Tomorrow my sister is having a housewarming party for us! I am trying to get all ready and I got my camera back so I will try to take some pictures and post them!
This morning, it was kind of funny, I had loaded up my tires to go and get my snow tires changed off finally and guess what? Yep.....it was snowing!!! It did not stop until after I got them off and new ones on! I ended up having to buy two new tires which was sort of a unexpected expense, but I am glad it was not all four.
Last night I attended a fundraiser for a mission trip to Czech Republic that several teens and adults are going on this summer. It was alot of fun to attend and they had a great speaker, good food, and a silent auction. I actually won something I bid on! I got 5 brand new books, a coffee mug and $20 gift card to a local resteraunt for $20 and a set of pretty pictures and vinyl wall lettering that says "Give Thanks" with a wooden thank you turkey for $7. I hope it helped them out some as I am going to have fun with it, if I ever get time again to read without snatching a sentence here and a sentence there!
Here is a link to some stuff about the trip in case you would like to read about it! It was really interesting!
I am also going to be part of a couple of blog tours in the next couple weeks! This one, Whisper of Freedom (Third book in Tricia Goyer's series), I am in the middle of reading right now and I am really enjoying it and wishing I had nothing else to do but curl up with it! Soccer gives me time to do some of the reading....It will be a bit different blog tour and I am looking forward to it as it is a MEME, not just the same old thing on everyones site!
I also have a couple other ones too! Anyhow, back to work!
Oh well!
Wednesday: Chili and cornbread (I did not get my beans done in time yesterday so they cooked longer and I made Burger Bundles and rice for dinner last night instead)
Thursday: Penne and garlic bread, salad (Thursday will be very busy, so I have to start the sauce in the morning simmering. I got Wheat french bread discounted and Penne for .50 so it will be a cheap dinner)
Friday: Crockpot soup/Bread
Saturday: Beef and broccoli Stir Fry/ Rice
Sunday: Fettucine/ salad
Monday: Black Bean Burritos
Tuesday: Minestrone soup/ Homemade rolls
It is sort of going to be alot of pasta this week, but that is what I got cheap this week.
Spring is blooming and it is warming up here! F. mowed the grass this morning which I think we need to add some grass seed maybe so it is not all weeds, but I will have to learn about that! We got most of our school done today! I am still not finding everything since we moved as some is still in boxes, but hopefully this week it will be done! The basement and garage yet as well as painting the living room and bedroom.
I went through all the boys clothes today though as they all grew suddenly! It is amazing how it seems like it happens overnight!
We had a really nice weekend, it was busy, but a friend of ours got married and we got to go to the wedding. I had to carpool and since I was just going to be gone for about 4 hours, F. took care of all the boys and I went. It was a full wedding so it was better that way! It was so nice to see old friends and catch up on where everyone has been. There were some friends that it had been a really long time since we had seen them so that was nice too!
Sunday morning, I was making some stuff and heated up the oven and missed seeing a clear plastic container in the back! I spent a good part of the morning getting it off my oven rack! 'Oops!" I don't like to keep things in the oven for that reason and it annoys me to have to take things out before baking! I went to church, then we had a meal, then to another church service. I also met with the parents of a baby who are maybe going to have me babysit their infant! She is only 10 weeks old and so tiny! The boys love babies and I guess she loves noise, so that is good! It will just be two days a week, so it will add a little income too.
So, when I finally went to bed, I had forgotten to take T. to the bathroom before he fell asleep, when I do that, I usually just take him, but I was so tired I forgot and he woke up having to go and crawled in bed with me instead since he was so tired.....yep.....we were changing sheets at 4 am. Thankfully I had put the rubber mat on my bed just in case, so no damage!
Here are a couple of snacks for after school or in between schooltime that I thought sounded good. I found these in a Brown Bag cookbook I have, but have not tried them yet!
Peanutty Dip
1/2 a 6 oz can of orange juice concentrate
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. plain yogurt
Let orange juice stand at room temp. about 10 min. Mix peanut butter and yogurt together, add juice. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Serve with sliced fresh fruit.
Nutty Bites
1 small package cream cheese
2-3 T. chopped nuts
1 grated carrot (if desired)
6 slices raisin bread
Mix cheese and nuts (carrot if desired)
Spread on bread, cut into triangles
Another favorite I have is Celery with peanut butter with dried cranberries on top! i also made some cookies that were really good. Pumpkin Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Everyone liked them, but they made 10 dozen cookies and they were gone in one day! I will post that recipe next I think.
