tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36497471687330281082024-03-05T17:59:39.518-06:00In All You Do...marriage, parenting, schooling, cooking, cleaning...Breed LoveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-55225384189262640802012-05-05T23:54:00.003-05:002012-05-05T23:54:51.012-05:00Visit my new site - I've Moved!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so excited that the day is finally here!!!! My new blog site is up and running. I'm still working on finalizing some things and getting them just right, but it's officially up now.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beginning Sunday, May 6th, 2012 I will be posting from my new site only. So please hop on over there and subscribe via email or RSS, follow me on facebook or Google +. I'd really love it if you'd stop by and visit me!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new site is:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.inallyoudo.net/">www.inallyoudo.net</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annette</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-406114833361063312012-05-05T23:46:00.000-05:002012-05-05T23:49:44.898-05:00Sew Its Saturday: DIY Graduation GIfts<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s May. The time for all things graduation…Proms,
final exams, last lunches with high school friends and of course, Graduation!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, what do you get the Graduate, especially, when
most of them already have and iPod, iPhone, Wii, Playstaton or any number of other
game systems. Well, have no fear…Annette is here! Okay, that was super cheesy,
right?! I promise, I won’t let it happen again! <i>Ha!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, seriously…what do you get them? Well, if you’ve
been reading my posts lately, you might realize that I <i>love</i> anything DIY – especially if I can use my digital scrapbooking
program from Creative Memories, Storybook Creator Plus 4.0. Check it out <a href="http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/abreedlove/Content/Shop/Catalog.aspx?pr=BrowseCategory&s=/Hierarchy/Digital%20Solutions/Software&dpr=Shop&ds=">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Today, I’m going to share with you a few Graduation
gifts that you can make yourself on the cheap! Most of these gifts would be
great for a High School or College Graduate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq2yxX3V3Oi8nQCzlWZw9eRHa9ehGW7mMJzKGPGvJkexpu3GZkxIqsPufBpAxPgyDhc4Fiir0Sorx9rER12fHTF876w1_-jaRT-I9OVc_4f0PDDlfq5g-YzNIOYRZ5dPEB38Fk2Mk7DM/s1600/Trey+Graduation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq2yxX3V3Oi8nQCzlWZw9eRHa9ehGW7mMJzKGPGvJkexpu3GZkxIqsPufBpAxPgyDhc4Fiir0Sorx9rER12fHTF876w1_-jaRT-I9OVc_4f0PDDlfq5g-YzNIOYRZ5dPEB38Fk2Mk7DM/s320/Trey+Graduation.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Make a picture collage of sorts. I made the above
collage/picture for my cousin’s high school graduation several years ago. The
background picture has an overlay of grass to give it some texture and
stand-out from the other pictures layered on top. I printed it as an 8x10, put
it in a nice black frame and Voila – quick, easy, nice graduation gift!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. If you’d like to do a larger scale gift, you can
always make a custom poster collage!! Again, I can use my Creative Memories
program to create a custom poster. Or go to our <a href="http://digital.creativememories.com/shop/product.aspx?Id=400-50021&Catalog=theme&Name=16x24%20Congrats%20Wall%20Print&Node=/Categories/Theme/School%20and%20Graduation/16x24%20Posters">digital
center</a> and just plug-in some photos and you’re done!! It’s just that simple
– <i>really!!!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. Have too many pictures for a poster or collage?
Make a digital album! Creative Memories offers a <a href="http://digital.creativememories.com/Shop/Photobooks.aspx">variety of
styles and sizes</a>. If you’re in a hurry, make the 7x5 softcover album for
only $17.95!! If you have more time and want to include graduation and prom
photos, choose one of the Personalized Hardcover or Leather Premium Storybooks.
What makes this so great is you can download a </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">FREE</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;"> 30 day trial of the program and use it to make your album! Create,
upload, order and have it shipped directly to you!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. Want to give your grad something inspirational,
make a softcover album filled with Scriptures that will help them, encourage them
and guide them in their new journey and life adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. With Creative Memories you can also create custom
calendars! Create a calendar full of personal pictures for your new graduate!
They can relive high school or collage memories and have all the important
dates right at their fingertips!! I have one hanging on my refrigerator now and
I love looking at the pictures each month! Granted, mine isn’t for graduation,
but I like it just the same!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">6. If your graduate was involved in sports or band,
you might consider making a shadow box showcasing what they love. My youngest
brother was a member of his high school band (a Nationally renowned band, no
less) and it would have been great to make him a shadow box. Take a picture of
him marching, their program t-shirt design displayed and a few other
memorabilia would have been great!! You can do the same thing for a sport
player or drama “nerd” (don’t worry…I was one of those too). Just be
creative!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">7. Several websites offer very custom gifts such as:
blankets, pillows, mouse pads, mugs, t-shirts…you name it they have it!! If
your grad likes coffee, make them a special mug. If they like to snuggle up on
the couch and watch movies – make a blanket! I kinda like the pillowcase idea
myself. Wouldn’t it be so fun to wake up with your “best friends” from high
school every morning – even if you’re all at a different school?! What fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I hope you see where I’m going with these. I love
pictures and I think it’s so important to preserve our memories with them. It
really is so true that a <i>picture is worth
a thousand words!</i> A smile, the lighting and sometimes even the screaming
fits just make you remember those precious moments – whatever they are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, go out there and find some pictures to create a
wonderful gift for that graduate in your life! Believe me…they <i>will</i> look at them and appreciate it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Happy Graduation Month!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up:</span><br />
<a href="http://nv-craftenvy.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Arial;" target="_blank">CraftEnvy – Spotlight Saturday</a><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/" target="_blank">BeDifferent Act Normal</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is my last post on this site. Please come visit me over at <a href="http://www.inallyoudo.net/" target="_blank">In All You Do</a> and subscribe to me there!!!! See ya soon!</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-61345031836866731242012-05-05T00:38:00.002-05:002012-05-05T00:38:53.438-05:00Homeschool Happenings: Weekly wrap-up #5ish<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.windows2universe.org/the_universe/Milkyway.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.windows2universe.org/the_universe/images/ngc1232_sm.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This week has pretty much been “all business.” The
weather has been getting nicer and warmer around here and its all I can do to
keep my kids inside to do anything related to school!! But, we’re doing our
best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He’s still doing well and working hard to finish his
papers in the morning (read more about our block schedule <a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/05/teachable-tuesdays-homeschool-series.html">here</a>).
Most of the time even does them without complaining or arguing!! YAY!!! So,
maybe we are making some progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This week we’ve actually not done our reading. I’ve
been battling a Crohn’s attack and most of my afternoons are spent sleeping
from exhaustion. So, we’ve got some make-up work to get in, but we’ll be back
at it in no time…I hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We’re continuing our study about the Stars this week
in Science. Can I just tell you how amazing and AWESOME our God is?! It amazes
me how He created such complexity in the universe with just the spoken word!!
Oh what I wouldn’t give to have sat next to him when he spoke everything into
existence. Talk about AWESOME!! What a Mighty God we serve!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Tomorrow…er rather now, today (Saturday), we plan to
set up our new “kid” gardens. I got them on sale for $5 a couple weeks ago.
There hasn’t been time to get them planted, but we’re going to make time <s>tomorrow</s>...today.
I’ll be sure to take pictures of us making a mess and having fun though!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, that’s pretty much it. Sorry we’ve been pretty
boring around here this week. Hopefully I’ll have more to report next week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What did you do this week in your homeschooling
journey? Feel free to share you favorite experiment, tip, idea or just a word
of encouragement for others!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m linking up to these other GREAT Homeschool Weekly
Reviews!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click on the links to check them out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/big-family-friday-link-up/">Holy
Spirit Led Homeschooling</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/">Weird Unsocialized
Homeschoolers</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.homegrownlearners.com/">Home
Grown Learners</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-37910232504484430972012-05-05T00:12:00.000-05:002012-05-05T00:12:43.845-05:0052 Fridays: Weekly Update #18<br />
<center><a href="http://www.createdforhome.net/"><img border="0" src="http://www.createdforhome.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/52-Fridays.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sorry this is up late and that I missed last weeks
report. Life has been a little more than crazy around here!! A few weeks back I
began having a Crohn’s flair of major proportions. Or at least for me. Please,
don’t write me hate mail, I know I’ve been lucky and many people have it much
worse than I. I haven’t been on medication in nearly 11 years, so this is
pretty major for me. Anyway…my days have been a little less than productive to
say the least. So, please bear with me as I trudge through this sickness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here goes this week’s report. You can read more about
my journey beginning with <a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/52-fridays-week-1.html">Week 1</a>.
Feel free to join me and <a href="http://www.createdforhome.net/">Crystal</a>
in this journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">DAILY quiet time: I’ve been doing better at
this. Some days I don’t get my emails read, but I have been reading in the
Word each day!! It’s been so good and refreshing. I get my emails through <a href="http://biblegateway.com/">biblegateway.com</a> and a women’s
devotional through <a href="http://devotions.proverbs31.org/">Proverbs 31
devotions</a>. Such great tools – be sure to check them out!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Weekly weight loss: This is not going well at
all right now. Mainly because I’m some medication to stop the Crohn’s
flair-up I’m having. This medication, prednisone, causes you to retain
water and therefore gain weight. Bleh! I’m still watching what I eat, so
I’m pretty sure I’ll drop some pounds once I am finished with the
medication and it’s out of my system. Until then…</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.vintageremedies.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266&Itemid=332)website">Vintage
Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods</a>: Still working through the pantry. The
Hubster has even gotten into the research and is helping by looking for
less expensive but healthy options!! We’re ready to eat better and feel
better!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Homeschool Fun: We have been playing some games
to reinforce what we’re learning in math, but otherwise he just wants to
finish his work “now” and go play!! At least we’re not having meltdowns
daily, right?!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/organized-home.html">Organization</a>:
We’re having a garage sale in a couple weeks, so I’ve been going through
toys, clothes, misc items in the house. I’m cleaning out more and more and
excited to “thin out” what we have. I think this will help me with getting
more organized too!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Staying caught up: Even though I’ve been sick
most days over the past 2 weeks, I’ve managed to stay relatively caught
up. And, since my wrist is acting up again, I’m very thankful to the
Hubster for helping with the dishes several days this week. With his help,
we’ve had a clean sink this week!! Not to mention the fact that he cleaned
off the counter top for me too!! I’m truly blessed!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Blog changes: I’m so VERY excited to announce
that my new site will be up and running <i>this</i> </span><st1:date day="6" month="5" year="2012"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday, May 6<sup>th</sup>, 2012</span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Arial;">!!!!! If you haven’t stopped by the new site,
please take a second to do so! Follow me on Linky Followers, Networked
Blogs or by email. “Like” my new facebook page! Help me spread the word
about my blog!! I’m so excited for this adventure and journey God has
placed in front of me. I hope you’ll join me for the ride!!</span></li>
</ol>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
What have you been up to this week? How do you find time or make time for God’s
Word as a busy Mom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I love your comments!! They help encourage not only
me, but others that read this blog. Feel free to leave a comment and/or a link
to a post that will encourage others in their Christian walk too!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thank you so much for stopping by today! Have a
blessed weekend!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-91463593564967354892012-05-03T07:00:00.000-05:002012-05-03T07:00:08.078-05:00Thursday Thoughts: Adoption Series<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When The Hubster and I were engaged, we began talking
about children. I know that’s usually something people discuss when they’re
dating, but since we didn’t date (that’s for another post) we talked about it
while engaged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We both knew we wanted children and hoped that God
would one day bless us with 3 or 4. Read more about why and how our views
changed on that <a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2010/10/choices-part-2.html">here</a>.
Nevertheless, we’ve always felt that adoption may someday be an option for us.
In other words, it’s never been out of the question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Even before I was a mother to my own children, I felt
like a mother. I have always had a heart and a longing to be someone’s mother.
