Friday's Fillings...

I hope y'all have had an enjoyable week.
It has been a bit of a busy one for us. ;o)
Yesterday, as I worked on some sewing,
the younger ones enjoyed the beautiful weather.
Here were the lil' girls exploring...


Will enjoyed riding his scooter...


And Ally enjoyed (yes, enjoyed)
blowing the leaves in the front yard...


When she was finished, the younger ones, of course,
had a wonderful time jumping into the pile of leaves.

They, also, enjoyed throwing a couple of toys in the pile
and then digging through the pile to find them,
until they came across a spider,
which took the fun out of it.

As they played in the leaves, Ally enjoyed resting
and looking through a new cooking magazine...


Meanwhile, I worked at putting up our new wreaths
along our front entryway...


Here they are at night...



Today we met some friends for lunch
and they returned home with us for fellowship.
As the children played, the mamas enjoyed more sewing.
Sewing with someone is so enjoyable. ;o)
I was able to complete all of our Christmas clothes.
I even decided to make Will a vest to go with his bowtie.
I, also, had to add ties to the girls' dresses,
as they were a little big at first.
Here are the younger ones' finished garments...


(you can click on the photo to enlarge it)
I hope to get our photos taken this weekend, Lord willing.

The children and I have been enjoying
our new read aloud this week, too.
I appreciate the example of a godly family
that the book portrays.
I have found the children more compelled
to do certain things since reading this.
I have seen that they have been encouraged
to be more kind, helpful, etc...,
which has been a blessing.

I hope y'all enjoy your weekend.


"And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works"
~ Hebrews 10:24

Peace in Parenting...

**Post from the Past**
Due to busyness in and out of the home,
physical tiredness, and a bit of writer's block,
blogging/commenting/emailing
is and likely will be just a little scarce this week.
To break the bloggie silence,
I thought I would re-post an 'oldie'.
Hope y'all are enjoying your week.




Peace in Parenting

Parenting is an adventure.
One that causes a rollercoaster ride of many emotions.
From love, pride, happiness and joy,
to sorrow, failure, fear, and hopelessness.
In the midst of this adventure and all the emotions,
our Heavenly Father desires for us to experience His peace.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ."
~ Philippians 4:7

How can we have that peace?


~ Plant ~

Plant God's Word in their heart.
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:"
2 Timothy 3:16

Begin at birth.
Moses, Timothy (2 Tim.3:15),
Samuel (1 Sam.1), and Jesus (Luke 2:40)
are Bible examples of the value
of early childhood training.
Numerous Scripture instructs parents
to train and teach their children
in the way of the Lord.
(Prov.22:6; Is.28:9-10,54:13; Joel 1:3;
Dueteronomy 6:6-13; Ps.34:11)

Jesus says in John 21:15
that when we love Him,
we feed His lambs.
When we feed His lambs,
"...our sons may be as plants
grown up in their youth;
...our daughters my be as corner stones,
polished after the similitude of a palace."
Psalm 144:12


~ Prepare ~

As they grow older,
they reach a point of crossing over.
Crossing over from childhood to adulthood,
steering from dependence
to the direction of independence.
They become too old for 'this'
and not old enough for 'that'.
While we remain an authority,
we become more of an influence.
This is a crucial time.

We need to continue
feeding them God's Word,
and also need to teach them
how to defend their faith.
They need to know what they believe
and why they believe it.
Romans 14:5 says,
"...let every man be fully persuaded
in his own mind."
It is also a time to protect and provide.
Protect ~ they are still under
our umbrella of protection and we are responsible
for what we allow them to be exposed to.
Provide ~ we also need to provide them
with opportunities to "live and learn".
They can be allowed
to make choices and face consequences
while still being under our umbrella.
This is a time our hearts can be blessed
and broken...all in the same day.
This requires patience and prayer.


~ Pray ~

We intercede for their lives
when we pray for our children.
Only God can change hearts, minds, and lives.
Our Heavenly Father knows
our thoughts, needs, and desires
but He responds to our prayers.
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,
that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
~ John 14:13-14

We need to remember
that our children are His children
and He loves them and cares for them
more than we are even capable of.
"Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace..."
~ Hebrews 4:16
We need to pray specifically for our children.
Nothing is too small or too big
to bring before the Lord.

We need to keep in mind
that His plans for our children
are different than our plans for them...
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."
~ Isaiah 55:8

We need to be vigilant...
"Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour" ~ 1 Peter 5:8

We need to pray frequently...
"Pray without ceasing." ~ 1 Thess. 5:17
and we need to pray fervently...
"...The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much."~ James 5:16

We do not need to fear
(ex, they won't turn out right, etc...).
1 John 4:18 says,
"There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casteth our fear",
but we can have the
"...peace of God
which passeth all understanding..."
~ Philippians 4:7


~ Patience ~

Just as all children
physically grow at different times,
the same is true with spiritual growth.
Just because we do not see
certain evidences in their lives or character,
doesn't mean the Holy Spirit isn't working in their hearts.
Only God knows the heart.
"...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth;
for man looketh on the outward appearance
but the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Sam.16:7)
His timing is not our timing.
"He hath made everything beautiful
in HIS time..." (Ecc. 3:11)

Know that He is doing a good work in our children
and He is faithful to complete it:
"Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" ~ Phil.1:6

We also need to realize that He is wanting
to use this 'adventure' in parenting
to strengthen our faith and grow us, too.
Raising children (little ones and older ones)
truly does exercies our faith.
James 1:3 says,
"Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience."
Psalm 37:7 says,
"Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..."


May we trust Him and rest upon Him
and have peace in parenting
knowing that He is in control.
"And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee;
he will be with thee, he will not fail thee,
neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."
~ Deuteronomy 31:8


~ Christina K © December 2004

Monday's Musings...

I hope y'all had a blessed Lord's Day yesterday.
It was such a blessing being in the Lord's house,
hearing His Precious Word preached.
The Sunday school lesson and the a.m. sermon
were such a blessing.
In the evening service,
we had a visiting evangelist.
What the Lord laid on his heart
was a little tough to hear
but it was a wonderful admonition and blessing!
One of the things he mentioned
was serving God with our 'trinity'
(our body, soul, and spirit).
He spoke about how it can sometimes
be easy to be 'spiritual'
yet we tend to neglect giving our bodies to the Lord.
He mentioned how many times,
he'll hear of (believers) that take their lives (in su*cide)
and how they will answer to Christ...
how they prematurely shortened their time
to serve Christ here on Earth.
Then he proceeded to point out
that we ought not to be so harsh on them
because many of us are doing the same thing
by the way we live, eat, etc...
how through our eating habits, other habits, etc...
we are prematurely shortening our days
and that one day we, as well, will stand before Christ.
It was a powerful message! Praise God!

