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How Do We School (part 2)

2012-01-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

Part 2 of How do we school:
Just another little bit about how we do things here at the Barker house. Starting with what a typical day at home looks like, and in parenthesis how that day translates into "schoolwork".

6am: kids get up and start the day, they get dressed, brush teeth, and all that good stuff.

7am:   Breakfast

8am: Chores (home ec)

9am:    A few days a week we do bible time together (history, bible)

10am: The kids like to watch PBS we've recorded
           Sid the Science Kid ( science lessons 30 mins)
        reading shows (reading 30 mins)

11am: Kids play with dice, or the abacus and do random math. (mathmatics 30mins)

1130am: Lunchtime

1230pm: worksheets... I do have curriculum, workbooks, textbooks, and a variety of things of this nature. Most days around noon the kids elect to sit at the table and work in this material. They do math worksheets, language workbooks, read library books. So whatever subjects they might be tinkering with that day I write down how long and what they did (Math, language, reading, science, history 1hour) We sit down and do this stuff together many times or if they are working independently they come to me if they need help.

1:30pm: Legos (math, logic 1hr) or at least once a week we do an arts and craft project together.

2:30pm: Watching T.V. the kids love history channel, discovery, and animal planet (history, science 1hr)

3:30pm: Dad is home and they do chores with him. (agriculture, science, economics 1hr.)

5:30pm: Dinner

6:30pm: Baths

7:30pm: Story time (reading and reading comprehenssion 1hr.) We read picture books then we read from a novel 1 chapter a night.

8:30pm: Kids in room. They don't have to sleep, they have t.v in room, or they play quietly, but everyone usually falls asleep on their own by at least 10pm.

If I had to report our time and work to the state (which we don't in Idaho) I could easily report 6 1/2 hours of school time in the subjects of mathematics, reading, language and grammar studies, science, history, home economics, arts and crafts, agriculture, and soon in foreign language studies and music. (the kids have requested to learn a new language and I they have asked for instruments so we can all play and sing together. I do not have to keep record of their learning in this state, but for our own benefit and because laws do change I do keep a log now, and save many worksheets and examples of work they are doing, as well as taking pictures of them doing crafts or playing.

It might not look like a lot because they are not sitting down with a strict regimen but our days are incredibly full. Like I noted, we only do lessons 3 days a week, so many weeks that 1230pm slot is filled with random play, movies, outside fun, or video games. On Fridays we go to the public library. Any other day of the week we do whatever we want. Sometimes our "off" days are still very rich in educational stuff, others we play mario all day long.

We take vacation times like other kids do as well. No schoolish stuff on the week of a birthday, from Thanksgiving week - New Years Day for the holiday season, the week of Easter, and the entire month of July.

We are not "radical unschoolers", we do use curriculum for language and a variety of workbooks,games, and programs for math. I try to do "lessons" with them 3 days a week but that's not written in stone. I do teach them the basics like letter, phonics, reading, spelling language, and grammar, mathematics. I do not however expect them to learn anything at any age or in any time frame. I know that by the time they reach 16 years of age they should know certain things, and we'll get it all in by then one way or another, but I won't drill them with alphabet practice, sight words, or phonographs from age 5 up. I won't even start working with them until they are 6-7 years old, or until they show a genuine interest. I am in no hurry to get the grown up, so the longer they just play and have fun like kids should the better.

Looking at how things are now I estimate that each of them will and probably be ready to take the GED test (should they want to) by the time they turn 16 instead of graduating at 18 as is the norm. In reality almost all the homeschooling kids I've ever met are academically ready to start college by the time they are 16 years old.

Happy Hearts Day

2012-01-27T19:48:00.000-08:00

We just adore Valentines Day her at the Barker house.

l'amour est dans l'air

And we have started decorating a little early this year. The children did a stained glass hearts craft that we hung from our dining room window. It is really pretty when the sun shines through in the morning. It was fun and simple using crayon shavings, wax paper, and an iron. For directions check out this awesome blog.

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS.

Year of the Dragon....

2012-01-27T19:40:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year 2012, was so much fun to celebrate with the kids. We made a feast of fried rice, homemade egg rolls, homemade fortune cookies, and mandarin chicken. We decorated the dining room with paper chain dragons and paper lanterns, and watched a subtitled animation on the legend of the the demon Nian. The kids learned a great deal about china and it just increased their interest in other world cultures. Here are a few pics of out crafts.

How do we school?

2012-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

We have become very comfortable with our children being home. As we have finally shaken allot of the public schooling out of our systems, it is becoming more and more apparent that I am not schooling my children the way most children are being schooled. Our homeschooling journey has been a bumpy one, but these last few months have been pretty smooth sailing because I have really found my groove. The dear Lord has given me a vision for my children, and formal schooling isn't a part of it.

We are doing things a little bit left of the status quo. I know that in sharing we will receive criticism...life is full of critics. I'm okay with that. I'd like to share a little bit of what "education" looks like at our house. When you think of homeschooling you may envision a group of kids in a hand-spun classroom, or sitting around a dining room table, mom up front reading out spelling words, kids hard at work in workbooks, with shelves of textbooks and curriculum nearby. Well, at our house that is no long what you will find. We are unschooling. We do not adhere to a formal educational guideline. Our children are free to learn as they lead, to pursue their interests at whatever speed they feel comfortable. We've ditched formal schooling and have embraced natural learning.

I couldn't get comfortable playing the role of "teacher", and I have never been comfortable with sending my kids off to a school for someone else to teach them. I have always felt convicted that I was meant to be the one to facilitate my children's educations. We've taken them in and out of public school, and have formally homeschooled with not so great results. Then in April of 2011 I ran across something called "unschooling". It made perfect sense to me, to provide my children with a rich and stimulating learning environment and then just let them learn. No drilling, no pushing, no schedules, no grade levels, standardized tests, pop quizzes, pressure to perform, none of it. My kids are now learning as they lead. We do have some curriculum but my concern for when and how they complete it is not there. When they are ready to learn about grammar, they will. We no longer do grade levels. There is no such thing as 3rd grader in my house. I try to stay away from the labels placed on them by an outside educational system. It just isn't necessary, and it breeds needless competition, and frustration.

Don't get me wrong...we aren't doing "nothing". We are doing allot of things. My kids know what a noun and a verb is, how to do fractions, and are quite interested in U.S. History right now, but they are not being forced to learn these things. They are not sitting down 5 days a week with a strict schedule. Nobody is trying to put in a set number of hours. There are no start dates or deadlines. My 8 year old who would be in 3rd grade is doing what would be considered to be 5th grade mathematics. My 7 year old who would be in 2nd grade, is just really starting to read. My 4 year old is doing what would be considered 1st grade math, and learning to recognize letters. Yet they don't realize where they are at comparatively because for us it has become unimportant to know. I do not burden myself wondering what is going on in the big brick schoolhouse down the road, the children in those walls are not my children. My children are here at home, and I am concerned only with what they are learning.

All children learn differently. A "one size fits all" educational system is failing. Even in my home I have noticed that each of my children have different learning styles. I could not sit down and teach grammar and mathematics lessons in the same way to each of my children, some would take to it, others would only grow agitated and confused. I have book learners, and tactile learners. I have a daughter who just loves schoolwork, workbooks, text books, and she even assigns herself reports and projects. I also have a 7 year old who would stare at a math worksheets in a state of confusion, but can break down a recipe using fractions like it's nobodies business.

Even my 4 year old is learning differently than her siblings. You see, the only child I have thus far who would strive in a traditional school setting is my oldest, but she could not get past the bullying and the social drama. There just isn't a "one size fits all" solution for education in this country, and I feel blessed that I have the freedom to bust my kids out of the box and let them explore.

As I am enjoying blogging more and more, I plan to share some of our days with all of you. Please feel free to ask questions if you have any. I'd love to do a Q&A post at some point. You can email any questions you have to puddleybug@gmail.com title your message "unschooling Q&A"

The following is taken from http://www.holtgws.com/whatisunschoolin.html

" What Is Unschooling?

This is also known as interest driven, child-led, natural, organic, eclectic, or self-directed learning. Lately, the term "unschooling" has come to be associated with the type of homeschooling that doesn't use a fixed curriculum. When pressed, I define unschooling as allowing children as much freedom to learn in the world, as their parents can comfortably bear. The advantage of this method is that it doesn't require you, the parent, to become someone else, i.e. a professional teacher pouring knowledge into child-vessels on a planned basis. Instead you live and learn together, pursuing questions and interests as they arise and using conventional schooling on an "on demand" basis, if at all. This is the way we learn before going to school and the way we learn when we leave school and enter the world of work. So, for instance, a young child's interest in hot rods can lead him to a study of how the engine works (science), how and when the car was built (history and business), who built and designed the car (biography), etc. Certainly these interests can lead to reading texts, taking courses, or doing projects, but the important difference is that these activities were chosen and engaged in freely by the learner. They were not dictated to the learner through curricular mandate to be done at a specific time and place, though parents with a more hands-on approach to unschooling certainly can influence and guide their children's choices.

Unschooling, for lack of a better term (until people start to accept living as part and parcel of learning), is the natural way to learn. However, this does not mean unschoolers do not take traditional classes or use curricular materials when the student, or parents and children together, decide that this is how they want to do it. Learning to read or do quadratic equations are not "natural" processes, but unschoolers nonetheless learn them when it makes sense to them to do so, not because they have reached a certain age or are compelled to do so by arbitrary authority. Therefore it isn't unusual to find unschoolers who are barely eight-years-old studying astronomy or who are ten-years-old and just learning to read."

Nature Deficit Disorder and Me

2012-01-14T05:21:00.000-08:00

The view from my house

Ican’t stand being outdoors. I know it’s crazy right? I get seriously anxiousabout being outside. I don’t like nature…I really can’t stand it. It’s dirtyand unpredictable. I don’t like camping, hiking, or even just playing outsidein the yard. I spend my summers in the house watching the kids play in the yardfrom the window, and this have never bothered me until now.

Irealized just about a month ago, that I have a serious problem. I’ve shutmyself inside like a declawed indoor cat and have lost all my outdoor instinct.I have 6 kids and I should be out there with them. An internet search for ideasof what to do outside led me to a website that was very useful.

http://www.education.com/topic/nature-deficit-disorder/

Sowhat do I do now?

Iguess I bite the bullet, put on a jacket and go outside. That sounds reallyeasy doesn’t it? Well, not if you really are uncomfortable out there. I can beoutside for about 10-15 minutes then I start getting really uncomfortable. Iget anxious, and cranky. I want to run for the house and get back inside.

AndI have no idea what to do when I am out there? I sort of just stand in one spotin a very defensive stance. I fold my arms and stand there as though I’mavoiding getting any nature on me.

Ibrought the topic up with my husband and he said “yup, I always knew there wassomething wrong with you.” He is an outdoor lover. He hates being cooped upinside, whereas I feel safe and happy indoors and threatened outside. He hikes,skis, runs, and works outside every chance he gets. He’s always tried to coaxme outside and on the rare occasion that I go out into the yard and sit withhim, he is just tickled. The kids will jump up and down… “look, it’s mommy. She’soutside with us” they will yell, and I never realized what a big deal it is whenI do come outside. I didn’t realize until just recently that I don’t gooutside.

Soover the course of this new year I am going to be working on this littleproblem I have, and keeping you all posted about how it is going. We’ll see,and hopefully I can learn to enjoy Gods beautiful creation.

What is NatureDeficit Disorder?

A lack ofroutine contact with nature may result in stunted academic and developmentalgrowth. This unwanted side-effect of the electronic age iscalled NatureDeficit Disorder (NDD). The term was coined by author RichardLouv in his book Last Child in the Woods in order to explain how oursocietal disconnect with nature is affecting today's children. Louv says wehave entered a new era of suburban sprawl that restricts outdoor play, inconjunction with a plugged-in culture that draws kids indoors. But, as Louvpresents in his book, the agrarian, nature-oriented existence hard-wired intohuman brains isn’t quite ready for the overstimulating environment we’ve carvedout for ourselves. Some children adapt. Those who don’t develop the symptoms ofNDD, which include attention problems, obesity, anxiety, and depression.

Nature-deficit disorder is not a medical condition; it is a description ofthe human costs of alienation from nature. This alienation damages children andshapes adults, families, and communities. There are solutions, though, andthey’re right in our own backyards.

Corn Dog Maker: Product Review

2012-01-13T04:12:00.000-08:00

Today we purchased an electric corn dog maker. I just love kitchen gadgets, and this one is a keeper. It was allot of fun, the kids had a blast, and the end product was pretty good. I myself do not really like hot dogs, but I like the fact that these are not deep fried, and the kids loved em.
I recommend this little machine, for only $20 it's good fun.
Next time however we won't use the sticks and we are going to stuff them with something other than corn dogs. I'm thinking chunks of ham and cheese, a piece of string cheese, and even chicken and broccoli, then pair them with a dipping sauce for each. You could also fill them with cake batter and make your own homemade twinkies.

Harry Potter inspired Ravenclaw Hat

2012-01-12T22:35:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge Potter fan, and I've recently been making items inspired by the series. I have a few really great ideas, but here is a recent hat made for a friend. The greyish yarn has flecks of sparkly silver in it. and is darker than the first photo, more like the 2nd. It turned out very nice. I can't wait to get started on my house elf hats.

Angry Bird Hat...first attempt

2012-01-12T22:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it's not perfect. My 2 year old is in LOVE with angry birds....he is a huge fan. So I made him this angry bird hat to keep him warm and toasty...he just loves it. I've seen better ones, but for my 2 year old this was good enough. He wears it and rams into the other kids screaming ...... " I ANGRY BIIIIIIRRRRRDDDD"

FREE owl earflap hat pattern

2012-01-11T16:10:00.000-08:00

*this pattern is not copyrighted, but I did make it. So please do not steal it and call it your own. You have my blessing to use it as you want, but for your own conscience don't be a scumbag...thank you*

for sizes child, small adult, large adult

ch 3 counts as dc

With I hook

(change colors asdesired, or do a solid color with alternate color for edging)

1. ch 3. 12 DC in last ch from hook, join to first dc. (12 dc)
2. Ch 3, dc in same sp, 2 dc in each dc around, join (24 dc)
3. Ch 3, (2 dc, dc in next) 11 times, 2 dc in last st, join (36 dc)
4. Ch 3, dc in next st, (2 dc, dc in next 2) 11 times, 2 dc in last st, join(48 dc)
(if making child size hat, proceed to step 7)
5. Ch 3, dc in next 2 st, (2 dc, dc in next 3)( 11 times, 2 dc in last st, join(60)
(if making small adult hat, proceed to step 7)
6. Ch 3, dc in next 3 st (2 dc, dc in next 4) 11 times, 2 dc in last st, join(72)
7-14. Ch 3, dc in each dc around, join.
fasten off at end of row 14

Ear Flaps:
1. keeping seam on top, center as you flatten hat. At crease, count 8 stitchesto the right. Join red and ch 3. dc in next 14 st (15 dc)
2. Ch 3, decrease, dc in next 9, dec, dc in last (13 dc)
3. Ch 3, dec, dc in next 7, dec, dc in last (11 dc)
4. Ch 3, dec, dc in next 5, dec, dc in last (9 dc)
5. Ch 3, dec, dc in next 3, dec, dc in last (7) fasten off

Attach braided tassels if desired.

