Simply Made Home

A day in the life of our homeschool

2015-10-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

This year I hope to capture our school days in pictures. I hope to do this a few times and put the days in a school photobook. I can hardly remember what school looked like last year so I imagine that in 10 years these days will be a blur. That's a little sad for me. I want to remember. So while my photography skills are none existent, and the lighting is terrible I whipped out the camera and began snappin'. (We put in new windows and still need to finish trimming them out. We don't have any window coverings up yet. Oh the glare!) I have told myself that in 10 years I will not care that the photos are not perfect I will just be glad that I have the memories.

I wanted to share these because I know that there are so many of my family who are just plain curious about what it looks to homeschool with 5 kiddos. It is very busy and loud. It definitely falls under the category of organized chaos. It is hard. It is good.
This is what our day looked like on October 5, 2015.

I start my day by 6:00. I don't really like to be with people for my first hour. Since I cannot ask the crew to refrain from speaking until I am fully awake, I am getting up before they all do. We are all happier when I get up earlier. The kids are supposed to stay in their rooms until 7:00 a.m. Audrey lets the animal out of the cage at 7:00, and the day begins.

This morning we have Dutch Baby Pancakes. Elise is actually eating breakfast today. She usually only will eat yogurt.

After breakfast people are supposed to disburse and find something to do that doesn't annoy anyone else until 8:00. Shockingly this morning Reuben actually does. Simon is not supposed to play the piano, but he was so cute singing to his own music this morning I let it go.

At 8:00 I send everyone up stairs to get dressed, brush their teeth, etc. I clean up the kitchen, get my second cup of coffee and check my to-do list (and my phone-let's be honest.)

Simon needs his second breakfast so I find a left over muffin. Then he runs upstairs to get in on the fun he hears going on over head.

Elise comes down, and I go back up with her. I cannot take pictures of her all day in mismatched clothes. Vanity, I know.

I find Simon is having a great time playing with toothpaste. Marvelous. With everyone dressed and ready for the day I throw in a load of laundry, and see that it is 8:45. I grab Elise's preschool crate. It's time to get started with school.

We begin with Morning Time. Our Morning Time consists of songs, hymns, academic memory work, reading, memory verses and prayer. I use actions for as many of our songs and memory work as possible. It helps the memory and gets the wiggles out. Morning Time takes about a half an hour.

After Morning Time Audrey, Jonah and I look over their assignment notebooks, and they each begin history. We use Veritas Press Online. It is great.

While I was helping the big kids with a question the other three got into Elise's crate. I don't even bother to pick it up we just start in on our reading time.

I sit with Reuben, Elise and Simon on the floor, and we read picture books. Today Reuben grabs one and starts reading it himself. SCORE! The neighbor drops off our invitations to her costume party. The kids are so excited. I calm them down, and we read a couple books.

Audrey is done with her history, and now she has "Simon Time." She gets Simon ready to go outside on their morning walk. As determined as she is I step in to make the process go more smoothly since he is resisting the idea of a jacket.

And then I warm up my coffee!

Reuben is using Math-U-See. He beings each week watching the DVD instruction. He thinks it is great that he gets to watch something like the big kids.

Elise and Jonah start on handwriting.

Rubes ends up back at the table with me working in his math workbook. He loves math and wants to only do math this morning. He skips to the problems he finds most interesting. I remind him to "FOCUS" about 100 times.

Jonah can't handle the noises Reuben makes while learning, and takes his book to the porch. After that he is back on the computer for his math. He is using Teaching Textbooks, and that is working really well for him.

After math Reuben works on phonics. Elise snaps this picture of Reuben reading to me at the end of our time working together for the morning. This is probably one of my favorite times of the day. I can't think of a better way to learn to read than snuggled up together!

Simon is screaming. It is 10:00. Hooray we have made it to our morning break!

The kids eat apples and play outside. Simon doesn't like apples. I take him up stairs with me as I switch the laundry. Then I warm up my coffee. Again.

After break it is Jonah's turn to have "Simon Time." He decides to take Simon and Reuben upstairs to play Legos. 10:30 is Audrey's time work with me on her math and language. She is using Horizon's for math because having 3 kids using 3 different math programs just sounds more exciting. I am not sure that I have hit a home run with her with her and a math program, but I am not sure that a perfect "Audrey math program" exists. It isn't so much that she is struggles to understand; I think she just holds too high expectations for a math book.

We interrupt this homeschool progress with a bit of Elise drama. Something has gone awry between her and the Lego brothers. It can only be solved with Netflix. I call the boys down. Jonah begins practicing his piano lesson, the littles watch PBS kids, and Audrey and I continue to on in her Abeka language workbook.

Our morning is on the home stretch. Jonah and Audrey switch. Audrey does piano, and Jonah heads back to the computer for the last time to do science. He uses Switched on Schoolhouse. This is one of my biggest concessions of the year. I did not have time to teach him science in the fun, hands-on way that I want to. In the homeschool world we talk about education lighting the fire of learning as opposed to just filling a bucket of facts. I might be just filling a bucket this year. I try to make up for it with "light the fire" field trips.

Lunch time! I use lunch time to read to the kids. It works well since most of the time their mouths are full and not prone to talking. Simon still inturrupts a lot. We just have to deal with that. Today we are reading Mr. Popper's Penguins. (I read this to Jonah 5 years ago. We studied penguins, and it was so sweet. If Reuben needs to learn more about penguins than is in this book we'll have to see if "Wild Kratts" has an episode on penguins-no extra time for Antarctic animals today. Sad but realistic!)

The older four leave Simon and I to clean up lunch while they run outside until quiet time. Poor Simon really wanted to go too! He brings me shoes and yells "I go!" to the kids out side.

Oh sweet 1:00 I made it to nap time! Confession: I lay down too. I've been up for 7 hours by this point and need to reboot! Simon, Elise and Reuben all go with me upstairs. I put Simon in his crib and settle the other two down for individual quiet time. The big kids stay down stairs get out their drawing and listen to an audiobook.

The timer goes off. My rest time is over. The big kids get out their reading. I do more laundry and make sure I have got something ready to make for dinner.

Jonah finds the most interesting positions in which to read. I don't care as long as it gets the book read.

Spelling time! I switch from coffee to green tea and try to get my students back at the table. I teach both Jonah and Audrey spelling together. It is working. Time will tell how well it is working. We use All About Spelling. My goal is to get this done before Reuben and Elise come down so I feel like I am in a race. I am edgy because it always takes longer to get to the table than I think it should.

Spelling is wrapping up and Elise and Reuben immerge. Reuben and Audreay each work on their handwriting. and I work with Jonah on language. (Do not ask what we use for language because this post is already too long and it's complicated. :) ) Elise hangs around waiting for Audrey not so patiently. I threaten everyone with their life if they get too loud and wake Simon because everyone is getting antsy to be done for the day.

DONE! 2:45 and we are done with 15 minutes to spare. I shoo everyone outside for 15 minutes to myself before Simon wakes and everyone wants to eat. Again. All in all it is a good day. It has flown by like everyone of our days has lately. Audrey finds her friend and there are at least 5 neighborhood boys in the side yard playing football. It is time to grab the play-doh and play with the younger three!

