The Mattingly Family Homestead

My girls

2009-03-09T15:58:00.001-07:00

My daughters mean the world to me. I have some of the loveliest little girls you will ever lay your eyes on. They are swet as sugar too!

I am not just bragging but my little girls are very, very well behaved. They mind exceptionally well and they are polite. Now they have their moments like all children but for the most part they are little angels.

They love to help out around the house and I make it a point to have them help in the kitchen. They love to cook. Cleaning up is a challenge but I have found that they reflect my attitude. If I make it fun and smile then they will smile while they are doing it and have a grand time!

My babies are just darling. They really aren't babies anymore at 5 and 10 going on 6 and 11 but they will ALWAYS be my babies. I love to see them learn and see something for the first time. If you give your children a chance they will surprise you at how willing they are to learn new things.

Both of my girls are very good students. The oldest is an award winning student and I am certain that the youngest will follow in her shoes. They have a thrill for learning that amazes me. When I was little I don't have the wonderful memories of my parents sitting down with me everynight and helping me, watching me, checking my work and just being excited about the new things I am learning. When my children get a new pace (workbook) at school they are so excited to share it with me! The first thing I hear when I walk in the door is "Mom I have a new pace come and look at it with me!".

Make it exciting for them! Show them you are excited too!

Their daddy is awesome too. Right now as I type this I have the dining room window open and I hear the three of them out back playing HORSE with the basketball. They are learning to take turns and play but most of all they are learning that daddy loves them very very much!

I don't remember my parents playing outside with me like that. I am so glad that we spend time just being with our girls. I know that they will look back on their childhood and remember happy times.

Like this past weekend. We went to a benefit dinner which didn't work out well at all so we left very shortly after arriving. So we took the girls out to Beef OBrady's with one of the oldest's friends from church. To make it extra special we went to see The Jonas Brothers in concert at the movies....yes even daddy went! That is a lotta lovin when a grown man will sit through a Jonas Brothers Concert for his baby girls and listen to them say "OH I love Joe Jonas!" "Isn't he just dreamy dad?" Hee Hee

But after the concert movie we both got a big ole hug and a "that was the best movie ever! thanks mom and dad!" You're welcome babies....you're welcome!

Recently a person I know was arrested for DUI and had children in the car. I simply don't understand what is happening to mothers now a days! I honestly just can't fathom not wanting to spend time with your children, not wanting to be with them every moment you can. I have a cousin who spends zero time with her children...well except to use them as pawns to get money, etc. If you know me then you know that when I am not at work I have my babies beside me. Every once in a while I will go out on a date with the girls or with my husband but it is very rare. I enjoy just being with my family. I love them so very much.

Being a mom is awesome. It is the biggest high you will ever get. Mom's who are searching for something else in a bottle or a smoke or a needle....boy they are missing out. The best high is right there looking up at you with those big brown eyes and smiling with an I love you that lights up their entire face. You show them love and they will show you love right back. You show them happiness and they will show you happiness right back. Show them a smile and they will smile right back.

Mom's wake up! Love those husbands and love those babies.

It is the best thing in the world!

2009-03-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

Ah...today is going to be a wonderful day here in KY! We are finally going to see some springtime!!! It is going to hit nearly 80 degrees today.

I have so many things going on today. I just finished eating a yummy breakfast with my family of eggs, bacon and pancakes. I will clean up this mess and then do a fast quick-clean of the house. The kind of clean that tricks people into thinking you have just finished cleaning your house.

After that I have to go into the rec room of the basement (which has not been put back together since the most recent flood- it was cleaned just not put back together) and get the photography studio set up and get the lighting just right because tomorrow I have a photo shoot here.

After I get all of that done I have to order volleyball pix for a photo shoot I did a few weeks ago and organize some paperwork.

Oh and somewhere up between those things I mentioned I have to go get my oldest who stayed with a friend last night. At least then I will get to go outside and enjoy a moment or two of the sunshine!

At 6 we have to go to a benefit dinner and auction which will take up most of our evening.

Ah so it may be a nice day outside but as usual, I will be too busy to enjoy it!

.....I think I will go open all the windows now!

Recipe Misers

2009-03-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

Come to my house and I will treat you to coconut cream pie, the best meatloaf this side of forever and baked beans that will make you jump up and smack your momma. Those are just a few of the foods that I consider my "signature dishes". I have more as most ladies and all mommas do but these are the ones at the top of my head right now.
For example on Derby day at the Mattingly's you will get a big ol slice of my version of the ever famous Derby Pie but mine is called First Saturday in May Pie (like you can't figure that one out). Also on Derby you can join me in my authentic mint julep. YUMMY!
Mother's Day is the day for deviled eggs with my own little "twist" on them.
Christmas will get you a big ole double stacked angel kiss cookie. Once you eat one of these delicious, calorie packed little goodies you will love me so much you will want to marry me!
Thanksgiving finds me making my yummy extra juicy turkey and my families favorite broccoli casserole.
Okay now that I am officially starving let me get to the point....when you taste any of these goodies and simply HAVE to have that recipe. Well all you gotta do is ASK! After all my recipes are nothing short of someone else's recipe that I have tinkered with here and there to make it my own. I am happy to share my recipe with you and I find it a sweet compliment that you would even ask. Why would I want to hourde all of that goodness just for my kitchen. Why should my hands be the only ones to prepare it? Wouldn't more people get their bellies blessed if I were to share it with my friend, neighbor, or even aquaintance?
Oh but there are those out there who don't feel this way. I like to call them recipe misers. I visited my friend Ruth Ann's blog and that is what possessed me to post on this today. It has been on my mind lately anyway what with the church cookbook in the works and recipes fresh on my mind.
Recently my pastor's wife asked an aunt of mine for her apple pie recipe. Well she was told no, that she didn't share her recipes. Ha! I find that so crazy! I don't care if it is great, great, great grandmother's recipe that she scribed while riding the boat over the the new world from Italy....if it is in my personal recipe collection....it is yours. I mean for Pete's sake....who cares! What you think that by giving it out you are divulging some deep dark secret from your family tree? Or perhaps by giving it out you have disgraced the ancestor that handed it done? PUHLEEZE!!!! Come on now what it really means is by giving out that precious recipe of yours....that you wouldn't be the only one that would be able to make it! OH NO....I SAID IT didn't I ....hit the nail on the head! Your glory would be gone!!!
Oh dear little recipe miser..... don't you realize that your glory is nothing? You are only allowed to make that recipe and it turn out so wonderfully and taste so absolutely yummy but by the grace of God. It is HIS glory....not yours.
But it is my great grandmother's recipe! But I slaved over a hot stove in the kitchen getting this recipe right! But it has been passed down from me through many generations! But it has never been put out to anyone outside of my family!
But But But.....oh come on shellfish! What glory do you really get by being so darn selfish? It is just a recipe. A chemical alteration of ingredients. A scientific formula. And not yours really anyway.
So that is my soap box today. If you have those recipes that only your eyes can see...why?
Wouldn't it glorify more people if you allowed more ladies to share it with their family and friends in their kitchen. I mean for heaven's sake if you simply must you can stick your name in front of the title and name it Aunt "name removed to protect the innocent" 's Apple Pie
:-) Have a good day friends!

Working Mom

2009-02-22T13:34:00.000-08:00

Well the word is in and I will not be able to take the severance. I will continue to be a working mom.
For those of you out there who are there with me....you know how hard it is. You get up in the morning at the butt crack of dawn and try to fit in a little alone time with yourself. Maybe you exercise or try to catch up on the news. Then you get in the shower, get dressed for work, get the kids up and dressed and then you feed them breakfast. You try to fit in a little housework and then out the door you go. You hurry the kids to school, we pray and read the Bible in the car on the way. You drop the kids off and silently pray another prayer that they will be safe and properly cared for your absence. You trust someone else to teach your child and take care of them for the 8+ hours you will be away from them. Then it is off to work. You change "hats" and put on the business woman hat. In the office you go. You answer a hundred emails every morning and the phone starts ringing with this problem and then that problem that needs your immediate attention. You work and work and work. Your brain is ready to burst! If you and your family have doctor and dentist appointments that need to be made you try to sneak that in at your desk by calling the offices in between the other calls that are coming and going. You pay your bills and balance your checkbook on your small 30 minute lunch break. You try to fit in anything you can during the few breaks you get during the day. Never taking the breaks or lunches to actually relax. If the cars need repair you also try to arrange those from your desk as well. You use your personal days and vacation days not for the purpose they were intended but to fulfill these appointments at the dentist, doctor, mechanic, etc. At 5PM, if you are lucky, you have finished your work at your desk and you can leave the office. On the way home you must stop to get gas, milk, bread,etc. You walk in the door at home and are met immediately with the what's for dinners, help me with my homework, and the "honey did you call and take care of that one thing for me today?". Ah....you get all the answers taken care of as you hurriedly try to prepare something, healthy, fast, easy, frugal and tasty for your family. Several times you find yourself shedding a couple of tears because there just isn't enough of you. By the time you get supper on the table it is at least 6:30. Now if there is a game or practice or church or somewhere else thing you have to be at....well you somehow juggle this faster to get there on time. You eat and try your very best to put your most beautiful smile on your face as you talk with your family about their day. After all even though you work....you want them to know that you love them and are concerned about their day. No one asks about yours....but that is okay....afterall you are the mom. Then you clean up the supper dishes, pack tomorrow's lunches....as the children complain that they don't want that for lunch. You sweep the house, clean the bathroom, put away the laundry, and then it is time for baths. You get jammies out and toothbrushes ready. Help them all get ready for bed and then you realize that you didn't watch any special movie with them, or play a game with them yet. So you sigh deeply and pray that God will give you just a little more manna because your day isn't over yet. You smile, snuggle and play for awhile and realize that the kids must go to bed if they are going to be worth anything the next morning. So off to bed you send them with kisses, prayers and if you are blessed that day....a story. You put your own jammies on take the animals out for one last time before bed. You make sure everything is locked up tight and you layout some meat for tomorrow's dinner. You go and crawl in beside your already sleeping husband and try to relax but then you realize that you forgot to call that friend who is sick. You jump up and lay out an extra meal to fix for your sick friend's family and realize that in the morning you must get up a little earlier to fix their dinner as well. As you walk by your child's homework is sitting out so you check that and note any problems to go over with her in the morning. You realize that you didn't put make any laundry detergent and your are almost out so you grate soap and get all the ingredients together. You boil and stir and mix and ta dah you have laundry detergent to sit out overnight so it will be ready for the next day's wash. You lay out ingredients to make bread tomorrow and feed your sourdough starter. Now you are ready for bed. You crawl back in the bed utterly exhausted only to find that hubby has woke up and....well you pray for even more manna from heaven as your day isn't quite over yet.

For us working mothers everywhere....let us pray for strength from heaven.

Change may be coming!

2009-02-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

Well I did it! I put in for the severance package at work. Now it doesn't mean I will get it but there is a good chance I will.
How are we going to make it? I don't know....but God does.
What am I going to do? Well first and foremost stay home with my girls. After this year of school I will homeschool them. We are also going to take those foster parenting classes we have felt called to take for awhile.
I want to open my home to medically fragile foster children.
Pray for us and these decisions come in our life. Pray that God's will be done.

Right now I just finished making about 60 peanut butter no bake cookies, two big batches of super moist brownies and one large batch of deluxe loaded brownies to take for a friend's daugher's wedding. Whew I am pooped. I have ran ever since getting off work. I picked up my jeep from the mechanic - yah new tires- then came home and started baking.

The diet is going well. I have lost 13lbs. I need to loose at least 10 more. I only have two more weeks to do it in. I don't think I will make goal. But at least I have lost some. It was really hard this time as my body just fought me every step of the way.

Valentine's Day and lots of love for my family!

2009-02-15T09:55:00.000-08:00

Ah Valentine's Day! A day just to show you love someone. How wonderful is that?!

Well yesterday hubby and I went up to Huber's Orchard and Winery, just the two of us!!! We did a wine tasting in the attic of the winery and then we were off to lunch at Huber's Family Farm Restaurant. We went back to the winery for a little while and spent a few bucks at the country farm market. It was a wonderful day spent together.

Last night hubby, the kids and I watched Evan Almighty and ate some yummy valentine goodies. Such a sweet day it was.

I love my family so much! They mean everything to me.

Here are a few pix that I have taken recently. Some of the ice and some of oldest daughter playing vollyball. Enjoy!

Big Ol' Full to the Brim Saturday!!!!

2009-02-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

Today is going to be a CRAZY day!!!! We have SOOOO many things to do today that I honestly don't think I will get done. But I know that God doesn't give me more than I can do in one day. So as soon as I finish posting a note on here I am off to begin my Saturday morning chores.
First I have to clean the kitchen, straighten the entire house, sweep and mop all the floors and clean the bathroom. I have been doing laundry by hand for the last week because my washer blew up.....boy the washing isn't hard but trying to wring out the water....whew.....it just wears me out. When I get a new washing machine I will probably marry it. I won't have time to do laundry today though.
I also have to straighten the pantry today.....when you pull something out it all falls around you. Something just has to be done there. However I am so blessed that my pantry is full. God is good!
Hubby has to go move furniture for my mamaw and papaw. They are moving into an assisted living home. It is really nice and we are so happy for them. They are excited and that is important. He only has a couple of hours that he will be available because he has to be back home at 12 to get ready for the ballgame.
Yep let's throw an AWAY volleyball game in there today. And not just a little away A LOT AWAY. About an hour drive there and back. I won't be able to attend the game with hubby and the girls.....because.....
Add in a wedding today. Yep at 2 I have to be at the church to help my friend Dottie get ready for her wedding at 4. Then after that is the reception and hopefully not too long into the reception hubby and the girls will show up.
The reception is going to be a good time but I won't be able to stay real long. There is still too much to do at home. So anyway hopefully you will have more of a restfull Saturday then I will.
Oh well....idle hands are the devil's workshop. No idle hands today!!!

Power Outage, Ice Storm, Family Staying over and more...

2009-01-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

Whew! It has been a crazy few days! We have had a huge ice storm here in KY. We lost power Tuesday night and it just came back on at about 2 today. We are a complete electric house so it has been an adventure. WE have a generator because we have to keep our sump pump going. We were able to hook up a TV to the generator so we could watch the news, etc. We also had a kerosene heater and it did a really good job. I cooked all of our meals on top of that kerosene heater. I have fixed beef stroganoff, chicken dumplings, and more on that heater. We have not gone hungry.
God has truly blessed us during this storm. We have had heat, a few lights from the generator, food and clothing. So many people in this area have not been so blessed. Many are in shelters or hotel rooms. We are so thankful for all that we have been given.
My grandma and grandpa are staying with us. Their house has been damaged and is unliveable. They were trying to heat with a kerosene heater and something went wrong and it smoked out there entire house. They have soot everywhere.
Well I have to go. I will blog more tomorrow.

Veggie Stew and Snow on the way

2009-01-26T13:27:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmmm.....I just finished a bowl of yummy veggie stew and a corn muffin. It has warmed me all the way to my toes. Which is a good thing since it is SO cold here in KY. We are in a winter storm warning and it is to start coming in at 10 PM and stay until Wednesday.
The kids have already been told....no school tomorrow. They have brought their paces and goals home for a homeschooling day tomorrow.

Usually I am not home from work yet but they gave me and another gal in my team a lack of work at 1PM. I was able to come home, eat a quick salad, shave the dog, trim the dog, bathe the dog, clean myself back up, fix veggie stew and cornbread, and eat with my family....and it is only 4:30! Wow....if only I could be a SAHM....I could accomplish so much for my family.

I know they will offer the severance again at work....at least I think they will. I have crunched the numbers, crunched the numbers, and crunched the numbers some more....but I just can't get end a to meet up with end b on just my husband's income. I will keep praying and keep trying. If it is in God's will then a way will be made.

I have put my quick recipe for veggie stew and cornmuffins below....

1 lb of ground turkey browned with 1 medium onion diced. Add 4 carrots cubed and 2 T fresh ground pepper. As that is browning nicely chop up 1 head of cabbage and three potatoes. Add this to the browned meat mixture in the large pot. Next add 4 cans of stewed tomatoes, 3 cans of corn, a cup of beef stock, salt and more ground pepper to taste. Let it all cook together with cover on pot until potatoes and carrots are tender.

Meanwhile mix a package of corn muffin mix according to package directions and add one can of corn. Cook in muffin pan until done.

Serve soup hot with corn muffins. Yummy! And good for you too!!! The kids and hubby gobbled it right down.

Well stay warm and as we say in Kentucky, Be Careful.... hee hee that would be my stab at American Idol judges for their craziness towards the KY hillbilly that told them to Be Careful. We all say Be Careful in Kentucky....it is just what we do.

Snow SnowSnow

2009-01-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

As I sit here this afternoon catching up with you on blogworld, I have a clear view out my large bay window of the snowflakes falling on our little piece of Kentucky Bluegrass. When the cold winter came, my barrier of leaves that separate me from the interstate left. So behind the beautiful snowflakes I see the cars, trucks and semis speeding down the interstate. My view out my front is not the greatest but I find it calming to me. It is almost mesmerizing to watch those vehicles go by...over and over again. I can just stare and not have to think. I enjoy it. Don't get me wrong I would rather be staring out my front window at my field full of cattle but so is my lot in life....the semis. Every once in a while someone will come off the exit ramp...we live RIGHT on the exit ramp....and blow their horn wishing me a happy hello. Since we got our new windows put in we really don't hear them unless we are at the far side of the house and even then it is difficult. But when I am outside I hear them loud and clear.
Anyway, back to the snow. It is falling so beautifully and slowly. Isn't God good? He blesses us with beauty through all the seasons....even winter. When all of the lovely colors of nature have closed up and fallen asleep and the world seems dead and cold....God will cheer us up by giving us a beautiful shower of white flakes to watch fall. Thank you Jesus for reminding me that there is beauty in everything.
It has been terribly cold here in KY this week. I mean not north Michigan cold but cold nonetheless. I don't like cold. For that matter I don't like hot either. You just give me my spring and fall and I am a happy camper. I like it to have a little nip in the air....maybe that you would wear a sweatshirt with your shorts....now that is my kind of weather. The kind where you go camping and actually enjoy it outdoors during the day and then at night you have to lite a fire because it is just a little chilly. That is my kind of weather.
Speaking of camping we made our first reservations of the year! Yahoo...now that is a sign that this cold will come to an end...eventually. We have two weekends coming up in May that will find us happy rolling along the interstate with our home on wheels hitched up behind us. We will head to the lake. There we will sit and eat and sit and eat and stroll then sit and eat. I don't expect it to the warm enough to get in the lake but in KY....well you just never know.
Today I feel a little gloomy. I have the old Jan blues. I enjoyed the weekend but Monday is coming sooner than I anticipated or wanted. Work, work, work. Is there ever an end? Yes, one day there will be. One day when my Father comes to take me home....then I will rest. Until then I will keep on working and remembering every step I take is one step closer to sweet rest in the arms of my Father. Ahhhh I await on baited breath.
These times we are living in now are tough, very tough. And my dears they are just going to get worse. I must say that our comfortable lives we are used to are coming to a screeching halt. But don't be afraid!!!! It all must happen to give birth to the coming of Christ. We should be happy,rejoicing. Knowing what the world does not....that He is coming and this all must happen before he does. So REJOICE oh child of Christ. Know that He is near!!! Don't loose sight of the goal. Press onward!!! Now is the time that you need to be focusing on winning people to Him. Time is near. Get yourself and your family back into church if you have fallen out....get yourself and your family back into family devotions, family prayer, and Biblical training. Do not be lukewarm!!! Either be hot or cold!!!! I pray that you are hot...are on fire for Christ. Time is short...repent now and live for Him. There will be a day....soon....when ever knee will bow....but blessed are those who CHOOSE to bow now!!!
Oh Lord I pray that you will help me through each day. Help me to be a good wife and a good mother but most of all help me to show your love in my life to all those who are hurting. "I was thirsty and you gave me drink, hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me"....I am not doing that now....help me Lord for I know that if I do it to the least of these, I have done it to you.
May God bless you today. May He show you His beauty. We may be in the cold of winter but....spring....lovely spring is on the way...in more ways than one.

Sniff Sniff....Is it really over?

2008-12-29T17:41:00.001-08:00

It is hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone again. We work for weeks...no, months... to make everything just "perfect". We shop, plan, bake, decorate, wrap and more.

Our houses are beautiful and our kitchens smell of gingerbread and cinnamon. Then in a matter of seconds....poof...it is over. We sit there in the mist of balls of discarded paper, tape and those ever loved gift bags looking around at the shell shocked zone wondering what just happened.

Then we vow, or at least I vow, to not kill myself next year and to make it a more simple Christmas. I always have the best of intentions but somewhere around the 15th all of my common sense goes out the window and I start frantically making plans, doing additional shopping that was not planned (or budgeted), baking more than I anticipated and stress stress stressing about the "perfect" Christmas.
On December 26th, when I magically regain my senses and I have all of my wits about me again, I begin to plan next year. Yes, you heard me right. I tell myself that this commercialism is going to stop and everyone is going to realize that it is Jesus' birthday and we are celebrating that wonderful gift.

Oh to think that a King in all of His glory would step down from his wondrous throne to be born a baby of a virgin girl. To be born in a stable to parents who had nothing to speak of as wordly posessions. To walk this earth,living to die. My darling Christ, the sacrificial lamb of the world was born on this night. Why do we need to complicate that?

But 2009, this year's Christmas, I think people will stop and realize this. I think they will be forced to. The economy has crumbled and we have not even seen the tip of that iceburg. There will be no extra money for the "extras" that we think are so necessary for a "perfect" Christmas.
For the first time in...well, forever, I may actually stick with my vow for the simple, truly perfect, Christmas. My three gift max per person rule will apply in full force. And if you are outside of my own personal nest then a one gift per person rule will apply. It is not about the gifts!!!! It is about being together, spending time togehter, and pondering that most wonderful gift from so many years ago.

