Blog Button and Venison Bologna

I know I know, and these topics go together how?
My dear friend over at Treasure's From a Shoebox had asked me how I made my blog button, maybe most of you already know how. But just in case you don't, I found a great tutorial at this blog site Oikology 101. I had googled and searched for other tutorials and this was by far the easiest one I found. If you are a follower of Treasure's From a Shoebox, make sure you get her new button!



Are you married to a deer hunter? Or do you and your family love deer meat? I have a GREAT recipe for Venison bologna that is easy to make and so delicious. I have made it twice, and it gets eaten so quickly I wonder if I should go into business and market the stuff for a profit haha.

Tastes great with cheese and crackers!

4 lbs of deer burger (or hamburger or elk meat, just make sure it's lean)

1/4 cup tender quick salt

Mix above ingredients and let stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Next day add:

1 cup brown sugar (more or less according to your preference)

2 or 3 tablespoons Liquid Smoke

1 1/2 tablespoon Pepper

2 tablespoon Mustard Seed

1 tablespoon of both Onion and Garlic powder (optional) I do both

Mix together and shape into 4 rolls, 1 pound each. Bake for 2 hours at 250. Turn every 30 minutes while baking.

I found the Tender quick Salt at our local Bulk Foods store with the jerky making supplies.

New Button

I am going to be working on posting more often and have re-vamped my blog. I finished choosing the background and editing my header. Todays project was creating a new blog button. It's right over there to the right. Tell me what you think of it!

I have also added some of my favorite blogs, I wish they all had buttons too, but the ones who don't will be listed by their address.
Thanks for reading and I hope to post more in the future : )

Treasures of the Heart

Being a mom can be DRAINING.

Being a wife can be DEMANDING.

Being a christian can be TIME CONSUMING.

Being a female can be ANNOYING.

Ok, that sounds negative right? Well, these are things I have thought a time or two. Good or bad it's true. I realize these negative thoughts can rule my actions a determine how I live my day, how I go about my daily routines. How I execute the daily grind really shows what kind of person I am.

I have struggled for awhile to fit in my personal time with the Lord. I KNOW this is not something to neglect, but it is so easyt to! There was a time when I could not feel "free" to do anything else until I had had my morning devotions. That has long slipped away and I find myself too easily engaging in laundry, or dishes, or whatever before devotions.

As I have begun my blog, the leaness of my soul stood out starkly to me, especially while reading other blogs with deep spiritual content. I have a faithful husband, he reminds me, he asks me : Did you read your Bible today? If I find that question annoying you can clearly guess what the answer to it is. NO. The Lord has so clearly brought to my mind the verse For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34. Why would I get angry at him for asking me about my spiritual welfare? Because there was nothing going INTO my heart from God's Word. I have not been taking time to SLOW down and take in. Not just God's word, but Godly, christian books.

So I asked myself, "what have you been taking in?" Nodda. Nothing. I had been waking up, starting my day, murmuring a few prayers here and there and sparadically reading my Bible. Any other reading was zilch.

I have begun placing treasures in my heart. What I put in to my mind affects what I think and feel as a woman and a christian. If I watch the news, it's negative! If I spend a lot of time online and do nothing else, it is empty. Pretty soon my lack of Godly input makes itself known by a leaness of soul! I can feel it and sense it in every area of my life. That's when the first statements become so real to me.

Being a mom can be DRAINING.

Being a wife can be DEMANDING.

Being a christian can be TIME CONSUMING.

Being a female can be ANNOYING.

It is then I realize things HAVE to change! Let's try this:

Being a mom is the most rewarding job ever!

Being a wife is an honor and a blessing!

Being a christain is VITAL and Crucial!

Being a female is what God created me to be! (even the annoying parts)

I am laying up treasures in my heart. I am Guarding my heart, watching cloesly the things I allow to come in, and being careful what is allowed to come out. I know from experience though that when I take in what is right, the "out put" is much different!

New Picture

It began with making a new button for my blog. Then, my header didn't match. Then I messed up my background, accidently deleted it. I am waiting on the code from my friend who made it for me. So what started as a quick little project went into an all day endeavor, between all the mommy stuff I had to do that is.
So please, tell me what you think, hopefully it was worth it!

Another Reason to Blog

Seriously Now,
I do have a lot to say, and sometimes no one to say it to beside's God. And although He is a good listener He probably doesn't benefit too much from what I have to say. I have this strange notion that I might be able to help someone, and I know God certainly doesn't need any help, I mean He's God! So I choose to write about my thoughts, my life and things that interest me in the hopes that at some point it will give someone a little boost, a little hope, a little "I've been there too". It is also a way for me to journal, something I did for years as a young girl, but have not done much since becoming a mommy.


As the mother of 5 beautiful kids my life is busy and blessed. I won't be writing about great adventures about seeing the world, amazing vacations or my great accomplishments at a J.O.B. I will be sharing about what I consider the craziest roller-coaster adventure EVER, My life! It can be scarry, unsettling, heart-breaking, frustrating and a constant sacrifice. But I have found the benefits of love, warmth and a sense of belonging plus 5 little people that love me far out weigh ANY thing that may be perceived as negative or draining. My kids and husband are my life, and I love them with my life.


I am content, satisfied, thoroughly happy, and serenely at peace with my CHOICE.

The Real Deal

I want to be real. Not fake, not one thing to one person, and someone else with another person.

I want people to trust me, have confidence in me and know that I mean what I say, and that my words measure up with my life.

I am so aware that I handle peoples hearts every day. From the heart of my husband and children to the hearts of the people I come in contact with in any shape or form. When I tell people they need to do better, I want them to know that I need to do better myself. When I give advice, I want them to know it is from a heart of love, not judgement or from my opinions. When I come in contact with people, I want to leave them with their hearts feeling a little better, more encouraged, ready to face life...inspired.

When I think of all I want to do...all I need to live up to I sometimes get overwhelmed. I turn to HIM, the one who changed every heart He touched. Whether they aknowledged it or not...or even knew it or not. So my prayer for this week is, "God, make me REAL!" So when people think or see Crystal, all they see is Jesus!