Grandma Compton's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2014-10-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

I must confess that when it comes to chocolate chip cookies I am a fan of the recipe on the back of the Nestlé's Toll House Chocolate Chips. One problem for this family is that it uses butter. This chocolate chip cookie recipe was requested by my sister's sweet friend who found our her precious little lady is allergic to milk, soy and corn. This nursing mama told me yesterday that she hasn't had a cookie or anything sweet in over two months! Ahh! I told her I would type out a couple of recipes to get her some sweet relief! The recipe comes from my mother's grandmother. To make these dairy-soy-corn free I recommend using Palm Shortening and Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips!

Grandma Compton's Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 C palm shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together the first 4 ingredients. Mix in the remaining ingredients (make sure the chocolate chips last!) Bake for 8-10 minutes (don't over bake!) on an ungreased cookie sheet.
If I am not feeling particularly ambitious I will put all the dough into a 9x13 pan and just cookie bars!

A bonus cookie bar recipe from Large Family Logistics. She says to use olive oil if you are dairy free. I use have liquid oil and half palm shortening.

Palm Shortening on Amazon

Freezer Meals

2013-12-15T19:50:00.002-08:00

When I reached about 32 weeks in this pregnancy I hit a wall physically. I remember hitting the wall with my forth pregnancy as well. I knew the instructions from the midwife at my next appointment would be to go home and sit.
I don't really have a "sit" still kind of a job so I panicked a little when I felt myself reaching my limit. How am I going to get the "extra" accomplished in the upcoming weeks if I can't even getting the normal things done? There is so much I want to do between now and baby day. BUT I have been learning lately that God will provide for what He truly wants me to do. These are a series of both hard lessons and at the same time liberating ones as well.
I was resting last week scrolling through Pinterest when I came across this pin boasting 40 crockpot freezer meals in just 4 hours. I was inspired. Most of the recipes were both real food and dairy-free, and when I checked the paper the next day chicken, pork and beef were all on sale. I had to try.

I did NOT make 40 meals in 4 hours. I took 3 afternoons and made 24 meals. I may not be as amazing as the original blogger, but my freezer is stocked with main dishes both for pre-baby and post! I mentioned it on Facebook and people asked for the recipes. I thought I would share them and what I learned!

Why I didn't get it done in 4 hours:

My goal was to do as much from a barstool as possible. I can no longer stand for long periods of time.

I involved the kiddos a lot too. (No explanation needed on how much that slows a person down!) They had a blast and it allowed me to stay on my stool, but it was slow going.

I cut my own stew beef out of the roast that was on sale. It would have been so much faster to buy stew beef, but I saved between $10-15 dollars buying the roast on sale and the stew beef that I buy is too big for my little people to chew and so in the end I am going to cut for them anyway.

I don't love chicken thighs. On some of the recipes I used drumsticks instead. (For some reason my kids get a kick out of eating drumsticks.) I completely forgot that these are not skinless. It makes a huge mess at the dinner table pulling saucy skin off chicken so the kids can eat it. I pulled the skins off before I threw them in the sauces.

My tips and tricks:

I saved time by buying frozen chopped onion. (We aren't huge onion fans but so I added what I thought we could handle.) I also used frozen chopped pepper from our summer garden.

I kept hand sanitizer and a bowl of water and vinegar on the counter to put my knives in when I would break from cutting meat. I cut a lot of meat and there were many interruptions from little people. I get nervous around raw meat so for peace of mind about germs and bacteria I tried to be prepared.

I had used some bargain storage bags and some name brand. I highly recommend name brand; there is a difference! (As the bag that is ducted taped together in my freezer can attest.)

I cut the roast into two or three large pieces so that they thaw more quickly. I have learned to get a tender roast DO NOT cook the meat frozen.
There was a lot of garlic being peeled-heads and heads of garlic. The kids helped with some of that, but part way through I thought about how easy it would have been to buy the jar of peeled garlic.

Meals I made:

Apple Barbeque Chicken

Maple Dijon Chicken

Island Chicken

Mongolian Beef

Chicken Cacciatore

Steak Fajitas

Balsamic Glazed Drumsticks

Orange Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken

Rosemary-Balsamic Pork Roast

Cowboy Chili

Red Wine and Cranberry Beef Roast

Beef Stew

The first 9 are new recipes. (A couple of them I personally didn't double, just in case we didn't like them!) The last 4 are tried and true family favorites. Because I cook a little like my mom I didn't follow each recipe exactly. Here are all 13 recipes sans the Beef stew (I don't follow a recipe for that one, sorry!)

If you double the following recipes you will need:

17 whole chicken breasts (BUT when the recipe calls for 4 chicken breast it is technically referring to 4 halves.)

32 drumsticks

2-3lb pork roasts

2-2 lbs beef steaks

6 lbs beef roasts

Apple Barbeque Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 t ground pepper
1 large apple cut into chunks
2/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 T honey
1 t chili powder

Instructions

Spray Crockpot with non-stick cooking spray
Place chicken breasts on bottom.
Mix all remaining ingredients together, and pour over chicken.
Cook 6-8 hours on low setting.

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken

Ingredients

3 Chicken breasts
1/2 C Dijon Mustard
1/4 C Maple Syrup
1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 onion sliced

Instructions

Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray
Place chicken in crock pot
Mix together mustard, syrup, vinegar and pour over chicken
Top with sliced onion (mushrooms if you’d like)
Cook on low for 6 hours

Island Chicken

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts
3 T of lemon juice
1 tsp lemon
3 cloves of garlic diced
2 t of dried oregano
2½ t of soy sauce
1/2 c of olive oil
1/2 c of chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients, and marinade overnight.
Pour the marinade chicken and ingredients into the crock pot, add the chicken stock and cook on high for 4-5 hours

Easy Crockpot Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. stew meat
2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, thickly sliced
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
¼ cup honey
1/2 tsp. fresh minced ginger

Instructions

Freezer directions- dump all ingredients into a labeled freezer bag, seal, mix up, freeze flat.
When you're ready to cook- take the bag out of the freezer the night before and let it defrost in the fridge. The next morning dump the bag into the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you're going to be longer just add a bit more water so it doesn't dry out. Serve with fresh slice green onions and rice.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

3 chicken breast
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken broth, more if needed*
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook on low for 6 hours. (In the last hour add the mushrooms if you’d like)
Serve over whole wheat pasta. (Approximately 6 coups)
If cooking from frozen, then it should take 8 hours on low in the crock pot.

*Depending on your crock pot you may need to add more liquid.

Crock-pot Fajitas

Ingredients

1 large onion cut into 1/2 in strips
1 green bell pepper cut into 1/2 in strips
1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2 in strips
2 lbs boneless steaks strips (not too thin)
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Instructions

Place onion and pepper strips in bottom of crock-pot. Place meat on top.
Mix water, vinegar, lemon juice, and spices and pour over meat/pepper mixture.
Cook covered on low for 6-8 hours
Place on warmed tortilla, top with lettuce and cheese. You could also top with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, or cilantro. Serve with brown rice and enjoy!

