Alicia Daniel – Page 2 – Allyson Daniel

February 14, 2015

Happy Valentines Day

Well I have learned something else. I have to do this for ME and not for my children. My children will benefit from it as much if not more than I will. Today is Valentines Day. The day you show your loved ones that you love them. Well of course I got my children valentines cards and candy but I also bought myself some flowers to she myself that I am loved too.

You know what? It actually felt good to buy myself something like flowers. I look at them and picture myself as one of the buds on them. A bud is nothing but a green object and you have no idea of the beauty that will come from within. Right now I’m a bud. Once I work a little more, I’ll begin to open up and start showing the beautiful flower within. I don’t know if I’m a dandelion or a rose yet but in time, I will. Even a weed can produce a beautiful flower and right now, I feel more like a weed than a rose bush but even something as beautiful as a rose has thorns.

January 1, 2015

New Years not starting off good at all

I just got a phone call from the hospital. It seems that Papa Charlie is in the hospital. I didn’t know he was sick at all. He never let on that there was anything wrong with him at all. He was always so happy. He has cancer. He’s dying and we never knew.

The children are all so upset because they know that without Papa Charlie, this Christmas wouldn’t have been nearly as good and I don’t mean just the presents. Papa Charlie brought joy to Christmas with him. He brought life to Christmas and the whole time, he was losing his own. Life just isn’t fair sometimes.

I hope and pray that he will get better and come home again. I hope and pray that if he doesn’t, at least maybe we gave him what he gave us for Christmas and that was family and joy. Prayer helps and I will be on my knees praying for Papa Charlie with my children beside me.

December 24, 2014

Christmas Eve at last

The children and I always go to my mothers on Christmas eve for dinner and to open presents there. It’s the day my children have looked forward to since Thanksgiving. Santa comes tonight and they are all excited to see what is in their presents and what Santa has brought.

This year, Charlie, their adopted grandpa will join us at my mothers. He has been a blessing to us. He tells me that we have been more of a blessing to him than he could ever be to us because through us, we have given him Christmas back. That’s a wonderful thing for him to say. He is spoiling the kids something awful but that’s part of what Christmas is for, spoiling the children.

It’s also a day to reflect on what the season is really for. We always have a birthday cake for Christmas day so we can celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. I want them to always know that Christmas is not just about toys and stuff. It’s about salvation. Salvation of our soul and salvation of our lives that we live today. Does that make any sense to you? I hope so. Because that’s my Christmas wish for each of you that has visited my blog, the joy and wonder of the birth of Jesus Christ and a joy filled Christmas.

December 19, 2014

Are you finished yet?

I know so many people that keep telling me they’re finished with all of their Christmas shopping. How can that be? I’m not even half finished yet. I know that Christmas is just around the corner but it’s kind of hard to go shopping when you have to work the stupid hours I do and then try and get away from the kids too. Well it’s next to impossible.

I got the Wii for them and a couple other little things but I need a boys bicycle, a girls bicycle and a skateboard too. Then there’s helmets for all three and knee and elbow pads to go with the skateboard. There just aren’t enough hours in a day or dollars in my purse either!! I’ll just be glad when it’s all over.

Bah-Humbug, HUH? I’m sorry!! I’m just stressed and really tired. I need a long winters nap. How about you wake me when it’s over, does that sound better?

December 13, 2014

Putting up the tree this weekend

The kids have been bugging me like crazy wanting to put our Christmas tree up. I just haven’t had any time with all the overtime I have been working to be able to buy the kids Christmas presents this year. I am so thankful that I still have my job because I know so many people that have lost their jobs lately it’s scary.

Anyway, I had this weekend off (an act of God made that happen) and we’re finally putting up our tree. My mother got us a really nice artificial tree one year after Christmas so I wouldn’t have to spend money on a live on every year. Besides, it just doesn’t feel right to me to kill a tree to honor the birth of Jesus Christ. Do you know what I’m saying?

Now once we get the tree up, the kids are going to be asking where the presents are. I got to start working on that too. What to get for who for under the tree. There’s always clothes and underwear. They hate to get that!!!!

December 7, 2014

You are not going to believe this

I got a great deal on a Wii for my children for Christmas. I was on Craigslist and someone had a new one they had bought for their teen-aged son and he just really messed up so they sold it to me for $25.00. I was totally shocked since these things cost at the cheapest I’ve seen $235.00.

