Keeping it Simple

My new blog...

8:51 AM, Dec. 23, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

I have moved my blog to blogger.com. But I cherish the friendships made here so I'll keep in touch. Life is wonderfully busy right now, but a good busy. I hope you and yours are having a wonderful Christmas season.

To visit my new blog click the link provided A Fistfull of Dandelions

Wishing you a blessed day!
Joyce Marie

Back to school Monday!

3:36 PM, Nov. 2, 2009 .. 2 comments .. Link

I am happy to say we are back to school...before we left for our trip I had noticed that our school wasn't the same as we have had it in past years. Brittany and I would gather for Bible and to go over her terminology and french words together...but after that, she would go off to do her school all by herself and me...I don't know what I was doing. I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong. She and I had rubbed each other the wrong way more than once and we just didn't have that same warm and fuzzy feeling of homeschooling that we have both treasured for so long. So...the night before we left for vacation...she and I held a pow-wow until the wee hours of the morning in her room and talked and talked. We both agreed...that while her subjects were good. Neither one of us were gaining any enjoyment out of her senior year. So...we decided to lay some things down for now and pick some things back up again. We have reworked her schedule and I think it is going to be so much better...today has already proven to be so.

We added Ancient history to our repertoire. I bought a new book (on my Kindle) by Susan Wise Bauer called History of the Ancient World...along with it we are re-reading Genesis, Job, Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, The Odyssey and Plutarch Vol 1.

Hopefully we can get through all of this. We have had one day and it transformed our school back to what we love. She is splitting up her other subjects into smaller bite size pieces so that we can fit it all in. We may have a longer day...we have decided 4 long days with Fridays off...so that we have time available to do some fun things too...other than school.

I am so thankful for the flexibility that homeschooling brings...that allows me to add and take away when things are not as they should be. What a blessing the Lord has given me with the ability to communicate with my teenager...despite that we have entered the "I know" stage.

We began part two of our Bible study today. I am so EXCITED for this next section I can't wait until tomorrow. We are learning... how to come up with a M. A. P. (my action plan) to live the life God designed for each of us. Here I am nearly 47 and just now figuring it out. Oh well...it is never too late is it? I feel that this study is important for me as well as Brittany who will be soon making her mark on this world...because I will be entering a new phase too. I know that God has great plans and I can't wait to be a part of them.

Wishing you God's many blessings!

One final taste of summer...

9:07 AM, Oct. 31, 2009 .. 1 comments .. Link

I sit this morning looking out of my window...trees that were just green a week ago are now turning golden and I am savoring this for as long as I can for soon they will be bare and the gray skies of winter will leave us without color for the many months to come.

My family just got back from one of those little serendipity's of life that I call vacation. We visited Orlando and were so very pleased that it was still hot and humid there. Brittany and I tried basking in the sun for a few days...giving ourselves a good dose of vitamin D. We had a lovely time just being together...we drove this trip hoping that it would be a beautiful drive with all the trees and such. Unfortunately the entire trip south it rained and was dark and gloomy so those sun tipped trees we did not see. We left a day earlier than expected so we drove all the way to the West coast to walk down memory lane from vacations of the past when our little girl was still wearing those little blow up swimmies on her precious little arms. We arrived at sundown but we stood on the gulf coast enjoying those last few moments of daylight. A few pictures and a DQ blizzard in our hands and we made the trip back to Orlando where we would seek shelter for a sort of bonus night before we were to actually "start" our vacation. We awoke Sunday morning with bright sunshine coming through our window and a song in our heart as all of our traveling was behind us and we had just a couple minute drive to our resort. We stayed at the Beach Club Villa's one of the Disney Vacation Club hotel's that we had visited way back when Brittany played Ariel in the pool. It was nice and we enjoyed the lazy river pool...even thought the water was freezing! Brittany actually asked if I thought they cooled the water...I of course remarked that I think maybe they did fill it with ice cubes every morning. We usually vacation in Vero Beach where the pool water is like bath water...it was still quite warm in Orlando so we could not figure out why the pool didn't reflect it...but we just held our breath and once you were under you were ok for a while...then there was always the sun to warm you up when you got out...

Anyway...we visited Animal Kingdom...for the first time and we had a perfect day...cloudy and overcast and no rain...so it wasn't too hot to go walking around. We loved the musicals and I loved the safari the best. It was a nice day all around...and we were able to come back and still take a dip in the swimming pool in the evening.

Leaving on Thursday we drove back up through North Carolina and stayed for the night and finished our drive on Friday. Today...I'll pick up the rest of our little family from the kennel and drop off a goody bag for my nephew and back home...to probably start laundry...(the laundry that we dirtied before our trip that is).

A couple of days to catch up and rest up and back to school on Monday...

The Mom Brigade

2:41 PM, Oct. 17, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

Visit The Mom Brigade

New site and New location! Come and join us!

This puts freedom in a whole new light...

12:28 PM, Oct. 15, 2009 .. 2 comments .. Link

The Bible study that Brittany and I have been doing this year has been life changing for me...I bought the book...thinking it perfect for preparing Brittany in her life...little did I know that it would be for me too...to pull things out of me that I didn't even realize were holding me back from living my life to it's fullest. I'd like to share my meditation here...because it was like a light bulb going off in my head this morning. Our weekly meditation verse for this week was taken from Galatians...

