Let a Woman Learn

My Youngest-Last Daughter Graduates & My Life Is Taking A Different Direction

2011-04-29T11:10:00.000-04:00

My youngest daughter graduates this June and my homeschooling journey will be over. It seems like only yesterday that we started and the time has flown by way too fast. So much that has been a part of my life is changing, leaving me that I am filled with mixed, bittersweet emotions. It is once again a time of big adjustments in my life.

This blog doesn't get many views so with my life taking a new direction, perhaps having even more time restraints with other responsibilities due to my mother's health, I'm not sure how much time I will have available to add to this blog to keep it current.

If you have an interest in good literature for your family or homeschool, check out My Generational Home Library of Vintage Collectible Lovely Treasures and Books. There are lots of good, used children's books for those who love good stories. I'll be spending more time going through our library and shelves to down-size and re-organize. Perhaps this new phase of my life will take a time of adjustment and hopefully bring new opportunities to be involved with homeschooling in other ways. It's been a part of my life for so long that I want to keep up with the homeschool world and friends even though I will no longer be as active as before. One of the ways to keep contact with homeschooling is through my used book site:

Blessings!

Spring & New Beginnings

2011-04-21T23:23:00.000-04:00

Spring has finally arrived although cooler and rainy but there is the promise of warmer weather and new beginnings in the air. This is a beautiful free image from Graphics Fairy.

Easter Blessings!

The First Snow

2010-12-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

The first snow of the season always brings an excitement. As long as the roads aren't too messy and unsafe I enjoy a white winter and having the ground entirely covered. We've only our first real snow of the season in the past week -- a few inches with more possibly this weekend.

The First Snow

How strange the new, soft silence in the air!

So still -- it seemed that we could almost hear

The snowflakes, ere we saw them, drifting down

As lilies from the wall of heaven might fall --

Making the whole world beautiful and fair;

Brightening the lonely roads, the meadows scar,

The garden-beds, the hedge-briers, rough and brown,

Dancing and whirling in their voiceless mirth,

As if half wild with joy, to reach the earth.

How strange the muffled sound of song, or call,,

Or echoing laughter, or faint sleigh-bells' chime?

Each heart keeps memory of such a time,

When, on some winter morn, we waked to know

The first sweet noiseless advent of the snow.

~Madeline S. Bridges~

Lovely Advent Calendars - Inspiring Projects

2010-12-06T00:25:00.003-05:00

We've started getting ready for Christmas and are enjoying putting up the treasured decorations, some of which have been around for a long time and the same for years. This year we've started with the indoor decorations first. At last it's snowed, our first real snowy day. It's also got very cold, so cold I don't know if we'll get to any out side other then the wreath on the front door. The tree in the living room is finished and a small Advent tree is on the shelf next to it. Boughs are across the fireplace mantle and stockings are hung. Our olive wood manger from the Holy Land (a gift my my mother-in-law) and Ginger Bear are on the built-in oak hutch in the dining room. My Gingerbread Man & yo-yo potpourri basket is on the pantry counter. Christmas scented candles warmly glow most evenings and fill the air with delicious aromas. My youngest daughter is making a baking list of what she plans to make this year, starting with Peppermint Bark. Her first batch has disappeared already so she will have to make more. I've been enjoying searching online for Advent calendars. I've a found several that I really like and I'm sharing links to the projects. Nothing that I'll get to this year but they are certainly inspiring and keepers for a future Christmas:

Godelieve of StampingMathilda has made a unique and beautiful Wooden Box Advent Calendar with lovely, hanging paper tags and ATCs made from wooden sticks, ribbon and beads. Be sure to click on each day to see close ups of the individual pieces and the detailed stamping, embossing, distressing. So inspiring -- I want to make some thing similar to this some day!

I love yo-yos and scrumdillydilly has made her own yo-yo Advent calendar. She has a great photographed how-to tutorial at craftzine.

A wonderful fabric Advent calendar is made by
Anna of Noodlehead. Get the full, photographed tutorial from her guest blogger post at Gwenny Penny. She's made printable activity cards for inside the pockets and they can be printed in either color or black/white from her PDF file.

Another beautiful fabric Advent calendar is made by Elizabeth from my crafty mess has a fabric Advent calendar of recycled old lace, bits of sweaters and rick rack.

