Power Outage, Ice Storm, Family Staying over and more...

Whew! It has been a crazy few days! We have had a huge ice storm here in KY. We lost power Tuesday night and it just came back on at about 2 today. We are a complete electric house so it has been an adventure. WE have a generator because we have to keep our sump pump going. We were able to hook up a TV to the generator so we could watch the news, etc. We also had a kerosene heater and it did a really good job. I cooked all of our meals on top of that kerosene heater. I have fixed beef stroganoff, chicken dumplings, and more on that heater. We have not gone hungry.
God has truly blessed us during this storm. We have had heat, a few lights from the generator, food and clothing. So many people in this area have not been so blessed. Many are in shelters or hotel rooms. We are so thankful for all that we have been given.
My grandma and grandpa are staying with us. Their house has been damaged and is unliveable. They were trying to heat with a kerosene heater and something went wrong and it smoked out there entire house. They have soot everywhere.
Well I have to go. I will blog more tomorrow.

Veggie Stew and Snow on the way

Mmmmmmm.....I just finished a bowl of yummy veggie stew and a corn muffin. It has warmed me all the way to my toes. Which is a good thing since it is SO cold here in KY. We are in a winter storm warning and it is to start coming in at 10 PM and stay until Wednesday.
The kids have already been told....no school tomorrow. They have brought their paces and goals home for a homeschooling day tomorrow.

Usually I am not home from work yet but they gave me and another gal in my team a lack of work at 1PM. I was able to come home, eat a quick salad, shave the dog, trim the dog, bathe the dog, clean myself back up, fix veggie stew and cornbread, and eat with my family....and it is only 4:30! Wow....if only I could be a SAHM....I could accomplish so much for my family.

I know they will offer the severance again at work....at least I think they will. I have crunched the numbers, crunched the numbers, and crunched the numbers some more....but I just can't get end a to meet up with end b on just my husband's income. I will keep praying and keep trying. If it is in God's will then a way will be made.

I have put my quick recipe for veggie stew and cornmuffins below....

1 lb of ground turkey browned with 1 medium onion diced. Add 4 carrots cubed and 2 T fresh ground pepper. As that is browning nicely chop up 1 head of cabbage and three potatoes. Add this to the browned meat mixture in the large pot. Next add 4 cans of stewed tomatoes, 3 cans of corn, a cup of beef stock, salt and more ground pepper to taste. Let it all cook together with cover on pot until potatoes and carrots are tender.

Meanwhile mix a package of corn muffin mix according to package directions and add one can of corn. Cook in muffin pan until done.

Serve soup hot with corn muffins. Yummy! And good for you too!!! The kids and hubby gobbled it right down.

Well stay warm and as we say in Kentucky, Be Careful.... hee hee that would be my stab at American Idol judges for their craziness towards the KY hillbilly that told them to Be Careful. We all say Be Careful in Kentucky....it is just what we do.

