Here but not all there...

Homemade Valentine Day Cards for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Homemade Valentine cards are fun to make and even more fun to give. This year we made these owl cards that you can enjoy making witty headings for like:

Owl always love you.

You're a hoot Valentine.

Owl only have eyes for you.

To make the owl card, cut out a template of an owl on a piece of cardboard and trace out however many you would like onto a piece of card stock or colored paper. Embellish with buttons, googly eyes, pom poms, feathers, glitter or whatever else you would like to use.

If owls aren't your thing then maybe you would like to make an elephant card or a monster card:

Monster/martian card greetings include:

I've got my eye on you Valentine.

I only have eyes for you.

Valentine, you are out of this world.

The elephant card says "You are unforgettable Valentine".

We made cardboard templates for the elephant and monsters, traced onto fun colored paper and embellished. The elephant is made by using three different hearts, one of the hearts has a trunk attached to it. The pink part of the ears are just smaller pink hearts and we added googly eyes. Very quick and easy.

We used bright paper for the monsters, added googly eyes and whatever else we had on hand like pom poms and buttons and such.

Have fun creating some love for those you cherish this Valentine's Day.

For more inspiration visit the sites below for cute card ideas:

Family Fun

Feels like home - cute printable cards

Education

Kaboose

Not Me - Humilities galore.

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:15:00 +0000

* Reliving a Not Me moment from a year ago (2/2/2011)... a re-post from the archives. Enjoy!*

Welcome to another Not Me Wednesday where I deny reality to protect the innocent.

I did not decide to pack the kids up and take a trip thirty minutes south of us where there are more stores than WalMart.

We did not go to Kohl's because of a gift card I forgot that I had. We were not on a search for pajama pants for Ethan since he has none. When we found said pants, on clearance for $6, I did not have him try them on in one fitting room while I was in the next stall over nursing Ellie. Uriah did not crawl from my stall to Ethan's stall giggling all the way and then begin rolling between our stalls pretending he was a super hero, my children are just not that rambunctious.

Uriah has not taken up singing to himself loudly using nonsensical words. While at Barnes n' Noble, surrounded by people quietly working on their laptops Uriah did not break out into one of his songs. His song most definitely did not go like this:
"boo... booo... booby boo
boobies, boobies, boobies, boo."
My face did not turn several shades of red as patrons stared at me. I did not then have to explain that "booby" was a real word and that some words are not appropriate to say. Uriah did not reply by saying "What's appwopwiate mean?" After hearing my explanation my sweet boy did not smile in understanding and say "oh, sowwy Momma." All was quiet for a few minutes until song #2:

"poop, poop, poop-e-poo"

I did not decide it best for Uriah to no longer sing for the remainder of our time at Barnes n' Noble. As we sat at the table (on wooden benches) eating our snack after Uriah's serenade, little U did not pass gas extremely loudly. Because we were seated on wooden benches the sound was not magnified thus rendering hysterical laughter from my two boys as well as little giggles from Ms. Ellie. After getting such a reaction from his siblings Uriah did not decide it would be extra funny to force a few more out... We did not leave promptly. I am not still mortified by the whole experience wondering what those people thought of me and my brood... oh my!

What do you want to deny this week?

Feeding A Family of Five for $10 a Day

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

With grocery prices soaring, gas prices creeping up, and heating oil at an astronomical amount, I appreciate feeding my family healthy, wholesome food for a few dollars a day. Our current grocery budget for a family of five is $60-$75 a week due to the financial squeeze. Here is our menu plan for this week along with the prices for each meal laid out:
*all meals are served with water unless specified

Breakfast - total for the week = $8.82
Monday - Wheat Bran Muffins ($1.38 for a dozen) with 1 lbBananas ($0.56 for 1lb)

Tuesday - Eggs ($1.14 for six, farm fresh) and toast ($1.25 homemade bread = $0.10/slice)

Wednesday - Homemade Yogurt ($0.22/cup) and oranges ($0.86/lb), homemade granola ($0.16 for 1/2 cup)

Thursday -Pancakes ($0.98 to make a double batch)

Friday - Oatmeal ($0.28 to make 4 cups cooked)

Saturday - Waffles ($2.18 for a single batch)

Sunday - Leftovers ($0.00)

Snacks: $18 - $20 for the week, depending on what people choose

Hard boiled eggs ($0.19 an egg)
fresh fruit (orange =$0.29, banana = $0.19, apple $0.40, pear $0.39)
fresh veggies, cut up (carrots ($0.09 per carrot), peppers ($0.55 for half pepper), pickles ($0.07 a serving), tomatoes( $0.33 half large tomato)
toast with peanut butter ($0.10)
raisins and peanuts (1/4c raisins = $0.19, 1/4 cup peanuts = $0.12 for a total of $0.31 per serving)
yogurt ($0.22 for 1 cup)
leftover muffins ($0.12 each)
cheese ($0.56 for 2 ounces)
popcorn ($0.02 a cup)
granola ($0.16/half a cup)

Lunch: $0.00 - $1.80 for the week
Monday - Sunday - Leftovers (free)
and if for some reason leftovers are not available then
the kids may have a peanut butter and homemade jelly sandwich ($0.20 two slices of bread, $0.20 for 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter and $0.05 for 2 Tbsp homemade jelly for a total of $0.45/sandwich)

Dinner:
total cost for the week = $30.97, includes leftover turkey/broth that will be frozen and used in the coming weeks.

Monday - Lentil Stew ($3.60, serves 10) with bread ($0.50)
* I used what ingredients I had on hand for the soup which is why the price is $3.60... I added water, canned tomatoes and tomato sauce instead of broth and a variety of veggies that I had on hand but the link above is very similar to the recipe I use.

Tuesday - Pasta with alfredo sauce and peas ($2.25 for the entire meal, serves 6)

Wednesday - Egg McMuffins w/cheese ($2.85) and peaches ($0.99) and juice ($1.18)

Thursday - Leftovers ($0.00)

Friday - Turkey ($5.75 for 12 lbs, already have in the freezer), squash (from friend's garden), potatoes (from a friend up north), homemade gravy ($0.05) peas ($1.00), cranberry sauce ($1.25). This meal = $8.05 but will feed an army and still provide leftovers for stock, soup, and several pot pies.

Saturday - Turkey Pot Pie ($1.25 using leftover turkey and potato, homemade crust, leftover gravy).

Sunday - (Uriah's birthday) Homemade mushroom pizza ($6.80 for two large (12 slices each) pizzas), chips ($1.50), chocolate milk w/homemade chocolate syrup ($2.00)
Total meal = $10.30

Dessert: total for the week = $9.46


Photo Credit

Once a week I make a homemade goody. This week it will be the large homemade ice cream cake ($9.46) for Uriah's birthday. Feeds 16 people. For a great instructional video on how to assemble the ice cream cake click here. To save money we make our own hot fudge sauce.

Grand total for a week of meals/snacks/beverages = $70.05 = $10 a day

When I go grocery shopping I will not need to spend that amount on the above meals since I already have many of the items on hand. It is imperative when saving money to keep a well stocked pantry/freezer. I have all of my grains, flours, spices, beans, canned items, dried fruit and nuts on hand in the pantry. The freezer has a large amount of homemade spaghetti/tomato sauce as well as the turkey, english muffins that I purchased when it was buy one get two free, squash, peas, peaches, and the ice cream that I bought when it was buy one get one free for Uriah's birthday. The majority of my money will go towards produce and dairy on shopping day which helps me to keep within our budget.

I would love to hear what's cookin' in your home this week. Feel free to leave a comment below and/or share a link to one of your favorite recipes.

Happy budgeting!
- Dawna -

A First Hand Account of the Power of Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:50:00 +0000

A friend of mine, who is our Lord's hands and feet in Peru, sent out a prayer request a few months ago for a young boy who is about Uriah's age. His story gripped my heart and we have been praying for him regularly. I recently received this email regarding Rony and his story. Please read below to be inspired and encouraged at the power of prayer and the grace of our amazing God.

Dear friends and family,

As of yesterday, I am back in the swelter of the jungle and greeted once again by the familiar cacophony of motocars, dogs, roosters, hawkers and the myriad of colors that are found in the Latino culture, all with the vivid backdrop of green green green that surrounds the area.

Photo Credit

I wanted to send an update on Rony for those of you who were praying for him, and who supported his process in Lima... actually, better than an update, let me tell you the story from beginning to end, as I have seen it, colored as the jungle is colored with the green of God's grace. So much of it amazes me.

It amazes me that the very year (2009) we decided (rather by force of necessity than by our personal choice) to visit another river, other villages, that the AIM team happened to visit the village of Yanallpa, where Rony was born. No one (apart from local politicians, merchants and related families) from the outside had visited that village in years. He was only 6 months old at the time and for 3 months was suffering the crippling effects of the 3^rd degree burn he received in a lantern/mosquito net accident as an infant. We wanted to help and were told by his mother that there was a nun who had promised to help them if they could just get to the nearest city, Requena. So we left an offering with them to travel to Requena, and prayed for them.

It amazes me that the next year a team went back to that same village (we didn't visit every village that we had the year before), and found Rony bigger, growing fast, and his burn in the same or worse situation. Since I wasn't leading that year, it was one of the few villages that I was actually in very briefly with the team. Nothing had come of the family's visit to Requena... and a girl on the team who was studying nursing promised to look into things with doctors/organizations back in the states. This was in 2010. 2011 arrived and no word came yet from the states. This is when I decided maybe I should be more proactive and not just trust that others would know better what they were doing...or follow through. So in 2011 I started knocking on doors ... researching on the internet medical aid organizations, contacting local NGOs and feeling very much the pressure of time passing as little Rony grew and his skin didn't. Every door was a dead end and I was at my wits end when I had to fly to Lima in May to leave the country and renew my visa.

It amazes me that while I was in Lima for a bare three days, that I would stumble across ANIQUEM, recommended by the lady who just happened to cross my path one day, cleaning the house for the missionaries I was staying with. Unannounced, I was able to track down their address by much inquiry and meet with the amazing Dr. Mary Malca who started the organization with her husband. I was informed that they had a free surgical campaign for burn victims in September and all Rony had to do was get there – he was guaranteed a surgery due to the condition of his burn.

It amazes me that the family that offered to take in Rony and his mother was not only one that I knew, but well trusted – and they had no idea that I was the one that was organizing things on the other end. They were only responding to a plea from their pastor (in one of the many churches where I was inquiring through friends) to take in a mother and son from the jungle who were to be in Lima for three months for medical treatment. From opposite sides of the church both husband and wife heard God speak to their hearts to help out Rony and his mother.

It amazes me that the mother of the Lima family was a nurse herself and knew the ins and outs of hospitals, medical care, as well as had a gift to help others and regularly accompanies people to their appointments who have no one else available to go with them.

It amazes me that on my second trip to Lima in August, LAN airlines was willing at the last minute to donate free airfare round trip from Iquitos to Lima for Rony and his mother. And on a day that they don't usually treat such matters - I needed an answer by Wednesday, the social help committee meets on Fridays. And all without proof of a doctor's official recommendation of treatment, which they asked for but was impossible for me to obtain in such short notice. In a land of bureaucracy where papers are pushed with fees at every stop, this was a miracle.

