Marie's Sunday Six

I haven't done a Sunday Six Post in a very long time so I thought I would do one today! It being the first Sunday of the month and Fast Sunday, I thought it would be rather fitting to spend a few moments pondering the blessings in my life!



This little lady makes me smile bigtime and she turned one years old this month. This is Maryn, my only Granddaughter. I have yet to meet her in person and I am thinking I probably never will . . . especially if the way things have gone in the past are any indication of what to expect in the future . . . but I do so love her very much from afar. I sent her two very beautiful dresses for her Birthday along with a matching sweater and tights for each. When her mother was a little girl, she used to love for me to read her The Little Grey Rabbit stories by Allison Uttley. I was able to find a compendium book of all the Little Grey Rabbit stories and I sent that to her mom. I thought she may have some happy memories of the stories as a young child and that she might like to build some happy reading memories with her own daughter . . . this thought makes me smile.



Cyber hugs and kisses make me smile. My son and daughter in law sent me a special video the other day of the boys singing. It was lovely. It just did my heart so much good to watch it and to hear those little voices and get those special sweet cyber kisses at the end! I do so love my grandchildren and I am grateful for all the photos etc. that my eldest son and his wife send to me. They go the extra mile and that means so very much. I know it is hard for me to get close to my grandbabies living so far away, and it was my decision to move all the way over here. I am grateful for a son that understands and tries to make me a part of their lives in whatever way that he can.



These three little lumberjacks make me smile too . . . that is Jacob sitting on my daughter in law's lap, Jon sitting next to her, and the cute little redhead is our Josh. They are beautiful little boys. My son Doug has to live and work away from home at the moment and I know it causes him heartache at this time to have to do so . . . but as parents we always have to do what we have to do. He has a good job that provides lots of benefits and a good living for them as a family. He goes home (two hour drive) to his family on his days off and whenever he can do so and I know they are in contact daily. I wish that he could find a job as good as the one he has right where his family lives, but in the meantime I am grateful for the job that he does have. Last year he was able to take Parental Leave and spend a nice chunk of time with the boys as a stay at home dad and he loved that time they had to spend together. I am so proud of my sons. They are such good fathers. That makes me smile too.



Tim and Eileen make me smile. This is my eldest daughter with her fiance. This week they were competing in the Canadian Special Winter Olympics in Northern Alberta. They'll be arriving home today after having won 2 bronze and 1 silver (Eileen) and 2 sliver and 1 gold (Tim) in their respective races. I am so proud of them! I know they have had a fab week with team Nova Scotia, helping to represent the Special Olympics program in their home province. The Special Olympics Program makes me smile too. It is a wonderful program which helps these young adults with special needs to feel a valuable part of society and to feel competent and to develop special skills and attitudes. Too often in life they are jeered at or made fun of. This program allows them to shine and to show to the world just how very special they are! Thank you Special Olympics!!!

Source: yourhomebasedmom.com via Marie on Pinterest

Thoughts of Spring make me smile. We have had some lovely weather this week, with milder temperatures and lots of sunshine. Spring is just around the corner. The crocus are blooming and all of the trees are getting little buds . . . the birds are nesting. I watched them yesterday gathering dried grass in the back garden to build their nests and the birdsong each morning is becoming even more beautiful. Bumble Bees are bumbling. There is frog spawn in the pond and the gold fish are feeding again. I know we have a ways to go yet . . . but these are all wonderful signs and symptoms of whate are about to experience . . . soon . . . soon.



Being creative makes me smile. I love that I can bring all the little thoughts and whimsies in my mind to life in such a way. It brings me special joy.



Being Creative is some special in each of us and something which can bring joy to each and every life. You may not think you are creative, but you are. Oh . . . you may not paint, or write beautiful poetry or songs . . . but I am sure that you do something which is creative in some way, be it large or small. I believe it is in each of us . . . this yearning to make something where there once was nothing . . . perhaps you bake lovely cookies and cakes . . . maybe you knit or sew . . . maybe your talent is simply to bring joy into other's lives, perhaps you have a smile that lights up a room when you enter it . . . or maybe you have the ability to help other people to feel loved and valuable. These are all talents and special in each of their own unique ways. Being creative makes me smile.

