Books I want my daughter to read

(Before you get all shocked by this list...I want the majaority of these books to be read when shes OLDER...not right now!!)

We are currently doing the "Just between Us" book by Meredith & Sofie Jacobs...LOVE IT!!
If you have a daughter 8-18 you must do it, do not miss it!!

Buy here at Barnes & Noble or Here at Amazon

In the book are free pages, some days I dont know what to write...but today I was reading my book and inspiration struck me! I decided to make a list of the books I want my daughter to read and why.

1) Twilight Series - Because its nice to get lost in a good clean fantasy every now and then, its also important to wait until you are married for sex. In the book he talks about not wanting to risk her soul and being "Old Fashioned" ..so daughter take it from your mother who didnt wait and wait. Trust me when you marry it will mean that much more and you will one day regret not waiting if you dont.
I want you to know that even if two things dont belong together and if they are ment to be together they will find a way....that being said you dont have to give up who you are to fit...you both can be who you are.  If its God's will...there is always a way. Now dont turn into a vampire or anything ok?

2) Fifty Shades of Gray (Shocking I know)- But I want you daughter to know what a controlling relationship looks like. Yes he controlls her in the bedroom and in life, dont give up your self and your dreams to conform to a man.  The right man will support your dreams, help you achive them and not want to control your ever move. Also dont forget your friends and family because you fall in love, one day you will look up and miss them, further more money dont buy happiness. It may provide nice things but they wont feed your soul the way happiness can.  If you take anything way from this book...take way the fact that while you can never change a man (at the end of book...he still dont like to be touched and hes still  controlling) Love,when its the right love can change everything.  He may still fart in the car and lock the doors with you, but it will soften his heart to where he cares when your hurt, also take from this Ana's stand to keep and protect her baby. You are my baby and I will give, do anything to keep you safe. I will give of my own self to see you unharmed. Its a mother instint to protect her young...I love you and do not want a controlling relationship for you. You are a free spirit, who is head strong and you make your own path...the right man will walk beside you.

3) Montana Sky - Nora Roberts
Daughter you can do anything, nothing is out of your reach...besides pee standing up, the ability to scratch your...(lol you know!) and having to shave your face every morning...there is nothing a man can do that you cant. If you want to do it...DO IT!! Dont let the fact that you are a woman stand in your way.  These 3 women from different backgrounds learn to beat the odds as women in a mans world...they do it with the love and support of men but they do all the back breaking ranch work.  Also when your scared, dont run, pray and stand your ground.  Also learn to shoot...and shoot well, if you ever have to shoot to save your life I want you to know how to. I also want you to know that the right man, the man God created for you will love you just the way you are...when you find it or he finds you dont be like Willa...accept it and embace it.

4) Rizoli and Isles books by Tess Gerritsen
You my dear daughter have a strong since of right and wrong, you also have the desire to help right wrongs (the legal way). I see you in them, and I see you being them. Strong women..making a difference in the world and learning to love, survive and thrive in a mans world while having it all.

5) Womens Murder Club by James Patterson
I want you to know and learn the value of friendship, the right ones. I want you to have a group of girls who love and support you and help you and even have crazy times with. Family is not something you just born into...its what you make it. I also see you in some of these women.

6) The Bible by God
Because Knowing Christ and leaning on him, following God's path for your life will lead you to happiness.  Book of Esther is my fav...read it, do the Beth Moore Bible Study.

Life wont play out like fiction, there will be bad times, dead ends, failures and lost loves. You will experince death, love, life and hard times my darling girl...and while I want to protect you from all the bad in the world I know i cant. While books 1-5 are works of fiction they are good reads with life lessons in them.  Keep close to God, He will bring you through and keep you safe.

