Feed Me Bubbe!

I don't know about you but I LOVE watching cooking shows, especially homemade ones - the type you see on recipe blogs or on YouTube. To see people making real life recipes full of 'normal' ingredients just spurs me on to get in the kitchen myself and start cooking!

While trawling for new recipes this morning I came across a great video series called 'Feed Me Bubbe'. It's a home 'vlog' of a Jewish grandmother making traditional Jewish food (YUM!) in her kitchen and showing us all how it's done. Take a look! :)

Menu Plan Monday (on a Tuesday)

This past week, food wise, has been terrible. With no plan it resulted to left overs and convenience foods, isn't that always the way?? I once saw a quote:

"No plan. No objective. No goal. The road to anywhere is the road to nowhere, and the road to nowhere leads to dreams sacrificed, opportunities squandered, and a life unfulfilled.” - Thomas S. Monson

Might I also add no proper dinners to that list? Anyway, back to the menu.

Monday - Tatertot Casserole with homemade rolls
Tuesday - Mac 'n Cheese for me and Chicken nuggets & salad for Sean (I'm out all day)
Wednesday - Chicken and Corn Soup with homemade rolls
Thursday - Spaghetti & tomato sauce with salad
Friday - Homemade Pizza with salad (can you tell I got some of special? :D)
Saturday - Roast lamb with roasted vegetables (potato, carrot & pumpkin)
Sunday - At my parents so who knows what mum will cook. :)

Back in Business!

So everything has finally settled down and after a week of feeling under the weather and dealing with cat squabbles, I'm back! :)

Thank you so much for everyone who gave me advice about Jasmine settling in. It's been a tough week but they're finally all, seemingly, getting along and although there is still the odd growl (when Bartleby gets a little too friendly for her liking, I hope you know what I mean) everything is coming up roses! Happy cats = Happy parents. :)

I decided to try 'Tatertot Casserole' for dinner tonight and it's in the oven as we speak. We've never even had ground turkey before but when I saw it for the first time at Safeway last week, after hearing lots of good things about it, I just had to buy some! It's so much cheaper than most of the meats over here, so here's praying for a good result! :)

I was able to buy a few things from Crystal's (Biblical Womanhood) store over the weekend thanks to the greatest hubby in the world. :D I've ordered:

• Edwardian Apron Pattern
• The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love
• More Than a Hope chest
• Created To Be His Helpmeet
• Simple Tips for Successful Home Management EBook
  
• Secrets to Supermarket Savings EBook

I've already received the ebook's which look great and I can't wait until I receive the rest in the mail! I am so excited! Not only that but my local library has also ordered The Surrendered Wife by Laura Doyle which I have been wanting to read for ages! Yay! :)

I'll be putting up our week's menu later tonight but right now I need to go and check on dinner. :)

Apron Giveaway!

Cheri from Joyful Handmaiden is giving away a gorgeous apron she's made. All you have to do is email her with your name and address - simple!

The drawing is on Friday, so hurry over an enter for a chance to win!

While you're there check out the the rest of her blog, it's filled with lots of sewing goodness. She's constantly making beautiful dresses, skirts and tops with plenty of photos included. :)

Ikea and Everyday Affairs

Well yesterday, before we introduced Jasmine to our home, I went shopping with mum. We bought a new cat carrier, some new cat toys and somehow ended up at IKEA, one of our favourite stores! :)

I ended up coming home with a pink CD case for our car, some hangers, a new bathmat, some much needed pegs (do anyone else's disappear?) and a few woven wood balls for the cats the play with since they were cents each. I also fell in love with the Liatorp range so I know what we'll be filling the house with when we get one. Mum calls in "New England style" but I'm not sure what that is - the furniture is just very... me. :)

It's already past 10:30 and I've got a ton more to do. I've got a roast on the stove (courtesy of Tammy's Recipes), I've done one load of laundry and I've still got to:

Wash the dishes
Clean the kitchen
Clean the bathroom
Tidy and clean the lounge room
Vacuum and dust
Clean the bedroom
Clean out the boxes in the study

Whew! Somehow I have to also keep the cats separated the entire time as well. *sigh* I'll report on how it goes.

A whole lot of growling going on

Oh my goodness, how long has it been! I have no excuses besides falling into a rut of offline-ness. A couple of big deals:

1. I'm looking for a new temporary job at the moment.

2. We've been given a 3rd cat (my brother in laws cat, Jasmine - long story) and it's, so far, a bit of a disaster.

It's funny, I had always heard of problems with the existing cats being upset with a new cat being in the house, but this time it's the new cat being upset and territorial so I can't find advice anywhere! Loki and B are actually okay about the whole thing unbelievably. Loki is just scared to death of her and B just wants to be friends. He's far more interested in the new toys that I bought them today. LOL.

Jasmine is all snarls and hissing and growling... she's not happy at all. Even growling and hissing at us, and she KNOWS us! It's all just a bit stressful for her I think, and rightly so!

We don't have a separate room to keep her in like everyone suggests so we're a bit stuck. Does anyone have any suggestions?? Please email or comment - we need help!

Frugal Friday

I don't know about you but whenever we get blessed with more fruit than we can eat and freeze all I can think about are puddings and cobblers. We recently got given a bunch of peaches in syrup and I came across the yummiest frugal "cobbler" (it's more like a light pudding to me) that we had for dessert tonight and had to share!

