Granola Mom 4 God

My Grandma’s Sewing Machine

2012-02-16T09:06:00.001-05:00

It isn’t young. It isn’t fancy.

But it is my grandma’s. With this beloved hand-me-down, I am embarking on a new hobby.

I want something that is both beautiful and somewhat frivolous to do. Mindless. Methodical with a touch of funky.

Feminine.

I can picture sweet nights of quilting with Naomi . . . crafting a quilt for her brother(s). A brother that leaves for college, the Navy, ministry, or aviation school, should the Lord tarry.

It will be a hobby that provides details and has love stitched into it. Rather than be paid for my work, I have to purchase materials myself. I have to give of myself to create beauty.

And the audience shall be small.

I am ok with that. Thrilled, actually.

Montessori at Home

2012-02-15T12:55:00.000-05:00

Please join me today over at Totally Tots. Discover how simple “man-tools” from the garage can become a learning experience that builds confidence. Once again, I am featuring a great book titled, Montessori at Home!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T06:07:00.000-05:00

She has the potential to be a mountain climber.

One small step is all it takes.

She surprised herself.

And delighted in her newfound climbing abilities.

Linking up with Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Can I Make You Some Tea?

2012-02-14T17:37:00.001-05:00

Some photographers photograph people. Others focus on scenery. A select few excel at capturing life. A rare photographer can draw out a child.

Me? I like to photograph tea.

Humboldt County Tea to be precise. And just in case you are wondering, I have absolutely no affiliate links in this post. I simply enjoy tea.

I think because tea means quality time. Love. Conversation.

It feels like artwork to me.

Steeping it at the right temperature. Measuring the correct amount. Creating an aura of importance . . . to bestow upon the designated drinker.

As my mom left our house today, she discovered a package. That package was tea. Dan, from Humboldt County Tea, blessed our family.

Twelve Roses Black Tea . . . the smell . . . ahhh . . . ohhhhh . . .
Lovers Breakfast Tea
Organic Virili-Tea for Men
and the sweetest heart tea ball

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about boyfriends, husbands, wives, girlfriends, who you want to date, or the fact you might find yourself alone in a bed at night.

Valentine’s Day reminds me of Jesus, quite frankly.

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (1 John 3:16)

And so . . . this afternoon I wanted to lavish love on my children. I want them to know that I love them.

It should be like that every day. Not just February 14th.

Even in the hard times. The whinny times. The poopy times (literally).

Just wanted to share some tea with you. Since I shared my flax crackers with you recently.

Interested in tea?

Free Tea – once upon a blog post
Why I love tea!
Azeri Tea
Fermented Tea
a steeping mug from a sweet friend (who now owns a Vortex mug)

I’d love for you to stay for tea. Receive blog posts in your inbox or on your reader.

19 Years Ago Today

2012-02-13T17:25:00.001-05:00

On this day 19 years ago, I met the Engineer.

(Prom – the Engineer couldn’t drive yet.)

~~Two of our closest friends~~ I set us up on a blind date. I wore a bright red, cropped sweater with black jeans. He wore a green shirt with purple long sleeves and a pair of jeans that I later inherited, though I had to cinch the waist with a belt.

We were young. In high school. New in Jesus.

We were young. In college. Learning how to be ~~pure~~ faithful in Jesus.

We were young. Newlywed. Skiing our way down the mountains of Colorado.

We were young. Adventurous. Trekking all over India.

We were still young. Dog owners. Free to do whatever we wanted to in our spare time.

We are now middle-aged. In love. Parents. Still sneaking kisses. And staying up late talking. We find any excuse to go on a date . . . to celebrate . . . to hang out together.

Dear Engineer, thanks for knocking on my side door 19 years ago with a rose. I’m thankful that you still make me giggle and get goose bumps all over.

Happy 19 years of dating.

Flax Seed Crackers

2012-02-13T10:26:00.001-05:00

I am not quite ready to share with you what I have been working on at home. But I will tell you that this little thing that I am engaging in . . . has me eating flax seed crackers.

This mucilaginous seed is rather expensive in the cracker form and comes in a small package. I took an aversion to purchasing them. I decided to figure out how to make this rich brown cracker.

Are you wondering what mucilaginous means? This large word basically means sticky. When the hull of this seed encounters water, it absorbs the water and creates a gel that is rather . . . gross. I don’t much care for the smell either.

Alas, it is a healthy food. So eat it I am.

It is an excellent source of fiber, which does led me to warn you to watch your intake of this cracker . . . too much can cause you to spend a lot of time on the commode. Ahem.

In moderation, the flax seed is an excellent source of lignans (anti-oxidants), micro-nutrients, and omega-3’s. It has the potential to lower cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar, and decrease the risk of cancer.

Once again, allow me to remind you . . . it will make you poop.

And that mucilaginous quality . . . makes turning thousands of flax seeds into several crispy crackers . . . easy.

