My Cup Overflows

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psalm 30:4

My Cup Overflows

Count your Blessings,

Name them one by one,

Count Your many Blessings

And see what God has done!

This year my little "theme" is My Cup Overflows. In the spirit of my theme I have an empty glass candle jar that will soon overflow with our blessings.

Each family member is writing a daily blessing or something they are thankful for on the colored slips of paper. They are folded and placed in the jar. More than one daily blessing is encouraged.

Soon we will have a visual idea of just how many blessings we have everyday. On Thanksgiving we will take turns pulling them out and reading them during our meal.

My Cup Overflows

I am thankful for my gift of free salvation through My Lord Jesus Christ.

My Cup Overflows

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57

Image(s) courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com

Thanksgiving Remembrances

Last year's daily Thanksgiving remembrances. Join me this year, starting November 1!

Menu planning

Baked Chicken

soup or chili

mexican chicken casserole

pasta

pizza

FAR Planning

Printing a list of projects for Emilie to complete last year didn't work so well for her. She needed more set deadlines and a daily task list rather then 5-8 printed pages and "get going" instructions.

So this year I changed things up. It works well for us. Emilie and Olivia still get to choose their projects but I make the daily assignment lists.

Step by Step:

1. I print out each unit as I need it and put in in it’s own 3 prong folder.

2. I color code each mini unit.

3. Each daughter goes through one mini unit at a time marking what projects she wants to do with initial.

4. Then I go through each mini unit and determine if I have the resources, can get the resources, or substitute a different resource.

5. Then I make a list of each project in each mini unit for each daughter. Then I make the decision how many days each project will take, and which week it will be done, whether week 1 or week 2.

6. Then I make out daily assignment cards. For the projects that will take several days I will put how many days they have to work on it, and each consecutive day how many days remain.

7. Each daughter has her own mini index card binder, at the end of each day they turn in the day’s card which is then filed.

Falling Behind!

Happy Fall Ya'll

WOW! It's been a long time since I've been active here. We have started school, Emilie and Olivia are both doing Far Above Rubies. Bella is doing Learning Adventures. I'll post more about school later as the "sisters" ( Emilie and Olivia) need to use the computer for school research.

Menu for the week:

*Cowboy Soup

Hot Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Pasta

Hamburgers

Pizza

* I got this recipe from my mother in law. My husband and Bella made this last year when I was sick and I have since lost the recipe card so what follows is totally by memory.

1# ground meat browned

chopped onion to taste ( I use 1/4- 1/2 cup of onion)

1 can ranch beans ( I use whatever beans I have in the house tonight will be black beans)

1 can corn *UNDRAINED*

1 package of taco seasoning

1 can tomato soup

1 can "rotel" tomatoes and chilies

I honestly can't remember if it is 2 cans of corn and 2 cans of soup. Use your own judgement.

Anyhow, nice on a Fall/Winter day, served with warm corn bread.

*********update*********

well I used spicy tomato sauce instead of tomato soup and didn't add the rotel as I didn't have any. I did add some leftover beefstew, and a can of water. Bella made cornbread. It was really good.

Book Review- Still More Stories!

Grandma’s Attic Books 3-4

I was so glad to discover that the Grandma Attic series continues with 2 more books.

These books are fun to read either aloud to your children as short bedtime stories or read alones. Since these books are actually a collection of short stories, they are perfect for narration. Arleta Richardson has a warm story telling style that is as cozy as grandma's lap.

These books follow some more fun adventures of Mabel as a little girl, her adventures become lessons in honesty, patience and manners.

A favorite story is about the “slop-tot” Mabel. This story teaches the need to be aware of what one is doing while eating in order to avoid embarrassment.

I really love these books, great books to share with your children and pass down to grandchildren.

Thank you B & B Media for the review copies in exchange for my honest reveiw.

Penmanship?

