Patty Jo

I'm a silly person and love a good chuckle! I believe I am a bit on the ditsy side but who's keeping score?! ha On a more serious note: I love the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul! And my husband and children (family) are the most important things in my life! Hope I can be a blessing to those of you willing to torture yourselves and read this blog! LOL

Disclaimer:
Silly blogspot has issues with comments. If you can't comment on my blog don't worry "YOU're not alone"!!! haha It's nothing personal or not that I know of. Because I can't comment either! BUT... If you choose the option: "Name/URL" and enter your name and if you have a website or blog you "can" but don't have to enter it. THEN you CAN comment. This is a just so you know. I don't wanting anyone going away without sharing their thoughts! Or thinking that we have something against them! We LOVE you! :)


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Paying It Forward - More fun!

I was on a friend's blog. She is another very creative gal!  Well I found a post about Paying It Forward!
I believe it's a service that I was meant to do!
So i've decided to participate and share something with a few of you!
As is the tradition with Pay It Forwards, it is now my turn, so here is how it works.



1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people who comment on this post. It will be a surprise and it will arrive when you least expect it.


2. I will have 365 days to do it in. What's the catch? To get a handmade present from me, you have to play too! This means YOU pledge to send a little handmade something for 3 readers of your blog. It doesn't have to be quilty - just handmade!  **I do not intend to make you wait a year, :)  but give me a bit since I am running this school house, laundry mat, restaurant, taxi service, hugging service, bed and breakfast, you get the idea, lol.

3. You must have a blog.

4. Once you comment here, you must post about your Pay It Forward on your blog to keep the fun going - with the Pay It Forward badge.





Please, please, please...do not be one of the first three commenters and be a no-reply blogger...meaning I can't email you and can't get details on how to mail my package to you. I'll just move onto the next comment. Also, if your blog isn't linked with your post, please give me the web address in your comment, so I can visit you and see your Pay it Forward post!


Let the fun begin!!!

Our Valley in my own words

WoW!  Day one of "FUN" school is over now.  It's back to rules and regulations.  Some are not happy and some are tolerant.  lol  It's all part of it, right?

The topic of "Anxiety" I'm sure can bring up many thoughts for each of us.  I for one can think of many!  haha  I have held back from posting anything publicly about our middle son's anxiety he suffers from.  But for my own therapy and maybe to meet others that share my same emotional concerns I am going to share.

Gabriel is so sweet and loving.  He loves the Lord and fears many.  Last school year we discovered some things. I feel the Lord allowed me to be in the right place, at the right moment so I could see it.  In the pursuit to get answers and help so many things have come to light.  I can see how since he was two years old these issues have been present.

So long story short he suffers with severe anxiety.  Some days I feel like I could curl up and cry for him all day.  There isn't a worse feeling than knowing something is going on in your child's mind and they are suffering but there is nothing you can do to make it go away.  There are also times he is out of this world comical.  He is being referred to a Neuro-Psych for further evaluation. The catch, not until the end of January.  But in the mean time he see's a therapist weekly to help him learn to work with his anxiety.

You know we never have a clue what the Lord might have for us.  I know the Lord has a plan and He won't give us more than we can handle.  I know Gabriel and all our children are designed just the way God wanted them!  I am assured everything is going according to His plan. 

I am asking my praying friends to lift us up in prayer!  I know there are so many suffering from so much worse.  But this is my current valley.  I will gladly add you to my prayer list.  You can either comment below or shoot an email to patfidlerphotography@yahoo.com 

God Bless!  Psalm 116:1-2  Romans 8:28

Thank you!!

I jsut wanted to take a quick moment to acknowledge those of you that participated!  I love GiveAways!  So I hope to be able to offer them often.  Even if I have to creat something!  ha

So THANK YOU for being a part of Patty Jo's rantings!

Contest WINNER!!!!

Well I am a little behind.  I was involved in school and then lunch!  OOPS!

Thank you for your patience!

Here is how we came to our decision:
All names were written (more than once if you had a friend post)
and folded, placed in hat!  Literally!  lol

Caitlin was our picker!  :)


And the WINNER is:


And if you can't read it, it says

KELLY WALDREP!!

Yay!!!!!!!!  Congratulations!!!!
Go on over to www.lillyannakids.com/
and make your selections!  I'll get you some contact info!

