The Zander Zoo

A Beautiful, Spring-like Day...Finally!!!

2014-03-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

I thought it would never get here. I really think this has been the longest, coldest winter I can remember! Even last week we had below zero temperatures! And you never know... maybe next week we will again.

We have our windows open. Its a little chilly in here, but the FRESH air feels so good!

The opossums seem to realize it is spring. We had THREE in our backyard last week! Dallas calls it "opossum season".

The children took a long lunch break today. They wore t-shirts and played in the big snow pile way in the back. It is a man-made pile. When we have a snow day, Dallas has to go out and ~~play in the snow~~ plow snow. He always drags snow from the driveway and even the yard, just so they can have a big pile to play on. {What a fun dad!!}

I am hoping we can finish school quickly so that maybe even MOM can get out into the fresh air! {Actually I would love to go for a run... I know that sounds weird!}

Have a happy spring day!

Judy

Grief

2014-02-23T16:36:00.001-06:00

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Grief is a strange thing. It comes and goes and has many stages. Sometimes I think I am OK, I am doing just fine. Then one day it hits me like it just happened! It has only been about three weeks, so I guess its probably pretty normal.

I was in church this morning, singing hymns I have always loved. Songs that remind us of what we have to look forward to when God calls us home. Songs about the joys and hope of Heaven. But this time it stirred memories of my Dad lying in bed... dying. I know where he is and I wouldn't want him back in his tired, achy old body for anything! But those Hospice days were unforgettable.

I am also having strange thoughts and fears about losing someone else close to me, particularly my children or my husband.

Most of the time I just feel numb. Maybe that is why the emotions are so strong when they do hit?

I am finding it hard to pray, too. I feel disconnected from myself and from God.

I am thankful I don't have to go through this alone. My husband and children are right here with me. They grieve in different ways. Some of the children have had dreams of Grandpa. Sometimes one of them will randomly cry, or just go off by themselves. Today, when I was having a hard time, Dallas listened, and then just held me in his arms for a long time while I rested... and cried.... and rested some more.

Trust and time. I guess trust and time are the only things to help a grieving person. Trusting God to get my through this time.

Judy

Crossing the Bridge I Never wanted to Cross

2014-02-04T12:58:00.001-06:00

Holliwell Bridge, Madison County, Iowa

I always knew this was coming. From the time I was a very little girl, I was regularly reminded that my parents were OLD. I knew my childhood with my older parents was different than all my friends. I knew there were plenty of things they could not do with me that they talked about doing with my older brothers and sisters. I knew I missed out on all the FUN my brothers and sisters had growing up together. But I had something they didn't have. TIME alone with Mom and Dad every day!

If life is a road we travel down, it it sometimes rough. Sometimes it has hidden curves we don't expect. Sometimes the road is completely gone from under us and we have to cross a bridge. The bridge I am thinking of is the bridge of losing my parents. I have dreaded it since I was a little girl. {I thought they were going to die of old age when I was in elementary school, haha!}

On the 4th of July I could see the bridge in the distance. I sensed that this was Dad's last 4th of July parade. A week later he fell, and as a result of his pain, his eating was dropped to barely enough to survive. He talked of dying on a regular basis. At the end of October that bridge became much closer when Dad was hospitalized with congestive heart failure. I had a feeling he would make it past Christmas when he could see his family together one last time, then go. "Christmas" was postponed to January 11 due to weather. January 10 he was hospitalized again, with congestive heart failure. The hospital said they had never seen so many visitors for one person before. After the draining of the fluids he was sent home to Hospice care because there was "nothing they could do to help him."

We visited him the next day and took lots of pictures with Grandpa... each one of us. By Saturday the decline was huge. He didn't recognize me at first. {OUCH!} Monday he was admitted into the nursing home because he could no longer get himself up to use the bathroom. For 12 days he laid in bed, mostly sleeping, but showing love until he completely lost control of his body and speech. Finally on Friday, January 31, 3:30 pm, with his loving wife of 68 years, his two youngest daughters and his only living son at his side, he breathed his last. RELEASED! from the arthritis pain he suffered with for decades, the shortness of breath he suffered due to a lung mass and fluid in his lungs. NO more pain. NO more sorrow.

I am so thankful to have had my parents this long! Mom was 45 and Dad 51 when I was born! I never imagined that my own sweet babies would be so blessed as to have memories with them, but they do. Sweet memories. Not of Grandpa taking them fishing, or Grandma fixing a fabulous Sunday dinner like their older cousins remember... but knowing that even from their lift chairs, Grandma & Grandpa loved them and were always interested in what they had to say or show them. It has been hard on all of us, without exception.

You will be missed, Fillmore Donald Dale! But we will never forget your smile, your laugh, they way you would always acted like you were going to bite us if we got near your mouth... or your unconditional love.

Mama is so heartbroken, she feels lost. We are doing our best to show her love and help where possible, but the emptiness has no relief. It is always there. That is a lot of pain and stress for a frail 88 year old woman. As we finish crossing this bridge and put our feet on the ground again after the funeral, another bridge appears in the distance.

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NOTE: At one time, Dad lived up the hill and around the corner from the Holliwell Bridge in Madison County, Iowa.

