I know this is probably going to sound like a crazy tip, but this is something that has really helped me as a mother. I hope it will be helpful to another mommy, as well. Often, I am not able to get a shower before my children wake up. I don't like leaving them unattended. So, for my bathroom, I got a clear shower curtain, and I set up some toys in my bedroom, right outside the bathroom door. That way, if they bicker, I can see everything that is going on. Granted, as they get older, I cannot always do this, but it is really helpful also, for watching babies in their bouncy seats. Mommy can make sure that littles are ok without opening the shower curtain a million and one times, dripping water everywhere. For more Works for me Wednesday tips, visit Rocks in my Dryer. Have a blessed day!

Baby J#3 almost 17 weeks!
This is a precious picture of the profile of my sweet baby's face and chest today. He/she is facing upwards. Hubby and I both think that he/she looks an awful lot like Stevie's facial profile. My doctor was disappointed that she could not tell the baby's gender from the ultrasound. Baby had his/her legs crossed. Stephen and I are trying to wait anyways. But for some reason, the doctor simply has to know! They tried to schedule an in-depth ultrasound elsewhere, but we are going to refuse it because it is unnecessary. All the measurements line up with my due date. I am now a whopping 112 pounds. I look a lot bigger than that, though. The baby waved to us for a while, and wiggled like crazy away from those loud sonar waves. Poor thing! Thankfully, my doctor did not even try to do the glucose test, like she had wanted to. Also, when I went to pay off the balance, they gave us some of our money back because we had a credit from when Stevie was born! Hooray. God is so faithful to reward those who seek Him. Blessings to you.

Doctor's Appointment Today
Today, dear hubby, the children and I, are going to my doctor's appointment. I will be 17 weeks tomorrow! I cannot believe that I am nearly at the mid-point of this pregnancy. I seem to get more disheartened with every step of the medical pre-natal process. There is just so much unnecessary testing, that it really frustrates me. Also, so many procedures that they recommend are so harmful. When I was expecting Stephen III, I was one day overdue. My doctor wanted to induce me by giving me Cervidil, even though I was already dilated to 6 cm.. Cervidil is only supposed to be for those women who are unable to start dilating. My doctor told me that this was the only way to get me into the hospital without being in labor. I researched about it one night before I was supposed to go in, and I was utterly appalled. I found that it can cause the uterus to rupture and this can kill the baby. It causes you to dilate by shaking and warming your uterus. It can also cause brain damage. I later talked to a lady who attended my church, who had Cervidil and her uterus did rupture. I am glad that I found out the truth in time. I was planning on calling in the morning and refusing. I was at the brink of despair, but that very night, God caused me to go into labor. Everything happened really quickly. But it troubles me greatly that I have to constantly study what the side effects are for everything. I should be able to blindly trust the medical profession, but I cannot. I have been reading some books from a dear lady at my church who homebirths. She talks about what a joy it is to birth at home with the assistance of a godly midwife. She reminded me that "Perfect love casteth out all fear." (I John 4:18) I must admit that I go through the traditional medical pre-natal care mainly out of fear. I fear man (the government), and I fear the pains of labor without drugs. So many things that doctors do, lead to further complications during birth. They start you on Pitocin, and then you really need an epidural because those pains are so intense. Then, they say your baby's blood pressure or heart rate are soaring or plummeting,(due to the drugs) and they need to cut you open. Is this really the way God intended for it to be? So many women I talk to, who have had their births at home, with their precious children there, and a godly midwife, say they could never go back to the hospital. When I got to the hospital in labor with Stephen, and after going through all the typical protocols, they made me lay down immediately and strap the monitor to my abdomen. I really had the urge to walk around during contractions, but they insisted that I lay down. They said it is hospital policy. I don't understand why, when I had not received any drugs yet. I just feel trapped sometimes by their rules. I wish there was a closer freestanding birthing center, but it is over an hour and a half away. I am just begging God to guide me. I know I cannot afford this doctor (who we will pay off today) and a midwife, as well. The doctor is $1200 (with insurance) and the midwife is $2000. Please pray that God will guide us in this, as in all things. May we always seek to do things according to His Plans. Blessings to you.
Image from www.allposters.com "At the Cottage Gate" by Helen Allingham

Tackle it Tuesday: Refrigerator

Today, I decided to clean out all the scary things that might be lurking in my fridge. This is always such a satisfying job. There is just nothing like opening up a gleamingly bright refrigerator. There were many scary leftovers, which were in dire need of being disposed of. Blessings to you!

Monday~ Beef Burritos

Tuesday~Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday~off~ Sister-in-law cooking

Thursday~ Beef and Rice Casserole (crock pot) and Creamed Spinach

Friday~ Homemade Pizza

Saturday~Stephen II and Stephen III's birthday party! My baby turns 2! We are having a football themed party for them. We will be making grilled sandwiches (like panini's) and pasta salad. Our one splurge was a $10 football pinata for the cousins to enjoy.

Extra Freezer Meal to make this week and freeze: Manicotti.

Have a blessed week. For more menu plans, visit Laura.

My little Kitchen Helper

My little man was an awesome kitchen helper this morning. He was a happy guy in his sweater and onesie. He was beating the eggs very well. He just about has a fit if I do not let him help with this. I am so glad that he enjoys helping. He will be a terrific husband one day...chef and all. I must share with you a very funny story about this little man. Earlier today, he was outside with me, and he rang our doorbell. Then, he hastened into the house, and looked out the window to see "who's there?" Isn't he just a funny man? I think he was playing really is not that blonde!

Guess What I have been feeling....Baby Feet!!!!

Over the past few days, I have been feeling sweet little baby feet kicking away in my abdomen. It feels like a lot of fluttering, but it has been getting stronger. I am 16 1/2 weeks and I am very much in love with this little sweetie. Hubby is convinced that it is a girl, and I am convinced that it is a boy. I have been wrong both times,before, so I am utterly confused. With Lily, I packed on the weight all around, hips and all. But with Stevie, he was just a little basketball. (Well, he felt big to me) Tonight, I noticed my hips and backside in the bathroom mirror at IHOP and I was rather terrified. I did not know I was gaining that much padding! Wow! My next appointment is Tuesday, and I am very excited. Hopefully, there will be no slip of the tongue regarding gender. I want a sweet surprise. Blessings!

