Family...Food...Fun

Southwestern Egg Rolls

2009-03-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

There is definitely a love-hate relationship with these appetizers, originally from Chili's. Everyone I've asked either absolutely adores or abhors them. I happen to be on the adore side and made these to accompany dinner recently. I tripled the ingredients to feed my large family. They are easy, fun and yummy! Oh...and if your crew loves to dip make lots of sauce! We also mixed sour cream with salsa for dipping! Happy eating!

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast fillet, cooked and diced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons minced green onion

1/3 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 pkg. egg roll wrappers

Avocado-ranch dipping sauce:

1/4 cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream1 tablespoon buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

dash dried dill weed

dash garlic powder

dash pepper

Garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped tomato

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and sauti for a couple minutes until tender.

3. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan. Cook for another 4 minutes. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.

5. Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of a wrapper. Fold in the ends and then roll the wrapper over the mixture. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have several eggrolls.

6. Preheat 2-3 inches of oil to 375 degrees.

7. Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes (turning once when browned) and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.

8. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce.

Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato, cilantro and onion.

Serves 3-4

Congratulations Rush and Brittany!

2009-03-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Rush and Brittany were married this morning! We arrived at the courthouse at 11:00 am and were leaving at noon. I was surprised at how personal the ceremony was...I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't a flowered arch in a private room complete with seats for visitors!

When the festivities were all over we asked Olivia how it felt to be a sister-in-law. She was floored...HUH? Then she wanted to know if Rush and Brittany had a baby if it would make her an aunt. Answer: Yes...but hopefully they wait awhile!

We welcome Brittany to our family...now we have 7 daughters...Victoria, Susanna, Alyssa, Olivia, Julia, Nina and Brittany!

Rush's long-time buddy Michael was on hand to be a witness as well as Brittany's friend Brianne and her little cutie Leland. Sarah, Victoria, Alyssa and Olivia celebrated with us too.

Filling out forms

Rush and Brittany with friends and family

2009-02-20T00:31:00.000-08:00

The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Dinnertime

2009-02-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

Dinner was a sacred institution in my home growing up. At 5:00 our family gathered around the table for a home-made-from-scratch meal. It didn't matter what we were doing, everything was put on hold for supper...it was the best time of the day.

My dad is a minister and as I was growing up, a home missionary...a church planter. Our income was never large, but mom had a way of making everything seem special and taste good. When I think of the time that she spent transforming meager ingredients into the wholesome, comforting food I ate as a child I am amazed. Mom worked, was a busy pastors wife, helped support the church with candy sales (candy that she made herself every Thursday in our kitchen) and was very hands-on raising my sister and me. AND you could perform open heart surgery on her bathroom floors any day of the week. So, the time spent on dinner could have easily been spent on many other worthy things...but mom and dad knew the importance of connecting with their girls and dinner is one of my most treasured memories.

After dinner we very often pushed the plates back and sat at the table for an hour or longer just talking. It was during these "table talks" that my parents gently probed into our lives and extracted the joys and hurts of the day. They encouraged us, cried with us, laughed with us, reproved us and prayed with us. The nuggets of wisdom that were mined during these conversations have benefited me all my life, and I am thankful that my parents had the foresight to realize that dinner was not just a time to fuel the body with nutritious food, but an ideal time to feed the souls of their children with acceptance and gentle correction. In our home the dinner table wasn't the place where we children were taken to task concerning our report cards or untidy bedrooms...that sort of correction was done privately, preserving in us a sense of dignity. Table time correction was more direction...coaching, if you will.

Dinner guests always marvelled at our family's tradition of extending the "eating hour" with conversation. They joined in and enjoyed it...and left commenting that they felt satisfied in body, and in spirit. My dad, loving the Bible as he does, always managed to throw in a bit of the Word during our table talk. His word pictures and object lessons stay with me to this day.

So...what is my point? I want to give my family the same sort of warm, comforting dinnertime experiences that I had as a child, but I realized a little while ago that I wasn't succeeding. Dinner is so often eaten "on the fly". Every evening is packed with church activities, social obligations or homework. The leisurely hour spent around the table is non-existent in our home. We come to the table (which we do set with a cloth and nice dishes) and eat quickly. Our conversation centers around the activities of the evening or the next day. With 7 children at home everyone is always going in a different direction, and coordinating transportation and schedules can be a challenge. Sometimes we rush in from the afternoons activities with only enough time to change clothes and give the little girls a snack before we race out again...always running just a little behind schedule. "Dinner" is then eaten after we return, and eaten quickly so that we can all get to bed and start another busy day a few hours later.

I made a commitment to myself a few years ago that we would have 2 or 3 meals a week that were eaten calmly and leisurely...that we would take the time to enjoy the food and each other. I quickly found that the issue at stake wasn't a LACK of time, but a mismanagement of my time. That with a little forethought and planning we could have the same home-cooked-from-scratch meals that my mom made. Now we try to have dinner on the table by 5:00...just like my mom did...at least 3 days a week. I also worked out a series of menus...no more "Auuugghh...it's 5:00...WHAT is for dinner???" And I discovered freezer meals (Dinner My Way) which gave me many great ideas for pre-planning.

This is not to say that we always succeed in having Norman Rockwell dinner every day...but we do manage to spend quality time together eating well-planned, nicely presented meals at least 3 times each week. I have quit feeling guilty about the other 4 evenings. Our meals on those nights are usually crockpot meals or casseroles that are ready whenever someone is hungry or has time. And while we sit down together most nights, we are only able to linger at the table once or twice a week.

Has it made a difference? Yes. Have I re-created my childhood utopia? No. But it is my hope that my efforts are translating into warm family memories my children will carry with them into adulthood. Time marches on so quickly, and the days we spend together are priceless. I am determined to enjoy them to the fullest.

Lemon Bars and more...

2009-02-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

Since I haven't blogged since July I am not even going to try to catch up on everything! Let me just say that I had an absolute blast with my dearest friend on earth and was able to stay for NINETEEN DAYS!!!! It was amazing, relaxing, busy (being involved with all they do), and a time for re-evaluating. My kids could not have given me a better gift for my birthday! Thank you to Victoria, Susanna, Alyssa, Franklin, Olivia, Julia, Nina and Ryan!

For Christmas they did it again! A wonderful gift in the form of MAGNIFICENT portraits by the unparalleled Sam Hassas. I don't have any of these images to share online, but here is the link to Sam's post: Beth's Christmas Pictures You have to scroll down the page a bit to find them! While this project was Victoria's brain child, everyone contributed. Ryan, however, put the wheels in motion. He got the shoot with Sam, got everyone safely to and from San Jose, fed all my kids pizza and more.

My friend, Christa was also a co-conspirator. I did think it was odd that she wanted to go to breakfast and spend the day together EARLY one Thursday morning. The funniest thing was that a few minutes after I left with Christa I got a text: "Ok, guys...she's gone. EVERYONE UP!" Hmmm...confirmed suspicions! Something WAS up! Obviously, I was not supposed to be on the receiving end of that text!

A public thanks to EVERYONE involved in this fabulous surprise...I will treasure these photos all my life.

One more thing about the pictures...most of you know that we have a disabled daughter. Julia is six years old and we have thousands of pictures of her, but we have NO PICTURES as beautiful as the ones that Sam took. It is amazing the way he captured her personality and the relationships she has with her siblings. THANK YOU, SAM HASSAS! Getting great pictures is a challenge, but getting great pictures of Julia is next to impossible. YOU ARE AMAZING!

SO...on to the lemon bars:

These are truly the most fabulous lemon bars on the planet! Two things are very important: USE REAL BUTTER and FRESH LEMONS! Don't try to cheat and use bottled lemon juice or margarine. The lemon zest is part of the unbelievable lemon flavor. These are sweet, tart, tangy, buttery...in a word: delicious!

CRUST:
1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (25 grams) confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar
1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (approximately two large lemons)
1 tablespoons (5 grams) grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons (25 grams) all purpose flour

TOPPING:
Confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar
Lemon Zest- The yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor and perfume.

TIP: Always remove the zest first before halving and squeezing the lemon. Use a fine strainer to remove the seeds and pulp from the juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter the sides and bottom of an 8X8 pan.

FOR CRUST: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and beat until the dough just comes together. Press into the bottom of your greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

FOR FILLING: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until nice and smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir to combine. Fold in the flour. Pour the filling over the shortbread crust and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
To serve: Cut into squares or triangles and dust with powdered sugar. These are best eaten the day they are made but can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Yield: 16 - 2 inch (5 cm) squares or 32 triangles.

Enjoy!

A Birthday Surprise!

2008-07-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Birthdays have always been special in our family. As the mom I am the one who plans the birthday surprises, shops for and wraps gifts, plans the special birthday meals, contacts friends and family to attend the parties, cleans, cooks and decorates. It's a mom's job! And I love having one special day a year to focus on each family member and bless them with special attention.

I mentioned in my post "Teaching Children to Cook" that the time I spent teaching my children to cook is now blessing our entire family as they take on more and more of this responsibility. They are excellent at cleaning, cooking, laundry and taking care of the little girls. It is so neat to see them successfully doing the things that I have modeled for them and trained them in all these years.