Now, I am so blessed to be mommy to 4 beautiful blessings, but I can’t help but
wonder who will take care of those that don’t have a mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, even though we are not on the adoption path right
now, it is something that is so near and dear to my heart that I felt compelled
to share some amazing stories from some of our “real-life” friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, in May I’m dedicating Thursday Thoughts to an
Adoption Series. It will start next week and run the remainder of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have 3 friends with personal Adoption testimonies
from the perspective of becoming a mother and a friend who talks about growing
up in an adoptive family. You won’t want to miss any of these testimonies,
believe me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Feel free to grab my button and promote the series on
your own blogs!! Help spread the word about Adoption! Don’t forget I’ll be over
at my new site next week. So, join me there!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.inallyoudo.net/">www.inallyoudo.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqIeVvNsr4pNAtlC19i5CAdo6MlBr1aRC-1wDE1VWAMr4mS9R6T8maSKzZcF1O6XM-acWbaa9WPjm9gVvicHHybf4gtP2RUReouGh31x0oD9k1j6jGoyKJ_5lhSNygxUdvHYf4rXZuZk/s1600/Blog+Button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqIeVvNsr4pNAtlC19i5CAdo6MlBr1aRC-1wDE1VWAMr4mS9R6T8maSKzZcF1O6XM-acWbaa9WPjm9gVvicHHybf4gtP2RUReouGh31x0oD9k1j6jGoyKJ_5lhSNygxUdvHYf4rXZuZk/s320/Blog+Button.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Next week I’ll have the code up with this button on
my new website. So, for now, you can just copy the URL of the button to help
promote! Thanks!!!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking Up:</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.oursimplecountrylife.com/" target="_blank">OurSimple Country Life - Hearts 4 Home Thursdays</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">TheImperfect Housewife</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.oursimplefarm.com/" target="_blank">Our SimpleFarm</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/" target="_blank">Women LivingWell</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://raisinghomemakers.com/" target="_blank">RaisingHomemakers</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep RootsAt Home</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" target="_blank">AWise Woman Builds Her Home</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/" target="_blank">Growing Home</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Time-WarpWife</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/" target="_blank">ThePrairie Homestead</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" target="_blank">The Better Mom</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thestraightenedpath.com/" target="_blank">TheStraightened Path</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.raisingarrows.net/" target="_blank">RaisingArrows</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-24781022591355474862012-05-02T21:25:00.000-05:002012-05-02T21:25:26.142-05:00Baking Bits: Getting Healthy – What I’m going to miss<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gaheris.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=386" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://gaheris.net/art/paleo_meal_1.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now this...this I could eat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Okay, so I’ve mentioned several times that our family
is working towards Whole Foods eating. Yeah…we’re kinda slow around here, but
we’re making progress. But, before we talk about all that healthy junk…I wanted
to share a tip with you novice cookers/bakers out there. Some of you may
already know this one, but I didn’t, so I thought it was worth the share.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When I bake bread, I often find that we eat it well
for a couple days and then we’re off of it for a while. Unfortunately,
sometimes we’re away from it for too long and it goes bad. A lady at church was
talking about how she “stores” her bread so it doesn’t go to waste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">First, slice your bread as you would regularly. Then,
she puts butter on each slice of bread and places it on a cookie sheet. Put the
cookie sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to set the butter just enough so
it doesn’t stick to anything. Now, get your gallon size baggies and put the
buttered bread slices in there and freeze! Then, all you have to do is pull out
the slices you want and either toast them or bake them in the oven. Add a
little garlic powder and voila – you have homemade garlic bread on the fly!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Well…now that I’ve give you that tip, let’s get back
to today’s topic: What I’m going to miss on this healthy journey!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Bread. Ironic after what I just posted, I know. I
love bread of any kind. Rolls, homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, bagels…you name
it, I like it! Now, with that said, I do watch how much bread I eat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. Chocolate – Strangely I didn’t used to like
chocolate. In fact, I did not have a candy bar until I was probably 14 years
old! Well…that was a HUGE mistake! Now it’s become a “go-to” comfort food. I
will miss it, but I’m glad its gotta go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. Pop – I drink water during the day, but at night I
like to have some pop/soda. I gave up caffeinated beverages nearly 4 years ago
and I always drink diet, but I know I need to give this one up too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. Chips & Dip – Another favorite “go-to” comfort
food is Potato Chips and French Onion Dip. I don’t eat this too often, but
enough that it’s a problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. Sandwiches – I know this kinda goes along with the
bread thing, but particularly I will miss those wonderful Ham Sammies! ugh!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">6. Soy Sauce -
After reading <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/dangers-of-soy/" target="_blank">this</a>
article on the <i>Dangers of Soy</i>, I am
absolutely convinced we need to give up <i>all</i>
soy products. But man oh man do I love it on my steamed rice. Oh wait…I’ll be
giving up rice too, so I guess it won’t matter. Well…that was easier than I
thought! Haha But, seriously, you need to read the article. Good information
and lots to think about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The truth is pretty much anyone in this country could
stand to eat better, exercise more and just be healthier all around. That’s
what we’re trying to do. I’m not sure how much weight I’ll lose on this
journey, but I’m excited for the possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">A couple of other reasons we’re switching to whole
foods/paleo is that I have Crohn’s disease. They discovered it after they removed
my gall bladder back when I was 19 years old. I’d had trouble for years, but
never knew it was anything medically wrong. I always thought it was just me.
Honestly, I’d had those issues as long as I can remember, so in a way – it was
normal. It’s been in remission, more or less, for the last 10 years. But, this
year (possibly with all the stress and events surrounding our family) I have
had more trouble than I’ve had in a long time. It got so bad that about 3 weeks
ago they ran some blood tests that revealed I was indeed having a “flair up” of
my Crohn’s. bleh!!!!! So, now for the first time in my marriage and in nearly
11 years I’m on medication for Crohn’s. So, I decided that if eating healthier
could help curb some of the symptoms, if not take it away completely, it was
worth a <i>real</i> try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The other reason we’re making the switch is our
children. Although we have no official diagnosis, we see evidence of ADD/ADHD
and Aspergers in our oldest child. I probably notice these things more since we
homeschool. But, nevertheless, research shows that removing gluten and other
key foods can help those kids with ADD/ADHD and Aspergers. So, we’re gonna give
it a whirl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I know all these things take time to show real
change. So we’re working towards cleaning out the pantry and fridge. As we’re
cleaning, we’re making better choices for our meals and slowly integrating
whole foods. Hopefully, by the end of May we’ll be completely eating whole
foods only. That’s the plan anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then, everything I’ve read says to give it a month
and see how you feel after that. So, that’s the plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Do any of you follow the Paleo eating plan or eat
whole foods? What are your thoughts and tips for making the switch? How has it
changed your life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thanks for stopping by and sharing your tips and
getting healthy journey! Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts or leave
a link to your own post about getting healthy!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette</span><o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-44157299130201647742012-05-01T04:01:00.001-05:002012-05-01T04:01:50.959-05:00Teachable Tuesdays: Homeschool Series Part 3 - Why Block Scheduling Works for Us<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtwlo632ekhStQy-_w-LtKhpidSkj8HGnKe28pyzgazi8IfOC8R2UsP8_dDYfd5bhv5CwgJFJKaZ_J9howUgUJ7RkA3hNnjsd2o6Cd-KxYtDItO3Iwz-hB6YQDS4qzFWRtFMDRWkCUVo/s1600/Schooling+at+the+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtwlo632ekhStQy-_w-LtKhpidSkj8HGnKe28pyzgazi8IfOC8R2UsP8_dDYfd5bhv5CwgJFJKaZ_J9howUgUJ7RkA3hNnjsd2o6Cd-KxYtDItO3Iwz-hB6YQDS4qzFWRtFMDRWkCUVo/s320/Schooling+at+the+table.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When we started our homeschooling journey a couple
years ago, we pretty much did papers everyday. Not many, because he was in
Kindergarten, but we had some paperwork every day. While working on writing it
was very important to me that he did it daily. Now that we’re past some of that
we’ve revised our schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another reason we block schedule is that my son <i><s>hates </s>…<s>despises</s></i> …er <i>loathes</i> paperwork. I mean with a
passion!! It was fit throwing, meltdown city and drama every. single. day.
Seriously! So, it got me thinking…maybe we should try to do a block schedule of
sorts and see if that helps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, here’s how we structure our Block Schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Monday, Wednesday & Friday</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – Reading. All kinds of reading. That means reading
from our text books (Science, History & Bible), reading on his own,
read-alouds – anything that pertains to reading, we do on these days. This can
take us anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half depending on his
cooperation and what we’re discussing that day. Some days he has a <i>lot</i> to add and talk about and some days
he doesn’t. I usually let him dictate that aspect of his schooling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – Paperwork. This includes Spelling, Handwriting,
Geography and Math. He usually has no more than 6 papers on these days. Then,
we’ll play some fun, educational games to reinforce one of these subjects.
Sometimes we even do flash cards, which he actually likes! So, it’s not all
easy-peasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now, you may be wondering why we do school on
Saturdays. Well, right now we’re playing catch-up on our school days. We
normally take most of December off and then with my Dad’s illness and death it
pretty much shot January and most of February. Under normal circumstances we do
not school on Saturdays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">However…with the crazy work schedule The Hubster has
we might think about keeping it this way. The Hubster gets off work at </span><st1:time hour="7" minute="0"><span style="font-family: Arial;">7am</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Wednesday morning (he works overnights, Fri-Tue) and
doesn’t return to work until Friday night. So, other than his sleep on
Wednesday, we see him most of those two days. We usually take “field trips” on
Thursdays when Daddy is with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m toying with the idea of taking all Thursdays off
next school year (which begins in June) and having those free for Daddy-days,
yard work, field trips, etc. And, if we do that, we’ll probably do some
paperwork on Saturdays. It’s not much work to do and it does help keep him on a
routine, which seems to work well for him and truth be told…me too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Trying to read several pages a day in Science,
History and Bible <i>plus</i> doing all the
paperwork was just overload for him. And honestly, by the time we finished with
all the drama and meltdowns it was a rush to try and finish his work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another reason I like our Block Scheduling is because
it frees up more time for me to devote to the Middles for their school time.
Come back next week to see how I plan to transition from schooling only 1 kiddo
to 3!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What tips do you have for homeschooling a wide range
of ages? Feel free to share your tips in the comments below or leave a link to
your post where you share tips and ideas on homeschooling!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">My new blog site is up
and semi-running, just working out some technicalities. It will officially
become my only site on Sunday, May 6th. So be sure to visit me over there this
week and subscribe via email, "Like" my facebook page and just browse
around. I will double post here and there this week just to give everyone a
chance to transition over! Thanks for your support!!! And let me know what you
think of the new site! See ya over there!!</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.inallyoudo.net/" target="_blank"><i>www.inallyoudo.net</i></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>Blessings,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>Annette</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up to these wonderful parties:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.whatjoyis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">What Joy Is Mine</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://teachingwhatisgood.com/" target="_blank">Teaching What Is Good</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.aboverubies.net/" target="_blank">Far Above Rubies</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://raisinghomemakers.com/" target="_blank">Raising Homemakers</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" target="_blank">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep Roots At Home</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">The Imperfect Housewife</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.raisingmightyarrows.com/" target="_blank">Raising Mighty Arrows</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/big-family-friday-link-up/" target="_blank">Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-4993693200656584632012-04-30T23:37:00.003-05:002012-05-01T03:48:09.689-05:00Maid for Mondays: We’re Finally on the Cloth Diaper Adventure<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://greenbabyguide.com/2010/07/21/drying-your-cloth-diapers/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://greenbabyguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/line-drying-cloth-diapers-removes-stains.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, I guess its never too late to get started,
right?! I really wanted to start with our third child, but it just never
happened. Then, I was determined to start after our fourth child was over the
whole meconium nastiness. But, again…it just never happened. And for several
really good reasons, money being the biggest. And, the increased laundry being
another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, we settled into disposable diapers – again.
Granted there are perks to using disposable diapers: quick change on-the-go, no
wet bag to carry around, the mess folds up inside of itself and throws away, no
extra laundry…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I must say, those perks are what kept me buying
disposable diapers for the past 3 years!! They were quick and easy. I was
honestly scared to death of cloth diapers. As a teenager I babysat for a family
that used cloth diapers. You know the old pre-folds that went into that icky
plastic liner? They were confusing, nasty and I could <i>never</i> see myself using those!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then, I started seeing many of my friends posting
about their cloth diapers on facebook and raving about them. So, I decided I
should check them out. No harm in checking, right? Oh. My. Word. Can I just
tell you how overwhelming it was to see all the options now available? I immediately
closed the browser and walked away. I forgot about them for quite a while
simply because of all the new styles, types, options – it was too much!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Finally, I got up the nerve to try again. This time I
employed The Hubster to help out so it wouldn’t be too overwhelming. He
actually got quite into the research and did a lot of the reading. In fact, he
was the one that found the type of diaper he thought would fit us well. What a
relief!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then came the issue of cost. We would have to save
for months in order to be able to afford anything. We didn’t have the extra
cash lying around to just up and buy a supply of cloth diapers. I mean, we’re
talking close to $200 or more, at least! So, I began looking into the online
resale shops and watching for ones I wanted. But, that was taking a long time
and I was getting impatient. Actually, I thought the longer I waited, the less
likely I would be to actually start using them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvnN2f80YMHMCkP2L2LcE6amY_CLSMnM7g-gqB-O40fR5FmQV5Dfur_7y3Mav_gTMpVMFC6UWYLRKXCpjD8S5YNeYx5lsZmqdZPdth1lxyGQp6Iy6VUQ-DzXparoD4Fx8z0NVVDfrKWA/s1600/Charlie+Banana+diapers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvnN2f80YMHMCkP2L2LcE6amY_CLSMnM7g-gqB-O40fR5FmQV5Dfur_7y3Mav_gTMpVMFC6UWYLRKXCpjD8S5YNeYx5lsZmqdZPdth1lxyGQp6Iy6VUQ-DzXparoD4Fx8z0NVVDfrKWA/s320/Charlie+Banana+diapers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Charlie Banana girl diapers - aren't they so cute?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then, about a month ago I saw a cloth diapering
system at Target and fell in love with them!!! They were very similar to the
style we’d decided on using and they were reasonably priced too!! But, still
the money was not there. I knew going to cloth diapers would save us a </span><i style="font-family: Arial;">ton</i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> of money each month (approx $150).