“As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.”
― Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone and smile!



There are Toasted Teacakes cooking in The English Kitchen today!

Marie's Sunday Six

Here we are on the last Sunday before Christmas! Next Sunday it will actually BE Christmas! However did that happen? It's crazy, this past year has just gone like lightening! The way time seems to be going faster and faster is amazing to me. Is it just me, or does everyone feel this way??? Anyways, it is good to slow down for a few minutes today and dwell on some of the special things from my week, and I thought it would be nice to dwell on some of the special things from this "Holy"day Season that really make me smile!

Source: adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

Celebrating the birth of the Saviour makes me smile. This most gracious and beautiful gift from our Heavenly Father is the centre of my life . . . not just at Christmas Time, but the whole year through. He truly IS the reason for the season, and I am so very grateful that I have had a seeking heart and a teachable heart. I celebrate Christmas all year long in my heart. It's about not the tree or the lights, or the food . . . or een the gifts. It's about the Saviour and a Heavenly Father who loved us enough to willingly send His only begotten son in the flesh to take upon Himself the sins of the world and give us the opportunity for eternal life, and to show us the way back to our Heavenly Home. How can this not bring a smile to anyone's face every day of your life. Jesus . . . the true reason for the season. This makes me smile.

Source: victoriantradingco.com via Terri on Pinterest

Singing all the Christmas Carols and listening to good Christmas Music on my ipod makes me smile. There is something so very special about the special hymns and songs that we listen to at Christmas that brings a warmth to my heart like nothing else. They are so very beautiful. From the first of December all the hymns in our Sacrament meeting at Church, with the exception of the Sacrament Hymn, are the carols that we all know and love . . . I adore singing them. I adore listening to them. I adore surrounding myself with their beauty and message. I also happen to love Michael Buble's newest Christmas album too, which also makes me smile.



Does that not make you smile too??? I can't wait to watch his Christmas Special on the telly tonight! Yes, I love Michael Buble and not just because he's Canadian either . . . although admittedly that is one of the reasons. I also happen to think he's a fab singer!

Source: dooce.com via Reyes on Pinterest

They come in many shapes and sizes . . . from the incredible to the edible . . . the Christmas Tree makes me smile. I have always loved decorating my tree and I have always hated to take it down at the end of the holidays. I love to walk through the neighbourhood and see people's Christmas Tree's shining in their front windows. I love to walk through the city and see Christmas Tree's in the shop windows. I just love Christmas Trees! I much prefer a real one to an artificial one . . . that special smile of pine and fir takes me back in my mind to my childhood and the trees we had when I was growing up and all those wonderful feelings associated with the love of family and the holiday season. Who doesn't love that smell . . . it's awesome. Just awesome.

Source: gifts.personalcreations.com via Maggie on Pinterest

Christmas Stockings make me smile. We didn't have stockings when I was a child. Well, not in the real sense of having a stocking that you could hang up on Christmas Eve and find filled in the morning. Santa used to leave us a red net stocking under the tree and they were ok, but I always wanted a real stocking. My children all had stockings. Each one had been handmade and beaded and sequined by myself and each one was as individual and as different as was each child. I do hope that they still have them . . . I need to make some for my Grandchildren now. I say that to myself each year . . . and then each year passes without me doing it. I need to start in January I think! Perhaps that can be a New Years resolution for myself this year. Make the Grand's each a stocking. Sounds like a plan!

Source: emporio74.blogspot.com via Cathy on Pinterest

Christmas Baking makes me smile. Although I don't do as much of it these days as I used to when my children were growing up, I still do some and there is always a song in my heart as I go about it. Shortbreads, gingerbread men, sugar stars and trees and stockings . . . thumbprints and mince pies, fruit cakes and stollen . . . they are all wonderful and a special part of this special time of year. There is nothing more cheering than putting on an album of Christmas Music, donning an apron and breaking out the eggs and flour. Ahh . . . Christmas baking . . . it does a heart good.