Are you sad that your Christmas is over? Well let's not be. Let's vow today, together to make it a year to remember when we tell those retailers, NO WE WILL NOT BE TRICKED into a commericalized Christmas. This is the birthday of our Lord and we will place Him first.
Then on Dec. 25th of this year when we are sitting there in the midst of a not so big at all pile of discarded paper and bows we can sigh and say

"this was the perfect Christmas".

Christmas Present

2008-12-17T19:06:00.001-08:00

Wow Ladies! It is almost here! Christmas! I love Christmas! I love the sounds, the lights, the decorations, the smells, the family, the friends, the smiles....

Oh I could go on and on.

So what are your plans? Are you , like me filled to the brim each day with a list a mile long of things to do, people to see and parties to enjoy?

Sunday we went to church for our annual Christmas play and dinner. Our church is the sweetest little church on the planet! It is an old fashioned small church. We had our younger sunday school class' Christmas play (Jesus the Light of the World), followed by the older children reciting from the Bible and playing the piano. Then we all headed next door to share a meal together. It was delicious. Then as everyone was leaving hubby passed out the goody bags for each and every person, young and old. Inside the bag you find an apple, orange, nuts, candy, and gum. They are in brown paper sacks....just like the goody bags from my childhood.

Today of course it was back to church where we warmed up leftovers from Sunday and then after eating we all made up the baskets of food for the needy. Now these are not small food baskets. They contain about four boxes of food for needy families. We also include gifts for any children in the family. It is such a joy to give back to God's people.

Saturday we will go back to church and pick up our own Angel Food menu items from this month along with two of the food baskets to deliver to people that we know in town.

Saturday afternoon we will head out to my dad and his wife's, Nana, for our family Christmas gathering. Nana goes all out for this and bakes for days and days. And then we eat and eat and eat. After we eat and open gifts and eat again and open gifts again with the rest of the family that come later...she sends us home with bags and boxes of more goodies. YUMMY!

Sunday we will head back to the church where we will have regular service and prepare for the final week of christmas. It is going to be a joy this year. I myself have bought up a lot of baking items and will be preparing lots of goodies for my friends and family. Tonight I fixed two cherry chip cakes with cream cheese icing and a batch of brownies for the two lovely gals of mine to take to school tomorrow for their Christmas party. I love that we are blessed and are able to send our children to a Christian school where they actually have a CHRISTMAS party and not some holiday party.

The evening before Christmas Eve hubby, me and the gals will be heading to my moms for an overnight stay where we will wake up at her house on Christmas Eve morning and have a breakfast together and exchange gifts. It is sure to be a good time. Then it is off to my sister in laws for Christmas with hubby's family.

Christmas day for the first time in years we have nowhere to go and I am loving it meeces to pieces! We will get to wake up on Christmas morning and stay in our jammies while we open gifts then eat our breakfast casserole that will have been setting up overnight in the fridge. Then we will lounge around watching Christmas movies and just being together. AH what a good time will be had!

So what are you planning with your family this year for Christmas?

Cooking up some love!

2008-12-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when we ladies spend the majority of our time in the kitchen.

We shine this time of year. Our culinary skills are put to their test as we make cake after cake and cookie after cookie and a few pies here and there.

There is a party here and a party there....everywhere a party and these paries need FOOD!

Not just the parties either, our own homes must be filled with goodies at the very fingertips of all who grace our door.

Our chldren and our hubbies are spoiled rotten this time of year too. We fix everyone's favorite holiday treat. Why? Because we love them "meeces to pieces"! The way to show that love is by showering them with sugar!

It is also a great time to spend with our children in the kitchen. They can help to roll the cookie dough, mix the cakes, load the filling into the shells and more. My daughters are a great help to me....now if only I can get them to help clean up...hmmmm.

This is also a time of year for big family dinners. Those kind of "feel good" dinners full of comfort food. After all we must "bulk up" for the winter months ahead...right? At least that is what I am telling myself.

The dinners at my house this time of year include all of the favorites. We have lots of turkey dishes, mashed potatoes, dressings, roasts, mac n cheese, country hams, yeast rolls, biscuits, breads, lasagnes, stews and chilis. YUMMY

This time of year we spend time with family. Just being together seems to be enough. Finally people are spending time at home and just "being".

I love winter time for the simple reason that it forces us to spend time at home.

So mom's grab those aprons, dust off those recipes, grab your favorite mixing bowl and most comfy spoon and get to work.

Cook, bake, and love that family of yours!

It is Christmas!

Back from trip, reading, cleaning and striving for simple life....

2008-11-30T07:39:00.000-08:00

We are back from our Thanksgiving trip. We had a wonderful time! We went to Nashville, TN.

It is a tradition in our family to head down there every Christmas season.

We went to Opry Mills mall....got some good deals....and saw Santa at Bass Pro....they always have a great Santa.

We were going to camp but the weather turned cold here and we had to winterize the camper before we had a chance to go so we stayed in an inexpensive hotel outside of town. It was clean and sufficient for our needs.

We saw ICE....a world carved by ICE...this year was the last year for the theme of Grinch. It is loads of fun but it is a little on the pricey side. I would gladly give up this part of the tradition but the kids won't dream of it. So we do without in other ways to be able to see ICE.

We always eat dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We don't have one near our home so this is always a treat for the girls. They love it when the animals come "alive" and it "storms" in the restaurant. It is only once a year and it is something that thekids really look forward too. They understand that Nashville and the things we do there is all part of their Christmas presents.

We also visited Trinity Broadcasting Network's Trinity City. It was beautiful....and everything there is free...the movies....the tours....everything. Thank you Jesus that they are able to bless families in that way.

With all of the fun we had it is still so good to be home. Even the girls seemed to sigh a comfortable sigh when we walked through our door.

Home....there is no place like it.

Once we got back home, I dug in the fridge and got out the leftovers of our 23lb Tom Turkey. I chopped it up in the food processor and added mayo, a little garlic powder, salt, pepper, and relish. It made a yummy turkey salad. I then baked up some fresh rolls and opened a can of pork n beans. We had a nice dinner together and everyone ate their full. I made enough turkey salad to last us for several lunches this week.

Today I am going to take the leftover dark meat that I didn't use in the salad and mix it with some frozen mixed veggies and cream of mushroom soup and back it in the oven with a cracker crumb topping. I am going to pair it up with some dressing from Angel Food Ministries. (Once again I give a shout out to Angel Food Ministries! If you don't order your food from them....you should!) We will also eat the leftover rolls from last night's dinner. I will wait until later in the afternoon to cook though because after our large breakfast of sausage, gravy, biscuits and eggs we are all full to the brim.

Our church only has Sunday evening service so I will spend today getting caught up on a couple of household tasks and resting. I do have a baby shower to go to today but other than that I will be able to devote my entire day to my family and God.

House cleaning: Each week I change the sheets on the beds. I recommend that you spray your mattress and pillows with Odo-Ban (I get mine from Sam's Warehouse). And let it air out all day long then put your clean sheets back on in the evening. I have this thing about clean beds. I get the willy nillies when I sleep in a hotel bed or in anyone else's bed but my own because I don't know if they take the same pains that I do to keep the bedding clean and germ free. :-) Before we left for Nashville, I stripped the beds and sprayed them and let them air out while we were gone.

Another one of my "things" is the bathroom. I cannot stand a dirty bathroom. Now this is an ongoing challenge at my house with two kids, a hubby and me. I seem to be the only one that feels this way about the bathroom so I am constantly picking up and cleaning up behind my family. I keep the sink, counter and toilet clean with a general cleaner such as Lysol or PineSol. Then I spray these two with Odo-Ban which kills germs like you would not believe. Our tub is a bathfitter tub so I have to be careful about what I use to clean it. Once I am finished cleaning I take a lint free cloth and shine the faucets. The floor of my bathroom is old tile and even when clean it can look dirty. Plus it is white so it is constantly dirty. I take bleach water and pour on the floor and let it sit then I mop it up.It is the only thing that keeps it clean. Also about once a month I have to get on my hands and knees with an old toothbrush and scrub the grout between the tiles. But I know that my bathroom is clean and germ free. That makes me happy.

What are some of your Pet Peeves in your house? We all have them. The certain areas that simply must be kept clean or we loose our marbles.

Tomorrow is library day. Every Monday we head to the library here in town and load up on books to read during the week. I am an avid reader. Some people say that they don't have time to read. I simply don't understand that. I will make time. Of course I don't watch TV much at all so that helps. I will also stay up an extra hour after everyone goes to sleep if need be just to read my books. I like to read books about pioneering days and books about the old days. I like Janet Oake and of course I love Little House books and to read them with my kids. I also get my fair share of self help books about canning, cooking, farming, and taking care of my home. I enjoy reading these and get lots of good ideas from them. Today I will spend some time reading to the kids a couple of the books that we haven't read yet this week so they are ready to go back tomorrow and get replaced with new ones. I hope that I am cultivating a love of reading in my kids. It is a way of escape to other worlds, times, people and places. We can learn so much through books....I just love them.

I don't know how people can watch tv all the time. I have friends who it seems that their entire lives are surrounded by what comes on tv each night. They have their "shows" and they don't miss them. I would venture to say that they spend at least three hours a day watching tv...if not more. Now these are working women who are already away from their home for at least 8 hours a day. I just don't understand. I also know ladies who are SAHMs and their tv's never turn off. They are always on. It is a sad thing to see how people have wasted their lives away simply staring at a box. Think about it the next time you are watching tv. Your body goes in a sort of "sleep mode" and your eyes are fixed staring at a box in your living room. Idle hands.... my dear ones....idle hands. Imagine what you can be doing with that time. Why you could be playing a game with your children. Sitting with them while they play the piano. You could be talking to your husband, if you are lucky enough to have one that agrees with you regarding the TV...mine does not. He is one of those who sits and watches that box....constantly. When he gets up I check the chair for an egg....I figure one of these days he is bound to lay one as much as he sits. :-) But I can only choose for myself and my girls....he has to choose for himself. All I can do is pray. He says that my blogging is just the same....but I disagree. When I blog I write and read and learn ways to make my home better. It is not like watching tv....and I don't spend nearly the same amount of time on it either. Anyway back to what you could do instead of watch tv....you could be READING....ah those of you who can't find the time to read.....TURN OFF the TV. Spend time talking with your family, read with your family, BE with your family. Actually looking AT each other instead of at that box. Now don't get me wrong...I watch TV sometimes but mostly it is old movies with my kids and of course this time of year....Christmas movies.

Maybe if we stopped watching tv we would have time once again to visit with neighbors. We would have time to be the wives and mothers that God has called us to be. This world is so fast and so crazy....we need to make it a point to purposefully wind back the clock to a time more simple. I want my kids to grow up knowing the value of hard work, a loving mother who actually cooks for them, cleans for them and takes care of them. A mother who is seen busy at all times. I want them to recognize that it is only through hard work and prayer and reverance to the Lord that it is possible to be happy and healthy. We have lost this in the world today. People think they can just buy their way through. My children will learn to make do....sometimes out of necessity. I want them to know how to take a little and make a lot. They see me making bread instead of buying it, making biscuits instead of "popping" open the can. They see me grating my soap and making my detergent....not putting a bottle of Tide in my cart. They see me putting on the same clothes I have for years or the occasional $3 skirt at the Family Dollar if I have treated myself. They see me putting on the same tennis shoes because I only buy one pair a year....then they see the old pair be used for camping.

Now I am not perfect by no means but I am striving for perfection through Christ. I want them to have the gumption to strive for that when they get older too. Sometimes it is hard because my hubby is very worldly and he is a frivolous man. It is a good thing I guess that God paired us together...without him I would probably be on the extreme side and viewed as too "pioneer". Without me he would surely be in the poor house with his spending and would have a lazy modern way of thinking without me to add my sprinkle of striving for the "old ways".

So ladies make it a point to strive for the simple life. Strive for the hard working way of doing things. Don't take the easy way out. Take your loving mother hands and turn back the hands of the clock of father time to the good old yesterdays of our great great grandparents. Start at home and together we can make a change in this world of push a button, gotta have it now, stare at a box in your living room people.

We have to choose to live this way. Which way do you choose?

2008-11-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

My 23lb Tom Turkey is out of the oven and sliced and waiting patiently on the serving tray to be all "gobbled" up. I must say that my turkey is the bomb! Hubby calls it my famous turkey.

I have my dressing in the oven. It is full of sage, giblets, celery, onion and turkey broth. Yummy! I will let it get cooked thoroughly then I will take the foil off and let it get a little crunchy crust on top. Oh I can't wait to dig in!

Also on my stove boiling is fresh sweet potatoes. Soon I will go up and mash them with sugar and butter. Then I will top them with a butter, brown sugar and flour crumble topping and stick it in the oven. Yummy to the second power!

We will also be having mashed potatoes, green beans, yeast rolls, gravy, veggie casserole and more!

And guess what???? It is just the four of us so we will have the great leftovers for the next week. Dawlin' it don't get no better than that!

For dessert we are having pumpkin roll, pumpkin gooey cake, and some turkey shaped chocolate cup cakes. So good!

We decided to spend Thanksgiving here at home instead of going anywhere to extended family. I find at this stage in my life I long to just be home with my own family at the holidays. It is a good thing. Right now the house is full of the lovely scents of dinner and the children are playing in the floor. Hubby is kicked back in his easy chair and we are all watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (happy 150th bday Macy's!)

The girls are lovin to help me fix dinner. It is a wonderful thing to have my children in the kitchen with me. In doing so I am cultivating a love of cooking and taking care of their future families. I am sure their one day husbands will thank me for taking the time to include them.

Soon we will be sitting around the table together enjoying the feast I have prepared. I love to feed my family. I love to spend special days with them.I love to baby them and create these wonderful memories with them.

After dinner we will spend the day together. We will watch movies and keep baking up those wonderful memories that we will store always in our heart.

I am so thankful for my family and I love them so very, very much!

Finances, Menus, Angel Food and More...

2008-11-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

Now that I am feeling like my old self again...thank you Jesus!...I am getting back into the "groove" of things.

We had angel food delivery yesterday...yummy! I must give a shout out to angel food ministries. If you guys are not ordering your food from them yet....I must ask what in the world are you waiting for?

:-) Angel food is awesome...for $30 you get a box of food that feeds a family of four for 1 week. You can view their December menu on their website and find a host site near you. I plan all of my meals around my angel food and I supplement them from the grocery with sale items.

Since I have been going to doc after doc.....after doc, our finances are... well... depleted. So I am going to have to really buckle down these next couple of months to get back on our feet. Thank goodness that I already purchased all of our Christmas gifts so I don't have to worry about that.

:-) I am going to have to be creative over the next couple of months though. I cleaned out the pantry and freezer so that I would know exactly what food I have on hand. Other than to get a few items for Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes and milk/bread we will not be shopping at all. To stay out of the stores completely means to spend no money.

Today I fixed cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we had burgers and tater tots for lunch. The girls and I made a lemon cake with orange cream cheese frosting...yummy. Then they made peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies. I wanted to share with you my recipe for burgers....

2lb ground chuck

1 lb mild sausage

pepper and salt to taste

2 T minced onion

1T canadian steak seasoning plus 1T for topping

1/2 T garlic powder

Mix ground chuck and sausage with minced onion, steak seasoning, and garlic powder. Patty beef mixture into thin and large round burgers. Place in hot skillet and cook until one side browned and then flip. Sprinkle burgers with candadian steak seasoning while frying. Cook thoroughly. Add cheese, if desired.

Yummy!

My hubby

2008-11-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

Today I want to dedicate this post to my hubby. I am so thankful for him in my life. He took me to the hospital Monday morning and he stayed with me the entire time. Even though it was as stimulating as watching paint dry, he never left my side.

We have had our ups and downs in our years of marriage but we always managed to make it through. There were times that I really thought we were not going to make it. There were times that I felt I was all out of love. It is those times when you have to let God do the loving for you.

Thankfully it is much better now. We have been through so very much. There were many times when I was broken and completely wounded, it is during those times when it seemed that he was his strongest and could carry me through. Other times he was the broken and wounded one and it was I would would carry him through. You see we have always been able to help each other to stand.

I thank God and give Him the glory that my darling hubby is growing in his relationship with Him. He is still a baby in Christ but he is growing. He is realizing a little each day the importance of placing Christ first. He goes to church every Sunday and helps me with my Sunday school class too. He feels perfectly at home in our little church and all of the wonderful people there are good friends now to him. He also listens to Christian music a lot and has favorite songs. He mentioned to me today that he missed the modern song service at our old church which is several miles away. We decided that we would go there and visit at least once a month. It was hubby that brought up that idea....in the past that wouldn't have happened. He is growing and I am so very thankful.

I will continue to pray for this darling husband of mine. I know that God isn't finished with him yet. I think God has great things in store for him. With a good dose of self confidence I think hubby will do amazing things in the name of Jesus.

So today I dedicate this post to my darling hubby. I am a very blessed lady to have this darling man on my arm!

Hubby is also a very good father. The girls love him very much. We all look forward to having him home with us.

Complete Healing and Back to Normal

2008-11-20T18:30:00.000-08:00

Well gals I am back from the hospital. I am so excited to let you know that I do not have epilepsy! :-) My blood pressure is running low and I am also having some sort of "stress spells". Well I must tell you though that since I am now off that crazy medication and it is all out of my system, I feel like my old self again! I am so happy and I give God the glory for this healing! I believe that He is the reason and nothing else. Thank you Lord for my healing and I give you all the praise!

Now I can get back to doing what I LOVE to do and that is "baby"ing my family! I absolutely adore taking care of my children and husband. I love cooking and baking and filling their home with loving touches.

Today I had to get to the grocery and stock up on some needed items for Thanksgiving and also to supplement this month's angel food which will be in Saturday.

This evening I baked peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies for my darling family. Hubby loves the smell of cookies baking in the oven. It wasn't long before he was pouring a tall glass of milk and diving in.

I was so excited to see my children today! I missed them so much! Oldest is being so sweet...I catch her just looking over at me and I can tell that she missed me. Youngest keeps telling me over and over that she loves me. Oh how good it is to be home again!

When I was going through this illness I wasn't sure exactly what the outcome would be. It got so bad at one point. Now that the medication that was working against me instead of helping me is gone I am getting back to normal. But going through this has made me realize that it can all be taken away so quickly. We only have this one body and we need to take care of it. Do not take it for granted. The little things that we do daily mean so much to our families. We as mothers and wives are the heart of the home, hubby is the head but we are definitely the heart. Jesus created us for that very important purpose. I am so glad that I am a mom and wife...I wouldn't want it any other way.

So gals....how will you baby your family today?

A tribute to my girls...

2008-11-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

This pix here is from my oldest's room. This was taken before we took her posters down. We decided her walls were getting too "cluttered". But you can see from the shelf that my daawlin' oldest child has her share of awards!

She is truly a gifted child. We are so very, very proud of her! Last year not only did she complete the most amount of work than any student in the school but she had a GPA of 98.9! She also received the trophy for Bible memorization for the year. She has competed in several pageants and competitions...sometimes she has taken away first, sometimes not...but she has always had fun fun fun.

Our oldest is a unique child...you see she isn't really my oldest child at all. She is really my middle child. But she is the oldest child here with me. She really has had a lot of growin' up to do in her short 10 years. She has been through a lot. She started out life as the youngest child. Then after the death of my dear Victoria she became an only child. Finally when our youngest child came along, she fell into the position of oldest child.

She is very sensitive and caring. We find that she is quite lazy and can be very mouthy....we are working on these things :-). She is smart...oh so smart but since she has this lazy streak in her she will zoom through her studies and sometimes make little mistakes. So there are goals we are trying to achieve...she is working very hard on these.

We love our oldest/middle child so very much!

This is my youngest child's room....she is our wild child! She keeps us hoppin' and makes things interesting around here!

We like to say that Victoria hand picked her up in heaven and sent her down for us just so we would stay real busy and maybe not miss her so desperately.

When she was born she had a strawberry mark on her back. We say this is where Victoria kissed her before Jesus sent her to us.

Our littlest child....oh such a dear one. Her Papaw Danny says she is "sweet as sugah and mean as a snake!" I must say this sort of does describe her well.

When she is playing you will most likely find her with her high heel shoes on (she absolutely adores shoes....I mean gals she is only 5 and the child has a love affair with shoes), a hat of some sort on, a purse on her shoulder, her sunglasses on and she will be struttin' around her room talking to this dolly and that dolly while she is preparin' breakfast at her little kitchen.

She loves to color and to "read". She likes to write her letters and numbers. She is doing very well in school and I think she will follow in her sissy's footsteps in academic excellence.

Our youngest has had her fair share of awards and trophies as well. She has a few tiaras and ribbons too. She will gladly show them to you if you ever do stop by for a visit.

She likes to cook and help out in the kitchen. She has an almost remarkable memory. I could go on and on about the qualities that shine in this adorable little bundle of joy. Oh and I cannot forget this little child of mine absolutely loves animals....no matter what kind of animal....she loves 'em. I wonder if she will be a vet when she grows up? hmmm

Last I would like to wish a very very happy birthday to my dearest first born, Victoria. Born in 1995 you would have been 13 today. "Oh my goodness....13 years old. How would we have celebrated? We would have certainly had us a big Big BIG party! ThirTEEN years old! I can't imagine! But to me you will always be my darling little five year old girl I held in my arms. I love you Victoria and I miss you oh so very very much. I know that no matter what kind of birthday party I would have given you here it does not compare with the birthday party that I am sure Jesus gave you in heaven today! One day my darling little girl I will be there too and together we will celebrate. Together we will dance for Jesus! Together we will fall down and worship at His glorious feet! Oh I can't wait baby girl! "

"We went to your grave today...we dressed up the vase for Christmas with beautiful red holly and evergreen. We put a big red bow on the front. We gave you a pooh bear balloon and tied it to the vase that said Happy Birthday. Someone had already been there with a birthday balloon and a teddy bear. You were so loved by so many. Your little sister....the littlest one....colored you a picture and left it there for you. Of course maybe you saw all of this from heaven? I don't know. But I know that there is the last place I saw you and so there is where I go to honor your memory."