Thoughts on Mary, Luke 1 & 2

2013-12-27T09:35:00.001-06:00

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Have you ever taken the time to notice what the Bible says about Mary, the mother of Jesus? You almost have to read between the lines, because there are only a few comments here and there... often overlooked when you read the Christmas story. {At least I overlooked them.} A few years back, I began to notice those little one-liners about Mary that Luke mentioned in his Gospel.

Luke 1:27 "... a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary."

Virginity is laughed at in our culture today-- but a person's virginity is very precious to God. If Mary had been a "loose" girl, God never could have chosen her to bear the Son of God!

Luke 1:28 "And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

What does one have to be like to be highly favored? Righteous. Holy. Submissive spirit. Pure in body, mind, and heart.

Luke 1:29 "But when she saw him,{the angel} she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was."

Mary was troubled at first. She was scared! She knew she would be giving up her flawless reputation. She took the news patiently, with faith.

Luke 1:34 'Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”'

She wasn't afraid to ask a question. She wanted to fully understand what was going on.

Luke 1:38 "Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her." Mary trusted the Lord with all her heart. Her heart of submission to the Lord was beyond compare.

Luke 1:45 Elizabeth blessed Mary for her faith in the Lord to carry out this honorable task. "...Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke 2:6-7 "So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

Mary gave birth in a barn! {or a cave}. Is there any documentation of complaining here? NONE! She was so patient and trusting.

Luke 2:16 "And they {the shepherds} came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger." Mary was very gracious to allow all these strangers to come visit her new baby immediately after the birth. She seemed to understand that He was not "her" child, but belonged to the Lord and all mankind.

Luke 2:19 "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."

She didn't call her friends.

She didn't tell everyone.

She didn't even tell her husband!

These things were part of her relationship with God.

Luke 2:22-24 "Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Luke 2:39 "So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth."

Matthew 2: 13-15 "Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Joseph and Mary were obedient to the law of the Lord. Just think... they could have been proud and thought, "This is God in the flesh... these rituals for man are not necessary." but the thought never crossed their minds. They obeyed without hesitation. Had Joseph not obeyed and immediately fled to Egypt, we may not have had a Savior at all! God knew that Joseph and Mary were the ones whom He could trust to properly care for His only Son!

Luke 2:51 "Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart." Imagine having a son who obeyed in all things? Pride could have easily crept in at that point, too, but Mary always knew that He was God's Son, and she was only the vessel for Him to carry out His plan.

John 2:1-5 "On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Mary always believed He was God. Though He had never yet performed a miracle, she knew He was capable of anything. She was His number one fan!

There is so much we can learn from Mary! She is a model of Christian womanhood and motherhood. She is an inspiration to me: to be a better, more focused mother; to be the "biggest fan" of all of my children! One who ponders things in her heart, rather than blabbing to all. One who obeys in all things, out of my love for my God, and as an example to them. Mary is an example for our young daughters, too! Protecting her virginity, keeping her heart and mind pure. Waiting for God's calling, and willing to obey whatever He calls them to do!

I hope the next time you read the Christmas story, you, too, will see Mary in a different light.

Judy Linked Up at Raising Homemakers

The Other Side

2013-11-12T09:22:00.000-06:00

It was just an email.

But the words, to me, were shocking.... and cutting.

They were helpful suggestions but to me were presented in a selfish, judgmental way. I felt attacked. I was hurt.

I was angry!

I knew I shouldn't have let it bother me, but rather just roll with it. But I just couldn't. I was too mad! I also knew that if I didn't handle it properly, I could hurt their reputation, my own, and worse yet, my Savior's. So I did something I hadn't done for a few weeks.... I went to the Word. I knew I couldn't face this person, or handle this situation on my own. I knew I would lash out or slander or accuse and I really really didn't want to do that! I wanted to honor the Lord, but I just couldn't handle it!

The ladies retreat I had gone to with my church group just a few days prior did a study on Mary and Martha. I learned a lot about my self during those three retreat sessions! As I read through the booklet, looking for ways to tame the Martha in me, I found Hebrews 12:14-15:

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord;

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;

lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,

and thereby many be defiled.

I read this, and re-read it, and re-read it again. "Lord, I just can't do this! You have to do it for me!"

Now I know what it is like to be on the other side of the fence; he receiver of such criticism. How often have I been the one offering "helpful suggestions" that, I am sure, were equally - if not more- harsh and hurtful.

I was also very careful not to talk to too many people about the situation. I only talked to the necessary people to handle the situation. I didn't even want to tell Hubby, because I knew his protective hairs would stand on end and I didn't need encouragement to be more angry! I only told those who could help, and pray. {I was trying to be wise!}

Thankfully the story has a happy ending! I knew people were praying for me, and the Holy Spirit was working. The eve before I had to face this person again, I had peace! The Spirit of forgiveness I had been asking for came. I had peace. When it came time to face the music, God had not only given me peace, but also joy. I had learned many valuable lessons:

1. Keep your mouth shut!

2. Take it to the ONE who can fix the situation.

3. Ask for prayers from the people involved-- or the un-involved,

who have no idea who the offending party is.

4. Submit to the Lord's help for which I so fervently asked.

~Judy

Easter 2013

2013-04-01T14:39:00.000-05:00

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Easter is not really the best term for what we celebrate on that holiday. I prefer "Resurrection Sunday". That explains what the celebration is all about.