Edging:

attach another color yarn with sc between 2 dc stitches (ch 1, sc between dc's)around, putting 2 sc in corners of ear flaps, join, fasten off.

Eyes (make 2):

ch 3. 12 DC in last ch from hook, join to first dc. (12 dc)
ch 1, sc in same stitch, 2 sc in each stitch around join to first sc. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
(optional) join alternate color to any sc and sc 10 times (as I have in pic, to add color to the eyes.) fasten off and sew in ends.

Sew a button in the middle of eacheye and fasten to hat.

Beak:

Using size H hook:

Ch.5.

Sl st to first ch. to form ring.

Ch.2.

1. 1 sc in ring. Sl st to second ch from beginning toattach.

Ch.1.

2. sc in next 4 sc,dc in next sc, triple in next, dc in next, sc in next 5 sc join and fasten off.

Ears: I simply attachedsmall tassels to top for ears…you may also use small pom poms they look evencuter.

HAPPY 2012

2011-12-31T23:26:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012 everyone.

As I get older I've found that there are so many things that become more important to me. Things I never really paid attention to or put value into, I find very important and thought provoking in my older age. That is another reason why I love getting older, gaining wisdom is a wonderful thing. As the stupidity of my youth fades I embrace the wisdom of my adulthood.

The new year is one of those things that never held any importance to me. I was to busy being wild and young to understand the beauty of something "new". There is such a wonderful sense of adventure in a the idea of a fresh new year. New years resolutions are no longer just fun to tinker with, but hold a great sense of possibility for me. I am excited to make a few resolutions for myself. I suddenly enjoy the challenge of them. It's like life saying " I double dog dare you, to make this happen!" Well, I'll take that dare thank you very much.

So here they are...*My 2012 New Years Resolutions*

#1..... Dig deep into Gods word. Be a better student, and overcome my fear of listening to what He has to say.

#2..... Loose weight. I'm certain that this every single persons resolution...ha ha ha.

#3.... Enjoy my kids more. Take more time for them.

#4.... Discipline myself to be a better financial manager.

#5.... Be a better wife.

#6.... Enjoy the outdoors.

Always Perfect Rice Krispie Treats...

2011-12-31T22:53:00.000-08:00

How do your rice krispie treats turn out. For many it's moist and chewy at first then hard as a rock and like sawing cardboard the next day. If you are following the recipe on the back of the cereal box, STOP!!! That is a horrid recipe, complete rubbish! If you want moist and chewy treats that stay that way for days then follow the recipe below.

1 bag of mini marshmallows (buy good fresh ones)

1 stick of butter

7 cups of puffed rice cereal (any brand will suffice)

First measure your cereal into a big bowl, this will save time later, and lightly spray a 13x9 dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Now in a large nonstick pot you will melt the butter over medium heat. When butter is melted you add the marshmallows. Continuously stir them, gently, until marshmallows are melted, BUT here is the trick DO NOT let the marshmallows melt all the way. You want them to be almost all melted but the mixture should be ooey and gooey with marshmallows that are still unmelted (refer to the picture below)...this is a big part of why they will stay moist.

As soon as your mixture is at the right stage, remove from heat, pour in cereal and gently fold together, no need to over mix (control yourself, over-mixing ruins every recipe)

Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan. DO NOT press it into the pan, no need to mutilate the cereal treats. Just spread it out and make it even. Pressing it into the pan will actually ruin them.

Now cover with plastic wrap, or if you really want to make them last you can wait until they are cooled, cut them into squares and individually wrap each square. I like to cut them up and put each square into a sandwich baggy, the cheap top fold over kind.

ENJOY!!

Spin the Globe....where dinner from?

2011-12-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

My wonderful friend , Hayley shared a most fabulous idea, and my kids and I are so excited to make this an annual tradition. They spun a globe and where it stopped, is were our inspiration for New Years Eve dinner will be from.

Alisha my oldest had the honor of spinning this year. Our New Years Eve dinner will be from the country of Vietnam. How exciting.

This week the kids are going to look up information on the country & culture of this amazing place. They will give a small presentation of what they find. What a wonderful, fun, and unique way to get kids interested in world culture.

I've done some looking and our meal is going to consist of :

Vegetarian Pho Bo (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

Lemongrass Beef Skewer (Bo Nuong Xa)

Fruits In Syrup (Try Cai)

I'll be certain to take pictures after wards to share with you all.

UPDATE: 1/13/2012
Here is a photo of our dinner. We didn't get desert done, and we decided to do the noodles as a side dish instead of doing a noodle soup. It was all very good, although next time I'm using a better cut of beef. I went cheap and this beef cooked up pretty tough. It was allot of fun though cooking with the kids and learning about Vietnam a bit. We decided that we'll be doing this again often for homeschool.

grrrrrrr.....my little tiger.

2011-12-23T20:09:00.001-08:00

Graham Cracker Christmas Houses

2011-12-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

2 days before Christmas.....and I'm in quite the Christmas spirit. The gifts are wrapped and under the tree, popcorn is strung, stockings are hung. We've got the oven full of cookies and the kids are buzzing with anticipation, or maybe that's just a sugar buzz...ha ha.

Today we hung out and made little Christmas houses out of graham crackers, frosting, and candy. Oh, they had so much fun. Here are a few pics (minus my son, who was at grandpa's house). I loved em....much nicer than the store kits.

My love for hat's continues....

2011-12-20T21:52:00.000-08:00

Hats are just my favorite thing to crochet. They are fast and super cute. I have a list of bigger projects I can't wait to do, but they will have to wait until I am an old grandma, and have more time on my hands. Right now, hats are perfect instantly gratifying projects.

1/2 Birthday....can't believe it's been 6 months already!

2011-12-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

Had to just share a couple of pics I took the other day that I liked. Because you know, they are 6 months old now, and it has been rough. Pregnancy was insane, c-section was a nightmare, and the last 6 months have been exhausting (with 6 kids, homeschool, a restaurant and household etc.) But I wouldn't have it any other way. My girls are amazing, and I am so glad I got to have the experience of having multiples, nothing will ever compare to it. After sleepless nights, a million diapers, and lots of crying (theirs and mine) I see moments like this below that just fill me with joy, and I wanted to share. I know it's crazy, but if I could I'd have half a dozen more.

Ahhhhh....so this is what we are.

2011-12-18T23:40:00.000-08:00

I have been struggling with defining my homeschooling method lately. People ask us all the time "What are you doing for school?" and I have a hard time answering that question, because we really aren't doing anything set in stone. I only use curriculum for mathematics and language, and use an unschooling approach for all other subjects. You will notice that all our school posts are under a section labeled "homeschooling/unschooling" because we do both.

I feel like knowing mathematics and language in depth is very important, and if a child knows those things everything else will be easier to absorb naturally, when they show interest in learning other subjects. I prefer a child led, interest based, unschooling approach to history, science, literature, language, art, geography, and other subjects. If a child never shows interest in , let's say science, then I don't feel the need to force them to learn in that area, knowledge cannot be forced. Knowledge must be willingly taken in. It should be food for the hungry mind. I do not see the point in feeding a child who is hungry for history, science. From where I stand that is nonsense.

What I found out today while surfing the net, is that there is name for what we do, and that is

"relaxed eclectic homeschooling."

We have cultivated a free learning environment, tailored to each of our children. We no longer are 3rd graders or kindergarteners (no labels), we are just "seekers of knowledge."

The following text comes from

http://www.homeschool-curriculum.org/eclectic-homeschooling.html#ixzz1gxhPh3dU

Eclectic Homeschooling

Why Eclectic Homeschooling?

There are many different approaches to homeschool education. Some parentschoose to use a traditional textbook approach. Others prefer unit studies oronline curriculum. Still others take a mixture of all of the homeschoolingoptions and use what works best for them. This approach is referred to as theeclectic approach to homeschool education…and it is where many experienced homeschool families end up.

What is an Eclectic Homeschool?

Eclectic homeschool families do not use any one homeschool curriculum oridea to guide their education. They look at all of the options and pick andchoose what seems to work best for them at that particular time. This approachmay use concepts from many different ways of homeschooling, from workbookdriven to classical education to unschooling…and use the ones that fit theirparticular learning style and interests. This is a great advantage for thosewho use the eclectic style of homeschooling.

Why Parents Like This Method

Parents choose this method because they can tailor their child's educationto what fits the child best. Not every child learns the same way. That is whythere are so many different curriculum choices out there. Sometimes, even thebest curriculum will not address all of a child's learning needs. This is whereeclectic homeschooling shines.

Parents who choose the eclectic approach can choose what works and discardthe rest. This makes for a child focused, interesting education that many kidsrespond well to.

Why It Is Different thanother Methods

It is very different than other approaches to homeschooling because it doesnot generally follow one or two methods. Instead, it takes what it wants fromas many different sources as it can find.

Families who choose the eclectic approach to homeschool education are oftencurriculum scavengers. They pick an choose the parts of other homeschoolingapproaches that they like and use them. They are not afraid to abandon whatdoesn’t work for them.

This is the beauty of eclectic homeschool. You can try and use as manydifferent approaches as you like!

2011-12-13T22:15:00.000-08:00

A typical unschooling/homeschooling day:

My 4 year old planned a birthday party for her best friend last week. It was a wonderful time. The kids did it all from the food to the decorating. What a testimony to natural learning. I am always amazed what small children can accomplish when given the freedom to take full charge of a project. We throw a party of some kind at least every other month if not more, this sort of thing is normal schooling for us. So what did they learn? Well how about socialization (with just mine and my friends kids there were 11). Cooking skills that go hand in hand with mathematics, reading, and troubleshooting. Organization skills and good manners. Even a bible lesson as we talked about why we would throw a party for someone we love, out of love, because of love. Yup, there it is....UNSCHOOLING!!!

below are a few pics of their handy work....

Super Chocolatey Chocolate Cake

2011-11-27T19:49:00.001-08:00

Hellooooo....Chocolate!!!
I will admit that I cannot make a cake from scratch...I don't know why, and it perplexes me. I rely on boxed mixes, and just doctor them up. Today I had a killer chocolate craving, that resulted in a very moist chocolate cake experiment.

You will need:

1 box of any kind of chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 stick of butter melted
1 package of cream cheese @ room temperature
1/2 cup water

Whip cream cheese until fluffy, add eggs 1 at a time incorperating well, add water and melted butter mix well. Add cake mix and mix for 2 minutes.

Now pour the batter into your pan of choice. I used a bundt pan this time around, but these would be excellent as cupcakes. Bake according to directions on box mix. Cool, frost, and get fatter!!!

Thanksgiving Leftovers #2

2011-11-27T19:36:00.001-08:00

Turkey Pot Pie (fast & easy)

This was absolutely yummy, super fast and easy as well. It's no gourmet recipe, but for the busy mom it's perfect.

You need:
Left over turkey meat (about 4 cup) cubed
1 family size can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 package of frozen mixed veggies
3 cups of all purpose baking mix like Bisquick (I made my own)
2 eggs
2 cups water

In a large bowl wisk together milk, seasonings, and soup. Fold in turkey and veggies. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.

In a large bowl combine baking mix, eggs, and water, mix well and pour over turkey mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or untill the crust is golden and crunchy and the turkey mixture is hot and bubbly.

Thanksgiving Leftover #1

2011-11-27T19:26:00.001-08:00

Ham and noodle Stirfry
In this recipe I am utilizing leftover ham, carrots, and celery.

Ingredients:
leftover thanksgiving ham
carrots
celery
ramen noodles
2tbl. oil for cooking
soy sauce

Make enough to feed your family, no measurements required here. I simply julienned the ham, & thin sliced the carrots and celery.
In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat, add veggies and cook until almost done, add ham and continue to cook until veggies are tender. In a large cook ramen noodles as instructed on package, then strain out all the broth. (note. I do not cook my ramens until they are very soft, I like them aldente) Add noodles to skillet, add soy sauce to your liking and let cook for a few minutes to get rid of any excess liquid. That's it, serve and enjoy.

Thanksgiving craft

2011-11-23T23:58:00.001-08:00

I found this online...not even sure where now, but I wanted to just share this poem because I thought it was very nice. The kids and I will be making this tomorrow for our Thanksgiving day craft. We will also watch the Thanksgiving video we got from "animated bible", and talk about what Thankfulness really is, and how to have a Thankful heart all year round.

Do you do anything with your kids at Thanksgiving to teach them more about it, or have any fun kid friendly traditions.

They've taken over!!!

2011-10-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

I've been co-sleeping with the girls once in awhile since they were born. I bought 1 crib, but now that they are getting bigger I'm thinking that 1 crib might not work, they kick each other at night and wake each other up. So the last few night I've had them back in my bed, and lets face it they don't share my bed. I share a their bed!!! Here is a pick of them... 4 1/2 months old and hogging an entire king size bed !! I'm sleeping at the bottom of the bed like the dog should be, but even the dog is sleepin in the middle....

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

2011-10-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

I love this dish. I make it for company all the time, and it is my most requested recipe. I keep saying that I'm going to post it for everyone, and finally here it is. I hope you all enjoy it.

YOU WILL NEED:

2lbs - - boneless skinless chicken breast (sliced very very thin)

1/8 -- cup of oil for cooking

2 -- large carrots shredded

1 -- package chopped frozen spinach (thawed and drained)

2 -- 16oz. jars of your favorite brand alfredo sauce

1 -- package oven ready lasagna noodles

1 -- 16oz container of small curd cottage cheese

1 -- 8oz package of shredded italian cheese blend

3 -- large eggs

2 -- cups shredded cheddar cheese , divided

2 -- teaspoon of garlic powder

3 -- tablespoon of dry italian seasoning, divided

WHAT YOU DO:

1. in a large deep skillet heat oil over medium heat, add sliced chicken, garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of dry italian seasoning, and cook until chicken is almost cooked through, add shredded carrots and spinach to skillet and cook over medium heat until carrots are tender and cooked through. Add alfredo sauce , turn off heat and mix until well combined. set aside (save 1 of the alfredo sauce jars you will use the sauce left in the jar.)

