Knowing my children

 

My sister and I went to public school as soon as we were of age, of course. We started our day leaving toward school with barely brushed hair and dressed in nonmatching clothes. Only going to "school" really meant daycare for single moms and their kids.
First off... we ate breakfast there. (Yes, breakfast.) We had school, we ate lunch there and more school. After school, we went back to the cafeteria and spent the next 2-3 hours in afterschool care. Back then it was called "Latch Key". Our entire summers were spent there, as well.

When Mom picked us up, we went home where my mother spent the little time she did have: making us dinner, cleaning, laundry, and putting us to bed.
We did not know her. I only have a few memories of my mother from when I was a girl. They are mostly of her driving us to school or washing dishes. How many more kids came out of the 70's like that?
I am here with my children all day every day. We are making memories to last a lifetime. We learn more about the love of God every day. What a gift the Lord has given me.

Courageous Boyhood

from Vision Forum...

Scripture is clear, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Boys need vision. We humbly offer this catalog to you and the All-American boys in your family in the sincere hope that, together, we can rebuild a culture of courageous boyhood.

Courageous Boyhood is...

 

	Vision and Honor “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The same is true of boys. Without a vision for manhood, boys will perish. But true vision is cultivated by honor. The courageous boy longs to honor his father and his mother and to not just succeed, but to succeed his godly parents.
	Faith and Fortitude The first principle of courageous Christian boyhood is faith. True courage is an outgrowth of confidence in the sovereign will of God, the reflection of an abiding faith in Christ. The spirit of courageous boyhood is alive in the boy who perseveres through the many challenges of life.
	Dominion and Scholarship The courageous boy is on a mission from God to take dominion over the earth. This is why he loves to learn, to investigate, to master disciplines, and to search out the mysteries of creation. His basic textbook for life is the Holy Scriptures.
	Loyalty and Patriotism Behind the courage of a truly faithful boy is a gratefulness for his family, his nation, and for the tender mercies of God in his life, motivating him to demonstrate an unflinching loyalty. Therefore, he has the heart of a son and the spirit of a patriot.
	Virtue and Duty It takes courage to be a virtuous boy in an impure world. But the truly courageous boy is steadfast in his commitment to remain pure in body, mind, and spirit. He will not be governed by undisciplined passions, or swayed by dangerous peer influence, and learns to stand alone and unmovable in his convictions.
	Adventure and Evangelism The courageous boy is one who longs for the thrill of adventure and eschews the life of ease and sloth. This desire is not a pagan quest for self-glory, but is in pursuit of a higher cause ? the advancement of the Gospel and Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

 

 

A size 2 is not fat

 

Not that I approve of wearing a bikini, but give me a break! The girl is not fat and certainly quite gorgeous! I give her MAJOR CREDIT for speaking out on this issue with class and dignity. Way to go Jennifer Love Hewitt! My favorite part is the last line.

Read on... 

 

Hewitt strikes back over bikini shots

December 3, 2007, 2:21 pm PST

NEW YORK - An angry Jennifer Love Hewitt is defending her curves after photos of her in a bikini were ridiculed on the Internet.

"I've sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women's bodies are constantly scrutinized," the 28-year-old actress writes on her Web site. "To set the record straight, I'm not upset for me, but for all the girls out there that are struggling with their body image."

The photos show Hewitt, with a bit of cellulite, on a Hawaii beach with her new fiance, Scottish actor Ross McCall.

Several sites posted the shots, along with some less-than-complimentary comments. TMZ.com, for example, said, "We know what you ate this summer, Love- everything!"

"A size 2 is not fat! Nor will it ever be," Hewitt responded in a post Thursday. "And being a size 0 doesn't make you beautiful."

"What I should be doing is celebrating some of the best days of my life and my engagement to the man of my dreams, instead of having to deal with photographers taking invasive pictures from bad angles," says the star of TV's "Ghost Whisperer" and the film "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

She wrote, "To all girls with butts, b00bs, hips and a waist, put on a bikini, put it on and stay strong." 

New meaning to evergreen

If you own a faux Christmas tree...

you never need to:

-go out to search for the perfect tree
-argue about the right tree
-pay WAY too much for a tree
-find out that it is full of bugs, as usual
-try to strap it to your car (and scratch the roof)
-stuff it through the front door
-try to get it to stand straight and find it's best side
-get the lights "hidden" in the tree
-water it every day
-vacuum needles
-risk a fire if you accidentally leave the lights on
-dispose of the tree
 

Now don't you wish you had one?
It only takes my family 45 minutes to pull out our pre-lit tree and put it together and fluff it up. YES!!!
Then we can decorate it.
When we are done we put it in a box and hide it in the garage, not a landfill!
How cool is that!!!

