The Sunday Coupon Preview is an awesome source to let me know if I want to purchase a Sunday paper or not as we do not subscribe to the local papers. Each week, there is a list of all the coupons in the upcoming Sunday paper! I love this resource. My tip is to only purchase the paper if there are enough coupons within it to pay for itself! This week there are inserts for Red Plum and Smart Source.
Please see my disclosure policy as this link is an affiliate link. Thank you!
I do not like wasting anything. I have always been that way. I am not sure if it is from growing up without having a lot or if it is just in my genetics! Since I do not subscribe to a newspaper, the majority of my coupons are printed. Therefore, I seem to have lots of leftover paper. I thought I would share with you some of our ways to reuse the paper! We keep ours in a cardboard box so it can be reused as we need it!
You can always print more coupons on the larger sheets or you can take it to a recycling center or use it to start a fire in your fireplace! The possibilities are endless for recycling paper! What are some ways you recycle the paper from the coupons you print and clip? I would love to hear them!
By the way, I use my Max Perks Rewards from Office Max to purchase copy paper. I have not paid anything out of pocket for copy paper since I bought it to receive the Max Perks Rewards about three or four years ago! I have even gotten it free at other places as well with coupons and deals, but the main place I get it free Office Max. I usually have it shipped to my house too for free!
Today is the last day of May which means it is the last day to print your coupons before they reset! Below is a list of where you can print them!
Mambo Sprouts (resets later in the month)
Swagbucks.com (Yes they have coupons and if you print them from there and use them, you can get more swagbucks!)
Please see my disclosure policy as there are a few links above which are affiliate links. Thank you!
I found this recipe in a really old cookbook of my Granny’s just before I met my husband. There was no cover on the cookbook and no other notations of who published it or the title! I still have it and use many recipes from it! My family loves this recipe for meatloaf!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except bacon. Pack into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place bacon strips across top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until done (It may not take that long. Mine is usually done in 45 minutes).
Mike Donnelly
How much flexibility do you have in evaluating your child’s work?
We all know the common process of doling out grades, setting grade levels, and handing out diplomas, but do you have to do all this in the same way a traditional school does? Or do you have more freedom in determining your son or daughter’s progress in school? HSLDA Staff Attorney Mike Donnelly will explore this topic in the live e-vent “Homeschooling: Not a School at Home!”You’ll get a glimpse of the wide world open to you as a home educator—from assessing the academic achievements of your student to meeting the requirements of your state’s law. This presentation is quickly filling up, so sign up now to get your chance to join the live e-vent!
Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt
Get up-to-date information on Oregon homeschool topics!
Oregon homeschoolers will benefit from this in-depth analysis of state law requirements, such as the notice of intent and advice on record keeping. In the live, members-only e-vent “How to Homeschool in Oregon,” HSLDA Staff AttorneyThomas J. (Tj) Schmidt will walk you through every aspect of state law—including the tricky parts. You’ll also get information on controversies like virtual public school programs and more. Tj will open up at the end of the presentation to address any additional questions you have regarding state law. This is an informative @home e-vent you won’t want to miss if you are a current or future Oregon home educator. Sign up now!
Hal and Melanie Young
So what? Why should I care?
If you’ve heard these questions more than once, you might be homeschooling boys! What’s the best solution? Get the battle plan from Hal and Melanie Young in the on-demand recording“Ballistic Homeschooling: Teaching and Appreciating Boys.” Hal and Melanie have successfully educated and maintained a household of six boys. They share stories of both good times and bad times and give some helpful tips on how to make the good outweigh the bad. You’ll learn how to relate to your son in a way that will leave him thirsty for more knowledge. Sign up today!
Mary Jo Tate
Find support from other parents just like you!
Homeschooling as a single parent seems like a daunting task, but the number of single parents who choose to homeschool is growing. Author and single parent of four Mary Jo Tate shares her struggles and bright spots in the on-demand recording “Single-Parenting Homeschooling: How You Can Make It Work!” to encourage you in this chapter of your life. Mary Jo addresses the challenges—emotional and financial—and shows you how a network of supportive relationships can help you better understand God’s providence and love. Sign up today!
Don’t have an @home e-vent account? Follow these simple steps to register for an account and start signing up for our live and on-demand e-vents now!
If you have any questions, please visit the @home e-vent website or contact the @home e-vent team by emailingathome@hslda.org.