2. In a large bowl combine cottage cheese, italian cheese blend, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, eggs, and 2 tablespoons of dry italian seasoning until well combined.

3. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Remember the empty jar of sauce you saved? There should be sauce in it that stuck to the jar. pour 1/4 cup of milk into jar, close lid and shake. Pour that into your dish, it will prevent the noodles from burning and sticking to have a bit of sauce on the bottom of your dish.

4. Now it is time to layer your ingredients. First place your uncooked noodles about 3-4 depending on your pan into dish, spread about 2 cups of you meat sauce onto noodles, then a layer of cheese mixture - about 2 cups. ( I don't know for sure how much sauce or cheese mix for each layer. I eyeball it, you'll have to do the same, but I'm thinking about 2 - 2 1/2 cups) Continue layering in this order, ending with a cheese layer. Sprinkle 1 cup of reserved cheddar cheese on top and cover with aluminum foil

5. Bake at 400 degrees covered for 45 minutes, uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 15 minutes before serving.

You Are What You Eat !!!

2011-10-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

You are what you eat: I've heard that said ever since I was little. It's one of those phrases everybody's heard. The thing about it, is that it's true. In the last 2 weeks I've added mass amounts of living food to my diet, and I can feel the changes taking place. I feel more alive. I have to admit though, that I love dead, over processed, junk foods. I love frozen pizza, cookies, boxed meals, all that stuff. They are fast, easy, and convenient, but they offer nothing for your health. They have no live enzymes in them, and they will kill you in the long run.

Our bodies are living and need support from living foods. Raw and unprocessed foods are full of such goodness. They are filled with enzymes, good bacterias, vitamins, minerals, and fiber...all things our bodies need to strive and flourish. All those dead foods offer nothing but cancer, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and misery. (so why do they have to taste so good? frustration)

It's not easy to change your diet, it's a giant pain in the ass (pardon my french). It's is miserable, I'm not going to lie to ya. I'm so frustrated right now it's crazy. Having self control is not natural, it is natural for us to indulge our flesh, it's easy, where as having self control is a battle that is sometimes exhausting. However, as the days go by it's getting better.

I think I'm getting through the inital detox phase of my dieting, which is great. I am not craving the bad stuff like I use to and it is getting easier and easier to resist. My friends, you do go through a detox process at first, and it is hell, and is why most people (including myself) don't even make it through the first month of their intended diet. All the sugar, fat, preservatives, chemicals, and toxins in those foods you love build up in your system just like drugs. The process of dieting that first couple months is just the same on your body as an alchoholic trying to quit drinking, as smoker trying to kick the habit, or an addict trying to loose the needle. Your body gets angry, you get angry. You get impatient, edgy, snappy, and mean....ask my kids, they'll tell you that the last couple of weeks with me has been rough.

You are going to feel like crap at first, because your body will want it's drugs. If you can just push through that part, it will get better. It is getting better for me, thank God. Don't quit because you are cranky and angry, accept those feelings, lash out, cry over that pizza you just said no to, scream and holler at your loved ones (you can apologize in a month or two). Go ahead, be a bitch :) because in 4-8 weeks you will be happier than ever, you can make amends with the people you drove nuts and really start the new life you are after.

I'm 4 weeks into it, 2 weeks of really trying (the first 2 weeks was a joke). After 2 good weeks of effort, I'm down 6 pounds, the cravings are getting better, I'm not as irritated, and I can see the light at the end of that dark burgerless tunnel again.

It's not easy to trade your big mac in for raw veggies, or your 32oz. pepsi in for a big glass of lemon water. Honestly at first it's down right miserable, and tastes like poo, but after just a couple of weeks, that big mac won't sound so good, and surprisingly you'll crave that water.

Addiction to food is just as strong as addiction to meth. If you have a food addiction then you know what I'm talking about. You know what it feels like when you get that craving and you've got to have that fix. So treat it like addiction, detox, rehab, do whatever you've got to do to get through that first rough patch. I'm praying for all of you that understand, that one day you'll join me and kick the habit.....

So far so good!!!

2011-10-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Update on my weight loss:

I am not doing as well as I'd like. I have to admit to you all, that this is so freaking HARD!! I havn't been able to workout as much as I'd like to, and eating can be a challenge. I'm finding that my life is so stinking busy that it makes it difficult to take good care of myself. I want to work out 5 days a week, it's happening 2 days a week. I have an eating plan, it's going well, but I wing it more than I'd like due to hectic days.
It's a terrible excuse, but 6 kids keep me busy busy busy, plus running a business with my husband, and then the day to day errands, chores, and activities. I'm beat, exhausted, running on empty most days. So I'm doing the very best that I can, but I don't want to give the illusion that I'm following my diet plans 100%.

I started on October 1st at 286 pounds. On October 15th I weighed in at 287 pounds (yeah, that sucked). Then on the 26th, I was at my doctors and he weighed me in at 281 pounds....wow, I lost 6 pounds in the last 10 days!!! I'm so thrilled, it is encouraging to see a loss like that. I've followed my eating plan closer this last week, and it has paid off. I miss cheese though....but I'd rather loose weight than have cheese, so whatever!!!

Things I'm doing to make a difference in this busy life:

1. pack you food, avoid the drive thru, it's and evil window.
2. stock the fridge with raw veggies and fruits already chopped up, for fast on the go snacks.
3. skip the salad dressing and use lemon juice instead
4. drink so much water you feel like you're gonna drown!!! And put lemon in it to detoxify, you'll feel great I promise.
5. Take vitamins, I started a week ago, and I love it. You'll feel a difference with vitamins.
6. Cut yourself some slack. It would be great to loose 100 pound in a few months like they do on those weight loss tv show, but that just isn't going to happen for me in the real world. 1 pound lost is 1 pound lost, and I'll take what I can get.

Easy Pizza Crust

2011-10-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

I love homemade pizza, well pizza of any kind is just my fave food. There is something wonderful about homemade pizza though, lots of lovin in the oven!! I thought I'd share my favorite pizza crust recipe. If you are making a big 1/2 size sheet pan like I did you'll need to double the recipe.

You will need:

2/3 cup hot water
1 package dry active yeast
1tsp salt
1tblspn sugar
1/4 cup oil
4 cups flour

Add yeast, sugar and salt to water, in you mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast and let sit for a few minutes until frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients to the yeast mixture. (I use a kitchenaid stand mixer) on speed 2, with your dough hook, let the dough knead for 15 minutes. If it is to sticky add a bit of flour until it is elastic in texture.
Place dough in a well oiled bowl and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a warm damp towel and let rise for 45 - 60 minutes until doubled in size. Punch dough down and now roll it out on a floured surface to make pizza crust.
Top with you fave sauce, and toppings. Bake in oven at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes (cook time varies depending on size, shape and thickness of your pizza, so check it after 15 mins and cook accordingly)
Our pizza pictured about was topped with, spaghetti sauce, ground bee, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, mushrooms, olives, green peppers, and red onions.
My favorite toppings though are , Alfredo sauce, chicken, green peppers, red onion, and diced tomato!!! YUM

Happy Stirfry and rice box

2011-10-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

2 very nice looking lunches for school today......and 2 happy kids.

Today's Lunch: Chicken ramen stirfry, rice, peaches, cupcake, & V8

Sending lunch out the door can get pretty boring. My kids are homeschooling now, but when they were in public I made it a point to break out of the typical sack lunch syndrome and send more interesting meals. Even now with them home, I will make up meals like this ahead of time and put them in the fridge so the next day when lunchtime rolls around and I'm busy with the twins they can grab lunch, heat it up, and eat without waiting around for me to "have time".

EASY CHICKEN & RAMEN STIRFRY

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thin
1 package ramen noodles, any flavor
1 cup of water
2 cups of frozen stirfry blend veggies
2 cups of cooked rice
oil
soy sauce
seasonings

Cook rice and mix with some soy sauce, put in container. I put my rice and sides in a compartment container, and the stirfry in a thermal container so it would stay hot.

In a saute pan heat up a little bit of oil (2 tbsp) over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until almost cooked through, add veggies and seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder).

In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add ramen noodles with the seasoning packet, cook until noodles are soft but not cooked all the way through, set aside.

When veggies are tender add ramen noodles to stirfry and cook for 1 more minute. add a splash of soy sauce, and put into your container.

Menu...example of what I'm going to be eating.

2011-10-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

A 3 DAY MENU EXAMPE

This is my meal planfor the next 3 days.

Items marked with * will have recipe to follow at somepoint in time.

Day 1

7am	Breakfast	1 packet plain instant oatmeal, 1 boiled egg, 1 cup cantaloupe
10am	Snack	1 container Yoplait fat free yogurt mixed with ½ cup cottage cheese
12:20pm	Lunch	4oz grilled chicken over a green salad with lots of fresh raw veggies, lemon juice for dressing, ½ a toasted whole wheat pita pocket, and a 1 cup of grapes and strawberries.
3:00pm	Snack	1 medium apple cut up, 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
6:00pm	Dinner	*chicken parmesan, salad with fat free Italian dressing
8:30pm	Snack (optional)	1 cup sliced strawberries, with a handful of cocoa roasted almonds, and a squirt of fat free whipped topping..omg this is sinfully good.

Day 2

7am	Breakfast	3 egg whites, salsa, and lettuce in a small whole wheat tortilla, 1 cup cantaloupe
10am	Snack	1 container Yoplait fat free yogurt mixed with ½ cup cottage cheese
12:20pm	Lunch	½ can of tuna fish, lettuce, tomato, lemon juice, in a whole what pita pocket, 1 cup of grapes, crystal light drink.
3:00pm	Snack	1 medium apple cut up, 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
6:00pm	Dinner	*made over meatloaf, roasted potatoes and veggies, salad
8:30pm	Snack	1 medium orange, ¼ cup of raw almonds

Day 3

7am	Breakfast	2cups multi grain cheerios with milk, sliced banana on top, 1 boiled egg.
10am	Snack	A large handful of celery and carrot sticks, *homemade hummus dip
12:20pm	Lunch	*Easy Chicken Ranch Pita, 1 cup of fresh fruit.
3:00pm	Snack	1 medium apple cut up, 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
6:00pm	Dinner	*cowboy stew (my 7 year old fave) cornbread, salad
8:30pm	Snack (optional)	1 cup sugar free jello with sliced strawberries on top and fat free whipped topping.

Basics

2011-10-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

THE BASIC PLAN…

It’s really the hardest thing to hear, and I’ve heard itover and over again. To loose weight you have to burn more calories than youtake in. You have to eat healthfully and deliberately exercise. I’m sodisappointed by that. I really would prefer a magic weight loss pill, or maybesome chanting and positive affirmations that work like a magic spell on my fattummy. Unfortunately I’ve tried a lot of those pills. They just make me sickand jittery, and the chanting only makes me look like an idiot. Which means I’mreally down to my last ditch effort, and I’m going to have to take the plungeand get off my derriere.

For the next 12 months here (below) is what I plan to do. Nobells and whistles just simple easy and to the point. *gulp*

WORKOUTS

It’s time to start deliberately working out. I will nolonger try to pass off my housework as exercise. In all of my reading it isobvious that you must combine strength training with cardio to achieve realresults, and you’ve got to do this more than once a week, damn it!!!

Monday	Cardio	1 hour
Tuesday	Strength	Upper body
Wednesday	Cardio	1 hour
Thursday	Strength	Lower body
Friday	Cardio	1 hour
Saturday	Strength	Upper body

Now, my faves for cardio are Zumba and Leslie Sansomeswalking dvds. I’m starting out slow, seeing as how I am completely out ofshape. I’ll start with low impact and increase as I get more fit. I have totalgym to do strength training on, I love it!!! Total gym is worth the investment,it works, and is so easy to use. Any form of good workout will work, videos,join a gym, treadmill, whatever, just MOVE!!!

THE EATING PLAN

From all my reading I’ve gathered some basic goodinformation. Timing seems to be important. Eating 5-6 small meals a day isbetter than 3 big ones. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating2.5 to 3 hours apart helps you burn calories and keep your metabolism going.And yes, you have to eat healthy foods, shop the perimeter of the grocerystore, cook more, learn new recipes, and put effort into your meals. Journalingand planning meals is a good and useful tool. Below is the simple method I’msticking to, followed by a 3 day menu example.

I’m going to be eating 5-6 small meals a day. Each meal willbe portion controlled and consist of a good protein, good carbohydrate, and afruit/veggie. I like the method of having a dinner plate and visualizing it insections. A ¼ of your plate is for protein, ¼ for starches/carbs, ½ for veggiesand fruits. You can’t go get a plate the size of a garbage can lid, and nicenormal 9 inch plate is perfect.

Meats and Proteins –important to build lean muscle, have energy, and necessary to work with yourcarbs. Any lean meat is good to eat, as well as tofu, or beans and legumes.Lean cuts of pork, beef, and chicken. As well as fish, rabbit, wild game, areall on the menu here. It shouldn’t be a surprise that you can have a grilledchicken breast and loose weight, but if you eat a giant fried breaded one youwon’t. How you cook you food is just as important as what you are eating. Fryit in oil ---BAD. Bake it in oven --- GOOD!! It’s not rocket science.

Carbs/Startches andGrains --- They are good for you…go figure. I don’t subscribe to theno-carb diets. I’ve seen many people have good results with them, but once theystart eating carbs again seem to start packing on the weight. There are goodnutritious carbs out there and bad ones. White bread is awful…whole wheat breadis good. Brown rice is better. Oatmeal is like a miracle grain. Those are justyour generics grains. Te are a lot of other less common whole grains out therethat are great and fun to experiment with, do a google search.

Potatoes are great, until you load them full of butter andsour cream. Try fat free sour cream and salsa on your baked potato, have ovenbaked French fries, and cook them in water, broth or a very small amount ofolive oil. Try sweet potatoes and yams. Oh, and squash…I could live off ofsquash. I will add some recipes injournal entries to come.

Corn seems to be unanimously voted as being a NO….It’s tosugary. So avoid it. Go for the whole grains instead.

