Bits and Pieces From Our Weekend

It's been a busy, interesting weekend. Doug finished the signs that he and Austin have been working on for the last couple weeks. They made them for the craft show being held by our Rescue Squad next Saturday.





Austin and Amanda had money they had earned burning holes in their pockets and wanted to go to PetSmart and buy some more small pets. They both really enjoy taking care of and watching their pets and I believe it's good practice being responsible for other living creatures. So as long as they use the money they have earned for the pets and supplies and take the responsibility of taking care of them I don't mind if they have them. Austin bought three fancy mice (which are surprisingly cute) and Amanda bought two gerbils.

Here are the two gerbils. She named the brown gerbil Sarah, and the white one Emily.


Austin also bought a very nice cage for his mice that he and Doug worked together to assemble.




Austin and Amanda found a lot of interesting, very prickly seed pods in the fields behind us and brought them home. Then we decided to see what they would look like spray painted silver. I'm not sure what we're going to do with them now but I'm sure we will think of something.


Our Sunday morning turned out a little unusual. We went to church like we normally do. As we were finding our places to sit I noticed Austin was acting a little spaced out, like he didn't quiet know where he should go or what he should do. I thought he was just getting distracted by all the people around him. We were a little later than usual and there was a lot of activity around as people were finding there places. When worship started and we were standing as we sang, I noticed he was incredibly fidgety and reminded him several times to settle down. I also noticed it was very warm in the sanctuary and wished someone would turn up the air conditioning. A few minutes later I looked over at Austin again and realized he was half sitting , half standing in this awkward crouching stance. Feeling slightly embarrassed and wondering why on earth he was acting so strange today I gave him a light nudge to stand up straight. He didn't respond and when I looked at him closer I realized he had his eyes shut and he was extremely pale. So I got him seated and started asking what was wrong. When he was able to talk he said everything just went black, he felt funny and his stomach hurt. So I immediately took him outside for some fresh air. He was still looking pretty shakey so we decided to just go home. Doug decided to stop by the rescue squad where he volunteers as an EMT and take his blood pressure. It was normal. When we got home he wanted to ge rest but in about 15 minutes he was up again and has seemed fine since. I'm hoping it was just the warmth and stuffiness of the building today that brought that on.

Bits and Pieces From Our Day

Today was a lot quieter than yesterday. Michael and I enjoyed making a craft together. Our letter this week is the letter Cc. So today we looked at and talked about the letter Cc and then made this craft.


He was so proud of it!


Clifford, The Big Red Dog was M's favorite toy today.

Austin and Amanda made these fraction posters for their Math assignment today.



Doug took Austin, Amanda and Michael to the Wednesday evening children's program at church this evening. I stayed home with the two daycare children who were here for the evening. It was really a very calm and quiet evening and I greatly enjoyed it.

And so ends another day at Rose's House.

Bits and Pieces From Our Day

What I thought was going to be a very quiet morning made a sudden change when I found myself taking care of three kids aged 2, 17 months and 14 months that I hadn't planned on. When a friend of mine asked me if I could watch her 14 month old while she ran to the store I said yes, thinking it would take 30 minutes at the most. It turned out to be two hours. Then the 2 year old and 17 month old showed up. I knew they were scheduled to come one morning this week but I was sure it was Thursday morning, not today. So for about two hours I found myself with these three unexpected kiddos besides the 11 month old and the 14 month old I already had scheduled for today. Plus Michael, my three year old. But it turned out okay. We played and had fun.And Austin and Amanda both helped a lot.












Somehow, playing and eating seemed to be what this day consisted of. Along with many, many diaper changes.




Austin has become a child of woods and field lately (which I love). As soon as his schoolwork and chores are done he's out of the house. Sometimes he packs a backpack with snacks and drinks. Most times he takes his camera. Sometimes he walks and sometimes he rides his bike. Frequently he comes back with treasures. Here is a picture of some of today's treasures.


And to finish off our day we made a trip to the library.

It's been another good day at Rose's House.