After the service, Ally was very eager
to enjoy our church's new grand piano!...


And, of course, we ladies were excited as well... ;o)

Oh, what beautiful music it makes! ;o)
And what a blessing it is that the Lord provided it
for our church... for free! God is so Good!


Today was cloudy and rainy...
one of those laid back kind of days.
Early this morning, Carolynne and I
went to her dentist appointment.
Poor thing had to get a filling
but she did so great. I was so proud of her
and thankful for the answer to prayers.
She (and Mommy) made it through. ;o)

This afternoon, the children and I
worked together to get a box ready
to ship to Daddy and his Marines.
Pastor had given me 20 New Testament,
marked edition, Bibles!
What a blessing that was.
I am so excited to be able to send them
and so are the children!
We prayed for the Marines that will receive them
as we prepared them to put in the box.
We are shipping these out
in the name of our church.
Here was our set up...


New Testament Bibles (marked edition),
personal prayer list booklets,
read the Bible in a year schedule
(though we decided not to ship this because
we were only sending New Testaments),
and our church's new Christmas tracts,
along with a favorite snack among Marines...
Rice Krispy Treats. ;o)

Ally and I wrote inscriptions
on the inside cover of the Bibles
while Will put the prayer list booklet inside,
along with a Christmas tract on the cover,
then secured it with two rubber bands...


After the Bibles were prepared, I put them in the box,
then Beth and Carolynne helped to put in the treats...


We topped it off with a little note and sealed the box...



We plan to ship it off tomorrow.
Also this week, we hope to get together another box
for Daddy and his Marines from us personally.
We are sending giant stockings with goodies. ;o)
We sure enjoyed preparing that box
and pray the Lord will use it to lead those Marines
to come to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour.


This evening, after supper, we were {finally} able
to completely finish our book
"Summer with the Moody's"
and we even read the first chapter of our next one,
"Autumn with the Moody's". ;o)
The children were enjoying it very much,
as was I.

Tomorrow we head to the post office, Lord willing,
and in the evening we plan to make a visit
to our "church grandpa".
He has cancer (deemed terminal)
and has been home, doing hospice, for a few weeks.
He has been unable to make it to church
and we miss him greatly,
so we look forward to seeing him.
He is such a loving and godly man,
and, wow, what a soul winner for Christ!


I, also, hope to work on Beth's dress
and Will's bowtie this week.
I was able to complete Carolynne's
Christmas dress over the weekend...

And Ally was able to finish her dress, too!
Only one dress and a bowtie to go
and then we can do our family pictures. ;o)

Before I go, I just wanted to share
Carolynne's 'family portrait'
that she drew on the chalk board today.
We aren't proportionally drawn
but that's okay, she's three. ;o)
I thought she did such a wonderful job, though.
I just love when they draw people!

(drawing from left to right)
Carolynne, Will, Daddy, Ally, Mommy, Beth


I hope y'all are enjoying your week. ;o)


"For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's."
1 Corinthians 6:20

A Surprise and a Thank You...

I was surprised last week
when I was told that I had been nominated
for the 2007 Homeschool Blog Awards...

As I scrolled through the lists,
I discovered that I had been nominated
in two different categories...
The "Best Homeschool Mom Blog"
and the
"Best “Live What You Believe” Homeschool Blog".

Though the purpose of my blog
is not to seek man's praise,
it was an encouragement and blessing to me
to know that some (at least three)
find encouragement and, hopefully, a blessing here.
Thank you to those that nominated me.
I pray the Lord Jesus Christ
is honored and glorified here, always.
"...that in all things he might have the preeminence."
~ Colossians 1:18

Also, while scrolling, I noticed that Ally
had been nominated for the "Best Teen Gal Blog".
It blessed my heart to see that there are
young girls (and, perhaps, adults) that
find a blessing and encouragement visiting her.
It is our prayer that the Lord will use her
and that He will be honored and glorified
as she stands for Christ in her youth.
"Let no man despise thy youth;
but be thou an example of the believers,
in word, in conversation, in charity,
in spirit, in faith, in purity." ~ 1 Timothy 4:12



Thank you, again, to those that nominated.
I thought this would, also, be a good opportunity
to say thank you to all of you.
I try to, often, mention it in return comments
and return emails
but I am compelled to say thank you,
to all of you that have offered your prayers
and your words of kindness and encouragement.
The Lord uses them and they are such a blessing!
Thank you so much!

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,
sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."
~ Proverbs 16:24

My Jesus, I Love Thee...

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou:
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.





I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow:
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.





I'll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.





In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I love Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.


words: William R. Featherston; music: Adoniram J. Gordon
photos from allposters.com


Click below to hear the midi:

(You can stop this blog's background music
by clicking the pause button in the sidebar)


"Grace be with all them
that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity."
~ Ephesians 6:24

Singing Praises... Giving Thanks...

I hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.
We did. ;o)
As I mentioned in a previous post,
Wednesday evening, we had church service.
During the service, we sang many songs
of praise and thanksgiving
and had some time of testimonies.
It is always such a blessing to give praise
and hear praise to the Lord!
Pastor handed out a paper
with the word "Thanksgiving" on it,
written vertically,
and he and the congregation
offered words from Scripture and such
to name things we were thankful for.
It was a blessing to see the children participate.
One of the things Ally shared
was a verse and how she is thankful
for the strength that God gives us.
Will said he was thankful for our nation's liberty,
God's Word and he, also, mentioned homeschool. ;o)
Carolynne was thankful for
Daddy and Uncle Steven, who are in Iraq. ;o)
Beth, listening as Pastor said the letter,
said she was thankful for apples
when he said the letter 'a'
and she did similar with other letters.
I was tickled to see her naming things
that started with those letters. ;o)

After the service,
we had a Thanksgiving 'feast' and fellowship.
Lots of delicious food and fellowship
shared with the blessing of God's people.
After eating, Ally wanted to play her guitar.
Soon after she began, all of the children
surrounded her to sing along.
It was so precious to hear them all singing out!

I was so delighted to see them all having
such a wonderful time together.
A little later, Pastor joined in on the fun.
He played Ally's guitar while all the children sang more...

It is such a blessing to have a pastor that loves children.
He delights in being a pastor to the children
as well as the adults and that truly is a blessing.


On Thursday, Thanksgiving morn,
I started making phone calls to my family members.
I am thankful we have good relationships
and that we enjoy talking to each other.
My sister was the last call I made.
As I was talking to her, she was sharing
how she had finger foods, decorations, and such
all set out and she was anticipating
our mama's and grandparents' arrival.
As she was talking, it occured to me
that, somehow, I had become
a little more discouraged the past few weeks
that I had realized (or wanted to admit)
and remembered how much I did enjoy
Thanksgiving Day, including the 'hospitality' of it all.
So, with her encouragement, I got off the phone
and was determined to have a mini feast
for the children and I.
I sent the younger ones out to collect acorns
to make a centerpiece for the table....



