A Godly Homemaker

2 coupons i recommend

2012-02-03T18:39:00.001-05:00

Feminine Friday

2012-02-03T11:26:00.002-05:00

today is Feminine Friday!
since i don't have a camera ( i am taking donations lol ) i will have to describe my outfit today. i am wearing a black top and a denim skirt. with black boots.

since i can't show a picture i think i will add something to my FF. i know- i'll tell you about my beauty routine!
when i shower i use goat's milk soap to cleanse my face and i apply olive oil to my face afterward. i do wipe off the excess. that is my skincare routine. :)
i use a baking soda and water mixture, with orange essential oil added for scent, to wash my hair. if it feels especially dry i will slather on some olive oil .
my make up routine is simple- a slick of lip balm and some powder. done in one minute flat! my hubby loves it lol
so that's it! now you know all my beauty secrets!

join us for more Feminine Friday at Glow Academy

Little House.......

2012-02-02T00:57:00.002-05:00

Well today we moved further into our history/reading. The kids and I are reading the Little House series this year. Of course we started with Little House in the Big Woods.

We are loving it!! Someone told me if you enjoyed the Little House books as a child, try reading them as an adult. They are right- I am more excited to start reading than they are lol
After we read I had the kids draw pictures of there favorite parts and I was surprised that each child chose something different than everyone else. It was interesting to see what each one picked.
We are also using the Prairie Primer for direction in our studies.

I never stay "on script" but I pick and choose what's right for us at that moment. We are all loving it!!

If you are looking for something to spice up your homeschooling curriculum I highly recommend these books :)

2 Great Giveaways!

2012-02-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

first off- Thanks Mail Carrier ( one of my fav giveaway sites) is giving away a Flirty Apron!

go HERE and enter to win your fav!

THEN while you are there, click over to her Scentsy giveaway!!

Homemade Coffee Creamer

2012-01-31T12:38:00.000-05:00

i can't remember where i got this from so if someone knows which blogger i "stole" it from please let me know so i can properly credit them!

1 cup of half and half or heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Or whichever flavor you like.
Add all ingredients into a quart size jar and shake, shake, shake!
Lasts two weeks in the fridge.

linking with Growing Home, Time Warp Wife, Far Above Rubies

links i have been reading

2012-01-30T12:50:00.000-05:00

Children's medicines coated with brain-damaging aluminum

no looking up medical info online for you!

scentsy giveaway here ( i love love love scentsy!)

ways to make money at home

the true meaning of homemaking

Homespun Legacy Ministries: Your kitchen in the crosshairs...?-- Part 5... Ter...

2012-01-30T00:04:00.000-05:00

please go here and read this!

Homespun Legacy Ministries: Your kitchen in the crosshairs...?-- Part 5... Ter...: Dear Readers, "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." Proverbs 21:20 What is...

Living Off Grid

2012-01-26T20:18:00.000-05:00

living off grid is a dream of mine - and we are working on it!- so you better believe that i am gonna post this giveaway on my blog so i can gain another entry !!
go HERE to Forgotten Way Farms to enter to win

Six Prizes - Six chances to win
1st Grandpa Jakes Campfire Cooker ($139.00 value)

2nd One handcrafted Peddler drying rack (49.00)

3rd Homesteading for Beginners vol. I- II-III ($45.00)

4th Plunger Washer ($29.00)

5th Erin’s Super Green Drink Mix 1 lb. ($25.00)

6th Erin’s Sick Tea ½ lb. ($17.00)

Blueberry Cream Muffins

2012-01-25T19:42:00.001-05:00

a quick and easy recipe that yields 2 dozen . i took it from all recipes (again!) and changed it a bit for my liking. -- i swapped coconut oil for vegetable oil.

Ingredients

4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sour cream
2 cups blueberries
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In large bowl beat eggs, gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

linked with Deep Roots at Home

Thank You

2012-01-24T22:16:00.000-05:00

i was given an award! i am so honored! it is the liebster award. in German this stands for dearest, beloved, or favorite. i was blessed to receive it form Renee at Glow Academy.

thank you so much Renee!!now for my picks!!
1-Blessed Homemaking2-Legacy of the Home3-In the Nursery of the Nation4-On Just Couple of Acres5-Graceful Little Honeybeeand of course Glow Academy!!
thank you again Renee!

Anatomy of a Cupcake

2012-01-24T18:31:00.000-05:00

Source: http://frugaldad.com

One of my Favorite Books

2012-01-22T17:02:00.000-05:00

I want to let you know about a deal Amazon has going on for one of my FAVORITE books!! Believe me, you won't be sorry you get this and it's only $4 and change. i paid $20 for my copy lol THIS BOOK IS SO ENJOYABLE!!! it is one of 10 books that i would take with me (i have a 3500 books!)if i moved and couldn't take them all. Seriously!Karey Swann gives recipes, food info, holiday meals, produce schedules, and witty interesting banter thru out the book. You will meet her family as well.

Amazon.com Widgets

so go check it out!! (yes i am an affiliate, doesn't change my opinion!)

A Gift From The Holy Spirit

2012-01-20T14:06:00.000-05:00

CLICK THE BUTTON FOR MORE GREAT 5 MINUTES!

VIVID
let's see - the first thing that comes to mind is how vivid feels. pain, joy, grief, happiness, bitterness, regrets- i have felt all of these/ and remember all of these. these feelings are a part of me. i can pull these vivid memories up anytime i want and feel them just as intensely as i did when they first happened.

the pain and grief of losing babies. 6 all told. my children i have not held (yet!)
joy at the miracle child that some said would never come.
happiness , maybe seen and felt in hindsight, but how happy i felt taking care of all my littles (4 under 4 )
bitterness at events unfolding that created pain and grief in my life. tornadoes come to mind.
regrets- i should have said that and i shouldn't have said that. don't you have some of these?

i believe the heart holds memories just like other muscles. we exercise and our bodies remember how to form and work and our hearts and minds remember feelings.
ah, a gift from the Holy Spirit. because without the vividness of my memories- who would i be?

DIY ON SALE

2012-01-19T12:07:00.000-05:00

Click here to visit Cottage Mama eBooks.This eBook is a collection fantastic do-it-yourself recipes and tutorials. You get nearly 50 pages of money-saving recipes, tutorials, and concoctions that will nourish and nurture both you and your family!
$3.00 That's all folks! Just $3.00 and you can start creating!
just click the words, not the picture and you're all set. :)visit the website too and learn soooo much. Little Natural Cottageyep, you guessed it- i am an affiliate. but that doesn't mean it's not a great book !

GATOR!

2012-01-18T17:09:00.001-05:00

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on a field trip a few years ago, dressed like indians in real skins and an aligator! the man is not my dh :)

Decorating as a Christian Woman

2012-01-16T20:07:00.000-05:00

my first post got messed up so i am resending it :)

don't get me wrong. there is nothing wrong with a nicely decorated house. there is nothing wrong with picking out a new sofa and making sure the pattern is one you like.
HOWEVER
there is something wrong with how today's world sees a nicely decorated house as a badge of honor. as if the person who makes the most money and can afford the nicest decorations wins.
there is something wrong when someone buys a house and rips out all the new appliances simply because they are white and they prefer stainless steel! or reject a home from their maybe list because the bathroom doesn't have 2 sinks! there is a perfectly functioning sink right there and you are complaining while children in other countries don't have clean water?! (and really- i don't care what you are doing, i don't want anyone in the bathroom with me ever!!)

no where in the bible does it talk about how our houses are to be decorated! no where does God specify what color chair to have or how many paintings should be hung on the wall..

even in Proverbs 31 when the bed is mentioned, it doesn't mean "make the bedspread pretty so all the ladies will like it but rather it is talking about creating an inviting bed for your husband and you. (~blush)

i have learned to stay out of the shops unless there is something i need. now i admit, last time i needed towels and cruised the aisle at walmart, i also stopped to stare at the pretty glass items on the clearance rack! BUT i didn't buy any and i didn't think myself too unlucky not to have gotten any. i did come away with the towels we badly needed. and later, in a month or so, i will be buying bedspreads for each of my children. they NEED new beds desperately and these were ordered. since their current bedspreads are looking very ragged, and daddy has put away the money to buy all this, we will be purchasing those too.
BUT , how many times in the past have i looked at bedspreads and bought them because i liked the color and was tired of the old one. it wasn't a need, it was a want. while we can buy wants sometimes, it shouldn't be a regular thing!

i celebrate sabbath on saturday (starting on friday evening) and when i first began doing so i wondered how i would be able to go into town and shop at thrift stores since i am not supposed to shop on the sabbath and the stores were closed on sundays!! can you imagine?! i was putting knick knacks before God!!!

ok so now i am over missing shopping on the sabbath and i don;t always look down all the aisles when i run in for a gallon of milk at wally world. BUT sometimes i still get dragged down and begin to think that my home is not very nice and i feel badly and loudly tell my husband ( and God)

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? well God's Word tells us.

2Ti 3:6
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.

answer me this- when something creeps into your house does it announce itself loudly? no! it slips in unnoticed and makes itself at home without you noticing. until it's too late, if you notice it at all. how could something do this? magazines arrive in the mail, the show househunters appears on tv and martha stewart appears everywhere at holiday time. if we women don't stay home tending to our families there is the chance that we are at a friend's house, admiring their new coffee table , which makes ours look outdated and downright ugly. ( and we will tell our hubbys about it this evening)
1Ti 5:13
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

how are we "silly " women? because we allow these things to tell us to be unhappy with what we have!
Hbr 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Phl 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

let me ask you- is it virtuous to be coveting the rich person's bedroom suite?

2Ti 3:2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

do we really want to put knick knacks before God? do we really want to throw away thousands of dollars of items because they are not the newest model? ( i mean really, you refuse to own a home because it doesn't have granite counters? really? )
ok i have said my piece.

linking with

Homemade Yogurt

2012-01-14T03:07:00.001-05:00

well i mentioned i made yogurt and in 1 day i had 5 people ask for the recipe lol
it is so simple that you will not think it worthy of praise i assure you but it is good and easy.

i bring 1 gallon of milk to a slow boil. once the bubbles start to form i pour in one cup of storebought yogurt in plain, slowly stirring. ( i do this to get started in yogurt making, otherwise i keep a cup of the homemade yogurt on hand to use as a starter. think how you do sourdough starters)
i don't let it totally boil , just start to. after i add the 1 cup of starter i take it off the heat and pour into a bowl with a lid - i use my crockpot bowl-and stir well. i let it sit on the counter for 6-8 hours or so, with the bowl wrapped in a towel- think like a turban after you wash your hair.i refrigerate it after the 6-8 hours are up.

in the morning i stir fruit and honey into it and serve. i also top it with granola sometimes. the honey is a must in my opinion, gives it more flavor. this yogurt will be thinner than the storebought ones so don't think you did it wrong :)
and that's it!

An Unbelievable Giveaway!

2012-01-13T13:55:00.000-05:00

Valencia--YOU WON MY GIVEAWAY!! THE DVDS!! MESSAGE ME YOUR ADDY AND I'LL MAIL THEM OUT!! YAY!!!!

