Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Blog Awards Results are.....




The Post has announced the winners for the blog awards! You can see those wonderful blogs here HSBA

or click the picture above. I have not even seen or visited a lot of the winners, so I thought I would invite others who might not know about them to join me!

The Blogs I am most familiar with is Lees blog! HomeScholar

Simply Charlotte Mason


and

Jimmies Collage-China

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wordless Wednesday....ok not so much

Well this darling kitten will be 5 weeks on Friday and we still have no name decided. Names to date: Ragoo, Bishop ( my son says he is an xman character and has an M over his eye or something?? boys), Toulouse (from the movie Aristo Cats), Kevin (from up), Jr and Little T, Mr T and Miss T.

We still cant tell if it is a boy or a girl... that was one reason for Kevin. *Ü* You would need to see up the movie to get that one. Here are some recent pictures of mommy cat and baby in class. *Ü*

This is how a cat homeschools *Ü*










Monday, September 28, 2009

Origin of Species now contains the Gospel

In November of 2009, The Origin of Species will celebrate 150 years of publication. Living waters (Way of the Master Ray Comfort) has a 50 page intro to the book presenting the Gospel message and creation evidence.

They will be giving away 100,000 of these books to the top 100 universities. They will be given to students for free. Its pretty cool.

To learn more you can watch the video below or go to the webiste:

Way of the Master





Thursday, September 10, 2009

I am at it again!!

I am at it again! Trying to make life simplified. I get on these tangents sometimes don't I? I have good intentions, but rarely do I stick to anything for long and I revert back to old habits.

I was at Costco the other day and found 2 books I really wanted!! The first one that caught my eye




That was followed by another....




Well, I got both! *Ü* Couldn't resist it. They were also a great price. $8.99 each.

What I like about theses books is that they are so versatile. They not only have a few different once a month cooking cycles, but they also have 2 week cycles and 2 two week gluten free recipes as well.

The book is easy to follow. Its not so wordy that you have to get through half the book before you can start. It has a small section for how too, set up, freezing tips and suggestions, but for the most part you dive right in. That's me in a nutshell!

The book also offers a menu chart for each cycle, a pantry list, shopping list, assembly order instructions and then recipes for each menu.

The book offers 2 monthly cycles (60 recipes, 2 two-week cycles and 2 two week gluten free cycles and recipes. I'm repeating myself aren't I? Sorry... *Ü*

Friday is shopping day for me this week. So Saturday I hope to get to it. It offers clear, easy instructions to get er done. I might be jumping in over my head but, I am using the first 2 week cycle before I jump head first into monthly cooking.

So hear is to me trying!! I will post how I did next week. *Ü* The book Im using first is Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites:by Mary Beth Lagerborg (Author), Mimi Wilson

Friday, September 4, 2009

Lunch!!


Black bean and goat cheese quesadillas w/ guacamole!

YUM!! That's all I can say!



Serves 8 as an appetizer;3 as a main course

3tbs.Olive oil
1 small yellow onion,finely chopped
1 15-oz. can black beans,rinsed and drained
1tsp. cumin
1tp. chili powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I used 1/4 c.)
1 large or 2 small avocados pitted and peeled
2tsp. fresh lime juice more to taste ( I used 1 small lime, all of it)
3-4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
6 flour tortillas, 8 inches across (I used whole wheat ones form Costco)

In skillet:

heat 2 tbs of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, till translucent and soft. Add beans, cumin, chili powder and 1/2 cup water and cook 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. take the pan off the heat and mash mixture with back of a fork.

In a small bowl:

combine avocado, lime juice and cilantro and mash till a chunky mixture. Season with salt to taste.

Spread black bean mixture evenly over 3 tortillas. Scatter goat cheese over the bean mixture ( use as much as you want *Ü* I did) and cover with other 3 tortillas.

I broiled mine on a cookie sheet. I didn't wait for the oven to heat I just placed it right in and set the timer for 5 minutes, flipped it and cooked for 4 minutes. Cut into 4 slices (each one) add avocado mixture and any salsa of choice. Can eat hot or cold. Its all good!!

Side note: you can add another 1/4 c. cilantro to bean mixture if desred.




Thursday, September 3, 2009

6 Days old and growing!!

When this little one tries to meow... no sound comes out.
His daddy was the same!


~Comfy, cozy in my hands~


Hello world!


Don't you just love him? Her? We sure do!!




Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

We have a brand new baby at Lisa's house!

Isn't it the cutest!!!?? We are in love.
Click on the picture to enlarge .

This little one was born on August 28th. In my master closet.



It is tentatively named Ragoo *Ü*

Momma cat during pregnancy was called prego *Ü*

Ragoo seemed natural .....right?



Friday, August 28, 2009

GRACE IS


Gods

Riches

At

Christs

Expense




Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Monday, August 24, 2009

Cha...Cha...Cha....Changes

Ha! Did you think I was going to sing a David Bowie song to ya? It is what came to my mind... hence the title to this post. However... I will spare ya my singing... Unless you want dogs to howl along with me *Ü* Yes,I'm that bad at it.

