Outriggers Island - VBS begins

You are probably wondering where I've been.  Busy as everyone else.  Vacation Bible School starts tonight.  No matter how many times I tell myself that I am not going to work in VBS I always get caught up in the excitement and end up doing something.  This year I am the Preschool Music teacher. I am always nervous the first night because you don't know what you are going to get.  We seems to have lots of preschoolers.  Pray for all of us that we will have patience and show love to the children.  And pray that the children will learn about Jesus and how much he loves them, even if that is all they get from the whole week that is most important.

Mike and I have been back from Ireland only a couple weeks.  We had a great time. Ireland is a beautiful country.  Our tour director told us lots of stories about fairies, kings and wars.  We visited cathedrals, sheep farms and castles.  Now it is time to plan for next year. 

God is good.

GC Murphy Company

I visited KolesMimi's site, she was talking about her obsession with cashews.  She told how every Friday night they would go "Downtown" and her mom would buy her some hot cashews that had been sitting under the sun lamp.  I loved reading her story.  It reminded me of the good ole days working at GC Murphy's.  I have so many memories of that store. 

I started working at 16.  Because I was 16 and going to school they could work me every night, Saturdays and later Sundays without paying over time.  Friday's were great.  The same people came to the store every Friday night.  Mothers would drop their kids off to shop at the dime store while they went up the block to Krogers.  I felt like a baby sitter.

Some of the first memories I have was taking care of the birds and the fish.  Remember when the dime store had a pet department?  Because I was the new kid, I had to clean the bird cages, clean the fish tanks, and all that yucky stuff.  I can still remember the stink just like it was yesterday.  When Easter came we even had live colored chickens. 

I continued to work there for a few years.  I was promoted to "Floor girl".  That meant I could carry the "Keys" and approve checks.  I thought I was cool.  I made ten cents more that everyone else.  I think that put me at $1.12 an hour. 

I have to admit my favorite job was the Candy Counter.  I would clean the glass so my candy could be seen clearly.  I would roast the nuts (cashews, peanuts, and mixed nuts) on Friday nights when everyone came downtown to do their weekly shopping.  Or Saturdays when the place was crowded with families.  Everyone wanted fresh nuts or a pound of candy.  Little kids and big kids would walk around and around my counter trying to decide what they wanted.  The candy counter was made with a small walk way in the center for the employee with only one way in.  The glass candy cases went all the way around with the big featured candy cases on each end.  Usually the ends were for the holiday candies.  We sold the candied fruit for fruit cakes at Christmas time. (Not until after Thanksgiving.  Things sure have changed)  I hated the candied fruit.  It was so sticky and we had to put it in plastic bags.  Gross.  

I already told my Cashew Contest story on Kolesmimi's site and now I have had a request for my Candy Contest story.

The Candy Contest was always Christmas and Valentine's Day.  I never did very well at Christmas but Valentine's Day is a different story.  I mentioned the bar (my mom called it the Beer Joint) across the street in the other story.  I always used their clientele to my advantage.  They came across the street to get their cigarettes. (I think they were 25 cents.  I remember when they went up to 28 cents and they would tell me they weren't going to buy them anymore, but of course they did.)  Anyway I digress.  We would sit the boxes of candy on the counter near the cash register. (I even counted back change using my head not a calculator and I said Thank you instead of Here you go.)  The boxes were mostly white with big red flowers printed on them.  We also had heart shaped boxes with plastic flowers glued on top.  I would offer the most expensive one first and when they wouldn't bite I would tell them they couldn't go home to their wife/girlfriend with nothing so I could at least get them to buy the less expensive box of chocolates.  It was fun reminding them that it was Valentine's Day and asking what had they bought for their sweety.  When they realized they had not bought anything I went in for the kill.  It is funny now to think I only got 5 cents a box but I still won and that was what mattered.

Remember when the photographers came to town at the dime store to take "color" pictures of the little children.  They weren't color at all just tinted.

Oh, the good ole days.

Winter has come to Ohio.  This weekend is going to be so cold.  It is one of those that you want to just stay inside and watch old movies and have soup. 

I have made a Taco Soup in the crock pot.  Tina is home and Brandi will be here later.  There is enough "soup" in the soup that Brandi will be able to avoid the beans. 

Taco Soup by Trish

1-1/2 lb. ground beef - browned with 1/2 sm chopped onion, season salt, a little this and a little that.

1 - can black beans

1 large can light kidney beans

1 can corn

1 can beef broth

1 can tomato sauce

1 can tomato soup - 1/2 can water

1 Pkg Taco Seasoning Mix

1 Pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Dressing Mix - Original

Jalepenos to taste

Place all in large crockpot.  Start on high for about 1 hour.  Turn to low and cook for about two-three hours or until everyone starts eating it and it is gone.  You can use the warm setting if it boils too much.  All crockpots are different.  I have several so it depends on your crockpot.  Garnishes - Serve with Sour Cream, Tortilla chips, green onions, more jalepenos if you like that kind of thing.

Well, I got up early so I could go to church and finish the Yearly Statements that everyone keeps asking me about.  I guess they want to get started on their taxes early. (Must have refunds coming.)

Work has been busy.  The price increase has been a bear this year.  Everyone saying, "I didn't get a notice of a price increase, can I have an extention."  We sent them in October 2007.  I helped mail them, so I know they got them.  Blah, Blah, Blah.

Have a great weekend.  Stay warm and Be Thankful in all Things.  Remember Job and Jonah, maybe God has a lesson for you or a job for you to do if things are not going the way you expected.  God is good all the time.  God is so very good.

Merry Christmas!

Everytime I look at Broncomom's pictures, I think, I want to take pictures like hers.  But then I get a house full of boys and I can't get them to sit still for one second, the camera is on the wrong setting, or someone isn't cooperating, or someone is crying, hungry, or sleepy.

Brandi tried so hard to get a picture of herself with the boys.  She rearranged the living room, made everything perfect, except for the setting on the camera which was Mike's fault.  Then of course boys will be boys.  Landen refused to look at the camera.  Gavin and Elijah wanted down.  Elijah was hungry.  Noah and Isaac tried but grew wiery of the whole thing.  We tried the bench, then we tried the floor.  Once on the floor they thought it was a wresling match.

The only way to get a good picture is when they least expect it.

We had a full and beautiful day.  I have been so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Yesterday was a calm Christmas Eve.  Mike and I had to run to Wal-Mart for a few items and then Mike, Tina and I wnet to the Christmas Eve Service at church to see worship and see our church family.

Today we will go to my sisters house.  The only child there will be my great nephew who is 11.  Should be another quiet day.  I think I like the noisy ones the best.

God is so good.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good day.