Haleigh's Perfect Party Punch

I love this punch and you will be too!  It's the best punch I've ever tasted.  My sweet new friend at church, Haleigh, gave this recipe to me after I tried her punch at a birthday party.  Try it for your next shower, wedding, birthday party, or church function.  Fruit flavored gelatin is mixed with pineapple and lemon juice, then frozen.  Ginger ale is then poured over the frozen juice.  It's DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients:
3 (3 ounce) packages fruit flavored gelatin mix  (Haleigh uses strawberry jello)
4 cups white sugar
13 cups boiling water
2 (46 fluid ounce) cans pineapple juice
1 (16 ounce) bottle lemon juice concentrate
2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled

Directions:
In a large bowl combine gelatin and sugar.  Stir in boiling water until mixture is dissolved.  Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice concentrate.  Divide into 2 containers, and freeze until solid.  (Haleigh said she freezes the punch in two 2-gallon freezer Ziploc bags).
To serve, place gelatin mixture in punch bowl, and chop into pieces.  Pour in ginger ale.

Prayer of a Mom - Heather Miller

O Lord, my father, hear my prayer.  Hear the sorrows and the joys intermingled that I lift to You.  Hear my praise and thanksgiving as well as my pleas.  Listen to my words, Lord God, and answer with Your own.

Bless my family, Lord, the lot of them, loud and crazy though we may be.  Bless me, Lord, for I cannot be a blessing to them if I am too tired and stressed myself.  Bless my husband, for he is truly a wonderful man, worthy of admiration as he strives to be like You.  Bless my children, each one, in their unique little personalities, in their amazing little lives, bless them Lord.  Bless our home: it is not grand or worthy of a magazine, but it is home, Lord and we love it. 

How wonderful You are, Lord!  How amazing Your creation!  How I thank You for these precious children You have placed into our lives and our care and our teaching!  I stand in constant amazement at the world around me, Lord, the world You created.  I am caught up in the beauty of even the smallest thing - the ladybug, the butterfly, the tulip just emerging.  I am awed by the glory of the sun and the twinkling vastness of the night sky.  I am amazed beyond words at the tiny, intricate details You have worked into everything.  How fragile we are, and yet You have made us so strong!  How truly miraculous the conception of a human soul, and the growth of that soul inside me, emerging as a blessed child!  I am amazed at the workings of plants, the immensity of the solar system, the instincts of animals; of the love between husband and wife, parent and child!  You are truly great, O Lord, truly amazing and powerful, and yet so loving and patient, Father God, and how I wish I could be more like You!

Give my children the Christ-like attitude I so want them to have, Lord.  Grant them the precious honor of a relationship with You.  Help me as I try to bring them to You, Father as I try to introduce them to the wonder that is You.  Give them each a spirit of obedience both to us, their earthly parents, and to You, the ultimate authority.  Give them each a spirit of cheerfulness as they go about their daily duties.  Help them learn the joys of helping others, even if it is only a little brother.  Give them each a spirit of compassion, of kindness, of joy.  Help them see the miracle in each new day, the miracle of life, of nature, of salvation!  Give them each a love for learning, a childlike curiosity that will not fade as they grow older.  Give them Your love, O Lord, give them You.  Give the safety and health and happiness, Lord.  Give them good childhoods and good memories.

Give us a happy home, Lord.  Let our beds always be warm and snug in the winter, cool and dark in summer.  Let our TV remain turned off most of the time, and our brains turned on.  Let our kitchen always be filled with good food and our table with good dinner conversation.  Bless our little home, Lord.  Bless us all!

Help me realize always the great privilege of teaching my children.  Help me keep in mind always that teaching them is also a great responsibility, a responsibility that You have commanded of each and every Christian parent.  Help me to take that responsibility with all seriousness, for it is so very important that our children are brought up according to Your commands and statutes.  Help us bear in mind always that these children are only ours for a little while, that they are truly Your children, Lord, whom You have given to us for a season of life.  Help me be willing, Lord, to give my all for the children's sake, because they truly are, "the least of these", and so whatever I do for them, however I speak to them, however I act toward them, in these same ways I speak and act toward You. 

