Moving Right Along

I cannot believe that Monday begins the month of August.  Every year I complain that summer flies by and vow that I won't be so busy the next summer, but, alas, I find myself here again. 

Life has been moving right along also.

The week of July 18-22, Jason and Charles were gone to Cleveland, Ohio all week with a father son missions trip with our church.  They put on a Ben Watson football camp for inner city kids.  Ben Watson, for those, who may be illiterate in the ways of NFL football, is a Cleveland Browns player.  He is actually from our small hometown here, and his dad is a pastor.  He sponsors football clinics for kids in our town each year where the kids come, play football, hear about God's love, and receive a Bible.  This was sort of a week long extension of that.  Besides running the football camp, the guys did a few local service projects and got to do some fun stuff like tour the NFL Hall of Fame.  I was very jealous!

While the guys were in Cleveland (and I was missing them terribly!), we girls went to VBS at our church.  I helped in the 1st grade class, Kathryne helped with 5K, and the little girls participated.  We enjoyed Pandamania and learned that God is Wild About Us!  Kathryne's birthday always falls during the week of VBS, so on Friday, we celebrated with some of her friends and a pool party.  I can't believe my oldest child is 12 now!

This past week, we regrouped, and I planned for school. We have taken off most of July, and next week we'll be slowly starting back.  We turned in final library reading records for the summer reading program. I also took the kids up to the Barnes and Noble to turn in reading records and get a free book.

Tonight, we're headed to more birthday partying- a combined family birthday party for Kathryne, Rachel (who turns 6 in August) and Jason's dad.  Moving right along...

Bible in 90 Days -Week 3

Today is the beginning of week 3 of this session of reading through the Bible in 90 days.  Amazingly enough, I am still on track even after a busy week of VBS last week.  Kathryne is all caught up as well.  We are currently in Deuteronomy.  Deuteronomy holds many reminders for us as parents.  Over and over Moses reminds the Israelites to pass on the teachings they are hearing to their children.  How true that is for us as parents today!  One of my favorite passages (and one of my inspirations to homeschool) is from Deuteronomy:
⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.^{[a] 5} Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Bible in 90 Days- Week 2

We are into the second week of reading through the Bible in 90 days as of today.  I am currently caught up and am reading in Leviticus- laws, laws, and more laws.

During last session's reading, I found a great website that explored the relationship between the law and the gospel.  Here is another good article about that relationship, though, from a reformed point of view. I find it helpful to have these things to keep in mind when reading through the books of the law.

Kathryne has also decided to join me in reading through the Bible in 90 days.  She is all caught up with today's reading also.  I'm impressed.

Meal Plan Monday

This week is a little strange because Jason and Charles are both gone on a missions trip with our church, and the girls and I will have VBS this week.  We also have quite a few days that we are doing things with friends or family while the boys are gone.  I have several days I don't have to plan this week.

Monday: Pizza in a Pot(I planned it for last week and posted the recipe but didn't make it.); fruit

Ingredients

• 3 cups dry pasta
• 4 Tbsp oil
• 1-2 onions diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1-1.5 pounds ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• ¹⁄₈ tsp pepper
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¹⁄₄ tsp crushed fennel seed
• 2 cups mozerella cheese

1. Grease a slow cooker and set aside.

2. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water to al dente (cooked through but still firm), following the
directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and bell
pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink.
5. Stir in the garlic, salt, tomato paste, tomato sauce, pepper, Italian seasoning, and fennel.
6. Simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
7. In a slow cooker, place a thin layer of the beef mixture in the bottom. Layer the cooked pasta, beef
mixture, and cheese, ending with the cheese.
8. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.



Tuesday:  Grab and Go Pizza Roll-Ups; fruit

Ingredients

• refrigerated crescent rolls
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• pepperoni
• string cheese (Mozzarella)
• pizza sauce for dipping

Unroll the crescent rolls and separate into triangles along the perforations.