!i wanted to share this giveaway with you because i am in love with it! the winner will receive 3 dvds from the Moore Family Films! don't worry , if you don't win you can purchase them from HERE. they even have bundle discounts!! the first film - Children Are A Blessing- is a counter-cultural viewpoint! what a difference i see and hear in this dvd, from the usual worldly wisdom.please watch if you have children, might have children, or know any children! you will come away blessed!

More Than Making Maple Syrup. who knew that gathering a condiment for pancakes could be so much fun?! watch the Moores teach and entertain at the same time.

It Is Your Life, The Moss Family- how inspiring a film! to see a family step away from the "world" and live a counter-cultural life, while striving to glorify God in all they do.. warning!-this film might spur you to do the same! plus- there is one part , that no matter how many times my family and i watch it, keeps us on the edge of our seats! don't miss this!!

ok how to enter?

1 mandatory- sign up for the Moore Family Films newsletter HERE.http://moorefamilyfilms.blogspot.com/

2- like my facebook page HERE

3-sign up for my blogfrog HERE

4-become a follower of my blog :)

there you go- 4 ways to enter this fantastic giveaway of 3 family dvds from Moore Family Films. this giveaway ends Friday the 21st of January

linking with Homestead Barn Hop

and linking with

Run Over Here

2012-01-10T11:10:00.001-05:00

run over here - click the button- and learn about this FANTASTIC dvd series! i have been cleaning my house for 25 yrs or more and i love this and glean a lot from it.
especially if you are new to housecleaning/homemaking you NEED this!!

yes i am an affiliate . that doesn't change the fact that i LOVE this series!

60 Meals

2012-01-08T18:13:00.001-05:00

if you need an idea for a meal maybe you can find something here. this is a list of meals i can cook blindfolded and i refer to it when i make my menu plan for the week.

1 - Tacos, chicken or steak
2 - beef stroganoff
3 - cheeseburgers
4- mushroom burgers (swiss cheese and mushrooms)
5 - pizza burgers (provolone cheese and tomato sauce, mushrooms if desired)
6 - roast
7 - sloppy joes
8 - lentil and sausage soup
9 - beef stew
10 - chicken and rice
11 - bbq chicken
12 - beans and rice
13 - taco salad
14 - hot dogs and beans (we use the nitrite free dogs)
15 - hot dogs and macaroni
16 - bean soup
17 - potato soup (i sometimes add chicken to this)
18 - chicken casserole (i use different types of noodles and different sauces to mix it up a bit.)
19 - salsa chicken
20 - steak ( a rarity but it happens sometimes)
21 - biscuits, sausage and gravy
22 - baked potato bar
23 - chicken and spinach salad
24 - spinach tortellini
25 - spaghetti
26 - chicken spaghetti
27 - hamburger casserole (sort of a homemade hamburger helper)
28 - tuna casserole
29 - chicken or steak stir fry
30 - pasta fagioli (my husband copied this from the Olive Garden)
31 - pizza
32 - corn chowder
33 - omelets
34 - spinach quiche
34 - lasagna
35 - chicken noodle soup (my husband and i both make different versions of this)
36 - eggs (fried or scambled with hash browns)
37 - egg burritos (scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa on a shell)
38 - chili
39 - pancakes
40 - french toast (I like to make this using day old sourdough bread. homemade of course!)
41 - salmon
42 - sub sandwiches (using nitrite free lunch meat)
43 - philly cheesesteak sandwiches
44 - mushroom soup burgers (I always serve this with green beans and mashed potatoes)
45 - tilapia
46 - bbq chicken sandwiches
47 - navy bean soup
48 - bean burritos
49 - tuna fish sandwiches
50 - smoothies
51 - mushroom soup chicken
52 - sausage and yellow rice
53 - chicken pot pie
54 - shepherd's pie
55 - corn dogs (nitrite free dogs and cornbread wrapped together)
56 - grilled cheese sandwiches
57 - pb and j
58 - oatmeal
59 - homemade yogurt with granola
60 - meatloaf
oh i forgot !!- broccoli and cheese soup or cauliflower and cheese soup, and fried potatoes

linking HERE

and at Time-Warp Wife

and here Domestically Divine

and A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Growing Home

Our Simple Country Life

Women Living Well

Raising Mighty Arrows

Questioning My Roar

2012-01-07T01:07:00.001-05:00

i have found a new meme to follow and this is my first time in doing so. it is from Gypsy Mama. we are to take the one word she gives us and write for 5 minutes about it. no editing or over-thinking. should be fun!

ROAR
i of course think of a lion, roaring to scare someone away or to grab attention to circumstances. do i do that with God? do i roar to grab attention to my circumstances, to something i don't like or want to change? do i think roaring is better than asking? or do i roar to scare people away? what am i scared of ?
how do you quiet a roaring lion? do you give them attention? or does one walk away since there really is nothing you can do with a roaring lion?
have i roared so much that no one listens? have i roared so much that they ignore me? have i roared so much that God says "I will wait til she stops"? what a scary thought! that i make too much noise to be heard.

may my voice be strong but not a roar.

read more roars!

So Many Great Posts Today!!

2012-01-06T13:56:00.002-05:00

i have found so many great posts out there in blogland that i have to share!

Homemaking for the Five Senses at The Prairie Homestead

The Homebirth Story of Deborah Grace at The Modest Mom

Raspberry Tart Recipe from Flour On My Face

Homemaking Binder Info and More from On Just A Couple Acres

Simplify Your Life by Organizing Your Way
remember my post on slowing down and enjoying the simple life HERE

and just in case you missed it- my own post on how to win giveaways

and don't forget the huge sale going on at Vision Forum!! 25% to 50% off everything!! plus $10 off a $50 order! click below please- i am an affiliate and i'd appreciate some love! lol

Enjoying the Simple Life

2012-01-04T17:22:00.002-05:00

I am trying to enjoy a more simple life. To really be in the moment. To that end I am concentrating on what affects my senses thus my soul.
Sitting in the darkness, not listening to the radio or tv or anything, just the sounds of the house as it settles for the night.
The taste of the hot coffee as it enters my mouth and goes slowly down my throat rather then just a rushed sip here or there.
The smell of the bread rising.
The feel of the dough as I knead it. No rushing to get thru quickly for dinner.
Actually feeling the beads of hot water on my sore neck instead of showering as fast as possible to get out to comfort the baby.
Sitting in the back of the truck feeling the cold air on my bare arms, just for a minute, to escape the rowdiness of seven rambunctious kids.
The fragrance of the oranges as the kids peel them.
The silkiness of my dog's fur as I pet her while lying in bed, just appreciating a quiet moment between me and Buttercup.
Actually noticing the almost bare trees across the street rather then just glancing at them thru a window covered in fingerprints.
Actually absorbing the sun's rays as it rises in the morning instead of sleeping thru them.
Counting the stars with my eleven year old son and making wishes instead of blocking them out with curtains.
Lighting a spicy scented candle whose flame gives off a continual glow and aroma instead of flipping on an artificial light that stuns my senses.
Feeling raindrops come down on me and not being worried about my hair
Hearing my car purr and stopping for a snuggle instead of rushing past her on my way to the laundry.
Lounging, lazing, stretching in bed in the still morning hours, just feeling how utterly relaxed I am instead of rushing to get breakfast
Rinsing lettuce, slicing tomatoes, dicing carrots and onions, and really appreciating the foods God has given us to nourish both body and soul. Truly noticing the colors and scents.. Acknowledging the nutrition I'm about to give my and my children's bodies.
Considering reading two chapters of Little House in on the Prairie, gluing glitter to construction paper stars as art, and a rousing few rounds of mad libs as enough school for one day. After all, we will count the chicken eggs that we gather and divide flour while baking and have a loud spelling bee during dinner.

linking with

The How Tos of Winning Giveaways

2012-01-01T17:55:00.000-05:00

I am certainly no expert but I have won almost 400 blog giveaways. I have won everything from rat poison (I happened to need some and a contest was available) to a $600 vacuum, with all sorts of pieces of jewelry, t shirts, books, food items, organic beauty supplies and more in between. Here are a few things that I do to enhance my chance of winning.

1- Enter as many times as you are able to if it is something you really want. This means if you really really want that tv, and the sponsor offers ten chances to enter, then take them! If the prize is a bottle of shampoo and you'd like to win but you don't want to spend twenty minutes entering for a five dollar item, then don't bother past the mandatory entry.

2- Even though you can and should enter giveaways anywhere you find them, concentrate mainly on your favorite sites; you will learn the manner of entries more easily and your information such as name and email will automatically be there the next time - a real timesaver. My absolute two favorite sites, hands down, without a doubt, are sweeps4bloggers and leslielovesveggies. These two ladies run fantastic sites, they are honest, they are helpful, and they are just plain nice people to deal with. These gals will go out of their way for you.

3- Set aside a time each day to do your giveaways. While this may seem a bit crazy, winning giveaways helped support my family for over a year and still remains a source of extras for us. Please note it is God who allows these winnings so please don't think I have some special touch. What I have is some tenacity. When I start I bring up twitter.com and facebook.com so they are up and ready when an entry calls for it.I have found that using a handheld mouse instead of the one on the laptop allows me to move faster, thus saving time.

4- When asked to tweet about the giveaway, you don't have to go into great detail! Most of the time the site will have a button that says tweet - just click it. Then in a few seconds go to twitter and click my tweets on the right side. By clicking this you will go to all the tweets you have made. Find the correct one - it'll be first - and click on the phrase ___ seconds, this will take you to another page. Click the URL bar above and copy it. Then go to the giveaway site and paste it in the space available. It may sound like a lot of steps but it really isn't and once you've done it twice you won't think about it again.If there is no tweet button then simply write a brief description and the link. for example, coffee giveaway and the link.

5- When it comes to sharing on facebook for another entry, if the site provides you with a "share" button, then use it :) But if it doesn't simply copy the URL bar of the giveaway (the actual giveaway not the website's URL) and paste it in your share box on your fb profile. The giveaway comes up automatically. If the giveaway site requests proof of it then copy and paste the URL bar of your fb profile.

. 6- DO NOT EVER enter giveaways that require you to do something to be allowed to enter, or ask you to join something (this is different then liking their page or subbing to their newsletter), and never ever enter a giveaway that requires you to pay money. These will all be ripoffs. A raffle for a charity is totally different, it isn't a giveaway.

7- If you want to blog about the giveaway for an extra entry, then make it short and sweet and have it pertain to your blog's main theme. For example, I have a lot of readers who wear headcoverings, so they appreciate finding those giveaways. I also have a lot of readers who are into homesteading, so giveaways linked to homesteading dvds are well received. But if I posted for every bottle of cleaner that I enter for then I would alienate my readers. After all, I am not a giveaway blog - I am a homemaking blog (that doesn't mean I can't host a giveaway on my own though :) )

8- if the prize is something you really want, you may want to tweet about it everyday if you are allowed. That's really simple as to the fact your information is already filled in and you only have one thing to do. Just hit the tweet button again, collect the information and then paste it. On to the next giveaway!