It seems like with the age of keyboards handwriting doesn't seem necessary. But like scissor cutting, it helps coordinate/organize the brain, and helps with overall small muscle development. Because it is a much more physical way to get information on paper, that information is more readily/easily stored and recalled.

Also not always, but I have found messy handwriting can be a discipline issue in other areas as well. Sloppy work, messy rooms, not focusing on task at hand, rushing to get done, chores not done completely or properly, you get the picture.

Another note of interest a couple years ago a friend stated about need to be able to read/write cursive so one would have the ability to read historical original documents for self rather than have to take the word of some "educated" persons for what is says. I had never thought of that before.

Do I have children with great penmanship? No, not at all. I wish I had spent more time with the skill/discipline of handwriting.

Missing Link?

I was asked the question recently about having more fun in the day. Here is what I shared with my friend.

"I'll share what I see in my kids and see if maybe it might be your missing link.

My girls have a lot of "head knowledge" as far as Bible, but we are lacking in the outward doing. We have because "fat on the Word" as Joyce Meyer says, lots of hearing but not a lot of doing. So we are going to take some steps of faith, smalls one cause my girls are so timid, to do things for the Lord. Last week we ( Emilie, Olivia, and me) took a quiz to find out spiritual gifting and areas of ministry. Emilie scored super high in Encourager. Olivia was high in Proclaimer. I was high in teacher.

Emilie wants to have friendships, she enjoys encouraging others but, lacks the boldness to talk in Sunday School and Youth Group. ( you could prayer for them in this area if you feel lead) So I'm having her start a "card ministry". Each week she is to pick a girl she knows, write them a notecard and pray for them. She has just started with her first card this week. I'm praying the girls she reaches out too are blessed and accepting of her outreach. I know this sounds so tiny that it seems unimportant, but it is a big thing for Emilie to put her faith out there to be accepted. She has been "burned" several times by "Christian" girls in the area of friendship. It makes me cry.

Olivia likes and is talented in doing things on the computer. I plan on having her make inspirational "slide shows"( aka powerpoint) for church.

Our church is doing a new thing during quarterly Business meetings, the kids are sharing their talents with the church for the glory of the Lord. Last time there was singing, piano playing, and scripture reading & memorization. Olivia did a slide show with music with the pictures of Jr Camp and High School camp. We just posted those on FB, I think they will be shown at the next business meeting. I'd like her to do more with this as well, like some Psalms. Emilie enjoys writing poetry so I'm thinking they might work together on something like this.

Often our church lets the young people play the offertory music. Bella will be doing that.

I'm the leader of the girls ministry at church called Faithgirls. I'm teaching homemaking skills and trying to find ways to use them to minster to others. So this fall we are learning to crochet. We are collecting plastic shopping bags and will be crocheting them into sleeping mats for women in Uganda, and I hope we get enough for do some for the local homeless too.

The book Start Here, Doing Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris (former homeschoolers ) and their first book Do Hard Things, which I don't have yet, has really inspired me in this area. I'm praying that soon the girls will think of their own "hard things" to do for the Lord.

Doing hard things/ministry doesn't mean no fun. Sometimes if might be scary at first as the comfort zone gets stretched. But then the once hard thing becomes an easy thing, and then you can stretch your tent a little bigger. Is 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."

So I guess I'm writing all this for you to ask yourself is it really "fun" you think your missing, but practical ministry opportunities to do together with the knowledge, talents/gifts you and your family has. You might be surprised what ideas they dream up."

Dealing with leftovers

I like to find creative ways to deal with leftovers rather than just reheating them.

I bought 4 whole chickens on sale. I cooked and deboned 2 of them, divided all the meat into 4 ziplock bags for later use. I also divided and froze the chicken broth. I roasted one chicken and froze the other for roasting later.

So dealing with leftovers....
I had 2 different containers of leftover mac and cheese. I made a chicken sauce, with 2 cups broth, thickened with 4 TB flour. I added the leftover mac and cheese and a package of the deboned chicken, & frozen peas. Topped with buttered cornflakes. Baked at 350 for 20 minutes.