Normally our church goes "all out" for Resurrection Sunday: breakfast, sunrise service, then the usual Sunday school and morning service, with a focus on Salvation. This year was a little different. It seemed as though we spent the entire week preparing for Resurrection Sunday. Beginning last Sunday, we had a special evangelist visiting. We had revival meetings every night, Sunday through Friday, with the exception of Wednesday night which was our traditional "Crucifixion service" (very special!) So by the time Sunday rolled around, my heart was clean, I was in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and was already praising Jesus in my heart for the unspeakable gift He is to us.

There is so much joy in having a close fellowship with the Lord Jesus Himself! When I am walking in the Spirit, I am not afraid of the things that normally scare me, I have peace. I am not upset about the things that normally upset me, I am Spirit-controlled. My mind is on Jesus, not my worries. I am focussed on my Savior, not my sins. I have so much to be thankful this "Easter season".

Our New Hobby: Bird Watching

2013-02-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

I always thought anyone who thought bird watching was a pleasant past time was either old, eccentric, or just plain boring. Well, I guess I fall into one of those categories now;-) Since we have snow this year, we started feeding the birds on the first day of our first snow. Our first visitors were typical.

Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal, and some type of snow bird, we have several of these.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

He has black & white spots on his back but was too timid to stick around for a good picture.

Downy Woodpecker

I think he's cute, its a lot smaller than the red-headed or red-bellied ones. He has a big white strip down his back an all his markings are symmetrical!

Chickadee {so cute!}

And here is a new {to me} one...

European Starling, they are different colors in different seasons-

More spots in the winter: more black in summer.

A couple of Blue Jays frequently stop by, but not when I have the camera ready. ;-)

We aren't really doing a unit study, but it is fun to hear the kids discussing the bird types. Even the younger ones are picking up on them. When I got the starling picture, {I had never seen this bird before} Peter had already found it in the bird book! He is particularly interested in the birds. I sort-of put him in charge of feeding them, but Joe likes to do it sometimes, too.

I must add that I really enjoyed photographing them, too! I used my big lense and it did a great job. {I was afraid all the fingerprints on the windows would show, but they don't!;-) }

Happy winter!

Judy

Delectable Hot Cocoa

2013-01-31T22:42:00.002-06:00

Living 25 miles from an affordable grocery store has prompted me to get creative and frugal over the years. One thing I started making several years ago is my own hot cocoa mix. This is not the kind with instant milk. This has real milk and not only is it good, but I have recently tried something that has made it even BETTER!!

Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

Its so easy! I remember my Dad talking about his mother making hot cocoa and how good it was. I figured if Grandma could make it work with eleven kids during the great depression, surely I could figure something out!

I am into using glass pint and quart jars for everything these days.

Fill a pint jar about 2/3 full of raw sugar (or white sugar)

Fill the rest with Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder.

Mix well, then add to milk and microwave it for one minute. Stir.

I microwave it a little longer to the temperature I like. Oh, so yummy!

Its the perfect treat for after a certain little person takes a good nap without a fight ;-) (I like it after my {very rare} nap, too!)

Another variation is to pour about 3/4 cup of coffee, add the mixture and half-and half creamer! It tastes so creamy and mocha-ish! It certainly warms you up and lately all I'm doing is looking for ways to warm up!!

The weather is so up-and-down! We've had 0 to 40 degrees in the last week. Freezing rain, a thunderstorm in January, and now its right around 0 with probably a -20 windchill! {I can't wait for spring!!}

I'm Linked up at Our Simple Country Life Frugally Sustainable

Psalm 118

2013-01-17T22:25:00.001-06:00

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A lot of the psalms repeat the saying, "His Mercy endures forever". I've read it many times, but this time it really struck me. Maybe I was especially in need of mercy. Maybe it just never really sunk in.

His mercy endures forever.

Heaven is forever! Forever in heaven I will reap the benefits of His mercy! FOREVER!!! Wow! What did I ever do to deserve that? That's the best part... nothing. There has never been and will never be anything I could possibly do to deserve heaven. Its a free gift for the taking.

When Jesus willingly died on the cross for our sins, He took my {our} punishment. He was buried. He rose again on the third day, to give us life. {1 Corinthians 15:3-4} He ascended into heaven to live eternally and prepare a place for those of us who believe. {John 14:1-6}

Believe.

{Merriam-Webster Dictionary}

Intransitive verb: 1 a: to have a firm religious faith

b: to accept something as true, genuine, or real

2: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something

3: to hold an opinion

Transitive verb: 1 a: to consider to be true or honest

b: to accept the word or evidence of

2: to hold as an opinion: suppose

During His ministry on earth He made it clear that before we believe we must repent. Luke 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Repent:

{Merriam-Webster Dictionary}

Intransitive verb: 1: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life

2 a: to feel regret or contrition

b: to change one's mind

Transitive verb: 1: to cause to feel regret or contrition

2: to feel sorrow, regret, or contrition for

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Ephesians 2: 8-10

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There were other verses in this chapter that touched my heart as well. I have been convicted to teach my children verses about trusting in the Lord during times of fear. I believe this country is facing some serious and drastic changes in our lifetime, and even more so in the lifetimes of our children. They need verses to cling to. I remember reading "The Hiding Place", the story of Corrie Ten Boom. The Ten Boom family were Dutch Christians who were imprisoned for hiding Jews from the Nazis during World War II. Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to a concentration camp and clung to Psalm 32: 7 "You are my hiding place, You shall preserve me from trouble" Psalm 118 also has several verses about trusting in the Lord instead of being fearful:

6.The Lord is on my side;

I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

8. It is better to trust in the Lord

than to put confidence in man.