It amazes me that a good Peruvian Latino man (think machismo) was wiling to let his pregnant wife and son travel alone with a strange man (the pastor who accompanied them) to the unimaginably distant city of Lima knowing that they'd be gone for at least three months, not knowing the couple who would receive them, or what their living conditions would be.

It amazes me that God touched the hearts of a few people in the Northeast to provide all (ALL) the money needed for the family while in Lima for food, transportation and medicines – and clothes and toys. And this money was so faithfully administered by the mother of the host family that she presented me with a pile of flimsy bus ticket stubs, phone cards, receipts and detailed records when I returned. ANIQUEM, LAN airlines, the family in Lima, the breathtakingly generous families in the states... if you remove even one link in this amazing chain, the whole thing wouldn't have been possible.

It amazes me that when Rony was diagnosed with necrosis resulting from a graft that got infected take on his first surgery, that two weeks later he was in (free!) surgery again in a very upscale clinic in Lima, that the necrosis was gone, his second graft took perfectly... and what the doctors were saying would delay his return to the jungle until February at least, turned into an early departure in the beginning of December. His arm was healed enough, the bandages were off, and the only need was physical therapy - which his father (who had, courtesy again of LAN, switched places with his now much more pregnant mother) was faithfully administering. A miracle to all who had seen his post-first-surgery condition.

It amazes me that the family that took such good care of him and his mother/father in Lima still had money left over – and the dear family from the Northeast gladly gifted the remainder to them. They plan to use it to fix up their house a bit more so that it will be easier for them to receive guests in the future. I had been secretly hoping to be able to get them a digital camera with it, as they didn't have much ability to take photos while Rony was there – but their use was better intentioned. Incredibly enough, God even saw to my desire for them to have a camera. Before knowing what they wanted to do with the money, I had mentioned to friends in Lima my desire to get them a camera. My missionary friend went to her closet and pulled out a very nice Canon that they weren't using and gave it to me then and there, to pass on to the family.

One small life changed forever – now able to ride a bike and hold a pencil. A family in the jungle blessed and changed, a family in Lima blessed and challenged, a family in the States blessed by giving, and I – awed and amazed. From one small boy, hidden in a village of 200 people in the middle of the jungle, accessible only by river came so many, many blessings. What an amazing and powerful God we serve.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Matthew 7:7-11

Thank you, C, for allowing me to post your letter... may it bless many and please dear readers, continue to join me in lifting up Rony and his family in prayer.

Many blessings,

Dawna

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:57:00 +0000

Pumpkin Muffins - from Ellen Krieger at Food Network

* These healthy, little treats are fantastic. This recipe uses only a fraction of the oil and sugar found in most pumpkin muffin recipes and incorporates whole wheat flour and molasses as an extra dose of healthy goodness. The whole family LOVES them. Enjoy! *


Total Time:: 1 hr 45 min
Prep: 25 min
Inactive: 1 hr 0 min
Cook: 20 min

Yield:: 12 muffins

Level:: Easy

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

Simple Joy

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Photo by: marielliott

A re-post from the archives... because sometimes I need to remember what it is to have Simple Joy.

Our daily lives are filled with simple joys...

An unexpected letter from a friend that came in the mail nestled in amongst the bills.

A bird singing a sweet song even in the midst of winter's chill.

Blissful voices of children singing their favorite songs exuberantly and off key.

Naked baby feet beckoning to be kissed.

The embrace of the one who completes you.

Marveling at The Artist who paints the sky each morning and unrolls a carpet of stars at night just for our pleasure.

The smell of cornbread baking.

The simple rhythm of a heartbeat, whether it is your own, your husband's, your children, the new life inside of you... a simple beat lights up the face because it proclaims... LIFE. Another moment to breathe, another chance to savor the kisses of tender lips, relish the hugs of enveloping arms, feel the softness of baby's skin, hear the laughter, wipe the tears, and rejoice in the Joy Giver.

It is often the simplest of things that bring the biggest smile.

Simple - that which is easy to understand; not artificial or elaborate. Simplicity comes without ribbons and bows, unadorned and humble.
Reminds me of our Savior. The King of Kings left the throne room of heaven and all of it's splendor to enter our world as a baby, wrapped in rags. His throne, a splintered manger, that hours before his birth, held food for animals. He simply came... for you, and for me.

He is Simple Joy.

Joy - The emotion of great delight caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying;a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight.

" ...the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Nehemiah 8:10

Those of us who are Christ followers know no greater joy than that of our Lord and Savior. It is simple yet powerful. Charles Spurgeon encapsulates how I feel:
"Let us endeavour to analyze that special and peculiar pleasure which is here called "The joy of the Lord." It springs from God, and has God for its object. The believer who is in a spiritually healthy state rejoices mainly in God himself; he is happy because there is a God, and because God is in his person and character what he is. All the attributes of God become well-springs of joy to the thoughtful, contemplative believer; for such a man says within his soul, "All these attributes of my God are mine: his power, my protection; his wisdom, my guidance; his faithfulness, my foundation; his grace, my salvation." He is a God who cannot lie, faithful and true to his promise; he is all love, and at the same time infinitely just, supremely holy. Why, the contemplation of God to one who knows that this God is his God for ever and ever, is enough to make the eyes overflow with tears, because of the deep, mysterious, unutterable bliss which fills the heart. There was nothing in the character of Jupiter, or any of the pretended gods of the heathen, to make glad a pure and holy spirit, but there is everything in the character of Jehovah both to purify the heart and to make it thrill with delight. How sweet is it to think over all the Lord has done; how he has revealed himself of old, and especially how he has displayed his glory in the covenant of grace, and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. How charming is the thought that he has revealed himself to me personally, and made me to see in him my Father, my friend, my helper, my God. Oh, if there be one word out of heaven that cannot be excelled, even by the brightness of heaven itself, it is this word, "My God, my Father," and that sweet promise, "I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." There is no richer consolation to be found: even the Spirit of God can bring nothing home to the heart of the Christian more fraught with delight than that blessed consideration. When the child of God, after admiring the character and wondering at the acts of God, can all the while feel "he is my God; I have taken him to be mine; he has taken me to be his; he has grasped me with the hand of his powerful love; having loved me with an everlasting love, with the bands of lovingkindness has he drawn me to himself; my beloved is mine and I am his;" why, then, his soul would fain dance like David before the ark of the Lord, rejoicing in the Lord with all its might." (You can read Spurgeon's full sermon here regarding the joy of the Lord... it stirs the heart).
I find joy in each God breathed Word, I see it as I go about serving Him, I have felt it while caring for the dying, and I witness the joy of the Lord in my daily life whether going about the mundane or the marvelous, whether experiencing trials and tribulations or life to the fullest.

Each day is filled with joy beloved, take note of it, bask in it, and enJOY.

Do you have a joy-filled moment you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment below.

Joyfully yours,
Dawna

Not Me

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Welcome to another edition of Not Me... where I deny the reality of life because it helps me stay mostly sane.

The entire Sargent household is not inflicted with some kind of cold, sinus infection thing. We are not all bone tired, snotty nosed, with gravelly voices due to sore throats and we most definitely would not all be short tempered.

When I awoke yesterday morning to hacking and sniffling I did not determine it would be a pajama day. I did not conjure up such glorious ideas of transforming my bed into a pirate ship, reading books in a pillow tent, and snuggling close to watch movies and eat popcorn. At the end of such a fun day I did not lose my temper while I was trying to clean up the popcorn explosion that happened in the living room. I did not speak curtly with the children and then mid-vacuum decide to turn it off, snuggle my precious ones and tell them that "Mommy is sorry for being a jerk". They all did not look up at with me with glistening eyes and sweet smiles to tell me "It's okay Mommy, we are a little grumpy when we are sick too." I do not have the best children in the world (as imperfect as they, and I, are).

While reading stories in mid-morning, I did not fall into a DEEP sleep for twenty minutes. Ethan did not usher the little ones into their bedroom to play with them and in that twenty minutes he did not have to wipe Uriah's bottom when he pooped on the potty and he did not change his first ever diaper which happened to be an icky Ellie poo. Ethan was not prouder than a peacock of his accomplishments and did not beam with joy as he told me his adventures when I groggily came into their room to apologize for drifting off. I did not praise him to the ceiling and then recount his wonderful, helpful ways to my husband and his grandparents. Uriah did not beam brightly to say "Ethan wiped my bum all clean"... what a way to bond. :)

This winter temperatures have not been all over the board from warm, sunny 50 degree days to chilly 10 degree days with a whipping wind that put the windchill well below 0. We never know what to expect, temperatures can fluctuate as drastically as twenty to thirty degrees from one day to the next. Today is frigid with a gusty wind, but the dusting of snow we received has made a beautiful crystal wonderland to look at from the warmth of our cozy abode.

Matthew's computer (where all of our family photos are stored) did not crash. We are not awaiting to find out if we can recover our photos... hence the lack of Photo Friday. I recently downloaded a few pictures to my laptop and will try to upload them to the blog soon.

The boys do not enjoy playing "barber shop". On one of their most recent experiments they were not excited to show me "the latest hair style":

Matthew was not cleaning our humidifier with baking soda AND vinegar and therefore the humidifier DID NOT explode all over the kitchen. I do not have baking soda water streaking down my windows and he did not allow me to replace the busted appliance with this adorable upgrade which you can buy here:

Photo Credit

I do not have a mere 14 weeks until I get to hold this little babe who is growing inside my belly. The excitement and anticipation are mounting but I have yet to get the nursery nook ready. The nursery nook is not a corner in our bedroom where our baby will sleep. We do not nestle our little one into a precious cradle that my parents gave me a decade ago when we brought our little Ethan home. I am not feeling overwhelmed at times at the fact that his will be our third child in four years, at the fact that our home is tiny and how will Ellie accept precious baby. She may just surprise us all and not have any problems, after all, Uriah adjusted just fine but he was eight months older than Ellie will be when we bring our little bundle home. Time will tell.

I am not craving chocolate dipped peppermint whoopie pies, like the ones I made for our Christmas Eve gathering... I will not put the ingredients on my upcoming grocery list.

What is not going on in your part of the world?

Pinching Pennies

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Hard economic times = creative measures when it comes to the ol' grocery department. I mean, seriously, where else can you cut back? We do not eat out often, we do not splurge on "toys"/ superfulous items unless it is Christmas/birthday and we cannot exactly call the electric company to say "Hmmm, I think we will pay $50 this month instead of _______." One of the only areas in the budget with wiggle room is the grocery slot.

I was manned with $50 and a lot of prayer that I could make it stretch for a week and a half. I took an inventory of the cupboards and freezer, made a meal chart, double checked my wee little grocery list and off we went.