9- I only enter giveaways for products I really want or need. For a while, I entered for every bottle of shampoo and food item I could find because we didn't have a lot of money and this came in handy. Now that things are better I only enter for things I really want and maybe just maybe can't afford right now but I don't have to have them. For example, I entered a giveaway for a dvd that my daughter wanted very much for Christmas. I had planned on buying it for her then I saw a giveaway and thought I'd try to win it instead. And I did! So I was able to save a few dollars on something I was going to buy anyway. I also have entered to win a John Deere farm set for my son, I had no intention of buying it if I didn't win it, but I sure as heck would've given it as a Christmas present had I won. Alas, I didn't. I hope I have helped with a few tips on how to enter giveaways. The key to winning giveaways is to enter as many times as you are allowed and to go back daily and tweet about it. I was actually told by one giveaway site is the reason I won is because I was the only one who went back daily for a week and tweeted, for a solid week -mine was the only name that appeared.
note the tab i have listed above for giveaways :)

i'm trying! lol

2011-12-29T15:21:00.000-05:00

i am working on my blog so i have this up temporarily :) be back soon!
(if you are reading this in an email i am working on my blog's look )

For Those Who Use Coupons

2011-12-29T00:44:00.002-05:00

new coupons are out .click HERE to head straight to "em!

This post contains affiliate links.

A Sample Menu Plan

2011-12-28T19:46:00.002-05:00

i was asked to create a $50 a week menu for 2 meals a day. i am not sure this is $50 because it depends on the area you live in and how many are in your family but i do think it's a low price budget. i did lunches and dinners. hope you can glean some tips ~smile

mon-
pb&j (make the bread and it's even cheaper)
chili (use bagged beans to save $. you get twice as much for the same price as canned.) ( prepare all the beans at once and use half for this meal and save the other half for tomorrow)

tues-
bean burritos using the half of the pinto beans you cooked but didn't use. fry them up in a little oil
beans and rice- using either the red/kidney beans or the black beans that you used (or both). you can use white, yellow or brown rice. (brown is healthiest and white is cheapest)

wed-
using the leftover chili have chili topped baked potatoes
from the same bag of potatoes make potato soup

thur-
-veggie filled omelets (chop all the veggies now and use some now and some tonight)
add the rest of the chopped veggies to broth and noodles and make noodle veggie soup (my kids love this!)

fri-
leftovers!
spaghetti

linking with

click HERE for more

He Did What?

2011-12-28T01:11:00.000-05:00

my husband bought 32 pounds of ground beef. now what do i do with it?!

1-tacos-4 lbs
2-chili-2 lbs
3-cheeseburgers-4 lbs
4-sloppy joes-4 lbs
5-spaghetti-2 lbs
6-hamburger casserole-2 lbs
7-pizza-2 lbs
8-bean soup -2 lbs
9-bbq burgers-4 lbs
10-pasta frigole (sp?) soup-2 lbs
11-mexican casserole-2 lbs
12-beef and bean burritos-2 lbs

there you have it!

Alternative Light Sources

2011-12-26T20:07:00.001-05:00

Have you given any thought to what you would do if there was no electricity for awhile? What would you do for lighting?
here is my plan for alternative lighting.
i will have 2 or 3 larger sized oil lamps for the main rooms. ( they will only be "on" when my husband or myself are in the room, for safety's sake) and a few smaller oil lamps with handles to carry around as needed. i will have candles in the bathroom, since we only need one small one to give off a bit of light for that room.

here are the ones i have so far- we have 2 of these . see the handles? :) these were Christmas gifts from my husband!

one of the larger ones

this isn't actually mine- i have one exactly like it tho and i found a pic on google :)

and this one (it's in the pattern i love to collect- an extra bonus for me!)

linking with Homestead Barn Hop. for more click HERE

and Time-Warp Wife

for more go HERE

I So Wished I Had A Camera!

2011-12-22T17:44:00.001-05:00

......because if i did you could see pics of what i baked this week for Christmas! but i wanted to participate in the Modest Mom's linky line-up so i am gonna!! you will just have to trust me- i really baked it!!

1- chocolate chip cookies
2-brownies
3-bread
4-sugar cookies (the kids decorated them in red and green)
5-vanilla heart shaped cakes (learned how from little house on the prairie)
6-peanut butter fudge
7- pumpkin pie will be baked Christmas Eve.
8-apple pie will be baked on Christmas Eve

Christmas Came Early

2011-12-22T01:44:00.002-05:00

well just by a few days! but the kids couldn't wait to give Michael and me our gifts any longer so tonite was the night!

I received a glass angel from Rebekah, a gift card to Tractor Supply from Parker, a snowglobe from Hannah, candy from Jamison,and a book from off the shelf in the living room from Andrew lol

Michael received candy from Andrew (chocolate covered cherries- his fav), a metal hook for his jacket from Rebekah, a coffee mug with a bag of coffee from Parker, a movie from Hannah, and handwarmers from Jamison ( you know, the little squishy gel filled bags that you pop open and wear in your gloves. Michael works outside and it gets cooold here so they are perfect)

They of course insisted on getting a gift each after this lol. so Rebekah and Hannah each got their craft kits, Parker got his headlamp (perfect for those camping trips he is fond of taking in the backyard) while the little boys got a truck each, courtesy of Tractor Supply. The 2 older kids got gift cards to walmart.

All in all not a bad evening :)

edited to say i am not trying to brag about my gifts. it hasn't been often we were able to buy many gifts for the kids or they could get anything for us so i guess i got a bit excited. i apologize if i sound rude.

Laura's Christmas Blowout

2011-12-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

remember how i told you i had learned so much from Laura at Heavenly Homemakers?

well guess what? she is having a sale on everything in her store - except the hand crocheted items- and all you need is a code! that code isCHRISTMAS5. just fill in your order and type the code in and you save $5.

there are 2 free items listed already and the other prices are low already so you win no matter what you pick!!

just click the blue button in this post and it'll take you where you want to go!

and yes i am an affiliate ~smile

i entered!

2011-12-19T17:18:00.000-05:00

and so much more!

yes i have found a Cover Your Hair giveaway!! go HERE to enter.

Enter to Win Country Bob's!!

2011-12-19T13:23:00.000-05:00

Chicken! That's all I could think of when I received the Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce! I made my chicken like always and then I added the Country Bob's and whoo hoo! Flavor city!!
The flavor is spicy but not too spicy.
And ya know what- it makes burgers taste great too! Different than traditional bbq sauce but not exactly steak sauce either- sort of a combination of both!

And now 2 of you can taste it for yourself! Yep, 2 winners!!
Here is your mandatory entry- what would you use Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce for? Hamburgers, chicken, steak? Let me know!
2nd entry- join my blogfrog (listed on the last tab under my header) and comment on one discussion at least.
that's it!! 2 entries each and 2 winners!
giveaway ends Friday the 23rd.

Wrapping Paper on the Cheap

2011-12-16T12:09:00.002-05:00

well today is a nice muddy day! the hens are slippin' and slidin' in their pen lol ( so are we when we gather eggs!)
yesterday i rearranged the kitchen some. this house has a breakfast nook but we don't have a breakfast table so we put our freezer and our shelves in their instead. we need shelves because this place is old and has no cabinet space.(it only has one closet for the whole house and whoever built it did not have 7 children!!)
anyway- i digress- we rearranged everything hoping to gain some counter space i desperately need but to no avail :(

i have all my Christmas gifts and i am ready to wrap! i was thinking how i could save money on wrapping paper and a few ideas hit me. hubby says i don't need to worry about the little amount of $ wrapping paper costs but i believe every little bit helps!
so with that in mind i have come up :
a-using fabric tied with yarn
b-someone gave me a small tote bag and i plan to put the Lillia Rose hair clip i won , along with a few other hair accessories i bought at Family Dollar , in it for my oldest daughter.
c-i saved the brown "paper bag" paper that came in my Vision Forum box and let the 3 yr old color it.
d-my mom says the comics from her newspaper to my kids each week and i have been saving that.
e-i am using an old Easter basket, newly decorated for Christmas.

the point is - think outside the box.! sometimes literally! and save money while you are at it!
by the way- glue sticks work just as well as tape and are lifesavers when you run out of tape at midnight. ask me how i know!!

oh a side note - STILL MAKES A GREAT GIFT!!!
I have gotten so much inspiration from this ebook and I have been housecleaning for 30 years!

linking with Deep Roots at Home

“This post contains affiliate links.”

4 Lines

2011-12-15T13:51:00.000-05:00

I am supposed to do this exercise whereas I write 4 lines on my blog . Here goes!

I love to blog because I am opinionated and I need somewhere to express myself.
I hate the fakeness of blogging and social media, tho I love the friends I do make from it. (Some of it IS real lol )
I really want my blog to encourage women in the God-given role as homemakers.
I hate to see how society has denigrated homemaking to merely cleaning a messy house and watching tv all day.

Christmas Gifts in Our Home

2011-12-14T17:21:00.001-05:00

Our family's fondest wish is to live on a farm. We do everything we can to live the countrylife in the house on a busy street as much as possible. We do live in a rural area so that helps but i am not surrounded by 40 acres so I feel "left out".
We garden - that is when the drought doesn't occur!- and I bake and cook from scratch. We have hens - roosters are not allowed- and so we gather fresh eggs daily. We do simple things like line dry our clothes and buy raw milk( when we can find it that is)
.
BUT

we don't live on a farm.

SO

I like to buy toys that reflect the farm life for Christmas.
We buy art supplies for stockings, art kits to enable personal growth and creativity, and wooden and/or plastic - how i hate that word- PLASTIC- farm sets to let my children live the farm life thru play.
Tractor Supply has been a good place this year to stock up on horses, dogs and barns. They even had semi trucks with their logo on them so little boys can deliver to their farm sets!
They have dolls on horses (Merry Christmas Rebekah), crayon caddies, and card games.
Then I shopped at Vision Forum !
I bought dvds ands cds to listen to at bedtime. (and now while VF is having a up to 60% off sale and a free Courageous dvd thrown in is a great time to shop!)

And that is how we buy gifts for Christmas.

linking to

Women Living Well
and
and Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling

Breakfast Without Cereal?

2011-12-13T03:52:00.003-05:00

what can i eat for breakfast if i don't want to serve cold cereal?

1- muffins-blueberry, banana walnut, cranberry, etc
2-oatmeal
3- leftovers from dinner
4- smoothies
5-homemade yogurt
6-waffles- make these ahead of time and freeze them so you can pop them in the toaster just like eggos!
7-eggs- omelets, fried, scrambled, poached, made at home egg mcmuffins
8-peanut butter sandwiches
9- bagels and cream cheese
10-fruit salads
11- quick breads

linking with

Win A Headcovering!

2011-12-13T03:24:00.000-05:00

well here i go again- i found a head covering giveaway and i am sharing it with you!
go HERE to enter
see what i want?

I AM STEAMED

2011-12-09T15:39:00.001-05:00

READ THE WHOLE THING FIRST. THIS WAS ON MY FACEBOOK WALL AND I AM SORRY BUT I AM TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING THIS WAY.This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco , TX Nov 18, 2010

Put me in charge . . .

Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's,
just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can
haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.

Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women Norplant birth control implants
or tubal ligations. Then, we'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos
and piercings. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get tats and piercings, then get a job.

Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks?
You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your "home" will be subject to
inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360,
then get a job and your own place.

In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a
"government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing,
whatever we find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blastingstereo and speakers and put that money toward the “common good..”

Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary.
If you want our money, accept our rules.. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin
their "self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing
absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.

If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn
from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.

AND While you are on Gov’t subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes that is correct. For you to
vote would be a conflict of interest. You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are
receiving a Gov’t welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.

my response
i;m sorry but this angers me! my husband made $100,000 a year til someone in the company lied to a client and the entire company went down. there was no work in our hurricane hit town. we lost our home to foreclosure even tho we made payments etc. we went to $16,000 a yr for 7 kids. my husband had worked for 30 yrs paying taxes and we took some back in our time of need. WE TOOK FOOD STAMPS AND MEDICAID AND I AM PROUD OF IT!! i deserved to vote and not to live like an animal!!!

DON'T EVER TELL ME HOW I SHOULD LIVE UNTIL YOU WALK IN MY SHOES!!!
have a system in place that weeds out those who don't work and don't complain about them eating junk food- it is CHEAPER to eat junk food than real food (ask me how i know!) blame the government for that! my husband worked 2 jobs - from 8 a.m til midnight 6 days a week trying to get us back on our feet so don't call us deadbeats!!!!
and please don't tell me to go against God and use birth control.. trusting in Him gets me a whole lot further than trusting in man!

Christmas Sales At Heavenly Homemakers !

2011-12-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

I love Heavenly Homemakers! I have learned so much from Laura. I know more about food storage now so I can make intelligent decisions when buying in bulk. (plus Laura tips us off to the best deals).
I have learned about cooking , using real foods. Cooking this way so my family eats it lol.
And Laura does it all so kindly and with a sense of humor. Her stories stick with you!
Anyway- I wanted to let you know about the sales at her site so you can get in on what I get in on! lol

The button takes you to Laura's site.

50% off the collection of downloadable recipe cards. Sets on sale only $3.00 each! 5 terrific sets to choose from!

Learn to Cook and Teaching Your Kids to Cook - both printed and downloadable on sale!

Click the button above to arrive at Laura's site :)

Sale prices are good through Monday, December 12

I Can't Think of a Title

2011-12-08T04:14:00.000-05:00

i have so many thoughts running thru my head- i am never sure if my brain will rest! i haven't slept much in 2 weeks now- insomnia has hit big time- and it's hard getting thru the day!

Christmas isn't far off and praise God i am done shopping and i never left my tiny town once! i bought things at Tractor Supply, one at Lowes (oops- i did leave my tiny town for that but we were going there for something else ) and one at Walmart and the rest at Vision Forum. ( if you wish to order anything from VF I would love it if you ordered thru me! just click HERE )

Since I am shamelessly plugging my own affiliate status this time I might as well share another!

Now before you dismiss this as a " oh i know how to clean" type of book , I must say that after keeping a home for 20 odd yrs I still learned something. Most of what I learned was attitude! A balance of Mary and Martha. It;s a great book for you or to give as a gift. And yes homekeeping books or ebooks make terrific gifts since they encourage and help others!

The proverbs 31 woman had a job of sewing moneybelts/ girdles and dropping them off at the consignment market so i feel like i should do something too! And I thought about making this blog a bit more of a moneymaker BUT that makes it very hard for me to write this blog becuz that is not what it is about .Plus I have 7 children , 1000 pets (ok it just seems that way) and I homeschool! so I don't have the time. advice? ( I don't sew) hmmmmm i smell a new post coming on!

So come on , help me out! What else can a Proverbs 31 woman do besides sew? No stuffing envelopes ideas please lol . Or am I misunderstanding the verses? Do I have to have a "job" or is it optional?
LET'S STUDY! Send in your thoughts!

Modesty

2011-12-06T15:36:00.004-05:00

1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

did you know the word "modest" appears only one time in the KJV Bible? It is my opinion that when something is mentioned only once that it applies to that situation only. Otherwise it would be mentioned elsewhere!!

What does modest mean?

modest means , according to Strong's Concordance, well arranged, and seemly, of good behavior. so our apparel is to be seemly and well arranged. But how can our apparel have good behavior?

Well what is apparel?

Again according to Strong, apparel can mean:

clothing, apparel, vestments, raiment, attire

wrapper, mantle, covering garment, garments, clothes, raiment, a cloth

garment, clothing

1) a lowering, letting down

2) a garment let down, dress, attire

all meanings seem to be quite similar. However the word apparel in this verse means 1) a lowering, letting down 2) a garment let down, dress, attire

It is the only time that the word apparel has this particular meaning in the whole Bible. So again I believe this holds some significance.

If you study this out and go back to root words you will note the root word for this particular meaning of apparel means 1) to send or put down, to lower

2) to put or keep down one who is roused or incensed, to repress, restrain, appease, quiet

Well! Our clothing should put down one's arousal! It should repress.

So we know now that our clothing shouldn't entice men! That is in line with what I always thought modest meant.

If you study the word apparel out to it's very beginning root word we find a similar meaning to modest

1) to set, place, set in order, arrange

a) to fit out, to prepare, equip

b) to prepare one's self, to fit out for one's self

c) to fit out for one's own use

d) to prepare one's self, to fit out for one's self

e) to fit out for one's own use

Mmmmm. Important enough to use words that mean the same thing but to use them only once and only when describing what a woman is to wear.

Seems like a good place to stop for today. We will study the other words in the verse as well, a bite at a time. It is my hope that I will encourage you to be the woman God meant for you to be and that these word studies will help you in that endeavor.

linking with

A Shameless Plug (with a twist)

2011-12-02T16:18:00.000-05:00

ok first things first. i am a Vision Forum affiliate and I get paid when someone purchases something thru my link. (for those who have already done so THANK YOU!!!) but someone else is a Vision Forum affiliate too!!!

NOW ON TO THE PLUG!! WITH A TWIST!
i want you to make some purchases from Vision Forum but not thru me. I want you to go here

Mrs. Q's link to the greatest bookstore in the world is on her right sidebar. so scroll down a little and click. it's that simple! a win win situation :)

i am gonna show you some terrific things that my family and I want ourselves or have already and maybe you want them too. and we do have a gift giving season upon us so......

i actually won this but i was only given an hour to respond and i wasn't online so i lost it :(

boy does my Parker want these!!

i actually won this too!!

i watch these over and over again. so do my girls!

and in case you still haven't gotten it

Gatekeepers

2011-12-02T04:28:00.000-05:00

gatekeepers keep the gates right? well what does a keeper at home do? let's compare.

Ezekiel 33:1-7: The watchman is to be in his watch-tower day and night (Habakkuk 2:1-3) to blow a clear shofar (trumpet) sound—a trumpet blast—in order to wake up the people if he sees danger coming.

The gatekeeper is in position in order to guard the gate against anyone coming in that will harm the people.

the gatekeepers are intercessors—they stand at the gates between the King’s throne and the outside world—to guard what belongs to the King, to prophesy, declare and proclaim the word of the King, but also in prayer to guard the gates against the enemy in spiritual warfare and intercession.

This job of gate keeping is a job which includes judgment. The gatekeeper must be able to judge, otherwise a dangerous person might enter the kingdom.

The watchman sees from a distance. The gatekeeper sees up close. (are YOU a watchman or a gatekeeper?

The gatekeeper is on the ground to turn back the attacker—not letting them through the gate. The gate keeper must love His people fervently!

Amos 5:10 “They hated the one who reproves in the gate and they despise the one who speaks the truth”. (boy ain't that the truth! look how society looks down on stay at mothers)

The watchman must not go to sleep on the job—it is a very strategic position. The King trusts the watchman to blow the shofar (the trumpet) loud and clear when the enemy is seen approaching. Then the gate can be closed.

The gatekeeper stands to defend the Kingdom at the gate—“to turn back the battle at the gate”. Gate keepers must be strong-willed and fearless. They must be strong in resolve to do right, uncompromising, faithful, and willing to lay down their life to defend what is under the rule of the King.

The gatekeeper has a higher authority-level than the watchman--given to him by the King to act on his own—to use his own judgment. The position has more variety of tasks to perform. The King trusts the gatekeeper. There is a relationship between the gatekeeper and the King that others do not have. He represents the King and speaks for the King. He makes decisions for the King. He has to know the King’s desires, will, and decrees. He can’t go against what the King wants, if he is a good gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper must make instant decisions, at times involving many lives. Therefore, his first allegiance is to the King and His people.

These two positions work together to guard the Kingdom. The watchman is also a trusted position. But, the watchman has one job—to watch and clearly warn so that all hear the warning. He must do it any way he can. The watchman can warn the general multitude, and each individual can accept or reject his warning as they will. But, when the enemy is at the gate, the gatekeeper must station himself with all of his might to hold off the attack.

taken from HERE

Can You Stand Another?

2011-11-29T12:28:00.003-05:00

yep another Vision Forum giveaway!
the place to go, as you know, for "Christian Books" is Vision Forum. They have dvds, cds, toys and more.
go HERE to enter

i want to win!!

2011-11-27T23:56:00.001-05:00

Giveaway – Cover Your Hair $25 Surprise Box – Ends 12/11/11

go HERE to enter!!!

i want some new snoods- what about you?

Sharing

2011-11-26T22:27:00.002-05:00

My Story

I was eleven years old when I first heard about Jesus. My family was not Christian and believe it or not, I had never really heard about God.
Anyway, my parents sent me to a private Christian school, starting in the sixth grade. It was not so I would learn about God but rather, it was a safer choice then the public schools in my area. You see, at the time, I was to start sixth grade there were several stabbings at the school I was to attend, so my parents choose elsewhere for me. It was at this school that a teacher told me the plan of salvation and asked me if I wanted to accept Jesus. I did and I prayed that day. Later on in the week, when I was angry about something, I thought about God and what the teacher had said and it all became very real to me. I attended church with whomever I could get a ride from for the rest of my school years.
When I graduated from high school, I lost contact with all those rides from church and still not having a Christian family to fall back on, I lost my way.
Fast forward a few years. I was a very lost woman, in search of somethingand a single mom to boot.Drugs and drinking filled a good portion of my time. I was working all day and hardly ever saw my little girl. The Lord orchestrated everything so I would find a job with the man who was to become my husband in the future!!
Again, fast forward. I was married and still working. I became pregnant again and my husband told me i should probably quit my job and stay home since we would have a newborn as well.
I did and 6 months later I felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit. I dug out my bible - from a box buried in the closet!- and started reading it with fresh eyes. I had done this for a few days when my husband asked me why I was doing it. I told him I didn't know but was it bothering him? He responded with a no but it seemed strange to him , since in all our years together I had never talked about God and neither had he. BUT now I was reading the bible and a woman was witnessing to him at work and it was all coming together!
We began going to church with the only friend we had that went to church and remained there for 7 years. We were very involved there but after awhile our faith grew to include embracing the gifts of the Spirit and our church felt they were over with. So we reluctantly left there and searched for a new homechurch.
We have since moved to Texas and felt we had found a new homechurch but alas they closed the place down!! A lot of problems internally and so everyone felt best to leave. A very sad day indeed.

