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.Queen.Esther. [For such a time as this.]
Dec. 8, 2009
Tightwad Tuesday ~ Two Good Winter Make Ahead Mixes

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Two Good Winter Make Ahead Mixes

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Now that we are in the thick of the time of year that a lot of us like to make casseroles.  I wanted to share two great recipes to help make them more frugaly.  These recipes save you anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 half the cost.  Once again your time is spent no matter what so you mine as well make it yourself and put the extra change towards something special. 

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Onion Soup Mix

  • 3/4 cup of instant minced onion
  • 1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/3 beef or chicken flavored bullion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

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Mix and store in a airtight container.

To Use : add 2 Tablespoons  of mix to 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 15 min. or add to recipe as directed.

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Cream Soup Mix

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  • 2 cups of dry milk
  • 1 1/4 cups of flour or cornstartch or arrowroot startch
  • 1/4 cup chicken bouillon powder
  • 2 Tablespoons dried onion flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon basil

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Mix all ingredients and store in a airtight container.  If the mix is made with cornstartch or arrowroot startch , add 1/3 cup to 1 1/4 cups of water.  Or if you are using the mix with flour then use 1/2 cup of mix to 1 1/4 cups of water.  If you want to make it to soup consistency then double the water.

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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....

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  Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post.   (each Tuesday that  you join in on the fun)  

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example of a URL ...

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/

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  Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's. 

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 Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars  together !

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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."

 

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Dec. 5, 2009
Weekly Wrapup

From the Heart:

The next six months seem to hold a lot of unknown for our family.  There will be no discipleship training school this year like we usually have in January.  A couple of our good friends are moving overseas in the next couple of months.  It seems like it will be a lonely isolated time.  I know God can make good of it.  We do have some things in our minds and hearts to do, but we want God to be in control, and so we eagerly await His direction and confirmation

On Monday evening we went into town and helped a missionary family with Frontier Ministries pray through the home they just purchased.  The Lord gave them a surprise package last year when their son was born.  They found out he has down's syndrome.  Right now they are working stateside, but they hope to go back to Afghanistan in the next year or two.

Last Saturday night, dh and I went out to a movie.  We hadn't had a date in a LONG time.  We wanted to see Blindside, but it sold out while we were in line.  We saw 2012 instead.  It was nice to be able to talk in the truck and have a special time together.

In the School Room:

We had a nice full week this week.  It was good to get a lot done.  We are enjoying our readers and read-alouds, and I am learning along with them in science.  Right now we are reading "The Terrible Wave" about the Johnstown disaster of a dam breaking in 1889.  Amazing story. 

I think Little Critter may end up not needing a kindergarten year.  He enjoys so much learning along side his sister!

On the Mission Field:

We prayed the team of 8 off to New Mexico this morning.  I am excited for them, and for what God is going to do in them and through them.  They will be working with the Navajos until early January, then heading to northern India.

In the Literary Scene:

I finally finished reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's second book in the Galway Series Of Men and of Angels.  I'm also reading a book called, "Funding Your Ministry".  It seems like a great resource to teach us how to raise our missionary support in a godly, biblical way.  Soon Tim and I will be reading this together.

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people.

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Dec. 3, 2009
Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers

"Got teens? You lucky dogs. 
Spend time with them; enjoy them; listen to them; and love them. 
They are the most incredible people, these emerging adults,
and they can become the best friends you'll ever have."
~Diana Waring, Reaping the Harvest. The Bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling~

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If you want to join in on the fun please go see my very sweet friend Lori at Plans4You.   This is my  sweet bloggy friend that has a NEW meme !  I am going to do my best to participate now that I have two young adults almost 3 ! 

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This week I would like to share about my oldest soon to be my first homeschool graduate.  I can't believe that I am saying this.  We have homeschooled the WHOLE way and I am thankful.  Even with the bumps in the road. 

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Philip is creative in....cooking !  He has been this way sence he was let me think at least 9 yo.  He always perked up with any kind of cooking shows.  One show my mom would tape for us b/c we don't get tv stations was a show called Donna's Day.  She was always showing projects for parents to do with their kids.  Philips favorite part was when she did cooking.  He is the kind of cook that just gets the basic idea of a recipe and then wings it !   I just found out one of his cooking secrets.  Soooo  shhhhhhh don't tell anyone , okay ? [0;  When he would come up with a spice blend he would put the spice jars side by side by side and smell.  He felt if they smell good together they would taste good together !  Isn't he sooooooo smart.  I never thought of that and love it. 

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My budding cook is going to culinary cooking school next year on the West Coast.  He is going to take the culinary and management courses.  Not only is he creative he is buisness smart.  I can't wait to see were God will lead him in this big adventure. 