If you would like to visit the blog It is called Recipe Fiend
I got the kitchen cleaned some, the basement is straightened, but not totally. I got alot done without going anywhere today! It was so nice to stay home!
Anyhow, we have more painting, but I am not sure when we will get it done.
I have the paint for the living room, but it is a large room so F. is not looking forward to painting it. I have a bunch of curtains to figure out too. Anyone know how to make curtains on a window that are sort of on a corner?
There were no amazing deals to be gotten for me today, in fact it felt a little odd at the stores today. Prices have been rising and I expect that with the gas prices, but it was odd finding something things just not there.... I am sure there is not going to be huge problem, but it makes me thankful for the extra food I have. At one store there was almost no vegetables on sale!!
I went to Costco and there was no rice, no beans, no bananas (and it sounds like those will be hit and miss as the quality has been bad).... the other store that had cheap pasta was almost all gone and weird stuff like that. I always have sort of felt like food shortages are made up, and I still do, but this was weird feeling.
I did join this thing that I think is a great thing for these problems. It is a local barter program that has been organized and set up here in the valley. There is all kinds of stuff from trading fruits and vegetables and haircuts to lawyer services! It is pretty amazing! It is a really neat thing, and I would encourage everyone to check it out, I will post the website sometime.
Menu:
Wednesday: Chicken and rice soup/bread
Thursday: Bierocks
Friday: Black Beans and Rice/ salad
Saturday: Oven Round Steak/ baked potatoes
Sunday: Chicken and Rice casserole
Monday: Potato pancakes/ applesauce
Tuesday: Chili/ cornbread
I am feeling slightly overwhelmed, but the boys helped me tonight and cleaned up their mess in the basement. I need to get things all organized, some more shelves in the basement in the laundry room so I can put some storage on them. I have some extra food that I want to put down there.
it felt like alot of money to spend!
It was warm here today finally and I got some clothes dry on my new clothesline! It is so nice! They smelled so good and fresh!
Anyhow, I am once again totally brain dead, so not thinking real clearly about posting!
i have a long list tomorrow to accomplish! I want to work on organizing the toy room and office.....we'll see!
There are so many things going on in the world, the state and then just in our own little families right now, I just feel like we need to be in prayer alot.
This week was very nice, there was alot of spiritual battles within me though too.
We have alot to do this next few days, once again, but I am very glad I got home safely.
We took care of my sister's dog yesterday, it is funny to watch how our family would be with a dog. My husband does not really like animals, or so he says, he was so worried about the poor dog, in the cold, making sure it was okay, going potty etc. and the first thing he said when he woke up "Did anyone take care of the dog?"!!! the boys enjoyed running around with him outside too, even though it was 25 degrees out there! We got a few inches of snow yesterday and a dusting last night, I hope it warms up a bit!
I am hoping to find a bunch of food deals at the amish store this week and stock up my pantry. The boys have been eating more, are on a growth spurt or I am just tired and it seems like food is going quick! I would love to get some sun dried tomatoes if I can find them as I like them in salad!
P. has his 10th birthday here too which here is a picture of his ice cream cake.

The pile of boxes started out small!
Then it got bigger!!!
AND BIGGER!
Moving is very messy!
And people still have to eat! 
Little boys still needed baths

But we finally made it! Our first day here!

It is an adventure to get the couch inside. It was my sister, F. and I, but we did it!
This is our new dining room.....
This is our living room
The boys playing on the rope swing in the yard! We have made it into a tire swing now.

Anyhow, I will post more pictures, there is still boxes everywhere and things are still messy, so excuse the messes in the dining room and yard!
Menu Plan:
Tuesday: Baked Potato Soup- crackers
Wednesday: Taco Pie (It was supposed to be, but after a very tiring day ended up, PB and J sandwiches, yogurt and leftover soup)
Thursday: Taco Pie
Friday: Cabbage rolls (in the crockpot), mashed potatoes
Saturday: BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, coleslaw
Sunday: Black beans and rice, salad
Monday: Burritos (made with leftover beans etc)
Tuesday: Meatball sandwiches (I have homemade meatballs in the freezer, and will make a pot of sauce)
So, hopefully that is good?
I have been grocery shopping, but not seriously for the last couple weeks so this was my first good trip in awhile. We did try to be frugal even though it was harder, but some wonderful people brought us dinner too. I discovered my third son, who is very picky, loves Sloppy Joes and baby carrots. He ate like three of them and he does not eat!!! The homemade ones are not too bad for him either! I just cannot tell him there is tomato juice in it or he will cease to eat it, I am afraid!
