Fun Times Ahead

So, I may not be popping by for a few days since this weekend could get a little busy - and really, really fun! Friday night I get to hang out with the women of my care group as we head to an Italian restaurant for supper! YUM! YUM!! I LOVE LOOOOOOOVE Italian food! And hanging out with these friends will be a blast. Saturday afternoon, after spending some time at the country property cutting up fallen trees and starting a wee little bit of yard clean up (which is really fun, in my opinion!), I am heading into the city to spend some time at the fabric store to pick up a few things for the chair I am redo-ing and whatever else catches my eye. Have I mentioned before how much I love LOVE fabric stores? Almost as much as Italian food. And chocolate. Also, on Saturday night I get to go out for supper with my hubby! Not sure yet where but just being alone with him will be fantastic. Originally, we were supposed to go on a double date with some very dear friends of ours. Their babysitter backed out on them so we will have to change it to another night. However, our sitter was already booked. Might as well take advantage of that. Sunday night we head over to some sweet friend's place for supper. Really, what a great weekend it will be. So, I will see you sometime next week, hopefully with a new and beautiful chair (it is so close to being done - I am giddy with excitement! You will NOT believe the difference!☺). Have a great weekend!

Finding Routine

For the first time in a very long time, possibly since the birth of Pepe, I feel like I have finally found routine! From June of 2002 until this past summer, I have been either pregnant or nursing. With those major events comes so much change in just myself, never mind the whole household, that I never really felt "settled". Just as I was getting used to having a child, or 2 children, or 3 children, along comes another one (and, yes, I do realize this was our choice [as much as it is our "choice" to create a human being]) While we were busy expanding the family, my husband was busy doubling the size of the hog operation he owns/manages, from 7000 to 13000! And, he choose to general contract that massive undertaking himself! He went from being the only employee, whose hours were very predictable, to having 2 full-time employees and less predictability. Talk about lack of routine! Then, in the midst of all of that, our church saw a few pastors come and go. Currently we are just at the beginning of forming a search committee for a new pastor. Major things kept happening and life felt so much like a whirlwind, like I was just holding on while life went racing past me. Not so now! Now, my days have order, routine, predictability. I am NOT pregnant. I am NOT nursing (oh, the blessing of regulated hormones!). We are NOT building more hog barns (and who would want to in this economy). We have the same interim pastor now as we did one year ago and we will have him for possibly another year. Life has found its stride. I get up at the same time, which is actually before the kids (that never used to happen as I needed all the sleep I could get), I make my bed each day, I teach school each day - well, that's about where the routine ends. Oh, and Jay comes home within the same 2 hours each day. So, yes, there are still piles of laundry to do, the kitchen counters never seem to get clean, I always have paperwork to do, my desk needs a good cleaning, I haven't figured out when to work out, I need to spend more time in quiet with Jesus, the hog industry is in crisis, this house is feeling a bit cramped, etc. Chaos is still abundant. But, somewhere in that chaos, I have found my step, my stride. I have found routine.

Homeschooling: Success with a Schedule

It is already the beginning of November but I finally feel like I have found a really nice rhythm when it comes to homeschooling. It all started when a friend of mine forwarded her daily schedule to me. See, before that and last year, I just went about schooling without a schedule. I knew in my head what I needed to accomplish and the day would take however long it needed to get that work done. When this friend mentioned she used a schedule, I kind of balked at the idea but I was open enough to the suggestion to at least ask what her schedule looked like. Then I thought I could try creating my own schedule and try it out for a week or two to see how I liked it! And the result? I love it! My suggestion to you if you don't currently have a set schedule for schooling is this - set a schedule, post it for the kids to see, then try it out for 2 weeks. If it works (which I am sure it will), that is fantastic. If it doesn't, go back to whatever you were doing before.

This is what our schedule currently looks like:

9:00 - 9:20 P: Memory Work A: Printing Work

9:20 - 9:30 P: Handwriting (Cursive) A: Alphabet Work

9:30 - 9:40 P: Spelling Practice A: Phonics Work

9:40 - 10:30 I read out loud to them
(This time rarely ends up being this long. It all depends on what time we actually got the day started or how many interruptions I have by the other little people. What I do like is that this is a buffer time to keep the rest of the morning on track. We always read something and the kids, all of them, really enjoy it!)

10:30 - 10:45 RECESS (For their sake and for mine!☺)

10:45 - 11:30 P & A - Science (M, W, F) or Geography (T, Th)

11:30 - 12:00 P: Math A: Math (10 minutes only)

12:00 - 1:00 LUNCH

1:00 - 1:30 P: Phonics

1:30 - ? P & I read to each other, 1 chapter each in whichever book we are working on, different from the morning story.

