Last day of being 11

Win a great gift from Homestead Originals!

Win a bar of our FANTASTIC Farm Fresh Oatmeal Soap and our signature slotted hardwood soap shelf!

How do you win? Leave a comment with your first name and email addy, so I can contact you–that simple.  Want 2 chances to win? Post this contest on YOUR blog too….and comment with the link, your name and email addy.

We’ll draw the winners name outta ye’ ol’ hat July 31st!  To Enter , you must leave your comment over here at this link....CLICK HERE :)

Lisa 

STOP THAT THIEF!

This couldn’t be my precious children doing this! *gasp!* nah….I thought this was a husband move for sure….alas, I caught the little thief, red handed!! 

I was close, not my husband, but his son! Okay, my son…..but I couldn’t believe it! My husband says to take it as a compliment, he loves your homemade bread….just to prove he loves it….he did it again the next time I made bread, he knocked over the 25# bag of spuds I had there as a deterent, and used them as a step!

He’s so darned cute, it’s hard to get mad….lol!  Guess if I want prefect loaves I’d best find a new place to cool them……up much higher!

Nah….I’ll just leave ‘em low….gives  a good feeling that even the 1.5yo appreciates Mamas homemade bread, even if he is running thru the kitchen grabbing hunks and running away….giggling all the way

Homemade Bread anyone?

Lisa

Middle daughter is debating job? school? both????

Our middle daughter is debating over a job offer and college or just straight college.   For all our girls we offer them a full ride to college , books , all cost, a car, gas, medical & car insurance , spending money , we do it all like we do now.  The only difference is they have to live at home while they go to school, or board at a far school.  They car work part time where dad and I agree they can for mad money, but they are just to focus on school.   Well, Shayna has a great job offer starting off at $10 -$12 an hour with insurance, 401k, retirement and more.  She will still live at home and we will support her still, minus medical insurance ( she has to be in school for 12 units for ours to cover her) and she can go to college at night.

Shayna wants to open a cafe.  So she would be going to school for that and her art as well as her veterinary.  So now she has a choice to make this job where she could just keep advancing year after year and school or just straight school and open her cafe and sell her art there.  The veterinary is just because she is good at it and loves it(she already has college classes in this from high school) , and well it is good to fall back on if she ever needed to.

We tell her what ever she decides is fine, we will support her 100%.

We are praying over this to see what God has to say.

P.s. the joke on dad went good I will tell you all about Mr. Grump Gills (the fish's name)and dad later , also about his wife they are trying to talk us into buying!!!  Some times I wonder if they are Moses, every needs a mate!     LOL.  Help me!!!

God Bless all, mj

More Rain

Hikes and picnics go well together

Ah, another beautiful, breezy day today. Mid-70’s with none of that horrid heat of the past week that kept our ancient window a/c chugga- gugging.
Ahhh, I sit with the breeze ruffling the ends of my hair and contemplate the blissful energy-savings of not running the contraption.
We have so enjoyed this cooler weather. Mr. Steady had a church softball game Tuesday evening and we quite enjoyed watching and visiting with our church family.
On Wednesday, Mr. Steady and I both took the day off for a special family day at our local nature center.  We explored their special exhibit as well as their gardens, butterfly house and a couple of great hiking trails.
Tomorrow is suppose to be another day like today.
And there was a picnic lunch.
Created by yours truly in a fit of inspiration.
l didn’t want to do the same ol’ same old but wanted my family to know they were special. And how better to tell your family how special they are than with food?
I mean really!
First, I decided no paper products! Its not because I want to go green- although that’s a good 3^nd best reason- but because I wanted my family to feel special (and paper plates doesn’t exactly say “You’re special”) and because my momma gave me the most wonderful little picnic basket filled with cups and silverware and enamelware plates and red checkered cloth napkins.
Now we still had good ol’ sandwiches and the kidlets chose bologna- but Mr. Steady and I had yummy thick slices of ham (from the freezer) with garden fresh lettuce and tomato.
There was chunk cheese.
And of course, chips.
Grapes.
Homemade bacon ranch macaroni salad (something I whip together that Mr. Steady and Maiden just LOVE).
Raspberry Lemonade.
And the bestest little pies ever.
The kids named them Baby Berry Pies.
Aren’t they sweet?