Anne of Green Gables Treasures

As I have shared before, the used bookstore in town is simply my favorite place to buy books. I have gotten so many treasures there, which would have cost a fortune elsewhere. Today I was delighted to find The Anne of Green Gables Treasury, which is normally a $13 book , for the mere price of $3. I saved a lot, and the only flaw is that there is a name inside the cover. I used to not like that idea, but it is starting to grow on me. I wonder what lovely memories another mother and daughter shared while holding that very book. Used books in nice condition have a beautiful history, which makes them that much more special to me. This book is awesome. It includes a thorough section on foods/teas to make for a lovely tea party, a fancy apron pattern, a map of Green Gables (with a floor plan of the house), and so many other treasures. I became hooked on the movies and the books when I was in 7th grade, when we read them aloud in class. I love watching the movies with Lily, and I hope to read her the books as she grows older. I purchased the two of the books a while ago. I owned the first one since I was younger. The second and third were purchased at the used bookstore for $1 each. Rather than paying $6 per book, I could have spent around $8-$9 for the whole collection , if the store had all of them. (Sometimes you just have to wait to have a lovely collection.) These books are so lively and leave such an indelible impression on one's heart. I love the following quote from Anne, "Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world." These are truly a lovely piece of childhood and I daresay that I enjoy the books and movies even more in my adulthood than I had in my youth. May we always be enchanted by the simple and lovely pleasures found in a dear book.

What a Blessing!

I won this awesome Creation-based elementary science book, for a recipe I submitted to Jeannie Fulbright's contest. This book is absolutely awesome! There are creation confirmations throughout this book. Also, it is filled with a myriad of colorful pictures of bugs, birds, and other flying creatures. Even Stephen III could not stop talking about this book. He pointed to every picture saying, "What's that?" repeatedly. This book is primarily for students ages 6-13, but is adaptable for younger students. They have a really fun activity at the end of every lesson, so everything is really hands on. I learned in a very shallow way in school; I would have loved actually learning something like this, which has depth. Jeannie Fulbright utilizes the notebooking methods of Charlotte Mason as well as some classical education methods. You can teach several children at once with this book. For a sneak peak, visit here. I learned SO much just by leafing through it this afternoon with my children. We are so blessed to live at a time that there are so many wonderful homeschool resources.

The Best Once a Month Cooking Website

If you desire to stock your freezer with a plethora of delicious meals, the best online asset is here.Blessings!

Image by Barbara Applegate, available from www.allposters.com

Happy Birthday, Dear Hubby!

My sweet husband will be 26 years old on Sunday! He is such a blessing to me, and I am quite unworthy of his love and companionship.

26 Things About my Sweetheart, Stephen, for his 26th birthday:
1. He always tells me how beautiful I am, especially when I don’t feel pretty.
2. He is so intelligent regarding almost every subject; He is excellent in math, science, and history.
3. I am married to an amazing computer whiz; this man’s phone is always ringing, someone always needs his expertise. He can even fix my major computer mistakes, which is no small feat.
4. Stephen is an amazing Daddy, his children are never happier than when they get to wrestle or play outside with Daddy!
5. Stephen loves the Detroit Lions. He is faithful to cheer them on, even if they rarely win. He is truly loyal.
6. He is the fifth child out of eight. He has two brothers (one in heaven) and five sisters. (Having that many sisters was good preparation for having a wife.)
7. He is a homeschooled graduate!
8. He can support a family on his single income, even without attending college. I am so proud of how skilled he is!
9. He is faithful about working out, even when our garage is very cold!
10. He is the wonderful spiritual leader of our home. He does a terrific job leading us in family devotions.
11. He loves John Wayne movies; his collection is definitely expanding!
12. Stephen works faithfully every day even if he is in a lot of pain.
13. He is very chivalrous, he always trys to open the door for his little lady, Lily, and his wife!
14. He gives the best backrubs, a true reward for an aching pregnant back!
15. He calls Lily “my clone” because she looks identical to him when he was her age. (except for the long hair!)
16. He loves coffee with delicious creamers, but has been enjoying herb teas as a healthier alternative.
17. He is an avid reader; he can finish a 200-300 page book in an evening or two!
He comprehends and retains everything he reads.
18. He knows even the slightest details about almost every Bible story.
19. Stephen is a man of frugality; he can deduce which household items are wasting too much electricity by studying the meter, and testing each item.
20. Like his father, Stephen is often asked advice on a plethora of topics, because of his vast expanse of knowledge.
21. As a good ole’ country boy, Stephen loves shooting at the range for fun.
22. Stephen is a Southerner at heart and claims North Carolina as his homeland, despite the fact that he was born in Michigan. (He only lived there about 2 years, so he says that was insignificant.)

23. He led me to the Lord. He showed me the error of being "religious". It is ALL about a relationship with Christ.

24. He is an awesome morning person.

25. He is the one man I can trust completely, to lay everything on the line to protect his family.

26. Stephen does well with everything he does, even if it is the first time at trying something.

I love you, Sweetheart. Thank you for sharing your life and heart with me. I pray that God will mold me into a better wife for you, day by day.

Frugal Fridays: Frugal House Heating
One of the ways we frugally keep our house warm in the winter, is by having a kerosene heater in our living room. It is at a central point in our house, and we turn the ceiling fan to the winter mode. It costs $13.00 to fill a 5 gallon tank, which will burn in our kerosene heater for 48 hours. For safety purposes, we only let it run when we are awake. Some days, we might burn it for a few hours, if we need it, or many hours. When the heater is on, our electric heat does not run. We don't keep our electric heat up very high because it is so expensive. Having wood floors in the living room helps the heat to reflect off the floor, and spread throughout the room. For our 1250 square foot house, one kerosene heater is just fine. For a larger house, you might want to have 2 or 3 heaters put in strategic places. If you aren't using a particular room, you might just want to shut off that door, and the heat will travel to your other rooms. The other blessing about this is when the power goes off, you still have heat. We had our power out the other day for 2 1/2 hours, and the children and I would have had to leave if we did not have the kerosene heater. We can survive without all other electrical luxuries, but we cannot survive without heat in the winter. For more frugal Friday ideas, visit, Crystal's blog.

