Team Bettendorf in Missouri

I'm Going Bananas!!!!

{ Posted by CandyFoote }
{ 05:03, Tuesday, July 8, 2008 } { Posted in Frugal Living } { 2 comments } { Link }

I'm not kidding! I am seriously going bananas!

I picked up a huge, huge, huge, (boy, do I wish I had a picture to show you), huge box of bananas at Save-a-Lots for $8.00.

I gave a bunch to my father, the kids have eaten bunches and bunches, and my oldest daughter made batches and batches of banana bread.

I am trying an experiment I heard about that said you could freeze bananas. I wrapped 12 bunches of bananas in aluminum foil, then put them into freezer bags. I read that the skins will turn black, but the bananas will stay good.

I still have many bunches left!!!!

Any banana recipes you would like to share?!?

Please!!!!

Sick

{ Posted by KimMC }
{ 10:38, 2008-Jul-7 } { Posted in Just Thoughts } { 2 comments } { Link }

Well the littles are all feeling much better thankfully! But last night I started getting real sick. I feel like I was smacked by a truck. LOL I'm hoping this finishes quickly!!

I had planned to start our schooling back up next week. The kids (and Momma ) can't wait to dive into the new books! But I would like to get somewhat caught up on the house work first. Also get my lesson plans in order so we aren't just floating along.

Our weekend/ Homeschool shopping

{ Posted by KimMC }
{ 09:57, 2008-Jul-7 } { Posted in The School Room } { 0 comments } { Link }

We made it out to the Learning House homeschool store on Sat. I've been wanting to visit there for a long time now and since they were having their yearly yard sale it was the perfect time!

We arrived about mid morning and I found lots of great stuff on the clearance tables. I had to be strong LOL. I picked out the Five In A Row Holiday book and a human body activity booklet. Then went on to get the other things on my list. They had a nice play area set up for the kids and comfy chairs to. So dh was happy to sit and play with the kids while I looked around.

I made one change to my plans this year. I'm going to use the Exploring Creation with Botany with Botany instead of God's Design. I have been looking over the samples of them for a while and really liked it when I got to sit and peek through. I wont need to supplement it at all unless I want to. With the GD book I would have had to do all the lessons from supplemental books to fit my children's ages. And I love the project ideas, it fits in well with our notebooking/lapbooking love.

I also picked up the following that were on our list:

Christian Liberty Nature Reader 1
Bob Books #1
Leading Little ones to God
FIAR Christian supplement
Before FIAR
Canada My Country
Ecoutez! Parlez! Book/cd 1

I also picked out some of the story books for B4 FIAR that we needed and dh picked out a really nice story bible for dd6.

After we were finished there we walked down to the big craft show that was going on that weekend. It was huge! We had to be really strong there were so many nice things LOL. We did buy each of the girls a nice kerchief though as they all managed to forget their hats. We had a nice lunch and lessoned to some of the music playing.

Sarah

{ Posted by CandyFoote }
{ 10:10, Monday, July 7, 2008 } { 1 comments } { Link }

My little preemie is 8 months old!

She weighs in at 15 pounds and 15 ounces!!

Garden Sprining Up Nicly

{ Posted by KimMC }
{ 09:42, 2008-Jul-7 } { Posted in Down The Garden Path } { 0 comments } { Link }

Well in the few weeks since I posted the last photos of our garden, things have really grown!

Our potatoes are flowering. I always think they are so pretty!

Our potatoes are almost waist high on dh!

This is an later planting or potatoes from late June on dh right. To the left is our 2nd planting of beans.

Our little corn patch has also really grown.

DD's pumpkins are doing well and starting to get flower buds also.

YUMMY recipe

{ Posted by Lisa }
{ 07:00, Monday, July 7, 2008 } { Posted in Recipes } { 2 comments } { Link }

Friends, yesterday I made these for a small picnic I was having and they were delciious, and sooo easy, I was asked several times for the recipe. Here it is. This is a keeper in my recipe book.

No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars
1 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter

Grease 9-inch square baking pan. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and vanilla; mix well.

Stir in oats. Cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until ingredients are well blended. Press half of mixture into prepared pan. Use back of spoon to spread mixture evenly.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanut butter. Pour chocolate mixture over oat mixture in pan; spread evenly with a knife or back of spoon. Crumble remaining oat mixture over chocolate layer, pressing in gently. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars. (Bars can be frozen; let thaw 10 minutes or more before serving).

I had found this on someone's blog a week or so ago but I am sorry and can't remember who's... but boy are they fantastic, especially if you like peanut butter and chocolate!

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

{ Posted by Mommaofmany }
{ 06:19, Sunday, July 6, 2008 } { Posted in Breakfast } { 0 comments } { Link }

Here's my recipe for the old time diner favorite. We have this just once in a while, since it's not that kind to the waistline. I have never measured the amounts of ingredients I use in the gravy, so you'll have to eyeball it, too! It's a very forgiving dish, so do try it!

Kefir Biscuits
4 cups flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup kefir or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Make a well in the center and pour in kefir. Stir just till flour is moistened. turn out on a floured surface and knead till smooth, about 12 times. DO NOT OVERKNEAD! Press out to about 1" thick. Cut out biscuits. Place close together, but not quite touching on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes.

Sausage Gravy
1 1/2 pounds bulk mild breakfast sausage
bacon grease
flour
milk
salt pepper

In a large skillet, cook the sausage till browned, keeping it chopped in small pieces. When it's almost finished, add in about 1/4 cup (ok, maybe about 1/2 cup) of bacon grease. You save your bacon grease, right? If you do not add the bacon grease, this gravy will not taste right! I told you it isn't a diet breakfast!) When that's all melted and mixed around, sprinkle on about 3/4 cups of flour. You want all the meat coated with flour and all the grease mixed with it, too. Then add milk until the meat is covered by about 1/2 inch. As you bring it to a boil, add in salt and pepper to taste. It needs a lot of salt. I guess I use just over a tablespoon, but add 2 tsp, then add it a bit at a time, to your taste. Use your pepper liberally, too.

When the gravy is incredible, and the biscuits are hot from the oven, serve as follows:

Split a biscuit and spread with butter, if desired (I do not, but my husband does). Cover with the sausage gravy. Serve with a scrambled egg on the side and orange juice.

Perserverance...

{ Posted by Daisyblend }
{ 08:09, Sunday, July 6, 2008 } { 1 comments } { Link }

Atira still has paroxysms (viloent coughing fits w/ whooping) and vomiting most nights. Last night as I was getting her back to sleep Seth (the older four share a room) coughed quite a bit and you could hear the intensity growing and he started "whooping" a little. Gagging, too. I don't know if he vomited or not... everyone's still asleep. They've been sleeping in late most mornings and I'm so glad they're getting that rest.
Bobby coughed a bit more than usual yesterday and we're waiting to see if it gets worse (and praying it doesn't) or if it was nothing.
My foot's nearly all better. I just have to be careful how I step and not to be on it too much or it gets real sore. But it's not even black and blue thanks to the comfrey.

Please Pray my Friiends...

{ Posted by Chas }
{ 06:17, Sunday, July 6, 2008 } { Posted in Time with God } { 22 comments } { Link }

Please Pray for my Husband, he has been unwell for several days now... he is still sick this morning and has admitted that he needs to go to the hospital. We are leaving shortly. Please lift him up in prayer, I am quite scared. Thank you all...
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas