Hmmmm???

Well, I wouldn't want to leave anyone out. I keep it simple on purpose, really!

Creamy Carrot and Potato Soup

The weather we've been having lately is perfect for soup. Unfortunately, I feel like death warmed over. I'd post a picture to prove it, but I wouldn't want to discourage you from returning to my blog in the future. I did, however, muster up enough energy to prepare a nice soup for supper tonight. It's one that I don't really have a recipe for, I just add stuff and taste...but I'll do my best to walk you through it.

Warning....this makes ALOT of soup!!!

Ingredients

5lbs russet potatoes
3 stalks of celery
1 medium onion
4 large carrots
2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
10 cups water
3 chicken bouillion cubes (I use Knorr)
2 cups milk, half & half, or heavy cream....whatever you like
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions....Okay, here we go. First, rough chop the carrots, onion, and celery and put them in the food processor. Using the pulse button, chop the vegetables to very small pieces. Don't over chop, you don't want juice. In a hot soup pot, add the olive oil and butter (yes, both)..then add your veggies you just chopped. Stir that around and add a pinch of salt to sweat the veggies a bit. While that is going, peel and chop the potatoes into bite size pieces. When the veggies have begun to cook down, add the chopped garlic and stir. Your house should smell heavenly by this point!! Add the chopped potatoes, water, and bouillon cubes, another heavy pinch of salt and some pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just when you can't stand it any longer, test the potatoes. They should be really mushy before we proceed. When they are nice and mushy, drain off some of the liquid. Ladle out big chunks of the potatoes and return them to your food processor. (You could blend them in your pot if you had one of those fancy hand held thingies...I don't.) Blend the potatoes until creamy and return them to the pot. Add the milk or cream and adjust seasonings to your taste. Heat the soup through and enjoy. Sometimes I like to add crushed red pepper flakes and hot sauce (after I take some out for the kids.) Also sour cream, bacon bits, and cheese are really good toppings.

I hope you can decipher through my babbling and attempt this soup...it's really good and hearty on a cold night. Some crusty bread and a salad make it a perfect meal. Or....skip the bread and salad and have it with grilled cheese sandwiches....that's what I did!

I'm still here!!!

Don't hit the panic button, yet...I'm still here!! It's been a very busy month for us in the Bonini house, and unfortunately the holidays won't give us a chance to slow down anytime soon, either. Josh has started basketball and the girls are going full force with cheerleading. They have their first competition this Saturday in Sarasota. Ty is doing well, too. He's having a great time in preschool. They recently brought horses to the school as part of their farm unit. Ever since, Ty has been reminding me daily that we don't have a horse.




My brain has been so foggy lately, I don't really have anything to write about....so how about some recent pictures??

Ty as Thomas the Train......he's so cute!

Katelyne as Sharpay (High School Musical)....what a stretch that was!!

Erin as a cat.....quiet and playful!!

Joshua as Indiana Jones....whew, is he handsome or what??

Erin at Cypress Gardens....she was the only one who wanted to pet the goat.

The big kids and I took an afternoon and went to Cypress Gardens, we had a great time.

This is what happens when you let your daughters do your hair.....scary isn't it???

And this is just too cute for words!!!!

Tasty, Healthy Pancakes

(This is not a picture of my pancakes. 4:30am is way too early to take pictures! Picture courtesy of flickr.)

We love pancakes at our house. They're fast, cheap, and the kids love them. Unfortunately, if we're not careful, they can pack on quite a bit of sugar and loads of empty calories. My favorite, basic pancake recipe comes from Hillbilly Housewife. It's delicious on it's own, but I've altered it over the years to make it both kid and mom approved. The final product is light, fluffy, and a bit sweet, with loads of texture and flavor.



Healthy Whole Wheat Pancakes



2 eggs

2 c. milk

2 Tbsp. oil

4 Tbsp. sugar

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. white flour

1/4 c. milled flax seed

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder



Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Add to the egg, milk mixture and stir until well blended. Don't over mix. You may need to add a bit of milk at this point. Here in the South, it all depends on the weather. I like my pancake batter thick, but not too thick! Using a 1/4 cup, I can fit 6 pancakes on a well oiled griddle. Cook until the top is bubbly and the sides are no longer shiny. Flip the pancakes, and cook the other side until browned. This recipe makes 18 pancakes.



*******



You can do just about anything you want with this recipe. I've omitted the flax seed and used only white flour before. They taste great, but you lose all of the heath benefits. I've also used only whole wheat flour. Again, they taste great, but are a little less moist. My kid's favorite is when I grate granny smith apples right into the batter. Delicious!! Around Thanksgiving, when it's actually cool here, I'll add mashed sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree and cinnamon. Tastes like pie....YUM! For a fun weekend treat, add chocolate chips to the top after you've spooned them onto the griddle. They are so packed full of whole grains, omega 3's, and fiber, you won't feel guilty at all, and you're children will think you're the coolest!



Now if I could just find a tasty, healthy syrup that the kids will like!

I've got my eye on you!!

Fall is fast upon us, and I love it. Fall in Florida isn't your typical leaves turning, harvest event. Stuff just dies. Do you live in Florida?? Can I get a witness? So, one must pretend to be surrounded by such lovely picturesque fall "thingys". Here are some fall aprons on eBay that I've got my eye on.