Ingredients

2 cups organic flax seeds
2 cups water
1-2 tablespoons naturally fermented Tamara sauce
sea salt

Directions

Place flax seeds in a bowl. Add water and allow mixture to sit for approximately 1.5 hours.

Add tamari and salt. Mix.

Place (not pour – much like concrete) the slimy mixture on a cookie sheet OR in a dehydrator. I recommend you try and keep the layer of seeds thin.

I found that my crackers were too thick.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 4-6 hours or bake at 170 for 12 hours. (I had mine in the over overnight for 12 hours.)

You can experiment with other flavors such as garlic, cinnamon, or herb flax crackers. Flax crackers are excellent paired with guacamole, kimichi, or chicken salad.

For more whole foods recipes visit my resource page.

I’d love to see you be a regular here, sign up to receive more good recipes in you inbox!

Subscribe to Granola Mom 4 God by Email

Bittersweet Surrender: A Review

2012-02-13T00:34:00.000-05:00

I picked this book to read largely because the contents of the book contain a lot of chocolate. However, the book was not as good as eating a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Kind of disappointing.

But I pursued the end of the novel. It got better with time, but still . . . it took WAY TO LONG for the story to engage with my imagination.

Perhaps it was because main character , Carly, is older than myself? Divorced? I’m not sure . . . but it was hard to connect with this character. She didn’t seem quite believable.

Anyway, here is a plot for you brought to you by Amazon (I know . . . I am deviating from how I normally handle a review):

The last few years have been tough, but now Carly Westlake’s life seems picture perfect. Business at her spa is up thanks to her famous chocolate facials. And Jake Mitchell—her dreamy, teenage crush—has moved back to Spring Creek, Vermont, with his daughter in tow. Carly’s nearly floored to learn that Jake has his sights set on winning her heart.

But when long-buried secrets threaten her business—and her friendship with her best friend and business-partner, Tom—Carly has to fight like crazy to keep her plans afloat. Can it be that her dream of marrying Jake Mitchell isn’t the plan God has for her life? What if God’s plan requires something totally unexpected . . . a bittersweet surrender that Carly must make before she can discover true love?

I most likely would NOT purchase this book nor would I check it out from the library. Sorry!

I received this book through BookSneeze. I was not paid for this post nor do I have to return the novel.

Mercy Came Morning: A Review

2012-02-13T00:17:00.000-05:00

I did like this book. It was sweet. I think I even cried.

It follows the typically story line about a daughter and mother that fail to get along.

The mother, Charlotte Mueller, has Alzheimer's Disease and has little life. At the urging of Dane, Charlotte’s doctor, daughter Krista travels down from Colorado to New Mexico. Krista has conflicting feelings returning to her childhood home . . . facing the “could have beens,” and being around this Dane . . . who evokes strong emotion within Krista.

Charlotte never recovers.

To find out what happens, you need to read the book. Is it somewhat typical? Yes. But it is a nice story.

I received this book from Blogging for Books. I was not paid for this post and gave an honest, albeit short, review.

Blogging and Taxes

2012-02-10T07:56:00.001-05:00

Instead of reading some vacation fiction last night on June, my Kindle, I spent time with Nikki, author of Your Blogging Business.

Yup.

Blogging and taxes go together like peas and carrots. Tweet This!

Or . . .

A famous quote states that the two things you can be certain of are death and taxes. I’m not worried about death. But I need to be concerned about taxes. Jesus instructs us to give to Caesar (read the US Government) what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to Him.

I know that I owe the government something this year.

April 16th will be here before the Engineer and I know what hit us.

Admittedly, I figured the book “might” be kind of boring. The reality was that I read the book in its entirety last night . . . and I learned a tremendous amount.

Like . . . all those free books I receive? Ummm . . . I need to figure that into my taxes. Once my income from blogging OR my essential oil business exceeds $400, the IRS wants to receive some communication from me. All those affiliate commissions I receive . . . go on my tax return. The items I purchase to feature on my blog . . . they can actually help me out on my tax return. The desk and surrounding area that I blog from . . . you got it . . . can be included on my tax return.

My main problem is that I dropped out of accounting . . . when I transferred to the University of Evansville from Indiana University (IU), I thought I was going to become an accountant, like my dad.

Not.

Though my dad is a whiz with numbers and is so savvy when it comes to business, I didn’t inherit those genes. I like to dream . . . and spend money on those dreams.

Those dreams have lead me to blogging and having a home business. I never figured out the whole bookkeeping and accounting thing.

Praise the Lord, I married the Engineer.

So, if you are a blogger . . . or you have a home business . . . and/or you use social media to drive people to your business . . . you really should read Your Blogging Business.

Tax time is just around the corner.

Grab a copy of Your Blogging Business for just $4.99 and don’t forget to “write it off” on your tax return!

Your Blogging Business answered a lot of my questions . . . and will be a tremendous asset to the Engineer when he prepares our tax return two days before April 16th. Just kidding.

Five days before the deadline.