9. It is better to trust in the Lord

than to put confidence in princes.

13. You pushed me violently, that I might fall.

but the Lord helped me.

14.The Lord is my strength and song.

and He has become my salvation.

There are people in this country that believe our president has all the answers; that he is moving this country in the right direction. But we can't place our faith in our government. There is Someone far above him who is just using our president to fulfill HIS greater plan. Our Sovereign God is really the One in charge. Even though it seems like everything is falling apart, it is just part of the plan. Though it isn't easy, it is an honor to be alive in a time when we can read through the Bible and then look around and see some of His prophesies being fulfilled right now! We also need not be afraid for the worst part... because... we won't be here for that part, anyway!

Food for thought.

Judy

Our Laundry Diet

2013-01-07T23:15:00.001-06:00

I got tired of feeling overwhelmed with all the laundry I have to do in a week. I got tired of having mountains of laundry piled on my sofas in our living area because I couldn't keep up with folding. I'd just HAD IT!

{source}

So what do I do when I've just HAD IT??? I do something a little crazy. I usually make a bit of a fool of myself in the process, but this crazy idea was a good one!

We went on a laundry diet.

When you cut weight, you cut back on food. When you cut laundry, you cut back on how much you wear in a week. I gave everyone {who's laundry I actually wash} a limit of how many outfits they can wear in one week. I mean, come on, it's winter. How many outfits does one really need, anyway?

1 Sunday church outfit: wear it to the morning and evening services.

1 Wednesday church outfit: nice but casual, also worn to any other outing for the week.

2 Play outfits. If it gets a little dirty, wear it anyway! I don't care about these clothes anyway! If it gets wet from sledding, hang it to dry and re-wear it next time! If you trash it playing in the creek, wear it in the creek next time 'cuz you're out of luck!

1 Homeschool academy uniform--same pants or skirt for both days. (Tuesday & Thursday afternoons)

With the exception of socks and underwear, I should only be washing 5 items of each per child, every week! The first week we did this, I had ALL the laundry done in ONE day! {Except for towels & tablecloths, which I need to wash twice per week.}

I have to admit its a little hard to keep track of whether or not everyone is following the "rules". It helps if I take the 5 minutes to help them pick their outfits and put them in a specific place.

I put myself on the same "diet" so I can be a good example to them. I wear it if its a little dirty {at home}. I wear the same outfit from Wednesday night church to the grocery store on Thursday. I realized how wasteful I was in the process. Not only does it ease my laundry suffering, but I look at it as being a good steward of both time and money.

Judy

Linked up at Raising Arrows.

Engagement announcement

2012-12-17T18:31:00.002-06:00

Our daughter Jordyn is now

officially {and finally!}

Engaged to Ethan Long!

We are all looking forward to the big day,

May 25, 2013

Congratulations to a wonderful couple!!!

Fall 2012 Highlights

2012-12-05T00:06:00.002-06:00

I haven't been blogging for a number of reasons. Busy? yes, but there is more to it than that. I had an adrenal fatigue relapse this summer and, quite frankly, I don't remember much about these last few months! when I have that I am super tired and cannot think clearly, much less keep up with things! On top of that I have had computer issues, elderly parent issues, and, well, being busy at home, too. I wish I could ~~brag~~ blog about all the stuff I have accomplished since about August, but there just isn't much to say! I have totally been in survival mode. Among with my "computer issues" was that my pictures haven't been automatically downloading and saving into the computer. I'm not computer savvy- I just figured out plan "B" for that! So here are some pictures of some of the bright spots of this fall.

Kids play "sleeping". Love that "baby"!

{Side note: that couch is NOT in my livingroom! Its in the basement and its a hide-a-bed or we probably wouldn't still have it! LOL}

Hanging out in Grandma & Grandpa's back yard

Peter's 8th birthday.

His party consisted of his friend Shad and his family.

Silly picture! Love Dallas' Stanly Laurel imitation! {And Jordyn peeking in the back!}

G&G with the girls.

Namesakes:

Joseph Donald, Grandpa Donald, Mary, Grandma Mary

First day of school, including Lucy & her "blanket" which is no more because she completely shredded it until there is nothing left. Maybe she ate it? Who knows!

Corah, 8th grade

Joseph 4th, Peter 2nd, Mary 1st, Leah is 3 and she "homeschools" too.

My lovely back yard-- boy do I miss those leaves!!!

Playing in the leaves

Isn't that an awesome picture?!? {Too bad she's wearing a gubby old shirt with paint all over it!LOL}

One of "Oreo Kitty's" last days with us. He and Lucy made us understand the meaning of "fighting like cats and dogs"! Since their last {really big!} fight, we haven't seen him. I don't understand why he would leave, Oreo ALWAYS won!!

Jordyn's fall fun party

"Happy Birthday to ME"

Thanksgiving at Grandma & Grandpa's house, wearing the turkey shirts with tu-tus that Jordyn made for them. Aren't they adorable?!