This Advent calendar project is made from an item everyone has lots of: empty toilet paper rolls. This is one of my favorites recycled items to use for crafts and art. I've also used empty toilet paper rolls for seed starters for my garden seedlings. Maya's Count Down Calendar 2010 project is made from them. She has two other wonderful Advent projects also made from toilet paper rolls: Count Down Calendar 2008 and Count Down Calendar 2009.

Another yo-yo Advent Calendar is from Sunshine Creations with a detailed 26 step photographed tutorial.

This is a great project using everyday items found around the house. Kristy from craftastica has an inexpensive recycle bin Advent calendar made from recycled magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and brown paper grocery bags.

So many wonderful ideas and inspiration for some thing similar next year!

Free Printable Snowy Village Ornaments

2010-11-27T16:25:00.003-05:00

Use cardstock to print out these free templates for making three Snowy Village Ornaments to decorate. Image and template from Better Homes and Garden magazine. Registration is required to download but it is free.

Can You Guess What This Is?

2010-11-15T00:20:00.001-05:00

This is a first for me, some thing new to me. I had never heard of these OR seen one until this autumn season when we went to the Pumpkin Patch a few weeks ago. Can you guess what this is?

Farewell To My Mom, My Dear Mother-In-Law

2010-10-31T23:57:00.001-04:00

This has been a rough year, especially the past couple of weeks, some of which I wasn't expecting, some I knew was coming but was not ready for. How do I adequately describe my mother-in-law and put a 30 plus year relationship into words? I can only try:

Dear Mom,

You came into my life over 28 years ago when I met and married your youngest son. In those first times of meeting you, there were no pretentious airs about you. I knew immediately you were a very nice person, a very real person and that I liked you.

You made me a part of your family by just being yourself and that was exactly what I needed at that time of my life. I was honored when you asked me to call you “Mom” and I was very honored to be your daughter. Your common sense nurtured our relationship through time and experiences as a family to become one of love and kindness. We grew to know and love each other as unique individuals, warts and all. We never wanted to change each other.

Not only did I become a part of your family, you took the initiative to make my mom and sister a part of your family. Your desire to do so revealed the real you: thinking about others and doing for others. Your thoughtfulness and kindness became more evident. You didn't need to talk about the good you did to draw attention to yourself because you were more concerned about others. You were busy “doing” good. Your humble actions showed me Christ and His love as found in the Scripture Philippians 2:6-7: “...but [Christ] made himself of no reputation [nothing]... taking the form of a servant...” and that was exactly what I needed at that time of my life.

Throughout your life you had your struggles and trials. More recently in the last few years, I watched the difficult time you had with your health. While there were days the struggle was harder, you maintained your equilibrium even in those moments, your sense of humor was as strong as ever, and your beautiful smile was always cheerful. You rarely allowed your struggle to prevent you from being with family. Occasionally the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes got too brown or a granddaughter's lively flip of her hand on the newspaper disturbed a quiet read but we enjoyed each others company and it was always good to be together. Your love of family gave you strength. That was always reassuring to me and that was exactly what I needed at that time of my life.

From time to time we shared thoughts about our spiritual life. You believed in Christ and trusted in His work on the cross for the forgiveness of sin. I know you were convinced and sure of His only provision in Christ. We talked about the Scripture verse Acts 4:10 “...there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved...” and you said, “That is so true.” Your love of God was also very reassuring to me and that was exactly what I needed at that time of my life.

And now ---- I struggle ---- with the pain ---- you are gone ---- we are no longer together. Already I've begun to review the marked dates on the calendar of my mind of important days I don't want to forget. I fear as time passes they will slip further to the back of my mind. At moments, the sadness stifles me as I don't know if I will be able to remember the sound of your voice or even if your face will remain as clear to me as it is now. BUT then I remember another conversation we had about Christ's triumph over death and His power to save us – I remember you believed this too. You are safely home now and being you in the way you were created and intended to be. Until we are together again, you will always be with me in my heart. I WILL see you again some day and hug you, kiss you. I love you Mom.

With much love – your daughter,

Debbie

We shall yet burst your bonds, O Death

"Jesus has abolished death, overthrown its empire, and delivered its captives; and he has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Therefore be it known unto you, O Death, you king of terrors, that though we cannot now resist your power nor escape your arrest—yet we do not surrender ourselves to you as helpless, irredeemable prisoners. We shall yet burst your bonds, and obtain the victory over you.