Snow SnowSnow

As I sit here this afternoon catching up with you on blogworld, I have a clear view out my large bay window of the snowflakes falling on our little piece of Kentucky Bluegrass. When the cold winter came, my barrier of leaves that separate me from the interstate left. So behind the beautiful snowflakes I see the cars, trucks and semis speeding down the interstate. My view out my front is not the greatest but I find it calming to me. It is almost mesmerizing to watch those vehicles go by...over and over again. I can just stare and not have to think. I enjoy it. Don't get me wrong I would rather be staring out my front window at my field full of cattle but so is my lot in life....the semis. Every once in a while someone will come off the exit ramp...we live RIGHT on the exit ramp....and blow their horn wishing me a happy hello. Since we got our new windows put in we really don't hear them unless we are at the far side of the house and even then it is difficult. But when I am outside I hear them loud and clear.
Anyway, back to the snow. It is falling so beautifully and slowly. Isn't God good? He blesses us with beauty through all the seasons....even winter. When all of the lovely colors of nature have closed up and fallen asleep and the world seems dead and cold....God will cheer us up by giving us a beautiful shower of white flakes to watch fall. Thank you Jesus for reminding me that there is beauty in everything.
It has been terribly cold here in KY this week. I mean not north Michigan cold but cold nonetheless. I don't like cold. For that matter I don't like hot either. You just give me my spring and fall and I am a happy camper. I like it to have a little nip in the air....maybe that you would wear a sweatshirt with your shorts....now that is my kind of weather. The kind where you go camping and actually enjoy it outdoors during the day and then at night you have to lite a fire because it is just a little chilly. That is my kind of weather.
Speaking of camping we made our first reservations of the year! Yahoo...now that is a sign that this cold will come to an end...eventually. We have two weekends coming up in May that will find us happy rolling along the interstate with our home on wheels hitched up behind us. We will head to the lake. There we will sit and eat and sit and eat and stroll then sit and eat. I don't expect it to the warm enough to get in the lake but in KY....well you just never know.
Today I feel a little gloomy. I have the old Jan blues. I enjoyed the weekend but Monday is coming sooner than I anticipated or wanted. Work, work, work. Is there ever an end? Yes, one day there will be. One day when my Father comes to take me home....then I will rest. Until then I will keep on working and remembering every step I take is one step closer to sweet rest in the arms of my Father. Ahhhh I await on baited breath.
These times we are living in now are tough, very tough. And my dears they are just going to get worse. I must say that our comfortable lives we are used to are coming to a screeching halt. But don't be afraid!!!! It all must happen to give birth to the coming of Christ. We should be happy,rejoicing. Knowing what the world does not....that He is coming and this all must happen before he does. So REJOICE oh child of Christ. Know that He is near!!! Don't loose sight of the goal. Press onward!!! Now is the time that you need to be focusing on winning people to Him. Time is near. Get yourself and your family back into church if you have fallen out....get yourself and your family back into family devotions, family prayer, and Biblical training. Do not be lukewarm!!! Either be hot or cold!!!! I pray that you are hot...are on fire for Christ. Time is short...repent now and live for Him. There will be a day....soon....when ever knee will bow....but blessed are those who CHOOSE to bow now!!!
Oh Lord I pray that you will help me through each day. Help me to be a good wife and a good mother but most of all help me to show your love in my life to all those who are hurting. "I was thirsty and you gave me drink, hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me"....I am not doing that now....help me Lord for I know that if I do it to the least of these, I have done it to you.
May God bless you today. May He show you His beauty. We may be in the cold of winter but....spring....lovely spring is on the way...in more ways than one.

Sniff Sniff....Is it really over?

It is hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone again. We work for weeks...no, months... to make everything just "perfect". We shop, plan, bake, decorate, wrap and more.

Our houses are beautiful and our kitchens smell of gingerbread and cinnamon. Then in a matter of seconds....poof...it is over. We sit there in the mist of balls of discarded paper, tape and those ever loved gift bags looking around at the shell shocked zone wondering what just happened.

Then we vow, or at least I vow, to not kill myself next year and to make it a more simple Christmas. I always have the best of intentions but somewhere around the 15th all of my common sense goes out the window and I start frantically making plans, doing additional shopping that was not planned (or budgeted), baking more than I anticipated and stress stress stressing about the "perfect" Christmas.
On December 26th, when I magically regain my senses and I have all of my wits about me again, I begin to plan next year. Yes, you heard me right. I tell myself that this commercialism is going to stop and everyone is going to realize that it is Jesus' birthday and we are celebrating that wonderful gift.

Oh to think that a King in all of His glory would step down from his wondrous throne to be born a baby of a virgin girl. To be born in a stable to parents who had nothing to speak of as wordly posessions. To walk this earth,living to die. My darling Christ, the sacrificial lamb of the world was born on this night. Why do we need to complicate that?


But 2009, this year's Christmas, I think people will stop and realize this. I think they will be forced to. The economy has crumbled and we have not even seen the tip of that iceburg. There will be no extra money for the "extras" that we think are so necessary for a "perfect" Christmas.
For the first time in...well, forever, I may actually stick with my vow for the simple, truly perfect, Christmas. My three gift max per person rule will apply in full force. And if you are outside of my own personal nest then a one gift per person rule will apply. It is not about the gifts!!!! It is about being together, spending time togehter, and pondering that most wonderful gift from so many years ago.


Are you sad that your Christmas is over? Well let's not be. Let's vow today, together to make it a year to remember when we tell those retailers, NO WE WILL NOT BE TRICKED into a commericalized Christmas. This is the birthday of our Lord and we will place Him first.
Then on Dec. 25th of this year when we are sitting there in the midst of a not so big at all pile of discarded paper and bows we can sigh and say

"this was the perfect Christmas".