NOW you can ENJOY a stress free Christmas every year! Go get a fake tree!

Black Friday... insanity or a blessing?

Did you go out shopping the day after Thanksgiving this year?

I did.

Every year it is a tradition to get up at a terrible hour and go wait in the rain and freeze our bottoms off at 4:30am to shop. My husband goes with me now. This was his third year. My mother, sister and I staple the ads together and mark them appropriately according to DoorBuster deals and time of store opening. Then we wear crazy hats and gear up for a crazy morning that does not end until about noon. It is fun in a psychotic way. We be silly while waiting in line and have been known to sing and dance- much to the surprise of the others waiting there, too.

The way we look at it: if you are not having fun, you should not be there!

(Sadly, there are always many people who do not wait in line and rush the door entrance to cut line as soon as the doors are unlocked. Shameful. Last year I saw a woman do that with her teenage daughter at Kohl's. I am not sure what kind of daughter she thinks she is raising with that as an example.)
      After we hit the first store we drive to the next one which should be opening soon. Oh my goodness... the earliest openings of stores have been 5am, but this year we had two stores decide that 4am was the new time. What? Not cool. Now that meant we were up by 3am and in line by 3:30am.

Okay- you don't need to tell me that I am out of my mind. I already know that. I saved a ton of money. Now that is not crazy!

 

 

Blessing your children

It is customary to bless your children at the Shabbat table if your are Messianic Jewish or Jewish. Shabbat is Saturday. But any day that you set apart for the Lord will work. In our family my husband blesses the children every night before they go to bed. He holds them in a hug and puts his hand on their head. He ends each blessing with the words “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

According to Genesis 48:20, the traditional blessing uses Joseph’s sons and the matriarchs. (We do not do this.) Parents may add their own blessing or additional words of love and appreciation of your children. My husband blesses each child individually, but you could bless your children as a group.

Grandparents can bless, too. Or mothers could if they have a husband who will not.

 

Traditional Jewish blessing:

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.

 

There are a lot of books on blessing your children and the father’s role in giving blessings. On the other hand, there is also a lot on this subject online. You could do a search on it and pull up a storehouse of information!

 

Helpful Hints for Everyday Things

 

Helpful Hints for Everyday Things

(from BHM magazine)

Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving.

Refrigerated baked goods
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Broken Glass
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass. The fibers catch ones you can't see!

No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and - voila - static is gone.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Shave with Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2-inch full with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid. Mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it home, and can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take Baby Powder to the Beach
Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach, sprinkle yourself (and kids) with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

A Thankful heart

Thankful heart

A great deal of my time, that is not spent being a wife and mama, is spent encouraging and ministering to women. Especially Christian women. The Lord keeps putting ladies in my life who need His love and His encouragement. I love being used this way.

Lately, I have had some very difficult things going on in my own life. In the midst of it all I find my faith is weak - which never happens. I also find myself all poured out with barely anything to bless others. Naturally, I have stepped back and am focussing on my family.

Isn't it wonderful when you find yourself in the middle of the fire- to find that there are others holding out their hand to help you along? I have had so many people genuinely concerned for my family and I. They have said they are praying. Even here on HSB. My friends here have prayed. Thank you so much. Your love and encouragement means a great deal to me and I can certainly feel it. It is very moving to me and has touched me deeply.

This Thanksgiving season, I feel myself very grateful... thank full... for my friends- wherever they may be. God bless you mightily as you rest in His mercy, grace and peace that passes all understanding.

Tagged

I've been tagged by MidwifeMom

Here are the rules:

Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.

Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.

Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.

Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

       7 Random And/Or Weird Facts About Me:

1. As a girl, I trained horses and competed. I got a lot of my self esteem and determination from that.


2. I absolutely love to dance during worship at church.


3. I met my husband while he was moving my neighbor's furniture out.


4. I used to be agnostic. I did not get saved until I was 20. Had to hit rock bottom before I could see Jesus.


5. I make my own kefir and also kombucha tea. Much to the delight of my family. I do not grind wheat or have a clean home, though! Betty Crocker does not live here.


6. I dropped out of highschool (because I moved out at 17) and later got my diploma via a work at your own progress school in only a couple months. Against all odds!


7. I used to be on an itinerant healing team. I saw the Lord do some incredible things I will never forget. He loves us so much.

I am not tagging anyone back. I feel guilty asking someone to do a tag.

 

Flies in my soup

 

September and the first part of October flew by for me. Usually I am more on my game and have things in some kind of groove by the end of September. Not this year. But I was making the best of it.

Then our family got hit with one thing after another from the enemy. An example: my parked van was hit and run at Walmart. (Praise God for security cameras.) This thing and that thing really added up and normally I can bounce right back. I was really beginning to lose heart. Seriously... lose heart.

