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The kids have been helping me make Christmas cookies since they were little and I LOVE IT! Awww, wook how wittle they were. Eeek! I can't even!   Thanks to click list, I ordered all this online and Dale just picked it up. Gotta save my energy for the MAKING part you know!  School is done - the holiday baking has begun!🎁🎄🍬🍪🍰 Cranking some Christmas music and starting things off with a few of our list: *Spicy Party Mix *Peppermint Melt Aways *Seasoned Crackers *Easy Toffee *Rolo Pretzel Sandwiches Spicy Party Mix - Dale's family recipe, not published ;) Don't worry, don't worry, I will give you ALL the other recipes, promise!  Peppermint Meltaways - nicely minty and not too sweet, literally melt in the mouth. I did peppermint oil instead of extract since doTERRA oils ARE the purest little cooking extracts from nature . I did 2 drops in cookie and 1 in frosting I believe  Spiced Crackers - we grew up eating these every Christmas! Warning : ADDICTING  Easy Toffee - totally my weakness! So easy too!  Rolo Sandwiches - YUM these were a huge hit. Gorgeous on a goodie plate  We made several batches of each, and even though that meant I had a TOWER of food in my laundry room, it was so wonderful, that no matter what we were invited to, or what we hosted, we had easy treats to make beautiful platters with AND we could plate them up for gifts too!   Tangy Jalapeno Apricot Brie from Pampered Chef - image from them too. Serve with sliced, toasted french bread or crackers.  Hot Pizza Dip - easy and TASTY! Serve with garlic salt baugette slices.  It's not too late to make this quick for your New Year's parties!!!!!
Be safe! Hugs, T
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As we approached the one year anniversary (Dec 16) of my daddy's heavenly trip home, I naturally, have been thinking A LOT of his last days on earth. It is no wonder then, that my Heavenly Father sent a messenger to me. It made me smile.  In fact, 2 times in 2 days.  Cardinals are hold such meaning to me now. The Lord has used them in incredible ways this past summer to speak to my heart! I would love for you to go read my Messenger From Heaven post from this summer and see why. It still gives me chills and tears. Go read it and hug your daddy close today!   When I look around me, it is so so clearly evident that God is love. That He is sovereign. That He is faithful. And that He is on ALL the details..... In 2015, dad was fighting the beast called cancer and we had family photos taken. Our photographer edited and shared our beautiful images December 16, including this real life moment Papa was reading to the grandkids while we had our couples photos taken. We motioned Destiny in - and here it is - the absolute favorite photo of the entire session. A moment frozen in time.  Fast forward 2 years, and the day she shared this precious image, becomes the VERY day my vivacious, full of joy & laughter, larger than life daddy, took his final breath on this earth. Does stuff like that blow your mind a little bit too? December 16, 2017 at 4:57 am he saw his Jesus, the momma he so badly missed growing up, and all of Heaven celebrated his arrival.  After church on the 16th, we went to go to Papa's final resting place. We know he isn't there, but there is still something that feels honoring to do so. We took a wind chime along with us and found the COOLEST thing at the store! A red bird to represent the cardinal messenger in our lives.........  How can a heart be so happy that the suffering and pain is gone, yet so completely devastated that someone they've loved so big and so deeply has gone too? It's confusing. It's messy. It's like a light has gone out on the bright, shiny, happy world.  But time marches on, and healing comes. Bit by bit. Tear by healing tear. One foot in front of the other. One whispered prayer, one cardinal visit at a time, the smiles come more than the tears and the memories can be talked about, without taking your breath away.  Most of the time. As we prepare for a second Christmas without dad, it actually feels like a first. This is the reality part of loss. No hype of a funeral to plan for. No scurrying of flights coming in, of out of town family to hug. Just a missing family member who isn't coming back. Reality check.  Today, I am thankful for Kleenex, Jesus, family & friends and, well, Facebook Time Hop & cardinals, for it all points me to the Heavenly Father's love and care of His children.  He is in it all.
Every. Single. Detail. Hugs, T The kids are back in the kitchen and at it again, come check out the latest drool worthy dinners. You just might leave inspired for your next grocery run! This was an extra complicated grocery list session because we were also planning to do holiday baking and made 5 separate grocery lists for each of our 4 Christmas gatherings plus the meals needed between now and then.  First up, Ty made us some awesome Mexican Dump Soup! We used leftover Steak instead of chicken. YUM! Make sure to shred some fresh mozzarella to serve with each bowl. You cannot beat a fresh grated cheese! What I love about this recipe, is how FAST and easy it comes together on a busy day. You can grab the recipe here.
 Momma was hungry for ITALIAN, so I picked the Crockpot version so it could cook itself all day! :) I love how this lasagna tastes like you worked WAY harder than you did. Fun fact, I took small curd cottage cheese and mixed it with yummy italian seasonings to make a more hearty, ricotta style lasagna. Just add it to your alfredo layer in the following recipe from our blog. 4 little Ferguson's Crockpot Lasagna
 Miss Avery wanted BIEROCKS, so we spent the entire day making a triple batch of Bierocks, because they freeze BEAUTIFULLY! We love to serve them with a mixture of mustard, spicy mustard and worchestershire. Then French onion dip, potato chips and carrot sticks on the side. You can find the recipe here.
Destiny was super swamped this month with doubling up on some school, so daddy took over some of the kids cooking duties. He grilled us a lovely steak, sauteed cubed sweet potatoes and served it all with my FAVORITE brussel sprouts! I could eat BOWLS of just these!   And because, tis the season for soup, we made a yummy Amish cheeseburger soup for dinner this weekend! The girls were busy, so all the guys pitched in. Love men in the kitchen! :) I also love the hearty veggies this soup has tucked inside a creamy, fresh shredded, cheddar cheese base. Amish Cheeseburger Soup
 And because we all need dessert once in a while, check out this yummy peppermint pattie brownie recipe from my friend, Whitney!