"One day I will lay there beside you and our bodies will sleep but our souls will rejoice together in Heaven with our Father who loves us both even more than we love each other....wow....now that's a whole lot of lovin'!"

Keepin' It Goin'

2008-11-14T10:15:00.000-08:00

Well gals....I am just a few days from my hospital stay...ughh. The docs are taking me off my meds to prepare so I am trying to take it easy but I want to make sure everything is in order before I go. So I look a bit like the lady in my picture here for a few minutes, then I crash in my bed for an hour....then look like the lady in the pix again...then crash in the bed again.

Isn't it funny...when I tell hubby and the girls that it is time to get the house cleaned again (once a week we do a thorough clean up together) they all look at me and say..."we just did it last week!" Even hubby doesn't understand that it has to be done over and over and over again. :-)

Each day the beds have to be made only so we can crawl into them that evening and back out the next morning to make them again :-). Of course the laundry is a given and it is an obvious thing to the family that has to be done as well as the dishes, but as far as the sweepin and moppin and dustin and toilet scrubbin....well "didn't we just do those last week?" :-)

I absolutely cannot stand a dirty house. I cannot relax knowing there is stuff that needs to be done. It will drive me absolutely bonkers. I know if when I am in the hospital next week everything at home isn't spic and span it will drive me crazy knowing I will have to come home and do it.

There is nothing better than coming home to an absolutely clean house....have you ever heard of "moppin yourself out the door"? In order to enjoy a vacation I literally have to do that. Now I don't try to kid myself...I have children...two of them little critters runnin' around in fact. And a dog...and a cat....oh and a hubby. Now this means that my house can stay...well "messy". I am constantly picking up this or needing to pick up that. I am constantly hollerin' for the girls to straighten up this mess or that mess....and usually....they don't :-)

If you gals are like me then I consider you a kindered spirit. I figure one day when my children are grown I will have my house clean and it will stay that way. But then I will wish for those messes again, won't I?

I am so blessed to have my darlin' girls and loving hubby here with me. Even if the house doesn't stay straighted up and neat and tidy. I would rather hear them playing in the other room then not hear anything in a perfect little home.

Sometimes though I just wish something would stay where I put it! Except for the broom...it always seems to stay where I put it, and the clean laundry that is waiting to be folded....it doesn't seem to move either :-)

It's almost Christmas!

2008-11-13T17:47:00.000-08:00

It's almost here! I love Christmas just "meeces to pieces"! Christmas is the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Other than Easter...honey it don't get no better than that. And I really thing that this year Christmas is going to be much, much better. You see I think that Christmas is going to be about Christmas. Since people don't have the money that they have had in the past to be so flighty with their spedning ....I feel that this year gifts will come from the heart. People will focus more on Jesus and less on the commericalism of Christmas. Like the picture on my post shows the little girl surrounded by gifts....oh how we think that is the way Christmas should be. But in the "good ole days" children were lucky to get one toy. They usually got an orange, a few nuts and a few candy sticks in their stocking. They might get a handmade toy from dad or some handmade dresses for their doll from mom.

Mom would spend several days making special cakes and pies...these were considered part of Christmas for the family. The children looked forward to these delicious desserts....as they didn't get them during the rest of the year...except for maybe one or two pies for Thanksgiving.

I have finished decorating the house for Christmas. We wanted to get it done before I am admitted to the hospital this coming Monday. Hubby got all of the outside decorations up and this past Monday I finished getting all of my indoor decorations ready. Monday night the kids, hubby and I put up the Christmas tree. I know it seems early but with everything we have going on it will allow us to be able to enjoy the remaining days of November and December together without stress of having to do anything as far as decorating and such.

And believe it or not girls....I have all of my presents wrapped too! I am still waiting for the guys presents to come in from LTD....the items are on back order...ughhh. I hope they come in with time to spare.

I am working on several handmade gifts for the ladies of the family that will take a lot of time but I am taking them with me on my hospital trip next week so I will have plenty of time to work on them there. If all works out I will at least have my wits about me enough to work a few hours a day on the projects. I have one complete and I have four more to go.....phew.

The children's gifts are done...finished....complete. Hubby and I are not getting each other gifts this year so that is easy. We will fill each other's stockings as santa's helpers but that will only cost a few dollars so no big deal there.

So this year I see people turning to an old fashioned Christmas. And I welcome it with open arms. Homemade candies, cookies, cakes and gifts will be handed out instead of yet more store bought items that no one needs or really wants.

Thank you Lord for hard times that bring us closer together and when we have no where else to go we find ourselves on our knees and there we meet you.

Mama's Apron

2008-11-12T09:31:00.001-08:00

Do you have an apron? Don't you just love it "meeces to pieces"? I can be tired and feel so underqualified until I pick up my apron from the hook in my kitchen and tie it around my waist. Once it is on I am transformed into "super mom"....I can then leap the tallest bread pan in a single bound, climb the highest meringue, and soar the largest layer cake. With my apron around my waist I feel the kindred spirit of all those mama's that came and went before me guiding me on through the daily care of my home, husband and children.

If you don't have an apron, I encourage you right now....this very minute to go and get one! And don't just hang it up for looks either! It is for wearing and wearing every day! And heavens to Betsy don't get one of those silly little frivolous aprons...why those lacy little uncomfortable things....they aren't aprons, I'm not quite sure what hey are...but they are not aprons. Get you a good old fashioned comfortable apron. Now it can be pretty...nothing wrong with pretty. Pretty is as pretty does but make it practical too. I mean it has got to be comfortable enough to wipe the occasional tear from your children's face when they fall...and the occassional tear from your face throughout the day...I mean we are women after all and the tears do fall. They have to be sturdy enough to handle wash after wash after wash. They have to be comfortable because you will wear them from the beginning of your work day until the end....not just in the kitchen. Once you get used to your apron you will find that you depend on it throughout the day. And be sure to get one with pockets. I find that I use my apron pockets for a great many things. There are times they hold nails, thumbtacks, clothespins, and more. You may prefer a waist apron but not me, I am a full apron wearer myself. My favorite is a blue and white pin stripe apron. It has served me well for years and it is very comfortable.

So come on gals.....join the apron army. You will be glad you did.

Oh and what about us working moms? Well when I get in from the office the first thing I do once I shed my work shoes is grab my apron from the hook in the kitchen. I may be forced to work outside of my home during the day but once 5:15 hits and I walk through that back door into my kitchen....I am all mama and all home. We can be both. We all want to be and would love to be stay at home mamas but don't beat yourselves up if you can't. I can't either gals. So we just have to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and work with the lot that has been given to us. That just means that we have to work that much harder. And God will reward our hard work! Take pride in knowing that you can do both....help your hubby by bringing financial assistance to the home and don that apron when you get home and lovingly care for your home just like the stay at homes do. You too can do it! Don't let anyone tell you any different. Working moms are just the same....in fact they just have to work that much harder at home- add in all the days chores at home....plus 8 hours of work outside of home....whew.....well at least there are no "idle hands" there!

So grab that apron girls and get to homemaking!

Thanksgiving Memories

2008-11-11T13:49:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is coming soon! What do you and your family do on this special day?

This has always been one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it is because it doesn't involve any commercialism. It is just simply family and friends getting together to spend time together.

The traditional meal in our home has always been the following...

Roasted Turkey with Gravy

Sage Dressing with Giblets

Corn Pudding

Sweet Potato Casserole

Broccoli Casserole

Mashed Potatoes

Yeast Rolls

Pumpkin Roll

Pecan Pie with Whipped Cream

I love Thanksgiving. I have so many things to be thankful for in my life. My darling husband is number one! I am so thankful for him ! He is so sweet. God has has truly given me a darling man to take care of me and I thank Him so much for giving him to me. Of course my three beautiful daughters. They are so darling. Each one is so different and unique. Two of them live here with me and one lives in heaven with Jesus. I love them all "meeces to pieces"! I am thankful for my home, the warmth in the winter, the cool air in the summer.I am thankful for food on my table. I am also thankful for our jobs. I praise God for keeping each and everyone of us together and safe. He is so worth of our praise and thanksgiving!

This year we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with just our family. We had originally thought we were going to go out of town for the long weekend but we are unsure if we will be able to financially swing it. Even if we can't go away for the entire weekend....we will definitely go away for the day. Whether we are at home or away in the camper....we will still have our Thanksgiving dinner and we will still be spending our time together as a family.

Isn't it wonderful to celebrate a day that is all about just being thankful?

Ahhh Camping

2008-11-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Oh to be camping again.....as I sit here tonight posting this blog to you I have my heater pointed right at me. I have my blanket pulled up round about me. I am trying to keep sipping liquids in hopes to flush out this icky Kentucky Ohio Valley cold I have. It wasn't that long ago that I was sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows with my family next to our camper.

I absolutely adore camping. I mean I love it "meeces to pieces"! I love the smell of the wood burning in the campfire. I love just sittind and watching the flames dance back and forth. I love watching my hubby as he chops the kindling and adds a few more logs to the flames. It also makes my girlie heart skip a few beats when his muscles flex as he moves that axe!

I love waking up in the morning and fixin my family biscuits and "camping gravy". (This is the sausage gravy that comes in a pouch that you heat up in the boiling water...the kids call it camping gravy) Lord knows mama ain't gonna make her own gravy none to often while camping...I have been known to a few times though.

Then it is off to ride bikes or hike or just chill out with a book. Oh to camp is to be free! Free from work, free from home (and home WORK), free from the phone and the computer, just free to enjoy your family. This is a time when you and your family talk and play games together.

This here is our tent...as you can see I am just a little spoiled...

If there is one thing that I insist on....that is my bathroom. Ughhh if there is one thing I cannot stand it is Otter Creek Park's bathrooms (this is a place where we camp sometimes). It is a nice place to camp that is close to home but gals their bathrooms...well lets just say...well lets just not say.

My little camper has a full bed, two twin beds and a table that folds down to a bed. We have a full bathroom and a full kitchen. Of course there is heat and air. The pix makes it look a little smaller than it is but it is not real big at all. Big enough for us though. I would tell ya how many feet but I would get it all messed up....that's hubby's thing. I just know it has a bathroom...and a bed...and a stove...a sink and a microwave. Hee hee.

Oh and air conditioning. Which is really cool when it gets hot...get it "cool". ha ha

Well I am going to close this here post for now and watch some tv and try to stop coughing long enough to get a little bit of sleep.

:-)

God bless and God bless America

Come on in....part two...

2008-11-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

Hello Again! Welcome back! I wanted to continue giving you a tour of my little homestead here in KY. I am bringing you up on the back porch...that's where all the friends come in. See my previous post. This is a star and sign that hangs on the back porch.

Continuing on our tour in the kitchen where we left off. This is the windo right above the sink. It is one of those garden windows where you can grow herbs, etc. It has two windows on each side that open up which makes for a nice breeze when the weather allows. But as you can see mostly it just store somes of my junk :-). As you can tell from the previous post and this last pix of the kitchen.... I am lovin me some Americana! The walls are blue and there is the cutest uncle sam border up at the top. The cabinets are old and maybe one day I will get my kitchen remodeled but for now it is fine and I am happy in my little, warm, cozy kitchen.

This clock is hanging in the living room right off of the kitchen. As you can see it says "Victoria" which is the name of our oldest girl who lives with Jesus now so it is one of my fav pieces. If you look real close you can catch a glimpse of a portrait of my two daughters on the wall. This would be youngest and oldest that you hear me talk about in my posts. Aren't they just adorable?! I just love 'em to pieces.

Also in the living room you will find our Betsy Ross upright piano. I try to teach myself to play; I have a few do it yourself books. My daughter took lessons and still plays some. When our youngest gets a little older I am hoping she also will take lessons. I love to hear people play the piano. Above the piano on the wall you will see two of my five framed Jesus prints. These are some of my favorite things. I enjoy these because it shows a human side of Jesus that you usually don't see in prints. I will work on getting a close up of these prints for you guys on a later post.

This next pix that you see is an anniversary gift from hubby for our fifth anniversary. It is a quite large, although you can't tell from this post, print of the lion laying down with the lamb. It is hanging in the dining room which adjoins the living room in the front of the house.

Above is the centerpiece for fall on the dining room table. As you can see I repeated the same gourds and faux fall leaves from the kitchen but in very tall glass vases, these stand about two and a half feet tall. The dining room table seats six. We don't usually eat in here unless we have company over or unless it is a holiday or on certain weekend dinners. The chair pads are white and are very hard to clean. One day I will get them reupholstered but for now it is what it is. The dining room table is beautiful but is not functional for everyday use. We use our good ole kitchen table for every day eating.

Now this little picture here is quite special. This is a curio cabinet that is in the dining room it is on the other side of the table opposite the china cabinet. This cabinet holds some of my darling Victoria's most prized possessions. Here you will find her Prayer Pal, her Mickey doll, her autograph book, so much more. It is a wonderful place to keep all of the special memories that we hold of our lives together. There is much more than this of course but this little cabinet houses a lot of what we want people to be able to see when they come into the house.

I can't let you leave the tour today without sharing with you my floors. These are my beautiful hardwood floors that you will find throughout my entire upstairs. I am very proud of them and that is why I had to take a picture and show them to you!

This is our largest bathroom upstairs. As you can see it has some remnants of the late 60's when the house was built. Thank goodness for bathfitters...our bath and shower have joined this century.

And isn't this just the cutest little bathroom tool set you ever did see? The soap and lotion dispenser actually work like they are supposed to as well! It is a Big Lots find....gotta love that!

Now look at these two gorgeous gals here. Yep you guessed it....these would be mine! At the end of my hallway you would find this portrait. This is an airbrushed portrait done about five years ago. Wouldn't trade it for the world. :-) I am so blessed.

And this is my lovely bedroom it is at the end of the hallway. The little sign above the bed says "Always kiss me goodnight".

This is our nightstand beside the bed. The lamp is so darn cute and I have little antique teddy bears around the room. The picture on the stand is my darling Victoria. I have little glimpses of her throughout the home. Little memories of her surround me.

Well thanks for stopping by again today. I will finish up the tour tomorrow with the kids rooms and a tiny glimpse of the family room. I will try to give more pix when I get the home decorated for Christmas.

Welcome...Come on in!

2008-11-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

Well here it is...I promised it earlier today and here ya go!

As you pull in the driveway you will see that we are definitely an active family. There will be several bicycles tucked here and there. This time of year there is a pool with a winter cover....quite the eye sore...but come back in the summer and we can jump in! Our mini schnauzer, Buddy, is sure to be greeting you about this time with bark after bark. He is sure the guard dog. No one enters this driveway without him letting us know about it!

The front door is decorated for fall. But if you are one of our friends you will not be walking through this door. Our friends come to the back!

Only salesman and people who don't stop by often come to the front door. But if you do happen to stop by and ring the door bell at the front....we will still let you in ;-)

But as a friend you will more than likely be coming in back here. This is our back porch and all our friends enter back here. Just be sure not to let the dog out...or we will be chasing him forever.

Once you step through the door you will come right on in to the kitchen. As you can see we are still decorated for fall.

Our center piece is just guords and faux fall leaves in a simple crystal globe.

Stop by tomorrow and we will see the rest of the house. Right now I have to head on out to church!

I'm Back!

2008-11-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

It's me! It really is! I am so happy to be back with you guys again! This mornings post will be short and sweet but I have a wonderful surprise for you this afternoon!
To quickly update you...no they don't know what is wrong with me yet. I did see the neurologist at UK that specializes in epilepsy. He will be admitting me to the hospital on November 17th for 3 to 5 days.
He will be taking me off of my current medication, he believes these new yucky developments have have come from a reaction from that medication.
He also asked that I come off of my Lexapro....this is a medication that has come from 2001. It started with I think Paxil then Prozac and now Lexapro. Now granted they are VERY small doses but he feels that these medications are causing my weight to fluctuate up and down and he doesn't think they are good for my body. I had tried to come off Lexapro by myself but I get "brain shivers"...I won't try to explain what those are in a blog but they are very real and very scary. So anyway I have a POA to try to come off my small dosage of Lexapro too.
I start coming off my seizure medication shortly before going into the hospital....those days right before the hospital should be fun. Ugghh.

But anyway. I am going to sort of give you guys a present this afternoon. I know I have been promising pix forever and ever of my home. Well before I say goodbye to my fall decorations and start putting my my Christmas ones I wanted to snap some pix so I will post them this afternoon. :-) I am going to start early with getting my Christmas decorations up and do a little at a time since I am still not up to my usual strength and with me having to take a week a the hospital so close to thanksgiving it will put a damper on things. I want to have it all decorated before December 1st so as to sit back and enjoy December with my family. And since we are maybe, possibly, probably running away from home for Thanksgiving weekend that also knocks another weekend out. :-)

So come right on back this evening cuz....I have a special treat for you!

Mama's Jam Cake and Kentucky Cooking and Eatin'

2008-09-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

"If beyond the pearly gates, I am permitted to select my place at the table, it will be among Kentuckians." ~Thomas D. Clark

Oh how true that statement is. If you have never been priviledged enough to sit at a Kentucky woman's table and eat then you have yet to really eat my dear one. And for those of us who are blessed to have been born and raised here in this fine bluegrass state well blessed we are indeed! As one of those Kentucky women I have so much pride and joy bringing food to my family and serving friends at my table. I also enjoy bringing dishes to potlucks and to shut - ins and friends and family who are "under the weather".

Nothing beats a Sunday dinner in Kentucky. As a child growing up on my dad's side of the family Sunday dinner would consist of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, baked beans, corn, cole slaw, biscuits or rolls, sweet potatoes, pies and cakes, deviled eggs, and more. On my mama's side it was meat loaf, mashed potatoes, corn, mac and cheese, and spinach. Mamaw always had peanut butter fudge and potato candy nearby as well! Both meals prepared differently but equally as yummy.

My mother's favorite cake is a Jam Cake. She loves them. At the catholic church picnics (which are a big deal here in Kentucky--if you are catholic or not), we always tried to win a jam cake at the cake wheel. Now the jam cakes always took two tickets, seeing as how they took so many ingredients and time to fix. Well there were many times that mom would just buy the board twice and walk right up there and pick up her jam cake. Some folks wouldn't like that way of doing things but mama would insist that it was fair n square!

Well here is my recipe of my own jam cake. My mother is not a baker but I am and since I am now a mama that is what this recipe is called and I now share it with you.

five eggs, beaten
two cups sugar
three cups flour
one cup butter
one cup buttermilk
one teaspoon soda
one-fourth teaspoon salt
one-half teaspoon cinnamon
one and one-half teaspoon allspice
one cup raisins
one cup chopped walnuts
one cup blackberry seedless jam

Cream butter and gradually stir the sugar in until mixture is light and fluffy. Add well-beaten eggs. Sift flour before measuring and add to the spices and salt. Dissolve soda in buttermilk and add it and the flour mixture alternately to the egg mixture and beat after each addition. Lightly dredge the fruit and nuts with extra flour and add them, with the jam, to the butter mixture. Stir to get good distribution. Grease and lightly dust with flour two 9 inch cake pans--fill to brim with batter. Bake at 325 degree for 40 minutes. Cool layers on racks and ice with caramel icing.

Caramel Frosting for Jam Cake

One and one-half cups firmly packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
one cup butter
three fourths cup flour
one cup heavy cream
one teaspoon vanilla

Mix sugar and flour. Cream butter until light and add sugar mixture, beating well. Mix in heavy cream and put in top of double boiler over boiling water. Stir constantly, and cook until about the thickness of medium cream sauce. Takes about 15 minutes after it melts. Allow to cool completely after cooking. Sets up after it's on the cake for a couple of hours.

Sunday Respite, Weekly Schedule, and more...

2008-09-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

I love Sundays. It is the one day a week that we can relax as a family and regroup. Today I did have a shoot but it was with friends so it wasn't like work at all.

Church was nice tonight. I continue to be amazed at what God is doing in the life of my husband. This morning when we woke up I was in the kitchen reading and I heard the tv on in the bedroom. Usually it is on sports or news but it was on a morning preacher! He was in there alone and it was on a televised church service! I keep seeing these signs more and more each day. I keep praying that God will make him the spiritual head of our household.

I had a dream as a child that I would be married to a pastor. My pastor and his wife told me the other day that they see great potential in Kenny. They say that they feel a calling to nurture and help him on his walk. They understand that he is still a baby in his relationship with Christ but feel that God has big things for him. Wow....I just wonder. Oh I don't want to get the cart before the horse and I must remember that I am not in control, God is. I will just continue to pray and let go and let God.

My main goal this week is to focus on our family prayer and Bible reading time. In the morning when I first wake up I am going to be the first to read my Bible. I will pray for God to show me what to share with my family. I will write down what He reveals to me and also a certain scripture for the family to read. I will place this scripture on the refrigerator as the scripture of the day for all the family to see. Then right after our evening meal while we are still all seated we will bring out our Bibles and look up our daily scripture and read it again together. We will discuss the scripture and anything that we want to share together. We will also use this time to take prayer request from family members to start a family prayer list and we will pray this list together as a family every evening.

We are doing good with our new chores and Mattingly Missions. I have ordered Titus 2 books and hope that they give me some good ideas about how to organize my home better. Here is a glimpse into our lives this week...

