This weekend, my sisters and I learned how to design blogs! =) My Dad taught us how to do it. The blogs we have now were created by Kane and Dad. Anyway, we had a lot of fun with it…and we made three new ones! I plan on continuing to blog on this one, but I will use the new one as well.
Here is my new blog address:
http://puremessenger.blogspot.com/
Hope you enjoy it!
~Paige
I received a blog award from a sweet friend from chorus! Actually, it's my first blog award ever! I didn't quite know what it meant when I first got it. Apparently, when you are given the award, you must list seven things about yourself and then list 15 other bloggers that you enjoy. I know I can complete the first requirement, but I'm not so sure about the second one. =) I'll do my best, though!
Here are seven random things about me:
1. I am a sinner saved by grace!
2. I am a homeschooler with five younger siblings and two wonderful parents.
3. I enjoy texting...a lot!
4. I love to cook with my sisters.
5. I like to hike.
6. Some of my hobbies are: reading, sewing, and knitting.
7. I love to sing!
Okay, I don't think I can come up with 15 blogs, but I'll try! Just click on the names to go to the blogs.
Thanks, Kristiana for giving me my first blog award! See you soon!=)
~Paige
Every year Chick-Fil-A hosts a Cow Appreciation Day; a day which allows devoted fans to display their loyalty to Chick-Fil-A. You can have any meal on the menu for free…all you need is a cow costume and courage. Naturally, when free food is involved, our family usually participates! So, we’ve been doing this for four years running.
This year we had our largest herd ever!
37 courageous cows!
2008
2009
2010
Happy Father’s Day, Daddy! You are the second best dad ever…after God, of course. I love you so much! I am so thankful that you take the time to teach all of us more about the Lord and keep us focused on Him.
I really love hiking and playing games with you! Thank you for teaching me how to do things…like driving and technical stuff. You are the best! I love you.
~Paige
I have almost completed my third quilt! Last Thursday and Friday, my sisters, mom, and I attended a really awesome quilt camp with many of our friends. The camp is run by a neat couple who doesn’t really profit from the camp, but hosts it out of love. They make thousands of quilts each year for wounded soldiers. What a great way to use their gift of quilting!
All of the eighteen quilts made last week had the same pattern, yet it was amazing how unique each one turned out. Mrs. C., the kind lady who was in charge, had cut out all the fabric before we arrived. She even put the material needed for each quilt into separate plastic bags. After everyone had set up their machines, she allowed us to pick out our fabric! I absolutely love the fabric I received! The fact that it is all pink has a lot to do with it! =)
There was a lot of pressing and pinning to be done! Actually, sewing took up less of my time than pressing and pinning.=)
I was able to finish everything except the binding, which won’t take long at all.
Eighteen quilters and Mrs. C.!!!
Here is my quilt without the edges sewn. Hopefully, I’ll finish it up soon and post a finished shot of it!
Here is a favorite breakfast dish of ours that we received from some close friends. Since it is yummy, serves eight people, and is relatively easy to make, we find ourselves making oatmeal bake quite often!
Ingredients:
4 eggs (beaten)
1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. milk
4 t. baking powder
2 t. salt
6 c. oatmeal
Optional:
3 T. cinnamon
1 diced apple
sliced strawberries
blueberries
cranberries
peaches
raisins
raspberries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees, depending on your oven.
2. Combine eggs, oil, applesauce, and sugar.
3. Stir.
4. Add oatmeal, baking powder, salt, and milk.
5. Stir well.
6. Add optional ingredients as taste desires.
7. Pour in medium-sized greased pan.
8. Bake for 35 minutes or so.
9. Serve warm with additional milk and brown sugar, if desired.
Enjoy! =)
I imagine you’re wondering who Uh-Oh is. Naturally, people wonder and ask about how Uh-Oh received his unusual name, so I thought I would write about the story behind it.
When I was young, my grandfather would sing a 50′s song to me, which goes something like this: Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-oh…uh-oh…doo-ee-op! Then he would conclude by saying, “I love you!”. I enjoyed it so much and would always hold up my index finger and plead, “One more time!”. Since I associated my grandfather with the “Uh-Oh Song”, I eventually started referring to him as Uh-Oh. Being the only grandchild at that time, I paved the way for my younger siblings and cousins. So the name stuck.
Uh-Oh, Bradley, and I on the boat!
Uh-Oh is so special to me. He loves to fish and he bought a pontoon boat a few years back. When we visit my grandparents, Uh-Oh wakes us up early and takes us fishing. It is so fun! Especially when I drive the boat!
Uh-Oh checks and reads our blogs faithfully…even when we aren’t faithful about posting! Lol! So, I thought he would enjoy a birthday post.
I love you sooo much, Uh-Oh! Happy Birthday! =)
Last summer, my siblings and some friends of ours agreed that we would have a “secret Christmas” with each other. We talked, planned, and then finally executed our plans. Thankfully, there are eight of us so it was perfectly even and everyone had a “secret someone”.