Crockpot Balsamic Glazed Drumsticks

Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Put all ingredients into a ziploc bag and you can either freeze for a make ahead meal or let marinade overnight
The next morning just dump it all in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into bite size pieces)
3 T Coconut oil
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp lemon peel
¼ tsp ground ginger
3 T Soy Sauce
Chopped nuts

Instructions

Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray
Place cut chicken into crock pot
Mix the rest of the ingredients together except for peanuts and pour over chicken
Cook for 4-6 hours on low
Serve with Stir Fried Veggies and rice. Top with chopped nuts

Crock-pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks
5 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp. oregano
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1/3 cup honey
salt and pepper

Instructions

Place Chicken in crock-pot.
Mix spices, soy sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, and honey. Pour over chicken.
Cook on low 6 hours.

Rosemary-Balsamic Pork Tenderloin Roast

Ingredients

3 pounds pork tenderloin roast

8 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoon crushed rosemary

2 teaspoon Kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for 4-10 hours.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Cowboy Chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup dried parsley leaves
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ pound beef stew meat
1 cup black beans
2 cups kidney beans
1 cup baked beans
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

Combine and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Red Wine and Cranberry Roast

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs of Beef roast
1 t kosher salt
1 t pepper
1 T dried onion flakes
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup wine
1 T gluten free Worcestershire sauce
2 T gluten free soy sauce
1 1/2 T maple syrup
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients and rub the mixture all over your piece of meat.
Place the roast in the bag with the wet ingredients and dried cranberries and freeze.
Cook the thawed roast on low for 8-10 hours.

Quick Kidsave Update!

2013-11-03T12:56:00.002-08:00

What an abundant few months we have had as a family! A crazy summer and now we are a couple months into school already! It has been refreshing for all of us to get back into the routine of school and to spend weekends playing soccer and working around the house.
Kidsave was a blessing for our family, but it made for a very busy summer. We packed all of our normal activities in before Kevin came and our time with Kevin was busy as well. (Pregnancy thrown in there made me slower and I think made me feel like I had more on my plate as well!) It was well worth it though.
I am happy to report that a family is pursuing Kevin's adoption! We are so excited for him and this precious family. I am also excited that as I have talked with other host families about the 7 other kids that came to Iowa this summer, we think that letter's of intent have been filed for 5 of them. Isn't that wonderful? In the mean time I will keep praying for the two girls that I know still need a home. I remember them so specifically in the airport leaving and wondering about the trajectory of their life and where they go if they don't find a family.
People have asked us about our experience with Kidsave and if we will host again. We know that with the arrival of baby 5 in 2014 that we will not be hosting this summer. Our kids are disappointed, but we will find ways to support the host families and be involved. I hope we can host again someday. My husband was just talking yesterday about hosting a sibling set sometime.
Our eyes have been opened to the great need that there is for children without families, and we are challenged to find ways to support and assist them. Just Saturday I was driving down the street passing store after store, thinking about how we as Americans have so, SO much. The majority of our worries are not about daily provisions like so many others around the world. How can I live on less so that others can have more? Then, because I am such a fickle human I was talking to my husband about new flooring in our house. It will be a constant battle to keep the needs of others in the front of my mind for sure.

The week in a whirlwind!

2013-07-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

I have been very negligent in updating the blog lately. It has been crazy around here to say the least. I have heard that the last week to week and a half of Kidsave is intense so life isn't about to go any slower!
It is hard for me to even remember back to what all we have done! Going back to where I left off blogging...it was our small group's turn to clean the church two Fridays ago. Kevin pitched in and vacuumed without being asked. I have been so impressed by his initiative. Afterward all the boys and men played a game of American football. Kevin ate that up!
The following Saturday was our chocolate making morning at Chocolaterie Stam. We have hosted internationals in the past, and one complaint about our food was that it is "too sweet." Kevin does NOT have that complaint. He put down his share of treats that morning. I kept trying to cut him off, and he kept finding new sources of sweets. YIKES! That night we joined my husband's brother's family who were camping at Red Rock. (Kudos to them for letting us crash their party. Not everyone has enough food for 7 extra eaters!) We failed miserably at translating this new camping subculture, however he had a great time playing games with the other kids at the site. There was a sweet little 6 year old there who fell in love with Kevin. He has been great at playing with little kids.
Sunday we took Kevin to the zoo. This was the first time he had been. He said that his favorite animal was the lion, but we loved watching him in the Outback Adventure. The animals run loose as people walk through the exhibit. When the wallaby jumped passed him his face light up, and he shouted "Kangaroo!"
I needed to rest on Monday, and I think that Kevin needed to as well. He spent the day drawing, drawing and drawing some more! The other kids played outside quite a bit, but I don't think that he enjoys our heat and humidity.
Tuesday we met some of our friends and a couple of his Colombian friends as the park. I really enjoy watching him interact with his friends. I can't imagine how lonely I would feel if I lived with a family whose English is as limited as my Spanish is!
Wednesday was art lesson time again, and Adam humored them all with a giant water fight to finish off the afternoon. What a blessing he is!
Thursday was Kevin's dentist appointment. He had a cavity. True to his personality though he never complained about pain the rest of the day. I gave him some Tylenol just because I was convinced that if he was in pain he probably was not going to tell me!
Friday afternoon we got to take Kevin to Jordan's parents dairy farm. Jordan learned something new: driving does not come natural to someone who has lived life with all public transportation. Jordan has been driving tractor since he could see over the steering wheel and figured that steering left or right and correcting just came naturally. It does not. Kevin did much better driving the 4 wheeler! Jordan's mom also had leather crafts left over from Bible school. Once we got him off the 4 wheeler he really enjoyed that too!
Saturday was our 3rd Kidsave event. It was too hot for the Colombians. At one point I looked out and all the dads and American kids were melting as they played kickball while our (smarter) Colombian friends were sitting in the shade with water bottles.
Yesterday was a little more low keyed. He got to meet my sister and brother-in-law. We ordered pizza, and the kids sat in the kitchen with the boxes of pizza. He helped himself to a lot of pizza. This was notable only because he doesn't often help himself, but waits for food to be offered to him. We adults ate in the living room and evidently he felt more comfortable to eat up!
Today we went bowling with our neighbors. I don't see professional bowling in his future, but we all had a great time!
Wow, after reading through the last week and a half I know why I am so tired. If there are many typos in this post it is because I need a nap!

Works of Art

2013-07-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

He is so focused when he works! I am sure Adam found that refreshing. His younger students have the attention span of a gnat!

Art lessons had to get juggled around a bit this week, but today was finally the day! I was really looking forward to it since Kevin has had such an interest in art since he came here. This summer Adam, a foreign exchange student from China, has come to our home and taught lessons to my older two right at our kitchen table (or on our porch!) It has been a great blessing.
I was curious to see if language would be a barrier, and I think that Adam was curious too. We both figured that art was a universal language, and they would be fine. They were. Adam would demonstrate, and Kevin was quick to catch on. Take a look at Kevin's fine work!

Kevin's drawing of a leaf.

Kevin's work on colors and shading.

After lessons I asked Adam play piano for Kevin. (Adam is a wonderful pianist.) Then I twisted Kevin's arm into playing for Adam. Adam was sweet enough to volunteer coming back for a few piano lessons in the next few weeks that Kevin is here. Everyone is excited about that!

Kevin is talking a little more each day. He even asked me for a muffin today! Like so many kids I have to push the veggies with him, but I am amazed that he has eaten everything I put on his plate, minus the green beans today. To his credit he tried one-I held the grapes captive until he did! I think that he tried peaches for the first time. He liked those. He helped flip tortillas last night for our burritos. He was much more reliable to flip them before they burnt than the 8 year old volunteer. They made a good team though!