I Have Been Tagged.... 7 Weird Things About Me

Alright, so there are a lot of weird things about me...where should I begin?

1. I always go into labor in the middle of the night. So many women say to me, "Oh, you are so lucky, you get to wake up your hubby." How is that lucky? I think we would both like to sleep.

2. I break computers all the time. Something is just weird about that... I am so glad hubby is a computer technician.

3. Hubby told me that I make the most expressive faces when I read. He said my eyes almost pop out of my head. I just don't believe it though...little old normal me would never do that, right?

4. Hubby also says that I sleep with my eyes partially open. Hey... I have to keep one eye open, I never know what trick he might play on me. lol The children have inherited that too.

5. I really detest backing up my van. I have to back up my drive way at a sharp angle, and sometimes it takes several attempts. I provide laughing material for the whole neighborhood.

6. When I was in high school, someone broke my big toe just by stepping on it.

7. I am not very coordinated in walking. I have gotten better over time, but I used to fall all the time when I was little. I was always embarrassed, so I would say, "That was fun", laughing, as I got up, even in excrutiating pain.

I am supposed to tag 7 people, but a lot of my blogger friends have already done this meme. So consider yourself tagged by me, if you want to be. Hope you enjoyed the hehe at my expense. Blessings!

Shower Joel's Family with Love
Sweet little Joel , a sweet 3 year old who battled cancer,went to be with the Lord on Tuesday. His parents have put an address up on their website where you can send cards/gifts in memory of Joel. Please do what you can to comfort this family in their grief. I cannot imagine the heartache which they are experiencing. I am putting the address here for your convenience. Blessings to you!
The Morris Family
c/o Western Hills Church
401 SW 44th
Oklahoma City, OK 73109

Today I am thankful to our Creator for so many things, but the following are a few of the blessings, which have really touched my heart.

• For the blessing of being able to stay home and watch my beautiful children, daily.
• For the blessing of a husband who works diligently to provide for our family.
• For the blessing of learning the story of Joel, and seeing the faithfulness of his family. In his short life, he touched so many other lives.
• For the blessing of having a husband who is disciplined in money matters, who always finds a way to pay off debts.
• For the blessing of paying off our car, and almost being able to pay off our van.
• For the blessing of having healthy children.
• For the blessing of a precious life within my womb, which God began knitting together within my womb, a few months ago.
• For the blessing of my daughter's surgery, last November, going well.
• For the blessing of being able to teach my sweet little children.
• For the blessing of being around like minded families at church.
• For the blessing of my dear husband being the Spiritual Leader of my home.

Have a blessed day in Him. Always remember to see the blessings everywhere. For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Iris.

Tonight, I am cooking for a Crowd!

Tonight is our night for cooking for hubby's family. We are cooking for a few extra people tonight, since some relatives are down visiting. So, instead of cooking for 16 people, I am cooking for at least 22 people. I am making a tweaked version of Amish Skillet, which has more liquids added, so it will cook better in the oven. I add shredded cheddar cheese, a large cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and milk, to the point where it gets nice and creamy. I cut up several pounds of potatoes, carrots, and add 3 pounds of browned beef to the casserole. I cook it at 350 degrees until the vegetables are tender. I am making at least 4 cups of rice for everyone to pour the Amish Skillet over. This tends to make things go a lot further. Last night, I made a loaf of Old fashioned white Bread in my bread machine. We went out to buy some groceries last night, and when we got home, the bread was almost finished baking. It made the kitchen smell so fragrant. I am so grateful to my dear hubby for buying my bread machine. (and frugally too, that makes me the happiest!) Blessings to you.

My Sweet Little Lily, Ready for Bed

Sweet Little Joel went home to be with Jesus last night. If ever a family loved their child, it was the Morris family. They fought court battles just so they could keep their child alive. Please pray that this dear family will be consoled in their grief. Thank you for your prayers on their behalf!

Childrens' Activities List

When my little ones have some free time, it is helpful for me to pick out a new activity for them from a list I made. Otherwise, they tend to run around like a bunch of crazies! Here is a sample of some items on my list. For more Works for me Wednesday ideas, visit Shannon's blog.

*Games

Memory

Candyland

Crazy 8's

*Abacus

*Coloring Books

*Playdoh

*Dominoes (Make a house with them, or count with them)

*Magnetix/Kinex

*Chalkboard with letters

*Dry Erase Books (practice writing alphabet and numbers)

*Thumbprint Art (make art figures with thumbprints from stamp pad)

*Read books

*Play tent

*Play Tea Set

*Blocks

*Painting

*Puzzles

*Flashcards

*Army Men

*Lacing Cards

*Tub of Toys

Joel Moved His Foot!
The sweet little boy, Joel, who was considered brain dead by doctors, moved his foot yesterday, without any manipulation. That is not the activity a normal "brain dead" person could perform. He is still in a great need of prayer. It is just so encouraging to hear how the Master Physician is working in Joel's life. What a testimony to the power of the Creator, and the folly of man's wisdom. Please pray for his family, as they plan to bring him home tomorrow, on a ventilator. Blessings!

Homemaking Meme
This is a really fun meme I found over at Sallie's blog.

Aprons? Y/N? I own one apron. I wear it often, when I clean and cook. I definitely want to buy or make one that is far more feminine.

Baking? My favorite thing to bake is any kind of desserts.

Clothesline? Y/N? I do not have a clothesline, though it really might come in handy.

Doughnuts? Have you ever made them? No, unfortunately, I have not ventured that far into homemaking.

Everyday? Name one thing you do every day. I wash dishes, clean the kitchen, and do at least one load of laundry.

