If I can find a way to make something raw I usually go that route first. Raw is best since the living food provides enzymes for your body. So here is a recipe I came up with for raw applesauce. As usual I don't measure as I go. I just throw things in, whatever looks good, or sounds good and I eyeball the quantities of things I add. So these are estimations you can adjust ingredients according to your own tastes. Use organic whenever possible.
Crazy Cinnamon Applesauce (Raw)
4 Golden Delicious apples
4 Macintosh
2 Granny Smith
3/4 cup of Purified water
1/2 cup of Unrefined Cane Crystals like Florida Cane Crystals
1 tsp of Ground cinnamon more or less to taste
Dash of clove powder
1/2 of a Freshly ground whole nutmeg
1 Squirt of lemon juice or 1/2 of a lemon squeezed into mixture
If you want to try a different flavor try adding some pureed strawberries or pureed peaches, feel free to try whatever flavor you enjoy most. You can even try making watermelon flavored applesauce, just add some fresh watermelon to your apple mixture but add less water since watermelon is so watery. If you come up with some unique flavors please do share with the rest of us! I am always game to try new recipes!
I have a Blendtec but any powerful blender will do. A Vitamix, a Champ, a Bosch all of these will work. I am sure other blenders would work too but you would have to break up the recipe I am sure and do it in portions in order for your blender to be able to handle the load.
I put the water into the blender first. If you are using unorganic apples be sure to peel them. If you use organic you can leave the peels on if you wish. You get more fiber and health that way. Be sure to remove the cores from the apples and cut the apple into pieces. Add them to the blender after the water. Now add your cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sugar cane crystals and lemon juice. Now blend it all until smooth. If it is too thick add a bit more water if it is too thin add another apple. Add additional water very slowly so that your mixture does not become too watery. After you blend it until it is smooth. Serve in a small cup. Your family will ask for seconds!!!
Enjoy! Here's to good health!
Dearest Lord,
Thank you so much for the gift of living foods. Ones we can benefit from and feed our body with. Your love for us never seems to amaze me! In Jesus name I pray! Amen~
It has been cold and windy here lately! True fall weather has arrived! So today I decided to make a bean soup and somehow ended up concocting a root stew with some beans in it. Following is the recipe for those who would like to try it. Remember we are a large family so you will have to probably cut this recipe in half or make the whole thing and freeze some to use later. Remember to use organic whenever possible!
Radical Root Stew with Beans 12-14 Cups of purified water and then add Better than Boullion according to directions or use any broth powder without MSG. I always add extra I like it very flavorful. Or you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth already prepared whichever you prefer.
4 Cups of cooked beans (I mixed lentils, pinto, great northern and barley)(you can make your own beans or used can)
3 Medium to large peeled parsnips chopped
1 Large turnip peeled and chopped
4 Large carrots peeled and chopped
3 Large russett potatoes peeled and chopped
1 Large onion peeled and chopped very thin
3-4 Large celery stalks washed and chopped thin
1 Can of milder Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (the rotel tomatoes have a little kick to them already, even the milder ones do, so by using the ones with green chilies added to them makes it a little extra spicy. Use the mild rotel tomatoes without the chilies if you don't want the extra kick)
1 large can of Yams chopped or you can cook your own (bake them and then peel them and chop them up)
2 Bay leaves
6 Shakes of thyme leaves (if the container has large holes if not use approx 2 tsps)
Parmesean cheese
Fill a pot with water or already prepared broth. If you use water add your broth powder or better than boullion and blend well. Let it come to a boil. Now add your carrots, parsnips, celery, turnips, potatoes, onion, bay leaves and thyme leaves. Let it boil on low for approx 20 minutes. Now add your rotel tomatoes, cooked beans and cooked yams chopped. Let it simmer for approx another 15-20 minutes so all the flavors blend. Now serve in a bowl, and top it with freshly grated parmesean cheese and serve with homemade whole grain rolls or store bought and a nice big Ceasar Salad. (Go to my recipe archives to get the recipe for the dressing)
Enjoy!!!
Dearest Lord,
I thank you for the many flavors you have given to us in the wonderful world of roots and vegetables! It is a true blessing! In Jesus name I pray! Amen~
Today’s topic At the Well – In Pursuit of Titus 2, the creator of the meme, Chelsey, is our host and the topic is Keeping Your Home! I LOVE this subject!
