Life at the Quinn Home

The Will of God

2011-12-01T13:18:00.001-05:00

I was reading Passionate Homemaking and came across this wonderful quote:

The will of God —

nothing less, nothing more, nothing else.”

— F. E. Marsh

Love it!!!

Though None Go With Me

2011-11-29T14:07:00.001-05:00

Great movie find. Walks through a life of tragedy and shows how God is right there and always has a plan...

To my children...

2011-11-15T15:07:00.002-05:00

Above All Else
by Debby Boone

So much to say and just a lifetime left to say it.

How quickly time passes.

If I had my way, I'd keep you safe within my arms

While the storm of life crashes.

I won't always be with you, my child,

But words I can give.

When the winds of hope are dying down,

These words will live.

Above all else, know God's the One who'll never leave you.

Look to Him above all else.

He is love you can depend upon, a heart set to care.

If in the darkest night you should be lost, He will be there.

He’s the Everlasting Father,

In His hands you’ll never fall.

He’s the One who holds it all,

Above all else.

He’s the Author of your laughter,

He’s the Keeper of your tears,

He’s the One who you must fear

Above all else.

He’s the Giver of the kingdom

Bought for you right from the start,

And He’ll ask you for your heart

Above all else.

So much to say

And not enough time left to say it.

Just love the Lord

Above all else.

Not for all the chocolate in the world...

2011-11-15T13:51:00.002-05:00

"I wouldn't give up my family for anything - not for all the chocolate in the world." Charlie, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Lunch Money

2011-11-09T12:03:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite finds last year was mylunchmoney.com

Lunch money has always been so hard for me. More times than I can count I've ended up at Wal-Mart on Sunday evenings trying to get ones for a twenty. I love Wal-Mart, but they are a little stingy with their ones. Seems they think moms should be more prepared and stop by the bank to get the change they need - each week!!!

Due to the ages differences, the most we've ever had in school at one time was six. Those six were divided into three different schools and six homeroom teachers. Separate lunch money was a killer!!

Add in on that, I'm a scattered person and often just plain forgot to send it!!!

In came My Lunch Money to save the day. You can set up accounts for each child at each individual school. Set a minimum balance and when their account drops below, it automatically refills!!!

Yeah, no more calls from the lunch lady!!!

Taco Mix

2011-11-08T20:18:00.003-05:00

So, I'm jumping in here from out of the blue. There are so many things to catch up, I might not ever.

Still unsteady from Bobbie's death but one thing I was sure of sitting in her funeral, I want to blog again. I want my children to have my words - good, bad, silly and wise. I want them to know what I was thinking when I did ... whatever, and how God always is faithful.

I want to give them what I wish I had from my mama....

So, I am gonna try my best to give it another go round. Posting little bits here and there, maybe... maybe not..., but I'm gonna try.

Here is a mix recipe for tacos that we have used for years. It came from the book Miserly Moms.

1/4 cup red pepper flakes or chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup oregano
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder

2T cayenne pepper
2T salt
1T cloves

Mix well and store in sealed container

For tacos: add 2T to 1 pound of hamburger. Cook together and then drain. Or in our house add 10T to five pounds of hamburger...

For Dips: add 2T to 1 cup sour cream or yogurt

For Mexican Beef: add 2-4 T over a roast and cook in crock pot for 6-8 hours. Shred and serve on soft taco shells with fixings

Banana Cream Pie by Woman's Day Magazine

2011-03-26T20:18:00.007-04:00

Bobby made a great springtime dessert for us tonight. (too bad it turned cold and rainy today - but I sure can imagine eating it on a pretty summer day)

Banana Cream Pie

1 9 oz graham cracker pie crust 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/8 t salt 2 cups whole milk 1 cups heavy cream (1/2 pint) 4 large eggs yolks (Bobby learned how to seperate eggs) 1/2 t vanilla 2 large bananas + 1 for decoration 8 oz cool whip In a medium saucepay, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add the milk and 1 cup of the heavy cream and whisk until fully incorporated; whisk in the egg yolks. Bring the misture to a simmer. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour half the pudding mixture into the pie crut. Slice the bananas crosswise 1/4 in. thick and arrange in a single layer on top of the pudding. Top with the ramaining pudding and smoothe the top. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. When ready to serve, spread cool whip over the top of the pie. Makes 8 servings (This isn't exactly the Woman's Day recipe but our rearranged version.)

Cream of Broccoli Soup (from the Foodnetwork.com)

2011-03-19T08:22:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:

2 T butter

1/2 cup cream, heavy or light

1 onion, chopped

half n' half

1 russet potato, peeled and chopped

nutmeg to taste

6 cups canned chicken stock, warmed

salt

3 cups chopped broccoli florets and stems

pepper

Directions:

In a large pot, melt butter and cook onion until tender over medium high heat. Add potato and toss to coat with butter. Add hot stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in broccoli and return to a simmer. When potato and broccoli and tender, puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot and add cream. Season to taste and serve warm.

Yeah, It's time....

2010-08-30T10:06:00.000-04:00

Holiday Grand Plan

Yeah, the Holiday Grand Plan started this week. I love it. Lists, list and more lists!!!

Troy and Artie

2010-08-30T10:02:00.000-04:00

Reading...

2010-08-01T11:33:00.007-04:00

I just finished reading Rose Galbraith. Once again, Grace Livingston Hill doesn't disappoint. It took a little while to get to the good part, but she just had to set the stage...

Currently I'm reading Afternoons with Emily - seems totally different than anything I've read before....

