cookie party ~ my favourite kind

 Cookies ...really is there any other comfort food that is so .....well comforting? There is nothing finer then splitting a warm cookie in half,as the chocolate drips onto your finger..waiting to be dipped into a wide glass of milk! I bet that homemaker in Massachusetts back in 1929 had no idea what she was about to do for all mankind when she accidental stumbled upon the chocolate chip cookie.... really just before the dirty 30's and the "crash," there was the chocolate chip cookie~ a little light before the darkness!

 My girlfriend Tasha, she could be one of those homemakers who invents the next "chocolate chip cookie", so she sends out an email inviting a few of her friends over. She will provide the dry ingredients, if we bring the wet and all the 'fun' stuff that makes cookies become unique. Already I love this idea, good friends, good laughs.......

                                    

 

 

good food and a bunch of cookie dough to bring home for our freezers..... oh ya that is my idea of a great 'cookie exchange' (we can bake them at our convenience)

Love this one of my butt.....I had an apron that covered all of me ...except my butt (ironically the apron was perfectly clean xoxo)~ yes that is MY hand print in flour

What you learn when you are not looking~

Blessings of Belonging to Relief Society: In keeping with the Relief Society’s motto, “Charity never faileth,” each sister is encouraged to develop and exercise the pure love of Christ in all aspects of her life. She is also encouraged to nurture and care for those in her family, her ward, and her community.


While I was called as the enrichment councilor in Relief Society, our bishop encouraged me to look outside of our traditional Relief Society meetings to encompass the true meaning of Charity Never Faileth. As I fasted and prayed about this task, an idea played out in my mind. The previous year we had made dinners for a local women's shelter, why not redecorate this same Women's Centre?
So in true Adrienne fashion I made it bigger then it had to be~ My original idea was to have two teams, and create a type of trading spaces year long theme. Each team would have a room to completely transform. They would have a head designer and access to a carpenter and a seamstress, they would also have a limited budget. The sisters would have the opportunity to learn several skills in mini classes we would hold throughout the months, including refinishing furniture, sewing,quilting,woodwork, reupolstering old finds from Sally Annes or Goodwill. Oh my mind was a buzz with the endless possibilities.
 After contacting the shelter and explaining to them our idea of redecorating a couple of their rooms (they were thrilled).We invited the Human resources Director of the Shelter to come and explain the history of this particular shelter. The evening started with a beautiful dinner that my friends Tasha and Shannon helped me create. The tables were decorated with white table clothes and diamond shape pieces of cloth in the middle with large bird houses. The colours were spring-like and uplifting.
As the project went on it became clear to me the importance of downsizing this idea.
In the end we had two evenings with a small group of beautiful women, who gathered together and created memories, shared their talents, laughed, ate and learned a few things in the process.(A big thank you to all the sisters who helped in any way,shape or form for this project)
I hope you enjoy these pictures a friend of mine took...

                                                            the book shelf before
                                                

                                                                  the book shelf after

                                 
         the computer room ~this ended up being the shelters favourite change, you can not really tell  by the angle of the shots but the room size looked like it doubled

                                           The Living room before

              Thank you Sister Smith ~the living room after ~ the toy box was also taken out and
                                               the excess toys donated to Goodwill

                                       Thank you Shannon and Kathy,Tasha and Jill
                                             the scalloped valences turned out great

                  The women kept saying how the shelter looked like a home and the women who
                 worked there said they could not believe what a transformation had taken place.

 These were so much fun to make ~Thank you Cassandra and Ang. ~the women at the shelter loved them and I taught them how to make their own ~their names in BOLD with positive descriptive words surrounding it. Our family actually did this for FHE to go along with the confrence talk What Have You Done with My Name?- Mervyn B. Arnold  We discussed with each of our children how we had chosen their names how they had been named after great men and women ~people we respected and honoured, people we had grown to love and who we hoped they too would emulate. We then discussed the name we shared PUDDICOMBE  and what we have tried to do to honour that name. We then came up with words that they thought would describe what Puddicombe stands for,words like hardworking,grateful,kind,faithful and compassionate

                                             




I found this quote and (just now) realized what Heavenly Father was trying to teach me throughout this experience.....sometimes traditional "charity" is NOT the obvious lesson we think we are being taught.

“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended. … Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other” (“The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign, May 1992, 18–19).

I am grateful for this lesson and for a loving Heavenly Father who knows how to stretch me in ways I could not see before!

Rhys's crafts

We have done a lot of crafts over the past 5 years with Rhys. We are finding the older he gets the more complex the craft time is getting....

          (There are a lot of pictures on our other laptop I will have to transfer them over so I can post them)

I can't believe this will be our last year with Rhys ~Grade 1 came to quickly to the life of this little boy and his caregiver xoxoxo

Jared turned 12

Jared has had the opportunity to receive the Aaronic priesthood.

He has been studying the books Jon has lent him. We were able to have a FHE, we dressed in our Sunday best and headed off to the chapel where Ian and Jon taught us the roles and responsibility of an Aaronic priesthood holder Jon also taught Jared how and where to pass the sacrament ~ including where to sit if you want to serve to a certain family or young lady ~ awe the secrets we do not know about!