Little graham cracker crusts with a generous dollop of Bavarian cream and topped with farm fresh black raspberries.
Delish.
Only thing that would have made it better (or gilded the lily) would have been a dollop of fresh whip cream on top.
I’ve noted that for next time.
We were so full from such a delicious lunch that we ended up scrapping my meal plan for supper and had a small batch of nachos instead.
While hiking we spotted two wild turkeys plus various birds, a chipmunk and Maiden swears she almost stepped on a snake.
We didn’t see the snake but Mr. Conductor and I found four snake skins nearby.
Very cool.

Photos: Kiddos and I after our last hike. Enjoying a Baby Berry Pie.

New & Gently Used Books and HS Curriculum FOR SALE

FOR SALE : Tons of Books, CD's and Curriculum that I need to clear off my shelves--all priced to move!  Paypal. Media Mail shipping or expedited shipping and/or insurance at buyers choice/expense.

HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM (all BRAND NEW!)

Polished Cornerstones by DOORPOSTS—BRAND NEW!  $45.00

KONOS In a Bag : RUSSIA (full kit! brand new!)  $25.00

Veritas Press ; GENESIS THRU JOSHUA (like new with cards!) $20.00

Art Basics for Children - Visual Manna $10.00

Visual Manna's Master Drawing  $10.00

Barker Creek's :Draw Write Now Book 6 Animals & Habitats $5.00

Rod n Staff English 9/10 Teacher Book only—BRAND NEW---$15.00

Rod n Staff English 2 Teacher and Student books $15.00 set (these are used--but still in goodshape!)

ABEKA : Our America Student and Teacher Book Set  $10.00

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY PRESS : Our Fathers World Student & Teacher Book Set $10.00

Bob Jones Press : A Servants Heart : Bible Truths 2 TEACHER EDITION $15.00

Books: (Used--but in good or great shape!)

HISTORY OF US : Liberty for All BOOK 5; Joy Hakim $7.00

Savage Sam : Fred Gipson $2.50

From Submarine to Steamboat: Robert Fulton (hardcover/dust jacket) $5.00 (brand new--!)

Story of Liberty (BRAND NEW!)  $10.00

Mama’s Torah   (BRAND NEW)   $5.00

Alice in Wonderland: Lewis Carroll  $2.00

The Race : Golden Filly Series Book 1  by Lauraine Snelling $1.00

Eagles Wings : Golden Filly Series Book 2  by Lauraine Snelling $1.00

Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling : Dr. Brian Ray  $2.50

Homeschooling:The Journey is the Reward : Pamela Berthume $3.00

If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy : Lindsey O'Connor $3.00

The Purpose Driven Life : Rick Warren (hardcover/dust jacket) $3.00

Walking Wisely : Charles Stanley (hardcover/dust jacket) $3.00

The Kingdom Series: Kingdoms Quest Book 5 : Chuck Black $3.00

Civil War Ghosts : Daniel Cohen $2.50

Left Behind : Tim LaHaye / Jerry Jenkins $2.50

Just Like Jesus : Max Lucado $2.50

Molly Saves the Day (American Girls Series) $2.00

Happy Birthday Kirsten (American Girls Series) $2.00

Black Beauty (shorter childrens version-hardcover) MJ Carr $1.00

The Sleepytime Ponies Trick a Trickster : Lana Jordan  (hardcover/dust jacket--signed by author) $2.50

The Tightwad Gazette II : Amy Dacyczyn (Hardcover) $2.50

Nightlight For Parents : James Dobson (hardcover/dust jacket) $2.50

The New Nation (A History of the US) Teaching Guide 3rd Ed. $5.00

Super Science Concoctions: Jill Frankel Hauser $4.00

Water Dance : Thomas Locker $2.00 (Hardcover)

Manatee Winter : Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld $2.00 (Hardcover)

The Children’s Book of Home and Family : William J. Bennett  $5.00 (Hardcover)

Millstones & Stumbling Blocks : Bradley Heath $5.00

Message of the Mountain: ABEKA Book $3.00

These Books are from a set-- beautiful leather bound, silk ribbon bookmarked, gold paged classics! $5.00 each OR $30.00 for all !