Grandpa hug!

I am so glad we were able to spend Thanksgiving as a family at Grandma & Grandpa's house because that was our las time to visit them there. The next time we all go to visit, it will be at their new assisted living apartment. They "aren't ready" but it will be such a relief to us "kids" to know there will always be someone there to watch them and keep them safe. It is a lot safer than their house that just isn't handicap accessible. They are changing so fast... but I am so glad we still have them!!!

Crispy Ranch Chicken

2012-10-13T21:23:00.000-05:00

Chicken strips was on the menu.

I felt like spicing it a bit.

The kids put ranch dressing on everything (that's why I buy it by the gallon in the "bulk" section at Walmart), so I thought I'd beat them to the punch and put it on the chicken first.

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-2 cups of ranch dressing (I didn't measure and I had to refill my bowl once or twice)
Italian bread crumbs

I sliced the chicken into strips, dipped them in ranch dressing, then rolled them in the bread crumbs. I placed them on a greased baking sheet and baked at 350 for 20 minutes, flipped them and baked another 20 minutes.

That's it! The verdict? Yummy! Juicy! (not as dry as rolling it in milk/egg mixture) No leftovers! I was pretty bummed about that, but I guess that means it got an "A"!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2012-10-04T20:41:00.002-05:00

Every Thursday night is Mexican night at our house. Tonight we had Chicken Enchilada "soup". The original recipe was not labeled "soup" but that is what it turns out to be.

6 small flour tortillas, cut into triangular pieces like a pizza. I use whole wheat.
In a mixing bowl, combine the next 4 ingredients to make a (sort-of) soupy sauce.
1.5 lb (3 cups) of cooked chicken pieces. Sometimes I grind chicken breasts, if I can get a good deal.
1 can of 98% fat free cream of chicken soup.
1- 19 oz. can enchilada sauce.
1-2 can beans (black or kidney) I added both. More protein, and it makes the recipe go farther.
8 oz shredded Colby-Jack cheese.
Optional extras: sour cream, green chilies, black olives.

Use a round crock pot or deep baking dish. Cover the bottom layer with the sauce, then a layer of tortillas. Continue alternating layers, throwing some cheese in there every couple layers, like you would when making lasagna. Put sauce and cheese on the top layer. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is melted. (Or microwave for 5-10 minutes or crock pot a few hours.) Serve with a ladle. Serves 6.

Homeschooling with laryngitis

2012-09-13T22:20:00.002-05:00

Today I have learned a lot about Proverbs 15:1,

"A soft answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger."

Due to either a cold or allergies, my voice is abnormally soft. In fact it is only a whisper! My kids keep saying, "Just try and talk normal." "I am," I whisper back. I have had a scratchy voice before, due to a cold or chest congestion, but I don't think I have ever lost my voice so completely! Ugh!

What I have learned is that if I speak in a whisper, they respond in a whisper. This has probably been the quietest day we have ever had! Without having any control over the volume of my voice, I have managed to control the volume of their voices. Hmm... I guess King Solomon knew what he was talking about.

For those moments when they still got loud and I needed to get their attention, I was sure glad they are trained to respond to a finger snap or a hand clap! That sure comes in handy in public when I don't want to shout their names because they disappeared around the corner, I clap my hands. Or if they are too far away for me to reach in church and I need to get their attention, I snap. I know, they should be trained to NOT walk away from me at the store or misbehave in church in the first place, but for those times, it works.

The one thing I wish I could change in this situation {other than NOT losing my voice!} is that I wish I would have taught them sign language! I still can, it just won't be too handy NOW!

I think I'll go drink some more hot tea. And sleep, I am soooooo tired!

Judy

Why I haven't been blogging

2012-08-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

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I decided at the beginning of the summer that we needed to "unplug." Less T.V. and computer, more God. Once I got off the computer, I realized how much of my time gets sucked away when I am on it! I also realized how I really, really, really needed to be more of a "present mom." Not presents like gifts, but present like really there! When I'm not "really there," well, you know the saying... "When the cat's away, the mice will play!" Messes. Fighting. Sin. Not the godly character I would like to cultivate in my children! At the end of each day I would realize, another day had gone by without reading Scripture or praying with them. My excuse was, "that's Dallas' responsibility," which is true, but his job is different from week to week and he is not always able to get it into his schedule, either. So it's my responsibility, as well!

Something else I have been working on all summer is getting my thoughts organized, then getting them on paper, then following the plan. Once upon a time, I had a notebook organizer. I made it up myself, with printed planner sheets from MicrosoftWorks and plain notebook paper. The dividers were recycled from something else, I just flipped them over and wrote on the backs. I had everyone trained to just look in the book for chores, shopping list, homeschool contacts, etc. And guess what... it worked! It worked really well, too! At that time I had three high schoolers, one little'un in school, and then came the babies... February 2003, October 2004, July 2006, and June 2009. Throw in six wrestling seasons, Hubby's bout with cancer, rebellious teenagers and very little sleep. Oh, and my health crashed. (Barely any progesterone and phase II adrenal fatigue.) All I could do was survive. Barely.