So, what does $50 get you at Shaw's:
4 cans of tunafish
syrup
(yikes, I haven't bought this in so long because I usually make my own but I was lacking time and maple flavoring, which is not sold at Shaws. The kids even asked "what is that stuff in the bottle". Yup... it's been a while.)
organic chicken broth (6 cartons on clearance)
big bottle of white vinegar
2 lbs butter
2 gallons milk
5 lbs carrots
10lbs potatoes
bag of apples
2 cartons of strawberries
Grand Total: $49.65

What am I feeding this family of five with such bizarre ingredients: vinegar soup with carrots? :)
All of these items combined with what is in my pantry/freezer will make the following meals:
Minestrone soup with sandwiches (homemade bread)
Tuna casserole w/ steamed broccoli
Steak, roasted potatoes, peas
Lentil stew with corn bread
Rice and black beans with pickled beets and steamed green beans
Tuna patties, rice and veggies
Pancakes, bacon, fruit
Leftovers
Roasted chicken, carrots, potatoes
Chicken pot pie
Chicken soup with biscuits

I try to keep the staples stocked (an assortment of beans, rice, oats, tomato sauce, noodles, assorted frozen veggies, spices, flour, sugar, yeast, etc. and some meat.)

Remember the tales of The Chicken Slayer... we still have 10 whole chickens left after Matthew's adventure in processing chickens so two of those babies will be cooked up to provide the above recipes. We usually do not eat that much meat in a short period of time but it is what we have on hand so it is what's for dinnah'.

Snacks = carrot sticks, apples, homemade yogurt, and whatever crackers might be in the pantry. Keeping it simple saves big money plus it keeps us healthy. :)

I clean the house with homemade cleaners and I make our own "beauty" supplies which saves us some cashola at the supermarket. Peek under the Do It Yourself tab for some frugal, effective recipes.

Lunches consist of leftovers and I pack my hubby his lunch as well so he does not have to spend his hard earned money eating out. A big ol' Thermos goes along with him filled with hot tea during the cold months and he has a water bottle that he can fill up at the office.

Breakfast in Sargentopia is almost always homemade which means the usual fair consists of pancakes, muffins, granola, yogurt, eggs and toast, oatmeal and fruit. We rarely ever buy cereal because a) it is expensive b) it's not that great for you and c) a box of cereal does not feed a family of five for very long. Not enough bang for your buck really when you add up how much it costs to make a whole stack of pancakes.

How are you faring during these economic times? Have any hints to share with the rest of us... just leave a comment below.

Happy saving!

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I first had this pie more than a decade ago when visiting my father-in-law and his culinary creative wife, Heather. I never knew what the "hidden" ingredient was until my pie was finished and I had licked the plate clean while asking for the recipe.

Photo by la petite chef

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe Source: Nasoya

Ingredients:
1 pkg Nasoya Silken tofu
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 9-inch pie shell, baked

Preparation Method: In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into the baked pie shell. Decorate with semi sweet chocolate shavings or curls. Freeze. Before serving, let thaw for about 10 minutes. Serves 12. (Nasoya's website says that it serves 6 but those would be some seriously huge slices).

Now, don't knock it until you try it. Let me tell you, my very first experience with tofu was not a pleasant one. My Mom had purchased a block of it, cut it into cubes and threw it in a salad. She reassured us it would taste like cheese... well, that was the worst "cheese" I had ever tasted and if that is what vegetarians eat then please pass the beef, ya' know what I mean?. It was not until I met my adorable, vegetarian, husband-to-be, that I was reintroduced to this protein packed food that really can be very edible in a "seconds please" kind of way. Give this pie a whirl and let me know what you think. Don't forget to drizzle it with a bit of chocolate and top with chocolate curls. Mmmm.

It's Only For a Season...

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:12:00 +0000

Right now in Sargentopia we have a pretty good routine going. The children know what to expect out of their day, they know there are chores to be done, school to attend, rest time to be had, and plenty of play time and fun activities. However, the realization hit me recently that in 15 weeks the routine as we know it is going to change. Routines will be interrupted, school may not happen for days on end, rest time... well, WHAT REST TIME.

When the reality hits me that baby #4 is right around the corner I must confess, my heart races a little, and not in that "Oh, boy... a baby is coming soon." I do have those excited moments too but more often than not it's more like "Please Lord, help me to bask in the day to day moments as we all adjust, help me to surrender to the fact that my house will be less than what I would desire in the way of orderliness, help the children to adjust to the constant needs of an infant and a tired Momma."

Photo by Cinnamint

My parents had the boys overnight recently which meant it was just Ellie and I during the day while Daddy was at work. I thought, two down and only one who will need me, I will be able to get a bunch of "nesting" accomplished.

WRONG.

Some of Ellie's bottom teeth decided that this would be a good time to start to come in so, my 18 month old became a tornado of terror. She was incredibly fickle, only wanted to be held by ME of course and would scream like a banshee if I put her down. My "day of nesting" was spent holding my teary toddler as we cut up apples to make applesauce, as we vacuumed through the house, and as we did laundry.

In between chores we played playdough, read books, played with toys, and colored... all of this is done with Ellie on my lap of course. Suffice it to say, it was a l-o-n-g day. When Ellie did go to sleep I did as much as I could because I knew that once she awoke she would be in my arms again. So, I mopped, did dishes, prepped lunch and dinner, tidied the house, corrected schoolwork, folded and took care of the laundry and returned a few phone calls. It was then that it hit me... "this is what it will be like with the new little one". Oh yes, I remember those days of newborn babes and lots of snuggling and not much getting accomplished. It was only a short time ago when Ellie was a newborn, and although she was extra clingy today she is not always like this. Yes, we are of the "attachment parenting" style but I would rather go to bed at night with achy arms that have held and lavished love on my little one rather than going to bed with a headache because I have had to endure the screaming of my baby girl.

The clingy moments can be rough on a Mom, sometimes rather than saying "awww, this is so nice" we say "awwww, I wish I could just get those dishes finished" and that is when I remind myself that:

It's only for a season.

Just as quickly as Autumns leaves drift into winter's snow... these days of childhood will be gone. We will be left reminiscing and looking back on the snuggle times and all of the clingy moments. I can assure you that we will not even remember what our homes looked like while we were holding babies close and investing into their lives.

Maybe you are a first time Mommy, trying to survive the torturous sleepless nights and round' the clock feedings. Maybe you are a Mom of many who homeschools, is on the church committee, and helps with your children's extracurricular activities. Maybe you are the Grandma who watches the grandchildren during the day because both Mom and Dad have to work to pay the bills and you just don't have the energy to keep up with the crazy monkeys running about. Remember... It's only for a season.

Keep your head held high, say a prayer for strength, stamina and PATIENCE and thank the Lord for these precious lives that He has allowed us to be part of. We are helping to mold and shape them, we are the ones who have been granted the precious priviledge of instilling God's Word into these yearning souls, we are the ones who get to kiss their boo-boos, watch their eyes fill with wonder as they discover their world and take their first steps. We are the ones who are blessed to nurture and teach them, to snuggle them when they do not feel good, to praise them when they do well and to help them along life's rough and rocky journey with loving correction when they do wrong.

It's only for a season that we get to watch our little ones grow and before you know it, they are adults having children of their own. Enjoy these moments beloved, and know that I am in the thick of it with you, praying that I keep the proper perspective as I go about each day loving and nurturing the souls that God has entrusted to me.

Keeping it real,

Dawna

Photo Friday: For the Love of Beautiful Things

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I am not a hoarder but I do love beautiful things. I am attracted to items that are vintage, eclectic, handcrafted, or just simple items with splashes of color. If beauty can meet practical then it is all the better in my book.

Here are a few of my dream list items:

For the home

Restoration Hardware offers gorgeous lighting options... if only they were within my budget. For now, a girl can dream. Wrought iron meets crystal with a lot of romantic glow, imagine dining underneath these glittering orbs at night.

Being in the kitchen is therapeutic for me. If price was not of concern then I would totally splurge on this classic oven by AGA, it is built to last a lifetime and then some and can do everything from cooking Thanksgiving dinner with effortless ease to making the perfect toast and taking wrinkles out of your shirt. Yes, it is that multi-functional. *sigh* swoon * drool *

And of course a sweet retro fridge from Big Chill to complete the ensemble:

Nestle all of these items inside of a Straw Bale house:

And you have my dream home complete with adorable vintage kitchen.

When I am not in dreamy dreamy land I am currently enjoying the beauty of:

A well appointed vintage glass milk bottle filled with orange spray roses, each day is filled with sunshine even when it is cloudy outside.

The serenity of a candle lit room.

My children's prayers for their Daddy.

The Word of God that brings life to these bones.

This cute little wooden yellow chicken has been in my kitchen for a decade and it still makes me smile.

My old vintage books are beautiful on my green wooden shelf... they beckon you to become lost in their pages.

My KitchenAid is beyond beautiful... this gorgeous workhorse keeps my kitchen streamlined baby. No need for lots of extra gadgets because this little appliance does it all and makes me look good as I whip out cookies and other delectable eats without blinking.

Happy Friday! :)

Our Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Good morning dear readers,
I cannot begin to stress the importance of having some type of schedule/routine for your children, both as a daily discipline and in the school arena. Children thrive with boundaries and parameters and it is easier for them to know what to expect thus they are able to comply if they know what is expected of them. Without boundaries and healthy habits/routines, chaos ensues.

Please do not misinterpret me, however, by thinking that I keep things running with a stop watch. There is a difference between a routine and a minute-by-minute schedule. Whenever I have tried a very precise schedule it has failed because inevitably, life happens and things are thrown off sometimes by minutes and sometimes by hours and even at times, by days, like the routine disruption that comes with the birth of a new baby. Please allow flexibility in your home... you will thank yourself later for it.

So, the average Monday - Friday routine in Sargentopia looks like this:

6:00 - 7:30am - Mom and Dad wake up. While hubby gets ready for work I exercise, shower if needed or have time, get dressed and ready for the day and fix breakfast and hubby's lunch. Then Matt and I pray together and he is off to work. I wake up the kiddos. There have been many days lately when I peek at the clock at 7:30am and just begin to roll out of bed, we just adjust the day accordingly.

7:30 - 9:00ish am - Eat breakfast, get ready for the morning, and we all do our morning chores. If time allows the kids may play until school begins.
By splitting our chores up by "morning", "afternoon" and "evening" chores it helps the kids not become bogged down by the tasks that need to be accomplished during the day and the chores can be completed in a timely fashion because they are broken up in to chunks.

Morning Chores for the kids include: (takes about 20 minutes)
Clearing the table, wrapping up any leftovers and wiping down the table.
Getting themselves ready for the day including getting dressed, brushing teeth, combing hair, washing faces, and showers/tub if necessary.
Make beds.
Taking care of clean dishes and then loading the dirty dishes from breakfast into the dishwasher.
Taking care of any clean/dirty laundry.
Taking care of the kitty.
Tidy room if needed.

Mom's Morning Chores: (takes less than an hour)
Get Ellie dressed and ready.
Make bed
Wash dishes that cannot go in dishwasher
Take care of clean/dirty laundry
Start a load of laundry
Vacuum if needed
Start to prepare any foods on the list for that day since we make a lot of our own items from scratch (Re: granola, bread, yogurt...) Some days there are no items that need to be prepared so that adds in extra free time.
*Make morning phone calls (if time allows)
*Check email (if time allows)

9:00 - 10:30am - School.
Ethan completes his independent work (grammar, math, spelling, and writing) that I have reviewed with him. If he has any questions he can come to me and ask since I am either at the table with all the kiddos or I'm in the next room working with the little ones.

While Ethan works on his independent studies I have preschool time with Uriah. We sing songs, read books, go over our letters, numbers, shapes etc. and reinforce what we learn with workbook pages, coloring pages, different hands on activities, and a wipe off board. Elianna (18 months) loves to join us and I have special activities for her as well (coloring, play dough, washing her baby doll, etc.).