Help me, Lord, to remember to see each of my children as You do.  Help me to see the beauty in each one, their potential but also the beauty that resides in them right now, this moment, beauty in them because they are my blessing from You.

Help me to have patience, God.  Patience with sticky messes and with bed-wetting, patience with frustrated learners and with cabin-fever whining.  Grant me patience when emotions overflow and they lash out in hurt or anger toward me or toward each other.  Grant me patience when asked to explain that same thing...again.

Grant me peace, Lord.  Peace among the chaos that is our life.  Help me to know the difference between peace and quiet, for sometimes the most truly peaceful moments are also the loudest.  Give me peace when the children are sick or the day seems just too long.  Give me peace when plans fail and days go horribly wrong.  Give me peace when the critics mount against us and doubt and uncertainties begin to creep in.  Give me peace, Lord, the peace that passes understanding.  I don't need to understand it, Lord, I just need peace. 

Bless me, Lord, with a true servant's heart.  Help me find joy in all the little ways I can serve my family.  Give me a heart that loves to teach, even at the end of a trying day.  Give me a heart that swells with love when asked to read a book, sing a song, view an art project, read something my child has written, play a game, or just hold a small one in my lap.  Help me God, to die to myself and to heed the high calling of the servant hood of mothering.  Help me Lord, to realize what a privilege it is to be a mother to these wonderful children, to love them, care for them, and teach them every day.  

Teach me humility, Lord God.  Chastise me as a loving Father should when my heart and head stray and I do things out of selfishness or conceit.  Show me where I am wrong, God, and help me to do what is right.  Help me to do it for the right reasons.  Help me always to remember that I am not perfect, that I am not even the best at what I do.  Help me to humbly acknowledge that every good thing I do is done because You have graciously blessed me with the ability and knowledge to do it.  Help me always to remember that I can do nothing without You - but all things are possible with You! 

Help me to remember that sometimes children know more truth than I do and to listen and learn from these little blessings You have given me.  Help me never to place myself above anyone else, or to think I know it all, because pride goeth before a fall, and Lord, You know how proud I can be sometimes.  And I'm awfully tired of falling.

Grant me wisdom, God, You know I need it!  For though I may be knowledgeable by the world's standards, I know that true wisdom comes from You alone.  Give me wisdom in choosing the things to teach my children, in knowing what books to use and what subjects to teach.  Give me wisdom to discern when my children are ready for more solid spiritual food.  Give me wisdom to answer the questions they ask, even the hard ones.  

Above all else, give me love, Lord.  Give me You love when I'm weary.  Give me enough love that it spills over, out of me onto the people around me.  Give me love for my husband and children all day, every day, even on those days.  Lord, If I have not love I am nothing, God, but I have You, this Holy Spirit lives inside me.  Help me to let YOU shine forth through me to my family. 

In Jesus' name, amen.

Coupon Deals

There are so many great coupon deals out there right now!  I am still new at extreme couponing but I am learning all the time and LOVING what I'm learning!!!

Here's a deal I thought some of you might be interested in...

At CVS right now you can purchase eos (love it!) lip balm for $2.99 and you get $2.99 back in Extra Care Bucks!  Free lip balm!  You can't beat that and this little egg shaped container is just so fun to use!!

There are many other GREAT deals going on now.  I couldn't possibly cover them all but here are some places to go to learn more HERE and HERE !  My shopping trip to Publix last week totaled over $65.00 and I paid $22.34!  I have also taken advantage of some amazing coupon deals at Target and Rite Aid in the last few days. 

As workers at home we are all trying to stretch our money as far as it will go.  Although it takes a little extra time to coupon, the savings are worth it!  The more you learn the better you will get at it.  I'm thankful for my friends who turned me on to this and that's why I want to pass it on to those of you reading this blog!!

