Nana McGreal's Pumpkin Bread

We just returned from Boston for Thanksgiving. 

Imagine our delight when my Nana's Pumpkin Bread recipe was served by Aunt Elena.  I had no idea Nana had a pumpkin bread recipe.  My son Jay loooooovvves just about anything pumpkin. Well, so do most all of us.

And then we went to dinner at lifetime friends' Annette & Phil's house.  Annette not only made Pumpkin Bread too but it was the same recipe!!!!! NANA'S!! (Annette grew up next door to my Nana.)

So here for your pleasure, is my Nana's Pumpkin Bread recipe, brought to you by Aunt Elena and my friend Annette.  Thank you for preserving this family treat ladies!

Nana McGreal's Pumpkin Bread

3c sugar

4 eggs

1c salad oil

2/3 H20

1 can pumpkin pie mix

3 1/2 c sifted flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

• Beat first 5 ingredients. 

• Add dry & mix together.

• Bake @350 degrees 1 hour

(raisins? nuts?)

Beautiful Sunset

Just wanted to brag on the fantastic sunset this evening.  

This photo does it no justice, the colors were much more vibrant and full.  

Enjoy:

 

Operation Christmas Child

It's allover the blogs, allover facebook.  

I've never seen so much discussion as this year.  I'm talking about the Christmastime outreach project by Samaritan's Purse,  Operation Christmas Child.  

Samaritan's Purse was begun by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son. First time I heard about Samaritan's Purse was from our friend Dennis Agajanian who became involved early on in the ministry, way back before Operation Christmas Child even got started. I know he has been performing for Billy Graham Ministries and Crusades for years:

 (had Dennis' kids in Sunday School and later Youth Group back in the day).

Operation Christmas Child has been hand delivering gift boxes to children around the world since 1993 in over 100 countries.  

Not only providing gifts, but sharing the love and hope of Jesus Christ with these children.  

Won't you join in & fill a box or two or twelve with your children and your family for other children around the world?  It's a great way to start the Holidays, a great Holiday tradition. 

I've been filling boxes for the last 5 years.  My FCCLA kids started me on it... they'd done so since before I arrived at our school. 

Gift ideas include:

• Cars
  
• Trucks
  
• Small ball
  
• Teddy bear
  
• Finger puppet
  
• Jigsaw
  
• Yo-yo
  
• Balloons
  
• Small musical instrument
  
• Felt pens
  
• Pens
  
• Pencils

• Puzzle book
  
• Pencil case
  
• Stickers
  
• Toothbrush
  
• Toothpaste
  
• Gloves
  
• Scarf
  
• Sunglasses,
  
• Cap Rubber
  
• Colouring book
  
• Notepad
• Pencil sharpener

But don't delay, in order to get the boxes to the children in time for Christmas, we have to do our part way early.  Go to the Operation Christmas Child link at the top of the page to find the drop off location nearest you.  Drop off begins November 16 and ends November 23.

There is a small donation you'll need to include in the box to defray shipping costs.  See the website for information.

Children's Miracle Network

This week begins the Children's Miracle Network campaign for our FCCLA chapter. 

Children's Miracle Network was founded in 1983 by Marie Osmond ("Donny & Marie", "The Osmond Family") and John Schneider ("The Dukes of Hazzard" TV show) to raise money to buy expensive, specialized medical equipment for Children's Hospitals.

To date CMN has raised over 3.2 BILLION dollars and hosts a telethon each May. 

This year FCCLA has joined with Children's Miracle Network to form the DIG IT! Project.

Every year 17 million sick and injured children are treated thanks
to the 170 plus Children's Miracle Network hospitals across America. 

In 1993 while we still lived in San Diego, my eldest daughter was one of these children, requiring emergency brain surgery the second week of her freshman year of high school. Other children in our community have benefited from our CMN hospital, Freeman West in Joplin. some have been LifeFlighted to Children's Mercy in KC.

FCCLA will help Children’s Miracle Network in their endeavors to
insure that no child is turned away from the help they need,
regardless of their ability to pay. FCCLA will directly assist in saving
lives while partnering with the world’s largest nonprofit for children.

FCCLA's CMN campaign has its own special celebrity spokesman, Simon Curtis! Star of Nickelodeon's Spectacular! Simon was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 10.

And Monti Montanez, senior member of Menudo, has composed and sings a special song just for CMN, "My Dreams", featured in the video below. Additionally, members of Menudo will be visiting various CMN Hospitals throughout the year to further promote Children's Miracle Network.

There is more information about this special FCCLA DIG IT! Project.

So join in, get involved. Be Part of It!!!

H vs Baby J

Wii Resort:

Like a Rock!

I LLOOVVEEEEE to travel and explore new places.  

I have driven by Monument Valley in Arizona and close to Vermillion Cliffs National Monument but never really slowed down and driven through either.

In viewing some of the photos of the landscape I am intrigued by the special touches God's Hand has left and plan to make it a destination next time I drive that way..

 

Monument Valley ( flickr)

Isn't this breathtaking?  My, Oh My!

 

Vermillion Cluffs (naturesbestblog.com)

For some reason, I think a visit there will make me hungry! 

Hamburger anyone?

Historic National Road

This Summer as we traveled across country, we tried to hit a few out of the way, once in a lifetime spots along the way.  One of these was the Historic National Road. I read about it in the Atlas I had along.  Sure we were following Garmin's lead, but I still prefer maps and just as we were in Pennsyvania, I found that we were really close to a section of the Historic National Road known as "The Old Brick Road".  Way cool!!! 

The National Road was begun as the very first government funded highway system.  It started in Cumberland, Maryland and was planned to continue all the way to Jefferson City, Missouri.  Unfortunately, the funding ran out in Vandalia, Illinois.  But there are still sections that are marked and celebrated and we found one!

 

So off the Interstate we headed in search of this one mile section of bricked pavement.

The first section didn't have any buildings or homes.  

Then as we continued on the scenery opened up to the spectacular mountainous views and also homes old and new.

When the brick looped back around to the state hwy, we pulled a U-ey and did it again the other way.  It was fun and something to remember. If you have the opportunity to drive across this piece of history, go for it!