They came in with lots of little acorns
and, also, a wide variety of colorful leaves
and a couple of pinecones,
all of which we put in the basket
and set on the table.

Beth helped to slice some cheese
to put on a platter...


Carolynne put crackers on the platter
as the cheese was being sliced...


Ally made the Oreo fluff...


When the food was prepared,
Will and Ally set the table
and we, eventually (after some brief company Ü)
sat down to enjoy our feast together...


We enjoyed taking turns sharing some things
that we are thankful for
and took turns praying before we ate.
It is such a blessing to hear my children pray!

After supper, dessert, seconds, etc...
we cleaned up, put in our Christmas cds
and put up our tree together.
It was very enjoyable, though Daddy was missed.
They often said, "Daddy would like this"
and "Daddy would like that"...
It was sweet to hear them.

After putting up our tree,
we gathered in the living room
to decorate our mini-tree
with some special ornaments
while reading the nativity story from Luke
(and some in Matthew)...




As I read the Scriptures,
the children and I put the special ornaments on the tree...







Afterwards, we sang "Away in a Manger"...

It was a precious way to end our evening.

Today we slept in a bit, cleaned house,
had lunch with friends, and just enjoyed one another.
Here are a couple of photos of the children today...

Carolynne and Beth coloring by the tree



Will playing a board game
as Ally sews her dress for our upcoming family photos.

Tomorrow we have some friends
and some out-of-town friends coming for a visit.
We are excited about that.
I, also, hope to sew up the lil' girls dresses
so we can get our family photos done soon. ;o)

I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend, too!


"Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Sing forth the honour of his name:
make his praise glorious."
~ Psalm 66:1-2

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving...

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth
above the waters:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us in our low estate:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
And hath redeemed us from our enemies:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven:
for his mercy endureth for ever."
~ Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26


"Saying, Amen:
Blessing, and glory,
and wisdom, and thanksgiving,
and honour, and power, and might,
be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen."
~ Revelation 7:12

Wednesday's Ways...

Our week has been flying by,
as I'm sure is true with many of y'all.
This evening we have our midweek service.
Afterwards, our church is having
a Thanksgiving fellowship.
We've spent much of the day preparing
what we are bringing.
Here is our contributing spread...



2 containers of 'doubled eggs'
platter of mini Harvest Muffins with drizzled icing
a large dish of Homemade Ranch Mashed Potatoes
2 homemade pumpkin cheesecakes
a layered cake with chocolate whipped frosting,
with Psalm 118:1a on it (courtesy of Ally and her friend)

Tomorrow the children and I
look forward to spending the day together
quietly at home,
with a less than traditional Thanksgiving meal,
praising the Lord, giving thanks to Him,
and possibly even getting out the tree. ;o)

This evening, however,
we look forward to being in God's house
with our church family.
What a blessing that Thanksgiving is on Thursdays...
How wonderful to spend the evening before
worshipping Him, singing and speaking
praises and thanksgiving to Him in unity!

Hope y'all enjoy your evening, as well.


"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations."
~ Psalm 100

Giving Thanks in Homeschool...

As Christians, it is our duty and privilege
to give thanks and praise to the Lord continually.
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks:
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

One of the many blessings that I
continually am thankful for is
the blessing of home education our children.

It is such a blessed privilege to have the freedom
to home educate our children
in the way the Lord leads us.
Our children alone are one of the greatest blessings.
They are an heritage of the Lord,
His reward, arrows in our quiver
that we have the wonderful privilege and responsibility
to prepare, focus, and aim
toward the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ps.127)

We get to fulfill God's command
to teach them diligently while we sit, walk,
lie down, rise up... all day long! (Deut.6:5-7)
Truly the Lord has blessed us greatly
in the privilege to train up our children
in the way they should go
and the wonderful opportunity to see
the fruit of our labors as they grow older
and do not depart from what they have been taught.
(Proverbs 22:6)

We get to see first-hand how the Lord
answers our prayers for our children.
We get to see them grow right before our eyes.
We get to see them make mistakes
and see the Holy Spirit work in their heart.
We get to see them respond to the Holy Spirit
and develop a love for the Lord.

Everyday is a day spent together as a family,
learning together, growing together,
loving and serving the Lord together.
That is something to truly praise God for.
One day the time will come
when they are no longer in our home.
They will have homes of their own.
We will no longer have the time and moments
that we have now
to teach, train, admonish, and nuture them
in the things of the Lord.
Oh, may we cherish these moments
and pour out thanksgiving and praise to God,
from Whom all blessings flow.

"I will bless the LORD at all times:
his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
~ Psalm 34:1



Benefits in Homeschooling

~ Passing on our family values ~
All day, every day we get to
point our children to the Lord Jesus Christ,
demonstrate Christ's love,
and the importance of living for Him.
We get to lead and direct them
in obedience to Him
and show them the joy of serving Him.


~ Sheparding their hearts ~
We have the opportunity to better see
the condition of our children's hearts, daily.
Which enables us to train them
and pray for them specifically.


~ Educating for Eternity ~
We have a wonderful opportunity
to teach, admonish, and train them
in spiritual Truths,
leading them to the Saviour,
shaping their character,
preparing them for service
that the Lord has for them,
to live a righteous life that
pleases our Heavenly Father,
honors and glorifies Him,
giving them a burden for souls,
which has eternal value.


~ A tailor-made education ~
We have the opportunity to teach them
according to their learning style, interests, etc...
We can encourage and allow them
to learn of their Creator and
His presence in all things.
We can encourage and allow them
to learn of the things they are interested in
and develop a real love for learning.


~ Academic Excellence ~
We have the opportunity to allow them
to explore and research fully,
enabling them for mastery in areas.
They are able to soak in what the learn.
Time is on our side as we are able
to educate them all day, every day.
They get to learn in 'real life'.


~ Flexibility and Variety ~
We have the opportunity to allow them
and encourage them to pursue their interests.
We have the freedom to choose
the direction of their education,
what tools to use, and the freedom
to make changes when needed.


"Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits."
~ Psalm 103:2



If you would like to share how you are thankful
for the blessing of homeschooling
and have posted your thoughts,
please feel free to LEFT click
on the graphic and save it
to use on a post where you share.
Please be sure to sign
the Mr. Linky if you post something.
I'd love to know about it. ;o)




"O Lord, open thou my lips;
and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise."
~ Psalm 51:15

Dealing With Deployments...

There are so many military wives/families
that have experienced (or will)
dealing with deployments.
Often times, it can be easy to become discouraged.
Not that I am more experienced
(there are plenty of wives that have done this more than I)
and not that I have a fast-acting,
"everything will be wonderful and easy" solution,
but the following are some things
that the Lord has shown me
in dealing with deployments...