The Buddy System

Today we were able to get a lot done around our house.  One reason we were able to accomplish so much was because we used the buddy system.  My honey had to go in to work today so only 6 of us were home.  This number was perfect for pairing up.  We have 4 boys so I paired them up in twos and then had my daughter work with me.  We got the whole house cleaned, vacuumed our mini van, and cleaned the van windows, bathed our dog, and caught up a major amount of laundry.  We did all of this in essentially 4 hours.  That's bathrooms cleaned, carpets vacuumed, kitchen cleaned, all trash out of the house, floors swept, all rooms dusted, dishes washed, toys put away, plus the van and the dog!  Two things worked together to help pull this off.... first, the buddy system, and second, the kids were promised a trip to the park if we got everything finished.

For our buddy system, I put an older boy with a younger boy to bathe the dog, and another older boy with a younger boy to shop vac the van,  and then my daughter and I sorted laundry and started the wash.  After each pair would complete their job I would inspect (always inspect!) and then give them a new assignment.  The pair vacuuming would work together to pull furniture away from walls or lift items and vacuum underneath.  Working together works beautifully!  By pairing an older child with a younger one the older can teach the younger how to do the job well.  The older, more experienced of the pair is training the younger one.  This is good training for both children.  The older child practices patience and kindness and the younger child learns how to do a chore thoroughly.

When my honey gets home from work he will be thrilled with the results and I've even got dinner preparations underway.  My older 3 kids are now working on some school work and my younger 2 are napping and I've had the chance to answer email, call and check on a friend just home from surgery, and balance the checkbook all in the comfort of a clean house.  I'm thankful! 

Teaching your children to work is vitally important, and teaching them to work together helps strengthen the bond between them.  Everyone feels a sense of accomplishment when the job is done.  Even the youngest of children can help with housework.  Small children can help sort laundry, dust, pick up toys, and do a lot of other jobs.  Older children need increasing amounts of responsibility.  Having your children only pick up after themselves grows a selfish mentality, and worse than that are homes where moms (and dads) pick up after the children.  Don't ever do that!  Give each child in your family specific chores to do each day and have everyone pitch in when doing a big cleaning day or other project.  You will be glad you did.  Try using the buddy system with siblings or do parent/child teams.  Working together makes the work lighter and the time go by faster.  Buddy-up!

Starting The Day Out Right

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  I agree, however, breakfast is the meal at our house that gets shoved aside most often.  Although I would never allow my children to skip breakfast, my husband and I are regular breakfast skippers.  The children more often than not are having a breakfast of cereal and fruit.  Cereal with fruit is not a horrible breakfast, and the kiddos never seem to mind, but there is a better way! 

Mornings are usually hectic for our group of 7 and I have one thing on my mind, getting school started!  I drag out the cereal boxes and plop them on the table, cut up the fruit and tell the kids to hurry up.  But sometimes I "make breakfast" and the whole family is so excited.  Especially my husband!  We start our day out together, instead of everyone grabbing and going in different directions, and we talk, and we eat, and school actually runs smoother when everyone is filled up on a solid meal. 

I realize there isn't time for a sit down breakfast every morning with work schedules and school schedules and such, but once in a while it's nice to make a meal for breakfast.  A lot of my breakfast recipes can be made the night before and then the only effort required in the morning is turning on the oven.  There is no excuse not to make breakfast for my family more often!

Here are some breakfast recipes to try.  Get creative and figure out when you could serve up some breakfast goodness to your family!!  Maybe fix breakfast for dinner, or make a special breakfast on the weekend mornings, or who knows what you can come up with.  I think with just a little planning we can help our families get the day started out right!
*Remember Emilie Barnes' tip to set the table for breakfast at night before going to bed.  I love this tip and always feel like I'm ahead on my day when I do this!*


French Toast Casserole (an all time FAVORITE at our house)

Melt until syrupy:
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
Pour into a greased 9x13 casserole dish.  Layer slices of French bread (single layer) over syrup.
Beat well and pour over bread:
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Sprinkle with cinnamon, cover and refrigerate overnight.  Lay out 20 minutes before baking.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, uncovered.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve with berries (optional) and syrup.