So, I began to pray and ask God to provide. And, He did!!! (Duh, right?!) We
were blessed with a set of 6 cloth diapers and 12 inserts from Target!!! They
are the </span><a href="https://www.charliebanana.com/Our-Products_c_10.html" style="font-family: Arial;">one-size
Charlie Banana brand</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">, and I love them!! I <i>love</i> how we can adjust the leg size to fit whomever wears them!!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLK1YLvgXu9L9yszObpZ5TGfXkWrcgK914hyphenhyphenJQaEDexYJVsMe6iFXrFILjt2lQLOnUvqaaZp0pGyy8pVs7zlVaP-JZj6WiF2KzN3VYlf9LGCqngW3oJTeksYE-3BLfuBjtf9a01hFaKs/s1600/madi_fuzzibunz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLK1YLvgXu9L9yszObpZ5TGfXkWrcgK914hyphenhyphenJQaEDexYJVsMe6iFXrFILjt2lQLOnUvqaaZp0pGyy8pVs7zlVaP-JZj6WiF2KzN3VYlf9LGCqngW3oJTeksYE-3BLfuBjtf9a01hFaKs/s320/madi_fuzzibunz.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My oldest daughter wearing her Fuzzibunz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Oh wait…it gets even better! I found some Fuzzi-bunz cloth
diapers at a garage sale one weekend and snatched them suckers up in a hurry!
They were $5/set, which included the cover and two inserts!!! I got 6 covers
total and 12 inserts for a whopping $30!!!! WA-</span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">HOO</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">!!!!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I was so excited that I just stared at them for days
– literally! Well, that and I didn’t know how to wash them just yet. So, I
employed The Hubster yet again to do some research for me. I really wanted a
homemade mix that we could do ourselves, rather than spending tons of money on
one that had to be shipped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">After some research and lots of reading, we finally
found one we were comfortable with and pleased with the ratings. And, so it’s
begun…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, here are some things I’ve learned along this crazy
journey. I hope they are helpful to some of you out there too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Do your research! Start early so you don’t get
overwhelmed and read, read, read. Read anything you can about the diapers
you’re interested in; reviews, facebook pages, blogs, whatever you can find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. If you have a friend that uses cloth diapers, I
highly recommend having a Q&A with them! I had a friend bring over some of
the diapers she uses and we talked about why she uses this one at night and why
she likes this one during the winter, etc. Seeing them in person made it less
overwhelming <i>and</i> I was able to see
which type I might like to try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. If your husband is on-board with this adventure,
which I also highly recommend he be 100%, ask his opinion. You want him to feel
just as comfortable changing the diapers as you are!! If they intimidate him,
he might be less likely to help…and we sure don’t want to give them another
excuse to get out of diaper duty! Haha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. If you’re still not completely sure which diapers
to go with, there are quite a few diaper re-sale shops online that you can find
some on the cheap(er) and try them out. Buy a couple of different brands to try
and just do some “testing” on your “subject.” Then, when you find the one you
want you know you’ll love it and won’t feel as apprehensive!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. Don’t forget…just because the diapers come with
inserts doesn’t mean you can’t use pre-folds with them too!!! It’s a GREAT
inexpensive way to add more “diapers” to your stash! Plus, they’re great as a
double-up layer!! Win-Win!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.elisaloves.com/2011/09/homemade-cloth-diaper-laundry-detergent.html">Here</a>
is the detergent recipe we decided to use. After much research, the Hubster
decided that using Baking Soda was much safer than using the Borax. So, that’s
why we chose this one over some of the others. And so far, so good. We mix up a
small batch and put it in an old sour cream container and just use about ½ a
scoop per load. You also want to make sure you follow the instructions for
washing your particular brand of diaper/insert. Some of them vary. We wash our
soiled ones in a cold wash/rinse first with <b>no</b> detergent and then add the others and run a regular hot wash
with the detergent. Our hot wash has a cold rinse, which is what most of them
want. So, if yours doesn’t you’ll need to run it through a cold rinse cycle
again before drying them. And, don’t use a dryer sheet!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, you need to do your own research and decide for
yourself. You may a friend who’s used borax on all her cloth diapers over the
past 5 years and they’re still great. Then, go with it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The point is…don’t get overwhelmed by all the
research out there. Read what you can (want) and then ask questions, that’s
where you’ll really get the answers you want.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, I hope that helps you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My new blog site is up and semi-running. We're still working out all the technicalities. It will officially become my only site on Sunday. So be sure to visit me over there this week and subscribe via email, "Like" my facebook page and just browse around. I will double post here and there this week just to give everyone a chance to transition over! Thanks for your support!!! And let me know what you think of the new site!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.inallyoudo.net/">www.inallyoudo.net</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up here:</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" target="_blank">The Better Mom</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.raisingarrows.net/" target="_blank">Raising Arrows</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/" target="_blank">The Prairie Homestead</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thestraightenedpath.com/" target="_blank">The Straightened Path</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/" target="_blank">Growing Home</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep Roots At Home</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">The Imperfect Housewife</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.raisingmightyarrows.com/" target="_blank">Raising Mighty Arrows</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-24656173246029272392012-04-30T11:00:00.001-05:002012-04-30T11:00:24.353-05:00Monday Meals: Weekly Meal Plan<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Okay, so yesterday (Sunday), we fully
intended to have Bacon-Tuna Casserole (a concoction I put together combining
two recipes). We had it ready to go in the slow cooker and everything! The
Hubster got nervous that the noodles were going to burn (he’d left it on high),
so he came home real quick to check it out. And, it’s a good thing he did! The
noodles weren’t burned…they weren’t even on!! Ahhh…the joys of a busy Sunday
morning! So, he turned it on then and I let it cook into the early afternoon
and put it in the fridge for another day this week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m continuing to make headway on
clearing out our pantry for our transition to Real Food cooking!!! So, here’s
what we’re eating this week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Monday 4/30</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Breakfast: Cold cereal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
Grilled </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial;">Turkey</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial;"> and Cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
Frito Chili Pie or Spaghetti Red (I use the same sauce for both, so they can
choose either chips or noodles!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuesday 5/1</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="spelle">Poptarts</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger-pizza.html" target="_blank">HomemadePizza Pockets</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
Bacon-Tuna Casserole, green beans, homemade bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Wednesday 5/2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Homemade Pancakes, Sausage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Chicken Nuggets</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner: <a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger.html" target="_blank">CheeseburgerMac & Cheese</a> <span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="grame"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Thursday 5/3</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs w/ bacon & cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lunch: Cheese Quesadillas, grilled chicken fajitas<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dinner: Leftovers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Friday 4/27</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Homemade Poptarts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
Leftover Cheeseburger Mac<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Homemade Chicken Nuggets, homemade fries</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Saturday 4/28
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Homemade Donuts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Fishsticks</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-bits-ham-tettrizini.html" target="_blank">HamTettrizini</a>, green beans, garlic bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday 4/29</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/cinnamon-baked-french-toast/" target="_blank">Baked French Toast</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Lunch:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-slow-cooker-stroganoff-with.html" target="_blank">TurkeyStroganoff</a>, green beans, homemade bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dinner: Chicken Nuggets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">NOTE: The lunch menu items usually
pertains to my kiddos. I tend to eat leftovers to help purge and clean out the
fridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Feel free to share your meal ideas here
or link up to your own meal plan post!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2012/04/menu-plan-monday-april-3012.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtTS7E6vSU1MnbzoQaqA2-hskGJDATnaEvTVmZd79QC8KWeCpBuqCh_hyTeuG2Rh_rLGqYyoOq48UoP0AR1NI45w-Ufs81mbG2BaSY-73QZUPTWSHWcIjESwAN1ryynoDSyPDyFPGMNE/s1600/mpm-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-54136014895830899112012-04-28T15:39:00.000-05:002012-04-28T15:55:28.537-05:00Sew Its Saturday: 10 DIY Mother's Day Gifts She's Sure to Love<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Can you believe Mother’s Day is coming up in just 3
short weeks?? I can’t believe it’s almost May, let alone Mother’s Day!! And, if
you’re like me, you have thought of a million and one different gifts to give
your sweet momma. Yet you have nothing to give her!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Yep…I always have <i>great
</i>intentions and lofty goals of these wonderfully elaborate gifts that don’t
ever seem to come to fruition. So, this year I’m starting a little early…okay,
earlier than I usually do anyway!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I am a big believer in homemade gifts for those we
love; especially parents and grandparents. If you’re like me, you have enough
knick-knacks around and you don’t want anything else to dust! And the time and care that goes into those homemade gifts is just priceless!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mom’s love their “job” but at the end of the day,
let’s face it…it’s nice to be pampered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, here are 10 DIY Mother’s Day gifts that do just
that – show <i>her</i> how much you love and
appreciate her!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. <b>Mini
Scrapbook Album</b> – I made these a few years back for the grandma’s and
great-grandma’s in our family. They were a huge hit! Some of them even carried
them around for months to show off their precious heirlooms!! Mine were paper
album kits from Creative Memories, much like this one for <a href="http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/abreedlove/Content/Shop/Product.aspx?pr=InspectOffering&s=650103&dpr=BrowseCategory&ds=/Hierarchy/Gift%20Ideas/Simply%20Said%20Books">Mom</a>
or this one for <a href="http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/abreedlove/Content/Shop/Product.aspx?pr=InspectOffering&s=650102&dpr=BrowseCategory&ds=/Hierarchy/Gift%20Ideas/Simply%20Said%20Books">Grandma</a>.
Add a few fun photos of your sweet kiddos, some sentimental words (or funny
ones if you like) and presto…you’re done!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. <b>Handprint/Footprint canvas</b> – I actually
made <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/57632070201012124/">these</a> for
Christmas for all the grandparents and greats. But, you could change it up a
bit and do handprints as flowers for a bouquet for Mom or footprints as <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/57632070201740135/">butterflies</a>. Or come up
with a design all your own! Let the kids help and who knows what you’ll come up
with! Be creative and mom’s sure to love it!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll45/huntleygang/bathsalts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll45/huntleygang/bathsalts.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Homemade Sugar Scrubs and Bath Salts </b><span style="font-family: Arial;">– Purchase
</span><a href="http://inbetweenlaundry.blogspot.com/p/year-of-sugar-scrubs.html" style="font-family: Arial;">this</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
ebook and make Mom some homemade sugar scrubs!! Purchase an extra copy and give
the recipes to her so she can make her own! Or use </span><a href="http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/05/bath-salts.html" style="font-family: Arial;">this</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> simple and
quick recipe to make Mom some scented bath salts.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mountainroseblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/lipbalm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://mountainroseblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/lipbalm1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Homemade
Lip Balm</b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – Now, I’m not one to wear lipstick, but I </span><i style="font-family: Arial;">love</i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> my chapstick. But, I would love to have some homemade lip
balm!! This blog gives 3 recipes (Mandarin Nutmeg, Peppermint Cocoa & Lime
Coconut) but at the end it gives some tips on creating your own recipes!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5087/5258390432_480d8a5579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5087/5258390432_480d8a5579.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Photo Cubes</b><span style="font-family: Arial;">
– Another quick and easy gift for Mom or Grandma. </span><a href="http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/12/14/homemade-gift-series-extra-edition-photo-cubes/" style="font-family: Arial;">This</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
blog post gives great instructions on how to create your own Photo Cubes. Use
scrapbook paper to back smaller photographs or just to dress it up a bit! Get
creative and just go for it!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media-cache3.pinterest.com/upload/57632070201136515_h5wGfCQR_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache3.pinterest.com/upload/57632070201136515_h5wGfCQR_f.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">6. </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Photo Tile</b><span style="font-family: Arial;">
– I saw </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/57632070201136515/" style="font-family: Arial;">this</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> tile
sometime last year and knew I could make those for the grandparents and greats
for </span><a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/diy-photo-coasters.html" style="font-family: Arial;">Christmas</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.