Fruits and Veggies--- these are the gold standard. Veggies are great, eat em, eat lots of them,prepare them wisely and enjoy. Make friends with salad. Experiment withbroccoli. Eat a variety of veggies in all different colors, the more themerrier. These will fill you up at every meal without consequence. If you needa snack, if you’ve got to have something to chew on, grab a carrot stick,celery, raw veggie of any kind and don’t give it a second thought. However skipthe stuff that turns your veggies into a diet nightmare. You can’t steambroccoli and then smother it in butter expecting to loose weight. You cannotmelt cheese all over your veggie plate, or pile the creamy ranch dressing ontoyour salad. You turn you healthy veggie into junk food. There are alternatives.I can’t believe it’s not butter makes a no calorie butter spray, fat freedressing are available. My favorite salad topping is lemon juice. Dip yourveggies in a homemade hummus instead of a fat loaded veggie dip. Try vinegar anoil…just don’t ruin your veggies by turning them into garbage.

Fruits are your new candy! Put down the snickers bar andgrab and apple. Drop the cupcake and enjoy some fresh berries. Don’t gooverboard on fruit, it’s a natural sugar, but you need it everyday. It is mypersonal opinion that pretty much all fruit is awesome. God made it, it’s raw,it’s natural, and it’s good. There are the more superior fruits when dietinglike berries and melon, and the more indulgent fruits like bananas andwatermelon.

Dairy– this is thetough part. I LOVE CHEESE!!! I adore it, but it is no good right now. So I’llcut it out of my diet….*sigh*. I will miss you my cheddary friend. I’ll stickto yogurt (which counts as a carb). And maybe low fat string cheese onoccasion. Milk is something I need for cereal, but don’t really care fordrinking it, so no problem there. I’ll use a 1% milk in my cereal.

Misc stuff---There are some things I love that I’m not even going to force myself to livewithout. I will however take them in moderation, but I’m human, I enjoy food,and I’m not going to deprive myself of every little pleasure to loose weight. Idrink coffee in the morning, not a lot, 1-2 cups and I’m not giving up mycreamer. I’ll put a little less of it in the cup, but I’m not letting it go,now way.

Over the years I have also developed enough self control toNOT eat an entire pan of goodies. So if I make rice krispie treats for thekids, I’m not going to torture myself. I will probably have a small square, Iwon’t lie to you and tell you I’m gonna be perfect. I won’t eat half the panlike I want to, but I won’t stress myself out depriving myself of the littlepleasures either. I use splenda to sweeten, or that truvia is great as well. Icook with olive oil or broth and water when I can to cut calories. I think wehave to keep balance and enjoy a few of those little pleasure foods from timeto time or dieting feels like death, and that isn’t good for anyone.

That’s really all I can think of right now, and the babiesare getting fussy. If I think of anything later I’ll just write it on adifferent day.

Starting the Journey

2011-10-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

(Pictured Above) It's me....this is my before shot. Every fat lady has to have a before shot. So here is mine. October 1, 2011. Weighing in at (omg this is embarrassing) 286 lbs. Starting to blog my journey to a healthy new life. Can't wait to post some new pictures in the months to come.

I’ve read every diet book written in the last 10years…unfortunately what I’ve found is that you cannot loose weight by reading.Who knew? Apparently you have to put all that knowledge to use by getting offyou big fat butt and moving it. So after 10 years of studying pretty mucheverything I could get my hands on about health and nutrition, I surrender.It’s time to set my butt free, and get a move on it. It’s time to put down thedoughnut and make friends with …. Dun dun dun…..SALAD!!! *insert shriek ofhorror here*

I’m a treasure trove of information. I know pretty mucheverything I can about health and nutrition without actually going to school tolearn it. Thanks to all those wonderful experts out there and their many manydiet books, regular folks like you and me can tap into a lot of very usefulhealthful information. However, not deliberately using that information has theopposite effect and you actually gain weight.

Every book I’ve read has its pros and its cons. They alsohave undeniable similarities….which I believe is where the real results comeinto play. There is a basic way that works to loose weight and each writersimply seems to take that basic information and then add enough bells andwhistles to it to make an entirely new book, that looks like new information. Iam going to basically spend the next 12 months doing the same thing…ha ha ha.

What bothers me about most diet programs are those bells andwhistles. Wether you have a $16.00 book or a $150.00 program you bought off thetelevision at 3am, it’s all basically the same. I’m not saying that the otherinformation presented isn’t useful, it is. The science of how your body worksis fascinating and knowing that information is very useful, but lets face it,most of us buy the book to get the program plan. This plan is only 1/3 of thebook and buried somewhere in the middle.

As the months pass I am going to try to share some of that knowledge with you, and make it work in real life for myself. I’m not a nutritionist, or a trainer by any means. As a matter of fact I’m afat 31 year old mother of 6, who just likes to read about skinny people…laugh* I’mgoing to take 10 years of study and 50+ books and programs, and break it downinto what I think is the basics ofgood healthy weight loss. Please, understand that I am not claiming to beanything more than what I am, so don’t take my word for gold.

Over the next 12 months I am going to put all my years ofreading into good use, journal about it, and see where I end up, Simple asthat. Hopefully I’ll end up being one of those skinny people I read about, thatwould be nice.

It's Time...it really is!!!

2011-10-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday afternoon for the last 11 years I've said the same thing. "I'm going to start my diet on Monday." I literally say that every Thursday, which means I never really do start my diet on the following Monday. So here is Thursday October 6, 2011. And I'm not starting my diet on Monday. I am starting it today, yes, today!!! I realize that my goal of Monday might not be working out for me..ha ha ha.

I've decided that I am going to blog about it as well. I know that publicly announcing my plans will make me competitive, compelling me to actually do what I am setting out to do. So here I am, making it aware to all of you strangers, friends, and family that may visit here from time to time, that I am going to work my ass off, literally.

I will weigh in , post my results, my meals ideas, menus, and anything else that I feel like posting. I'm inviting all of you to follow me along the next year, and see where it leads.

Goodbye Monday...Hello Thursday!!!

Easy...so so so easy....pumpkin muffins YUM

2011-09-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of an easy recipe...anything that I can prep, bake, and eat in 30 minutes is a WINNER!!! I'm also a big fan of boxed cake mix. I love how it can be altered to make just about any delicious baked yummy treat. So here is my recipe for the easiest pumpkin muffins ever...yum.

Stuff You Need:

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

15oz. can of pureed pumpkin

1tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

a dash of clove (if you have it) *if you have pumpkin pie spice you could use it to replace all the seasonings)

1 egg

In a large bowl just mix it all up. Please, don't over mix it makes dry muffins!!! Fill well greased muffin tin 2/3 full of batter, and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Now I'm going to serve mine with whipped cream on top so it tastes like pumpkin pie!! But you could easily add 1 cup of chocolate chips ot the batter, or nuts, raisins, grated carrot, be creative and enjoy.

Creepy Cuties

2011-09-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

Creepy Cuties, that I've been making for my little brother.
I've been enjoying making toys the last few weeks. Crocheted dolls I've done, but sewing I'm new to. I LOVE IT....I was commissioned by my little brother to make these little cuties.

Big Beef and Bean Burrito

2011-09-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

Last week we made a giant beef and bean burrito for dinner...it was good, so I figured I'd go ahead and share it with you.

You Will Need:

Large flour tortillas - the bigger the better
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar of salsa
1 pound ground beef
2 cup of rice - cooked according to directions
1 can of refried beans
lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc...for the side

Brown hamburger and drain, then add salsa and mix well.

Spray bottom of 13x9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray...and then line with tortillas. You want to put a couple of tortillas on the bottom and then along the side so that they go up the sides of the pan, you will fold them over the top later.

Next spread the beans on the tortillas, top with rice, cheese, and then ground beef mixture. Fold the tortillas over the top of the stuffing's, using more tortillas if necessary.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and anything else you like on the side.

Pork Chop Bake

2011-09-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

I have to share this wonderful recipe with all of you. We had it for dinner last week, and it was such a big hit. You can always substitute the pork chops for chicken breasts as well. My favorite part was that it was so fast and easy. Prep time is a few minutes and then the oven does the work, as a busy mom of 6, fast and easy dinners that make everybody smile are a necessity to the recipe box. On the side we had the very best baked beans ever...but that recipe is a secret :) Enjoy!

You will need:

a large family pack of boneless pork chops
1 family size can of cream of chicken soup
1 packet dry onion soup mix
3 cups rice uncooked
5 cups water
salt and pepper

- - - In a large bowl combine cream soup and onion soup mix.

- - - salt an pepper the pork chops

- - - spray a 13x9 baking dish with non stick cooking spray, and pour uncooked rice into dish

- - - roll each pork chop into the cream soup mix and then place on top of rice

- - - add the 5 cups of water to remaining soup mixture and blend together well. Pour over top of pork chops and rice.

- - - bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until rice it tender and pork is fully cooked

2011-09-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know who the author is, but I had to share this with you. We all need this reminder sometimes. :)
Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, “Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The Invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this?
Can you open this??

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, “What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, “Right around 5:30, please.”

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.

I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, “I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, no one will ever see it.” And the workman replied, “Because God sees.”

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, “I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.”

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, '”My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.” That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, “You're gonna love it there.”

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Pancit Sotanghon... my way

2011-08-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

You will Need:

2lbs. skinless boneless chicken breast, sliced thinly

4 large carrots, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 onion chopped

1 head of cabbage shredded

3 cloves of garlic finely diced

2 packages of rice noodles (as pictured)

3 tbl. oil for cooking

soy sauce to taste

Step 1: is of course to gather your ingredients and get your prep work done. I chop all of my veggies up, and put them in a dish. Then I get my chicken cut up and set it aside.

Step 2: in a large deep skillet heat oil over medium high heat, add garlic and onion, cook a few minutes, add chicken and cook until almost done, add all other veggies and cover with a lid. Reduce heat to medium and let cook, stirring occasionally until veggies are tender.

Step 3: while veggies are cooking, soak noodles in a large bowl of hot tap water for about 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

Step 4: when veggies are cooked, toss in noodles too combine, serve with soy sauce on the side for taste.

This is our favorite Filipino dish.... my mommy taught me to make.

Wow....I'm such a blog slacker

2011-08-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Good Intentions never seem to go to far with me!! The last time I posted on this blog was in MAY???
Well, in my defense I've got good excuse...TWINS.

In February at 20 weeks gestation we found out that there was another baby on board. So as you can imagine it's been a busy spring and now busy summer at the Barker household.

June 14 2011, our little girls were born via c-section.
Chloe Violet was 6 lbs. 3oz. 18 inches
Elouise Jasmine-marie was 5 lbs. 13oz 19 inches.

They are darling little babies, who keep me awake all night long, and cry all day long...lol, but I love them. Now we are just busy as can be raising our 6 little blessings, running a restaurant, and getting ready to start our 2nd year of homeschool.

I'll try to post more and keep you in the loop as to how things are running around here. If I ever find time to cook again I'll be sure to share my recipes as well.

Here are both the girls at 4 weeks and then 5 weeks old in these pics. (Bottom pic) Chloe on the left, Elouise on the right.

Best Banana Bread I've Made!!!

2011-05-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

I've made allot of banana bread, but there is always something not so right. Finally after many recipes I've found one I really like...moist, stays moist, just wonderful.

3/4 cup butter softened
8oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 med. ripe bananas
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts or pecans

Cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar....just beat it till its super fluffy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each. Add bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. DO NOT over mix, just combine. Overmixing is the cause of dry crumbly breads, cakes, and muffins. stir in nuts.
Spray 2 bread pans with non stick spray and pour in batter and bake on a cookie sheet in middle rack of oven 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Choosing our battles.....

2011-03-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Raising a child is no easy task, ask any mother, they will tell you. Ask any mother who is currently in the midst of raising a toddler, and you might hear her talk like its a war not mothering. I often times refer to my 19 month old as our little terrorist. (I've never claimed to be politically correct.) He rips through this house like a kamikaze pilot, a man on a mission, a mission to seek and destroy. If I fold it, he unfolds it. Put it on a shelf and he takes it down, stuffs it in the toilet, and laughs about it. You get the idea.

So we've adopted a few toddler raising rules of thumb in our house. First, we do not negotiate with terrorists. You negotiate with a terrorist, then you give them that upper hand. Once they have the upper hand your up you know what without a paddle. If you set reasonable rules you've got to stick to them, once you start negotiating it's all over. If bedtime is at 8pm then it's at 8pm. If you say "no, you're not allowed to play on the stairs." Then as hard as it is to enforce sometimes, you must be strong. If you negotiate now, 3 months from now he'll be up at 10pm stair hopping from house to house with his buddies in tow, like a frat boy hops from bar to bar.

Second we choose our battles wisely. Many times when a toddler engages it's a distraction tactic, they have bigger plans for later. I've learned (now on our 4th toddler) that if I engage in every battle presented I'll be to exhausted later when the chips are really down. I know that if I snap at every little mess he makes, I'll be to tired to deal with him later when he's going poop fishing in the toilet. If it's dangerous, immoral, or outright disgusting (like poop fishing) I need to have the energy to engage. With my first 2 children I ran myself ragged correcting every tiny little behavior, we were all miserable. Now I know it's a much happier household when I can recognize childish behavior from outright rebellion, and deal with it accordingly.

Third, take time for R&R. When my husband returned from Iraq in 2005 he came home with a arsenal of new military phrases. I don't take R&R often, but when I do it's much needed. My husband says that I suffer from "combat stress". So once in awhile I attempt to get out for a few hours, alone, or with only the smallest one in tow. When you have 4 kids it's funny how taking only 1 or 2 with you once in awhile feels like a vacation. I envy you if you can take R&R on a regular basis, for me it's only once every 2 months or so, but when I do it is a savored thing.

Last but not least, remember to cherish every moment. My oldest daughter turned 8 this winter. She is helpful, responsible, creative, kind, and obedient to a fault. She will do anything for me, and loves to see her mommy happy. God bless her. I remember when she was 2 and I wish that I'd have savored more of that time with her instead of spending so much of it engaged in battle. If only I'd known then what I know now. You've got to hug them and kiss them all day.

Sometimes you've got to be a child too. You've got to just let go, and cheer them on as they pour bathwater all over the floor. Allow yourself to be the mom who teaches her child how to make the biggest splashes in the tub to get the most coverage on the floor. The cleanup is torture, but making the mess is sometimes the very best fun you'll ever have in your life.

Please your meat and potato's man!!

2011-03-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

Dinner tonight was a big hit. My hubby is a meat and potato kinda guy, so this one dish recipe will make its way into my recipe binder for sure.

Salisbury Steak Bake

You will need:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 box stove top stuffing mix
3 eggs
family size can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup milk
4 medium potatoes

Peel and slice potatoes and layer them in a greased 13x9 baking dish. In a large bowl combine ground beef, stuffing mix, and eggs, until well combined. Form ground beef into 6 patties and place on top of potatoes. Combine soup, soup mix and milk well in a bowl and pour over patties and potatoes. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with rolls and a nice green veggie.

