Breakfast recipe

Gus has decided he wants us as a family to start eating less processed foods. So the first things we are trying to change are snacks and breakfast. I came across this recipe in a new cook book I got yesterday from a forum I am on called MOMYS. Every recipe in the book is laid out to feed at least 8 people which one day I will need since we are now a family of 5 with plans to expand more. With the exception of the white bread I used, a pretty good breakfast. (I need to start baking bread again) :)

Scrambled French Toast


4 eggs

2 cups of milk

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

12 c of cubed day old bread

3 tbsp butter

1/3-1/2 cup sugar


In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add bread cubes and toss, let stand for 5 minutes. Melt butter in large skillet. Add bread cubes and stir until cooked and browned. Gradually add sugar a bit at a time, stir to coat evenly. Cook until all sugar is dissolved Yields 6-8 servings.

I cut the recipe in half, used 3 eggs and less milk and I used fresh bread since I just decided to try this spur of the moment. I also do not have nutmeg so did not add that either. It turned out just fine. I added sugar just a bit at a time until just sweet, it makes it sweet enough to not need syrup. I would say prep time was about 5 minutes and cook time around 10 to make sure all was cooked well.

My baby boy is growing fast and a link to homeschool interview

Our new addition is getting so much love and attention, his big brother and sister love him so much. Boog has asked for 5 more brothers and 4 more sisters and Baby girl is always asking if another baby is in my tummy :) I am glad they want more siblings since we do want to have more children. The baby is getting so big and already so strong, just look at him holding his head up high at 7 weeks old. I told Gus he will be walking before we know it.

I also wanted to post this link to an interview done here by a local homeschool mom of 4 who also runs the Homeschool Cottage in the neighboring town.

Interview

Baby is here!!

Well after a long hard wait, my new baby boy arrived. He really liked my belly apparently, because he was 10 days overdue and arrived after an induction. It was a long wait on my part, since my other two came before their due dates.

He was born on August 25th after a very short labor. I was pretty terrified of the induction but it was not as bad as I imagined.

He is the absolutely best baby and so content to just eat and rest or cuddle. We are all so in love with him and he as just meshed right in with our family.

We are getting into the swing of having a new baby and I hope to get kindergarten started with Boog here in the next week or two. I also hope I am able to post more often at least about schooling and now having a family of 5.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Birthdays and Update

Here is my first born, today is is birthday, he is 5 years old! He is such a blessing to me. God was so good to give him to me and on the same day I had experienced loss. One year before he was born, on July 13, 2003, I miscarried our first baby. It was so very devastating and a very dark time for me. When I became pregnant again 3 months later I was so happy but very scared. At some point in my pregnancy I realized his due date was one week after the date of my loss. I heard God tell me in my heart that this baby was going to come on July 13. Boog arrived on July 13, 2004, it was such a wonderful blessing from God to allow me to experience life and motherhood the very same day I had experienced loss.

I praise God for the blessings he has given me!


Baby update:

I am 35 weeks along, I am very ready for the next few weeks to go by. We have everything we need for the new baby's arrival and have already rearranged our living space and our bedroom to occupy the new addition.

Sorry I have been on such a long blogging break, I will hopefully get back into the swing after baby is here and we are settled.

The Excellent Wife

I have read quite a few books on marriage and what it means to be a wife. Out of all of them I have found this one to be the best at dealing with heart issues and your thoughts. She also gives practical things for you to do to change your heart and the way you think. It is full of scripture and I found that it was very balanced, especially in talking about how marriage should be a living example of Christ and his church. It was very convicting to me in some areas and I am glad my eyes have been opened so that I can being to allow God to work on me in those areas. I highly recommend any wife or to be wife to get this and read it.

I am thinking I may go back and reread some chapters, if you are interested in this book I got mine off Half.com for less than $10 including shipping.

Proverbs 31

I recently came across this teaching on Proverbs 31 and thought some of you might like to read it as well. It is a bit long, I had to read it in parts until getting through all of it. Hope you enjoy.