It seems that they have mastered one more skill...that of planning wonderful birthday surprises and handling all the details that make those surprises successful!

I will be 42 on the 28th of this month and to celebrate my children planned a wonderful birthday surprise. They provided awesome dessert and gave me the best gift ever...a round trip air fare to North Bend, OR to spend nine glorious days with my best friend ever, Kirsten King! They even provided me with a generous spending allowance and assurance that all will be well at home while I am gone to Oregon Heaven. I leave TODAY and will return on the 28th! YAAAY!!!!

Many, many thanks to my awesome kids...Victoria, Susanna, Alyssa, Franklin, Olivia, Julia, and Nina and Ryan! You guys are wonderful!

This blog will sit idle for almost two weeks...I'm going to see my friend!!!!

The Old-Time Family

2008-07-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

I found this poem (or part of a poem) in one of my favorite books: The Country Mother's Cookbook -A Celebration of Motherhood and Old-Fashioned Cooking by Jane Watson Hopping.

This very neat cookbook intersperses old-time recipes from the 30's and 40's with pictures and family anecdotes...tales of days gone by. The author raised her family just north of Coloma and so her writings are very interesting to me, as her stories take place practically in our backyard!

This book and another of hers, The Lazy Days of Summer Cookbook, are just about my favorites. I love reading about Jane, her family and their celebrations. I also love the recipes which are tailored to feed a large family on a small budget.

From The Old-Time Family

We were eight around the table in those happy days back then.

Eight who cleaned our plates of pot-pie and passed them up again;
Eight that needed shoes and stockings; eight to wash and put to bed,
And with mighty little in the purse as I have said,
But with all the care we brought them, and through all the days of stress,
I never heard my father or my mother wish for less.

-Edgar A. Guest

Farmer's Market Bounty!

2008-07-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday afternoons we go the Elk Grove Park to see what wonderful fresh produce we can find at the Farmer's Market. This year the offerings are a bit more expensive than in years past, but considering the prices in the stores there are still some great deals to be found.

Olivia and I see it as a treasure hunt...which stall has the best nectarines? Tomatoes? Peppers? Do we want to buy strawberries here or at the stand up the road from our house? We leave the house with a set amount of money (usually change collected throughout the week) and head out with high hopes. We are rarely disappointed.

Yesterday we got a great deal! We got there as they were closing (a great tip for getting the best deals) and quickly ran through trying to see everything before it was all loaded up and rumbling away in the trucks. We bought nectarines, peppers, onions, melons, cucumbers, two kinds of squash and tomatoes.

A sidenote: I readily admit that I am the only one in my house that will eat the squash. That's ok. I will prepare it the way I like it and eat my solitary supper with great relish! I will also ignore the faces my family will make as I eat it. Like my grandma always said: "Keep your eyes on your own plate!"

Back to our blessing...the tomatoes were a dollar a pound, a decent price for these large vine ripened beauties. After employing a complicated system of weighing the tomatoes in our hands and imagining what we would do with each one, we decided that we could eat at least 7 pounds during the week...sandwiches, salads, salsa. So we selected our tomatoes and paid our $7.00 to the vendor.

The tomatoes ended up being our last purchase of the day and we headed back to the car. As I passed between two stalls a man spoke to me: "Want a box of tomatoes?" I looked at the box he was indicating. It was a LARGE box heaped with tomatoes. "There are about 28 pounds of tomatoes there" he said, trying to convince me. I asked him how much for the box and he answered $10.00.

I told him I would check and dug around to see what money I had. I had eight dollars. He took the money without hesitation and told me to take the tomatoes. I picked up the box...which weighed AT LEAST 28 pounds and went home.

We have given tomatoes to bunches of people and still have plenty left to enjoy! What a blessing!

So, the point of telling this story is to encourage you to shop at the farmer's market and to give me a reason to post a fresh salsa recipe...here you go!

Fresh Tomato Salsa
2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes (from 1 lb to 1 1/2 lb), stems removed, finely diced
1/2 red white or yellow onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño chili pepper, stems, ribs, seeds removed, finely diced (or a tablespoon of canned diced jalapeño's)
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Start with chopping up the fresh tomatoes. Prepare the chilies. Be very careful while handling these hot peppers. If you can, avoid touching them with your hands. Use a fork to cut up the chilies over a small plate, or use a paper towel or gloves to protect your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling and avoid touching your eyes for several hours. (I learned this the hard way!)

2. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Taste. If the chilies make the salsa too hot, add some more chopped tomato. If not hot enough, add more chilies.

Let sit for an hour for the flavors to combine. Makes approximately 3-4 cups. Serve with chips, tortillas, tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, pinto or black beans.

The Lazy Days of Summer...

2008-07-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

I remember how elated I was when school was out for the summer. Life took on a decidedly more languid pace...we got up later, played hard all day, took day trips and went to bed when we felt like it. There was a definite routine to summer, but it was nothing like the fall and winter months when our lives seemed governed constantly by the clock.

My sister and I often had only each other for company, and we thought up some of the most elaborate schemes to stay busy. We played restaurant, store, house (she was always the baby!), school (go figure --like we hadn't just been "liberated" from school) and lots of other games. We explored our neighborhood, walked to the corner store for candy and anxiously awaited the joyous sound of the ice cream truck's tinkling tune.

Summer was also the time that my mom introduced projects that would have seemed overwhelming during more structured times of the year, due to the amount of time it takes to complete them...embroidery, cross stitch, sewing.

Summertime meant a garden and all the attendant work, and then preserving the bounty. Dad would slice cucumbers paper thin (by hand) to make bread and butter pickles and mom let Kathy and me measure spices and pack jars while she made the syrup. During this time daddy always made sure to include a mini-lesson on industry (Go to the ant, thou sluggard...etc.) and mom took us outside to observe the ants scurrying busily to and fro gathering their food for the coming winter.

It was brutally hot in the high desert of southern Arizona, and so we always had a slip-n-slide or other means to get wet. We had our "swimming dresses" (no bathing suits because there were no fences between houses...only cacti and brush) and gleefully squirted each other with the hose, threw water balloons, doused each other from pails and pitchers and generally found ways to stay wet most of the day.

Mom made Popsicles out of Kool-ade...my favorite was lemonade! We feasted on summer food...hot dogs, baked beans, jello, salads, and as many fresh fruits and veggies as we could eat. Melons didn't grow well for us, and once daddy went to town and bought back 6 watermelons. This was an amazing bounty! We ate watermelon till we were sick, and then we helped mom make watermelon rind pickles. That was a lot of watermelon AND a lot of pickles for a family of 4. We ate lots and gave lots away.

In addition to starting a new church, my dad worked for a company insulating new homes and buildings. He worked as many hours as he could during the summer months to make up for the lean times that inevitably came with winter. He was brown from the sun and his blue eyes were tired, but he took us often to the park in the evenings to watch the local business teams play ball. We got 20 cent Dilly bars from Dairy Queen and watched ball, swung high on the swings in the dark and slapped mosquitoes till it was time to go home.

We lived 10 miles from town in a small community of homes that was just being constructed. The drive home was always quiet. Our bodies were tired from activity and our minds were occupied remembering the fun we'd had that day. I remember looking out the window at the summer sky, full of shining stars, and sighing with contentment. The summer was weeks long and we got to do it all again tomorrow!

We drove along in that big '69 Ford LTD toward a place that, at that time, I didn't truly appreciate. I thought everyone had the same blessings I had...a secure home, devoted parents who loved them, a life free from want or need, a knowledge of Jesus and peace.

Today our lives are much more busy...even during the lazy days of summer. Here are a few simple things to do that will make great summer memories for your family:

Make Popsicles. Use fruit juice to avoid added sugar and artificial flavorings and colors. Wal-mart has molds and I have seen them at Target as well. This is an inexpensive treat. The hardest part is waiting for them to freeze!
Have a water fight! Dads love this...be sure to give the kids lots of ammo: balloons, water pistols, splat balls, the hose...whatever is available!
Read aloud in the evenings. This is a great time to have a read-aloud because bedtimes don't have to be as strictly enforced during the summertime.
Find community events that will provide practically free fun. When I was young we went to the park to watch the local businessmen play ball. In our small town this was a big deal, well- attended and fun. Here in Elk Grove we have the farmer's market every Wednesday (4-8 PM at EG Park) and the Strauss festival (the end of July at EG Park.) More?? Let me know!
Make homemade ice cream. I am going to blog about this soon, but it is easy and fun to make your own ice cream.
Have backyard picnics and bbq's. With or without additional family and friends in attendance this is summer defined!
Go on a nature walk. Take your family out for some exercise. Living where we do there are many great places to experience God's creation first-hand. Coloma, the Big Trees, Stinson Beach, Lake Tahoe, etc. There are lots of great parks and walking trails right here in Elk Grove too...save gas!
Go for a bike ride. McDonald's has cones for $1.00. Ride over and get one!
Have a picnic. It's funny how a sandwich just tastes different when you eat it outdoors!

This is by no means an exhaustive list of fun, inexpensive things to do with your family. Just a starting point...the main thing is have fun and make memories!

Happy Birthday to my Little Sister!!!

