Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Exercise for the soul.

My five year old princess loves to go for runs with me. Of course it's not much of a run for me, but she gives it her all. She doesn't slow down till she's done her first mile. The second mile is a bit slower. It's more like a brisk walk. I love how at five everything is new and great. A simple thing like a bright red leaf becomes a treasure to bring home for daddy. She entrusted me with this treasure until we got home. After all she didn't want to crinkle it while she was running.
   Taking her with me completely kills my workout. I have to cut my distance in half or a third depending on how far I was planning on going and I can throw any record braking time out the window. But the time we spend together is completely worth it. As a busy homeschooling mom I treasure each of the opportunities that I get to spend with each one of my kids alone. This year I have scheduled dates with each one of my kids. Just me, daddy, and one of them. No other siblings. I find that when my children are separated from their brother's and sister they're totally different kids. These are the kids that I want to get to know in the brief amount of time that God has trusted me with their care.


Picture taken by Ezer Photography 
Check out her blog at http://journeytoezer.com/

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Score!!!!

 Look at the treasure that I just picked up at a yard sale today. 


This is a working 1951 Singer 201-2  Electric Sewing Machine with a cabinet full of goodies. Isn't it beautiful. Some consider this machine to be one of the best machines ever made. Even better then modern machines. These machines are still going strong after 60-80 years of service and probably will be for another 80 years. They are super powerful. These machine are selling from $150-$300 online. Can you guess how much I paid for it? $8.00. I'm just a little excited about this. I can't wait to clean her up and try her out.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

I can flip pancakes without getting burned!!!

When I was growing up I was never taught how to cook anything except Lasagna. I'm not really sure why that is but that's it. I had to learn everything on my own in the kitchen. I think that it turned out OK though because I'm not afraid to put things together without a recipe in front of me.
   When my children were born I decided that their kitchen skills would be much different then mine. I started as soon as they were old enough to turn a spoon. They love to add the ingredients one by one and then pour the batter slowly into the pan and then watch our creation take shape as it bakes in the oven. Clean up is the most fun. I get out the spoons and they go to town on the bowl. Yes... I let my children eat raw batter. I know that some of you are cringing. As my children have gotten older I've increased the number of things that I let them help with. I just started letting them crack the eggs open into the bowl and flip pancakes. My daughter has decided to let everyone she meets know that she is five now and she can flip pancakes without getting burned. It somehow has become a right of passage for her. Like this magically happened the moment she turned five.
   I cook with my kids for lots of different reasons. It teaches them life skills and math lessons. It teaches them to share and provide a service for others. I also just like the time we get to spend together. So go and bake something yummy with your babies. To make it even more enriching you can bring your baked goods to a neighbor. The rewards will last them a life time and more.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Bring it on!!

OK another school year has began. I'm ready. I'm up at 6AM before the sun is up. I stumble through the kitchen to make my coffee. This is going to be a great year. I'm so ready for this. I walk quietly back out the living room. I sit down with my computer to check my emails and my daily morning devotion that comes straight to my email everyday. Awesome ha! A half hour later I hear thumping on the living room ceiling. "Mommy".... "Mommy I peed the bed" comes blaring through the house. OK no problem. Up the stairs I go. Chang the bed, clean the child, down the stairs I go with my extra load of laundry and three children following close behind. Breakfast comes next with only 1 spill it's on the table not the couch phew... Alright, let's focus... get chores done, get dressed, start school. OK chores are done without issue and after 3 outfits later the princess has found something to wear. At least till lunch time anyway. Just as as we sit down for morning prayer the phone rings.. ignore it. Math done, Language done,  can I have some bunny milk.. done, can you wipe me...done. Three year old climbing on the entertainment center, five year old helping herself to some cookie's and milk, six year old crying because he can't make a cursive f, and the 15 year old is still laying in bed. It's OK.. I got this. I pull the 3 year down, get the snack for the 5 year old, give the six year a break and the 15 year gets a nice tall glass of cold water... to drink of course. Lunch time comes and goes, switch over the laundry, vacuum the floor, clean up the kitchen, start school up again. ABC's and 123's wont you sing with me...It's my turn... she started it.... I'm tired.... can you wipe me.... and the beat goes on. Barney babysits while I exercise and shower. Load the kids in the car so the 15 year old can go play with the pigskin. Back home finish up my chores make dinner and prepare my smile for my Prince charming to walk through the door. Clean up, pick up the teen, and wash up the marker and spaghetti stained children. Off to bed they go. Night, night, mommy loves you, no more drinks tonight you'll pee the bed. Look over curriculum lessons, make some popcorn, cuddle with the Prince and let's do this again tomorrow. Bring it on!!

