When asked to ponder the “what-if” question about oysters offering things other than pearls, I immediately thought of glasses. Yes, eyeglasses! You see, I have been waiting on my new glasses for a week now. I had to use a different doctor this time and it is taking longer than I am used to….I like the one hour places much better! So, really, if oysters could produce my eyeglasses and have them ready for me in an hour, that would be great!

Speaking of oysters, I remember a time when my grandfather tried to convince me to eat an oyster. He had gotten a few off of the bar at the Fisherman’s Wharf and was having no problem eating them. I on the other hand was quite mortified and never ate one! I’m not sure why that memory has stuck with me other than the fact that I was completely grossed out! Lol!! Now that I’m married to a guy who is allergic to shellfish, you can be certain that I won’t be eating them. We just are super careful about eating any kind of shellfish.

There is also another concern about eating oysters: Vibrio vulnificus. This is a gram-negative bacteria that is found naturally in warm, unpolluted seawater. Now, Vibrio vulnificus isn’t really a danger to some people, however, there are several groups of people who need to be very careful when eating oysters. People who have liver disease, iron-overload disease, diabetes, cancer, stomach disorders and those with illnesses or diseases that lower the body’s immune system should avoid eating oysters. An option for these people would be Gulf oysters that have been through the post-harvesting processes. So if you are in this group and you love to eat oysters, you really should look into these. It would be a shame to have endured your disease only to end up croaking from eating an oyster! Lol!!

Seriously, you can read more info over at the Be Oyster Aware site. And for goodness sakes, folks….know where your oysters are coming from! Just say no to the ones that have been hanging out with that nasty gram-negative bacteria!! You don’t want to experience that awfulness…really, believe me!

I know, I know…”Crotch of Dawn Praise Song” doesn’t sound very nice, but that is exactly what it is! This is the song that “moved” me this a.m. (7:20 to be exact)as I was driving home from dropping my dear husband, Pete off at school(did you know he is in nursing school?)….at the crotch of dawn. Some people call it the “crack of dawn”, but for me that is more around 9am….anything earlier is the “crotch of dawn”!  I am soooo not a morning person!

So, why did this song “speak” to me this morning? It’s quite simple. As it was coming on the radio I was pulling up to the red light where I can look to my left and see the graves of my two little boys, Gus and Sam. Since I don’t believe in coincidences, I know that certainly God was calling to my attention that I am very blessed…even through the death of my children. Yesterday, I finished reading Room of Marvels by James Bryan Smith, it’s a wonderful book about Heaven and I’ll have to say that it really filled me with even more hope and joy about what is to come for me and hopefully for all my loved ones…and you! So, yes….I am blessed…even though I have hardships and pain, I am blessed!

Blessed

I may never climb a mountain
So I can see the world from there
I may never ride the waves
And taste the salty ocean air
Or build a bridge
That will last a hundred years
But no matter where the road leads
One thing is always clear

CHORUS:
I am blessed, I am blessed
From when I rise up in the morning
‘Til I lay my head to rest
I feel You near me
You soothe me when I’m weary
Oh Lord for all the worst and all the best
I am blessed

All along the road less traveled
I have crawled and I have run
I have wandered through the wind and rain
Until I found the sun
The watching eyes ask me why
I walk this narrow way
I will gladly give the reason
For the hope I have today

CHORUS

You’ve given me joy
You’ve given me love
You give me strength
When I want to give up
You came from heaven
To rescue my soul
This is the reason I know, I know

CHORUS

Enjoy!

• Tara’s View of the World….First, I love this blog because Tara is just a lovely person and shares her thoughts so well, and second, because her blog has these wonderful pink flowers!
• Cheaper by the Half Dozen….I was touched to see that C. R. Morris has placed our Gus’ Gang button in her sidebar! I am also excited to find out that this blog author writes Christian YA books. Cool Beans! I may just have to write a review for the Teen Lit Review Blog!
• Sense to Save…great blog chocked full of info about saving money and a lot of “head-ups” on deals around the internet. Neat!

Entrecard Top Droppers: Thanks!

• impNERD
• Parenting Squad
• Mommie’s Home
• Momma Muse
• Sense to Save

Ah yes, folks!  Sometimes it takes a snot bubble to bring forth the joy!  Have I ever said that I love my digital camera??  I would have never ever captured this moment with my old camera…I wouldn’t have wanted to “waste” the film on a photo I was unsure would even turn out.  Thanks for my camera, Dad!

I love cooking with two of my kids.  I would enjoy cooking with Nik except he has this thing about using food coloring right now and it’s driving me nuts.  He thinks everything will taste better if it’s blue…ack!  Anyway, last night I was fortunate enough to be the sous chef to “The Ip” who is my lovely daughter, Isabelle.  Her nickname is Ippy but often gets changed to “the Ip”, Ipster, Ippy Lou, Ippy Girl…I’m sure there are others and I’m just not thinking of them!  This nickname throws a lot of people off since the typical nickname for Isabelle is Izzy….I cringe when I hear that now because it’s sooooo far from Ippy! lol!!