I love this one, because it's everything beautiful about fall that you just can't find in central Florida. It reminds me of raking leaves into a pile only to jump into them...and do it all over again.

This one is great because not only is it fall colors, but they've incorporated roses which aren't your typical fall fare. Very feminine!






Isn't this one adorable? I liked this one because of the apple and pumpkin harvest theme. Plus, black is slimming. Yes, even on an apron...trust me!

A Typical Day

I thought it would be fun if we shared what our day looked like. Here's a typical week day for me:



Morning Routine:

4:30-4:45 Wake Up (That takes awhile some mornings!)

4:45-5:15 Shower, Get Dressed, Fix Make-up and Hair

5:15 Sort main basket of clothes and start 1st load of laundry

5:30 Start Breakfast, and put away clean dishes

5:45-6:00 Wake up older kids (It takes them a few minutes, too!)

6:00 Eat Breakfast

6:00-6:30 Big kids brush teeth, fix hair, put on socks, shoes, and glasses

6:30-6:50 Wake up Ty, get him dressed, fix hair, and give him a cup of milk

6:50-7:00 Brush Ty's teeth, big kids round up book bags, and get in van

7:00 Take kids to school



Mid Morning Routine:
(I don't have specific times for these routines)

Devotions

Daily Chores

Focus Task of the Day (Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom, etc.)

Finish/Fold Laundry

Lunch

Computer Time

Make snack for kids

Afternoon Routine

(Begins around 2:30, when the kids come home from school)

Supervise homework

Clean up snack dishes

Put away laundry

Supervise kids chores

Begin supper preparations

Evening Routine:

5:30 Supper

6:00 Clean up supper dishes, kids help with clean up

6:00-7:00 Family time (play outside, board game, or watch TV)

7:00 Begin showers (Basically 15 min. per child, as one comes out, another goes in!)

7:45 Ty's prayers and bedtime

8:00 Girls' prayers and bedtime

8:30 Joshua's prayers and bedtime

8:30-9:00 Finish tidying up the house

9:00 Collapse on couch with a cup of coffee and watch something mindless

10:00 My scheduled bedtime :)

My days do vary at times, especially when I have to run an errand, or the girls have cheer practice during the week. This is a pretty typical glimpse of my day, though. I would love for some feed back from everyone. What does your day look like?

Sometimes you have to say "sorry"

Parenting is hard. I won't sugar coat it. I'm a fleshly, vile, sinner. Saved by the grace of God, but a sinner none the less. I'm not always sweet. I don't always smile and respond in a gentle and kind manner. I lose it sometimes. I won't shift the responsibility of my actions to a horrid childhood, or some other lame excuse. There are some days when I'm not proud of my actions.

Today was one of those days.

My daughter was being especially challenging this morning. She didn't get up when she was told, she didn't want to eat what I had prepared for her, and then threw a fit while I was doing her hair.

I didn't respond to her very well. Instead of letting natural consequences take their toll, my voice rose, I was stern. I could have allowed her to sleep too long and miss the bus, thus ruining her perfect attendance. I could have allowed her to not eat, thus going to school hungry. I could have allowed her to not have her hair done, thus going to school looking scraggly. (Okay, that's my issue, it probably wouldn't have bothered her one bit to have unkempt hair.)

But instead I lectured to deaf ears. When that approach didn't work, I increased the volume and toughened the tone. When that didn't work, I threw my own little hissy about being unappreciated and sent her out the door very upset with me and crying. (I'm really laying it all out here, ladies.)

I was heartbroken all day. I couldn't believe I had been so harsh. I replayed every detail, every word over in my mind. Wishing, praying I could take it back. A good part of me wanted to go to her school and take her out of class to apologize, but I knew that wasn't feasible.

I decided there are battles in the morning that I'm not willing to fight. Yes, she needs to get out of bed when asked, but I could be more accommodating about breakfast. What's the big deal if she eats a piece of toast with peanut butter instead of an egg, anyway? She's in the fourth grade. If she wants to do her own hair, I should let her. Even if it doesn't look the way I think it should. She can handle it.

2:30pm arrived and the kids were home from school. I just knew she would still be holding a grudge from this morning. Instead, do you know what she did? She brought me the brush and asked me to put her hair up for cheer leading.

My heart was pierced by her forgiving spirit.

I happily took the brush, and with tears streaming down my face, apologized for this morning's fight. She apologized, too. Both of us crying at this point, we hugged, and hugged. I held on for so long, I just didn't want to let her go.

I know we're the parents, and what we say has to "go" for the most part. But our children have the potential to really teach us some of life's lessons, if we allow them the opportunity.

Sometimes you just have to say you're sorry.

Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Gravy

A dear friend blessed me with a couple packages of cube steaks, and I knew just what to do with them. Tuesday's are very busy for us ever since our girls started cheerleading. I'll be out of the house from 3:30pm to 6:15pm. Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than coming home at 6:15pm with hungry cranky kids in tow and having no clue what you're going to fix for dinner.

Here is my take on a traditional cube steak with gravy dinner.