Amish Peach Cobbler (serves 4-6)

1 c self-raising flour (or 1 c flour & 1 1/4 tsp baking powder)
1 c white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbs butter, softened
1 tbs mixed spice (cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice)
6-8 large peaches, sliced and peeled (or 1-2 large cans of peaches in syrup)
1/2 c brown sugar

(if not using peaches in syrup, also make a syrup using 1 tsp almond essence, 1 c boiling water and mix with peaches)

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
In a med bowl mix the flour, 1/2 c of the white sugar, mixed spice, salt and butter until crumbly. Set aside.
Grease a square pan and place half of the peaches and syrup in the bottom of the pan.
Top with half of the flour mixture. On top of that add the rest of the peaches and then the rest of the flour mixture.
Mix together the left over white sugar and 1/2 c brown sugar and pour over the top flour layer.
Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes until golden and bubbly. We served ours with hot custard - YUM! :)

One thing I always try to do when I am baking cookies is to keep any of the crumbly mixture that can be left over in the bowl. There's always just that little bit left over that won't stick - it used to drive me nuts! Now I keep the mix left over in a small container in the fridge to add to anything like a crumble or cobbler or pie. It lasts aaaages. Waste not want not as they say. :)

Where I Stand

I have received a few e-mails asking about my briefly mentioned background, including my reference to my time in the LDS church in my past post and wanting to know where I stand now. So for those interested, here's a 101 on my beliefs and religious background. ;)

Churches (and other groups) I have attended/been part of are (not necessarily a member): Uniting, Anglican, Orthodox, Brethren, Mennonite, Pentecostal, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Revival Centre, LDS (Mormon), the Family, and various Baptist churches... whew.

Several of those were in quick succession in which I came and then left dissatisfied not long after. The longest memberships have been with the LDS and Baptist. For a long time, especially during my teens years I was intent on finding what the real Biblical truth was, hence my list. How I came to find God and Christianity is a post all of it's own. Needless to say, I found my place and my truth. :)

I currently attend a conservative Independent Baptist Church which preaches the Word each week and is filled with God-seeking people who are striving to live for the Lord. I feel extremely blessed to have found this little, but long standing, church. I've been here for the longest time and have no intent on leaving anytime soon. :)

Unlike a lot of others out there, I hold nothing against those places and people and refuse to speak ill of any of them, no matter how in error I may believe them to be, now. I have taken things, as such, from a couple of other places I've attended believing them to be of worth. For example, I believe in the headship veiling for women, however I only cover during prayer and church at the moment. I also practice modest dress, long hair on women, skirts/dresses only and we hold a Family Home Evening each week because regardless of affiliation it's a wonderful thing I think all families should strive for. All in all, I hope that when my time comes to face the LORD, He will find me worthy of trying to live my life for Him, although very imperfectly, and that's all I can ask.

Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month in the US. Emergency preparedness is something that I've felt really strongly about from my days in the LDS church (Mormon).

1 year pantry, 72 hour kits, MRE's, car kits... you're speaking my language. :)

A lot of people seem to have a view of preparedness - that it's only candles for a power outage, or only useful to prepare for floods, storms or other various natural disasters, but it is SO much more than that! The days we live in are full of uncertainty and preparing for as much as you can brings great peace of mind when those trials come.

We have always kept a stocked up pantry which has always been a blessing. There was a time a couple of years ago when Sean was unemployed and I wasn't working and we literally lived off our pantry, even down to the daily milk. Then there was a time when I had to spend 10 hours in a freezing car on the side of the road. Luckily I had a car kit with a blanket, snacks, water, torch, a book, a Bible, pen and paper... etc. Unfortunately, I forgot my phone. lol

Might I reach out and ask that if you haven't thought about preparedness that you do a little research and consider it for the future, you never know HOW it will help you. I've listed a few sites below. :)

Ready.Gov
72 Hours
Ol' Buffalo Preparedness Page
Emergency Essentials (Articles)
Red Cross Disaster Services

Commitment to Loveliness

I came across this about a week ago and thought it was such a great idea I had to join in! I've been trying so hard to get organized and create a better environment at home and reading other ladies' goals inspires me so much! 5 things I've decided to do this week are:

1. Give myself a home manicure
Months ago I was inspired to grow my nails and I bought a bunch of nail stuff (emery boards, polish, growth stuff etc) with a voucher I had to make a start, but as with most everything, I got distracted and it some how ended up at the bottom of the list! No longer. :)

2. Sort & clean out the bookshelf
I have been putting this off since we moved in. I know that I will feel so much better with a tidier bookshelf full of useful and inspiring books.

3. Make time for a proper devotional every day
I try and have a devotional every day but most days it's rushed and I'm thinking of the next thing to do. Now that I've got a semi-schedule with it included I hope this will become a blessing.

4. Finish sewing project
I have been planning on finishing my purple apron and a skirt for the longest time but I keep getting distracted with other things that turn up. I *will* finish them both by the end of this week.

5. Go to the library to browse the books
One of my guilty pleasures is the library. I love the smell, I love the people, the quiet and of course - the books! I hope to borrow a couple of books after browsing. :)

Menu Plan Monday

Well we had a great week last week in terms of sticking to the menu! We did switch around Monday and Tuesday though because Sean decided he wanted soup for Monday's lunch and I couldn't give him the same for both lunch and dinner, could I? :)

Tonight's dinner will be a bit of a throw-together since I'll be going off to a ladies devotional tonight almost right after Sean gets home. I was going to do a slow cooker meal but I have been so far behind today I didn't remember until it was too late! I'll get there eventually. :)

Recipes follow menu.

Monday: Calli (mine plain, Sean's with steak on the side)
Tuesday: Pasta Primavera
Wednesday: Moslavina-style Pork in Cream Sauce (with Pasta)
Thursday: Crumby Chicken Strips (with Potato Gems and tomato salad)
Friday: Tandoori Chicken (with salad and rosti potatoes)
Saturday: Cajun Hamburgers
Sunday: Pot Roast in Foil


Calli
This was a throw together that my grandma used to make in England when times were hard and food was scarce. I'm sure there are other various methods of this, in fact even my mum's version and mine are different!