Do you keep a neat and tidy home?
Just ask Mark, I am a borderline Obsessive Compulsive cleaner and organizer! I LOVE to clean! I LOVE to organize and keep a neat and tidy abode! Yes, I know…hate me, but it’s true. I do not care to cook (I would love a personal chef), but I do love to clean and organize. So, yes, I do keep a neat and tidy home.
Now, do I think that everyone’s home should be as neat and tidy as another’s? No. I think that we all have certain gifts and talents in the area of home management. Our individuals strengths will stand out and our talents will shine through. However, I do believe that a certain amount of orderliness brings a sense of peace to the home. If disorderliness and clutter abounds, peace cannot abound. A certain sense of cleanliness and organization is in order for us to be successful keepers of the home. Your home does not need to be picture perfect, but it should be generally picked up.
If so, what do you do to keep on top of this? Schedules? Routines? If you have children at home, do they get involved?
To answer these questions, I will refer to an earlier post of mine on my blog….
The most-asked question our larger-than-average family gets is this: "How do you handle all those kids AND homeschool?" Well, to be completely honest, we probably get the "How many kids do you plan on having anyway?" one even more often, but you'll have to ask God for the answer to that one. :) I, however, will attempt to explain how we do all that we do with soon-to-be 8 kids, all while keeping the peace and order in our humble abode! So, here we go!
Mark and I have 7 kids (#8 on the way) ages: 16, 9, 7, 6, 4, 3, and 1. Below is our usual schedule, but with a baby, toddlers and life in general this can all change at a moments notice. Overall, I like having a schedule so that the kids know what to expect and when, but I do NOT let it rule me. It's just a guide. It helps tremendously that we school year-round! It allows for extended holiday breaks and breaks throughout the year when I feel "burnout" coming. :) I am also a firm believer that just because a schedule works well for one family it might not work well for another, so keep that in mind when trying to create one of your own!
Our Schedule
7:00 - wake-up, make bed, tidy up rooms, put away night clothes and eat
7:45 - kitchen chores (95% done by children) and teeth brushed
8:00 - seatwork (kids sit at kitchen table and do math/language/typing)
9:00 - older kids teach younger ones preschool (it is really neat to have the older ones learn to teach their siblings...it develops their abilities in so many ways!)
9:30 or 10:00 - finish seatwork
Whenever seatwork is done - Mystery of History, Bible, Science (to see curricula it's on the right hand side of my blog) and Ellie naps
12:00 or 12:30 - Lunch and wake Ellie
After lunch - outside play time/educational games/reading/educational DVD's or YouTube unit studies (this varies according to my whim...ha)
2:30 - Julia and Ellie (2 1/2 and 8 months) nap
4:00 - Kids are inside and doing their afternoon chores
5:00 - Get ready for Daddy's homecoming (vacuum, set table, ready dinner, etc.) and wake Julia and Ellie
Dinner
Kitchen Cleanup by kids while Mark and I discuss our days (this is GREAT therapy for Mommy)
Nighttime routine is here, although we have added family worship to this, which is directed by Daddy. He reads a few verses, asks the kids what they think it means and asks for life application of that verse. Then we sing a few songs and pray before bed. That takes about 10-15 minutes at the most and that has been a WONDERFUL addition!
When do you feel as though you've actually ACCOMPLISHED all that you need to accomplish?
I would say that I feel as though I have accomplished everything I needed to accomplish if I have homeschooled the kids, done at least 2 loads of laundry, done some everyday chores (dusting, vacuuming, counter tops, general upkeep, etc.), prepared a good meal, had the kids learn life skills of some kind, and basically "worked at home" all day. It varies so greatly what I do each day that I would say that if I felt as though I have been a worker at home, according to Titus 2. I am to be loving my husband, loving my children and being busy at home. If I've done that to the best of my ability, then I've accomplished a lot. However, it can get monotonous and it can feel as though I haven't accomplished much, BUT drudgery is part of motherhood and that's all part of God's perfect plan. See this post! The Proverbs 31 is an ideal woman, accomplishing A LOT. I don't believe that any woman could accomplish all that she did every day, and we need to keep that in mind or we'll drive ourselves crazy! BUT Proverbs 31 is a GREAT outline to use overall!