I never had very much growing up, yet I was always happy and content with what I did have. I never seemed to want more as far as possessions go because I knew we could not afford them. I also looked at my grandparents who did not seem to have much to the “worldly eye” yet they always were happy and content! Everything they had was paid for. There was no debt. They did not believe in credit cards or owing any man anything. Many of their things they had were used. My Papaw worked for the street department of our city and would often find great used items people were throwing away. He brought home bicycles to repair, books, toys, clothes, and many more items! There was always something! He also would bring home breads, hostess cakes, Little Debbie Snack Cakes, and other food items which the stores had to get rid of because of the expiring soon date. He would share them with us as well as my mom’s sister’s family. We always had a freezer full of goodies whether they were healthy or not! He and my grandmother always shared with everyone whether they knew them or not. They also would help people the best they could. People would come knocking on their door wanting money, if they had it, they would give it. If they did not have it, they would at least offer them some food to take with them to eat. Their home was very modest, but always welcoming to anyone in the neighborhood or anyone at all for that matter! My aunt and uncle who raised my dad (Granny and Bud) were also very happy and content with all they had though it was not much. Again, they were debt free. My Uncle Bud had a 1980 Dodge Aspen which he purchased brand new with cash! It was still running well several years after he passed away in 1992. They also had a forty acre farm a nice house which my uncle had built and even two large barns. It was a very nice place, but still not ideal to the world view. It was plain and simple! Granny and Bud also did all they could to help others. My Granny never birthed any children of her own, yet she was a mother to many. My Uncle Bud was a quiet and reserved man, but he still wanted to help others. They were older than my other grandparents and were retired as long as I remember. My Uncle passed away when I was eleven and a half. My Granny did not pass away for nearly 15 years afterward. She was still happy and content and tried to help everyone the best she could.
Even though I did not have much growing up or at least much to the world, I was a happy child and always had ALL of my needs met! I always had food to eat and clothes to wear! Yes, some of it was given to us, but God always provided even during the times my dad was sick and out of work. Now, I am married and I have more than I ever had as a child! I loved my life in Tennessee. I did not have a fancy house, but it was one built with love by my husband. By the way, it is my dream home and the perfect home for me! We moved in before we ever put down floor coverings, and then the floor coverings were never put on! However, I still loved the house. I covered the floors with rugs which were given to us and kept them as clean as I possibly could. I was asked by a few family members if I was really happy living in the house. I said, “Yes, why wouldn’t I be? It is the house my husband built for me!” I was so very happy! We put an addition on in 2008, which we desperately needed with our growing family, but it was not an absolute necessity.
Now, we are in Michigan for a temporary time. I have found myself for the first time in my life not being content with where I am living! I hate to admit my faults, but it is true! I was so very depressed when we first moved here! I just wanted to go home. The house here is very nice. It is larger than our house in Tennessee, there are some things which are even better about it than the one in Tennessee such as I have my very own room dedicated just for sewing. We also have an extra room and bathroom for company (though we seldom have it here). We live by the road here and the cars going by are always loud. There is a lot less acreage. The people in the stores are almost ALWAYS rude! The last time we visited a church there was even a church member who was rude to us! I suppose my Southern family lifestyle spoiled me and really made it easy for me to be content even though I did not have everything.
Recently, God convicted me yet again of my discontentment! He reminded me of his precious promises in Deuteronomy 28: 1-6.
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.”
The phrase which sticks out the most, I highlighted above! God will bless you in the city or in the field (country)! Just follow HIM!
God promises that no matter where we are HE WILL always bless us if we continue to put him first and obey his commandments! I am so very blessed! He has greatly blessed us! I have put my sorrows and self-pity aside (by the way I have not really shared this with anyone and no one really knows how I have really felt all this time). I am holding again to my life verse Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
I share all of this information with my readers today to let you know, God will always take care of you! He promises HIS children HE will! He has always taken care of us! I have needed nothing since we have been in Michigan! ALL of my needs have been met and exceeded! God is amazing! I am looking forward to HIS many blessings now that I am out of my self-pity and wallowing in the mire! There will be times in your life when it is difficult to be content. We are human, it is normal! However, take what you have and use it for God’s glory no matter what your situation and see how much he blesses you! I came to the conclusion I was discontent a few weeks ago (in fact it was over a month ago now), and since I have been really trusting in the Lord, he has blessed us beyond measure! He was already taking care of us and blessing us, but getting my heart where it needed to be made it all the sweeter!
