Just wanted to announce the winner of our family cookbook is Dave N Susi Weaver!!! Congratulations!!!! We hope you will enjoy it!!! We also want to thank everyone for participating. If you didn't win the cookbook and you'd like to buy one we do have some still available for sale. Have a blessed day!

Favorites from the Gingerich Dozen

This is a cookbook that my family put together! It has the recipes that we used when we owned the Gingerich Bakery. Which was our income after my father had a stroke which left him paralyzed on the right side. It also has many other favorites of our family!! My father passed away February 7th, 2010. This cookbook is dedicated or in memory of our dad! The money we make on these cookbooks go to help support our mother! Hope you enjoy this!! This is my first giveaway so well see how it goes! Enjoy!! These cookbooks are selling for $20 and Shipping and handling is $3.50!!

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Another Birthday...

Blowing out her 5 candles!!

I'm 5!!!  She was very happy & excitied!!

The Family all ready to celebrate!!

 Happy  5th Birthday!

It's hard to believe that my little girl is already 5!  Five years ago we had a beautiful baby girl and we named her Brenda Diane.  She is unique and very special!  The girl Rachel that we named our daughter Rachel after has a sister Brenda and Moine just liked that name. I decided that it would be ok but I wasn't sure that any of my middle names would go well with it. We ended up choosing Diane. Diane is after the oldest granddaughter  of the people I lived with in Mississippi. She was born handicap. She has always had a very special spot in my heart since I met her. Diane is also the middle name of  a dear friend!   

       Brenda is such a big helper! She loves to do dishes & fold laundry. She also loves to be a little helper. She likes to play doll and be a little mommy. And yes she loves to be life of the party too!     

       On October 4th, Moine even happened to have the day off and got to be home to share her birthday with her. Which was a                    

highlight!! So for supper that night we had her special birthday supper. If you know Brenda very well you know that her favorite main dish is spaghetti!  Yes,that was what we had for supper along with garlic bread, & pink lemonade and of course chocolate cake & ice cream. Yes, she loves her chocolate already!! 
The morning of her birthday 

Oinking like a piggy,,,,

She had to lick the bowl
clean ~ Little Choc. face!!

her little brother decided he wanted some cake for breakfast so he got it out of the fridge and took it to the table while Brenda walked in right after he took the lid off and quickly snatched up the cake with the lid  loosely set on top. I'm not sure what happened but as I came around the corner she dropped the cake. She claimed her brother was chasing here. Anyway the pan slipped out of her hand and there lay her birthday cake as you will see in the photos below. I had to take the pan off then and thankfully the cake had been in the fridge cause of the cream cheese icing and so I was able to pick up the whole cake with my hands and put it back in the pan. She had requested a heart and peanut butter & sprinkles on her cake and so I just made a heart out of peanut butter on top. and let her put sprinkles on it. It still looked fairly decent after it was spilled but we did have to pull some dirt and etc... off of the cake. Other then that she had a wonderful birthday and loved all the phone calls and text messages and facebook messages she got!! Sad to say she handled the whole cake issue better then I would of :( . 
Brenda also requested that we each have a candle at our place setting so we did just that too!!  I love this girl! Although she always keeps me guessing!  Another favorite of hers is Ketchup and she eats it on almost everything. I told Moine I almost filled the heart in with ketchup. I think she actually would of liked it. lol...She is very special!!!  And another year older.....
           The last photo Michael told Brenda that he wanted to give her a present but didn't have anything to give her that would be special. So if it was ok with her he would just go ahead and comb her hair for her for her birthday present! And he 

did just that!!! I'm not sure she was totally thrilled but I think it did make her feel special!  Rather Interesting!!

opps the cake got dropped...

And we made it!! The cake is back
in the pan!

And now well see if I can pick it up
and keep it all together.

Michael combing Brenda's hair!        

The Gingerbread Man...

~The Gingerbread Man~

The book I read to the children this morning!

      I decided this morning I was going to read my children a story before we started school! Just for something new, different, and fun!!  Yes, The children just loved it!  It was a highlight. 

       I was rather intrigued with my children and their thought pattern as I read this book to them. I found it really interesting so I decided to share!  It really blessed my heart! 

