Halloween Or Halloweenie?

   As you know, this blog just turned 1 last week, so here is the new dilemma I discussed with you Friday:

Surely I can I start RE-posting things now that we are at the year mark, right?  Especially as the holiday’s come up?

  I’ve covered everything we do each year once, so I guess we’ll just keep revisiting those traditions each year, as we have new readers now.  A LOT of new readers! YAY!  Welcome, I am so glad you come each week to visit us! 🙂

Without further adieu, I give you last years Halloween post, newly revised:

Halloween Or Halloweenie?

  Halloween is here, and with it comes the moral battle I hear mom’s going through each and every year:

 Do we, or do we not allow our kids to celebrate Halloween? Does it dishonor God if we chose to participate?

Even if we call it, “Fall Festival”, are we participating in an evil holiday that was primarily made to honor the lord of death?

Here are some Halloween articles with varying views: What is yours?

Trick or Treat, or Abstain

Exposing Halloween

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

  When I was a kid, we were not allowed to go trick or treating, or even give away candy to trick or treater’s! We posted a sign on our door that said “‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ We do not celebrate Halloween!” You’d be surprised how many candy-hungry kids, still rang the doorbell! It wasn’t a big deal to me, we go to hang out in the basement, watch a movie and have snacks! Cool! (Of course, church carnivals were not so readily available back then either!)

Dale and I choose to allow our kids to dress up in nice, friendly costumes, and go to our churches Fall Festival. It’s a carnival, which means fun booths and inflatable’s! They also get some candy, but you know me and sugar, they can each have a piece (or three) that night, but we leave most of it at the church for the other kids to enjoy……

Ok, ok fine! I admit it!

I keep all the good chocolate candy to indulge in later.

What can I say? It’s great to be the mom! 🙂

Destiny goes to a Christian school, and they don’t even have a day where they can come to school in costume, in fact, the past 2 years there has been no school for Parent Teacher Conferences, genius!  If she was in public school and was invited to dress up, would I allow her to do so, and participate in a celebration of Halloween at school? I don’t know. If I had a guess, I’d probably allow her to dress up.  The next question that comes to mind is would I allow her to stay for the party?  Hmm, again, I don’t know.  I’d probably have to make sure the party games, activities and movies were appropriate before I could make that decision. I remember there were kid’s in my class pulled one year by their parents because of a spooky movie being shown in the library.  I assume my mom didn’t know about it, or I’d would’ve been outta there too!  🙂  I remember hating it, but being to scared to leave without a note.

   What are your thoughts on taking a stand against Halloween?  Does it change it for you when you think your child will be the ONLY one not in costume at school today? Would you pull your kids out of school this afternoon if you find out they are watching a creepy movie, or something you deem inappropriate? Or is it just easier to go with the flow and talk to your kids about what is appropriate or not later on, at home?

  Unless Dale and I feel God is asking us to take a stand in a different way, we will choose to allow our children to dress up to go to the church carnival on the evening of Halloween. No haunted houses, no spooky costumes, no creepy Halloween movies or tv shows will be watched.

  We just explained to our kids, in simple terms, that we feel Halloween is satan’s holiday and we will not participate by going trick or treating or doing any of those kind of Halloween activities. Then we remind them that night also happens to be Fall Festival, and they are welcome to go there instead to celebrate fall, and honor God by being in His house.

To them it’s as simple as that:

Fall Fest = candy and fun at church!

  When they get to be teens, I am sure we’ll re-visit this issue, but for now, we are all good! Besides, if you ask me, once they outgrow participating in the carnival, they can WORK at the carnival! I just don’t want them out and about on the streets that night. Too many creepy people, doing creepy things after the kiddies have all crashed from a sugar coma and been tucked into bed.

What is your stand on Halloween? What are your children allowed or not allowed to participate in?

  Last year, our family dressed up in 50′s clothing. Fun, friendly and fabulous 5o’s! Man I would’ve loved to live back then. 

Look at little Pax! How do they change SO much in just 1 short year??

This year we are doing Cowboys & Indians!  Dale and I don’t always dress up to match our kids, but if it works out, we LOVE it! 🙂  I’ll post pics tomorrow.

