Riverbend Ramblings

Today I stumbled upon a new-to-me blog and found a free spring cleaning e-book for you to download. I've already finished my spring cleaning but plan on using this as a helpful reference in the future. Enjoy!! :)

Labels: Keeping the Home

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These two Sandhill cranes have been frequent visitors in our yard the last few days. I love watching them dance around, and you should hear them sing! Here's a link where you can read more about Florida Sandhill cranes.

Labels: Outdoor Life

FOR TODAY~ April 27, 2009... Outside my window...it's a hot, sunny day. We sure do need some rain! I am thinking...the cookie jar need to be filled. I am thankful for...yesterday's services at our church. I felt so refreshed after the great preaching! From the learning rooms...lots of books to read this week. From the kitchen...steaks are marinating in preparation for supper. I am wearing...a green shirt, black skirt, and Crocs flip-flops. I am creating...a list of cards and gifts needed for the month of May. Can you believe May is just a few days away? I am reading...in my Bible: I Samuel and Matthew. I am hoping...that we get some rain this week. It's so dry that our backyard pond is turning into a puddle. I am hearing...a favorite song on my iPod. Around the house...vacuuming, dusting, laundry, and ironing. One of my favorite things...clean, shiny wood floors. A few plans for the rest of the week...lessons with Lil' Nut, a visit to the library, a shopping trip, and a banquet at the college. Here is picture thought I am sharing...One of our church members sent these vegetables home with my hubby last night. What an unexpected blessing!~~~oOo~~~Thank you for reading my Daybook! You can read more entries at The Simple Woman.

Labels: Daybook

Several of you requested the recipe for the Pineapple Casserole that was part of our Easter Sunday meal. One of the ladies at our church in Georgia shared this one with me, and it became a favorite at our house. Pineapple Casserole 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks 1/2 C. sugar 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour 1 C. shredded cheddar cheese - - - - - - - - - - - (for topping) 1/2 C. (1 stick) melted butter 1 sleeve of Ritz-type cracker crumbs - - - - - - - - - - - Drain pineapple, reserving 6 Tbs. of the juice. Mix sugar, flour, and reserved juice together. Add the cheese and pineapple and mix until combined. Pour into a greased 1 qt. casserole dish. Combine the melted butter and cracker crumbs. Sprinkle on top of pineapple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees approx. 30 minutes or until the crumbs are nicely browned.

Labels: Recipes

It’s been quiet here on the blog lately, but definitely not quiet around our house! It’s already been six weeks since I had surgery, and I’m back to feeling like myself again. For a while there I just didn’t have that much energy. Now that my energy has returned I’ve been buzzing around with my to-do list and crossing things off with a vengeance. My blogging has been sporadic, but I have snapped a few pictures here and there.

The garden is growing! If you still want to plant a Square Foot Garden, it’s not too late. You can read what I did here and here.

Bookworm and Mickey performed in the Spring Dinner Concert at school.

Toby got a haircut. Isn’t he just too cute?!

And this one, well, I just don’t know about her sometimes! :)

Last week was crazy-busy. I was away from the house every single day, including a quick two-day trip to Georgia. My hubby preached at a youth rally up there and took me along for the ride. We arrived home late Saturday just in time to get things ready for Sunday. Monday morning I spoke to the ladies at our Bible college and spent the rest of the day running errands. Yesterday it felt so good to just be at home and catch up around here. I borrowed my mom’s Rainbow vacuum cleaner and put it to work gathering the dust bunnies from every nook and cranny. My house has very high ceilings, and that Rainbow reaches up there much better than my vacuum. I spent about 2 hours in the sunroom alone trying to get it all spruced up. I have plans for that room--BIG plans--but for now I’m just gathering ideas and scouring thrift stores for treasures. I’ve been looking online for the perfect futon cover but haven’t found it yet. I have a shopping trip planned, so maybe I’ll come across one then.

