Monthly Archives: November 2011

November 30, 2011

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Another year seems to be coming to an end, my friends.

I’m humbled to see the many faces, and places that have blessed my family, and my home in the past year.

I’ve been spending time this week looking through this year’s photos. There are many tiny slices of life that I so easily forget. I’m thankful to have thought to either blog, journal, or snap a photo of many moments. These little minutes in the day make life so very sweet.

This morning, I was greeted by “Ms. Two”. She told me “I wanna hold you!”.

Such a sweet sound!! Her little chubby cheeks are irresistible. It really doesn’t matter what is going on at that moment, I have to stop and hold her.

Tomorrow, she’ll be ever bigger– just inching her way to a family of her own. I’m treasuring each and every second!

My home smells soooo good this morning! Courtney and I woke up bright, and not so early (*smile*), to make omelettes and homemade hashbrowns. (I LOVE my Salad Shooter! I received my first from my mother-in-law when I was just married. Paul and I used it until it couldn’t be used anymore! I was THRILLED to find this one, still in it’s box, at a local thrift store for $3!!)

If you lived a little closer, you could drop by for breakfast with our family. I might even make you coffee (my newly-found skill!).

We don’t usually make such a heavy breakfast. I think I was needing comfort food!

I’ll admit, I’m feeling a little sorry for myself.

Joshua, had been away from home since July and has been back with us for the past two weeks.

(Can you believe, at 17yrs., he’s already an entire head taller than I am? …and I think he still has some growing ahead!)

At 3:30, yesterday morning, we woke up early and saw him off…back to California. It truly seems like he has slipped off to another world.

I’m thankful for the time we had him here…he was terribly busy with work, but I at least knew he was in my home. Of course, he’s always in my heart, even on the other side of the country.

If you think on it, will you remember to pray for him, too? I know he appreciates the prayer and encouragement.

He’ll be returning in two weeks. It will be a Christmas, this year, to remember. My family….everyone…..will be under one roof. That is soothing to my heart.

Makes You Think…..

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“I have noticed a prevailing moral apathy on the part of many professing Christian teenagers and young adults. They seem to resent the notion that there is any type of objectively true moral standard by which they must live their lives. Many will give lip service to to it, but they will fight tooth and nail if that standard is ever applied in any specific way. They seem not to realize that being a Christian is, by definition, exclusive and absolutist.” -Israel Wayne

Cooking With the Boys

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Homeschooling isn’t all about books and essays.

Most of the time, the best teaching happens as you go on, about your daily life.

Since we began homeschooling (which feels like the beginning of time now!), we have tried to include the children in our day-to-day activities. Some of these things seem so routine, it’s hard to remember to include our littles in this time.

I’ve prayed the Lord would allow me to be sensitive to these opportunities, and that He would use this time to speak not only knowledge into my children, but also minister to their hearts.

I hope they always remember time they spent just doing daily things with Paul, and I.

Sooo, today, we made potato soup (all that, and you were expecting something spectacular, weren’t you?!).

Timothy learned all about making soup stock. I explained why I save certain parts of the chicken, and how we take away all of the usable meat first- freeze or prepare it, and then how to prepare the pot for stock.

Next, I had him watch this video:

It was fantastic! (It amazes me how much good, FREE information is on the web, if you just look around.)

Timothy chopped the potatoes. Then he removed all the visible fat from the ham and chopped it, too.

We had a short lesson on using knives.

He remembered a class a dear friend (Hey Sherri!), taught my older children when they were learning to use cooking knives.

I explained how to keep his fingers out of the way. He did so well and just seemed to absorb the information.

We did have a little help. As Timothy was preparing one part of the dish, Benjamin was learning to caramelize onions.

After I explained why I was preparing them the way I do, we watched this video:

It’s just part of a series of cooking classes on You Tube. They are EXCELLENT!

Timothy loves to cook! With Christmas just around the corner, I had considered purchasing him a cookbook of his own. I have spent quite a bit of time looking through cookbooks written for children, and have been disappointed.

Children can learn so much, if given the chance.

The books all seem to focus on “cute” food. They don’t teach techniques and skill. I think we’ll be skipping the kid books and heading for real cookbooks while teaching our children to cook. (I’ve got my eye on that America’s Test Kitchen book!)

They both enjoyed their time in the kitchen so very much (and so did I). Tonight, I’m thinking on what we will cook next!

Want to drop by?? The door is always open.