Freezer? We do not have a deep freeze. This is something that I would really like, especially since I will hopefully be blessed with many children. But it is not really necessary for my size family, nor for my size house.

Garbage Disposal? No, I do not have one. It would make my life a lot easier, though.

Handbook? My favorite handbooks are cookbooks like Better Homes and Gardens, and any Taste of Home's recipes. I really like books like How clean is your House? for thorough cleaning in every nook and cranny.

Ironing? Love it or hate it? I really get frustrated right now, because we have no ironing board, so we iron on a towel on our little kitchen table. Stephen is going to put up a handy hook in my laundry room, for the iron to hang above the ironing board ,when we get it.

Junk Drawer? I have one in my kitchen and it really is handy, but I am forever trying to purge things out of there, but it is a losing battle.

Kitchen- Decorating Scheme My kitchen has a very vibrantly floral pattern on it, so it takes little to dress it up. I keep it rather simple because of the wallpaper. My appliances are white, except for the old dishwasher and oven, which we hope to get rid of eventually. They came with the house, so we will probably wait till they kick the bucket. We have enough things to pay off right now. Our cabinets are a medium colored wood.

Love What is your favorite part of homemaking? I love that in your own home, you can set the plans. If I were working for a company, I would have to do what some boss would say. I am so blessed to be able to manage my own home. (Of course under the headship of hubby) I can arrange the activities how I want. I love making my own schedule for chores, according to what works for me. I love spending time with God's most precious gifts to me, my children.

Mop Y/N? I do not mop my floors. I have laminate in the dining room, living room, and hardwoods in the foyer. I cannot mop laminate, as it would ruin it. In my kitchen, I have linoleum, so once a week, I do the good old-fashioned scrubbing on my hands and knees. Do you know what my favorite cleaning tool is? A good old-toothbrush, for getting in the grooves of my bay window area.

Nylons Wash by hand? No, I wash in the washer, though I mainly wear tights or nice leggings with my skirts and dresses.

Oven Do you look through window or open door? I have no other choice than to open the door because my window is opaque to my oven door.

Pizza What do you put on yours? I am rather a plain Jane. My life would be fine with only the cheese. (Sorry...I was raised that way.) But hubby enjoys pepperoni and green pepper, and I am just fine with those toppings, too!

Quiet What do you do with your quiet time? I like to read, blog, or have a devotional time.

Recipe Box Y/N? I have one, but mainly I use a three ringed binder for my recipes.

Style of House It is a ranch, with a one-car garage. It is really cute with a darling porch, which goes across the main front of the house. It has a teal front door and teal shutters. It is brick with white wood on the part of the house where the porch is. I am trying to make the most of my 1250 square feet. We want to pay it off, and houses in our neighborhood have already increased in value, at least $15,000 more than what we paid, when we got it 4 years ago. So hopefully, we will have a nice profit when/if we need a larger house. We want to eventually move out to the country , but we are waiting on Him for His Plans. We feel called to pay this house off, as much as we can, if not completely before moving. What a down payment that would be on our next house!

Tablecloths and Napkins? I use tablecloths occasionally, but napkins as necessary. (It depends on how messy the meal is.) Stevie needs a roll of paper towels for every meal!

Under the Sink- Organized or Toxic Wasteland? Organized to me, though I need some baskets or something to better organize it. I tend to stuff too much in there.

Vacuum How many times a Week? I vacuum on Mondays and Fridays. I might need to increase it to Wednesday, too.

Wash-How many loads a week? I wash a load a day. Thursdays are my laundry day , for focusing completely on laundry. That is the day I wash all bedding, nightclothes, all towels, and any extra clothes. It is a real blessing to do a daily load and to have a special day for washing.

X - Do you keep a list of daily things you need to cross off? Every night before bed, I try to make a list of what I need to do the following day. It is really easy not to forget things that way.

Yard- Hubby mows the lawn, and weedeats. The one time last summer that he had me learn to mow, all the neighbors were snickering and laughing. Geez....can't someone just do a little yard work? I guess they never saw anyone that talented at yardwork before. I think I used a whole tank of gas going over the same patch 30 times. Maybe I should teach a class? The main thing I successfully do in my yard, is plant a few flowers in the warm spring and summer.

ZZZ's What is your last homemaking task for the Day? I mainly write out my schedule for the next day and make sure my kitchen is spic and span. There is nothing worse than waking up to a messie kitchen!

Monday~ January 22~ Beef Burritos

Tuesday~January 23~ Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday~January 24~ Amish Skillet for Hubby's whole family (around 25 people, this week)

Thursday~January 25~ Thai Peanut Noodle

Friday~January 26~Homemade Pizza

Saturday~January 27~ Crockpot Chili

Sunday~January 28~ Out to Eat~ Dear Hubby's 26th Birthday!!!! I am so blessed to be married to Stephen!

*****Lunch Idea*****

For Lunches, Stephen and I have been enjoying making a delicious, Schlotzsky's type sandwich. We toast some delicious deli-style bread (like sourdough) with deli chicken, cooked turkey bacon, and a slice of Muenster cheese. After we toast that at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, we put mayonnaise and lettuce on our sandwiches. They taste like gourmet club sandwiches for a mere fraction of the cost. It is a nice alternative to a cold and soggy sandwich! For more menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie.

Recipes:

Amish Skillet Recipe
1 pound ground beef
1 cup potatoes, sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup onion, sliced
10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. package of shredded cheese
Spread ground beef in a 12" skillet; layer potatoes, carrots, and then onion on top. Add soup, sprinkle on cheese. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender; about 30 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

Thai Peanut Noodles:

1 pound chicken

1 cup light Italian salad dressing, divided

2 Tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro

1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 carrot, shredded

1 cup green onions, chopped

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

8 oz. package of angel hair pasta, cooked

optional* 2/3 cup peanuts

Coat chicken with 1/2 cup Italian dressing, refrigerate 30 minutes. Whisk remaining dressing with peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and red pepper till smooth, set aside. Saute carrot, green onions, and chicken in sesame oil until chicken is done, about 5 minutes. Toss pasta , peanut sauce, and chicken in a large bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts if desired. Serves 4.

