Marie's Sunday Six

Here we are again. It's Sunday already and time for me to share my best smile with you from the week behind me! It is always hard picking out six to share with you as my cup of life truly doth runneth over, but I'll do my best! It's also hard to believe that we are already at the end of the month of January! The month has flown by ever so quickly! Todd doesn't mind though, because he is really looking forward to spring. The winter can't pass quick enough for him! February is always a really quick month as well. It's only two days or three shorter than all the rest, but for some reason it always seems to make a big difference!



New slippers make me smile, and this week I got two pairs! I needed some new ones to wear around the house as the insoles had all worn out on my old ones and I couldn't wear them anymore, and I needed a new pair to wear to hospital, because they are funny about germs and infection and so everyone needs to have brand new slippers to wear. I sent Todd into Chester city to pick me up some. I know . . . dangerous . . . who knows what he might have come back with! Men are notoriously famous for having bad taste when it comes to being trusted to pick up anything pertaining to women's wear. I have had some pretty awful things given to me throughout the years. It was a big thing for me to charge Todd with this task, but he did really well. I was impressed. Pink fluffy slippers with little puffy polka dots make me smile!



My Pampered Chef Party made me smile big time! I had never been brave enough to have something like this in my home since I moved over here. I think I was always afraid nobody would come, or that I didn' t know enough people to invite! I was realy surprised though because I had lots of lovely ladies show up and we had a wonderful time! It was really nice to meet Sheilagh (and her friends) in person, although we didn't really have a lot of one on one time to spend with each other this time. We are planning on having her and her husband Ralph over for a meal something soon though so there will be lots of time then to socialize! It was also nice to spend time with the other ladies who came as well, and to get to know them better. Best of all, it was nice to get to spend that time with Julie, who came up all the way from Gloucestershire to do my party! I have known Julie for a long time now. We first made friends on a recipe sight called RecipeZaar, on the message forums. We became good friends through there and it was so good to see her again, and in our new home! The best part was she stayed overnight and so we got to spend some really fab time chatting and laughing together! She's a real gem! I love her to bits! Parties, and friends . . . and the two together make me smile!



This little lady makes me smile a bazillion times every day of my life! She is such a little sweetie pie. I cannot imagine a life without her in it. She was awfully sick last night though, and so I am going to stay home from church with her this morning. She seems to have stopped vomiting now and is laying here quietly next to me, but I just don't want to take the chance and leave her on her own for that long . . . Although we are very careful to make sure that there is nothing laying around for her to chew on that she shouldn't or anything dangerous for her to get into, puppies do have a habit of eating things they shouldn't . . . plants and leaves in the garden, cardboard, etc. Call me paranoid, but I am just really afraid anytime she isn't feeling well, especially where she just had her operation a few weeks ago. She's doing very well with the dog training you know. She's very clever . . . the only problem we are still having is when people come in. She gets so excited, and jumps up on them. We are having the darndest time getting her to stop that. It's really hard. We don't want people to stay away coz we have a manic dog that jumps all over them! She does make me smile though, in countless other ways!



Telephone calls from faraway friends make me smile big time, and I was so pleased when Lura and Jan called me all the way from California this week. Lura calls me most weeks, and I am always so happy to hear her voice and talk to her, but getting to talk to Jan this week was an added bonus! It was so nice that they wanted to make me feel like a part of their get-together. I think blogging friends are really special friends, and I am so grateful for them in my life. Blogging friends always seem to connect with each other in a very special way. Maybe I've just been lucky through the years, as I have never met a crazed axe murderer yet! They've all been lovely and Lura is one of the loveliest of all! From the beginning we have felt more like sisters than actual sisters often do! There was that immediate feeling of kinship and an eternal bond that you know extends beyond the veil of here and now. The only sad part is that we live so far away from each other, but then again, if we lived closer, these telephone calls wouldn't be as special would they? Telephone calls from faraway friends really make me smile!




Feeding the Missionaries makes me smile. I always love it when we can have them over to our home and I can cook for them! They are such nice young people, and I love being able to do this thing for them. If I had a son or daughter who was serving on a mission, I would be so grateful to anyone that was kind to them and had them in their homes, and who took care of them and fed them up. At a time, when most young people their ages (19 to 21), are spending their time having a good old time, boozing and partying and being promiscuous, these young people are serving their Lord and Master and doing it with love . . . with love for their families, with love for their Saviour, with love for their church and with love for their fellow beings. I am grateful for the love and service that they share so willingly with others, for the fine examples they set and for the special spirit and feelings that they bring into our home. I cannot do enough for them. Most of them would tell you afterwards, that the two years they spent on their missons were some of the best years of their lives. What they do is brave and selfless and special. Missionaries make me smile.



This is Luke. He is my second youngest grandson and the youngest son of my eldest son. All my grandchildren make me smile, but today Luke is making me smile in a very special way as he is 1 year old today! Happy Birthday Luke! Families and birthdays always make me smile! I wish that I could be there with him to help him celebrate this special day, but alas . . . just not possible. But we have sent a lovely present and a card and I may even call later on to wish him a Happy Birthday. We shall see how it goes. He is a cheerful little boy and of course I think he's just the sweetest lad. Mind you, I say that about all my grandchildren. It is every grandmother's prerogative to think her grandchildren are the best, don't you think!!

I think you'll agree from new slippers to special grandsons, and everything in between, I've had a superdy duperdy smiling week this week! Life is good.

Here's something else that is good. Redneck Casserole. It's really just beans and weiners under potatoes and cheese, but hey . . . it's delicious! (cheap and easy too!)



*Redneck Casserole*
Serves 4-6
Printable Recipe

This is a no brainer. Easy to put together and on the table in about half an hour, it uses stuff most people have in their freezer and larder. It’s a good one for those nights when you are in a rush and don’t have time to put together anything more complicated. All you need is some crusty bread on the side to mop up the juices and a tossed salad!

3 (415g) tins of baked beans
1 TBS cider vinegar
2 TBS molasses
1 packed TBS of soft light brown sugar
1 tsp dried mustard powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 package of smoked frankfurters, cut into 1 inch slices
6 frozen potato waffles, or a couple of handfuls of frozen tater tots
6 ounces of strong cheddar cheese, grated

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Empty the beans into a 9 inch square deep baking dish. Stir in the vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, mustard powder and onion powder. Mix all together well. Stir in the cut up frankfurters. When all are mixed together lay the potato waffles evenly over top. You may have to cut a few of them to fit on one side, but use the cut off bits to fill in the middle bit. If you are using tater tots just lay them evenly over top of everything. Sprinkle the grated cheese over top of the potatoes, making sure they are covered evenly. Bake in the heated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes until well bubbly and the waffles are crisp and the cheese is melted. Let sit for a few minutes before spooning out to serve.



In The English Kitchen this morning, some delicious Jaffa Rock Cakes!