But, it would also work for Mother’s Day!! Take the kids out for a fun
afternoon (or morning, when its cooler) of candid picture taking and make some
tiles for Mother’s Day! Dress it up with some scrapbook paper and a few 3D
embellishments and you’ll be set!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstrxpmDhYmneShSAEfixb7HcGIHkaJZa1Ppry9MzqlumFvKW4mMi4BvUcEAfIHMUnjBCHkeGfVGjz4M1uayuVtfIM18aTuirwKRJHV-Jngwl39SaQZ3aWA1Th-HAwk4hsl_4LuMXrl7w0/s320/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstrxpmDhYmneShSAEfixb7HcGIHkaJZa1Ppry9MzqlumFvKW4mMi4BvUcEAfIHMUnjBCHkeGfVGjz4M1uayuVtfIM18aTuirwKRJHV-Jngwl39SaQZ3aWA1Th-HAwk4hsl_4LuMXrl7w0/s320/016.JPG" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">7. </span><b style="font-family: Arial;"> Homemade Glass Pendants </b><span style="font-family: Arial;">– I made some of
these for the girls in my family this past Christmas. These two blogs (</span><a href="http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/2010/04/glass-tile-pendant-design-ideas.html" style="font-family: Arial;">here</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
and </span><a href="http://sabbyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/01/homemade-christmas-pendant-necklaces.html" style="font-family: Arial;">here</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">)
have some great ideas on different pendant ideas. They are super easy to make
and most craft stores will have what you need!! Again, take the kids out for
some candid pictures, pick our your favorite and you’re ready!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sew4home.com/images/articles/0836-Mom_Day_Sachet-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://sew4home.com/images/articles/0836-Mom_Day_Sachet-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">8. </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Sweet
Hanging Sachets</b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – </span><a href="http://sew4home.com/projects/fabric-art-a-accents/862-happy-mothers-day-sweet-hanging-sachets" style="font-family: Arial;">Sew
4 Home</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> has a great tutorial on how to make these uber cute hanging
sachets!! Hang it on a decorative hanger and you’re good to go!!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">9. <b>DIY Painted
Canvas Tote</b> – Ashley is so talented and she’s done it again! She has a
super easy to follow tutorial on how she created <a href="http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2009/11/21/diy-doily-canvas-bag/">this</a>
divine tote. You could paint her favorite flowers in her favorite color or…put
the kids’ handprints on it for a more personal touch that she’s sure to love! Slip
in a couple books she likes or a “chick-flick” she’s had her eye on. Or better
yet…get her a gift certificate for a pedicure, massage or another special
“treat”!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.whateverdeedeewants.com/2011/07/terrific-tuesdays-chore-jar.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RZaM3HJCUcdK9DBPMakHeS-E_yngtqWKvw7Fbgf4got8xloU8FJwQ5aVFdknQCvFWolXF96tnHLWZQkKljgFAbZE5GAllmBz0bmbZrzctDJpxMgDNOw77i9917YVOWVZjfZ-5ZyTcdfI/s320/IMG_8685.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">My inspiration for the Mom’s Day OFF Jar</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">10. <b>Mom’s Day
OFF Jar</b> –Give Mom a “day off” by pulling out a slip of paper and doing what
it says. Have the kids help decorate the jar on the outside and then put paper
flowers, colored by the kids, attach them to pipe cleaners and you’ve got a
homemade kid-bouquet! You’ll have to forgive me for not having one of these to
show you. (I’m secretly hoping the Hubster will give me one of these this
year!) Feel free to download, print and use my <a href="http://www.4shared.com/office/RXWMD-5s/Moms_Day_Off_Jar_printable.html">Free
Printable here</a>. To use my printable, cut the Mom’s Day OFF button out and
adhere to a jar/can with Mod Podge. Then, cut apart the strips of chores and
fold them in half and stick them in the jar/can. I also left some blank strips
so you can fill in your own ideas. Add your own homemade flowers and voila…Mom
gets a “Day OFF” <i>and </i>a bouquet from
her favorite little people!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Hope that gives you some quick and easy ideas for
Mother’s Day. There are certainly many more ideas out there these were just
some of my favorites!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What’s your favorite Mother’s Day gift?? How do you
celebrate Mother’s Day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments
or leave a link to your own post! I love reading them and its keeps my creative
juices flowing!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up here today:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2012/04/25/hookin-up-with-hoh-97/#more-11290" target="_blank">The House of Hepworths</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://comfyinthekitchen.com/" target="_blank">Comfy in the Kitchen</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2012/04/show-and-tell-saturday-042812.html" target="_blank">Be Different Act Normal</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" target="_blank">The Better Mom</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.raisingarrows.net/" target="_blank">Raising Arrows</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thestraightenedpath.com/" target="_blank">The Straightened Path</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" target="_blank">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">The Imperfect Housewife</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep Roots At Home</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/" target="_blank">Growing Home Blog</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/" target="_blank">Women Living Well</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.oursimplecountrylife.com/" target="_blank">Our Simple Country Life</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-69068365667326664592012-04-24T08:00:00.000-05:002012-04-24T08:00:09.322-05:00Teachable Tuesdays: Homeschool Curriculum Choices - Part 2: Preschool<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglq2M29FMO9II2rsuJY7_FGZ_AyyAn8Ta0Dc_fihzWRsProG3jfS3ORp63vsYjWWcoSJa8kGDWDlVUdoSxWiHGVZlsLf_iXrO3v5c6UjDJkuqbX6iYU3uScWVgbghK6-AogFfrtxOE8Iw/s1600/Schooling+at+the+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglq2M29FMO9II2rsuJY7_FGZ_AyyAn8Ta0Dc_fihzWRsProG3jfS3ORp63vsYjWWcoSJa8kGDWDlVUdoSxWiHGVZlsLf_iXrO3v5c6UjDJkuqbX6iYU3uScWVgbghK6-AogFfrtxOE8Iw/s320/Schooling+at+the+table.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please ignore the mess in the background. <br />Here is a rare picture of all 3 kids at the table for school-time!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Our third official year of homeschooling begins June
4</span><sup style="font-family: Arial;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">. But, this year will be </span><i style="font-family: Arial;">much</i><span style="font-family: Arial;">
different than the previous two years. This year I will not only school our
oldest (2</span><sup style="font-family: Arial;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> grade), but also our two Middles (ages 3 & 2).
WOW!!! Can I tell you how nervous I am? Yet I’m also so excited to see them
learn and grow!! I didn’t get to school our oldest at this young age, so I’m
bursting with excitement, joy, and overwhelming anxiety all at the same time!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Anxiety you ask? Yep! I have it all planned out on
paper and even a rough schedule outlined so we can mostly stay on task. This
year will really stretch me, because I am an on-time, task oriented, Type A
personality and well…that doesn’t compute with my Middles. So, it should be
interesting, fun and a wonderful year of learning for everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I wanted to share with you our preschool curriculum
choices for our upcoming school year. The links I am providing in no way give
me commission or any compensation. It’s merely to give you a reference. I did
not necessarily purchase my products from the site I link to. I researched and
found the least expensive option and ordered/bought from there. I’ll share more
about that at the end of this post, so stay tuned!!! Next week I’ll share how
we structure our school days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Okay, so our choices for Preschool are obviously less
than those for our 2<sup>nd</sup> grader. But, somehow that makes this task
much more daunting! Nevertheless, I have finally decided on the following
choices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thebrainystore.com/" target="_blank">BrainyBaby Series</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: Last year my
grandmother bought the entire Brainy Baby system for about a quarter of the
original price!! And I plan to use every last bit of it with my Middles! We
will use it to introduce our shapes, colors, numbers, letters and music this
year. I also have Spanish, Sign Language and Art, but that will have to wait
another year or so. I’m not <i>that</i>
ambitious!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ProductSearch.aspx?grade=NN&subject=&title=&sbn=" target="_blank">ABeka</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: I will use this
curriculum for our Numbers and Letters. We will do one Number per month and one
Letter per week for Mister Mouse. Miss Priss will probably just color along and
get some of it, but I don’t expect her to get it all. She just turned two, so
it could get interesting! But, I do want her to know her numbers for sure, so
that’s what we’ll mainly focus on this year with her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I will also use the <i>A Beka</i> curriculum for most of our Arts and Crafts projects. They
have some fun, creative and easy ideas that I’d like to take advantage of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bible</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: I don’t have a particular curriculum to use in this area. I like to
read the Bible stories to them and find pictures they can color or activities
we can do to reinforce what God’s word says. We will do this Bible reading time
with Mister Bull as part of our Family Bible time during our school day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As most Homeschooling Mom’s will tell you, it is so
wonderful to be able to find and print so many </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">FREE</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;"> and wonderful papers online now!! I use these papers as fillers and
supplementals to our other curriculum. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here are a few of my favorite spots to find them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.schoolexpress.com/fwsindex.php" target="_blank">SchoolExpress</a> (over 17,000 </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">FREE</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;"> printables in a variety of subjects)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.kidzone.ws/" target="_blank">Kidszone</a> (easy
to find, sorted by grade or topic)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.bible-printables.com/" target="_blank">BiblePrintables</a> (some great printables on this site. Easy to find too!)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://allkidsnetwork.com/" target="_blank">All Kids Network</a> (a fabulous resource for crafts, worksheets & activities!)</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Some blogs I subscribe to also have stores where they
offer their own curriculum. I’ve been very pleased with the ones I’ve
purchased from:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/heavenly-homemakers-shop" target="_blank">HeavenlyHomemakers</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/mommy-school" target="_blank">MommySchool @ Oopsey Daisy</a> </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(be sure and check out her Freebies tab too!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, that’s our curriculum for Preschool! What’s your
favorite Preschool curriculum? I would love to hear what you are using or have
used in the past. Or do you just do your own thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now, I promised you I would fill you in on all my
curriculum deals. Honestly, it takes quite a bit of effort to find the best
deals, but believe me…it pays off!!! Here’s where I search for my deals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.half.ebay.com/" target="_blank">Half.com</a> </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(a
subsidiary of Ebay)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/" target="_blank">Christianbook.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.timberdoodle.com/Default.asp" target="_blank">Timberdoodle</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Individual Manufacturers</b> (<i>A Beka, </i>RightStart)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Mardel</b> - Yes, the Christian book store!! They have 2
semi-annual Homeschool/Education Sales and I watch for others throughout the
year! In fact, I got our Apologia curriculum 30% off this year!!! YAY!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Bibliomania</b> (a local Homeschool re-sale/consignment
shop. I don’t find too much here for what I need, but sometimes my teacher’s
manuals and our <i>A Beka</i> readers for
cheap!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, there ya have it!! I take several weeks usually
to search out the above websites and stores and factor in upcoming sales,
coupons, discounts, shipping, etc. before making my final orders. Like I said,
it can be a lengthy process, but it’s well worth it for the money I save!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Feel free to share in the comments or leave a link
back to your own post!! I <i>love </i>reading
all your tips and ideas! I am always open to researching for new curriculum to
see if it would work for us! We learn by sharing!! Thanks for stopping by!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up here:</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.whatjoyis.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">What Joy Is Mine</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.aboverubies.net/" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Far Above Rubies</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://teachingwhatisgood.com/" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Teaching What is Good</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.raisingmightyarrows.com/" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Raising Mighty Arrows</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/big-family-friday-link-up/" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling</a></span>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-37036688514114635492012-04-23T14:33:00.000-05:002012-04-23T23:33:04.480-05:00Maid for Mondays: Little House on the Prairie Syndrome<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lhotp_2692.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">One of my favorite shows growing up was <i>Little House on the Prairie</i>. I
absolutely loved watching it. In fact, I still love watching it! A friend of
mine gave me season 1 on </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">DVD</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;"> a few years back, because I love it so much!! I’m
not sure if it’s the simplicity of it all or the fact that everything seemed to
workout in the end, but I always looked forward to watching it.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As a young girl, I often dreamed of being Laura
Ingalls and having that beautiful brown hair with the cute braided pigtails. As
I got older (and still watched the show), I envisioned my life as a wife and
mother, just like Caroline Ingalls. Wasn’t she just perfect?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What I remember most about the show is how Charles
and Caroline never really raised their voices at the kids. Sure they got
frustrated, but they never yelled at them. That’s the life I envisioned; great
kids, helpful kids, obedient kids and a loving, caring, hard-working husband.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Don’t get me wrong, I have great kids and sometimes
they’re obedient and helpful and The Hubster is definitely loving, caring and a
very hard-worker. I wouldn’t trade any part of my life for anything. Even with
the heartache and trials we’re facing right now. I wouldn’t trade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, sometimes I find myself wishing I could live
that more simple life. When times were slower and life seemed to almost stand
still. Or at least it did on the show, right?! I often imagine how much time
they had with each other, working the farm, cooking, cleaning and just spending
time together as a family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then, I realize…their washing machine was their own
hands, their transportation had to be fed daily and hooked up before leaving,
their dishes washed and dried by hand and their homes took years to build.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">And then I’m so thankful for how far we’ve come with
our modern conveniences. I can wash clothes, run the dishwasher and take a
shower all at the same time! Even though their life seemed much simpler, I’m
sure they thought the same about the “olden” days too. Each generation has its
own struggles, but they also have their own positives too. I’ll think I’ll
stick with 2012 and all it has to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Although…it might be nice to visit the simple life