Skip the sex scenes...seriously skip 90% of Fifty Shades of Gray ok? Even if your 40 you will still be too young to read those parts. Cover you eyes and change the page.  Second thought I will high light all the parts from 50 shades that you are allowed to read, dont worry will only take you 10 mins to finish them all.


xoxo
love,
Mommy

Meme's Baked Tomatos

My meme made a cook book for me while I was growing up, she gave it to me when I got married. Every time she made an entry she would put the date on the inside cover along with how old I was or into.  In this cook book are recipes that she made, my family loved, and my fav part....recipes from my family. 


I detest tomato's in their raw form! I will eat them in recipes, hot sauce, pasta sauce and in this form. I have searched the internet for another version of this but I cant find one....so enjoy and please credit my meme Dorothy Delaney & Mary Galloway (my great great grandmother)


Baked Tomato's


Dorothy Delaney modern Version year 1940


1 28oz can whole peeled tomato's
5 hot dog buns
1 cup sugar ( I prefer 3/4 cup )
1 stick margarine


Chop tomato's fine, add sugar. Crumble the bread and add to tomato mixture...mix well.
Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish
Top with margarine, bake at 350 for 1hour
Serve Warm


Mary Galloway Original Version year 1873


1 quart jar of canned tomato's
5 cold biscuits (pre cooked home made biscuit's)
1 cup sugar
8tbs butter


Chop tomato's and combine with sugar, cut biscuits into small pieces and add to mixture.
Pour into pan and top with butter
bake for 30mins to 1hr over fire




I personally use the modern version as I don't have a open fire to cook upon and I generally make this for my mother in law. It reminds her of a recipe her mom made during the depression as they had left over biscuits and tomatos from the garden. Sugar was rationed but she said they never lacked for any.

Living the Good Life

There is something to be said about the stock show life, those that havent ever lived it will never understand.  It has allowed me to show my girls the county, to make friends where they go and to do this as a family. We 4 do it together, we win together, we loose together, cry together, laugh together, freeze our butts off together, burn up together and our backs hurt together. We do it all....you guess it Together!

We dont do this for the check, fame or fortune, we do it....because we love it. Its in our blood, its our roots...its who we are, where we come from and some thing that teaches the kids the simple things in life. They earn not only respect from elders, but self respect, self esteem and to know that hard work really does pay off, and how to loose gracefully, showman ship, kindness to animals, responsibility, and that helping others is what its about.

We stand in the ring awaiting the judges decision, to be judged. Tho shall not judge right? Well We are not judging the person, but the animal against a standard and whats in the ring. More importantly its pride in our hard work, we may end up last place but we at least showed pride in our work, self respect in what we believe and tho know that our animals are to us the best.

We have two rules

1) Have Fun
2) Do our best

If we are not doing that, then we need to reevaluate this and see why we are not having fun or doing our best.

I am blessed to say that God has granted me and my hubby the ability not only financially (some days that tough!!) but physically and mentally the ability to do this. To give our girls an extraordinary life, one that many kids on experience and is a dying breed. Agriculture has our hearts, its what started this great nation, a gift from God...the ability to grow from the earth to self stain, to give back.

I want to take a moment to Thank God for the extraordinary life and the ability to wake up each day and live it.

Thank you,

National Daddy Daughter Date Night

As I write this post...I am crying. Crying because I married the most awesome man alive, I choose the most wonderful man to be my daughters father. I am crying because I am filled with joy, awe, happiness and again awe!

Tonight is National Daddy Daughter Date Night, a national chain restaurant is hosting a special. My hubs hates this restaurant and while he hates it, our daughter like me loves it. The place is shutting down from 5-8 to allow all daddies and daughters a date, tables had pink table clothes, flowers on table and given, special pics and photo frames were given and an hour and half of alone time for our girl to ramble on about all kinds of things. Durring this time with out saying a word he is teaching her what she has to say is important, how a man should act on a date. Holding the door open, letting her order first, not drinking, cell phones, new papers are put away and most importantly...she has his undivided attention.