I didn’t want to ask them what he did but it must have been pretty bad. I really dread when my kids hit those teen-aged years. My oldest is a teenager but my mother is raising him so she has most of the headaches with that. I remember my teenage years, especially since I had my first at barely 16 years old.

Anyway back to my excitement. Now I can ask other people to get them some of the really cool games they have for them. It came with a couple of games too. So the whole thing was just nothing short of a blessing for my children and me. I just hate that it took a teenager messing up for my kids to benefit. I honestly hope and pray that what ever it was he did, that he learned a good lesson from it and will be a good boy from now on.

December 1, 2014

I’m still stuffed

Well this had to be one of the best Thanksgivings I can remember. The children were all here with me, we have a new family friend that joined us too, and the rest of the family all gathered at Ma-maw’s house through out the day. Some came for dinner and some just for desert. It was wonderful.

The kids stayed with Ma maw so I could hit the sales Friday. I really saved some money and got most of my shopping done too. I got one of my sons a remote controlled dragon fly. He’s going to love it. I got my oldest son a ‘boom box’ I guess they still call them but this one is remote controlled and he can plug his MP3 player into it and play it through it. Pretty cool I thought.

My daughter is in love with the movie Frozen so I got her several things related to that. I know she’ll be thrilled with them. I’m not finished shopping yet but I’m getting close.

November 26, 2014

Let the cooking begin!!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We’re all getting together at my mother’s house for dinner. Well we’re supposed to meet around 2:00 but I’m sure some won’t be there until around 3:30. My family has a habit of being late. It’s almost a family tradition!!

Yes we are even inviting my childrens new ‘adoptive grandfather’ Charlie too. He’s bringing the turkey. I’m making a carrot cake and everyone else has a dish they are too bring. I love carrot cake and have a recipe my great-grandmother gave me a long time ago. It’s the best carrot cake ever. In fact, here’s the recipe:

Carrot Cake

2 cups grated carrots
1 small can of crushed pineapple not drained
1 1/2 cups Wesson oil (doesn’t have to be Wesson oil)
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (may use 2 if desired but I use 1)
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Cream oil and sugar together. Add Carrots, pineapple and nuts. Add eggs one
at a time and beat well. Add dry ingredients sifted together.

Bake in 3 layers at 350 degrees approximately 45 minutes or until done by
sticking a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Frosting for Carrot Cake

1 8 ounce package of creamed cheese
1 stick of margarine
1 box of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of chopped pecans

Have cheese and margarine soft. Set out of refrigerator a few hours.
Use electric mixer to mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts.

Put in refrigerator after you frost it to make it set better after frosting.

Enjoy!!!!

November 17, 2014

Excited

I love holidays and getting together with the family. I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year and cannot wait for the day to arrive. There are a few things I can get done and out of the way early, but the rest will begin on the morning of. I hope that everyone shows up, as I know that many of them have more than one place to stop at in their travels.

I prefer to stay at home anyway, so cooking doesn’t bother me at all. Plus, I have the added bonus of not having to really cook for days afterwards because there are so many left overs. There is nothing better than turkey sandwiches and such. I think I will start on a couple of the pies tomorrow. That will keep me busy anyway, what with all the cleaning I have to do. Time to get all of the laundry done today, so I won’t have to mess with it later. Have a great day!

November 11, 2014

Veterans Day

I’m not that close to my family and am not sure how many people within my family have served in the military but today is the day to honor those that are veterans. There’s a local steak house that gives a free meal to all veterans that come in. It’s amazing to see the range of ages of these that served.

In this time of two wars, it’s easy to thank a veteran but there aren’t many left from WWII. I hope they know how much our country appreciated them. They fought one of the worst wars our country was ever in. They fought for people around the world that couldn’t fight for themselves, the Jews.

Let’s all make sure to thank a veteran today. If you don’t know one personally, it doesn’t matter, find one. Just look on their cars and you’ll see a Marine Corps sticker or maybe a ‘Retired Army’ sticker. Go up and tell them ‘Thank you for what you did for me and my family’ and shake their hand. They deserve to stand tall today and every day.

My children wanted me to put this picture on to honor the soldiers so this is from my children.