As I said, I really like having a schedule and here are a few of the reasons.

1. It forces the boys to work with some motivation and focus because if they do not complete the work during the allotted time, the rest gets done for homework.
2. By having a schedule, the boys know what to expect. They know the order for the day. Pepe can read so once he finishes his current assignment he checks out the schedule to see what comes next and gets started on it. His first three sessions of the day are pretty independant so if he finishes his work early, he gets to play for a few minutes before reading starts.
3. I don't have to think about what comes next. This is a big one since my brain is filled with so many other things - might as well make school as easy for me as possible!

On a totally different note: yes, I do use a kitchen timer. It keeps us on track and lets us know when to begin the next subject. I use it all the time and I love it!

Some final thoughts: people often ask what I do with the girls when the boys are in school. Ari just crawls around and plays. Pretty straight forward. She goes for a nap at recess time and then again once school is done. As for RJ and Ali, they have a little table beside me that they use as their school table. They spend time coloring in coloring books (which they don't do at any other time of the day), RJ practices writing her name with me, and they both love to use dry erase markers on dry erase books. These books can be found at dollar stores or at office supply stores. Some teach simple things like following lines, some teach shapes or numbers or letters. The girls feel really important when they have their own work to do! Their attention span is not nearly as long so when they are done, they are off to play. Simple as that!

Well, those are my thoughts on using a schedule for homeschooling. In the future, I will share about the curriculum we are currently using and what I think of those. For now, you have a better idea of how school proceeds in this house on a daily basis (and why I don't answer the phone during that time!).

A Redeeming God

Last night I had the opportunity to get together with a friend of mine who is going through a really rough time in her life. Certainly not something she would have chosen had she been given a list earlier in life of things she would choose to endure. Actually, I have had that same opportunity with a number of different friends over the years and I have always come away in complete awe of who God is and how he can take any circumstance and redeem it for his glory. The 3 particular women that I am thinking of have had to face hard times, really hard times, all with their own unique set of circumstances. Each of them has shed many tears over the heartaches that have come. I have cried right along with them. Each of them loves the Lord. And each of them has had a choice. They could get really mad at God, and maybe they have. They could ask God why they had to go through this pain, and they probably do. They could have pity-parties and withdraw from everyone. Who could blame them? Finally, they could turn their backs on their God, their Maker and Creator, the One who loves them more than anyone else possibly could. And they have not! Last night, as in the past, I came home rejoicing and in amazement at how God loves to take ugly situations, sad situations, really REALLY hard situations and redeem them. These women have shown me what it means to love the Lord. These women have shown me what faith truly does look like. These women have pointed me to a loving God that hasn't promised an easy life but has promised to be with you no matter how difficult the road may be. He promises to carry you. He promises to uphold you. He promises never to leave you. He promises never to stop loving you. I am so blessed to have these women in my life. To have this glimpse of what true faith looks like, faith during the hard times. I always wonder what my faith would look like if those circumstances happened to me. And they may. But will my faith sustain me? Will I have the strength and hope and trust in my Lord as these women do? Each of them would say they are not strong. Each of them would say their hope and trust is shaky. But each of them is testament to the saving power of Jesus Christ. To the hope that only he can give. Has their situation changed? No. Have they changed? Absolutely! I am so thankful to have these women in my life. And I can only pray that when the trials come to my life that I will become as pure gold, just as they have.

Nothing Like Homemade Pizza

Fridays around here have been Pizza Fridays for a long time (well, okay, they were around for a while, then they weren't and now they are back again). And for us that means homemade pizza! To me, you just can't beat the taste of a lovingly handmade pizza hot from your own oven. I haven't found a frozen pizza that doesn't taste like cardboard and ordering in? Well, I am not too fond of the places we have close by. So, a couple of years ago, I made a search online for some pizza recipes that I could try. I found these and haven't turned back since!

If you are looking for a tender and chewy crust that rises oh-so nicely, this is the recipe to try! I honestly have no idea where I got this from but it is not my original recipe.

PIZZA HUT'S PIZZA DOUGH

1 1/3 cup (scant) warm-hot water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons cornmeal

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

Place water, sugar, salt, yeast and olive oil in bowl of mixer and dissolve sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in remaining ingredients and knead with dough hook to form a soft but not-too-sticky dough, about 8 minutes. Remove from machine and allow to rest, covered with a tea towel, about 45 minutes. Prepare pizza as desired and bake in a 425F oven for 18-20 minutes.

*(though I know some will say "It is nothing like Pizza Hut's dough" - hey, that's the name that was on it when I got it and it tastes good so I don't care!)