• Focus on HIM
Keeping Jesus Christ the focus.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you."
~ Matthew 6:33

Be fervent in prayer.
"Pray without ceasing."
(1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Keep a prayer journal.
Instead of calling family and friends,
call on your Heavenly Father,
your Greatest Friend,
"...that sticketh closer than a brother."
(Proverbs 18:24)

Be committed to quiet time with Him.
"... early will I seek thee..."
(Psalm 63:1)
"With my whole heart have I sought thee..."
(Psalm119:10)
Seize the opportunity
to draw near to Him,
to nuture a personal and intimate
relationship with Him,
to deepen your walk with Jesus Christ.

Take time to memorize Scripture,
allowing what He says
to change your heart and thinking,
allowing His Word to
comfort and encourage you, always.
"Thy word have I hid in mine heart..."
(Psalm 119:11)
"Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart."
(Psalm 119:2)



• Focus on Husband
Continue to be his helpmeet
"...I will make him an help meet for him."
(Genesis 2:18b)
Pray for him fervently.
"...The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much."
(James 5:16b)

When communicating,
be cheerful, sweet, and informative.
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11)
"Let your speech be alway with grace,
seasoned with salt..."(Colossians 4:6)
Avoid complaining.
Be calm when announcing 'bad news'.
Write often,
even if it's just a small note,
but be sure to write
occasional love letters, too. ;o)
Send care packages.
It doesn't always have to be a lot,
just frequent, thoughtful packages.

Submit to and honor him.
"Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands,
as it is fit in the Lord."
(Colossians 3:18)
"..and the wife see that
she reverence her husband."
(Ephesians 5:33b)
Help him by being frugal.
Avoid opposite gender friendships.
Ask if he has particular things
he desires for you to do or not to do,
or particular ways to do things.
Do what you can
so his heart can safely trust in you.
"The heart of her husband
doth safely trust in her..."
(Proverbs 31:11a)



• Focus on Heritage
"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD..."
(Psalm 127:3a)
Use this time to focus on the children.
Be diligent and consistent in training them up
in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).
Work on character development,
spiritual growth, first time obedience,
habits, chores, life skills, etc...
With hubby's permission, go tv free.
Have special game nights, looking at photos, etc...
Begin or continue
family Bible time and prayer time.
Focus on home educating.
"And thou shalt teach them
diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them
when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down,
and when thou risest up."
(Deuteronomy 6:7)



• Focus on Home
"To be ...keepers at home..."
(Titus 2:5)
"She looketh well to the ways of her household..."
(Proverbs 31:27a)
Use this time to develop
better home keeping habits.
Read, research, and discover more ways
to make your home a sweet, peaceful haven.
Keep it clean and cozy.
With hubby's permission,
downsize and simply.
Learn to make some new meals, desserts, etc...
that he may like when he returns.
Pick up a new hobby that can bless
the family and the home.
"She... worketh willingly with her hands."
(Proverbs 31:13)



• Focus on House of God
"Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together..."
(Hebrews 10:25a)
Become and stay faithful in church.
Aim to be in every service.
Be involved and serve the Lord
through the local church.
"...being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God."
(Colossians 1:10)
Get to know your church family more,
let them get to know you more,
and develop friendships with them.
"Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfil the law of Christ."
(Galatians 6:2)

"Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:
they will be still praising thee."
(Psalm 84:4)


~ Christina K© November 2007

Thursday's Things and a Winning Photo...

It was cold and breezy
with much needed rain today
and it was one of those days
that I could have stayed in my jammies
with a hot cup of coffee.
I did just that most of the morning
as I made out our menu and grocery list.
In the meantime,
the children did copywork and coloring
and Ally worked on her academics.

Then this afternoon,
we braved the weather
and went to a local health food store
to buy a few things
and then went to the commisary
for our bi-weekly grocery shopping trip.
Afterwards, we ran into the library
to look for a specific something
and, somehow, exited the library
with a whole lot of other 'somethings'. lol
The children were excited to have
a few new books to read.
Ally was thrilled to see her new math
sitting at the front door.
She is eager to begin her pre-calculus. ;o)

That was the bulk of our day today.
Tomorrow, Lord willing and weather permitting,
we will be having our homeschool park day.
This is a day the children always look forward to,
as do the mommies.
Fellowshipping can be such a blessing. ;o)

Oh, we were excited to learn this week
that a photo we submitted
was chosen as winner in a contest
that was hosted by simplycharlottemason.com.

I was thrilled and thankful to receive
one of their ebooks as a prize
and look forward to reading it. ;o)

The photo was taken by Ally...

(this one is very similar to the one they chose but not exact)
There were many wonderful photos submitted.
We enjoyed looking through the slideshow they provided.

I hope y'all are enjoying your week!


"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
~ Jeremiah 31:3

Wednesday's Ways...

Our week continues to be somewhat slow
but somehow busy at the same time. ;o)
Yesterday we took Ally to the chiropractor,
went to our local supercenter to pick up a few things,
then to the music store to get a shoulder rest
for Ally's violin.
Then yesterday evening,
after the younger ones were in bed,
I was able to use our new sewing helpfuls...


A few have inquired how I liked them.
Ally loves the new tools.
I love being able to use the mat and the rotary cutter,
however, I have found that I need
to work around the weights,
which isn't a big deal really, just an adjustment.
I just have to be careful
not to bump into the weights when cutting.
I have really found the smaller cutter
to be quite helpful in those curvier areas. ;o)
(Thank you, Pam)
I was glad to get both girls' dresses cut out
and, since I was having fun with the rotary cutters,
I decided to go ahead and cut my scraps of the material
into different size quilt pieces for possible future use. ;o)
Ally and I, also, learned another use for the weights
(I don't know why I do this to myself)...


Word of advice... if you ever do this,
be sure to have the 'pokey part' facing outward. LOL

Anyhoo...
Today the children enjoyed doing some academics
as I worked on getting some laundry done
and a couple of "handyman" projects completed.

Will did some copywork and science,
as well as reading a couple of history books...


The lil' girls sat at the table, too, and colored together...


Ally worked on her advanced chemistry,
worldview, history, and violin.
When I checked in on her, she was reading aloud
a Shakespeare play for history (and literature),
which she enjoys to do...



Later in the afternoon,
the children enjoyed the beautiful weather
by going outside to play...


As Ally played piano...



Meanwhile, I worked on those "handyman projects".
First I finished putting blinds in the dining room window...
(before...)


(after...)