Sausage Casserole

• 1 lb sausage - brown in skillet until done but not dry
• 1/2 lb sharp cheddar - grated
• 8 slices of bread
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• dash pepper

Grease 9x13 dish, line with bread slices, cheese and sausage.  Mix remaining and pour over.  Chill overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

Cheesy O'Brien Egg Scramble

• 1 package (28 ounces) frozen O'Brien hash brown potatoes
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 12 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, prepare hash browns according to package directions.  Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper.  Transfer to a greased 2-1/2 qt. baking dish.  Top with soup.  Set aside 1/2 cup of bacon; sprinkle remaining bacon over soup.
In another skillet, scramble eggs in butter until nearly set.  Spoon over bacon.  Sprinkle with cheese and reserved bacon.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Yield: 10-12 servings

Building a Vision - Part 2

As we are building our vision we need to stay directly in step with God's calling.  We need to look for God's best.
  
1 Corinthians 10:23  All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable.  All things are lawful, but not all things edify.  

Don't be distracted by what is less than best.  Sometimes parents will ask the question, "What's wrong with fill in the blank?".  Anything less than God's best is not acceptable.  We should just live wanting to please God - nothing else.  Jesus offers love, joy and peace.  As Christians we can't live wanting as much of the world's fun as possible.  "Fun" might cost you dearly, but joy just keeps on giving.  Take a look at the influence of everything on your child's life.  We want God's best even when it doesn't make sense.  

There may be a host of dissenting voices telling you what you should do.  Respond to God's calling - obediently.  Take action.  We must obey the direction that God has given to our family.  This isn't to be any type of accolade to the family.  It's all about Jesus Christ.  

Are you discouraged over some area of your child rearing?  Are there any promises that can be applied to it?  Go to God's word!   

Building a Vision - Part 1

This post is written based on notes I took at a conference I attended several years ago.  The conference was led by The Maxwell Family.  I highly recommend their website and all of their resources.  You can find them here. 

As we think about building our homes we need to think about our vision. As Christian families we have to have a vision.  So many families don't have a vision.  It's like saying we are going on vacation but we don't know where we are going.  Without a vision it is very easy to start following the world.  

Here are some important steps for building a vision.

• Understand God's calling
• Spend time with the Lord every day
• Glean from scripture what God wants for your family
• Pray
• Abide in Jesus

We must consider where our heart is.  Pour your heart out to God and then listen.  God will give us scripture for our families.  That scripture becomes our road map.  If we don't have a vision it is very difficult to discern God's voice above everyone else.  He wants to give us direction.  

It is helpful to write out a Vision Statement for your family.  I will share some of what we have for ours here.  Talk with your husband and pray about what your family Vision Statement should include.  

Joyfully serve others
Be obedient to God and parents
Pursue holiness
Court, not date
Be content
Love God's word
Our children to give their hearts to us
Be self-disciplined


Are we brave enough to hear the word of God, obey, trust Him and leave the results to Him?  If we are different we WILL be criticized.  Are you willing to be different?  To be fools for Christ?  What is the Lord calling you to do with your children?  God's word never fails!

This Week's Menu

Monday:  All red dinner for Valentine's Day!  Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, (heart plates, red napkins, red drink {kool-aid} and red dessert {strawberries dipped in chocolate} and candles!)
Tuesday:  Salad Bar.  I cut up everything we have and let everyone build their own salads.  We always do homemade dressing on this night.  (I will share a new salad and dressing recipe at the bottom of this post that I recently ate at a friend's house.  It is DELICIOUS!)
Wednesday:  Spicy Potato Soup, homemade bread.
Thursday:  One Pot Supper, green beans, salad.
Friday:  Barbecue Sandwiches, fries, and cole slaw.
Saturday:  Shepherd's Pie, peas, tossed salad, yeast rolls.
Sunday:  White Chili
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Spicy Potato Soup (a favorite, from my Mother in law.)