** Sometimes, I will make a batch of dough to bake into breadsticks. Just take the dough, after it is done resting, roll into a jelly roll pan (I use stoneware), brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt, then bake. Cut into sticks and enjoy.

If you are looking for a great tasting sauce recipe, I love this one for the "regular" pizzas, like pepperoni, ham & pineapple, etc. It is also great warmed and used to dip breadsticks.

EXQUISITE PIZZA SAUCE

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

3/4 cup warm-hot water

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 teaspooon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese (also works great to blend it with the Magic Bullet). Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

My absolute favorite pizza, for its tastiness and ease of preparation, would be this one, featured in a Pampered Chef cookbook called Seasons Best Fall/Winter 2005. I make this pizza often and, though the combination of ingredients seems bizarre, it is just fantastic!

MOLE CHICKEN PIZZA

Mole Sauce

1/4 cup barbeque sauce***

2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tsp creamy peanut butter

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 tsp lime juice

1 clove garlic, pressed

Pizza

1 plum tomato, sliced

8 oz cooked chicken, chopped (2 cups)

1 green pepper, diced (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup chopped onion *

1/4 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced *

1 pre-baked pizza crust (I use my regular pizza crust recipe, not pre-baked)

4 oz marble cheese, grated (1 cup)

1 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro *

*Due to personal taste, we omit these

**I love pizza sauce so I often double this recipe

***The barbeque sauce you choose will change the taste of this sauce. My favorite to use, which creates a zippy but tasty sauce, is President's Choice Smokin' Habenero! Oh so good!

Preheat oven to 425F. For mole sauce, combine barbecue sauce, chocolate chips, peanut butter, chili powder, lime juice and garlic. Microwave on high 30-60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until melted and smooth; set aside. For pizza, slice tomato, chop chicken and green pepper; set aside. Chop onion. Slice olives. Combine chicken, green pepper, onion and olives in a bowl. Place pizza crust on pizza stone; spread mole sauce over crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.

Evenly spoon chicken mixture over pizza. Arrange tomato slices around edge of crust. Grate cheese over pizza. Slice cilantro; set aside. Bake 18-20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cilantro. Cut into wedges and serve.

Finally, this pizza I don't make very often, because I don't always have the ingredients on hand, but it tastes AMAZING!!! I love alfredo so this pizza just made sense. It comes from a cookbook called "Don't Panic - Dinner's In The Freezer."

CHICKEN ALFREDO PIZZA

Alfredo Sauce

1/4 cup butter

scant 1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pizza

1 pizza crust

10 large fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

6 green onions, sliced diagonally, including tops

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, cooked until crisp

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

For sauce: Melt butter in large saucepan or skillet. Add cream and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat under pan.

For pizza: Roll out pizza dough to form crust. Spread alfredo sauce evenly over pizza crust. Arrange spinach leaves over sauce. Add green onions, shredded chicken, and bacon. Sprinkle cheeses over top. Preheat oven to 450F. Bake 15 minutes or until bubbly.

One thing I learned recently about pizza crusts - if it goes into the oven sticking, it will come out sticking. So add more flour to make sure the dough is not too sticky.

I love to use my Pampered Chef stoneware pan to make pizzas but just recently bought 4-7" pizza pans for the kids from Epicure. They are heavily perforated aluminum and make perfect personal pizzas. Now the kids can have whatever kind of pizza they want and so can we!

I am always interested in new pizza recipes so if you have any, send them my way! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you find at least one recipe you enjoy!

A Country Dream Come True!

{This post may get a little long! Consider yourself warned!}

Since forever and a day, I have always wanted to live in the country. I grew up on about 15 acres of land and loved to wander the bush in search of wildflowers, wild life and anything else wild. The untouched country always left me feeling so happy and content, like everything was as it should be. I spent hours outside, in sunshine and rain, cold and warmth. I was MEANT to be a country girl (well, except for the poison ivy, which I got EVERY year. With intense reaction. I loved Prednisone. I eventually had a doctor tell me that I was meant to live on CONCRETE! Who, me? No, thank you!) So, this whole living in town thing has been a little bit hard for me. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the convenience of everything being so close by - the grocery store, the post office, the hardware store, MCC - all the good stuff. And I really REALLY love my neighbours. They are wonderful people. But a lot sized 70x130 is just not quite big enough for this country girl. Even if we can see horses and sheep from my bedroom window.