We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong. Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law. Galatians 5:1

To give a background...so far in our study she has been pulling out of us those things that we dwell on...those things that hold us down. The way in which she is using slavery (She, being Dannah Gresh). I have realized that there are some things in my life...that even though I haven't caused them...or even though I have already asked for forgiveness...I have picked them back up again. It is so easy to do that is it not? I realized that I, have kept myself in bondage...it wasn't God who was keeping me there...but me.

Lord, you want us to be free to live our lives in Your grace. When we carry burdens in our heart and on our shoulders it is like we are chained to misery. This misery keeps us from seeing the life that You want for us. Because of Your blood we are free. If we keep on dwelling on all the things that have happened to us...if we keep reliving the same sins over and over then we ourselves are the ones who keep ourselves in bondage. That isn't Your plan for us, is it? You want us to lay all of this down and not pick it up again. We aren't supposed to go back again.

I think that this also applies to an area in our life...a certain action or thought that can entangle us. (When I say us, I am really meaning me) Each day we face choices, choices in attitude, choices in how we speak to others, how we think and even how we feel. If in that we choose to have a bad attitude or think bad thoughts then again we become a slave to it...if we do what this verse says. We recognize what we are doing wrong then we have to be strong to not do it again.

Lord, the only way I can be strong is when my strength is found in you.

I just felt compelled to put my thoughts here...maybe you are going through something that just won't leave you alone. You can dump it at Jesus feet and live in the freedom that only He can give.

I think that is the very definition fo freedom...what a beautiful and powerful freedom it is.

What's for dinner at your house tonight?

4:13 PM, Oct. 14, 2009 .. 1 comments .. Link

All this cold weather we are having this week is making me want some good old fashioned comfort food.

What's for dinner? Chicken breasts and gravy, mashed potatoes, oven roasted asparagus and fresh, homemade applesauce with cinnamon and brown sugar. I found this recipe earlier today and it fits the bill...

Chicken and Gravy in 15 minutes

Ingredients

3-4 breasts boneless, skinless chicken
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ cup flour
1 quart chicken broth (preferably homemade, and with fat)
Salt to taste (a must!)

Directions

1. Put butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2. Cut up chicken into pieces and add to pan. Cook slightly, but don't brown too much.
3. Add chicken broth.
4. When the broth is warm, mix about a cup of broth with the flour in a mixing bowl, and stir until well mixed.
5. When the broth in the sauté pan is at a full boil, add the flour/broth mixture.
6. Stir until thickened.
7. Add salt.
8. Serve over toast!

Wordless Wednesday...

3:34 PM, Oct. 14, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

Tuesday is...Apple picking day 2009

1:49 PM, Oct. 13, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

We missed our annual apple picking day with my mom. Dennis was flying in early from Toronto I think, so we didn't get to do our usual family day at the apple orchard with the kids. I have been meaning to go since the first of October and our weather just hasn't held out for us. We get up and start school...and then on the day that I plan to go it rains. I looked at the weather yesterday and realized that today was our best day...so Brittany and I got up, got ready and were at the orchard by 11. I picked a full bushel of yummy apples. Yellow delicious are our favorite but they don't really store that well...so they have to be the first that we eat. I bought another kind too...great big red ones...the name escapes me. The orchard we go to has many different kinds of apples. I love to pick fresh fruit and veggies...it makes me so happy. :) The apples looked so pretty on the tree and we had so many to pick from that we filled our bushel in only a few minutes. Now...I am looking for an apple butter recipe that I can make in my crockpot...won't that smell wonderful? I love to make homemade applesauce...and then there is apple bread and apple crisp. Yum...I am getting hungry just thinking about it.

So...off I go to look for recipes...what are you doing today?

The Mom Brigade

10:17 PM, Oct. 12, 2009 .. 0 comments .. Link

Are you concerned about all the decisions that are being made in Washington? Are you as frustrated as I am? Are you concerned about your children's future? I am and am looking for some moms that would be a part of a new group. I have just opened a new blog...I named it The Mom Brigade. Since the last election...I have been doing everything I can to try to reach out and be heard. I feel that I haven't made a dent and it is frustrating and discouraging. If you are feeling this way, your not alone...I made a place where we can gather and pray, share the news of the day...our concerns and see if we can't come up with solutions...at least support. I have attached the button from the new blog...feel free to add it to your blog (the code is listed on TMB) If you want to contribute...please just email me...if you just want to be a friend of the blog...do that. I believe that we are in troubled times...and if we gather together...we can do more. So...please join me!

Yummy recipe...

6:42 PM, Oct. 12, 2009 .. 1 comments .. Link

Have you ever had those scrumptious biscuits at Red Lobster??? I have tried to duplicate them many times...always coming close but I got it now...they were soooo good that I thought I would share the recipe...so here it is.

Ultimate Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons of sugar (I used Splenda)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup of butter, softened... (I used 3 Tbsp less)
1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 1/4 cups of milk

Place first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add in the Cayenne and the garlic powder. Work in the butter with a pastry cutter. Stir in the cheese then add sour cream and milk. Scoop biscuit dough out by spoonfuls and place in a 9x13 casserole pan. Or...at least make sure you have an edge on your pan...for the next step.

Topping
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley

Top biscuits with half of the topping...bake at 450 for about 25 minutes...Mine cooked for 35 minutes. Top with remaining butter topping and serve.

They are so good...For my topping I only used 3 T of butter 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and some other spice mixture that I had...I didn't put the topping on when they came out of the oven...to cut the calories some. But these are delicious. My husband and daughter loved them and I put enough in the freezer for a second meal.

Hope you enjoy!

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