So we are still searching a new place to worship but we are doing our best to live for and glorify the King!!

Can You Believe It?

2011-11-25T16:38:00.001-05:00

ok normally i would say you are sick of these posts BUT considering who reads my blog and what the response has been i will post another one!!!
another Vision Forum giveaway!!! you can win $600 in gift cards! yes this time Generation Cedar is hosting the event and you can enter HERE

you all know how much i love Vision Forum for "Christian Books", dvds and more . so if you have not entered (are you crazy?!) then do so now!

also after entering to win if you want to purchase anything during their fantastic Black Friday event- use button on top right sidebar, you can click that button or the catalog button below it and i will get credit from you! and i'd appreciate it very much :)

Oh Boy Oh Boy!

2011-11-24T01:35:00.000-05:00

oh boy oh boy! another Vision Forum giveaway!! go to Raising Olives and enter here also to win $600 worth of gift certificates to Vision Forum!!!
you know the drill! i love Vision Forum for their Christian Books and dvds and cds. i have a long wish list!!
so what re you waiting for? go enter !!

Another Vision Forum Giveaway!

2011-11-23T12:52:00.000-05:00

oh my word! another Vision Forum giveaway!! go to Smockity Frocks and enter here also to win $600 worth of gift certificates to Vision Forum!!! i am so excited!!
as you know i love Vision Forum for "Christian books" and dvds and toys! did you know i am an affliate for them also? so go to Smockity Frocks and enter the giveaway and come back here to order thru me by clicking the catalog on the right sidebar or the Vision Forum affliate badge a bit down on the right sidebar.

A Vision Forum Blowout!

2011-11-21T13:06:00.000-05:00

i try not to link giveaways here unless they are something i feel you will really enjoy and i have found one you will love!!

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home is having the most wonderful giveaway!

you can $600 worth of gift cards to Vision Forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i go here for Christian books all the time- and dvds too. and the cds are fantastic for listening to while cleaning house!

My Thoughts over the Weekend

2011-11-20T19:42:00.000-05:00

I just thought I'd share a few thoughts I've had over the past few days

I live in Texas, where we are having a drought. I had a garden but with no rain, I lost everything. I tried watering it myself but it just got to be too expensive.
So now, I was left with nothing to can and store away for winter/hard times.

So I am buying produce at the store and freezing it or canning it. It's not as good as homegrown but in my area the drought hit everyone and there are no stands on the corner selling their garden prizes. Even if there was, it has been my experience here that the prices are much much higher then the supermarket. A girl's gotta do with a girl's gotta do.

I am also preparing and freezing soups. It's not much but every little bit helps.
I also buy extra milk when it goes on sale and I freeze that and I make jam and freeze it as well.
This added to the canned goods that I keep rotating in my food storage and I'm getting quite the nice little larder.

Have you ever thought of comparing yourself to a soldier in the army? A soldier goes to a foreign country and fights for that country. While he's there adapts to his surroundings BUT he never becomes a citizen of that country, That is how we should be. We should never become so entrenched in this world's culture that we are indistinguishable from the world. Our home is not here and we are an army sent by God to fight. The way we fight is by spreading the gospel.

Quick dinner tonight- bean burritos , carrot slices, black olives and spinach. :)

Are you getting ready for Christmas? This year we are celebrating and with a happy heart. I know and understand why others don't ( and have been on "that side" myself) but for my family and what we are dealing with in our lives it is best if we go all out "Jesus- style" No santa. No rushing up and down aisles looking for any toy that lights up or speaks mama. (if i wanted that I'd have another baby!lol )
But rather presents that enable our children to grow as individuals (think lotsa art supplies for one thing, and tools for the boys) or allow them to exercise their compassion for others (think picking out a gift for World Vision using their gift money). We want to glorify God, not fill up on useless junk.

This leads me to my next thought- I am getting rid of most of our stuff!! I want us to have only what we absolutely need and what we truly value. Things that only create stress are outta here! I have schoolbooks for sale if anyone's interested. Bob Jones Science 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. $2 each plus shipping. They are like new. I am looking up websites that "teach" minimalism for inspiration.

God has told me loud and clear that the dream I have had for a few years will not be happening. It is a hard blow but after much begging on my part He has revealed the reason why and that makes it easier. Not a whole lot but some. It takes some adjusting I must say. I have a few irons in the fire so to speak so we will see what comes of all that. I won't discuss any of it here unless something happens. But God told me to get a new dream so I am trying!

How was your weekend? What thoughts did you have? Please share! It makes me smile to see comments. :)

if you missed it

2011-11-19T11:09:00.000-05:00

here is a link to a post kitchenwitch wrote about the co sleeping ads making their way around the web. i am linking you instead of writing it myself because i still can't see straight thru the anger i feel. notice who sponsors the ads- CRIB MAKERS!!!! by the way - i coslept with all 7 of my children. sometimes 2 (or 3) at a time. click HERE

Frugally Sustainable: Returning Home: 6 Tips To Help You Discover Your M...

2011-11-18T22:38:00.000-05:00

you MUST read this terrific article !Frugally Sustainable: Returning Home: 6 Tips To Help You Discover Your M...: My Story Six months ago I intentionally left my full-time job as a Registered Nurse to stay home and raise our 3 children. You see, for...

2011-11-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

what is your THanksgiving meal plan? mine is as follows.

turkey
mashed potatoes
sweet potato casserole
stuffing
green bean casserole
homemade cranberry sauce
homemade apple pie
homemade pumpkin pie
homemade bread

comment with yours :)

Clean Up with this Giveaway!

2011-11-17T02:09:00.000-05:00

i'm always looking for giveaways that i think you ladies will be interested in and i have one today! it's a Special Homemaker's Norwex Giveaway!
A Wise Woman is giving away a fall cleaning pack that will include a Microfiber Enviro Cleaning Cloth, Polishing Cloth, and Dusting Mitt to one of my special readers. This is valued at over $50.
so go HERE to enter :)

Contrast Everything With God's Word.

2011-11-14T16:41:00.004-05:00

i read an article today-The Evolution Of The Housewife and i couldn't help but contrast it with God's Word.

We are all housewives. We would prefer to be persons." Jane O'Reilly, in the 1971 premier issue of Ms. magazine.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

in the words of Stephanie Coontz, the author of "Marriage, A History.--" Sure enough, its stars(speaking of the show Housewives of Beverly Hills etc) tend not be great contributors to society. And that is what housewife has always meant.
Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Up until the early 19th century, both men and women were the housekeepers, because there was no real separation of home and work. Everybody had to help out. "Prior to the industrial period, housewife made no sense," says Kathleen Gerson, author of "The Unfinished Revolution."
Luke 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ( where are the women? at home)
Luke 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (where are the men? out of the home in the field)

But slowly, housework became women's work. In the postwar years, new-found prosperity made it possible for women to stop making money altogether. Middle class families packed their bags and moved to the suburbs, the father working in the city, with a salary attached, and the woman laboring inside the home, without one.
Pro 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. (her salary)

"It wasn't until the 50s that you get the height of the family form where the woman didn't have to produce," says Sharon Musher, who teaches the course "Meanings of Motherhood" at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. "And she was cut off from the world."

Pro 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
Pro 31:14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
Pro 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
Pro 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
Pro 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. (she is selling her merchandise!)
Pro 31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
Pro 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Pro 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. (how are they clothed if she wasn't productive?)
Pro 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
after all this don't tell me she wasn't productive!!!

Women were told to get all their satisfaction from making a beautiful home. To stop nagging, and get dinner on the table.
"This propaganda was so widespread that many women really believed it," says Musher.
propaganda?
Pro 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. (she is providing meals)
Pro 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. (coverings here means bed coverings)

"I deeply resent the implication that I am lazy, shallow, or just plain crazy for staying home," wrote an anonymous woman in a 1978 letter to the editor of the Washington Post. "For all that has been written about the decline of the American family, society is increasingly intolerant of those women who wish to devote their lives to its support."

We are only in the middle of a 70 or 80 year trend, according a study published this year. Supposedly women and men will be doing an equal share of the work by 2050.
Ecc 1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

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read with a tissue

2011-11-14T02:13:00.000-05:00

The story goes back some time ago, a father punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the little girl tried to decorate a box. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Father."

The father was embarrassed by his earlier over reaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. Father yelled at his 3-year-old daughter, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present (gift), there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Father, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Father."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of his little girl. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of his little girl who had put it there.

Moral of the Story: Our tongue, and the words that come from it, has incredible power. Words have the power to hurt or to heal, to tear down or build up, and to curse or comfort. So use it very carefully.

~ Author Unknown

Blessed Homemaking: So You Think You Should Go to Work?

2011-11-13T01:12:00.000-05:00

i haven't posted much lately but i have had time to read something great and i wanted to share it with you.
Blessed Homemaking: So You Think You Should Go to Work?

i was thrilled this week to receive a sofa from my neighbors!! they are moving and simply gave it to us- that and a bed for my oldest daughter she needed a new one desperately and we had nothing to sit on in the living room lol. now we have 2 chairs from a friend of mine and a sofa- all in coordinating patterns. :)
i was also thrilled this week to earn a $25 american express card! i can't wait to use it for christmas. i have started shopping finally and i was able to buy a tool box with a few tools for my son. i already have a game put away for him. i shop all year long , putting things away and my giveaway winnings are a huge help but i usually need to pick up a few things and money was tight so we didn't get much put away yet. so now i'm off! ~smile
i had a good deal at walmart tonight. cans of broth on sale for 50 cents each! i bought all of them and stuck them in the emergency cabinet.
any good deals for you? please comment and let me know! i love hearing from you :)

Homemaking-A Divine Assignment

2011-11-09T01:53:00.000-05:00

i wish i could say i wrote this but i didn't - i took it from HERE.

Homemaking-A Divine Assignment

Keeping the home is God’s assignment to the wife-even down to changing the sheets, doing the laundry, and scrubbing the floors. In Titus 2:3-5, Paul admonishes the older women to teach the younger women, among other things, “to love their husbands and children, … to be busy at home” (oikourgous, Greek, literally “home-workers”).
The home was once described as “… a place apart, a walled garden, in which certain virtues too easily crushed by modern life could be preserved,” and the mother in this home was described as “The Angel in the House.”
A 1982 Gallup poll showed that more than eight out of ten respondents (82 percent) assigned top priority on an eleven-point scale to the importance of family life. Families, health, and self-respect all were rated as more important than the possession of material goods.

Few women realize what great service they are doing for mankind and for the kingdom of Christ when they provide a shelter for the family and good mothering-the foundation on which all else is built. A mother builds something far more magnificent than any cathedral-the dwelling place for an immortal soul (both her child’s fleshly tabernacle and his earthly abode). No professional pursuit so uniquely combines the most menial tasks with the most meaningful opportunities.

The Book of Proverbs is for me the most practical book in the Bible. No other book is more saturated with home and family and the relationships therein. No other book has any more to say to women specifically.