Spaghetti Pie with a Simple Salad was our menu for the evening.  This was a new recipe for us.  It turned out really well and has officially been added to our Family Recipes.

We used our favorite whole wheat pasta for this dish.  It really does make us that happy!

I decided to use my new kitchen shears to cut up the broccoli into smaller pieces.

The Ip was thrilled to discover that this recipe needed 8 eggs!  Good times!

Disregard all the background mess…we cook right on top of school work…and we stir while sitting on the table…that’s just how we roll! lol!

Here’s the noodle layer of the pie.

And here’s the result!  We served this with a simple salad of read leaf lettuce and Ranch dressing.  It was very tasty and quite filling….maybe all the eggs?!  lol!!  We have enough left over for lunch today and that hardly ever happens around here.  We’ll be fixing this again…quick, easy and very yummy!!

A lot happened this past week.  A lot is gonna happen this coming week.  The difference is that I’m not gonna end up mentally and physically exhausted.  I refuse to end up that way anymore!  I have my POA (plan of action) for the week:  School lessons are prepared, menus are made and groceries are bought.  I have a game plan for my living room also…I have no idea what Fly Lady is doing this week but count me in!  Same goes for being a Company Girl…I’ll embrace the challenge again!

But for now….I’m going to catch up on my reading!

Monday:  Breakfast–Pig Slop
Lunch–Quesadillas
Dinner–Spaghetti Pie

Tuesday:  Breakfast–Cereal
Lunch–Egg Salad Sandwiches
Dinner–Key West Chicken

Wednesday:  Breakfast–Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
Lunch–Tuna and Crackers
Dinner–Beef Enchiladas

Thursday:  Breakfast–Eggs en Croute
Lunch–Veggie Burgers and Baked Fries
Dinner–Tequila Lime Chicken

Friday:  Breakfast–Breakfast Burritos
Lunch–Avocado and Pineapple Sammies
Dinner–Stuffed Potatoes

Saturday:  Breakfast–Oatmeal
Lunch–Rice Bowls
Dinner–Cottage Cheese Pie

Sunday:  Breakfast–Muffins
Lunch–Sweet Club Sandwiches
Dinner–Salisbury Steak

Since I have two chicken dishes with a tropical flair, it must be obvious that I am dreaming of the Caribbean!  I NEED warm weather!!  I also realized that I didn’t even plan any sides for our meals this week…so if you have any suggestions, please leave them!  I really could use the help! lol!!

Visit more MPM participants over at Laura’s!

Visit more WW over at the hub!

This past Saturday, we were treated to a visit from my dear friend Judi and her family.  We ended up going to eat at Lonestar and then coming back to the house to chat.  It was really nice to see her and get to talk with her face-to-face.  I still think it’s incredibly neat that we met through Gus’ Caringbridge page…Judi was right there with me as I went through my initial grief of losing Gus.  She didn’t know me then…we got to know each other very well through that time.  I will never forget how courageous Judi was to even begin a friendship with me…someone who was just starting to process the fact that she would no longer be holding, feeding, cuddling her baby.  I think it takes great bravery to do what she did and I’m not certain I would have been up to the job!

Since we’ve been friends, Judi has listened to me…has allowed me to talk about Gus incessantly…has allowed me to share things that would make any mom shudder.  It’s not easy to listen to someone who has lost a young child…especially when you have a young child yourself…like I said, Judi is brave and I am so thankful for her!

Judi came with lots of gifts too! She brought two huge boxes of clothes for Belle and a box, busting at the seams,  full of yarn!!  I’ll be using the yarn for Gus’ Gang projects (preemie hats mainly) and a few lengths of yarn will go into my ripple-ghan.

I really regret that I didn’t take a single photo of anything that day!  Judi didn’t get any photos either…that makes us bad bloggers! lol!

Btw…have you gone over to Judi’s Doodlebug Designs and signed up for the template giveaway??

• Monday: BBQ Pork Sandwiches and Bakes Fries
• Tuesday: Chicken Breast w/ Raspberry Sauce, Salad, Green Beans…Chicken recipe was found at Ever After…My Way
• Wednesday: Pasta w/Sausage, Tomato and Spinach, Salad
• Thursday: Chicken Chili
• Friday: Shelley’s Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Rice
• Saturday: Individual Whole Wheat Pizzas, Salad
• Sunday: Pete’s Choice!

I’m really excited that cauliflower is on sale this week because I’ve been craving Mock Potato Salad for awhile now.  I’ll be sure to take some photos and write down my recipe…right now I just “make it”.

You can visit more menus over at Laura’s.

I found out about Qassia over at Momma Muse and I just had to give it a whirl!

