The Blessing of Friends

More of Ellen's birthday....

Ellen found this gift outside her bedroom door. She loved it!

Another gift is coming in the mail on Tuesday.

Ice cream cake from Dairy Queen!

Saturday brought more blessing to our girl.......

After cheering, it was Party Time!

We went to a favorite pizza place near the church where Challenger Football and Cheering is held.

The girls decide what they want to eat.

Mom's do too. (and snap many pictures!)

Still deciding.

Our girls.....

we missed Emily today.

She and her mom had other plans for today.

After eating it was time for gifts.....

Nicole's gift to our girl.

I think she loves it!

Thanks, Nicole ♥

Marissa's gift to Ellen.

She loves it too!

Thanks, Marissa ♥

Elizabeth's gift to Ellen.

Hmm, looks like she's crazy about this one too!

Thanks, Elizabeth ♥

Sarenah's gift to our girl.

What, more Reese's?

 Yes, indeed. A happy girl!

Thanks, Sarenah ♥

Briahna'a gift to Ellen.

No way.....yes, more candy! (and a movie gift card!)

Thanks, Bri ♥

We are SO blessed with these friends! 

Little did we know that when Ellen started 

Challenger Cheering, 

playing Challenger Baseball, 

became involved in Aaron's Acres activities,

were were beginning a deep and fulfilling friendship.

A friendship with these fabulous Moms and Daughters.....

people who understand our world!

Grateful for these friends!

Precious girls!

(missed you Emily!)

Happy Birthday, Ellen!

Today our Ellen is 21! How can that be??? Her birth has quite a story....it was long, it was HARD. But this girl has been our reward  =) I confess to asking God why she couldn't have been a typical kid.....I still don't know why. But, I would never give her back! She has brought us great joy, just as all our kids have. She has been challenging at times, just as all our kids have. Love her SO much!!

This collection of photos show our girl with things she loves.

Left - Aaron's Acres camp picnic. 

She had such a great two weeks at camp again this summer.

Top Right - Passing Dover Speedway in DE on the way to the beach. 

She loves NASCAR. She loves Jeff Gordon!

Bottom Right - Ellen loves the beach!!

Last evening we attended a Barnstormers game, our local baseball team. Ellen loves going there. She especially loves this guy.....

Cylo came to greet her almost as soon as we got there!

She loves this funny guy ♥

What a pretty night for a baseball game.

These guys in yellow had a good night.

The team is from York....just across the river.

Tension was high and tempers flared.

Some calls didn't seem correct but what the umpire calls is what stands!

 Our team played hard. But lost it big time in the 13th inning.

Ellen has some ice cream at the game...of course!

It was a late night. We finally left at 11:45. It was still the top of the 13th, our team had another chance to play. But they were messing up so badly; the other team was making good on those mess ups. There was not a chance they would win. And it was late!! We still had a good time!

Today Ellen picked out an ice cream cake at Dairy Queen. We will order pizza for dinner. It's another good day!

Happy Birthday, Ellen!!

School has begun! and a Recipe

And so the summer has ended. And once more, it went way too fast!!

The two Grands who live in this house...

They check each other out :)

Brother is being silly...

I wasn't prepared for what happened next...no pictures. Sister gave a playful punch to the stomach of silly brother! We all got a laugh out of that! 

This beautiful Grand is heading to school too. Happy second grade, Paityn!

Our youngest daughter, Ellen, is not going to school this year. She's rather excited about that! This is the first year, in 35 years,  that I'm not experiencing a first day of school with one on my own. Crazy!! That's what happens when you have six kids in 19 years. Of course our special girl, Ellen, spent many more years in school than the rest of our bunch.  

As promised.....a recipe.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

 

Don't eat cream of chicken soup from a can! Make it yourself, it's easier than you think.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups chicken broth (homemade or store bought)
• ½ teaspoon Poultry Magic (or any poultry seasoning)
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• salt to taste (depends on how salty your broth is)
• ¼ teaspoon parsley (* I usually skip this)
• dash of paprika
• 1½ cups milk
• ¾ cup flour

Instructions

1. Stir together chicken broth and seasonings with ½ cup of milk. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, stir the remainder of the milk and flour together in a separate bowl.
3. Add a bit of the hot seasoned broth to the flour/milk mixture and stir it in to warm it up (since your milk is likely cold!).
4. Slowly drizzle the flour/milk mixture into the hot broth, stirring as you pour.
5. Whisk briskly until the mixture thickens and boils.
6. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into an air tight container if you won't be using it immediately.