P.S. This book isn’t just for April 16th . . . it also has some great bookkeeping skills in it too.

P.S. This post has affiliate links in it . . . and will probably end up showing up on my tax return . . . not the links . . . the income generated from those links.

Five Minute Friday: Trust

2012-02-10T07:02:00.001-05:00

Trust and honor swirl around like a cloud in our home. I hear myself, “Trust me, Buddy.” It rolls off of the tongue easily. It is meant to calm – to be a balm in stressful times.

But I wonder. Do I deserve that trust?

I wouldn’t trust a woman who tells you to fold and put away clothes, when hers have been sitting in the laundry basket upward of 10 days.

Or the countless times when littles are asked to speak the truth, guilty eyes look up at me and instead of showing compassion I lash out in anger because clearly I have been duped, deceived, lied to.

But in order to rise to that word we speak of, the word that is supposed to transform our house from bickering and complaining to submission and preferring . . . that word honor, I fail to show it.

I hate myself. I’m going to run away. I wish I was never born. I want Daddy.

I’m sorry. I was wrong. Mommy made a mistake and I ask you to forgive me. Though I sinned, I want you to know that sometimes I have to discipline you . . . even punish you . . . so that you know I keep my word.

I will do what I promise to do.

I want you to trust me.

I Have Sprouts

2012-02-08T13:06:00.001-05:00

I have begun to consider the garden. The Engineer knows that he will be dragging the green house out from storage very soon. Making some rich compost has begun. Sprouting those seeds that quietly quiver with hidden life is on the to-do list.

All this dreaming because there are wheat berries sprouting on my kitchen countertop.

I suppose I am zealous. An overachiever. A teacher’s pet.

I am anxious. Excited.

Anxious to learn more about healthy bread making. But not only healthy bread . . . healthy grains. Like:

Taboulli
Buttermilk pancakes
banana bread
Indian Dosas
Crackers
Zucchini Muffins
tortillas
pasta
dumplings
pie crusts
blueberry muffins
biscotti
chocolate chip cookies
cinnamon rolls and scones (heaven!)
donuts
tortilla chips
5-Minute bread
brownies
and cake . . .

It is a misconception that just because you are on a GAPS diet that you ALWAYS have to be on a GAPS diet. I don’t think that the idea of a non-grain diet for the rest of your life is a fair or realistic jail sentence.

Why, oh why, oh why, would grain be so prevalent in the Bible if this were so? Remember Ezekiel bread?

Even my hero Jordan Rubin didn’t have to stay on his strict Maker’s Diet forever. He now eats “properly prepared” food.

Nor was Ann Marie, the instructor for the Healthy Whole Grains course, condemned to a low-carb, grain free diet.

The American Diet is missing the whole concept of proper food preparation. We seem to be so focused on low-fat and antibacterial products.

But is anyone healthier who is entrenched in this current trend?

We buy into the idea that our time is so so so precious that the faster our food preparation the better off we and our families will be.

We replace wholesome for fast. Colorful and nutritious for cheap.

Sure I am in the kitchen more by thawing my grass fed beef, chopping up veggies to sauté in coconut oil, and washing fresh berries instead of opening pre-packaged fruit snacks.

It is worth it because my children are worth it. Attempting to lessen the Engineer’s arthritis pain is worth it. My health is worth it. Avoiding sickness and disease is worth it.

A healthy gut keeps me out of the doctor’s office . . . where you wait . . . you receive answers that are often a series of trial and errors . . . guesses . . . and leave with fried children . . . only to stop at Chick-Fil-A to stop the complaints of hunger.

(Sundried tomato frittata with portabella sandwiches)

But suppose . . . just suppose you committed to learning how to prepare grains properly. Commit to this one thing.

Because EVERYONE loves bread. It is so important that even Jesus refers to himself as the “bread of life.”

Don’t even change how you eat. Just sit in for Ann Marie’s webinar. Then make a decision. Healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad . . . or healthy. You don’t have to give up watching TV (though it might benefit you in the long run – encouraging more family time) to make good food for your family.

I am taking this class. I paid money to take this class (with my mom). I don’t know it all . . . and I want to know more.

Sign up for the free webinar (you’ll receive a special coupon code if you enroll in the webinar). No pressure . . . you’ll learn why you should use sprouted flour, how to make it kid friendly, and how to save both time and money. The webinar airs tomorrow, Thursday, February 9, 2012 @ 7pm (EST).
Enroll in the Healthy Grains Course (use coupon code SPROUT21)

Before the class starts, I’m going to grow some grains. You don’t have to. You can actually purchase sprouted flour. I just enjoy being a part of the process.

Now I just need to turn our back yard into a wheat field.

Asher’s Chocolate Covered Cherries

2012-02-08T11:49:00.001-05:00

In the Bible, Asher is noted for being a maker of dainties.

Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.

Genesis 49:20

He has yet to disappoint us . . . as he creates good tasting dainties in the kitchen frequently.

