It's raining again...
Sarah
This is NOT how our days have looked recently!

It's one of those days - again. The one where I don't want to teach my kids, but I just want to curl up with a cup of coffee, in my bed, and read the day away. While this may be a good idea, and one which homeschoolers can afford to take periodically, I have the dreaded GUILT hanging over my head that I can't take an entire day just to read. Maybe I could give my kids the time, but, in my head, that would only free me up to work on some projects, clean, or do other things that need to be done. Good heavens. It's difficult to relax around here without the guilt train speeding in at full steam.

Couple of items to share:

TJ got a part in The Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever and will be playing Gladys Hermdan. We're starting to work on memorizing her lines. There will be six performances the week before Christmas, so the schedule around here will jack up in intensity, particularly after Thanksgiving. I will be a parent volunteer, doing some backstage supervision and possibly some costume sewing.

We got our airline tickets (thanks for the Southwest tip, Amy!) booked for our trip to San Diego area in January and early February. Now we just have to finalize our car rental and our first week of accommodations. We're going to be ready to leave the frozen tundra at that time, and it will be here lickety split.

I think we will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner, so it's already time to start planning our menu for that. We will be making many traditional items, but hope to make everything from scratch as that is the path we have been following the past 6 months. I hope to post on that journey soon.

Our bible study, Living by the Book, has really prompted me to take a look at scripture in a more indepth way. I am really enjoying going through different parts of scripture, and dissecting and learning more than I ever have. I have found, that when I am able to do it first thing in the morning, I really do ponder it in my heart and ruminate over it for the whole day. It has been a fun challenge and a great time of learning for both Brad and I. Our early mornings are inconsistent due to other commitments, but we're working on doing it together in the AM as much as we can.
We've been working on improving the different Fruit of the Spirit around here - We have some room for improvement, but for the most part, it has been fun to recognize and "catch" the kids in acts of kindness, love, etc. However, it hasn't stopped the personality clashes between the youngest and the oldest. My, how those two are the same in temperament. It is amazing how stubborn they both are and how easily they can fly off the handle at each other. We need to continue to foster kindness and respect for each other - not an easy task, but if we don't nip this now...

One last thing - I haven't tried this Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe yet, but goodness knows I will be soon! Wanted to share it with you as well.

Well, there obviously haven't been any huge insights in this post, and I do need to get my children motivated for school. I promise to post something of interest sometime soon! :)
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Happy Homemaker - October 26, 2009
Sarah

Special thanks to Sandra for hosting!

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Beautiful. Crisp, cool, sunny morning. Should be getting up to 50+ degrees and it is sunny - first time in a LONG time!

One of my simple pleasures:
Reading blogs with a cup of coffee and not feeling guilty or getting interrupted. (Rarely happens, but that makes it even more of a pleasure!)

On my bedside table:
Living By the Book bible study
Kristin Billerbeck - Ashley Stockingdale series

On my TV:
Lots of DWTS that I believe we will delete as we are so far behind
We'll watch Top Chef and Survivor this week

On the menu for tonight:
Still planning, but I am thinking we should grill as it should be up to 54 degrees

On my To Do List:
Menu planning
Cleaning off my desk
Finish going through TJ's clothes
Organize pantry cupboard and kitchen

New Recipe I tried last week:
Whenever I use them, I should write them down, b/c I tried a couple this week - I'll have to get back to you!

In the craft basket:
Ugh. Nothing right now...

Looking forward to:
Seeing how TJ's play practice goes - She got the part of Gladys Hermdon in The Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever at our local theatre...they have 6 performances before Christmas so the schedule will be intense. She starts practice today!

Homemaking Tip for this week:
Play games with your children to make cleaning fun. We used a job jar this week with a reward at the end, when the jobs were finished.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
Too many to choose from this week.

Favorite photo from last week:We were sorting through some clothes this week and came across some leather pants and a jacket that had been given to TJ. Funny how the persona changes as soon as she put them on...

Lesson learned the past few days:
These middle school years are a roller coaster of emotions - changing multiple times within the hour at times. Patience as parents is so important right now!