4 med potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 c milk
2 tbs butter
4 strips of bacon, rind off but fat on, diced
1 c tasty (cheddar) cheese, grated
Salt & pepper to taste

In medium saucepan, boil potatoes until done (soft). Mash with milk and butter to make mashed potatoes, or use your usual mash method.
In small fry pan or skillet, fry off bacon until cooked and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and pour fat into container to keep for future use.
Mix bacon into mash potato until combined. Spoon onto plates and cover with grated cheese. Microwave (or grill) until cheese is melted and swirl your fork around to mix cheese in with the rest. Voila! :)
Mum's version: Do not dice bacon but leave whole to fry. Make mash as usual (without bacon) and spoon onto plates. Place bacon strips on top. Fry an egg for each person in the bacon fat and place on top. Cover with the cheese and grill until melted. She also occasionally adds peppers and other things to this. It's up to you!
(serves 2 or 3)


Pasta Primevera
(from 'Company's Coming' 30-min Weekday meals')

3 c rotini (or other spiral) pasta
Boiling water (enough to cook pasta in)
1 1/2 c milk
2 tbs flour
2 tsp oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 c frozen vegetables mix (I use winter veggies), thawed
1/4 c sliced spring onion or scallion
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbs grated parmesan cheese
6 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
Optional: basil
Optional: extra parmesan to sprinkle over when done

Cook pasta until tender but firm. Drain and return to pot. Cover to keep warm.
In small bowl, stir milk into flour until smooth. Set aside.
Heat large frying pan to medium. Add oil and garlic. Heat and stir for about 1 minute.
Add vegetables, spring onion and pepper. Stir, cover and cook for 2-3 mins, until vegetables are heated through. Stir in flour mixture and stir until sauce is boiling and thickened.
Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cheese, stir and remove from heat. Add this all to the pasta.
Add tomato (and basil if using), toss gently and serve!
(serves 4)

Moslavina-style Pork in Cream Sauce

50ml sunflower oil (can use other oil)
2 red onions, chopped
500g pork, cut into strips
150 ml water
salt and pepper to taste
300g homemade pasta (or thick egg noodles, but have a try and making your own!)
25g butter
50ml double cream
Parsley, chopped

Heat oil in saucepan and add onions. Cook until softened. Add pork and fry until very almost cooked.
Add water and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes, adding more water if necessary.
When pork is tender, stir in cream and reduce to simmer until thickened.
Cook pasta, add butter to pasta and serve with the pork.

Homemade Pasta (I promise it's so easy & kids can join in!!)

300g plain flour
Pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 tbs sunflower oil

Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add eggs and oil. Using fingertips, gently gather mixture to form a dough. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Return to boil and cover with tea towel. Leave to rest for 1 hour.
Roll dough out on a floured surface, as thin as possible.
Hang pasta to dry for about 10 minutes. (chair backs come in handy for this!)
Roll up pasta loosely (like a sponge roll) sprinkling with flour to stop sticking & cut into 5mm/quarter inch wide pieces. Unravel strips and put on tea towel. Sprinkle with more flour and leave to dry for 1 hour.
It's then ready to be boiled as per usual pasta! :)

Crumby Chicken Strips
(from 'Company's Coming - 30-min Weekday Meals')

2 large eggs
1 c cornflake crumbs
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 tbs lemon pepper (if you have it)
3 chicken breast tenders/cutlets, cut into 3 or 4 pieces each

Preheat oven to 220C/425F. Beat eggs with a fork in small, shallow dish.
Combine next 3 ingredients in another shallow dish.
Dip each chicken piece in egg and then press both sides into the crumb mixture until coated.
Place on greased backing tray (with sides). Spray tops of chicken with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink inside.
(serves 4 - makes 12)

Tandoori Marinade

1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1" fresh ginger, chopped
1 tbs cilantro, chopped
1 tbs fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp hot chili powder
2 cardamon pods, split - reserve seeds.
4 tbs natural yoghurt
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Mix above together and place chicken pieces in. Can be left in the fridge overnight - squish every so often.

Sunday Pot Roast in Foil
(by Judith Nielson)
Great Sunday pot roast recipe—perfectly timed for three-hour-church. Add frozen peas when it comes out of the oven, and by the time the prayer is over, they will be cooked, too!

1 (3- to 4-pound) roast (cross-rib, blade, rolled rump, tip, chuck, or bottom round)
1 (10 ¾-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (0.9-ounce) envelope onion soup mix
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 medium carrots, cut in halves
2 tablespoons water
1-½ cups frozen peas

Heat oven to 300º F.
Place a piece of foil,18x30 inches, in an ungreased 9x13-inch pan. Place beef on foil. Mix mushroom and onion soups together and spread over beef. Add carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle with water. Fold foil over and seal. Cook for 3 hours. For the last few minutes of cooking, undo foil and add frozen peas.
Serves 6-10.

My Big Mouth

"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." - Proverbs 21:23

Lately I have been feeling chastened by the Lord in regards to my mouth and the things that come out of it, especially when I'm in a bad mood or with the wrong people. I think it's something that everyone struggles with once in a while - isn't it great knowing that we have a Father who cares enough to highlight our secret weaknesses and help us overcome them, though?

I came across a particular list at momof9splace that I thought I would share. It's been such a blessing, and it will be printed out soon for my constant reminder. :)

Don't Open Your Mouth When:

1 - In The Heat of Anger

Prov. 14:17, "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated."

