100 Joys ~ #43 - #45

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Joys #43 - #45

It's now  Jan 5th and I had wanted to have my 100 Joys finished by Epiphany.  When is that you ask?  This year it falls on Jan 6th.  Most churches in the USA it will be celebrated on the 8th.  The question that I have been asking myself is can I finish them before then?  I have so many other things that I want to write about but I feel like I need to finish sharing these Joys with you all that do read my blog.  

So without further ado...

Joy #43 is seeing a tree with it's fall colors once winter finally got here.  We had such a rough summer that we really didn't have fall at all.  I quickly snapped a picture of this small but beautiful tree.  

Joy #44 is Sam with his cousins.  This time around I had a hard time getting all three of them with smiles on their faces.  Sam has gotten into "gestures".  Giving me the "thumbs up" every time I bring out the camera.  ARGH!  Oh well.

Joy #45...every time that we've gone to the Ft Worth Zoo we make sure we go to feed the birds.  Sam has always tried to get one to land on his feeding stick but has never been able to do that...until now.  The photo doesn't do his joy justice.

Come back tomorrow and I'll have more Joys up.  Promise! 

100 Joys ~ #42~ Wordless and Wordful Wednesday ~ My Boy

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Joy #42

Sam and I taking a break at the Ft Worth Zoo for a quick photo.  Had to tickle him to get him to smile but it's worth it!  Love my boy and he's growing like a weed right now.  I can't seem to keep him in clothes.  I purchase him ones that fit and then a couple of weeks later he's outgrowing them again.  Need to find a big brick to put on his head! 

I'm getting closer to the half way point of my 100 Joys!  Only a few more days to get them all up.  If you'd like to take a look back just click HERE. 

I've finally made myself a WW button to share with you. I will probably tweek it here and there as I'm not completely happy with it but it's a start. :)



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To see more Wordless and Wordful photos head on over to Wordless Wednesday and J. Leigh Designz.

Please take a moment to link up and don't forget to leave a comment.

100 Joys ~ #34 - #41 ~ Christmas Day

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Joy #34 - #41

For my next Joys I'd like to share with you Sam on Christmas morning. 

Joy #34 is Sam getting a Sock Monkey out of his stocking.  He's been asking for one for a long time now, including this year, and they are not the easiest to find without spending a fortune.  This one was a mini one and only cost a few dollars! 

Joy #35 The other item that Sam started asking for this year is a Pooping Reindeer.  Yes, you read that correctly, a Pooping Reindeer.  Found one!

Joy #36 & #37 is finally seeing Sam get some St. Louis Cardinals swag.  Since we live down here in TX Rangers territory it's really hard to get any Cardinal items.  And since we've become a TX Ranger family we had to ask our Missouri family to get Sam some.  So for Christmas his Grandparents got him a shirt and calendar.  He was thrilled! 

Joy #38 is a present that I received from Andy.  It's a frame with butterflies and the words Love, Live, Laugh on them with a quote on glass in the middle. It's now proudly hanging in my kitchen where I can see it every day.  Here is the quote:

Joy #39 is spending a quite Christmas day with my family.  Just resting and being together.  It was WONDERFUL!

Joy #40 is going to sound kind of weird to some...but I was able to finish cleaning up the house before my parents and nieces arrived to spend last week with us.  It's a great feeling having a clean house.  Now I just need to maintain.  sigh

Joy #41 is a great one...my parents and nieces were able to spend most of last week with us.  I think that was the best Christmas present I could have asked for.

Come back tomorrow to see my other Joys!

100 Joys ~ #33 ~ Tasty Tuesday ~ Another Cookie!

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Joy # 33

I made quite a bit of cookies this year and I tried quite a few new recipes.  I think one of them has stood out above all the others though.  Luckily it's a cookie you can make year round!  Woo Hoo!  This is a recipe from Betty Crocker and it uses one of their cookie mix pouches.  I know, I know, I know...I normally do not use mixes...but I'm telling you now....YOU NEED TO TRY THIS ONE!  To see more wonderful recipes just click on the Tasty Tuesday button above and start exploring.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles

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Ingredients:

1  pouch Betty Crocker® snickerdoodle cookie mix

4  oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened

1/4  cup butter, margarine or spread, softened

1  tablespoon water

1  egg

1  cup sweetened dried cranberries 

Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter in bowl untl smooth. Open cookie mix; remove cinnamon sugar packet; set aside. Add water, egg and cookie mix to cream cheese mixture until soft dough forms. Stir in cranberries. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into bowl with cinnamon sugar packet; roll to coat. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375°F for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely.

100 Joys ~ #27 - #32 ~ Christmas Eve Eve To Christmas Morning

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Joy # 27 - #32

Where has this past week gone?  I have a week to get the rest of my 100 Joys up here.  Will I get it done?  Who knows.  For right now I'll start with Christmas Eve Eve, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

#27 is the joy of singing in my church choir for Christmas Eve Eve service.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Our church has a Christmas Eve Eve service for those that travel or have family gatherings and still want to go to a Christmas Eve service.