Monday, September 5, 2011

My husband's student

I have always been a very observant person. I love to watch people and how they interact with others. Most of my friends already know this. So it will be no surprise to you that I like to study my husband. I love to learn everything about the man and exactly what makes him tick. Not just because I enjoy observing him... which I do, but because I want him to be happy. I want to know exactly what it is that he likes to eat, wear, watch on TV, what he thinks is funny or sad or gross. I also like to know what he likes when it comes to me. How he likes my hair or what he likes me to wear. What to say and what not to say and at what time I should say it. He's really a very easy man to live with. So I haven't taken on this study because he's difficult. My husband is one of the most even tempered men you'll ever meet. Which is just one of the hundred reasons I married him. I guess the biggest reason is LOVE. I think when you really love someone... you will go to any length to make them happy. We've been married for going on 9 years this December and I still love when he walks through my kitchen door. I hope to continue this study for the next 70 years or so.  I may never acquire a degree from it but I sure do love the lessons.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Zucchini round up ~Simple and delicious~

This is a super easy one:

Grilled Zucchini and yellow squash


Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Vegetable oil 1-2 tbl
Salt
Garlic powder


Slice up equal amounts of however much Zucchini and Yellow squash that you may want for your family. Leave the skin on and scoop out the seeds if there are any. Lightly coat the slices with vegetable oil. Then sprinkle garlic and salt to taste over top. Line your grill with some foil. Heat up the grill to a medium heat and place the zucchini and squash on the foil. Cook for about 15 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork into them. Your going to turn them about half way through the cooking time. Turn the grill off and let the foil cool a little then you can fold the foil over the zucchini and lift the whole piece up off the grill and place on it on a dish. That's it. You have a healthy, yummy side dish to enjoy with your dinner. Enjoy!!!



Thursday, September 1, 2011

31 Days to Clean Challenge



I'm so excited to be joining a group of ladies online for the 31 Days to Clean Challenge. It originated from a book called 31 Days to Clean. The book is subtitled Having a Martha house the Mary way. I thought that was so cute. Anyhow, my house is by no means dirty, but it's definitely "lived in". I don't mind cleaning my house. I just don't always make the proper time for it.Cleaning may come natural for some of us but some of us might need a little motivation. I'm hoping to get some good motivation from this book. 31 Days to Clean is about the “why” and the vision and the heart for taking care of our domains. So what's the deal with the challenge you may ask?


After each days reading, you will be given two challenges:

The Mary Challenge -Something you do that encourages/engages your heart

The Martha Challenge – Specific cleaning tasks

Then you write a comment about it on the Challenge website. You can also write a post on your blog and link up with the website every Friday and other participants can read your thoughts about the challenges on your blog.


So if you want to take the challenge with me it starts today. You'll need to do two things. 
*First buy the book: 

 


I bought the PDF version of the book. You can get it right now for $2.50. Just enter the code Homemaker when you checkout. Click here for the PDF version http://31daystoclean.com/

The Kindle or Nook version is $4.99.

Click here for the Kindle version http://www.amazon.com/31-Days-to-Clean-ebook/dp/B004W3UK4M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302603204&sr=8-1

or here for the Nook versionhttp://search.barnesandnoble.com/31-Days-to-Clean-Having-a-Martha-House-the-Mary-Way/Sarah-Mae/e/2940012496706?itm=1&USRI=31%2Bdays%2Bto%2Bclean%2Bhaving%2Ba%2Bmartha%2Bhouse%2Bthe%2Bmary%2Bway

*Then click on the link in the upper right hand corner of my blog to join in the challenge.
I hope you'll come join me. Happy cleaning!!!!