2 - When You Don't Have All The Facts

Prov. 18:13, "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him."

3 - When You Haven't Verified The Story

Deut. 17:6, "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

4 - If Your Words Will Offend A Weaker Person

1 Cor. 8:11, "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?"

5 - When It Is Time To Listen

Prov. 13:1, "A wise son heareth his father´s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke."

The Same Words, from the same father, will be interpreted at Instruction or as Rebuke depending upon whether you are Wise or whether you are a Scorner.

6 - When You Are Tempted To Make Light of Holy Things

Eccl. 5:2, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."

7 - When You Are Tempted To Joke About Sin

Prov. 14:9, "Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour."

8 - If You Would Be Ashamed of Your Words Later

Prov. 8:8, "All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them."

9 - If Your Words Would Convey The Wrong Impression

Prov. 17:27, "He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit."

10 - If The Issue Is None of Your Business

Prov. 14:10, "The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy."

11 - When You Are Tempted To Tell An Outright Lie

Prov. 4:24, "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."

12 - If Your Words Will Damage Someone Else's Reputation

Prov. 16:27, "An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire."

13 - If Your Words Will Damage A Friendship

Prov. 16:28, "A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends."

14 - When You Are Feeling Critical

Eph. 4:31, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:"

James 4:11, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge."

Titus 3:1-5, "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

2 Peter 2:10, "But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."

Jude 8-9, "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

James 3:9, "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God."

15 - If You Can't Say It Without Screaming It

Prov. 25:28, "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."

16 - If Your Words Will Be A Poor Reflection of The Lord or Your Friends And Family

1 Peter 2:21-23, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:"

17 - If You May Have To Eat Your Words Later

Prov. 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

18 - If You Have Already Said It More Than One Time

Prov. 19:13, "A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping."

19 - When You Are Tempted To Flatter A Wicked Person

Prov. 24:24, "He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:"

20 - When You Are Suppose To Be Working Instead

Prov. 14:23, "In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury (poverty)"

Amy's House of Cookies

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful comments that you left about my menu and soup - it really is very good, it's Sean's favourite. :) When I made some to freeze yesterday (it also freezes fabulously) I realized that I forget to mention that you can add 1 tbs of soy sauce when you're adding the stock powder to add a bit more flavour. I've also added the recipe for ANZAC Biscuits (which are another Sean favourite) below. In the link above you can check out more information about them. Try them and you'll love them! For those overseas, these biscuits are an Australian staple - YUM!

I've had a great couple of days and have really been enjoying being at home. I've spent all day yesterday and today baking and cooking future meals and snacks to try and get a handle on lunches and dinners. We don't like buying things that I can make at home like cookies and snacks and things, but I have been soooo slack lately and poor Sean has suffered with his lunches - so I thought it was time to make it up to him! I've made all kinds of biscuits - peanut butter ones, coconut ones, choc-chip ones, anzac ones... I went a bit cookie crazy. :)

We also had a great Prayer and Bible study at church, tonight. The study was all about prayer and how much it can influence our lives and the lives of others - it was really inspiring and I've gained a new appreciation for prayer, even more than I had before. Between that and my bedside book "By Their Blood: Christian Martyrs from the 20th Century & Beyond" my faith has grown in leaps and bounds and I am so thankful for how He has guided me so far and I'm looking forward to the future! Praise God!

Well I'm off for tonight. Tomorrow I will be doing more baking - I'm planning on baking some more bread, rolls and muffins. I also want to try Pita chips. :) I've also got general cleaning to do (I'm thinking of making one of those household notebooks...) and I'll be going to see my parents tomorrow as well to help them with some computer issues. Whew! I'm tired already! LOL

Anzac Biscuits (cookies)

1 c rolled oats (not instant)
1 c plain flour
1 c sugar
3/4 c coconut
125g (4 oz) butter
2 tbs golden syrup (I've used Karo light corn syrup just fine)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbs boiling water

Combine oats, flour, sugar and coconut in large bowl.
Combine butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until melted together. In a cup mix bicarb soda with boiling water and add to butter mixture and then stir this into the dry ingredients.
Place spoonfuls of mixture on a lightly greased oven tray - allowing room for spreading.
Cook at 205C/400F for 10-12 minutes.
They will spread and become golden. If you prefer a chewier biscuit take them out when just golden, if you prefer a crunchier biscuit leave them in a little longer - the darker they are the crunchier they'll be.
They will be soft and pliable so allow them to cool on trays.
Makes about 35-40 biscuits.

Menu Plan Monday

To start off the new week right, I thought I would jump on board the menu bandwagon!

Monday: Homemade chicken & corn soup with bread rolls
Tuesday: Pork chops with fried potatoes and vegetables (corn & broccoli)
Wednesday: Satay chicken with rice
Thursday: Spaghetti with homemade tomato and meat sauce
Friday: Roast chicken and vegetables
Saturday: Chicken tacos (with leftover chicken)
Sunday: Moroccan chicken with rice or couscous

Recipes for the above:

Chicken & Corn Soup (4 serves)

1 (or 2 if small) chicken breast
1 medium can creamed corn
2 (or to taste) chicken stock cubes
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
*Optional are: half a leek, 1 stalk of celery and 1 carrot - they add to the base layer of the soup. Not needed, but add extra flavour. I only use these if I have some that need to be used.