2008-07-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

I am an older sister and today is my little sister's 38th birthday! All our lives it was just the two of us growing up together. I have so many fond memories of times spent with MY SISTER!

My birthday is two weeks after Kathy's and I remember vividly her first birthday. I was turning 5 fourteen days after her special day and we CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY FIRST! The horrors! My almost five-year-old mind just COULD NOT understand this...I mean, I was OLDER! My celebration (meaning opening presents!) should be FIRST by reason of seniority! I remember crying and asking my parents why Kathy's birthday was first when I was oldest! My folks saw that I got over my indignation QUICKLY and learned to appreciate the fact that I had a little sister. In fact, I think I memorized the scripture about "rejoice with them that rejoice" over that incident! Oh, and "be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted..." etc

Now the injustice of it all is that she is still in her 30's and I am almost 42. How fair is THAT?? Still pouting after all these years! JUST KIDDING!

I love you, Kathy...you are precious to me...and you are NOT a doofus! Just saw this strip and laughed! I knew you would enjoy it, too!You are FUN, generous, genuine and one of my closest friends! I think I have laughed more, longer and harder with you than anyone else on this planet...hope your birthday is as fabulous, wonderful, incredible and spectacluar as you are!

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Julia and Aunt Kathy

Teaching Children to Cook

2008-07-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl my mom worked at the Salvation Army. My sister and I eagerly looked forward to the treasures that would occasionally come home with mama. There were doll clothes, records (back when we used a turntable), board games and puzzles, and lots and lots of books. One day mom brought something special home for me. I was eight years old and my surprise was a copy of the Betty Crocker Children’s Cookbook. How I loved that book! I spent hours poring over the pages and as many hours preparing the recipes I so fervently studied. I can remember my mom helping me through those recipes until I was confident enough to tackle all of them on my own. It changed my life. It started a lifelong love with cooking.

That cookbook also provided a wealth of shared experiences with my mother. Some of the greatest conversations that I recall from my childhood and youth took place in that kitchen. I still have that cookbook, and have used it with my children. I count it among my true treasures, but the memories, the lessons that I learned from my mother and my passion for cooking are what I value most.

My Aunt Chris Bennett is an excellent cook. She is the one who taught me to make fresh pasta, the one who introduced me to exotic foods like couscous and kim chee, and the one who passed on many of the recipes that my family treasures today. (Chicken Broccoli Bake, Minestrone Soup, Texas Jack, to name a few.) I follow her example of collecting cookbooks, and at last count had well over 300 titles. Someday I may match her collection of over 1,000! I am thankful for all the wonderful cooking memories I have of my parents (my dad is a fabulous cook and can make Fettuccine Alfredo that you would almost kill for), and my Aunt Chris.

The Thanksgiving I was nine my mom let me cook the entire meal myself. This included looking up all the recipes, determining what ingredients needed to be purchased, making a list and going to the store to buy them. Mom oversaw this process and made suggestions, but was very hands-off the whole time. I prepared the turkey, the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and made 3 different pies. I even made the gravy. My mom’s contribution was to lift the turkey in and out of the oven, drain the potatoes (both jobs I didn’t have enough strength to do) and, of course, be there the entire time to make sure I didn’t need help. It was amazing how much I did unassisted.

Before long I was preparing a meal (or more) a week…selecting a recipe from my cookbook, listing the ingredients and going to the store to purchase what I needed when mom did her weekly shopping . I loved doing this and soon graduated to my mom’s cookbooks.

I taught all my older children to cook and the year that Victoria was nine she made our Thanksgiving dinner all by herself. She still makes the majority of it every year, claiming it as her special responsibility. The other children each have their specialties and now I can go days without cooking at all.

Their desire to cook came about as they saw my passion for providing food for my family…food that tastes good, is healthy (most of the time!), inexpensive, and attractively presented (thank you, Sis. Crystal!) Like my mom, I took the time to teach them to cook and that investment is now blessing our entire family.

Cooking with small kids can be a joy --for them and for you. Cooking with older kids will pass on life-skills and create memorable shared accomplishments. Maybe a lot more will come out of the experience than a chocolate layer cake or homemade macaroni and cheese.

Here are some tips for teaching a child to cook:
1. Allow plenty of time. Neither you nor your kids will enjoy the experience if you're fighting the clock. It takes twice as long to cook with kids –but it's SO worth it.

2. Teach good hygiene. Teach them to wash their hands often and to clean and disinfect the counters. Have them use clean sponges and dishtowels.

3. Teach them food safety principles. Make them aware of dangerous bacteria and how they thrive. Teach them to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

4. Teach them the basics of ingredients. Explain how yeast works or baking soda. Show them the difference between granulated sugar, brown sugar, and confectioners' sugar, etc...the science of cooking is facinating.

5. Teach them to measure. Show them the difference between dry measures and wet. Let them practice. If they can measure accurately, they are on their way to successful cooking. Teach them the math of measurements--that there are four cups in a quart, 16 ounces in a pound, and three teaspoons in a tablespoon. (Sounds a lot like a homeschool math activity to me!)

6. Teach them to use the stove and the oven safely and properly. Show them the basic cooking methods--frying, steaming, sauteing, boiling, etc. As you progress, pick recipes that demonstrate each.

7. Teach them how to read and interpret a recipe. Let them read the recipe and discuss it with them step by step.

8. Teach them to clean up. Let them know that the job is not done until the kitchen is clean.

9. Be prepared for a few flops. Not every recipe is a winner. I remember being bitterly disappointed after making a dish that tasted awful even though the picture of it was lovely. At this point my family's reaction could have destroyed my confidence and killed my desire to learn to cook.

10. Take your children to farmer's markets, dairy farms, and to visit people who have farms or gardens. (Better yet, plant a garden of your own!) I grew up in a family who loved the land and not only gardened and preserved, but read to us books like Little House and Ralph Moody series. I grew up with an understanding of where food came from...that cheese was milk, salt and rennet processed to create cheese. I knew that tomatoes grew on bushes and apples grew on trees and grapes grew on vines. One of my own children, however, thought that tomatoes grew in cans. That's all they see in our society...go to the store and buy food! We started gardening soon after that.

In addition to giving your children a skill that will bless them all their lives, cooking with your kids reinforces math, science, health, reading and logical thinking skills. For all of us homeschooling families this is a definite plus!

Old Spaghetti Factory Creamy Pesto Dressing

2008-07-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

Opinions are sharply divided when it comes to the OSF. There are two things on their menu that I do like. One is the Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter Pasta and the other is the Creamy Pesto Dressing. OSF sells the mizithra cheese if you ask for it, and that dish is easy to recreate at home. Now that I have the salad dressing recipe I may never need to go back!

Of course then SOME of my kids would holler for the macaroni and cheese that they serve. I still have an older child who orders off the kids menu to get it! Anyone want to guess who?

The Old Spaghetti Factory Creamy Pesto Dressing
3/4 cup oil
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. basil, fresh minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
Hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Whisk together oil and mayonnaise. Add buttermilk, cheese, basil, salt, garlic and hot pepper sauce to taste. Mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate.

An Interview with Rick Warren...

2008-07-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

I logged on to my Cri du Chat Syndrome Support group yesterday and a parent had posted this. Often I skim over the posts to see if there is anything pertinent to Julia. This post caught my eye and I wanted to blog it.

I don't know if it is truly an interview with Rick Warren. I didn't look it up on Snopes. I feel that what is said here makes it worth re-publishing regardless of it's origin.

Here is the text that I copied:

This is an interview with Rick Warren, author of 'Purpose Driven Life'. His wife now has cancer, and he now has 'wealth' from the book sales. In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

'People ask me, 'what is the purpose of life?'

And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, 'which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others. We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know you more and love you better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfil a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Chocolate, anyone?

2008-07-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

HERSHEY'S Cocoa debuted in 1894 when Milton Hershey founded Hershey Chocolate Company. The item was initially sold as a beverage mix. In fact, "Great for Baking" was added to the can as a reminder that Cocoa could be included in baked goods as well. Today most HERSHEY'S Cocoa is used for baking... and it's still great!

Here are a couple of classic recipes. Cake making used to be the gold-standard by which a woman's culinary skills were measured. Now we open a box add a few things and pop it in the oven. Nothing the matter with that, but if you've never made a cake from scratch, now is the time to start! This is a fabulous, rich, moist chocolate cake with a dense, chocolatey flavor. the brownie recipe is listed on the Hershey website as a recipe that children can prepare.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CAKE

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 container (16 oz.) dairy sour cream

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FUDGE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350Â°F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Frost with FUDGE FROSTING. 12 to 15 servings.

FUDGE FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to boil. Pour mixture into medium bowl; cool completely. Add powdered sugar alternately with milk to cocoa mixture, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. About 1 cup frosting.