Sprinkle each crescent roll lightly with the garlic powder and Italian seasonings.
Put pepperoni on the roll, then place half a length of string cheese on top.
Roll up (from wide side to point) and put on baking sheet.
Bake according to crescent roll instructions, until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.
Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Wednesday: Eat with friends- birthday party

Thursday: Eat with family- birthday party

Friday: Kathryne's birthday party

And, when I look at it that way, it looks like a pizza themed week- which I am sure won't draw complaints from my crew, and lots of birthday parties. :-)

Book Review for The Family Illustrated Bible

Once again, Blogger is giving me a hard time posting today.  I was not able to post; then I was able to post; now I can't post.  Arrgh.  But, I digress.

I was able to review The Family Illustrated Bible (previously The Children's Bible from DK) published by New Leaf Press. This is a beautiful hard back book.  The illustrations are very well done.  Besides illustrations, the Bible has real photographs of places and objects that are relevant.  There are maps of Bible places also.  This Bible would make a beautiful addition to a family library.

Negatively, I don't like children's Bibles that have an adapted text.  I would really prefer to see the actual text of the Bible used along with the beautiful illustrations.  I had high hopes for this Bible- published by New Leaf Publishing because the publisher has a reputation for high standards of Biblical truth.  Unfortunately, this was just a repackaging of the DK Children's Bible which I think we already own.  I think the adaptation makes the Bible seem more story like and not absolutely true and infallible.

So, my review is mixed.  If you are looking for a beautiful Bible story book to add to your family library, this one's great.  The Biblical accounts seem very accurate and the illustrations are a very nice touch.  But, if you are looking for the actual Bible text to share with your children, don't choose this edition.  You'll be disappointed.

I received a free edition of this book for review purposes from New Leaf Publishing.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Two Book Reviews

I'm having some technical issues on my Good Reads blog and am not able to compose a new post.  I'm not exactly sure what is happening, but as I work to resolve the issues and post there, I thought I would post my most recent book reviews here and move them to Good Reads when I can post again.

Lately I finished reading two free Kindle books, both Christian fiction, historical romance novels.

Breathe by Lisa Bergren is the story of Odessa, a consumptive patient who makes her way to the new town of Colorado Springs to seek healing for her consumption in the famed mountain air.  At the sanatorium she meets two men who become her friends and finds love and a mystery even as her body heals.
Breathe is a good, light, easy read.  It was a little predictable, nothing very exciting.  But, the story line was good.  And the characters were believable.  It wasn't particularly mesmerizing, but it was an entertaining read.  (BTW, I noticed that it is no longer free.  I'm not sure it was good enough to pay to read...)

Surrender the Heart by MaryLu Tyndall is another Christian, historical romance set during the war of 1812.  Marianne needs to marry in order to release her dowry money.  Noah is engaged to her because of his father's plans.  When Marianne ends up on his merchant ship by accident they find themselves drawn to each other even as they are drawn into the war.
I thought this one was a well-written book.  Still light and easy to read, the characters were interesting and believable.  The storyline was compelling.  The historical setting was interesting.  I enjoyed the tension in the relationship between Noah and Marianne and thought the resolution of the story was good.  It wasn't so predictable as to become boring.  In fact, I finished it in two nights because I was so interested, I couldn't wait to find out what happened!  This one is still a free Kindle read as I write, but it would be worth paying for.  I'll be looking for more books by this author.

Further Up and Further In

Today marks the completion of yet another reading through the entire Chronicles of Narnia for Charles and Kathryne and myself.  I think this is our 4th reading through the series.

The first time I read through the entire series, The Last Battle was my least favorite book.  If you've never read the entire series, a brief synopsis is in order:
The Magician's Nephew- details the creation of Narnia by Aslan the lion; Polly and Digory are the two human children who end up in Narnia
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe- the most well-known Narnia book; The Pevensie children end up in Narnia through a magic wardrobe in an old house and, with Aslan's help, defeat the White Witch who has held Narnia under her evil powers.
The Horse and His Boy- takes place entirely in Narnia; This is the story of Shasta and Aravis, children from Calormen (near Narnia) who discover their true identities and help to save Narnia from invasion.
Prince Caspian- The Pevensie children travel back to Narnia and help Caspian recover ancient Narnia from his evil uncle.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader- Lucy and Edmund Pevensie again return to Narnia, this time with their annoying cousin, Eustace, and sail to the world's end with Caspian.
The Silver Chair- Eustace and his friend, Jill Pole, head to Narnia to free King Caspian's son from an evil enchantment.
The Last Battle- A devious ape named Shift joins with the Calormens to take over and destroy Narnia.