Basically, it’s a directory where you can list your sites, create quality backlinks and generate  some Adsense revenue!  You do this by adding “intel” which is just information you share with others.  I figured that would be pretty easy since that’s what I’m doing anyway, right?

The site is still in beta so who knows how things will turn out…I’m gonna try it out though.  If you want to try it out also, you can sign up through my profile page!

I’m excited to tell you all about this neat giveaway over at Doodlebug Designs!  Judi is not only one of my dearest friends, but she is also a whiz at designing blog templates.  I’m just thrilled that she’s “opening” up her business! Here’s a list of the prizes:

• 1st Place Prize ~ FREE completely customized blog design for a blogger blog!
• 2nd Place Prize ~ FREE completely customized header for a blogger blog!
• 3rd Place Prize ~ 10% off any service!

So hurry on over there and enter!  Cool beans!

Update: I figured it out!  See…there’s this little link titled “bottom.php” that you can click on and make all the necessary changes!  This little wonderful link is found under the “Theme Editor”.  Sheesh-a-moley….I could never ever do any kind of coding…bleh!

I give up…I love my new theme but I can’t figure out how to change anything at the very bottom….scroll down….see it? Please….help me or I’m gonna have to stick a fork in my eye…just ask Sonya how I get when things like this happen…ack!

• Monday: Jake’s Birthday Dinner…I think we are eating ribs!
• Tuesday: Island Stew
• Wednesday: BBQ Pork Sandwiches on homemade bread…yes, I’ve finally attempted to make my own bread and it turned out rather well! Baked Fries and Fresh Fruit
• Thursday: Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, Salad
• Friday: Grilled Chicken Salad for me…Jake is having a sleepover so it will be JUNK for all of them…so far, pizza rolls have been requested. I know I should have healthy snacks and all…I would be a good mom, right? I don’t fight it at birthday get togethers though! lol!
• Saturday: Hamburger Harvest Soup

Breakfasts:

• wraps
• Pig Slop
• oatmeal
• omelet
• whole wheat pumpkin muffins
• cereal

Lunches:

• quesadillas
• egg salad sammies
• tuna and crackers
• veggie burger
• avocado and pineapple sammie

Snacks:

• cube cheese
• hard boiled eggs
• broccoli woccoli
• popcorn
• pretzels
• fresh fruit
• mandarin oranges
• goldfish
• muffins

Check out more menus over at Laura’s!

Today we celebrate the birth of our son Jake.  We are so pleased and blessed to have enjoyed his crazy antics and fun-loving spirit for all these years and we look forward to all of this in the future!  Jake is twelve today…it seems like it was just yesterday that I was watching him climb all the way to the top of the Dogwood tree in our front yard.  He was so little and he would scurry up to the top and I’d watch as the branches would sway back and forth…fortunately he never fell!

Jake is very mercy-minded and has a very compassionate heart.  He’s the first one to worry about people when he hears about a disaster or a house fire.  Pete and I have often said that we wouldn’t be surprised if Jake ended up as a missionary!

Jake is very fond of dogs.  We were so proud of Jake this past year when he held and cared so tenderly for our dog Milo who had been hit by a car.  Milo died in Jake’s arms.  He has such a deep respect for life…

God blessed Jake with another dog a couple of months later.  This is Jack and as you can see, he is spoiled by Jake often! and yes…I do mix their names up all the time!

Jake loves to do experiments!  He’s a smart kid and is quite studious when kept on a schedule!  He also is a great big brother…he plays a lot of different things with his sister…he patiently, plays a lot of things with his sister!

Jake makes you feel special because he gets excited when you come home! lol!

…and he’s awful fun to take to the grocery store!  Slap that ham, Jake!

And of course, I will never ever forget how wonderful he was with Gus.  He was brave and sensitive all at the same time.  No child should have to endure the death of a sibling, but Jake did it with a lot of strength and grace.  I’m so proud that he is my son!

“Birth of a Fern”

Photo by Jenny Romney

Jake and I started studying about ferns today. I had no idea that these plants were so amazing! I’ve always thought they looked nice…especially on people’s front porches. I’ve loved the lacy look of the fronds but I have never known that they unfurl themselves from a little ball…I’ve never known that the spores are in casings on the underside of the leaf. I have heard of “fiddleheads” but I never knew they were young ferns unfurling…and that they are really called crosiers! Maybe you all do know these things about ferns but I am just thrilled to be learning these things….hmmm…wonder what else I’m missing out on??!!

This is one of several posts about ferns…so you’ll have to stick with me! I’ll have to forewarn you too that we will be studying mushrooms next and well, I really like those red-capped mushrooms with dots on them!! So, don’t be surprised if I get excited about mushrooms too!!

Recipe for Fiddlehead Salad

Before I go, I would like to thank Jenny Romney for giving me permission to use her photo “Birth of a Fern”. I came across her photo while browsing. Be sure to check out her other beautiful photos at her Flickr stream and her blog Jen’s Raves and Rants.