( I triple this)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 cups cubed peeled potatoes (1/2" cubes)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 to 1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Brown ground beef, drain.  Add potatoes, onion and tomato sauce.  Stir in water, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened.
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One Pot Supper   (I triple this too)

• 8 oz pkg egg noodles
• 1 pound ground beef
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 16 oz corn
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 10 1/2 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Cook egg noodles; set aside.  Brown meat and onion.  Drain grease.  Mix in mushroom soup and milk and stir until blended.  Add pepper and cream cheese (cut up in pieces) stir until melted.  Add the corn (drained if canned).  When ready to serve, spoon over egg noodles.  Serves 4.
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Shepherd's Pie - Psalm 23

• 2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 onion chopped - cook with beef
• bag frozen peas
• 8 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 block cream cheese

After cooking beef and onion, pour in bottom of casserole dish.  Pour bag of frozen peas on top.  Sprinkle about 3/4 of cheese on top of peas (reserve just a bit for garnish on top of potatoes).  Mix sour cream and cream cheese into prepared mashed potatoes.  Spread potato mixture on top of casserole.  Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake 350 for 30-45 minutes until potatoes "puff".   Serves 8 to 10.
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White Chili  (another yummy recipe from my friend Theresa P.)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken beast
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 2 cans chopped green chilies
• 2 cans navy beans, undrained
• 2 cans great northern beans, undrained

Spice blend -

• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 scant tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Chop chicken into bite sized chunks.  Saute chicken and onions 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked and onions are tender.  Stir in broth, chilies, and spice blend.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Stir in beans and simmer 10 more minutes.
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Cranberry Tossed Salad  (from my friend DeAnna T.  This is so good!)

• 10 c. mixed greens
• 1 c. chopped broccoli
• 1 c. chopped cauliflower
• 1 c. feta cheese
• 1 c. dried cranberries

Dressing

• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. oil
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp strawberry jam
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp poppy seed

Process dressing in blender.

Happy Valentine's Day! 2011

Days like today remind me how blessed I am to be a wife and a mother!  Our Valentine's Day morning was so special.

I have to explain the picture above.  Our 5 year old made this card for her Daddy.  She put 2 "gift cards" (the fake credit card offers you get in the mail) inside for him.  This was so precious I had to take a picture to preserve the memory.  She was so proud!  She always asks to keep these little pretend credit cards when they come in the mail and had been saving them to put in his card.

These cards were the very best I have ever received.  Each of the kids wrote notes inside that touched my heart.  I feel so honored and blessed to be their Mom. 

My husband surprised me with this.  I love it! 
And the BEST card he has ever given me......He melts my heart!

I hope you will enjoy this day!

Love on your family!

VALENTINE - You color my world!

My sister shared a neat idea she just did with my 3 year old niece and I thought I would share it here for those of you who still need craft ideas for Valentine's Day.  I love this idea and I love that my sister is crafting with her kids!!

Using broken pieces of crayons peel off the paper and place in mold.  My niece put hers into a heart shaped muffin tin which is perfect for Valentine's Day.  She is giving these cute heart shaped crayons to her friends at preschool instead of store bought Valentines (useful and fun!)  She used crayon pieces in shades of red and pink to make her hearts.  (Another idea for a mold would be to use plastic candy or sucker molds found in craft stores.  Your child could pick out their favorite characters such as Pooh or Blue's Clues.  Crayons could be melted in a glass measuring cup in the microwave for easy pouring.)  Once your mold is filled with crayon pieces bake at 250 degrees until crayons melt.  (about 10 to 15 minutes)  Allow your creations to cool completely and remove carefully!

These are the actual ones Mikayla made!  Aren't they just beautiful?  Her friends will love them!

BUILDING UP OR TEARING DOWN

Proverbs 14:1  The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. 

I love the book of Proverbs.  So practical, so helpful, so good!  I've been reading over this verse a lot lately and I've been considering what builds a house and what tears it down.  Obviously, hammers and nails can build houses but what we are discussing here is a home.  And can a woman really tear her house down with her own hands?  Absolutely!

How do we build our houses?  The center focus of our homes must be Christ Jesus!  He must be the priority in our lives.  Psalm 127:1 says,  Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  Our homes should be loving, cozy, welcoming places to be, where Christ is honored and celebrated, where our husbands are loved and our children are loved as well.  Where guests know they are welcome.  Does this describe your home?  As women we are the workers at home who see to it that we cook delicious food for our families, not serving them the easy junk, and we see to it that our homes are clean and orderly and peaceful, and our husbands have what they need.  We make sure that the children are loved well and taught well.  What a blessing it is to work at home!  We can build our homes with our words, our actions, and our service to our families.  We can build our homes by training our children to work.  The bible tells us that a wise woman builds her house.  It is wise to work hard, love the Lord, be a helpmate to your husband, and love and train your children.  It is wise to meditate on God's word each day, pray for your family, serve others and respond correctly in difficult times.  I'm not telling you it is easy, I'm saying it is wise!