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Dec. 1, 2009
Tightwad Tuesday ~ Making A List of 10

 

Making A List of 10

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  One thing I started when my two oldest were very little was the list of ten.  At Christmas I didn't want the give me gimmies.  I remember as a kid making a list that was over 50 items long and it came to me to only allow 10 items.  Only ten items and list from what you want the most to least and I re-affirmed that they would only get a few things if they were reasonable. [0= 

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 I kept up this tradition for many years now and usually the boys can only think of 2-6 things now.  And they know if it is over a certain amount that people "might" pool thier money together.  For example my 1ds wants to become a cheif and there is a expensive knife he wants but that is all he wants.  So there is a good chance that all the relatives will pulll together for this one.  He said he would be very happy if that is all he got. Or, if a fair chunk was pooled together and then he would work towards saving the rest.

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It was really nice to hear my boys say that it isn't about getting things.  They are focusing on our Lord and also all the fun times and family times we will have this season.  It made my heart sing when I heard it all sunk in.  This year will be a thin year but a fun year of good memories.

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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....

.

  Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post.   (each Tuesday that  you join in on the fun)  

.

example of a URL ...

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/

.

  Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's. 

.

 Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars  together !

.

"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."

Post A Comment!
Nov. 29, 2009
Homestead Ramblings ~ Getting Back On Track

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Homestead Ramblings ~ Getting Back On Track

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After a hectic season of harvesting and craft fair I am craving some... routine.  I have been feeling that our home has suffered with lack of good old routine.  We kept up our basics but our focus on really diving in our science and history hasn't been what I would really like.  I will be very careful what my famiy fills our time with.  I don't want to let too many things distract us from what we need to be doing. 

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I also noticed I haven't done a Weekly Wrap Up sense just before Philips virus attack.  I didn't realise how much time actually went by !   I am going to really work at getting back to that.  I really enjoy Carol's meme of Weekly Wrap Up.  It is a wonderful way to keep track of what is going on in our little homeschool and family life.  Also to see what other homeschool families are doing too.  We get to encourage eachother in this road less traveled and cheer eachother on. 

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I have been really trying to learn what balance in my life means.  Boy, this has been a real hard one to figure out.  If I am not careful things come in and crowd out what is very important to our family.  I have commited myself to going the distance with all four boys in homeschooling to the end.  I have to really work at putting blinders on and coming to Jesus' feet each day and seek out the Lord's will for my family.  Not a small task to take on but what a worthy task it is.  If you think of it please pray for me and my family as we seek his direction and if you want me to lift you and your family up in prayer please let me know through my comments or email me privately.   Just click on my link on my sidebar that says Email Me above my cbox.  I would be priviledged to pray for any who want me to.  I know prayer is the only answer in all circumstances.

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Nov. 28, 2009
Weekly Wrapup

From the Heart:

Thanksgiving came and went.  It was a good change of pace, but frankly all the free-time is leaving me a bit stir-crazy.  I am a task-oriented person.  I like to be with people, but if there isn't meaningful conversation happening or games or something, I kinda want to find some somewhere.  I've found myself alone with the kids for a lot of the past 3 days (as usual), except when we were actually celebrating Thankgiving, and not having a schedule of, you got it, tasks, we've all been a bit off of our norm.

Snow Crystal roped some of the staff and students into playing Life. 

Little Critter and Bubbies got Tom to play Ring Around the Roses.

Little Critter and Mountain Princess built towers to throw blocks at to knock down.

Time for dinner!

I had a couple of minor revelations today.  One is that I need to think more in terms of my husband's and my calling as a couple and as a family, and not focus entirely on what my gifts/callings/passions are. 

We had a "Christmas Before Thanksgiving" party last Saturday.  It is an early Christmas for the outreach team.  It was fun, but crowded!

Little Critter got his hair cut off.  It changes his looks so much!

In the School Room:

We only did school 3 days this week, and right now it seems really long ago!

On the Mission Field:

The students looked at their spiritual gifts this week, and are looking toward their outreach at the end of this coming week.  This week they will be preparing for outreach all week.

In the Literary Scene:

I am reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's second book in the Galway Series Of Men and of Angels.

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people.

Post A Comment!
Nov. 24, 2009
Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, Tuesday, November 24th, 2009


Outside My Window... 

Cold and sunny with a snow-covered ground. 

 I'm thinking...

We really need to increase our monthly support.

From the learning rooms... 

The older girls are getting so much better at doing their work on their own.  I have to be more diligent to check their work and do thier follow-up questions or narration.

I am thankful for... 