Now I have a real serious case of bad things happening to good people. Last week we were served papers from my exhusband from 12 years ago. He is a horrible deceptive manipulative and lying man. Very very bad man. He is lying in these legal papers, of course. He is biofather to my sweet near 13yr old girl. She knows what he is and wants nothing to do with him. In the meantime, my husband and I are so burdened by it all. I feel as if a dark cloud has moved over us. Real despair. Even when you know that God is in control, it is still a hard place to be. We will protect her with the last breath in our bodies. I dread telling her what is going on as it will genuinely devastate her.

I realize that this is not in my usual vein of blogging. But LIFE happens.

Would you find it in your heart to pray for my family to have complete victory over my exhusband's attacks and that we will have abundant finances to keep a good lawyer paid? Even further... that my ex would give up his "rights" and my sweet godly husband will finally be able to adopt our girl and make her dreams come true. Thank you and blessings on those who pray.

 

Crockpot to the rescue

 

 Fall weather gets me in a crock pot and oven using mood! Thought I would pass along this recipe I got from my Fix It And Forget It cookbook.

A crockpot is a homeschool mama's best friend! Is your's still in the pantry from summer time neglect? Pull it out and shine it up! Dinner will be healthy and ready on time!


-- Hamburger Potatoes --

3 medium potatoes sliced
3 carrots sliced
2 Tb dry rice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb ground beef browned and drained
1 1/2 to 2 cups tomato juice, as needed to keep dish from getting too dry

Place veggies on bottom of slow cooker to keep them moist during cooking. Add other ingredients and set cooker to Low for 6-8 hours.
I always add extra powdered garlic and onion to everything. Tomato soup mixed up (reconstituted) will substitute for the tomato juice.
 

 

Frolicking at the pool

 

 Several of my homeschool mama friends and I are getting together to bring our children swimming 2 Friday mornings a month during the rainy season. Looks like I will finally have to buy a swimsuit that fits.
Aside from trying to find a suit that doesn't look like Grandma Moses wore it, I do want something that is fairly modest with a skirt or shorts. I refuse to pay $80 for one I like. SwimModest, which is vigorously promoted by LoveToLearn, is very expensive. Not only that but, I bought a boy's swim top from them last year and had the worst customer service!

Another problem I have is that I am "tall". I need a long torso suit or I am (ahem!) "flossing". Not enough going north to south, ya' know!
I have decided on a black skirt with tummy control and bought it on Ebay. Now I must continue the hunt for either a longer tankini top or a one piece that I can put the skirt on over.
Does anyone else hate swimsuit shopping?

What a mom does in a day...

 Seriously.... you gotta see this. So funny.

Healthy what? This chick IS healthy!

 

 

Make your own Cream Of Chicken Soup

For years I have used white sauce instead of Cream Of _____ Soup.

We used to buy Campbell's Healthy Request cream ones because they did not have MSG in them. Two people in my family have a major sensitivity/mild allergy to  monosodium glutamate so we really avoid it. Campbell's does not make these anymore- or at least is not shipping them to any stores around here! Here is a good alternative for us...

 

Are you out of Cream of Something soup?

Make your own.

Just mix 2 tsp. of chicken bouillon granules or 2 cubes with 1 cup water. (In my case, we use MSG free boullion, which is hard to find and more expensive- of course )

Microwave until it boils. While you are zapping get ¼ cup water and 3 Tbsp. Cornstarch then bring them to a boil. Mix both mixtures together and stir until they are thickened like the Cream Of soups. One recipe is the same as one can of soup. Turn it into Cream of Mushroom Soup by using beef broth. Simple and delicious!

More info on MSG: CBN News (aka 700 Club)

Planning a hostile takeover... of my house!

 

  

I am still in the vein of trying to get organized, plan my year out and streamline
what I feel I am capable of. (Hah! )
On that embarassing note, I am including an article here I found today.

Their printables are much better than DonnaYoung.org has, in my opinion.

Cuter, too.

OrganizedHome printables:   Printable Planner Forms for Home Management

More great links at the end of the article. Without further ado....

Household Notebook: Planner for an Organized Home

 

Posted September 8th, 2007 by Cynthia Townley Ewer 
(in other words...NOT ME "HOMEFree") 

Personal organizers are hot, hot, hot. Smart home managers tackle time management and goal setting with the help of an all-in-one calendar, scheduling and information retrieval tool.

Families need a organizer, too! Whether it's called a household notebook, a home management binder or family organizer, this simple idea saves time, cuts stress, and enhances communication in any-sized family or household.

A standard-sized binder stocked with calendars and schedules, planner forms and inventories, a Household Notebook creates a one-stop information center for busy families. Whether it's a carpool schedule or a co-worker's phone number, the Household Notebook holds the information you need to check each day.

