Country Cabin Living

IT HAS BEEN OVER TWO MONTHS SINCE I HAVE BLOGGED HERE.  WE ARE IN OUR 8TH WEEK OF HOMESCHOOL AND STARTING A UNIT ON THE PILGRIMS. 

THE MORE HOURS I WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME, THE MESSIER MY HOUSE GETS.  I AM STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN WITH MENUS, GROCERY LISTS, CHORE CHARTS, ETC.  I JUST WANT TO PULL MY HAIR OUT WHEN I LOOK AT MY HOUSE-UGH!!!!

I AM LOVING THIS FALL SEASON!  THE CHANGE IN THE COLORS, PUMPKIN RECIPES, ETC.  I CAN DO WITHOUT HALLOWEEN AND AM TRYING TO STEER MY KIDS AWAY FROM IT.  THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME WORK BECAUSE I HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN RAISING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN HALLOWEEN. 

WE HAVE A BUSY MONTH AHEAD; BOTH MY DAUGHTERS' BIRTHDAYS, A VISIT FROM MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, HOPEFULLY A TRIP TO TENNESSEE.  PUT WORK AND HOMESCHOOL IN BETWEEN ALL THIS.  AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET BAKING IN BECAUSE I HAVE OLD FAVORITE RECIPES AND HAVE FOUND A LOT OF NEW ONES. 

EVERYONE HAVE A HAPPY FALL!

MELANIE

Up Beat And A Whole New Outlook

Pepper Steak in the Slow Cooker

I just got this recipe along with several others for the crockpot from hubby's work.  Last year they started a health campaign at work, and have been passing out recipes, measuring cups, strainers, etc. to promote healthy eating. Which I love!  Also set up a discounted membership to the local YMCA, which is still to expensive for us to sign up for.  I have a bike and treadmill here at home, along with a library of Walk Away the Pounds Dvds so really don't need that anyway.  It just would've been nice to be able to use the weight machines they have. But hey you have to work with what you have. And thankful for the exercise equipment/DVDs I have.

I fixed this tonight and it was a hit, and we have some wonderful leftovers.

Pepper Steak

1 pound of lean stew meat  (I used eye of round roast cut into cubes) (it was on sale and is very lean)

1/4 cup flour

2 (15oz.) cans tomato sauce

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

heaping 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 medium green peppers cut up into what size suits you ( I used 1 green and 1 yellow pepper in mine)

1 large onion , chopped

4 cups cooked rice  (I cooked mine with some of the new  Swanson Beef stock I found at the store) yummy!

1. Put beef cubes and flour in 2 1/2 Quart crockpot, stir to coat

2. Add tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder, and stir.

3. Cook on high 3 hours or until meat is tender.

4. In the 3rd hour add the green pepper and onion, stir.   Add an additional 30 min. or until the vegs. are crisp-tneder.

5. Serve over hot cooked brown rice.

It was really yummy, and will be making this again.  There was a great looking and easy recipe for a White Chicken Chili I also plan on trying this week for the crockpot to.  If it turns out I'll post it to.  I've never made Chicken Chili before so anxious to try this one.  Chili has got to be one of my favorite foods, and it's getting to be that time of year for it.

Have a great day all.

Hugs, and God bless

Kat

Revised Food: Cinnamon Rolls/ dairy free...

I made our normal cinnamon roll recipe without any dairy.  I used rice milk in the wet ingredients for the dough.  And I used a soy cream cheese for the frosting.  The kids never noticed a difference.  I asked how it was and they know I don't ask that so they give me an "eye".  They said it tastes good.  I said it's dairy free.  My one daughter says... you used cream cheese though.  And I said, No... it was tofu cream cheese.  They smiled and said... That's ok, Mom... They are still GREAT.  LOL. 

The girls are getting used to the rice milk in the baking.  I don't really think there is a noticable difference in the flavor compared to skim milk in baking.  They are using less cheese themselves.  Last night we had baked potatoes and they just used sour cream (Paige and I had tofu sour cream)... and no one used cheese on their potatoes... that just never happens around here!  No complaints or faces made either.  It is getting a little easier... Just taking each day as it comes. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Trip to Corn Maze

Yesterday our homeschool group went on a field trip to a corn maze. What a wonderful time we had. We only wish dad could have went with us. We had done corn mazes before and have really enjoyed them. Our littlest one was really excited about the hay ride to the pumpkin patch. I must admit I did give in and let him pick out a little pumpkin for $2.00, but the frugal person in me had him pick out the largest $2.00 pumpkin we could. Later we went on the hayride with some friends and my older two kids and I let them pick out a $2.00 pumpkin. Now we will let dad decorate them with the kids.I can't wait till we can do another corn maze with dad.

Karen

The Biblical Basis for Homeschooling Christian Children ~ Pt. 6 ~ The Money Pit

The Money Pit

            “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’  And they were amazed at Him.”  (Mark 12:17)

            As with all things, someone has to finance the whole endeavor.  The social elitists are not going to do it.  That burden is left to you and me – the cogs of the system, the pawns in the game; whether we benefit from it or not.  And more than likely we will not.    