YUM

Yummy Yummy Banana Pudding

2011-01-25T16:56:00.000-08:00

I made a very yummy banana pudding the other day for a church lunch. It was a big hit. If you love bananas this dish will completely curb your sweet tooth.

You Will Need:

3 large bananas, sliced up
1 14oz. can of condensed milk
1 5oz. package of instant vanilla pudding
3 cups of milk
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
1 8oz. package of cream cheese (at room temp)
1 box of vanilla wafer cookies
1 container of whipped topping (divided in half)

What You Do:

beat cream cheese until fluffy, add condensed milk and mix untill smooth. Mix in vanilla pudding, extract and milk, beat for 3 minutes untill very smooth. Fold in 1/2 the container of whipped topping. In a 13x9 inch baking dish layer vanilla wafer cookies, top with a layer of sliced bananas. Pour pudding mixture over the bananas and smooth out. Refrigerate and let set for 2 hours. Spread other half of whipped topping over pudding. Crush 1 cup of vanilla wafer cookies and sprinkle over whipped topping.

Fast & Easy Chicken n' Dumplings

2011-01-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

Dinner in a pinch? Every busy mom needs an arsenal of quick and easy recipes that require little to no preperation and easy cooking methods. I have such and arsenal, and would like to share one of our favorite family quick picks with you.

You Will Need:

1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 a bag of obrian potatoes
1 small bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 famly size can of cream of chcken soup
1 small can of chicken broth
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
2 tbl cooking oil
1 can refrigerated biscuits

PREP: dice onion, crush and dice garlic, cut chicken breasts into small chunks, open cans, and cut up each biscuit into fourths.

COOK: heat oil in a large stock pot or (my preference) a deep skillet, over medium heat. When oil is hot add garlic and onion, saute for a few minutes and then add potatoes. Saute untill potatoes start to brown and then add chicken. When chicken is cooked through add veggies broth, and cream soup. Bring to a simmer and place biscuits into pan. Now cover and let cook. DO NOT open the lid, DO NOT stir, you must leave it alone now and let cook for 30 minutes. If you mess with it your dumplings will fall and be super gross. After 30 minutes check dumplings, if they are cooked all the way through then they are done. Serve and enjoy.

Play Dough

2011-01-07T13:37:00.000-08:00

Making play dough at home is fast and easy. I think that it is even way better than the stuff you get in the store. The kids love to watch and help in the process, they have alot of fun seeing all the gloop turn into dough. It's great for these cold winter days when playing outside just isn't alot of fun.

RECIPE:

2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Tbl. oil
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 cups of colored water
1 cup of salt

put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat , stiring constantly until the mixture cooked into a really lovely dough. It's hot so let it cook before play, and store in ziplock bags or small plastic containers.

Venting...

2010-10-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

We live in a world of free speech, a shame really, when the majority of the time we should be holding our tongues. Modern day psychologists encourage us to vent our feelings, their lively hood depends on it. From a very young age we adopt the notion that we should express ourselves and give free flow to our emotions and thoughts. This is in direct opposition to the command God gives us to take every thought captive. Our need to release tension by venting our feelings only leaves us a long winded, self seeking mess. Our idle use of words has left us running idle.

I can't count how many times I have called up a friend and said "got a minute I just need to vent." Then after my outpouring of emotions, story telling, confessions, and judgements I'd end the conversation by saying "Thanks for listening, I just needed to get that off of my chest". No problems were resolved, no solutions found, just idle talk to make myself feel a better temporarily. In a sense I was asking somebody else to hold my emotional baggage for a few moments. For many years this seemed acceptable to me, a normal way of resolving conflict.

As the years go by however the dear Lord has continually chastened me for this. He has had to correct me time and time again, convicting me that this advice to "express ourselves" is in direct opposition to His truth, and it is detrimental to the state of my spiritual life. Our venting almost always comes from anger and frustrations, or the sense that we have suffered injustice. We see from the bible that we are to be slow to anger, to control that emotion. (James 1:19) We are to quick to listen, but SLOW to SPEAK.

When we fall into the habit of being a ventor, we are not slow to speak. Our need for constant expression leads us to folly or stupidity. The bible says in Proverbs 21:11 a fool gives full vent to his feelings, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Venting is foolish and it bears no fruit, it leads us into the trap of judgment, slander, idle gossip, and false justification of our own sins. In all actuality we spend a lot of time venting out problems that we are commanded to hand over to God. There is no solution found in our vents. The only real solution to our problems is to hand them over to the Lord, seek Godly non-gossipy counsel, but we do not take the Lords hand in guidance when we are running to the phone to talk to everybody else.

Here is my most recent venting folly.

I went to my husband tonight crying in confession for I had not been a very good wife lately. I've been heavy with guilt the past few weeks. I have engaged in idle words about him and it has left my heart heavy. I allowed myself to laugh at him and talk about him like he is a silly man, which he is not. I didn't hurt him. I didn't say evil wicked things about him. In fact he didn't even know what I'd done, but the Lord did. God being consistent like he is brought it to my attention and like a loving father quickly began to correct me.

What I did was allow myself to vent my little frustrations about some of his quirky ways, and I allowed another family member to talk to me about these things as well. We also talked about some of my concerns I've had lately about his shortcomings, that are really very few. Either way what I did was take my husband and throw him under the bus. We joked about him and giggled about him and men in general, talking like they are asinine and silly. Although our words weren't necessarily malicious, they were words I should never have heard nor spoken.

As and inspiring proverbs 31 wife I am suppose to bring my husband "good not evil" all the days of his life. I am to make him known in the gates as a good man, a good father, and a good husband. It is not my job as a wife to slander him with others, but to build him up instead. My venting gave the wrong representation.

We've all done it, and we all have friends we also listen to when they call us about their spouses. I've unfortunately been listening to a girlfriend lately go on and on about the fights her and her husband have. (I'll be apologizing to her later today as well) When we have a tiff with our husband and go running the phone crying to our girlfriends we are doing nothing more than gossiping about our marriages. This cannot bring blessing to our relationships.

So even though he didn't know what I was doing I went to him and confessed my sin and asked him to forgive me. I am taking to heart the words of the Lord in Proverbs 14:1 ' the wisest of women builds up her house, but folly (stupidity, foolishness) with her own hands tears it down.' I do not wish to tear down my own house by engaging in foolish conversations.

This is not the first time I fallen into this trap, and I'm sure it will not be the last. What I am certain of however is that my Father will pluck me out of it every time and put me back on track. Like a child I need that repetition to learn my lessons, and with hope, faith, and practice maybe as I'm older I'll have mastered the art of holding my tongue. In controlling my words, discerning my conversations, and avoiding idle talk I will build up my house, not tear it down. So that one day I will be able to stand before Jesus with confidence, not shrink away at his coming (1John 2:28)

Happy Happy Cupcakes...

2010-07-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with the kids today making these happy little cupcakes. This is not an original idea by any means. I found it on youtube, and then all over the net. I can't believe I havn't made these before. These happy rainbow colored cupcakes would be perfect for birthdays, st. patricks day, or even call them tye dye cupcakes and give em to all your little hippie friends. Either way you spin it they are just alot of cheerful fun.

You will need:

1 box white cake mix

food coloring in red, blue, yellow, and green

cupcake liners and a cupcake pan

cool whip to top it all off

a few little bowls

Step 1: Make cake batter according to box directions

Step 2: Put equal amounts of cake batter in your small bowl. In each bowl add lots of food coloring. The more food coloring you add the brighter your cupcakes will be. If you don't add enough they will bake up pastel, which would be great for baby showers or easter. To make purple mix red and blue, if you'd like orange mix alot of yellow with a little bit of red. Mix well.

Step 3: Get your oven preheated to 350. Now line your pan with the papers and start layering the batter. I used about a teaspoon of each color. Starting with purple. Just pour each color on top of each other smoothing each color out a little bit before adding the next.

Step 4; Bake according to box directions

Step 5: after they have cooled completely you frost them, cool whip them, decorate to your hearts desire and then enjoy.

All the pics are below.

Stretched Thin....

2010-07-27T08:50:00.001-07:00

4 children, 1 husband, 1 house, 1 pig, 12 chickens, bunnies, a big yard, loads of laundry, 3 meals and 2 snacks, home school, bible studies, bath time, playtime, cleaning up, worship team, Sunday school, misc church duties, friends, family reunions, birthday parties, soccer, soccer, more soccer. Then if there is time a few things for enjoyment like blogging, facebook, crochet, craftiness, a movie, maybe a book, or just a quiet moment or two. There is my list, it is what my week looks like, and there are still quite a few thing missing from it.

Most mothers have a list just like this one. We are mothers, wives, referees, cooks, bakers, housekeepers, nurses to our kids, friends, family, playtime coordinators, soccer coaches, writers, crafters, ministers of faith, and much much more to many many people. We wear so many different titles, that it doesn't surprise me to know that over half of my mom friends are on anti-depressants, anxiety meds, sleeping pills, and other such things just to help them get through the day. WE ARE STRETCHED THIN.

That phrase "stretched thin" think about it for a moment. Via the net, I found a couple of good definitions for the word stretch that you as moms might be able to relate to.

STRETCH: to pull in opposite directions.....to extend the scope or meaning of something, often unduly........extend, increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance.

Do you feel stretched??? I know that most of us do, I certainly do much of the time. So who do we blame? The kids? The spouse? The church? Hmmmm....oh wait, instead lets take responsibility and say ourselves. Come on you can do it, and you know it's true. Most of us who feel "stretched thin" are that way because we voluntarily take on more than we can really handle in a week or month or year. We say "yes" when we really want to say "no". We are doers, and when we see things being left undone, we can't leave them that way. NO, we do them even if they were never meant to be ours in the first place.

Unless you are God you cannot be in more than one place at a time. You cannot comfortably and seamlessly walk through all of those titles you've been given. So you become stretched, pulled in opposite directions. We become double minded.

In the scriptures Paul warns us about this double minded condition. He says in 2 Corinthians 11:3 "but I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted, from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Simplicity here does not mean that we are to be ignorant. In the Greek the word for simplicity is haplous, meaning "singleness of mind". We are to be single minded, when we are not we are corrupted. When we are unfocused and pulled in many directions we become stretched so thin that we loose our quality, we become a cheaper product.

Scriptures also say that we are to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 15:58) Look at those powerful words, steadfast, immovable, abounding. What is it to abound? To abound is to be plentiful, abundant, to overflow, to be large in quantity, plentiful and prevalent. To abound is the be the opposite of stretched.

We do ourselves and the ones we love a serious injustice when we become "stretched to thin". When we as mothers take on so many titles we become less effective to everyone. What we produce will not be potent and substantial, but weak and wattered down.

I've been stretched so thin lately that I can see the result of it in everything I do. That is why I am writting this today, to warn you, to share with you what God has shared with me.

I see it in my children as they pine for my attention while I'm to busy doing other work. I see it in my husband who only gets moments from me as I come and go. It is there in my service work at church as I half heartedly sing on worship team, and struggle through my sunday school lessons. It is there when my friends call and I feel pestered by them because I don't have time to chit chat, or when my mother needs a ride to work and it feels like I'm just adding to my list. All these responsibilities, relationships, and endevours, but nothing gets 100% of me. Nothing gets a good quality effort because I only have so much to give in the first place.

Listen to me mother, you are not superwoman. That terrible phrase "supermom", UGH, we should abolish that phrase. You are NOT a supermom, if you are not a focussed mom. We look at women who are juggling many tasks. We see the mom who cooks and cleans, schools her kids, does the churchwork, has a job, a husband, carts the kids from soccer to dance and then piano etc. We look at her and we say "wow, what a supermom". I'm willing to bet that she does not feel like a supermom, more like a super stretched mom.

So what do you do? Well, for starters you make a list. A list of all the things you do in a week. Then you pray over that list, and ask God to help you cross things off. It's okay, don't feel guilty if you have to step down from some things, good things even. Learn that just because you are asked to do something even if it is a good something, it is not always good to do it. If you are going to abound in anything you can't be stretched thin. Look at that list and put the most important things right at the top and the least important things at the bottom, then start eliminating those things that are least important.

Don't be vauge, make a detailed list, an extensive list. Here are the things at the top of my list. I made a TOP 5....

Children : I must take care of my kids needs. I am a mother, and I want to abound in motherhood.

Husband: I want to serve my husband well, and do him good not evil all the days of his life.

Home School: We have choosen this year t take the kids out of school, so to educate them top.

Keeper of the home: I am a keeper of the home, if cook and clean, take care of the yard, feed my animals, feed my family. All the chores like laundry and dishes are my divine calling.

My family: I love my mom and dad, and must do for them. My mom does not drive but she has to get to work, it is important for me to help them.

Now after my top 5 will come everything else. You will notice that church work is not on my top 5. How dare I? This is something that I have struggled with for many years. I tend to say yes to anything asked of me at church. Now, I do not belittle church work in any way, shape, or form. It is important to serve the church, to clean it, sing on the worship team, teach the sunday school class etc. However, if at anytime those things we do at church with such good intention become a deterant from the obvious ministry of motherhood, we dilute ourselves.

I have had to come to a point this summer where I realize that I cannot be an effective abounding mother when I'm busy being too busy. By the time I've taken care of those top 5 priorities, all the other stuff seems to be what stretches me thin. I have had to realize that God has given to me 4 precious children, a home and a family to take care of. This is my ministry. My children, my marriage, and my life is a ministry. I've read proverbs 31 over and over again this week. What I've found is that in Gods definition of a mother and a wife is a woman who abounds in her home life. All the charity she offers, the service she does extends from her home. It does not take her out of it. Proverbs 31, is famous among Christian women. We read it, we love it, we strive for it. Look mothers, look closely at this famous scripture. Look at this ideal "supermom". She is busy, really busy. She is juggling, but everything she is juggling is very haplous , with singleness of mind.

This Proverbs 31 woman, has come home. She is focused on her ministry as a mother and a wife. She is not outside of the gates looking for purpose of more titles. She is abounding in motherhood as servant to her husband, and she is happy with few titles.

How many title do you have? How many directions are you being pulled in? Are you abounding?

Dinner Menu for 7/25 - 7/31

2010-07-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, peaches, green beans
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie, peaches
Tuesday: Picnic at the soccer field with the kids. Tristin has a game 3 days this week.
Wednesday: Broiled tilapia fillets, rice pilaf, veggies
Thursday: Cowboy stew, string cheese, mini Cinnamon rolls
Friday: Leftover Buffet
Saturday: Family BBQ... can't wait to see all my cousins.

