Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My Favorite Bed

Hey Guys, We are home again.  We got in yesterday evening.  It is nice to be back home.  I love to travel, and see family and get a breath of fresh air.  It is very important to get away and get a change of perspective now and then; and yet, there is also something about returning home to your own bed that can't be beat.  Of course we don't always appreciate our own beds, until we have been away from them.  Then upon returning home there is the sweet sigh of satisfaction that comes when you remember how much you love your own bed.  Yes, my favorite bed is the one at home.

We had a wonderful trip I have a few more pictures to add to my last post.  All was well here when we turned down our own dirt road.  The grass has gotten green, the trees are beginning to bud, the pond is full… we must have gotten some good moisture.  Here are the last of the pictures from our trip.  We went from Sedona to Phoenix, where we visited family, and Steve did some business.
These next 7 pictures are in a pretty little area in Sedona called Tlaquepaque. 













We enjoyed time with my Dad and Kathy, and were even able to see my Aunt and Uncle this time around.  Dad and Kathy in the middle with my Aunt Lou (Dad's sister) and Uncle Bryce.   What a treat it was to get to see them.  They are an inspiration to us


 Marie made us a wonderful breakfast of scones and eggs  the morning we left. 


 Here is a picture of our journey home.   We went through dessert and mountain, and 3 snow storms.







 Have a lovely week everyone.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Sedona

We have been enjoying  Arizona this last week.   We started in Sedona; we were there for Resurrection Sunday.    We were able to stay in a Condo at the Wyndham, which, I believe is a "Time Share" Resort, but which can be rented without owning a timeshare. It provided 2 bedrooms, Kitchen, family room and laundry.  It is a wonderful way to go as a family.  Whenever we travel anywhere, I always check out the VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) site, to see what is available, and it is often what we end up booking, because you can rent a house or condo with all that you need for a family, usually at a price comparable to the amount of rooms you need at a hotel; but you end up with so much more room and a kitchen to cook in, which makes the trip less expensive, because you can cook instead of eat out all the time. Above is our Condo on the top far right, and below is a view from our balcony. We had a wonderful time there, the kids swam, we explored, went to "Slide Rock" played games down at the main lobby game room.  I think I could have easily stayed a month. Some of this trip has been for business, but to be able to spend time with Marie and Jon and our little grandsons Zane and Ezra here in Sedona, turned this into a most wonderful holiday.












Buddies and brothers.





A photography lesson with Mom.


Air hockey with Grampa...




Against Zane and Marie.





I didn't have my setting right on some of the Red Rock pictures…. but I had to post them any way… they are all so beautiful.



A view from a most comfortable position.





















More to come...

Friday, April 18, 2014

Resurrection Rolls


Whoever came up with these wonderful rolls really deserves some credit. I have seen them here and there on Pinterest, and wanted to give them a try so I could make them for my grandchildren. They are  delicious, and a really great way of illustrating the "Empty Tomb" for the little ones, in fact, the other name for these rolls is "Empty Tomb Rolls".  A marshmallow is used in the center which when baked, melts and disappears.  It creates a yummy addition to these sticky rolls, and demonstrates the empty tomb.  They are fun to make, and delightful to young and old alike.

Here is a special way you can use these rolls to teach your little ones about Jesus: You can read from John 19-20 (or any of the gospel versions you prefer). Then as you make your rolls let them help, and tell them what each part represents:

The marshmallow represents Jesus.
The butter represents the anointing preparations (aloes and myrrh).
The cinnamon and sugar represents the  spices.
The roll represents the tomb.
Into the oven they go; that represents three days in the tomb.
On the Third day Jesus is resurrected from the dead and is no longer in the tomb: Open a roll and it is empty; no more marshmallow.

Use a bread dough of choice (some people use crescent rolls, I used frozen bread dough for these).

Stretch and roll out your dough.

Dip a marshmallo in melted butter.

Next, dip and roll it in a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Place in the center of a piece of dough.

Close the dough around the marshmallow and pinch the dough tightly together.

Roll the rolls in the butter and cinnamon sugar mixture again.  Place in greased baking pan.  Drizzle with a little more butter.

Sprinkle with nuts (these remind me of the rocks around the tomb.)

Allow to rise until doubled.

Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes.

They are delicious and gooey on the bottom like Monkey bread.

Slice them open before eating, to see the empty tomb.


Resurrection Rolls

Ingredients:
Bread dough (I liked meaningfulmama's version, you can also use frozen bread dough, or refrigerator crescent rolls; you can find these at the health food store that doesn't have the transfats).
Butter
Marshmallows
Brown Sugar  or Sucanat
Cinnamon
Chopped Nuts

Instructions:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar in desired amount.
  3. Roll and stretch a roll at a time.
  4. Take a marshmallow, dip in butter and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture
  5. Place in the center of the stretched out roll.
  6. Wrap the dough around the marshmallow, pinching the ends to make sure of a good closure.
  7. Dip the roll in butter and cinnamon mixture again.
  8. Place each roll side by side in a greased baking dish.
  9. When all rolls are in the baking dishes, drizzle with a little more butter, and top with chopped nuts.
  10. Bake for 18-22 minutes.
  11. Slice open each roll to show the little ones the empty tomb.  
  12. Eat and enjoy


Blessings to you all.

After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

John 20:26 -29