Our next Kidsave event tomorrow-chocolate making at Chocolaterie Stam! I am looking forward to that!

Living History Farms

2013-07-10T19:54:00.002-07:00

We decided to take Kevin to Living History Farms today. It seemed like a good idea for two reasons:

Today was the coolest day in the 10 day forecast. We can save the Science Center for a day we need the AC.
The Summer Miracles chaperone is also staying with us and could ~~help me~~ translate the historical farms and village. I figured that that there might be a few things that would be difficult to understand since he was looking at the history of a culture that is foreign to him!

We went to the farms first. I thought that would be a bigger hit for Kevin than the town. I was right. The hike was beautiful, and large farm animals are fun to see no matter what language you speak!

The sheep on the 1800s farm

Petting horses on the 1900s farm

It is a little nuts, but it is so good!

2013-07-10T19:39:00.002-07:00

Life is good, and I am hesitant to write this post because I don't want anyone to get the picture that it isn't. That said I had a moment tonight when all the craziness hit me at once, and I laughed so hard that I nearly cried. I am not sure that the incident was all that hilarious, but in the context of it all it hit me as such. (I really don't want to sound negative, so please read all the way to the end!)
When we decided that we were going to host this summer I imagined this wonderful month where I would be a perfect hostess and give this kiddo the best American experience there was to give! We would all learn Spanish, and who ever was lucky enough to come to our house would feel like he was on the set of "Leave it to Beaver." (In my mind I might have even worn an apron and heels.) It was going to be awesome.
REALITY: there have been a few things that have come up since we decided to host that could have happened at a better time. That's life; we roll with it. My health hasn't been great these last few weeks so I don't feel very "June Cleaver." The dryer setting that I usually use won't shut off automatically so I have to watch it. I wake up in the middle of the night in a panic because I can't remember if I left it running when I went to sleep. The washing machine is now making funny noises, and few weeks ago the basement flooded.
Our basement really wasn't finished, but we had our TV down there and large carpet remnants. We made the space functional. As a result of the flood we lost all the carpet in the basement, and with it the useable space. Kevin's room was the Lego room, but we removed the Legos. They were supposed to go downstairs, but now are on the main floor. Our ping pong table folded up and has remained trapped in the corner. Our TV was moved up to the family room which isn't terrible, but something about the router and the way the internet is hooked up to the TV -if someone turns on the TV no one can be on the internet. It is kind of annoying.
As part of being a host for Kidsave the families take turns hosting the Summer Miracles chaperone as well. Yesterday morning I picked up the chaperone, and she will be with us until Saturday. She is very friendly and has been helpful, but we are just running out of space! We had already given the guest room to Kevin and the basement pull-out is not place for anyone right now. We gave her our girls' room, and the girls are sleeping my closet. (Don't worry, it is big. They are fine.) I texted Jordan last night to ask him if he remembered I was hosting a couple of ladies for Bible study at 8:00 that evening. He replied with something along the lines of "That's fine, but you have to meet outside, because every other room in our house is full of people." (I ended up canceling anyway, because I just needed some down time!)
The chaperone spends a lot of time at night on the internet working and Skyping which is fine, but we can't turn on the tv to watch a show, dvd or the news because we kick her off the internet. Honestly, it's a good excuse to go to sleep early, but it just adds to the craziness right now.
Then tonight I was tucking my little girl into her "nest" on the floor of my closet, and she wrinkled her eyebrows and said, "Mom, this blanket dad gave me sure feels like a table cloth!" Sure enough running low on blankets last night Daddy had grabbed a table cloth, and that was her blanket. (I found a large bed sheet and folded it up for her instead. It is softer!)
That's when I lost it. It was just too funny. I had wanted to be the best host and wanted to give this kid the world in a month and really we have just invited him into a whole lot of our chaos! We are sleep on the floor with table cloths for crying out loud, but I laughed because that's ok.
God is teaching me that I don't have to wait for the perfect time to serve Him. When he calls and we obey, He will make a way. So, so, so many people have stepped in to help us. In big ways and small ways. Faithful friends and neighbors who let me know that they are headed to the grocery store and can pick up milk right when I realize we've run out. A text that they are going to the park and can take a few extra little people. This morning I woke up to an email from a new friend asking if she could bring all the sides for supper tonight. The cool part was I had the frozen hamballs; God completely took care of the whole meal for me so that I could spend the day taking the kids on a field trip. It is a little nuts right now, but it is so good too. Despite the inconveniences and my inadequacies God is showing me who He is. He is good.

Week 1 Begins

2013-07-09T10:07:00.002-07:00

Yesterday we begin our first full week with Kevin. Since he came on a holiday weekend the days didn’t feel very normal. I realized that I may have to fill the calendar with a few more things to do, the Science Center, zoo, etc. I feel badly that he is 4 years older than our oldest, and so much goes on around him in a language he doesn’t fully understand. I am trying to be sympathetic to both of these factors.

He pulled away a lot yesterday from the activities that my kids were doing. Not in a bad way; he just found other things to do. Still, the worrier in me wonders why. It is not easy for me to get inside the head of a 12 year old boy. Add to that the cultural/language differences and I am pretty clueless! Was he physically tired? Tired of playing games with an 8 year old? Tired of not being able to communicate? Was he uncomfortable with the heat and the humidity outside? Or was he completely fine and likes to just do his own thing? I may never know. I just sat down with him and played a game of chess and Chinese checkers. Then I made everyone cookies because cookies fix everything, right? J He is out playing hide and go seek-tag with our kids and the neighbors right now. Yesterday just may have been "a day." We all have those!

Kevin is easy going, and has been great at finding things to do. The last couple of days that has meant playing piano, reading and art. I wish I knew more about what music opportunities he has had in the past. He is trying to learn the notes now. I would love to find someone who speaks Spanish, plays piano and is willing to sit down with him and teach him a few things. He is eager to learn. Last year I bought an art curriculum that we never got around to finishing. Kevin found it and has been putting it to good use. I am so curious, are the supplies that we have more than he has had in the past or does he need more? Our oldest two have been taking art lessons this summer, and I am excited for Kevin to be able to join them this week. I think that he will love it!

We took Kevin shoe shopping on Sunday. He found a hat that he really liked too! I have been told that any clothes that we send back with him will go into a community closet so to speak, but I hope he gets to keep the shoes and hat! I think that he would sleep in them if he could!

First Saturday Event

2013-07-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

Kevin Daniel’s profile says that he is a “leader.” I was really curious how that leadership would manifest itself in our family. I am an oldest child. Sometimes when my family would describe me as a “leader” they were politely saying I was a little bossy and maybe a little obstinate too! So far Kevin has been neither. He’s been very responsive to our instructions. When we say that it is time to be done with the DS there hasn't been a fight, and he didn’t fuss when I told him he had to pick a different ceramic to paint because the first one was “mucho dinero!” I do realize that we are still in the “honeymoon” phase of his stay here. Questioning our authority may follow in the next week or two. Kevin has demonstrated his leadership by helping our younger children. When he felt that the girls were getting a little too far into the street at the 4^th of July parade he would gentle lead them back to the curb. When my 4 year old needed help with his bike helmet and I was busy helping the 2 year old, Kevin got off his bike and helped out without being asked. I like this kind of leadership!