On my Prayer List:
My family
My pastor
Friends who have lost loved ones
The military

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
We studied one of my favorites this week again, from Romans 5... 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Have a great week!
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The post when I more or less get off on a huge tangent...
Sarah
I know, I know...deep in the heart of harvest season, I complain about how there is so little time, how I can't get it all done, how there's buckets of beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beets all waiting for attention in my hot garage. I've run out of jars, I've switched over to freezing, the freezer bags are gone, I've got to run to the dreaded Stuffmart, I need to buy more jars, where's the lids, it's about time I bought myself a doggone funnel...yada, yada, yada.???
But, thanks for listening to me moan and groan - I do it every year, and then a couple of months later, when it has silently been declared (in my own mind) the official "we're late enough in the fall to feel justified to pop the much anticipated seal of our blessed canning jar" day, the chorus belts out their resounding rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" as I pull the can opener out of the drawer and hover for a moment over the Bell (or is it Mason this time?) label. Is it too soon? Am I tapping into the reserves earlier than I should? Will we run short if I start opening the jars aimlessly now rather than tomorrow, or next week? Is this truly the time and the place? Have I run out of fresh options from the garage? Are the sweet potatoes and squash not fitting for tonight's meal

As I obsess over this heart wrenching decision, my husband comes up behind me, grabs the can opener and pops it open himself. Well, not really, because he can't figure the Pampered Chef thing out, so he ruminates for a bit on a real can opener, never stopping once to think that this is only the type of lid that has to be popped off, not actually cut open. But, I digress.

Whhoooootttt. Ahhh, the lovely sound of a sealed jar being released from the inner sanctum. Who can resists the alter ego of the "ping" you hear as your reflect back to a hotter time of restlessly standing at attention, waiting for your precious little babies to seal themselves off from the outside world? Like a new mother, the release of the seal brings you full circle to the realization that you, yes you, preserved these fruits of your labor, in love (yes, that was love in August and September - however warped it looked at the time!), for your precious family. Like the labor process, you have forgotten the pain of planting, weeding, feeding, nurturing, harvesting, washing, peeling, prepping, heating, and sterilizing these precious commodities...the energy, crabbiness, and pruney fingers were all worth every ounce of effort as you stare into the jar of joy. And, now, you are going to create a masterpiece, based around this special little veggie...you don't need corn! (Good, because you don't have any right now...) Beans, yes, beans are rising to the top of the ingredient list tonight as you create (wait for it...) Shepherd's pie! Nothing will feature your canned beans better than a down home, comforting casserole such as this! And, wait, what did you say? You're opening another??? Yes, pickles. The perfect side dish, and, once again, you swell with pride as you remember how coddled those little seedlings were in the beginning, only to grow to a size that were too big to handle in any other setting but a sliced pickle. A tear forms as you reminisce on how quickly they grow. How quickly.
You open. You taste. You pucker. You spit. HOLY COW! Did we over do the vinegar just a tad? Wowza! These are some sour pickles. Are they all going to be like this? Relief washes over you as you realize you did them in two batches with a different recipe for each. Jars are going to quickly become available for the pantry cupboard at this rate. (A whole different post awaits about that!) There won't be lingering over the opening process going forward - if future jars are this sour, your compost pile will quickly be transformed. The disappoint rages, and you question your technique, your skill, but realize your success and canning don't always go hand in hand...the taste can only be as good as the recipe you used, and you were worried about this one from the get go. Oh, joy is fleeting, and you thank the Lord that you were blessed with the foresight to make refrigerator pickles, even if most of them are housed in the fridge at your husband's work, because fridge pickles use fridge space, of which yours is a precious commodity. Your confidence, however, is compromised, and you will now question on a yearly basis the desire and efforts to pickle cucumbers in a fashion which will be pleasing to self and others.

But, I digress. I must get supper on the table, and time is slipping by as I sit and ponder the wonders of the food preservation process. Canning may be slipping by the way as an art form, but I, for one, will continue to do my part in preserving the past...and preserving - for the future.
Until next time, when I may choose to exercise my vision of freezing foods for fun, not foolishly, but with fresh fervor...

