Pinterest Food Week

A wise woman told me at my bridal shower almost 12 years ago, "Never fix more than one new recipe a week."  This week I am breaking that rule.  If any of you are like me you spend hours pinning things on pinterest.  I made my  goals for the year based on things I wanted to do from my boards.  So this week I took it a bit further.  My meal plan for dinner this week is all new recipes.  Most of the recipes are things my family likes so I think it is going to be ok.  I'll let you know at the end of the week how it goes.  Here is my dinner meal plan for the week:

Monday: Panera like Broccoli Cheddar Soup
with Round Cheese Bread

Tuesday:  Chicken & Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups,  strawberry spinach salad & garlic bread

Wednesday: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, refried beans &
Spanish rice

Thursday: Sour Cream & Bacon Crockpot Chicken, new potatoes with green beans, & apple sauce

Friday:  Chicken Alfredo Pizza, homemade sausage pizza & salad

Saturday lunch:  Tortellini Spinach Bake, cottage cheese & fruit salad

Have you tried any new recipes you loved or hated?  I would love for you to share!  If you are not familiar with Pinterest you can follow my food board at Pinterest.

I love getting mail!

Today I got REAL mail, not your normal bills or junk that goes straight to the recycling bin.  Here is the package that arrived in my mail box.

A couple months ago Trevor & I signed up to be Bethany House Publishing Book Reviewers.  We saw it as a great way to get  to read some new books.

Here is the first book I am to review:  The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

You can read about it at Bethany House


Be looking for a review in the next couple of weeks!

Earth Day 2012

I wanted to ease back into a routine on Monday when we got back from the conference.  I decided rather than our normal school schedule we would do some Earth Day activities.  After lots of research, I discovered my kids don't really need to learn about Earth day.  Every idea or lesson plan I found was about things we already do.  Here are a few examples: explain recycling and have the kids sort out the different types;  make a compost bin and discuss it's benefits; and plant trees.  So here is how our Earth day went.  We took a field trip to Rural King to pick up some flowers.  Each of the kids picked one to take home and plant.  We read our It's Earth Day book by Mercer Mayer.  We had a failed experiment on green house gas.  We then planted our flowers.  Over all a pretty good day!

Cincinnati Homeschool Convention - Review

We were blessed again this year to attend the Midwest  Homeschool Convention.  Thanks to our wonderful parents for watching the kids so we could attend alone.  Well, not exactly alone.  This year we took our good friends Micheal & Laura along with us.   It was a fun-filled weekend with lots of laughter and a few tears.  We are hoping that through out the week we will be able to share with you some of the things we learned this weekend.  For now here is a list of the sessions we each attended:

Bethany's List

Group Leader Track by Jen Henriksen
The Princess within:  Teaching your daughter how to live like a princess from the inside out by Amber Gallagher
Isn't PE just playtime?  How adding "one more thing" can help your entire home school by Dr. Peter Minke
Combining Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, Unite Studies and a Christian Perspective by David Hazell
Exploding the supermom myth by Susan Kemmerer
How to cut your grocery bill in half by Crystal Paine
Making brothers and sisters best friends by the Mally Family
The organized homeschooler by Malia Russell
The lighter side of education: how to relax, enjoy, and laugh and still be a parent - educator by Dr. Christopher Perrin
Planning your year with unit studies by Amanda Bennett
Building the perfect reading list by Adam Andrews

We attended together:

Special Speaker:  Governor Mike Huckabee
Why Christians should read the pagan classics by Cheryl Lowe
Lies homeschooling moms believe by Todd Wilson

Trevor's List:

5 Online careers for you and your children by Rhea Perry
Father power by Todd Wilson
Creation declares the glory of God ! Incredible design in nature by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati
Total program to enable anyone and everyone to become a whole brain thinker by Brain in a Bag
Why I believe in a young earth by Dr. Jay Wile
How to handle supposed Bible contradictions by Tim Chaffey
5 real life math investigations that will astound teachers and students by Ed Zaccaro
How the brain works - using God's incredible design to inspire excellence by Jessica P arnell
10 ways to rock your wife's world by Dr. Patrick Johnston
How you (or your child) can be a published author by Carol Topp

One really neat thing about the convention is, every session is recorded.  There are so many things to choose from it is not always possible to attend each session at the time it is offered.Here are the two we didn't make it to but wanted to.  We purchased the audio recording of both of these.  If you would like to borrow them let  us know.

Teaching boys & other children that would rather build forts all day by Andrew Pudewa
Teaching the classics from Seuss to Socrates by Andrew Adams

Easter Day in Review!

Asher had no problem at all getting into the chocolate!