Anyway, I forgot all about that handy-dandy notebook organizer! The Holy Spirit poked and prodded at me all summer to get an organizer. I really didn't want to make one again, so I looked and looked and looked online for the "perfect" notebook to buy. Several had a lot of what I needed but not ALL of what I needed, and they are expensive. So guess what? I made one after all! I need full-size pages (I am less likely to lose it that way!) I need a weekly planner with lots of writing space per day, a calender, a menu plan, and a shopping list. I found just what I needed at Organized Home. I went to Staples and bought dividers with built-in folders to store pages that don't have holes. My other sections include: schedules (MicrosoftWord2007), cleaning schedules from Money Saving Mom, chore charts from Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, Bible, (just different ideas I find or notes), goals (ideas from Sarah Mae), old menu plans to refer back to, and a school section, with attendance charts, notes from homeschool conventions of the past, copies of CPI forms, copy of supervising teacher contract, etc. The theme of this organizer is

"The wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish pulls it down with her hands."

Proverbs 14:1

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(This verse and picture is on the front cover of my notebook.)

Now that I have my organizer all organized (he-he) all I have to work on is, "eh-hem", #1 NOT letting it get buried on my desk*blush*, and #2 following it! I honestly don't know which one is harder! Really!!! I have come to realize a little bit of rebellion in my heart when it comes to following a plan rather than being lazy. (I am praying about a submissive spirit in this area!)

Through all the toil I also suffered with some depression. I have a lot of back and neck pain and normally visit my chiropractor weekly. But our insurance decided I go too much, I guess, because they have cut me off. So every visit comes out of pocket now. I have suffered more aches and pains than any 40-year-old should have! Sometimes the pain was debilitating. That's depressing. We made our first real estate investment and it made a huge impact on our finances up front. (We're pretty broke until we get the house ready for a renter.) That's depressing. I could hardly walk through my basement due to piled-up junk, misplaced toys, and construction supplies. That was frustrating, and a tough task to attack while having a lot of hip pain, especially while going up & down stairs.

But God is good! He is patient! And He wants me to ask for His help- which is a good thing since I need so much of it!!

I also haven't blogged much because my computer was in the shop several times. Mr. Fix-It did a clean up but couldn't find anything seriously wrong--- at first. He ended up saving all our data, wiping out the computer and re-installing the programs. When that didn't work, he told me that it is just time to get a new one. (Not what you want to hear when you are flat broke.) So I am still using it, and asking God to heal it. So far its working! But next time I drop off the face of the earth, that just might be WHY!

If anyone actually had the patience to read this entire article, thank you for your time and patience! I know, Laurie, you are probably the only one, so, thank you!

Judy

Psalm 103:10-12

2012-07-27T09:26:00.000-05:00

There a lot of things I regret in my life.

Things I did that I shouldn't have done.

Things I said that I shouldn't have said.

Things I didn't do that I should have done.

Things I should have said and didn't.

Even a frown when I should have smiled, or laughed when I should have condemned.

I am so thankful that "He (God) has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities." (verse 10) I deserve hell. That's all there is to it. I don't deserve forgiveness, or a second chance. "For as the heavens are high above the earth,So great is His mercy toward those Who fear Him. "As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed out transgressions from us." God's forgiveness is great. So great that He never even thinks of them again. Jeremiah 31:34 "...For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." Now if only I could forget... and even more importantly, that others would.

Judy

All Scripture taken from the New King James Version.

4th of July

2012-07-04T11:54:00.000-05:00

We don't normally associate the 4th of July with something sad like a funeral. But we spent July 3rd at the most patriotic funeral I have ever seen. A man who was a veteran of WWII, though he never left state side, he trained hundreds of young Navy pilots to serve our country. The whole Legion group was there. Twenty-one gun salute. Flags. Taps. The Navy officers saluted the casket before they folded the flag to give to Grandma. All the flowers were red, white, and blue.

He married Dallas' Grandma... two months after Dallas' brother and sister-in-law married... two months before we were married. {How many people can say they got married the same year as their grandparents?!} Grandma had been a widow for 20 years. Now after nearly 17 years, she is widowed again. They were very in love. They were full-time companions. They were so good to each other. Now Grandma Alice is alone again.

"Grandpa" John Ole Evans

September 9, 1920 - June29, 2012

Today we rest before our church 4th of July celebration.

Delicious Iced Coffee

2012-06-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

There is just nothing like a nice cold glass of iced coffee on a hot summer day! It is so cool and refreshing. With the help of a friend, I have developed a delicious recipe so I can enjoy it any time, and at minimal cost, too.

In the blender add:

Some ice {maybe 4-5 cubes}
1 cup water
1 cup milk {I use skim, then its a fat-free drink!}
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1 heaping tsp instant coffee
Blend until the ice is chopped and enjoy your iced coffee!

Linked up with MenuPlanMonday

Homemade {and healthy} Coffee Creamer

2012-06-19T00:06:00.001-05:00

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I love coffee.

I love to smell it as soon as I can after crawling out of bed in the morning.

I love to hold that hot mug in my cold hands and warm up in the wintertime.

I love it iced in the summertime.

I love coffee creamer.