Christmas Present

Wow Ladies! It is almost here! Christmas! I love Christmas! I love the sounds, the lights, the decorations, the smells, the family, the friends, the smiles....

Oh I could go on and on.

So what are your plans? Are you , like me filled to the brim each day with a list a mile long of things to do, people to see and parties to enjoy?

Sunday we went to church for our annual Christmas play and dinner. Our church is the sweetest little church on the planet! It is an old fashioned small church. We had our younger sunday school class' Christmas play (Jesus the Light of the World), followed by the older children reciting from the Bible and playing the piano. Then we all headed next door to share a meal together. It was delicious. Then as everyone was leaving hubby passed out the goody bags for each and every person, young and old. Inside the bag you find an apple, orange, nuts, candy, and gum. They are in brown paper sacks....just like the goody bags from my childhood.

Today of course it was back to church where we warmed up leftovers from Sunday and then after eating we all made up the baskets of food for the needy. Now these are not small food baskets. They contain about four boxes of food for needy families. We also include gifts for any children in the family. It is such a joy to give back to God's people.

Saturday we will go back to church and pick up our own Angel Food menu items from this month along with two of the food baskets to deliver to people that we know in town.

Saturday afternoon we will head out to my dad and his wife's, Nana, for our family Christmas gathering. Nana goes all out for this and bakes for days and days. And then we eat and eat and eat. After we eat and open gifts and eat again and open gifts again with the rest of the family that come later...she sends us home with bags and boxes of more goodies. YUMMY!

Sunday we will head back to the church where we will have regular service and prepare for the final week of christmas. It is going to be a joy this year. I myself have bought up a lot of baking items and will be preparing lots of goodies for my friends and family. Tonight I fixed two cherry chip cakes with cream cheese icing and a batch of brownies for the two lovely gals of mine to take to school tomorrow for their Christmas party. I love that we are blessed and are able to send our children to a Christian school where they actually have a CHRISTMAS party and not some holiday party.

The evening before Christmas Eve hubby, me and the gals will be heading to my moms for an overnight stay where we will wake up at her house on Christmas Eve morning and have a breakfast together and exchange gifts. It is sure to be a good time. Then it is off to my sister in laws for Christmas with hubby's family.

Christmas day for the first time in years we have nowhere to go and I am loving it meeces to pieces! We will get to wake up on Christmas morning and stay in our jammies while we open gifts then eat our breakfast casserole that will have been setting up overnight in the fridge. Then we will lounge around watching Christmas movies and just being together. AH what a good time will be had!

So what are you planning with your family this year for Christmas?

Cooking up some love!

It's that time of year when we ladies spend the majority of our time in the kitchen.

We shine this time of year. Our culinary skills are put to their test as we make cake after cake and cookie after cookie and a few pies here and there.

There is a party here and a party there....everywhere a party and these paries need FOOD!

Not just the parties either, our own homes must be filled with goodies at the very fingertips of all who grace our door.

Our chldren and our hubbies are spoiled rotten this time of year too. We fix everyone's favorite holiday treat. Why? Because we love them "meeces to pieces"! The way to show that love is by showering them with sugar!

It is also a great time to spend with our children in the kitchen. They can help to roll the cookie dough, mix the cakes, load the filling into the shells and more. My daughters are a great help to me....now if only I can get them to help clean up...hmmmm.

This is also a time of year for big family dinners. Those kind of "feel good" dinners full of comfort food. After all we must "bulk up" for the winter months ahead...right? At least that is what I am telling myself.

The dinners at my house this time of year include all of the favorites. We have lots of turkey dishes, mashed potatoes, dressings, roasts, mac n cheese, country hams, yeast rolls, biscuits, breads, lasagnes, stews and chilis. YUMMY

This time of year we spend time with family. Just being together seems to be enough. Finally people are spending time at home and just "being".

I love winter time for the simple reason that it forces us to spend time at home.

So mom's grab those aprons, dust off those recipes, grab your favorite mixing bowl and most comfy spoon and get to work.

Cook, bake, and love that family of yours!

It is Christmas!

Back from trip, reading, cleaning and striving for simple life....

We are back from our Thanksgiving trip. We had a wonderful time! We went to Nashville, TN.