Our suburban is bought and our insurance is paid up for six months.  Also that we have siblings that pitch in and gift us with money when things are tight...    

From the kitchen...

Tonight is Sunday Oven-fried Chicken - made gluten-free of course, with salad, mashed potatoes, and a veggie.

I am wearing...
Corduroy, off-white long-sleeved blouse with rose colored flowers, blue jeans, white socks.  My hair is pulled back in a braid.
One of my favorite things... 
Hearing from a faraway friend, and making plans for bigger and better things.
I am reading... 

Of Men and Of Angels by Brock and Brodie Thoene

I am hoping... 
That we can raise our monthly support to 100% of our needs. 

I am creating...
 
Dreams of a better tomorrow.  

I am hearing...
Music from the television in the basement.  The kids are watching Tiny Heroes on video.   

Around the house ... 
I think all the kids are in the basement watching the movie.  Soon we need to do spelling with the two oldest girls to finish school, and start supper.

I am going... 

nowhere for the holidays.  
   
A few plans for the rest of the week... 

School tomorrow, then off on Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving.  Will be celebrating the holiday with the community here and my immediate family.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

(coming soon)

caption.

I hope you enjoyed your peek into our mountain haven!  Come again!

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol


If you would like to join us in The Simple Woman's Daybook, please see our Hostess, Peggy for details.  You may also visit her for the Mr. Linky to many other Simple Women.

 

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Nov. 24, 2009
Tightwad Tuesday ~ Participating In A Craft Fair

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Participating In A Craft Fair

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The last 3 years I have participated in a craft fair in November.  I started off with beaded bookmarks and fudge.  the second year I did fudge, necklaces, earrings,candles, and rhubarb juice.  This year I did fudge, rhubarb juice ( two kinds plain and also a raspberry rhubarb which was a BIG hit),candles-beeswax, knitted baby booties.  I have worked up to this as my youngest got old enough for me to be away for two days with big brothers taking care of them. 

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Each year I set a goal to try to reach.  This year I wanted to earn enough to buy a grain grinder.  I also try to go into the fair with having everything paid for.  I came close to attaining that.  I did earn enough to pay for my supplies, table, my goal and very close to buying more supplies for more candles that I will be dropping off at a local artistan store. 

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I have been working each year to get something to help me make it easier to make healthier food inexpensively.  Last year I got a Kitchen Aide Mixer and boy did that make my life easier in making food from scratch quickly.  I am putting this out there to maybe help start someones wheels moving in brainstorming how you can make things that seem to be out of reach normally but can be attained with some elbow grease and a goal. 

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 I am very thankful God has helped me and my family in this way.  I also have to say that I am thankful that this is only once a year.  I sold twice as much as I did last year.  God put in my mind to also sell raspberry-rhubarb juice along with the rhubarb juice.  It was a BIG hit along with my fudge.  I was very pleased how everyone liked my baby booties.  I had stitched snow flakes on the toe and also I blanket stitched on the top cuff.  Next year I will be making bigger kid  sizes and some adult sizes too.  

. I have to say that I couldn't be this pulled away for very much more.  I love being a mom first and let this be a side thing to help my family in a short term.  I thank the Lord for blessing this last week ends sales.

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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....

.

  Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post.   (each Tuesday that  you join in on the fun)  

.

example of a URL ...

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/

.

  Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's. 

.

 Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars  together !

.

"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."

Post A Comment!
Nov. 20, 2009
Weekly Wrapup

From the Heart:

I'm loving being with my kids.  Every moment that I get with them fills my heart.  It is so wonderful to hold my son in my arms and hear him say, "I wuv you, Mommy. You're adorable!"  I also love watching and experiencing the moments that my five year old studies her first words and reads them.  Each day she makes so much progress.  My 10 and 12 year olds amaze me with how they are growing into young ladies more each day and becoming individuals.  Life as a Mom is good.

The little ones like to snuggle in the rocking chair after their bath near the wood stove. 

I just finished looking over my blog from a year ago.  I am so glad that I am not in that place any longer!  A year ago my Snow Crystal was having concentration problems, abdominal pain, seizures, weakness, and looked like a little holocaust survivor.  She was depressed and talking about suicide.  I praise God for all my friends who so faithfully prayed, and for the cure of becoming gluten-free again, and avoiding artificial additives.  She is my healthy, happy, seizure-free young lady again.  No more of any of those things, and her school work has improved dramatically this year.  I am so grateful to the Lord!