So, baaaa-ck to the topic at hand……Am I a sheep just blindly following the herd?

Or I am doing the right thing by finding a middle ground, and allowing my kids to participate, but only if they go to church that night?

The great Halloween debate continues……

  So, does me not taking a 100% Yes or No stand on Halloween, make me a Halloweenie?

~T 🙂

 

Savory Baked Spaghetti, again?

Well, this is just plain embarrassing.  I spend all this time preparing this blog post for you, only to realize……

I’ve already blogged this recipe. 

What?

   I suppose, it was bound to happen sooner or later, as much stuff as I have going on in my brain at all times.  Jeepers. On the bright side, at LEAST I made it to the year mark before the first recipe repeat happened.  🙂

 I suppose this will start to happen more and more as the blog grows.  Plus, there are recipes that come up annually by season, so maybe this is something that I start doing regularly, you know, like a recipe flash back?  A blast from the past?  Maybe a Flashback Friday or something?  Hmm, I’ll think on that.

  Anyhow,  I bet you’ll forgive my repeat once you make this! It’s GOOOOOD!!!!  If you know me, you know I don’t like to repeat recipes much, but this one gets put in the rotation between new recipes.

SAVORY BAKED SPAGHETTI

A delicious alternative to plain old spaghetti . . . think lasagna style! Super easy and super good flavor!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces, weight Spaghetti Noodles
• 1 pound Ground Italian Sausage
• 4 cloves Garlic, Pressed
• 1 whole Onion, Chopped
• 1 jar (26 Oz. Jar) Meatless Spaghetti Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt
• 5 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• 2 whole Eggs
• ⅓ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Italian Seasoning, to taste
• 2 cups Small Curd Cottage Cheese (Only 2 people in our family even like cottage cheese, but TRUST me, it just adds moisture, don’t skip it!)
• 4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (Freshly Shredded Is Best!)

Preparation Instructions

Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions; then drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook meat, garlic cloves and onions until meat is no longer pink. Drain grease if necessary. Stir in a jar of spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt and set aside.

In the now empty spaghetti noodle pot, melt 5 Tablespoons of butter over low heat. Remove from heat. Add eggs, whisk. Stir in parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning to taste. Add drained spaghetti to the egg mixture. Toss to coat.

Place half of the spaghetti mix in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Top with half the cottage cheese, half the meat sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once.

Cover and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-25 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Dig in!

See that Ooey-gooey Cheesy Bread in the back of the photo?

BEST. BREAD. EVER.

And super easy too, this is one of those “Non-recipe” recipes with no measurements, just shake, schmear and spread to your liking.

EASY CHEESY BREAD

Leftover hamburger buns, or whole wheat french loaf, cut in half

Spread each half with butter and a generous amount of Garlic salt.

Spread with a nice layer of sour cream.

Sprinkle with your favorite shredded cheese, like Colby Jack or Mexican Blend.

Bake 350* for 10 minutes or until melted.

DEEEEEEEEEEEEELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!

Mmmm!

~T

P.S.  May I just take a moment to point out, that although this is not my finest food photograph moment, the Savory Spaghetti Bake photo taken for this post is still much improved over the one from last year, thankyouverymuch?

THEN:

NOW:

Better.  Not great, but better.

I’ll take it! 🙂

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4 Little Fergusons Photography

   Make sure to go back and catch today’s first post for Baked Chicken Taquitos with Creamy-Lime Sauce.  You aren’t going to want to miss that one!

   I was recently privileged to take a family session for some friends of ours from church.  My “just for fun photography” has turned into a nice little endeavor for me, and a total answer to prayer during this tight time in our lives.  This session will take provide the funds for us to get new tires for the Tahoe.  Not a fun way to spend the money, but a necessary evil before winter comes.  I praise God for His continual provision!

  Here are some of my favorites this session:

 

Thanks to this fun family for such a great session, and for allowing me the opportunity to do this for you!