I think its awesome! She has been so excited for this, and am happy to report...she is on cloud nine. She got precious time with him, that she didn't have to share with the world, she got to tell her about her day with out the phone ringing, livestock needing to be fed or dinner to get on the table. She got to discuss her crush (hopefully...she thinks daddy will be mad) and she will get to discuss anything on her mind. Shes adhd so that could be a wide range of topics!

God created our girl to glorify him, He also created my husband to raise her to feel loved, honored and cherished and how to pick a man who will Glorify God.

It may be daddy daughter night...but its also mommy catch up on her DVR, finish the past 3 pages of her book and chill night.

Until next time.....

Sundays in the South

Living south of the Mason Dixon Line and in the bible belt most Sundays are spent in church, I hate to say we played hookie today.

I love the Lord and get so much peace, inspiration and uplifting from a service, but I hate to say I haven't been in a while. We got into a pattern of "Church Shopping" and just quit going, and not attending became the norm I am sad to say. We haven't found the right one, but sleeping late and spending the day being lazy hasn't helped us find it either.

No Excuses we need to find one and get plug in again.

Well this Sunday in the south its 77 degrees, with winds at 35mph, in short its a beautiful day that the Lord has made and we are glad in it. All the windows are open letting that nice steady breeze blow through the house, the grill is cranked up and is about ready for the sweet and sour chicken that will soon be placed on it, the fajita meat is marinating and that will be dinner.

We are dwelling as a family today, tv is off, chores are being done and we are being still, thanking the good Lord for this beautiful day.

You cant spend a Sunday like today in the South and not see the beauty that the Lord has made, you cannot sit outside with a glass of tea (unsweet for me!) letting the wind blow your hair, the sun on your face(...its January and we are in flip flops and capris) and not feel his presence.

Dear Lord, 

Today is awesome! Its beautiful, 77 degrees and I just want to take a moment to Thank you. Today is a gift for us this January, most of my family is dealing with 30 degree or below temps, ice and snow. What hardship do I have today? None..you have blessed us with the beauty of awesome weather. Forgive our absence from church and know that are hearts belong to you Lord. Thank  you...today is awesome. 

Amen

All Over Again

I was 19 he was 28, we met in April 2002, though I told him I was 20 and he told me he was 25. From the day we met it was 1 week before we moved in together, 3 days before I love you's were told, 3 months from day one till day I do.

I was young, never had a really serious relationship before, he had, I was in love, totally in love.  Our youngest was born exactly 8 months later from the day we said i do (lol you do that math, she was also 3 weeks late).

This year we will have been married 12 years, not all of those years were peaceful, happy or something out of a romance novel. I was young, selfish and immature, he was older, sorta selfish and well immature.

Something happened 4yrs ago to shake us to our core, no, no one cheated or thought about it. A child poped up from a previous relationship of the hubs, well a presumed child. Jerry Springer was the show we felt like we were on when dealing with that family, here 4yrs later the kid isnt his but the mother still wants a relationship with my husband (long story, its all in her head though) and until we found out the kid isnt his...and went though all that drama she made our life awful. We almost split, I was the one thinking of splitting...he was begging me to stay. I stayed for a multitude of reasons but the main one was because I love him, he is the man God made for me, Hes the best father a child could ask for and most importantly...He loves me.  I stayed and it didnt go back to how it was before, we faught alot and i had a ton of resentment built up.

For the past year we have gotten to a place better than we have ever been, I been praying, I been working hard. It was me that drew from him, It was me that couldnt handle the drama of the paternity issues, it was me who built up walls and let the devil in when I should have been drawing closer to God.  I prayed for my relationship, I prayed for God to change my heart and to take the walls down. Remove all the walls that were built when our foundation was tested, make us strong again.

Our love isn't something out of twilight, fifty shades of gray or even the best romance novel out there, but its us. I am happy, I love this man more now than I ever have! Thinking back on it all, the little things he did for me that went unnoticed until my eyes were open. I didn't deserve him, dont get me wrong we still get snippy and frustrate each other...and heck when i close this lap top we could have a knock down drag out but now I know what I didnt know before.