Fill a medium saucepan up 3/4 full with water. Add chicken and optional vegetables if you're using them. Bring water to the boil and boil until the chicken is cooked and turn down heat slightly to a simmer.
Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Vegetables can be put aside for another dish. Put chicken on a plate to cool slightly.
Add the stock cubes to the simmering water and once dissolved, add the creamed corn and continue simmer.
Finely shred the chicken now that it's cooled. I use a fork for this, but use whatever works for you. Once shredded, add to the soup.
Have a taste at this point - it may need more stock powder or just a bit of salt and pepper.
Turn off the heat and let it cool ever so slightly. Whisk the egg and add to the soup. It should just dissolve into the soup but depending on how hot the water is, it may poach the egg. If it does this just whisk away to break it up and take out any large bits. We eat as is. ;)
Serve with fresh baked bread rolls and butter!

Homemade Tomato & Meat Sauce

500g beef mince (hamburger)
1 sachet tomato paste
1 can Big Red tomato soup
1 medium onion
1 tbs Italian Herbs seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown mince and onion in a small amount of oil (if needed). Once cooked, add tomato paste and mix with meat. Add tomato soup and stir. Add seasonings and garlic powder. Taste to see if it needs more of anything (ie, salt, or pepper, or herbs etc). That's it! Serve with pasta.

Spicy Moroccan Chicken (serves 8)

900g (2lbs) boneless chicken thighs halved
1/4 water + 1/4 vinegar put together
3 tbs honey
1 tbs oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 medium onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
2/3 c pitted prunes halved
2/3 dried apricots halved
Salt and pepper to taste

In the morning (or the night before) combine all ingredients other than chicken in a shallow casserole dish. Mix together until combined. Add chicken and coat in marinade. Cover and chill overnight (or 8 hrs) in fridge.
Take dish out of fridge, remove cover and put straight into a 205C (or 400F) oven for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink.

(from Company's Coming - Rush Hour Recipes by Jean Pare)

My favourite hymn

Be Still, My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Words by Ka­tha­ri­na von Schle­gel

Translated by Jane Borthwick

Music by Jean Si­bel­i­us

Back to Normal... mostly. :)

The week has flown by and after a day of fasting and prayer I actually feel very rejuvenated and ready to get back into the swing of things.

We had two wonderful sermons today at church about trials and testing which reminded me just how much the Lord loves us in every facet of life. The Lord cares! Sometimes I think it's so easy to forget about the plans He has for us and to want to try and do our own thing, our own way - that was partially my dilemma last week.

As I think I've stated before, I didn't grow up as a Christian and only the Lord knows how much I struggle against my worldly background every day. It is SO easy to fall right back into the old ways, the old friends, the old thoughts.

I recently ran into an old friend of mine who I haven't seen since high school when I was in a very different season of my life. Seeing her and how much she had made of her life, in the worldly sense, left a very bitter taste in my mouth. She made several comments about my dress, my lifestyle and reminded me of my roots. How could she live the way she did and have so much when I was trying to live the right way and felt I had so little? I was envious, I was jealous and forgive me, I wanted what she had. Here begins the dilemma.

Sean and I have been struggling recently (and always really) with finances. We both incurred debt early and have since been trying to pay them off but it just never seems to decrease in size and more seems to be incurred through toll fines all the time, which is a story in itself.

Long story short: I was considering going to university to begin a career.

Knowing how much I could get paid in the field I had chosen it was very tempting and seeing this old friend just sealed the deal. I wanted the nice house, the nice car, the nice clothes - more than anything though I wanted to pay off our debts. I looked up courses, I spoke to people about employment internships and basically organized to begin a new phase of life.

Then the Lord, how gracious He is, brought me right back down to earth. He made the course I was planning to take unavailable to me and reminded me of my purpose: as a wife, as a woman and as a personal striving for Christ.

One day I hope to be able to say: ..."for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content." (Phil 4:11) but until then I am sure I will struggle and fall and pick myself back up.

Forgive me for being so open but I felt it best to be honest in my struggles, no matter how inarticulate the post may be. Through this I've learned how important it is to surround yourself with Godly people, material and things. We just may be having a clear out very shortly.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things." - Philippians 4:8

Decisions

Sorry that I've been away for so long. Sean and I are making a few major life decisions and they have taken up a good part of my activities and thoughts for the past week or so. There has been countless hours of prayer and discussion and we would appreciate your prayers for guidance also if you think of us. :) I'll give more information later on when things are more settled and, well... decided.

I'm going to try and get back into the routine in the meantime. :)

I've been working on some crochet gifts this week and I had forgotten just how much I love it. It's so relaxing and rhythmic - great for any television time. I also love just how quickly things come together, it's very satisfying. :) Unfortunately, however, Loki and B are also very fond of balls of wool, cotton and acrylic. LOL. It's a good exercise of patience and correct discipline. :)

Today is going to be spent on washing and a bit of cleaning. Sean had been away for work and came home Friday night with a suitcase full of dirty clothes and I'm trying to get them all clean (and dried and pressed!) before he leaves again tomorrow. We've been out all weekend so I haven't had a chance, yet. I hate when my routines get out of whack!

I'll be catching up on my blogroll later today (hopefully) and tomorrow. :)

I forgot the lace!

I forgot to mention the other day that I also bought metres of some gorgeous lace while in the church op-shop. :)

I'm not entirely sure what I'll be doing with the top lace yet (any ideas?). I just loved it straight away and grabbed it out of the box before anyone else could grab it. Not that there was anyone else around mind you. lol. :)

I was thinking of using the bottom lace to trim some veils I'm planning on making. It's so fine and delicate (the photo doesn't show just how tiny it is!) or maybe for trim on some of the tiny girl dresses I'll be making... I thought it would look beautiful on something, also hopefully, delicate. They're all on my list of many things to make.

Too many projects and not enough lace! :)

Origami!