#28 would of course be singing on Christmas Eve.

#29 is playing in the Christmas Eve Bell Choir at the 10:00 service on Christmas Eve.  I love playing the hand bells and playing them on Christmas Eve is always a joy.

#30 is finding our cat, Spanky, on Santa's hat acting as though this is exactly what he should be doing.

#31  is seeing that Santa still visits our house even if Sam doesn't believe anymore.

#32...even if he doesn't believe it's great to see the Joy on his face when he sees his stocking.

Come back tomorrow for more of my Joys.

100 Joys ~ #18 - #26 ~Unexpected Kindness to Amazing Musical Leadership

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Joy # 18 - #26

Found my 18th Joy this past Wednesday.  Andy, Sam and I ran out to grab a quick bite to eat this past Wednesday before bell and choir practice.  We were all running our separate ways and I hadn't gotten dinner ready at home and time was running out.  We quickly ran out of the house and went to Zaxby's.  We ordered our dinners and when it was time to pay Andy reached for his wallet and realized that in his rush to change clothes that he had left his wallet on his night stand.  I had a bag full of things to take to church and I had grabbed it and not my purse.  We told the lady that Andy would run home and grab his wallet and would be right back.  She said that this was an early Christmas present and bought our dinner.  Granted she was the Assistant Manager but it was something that she didn't need to do.  We thanked her and enjoyed one of the best dinners.  There really are nice people out there.

Today is Christmas Eve and Joy #19 is the fact that God sent his only son to be born.  Can't get more joyful than that.

Joy #20 is a bittersweet joy.  As most of you know one of my best friends passed away this year.  This is the first Christmas without her.  I missed her terribly every day.  But today it is hitting me really hard.  But I'm joyful that I had the time that I did have to be her friend.

Joy #21 is seeing my son love his cat unconditionally.

Joy #22 is decorating my house for Christmas.  I love snowmen and use them around the house.  Here are a few:

Joy #23....Santa is coming and the stocking is already stuffed for me to put up later tonight and the presents are wrapped.

Joy #24....FRIENDS!

Joy #25 is this sign....LOVE IT!

Joy #26...Is the Music Ministry staff.  They are an amazing group of people and I'm blest that they are in our lives.

100 Joys ~ #17 ~ Wordless and Wordful Wednesday ~ After the Storm

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Joy # 17

Yesterday I went out grocery shopping with Andy.  We really did try to beat the storms that were headed our way.  But it didn't work.  I even complained a little bit on Facebook.  Here's what I wrote, "Cold and wet. Tried to do the grocery shopping before the squall line of rain/storms hit. Didn't make it. But it's done!"  Let me tell you...we really were soaked!  But after the complaining, drying ourselves off, getting dinner started, Sam yelled downstairs...do you see the sunset?  Well, I really hadn't looked.  I thought it was still pouring rain.  It had stopped and what we saw afterwards was just breathtaking!  This is my 17th Joy of the season.

What are your 100 Joys this Season?  What joy is God putting  in front  of you to see?  Blog about your 100 Joys and come back here  every  Sunday to link up!

Don't forget to enter the book giveaway!  I draw the winner tomorrow and I only have a few entries.  

To see more Wordless and Wordful photos head on over to Wordless Wednesday and J. Leigh Designz.

Please take a moment to link up and don't forget to leave a comment.

100 Joys ~ #16 ~ Tasty Tuesday ~ Chicken Noodle Casserole

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Joy # 16

My 16th Joy comes weekly.  I don't participate as much as I'd like to and I hope that will change.  But life comes first.  I love to cook and bake for my family and seeing them enjoy what I make gives me great joy.

It's Tuesday and time to jump on the Tasty Tuesday Blog Hop. If you've never participated before it's a lot of fun. Just head on over to 33 Shades of Green to see what it's all about. You can link up there, here or on anyone that has the blog hop on their post! It's a great way to find new recipes!

I've shared this one before but it's going into the oven tonight!  For this time of year it's not only a great main dish but also a fantastic side dish as well.  Thinking that I might make it again next week when my family is in town.

Here are the ingredients in the pan before the soup and milk were added and after.  The third picture was one taken the last time we had it.  Delicious!
 

Chicken Noodle Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups chicken (or turkey), cooked and cubed
2 cups elbow macaroni, not cooked
2 cups milk
2 cans condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup cubed processed cheese
2 cups onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 9x13 baking dish combine the chicken, macaroni, milk, soup, cheese, and onions.  Mix all together, cover the dish and let it sit over night in the refrigerator.  If not overnight at least 6 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

MY NOTES:

Mix the soup and milk together before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.  This may be a basic and simple recipe but don't let that deceive you.  It's AMAZING!  Feel free to change the meat, add veggies or change things up a bit.  But the main key to this recipe is letting it all sit together for at least 6 hours.  If you make this one I implore you to make it as it appears here first before you change it up.  ENJOY!