Source: deckthehalls-christmas.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

Wrapping up gifts for my loved ones both near and both far always puts a smile on my face at this special time of year as well. I just love being able to give something special to someone I care about and I put a lot of thought into the gifts I give. Christmas to me is not about getting, it's about giving and sharing love with those around you in a unique and special way. I want my gifts to be a gift for the eyes and for the soul and to be wrapped in all the love that I have for the person they are intended for. When I am wrapping each one I ponder the specialness and uniqueness of the person who's gift I am wrapping and all the love I have for them goes into it along with whatever the gift may happen to be. That makes me smile and hopefully it makes them smile too!!

I could go on and on about all the things at Christmas which make me smile and there are a bazillion of them. I guess what it all boils down to is love . . .

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

Love for the Saviour and our Heavenly Father, love for family, love for friends, love for our fellow man. This is the message of Christmas.

All over the world at this season,
expectant hands reach to receive
Gifts that are lavishly fashioned . . .
the finest that man can conceive . . .
For purchased and given at Christmas
are luxuries we long to possess,
given as favors and tokens
to try in some way to express
That strange, undefinable feeling
which is part of this glad time of year
When streets are crowded with shoppers
and the air resounds with good cheer . . .
But back of each tinsel-tied package
exchanged at this gift-giving season,
unrecognized often by many,
lies a deeper more meaningful reason . . .
For, born in a manger at Christmas
as a gift from the Father above,
An Infant whose name was called Jesus
brought mankind the gift of God's love . . .
And the gifts that we give have no purpose
unless God is part of the giving
And unless we make Christmas a pattern
to be followed in every day living.
~Helen Steiner Rice

✿•*¨`*•.☆ O'Come ☆ O'Come ☆ Emmanuel ☆.•*¨`*•✿

Todd loves these. He thinks they taste like the bacon and egg pies of his youth. They are delicious for sure and very easy to whip up. They make a wonderful breakfast, not to mention a quick comforting supper on those nights when you have precious little time and want something on the table quickly.



*Ham and Egg Cups*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

All your favourite things about breakfast in a muffin shape!!! Biscuit, ham and eggs! Delicious!

1 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix (you can get this in the baking aisle of the grocery store)
¼ cup, plus 2 TBS of cold water
1 tsp instant minced onion
1 package thinly sliced fully cooked ham (about 2 ½ ouces)
6 eggs
Pepper
Chopped flat leaf parsley

Move oven rack to the lowest position in the oven. Pre-heat oven to 200*C/400*F. Grease six 6-ounce custard cups. Mix baking mix, water and onion until a soft dough forms. Divide between the custard cups and using damp fingers, press the dough in the bottom and up the sides of each cup.

Line each cup with 2 slices of ham. Break an egg carefully into the middle of each cup. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and the parsley flakes.

Bake, uncovered in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven, cool five minutes, then loosen by running a knife around each and removing from cups to serve. You can also serve them in the cups, but I love to look at the golden brown outsides sitting on my plate. Enjoy!



Over in The English Kitchen today some delicious Rumpled Pizza Buns!

Marie's Sunday Six

I haven't done a Sunday Smiles in a couple of weeks and I've surely been having lots to smile about so I thought it was about time I did one! Having a cold doesn't make me smile, nor does this darned coughing make me smile, but I have plenty that does and it's best to dwell on the good in our lives is it not?