Kevin's artwork from this morning.

It was our first Kidsave event, and we painted pottery at Glazed Expressions. My oldest son also got a taste of reality today. The two have been together since Kevin arrived. My son has completely amazed me in his thoughtfulness toward Kevin's needs. I warned my son that today Kevin would be with his Colombian friends and may want to hang out with them a lot. It wasn't necessarily because he likes them better, but because they all speak Spanish. Kevin didn’t shun him at all, but my son could see how much fun he was having with the other kids. While it was a hard lesson, it was probably good for him to realize that Kevin Daniel is not his personal playmate!

I enjoyed seeing him interact with the other Summer Miracles kids this morning. He says so little at our house that it was fun to see him talk and joke around. He was not the most boisterous kid in the bunch, but he came out of his shell a bit more than we have seen in the past couple of days.

I have contacted a couple of acquaintances in the local media in hopes that they will help me spread the word about the upcoming Kidsave events. There are three more chances for families to come out and meet these great kiddos!

Kevin's 1st 4th of July

2013-07-05T07:38:00.001-07:00

Waiting for candy at the 4th of July parade

A late happy 4th of July to everyone! We had a good day. We went to our local parade and spent the rest of the day hanging out around the house. It so great that my husband had the day off for Kevin's first day here. We were too tired to do any fireworks. My kids didn't even complain they were so exhausted. I hope that Kevin wasn't disappointed.
In one way yesterday felt a little like "sink or swim." On the other hand we got two calls yesterday to make sure that all was going smoothly, one for us from the local Kidsave coordinator and one for Kevin from his chaperone.
Kevin has been pretty quiet so far which we are told is typical. He is polite says "Thank you" for every meal and my oldest has started to thank me at every meal too! Bonus!
We our kids have quickly learned that there are a few universal languages. I have been so impressed with the way that kids can play without letting language get in the way. Playing catch, Nerf gun wars, video games, basketball...the kids are just fine. My six year old and 4 year old just chatter away at him like normal. I don't think that he has a clue what they are saying, but he smiles and seems to enjoy their company!
I had picked up a few Spanish books for him, and yesterday he started reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. It was as if he went to another world. He didn't hear anything that was going on around him. I loved watching him devour that book! I am not sure if he loves the book or if he loves hearing his language even if it is just in his mind, but I may have to find Prince Caspian in Spanish soon!
We had a big language break through last night. My husband speaks no Spanish and was coaching him to use Google translate on the ipad. Kevin was very hesitant to try it, but Jordan kept pressing. Finally Jordan asked him what he wanted to do, and Kevin typed "Tocar el piano usted" "Play piano with you." My husband is a very talented musician. (I like to joke that the only two things he loved before me was his mom and his piano!) Jordan doesn't think that Kevin reads music but just likes to play by ear. It was a very sweet moment!

Tomorrow is our first Kidsave event. We will be painting pottery with the other Summer Miracles Kids and families who are interested in opening their hearts and homes to these kids and giving them a forever family. I can't wait!

*If you would like to view pictures that include faces or see what the other Summer Miracles kids are doing be sure to go to the Kidsave website and apply to meet the kiddos!

Welcome Kevin

2013-07-04T07:06:00.001-07:00

I am sitting here with our kids as they eagerly wait for our new Colombian friend, Kevin, to wake up. His American adventure began early, early yesterday morning. His flight finally got in around 10:20 pm last night, and it was well after midnight before we got him tucked into bed.
Kevin is a 12 year old orphan who is in the US for a month long American experience with Kidsave's Summer Miracles program. Kidsave will be hosting fun, interactive events to bring together families who are interested the international adoption of older child (ages 8-14) and the Summer Miracles kids. Our family will be taking pictures and writing weekly reports to give these families an idea of Kevin's personality and how he interacts with our family and friends.
If Kevin were to have stayed in Colombia his chances of adoption were 10%. Kids in the Summer Miracles program have a 80% chance of being adopted. Isn't that great?
Please help me spread the word about Kevin's arrival and the events Kidsave is sponsoring. Share this post on Facebook, and sign up on the Kidsave website to see pictures of exciting summer! Help me spread the word about Kevin's arrival and the chance to give him a forever family!

What's in your freezer?

2013-03-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

My Valentine's Gift!
I get to keep kickboxing
even after the challenge!

This is the final week of my 9 week fitness challenge. I am so glad that I did it, but there is a part of me that is ready to take what I have learned and work out at home. The early mornings are kicking me in the pants for than the workouts! I will do another fitness challenge someday when I do not have to get out of bed before 5 a.m.!
Many things (like blogging!) have gotten put on the back burner during my fitness challenge. In addition to my trips to the gym we have had a busy couple of weeks as a family. Special classes and opportunities suddenly took over our calendar. This last week I relied heavily on a few meals that I had put in the freezer for a "busy day." Thank goodness I had a few in there because it was a week of busy days! I need to get my freezer stocked back up again but here are a few things that you should try!

I made these for my husband's lunches. He thought I was amazing! http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/easy-chicken-burritos-perfect-for-the-freezer

My family loved this. I am to try sneaking other root vegetables, but the family loved LOVED this meal. http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/easy-chicken-pot-pie-real-food-dollar-menu

I love taking advantage chicken sales and making pop corn chicken. Pop corn chicken is so kid friendly and my husband and I love to throw them on a salad. I am always happy to have these in the freezer. http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/2012/06/pop-corn-chicken.html

I pair meatballs with either spaghetti or with mashed potatoes. http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/2012/07/husband-approved-meatballs.html

I was able to prepare this casserole with cheese on only have for the dairy-free in my crew. I have one in my freezer right now for whenever I need it! http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/04/14/recipe-chicken-enchiladas/

These were met with mixed reviews. The younger two kids liked them, but the older two didn't. I love the idea of fast freezer lunches! http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/taco-corn-fritters

Meal Plan 2/3-2/9

2013-02-03T11:50:00.003-08:00

Yesterday we went to Costco and Trader Joe's and stocked up on bulk groceries. It never fails; I start unpacking bags and boxes back in my kitchen and realize I forgot something! Why do I always do that? All is not lost though; we still have plenty to eat! Here is what I have planned for this week. I linked up many of the recipes. Try them and let me know if your family enjoyed them too!

Sunday
B-Oatmeal and Eggs
L-Shipwreck, Green beans and lettuce salad
S-Superbowl party! (I might bring this spaghetti squash recipe. I know it is not really "Superbowl food," but I don't think that this will be well received by many in my family, and I really want to eat it! My favorite solution to this problem...take it to a potluck! I am also taking this Cheese Dip out of respect for traditional football food.)