And when we commit the dust of our friends or our own to you, O grave! know, it is a trust deposited in your custody, to be faithfully kept until called for by Him who was once a prisoner in your territories, but regained His liberty, and triumphed over you, and put that song of victory into the mouths of all his followers, ‘O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?’ (1 Cor 15:55)."
~Samuel Davies~, Life and Immortality Revealed in the Gospel

Thank you to Of First Importance
Photo by Ron Almog, some rights reserved.

Good Books At My Seven Pillars Book Nook

2010-08-24T07:10:00.000-04:00

Well, the summer has flown by faster than any other it seems. It's been a rough year so far but things are improving a little bit at a time. I've been working all summer, hibernating in my air conditioning, organizing my boxes of books, sorting, scanning images, writing descriptions ....

AND ....

FINALLY....

I have my updated lists ready - see more at my Seven Pillars blog.

Missing Lake Michigan

2010-08-14T22:20:00.002-04:00

I've been watching the PGA Championship Tournament at Whistling Straits Golf Course, Kohler, Wisconsin where Lake Michigan can be seen on all 18 holes -- I'm missing Lake Michigan! I would much rather

walk right up this path...

stop at the top, take a long look and deep breath, the sky and lake are sooo biggg...

walk along the private and peaceful shore in the sunshine, the waves are gentle...

and spend an evening building sand castles...

when the sand is cool...

and watch the painted sky change colors...

I am missing Lake Michigan!

Surviving and Growing

2010-08-11T14:41:00.002-04:00

This has seemed like a long scorching, sweltering, suffocating summer. I've hibernated in the air conditioning. With little rain and plenty of heat, at the end of July, we've already had 14 days of 90 degree temperature, high humidity but only 2.5 inches of rain. Not like the two previous summers when we had only a total of 10 days of 90 degree temperature.

Part of my garden and a lot of my flowers have been in survival mode for several weeks. Some, the tomatoes in particular, are not doing well at all. Only Sunflowers, Zinnias and Pumpkins are growing strong. I've watered all the plants off and on to keep them from withering in this firecracker heat; the irrigation system from last summer has been very useful again. The growings of the summer.....

My Mom's Birthday Party & Family Get-together

2010-07-17T13:49:00.008-04:00

Mom's birthday party was a wonderful time with her and all the rest of my family together. My family isn't as large as it use to be so this was indeed a special time for all of us. Her brother, my uncle, who will be 91 at the end of this month was there. Dave's mom, my mother-in-law, who is 85 was able to make it too though it was difficult for her due to using a walker. Cousins and second-cousins were there, my youngest brother and his family, my sister, a niece and nephew too. Even my uncle's and my mom's precious friend of 80 some years was there. They've know each other and been friends since they were around 10 years old. The stories they tell! I never tire of talking with them and listening to them.

Orangeblossom worked hard on her cake for her Grandma and it turned out well. She made two cakes, a white and a chocolate and they were delicious. She's becoming quite the cook. I'm so proud of her!

I was able to finish my Mom's collage: "Yesterday History" in time for her party. I wrote a poem with the same title because it's about mom, as a child and about her family of her childhood - "her beginning." I stood her collage on a small eisel and placed it on the table by her cake, balloons and other presents. Her collage is larger than my scanner so I don't have any scans of it on my computer. Daisy took a few photos with her camera. I'm using these until mom can bring her collage back over to me so I can scan it to my computer in portions.

Mom loves to talk about her family and childhood, the difficult and joyful times so I wanted it to remind her of that time being together with them. I also wanted it to remind her that they are always with her in her memories and heart AND that she has the promise and comfort of knowing someday they will all be together again. My mom has been through a lot in her life and I love her so much. I hope this portrays to her just how beautiful and wonderful a person she is, how dear her family is to her, and how loved and dear she is to me.

Daisy, my oldest daughter, took these photos (I'm partial to her photography and so proud of her too!) I using here in this post. My brother took lots of photos too but we don't have any of his yet -- Daisy's photos of Orangblossom (my youngest daughter) putting candles on Grandma's cake :

My Mom's 80th Birthday

2010-07-07T17:11:00.000-04:00

My Mom had her 80th birthday this past Monday, July 5th. We're having her birthday party this coming Saturday. We're hoping to get as many of the family members together as possible. Orangeblossom, my youngest, is going to make the cake and I've been working on a collage project for her. She let me go through some of her mother's old pictures and I picked out my favorites to use. While scanning and editing some of the pictures, I've been thinking about family and how our loved ones, who aren't physically with us any longer, still remain a part of us in our memories and heart. Our relationship with them in the past remains a great influence on us today SO my theme or title for her collage is "Yesterday History". Her favorite color is blue so I'm using a sky blue with browns, tans, creamy butter yellows, really called "French Vanilla" it has a slighter yellow cast to it. In this picture, my mom is 16 years old...It's getting close to the deadline so it's back to work on her collage.