Our bishop and dear friend encouraged Jared to memorize the 13th section of the Doctrine and Covenant which reads

Section 13

The ordination of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood along the bank of the Susquehanna River, near Harmony, Pennsylvania, 15 May 1829 (see History of the Church, 1:39–42). The ordination was done by the hands of an angel who announced himself as John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament. The angel explained that he was acting under the direction of Peter, James, and John, the ancient Apostles, who held the keys of the higher priesthood, which was called the Priesthood of Melchizedek. The promise was given to Joseph and Oliver that in due time the Priesthood of Melchizedek would be conferred upon them. (See section 27:7, 8, 12.)

The keys and powers of the Aaronic Priesthood are set forth.



1Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.



                                               

Definition and Purposes of the Aaronic PriesthoodThe priesthood is the power and authority of God. It is conferred upon worthy male members of the Church. Those who hold priesthood keys direct the administration of the ordinances of the gospel, the preaching of the gospel, and the government of the kingdom of God on the earth.

The Aaronic Priesthood holds “the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel; which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins” (D&C 84:26–27; see also D&C 13:1; 107:20). The Aaronic Priesthood also “has power in administering outward ordinances” (D&C 107:14).

For more information about the purposes of the priesthood and priesthood keys, see chapter 2.

8.1.1 Aaronic Priesthood Offices and Duties
The offices in the Aaronic Priesthood are deacon, teacher, priest, and bishop. Each priesthood office has rights and responsibilities of service, including authority to administer priesthood ordinances. For information about ordination to the offices of deacon, teacher, and priest, see 20.7.

Deacon
Worthy brethren may receive the Aaronic Priesthood and be ordained deacons when they are at least 12 years old. A deacon has the following responsibilities:

He lives a righteous life and remains worthy to exercise the priesthood. He sets a good example for fellow quorum members and other Church members.

He passes the sacrament (see 20.4.3).

He serves as a standing minister, “appointed to watch over the church” (D&C 84:111). He is also to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” (D&C 20:59). This responsibility includes fellowshipping quorum members and other young men, notifying members of Church meetings, speaking in meetings, sharing the gospel, and bearing testimony.

He assists the bishop in “administering … temporal things” (D&C 107:68). This responsibility may include gathering fast offerings, caring for the poor and needy, caring for the meetinghouse and grounds, and serving as a messenger for the bishop in Church meetings.

He participates in quorum instruction by being an active student of the gospel.

He assists the bishopric in other ways consistent with the office of a deacon. He also assists teachers “in all [their] duties in the church … if occasion requires” (D&C 20:57).
We are so very pleased with you Jared as you follow the footsteps of your older brother, father, uncles and grandfathers.

FHE

We have been inviting Ian's brother Mark and his twins over for Family Home Evening lately. He was not able to make it this last Monday night ~tis the season~ Too bad because he missed out on a great FHE dessert by Jared.

CREPES


Ingredients:


- 1 egg

- 3/4 cup milk

- 1/2 cup flour

- 2 tablespoon melted butter

- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- Vanilla (optional)


1- In a mixer or a blender add all ingredients except flour and blend well for 2 minutes.

2- Add the flour to the blender and pulse 7 times.

3- Pour the mixture in a bowl, cover and place it in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.

4- In a nonstick pan, add half cup of crepes, remove pan from heat and swirl it, so the batter coats the bottom of the pan. If you get holes in the crepe, pour small amount from the batter to cover the holes.

5- The batter will quickly dry, and the moment it looses its shine, turn it over.

6- When crepe has finished cooking, gently slide it out onto a plate
 
We added apple filling on the inside with powder sugar and whipping cream (also strawberries and blueberries for the garnish)
 
Yummy xoxoxoxo

Master Chef ~ Jon

Jon was in the kitchen cooking up a storm ~ He had invited our family over (Uncle Mark, Auntie Jo and the twins) for a feast of his creation..... but the flu hit our home,so he came up with plan B. He had to create a 'take- out' meal He and Ian delivered it to the Puddicombe home then returned to feed our family ~ I didn't actually get a bite, but from the sounds coming from the dining room (while I lay sick on the couch) He did a great job! ~Congratulations Jon It had colour, taste, variety,and All four food groups! `better then the top romon & mac n cheese usual ~things are looking up xoxoxo

                                 ~ He even set the little table for the twins

Jon received a call that evening....rave reviews from the guest of honour

Emma and Alyssa

These two girls have been best Friends for what seems like a lifetime~ They started off in Elementary school together (kindergarten), lived on the same street until 7 years ago...We thought for sure when we moved away to London the friendship would fizzle and disappear.
No chance...the girls would call each other on the phone or MSN one another, We would visit with Alyssa when we were down in Brampton and often while school was out; Christmas, March break and summer holidays we would pick up Alyssa & bring her back to London to spend a week or two with our family.
With their lives changing and the unknown future looming I wonder where they will end up ~Though something we do not wonder is if their friendship will last! To the future and the adventures it will bring!