her life.

They were very good years and I have sweet memories of when my children were this tender age, but I truly have enjoyed the journey of all their ages.  My LIFE is ever changing and so are theirs.

After I came out of what I call SEMI-RETIREMENT and took to providing Childcare for a very active toddler, I eased into the idea that this too shall pass.  The days were always busy and it is as if I winked and yawned and the toddler is now seven.

Life does have some challenges at every phase.  I want to take time each day to just sit and think.  My Coffee Drinking Habit has stayed steady and I still have chores to do.  As I dig out from under paperwork that was left untouched, it pains me that I was so far behind.  If I could just make this task seem like it's fun, I think I will be better off.  With each piece of paper I give a glance at, I have to pat myself on the back.  One inch closer to having this finished.

I can promise you…all will change.  That hardship you're going through will one day be HISTORY and you will see that it has passed.

With God all things are possible.  Not just that you can create something out of nothing making it a reality, but the possibility of a troubling event may take a turn in an unexpected direction that surprises you.  With God all things are possible.  Slam dunk.

THAT THING THAT IS MAKING YOU INCREDIBLY NERVOUS MAY TAKE A TURN FOR THE BETTER…because All things work TOGETHER for good to those who love God and are called according to God's purpose.

ROMANS 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them

that love God, to them who are the called according to his 

purpose.


You see there is a difference between personally knowing HIM and knowing ABOUT Him.  I know Him.  Hallelujah.  He knows my name.  I've been called.  

I am a lover of God.  I've been called according to HIS purpose.  And this shall not pass away.  The hardship will.  The trial I'm going through will pass away, but not my relationship with Him.  Not that.  Being called according to His purpose shall not pass away.  I'm called.

AMEN,
d

Rhubarb Dump Cake

                       ~Rhubarb Dump Cake~

Ingredients:
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/4 inch pieces makes between 3 and 4 cups
1 cup white sugar
1 (3 ounce package) strawberry jell-o
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter, melted

 
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. 
Spread the rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. 
Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb, 
followed by the jell-o, 
and finally the cake mix. 
Pour the water and melted butter over the top. 
Do not stir. 
Bake for 45 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender.

 Doesn't that look great!
d

Birthday Wishes

~Birthday Wishes and Blessings~

My Momma turns 82 today.

Hope it is a wonderful day because 

you are a wonderful MOM!

Love you,

Deanna

The Saint Louis 1851 Campbell House Museum Cook's Bedroom,

Nice wood furniture for a Cook.

Since the Camp­bells did not pho­to­graph many of the rooms in the ser­vants’ wing of the house (includ­ing the kitchen and ser­vants’ liv­ing quar­ters), the Campbell Foundation was able to inter­pret these rooms the best they could, based on the orig­i­nal floor­plan of the house.  The housekeeper’s bed­room has always been staged as a bed­room, but the cook’s bed­room — which had pre­vi­ously housed an exhibit on the ser­vants — has now been pre­sented as a bed­room.  Thanks to a bequest from one of the members, a beau­ti­ful set of fur­ni­ture of the style, period and qual­ity that would have been in a servant’s bed­room in a house like this was given. 

Compared to New York Servant's Quarters, 

the Campbell's Servant's Bedrooms looks pretty nice.

The Docent pointed out photographs as part of the tour.

Nice wood furniture compared to metal frames.

Can you imagine having all of your possessions in a trunk and in a few drawers?

Hope you are having a pleasant Spring,

d

JIbber Jabber

The day is young and I am not.  That's alright as time has been a fleeting thing.  Wrinkles on my face and aching pains where I never expected to creep into my body when I was so young and completely naive what old age felt like.

Seems like an ongoing drama to stay in maintenance mode concerning everything from filing papers to doing the laundry.  What a sense of satisfaction I get when the laundry is caught up and there are clean sheets on our bed.  WAKING to the dishes being done by the Dish Fairy makes me smile because I'm off to a good start in the mornings.  My sweet husband washes a lot of dishes.  I am thankful.

This morning as I took Lil Miss to school, the air was thick with smoke from the pioneers burning the rolling Flint Hills.  A yearly ritual that I seem to forget about until they start burning their pastures and fields each Spring.  It causes breathing problems and I feared this year that the thick smoke would cause my upholstered furniture and clothing hanging in the closets to stink with the stench as the smog floats into the house's every crevice.

Rain is suppose to be in the forecast today which if it becomes a reality will help wash the smoke out of the air and down the drain somewhere.

We had to have a Plumber snake out the water drains this past week because the water wasn't draining as it should.  Received the bill and she is waiting to get paid as I have checks I must fill out the old fashion way.  I like being old fashioned.  We've been here at Home Haven on the Prairie 7 years and this is the first time we have had a Plumber drop by and clean the pipes.  He thought that if we haven't had any problems in 7 years, we were doing pretty well.  I agree and I hope he will stay away because we will not need him.  

The clothes dryer runs with that familiar sound of clothing clicking around in the drum.  Just loaded another load of casual clothing in the machine.  Sippin' the famous morning cup of coffee as it approaches Lunch.  Cottage cheese and salad for me.  Putting a V8 in the fridge for an afternoon snack.  Not sure what we will have for supper tonight.  I have to squeeze a hair appointment in here somewhere as I start gathering items for Easter Baskets for my Grandchildren.  Will need to get these put together and placed in the mail.  ASAP.

To think EASTER will be here soon....it refreshes me to no end.  Easter egg hunts and praising the Lord that He is risen...He is risen indeed. He is worthy to be praised and greatly to be praised as the song goes!  My mouth is singing as my spiritual meter is in motion.