The Last Battle is sad.  It is depressing.  It made me angry because evil continued to triumph.  The first time I read it, I thought it a horrible end for such a magnificent series.  But, as I read my opinion changed.  Now, having finished The Last Battle for the 4th read through, I can truly say it may be favorite of all the Chronicles of Narnia.

The Last Battle is so rich in symbolism.  From Shift the Ape who is tricky and shifty to Puzzle the Donkey who always uses his stupidity as an excuse, the characters are well-called.  This book, even more so than the others (which are all very spiritually symbolic), contains so many references to a battle of worldviews.  There are characters that represent true believers, characters that clearly represent those who turn to other religions, characters that represent atheists or those who claim they have no faith. So incredibly rich in meaning and inspiring deep thoughts, I get more and more out of this book each time we read it.

I am still saddened when I read.  I am sad that the Narnians allow themselves to be deceived.  I am sad that evil seems to triumph.  I am sad that Aslan is reduced to a cruel tyrant and is misunderstood by almost all.  But, isn't this a picture of what we really see in the world today.  Doesn't evil seem to triumph.  Hasn't our God been reduced to a tyrant or, even worse, a fable in the minds of many.  But The Last Battle doesn't end on that note.  Oh no.  Redemption comes through a stable, a stable which looks so small on the outside but contains much more than anyone could imagine.  And, even though Narnia as we know it may be destroyed, there is hope and joy beyond imagination as we all discover that that Narnia was just a shadow of things to come.  And as we move further up and further in, we will see more clearly and live more freely than ever before.  Hallelujah!

Of Silly Putty, and Glitter, and Various Other Craft Items

 

I don't want to be the mean mom, but I am seriously considering banning certain types of craft supplies from our house.  I mean, how many times do I have to scrape silly putty out of clothing before I learn my lesson?

When my children were born, I was going to be the "cool, crafty mom."  You know, the one whose children paint and craft continuously.  Things went along just fine for the first few years.  Playdo was messy but tolerable.  Markers were messy, but wasn't it cute to see that little marker smudge on that cute little face?  Paint was messy, but after all, we only used watercolors, so it washed out pretty easily.  Then they progressed to glitter.  I'm not sure who invented glitter, but I've thought of some fairly creative means of torture for them if I ever find out.  And beads- the little plastic beads that are placed very carefully on to a plastic mold and then ironed into a design.  The inventor of those deserves extra special torture.  How about a gift of 1, 000,000 of those babies with four kids to go along?

But, silly putty has to be the worst.  I thought we had "lost" all of our silly putty a while back.  But, apparently the little girls found some.  Before we left for the beach last week, Ashlyne had managed to get it stuck on her shorts and on the couch.  Kathryne creatively tried some alcohol based hand cleaner on it, and we were able to get most of it out.  After coming home from the beach, Rachel has managed to get it on a gown and a robe.  I just don't know where it is still coming from!  It's like they have a secret stash in their room or something.

So, I think I'm ready to morph into the uncool, craft hating mother.  Family members take note:  no crafts for Christmas!  Bah Humbug!

Bible in 90 Days Kick-off

Tomorrow is the big day.  Reading through the Bible in 90 days will begin again.  I am reading along with Mom's Toolbox again. I am very excited to read through again and finish in 90 days.  I'll be mentoring again this time, and I will head up a team of mentors.

If you've ever thought about reading the Bible through in 90 days, I would recommend that you go for it!  It is definitely a blessing!  As I read through, I'll be posting what I'm reading about and my thoughts.