It all started when I came across this paper kimono tutorial and although I'm not too good it yet, I'm hooked! For now anyway... until I get frustrated and throw a hissy fit. :)

I'm also going to have a go at a crane if I can finally get the hang of the kimono.

With my generally unco-ordinated hands and stubby fingers paper folding has never been a thing I've had any success with, but I'm determined, and that counts for something, right? :)

I figured it.

We had a wonderful day today. First thing this morning Sean treated us to a fancy breakfast at a trendy cafe in town, Red Orange. We've been wanting to try their food for a while but the prices were a put off - so expensive! Once we got there though we found out that all the breakfast menu was half-off! What a break! :)

I didn't take my camera, but you can check out pictures here, and if you do, we were seated in the open area with the palm tree in the middle. :) The room was cool, but to be honest (and I hate speaking badly of things) it wasn't that great.

Maybe it was the high expectations I had placed on it, or maybe it was the half-price food, but the food and the service was pretty ordinary. My breakfast (of scrambled eggs on toast with a side of 2 small rashes of bacon and a small tomato) without a drink was almost $10 half-price!! Out total bill came to almost $30 so I would have had a heart attack if we had just paid $60 for breakfast, $30 was PLENTY! Live and learn I guess... and it was a nice treat to just be out sipping drinks at a swanky cafe, I'll be honest. :)

After that we headed over to my parents house for me to do a bit of gardening and for Sean to help pull a tree down in their garden. I WISH that I had brought along my camera (I need to learn to take it along!) for the wattle tree lopping - it was so funny. Between dad and Sean they had ropes with knots and pulleys going all over the garden tied to all sorts of things so they could cut it while avoiding the sticky wattle! It took us all about an hour to finally get it down, but what a relief when we did!! They have a view over the valley again! :)

I spent a fair bit of the afternoon weeding my old vegetable garden patch. Isn't it amazing how quickly weeds just take over an area?! Especially the Deadly Nightshade which just roots like nothing else! The tiny dirt patch was my pride and joy for months last year and I'm ready to have another go when it's time to plant (and I'll definitely take photos). :)

Unfortunately I didn't stop to think about my back while bending over the garden but BOY do I feel it now! I (stupidly) let my lower back get a chill while bending up and down and now I'm practically an invalid for the night. Hopefully though by tomorrow morning, after a night of warmth and rubbing it will be back to itself. I hope anyway. It's the second time this has happened to me in the past couple of months - first with vacuuming and now with weeding! Maybe I should just lounge on the sofa and let Sean do all the work. What do you think? ;)

What a day!

I'm back! Wow, this week seems to have just flown by, but it's had a great ending. :)

Firstly, I went shopping - well pattern shopping anyway. :) I ended up only spending a few dollars and came home with a lot more than I though I would - I'm sure everyone knows how that goes!

I bought a lot of kids dress and play sewing patterns for a start.

They're mostly patterns from the 60's thru early 80's but who doesn't love a cute vintage play dress?? I couldn't resist. I'll hopefully start sewing some of these up for a couple of friends who have requested a dress or two making.

These were .20c each so all up it cost me $1.80!! I've gone through each of them and although the packets are a bit tattered the patterns are all complete and will be fine to use!

Then I got three sewing patterns for me - I hope to alter them a bit and make some cute outfits! I love the dress/es on the left - they will be great for everyday during this summer! I also love the middle packet's green dress, especially the bodice. I'm going to try adding some length to it along with the first dresses and see how it goes. And lastly in my patterns I had to buy the jammies pattern because I just adored the pajama tops, how cute are they??

Next stop was the knitting and crochet patterns - I can never go past them. :) I managed to pick up these 8 pattern books at .75c each.

There is one book (far left) with no front page filled with 60's jumpers and cardigans and such, 5 Paton's knitting books that I would guess are from the 40's or 50's, a Paragon "Bootee Book" and a Paragon knitting book of 4 layettes a shawl and a reversible pram cover - just gorgeous!!

I love the little knitted outfits (or layettes) of the 30's-50's that babies wore so I was super excited to come across these! I'll be up to a lot of knitting in the near future I bet.

Lastly, my eyes fell upon a freezing book - "In and Out of the Freezer, Deep freezing from A-Z". It's from 1975, but everyone knows that the best book are vintage. :) It's basically a book filled with how to freeze everything. I'm trying to learn the art of freezing. I freeze the majority of our meat right now but sometimes I'm just not sure whether something will stand up for freezing so this is perfect! I haven't had a chance to have a proper look at it yet, but I'll get up to that tonight. :)

That was only the beginning of the day - this afternoon I spent getting up to a bit of sewing I had to finish off. This apron I have been working on in small bits and pieces for about 3 weeks so finally I had time to put it all together. Excuse the bad lighting, need for ironing and marks - I had just finished cleaning the kitchen in it and suddenly remembered I didn't have a photos of it. :)

Then to finish up my day with a bang I got a call this evening announcing the arrival of two packages from the US. Yay!! :) I drove straight over to pick them up and my mum wouldn't let me leave without opening them - I think she was just as excited as I was! lol!

Here they are but I must mention that the photos just don't do them justice! Thank you to Jessica who sent me the beautiful earrings that I'll be wearing tomorrow and vanilla bean dark chocolates - how did you know?? Dark chocolate! My favourite! I've already eaten one. :)

And the quilt I received from Sue Ellen is gorgeous, just amazing quality! Wow! I will definitely be getting more of them when I get some money together. :) Beautiful colours and the tags and various textures will be great for babies! I can't wait to give it to Michaela! She will love it!

So there's my day so far and I'm absolutely exhausted and ready for bed. I'll hopefully post a couple of things tomorrow, but until then have a wonderful blessed day!!