Makes the daily heartache seem less powerful and less controlling.

The older I get, the easier it is to praise God for His goodness and mercy.  You know as a child of God, we are able to enter His Throne Room with praise and Thanksgiving.  To think that the Creator of all cares to hear us when we pray...makes me think on Heavenly things.

I'm doing my personal best as I cleared out two more boxes of paper.  It truly is a victory to have gone through these boxes and laundry basket that a week ago was filled to the brim with papers.  Last week the basket was staring me down but little by little the papers disappeared.  A victory.  A deep sigh of relief.  The last time I was so far behind on papers was back in 1993.  That makes me squirm a tad.  What happened that caused me to be so far behind?  Later.

Traveling down memory lane hasn't been horribly painful.   Just a teeny tiny bit as I gulp.

My ability to complete task is still there, but the speed in which I tackle them has changed.  Since I started providing childcare back in 2008, I had to tweak the way I cleaned house and took to all the details of running a house.  I found that I had to do the task in spurts of energy and a window of time that wasn't like it was when I was a young momma doing daily chores.  I have relaxed a great deal more since hitting the fifties.  So many reasons we have to change the way we do our chores and manage.

Over the week-end, Hubby and I went shopping for a new pair of dress slacks for him.  His dress jacket still fits and looks quite nice on him.  A new crisp white dress shirt awaits for Easter attire along with tie, tack and socks.  His shoes will be polished and he'll get a haircut.  He tried the outfit on last night and rest assure he is ready for Spring. I have to go through my dresses and see what I might have to wear that still fits me.  That sounds awful.     

I have to remind myself to move and stretch.  Will power and muscle.  I can actually touch my toes....as I sit on the ottoman.  grins.

My BABY turned 34.  Daughter's 34th Birthday was on Saturday and her Lil one wanted to decorate with streamers and balloons.  For under $10 we decorated and had a mini-party.  All in HOT PINK.  Truly a delightful color for a young Lady.  

Lil Miss and I fixed a white cake with creamy chocolate frosting.  Half a container of fudge frosting mixed with a full can of cream cheese frosting made a delicious mocha frosting to frost the round cake with. Displayed on a pretty glass cake stand.  Lil Miss sprinkled the cake with nonpareils sprinkles and I topped it off with two number candles.  Daughter was surprised and she needs some sweet surprises in Life.  Being a single momma isn't an easy thing.

I just remembered that I have to get my Mom's and Father-in-Law's Birthday cards in the mail.  Their special day is on Wednesday.  Both share the same birthday, wedding anniversary, have 4 children and share their first grandchild as a common element, still married to their first spouse.  

Taxes are just about done.  It's gonna hurt.

In a few days, my Oklahoma kids will know the gender of their Baby.  Guessing it will be a.................  I think it will be a girl...maybe a boy.  Wish it were twins.  Grins.  This is good news and Lord knows I am hungry for some good news.  Puts a smile on my face. 

You do make a difference in someone's LIFE. You are a BLESSING.

Better run.  Gotta go to the Post Office.
Heavenly DAZE,
d    

The Saint Louis 1851 Campbell House Museum Kitchen

She's a beauty.  Gray and White QUICK MEAL Gas Oven makes for a superior cooking appliance in the Campbell Kitchen.  Imagine preparing meals on this.

No Victorian Kitchen would be complete without a upscale 

ICE BOX.  Ample storage.  Yes sir ree bob. 

Copper sinks were easier on the dishes if one slipped.  

Less likely to break the dishes.

The Campbell House has the best looking fake veggies 

I have ever seen.  I need to know where this came from.

Ringing a bell for service was needed with each bell tone different.  

Skilled Irish Servants knew which bell tone was for whatever room.

 Up the Servants' back stairs to the second floor 
by climbing upwards to see what ups there.

Bedrooms?

d 

The Saint Louis 1851 Campbell House Museum Butler's Pantry

This is one feature I sure wish I had in my HOME. 

A spacious area with cabinets to house extra sets of dishes, crystal, silver, baking items and the extras that are seldom used, but need a place to rest in between times.  
Ahhh.  So nice and orderly.  

Tis true... a house is not always a home, but having adequate storage sure makes a place where you live seem more manageable, organized and stately.  

Know what I mean?  

 Conveniently located off of the Dining room is the Butler's Pantry.
Above the door is a device that helped with noise control preventing the door from slamming shut as the Servants went in and out of the Dining room to attend to the details of the Dinner Party.

From Selkirk’s Catalog: ”Magnificent Enamel-Decorated and Gilded French Porcelaine Dinner Service (161 pieces), XIX Century, {633}, Comprising soup tureen and plate, two circular covered vegetable dishes, two covered oval dishes, two sauce boats, two covered sauce tureens, thirty-four dinner plates, twelve large soups, twelve luncheon plates, eleven salad plates, eleven cream soups, ten berry dishes, two footed compotiers, two open vegetable dishes, two footed cake dishes, six oval platters, two vegetable dishes, large oval fish platter, deep fruit bowl, hot drink service compreising twelve covered cups and two-tier ”lazy Susan,” two ajoure footed compotiers, fifteen cups and fifteen saucers. All pieces have wide monochrome fuchsia borders defined with line gilding, and are variously enamel painted with fruit and vegetables. (Imperfections.) From Tyndale and Mitchell, Philadelphia and Paris.” Illustrated.

The Campbell's Butler's Pantry is filled with gorgeous dishes that the Docent said were the more expensive dishes.  Each dish is hand painted and none have the same motif on them. 

A nice place for metal items.  Silver to be exact.

Onto the functional KITCHEN.

The heart of the place,

d