This is my brother David. He is just filled to overflowing with the Christmas Spirit this year! Actually he will probably kill me for showing you this, but then again, he is using it as his profile picture on facebook, so fair game! Actually my brother is probably one of those angels on earth you hear about at Christmas time. For as long as I remember he's been the Co-ordinators for the Shoe-box appeal for Samaritan's Purse in his area and every Christmas for years and years, he, his wife and his 4 girls have given up their whole Christmas to go and organize and put together an International Christmas in their area for foreign students who are not able to get home for Christmas. They organize activities for them, and cook meals for them etc., out at a camp near their home. They do it every year without fail. That is the true spirit of Christmas . . . the spirit of Christ, of love and of giving. Knowing that I have a brother who is an angel on earth makes me smile. (He's also got a pretty good sense of humor!)



This is my grandson's Jon (in red) and Josh (in plaid). They are busy baking and decorating Christmas Cookies! It looks like they are having a really good time!



Baking and decorating Christmas Cookies with the kiddos is a lot of fun. It also takes lots of patience and a blind eye! You have to remember not to notice all the flour that is on the floor and in their hair.



Likewise, the bits of coloured icing that gets wiped on their clothes, along with the sprinkles and candies . . .



Christmas is for children after all . . . Seeing my two grandsons having such a great time decorating these cookies makes me smile. It warms my heart to see them having such a nice time . . . and knowing that I have a son and daughter in law that are building lovely Christmas Traditions with their boys, just as I did for my son. Their father Doug was the Gingerbread Cookie King!



Little Jacob didn't get to bake cookies. He had to wait in a cage until they were done. He had a bottle and lots of bears to keep him company. It was probably the smartest thing to do!



This is our Gabriel on his first day of school this year. I know, my son was very late sending me some photos, but you know what they say . . . better late than never! Gabriel is my oldest grandson and the oldest son of my oldest son. Not sure what that means, but I am sure it's really special! I know HE'S really special at any rate and he always makes me smile. He looks very happy here for his first day and well prepared with his bookbag and new watch! (I'm going to have to rethink his birthday present this year I can see! uh oh!) He is the grandson that christened Todd as Gran-Todd! He just adores Todd and the feeling is quite mutual! Gabriel always makes me smile!



This is his little brother Luke, taken on the same day. It was Luke's first day in pre-school. He looks a little bit unsure of himself, but oh so sweet I think! It was a big day for both of them! And for mama too . . .



I just adore my DIL Anne. She is the daughter of my heart. I could not love her any more if I had given birth to her myself. It makes me smile to know that my son has a wife like her and that my grandsons have a mother like her. Anne makes me smile! (She's a pretty good Pirate too!)



Well Shiver-me-timbers you Swashbucklers! If this does not make you smile, you will just have to walk the plank!!



Little Maryn's first visit to Santa Claus surely made me smile as well. She looks like she's telling him everything on her list and making sure that he has all the details just right! Whatever it is she is telling him . . . it looks pretty important at any rate!! I think I have the most beautiful grand-daughter in the world . . . I know that there are millions out there that have beautiful grand-daughters of their own . . . that are very special too . . . but for me and mine, Maryn is the best! Of course she is the only grand-daughter, and great-grand-daughter in the family. That makes her very special indeed. I do love her so very much.

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I know that this has been a very family oriented Sunday Smiles . . . two weeks before Christmas . . . but that's what Christmas is all about is it not? About the love of family . . . and friends (for afterall are not friends the family you get to pick for yourself???) It's about joy and peace . . . the love of Christ in action . . . the spirit of good will . . . the Birth of the Saviour.

I hope that you have a lovely sabbath day today and that you are able to find some joy in this day in measures both large and small . . . a smile, or two or three . . . and that you'll feel your Saviour's love in abundance.



Listen to this. It will make you smile.

These muffins will probably make you smile too. They are like jam filled doughnuts . . . with jammy centres and a buttery coating of cinnamon sugar! Oh so scrumdiddlyumptiously good!



*Jam Surprise Muffins*Makes 8
Printable Recipe

These muffins are truly lovely. A deliciously moist cake surrounds a hidden surprise of fruit jam in the middle and the whole thing is dipped in melted butter and cinnamon sugar coated while still warm. These yummy babies are so good and delicious you will find yourself wondering however did you ever get through life thus far without them!