Happy eating!
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Equal time
Sarah
I figured since I posted some good girly girl pictures of my daughter lately - seriously, how much more girly can you get than being dressed in a wedding dress? - it was time to share a little bit about the boys. The boys have been enduring cold temperatures, WELL out of the normal range for fall around here, to play flag football through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Both boys have previously been involved in the tackle football program, but this year we made the switch to flag for a number of reasons. The tackle program was quite intense for practice and game schedule, which was doubly intensive due to having boys in two separate age groups. Plus, we wanted to give them a chance to experience a variety of positions rather than be locked into one. Finally, the devotions and comradarie with other Christian athletes naturally drew us in, so we jumped in and made the switch.

It's been an interesting season, and fraught with rain and snow delays and changes. Overall, I think both boys have enjoyed the process, and they will finish their season this coming Sunday afternoon with make up games and awards. In anticipation, I thought I would post a few pics of the action...




We're off to church activities and a great speaker...my father-in-law! Hope you all have a great rest of the day!
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Happy Homemaker - October 19, 2009
Sarah

Special thanks to Sandra for hosting!

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Cool and crisp morning...it's been much colder than normal here but today should be perfect - in the low 60's.

One of my simple pleasures:
Dark chocolate - GOOD dark chocolate...AND taking the time to enjoy it

On my bedside table:
What a Girl Wants by Kristin Billerbeck = funny!

On my TV:
Way behind on Dancing with the Stars so we will most likely delete
We have only been able to keep up with Survivor and Top Chef - that's all we've been watching

On the menu for tonight:
Football games tonight so I have to figure out something quick and easy - suppose I'll put some soup in the crockpot

On my To Do List:
So much on this list - Brad was a tremendous help this weekend even though he wasn't feeling good. I have had back spasms for three days and they are finally better today. So, the grandiose ideas for the nice weekend kind of went down the drain. Need to prioritize and get some things done today, but still take it easy

New Recipe I tried last week:
I tried a polenta lasagna last night from a magazine - okay, but not enough to make again
Also made the pioneer woman's red potatoes
Homemade fajita mix

In the craft basket:
Buttons to sew on some pants

Looking forward to:
Get together for women at church tomorrow night
Also, looking forward to having my back be at 100% - pain is so mind consuming

Homemaking Tip for this week:
I discovered that my dishwasher, which is next to my sink, kicks off a lot of heat during the drying cycle - enough heat that it may affect the flavor of my extra items that I store under the sink - olive oil in particular. I had never thought of how warm it would get under there, so now I have to find a new spot for those items!

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I didn't get as many read this week as I usually do

Favorite photo from last week:

Lesson learned the past few days:
Middle school years are rocked with changes in mood and behavior. Many times, you just have to sit and listen and wait for the rant to end.

On my Prayer List:
My family
My pastor
The military

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Brad and I are facilitating a very powerful class this year called Living by the Book. It shows how to really get into God's Word and study it. The bible is really coming alive. I was particularly moved this week by Isaiah 55 as it speaks to joy and hope beyond our current every day circumstances. God has a plan for us, and whether it is involving joy, or pain, he is faithful and true.

Have a great day!
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A blast to the future...
Sarah
When we were at my mom's this past weekend, my daughter came up from the basement all decked out in this beautiful wedding dress:


I about had a fit, thinking she had rummaged through my mom's heirloom items to pull out this dress. But, my mom, in true giving fashion, stated that she had pulled it out for the kids to wear as dress up since it wasn't doing anybody any good being stored in a bag in the back of a closet.

I was pondering that today, as I think about the things I don't use - saving them for a special occasion, or for a later date. How many candles do I have that are mere decoration, but have scents that would warm the house if I just lit them? Why do special dishes get stored away to use but once or twice a year? Is my family not special enough to periodically pull them out and make a memory just for the fun of it?

I like my mom's attitude. She brought such joy to my daughter and all her other granddaughters as well. Sharing such a special piece of her past, and seeing the joy of her grandkids as they "ooo" and "aahhh" over such a beautiful dress...what a blessing.

It seems I do this with God's love as well. I store it internally, keeping it to myself, pondering and thinking about how I can share it with others, but never quite taking that step out of my comfort zone. Thoughts of "there will be a better time", "I'm not quite ready", or "I might be rejected" all take center stage. I can justify it quite easily...I have hopes of people just seeing the joy radiating from me and then THEY'LL ask ME about what makes me tick...rather than me taking the first step.

