Welcome to Through My Eyes. I picked this title because I love to take pictures. So, come on in, have a seat, relax and enjoy some of my favorite pictures, and maybe a story or two. :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:21:00 -0600 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:21:00 -0600 We've lived in our house now for almost four years. When we had it built we went with the idea of low end everything and we'll put in "upscale" things as the Lord provides. Well this summer I got to paint. I know, some of you just groaned, "got too?!" Yes, I love to paint. I tackled the living room first. It went from being the Macadamia White to Periwinkle Dusk. (Periwinkle is my ALL time favorite color!) I didn't think to take before and after pictures of it, but my, what a difference! It's warm and inviting now. Next came the downstairs bathroom. Again no before and after pictures. It went from the same Macadamia White to Sweet Honey. It is such a fun welcoming color that we decided the entryway and kitchen should be the same color. Wow! What a difference. The Macadamia White was a flat paint and the Sweet Honey is a semi-gloss. (Great clean up!) Here's the Periwinkle Dusk next to the Sweet Honey! So happy this part of the house is done. Now we're thinking about colors for the rest of the house. Have a great day! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/739523/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:21:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/739523/ My husband and son enjoy playing disc golf. So, we've dedicated a large portion of our property to a disc golf field. It is made up of three posts that stick up called "bong" poles, because of the sound they make when they are hit. (eventually we'll get baskets) My son and husband have mowed out greens and fairways for throwing and I have walking paths around the course and through it. The rest, we just let it grow. So there are all sorts of flowering weeds and plants, etc. that grow out there. When I'm out walking I take my camera, because I never know when I'll see something that I just have to have a picture of. When they are play disc golf and I am out walking sometimes they need my "keen eyes" to help find a disc that flew off course and landed in the "meadow". (That's the polite name to call a weedy area on someone's property. ) So, we all line up and walk side by side, looking straight down in front of us to see who will be the first to spot the missing disc. Sometimes, I've spotted a beautiful spider, or other insect, or flower. But this time it was a nest . . . I almost put my foot right on top of it. I was SO excited I stopped looking for the disc and took several pictures. (Good thing too, 'cause I tried to go back and find it and I couldn't.) What an unexpected hidden treasure. Have a blessed day! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/739519/ Mon, 2 Nov 2009 13:10:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/739519/ Since the gray days are coming upon us, I thought I'd post a bit of summer fun! We like to do fun and interesting things as a family. We've been to different fairs and historical reenactments and museums. When we lived in the suburbs of Chicago we found a really great event held one weekend a year... the Highland Games!!!  Well since we moved we haven't been back to those games. Imagine our joy when we found a smaller version of the Highland Games locally!  It was great to see the kilts flying once again! (So glad they wear shorts under there. lol!) If it looks interesting to you, look up Highland Games online for your area! Have a great week! (As a disclaimer, I do not have anything to do with the other videos they offer after you have watched mine on this Photobucket sight.) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/739509/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/739509/ We haven't been camping since I was pregnant with Suirrely-Jo, but the church we are a part of has a camping trip every year. So, we dug out the tent, the screen tent, and all the gear. We made sure it was all in good working order and we went.  It was a lot of fun. Bubba and Bob love starting fires with flint and steel. So, they brought their kits along and got everything  ready. They bought some wood from the park we stayed at and it was very hard to split. Thankfully Bubba is older now and was determined to break it down into small pieces. The potatoes cooked while we played at the play ground right behind our tent. We found these large ground snails all over the park. Ssuirrely-Jo loved carrying them around. We went on walks.Bubba, of course, went fishing. While we walked around the lake Squirrely-Jo collected goose feathers. She carried them  back to our campsite and had a great time playing with them. (Yes, we washed her hands well afterwords.) The joy of wearing "Crocs" They even had a pool that Bob and Bubba enjoyed. I'm not crazy about swimming, so I hung out with Squirrely-Jo at the kiddy pool. She loved it! The last thing we did was to climb the tower that they had at the park. You could see the park from above the tree line. I thought our car was small, but from up there it looked like a toy. All in all it was wonderful to be out in God's beautiful creation and enjoy the fellowship of those in our church body. Ahhhhh the sweet memories of summer. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/730593/ Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/730593/ The ladies at our church got together not too long ago for a night out. The theme was a Tapa Party. I had NO idea what that was, so I looked it up online. This is what the link said . . . "The idea comes from Andalusia. It started, or so they say, with a piece of bread, soon topped with ham or cheese, balanced over a glass, to keep out the flies - the word tapa means a cover." We had water, lemonade, and punch, and plenty of delicious tapas to try. (I tried at least one of everything. ) See for yourself . . . http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/728557/ Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/728557/ "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." (I think we can borrow this from the Scotts.) "As long as a hundred of us remain alive we will never be subject to tyrannical dominion Because it is not for glory or riches or honours that we fight, but for freedom alone which no worthy man loses except with his life." From "The Declaration of Arbroath" 1320 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/726011/ Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/726011/ Squirrely-Jo came to me after lunch and said, "I need things for the re-table." I was completely lost until she started telling me what she needed these things for and who she was using them with.  She needed a sword and helmet for the battle. She has been watching Prince Caspian and wanted to help defend Narnia. I love that little girl. (it's great what you can do with cardboard, duct tape and an old water jug.) It's also a good reminder for us, that we shouldn't rush into the day (battle) without our armor on. Ephesians 6:15 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around you waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with you feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Sometimes I rush into the day without all my armor. The darts of the devil are sharp and they hurt. My day goes SO much better when I stop and put on all my "armor" at the beginning of the day. May your day be blessed. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/725382/ Wed, 9 Sep 2009 11:43:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/725382/ Changing my husbands diet to meet the needs of his kidneys has not always been easy to adjust to. But sometimes it brings great recipes worth sharing.  This Roasted Vegetable Broth is the best homemade broth I’ve tasted.   It takes a little work, but it’s worth it.  I just made some yesterday, because fall means, “Soup Season” in our family. If you decide to try it let me know.   Ingredients: (You can change the vegetables according to what you have on hand if you’re missing one or more of these.)   2 onions, quartered 4 stalks celery 5 carrots 1 parsnip 2 leeks, including green tops 6 large white or brown (crimini) mushrooms 4 cloves garlic, halved (or just smashed – skin and all is fine) 2 tablespoons canola oil ½ cup white wine (Optional) 2 quarts water 3 to 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (the other parsley works just fine. You can also throw in other herbs of your choice) 3 to 5 bay leaves 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns            1. Preheat oven to 425o F. clean and cut all vegetables, about 1 inch pieces. Save the parsley, herbs, bay leaves, salt and pepper for later on.   2. Dump all the vegetables in a big roasting pan and pour the oil over them. Mix it all around until they are all coated. (I use my hands, it’s just easier.)   (Ready for the oven) 3. Bake for 45 minutes. Stir it about half way through to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan or burning. 4. Take the roasting pan out of the oven. Scoop the vegetables out of the roaster and put them in a large stockpot. If you your using wine, pour it in the roaster and scrape off all the brown little bit of caramelized vegetables that are stuck. Then pour all of that into the stockpot. (Water can be substituted here if you like.) (After it's been boiled and cooled) 5. Add the rest of the water, parsley, herbs, bay leaves, salt, and whole peppercorns to the stockpot now. Bring all of this to a boil and then turn down to low for one hour. (Pouring the broth through the cloth) 6. After the hour is up, shut it off and let it cool. (I let it cool over night.)  Then strain everything through a cheesecloth. mashing it in your hands to get all the broth out. Put the broth in clean containers. (It freezes well.) (Squeezing out the broth) (This is what's left) (The golden broth!) (Ready to freeze or use) I usually make a double batch of this at a time. One, because it is so good, it goes fast. Two, it does take some work so you want to get the most out of your time.   *(The cookbook that this recipe is from is called: “Apples to Zucchini” by: Virginia Schuett and Dorothy Corry)     Have a wonderful day! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/724176/ Sat, 5 Sep 2009 11:28:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/724176/ Hello everyone, I’m back!   I’ve been gone for a good chunk of the summer, and now that I’ve had a break, I’m eager to get back to blogging.   Life has not slowed down here at our house, but hopefully I will be posting once a week. (Let’s think positively, okay)   It hardly seems possible that today is the first of September. But I have the pictures to prove that spring and summer really did happen. I will be sharing those with all of you during the gray days of fall so that you have something warm and colorful to look at.  I’ve been working on a few other things too. (we’ll see how it goes.)   Until I post again ~ Philippians 2:1-4 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.   May peace and joy abound in your homes! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/722843/ Tue, 1 Sep 2009 10:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/722843/ Hello anyone who still stops by. I'm not dead, just busy. I will be taking a break from blogging until September. (Long time I know) I've just got a lot on my plate. So, tune back in toward September and I'll be posting again. Have a great rest of the summer! Blessings http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/707553/ Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:37:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/throughmyeyes/707553/