If all goes smoothly we can sometimes fit in History (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) or Science (Tuesday/Thursday).

10:30 - Noon - The kids have a snack and I keep this time open and let the kid's moods kind of determine what will happen next. Sometimes we continue on and wrap up school for the day as we complete History (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) or Science (Tuesday/Thursday) if we were not able to finish these subjects before snack. If the kids are really bouncy then we go do something active which could entail playing outside, going to the park, swimming at the Club, etc. Once a week we take this time to do our grocery shopping and on Fridays we spend this block of time at the Library. If we have a morning play date I try to schedule it for this time of day.

Noon - 3:00 - Lunch time, afternoon chores, rest time.
Kids Afternoon chores consist of: (takes 25 minutes)
Clearing and wiping down the table, wrapping up leftovers and loading dirty dishes into the dishwasher.
Tidying up the house by picking up any toys/books that are lying about.
Take care of school books and file school work.
Daily chore (I have split big chores up throughout the week by day. Example: Tuesday - sweep basement stairs)

Mom's Afternoon Chores: (takes about an hour)
Wash any dishes that cannot go in dishwasher
Return any necessary phone calls
Check email
Daily chore (it helps to split up the monotony. Example: Tuesday - dust bedrooms)
Prep dinner

Rest time - once the kids are finished their chores they have rest time for an hour. They can choose to read independently, do puzzles/color, or play downstairs but the rule is that they must be quiet. During this time I am finishing up my chores and then I rest too. This is when I have my quiet time with the Lord and take a little nap or do a little something for me like read a book, blog, or just enjoy the quiet. After quiet time kiddos can play some more.

3:00 - 6:00 - If we have not finished up school for some reason or another then we will wrap up whatever needs to be finished. If school is complete then kiddos continue to play or we might snuggle and read for a while.

Around 5:00pm the kids help Mom by setting the table for dinner and tidying up the main level before supper. They are welcome to play until dinner is ready. It is so important that kids have enough time to be kids... make sure that you are allowing time for this to happen. Often times they want to help make dinner so they roll up their sleeves and come along side me as we whip up something savory for supper.

I usually have Ellie on my hip as I make dinner and tidy the kitchen. I try to prep as much as I can while she is sleeping however there is still usually something to do when she is awake, so it does take me a good hour to get dinner ready to go into the oven. Ellie's cranky hour(s) is often between 4 and 6 so she needs more attention during that time which makes things take a bit longer. Depending on her mood sometimes she is happy in her high chair with a mixing bowl, a whisk, and some flour or some other little activity that I can give her, other times she is only content to be my baby koala. :)

Once I receive "the call" from Matthew that he is on his way home, then I put dinner in the oven and wash up the dirty dishes I made to put dinner together. I then tidy the kitchen and fold any remaining laundry if needed.

6:00 - 7:00 - Supper and talking about our day.

7:00 - 8:30 - Chores and play time/family time
Kids Evening Chores:
Clear and wipe down table
Load dirty dishes into dishwasher
Take care of any laundry that has been placed on beds

Before bedtime tidy up room and living room.
Get ready for bed.

Mom and Dad Evening Chores:
Wash dinner dishes and run the dishwasher
Tidy up the house

8:30 - 9:30 - Everyone snuggles in our bed for story time. This is when we read our Bible and books of choice together. I start with the Bible and then read the chosen books from youngest to oldest. Most evenings the little ones fall asleep while I am reading to Ethan. All kiddos are in bed usually by 9:30pm.

9:30 - 10:30 - Mommy and Daddy time to unwind before bed.

Our routine is pretty solid. The only difference is Thursday we leave the house around 9:30am for 4H, we pick up a friend along the way. So Thursday we just focus on breakfast, morning chores and gathering our 4H stuff together so we can leave in a timely fashion. While Ethan is at 4H I bring the little ones to play group or we come back home and do some crafts, read books and play together. Ethan is home by 1:00, in time for rest time.

Once a month we have Home School Co-op which meets from 9am - Noon and it counts as school for the day since there is a lot packed into that amount of time. When the kids arrived home they are tired, so we eat lunch and continue on with rest time as usual.

Friday evenings we have dinner with my Gram so the routine varies a bit there. I prep all of our dinner and load it in the van along with the necessities (diaper bag, toys, etc) and meet Matt at my Grams for 6:00pm. We have dinner together, play games, watch tv, sing songs around the piano and fellowship until 9pm-ish. It is a wonderful time of fellowship and bonding with my sweet Gram, we have been doing it for years so it is definitely "routine" for us.

Other than that we have very little commitments. In spring time soccer starts up with one practice during the week, which means we eat supper a little later, but it is not that disruptive to our routine. It is a nice excuse to get outside and enjoy the warmer days/nights.

On the weekends the general routine stays pretty much the same. We are usually pretty free on the weekends so we can do things as a family, spend time building relationships with those dear to us, be available to help others, and enjoy worshiping the Lord. I also try to set time aside to plan upcoming lessons, order books from the library and correct school work.

So, there you have it folks. Please feel free to leave questions/comments below or zip me an email. I would love to hear from you and please feel free to share how you keep things running in your home... it is fun to glean new ideas. :)

Many blessings along your journey,
Dawna

Dealing with Depression Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Please, if you have not read Dealing with Depression Part One, do so before going any further.

Psalm 139:7-12

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
   Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
   and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
   the night will shine like the day,
   for darkness is as light to you.

Unfathomable Depths by Ibai Acevedo

The Lord found me in the depths and showed me in a tangible way that He heard my desperate cries for help. The darkness that surrounded me started to have pinholes of light and over time, those pinholes grew bigger and brighter.

Isaiah 42:16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
   along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
   and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
   I will not forsake them.

The Lord is always so faithful to His promises. He lead me along gentle paths as He helped me to see where I needed to change. He helped me set up firm boundaries so I could create a safe haven for myself and my family. In taking small steps I was able to accomplish big things with God's grace.

I would love to tell you that I was changed overnight but that is not the case. Keeping depression at bay can be a daily battle. I now know the signs of what sends me into a downwards spiral but it took time. I had the consistent prayers of my husband to undergird me and I had to make a conscious effort to change my attitude and thoughts and rebuke the lies that would try to steal my joy/hope away. So make sure that if you are struggling with depression that you are patient with yourself... it will take time to heal and to learn what you need to do so you do not repeat the same cycle.

I am sure everyones triggers are different when it comes to this battle but here are the four things that are vital for me to remain "stable" so to speak.

1. A relationship with my Lord and Savior.
I need to be in daily communion with Him, it keeps me grounded and focused on that which is true. I am not perfect by any means, but I do what I can. Daily Bible reading, whether it be a verse, a chapter or four chapters... I get in what I can because the more I know God's Word the better I can replace the lies with truth. I also find time to pray, this may be while I am in the shower, while I am doing dishes, or before bed but taking time to thank the Lord for His blessings, to pray for those who are hurting around me, and to bring my petitions before Him really is calming to me.

2. Intimacy with my husband both physically and emotionally.
It takes time at various stages in our lives (especially with little ones) to set time aside for each other but when we go a while without connecting then I feel it, and I begin to spiral. It helps us to set a regular date night, either in or out of the house depending on our financial situation at the time. I also have found it necessary to have daily time to connect and talk without interruption.

3. Time to myself.
I have discovered that I do not normally enjoy being alone. So "time to myself" does not necessarily mean I need to be alone... often times it just means I need some "me time". I will call up a friend and invite them over for a movie or out for tea. Sometimes I do want to be alone in which case an uninterrupted shower so I can shave my legs or a leisurely bath complete with candles, chocolate, hot tea and a good book are so therapeutic. Whatever it is, I make sure to schedule some "me time" weekly. My blog is therapeutic for me so I tend to blog about that which I am working on and that which I am passionate about. Hop on over to the Help Along Life's Journey page and peek at the Taking Time For Yourself posts for more ideas.

4. Set healthy boundaries.
At the same time I was in the pit of despair I was working the night shift as a waitress, I had several very needy people in my life who would call all hours of the day/night and some of those would drop by for unannounced visits and stay for hours on end pouring out their problems and wanting me to fix them. It was extremely draining and weary. I have learned how to set up boundaries that are healthy for both myself and my family. Sometimes it is the simple things like not answering the phone and letting it go to voice mail or welcoming unexpected company in but setting a time limit. For example "Hi Lucy, it is so good to see you. Would you like to come in and have some tea, I am free until 3:00." This seemingly small step has probably been the hardest one for me since I am a peace maker by nature and desire to help others however it has also been extremely rewarding and freeing in my battle with depression. I tend to take on other people's problems and we were just not designed for that. There is a reason we have a Savior to turn to and it is alright to help others but if it is consuming your time and energy then a line needs to be drawn.

I have found it to be of utmost importance to surround myself with that which is pure and good and that includes people. Keeping a close core of friends who can encourage and uplift me, whom I can trust with both the trials and joys of life, and who can build me up and hold me accountable has been mind blowingly beneficial. It does not need to be a group of 20 friends... just one or two other than your spouse will work out nicely but it is important to have people who you can pour out your heart to and vice versa. Healthy people who will encourage you and not drag you down. For more information on boundaries wander on over to the Help Along Life's Journey page and peek underneath the Boundaries section for a plethora of helpful posts.

Another thing that helps me to keep life in perspective is to have inspiration around me. Someone sends a card in the mail with an encouraging verse or nice compliment, a picture that makes me smile, a quote that reminds me of what is true or gives me a laugh, I keep these within eye level. I have a kitchen cabinet that I access daily (I like to cook so it is my spice cabinet) and on the inside door I have some of these items tacked up. In the hallway outside my bedroom door I have a quote wall with different pictures and quotes where I can see them daily when I step out of my bedroom door. It is the simple things sometimes that can make a huge difference.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

This life is going to be painful and dark at times but keep in mind the verse above, beloved. The walls may close in on us but we will NOT be crushed. We do not need to despair and when we are struck down, we will not be destroyed because we have a Rescuer who came to bring a light that will dispel the darkness, a conquering hero who has bound death in chains and will one day wipe away every tear. He has come to set the captive free... and I am living proof as one who was bound in self-made chains but who has tasted the freedom of redemption. May the God of PEACE be yours today as you go about this journey towards freedom.

By His Grace,
Dawna

Homeschool Curriculum for 2011-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:53:00 +0000

Our curriculum has changed over the years but we have found that the books below really work for us. I have had several people email to ask what we use so below you will find our list of books with a description of each item and what we enjoy about it. I hope you find this list helpful.

The Bible - All of our children are read to daily from the Bible. In the evening I read to the children from The Jesus Story Book Bible which all of the kids enjoy hearing. It is filled with beautiful illustrations and each story points to Jesus. It is geared for ages 4 to 8 but is an enjoyable read for the entire family. As little ones grow older they are encouraged to read the Bible on their own in a version that is easy for them to understand but offers more meat than a "story book" Bible. Ethan is currently reading The Hands On Bible in the New Living Translation which he reads daily. The Hands on Bible has over a hundred activities to help instill God's Word into our children's hearts in a memorable, tangible way as well as fun facts, hero biographies, charts, maps and more.