BEST BROWNIES
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350Â°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

Teaching Children to do Laundry

2008-07-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Parents start out doing everything for their kids and it's easy to forget that at some point those children have to learn how to do it all themselves. If they're ever going to be responsible adults, kids need to learn how to do laundry. It's even better if they learn it young and can practice and help while they're at home - long before they really have to do it for themselves. My kids have been doing laundry since they were about 6. It’s a great starting point for “big time” chores and my children were eager to use the washer and dryer…though now not so much!! :o)

Here are some tips for teaching children to do laundry:

Start them young
Most 5-year-olds with a step stool can reach a top-loading washing machine. Have them assist you with each step and explain why you do the things you do. They will slowly learn the process for themselves. A 7 or 8 year old child should be able to complete this training in a couple of months and be doing laundry with little or no supervision. Preteens may be thrilled that you're giving them some responsibility. Laundry-inept teenagers will probably require more discussion before they agree to participate, but they may also enjoy the freedom of taking care of their own clothes. But don’t count on it…best start them young!

Create a child-friendly washing area
Organize your laundry products where the child can reach and use them.

Teach them how to sort dirty laundry
Have the child help sort out whites, darks, colors, bedding, towels, etc. As you do so, explain that different colors and types of laundry are separated and washed in different water temperatures or require additional products to help clean them the best way. You will likely have to repeat these instructions many times before it all starts to make sense to a younger child. Over time, teach these additional preparation skills:

Checking pockets for forgotten items
Reading the care label of each unfamiliar garment before washing
Turning printed shirts (such as t-shirts) inside out to prevent unnecessary wear on the printing
Recognizing when they have an appropriate-size load of laundry - not too little, not too much
Recognizing items that should not go in the washing machine, such as dry-clean-only or hand-wash-only items.

Teach them how to use the washing machine
Show them the various controls and explain how they work. Washing machines can be complex, but most people only use a few of the functions on a regular basis, so start simply with a normal wash cycle. Have the child push the buttons and turn the knobs on the machine. They will feel empowered by their new-found ability to control this big machine! Over time, teach the following additional washing machine skills:

When, where, and how to put in the detergent and the laundry, itself
Loading the laundry evenly so the washer remains balanced
When to use hot, warm, or cold water
When to use bleach, all-fabric bleach, borax, or other cleaning products
How to use a stain-stick or pre-wash agent
When, where, and how to use fabric softener in a washer
How to make a quick wipe around the opening/top each time to remove any spilled laundry products.

Teach them how to use the dryer
Show your child where the lint-catcher is, and how to check and clean it out before they start adding damp laundry to the dryer. Oddly enough, this is often a favorite task for kids! Then teach them how to remove the laundry a few pieces at a time, shake them out to remove all washer-induced twisting, and place them in the dryer. This can be quite an exercise for younger children who have to repeatedly climb up and down a step stool!

Over time, teach them:

To examine the damp laundry and recognize items that shouldn't go in the dryer
Which dryer cycles to use for different types of laundry
The correct direction to turn the knobs (might save you a $60 repair bill.)

Teach them how to wash items by hand
Show them:

How much water to use in a washbasin
How to add detergent
How to scrub out stains
How to squeeze excess water from hand washed items (the toughest part.)

Teach how to hang or lay laundry flat to dry
An accordion-style, folding drying rack is a great tool for younger children who aren't tall enough to reach a clothesline. Show them how to reshape and lay out sweaters and other air-dry items so that the air can reach all sides and dry them quickly.

Teach how to iron, fold, and put away the clean laundry
Younger children should not use an iron. Wait until they're at least 10 before tackling that task! However, even preschoolers can learn to sort and fold laundry. Julia helps with ours!! Do it with them and over time teach:

Matching and folding socks together
Turning clothing right-side-out
Folding shirts, sweaters, and pants neatly
Hanging dresses, blouses, dress shirts and dress pants
Folding towels and bedding

Believe it or not, this can be great "quality time" spent with your kids! This can even all be done - with a bit of adjustment - at a laundromat instead of a home washroom. Take the kids along and have fun teaching and watching them learn a new skill! Bring a few books to read together or a card game to play while the washer(s) and dryer(s) are running.

Don't try to teach everything at once. Add a new skill or bit of knowledge each time you do the laundry together.

Find a child-size, full-length apron for younger children to wear when doing laundry. They'll be using chemicals (bleach alert!) and possibly getting their hands wet, and the natural reaction is to wipe their hands on their clothes. An apron could be the difference between nice new jeans and suddenly-worthless new jeans with a huge bleach stain on the front.

Even after younger kids think they can do it all on their own, be a silent observer for at least a couple of weeks. Inevitably there will be situations that you forgot to mention, and you will be grateful for the opportunity to teach those odds and ends.

It may be easier to manage the family laundry if everyone has their own hamper for dirty laundry in their bedroom. Sometimes it is more efficient to combine all the household laundry together, but sometimes it's easier to manage if it all stays separate.

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!

2008-07-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Land of the Free ~ Because of the Brave

God Bless America!!

Let the Games Begin!

2008-07-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

When I was a child growing up games were a huge part of our family life. Daddy, mama, my sister and I played for hours. We played favorites like Aggravation, Sorry, Monopoly, and Mille Bornes often.

We lived briefly in San Jose, CA and my mom got together for huge game tournaments with my grandma and aunts. I remember them playing Royalty, Risk, Dominoes and Scrabble while they ate artichokes (don't ask me why it was always artichokes, but it always was!) and drank Tab cola. But mostly I remember the conversations...the laughter...the mock fighting over a word or point, in short, the camaraderie. Kathy and I played quietly with our dolls or read books and just enjoyed being in the same room with mama, grandma and the aunts.

When we moved here I was 15. One of the first things we did after arriving in Sacramento was go to the Wilson's house. There Bro. and Sis. Wilson and my parents played a never-ending game of Chinese checkers. We ate nachos and drank Coke and I remember again the laughter...the conversations...the sense of belonging.

As young people playing card games was something we did when everyone got together. I remember playing Rook at the Pope's house, Skip-bo, Uno and Phase 10.

Now my kids all love games...we play Mexican Train Dominoes, Scattergories, Skip-bo, Phase 10, and if dad is joining us, a cut-throat game of Monopoly. We eat popcorn and drink sweet tea and what I hope they remember most is the laughter...the conversations...the sense of belonging, in short, the camaraderie.

No Greater Joy...

2008-06-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

3 John vs. 4

Is anything more beautiful than this? Olivia is 5th generation Apostolic and her Grandpa baptized her in Jesus Name last night! Thank you, Jesus!!!!

A page of my life...

2008-06-29T15:36:00.001-07:00

'Nuff said!

Communication...

2008-06-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Go figure...

2008-06-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Due to the local grass fires our air has been hazy to say the least. Each morning I wake up hoping for clear skies and fresh air. I have been disappointed every morning this week.

So...the craziest thing happened today. I was headed into the store and this woman was standing outside smoking a cigarette. She glanced at me and blew a plume of smoke my way. Then she proceeded to say "They ought to do something about the bleep-bleeping smoke in the air. It CAN'T be good for our lungs to breathe in all this smoke!"

At first I just stared at her. Then I burst out laughing...and agreed with her. SMOKE IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR LUNGS!!!!

One of ten things to do before your child is ten...

2008-06-25T18:58:00.001-07:00

I recently ran across this article and was struck by this last portion. I would recommend any homeschooling parent who is attempting a classical academic education for their child read it in it's entirety...there are many helpful insights.

This portion struck home and I wanted to share...

"Play and Exploration

Give the child plenty of time to explore and play. Do not buy "toystore" toys — they are expensive and are usually forgotten after the newness wears off. Invest in real things. Garage sales and auctions are an unending source for things like sewing machines, small tools for working in the garden, hammers, nails, and things for building, some wooden blocks, and dress-up clothes. Buy tools for exploring (a good microscope, telescope, binoculars, dissecting equipment, basic chemistry equipment, etc.), not toys for adoring. Teach your children how to use them responsibly (safe, neat, and orderly — clean up when you are done), and make them readily available for when they want to use them.

It is not only important that you do some things, it is important that you not do some things. It always seems like there are more do not’s than there are do’s. Do not set your child in front of a television screen. Television is bad. We mean the screen itself. It is unhealthy for the body, and especially for the eyes. Visual strain is the number-one problem of frequent computer users. Studies estimate that anywhere from fifty to ninety percent of regular computer users experience visual deterioration.

The material on the screen is also bad. The entertainment method of learning creates a sort of entertainment addiction — the child wants to be entertained all of the time — he wants his visual and auditory senses stimulated (overstimulated.) Every child needs to learn to spell through touch and taste and smell, and through interaction with real human beings who smile and answer back. He needs to learn in submission to the authority of real parents, not the authority of glamorized, always-happy, limitlessly-resourceful, never-tired substitutes who have absolutely no accountability. Need we say more?

Do not let your child waste away. You will have to discover the happy medium between giving your child enough time of his own and giving your child too much time of his own. If he has too little time, he will not develop his own thoughts. If he has too much time, he will pursue mischief, or at least no profitable ends. Give him something to think on when he has nothing to do. Memorization fills the mind with things to teethe his mind on and ponder.

Do not let your child play in a cyber world. He can play in a miniature world. He can play in a pretend world. But it must be made up of objects which exist in the real three-dimensional world, not electrons hitting an opaque, two dimensional phosphorescent screen. Why? Because — though he may learn something from the screen image, there are nevertheless many things which he is not learning precisely because it is only a screen image. Besides the missing sensory experiences (touching, tasting, smelling, hearing, seeing — three dimensionally), there are logical things missing (such as consequences in the real world.)

