Procrastination Friday

Do I have time to write a blog post? Nope! What am I doing? I am procrastinating. I have two "papers" to write, but then I have to record myself presenting them. I have my ideas for both, but I have a headache that neither motrin nor tylenol nor peppermint oil has affected. Actually, they have knocked the edge off, but it is still there . . so I think I'll write a blog post.

On Tuesday night, we hosted our weekly group of Young Adults and we celebrated Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday or the last day of Mardi Gras. You choose! I made TONS of pancakes. I cooked 1 pound of bacon and Mark cooked 3 pounds. I made sausage squares. We had cookies and king cake for dessert.

I even decorated a little.

I had beads and candy and moon pies on the table and one of the young men went to Mobile over the weekend and brought a huge bag of beads from the parade (to share). Just FYI, New Orleans is not the original King of the Mardi Gras. Mobile, Alabama, is recognized as the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the United States, with the first organized celebration held in 1703, more than a decade before New Orleans was founded. Founded by French settlers in 1702, Mobile brought the tradition to the area, starting the oldest official Carnival celebration in the U.S. I have given you a fun fact to know and tell! haha!

I love Gerbera Daisies!

Here is one pan of the sausage squares. I made two pans. It is such an easy recipe and soooo delicious! You brown 1 pound regular breakfast sausage (I like Jimmy Dean) and one pound hot breakfast sausage (also Jimmy Dean). When meat is no longer pink, drain the fat. There will be a LOT of fat. Put meat back in skillet and put two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese in the skillet. Stir until melted and mixed well with sausage. Spray a pan (9 X 13) with Pam and place one roll of Pillsbury crescent roll sheet on bottom of pan. Spoon meat/cream cheese on top and smooth out to the edges. Place second roll of Pillsbury crescent roll sheet on top. If you can't get the "sheets," buy the roll of crescent rolls and smush the seams together. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and until filling is hot and bubbly.

Wednesday was Ash Wednesday and I talked a little about Ash Wednesday on our Hodgepodge post. Here are some photos from the worship service. It is SUCH A POWERFUL service.

In the photo below, the couple in the bottom right corner of the photo - see them? That is Mark's identical twin brother and his wife! George has a beard and Mark doesn't and many people still confuse them.

Below is my boss, pastor, friend, co-worker. He is an amazing preacher and pastor.

We all went forward and had the sign of the cross placed on our foreheads. All of our pastors participated. Imposition of ashes is not a sacrament, so even a lay person can do it, but we have lots of pastors on staff.

I snapped the photo below in the car after the service.

On Thursday, we had several special guests with us. We travel with EO - Educational Opportunities and Brian and I have been to Israel/Palestine 4 times together. The Mayor of Bethlehem came to visit us. He shared about the unemployment rate in Palestine and how the people are suffering. The unemployment rate is soaring and they are not allocated enough water per household. Did you know that by law, 17 Palestinian cities must have a Christian mayor and a majority of Christians on their city councils? In 2020 and again in 2023, we were blessed to eat dinner in a Palestinian Christian family's home - a meal cooked by them and served by them. The conversations were rich. Just let me say that sometimes what we hear on mainstream TV . . . is not the way things really are.

Maher Canawati, mayor of THE Bethlehem and Brian Erickson, Senior Pastor at Trinity UMC Homewood, AL

I love this hug photo!

He presented a gift to Brian and he brought all of us

a small Olive Wood cross from Bethlehem

Here is the gift he gave to Brian

I cannot make this photo turn right side up and with this headache . . . Below is a specialized, symbolic medal. It consists of two side pieces made of olive wood from the roof of the Church of the Nativity, surrounding a large central "coin" featuring a mosaic from the original Basilica. The side pieces look like the space where you kneel down in the Church of the Nativity. (I've posted a stock photo of the medallion in the church below)

See how the side pieces are similar!

Anyway . . .I still have the headache. Pollen is beginning its fun for the season - the trees are all having sex this week (that is a phrase a friend's husband says and it is so true). I might need to take a 20 minute snooze to see if that helps!

I hope you are having a great Friday!

Sweet and Colorful Hodgepodge

 

I wasn't able to join in the Hodgepodge last week, but here we are in a new week!

1. The Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? Will you be giving something up or adding something to your life in this Lenten season? You might remember that I work in a church? We have "drive through" ashes from 6:30 - 8:00 a.m. They drive up, ashes are imposed, a prayer is said . . .and off they go. We also have a full worship service at 6:00 p.m. and it is a very meaningful service. I don't know if I will give up something or take on something this year. I'm still praying about it.