Preschool/Kindergarten:

Toddler Theme A Saurus - This wonderful activity book is laid out by theme alphabetically so you have everything from bubbles and blankets to sand and wagons. Each theme has a variety of activities to engage each of the senses from songs and poems to hands on activities, arts and crafts and fun games. An imaginative, fun filled book that is sure to keep your toddler entertained while helping them learn. For ages one and a half to four years old.

The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading - I have used this book for both of my boys so far and have had wonderful results. It takes us two years to get through the 231daily lessons with each lesson taking us ten to fifteen minutes. There are no colorful pictures in this book, just text with informative blurbs for the teacher on what to present that day. My children have enjoyed memorizing the poems and learning how to read phonetically. It is a great stepping stone to introduce your students to reading and the rules and concepts that accompany reading properly. The Ordinary Parents Guide is an excellent road map to get your child off to a good start and is very easy to supplement with activities of your choosing. For ages 3 and up.

My Father's World from A to Z - We have been incredibly blessed to be the wonderful benefactors of this fantastic curriculum from friends of our who no longer have a kindergartener in the home. I have not been able to use this curriculum in it's entirety yet due to the fact that my little man is in preschool but I am so looking forward into diving head first into this next year. We do use the A to Z flashcards now with our Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, and they are colorful and durable.

What attracts me to this curriculum is how organized it is as well as that it is Bible based so you child will learn thematically centered on the wonders of God's creation. A bit of an investment but very well done and worth looking into.

I supplement our pre-school material with activity books from The Dollar Store that deal with counting, the alphabet/letters, shapes, and colors.

Before grade school I do not have a curriculum for science/history. I allow them to explore what they enjoy. When Ethan was in Preschool and Kindergarten he wanted to dive into the world of dinosaurs and learn about the solar system so we did. I taught him both from a creationist view point as well as the secular view point so he could know both sides of the story and argue his view as effectively as a young person can (and believe me... he could go toe to toe with an adult on the issue of creation giving many details just from the point of dinosaurs and the solar system). We also took many nature walks and explored the world around us as well as enjoyed frequent visits to the museum. Make learning fun and find out what your little ones are interested in. The joy of home schooling is that you can dive into the world your child enjoys and really explore it in great depths so they do not just merely skim the surface, they can know a subject inside and out.

Grade School:

Grammar -
Grade 1 and 2 - First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind - Jessie Wise is popular in our home. I enjoy her style of teaching. The lessons are short yet informative and this book is the same. Lessons take ten to fifteen minutes a day and incorporate grammar, narration, memorization, and dictation. My son really enjoyed learning the poems and at the end of the second year he was able to have successfully memorized all of the poems in the book and recited them for his grandparents. Some of the lessons may seem repetitive in which case we just reviewed the information and moved on to the next lesson. All in all, this is a well written, easy to teach, informative language arts program for young minds. Intended for use in first and second grade. I just became aware recently that Mrs. Wise has come out with additional Language Lessons for higher grades, if they are anything like First Language Lessons they will be a wonderful supplement to any classical education.

Grades 3 and up - We currently use *Easy Grammar and *Daily Grams for the higher grade levels. These lessons are short and to the point. My fifth grade son can do them on his own while I am teaching the younger children and he gleans a lot. The lessons are more of a nuts and bolts approach which my son can appreciate. You will need to supplement if you want more of a language arts program as this is purely grammar however it teaches grammar WELL. If you want your child to have a thorough understanding of sentence structure in a way that will not overwhelm them than this is the curriculum for you.

Spelling: We are using Wordly Wise for the first time this year and we are all in love with it. Before this year I was making up my own spelling lists but it became rather time consuming. WW is affordable, easy to grade, and easy to teach. Each lesson has 15 words that the child learns for the week. "The alphabetized list gives pronunciations, parts of speech, and concise definitions, and uses each word in a sentence. Sentences are interesting, engaging, and provide a mnemonic anchor for the word." (as written on CBD's website) Each lesson has five parts:
A. Find the Meaning - the student has to circle two out of the four phrases in order to form a sentence that correctly defines one of the vocabulary words.
B. Finding the Right Word - student needs to cross out the highlighted phrase and replace it with a word from their word list.
C. Applying Meanings - student has to circle one or more of the correct answers to define the word. Example:
Which of the following could be an obstacle :
a) lack of money
b) a fallen tree
c) poor eyesight
d) a pleasant voice

D. Word Study - finding synonyms and antonyms
E. Passage - student has to read a story and then answer the questions after in complete sentences using a vocabulary word from their list, they can only use each word once.

Wordly Wise has been a great fit for our family and we look forward to using it in the years to come.

Writing:

Grades K - 3 - Games for Writing - My son was really struggling with writing so I decided to find a book that would be fun and Games for Writing fit the bill. Not only did it engage my son and peak his interest within the first few minutes but it fostered a love for writing in him that I do not think I could obtain any other way. This book is a fantastic, fun, fresh approach to teaching writing... give it a whirl if you have a reluctant writer or a little one who is just starting out on their writing journey.

Grades 3 -4 - I did not have a writing curriculum for these years, I just winged it, which meant that creative writing did not happen on a daily basis. I had Ethan keep a journal as well as gave him specific writing assignments whether it be a poem, book review, make your own comic strip, etc., but there was nothing concrete. He seemed to enjoy it however his writing was/is lacking due to my inconsistency.

Grades 5 -6 - Jump In by Apologia - after winging it for a few years I decided I really needed to buckle down and find a writing program where Ethan could learn good solid writing as well as have fun. My boy has a very creative imagination and enjoys getting it out on paper however his writing is not always coherent and concise. Jump In is refining his writing and helping him understand the mechanics behind it in an enjoyable way. This curriculum has full color illustrations with short lessons that are kid friendly which makes the lessons manageable. "Jump In fits itself to your student's writing style while ensuring that they gain ample experience writing reports, opinions, journaling, proofreading, editing and other writing skills." (as written on CBD's website). This book has enough lessons to complete two years of writing so it is very affordable and a non-consumable if you do not mind your student working in a notebook. I recommend also buying the teacher's manual as it has helped greatly in giving direction as well as the grading/evaluating process.

Reading - I read out loud to the children daily in the evening from a book of their choosing. Currently I am reading Charlotte's Web to Uriah and The Hobbit to Ethan... we do this after our Bible time.
Elianna chooses several board books and snuggles up with us to read as well.

During the day we have readings scheduled for school that pertain to the subject matter we are learning about whether it is history (knights, castles, vikings, etc.), art (Van Gogh biography, photography, clay, ...), an upcoming holiday (Martin Luther King biography, the story of Saint Nick, etc), or some other subject that has sparked our interest.

The children also have quiet time where they read for at least an hour independently. This is when they can dig out the books they have chosen on their own from the library. Since Uriah cannot read yet sometimes he just looks at the book or I read to him, often times he enjoys just sitting, looking at the pictures and making up a story until he is ready for me to gather him up on my lap to read. Ethan is an avid reader and has indulged himself in everything from the classics like Alice and Wonderland and The Time Machine to books by Gary Paulsen (the author of Hatchet) and fantasies like the current series he is reading for the second time: Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief . Setting aside time for your children to discover the amazing world of books will foster their imagination, a love for language and words, and give them the opportunity to enjoy far off places without even leaving the couch. In a world that is so inundated with technology it is nice to enjoy the comfortable feeling of a book in your hands and the simplicity of the written word.

Math:
When we began our homeschooling journey I tried all kinds of math curriculums from Rod and Staff to Saxon and even Singapore. Nothing seemed to work for us... it was either very repetitive and boring, not challenging enough or too challenging. Thus began a poll of homeschooling friends and vote came back almost unanimously that Math U See was "wonderful". Well, I figured we would give it a whirl.

I went online and reviewed the curriculum and after swallowing hard at the price and praying about it... God provided the money and we purchased our first Math U See program.

I was nervous about my children learning from a DVD. I was their teacher and I wanted to be the one to teach them, but after watching the instructional video I realize now that the actual video time involved in each unit is about ten minutes. At the beginning of each unit you pop in the DVD and Mr. Demme teaches the subject material for that unit in an informative, fun, practical way that you can see. You then can go about your week doing the lessons and reviews before taking the final test. It is wonderful.

Math U See has not only helped my children it has helped me grasp math better and has made me more confident in a subject I am not particularly fond of. I cannot give Mr. Demme enough praise... he makes math fun and really cements the concepts by using real life application. If you are interested in learning more click here to see a demonstration video.

This is another one of those subjects where we use a notebook and just copy the problems from the original workbook. It requires a little more work on the student's part but I think writing out the problem is a good habit to get into plus the resources stay clean for the next child coming up.

Mr. Demme suggests buying the blocks that go along with his program, after all, it is called "Math U See", however since my oldest is not a visual learner I did not go this route. If he needed to visualize something I gave him a handful of Legos and let him add them up. My next child coming up the ranks is a visual learner so I may invest in the blocks as he begins his journey with math. Since I will not need to buy the curriculum again then I will be able to have the funds to purchase the extra materials if needed.

History:

Grades 1 - 8 = Story of the World (4 volumes)
Depending on who you talk with this series can be controversial. Although it does have it's flaws (in the first Volume Mrs. Baeur unfortunately makes the mistake of muddling her facts, including with Biblical accounts) it's strengths far outweigh it's weaknesses. This wonderful narrative is fun to read to the kids, they all enjoy listening to it whether my three year old or ten year old, and it has spurred on a love for history in each of them. Keep in mind that this series is intended as a read aloud, which enables you as the teacher to pick up on any typos or discrepencies and address them. History is one of my children's favorite subjects and I thank Mrs. Bauer for her down to earth writing style and fun activities that expand my children's minds and foster a love for the world around them.

I STRONGLY suggest purchasing the activity book that goes along with each SOW volume, they are filled with recommendations for fantastic additional reading material as well as projects that help bring the subject matter home. We do not consume our history notebooks as the pages tear out and are easily photo copied or you can purchase a set of worksheets for $12 if you want to save your printer ink.

Each book is designed to complete in a year and once you finish the series it is intended to repeat for the next four years. I personally think the SOW is too juvenile for high school and perhaps for advanced junior high students but for grade school it is a nice fit.

We are currently working our way through Volume II.

Volume I - Ancient Times and Volume I Activity Book - "What terrible secret was buried in Shi Huangdi's tomb? Did nomads like lizard stew? What happened to Anansi the Spider in the Village of the Plantains? And how did a six-year-old become the last emperor of Rome?" (as described on amazon.com).
Volume II - The Middle Ages and Volume II Activity Book- "The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 2: The Middle Ages weaves world history into a story book format. Who discovered chocolate? What happened to the giant Fovor of the Mighty Blows? Why did the Ottoman Turks drag their war ships across dry land?" (as described on amazon.com)
Volume III - Early Modern Times and Volume III Activity Book- "The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child; Volume 3: Early Modern Times weaves world history into a story book format. Who was the Sun King? Why did the Luddites go around England smashing machines? And how did samurai become sumo wrestlers?" (as described on amazon.com)
Volume IV - The Modern Age and Volume IV Activity Book- "Where was the Crystal Palace? Who was the Sick Man of Europe? And how did cow fat start a revolution?
Now more than ever, other countries and customs affect our everyday lives—and our children need to learn about the people who live all around the world. Susan Wise Bauer has provided a captivating guide to the history of modern nations all around the world. Written in an engaging, straightforward manner, the final volume of the popular Story of the World series weaves world history into a storybook format, covering major historical events in the years 1850-2000. From the Middle East and China to Africa and the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in the last century and a half." (as described on amazon.com)

Science
Apologia has done it again. They have come out with a captivating series that engages it's readers to dive head on into a subject that lures them in page by colorful page.