Without further ado, let me introduce Asher (7) and welcome him for his first guest posting on Granola Mom 4 God.

I went to Costco and we bought cherries and after two days I started making them.

get a hand full of Ghirardelli chocolate chips and some cherries
get a metal pot with water and a metal bowl
put the Chocolate chips in the bowl and put the bowl on top of the pot on the stove and cook them for 10 minutes and stir them constantly
remove the bowl when the chocolate has melted
dip the cherries in the hot bowl of chocolate
take the chocolate covered cherry out of the chocolate bowl and let them sit to harden on wax paper

Bible Gluttony

2012-02-08T09:42:00.001-05:00

The King James Bible has 788,280 words. If I use that as my standard and multiply it by 46, I discover that I have a lot of eternal words floating around my house.

We have 46 Bibles.

46 x 788,280 = 36,260,880

Thirty-six million, two hundred sixty thousand, eight hundred eighty words.

Forty–six Bibles.

That seems excessive. Gluttonous, if you will.

I have no idea how we achieved this number other than the Bibles date back to childhood, my childhood. Six people live in our house. Bibles were purchased as Christmas presents . . . Resurrection Day reminders. Money was paid for Scripture that was on sale, but never given as a gift.

I find it slightly embarrassing. We have 46 Bibles . . . which doesn’t include the one on my Kindle and the Engineer’s phone. And I just remembered . . . we have two more audio Bibles.

48 Bibles.

Sigh.

If each family member only kept one Bible, we would have 42 that we could give away.

Yet, when I suggested this to my children as I stared in disbelief at our Bible pile, they became mine-o-saurs. All sorts of excuses were given from, “This has neat pictures,” or “But I read this last week and his stack is higher.”

With the force of the crash of this very stack of Bibles lacking support, I realized that I too horde God’s Word. I don’t hide it like I should (in my heart) but I hoard my resources.

How long did I know about Bible poverty but I did nothing about it? How long did I sense God telling me to support Bible translation but kept my $26 in the bank . . . for a blog conference or an extra Starbucks?

A long time.

Too long.

So, I dare you.

Find all the Bibles in your house.
Take a picture.
Post it on the One Verse Facebook page or link up over at My Journey to Authenticity.

A bunch of us are taking pictures of our Bible ~~gluttony~~ stacks.

It doesn’t take 48 Bibles to transform a life.

All it takes is having a verse, just one verse, translated into one person’s tongue.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

If you can’t see the video, head on over to the blog or watch on YouTube.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:6)

Totally Tasty Tomato Soup

2012-02-07T08:03:00.001-05:00

Only a few soups are universally agreed upon as tasty in our household.

Tomato soup is one of them.

I am looking forward to the day when we can have a sprouted grilled cheese dunked in homemade tomato soup. I have wheat berries sprouting right now for such an occasion.

Whenever we traveled anywhere in India, the trains always served grilled cheese and tomato soup. I would love to get my hands on “Indian Train Ride Tomato Soup.”

This recipe will have to suffice.

My kids like it, and so do I.

Tomato Basil Soup

1 garlic clove (I probably use 2-3), peeled and minced (my favorite garlic press)
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
6 cups chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
1 cup basil (don’t skimp)
2 large cans diced tomatoes (or from your garden)

Directions

Heat coconut oil in a large pot. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. I often go for a caramelized onion. Nothing like having tomato soup also remind you of onion rings.
Add garlic and cook until the garlic oil has permeated every room in your home (about 2 minutes).
Plop tomatoes in while you wear an apron.
Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once your soup begins to burp, reduce heat and allow your red deliciousness to simmer for 10 minutes.
To make your soup have the WOW-Factor, add basil and vinegar.

6. With your VitaMix ($25 coupon) or an immersion blender, blend new ingredients well.

For other recipes, head on over to my virtual cookbook.

Twenty-Six Dollars and a Bible Verse

2012-02-06T11:01:00.001-05:00

Drum roll . . .

Bam bam, bang bang, whildlop, lop, lop . . .

And the Bible Verse you helped to translate this month through your usage of affiliate links on Granola Mom 4 God . . .

Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Matthew 25:1, brought back some memories for me. I wrote a thesis paper on this very verse in college.

Maybe I should publish it for you all to read.

No. I would have to retype it. I have it saved on one of those hard disks . . . and I lack a computer to read that kind of disk now.

Instead, I’ll give you three ideas to do in lieu of reading my thesis paper:

give up Starbucks, your diet Cokes, or a meal out . . . and sponsor one Bible Verse Translation for this month for the Vidunda people group
commit to memorizing Colossians or the Sermon on the Mount this year
collect all the Bibles in your house and take a picture . . . you’ll find out why on Wednesday
Leave a comment and tell us what verse you helped to translate!
Read or re-read last month’s post on Bible poverty
watch this video from artist, Aaron Shust

Elementary Round Up: Week 18?

2012-02-04T11:05:00.001-05:00

School was pretty light this week, with plenty of fun moments.

