Following Through

This past Sunday our youngest followed through in believer's baptism. This was a few years in the making. He had prayed to receive Christ as his personal Lord and Savior when he was six. Then,when he was nine during vacation bible school he went forward to make a public profession. He is a child that loves to perform with a group but does not like to be the center of attention. He didn't want to be baptized right away and we did not push him. We also were trying to figure out this new dynamic of spending a lot of time with the hubby's mother helping to care for her. Our pastor would ask me periodically if he was ready to be baptized and with the hubby's work schedule I just kept saying we didn't know when. This year he turned thirteen and is old enough to help teach in our church's vacation bible school. Our church has requirements to teach, you must be a member that has asked Jesus to be your personal Lord and savior and have followed through in baptism by immersion. You also need to attend our new member class to help you understand what our church's beliefs are and how we reach out to others to tell them about Jesus.

We attended his new member class on Saturday and told our pastor that he needed to be baptized. He asked if he'd like to do it the next day and he said yes. It totally surprised me because he had discussed with me about how nervous he was and concerned about being the center of attention. Then he said it's okay mom, our pastor explained everything. It's not about me, it's about following what Jesus did and showing others his death and resurrection through my baptism.

 If you declare with your mouth, 
“Jesus is Lord,” and 
believe in your heart that God 
raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 
Romans 10:9

 having been buried with him in baptism, 
in which you were also raised with him
 through your faith in the working of God, 
who raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12

and this water symbolizes baptism 
that now saves you also—not the removal 
of dirt from the body but the pledge of a 
clear conscience toward God. 
It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
1 Peter 3:21

Christmas goodies.

Every year a friend of mine from church and I exchange Christmas goodies. I always give her my English toffee and she gives us a gingerbread man and sometimes other goodies. I sent her this picture the day after she gave us these. I think we really liked them.

Last Vacation post

Here it is November and I am finally finishing our vacation posts. These last two are of some food you can only get (or it was originally made) in the small town where my aunt and uncle live. 

First up Sceamin' Mimi's. An ice cream shop that sells flavors like lavender along with traditional flavors. We took a walk down there one evening and that place was so busy. 

Totally worth the exercise and calories. 

Now this is my aunt's business. When I was little and we would visit I would watch her get ready to go to work in her dad's restaurant. We went to that restaurant often through the years. I loved the house dressing (made with anchovies) so yummy. As time went on her dad retired and the restaurant was no more but my aunt and her brother have kept the family food traditions going. First they had a deli for a few years a few towns away from where they live. Now they are distributing minestrone. While there I asked for some. It is available in gallon bags. There was no way I'd be able to eat a whole gallon during the few days we were there so my aunt opened one and gave me a jar of it. Yummy.

I am so glad that we were able to get out of town for a week. Especially since life can be hectic and I'm not sure when we will be able to go away again.

Another vacation post.

When I was growing up and we would go on vacation we always took the time to visit the small town cemetery where my maternal grandmother and several other family members are buried. 

Once I was married and my hubby came with me I was a little surprised when he said it was fun to go to the cemetery with my family. I have always loved to go because it is an adventure trying to remember where everyone is buried. I loved hearing my mom and her cousins 

speak about family members and the people they grew up with. 

Since we were close we set up a time to go and place flowers on all our family's graves.

The cemetery is at the end of a one lane winding road up a hill that has several houses on it.

The grandma's grave. There was a red rose bush planted here and that was one of the reasons we visited frequently to help keep it trimmed back and looking good. The grave stone has lost its footing a few times but it was looking good on this day.

My grandfather. 

My boys have only been to a cemetery once when their grandfather was interred.

 It was very hard for my youngest as we walked around.

Back down the hill and in town. This is a foot bridge but it used to be the bridge to come into town. See how narrow it is? I remember traveling over it to get to my cousin's house so scary especially when big trucks would need to cross too.

Biscuits and chocolate gravy

When I was a young teenager my next door neighbor asked me to ride with her to her mom's to pickup her kids and stay a few days. We drove the six hours and stayed with her mom. In the morning she made biscuits and chocolate gravy. I had never had chocolate gravy before. I was hooked but have been unable to have it until I saw this recipe on the food network.

Now I used canned biscuits but the gravy tastes exactly as I remember. So good and a once in a while indulgence.

Crazy Cake

My cousin from Let's Make Mud Pies posted a cake recipe and asked what our favorite was. I replied that Crazy cake was a favorite growing up and it's my favorite chocolate cake. She hadn't heard of it and I promised I would write a post about it.

Here's the recipe:

3 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
6 to 8 Tbsp Cocoa powder
2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Vinegar
2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Oil
2 cups Water

 In a large bowl sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt

 Make three wells in the mixture.

 In a separate bowl pour in but do not mix vinegar, oil and vanilla. Pour into wells. Pour water overall and  beat by hand. Do not use mixer. Pour into greased and floured pan.

 Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until tests done with toothpick.

It comes out almost black and the top is a little firm. Oh so yummy.

Sonoma County Fair

Growing up we visited the fair as often as we could. It was always a great adventure for me because my mom would let me go off with my two girl cousins and meet at designated times for a meal. This was before cellular phones and we always knew we could find our moms hanging out near the pavilion and the food under the shade enjoying the free music.

This time we went just us four - the hubby, me and the boys. Hubby and the youngest loved the tilt a whirl.

I was excited to find my favorite foods a cinnamon roll and a combination plate from the mexican  food vendor.

The hall of flowers is always amazing. It is best to go the first week because towards the end the flowers start to die.