2010-08-01T11:15:00.002-04:00

Warm days can leave the house seeming a little sniffy and stuffy, so offset this by mixing up an oh so Summery air freshener using 30 drops ofpeppermint oil, 30 drops of lime oil and 35 drops of grapefruit oil in 40z of water. Shake and leave to blend for a day or two before spritzing into the air as often as you see fit.

From Brocante Home - Puttery Treats for Summer Days

I'm loving my bottle of summer....

The Telling

2010-07-29T14:53:00.001-04:00

I just finished the last book in the Seasons of Grace trio - The Telling. Beverly is as good as ever!!!

First Day of Autumn

2010-07-28T15:04:00.000-04:00

First Day of Autumn
Days until Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 56

Dr. Doolittle

2010-07-03T19:39:00.000-04:00

Brenda trying to rescue another bird....

Cracker Barrel with Granny

2010-07-03T19:06:00.000-04:00

Today's Harvest

2010-07-02T19:41:00.000-04:00

July 1st - Gamecocks Baseball National Champions Day!!!

2010-07-01T10:12:00.006-04:00

Sanford to raise USC flag above

State House

"Gov. Mark Sanford said he will raise a USC flag above the State House on Thursday "in tribute to the team's amazing season and dominant performance over the last few days in Omaha."

He also is declaring that July 1 is Gamecocks Baseball National Champions Day."

TheState.com

Watermelon & Fireflies

2010-06-30T16:34:00.006-04:00

This week's ironing movie was inspired by Watermelon and Fireflies by Sugar Pie Farmhouse.

"My oh my! Sugar Pies, are you ready for a sun-drenched, farm fresh, sweet-as-corn-on-the-cob adventure to the good ol’ summertime? Well, this E-Book will take you there! This is more than a E-Book with words, each page is decorated in full color with vintage images, photos, charming quotes and of course 51 farm fresh ideas including family fun tips, recipes, decorating ideas, encouragement for homemakers and so much more!Darlins’, ”Watermelon and Fireflies” is just drippin’ with sweet southern nostalgia like honey from a honeycomb!" says Aunt Ruthie from Sugar Pie Farmhouse.

The e-book is just wonderful!!! The third idea in the book is about breakfast in a bucket and ends with a quote from the movie...

Oklahoma~~~~ the first musical written by Rogers and Hammerstein.

I had to watch it again as I worked today. Shirley Jones had such a tiny waist!!!! Oh for those days of gingham dresses~~~~ :-)

There's a bright golden haze on the meadow

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye,

An' it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky.

Oh, what a beautiful mornin',

Oh, what a beautiful day.

I got a beautiful feelin'

Ev'rything's goin' my way.

Also from Sugar Pie Farmhouse we had a Ice Box Lemonade Pie last week. Emily made it and Artie loved it. He's not very big into desserts so when I find one he wants to eat for a snack- it's a good day.... plus it's cool - no baking....

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, regular or pink, thawed

1 container Cool Whip

q graham cracker crust

Beat cream cheese until smooth.

Gradually beat in condensed milk, then lemonade.

Fold in whipped topping and pour into pie shell.

Cover and refrigerate until set.

Fiddler On The Roof

2010-06-28T12:23:00.002-04:00

There are just some movies that you are suppose to have seen. Some how I have made it through 42 years without seeing Fiddler on the Roof. Last week I had it playing in the background while I cleaned the living room, folded laundry and sewed up the arm of the couch. (I kept trying to find more to do in the living room so I could keep watching the movie!!!) It was a great find.

TRADITION!!!

Freezing Banana Peppers

2010-06-28T11:51:00.001-04:00

When they are frozen I will put in freezer bags. I like freezing them alone so they don't freeze in a big clump.

Flowers from Aldi's

2010-06-25T11:30:00.004-04:00

Fruit Flies

2010-06-25T10:56:00.003-04:00

We've had so much fresh fruit around lately - cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, bananas. You know what that bring . . . fruit flies!!! Stephen helped me yesterday and made 2 fly catchers - one for the dining room and one for the kitchen. He couldn't wait to wake up this morning and see if they were working. (the girls aren't near as interested in catching fruit flies!!!) :-) It worked!!! There were a couple of little places we needed to tape up a little tighter so there can be no escape. Artie will be impressed when he gets in tonight.

2010-06-23T10:39:00.003-04:00

Alison at Brocante Home is the cutest thing around. She definitely has my favorite blog of the year. One of my favorite posts she posts are Puttery Treats. The latest one on puttery treats was Puttery Treats for Summer Days.

Here is one I decided to try:

Treat yourself to some grapefruit or mint shower gel for the zestiest, tingliest of starts to Summer mornings.

I couldn't find any grapefruit or mint but I did find Orange Blossom & Bamboo. It was a lovely smell last night before bed.

Troy's Off to Florida

2010-06-22T09:39:00.004-04:00

Troy left for Florida on Friday. It was good but sad!!! I don't know you had the hardest time saying good bye???

Emily started crying

and that made Terry cry

(Troy's not looking too upset is he?)

:-)

Everyone else watched as he went through security

stripping off his shoes to make sure he wasn't a terrorist

last good-bye through the glass

After we left Troy the kids wanted to see some planes leaving but the way the airport is set up now with all their security we really couldn't see much. They threw some pennies in the fountains.

Troy made it safely to Florida and hasn't gotten over how beautiful it is there!!! The work starts today. Have a good day Huckleberry!!! :-)