The Feminine Nightgown
Lately, I have been reassessing how I dress around my favorite people, my family. I love dressing feminine during the day, and I relish wearing skirts and dresses, quite often. But in the evenings, I find it far too easy to dress in old sweats and just lounge around. God laid it on my heart to dress beautifully and femininely even in the evenings. I set out with the intent to find a modest nightgown for myself. I found a pretty, long-sleeved, pink, ankle-length nightgown at K-Mart. It has buttons, so if I ever have another winter baby, I can still wear it while nursing. For those bitter, winter nights, I am kept very warm by wearing a pair of long-john's or any other similar leggings. (Actually, it keeps me warmer than even my beloved sweatpants.) Dressing femininely helps me to delight in the role God created me to fill. I feel and act differently. If you are looking for a modest nightgown, it may be a bit of a challenge, but there are a few left at some stores. A lovely place to purchase nightgowns for yourself and your little girls is here. Here is a article from Ladies Against Feminism about the challenge of finding a nightgown in today's culture. May we always delight in being feminine ladies!
Day on the Farm by Mary G.Smith available from www.allposters.com

Our Unique and Blessed Calling
"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours and holidays; to be Whiteley within a certain area, providing toys, boots, sheets, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness."~ G.K. Chesterton

Image Courtesy of allposters.com Afternoon on the Hill by Charles Curran

Hooray! I was most definitely surprised to see the mailman walking up to our door with a Christian Book Distributor Box, already! I just ordered some schoolwork for Lily this past Tuesday, and I already received the box today! Lily and Stevie were so excited that they were screaming. By going to Kim's Blog and using her coupon code , I was able to get free shipping, since my order was over $35. So for $44.00, I was able to get Adventures in Phonics A workbook, Adventures in Phonics A Teachers Manual, Phonics Flashcards and charts, Horizons Math K Book 1, Christian Liberty Nature Reader #1, and the 4 Christian Liberty Press readers, which compliment their phonics workbooks. Lily is so excited, and she only has about two pages left of her Singapore math workbook 1B before she can start on her new math. She said, "Let's start right now" when it showed up. I heartily recommend purchasing any homeschool oriented or Christian books from Christian Book Distributors. You just can't beat free shipping, especially when it comes that swiftly. Blessings!

Do you need a good laugh?
Check out this funny picture from my hubby's blog.

Frugal Birthday Cakes
In two weeks, my son will turn two, and in 1 1/2 months, my daughter will turn four. Buying a store-bought cake always seems like an easy alternative, yet it is very hard to pay $15-$20 for some sugar, flour, and eggs. I like my childrens' birthday cakes to be special, but sometimes it is hard to think creatively.Kraft Foods Website has a variety of beautiful cupcake and cake recipes. They show the cutest ways to liven up even the plainest cakes. These baseball cupcakes are so cute and easy to make; my little guy loves all types of balls and it would be fun to make them. My sweet little Lily really loves the cakes/cupcakes shown here, here, here, and here. I am so happy to know that it is possible to make really pretty cakes at an inexpensive price. Blessings to you!

My Sweet Little Helpers

So often, I find it so easy to try to get my children to play together in another room, so I can get a few chores done. Chaos always seems to ensue when I am not right there to supervise them. So lately, I have been trying to include them even more in my chores, than before. These pictures are from Tuesday, my bathroom cleaning day. First, Lily helped me cook supper, which was Baked Potato Soup. I showed her where 1/4 of a cup was, on the measuring cup, and I told her to tell me when I had filled that line with flour. She loved putting the cut up potatoes into the pot, and stirring all the rest of the ingredients together. Even though it can slow you down a bit to have a little one learning the cooking steps with you, this is such an invaluable teaching time. Lily helped sweep both bathrooms, and cleaned the toilets. (her favorite job) Stevie helped by scrubbing the floor with a wet cloth. It was just precious to see him scrubbing with all of his might. Keeping little ones busy and training them to help, can be challenging, but is well worth it. Blessings!

Pregnancy Update and My Burgeoning Belly
I am now 15 weeks and officially 4 months pregnant! I am starting to feel better in the morning; it is so much easier to not have to run to the bathroom to get sick every few minutes. I am starting to have a baby belly! I tried taking this picture myself, but I wasn't so successful. Dear Hubby came to my rescue! I would much rather look pregnant than that I had a really bad bloating problem! My next ob appointment is January 30, and we get to see our little sweetheart again by ultrasound.We are hoping to wait to find out his/her gender. Here are some really neat facts about my little one. I am really looking forward to those little kicks! Blessings to you!