When the Computer substitutes for the functions and processes which the brain normally supplies, the brain is left to atrophy. It does not develop its brain muscles, as it were. No pain no gain. Do not use it, you lose it.

Excessive use of computers, especially at early ages, will restructure the way the brain processes information, often for the worse. It also causes the underdevelopment of the emotional and social dimensions of the child. Young children are developing many parts of their understanding, and "holes" can occur in their development if they are deprived of certain experiences during critical periods of time. These may not be discovered until much later. For example, a child may test perfect for hearing, yet because of a period of head colds earlier in his life, he was not hearing properly while his discernment of speech sounds was developing, so though he hears speech perfectly, he does not properly discern in his mind what his ears are perfectly hearing. Because you know he can hear well, you think he does not pay careful attention, so you punish him. You do not realize that he cannot pay careful attention, and that you need to train him in a missing skill.

Televisions and computers can be useful tools under the proper circumstances and controls. But they are like fire — a useful servant, but a terrible master. There are many legitimate reasons to doubt their value for children below the age of ten, especially in preparation for classical academic education."

So...real-life skills can be fun for kids. Cooking, sewing, gardening, woodworking, even cleaning can be enjoyable and foster closeness and communication between parents and children. I am chastened by this article...Olivia plays way too many computer games, and has asked me repeatedly to teach her to really sew (using the machine.) To my credit I have purchased the fabric and the pattern...tomorrow we begin!

2008-06-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Don't have your symphony first and tune your instrument afterward...begin your day with God.

-Anonymous

A Tribute or Two...

2008-06-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

Grandpa reads to Olivia

Blessed are they that keep judgement and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

Pslam 106:3

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Psalm 16:6

Father's Day...is one day enough to recognize the man who raised me? Who taught me by precept and example how to live godly and with integrity? Who taught me to recognize the difference between truth and false doctrine? Who has lived a life above reproach EVERY DAY in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE? The man who always had the right words to say and knew just how to say them? The answer is NO! A lifetime isn't enough!

I am 41 years old and my daddy has been my hero all my life. I am unspeakably thankful to be called a daughter of Rush and Mary Locke.

I love you, daddy!

Uncle Mike

Another man I want to recognize on this day is my Uncle Mike Bennett. Uncle Mike is actually my dad's best friend from Bible school and I was raised calling him uncle. Uncle Mike has been a loving, stabilizing, secure prescence in my life from my earliest memory. He taught me to ride a trike, prays for me daily and has always been a comfort to me. I thank God for my Uncle Mike.

Good friends for over 40 years. Whistler, B.C., Canada

Me and my sweetie

I am also thankful for David and the great dad he has been to all our children. No one works harder to take care of his family than my husband. I am blessed beyond measure to be married to this great guy! (22 years!)

Just a reminder...

2008-06-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Lemonade and Cookies

2008-06-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

Aunt Carol’s Lemonade
2 ½ cups water
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 ¼ cups lemon juice (fresh is best)

In a sauce pan heat and stir water and sugar over medium heat till sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool for 20 minutes. Add peel and juice to sugar mixture. Let stand in refrigerator till well chilled. Add 4 cups cold water and serve over ice.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour (sifted)1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c.(2 sticks) butter
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 c.(12oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in larger bowl and mix until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to stand for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

The Daffodil Principle

2008-06-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

THE DAFFODIL PRINCIPLE

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead.

"I will come next Tuesday, " I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call. Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there.

When I finally walked into Carolyn's house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! There is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said," We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"I was hoping you'd take me over to the garage to pick up my car."

"How far will we have to drive?"

"Just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

After several minutes, I had to ask, "Where are we going? This isn't the way to the garage!"

"We're going to my garage the long way," Carolyn smiled, "by way of the daffodils."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around."

"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read, "Daffodil Garden".

We got out of the car and each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped.

Before me lay the most glorious sight. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns - great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted as a group so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"But who has done this?" I asked Carolyn.

"It's just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory.

We walked up to the house. On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline.

The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read.

The second answer was, "one at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and very little brain."

The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

There it was.

The Daffodil Principle.

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than thirty-five years before, had begun - one bulb at a time - to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top.

Just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time - often just one baby-step at a time - and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things.

We can change the world.

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years. Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of
celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are.

After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation, or when we retire.

The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

Happiness is the journey...not the destination. So, treasure every moment that you have. Treasure it more because you shared it with someone special. Remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting until your car or home is paid off.

Until you get a new car or home.

Until your kids leave the house.

Until you go back to school.

Until you finish school.

Until you lose 10 lbs.

Until you gain 10 lbs.

Until you get married.

Until you have kids.

Until you retire.

Until summer.

Until spring.

Until winter.

Until fall.

Until you die.

There is no better time than right now to be happy...and to accomplish great things.

So work like you don't need money...

Love like you've never been hurt...

And dance like no one's watching.

~ author Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards ~

Modesty...

2008-06-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

Beautiful modesty

(thanks, Carly)

I was waiting in Taco Bell for my food today and picked up a copy of the Sac Bee to pass the time. This article caught my eye and I determined to come home and blog about it.

There were several statements that impacted me. Here is the first:

“Though this is the first time the Pure Fashion Show has been offered in Sacramento, teens in cities throughout the country have participated in the six-month program. They learn public speaking, manners, social graces, hairstyling and makeup application, personal presentation, and "living a life in accordance with God's will and fostering a life of grace through purity of heart, mind and body," according to the organization's Web site. One of its statements of beliefs is that "our private parts should stay private".”

I realized that while these girls are paying 350.00 for this training it is something my girls and their peers have been taught from the cradle. Being a part of a church like TRC is such an honor. Nothing is left to chance here…we are taught what to believe and why we believe it. We are taught public speaking, manners, social graces, hairstyling, (no make-up), personal presentation, and "living a life in accordance with God's will and fostering a life of grace through purity of heart, mind and body."

Within the last couple of years our leadership has taken this training to a new level with World Class Leaders sessions. I am so thankful that the fingerprints of great men and women of God are being left on my children’s lives.

The other statement that brought tears to my eyes was this:

"We want girls to know they can be beautiful and stylish and modest," Sugarman says. "We tell them first impressions are important … and what does it say if the first impression is showing everything?"

and...

"This counterbalances all the negative images out there. They're learning that beauty is who you are, not what you're showing."

Finally...

"Modesty is a way for me to show my faith every day," Jones says.

Wow. And in a day when I am embarrassed to have my teenage son walk through the mall.

While the world’s definition of modesty may not match ours, this message comes through to our Apostolic girls…the world WANTS what you have. Grace, beauty, style, confidence…in a word “modesty.”

Here is the article in it’s entirety:

Designer Michelle Dick fits model Mary Nye, 14, during a dress rehearsal for the recent Pure Fashion Show. Carl Costas / ccostas@sacbee.com

"I would wear these," says Nye, scanning a rack of blouses and dresses. The recent graduate of St. Mel's Catholic School in Fair Oaks usually has a hard time finding something to wear.

"When you go to the stores, all they have are clothes that show a lot of skin," says Nye, who is dressed in her usual after-school uniform of jeans and T-shirt over a tank top. "I don't feel comfortable with that."

"Modesty is a way for me to show my faith every day," Jones says.

Living that faith can be a challenge for teens who want to attend proms. Pressure to dress and behave provocatively at the high school dances has prompted so-called modest proms sponsored by church groups.

In April, more than 200 youths from Citrus Heights to Placerville and from all faith backgrounds attended a prom hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a decorated hall at the temple in Folsom. The theme was "An Evening in Paris."

"I like being around people with the same kinds of values," says Devin Stoker, who just finished his junior year at El Dorado Hills' Oak Ridge High School and attended the prom.

One of the best parts of the evening?

"It was free," Stoker says. The cost for the prom – the hors d'oeuvres, the photographer and even a chocolate dipping fountain – was funded by the church and donors.

"The proms are another way we can emphasize modesty in both appearance and behavior," says Lisa West, spokeswoman for the LDS church in the Sacramento region. The church stresses modesty for women and men.

Proms and fashion shows aren't the only places religious groups are pushing modesty. Many refer brides-to-be to bridal shops that sell modest clothing.

"The typical bridal gown is not modest anymore. They're backless or sleeveless, and cut down to there," says Lisa Durston, who opened A Bride's Dream Come True in Roseville.

She and partner Randi Peart started the business after Durston's daughter had a hard time finding a dress she considered appropriate. "We knew there were girls who wanted to be both modest and fashionable," Durston says.

To Durston, that means gowns with sleeves and a neckline that doesn't plunge. Brides-to-be from all faiths have bought her gowns, which range in price from $500 to $1,000.

"I think a lot of women are uncomfortable with the clothes out there right now," Durston says. "For some, it's because of religious beliefs and for others, it's because they want to leave something to the imagination."

A lot of people don't.

Low-cut camis and short dresses may be the rage in fashion and celebrity magazines, but many young women say the styles expose too much, especially during summer.