The View From the Bridge - Chapter 2 of "Ordering Your Private World" by Gordan McDonald

The story is told of a submarine navigating crowded waters. Because of the number of other vessels in the water, the submarine had to make many twists and turns to avoid collision. The captain, who had been in his cabin, came onto the bridge to see why there was so much unusual activity. Looking around, he asked the duty officer if all was well. Receiving the assurance from the officer that everything was ok, he looked around, said "it looks ok to me too." and went back to his cabin. Because of the many hours of training and practice in proper procedure, his crew knew how to handle whatever circumstances came their way. And after a quick look from the bridge, the captain could see that all was under control and was able to go back to his own duties with the confidence that all would be well.

What is view when I look from the bridge of my life? Is all in order? Have I taken the time to establish the necessary order in my private world to withstand the sudden twists and turns so often encountered in life?

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

Bits and PIeces From Our Day

Michael discovered he really likes blueberries.


Austin and I made Banana Bread.




I cleaned out my refrigerator. I'm pretty sure aliens have visited my house and left some of their food in my refrigerator. Because I didn't recognize it. Here's a before picture.

After.
Just another day at Rose's House.

I Did It!

I did it! I got out of bed at 4AM this morning to exercise (well, 4:08AM, close enough).

For the last few months I've been thinking about and trying different ideas to get a little more exercise. At one point I tried to tell myself that taking care of these little people should be all the exercise I need. But the scales were telling me a different story. I tried scheduling afternoon exercise. Something always came up to interrupt it. I tried scheduling an early evening walk. Something always came up to interrupt it. I tried scheduling a 4AM walk. I got up. I looked outside. It was DARK. Way too dark. I couldn't get myself to go out there.

So last week I sat down again and looked at all my options, and decided that a 4AM appointment with the exercise bike was my best option. Any other time of day I will be interrupted, unless it's late at night. And I KNOW I won't exercise then. I spent some time thinking about what would motivate me to get out of bed at that time of the morning. I decided that if the coffee and the computer were ready for me when I got done I would have something to look forward too. So I set up the coffee pot the night before, timed to have a fresh pot of coffee ready. When I first got up I immediately went and turned on the computer so that it could run through it's start up I was on the bike. And I got my CD player and put in a CD from the audio book I'm listening too, and listened too it while I rode the bike. It worked. I lasted less than ten minutes on the bike, but that's okay. I'll work up to 20 to 30 minutes. The important thing is that I started. And I feel great about it.

Now, let's see if I can make two in a row. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Menu and Recipes for Week Beginning 9/6/09

Sunday
Breakfast - Donuts, Applesauce, Milk
Lunch - West Coast Chicken*, Noodles, Glazed Carrots*, Pears, Milk
Snack - Oatmeal Cookies, Juice
Dinner - Hamburgers, Buns, Green Beans, Peaches, Milk
Snack - Apples, Cheese

Monday
Breakfast - French Toast, Strawberries, Milk
Lunch - Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Vegetable Beef Soup, Bananas, Milk
Snack - Taquitos, Juice
Dinner - Lasagna, Salad, Blueberries, Milk
Snack - Banana Bread, Milk

Tuesday
Breakfast - Zucchini/Oatmeal Muffins*, Oranges, Milk
Lunch - Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Cheese Slices, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Cocktail, Milk
Snack - Cheese Sandwiches, Juice
Dinner - Hot Dogs, Buns, Tater Tots, Peaches, Milk
Snack - Fruit Cocktail, Milk

Wednesday
Breakfast - Razorback Corn Bread*, Applesauce, Milk
Lunch - Corn Dogs, French Fries, Apples Slices, Milk,
Snack - Yogurt, Strawberries
Dinner - Waffles, Boiled Eggs, Hash Browns, Blueberries, Milk
Snack - Oranges, Milk