How do we tear down our houses?  Whereas building our homes takes hard work and determination and commitment, tearing down our homes is easy.  Harsh words, negative attitudes, laziness and selfishness will tear down a house very quickly.  If our attention is focused on ourselves we will neglect the wise things and tear our homes down with our own hands.  I believe in a lot of cases where one takes the "easy way out" the house is torn down.  Where the center of the home is "self" the house is torn down.  Thinking we can do things our own way or according to the world's wisdom will tear down a house.  We must look at each decision we make through the Word of God...God's wisdom vs. man's wisdom!  A tearing down can begin with our words.  We women have great power with our words.  Do you speak loving kind words or harsh critical words?  Our children are learning how to respond by watching us!  I think a failure or refusal to communicate will tear down a house possibly faster than anything else.  In a home where there is dysfunction there is ALWAYS a lack of communication.  We will tear down our house with our own hands if we don't communicate properly, or if we don't respond correctly when we are hurt.

I want to build my house and not tear it down, don't you?  I'm going to be studying and praying and working on doing all I can to build my house.  I am also going to ask forgiveness for times when I tore down my house with my own hands.  I'm starting a list of house "builders" and house "destroyers".  In my prayer and study time each day I am going to review this list and add to it.  Join me in building your homes and feel free to comment here!  Let's put our hard-hats on and get to building!  May God receive all the glory! 

HOUSE BUILDERS

commitment to the Lord
fear of God
prayer
love
respect for husband
self sacrifice
hard work
home cooked meals
clean laundry
cleanliness and order
peace
loving responses
serving others
scripture memorization
accountability

HOUSE DESTROYERS

selfishness
laziness
harsh words
disrespect to husband
disobedience to God
not spending time in God's word
refusing to communicate
junk food
too much TV
failing to train and nurture our children
the world's wisdom
unforgiveness
lies
gossip
immaturity

What can you add to these lists?

READY OR NOT, VALENTINE'S DAY IS MONDAY!

 I was startled today when I realized that Valentine's Day is Monday!  (and today is Thursday!)  Since all of our extended family members live many miles away we will be relying on the U S Postal Service to deliver our Valentines.  That means time is of the essence!  We must finish up our Valentines and pack everything and send it out TOMORROW if we are to have any chance of things arriving on Valentine's Day!  Yikes!

The kiddos got right to work today and in addition to making cards we decided to make salt dough heart magnets and pins.   I thought I would share what we did in case you want to try it.  Everyone had tons of fun with this!

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup water
• wooden spoon
• rolling pin
• extra flour
• heart shaped cookie cutters
• magnets
• pin backs
• hot glue
• acrylic paint (red, pink, white, blue, silver)
• toothpick
• paint brush
• acrylic sealer
• wax paper
• cookie sheet

How to make it:

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2.  Mix together salt, flour, and water until dough is formed.
3.  Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth.
4.  Roll the dough out to about 1/4" thick with a rolling pin that has been dusted with flour.
5.  Use different sized heart-shaped cookie cutters to create as many pieces as you like.
6.  Place all hearts onto an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven. 
7.  Bake for 2 hours.
8.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
9.  Paint with acrylic paints, glitter glue or glitter paint, and spray finished projects with acrylic sealer.
10.  To write words on the hearts, use a toothpick dipped in white paint.

11.  Hot glue a magnet to the back of hearts to hang on fridge, and a pin back to the ones you will use as pins.

The S.O.A.P. Method

Thanks to goodmorninggirls.org I found a neat bible study idea that I want to pass on.  I showed this to one of my sons and now he is using this method in his morning devotion time.  He says this has really helped him.  I hope this helps some of you as well!

S.O.A.P.