5:45 AM - Hubby wakes and gets ready for work
6:30 - Mom gets up and starts getting ready for work
6:50 - Mom Bible study
7:05- Mom fixes breakfast and wakes up children
7:15-Eat Breakfast, Mom fixes lunches
7:30 -Kids get ready for school
7:50 - Morning Chores
8:10- off to school and work
=====
3:00-Hubby off work and picks up kids from school
5:00 - Mom off work and heads home (home by 5:15)
***if Monday then we go to the library right after work, if not then supper prep begins right after work
6:30 -Eat dinner
7:00 -Bible Study
*****if Wednesday then we go to church from 7 till 8:30
7:15- Prayer Time
7:30- Evening Chores and any leftover homework
8:00 - Art class on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays (we do this at home)
9:00- Read and then get ready for bed

The menu for this week is going to be kept fairly simple. Today I cut up a pork roast in smaller pieces and rolled them in flour that had been seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper, and several other seasonings and browned them in a skillet and then cooked them in the oven in a brown gravy. I served it with mashed potatoes and brocoli, carrots, cauliflower w/cheese. It was pretty yummy. Here is the menu for the rest of the week.

Monday - Breakfast -- fried egg, Lunch -- leftovers or lean cuisine, Dinner -- since it is library day I will put chicken breasts in the crockpot with a brown gravy and cook them all day while I am at work and serve it with scalloped potatoes.

Tuesday - Breakfast -- pancakes and sausage, Lunch -- hotpockets, Dinner -- leftovers (my friends are taking me out for my birthday so my family will eat leftovers tonight)

Wednesday - Breakfast -- cereal, Lunch --hotpockets, Dinner - at church

Thursday - Breakfast -- fried egg, Lunch -- sandwich, Dinner - fried chicken tenderloins, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, brocoli and cheese

Friday - Breakfast -- pancakes and sausage, Lunch - leftovers, Dinner- meatloaf, mashed potatoes

Well that's about it for this week. I will talk to you guys tomorrow.

Super Saturday

2008-09-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

Saturdays around here are the big chore day. Although all days except for Sunday and Wednesday have chores assigned. Everyone has chores but it seems that mom and the kids get the brunt of most of them. But daddy sometimes has to mow yards and do other yard work, etc. Plus it seems that chores seem to fall more on the ladies of the house for some reason.
On Saturdays our chores are as follows:
Jessica - shine all wood surfaces in house, sweep kitchen, clean all first floor windows, laundry, tidy room, clean toilets, put away her clothes, wipe down walls in hall and kitchen, wipe doorknobs and light switches
Jenna- sweep house, clean all first floor windows, tidy room, clean sink and counters in bathroom, put away her clothes, wipe down walls in hall and kitchen, wipe doorknobs and light switches, clean bathroom mirrors
Mom - clean out refrigerator and freezer, inventory freezer and pantry, plan meals for upcoming week, scrub kitchen, bathe dog, vacuum upstairs and downstairs, cook meals,
Dad - mop kitchen, mop hardwood floors
Each day some chores are repeated and others are new for the day.

Today hubby and I also went to visit our pastor's sister-in-law's house. They were having a get together to celebrate her new home. They served yummy food and her house is very beautiful. It was good to spend the evening together with Christian people who love the Lord.

The girls are at Mamaws tonight. I wanted them to just visit for the day but they wanted to stay all night. They like to sleep over there. It will be up to hubby to pick them up tomorrow because I will be preparing for a shoot. I have a family coming over at 12:30 tomorrow for my sis and I to do family portraits of them. We are going to shoot a few here in our in house studio and then we are heading out to a park nearby for some off location shots.

This upcoming week will be pretty hectic with some meetings and things that we have planned. OES in LJ is wanting me to serve as Chaplain this year and I told them I would but I am thinking about calling her or telling them Monday evening that I feel it would be best if I did not serve at this time due to my illness. I am going to try to only do church, work, home and a few photo shoots and that's it. I want to destress and focus on getting better.

The last princess foundation banquet is coming up very soon. It will be a busy time coming up over the next few weeks. I look forward to the banquet this year but it will be sad as we say goodbye after seven years of service to the children. www.princessfoundation.org

Well I guess that is it for now. I will leave you with a post on an idea to help keep the kids rooms under control as far as toys and clutter. Give the kids time to clean thier rooms and get everything in its proper place. Then call them to you and ask them if they have thier rooms ready for inspection. Of course they will say yes. Explain to them that anything that is not in its proper place will be placed in a large bag that will go into storage for at least a month. Tell them they have five minutes to go back into their room and make sure it is in order, set a timer and give them five minutes. At the end of the five minutes get a large garbage bag, have the children leave their room so they cannot watch what you put in the bag. Go in the room and anything that is out of place pick up and put in the bag to be put in a storage/hiding place for at least a month. I tried this and most of the time they couldn't even tell what was missing at first. After a few times of this practice they will get used to picking up there toys unless they want to loose them for awhile. The key also is while you have the toys away from them go through the bag and see what is broken and can be thrown away or what you feel can be given to Goodwill.

Remembering

2008-09-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

Today I had to take an FMLA day at work as I was dizzy and the headaches came and went today. Sometimes I had lack of use in both arms. But there were small bursts of good times throughout the day that I was able to do one load of laundry and wash the dishes. I mostly read today and took a nap and remembered. I was thinking back to some of my childhood times. I also spent sometime daydreaming and thinking about the garden for next year and what I would plant and about winter for this year and of course about how we were going to pay all of these wonderful doc bills.....especially if I had to take very many of these FMLA no pay days.

But I wanted to share with you guys a few of these memories I thought of today. One of these was wash days. I can barely remember as a child not having a washing machine (well not like we have now a days anyway). We lived with my mamaw, my mom and I did. One day a week was wash day and my aunt would come by and do her wash on that day too...she didn't have a washing machine either. If I am not mistaken it was Saturday that was wash day. So Mamaw, Mom, and Aunt Shelia would do washing on Saturday. Sherri and I would be there to but we were just kids and we would help some but we most would just fetch this and fetch that for the grown ups. Mamaw would get the big wringer washer and it would be in the kitchen of the pink house on church street. There was a big washer tub that held the soap and that is where the dirty clothes went and they were scrubbed clean there and then they were picked up one by one and put through the wringer and then dropped into the rinse bucket and then put through the wringer again and then out to the line they went. Now those were some clean clothes. But I swear those clothes could stand up on their own!

Another memory I have is winter time at mamaws. We were not a family with much money back then but we always made do. We would usually heat one or two rooms of the house and the rest of the house was sealed off with blankets that hung on the door frames. They were hung up by thumb tacks. I still practice this at my house by sealing off the front door every winter with a big wool blanket....I secure it with thumb tacks. Everyone knows to use the back door. If you don't know then you aren't someone I want to visit me anyway :-) But there is a sign up that says to come to the back door. Our front door is old and it would take a lot of money to replace it and its side lights and there are many other things that need our attention right now so it waits...and waits...and waits. But back to mamaws house in the winter, she heated with an old oil furnace so it is a wonder we didn't all die of carbon monoxide poisoning. But we survived.

At the age of about 7 I guess, my mother married a man with a really good job and over time our financial situation improved with the occasional layoff here and there. But the best times of my childhood were back at mamaws when we were poor and happy.

I also remember as a child at my fraternal mamaws when it would rain or storm we would go out to their large front porch (they were a little more well off so to say) we would sit and watch the rain. It was all so peaceful and I felt so safe. I could sit and listen to the rain hit the roof and see mamaw and papaw in their rocking chairs and all the aunts and uncles sitting around talking and telling stories. Those were the good old days. I spend my weekends there with my father. Since my mom and dad were divorced I lived a double life, one with one type of family and one with another. On the weekends I would welcome the rain, during the week the rain would make me cringe and cry. During the week if it rained it meant that my step father would be "rained out" from his job and he would be home when I got home from school. I would be a nervous wreck all the way home and when I got off the bus I would wish for anything to come and take me away rather than to have to walk through the door of my home to face him. But I learned ways to deal with him and shut him and the world away during the week. Rain during the week was terrible. It was awful. But I grew up into who I am and he has no control over me now. He did then and for awhile into my adulthood I let him continue to control me and make me think I was less than who I am but once I realized that he wasn't worth it I quickly let go and let God. I can now sit ANY DAY OF THE WEEK and let the rain wash over me and feel at peace and know that God is in control and that man has no dominion over me anymore! I am free in the name of JESUS! :-)

Welcome, pull up a seat and break some beans....

2008-09-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

I can remember as a child at my Mamaw and Papaws house sitting on the back patio, visitors would come and visit....often. Mamaw and Papaws house was always bustling with family and friends....for that matter I guess it often still is.

But anyway in the summer time we would sit out on the back patio. The water well was there and it was covered with a concrete patio and it was on this patio that sat all of the patio chairs. They were metal and a light green in color. We would all sit out there and visit in the evenings. People would come and go, cars would pull in and out of the long drive that led up to the small brick house (of course back then I thought it was huge). As each person would come they were added to the flock of worker bees who were breaking beans with mamaw. You see over half of mamaw's back yard was a garden. It was by far the largest garden I have ever seen in a back yard before. She had rows and rows of green beans and that meant buckets and buckets of beans that needed to be broken and "destrung". So as we sat on the back patio....we broke beans. It didn't matter your age....you were taught to break beans. For weeks the beans were broke...then for days the beans were canned.

As I sat on the back porch again tonight slicing apples to be put up for winter I thought back to those times when neighbors and friends stopped by so often to visit each other. That doesn't happen anymore does it? Back then it just wasn't uncommon for a car to pull up several times a day and a visitor to step out (family or friend). Now I will go days, weeks without a soul coming to visit. It is rather sad really. We have become so secluded in our world today. Maybe we thing we no longer need each other. Maybe we are just to scared...maybe the world has gotten to the point that we just can't trust anyone. Or maybe, just maybe we have found our friends in the television screen....in the internet....and we lost the real thing along the way?

I was very thankful today that I came in from work to find that Nana had sent home a casserole for supper. That meant I didn't have to cook...yahoo! I fixed some corn muffins to go with it and headed out to the back deck to work on the apples. When finished I came back in and finished up some chores and then my mother stopped by to give hubby his birthday gift. I sent some supper home with her so she wouldn't have to cook either and she greatly appreciated it.

The girls didn't complete all of their chores today so they have to move some of them to tomorrow. Tomorrow is church night so they didn't have any scheduled but now they have a few that they must complete before I get home.

We got our new water heater put in today. Nothing wrong with the other one but we are converting to all electric. We cannot afford gas this year. We are going to bless a needy family with our gas water heater that is still in good shape. Our heat/air pump will be put in tomorrow...praise God!

A friend of mine commented today on how bad the tires on the jeep looked. I simply must find a way to come up with the money to replace the tires soon! I will pray that God will make a way. He always does. Until then I will pray that He will keep us safe.

Due to the weather outage some friends of ours have lost all of their freezer foods. So I am going to go through the freezer this weekend and try to come up with some items to share with them. I need to defrost the freezer anyway and this will force me to do it. The freezer is at the very brim and Angel food is next month.

In the morning I simply must get up really early and get the house cleaned up a little more since the workers will be here while we are away working on the heat/air. I am always nervous when strangers are in my home. :-)

Well I guess I better log off....God bless!

apples, apples, and more apples

2008-09-16T04:15:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday was Monday (like you didn't know that already) and it was library day. Youngest picked out a kids' halloween book and a mouse book. Oldest picked out a couple of math books. I picked out a read along family book, two books on the great depression, a Janet Oke book, and of course our usual kids audio for the car rides. Once we got back home we jumped in to chores and finishing up dinner. I had put in a roasted chicken in the crock before I went to work so it was just getting the side dishes ready so it wasn't too bad. Hubby was busy outside getting the aftermaths of hurricane Ike out of our yard. Here in KY we aren't used to that kind of wind unless it is in a circular pattern and it has a cow sucked up in the middle! :-) (sometimes a trailer)
Once we got dinner finished and chores complete I headed out to the back porch with salt water and an apple peeler corer slicer in hand to tackle the two big garbage bags of apples that were picked from Mamaws apple tree. I sat out ther for over an hour slicing away and only finished one garbage bag. But I yielded three large gallon freezer bags full of nice sliced apples. It will be nice to have those for fried apple pies and baked apple pies and fried apples throughout the coming winter months. The tree still has several nice big apples at the top that we need to get to but we need a ladder. Since I am afraid of heights and with my "seizure activity" it would not be a good idea for me to be the once to climb the ladder. Maybe hubby will go get the rest for me in the next few days. He has been in a yucky mood though so I have been staying out of his way. The old grumpy bear! :-)
Well I gotta log off and get ready for work. It seems my work never ends and I never have a moments rest or peace but thats okay because God is blessing me. Last night when I cleaned up my apple mess on the back porch (hubby was quick to tell me I had better get this mess cleaned up before I come in) I pulled my aching back up straight and thanked God for a good day of hard work. I thanked him for food for my family and for providing for each and every one of us. I went inside and of course hubby and the girls starting hollering for this and that and I smiled and answered their calls one by one. :-)

Christ Centered - Family Focused

2008-09-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

Well we have implemented our new Mattingly Mission... "Christ Centered - Family Focused". We started yesterday. It is working well so far. I have started our binder but haven't finished it yet. I promise pix when I am done. But any way the kids and hubby seem to be embracing the whole system fairly well.
Even five year old is pulling her weight. They seem to realize that mommy cannot do it all. :-) Maybe it takes a illness like what I have been through to get them to realize this. I still wish so much that I could be home full time with my children. Oh how I would love to be a homeschooling stay at home mom. I feel like I could be such a blessing to my husband in this way and I feel that my health would improve as well. But I don't see it happening anytime soon.
Until then I feel that I am doing the best I can with what I have been given.
We finished the craft center this weekend YAHOO. The kids go to a private school that used the PACE curriculumn. Unfortunately they do not have an art class. But that's okay we are studying art at home. This weekend we went to Michaels and purchased enough to get us started. We bought finger paint and paper, tempera paints and paper, oil pastels and paper, sand, funnels, sand art necklaces, modeling clay, markers, construction paper, foam, fabric, ribbons, and several odds and ends. Today the kids worked on an oil pastel drawing for their father for his birthday.
I made more homemade detergent today, a bottle of kitchen cleaner (vinegar, liquid soap, warm water), a bottle of bathroom cleaner (the same mixture just kept in the bathroom), a bottle of shower spray (alcohol and water - to be used each time you get out of the shower), a bottle of detangle spray (a small amount of conditioner and water in a spray bottle)....each bottle is a different color and is clearly marked not just with letters but pictures as well for the five year old.
After this container of powdered laundry detergent is used up I am going to move to homemade liquid laundry detergent. I think it will work out better for my family now that the oldest is in charge of the laundry.
We will be getting all of our October/Halloween decorations out soon. We love to decorate for halloween....I know many of you are probably going to comment back that you can't believe I go all out for halloween but I do. I really enjoy the season and I like the pumpkins and fun that go along with it. We like the whole halloween thing and have a lot of fun with it. WE don't do the whole scary thing but we decorate and camp and trick or treat at the camp grounds. It's fun and we enjoy it.
Well I had better sign off for now it is getting late and I am wanting to get up early in the morning.

I found one!

2008-09-11T19:21:00.001-07:00

Well the kids (and hubby and I) have been looking for a WII system. We had pretty much decided amoungst ourselves that if we could find one that we would buy it and it would be our Christmas give to all of us. This would pretty much max out our Christmas budget but it would be something our whole family would enjoy.
Well today I received a call from a friend who works at Meijer and they just received a shipment in. So straight after work I ran up there and bought one. It is hiding at mamaws house so the girls don't know we have it...hee hee.
It will be so much fun. And now my Christmas shopping for the girls, me and hubby is done. All in one fell swoop. I already have several little things that I have purchased throughout the year that have just been a couple of bucks on clearance that will fill the gap of no gifts to open but the one.
I am so excited.

Also at Meijer today they had their 10 for $10 and their 11th free so I stocked up on a few items. Not much but a few. I placed angel food order last night at church. It was a good month but we are low on money with my sickness so I didn't order much this time but thank the Lord our pantry and freezer are full.

The furnace/air guy came out today and gave us our estimate on replacing our old gas furnace and air conditioner. God is good in that his bid was high but our friend called him and got it reduced by an additional $1100 for us! yah!

We finished our photos from our previous shoot....finally!! Yahoo.
Our next photo shoot is next weekend. I can't wait. I hope our business really takes off. I think it will and I think we are pretty good!

Well gotta go. I am tired and tomorrow is Friday and hopefully I will have a productive weekend of homemaking!

Where does the time go?

2008-09-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well I had every intention of getting so many things caught up and started this week since I am starting to feel better this week. But the photo shoot follow up has been taking a lot longer than I anticipated. I worked Sunday night and last night and again tonight. I know the more shoots I do the less time it will take me but whew...this is hard work :-).
But anyway, I have managed to cook a nice supper for three nights in a row! Tonight we had baked chicken breast with fresh banana peppers and salsa topping, fresh fried corn, and mac in cheese, yummy.
I didn't get any more tomatoes put up tonight though nor did I get any of the Mattingly mission notebook done today as it was a very busy day at work. But the kids and hubby are fed and the house is "sort of" clean. The pix have been turned over to my sister/partner and I won't have anything to do with them until tomorrow evening or maybe even Thursday. Church is tomorrow night but hopefully I can squeeze some stuff in and get some stuff caught up.
I am a little off today but I keep trusting that God will heal me.
I know a lot of my problems are my medication and the side effects. I trust in Him and know that He is in control.
Hubby's bday is this Sunday and I want to do something special for him (my dad's is the same day! ). Our work is having a day at the zoo so maybe if it doesn't rain we can head up there....we shall see...I will start working on plans for that as well.
So little time....so much to do!

Quick Post

2008-09-09T04:16:00.000-07:00

I am waiting for oldest to hop out of the shower...I think the older she gets the longer her shower lasts. I am going to have to get second mortgage when she turns 16 just to pay the water bill.
Yesterday went well. I got a lot accomplished....not nearly what I had intended but still I went to bed tired and satisfied with a my work I had completed.
Today I have another full day of new "to do's" and "to do's" from yesterday.
We are supposed to have a meeting in Louisville today for an ambassador trip for the odest to England and Scotland. I just don't know. I don't know if we are going to go to the meeting either. I am very undecided. Not to mention I am just trying to get my family and homelife back together right now and an entire evening away from home right now would not be the best thing for us.
I am almost completely finished with the photos from the photo shoot the other day. I stayed up past 1 AM last night to get them done...ughh. But they look really good. Now I just have to get with sis and see how we are going to transfer from her computer to mine to get the watermark and cd....hmmmmm. We have to get more organized :-)
Well gotta go....oldest is out and breakfast is calling. And once again....I am running late.
I will try to post a longer more informational post this evening.
I have a blessed day in the Lord.

Monday Meanderings

2008-09-08T04:22:00.001-07:00

Well I am getting ready to head to work. I am getting a late start this morning....and I am being a bad girl and blogging! But I find if I do a little blog first it helps get my thoughts in order. It is kind of like my diary. ( I must tell you something so funny right now, my cat - Sage- is watching my screen and is ready to pounce as I am typing and she is watching the words move across the screen and is ready to attack! It is quite funny! Okay back to the blog)

This morning I am heading off to work, oldest is heading to school, youngest is heading to mamaws as she doesn't have school on Mondays yet. She is still in the younger learning center and they don't go on Mondays.

Today after work is library day. Hubby is wanting us to run to town with him to do shopping but I am going to try to talk him into going without us as all I need is a pool closing kit. Then the kids and I can just stay here and get our Monday library time in and get back on schedule.

I am still feeling better. I do have a headache this morning but I pray that God will take it away soon.

I think for supper tonight I am just going to fry up some chicken pieces and slice up some fresh tomatoes from the garden and fry some corn. I am still not doing a planned menu by the week yet as I don't know each day how I am going to feel I am hoping after this week I will be able to start doing that again.

Oh and yesterday my sister and I went to our first "official" photo shoot as sister 2 sister photography and it went really well. I spent some time yesterday playing with the photos in phoshop. I think they turned out really well so I will be continuing to work on those tonight as well.

Well it seems as I have a busy day today. Oh and oldest's foot is not healing well yet and she still continues to complain of the pain so we continue to pray for God to heal her completely. Bless her heart she keeps bumping that toe throughout the day...why is it when you have a sore toe you bump it so much? ;-)

I am hoping that today during my breaks at work I can start on my Mattingly Mission Notebook. I am going to put in room by room what needs to be done daily, weekly and monthly and then the members of the mattingly household (the agents) can take on special assignments and get special rewards for doing so. I hope this system works. I will let you know the details when I get it all worked out. After my recent sickness I realized how little they really now about running this household ;-) (my fault for not teaching them)

I also have to get some bills paid as I have not even opened the bills or balanced my checkbook for three weeks....I simply haven't had the brain cells to dedicate to that. Ughh I wonder what awaits me there.

Well God bless and we'll talk soon!

Healing

2008-09-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

I want to write this morning on Healing...

I believe beyond a doubt that my God has healed me! "By His woulds I have been healed" (see 1Peter) A miracle is instantaneous but healing is a process over time. If I compare myself today over two weeks ago it is amazing the difference I see. I am so blessed! I cry out to Jesus my praise to Him! Thank you God for my healing! Thank you God for my deliverance! Thank you God for bringing me through!

I also believe that God has used this sickness to bring my husband through another level of his belief. He has seen my steps of healing and he has recongized my faith and seen that through faith I have been healed. He has seen that it is only through God that this was possible. God has used this terrible nightmare for His good and I praise His name for this.