2010-07-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes to move forward you must first take a few steps backward. This way you can get a good running start toward the goal. However stepping back usually requires that we confront ourselves, our flaws, our mistakes, and our convictions. This can be such a painful task that most of us are content to spin our wheel, going nowhere, stuck in the rut we have been in.

What a shame it is that we cannot lower our guard long enough to see and admit out own destructive faults. What a shame it is that we constantly press forward to convince ourselves that we are "right". We cannot admit defeat and let sleeping dogs lie, but instead with careless hasty words continue to stir up the mud, because we know that somewhere below the grime there must be evidence that clears us of any wrong doing. Unfortunately now matter how deep we dig our justification can never truly be found. In the end we've only dug ourselves a shallow grave.

We must remember at all times that even if we are 99% right and only 1% wrong that we are still guilty of being wrong. There is no justification for the wicked who refuse to repent, but for those that do, the Lord is merciful and generous. He is quick to forgive and quick to embrace us.

Do not be stiff necked, unbending, unable to admit your own wrong doing. Instead, submit to the Lord, come to the sanctuary and serve Him. It is only then that His anger will turn away from you. (see 2 Chronicles:38) It is only when we step backwards and humble ourselves before the Almighty Lord and repent of our wrongs that we will be given a new heart and life. (see Ezekial 8: 31-32)

This is when we can move forward out of the rut we have been trapped in. With clean hearts and clean slates we can face our future with lighter loads to carry. We can move on toward our goals with peace, knowing that God who causes us to prosper has heard our confessions and no longer remembers our sins. (see Isaiah 24:35)

Although it is sometimes agonizingly painful for me to admit my wrongs and my faults, in the end it is only in the cutting off of my fleshly ways that God can work his will in my life. As circumstances change I can only pray that I will be granted the humility to change along with them, and let down my defenses knowing fully that it is not my job to protect myself, it is Gods.

Doing it Old School....ha ha ha

2010-06-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes fixing meals for this little family can be rather uninspiring. Everyday, trying to come up with what to feed my little herd can leave me pretty frusterated. You know you need to do it, and that when you do feed them you'd like to make it nutritious and filling. What I've found is the inspiration to do a daily task like making lunch can be found in some very simple places. A few days ago I was at the D.I. (second hand store) and found some old school lunch trays. It was a good $1.00 spent. The little compartments in these trays desire to be filled and I am inspired to fill them. Our meals have been better since buying them, the kids eat more, complain less, and seem to really get excited to see what will be in each little tray well. So I encourage you to find a few of these happy little trays, and see what sort of inspiration you find when filling them up.

Dinner Menu

2010-06-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

Monday June 14th - Wednesday June 30th.

wow, the month of June is already half over and I have yet to post my menu. Oh well, I'm not really even sure anyone reads this stuff anyway. Here it is either way for the last half of the month. I just took an inventory of all the groceries in the house and now am sitting down to create a meal plan. I have had a few ladies show some interest into learning how i do my meal planning, so hopefully I will have time next month to put together a sort of "how to" post for you. Meal planning saves me alot of money and helps me to keep my sanity in tact.

Monday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, brownies
Tuesday: Biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit pieces
Wednesday: Chicken and dumplings, peaches
Thursday: Pan fried trout, fried spuds w/onion, green beans
Friday: enchiladas, salad, pineapple bits
Saturday: Pork chops, apple compote, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans
Sunday: Chicken stirfry over rice, jello

Monday:Country fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn
Tuesday: Lemon pepper tilapia, rice pilaf, peas, jello
Wednesday: Chili, cornbread, salad, peaches
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup
Saturday: Papa Murphy's, salad, peaches
Sunday: Creamy Italian chicken (see recipe), salad, garlic bread

Monday: Ham and cheese sandwiches, chips, apple wedges
Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner
Wednesday: Meatballs and dumplings, salad, peaches

2010-05-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

Soft Pan Rolls.....

2 packages active dry yeast

1 tsp plus 2/3 cup sugar divided

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup softend butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 tsp. salt

1 cup boiling water

2 eggs

7 - 7 1/2 cups of flour

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. IN A SEPREATE BOWL Add boiling water the butter, shortening, salt, and remaining sugar, COOL to 115 degrees. add yeast mixture and eggs. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add flour one cup at a time until it forms a soft dough.

2. Knead untill smooth and elastic. This is where your rolls either become fabulous of flop. Most recipes say to knead for about 6-8 minutes, but this just isn't long enough to get a really good elastic dough, I knead my dough in my kitchenaide mixer for about 15 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl and roll to cover dough ball in grease, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour

3. Punch dough down, turn onto lightly flowered surface: divide dough into thirds. Divide each portion into nine pieces, shape into balls. Place all rolls about 1 1/2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, the kind with raised sides, or you can cook them in your 9x13 baking dish. cover and let rise until doubled in size (about 30 minutes)

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

27 rolls

May Dinner Menu....starting late, what a busy month.

2010-05-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Yup some of the weeks are still blank. But I'll fill in the blanks this week.

Week 1: Saturday 1st -Saturday 8th..........no menu this week. It's been a madhouse here, and everyone was lucky that I just pulled it together enough to feed them at all...ha ha ha....and they learned that even this organized mommy sometimes looses her footing.

Week 2: 9th - 15th
Sunday: Mothers day, BBQ hamburgers, penne pasta italian salad, green salad
Monday: Chicken and rice casserole with lots of veggies and a jello salad for dessert
Tuesday: Crockpot bbq ribs, sheepherder potatoes, tossed salad
Wednesday: Hubbys 50th birthday!!! Papa Murphy's Pizza, Salad, and Ice cream cake
Thursday: Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies
Friday: Leftover Buffet
Saturday: Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Week 3: 16th -22nd
Sunday: leftovers
Monday: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic toast
Tuesday: Chicken Curry over rice
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: pepperjack chicken, southern fried potatoes, broccoli
Friday: Sloppy joes, salad, baked fries
Saturday: Crockpot roast beef in onion gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli

Week 4: 23rd - 29th
Sunday: Strawberry stuffed french toast, bacon
Monday: Chicken pot pie
Tuesday: Beef pasties, salad
Wednesday: Lumpia, fried rice, stirfry veggies
Thursday: Leftovers or something sooooo easy??
Friday: Crockpot Lasagna
Saturday: BBQ Aloha Gurgers

Week 5: 30th - 31st
Sunday: Crockpot: whole roasted chicken, garlic parsley red potatoes, green beans
Monday: broiled tillapia filets, broccoli, rice a roni

Hats hats and more hats!!!

2010-05-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been such a long time since I've made a post here. My intentions are always to do this regularly, but it rarely seems to work out that way. Oh well, at least I'm here now, and I've spent the last few weeks making lots of hats. Here are just a few of what I have made. I'll take more pictures and post them this coming week. I've been having fun.

Creamy Italian Chicken

2010-04-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Oh, my creamy goodness........this is simply scrumdiliumpcious. The taste however isn't even the best part, but the fact that it is cooked in the crockpot. I'm a huge crockpot lover, and cook in my crockpot at least twice a week. When you've got a housefull, and a busy daily schedule your crockpot can be your dinner savior.

You will need:

4-5 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 packet of dry italian dressing mix
1/3 cup of water
8oz. package of cream cheese
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of or a package of sliced mushrooms (I prefer fresh mushrooms)
parmesan cheese for a garnish.
1 package of penne pasta, or really any pasta you prefer

Place chicken breasts, water, and seasoning into your crockpot and cook for 2 hours on low heat.
After 2 hours mix cream cheese and soup into a bowl (use your electric mixer for ease) untill it is all good and creamy. Pour into crockpot and then pour in your mushrooms. Cook for 1 more hour. Cook pasta according to directions on package. Now serve your chicken in sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and fresh chopped parsley if you have it. Pair this with a nice tossed salad and french bread for a lovely meal.

Fudgey Filled Cupcakes

2010-04-01T15:26:00.001-07:00

I don't even know what to call these, but they are pretty darn yummilicious. Inspired by my friend Staci, these cupcakes were a big hit with the kids and hubby today.

You will need:

1 package chocolate fudge instant jello pudding mix

1 can any frosting you desire

2 /3 cup butter softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1. Prepare pudding according to box directions, use the directions to prepare it for a pie. Refrigerate until set firm

2. Cream butter and sugar together untill all light and fluffy like.

3. stir in vanilla

4. Add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each addition

5. in a seperate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Then sift it again.

6. Combne the flour mixture and the butter mixture alternately with the milk.

Now get your pudding out of the fridge.

7. Line your muffin pan with paper liners and using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure layer your muffins like so : 1 tablespoon of cake batter, then 1/2 tablesppon of pudding, then 1 table spoon of cake batter. I spread each layer out with the back of a spoon before adding the next.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Now don't be alarmed if some of your pudding sorta volcanos out of the cupcake, that is normal. You will still have plenty of pudding in the center of your cakes.

Let cupcakes cool completely before you frost with frosting of your choice..

April Dinner Menu

2010-04-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

I've tried and tried to post our menu for each week, but forget so many times. I actually plan out dinners for the entire month at a time. This is very helpful when you are grocery shopping, and eliminates unused food in the house. I know what I have on hand and plan to use it up.

APRIL DINNER MENU

Week 1
April 1 - April 4
Thursday - Creamy Italian Chicken over penne pasta, with tossed salad
Friday - Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Saturday - BBQ Pineapple Chicken over rice, with tossed salad
Sunday - Easter Dinner - Baked Ham, garlic parsley potatoes, green bean stuffing casserole, homemade dinner rolls, and apple cream pie

Week 2
April 4 - April 11
Monday- Egg Salad Sandwiches, chips, carrot sticks
Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu, salad, cheesy bread
Wenesday - Sunday --- well, hubby is out of town for the rest of the week so the kids and I eat pretty simple. I cook dinners mostly for him. We will just make a big pot of tortilla soup and eat sandwiches and easy stuff.

Week 3
April 12 - April 18
Monday - Lasagna, salad
Tuesday - Chicken Curry over rice, stirfry veggies
Wednesday - Baked Chicken, baked potatoes, green beans
Thursday - Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Friday - Creamy Chicken and Vegetables, over buttered egg noodles
Saturday - Meatloaf, shepherd spuds, salad
Sunday - Hot dogs and sourkraut, Macaroni and cheese, green beans

Week 4
April 19 - April 25
Monday - Breakfast for Dinner
Tuesday - Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, corn
Wednesday - Chicken Tortellini Soup
Thursday - Scalloped Potato and Ham Casserole, salad
Friday - Chicken Enchiladas, salad
Saturday - Yankee Pot Roast, with potatoes and carrots
Sunday - Poppy Seed Chicken over rice, green beans

Week 5
April 26 - April 30
Monday - Cowboy Stew, cornbread
Tuesday - Tuna Noodle Casserole, salad
Wednesday - Grilled Cheese, and tomato soup
Thursday - Bacon wrapped pork loin, shepherd potatoes, salad
Friday - Chicken and Sausage Etoufee over rice, salad

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2010-03-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

A nice warm bowl of butternut squash soup, homemade dinner rolls, and the family around the table, you can't beat that.

You Will Need:

1 medium butternut squash...peeled and cut into chunks

1 small onion diced

1 red bell peper cored cleaned and diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2sticks of celery, chopped up

2 cans of chicken broth

1tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp nutmeg (for a little kick)

1 cup heavy cream

Put all of your veggies and squash into a large stock pot, add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat untill all of your veggies are very tender. Add your seasonings, mix well. Pour all of the mixture into a blender or food processer and puree until very creamy and smooth. You will probably have to do this in batches unless you have a monster sized blender!! Add cream to pureed mixture and heat on medium/low heat until soup is hot. Serve and enjoy.

Optional: You can add about 2 cups of scallops to your veggies when you are cooking them, when pureed with your soup they add a lovely richness, plus protien. You could even add shredded chicken to it after it cooked for texture and protien.

Cheezy Peperoni Melt

2010-03-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

mmmmmm YUM !! It's a no brainer and a real kid pleaser!!!

Step 1. Take a large tortilla and place it in a large skillet on medium heat.

Step 2. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, and put on a layer of peperoni, heat up until cheese in melty

Step 3. Fold in half, cut into triangles and serve with dip.

DIP recipe: 1/3 cup of ketchup, 1 tsp of dry italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Mix it all up and serve.

Can You Say YUM!!! Peanut Butter Granola

2010-03-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Oh Yum!! and so much fun to make your own granola. The kids had a blast and it was really very tastey, and there is the added appeal of knowing exactly what is in the food you are eating. I love knowing every ingredient I am consuming, and knowing it is full of good wholesome foods that are just what we need.

Peanut Butter Granola

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup of natural peanut butter

1/3 cup of honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups rolled oats

1. melt the butter and peanut butter together in a 3 quart saucepan, add vanilla, salt, and honey. Stir this mixture untill it is hot and smooth in texture, it does not need to boil.

2. Add the oats, and stir untill they are completely covered in the peanut butter mixture, it will be chunky.

3. Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool, it will be very brown and crispy. Break it up and store in a container.

Easy lemon and coconut cake

2010-03-10T08:04:00.001-08:00

I decided that today called for something a little sweet, but the baby is so sick and I can't leave the house. So I went on a pantry treasure hunt to see what was on hand, and luckily I had a few yummies that when combined have made a pretty delumcious cake.

What you will need:

1 box lemon cake mix
1 container cool whip
2 cups shredded coconut (toasted)

I started by baking the cake according to directions.
Then as it cooled I toasted the coconut. Very simple, turn your oven to 300 degrees, put coconut onto a cookie sheet and put in oven, only for about 8 minutes give or take, and check it often as you will want to give it a little stir to make sure it browns evenly. Be careful because even a few seconds to long and you'll have a nice smokey blackened coconut, I guess you could call it cajun??!!
Then when cake is completely cool spread it with the cool whip, sprinkle on the coconut, and YUM your done.

Bows Bows and more Bows

2010-03-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

Turns out that I have quite the knack for making hairbows, which is a good skill to have if you've got little girls in the house but don't want to pay out the ear to buy them. I thought I'd just post a few pictures here to show you what I've been up to lately.