Proverbs 31 contains a full-length portrait of a godly heroine finished in minute detail. The passage is significant not only for what it includes but also for what it omits. There is no mention of rights or pursuit of self-serving interests; neither is the husband assigned to domestic pursuits. In fact, his occupation with other tasks is clearly stated, “Her husband has full confidence in her. … Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:11, 23). This beautiful and perfect ode of praise to womanhood is written as an acrostic with the first word of each verse beginning with one of the twenty-two successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

This description of God’s “Bionic/Wonder Woman” is often labeled an “Alphabetic Ode,” “The Golden ABC’s of the Perfect Wife,” “The Portrait of the Wife of Many Parts,” “A Paradigm for Brides-to-Be.” Perhaps its literary form is designed to make the passage easier to commit to memory, or its acrostic style may be a literary device used to emphasize that these characteristics describe God’s ideal woman-committed homemaker, chaste helpmeet, upright and God-fearing woman of strength. Though no woman can match skills and creativity perfectly with this model, all can identify their respective talents within the composite, and all can strive for the spiritual excellence of this woman of strength. This passage is recited in many Jewish homes on the eve of Sabbath, not only setting the high challenge for wife and mother but also expressing gratitude for her awesome service to the household.6

At least half of Proverbs 31:10-31 is occupied with personal and domestic energy. The New Testament, too, is clear in its emphasis on a woman’s needed and necessary energy and efficiency in managing her household (Titus 2:5; 1 Timothy 2:10; 5:14). When Jesus reprimanded Martha, He did not condemn the vital housework she was doing; neither did He decry the gracious hospitality extended to Himself (Jesus did not say only one thing is needful but pointed to the one thing Martha had omitted). He did admonish her not to be encumbered or burdened by her work to the exclusion of spiritual sustenance, which Mary had so faithfully sought (Luke 10:38-42). One is never to neglect spiritual preparation-not even for the joy of serving others.

The best way to make homemaking a joyous task is to offer it as unto the Lord; the only way to avoid the drudgery in such mundane tasks is to bathe the tasks with prayer and catch a vision of the divine challenge in making and nurturing a home. Brother Lawrence, a member of the barefoot Carmelite monks in Paris in the 1600s, set a worthy example: “Lord of all pots and pans and things … Make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates! … The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen … I possess God in as great tranquillity as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.”

Many people are surprised to discover how much time it actually takes to run a household and care for a family. Having a career was far easier for me than being a homemaker! None of my former positions required my being on the job twenty-four hours every day. None of my varied professional pursuits demanded such a variety of skills and abilities as I have exercised in homemaking. Automatic, labor-saving devices save much physical work, but increased mobility and multiplied outside activities add to the overall time demands so that the preparation and care of the family shelter are important enough for God Himself to assign that responsibility. Of course, much of the world would agree that being a housekeeper is acceptable as long as you are not caring for your own home; treating men with attentive devotion would also be right as long as the man is the boss in the office and not your husband; caring for children would even be deemed heroic service for which presidential awards could be given as long as the children are someone else’s and not your own. We must not be overcome by the surrogacy of this age, which offers even a substitute womb for those so encumbered by lofty pursuits that they cannot accept God-given roles and assignments.

sharing my want!!

2011-11-07T11:17:00.000-05:00

you can win this drying rack!!!!

to enter go HERE

please if you win give it to me!! :)

my not ideal menu

2011-11-07T01:49:00.002-05:00

i have been asked before how my family of 9 lived on $16,000 a year. well it wasn't fun!! buy it was doable. here is a sampling of a week's worth of menus. we ate spaghetti A LOT. this is by no means ideal - no food police please-but we were poor and we had to eat and this is what i did. we still live below the poverty level but things are much,much better now.

mon- lunch was pb&j. supper-chili- $2 pinto beans, $1 red beans, $1 tomato sauce, garlic seasoning and chopped onion if i had it and $4 worth hamburger if we had the money.

tues- lunch would be baked potatoes topped with leftover chili. supper - spaghetti- $1.50 for noodles and $2 for sauce. if we had the money for meat i'd add $2 worth of hamburger.

wed-lunch- supper would be tacos- $1.44 for shells (i bought a bigger package so i could make cinnamon chips from the ones left over) and $4 worth of hamburger. 1 large chopped tomato and lettuce and cheese.

thurs-lunch-mexican casserole made with leftover tacos and 1 can of refried beans added. ($1) supper was potato soup( 1 bag of potatoes and 4 cans of cream of chicken soup) with a salad.

fri- lunch was brown rice topped with brown sugar ( just a dollup!) then i used more rice to make chicken and rice for supper.

snacks were mainly bananas and apples but sometimes other fruit.. watermelon in season. homemade cookies and cakes. a jar of peanuts sometimes. and yes i added fruit and salads to as many meals as possible! i just didn't list each time .
remember - this wasn't the greatest menu , it was simply what got us by for 2 years on that salary.
and do you know that Jennie from what the 4h brought over $200 worth of groceries for us?!!! what a blessing!!

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linked here

Thank You

2011-11-06T19:49:00.000-05:00

well! thank you so much for all your kind words. i really appreciate the emails and comments. i guess what's so hard is that there are no like-minded women around me except on the internet!
i am still wearing dresses only- a brown prairie skirt and black top today- and i am still wearing a head covering- tho not today. i still question myself on wearing one when i am "alone" in my marriage.
i have prayed about my homeschooling - again! lol - and decided on something and that's that! ~smile.
i still believe that women belong in the home. i am not sure how to communicate that without seeming rude so i don't know how to handle that.
i am still pro homeschooling and truthfully don't mind debating that lol

after all that , what else? well today the children so nicely broke the railing off the porch. praise the Lord it was easy to put back on!( a.k.a before dad found out!)
i gave 2 old dressers to the children for their clubhouse.(hence how the railing came to be broken.) now i busy trying to figure out where to put all the stuff from those dressers!
i watched cheaper by the dozen with the littles. for the 20th time!

chili made up last night's dinner and chicken tacos was tonight's.

that about covers it. i am busy searching for more great reading material about being a keeper at home for the series- hope you have been reading! and i will post what i discover when it's more put together.

again- thank you for the kind emails and notes! :)

i am having a crisis

2011-11-06T01:46:00.000-05:00

yes i am having a crisis, not one of faith but rather of which faith!

it seems i am labeled one way by some and another way by others and neither is right.

but i myself don't know which is right. and it is really starting to bother me!

for example- i wear dresses only. i don't hate someone because they wear pants or think they are going to hell. my girls love dresses but they prefer pants when they play outside and since their dad doesn't care one way or another i let them. i don't like it tho. but i was told i am being too legalistic. ( by a fellow christian)

i like wearing headcoverings because i feel Scripture says to. i could be wrong. but that is what i get from my studies. but then again i am told i am reading it wrong .and i don't wear one all the time because i want to fit in.

i don't believe women should teach men about the bible. it says it plain and clear but .... did i misunderstand it?

i homeschool but even after 21 years i doubt myself. am i too strict? or not strict enough? am i teaching the right things or am i screwing my children up for life? depends on which blog you read.
but i also don't understand how anyone , once they know what goes on, can send their child to public school. i had one woman say horrible things to me because i said that in my opinion sending your child to public school and telling them not to listen to their teachers about ungodly things is the same as sending them into a drug dealer's pit and telling them not to do drugs . just take the good and leave the bad. crazy right? i really feel that way! am i wrong?

i don't believe women should work outside the home. you can't imagine how much flack i get for that!! or the scathing letters! i mean , some of them make me cry! i truly can't imagine anyone putting their child in daycare, no matter what. BUT of course the hateful emails descend when i say that! i hear "sob stories" about how some women have to work and you just about laugh when you read their list of "needs". or some , who don't have a crazy list of "needs" but refuse to accept any other way but their own as the answer. i lived that life- ask me!
this is by far the biggest hate mail getter! it has been so hurtful to me that i have stopped telling anyone in town about my blog because i don't want them to know i feel this way!

i am still deciding how i feel about the Torah etc. i have been sent horrible commenst on both sides. i have lost friends because i was "following the Old Testament laws." not because they save me- Jesus did that- but because they are good common sense to follow.

i stopped celebrating holidays and upset my family. i felt God nudging me to start back up again. i was almost shot at by those who disagreed.

i read the KJV bible. if you want to read the other versions- you can. i did for 20 years. but i learned things that made me change my mind. why if i study a subject and tell you what i learned i am practically branded a criminal? study it yourself! and if you won't, shut up! ( strong words but nothing next to what i am called)

what i am getting at is that i had my beliefs and now i doubt all of them. after all i don't fit in and i have lost friends and ladies . i am just human.

so what's the point? none really. i just wanted to say that i am tired of being "condemned" for my beliefs. i am tired of the hate mails. i am just human.

am i wrong? to be dresses only, wearing a headcovering, reading the KJV and believing women should not teach men or should not work outside the home? is it ok to have those beliefs but not share them? never let anyone know ? because there are so few that agree with me and none of them live in my town!!

i am at the point that i hide my beliefs. so now i doubt them.

what i am hoping i win!

2011-11-02T10:59:00.001-05:00

Sowers of Hope Giveaway

the one i am dreaming of!!!
but he winner will be able to choose their fav tichel!

go HERE to enter!

My Simple Woman's Daybook- Oct 31

2011-10-31T12:10:00.000-05:00

for more go HERE

Outside my window: it's bright and shiny and cool!

I am thinking: i need to get off this pc and work!

I am thankful for: my husband's job.

I am learning: more about canning and ham radios.

From the kitchen: homemade bread in the oven

I am wearing: black top and multicolored skirt

I am creating: a simpler home

I am going: to change how we waste so much in this house!

I am reading: the book of GALATIANS and Michael Bunker's book "Surviving Off Grid"

Amazon.com Widgets

I am hoping: that my cat has only 1 kitten!!

I am noticing: my daughter is looking older, so close to her birthday.

I am realizing: that 9 people make more trash than 4. :)

I am wondering: if i will have time to make a phone call.

Pondering these words:

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:

Around the house: laundry is being put away.

One of my favorite things: coffee!!!

A few plans for next week: more canning.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

My Internet Plan

2011-10-30T09:06:00.000-05:00

just for my own sanity i have come up with a plan for my internet use. not a schedule but a plan. what websites i visit and how often. then i fit them in as i can.

blue letter bible- om my lands! i love this site. i visit daily . at nite. when i can read in peace! it's the bible, concordance, dictionary, sermons, and muc more at the touch of a finger!

email. i check this about 3 or 4 times a day. i don't sign up for any blogs i don't love and i don't get many by email anyway.
which brings me to my next plan--
i use igoogle for my blogs. that way i can sign up for ones i love and see the title of each post without opening an email. cuts down on time a little and i can pick and choose what to read. i check this at nite after all are in bed.

twitter. i use this infrequently except for giveaway entries. that is 99% of what's on my twitter.

giveaways- i visit 2 sites daily and enter and if i come across a giveaway during my blog reading i will enter. i do this in the morning while the children do math. i sit with them so i am close by to answer any questions. i only enter for items i really want- like homemade soap- or need- like bags of flour :)

coupons.com ,krazycouponlady.com and couponsurfer.com- i go to these coupon sites once a week.

facebook- yes i am back on fb! BUT i am only friends with those i know and love in real life. i was asked to come back by a few of them because it made "chatting" much easier for several reasons. so i check fb once a day or so - usually at nite after the children are asleep- and catch up with real friends, not "famous faces" i know from the web. and no games!

i blog whenever i have something to say. i may have to wait to "write" it down but if i get a chance i hop on and post.

i visit recipe sites and school printable sites as needed. i also google things like ham radios for survival when i need to know something. often hubby and i do this together.

there- that is my plan. to use the computer as a tool. not be used by it!