I like my comfort zone. I like the boundaries that I have set up - the comfortableness of this lackadaisical attitude. But, that's not what I've been called to do. God didn't accept me into his kingdom only to have me take up space and sit idly by. He commissioned me to get my bum in gear and reach out to others. He's challenging me today to do that.

And every day.

I want to make my baby steps into giant leaps. I pray he gives me springs on my shoes.
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These are the days...
Sarah
And they sure fly by...

We had a whirlwind trip to Minneapolis last weekend, filled with family and fun. We experienced snow...
Sweeping views of downtown Minneapolis...
And a silly game called Hammerschlagen...
Yes, this is a silly little German game which involves hitting a nail into a piece of wood - with the wrong edge of the hammer. It ends up being quite humorous, and we were entertained for multiple rounds.

Upon our return back to the frozen ground we call home, we scrambled to get back into the swing of things in our 48 degree house. We did turn the heat on once we got home (doggone it) and are living life high on the hog at 65 degrees throughout the day. :) We're hoping for temps to head back into the 50's this weekend so I can get out and take a few kid photos on the rare chance that I find colored leaves still on the trees as opposed to the ground.

As always, life continues to fly by and we have to make a choice to sit back and enjoy it. I pray I can share with you all soon some of the many things floating around in my mind. Until then, have a great day!
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Heading out...
Sarah
We're taking a real quick break and heading up to see my family in Minneapolis this weekend...we're going to leave tonight after Brad gets done at the office, and then venture back early Monday morning. I'm looking forward to it, despite the fact that it will fly by.

Prepping to go has involved getting all the plants in, pulling the last of the pepper plants, and getting as many of the apples processed as I could since it is going to be below freezing most of the weekend with a chance of snow on two different days! I don't remember it ever snowing earlier than the end of October, so we are definitely not prepared for it to happen!

So, in the meantime, while I am gone, I leave you with these fall images. Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Oh, baby, it's cold outside...
Sarah
A beautiful morning today, but it is only 42 degrees as I stand on my front porch and take this picture... The leaves are really starting to turn, but colder weather is coming so I am sure the color will be short lived. We're well below our normal temps, yet we still hold out hope that the temperatures will rebound and give us a few warm days yet in October. This guy, however, thinks his fur is not offering ample protection from the elements, so proceeds to block the entrance until someone (mainly me) lets him in the house.Little does he know, because we have yet to turn the heat on in this 60 degree ice chest, as flipping the thermostat to heat tends to admit defeat and a passive acceptance that the season of cold is here to stay. So, instead, we make accomodations. For instance, we broke down and put our heating blanket on our bed this week, by far the earliest introduction of this element compared to past seasons. It beckoned my middle child this morning, complete with Literature book, math book, and writing instruments.
My oldest also made the most of a warm, sunny spot on the floor, and, well, I'd show you a picture of it, but in the process of trying to upload it to my computer, my camera drivers crashed, and after working with Dell and locking up my entire computer, I now have a new part on its way along with a handy dandy service technician sometime in the next 48 hours. :) Archie, from Dell, was most helpful and I am soooooo thankful for warranties. I didn't tell him that maybe the parts in my computer froze up (literally) but did have to give him my cell phone number as an alternative way to reach me as I think our cordless phone batteries are being drained faster due to the temperature. :)

So, anyway, I'm way off schedule after my little computer escapade...Time to back up the photos because even a new computer can crash! Gotta go find my gloves, though, as my coffee has gotten cold and is no longer keeping my fingers warm - HA!

And, for the record, lest you think we are abusing our children by not turning on the heat, they are currently running around in shorts and claiming they are too hot in the basement. Oh, to have the metabolism of a child.
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Happy Homemaker - October 5, 2009
Sarah


Special thanks to Sandra for hosting!

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Rainy and cool...seems to be a trend for the past few Mondays

One of my simple pleasures:
My heated/electric blanket...a necessity in our house! I haven't put it on the bed yet, but am thinking seriously about adding it this week!