Why it took me all year to get motivated to do this...
I have no idea. I was so glad to get it done, though.
It was no easy task either.
Apparently, it's a lot harder to put the screws
into the paneling (or whatever it's called)
that's on the inside of the window frame.
After, at least, three warped screws
and the manual screwdriver
(not to mention sore muscles)
I finally finished! It was worth it, though. ;o)


Then, outside, I finally got around
to putting up our retractable clothes line. (yea!)


I put it up between the side of the house
and the big live oak tree...


Then hung Will's new suit items on it to dry...

LOL... Guess I need to find those clothespins. ;o)

Ally helped her mama out by making supper...
a ground turkey, rice, and green bean casserole. Mmmm.
Then what a blessing it was to be
in the Lord's house this evening!

I hope y'all are enjoying your week, too. ;o)



"Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ"
~ Titus 2:13

Monday's Musings...

I wasn't able to post yesterday evening
due to internet connection difficulties.
Our day wasn't too eventful.
We, mostly, caught up on some cleaning
and had some very relaxed learning moments.

Ally gave Will his weekly piano lesson
(which has been such a blessing to watch
as they work together)...


Beth and Carolynne were interested
in playing with our nativity set...


Later in the day, Mama was in need of some rest,
so while mama took a catnap on the couch,
the lil' girls read books on the floor with their babies
and Will read on the chair...




As I mentioned... not very eventful
but I was glad to sit back and relax and enjoy the children.

This afternoon will be a busy one for us
as we take Ally to the chiropractor and run a few errands.

I did, however, want to share what I was able to get
over the weekend to help in our sewing adventures.
Our local fabric store was having a 40-50% off sale
so I went in to see if there were a few sewing helpfuls
that were on sale that Pam had shared with me.
I was delighted to see they were all on sale! Woo hoo!
I was able to get a large cutting mat, the weights,
and a couple of cutters...





Ally and I look forward to using them this week
and, as Pam stated,
kissing our pins and scissors good-bye! ;o)

Hope y'all enjoy your day!


"This is the day which the LORD hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it."
~ Psalm 118:24

Counting It All Joy...

To encourage my own heart,
I re-read through this old post today.
It is a blessing to be gently reminded
of the Lord's beautiful Truths.


{{transferred from previous blog...
originally posted here on June 14, 2007}}



Have you ever claimed the old saying
'When it rains, it pours'?
Isn't it interesting how when we are faced with one trial
another seems to 'caboose' onto the next
and soon there is a train of trials?

I am thankful I have
the Great Conductor guiding the way.
Oh, how thankful I am
that He is Faithful in growing me
and showing me (reminding me)
of His precious Truths.

We have begun going through
the book of James at church
and I have decided to add it to my quiet time reading.
The following is from those times...
(some emphasis added by me)

"My brethren, count it all joy
when ye fall into divers temptations"
~ James 1:2

JOY... in divers temptations...
divers = different; various;
several temptations... trails

Hmmm... a little equation...
divers temptations = different, various, several trials = joy
What an interesting formula!
Why joy?
Joy, because God has placed us in/allowed these trials
and in them we get to see God work!

But in the following verses,
He elaborates on this joyful concept...
"Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
~ James 1:3,4

These trials are not the trying of my patience,
but they are the trying of my faith
to produce the much needed patience.
As my faith grows, my patience grows.

The patience has work
and it will accomplish something...
it will accomplish the perfect that Scripture says.
Not perfect, as in sinless...
perfect as in spiritually mature.
The trials are working our patience
and patience works in us...
it grows us more like Christ and gives us... joy.
"For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son..." ~ Romans 8:29
Our trials are being used to accomplish that great goal...
to be more like the Son of God...
more like Jesus Christ.

The trials that are trying my faith
are working patience...
Patience (Webster 1828) =
The suffering of afflictions (etc...)
with a calm unruffled temper;
endurance without murmuring or fretfulness.
The act or quality of waiting long for justice
or expected good without discontent.
Perserverance; constancy in labor.

I also like the way it was worded
by a fellow brethren...
"a steadfast endurance with peace in my heart
that God will accomplish His Perfect Will."

divers temptations = different, various, several trials = JOY

A Christian's goal and patience's purpose...
to be more like the Son of God.

There is a song called
"More Like the Son of God"
that I hold dear to my heart.
I wanted to share a few lines...
"More like the Son of God,
Lord, how I want to be.
More than anything on Earth,
I want His likeness seen in me.
More like my Saviour,
Who died to set me free.
Precious Lord,
make me more like Thee."


By His grace... counting it all joy.

Veteran's Day...

Be sure to go out of your way to thank a veteran.
Please don't forget to pray for our military.





Thank you, Daddy (r) and Uncle Steven (l)!
We appreciate all that you do
and are proud of you!
We love and miss you!

~ Your family



"The LORD watch between me and thee,
when we are absent one from another."
~ Genesis 31:49

Friday's Fillings and Saturday's Sewing...

I'm not sure about y'all
but we sure are enjoying the cooler weather.
Yesterday the children enjoyed playing
outside in the front yard.
Will was delighted to be able to ride his scooter
on the sidewalk...

So chilly that he needed a hat for his ears. ;o)

The lil' girls played frisbee in the grass
using a little plastic plate from their toy kitchen...


Ally enjoyed sitting outside on our rocker
while working on (you'll never guess! lol) chemistry. ;o)


I sat reading some pages from
"Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit"
before I loan it out tomorrow.
It had been a while since I read through it
and I look forward to reading through it, again. ;o)

Shortly after returning indoors, our friends showed up
for Friday fellowship and sourdough pizza.
Ally was excited to share her chemistry experiment...

They were writing in "invisible ink",
using lemon juice and some chloride element that she has
(I will quickly admit that I know very little regarding chemistry)
and they were making it show up with heat.
Very interesting.
They sure liked it! ;o)

Later they were eager to try a new recipe.
They decided to try the new recipe
AND make sourdough pizza at the same time.
They enjoyed working in the kitchen together...


Ally even practiced her dough tossing...

LOL ;o)

The younger children enjoyed the trampoline
and then played quietly indoors.
The lil' girls were found playing chess...


And Will was reading a book
as he anticipated the upcoming pizza feast...

He is a growing boy, you know? Gotta keep him well fed. ;o)
Soon enough it was time to eat.
The girls did a great job on the pizzas and with dessert.
We had a nice time of food and fellowship.
The mamas were able to work on a little sewing
throughout the afternoon, too.

Then today I was able to work on my dress more
and get it completed...



Here was the final project...



I may or may not add a tie back to it.
The pattern wasn't too difficult
(when I followed my own directions)
but I'll need to work with it to find my right size. ;o)
But all in all, I do like it.
I, personally, like the collar look
and hope to make more of these sometime.
Next projects will be the lil' girls' dresses
and Ally hopes to work on hers this upcoming week.