Yes, I still long to be home in Tennessee, but I know God has a purpose for me here! I am anxious to do HIS will and see what blessings he has in store! I also know HE is helping me grow stronger and closer to HIM! I hope I have encouraged some of you as well! May God bless you no matter where you are!
I did not get a chance to post this recipe yesterday! I apologize! My husband only had to work a few hours yesterday morning, so blogging was NOT a priority! My nine year old daughter made this recipe herself along with the patriotic trifle which I will share in another post! Today we have been working in the garden among other things, and blogging has not been a priority either! My husband is working late, which is allowing me to get some blogging time! I hope to have some garden updates soon too!
Ingredients:
6-10 medium potatoes- peeled (boiled until just tender)
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups mayo
3 tbs. mustard
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
paprika for decoration
Directions:
Cook potatoes until just tender. In the meantime, mix remaining ingredients except for paprika together in large bowl. Add cooked potatoes and stir well. Taste and add more mayo, mustard, salt, or pepper to taste. Sprinkle paprika over top to make it look pretty! Chill for at least four hours. Refrigerate any leftovers.
**You can also add two hard boiled eggs to this recipe, but we really do not like them in our potato salad, so I always leave them out!**
As I have said before, I spend very little on homeschooling my children as there are so many things at my access which are FREE! My oldest two will be considered in “6th” grade this fall. I have rarely used text books as my main source of curriculum, and do not plan to do so until high school. Most of my information for them comes from the Internet, friends, the library, or my own collection of books and resources. Below are some helps for Middle Grades.
For Tips for homeschooling the younger grades, see my post Beginning Homeschooling- Materials and Curriculum for Younger Grades.
Coupon: Get $.75 Off Broccolette
Packed with vitamins and flavor, this cross between broccoli and Chinese kale is perfect for a stir-fry, for roasting, or for a veggie-dip snack. Grab our coupon and enjoy!
This week’s menu will be a little different since there is a holiday. Unfortunately, my husband does have to work today, but we are still going to celebrate! It will be the first Memorial Day in my life of 31 1/2 years where I have not celebrated with family. I think there will be a lot of holidays like that while we are in Michigan, but I still plan to make them special for my children! Be sure to look for the recipes for each day if there is not a link! I am also going to try some new recipes with our abundance of goat milk! I hope to try rice pudding, more yogurt, and possibly make some pudding pops for the children!
Monday- Memorial Day!
Tuesday-
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thanks to all the men and women who have served our country! Thanks to all the Patriots out there who love America and are devoted to stand for what our founding fathers stood!
I have received several questions from readers about shopping with children, and want to share the answers with others who may have the same questions.
A wonderful question, and I am so sorry I forgot to address this issue. First of all, I hate public restrooms and only use them if I absolutely have to. Unfortunately, when a small child has to go, they have to go, there is no stopping or holding! I make sure everyone goes to the bathroom before we leave. Then, if it is quite a drive to a store or it has been a few hours since a bathroom break, we usually will go straight to the bathroom upon arrival at the store. My older boys do not like to go in the women’s restroom. Can’t say I blame them. However, it all depends on where we are and the atmosphere as to whether I will allow them to go into a men’s bathroom alone! My oldest always goes with the younger boys into the men’s restroom and Michaela and Calla always go together in the women’s restroom while I wait outside the door. I will also have Timmy check the bathroom for anyone in there so I can keep tabs on who goes out and in the men’s bathroom. I hate there are sickos and perverts out there, but there are and I do not want my children to experience them! We have also gone over what to do if someone tries anything inappropriate when I am not around. Thankfully, nothing has happened thus far.
Another great question. If your child has allergies or avoidances, you may need to adjust appropriately. Usually, our snack is fruit and nuts or fruit and cheese or a glass of goat milk and a muffin or some granola. However, when we were avoiding dairy (my oldest son was allergic to cow’s milk products for a long time and still cannot handle cow’s milk), it was more difficult to come up with quick and easy child friendly snacks. Fruit alone does not last very long and neither do vegetables. While they do help, it just does not work for as long as I need it to! I would make muffins and use finely chopped or ground nuts for some protein. Those were easy for my youngest solid food eater to handle. Usually, these muffins were fine without any additional food, but I would usually give them some apple slices or something similar. Use what works best for your children, but highly processed, refined, artificial ingredient foods will not last as long as whole foods. Another option is to have some gum available to chew. Our favorite is Glee Gum it does have sugar, but there are no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, etc.
