Friday Night at the Carney House

We quickly learned that a small dot made by a marker ends the questions of what hand to use!

Afternoon nap

This afternoon while R was downstairs napping, S couldn't seem to be quiet so I set her up with some books on the couch. When I checked on her later, this is what I found.



Aren't fur friends great?

crazy kitty

We recently moved our stereo from inside the entertainment center to on top of it because we couldn't keep little fingers away from it. Now we have an entirely different issue.

Yummy peanut butter bars

1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons peanut butter

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Oh my gosh! These were super easy and fast! I was able to make these with kids underfoot in less than ten minutes, which included crushing the grahams! They were so good that they were gone in less time than it took to make them!

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School's in!

Oh my! It looks like I am in for an intense semester! My classes include:

English
The family in stress
Drug abuse prevention
Human behavior and the social environment
Philosophy
Animal diversity

Crazy, Crazy! A full eighteen credit hours! I may not be able to post as often as I like, but at least you will know what I am up to!

Frosty funny

Click on the comic to enlarge it!

The Extended Table

I was recently asked if Mark and I would ever live alone in our house. To some, this may seem like an odd question, but to those that know us, it makes perfect sense. You see, since we bought our house in 2005, we have not lived alone in it for more than a few months. We have been the home to strangers, family, friends and acquaintances. Sometimes these situations have worked out great. For example, we hope that the G family, who are living with us now, never leave. Others, we have had to ask to leave because of issues with their drug use, and the drama that they brought into the household. Every single person that has lived with us is someone that I have come to love and every night, my bedtime prayer includes best wishes for each and every one of those people.
For me, the extra bodies in our home over the years have represented the very core of homemaking. Love. Homemaking is a labor of love, just as opening your home to those less fortunate is. So, we set a few extra places at the dinner table, and love a few extra people. What more can you ask for?
Opening our home has also had other benefits for us. Sometimes we have benefited financially, sometimes we have struggled because of the extra expense. We have always been able to make it through, and I believe that that is because we have been willing to serve others in a way that was often best for them, and best for us.
So extend your table today, open your homes and your hearts to the joy of homemaking an open home.