Monday
B-Frozen Waffles
L-Leftover Shipwreck and spaghetti squash
S-Cashew Chicken, Brown rice, Roasted Broccoli and Sweat potatoes

Tuesday
B-Pumpkin Bread and Eggs
L-Beans and Rice (We are studying Louisiana this week!)
S-Sausage Soup

Wednesday
B-Baked Oatmeal and Eggs
L-Soup
S-Beef Sandwiches, Green Beans and Freezer Sweet Corn

Thursday
B-Eggs and No-Knead Bread
L-Sandwiches, raw veggies and dip (Check out the updates to my favorite hamburger bun recipe!)
S-Cod, Mashed Potatoes and mixed veggies

Friday
B-Granola
L-Pop Corn Chicken, sweat potatoes and lettuce salad
S-Chili Soup

Saturday
B-French Toast Waffles
L-Chili Soup, Raw veggies and dip
S-Pizza

Menu Plan 1/28-2/1

2013-01-27T19:20:00.002-08:00

We have been picking up speed as a family the last couple of weeks, and our lazy winter days are officially done. Enrichment classes resume and it looks like a few things our social calendar are about to collide! It is a good thing that buns are quick and easy to make because we are eating a few sandwiches this week! I not only wrote out our meals but also a prep list for each day. My goal is to go on autopilot this week!

Monday
B-Freezer Pancakes
L-Stir fry from frozen veggies, brown rice and leftover shredded pork
S-Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet and roasted broccoli and corn

Tuesday
B-Oatmeal and Eggs
L-Pasta and Sauce with peas and carrots
S-Ham Sandwiches and raw veggies and dip

Wednesday
B-Breakfast Cookies
L-Fish sticks and peas and sweet potatoes
S-BBQ Beef Sandwiches, green beans

Thursday
B-Pumpkin Bread and Eggs
L-Taco Corn Fritters (from the freezer) raw veggies
S-Beef and Noodles and Mixed veggies

Friday
B-Granola
L-Amish lunch
S-Pizza

My Humble Home Spotlight!

2013-01-15T05:25:00.002-08:00

I am the oldest of the three girls. We each have our strengths. If you want to know how to substitute ingredients in a recipe or where to buy the cheapest chicken, I am your girl. Decorating...not so much! My two sisters a much MUCH better at that, but we have been making some updates to our home that my sister is highlighting today in her series My Humble Home. What an honor! Be sure to stop by MyAubservations for a quick tour!

4 Dairy Free Casseroles (3 Gluten Free too!)

2013-01-14T06:31:00.000-08:00

We do not eat casseroles around here very often. Our meals are mostly a separate meat, veggie and carb. Since many in our family are on a dairy free diet it hardly seems worth it to try to make my own condensed soups to make casseroles healthy. There are a few dairy free casseroles that have made it into our family’s meal rotation. If you are formerly a tator tot casserole mom who now finds herself dairy free, these 4 casseroles are my gift to you! (3 of these are gluten free if that applies to you!)

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

· 2 cups cooked brown rice

· 2 cups cooked chicken

· 2 tablespoons healthy oil

· 2 tablespoons water

· 3-4 tablespoons wheat flour

· 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, thyme, garlic powder and onion powder

· 2 cups chicken broth

· 1 ½ cup frozen peas and carrots

· ¼ seasoned breadcrumbs

Directions:

In a large skillet bring 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp water to a light simmer. Add flour slowly and blend until smooth. Add thyme, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Slowly add 2 cups of broth and continue blend until it’s a smooth consistency. Add cooked chicken and stir. Lightly grease a casserole dish and layer rice in the bottom of a grease baking dish. Layer peas and carrots onto rice. Carefully pour chicken mixture over vegetables. Dust bread crumbs over the casserole. Bake in a 400°F oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

NOTES: You can switch out the veggies to suit the tastes of your family. I am sure that a bag of mixed vegetables would work or broccoli! We usually have this for supper one night, and the next day I add broth and make it into chicken and rice soup for lunch! The family doesn’t even think of it as leftovers! I have doubled the recipe and frozen half with great success.

Shipwreck

Ingredients

· 2 lbs ground beef

· ¼- ½ cup chopped onion

· 6 medium potatoes (sliced)

· 1 large can pork and beans

· 1 can tomato sauce

· Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Layer in order and bake covered at 350 for 3 hours.

NOTES: This was a recipe that my husband ate often growing up. When I came into the family I thought that it was very strange. I was surprised to find that I do like it! Plus it is a great dish to mix up before church and stick in the oven. We come home and lunch is ready in minutes of walking in the door! You can easily cut this recipe in half for a smaller family. Our family is right in between the 1 and 2 pounds of ground beef mark now, but with our growing boys it won’t be long until we will always need the full two pounds! I like to make my own baked beans to save the family a little money and a lot of sugar! Sometimes I will brown the beef and the onion before I cook this casserole. I like to drain the grease before I bake it, and I like the texture of the beef to be a bit more crumbly! It shortens the cooking time quite a bit.

Hearty Bean Bake

Ingredients

· 1 lb ground beef

· 6 strips of bacon (chopped)

· ¼ cup onion, chopped

· 3 lb can baked beans

· 1 (14oz) can red beans, drained and rinsed

· 1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

· 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

· 1/3 cup honey

· 2 Tbs brown mustard

· 1 tsp vinegar

· 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

· ½ tsp each of salt and pepper

Brown the ground beef with the bacon and onion until the beef is crumbly; drain. Combine the ground beef mixture with all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cook in the crock pot on low for 3 hours on in a covered baking pan in the oven at 350 for 1 hour. Serves 8-10.

NOTES: I found this recipe in Oakwood Road cook book, but it was A LOT sweeter and spicier. These ingredients are how I serve it to our family. They LOVE it. The leftovers can be frozen in a small baking dish. For a fun twist the next time you eat it, thaw in the fridge and pour a corn bread mixture over the top. Bake until the cornbread is ready and eat! I make my own baked, red and black beans making this meal both packed with protein and cheap, Cheap, CHEAP!

Taco Casserole

Ingredients

· 1 lb ground beef-browned

· 1 small bag shredded potatoes (Or make your own!)

· 2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning (The homemade shredded potatoes might seem intense but making your own taco seasoning is super easy! Try it.)

· 1 can (1 3/4 cup) tomato sauce (Check the fridge or panty and use whatever is there. Pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, regular tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Anything will work.)

· 1 can red or black beans-rinsed and drained

· 1 cup frozen corn

Mix beef, seasoning and tomato sauce and spread ½ of the mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Layer on ½ the corn and beans, followed by half of the potatoes. Repeat the layers and ending with the potatoes. (If you are not dairy free top with 1 cup cheddar cheese!) Bake covered at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

NOTES: This recipe mirrors my Taco Potatoes recipe. Same basic ingredients just different presentation!

This post is linked up at http://www.raisingarrows.net/ http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/12/homestead-barn-hop-90.html http://www.elsacooks.com/ http://wearethatfamily.com/ http://www.foodrenegade.com/ http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/ http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Meal Plan 1/12-1/18 and the start of my fitness challenge

2013-01-12T05:30:00.000-08:00

Breakfast has changed a bit around here. I started my 9 week fitness challenge this week, and so I am at the gym by 5:00 a.m. many mornings. I froze waffles and pancakes, and quick breads in advance so that our mornings there is one less thing to do in the morning!
A fitness challenge is something that I have always wanted to do so when the opportunity came up I decided to go for it. Nutrition is a huge part of the challenge. On the one hand we eat fairly healthy, and I am do not have to make drastic changes to our meals. On the other hand I have a few habits that are getting nipped in the bud. (i.e. Loosing track of portions because half the time I eat standing up, or I reward myself with something sweet just because-a lot of normal "mom things!") There is a quite a lot of protein that is recommended during the challenge. I am doing the best I can without adding any packaged protein bars, powers or shakes, and I am not calorie counting. Oh-I can't forget about the water. I am drinking a lot of water!
For the curious this is my family's meal plan. It is safe to assume that I am eating eggs for breakfast, dropping any grains at supper, and eating beans or Greek yogurt in between. (Slight exaggeration, but not much!) I want to make sure that I am eating very closely to what the family eats so that I am setting a good example for my kids.