Thursday
Breakfast - Cold Cereal, Grapes, Milk
Lunch - Grilled Cheese and Bacon Sandwiches, Tomato Soup, Bananas, Milk
Snack - Apples, Milk
Dinner - Turkey Burgers, Buns, Green Beans, Peaches, Milk
Snack - Toast, Fruit Cocktail

Friday
Breakfast - Cold Cereal, Pears, Milk
Lunch - Pb&J, Cheese Slices, Apple Slices, Oranges, Milk
Snack - Cinnamon Rolls, Milk
Dinner - Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches, Cheddar Potato Wedges*, Green Beans, Milk
Snack - Soft Pretzel, Milk

West Coast Chicken
Vegetable Oil
5 pounds chicken thighs, skinned

Sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons soy sauce

Grease two 11-in. x 7-in. baking pans well with vegetable oil. Place chicken in single layer in the pans. Combine sauce ingredients and baste chicken well. Cover; refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, basting with sauce once during baking. Yield: 8 (4-ounce) servings.

Glazed Carrots
9 - 12 medium carrots (about 1-1/2 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Peel carrots and cut in half lengthwise. Boil in salted water until tender; drain well. Melt butter in heavy skillet; add lemon juice and brown sugar and stir until mixture thickens. Add carrots; stir until well glazed and heated through. Yield: servings

Zucchini/Oatmeal Muffins
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 medium zucchini shredded, (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup vegetable oil

In a mixing bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Beat eggs; combine with zucchini and oil. Pour over dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen

Razorback Corn Bread
8 ounces bulk pork sausage
2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 large onion chopped
1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a deep 10-in. cast iron skillet, fry sausage until it's done. Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the drippings. Crumble the sausage. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, combine eggs, onion, corn, buttermilk and cheese. Add egg mixture to the cornmeal mixture. Stir in sausage and reserved drippings. Pour into the greased skillet and bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done. Serve warm from the skillet. Yield: 12 servings.

Cheddar Potato Wedges
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 medium potatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the garlic salt, seasoned salt and paprika. Add potatoes; seal bag and toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to an ungreased microwave-safe dish. Dot with butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 minutes. Turn potatoes; cook 2-3 minutes longer or
until tender. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Bits and Pieces From Our Day

Austin, Amanda and I are enjoying reading the "Anne of Green Gables" series by L. M. Montgomery. Each afternoon after the little ones are down for their naps I read aloud to them for 30 - 45 minutes. Today we finished the 5th book in the series.


There are eight books in this series and we are going to be sorry when we get to the end of them. Following Anne through her childhood and now as a wife and mother has been a very interesting, fun and thought provoking journey for us.

Since there were so many very little children ( two thirteen month olds and a ten month old) here today I didn't take the older preschoolers outside in the morning like I usually do. In fact, we didn't get outside until around 7:30 this evening, which is very unusual for us. In fact, we are outside now, I'm watching them as I type this.

Austin and Amanda did go bike riding on the trails around the fields behind us though. In fact they went several times today. The weather has been just perfect for those kinds of adventures, not too hot, not too cold, and clear skies. Lovely.

This evening there was a car accident across the road from us. Hubby is an EMT with the local rescue squad so of course he went over right away. Micheal stood at the window and watched all the lights, totally fascinated.


This picture isn't very clear but I couldn't get any closer without seeming rude. There were no serious injuries although the vehicles involved sustained quite a bit of damage.

My last two daycare kids for the evening don't leave until late. One at 10PM and one at 2:15AM. And the first one comes in tomorrow morning at 5:30.

The Sinkhole Syndrome

Ok, I said my goal was to write about one chapter a day. It is now four days later and I'm just now writing about the second chapter. I'm thinking I need some order somewhere.

Scientists say sinkholes are caused when they underlying support of underground streams dries up, causing the surface to collapse.

In the same way each of us has within us and inner space, a private world, that must be maintained if we are to stay strong under the pressure of life.

In many ways it seems easier to deal with our public, or outer world. Our education, our work, our homes, our play all these things are relatively easy to maintain in such a way as to look as if all is well. At least for a time. Until the pressure becomes too great. Then, if our private worlds have not been attended too, the collapse begins and a sinkhole forms, beginning to pull all the trappings of the outer world down into it.