Back track a few years. A man who was Jay's neighbour while he was growing up approached Jay about 3, maybe 4, years ago to see if we were interested in buying his property when he retired and moved away. His 5 acre property. With trees. Lots of them. We said absolutely were we interested. So, time went on and about 1 1/2 years ago he approaches Jay again and says he is ready to sell. He told us the price and we couldn't refuse. So, we went to our lawyer together to start this whole process. Turns out the man is separated from his wife, has no idea where she lives or who her lawyer is. We attempted to find her but couldn't. Eventually he found out that she had another lawyer. In his mind, another lawyer meant she wanted a divorce and he wasn't about to give one. End of process. Man, were we disappointed. That location would have been so perfect. 1/4 mile away from Jay's parents. 1 mile as the crow flies from Jay's work. 5 acres with lots of trees. And the best part? A house trailer! Yup, this lot has a house trailer so we can move it off or burn it up or tear it down or whatever and BUILD A HOUSE!!!! Can you get any better than that? But it was not to be. At least not then. Over and over Jay kept saying how great that property would be. Over and over I kept telling him to just let it go. It wasn't for us. We should pursue other land options, plant trees, start from scratch. I was wrong. There, you have it in writing, dear - I was wrong!! This past summer the man reapproaches Jay and says he is ready to sell. Again. This time he knows where his now ex-wife is, who her lawyer is, where she lives, all that good stuff. Kind of important things to know when the property is in joint ownership. Since then we have been back and forth in this whole property purchase thing. It gets a little . . . drawn out when the sellers are divorced and have no money. This is their opportunity to get money out of each other. Or booster cables. Or pruning shears. So, the process took a lot longer than we hoped but finally - fiiiiiiiiiiiiinnallyyyyyyyyyyy we have possession of the property as of today!! What a great day it has turned out to be. So, of course, with my curious nature, a field trip was necessary as I had never stepped foot on this property. Jay had been there a number of times but not me. And the curiosity was getting the better of me! So, off we went to my new country home!

The agreement was that whatever was left on the property on possession day was ours. He could take or leave whatever he wanted seeing as we really only wanted the land. So, the question was: What was in the trailer? What was in the sheds? Exploring we went!

Driving on the driveway for the first time! The excitement is mounting!

The front part of the lot. Aren't those tall pines just beautiful?

The back half of the lot. I feel like I am standing in a meadow with all that tall grass. I may just have to go back and get some pictures of the kids in it!

The neighbour's kitty that Ali found - she was in love, squealing with delight! It felt SO right. (The kids have been praying for the dogs and the cats we will have when we are in the country and for the dog food and cat food we can buy when we are in the country!)


2 of the 3 sheds. The first one in the trees is full of garbage and is in really bad shape. The one closer to the front of the picture holds tool-y stuff and is in fair shape.

The last shed closest to the trailer. It holds - get this - about 200 canning jars! Isn't that hilarious? And, I just may keep them. Or, at least some of them!

The house trailer still has the fridge, stove, washer, dryer - that sort of thing. Also, an old dresser that I am certainly keeping and will try to redo and beautify. It just may come in handy somewhere.

I am sure the big question you are asking is when are we moving. Well, unfortunately, not this year. Not even next year. Maybe 2 years? 3? Certainly not 4! However, I would be willing to wait 4 if it meant being able to afford the house we really want - our dream house - as opposed to building something sooner that is not quite what we want. For now, I am content to know the property is ours, the first step has been accomplished. I feel so blessed to know that sometime soon (because we all know time flies!) this country land will not just hold our dreams but that those dreams will come true! Thank you, Lord!!

Growing Up & Crawling Away!

As is obvious from the title, my littlest babe has mastered the art of crawling! As is usual with my kids, she took the easier approach at first with the commando arm-over-arm army-style of crawl but has recently switched to the traditional method of crawling. And, although I am happy for her developmental progress, it makes me a little sad. See, at this point in the lives of all my other kids, my thoughts would begin to switch to the next baby. After all, little Ari is 8 months old, she is crawling, I am no longer breast-feeding (well, haven't been for a while) - all signs that a new baby would soon be on the way. Not this time. Nope, we decided 5 is all this house and my body can handle. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE being pregnant. I mean, really, really love it. I don't care about the morning sickness or the intense fatigue, the aches and pains or any of the other things - I love being pregnant. I believe I am happiest when a child is growing in my womb. Granted, with each additional pregnancy, I spend more time at the chiropractor as my sacro-iliac joint gets worse and worse and I am afraid to make any move for fear of causing it to separate. That's no fun and neither are the weekly trips in to get adjusted. If it were up to me - and only me - we would have another baby. And another. But the whole family suffers when I am in pain. So, I am a little sad that no other baby will grow in secret in my womb, no other baby will nurse at my breast, no other baby will be completely helpless to move about unless I help him/her. So, although mommy is a little sad, grow on, little Ari! Live and move and have your being! I am so blessed to be your mother. I am so happy you are a part of our family. I am so proud of how you are growing and crawling. Just try not to eat every piece of garbage you find on the floor, okay? ☺