Also, today I was able to purge the lil' girls' room
of many, many toys
and I was quite surprised (and troubled)
how ALL but 4 small toys were made in China!
I was glad to part with the many bags of toys.
While I was at it, I also rearranged their furniture
and was, once again, reminded
that I am just not as young as I used to be
or that I think I am. ;o)

I hope y'all have enjoyed your week.
Now we look forward to a restful Lord's Day. ;o)


"LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house,
and the place where thine honour dwelleth."
~ Psalm 26:8

Finding Field Trips: Tips and Ideas...

In my field trip to the farm post,
I was asked about how I found the farm
and how I found out they did field trips
so I thought I would share what I do
and share a list of possible field trips to take.

Part of being a military family
involves moving to new areas every few years or so
(sometimes we stay a little longer, sometimes not).

When we first started homeschooling,
we lived in the suburbs of a large city in Ohio
and we never seemed to lack in field trip possibilities.
However, when we made our next move,
that changed quite a bit.
We moved to a much smaller area
where the field trip possibilities were much less...
so I thought anyhow. ;o)

Here were some ways I, prayerfully, found
some field trip ideas for the areas we live in...


Finding Field Trips Tips

* Online search engines.
For instance, for our farm field trip
I typed in words like 'farm', 'my town', 'my state'.
You can search for towns near you, too.
Some field trips are worth the drive. ;o)


* Drive around and make note of interesting places.
Really look and explore possibilities.


* Let your fingers do the walking...
through the yellow pages ;o)


* Ask the church folk ;o)
Ask what nearby, interesting places
that they know of.


* Word-of-mouth from other homeschoolers
or local homeschool group(s).
If you don't know any other homeschoolers,
call the local Christian schools/public schools
and ask what kind of field trips they take.
If you don't have a local homeschool group,
consider starting one.
That's what works for us. ;o)


* Go to your town's Chamber of Commerce,
a travel agent, check the local newspapers, etc...
Most areas have their own local history
and a historical site to go along with that history.
Those can be interesting field trips, too.



When you find something interesting...
simply call them and tell them your situation...
that you homeschool, have a group or not,
and are interested in a field trip.
I've had many that are more than willing...
only a few have said no.



Field trip ideas...

* a local newspaper
* a dairy farm
* a local news television station
* a local Christian radio station
* an aquarium
* a bakery or candy store
* a zoo or a little petting zoo
* an animal shelter/vet/pet store
* a local post office
* a local museum
* fire department
* police station
* a beach tour
* horse stables
* local farms
* pizza place to make your own pizzas
* bowling alley (with a tour of the back)
* ice skating
* ceramic shop
* woodworking shop
* taxidermy
* hospital
* library
* camera/printing store
* scrapbook store
* hiking/nature trails
* mini golf
* small local airport
* drama theatre
* local historic sites
* plant nursery
* mayor office
* ferry/trolly rides
* state park
* nature center
* plantetarium
* local factories
* parades
* local water facility

Each location has its own unique options. ;o)
I keep a 'master list' of field trip ideas
and add our local ideas as I discover them.
This is what has worked for us. ;o)

Thursday's Things...

The past couple of days
having been busy with home educating,
home blessing, church gathering,
outside playing, Christmas dress sewing,
dentist visiting, and more. ;o)
It has been a blessing to spend
quality time with the children.

Our adventures in home education
have been rich this week.
We have been enjoying what we're learning very much!
We have, also, been blessed by reading
in the book of John this week.
It has taken us almost all week
to get through the first chapter
but what a blessing it has been.
We have, also, been able to read
our "Summer with the Moody's" more
and are drawing near to the end,
already anticipating the next book. ;o)

I thought I'd share a few photos
from the last two days.
The children have really enjoyed their learning.

The lil' girls have been motivated
to get a 'preschool type' coloring/workbook
off the colorbook shelf to work on together...

Mostly dot-to-dots but Beth has delighted
in helping Carolynne recognize her alphabet more. ;o)

Today, after dot-to-dotting, I worked with them.
Carolynne enjoyed working on colors and line drawing
while Beth enjoyed copying her letter 'B'...



Here was Carolynne, gladly showing her hard work...



Beth and I, also, read a poem together
(Carolynne listened in as she colored).
We read a poem about a fuzzy caterpillar
and then she drew her own picture
of a caterpillar and a butterfly
(though she wasn't interested in posing with it, as Caro was)...



Will and I have continued reading
about George Washington,
which we have enjoyed SO much,
though Will was already more knowledgable about him
than I have ever been.
Will LOVES history!
We have, also, been reading our Burgess Bird Book
and our Handbook for Nature Study,
which has been a delight!
We talked about blue birds and robins today
and learned a lot about them,
including that they are cousins.
Yesterday we finished talking about
the different sparrows.
We got to watch one this afternoon
as it was treating itself to supper...

Birds are so fun to watch!

Will has been diligent in taking the initiative
in doing his copywork in language and math each day,
which has been a blessing...


He has, also, been faithful in practicing piano
and is enjoying it very much...



Ally has been eagerly working, too.
She has been practicing/playing piano and violin
and working diligently in her academics
(including worldview, history, literature, and science).
When checking in on her yesterday,
I found her working on her advanced chemistry...


When checking in on her this afternoon,
she was working on... you guessed it...
advanced chemistry...

She even took it with us, this evening, to the dentist!
She is thoroughly enjoying it.
She cracked me up earlier this week...
She mentioned how she didn't really care for her math
and claimed it was more like logic.
I was aiming to give her something a little more relaxed
for math this year so she could focus on her other subjects
so I went with a book called Mathematical Quilts
and a book about the history of math.
I thought with the Mathematical Quilts
we might use it for more than math,
perhaps, um, quilting? It was a thought. ;o)
Well, Ally, proceeded to make a request,
respectfully, and backed it up with logic.
She asked if, instead, of her current math
would I be willing to get her
Teaching Textbooks' Pre-Calculus! lol
She proceeded, logically, by stating
the pre-cal would help her in advanced chemistry.
I could not help but chuckle from being delighted
with her eagerness to learn more.
This will be presented to Daddy,
which, I'm sure he will chuckle in delight, as well.
We'll see what happens, though. ;o)


With being busy with teaching, reading aloud,
housekeeping, home improvement projects
(like fixing the pencil sharpener in the wall,
taking the pot rack down from the ceiling, etc...),
and among other things,
I haven't been able to accomplish as much with sewing
as I had initially planned but I have made some progress...

Slowly but surely. ;o)

This evening, after our dentist appointment,
we stopped into our local fabric store
(other than the local supercenter).
They are having a sale this weekend
with Butterick and McCall's patterns at 99cents,
so we picked up a few.