They've turned to faith-based organizations for help. The modesty movement, as it's called, is gaining support from religious leaders who say it's time to cover up. In the past few months, Sacramento-area religious groups have promoted modest-themed fashion shows and proms, and referred brides-to-be to shops that sell modest gowns.

Last week, hundreds attended the sold-out Pure Fashion Show at Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa in Sacramento. The Friday night show featured local teens from various churches modeling modest fashion from casual wear to evening formals.

The fashion show – which had a waiting list of more than 100 people who wanted to attend but couldn't get in – had the support of the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, the first time church leaders have given their stamp of approval to such an event.

"In this day and age, girls are growing up in an environment where it seems OK to dress provocatively. ... We're concerned," says Kathy Conner, who works for the Sacramento diocese.
Church leaders advertised the fashion show at Catholic schools and parishes. "This gives them a different model to follow," Conner says.

The modesty model has specific guidelines. For example, a skirt or dress should not be any shorter than four fingers above the knee, according to Inchi Sugarman, chair of the Sacramento Pure Fashion Show. Necklines should not go any lower than four fingers below the collarbone, and straps on tops should be at least two fingers wide.

"We want girls to know they can be beautiful and stylish and modest," Sugarman says. "We tell them first impressions are important … and what does it say if the first impression is showing everything?"

Though this is the first time the Pure Fashion Show has been offered in Sacramento, teens in cities throughout the country have participated in the six-month program. They learn public speaking, manners, social graces, hairstyling and makeup application, personal presentation, and "living a life in accordance with God's will and fostering a life of grace through purity of heart, mind and body," according to the organization's Web site. One of its statements of beliefs is that "our private parts should stay private."

Teenagers of different faith backgrounds from throughout the Sacramento region paid $350 to go through the program, which also included a weekend spiritual retreat and a father-daughter luncheon, and culminated with the fashion show.

"It's definitely been worth it," says Jean Mark, one of many parent volunteers. Her 14-year-old daughter, Jamie, modeled in the show. "This counterbalances all the negative images out there. They're learning that beauty is who you are, not what you're showing."

PURE FASHION MODESTY GUIDELINES
• Shorts: Put your arms down straight at your sides. If the bottom of the shorts is higher than the tip of your longest finger, the shorts are too short.

• Tops: The neckline should be no lower than four fingers below the collarbone. No spaghetti straps or tops made out of thin material.

• Dresses and skirts: No shorter than four fingers above the kneecap. Should not be tight-fitting.

• Undergarments: Should never be outergarments. No exposed bra staps.– Jennifer GarzaSource: Pure Fashion

Bubbles!

2008-06-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

Want a practically free way to have a blast with your children? Making and blowing bubbles with your kids is one of the most carefree pastimes imaginable - giggles guaranteed! And yet, blowing bubbles without knowing these simple bubble recipe secrets can turn your bubble fun into a "bust"! With these simple bubble recipe secrets, making super-sized long-lasting bubbles is a cinch.

What are bubbles? David Winsemius, MadSci Admin from The Mad Scientist Network gives us the answer:

"Bubbles are films of a solution stretched around some kind of fluid, usually air. The film that is easiest to make is a soap (or detergent) in water solution. The the film has thickness and an inside and an outside. Soap and detergent molecules are long thin molecules with many hydrogen atoms that attract each other. They have an electrically charged end that is attracted to water. The soap bubble surfaces have the soap or detergent molecules arranged so that they line up side by side. In the middle of the film is a water and soap solution."

You can purchase bubble mixture just about anywhere, from department stores to toy stores - but part of the fun of bubbles is you can make your own!!

Follow this simple recipe:

Materials Needed:
2/3 cup dish detergent (Dawn and Joy work best)
1 tablespoon glycerin (available at food or drug stores)
1 gallon of water

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl, pail or container. Allowing the solution to sit or age for 24 hours will increase the life of the bubbles.

You are now ready to make some awesome bubbles. All you need are a few tools to help shape and size the bubbles.Standard bubble blowing wands can usually be purchased with commercial bubble mixture but again you can create your own tools. Some examples are:

*Shape metal coat hangers make larger circular bubbles

*Floral wire can be shaped into circles of any size

*The end of a funnel can be dipped into solution and blown out

Here are some additional tips:

1. Adding glycerin to your bubble mix makes bubbles stronger. Glycerin can be found in your local pharmacy.

2. Use distilled water instead of tap water. Tap water tends to be "hard" and is not good for making bubbles. If yours is "soft", you have the perfect water for good "bubbleology".

3. Prepare your bubble solution in advance and store it overnight in the refrigerator before using it.

4. Dry surfaces pop bubbles, so make sure your bubble wand, your hands, and anything your bubble may touch is wet.

5. Let the bubble maker soak in the bubble solution a few minutes prior to using.

6. Clear any suds or foam from surface of mixture before making bubbles. Don't slosh the wand around in the solution. Suds and foam are "bubble-busters".

7. Overcast, cool and humid days are the best weather conditions for blowing bubbles. Avoid hot, dry or windy days, or at least find a shady spot out of the wind.

8. "Throw" bubbles, don't blow bubbles. Move your wand in a slow fluid motion.

9. Many small bubbles instead of one big one means you are probably blowing too hard.

10. Finish your bubble with a quick twist of the wrist to seal it before if flies away.

Adults and kids alike can learn these simple techniques to become expert "bubbleologists".

Note: Exercise care when children are using bubble mix. It can be very slippery on the ground, and will sting if it gets in the eyes.

Info from buzzles.com and kidsturncentral.com

Honor

2008-06-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering this subject for quite some time. Consider these excerpts from Building Christian Character by Blair Adams (Copyright 1992 by Truth Forum)

Ephesians 6:2-3
2Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

"Honor, the foundation from which all other elements of Christian character arise, refers primarily to a condition of the heart and mind, an inner attitude that inevitably manifests itself in outer words, actions and demeanor. A child who holds honor in his heart towards God, his parents and others to whom it is due will not simply try to appear to have Christian character traits, but he will genuinely strive to attain them in his heart and manifest them in his life. If we begin by truly honoring those to whom honor is due, then all the other elements of Christian character will come forth in our lives."

A little further on in this chapter...

"When children truly see that their obedience to parents equals obedience to God, and that their fear of their parents' displeasure becomes the fear of God, then they are well on the way to becoming God's disciples."

and...

"The foundation of disciplining our children is not in trying to teach the child masses of isolated rules and regulations, although they certainly need a clear pattern for their behavior, but to teach them to respect godly authority and to respond with immediate obedience to the demands of their parents and all those who express God's authority, that is , to come into proper relationship to God-ordained authority."

Finally...

"So we can see exactly how a child's honoring of his father and mother will bring him long life: honor lies at the base of God's efficacious exercise of authority in our lives. Authority stands at the basis of discipline. And discipline in turn becomes the basis of the life that love brings. When authority is motivated by love, it brings a discipline to bear upon the child to mold him into God's image. This discipline brings fear, fear respect, respect silence, silence listening, listening hearing, hearing obedience, obedience wisdom and wisdom life. So we see that the foundation of life springs forth from godly fear and wisdom (Prov. 14:27). These characteristics constitute the qualities of honor.

"We can also see why Solomon could conclude:

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Eccles. 12:13-14)

"If we truly teach our children -in the love of God- to fear Him, then they will fulfill their whole duty to God. Truly, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10) When we honor our parents, their discipline will bring us those characteristics that will impart God's life to us and make us vessels through whom that life can be imparted to others."

Family Read Alouds...

2008-05-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

I was blessed to grow up in a family of readers. My earliest memories include both my parents reading aloud to me. I am 41 years old and when I go home my dad still reads aloud to us...it is something I treasure.

When my sister and I were very young our parents read books like Dr. Suess and all the P.D. Eastman stories. Grimms Fairy Tales, the stories of Hans Christian Anderson and Beatrix Potter all figure prominently in my memory. As we got a little older the tales of E.B. White (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan) and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House series) were the entertainment we enjoyed most evenings.

As we matured the content of what was read to us became more advanced. We often had family discussions about the books we read, and many of the values that have shaped who I am and what I believe had their seeds planted in my mind during those times. My mother favored books like Ben Hur, The Robe and anything by Jane Austen or the Brontes. My dad preferred more theological fare and shared passages from his favorite authors. He fully expected us to understand what was read to us, and wanted us to prove we understood by narrating back what we had heard. It wasn't unheard of for him to feed us information that wasn't theologically sound and then wait for us to realize it and refute it with truth.

All of this brought about several positive results...we spent our leisure hours in the company of our parents, there was a secure bond forged between us, and as a result my sister and I became voracious readers ourselves...reading both for pleasure and information.

When I married and began having children I determined that I would continue this rich tradition in my own family. I began as soon as Rush was born, and I am still reading Dr. Suess and Goodnight Moon to the little girls 21 years later! I have read innumerable books aloud to my children. Some of our fondest memories are of being piled up in the living room eating popcorn while I read Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Cat of Bubastes, My Side of the Mountain, Rascal, The Summer of the Monkeys, Little Britches and all the Ralph Moody books, Cheaper By the Dozen, and myriad others.

Here is a list of age appropriate books for reading aloud. I have found, however, that reading a little above your child's ability to understand is not a bad thing.