In the School Room:

Mountain Princess, 12, and Snow Crystal, 10:  Abraham Lincoln was shot again this week (we learned it a few weeks ago, but readressed the reasons this week).  The aftermath of the civil war was anything but nice.  Andrew Johnson may have had Abraham's roots, but he lacked some of Abe's other successful political prowess.  Matter can be in the form of a solid, a liquid, a gas, and plasma.  Old Yeller is my 10 year old's first school book to be taken on without my help, and she's doing a good job.  She even stated that this is her favorite reader ever.   Caddie Woodlawn continues to be a spunky little thing.  Tall tales are fun because they exaggerate a story and hyperboles are perfect to put in them.  Mountain Princess finished up decimals, fractions and percentages, and moved on to tesselations. (Did I learn about these in school?  They are fun.)   Snow Crystal is working on fractions now.

Bubbies, 5, learned about the clothing and culture of the French in the period just before Napoleon's time and about the French revolution.  Birds have feathers, lay eggs, are warm-blooded, and most eat other animals.  We examined an old robin's nest and found an unhatched egg.  Robin nests are made of mud, twigs and grass.  Numbers higher than ten are made with groups of ten and units.  She finished the week by writing her numbers between twenty and thirty.

 

Little Critter, 3,  is beginning to take himself to the potty and we are having much fewer peeing accidents.  On the other hand, yesterday he pooped in the bathtub again.  Good thing sister wasn't with him this time!

On the Mission Field:

One of my favorite speakers, Graeme from Australia, was here speaking on cultural differences.  We had another India - style dinner too.   The students have only two more weeks before they head out on outreach.  They will spend their first month in New Mexico with the Navajo work there, then the final eight weeks in India.  We saw the Lord bring in a bunch of money toward their outreach expenses.  That is always fun to see.

In the Literary Scene:

I am reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's second book in the Galway Series Of Men and of Angels.

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people.

Post A Comment!
Nov. 14, 2009
Weekly Wrapup

From the Heart:

My baby boy turned 3 this week.  I guess I am officially past babyhood in the is family.  It is bittersweet, but I don't mind too much.  On his birthday he came up to me in the morning and announced, "I turned big!"  It was adorable.  He is a huge boy, and I've already had to pull out his size 4T clothing.  I'm reluctant to give up his size 3 clothes since they are so cute, but as I see the sleeve-length and leg-length getting shorter and shorter, I am coming to the conclusion that I must let go and move on!

The Lord continues to stir change in me, and yet I do not want to get ahead of Him.  We've put out a fleece of direction, but it still hasn't given any answer for us.  I think it is good to go about making change slowly to give us and our children time to accept it, especially since we like where we are at so much.

This is Little Critter on his 3rd birthday.  Love the brownies on his face? 

On the Homefront:

We are back to winter now.  Everything is white and snowy again since Friday.

Tim (my dh) finished a project he's been working on for the past couple of months.  It is a cigar box guitar.  He loves to express his creativity by making musical instruments.  It sounds pretty good too!  In the past he has also made several kinds of drums and digeridoos.

This is dh with his cigar box guitar.  He's handsome, isn't he?

In the School Room:

I was inspired by Lalaith's school wrapup on her daybook post at Avonlea Academy, so I'm going to try it instead of listing every gory detail:

Mountain Princess, 12, and Snow Crystal, 10:  America is growing in leaps and bounds, with the beginning of department stores.  Batteries in sequence make brighter light than ones that are parallel.  Atoms make up all matter, but did you know that quirks and gluons make up protons and electrons?  Will of Shades of Gray finally decided that good men were on both the Yankee and the Rebel side, and men who chose not to fight were honorable too.  Caddie Woodlawn was a spunky little thing.  To build a fire in the fireplace successfully, one needs a good source of air, kindling, and most importantly, a piece of egg carton.  Poems are funner if you have a pattern to follow when writing one.

Bubbies, 5, learned that coffee and chocolate didn't become popular until the age of exploration.  Until the late colonial years, food was pretty bland and mundane.  Mammals have fur, give milk, and breathe air.  Reading is challenging and rewarding, and gets easier if the same simple book is reviewed each day.  Mathematics includes not only addition, but also taking away.  A triangle has three sides and three corners.  An eight can be made without lifting your pencil.  Copywork is still drudgery.

Little Critter, 3,  found that hitting his sister with a fork will put two pricks just below her eye like a snakebite.  (I'm so glad it didn't get her eye!).  Going to the bathroom is against his idea of a good time.  Wet pants, on the other hand, makes mother unhappy.  The letters each have a sound.  "I" says itchy, itchy chickenpox.

On the Mission Field:

The school had Chris Austin here.  He has been teaching team building and has been helping the students find their strengths and weaknesses. 

In the Literary Scene:

I am still reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's second book in the Galway Series Of Men and of Angels.

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people.

 

Post A Comment!
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