Whole chickens were .58 a pound so I got a couple of those.
We did our first real whole school day today, although i have not found my second son's math book, but we had it last week so it should be here, so he was a little lacking, but my oldest did a good school day and we went to the library.
I am hoping to get H. reading level up so that next school year so he is reading really easily.
I read some interesting books this past while. Two books stood out to me that were juvenile historical fiction.
One was called Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson
If you follow the link, there is a teacher's guide to the book. It was a great historical book talking about the time period, the winter of 1912 when all the workers were on strike at the textile plants. It was well written, I felt and a easy read for a 5th-8th grader.
The other was called Captain Kate by Carolyn Reeder
It was very interesting to me as I had not read much about this way of transporting goods with a mule boat.
It did have the young lady who had a bad attitude towards her family and she does something without telling her mother, but through it realizes it was wrong, her attitude, doing that without telling her mom etc. so I felt it was excellently done. The history was great! It again, would be great for 5th-8th grader. There is also a teacher's guide for it, if you follow the link (click on teacher's guide)
I am getting alot of running in, up and down the stairs it seems! It can really give you a workout! I love stairs for this reason, I tend to run up and down them, which may be why I broke my foot once on stairs, but hey, these are carpeted and not so steep!! 
We are trying to get settled, I just got my stove hooked up yesterday so the past two weeks have been without a stove! I got really adventerous though and cooked alot in the microwave. It was fun! Did you know you can cook rice in the microwave really well? It cooks really nice and even, very fluffy, if it boils over, then you just wash off the tray!!! F. and I were trying to hook up our water to the fridge, but gave up for tonight! The dryer is hooked up too, we have a phone now, internet, most of shelves got finished today.....so what will I do with myself? We are back to normal, maybe? Anyhow, I am hoping to post pictures too, so if anyone is still checking here, they will enjoy them!
~ Faith Is The Victory ~
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.
His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
Refrain
On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
[tag]Salvation[/tag]’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ‘neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
Refrain
To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be given.
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heaven
Then onward from the hill of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conquering Name.
Refrain
This is one of my favorite Hymns and I was thinking about it today! Yesterday we closed on our house, partially! We signed all the papers, but the seller did not have everything in order and we have to wait to actually record it on Monday hopefully. It sort of sets us back a bit, but hopefully everything turns out okay. We are also having a odd thing happen with our van which we are trying to figure out, so it all very faith building.
Today is a busy day of soccer and I am a little overtired, so I may end up sitting a bit more than cheering! A friend of F. is coming to look at the van in between, but we cannot all fit into the car to go so it poses more juggling...
Last night L. swallowed something, but we finally figured out what it was and it was not bad so I think he is fine. It made it a little more exciting as I went to the store and my cell phone died. Everyone was a little concerned when I got home!
I will try to post some more pictures pretty soon, I packed the battery charger now though!
I should take some pictures of how messy it has been here lately, with trying to empty out cupboards, drawers and shelves so many things have no place to go so they are just all over! There are piles of boxes all over also and cooking is getting increasingly difficult as I pack stuff I think I will not need! One good thing to know, I really use most of the things I own almost everyday! I pack them and pretty much have missed them, even my books! I realized we do not own alot of extras! When i was buying house insurance and they give you over $100K to replace your belongings, I wondered if I have stuff worth that much. It seems like maybe 10K would replace most stuff, maybe I am just blind though! Our new house is insured as of Friday though!!
Anyhow, our menu will look a little different this week. I am trying to make sure that I have enough stuff so I am going to try to bake some things for the days ahead!
Menu for this week:
Wednesday: Pasta and meatballs with ricotta (I have meatballs in the freezer, sauce and ricotta from last week)
Thursday: Ham, mashed potatoes, applesauce and salad (Ham bought last week, salad stuff and potatoes)
Friday: Cheesy Scalloped potatoes and ham in crockpot (Have everything)
Saturday: Bean soup in crockpot (have everything) Bread in bread machine
Sunday: Overnight egg bake with sausage or ham (have eggs, sausage and ham)
Monday: Potato soup in crock pot, salad (Have potatoes, celery, bacon, sour cream etc and salad stuff)
Tuesday: Pizza store bought, I have a feeling I cannot cook much! Probably leftovers too!
I would like to try to this meat roll on a friend's blog Slavian Meat Roll
It will probably have to wait for next week or the following week!
Shopping List:
Mozzarella cheese
Milk
Bread
Lunch meat if I can find it cheap for fast easy lunches- maybe turkey ham
Applesauce
Paper plates, bowls and plastic silverware
Ketchup
Pasta
Bananas
I am planning on lots of sandwiches and leftovers for lunch and cereal for breakfast.