            One of the tricks of the trade is to require that all citizens of each and every school district – even if you have no children using that school district – must pay for the (failing) schools.  At a local school district meeting that I attended (along with the Superintendent, the School district’s Treasurer, eleven senior citizens and two other school moms), the superintendent proceeded to expound on the need for a coming levy (read: TAXES).  After he described how the parking lot needed new black top and parking lines, I asked the Superintendent how much combined money (federal, state and local property taxes) are allotted toward each student in our district.  The thirteen residents who attended that meeting with me, while we alone represented the five thousand of our village, were simply astonished to hear that $8,000.00 was the total amount designated!  Then the shocking revelation that depending upon whether your child is a special needs child or “merely” a traditional student – only the pittance of three to twenty percent was parsed out to each lucky child.  Translated, that is a mere $240.00 to $1,600.00 goes to each child per year out of the $8,000.00.  Your tax dollars at work.

            Imagine if each homeschool family could spend $8,000.00 on each of their children.  While it sounds so lovely and causes the imagination to wander into the area of turning vacations to Europe into extended field trips, a Christian homeschool family would probably turn the bulk of that money away.  It would not be good stewardship.  Any homeschool family who has homeschooled for more than one or two years will find that they become more and more eclectic.  In doing so, any homeschool family who has homeschooled for more than one or two years will tell you that they can very successfully educate multiple children and teens on the tidy sum of  five hundred to eight hundred dollars per year.  Our household is a shining example of that statistic. 

            Just as Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves and fed more than five thousand people, so He can multiply the resources in the Christian homeschool.  Not every textbook or workbook has to be new, resources from older children can be handed down to younger siblings.  The role of the homeschool community is that of Prov. 27:17:  “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  Families in the homeschool community are the hands and feet of Jesus. 

            As a writer for The Old Schoolhouse homeschool magazine, and as a speaker, I have the opportunity to meet and speak with many diverse homeschool parents.  It is nearly universal that Christian homeschool families take seriously the responsibility to help each other in the Name of Jesus.  There are always families who are willing to tutor and child, mothers willing to give up their time once a week to teach a co-op class or to drive a group to a field trip or to a community service project. 

            The commonality of many homeschool families, other than raising their children as arrows for the Kingdom of God, is that the majority of families live on one income.  Because of this, homeschool families are forced to count the cost of choosing to homeschool.  Jesus advised us by saying, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?”  (Luke 14:28)  By being watchful of sales and shrewd with the internet, a homeschool family can be very successful in the stewardship of their meager income.  It seems to me that the treasurers of the public schools would do well to learn how to spend as wisely as a homeschool family.

To Be Continued...

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<>< 

My goals for the next two weeks

TO DO BEFORE SURGERY ON THE 30TH

KITCHEN

Bake and freeze:

Dinner rolls

Hamburger buns

Hot dog buns

2 dozen banana muffins

Clean out and organize fridge/freezer

Organize food cupboards

CRAFT ROOM

Clean closet/move file cabinet in there

Reorganize room and clean

BEDROOM

Clean closet

Get out winter clothes

OUTSIDE

Rotate tires on car

Cover big AC unit

Remove small bedroom AC unit

Cover Swamp cooler on roof

Fill in gaps in garage with foam insulation

Re caulk pellet stove pipe

Put BBQ in garage

Cover generator on back porch

FOR CRAFT FAIR (24TH)

Make two aprons

Clean/fix Papa's woodwork

Take pictures of woodwork/make album

Price woodwork

Gather towels from friend and decide which ones go

Photograph towel on oven door/bathroom rack and make price/picture sign

Call and reserve booth

LAUNDRY

Make more laundry soap and fabric softener

The outside stuff we'll do this weekend since we are supposed to be nice and warm again (70 ish).  Son will be doing the tires....I'll be supervising LOL  He's never done it before so I get to show him how.  He'll also be the one climbing on the roof, removing the small AC unit and moving the BBQ to the garage.  I can do the other things as they don't require me to do any heavy lifting.  

I also need to go in this Friday, get more pellets (son is off school and can pack them for me) and go to the hospital and get my pre admission stuff done.  Then on the 28th is my preop appt and afterwards I will "borrow" money from the savings and get the groceries for November since payday is the day AFTER my surgery.  This way we'll be good to go food wise other than a few perishables Hubby can get easily on his way home from work. 

Well, I guess I'd better quit typing about what to do and get to it hadn't I?   Have a wonderful day (week if I don't get back on here) and God Bless.

Tricia

Remembered a few other things LOL (and I'm sure I'll remember a few more) in the Laundry dept so I've added them on the list.

I am only one

" I am only one,

But still I am one.

I cannot do everything -----

But still I can do something------

And because I cannot do everything

I will not refuse to do something that I can do.

~ E.E. Hale, D.D. ~

TA DA....

Thank you to a Friend

A good friend gave a wonderful present to my sister and me! She gave us.......

MaryJane's

IdeaBook CookBook LifeBook!

Thank you so much to my friend if you are out there reading this post! My mom, sister, and I are really enjoying this book. It was very sweet of you to give it to us!

                                 Thank you!

                                      Belle