Happy New Year-almost

I have to admit I am a bit of a party pooper. I haven't stayed up to welcome a new year in quite some time. I almost made it after my first child was born but fell asleep right around 11 pm. Now almost 5 years later and adding three more kids I will just say it isn't happening this year either. In fact I plan to be in bed around 9 with the kids in bed by 8. We will welcome the new year in tomorrow as a family with our Ham dinner and a bunch of other goodies including my Mom's chex mix recipe. YUM!

Recipe: Chex Mix

1 stick of salted butter
3/4 or 1 C of Sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon(add more if you wish)
3 C of Corn Chex
3 C of Rice Chex

Melt Butter in large sauce pan once melted add chex mix and sugar mixture. Stir Well, pour in large bowl.
Wait about 30 minutes to cool before adding the M&M's so they won't melt.

This is a family favorite guarantee there won't be any left :D

Stranger Encounter

Christmas was spent in Texas this year with my family. The kids loved spending time with their Grandparents and loved seeing the snow fall on Christmas Eve. The only sad thing was that when we came we brought sickness with us and gave it to everyone else so the visit with family was not to exciting. There is a lot I could sit here and complain about but I have realized how many people this time of year are so unhappy and turn into complainers including myself and so I am trying to take a new approach and focus on all the good, positive things in my life. I think the Lord gave me the perfect reminder to meditate on during this season. On our way down to Texas from Illinois we stopped at an Ice cream shop for bathroom and diaper changes, there was a lady there with four teenagers. I noticed she was looking at us as we took turns going in the bathrooms with the kids, apparently she overheard Grace asking for ice cream and as she was getting ready to leave she came up to us and handed us a $20 bill and wished us a Merry Christmas. I have never been the recipient of a Random Act of Kindness it was very humbling, very much a God thing because you see we only had $80 to get us to Texas we had no "extra" for ice cream or any unnecessary item. We walked out of the shop with four ice creams, the twins didn't need any and we were thankful for the lady that the Lord used in the Ice Cream Shop.