Frugal Friday!

I do a lot of crafts and like many crafty people out there know - all of the bits and pieces can really add up! One thing I've learned to do is to SAVE THE SCRAPS!

I keep a small tupperware container at my side when crafting to throw all of my too-small-to-use scraps of fabric, thread, wool, cotton etc in. These scraps are great for using in the myriad of small projects that need stuffing. You won't need half as much material as you would toy stuffing and with the usual amount of squishing you won't be able to tell the difference!

It is astounding the amount of possible stuffing material that we throw away. Think of those too-short-to-use cotton threads and wool at the end of a project or those bitsy off-cut corners when cutting pieces for a quilt or pattern, or even the extra "bits"of thread from the start and end of a sewn line when you're using a sewing machine!

** and on a side note, last week I spoke about using your heater for drying clothes and humidity in winter - apparently my cats think that the rail also makes a great makeshift heated cat bed! lol

Meme Time

I couldn't help myself, I love meme's. :D

Four Jobs I've Done In My Life:
1. Real Estate Receptionist (I. hate. switchboards. lol)
2. Vet Nurse (loved every second!)
3. Web Designer (for a bank of all things!)
4. Homemaker (and loving it!)

Four Countries I've Been To:
1. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales... (I feel a song coming on! lol)
2. Hong Kong
3. United States
4. Netherlands

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. In bed under the double doona!
2. Eyam. The countryside is stunning and I love historic towns.
3. Fremantle, WA. Ever since I left I've wanted to go back.
4. Out sailing somewhere. :)

Four Foods I Like to Eat:
1. Chocolate. Mmm...
2. Tacos
3. Creamy pastas
4. Bananas

... and because I love learning all about people, if you read this, consider yourself tagged!

Pay-It-Forward!

What a neat idea! Since the Dog Days of Summer Giveaway I have felt a little left out, I must admit. I so wanted to join in on the fun of giving but I had no blog to share anything with! So this seems like the perfect opportunity!

Pay It Forward (as far as I understand, anyway) works like this: the first three people to comment to this post (and want to participate of course!) will receive something homemade from me within in the next year! (I sew, knit, crochet, quilt and am always trying new crafty things so who knows WHAT you will get! :)) In return you simply post about Pay it Forward and offer the same to the first three people who comment on your post and so forth. :)

Sounds like fun? Just leave a comment and pay it forward! :)

Welcome to the world little Jennifer Duggar!

It's such a blessing to see a family praising God in the media for the birth of a new child being born, and even more so, their 17th! :) Go read the story here.

Time Management

Oh how I need to learn some time management skills!

It's 2 am, I am very tired and yet I must stay up for another half an hour at least. This is what happens when you get distracted from your plans!

Earlier today when I found out we're actually having friends over for dinner tomorrow night/tonight I was excited because 1.) well I was looking forward to seeing them! and 2.) I could finally try out this cake that I have been looking for a reason to make! Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it until tonight after dinner in between the cleaning I had planned to do (Sean worked late) and didn't read the instructions carefully through (beware!) to check how long it would take to make. After a lot of noise, one dead electric beater and uncooked cheesecake everywhere it's finally resting before I put it in the fridge overnight. All things aside, the raw cake tastes delicious! :)

I have tried looking for some time management tips on the web but they all seem to be related to academic studies or business efficiency, which is fine, but what about us who don't work or study, and need help in the home. Surely I can't be the only one who's been in the above predicament?

Biblical Woman Cookbook Giveaway

What a mouthful that was! :)

Make sure that you visit Crystal's blog and enter her Tuesday giveaway of: The One-Armed Cookbook - looks great and sure to be helpful for those with kids! Of course, while you're there look around, it's a great site!

Beautiful Garden!

Please go and check out Hannah's garden at Mountain Musings.

That is one of the most stunning veggie gardens I have seen in a long time. Just look at that pumpkin patch and corn field that I'm sure many kids (and kids at heart) would love to play in! Not to mention the flowers and beautiful produce.

I can't wait until I am able to start one of my own one day when we have a yard, but until then I'll live vicariously through others. :)

Feeling better now...

Thanks to everyone for their kind replies and many visits and a big HI to you all!

We had a busy weekend and I'm still recovering! The visit to our families was a wonderful catch up with lots of food and entertainment of various means. :) Unfortunately, after falling ill on Saturday night, on Sunday I wasn't feeling well enough to go to church, but we had some friends come over who brought with them the sermons on their hearts which was a blessing and a great time of fellowshipping.

Sean and I have booked ourselves into the IBLP seminar for later in the year that we're really excited about. I am really looking forward to learning, growing, and meeting some more awesome future friends. :) Their Financial Freedom seminar has changed our lives so much. If you have the money I would so highly recommend getting a copy of this seminar from Vision Forum (check out their site while you're there!).

I hope to finish two aprons that I have been working on tonight, so I'll get some pictures up of the (hopefully) finished products when I re-find the cable to link up my camera to the laptop. :) The kittens stole it again! lol

With trying to recuperate and not do much over the past couple of days I have read through a lot of my books (again) and I'm looking out for more. Does anyone have any good books, either fiction or non-fiction, that they can recommend? :)

I Won! I Won!

Oh my goodness, I actually won something in the Dog Days of Summer giveaways hosted by the ever thoughful Shannon! Well actually, two things! I couldn't believe it!