But when our private, inner world is being regularly attended too, their is a support beneath the surface of our lives that bears the weight of the outer, public world, giving firm ground on which to build.

An Uninvited Visitor

You can't see it very clearly in this picture but it's the only one we have. Doug came downstairs yesterday morning and found this little critter hopping around our kitchen. We kept him for awhile to observe. It was interesting watching him climb up the sides of the container he was in. He's apparently a tree frog, judging by his slightly sticky skin and his ability to climb. The kids let him go this evening.

Personal Book Study: Ordering Your Private World by Gordan Macdonald

I bought this book about 12 years ago, because I've always enjoyed reading motivational and self-help books. I've always loved reading about time management, organization, etc. My problem is actually applying what I've learned. Maybe, since I have trouble applying it, I haven't learned it, only read about it.

Anyway.

I'm reading the book again, and writing about it as I go, in the hope that putting what I'm learning into words will help me apply it to daily life. I also hope that each person who reads this will enjoy the journey with me. My goal is to post about one chapter each day.

Each of us has different desires, needs, roles, etc., and what I learn may not be what you need or want at this time in your life. But maybe something here will spark something in you that will be useful or helpful to you. Or maybe you will have a comment that will be helpful to me.

Oh, and speaking of comments . . . .

Please, Please, PLEASE, leave some. Let's have a conversation. I would love to hear from, and learn to know better, all of you. Even if you disagree with me, I want to hear from you.

And now with no further ado - I will begin!

In the preface of this book Gordon MacDonald talks about the number of people, even those who seem greatly successful and who seem to have it all together, struggle with organization of their inner life, their private world. There are many books, many articles, websites, seminars, and other resources to designed to help us organize seemingly every area of our lives, and to make us more "productive." Yet there seems to be little that truly addresses the question of internal or spiritual order. And yet their lies the heart of the matter.

In John 15:4 Jesus tells us that He wants us to abide in Him and He in us. For there to be true order in my private life everything must be based on this key component.

Gordan MacDonald identifies five spheres that make up our private world. They are as follows -
Sector One: Motivation
Sector Two: Use of Time
Sector Three: Wisdom and Knowledge
Sector Four: Spiritual Strength
Sector Five: Restoration

I can hardly wait to examine these in more detail in the coming days. Please join me.

Menu and Recipes

Sunday
Breakfast - Donuts, Apples, Milk
Lunch - Turkey Breast w/Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli, Herb Bread* (recipes for starred
items following menu), Milk
Snack - Toast, Bananas
Dinner - PB&J, Cheese Slices, Tomato Soup, Saltines, Apple Slices, Milk
Snack - Graham Crackers, Juice

Monday
Breakfast - Pancakes, Applesauce, Milk
Lunch - Roast Beef Sandwiches, Cheesy Vegetable Soup*, Saltines, Bananas, Milk
Snack - PB&J, Juice
Dinner - Chef Salad (additions - bacon, boiled eggs, pepperoni, grated cheese), Apples, Herb
Bread, Milk
Snack - Apple Zucchini Bread, Milk

Tuesday
Breakfast - Cold Cereal, Apple Slices, Milk
Lunch - Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Breaded Tomatoes*, Carrot/Celery Sticks, Milk
Snack - Tortilla Chips, Cheese Dip
Dinner - Chicken Chow Mien*, Rice, Pineapple Slices, Milk
Snack - Grapes, Milk

Wednesday
Breakfast - Cold Cereal, Oranges, Milk
Lunch - Sausage Cheese Rolls*, Potato Onion Supreme*, Pineapple Slices, Milk
Snack - Crisp Butter Cookies, Milk*
Dinner - Egg Sandwiches, Breaded Tomatoes, Potato Onion Supreme, Milk
Snack - Fruit Cocktail, Milk

