September 2025

September 2025
Over the years, we've always compared our family life to a wagon train heading west. Just as everyone had to do his part to get to Oregon years ago, so everyone in our family must do his/her part to make our journey through life successful. If somebody climbs in the wagon and lets the others do the work, we just don't make any progress. We all have to pull our weight and work together. Along the trail we find lots of pebbles that make for a smooth ride and some bigger rocks that jar us a little; we hit the occasional pothole that can slow us down. But if we purpose to search diligently, there are countless gold nuggets and precious gemstones along the way as well. This journal is an attempt to preserve some of those precious moments for our children, and our children's children, as together we travel this trail called life.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11


Saturday, December 24, 2011

12-24-11 Sunshine!

Yep, another gorgeous day of sunshine (but cold), and this day I got to take a walk. Gray days do not tempt me to walk but days like today definitely do! It was so pretty!!!!! No snow yet – but hopefully soon - - - kids will spend more time outside with snow; they are ready for it, and I am too.

Many kitchen jobs this morning -

Peeling potatoes for Party Beef Casserole.

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Cupcake Cheesecakes.

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Chili.

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Cinnamon rolls (yet to be frosted).

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Party Beef Casserole – favorite supper.

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No px of the egg casserole that Sarah made, or the Chocolate E’Claire Cake that Tori made. Busy morning!

Then all kids headed outside to work in the South Grove, although littles didn’t last long – it was pretty cold out. Josh was funny holding his covered pretzel with his mittens on - “I tan’t hold it.”

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FINALLY I got outside for a walk - - - well worth the wait!!! It was BEAUTIFUL!!

Farmer Girl…

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Farmer Boy!

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Amos joined us for a walk to the lake!

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A few farm scenes -

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Tonka Mighty!

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Tyler, this is a Perplexus ball. It’s a transparent ball with little pathways all over it, and you have to move and turn the ball to guide the little silver marble (center left in picture below) down the pathways. There are three levels of play; it’s very addicting if  you like puzzles but very frustrating if you don’t! Our kids love it – you probably would too!

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Rolls finally got frosted after supper!

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A couple of favorite Recipes To Remember:

Cupcake Cheesecakes

3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Beat these four ingredients until creamy and fluffy.

Put one vanilla wafer in each cupcake liner. Fill each cupcake 2/3 full with cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool and top with cherry or strawberry pie filling. Keep refrigerated. Yield: 36 to 48 cheesecakes.

*These are so terribly fast and easy and SO SO SO delicious!! (they freeze fine too)

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Party Beef Casserole

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2# boneless round steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 cup water

1 cup beef broth

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (canned is fine)

2 cups frozen peas

3 cups mashed potatoes, mashed with milk and butter

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

paprika

chives

In a large Tupperware, mix flour, salt, and pepper; add beef cubes and shake to coat.  In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef in oil. Place beef in greased 9x13 pan. To skillet, add water, broth, garlic, onion, thyme, and rosemary; bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over meat; mix well. Sprinkle peas over meat. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over top. Top with melted better; sprinkle with paprika and chives. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350 degrees.

Not quite as fast as cheesecakes, but well worth the effort. This is great to make ahead; I’ve never frozen it unbaked but wouldn’t hesitate to try. We do a double recipe for our family, and leftovers rarely last more than a day or two. It’s one of our favorite meals!

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