First Day of Summer & THE Best Broccoli Salad - Paula Deen's Recipe

2010-06-21T20:58:00.002-04:00

WE LOVE Paula Deen. Her Broccoli Salad recipe is a favorite. It's so good and just right with all the hot weather we've been having. I would never have thought of putting raisins in a salad like this or that I would like it BUT it is delicious.

Paula Deen's Broccoli Salad

Salad:

1 head broccoli

6 to 8 slices cooked, crumbled bacon (I use Turkey Bacon)

½ cup chopped red onion, optional

½ cup raisins, optional

8 ounces mild Cheddar, cut into very small chunks (or cheese of choice)

½ cup halved cherry tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons white vinegar

¼ cup sugar

Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem, remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head thoroughly.

Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces.

Place in a large bowl.

Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins if using, and cheese.

For dressing, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well.

Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Slow Motion & Very Little Gardening

2010-06-15T18:28:00.001-04:00

I've been in slow motion the past five months and I'm in slow motion still, literally walking slow. I was not planning for bursitis to settle in my knees but this is where I'm at. I go back to the doctor tomorrow for a recheck and possible different medicine. My garden has never looked worse as I haven't been able to get out and work in it until this past week. The weeds were growing like crazy along with some volunteer plants from last summer. Saturday I was able to pull up most of the weeds and set out my six tomato plants. This year I've planted two "Double Rich Tomato", two "Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato", and two "Sweet Pea Currant Tomato" plants. I started them from seeds in March and they've survived though tall and spindly. Now the warm, humid weather is just what they need to make them grow. I have had late gardens before and soon enough they catch up. My new herbs are growing well in all the humidity too. Sunflower and Zinnia seedlings are poking their way up through my new garden area in the "Sunflower Circle" originally where our swimming pool was. One sunflower that came up from one of last year's plants is now 6 feet tall and growing.

Summer Nature Study - Free Printable Nature & Science Color Pages

2010-06-03T13:10:00.004-04:00

Check out lots of Free Printable Nature & Science Color Pages at my nature blog.

Join Me With My Project At Mocha Club

2010-06-02T14:23:00.003-04:00

My family and I are supporting the Orphan Care + Vulnerable Children project through Mocha Club.

From Mocha Club - "My Project":

HIV/AIDS, disease, and war have taken the lives of so many parents in Africa, and that has left orphans for us to care for. These orphans have no form of child services or housing, and therefore are left to fend for themselves, often alone in the desert or the bush. In the Darfur area, the number one cause of death was wild hyena attacks, because the orphans had no safe area to sleep at night. They are also extremely vulnerable to slave raiders when they are left alone.

We provide the children with safe housing, protection, and complete care - food, education, spiritual direction, medical care, and vocational training. And this is only the beginning, as our goal is to develop these children into future leaders in their own communities.

Join me and other Mocha Club members in caring for the next generation of Africa – children of hope and dreams.

$7.00 in Africa can...
FEED 1 person for a month.
EDUCATE 2 children for 1 school term.
SAVE 1 person's life from malaria.
PROVIDE clean water to 7 Africans for 1 year.

Joy and Peace -- Truth and Beauty

2010-04-30T12:09:00.005-04:00

“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

Isaiah 55:12

Truth is the vital breath of Beauty; Beauty the outward form of Truth.
~Grace Aguilar~

Spring has arrived here and there are signs of life in my yard and garden. One of my pictures I took of the many Magnolia Trees around my neighborhood.

More Playing - Photo Editing Pics - My Garden Tulip

2010-04-28T17:14:00.001-04:00

This is the original picture of my tulip "Esther Negrita".

After editing, some variations:

Once unseen and still

Below the surface buried

Now holder of spring sun

Playing With Photo Editing - Antique Look Spring Violas

2010-04-27T12:59:00.003-04:00

Thus came the lovely spring with a rush of blossoms and music,

Flooding the earth with flowers, and the air with melodies vernal.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~ Tales of a Wayside Inn, Pt. III.