 ~T

Baked Chicken Taquitos w/Creamy Lime-Cilantro Sauce

  You are gonna want to try this one, oh my goodness…we loved this!  I am a dipper though, so I was smitten from the get-go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Baked Chicken Taquitos
with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Sauce

from Brandy’s Baking

• FOR THE TAQUITOS:
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
• ½ cups Green Salsa Called Salsa Verde
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• ½ teaspoons Cumin
• ½ teaspoons Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoons Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
• ½ cups Sliced Green Onions
• 2 cups Mexican Cheese
• 2 cups Shredded, Cooked Chicken
• 12 whole Wheat Tortillas
• Kosher Salt
• Cooking Spray
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 ounce, weight Packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (do Not Follow Directions On Packet)
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Pressed
• ½ cups Chopped Cilantro
• ¼ cups Green Salsa (Salsa Verde)

Heat oven to 425*.  To make sauce: combine Ranch packet with mayo, lime, garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Refrigerate until supper time.

  Heat cream cheese so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge until supper prep.)

  Spoon 2-3 Tbsp of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, then roll it up as tight as you can. I was able to get 12 taquitos from this.

  Place seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure to not touch another taquito. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Serve with the oh-so AMAZING Creamy Lime Cilantro Sauce. YUM!

~T

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Trying Three’s

   This post 2 for the day, make sure you don’t miss post one:

Orange Cream Cheese Brownies.  YUM!

  You know how people always talk about the Terrible Two’s? 

 Yeah, our kids skip that and save it all up for the “TRYING THREE’S”.

  The sweet angelic babies of days gone by, take a temporary leave of absence. 

And in their place?

 

These volatile little people that get set off at the TEENIEST thing!

  We have a method we use for these Trying Three’s called:

“You Have 2 Choices”. 

(Brilliant name, I know.)

   This allows our 3 year olds to feel like they have a bit of say in their out of control worlds, while still allowing us, ultimate control.    {Muahaha MUAHAHAHA!}

   No really, all laughing aside, I am dead serious about this, every single blessed one of our kids has gone through this stage and it’s tough people.  It makes me weary just writing about it. 

“Avery Lyn! You have 2 choices…..”

“(Pointing to index finger) You may stop crying and play with us.  OR (pointing to middle finger) you may continue this crying fit in your room alone. Which do you choose?”

This is a tough decision…….

  But, they tend to pick number one and then proceed to shut it off. 

  On the occasion that they cannot get it under control, they are then removed to their room where they sit on their “Boo-Hoo Bed” until they are ready to turn off the water works and be happy.

  This has worked very, very well for us!  And hey, it works for clothing too!
“Avery, do you want to wear your black leggings or pink leggings with your sweatshirt today?” 

  She thinks she is choosing for herself, but she is just safely choosing within the boundaries we have set up for her.   It’s worked like a charm around here!

Now someone, PLEASE tell me what to do about FOUR:

Freaking
Out
Unnecessarily under
Routine circumstances.

So many tears.  And sniffles.  And the blubbering {sigh}, oh the blubbering.  (This too, is something big sis went through at age 4……)  

  Well, that’s it from here! Happy day to you and yours, I’m off to go see what the caterwauling is about this time………

  I’ve got a 3 and 4 year old, at this point, it could be ANYTHING!!!!  🙂

~T

Orange Cream Cheese Brownies

I LOVE the combo of dark chocolate with the fresh burst of orange.  These brownies remind me of Fall, so I make ‘em every year!

• 1 package Betty Crocker Supreme DARK Chocolate Brownie Mix
• ¼ cups Water
• ½ cups Oil
• 2 whole Eggs
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, softened
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons (or More) Orange Juice Concentrate, Thawed
• doTERRA Wild Orange Oil
• Sprinkles

Heat oven to 350*. Mix up brownie mix with water, eggs and oil as listed. Add 2-3 drops of wild orange oil, if using.

Spread into the bottom of a jelly roll or bar pan.

Bake 27-29 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool Completely.

While brownies cool, soften cream cheese and in a large bowl, stir until smooth, adding 3 cups powdered sugar, 4-6 T. thawed OJ judging how much based on frosting thickness. Add 1 drop doTERRA wild orange oil for an extra POP of orange goodness!!!

Decorate with fall sprinkles or drizzle melted chocolate over brownies before serving.

Happy Baking!

~T

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If Fall Were A Cookie…..

If Fall were a cookie, it would taste like these:

OH MY STINKIN’ WORD people, both of these cookies are SOOO good!

Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

Ingredients

• 2 cups Shortening
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 cans (15 Oz Each) Pumpkin
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1-½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 8 Tablespoons Milk
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar

Cream shortening, white sugar & pumpkin. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together the baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Drop from spoon to cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350*.

To making frosting:
Cook butter, milk and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over warm cookies.

Makes 4 or so dozen depending on your cookie spoon size.

This next cookie recipe was passed on to me by my friend, Nicole.  After several comments regarding this recipe, it has come to my attention that they originated here. 

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter, Softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 10 packages (.74 Oz Each) Apple Cider Drink Mix
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 3 cups Flour
• 14 ounces, weight Package Of Caramel Squares

Preparation Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
With your mixer cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.
Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. (I had to add a teeny bit more flour to make the dough less sticky) Mix until just combined.
Refrigerate for about an hour. It makes the dough SO much easier to work with.
When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels, and preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (You really need the parchment!).
Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut.
Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Please don’t over-bake! Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.)

Makes roughly 4 dozen.

 Go.  Bake.  You know you want to!  (You can thank me later.)

Click on the titles for easy printing.

Happy Cookie Baking!

~T  🙂

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An Afternoon At the Pumpkin Patch

  Thanks to the generosity of Harvest Farm and a special friend, we were blessed to spend a worry-free afternoon at the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday. 

  This family friendly place offers hay rack rides, a zip line, giant sand box, farm themed playground, huge slide from the hay loft, trike race track, train rides, petting zoo, and so much more.  All friendly Halloween-free fun!

 

  Harvest Farms is famous for their PUNKINATOR!

   

(This made me grin because growing up my Daddy always called me his “Punkin”, which is now Destiny’s nickname.) 

  This pumpkin-shooting canon was mounted to an old fire truck.  They were shooting pumpkins nearly half a mile with this puppy!

The kids were scared it was going to be loud, but they soon learned, it wasn’t….it was just TOTALLY COOL! 

Here are the photos of our fun afternoon:

You know you are a mom of 4 when……

Your baby bites the dust, er, straw, and you choose to snap a couple of pictures before swooping in to his rescue.

Poor sweet baby Pax! 🙂

The water stations were really fun!

So were the Corn Cannons!

Paxton: “This corn canon is SO loud!” 

(It really wasn’t, but in baby-land, maybe it is?!)

Hay Bale Maze, which was trampled a bit by the masses that came before us, but the kids had no complaints.  They had a blast climbing and exploring:

This farm was just beautiful!  Made Dale miss the farm days of his youth.  I informed him that this City Girl was perfectly content on our 17 acres, 5 minutes from town: Half Country-Half City, perfect for us!  🙂

Pax having a snack & watching the kids do the Zip Line:

(which was their FAVORITE thing, by the way)

 

Farm Version of the Yo-yo and a super fun Hay-Loft Slide:

All that playing made the kids HUNGRY!  Ham & Cheese sandwiches hit the spot.

HUGE sugar cookies were for dessert…..what a treat!

Paxton is a man of few words, like : Ball and Hot.  But as he sat in this chair, he DISTINCTLY said over and over ‘Rock-rock, rock-rock, rock-rock’ in this precious sing-songy baby voice. He, of COURSE, refused to say it again when Dale came back. 

“Hi guys!”

One last thing before we head home……

This CRAZY trike!

Dale was a SUPER crazy driver and about threw us a couple time with his sharp turns.  Typical male driver, I tell ya!

  Thank you to our “Mailbox Angels” for blessing us with the “Fun Funds” for a much-needed family day!  And thanks again to Danielle of Turon Harvest Farm & Pumpkin Patch, for allowing us the special privilege of being their guests for the afternoon! 

May the Lord richly bless you all for your generosity!

In Christ,

~Tonya for the Ferguson Family

That was fun, Momma! Lets come back again soon!

Easy Bierocks

  Thanks for making yesterday such a special day for us!  I loved hearing from you all as we celebrated 1 year of 4 little Fergusons together.

Today is another special day, today is Tylan’s Born Again Birthday! 

One year ago today, Tylan tearfully came up to me and asked if Jesus could please live in his heart.  What precious moments to be privileged to experience as a mother!!!!  Check it out this special story here: Happy Born Again Birthday, Tylan!