1. Never leave a room empty-handed. Always return something to its proper place.
2. 30 second rule....If it takes less than 30 seconds to put away, do it immediately!
3. Have pick up time before Daddy gets home and before lunch time!
4. Teach kids to do chores and to pick up as they go (30 second rule with them, as well)
Any tips on how to get the kids to clean up after themselves?
As I've mentioned time and time again, we are big on "chore training". My kids all have chores. We use this age appropriate chore list as a guide. Our kids have chores as soon as they can crawl and they will pass them on to a younger sibling when the younger sibling is ready. The younger sibling will become the "apprentice" and the older becomes the "master or teacher". The younger will watch the older do the chore between 2 and 5 times before they attempt it themselves. Then they move onto doing the chore themselves, with the older one watching and instructing PROPERLY (no bossing allowed...Mommy's listening in). After about 2-5 times of the younger doing the chore under the older's supervision and instruction, the younger will do that chore on their own. From that point on, Mommy checks up on them randomly to see if it was completed properly. If it was not, then Mommy instructs the younger on how to correct it. Of course, age is always factored in.....I don't expect my two year old to wipe the table the way I would. BUT, they should be doing it to the best of their ability.
How old should a child be when they begin having chores?
Our kids start chores as soon as they can crawl, and although it's tedious to Mommy in the beginning, I've found that it pays off BIG TIME in the long run!!!
What does God think about chores? Shouldn't kids just be kids?
Unfortunately, today's society has taught us that life should be easy, kids should be kids, take the easy way out in life, but in all reality I can't find where it says any of that in Scripture. In fact, Scripture says that LEADERS and SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE will work hard! Shouldn't we be training up the future leaders of tomorrow's families and world?
Using the below Scriptures when teaching children about chores and hard work will mold their spirits now and train them for their futures! This is why we believe that children should regularly contribute to household maintenance.
*Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. Proverbs 12:24
*He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11
*All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23
*Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, asworking for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.Colossians 3:22-24
What are the consequences for not completing chores?
IF chores are not completed with a good attitude and without being asked/reminded, they will either have reading/play time deducted, be given extra chores, sent to time out, or in extreme cases - spanked (for direct disobedience/continued poor attitude). This system has worked really well and, honestly, we rarely have an issue with attitudes or chore completion. They know that Daddy and I mean business. They also are used to having chores, because they start doing chores as soon as they can walk. In fact, the older ones are so used to doing their chores and do them with a proper attitude that the younger ones CAN'T WAIT to go into an "apprenticeship" under the older ones to learn the chores! Now, yes, chores get repetitious, but they do get done with correct attitudes and without being told (the majority of the time, anyway - no one's perfect).
I hope this was of some help and an encouragement to you! May you all be WORKERS AT HOME and follow God and His Word in all you do!
Fall has arrived here in the Pacific NW and I love it! I love this time of year...the cool crisp air, fall colors, sweaters, fire in the fireplace.... I've decorated too and it looks like fall puked all over my house:)
We went to the fall home and garden show this weekend and had a good time. The kids got to paint pumpkins, get their faces painted and go through a hay maze. They also helped daddy collect business cards for work (he's in internet advertising). They are good little helpers and collected 170 business cards!
So I'm hoping to have a good week and stay on task! The kids started their classes at Camas River Home Link last week and love them. Micah and Kaylee are taking a piano class, Science class and Ice skating! It's so Fun! We are still trying to get Sage registered for his Science class...hopefully that will go through soon:)
I am working on staying balanced and focused on my priorities. I find myself distracted by things that are unnessisary and time consuming. I know it's the Devil trying to keep me from what's really important in-life! I heard a homeschool seminar by Cindy Rushton (who I LOVE by the way!) about not missing the little things! It really hit home! I may be home with the kids but I"m not always present...I get too busy with other things and I miss the little things! No wonder we are all so grouchy all the time. I don't want to miss it because before I know it they will be grown...time flies so fast!
Credited to Green Baker from a Freedmen's School, circa 1865
Three little words you often see
Are articles - an, a and the
A noun is the name of anything,
As school or garden, hoop or swing.