I usually have my purse in the bottom part of the buggy and the coupon binder beside the child who is riding in the buggy where I am pushing. I keep the coupons I know I plan to use for the trip in a separate envelope in my hand with my grocery list. I usually only have a purse or diaper bag and when I do not have to wear maternity clothes, I usually do not take in either one. I will put a diaper and a thin case of wipes in my coupon binder. There is also a pocket for anything else I may need such as my wallet. I do not like purses and have never carried one until I had children! I always felt if I could not put it in my pockets, then I do not need to carry it! Unfortunately, if there are pockets on maternity clothes, they are usually non-functional!
I have never allowed them to do these things from the beginning. Once you have already allowed some bad habits to creep in, they are much more difficult to handle. My suggestion is to let them know the behavior is unacceptable. Reward them if they behave at the register and come up with a punishment if they misbehave. Some rewards could be a sticker, or a piece of candy, or something they enjoy. Some punishments, could be to take away some privileges or give extra chores. For little ones, it could be more difficult, but they are usually a little more responsive when they know mommy needs business. When they begin misbehaving, remain calm, immediately stop whatever you are doing, and tell them they are not to do whatever it is they are doing. Ask them to put their hands beside the counter or on your legs or where you can see them and keep them there until you complete the transaction. In my hometown in TN, I know most everybody. In one of the stores (Ingles) several of my relatives and good friends work there. One day, my cousin was aggravating my children while I was checking out. He was doing it all in fun, but for some reason two of my children began running laps around the cash register and counter. I was so embarrassed. My cousin was encouraging them. I asked the cashier to excuse me, and I went to the children and told them to come and stand still beside me. They knew they were in trouble and had disappointed me which was punishment enough. We later had a talk about appropriate behavior in doors and out doors and in stores even when people are aggravating you etc. So far, it has not occurred again! I am so glad! I really had no idea what to do, but I stayed calm through it all! Fortunately, we were the only ones checking out at the time!
Very carefully! It is often difficult, and I do not go in these stores very often. I have just recently began shopping at CVS again because I have been able to go by myself. It is not that I do not want to take my children with me, it is just difficult to go through the aisles with so many of us! I also always try to go to smaller clothing, consignment, and other stores alone as the aisles are so small I am afraid one of us will bump something and break it and not intend to do it!
You can always shop from home on the internet or hire a baby sitter, but I do have a better suggestion. Play going to store at home! Go through all the steps of going to the store while at home and make sure the children understand what is expected of them. If you need to have rewards to encourage good behavior, then do it! It does not have to be a bribe. Just be consistent! You can also take shorter trips for practice. Take them for a few quick items and develop a routine while you do it. You may have to experiment to decide what works best for your family! Most children love to help and want to feel important or special. Let them know how important it is for them not only to behave at the store, but to help as well. Make sure you tell Daddy all about their wonderful behavior! Even if they were not the best behaved, try to find something positive to tell Daddy so they are not completely discouraged! It may be as simple as “Little Joe stayed right with Mommy throughout the entire store today. I am so proud of him.” OR “Little Sue was quiet and still throughout the entire checkout process! I am so proud of her, aren’t you proud too, Daddy?” My children LOVE for me to brag to their Daddy about them every evening at supper time! It is a favorite part of the day! I try to have at least one positive thing about each child to tell their Daddy every evening! It really encourages self worth and good behavior!
Please let me know if you have any other questions, otherwise, next week, we will move on to another topic!
We finished our four week freezer cooking yesterday. I decided not to do anything today because it is getting so hot. Also, I wanted to get things ready for the Holiday weekend. We managed to get Hot Cocoa Mix made as well as Beef and Vegetable soup and Great Northern Beans canned since my last update. You can see the picture I took of the first round of beans and soup with the canner still working on the remainder of the jars. My canner holds seven. I did a batch of seven and a batch of eight. I was going to can my black eyed peas, but there were moths in them. I have had them in jars since December when we moved. I felt we have enough bread and there are still waffles in the freezer. I really do not want to start the air conditioner yet, so I decided not to heat up the house any more with the oven and canner!
Kids Earn a Free book!
Read any 8 books and record them in the Reading Journal
(PDF).
Bring the completed Reading Journal to your local B&N store.
Find a Store.
Choose a FREE BOOK from our selection on the Reading Journal list at the store... Enjoy reading!