½ cup caster sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup milk
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
½ cup fruit jam ( I like strawberry or raspberry myself)
TO COAT:
½ cup melted butter
½ cup caster sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Pre-heat your oven to 200*C/400*F. Grease a muffin tin that makes larger sized muffins well and set aside. (as you will only be getting 8 muffins from this I suggest you fill the empty holes with water before baking so that you do not burn your pan)

Place the butter into a bowl and cream it with the sugar really well until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the pinch of salt. Add this mixture to the creamed mixture alternatively with the milk. Beginning and ending with the dry mixture.

Spoon half of the batter into the muffins cups. Top each with a teaspoon of fruit jam in the centre, making sure it does not touch the sides. Divide the remaining batter between each of them and top them with it to cover the jam. Don’t worry it if just lays there on top as it will spread when it hit’s the heat of the oven.

Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until well risen and lightly browned, and they spring back when touched very lightly with your fingertips. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the baking tin to cool on a wire rack, to where you can just handle them with your fingers without being burnt.

Put the melted butter into a bowl. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in another bowl. Roll each muffin first in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar. Place them on a wire rack until the coating sets somewhat. Serve warm with your favourite hot bevvie!



Over in The English Kitchen today there are some Angel Cookies, that look a little more like aliens, but what the heck. They taste delicious!

Marie's Sunday Six

Surely my biggest Smilemaker this week had to be finding out I didn't have Cancer. It's pretty hard to top that, let me tell you! When I was waiting to find out if I did or didn't have it I had a pretty scary couple of weeks. I was trying to be very optimistic, of course . . . positive thinking and all that . . . but I couldn't help but try to prepare myself for the worst, just in case. It would be devastating to not be prepared for the worst at all, even in the smallest way. One thought that came to me frequently was the sadness that I would never really get to know these six very special people in my life. The thought of each of them surely brings a smile to my face every minute of my every day!



These are the three pirates in my life . . . Daughter in Law Anne, and grandsons Gabriel (eldest) and lil Luke. They are my oldest sons family. My eldest son has taken the efforts to come and see me each time I have been home, and we have skyped on several occasions so I could talk to the boys. It's a lot of fun skyping when you live so far away. Almost like being together, except you don't get to pinch cheeks and plaster slobbery kisses all over their foreheads!



Gabriel is the oldest at 5 1/2 now. He's in his first year of school and also goes to Beavers, which he really enjoys. He is a sweet sensitive little boy who is filled with curiosity and the joys of life. I find him quite, quite interesting and love seeing the world through his perspective. He's outgoing and gregarious. He reminds me a lot of my son, his father, when he was a boy. Life was always new and exciting! You never knew what was going to be next on the agenda!



Luke is the younger brother and will soon be two. I don't really know him very well, but he seems a sweet little boy too. I think he is also very sensitive and engaging. He likes to eat too, because most of the pictures I have of him he is eating in! I can tell he really looks up to his elder brother because in all of the pictures that they are together in . . . he is looking over at him with love and glee.



These are Doug (my middle son) and Kayla's boys, my other three grandsons . . . Jon is the eldest (5), followed by the little redhead of the family, Josh (3) and then baby Jacob, who just turned one. Three very different and no less loveable boys. I have been able to skype with them as well and the last time I was home to Canada I got to finally meet Jon and Josh for the first time. It was lovely!



Jon is the oldest and is also in his first year of school. He is a little treasure! So full of life and a bit of a ham as far as I can tell from the videos and photos that I have seen. He is very sweet and protective of his younger brothers. You can tell he takes the big brother position in the family very much to heart! He loves music and zoo animals.



Josh is three and the only red head in our family. I just adore his pretty blue eyes. He is very shy and sensitive as well. I am sure he really blossoms when he is around people he knows and trusts, but he doesn't know me very well at all and mostly just clung to his father's pants when we were at their house two summers ago. Mind you he was only about 18 months old then, so it isn't a surprise that he was a bit shy with us. He seems to be a thinker, a sweet little boy.