Ingredients:

Beef cube steak (thawed)
1 cup flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
1 onion chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
2 tbsp. oil
2 small cans cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

1. Place 2 cups water in a small saucepan with bouillon cubes, chopped onion, and a dash of garlic powder. Bring to a boil and simmer.
2. Place flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a pie plate. Mix with fork. (I don't give exact amounts, because I don't know! I would guess about 1 tsp. of each.)
3. In a large frying pan, heat the oil.
4. Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture and place in hot pan.
5. Brown the steaks on both sides. You're not cooking the steaks, just browning them. They will cook in the crock pot...you don't want them to be dry.
6. Remove from pan and place in bottom of slow cooker.
7. Don't skip the flour. It's important for two parts of this recipe...it will help form the thick gravy in the slow cooker and it's vital to this next step.
8. Remember the bouillon mixture you've got going? Add that to the hot pan of crusty, brown, flavorful goodness you just took the steaks out of. It will be very bubbly, very fast...but don't panic, just whisk it all together. Whisk, whisk, until everything comes up off the bottom of the pan.
9. Now, dump the two cans of cream of mushroom soup over the steaks and spread evenly.
10. Pour the onion soup mixture into the slow cooker...right on top of everything!
11. Cook on low for 6-8 hours and enjoy the smell permeating through your house.

Now, I'll also go ahead and cook some mashed potatoes at this point. When they're done, I'll put them in the fridge to warm up when I get home. The cube steaks make a perfect gravy to top the potatoes, add a side of corn and I'm in heaven. If I were really ambitious, I would make some biscuits...but I'm just not feeling it today!!

***Helpful Hint: Did you catch on to what the beef bouillon and onions essentially made? French onion soup!! I never have that in the house, and a jar of bouillon is so much cheaper that I'd just as soon make my own. If you don't have a particular ingredient, search the web for an easy alternative. Many times you can make a substitute that's just as good or better.

It's Monday, but Sunday's A Comin'..

We had a wonderful service at church yesterday. The singing was beautiful, the preaching was powerful, and God was definitely present.

It got me thinking. What do I do daily, to prepare myself for Sunday? Other than church, how did we make Sunday any different than the rest of the week. The answer....I didn't.

I am already in the habit of making sure the kids have their church clothes picked out on Saturday so I can iron anything that may be wrinkled. This also prevents the last minute, "You are not wearing that to church", conversation. But other than that, we really don't do anything special.

Sunday should be special. Sunday is the day we corporately meet our Lord and unashamedly worship Him together. Sunday is the day we see our church family that we might not otherwise see during the week. Sunday is a day to learn more of God and what we need to do to walk daily in His will. The Lord's Day should be our day of rest. Sunday should be special.

Too often, in our family, we find ourselves scrambling out the door at 9:15am Sunday morning. Most of the time someone's temper is flaring, the kids are arguing over who sits where, we get half way to church and someone remembers they've forgotten something. I get everyone to their Sunday School classes, only to get to mine and feel the urgent need to collapse.

I was reading about the Jewish culture, and how their entire week is planned to prepare for Shabbat. They clean all week in preparation for their special day. Special meals are prepared and ready so Shabbat can be a time of rest. Worshiping God is so important, their daily activities are scheduled as such to make the coming Shabbat holy and set apart as it should be, an anticipated event. Our Lord's Day should be an anticipated event.

So this week, I'm going to try something new. I would like to do something each day to prepare our home in anticipation for The Lord's Day. I'll try to post a schedule (or something) as it comes to me. In the mean time, I'd love to hear from you. What do you do to make Sunday a special and anticipated event?

Acts 2:37-38

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Read about baptism here.

Teach them to be Chaste

Titus 2:5

"To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."



Titus 2:4 begins by teaching us how we should, as godly women, treat others. In verse 5, we are given instructions on how we should act.



Here is a very challenging, and well written post by Kelly at Generation Cedar on teaching young women to be chaste. Her blog is full of thought provoking truths. Enjoy.

A few of my favorite things....

A centerpiece of fresh fruit in my favorite ceramic bowl. There's nothing special about this bowl. It's one of three that were bought at a garage sale by a friend of mine. She knew I needed some mixing bowls and thought these would be perfect. They are. They're cracked, chipped, and worn. Every time I use them, I have visions of a grandmother somewhere, lovingly mixing up something wonderful for her family. I love this bowl.

My favorite cup. Again, another hand-me-down from who knows where. I love that it's dainty, feminine, and worn. I can be caught drinking coffee from it as well as tea. It makes me feel pampered.

Fresh, homemade, peach pie. With coffee, please. Do I need to explain?

A finished project. This one is bound for Nebraska.

A new project. I'm not sure where this one headed, or what it will be. I need some new dishcloths, maybe I'll be keeping these.

And the occasional, random shot found on my camera. Put there by someone under the age of 10, just waiting to be discovered by yours truly. I love their goofy personalities.

Today's To-Do

Here's my to-do list for today. I've been a real slacker, so I'm hoping to accomplish this before the big kids come home from school. I'll fill you in tonight as to how well I did.