First Grade Curriculum Recommendations

Although I am a rookie, a dear blog reader asked for my advice on first grade curriculum. I will try to speak mainly about products that I have really seen in depth, or which I own, since anything else would be speculation. Firstly, my curriculum recommendations are geared towards my own homeschooling preferences, so please bear with me. I am quite eclectic in my homeschooling style. I like workbooks for fundamentals like math and phonics, but I think they can be a bit much for every subject. I also have a taste for both the Charlotte Mason and classical education styles. That is entirely my preference, though, and as such, I will make my recommendations. First of all, I would choose a good math curriculum, if you have not done so already. I recently ordered Horizons math for Lily, and I really like the samples I have seen. Also, I think one of the most important things in first grade is to make sure that your child has a really good phonics foundation. I am using Christian Liberty Press' workbooks and materials for phonics, and they have a very inexpensive phonics program from K-2nd grade. Learning how to read well is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. Once your child can read, provide readers and a myriad of books, which are on his level, so he can soar. Some readers which have really good content are available from Christian Liberty Press, Christian Light Publications, and Rod and Staff. For teaching history, I really like the Mystery of History series. The official ages on it are 4th-8th grade. But the author recommends starting it in preschool. This is classical education history program, where your child studies history in a completely chronological fashion. What I adore about this series is that you can teach all of your children history at the same time with this book. They have more difficult level activities/assignments as your child(ren) progress in age. I love the fact that homeschoolers can learn together, rather than each child being segregated, studying his/her separate history text. For one of the best prices online for this series, visit Christian Book. They also have some samples of the index and excerpts from the book. The author is going to write 5 books in this series. You go through one a year, and after you have gone through all 5, you start at the first one again. That way, by the time your child graduates, he will have hopefully gone through the books 3 times. (She has a schedule for doing so). Regarding Science, I think there are such a variety of lovely materials. With my children, I just purchased them a Christian Liberty Nature Reader. It is really beautiful, and I hope it will be a companion for teaching my children and I more about God's creation around us. Christian Liberty Press sells 5 of these books, and they are really beautiful and teach about the world from a Christian view. I want to take nature walks and start a nature journal with my children. They enjoy watching the birds at our front porch bird feeder.To see an amazing nature journal, visit here. She also has some great ideas for what to journal about. A great article about nature journaling can be found here. Science is such a fun subject that you can do so much with. I would really encourage you to do as many hands on type projects as you can. My favorite science books for grades K-6 are Jeannie Fulbright's. Take a look at these beautiful samples online of these wonderful books she has written on botany, zoology, and astronomy. She is writing another book which is due out this year. Her books are published by the renowned Apologia, and she has a classical education/Charlotte Mason style to her writings. She has a plethora of hands on activities in her books. I also love that you can teach multiple ages of children all at once with her books. Regarding handwriting, I really like Memoria Press Copybooks. If used correctly, they can be a wonderful tool for teaching handwriting, proper spelling, grammar, and Bible verses. These are simply beautiful and I am very blessed to own a set of them! For a variety of copybooks, nature journals, and other fun homeschool-materials, visit Queen Homeschool Supplies. I encourage you to make every moment a learning opportunity.

"I believe it would be much better for everyone if children were given their start in education at home. No one understands a child as well as his mother, and children are so different that they need individual training and study. A teacher with a roomful of pupils cannot do this. At home, they too, are in their mother's care. She can keep them from learning immoral things from other children." -Laura Ingalls Wilder

Image courtesy of www.art.com "Country Girl" by Robert Duncan

Homeschool Material Samples
If you are on a limited budget, and hate spending money on one more possible "homeschool curriculum dud", nothing can be more helpful than seeing samples of homeschool materials. Rather than calling all the curriculum companies, asking for samples, a great place to preview materials is Christian Book Distributers. Here is a sample of Jeannie Fulbright's incredible science book,which I was blessed to win through her contest, Exploring Creation with Zoology. Sonlight is another great place to preview math and language arts materials in-depth. Sometimes getting a brief look into a product can make the difference in deciding whether it is worth purchasing.

New Church Building
My dear church family has been meeting in a rec. center for 3 years now. We will not be able to worship in that building any more as they will not be open on Sundays, so we will be renting another building for 2 more months. Please pray that God's Will will be shown to the Pastor and Elders at my church, as they contemplate bidding on a foreclosed church. It is only 4 miles from my house, and has 5 acres! Woo Hoo! Please pray that if it is His Will, that the offer will go through, and our church will obtain the building. This would be a great blessing to us, because there are some days (especially around holidays) where our church family would love to worship together, but our rec. center is closed. Having our own building with some nice land would be a huge blessing. I am also very grateful for the wisdom of my Church leadership, which will not buy anything if they have to go in debt. They are paying completely in cash! (It is never wisdom for a church to go into debt just to have a building.) It is better to wait upon the Lord. I am so grateful for all that the Lord is doing in building up this community of believers, of whom I am blessed to be a member. God is Faithful in leading those who seek His Face.

Phonics Recommendations
Do you have a phonics product recommendation that has worked really well for you? Lily knows her letters and their sounds, and we are ready for the next step. The only product I absolutely know does not work for our family is Teach your child How to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. That book brought both Lily and I to the point of tears. If you have successfully taught your child(ren) to read with the aid of any other products, I would truly appreciate your input. Lily does really well learning math from workbooks, and I think this would be the best suited approach to teach her how to read. We are on a limited budget and I don't like throwing money down the drain on products which are a dud. I am looking for products which are $30 or less. I am very pleased by the way the Christian Liberty Phonics books look here. Christian Liberty Press tends to have some of the most reasonable prices, they have produced many proficient readers, and I know the content is Christian. I love how their readers are so complimentary to their workbooks. By the way, you simply must check out the excerpt pages from this reader which Christian Liberty Press sells, here. It has such moral and beautiful stories in it! I have heard many good things about the Explode the Code series, which is also affordable, and can be seen here. Thank you so much for all of your input. It is so appreciated! Blessings to you!

Monday~Meatloaf and Creamed Spinach
Tuesday~ Homemade Baked Potato Soup (with bacon and cheese sprinkled on top)
Wednesday~off~Sister-in-law cooking
Thursday~Amish Skillet
Friday~Homemade Pizza
Saturday~Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole

Extra Freezer Meals to Make this Week: 1 Meatloaf, 1 Chicken Pot Pie

Blessings to you! For more menu plans, visit Laura.

Amish Skillet Recipe

1 pound ground beef

1 cup potatoes, sliced

1 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup onion, sliced

10 oz can cream of mushroom soup

8 oz. package of shredded cheese

Spread ground beef in a 12" skillet; layer potatoes, carrots, and then onion on top. Add soup, sprinkle on cheese. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender; about 30 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

Baby Blessing #3

I am sorry this picture is so blurry, but this is my sonogram from the first week of January. I was almost 13 weeks at that time. My little sweetie was moving all over the place, I think mainly because he/she was a bit bothered by the noise of the ultrasound. My baby had a really strong and vibrant heartbeat, which is always a joyful event! My next doctor's appointment is January 30, when I will be around 16 weeks. They want to do an early glucose test, just because Lily weighed 8 lb.1 oz. at birth. I will probably refuse it. If any of you, dear friends, have ever refused a glucose test, please let me know. I think the whole super sugary drink is a really bad idea, overall. They also want to do another sonogram. I am excited to see how much my baby has grown since this picture. I guess that is when most people find out what their baby's gender is. I am very curious, but we are going to try to wait. My dear hubby has the most self-control about waiting to find out. He loves finding out at the baby's birth. So we will try not to find out, but I know sometimes, you cannot help but see what gender your baby is. Have any of you tried not to find out, but you couldn't help but notice your baby's gender? Blessings to you! We are thankful for His many and lavish blessings upon us.