I love lots of different kinds of coffee creamer, but vanilla is my all-time favorite. Hubby doesn't like me to buy the pre-made coffee creamers because one of the ingredients is "hydrogenated" somethingorwhatever. {Hydrogenated anything is "not healthy".} So for a while I was using coffee syrup with half & half. "Yummy!" but I decided it was an unnecessary expense, so I thought I would try and invent my own vanilla coffee creamer:

1 quart carton of Half & Half
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsps. vanilla flavoring
Shake well,
Enjoy!

We've adopted!

2012-06-12T20:47:00.001-05:00

It has been almost a year since we lost our dear old Molly. I think about her often. I don't think we ever really realized what a big part of the family was until she was gone. Sometimes I think I hear her, breathing heavily as she did in her senior years; or stepping onto the front porch. {She sounded like a person because she weighed as much as a small adult human!} I was never afraid of intruders - she never would have allowed one! Her bark was definitely worse than her bite. She was very cautious about men. Grown men would refuse to leave their trucks when she stuck her nose up toward the driver's window. She hated the garbage man. Think about it, 1) a man 2) stopping by our house during the day when her kids were playing right there in the yard 3) taking away something that "belonged" to us! I have to laugh when I remember his face!

One sunny morning when I was having my morning prayer time... something triggered a memory. I don't remember what it was, but I shed a little tear, thinking about Molly. So I prayed... "Lord, You know we want another dog. You know we have tried to get a puppy and it just never worked out. I ask You to bring us the right dog at the right time... and with a shock collar... all for free." Looking back, part of me believed it was just too much to ask. But not too much for our God!

A week or so later, Tyler came home from work and asked what we would think of taking in a 1-year old American bulldog. {Ummm, a bulldog? I was thinking more like German Shepherd.} His friend at work had her as a house dog and couldn't keep her any longer. She had outgrown the house and was bored there. She was chewing up everything in sight! He couldn't keep her in the backyard because she could jump the fence! We agreed to adopt her.

Meet Lucy!

{Shock caller and everything!}

She came to us on Memorial Day! She is sooo sweet, and loves the country. She hasn't destroyed anything since she's been here, she is having too much fun following all these kids around! She has had to adjust to not being allowed in the house, that was tough at first, but she is learning. She especially didn't like the day it rained off and on all day!

The cats aren't thrilled with her, but they have "put her in her place" a few times. Today she killed a raccoon! That was funny to me since Molly {the brave dog that she was} was scared to death of raccoons! LOL

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Leah's birthday was Saturday. She turned THREE!! {Wow! Where does the time go?} Two months before her birthday we started asking what she wanted for her birthday. And do you know what she said? Get this... A Christmas tree!! That's right, she never got over us taking the Christmas tree down in January!

So I told Jordyn. I knew the garage saling queen would come through for us on this one! Sure enough, someone a friend found a PURPLE CHRISTMAS TREE at a garage sale for $.25! So Leah got just what she wanted for her birthday. Jordyn decorated it with water balloon "Christmas balls" and a "Happy Birthday Leah" garland! She loves it!!

A Mother's Worry

2012-05-21T11:03:00.001-05:00

I have been reading through a book my mother gave me, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, By Joanna Weaver. Its hard to read much with a house full of kids, but am trying to read a little each day since we are on our summer schedule. It has been a real blessing. Yesterday I was talking to someone who was telling me about how much she worries about her children and grandchildren. I know how easy it is to get wrapped up into worrying about our loved ones! {Spiritual, emotional and physical concerns!} The section I read in the book today directly addressed this exact topic! {Funny how that works!}

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

Here is an excerpt from chapter 3 under the section titled, "Worry versus concern":

"Concern: Worry:
* Involves a ligitimate threat * Is often unfounded
* Is specific (one thing) * Is generalized (spreads to many things)
* Addresses the problem * Obsesses about the problem
* Solves problems * Creates more problems
*Looks to God for answer * Looks to self or other people for answers

"Pastor and teacher Gary E. Gilley sums up the difference like this: 'Worry is allowing problems and distress to come between us and the heart of God. It is the view that God has somehow lost control of the situation and we cannot trust Him. A legitimate concern presses us closer to the heart of God and causes us to lean and trust Him all the more.' {Gary E. Gilley, "think on These Things" newsletter 4, no. 2 (February 1998).}

"Concern draws us to God. Worry pulls us from him. I think this distinction is especially helpful for those of us who tend to spiritualize worry, convincing ourselves that it's our duty to fret about such things as the state of the world, our finances, or our futures. Oswald Chambers put it this way in My Utmost for His Highest:

'Fussing always ends in sin. We imagine that a little anxiety and worry
are an indication of how really wise we are; it is much more an indica-
tion of how really wicked we are. Fretting springs from a determination
to get our own way. Our Lord never worried and He was never anxious,
because He was not "out" to realize His own idea; He was "out" to
realize God's ideas. Fretting is wicked if you are a child of God....
All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.'
{Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (1935; reprint, Uhrichsville,
Ohio: Barbour, n.d.), 135}

"That's something we all need to remember when it comes to this issue of worry. We face legitimate concerns every day of our lives. But instead of fretting, instead of worrying, we need to focus on discerning what we can do (with God's help) and what should be left entirely up to God. Even more important, we need to keep our focus on who God is and what God can do." {Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver, Copyright 2002, Waterbrook Press, pages 38, 39}

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I am so guilty of worrying! I mean, I have 8 children to worry about, a husband who is on the road for 60 hours each week, elderly parents who are prone to falling and forgetting important things, quite a number of unsaved relatives.... "What if robbers come in the night while Dallas is gone? I don't even have a dog anymore to warn me!" "What if I am not prepared for {fill in the blank!}" "What if something happens to Dallas and I am left to take care of this family by myself?" The list goes on, and on, and on. The list could go on forever! But I can't think about things like that, but rather, trust the Lord in all things! Two of the most valuable verses I memorized as a child is Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." I quote these verses to myself often, but not often enough! I still worry! This book is such an encouragement to me. I would encourage every woman to read it!