If you desire a science curriculum that is Christian based then look no further than Jeannie Fulbright's "Exploring Creation" series. Science has become my children's favorite subject, they cannot wait to snuggle up in bed to read the lesson and on Thursdays our experiments always have rave reviews. As with history, go ahead and splurge on the activity book, you will not be disappointed. The activity book comes with all of the templates you will need for the notebooking activites, as well as review questions, project pages and scientific speculation sheets, Scripture copywork for both print and cursive, fun games, facts, mini books and more. It also offers a daily Schedule for completing the readings, notebook assignments, activities and experiments utilizing a two-day per week plan which means no lesson planning for you (can I hear a WOOT!). We DO write in the science notebooks so they are a consumable. Many of the activities you end up cutting out, like the lap books, personal person and some of the other projects so they are not able to be passed on from child to child.

These books are intended for first through sixth grade.

We are currently studying Human Anatomy.

The books in the series include:

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology - "All creation is awe-inspiring, but the work of the human body, created in the very image of God, is especially jaw-dropping! This study of anatomy and physiology showcases the intricacy and design of the human body, from DNA and cell creation to the skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous/endocrine, immune, and intergumentary systems. Integrated with health and nutrition information, as well as plenty of scripture and biblical application, this complete guide to the human body is written in an enjoyable, conversational tone that will keep kids engaged. Experiments, notebooking assignments, narration, and a "personal person project" provide interaction with concepts outside of reading, and help to solidify understanding. 265 pages, hardcover. Index and answers to the narrative questions are included." (as described on CBD's website)
*Human Anatomy notebook

Exploring Creation with Botany -"Introduce your young naturalists to plants---their structure, propagation, classification, and more---with this engaging yearlong classical science curriculum. Influenced by Charlotte Mason and the living books philosophy, homeschooling mother Jeannie Fulbright writes as if she were chatting with her own children, defining and explaining at their comprehension level. Designed to be used with both readers and non-readers, each clearly organized lesson features content-rich narration; notebooking; and hands-on activities and projects using easy-to-find household items. Dissect seeds, force bulbs, make leaf skeletons---and take a close-up look at God's flora kingdom. Grades K to 6. 176 pages, hardcover." (as described on CBD.com)
*Botany Notebook

Exploring Creation with Astronomy - "What would living on Venus be like? Are there really black holes? How did God create the cosmos? Curious kids want to know, and this 28-week curriculum gives them biblically based, scientifically sound answers. Using Charlotte Mason's methodology, 14 incremental lessons employ narration, notebooking, hands-on projects, and a course website to introduce 6- to 12-year-olds to the wonders of the solar system and universe. 176 pages, hardcover." (as described on CBD.com)
*Astronomy notebook

Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day: Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 - "The ruby-throated hummingbird, yellow-rumped warbler, little brown bat, spicebush swallowtail butterfly, Mexican bean beetle, common honeybee---they all have wings, and you'll find them here in this lavishly illustrated elementary science curriculum. Using the Charlotte Mason approach, 14 lessons include notebook activities, special projects, and hands-on experiments to teach kids about birds, bugs, bees, beetles, butterflies, and more. 240 pages, hardcover." (as described on CBD.com)
*Zoology 1 notebook

Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day: Exploring Creation with Zoology 2 - "Dive into the underwater world of marine animals! Written directly to the student, the gentle conversational style makes Zoology 2 perfect for elementary children to read on their own, or for family reading times with mom. Presenting information with a strong creationist viewpoint, this detailed book contains chapters on aquatic animals, whales, seals, fish, sharks, reptiles, Cephalopods and many other creatures you didn't even know existed! Narration may be easily used with younger children; notebooking and "ocean box" activities are included at the end of each chapter. Household labs develop the skills needed to conduct scientifically valid experiments in any field, while magnificent photos bring the ocean right into your classroom. 235 pages, indexed hardcover with answers to the narrative questions included." (as described on CBD.com)
*Zoology 2 Notebook

Land Animals of the Sixth Day - Exploring Creation with Zoology 3 - "The third book in Apologia's acclaimed zoology series, Exploring Creation with Zoology 3 will give students a tour through their own backyards, bring them on a safari and introduce them to the varied inhabitants of jungles, deserts, forests, farms and other ecosystems. Discover how people are different from apes, how to tell poisonous and non-poisonous snakes apart, how to get away from a bear and more!
Arranged by classification order, animals are divided into the distinctions given in Genesis--wild animals, livestock and "creatures that creep." Each chapter is packed full of interesting facts and notes, characteristics, differences between species, habits, habitats, bright photographs and more fun information that kids will love to learn. Factor in interdisciplinary skills by keeping records of where each animal is located on a map, narration questions, notebooking, tracking tips, and numerous household, hands-on experiments and projects. Answers are organized by chapter, with both the student question (in bold) and answer included. 288 indexed pages, hardcover. Elementary grades." (as described on CBD.com)
Zoology 3 Notebook

Electives:
As far as electives go we do not have a "curriculum" that we follow.

Art - We have an art project once a week (more craft projects for little ones). It could be anything - drawing, painting, sculpting, coloring, shrink art, etc. Often times it ties in with our history lesson other times it may follow the seasons (paper snowflakes, create a winter scene, flower pressing, card making, window painting, ...). Don't be afraid to fly by the seat of your pants and have fun with it. We DO study famous artists as well, just check out some books and let the children enjoy discovering the great minds that made the Mona Lisa, Starry Night, or the great cathedrals.

Music - Although it is one of my deepest desires to be able to enroll my children in music lessons some day, that day is not now. Financially we are just unable to do so. However, I can still infuse them with an appreciation of music as we learn about different composers, styles of music, and pick up affordable instruments that we can play at home (bells, keyboard, moroccas, tambourine, drum, etc.)

Gym - We are always finding ways to keep active in Sargentopia. Rainy or frigid winter days can find us building an indoor obstacle course, swimming at the local Boys and Girls Club, enjoying an indoor bounce house, walking the floors of WalMart for exercise not to shop, or having fun at McDonalds play place.

Nice days you will find us outside enjoying God's creation whether we are swimming at the lake/ocean, hiking a mountain, playing at the park, tearing up the soccer field, flying a kite, making an outdoor obstacle course, playing tag/hide and seek, or any other variety of fun, healthy, heart pumping entertainment.

Home Economics - It is so sad that teaching our children how to care for a home is becoming extinct these days. All of my children enjoy cooking/baking. They help prepare meals, plan menus, go grocery shopping, clean the home, fold laundry, and more. As I learn old fashioned methods of sewing and knitting I also teach the children what I know. Ethan has successfully hand sewn a beautiful, large square for a quilt and has the hopes of knitting his own scarf. Uriah can whip up pancakes, although Mommy cooks them on the griddle. Even Ms. Ellie, at eighteen months, gets in on the action. Ellie can crack an egg, pour liquids in, and stir ingredients. She also loads and unloads the washer/dryer. Involve your children and do not be afraid to let them help out... it is a wonderful learning experience that they will thank you for later on in life.

Foreign Language - This is another area where I wish I could afford to give my children lessons but for now we enjoy learning as much as we can at home through books we find at the library as well as our monthly Spanish lesson at our homeschool co-op. We review what we are learning in co-op at home during the weeks we do not meet so the children are able to retain what has been instilled in them.

Sports - The kids are allowed to choose one sport each for the year. Both of the boys enjoy soccer so that is where you find us during the spring. We limit it to one sport/child because we do not want to be overwhelmed by bringing children here, there and everywhere. It is important for us to have down time as a family and that means keeping our schedule simple... thus sports do have their place but it is not a priority.

Other - We are involved in several other programs where the kids have interaction with peers as well as people of all ages. We have weekly 4H meetings, a monthly homeschool co-op, lots of play dates with friends, field trips monthly, as well as community service that we participate in whether it is ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, visiting the nursing home, or ministering to a neighbor, the children learn how to serve others and not just themselves.

The cost = for Preschool and Kindergarten I spend less than $50. I purchase art supplies, the basic paper needs and such but most items I have obtained used and they were either free or purchased at the local Goodwill or Dollar Store.
For Grade School the price was almost $300 this year for Ethan's curriculum however I will not have to purchase most of the books again since we are not consuming them. In previous years I have been able to get away with $100 - $150 due to bartering with friends or finding good deals, this year I purchased everything new. Keep in mind the price includes field trips as well. All in all, it is cheaper than private school. :)

There, I think I have covered everything. Please feel free to leave comments/questions below and I will make sure to get back to you as soon as possible. Happy teaching! Join me next week when I will discuss our routine.

2012 Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:06:00 +0000

The New Year crept in fast... each year seems to slip away faster than the one before, the older I become. Each year brings joys that are immeasurable and trials that stretch and grow me. Each year God seems to reveal Himself in new ways, in deeper ways.

In 2007 the God who strengthens made Himself ever present in our lives as we cared for Matt's Mom, who had stage IV colon cancer. She was able to live out her last days in our home, surrounded by the love and care she needed and was so grateful for.

In 2008 the God who knows our hearts desires and who brings them about in His timing blessed us with our second child. It took six years to conceive this little one who is now the boy who brings such heart bursting joy to our lives that I cannot imagine a world without my Uriah.

In 2009 and 2010 Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides, blessed us immeasurably by giving us everything from a mini-van and allowing me to give birth to yet another blessing, our baby girl - and He also provided the "little things", clothes for Elianna all the way through toddler sizes, a crockpot, a bread pan, and more.

You can read about how our awesome God has been influencing our lives by heading over to the "Help Along Life's Journey" page at the top of this blog. Scan the "Faith" section and take time to see and hear how God sustains us each step of the way, through the good times and the bad. I am brought to tears to know that the God who created the universe from nothing, cares for ME and He cares for YOU dear readers. Be on the look out this year at how he lavishes love on you.

In 2012 I have several goals. Some pertain to my physical health like:

* Exercising regularly.

*Taking my vitamins

*Drinking 8 glasses/water a day

Others pertain to my spiritual well being:

* Starting each day with God and instilling His Word in my children's hearts.

And still others help me emotionally:

* Making time for that which is truly important... relationships.

I like to keep my yearly goal list small so that I can actually attain that which I set out to do. It also helps if I can sum up my upcoming year in one word. Last year that word was "Simplify" . I desired to simplify my life in all categories and I can honestly say that I am close to attaining that. Many of the "goals" of 2011 are carried over to 2012 as they are healthy life practices.