I have only ever won one thing in my life and that was a baseball cap for winning the indoor Bowls competition that they had for work - and to be fair, I only won because it was between me and a man without his glasses, so... yeah. :)

I won a pair of gorgeous cross earrings from the generous Jessica at Jessica's Family Blog! I have been looking for some similar to this, without success, and will wear them with pride. :)

I also won a Tag Blanket (what a great idea for bubs!!) from Sue Ellen at What's He Up To Now? which will be handed over to a friend of mine, Michaela, who's recently had a baby. I thought this would be perfect! Go check out her Etsy store where there are more blankets to buy here. I might go and buy one for my future children, myself. :)

Now we're off to Sean's family for a visit and then on to my parents house to help set up their new printer!

Have a great Saturday, everyone!

The Simpsons Movie

The above is the reason I am up so late with no craft whatsoever in hand. ;)

Sean and I had our weekly date night tonight and decided to see The Simpsons Movie. I was a huge fan when I was a kid and remember seeing the first episode on TV - it was a family event! I must admit that I have lost a lot of interest over the years because I found things becoming a bit too risque and predictable but Sean really wanted to see it, and we thought it would give us a laugh.

I won't give a lengthy review, or any review actually, because my reviews in school were usually so scattered it didn't give anyone any idea as to what I was raving about, but if you would like to know my opinion on the movie, I will send you here, where John sums up the movie just as I would have if I could articulate my thoughts more clearly. While you are there check out his other reviews if you're planning on going to the movies or hiring out a DVD soon - his reviews are family focused and highly recommended!

Thank You, Father

Oh my goodness, I thought I lost him! My big-eyed Bartleby!

I am so incredibly vigilant with our two kittens. They're the first two living things that have been totally dependent on me for their everything and I am determined not to mess it up. So you can imagine how guilty I felt when suddenly one of them went missing!

To back up, I was doing loads of laundry today, several loads. I was also airing the place out so both the window (with screen) and door (with security screen) were open. The kittens were playing and fighting as usual, running around our home like madmen. I was just finishing putting my last load of laundry in the machine when I heard a slight bang from the lounge room and suddenly Loki appeared next to me meowing. Little did I know that Bartleby, in his play, had run into the window screen, pushed it out of the window frame and followed it down two storeys onto the driveway and nearby road!

I also might add at this point that we live around 20 feet from a major highway that has a high speed limit and a huge amount of cars. My first though was that he was going to run for the road. Having never been outside because of the highway his curiosity was surely going to get the better of him! Before I knew it I was panicking and then part of a psalm that I was studying this morning came to mind:

"But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me." (Psalms 66:19,20)

So I stopped for a moment and begged God to watch over Bartleby, to make him avoid the road and to bring him back to us safely. It was not a kneel and pour our your heart kind of prayer, but a prayer of urgency, a tell me what I should do and where I should go. As I franticly slipped my shoes on and opened the security door to go search outside there he was, pacing outside of our door! I cried.

He had somehow managed to fall down two storeys onto concrete, climb back up two flights of stairs he's never been on and come to our door waiting for me to open it with not a single injury! It was nothing short of a miracle, and I have never been so glad to hear his irritated little meow in my life!

The Lord is so wonderful and is always ready to help us in our times of need, never mind how small they may seem - never has this been more apparent to me than today. Thank you, Father, for letting us keep these two blessings a little bit longer.

Two for one!

Oh how I love reading everyone's frugal advice! The one bad thing about living here in Australia is that we can't actually follow the coupons or the shopping stores advice the majority of the time. :( However, I have a couple of frugal tips: one for us Aussie's and one for women everywhere!

Aussies: Have you ever been to Simple Savings? I, unfortunately, don't have the money to join the Vault right now, but even for free there are tons of great tips and saving solutions! There are backlog monthly newsletter with great savings, and I get an email with a weekly tip for saving money, how great is that?

One other tip, that I'm sure many women before me have mentioned and done, but it was a wakeup for myself, is using the heater to dry clothes and humidify the air! So simple! We have one of those big gas and electric wall heaters in our lounge/dining/everyday room which is so costly to run, but essential in the middle of winter, even with blankets. (Did I mention that we live in a brick wall interior home?)
I use to fret when I couldn't do laundry because it was raining and would have wet clothes hanging around the house everywhere. We bought a folding clothes dryer, place the wet clothes on that side on in front of the heater (leave a little distance, though!) and the clothes dry in next to no time and the air humidifies to help with chesty coughs and colds that are so common in winter! Of course, it also heats up the room at the same time. Three jobs in one! :)

Return of the Daughters

I am SO excited about this upcoming documentary!

Return of the Daughters

What a wonderful and God-inspired idea!

Inspirations

I'm sure that everyone has sites and blogs that inspire them on a daily (or at least regular) basis. I'd love to share some of mine - maybe they are ones that you've already been to, but maybe there is one you haven't seen before. Please have a look and be blessed!

Some Godly families...

Maxwell Family Blog
The Duggar Family
Serven Family Blog
Girotti Family Blog

And some inspirational women...

Tammy's Times
Biblical Womanhood
A Joyful Handmaiden
Veiled Glory
Homeliving Helper

Beginning

I thought that it would be fitting that the first post on this blog explain just who I am and where I come from!

I'm Amy. :) I'm 24 years old proud homemaker from Australia who's going through this amazing journey with the love of my life and two crazy kittens in tow.

I grew up an only child to Atheist parents who still can't quite understand how I "turned" and what they did wrong. I have seen people being born and people dying, I have been through half a dozen religions and cults, I have made many mistakes and less than wise choices, and a few good ones (:)) to get where I am - a happy, God-fearing, Proverbs 31 striving woman of God.

I spend my spare time sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, dressmaking, cooking, reading, writing and I'm sure a dozen other things in between. I'm learning to live more modestly, frugally and fully to give God the glory.

If there's anything else you would like to know, or any questions you might have, please ask!

Enjoy your stay and God bless you!