Whole Wheat Sprouts

I haven't sprouted wheat for several months and had forgotten how yummy (different than holiday cookies) and nutritious they are. We also feel SOOOO good, energized, clear thinking and peaceful. No, this isn't for "atonement", but it's apropos. Hope to be making more bean mix dishes as well.

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

I Corinthians 10:30

Let me know what you're favourite "Fallen-off-the-bandwagon" recovery snack or meal is!! I love getting ideas from others!!

Black Bear in Vacinity

Gonna be passing out (me, almost) Pumpkin Bread after this post. Wanted to show you this: My Poirot-looking bear. When I fill him with the molasses, then, as the children have been calling him, he's black bear. So, they ask for black bear - not molasses. It's an easy way to keep it, no mess and readily available!

Gonna go now...too tired to even knit, but I always recover!! ....I'm already feeling better thinking about knitting!! Ciao for now.

Cold Hands = Warm Heart

It rained this morning and now it's sleeting. We're supposed to get 3-7 inches of snow. Last time we lost the electricity...so, I have laundry to do before (if) it goes out. Just letting ya'alls know...may not have phone or computer. WILL be enjoying the woodstove, makes the meal planning a bit of an unexpected challenge, but we'll see if anything happens. Have a blessing of a day!

Update 12/24:
No Big Deal here. I wanted to prepare myself & get some other things done. We did get a couple of inches of snow, but the wind was gusting from 20-30 mph!! We're gonna step outside for a bit of fresh air and maybe I'll get out my violin. Never know what you're gonna learn about an online friend, hehe! So, gonna be relaxing...have lunch and dinner to prep and start. Ciao for now!

6 Months Down, 3 To Go.

I am feeling brave enough to post my picture, or rather the baby's. This is a fairly normal looking pic, just wait until I'm 8+ months--I'm already getting a bit winded waddling around, but PRAISE THE LORD, I have no aches and pains!! I just finished my cereal (oatmeal, walnuts, raisins & molasses-not chocolate sauce) and now am warming water for tea. After I'm done here, I'm going to continue #3's second sock...or maybe work on the afghan over here.

The sweater is cotton & .50 cents from a garage sale. It won't fit for long. *grin*

Meal/Menu Planning

*Quick Quiche and Fried Spuds (probably baked)

*Chili (with beans***)

*Hamburger Skillet

*Bisquits 'n' Gravy *12/25 D

*Grilled Cheese 'n' Soup Bone Broth

*Crockpot Roast & Mshd Spuds

*Beans 'n' Rice 12/23 D & 12/24 L & 12/25 L

*Malt-O-Meal 12/23 L

*Baked Sweet Potatoes 12/22 D

*Sloppy Joes 12/26 D

*Beefy Beans 'n' Rice & Pumpkin Pie Cake Muffin Bread 12/27 D

**Double Batch of Bread (8 loaves)

***Bean Mix: Pinto, Garbanzo (Chick Peas), Black Eyed Peas, Lentils and Split Peas

Pumpkin Pie Cake Muffin Bread

This is made with whole wheat flour and honey. This is tweaked especially for these ingredients, substitute at your own risk.

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon, Ginger & Nutmeg EACH

1 1/4 TBLS Baking Powder

1/4 cup (1 stick) Butter (soften, but not melted)

1 can Pumpkin (1/2 large 29 ounce can )

1/2 cup Honey

1/2 cup Whole Milk

2 Eggs

(optional) Walnuts

Mix dry ingredients, then blend in butter with a pastry blender. Add wet ingredients and mix until ALL dry is wet. (don't leave pocket of dry or they will be pockets of dry in the cake)

Put in a 9 x 13 GREASED (buttered) pan. Bake at 400F for 20 mins.

My oven is very old and when a recipe says to cook at 350F, I cook it at 300F; at 400F, I cook at 350F. This is just what I've figured with my oven for everything. Also, if you're cooking with honey keep in mind that you may cook it at a lower temp., but for longer will work better than the opposite as you will burn it and it will not be cooked in the middle (that's what I did with the peanut butter cake...once it comes out more than 2 times and I know what I did, I'll write out that recipe as well.)

Let me know if you try this, how it turned out and if you like it/plan on making it again. Thank you!! :)

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Today is my birthday! The electricity was out again for almost 2 hours and I was able to catch up on most of the laundry & various upkeep and cooking. I was able to visit with my Gramma and she was telling me of her sister-in-law that keeps her own house, but says she just "can't" cook; so she has her daughter (Gramma's neice) come to cook lunch and dinner. I also am amazed at how much she does - at 95 years!! I am reminded of the verse:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

HONOUR THY FATHER AND MOTHER; which is the first commandment with promise;

THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE, AND THOU MAYEST LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH."

Ephesians 6:1-3

also found in:

Exodus 20:12

Deuteronomy 5:16

Matthew 15:4

Mark 7:10

Mark 10:19

Luke 18:20

So what do you think is the secret to long life??!!

So, I dwell on these things:

"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it."