Before I go, I wanted to share this...
On the way home,
I was taught a lesson on mercy from 5 yr old Beth...
She was the only one to see the dentist tonight
so she was the only one to pick a prize from the drawer.
On the way home, Carolynne insisted
(in an aggressive 3 year old way)
that she wanted the toy.
Beth had just gotten the toy and wanted it,
at least for a little while before she handed it over.
Carolynne was quite persistent and loud
(as I was driving down the road, mind you).
I declared to Carolynne that she needed to
stop whining and to be understanding to
let Beth play with it peacefully for a while,
then she would share.
Carolynne proceeded to declare she wanted it now
(in her 3 year old way).
I, again, spoke and told Carolynne, firmly,
that she may NOT have it
and she may NOT ask for it, again.
Yes, I admit, I was less tolerant
and a bit annoyed.
It was quiet, then, for a little while.
Then I heard a little commotion
and discovered that Beth
had given her toy to Carolynne, after all.
I appreciated her kindness
and willingness to share
but, in the flesh, was still bothered
that Carolynne had gotten her way
and instructed Carolynne
that she needed to give the toy back.
Then Beth spoke up and sweetly said,
"Mommy... It's okay with me if Carolynne has it.
I just want to make God happy."
It was quiet, again, and my heart was touched
(and convicted).
Here I was 'sticking to my guns'
(which isn't, neccesarily, a bad thing at times),
convinced that Carolynne should not have it
because she was whining and pushing her way.
And the truth is... she really didn't "deserve" that toy
but Beth wanted to show mercy and kindness
to the one that she loved
and was willing to sacrifice for her.
My heart was moved by her willingness.
It was a precious reminder and example
of love, kindness, and mercy
And I was, of course, reminded of how Jesus Christ
showed his mercy and grace toward us
by leaving Heaven and all its glory,
to come to Earth, to willingly sacrifice Himself for me
(and for you),
even though I didn't deserve it
and how He offers His salvation freely.


"For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life."
~ John 3:16

"But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us,"
~ Ephesians 2:4

"In whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;"
~ Ephesians 1:7

"Being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
~ Romans 3:24

Winter Giveaway...

Chyrll is having a Winter Giveaway
until 10:30pm Friday night.
She has some lovely 'winter' gifts
that she is offering. ;o)

Tuesday's Tidbits...

Today was a another beautiful, autumn day!
I am loving the weather very much!
I love to be cozied up in a warm sweater,
drinking a warm drink on a cool, breezy day!

Before heading out today,
I was able to get some laundry done
and some phone calls made
as the children enjoyed themselves
with coloring and academics...

The lil' girls colored as Will did some copywork.



Ally worked on Advanced Chemistry and worldview.

This afternoon, we left to go to the post office
and to the commisary for groceries.
When we arrived home, we put the groceries away
and I prepared supper as the children played outside.
After supper we read another chapter of
"Summer with the Moody's".
I know it's autumn and we still haven't finished it
but I hope to pretty soon. ;o)

After the children went to bed,
I worked at cutting the Christmas fabric
for my dress, using the new pattern that arrived today!!
I was able to cut most of it out, to my delight. ;o)
I hope to work on it more this week, Lord willing,
and then, whenever I finish my dress,
begin on the lil' girls dresses
and a matching bow tie for Will.
We'll be busy, but it'll be busyness at home,
which is a wonderful place to be. ;o)

I hope y'all are enjoying your week, too.


"Praise ye the LORD.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever."
~ Psalm 106:1

Monday's Musings and a Beloved Blessing...

I am thankful for a pretty productive day today.
We were able to get some cleaning done,
as well as a little laundry,
including the Christmas plaid fabric
for our upcoming dresses.
Will and I folded the 20 yards
of freshly cleaned fabric together.

We were able to accomplish much
in our home education endeavors, as well.
Today we began reading in John
for our family Bible time.
We didn't make it through the chapter
but we did enjoy discussing what we read.

Later, Ally worked on her high school subjects,
including history, worldview, advanced chemistry,
literature reading, violin, etc.
When I went to say hello to her
I found her cleaning her room
as she was practicing voice exercises...


She worked a little more on her Advanced Chemistry
this evening after the younger ones were in bed.
She discovered that it can be quite a challenge sometimes...

lol
I just wanted to mention that she is being quite playful
in this photo. Seconds later she was laughing at herself
and her chemistry. She, actually, enjoys the challenge
of this course that she is taking.

Will and I were able to get much accomplished, too.
We read more about George Washington
and a few of his rules of civility.
He is, also, reading a living book on his own
regarding the revolutionary war.
This is an ongoing thing with him.
I am so delighted with his love for reading.
We, also, read a chapter in our Burgess Bird Book
and a few pages from our
Handbook for Nature Study.
He did some Language and copywork,
plus math copywork, and piano practice.
Ally has been diligent with teaching him
and he seems to be progressing well.
After we were finished,
he enjoyed a little computer time
by doing some online math drills...


The lil' girls stuck together, as they usually do.
They are such kindred spirits.
They had lots of creative play, reading books,
playing outside, etc...
Here they were working on puzzles together...


I was, also, able to speak to my beloved today.
That always makes for a wonderful day!
And it got even better.
At the end of the day, he blessed me with
a wonderful, thoughful surprise...




A beautiful autumn bouquet and vase!

Oh, how I thank God for the man
I am blessed to call my husband
and my beloved!

Thank you, Honey!
I love you so much!

The Fruit (Rather Vegetables) of Our Labours and Putting Them to Use...

Saturday afternoon, after our trip to the farm,
I was eager to use up the sweet pototoes
that we had picked.

I admit that we are not exactly sweet potato lovers,
especially my sweet beloved,
but since he isn't home to be bothered by them
I was determined to try, again...
especially since we had an abundance of them. ;o)



I decided to boil, peel, and mash them...


And freeze them in portions
to use for future baking...



Then I pulled out a wonderful cookbook
that I found months ago at a local Mennonite store...

(May I say that I LOVE how it is alliterated?!)
The Practical Produce Cookbook:
How to Plant, Pick, Prepare, and Preserve Produce
(I did find it listed online, too. You can click on the pic)


From the sweet potato section of the book,
I chose to make their
Sweet Potato Muffins with Walnut Streusel
and altered it a bit.

They turned out delicious!
And didn't even taste like sweet potatoes at all!
If you hate or dislike sweet potatoes,
this is a great recipe. lol
It's great if you do like them, too.
I think that even my beloved would like them.
Perhaps we'll find out when he comes home. ;o)

Even the children liked them!
Here is the altered recipe that I used...
Oh, we also renamed them "Harvest Muffins"
so the name wouldn't make some of us cringe. LOL

Harvest Muffins

1 C mashed sweet potatoes
1 C milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C butter, melted
2 C unbleached flour
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 TBS cinnamon or more
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS sugar
4 TBS chopped walnuts
1 TBS flour
1 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

Beat sweet potatoes, milk and eggs
until smooth; add butter.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder,
spices and salt.
Stir into sweet potato mixture
just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups.
Combine remaining ingredients
and sprinkle on top, pressing tightly.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy!