On my bedside table:
In the Still of the Night
Food Matters
Living by the Book
Taste of Home magazine

On my TV:
We missed Survivor last week and for some reason our DVR didn't record it
Dancing with the Stars
It's a busy week with meetings each night so not sure if we are going to get time to watch them this week or not

On the menu for tonight:
Since it's raining, football is questionable at this point - that always screws up our evening meal plan. I've been heavy on the soup the past few days so need to get a bit more creative this week - AND, I really need to get to the store!

On my To Do List:
Grocery shopping and co-op...I am totally out of wheat, milk, yeast, and eggs!
Finish applesauce after I get more jars
Meetings this week

New Recipe I tried last week:
Tried two different apple crisp recipes from our church cookbook - they were both yummy!

In the craft basket:
I have buttons to sew on some clothes and some gardening tasks to complete

Looking forward to:
Continuing to see the leaves change and hopefully they can stay on the trees a bit longer so we can enjoy them

Homemaking Tip for this week:
Man, I seem to have nothing this morning of any relevance to share! :) How about this one? If you have the space, keep all of the cleaning supplies for a bathroom in the bathroom. Make a list for your kids to complete - a step by step process, and teach them how to clean the bathroom and take ownership. Plus, if all the supplies are right in the bathroom already, you can do a quick clean up as necessary.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
Bella Mella continues to amaze me as she journeys with her son who has cancer. This post is quite the witness to how the bible applies to our everyday situations.

Favorite photo from last week: I've got two (equal time for all the kiddos. :))



Lesson learned the past few days:
Life needs to be revamped and reorganized - well, actually rePRIORITIZED often, as it is very easy to get off track with what is important.

On my Prayer List:
My pastor
My spouse
My kids
My extended family
The military and all who sacrifice for our country
Andrew (see button link on my right column)

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
We've started teaching an indepth bible study called Living by the Book. Well, we are not teaching it per se, but facilitating it. I am excited about digging into the word on a deeper level, and searching for the deeper meaning. I have been a Christian all my life which sometimes can be a detriment to biblical study. Verses that are familiar get glossed over time and again, so I need to take the time to stop and inwardly digest...the word ruminating (I love that word...) came up time and again in our class yesterday. I look forward to sharing more of my journey as we become more immersed in the class.

Have a blessed week!
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Oh me, Oh my, how the time does fly...
Sarah
It seems like this is a general theme of my blog posts as of late. It's crazy, though, when I look and see that it is Friday already and I haven't posted since Monday. I love to write down my thoughts, but I am finding it harder and harder to carve out the time to do so!

This week, our receptionist was sick, so I am the back up! We were able to juggle Brad's schedule for two days so he could be home half days with the kiddos. We filled in with Grandpa and Grandma the first day, and then I took calls from home for part of the second while he was at the office, then we switched. He was able to come home and teach while I was at the office with the other doc...Thankfully, it appears that his receptionist will make it through the day today and then have two add't days to get back up to 100%. She suffers with chronic migraines, so works through the pain much of the time. We know she is really hurting when she has to call in sick.

The weather has been cold and rainy this week, so it just begs for reading and soup! Today, we all sat on the couch and read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle for awhile - it's fun to see the boys still wanting to sit and listen when I read to TJ. If I would have had the heating blanket on my bed, I think we would have crawled in there to read! I am fighting the temptation to spend the afternoon in my bed as I have 2 bushels of apples to put up. We went to a local orchard last Sunday and took advantage of their windfalls...I got 2 bushels for $14 total. They only spray before the blossoms come out, so they are about as close to organic and pesticide free as you can get. They are so yummy, so the applesauce should be good. I just have to clear my counters off in order to make them messy again!






So, while I may not get to sleep or read the afternoon away, I will be able to get some baking and sauce done. My kiddos have entertained themselves with building a carnival in our basement, so I am being called to the fish pond and the mini golf course. I hear I get tokens to cash in for some really cool prizes...one prize is 3 jobs of choice by a child! Sweet! I hope I get enough tokens to trade in for that one!!

Have a great day...Take the time to thank the Lord for the blessings in your life. While they are too numerous to count, pick five and praise him for those!
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