Like a memorable trip downtown to see the Superbowl 46 festivities . . .

And a field trip to celebrate Groundhog’s Day . . . with Gabe’s cousins.

Though I must admit, seeing a puppet emerge from the ground to discover his shadow just isn’t quite the same as a real animal. But I suppose you do what you gotta do when the groundhog decides to stay in hibernation on his one famous day of the year.

In the classroom,

Yes, in the real classroom . . . we did school.

For starters, Gabe and Ezra got back to basics by learning some new vocabulary with Wordly Wise.

The boys made squids to send off to Jelly Telly.

We studied some history. And colored Babylon.

I cleaned our white board. Here is a trick for you. If your dry erase marker has become so dry that it won’t erase . . . ahem . . . then scribble over the old marking with a fresh pen.

The result is a white board.

I was surrounded by Indians and knights this week. The costumes were pretty amazing . . . and all made out of paper and tape. So they were kind of delicate.

By the way, this is Gabe’s “new” smile.

And of course, Bible with Grapevine Studies . . . (four more days left to enter the Grapevine Study giveaway!).

And you can see what Naomi did here.

There you have it for Tot School, Preschool, Kindergarten and Second Grade!

Joining in with:

What did you learn this week?

Making Bread with My Mom and Free Advice

2012-02-03T16:29:00.001-05:00

My mom and I are going back to school together.

Bread school, that is.

This week, good ‘ol Nana and I signed up for the Healthy Whole Grains bread course, hosted by Ann Marie of the Cheeseslave.

I didn’t wait to join the throng that will be taking this class.

No, I wanted to be one of the first. I’m excited and I just wanted to share my passion with you.

‘Cause I think that you need to catch it.

Please watch this video to learn how important properly prepared grains are in your diet. Your belly will thank you. (If you don’t see the video, click on over to my blog).

Hurry now while the cost of the class remains cheap-o (until February 7, 2012). That is $11/class, which is significantly cheaper than going back to graduate school.

Trust me . . . I know. We just paid for the Engineer’s tuition.

But be sure to use the coupon code SPROUT20!

If you are unsure about this class, you can join Ann Marie on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 at 7 PM EST / 4 PM PST for a WEBINAR. (A webinar is a seminar conducted over the internet.)

The great thing about this webinar?

IT’S FREE!! Free Advice!

(But space is limited . . . so sign up.)

The hour-long webinar will cover:

What kinds of whole grains can be sprouted
How soaking, sprouting and using sourdough neutralize anti-nutrients like phytic acid
When to sprout, when to soak, and when to use sourdough
How to make whole grains kid-friendly
How to save time preparing whole grains
How to save money preparing whole grains

I really want you to understand that just because you eat whole wheat bread, doesn’t mean you are actually making an improvement in your diet . . . even if your bread is organic or if you make it at home.

Grain isn’t what it used to be. A lot has changed in the structure of the actual wheat berry since big seed companies have come along . . . and a lot has changed in how grains are prepared compared to years ago.

So, watch the video.
Sign up for the free webinar
Join the class

Five Minute Friday: real

2012-02-03T09:23:00.001-05:00

I sit in my nursing tank top that doesn’t even come close to matching my pink poke-a-dot pajamas. I’ve worn this top for three days, with two showers in-between cloaking myself with milking duties.

When the doorbell rings, we clamor for coverage. Hiding, only peaking with guarded glances when we think the coast is clear. A retractable arm is extended out the front door to snatch the Amazon box.

Boys are clad in boxers with hair that is raised as if to ask a question to begin our school day. The school room is cleaned in a mass panic before guests arrive. This invasion of inquiring minds is welcome as it spurs me on to return to this homespun room.

The compost piles up in the kitchen, filling multiple bowls. The recycling towers like an intricate interconnected Lego tower.

Real is when you come into my home and I let you see this . . . this disorganization, my pajamas, poopy cloth diapers, and sticky compost.

I ask you to roll up your sleeves and join me.

STOP

Linking up with my encouraging, sweet Lisa Joe over at the Gypsy Mama.

P.S. Don’t forget that Grapevine Studies is having a 50% off sale in honor of their twins! And I still have a giveaway running where you can win an Old or New Testament Bible Timeline study!

Superbowl XLVI

2012-02-02T20:43:00.001-05:00

If you don’t live in Indianapolis, then live vicariously through me for a few minutes. The kids and I headed down to Super Bowl Village this afternoon to meet the Engineer for lunch.

I know you read my blog because I am SUCH the football fan. You learn the latest and greatest football stats at Granola Mom 4 God. {snort}

Not.

I tried. I really did. I watched the ~~Lineman~~ Engineer play football in high school and college. After two “how-to play football” books and countless personal training sessions, I still remain oblivious to what is happening on the AstroTurf.

I do know, though, that more often than not, the team who wins . . . typically practices and plays outside. Tempestuous weather breads a hearty stock.