Thank you everyone that participated!!  We will be doing another GiveAway real soon!
So be sure to come back often!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Patty Jo's 1st GiveAway!!!!! LillyAnnaKids

We have our first GiveAway to annouce!!!  I am so unbelievably excited.  I love to Give things away!!!  It feels so good.  :) 

I am proud to annouce that my dear Photographer/Children's Boutique Clothing Designer Friend Misty will be hosting this GiveAway!  Her designs are fabulous!!!

So tonights item is:  $20 Gift Certificate to spend at www.lillyannakids.com
 
*No cash value.  Can only be redeemed at LillyAnnaKids.
Be sure to contact Misty through her site to redeem Gift Certificate.

She has the most fabulous pieces. 

To enter to GiveAway drawing you must be 18yrs. of age.

1st : Leave a comment below stating your name!!
(preferably first and last if you want to win)

2nd: Tell your friends and share the link to this blog so they can comment for a chance to win.  And guess what?  Make sure your friends post your name (first and last) in their comment. 
As for every friend that you refer,
you will be entered into the drawing again.
(so if you and 10 friends comment and they post your name too,
your name will be entered 11 times)

Contest will end:
Wednesday 8-31-11 at 12 noon.

Winner will be posted here and on Facebook!
So be sure to keep up with our posts!

Yay!  Can't wait to see who will be our first GiveAway WINNER! 

Happy Commenting!!

By the way, you can click the Facebook icon below and share this to your Facebook! ;)








Sunday, August 28, 2011

Sunday afternoons

I just love Sunday afternoons!  So there I said it.  LOL

Wow, I feel so much better just telling you that.  ha

Anyway, sorry for the delay in my rantings.  We had a hectic week getting into the homeschool groove.  We are using a Virtual School online for my oldest child and it's a lot of phone work.  But hopefully things are beginning to work and we'll be on our merry way. 

Poor Gabriel began to feel ill on Thursday morning while me and Cate were on the phone with the teacher.  He battles nausea quite a bit so I just let him sit in the reliner off to the side.  He was curled up moaning and saying he was hurting.  I just figured he was exagerating for a little attention and I was stuck on this phone call.  I could just see Caitlin's face if I left her to deal with the teacher. ha  Anyway, within minutes he proved he was really hurting and sick.  All over the floor and rug.  Yikes!  I whisked him into the bathroom and it was awful!  The teacher unbenounced to her just kept talking away.  I finally realized I could mute my phone so I could speak to Gabriel.  It was the most ridiculous scene.  You know how you look back and think, I should have..., or I could have..., haha.

Anyway, thank goodness he is better and no one else suffered quite so badly.  He had a scare at church this morning but we left and he is better.  Thank goodness!

Hoping to have my first Giveaway lined up by tomorrow!  Who knew it would be so much work!  LOL

Happy Sunday!  See ya tomorrow!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Giveaways are right around the corner.

It is taking me a little time to put together a few giveaways.  Who knew how muc work is involved!  LOL  I am so excited though!  I will start off with a few of my FAVORITE things!  Which I will be posting in the sidebar area.  We will do this several ways.  Winners will be picked by random number or by getting the right answer to my question first.  Of course I will disclose what the contest rules are with each giveaway!

Be watching! I want to get the first giveaway up and going within a day or so!  Can't wait!

Tutorial for a child's Tank

This sweet and fabulous photographer friend of mine is so creative.  She has a clothing line for kids too!

Here is a link to her tutorial for a Tank top!  It's to die for cute and easy!!!

Misty Davis drab2fab-t-2-tank-tutorial

You have to see it!  I'll share a link to her clothing boutique as well!

LillyAnna Kids

Monday, August 22, 2011

1st Day of SCHOOL!!! FUN!!

Wow!  We've been busy today!  Wish everyday was this much fun!  lol  We had Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast!  YUMMY!




Then we made our "Time Capsules!!"  That was fun!!  We made them using plastic accordian file holders.  We had stickers, permanent markers and paint pens to decorate them.  I am so frugal most of the time that is so we found old scrapbook stickers to decorate with. ha  Then for the "Time Capsule" we drew a self portrait, traced our hands and feet and wrote a list of favorites.  At the end of the school year we will compare them by doing this activity all over again except redocorating the file folder.  And we will see ow much we've grown and changed.  Can't wait!  Here are some pics of the kids making them!