Thursday
Breakfast - Toast, Oranges, Milk
Lunch - Burritos w/Salsa, Lettuce & Tomato Salad, Corn, Milk
Snack - Soft Pretzels*, Cheese
Dinner - Liver'n'Onions, Rolls, Salad, Strawberries, Milk
Snack - Crackers, Bananas

Friday
Breakfast - Oatmeal, Raisins/Apples, Milk
Lunch - Hamburger/Noodle Casserole, Green Beans, Milk
Snack - Graham Crackers, Homemade Popsicles
Dinner - Gone-All-Day-Stew*, Peaches, Cheddar/Squash Cloverleaf Rolls*, Milk
Snack - Yogurt, Fruit Cocktail

Recipes

Herb Bread
2-3/4 cups all purpose flour, divided
3 tablespoons sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup warm buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup raisins

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt and baking soda. Combine buttermilk and butter; gradually add to dry ingredients and beat well. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead in raisins and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let fise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch dough down. Knead on a lightly floured surface about 15 times, forming a smooth round ball. Place on a greased baking sheet. Press dough down to form an 8-inch circle. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour, cut a 4-in. cross about 1/4 in. deep on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bread tests done. Remove to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf

Cheesy Vegetable Soup
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli
3/4 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 eggg yolk
1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

Melt butter in a heavy 4-qt saucepan; add flour. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly; remove from the heat. Gradually blend in broth. Add next seven ingredients; return to the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In a small bowl, blend egg yolk and cream. Gradually blend in several tablespoons of hot soup; return all to saucepan, stirring until slightly thickened. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Stir in cheese and heat over medium until melted. Yield: 8-10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Breaded Tomatoes
8-10 small to medium firm fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup crushed saltines
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Cheese Sauce
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash white pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Peel and core tomatoes but leave them whole. Dip each whole tomato in melted butter. In a small bowl, combine saltine crumbs and Parmesan cheese. roll tomatoes in crumb mixture, hently pressing crumbs onto tomato. Place tomatoes in a single layer in a greased shallow baking
dish. If there are any crumbs or butter left, combine them and sprinkle over the tomatoes. bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes or until tomatoes begin to brown and are heated through. Watch closely; they burn easily. Meanwhile, for cheese sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in flour; salt and pepper. Add milk all at once; cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat; stir in Parmesan cheese. Serve over tomatoes. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Sausage Cheese Rolls
1 pound (4 cups) shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black or cayenne pepper
8 ounces pork sausage, cooked and drained

In large mixing bowl, combine cheese, butter, flour, salt, and pepper. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed. Stir in cooked sausage. Form dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm or cold. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Yield: about -1/2 dozen.

Potato Onion Supreme
8 medium potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds)
2 large sweet onions, sliced
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
2 cups (8ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
Paprika
Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Cook potatoes; peel and slice 1/4 in. thick. Set aside. Place onions, water and bouillon in a saucepan; bring to a boil., then simmer 5-7 minutes or until onions are tender. Drain and set aside. Combine cheese and sour cream. In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer half the potatoes, onions and cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Combine crumbs and butter; top potato mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with parsley and several onion rings, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Crisp Butter Cookies
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups all purpose flour
Colored Sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Blend in egg yolks. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Dough will be very stiff. On a well-floured board or pastry cloth, roll out dough to a 1/8-in. thickness. Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut into 2 1/2 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 6 dozen.

Soft Pretzels
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softenend
1 egg
6-1/2 to 7-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water
Coarse salt, optional

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, butter and egg. Stir in 3 cups of flour; mix until smooth. Add enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Cover bowl tightly with foil; refrigerate for 2-24 hours. Punch dough down and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, cut each half into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-in. rope. Shape into the traditional pretzel shape and place on a greased baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and water; brush over the pretzels. Sprinkle with water if desired. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown. Yield 32 pretzels.