It is a tradition in our family to head down there every Christmas season.

We went to Opry Mills mall....got some good deals....and saw Santa at Bass Pro....they always have a great Santa.

We were going to camp but the weather turned cold here and we had to winterize the camper before we had a chance to go so we stayed in an inexpensive hotel outside of town. It was clean and sufficient for our needs.

We saw ICE....a world carved by ICE...this year was the last year for the theme of Grinch. It is loads of fun but it is a little on the pricey side. I would gladly give up this part of the tradition but the kids won't dream of it. So we do without in other ways to be able to see ICE.

We always eat dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We don't have one near our home so this is always a treat for the girls. They love it when the animals come "alive" and it "storms" in the restaurant. It is only once a year and it is something that thekids really look forward too. They understand that Nashville and the things we do there is all part of their Christmas presents.

We also visited Trinity Broadcasting Network's Trinity City. It was beautiful....and everything there is free...the movies....the tours....everything. Thank you Jesus that they are able to bless families in that way.

With all of the fun we had it is still so good to be home. Even the girls seemed to sigh a comfortable sigh when we walked through our door.

Home....there is no place like it.

Once we got back home, I dug in the fridge and got out the leftovers of our 23lb Tom Turkey. I chopped it up in the food processor and added mayo, a little garlic powder, salt, pepper, and relish. It made a yummy turkey salad. I then baked up some fresh rolls and opened a can of pork n beans. We had a nice dinner together and everyone ate their full. I made enough turkey salad to last us for several lunches this week.

Today I am going to take the leftover dark meat that I didn't use in the salad and mix it with some frozen mixed veggies and cream of mushroom soup and back it in the oven with a cracker crumb topping. I am going to pair it up with some dressing from Angel Food Ministries. (Once again I give a shout out to Angel Food Ministries! If you don't order your food from them....you should!) We will also eat the leftover rolls from last night's dinner. I will wait until later in the afternoon to cook though because after our large breakfast of sausage, gravy, biscuits and eggs we are all full to the brim.

Our church only has Sunday evening service so I will spend today getting caught up on a couple of household tasks and resting. I do have a baby shower to go to today but other than that I will be able to devote my entire day to my family and God.

House cleaning: Each week I change the sheets on the beds. I recommend that you spray your mattress and pillows with Odo-Ban (I get mine from Sam's Warehouse). And let it air out all day long then put your clean sheets back on in the evening. I have this thing about clean beds. I get the willy nillies when I sleep in a hotel bed or in anyone else's bed but my own because I don't know if they take the same pains that I do to keep the bedding clean and germ free. :-) Before we left for Nashville, I stripped the beds and sprayed them and let them air out while we were gone.

Another one of my "things" is the bathroom. I cannot stand a dirty bathroom. Now this is an ongoing challenge at my house with two kids, a hubby and me. I seem to be the only one that feels this way about the bathroom so I am constantly picking up and cleaning up behind my family. I keep the sink, counter and toilet clean with a general cleaner such as Lysol or PineSol. Then I spray these two with Odo-Ban which kills germs like you would not believe. Our tub is a bathfitter tub so I have to be careful about what I use to clean it. Once I am finished cleaning I take a lint free cloth and shine the faucets. The floor of my bathroom is old tile and even when clean it can look dirty. Plus it is white so it is constantly dirty. I take bleach water and pour on the floor and let it sit then I mop it up.It is the only thing that keeps it clean. Also about once a month I have to get on my hands and knees with an old toothbrush and scrub the grout between the tiles. But I know that my bathroom is clean and germ free. That makes me happy.

What are some of your Pet Peeves in your house? We all have them. The certain areas that simply must be kept clean or we loose our marbles.

Tomorrow is library day. Every Monday we head to the library here in town and load up on books to read during the week. I am an avid reader. Some people say that they don't have time to read. I simply don't understand that. I will make time. Of course I don't watch TV much at all so that helps. I will also stay up an extra hour after everyone goes to sleep if need be just to read my books. I like to read books about pioneering days and books about the old days. I like Janet Oake and of course I love Little House books and to read them with my kids. I also get my fair share of self help books about canning, cooking, farming, and taking care of my home. I enjoy reading these and get lots of good ideas from them. Today I will spend some time reading to the kids a couple of the books that we haven't read yet this week so they are ready to go back tomorrow and get replaced with new ones. I hope that I am cultivating a love of reading in my kids. It is a way of escape to other worlds, times, people and places. We can learn so much through books....I just love them.

