An Update

Hello, my friends! I am so glad to be back at blogging. I really enjoyed my break. It's amazing what a few days weeks can do for you. I've been busy spring cleaning, knitting, sewing and enjoying my time with my family.When  I began my break, I was about frazzled! There was so much going on and I really needed to slow down.



I would like to thank those of you for leaving your comments regarding praying for me and a situation. It's a glorious thing to know that you can go to a listening Father with a problem and know that He is going to take care of it. After a few days of getting over the initial shock of the fiery darts of accusations, my Lord became a shield so I would not have to feel the affects.

The day I began my break, I deleted my Facebook account. I can not tell you enough, how much better I feel since I've done that. I am ashamed to admit how many wasted hours I spent each day playing a game and trying to keep up with people that do even know me any more. I do miss hearing from my friends that are on the mission field but many of them have websites with updates, so I'll not really be missing much except for little things that happen during the day.  I'm also getting the sleep that I missed by allowing myself to stay up way too late at night, while Facebooking. Will I go back to Facebook? I don't know. I do have in the back of my mind, that I  probably will. But if I do, many friends will be deleted, so I'm not being swept up into their worlds. I have my own to deal with.

Up until last week, I've been knitting away on the blocks for my husband's afghan. If I don't get behind on daily cleaning, I can finish a block in two sittings. (about 4 hours total) I was hoping to have most of the blocks finished my the end of the month, but since I spent last week working on other projects, I'm hoping I can began the piecing together process by the middle of April.

Many of you know, that our family was in Montana to plant churches. The Lord allowed us to have to return home through a situation. Since we've been home, we moved our church membership and applied with a Mission Board.  Since somewhere around last June, we have really been praying about our ministry and what the Lord wants for our lives. In October, we had a missions conference along with a board meeting. At that time, we felt that the Lord maybe wanting us to resign and  move us in a different direction. After attending the meeting, we were alittle unsure so we decided to wait until after Christmas and fulfill our commitments to several churches and see how the Lord worked. Christmas came and went, still there was no peace. We pushed through January thinking, okay, at the end of the month... Well, January and February came and went and we still had no peace. Finally, the Lord allowed peace to come over the situation last Tuesday.  We resigned from the mission board and now we are waiting to see what the Lord has for our lives. I honestly, believe that since my husband has stayed so faithful throughout the situation (more than I can say for myself), the Lord has a rare gem for him.

I've also been working on gathering a list of our curriculum for next year. Talking about curriculum... What do/did you use for Language Arts for your children?  I'm trying to move away from Abeka. I'm looking for something that has more writing instead of "the parts of speech". Most of our curriculum is going to stay the same this year ~ Math, History, Science, Bible, Spelling/Vocabulary. I'm looking at  foreign language program. I'm thinking Spanish, since our area has several large Spanish speaking communities. But Monkey is talking about German! We will see...

On Friday, March 11th, I got THIS in the mail and started it. I do the 1 mile walk in the early morning and late evening along with a 2 mile walk during the afternoon. I can really tell a difference.  I have more energy and my knees are not giving me any problems. Back in December I joined Spark People. I really don't know why I joined, other than I have a friend who mentioned it on Facebook.  After looking around at the website for a couple of months, I decided to use it. It's free and there are tons of useful tips and tools. Since the 11th, I've lost 5 pounds. I'm not giving either one these 2 things a plug, I'm just sharing somethings that I've been doing. HONESTLY, I think those 5 pounds lost, are do to all the water I've been drinking. I have not had any sweet tea or regular sodas since the 11th. I am drinking 8 ounces of Lipton Citrus Green Tea a day. I've had 2 diet Dr. Pepper since starting this.  I've been watching my calories each day. I've been trying to stay at 1,200 total.  And we all know that the only way to lose weight, is to burn more calories than you put in. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but those new fad diets don't work. AND I'M NOT DIETING!!!! I'm just improving my life but making some lifestyle changes.

I'll be closing now, I have some beautiful spring weather to enjoy!

Peach Muffins

I fell in love with Peach Muffins, while having dinner at a local restaurant about 3 years ago. I have to be honest… I loved them so much, that I bought some of their batter.

When I ran out of batter, I was a little disappointed. That is when I began to look around for a recipe. I tried several but there was just something about each one that I did not care for, so I began combining the recipes to try and come up with something that I liked.

No, there is no milk or water added to this recipe. If you are using canned fruit, be sure to drain very well or you will end up with a wet sticky muffin. If you still don't believe you won't need any milk and you are using fresh fruit, use a splash to keep from driving yourself crazy over the fact.

Peach Muffins

2-1/4 cups self-rising flour
2-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1-1/2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Lightly grease a 12 muffin cup pan.

In a large bowl, mix the flour and cinnamon. Toss the peaches with 1/4 cup of flour and cinnamon mixture. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, and sugar. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Homemade White Bread

There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread coming from the oven until you take that first bite of warm, soft bread slathered with butter, then there’s nothing like the taste of homemade bread.

