Happy Independence Day!

We're off swimming, parade-watching and eating, but I thought I'd mention a great free resource for homeschooling families - or anybody who wants to educate their kids on the Fourth as well as shoot off fireworks.

It's the Liberty's Kids series, an animated look at our country at the time of the Revolution, and it's lots of fun. There is a website, with interactive features and behind the scenes footage. YouTube has some 10 minutes clips for free, and the whole series is available to live-stream on Netflix, so you can watch it today. I'd suggest episode 13 "The First Fourth of July", but there are a total of 40 episodes that are all fun and educational.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Mother's Day

If I were hanged on the highest hill, Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine! I know whose love would follow me still, Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine! If I were drowned in the deepest sea, Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine! I know whose tears would come down to me, Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine! If I were damned of body and soul, I know whose prayers would make me whole, Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine Rudyard Kipling Okay, it's not a vase of flowers, but I really love this poem.  To me, it speaks of the endlessly selfless and persevering devotion of a mother.  But in case it's a little too dark for you, here's something cheery. Oh, and I got a Kindle for Mother's Day! I'm so excited to go shop for books. Prodigious, expansive, epic thanks to the Amazing Husband and the kiddos! Happy Mother's Day! Oh, and Lynette at Dancing Again has a lovely and inspiring post for Mother's Day. She even talks about Jesus. And Jesus is better than Rudyard Kipling. So go get some.

Today is Good Friday.

Today is the remembrance of a horrific and violent death. And yet we celebrate, because as awful as it is, it is good.

Not everything that is good is lovely or easy or happy.

Maybe I'm not making any sense. But this post by Dana at Roscommon Acres does. Please click over and read, because I can't t think of a better celebration of Good Friday than her story.

I'll see you after the resurrection.

Brieana

Going Green: Crafting Something Green

Let's face it, I'm pretty lame when it comes to arts and crafts. I like to do them, I just have no talent. So I left the green craftiness to Leslea, who pulled off this stunning number.

Materials:

One old white t-shirt.
A few bottles of green paint. One of these was fabric paint, the other was acrylic. Whatever.

Directions:

Let loose with your inner fashion designer.

Happy Very Late St. Patrick's Day!

Super Bowl Soft Pretzels

Today is the day we've all been waiting for....

The Super Bowl!!

Why yes, you do detect a hint of sarcasm.

In our house, football is the other woman. Actually, ESPN is the other woman. It would be one thing if the amazing husband watched a couple football games every week. But no, he must watch the pre-game show and the post-game show and the recap and three different programs with different men in suits saying the exact same thing about said football games. Six hours a week is a hobby. What ESPN offers is a full time job.

I think I'd make a pretty good sports commentator. "You know, Larry, what the Packers really need to do to win the Super Bowl is to get the ball down the field and get some points on the board. They need to beef up their defense and keep the Steelers out of the end zone."

Ya think?

Anyway. The one thing I do like about the Super Bowl is getting together with friends and making fun food. Today I'm making soft pretzel bites. Mmmm... so yummy. I found the recipe on a new blog I've discovered called twopeasandtheirpod. So today, in honor and celebration of the end of football season for at least 3 months (when is the draft?), you get from me a blog recommendation and a recipe. Not too shabby.

So go check out twopeasandtheirpod and all their yummy appetizer recipes, and get cooking.

Happy Super Bowl!

Soft Pretzels: (lifted completely and in it's entirety from twopeasandtheirpod, so go over there and say thank you)
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching.  Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce, recipe below.

Cheddar cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

For the cheese sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don’t measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*

Gratituesday; Leslea

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Today, my first child is 9 years old!

Nine is a big deal, folks. We're pretty excited about it and we'll be celebrating with friends, tacos and chocolate cupcakes.

Because it is her birthday, I told her I'd do a post completely dedicated to her. It'll be fun to look back in a few years and see what she was like today. Today, she:

• is 4'3" tall
• loves horses
• and dogs
• prefers purple to all other colors
• loves her new brown boots
• likes spelling best
• and math least
• and wants to work with animals when she grows up

Happy Birthday Leslea! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I hope the day finds everyone happy, healthy and filled with joy. And not so overwhelmed with wrapping paper that the 96 gallon recycling bin can't close. Ahem.

This year our Christmas was a little different, since we're moving in 2 days. But we still managed to make chili and apple cider on Christmas Eve. We also drove around looking at Christmas lights - way to go Anthem Coventry, you guys rock the Christmas light contest.

The Amazing Husband and I continued our tradition of wrapping gifts on the night of Christmas Eve, and the kids were up at 2am wanting to open presents. (We said no.)

We did handle gifts a little differently this year, and I think it was a success. Last year I went out on Black Friday and bought all the kid's gifts. I got killer deals and managed to put tons of gifts under the tree for very little money.

It was fabulous until about February when I realized we were already donating some of those amazingly low priced gifts. Problem was, I bought anything that I thought they would like because everything was on sale.

This year I went at it differently. Each kid got one big gift, one thing they HAD to have. The cost of each gift varied but the desire for it was the same. They also each received a couple books, some clothes and a pair of shoes (all needed items). And of course some gifts from the grandparents.

That's it.

There were noticeably fewer gifts under the tree this year, but they were all absolutely thrilled and satisfied with what they received. And I'm hoping we won't be clearing any new gifts out until next Christmas.