We'll see how this works out! Hopefully I remember to get the dinner in the crockpot before the day starts. Any ideas on how to streamline that?
By Tricia Goyer
Review written by Martha Artyomenko
I read this book the other night. I usually never read marriage books. I find they either have one-size fit all approach or they leave me feeling dissatisfied with my married life.
As part of the review, I am supposed to pick one chapter and share how it made a difference in my marriage, so as I am reading away, I keep thinking to myself “This is the chapter I will have to write about.” Then I would read the next chapter and think to myself “This is the chapter I am going to have to write about!”
Well, it was hard to pick a chapter that I can see means the most to me or the one that can really make a difference in my marriage, not because this book did not do anything for me, but it is one of the more interesting marriage books that did not feel like a marriage book, but more like a hard hitting good talk with a good friend.
I was born in 1978, so I am on the younger end of Generation- X. I grew up without dating; I went to public school for driver’s education and otherwise was homeschooled or went to private school. So, the music I listened to tended to be the stuff my mom and dad liked which was eclectic mix of Keith Green, The Beatles, classical music and then a few musical movie records. I did not watch much TV at all, and when I was 17, watched the most I ever had with my Great-grandfather, when I watched Saved by the Bell, gave me an informative speech on why it was not a show that taught you about respecting those in authority and how they were trying to teach bad values while watching a funny show. Anyhow, so probably most of the TV, music and movie references went over my head, but I could really relate to the values we have had taught to us, even though I was not part of the normal sort of life, I still am part of this generation.
So, which chapter has impacted my marriage and me the most?
I have to say the one that really made me sit up and think was “Dirty Laundry- Everyday stuff of life” (Chapter 9)
I was like so many girls that figured when I gave in to the idea of marriage that romance was just an automatic part of it. I knew how to run a house, I was in charge of meals at home for 17 people before I got married, and I knew how to cook, clean, wash clothes and all that good stuff. But I was taken for a loop when I got married. I was very ill when I got married, more so than I realized and was very weak and sick for the entire first year as well as getting pregnant after 2 months of marriage, combined with morning sickness, that lasted for 9 months. I found out my husband could not speak English as well as I thought he could and my Russian was not very good. The practical part of marriage was much harder than I thought. We were living in a mobile home for that first year. My Mother-in-law came over and was going to teach me how to cook Russian food. We made three very large pans of food. It was good, but we ate it for a week and still had most of it left. That was not up to par for my mother-in-law. My decorating style was not right either; she chose these large presidential style blue drapes for the front window, with lace curtains in back of them, in case a small amount of sunlight wanted through, it would stop it. I told her kindly, I thought, but we just kept the lace ones, with tiebacks. We had a rug in our living room, which attracted all kinds of lint, and even if you just vacuumed, it seemed there was still something there.
I really related to the short comment here:
My husband came from a very traditional home, - my mother-in-law had a degree in home economics from an Ivy League college. Talk about intimidating! She has always stayed home. I cannot compete with Betty Crocker, and I really don’t want to either. I am not cut from that cloth. But it has created tension in our marriage because I feel my husband is trying to stuff me into his mother’s mold or compares me and finds me lacking- often subconsciously.
- Cara born 1974 Indiana married eleven years
This chapter has and will make a difference in my life as I do the six steps Tricia lays out for us here.
1. I thank God for my role -“This makes me think of something a friend once said to me “God cursed Eve by giving her pain in childbirth. God cursed Adam telling him he had to make a living from the earth by the sweat of his brow. Eve must have not thought her curse was bad enough as she on Adam’s too.” Quote from Page 101 “Everyday stuff of life”
2. I ask for help. – “John cannot read my mind. What a concept!! I remember spending days cleaning the house, cooking, answering the phone and stewing (in my emotions, not my Crock-pot) Why? Because amid my mad scramble John would walk in, give me a kiss, and immediately head to the back room to hang out with the kids in front of the TV. At dinnertime, when my eyes brimmed over with tears, he would ask, “Honey, what is wrong?” “You should know what you did wrong!!” I would fume. But of course he didn’t.” Quote from page 102
3. I focus on my family- “ Will life really fall apart if I leave the dishes in the sink overnight?” I do not want to pass up making a memory to clean the kitchen that will be dirty again tomorrow.” Quote from page 103
4. I will make a plan and stick to it- “”Not having a plan sets myself up for failure.” Quote from page 104
5. I will remember that rigid people are brittle and break easily- “I try to be flexible in my expectations. I also try not to fret over the little things, especially when they do not meet my standards.” Quote from page 104
6. I can turn to God when I feel discontent and unsatisfied- “Can I glorify God by serving my spouse? I believe the answer is yes.” Quote from page 104
In conclusion, I would have to say this is a marriage book that has and will change my outlook on marriage especially in the everyday matters. It does not matter that I cannot live up to my Mother-in-law’s expectations. I am thanking God for my role as a wife, I will ask for help and communicate, I will focus on my family, I will follow a plan, I will not be rigid, and I will turn to God!