And we're off!

Menu Plan Monday

We are going to have some company from out of town this week, and Charles and Jason are leaving on Friday at noon for a missions trip, so I made sure to have all my ducks in a row for meal planning this week.

Monday: BBQ chicken in the crockpot; mac and cheese; peas

Tuesday: Sub sandwiches; chips; fruit

Wednesday: Pizza in a Pot (from the Molly Digest)

Thursday: Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak; rice; corn

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
• ¹⁄₂ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ¹⁄₄ cup milk
• ¹⁄₄ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (1 ounce) packet dry au jus mix
• ³⁄₄ cup water

Directions | Numbered...

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, and milk using your hands. Shape into 8 patties.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the patties in flour just to coat, and quickly brown on both sides in the hot skillet. Place browned patties into the slow cooker stacking alternately like a pyramid. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, au jus mix, and water. Pour over the meat. Cook on the Low setting for 4 or 5 hours, until ground beef is well done.

Friday: Take the girls out to supper.

Saturday:  Leftovers and sandwiches

Review of July's Molly's Digest

Even though I am a stay-at-home mom, I am most definitely not a homemaker.  I need all the help I can get.  For months now, I've been considering a Molly Membership from Econobusters.  So, I was more than thrilled to have a chance to join the review team for the Molly Digests.

July's digest is all about babies- Molly Saves in the Nursery.  There are ideas for hosting a frugal baby shower, an article about getting pet medications for less, a comparison of different types of diapers, treatment ideas for rashes of all kinds, tips for making the most of your blender, and much more.  As this was my first Molly's Digest, I was excited to see a monthly meal idea, calendar printables, and printable recipe cards.

Seeing that the issue was all about nursery things, I was a little disappointed.  I'm beyond the baby stage, so I wasn't sure how applicable this month's digest might be for me.  Happily, I didn't need to worry.  There were some great ideas for throwing a baby shower inexpensively.  I was amazed at the pictures from the shower that only cost around $50 to put on.  I was also excited to see the ideas for homemade baby gifts- especially since there were some that didn't require sewing.

The monthly meal idea is something I know I will look forward to every month.  This month's main dish- Pizza in a Pot- looks yummy and kid friendly. The forms, printables, and links section will also be a favorite I am sure.  This month's section included some great links for things to make for the nursery and the printable monthly calendars.

I was very pleased with my first month's digest.  I'm amazed that the digest is only $4.95 to purchase individually from The Old Schoolhouse.  There is definitely enough content here to make the ebook well worth that!  You can also check out the Econobuster's website for more information about the Molly Digests.

No, I Haven't Fallen Off the Edge of the World

I have been conspicuously absent from all social media this week.  It is not, I assure you, out of a deliberate choice to refrain from all computer activity.  It was simply a lack of internet access.

Back in the "good old days"- at least five or six years ago- I wouldn't have thought much of anything of being without the internet for a week or more.  My email inbox was usually more empty than full, blogging was not yet in my vocabulary, and only crazy, yuppie college kids were on Facebook. But now things are different.  And when I found myself at the beach this week without the usual available pirated wireless link, I panicked.

The past few years, I have been able to "share" a wireless network with the neighbors at the house where we stay.  By pointing my computer out the window and holding my nose just right, I could pick up a pretty decent signal and at least check my email and shoot out a quick blog post.  But, this year, when I happily took out my laptop upon arrival to let all my facebook friends know I was safely away on vacation while they were tailing away at home, I was shocked. The new neighbors had wireless alright, but it was password protected!  How dare they protect their wireless network and not share with me!

Needless to say, I went into immediate withdrawal.  I did have two brief afternoon trips to Atlanta Bread Company to check email, but I didn't think my family would appreciate my sitting in the restaurant for most of our beach trip.  So, I was sadly disconnected from the greater world this week.

After a loooong car ride yesterday, we are thankfully home again and settled in.  So, while I wash my mountain of beach laundry, I plan to catch up today with all my blogging friends, my facebook friends, and my email list.

Welcome home to me!