Within the Seed Life Waits The Appointed Time To Bloom

2010-04-19T16:36:00.008-04:00

And with childlike, credulous affection

We behold their tender buds expand;

Emblems of our own great resurrection,

Emblems of the bright and better land.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Walking around my backyard the past several weeks looking for signs of Spring didn't offer much to look at until recently. Near the kitchen patio door I noticed little yellow blossoms growing in the cold, wet earth. I had passed by them several days thinking they were stubborn weeds. My flowerpot of Violas from last summer sat in that spot. After laying dormant through the winter, the seeds are growing into new lovely Violas. I've been digging up some of them and planting them in pots. New life for this new season and new strength to grow again.

"...since you have been born again,not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

'All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.' "
1 Peter 1:23-25

Rough Winter and Start to the New Year

2010-03-08T15:31:00.004-05:00

Since I last wrote a post here, the winter has taken a strong blow upon my mind and heart in other ways than weather. For several years I've had unexplained pain throughout my whole body which has gradually worsened to the point I feel as if I have the flu and can barely move some days. I still make myself get around because of all that needs to be done. I'm just not use to feeling sick and weak and slow. The cold winter has made it worse this year. I went to the doctor in February for testing of several things: thyroid, cholesterol, atherosclerosis, diabetes, anemia, infections, and osteoarthritis. All of which had negative results, good numbers, except for sugar and osteoarthritis. Border line diabetes and arthritis does run in my family so this was no surprise and I had been dealing with these some what. The doctor said everything else looked good and that I was to get more rest, reduce stress, eat a little healthier (cut back on sugar), eat a little less (lose a little weight), move a little more (get some moderate exercise) and get information about fibromyalgia, which he thinks might possibly be some of my situation. I go back to see him this month.

Then, to make it even harder, there's been two deaths in my family, my older cousin on my mom's side and my 18 year old cousin on my dad's side. Two funerals just five weeks apart and I'm faced with loss and grief once again. My mother, my mother-in-law, and my mother's brother, my uncle, are the only ones left of the "older generation" of my family. Now, my own frailty, my own mortality looms more vividly as I wait my turn for being the "older generation." I've turned more inward, looking back at some things, looking forward at others, confessing to God my motives, thoughts and actions haven't always been pure or glorifying to Him, I've sinned, fallen short in many ways. I haven't had many thoughts to put down in posts. I'm pulled in new directions and have mixed emotion -- my daughters are now beautiful young women and my homeschooling years are coming to an end. Things are changing, I'm re-evaluating the past, rethinking what to do now and in the future. I've needed to clean the house more thoroughly this year, getting rid of what's not needed or used any longer, starting with the kitchen and moving through the whole house. It's been a difficult, long, gray, dreary winter that seems to have no end soon even though the calendar shows differently -- BUT I KNOW spring is not far away -- spring will most certainly come once again.

“How precious is Your loving-kindness, O God! And the sons of men take refuge under the shadow of Your wing.” Psalm 37:6 2

Free Resources for Home Education

2010-01-18T16:37:00.003-05:00

I'm doing some housekeeping on my blog, combining and moving a few things that I've listed previously:

Free Resources for Home Education

Free Printable Nature and Science Color Pages

Public Domain Online Libraries, Primary Sources, Historical Documents, Writings

Free Bible and Theology Resources Online

Free Printable Online Etext/Books About Thanksgiving and Pilgrims

Our First Week Of "Eat From The Pantry Challenge"

2010-01-08T21:31:00.004-05:00

The first week has gone fairly well with the "Eat From Your Pantry Challenge" using the items we have on hand in our "pantry". What's really helped get us off to a good start is the left over New Years food which carried us through last weekend into Monday or so: Orange Cranberry Macadamia Brunch Strata and then plain scrambled eggs or pancakes or bagels/toast and orange juice. Also, from the New Year weekend food we had several Taco meals with guacamole, beans, chips, soft tortillas, and desserts of Pumpkin Roll (recipe below) and Orangeblossom's Raspberry Ribbons. Daisy has again stayed with her food of my Sweet Potato Turkey Meatloaf (one of my own recipes below), bagels, mashed potatoes and/or peas or green beans.

