Marie's Sunday Six

Can it be possible that we are already almost to the middle of the monthy of January? I know, hard to believe, but it is already the 9th and I am talking about my second week of Smilemakers! It is good to be able to reflect on all the good things in my life and even better to be able to share them with you.



The biggie this week was Mitzie coming through her spay operation alright. I always worry when I take a pet in for any operation as I had a cat pass away one time after an operation. It always makes me a bit nervous, to say the least. Other than not liking that plastic lamp shade around her head Mitzie has come through it so far with flying colours. We compromised on the lamp shade and have only been putting it on her at night when we can't be around to supervise her. She is alot happier without it on and we haven't seen her bothering her stitches at all. With it on she was unable to play with her toys as she could not hold them at all or get them to her mouth. She couldn't scratch her ears. She couldn't even walk through the house without banging it on something. Compromising on the wearing of it has worked well for us. Mitzie being ok makes me smile in a very big way!



Today is my Grandson Joshua's second birthday. It is hard to believe that he is two already. This little red-headed man is such a little sweetie pie. I have only been able to see him once since he was born. Last summer when we were in Canada, we made the trip to my Doug's so that I could see them all. Of course Joshua was a bit shy as he had never seen me before. He was such a sweet little boy, with such a gentle nature. He reminds me a lot of my Doug when he was small. All my children and grandchildren make me smile, but today on Josh's birthday, he makes me smile in an extra special way! Happy Birthday Joshua!




Larkrise to Candleford! Yes Series 4 is beginning tonight on the telly!!! I am so excited about that. I just love the series and cannot hardly contain myself. We have all the series on dvd and often watch them, and I have the Larkrise Cookbook which I am enjoying reading as well, plus I have the original stories in novel form. It is just such good, clean and wholesome entertainment, and it makes me feel all warm inside. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend you being with series 1. They are available all over North America I know, as I just had it sent to my eldest daughter for her birthday. I just know she will love it. Larkrise to Candleford makes me smile!



My brother David's family newsletter for 2010. That always makes me smile. He and his wife are so good at sending one every year, even if it does arrive too late for Christmas. I get it online, and have always really enjoyed reading every word of all that has been going on in their lives for the past year, and seeing all the photos. My brother is 5 years younger than myself, and is married to a lovely girl named Christine. They have four daughters, Lisa, Alison, Miriam and Hannah. The girls have all been home schooled except for these last couple of years. The older two are in their last years of high school and so have now gone to regular school. My sister in law has done a wonderful job of homeschooling them and they are all very happy, well adjusted and very well educated! My brother and his wife are exemplar parents and I don't just say that because they are my family. Last summer, when Todd and I were in Canada, they all made a special trip down to Fredericton to see us just for one day. It meant the world to me that they would do that just to see us. I love my brother, and I love reading about his family and their goings on. The Villeneuve family newsletter makes me smile!



I have finally begun to sell some things from my Etsy shop. I sold two articles in the past couple of days and that makes me smile. I was very excited about it actually. I sold a doll and a print, so both will be winging their way off to their respective new homes tomorrow! Knowing that something I have created has brought someone else pleasure makes me smile.



Primary makes me smile. The children's Sunday School in my church is called Primary. I serve in the leadership of this Organization. It is a calling I have had off and on for the almost 12 years I have been in the church. It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I actually am loving being there. Every other time I was never very happy being there. I was always wishing I was somewhere else. I have just, over these past few months, realized that it is where I want to be, and I am happy with that. What's even more, I have finally come to realize that it is where my Heavenly Father wants me to be, and I accept that.

I know it probably seems strange to some of you who have no idea about what callings are and service in my church, but this has been really wonderful for me to have this "awakening." I am only sorry that it has taken me so long, and I regret having missed out on so many of the blessings that I could have been experiencing because of my inward rebellion over these 12 years. It is not that I didn't do a good job. I have always put all my effort into all of my church callings, even though I was not always happy about or comfortable having them. I just know I will be a better leader now, and serving in the church and doing it well, always makes me smile! It is not enough to merely serve in the church though, one must learn to love serving in the church. This has been a real epiphany for me.



And so there you have it. Six of the things that make my heart smile and sing over this past week. There have been ever so many more of course, but I can't go on forever and you would surely tire of reading them! I hope that you all have had weeks filled with blessings both large and small and of course smiles!

Here's another smiler. Well, it makes me smile at any rate and is a very good way to use up the last of the Christmas Panettone!



*Panettone French Toast with Coconut Milk*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Using coconut milk instead of fresh milk gives this dish a somewhat exotic and delicious twist!

1/2 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 cup coconut milk (from a tin)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
1/4 cup butter
8 slices of panettone or other sweet bread (such as brioche)

To serve:
icing sugar to dust
whipped cream or yoghurt
fresh berries

Whisk the vanilla paste, coconut milk and eggs together with the sugar and cardamom, (if using). Beat well and then pour into a shallow dish.

Heat one fourth of the butter in a large frying pan until it begins to foam. Dip two slices of the panettone into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Fry the slices in the foaming butter until golden brown on both sides. Keep warm in a low oven while you repeat with the remaining slices.

Serve warm, dusted with some icing sugar, sprinkled with berries, and with some whipped cream or yoghurt for spooning over. Delicious!



In the English Kitchen today, a delicious Apple, Blackberry and Oat Crumble.

I am sorry if I have been a bit slow to visit your pages this week. With Mitzie having had her operation etc. I have not been on the computer as much. I have missed you all, and hope to catch up with you all soon!