Monday, March 7, 2011

Sunshine and smiles…..

Yesterday our world looked a lot like this…

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We had about 4” of new snow to cover up the old yucky stuff and also to put a cushion on the ice for our next turn on the snowmobile (this afternoon). So to turn the page to today, you gotta see this…

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The kids and I went for a walk this morning. We had a blast and also went to see grandma and grandpa. That blue sky and sunshine. Oh no matter what is wrong, this makes it all better.

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Now it’s nap time ….see…

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Oh before I forget, we had a visitor for lunch today. He got to have peanut butter and jelly crusts, a few squashed grapes and the crumbs from the chips.

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Oh I have one more thing to share with you. I had daycare this Saturday and Jon is in a school program called Catch a Star and it’s where they have all kinds of different talents the kids are able to show. There’s music, dance, visual arts, hobbies, crafts and more the kids get to show the school, parents, friends and everyone what they are able to do. Jon built this…of course with a bother and sister they too had to build one.

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So you are now up to date on life here at the Riley’s. Living the life of Riley, dang life is good!!!

Take care my friends and God Bless!!!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Snowmobile, inner tube vs kids



I tried to post this yesterday but my computer decided it didn't like me at all so instead of a combind post I'll do this one and then another one with kids stuff we did this week.

I hope you all have a great day today. It's Saturday and the sun is shinning and it's 21*. YEAH!!! Next week, snowstorm with 15-20" of snow possible. UGH!! Except it is March, it is Minnesota and spring will be coming in a couple more months.

Take care my friends, God bless you all!!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Mike is 19 today…

January 2011 066The guy here, my pride and joy is now officially 19. I can’t believe how fast time flies. I can’t believe that just 19 years ago I was 29 year old with no children and no hope of having any. Boy do doctors sometimes get it wrong.

I share Mike with you guys all the time, I know that but I can’t help but be the proud mama and share him with you some more.

Mike is at a cross roads in his life. Not quite ready to grow up but to old to just screw around all the time. He works 40 hours a week with his dad and grandpa and really enjoys being with them but at the same time would love to find a niche in life that’s just his. He’s not sure what schooling he wants to do. He loves the outdoors, manufacturing things so not quite sure what he’ll do but there’s time. He’ll figure it out, one day. At least with a full time he has the time to figure life out.

Mike is going to make the greatest dad ever (but no hurry there). The woman of his dreams will be treasured, loved, worshipped and so much more. I know, I’m not a fortune teller but I do know that whom ever gets him, will be the luckiest lady in the world.

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My son, I love you so much Mike. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

 

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March 2nd….isn’t it suppose to be getting warmer out? This was at 7:00 this morning while walking Jon to the bus. BURR!!!!

0302110700aTake care my friends, have a blessed day today.

Monday, February 28, 2011

I sewed….finally…and…

Nothing fantastic but I did get do this.

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I took a bird seed bag and a scrap of material and made this. I haven’t a clue what I’m going to do with it yet but I have a really cute bag now.

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The bag is about 9” tall and 6” round. A square Kleenex box fits in it but a bit to short (the Kleenex box). So right now it’s holding suet cakes for the birds.

Other good stuff that’s gone on here.

We made hot pockets using Kim's pizza dough recipe. Really Kim started it, I stopped over last week to drop off some goodies for her daughters Girl Scout garage sale and she had made some wonderful smelling hot pockets. So I took two home and shared them with the guys and they loved them so the next day Hannah, Justin and I made some.

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They were wonderful tasting minus a thicker crust on the bottom which was easy to get rid of, I just trimmed them off a little bit before serving. You could put anything in these. I used left over hot dish and hamburger fried, drained and then added some homemade B.B.Q. sauce. Some reduce fat cheese and there you have it.

Here’s another goodie we made.

Biz has some super cool recipes I’ve been working with and she posted a bread recipe that has just 4 ingredients. Flour (any kind you want to use), yeast, salt and water. It tastes fantastic and each slice is 62 calories. It’s easy to make, tastes great and I can make my toast, sandwiches and more with less calories. Here’s what it looks like.

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Mix up, let rise 2 hours.

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Split into two loaves, let rest 45 minutes

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Bake at 425 for 20 minutes in an oven that has a small pan of water for steam and there you have it.