Plus Down load Fun Activities and Teaching Tips in Barnes and Nobles Exclusive Kit
Free Recorded Miracles of Jesus Bookmark – Mail-in
Free Swimming Pool Test Kit
Free Book from Barnes & Noble for Summer Reading
Father’s Day Experience Giveaway
Free Redbox Video Game Rental
Free Admission to Blue Star Museums for Military
Free Printable Summer Travel Activity Book
Free Vitanity Drink Mix Sample
Free Constitution with Declaration of Independence
Free Sample of StimuLean Energy Supplement
Free Natural Health Supplement Samples
Free Book at Pottery Barn for Summer Reading
Have you joined Swagbucks? If you haven’t you should! Swagbucks is a search engine where you earn points to redeem for prizes! Some of the prizes include store and restaurant gift cards as well as clothing, toys and much more. You can even get Pay Pal cash!
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It is FREE to sign up and very easy to use! You can either search from theirSwagbuckspage, or download the toolbar and search from there. Each search has the potential to winswagbucks. You useSwagbucks.com just like you would any other search engine to search for things. As you are searching occasionally you will get a banner that pops up and says you won a Swagbuck which are points. You keep earning them and then turn them in to get free stuff. The more you save them up the larger the stuff you can get. You can also get Swagbucks by reading the Swagbucks site on their blog, on their Twitter page, or on their Facebook page.
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Please see my Disclosure policy. While this link is NOT an affiliate link, I do earn swagbucks when you sign-up for swagbucks through my referral link. Thank you!
Ingredients:
Beef Soup Bones
Potatoes
Carrots
Onion
Celery
Green Beans
Peppers
Corn
Any other veggies you want to add
Water
Salt
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water. Cook until meat is done and falls from bones. Remove bones and fat and discard. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve with corn bread or biscuits. Refrigerate, freeze, or can leftovers.
Coupon: Get $.75 Off Mixed Baby Kales
Discover a tasty, nutritious vegetable you may not have known you could love — at a price that’s right. Click for a coupon.
Ingredients:
Mike Donnelly
Is traditional grading the only way?
How do you assess your child’s schoolwork—is it about the A’s and B’s, or are there alternative ways to mark progress? Home educating gives parents flexibility in every area of teaching, including grading, determining grade levels, and graduating. How can you evaluate in a way that is profitable to your children? HSLDA Staff AttorneyMike Donnelly will carefully examine ways to approach your child’s academic achievements that will cultivate success and satisfy your state’s legal requirements in the free, live e-vent “Homeschooling: Not a School at Home!” Sign up now!
Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt
Access detailed legal analysis!
Current and future homeschooling parents will get a complete look at Oregon homeschool requirements in the live, members-only e-vent“How to Homeschool in Oregon” with HSLDA Staff Attorney Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt. In addition to learning the ins and outs of the notice of intent and recordkeeping, Tj will address controversial subjects like virtual public school programs and access to public school activities. Tj will open up for a Q&A at the end of the presentation, so get your questions ready and sign up today!
Denise Mira
Are life’s “dailies” getting you down?
Where do your toddlers get so much energy? How can you connect with your teens? Through the barrage of messy rooms, continual grocery trips, and perpetual laundry, there is still hope! Author and homeschool mom Denise Mira has been through it all and offers some humorous, insightful, and encouraging ways to combat life’s challenges in the on-demand recording “The Secrets to Thriving over the Long Haul as a Homeschool Parent.”Treat yourself to this e-vent and walk away ready to manage the circus that is your home. Sign up now!
Jon Tigges
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to run the home business and school!
Can you start and maintain a home business while teaching kids at home at the same time? Why start a home business in the first place? Air Force lieutenant colonel and homeschool dad of six Jon Tigges shares the value of a family venture in the on-demand recording “Takin’ Care of Business at Work and Home: Involving Your Children in the Family Business.” As a successful manager of four startups, Jon gives a straightforward view of being an entrepreneur while still providing your children with an education that will instill the values of initiative and hard work. Get this expert advice by signing up today!
Don’t have an @home e-vent account? Follow these simple steps to register for an account and start signing up for our live and on-demand e-vents now!
If you have any questions, please visit the @home e-vent website or contact the @home e-vent team by emailingathome@hslda.org.
You can play Summer Bun-Go and Win Prizes from Udi’s Gluten Free Foods! Fill in the Bingo Card to earn points.