Adjectives tell the kind of noun,
As great, small, pretty, white or brown.
Instead of nouns the pronouns stand -
Her head, his face, your arm, my hand.
Verbs tell of something being done -
To read, count, laugh, sing, jump or run.
How things are done the adverbs tell,
As slowly, quickly, ill or well.
Conjunctions join the word together,
As men and women, wind or weather.
The prepositions stand before,
A noun, as in or through the door.
The interjections show surprise,
As Oh! How pretty! Ah! How wise!
The whole are called the nine parts of speech,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.
As we prepare to plant a church, I have to say the hardest thing so far has been the roller coaster ride that we've been on. The ups and downs have come in swells, and some days I'm completely overwhelmed and exhausted.
The other day we sold our pool, and as the man that bought it was taking it down, a part of me was sad as another item was leaving our home. Yet, my older boys were out there helping in any way they could. As I watched the man out the front window leave with the pool in the back of his truck, I wondered what else we would have to let go before it's all done. Feeling sorry for myself, I went to do dishes and looked out into the backyard expecting to see a "hole" where the pool used to be... but instead, I saw all of the kids (including the baby that had been brought out with his older sister) playing in the sand that had been placed under the pool to make sure it was level.
My four-year old came running into the kitchen out of breath and filled with excitement, "MO-O-O-O-M! We have a HU-U-U-U-GE sandbox! I've always wanted a sandbox!" Just as fast as he'd come, he was gone... leaving me standing there dumbfounded.
As I looked out the window again, I saw smiles on every face of my children... even the 12 year old. They had shovels and spoons, buckets and bowls and they were having a blast... and then it hit me. I had been so worried about letting that pool go, that I'd never given any thought to that sand that was underneath, or the fact that the kids have been asking for a sandbox for years.
And then... I thought about our life right now... and I wondered how many other things that I've been holding on to... when all the while the Lord has something better for me in mind... but I'm unwilling to let go. How many times have I missed the blessing that would come as a result of something else leaving? How many times have I thought that I knew better... instead of relying on Him to know what's best for me?
Things haven't been easy on this path toward church planting... I plan to share some of our amazing blessings and deep struggles over time... but for now... at this very moment, I'm promising God that I will praise Him when it's good... and I will praise Him when it's bad... from here on out no matter how hard that might be... because He is God, and none of my circumstances will ever change that or what He did for me because of His love.
Don't buy the hype!!! or Campaign Rhetoric!!!!!!!!!!
HERE is a non-partisan list of the voting record that illustrates the ACTUAL beliefs of the Presidential candidates.
I urge all of you to not be loyal to ANY PARTY!
True Followers of Christ are Loyal to HIM and Him alone. -"No other gods" includes - party lines, personal opinions, and "conventional wisdom."
There are a lot of issues to examine, but the most important is the character (which is demonstrated over time through consistent action) and achievements of each candidate not what they SAY!! We all know talk is cheap! WE MUST look at the record of what each candidate has; done, or not done; supported, or not supported. DO NOT BE influenced by the left or the right, Be solely influenced by "above".
I challenge you, ..... I plead with you to take the ideology and character of each man and woman running and compare them to the ONLY TRUE STANDARD, God's word.
Erase the names, and the parties.
Take candidate A evaluate his/her record and character against Scripture.
Take candidate B evaluate his/her record and character against Scripture.
God's WORD is the FINAL authority!!!! There are no "ifs", "ands" or "buts". Scripture speaks concerning:family, military, marriage, sexual orientation, truthfulness & justice vs "doing what is right in your own eyes", only place for sexual activity-the value of children/Life, welfare (who should and who should not eat), what happens to nations who ignore God's laws in their selection of leaders, doing what is right or doing what is popular, Leadership....
I wish there was a candidate running that was the embodiment of virtue and experience but HE is in heaven and is not running for US president. In comparison to Christ, all men fall short. We must then seek to choose the leader who will most honor the standards of Scripture. We must love what God Loves and Hate what God hates and have the humility, fortitude and grace to seek His approval above ALL others.
*My journey through life, listening to God's wisdom & will
for my family and parenting our children.
Grab a cup of coffee (or water!), sit down and join me.