S-stands for "Scripture".  Write out the scripture passage for the day in your own handwriting.  Writing out the scripture helps you to understand it better and take a closer, slower look at the verses.

O-stands for "Observations".  What do you notice in this passage?  You may want to summarize the verses in your own words, but most importantly write down what you hear God saying to you in these verses.  What new observations or insights have you learned?

A-stands for "Application".  How can you apply what you just read to your life?  Make it personal.  Is there something you need to change?  Someone you need to forgive?

P-stands for "Prayer".  Pray over what God has shown you today through His Word.  Ask Him to help you live it out.


Wow!  I love this!!  I really need to "soap" up everyday!!  Don't you?  This gives new meaning to the phrase, "being washed in the word".  Are you making time in God's word a priority in your life?

OMELETS IN A BAG

Yes, you read that title correctly...in a bag!!  The best part about this recipe is that you can have omelets ready for everyone all at the same time, even if you have a large group!

(A mistake I made recently - I tried boiling nine bags together in the same pot and it took way longer than it normally does. I should have divided the bags between 2 pots.  It doesn't take long to cook these if there aren't too many in the pot.)

Omelets In A Bag

(these are the ingredients you will need for each omelet)

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
dash of salt
1 tablespoon of cheese
1 tablespoon or so of any other ingredient you like in your omelet- like bacon or onion. (optional)
1 small Ziploc bag (quart size and make sure it's a freezer bag)

When we do this for our group we have everyone take a Sharpie marker and write their name on the outside of the bag first.  That way when all of the omelets are cooked we know who gets which one.  Everyone likes to make theirs different!  I put out a large selection of ingredients to choose from and we really pack our bags full.  I usually have chopped onion, crumbled bacon, chopped tomato, cheese, green pepper, sometimes ham, mushrooms, and anything else I have in the fridge or pantry we can use.

Fold out the edges of the Ziploc bag.  Crack the eggs right into the bag.  Add the cream, cheese, salt and any other ingredients you like.  Seal the bag, squish the ingredients to mix.  "Burp" the air out.

Bring a medium-sized pan of water to a heavy boil.  (I actually use a huge pot because I am cooking several.)

Drop Ziploc bags into the boiling water.  Boil for 10 to 12 minutes.

Carefully remove bag from water.  Open the bag and roll the omelet onto a plate.  YUM!

Happy Saturday!!

I love Saturdays!

 Sometimes Saturdays are family work days...lots of laundry, and cleaning, and cooking for the upcoming week...and it feels good to work hard!  And sometimes Saturdays are family fun days...picnics, or shopping, or games.  And sometimes Saturdays are both! 

Whatever you are doing today make it a great day with your family!  Even if it is a work day squeeze in a little extra time to love on your family.  Remember to LOVE LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW!  That's what I am working on these days!!!

Here is a great place to stop by today..........

nestlefamily.com

Sign up while you are there.  I did a while back and I have really enjoyed it.  You get fun recipes and ideas and coupons emailed right to your inbox!

LOVE LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

     Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

As I typed these words I realized this is a passage I need to read at the start of each day.  It's probably not a bad idea to read it before I make a phone call, sit down for a chat with one of my children, have a talk about something with my husband, or when I visit family members.

 How are we loving those around us?  Are you patient with your children?  Are you kind to your husband?  Do the members of your family know they are loved?

 As women we are many things, mothers, wives, daughters, grandmothers, sisters, friends, daughters in law, mothers in law, etc.  God's word tells us to love one another.  How are we loving the others in our lives? 

We need to take a serious look at how we are loving. Do you gossip?  Do you hold a grudge?  Are you stubborn?  Do you put others first?  Stop believing the world's lie to put yourself first! ( J.O.Y. is Jesus, others, yourself)  Are you happy when things go wrong for someone else? 

Think about your children, your husband, your grandchildren, your neighbor....Do you smile?  Do you ask about their day?  Do you check on them?  Do you show you are interested in their lives?  Do you help your husband, or list off how he could be a better help to you?  Do your children feel loved?  Do you forgive easily?  Do you find time to do things for others each day or just look out for yourself?  Do your friends know they are loved and appreciated?  Do you make your home a loving place to be? Does everyone feel welcome there?   

