Good Morning Ya’ll….well, I am starting this in the morning, but there have been a few interruptions, so by the time it actually gets posted, it may be afternoon!  Has that ever happened to any of you???!!  Neverless, it’s a beautiful day, a bit overcast, but the birds are singing, and you can see the buds on the limbs of the trees starting to reawaken!  Rejoice and be glad, for this is the day that the LORD has made!

I asked my hubby to get some bird food on his way home from his prison ministry later on.  We have a feeder just outside our kitchen window…….and our cat, “the Moosh”, is sitting patiently in the window waiting for his spring time visitors!  So am I!! 

Well, today, I’m resting my weary, tired feet!  Yep, with Spring, comes home school convention time around here, and there’s lots of walkin’ goin’ on!  We only did a one day exhibit hall pass yesterday….now that we are “retired” home school parents, we don’t see that need to attend all of the seminars that are offered!  Besides, as long as we’ve been going, we’ve just about seen ‘em all!!  Oh, that’s not to say that we still couldn’t glean new wisdom for these changing times that we are living in, {and boy have there been changes since we first started going!}  We just aren’t in that mode any longer around here…our boy is grown, but, when I’m blessed to have grandchildren someday, I’m sure we’ll pass along all the information that we’ve learned to his family!!  I must say, that I did see some new things I wished they’d had back when I was in the mode!!  So many things are done on the computer now, almost everything!  But, as for me, I still hold to the traditional way of home schooling ….using those items we often remember as paper, pens, pencils, erasers, “ageless” Crayola crayons, scissors, and glue…Elmer’s, wasn’t it???!!  
Well, now, we have an “Endangered Supply List”….

Who needs paper ~ we have Word Pad 
Pencils and pens ~ throw out those sharpeners!!
        ….we now have what are commonly called “keys”
Erasers ~ well, we all know there’s a simpler less “crumby” method that’s called “Delete”
Crayons ~ we now have Paint Shop, and they have more colors then Crayola ever did!!
And finally, as for the scissors and the Elmer’s Glue, 
       ….now you can even “cut and paste” on a computer to get the same effect!
 If anyone can think of any more….just “key” ’em in!!

My, oh my, how things have changed!!  Yes, yes, I know times are achangin’ and there is need for all that now, but I must say that I was blessed enough to live in a time when we didn’t even have a computer in our home, we had no desire for one, nope, not a bit….but, we did finally break down in ’99…and now, well, I really wouldn’t want to be without it!  Oh, I could live without it, but I sure would miss doing this…and using it for business has sure been convenient!!  But ya know, it would help the cause for that “Endangered Supply List”!  Right!!  

My son, is working with the Children’s International Conference there this weekend!  He is filming the whole thing, and I’m pretty proud of him!  He’s doing a great job!  He and his friend have stayed here for 2 nights, and when they got home yesterday, they were exhausted!  Ian’s feet hurt so bad….I told him I knew the feeling!  There are about 500 children and 100, or so, volunteers!  A good crowd, but boy are they ever busy!  He was gone to his friends house on an overnighter from Tuesday until Thursday, and I haven’t really gotten to see him much , but he did say his tailbone was feeling much better, although a twinge of pain every now and then, but better!  He’ll be resting the remainder of the weekend, then possibly to work on Monday…the work he does could injure it more, but he’s gonna give it a go!  Praise God for the healing He’s done so far!  Thank you for your prayers when I posted earlier about it!  You can be sure that God hears, and acts! 

We also got to see our friends, that we always run into each year, some of which we see throughout the year, but it’s always good to catch up!  I found out a friend  of mine, Dianna, is expecting their 7th, after 9 years!!  Say a prayer that all goes well with her pregnancy, and delivery!  They have the Nature’s Workshop Plus booth…you may have seen them if you’ve attended any of the conventions.  She’s due in August, and their business is blooming as well!  They have a wonderful web site where you can get to know the whole family!  They carry some great home school supplies, especially for nature lovers!  You can even get frogs, worms, etc., to dissect right in your own home….how’s that for table talk!!  And if you’d like to join the conversation, you can check out their great web site < here!

And, “The Country Baker”, Denise, is another friend, usually at the conventions…..we always stop by {she gets soap from me then}, and we buy the most awesome peanut butter cookies from her every year!  Her son makes them now, and I’ll print the recipe below, for you all to enjoy…they are “healthy”…and she said they do not cause any problems with your blood sugar, for those of you who might have that problem, like me!  You can also check out her other great recipes, and how-to bread making tips, here on their beautiful web site!  I’ve used her products, and made her home made bread recipes, and they are yummy!! 

Okay, that’s enough advertising!  I hope you all have a wonderful Spring weekend!  I know many are getting ready for the Heart Beat Conference, and my prayers will go with you all!  Those of you not going…let’s keep on praying for the blessings to fall on everyone there…that they go with an open heart, asking, seeking, knocking, persistantly desiring to be in His presence, and to be filled to overflowing with His mighty love!  

Oh, and do enjoy this recipe….I’m eating one now!!
Hugs and blessings to all!!

 ~ Deborah 

~ WHOLE WHEAT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES ~

Denise says…..
“My kids love these and they freeze great!”

Cream together in mixer bowl with wire whips:

{^Here’s she’s calling for the use of the Bosch mixer,
she sells them….but a regular hand mixer works, or good
ol’ elbow grease works just as well! – says Me!}

1 1/2 cups soft butter
4 cups raw or regular sugar
2 1/2 cups natural sweetened or unsweetened peanut butter

Add and cream for 3 minutes:

1 T. vanilla
4 large eggs

Mix together in separate bowl and add to the creamed mixture:

5 cups soft or hard whole wheat flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt  {only if using unsalted butter}
1 cup of coarsely ground flaxseed meal  {in bosch blender – you can also buy it preground, or use a coffee grinder!}
{this ingredient is optional, won’t affect recipe one way or the other – but I love it in there!}

Place by Tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheets 2 inches apart and flatten
with a fork dipped in flour.
Bake 350 degrees for 15 min.
Cool for 1 minute and then remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes 8 delicious dozen!

These aren’t exactly Peanut Butter Cookies here….but you get the idea!!

IT’S …..  !!!

I just had to share a photo with you all!  This was in the height of our homeschooling season…in the fall of 1994!  Let’s see…..that’s about 13 years ago!!!  Now he towers over Pa!  They loved to go and see who could “get the bullseye” first!  Ian always won!!  He’s a straight shooter!  I’ve got all of our “father~son” photos together, ready to make a Creative Memories album!  This is one of my favorite pictures! 

P.S.  It’s LATE AFTERNOON!!!