Michel De Montaigne Essays

The Ambassadors: Henry James

Henrik Ibsen Plays

Candide : Voltaire

Swann's Way : Marcel Proust

The Annals : Tacitus

Faust : Johann Wolfgang VonGoethe

CDs  (ALL BRAND NEW!):  $3.00 each

Hey Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek Level One, The Reader, Level Two : GREEK N STUFF

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made : ANSWERS IN GENESIS

Hi I'm Riff!  (Barney CD)

World Book 2001 Encyclopedia

Sabbath Rest- No Greater Joy

Rainy Day Art (over 30 hands on projects)

Families of Costa Rica

Thanks for looking~

Lisa

Lisa@HomesteadOriginals.com

Contest!

Okay---so who wants to win a copy of the BRAND NEW Summer issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine? It's HOT off the presses....not even in stores yet! :) 

 Well.....I have a few copies I'll give away, each day until July 31st!  So how to win? Just CLICK HERE to leave a comment with your contact info so I can get a hold of you when you win!  We'll draw a name each morning (actually, my 1.5yo son will) out of a hat and post the winner. 

Enter everyday, post on your blog and leave me the link in a seperate comment for an additional entry too :)

 Thanks for playing along!

Lisa

Staples Teacher Appreciation Days!!

OK...I'm going to see if I can get this to work 'cause the link is LONG!

Staples is having their annual Teacher Appreciation Days.  I take advantage of this every year.  In case you don't know, homeschoolers CAN get a Staples Teacher Rewards card/key ring tag!!  Be sure to let the clerk swipe it at every visit.

Here is the link that you can go to and find out the date of your local Staples' Teacher Appreciation Day.

Hope this works...

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/tad_2008/?storeId=10001&cm_ven=Glamour&cm_ite=teacherday&cm_mmc=email_retail_TRW-_-CORP_TRW-_-TRW-_-TeacherDay&cm_lm=ex:WOLFHOMESCHOOL@NETZERO.COM

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Amish French Toast

Here is a family favorite I thought I would share w/you.  Our family has had the pleasure of going to Holmes County, Ohio ~ the largest Amish settlement in the world ~ a few times.  Once my dh and I enjoyed the most wonderful long weekend at an Bed & Breakfast there.  The husband had grown up Amish but left them to marry.  Their B&B was built by his Amish family members and looks just like an incredible Amish home.  The difference being that the whole 1st floor is made up of lovely, themed guest rooms (we stayed in Grandpa's Room) w/a good 1/3 of the 1st floor being a HUGE country kitchen and a wonderful country gathering room w/several tables and chairs (for those incredible breakfasts and freshly made pie in the evening!) and a relaxing living-area w/a fireplace, piano and comfy couch and chairs.  There is also a wrap-around porch.  The family that funs the B&B has the entire upstairs as their own "house."  That, of course, is a private area.    It's been a while since we've been there, if you're interested, I believe it's called Miller Haus.  It sets on the highest knoll of Holmes County.

Anyway...one of our incredible breakfasts while there was Amish French Toast!  I have made this from-time-to-time ever since!  If you try this, you will be in food heaven!    Let me know how you LOVE it! 

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Amish French Toast

eggs

milk

butter

bread

syrup

powdered sugar

~Mix w/fork 2 eggs and enough milk to cover (this you will do as necessary for each slice of bread)

~Melt butter into med/hot skillet (do this for each serving.  IF you MUST use margarine, use one that is non-hydrogenated like Earth Balance – I have to do this for one of my girls)

~Crack egg into skillet

~IMMEDIATELY soak a slice of bread in the egg/milk mixture and lay on top of the egg in the skillet; fry for about a minute or so until bottom egg is cooked through.

~Flip egg and bread – together – and let bread toast on other side.

~You MAY need to flip over on each side again until egg is fried to your satisfaction.

~Move egg/toast to a plate and top w/syrup and powdered sugar.

~ENJOY!!!!!!!!!