Our stadium does open its windows to the big sky. But the Colts are not in the Super Bowl. Must be because the stadium is relatively new.

Not wanting to miss the hype, dreading the crowds, and feeling foolish at how easy it was to park . . . I became a football fan for a few brief hours.

We received a random, leather, Super Bowl football . . . not bad.

Will you be watching the game this weekend? Will you be multi-tasking or fully engaged?

Do Not Walk. Run To Apologia Live.

2012-02-02T09:19:00.001-05:00

Apologia is mentioned eight times in the Bible in the context of people defending their faith.

The Bible tells us that we should be ready to give an account . . . a defense for the hope that is in us. (1 Peter 3:15)

Apologia Educational Ministries has made it their mission to provide “home-schooled students a scientific education that will help him or her make a reasoned defense of the Christian Faith.”

Having three textbooks from Apologia, the education provided in said texts is top-notch. My children are being prepared to give a logical account for why they believe what they believe . . . not just because mom and dad said so.

I don’t want my children to feel like they have to follow Jesus because we told them to do. I want them to choose Christ. To love Him because He first loved us. I don’t want an obligatory follow until they leave the shelter of our wings.

But if I were to do a word association of what Apologia . . . as a company . . . as a group of people represents. . . educators doesn’t come to mind (though they do it WELL). Nor lawyers.

Instead . . . encouragers. Cheerleaders. Companions. Mentors.

Mom . . . maybe even Grandma. Older and wiser . . . willing to walk beside you along the journey.

Why do I say this?

Back in the fall, I was supposed to go to a conference called Apologia Live.

I was excited.

Anticipating a weekend away with Naomi and my dear friend, Melissa, had me giddy. I would also meet another fellow Hoosier, Stacy from Brain in Training, who is a massive prayer warrior.

It wasn’t to be.

As you will recall, life intervened. The basement pooped.

Crushed is what I was. Though the Engineer still encouraged me to attend the Apologia Live conference . . . my role as a wife and mom wouldn’t allow me to. I knew it was the right choice . . . but it grieved my heart to miss such an opportunity to be around fellowship and excellent teaching from these fabulous teachers.

In my steed, my friend Sarah attended the conference (thanks to the graciousness of Apologia).

I lived vicariously through these strong women.

Soon afterwards I asked them a few questions regarding the Apologia Live retreat. Here is how they responded.

Why did you want to go to the Apologia Live retreat?

I wanted to go to the retreat to be encouraged and built up spiritually, but I can't deny that I also wanted some time away with friends. :)

What nugget that you learned has STUCK with you?

S: The best thing I took away is that character training/building is MUCH more important than any curriculum. I was really encouraged because I feel like the days I spend character training are wasted as far as school goes. So I was pleased to hear that those days are important and now I don't have to be discouraged when character training is all we've done in a day.

M: That I have been missing out on a lot of things because I’m too busy being a Martha. That I need to take those special times and look my children in the face and say, “I can’t wait to see what God has planned for you.” To look at teaching differently and explain to my kids that God created all these subjects for our enjoyment and not to get frustrated. To be able to say, “It’s okay I see your frustrated,” and close that subject for the day.

What did God do in your heart?

S: God calmed my heart. I am always VERY anal about things getting done and so much so that it tears up my relationships with my kids some days. Over the weekend God really showed me that I need to not be concerned so much with "things being in order.”

God reminded me that I should be character training, teaching my kids who God is and that scripture is the ultimate source of all knowledge because it is GOD'S Words. I was SO thankful for the weekend at Apologia. God used it to refine me, to show me the need to break my bad habit of needing everything perfect, and He used it to encourage me to continue in the way He had already been showing me. I get discouraged when it gets rough or when there is opposition and there has been much of both lately in my house. . . . so it was a much needed reminder.

M: He softened it.

Would you recommend this conference to other moms and why or why not?

S: YES!!! MOST DEFINITELY! It was awesome to see the Apologia's hearts...to see that they are passionate about God, their husbands, and the call of God to homeschool their kids. The call of God to homeschool didn't just mean finding a good curriculum, but the Apologia staff encouraged that it is more important to teach about God's love, God's Word, and our kids role in God's plan. I think that ANY homeschooling mom would have been just as encouraged as I was to go...so YES everyone should go!

M: Yes, I am looking forward to attending it again. The reason is I need to be with other women going thru the same stuff as me. So we can lift each other up in Him.

Considering the price of the ticket, was it worth its value?

S: Well, considering mine was free...this is a hard question to answer because obviously it was well worth the value to me. BUT, if I had had the money to pay for a ticket I would have thought it WAS well worth it's value for sure. You can't put a dollar figure on a weekend of truly being encouraged in raising your kids the way God intended.

M: YES!!!! (FYI—Melissa did pay for her ticket and still says yes!!)