2. Pancakes...are you a fan? Syrup or no syrup? Plain, blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, or some other add in? Are pancakes on your menu this week? Pancakes are on our Tuesday night Young Adult menu -- Fat Tuesday! We will have pancakes, bacon, and sausage squares. Yes - I enjoy sugar free syrup, but will have regular for the young adults. I like pancakes plain (I usually make our personal ones with Kodiak so it ups the protein) or with blueberries or chocolate chips. Yum!

3. Tell us about a time recently when you felt 'spread too thin'. Today? Everyday? This semester is really stretching me. Enough said.

4. What's your favorite jewel or gemstone? In terms of your wardrobe would we find more gem tones, pastels, black and white, or primary colors? I love pearls. Do they count? I also love diamonds! Many years ago I had a really pretty sapphire ring that I loved. Regarding clothing, I like bright blue, green, orange, red, bright pink, actually lots of shades of pink. I used to wear mostly black, red, and white. As I've aged, I've become more colorful!

5. What responsibility do you think is hardest about being in charge? This is too funny that you ask this question. We've had to take a million assessments in the Human Behavior in Organizations class. Some of the assessments have been about leadership roles. One of the things I don't like about being in charge . . . I hate hard talks - like when you need to tell someone they need to do a better job, etc. Also, when you are in charge . . .the buck stops with you!

6. Insert your own random thought here. We are having more spring like weather here today. The high was 70 on Monday. On Thursday, the high will be 78!! What is the weather forecast where you live?

Ridiculously Long Catch Up Post

This post contains A LOT of photos. I haven't done a weekend in review in a while and this is over the course of several weeks and weekends. 

Mark and his twin brother went hunting a few weekends ago. Mark killed one. . .

and then made sausage . . .

We went to dinner at Real and Rosemary with our friends (no photos) and then we went to the Homewood Theater to see a cute show.

I had to do a DAYC-2 assessment on a child under 5 years old (for one of my classes) and my co-worker very graciously allowed me to come to their home. I took a few props!

Last Tuesday, immediately following Director's meeting, my co-workers did sidewalk art! I had on a dress that day and there was no way I was going to bend over the sidewalk to draw haha!

Their art looked amazing.

I ordered Mixtiles from our October trip and hung them upstairs. I have lots of travel photos on the walls of this upstairs hallway.

This side of the hallway has some photos in regular frames.

Mark picked up our oldest granddaughter after school on Friday and she came over to spend the night. The first thing we did was use air pumps to blow up this monstrous jester hat!

We also went across the street to the park for some swing time. I was in the swing beside her.

On Saturday morning, we decorated our golf cart for the Mardi Gras parade.

We both have squinty eyes in this photo! I ordered matching shirts from Amazon!

Line up for the parade was at 11:00 in front of the town hall. I think Mark snapped this photo.

Our neighbor and her dog and grandkids were so cute! Look at the jester hat on the dog!

Another neighbor snapped this photo of us while we were waiting to roll.

Mark was the designated driver while Emma and I were throwing moon pies, beads, and candy.

I am evidently yelling at one of the neighbors - my mouth is wide open!!

This was our cart with the fringe blowing in the breeze.

We had over 20 golf carts this year which was exciting!!

The Amazon delivery driver was stuck for a few minutes!!

After the parade, we headed back to Townhall for the after party. One neighbor had decorated the tables - Lovely!!

In Emma's kidpack, there were all sorts of goodies including a cool mask!

We had a food truck (tent), live music, amazing door prizes, king cake cupcakes, bread pudding, and more.

In order to win a doorprize, they drew your name and then you had to spin the wheel. If the space was blank, you had to sing for another turn.

Our golf cart won second place for best decorations - we never could figure out which golf cart beat us! For second place we won a $50 gift card to Walk-Ons.

I won one of the big doorprizes - the bag had hurricane mix, hurricane glasses, moonpies, masks, a gift card for ice cream, a mini king cake, and more! Thank goodness - I didn't have to sing!!

The mini king cake was so cute!

We sat with our friends - cute pic of Mark, Dave, and our granddaughter!

Here is one of Lu, our granddaughter, and me!

It was a fun day!

I worked the Welcome desk on Sunday and taught a large group in Sunday School. One of the younger classes met with us and it is always so fun to have multi-generational!

After church we had family lunch at our house and enjoyed being with everyone.

We crashed afterwards and took a 30 minute nap. I made two pies for my friend's birthday and we both exercised and I did some homework . . .

and now a new week is here!