I found this on Pinterest. Love it and use it all the time. I use whatever gluten free flour I have.

Wishing you a pleasant Wednesday!

It's a Beautiful Day

It's a very pretty day.....nothing like we had so far this week. Sunday - Wednesday it was very hot and oh so humid. Thursday it rained off and on (mostly on!) all day. 

My son and his family (we all live in the same house) took a short vacation to Washington DC for three days. Ellen and I had some fun on those days since it was so quiet at home :) We did some shopping. On Tuesday we shopped at Michael's then treated ourselves to very good frozen yogurt at Sweet Frog.  

So good! So refreshing on a hot day!

As I said, Thursday was a rainy day. I was happy to watch the baby a short while in the morning while his mommy took his brother and sister to school to meet their teachers. 

So content to sleep while Nana holds him :) Nana is so content to let him ;)

He didn't sleep the entire time mommy was away....

He looks like he's cracking himself up over a joke he told me! I just love this precious baby!!

Later my daughter, Marcy, her two daughters, Ellen and I did some shopping. 

First we shopped at Joann's. Marcy is recovering her dining room chair seats. We found fabric that we think will work. It was pouring when we left Joann's...TJ Maxx happens to be in the same complex, covered porch walkway to boot. Of course we shopped there!

I took the girls to look at toys while Marcy shopped without distraction.....

Busy Brinley felt the need to take the boxes off the shelf :)

I asked her to put them back again and she did! Ellen then straightened them because she thought they needed it :) 

They should hire her!

Paityn takes a look.

Brinley really really wants this bowling set. Please, Nana? 

I think I will have to make a trip to TJ Maxx again real soon :) Her birthday....and Christmas....is coming up!

She also saw and really wanted a musical instrument set complete with tambourine  and recorder...I would not do that to her poor mommy!! It was a definite NO!

We had fun...I did get wet getting everything in the van. That's ok, I'm not so sweet that I melt :)

So it's now Friday. I'm sitting on my porch enjoying the beautiful day....and a cup of coffee. 

Can't stay here long. I have some prep work to do for dinner. Christy is making it, I just need to mix up some gluten free cream of chicken soup so I can eat it. Do you ever make cream soup instead of using the can? I think what I make is better tasting and better for you...nothing yucky in in! Next post will include the recipe. I just gotta get some made, like right now! 

Almost forgot!

Today is grandson Carson's First birthday!

Happy Birthday, Carson!! 

He is a delightful child and we love him so much!

Bless you this fine August Friday!

A Happy First for Carson

Our sweet Grandbaby, Carson, will be 1 year old one Friday. How fast that year has gone!! It won't suit his parents (Carson's mommy is my daughter, Greta)  this coming weekend so we celebrated early. The party was this past Sunday. What a fun party!

Before lunch, Carson enjoys a swing ride. 

I didn't get any pictures of the food. We were treated to a fabulous picnic served from their back porch. 

It was a HOT day. The kids splashed in a borrowed pool. Again, no pictures :(

Time for gifts.....

Daddy helps Carson open the gifts while Mommy reads the cards. 

Ellen was the trash collector :)

Carson had lots of help with his gifts....his cousins can get away with it this year!

Getting ready for cake!

He goes in....

Having a blast!!

Eating it too....

And this is how it ended....

Little Boy Blue :) 

We were treated to a beautiful cake....

Soft serve ice cream, too! All you could eat, yum, yum!! 

What a fun party! Carson, you fill us with such joy. Enjoy being One!

*************************************************

This sweet girl, Naomi, saved some of her birthday cake for me.

Isn't this the prettiest cake? (And the cutest little girl!) It's grain free so I can eat it....and the best chocolate cake I ever had! 

I enjoyed it for breakfast on Monday, I surely did!

And here is what I'm up to today....

My Mom's kitchen cart is back together and on my porch. I'm not finished styling it yet, but am I ever having fun! I love old stuf!!!

Wishing you a blessed day!