All good comes! Once again all good comes!

Alone with my girls

2008-09-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

This is a special evening. Hubby is staying with a friend at his lake front property for the night and the girls and I are spending some much needed mommy time.

We started the night off on a yucky note though by having to take oldest to the doctor. She stumped her toe a couple of weeks ago at our birthday camping trip. It has become infected. So we have a prescription of antibiotics. But that's okay we know the Great Physician and we are not afraid.

Mommy also had to pick up her prescription as we are increasing the Topomax today. God will continue to heal me and I thank Him for my healing.

We decided to splurge tonight and ordered two pizzas from the local pizza joint in town. It was yummy and we have lots of leftovers for daddy when he gets home tomorrow.

We gave the doggy a bath. We put up a few quarts of tomato juice. And now we are going down to the family room to rent a movie. Then we are going to pile up in mommy and daddy's bed and snuggle to sleep.

:-) I love my girls. They are just grand! This picture reminds me so much of my girls. My oldest is dark haired. She has long hair. My youngest is light haired and her hair is short. Both of them though have daddy's deep, dark brown eyes. Our song is "brown eyed girl". We sing it all the time.

I thank God that He has blessed my life with my wonderful daughters. I have a lovely daughter waiting for me in heaven and two beautiful daughters keeping me company down here. The youngest of which is such a handful that I just know my darling Victoria picked her out personally to keep us busy so we would not be so lonely without her.

Well I gotta go...my girl's are going crazy waiting for me to finish this blog!

This morning

2008-09-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

Ah! What a grand morning it is here at our little homestead in Kentucky!

I am feeling a little under the weather but I know that God is going to take care of that right away and give me another day full of glory!

I will be leaving the house here in a couple of minutes to head to work. I am actually going to be able to drive...yahoo!

Hubby will be away from home tonight helping some friends of ours get their lakefront property ready for a family reunion so it will be just me and the kids tonight. I wonder what kind of fun we will get ourselves into? hmmm....

I do know that I need to bathe the dog tonight...the poor thing...he is playing now at my feet and has no idea what is coming later today :-)

Also I have a lot of tomatoes that need to be processed and frozen before they go bad so that must be done to night as well.

Since I am still not moving at full speed these two simple chores will probably take much of my energy that will pretty much fill my night!

It is so good though to be able to plan my days again! Oh thank God that He is in the process of healing me. Just being able to sit here at this computer and write this is a blessing. Just two weeks ago I would have been unable to do so. What a blessing! God is good. So many people have been praying for me. Although we have not yet determined what is wrong with me the medicine seems to be working. God gives knowledge to the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies and I thank Him for this medicine.

Well it is about time for me to leave now and off to work I go. Have a blessed day!

Something Sweet from my Kitchen to yours-- Lemon Bars

2008-09-04T19:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a special treat from my kitchen to yours....

Lemon Bars from the Mattingly Homestead

2 c AP flour
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 c butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 t finely shredded lemon peel (set aside)
1/3 c lemon juice
1/4 c AP flour
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13 x 9 pan with foil, leave about 1 inch of foil extending over the ends of the pan. In a large bowl stir together the 2 c of flour and 1/2 c of powdered sugar. Add butter and beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed just until mixture just begins to cling together. Press flour mixture to the bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until light brown.

In a medium bowl beat eggs with a whisk. Whisk in granulated sugar and lemon juice until well mixed. Whisk in the 1/4 c flour and the lemon peel. Pour over baked crust.

Bake about 20 minutes more or until edges begin to brown and center is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Remove bars from pan, using overlapping foil to lift bars. Place on cutting board. Sift powdered sugar over top of bars. Cut into bars or into dimond shapes. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Makes 30 bars.

Enjoy

It's the Process, Not the Product

2008-09-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

I was looking at the girls' primary art book and saw this line of type on the cover. I found it humorous. "It's the process, not the product" How true this is. You know we may look at our lives and think that we certainly haven't gotten very far in the great scheme of things. From where we have started to where we are now may not seem like much (at least it doesn't to me). It seems we take one step forward and two steps back sometimes. But hasn't it sure been a trip getting here? I mean I look back on the past 15 years of my life and I think my goodness look at what has happened. I mean the product may not look all that different really but the process sure has been interesting.
This process, this life, it is what matters.
Don't be so concerned about the product that you totally miss the process.

Local Library

2008-09-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

If you do not take advantage of your local library then I strongly urge you to do so! It is such a treat! We live in a small town so our library is very small but it is still such a thrill to go there every week. Our library stays open late on Monday and Thursday so we try to make every Monday library day. I allow each child to check out two books. I also check out two books. We also check out one read together family book (right now it is the Giant and the Jones's...cute book). The youngest also checks out an audio book as a special treat since the oldest is allowed to spend time on the internet there.
When we come home and eat dinner together each child, and myself, will tell daddy all about our trip to the library and what kind of books we got at the library this week.
Each week we do it all over again.
Each one of my children have their own library card. They are responsible for keeping their library books together and for taking them up to the counter when we take them back and for taking them up to check them out. I do keep the cards in my purse though since my children are only 5 and 10 years of age.
The library books are kept with our other homeschooling material away from our own home library and the books are to be handled with care. They know this and they also know it is a great offense if a library book is misplaced. We don't rest until it is found and returned. (which recently happened but all is right int he world now that Pooh's Halloween Pumpkin is now back at the library on its shelf).
You will also find that the local library has Hooked on Phonics, and other teaching materials. A lot of times there are free newspapers (new ones!)
Your local library is great and will help harvest a love of reading in your children.
And it is FREE!

Simple Donuts

2008-09-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

Simple Donuts.....

Heat up a large skillet or small fryer of oil. Open a can of cheap refrigerated biscuits....not the grands...the regular kind. Poke out the middle....it doesn't have to be perfect so just use your finger. Make it look like a "donut". Put the "donuts" in the oil to brown. Once one side is browned, flip and brown the other side. Put them on paper towels to drain some of the grease off and then roll them in your choice of toppings. Have confectioner sugar ready and roll the hot donuts in the sugar. Also have some regular suger mixed with cinnamon ready and try rolling some in that too. You can also make a simple icing of confectioner sugar and milk and use that to icing them. Yummy warm treat on a cool morning.

My Home

2008-09-03T11:54:00.001-07:00

Since I have been ill now since August 15th my home has seen better days. I am taking today to catch up on some much needed cleaning.

In doing so I am also doing some major decluttering again. I realized while unable to be of any help to my children or husband the last couple of weeks how much in my home is utter non sense. I really want my home to be welcoming and comfortable but I also want it to be frugal and useful.

My husband, bless his heart, was trying desperately to keep things going but it was difficult for him. It is no wonder. I have so many silly things around the house that are just for "show". In the "old days" people didn't have this sort of stuff. Why do we think we have to have it now? What a materialistic generation we are. There was a time when everything had a purpose and if it didn't have a purpose...well then there wasn't any room for it in your home. I am finding that I am moving more and more to this way of thinking the older I am getting. My recent sickness, which I am still fighting, has just proved it to me more.

So as I rumble through the house today I have my dust rag in one hand and a large garbage bag in the other and away some of this nonsense goes. Ughh...how do we come up with some of this stuff anyway?

The mealtime around home has been willy nilly to say the least. I am scared to plan because I don't know if I will be able to prepare it or not. I hope that I am on the upside of this and that I can begin to pick up the pieces of my life and start where I left off. I figure tonight I will heat up some salisbury steak and gravy, whip up some potatoes and a green vegetable...this the kind of meal my family loves.

I was able to make a new batch of laundry detergent last night. Hubby has kept up with the laundry quite well. I put away about two weeks worth of the kids clothes last night. It took me about an hour. I have a load in the wash, one in the dryer and about four left to do and it will be all caught up.

The floors still need to be swept, mopped and vacuumed. But the bathrooms are cleaned and the kitchen is cleaned.

I am also going to start a new binder system called Mission Mattingly's. This will be for the entire family. I found that no one quite knew what to do while I was out of comission. This will list what I do in each room each and every week and what is needed and where it is loacated. I thinkI will use this new binder system to deliver mission assignments every week. I think it will be kind of cool. I will let you know how it goes.

Since I have been racking up the dr. bills and hospital appts I will be making calls this week to ask the relatives to not buy Christmas gifts this year. Many of you know my plan for Christmas this year anyway but now I am going to have to scale it back even further. We are going to have very little to no money this year for Christmas. But that is okay. God will provide.

Well hubby will be home soon so I better hop off here and get started on the laundry and dusting. Good to be blogging again!

God is good!

2008-09-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

I am feeling better! Thank God!
I give Him all the glory!

I will be going to the University of Kentucky for further studies as they don't think it is seizures.

But I am just happy for today and the past couple of days where I have had some energy and have been able to function as myself!

God is good!

Healing Jesus

2008-08-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

I went for an EEG today and suffered a seizure during the strobe light test. The past couple of weeks have been so hard for me. I have had zero strength. I feel like I am trying to paddle upstream in a hurricane. I feel so out of control. My body is suffering from these uncontrolable seizures and there is nothing I can do to stop them. I want so bad to have my life back. Please pray that Jesus will heal me completely.

Recipe -- Baked Beans

2008-08-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

I love baked beans....love them! Here is my recipe....enjoy

2 cans (large) of Bush's baked beans
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 roll of sausage, browned and drained
1/2 large green pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 slices of uncooked bacon
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients in a casserole dish and lay two slices of uncooked bacon on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbly and hot. Yum Yum

Update and prayer request

2008-08-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hello! Well I must update you on the goings on of the Mattingly household. First of all I have been very sick. I have been in and out of the doctor's and even and ambulance ride to the ER. The neurologist finally determined that A. I am having seizures or B. I am suffering from severe migraines. Either way they are treated with the same medication. So now I am taking seizure meds each day along with headache meds. I start each of these today. Pray there are no side effects.

I want to give God the glory in this. It was not a stroke and it was not a brain tumor. God is good! I am thankful for this healing in my life. Also I am certain He is using this to reach my husband further for Christ. I believe that through this he will develop a stronger relationship with Him. To God be the glory great things he has done!

The family will be heading on a birthday camping/ amusement park trip this weekend as we celebrate oldest daughter's 10th birthday (oh my ten years old! time does fly!). We are looking forward to the time together.

The girls will be starting school this upcoming week. Many of my faithful blog readers already know that I work outside of the home so my children go to a church which offers on site homeschool curriculum through the ACE program. It is a Christian school and we are so thankful that the Lord has given us this school. Oldest will be starting Monday and youngest will start on Tuesday. I was blessed to find uniform skirts this year through children's wear outlet. I got their skirts for $7 each! Wow! And they seem to be good quality as well! We have already gotten all of their school supplies so we are ready for the big day!

Hubby is off again this week, lack of work. He and my sister's husband are working on finishing the rec room downstairs. They are painting and putting down a floor. Sister and I are opening our own photography studio! Sister 2 Sister Photography! How exciting ! I can't wait for our first photo shoot. We went and got all of our necessary equipment this past Saturday. I pray that God will bless our business and that we will prosper and He will show us favor in all that we do.

I will be heading back to work tomorrow (I tried to work yesterday but suffered another "episode" and had to be taken via ambulance to the hospital). As long as I don't have a severe headache when I awake my plan is to work as long as I can tomorrow, hopefully a full day. We cannot afford a short paycheck especially with the doctor bills that will now soon be rolling in....ughhh. But God is faithful and He will provide.

I have known many who have suffered from eplipsy so it doesn't scare me (my daughter had seizures). The doctor told me to let everyone around me know not to freak out and call and ambulance or rush me to the hospital when I have another "episode" but to just make me comfortable and allow me to deal with it. (Unless it lasts longer than usual and then of course medical attention should be sought)

I am just thankful to God that Iam here at home and able to take care of my children, my home and my husband. I pray for the strength to get beyond this and the weakness that has followed.

Oh and the pix for this blog...well it reminds me of my girls. The oldest is my Victoria who now lives in heaven with Jesus and the middle child is now my oldest daughter who is the dark haired child of the family and the youngest is my little blonde. Yep this picture reminds me of my baby girls....all three of them!

Summertime

2008-08-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

In looking over some of my favorite blogs I am glad I am not alone in the fact that it seems to be difficult this month to keep up the blog. I guess it is the business of summer. I find that I have so little time for anything else this time of year.
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. Here in KY we are experiencing a drought and cooler than normal temps. (Although we enjoyed a small shower earlier)
The girls will be heading back to school soon. I am so excited for them. We have all of our supplies and our uniforms ready.
I will be going to clean the school tomorrow. I need to get it ready for the kids to come back.
Well gotta go for now!

Silly is fun!

2008-08-13T19:17:00.001-07:00

Tonight the girls and I went to Kroger to pick up a few sale items and to get rock bottom priced kids fair tickets (yep our state fair is coming to town!). The oldest has been fascinated with London the past few days since she just recently got notice that she has been invited to study there next summer. Well we were being silly on the way to the store about how she wanted to be from England. So I started talking like an English lady. The kids loved it. So I continued it into the store and the oldest dared me to continue it as I talked to the service lady about our tickets. Well you can't be dared by a ten year old and not take it! Especially if it is your ten year old. So of course the English accent was on. It was so funny! And I didn't stop there I talked with the girls that way all the way through the store. People were turning and smiling as they were gazing upon this person who must be visiting from England! :-) Have a little fun with your kids today....and just be silly with them....they will love it.

Letting God

2008-08-13T03:45:00.000-07:00

I used to lead a lot of adult Bible studies and women's retreats but in the past couple of years it has been so busy with the children and hubby that I only seem to have the time for teaching my Sunday School class. I thought that I would begin to do some women's studies here on my blog and hope that it will touch some hearts.
This study is titled Letting God.

Sometimes things happen in our life that seem beyond our capabilities to handle. Many people say God promises not to put too much on you that you cannot handle. Well I have a different view of that. I have had many trials in my life. As a young child I lived with a person who was not very kind to me in his words. I was told things that a child shouldn't be told. As I got older I made choices that caused much pain in my life. Even after I married my darling husband the pain didn't stop, we lost our beautiful baby girl to a brain tumor at age five. Shortly thereafter he lost his mother and grandmother. I have seen businesses that I have put all of my strength into fail. I have been at rock bottom many, many times.

Of course I must say that of all of my trials the hardest and most heart breaking was the loss of my daughter, Victoria. She was so much of my life. When she left it was like a part of me died too and I was a walking zombie. I wasn't living anymore,I was going through the motions. There was one night when I just couldn't take it anymore. I knew that anything was better than this empty feeling that I had in my body. I took pills, and more pills and more pills. With every hand of pills I would pray for God to take me. I knew that I was disobeying Him. I knew that I was taking into my own hands what was not mine to take. I also knew it was a sin.

There are times in our lives when we cannot see over the obstacle. There are obstacles that seem too big to go over, around, or even under to get to the other side. There are times when it seems there is no way out. We try so very hard to make it through. We do everything in our power to fix our situation. We look all around us and search for tiny openings that we can crawl through. Many times in the process we just make other obstacles along the way. We make things worse. Or maybe we do get over the obstacle but find that we went the wrong way and now we are on a road that doesn't lead home. You know what I am talking about and I know you have been there before and may be there now.

In Genesis we find Hagar, I always feel sorry for Hagar. Sarah told Abraham to throw Hagar out and her son too because she didn't want her son to be an heir with Ishmael, Hagar and Abraham's son.

Gen 21:10 - 21 READ THIS in your Bible

Notice that Abraham grieved over having to toss Ishmael out....after all he is his son. But God told Abraham to listen to Sarah but to also know that God had a plan for Ishmael, but it will be through Isaac that His seed would come.
But still poor Hagar. Abraham rose up early in the morning and took some bread and a bottole of water and gave it to her and sent her and Ishmael the child away (he had just been weaned). Hagar wandered in the wildnerness. The water was soon gone and the baby was crying...he was hungry of course. She had nothing to give him and she herself had nothing either. It doesn't say how long she wandered in the wilderness, I can only imagine.
So poor Hagar takes her baby and lays him under a shrub. Then she goes a little distance away where she can still hear him. She doesn't want to have to see her son die. At this point she lifted up her voice finally and wept and cried out.
And God heard the voice of the child (notice He heard the voice of the child....oh my heart breaks at that. I can only imagine the terrible cries of the child). Then the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and tells her that God has heard the cries of Ishmael where he is laying and told her to go and pick up her son.
Then comes the part of this that I want you to pay close attention. And God OPENED her eyes and she saw a well of water and she filled the bottle and gave her son drink.

Now when Hagar was looking at her circumstances she was feeling pretty sorry for herself. I can't say as I really blame her. But anyway all she could see what she was in the wilderness, no husband, no food, no water to drink and a little baby boy. He was Abraham's son and was cast out with nothing. She was walking in the wilderness for quite sometime and she could find nothing. She was starving, her baby was starving and most of all they thirst. They had no water to drink. Abraham had only given her one bottle of water and a little bread.

Finally she throws up her hands and shouts that she just can't go on. She sees nothing. No way out. All she can see is the obstacle and no way around it. I have been there, have you? Rock bottom...nothing.

But then God opens her eyes and there is a well. Now you know as well as I do that she didn't just overlook the well before. She couldn't see it. Ah did you catch that....she couldn't see it. On her own there was no way out. She was trying so hard to find a way but there was nothing. She was looking in every direction for a way out of the situation she and her baby boy were in and there was nothing. It was only at the point that she finally closed her eyes, closed her eyes. Didn't look for herself anylonger for a way out. Instead she just closed her eyes and trusted God. At that point God opened her eyes and she saw what He had prepared for them to sustain them and get them through. The well. It wasn't there before.....it only came when she closed her eyes and allowed God to show her what He had planned.

Dear ladies we try so hard to fix the problems in our lives, in our home, for our children. We simply cannot do it. And sometimes when we try we just make even bigger problems then we had before. It is only when we close our eyes and don't look at what our flesh says can fix the problem but just close our eyes and trust God. Allow him to lead us look not for ourselves but allow God to show us. He will deliver....He will show the way....we just need to follow Him and allow Him to lead us in the direction and path that is best in our lives.

God bless.

Garlic Chicken Breast

2008-08-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

Oil
6 or more cloves of garlic, minced
1T brown sugar
3 boneless chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 500. Heat the oil over medium heat (just a T or so), add the miced garlic and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until softened. Make sure the oil is not too hot because you don't want to brown the garlic and that can happen very fast if you are not careful! Take it off the heat and add the brown sugar and stir it in. Line a shallow roasting pan with foil and spread oil across the foil. Lay your chicken acros sit and spread the garlic mixture across the chicken and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Mommy Handbook vol#3 Discipline

2008-08-08T03:50:00.000-07:00

I know I hat that word too, Discipline. It sounds so mean doesn't it? But it is a necessary part of being a good mother. If you truly love your children you will not deny them a disciplined life.
Now I will be the first to tell you that I am not a spanking mom. Now that doesn't mean that I never have but I can tell you that the spankings from mom in the house have been very few and far between.

It is not that I believe it is wrong, on the contrary. I believe that spankings on the bottom, and I stress on the bottom, are perfectly fine and I believe that God intended corporal punishment to be used to guide children. HOWEVER I have seen far too many times when parents, even "good" christian parents, have taken this way too far.

I have a heart for children. If I hear a child cry, I cry. It doesn't matter if it is my own or some stranger's child at wal-mart....if they are crying, truly crying (not the temper tantrum I want that cry), the you will look at me and see tears well up in these green eyes of mine. I can't stand to see a child hurting. So you can only imagine what happens when I do have to spank my children....it is just one big snot fest!

Okay back to the original post at hand...discipline. There are some things that I believe are not to be tolerated by children and I have listed them below.

1. Disrespective of adults and siblings. I will not allow my child to disrespect me or another adult. I also will not allow them to disrespect one of my children. I explain to the youngest when she hits the oldest that I do not allow anyone to hit one of my children and she is no exception. My oldest girl has a bit of a mouth on her and she is not afraid to use it. We have more discipline conversations over backtalking than anything else. More than once she has had a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid put on the tip of her tongue. She is turning ten in just a few days so I find it very disrespectful to her to spank however if things get out of hand and nothing else works then yes....I do spank (but not very hard :-) )

2. Disrespectful of God's house. I will not tolerate one of my children to be up and running around church. I see that so many times when a child will go to the bathroom twenty times just during song service. My children will sit on the pew and if the pastor is speaking they better be listening. I teach children's church so my children only sit in service on Sundays for about twenty minutes. During that time they need to be seated and listening or on their knees praying or standing and singing. On Wednesday nights they have to sit in big people church for the whole service and that can get interesting but even when it is an hour and a half service they are required to be respectful.

3. Disrespectful of our home. I will not tolerate jumping on couches, running in the house, tearing up furniture, etc. Their father and I work too hard for everything that we have for them to be disrespectful and to tear it up. They are to respect also what is not theirs. I have not been one that ever put my "pretties" (not that I have many) away because there are children in the house. They were taught from the beginning that there are some things that they are not allowed to touch.

4. Not listening. This is my big thing. When I am speaking you better be listening.I am not one that will run off at the mouth so if I have words coming out my children better be looking at me and listening. This will get them in trouble faster than anything.

So how do I discipline. Well I give a warning. I make sure my child is looking directly at me. I say something like "You know we do not allow jumping on the couch. I want you to stop right now." If they do not then I will count. If I get to three (which rarely happens) they are sent to time out. I usually base time out one minute for every year of their age. When they come out of time out I ask them why they were there and make sure they understand. Usually I never have to go beyond this. However there are some instances where I have used corporal punishment and when Ido I first talk to the child and make sure that they understand what is going on. I tell them that I am going to have to spank them and I tell them how many they are going to get. When I finish the spanking I love on them, a lot.