       As the little boy is suppose to watch the oven and when the gingerbread man starts to smell done he is to call for his Grandma who is working in the garden but instead he opens the oven door to take a peek! In that moment the gingerbread man runs out of the stove and outside. My youngest looks at me with the biggest eyes and says, "O no, Mom did he run away for good? That little boy was so bad. He disobeyed his Grandma!" 

      They thought it was funny how the gingerbread man kept chanting, "Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!" 

      As we got to the fox and the gingerbread man had to keep getting closer to the fox my children said, "Mom, that fox is lying he can hear that gingerbread man! And God don't like when we lie." 

      I told them, "They are so right and that Satan does that to us. He lies, and tries to deceive us until he has got us totally wound up and under his control just like the fox he lured, lied and deceived the gingerbread man so that he could have him all to himself. And thats what Satan wants to do with us."

The children looked at me with big eyes and said, "But mom, we don't like Satan we want to always be with God and in His control!"  

       I told them that, that makes me happy and if they always remember this story and always keep God first in their life and always let God have full control then although Satan still lies, deceives, and lures them (us) that all they have to do is talk to God about it and ask God to take care of Satan for them! And to tell Satan that God is in control and there is no room for him in their life!"

       I was amazed how I was just going to read a fun little book  and how it turned out to be such a big lesson to not only my children but to me as well.

A Special Island

   ~ God Romancing Me~

    I want to share something that was really impressed upon me this weekend. Any body that knows me really well knows that I'm not an early riser and I love to sleep in any chance I get. So it was rather a shock to me as I'm sure it will be to many of you.
      Sat. morning at ladies retreat I decided to get up at 6:30 A.M. and shower. I had thought I'd lay back down till breakfast. But I had a very strong pull to go down the waters edge and sit on the dock and talk with God! So, I gathered my Bible & devotional book (Jesus Calling) and headed out the door of the building where we were sleeping. 
      As I got to the end of the dock the sun started to rise. In the middle of the lake was an island with a house. With the sun starting to come up and the way it started to shine on the water it was just breath taking. 
       On Friday one of the speakers had talked about God romancing us. While I was out their praying and just enjoying God's beautiful Creation a swan came between me and the island. It started honking or whatever they do.  It's beauty was so breathe taking. While it wasn't much longer  and I seen off in the distance 2 more swans and they started honking or making whatever sound they make. And as I was watching the 2 swans that were together slowly swam towards the one swan. All of a sudden out of no where these 2 swans made a straight line through the water as they flew to the other swan. I set there and watched the 3 swans until they swam away. There beauty was amazing. 
      I had to think of the ugly duckling story and how he turned into a beautiful, delicate swan. And then how God took My life even though I was a terrible sinner and with God in my life how He has made me BEAUTIFUL!!!  Maybe not outwardly but with God in my heart He has made me beautiful!!! 
      If you have or will except Christ as your personal Savior You too will be BEAUTIFUL no matter on what your outwards appearance!  
       I too had to just think how God was romancing me!  The beautiful picture God showed me, the island & the swans and just how Awesome Our God is. I truly can not express that time out on the dock. It was truly an experience and an awesome encounter with God that words cannot explain. 
        I pray you will feel God's presence in a real way and that you will feel him romancing you in some way!! 
         If you have never had such an experience then ask God for one!!  God says, "Ask, and the door will be opened unto you!" And I pray God will give you one of these special moments. And you feel like He is romancing you!!

One of the Glorious sites I beheld
that morning!

You can barely see it but their is a
house on the island in the middle
of the picture!

Our 5 Stop Mission

Our Outcome From Our Mission

    Last night my children and I took part of the challenge that I had challenged ya'll with a few weeks ago. The challenge that was a challenge to myself!  

      What we done was in the past month when I made our meals I'd always make extra. I'd then take small containers and fill them with some of our main menu from that night. I'd then freeze them. 

       Last night we took these containers out of the freezer and started our journey!  Were very blessed!

       Our first stop was at my Grandma's house. We totally surprised her but she was delighted! We visited a bit and they each gave her a hug and a kiss when we went to leave. They loved it. They just didn't like her dog but they loved visiting & surprising Great Grandma!!!  I think my Grandma did too.