So as 2012 passes me by with each dawning day I think the word I am going to sum up this year with is

Contentment

Our home is becoming smaller as we add more little people to it (baby #4 is due in April) and we have dreams of moving to the country, having a farm, and building a more functional house for a growing family. However, for now, that is just a dream - one we can plan toward and pray about but THIS is where God has us, for THIS moment in our lives. HE knows that we have four children to fit into one room, HE knows that my eye twitches at times because of the lack of space, and HE reminds me of how good I have it. HE knows I want to entertain and have guest over for dinner, HE knows my fear of people feeling too crowded and not enjoying themselves and then HE reminds me that the joy is in the fellowship and He allows me to host a fun-filled Christmas Eve party with 14 people in our tiny, cozy dining room and have complete peace in doing so.

"Do what you can,

with what you have,

where you are."

- Theodore Roosevelt -

So there you have it... my 2012 goals. I would love to hear what you are striving towards this year, please share your thoughts with me below so I can be praying for you as we continue on this journey together dear ones.

With love,

Dawna

Dealing with Depression Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:26:00 +0000

As I approach another new year I look back on this one... the joys, the trials, the growth, and that which still needs work in 2012. I have had several conversations lately with friends who are tired and weary, life is no longer joy-ful and they desperately want that joy back.

Depression seems to be becoming epidemic in our country. Why is that? Have we lost what is really important, replacing it with the urgent? Are we so consumed on the next moment that we are not enjoying the now? Is life just so darn stressful, always rushing and going that we do not even know how to relax anymore? I do not know what the answer is for everyone but I do know how I have dealt with the dark days that have left me hopeless and helpless.

picture from wikipedia.org

For me the blackness slowly crept in, like dusk as the sun dips into the evening sky and then all of a sudden I found myself plummeted into inky black, unable to make out even a pinhole of light. It was the scariest time of my life. I felt helpless and hopeless as I groped along each day, pasting a fake smile on my face to tell the world I was alright when inside I was crying for help. Pride. It seems to always get in the way. I did not want others to know about my journey into despair, after all, I had everything I had ever wanted. A precious husband who cherished me, a son whom I adored, a house that was affordable and charming... so, what do I have to complain about. I did not want people to see that I was failing as a wife, that the traumatic delivery of our first born son had left me so broken and in pain that intimacy was not even a blip on the radar screen for almost a full year. I was a failure as a mother, not knowing how to deal with a cranky baby, or how to balance everyday life and caring for someone else who constantly needed me.

I had a Super Woman image to keep up people... even my best-friend, my beloved husband, did not know the extent to what I was going through. So the days passed into weeks and weeks flowed into months until I had fallen so deeply into the black pit that I finally snapped.

It was nine years ago, in the middle of winter. I found myself, yet again, pacing the floors of our home in the wee hours of the morning. Insomnia was a common companion during these painful days. My body was so weary and tired but my brain would not let me rest. I wept and mourned over my lost joy... how would I ever find it again? Life seemed so overwhelming. The thoughts in my head that swirled constantly reminded me that I was a failure and that I was worthless. I wanted to escape, to put an end to the misery I was feeling. My husband deserved a better wife, my son deserved a fun-loving mother. Instead they were stuck with this pathetic excuse of a woman who cried too often, who had a hard time putting one foot in front of the other, who couldn't stand the site of herself in the mirror. A woman who still so often felt like a little girl.

"You can put an end to this pain. Your husband can find another wife, one who is prettier, smarter, and stable, and she can love your son better than you can. They will be happy and you will have peace." The voice hissed in my ear and I shook my head... "no, this cannot be true. I would never take my life" and yet the accusations came, the reminders rushed in of how I had failed, how I had changed, and the darkness was swallowing me up until I quit and gave in to the Deceiver.

Photo from mi9.com

Temperatures were below zero that night, snow blanketed the ground and in the expanse of the night sky the stars shone brightly - any other night it would have been beautiful but this night, everything seemed cold and hollow. The river moves swiftly behind my house... I began to romanticize what I was about to do. It would be like Tennyson's Lady Of Shallot. I dressed in a gauzy gown of white and kissed my loved ones for the last time. They slept soundly as I kissed them with trembling lips and tear filled eyes "They will be better without me" I thought as I tiptoed back to the kitchen. I put my shaking hand to the doorknob that led outside and offered up one last pleading prayer:
"Lord, I know that what I am about to do is wrong but I cannot see another way. I am so tired of this, I want joy again and I don't know where to find it. I know you are real, you have proven yourself over and over to me. If you can hear me now please, please stop me. Show yourself to me and save me from myself."

No angels appeared to thwart me, no booming voice from above corrected me but as I began to turn the doorknob my legs buckled beneath me and I crumbled to the floor. I could not move from the waist down, my God had answered me and spared me from making the most selfish, stupid decision of my life.

I was paralyzed.

With useless limbs beneath me I sobbed on the welcome mat in our kitchen until the tears would no longer come. I thanked the Lord for hearing me and apologized for not valuing my life more. Then, I pulled myself through the kitchen and down the hall to our bedroom where my beloved lay peacefully asleep. I reached my hand up to touch his face and the tears came again... this time I could not muffle my cries and my darling Matthew awoke, startled. He met me on the floor and held me as I sobbed and confessed to him all that I had kept bottled up inside. I looked into his eyes and asked "Do you think I should be committed to the hospital?" He gave a gentle chuckle and said, "No, we are going to get through this one day at a time." Then he prayed over me as he embraced me in his arms and for the first time in months I could see a gittering shimmer of light.

Please join me next week as I talk about my triggers for depression and ways that I keep this dark dragon at bay without the use of medications.

Keeping it real and thankfully in His grip,
Dawna

Not Me

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

It is NOT ME Wednesday where I deny the painful moments in life, the insane moments, and the "oh my goodness that so did not happen to me" moments.

My Christmas spirit has not been brought low due to such sad news in our community. Our neighbor did not pass away unexpectedly this past week leaving behind his wife and children, and little grandchildren. He did not lose his son last year who was fighting for our freedom in Iraq.

There have not been Game Wardens searching our back yard and along the river for a missing 20 month old little girl who was tucked into her bed in the evening last Friday only to be found missing Saturday morning. Abduction is not a possibility. My Momma's heart is not breaking for her and her family... praying that she will be found SOON as the temperatures are freezing and she was last seen in pajamas. Please do pray for this little one and for the rest of the community as it has us all a bit shaken up.

While at church this past Sunday Uriah did not have a complete meltdown (his first in church). There was not a handicapped gentleman sitting in front of us with a very large wheelchair. Uriah was not sleepy therefore he was not lying down across some seats and his little dangling feet were not kicking the gentleman's chair on accident. I did not ask Uriah to sit up please and he did not proceed to cry, rather loudly. I then did not usher him up the very long aisle to which his crying did not accelerate into a piercing scream as his face was red, hot with tears and mine was not red, hot with embarrassment. I did not bring him into the bathroom to have a sit down talk with him in which case my broken hearted boy did not confess "momma, I was just tired." To which I replied " I know darling but we cannot kick chairs even when we are sleepy and when Momma asks you to sit up you need to listen and obey so we do not have to have incidents like this." After some hugs and kisses he calmed down enough to be escorted back into the church. My loving sister did not see everything take place and quickly leave her seat to take Ellie from my arms so I could deal with the situation at hand. (THANK YOU Deb!!!) Uriah did not apologize to our dear Pastor for disrupting the service to which Pastor Bill did not envelop my little three year old into his arms, tell him he loved him and thanked him for his sincere apology. He then did not confess to me that he truly did not even notice the screaming child running up the aisle during his sermon.... Phew!

We did not discover that venison stew is incredibly yummy but causes tummy issues in Sargentopia. While out at a home school co-op I did not have to change 3 incredibly poopy, icky diapers in the span of an hour since Ms. Ellie ate and entire bowl of stew last night for supper.

Eric and Chelsea... having a special date. :)

Our tenants upstairs are not outdoor enthusiasts therefore they do not hunt regularly and bring us game for dinner. While cooking breakfast one morning I did not look out the window to see these newlyweds gutting ducks on the tailgate of their truck.

I do not call food "cute" or "beautiful". Therefore my husband does not look at me weird when I show him the 30 "adorable" mini whoopie pies I made for our Christmas party. :)

Ever had one of your little ones go berserk in church or does you husband look at you strange when you call dinner "cute", if so share with me below. :)

25 Ideas to Make Life Easier

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I usually detest forwards but when this little gem popped into my email box this week I was wowed by some of the ideas. So, I'm passing on the love to you my dear readers... enjoy the fun ideas.

25 great ideas to make life easier .
Via: amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com

Why didn’t I think of that?! We guarrantee you’ll be uttering those words more than once at these ingenious little tips, tricks and ideas that solve everyday problems … some you never knew you had! (Above: hull strawberries easily using a straw).

Via: apartmenttherapy.com

Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes.

Via: unplggd.com

Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40 (also works on walls).

Via: athomewithrealfood.blogspot.com

Stop cut apples browning in your child’s lunch box by securing with a rubber band.

Via: marthastewart.com

Overhaul your linen cupboard – store bedlinen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.

Via: realsimple.com

Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone / iPod in a bowl – the concave shape amplifies the music.

Via: savvyhousekeeping.com

Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.

Via: iheartnaptime.net

Add this item to your beach bag. Baby powder gets sand off your skin easily – who knew?!

Via: realsimple.com

Attach a velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.

Via: flickr.com

Look up! Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the floor.

Via: instructables.com

Gotcha! Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a stocking over the vacuum hose.

Via: realsimple.com

Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.

Via: stephmodo.com

For those who can’t stand the scrunching and bunching: how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet.

This works so well... I have been folding our fitted sheets like this for a year now and it makes a huge difference in my linen cupboard.

Via: sprwmn.blogspot.com

Forever losing your bathroom essentials? Use magnetic strips to store bobby pins (and tweezers and clippers) behind a vanity door

Via: realsimple.com

A tip for holiday packing. Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes. And you can find them in just about every hotel!

Via: familyfun.go.com

A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy. Magnets hold the plastic cups down to make them tip-resistant.

*Cute inexpensive Christmas gift...*

Via: unplggd.com

Bread tags make the perfect-sized cord labels.

(I am going to label my cords this week... love it!)

Via: kiboomu.com

Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat.

My Mom made these sweet treats for my birthday party when I was a little girl and i LOVED it, as did my guests. Why have I not done this yet?

Via: squawkfox.com

Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.

If you cannot buy a whirly-pop (one of my absolute favorite items in my home) then this is a great alternative.

Via: photobucket.com

Brilliant space-saver: install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles. Genius!

Via: 9gag.com

Win friends at breakfast with this heart-shaped egg tutorial. Aww shucks!

Via: wilton.com

Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila – you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream. Click here for recipe.

Via: realsimple.com

Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.

Via: lifehacker.com.au

Gutter garden: Create a window-box veggie patch using guttering.

Use egg cartons to separate and store your Christmas decorations.

Have a blessed week!
Love,
Dawna

Party Plannin'

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:12:00 +0000

Photo from TimeandDate

I am beyond excited to be hosting a Christmas Eve party here in our wee little abode for a few friends and family. We will attempt to squeeze 17 people into these four walls and my heart is just bursting with joy at the fact that I get to entertain, right here, in my precious home.

We have some good eats planned:
Chicken Enchiladas
Seven-Layer Dip with tortilla chips
Bermuda Spinach Salad
Apple Orchard Punch
and for dessert
Muddy Buddies
Pretzel Turtles

Photo from 52kitchenadventures

and these amazingly cute Peppermint Chocolate Whoopie Pie Pops will be our party favors.