Saturday
B-French Toast
L-Pop Corn Chicken, Green Beans
S-Pizza and salad

Sunday
B-Pumpkin Bread
L-Chicken Tortilla Soup
S-Roast Beef, salad and roasted veggies

Monday
B-Frozen Waffles
L-Chicken Tortilla Soup
S-Korean Beef and Brown Rice, sweet corn and carrots

Tuesday
B-Oatmeal
L-PB&J, frozen peas
S-Garlic Lemon Chicken, sweet potatoes, biscuits

Wednesday
B-Frozen Pancakes
L-Chicken Salads
S-Beef and Broccoli over Egg Noodles

Thursday
B-Eggs and No-knead Wheat Bread
L-Beef and Broccoli (or Fish sticks. The kids are up in the air about home much Beef and Broccoli. It will either be gone or they will not touch it. Anyone else with kids like that?)
S-Balsamic Tomato Chicken (this is a Pinterest experiment that I will need to tweak a bit) and whatever veggies I can find thrown into a skillet!

Friday
B-Granola (Lasts week's granola experiment was a huge success! 4 for 4 with the kiddos so this mama's happy!)
L-Chicken on a salad
S-Ground Beef Tacos

My 2013 Goals

2013-01-08T18:50:00.001-08:00

2013…What do I want to do with this year? I have been reminded recently that each day we have is a gift from God. I keep looking into the eyes of my husband and children and am so thankful for each day with them. I am challenged not to try to do great things, but to be faithful in the little things. How will I resolve to be faithful in 2013?

I had such a good experience with written goals last year that I had to write them down again.

1. Find a Routine. I have felt off my game for the last couple of months. Part of it is due to the fact that I have used a 3-ring binder in past for household management. I think that my life has grown into two binders; one for the household and one for school. Since I out grew my binder I foolishly abandoned it all together. I have been without direction.

2. Cook with my kids (instead of for my kids.) It hit me the other day how much time a month we as parents spend on sharpening artistic and athletic skills while becoming too busy to teach life skills. How many times do I grimace when I hear the sound of the kitchen chair scrape across the floor? I say, “Not now,” when my little one smiles up at me with anticipation and asks, “Can I help?” In 2013 I will no longer value speed and efficiency at the cost of bringing my kids alongside me.

3. Shut the cupboard doors. If you are looking for some deep or hidden meaning in that resolution there isn’t one. I am terrible at shutting doors! It used to drive my parents NUTS, and recently my husband has brought it to my attention that he finds my carelessness annoying as well. Old habits die hard, but I am sure going to try!

4. Can sometime with my sister. Last year was my first year with the garden. I froze corn and zucchini. This year I would like to can, and my sister wants to too! I am not sure what we will can. Green beans, applesauce or stew…maybe I will let my sister decide, because they all sound good to me!

5. Be a blessing. I want to go into situations asking “How can I bless?” Far, far too often I have expectations of what others can do for me. One of the great paradoxes of God is that giving to others brings greater joy than getting. That is what I want at the forefront of my mind this year.

I was really tempted to add a couple more, but I had better concentrate on just doing a few things well. Stay focused on being faithful right? Well, off to the printer I go to keep my written goals visible in the new year.

This post is linked up at We are that Family

Looking Back at 2012 Goals

2013-01-07T04:49:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year when people are asking, “Did you make a New Year’s resolution?” Before I made any goals for this year I wanted to check and see how I did on last year’s goals.

Everyone says that the secret to reaching your goals is to write them down. Everyone is right! Since I am a list ~~nerd~~ girl, last year I made 3 lists: Goals for 2012, Long Term Goals and a Book List. A perfectionist may look at my progress and frown, but I am going with the attitude “Any progress is good progress!”

My Booklist: I have mentioned before that I love to read, but I get stuck on one topic and become ~~obsessed~~ enthralled with it. My 2012 book list contained different genres and topics to try to stay more well rounded! I didn’t read every book on my list this year, but I did read half! I read a variety of books so I say, “Goal accomplished!” As always other books were suggested to me throughout the year so I did a little off list reading too. By far the best book was Redeeming Love.

Long-term Goals: This was the list that I found most encouraging. Last year I wrote down all those things that I would say, “Someday I want to…” I was inspired by Mama Bird’s goals posts! One of my “somedays” included “Plant a Garden.” (insert something here about the success of the garden experience, and then insert something to the effect of: Another “someday” was to sign up for a fitness challenge that I had been contemplating for six years.) I signed up for a fitness challenge that I had been contemplating for six years. I begin this week! We achieved some of our family’s financial goals this year, and even though working with yeast scared me at first, I dove head first into making bread, buns and cinnamon rolls. What a great year!

Goals for 2012: I made four goals for the year.

1. Try new things (Foods specifically)

2. Pray more

3. Consistently speak gently to my kids

4. Kill my sugar habit

#1 New Foods: I ate a lot of foods that I had either never tired before or previously thought I didn’t like. Brussels sprouts, parsnips, quinoa, cabbage, lamb, ratatouille, egg rolls, cole slaw and chocolate covered bacon! (They were giving out free samples at the Des Moines Art’s Festival so I thought I might as well try it!)

#2 Prayer: This was less quantifiable than my first goal. It feels like I can always pray more. In the last few months I have started a thankfulness journal, and I am so glad that I did!

#3 Gentle words: I am so glad that this goal was in my face all year. I have NOT mastered this, but my conscience is picked each time my voice gets too “edgy” and I am quick to ask my children for forgiveness. If I can’t be a good model of gentleness I should at least try to model humility! The other day I heard myself say to a certain little boy, “I am sorry I yelled, but I had to keep you from killing your sister!”

4# Sugar: Can’t I skip this? There were times I did really well at this. I have to keep a food journal with my fitness challenge. This week I keep telling myself, “I’d better eat this before I start the challenge and it’s off limits.” There is currently ice cream off to my right. J

I am not done with my 2012 goals. I want to take them with me into 2013, but I am ready now to put together my 2013 list and see what I can get done!

This post is linked at http://www.raisingarrows.net/ and http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/

Meal Plan Jauary 5-11

2013-01-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

I am kind of getting board with my meals. I think it is time to go searching through my "Food to Try" board on Pinterest for a few new recipes!

Sunday
B-Frozen Waffles
L-One last Christmas potluck! I am bringing green beans and a variation of this successful pasta dish find from Pinterest.
S-Shredded Pork Sandwiches (It is always nice to be able to pull cooked meat from the freezer for some easy sandwiches after a busy day.)