Ah..."The Change"..... My oldest is moving out! He will be an intern at our church for the next year and will be moving into a house with another friend/intern on church property. He will also go back and finish his AA at the local CC.

Im ready for this... and then... not so much....



Its strange but I have mixed feelings about it all. I am completely excited for him and all the new experiences he will be walking into.... and then I'm completely sad that he is grown up enough to move out!

Yes, I know this is what we do as parents. We put in our time to raise them and we grow them so they can be independent from mom and dad....to stand on their own 2 feet.... but its bitter sweet. I love him. I will miss seeing him... even if its for 10-15 minutes at a time! lol He works and is gone a lot anyway. BUT!! Knowing he "wont" be sleeping and living here is hard for me. Sad...



I will miss hearing him play his guitar every morning and every evening he is home. That's such a great sound coming down the hallway. I will miss him coming into the office and standing behind me... this is where we talk a lot.

I know he wants to talk because he just stands there and says nothing... LOL...ya I know... no talking.... well for him it is an indicator for me that he wants to visit. *Ü* No talking is him initiating the conversation... lol See he has taught me a lot too! I'm learning to pick up on blue (man) talk!! *Ü* I learned to decipher what he is saying.. when he is not saying anything!!! Not to shabby...hu?



We just celebrated his 20th birthday this month. We had a roast/toast time... but it was really more reminiscing than anything. It was fun hearing stories about him from his friends... and then his friends were able to hear stories from when he was little... times like on his 5th birthday he put a golf tee through his ear drum.... or when he was picking cherries in a tree 10 or 11 feet up in a cherrie tree and the branch broke from under him. This was also his first ambulance ride *Ü*......or the last 2 rope swings he was on....broke mid swing on him... one resulting in whiplash and a mild concussion...Seriously... this all happened.. and many more.. those were the first few that popped in my mind...

But... we also had those awe, moments... My favorite story was when he was 4 years old. Shawn would clap his hands together and say... "lets talk mom...clap.... lets talk" *Ü* I have no idea where he got that... but he did that a lot. *Ü* One night he said that after a bible story... we had just finished Jonah, he said... "mom, it would not be any fun to play hide and seek with God, Would it?" and I said, "sure it would. Why do you say that?" and he said, " because God would never have to turn around to find you, He already knows where you are."



Uh! These are the things that make me tear up... Remembering.... I need to look to the future I know... He is all grown up now... and has much more growing to do through his lifetime... yup.. got the memo... Its just hard...

I remember Mary in scripture....and how she hid things in her heart as Jesus grew... I cant help but think this must be similar... we moms cherish the little things... not just the big. We hide it in our hearts.

Ahhh...I need to be more like Shawn and remember the wisdom of a 4 year old... God will never have to turn around... He already knows right where Shawn is.



Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Cant find my groove!


Normally this time of year I am ready to begin school already. Normally...Right now... we are doing school...

As of today.... I'm not ready. I have the books, the curriculum... classes lined up for Biology... but I am not ready... So I decided we wont start school till Sept 14th. This is so weird.. even for me.

This is the first time in years we actually start school in September. I like to start mid Aug... then I'm done by mid May. Last year we began in Aug, but only to finish what we started the previous year and began new stuff in Jan... It was a tuff year for school and mom. *Ü*




Not to much has changed in our schooling. We are literature based as always for History, literature, bible and geography. No textbooks is what I mean. We are finally going to finish our American History!!

Apologia Biology is the science of choice this year for both girls.... Christian isn't to happy... as she got half way through the book with me... but we didn't finish... its good for her to finish... Even if that means starting over. The class will be so much better.

Spanish I hope will also be in a class again. I have not been given rates yet. I do know they went up... but cant commit till I know for sure. I hope we are able to continue. This will be Spanish 102 for both girls. Woohoo!

Math RyLee will finish pre Alg using Teaching Textbooks and begin Alg in Jan sometime.... Christian is going through Life of Fred books at her own pace.

Writing will be based on current events and History this year. IEW is still the curriculum of choice.

We didn't get to Thinking Like a Christian last year. So it is my desire... my HOPE, that we do get to it this year. I would like to have more folks than just us go through it.

Christian is really taking off in photography. We would like her to take some classes at the local CC for this, but I'm sure this wont happen till next year. She is doing a wonderful job though and has been asked to take pictures for folks she knows. So this year we will focus on exposure to photo shoots and building a portfolio so to speak. Keep it simple and enjoyable. Technical can come later or as we go.








We still do nature study... although we have not been posting as much as I would like. We have been studying birds so far this summer. *Ü* Squirrels and chipmunk have been fun to observe. We have tons out here in the woods. So we will continue w/ The Handbook of Nature study and journals.


So Im hoping by typing all this out I can get inspired to find that groove...


Here is to hoping!!




Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Good Morning!!!


~Good Morning Means~


G-od

O-ffers us His

O-utstanding

D-evotion to


M-ake us

O-bedient &

R-eady for a

N-ew day with Him.

I-nspire others, and

N-ever forget

G-od loves you!



Tuesday, July 21, 2009