Are We Related?

We were at Cedarville for Ken's 15 year reunion - went on a walk to see the Gorge in a nearby park. Look at these blondies!
Blue eyes! Love that look in Seth's eyes. :)
Searching for treasures in Cedar Lake at the 'Ville.
One of my all-time favorites. Nathan took this picture during our camping trip to Silver Lake in July. Now, Aaron is cruisin' next to furniture! Always has a smile.
A favorite of Daddy's as a boy - climbin' trees - again, at the 'Ville.
We are SIBLINGS and we sure like each other!!
Our gang and some of the the Richards' cousins. Even more blondies on the Vanderwest side.

p.s. My next post will not be pictures of charming children, but of a large brown creature...My Hunter Gathered Food For His Family. :)

Good article

I had the opportunity to give a devotional at a bridal shower today. How do you wrap up the most vital aspects of a happy marriage in 5-7 minutes? One of Ken & my favorite books is Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs. It's the best - for both husband and wife - marriage book we've read. So, I thought that would be a good route to go. Unfortunately, it appears we've loaned our copy of the book, so I searched on the internet for "how to respect your husband." I know how important it is, yet continually need reminders how to display that respect to my good man. Came across this article and thought you might appreciate it. Click here for some good, Biblically-based thoughts. Here's to building stronger marriages in a world where too many marriages are crumbling.

Sweet P's

FALL = hunting, leaves, pumpkin pie, and for me, SWEET POTATOES! I love all things sweet potatoes! Long ago, my Mom cut out a recipe from the Muskegon Chronicle for sweet potato casserole...with a yummy pecan topping. I've tried to lighten it up some and always make it for holiday gatherings. Today hamburgers on the grill sounded good for dinner, and sweet potato fries popped into my mind to go along with the burgers. The internet is always a good bet for finding recipes. Guess how many hits one gets by typing 'sweet potato fries' into Google?

According to Google, 'about 424,000!!!' What on earth?! But I think I found a great recipe for something yummy and healthy. S.P. are often on sale during Nov. and Dec., so perhaps you'd like to try these, too?

A bit about sweet potatoes before I fork over the recipe. According to World’s Healthiest Foods, sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C - both powerful antioxidants. It also is considered an anti-diabetic food, which means that it can stabilize blood sugar and lower insulin resistance.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
serves 4-6

1 - 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy release kind) or use a baking stone.

Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips (or thin slices) that are about 1/2 inch wide on each side. (Note: I did not peel them first and they tasted great plus more fiber that way.)

Place the sweet potatoes into a sealable plastic bag. Add oil, salt, paprika and cinnamon. Seal the bag and shake well to thoroughly coat the fries (didn't do this, either - just put 'em on the pan & sprinkled oil and spices). Spread the potatoes out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.

Cook for 20-25 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.

Our family enjoyed these very much - and always a bonus when veggies are a hit with the kids!

A Howlin' Good Halloween

What were some things you liked about Halloween?
R - "Getting Treats!"
N - "Sorting my candy!"
S - "TREATS!"

What were you for Halloween?
S - "A dog with a sombrero hat." (Mexican Dog)
N - "A COWBOY!"
R - "Ummm - Sleeping Beauty and Sleeping Beauty is right here on this book!"

What was your favorite candy that you were given?
S - "I like the banana thingies and the strawberry thingies." (i.e. Laffy Taffy)
N - "Hershey Bar"
R - "Tootsie Rolls and popcorn."
S - "And I like Tootsie Rolls, too. They're kind of chewy! I like, um, Smarties and the Sweet Tarts, too, because they have all kind of ones. Do you like ALL my treats?"
M - "I do! Do you like all your treats?"
S - "Yeah! They're yummy! My treat bag is getting lower and lower every day!" (Really?!)

How many pieces of candy did you get?
N - "76"
S - "60." (I think he had more than that)
R - "I can't remember."

What else do you think?
N - "I liked going to school and having a parade."
S - "I liked getting all kind of treats that I liked." (are you sensing a theme here?)
R - "I liked having the Fisher's over and go around in the parade."

Mom - "You guys sure are sweet! Can I eat you for a TREAT?"
All - "NO!!!"

p.s. Our mouse was rather quiet and just took it all in!