I don't know how people can watch tv all the time. I have friends who it seems that their entire lives are surrounded by what comes on tv each night. They have their "shows" and they don't miss them. I would venture to say that they spend at least three hours a day watching tv...if not more. Now these are working women who are already away from their home for at least 8 hours a day. I just don't understand. I also know ladies who are SAHMs and their tv's never turn off. They are always on. It is a sad thing to see how people have wasted their lives away simply staring at a box. Think about it the next time you are watching tv. Your body goes in a sort of "sleep mode" and your eyes are fixed staring at a box in your living room. Idle hands.... my dear ones....idle hands. Imagine what you can be doing with that time. Why you could be playing a game with your children. Sitting with them while they play the piano. You could be talking to your husband, if you are lucky enough to have one that agrees with you regarding the TV...mine does not. He is one of those who sits and watches that box....constantly. When he gets up I check the chair for an egg....I figure one of these days he is bound to lay one as much as he sits. :-) But I can only choose for myself and my girls....he has to choose for himself. All I can do is pray. He says that my blogging is just the same....but I disagree. When I blog I write and read and learn ways to make my home better. It is not like watching tv....and I don't spend nearly the same amount of time on it either. Anyway back to what you could do instead of watch tv....you could be READING....ah those of you who can't find the time to read.....TURN OFF the TV. Spend time talking with your family, read with your family, BE with your family. Actually looking AT each other instead of at that box. Now don't get me wrong...I watch TV sometimes but mostly it is old movies with my kids and of course this time of year....Christmas movies.

Maybe if we stopped watching tv we would have time once again to visit with neighbors. We would have time to be the wives and mothers that God has called us to be. This world is so fast and so crazy....we need to make it a point to purposefully wind back the clock to a time more simple. I want my kids to grow up knowing the value of hard work, a loving mother who actually cooks for them, cleans for them and takes care of them. A mother who is seen busy at all times. I want them to recognize that it is only through hard work and prayer and reverance to the Lord that it is possible to be happy and healthy. We have lost this in the world today. People think they can just buy their way through. My children will learn to make do....sometimes out of necessity. I want them to know how to take a little and make a lot. They see me making bread instead of buying it, making biscuits instead of "popping" open the can. They see me grating my soap and making my detergent....not putting a bottle of Tide in my cart. They see me putting on the same clothes I have for years or the occasional $3 skirt at the Family Dollar if I have treated myself. They see me putting on the same tennis shoes because I only buy one pair a year....then they see the old pair be used for camping.

Now I am not perfect by no means but I am striving for perfection through Christ. I want them to have the gumption to strive for that when they get older too. Sometimes it is hard because my hubby is very worldly and he is a frivolous man. It is a good thing I guess that God paired us together...without him I would probably be on the extreme side and viewed as too "pioneer". Without me he would surely be in the poor house with his spending and would have a lazy modern way of thinking without me to add my sprinkle of striving for the "old ways".

So ladies make it a point to strive for the simple life. Strive for the hard working way of doing things. Don't take the easy way out. Take your loving mother hands and turn back the hands of the clock of father time to the good old yesterdays of our great great grandparents. Start at home and together we can make a change in this world of push a button, gotta have it now, stare at a box in your living room people.

We have to choose to live this way. Which way do you choose?

Happy Thanksgiving!

My 23lb Tom Turkey is out of the oven and sliced and waiting patiently on the serving tray to be all "gobbled" up. I must say that my turkey is the bomb! Hubby calls it my famous turkey.

I have my dressing in the oven. It is full of sage, giblets, celery, onion and turkey broth. Yummy! I will let it get cooked thoroughly then I will take the foil off and let it get a little crunchy crust on top. Oh I can't wait to dig in!

Also on my stove boiling is fresh sweet potatoes. Soon I will go up and mash them with sugar and butter. Then I will top them with a butter, brown sugar and flour crumble topping and stick it in the oven. Yummy to the second power!

We will also be having mashed potatoes, green beans, yeast rolls, gravy, veggie casserole and more!