Proverbs 31 Woman

My First Cucumber Blooms

Yesterday as I was tying my tomato plants I noticed one of my cucumber plants has it's first blooms. I was very excited to see that, b/c they were looking a bit shabby, I actually thought they were going to die. I hope this is a good sign that they are making a good root system and in a few weeks start making some veggies. I should have taken pictures of my other plants as well they are growing so big.

Cheap Dinner Meal: Chicken Pot Pie

You start off with 2 frozen pie shells ( walmart brand $1.28 for 2 pack), one small can of vegall and one can of cream of chicken soup ( $1.50 for both), I had left over chicken so was able to use that at no extra cost. I used 2 large boneless thighs to make 2 pies.















Here is my cream of chicken soup and vegall and chicken mixed with about 1/2 cup of broth to thin some.














after you fill one pie shell, take the other and put on top, mine broke apart, if it does not you need to remember to put some vent holes in top. Also remember to cook on a cookie sheet so it does not drip onto the bottom of you stove.













Here is the finished results, very easy to serve with salad or some other side or just have alone. I was so happy that Gus liked it, since it tastes really good and is very cheap to make, especially if you have left over chicken you use. Total cost for 2 pies was less than $5.

Laundry Detergent

Well I got up this morning and took a look at my detergent and it was very congealed on top. I had to stir it quite a bit to mix it up well. I took an old detergent bottle and washed it out well and filled it up to take up to my laundry area.

I ended up using about 1/2 a cup, for my largest load setting. It does not make a whole lot of bubbles but you can tell the water is soapy. Even with the lavender essential oil it is not very scented. So far the clothes look clean and just have a nice clean smell.

My First Attempt at Laundry Detergent

First I wanted to show you my supplies and the cost. A 5 gallon bucket $4.26, Washing Soda right under $3, Borax around $3 and Zote laundry soap $.88. I ended up using just over half the bar of soap so you could use half and get two uses out of each bar. I will end up getting multiple uses out of each box of the other ingredients, so in the end this will be very cost effective.

I ended up using the recipe from the Duggar's website, since I had a 5 gallon bucket.















Here is my 1 cup of Washing Soda and 1/2 cup of Borax.
















Grated Zote soap, it was not hard to do at all. I thought it was going to be hard to grate, but was very easy.
















Here is the grated soap, melting in boiling water. I thought I did something wrong at first b/c the soap all clumped together, but as it boiled it all dissolved.
















Here is my dissolved soap, washing soda and borax all mixed and all I had to do was top off with water and mix well. I added a bit of tea tree oil and lavender essential oil for a mild sent.

I will update tomorrow after I use it to let you know how it works.

My Father's World Update

We have been using this for about 2 months now, we are still not very strict about schedules, but try and get 4 days a week in. Last week we took an impromptu visit to my parents so there was no school, but the kids were able to go fishing with my dad and have other learning experiences with my parents.

The teachers manual is very easy to follow, very simply laid out. Tells you exactly what to do for each day of the week. I have found even the projects are pretty easy to do and they have made sure it does not take a lot of extras expense or materials to get them done. Most of the time I have been able to use things in the house or materials from outside.

Here are some pics of Boog's favorite thing to do. Tracing letters in salt, it was one of the suggestions for helping them learn to write letters correctly.

Best Deal of the Year

The kids and I went up to visit my parents for a few days this week. When we go I always love to go and take a look around this store they have called Dirt Cheap. It is a store where they get all these randoms clothes and things from stores and they mark them at least 50% if not more off. Well I lucked up big time. They had about eight racks that had clothes on them for $1 a piece, mostly winter stuff. It is time consuming b/c there is not rhyme or reason to the order. How every I got the two Quicksilver jackets you see above for Boog this coming winter for $1 a piece. They will be a bit big, but he will probably end up wearing them for 2 winters, which ends up being an even better deal. These retail for $20 a piece new.
















I got these 3 shirts for Baby Girl for $1 a piece, new they were from Old Navy and were priced at $9.50 each.