It is very important to make sure that your child knows why they are being punished and it is most important that you love on them afterwards.

It is good to post rules in your home so they know what is expected of them. You can even post what will happen if they break certain rules. If you are a spanker then you could post how many spanks go with each punishment. Just remember never spank when you are angry, always spank on the bottom...nowhere else, and always follow up with lots and lots of love!

Just as important as discipline is rewards are also as important. When your child is doing well make sure you give him lots of praise and reward him for a job well done. Just like we don't just want to know when we do something wrong....neither do our children.

A tired mommy

2008-08-08T03:43:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. I cannot put into words how utterly tired I am. It seems that it has taken all of my energy to get through this week. I ask for your prayers to give me strength. Sometimes when things are going really good the devil tries to mess it up. I blame him for the way I am feeling and I am claiming authority over this in the name of Jesus! I claim healing and strength in Jesus name and I know that He will provide and my cup will be overflowing.
I am very glad it is Friday and I have the weekend to spend with my family. I have been working hard this week at my job and have had to work over many nights this week. It has been just crazy at work.
I didn't get home until almost 7:30 last night from work and as soon as I walked in the door my oldest asked me to play a game. So her dad and I sat down with her and played cards. We didn't get finished with our game until 8:30 and I went straight to bed! The girls and I piled up in my bed and they watched Hannah M. while I finished reading my overdue library book :-).
I didn't post our meal this week because hubby and I have started a weight loss challenge at work. And since I have been so busy this week I have not been able to adhere to our scheduled meals.
Tomorrow my plan is to make several loafs of bread and some rolls, etc to get caught up on my baking. I find that baking sooths me and helps to clear my mind. There is nothing a good stiff dough and rolling pin can't fix! :-)

Wedensday Words

2008-08-06T05:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately. Hubby and I went away for a wonderful weekend of camping alone together. We had a nice time but missed the children so!
I will try to catch you guys up this evening and do some additions to the Mommy Handbook and one last post on Christmas. Until then I am off to work!

Mid Week Madness and Squash Casserole

2008-07-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

It was a crazy day at work today and I was super tired when I got home. But it is Wednesday and it is prayer meeting day. The last Wednesday of every month we have dinner at church. As soon as I came home from work I started cutting up and boiling squash for squash casserole. I also cut up cucumbers, onions and tomatoes for a cucumber salad.
Here is my recipe for the squash casserole.
Cut up several squash (about 6 or 7 good size) and boil in water until almost tender. Cut up a small onion, drain the squash and put it in a 9 x 13 pan. Add the diced onion and a large can of cream of mushroom soup. Add quite a bit of salt and pepper and top it with a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and then a sleeve of crumbled saltine crackers. (I also add some garlic powder to the casserole to give a little extra kick). Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbly. Yummy -- -it is always a hit at potlucks.
We took our mamaw with us to church tonight. She has Alzheimers and sometimes does not like to get out of the house but she had a great time! We go to an old fashioned country church. There is nothing special or fancy about us but we sure do love people and it shows. She was very happy and said she wanted to come back again.
The girls are getting ready for bed and the dog is sitting at my feet. Hubby just kissed me goodnight so I guess it is time for me to log off here. Have a great day gang!

Menu for this week

2008-07-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Monday -
Breakfast -- leftover pancakes and some bacon
Lunch -- tuna salad sandwiches, bbq chips
Dinner -- chuck roast w/carrots and potatoes (in crock pot so it will be finished when I get home)

Tuesday -
Breakfast--cereal
Lunch -- tuna salad sandwiches, bbq chips
Dinner -- fried chicken salad

Wedesday -
Breakfast -- blueberry muffins
Lunch -- bbq sandwiches from leftover roast
Dinner - smoked sausage, fried potatoes, broccoli

Thursday
Breakfast - scrambled eggs and biscuits
Lunch -- tuna salad sandwiches or leftovers
Dinner - meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots n peas

Friday
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch -- leftover meatloaf
Dinner -- I think I am supposed to be going out with the girls for one of our friends 40th bday party so either hubby and the kids will go out and eat or fend for themselves at home

Saturday
Breakfast -- sausuage, gravy and biscuits
Lunch/Dinner -- pork tenderloin, veggies

Sunday
Breakfast -- bacon, fried eggs, and biscuits
Lunch/Dinner -- Leftover pork tenderloin

So there we have our dinner this week. Sounds good !

Sunday at our house

2008-07-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

This morning I fixed bacon, pancakes and a few biscuits. Our oldest had a little friend over to stay all night. Last night was Hannah Montanna/Miley Cirus 3 D concert so they watched that and then played games until 2 this morning...ughhh.
I gave the dog a bath and cleaned out the tub. I still have to do the breakfast dishes. I was hoping to enjoy my Saturday quietly but now we have the girl from up the street down to play.
So I have four little girls playing bank and house. They have everything drug out while they play and no matter how many times I ask them to pick some of it up the answer is "We are still playing with it". I know what that means...."We are playing right now and as soon as we are done we will be tired and you, mom, will be cleaning all of this up".
We will eat leftovers for lunch/dinner. We will have baby back ribs, corn on the cob, green beans and mac n cheese....yummy. Oh and some potato salad that needs to be eat.
Church is at 7 so that will pretty much be our day.
Maybe I can squeeze in a little nap? Ha.....that's funny :-)

Angel Food in for July

2008-07-27T09:56:00.001-07:00

I picked up our angel food for this month yesterday. We purchased three regular menu boxes and two of the produce boxes.
We got a lot of fresh corn, onions, some potatoes, two small seedless watermelons, lettuce, carrots, and several oranges in the fresh produce box. I cooked up six of the ears of corn last night and the rest I cut up and froze for future use. I don't figure we will be able to use all of the onions before they go bad so I am goign to dice them up and freeze them. I have never tried that before but I can't see why it wouldn't work. We won't eat all of the carrots but we will eat several and the rest we use for dog treats for our mini schnauzer....good and healthy and a great teeth cleaner for him.
We received baby back ribs, pork tenderloins, shef stable milk, eggs, blueberry muffin mix, cookies, meatloaf dinner, chicken fritters, frozen broccoli, peas n carrots, and more.
We are always very pleased with our angel food order. I strongly suggest that you find a location for angel food near you. www.angelfood.ministries.com

Mommy handbook #2 MealTime

2008-07-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

The table is really the family altar! Here those of all ages come together and help sustain both their physical and spiritual existence.....A family meal can be a sacrament. It entwines the material and the spiritual in a remarkable way. ....Here, at one common table is the father who has earned, the mother who has prepared or planned, and thechildren who share according to need, whatever their antecedent participation may have been. ...We can understand something of why our Lord, when he broke bread with his little company toward the end of their earthly fellowship, told them, as often as they did it, to remember him. ...There is no reason why each family meal should not take on something of the character of a time of memory and hope.- Elton Trueblood.

Providing the meals for your family is a great task and one not to betaken lightly. It starts first with budgeting. Figure out how much per week you can spend on groceries. Stay within that budget. Buy generic or store brand products, never name brand. Shop at discount stores such as Aldis and Sav-A-Lot. Clip coupons but only if it is an item that you already use and only if it ends up being cheaper than the store brand of that item. Watch sale ads and look for their weekly loss leaders and stock up when they have a deal on something that you use. -- It is really great when an item is a sale item and you have a coupon. I know of people who have gotten items free that way. Make a list when going to the store and only buy what is on the list....no impulse buying. See my side bar for tips on feeding my family on $50 a week.

Quick Tips....Brown a week's worth of ground beef and freeze or refrigerate it for when you are ready. You can do this in freezer bags or tupperware containers. If you are making a casserole or lasagna....make two and freeze one for future. If you are making bread dough or cookie dough....double it and freeze one half. (Be sure to freeze the cookies in little balls so you can pick out just enough cookies to bake at a time). Use the crockpot....put the meat in to cook in the morning or at lunch and it will be ready by supper! When cooking always clean as you go so you don't end up with a sink full of dishes when you are finished cooking.

Here are some ideas for making meal time more interesting that I gotfrom reading "who got peanut butter on my daily planner" by CindyDagnan....

Monday -- Since Mondays are library days (they are at my house too!),each family member gets to bring the book they are reading with them tothe table. We each take turns reading a certain quote or scene from ourbook.

Tuesday and Thursday - Table Talk. Put questions on colorful index cards and let the children draw one or two. Even when guests are over you can still do this and they will think it is fun. Examples...What color was your day? Tell about the funniest thing that happened to you today. What is your favorite Bible story or verse? Why? If you could have dinner with any famous person, who would it be and why? What is your favorite family memory? What one things we have never done as family that you wish we would do? What is it about your favorite teach that makes them your favorite?Those are just a few questions....make up more for your family!

Wednesday and Friday - family devotions - short family devotions to read and then discuss together

Saturday - family night...do something special as a family. Light candles, play dinner music. Have family movie night. Have pretend restaurant night, etc. See my previous blog for great family traditions to use on these nights.

Sunday -free day. Make sure you eat at least one meal together a day as a family and at least 3 of those as dinners. It is very important!

My spaghetti

2008-07-23T18:23:00.001-07:00

Okay here is my recipe...I have been falling short on posting these on a regular basis. But this is one of my favs.

1 package of spaghetti, cooked and drained
.5 lb of sausage, cooked, crumbled
.5 lb of hamburger, cooked, crumbled
1 green pepper, diced
1 can of spaghetti sauce
1 package of cheddar cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 T sugar
1 clove of minced garlic

Combine all ingredients except cheese and spaghetti in a large saucepan and heat to warm. Spoon a small amount of sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish and put spaghetti on top. Top spaghetti with remaining sauce and put the cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbling hot. YUMMY

Tuesday Happenings--and a day in the life of me

2008-07-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a little while since I did a "day in the life of" so I thought today would be a good day. We will just list my typical summer day.

Up at 6:30 pray, groom and start breakfast. Spend a little alone time either on the computer or watching the news.

Kids up at about 7:15. We eat breakfast and then I help them get ready for their day. I feed the dog and the cat and make sure they have fresh water. I pack hubby and my lunches. If I need to lay out something for dinner or put something in the crock pot I do it at this time.

I try to tidy up the kitchen a bit and finish getting ready for work and it is out the door by 8:15.

I drop the youngest off at Nana's and the oldest off at Ms. Jeanie's. I usually stop by McD's for a large unsweet iced tea with four splendas and a lemon. This is my way to start the day and the drink usually lasts me well through lunch.

I have to begin work at 9 AM and I try to be there at 8:50. I work at a printing company as a customer service representative. I handle 28 accounts and I work with all of the customers to get their work into the plant and then process it through the plant and ensure that it meets a timely bind and mail date. I also work with customers to ensure that they meet all postal regulations, etc. It would be difficult for me to explain what I do in just one small paragraph. I work mostly with trade publications and special interest publications. I work to ensure the happiness of both my external and internal customers. I really like my job and it gives me a sense of worth outside of the home. But I would trade it all in a heartbeat for the chance to stay at home and be a full time mother and wife.

Even though I work outside of the home I make sure that my children are surrounded by a Christian environment throughout the day and that I fill the evenings with as many special memories as I can. See previous posts about my family life.

Hubby gets off work at 3 and unless he has to mow a yard (he mows yards on the side to help ends meet), he picks up the girls and they are all waiting for me when I get home at about 5:15.

As soon as I get home I give lots of hugs and kisses to both the girls, hubby, the dog and the cat. Then I immediately start supper as the girls tell me all about their day. I make sure that my family eats a home cooked meal the majority of the days. There may be a few here and there that we order a pizza or stop and get a burger but those days are very rare. A lot of the time the girls will help me fix supper.

We don't watch tv in the evenings unless it is an old movie or the occasional disney show. Hubby watches tv in his room but I find it all revolting and not worthy of mine or my children's attention.

After dinner I work in the garden or work on the pool or something for a few minutes outside. Then it is back in again for baths and to get jammies on for bed.

The evenings are filled with baking, cleaning house, playing games, doing homeschool summer work, reading, cuddling and maybe watching a movie if we have time.

I tuckthe girls in and have prayer usually around 10 in the summers. Then I spend some time reading or posting on the computer or straightening the house some more. I try to be in bed at 11.

That is our day in the summer during the week.....we stay very busy around here. Idle hands or the devils workshop. And I definitely do not eat of the bread of idleness. So how are your days?

Mommy's Handbook - Entry #1 Making Memories

2008-07-21T18:23:00.001-07:00

Making Memories....

I work outside of the home so it is very important to me that my children are surrounded with loving and fun memories during the time that I am with them. I am going to share with you some ways that I made these memories with them.

Let each child pick a day where they get to pick the dinner menu. Now this may end up being just mac n cheese but let them have full control over the dinner menu. If you have older children then let them not only plan the meal but cook it too. They can even prepare a special them night for the family. For example if they want to do mexican night they can fix tacos, they can research Mexico on the internet and create some fascinating facts to share with the family. They can decorate the eating area too. Let their imagination soar and give them the freedom to express themselves.

We also like to have special nights in our family. Like movie night or picnic day. We will make posters advertising the event and hang them up around the house several days before the event. This will make the day even more exciting and the anticipation will build more and more each day.

How about having a talent show once a month? You can make posters and each child can decide what talent they want to share. They can even make tickets for mom and dad to get into the event. Make it a big deal and host a special dinner or dessert that night.

Another good idea is to have an "I remember when..." night for each of your children. Each child is given a specific night when they are the star. Gather home videos of the child, special projects that they have made throughout the years, photos, etc. Serve that child's favorite meal and mom and dad share special memories they have of that child. Every child loves to hear about when they were little. The other siblings can get into the fun too by telling different things they remember about their sister/brother too.

One thing that we do at the dinner table is tell our high and low. We ask each child (and mom and dad too) what their high of the day was (the best part of the day) and what their low of the day was (the worst part of the day). This can open communication and allow your child to share with you their joys and sorrows. You can help them through their sorrows when you know what happened to them that day.

Have an art show....it works kind of like the talent show. Each child showcases their artwork as mom and dad take a tour of the show.

Have backwards day. Everyone comes to the table with their shirts on backwards and serve dessert first!

Creation Island -- Make hamburgers on the grill and have everything imaginable for each family member to top off their burgers with. (This can also work with baked potatoes and pizza)
For a twist have family members draw a name of another family member and they create that persons meal for them.

Make a big deal over small accomplishments. When my oldest recently came out from the dentist with a report of no cavities we did a little happy dance a song right there in the dentist's office.

Holidays...
Christmas -- don't just decorate your tree....get all the family involved. What we do is get the tree up and the lights on and then the family gathers around the tree, we put Christmas Carols on and as I pull out each and every one of the ornaments I tell the story of that ornament. Where it came from, when we bought it or who gave it to us. Every one of our ornaments has a story....if it doesn't have a story.....it doesn't belong on our tree. Then each child and mom and dad too, take turns hanging the ornaments on the tree. Our tree is never one of those picture perfect trees where everything matches and is all one color scheme. Our tree is a family Christmas tree and I encourage yours to be the same.
Another good idea is to have a goodie tree in your kitchen. This is a small tree that is on your kitchen table and on the tree is all sorts of edible yummies. Homemade cookies and candies all individually wrapped and hung with ribbon. Then the children can get a special treat off the tree every day. And visitors enjoy the goody tree too.

Thanksgiving-
This is probably my favorite holiday. Of course we go around the table and tell everything we are thankful for, the children create something homemade for the dinner table. Sometimes they create placemats sometimes it is placecard holders. I have a special meanu that I fix every Thanksgiving and my children and hubby know and love the meal.

Halloween -
We go camping every halloween. We decorate our camper and we give out candy to all the children who are camping at the campground. This provides a safe and happy halloween.

Easter -
Another one of my favs. We plant jellybeans Easter morning before breakfast and after breakfast we go outside and the magic jellybeans have bloomed into lollipops growing out of the ground...amazing! We do not do the Easter Bunny...we want nothing to take away the meaning of this most sacred religious holiday. Our children know what Easter is all about. We have a special meal and they get an Easter basket and outfit for church.

Other fun stuff....

Don't forget the special notes in the lunchboxes! It means more to your child then you can imagine. Sometimes spruce it up and send an inexpensive special card. Or maybe put a message on your child's banana peel -- it is easy just "scratch" a message on the peeling of the banana and by the time your child eats his lunch the message is easy to read. Make up little poems or cute rhymes about your child and stick it in their lunchbox. Make it fun and exciting.

Celebrate your child's half birthday....exactly 6mos from their birthday celebrate with half a cake and half the candles.

Have a special plate in your family and when a child makes an A on a test, wins the soccer game, or any other accomplishment have that child's meal served on the special plate. You may want to include a little notebook with the plate to record the special events that have been celebrated on that plate.

Create a time capsule. As a family create your very own time capsule and open it in five years together.

As you can see there are many, many ways to create fun memories with your children. These are all things that you can do on little or no money and they will be priceless to your family.

This week's menu

2008-07-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

I am so glad to get back to normal. Last week I wasn't even able to keep to any of my meal plans as I had zero time at home. I can't even tell you what we ate for dinner most days but I did fix a nice breakfast every morning before work.
Today the oldest and I slept in, really late. So our lunch was our brunch and we had leftover pizza from last night at church.
For dinner I fixed chicken and dumplings, and frozen mixed vegetables. I also fixed a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for hubby and the girls.
Breakfast in the morning will consist of scrambled eggs, biscuits and fried bologna. Lunch will be hamburgers, baked beans and deviled eggs. We will just have leftovers for dinner as each of us gets hungry. I will also be making blackberry dumplings for everyone to enjoy this week.

Monday -
Breakfast==scrambled eggs and toast
Lunch==leftovers
Dinner ==fried chicken, mashed potatoes and baked beans

Tuesday -
Breakfast == cereal and juice
Lunch==leftovers
Dinner==spaghetti and garlic bread

Wednesday =
Breakfast ==biscuits and jam
Lunch == leftovers
Dinner ==pizza rolls and mac n cheese

Thursday --
Breakfast ==cereal and juice
Lunch==sandwiches
Dinner == BBQ chicken, potatoes, veggies

Friday --
Breakfast == cereal and juice
Lunch ==leftovers
Dinner == Leftover night

Next Saturday we get our Angel Food in for the month and I can't wait!

The week is finally over!

2008-07-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Oh my word! I can't believe how tired I am! This week has been so difficult on my body. But not my soul! This is a good tired. This is the tired that comes after doing the Lord's work. I am exhausted but I am overjoyed at the results of our Vacation Bible School.
I had about 16 kids in my class and they ranged from 3 to 8. They were all such a blessing!
On Thursday night we had about 10 kids come up to altar call to be prayed for. They were so sweet walking up there. The Lord says Let the little children come.
There were days when I felt all I did was chase the kids round and round. As in the pix on this blog. I felt as though we were not accomplishing much. But then I would ask them a question and they would know the answer and I realized that even though it may seem like they were not listening to a word I was saying they really were.
I pray above all else that a child was touched this week, that a family was touched, and that they would find a church home and give their lives to the Lord.
God bless every one and I hope that each of you have the joy of teaching Vacation Bible School.

Midweek update - VBS Week

2008-07-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

It has been VBS week at our house so that is the reason for no posts. We have been so very tired and busy each and every day. By the time we get home from VBS we are exhausted! But I thought I would jot down a quick note.
VBS is going great. I had thirteen kids in my class tonight and I have had 15 total attending my class. They are such a joy. I have children ranging from 3 to 8. Each of them are so very special in their own way. It is definitely a challenge keeping children in that large of an age group busy but with the help of hubby and another mother, and of course God's help above all, we are getting it done.
The kids are learning so much and they are really enjoying themselves. My oldest is not in my class, she is in the older class, but the youngest is with me. They are both having a grand time.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you guys that read my blog. I have so much fun posting. Once I get this VBS week finished I am going to start a new series on this blogspot titled....Mommy's Handbook. I look forward to sharing it with you.

New Recipe -- Italian Chicken

2008-07-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

I used to own a restaurant years ago named "Mattingly's". It was a very nice place to eat and relax. It was a place that fed not only the body but the soul. One of the dishes we served there was Italian Chicken. It was so easy to prepare and people really liked it.

Several boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bottle of Italian Dressing

Put your chicken in a crock pot and cover with italian chicken. Cook on low until chicken is finished.

That's it! Enjoy!

Sunday at the homestead

2008-07-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

Well it is Sunday at the homestead and usually we don't do much work on Sundays but we simply had to today. The children visited a local VBS this past week from 6 -9 and with the camping trip last weekend....we are very behind on our housework.

So today we all pitched in and got the house in somewhat of an order. The bathrooms are scrubbed the kitchen is cleaned the bedrooms are straightened and some of the laundry is finding its way into the washer, out to dry and put in its drawer -- but not all of it.

I also need to try to get some cooking done today since we will be hosting our VBS this week and I will be teaching every night. Our VBS starts at 6 and ends at 8. I don't get off work until 5 so I need to have food that hubby and the girls can eat and already have their bellies full by the time I get home so we can hit the road running and get on to church.

So the menu this week is going to be simple and easy and items that can be prepared ahead of time and finished up quite easily. Sunday - today for lunch we had smoked sausage in beans and macaroni and cheese; for dinner we wil probably just have leftovers of that. Monday I am going to put some chicken in the crockpot that morning with some bbq sauce, I will serve that with some baked beans and deviled eggs that I will make tonight. Tuesday we will have sausages with peppers and onions with the leftover baked beans and deviled eggs. Wednesday we will have tuna salad sandwiches. Thursday it will be Turkey with gravy dinner that can be cooked in the oven and some mashed potatoes. Friday we will have dinner at church.