I hope to get my spring cleaning finished up tomorrow. Bookworm and Mickey have a district Fine Arts competition on Friday that I’ll be chaperoning. They are both members of the choir and both will be doing recitations as well. Mickey will be reciting a lengthy Bible passage, and Bookworm will present a dramatic interpretation. The competition is being held about 2 hours from here which will make for a very long day. Friday night my hubby and I will be attending the Junior/Senior Banquet at our school. Then on Saturday, Bookworm will attend her annual piano Student Day on the other side of our county. She will not be competing against others but will be evaluated by judges in aural theory, written theory, and solo performance. According to the schedule we’ve received she’ll only have to be there for about 2 hours, so we’ll have time to go to S*am’s Club and make a few other stops along the way. I like being able to kill a lot of birds with one stone.

Sunday will be here before I know it, and another week will have begun. Is it just me, or does time seem to be flying at super-sonic speed? I’m sure many of you are very busy as well with the tasks you have before you. There is no rest for the weary, that’s for sure! But I am so very thankful for the privilege of caring for my home and family and serving the Lord in a busy ministry. I cannot imagine a dull, quiet life!

ETA: I haven't fogotten about those recipes; I'll get them posted soon! :)

Labels: Daily Life

Hope you all have a delightful weekend! :)

Labels: Friday's Favorites

What’s that I see?

Looks like a little critter.  Let’s get closer.

Now I see you!

Awww, don’t run away!

Found you!

Labels: Outdoor Life

Our Easter was a bit different this year, definitely simpler than the last couple of years. Typically I have the house decorated with all of my little spring things, but for some reason I haven't been able to locate where we stored the box that holds those decorations! Maybe that's why I focused more on the reason we celebrate Easter instead of on all the "symbols" of the season. On Sunday morning I woke the kids up a little earlier than usual so that we could make Resurrection Rolls together. We had the Bible right there on the counter and read Matthew 27 & 28 as the kids took turns preparing their marshmallows for "burial".Lil' Nut must have been a baby the last time we made these. As I explained what each step of our preparation process represented her whole face would light up as she began to understand the significance.Of course, the best part is opening the rolls after they come out of the oven and discovering that the marshmallow (Jesus' body) is no longer in the tomb!Later at Sunday school I was telling my class of 7th grade girls about our Resurrection Rolls, and none of the girls had ever made them before. Next year I'm going to plan on making them with my Sunday school class. I did that when we lived in Georgia and the children had so much fun with it. The morning preaching service was wonderful, as usual. The gospel was presented so clearly. My mom and in-laws joined us for a special Easter lunch. We enjoyed ham, pineapple casserole, squash casserole, broccoli with cheese sauce, 7-layer salad, rolls, and peach cobbler. I was too busy getting the food ready to take any pictures, but it was all delicious! During the evening service our choir presented an Easter cantata with such uplifting songs. Easter doesn't make me sad; it makes me glad! Here's a picture of my precious kiddos taken after church. Tired, happy children. :)

Labels: Family Life, Special Days

FOR TODAY~ April 13, 2009... Outside my window...the sun is beginning to break through the clouds, and the birds are scavenging for their breakfast. I am thinking...about this week's very full calendar. I am thankful for...the wonderful Resurrection Sunday services at our church yesterday. From the learning rooms...we're working on our spring unit study. I need to finish up my list of books that have to be ordered through inter-library loan. From the kitchen...cereal and a banana. I am wearing...a shirt with a brown and coral print, a brown skirt, and brown sandals. I am creating...a list of things that are priorities this week. When my schedule seems overloaded it helps me to make a to-do list that I keep with me throughout the day to help me stay on track. I am reading...in my Bible: Judges; just for fun: This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury. I am hoping...that the kids do their best on their achievement tests this week. I am hearing...our church's radio station. Around the house...vacuuming, dusting, laundry, ironing, and tidying up the sun room. One of my favorite things...watching the kids race around the yard in search of Easter eggs. A few plans for the rest of the week...lessons with Lil' Nut, a trip to the library, a dentist appointment, planning for our upcoming Mother~Daughter banquet, and an out-of-town trip. Here is picture thought I am sharing...We finally have some blooms opening up out near the pool. These just make me smile. :)~~~oOo~~~Thank you for reading my Daybook! You can read more entries at The Simple Woman.

Labels: Daybook

Labels: Family Life