I did go to the store Wednesday for milk, orange juice, eggs and some other food items because of the Winter Weather Advisory in our area. I don't go out or drive in it if I don't need to. I was outside this morning for 10 minutes when it was 15 (feels like 4) degrees and that was enough for me. I love snow, a real winter, it's beautiful and I love to get out in the SNOW, not frigid arctic cold. The older I get I don't like it that cold so I enjoy it right from my front window or breakfast nook window overlooking the backyard in my warm, warm kitchen! AND the kitchen has been very warm again this week with Orangeblossom's cooking. Wednesday she searched online for recipes and found just what she was looking for – a bread recipe that didn't require a lot of kneed/rise time: Easy Cheesy Bread and a potato soup recipe: Panera's Creamy Potato Soup both from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures who is also participating in the "Eat From Your Pantry Challenge". Wednesday and Thursday dinner meals were taken of – we some times eat the same thing a couple of days in a row. The soup and bread are sooo goooood, recipes we'll definitely keep, make again, and highly recommend! Just the thing for the arctic blast we're having and for sharing with the rest of my family: my mom, sister, my mom's brother/my uncle and my m-i-l, all either elderly, have health problems, unemployed, on fixed incomes. I'm eager to see how much further we can stretch our dollars and food made from our pantry. It appears it might be more economical to make larger quantity dishes from scratch with bulk items and ingredients but I'm not sure. Now, I'm looking forward to the weekend food planning and next week!

While looking around at other blogs and sites participating in the pantry challenge I found Heather's Substitution List (at her My Red Apron) to keep in our pantry.

Sweet Potato Turkey Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups Spelt breadcrumbs, about 2 slices
½ Cup non-fat milk
½ small to medium chop/mince onion
1 small to medium clove minced garlic
1 medium fresh peeled, cooked, mashed sweet potato
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 whole egg
2 egg whites (eliminate egg whites and use 2 eggs)
1 TBSP honey

Directions:
Peel, cube, cook sweet potato and when cooled, mash and set aside
Crumble Spelt bread slices, then soak in ½ Cup milk, then mash
Grate or hand chop/mince onion and garlic
Slightly beat eggs with 1 TBSP honey
In a large bowl mix ground turkey with mashed sweet potato, mashed breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, then add eggs and honey.

Place into loaf pan and bake for 50 – 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven and check internal temperature which should reach 160 degrees. Allow meatloaf to rest a bit before slicing.

Pumpkin Roll

Preheat oven 375 degrees

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
(instead of using individual spices, substitute 2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice)

Nut Topping:
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar

Filling:
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
5 1/3 TBSP butter, softened at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
½ tsp vanilla

Step 1
3 eggs - beat on high speed for 5minutes, eggs will look thick and pale
then GRADUALLY add in granulated sugar
next fold in pumpkin puree, lemon juice, and vanilla extract

Step 2
in a separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt
fold into pumpkin mixture

Step 3
line a 13 X 9 cookie sheet with wax paper
spread pumpkin batter evenly over the wax paper on cookie sheet
sprinkle batter with sugar pecan mixture (sugar pecan mixture is optional, I don’t add nuts some times)
bake for 15 minutes

Step 4
turn out on a clean dish towel, wait a couple of minutes and then gently peel off the waxed paper
while still hot, start on the longest edge side, roll up in the towel and allow to completely cool

Step 5
combine filling ingredients and beat until smooth, keep at room temperature
after sponge roll is completely cook, gently unroll
fill with a generous layer of icing and roll back up and chill
dust with powdered sugar before slicing and serving

I love this quote and this will be the third time I'm repeating it:

There is something about saying, 'We always do this,' which helps keep the years together. Time is such an elusive thing that if we keeping meaning to do something, but never do it, year would follow year with no special thoughtfulness being expressed in making gifts, surprises, charming table settings, and familiar food. Tradition is a good gift intended to guard the best gifts.
~Edith Schaeffer~

It's still the New Year -- Happy Traditions -- Happy New Year!

PUR Water Pitcher Giveaway

2010-01-07T10:39:00.003-05:00

Our tap water doesn't always taste very good so we spend a lot of $ on bottled water to have some on hand. I don't drink enough water especially in winter so I working on drinking more water and I have a hard time doing that when the water tastes and smells weird. At the same time I've been concerned about the amount of plastic we put in the recycle tub. I would love to have better tasting, healthier water and I've wanted a PUR Water Pitcher for some time but it hasn't been at the top of my list.