  We talked about what a special day it was today at breakfast and reminded him what happened a year ago, when he asked Jesus to be his Saviour….the angels had a Born Again Birthday Party in Heaven and God wrote his name in the Book of Life.  We won’t always have cake to celebrate, but should I think of something yummy to serve, we’ll do a candle and sing happy born again birthday to him tonight at supper.  🙂

  On to the recipe, Easy Bierocks…..

I used to be too scared to make these, but after my BFF showed me how, I realized it was much simpler than I had imagined.  The Rhodes Rolls take out nearly all the hard parts.  I only wish I could find Whole wheat Rhodes Rolls, then my world would be complete.  🙂

• 1 package Of 32 Rhodes Rolls Frozen Dough, whole wheat is best!
• 2 pounds Hamburger
• 14 ounces, weight Can Of Kraut, Rinsed, Drained And Dried Well
• 1 whole Onion, Chopped
• 1-½ cup Shredded Cheese, some people leave this out
• Salt And Pepper, to taste (I feel like you need to be generous with seasonings in this dish or its bland)
  

Spray 2 muffin tins with oil. Fill each cup with 2 Rhodes Rolls. Spray saran wrap with cooking spray and loosely cover. Let dough thaw and rise about 4 hours, or until double in size. Do NOT over rise, or they will deflate.

(No “full moon” comments!!!!)  🙂

In a skillet, fry up hamburger and onions. Drain. Rinse, drain and dry well, sauerkraut. Add to drained hamburger. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese.

  On a floured service, stretch raised dough into a 4 inch circle and fill with approx. 1/3 cup filling.

Pinch 4 corners together to make a bundle. Repeat with remaining 4 corners so no filling is showing. Pinch ends tightly together and place pinched side down on baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is filled.

Bake at 425* for 20 minutes.

Serve with a mixture of yellow mustard, spicy mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Delicious!  Comfort food at it’s BEST!  And, as tradition dictates from my best friend, this dish must be served with Lipton Onion chip dip, potato chips and carrot sticks! YUMMMMMMMM.

Happy Baking & Happy Born Again Birthday to my Tylan! 

~T

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Happy 1st Blog-Birthday, 4 little Fergusons!

  Yay! It’s our Blog Birthday!!!!  1 year ago today, I obeyed the Lord and wrote my 1st ever blog post entitled Hello World.  This was after a year of praying for a ministry that could be done from home, and a good month of me saying “No Thank you” to the Lord’s prompting to start a blog.  Why would I blog? What would I say? How can that be used for God’s glory?

One night for fun, I jotted down some blog names and went on the web to scope them all out.  See Lord, they are all taken. It’s a sign. No blog.  And I went to bed.

  Needless to say after a totally out of the blue email from my cousin, (who is now dubbed my “Fairy Blog Mother”) bright and early the VERY next morning, I knew the Lord was speaking.  She wrote:

 “I woke up thinking about you this morning and you know what, I think you should start a blog…”  she went on to list why, but I didn’t need to read past the first sentence:  I got the hint.  Ok.  Gotcha Lord, that’d be a HUGE neon sign flashing that I could not miss:  so I hopped on wordpress and here we are: 1 year later already! 

 This week we’ve been counting down the Top 20 posts for the year. 

The final 3 ARE……..

3) Go Big & Go Home!

After a successful trip to Walmart Monday night, I decided to write a bit about the method to our madness. Dale and I are firm believers of once a month shopping. Our motto is this:

“Walmart: Go big & Go home.”

(And do NOT return for a whole month.)

((Unless you forgot the eggs, then by all means, send Dale on the way home from work.))

We budget $450 a month, for our family of 6, and that has to include diapers, light bulbs, shampoo etc. This total does not include meat purchases, since we get a side of grass-fed beef once a year instead. It has worked out great!

We just, in the past year, increased our monthly budget from $400 to $450 because of 2 in diapers and our kids eating more. On average, the government figures $100 per person in your home, per month, so that lets me know, we are still doing good. I think the $400 range is a good one, and hopefully, I’ll never need to go over that by too far, as our kids grow up. Just think, before I know it, my two littles will be potty trained! Right, AVERY the STUBBORN, who is almost 2 1/2??????????? That will give us $60-$80 extra, that used to be spent on diapers! Hurray! 🙂

Read more here….