once in a while!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" target="_blank">The Better Mom</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/" target="_blank">The Prairie Homestead</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.raisingarrows.net/" target="_blank">Raising Arrows</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thestraightenedpath.com/" target="_blank">The Straightened Path</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/" target="_blank">Growing Home</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.aboverubies.net/" target="_blank">Far Above Rubies</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://raisinghomemakers.com/" target="_blank">Raising Homemakers</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" target="_blank">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep Roots At Home</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">The Imperfect Housewife</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-50725073965124365252012-04-23T10:33:00.000-05:002012-04-23T10:33:45.400-05:00Monday Meals: Weekly Meal Plan<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You ever have one of those weeks where
nothing goes as planned? Yep, that was last week for us! We were stuck
in the house until Wednesday afternoon since the transmission went out on our
van…again! Thankfully, this time it was under warranty. But, that put a bit of
a strain on our eating plan, because I didn’t have a vehicle to get to and from
the store as needed. So, this week you’ll see a few repeats that aren’t really
repeats. And, we’ll finally get to take Miss Priss out for her birthday lunch this
week, which was put on hold with the van fiasco as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m continuing to make headway on
clearing out our pantry for our transition to Real Food cooking!!! So, here’s
what we’re eating this week! One week closer to Healthy Eating!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Monday 4/23</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Breakfast: Cold cereal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_588575145"></span>Homemade Mac & Cheese<span id="goog_588575146"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
Leftovers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuesday 4/24</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="spelle">Cereal</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger-pizza.html" target="_blank">Homemade Pizza Pockets</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-bits-ham-tettrizini.html" target="_blank">Ham Tettrizini</a>, homemade bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Wednesday 4/25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Cereal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Cheese Quesadillas</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
</span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1217112564">Turkey</a></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-slow-cooker-stroganoff-with.html" target="_blank"> Stroganoff</a>, green beans, bread<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="grame"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Thursday 4/26</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Pancakes & Bacon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lunch: Birthday Lunch with Miss Priss!!!<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dinner: Corn Dogs (kids); <a href="http://let-them-eat-cake-and-icecream.blogspot.com/2012/01/pink-lemonade-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">Pink Lemonade Cupcakes</a> (Small group)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Friday 4/27</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Poptarts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
Hot Dogs or Grilled Ham/Cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:<span class="apple-converted-space"> <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/57632070201060085/" target="_blank">Sweet Chicky Nuggets</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Saturday 4/28
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Donuts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Fishsticks</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
<span class="apple-converted-space"><a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger.html" target="_blank">Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday 4/29</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Eggs w/ bacon & cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Lunch:
Bacon-Tuna Casserole, green beans, homemade bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dinner: Chicken Nuggets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">NOTE: The lunch menu items usually
pertains to my kiddos. I tend to eat leftovers to help purge and clean out the
fridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Feel free to share your meal ideas here
or link up to your own meal plan post!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up here where you can check out some other GREAT meal plans:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2012/04/menu-plan-monday-april-2312.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch4rUFd2MHshKnDToJYGhW_b21Wo5UbNovMdcQpHIRBea18yG3qzJFQ7DV6eI4zACwePWaP3PLxvz_Yp7qNydvo6k20klFervBx2Lt1bsofVnqj4LSd0ibPpIW40K4jpvcXkU5Ab8PbQ/s1600/orgjunkie_banner.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-2506429140347840472012-04-23T09:53:00.000-05:002012-04-24T15:51:22.022-05:00Scriptural Sundays: The Love of God<br />
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvQudIWrKL3tJ0_U-63R7AkwAa3JqYiCmTXJLPNzh2i1C989JDz7AQxsy2wExAo_H6ATZT9_CLddieifjvPvWRTRD7RVSpHM-sbp1xeNR5GSpj1lN0Q-vaCfvFGUymwwgS6kMcyy5pNc/s1600/Romans+8_39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvQudIWrKL3tJ0_U-63R7AkwAa3JqYiCmTXJLPNzh2i1C989JDz7AQxsy2wExAo_H6ATZT9_CLddieifjvPvWRTRD7RVSpHM-sbp1xeNR5GSpj1lN0Q-vaCfvFGUymwwgS6kMcyy5pNc/s320/Romans+8_39.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">“<span class="textrom-8-35">Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger,
or sword?</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="textrom-8-36">As it is written,</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="line" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="textrom-8-36"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">“For your sake</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></span><span class="textrom-8-36"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">we are being killed all the day long;</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></i><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="textrom-8-36"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="first-line-nonetop-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="textrom-8-37"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">No, in all these things we
are more than</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></span><span class="textrom-8-37"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">conquerors through</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></span><span class="textrom-8-37"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">him who loved us.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></span><span class="textrom-8-38"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">For I am sure that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></span><span class="textrom-8-39"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">nor height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” - </span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Romans 8:35-39 (</span></i><st1:stockticker><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">ESV</span></i></st1:stockticker><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">)<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sorry this post is going up so late. But, I needed to
make sure this was right, so it took some extra prayer and editing. Thanks for
being patient and I hope it blesses you and gives you hope as it did me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This morning The Hubster sang, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I9CoAAaUoI">“Love of God”</a> by Mercy Me
at church. First, what an amazing song!! The words are so powerful and oh so
true!! If you haven’t heard it, just click on the link above to listen to it on
YouTube.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As I listened to him practice this week, I knew I
wanted to share the song with you all this week. But, this morning after he
sang, we started talking and I knew it needed to be more than just a link to
the song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As we talked, I asked him what Scripture comes to
mind with this song. Almost immediately he responded with Romans 8:35-39. This
verse is exactly what he taught on at small group Thursday. So, I thought I
would share it with you all today. Again, sorry it’s going up so late!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">First of all, we need to understand the theme of
Chapter 8 prior to verse 35. The theme of Chapter 8 is being and doing good,
which is accomplished by conforming to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. In
verse 8, Paul tells us that we cannot please God if we are not His child. It
can’t happen! But, for those of us <i>in</i>
Christ Jesus, those living in the Spirit not the flesh will live in
righteousness because of the Spirit that dwells inside us. (vs 9-10)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Second, in order to understand the glory that awaits
us, we must endure trials and tribulations. But, take comfort in that “the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to
be revealed to us.” (Rom </span><st1:time hour="8" minute="18"><span style="font-family: Arial;">8:18</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Arial;">,
</span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">ESV</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">) When going through the trials and tribulations of
this world, you must understand the <i>Love
of God</i>, which is in Christ Jesus. If you don’t understand this, none of the
rest of it matters!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now, how do we understand the <i>love of God</i>? First we must understand that everything Paul lists in
verse 35b and 38-39 cannot and <i>WILL NOT</i>
stop the love of God, which is at work in us to do good. (vs 28)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">God’s love is so much more powerful than any “tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword” (v
35b) that we might endure here on this earth. He has already overcome all of it
with the living sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, just because the love of God is more powerful
than all those things (and so much more), doesn’t mean our lives are going to
be easy. We will endure trials and if we are truly <i>in</i> Christ Jesus, persecution on some level. As we go through those
seemingly relentless trials, we must also understand that God gives us what we <b><i>need</i>
</b>not what we want. Why? Because it’s all for His Glory!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">James says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast
under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life,
which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12, </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">ESV</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s all because of Him and <i>for</i> Him. And that’s <i>great</i>
news!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings friends,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thesefiveofmineplustwo.net/" target="_blank">These Five of Mine Plus Two</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-81466024052768337942012-04-20T11:15:00.001-05:002012-04-20T13:56:56.396-05:00Homeschool Happenings: Week 3<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5SaRPwohy0x7kdBsXUzMGfaHQPrNHBTgh8fryyBBtec8DYA-MPf-XTQUKks5yNmsFHlST0WCvp3WEnGXAgn8U4CC2CnKEt8zCwnGH-MTA87s2ExVaL4qbadz-bXhp8k6ZNufwethcQI/s1600/Tyler+outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5SaRPwohy0x7kdBsXUzMGfaHQPrNHBTgh8fryyBBtec8DYA-MPf-XTQUKks5yNmsFHlST0WCvp3WEnGXAgn8U4CC2CnKEt8zCwnGH-MTA87s2ExVaL4qbadz-bXhp8k6ZNufwethcQI/s320/Tyler+outside.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This picture is a couple years old. But, it shows his imagination at work.<br />He's hiding in his "cave" awaiting the "bad" guys. Notice all his weaponry?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This week has pretty much been “all business.” You’ll
have to forgive me this week because my camera is acting up and it won’t take
pictures. I’m so bummed!! We’re going to have to send it in for a repair (at
least I hope its just a repair!!).</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last week we had a lot of rain and just plain yucky
days, so this week my son wanted to play outside every chance he got. So, he
has finished his schoolwork earlier in the day than usual to go outside.
Believe me, I am not complaining about this at all!! I’m thrilled that we
haven’t had the arguing or fussing about it. It’s been rather nice and a breath
of fresh air around here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, this week has been rather relaxed around here.
We’ve done our reading and papers as scheduled. Now that we’re a little more
organized again, I’m starting to really crack down on his writing. He’s not a
“bad” writer, especially for a boy in first grade, but he just gets in a hurry
and therefore…sloppy. Ya know? This week he learned that it takes longer to do
sloppy work that has to be re-done and fixed than it does to just take your
time and do it right the first time! Huh…imagine that?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We’re reading about Pluto this week. It’s so
different than what I was taught, now that most scientists don’t classify it as
a planet. I find it all very interesting and fascinating now that I’m older. I
can appreciate the complexity and marvel at God’s workmanship so much more. I
just hope I’m passing that along to my son as we’re reading and studying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">There’s really not much else to report this week.
Like I said, our camera is on the fritz, so I didn’t get any pictures. That
makes me so sad. I’m borrowing my mom’s camera though until ours is fixed, so
there should be some pictures up again next week. Maybe we’ll have some more
fun to share too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What did you do this week in your homeschooling
journey? Feel free to share you favorite experiment, tip, idea or just a word
of encouragement for others!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m linking up to these other GREAT Homeschool Weekly
Reviews!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click on the links to check them out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/big-family-friday-link-up/" target="_blank">HolySpirit Led Homeschooling</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/" target="_blank">Weird UnsocializedHomeschoolers</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.homegrownlearners.com/" target="_blank">HomeGrown Learners</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="http://gratefulforgrace.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grateful for Grace</span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-84716796192225493052012-04-20T10:49:00.000-05:002012-04-20T10:49:14.566-05:0052 Fridays: Weekly Update #16<br />
<center><a href="http://www.createdforhome.net/"><img border="0" src="http://www.createdforhome.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/52-Fridays.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here goes this week’s report. You can read more about
my journey beginning with </span><a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/52-fridays-week-1.html" style="font-family: Arial;">Week 1</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.
Feel free to join me and </span><a href="http://www.createdforhome.net/" style="font-family: Arial;">Crystal</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
in this journey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">DAILY quiet time: I have done better this week.
Even if I haven’t gotten up early, I’ve still read my emails each day.
Oh…maybe I missed a day. Nevertheless I am determined to make this a
priority for me! I get my emails through <a href="http://biblegateway.com/">biblegateway.com</a>
and a women’s devotional through <a href="http://devotions.proverbs31.org/">Proverbs
31 devotions</a>. Such great tools – be sure to check them out!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Weekly weight loss: I’m feeling a little
discouraged in this area. But, from what I read and hear from people
who’ve been down this road…this is par for the course. So I will persevere
and push forward.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.vintageremedies.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266&Itemid=332)website">Vintage
Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods</a>: I finished the food pantry sheet this
week!!! YAY!!!! Man oh man do I have a </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial;">LOT</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial;"> of food in there!! Working on meals over the next few weeks that
will clear it out. And, when something is gone, we’re replacing it with a
healthier option! YAY!!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Homeschool Fun: This week has been more about
getting it done for my son. He’s been feeling that Spring bug and wants to
be outside most of the time. So, we’ve been doing our best to get school
done early so he can have time outside.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/organized-home.html">Organization</a>:
Not much to report here. I’ve got great ideas, but lack either the funds
or the time! Working on new, inexpensive options!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Staying caught up: Did really well this week!