What would you do differently next time around?

buy a ticket WAY in advance
attend the earlier sessions on Friday
have my own bed and be sure to be rested as well as spiritually refreshed
plan on trying to get as many of my homeschooling circle there with me as possible

There are two conferences in the spring:

Baltimore, March 9-10, 2012, with guest speaker Heidi St. John
Atlanta, March 23-24, 2012, featuring Pam Tebow

You may be wondering why I have included so many pictures of Naomi in her new pink hat. How does the pink hat relate to Apologia Live?

For starters, my friend Melissa, that I mentioned above, made this hat for Naomi (I have requested a matching one). If you should see this hat in person, you will notice the detail and craftsmanship. But what stands out more to me is the power behind this hat. Melissa said that as she knit the hat . . . she prayed for my Naomi.

Just like Apologia does for the ladies that attend their conferences.

Apologia notices details. They seek to encourage. They want to bless.

And they do it well. More than a company who wants you to purchase their curriculum, they care about your hearts. I have seen it first hand. I have worked with two ladies from their staff. Since last August, there have been countless times these two women from Apologia have sent me a random email or tweet . . . “Praying for you, Jodi. How is the basement? Love what you did in school!”

They don’t have to pay attention to the details in my life.

But they do.

And that is why this conference is powerful. God is in the details. He cares about the little parts of our lives.

Your life.

Pray about attending an Apologia Live conference. You won’t regret it.

A Pack and Play for Naomi

2012-02-01T09:43:00.001-05:00

Naomi has joined us for school.

I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner.

It has worked fantastically this week.

A pack and play.

A play yard.

She loves it.

We can finally be back in the school room with sister’s hands keeping busy in a contained space, thanks to the pack and play.

Bible Timeline Giveaway

2012-01-31T06:56:00.001-05:00

It has been said, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Studying history is necessary to avoid repeating past mistakes.

While I largely agree that a working knowledge of our forefathers is a catalyst to improve the quality of our future, being able to understand how world history and Biblical history merge into one true timeline provide the only accurate account of historical events. . . . the development of mankind and society.

An organized timeline is a valuable resource to understand the course of mankind as it allows us observe how humankind chose to obey . . . and disobey the commands set before him by God. (See Deuteronomy 11)

Such a timeline exists, and I am so thankful for Grapevine Studies for creating it. I think it is Asher’s favorite Bible study thus far. Having this beautiful wall timeline will be an asset to future Grapevine Bible studies.

Last week, we began our journey of capturing the large picture of Biblical history. You might say that we are learning history thrice.

We briefly study each major biblical event and draw it in our three-hole punched bible timeline.

Later, Asher and Ezra have take our “class study” and transfer their stick figuring onto a 10-foot long timeline.

The third step is to place our world history onto our biblical timeline. Here we see how these normally separated facts really exist to fully develop an accurate worldview.

Grapevine Studies has created both and Old Testament and New Testament Timeline Study. You can also purchase a blank wall timeline.

Win one Teacher and Student Wall Timeline in ebook format or a physical copy mailed to you directly. Enter on the blog by using the Rafflecopter giveaway.

Since once again my attempt at using Rafflecopter didn’t work on my site, please just leave a comment to win! (I don’t have the energy to re-type all of the requirements. But I sure would appreciate a follow, a tweet, a fan, or a subscriber. If you did any of those give yourself an extra comment!)

Giveaway ends February 8, 2012

Elementary Round Up

2012-01-30T10:43:00.001-05:00

Our school days have been accompanied by copious amounts of tea. But the reason why is for another post (a weight loss post).

What have we done?

Legos. When my mom bought the boys’ Christmas presents at the Lego store they handed her two empty boxes. We took those boxes to the Lego store this week, and the boys happily filled the boxes creatively so as acquire as many parts as possible. There inspiration came from The Lego Ideas Book.

Little Passports: Japan

Save 10% on Little Passports with code "LPJAN10"!

I will be posting about our trip to Japan in February, but here is a sneak peak at what we ate.

Handwriting Without Tears

All About Reading Level Pre-1

We tackled one of the suggestions in the extension activities and Gabe made letters in a salt box.

And while I am on the subject of Gabe, he also did a lot of Grapevine Studies Old Testament Bible Timeline lessons with us. (Giveaway coming soon! Use code JANFS to receive Free Shipping! ) He is very proud to be a big boy.

Play Time: not a spectator sport (in Gabe’s eyes)

And now for Sir Honey Ezra . . . haven’t heard that name in quite some time. Sigh. My boy is growing up.

Abeka Math K

All About Reading Level 1

We encountered our first road block. After four days of diligent work, sticker rewards, and snuggles on the couch . . . we finished the reading page.

My inclination was to try and push him through his lesson the day that we initially began this page. Maybe I should have. But I didn’t want to risk damaging his love for All About Reading.

So we stepped back. We broke the lesson down into stages.

And we conquered.

History: The Story of the World

We saw how Biblical History easily fit into World History . . .

. . . which tied in quite nicely with that new Bible Wall Timeline we are creating.

Gym: Basketball

Let’s pass the ball to Asher.