1. Shower, dress, fix hair


2. Start laundry (wash all today to catch up)


3. Unload dishwasher


4. Load dishwasher


5. Straighten kitchen


6. 409 kitchen counters and doors


7. Straighten dining room area


8. Wipe down dining room table and chairs, sweep


9. Straighten living room area, sweep


10. Clean bathroom: mirror, counter, sink, toilet, tub, empty trash, sweep


11. Make bed


12. Fold and put away clothes


13. Cut fabric for Erin's nightgowns (sew later)


14. Cut fabric for napkins (sew later)


15. Cut table cloth and add elastic to fit (cut scraps for napkins to be sewn later)

That should keep me busy until the big kids get home, then my night looks something like this:

________________________

1. Help with homework


2. Supervise chores


3. Start supper (kids usually go out and play at this point)


4. Eat


5. Clean up (clear table, dishes, wipe down table, sweep)


6. Supervise baths


7. Give Ty nightly med routine


8. Prayers and goodnight to kiddos


9. Collapse on couch hoping to watch something mindless


10. Fall asleep on couch and begrudgingly make it to the bedroom
I actually made it to bed before I fell asleep!

:) What's your schedule look like?

So, how do we love them?

The question now, is "How do we really love our children?" I think first and foremost we need to go before the throne of God Almighty and beg forgiveness for how we view HIS children. Not only for ourselves, but for the horrendous murder of the unborn that this nation is practicing. Pray the Lord will guide our hearts and our actions as He changes us and our thinking. Then, turn our hearts toward our children.

Moms, you have your very own mission field right in your home. Christians travel thousands of miles to spread the gospel to the unreached people of the world, and you only have to take a few steps. Even if your children have accepted the saving grace of Jesus Christ, they still need to see a godly, christian life, lived out before them. There is no higher calling than to care for our children.

So how do we love them?

Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Ephesians 6:4

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

I Corinthians 11:1

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Matthew 25:40

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

James 1:19

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"

Moms, there are so many more scriptures that will pierce your heart, search the word and allow God to speak through them.

I have to be honest, this post took 3 days to write. Not because it is so eloquently worded or a deep theological discussion, but because mothering is hard. I don't have all the answers, I fail each day. I struggle with remembering to have a soft answer and a patient attitude. Praise God for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness that is new each morning.

Really loving our children

A good friend of mine wrote a post on loving our children over at The Frazzled Mama . She dives deep into the meaning of "love" in reference to our little ones. Go, visit her site, and open your hearts to the challenge of really loving our children.

To Love Their Children

Do we really love children? Oh, sure, we think they're cute...most of the time. We take care of them, clothe them, feed them, give them shelter. But do we really love children? Do we look at them and see them the way God sees us? Helpless, learning, growing, wonderfully made. Sinful, prideful, selfish people in need of the saving grace of Jesus.

Do we really think children are a blessing from the Lord? I challenge you to think about this for a minute. Think of all the blessings the Lord could bestow on you right now. Money, friendship, stuff, etc. Do children even come to mind? Yet the God's word in Psalm 127:3 says, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Children are a reward from God. Could you imagine doing something worthy of recognition and being handed a baby! I have a feeling many people would settle for a parting gift instead.

We live in a society that views children as a liability. When thinking of having more children we often consider our lifestyles and how they would change. Questions start popping into our minds...can we afford them, can we love them all, can we handle them???? The Lord promises to give us everything we NEED. Do all of our children NEED designer clothes? Do they really NEED their own rooms? Do they NEED a toy every time you go to the grocery store? NO! That is a lifestyle. God does not promise a certain lifestyle to his children, only the promise of basic needs being met. Food, clothing, shelter. Are we willing to give up a lifestyle to accept a blessing of God? More than likely, we're willing to cut off the blessings and accept the curse of becoming slaves to a lifestyle. A mom of lots once said, "Children aren't expensive, lifestyles are."

I cut off that blessing. After we found out Ty was going to be born with special needs, we panicked. We listened to all of the wrong, but well meaning, advice that told us we were being responsible. Who could blame us, right? The genetic counselors told us there was an increased risk of having more children "like Ty". Hindsight can kill you. I'd give anything to have a housefull of children just like Ty. But here lies the problem with choice, you can be sorry, but you can't go back.

Do we really love children?

Prayer Request

Please pray for our family. I have been in the hospital with Ty since Monday. He had to have emergency surgery Tuesday morning. After a rough several days, he is finally doing better and they are looking to send us home. Within minutes, my husband called to let me know he has been deployed to assist with hurricane preparations at prisons in South Florida. He is expected to be gone for 4-7 days. It remains a very trying and stressful time for our family. Your prayers are appreciated.

Labor free morning

Happy Labor Day everyone. I'm taking a break from my Titus 2 entries to post about my breakfast! I tried this recipe from Pioneer Woman called Sleepin' In Omelete. This woman is about the best cook slash photographer slash hilarious blogger I've ever seen. She lives on a ranch, home schools her 4 children, and bottle feeds helpless bovines....ah, the life. Anyway...here is the attempt at her yummy brekky in pictures. I should point out that this is also the frugal/modified version. There where a couple of ingredients that I didn't have, so I made due. PS - My photos are no where near as good as hers, I just don't have the equipment or the eye, so back off.

First, you start by ripping apart 6 onion rolls and placing them in a greased 9x13 pan. Use your slave labor..ahem, helping hands, to sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top.