Best Attempt at a picture of all 4

Eliana & the cake she made for dessert

Egg hunting with Great Grandma & Uncle Justin

Asher with cousin Caleb

 

I didn't get my skirt finished but Eliana was really excited about her dress

Happy Easter!

Christ Arose by Robert Lowry

Low in the grave he lay - Jesus my Savior! 
Waiting the coming day - Jesus my Lord! 

Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; 
He arose a Victor from the dark domain, 
and lives forever with His saints to reign. 

HE AROSE!  HE AROSE!  HALLELUJAH!  CHRIST AROSE! 

Vainly they watch His bed - Jesus my Savior! 
Vainly they seal the dead - Jesus my Lord! 


Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; 
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
and lives forever with His saints to reign. 

HE AROSE!  HE AROSE!  HALLELUJAH!  CHRIST AROSE! 


Death cannot keep his prey- Jesus my Savior! 
He tore the bars away - Jesus my Lord! 


Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; 
He arose a Victor from the dark domain, 
and lives forever with His saints to reign. 

HE AROSE!  HE AROSE!  HALLELUJAH!  CHRIST AROSE! 

Josiah is yelling Happy Easter!

 

March Goals = complete failure

I did not do so well this month on getting everything done!  I'm trying not to beat myself up about it.  Some things have been pushed to April's list and some may just fall through the cracks!

Here is what I got 1/2 way done:
I read one book on my list - you can read the review here: Bringing up Girls
I ordered the other book from Amazon mid month and still have not received it.  It is a little hard to read a book I don't have.  I have read several other books this month.  You can see everything I have read so far this year on my Pinterest Board.

My craft project for the month was mother/daughter dresses for Easter.  Eliana's dress is finished and hanging in the closet ready to surprise her next Sunday.  My dress was almost  finished when I decided to try it on.  It is huge.  I am guessing about 3-4 sizes to big.  So now I am debating what to do.  Scrap it and start all over, still not knowing what size I should make the dress, or  take what I have and make it into a skirt.  Or cut out a shirt that will match Eliana's dress.  I have a week to decide!

The DIY thing I wanted to try this month was natural shampoo & conditioner.  Since I don't like to waste money I waited until we were out of both.  I have been washing my hair with baking soda for a little over a week.  I love it!  My hair has never felt so soft.  I haven't tried the vinegar rinse yet, because I want to be able to add essential oil to it so I don't smell like vinegar.  

My clean/organizing goal for the month was to wash all the walls in the house.  I now see this was an over- achieving goal.  My grandmother has informed me she used to pull the furniture out and wash the walls twice a year.  I have no idea how she had time to do this!  I washed the walls in the boys room (the worst room by far) and the living room.  I got 1/2 of the kitchen washed.  I then realized the wall paper is coming down in June so it can stay dirty a few more weeks.  The boys smeared toothpaste all over the bathroom so of course it got washed as well. The rest of the house is still dirty.  So don't look too closely at my walls if you come over.

Here are the things that we didn't get accomplished:

Trevor and the kids are still working their way through The Hobbit.
We had no one over for dinner this month.
I didn't try a new recipe.  I had planned on making home made pita bread.
Trevor and I did not go on a date or read a new book together.

Hoping this months goals go a little better!

What are you praying for?

I had a very unique experience this week.  I sold one of our strollers to a friend of a friend.  While I was dropping it off she told me this was such an answer to prayer.  She then said, " I know you think that is weird."   She then explained her day and how we ended up meeting.  She concluded it could only be God.   She said she knew it was only a stroller but she had been praying for one.  I informed her that I was glad God used me to answer her prayer and that I didn't think it was silly at all.  I told her I am currently praying for a new van.  That is something I said I would never do again.  The last time I prayed for a vehicle, Trevor hit a deer and the insurance company totaled it.  A reminder that God doesn't always answer our prayers exactly the way we want him to.   Then, there are the prayers that God does answer exactly the way you think you want them.  For 18 months before I was pregnant I prayed for fraternal twin boys.  Trevor likes to remind me of that every time the twins do something.  He has also informed me I am to ask before I pray for things.

So what are you currently praying for?  Eliana is praying for twin sisters.  Josiah & Jeremiah are praying that their friend Harry gets all better and can come over and play.  One thing on my current list is a new van.  I would love to be able to pray along side you.   This small event in my life was  a reminder to thank God for answered prayer and to tell others!  If my friend of a friend would have not shared with me I would have had no idea God used me that day.  It brought a smile to my face and a little joy to my spirit!  A little reminder that God does care about the little things!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or image, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.   Ephesians 3:20-21