Laundry is almost done for the day/week and my dishes are caught up!! I’ve
done really well at keeping up. Now let’s see if we can make it 2 weeks in
a row!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Blog changes: Look for the changes coming May
2012!!!! The design is being re-vamped and I’ve got such cute blog buttons
to share…I can’t wait!!!! More work to do on it this weekend!!! It’s
getting there!</span></li>
</ol>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
What are your tips for keeping your busy home running smooth throughout the
week? Feel free to share your tips and
ideas in a comment or link back to a post!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thank you so much for stopping by today! Have a
blessed weekend!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-74440816388504714082012-04-19T15:43:00.000-05:002012-04-20T08:45:47.904-05:00Thursday Thoughts: April 19, 1995 - Where were you?<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.oklahomacitybombing.com/oklahoma-city-bombing-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://www.oklahomacitybombing.com/oklahoma-city-bombing-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 19, 1995 will forever be ingrained in my memory. I'm sure many of you remember this day as well. But here in Oklahoma, our safe, protective and simple lives changed forever. I remember this day like it was yesterday.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was a Senior in High School on my way to One Act Competition in a neighboring Oklahoma City town. A guy on the bus was listening to his Walkman <i>(hey! They were so cool back then!) </i>and I remember a group around him talking and then gasps! Then, the talking got louder and louder and spread throughout the bus.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not yet to the City we were very unsure and nervous about what chaos we'd encounter. Since we were headed to a nearby town, we went around the City rather than through it. I don't remember seeing much because we were all still in shock. I think we could see some smoke rising in the air, but I'm not certain.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's funny how your memory works. Some things are so crystal clear and others...not.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember walking into the school our competition was at and at first, not many of the other students knew about it. They had been focused on the competition. You have to remember too, that this was loooooong before iPhones, iPads, laptops, and the plethera of cell phones we have now. The lack of such devices then was normal. If this happened in 2012 it would be on Twitter in a matter of seconds! But, this was life - our life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rest of the day, besides the competition, was pretty much a complete blur. The ride home that afternoon/evening was pretty quiet. Not a lot of conversation going on as we'd heard bits and pieces of what had happened and the utter devastation it caused. We were in disbelief.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, this day I remember my beloved state. I remember watching those directly affected by this senseless tragedy. I remember how this act forever changed my innocence.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today...we remember.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 19, 1995</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annette</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-4882005114867019372012-04-19T08:36:00.000-05:002012-04-19T08:36:41.821-05:00Baking Bits: What?! You Cook?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the Hubster and I got married almost 9 years ago, I did not cook. At least not much!! In fact, here are the 5 things I could make:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Chicken & Rice (all from cans & boxes)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Mexican Casserole (all from cans)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Ramen Noodle soup (anyone who went to college knows this recipe!)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Scrambled Eggs (sometimes I didn't even burn them!)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Hamburger Helpers (yep, you guessed it...another box)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there ya have it! Proof that the Hubster did not marry me for my cooking skills! HA! In fact, early on in our marriage, he was most often the cook. I hardly boiled water!! TRUTH!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It wasn't so much that I couldn't cook, but that I was scared to death - literally - about cooking. Now, I could follow a recipe quite easily and more often than not it turned out edible. However, when it came to tossing spices and things in to punch up the recipe - I was done! I couldn't do it!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe you're the same way. Maybe you just think you don't have the time. Or maybe you've just never tried. I'd like to give you some tips on How You Too Can Cook! Because, seriously...if <i>I</i> can do it, you can too! Trust me!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True Story: I called my best friend 2 years ago (around the time I actually started to cook at home) and was talking to her after I had put dinner in the oven. I mentioned something about making dinner and she kinda' giggled. NO really...she did! I said, "What?! I can cook!" She said something like, I'm sure you can I've just never seen you do it! Oh...s</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he knows me so well. Then, she asked what we were having. I told her BBQ Chicken, mashed potatoes from scratch and green beans. I seriously thought the phone went DEAD!! "Did you touch the chicken?" Oh man does she know me or what?! "YES!!!! Can you believe it?" I can <i>NOT</i> stand the texture of raw meat. It literally makes me cringe. Thus the reason my bestie was in shock!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, I still don't like to touch raw meat - ICK! - but now I just use gloves. Sereiously, I do! I've tried and tried to get over it, but I just can't. So for now the gloves help. LOL</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, here ya go...my own tips on what help me learn to cook.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>How You Too Can Cook...From Scratch!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. First, do a LOT of reading! I've done so much reading on cooking and cooking substitutions, etc. it would probably drive a person insane! Don't be afraid to use the internet!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Start by stocking up on kitchen essentials. You can't cook from scratch if you don't have common ingredients on hand. Flour, sugar, baking goods and a variety of spices are a great place to start.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Gather your recipes. You can family, friends, search the internet, Pinterest (love getting recipes on there), online groups and so much more!!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Make your first recipe as directed. Don't change a thing. Sometimes the recipes I found were great the way they were. They had already been tweaked. Don't get ahead of yourself.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Once you've tried the original recipe, then you can begin to play around with the spices, ratios, etc. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first recipe I <i>really </i>made my own was this Homemade Pizza Sauce. The first few times I made it I followed the recipe exactly. Then, I realized that I could add a little more basil & oregano or some Italian Seasonings and even some parsley to punch it up just a bit. The Hubster was impressed. So much so that now he won't make the sauce if I'm home!! Yes, he helps out on Homemade Pizza night - aren't I lucky?! Seriously, I am!! The Hubster is willing to step in and help in the kitchen when needed!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right now I'm going through this process again as we're transitioning to Whole Foods eating and going off Soy and gluten (mostly). I have various reasons for doing this, which I'll discuss in a series coming in May!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope that helps some of you or gives you the confidence to get started!! <i>Trust me</i>...if this no touchy raw meat, egg burning, Ramen noodle soup makin' girl can do it - SO CAN YOU!!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annette</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's coming: Next week I'll be sharing our favorite Homemade Bread recipe. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In May I'll be doing a series on Wednesdays about going to Whole Food & Paleo eating!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope you'll join me!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-6555060270773538762012-04-17T15:17:00.003-05:002012-04-23T14:58:10.832-05:00Teachable Tuesdays: Homeschool Curriculum Choices – Part 1<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawD9M-7m1aoele70E_nBkaNcUhK7dfHGvhWp5iXGF2mrIpoBuLeizwVSK_xTYCNaC_WTGuOQe2IaZ_2ab7-0arxFAaw048MD3UY3-O_Qg_fbvFKFHb4vvbvuI5fGgDNupfYwCdDOKSrM/s1600/Mister+Bull+schooling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawD9M-7m1aoele70E_nBkaNcUhK7dfHGvhWp5iXGF2mrIpoBuLeizwVSK_xTYCNaC_WTGuOQe2IaZ_2ab7-0arxFAaw048MD3UY3-O_Qg_fbvFKFHb4vvbvuI5fGgDNupfYwCdDOKSrM/s320/Mister+Bull+schooling.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mister Bull schooling! Don't let this smile fool you...he's really just trying to appease his Momma! Inside he's saying, "Oh please hurry this up! UGH!!!" LOL</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Our third official year of homeschooling will begin
June 4<sup>th</sup>. Our oldest will officially enter the 2<sup>nd</sup> grade
and we are so excited!!! Actually…I keep telling myself that and avoiding the
fact that he’s growing up so fast right before my eyes! It’s just seems crazy
that I have an almost 2<sup>nd</sup> grader!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We have had our ups and downs with school. This year
we’ve had the most trouble with papers, specifically Math. Nevertheless, we’re
sticking with the same curriculum as last year, just adding some supplementals.
I did a LOT of research to find a new math curriculum, one that would offer
both what he needs and what I believed necessary. But, there isn’t one out
there. So…we’re pairing our curricula with manipulatives, games and more
hands-on activities to give him what he needs. More on that in a minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I am going to give you a break-down of our curriculum
choices for our upcoming school year. The links I am providing in no way give
me commission or any compensation. It’s merely to give you a reference. I did
not necessarily purchase my products from the site I link to. I researched and
found the least expensive option and ordered/bought from there. I will explain
more about that next week, in part 2 of this series as well as Preschool Curriculum choices for the Middles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But back to 2<sup>nd</sup> grade…here we gooooo!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">HISTORY</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: <a href="http://www.themysteryofhistory.info/" target="_blank">Mystery of History</a> – we started
this in First Grade and are half-way through the first book. We will continue to
work through the next 18 weeks of lessons, taking 2 weeks per lesson. There is
a <i>lot</i> of information in each lesson
and some great activities at the end of each week that we never seem to get to.
So we’re going to structure a little differently this year and <i>really</i> take our time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">BIBLE</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">:
Apologia’s <a href="https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=42_56" target="_blank">“WhoAm I? And what am I doing here?”</a> This year we did the first book in the
series, so we’ll move on to book two for 2<sup>nd</sup> grade. Some of the
lessons are a little over his head in terms of wording, but we sit and talk
about it and he asks some GREAT questions. So for us it’s a win-win! Teaching A
Biblical Worldview through God’s Word!! We did not use any of the additional
products this year, but I have purchased the journal for 2<sup>nd</sup> grade.
I think it has some great thought provoking questions and writing starters. We
are not using the coloring book, as my son is not a color-er.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">SCIENCE</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">:
Apologia’s Exploring Creation Series, <a href="https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_63" target="_blank">“SwimmingCreatures of the Fifth Day”</a>, which my son chose. Yes, it says to do the
Zoology 1 book first, unless you have an understanding of Zoological terms. I
figure if we don’t know it…we can look it up. He was really interested in this
book more than the others and from our experience, he does much better when
he’s interested in the subject. I also purchased the Junior Notebooking Journal.
The writing, puzzles, questions and activities are just what he needs to
supplement the reading work!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">HANDWRITING & SPELLING</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Handwriting-Manuscript-Workbook-HANDWRITING/dp/B0029HRKAK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334688883&sr=8-2" target="_blank">AReason for Handwriting B</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Spelling-Level-Student-Workbook/dp/0936785276/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334688883&sr=8-3" target="_blank">AReason for Spelling Level B</a> – We used book A this year and loved it!!! Or
at least I did! My son could care less about writing. I like how it coordinates
with our Spelling curricula. I also like how they encourage Scripture memory,
spelling <i>and</i> hanwriting skills at the
same time! It’s like a triple dose of Bible each week! Another reason I like
this series: there is only </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">ONE</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;"> teacher
book for the entire Handwriting series, so I got that last year. YAY!!! And, I
can usually find the Spelling guidebook on Amazon fairly cheap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">FOREIGN LANGUAGE</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: <a href="http://www.timberdoodle.com/Elementary_Greek_Year_One_Complete_Set_p/810-295.htm" target="_blank">ElementaryGreek: Koine for beginners</a> – Some people may say we’re crazy…and most often
they’d be right! I actually purchased this last year with prompting from the
Hubster. Our plan was to do it together (Mom, Dad and Mister Bull). But we
quickly realized it was just a little above his level still. The flash cards
were fairly easy for him, but the workbook and reinforcement work was too much.
So we decided to table it until this year and try again. I’m both nervous and
excited about it and the Hubster is beyond thrilled. He learned Greek in
college and is so excited to review it along with us. Yes, it will take us some
extra time, but in the long run I think it will be good. Why did we choose
Greek? The Hubster believes in order to better understand God’s Word one must
be able to read the original Greek language. I don’t guess it matters much…it’s
all Greek to me! Haha (I know…poor attempt at a joke!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:stockticker><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">MATH</span></b></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">: <a href="http://www.timberdoodle.com/Horizons_Math_2_p/002-grade2.htm" target="_blank">Horizons: Math2</a> – We used Horizon’s this year as well. There are many things I <i>love</i> about it. The colorful pages keep
the children’s attention, it breaks up daily lessons, review of past lessons in
the daily work and it just keeps building on previous concepts. What doesn’t
work for Mister Bull is that it is </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">ALL</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;"> paperwork!!!! It’s like pulling teeth to get him to sit and finish the
paper!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I looked into several
different Math options to see if they’d work for us, but alas…I found nothing.
The closest I came was RightStart Math. I <i>love</i>
all the manipulatives and hands-on activities, but I just feel he needs the
daily paperwork as well. My reasoning: He’s going to have to do it sometime!
Algebra is not done on a scale! I know this probably wouldn’t bother most of
you, but for Mister Bull, once you set a precedent for something he’ll
think that’s the only way there is to do
it. Translation: BIG TIME PROBLEM in the future! So, for now we’re sticking
with Horizons. But, I am going to intentionally add some games, flash cards
(we’re really bad about doing these right now) and our own manipulatives to
reinforce new concepts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">READERS</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">: <i><a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ProductSearch.aspx?grade=G2&subject=&title=&sbn=" target="_blank">ABeka Readers for 3rd grade</a></i>.
This is the area we’re ahead in…surprisingly! But, he started reading <i>very</i> early in Kindergarten and has just
taken off from there! This year we’re going to do this a little different. The <i>A Beka</i> readers will be our read alouds
because he has some new chapter books that he’s really interested in and loves
reading! Not to mention the great stack of <i>Hardy
Boys</i> books I found at a garage sale this past weekend!!!! SCORE!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, that’s our curriculum for 2<sup>nd</sup> grade!
What’s your favorite curricula? Do you use a Core Curriculum and supplementals
or a mish-mash of whatever works?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Feel free to share in the comments or leave a link
back to your own post!! I <i>love </i>reading
all your tips and ideas! I am always open to researching for new curriculum to
see if it would work for us! We learn by sharing!! Thanks for stopping by!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up to these parties:</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.whatjoyis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">What Joy Is Mine</a>, <a href="http://www.aboverubies.net/" target="_blank">Far Above Rubies</a>, <a href="http://teachingwhatisgood.com/" target="_blank">Teaching What is Good</a>, <a href="http://www.raisingmightyarrows.com/" target="_blank">Raising Mighty Arrows</a>, <a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/big-family-friday-link-up/" target="_blank">Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-52175476562052841902012-04-16T14:19:00.000-05:002012-04-16T14:23:01.164-05:00Monday Meals: Weekly Meal Plan<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Last week was pretty normal around here.
The rain and other weather issues, kept us inside most days, so the kiddos are
getting a little antsy. And truth be told…so is momma! Hopefully we’ll have
better playing-outside weather this week!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is this week’s YUMMY meal plan!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Monday 4/16</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Breakfast: Pop-Tarts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
Hot Dogs & Grilled Cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger-pizza.html" target="_blank">Homemade Bacon Pizza</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuesday 4/17</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="spelle">Cereal</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
Cheese Quesadillas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
<a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-bits-ham-tettrizini.html" target="_blank">Ham Tettrizini</a>, green beans, bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Wednesday 4/18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Cereal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Chicken Nuggets</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
Leftovers<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="grame"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Thursday 4/19</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Pancakes & Bacon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lunch: Birthday Lunch with Miss Priss!!!<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dinner: Corn Dogs (kids); <a href="http://let-them-eat-cake-and-icecream.blogspot.com/2012/01/pink-lemonade-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">Pink Lemonade Cupcakes</a> (Small group)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Friday 4/20</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Poptarts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:
Fishsticks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:<span class="apple-converted-space"> BBQ Chicken, mashed potatoes, baked
squash/zucchini, homemade bread</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Saturday 4/21
– Miss Priss’ Party Day!</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Dry Cereal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Lunch:<span class="apple-converted-space"> Cheese Quesadillas</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dinner:
<span class="apple-converted-space"><a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-homemade-cheeseburger.html" target="_blank">Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese</a> & PARTY!!!!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday 4/122</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Breakfast:
Eggs w/ bacon & cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Lunch:
</span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_894952168">Turkey</a></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/baking-bits-slow-cooker-stroganoff-with.html" target="_blank"> Stroganoff</a>, green beans, homemade bread<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dinner: Homemade Pizza Pockets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">NOTE: The lunch menu items usually pertains
to my kiddos. I tend to eat leftovers to help purge and clean out the fridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Feel free to share your meal ideas here
or link up to your own meal plan post!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.orgjunkie.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BOLp4kXQkxyjuyXRw8Qw95ezXLL0-iDm-kakEK4mmGSzYb7WOdvH6on4lAh_7A8DcxxFrXshIXZxIIKVgEBNe8qVh9PPFZIW3-ar0nmXQG2kzxmcLuRSg7sHB-Zjz66v6Ys1hUxJqVY/s1600/MPM_Button.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-19180804961246070342012-04-16T09:38:00.001-05:002012-04-16T09:38:20.839-05:00Maid for Mondays: Don't blink...<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">It goes so fast. One day you’ll
blink…and they’ll be in high school. Blink again and they’ll be getting
married. Blink again and you’ll have grandchildren. It really does go fast</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;">. I never thought it was true, but it is!!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Whether it’s because life is busy and we move at such
a fast pace or because we don’t take the time to enjoy them while their young
or …you fill in the blank. Whatever it is...that statement is true!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDHNLl604b9yx6lKpPA07kouYK63I_IxvvbTCXxfFIIiQZRllUP5D-LjpaZF6wEh-VVEpqjicTiXFI2gfwEwnmWHKz5Z2gbSz3Nm-x9yHvkaEzSXg9Zp3jX_nGFqwPIeRro57pih4o0A/s1600/Mister+Bull+comparison_blink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDHNLl604b9yx6lKpPA07kouYK63I_IxvvbTCXxfFIIiQZRllUP5D-LjpaZF6wEh-VVEpqjicTiXFI2gfwEwnmWHKz5Z2gbSz3Nm-x9yHvkaEzSXg9Zp3jX_nGFqwPIeRro57pih4o0A/s320/Mister+Bull+comparison_blink.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mister Bull at age 1 (left) and Mister Bull just a few weeks ago at the Zoo. <br />See how tall he is next to his Daddy?!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My oldest son will be 7 at the end of June and in
many ways it seems just like yesterday I was so excited to find out we were
pregnant (again, but that’s another post). At times I want him to stay my
little one, a momma’s boy all his life. But, I know this too will change.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Several weeks ago, I caught him helping out at home
without prompting. He was helping his sister into her high chair for lunch and
being so sweet and kind. Then, he turned and helped his brother into his chair.