Have that slave laborer, I mean helper, begin cracking 10 eggs. Yes, 10! I look at it this way, that's actually less than if we were eating eggs by themselves. So for me, 10 is good. Besides, it's good practice for the help. :)

Add 1/2 tsp. of salt.

Add 1/2 tsp. dry mustard.

This is where changes were made. The original recipe called for cayenne pepper. I didn't have any, so I used a couple shots of hot sauce. Yum! Also, it called for chopped chives. Didn't have any, so I skipped that part. Besides, if #2 were to have seen something green, she wouldn't have touched it with a ten foot pole.

Whisk everything together with 2 cups milk. While whisking, try to take a picture and figure out why everything is so bright. Turning off the flash didn't help. I told you I wasn't much of a photographer.

Before you pour it on, this is where it gets good. Crumble an entire 8oz package of cream cheese over the top. Also, slice 1 1/2 sticks of butter and place over the top. That's where the other modification came in. I don't usually have sticks of butter, so I used about 1/2 cup margarine and dolloped it over the top.

Then pour the creamy milk/egg mixture over the entire thing. Again, too bright..I know!

Next, cover it with foil and let it rest in the fridge over night. Forget about and play on the computer, watch a movie, or love your husband. Oh, wait...it's a family blog.

In the morning before you can even function, pop it in the oven at 325 for 45min. covered. Uncover and up the temp. to 350 and bake for 10-15 min. more. This is what you get...

A flaky top, gooey cheesy middle, sinfully good breakfast. Disclaimer...don't write in telling me how fattening this is. You shouldn't make this for Uncle Phil who's already had triple bypass..it's a disaster waiting to happen. It really is this good....the original recipe says, "Eat, faint, repeat"...you can't improve on that. Except I'm thinking ham, bacon, or sausage crumbles would be heavenly!!

Spoon it up with your favorite cup of joe....or chocolate milk for the slave labor.

And before the crust can leave their sleepy eyes, they will be singing your praise.


The pop tarts? Oh, those. Well, he doesn't really sing praise in the morning unless he has his pop tarts. What???? He'll grow out of it!

Finished!

Ah, the accomplished feeling of the first finished Christmas gift. There is none like it. The power, the pleasure, the realization that you only have about 22 more to go. What?? Oh well, it felt good for awhile.

The recipient of this "lap-ghan" (small afghan) is a devout Dallas Cowboys fan...one of many faults! She's also from Texas, so the star is very appropiate (one point looks shaped funny, but that's just the curve of my bed...promise).

Gee, I hope my aunt doesn't read my blog!!

Serving my Husband

I had a unique opportunity to show love to my husband by serving him this week. He had a supervisor at work that was being promoted and moved to a different shift. My husband really liked this guy, they got along great. So, all the fellas on the shift decided to give a "promotion, going to a new shift" lunch. The day before said lunch, my husband asks me to make a broccoli braid for them. My broccoli braid is just about my husband's favorite meal that I fix for him. It's an old Pampered Chef recipe that I've tweaked over the years. We don't have it often, because it contains ingredients that we don't usually have on hand and it's a bit more than our budget allows for everyday dinner.

***Insert honesty***

At first I was a little peeved at the last minute request, knowing this meant a trip into town, spending money we really didn't have, lots of chopping veggies, and did a mention the trip into town. I'm a home body at heart, what can I say. :) Then I remembered our little challenge...you know, loving our husbands! Remember, love meant also meant preeminent kindness. Ouch!! I couldn't really ask you all to love your men if I wasn't doing this with a right attitude. Luckily my face wasn't visible to him when he asked, he has no idea of the inner turmoil!

So, off I went to the store. The new Wal-Mart! Yep, that's right folks, I went to the brand spankin' new Wally World at night, by myself. It was nice. Very quiet, clean, and peaceful. Okay, the trip into town wasn't bad after all. ;) When I got home, the kids were already tucked into bed and the house was pleasantly peaceful as well...not so bad, I tell ya', not so bad.

The next day, I get the kids off to school and begin my chopping. I had Ty at the table coloring, and again...it wasn't so bad. I decided to make two braids and go ahead and knock dinner out of the way, too. Around 11:30, in walks a very hungry man ready for his broccoli braid...I know, it doesn't sound like a very manly meal...but man, oh man, it's good! Fresh out of the oven, off went my labor to his "manly" luncheon. He was happy, I was happy I was able to help (and take care dinner), and all the guys on the shift had happy, full bellies. (With my girly broccoli braid!)

Now, if I had continued my initial reaction, this would have turned out completely different. I really need to work hard on being kind. It doesn't come naturally, I'm not really a sympathetic person. The Lord has a big job with me, I'm tellin' you. I won't even get into the wet socks on my computer room floor right now, not gonna go there!!!

Loving our Husbands

Loving our Husbands Through Prayer

Along with our list of 31 ways to show love to our husbands, I found this list of 31 prayers for them as well. I challenge you to join me and commit to praying daily for your husband. You could print this list out and place it in your home binder as a reminder. (During months with 30 days, double bless your husband on the last day!)

1st: That he would become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of the Lord. I Thes 5:23, Col 4:12, Eph 1:18-19, 3:16-19, 6:18.