Then we took pics outside on the porch of them and their finished projects!






That up there is Gabe, he is a hoot!

More funny faces:


Aren't they cute???


Ok, so it's off to the school work!  NOT, haha


Look at little Levi under her desk!  He loves her!  He is so happy we put rugs under there so he can cuddle while she works!! 
(excuse the weird rug protruding into her PINK space. I have corrected that!)


Above he tries to appear as if he's ready to work!

Below I'm not sure what he's doing!  But it's entertaining to say the least!

 
Ok so it's off to make those "BACK TO SCHOOL" treats!!
These are Peanut Butter Cup cookies!  DELISH!!

After mixing the ingredients per the recipe you use a scoop to drop them into
a mini muffin pan.

 These are right out of the oven hot!  You have to be ready!
The cups are to be unwrapped before you bake.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven.  You place the cup on top and push them down into the cookie!  Don't be scared!  Push them far enough so they don't melt out and over the edge of the cookie.
All ready to go.  Just resting in the pan so they don't break when I remove them to a cooling rack!
Close up!  They are sooooo good!
Inside!  Delicious!
 The kids love them!!

So I figure it's not nice to tempt you without a recipe so here it is:

Hope you all had great 1st days!!  We had a pretty good one.  It'll take a little time for me to adjust our routine and get everyone in gear.  I wish I could say we just pop out of bed and are in back to school mode but it just isn't true.  Especially when you're at home.  I mean it's home and kids want to play and play and play here.  haha 
Have a great day! 




Sunday, August 21, 2011

Bear with me

I am wrecking havoc on my blog trying to get it ""PRETTY".  I am terrible at this!  haha  Hope to have the mess cleared up asap!  See ya tomorrow!

Giveaways!

I love "Giveaways"   It's so fun!  And who doesn't love giving something away!  ha

So I would love to start doing them monthly!  But we need followers to give away to.  I see I have only two hand fulls that have actually tackled the "Follow Me" button and I am so thankful you even bother to read my nonsense!  LOL

So I plan to very soon unveil my new monthly giveaway blog day!  And we will play games, have drawings, and so forth to win them!  Can't wait!  So keep in touch!


By the way, here's my garden on my front porch.  I am so excited that they are still alive.  I do not have a green thumb.  But keeping these in my face on my front porch has helped me to keep them watered and loved on.  Still learning though.  My poor tomato plant has had limbs fall over and break off with tomatos growing on them.  SAD!  So I hope to do better next year.  But anyway here are a few pics.  They are producing and I am so Happy!!




Sunday Afternoon

Great morning worshipping the Lord.  I am so thankful for a great church God has given us to be a part of and fellowship with.  Our Pastor "TJ" is a great teacher and leader for our church.  And I am so excited to have made friends with his precious wife.  Our daughters are great friends and the families there are just like you've known them all along.  Ain't God amazing!!!  (Ignore the ain't, I like to use it)

I want to point out that sometimes it seems so hard to make new friends and you can feel lonely here in this world.  But God is so good and if we're patient He'll send the friends we need.  So thank you Lord for the new friends you've allowed me to meet.  :)


So to change the subject.  I do this alot, change the subject.  I am capable of changing the subject quite a bit in just a few minutes time.  So bear with me here.

Anyway, I am excited about starting school tomorrow.  Now I know a lot of people are because their children will be leaving the house and the break is much needed.  But just a reminder, I homeschool, and I'm STILL excited.  I know it sounds crazy but I can't wait to do Art and create posters and Art and have snack time and ...  Oh wait a minute, that's not it.  haha  I can't wait for us to spend time together learning all about God's creation and using the abilities He has given us to glorify Him!  There is something so special about being a part of this time.  Some of my children would rather continue on in our summer activities and forget about SCHOOL!  ha  But my youngest is ready.  He loves to learn still.  I am hoping he will still enjoy it even when it gets hard.  He is a 3rd grader so he is just starting some of the harder work.  We shall see.

I have some fun things planned for tomorrow.  Fun Breakfast, Warm yummy cookies for after school.  And hoping to do at least something in Art!  I have found so many really cool things to do.  But I know for sure we'll be making a Time Capsule so we can see just how much we've grown and changed by the end of this school yr.  So tomorrow should be a great day for some photo ops. Will definitely share!