Since I've been working to use our food money more wisely to budget better and save when we can, I found some thing to get me moving on this because it probably would save money by not buying bottled water and give us better tasting water. Melissa from Saving Cents With Sense is having a PUR Water Pitcher Giveaway and I entered. A PUR Water Pitcher also has more than personal benefit (info from Melissa's Saving Cents With Sense) PUR Walter Filtration and the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program are committed to providing clean drinking water to those in need. For every PUR system that is purchased, 1 week of clean drinking water is provided to a child in a developing country.

Be sure to check out her PUR Water Pitcher Giveaway.

And don't forget about my own Grand Re-Opening New Year Book Giveaway at my Seven Pillars Book Nook: Seven Pillars Book Nook Grand Re-Opening New Year Book Giveaway!

Eat From The Pantry Challenge - I've Joined!

2010-01-05T15:53:00.017-05:00

Growing up in the time of convenience, pre-packaged food my exposure to a "pantry" or any one who kept much of one came from knowing my Grandmother and Aunt who cooked from scratch. It was a special occasion any time they prepared food. Not many of their recipes were written down so when they cooked it was from memory and from what they had on hand. Something of the dish was always the same but other times it would taste slightly different depending on what was used but it was always delicious. Memories of those days pull me back to a time when all of us were together where I remember standing next to my Grandmother or Aunt, watching them, some times helping them make their meals. My Grandmother, Aunt, and Mother each gave me different gifts, some cooking, some sewing, some needle arts - different gifts that have become a part of me. Spending time with my Mother, Grandmother and Aunt brought more than mere skill and physical sustenance. As imperfect as life and relationships were and at times held frustrations and trials, we were together and we loved it and we loved each other. A lot of my love of being a wife and mother, of homemaking came from being with them. I've wanted to pass some of this very thing, this very feeling on to my own daughters through my own homemaking and our relationships, even as imperfect and inconsistent as I have been. As much as that has been my desire, I didn't develop some areas of my homemaking and parenting interests and skills early in life. In fact, some are rather late blooming! I'm an older mom, with older daughters and just now learning how to better manage our food budget by using coupons, bulk buying, cooking nutritious meals from scratch and even have a "pantry" though it is a little one. I'm taking to heart the saying: "It's never to late!"

Around this time last year I started my little "pantry" that's really not more than a few metal-plastic shelves and containers in the kitchen and basement. Then, last summer we found out Daisy has functional dyspepsia (dis-PEP-see-uh) or nonulcer dyspepsia – our language: nonulcer stomach pain - signs and symptoms of indigestion with no obvious cause, which is aggravated and prolonged by spicy, salty, acidic, high fat foods. With these food restrictions we began making a few changes by cooking more of our own food and meals from scratch so we've kept more food items we use on hand. This too helped with having a "pantry" too. With these few changes there's been a big improvement already. BUT there is still plenty of room for improvement and I was so glad to read about the "Eat From The Pantry Challenge" from Money Saving Mom and FishMama from LifeAsMom where I can learn more ways to improve on my creativity with cooking, budgeting and a pantry.

One of my fears about participating in the "Eat From The Pantry Challenge" is as I already mentioned, I'm new at this and coming in rather late in my homemaking days to learn about having a pantry and meal planning but I'm willing to learn. Another fear is just about cutting back on money and food itself to save money and still have food but I plan to do this some but I'm unsure of the actual dollar amount right now. I find this to be hardest but reading others that have done it by buying in bulk, cooking from scratch and using coupons has helped give me an interest and serious desire to make it work. Finding nutritious recipes and dishes that my family can eat (due to the food restrictions) and will like is another concern but I'm going to look it as an experiment to find the ones that work for us. Some we'll like, some we won't. I'll still go to the store for dairy items and I plan to purchase any sale items to put back into the pantry because of wanting to continue this on into February.

The best thing about the "Eat From The Pantry Challenge" is that each person's pantry challenge will be different because individual and family needs and budgets are different. Mine doesn't have to be like any other person's pantry challenge. No two will be exactly alike and it makes room for personal responsibility and individual unique creativity - some thing I really like. I'm not sure how much I will be able to post and comment but I look forward to learning how to better manage our food budget and cooking from scratch right from our little pantry.