20 points get a $0.50/1 Udi’s Bun Coupon
70 points Save $1 on Udi’s Buns
90 points Save $2 on Udi’s plus Mastering Barbecue Cook Book (First 850 people)
180 points Cance to Win a $500 Gift Card Plus FIrst Contestants Win a Udi- Grilling Kit!
Don’t’t forget to print a $1/1 Udi’s Gluten Free Buns Coupon at Mambo Sprouts.
Mambo Sprouts has some great coupons for gluten free items right now!
$0.75/1 Blue Diamond 4.25oz. Bag of Baked Nut Chips
$0.75/1 Lundberg Family Farms Rice Chips
$0.55/1 San-J 10 oz. Gluten Free Tamari Soy Sauce, Asian Cooking Sauce or 8 oz. salad
$1/1 bag or box of Crunchmaster Crackers
A few days ago I was having a discussion with someone and describing my pastor in Tennessee as being Genuine. She immediately asked me, “What do you mean by Genuine?” I told her I meant exactly what genuine means, “REAL! Not a fake! True in every aspect. What you see is what you get. Same all the time and in every situation.” She told me she did not believe genuine meant all of those things, but was really unsure of what she even thought genuine means. So, I looked it up in my Webster’s Dictionary. Below is the definition of genuine from the Merriam Webster website which is identical in my dictionary:
1
a : actually having the reputed or apparent qualities or character <genuine vintage wines>b : actually produced by or proceeding from the alleged source or author <the signature is genuine>c : sincerely and honestly felt or experienced <a deep andgenuine love>d : actual, true <a genuine improvement>
2
: free from hypocrisy or pretense : sincere
Her conclusion was my definition is correct with more details and making more sense to her than the dictionary. She then asked me ways in which my pastor is genuine. Below is a small list of the many things he does to demonstrate he is genuine.
Those are just a few of the things he does which make him genuine. I am not putting him on a pedestal. God commands us to NOT put our faith or trust in MAN but to fully trust and depend on the Lord and have all of our faith in HIM! I believe being genuine is a crucial part of our testimony as Christians! I have family members who are not Christians and are first to find hypocrisy in most all Christians they encounter. We are being watched! It is important to be the same all the time in every situation to be ourselves the person who God made us to be! As we have been looking for a church in Michigan, one of the main things (of many main things) we want in a church is a place where we can be who God created us to be! I do not like to feel like I need to pretend to be someone I am not! One of the main reasons I do not like to feel that way, is I simply cannot be anyone other than who I am. I have tried it in the past only to fail completely! I am who God has made me to be, I certainly cannot be anyone else no matter how much a church or someone else may desire me to be!
My challenge for my readers both Christian and non-Christian is to be yourself! Do not pretend to be someone who you are not! Why waste your time living a false life! It will only catch-up to you in the end. Be real! Be genuine! You will find you will certainly find more happiness each and every day if you are not trying to be someone other than who you are. Below are a few simple ways to be genuine every day!
Simple ways to be genuine:
Those are just a few ways to be genuine. I am not perfect, and I am sure I fail miserably at being genuine all the time. However, I really do try my best to be genuine at all times no matter where I am or what the situation. I also know there are lots of other ways to be genuine! What are some of the ways you show you are genuine to others?
Today I canned the Cream of Celery Soup and attempted to do the blackberry jam, but my kitchen aid mixer fruit and veggie strainer attachment blew up. Therefore, I did not get the jam made or anything except the soup made. The picture shows the first canner load of soup. I am still waiting on the pressure to drop enough on the second canner to get them out.
This week Currclick is offering Free Down on the Farm Notebooking Pages!
Description:
Notebooking pages that will compliment any study relating to farm animals. Three notebooking pages and one coloring page for each animal included.
Farm Animals Included:
This is a large file, be prepared for a longer download wait.
Please see my disclosure policy as this link is an affiliate link. Thank you!
Get a Free sample of Pet n Shape®!
Please see my disclosure policy as this link is an affiliate link. Thank you!
Get a Free Natural Balance® Dog Food Roll!
Please see my disclosure policy as this link is an affiliate link. Thank you!
Coupon: Get $.75 Off Spring Mix
A delicious blend of mild and bold baby greens — the crop that started it all at Earthbound Farm! Get a coupon.