To start out, we wrote each one of our names on pieces of paper, along with a few small items we wanted. Then, we took turns drawing. Due to circumstances, we did this several times.=P With this done, our next step was to purchase the presents. However, we were sick for nearly two months after Christmas and we were unable to get with them for quite awhile! Because we were so sick, we didn’t actually shop for them until last month sometime. So, two weeks ago we had our Christmas. Perhaps it was even more fun since we had been looking forward to it for a very long time!
AliO, one of the two friends who did it with us, had me as her “secret person”. She was so sweet by making and buying me wonderful presents. The only thing I wrote on my paper was earrings, but she went all out! She made me beautiful earrings and gave me a matching bracelet.
She also presented me with four different colors of friendship bracelet thread! Two of which were pink…my favorite color!
Topping it all off, she gave me two packages of Doublemint gum…my absolute favorite!
Thank you AliO!!! I’m glad that I was your “secret someone” and that we were finally able to have our Christmas! You are such a great friend. I thank the Lord for allowing us to become friends.
Typically, January is a notorious month for sickness. This is especially true for our family. I can’t recall a January in which we didn’t have some sort of illness. Strep throat, colds, stomach bugs, and flu is usually what we pick up. This January it happens to be the flu. So far, Benjamin, Michelle, Bradley, and I are the only ones who have come down with it. Benjamin and I caught it two weeks ago. Michelle came down with it last week and Bradley got it Monday.
For me, it just kept getting worse, though. Last Wednesday, I went to choir because I was feeling a bit better, and did not have a fever. I also didn’t want to miss due to the fact that our choir director has a “three strikes and you’re out!” policy. This incentive definitely motivates people to come…even when sick. So, with this pressure, I decided I was feeling well enough to go. However, on the way home in the suburban, I started feeling horrible. I couldn’t breathe very well. It was difficult to even talk. When we arrived back home, I rested for a bit on the couch and I started breathing easier. For the rest of the evening, I laid on the couch and relaxed.
When someone is sick in our house, we isolate them and they sleep downstairs on the couch. So, I’d been on the couch for about a week. I decided to sleep in my own bed on Wednesday night, though. I had hives earlier in the evening, so I had taken a Benadryl. Benadryl always causes drowsiness for me, so for the first few hours of the night, I slept peacefully. Then, I woke up coughing and struggling to breathe. One of my sisters ran to get my mom. So, you guessed it…I was back downstairs. Actually, I didn’t care because I really couldn’t sleep due to my breathing. My mom was online trying to figure out what my symptoms meant. When she inspected my fingernails and discovered that they were blue, she suspected pneumonia.
In the morning, my mom drove me to the Texas Med Clinic, which is five minutes away. It was hard. The cold air felt like knives in my chest. Naturally, I couldn’t draw a deep breath, so it left me gasping for air. Once we were inside the clinic, though, I began breathing better. It was a long wait. Four hours. I had a chest X-ray and it revealed that I had a pneumonia. The doctor assumed that I did when the nurse checked my oxygen level and found out that it was low.
So, we finally were able to go home. The doctor prescribed two antibiotics and an inhaler. He instructed that I couldn’t run or do any strenuous physical activity for two weeks.
Thursday night was the longest night of my life. And my mom’s, I’m sure! I guess the antibiotic hadn’t started working yet. I was gasping for air the whole night. The inhaler kept me from going to the hospital, but I could only use it every four hours. It was really weird; the hour before I could use it was the worst. My mom and I were literally counting the minutes until I could use it. I’ve never experienced anything like it…and I don’t want to ever again! I’m so thankful that the Lord was with me and brought me through that night.
After that, I started getting better. I didn’t need the inhaler quite so much and now I don’t need it at all. I’m even finished with my antibiotics!=) Yay! The one that I was supposed to take for ten days caused me to break out in hives…so that one was dropped! The other one only lasted for five days. I’m getting stronger every day. I can walk around without panting now and I’m off the couch! However, my grandparents gave us a nice big screen TV for Christmas, and it made being sick more bearable! Thanks Nonnie and Uh-Oh!
So, at this point, we are watching the other invalids closely to make sure they don’t get pneumonia and praying that the other half of us doesn’t get it. Four of us are still well! It is a interesting sickness. The incubation period seems to be a week. Next Monday will be the true test. =)
I wonder what next January will bring…just kidding!
~Paige
Recently, my sisters and I have been experimenting with new recipes. We decided to try the one below and most of us enjoy it…hope you will too!
POSITIVELY PERFECT PASTA
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
2/3 c. chicken broth
2 carrots, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces
1 package frozen broccoli
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. angel hair pasta
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 t. dried basil
Instructions:
1. Heat 1 T. oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add chicken. Cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels (shred chicken before or after step 1).
2. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Begin heating water for pasta. Add carrots to skillet; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add broccoli and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, add chicken broth, basil, and Parmesan to skillet. Stir to combine. Return to skillet. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes.
4. Drain pasta. Place in a large serving bowl. Top with chicken and vegetable mixture. Serve immediately.
ENJOY!=)
~Paige