Giveaway Results...

With the help of my son,
here are the results of our giveaway...

For prize #1:





The winner is:






For prize #2:






The winner is:



Congratulations, Amanda and Angela.
Thank you, everyone, for participating.
We had fun and hope you did to. ;o)

A Trip to the Farm...

Before I begin this post, I want to mention
that there are MANY photos in this post.
It may take a while to completely load.




Today was our homeschool group field trip.
We went to a local working farm.
The children and I (and others)
had such a wonderful time!



Soon after our arrival to the farm,
we jumped right in to great hands-on learning.
First we visited the dairy cow...


She was such a cutie!



Then we headed to our first activity...


We were handed baskets and sent out to the field
to pick peanuts...







After picking peanuts for a while,
we set our baskets aside, grabbed a different basket
and headed to our next activity...
digging for sweet potatoes...








Carrying their baskets...




After digging in the dirt for sweet potatoes,
which they all did more than willingly, ;o)
we were off to pick some cotton!









We even saw a few cotton blossoms...

So pretty!

After picking cotton, we took a little break
to watch and learn about the goat milking...



Ally even tried it herself...


After the goat milking, the children washed up
from being in all of that dirt.
The washing water was cold! brrrrr....




Then we headed to the corn...


Each child got two ears... of corn ;o)




Then we sat under a pavillion and shucked it...










We sat and listened about how the corn shucks
were used 100+ years ago... very interesting...


A mop... they would scour the entire house with it.


Braided rugs.
They, also, used them for mattress stuffing.

We, also, learned about a few other things
that were used 'back then'.


Gourds for pots, spoons, bowls, etc...


a washboard


and a cooking pot... WELL, not exactly. ;o)
This was actually what they would use
as the bathroom in the middle of the night,
then dump it in the outhouse in the morning.

Afterwards, the children were able to
grind their ears of corn...








Then they made a toy that children would have had
and played with 'back then'...









Then we enjoyed feeding the goats...










Then, lastly, we enjoyed a wagon ride...








We had such a wonderful time at the farm!
And we were able to bring home the peanuts,
sweet potatoes, some cotton, and even some pecans
that we had picked!
I kept busy this afternoon,
cooking up those sweet potatoes,
which I hope to post about on Monday.

The Lord blessed us with such beautiful weather
and such an enjoyable time as we visited the farm...


Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow, y'all. ;o)



"The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein"
~ Psalm 24:1

Bean Dip and Quesadillas...

With my beloved away,
I will occasionally opt for an easier meal. ;o)
The other day, for supper,
the children and I had bean dip and quesadillas.


...featured in my new fall dishes I got on sale ;o)
I loved the maple leaf dishes, the pie plate,
two matching mugs with maple leaf etchings,
all in beautiful, warm autumn colors!

The recipe for the bean dip, I got from a friend.
I thought I hated sour cream but this is delicious!

Bean Dip

Layer, in order,
1 can store bought can or homemade refried beans
1 small container of sour cream
cheddar cheese (or a mexican mix of cheese)
diced tomato
(lettuce is, also, good on it)

Can dip with tortilla chips or quesadillas.
Mmmmm!



The quesadillas we made were only cheese
(due to what was left in our fridge)
but there are many ways you can make them...
chicken
taco meat
spinach
bacon and tomato
pepper jack cheese
etc...

They're great with flour tortillas
(wheat, tomato basil, spinach, etc...)
or you can make them home made, too.
The above quesadillas,
I made in our lil' George Forman-like grill.

There were no leftovers at our home. ;o)

Fall Y'all Giveaway x2...

I'm a little late with this
but I thought it would be fun to participate. ;o)
Shannon is hosting a Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway.
So far there are over 650 giveaways going on.

I'll be giving away two small 'packages'.



#1. A purse-size calendar, a magnetic notepad,
and a drawstring pouch of 10 blank note cards.




#2. A Yankee Candle Tart (Macintosh 'flavor'),
a victorian tin pill box, and a journal.


To enter:
Leave a comment on this post.
Be sure to leave your blog address.
If you do NOT have a blog,
be sure to leave your email address.

(Please do not specify which package.
The drawing will be random.)

Giveaway will end Sunday, November 4 at 11:59 p.m.
Winners will be drawn and announced Monday the 5th. ;o)

Enjoy your weekend!


**Giveaway Has Ended**

Thursday's Things...

I hope y'all are having a good week.
Ours has been good, though continually busy.
Yesterday we drove about an hour away
to have a checkup with the peds neurologist
for Ally and the 'issues' she's been having this year.

After being a little 'misplaced, we arrived safely. ;o)
Since all of the tests have returned normal this year
and her thyroid issue has seemed to dissolve,
he suggested the possiblity of fibromyalgia
though he did not diagnose her with it per say.
He does, however, want her to try physical therapy
and be treated there as a possible fibromyalgia patient.
I plan to look into that next week, Lord willing.
After our appointment, we were excited
to enjoy lunch at one of our favorite places
(since we don't have one locally)
and then headed home to make some thing
for the fellowship we were having after church.
We were home for about two hours
and then left the house early
in order to miss the neighborhood's festivities.
To pass the time by,
the children and I ate lunch at the park
and played before heading to the evening service...








Today Ally had a dentist appointment
and we had to make a run to the store.
Funny how that can seem to take up most of the day.
We have been able to accomplish
some things this week, though. ;o)

Here were a few pictures of the children this week...

Ally hard at work.



Will hard at play. ;o)



Beth and Carolynne hard at creativity.


The lil' girls, also, learned a new matching game this week.
A game that Mommy, particularly, appreciates
for children to play...

Matching the socks game!
I dumped the box of unmatched socks on the floor
and let them sort through and match them.
Dare I say that they enjoyed it??
They did! ;o)
Afterwards, they used the ones that remained unmatched
as collars for their stuffed dogs. lol
I was delighted to see they made the most of it.


Tomorrow we have a homeschool park day
and, possibly, an afternoon with friends.
Saturday we have a field trip to a local, working farm
that we had to reschedule from last week,
due to the rain.
Sunday is Anniversary Sunday at our church,
as we celebrate the church's 8th anniversary!
We look forward to those events
and to calmer days, Lord willing.

I haven't found a lot of time to respond
to questions or comments lately
but I do hope to when I am able.
Thank you for understanding. ;o)
I hope y'all have an enjoyable day tomorrow.


Oh, and just because I'm thinking of my beloved,
I thought I'd share a photo he sent recently...

I LOVE YOU, Honey, and miss you!!


"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation. Selah."
~ Psalm 68:19