I used garlic and herb seasoning on the top to give it a bit of extra flavor. It’s really good.

So it’s the time for baking because soon, hopefully sooner then later, spring and summer will be here and it’ll be to hot to run the oven or to busy or anything.

I bought my seeds and dirt yesterday to start my tomatoes and peppers. It’s still a little early, another 3-4 weeks or so but I’m getting excited. I use to always do my own plants but had a friend that was doing it and I’d get them from her but she’s been selling them and she has a huge garden so I wasn’t sure if she’d have anything this year or not so I’ll start my own and hope they come. I don’t have a green house but when it gets nicer I just might have to come up with something. For now, I’ll start them in the house and go from there.

So that’s what’s going on here. Oh I promised you a good picture of Abby and her birthday party. Here it is, taken with the camera instead of my cell phone.

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We also had a visitor during Abby’s birthday party.

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They loved the left over toast and then birthday cake in the afternoon. Spoiled rotten little squirrels.

Take care my friends and have a blessed week. On Wednesday my “little” boy turns 19. It’s amazing just how fast time flies when you have kids.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Home…Daycare…farm…more…

Well I have tons of pictures to share with you. I am sorry though they are with my cell phone but they aren’t terrible, just not bright and crispy. So let’s go for a walk and see what life here has been holding.

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Snow, snow everywhere. More last night and today. These are my main wee ones. They are such sweeties and love me as much as I love them.

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This is “my” Rachel. I have had her for almost 11 years. One of my “own” and she’ll tell you that too.

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More of my everyday visitors. We can now get so close to them…as you can see. They eat cinnamon toast, scrambled eggs, anything sweet, crackers, chips. I think just about anything other then meat.

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These are the Valentine bags we used today for our Valentine’s party. Rachel and Abby made them when they were off from school last week. We had a blast and I do have other pictures to share but haven’t downloaded them yet.

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Snow and more snow today.

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We went to play and pet the baby goats today. They are just as excited to see the kids as the kids are to see them. They love to be petted and they suck on anything you have loose.

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Can you find Wilbur? The goats have the same liver colored spots as he does. 

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Today was Abby’s birthday party. She turns 9 on Friday but we didn’t have school today so we celebrated it. Rachel is behind her and yes they are sisters. They remind me so much of my sister and I. Totally opposites but so full of love.

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Sliding on the back hill.

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Mike being a kid too. He takes the kids for rides on his sled and also made them some really fast sledding runs. Then he made me a snow angel. Do you know he’ll be 19 next week. 19, I can’t believe that. He has grown up to be quite the young man.

So there you have a Monday walk at my house. I’ll post some nicer pictures tomorrow but I had to share with you what I had now.

Take care my friends. Have a most restful and peaceful nights sleep. God Bless!!!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Great Backyard Bird Count….

bird

The 2011 GBBC takes place February 18 through February 21.

Heard of it? If not, you gotta go here and check it out. We do it as a daycare every couple of years. It’s such a great way to teach the kids, first all about birds and second to count and third patience. It even works with Hannah and she’s just 2.

You can count birds for one day for 15 minutes, all days for 15 minutes, in one place, two places or more. It’s easy, fun and a great learning experience.

You gotta give it a try. Click here and see!

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Take care my friends and have a blessed day.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Cinnamon and Honey… Did ya know this?

My mama sent this to me a couple of weeks ago and it’s been sitting in my mailbox for a bit and I am afraid I’m going to lose it so I’m going to share it with you so you can see what good stuff this is and also so I have it, never to be lost.

So did you know…

That honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot? What it will do is what some call “turn into sugar”. In reality, honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long it it will “crystallize”. When this happens loosen the lid, boil some water and sit the honey container in the hot water, but turn off the heat and let it liquefy naturally. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in the microwave. It will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Facts on Cinnamon and Honey…

Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around.

It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is  sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon, as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast.  It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, when they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily (morning and night) one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: 
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from its root.

GAS:
According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral
attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old..

RASPY OR SORE THROAT: 
When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping
and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may
eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month . 

FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

BAD BREATH:
People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in
the  morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were
kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it.

Hope this helps at least a little bit on something. It’s got some really good points and really who doesn’t like cinnamon and sugar (or honey).

Take care my friends and God Bless!!