I have been falling in love all over again with my husband for the past year, I feel grateful for the things he does do instead of griping about the things he dont do. Dont get me wrong...his shoes, clothes and bath towel are currently in the bathroom floor...but I look at those things and while I feel irritation growing, I may still nag him about it, but I am grateful he is here for me to pick up those things. Today i realized 12yrs ago he gave up the good parking spot at our home for me, I didnt ask him to...he just did. I noticed it because due to the trailer being hooked up my truck is not in the normal spot...but he is in my spot...he commented that he couldnt wait for the trailer to be put back so I can have my spot back. I dont walk in the mud, I have nice gravel and walkway, I dont worry about getting stuck because I have gravel under my tires, he dont.  I have the shelter of a tree to help keep the rain off me.  He did that for me, my comfort because he loves me. Simple and gone unnoticed for 12yrs. 

There are a ton of silly things, major things that I didnt notice until now. I pray God keeps up the good work, the devil keeps out of it and that I will always feel this way.  I may not feel it all day every day but every day. I praise God for the work he has done and continues to do.

I dont know the point of this post...but I am so filled with aww and love I just had to share.

Crossroad

At a crossroads here lately, dont know which route I should take and as of this moment there is no blinking clear sign thats saying "God wants you to go this way!" Man alive I wish there was.

I ask that for the next few days you pray for Gods decision and direction for my life to be made clear and for there not to be a question about my decision.

Thank you,

Carolyn 

Unglued

A friend of mine posted a picture of a book she was going to start reading called Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst.  Like normal i thought the cover looked good and a screenshot was taken on my phone to look up the book later, its now later and I am reading the book. Its not one you read quickly, it has to sink in and be absorbed and thought about! I have to say I find my self thinking about my actions when my emotions get the best of me and its helped me deal with a lot of things. I am an Exploder, I am Scottish with a quick temper and big mouth, I try hard to contain that but when stupidity and down right rudeness are received by strangers I get cranky quick.

I seriously suggest you give this book a try, it has helped me very much in dealing with my emotions and finding ways to show Gods love through my mouth than what it use to be.

I suggest you get a print edition as well, I am a huge fan of ebooks, I own a Kindle AND a Nook...but having this in print...well gives you...a little something more.

Book can be found at the below hyper links

Amazon
Barnes & Noble 
Lifeway Christian Stores
Walmart 

Also her website Proverbs 31 has monthly bible studys for FREE! All you have to do it join :) The next one starting Jan 17 (I believe thats the start date) is Crave...a must read! Join today for free and get the bible study that will help you grow!

Preva's Buffalo Chicken Ranch Dip

By Far my most read post, 578 views and shares in 2013 alone.
I know its not about me but the dip...I cant blame you its uber yummy!

So here it is...the link to Peva's Dip that changed the way I viewed parties...mainly because I have to make this dip for every party...TWO batches mind you.  One for home and the other for the party :)

http://giftfarms.blogspot.com/2012/12/prevas-buffalo-chicken-ranch-dip.html

Resolutions 2013 Style

I have made resolutions and not made resolutions and neither of these have worked. So its time for a change, I think if I set one goal per month it might be easier to obtain then just a big list of things at one time. I know your thinking well if you keep up with it like you do your blog its never going to work. Your possibly right!!  So lets see how it goes.

January
Lose 5lbs ( I have lost 31 so far!)
Finish Unglued
Start 40 Day study

February
Finish 40 Day Study
Loose an additional 5lbs (that would be 41 if I did)
Start looking at how to break into publishing

March
Join a Gym
Loose an additional 5lbs and tone up what's sagging!

April
Turn 31 with grace and style (no drama and tears this year)
Loose an additional 5lbs


May
Figure out May - Aug


2013 Has been kind and harsh to me, but I hope that 2014 is kinder to me and my family. I hope 2014 holds a closer relationship with God and that I can calm this restlessness in me.

Happy New Year

Carolyn