And, if that wasn’t enough…he laid on the floor and played with his youngest
sister until I could finish getting lunch together. My heart was filled with
JOY as I heard his voice soften and the tone change to sweetness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But…as with any 6 yr old boy, that was short lived. His
brother quickly did something that annoyed him and I then hear, “Bubba! Stop
that! Do you want me to take you out of that chair and put you in your room?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ummmm….when did <i>he</i>
become the parent? Oh wait…he didn’t!! Has this ever happened to you? This was
a real wake-up call for me. My kids hear <i>everything</i>
I say and watch everything I do!! They want to be me! So, right then and there
I vowed to myself to change my ways to allow my kids to be kids for as long as
they want!!! Okay…maybe not that long, but definitely longer than 6 years old!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, in the meantime, I must learn to let my son be a
little boy! He won’t be one forever, so I must be careful not to rob him of
this time in his life!! I don’t want him to <i>grow
up too fast</i>. So, here are some steps and tips I’ve come up with for myself
and thought they might be useful for someone else too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. SET BOUNDARIES EARLY. You must make them
understand <b><i>you</i></b> are the parent, not them. <b><i>You</i></b> are the one that
corrects and disciplines, not them. I suggest doing this <i>very</i> early on, so there is no confusion when they get older. We
were not as firm as we should have been with our oldest and now, we’re having
to correct that behavior. Believe me…I’d much rather start early than correct
it when they’re older!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. WHO’S IN CHARGE? When implementing your
boundaries, it’s also important to teach your kids as they get older who’s in
charge and when it’s okay to help. We are working with our 6yr old son on this
very thing. He thinks just because he’s so much older than the others that he
has a “right” to correct them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">DON</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">’T GIVE
THEM JOBS. Now, let me briefly explain my point of view here. I want my
children to learn that a house does not run by itself. Therefore, we assign
chores to our children from an early age. But, our chore assignments are just
that…chores. Our kids do not get paid for them for several reasons (which I
will probably need to expound on in another post), but the main one being that
they are a part of this family and therefore, they have certain
(age-appropriate) responsibilities. It’s just how it works in a family. My
example to my oldest: <i>I don’t get paid to
wash, fold and put away your clothes, to do the dishes or to cook your meals.
Why should you get paid to wash the toilet?</i> Now, to thwart any arguments
that may be arising in you…we do give rewards for doing their chores. Rewards
include and extra treat from the treasure box, earned time on the Wii, extra
time alone with Mom and/or Dad, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you’re wondering what chores our 2 and 3 year olds
could possibly do, take a look at <a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/2012/03/free-printable-age-specific-chore-list-for-children-ages-1-12/">this
amazing chart</a> I found a few months back!! It’s been a blessing and a
life-saver for us! She does a wonderful job of breaking it up by age group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. IT’S A FINE </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">LINE</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">. There is a very fine line with this subject. While I can’t allow my
son to continue correcting his siblings, I don’t want to squash his sweet and
helpful spirit. God has blessed him with that spirit and we need to nurture it,
just slowly and healthily. So, we have decided that our oldest is not going to
help with his younger siblings unless we’re there to directly supervise. At
least for now. And, as he gets older and more mature, we can work on other ways
he can help without being the “parent.” But, for now…he’s on the other side of
the line and staying there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s my job to be the parent; to guide him and teach him
how to be a better person. A God-fearing man. <i>That’s</i> my job!! And if that means I have some extra chores for a
while so he can be a kid, then so be it! I’ll take the long hours and lack of
sleep for the sake of my kids any day!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What advice do you have about letting kids be kids?
How do/did you teach your kids they are not the parent? Feel free to leave your
tips in the comments or link back to a post you’ve written. I love reading
other blogs and learning from them! Your kind words of encouragement inspire
me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Linking up to these great parties today:</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" target="_blank">The Better Mom</a>, <a href="http://www.raisingarrows.net/" target="_blank">Raising Arrows</a>, <a href="http://www.thestraightenedpath.com/" target="_blank">The Straightened Path</a>, </span><a href="http://www.aboverubies.net/" style="font-family: Arial;" target="_blank">Far Above Rubies</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">, </span><a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" style="font-family: Arial;" target="_blank">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">, </span><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" style="font-family: Arial;" target="_blank">Deep Roots at Home</a><span style="font-family: Arial;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://raisinghomemakers.com/" target="_blank">Raising Homemakers</a>, <a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/" target="_blank">Women Living Well</a>, <a href="http://www.oursimplecountrylife.com/" target="_blank">Our Simple Country Life</a>, <a href="http://www.raisingmightyarrows.com/" target="_blank">Raising Mighty Arrows</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-32646156491190206812012-04-15T14:30:00.000-05:002012-04-16T01:39:56.806-05:00Scriptural Sundays: He is the Potter, I am the Clay<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">If you’ve ever lost a parent, grandparent or loved one at all, you
probably understand what I’ve been going through these past 2 ½ months.
Learning to live life without someone who’s been there <i>everyday of your life</i> is not fun. In fact, quite frankly it sucks!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">And when that person is your parent, I think it’s even more difficult.
Now, I know I’ve been married for nearly 9 years now, but I was still a Daddy’s
girl. And my mom…she’s my best friend! I have always been close to my parents –
with the exception of a few years in there that we’ll just skip over and never
talk about again!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">I talk to my mom and grandma everyday. I didn’t talk to my Dad every
day, cause…well…guys just don’t do that. But my parents only live 7 houses down
from me so he was only a few seconds away if I needed him. I could be at their
house literally seconds and see him. Give him a hug. Listen to his laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">Oh how I have taken life for granted. <i>All. Of. It.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;">These past two months have been difficult, to say the least, but as with
any trial and situation (good or bad), God has been teaching me and molding me.
Again. Just like a potter and his clay. Have you ever watched a potter spin a
new creation? I have. In fact, a former professor of mine in college is a
potter. And on several different occasions, he was asked to come and
demonstrate how to make a pot. But, it wasn’t until I saw a demonstration that
I understood what God meant in Jeremiah 18:3-4 “So I went down to the potter’s
house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of
clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel,
as it seemed good to the potter to do.” (</span><st1:stockticker><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;">ESV</span></st1:stockticker><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;">) and in Isaiah 64:8 “But now,
O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, you are <i>our</i> potter; we are all the work of your hand. (</span><st1:stockticker><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;">ESV</span></st1:stockticker><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;">, italics mine.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">Watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OJyPjSn5Ow" target="_blank">this video</a>
to see a demonstration, <i>before</i>
reading the rest of my post. Trust me…it will make MUCH more sense!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.plumedarcher.com/custom.em?pid=242272" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://img-srv.dtcbuilder.com/engine/builder/images/2/4/1/6/9/file/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">So, how does this relate to our lives as Christians? Let’s break it
down.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">1. Before ever putting the clay on the wheel, the potter does some
shaping. Actually, he’s softening the clay so that it will be more pliable and
responsive to <i>his</i> hands. Sound
familiar? Doesn’t God try to shape us in <i>His</i>
hands? Sometimes we may be tossed around a bit, but it’s simply so we’ll become
more open and willing to listen and follow Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">2. Then, the clay is literally thrown on the wheel. Not tossed or placed
neatly…thrown…hard. Why? Because he needs a firm foundation for the vessel he’s
creating. If it’s not “stuck” down, the spinning wheel will cause it to become
lop-sided or even fly away. Once God has completely broken us and we’re
pliable, ready to be molded, He starts from the bottom up. He teaches us what
it means and how to have a firm foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">3. Then the potter starts the wheel spinning and begins by putting some
water over the clay for yet…more softening. Doesn’t God do the same with us?
After He’s thrown us down to reshape us, he starts out with gentleness and
kindness (the water) to begin molding us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">4. Then, he begins molding the shape he envisioned. Occasionally he will
put water on his hands to make the clay easier to work with. The potter <i>must</i> keep the clay pliable and easy to
work with as he continues to push and pull using his own power to manipulate
the clay into what he wants. If it doesn’t cooperate, he will simply pick it up
and throw it back down to start over.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">How often has God done this with us or maybe someone we know? Sometimes
we’re stubborn and God must use his power and might to change us into who <i>HE</i> sees us as. Who <i>He</i> wants us to be. We are his “vessels” and are at the will of him.
To be used by Him and for Him. And, if we’re stubborn, God will “throw” us back
down only to go through the process again. Only this time…He might be a little harder
on us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">5. Once the vessel is completed and exactly what the potter envisioned
he then puts it in the kiln to set it. Now I did some reading about this part,
so bear with me here. When firing the vessel, the temperature must be monitored
<i>very</i> closely. There are many stages
in the firing process (read all about them <a href="http://www.ceramicartdaily.net/PMI/KilnFiringChart.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> if you
like), but a couple things really stand out for our discussion here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">There is a maturation temperature of clay. Each
type of clay has its own maturation. Once it’s reached, “the clay will have
the desired density and, upon cooling, will have attained a rigidity of
structure. Once this happens, the firing is stopped. If it continues and
a higher temperature is reached, “the clay will continue to melt and vitrify;
it may become molten or quite soft, and warp or change its shape and may
become extremely dense, hard and brittle upon cooling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">On the other hand, if the clay is underfired, “it
may become too porous and soft upon cooling. Heavier clay objects require
a more gradual temperature rise than lighter, thin-walled” vessels. </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial;">(Information from </span><a href="http://www.basic-stuff.com/hobbies/ceramics/kiln-firing.htm" style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial;">.)</span></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">So many parallels in this!!!! I’m getting excited…can you tell? But,
seriously…the kiln is temperamental, just like we humans can be. If it’s too
hot, the vessel will melt and if it’s not hot enough, the vessel will crumble –
eventually.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">So after God has shaped and molded us into His vision for our lives, he
puts us through the fire to “set it” for keeps – permanently. Now, hear me on
this…I believe that we, as humans, have free-will. I do not believe our “destiny”
is set in stone to the point that we have no choices. I believe we have
choices, but I also believe that the Holy Spirit is there to guide us and direct
us, so long as we listen. God keeps us in the “fire” to strengthen us to the
point of firmness. A firm grasp of God’s love for us that can not easily be
broken. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">But, if we resist and pull ourselves out of the “fire” too soon…we will
be so fragile that we could break at any moment. And then it’s back to the
molding stage we go. Because when you glue the broken pieces back together and
fill the vessel with water, there will likely be leaks. They may be small, but
over time the pressure of the water will continue to expand and eventually it
will break…again. And, there’s only so many times you can glue it back together
before you need to just start over with a new one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">So…all of this to say…I have been broken, worn down, tired and beaten.
But, <i>my</i> God is molding me, reshaping
me and putting me through the fire yet again. And by His grace, I will be
stronger in my faith, more able to share my beliefs and more willing to follow <i>His </i>will for my life. And I…I am ready!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">What has the Lord been teaching you lately? Please share in the comments
or feel free to link up to a post that shares your story. We can all learn and
be encouraged by each other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">Annette</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;">Linking up to these encouraging parties:</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" target="_blank">The Better Mom</a>, <a href="http://www.thesefiveofmineplustwo.net/" target="_blank">These Five of Mine Plus Two</a>, <a href="http://www.raisingarrows.net/" target="_blank">Raising Arrows,</a> <a href="http://www.thestraightenedpath.com/" target="_blank">The Straightened Path</a>, </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" target="_blank">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</a>, <a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep Roots At Home</a>, <a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">The Imperfect Housewife</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-51620538437506381342012-04-13T14:12:00.001-05:002012-04-13T14:36:00.868-05:00Homeschool Happenings: Weekly Review #2<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This past Sunday I sat down and outlined the rest of
our school year. Now, I basically knew what we were doing and when, but I
wanted exact pages written down. Such as, how many pages in Science we read
each day or in our Bible curriculum. I usually just guess and stop when it
feels right, but I thought…ya know, we’ve only got a few weeks left of school,
so I better make sure we’re finished with our current curriculum by then.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Simply…I needed a plan! Now I have one and I am beyond
giddy about it. That makes me a nerd, right?! It’s okay…I’m over it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">A few months back, I realized that fighting with my
son to do his papers <i>every. single. day. </i>was
pointless. He was <i>never</i> going to love
them as much as I do. In fact, he was never going to even <i>like</i> them! So, we made a deal…we would switch off doing papers and
reading from the texts. That way, he’s not overwhelmed with an hour of reading
followed by an hour of pleading with him to do his papers, half an hour crying
(me <i>and </i>him) and eventually 20
minutes of paperwork. Now we have this schedule:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Monday, Wednesday & Friday: Reading texts
(Science, History, Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday: Paperwork
(Geography, Math, Writing, Spelling)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Through the end of our year in May, we have school on
Saturdays because of how much we missed with the passing of my Daddy. Plus, we
take off most of December and many Thursdays we take time off to spend with The
Hubster (aka Da-Da) on his day off work. When our year starts over in June (we
school year-round), we won’t have school on Saturdays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This week The Hubster was able to spend some quality
time with our oldest on a science experiment/project we’ve wanted to do for a
while. And boy, oh boy, did they have fun?!