Bible: This young man is adoring our timeline study of the Old Testament.

It is really helping to organize all the stories that float around in his head.

We have been plowing through All About Spelling.

We started at the beginning of the program, so that we were familiar with the program and to make sure that we hadn’t missed any fundamentals. It isn’t uncommon that we do three lessons in a sitting. I imagine once we move to book two that this will change.

Teaching Textbooks 3

Of course . . . there were some fun moments. Lots of tweeting moments while we studied birds with Apologia’s Flying Creatures of the 5th Day. But you would have to follow me on twitter to hear what bird calls we were checking out!

This little girl is moving!

Gabe has figured out that Naomi likes to push him.

What a patient basketball fan this girl is!

A busy day is ended with a nice nap in a fort before Awana.

What did you learn last week?

Learn How to Make Healthy Bread

2012-01-27T16:53:00.001-05:00

Our household is filled with opposites. Loud children, quiet parents. Coffee drinkers verses a man who shakes his head at such indulgences. Almond butter is dwarfed by peanut butter. Kimchi advocates eat it by the spoonful and the sauerkraut fans digest it sparingly.

We all love bread, though.

But not all of us thrive on bread. This dichotomy creates a weird dance in our household.

At times I feel like I am shrieking, “No, don’t let him have grain!!!”

Yet, that evening we will dine with family and devour a pizza.

I find myself regretting that seemingly “easy” road I opted for.

The tummy ache soon follows. Anger rises and peaks the following day. Lethargy. Thumb sucking worsens. Little limbs are consumed with a continual itch until the grain irritant has made its way through and out of this delicate system. The ears no longer register what the parents are saying.

Our lesson is learned. We avoid processed grain for a good week.

We forget our lesson. The Engineer and I find ourselves in yet another situation that is easier to compromise on than be prepared for.

Bread is trump. Toast in the morning loaded with coconut oil, raw honey, cinnamon.

A snack? How about homemade granola with yogurt?

Dinner on the run . . . sandwiches sure can be a lifesaver.

However, to our family . . . to one special member in our family . . . grain creates a fog . . . irrationality . . . silent torture.

Except when grain is prepared properly. I have tried my hand at this art . . . this nourishment present since before Jesus.

To see some of the grains that I have fermented please visit the following tutorials:

But to learn from a wise woman . . . I encourage you to join Ann Marie as she teaches a course titled Healthy Whole Grains.

By taking this course, you could easily save $300 a year if you purchase bread at the store (which would more than pay for the course, especially with a promo code . . . like this one: SPROUT20)

That doesn’t even factor in other grains. Do you buy tortilla chips? Crackers? Cookies? Pizza? Store bought pie crust?

You will learn many things from Ann Marie’s class.

I thought I knew a lot, but from reading about her course, I see that I have so much more to learn . . . and with the tools she is going to provide me . . . there is hope that a properly prepared bread may bake in my oven again.

Make sprouted flour in just 5 minutes per day
Make delicious bread in just 5 minutes per day
Make a gorgeous loaf of nutritious whole grain sourdough bread — with absolutely no kneading!
Save time and effort by eliminating kneading and fussy, elaborate sourdough routines
Make a perfect pie crust with a lattice crust — you’ll wow your dinner guests!
Save hundreds of dollars per year cooking from scratch with whole grains
Make nutritious waffles, cereal, cookies, pasta, pizza and tortilla chips that your children will devour
Store bulk grains and freshly ground flours to maximize shelf life

The details?

Cost of the class? ~~$199~~ $149

Coupon Code? SPROUT20

Real cost of the class until February 7th?

$129 (that is $11/class)

You will receive lifetime access to:

12 Weeks of Online Classes
50 Video Tutorials
Over 100 Printable Recipes!

Head on over to Healthy Whole Grains to sign up for the class. I have NEVER been disappointed with Ann Marie’s classes.

Join me. Let’s learn how to make healthy bread.

(All grain photos are compliments of Ann Marie and her photo journal of her Healthy Whole Grain journey.)

Five Minute Friday: Tender

2012-01-27T09:01:00.001-05:00

Tender is meat grilled to perfection. Warm. Juicy. Full of rich, earthy flavor.

Tender are muscles that have been a slave to Bob and Jillian for a week. Faithfully moving through the pain to improve strength. Bringing the body closer to being a fat burning machine.

Tender is the heart after a loss . . . a heart breaking surprise . . . disappointment . . . words that you weren’t meant to hear or read.

Tender is a little girl’s emotions as a toy is taken from her hand before it is placed in her mouth. The first time she is told no – and she understands.

Tender is that heart as it begins to understand who Jesus is and what we have done to Him with our words, deeds, and actions. Tender is the heart that allows itself to be transformed, renewed, restored.

Tender is the one who works towards change, overcomes habits, seeks revolution within.

STOP

Linking up with Lisa Jo over at The Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Friday!

Wanna receive these posts in your inbox? I’d love to get to know you!