Monday
B-Eggs and Bread
L-Shredded Pork on a lettuce salad
S-Honey Sesame Chicken and Rice (Fingers crossed on this Pinterest recipe) and Roasted Broccoli

Tuesday
B-Eggs and Chocolate Zucchini Bread
L-Left over Honey Sesame Chicken and mixed veggies
S-Salmon Patties and Raw Veggies with Ranch

Wednesday
B-Baked Oatmeal (My sister had this while she and her family stayed with us over Christmas and needed the recipe. It is really good oatmeal!)
L-Clean out the Fridge
S-Hearty Bean Bake and sweet potatoes

Thursday
B-Frozen Pancakes
L-Hearty Bean Bake and raw veggies
S-Chicken Tacos

Friday
B-Granola (New recipe so we will see how this goes!)
L-Chicken Taco Salads
S-Supper with our new small group

I'm Ba-a-ack

2013-01-02T19:52:00.001-08:00

Where in the world have I been? Doing life. It started with federal jury duty back in October. The case I was on was originally estimated to take 8 business days, but it stretched to almost 3 weeks. That was followed by the stomach flu, and then it was Thanksgiving. December was filled with Christmas programs and gatherings. We got to host my sister and her family for a couple of weeks while they were in state. It was busy, but it was people busy which is the best kind of busy. I am, however, looking forward to a long quiet January. I feel like I lost all my rhythm, routine and many of my skills. It is time to find them again.

I want to say a quick "Thank You" to everyone for the blog support and encouragement this year.I have had a lot of fun and plan to pick up writing again in the new year!

Happy 2013!

Healthy Living eBook Bundle...A GREAT Deal!

2012-10-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is a great deal, A GREAT DEAL! The Healthy Living eBook bundle promotion will only last for 5 short days, from October 29^th – November 3^rd, 2012 so don't let this great price expire without purchasing it!
The eBook bundle contains books from Stephanie Langford (Keeperofthehome.org), Laura Coppinger (heavenlyhomemakers.com) Mandy Ehman (life.yourway.net), Katy Kimbal (KitchenStewardship.com), Todd Dosenberry (PrimalToad.com), and 19 other bloggers!

What type of books are in this bundle?

real food recipes-- main meals, snacks, smoothies, and more!
grain free and Paleo recipes
gardening and homesteading
healthy pregnancy, birth and babies
all-natural skincare and beauty tutorials and recipes
herbal remedies
tips for a healthier, more holistic lifestyle
saving money and time, even with a whole foods diet

Not to mention, well-known brands to bring you even more natural-living bonuses!!!

The Healthy Living eBook Bundle sale!
34 eBooks. $300 value. PLUS, $48 in natural-living bonuses and a chance to win one of three awesome kitchen appliances.

Jury Duty Meal Plan

2012-10-28T20:24:00.002-07:00

Well, I called in on Friday and I have to report for jury duty tomorrow morning! My meal plan is simple this week. If I don't end up on the jury this week, my meal plan may change for a little more doubling because I will be calling in each Friday to see if I report the next week! No links to recipes this week because I am too tired and too busy!

Monday

B-Waffles (Frozen in advance!)

L-Leftover Shipwreck and raw veggies

S-Salmon Patties and rice (Patties made the night before and rice soaked all day for a quick boil!) and canned peas

Tuesday

B-Pumpkin Muffins (From the freezer from last week!)

L-Fish sticks and raw veggies

S-Balsamic Chicken (in the crock pot) and green beans

Wednesday

B-Breakfast Cookies

L-Leftover Chicken and green beans

S-Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes (both from the freezer) and mixed veggies

Thursday

B-Eggs and bread

L-Peanut Butter and Jelly and raw veggies

S-Beef and Noodles and roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes

Friday

B-Cereal

L-Mini Tacos and raw veggies

S-Small Group

Saturday

B-Pancakes

L-Chicken and Rice Casserole (Double)

S-Pizza

Sunday (11-4)

B-Leftover Pancakes

L-OUT!

S-Cheeseburger Skillet (Triple beef for future quick meals!)

Where I Shop-Part 3

2012-10-23T20:04:00.001-07:00

If you are just jumping in here today this is the third in the serious of three answering “Where Do I Shop?” Today I share my lists from bulk shopping stores. Bulk shopping is a learned art! My shopping list never includes all of these items at one time. That would be a super expensive trip. The great thing about purchasing in large quantities is that time and money can be saved by purchasing enough for several weeks or months! I love saving time and money!

Costco

I was recently asked if I actually saved money with my Costco membership. I save enough in almond milk and rice milk to break even on the cost of the membership. The membership gives me access to foods that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to get in bulk, and I like that.

· Almond Milk

· Rice Milk

· Uncooked tortillas (Yes, they are white four, but we do not normally eat white flour so this is an area where I give. These are a great price-about $7 for 44 tortillas, and have a very short ingredient list.)

· Nuts

· Canned salmon

· Organic tortilla chips

· Organic salsa

· Organic lettuce

· Fruit leather

· Toilet paper

· Paper towels

· Olive oil

· Grape seed oil

· Honey

· Maple syrup

· Fish sticks (Yep, one more convenience food, but they are made with 50% less breading and wheat flour so I justify!)

· Frozen tilapia

· Natural peanut butter

· Organic eggs

· Dairy-free chocolate chips

· Oranges

· White vinegar

· Baking soda

· Contact solution

· Organic frozen green beans

· Organic frozen broccoli

· Coffee

Azure Standard

At first I was skeptical about ordering from Azure. It seemed a little complicated to me. I order online and pick the order up off the back of some semi? It has never been difficult. First, I signed up to join the online co-op which was painless. You cannot see prices unless you sign up to join the co-op. I don’t like to sign up for things that I am unsure of, but they do not inundate my inbox with sales and specials as do most online stores. I appreciate that. Once a member a phone call can get you the contact information for you area’s co-op organizer if you have specific questions about your drop. (ie. Where is the specific location of the drop?) There is a minimum order of $50. The part that made me the most nervous was that I cannot find out about the exact time of our drop until the DAY BEFORE THE DROP! That made me nervous. I signed up with a friend so that if one of us was unable to go the other could pick up the order. The pleasant surprise has been that in the 8 months that I have been ordering from Azure my drop has always come on the Wednesday after the order cut off between 5-6 p.m. It isn’t as vague of a drop off as I feared. The prices from Azure are worth any inconvenience. Organic whole wheat pastry flour is $0.50/ pound. (Last month we went through around 19lbs of flour!) Organic apples this month were $0.98 per pound. I love stocking up on a great deal!

· Organic whole wheat white pastry flour

· Sucanat

· Rolled oats

· Seasonal organic produce (Apples, carrots, peaches, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, etc.)

· Coconut yogurt

· Fish oils

· Coconut ice cream

· Coconut oil

· Frozen organic berries

· Palm shortening

· Organic raw cheddar cheese

· Organic crushed tomatoes-canned

Another great online resource worth mentioning is Vitacost. They do not have the produce deals that I am always looking for, but they do have some really great deals on fats like coconut oil, palm shortening and ghee. They also carry vitamins and fish oils. They will often run shipping specials or buy one get one 50% off, but they send me many emails. I think that is annoying. They will ship directly to your door which for many is worth something too! Vitacost is worth checking out. Email me if you would like a $10 discount code! (simplymadehome@gmail.com)

I think that should wrap up my shopping lists. Did I forget anything? Were these lists helpful? Where do you find the best deals? I would love to know!

If you missed Part 1 or Part 2 you can read them at these links!

This post is linked up at http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/ http://frugallysustainable.com/ http://authenticsimplicity.net/ http://wearethatfamily.com/