Avoid Teflon!
I had heard that teflon could be quite harmful for cooking. I looked it up online and was astonished by the fact that teflon is not only used in pans, but in curling irons, Dupont stainmaster carpet, and clothing. It has the potentiality to kill birds very rapidly, so it makes one wonder what it can do to humans. I adore how easy it is to brown beef or cook eggs in a teflon-coated skillet, but I am not going to use my teflon pans any more. Even if it is more difficult to brown beef in a stainless steel pan, I will go through the extra difficulty for my family's sake. Earlier, I put a little olive oil in the pan when I browned the meat, and it worked rather well. Teflon may cause cancer and birth defects, and this is rather thoroughly documented here. It saddens me deeply at all the threats in this fallen world, that jeopardize our health. May God keep us from all harm. Blessings to you!

Free Recipe Magazine
I absolutely love adding new recipes to my cooking reportoire. For over a year now, I have been receiving Kraft Foods Food and Family Magazine. It is a beautiful magazine with full-color pictures available for free from Kraft Foods. They also have the best recipes available online at their website, Kraft Foods. Some of them just need to be teaked a bit to make them a little bit healthier. I put together their delicious-looking lasagna this morning for the fellowship meal at my church tomorrow afternoon. Now, I won't have to work hard making a meal tomorrow, and I can better enjoy my Sabbath. It is always rewarding to finish your work on Saturday, so you can truly enjoy the Sabbath rest. Blessings to you!

Frugal Friday : Decorating Tips

Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of us owning our own home. It is so exciting to own your own house, and to be free to decorate it as you want. My husband has done a multitude of renovations on the house. Last year, we had new carpeting put in all the bedrooms. DH put in hardwoods in the living room and dining room. We have painted every room in our house, except for the laundry room and kitchen. When we moved in, the bedrooms, living room, and dining room were all covered in yucky, stained, pink carpet. All the walls were off white. I am still learning quite a bit about decorating, but one thing I have learned along the way is that simplicity is beautiful. I think in our materialistic society, we have the tendency to buy a million things and fill every crevice with stuff. I believe that a few carefully thought out pieces (paintings, etc.) can be far more elegant than hanging a million objects on the wall. I think some of the loveliest houses are those with some beautiful , homemade cross stitching, paintings, quilts, etc.. A homemade afghan laying on the couch is quite inviting. (That is one of my next projects.) Remember that paint is the "cheapest form of flattery". Most of our rooms only take one can of paint, and paint really warms a room up. Regarding art, I have gotten all of mine for free or almost free. The art in the first picture I posted, was free for me. It was in that gorgeous, ornate frame and probably would have cost well over $150. Hubby saw it about to be thrown away in my neighborhood, and I ran down the street to salvage it. It was starting to rain, and it was starting to get messed up. Thankfully, it dried and all was well. I receive many compliments on it, and everyone is surprised by how I got it. The next image is a special wedding certificate that I purchased before my wedding from Victorian Papers. Having something so special is a real blessing. I am trying to find the best place to display it. The third image is from a picture which was given to me by a relative. It is a beautiful piece which was owned by a dear friend who passed away. One of the best places to find affordable art is at a craft store, especially when they are having a sale. I purchased a framed print, which is in my dining room, for $20, when it was originally $50.

In my living room, I try to keep it simple. We have our couch, loveseat, armoire, end table, and Lily's rocking chair. This works really well for seating guests, and if a larger family visits, we pull seats into the living room from the dining room and kitchen, as needed. Our kitchen is rather simple with some bold and vibrant wall paper. It was here when we moved in, and we are trying to be content with it, at least until it starts peeling. One thing is for certain, when you have so much boldness on the walls, you don't have to do much to decorate it. Rather than having some loud curtains, I wanted to soften the room a bit, by hanging some simple Battenburg lace valances from Walmart. They were very affordable and they add a soothing touch. I love how light and airy it feels in there. Just put your loving touches into your house and you will be pleased. No matter how tight your budget, keep your eyes open and pray that God will help you to decorate your home into a lovely haven. He is always faithful to grant the "desires of our hearts." For more Frugal Friday ideas, visit Crystal's blog.

The Lord's Constant Benevolence Towards Me
Lately, we have had a few "scares" which the Lord has carried us through. When fear strikes because my situation seems desparate, my emotions instantly kick in. It is then, that I must remember to turn wholly unto Him and surrender it all to Him, even when my emotions are in chaos. We do not sin because we have emotions, we sin when we fail to let God be Sovereign, even when everything appears to be falling apart. Amidst a myriad of medical bills for my pregnancy, we received a letter yesterday stating that our health insurance was terminated. Hubby and I were already planning out how to pay our large deductible, we could not fathom how to pay such a high bill without insurance. (Our doctor alone wanted $17,000, before insurance.) But within an hour, hubby made sure everything was all taken care of. When we first received the notice in the mail, I was a bundle of tears. Then, I remembered that God is in control and He is larger than this situtation. Though I was still scared, I was resting in Him. As always, God was faithful to help us. There are many lessons that He has been teaching me through this experience. First of all, I need to be careful where I place my trust. Health insurance is a wonderful thing, I am so grateful for it. But do I place more trust that it will provide , or that God will provide? I need to be careful of these securities which I rest in. I should find my complete hope and Provider in God. Another example of something that I have fretted over is life insurance for Stephen, in case some thing happens to him, so I would be able to be home with my children still. We have one life insurance plan, but it is only good till he is 40. So we do need to find a better one. But should I feel content that I will be provided for because we have life insurance or because my God is "big enough" to meet all my needs? I believe it is prudent to have insurances and such, I am merely stressing that we should trust in God to meet our needs, not merely other "securities". I also struggled for a long time about whether or not I should finish college from home since I only completed two years. I had been preached to my whole life that if something happened to my husband, I better have a good degree to provide for my children. I worried about this for years, until God led me to the fact that He has always provided, and will continue to meet all of my needs. I do not need to follow the patterns of this world regarding careers and degrees in order for Him to meet my needs. I need to turn more to His pure Word, rather than the erroneous opinions of man. We should nestle in the comfort of His arms as a child with his father.
"The grass withereth and the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand forever." -Isaiah 40:8

Easy Potato Soup

There is nothing I enjoy better on a breezy day, than a delicious soup bubbling on the stovetop. This is a very healthy and delicious recipe. I hope you enjoy it. For more recipe ideas, visit Rocks in my Dryer for more Works for Me Wednesday tips!