Jacob is my youngest grandson and just turned one year old on the 16th of November. He's just beautiful. He looks so much like his father, our Doug, that they could be twins! Right from those big baby blues to that curly mop of golden hair. Our Doug had a mop of curls just like that! I don't know very much about him, but he seems to be a very happy boy and an enjoyer of all that is around him. I got to see a video of him walking last week, and there is also a photo of him helping to sweet his other nan's floor. That broom looks ever so tall next to him. He seems a delightful little chap and I look forward to getting to know him and his brothers much better as they get older.



This is my youngest Grandchild, Maryn, the only girl in the bunch and the daughter of our Amanda and her husband Tom. I have not been able to get to know her at all. She will be a year in February. My youngest daughter is somewhat estranged from me, but I do get to see pictures of little Maryn on the computer. I think, quite naturally, she is just the cutest little Ladybird that I have ever seen!



She looks very intelligent and inquisitive to me, and very sweet too! I do so hope that I will be able to get to know her as she grows up, but in the meantime I do enjoy seeing the pictures of her as she grows, so very much. There is a little girl in our Ward who was born around the same time and so I look to her and imagine how much little Maryn has grown and some of the things that Maryn must be doing now.

Hopefully next summer I will get to meet both her and Jacob. Those are the only two of the grandchildren that I have not had the opportunity to meet in person yet. Grandchildren are wonderful little creatures. They are better than children in a way because you feel like you can freely spoil them . . . and they are your last chance to give some loving back to your own children. When my own children were growing up there was not a lot of time, there was so many of them . . . and not a lot of cash either. I may not get to see my grandchildren very often but I try to reach out to them as best as I can. I like to think of myself as the Present Granny. I do not get to spend time with them, but I can send them little treasures in the post and hopefully they get as much pleasure out of receiving them as I do in sending them!

Anyways, six BIG reasons to smile and to live for! My smilemakers of this last week in November, 2011! Many thanks for indulging this proud and thankful Grandma!!

I was busy most of yesterday but then later in the day I had an opportunity to go into my craft room and put my paints to paper again. This is what I came up with:



I think that I like her a lot . . . even more though . . . I like the words that inspired it. We are all beautiful creatures of light. Some of us may not be able to see our light, but it's there all the same. Sometimes we just need a little reminder of who we are and what we are.

Here's another recipe from my Marie's Muses Archives. It's a delicious steak with an even more delicous mushroom and stilton sauce. I often toy with the idea of becoming a vegetarian, but the thought of never having another steak always stops me. I do so love a good steak!



*Beef Steak with Stilton Mushroom Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This to me has to be the perfect way to cook a steak. Tender, juicy and accompanied with a delicious sauce full of the flavours of mushrooms and tangy stilton cheese. Yummy!

4 (6 ounces) Strip Loin Steaks (You may use other steaks, as long as they are suitable for grilling)
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
5 TBS butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry red wine
½ cup sour cream
3 ounces Stilton or other bleu cheese, crumbled

Rub the steaks with the chopped tarragon and the black pepper. Take a large skillet and heat it over medium high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the skillet until it is foaming. Add the steaks and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or to the desired degree of doneness. ( 2 minutes each side for medium rare) Remove the steaks to a warm plate and keep warm while youmake the sauce.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until they are tender. Add the wine, reduce the heat and let itcook for another 1 to 2 minutes to deglaze the pan. Stir in the sour cream and ¼ cup of the cheese. Cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Season to taste with some salt and pepper.

To serve, drizzle the sauce over the steaks and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. You can garnish with sprigs of tarragon if you wish.



I'm having a Mincemeat Fest over in The English Kitchen today and these scrummy Mincemeat Rolls are on the menu!

“God knows that some of the greatest souls who have ever lived are those who will never appear in the chronicles of history. They are the blessed, humble souls who emulate the Savior’s example and spend the days of their lives doing good.”
~Dieter F. Uchtdorf