I just love fresh homemade bread. There is nothing like it. I have tried several recipes that I just could not love. I finally came across this recipe in an old recipe box that was bought at a yard sale. I can honestly say, “I Love This Recipe.”

Now, I am not one who can make bread by hand. But I do use my Kitchen Aid. When I first started making bread, I used a bread machine to do all the kneading. I did try baking the bread in the machine and did not like it one bit. Of course, the hole in the bottom with the paddle stuck inside, did not help the matter either.

Homemade White Bread

2 cups warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.

Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down.
Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half.

Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9×5 inch loaf pans.

Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Honey Wheat Bread

I have been searching for several years for a good Wheat Bread recipe. After trying several, I have finally found it. Would you believe that it was found in an old recipe box, that I picked up at an estate sale? I know some would think that those old boxes are worthless, let me tell you that is not so. Many are loaded down with prize recipes or even that family secret recipe that everybody has been wanting and can’t seem to find. This recipe is a true treasure for me and I am happy to share it with you now.

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For years, I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. But I wore it out to the point it did not have enough power to mix cookie dough. In 2014, I finally put it out of it’s misery and purchased a Bosch Universal Plus Mixer. Needless to say, the purchase has been one of the best I’ve every made.

If you are new to making bread, you’ll want something to do the heavy mixing. A stand mixer with a dough hook is a must or you will tear up a hand held mixer. I know not everyone can afford a Bosch mixer, so look for one that is suitable for breads, like the Kitchen Aid.

Of course, you don’t have to have to have a mixer to make bread you can always make it by hand. It does take longer, though. Here’s a really good video on hand kneading.

Honey Wheat Bread

2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter melted
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups bread flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Combine milk, 1/4 cup water, butter, honey, salt and wheat flour in a bowl.Mix into the yeast mixture, and let rest 15 minutes. Add white flour, and process until dough forms a ball.Knead dough between 7 and 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.Punch down, and divide dough in half. Form into loaves, and place in buttered 9×5 inch bread pans. Let rise in a warm area until doubled; second rise should take about 30 minutes.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven. Butter crust while warm. Slice when cool.

The Life Ready Woman a Review

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The Life Ready Woman

Are you a ‘Doing it all’ or ‘Do what matters’ woman?

Whether a stay at home; or working mom, an airplane-hopping executive, an empty-nester caring for multiple generations or a single juggling high demands of career and personal life, today's fast-paced modern world leaves women gasping for balance. We as modern Christian women want to look to the Bible for guidance on how to manage our lives -- but because the world of women looks so different today than it did when the Bible was written, it is hard to find chapter and verse that seems to apply to our situation today.

Thankfully, God has given us exactly that timeless, unchanging guidance for how to find peace, clarity, and God's best for our lives once we know where to look! The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World, reveals a profound biblical roadmap for how each of us can find the abundant life we are longing for, rather than the stressful, torn, how-do-I-balance-it-all life we often feel like we are trying to keep up with today. Actually being a LifeReady Woman means that you are clear about your life, bold in your faith, and able to find God’s best for you, and the end result will be that you not only survive but thrive in our do-it-all world.

God has given every wonderfully unique woman different skills and abilities, different desires, and different temperaments -- and every woman around the planet and through the ages is certainly living in different circumstances. But no matter what a woman’s life looks like, the Bible says that God has an individual mission and plan that He’s carefully designed for each of us. And He wants us to find it. Starting January 2011, The Life Ready Woman and the Life Ready Woman Video Series will help every wonderfully unique woman to thrive as she identifies and courageously pursues God's unique design and callings for her. LifeReady Woman puts you on a roadmap to make decisions that will lead to relief, delight, and fulfillment instead of regret.

My Thoughts~ What works for my family may not work for another family. We are all different.  Our family has made sacrifices, so that I could be at home. Not too long ago, I thought I would be able to go back to work and care for my family. Little did I know that within the first two weeks, I would be leaving that teaching position to return home. I have all that I want ~ a family to care for. Do I feel that I sacrificed my worth as a woman by being a helpmeet and keeper at home? Absolutely not! Women are first and foremost called to be a helpmeet to their husbands (if they have one) and a keeper at home. Do I feel that I sacrificed an expensive college degree? No, I have a degree and experience that I can fall back on if something should happen in our family.

Can women really have it all? Yes, it depends on what makes up their "all". There are sacrifices that are made for that "all" but a key thing is balance. And knowing when and how to balance out those things.  Going to the Bible is the key to everyday life and this book points that out.

The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World By Shaunti Feldhahn & Robert Lewis / B&H Books Most women need a contemporary, encouraging vision for what it means to be a godly, biblically guided female in the twenty-first century. A biblical woman takes God's Word seriously not just at church but also in the everyday walk of life. But can a significant and satisfying twenty-first-century womanhood really be defined from Scripture? The answer is yes, and Shaunti Feldhahn helps readers take five faith steps drawn from the Bible that will help to define the best life possible. Each one is easy to understand, but requires bold faith to activate. The reward is being ready for the deeper life that God has planned. Paperback.