Ready for an evening out? Flip the Notebook open to the "Emergency Information" page, and the babysitter will always know where to find you.

Time for dinner? Menu planners, recipe organizers and shopping list make it easy to feed the family night after night. Clean house fast with cleaning schedules, chore lists and seasonal checklists for home maintenance.

Stay-at-home parents and homeschool families add scheduling features to the Household Notebook. Daily morning and evening checklists and family schedules make it easy to organize life in busy families with small children.

Ready to create your own Household Notebook? Click the links below for more information about making and using a Household Notebook ... to get organized at home.

• What's A Household Notebook?


• How To Make Your Household Notebook


• Suggested Dividers for a Household Notebook


• Create A Christmas Holiday Planner


• Resources For A Household Notebook


• Specialty Notebooks: Occasions, Hobbies and Crafts

Mini-book: Old Testament - Men Of The Bible

 

I came across this and thought younger children may enjoy making it while older siblings are learning through Old Testament scriptures. You need to scroll past the directions to get to the templates.


Old Testament Men Mini-Book
"The mini-books are quite simple with images that should appeal to young children and simple, repetitive words that early readers should be able to read themselves. This particular one introduces a number of Old Testament characters using simple words."

Liberty & justice for all, Amen!

 

 

I got a copy of this article sent to me via email a couple weeks ago and thought I would share it here. 

Since then, I have received comments and personal emails about this post. People think it is my son. It is not. I cannot take credit for this sweet boy and his generous heart.

So, I must stress that...

this article was not written by me and it is not my son.

How long has it been since you've had ice cream?
By Lilly Walters

Last week I [not HOMEFree] took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads, he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray! Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart." Then in a theatrical whisper the gentleman added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is already good."

 

 

Isn't that cute? What a sweet boy. And I am sure that woman took a look at her heart and actions. She may have though that his mommy put him up to it, but I hope not!

My children do know how to pray. And always  "in Jesus name". But we should not judge others, nor their children, for not praying the way WE think they should. Isn't praying really a conversation between the Lord and them?

  

Do you see what I see?

Not sure if this is real or staged, but rank none-the-less and hilarious in a demented way.

(Photo courtesy of http://www.backwoodshome.net/nl/nl0709.html)

 

Waiter! There's something alive in my food!

 I have been pining away for some kefir grains to make my own kefir for quite some time now. We drank it as children and adored it!! I enjoy kefir quite a lot as an adult and hate paying so much for it at the health food store! Because it is so spendy, I rarely will buy it. I found a place online that sells kefir grains for $20. I thought, hey that would be great! Live culture kefir to give to my family regularly!

Kefir: A fresh cultured milk with probiotic cultures, billions in every sip. Good for you bacteria. Not only does it keep digestive and immune systems intact, it helps prevent common side effects from taking antibiotics, helps with lactose intolerance and weight loss. Plus, it's an excellent source of calcium, protein and fiber. In short, super healthy!!

I was getting up the nerve to blow $20 once and for all recently when a friend of mine and I were talking. The subject of kefir and kombucha came up. I know I have had kombucha iced tea that I bought somewhere. I cannot remember what it tasted like. Well, my friend said she has been brewing her own kombucha tea and said she loves it. She said she knew where I could get a better price on kefir if I was going to get some. I was so intrigued!

Right away I ordered the kefir grains and kombucha! (Okay, I am a little nervous about the kombucha!!) The kefir grains are here already and we drank our first batch this morning. YAY! Kefir is soooooo good for you! I put some in my little one’s bottle to share the probiotic lovin’!

Now when the kombucha shows up later this week, I will have to make black tea with sugar and cool it. Then add the kombucha “starter” (aka scoby) to the tea, at which point it should set for 7-10 days.

Clearly there is more involved when you make kombucha. In contrast with kefir- just pouring some milk over kefir grains and letting set 24 hours!

If you want to know more about live culture foods and what an amazing thing this is that God gave to us for our health, just do a search on “fermented foods health benefits”, “making kefir” or “making kombucha”.

See this cool site!  HOW TO MAKE KEFIR

Rollin' rollin' rollin'!

Yes, it is September.
I always try to be sooooo organized and I plan plan plan. But when the year starts up for us- the kinks and the REAL LIFE schedule starts to float to the top. Sometimes I get a little stressed about it, but then I realize- all over again- that I just need to focus on the Lord's direction.

So, that is what I am up to right now. Working out the "Real Life & Real Timeframe" plan for the day, week and year. Maybe, just maybe we will get to art and spanish. But really I doubt it. And I cannot guilt myself over it. When my life is all said and done- did I train my children in the Word? This is my focus. Everything else in school is secondary-- or third-ary (LOL!)