Gone All Day Stew
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds beef chuck, cut in 1-inch to 2-inch cubes, fat trimmed
3 medium carrots, cut in 1-inch diagonal slices
6 while boiling onions or yellow onions, quartered
4 medium potatoes, cut in 1-1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup celery, cut in 1-inch chunks
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning mix
1 bay leaf
pepper to taste

Mix together tomato soup, water and flour until smooth; combine with remaining ingredients in covered roasting pan. Bake at 275 degrees for 4-5 hours. When ready to serve adjust seasoning, if desired. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve over noodles or with crunchy French bread if desired.

Cheddar/Squash Cloverleaf Rolls
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed cooked winter squash
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir gently. Let stand until light and foamy. Stir in milk, 3 tablespoons butter, salt, squash and cheese. Add enough flour to from a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until the dough is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Meanwhile lightly grease 24 muffin cups. Punch down dough. Break off small portions and roll into 1 inch balls. Put three balls into each cup. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled; about 30 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with remaining butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 16-18 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen

A Clean Desk

Here was my little project for today. It was getting a little hard to use my desk.

Before -




After -





Amanda updated her blog today with pictures of two of her pets, Micki and Amber. She dearly loves her pets and is thinking about becoming a vet when she gets older.

Sour Cream Apple Squares

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup chopped nuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
2 cups chopped peeled apples
Whipped cream, optional

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and butter; blend at low speed until crumbly. Stir in the nuts. Press about 2-3/4 cups into the bottom of an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in baking pan. To the remaining crumb mixture, add cinnamon, baking soda, salt, sour cream, vanilla and egg. Beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in apples. Spoon evenly over bottom layer.Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into square. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 12-15 servings.


We had these treats for dinner this evening along with sandwiches and a lettuce salad. Today was the first time I made these but they will definitely be a regular on the menu from now on.

Quiet Monday

It's been a very smooth and pleasant Monday. Most of the day was very quiet.

Two school age children came this morning before school, two one babies during the day, both one year old, and one child off the bus this afternoon. Monday evening is my evening off. My dear husband takes over for me so that I can have a few hours of peace and quiet. I thought this evening we would only have Austin, Amanda, and Michael here but around four this afternoon two families asked if we could take their children for the evening. I asked Doug about it (after all he was going to have the fun of supervising) and he said it would be ok. So, his evening is not quite as quiet as he was expecting. But he'll do fine. The kids love him and he enjoys them.

Our homeschool day went well. Austin and Amanda both seemed to enjoy their work and we had no major difficulties with any of it. We worked on math (fractions), reading, Bible (King David), history (Christopher Columbus), literature (we're reading Ann's House of Dreams, which is book 5 of the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery), science (animal classification), and sign language.

Last week was a little rough for us as we adjusted to new schedules and expectations, although we also enjoyed it and it went fairly well. Austin said today that it's much easier now that he knows the routine and what to expect. Routines are so important to him and I'm glad to see him settling so well into this one.

Book Review

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch was given to me to read by a good friend, and I found it to be a very thought provoking book.



It's a small book with only seven chapters but it packs a punch.

When Randy Pausch, husband and father of three young children was diagnosed with terminal cancer he wanted a way to leave a legacy for his children. He wanted to be able to teach them all the things he would have taught them if he would have been there for them as they grew up.

As I read this book I sometimes found myself laughing and at other times I was wiping away tears. Most of the time his words made me do some hard thinking about how I want to live. Because that's what this book is about - living. The fact that Randy Pausch was dying made him take a good hard look at living and all that goes into a successful life - dreaming, working, learning, laughing, loving. All the things he wanted his children to know about living.

There is also a website called The Last Lecture This website has links to Randy Pausch's actual last lecture that was the inspiration for this book as well as links to projects he worked on and a link to his blog.

I hope you find this book and this site as inspirational as I did.

Saturday Outing

We only had Michael with us today. Austin and Amanda went to spend the day with extended family and there were no daycare kids today so we decided to go visit Doug's parents. They live about 85 miles south of us.