Other add ins could be chopped pimentos, mushrooms, mixed vegs, extra cheese.

Ask yourself

Before posting, messaging, or emailing ask yourself-

"Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it encouraging? Is it building? Is it something I would want sent to me? Is it something I would be ashamed of and need/want to hide? Is it something Jesus would write or read?"

I have this posted on each of our computers to remind us that even online we represent Christ.

Coupon Organization

I've gone from binder to box, back to binder and now I'm back in a box.

The binder is very time consuming to maintain, so I when to a box, but the kind I had the top wouldn't always be secure so it flipped over twice in parking lots. So I went back to a binder, but then I got 3 weeks behind in clipping coupons and knew I sure didn't want to have to fill that binder.

So I read *this* about how one gal organized her coupons in a Caboodle makeup case.

I bought my Caboodle today and have all my coupons transfered. I like that it zips shut, has little pockets for a calculator, pens, and scissors, and clips and room for my wallet. I can just stick it in and take it in any store and not feel so stupid lugging a binder. The box fits nicely in the cart too.

Here is Crystal from Money Saving Mom, showing her coupon box.

Here is another coupon box.

Menu June 20-24

Chicken tacos- chicken in crockpot with Pace sauce, and extra spices.

Hamburgers, chips, apple sauce, some sort of veg.

Grilled Smoked Sausage, potato salad, baked beans, fruit

Roasted Chicken, rice and veg

Pizza

Taco Seasoning Mix

6 tsp chili powder

4 1/2 tsp cumin

5 tsp. paprika

3 tsp onion powder

2 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients and store in an airtight container. I just use an empty spice shaker bottle. This is pretty strong in flavor, use wisdom when using this substitute in place of prepackaged seasoning mix.

Transform Leftovers

Mac & Cheese leftovers stay leftovers in my house. No one wants to eat it, I don't really blame them, leftover boxed Mac & Cheese needs a lot of help.

I make Macaroni Salad with my leftovers.

Just add Miracle Whip/Mayo

chopped onion and green/red peppers

I've been known to make this macaroni salad fresh when I'm in a pinch and need to take something to a summer potluck or picnic.

Summer Movie Clubhouse

All 10 movies can be purchased in advance for $5.00, or can be purchased separately at the box office for $1.00 per show. $5 Series punch cards are limited and are now available only at the theatre box office while supplies last. Admission with a series punch card is limited to one person per card per movie, and valid only at the theatre where purchased.

All films that have been selected are rated either G or PG.

Click HERE for details.

Gramma's Ice Cream

3/4 cup sugar

2 TB flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups milk

cook over low heat until thicken

Temper 2 beaten eggs, then add to the above "pudding"

cool then add 2 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 tsp vanilla.

ready for your ice cream maker.

For a "carmel" flavor ice cream, use brown sugar instead of white.

My Provider

I practice stockpile moderation. For *me* the desire to have more, more, more, becomes overwhelming at times. Envy and even jealousy can rear their ugly heads. For me it has become a spiritual discipline to not spend/get something just because I *can* if I already have plenty. Do I really need another body wash when I have 15 already? Do I know someone who needs it? Will I even actually give it away, or will it just be stockpiled with good intentions? These are questions I have to ask myself. Sometimes I do get anxious about skipping good deals, "what if I can't get it again? what if I will have to actually go without for while?" But *I* have to remind myself that the Lord has always provided for my family in the past, we have never gone hungry, had dirty clothes, or had body odor. :) He is/and does continue to provide for us, I don't need to get worried, if I miss the good deal or choose to skip a good deal. Yes, using coupons is being wise, stockpiling is also being wise, but *I* have to remind myself that it is always the Lord who is ultimately providing.

Image from lanitaslegacy.blogspot.com/2010/09/jehovah-jireh.html