Toddlers/Preschoolers
Goodnight Moon
The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (all Eric Carle books)
Are You My Mother? (all P.D. Eastman books)
The Cat in the Hat (all Dr. Suess books)
Guess How Much I Love You
The Snowy Day
Chicka-chicka Boom Boom
Where the Wild Things Are
Bunny Bungalow
The Sleeping House
Corduroy
Harold and the Purple Crayon
The Runaway Bunny
Goodnight Gorilla
Put Me in the Zoo

Five to Eight Years
The Five Chinese Brothers
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
Miss Rumphius
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born
Olivia Saves the Circus
Frog and Toad (series)
Little Bear (series)
Tikki Tikki Tembo
If You Take a Mouse to School
The Old Woman Who Named Things
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Babar (series)
The Cat Who Walked Across France
The Indian in the Cupboard
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
The Secret Garden
The Incredible Journey
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Courage of Sarah Noble
The Hundred Dresses
My Side of the Mountain
St. George and the Dragon
The Narnia Chronicles
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Charlotte’s Web
The Trumpet of the Swan
Little House in the Big Woods
Company’s Coming

Nine to Twelve Years
Tuck Everlasting
Harriet the Spy
Redwall
Bridge to Terebithia
Where the Red Fern Grows
Black Beauty
The Bronze Bow
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Cheaper By the Dozen
Call of the Wild
Number the Stars
The Sign of the Beaver
Chronicles of Narnia (series)
Little House on the Prairie (series)
Dear America and My Name is America (series)

Thirteen and Up
Watership Down
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: the Ultimate Teenage Success Guide
The Old Man and the Sea
All Creatures Great and Small
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Hobbit
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Agatha Christie mysteries

Ageless Titles
Aesop’s Fables
Andersen’s Fairy Tales
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
The Indian in the Cupboard
Banks, Lynne Reid
The Wizard of Oz
Madeline
The Five Chinese Brothers
Caddie Woodlawn
Goodnight Moon
The Secret Garden
Through the Looking Glass
Alice in Wonderland
James and the Giant Peach
Bonjour! Babar!
The Little Prince
The Hundred Dresses
Cheaper By the Dozen
The Wind in the Willows
Read-Aloud Poems for Young People
Oxford Book of Story Poems
All Things Wise and Wonderful: the Lord God made them all
Redwall Series
The Jungle Book
Just So Stories
The Story of Ferdinand
A Wrinkle in Time
The Tree That Would Not Die
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Frog and Toad Treasury
The Betsy/Tacy Series
The New Way Things Work
Make Way for Ducklings
Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie the Pooh
Anne of Green Gables (series)
Tikki Tikki Tembo
Sing Down the Moon
Bridge to Terabithia
Mr. Lincoln’s Way
Where the Red Fern Grows
The Complete Adventures of Curious George
The Journey: Stories of Migration
The Cricket in Times Square
Where the Wild Things Are
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
The Cat in the Hat
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!
Horton Hears a Who
The Lorax
Falling Up
Where the Sidewalk Ends
The Giving Tree
The Red Pony
A Child’s Garden of Verses
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Hobbit
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Polar Express
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Peppermints in the Parlor
Charlotte’s Web
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
September Roses
Old Turtle and the Broken Truth
Mice, Morals, & Monkey Business: Lively Lessons from Aesop's Fables
Crow Boy
Rumpelstiltskin

There are hundreds, even thousands of books that I haven't listed here. Once when the older kids were young teenagers I read The Big Brag by Dr. Suess aloud to them. At first they were a little exasperated...after all, this is a KIDS book! They became interested in spite of their determination to remain aloof, however, and the lesson was received without any further instruction...bragging isn't cool!

I couldn't end this post on reading aloud without mentioning Bible reading and Bible study. My mother read our B.R.E.A.D. (Bible Reading Enriches Any Day) to us every morning before we left for the school bus. She also used chalk-talks, object lessons, flannel graphs and drama to convey to us timeless biblical principles. This wasn't occasionally...it was almost daily. I have had the Bible read through to me more times than I could tell you. Daddy was a firm believer in regular, organized bible study and I have heard the entire Search for Truth bible study through at least 10 times (no exaggeration!) Thanks, daddy and mama!

Object lessons...

2008-05-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

When our older five children were little I often prepared object lessons as part of our daily devotions. Many lessons were taught and retained using this fabulous medium. Like Sister Crystal Stephen taught us...children retain more of what they see than what they hear!

Olivia has not experienced the benefit of our repertoire of object lessons. For whatever reason I am just not as focused on this method of teaching as I was a few years ago. Recently I felt as if the Lord brought to my mind the incredible effectiveness of using object lessons and I resolved to pull out all the old illustrations and put them to use.

Allen, Darlene and their children joined us for dinner last night and we took advantage of this opportunity to teach a lesson about words and actions. This is a well-used and familiar object lesson, but it has lost no effectiveness over time!

TOOTHPASTE
We started by giving each child a plate and a tube of toothpaste and encouraged them to squeeze the toothpaste out onto their plate. They had a great time as they decorated their plates with toothpaste...after all, what kid hasn't wanted to just squeeze a tube of toothpaste out all over the place?!!

After all the toothpaste was out of the tube we gave them another job...TO PUT IT BACK IN!!! Needless to say this was not only a lot harder to do than squeezing the toothpaste out...it was impossible. No one was able to get the toothpaste back into the tube...no matter how hard they tried.

The application is that while it may be easy and even enjoyable to say whatever you want to say or do whatever you want to do, taking words and actions back is impossible. You can apologize, but the fact remains that what you have done or said will always be remembered. Once the toothpaste is out of the tube you can't put it back in.

A little testimony to the effectiveness of this object lesson: within the last few weeks Rush (our 21 year old son) has said these words to me "Mom...I can't get the toothpaste back in the tube. I can't fix all these mistakes." While I wept with him for his choices and where they have taken him, I was impacted by the way he expressed his regret...by referencing an object lesson I had taught him 11 years earlier when he was 10 years old.

I was also thankful that even though we can't fix our mistakes I could point him to a saviour who could. So, while the toothpaste object lesson may help us remember to think twice and speak once, which is great preventative teaching, Jesus is able to bring beauty out of our most dismal failures. Please help me pray for my boy...he's not too far from home! Truthfully...he's just outside the door and afraid to knock.

Menu Master List

2008-05-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ok...I've had at least three people ask me for my master list of meals and sides. Here you go!

Main Dishes:
(CP indicates Crock Pot meal)

Soups:
Potato Chowder...........................................CP
Minestrone Soup
Navy Bean Soup...........................................CP
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup...................................CP
Chili
Clam Chowder
Chicken Tortilla Soup...................................CP
Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Split Pea Soup..............................................CP

Casseroles:
Chicken Broccoli Bake
Tamale Pie
Enchiladas
Poor Man’s Casserole
Chicken & Stuffing
Chicken Pot Pie.............................................CP
Lasagna..........................................................CP(sauce)
Meatloaf
Beanie Weenies.............................................CP
Chili Mac

One Pot Meals:
Sauerkraut & Dumplings.............................CP
Locke Pot Pie.................................................CP
Chicken & Dumplings....................................CP
Noodles Napoli
Spaghetti........................................................CP(sauce)
Hamburger Gravy/Rice
RoastBeef.......................................................CP
RedBeans&Rice.............................................CP
Corned Beef & Cabbage...............................CP
Beef or Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken & Walnuts
Cheese Tortellini/Ravioli

Miscellaneous Meals:
Tacos
Burritos
Potato Bar
Broiled Chicken
London Broil
Sloppy Joes...................................................CP
Oven BBQ Chicken
Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers
Meatball Subs..............................................CP
Cold Subs
French Dip Sandwiches..............................CP
Taco Salad
Nachos

Celebration Meals:
Banzarotis'
Roast Turkey Dinner
Baked Ham Dinner
Runzas’

Hot Side Dishes:
Oven Braised Carrots
Corn
Corn on the Cob
Green Beans (fresh or canned)
Bacon Fried Green Beans
Sis. Crystal’s Green Beans...................................CP
Green Bean Casserole
Mixed Vegetables
Steamed Broccoli
Peas
Peas & Carrots
Mashed Potatoes
Baked Potatoes
Boiled Potatoes
Country Potatoes (Sunny Rose)
Parsley Red Potatoes
French Fries
Potato Wedges (baked & broiled)
Brussels Sprouts
Steamed Cabbage Wedges
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Baked Onions
Stuffing
Spanish Rice/Refried Beans
Baked Beans (Daddy’s recipe)

Cold Side Dishes:
Pickled Beets
Green Salad
Potato Salad
Cole Slaw
Macaroni Salad (old-fashioned)
Pasta Salad
Chinese Cabbage Salad
Sliced Tomatoes
Cucumber Salad
Caesar Salad

Breads:
Sliced Bread (store purchased)
Homemade Bread
Homemade Rolls
Croissants
Biscuits (regular & garlic cheese)
Cornbread
Tortillas (corn & flour)
French Bread
Garlic Bread
Sourdough Bread