The planning has gone smoothly, the master grocery list is complete and now I am making a schedule for the week to list out what I want to do on each day leading up to the party so all will go smoothly. I am overjoyed to be celebrating the birth of our Savior with those we hold dear.

So... how are you getting into the Christmas spirit this season? Please feel free to share with me by posting a comment below.

Grace and peace,
Dawna

Not Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to yet another edition of NOT ME Wednesday where I deny the reality of life to keep me sane. :)

I did not run out of maple syrup and thus use the leftover cinnamon bun icing on the kid's pancakes this morning only to see crinkled up noses as the kids said "eeewww, this is yucky". I did not find out that I slathered their pancakes with sour cream... oops.

I have not been so tired that I have fallen asleep in the middle of the day while all three kiddos are still awake and running about. On one such day I did not wake up to find Elianna smacking me in the head with a plastic bucket, Uriah running around like a pirate, and Ethan gently nudging me awake because we were suppose to be at a friend's house five minutes ago.

Photo by Bon Appetit

Elianna's all time favorite food is not bananas. She most definitely would not grab the whole bunch and take off with them at lightning speed down the hallway until she realizes that she cannot peel one in which case she does not rush back to me with adoring eyes to await my banana peeling skills. While I am peeling the fruit Ellie does not dance in place while squealing for joy. She does not eat an average of two to three bananas a day so she would not need to be balanced out with a healthy does of fiber such as prunes, salad, or applesauce.

Photo from HowToGrowKids

The weather here has not been unseasonably warm and thus in December when temperatures are usually in the 20's we have not been enjoying 60 degree days when we do not discard our jackets and frolic about in rain boots. My backyard is not a mud pit therefore I have not had to wash floors, vacuum up grit, and bathe children as well as add extra muddy clothes to the laundry pile. Oh, and Ellie does not think mud is one of the major food groups.

My Ri-Guy is always on the go, seeking out adventure.

Three year old, Uriah does not come up to me and say "Hi Mom. I was wondering if you would like to talk." He then does not go on to tell me all about his Lego creations and use words such as "awesome", "exciting", and "extraordinary" as he describes his Lego man that he has outfitted with "super blasters and all kinds of super powers."

What has not been happening in your part of the world this week?

What's cookin'

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:32:00 +0000

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I love the Christmas season. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior our hearts overflow with joy and our desire to give is even greater this time of year. So here in Sargentopia we are making up goodie gifts for our friends and dinners to share with loved ones around our table. Here is a sampling of what's been cookin' in our kitchen.

These Pretzel Turtles are AMAZINGLY easy and highly addictive. A sweet, salty, seriously delicious treat perfect for Christmas gatherings or to give at your cookie exchange. These babies are fast to whip up, just make sure you double the batch. You can use any type of little chocolate (Rolos, Hershey Kisses, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups...) and top with desired nuts, M&Ms, sprinkles or whatever else floats your boat. Click here for the recipe.

Saturday evenings we always serve something ethnic and this past weekend I was hankerin' for something a bit spicy. Angela's Awesome Enchiladas hit the spot. I tweaked the recipe by cooking the chicken in the crockpot with the spices and a bit of water for 3 to 4 hours on high until I could shred it easily with a fork. Once I shredded the meat I added the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and put it on warm for a few hours until I was ready to fill my flour tortillas and top with sauce and cheese and bake up these delectable darlings. Put these on your upcoming menu, serve them with a nice side salad and have friends over for a fiesta. Ole!

Have you been invited to a Christmas potluck and are racking your brain as far as what to bring? Well, grab a large serving platter, layer it up with this beautiful Seven Layer Taco Dip, add a bowl full of tortilla chips and watch your friends lick the platter clean. Yup... it's that darn good. This dip is easy, portable, pretty to look at (well, until everyone dives into it) and is sure to receive rave reviews. Go ahead and steal the show with your incredible culinary skills... :), you know you wanna.

This Amazing Chicken Marinade recipe truly is amazing. The first time I had this at a friend's house it knocked my socks off and I could not help going back for seconds (and thirds). This dish is always a favorite at our house and it goes well with boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, whatever kind of chicken you have on hand will do. It pairs nicely with the Seven Layer Taco Dip for a meal.

What's been cookin' in your kitchen this week? Feel free to share recipes below in the comment section. :)

Advent

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

A welcoming glow greeted me from frosted windowpanes as we pulled into the driveway this evening. I derive great comfort in seeing light shine forth from darkness - a soft beacon beckoning me to enter into warmth and safety.
In the book of Matthew (chapter 5) we read:

^"14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. "

Our world has become so dark - by sharing Christ's love this Advent season we can share the light of our awesome Savior with a hurting and dying world. Christ is the light, as it is written in the book of John:

^" When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”" (John 8:12)

Later on in John chapter 9 Jesus says "⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Jesus no longer walks on this earth but we do and as Christ followers we carry His Spirit inside of us. We are the ones to show others His light . How are you reflecting Him this advent season?

Are you hesitant to share with others the reason you celebrate CHRISTmas, do you hide your light under a bowl for fear of what others may think or say? I know that there are times where I stumble, I hold back from sharing with others about my faith and I ask myself "why"? Is it fear of rejection, fear of not being able to defend my faith adequately, fear of not having the right answer... it is probably a combination of those things. I have been challenged by Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience to share Christ's love in simple ways with those around me this season. I invite you to join me in experiencing The Jesse Tree Journey - a wonderful (and economical... it's free) Advent devotional written eloquently by Mrs. Voskamp. I am excited about beginning this beautiful journey with my family as we look forward to celebrating Christ's birth, I hope and pray you join us.

With love,
Dawna
* A repost from the Archives.

Photo Card

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:45:00 +0000

Believe In Christmas Religious

Shutterfly custom Valentines Day and Mother's Day cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Praying Daily with Your Spouse.

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

The children are still asleep and the sun is starting to stretch it's first rays across the sky when he holds me in his arms and bathes me in prayer. He instills in me peace, strength, and love. He prays for my day, the children, and the tasks we have ahead of us. He thanks God for me and for my specific talents. He prays blessings and protection over me, and in doing all of this he shows me that he loves and cherishes me.

Every morning, before Matthew goes to work or before our weekend begins this is our routine. To stand together in the kitchen in the gray, dawning light to bring each other before God's throne room. It began with a simple prayer that then grew into something deeper and more complex as we surrenderred ourselves before our Savior together, hands clasped and hearts poured out. It is a beautiful, intimate time... a time that is sacred to us.

Do you pray with your husband? I encourage you to do so today. It helps your relationship with your prayer partner grow deeper, allows your relationship with the Lord to strengthen and become more intimate as well and gives joy/peace to the soul.

Matthew attended an Iron Sharpens Iron conference and received simple prayer cards to prompt us to pray over one another as husband and wife. The card has a short, simple prayer to pray out loud with your spouse... it was a great spring board for us. Are you craving a prayer time with the one you love? Are you wondering where to start? Here is where we began... give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

Here is the basic prayer we say each morning...
Father. I said, "Til death do us part" - I want to mean it. Help me love You more than him, and him more than ayone or anyting else. Help me bring him into Your presence today. make us one, like you are three-in-one. I want to hear him, support him, and serve him - So he would love You more and we can bring You glory. Amen.

Once we became comfortable and familiar praying out loud with one another daily we started to really make the prayer our own by praying specifically for each other. Do not get me wrong, we have prayed together in the past and it has been wonderful but we have never been really regular/diligent about our prayer time with each other. This simple card has changed our lives, for the better. My prayer for you is that you will begin today by setting aside a few minutes to pray with your spouse so you can also have the joy that comes with such a sacred/treasured time.

In His Grip,
Dawna

Not Me - A Morning with Ellie

noreply@blogger.com (Dawna) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:57:00 +0000

Welcome to Not Me Wednesday where I deny the reality of life... it keeps me a little saner. :) Care to join me?

This is Elianna. When she was born people were not telling us how sweet and quiet little girls were and how she would be so much different than our two boys. Well, one thing is for sure... she is definitely different than the boys in many, many ways. Elianna does not believe she is the Princess and thus should get her own way at all times. If she is not able to have her way Ellie most definitely would never pitch a fit and sound like an angry African Gray parrot. Her squeaks and squawks do not make my left eye twitch. Good thing she is adorable. :)

On any given day we do not find Ellie with an empty container of some sort. Today the container happened to be her grocery basket. (Yes, she needs a haircut...) Curious as to what she does with this container I did not decide to abandon my dishes and follow her.

She did not gleefully lead me to Matthew's closet...

Where of course I did not find my measuring cups, the fake food that belongs in the grocery basket, various bowls and spoons, and Daddy's sweaters strewn about.

Ellie then did not climb into the closet, wave goodbye to me and shut the door. She did not proceed to ramble on and on to herself in a sing songy voice. When it became quiet she did not open her door, peek up at me, wave goodbye again and repeat the process. Whenever we are curious as to where Ellie has toddled off to we do not first check the closet and usually find her amidst a pile of assorted odds and ends that she has absconded with earning her the nickname Clepto.

Ellie does not LOVE being wherever her brothers are... weather it be playing peek a boo underneath a blanket fort or stealing Grammy's attention during a field trip, Ellie-bell loves to be with family.

Ellie does not get excited about snack time. Weather it be bananas, raisins, apples, crackers, or cheese her face does not light up as she holds up dimpled hands saying "Peas... peas" and then "tank - du" when she is given her special treat. During our most recent snack time, I did not decide to give the children each their own bowl of raisins. The boys skittered off into the bedroom to read books and enjoy their snack while Ellie toddled down the hall and around the corner. When I found her she had not dumped her raisins here...

I did not offer up a thank you prayer that we only use this potty as a step stool and not for other, more obvious, functions. However, I promptly removed the snack from the potty, to which Ellie did not cry and writhe on the floor. After throwing away the "soiled" raisins she was not immediately happy when I once again gave her a bowl full of fresh raisins... to which she did not dump into a vase that is as tall as she is. Does the fun ever end?

After a long morning of playing, eating, and hiding Ellie does not fall asleep during lunch, thus concluding our morning with the Princess.

What have your kids not been up to this week? Leave me a comment below and we can laugh together about it. Have a blessed Wednesday my friends.

Love,
Dawna

Here but not all there...

Homemade Valentine Day Cards for Kids

Not Me - Humilities galore.

Feeding A Family of Five for $10 a Day

A First Hand Account of the Power of Prayer

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Directions

Simple Joy

*A re-post from the archives... because sometimes I need to remember what it is to have Simple Joy.*

Not Me

Pinching Pennies

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

It's Only For a Season...

Photo Friday: For the Love of Beautiful Things

Our Routine

Dealing with Depression Part Two

Psalm 139:7-12

Isaiah 42:16

2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Homeschool Curriculum for 2011-2012

2012 Goals

Dealing with Depression Part One

Not Me

25 Ideas to Make Life Easier

Party Plannin'

Not Me!

What's cookin'

Advent

Photo Card

Praying Daily with Your Spouse.

Not Me - A Morning with Ellie

A re-post from the archives... because sometimes I need to remember what it is to have Simple Joy.