I thought it was interesting I was reading this at this time of year, as we are soon to have our 11th wedding anniversary. It gave me new resolutions to follow, encouraged me to reach out, love, respect and be joyful in the place God has given me!
Thank you, Tricia for this hard hitting good talk!
- Tricia Goyer is the author of 12 books of fiction and non-fiction, including the Gold Medellion finalist “Life interrupted” Tricia writes for Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks numerous times each year to women’s groups and has been a workshop presenter at MOPS national convention. Generation Next Marriage is a companion book to Generation Next Parenting. Tricia and her husband, John, live with their family in Northwestern Montana. Check out her blog here for links and leave a comment on her blog to be entered in to a drawing each week. Also, she has a great contest going on related to this topic of marriage, where you can win all sorts of great prizes!
Share your story and WIN a dinner for TWO to the restaurant of your choice! ($50 maximum)
Tell us the story of how you and your spouse met. If you have photos, send those along, too!
The winning story will be the one with the most comments...so tell your friends. A winning story will be chosen at the end of the blog tour and will be published in Tricia's monthly newsletter! (Just think, you'll be famous! Contest Entry Form
Also, check out this blog for the complete blog tour! GenX parenting blog
I took this morning, the day after the first day of spring, but then I remembered, it has to snow on the first day of spring or the day after or it would not be MT! The weather changes very fast around here as it has been cold, blowing, snowing all day and now I just glanced out as I am writing this and the sun is shining!!!

I was not quite ready for winter to go away yet, so it was one last minute reminder for me!
Find insurance quote and mail to loan officerCopy certificate of first time home buyers class and mail to same personPack cupboard above laundryGo through old knitting magazines
Wash light fixture bowls in kitchen- Make dinner- pizza or lasagna, maybe both and keep the lasagna in the freezer for next week.
- File papers in office
- Clean off table in office
- Organize drawer in desk
- Get rid of some of the stuff in van-some is gone
- Shop for new fridge and stove- I have been reading consumer reports etc. I could use advice
- Pack more boxes- continual job of which I have done some today, so can't really cross it off
Bathe boys- three out of four are done.
Take pictures of magazine to sell, upload, re-size and transferClean out under plastic bag drawerCall plumber and Electrician and schedule work for houseSend phone # to friend for summer lawn jobAdvertise on bartering site doula service
If anyone has advice on buying fridges or stoves, let me know. I am looking for a basic gas range and basic fridge with water filter I think for a family of 6.
Wednesday: Chicken vegetable soup/ homemade bread
Thursday: Pizza- salad (have to use up the cheese)
Friday: Haystacks (I'll make the meat and beans in the crockpot)
Saturday: Potato Soup- Muffins
Sunday: Hopefully we will be eating dinner elsewhere, but for lunch we will have leftover soup
Monday: Cabbage Rolls, mashed potatoes
Tuesday: Cheeseburger and French Fry casserole, salad
For lunches this week we are planning on leftovers, sandwiches and hot dogs.
I cut the sugar down on the original recipe, so they were rich, but not too sweet. I also used some dark chocolate chips in them. These are for sure not good for you, but a special treat. I had cream cheese that I had bought way back cheap so that was the only way to make these! They are kind of like a cheesecake.
Peanut Butter Brownies (Quick Cooking 2001)
3 eggs
1 c. butter melted
2 t. vanilla
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. baking cocoa (I used some Russian cocoa that my MIL gave me)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
Filling:
2 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz. each)
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. sugar (I cannot remember if I put this in!!)
1 egg
2 T. milk
In large mixing bowl mix together eggs, butter and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Add to egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside 1 c. for topping. Spread the rest in a greased 9x 13 pan. In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar until smooth. Add egg and milk beating just until combined. Carefully spread over batter in pan. Drop remaining reserved batter over top in tablespoons. Cut through batter with knife to swirl. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min. or until center comes out clean. Cool before cutting. Keep in fridge before serving. Yield 3 dozen.
Everyone really liked them!