Pray for us as we embark on another year!  And I will lift your families up in prayer as you go about your day as well!




Thursday, August 18, 2011

Chicken Florentine Puffs with Red Pepper Cream

To die for!  Well not really but definitely worth the trouble!  And actually after the first trial and error lesson of making this recipe it should be really easy.  Just some thinking ahead!

I took a few pics.  Nothing special.  I don't have my fabulous camera anymore, sad!  I will eventually work something out so I can take some much better photos of my up and coming new recipe trials!  :)

Here is the link to the recipe and some of my photos!

TastyKitchen - Chicken-florentine-puffs-with-red-pepper-cream

This is after I have worked the ingredients together and have my pastry rolled out on wax paper.  I used too little flour and had difficulty removing the pastry from the wax paper.  Note for next time!


I cut the pastry into six sections instead of four.  The pastry was plenty think and gave me more individual pastries.  (See how much spinach there is.  I will reduce this amount by half next time)


Then fold the pastry over into triangles!  And place on parchment paper in the baking pans.


 Using a fork pinch the edges together.  Mine were not perfect or even pretty.  LOL  But in the end they look fabulous!  ;)






Brush the pastry with the egg/water mixture.  I don't own a brush.  I don't think they are sanitary.  haha  So I use a clean paper towel fold and gently dip and brush with it.


Sprinkle the Italian Seasoning and pepper on top!  They already are looking delish! 


Pop the two trays of pastries into the oven at 400 for about 18 mins.  Then get your pot and start your sauce.  YUMMY!!  Fresh basil from my very own garden on my porch!


         Here's a peack into the oven!  Mouth is watering!!  They came out great!  I was so thrilled!


              Here's a photo of the finished product with the cream sauce on top!  Ready to devour!!


I will definitel add this to my staples of monthly dises.  Hope you can enjoy as well!

Life is so precious

When I can get some time to meditate and think about life without all the hussle I am reminded of just how thankful we should be for even a moment with our loved ones.  Even when we feel everything is crashing around us and the children seem to be on every nerve.  You just never know when your time will be cut short.

I met a new friend recently.  I won't share any details that might reveal their identity.  But we have had te cance to start to get to know one another and chat about our kids.  She has a precious son and younger daughter.  In our conversation we talked about the kids and their returning to school and so forth.  As the conversation developed she shared with me that her son has Bone Cancer.  I immediately wanted to cry.  He does his best to keep as active as possible so it would be real difficult to know.  She said he had been fighting it for 5 yrs.  It's a fatal cancer.  Not a good prognosis.  Neuroblastoma to be exact.  He is on special treatments.  Originally they didn't expect him to make it more than 6 months.  He is a fighter!  Bless his heart! 

Sitting there watching our children my mind took off thinking about the little things we take for granted. How I let small things get under my skin and when I allow myself to be too tired to go out of my way to make them feel extra special!  I just wanted to run to him and my children and give them the longest, biggest hug and never let go.  I hope from this day forward I can make it my goal everyday to hug them a little more and a little longer.  Make memories we'll never forget!

I will be praying for my new friend and her family.  I pray we all will look at each other with a little more compassion and love.  We never know what someone may be going through.

God has a plan for each of us.  His love is greater than any other!  I'd like to share that below:

I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?
God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”

In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.

“ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). “ . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22).

“ . . . God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, “God . . . commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “ . . . ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . . .’ ”

Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior.

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.

Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

In Luke 18:13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray: “Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple.” Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down, until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Shared from http://www.godssimpleplan.org/gsps-english.html

Encouragement

I am so thankful for a God that has given us a handbook and not only does it tell us the things we should stay away from it gives us "encouragement".  HOPE!!!  I can't say it enough!  I am so thankful!!!!

I have to admit I am weak.  When I read about Job in the Bible I think "wow, what a strong man!"  I will then think, "could I be that strong?"  I seem to see myself being Job's wife.  But I would never curse God and die.  Or in the way that I believe the text means.  I might be off.  But I do get weak and allow worry and fear in.  God says He has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind!  I am "encouraged."  See even when I get weak God had a verse to remind me of His POWER!!  I may be weak but He has the POWER over all and if I put my Faith in Him and trust Him, I can make it through the valley!

Here are a few verses I am holding to today:

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).

 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works"

2 Timothy 3:16-17