Also I will have zero time to do any house cleaning this week so it will be up to everyone to pitch in to keep the house in some sort of working order. We will see how it goes!

The girls and I just got out of the pool it was so much fun. Hubby isn't feeling well so he is resting in bed and it is going on 5PM so I am thinking of taking a small rest myself before church. Today we will be studying Abraham in my children's class.

I am looking forward to VBS this week. Our theme is SonForce Kids "special agents for Christ". I will get some pix taken this week of the church and how we got it decorated and will post them for you guys. My sister is going to come and help out this week and possibly her husband. Hubby is off this week lack of work so he will be coming in the evenings to help too. I hope that we have a good crowd of children and that they are all blessed and walk away with a closer relationship with Christ.

We are also sitting a big Golden Retriever this week named Maggie. Her and Buddy are getting along well. It will be interesting to see how this week will work out in our lives! As I tell hubby sometimes "Warp Nine!" It is going to be fast and busy! There will be much to do! But with God's help and guidance everything will turn out just fine.

Remembering My Mamaw

2008-07-09T21:46:00.001-07:00

I remember my mamaw telling me a cocky bull story as we would snuggle in bed.

I remember peanut butter fudge and potato candy.

I remember learning how to make biscuits from scratch and sugar gravy.

I remember everytime I was sick I would get boiled potatoes with lots of butter.

I remember dinners would consist of potatoes, spinach and mac n cheese ...no meat and that was okay.

I remember bingo and her letting me play with the chips....oh and when they came out with magnetic wants and metal wrapped chips....how fun!

I remember twinkies, turkey sandwiches, and yoohoos.

I remember going to yard sales and her looking for money in her wallet that she hid from herself for just such an occasion.

I remember eating ice.

I remember Hummingbird Cake at Christmas.

I remember a Christmas tree that was so perfect you could measure the exact distance between each ornament.

I remember big lights on the tree and so many of them that you would break out in a sweat if you sat beside it.

I remember skillet burgers and needing a green pepper.

I remember grocery lists and going to Jim's Key Market.

I remember meatloaf.

I remember Victoria singing and dancing to the silly songs she taught us. I remember I found a peanut, Philadelphia lawyer, and Barbara Allen.

I remember Little House on the Prairie and The Price is Right.

I remember the big yellow car that had a name....but I don't remember that.

I remember You toucha my car...I breaka you face.

I remember how much she loved the husband that left her with four children to raise, and no money and how she took him back with open arms everytime he came home. I remember how much she missed him when he died and misses him still.

I remember the little pink house.

I remember Saturdays with ringer washers and mom and aunt and cousins all doing laundry on it at her house.

I remember the smell of burning oil lamps and burning oil furnaces.

I remember crooked floors and uneven walls. And the sound of the porcupine as it moved under the bathtub when you took a bath because there was no floor beneath your tub.

I remember how she held me in her lap.

I remember how she used to be before she got sick.

I remember when she could remember.

Girls we have to Garden

2008-07-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! Now more than ever we need to garden. Have you seen the prices of produce? Oh my!

So I propose that if you do not have a garden this year that you hook up with a friend who does and help her can/freeze her produce if she will give you some of her harvest. And start preparing this year for your garden next year!

Get you a Ball canning book and read through it and decide what you want to put up for your family and then study gardening books to see when and how those plants should be placed in your garden.

Ladies it is up to us to get our families through this tough economic time. We have to be creative, we have to work hard, we have to go back to the old days and see what worked then...and do it now. Learn from our ancestors.....chances are if they did it then....we need to be doing it now.

So get out that hoe and get to gardening!

Tuesday Happenings

2008-07-08T04:09:00.000-07:00

It is Tuesday morning and I am sitting here eating a simple bowl of cereal before the girls get up. I have a pot of chicken boiling on the stove because I have to make some dumplings to take to work this morning for a friends birthday. The cat is asleep right beside the computer as I am typing and the dog is asleep at my feet. The sun is bursting alive outside and I can tell already that it is going to be a terribly hot day here in Kentucky! Hubby has already left for work and the oldest is still asleep in her bunk. The youngest woke up a little bit ago and went to my bed to watch PBS and catch a few more winks.

Here in about 10 minutes I will have to close up the computer and head down to reload the laundry, make the beds and take my shower.

Today I will take the youngest to Nana and the oldest to the sitter and head off to work. It will be a fairly busy day at work so I will have to cancel all of the dentist appointments for today. When I get off work the girls and hubby will already be home and I will fix a quick bite of supper and then take the girls up to VBS and head off to the store. I have a few more things to pick up for our VBS next week and a few things I need for the house. I want to head up to GFS (gordon's food service) and see what they have available this week.

I don't know if I will be heading up to the church to decorate tonight. I won't have time since I will be needing to go to the stores.

Once we are back home I will check homework and make sure oldest is finishing up Where the red fern grows -- she is really not interested in this book at all which blows my mind. I have to practice prepositions with her as well. She struggles with English and I have to work with her on that.

Of course there will be laundry tonight, dishes to wash and straightening to do. After all of that then it will be off to bed for me.

"Dear Lord thank you for this beautiful day. Thank you for the bird I hear singing outside. Thank you that just like that bird I don't have to worry about where my food will come or how my shelter will come but it will be provided for me. Your are an awesome God. You are worthy of our praise. To you be all the glory in heaven and earth! Jesus name above all names! Glory to You! Thank you for my family. Be with my children and keep them safe O Lord! Help me Lord to be patient and kind and to raise them in Your Holy will. Help Lord to be a helpmeet for my husband. Help me Lord to serve and obey him as You have intended. Lord be with hubby. Prick his heart Lord. Give him a desire to be the spiritual head of the household that you have called him to be. Remove O Lord the thorns from his life. Help him Lord to seek you in all that he does. Help him Lord to turn from evil and run to that which is good. Oh Lord help me to be the wife and mother that you have called me to be. Help me to do all that I have to do each day and to do it to the best of my abilities and with a smile. Help me Lord to be a sweet spirit in this home. Help me to speak words of kindness and to create an atmosphere of peach and love for my children and husband. Lord Jesus thank you for my salvation and for saving me again each and every day from my sinful life. Lord thank you for the promise of heaven and the joy of an eternity spend in your presence. Lord you know my heart's desire to be home with my children and I pray that your will be done in this area and that if it is your will then a miracle happen to allow me to be with them. I pray this in your precious and holy name, in the name of Jesus, AMEN.

Make your own shower spray

2008-07-08T04:05:00.000-07:00

Why buy that expensive shower spray? How about that one automatic one that you just push a button and it sprays your whole shower....sweet -- but the price is not so sweet.
Just get a simple spray bottle and add one part rubbing alcohol to three parts water. Keep this bottle in you shower (up high please....so little hands can't reach). When you get out of the shower simply spray everything and it will be clean and ready for next time. Now I must put a disclaimer to try it in a small area so to see if it will damage your tub.....not that I have any problem but I don't want any nasty complaints from anyone that did it without trying that first. I have a bath fitter fiberglass overlay tub and it is fine.

Simple Christmas part 3 -- The Rat Race

2008-07-08T03:48:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you are not subject to this during the holidays but many of us are....the rat race. This is the time of year when we have party after party to attend. And then there are the cookie exchanges, school plays, church plays and it seems to us that every family member has their own Christmas at their house and we must attend all of them.
We used to go to every one and we literally would go non stop. It became ridiculous. My children cannot even enjoy Christmas at home because we are constantly watching the clock about where to go next.
In the past few years I have gradually scaled back and will again this year. It is not fair to go to one grandparents and not the other, to go to one parents and not the other. I come from a divorced family so you can automatically multiply my parents times two, I have two sets of grandparents (thank God in heaven they are still with us). Hubby has the one place to go during the holidays for his entire family....now they have the right idea :-). This year I will be telling everyone....we will be going no where on Christmas day. That is reserved for my own family and my own family traditions in my home. Anyone that wants to stop by and see us is very welcome but we will not be visiting anyone's home on that day. The Saturday before Christmas we will go to my Dads --they do this so as not to interfere with anyones schedule and it works out well. Christmas Eve we will go to hubby's family but that is the only place on Christmas Eve. I am not sure when my mother will have hers but since I am the only child we can pretty much work out a schedule that works for us. We will see our grandparents on the days that follow up to Christmas on our own and spend some time with them and give them their gift. It is better that way anyway because you actually get to spend time alone with them.
Don't get me wrong. I love being around all of my family but I simply cannot be everywhere and if I went to all of the Christmas gatherings my children would have no special memories of Christmas at home with mom and dad. And no time to sit and focus on the true meaning of Christmas which has nothing to do with running from place to place and forcing yourself to eat another meal when you just ate one. It is about Jesus and celebrating His birthday and focusing on His love.
So I encourage you this year to just say no to the cookie exchange, work party, sister's uncle's son's brother's party, and to just stay home with your children making new family traditions that will last a lifetime.
My next blog on this subject will be on Christmas traditions. Come and join me!

This week's menu

2008-07-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Monday - today we had leftover hotdogs and mac n cheese for dinner

Tuesday - Breakfast -- cinnamon bread
Lunch -- bday dinner at work of pintos and dumplings
Dinner -- chicken strips and tater tots

Wednesday - Breakfast -- scrambled eggs and toast
Lunch -- tuna salad sandwiches
Dinner -- tuna casserole

Thursday - Breakfast -- cereal
Lunch -- leftover casserole
Dinner -- pizza rolls

Friday - Breakfast -- french toast
Lunch -- tuna salad sandwiches
Dinner -- hamburgers and tater tots

Saturday -- Breakfast -- sausage with gravy and biscuits
Lunch - leftover burger
Dinner - chicken casserole, mashed potatoes, green beans

Sunday -- Breakfast -- cinnamon rolls
Lunch - leftover chicken casserole
Dinner - smoked sausage

This will be a busy week so I have to keep it simple Mon - Thurs. Next week will be VBS so we will not be cooking during the week. HMMMMM I will have to be creative.

Monday Recipe - easy broccoli casserole

2008-07-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

Frozen broccoli
cheese slices
cream of mushroom soup
cream of chicken soup
ritz crackers
butter
onion

Boil broccoli on the stove until almost tender. Drain and put in a mixing bowl. Mix one can of cream of mushroom and one can of cream of chicken soup. Put mixture in bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 350. Melt one stick of butter in a saucepan on stove top. Crush and add one sleeve of Ritz crackers. Stir constantly over medium heat until Ritz crackers are browned. Take cheese slices and layer over top of broccoli mixture until all is covered. Add cracker mixture and bake in oven until cheese is bubbly. Great broccoli casserole and so easy.

Vacation Bible School

2008-07-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

This week the girls are going to a local church (actually where hubby and I were married) for vacation bible school. I am going to use this time to spend the evenings working on VBS at our own church and getting it ready for next week. So you probably won't see many blogs from me over the next two weeks as I will be extremely busy.

Please find a VBS for your children to attend. I have so many wonderful memories of VBS in my childhood. It is a great thing for every child.

We're Home!

2008-07-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well we are back home from our camping trip to the lake. It is good to be home but it was sad to leave. Also when you come home from your camping trip you have a LOT of stuff to do. There is a ton of laundry to catch up on!
Hubby and I have decided that it would be great fun to have someone watch our girls for a weekend and just the two of us head out camping from Fri to Sun. Boy we could really use the time alone together. It has been a very long time since we have been alone.
Well I am making my blog short today and I am off to reload laundry.

Bloom where you are planted

2008-07-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hello ladies.
I once wrote a book "Still blooming". I never sent it off to a publisher although maybe one day I will.
Today I wanted to talk to those of you who feel that through your own mistakes and failures and sins you are not anywhere near where God intended you to be.
You are not alone. I am right there with you. You cannot imagine my past. It is filled with all kinds of sins and mistakes and many failures. Some sins that would probably cause you to judge me harshly and maybe even not want to be my friend anymore.
But let me tell you something, when you confess those sins to God and ask for His blessed forgiveness, and turn away from that sickening self, all of those sins are gone. Yep all gone. They are scattered as far as the east is from the west. God put all of those nasty, dirty sins at the bottom of the deepest ocean and then He posted a sign there that says "No fishing allowed!". They are never to be remembered again. If He doesn't remember them then why are you?
Also I know that God had purposed for me a life in the mission field of Africa. I know this with all of my heart. But through my own many selfish sins this didn't happen for me. Now I know that this dream of the mission field in Africa is not possible now.
Does this mean that God has all but given up on me? Does this mean that I am not walking in His glorious will now? No. It means that yes, I am not where I was meant to be. BUT I am where I am meant to be now!
I started out in beautiful soil...fresh and new. There was a nudge, a calling, a whooing to the mission field. I didn't go. I instead left the shelter of my Christain beliefs and became something awful and dry. My leaves were drying up, my soil was rocky and cracking. I was at the point of not living much less producing any fruit. It was at this point when I was at my lowest that I cried out again to God. And He moved heaven and earth and reached right down where I was and picked me up out of that rottening soil. He oh so gently held my roots and replanted me in soil that was once again rich and full of nutrients. He watered and fed me oh so sweetly until once again I was standing tall in my soil.
Now not only am I standing in the rich soil of His love but I am blooming. I am blooming for all to see and to know that God is with me. To give Him the glory! To show others His love!
He has given me a husband who loves me, children to nurture and raise in His love, a home to keep, and friends and family to help.
So you see you may not be where you were first called but that doesn't mean that God gave up on you! Bloom where you are planted....even if it is in replanted soil!

Tuesday Recipe -- my meatloaf

2008-07-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

This is an absolute favorite of hubby's....enjoy

3lbs ground beef
one small green pepper, chopped
one small onion, chopped
1t pepper
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 sleeve of crumbled saltine crackers
1/3 c ketchup

Mix all of the above ingredients and shape into a loaf and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Spoon additional ketchup over meatloaf to cover top and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Check and make sure the center of the loaf is done. Let sit for 10 min before slicing to serve.
***You can also shape and back mini loaves in muffin cups. It is quicker to bake and fun to eat!

Tuesday Talk

2008-07-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hey guys I just got home from another long day at work. I am going to do a couple of quick blog posts and then up I go to get supper on the grill, laundry reloaded, bathrooms cleaned, beds made, floors swept and vacuumed, etc. Since we are leaving out Thursday for a camping trip I will be short on days to clean this week. Ughhhh -- there aren't enough already much less having less!

So anyway I wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate those of you who come and visit me on my blog. I also enjoy visiting yours! I think it is great that we can share ideas and get to know each other. I have found great support in many of your blogs!

Today youngest and a child from up the street are playing dollhouse and it is so sweet to sit here and listen to them play. Hubby is mowing and won't be back for a couple of hours. Oldest is spending the night with Nana. I know she is having fun!

Another thing I want to do today is organize the freezers. I don't know if I will get to it or not. Hmmmm......and the pool needs to be vacuumed...again. :-) So I guess I need to quit rambling and get moving.

Oh and one last thing remember to pray for your husbands (see previous blog post!). And please remember me in your prayers as I have put on a lot of extra weight and I am really feeling it in my health. I need to loose 30lbs to be at the weight I should be for my height. So please pray for me!

Recipe Monday -- corn fritters

2008-06-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Okay gals my recipe for today is corn fritters....how easy this is!

1 can corn....drained
3T flour
1 small onion diced
salt and pepper
egg

combine all of the above and fry in oil in a hot skillet until brown on both sides....that's it....yummy!

Menu for week

2008-06-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Our angel food came in...yahoo....I am always like a kid in a candy store when my angel food order comes in every month!
I always feel a sense of peace when my cupboard and freezer are full.
With the new yummies in the house I have made the menu for this week....

Monday - breakfast - cereal (I caught it on sale and with a purchase of three I also got a free gallon of milk), lunch - blt, dinner- it is just me and the youngest tonight so it was mac n cheese and pizza rolls

Tuesday - breakfast - pancakes and syrup, lunch - sandwiches (will still have some leftover sandwich meat from the weekend trip), dinner - ribeyes on the grill, mashed potatoes, green beans and buttered carrots

Wednesday - breakfast - cereal, lunch- leftovers, dinner - bbq chicken leg quarters, corn and greenbeans

Thursday - breakfast - egg and toast, lunch leftovers, we are leaving for camping so we will have a dinner of hotdogs when we get there and get set up

Friday - breakfast - sausage, gravy and biscuits, lunch - hot dogs, dinner - hamburgers and fries

Saturday - breakfast - pancakes and bacon, lunch - italian sausage, dinner - pork riblets, mashed potatoes, corn

Sunday - breakfast - biscuits with jelly, lunch/dinner - chicken tenders and fries

We will be back home from camping Sunday....thank God for holidays!

Blueberry Cottage making a house a home challenge Monday update

2008-06-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hello ladies!

Well here is my Monday update....still no pix...ughh one day soon I will have new batts in the digital camera...I promise and then I will give you guys a tour of the homestead.

Today I opened all of the windows and let the fresh air come in. I turned off the central air as it was only about 80 degrees here in KY today.

I also put a teddy bear blanket on my couch that had been put up for awhile and an antique teddy on the corner of the couch. This is the upstairs couch that never gets sit on and since the puppy has ate it some over the past few months the cover was a necessity but putting my nice teddy blanket was a big step for me.

I am trying to pull out the good stuff that I don't use and use it everyday. After all who more to impress than your hubby and children?

Love ya'll!

Washing Soda is in!

2008-06-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Yahoo my case of washing soda came in! I just got finished making a double batch of laundry detergent. I also put a tiny drop of eucalyptous scent that my Nana gave me. It is a really strong scented oil so it only takes a TINY amount.
It smells so good!

I have my dryer working again since we were blessed to get our electric redone. Thank you Jesus! So I am very excited to get the laundry that has piled up after our weekend trip done and put away.

As I mentioned in my earlier blogs, we make our own laundry detergent. The recipe that we use calls for washing soda, which I could not find anywhere. So I was using baking soda....not the same thing. So I ordered some washing soda from Arm and Hammer and now I am excited to get the laundry going with this new batch of detergent.

It is a sad, sad thing when this excited me! :-)

Sunday Service to God

2008-06-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

We go to church as a family on Sundays and the children and I go on Wednesdays if hubby has to mow. If hubby doesn't, then sometimes he will go on Wednesdays too. Now going to church doesn't save a person. Only through Jesus Christ can one be saved. But going to church does hold us accountable and help us in our daily walk with Him.

I have heard many people's excuses not to attend church regularly. There isn't enough time is the number one that I hear. You have 24 hours a day, and seven days every week. That is 168 hours every week that you have. I don't understand how a person cannot find just a couple of those 168 hours to spend in God's house.

Then comes the other excuse "I can worship God wherever I am. There is no need for me to do it in a church." True, you can worship God wherever you are. But in God's word he says that it is good to come to the house of the Lord. It is good to be a part of the body of Christ. You need to have those brothers and sisters in Christ that will stand with you and help you through your daily walk with Him. If nothing else attending church on a regular basis holds you accountable. It keeps you on track. How else are going to sit under the preachings and teachings of God's elders?

And of course there is the "I don't believe in organized religion". Who's talking about religion here? Find a church home where you feel comfortable. Make sure that the church is a Bible believing church. Make sure that the pastor of the church is a gentleman who truly knows the Bible and studies it and when you sit underneath his teachings, you can feel the spirt of God speaking to you.

There are many other excuses for not attending church on a regular basis. I just hope that whatever your excuse is, that you reach into God's Word and find out what He says about it. And then do His will concerning church attendance in your life.

Once you start attending on a regular basis you will find that it is easier and easier to make it a part of your life. Before you know it you will just go and not even think twice about it. And then one day when you are ill or cannot make it to the service you will be so upset because you will just know that there is a blessing you are missing out on!

one of my poems

2008-06-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

This poem was written by me shortly after I lost my five year old daughter to cancer in 2001. I missed her so much, I still do....

"I am drawn quietly to her grave to check on her.
Just as I was drawn quietly to her room when she slept.
I trim the grass around her marker,
and I dream of trimming the bangs from her forehead.
I place flowers in her vase,
and dream of placing bows in her hair.
I hold her memory dear to my heart,
as I dream of holding her in my arms."

Recipe for Day --

2008-06-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Okay here is the recipe I have chosen to share with you today...

Mary Jo's Bean Dip (don't let the title fool ya....this can be an entire meal for the family)
2-3 lbs ground beef
2 cans refried beans
8 oz sour cream
2 pks mexican cheese
16 oz jar of salsa
2 pkgs taco seasoning

Brown beef and stir in taco seasoning using directions on package. Set aside. In a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish spread refried beans, then sour cream, 1 package of cheese, meat mixture, salsa and then remaining cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

You can also put some lettuce and tomatoes on your plate to round out your meal when serving it for your family.

Now my frugal heart would tell you to shave your own cheddar cheese from a block because it is cheaper and if you have your own refried beans made up, of course use those, and if you canned some salsa last year from your bumper tomato crop then that is another money savings. And the last of course would be to use your own home made taco seasoning! :-)

Enjoy!

Keeping a Clean House

2008-06-26T07:19:00.001-07:00

Your house can easily get out of hand and quickly. I know this from personal experience. If I do not stay on top of my house cleaning every day it will look mesy and dirty. It will look like I have done nothing all week. And inevitably this is when you will get company. It never fails.

I have found that by just doing a few things each day you can keep your home looking clean and inviting. Now we have four people, one cat and one dog living in our small home so it is not going to look its best except right after I do my weekend clean. But by doing a little each day it doesn't look like I have done nothing for a month! :-)

Each day when I wake up I head downstairs to load laundry. And then after getting ready and getting the kids ready, I make my bed. I use a comforter and shams so this is easy. I do a quick straighten of my room and the bathroom -- just a quick one (picking up the towels, dirty clothes, etc). Then I head to the kitchen and get breakfast ready and lunch packed. While I am doing this I straighten up the kitchen. I make sure that the counters are clean, etc.