2) Project Laundry Room

  9 years ago, as Dale and I were preparing for our new life together as a married couple, we began praying for a rental we could afford, BUT, I had a big wish list too. So, I started praying VERY specifically.

If you know me, and know much of a planner I am, this will not surprise you.

“Lord, we need an affordable place to live, and I would love to live in a home with big windows, a nice sized yard, a kitchen with a view, big laundry room, 2 car attached garage and room for our family to grow. And Dale wants to live in the country, and I am not sure if this city girl could handle that, could you help us find a nice compromise? Oh, and unless you know something we don’t, we can’t spend more than $400 a month in rent. Thanks Lord, may your will be done… “

Pretty big wish list right?!

Nope, not for the Lord.

He provided us with a 1940′s ranch-style house on 17 acres with 3 bedrooms and 1 1/2 bathrooms. It even had the outbuildings Dale wanted, although he didn’t actually add them to the prayer wish list. That’s the “The Lord knows the desires of your heart” part. 🙂 Its only 3 houses off of a paved road, 5 minutes from church, 5 from both our mom’s and 10 from Walmart….

Country AND city.

Thanks Lord!

Read more here….

You surely want to know how the Laundry Room turned out, right?! These didn’t rank as high as the first post, as they were posted MONTHS later, but here they are:

Project Laundry Room Continued

The FINISHED Laundry Room – YAY !  🙂

And the NUMBER ONE blog post of ALL TIME ISSSSSSSSSSSSS………..

{Drum roll please}

NOT Big Blue Ball.

  What do I mean, not Big Blue Ball???

  Well, see BBB received the most visitors ever in one day, coming in at 2,142 hits, but that is ONLY because it happened to be the day I had a recipe featured on Tasty Kitchen’s Step by Step Blog. TRUST ME, had I KNOWN I was going to be featured, I would’ve written something WAY BETTER! 

  Guess the Lord does these things to keep us humble, right?!?!?! That way the people that stuck around were because of HIM, not me or my writing.  🙂  Anyhow I do NOT count this as number 1 because it was a fluke deal, but super cool that it happened on my 100th blog post. 

Now, I give you the REAL number one without further ado…………

1) 4 Little Fergusons, 4 Big Miracles

As I held Paxton in my arms today, I was reflecting on my life, and the journey it took for us to get to these 4 little Ferguson’s that fill our home with giggles and grins……..

After many trials and much heartache…..God has answered my hearts desires, and I am living my very own dream come true! I often think about my 4 babies in Heaven, and look forward to the day when I can kiss those sweet faces. Until then, I know they are safe in the arms of their Abba Father, their Daddy in Heaven, and for that, I can be truly thankful.

“No one else knows the strength of my love for you. After all, you’re the only ones who know what my heart sounds like from the inside.”

Read more here…..

  With nearly 1700 views, this post has taken the lead by a LONG shot!  I am amazed at how the Lord is using one of the darkest, most hurtful times in my life all for His glory!  It just makes it all seem worth it, you know?!

  This has been such a great year full of learning curves, ugly food photos, self discovery, tears at 4 am, sharing from the heart, taking photos CONSTANTLY (and loving it) and the best part of all?!

YOU!

  I have LOVED getting to know you and the amazing network of believers that can be found on the good ol’ http://www.  Who knew!? 

  You encourage me on my down days, you pray for my family when we struggle, you make me giggle with your comments and stories, you build me up with your positive words….and boy, do I love to hear what your family thought of the recipes you try!

  From our humble beginnings of just 70 daily views and 70 on the weekend to today, growing to around 500 daily views with another 400 over the weekend.  God is moving and 4 little Ferguson’s is growing!  I praise the Lord for the growth this blog has seen in it’s first year and I commit year 2 to Him as well!  I stand by the motto:

Chosen in Christ, Called to Serve. 

  Happy Blog Birthday, 4 little Ferguson’s!

You are 1 now!

The Lord has blessed me through this blog more than I could have ever imagined…..

To Him be the glory!

~T