I think we'll stick with this gift-buying method. I certainly prefer them to have a few beloved toys than rooms full of junk, and they seem just as happy this way. It is fun to have a ton of gifts to open on Christmas, though, so next year I may do more clothes and other items that we would purchase for them anyway throughout the year.

Oh, we do stockings, too. Their stockings were filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, little toys, lotion, chapstick, earrings (for the girls), candy and pencils. Again, mostly things we would buy for them anyway, but they seem more fun gift wrapped.

How do you do Christmas gifts?

Hot Apple Cider

This is so good on cold days! We make it on Christmas Eve every year, but it's also good for Halloween or Thanksgiving, or any time you it's cold and rainy.

1/2 gallon apple juice (I like mine with just apples in it, I usually go with Juicy Juice)
1/3 gallon water (fill up the empty juice bottle about 3/4 full)
2 instant apple cider packets (I know, I know, not very 'from scratch')
3 whole cinnamon sticks
an orange
whole cloves
1 tsp allspice
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cut the orange in half and stick it all over with cloves. Pour the juice and water in your crock pot. Add the cider packets, allspice and brown sugar and stir well. Float the oranges in the cider. Put the lid on and let it go on low at least 3 hours. Any less and it won't have very good flavor. You can let it go for a couple days if you keep the crock pot on, but the oranges and cinnamon sticks will start to get droopy and you'll know to throw it out.

Enjoy!

Chili

Our Christmas Eve tradition, this chili is warm and hearty.. the perfect cold winter night comfort food. Serve it up with some fresh bread and hot apple cider.

2 lbs ground beef
6 medium tomatoes, chopped (I use Romas)
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup red kidney beans
1 cup pinto beans
25 oz can tomato sauce
1/3 - 1/2 cup chili powder
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp oregano

Brown and drain the ground beef. I do this in my large stockpot to save on dishes. Add the chopped tomato, onion and garlic and let cook over medium to high heat until bubbly. Add beans, tomato sauce and spices. Use more chili powder if you like a hotter chili. I use about 1/3 cup and it has a nice kick at the end but doesn't clear your sinuses. Let simmer over low heat as long as you like; anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. You can also put it all in the crock pot and let it go all day.

Mmmmm... Makes me wish it were snowing. 

Are ya still there?

Well.

It seems I am not superhuman, after all.

The crush of dealing with 5 kids by myself, making Christmas happen, making school happen, making a move happen, and doing as little much laundry as possible has meant that a few things have gotten pushed to the side of the plate, as it were.

Including this blog!

So I'm very sorry if any of you have been eagerly anticipating my next post, only to be let down for weeks on end.

In fact, I've been so busy that I had to write down my priorities and stick them on my fridge. It's a little reminder of what's important, and I'm thinking I may keep it up even after all this is over.

The Amazing Husband comes home in 2 days. Christmas is in 4. The move is in 6. And I can't find my hairbrush...

Merry Christmas everybody. See you in January!

Christmas Bible Reader and Starbucks

Sounds like a great pair, no?

This Christmas I'm going through a fabulous Advent Bible reading program. It has a daily scripture to read plus historical information, reflection questions and discussion starters. Plus it's only a 24 day commitment. I think I can I think I can I think I can...

You can get the program on your iPhone if you have one. Go to the App store and download LifeChurch.tv's FREE Bible reader, called YouVersion. If you type in "Bible" in the search area, it'll be the first one that comes up. (It's an awesome app anyway, even if you don't want the Advent program.) Then, at the bottom of the screen you have some choices. Select "Read Plans" then scroll down and find "Rediscovering the Christmas...". I don't know what the last word is, it gets cut off.

We were actually supposed to start this plan yesterday, but if you hurry you can catch up. :)

Oh, I was going to tell you about COFFEE too. Again, if you have an iPhone, or any phone with texting, you can join up with Starbucks for their 12 Days of Deals. Just text 12DAYS to 29943 and you’ll receive one Starbucks deal per day. Normal texting rates apply. They started yesterday but you can still get it on it.

So go get a Peppermint Mocha and settle down to read the Bible. Merry Christmas!

Black Friday

Ah, Black Friday. Last year I was an enthusiastic participant in this completely insane tradition. A friend and I got up VERY early and headed out to shop til we dropped. I can't remember how early it was, but I do remember that Starbucks wasn't open yet, and that, my friend, is too early. 

This year, however, was a different story. Not only did my kids have very specific gift requests this year, those gifts being the same ones all the kids want, hence they are not the ones that are on super amazing sale, we received a call from our bank on Thanksgiving that someone had gotten a hold of our account information and made a bunch of fraudulent charges with our money! That meant, of course, that our cards were frozen. Not only that, we won't be able to get them un-frozen until Monday when the bank will be open again. They were closed Friday in observation of "Family Day". Funny, I thought it was "Retail Bonanza Day" but what do I know. 

So we made it a family day. We put up the Christmas tree and did some decorating and packing. (Wondering why we're packing?) I made homemade chicken nuggets for lunch and rosemary pork chops with cranberry sauce and acorn squash for dinner. Nothing like a day in the kitchen to get you in a good mood. Well, that's what gets me in a good mood. I guess I really don't know about you. 

So welcome to the Christmas season! My goal for the blog this Christmas is to post new recipes, gift ideas and crafts as we do them. Since we're also moving during this Christmas season I refuse to promise how many recipes, gifts and crafts you'll actually get, but it's a goal. 

Merry Christmas! May your family be close and your feet not hurt too much from running around WalMart at 3am.