Cookies and Anger

2010-03-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

This week is reading week at the children's elementary school. Oh I just love reading, and this week is full of fun things for the kids to do. Monday was the book fair. Tuesday was Dr. Seuss birthday. Wednesday was monster day. Thursday is pirate day, and Friday is Fancy Nancy day for girls and detective day for the boys. The kids are allowed to dress up for the theme and each day they have stories, crafts, and other special treats.
Well, I've gotten a little overly ambitious about reading week, simply because I love love love to read, and am so proud of my little ones for learning to do so. I volunteered myself to make special treats for my sons kindergarten class for pirate day, and then had this great idea to make bows for fancy Nancy day for my daughters class. Well, with all my other normal daily going ons I think I may have just over committed myself a wee bit this week. And needless to say, after an entire day of housework, and a teething baby my patience was wearing a little thin.
I finally got my cookies made for the kindergartens pirate day snack. They were cooling, and my hubby was home from work. So I decided that I should hurry and run to the market and pick up some things that I needed for dinner. Art kept the older kids and I took the babies to the store with me. Before I left the house I left the unmistakable warning "NOBODY touch the cookies, they are for school and I need them all !!" You know what happened next, don't you?
I came home from the market to see that I no longer had 22 cookies, but only had 14 of them. I was missing 8 cookies. That is the part of the story about cookies, now here is the part of the story about ANGER.
I lost it, and just started spouting off. I'd just had it, and I let them all know. I had my oldest daughter crying, my son scared to death, my little girl ran off and hid, and my husband apologized thoroughly and took the blame. I get cranky and testy sometimes, and they are use to me being a little ill tempered, but not use to me being blatantly angry.
After only a few moments I felt just awful, because I know very well that I gave into my anger, over something so stupid as cookies. I was overworked and overwhelmed by my day, and I used cookies as an excuse to throw a fit and rant and rave at my family. I was not wise, but foolish.
The bible says in Proverbs 29:11 a fool gives full vent to his anger , but a wise man keeps himself under control.
I do not want to be a fool. I did quickly apologize to all of them, and ask them to forgive me. I admitted that I'd just had a hard day all together and was taking it out on them. I also gave special apology to my husband for talking down to him and stepping out of bounds with my words. I don't like to talk to my husband that way, emasculating him, or criticizing him. I prefer to encourage or just say nothing at all. After all it was only cookies, and if he wants to take all of those cookies and just flush them down the toilet why should I complain.
So I did the only thing I could do, and I made another batch of dough and a bunch more cookies, problem solved, no lives lost.
But what bothers me and why I'm writing this is because for that I allowed myself to loose control of my anger, and instead of putting it in check, I burst. I've heard the arguments before about anger being natural and that a woman should have the right to vent and complain all she wants, but I just don't buy into it. Why? Because that is not what Jesus says.
I could easily justify my anger, saying it was all somebody Else's fault. Yet the bible repeatedly warns against giving into our anger when we are upset about what somebody else has done. Sure there is righteous anger, and sometimes problems and situations need to be dealt with, but even then we are suppose to exercise self control, and not fly off the handle so to speak. However if we are honest we can admit that most of the time our anger is not righteous but selfish, because most of the time our anger comes from a place where we are focused on our own happiness and comfort.
God does not want us to act emotionally, but with wisdom and a gentle spirit. Our anger, venting, and out of control emotions are luxuries that we simply cannot afford to have. The wages of such luxury are high, as is illustrated throughout the bible. "Mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" James 1:20
So the next time you find yourself in a situations where you feel like you are going loose it, take a step back and check yourself. Is your anger righteous, or are you coming from a place of selfishness. Are you angry over true injustice, is you anger going to solve anything or will it just make things worse? Remember what God says about anger, and heed the warning, because out of control emotions and reckless words carry a high price.

Here a few scripture verses to reflect on the next time you feel like your going to boil over.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath, do not fret it leads only to evil Pslam 37:8

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even tempered Proverbs 17:27

Do not say "I'll pay you back for this wrong" wait on the Lord and he will deliver you Proverbs 20:22

Do not repay evil with evil, or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing 1 Peter 3:9

Oh, and the cookies did turn out wonderful as well as the other things I made for reading week, once I calmed down. Here is a picture of my pirate treasure cookies...arrrrrr!!!
Oh, and just as a little disclaimer, I get angry often, far to often. I indulge in my emotions more than I should, so don't let me fool you into thinking that anger is a stranger to me. I'm just admitting that I know better, and am working on doing better.

2010-03-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

COOKIE REVIEW.....

I bought myself this "taste of home" cookbook last Christmas and have really loved it very much. The other day I made "dads chocolate chip cookies" on page 668, and loved them. The kids have gobbled them all up, and why not, they are soft and full if chocolate buttery yumness...

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup shortening ( i use butter flavor crisco)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

1. in a large bowl cream together butter, shortening, and sugars until they are all nice and fluffy

2. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda. Add to creamed mixture add chocoyummy chips, and DON'T OVER MIX just combine...

3. drop tablespoon size heaps onto an ungreased baking sheet. Don't forget to eat some dough!!!

4. bake 10-11 minutes at 350 degrees, remove and cool on racks

5. now go get some milk and chomp...chomp...chomp

6 1/2 dozen

Creamy Chicken Pasta w/vegetables

2010-03-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

Another great dinner casserole combines some of our family favorites, veggies, chicken, and pasta in a creamy sauce. Paired with a freshly baked rolls, and a nice green salad this casserole is a big hit.

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 family size can of cream of mushroom soup

1 bag any kind of frozen veggie, whatever you like (I use a sugar snap pea stirfry blend)

1 cup milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups shredded chees (your preference)

16oz of penne pasta

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box, drain, rinse and set aside

2. slice chicken into thin slices, and cook in a skillet until just done, set aside

3. In a large bowl whisk together mushroom soup, milk, garlic, salt and pepper untill smooth

4. In large bowl combine pasta, chicken, bag of frozen veggies, and sauce mixture

5. Pour all contents into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish, sprinkle cheese on top, bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Serve and Enjoy!!!

My Mexican Rice Casserole

2010-02-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

This layered casserole is just to yummy, and an all time favorite at our dining room table. It's quick and easy to prepare, and freezes wonderfully if you are wanting to make it as a freezer meal. Just don't bake it, stop after Step 3 and Layer 3, pop it into the freezer and bake it when you need it.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 35o degrees

Step 2: Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non stick cooking spray

Step 3: Layer you casserole according to layer directions below

Step 4: Bake for 40 minutes or until heated through

Step 5: Fill you belly full of homecooked goodness.

Layer 1: 2 cups of rice cooked according to directions, 1 can of corn drained, 1 small diced onion. Mix them up pour into dish

Layer 2: 1 pound of ground beef (browned and drained), 2 cans of diced tomatoe, 1 package of taco seasoning, 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed). Mix it all up in a bowl and spread on top of rice mixture in dish

Layer 3: CHEESE...yummy!!! Just sprinkle as much shredded cheese as you like, but don't overkill it. I use a blend of shredded chedder and jack cheese, and sometimes if it's on hand add some shredded peperjack cheese to it. I use about 2 cups.

Layer 4: AFTER baking and ready to serve, top with crunched up corn chips, or if you don't have plain corn chips doritos are nice as well, shredded lettuce, and sour cream.

2010-02-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

I was just doing a little bit of thinking today about LOVE. Being that Valentines day is this month, it seemed appropriate. Usually I am not a big valentines day fan. I don't normally pay any special attention to it at all, but this year my attitude toward it is very different. For the first time in my life I find myself incredibly excited to celebrate Valentines Day. I've decorated a little bit, am going to be doing crafts with the kids, sent out valentines cards to just about everybody in my address book, and can't seem to stay out of that big heart filled section at the store.

Why this sudden change of heart? Because of God.

Have you ever noticed (or maybe it's just in my life) that life seems to go in themes? It's like every year God picks out a new theme for me, and then He ministers to me all year long about the chosen topic. Sometimes I'm particularly stubborn about on topic or another and the usuall year isn't long enough.

I remember when my husband went to Iraq in 2004. The Lord spent 18 months ministering to me about who He is. He ministered to me about what His position is, in this world, in the universe, as a Creator, and especially in my own heart and life. After my 3rd child was born the theme was patience. I've yet to graduate from that course however, and as I take other courses from God on life, I still attend the class on patience regularly. ha ha ha!!!

In August 2009 I gave birth to my fourth child, Arthur. From the time I found out I was pregnant until the present time God has been teaching me about LOVE.

What is love? Where does it come from? Also, what love is and isn't. He's been teaching me what unselfish love can accomplish, and what selfish love can destroy. It's all been rather enlightening actually.

Knowing about love, the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly parts of it, certainly have made me come to appreciate it more. So Valentines day this year doesn't seem so phony to me. I use to think it was so cliche, marketed, and completely void of real sentiment. I am however beginning to see how wonderful a day it is if we really focus on the love aspect of it. If our eyes become fixed on how miraculous it is that God has given us an amazing ability to LOVE.

The View From Here

2010-01-30T13:52:00.000-08:00

It was 15 degrees this morning, so cold. But the frozen winter morning is just full of so much beauty. Everything is so beautiful when it's frosted over. I looked in awe at the wonder of Gods creation, and thought I'd share a few photos with all of you. All of these where taken right here at home. The view from my front door is beautiful.

My Husband.....Happy Valentines Day Thoughts

2010-01-28T20:57:00.001-08:00

I thank God for my husband, because he is HERE. He goes to work everyday. He comes home and plays with the kids. He never forgets to tell me he loves me, or to say good morning kindly even though I wake up cranky and often times unaproachable.
He chases the kids around the house everyday, tickles them, tosses them around, and looks at them with love and adoration.

He hauls the trash, cleans the garage, feeds the cats and dogs, makes sure my pig stays fat. He is quiet in the mornig while he gets ready for work so he doesn't wake me up, and he always makes sure the fire is stocked and the house is warm.

He knows the little things like how much I love my fish, and how much I hate bad smells. He brings me dr.pepper once in awhile after work, and steals flowers from other peoples rosebushes and sings to me off key really bad love songs he makes up himself.
He knows that I'm overweight, loud, and cranky alot. He knows that I'm bad with money, emotional, and a bit short tempered. He is aware of my many many flaws, and he is still HERE.

He isn't running around, chasing after a life apart from the one he has. He isn't lost in his own desires and his own plans. He is happy to be a husband and a father, a provider, and a leader. He isn't complaining because our budget doesn't really stretch as far as it should, or because he has to work without a day off to keep feeding us. He really is okay with his role in this life, and doesn't really rebel against the positon that God has placed him in, even though I'm sure sometimes it seems like alot to carry.

He does smell funny sometimes. His jokes aren't always as hilarious as he thinks. He tracks dirt on my floors, never puts his shoes in the basket, and has a hard time putting his plate in the sink. But all the tiny things he doesn't do pale in comparison to what he does do.

HE LOVES ME.......

Snow Princess

2010-01-27T20:25:00.000-08:00

I love this hat, doesn't she just look like a little winter princess??? This was made on a knifty knitter.

Yum Yum .... my rendition of shepherds pie

2009-12-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

I enjoy shepherds pie, but I do not love it, and find it rather plain most of the time. But tonight after playing around with it again, I think I've finally created a good rendition of shepherds pie. So here is my version, make it, see what you think.

1 pound ground beef
1 small bag of mixed frozen veggies
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 small onion diced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bag of frozen hashbrowns (thawed) or 2 cups dehydrated hashbrowns (rehydrate them)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
3 cups of prepared mashed potatoes (use instant, or I use leftovers from other dinners)

brown ground beef with onion, drain fat. add mixed veggies and saute over medium heat, adding salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Add mushroom soup and milk, heat through. Set aside. pour hashbrowns into a lightly greased 13x9 pan, top with meat mixture, top with 1 cup of cheese, spread with mashed potatoes, bake in oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, top with rest of cheese and bake and additional 15 minutes..

Cute Little Christmas Elves

2009-12-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

My Crochet Pen Pal Patty made my kids the most adorable little hats for Christmas. Don't they look like cozy little Christmas Elves.

Unlikely Pair

2009-11-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

We've got puppies and kitties and I think they are becoming confuses as to what is what. The cats are nursing off of the mama dog, so funny. They sleep together in the doghouse every night. So super cute...here is giavanni the puppy with our kitty perry.

Hat and neck warmer.

2009-11-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

The pattern for the neck warmer can be found on the lionbrand site. It is the perfect item for little kids. Scarves are so long and can be a pain for them, this is perfect and stays put.

Birthday Brunch Recipe

2009-11-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

Had a wonderful birthday brunch for my Aunt DeDe the other day. On the menu was a wonderful casserole, cranberry white chocolate scones, pumkin bread, apples, and champagne. Below is the recipe for a great casserole.

WESTERN OMLET CASSEROLE

1 bag frozen hasbrowns

8 eggs

1 cup milk

1 diced green pepper

1 small diced onion

2 cups fresh sliced mushroom

1 tomato, diced

1 cup diced ham (or you could substitute with sausage or bacon crumbles)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Pour hashbrowns into a greased 13x9 casserole dish. In a bowl whisk together eggs milk and seasonings. Pour over hashbrowns. Top with all the meat and veggies, lightly mix them in. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until egg is firm. Remove from oven and top with cheese, bake an additionsl 10 minutes to melt cheese. Top with diced tomato. Tastes great served with sour cream or ranch dressing.

The above picture is different that the recipe because I didn't have all my ingredients in the house and didn't want to run to the store in this crazy cold weather.

TEDDY BEAR HATS

2009-11-30T07:38:00.000-08:00

Cutes little hats I've been making tons of this week. So far I've made 8 for all kinds of kids. They are to cute. And now everybody is wanting one. I sure do know how to keep myself busy.

Free Cupcake Purse Pattern...corrections made 12/22

2009-11-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

Materials:

small amount of brown yarn, and other color yarn

size I crochet hook

40 plastic pony beads

needle for sewing yarn

*pattern is worked in rounds, do not join unless instructed to do so.

In brown yarn, rows 1-9 in back loops

Rnd1: ch 2, 6sc in second chain from hook

Rnd2: 2sc in each sc around (12)

Rnd3: *1sc, 2sc in next st*around (18)

Rnd 4: *2sc, 2sc in next st* (24)

Rnd5: *3sc, 2sc in next st*around (30)

Rnd6: *4sc, 2sc in next st* around(36)

Rnd7: *5sc, 2sc in next st* around (42)

Rnd8: *6sc, 2sc in next st* around (48)

Rnd9: *7sc, 2sc in next st* around (54)

Now in front loops

Rnd 10-17: sc in each st around, sl st into 1st sc and end off.

String pony beads onto the yarn you will be using for the frosted part of the cupcake. and join to the bottom.