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Spring Cleaning Week 1: Kitchen Results

2012-05-19T14:15:00.000-05:00

Things went really well this week. The kids helped me a lot and did a very good job!

Ta-da! My clean kitchen, with Leah posing.

No more clutter!

Clean cupboards inside, outside and even above!

All the drawers were dumped, washed sorted and organized. I threw away every lid that didn't have a container, and every container that didn't have a lid.

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It feels so good to have a clean kitchen. I can't wait to get the whole house done! It will take about a month... for the upstairs, anyway. {The basement is a whole other world! There won't be any "before" pictures of THAT!!}

We also managed to continue with the morning Bible time. That is not always easy, since the kids are not really used to it yet. Some days {like today} they were more interested in bothering each other than listening! {Sigh} Satan is always at work!

"Spring Cleaning" - Week 1

2012-05-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

I know that most people do their "spring cleaning" in early spring. Since we homeschool, that would be rather difficult for us! We turned in our portfolios last week, thrusting us into our summer schedule. Our summer schedule is loose, but busy. Every year I say we will do school all summer, but don't. This year I want to try REEEALLLYYYY hard to keep somewhat of a schedule, and keep the kids busy doing things like... NOT watching TV! From what I have heard, "normal" women take about a week to do their spring cleaning. Some can do one room per day and have it done beautifully! {Kudos to you!} Not me. Every summer I pour a lot of time, effort and energy into cleaning and organizing the house, top to bottom. Cupboards, closets.... the basement... {YIKES!} I even do this over Christmas break hoping that when summer hits I won't have the same terrible mess I had last year. Except that when summer hits, I have a huge, terrible mess! {It doesn't help that we have had and "adult" kid living in our basement for over a year!}

Today starts my "spring cleaning". The goal is to do a little each day and still have time to be a "fun mom" for a while. Each week through the end of June will have a "focus". This week the focus will be the kitchen. I will tell you the week's goals, then check in on Friday, if not before, and update you on my progress!

Monday: Clean out kitchen cupboards

Tuesday: Finish the cupboards

Wednesday: Scrub cupboard fronts, woodwork, table pedestals and chair legs

Thursday: Clean off the tops of the cupboards and the refrigerator

Friday: Kitchen drawers

Overall, messy kitchen.

Clutter!

More clutter!

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The other thing I really, REALLY, REEEALLLLLYYYYY need to work on, more important than any household task, is to have CONSISTENT Bible time with my children. Doing it here and there when there is trouble is just not good enough! Today I got everyone up to have devotions {instead of get up to clean their rooms}. Such a no-brainer... but I am such a Martha. By the way, today I started the book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver. I have always been intrigued by the title, but my Sweet Mama got it, thinking of me. {She's 86 and can't remember a lot of things, but I am so thankful she still remembers me!} We had a good devotion time, using Keys for Kids. It seems like a great place to start.

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Time to get to work! Check back on Friday!

Linking Up With Domestically Divine Tuesday Homemaking LinkUp Wednesday

Kitchen Tips & Tricks #6: Pre-cooked Meat

2012-05-07T09:40:00.000-05:00

I have found it very helpful to our schedule to always fry up the hamburger ahead of time, in bulk. I normally fry about 6-8 lbs of meat at a time.

I use my huge roasting pan on two burners. (I think there might actually be 10 pounds in this picture.)

I then freeze it into 3-cup containers. This helps me get a meal on the table in, usually, under 30 minutes.

One container is enough for most of my recipes. I use two for tacos and tater-tot casserole because we like the leftovers!

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Ground beef has become so expensive, I refuse to buy it at the grocery store for $3.00/lb. Especially with a larger family, it would cost us a fortune! I try to never spend over $2.00/lb. on meat. So I would like to share some ideas on how to eat at a lower cost.

Ground chicken! I know it sounds very strange. But when chicken breasts go on sale, I buy them, lots of them! I can usually get a 40 pound box... or two. I cut the meat off the bone if its bone-in, or just slice it up to fit in my KitchenAid mixer's meat grinding attachment.. I know dealing with chicken is disgusting, but it saves money and it is much lower in fat than beef or pork. A friend of mine does the same thing with pork, except she takes it to someone who has a meat grinder, pays him a little something, and still saves money.

My other alternative is ground venison. It's not my personal favorite, but with some good advice from a friend and the grace of God, I can cook so it doesn't taste gamey. I cook it with bay leaves. Last fall Hubby {Dallas} shot two deer and his hunting partners shot 3 more. None of them were able to take home their meat so they gave it to Dallas! He took three to the locker and gave away two to someone in need. The pictures in this post are of ground venison.

Today I am linked up atMenu Plan Monday and The Welcome Home LinkUp