Psalm 139:1-6

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

Psalm 19:14

One Week Meal Plan

Here I am once again, planning meals. I didn't make everything from the 2 week meal plan.
In no particular order:


>Chicken Pot Pie
>Cream of Broccoli Soup with Biscuits
~Delicious Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup 12/14 D & 12/15 L & 12/16 D
>Hamburger Skillet
~Biscuits and Gravy 12/11 L
>Baked Sweet Potatoes
>Pizza
~Tuna Alfredo & Spaghetti with Mozerella 12/11 D
~ Baked Russet Potatoes (like sweet) 12/12 D & 12/17 D
(~ meals made, L lunch, D dinner)

This is the recipe I found that someone else had made & I went by their picture and came up with this wonderful thing!!

Sweet Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Basil
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Chop up everything. Add alot more spices then you think. Put oil in bottom of pan & drizzle over everything. Bake in oven at 350F for 1/2 hour. *that's what I did, I don't know what the recipe says...it was from allrecipes (dot) com.

I have leftover pizza sauce, so that's one reason why I'm making it again. It was flatter than any New York Pizza I've ever seen. Maybe it was a streetroller that went over it. I think I'll stick with a pastry crust and make mini pizza this time.

I am so pleased to write out my menu for you'all, I have really been doing well in this area because I must post! I just finished making a Peanut Butter Cake, but I guess next time I'll be tweaking the temp and time! I've also made a wonderful (for those who like it) Pumpkin Pie Cake that is sooo moist and yummy with whole wheat flour and honey!!

"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

"And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart."

Psalms 104:14-15

A Bushel of Wheat, A Bushel of Rye...

Who's not ready, holler...."I"!

Yup, I've been tagged! This is fun, especially since it's only 4 questions.

I forgot to say who tagged me!! Happy in the Home!! Thanks so much, I had lotsa fun!!

1. What did you accomplish this past week?

*I have been keeping a good meal plan (dinners) and actually getting it done and still feeding the family the rest of the day as well!

*I have knitted so much and planned on so much more, all as a reward for getting my chores done!

2. Did anything not go as expected?

*The electricity was knocked out by an ice storm for 7 hours & we were so excited that we have the wood stove, where we did warm leftovers on the top as well as water for tea! We talked of what others did "back in the day" & enjoyed lots of flashlight time and children learning to be quiet in the stillness!

3. What was the highlight of your week?

*Probably the electricity going out, but then again, when it came back on!! I had been wondering how long it was going to last, since I had not only laundry, but DIAPERS to wash!!

4. Did anything exciting happen that you did not expect?

*My MIL was in a car accident, but is just bruised. Their car is totaled!

All in all, a great week, sleeping more hours at night, keeping up with training, cooking, not laundry, knitting, ummmm...yeah...that stuff! I hope that's an adequate tag. I don't feel comfortable tagging anyone else, but if ya want me to, let me know.

...so, anyone up for a game of hopscotch?!

Another Post?!

I was reminded of this great quote : "Assume nothing...assign everything" that has helped with how I do much with all the babies crying at the same time!!

#1 has started folding and putting away the laundry - never having been asked or told to!

She says, "I wanted to help you, mama."

#2 on most occassions takes charge of #5, carrying her out of the kitchen (during baking times), playing with her & picking up a room without being asked or told!!

#3 (ok, about 1/2 the time) says, "I'm going to be obedient and take my nap so that you will say, 'Good job!' 'What a blessing!'" and proceeds to do so!!

#4 is quick to volunteer to do a job (even assigned to someone else), saying, "Me, me, I will, let me!" and running to help. She also shares her bottle & feeds #5 on her own.

#5 comes to the laundry room and holds out her hands to help put the clean clothes in the dryer & can!! Also helps often to pick up the toys and put them away!!

These are the big things that come to mind, but they constantly are like this. I guess I am in amazement seeing the work of encouraging to help with chores, because this is what we do, has paid off tremendously!! All children 6 and under!!

Are we perfect? Are our children perfect? (Long pause...hehe) NO! We all have our days where the world is upside-down, but the majority of our problems are solved by eating the next meal, being reminded to say things kindly (Please or No Thank You) no matter what happens to you, or just going to bed!

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."

Proverbs 15:1

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

I just want to encourage you to keep going with doing what is right! Blessings will abound!

Weekly Memory Verse

Proverbs 9:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

We are enjoying memorizing the Word!! It is truly refreshing!! We are able to have the 2 older children memorize and write out the verse - a great penmanship practice and vocabulary lesson!! William Morris : Acanthus Leaves

In meal planning: Not having assigned days helped with flexibility. I have the option of making what our tastebuds want and it disappears so much faster!!

You can see, updated on the same post, what we've already had, with leftovers as lunches and next day dinners a couple of times. I don't include snacks, because that's dependant upon what we have as a meal and what's left to make.

SNACKS:

~Berry drink (made with homemade yogurt, orange juice, pineapple, banana, and a berry-straw or rasp usually)

~Nuts and Berries (apricots, prunes, raisins, walnuts-those are the standard-with a slice of cheese and some cracker or chip if available)

~Fresh Fruit

~Leftover B'fast breads (Chocolate, Pumpkin, Spice, Nut) or Cookies with milk

~Carrot Sticks and Celery (rarely with homemade sour cream'n'onion dip and peanut butter-use p.b. in cookies often enough and s.c. is a special treat)