2nd: That he would grow into a man of integrity, who works righteousness, speaks truth in his heart, does not slander, does no evil, does not take up reproach against friends, honors those who fear the Lord, swears to his own hurt, is unchanging in these things, does not charge interest on loans, and does not take bribes. Ps 15

3rd: That he would be a man of contentment. Prov 15:16, Phil 4:11, I Tim 6:6-8, and Heb 13:5.

4th: That he would learn to take every thought captive, to not be conformed to the world's thinking, and to think scripturally. Rom 12:2, II Cor 10:5.

5th: That he would daily seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence on Him. Psalm 119:1-2, Prov 3:5-6.

6th: That he would ever be captivated by my love. Prov 5:18-19.

7th: That he would be a man of courage. Deut 31:6, II Chron 19:11.

8th: That the Lord would give him wisdom to lead his family physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Eph 1:17-19

9th: That he would always look at the plank in his own eye before seeing others' sawdust. Matt 7:3

10th: That he would become a called man, not driven, with well thought through and prayed through goals in life. I Cor 9:24-27

11th: That he would be a man of prayer, guarding his heart and mind, puting into practice what he has heard, seen, and learned. Phil 4:4-9

12th: That he would stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist Satan in all circumstances. Eph 6:10-18, James 4:7

13th: That he would grow in spiritual maturity by putting away childish things, cultivating, understanding, striving after the Christ ideal, partaking of the deeper truths of the gospel and overcoming temptation. I Cor 13:11, 14:20, Eph 4:13, Heb 5:14, I John 2:14

14th: That he would be cleansed by the word. Eph 5:26

15th: That he would learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness but on God alone. Heb 3:17-19

16th: That he would be a man prepared for spiritual warfare. Eph 6:11-12, I Thes 5:8

17th: That he would have new strength in the midst of his busy schedule, and that the Lord might infuse him with His strength. Is 40:31, Eph 3:14-19

18th: That he would have a burden to see lost people come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Matt 28:12-20

19th: That he would be kept from strange women and evil men, and that his friends would be men and women who walk with God. Prov 13:20

20th: That his self-image would be a reflection of the Lord's thoughts toward him. Eph 1:17-19, Rom 12:3, Psalm 139

21st: That he would be a man responsible for family spiritual growth. Prov 4:1-14

22nd: That he would not be deceived into unbelief, sin, or bitterness. Matt 13:8-10

23rd: That he would learn to love as God has commanded. I Cor 13:4-7, Rom 12:8-10, Eph 5:25

24th: That the fruit of the Spirit would be exhibited more and more in his life. Gal 5:22-23, John 15:8

25th: That he would grow in humility and in being a shepherd. I Pet 5:2-6

26th: That he might grow daily in character. II Pet 1:5-8

27th: That he might keep a clear conscience. I Pet 3:16-18

28th: That the Lord would protect him, guarding his course. Prov 2:8

29th: That he would manage his time well. Eph 5:15

30th: That the Lord would put a song in his heart. Psalm 33:3, 40:3, Job 35:10

31st: That he would have a holy fear of God. Psalm 34:11, 111:10, Prov 9:10

Loving our Husbands

So, how did you do, ladies? Did you love your husband yesterday? My husband and I have been married for 11 1/2 years and we dated for 4 years prior. We're heading towards 16 years with each other and sometimes I feel like we get in a rut, know what I mean? Even in the little things, it seems there are times where I'm missing blessings I could be giving my husband. Therefore, I'm making it a priority this week to do some little acts of kindness to show my affection for that man of mine! Here is a list I've got going:

1. Fill his water bottles for work, so he doesn't have to.
2. Sneak some snack money in his uniform pocket.
3. Leave a note on his computer or send him a cute email.
4. Take up an interest of his and spend time doing something he loves.
5. Make his favorite supper.
6. Scratch his back without being asked.
7. Tell him to go take a nap! (That will knock his socks off!!)
8. Put a love letter in his car.
9. Remember to touch him, lovingly, as he walks by. (I had to include lovingly, 'cause sometimes I end up smacking him on the arm...it's love tap!) :)
10. Lay out his uniform before he gets up.
11. Go for a walk together after dinner.
12. Have a date night in after the kids go to bed.
13. Remember to pray for him daily.

That's what I've got so far, but I'm still thinking. :) How about you? What little things can you do for your man that show him your love for him? Could you imagine what would be going on in our husbands minds if we did something intentional each day to remind him how great we think they are. Here's my challenge. Sit down and make a list of 31 things that you can do for your husband that cost nothing or very little. Begin blessing him as soon as you can. Even if you only come up with a few, start right away.

Before blessing our husbands, let's check our motives. We're blessing them because we love them and we want to express that to them. We are not blessing them to get something in return or manipulate them in any way. This is a complete selfless act of love for the men in our lives. So, go now....bless.....love....make happy husbands!!!! (What did you think I was going to tell you to make....wink, wink!)

"...To love their husbands..."

The next section I want to focus on from Titus 2:4-5 is this, "...to love their husbands." Reading that upon first glance, I'm probably quick to give it a big 'ole "DUH", but I think there is so much more to this little phrase than the credit we give.

The word "love" in this passage is translated from the Greek word "philandros" which means "to be husband loving." Again, because I want to know the real meaning of words not our distorted conception, let's go to the Websters 1828 dictionary to find a deeper meaning of the word "love".