DayBook

Outside my window... the sky is a beautiful blue with now clouds to be seen. The wind is blowing sloftly with a temperature of 69 ~ Just a wonderful day!



I am thinking... of so many things!
I am thankful for... God's protection. This morning, my parents were on their way to take their boat to have some work done on it when a lady hit them while they were sitting at a red light. She did not even put her brakes on, it happened so quickly. The impact was so hard it moved the boat up into the bed of the truck.  My Dad is on his way to the chiropractor because he is in a lot of pain.
From the learning rooms... we've been a little slow for the past week. I've not felt well, so we're working on things that Monkey can do mostly on his own, while the other things are on hold until I'm able to fully focus on the subject.
From the kitchen... my butter is softening so I can make a Caramel Nut Pound Cake. This is a new recipe for me, so I'm really excited about it.
I am creating... I'm still working on the afghan
I am reading... I've not really been able to do a lot of reading since I've been sleeping a good bit. The book I'm trying to read for a review has actually turned out better than I thought. Hopefully, I'll be finished with it by this weekend.
I am praying... for our van. The alternator died last night, so we're praying that this thing can be fixed quickly and rather cheaply, since we are a one vehicle family.
Around the house... I did manage to get all my laundry finished today. I'm slowly working on the other things.
A few plans for the rest of the week... I'm praying I can stay at home the rest of the week. I do have to grocery shop since I did not make it on Saturday and church tomorrow night. So we'll see..


I thought I would share a picture today since I don't do that much. 

 This is SPIKE, my Dad's little Chiweenie, I took this today while I was watching him.

French Fries

I love french fries! There is no hiding my love for them. Everyone that knows me, knows that I can eat french fries anytime of the day with just about anything. The only problem with french fries is,  I’d rather eat store bought frozen fries, instead of fresh cut french fries. It seems that the fresh cut fries, don’t seem to crisp up like the ones that have been frozen.

A fellow blogger shared her way of making fresh cut fresh french fries. I tried her method of making them and all I can say is,”WOWZERS!” These taste so much like “real” french fries, as my son states every time, we make them.

The one thing that is different when making these is you dust them with flour. Well, blow me down! I never would have thought to give the potatoes a bit of flour. Let me tell you, “You won’t be disappointed,” when trying this method of cooking french fries.
If you have a mandolin and a breading bowl, this would be a perfect time to use them.


And have you tried freezing potatoes? I have and it was not a pretty sight. Maybe, I didn't do something right. After all, all I did was put the extra potatoes in a freezer bag and threw them in the freezer, with my fingers crossed that they would behave. I guess, maybe they need a “fast” flash of freezing to behave. Oh well!

French Fries

4-5 potatoes sliced
2 cups flour
Salt
Pepper
Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blend
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder

You’ll have to play with your seasonings to suit your tastes.

Preheat oil.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, pepper, Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder.

Put the seasoning in the breader.

Add a few potatoes and give it a good shake. (You don’t want to put too many potatoes in at once, the flour will become soggy, while waiting for a batch to cook.)

 Place potatoes in the hot oil and cook until they begin to brown.

 It doesn’t take long for these to cook, if the potatoes are cut thin.

 Drain on paper towels, or butcher paper. Season with salt while the fries are still hot.

DayBook

Outside my window... the sun is shining the wind is blowing ~ if I didn't know any better, I'd think *SPRING* was here.



I am thinking... that I can't wait for summer. I know, the hot weather! But, we will be finished with school and then I can focus more on fun things to do around the house.
I am thankful for... I'm thankful for my husband and son ~ They are best Valentines any girl could be given.
From the learning rooms... we took today off for several reasons. 1~ I was busy all weekend and did not get my planning started 2~ I wanted to be able to get as much cleaning done today so I'm not being faced with the thought of it as the week goes on.
From the kitchen... I've been in the kitchen most of the morning. I've been baking mini cheesecakes for my husband and son for Valentine's Day. I also have a pot of green beans simmering away along with the plans of making meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and rolls for dinner.
I am creating... I have finally decided that no matter what I'm going to finish that afghan I started years ago. How can I teach my son to not start something and not finish it, when I'm doing the same thing. I've decided to make a Sampler Afghan. So that means that I'll be frogging away this evening. So I can get started on it. * You may have to sign up to see the pattern*
I am reading... I just started a book  for a review. I'm not too sure if I'm going to like it or not. I just dislike that! That means I have to keep from falling asleep while reading!
I am praying... an unspoken. This is something that my husband and I both desire. We know that the Lord will give us our heart's desire in His perfect timing.
Around the house... I'm cleaning today. Hopefully, I can get the majority of the disaster that happened over the weekend cleaned back up and stay ahead of everything else.
A few plans for the rest of the week... I'm hoping Church on Wednesday night is the only thing I have plans for until Saturday.