Rnd 18: sc in each st around

Rnd 19: in back loops, sc in each st around

Rnd20-27: now working in front loops again. sc in each st around randomly adding a bead to your stitches like sprinkles. at end of rnd 27 slp st into 1st sc and ch 2

Rnd 28: dc in each st around, slp st into top of ch 2 join off, sew in ends

Attach frosting color to any stitch of round 19.

ch2, work 4 dc in same st, skip 2 st, work 5dc in next st...repeat this around to do a shell border for the frosting ruffle. join off and sew in ends

With frosting color ch 70, weave through dc's in rnd 28, tie together for a strap

DONE

****variation....I've started doing a different border for the frosting ruffle that I like better.

attach frosting color to any stitch of round 19, chain 4, *slip stich into next stitch, chain 4* around.

I've been working on some hats this week....

2009-10-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

Yummy Purses

2009-09-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

I've been designing my own fun patterns this month. I'm having alot of fun with food, so I whipped up a few food insired purses for kids.

Dinner Rocks....

2009-09-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, dinner ROCKS !!! Especially when you find an amazing family freindly recipe, that everybody loves. The kids had 3 helpings, hubby was eating it before it was even finished. Dinner was a big hit tonight. As a stay at home mom, this is success for me. Of course here is the recipe. I'll have to add photos the next time I make it.

MEATBALLS with BUTTER DUMPLINGS....

Meatballs:
2 lbs. Ground beef
1/2 cup sour cream
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 cups soft bread crumbs (just dice up 4 slices of bread)
1 egg

Sauce:
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
2 cups of water

Dumplings:
5 tblspn. butter softened
12 tblspn. of flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs

Start with the meatballs: combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mix it up really well. I use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of meat and form a bunch of balls. Then cook them in a skillet over medium heat, turning them with a spoon for even cooking until just cooked through. Place the meat balls into 13x9 inch baking dish. This makes enough meatballs for 2 13x9 inch pans. So don't overcrowd the pan just split it up between 2 dishes.

Now put the mushroom soup and water in a bowl and whisk it together well, divide the mixture and pour over the meatballs.

For the dumplings: Just combine all the ingredients really well, untill the batter is nice and smooth. It will be a sticky batter. I use a cookie scoop and drop scoopfulls of the batter in between the meat balls. You don't need to put tons of dumplings in one pan, make sure you split it up between the 2 pans of meatballs. It doesn't look like alot of batter, but it will be enough.

Now put it in the oven at 400 degrees. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the dumpling are golden on top.

That's it!! Now serve them with a nice tossed salad and some fresh fruit, and you're good to go. I know that it sounds like alot of work, but once you do it I promise you'll see it is actually a very easy dish to make. And the family loves it, especially hubby.

Arthur 3 weeks old

2009-08-28T16:25:00.000-07:00

Alisha...so beautiful

2009-08-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

Here is Alisha in her favorite dress....

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER

2009-08-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

My Baby...........

Arthur

Born on August, 2009

Kids at the park

2009-08-28T15:57:00.001-07:00

Took these pics back in July.....what a good lookin group of kiddos

One of my favorite dishes

2009-05-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hamburger and Cabbage Over Rice

We had this for lunch today, and the kids gobbled it up.

1 pound ground beef
1 head of cabbage shredded
2 carrots shredded
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
a dash of salt
a little pepper
a pot of cooked rice
and soy sauce

Brown and drain the ground beef, add the cabbage and carrots and cook until tender, add seasonings to your liking, and then serve hot over fresh steamed rice. We like to then add soy sauce to our bowl, and yum.

My truly vegetarian cheeseburger

2009-05-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

After alot of trial and error I have finally finished writing my pattern for this crochet cheeseburger. It was so much fun to make and turned out completely adorable. I sold one at a craft fair this last week and the lady wants me to make a bunch more for her family reunion. She got a kick out of it. She said that the majority of the family is vegetarian and she'd like to use them in the reunion auction as a truly vegetarian cheesburger, funny.

Careless Words

2009-04-02T23:13:00.001-07:00

Matthew 12:36 “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
I have a friend right now who is having a baby. She is overdue and patiently waiting the arrival of her son. Many people are concerned for her condition, and have plenty of suggestions as to what she needs to do, but she has spoken to God and is doing what she believes is His will. Today another friend called me and voiced concern about her condition and her decisions, and I engaged in conversation with this person for 20 minutes at least. We talked about what we would do if it were us and what we believe would be best for her and her baby.
At the time I thought of it as nothing more than normal conversation, two friends discussing another friend. It wasn’t until tonight as I sat down with God’s word that I was painfully aware of what I had done, and have done often in the past. The verse above is Matthew 12:36 “ I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every carless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” It is with this verse Got spoke to me the truth of my friendly conversation.
He brought to my attention that my friendly conversation was nothing more than 20 minutes of “careless words”. Who am I to have an opinion of another person’s life, their decisions, and their situations? I am not their savior, I am not their guardian, and it is no business of mine what they do or why they do it. I am not responsible for the actions of another person, or even the consequences that are theirs. What I am now responsible for are my carelessly spoken words. Because my words where words of judgment, words of gossip, and words spoken out of turn. What
It got me to thinking. What is a careless word? A broad definition to me is, any word spoken out of the will of God, that does not uplift a person’s heart, edify the Holy Spirit, and glorify the Father. It is any conversation that Jesus would not have himself in the same position. Jesus, choose all of his words carefully. Never in the bible will you see Him open His mouth to say “Well, what she did is crazy and if you ask me I’d have done it better.” Or “Do you want to hear the latest about so and so?” Every word that Jesus spoke was carefully spoken and never void of substance and truth. If we are truly followers of God, and are truly passionate in our pursuit to follow in the footsteps of Jesus then our words must also be carefully spoken and never void.
That is tall order considering that our flesh is quick to vomit out whatever words enter our minds. If we are honest the majority of what we speak is carelessly chosen, reactive, and undisciplined. If we took better care of our tongues the world would be a much quieter place indeed. Careless words are not limited to misplaced judgment and slanderous gossip, but in so much more. Every time I yell at my son in anger instead of guidance, I am careless. Every time I nag at my husband. Every time I mock someone, speak in frustration, and vent my anxieties looking for a sympathetic ear.
I know however that I am not perfect and the purpose of this letter is not to insist that anyone else should strive to be perfect, but to point out that careless words are easy to use and usually go undetected due to the fact that they come so naturally. So I asked God “So what then do I do? How then should I conduct myself”? Gods answer to me came in 1 Peter 3:4 “but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the site of God of great price.”
What does the say? That God places great value on the one who possesses a meek and quiet spirit. Meekness is an adornment that is incorruptible. Meekness enables us to control our own anger when we are provoked, and patiently bear the anger of others while not allowing it to excite anger or cause resentment in us. Meekness is more than the words we speak and the actions we display; it is the spirit behind those words and the intentions behind those actions. In some translations it is called self control. Meekness is the peaceful assurance that God is in control.
When someone possesses the ornament of quietness in spirit, they speak soothing words, they are a peacemaker, they pass up the temptation to be sharp and hurtful, and they deny the desire to be boastful and selfish. They are gentle and mild, patient and kind, and they are not argumentative, pushy, self assertive, unkind or rude. Quietness is the evenness, the composure, the rest of the soul, which speaks both the nature and the Excellency of the grace of meekness. The greatest comfort and happiness of man is sometimes set forth by quietness (Matthew Henry). ....
One thing that today’s woman has been taught is that she needs to be assertive. Feminism has told us that we need to push, be heard, say our piece, and make our thoughts known. So we speak our minds, which are usually corrupt, by nagging at our husbands and our children, casting downward glances to those we oppose, talking idly about our friends and neighbors, and giving advice we had never been asked to give. We shout our opinions loudly in fear that we won’t be heard and we act as though we know more than we really do. We say things like “well in my opinion” or “Let me tell what I think” believing that OUR opinions are of any value. In all reality it is ONLY the opinion of God that matters and unless we are speaking His truth and pointing the way to His will, our words are careless and void of substance, usually doing more damage than good. Don’t get me wrong, I think that assertiveness is good in some situations, but in most it is probably better to be quiet.
So I will strive after this meekness, and try to quiet my spirit, bridle my tongue, and choose more carefully the conversations in which I choose to engage. I will try to be patient in knowing that it takes years to develop the maturity of a meek and quiet spirit, and still pray that God do what He must to develop this fruit in my life.
SIDENOTE: I ran across a funny quote on this topic. I do not recall who said it but it reads as follows: “if you are not sure if you posses a meek and quiet spirit, ask your husband.”

blogs of interest

2009-03-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

BLOG SHOUT OUT!!

I recently ran across a wonderful blog. "The Simple Woman".

This is a wonderful blog for those of you who love a simple life, simple untainted femininity, and God given womanhood. After reading many of the posts I felt the sudden urge to make a big dinner and top it off with a spicy homemade apple pie. I give this blog 5 stars.

http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Easy Feel Good Food

2009-03-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

Cure For a Bad Day!!!

Having a bad day??? Wanna hurt someone??? Wanna crawl back in bed and feel sorry for yourself??? I've got a cure for you. Don't have a pity party, make a great meal. Nothing cures the feelbads like serving others, and as a stay at home mom, there is no other logical service than serving you family, and what better way to serve them by feeding them something great. So get out of bed, put down the gun LOL, turn on some tunes and get out the apron. To get you started here is a super easy menu for dinner for 5.

Meatballs in a cream sauce over noodles
Spinach salad with dressing of choice
Dinner Rolls with butter
Honey Bun Cake

Easy Meatballs in a Cream Sauce
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can French onion soup
8oz. Sour cream
3 lbs. frozen meatballs, or make own meatballs from scratch and bake them
1 package egg noodles
¼ cup butter

In a large slow cooker combine both soups, and sour cream. Stir in meatballs. Cook on high heat for 3 hours. Cook egg noodles, drain, toss butter with pasta. Serve meatballs and sauce over noodles.

Honey Bun Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased bunt cake pan. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon. Using a butter knife, cut through the batter gently to create a slight swirl with the sugar. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from pan. Frost cake while it is still fairly hot. Best if you serve warm.
To Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth Buy a bag of spinach and a bottle of dressing. You can buy some nice dinner rolls or if you are extra ambtious make your own from scratch.

This was sooo good!!!

2008-11-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

We just loved this soup for dinner the other night. It didn't make the best left overs, but served fresh it's wonderful. It is also very easy to make. Here is the recipe.

LASAGNA SOUP

2 cans diced tomatoes in juice

2 cans tomato sauce

2 cans of water

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

1 packet of spaghetti sauce seasoning mix

4 large bay leaves

2 teaspoons chicken soup base

1 medium chopped onion

1 large chopped green pepper

1 small can of mushroom stems and pieces

16 oz bag of mini lasagna noodles or corkscrew pasta

2 cups shredded mozerella

Brown ground beef and drain. In a large soup pot combine beef, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, water, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, seasoning packet, soup base, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a simmer on medium heat. When soup is boiling add pasta, stir, and cover. Cook 12 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Remove from heat and serve. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

2008-11-30T20:46:00.000-08:00

Alisha loves this knitted hat with crochet flower, and this granny square scarf. It can also be purchased in many colors at me store blog.

Crochet Cupcake Purse

2008-11-30T20:43:00.001-08:00

I made this tonight and am very happy with how it turned out. It's a little drawstring purse that looks like a pink frosted chocolate cupcake. The sprinkles are pony beads. Fun Fun Fun. It can be purchased at my store blog.

Post-Election Analysis: True or False?

2008-11-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, Jesus will still be King.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our responsibilities as Christians will not have changed one iota.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the greatest agent for social change in America will still be winning the hearts and minds of men and women through the gospel, not legislation.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my primary citizenship will still be in this order - (1) the Kingdom of God , (2) America , not vice-versa.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the tomb will still be empty.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the cross, not the government, will still be our salvation.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our children will still be more concerned with whether or not we spend time with them than with who is President.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving him/her will still be the second greatest commandment. (Do you know the first?) (Exodus 20:3 - "You shall have no other gods before me.")

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will still be winning men and women to a high view of life through the gospel of Christ.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see gay marriage ultimately defeated will still be winning men and women to a biblical view of marriage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my retirement will still not match my treasure in Heaven.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, "Jesus Is Lord" will still be the greatest truth in the Universe.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, we will still know that God is in control.
Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."

Original post by mississippimelo @ cafemom

Yummy Chocolate!!!

2008-11-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

Today I'm craving some yummy chocolate cake, so in an attempt to get thin, I crocheted this little desert. Didn't work though, I still want chocolate cake. Oh, well!!

Yummy Strawberry Shortcake

2008-11-04T21:28:00.000-08:00

It's almost as good as the real thing!!

Burger and Fries

2008-11-03T21:27:00.001-08:00

Made the cutest burger and fries today. I am having so much fun crocheting playfood. All I need is a little bit of red paint on the fries for ketchup.

Yummy Granola Bars

2008-11-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

Yummmm....I made these granola bars last night, and they are so good. Thanks Bev at "Christian Homemaker" and Crystal at "The Family Homestead." for this most awesome recipe.

I added mini chocolate chips and raw pumpkin seed to mine, it's a nice combo.

Chewy Granola Bars4

½ cups quick rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

2/3 cup butter,softened

½ cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup grained sweetened chocolate chips

1 cup raisins or sunflower seeds, chopped dried fruit, etc… of a combination of any of these

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and raisins. Stir in the chips and raisins. Lightly grease a 9 x13 pan with cooking spray. Press the mixture into pan and bake at 325 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes. After the bars cool for about 10 to 15 minutes cut into squares and let them cool completely in the pan before removing them

Sunday Morning Breakfast

2008-11-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

Every week I look forward to Sunday Morning Breakfast.

It's the one day of the week I know my husband will have the day off, so I cook a nice hot breakfast. We all sit together at the table, we talk, and we eat. Then we get ready for church and head out the door.

Every other day of the week, breakfast is pretty simple. It usually consists of oatmeal, cold cereal, or toast. On Sunday I try to make a big breakfast like you'd get if you went out to eat. Today we had french toast, sausage, and orange juice. Last week we had bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and toast. Next week we are having fresh biscuits, homemade sausage gravy, and hashbrowns. Yum Yum.

Applesauce Loaf

2008-11-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

My kids love this applesauce loaf bread. It is yummy, not to sweet, and is a great way to use up all that applesauce you've got in the cupboard from canning season.

Ingredients:

2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground clove

1 Tbl baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups applesauce

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter softened

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350, and grease a 9x5 loafpan. Conbine one cup of flour, sugars, cinnamon, ' nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in mixing bowl. Add applesauce, milk, butter and eggs and beat on low until blended, add remaining flour and beat until well mixed. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a fork poked in center of loaf comes out clean.

I sprinkled about 1/4 of a cup of chopped pecans on the top before baking, yummmm