(These pictures were taken just before we took off for the lake this past weekend.)

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Since I wrote last, I have -

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Friday we spent the day as a family doing yard work and cleaning house.  For the most part, Dad and the two oldest kids worked outside, and Mom and the 2 younger ones cleaned inside.  When we left for the lake later that day, our house looked sparkling clean, and our ranch looked great. It was overdue for a good cutting.

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We spent the weekend at the lakehouse.  We attended a special event that I took tons of pictures - I am working on posting and putting a blog together.  Coming soon!

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When we got home Sunday night, I picked bowls of raspberries.  They tasted great on my blueberry granola cereal I had this morning.  I added peaches and poured on raw goat milk (from my daughter's goat farm.)  Delicious!

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Monday we had a terrific school day.  If you have been following my blog for sometime, than you know that I love Monday's!  I even have a special file on my side-bar labeled, 'Mondays'.  It's a day that I spend time at home and plan no outside activities.  I run no errands.  I spend a lot of time teaching and reading with my kids. 

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The kids picked 3 bags of apples behind the crib barn.  Well, they didn't exactly "pick."  I told them to just get the ones off the ground.  The ones we wouldn't eat go to the horses and the chickens, and the ones that still look great, go to us.  I have a big bag of good apples waiting for me to do something with them. 

I tried a new recipe and everyone loved it.  It's definitley something I'll repeat very soon.

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Chicken and Rice

I had a huge chicken breast in my freezer (already cooked and ready to go.)  Perhaps it was from my roosters a year ago?  I cut up the meat - this huge breast gave me 4 cups of white chicken meat.  2 cups went into this recipe, and 2 cups went back into the freezer for next Monday night when I make this again.

I put some brown rice in the steamer in the afternoon.  3 cups went into this recipe, the other 3 cups went into the refrigerator for another meal this week.

To the rice and chicken, I added:

1 cup of sour cream

1 onion

1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix

1 can of Cream of Chicken Mushroom Soup

I stirred all of this together, and put it into a greased pyrex dish.  I sprinkled on top Durkee French Fried Onion Rings.  I baked it for 45 minutes at 350. 

This recipe was a hit.  Everyone loved it, even dad and the boys - the litmus test of a good recipe!

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Today, we had a good morning in school; the ferrier came and trimmed our horses hooves; we had a terrific lunch of fresh garden cucumbers, (from my brother's garden); tomatoes (from our ferrier's garden); Hickory bacon from the Amish.  My mom arrived in time for lunch (she comes Tuesday through Thursday every week to help me with homeschool.)

In the afternoon, I had biology class with Rachel; took a mini nap on the couch; exercised; got the green beans (from Margie's garden) trimmed and cleaned (with lots of Rachel's help); and got cleaned up before dh arrived home.

Now, it's time for dinner. I've had beef stew simmering all day so there was no time involved in making supper (I prepared it yesterday when I made the chicken and rice.) 

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This picture was taken (this past weekend) at a favorite little dinky restaurant that we go to on the weekends when were at the lake.  They serve the best "Huckleberry Pancakes."

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We have a very spontaneous family - mostly because we have a very spontaneous daddy! After dinner, Bob  asked Grandma if she'd like to go for ice cream.  She started to say, 'no', but, the children  altered her answer very quickly knowing what dad might be up to.  When she answered in the affirmative (with the help of her grandchildren prompting her on), we all jumped in the car, and off we went for ice cream. 

I think this is the quickest a picture has ever gone from my camera to my pc to photobucket and then to my blog.  This pic  was just taken a few hours ago.