Did you find something new to try? Thanks for tuning in!
Hugs, T We are in Kansas for a few months, hanging around for Christmas and something FUN!!!! More details later. ;)  Because we are home so short, and because majority of the things the kids want cannot come to Florida with us for the rest of the winter, Dale declared a very Merry EARLY Christmas at our house, so the kids have time to use, wear or play before we take off. We don't like to give a lot of toys and stuff, we like experiences better, but if they need items, Christmas is a perfect time! So we did some shopping :)  Destiny wanted a one piece fuzzy jammie, a soft robe and some nail polish. Avery wanted non toxic nail polish, so mommy would let her polish again, ;) and even got a nail dryer to go with. Paxton has a track he needed more pieces to, to make a huge track upstairs, so he got a pack of track and some new cars to drive on it. He and Ty also got some lazer guns to play with together in the apartment. (bye bye nerf darts, hello lazers!) Tylan watched everyone open in curiosity. We pretended his second gift hadn't arrived yet but it really had, stay tuned...... So we clean up wrapping paper and Dale hollers from the front porch, that the UPS man had arrived with Ty's final gift. (We had purchased it a few days before and hid it away actually)
A new AWESOME NEW BIKE!!!! (his old one was literally falling to pieces) He was thrilled and immediately took it around the block.
And the kiddos that had outgrown their roller blades got new ones, but those WILL go along with us to Florida. It was such a cold, snowy day we decided to let them blade in the house since the wheels were so clean and new! And yes, momma skated too, until the tight circle made me DIZZZZZY! ;)  Now, on Christmas day we can focus on Jesus Birthday party and make it a great day, even without all those gifts under the tree. (I did save a few family fun things back for that day!)  Destiny got invited to her first Winter Formal with a group of friends from 9 to 11 pm this past weekend. Before we decided to go dress shopping or not, we dug through my formals from high school and work parties. Velvet is BACK baby, so she was particularly interested in those. 1998 throw back! (MINUS the straps I had to add to be in school dress code) I was thrilled she wanted to wear it. We made plans for hair, nails and make up and all the fun girlie stuff to happen that day. Nana brought over the old photo albums with the velvet dress pics and we laughed and laughed as we looked through my highschool days!  Sadly, at the last minute things fell apart, a fight happened, and the group going to the dance dissolved. As did sweet Destiny, in tears! Ugh, I hate that. We made chocolate, planned a movie night, gave lots of hugs.... At 9:10, she gets a text from the friend she was going with, Hey, can you please still come? Even if the other girls don't? We leapt into action, and without any hair or makeup help as planned, and had her ready in 30 minutes. We had to skip hair, but she made it in time to still enjoy the evening with her friend, Dominic.   I leave you with THIS. Oh my. What a treasure in time, tucked into that album! LOL My very bestest friend was going through beauty college and wanted to practice on my mane of hair, just adding a "few" blonde highlights. LOL! Needless to say, after the tears, it grew on me and I had a blonde summer before dying it all brown again.  You are welcome for the chuckle.
Until next time! :) Hugs, T Frostine says HI from COLD Kansas! :)   Our life sure isn't as exciting when we aren't on the road, but I will say, it's been so so nice to just be cozy at home. I think my heart is hurting as we approach the one year anniversary of my daddy's passing, (weekend before Christmas) and it's just good to BE STILL. Be near his final resting place. Try again, to have a "first" Christmas in our new apartment.
We've been keeping VERY busy with classes and business events at our place. I don't think we EVER expected to host out here this much!!!! AND we are hosting all 3 Christmas gatherings this year! I feel so grown up! ;) We loved finishing this apartment, and it has been such a joy to our hearts to have this place to come home to. In fact, Dale enjoyed the process so much, he talks about selling and doing it all again. Oh dear. Haha, know of anyone wanting a darling apartment with RV stall? ;) Super handy! Or RV stall could become finished space or woodworking shop! We have had so many people interested in this unique space.
After several late nights of classes, we woke up to sweet Avery making everyone eggs and pancakes for breakfast! That girl sure knows her way around a kitchen for 10 years old. She even made french press coffee for daddy!  In other FUN news, we sold our black and grey RV to our dear friends and doTERRA business partners, the Lawrences! We handed over the keys officially. Hope they love it as much as we did! 
Speaking of doTERRA, we decided to host a Christmas open house while we were home for Team Dorothy! Everyone pitched in to help make gifts and preparations for our guests. We even went up to Grandma's restaurant to get the tree set up for her AND for our party! Her place is only open during the day, so it makes for a LOVELY twinkly magical place to rent for evening events. 
 It took us two carloads to move up there and get set up, but it was magical and I think everyone had a really nice time. I tell you what, we have been getting the BEST mail lately! Our team and doTERRA family is just amazing! 
 Speaking of mail, I want to tell you about these canvases before I close. It's called Canvas On Demand, and I used to use them at our farm house for all my 4 seasons pics I took and swapped out seasonally.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! It is a massive 24x36 and is gorgeous and well done! I only paid $33!!!! ($276 list price) Woah baby. Link here SERIOUSLY, snag one. I had Pax stand beside it so you could see how big this is.... :) The 2nd one just showed up for our bedroom. It's not hung yet, but I think it will look nice here! It's a big enough wall that it doesn't look so massive, but it is HUGE! And for only $33 instead of nearly $300?! Total win!  More blogs to come soon, I am downloading pics now.
Much love, T |
Tonya Ferguson
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