We left around 9:00 this morning and stopped about halfway for breakfast. It's Saturday, we wanted to sleep late and make a day trip, so we didn't make breakfast before we left. We had the breakfast buffet at Country Cookin'. Yummy!

Michael did really well on the way down, although he did get a little bored and try to take his car seat apart.




We had a good visit and stayed for dinner, which was largely from Doug's brother's garden - corn on the cob, tomatoes, cucumbers, along with chicken. Oh, and zucchini bread made from zucchini from the garden as well.

Michael loved all the good food!

He also enjoyed playing outside . . .



. . . and riding on the 4-wheeler with Daddy.



And now it's time to go put a very tired and cranky little boy to bed. All this fun wore him out.

Our First Week of Homeschool (This Year)

We've enjoyed our first week of homeschool. There was a little adjusting of the original schedule but for the most part we kept it as planned. Except for today - We took today off. There were fewer kids here for childcare today and it just had the feel of a vacation day so we took advantage of it.

Here are a few pictures of our week.

Austin is doing most of his math and reading lessons on line.


Amanda doing her reading with her pet rats, Micki and Amber, in their cage at her feet.




Scout dreaming of lunch. Having a cat and pet rats in the same house can be interesting!



One of their favorite activities was to take the camera and go for a nature walk. I enjoyed seeing the pictures they came back with. Here are three of them.




And while not exactly school, I had to include these pictures of Michael.

This is what happens when he finds my black permanent marker!


And here he's getting a haircut.


He did such a good job holding still and letting Daddy cut his hair!

Our Homeschool Schedule

Tomorrow officially begins a new year of homeschooling. I'm excited, more so, I think, then the kids. but once they get started I think they will enjoy it. I tried to make the schedule and choose the activities with their interests in mind.

Trying to make schedules for kids on two different grade levels plus a preschool/daycare schedule, plus factoring in for the babies' different schedule was interesting to say the least. Using Google Calender helped a lot with making and comparing the different schedules. And since I could put in what I wanted and have it repeat throughout upcoming calenders, it will be a great time saver in the future.

Both kids were adamant that they didn't want to lose any of their "work" time or earnings just because they had to start school. So their "school" schedules had to be arranged around their "work" schedules. In reality though, I believe learning to work and taking on responsibility, along with earning and learning how to manage money, is a vital part of education so I don't feel we've lost anything with this arrangement.

Now let me see if I can post these schedules without too much confusion.

7:00 kids wake up, dress, make bed, eat breakfast

8:00 daily chores, take care of pets, housework, help with kids;

9:00 Preschoolers (Michael and daycare kids) - story, songs, craft, game

10:00 Preschoolers - outside; Austin - math and reading; Amanda - reading

11:00 Preschoolers - games; Austin - help with kids; Amanda - finish and serve lunch

11:30 lunch

12:00 - Preschoolers - free play, Austin - load dishwasher and sweep kitchen, Amanda -math

12:30 - Preschoolers - storytime; Austin and Amanda - History or Nature Walk

1:00 - Preschoolers - Quiet activities or nap; Austin and Amanda - Bible, Literature, Sign Language. Bible and Literature are subjects that we enjoy doing together and I read these aloud to them. Sign Language we are also learning together.

2:00 Preschoolers - Quiet activities or nap; Austin and Amanda - varies- video or tv show related to subjects being studied, displays related to subjects being studied, science projects, health, nature walks, etc.; Me - get a head start on dinner, plus other little things that need to be done.

On Thursday or Friday of each week Austin and Amanda will use a block of time to work on their blog. On Friday afternoon our read together time will be spent catching up on some favorite blogs together.

By 3:00 our "'homeschool" day should be finished but we all still do a lot of learning, working and playing together the rest of the day. Usually after dinner Austin reloads the dishwasher and sweeps the kitchen floor and Amanda gives Michael his bath. Thursday evenings they spend with extended family, and starting in September they will be at church in a children's program on Wednesday evenings.

I'm sure our schedule will change and evolve as the year goes on but this is our starting point. We will see what tomorrow brings. I'm looking forward to it.