Love

1. A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness.

2. Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex.

(There were other entries, but none that pertained to the union between husband and wife.)

Do you love your husband? Do I really love my husband? Is it such a strong attachment that induces feelings of admiration from others? Do I show kindness and devotion to him? Do I have a tender and passionate affection for him? These are hard questions to answer sometimes. Like when he's left his dirty socks in the bathroom for the trillionth time, or when he goes to a softball game and leaves me home with 4 sick kids, am I addressing him with kindness and devotion? (These situations never happen, they're hypothetical events...really they are.)

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the majority of us weren't taught how to really love our husbands. We weren't taught how to be completely devoted to them. In fact, I would venture to say that most of us even had a "back up" plan at one point. "Well, if this doesn't work out at least I could always _______." Look around you, how are our men being portrayed in the media? Show me one instance where a man is the head of the home, he's successful, and he has a devoted, loving wife with obedient children. It doesn't happen. Instead, we're filling our minds with dopey men and overbearing, controlling wives, with kids who are out of control. What message are we sending our daughters? What hope of a biblical marriage will they ever have with examples such as these?

Well, we can't control the media; but we can control our hearts and our actions. This is going to call for a total mind overhaul. To truly love our husbands, we must put his needs above our own. Yep, there it is, did you put your steel-toed boots back on? I said it....We've got to put our husbands needs before our own. Ouch!! Lord, help me here...this won't be easy! Seriously, this week let's explore ways to really love our husbands...don't blush, I won't be going there...this is a family blog! ;)

Sober-minded in the Home

Well, I intended to post much more on being sober-minded, but life got the best of me this week. Between the first day of school and a hurricane scare, I wasn't on the computer much at all. I'm going to wrap up being sober-minded and move right into loving our children and husbands tomorrow.

Remember, we are referring to being "sober" as "sober-minded", having a plan, not addressing things wildly but calmly with efficiency. One item in my home that has helped me is my binder. This is a very common item among stay at home moms. Some call it a home management binder, or a household binder. Whatever one calls it, it has the potential of becoming a very essential tool for organizing a home.

The contents:

My binder includes menu plans, emergency low cost grocery shopping lists, daily schedules, children's routines, recipes, cleaning plans, scripture reminders pertaining to being a keeper at home, emergency contacts, budgets, and birthday and Christmas lists. Whew! Now, it's not much to look at...I always had the intention of making it really pretty and super organized. In fact, at one time I had a relatively nice binder, but then I went to work and forgot all about how useful it was. I ended up redoing it recently and just haven't found the time to fancy it up. (I don't know why???)

Instead of showing you my ugly, plain jane binder, I'll give you some links that might spark your interest so you may begin your own.

Susan Godfrey at Simply Susan
Catherine at Making It Home
Flylady
Keeping the Home

Maybe during my copious free time this week, I'll make my binder look pretty and show you pictures. Yeah, right! ;)

Sober-minded in the Kitchen

So this week we're looking at being sober-minded. I was going to title this entry "Sobriety in the Kitchen", but I thought that kind of sounded like an AA meeting. Hehe!

Planning is going to be the key to "sobriety in the kitchen"...couldn't resist. This can range from an elaborate detailed monthly menu to simply doubling a recipe for a freezer meal. Here are some tips that I've learned along the way.

1. Menu planning - I like to plan my meals out in a 2 week cycle. I'm a very simple cook. I cook what my family likes and they like what I cook. I rarely try new recipes, I like the tried and true. (I realize that may bore some people to death, but it works for me.) With that in mind, I can sit down and plan out 2 different weeks of meals and rotate them. This also alows me to have a standard shopping list that I keep. I don't usually shop sale items unless I find something I know I'll use and stock up. Having a menu plan (and sticking to it) completely solves the 5 o'clock "what's for dinner" stares.

2. Freezer meals - I recently wrote a post about a more extensive freezer meal preparation, but you can easily build up a stock of your favs by doubling a recipe and freezing the extras.

3. Prepare ahead - Alot of the breakfasts I like to make can be started the night before, like baked oatmeal or baked french toast. Sometimes I will fill my bread machine with ingredients for a cinnamon bread and set it to start a couple of hours before we wake up. Then we get to enjoy waking up to fresh baked bread. Yum!! I get to look like a star to my family and sleep in..it's a win - win for everyone. :) Preparing ahead can be as easy as throwing in a couple of extra eggs to boil in the morning to use at lunch time for tuna salad.

4. Crock pot meals - My crock pot is probably the one small appliance that I couldn't live without. I love my crock pot. I use it for any meal of the day. I've used it for oatmeal for breakfast, pork roast for Sunday lunch, or beans for dinner. It's very versatile and the best part is that it doesn't heat up my kitchen during a hot Florida summer.

5. Wear an apron - Okay, this one might surprise you. I wear aprons. Yes, there it is...bring on the snickers!! I love wearing an apron. I put one on as soon as I can, which is usually first thing in the morning after I get ready. I can remember my first apron. A dear friend of mine gave me her recipe for chicken pot pie and crust. I had been using the recipe for awhile and mentioned that I got flour all over me whenever I made the crust...she was like "duh...put on an apron!". I'm sure she about fell over when I told her I didn't own one. Days later, she brought me a gift...my very first apron with my name embroidered at the top. I still have it, and wear it often...Thanks, Margaret!!! Anyway, I've been hooked on them since. I love the way I feel when I wear an apron, the way all of my kids have played hide and seek under it...I feel ready for the job at hand, sober if you will!