4 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 c. diced onion

1 coarse grated carrot

2 c. water

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. dillweed

3 c. milk

4 c. diced potato

2 tbsp. parsley

Dried potato flakes for extra thickening (if desired)
Brown onions in saucepan. Add potato, carrots, water, salt, pepper and dillweed. Cook over low flame until potatoes are tender, 20-30 minutes. Stir in milk and parsley; bring to boil. If desired add some potato flakes. Can also add frozen peas if desired.

Image courtesy of www.art.com

Please continue to Pray for Joel

This is a picture of Joel, who is fighting for his life, today. His parents convinced the hospital to keep him there a bit longer, but they are having a hard time getting the doctor to treat him as if he is human. The doctor will not give him a blood transfusion or treat an infection. She will only give him regular care. He has defied medical science, which pronounced him brain dead a few days ago. Please pray for this sweet little boy, that God will bring about a miracle in his life. The fact that he is still alive is quite a testimony to God's Grace! Thank you so much for your prayers!

Should I be flattered?
While looking at some of my blog stats today, I saw that my blog was hit by someone who googled, "vomit queasy blog". I know these are common words in every expectant mother's vocabulary, but why should I be so honored to be a link for that phrase? I guess I better be careful what I say...you never know how it might come back to bite me. I am very grateful for the hearty laugh I had when I found out that funny piece of news. Blessings to you!

Our car is paid off!
Hooray.... last week, we mailed off the final check towards paying off hubby's car! Even on a modest, single income, hubby still managed to pay off his car 1 1/2 years early! There is nothing prettier to me, than a dependable , paid for, vehicle! We are rapidly trying to chip away at paying off my mini-van, our final debt before we focus on paying off the house! There is no item that money can buy, that is more gratifying than simply trying to be debt-free! We also want to be faithful in saving money, so we won't have to ever fianance a vehicle again, God willing. God is so faithful to help you every step of the way, no matter how desparate your situation may seem.We have learned so much throughout our marriage, through the promptings of the Lord. When you hear the good He has done in our lives, please praise Him, it is a testimony to the Faithful God is always is! Blessings to you!

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord His God." -Psalm 146:5

Monday~1/8~ Stuffed Shells and Salad (Sweet hubby made it ahead of time, so I just have to pop it into the oven...He is so considerate of his pregnant wife! I love you, Stephen!)

Tuesday~1/9~ Chicken Stir Fry with Rice (To save time, I already cooked a large portion of chicken and divided it into separate sections. I cook a bag of frozen, stir-fry vegetables and some rice, to complete the meal. We put either soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Amino's on top.)

Wednesday~1/10~ Off~Dinner at Sister-in-law's

Thursday~1/11~ Skillet Lasagna (recipe available here)

Friday~1/12~ Homemade Pizza

Breakfast Choices: French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Cream of Wheat, English Muffins/Toast with Orange or Peach Marmalade

Snacks: Tangerines, Apples, Yogurt, Carrot sticks

Lunch Choices: Pasta Salad, Baked Sweet Potato, Baked Potato Soup, Leftovers

For more menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie.

Urgent Prayer Needs for Joel
A sweet little boy, Joel, a three year old who has cancer, has been pronounced " brain dead" by doctors at the hospital he is at. Nevertheless, his heart is still beating and blood is still flowing through his veins. His parents, who have 13 dear children, are in great need of prayer. The hospital wants Joel to be gone by Monday evening, and Joel's family desparately needs a doctor and hospital who will accept Joel. Even a Baptist hospital has refused caring for him. Please pray with all of your heart for him, and visit his website here. Thank you for praying for this precious boy! He looks so precious with his twin brother giving him a kiss. What darling little blondies!

Healthier PreNatal Vitamins
When I was expecting Stevie, I blindly took the vitamins which the doctor gave out. She gave me free samples each time, so I did not have to get a prescription for them. I thought I was being so smart and frugal. But a synthetic vitamin is always bad news. With this pregnancy, I have been more diligent in researching health information. I was horrified to find out some of the lurking ingredients in the most popular prescribed prenatal vitamin, Prenate Elite. Not only does their vitamin contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil, it also contains, sodium benzoate, a cancer causing preservative. Sodium Benzoate is the preservative found in most sodas, which is even worse for your body than all the sugars in soda. Why are scientist putting these items in a pill which is supposed to support and protect life? If you want to check out Prenate Elite's ingredients for yourself, look here. My doctor's office said all that they care about is that I am on a prenatal. It does not matter which one it is in their eyes. So if you are looking for a more life-giving and sustaining vitamin, check out these. I have been taking these throughout this pregnancy, and I love how energizing these are. They contain so many wonderful ingredients, including spirulina, ginger (to help with morning sickness), red raspberry leaf (to help tone your uterus for birth), and many other amazingly natural ingredients. (all the vitamins needed for an expectant mother) They are very affordable ($19.75 for 150 days), and you only need to take one a day. I do not get a dime for this, I just really appreciate these tremendous vitamins. This is truly one of the greatest things you can do for yourself and your growing baby. Blessings to you!

Christmas Pictures

We had such a lovely Christmas at my sister-in-law's house. It is always such a blessing to be able to spend holidays with dear family. Blessings!