Even though I graduated from college with a degree in Education, I am not one to follow a strict curriculum or the way school is in the public school system. However, I am not the ultimate Unschooler either! I use what works for my child! I have found teaching the younger children and even the older ones for that matter, to be fun, engaging, and very inexpensive! Below are some of my favorite materials and curriculum resources to use for younger grades. Many you probably have at home or can pick up for a $1 or $2 at the Dollar Store or Wal-Mart or even cheaper at a yard sale!
Math
Reading/Spelling
History/Geography
Science
The lists above are just a few ideas and almost all of them are free or really cheap and things you probably already have around your house! Be creative! Think outside the classroom setting! Have fun! Children learn much better and retain things better when they are having fun and are not pressured!
Ingredients:
Onions, chopped
Green peppers, chopped
Other spicy peppers, chopped (if desired)
shredded carrots
Any other veggies
Eggs
Butter, oil, or bacon grease
Directions:
In a large skillet, sauté veggies in butter. Meanwhile, in a bowl scramble as many eggs as your family will eat. Once veggies are tender, add more butter if needed, then add eggs. Cook stirring occasionally until eggs are done.
We had a very productive and exhausting day today! I also do more loads of laundry on Mondays than any other day since I typically take Sunday off from laundry and if we are in the garden, laundry often does not get done on Saturday either. Anyway, I changed things up a bit from my original schedule. We recently weaned the baby goats, so we are getting lots more milk. I made goat cheese as well as some other caramel sauce called cajeta. It is actually a Mexican caramelized candy. It took basically all day to make, so I did not get the blackberry jam made. I am going to have a more detailed post about our cajeta making adventure, but as soon as I finish this post I am going to attempt to get a quick nap before I have to begin supper. Plus, I still have laundry to put away as well as my bed to make since I washed the sheets today!
Above is a picture of some fungal tincture which I made with a recipe from Bulk Herb Store. It was not on my original list, but we have been having some problems with ring worm around here ever since December when a little girl at church had it, and then my daughter got it, then it has continued to go through the family. I think I should be able to use this tincture for other external ailments if needed.
I made three loaves of Chocolate Zucchini Bread which is the last of our zucchini from our garden last year. We hope to eat a loaf tonight with some of the cajeta I made!
Wyatt (my three year old) helped me with the goat cheese. He loves the cheese hot when it is freshly made! The other children do too, but he seems to like it the most. I canned three half pints and let the children have the rest. I used 6 quarts of milk for the cheese and used garlic salt, oregano, basil, and thyme for the spices. I also added three tablespoons of butter which made it taste even better! Butter and bacon grease seem to make everything taste better!
The granola turned out to be more like granola bars because I let it set too long without stirring it! Anyway, it is still delicious! Now we have some bars for quick, not as messy snacks!
Our next project was the cajeta or Mexican caramelized candy. I saw the recipe in my cheese making book, and I thought it would be fun to try. Unfortunately, it took three hours from start to finish with constant stirring! My two oldest took turns stirring with me for which I was thankful! It took three quarts of milk. It turned out to be delicious! I will share the recipe for it tomorrow. I cannot wait to try it on the Chocolate Zucchini Bread tonight!
My Goals for Tuesday:
I think the remainder of the week should stay relatively the same except I already have the zucchini bread made. The zucchini was already put in the fridge to thaw yesterday, so it needed to be used. So did the blackberries, but they are still sitting in the fridge waiting on me to do something with them! We are almost out of jam, so I really want to make some in case we do not get to pick any blackberries this year. However, it looks like we have tons of apple trees and crabapple trees on our property in Michigan which should be fun and yummy. I have never done anything with crabapples before other than maintenance to the trees when I used to work for a landscape crew in high school and college! Anyway, hopefully, I will have the energy and time tomorrow to get all accomplished I desire!
Last week with company at our house, I did not stick to my make ahead schedule. I hope to be more diligent this week. As I said before, it is a constant process at our house to make things ahead since we typically eat a whole foods diet and most everything I make is from scratch. I will also need to make cheese and yogurt, but not sure which days to put it on the schedule as I am not sure when milk will be available.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
With company last week, we did not stick to our menu, so there will be a lot of things on this week’s list which we never ate last week! Hopefully, I will also get back to make ahead/freezer cooking as we are now out of many things such as granola and goat milk yogurt! I should also add, I may not list these recipes as Gluten Free, but ALL of them are made Gluten Free as we do not have any items with gluten in our house. In addition, my children do typically have snacks during the day. They usually consist of whatever raw fruits, veggies, and nuts we have on hand!
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Something easy!