We need to be the best wives, mothers, grandmothers, friends, sisters, daughters we can be.  Every day we need to LOVE.  Don't waste any time!  All that really matters in this life is our relationship with God and our relationships with others.  When we are old what will truly matter?  How much money we have?  How the house looks?  The relationships we have are all that truly matter in this life.  There is nothing better in the whole world than a relationship with Jesus.  Second to Him, there is nothing better than a strong loving marriage and children that will rise up and call you blessed.  Love your husbands each and every day.  Love your children and your grandchildren.  Love those around you.

We aren't guaranteed tomorrow.  Love like there won't be one!

Game Day Chili

Are you having friends over for the Super Bowl?  Or perhaps going somewhere to watch it?  Or are you, like us, staying home this year and watching it as a family?  No matter where you are watching the Super Bowl here is a recipe that will be a sure WINNER!

GAME DAY CHILI

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz) red kidney beans, undrained
2 packages (1.25 oz) chili seasoning mix
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies

Brown ground beef, bell pepper and onion over medium-high heat in a skillet, drain well.  Put beef into slow cooker.  Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl then add to beef; gently stir.  Place lid on slow cooker, cooking on low for 6 to 7 hours OR on high for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until heated through.  Serve directly from slow cooker.  Serves 8

PETROS...(It's a Tennessee thing)...place your chili on top of a plate of fritos and then add shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped onion, shredded cheese and sour cream!  YUM!!

Loving the Ones You Love

I love the month of February because the theme for the month is LOVE!  I enjoy ALL holidays because I adore any opportunity to make cute cupcakes and crafts with the kiddos!  February is a great time to make homemade goodies in the kitchen and to serve up some sweetness to your loved ones.  At our house we like to make homemade valentines as they are much more fun than the store bought kind.  We have a mailbox we put in the kitchen and for the first 2 weeks of February everyone is encouraged to put little notes and cards inside to be opened on Valentine's Day.  Everyone gets into this and it is a lot of fun to pull out all the contents and hand everything out.  If you are looking for some creative ideas to make with your children familyfun.com is a great place to go.  I have been going there for ideas since my oldest was born.

I want to really focus on showing love to my family this month, and all the time!  I want to make a concentrated effort to show kindness and gentleness and love to my husband and children.  For children, spending time with them shows love.  We moms need to make sure we are taking time to play with and read to our little ones and we are spending time talking and hanging out with our older children.  My teenagers love to talk and sometimes when I am too busy I cut them short.  I'm going to work on that this month!  Our husbands need time and attention too.  Husbands feel love when we show them respect.  Make an effort to show your man the respect he craves.  This month try making his favorite meal and lighting candles, or scheduling a date night, or just helping him get some things done on his to-do list.  These are all things I plan on doing.  Often when I am tired or overwhelmed I am disrespectful and rude to my husband.  This month as I focus on showing love I am going to really work on that. 

For the month of February get busy making some Valentine's Day crafts with the kids, choose some verses on love to memorize as a family, bake cookies and deliver to a neighbor or someone who lives alone.  Hug and kiss your husband and children as much as possible this month.  Tell them you love them over and over and don't forget to tell them why you love them!  Read some good books aloud to the kids while sipping cocoa and get the love flowing in your home!  Make some heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast and put a little love note at each person's plate.  Just be creative and show love!  In doing this our homes will be warm, loving places where our husbands and our children will love to be!

BE-MY-SWEETIE CUPCAKES

18-1/2 oz. pkg. white cake mix
1-1/3 c. water

3 egg whites
2 T. butter, melted
1/2 t. peppermint extract
3 to 4 drops red food coloring
16-oz. container vanilla frosting
16 to 20 red and white peppermint candies, crushed

Blend the first 6 ingredients together on low speed of an electric mixer for 30 seconds; increase speed to medium and blend 2 additional minutes.  Spoon batter into paper lined muffin cups until 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center tests clean.  Cool in muffin tin 10 minutes; remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.  Frost; sprinkle with candies.  Makes 2-1/2 dozen.