OMSI-Oregon Museum of Science and Industry…

 

The days of having all of our children and grandchildren here are swiftly coming to an end.

Youngest daughter flew back to her home in Kansas City this morning.

Second born daughter and her family leave to go back to South Carolina on Sunday to make final preparations before they leave for Ghana.

We’ve packed these days with them as full of fun and memories as we can.

Today we, (me, my daughter, her best friend and her 3 sons), took the grandbabies to the

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

It’s a fun, hands on learning environment for kids of all ages.

There is so much to see,

so much to do,

so much to learn about…

space…

magnetic force…

engineering and building…

how heavy real armor was…

water and boats…

playing connect four with robots!

These are just a few of the things we saw and did today.

This is the view of downtown Portland looking west from OMSI.

Visiting OMSI with my grandbabies was definitely a simple pleasure!

 

Still following,

Elizabeth

Baked oatmeal…who knew?

I first saw baked oatmeal on Tammy’s recipe blog.

I had never heard of baked oatmeal before, but it looked interesting, and a new fairly healthy breakfast idea is always welcome.

As I’ve said before, I think just about the only recipe I’ve ever made and followed exactly is

Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe. 

So, as usual,  I made some of my tweak’s to Tammy’s recipe for Baked Oatmeal.

Here’s what I did:

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup oat bran

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

2 lightly beaten eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Stir all of the above together.  Spread into a non-stick sprayed 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until crusty on top and golden on edges.

It is delicious for breakfast, served warm with a little milk or half and half on top.

The Hubs loved it!

 

Still following,

Elizabeth

 

My Oh My, Rhubarb-Blackberry Pie!

Fruit desserts are my favorite…

warm berry pie topped with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream,

or peach cobbler,

or apple crisp…

better than chocolate in my opinion!

My mama made pies that were both delicious and beautiful.

I am just not that good at pie baking.

Mama said I needed to have a “lighter hand” when handling pie dough.

Youngest daughter has Mama’s pie baking gift.

Today she made a rhubarb-blackberry pie.

It was not only pretty to look at but oh, so yummy!

For the crust she uses all butter flavored Crisco, not butter or a butter and shortening combination as some use.

She also goes easy on the salt in the crust and adds a bit of vanilla to the dough.

For the filling she used about 4 cups of rhubarb and 2 cups of blackberries, 1 1/3 cups sugar, 6 Tablespoons flour and about 1 Tablespoon butter.

The pie had just the right amount of sweet tartness.

Let’s just say it’s a good thing we have a house full of children and grandchildren right now so that there wasn’t enough pie for me to have seconds!

Still following,

Elizabeth

Who’s the boss?

It’s hard to know when they’re ready.

Seven years old is pretty young.

When he was visiting us in June only grandson insisted he was ready and wanted to be water baptized.

When he went back home to South Carolina he kept after his mama and daddy about it.

He could clearly articulate his reasons, “God is the Boss of my life and I want everyone to know it.”

They asked him to wait until they were back in Portland so Papa could baptize him.

Today was his big day.

There wasn’t one bit of shyness, nervousness, timidity as he stood and declared Whose he is.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little green journal.

#1304-#1321

-picking blackberries with my grandkids

-dinner with the whole family at my nephew’s

-ministering with my friend

-two precious days at the beach with all our children and grandchildren

-playing by and in the sea

-morning devotions on the back deck of the beach house

-the whole family playing together

-clam chowder!

-beautiful sunset

-deer almost close enough to touch!

-staying up late with my three daughters talking and laughing

-blue skies

-soft sand

-kite flying

-grandson’s water baptism

-another person from the apartments next to the church offices water baptized

-friends excited to go to Ghana and help our kids with some building projects

-a matinee with my daughters

 

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth

Come and see the works of God…

Oh how I love the sea!   While I love many other beautiful places, the sea is my most favorite place.  We just returned from a little beach getaway with all of our children and grandchildren.  The Oregon coast was more beautiful than ever.  What an Amazing Creator we serve!

Still following,

Elizabeth

Friday’s Favs…my favorite place, my favorite people…

A rented beach house plus all my sons-in law, daughters and grandbabies, the Hubs and I,

together under one roof for a couple of days equals my kind of happy. 

My favorite place by the sea, my favorite people…I’m thanking God for this special time together.

Gearhart, Oregon

collecting shells

oldest granddaughter

youngest granddaughter

my three girls…second born, oldest (almost 7 months pregnant), youngest

the Hubs and I and the grandbabies

youngest daughter

only grandson with a live starfish that washed ashore…

after the photo we waded in and returned the starfish to the sea

second born daughter and family

oldest daughter and family

me and the Hubs

 

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE and have a blessed weekend,

Elizabeth

Mickey Mouse…sort of…

 

Well it sort of looks like Mickey…

if Mickey was kind of creepy and terrifying.

But oldest granddaughter thought he was cute and delicious,

and that is a simple pleasure indeed!

                                      

Still following,

Elizabeth