Radio Communications

2011-10-29T23:27:00.000-05:00

for more go HERE

in case of an emergency we have cell phones that will no longer work - tho some say we will be able to text longer than call- and landlines that will cease to work as well. tv and radio will no longer work- and who can trust them anyway! so what are we to do?
dh and i have just started looking into this so i don't have much info yet. here is just a little i have discovered.

ham radios- The problem here is that we are looking for communications during "bad times". During these times, the repeater networks that the "two-meter" band relies upon for distant communication will break down from lack of maintenance.
Also, Ham radio operators would become a threat and the government will be able to simply go down the list of licenses and shut them down.

CB radio. This over-rated, under-powered means of communication in its stock form is best left to the interstates of our great nation. During certain atmospheric conditions, a user would be lucky to talk one mile. Long distance communication is possible when atmospheric conditions permit.
(Tami's note- BUT if you have a good aerial it might be worth it to buy this inexpensive tool. stick with mid-range prices. Galaxy, Midland and Cobra seem to be the best brands.)

There is currently a government agency called the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which regulates and enforces all forms of inter-communication in the United States. . Two-way communication is only legal through strict government guidelines. The very nature of the "ham license" only adds to the "law and order" society which the bureaucrats want to create. This licensing process is simply a means of keeping tabs on two-way communication. Nazi Germany was also interested in controlling
communication as are all totalitarian regimes. In many countries simply
possessing a means of two-way communication is as serious of an offense as
possession of an unauthorized gun.

FRS radios -These radios require no license to operate but lack enough power to have any sort of range, in absolute ideal conditions I would estimate 2 miles , in regular conditions I would estimate 3/4mile range. These are the minimum one should have but by far are the least desirable choice. There is often no one monitoring these channels so a call for help is non likely, as well very little information is passed using these radio.

this info was gathered from 2 different sites-
http://www.solareagle.com/PREP/RADIO101.HTM
http://survivalcache.com/emergency-communications-survival-radio/

Wow!

2011-10-28T17:10:00.000-05:00

Gold Medal- in time for the holiday baking!

2011-10-27T23:46:00.001-05:00

GIVEAWAY CLOSED= Mrs. White won!!

we homemakers know that baking from scratch is less expensive and healthier for us. and we need good products to work with , so Gold Medal to the rescue and yep i'm having a giveaway! see what you can win!

# Your giveaway winner´s prize pack will contain:
A VIP coupon for a bag of Gold Medal White Whole Wheat flour
# Instructions for conversion (i myself just exchanged one amount for another)
# Cookie Jar
# Recipe Cards

Unlike most whole wheat flours that are made from hard red spring wheat, Gold Medal White Whole Wheat flour is made with hard white spring wheat. So, it´s whole grain, but with a similar taste and texture to all-purpose white flour.

all you have to do to enter is share a favorite recipe with me. if you want to pick a new recipe to try click over to Betty Crocker;s site and pick one!

by the way- i truly enjoyed working with this flour. i made several loaves of bread and a dozen cookies with it. :) i am telling you my honest opinion , regardless of the same winning package i received. :)

giveaway ends next friday nov 3rd.

These Last Few Days

2011-10-27T14:49:00.002-05:00

During these last few days

I used a $1 off coupon for a box of herbal tea marked down to 50 cents - so I actually made 50 cents on the deal. By the way, blueberry tea is excellent!

My dog Peanut is healing nicely from his leg amputation.

My son continues to run naked all day long, every day, which is particularly challenging today as it is only 40 degrees.

I have discovered that by stirring around the grounds of the pot of coffee my husband makes early in the morning and simply adding two spoonfuls of my coffee tastes great and saves me money.

My husband and I have spent many hours driving around the eastern part of Texas, looking at scenery and drinking coffee. We have stopped at a few diners along the way - our favorite place to eat.

I won some giveaways - a bottle of household cleaner, a DVD, and a jar of honey

I have been making my own detergent as usual - baking soda, ivory soap, and borax. I prefer a dry version.

I have watched my dog Rosey eat all the gourds off the dining room centerpiece.

I used a gift card from Doorposts that I won a few weeks ago to buy the Ruby doll kit for my girls.

I have seen my daughter Hannah take initiative and wash dishes when they start piling up in the sink, without me asking. She turns 10 next week.

I went out to lunch at a local Mexican restaurant with my friend Tammy. We discovered that by buying one item off the a la carte menu instead of the entree menu and filling up on the free chips and salsa, plus drinking water instead of soda the two of us are able to eat out for $5. at a nice sit down restaurant!

I have begun going out to dinner one time a month with a local church group . Last time we have baked chicken with stuffing and gravy, two kinds of salad and two desserts. It was fantastic and I wanted more!

I have gotten four Christmas presents so far. the rule is each gift must be $5 or less. I did spend $10 on one gift for my oldest daughter but that was because it was so perfect!

I have learned I need to revise my grocery budget. My $100 a week was stretched to $150 a week but now it is heading toward $200 a week so now I will need to recalculate. tough because prices are getting higher and higher!

We have started using a book entitled Simply Grammar by Karen Andreola which follows the Charlotte Mason method. We prefer it over the Rod and Staff that we were using, so if anyone wants to buy a 3rd or 4th grade Rod and Staff English book, let me know.

i tried two new bread recipes, banana and pumpkin spice. Both were fantastic. I served them to my Bible study group and they scarfed them down. i posted the banana bread recipe HERE and i will post the pumpkin later.

I bought my annual winter boots - same as last year, fur lined black. These boots, combined with a pair of thermal leggings from walmart ($8 for a pair) keep me warm even in a skirt in a snow. I was blessed to purchase four pairs of thermal leggings at a yard sale for 50 cents a pair, instead of $8 a pair so now my girls have something for the winter.

I have been stocking the food storage with canned soups and more. I plan on making a few more soups for the freezer and canning some fruits. I also have been stocking up on pet food, cloth menstrual pads, and other personal items. I have found a wahm on ebay who has the best deals for the pads so I have gotten them from her.

i have been reading this about cod liver oil.

and i am also reading here n how to make a solar oven.

what have you been up to? comment please!

News Stories I Don't Want You to Miss

2011-10-24T11:42:00.000-05:00

Does Sex Ed Undermine Parental Rights?
THIS IS MORE THAN YOU THINK! it shows how parents are being told to lie to their parents and to ignore them. THEY ARE GIVEN CARDS WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO SO! (WITH A SEX MANUAL ATTACHED!)

Disneyland Attractions Contain High Levels Of Lead (AND THEY KNOW IT!!)AND WE TOUCH IT!

Vatican calls for global authority on economy.(THIS FOLLOWS RIGHT ALONG WITH THE BIBLE AND IS ANTI-CHRISTIAN ALL THE WAY!)

Is the US Declaration of Independence illegal?

well the Vatican is supportive of the Occupy Wall Street at least in theory

the TSA takes over our roads now! without the legal right to do so!

Idleness

2011-10-23T23:25:00.002-05:00

this week my bible study group talked about idleness. as in- Pro 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

we discussed how easy it is to be idle. we discussed reasons why we felt it was easy to become idle. we discussed what we did while being idle!

what about you? do you ever find yourself being idle? not relaxing for a few minutes, mind you, but being idle?

idleness- sluggishness, laziness, coming from a root word meaning to be neglectful.

ah now we get to the heart of it! neglectful! puts a new light on the word doesn't it?
do we ever neglect our families by being lazy and nor looking well to the ways of our households?

what are those ways? our domesetic concerns, according to strong's concordance.
how do we look well to them? to observe accurately and to see and judge.

what are we seeing and judging? EVERYTHING that our family comes in contact with!
from the foods we serve them, to the tv shows they watch. the video games they play and the friends they hang out with. what they spend their allowances on and how they do on their schoolwork. we are seeing if where they play is safe and judging their wardrobe needs.

both big and little "stuff" is to be observed, seen and judged.

and how do you do that if you aren't there?

we are called to be gatekeepers of our families and if we are lazy, neglectful and slothful we could let the enemy in without realizing it. the enemy can (and will) sneak in or come barreling thru and wreak havoc on our families.

so are you being idle?

linking with

my new banana bread recipe

2011-10-22T17:33:00.003-05:00

Prep Time:
10 Min
Cook Time:
1 Hr
Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9x5 inch loaf

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 egg
* 5 tablespoons milk
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup mashed bananas
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter or margarine. Beat the egg slightly, and mix into the creamed mixture with the bananas. Mix in sifted ingredients until just combined. Stir in milk and nuts. Spread batter into one greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until top is brown and cracks along the top.

taken from here

linking with

it's called a test- this time

2011-10-22T12:36:00.000-05:00

Did You Know Feds Will Temporarily Cut Off All TV and Radio Broadcasts on Nov. 9?

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/did-you-know-feds-will-temporarily-cut-off-all-tv-and-radio-broadcasts-on-nov-9/

Carpet Cleaning

2011-10-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

Carpet cleaners can contain naphthalene (found in mothballs) and perchloroethylene (often used in dry cleaning), known human carcinogens which can cause central nervous system (CNS) effects like dizziness, sleepiness and nausea. They may also include ammonia and synthetic fragrances. The amount of chemicals released from carpet cleaners and deodorizers can be considerable when large areas of the carpet have been cleaned. Children spend an awful lot of time crawling and playing on the carpet, so they are most susceptible.

If you need to take care of basic carpet stains yourself -- a simple mixture of warm water and vinegar with a tablespoon of liquid castille soap should get the job done. If you're planning to have your carpets professionally cleaned, be sure you locate a company who uses products certified by an independent organization like Green Seal. You can also ask them to clean using only water and baking soda, steam or club soda. (Tami's note- i have success with warm water and dawn dishwashing liquid, the original not the new one)

taken from HERE

well, drats!

2011-10-20T21:27:00.000-05:00

hubby says we might be cancelling our internet so if you don't hear from me for a few days don't despair! i will go to the library once a week and post something great!

meanwhile- here is a fantastic blog to read- Blessed Homemaking

A Few Homesteading Links

2011-10-20T17:57:00.000-05:00

how to drill a well yourself

make an olive oil lamp

16 ways to use whey

how to can pears

FAQS about goats

make a lasagna garden

PRAYER WORKS!

2011-10-19T12:56:00.000-05:00

remember when i gave you this

well here is a follow-up letter i received. PRAYER WORKS!