        Our second stop was at an older ladies place. She goes to church with us and she has made dresses  for my girls and I.  We also surprised her and she instantly got out a small box of toys for the children. They loved it! They also gave her hugs before we left!

        Our third stop was at a bachelor's place (a guy from our church) and he was't home but we stuck the food in between the doors. We texted him to let him know and went on our way.

         Our fourth stop was at an elderly ladies place in our community (a Grandma to my brother-in-law) and she was absolutely thrilled. We didn't stay there to long as she had a bad cold. She gave each of the children a nutty bar and a mint. They were delighted. They also gave her hugs before we headed out the door! By this time my children were loving it and wondered how many more places we could go too. lol.

         Our fifth stop was at an older ladies place. We also go to church with her. She has also sewed a dress for each of my girls. She lives in Flora, Indiana. So we had about a 45 minute drive to her place. I did call right before heading to her place cause  I wanted to make sure she would be home. I believe she too was shocked and delighted. We visited for a bit there and the children loved playing with her toys! She gave them each 2 pkgs of  gummies and a barn filled with animals to bring home. They all gave her hugs as well. They loved it!

        I'm not sure who got the most out of our missions. The ladies we stopped to visit or us surprising them and seeing their eyes light up and big smiles come across their faces! And my children just couldn't believe all the treats they were getting. We all really enjoyed it and hope to do it again just hope to get an earlier start on it!! 

          My children said, "Mom they must get so lonely!" I told them, "Yes, I'm sure they do!" They replied, "Well, we need to do this more often then!"  I replied, "Yes, we do!" 

             That was our 5 stop mission I wondered if we'd get done last night!   If anyone else took up the challenge we'd love to hear about it too!!  Have a great week!!

A Blessing~

A Blessing

    We awoke yesterday with alot of mixed feelings. Moine needed to run down to his bosses place and sweep out the semi and a few things like that. I needed to run to town and get a few much needed items and stuff for our church campout. Before I left for town Moine and I were just talking how things were starting to get tight again with work getting slower and how we needed to really be careful of each step we made and etc.... 

     We were feeling kinda down and I told Moine that God hasn't failed us yet and has always provided! I said, "Lets not give up hope we know God will provide OUR NEEDS one way or another!" It isn't that were hurting but winters are always tougher for us.

      Well my stop was at Meijer and I had already tried to be very careful what my list held. But I went through it one more time marking off another item or 2 that I felt we could really do without. I enjoy shopping but shopping alone with 4 children and trying to run a very tight budget isn't exactly fun to me. One thing I do know though is my children have learned alot about money, couponing, & budgeting!  

      I had one of the children begging for something and one of the other children leaned over and said,"Just stop!  Sorry, but that's not in our budget right now!" 

       Something amazing and beyond my belief happened to me on this shopping trip! I had done all my shopping and was in line at the checkout. I had put all my stuff up on the belt and was trying to make sure my 4 children didn't get any gum or candy and add it to the pile. When the couple in front of us turned and asked me if I had 2 sets of twins? I replied, "No!" The guy then replied,"While it looks like you have your hands full." I said, "Yes, that I do!" He looked at me and winked and put out his hand and said, "Here we want you to have this!" I looked up at him with tears in my eyes and said, "Are you sure?"  He replied,"Yes, with another wink and a smile." I said, "Thank you so much! God bless you! This really means so much to us!" He walked away and his wife and him looked back one more time as they walked away from the register and I again said, "Thanks so much and I pray God will bless you!" They both smiled and walked away!  

       It's so hard to explain the look on their faces! It was like Jesus shining through them!! I couldn't even wait till I got home. I instantly texted Moine and told him what happened. Moine texted me back what our check was which was a nice surprise also!!  We were/are blessed!!  We had to take time to thank God for shining through and showing us that yes, we need to just Trust HIM!  And to me it was a sign or a reminder that, "Yes, God will provide our every need!"

       It was a challenge to me. Can others see Jesus Shining through me? Tonight I feel very overwhelmed, but so blessed!!!

Thank You Jesus!!!