Lastly were these two pairs of gym pants for Boog at $1 each, retail for $16.50 each.

I was so happy to get all these thing for less than $8. Who says you need lots of money to have kids? :)

Quote of the day

I read this quote today on a board for momys and wanted to share. This was stated by a man named Doug Phillips.

"The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing. But in our culture, we apply for a curse and reject a blessing. Something is terribly wrong with this picture."

Recently watched movies

We watched this one last night. It is based on the book, which I have never read. I thought it was very good, laid out the information well and was informative. I think it gave me much to think about and areas that you could delve into for more study.



















We watched this one last week, I know it has been out for some time, like 3 years. I thought it was very good and something you can watch together as a family. I have since taken a liking to Hadassah as a girl name. Gus not so much. :)

Memorizing Scripture

A week or so ago, I started reading Psalm 119. Throughout this whole chapter it talks about keeping God's laws and decrees and statues. God has really laid it on my heart to start memorizing more of His word. The reason not only being that we need to know it, but his Word tells us to keep it in our hearts. Also with the possibility that one day we may have to know God's word if the actual book is taken from us.

My friend shared a dream given to her from the Lord regarding the same thing. She dreamed that Satan kept trying to attack her in different ways and in each scenario there was always a way out. God showed her that during the times she is being attacked she did not have time to go and cram from His word, she only had the word she had stored in her heart to use against the enemy. It just showed her it is very important to know God's word in our hearts.

Psalm 119: 11
"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you"

I just want to challenge myself and others to start memorizing God's word that it may always stay in our hearts.

Just wanted to announce....

We will be welcoming a baby BOY in August. We are more than thrilled as are the kids.

Parenting

I am in the middle of reading "Be Fruitful and Multiply" by Nancy Campbell. It is a study on looking into the Bible and what it has to say about having children. Today I read this and even though I know it, I like the little reminders that parenting is the most important job we have.

"Parenting is the highest calling God has given mankind. Every other career is subservient to this one. Everything else we do in life serves our highest calling of teaching and training the next generation for God."

I think it is good to remind ourselves from time to time that our children are a blessing and gift from the Lord. They have been given to us for this time to train and raise for Him with hope that they will be ready one day for the calling he has for each and every one. At times it overwhelms me to think of how big and important that job is, but on the other hand I feel blessed that God has allowed me the privilege to have these wonderful people to mold and shape into usable vessels for Him.

I'm back

Above is my bucket garden. We currently live in townhouse and just have a small patio with that short strip of grass you see. I have wanted to plant a garden for some time, but we lived in an upstairs apartment for 6 years then moved over here last year and it was too late to plant. Anyway I bought the buckets and my dear brother came over and drilled holes into the bottom of them to help drain excess water. I picked buckets because it will be easier to handle and move if we are to find a larger rent home in the next few months. That way they can travel with us to the new place.

I have 5 tomato plants, 2 green and one yellow bell pepper plants, 2 egg plants, 3 squash and cucumber plants. The plants in the blue bucket are broccoli. I was able to get them all planted last weekend when I was off and are looking really good so far. I am really hoping that they can be a learning experience for the kids and that they live and thrive to give us some great veggies.

I may be off line for a bit

Over the last few days our computer has been giving us trouble.  It has been slowly dying over the last year and we think it is just about done.  It has had a nice life of over 6 years and we are trying to see if we have the funds for a new one.  Hopefylly so, but if not I may not have daily access to a computer for some time.  

Hope you all stay doing well!  :)

Poetry Thursday

This is another by Ruth Bell Graham

Jesus wept.

But why?

Knowing what lay ahead

moments away........

Was it becuase

He had not come ,

when He heard

Lazarus might die?

Lazarus was dead!

Was it in sympathy

with their raw grief,

faith's impotent lack?

Or could it be

because He 

had to  bring Him back?

I had never thought of this as a reason why Jesus would cry in the story of Lazarus.  Maybe it was a combination of all those things, but I am sure it hurt him terribly to have to bring him back to live in this world.