Desserts:
Apple Crisp
Apple Pie
Apple Dumplings
Apple Sauce (homemade)
Cinnamon Apples
Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cake
Carrot Cake
Lemon Bundt Cake w/Lemon Glaze
Lemon Squares
Gooey Lemon Cake (Daddy’s recipe)
Lemon Meringue Pie
Yellow Cake
White Cake
Angel Food Cake w/Berries
Banana Pudding
Banana Cream Pie
Banana Split Cake
Banana Nut Bread
Coconut Cake (Daddy’s recipe)
Coconut Cream Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Custard
Dump Cake
Chocolate Delight
Brownies (Jennie Mae Cake)
Cherry Pie
Blueberry Gingerbread
Peach Cobbler
Apple Kuchen
Ice Cream
Snickerdoodles
Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rice Krispie Treats
No Bake Cookies
Jell-O Desserts
Sunrise Cake
Strawberry Shortcake

Breakfasts:
Cold Cereal
Pancakes
Waffles
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat/Malt o’ Meal
Eggs & Toast
Bagels & Cream Cheese
Egg Burritos
Biscuits & Gravy

Lunches:
Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Cold Cut Sandwiches
Bean Burritos
Macaroni & Cheese
Nachos
Tomato Soup
Cup o’ Noodles
Baked Potatoes w/Toppings
Leftovers

Lunch Sides:
Potato Chips
Tortilla Chips
Carrot & Celery Sticks
Pickles
Green Salad
Fruit
Crackers & Breads

Snacks:
Fruit (fresh)
Fruit (canned: mandarin oranges, applesauce, peaches)
Pretzels
Cookies
Vegetables
Graham Crackers
Goldfish Crackers
Ritz Crackers
Yogurt
Potato Chips
Tortilla Chips
Popcorn
Dried Fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots, banana chips)
Nuts & Seeds (peanuts, mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios)
Popsicles/Ice Cream

Beverages:
Iced Tea
Lemonade
Juice (orange, apple, cranberry, grapefruit, grape)
Milk
Coffee
Herbal Teas
Hot Apple Cider
Hot Chocolate

Roles, Goals and Responsibilities

2008-05-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

As a young wife and mother I was often overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the tasks I faced every day. From the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning till long past the time that my family had retired for the night I was working to keep all the balls in the air. Many times I felt as if all I had done each day was meet my family's basic needs for survival...cooking, cleaning, bathing, dressing, laundry...the list was endless. I also felt as if all I was doing was futile...for every load of laundry done there were 3 more waiting. I worried that I was neglecting so many important aspects of raising my family. Being focused on the physical needs of my children I questioned whether or not I was giving them enough spiritual nourishment. Were we having enough fun? Was I truly preparing them for the future? The answer to these questions more often than not was a resounding "no!"

After taking on the responsibility of my children's education the load felt even more unmanageable...now I had to be sure they received a superior education. When a parent decides to homeschool it's because they want to provide an education for their children that is better than they would have received anywhere else!

Add to this our church involvement and you begin to get a picture of how demanding life was for us at that time.

Guess what? It didn't slow down. We added four more children to our family. Life dealt us some cards that were hard to play. Our responsibilities increased and pressure mounted. But it DID get easier because of one simple thing...I learned to identify my roles, goals and responsibilities. Once this happened everything I did had increased significance. Cooking dinner wasn't just another meal in the long unending line of meals I would cook in my lifetime. Suddenly cooking dinner was a way of honoring my husband, nurturing my children and helping me fulfill my role as homekeeper. Every single responsibility I discharged each day increased my effectiveness in regard to the role it related to.

It has been fifteen years since I first sat down with a pen and paper to identify my roles, goals and responsibilities. The original copy that I typed and printed on Kirsten's computer at 2:00AM has long since disappeared. But the transformation that began then has continued to enhance my life and the lives of those I love.

This is an extremely abbreviated look at my personal roles, goals and responsibilities. Yours will be much different than mine, but I do encourage you to try this exercise.

Roles: (all the different parts I play)
Child of God
Wife
Mother
Homekeeper
Educator
Family member
Friend
Minister

Goals: (my ultimate desire for the outcome of each role)

There is no way that I can recreate every goal for each role listed, but here is one...

Homekeeper: To "look well to the ways of my household, and eat not the bread of idleness." (Prov. 31:27) To create and maintain a warm, nurturing environment for my family. To complete necessary tasks in an orderly and timely manner. That our home is a clean, pleasant shelter from the pressures of the world, and that it would be an optimal environment for each member of my family to learn, grow, thrive and reach their full potential.

Responsibilities: (the daily things that must be done to see that the goal is reached)

Homekeeper:
Create and implement a schedule for cleaning, laundry and meals.
Be aware that atmosphere is everything...engage the 5 senses.
Involve the children in this process in order to prepare them for the future.

For each of these areas I developed an detailed list of instructions that included everything from how often to vacuum to how to present a meal attractively.

Looking back now I am amazed at how difficult the first years of adulthood were for me. And thankful for the time I spent defining who I was, who I wanted to be and how to get from there to here!

Binding and Loosing

2008-05-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt

loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:19

If there is a force more powerful than that of a fervent intercessor, I don't know what it would be. Anyone who invests time in prayer does it desiring to see God move in the lives of those for whom they intercede. Many years ago when praying for my family I found that I only prayed AGAINST evil things, rarely FOR blessing. Disturbed by this, I began to search out a way to pray positively. I call this my bind-loose list and pray frequently that not only will God bind these negative things, but that He will loose the opposite blessing in the lives of those I love. There was a marked difference in the results of my prayers when I started to pray this way...I started to see the positive things I was praying for come to pass because I was being specific.

BIND LOOSE
Bitterness - Forgiveness
Strife - Peace
Slothfulness/Laziness - Diligence/Industry
Complacency - Zeal
Pride/Arrogance - Humility/Meekness
Love for the world - Love for God /His Word
Lust - Purity
Lying - Truthfulness
Deceit - Honesty
Discord - Harmony
Shame - Mercy/Confidence
Materialism - Sacrifice
Foolishness - Prudence/Wisdom
Anger/Hatred - Love/Gentleness
Rebellion - Submission
Disrespect/Dishonor - Respect/Honor
Disobedience - Willing obedience
Arrogant/Know-it-all - A teachable spirit
Sarcasm - Kind & gentle speech
Cursing - Blessing
Worldliness - Holiness
Doubt - Faith
Fear - Courage
Confusion/Depression - Peace/Sound Mind
Bondage - Deliverance
Dissatisfaction - Contentment
Distress/Sadness/Anxiety - Joy
Grief/Hurt - Comfort
Loneliness - Godly companionship
Frustration - Patience in tribulation
Impotence/Lack of confidence - Power/Boldness
Complaining - Praise
Danger/Evil - Protection
Sickness - Health
Fearfulness - Security
Weakness - Strength
Temptation - Deliverance

Chicken Broccoli Bake

2008-05-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

For everyone who has asked me for this recipe...here you go! (Love you, Emily!) If it sounds like a crazy combo, just make it anyway...it is a great way to feed a lot of people on a small budget. Recipe can be halved or doubled.

Chicken Broccoli Bake
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 lbs. broccoli, cooked till tender and drained
4 cups cooked rice
Sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups crushed corn flake cereal
2 tbsp. melted butter

In greased casserole layer rice, chicken and broccoli. Top with sauce. Mix cereal crumbs with butter and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Casserole will be bubbly and crumbs nicely browned.

Sauce:
2 cups cold milk
1 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth, or hot water and bouillon
1 cup mayonnaise (just close your eyes and put it in…it’s what makes it yummy)
1-2 tbsp. curry powder, depending on how well you like it. I always use more!
2 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a COLD pan place milk and flour. Mix with whisk till no lumps remain. Add broth and whisk well. Put over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly till thickened. Remove from heat and add mayonnaise, curry and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. I have made this with fat free mayo and it is very disappointing. Better to have the real thing occasionally than to sacrifice the real mayonnaise!

And the wife see that she reverence her husband...

2008-05-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife [as being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].

Eph 5:33 Amplified Version

These terms defined:

Respect: high or special regard, to consider worthy of high regard

Reverence: honor or respect felt or shown, profound adoring, awed respect, to regard or treat with reverence (to revere)

Notice: to treat with attention or civility, to take notice of

Regard: to pay attention to, take into consideration or account, to show respect or consideration for, to hold in high esteem, to look at

Honor: to regard or treat with honor or respect, to confer honor on

Prefer: to like better or best (to like better than WHAT? Better than any other earthly relationship…better than children, parents, siblings, friends or church family members. To prefer serving him to any other obligation or duty, knowing that (having been created for him) service to your husband is your first God-given ministry, and that if this is neglected nothing else you do will have the full blessing of God.)

Venerate: to regard with reverential respect or with admiring deference, to honor with a ritual act of devotion

Esteem: to set a high value on, regard highly and prize accordingly

Defer to: to submit to another's wishes, opinion, or governance usually through deference or respect

Praise: to express a favorable judgment of, to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections, an expression of approval

Love: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, attraction based on sexual desire, affection and tenderness felt by lovers, affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests, warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion, the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another

Admire: to regard with admiration, to marvel at, to like very much

And my favorite part...all of these

Exceedingly: to an extreme degree