So there you have it, just a few of the ways we can have a plan and be ready and "sober" in the kitchen. Now, don't go thinking I've got it all together and it's like this all the time. My back up plan is Pizza Hut on speed dial. Just keeping it real, ya'll!

To Be Sober

"That they may teach the young women to be sober...."

Titus 2:4-5 is an instruction to older women on what they are to teach the younger women. The first of that is "to be sober." Knowing words can have many meanings, let's look up the word "sober".

The 1828 Webster's Dictionary defines "sober" as the following:

1. Temperate in the use of spirituous liquors; habitually temperate

2. Not intoxicated or excited by spirituous liquors

3. Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary, or heated with passion; exercising cool, dispassionate reason; self-controlled; self-possessed

Further, let's define "temperate":

1. Moderate; not excessive

2. Not marked with passion; not violent; cool; calm

So, the first thing we are to be, as godly women, is sober. We are to be temperate in all things, not mad or wild, but cool and calm. Regardless of one's view on alcohol, we are instructed by scripture to be sober, not intoxicated by spirituous liquors.

Another view of "sober" is being habitually temperate. If being temperate means that one is not mad, wild, or insane, than to be sober means we are to be self-controlled and thoughtful of our decisions and judgement.

Debi Pearl states in her book, Created to Be His Helpmeet, that "a sober wife is one who faces the fact that she is no longer a freewheeling individual, with time to do as she pleases. She knows that marriage is a joyous, but also a grave responsibility. She cannot be flighty or frivolous. She makes a commitment to be the best wife, mother, and manager of the home that anyone could be." She further states that, "Her most basic responsibility is to make her husband's home run smoothly. She assumes the role of coordinator of all affairs.....When a woman soberly considers the needs, time schedule, and resources of her home, then she will be a more efficient helpmeet."

Wow, I like that...."a more efficient helpmeet". I remember when I was newly married with small children, how I ran my house...if you could call it that. I was more like a babysitter. I would plop my rear in front of my soaps, in between feeding children and changing diapers, giving no thought to dinner, laundry, or just about anything other than passing the time. I would hardly call that sober. Being sober requires thought. Let me say that again....Being sober requires thought. Thinking about supper before it's 5 o'clock and the children are starving....thinking about the laundry before your husband has no clean clothes for work....thinking about cleaning the house before an unexpected guest shows up at your door....(Been there, done all of them!)

If I'm to be sober, I must have a plan. A recovering alcoholic can't just haphazardly walk into a bar. He's got to know where he's going, what his plan is. I might not be a recovering alcoholic...more like a recovering slacker-mom. I know where I've been, and it ain't pretty!! In order to not return to the chaos, I must have a plan. If I walked into a paid job and frivolously went about my day, I'd be out of there in a heartbeat. Doesn't my family deserve better than a frivolous mom?

So, sober up ladies! This week we are going to talk about how to be sober women. What does that look like in our homes and how can we apply that to our lives. No more "slacker-moms", we're on the road to recovery. And don't worry, if you fall of the wagon I'll probably be down there too...we can use each other as a boost to get back up again. See you in the wagon!!

Background on Titus

The book of Titus was written by Paul, as stated in Ch. 1:1, to Titus whom he calls his "true son in our common faith". Titus had worked with Paul during his third missionary journey at Ephesus and from there was sent to Corinth to help that church with its work. After Paul's imprisonment in Rome, he and Titus worked in Crete. Titus remained in Crete to complete needed work. This is where he was when he received this letter from Paul.

Paul sent the letter with Zenas and Apollos, who were on a journey that took them through Crete. The letter was intended to give Titus authorization and guidance in meeting personal opposition, instructions about faith and conduct, and warnings about false teachers.

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Warning....personal opinion is to follow....

When reading scripture, I think it is very important to know who and to whom the scripture was written. With that knowledge, the reader is allowed a certain insight as to what is the meaning behind the text. A big fat HOWEVER,I also think that all to often we forget that the very word of God is living and transcends all time. Though this letter was written to a man, by a man, around 60 AD; I don't think that gives us the liberty to pick and choose whether or not it's "culturally relevant". Scripture is God breathed, which I take to mean that God used the writers as a tool to put His words on paper. I believe God's word to be wholly applicable today as it was 2000 years ago. Okay, Lesley...step down from soapbox and resume normal funtions.....

Titus 2:4-5 Study

Titus 2:4-5

4: That they may teach the young women to be sober,

to love their husbands,

to love their children,

5: To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,

good, obedient to their own husbands,

that the word of God be not blasphemed.

I'm going to spend a few weeks studying Titus 2:4-5. Disclaimer...I am not a bible scholar. I will be studying, citing references, and for the most part, giving my personal opinions of how to apply God's Word to my life today. I'll begin tomorrow with a background on Titus, then a study on the first section of verse 4, teaching younger women to be sober. Your comments are welcome and appreciated, I would love this to become an interactive study.

Our Little Fighter