Next I head downstairs and reload the laundry and bring up a load to put away. By this time we are needing to kick in to warp nine speed. So I make sure the kids have their shoes on and all the items that they need and as they are doing this I grab the little battery operated sweeper (love it!) and do a quick sweep of the kitchen, hall and bath (if there is enough time I sweep the living room and bedrooms). Then it is out the door we go.

When I get home from work I start cooking supper. As I cook I have a sink of warm dish water and I as I cook, I wash. I also quick clean the bath cabinet (I keep a spray bottle of bleach water handy to just quick spray and wipe), and the toilet seat. I also keep a spray bottle of alcohol and water in the shower to quick spray as we get out of the shower each time we spray it on the walls and tub of the shower. (This is a cheap version of shower spray that you buy and it does just as well)

I reload the laundry a couple of times in the evening and I try to keep picking up after the kids. I make sure that the table is cleared in the kitchen as that is the first thing people see when they come into my home. I make sure the bathroom is kept clean and straight and the mirror clean.

I only do the vacuuming and general cleaning once a week and if we are gone camping or away for the weekend I don't have the time to do that so this quick clean every day really helps.

Hopefully this will help you keep your house inviting to others.

Tuesday Happenings

2008-06-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Today was a rough day at work...ugh! If only I could be an SAHM. Oh how my heart longs to be a housewife and mother full time. But I am thankful to God for a good job that is close to home. I work for a great company so I am not complaining about the job....just the fact that I have to be away from home at all.

I woke up this morning at 6:30. It was the usual get myself ready and then the girls ready. The girls had scrambled eggs and homemade biscuits this morning.

I had to go to an OES meeting last night so I nabbed some leftovers for me and hubby to have for lunch today. Yummy-- and I didn't have to cook them (or pay for them). It doesn't get any beter than that!

On the way home from work I had to stop at the Family Dollar for a gallon of milk. This killed my soul since I had to pay 4.35 for a gallon! Ughhh but in our town this is all we have and it would have cost too much money to head to the grocery in the next town up. So I paid it. I also found some clothes on clearance for the girls so it wasn't a waste. I did save some money.

I got home at about 5:30 and hubby was waiting in the driveway to go to his mowing job. So it is just me and the girls. We still have leftover stroganoff so we just warmed up leftovers for supper. However hubby has requested a fried bologna, egg and cheese sandwich when he gets home. That's okay he will just have the stroganoff for lunch tomorrow. :-)

Tomorrow we will have dinner at church so I don't have to worry about cooking. I am just going to fix a simple dessert to take.

We have a pageant in a town that is about an hour and a half away on Thurs, Fri and Sat this weekend so I have to get some lunchmeat, chips and donuts and drinks to put in a cooler so we can just eat out of our hotel rooms. The oldest got sponsors to help with the cost of the hotel room and pageant fees. (a note on the pageant we are not pageant people-- but this is not a beauty pageant)

But anyway we are not going to be able to afford to eat out so here is my way to save money while we are away from home this weekend.
Thursday -- breakfast and lunch at home...we will head out in the afternoon. Dinner will be sandwiches, cokes and chips from the cooler in the room.
Friday -- donuts and milk for breakfast in room....sandwiches, chips and snack cake for lunch in room...dinner we will splurge for the kids and order pizza
Saturday -- donuts and milk for breakfast in room.....sandwich, chips and snack for lunch in room....we will be heading home so we will have dinner at home.
So the only cost for food to eat out will be Friday and we will just order a large one topping pizza so that won't be too bad at all.

We are not planning on leaving the hotel as they have a pool there so we will not have any entertainment expenses either.

So anyway back to today. I washed a sink of dishes and I am getting ready to make some no bake cookies (we are selling them tomorrow to help cover expenses for the hotel this weekend) I have to make 75 to sale and some for home, and some to take to the sitter. So I am going to be up to my elbows in no bakes. While I am doing this I also have to do about 4 loads of laundry (where it all comes from I will never know). Oh and that reminds me that I have to make a small batch of laundry detergent just to hold me over until my washing soda that I ordered comes in and then I will make a big batch.

I have already swept the floors but I need to straighten the family room. Then I have to get the kids baths and get them ready for bed. Whew....I wish I had more hours in the day!

Well see you guys tomorrow!

New Electric~

2008-06-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been a few days guys but guess what?!
We finally got our electric redone. Yah! Our house was built in 1969 so it only had a 100 amp service. We now have 200 amp. And it is all new. The box and breakers have all been replaced. Our dryer plug was replaced as it burned up and the 220 box was replaced as that burned up too. (I know...we are lucky the whole house didn't burn up) God is good!
They just finished today and the electric company is coming to inspect tomorrow.
Now we just have to get the old gas furnace and central air unit replaced with a heat and air pump.
Thanks to papaw for the loan to get these things done. It was getting pretty dangerous.
I can't believe I am so happy over an electric box......I must really be an adult now. :-)

Organized Household

2008-06-21T14:11:00.001-07:00

Ladies it is very important in todays hectic lifestyle that we have an organized household. Many of my blogger friends use home management binders. I don't have one of those...maybe one day but right now it just isn't necessary.

For me it is all about keeping it simple. My Nana gets mad at me sometimes because I sell perfectly good stuff in yard sales, give it to good will and even toss unwanted items in the trash. There have been times that people have given me items for Christmas and such and later it will be in my yard sale. It is not that I don't appreciate the fact that people gave me the gift. I just don't need it. I have enough items cluttering my house on my own without adding more items that I really don't need and keeping them just because someone gave them to me.

I go by the rule if it hasn't been used in the past 6 months then out it goes. And as far as nick naks unless it is something I really like and that is special to me.....out it goes. I used to collect stuff, save everything, etc. but not anymore. I realize that stuff is just stuff and it really is clutter. Everything gives off an energy and if you have a lot of stuff surrounding you then you can feel tired, out of sorts, like you are overwhelmed.

Well enough about my rantings about too much stuff. Back to being organized. Here are a few of the ways I stay organized...

Homeschool -- there is a basket in the living room by the piano that holds all of the homeschooling books and papers. There is another large basket on the other side of the piano that holds all of the kids games. When we want those items we pull them out and as soon as we are finished, they go right back.

Kitchen - I have two small pantry closets. One of them houses boxed goods, flour, sugar, etc. The other houses small appliances and large bowls that I don't want out on my counter. We took a board with silver hooks from Wal-Mart that was intended to be used as a coat hanger but we knew it would be perfect for a pot rack. So it is hanging on the wall and my good steel pots and pans are hanging on it and my others are in a large cabinet next to my stove. The rest of my kitchen cabinets hold dishes, cups, glasses, etc. On my counter in my kitchen you will find a tool turnabout next to the stove that holds all of my utensils that I use regularly (the rest are in a drawer in the kitchen). An americana lamp (I really like the glow of a lamp in the evening and find it very peaceful and homey). A rack which holds my plates and cups, a dish drain and two large bowls in a stand that hold my onions and garlic. You will also find a couple of cookbooks and the can opener and that is it. The rest of the itmes are tucked in cupboards and cabinets (and I have VERY VERY few cabinets so I you can tell I have very very little stuff).

Kids Bedrooms - There are two laundry baskets in the playroom and they hold toys. I tried to get the kids to put the kitchen toys in their kitchen and the doll stuff in the doll house, etc. After fighting and fighting about it I decided to just put the baskets in there and as long as the toys are in baskets....I don't care how they are organized. The youngest's clothes are in the playroom closet and a small dresser in there. The oldest's clothes are in her bedroom which also houses a bunkbed where they both sleep. In her room is the bookshelf and all their books are on there....this bookshelf sits on top of a chest of drawers so it isn't easily accesible to youngest who can sometimes be hard on books. In her room is also a very large desk. (Too big for her room but a special gift from grandmother so it stays). When she gets older she will appreciate the desk (and take it with her when she moves!). Oldest's games, cd's, etc. are in her desk. It is her responsibility to keep up with them. Not me.

Dining Room - I have a large closet where I keep everything that does't fit elsewhere and the large serving platters and dishes that I don't really use but The Princess Foundation uses them so I must keep them.

Bathroom - every person has their own drawer in the bathroom and all of us girls have a basket on the counter which houses all of our scrunchies. The towels and washrags are in the closet in the bathroom as well as any extra toiletries and toilet paper and paper towels.

Laundry Room - I keep my homemade detergent in a container right next to the washer, there is a trash bag handy hanging on the wall for trash that I may find in pockets, etc. We have a deep freezer in there for storing meat and extra flour. We also have shelves in there for decorations (which are all boxed by holiday), childrens clothes (which are all boxed by size) and other items that need to be stored. There is also three clothes lines hanging. One is for storing off season clothes and the other two are for hanging clothes to dry.

Family Room - Nothing is allowed to stay in this room that is not in one of the two drawers in the side tables. Enough said....this place can get messy enough with just blankets and pillows (which by the way are to be folded and placed at the end of the couch on the floor)

Rec Room - This is not a good topic for me right now as it is still gutted from the flood. But this is where all of The PRincess Foundation's stuff is and it is separated into three cabinets that we bought from Lowes. Down here also is the small pool table, football table and my desk and file cabinets.

Shoes are to be put immediately in the closet of the wearer. Coats are to be immediately hung on the coat tree in the winter...in the summer the coat tree is moved downstairs - it isn't needed and is a hindrence in the summer.

Purses are to be hung on hooks in the appropriate person's room. Wallets are to be put in the man's basket on the dresser.

Sunday school stuff is kept in same basket as homeschool and this is also where all Bibles are kept.

Kitchen cleaners are kept below the kitchen sink, bathroom cleaners are kept below the bathroom sink, etc.

Sheets - when they get off the line from drying, take all the pieces and put it in one of the pillow cases then store it in a drawer....then they are all together.

Bathtowels - each person has a clothespin with their name on it. When they get a towel out of the closet and use it they hang it up and put their clothespin on it. They are to use that towel for at least three days....after all they are clean when they use it. There is no sense wasting money washing towels that are not dirty. While they are using their towel they just put the clothespin on the shower curtain until the towel is hung back up.

Dirty Laundry - there is a main laundry basket in our bedroom that is for me and hubby and sheets, towels. There is a small one in the kid's room. Everyone is responsible for putting their own laundry in the baskets. ***another thing....most pants can be worn twice before washing....don't wash the item if it isn't dirty!

Menu - Each week the menu is placed on the fridge door. No more "what's for dinner?"

Calendar - There is a calendar which hangs in the kitchen and on it we put all activities for the month. If someone wants to know what we are doing tomorrow....they look at the calendar. If someone doesn't put their activity on the calendar....well then there is a possibility it doesn't get done. Schedule conflicts -- when usually the first activity on the calendar trumps the ones after it. But depending on the necessity of the activity one placed before may get moved....our calendar is VERY IMPORTANT!

Camping -- well that is too much for me to list here. I promise in the next few days I will do a blog just about camping and how we organize ourselves.

There is a place for everything. Find its place (put it where you would most likely be using it) and stick to it.

My MEEZ

2008-06-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Whew I didn't think I would ever figure out my meez. But here I am....aren't I cute? And isn't buddy just adorable.... hee hee it doesn't even look like Buddy but still its a dog and I am petting him. But notice I am in my dress with my long hair and I am serving food which is what I love to do.
Enjoy

The Fair and The Dogsie Dog Shirt

2008-06-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

Well today the Mattingly family went to the fair....well minus dad as he was working. But me and the girls headed out to the county fair. We had a blast. For just $10 admission per person you got to ride all you wanted! How cool is that!?
Needless to say I didn't get anything done at the house. But tomorrow is Friday and that means I have two days off coming up that I can get caught up on the house.
It is okay to just say no for a day and head out with the family. It felt good to just feel free and have fun with my kids by being a kid myself. I think I had more fun on the bumper cars then they did. (It was really fun chasing my oldest with my car and "bumping" her in the rear) Hee Hee
We rode the scrambler too and that was a hoot. I hadn't rode that in years! I guess it was the first time that the youngest had rode it and she thought it was great.
Of course we ended the day with a trip to the corndog stand....boy they always smell better than they seem to taste once you get them! :-(
But I did pick up the neatest gadget while I was there. It is a body suit for your dog! My mini schnauzer still has accidents and marks the territory in the house so we have to confine him to only certain rooms. Well this suit enables him to run free around the house and if he has an accident it "catches" it and you just wash it clean. It is called the Dogsie Dog Shirt. You can check out their website at http://www.dogsie.com/
I recommend this little shirt as I am sure it will allow our little Buddy to be more of a part of the family.

Suzanne's at Blueberry Cottage Challenge

2008-06-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Okay gang. Although I am a few days late here is my update for the week to Suzanne at Blueberry Cottage and her challenge for us to do something each week to make our home more "homey" :-).
Well this week I decided instead of a physical change that you can see I would instead create a change you could feel. I have made it a point not to over react to situations. I have decided to keep a smile and a pleasing attitude.
My children are wonderful little girls and sometimes I expect too much out of them. After all they are just children. My husband is a great guy and sometimes in the daily "to do's" of life I forget to have that sweet spirit with him always. I think it is because we get used to these people in our life and we tend to take them for granted.
We tend to be on our best behavior with people outside of our home. Well my challenge to myself this week was to have that sweet spirit with my family as well.
I realized that maybe things get stressfull in my home because I get stressed. So I am taking hold of that stress and telling it that it isn't welcome in my home anymore. The sweet, sweet spirit will abound and I know my children and husband will appreciate it! :-)

Praying for Husbands -- We need Godly Husbands

2008-06-19T03:55:00.001-07:00

I am very blessed to have a husband who accompanies our family to church. He was raised as a catholic so our apostolic faith church is different then what he was raised. As a child he went to mass on special days and holidays but it was not really a "way of life". He wasn't raised on Jesus more as raised on religion. He used to not accompany me to church and I would sit alone with my children. But praise be to God, he is now attending every Sunday and sometimes on Wednesdays if he doesn't have to work.

He goes with me to teach Sunday school and the kids really like himbeing there and is a big help since I teach the younger children. I am still praying that God will touch him and prick his heart. I pray that he will seek the Lord in all that he does and that he will become the spiritual head of the household. I am praying and believing that one day he will lead his family in prayer and Bible study. His best friends are all catholic and we love them very much and they are good friends to us. But a lot of the catholic religion remains with him through them and his family. He is surrounded by it on a daily basis. So I pray that God will give him the desire to seek and live according to His will. I pray that he will have that relationship and not the religion.

I found a 31 day plan for praying for our husbands. (I found this on thefamilyhomestead.com) I am going to begin praying this over him daily.I have faith and believe that my prayers will reach the very throne of God and a supernatural change will begin to take place. I thank God for all He has done already in the life of my husband and I know He will continue the work that has begun. I have listed the first seven days of this prayer below and will list them each week.

Day 1. That he might become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in theLord, growing in his knowledge of the Lord. 1 Thess 5:23, Col 4:12, Eph1:18-19, 3:16-19, 6:18

Day 2 That he might grow in all 11 descriptions of a man who will notbe shaken as listed in Psalm 15.

Day 3 That he might be a man of contentment as seen in Prov 15:16, Phil4:11, 1 Tim 6:6-8, Heb 13:5

Day 4 That he might learn to take every thought captive, to not beconformed to the world's thinking and to think scripturally. Rom 12:2, 2Corin 10:5

Day 5 That he might daily seek God with all his heart, walking in theSpirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence upon Him. Psalm119:1-2, Prov 3:5-6

Day 6 That he would ever be captivated by my love. Prov 5:18-19

Day 7 That he would be a man of courage. Deut 31:6, 2 Chron 19:11

I ask that you join me in this prayer challenge and pray for your husbands as well. I pray that the nation will be changed through the godly husbands and fathers.

Today's Recipe Card

2008-06-19T03:52:00.000-07:00

As promised here is a recipe from my file...
This is a favorite recipe of ours but unfortunately not one that we use often. Unless we get chuck steaks in our Angel food box we don't have it. Maybe I will find some on sale soon and then I can serve it for dinner.
Mattingly's Swiss Steak
several good size chuck steaks (the kind that have been tenderized andalready in package)
1 large green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
Dip your steaks in an egg and milk wash and then in flour seasoned withsalt and pepper. Put some oil in a skillet and get hot. Place yoursteaks in for just a minute on each side to get browned. Move steaks toan electric skillet and pour tomatoes over them. Add your diced greenpepper and onion. Set skillet to a low temp and cook steaks for about 45minutes. These will result in a very tender steak.

We serve this with mashed potatoes as my family likes to put the tomato mixture over their potatoes. This is a very yummy dinner for a Sunday.

Laundry Detergent Recipe

2008-06-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

As you guys know I have been making my own laundry detergent. I was unable to find washing soda anywhere and have been subbing with baking soda. But I have noticed that my clothes have a bit of a "dingy" look. I have determined that this is due to not using the washing soda. So I called Arm and Hammer (Dwight and ?)- you can find their number online- you can order it directly through them! And they give you either 10% off or free shipping, your choice.

So anyway I ordered a case of washing soda. A box is 55 oz and the cost is 3.99 a box a case of 12 is 47.88. It was cheaper for me to take the free shipping so for 50.75 ( including tax ) I am getting a whole case of washing soda that should very well last me a long, long time. So I suggest that you follow the recipe and don't substitute baking soda for washing soda.

1 bar soap (ivory or fels naptha) - currently I am using Ivory since I already had several bars of that at home. You will want to grate it - just use a regular grater.
1/2 c Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 c Borax

I use it in a powdered formula but there are a lot of recipes on the web that show you how to cook it into a liquid formula if you prefer. Use 2 T of this per load. There is no need for any fabric softener when you use this. Unless you just prefer.

The cost is less than 3 cents per load.

Finances

2008-06-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Many people have made comments to me like "where do you guys get all of your money?". That always bothers me considering we don't have any money. So I thought I would list out what we do month to month.

First we are truly blessed by our Nana. TRULY BLESSED. She keeps our youngest and doesn't charge us. That saves us $300 a month in the summer when school is out. We pay $300 a month for the oldest to stay at a sitter (the youngest's teacher watches her) which is still a blessing because we know she is in a Christian home and that she is surrounded by love. And the $300 is cheaper than what a day care or day camp would charge. So there is our first expense, $300 per month for summer care. When school is in we spend that money to pay for tuition, uniforms and books since our children go to a homeschool site for learning.

We will start next with our largest expense which is our mortgage payment. We pay a little less than a grand a month on our mortgage which includes the taxes and insurance. I would love for this to be lower but for now this is the best we can do. When situations change we may be able to refinance and get a lower payment but for now it is what it is.

Next comes the automobiles. Hubby pulls a trailer with mowers and equipment and we pul a camper so we need a truck. Hubby is a little spoiled when it comes to his vehicles. But this is important to him and until he feels convicted about this then I must stand beside him and support him. He works hard and earns his money so this is his "thing". We pay almost $500 a month on hubby's vehicle. This is for six years. We have four years to go. This is probably the check that I hate writing most every month because I know it is totally out there. Unfortunately I now too have a car payment. I went for awhile without one but the old van just finally had to be replaced. Although I miss the freedom of not having a payment, I like the security of having a little more reliable vehicle. I bought a 2002 Jeep Liberty and financed it for 18 months The payment is about 270 a month. So there we have a total of 770 per month....ughh. With the vehicles comes the auto insurance. We pay about 175 a month to insure the truck, jeep and camper. Oh and I forgot to mention that hubby didn't want a cheap pop up but had to have a pull behind so we pay 215 a month on that. (In case you haven't noticed he doesn't have the same frugal spirit as I do but he is coming along little by little)

So guys this brings our month expenditure to 2460. Yep a whoppin 2460. Oh but we are not done yet! Now comes the security system...now you may say that this is not a necessity but I disagree. If you knew where my home was you would understand. We live in the country but we live directly below an interstate....therefore the security system is not negotiable. This is $40 a month.

Then we have our water at $50, lights at $75 (on a good month), and phone/tv/modem at $100 per month. We had been having a nasty gas bill in the winter time but praise God this will be changing (see other blog coming for more info on that)So my total comes to 2725 so far....but, yep you guessed it, I'm not done yet.

I figure that the kids will need some money if hubby and I were to kick that ol bucket so we pay $60 per month on life insurance.So the total comes to $2785 per month. But of course that isn't everything. We have to put gas in those expensive little vehicles and we have to put food in those cute little girls and us too. We are blessed to live very close to work so our gas usage isn't as bad as it could be. But we still spend about $350 per month in gas because we pushing that $4 per gallon mark.

So since this brings us to 3135 per month and we only bring home 820 per week and we put out 784 just on our total monthly expenses (not counting birthdays, car upkeep, home upkeep, doc bills, etc)....guess what is left for food? Yep 36 per week. Now granted we can't eat on 36 per week and that is where any overtime we get, hubby's yard mowing money in the summer, and our yummy bonus days from work come in. We try to keep our food bill down to 50 per week (see other blogs).

Also it is very important to give to your church family. Everything is God's. Your money belongs to Him. He asks that you give to Him first and all other things will be taken care of. I won't post what I give to my church as that is between God and us. But it is very important to tithe to your church and to give offerings for the poor, sick and hurting in addition to your gift to the church.

So how do we get our money? What money? We don't have any! We are swimming in debt from cars and camper. I keep telling myself that in three years these expenditures will be gone. I just hope and pray that when that time comes that hubby will not feel the need for a new vehicle and that he will be happy with what he has. And me too! I hope and pray that the liberty is still going strong in three years and has another three years or more in it. :-)

So there ya go. I think the appropriate question would be not where do we get all of our money but instead.....how do we stretch it as far as we do?