Here is a video that I took of the guys singing (I think I joined in here and there?) along to the movie the Sound of Music. We used to watch it together when we were younger and I think this made somewhere around the 15th time. This all started because we wanted to beat their mom's record of 20 times or something like that.

Anyway, I thought it was funny and I love my little brothers!

Christmas is almost here.....

Saturday night we got together with some of our really good long time friends. It was so nice to be able to get together with them and remember the years of fun we had together. Praise the Lord for friendships like these.

For old times sake mom once again made cinnamon rolls.

Here's a pic of the dough before she rolled it up.

And here they are after they were finished. Don't they look yummy? Don't worry they were. Is your mouth watering yet?

For dinner we had a french style meal that was good and fun.

The meal was of potatoes, sliced meat, cheese, and pickles. The potatoes that you see are boiled and then placed on the hot plate on top to stay warm. You then choose your meat and cheese and place them in you little tray which you set under the hot plate and electric coil to melt the cheese and warm the meat. Once it's ready you mash up your potato and slide you meat and cheese on top and enjoy!

I made up a game that was a white elephant gift exchange with a twist. Both of our dads ended up with the Christmas hats. Here's Santa and his little elf helper.

After the gift exchange we played Mafia and Balderdash.

So Merry Christmas everyone and I hope that you are have a blessed new year!

100th Post!!!

Drum roll please! It's my 100th Post! Wow, it sure has taken me awhile but the day has finally arrived.

I had a personal photo shoot this morning. And for those of you who are wondering, the bird is my friend, Flo. ( I told you Dani!)

This post has multiple purposes as you will see. One of those is to just show you what it looks like here in Iowa for those of you who aren't here. We had a snow storm yesterday and as a result today it's beautiful! I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!!!!!!!!!

I love the snow in contrast to the little crab apples!

My cute doggie, Levi. Winter is definitely his favorite time of year! I think you should have lived somewhere where there is snow most of the year.

And then, last week I had a party to go to so I decided to make Christmas cookies. It took quite awhile but I enjoyed doing it and being creative!

Some of the end results. They were good!

I guess I'll close up this post by first saying thank you to all the comments on my last post! Glad you enjoyed that recipe as well. And then I want to leave you with a quote that I might take the time to expound on later but not now.

We are so obsessed with doing that we have no time and no imagination left for being. As a result, men are valued not for what they are but for what they do or what they have- for their usefulness.

- Thomas Merton.

Bon Appetit!

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer to blog about this! Today as we were working, (because we tend to work on Saturdays here at the Baskerville household) mom was glancing through my Grandma's old cookbook when she came across a very interesting recipe. I got the biggest kit out of it and decided almost immediately I had to post about it. And Bekah has recently posted about a recipe that she likes and I know she has posted others in the past so I thought it was my turn:)

Can you guess? Okay so you probably did because of the pics. How to cook a raccoon! Gross!

I think this little guy agrees with me hence the tongue sticking out.

Please!!!!!!!!! Have mercy! I promise not to steal the dog and cat food anymore.

(a caption for the below photo)

Mr. Raccoon was tried and found guilty and faced his fate:

How to Cook a raccoon: (this is seriously what the cookbook says.)

Dress the raccoon and remove all the surface fat. Cover with cold water and add 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt, according to amount of meat and 1/2 to 1 pound of butter ( a substitute is not as good). Soak meat 1/2 hour or longer: drain off water. Cut off thighs, legs; and body into three parts. Place in large kettle. Cover with cold water containing the salt. Bring to boil state. Reduce heat, so meat simmers until tender; keep covered. Drain off the broth. When meat is done cool. Cut into serving pieces. Coat each serving with butter. Place in baking dish in oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes to one hour. Turn during baking. Keep covered with foil to prevent dryness.

This is my favorite part, (We preferred the cooking time in water to be done in a shed on the farm on a camp stove, because of the wild oder and then brought into the house for baking time.)

I guess you are suppose to then enjoy!!!!!!!!! Wow! My mouth is just watering for raccoon now, isn't yours? I don't know about you but I found that recipe highly amusing! (Sorry to all cute cuddly animal lovers :( Just remember raccoons aren't usually cute and cuddly but really can be nasty.

Heart against a thorn

This morning my mom was reading to me from a devotional call Streams of in the Desert by L.B. Cowman. At the end the devotional for yesterday there was a poem that Mom and I really enjoyed (that's saying something coming from two people who don't really like poetry). Anyway, please take the time to read this as I think you'll find it a blessing.

Once I heard a song of sweetness

As it filled the morning air,

Sounding in its blest completeness

Like a tender, pleading prayer:

And I sought to find the singer,

Where the wondrous song was borne:

And I found a bird, quite wounded,

Pinned down by a cruel thorn.

I have seen a soul in sadness,

While its wings with pain were furled,

Giving hope, and sheer, and gladness,

That should bless a weeping world

And I know that life of sweetness,

Was of pain and sorrow borne,

And a stricken soul was singing,

With its heart against a thorn.

You are told of One who loved you,

Of a Saviour crucified,

You are told of nails that held Him,

And a spear that pierced His side;

You are told of cruel scourging,

Of a Savior hearing scorn,

And He died for your salvation,

With His brow against a thorn.

You "are not above the Master."

Will you breathe a sweet refrain?

And His grace will be sufficient,

When your heart is pierced with pain.

Will you live to bless His loved ones,

Though your life be bruised and torn,

Like the bird that sang so sweetly,

With its heart against a thorn?