<i>And they still are!!!!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This year we’ve used Apologia’s Exploring Creation
with Astronomy for Science and we’ve <i>loved</i>
every minute of it! So, this experiment was in the book for an extra assignment
related to Jupiter. I’m going to relay it to you all and give some helpful
tips/hints we discovered along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdD5tJAtYIQ7GD0oQUSo6hWokbhcIEQGT9MN_cj6YP9OZMVH5yT9oFAC3PQl89aY1bPUu3iafO0RVqfDXS0QfNgnDElJbSdxqX0ycFnmoOfRFrhwCtn79yawy7tqBh7mQ469wevx_XSc/s1600/Tyler+helping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdD5tJAtYIQ7GD0oQUSo6hWokbhcIEQGT9MN_cj6YP9OZMVH5yT9oFAC3PQl89aY1bPUu3iafO0RVqfDXS0QfNgnDElJbSdxqX0ycFnmoOfRFrhwCtn79yawy7tqBh7mQ469wevx_XSc/s320/Tyler+helping.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You will need: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 plastic soda pop or water bottles (we read that 1L
are best)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1” washer (we found this not to do well & leak
quite a bit. See our solution below)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Water-resistant tape (we used duct tape)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJy-FL0hvT0JsrkE53djvPPlxPfxKUoMbRoRjZbO7Q06zNSAm-ZvmZvTyu7RoAkENiMekpXnpfdq1YMtWGArRuQ6P1hQ2I6EhjoVpaLR88TS17nowZYzVibcvhZgjLlJC8Q_e46sHQ2w/s1600/Hubster+taping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJy-FL0hvT0JsrkE53djvPPlxPfxKUoMbRoRjZbO7Q06zNSAm-ZvmZvTyu7RoAkENiMekpXnpfdq1YMtWGArRuQ6P1hQ2I6EhjoVpaLR88TS17nowZYzVibcvhZgjLlJC8Q_e46sHQ2w/s320/Hubster+taping.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Instructions:</span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fill one bottle 2/3
full of water. (We added a few drops of green & blue food coloring so
we could really see the hurricane at work.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Place the washer on
top of the mouth opening. If you use this method, make sure the washer has
a large enough hole to allow the water to flow easily.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Place the other
bottle upside-down on top of the washer.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tape the two bottles
together very thoroughly. If it leaks, they suggest adding more tape &
wrapping it tighter. We found that ours still leaked, but it was
considerably less when we added more tape.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Turn the two-bottle
setup over so that the bottle with water in it is now the upside-down
bottle on top.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Move the bottles in a
circular motion, swirling the water around in the same direction for a
moment.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Watch your system
form a hurricane-shaped funnel down into the bottle below. You can repeat
this as often as you like.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">NOTE: Some people like to add glitter or even small
toys in the bottles so they can watch them swirl around.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Okay, so we followed these instructions to the “t”
the first time. It leaked. We added more tape and wrapped it tighter. It still
leaked, only less.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LzbdS3C-eTeh8pHjWayaLFk_ZT-On7tifvcw9F5Kb_MumkxCJoQtCIVvKQF5czqAUZNhxSJSxnKva282YmWDYR1QLvFkSNsfOQ7y6kyWNOHJFcZHOlEMFlXzESSRbzIRb2Djaqevxuw/s1600/hurricane+washer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LzbdS3C-eTeh8pHjWayaLFk_ZT-On7tifvcw9F5Kb_MumkxCJoQtCIVvKQF5czqAUZNhxSJSxnKva282YmWDYR1QLvFkSNsfOQ7y6kyWNOHJFcZHOlEMFlXzESSRbzIRb2Djaqevxuw/s320/hurricane+washer.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the original washer. See how small the vortex is?<br />
Make sure your washer has a large enough opening.
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then, The Hubster…havng the “engineer mind” that he does,
started searching the internet for tips/options. And he found <a href="http://www.teachersource.com/AirPressure/AirPressure/VortexBottleConnectors.aspx" target="_blank">this</a>! And at a
store right up the street from us – WOO </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">HOO</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">!!!! He was nearly giddy with excitement and practically counting down
the minutes until he could go get one! Silly man!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRFqg_mdcwwh96fYkWBNIi9b0e_o6GlVKiZfBLpRGymxPbpTvL7QMmFDSw3ObeQzk6QmTA949FFDyHt6ufmEGUSaNQncFYoC8T4zhIiqAswqW-aeLaHHQ8WQ7V09VbAMS67n5Ku-tTLk/s1600/Product.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRFqg_mdcwwh96fYkWBNIi9b0e_o6GlVKiZfBLpRGymxPbpTvL7QMmFDSw3ObeQzk6QmTA949FFDyHt6ufmEGUSaNQncFYoC8T4zhIiqAswqW-aeLaHHQ8WQ7V09VbAMS67n5Ku-tTLk/s320/Product.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Unfortunately, our store ended up <i>not</i> having that exact brand and the one
he found ended up costing about 4x as much. However, as my Dad always said,
“You get what you pay for.” And this particular brand had <b>TWO</b> experiments in it! One for the hurricane and one for a
fountain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5b-ciCx0AIqWB_oL8dNf7pIYYcQm-M1mGE0W57vfIdTFWohADCT_I46C2FJ2_oQ2nhdMVvWe0fC7g9F4GhOmSzloLIdW4nK0p9mpT8KGzpbKQABFzu3qPxTYq5pDer7TIM22rcVDMmM/s1600/Hurricane+with+kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5b-ciCx0AIqWB_oL8dNf7pIYYcQm-M1mGE0W57vfIdTFWohADCT_I46C2FJ2_oQ2nhdMVvWe0fC7g9F4GhOmSzloLIdW4nK0p9mpT8KGzpbKQABFzu3qPxTYq5pDer7TIM22rcVDMmM/s320/Hurricane+with+kit.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't that a GREAT vortex?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So…now we have not one, but TWO Science experiments
hidden in the pantry out of sight for the Littles. They have been a GREAT
source of learning, entertainment and of course, </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">FUN</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">!!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What did you do this week in your homeschooling
journey? Feel free to share you favorite experiment, tip, idea or just a word
of encouragement for others!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(I will put up a video soon. But, the one I had, had some loud background noise...imagine that?!)</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m linking up to these other GREAT Homeschool Weekly
Reviews!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click on the links to check them out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.holyspiritledhomeschooling.net/big-family-friday-link-up/" target="_blank">HolySpirit Led Homeschooling</a>, <a href="http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/" target="_blank">Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers</a>, <a href="http://www.homegrownlearners.com/" target="_blank">Home Grown Learners</a>, The Gettys <a href="http://thegettys.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">“Favorite Resource This Week”</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-61086965964759508712012-04-13T10:28:00.000-05:002012-04-13T10:28:25.807-05:0052 Fridays: Week 15 Update<br />
<center><a href="http://www.createdforhome.net/"><img border="0" src="http://www.createdforhome.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/52-Fridays.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here goes this week’s report. You can read more about
my journey beginning with <a href="http://breedloves.blogspot.com/2012/01/52-fridays-week-1.html">Week 1</a>.
Feel free to join me and <a href="http://www.createdforhome.net/">Crystal</a>
in this journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">DAILY quiet time: Why is it that this is the
hardest thing to get done? Am I the only one who feels this way? Making
this a <i>first</i> priority is #1 on
my list this week. I’ve just got to get up and get it done. Get a new
habit going and keep with it – no matter what! I get my emails through <a href="http://biblegateway.com/">biblegateway.com</a> and a women’s
devotional through <a href="http://devotions.proverbs31.org/">Proverbs 31
devotions</a>. Such great tools – be sure to check them out!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Weekly weight loss: I continue to struggle with
finding the time to workout. The Hubster has joined the “cause” and is
ready to move to real foods with me. Now that I’m not alone in this, I
think we’ll really be able to move forward with this!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.vintageremedies.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266&Itemid=332)website">Vintage
Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods</a>: Still working on the food pantry sheet. We’re in the process
of clearing out our pantry to use what we have and transition into “real
foods.” I can’t even tell you how excited I am. I’ve heard such great
results from those who’ve made the switch. Not only in weight loss, but
also in how much better they feel. I can’t wait!!! Real Foods…here I come!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Homeschool Fun: This week has been more
organized and therefore, we have more time for </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">FUN</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">!! Read my Homeschool Happenings post today to
see more!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/organized-home.html">Organization</a>:
Not much to report here. I’ve got great ideas, but lack either the funds
or the time! Working on new, inexpensive options!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Staying caught up: This area was not so great
this week. I am getting caught back up on laundry, but dishes are another
story. In November 2011, I had surgery on my right wrist. All was going
well, until this past weekend when it started acting up on me again. At
one point I couldn’t even grip a can of pop or door handle. NOT </span><st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">FUN</span></st1:stockticker><span style="font-family: Arial;">!! So, I’ve had to rely on The Hubster for help.
And well…we all know how most men are about dishes or chores in general!
LOL But, we’re working on it!</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Blog changes: Okay, so things are not going
quite as planned. I think I’m going to push this back to May. Look for the
changes coming May 2012!!!! The design is being re-vamped and I’ve got
such cute blog buttons to share…I can’t wait!!!!</span></li>
</ol>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
How do you find time to spend with the Lord in prayer? Feel free to share your tips and ideas in a
comment or link back to a post!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Have a blessed weekend!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Annette<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649747168733028108.post-63279076044186019052012-04-12T22:01:00.004-05:002012-04-12T22:07:37.915-05:00Thursday Thoughts: Finding Peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wallpaper4god.com/en/wp-content/themes/w4g/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwallpaper4god.com%2Fwallpapers%2Fpraying-hands_1027_1024x768.jpg&w=270&h=250&zc=1&q=100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://wallpaper4god.com/en/wp-content/themes/w4g/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwallpaper4god.com%2Fwallpapers%2Fpraying-hands_1027_1024x768.jpg&w=270&h=250&zc=1&q=100" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_praying-hands/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After months and months of prayer, counsel and discussion you finally make a decision. You feel at peace with it and at peace that God has guided you in this direction. You are excited to share what God has done in your life and ready to move forward. Yet, when you share what's been on your heart and what you believe God has led you to...OPPOSITION!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have you ever been there?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's tough. It's lonely. It's...you fill in the blank. Our families philosophy has changed significantly in the past several years. Some times it's been readily accepted. And other times...not so much.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Hubster is reading a life-changing book entitled, <a href="http://www.wilkersonpublications.com/Hungry-for-More-of-Jesus-P12C0.aspx" target="_blank">"Hungry for More of Jesus"</a> by David Wilkerson. He talks about this exact situation and in his words and wisdom, I find comfort and peace.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God knows us! He permits our afflictions, saying, "You are the kind who forgets Me in good times. You neglect Me when all is well. But I love you too much to lose you to the devil. I'll awaken you through affliction, to remind you of how short life is and to make you dependent on Me."</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are some good arguments to use when the devil tells you godly people don't suffer:</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Christ suffered in the flesh mightily - and He was perfect.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Paul and all our Church fathers suffered great afflictions, yet God loved them dearly and used them mightily.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. To the godly, suffering is not a sign of God's displeasure but a sign of sonship. Whom He loves, He chastens.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Every affliction is intended for my spiritual benefit and growth, and to equip me to sympathize with others in need.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. My suffering may be grievous and painful. But if I'll accept it, afterward it will bear the fruit of holiness and pure love for God.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Hungry for More of Jesus, pg. 163</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This week has been particularly difficult for me. Not only is it coming up on the 2-month Anniversary of my Daddy's death, there are a lot of changes in store for our family. Some of them scary, some of them hopeful...but ALL of them for God's Glory!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I have said these things to you, that </span><sup class="crossreference" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26748A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">in me you may have peace. </span><sup class="crossreference" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26748B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In the world you will have </span><sup class="crossreference" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26748C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">tribulation. But </span><sup class="crossreference" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26748D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">take heart; </span><sup class="crossreference" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26748E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I have overcome the world.” </span></span></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: white;">-John 16:33, ESV</span></span></b></i></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blessings,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Annette</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Linking up to these wonderful parties. Be sure and check them out!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/" target="_blank">Deep Roots at Home</a>, <a href="http://www.awisewomanbuildsherhome.com/" target="_blank">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</a>, <a href="http://raisinghomemakers.com/" target="_blank">Raising Homemakers</a>, <a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/" target="_blank">Women Living Well</a>, <a href="http://theimperfecthousewife.com/" target="_blank">The Imperfect Housewife</a>, <a href="http://www.oursimplecountrylife.com/" target="_blank">Our Simple Country Life</a>, <a href="http://www.raisingmightyarrows.com/" target="_blank">Raising Mighty Arrows</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0