Last Week we got to go to our State's capital and this is me as we were waiting to tour the original Governor's mansion. What was funny to me was that the first few governors did not live there as they were wealthy enough to buy their own!

As I was walking through the house which I have no pictures of the inside, i was amazed at the beautiful work work, the glass, the carvings on the furniture and walls. They took leather in one room and covered the walls with it and it was painted green with decorative nails in squares, which does not sound pretty at all, but it was beautiful!!! They also had stretched fabric on the walls in one room where it looked like wallpaper.

But the most amazing was stepping into the kitchen! It was a tiny room, maybe 10x 10 feet with a wood cookstove in the corner, a one basin sink mounted on the wall with no counters around it, a small island/drop leaf table in the center of the room and a buffet with flour etc in it. There was also a butlers pantry where food was stored and dishes. That was it! They had to prepare meals to serve the governors and higher ups in a room we would barely feel like was suited for a shack!! It made me realize how blessed I am and how spoiled we can be too. Not that it is wrong to have a nice kitchen, I actually think they had things turned around a bit with a fancy parlour and shack kitchen!! But I think sometimes too we (or at least I do) look around our house and think of how much nicer someone else has it or if we did this it would be better, and instead of taking the time to be thankful. I came home and was thankful for my tile counters that are hard to clean, because I have tile counters! I have hot running water (which they also did not have) and a fridge (they had an ice box) to keep my food cold.

Lemony Chicken Popover

3 Tbsp butter, melted-divided
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs
1 cup milk

Filling:

2 carrots, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli florets- chopped
1 small onion; chopped
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 mushroom; chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Garnish:
If so desired, garnish with extra shredded cheddar cheese.

Brush the bottom on a deep dish pie plate with 1 Tbsp butter; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Beat in the eggs, milk and remaining butter until smooth. Pour into prepared pie plate.

Bake at 400* for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350* and bake for 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown and center is set.

In a microwave safe bowl (or steam bag) combine carrots, broccoli, onion and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender; set aside.
In another microwave-safe bowl, combine chicken, soup, mushroom, red bell pepper, and lemon juice. Cover and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until red pepper is tender, stirring once.
Stir in cheese and half of the vegetable mixture.

Spoon chicken mixture into center of popover. Surround with remaining vegetable mixture.
Cut into wedges; serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings.

Taste of Redding recipe contest in the Record Searchlight.
June 7, 2009

Forget about whether or not others will be grateful for your selfless service, or whether they will even notice it. As God's beautiful women, you don't do what you do to get anything, you do what you do because of who you are, because of the person God is making you into---a virtuous women who is beautiful in His eyes!

~*~*~

Selfless service is the greatest beauty of all.

It's the beauty of our Lord~Elizabeth George

This is a quote I came across recently and I was so encouraged by it.

I know it has been while since I posted anything here. Life has been busy. We are still working on our new house, but I think we should be able to move within a month, Lord willing. We are also happily expecting baby #6 due in October. The girls are hoping for a girl, the boys a boy. We shall see in October what the Lord has blessed us with. Anyway, I hope to be around here a bit more often as time allows.

May the Lord abundantly bless each and everyone of you!