And guess what???? It is just the four of us so we will have the great leftovers for the next week. Dawlin' it don't get no better than that!

For dessert we are having pumpkin roll, pumpkin gooey cake, and some turkey shaped chocolate cup cakes. So good!

We decided to spend Thanksgiving here at home instead of going anywhere to extended family. I find at this stage in my life I long to just be home with my own family at the holidays. It is a good thing. Right now the house is full of the lovely scents of dinner and the children are playing in the floor. Hubby is kicked back in his easy chair and we are all watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (happy 150th bday Macy's!)

The girls are lovin to help me fix dinner. It is a wonderful thing to have my children in the kitchen with me. In doing so I am cultivating a love of cooking and taking care of their future families. I am sure their one day husbands will thank me for taking the time to include them.

Soon we will be sitting around the table together enjoying the feast I have prepared. I love to feed my family. I love to spend special days with them.I love to baby them and create these wonderful memories with them.

After dinner we will spend the day together. We will watch movies and keep baking up those wonderful memories that we will store always in our heart.

I am so thankful for my family and I love them so very, very much!

Finances, Menus, Angel Food and More...

Now that I am feeling like my old self again...thank you Jesus!...I am getting back into the "groove" of things.

We had angel food delivery yesterday...yummy! I must give a shout out to angel food ministries. If you guys are not ordering your food from them yet....I must ask what in the world are you waiting for?

:-) Angel food is awesome...for $30 you get a box of food that feeds a family of four for 1 week. You can view their December menu on their website and find a host site near you. I plan all of my meals around my angel food and I supplement them from the grocery with sale items.

Since I have been going to doc after doc.....after doc, our finances are... well... depleted. So I am going to have to really buckle down these next couple of months to get back on our feet. Thank goodness that I already purchased all of our Christmas gifts so I don't have to worry about that.

:-) I am going to have to be creative over the next couple of months though. I cleaned out the pantry and freezer so that I would know exactly what food I have on hand. Other than to get a few items for Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes and milk/bread we will not be shopping at all. To stay out of the stores completely means to spend no money.

Today I fixed cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we had burgers and tater tots for lunch. The girls and I made a lemon cake with orange cream cheese frosting...yummy. Then they made peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies. I wanted to share with you my recipe for burgers....

2lb ground chuck

1 lb mild sausage

pepper and salt to taste

2 T minced onion

1T canadian steak seasoning plus 1T for topping

1/2 T garlic powder

Mix ground chuck and sausage with minced onion, steak seasoning, and garlic powder. Patty beef mixture into thin and large round burgers. Place in hot skillet and cook until one side browned and then flip. Sprinkle burgers with candadian steak seasoning while frying. Cook thoroughly. Add cheese, if desired.

Yummy!

My hubby

Today I want to dedicate this post to my hubby. I am so thankful for him in my life. He took me to the hospital Monday morning and he stayed with me the entire time. Even though it was as stimulating as watching paint dry, he never left my side.

We have had our ups and downs in our years of marriage but we always managed to make it through. There were times that I really thought we were not going to make it. There were times that I felt I was all out of love. It is those times when you have to let God do the loving for you.

Thankfully it is much better now. We have been through so very much. There were many times when I was broken and completely wounded, it is during those times when it seemed that he was his strongest and could carry me through. Other times he was the broken and wounded one and it was I would would carry him through. You see we have always been able to help each other to stand.

I thank God and give Him the glory that my darling hubby is growing in his relationship with Him. He is still a baby in Christ but he is growing. He is realizing a little each day the importance of placing Christ first. He goes to church every Sunday and helps me with my Sunday school class too. He feels perfectly at home in our little church and all of the wonderful people there are good friends now to him. He also listens to Christian music a lot and has favorite songs. He mentioned to me today that he missed the modern song service at our old church which is several miles away. We decided that we would go there and visit at least once a month. It was hubby that brought up that idea....in the past that wouldn't have happened. He is growing and I am so very thankful.

I will continue to pray for this darling husband of mine. I know that God isn't finished with him yet. I think God has great things in store for him. With a good dose of self confidence I think hubby will do amazing things in the name of Jesus.

So today I dedicate this post to my darling hubby. I am a very blessed lady to have this darling man on my arm!

Hubby is also a very good father. The girls love him very much. We all look forward to having him home with us.