Dear Tami,

Three weeks ago, an Iranian court was prepared to execute Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani for his faith, and almost no one would have known about this brutal atrocity. Today, three weeks after his execution could have been carried out, Pastor Youcef is still alive, and his case has been sent to Iran’s Supreme Leader – because you took action.
Defend Israel, Defund the United Nations

You were the voice for Pastor Youcef; and because you spoke out, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives called for his release, 89 Members of Congress sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Clinton urging her to engage this situation to put pressure on Iran, the White House called for Pastor Youcef’s release, and numerous political and public figures added their voices in support of saving this man’s life. Major international media has put the spotlight on Iran’s human rights abuses and Pastor Youcef’s plight.

None of this would have been possible without your taking a stand. Now, as we continue to work with Pastor Youcef’s Iranian attorney, he continues to stress that the only thing keeping Pastor Youcef alive and the only thing that can secure his release is more pressure from the international community.

If you have not already done so, please sign our petition to pressure Iran for Pastor Youcef’s release. Nearly 200,000 of you have signed, and you could help put us over the top.

Today is the last day to sign this vital petition. The ACLJ will continue to work vigorously across the globe on Pastor Nadarkhani’s behalf, but this is the final day for the petition to Secretary of State Clinton. Our focus is now towards working with international human rights organizations and the media to keep Pastor Nadarkhani’s story alive.

I know that so many of you have signed this critical petition, and I cannot thank you enough. However, there is another way that you can help Pastor Youcef and enable us to reach the critical mark of 200,000 signatures.

In addition to forwarding this message, talking with your friends and neighbors, and using the Facebook “Like” buttons in this email, I encourage you to utilize our easy-to-use Petition Drive tool. If you have registered at ACLJ.org, you can use this tool to email our petition and post it on Facebook or Twitter, as well as track how many people sign this critical petition as a result of your efforts.

Pastor Youcef’s life truly hangs in the balance, and reaching this critical 200,000 mark will allow us to continue to show Secretary Clinton, the United Nations, and the international media that the American people truly care about Pastor Youcef’s life and want more international pressure to be placed on Iran.

We are very close to reaching this goal, and your signature or encouragement to someone else to sign could put us over the top. Thank you for continuing to fight for Pastor Youcef as he continues to stand up for his faith.

Jordan Sekulow
ACLJ Executive Director

Why I Have a Schedule Even Though I Hate Schedules

2011-10-19T10:48:00.000-05:00

i hate schedules! i hate having to do something at a certain time just because the clock strikes 2!
i hate stopping a great history class to rush into science , just as the kids were finally "getting it"
i hate the thought of not going to lunch with a friend because the schedule says i need to do laundry!

BUT i hate the chaos that comes with not having a schedule!

soooo i prayed. really prayed. i mean - i am not a managers of their homes type- tho i gleaned a lot from their book- but with 7 children i needed something!

and this is what i received from God.

have a schedule but without preset times attached to it. simply write history followed by science on the schedule board but don't have any times to start and end. history class can last 30 minutes or 2 hours . science follows history no matter what time it is.

sometimes we combine lunch with reading time! 2 birds with 1 stone kind of thing!

so that is what we have been doing !

linking with

My Tuesday

2011-10-19T00:59:00.000-05:00

my day - Tuesday- started out with dental surgery! i had an absessed tooth that needed removed since the infection was so far down and at 8 a.m i was on my way to get it out!
it went well.
i am still sore but it's a better sore than what i have been experiencing !

i came home and was able to lie down a bit but not really get any sleep.( my pain killers made me sleepy) phone calls kept coming in and kids and dogs kept running out and ... well, you get the picture. i did manage about 30 minutes of napping while the kids ate lunch- homemade mac and cheese- and watched a movie.

THEN we walked up to the public school for the girls' bible classes. it was colder out than i had thought it would be and i was no happy camper at having to walk when my mouth was throbbing but they love their class so.... praise God one of the women who works there stopped and gave us a lift! and our friend was there in time to give us a lift home!! she even stopped for me to buy chicken feed!yay!!

then i watched some tv while the kids played outside. yes- more lying down!

Sarah made potato soup for supper- the kids LOVE this- and we ate it lol. then Michael came home and took me up to the store to buy more milk- we go thru 5 gallons a week- and we got some iced tea also , just to drink and sit quietly before heading home.

when i got home, even tho it was past bedtime, i saw all the chores that had piled up so i got down to business. dishes were washed, floors were mopped- i made my son do it- laundry was put away, and carpets vacuumed.

now i am up later than i should be, checking email etc. but i am gonna be asleep very soon after i post this!

Sign the Petition

2011-10-16T09:35:00.000-05:00

for those who do like my "political" posts here is a good one :)

Letting You Know

2011-10-15T09:21:00.000-05:00

i have a new giveaway i found! i am so hoping i win this one!
it's the “Write them on the Doorposts” Contest

Contest prizes include $500 in gift certificates to Exodus Books, Wise Decor, and Doorposts. .

(i love Doorposts!
i have used several of their products- and we just received our Ruby doll kit yesterday and are anxious to dive in!
anyway i digress!)

so go on over and ENTER HERE

What if I Have to Work?

2011-10-13T18:09:00.000-05:00

you may ask "what about a woman who must work? a single mother? a divorced mom? a widow?"

the bible has answers to these questions.

First off you won't be a single mom if you are following the Word. that said- sin happens in all our lives and sometimes we pay the price for a lifetime.i don't mean the child is a burden for a lifetime- it is the fact that the sin bore fruit. and now the woman must pay the price.

divorced? did you pray about who your mate before you got married? if not then if things didn't work out you have no one to blame but yourself. and you will pay the price.

before you scream at me and spew hatred at me i was that woman! i always believed women should be home BUT i married someone just because i wanted to and it left me alone and with a child that now needed support and it came only from me! so i worked! i dropped my child off at a daycare or at my mom's and i missed more than i can tell you. BUT i made a huge mistake -sin- and paid the price, so please- i am not telling you that you are horrible and deserve bad things , i am stating the truth for both of us!
and yes i am remarried and have 7 children now and haven't worked for many many years.

widowed? the Word is very specific ! 1Tim.chapter 5 has plenty to say. younger widows are to remarry and older widows are to be taken care of by their families.
notice what vs 13 says- if a younger widow doesn't remarry then she will be more likely to start going from house to house.

1Ti 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

so yes God has lots to say on this subject.

i will leave you with this article i found HERE about the duties of a different keeper. compare it with being a keeper at home if you will ~smile

More on Keepers

2011-10-11T17:38:00.001-05:00

Continuing on with our study of What is a Keeper at Home (if you missed the other posts here they are: part one, part two , part three and part four

Other keepers mentioned in the bible

1. Prisons » Were under the care of a keeper (Genesis 39:21)
2. Privileges of Saints » HAVING GOD FOR THEIR » Keeper (Psalms 121:4,5)

did keepers at the prisons leave their posts? no way!!

does God leave His post (us) ? no way!

1. ASAPH » Keeper of forests (Nehemiah 2:8)
2. HANANI » A brother of Nehemiah and keeper of the gates of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:2;7:2)
3. HANANIAH » A keeper of the gates of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 7:2)
4. JOASH » Keeper of the stores of oil (1 Chronicles 27:28)
5. KING » Subordinate officers of » The keeper of the wardrobe (1 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22)
6. KORE » A Levite, keeper of the east gate (2 Chronicles 31:14)
7. MERCY » INSTANCES OF » The prison keeper, to Joseph (Genesis 39:21-23)
8. OBIL » Camel keeper for David (1 Chronicles 27:30)
9. SHEMAIAH » Keeper of the east gate of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:29)
taken from Biblegateway.com

now could someone "keep" a gate or a camel if they were not present? if a guard (another word for keeper) leaves his post it gives the enemy a chance to infiltrate the city- well if we wives/mothers leave our posts it gives the enemy, satan, a chance to infiltrate our homes!! remember what satan's first act was- to turn Eve against the admonition God had given her. why would you want to open up that "can of worms" again? why would you want to go against God's word when you know what can happen?!

ok, so what did what did keepers at home do"back then"?
according to William Smith's "Marriage", found in Smith's Bible Dictionary.

The social and domestic conditions of married life.-The wife must have exercised an important influence in her own home. She appears to have taken her part in family affairs, and even to have enjoyed a considerable amount of independence (Judges 4:18; 1 Samuel 25:14; 2 Kings 4:8 etc.).
In the New Testament the mutual relations of husband and wife are a subject of frequent exhortation (Ephesians 5:22; 5:33; Colossians 3:18-19; Titus 2:4-5; 1 Peter 3:1-7).
The duties of the wife in the Hebrew household were multifarious; in addition to the general superintendence of the domestic arrangements, such as cooking, from which even women of rank were not exempt (Genesis 18:8; 2 Samuel 13:5) and the distribution of food at meal times (Proverbs 31:13) the manufacture of the clothing and of the various fabrics required in her home devolved upon her (Proverbs 31:13; 31:21-22) and if she were a model of activity and skill, she produced a surplus of fine linen shirts and girdles, which she sold and so, like a well‐freighted merchant ship, brought in wealth to her husband from afar (Proverbs 31:14; 31:24). The legal rights of the wife are noticed in Exodus 21:10 under the three heads of food, raiment, and duty of marriage or conjugal right.

Taken from HERE
In Bible times, a woman was responsible for keeping the hearth fire burning at all times, as it was vital for food, warmth, and light. It was, in a sense, imperative to life itself. To "keep the home fires burning," so to speak, she had to be a keeper at home in the purest sense! Letting her hearth fires die brought embarrassment upon her home, for she would then have to walk through her village balancing a fireless brazier atop her head for all to see, and beg for another woman to have mercy and "heap coals of fire on (her) head." (Romans 12:20

if we aren't at home , who is tending the fires?

we'll discuss more on a keeper at home's duties next time.

linking with

find more HERE

Off Grid Living DVD Giveaway

2011-10-11T12:17:00.000-05:00

i try not to share too many giveaways here becuz response to them isn't that exciting lol BUT i have found one i think some of my readers will be interested in so i am letting you know about it!

Live Ready Now is a great site ya'll need to check out and what better time than when they are giving a way a dvd of a family who built their own huge house (5,000 sq ft!) and a woodworking shop (2,500 sq ft) with only the help of friends and family. They had no experience and little knowledge, but a dream to do it, and they got it done!
!

The family in this 5,000 square foot house has no electric bill!

Not only did they build their own house, but they did it all off-grid. It’s never been connected to the grid! And that was new for them as well.

i took these words exactly from their website by the way.

so go HERE and enter to win.

Save A Man's Life

2011-10-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

This man is being sentenced to death simply because he believes in Christ. Help him please!
i received this latest news release

We have just received news reports today regarding the life of Christian pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani. The Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei will personally decide the fate of Pastor Nadarkhani.

The step to involve the most powerful leader in Iran is unusual and demonstrates that Iran is feeling pressure from the international community – pressure from you.

Keep the pressure on Iran by signing our petition immediately. There is still time to make a difference.

According to Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s Iranian lawyer, the court delayed issuing a verdict and “has decided to ask the opinion of Mr. (Ali) Khamenei.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is an Islamic jurist and the final arbiter of questions of Shariah law.

Now that Iran’s Supreme Leader will be considering the case, it is imperative that our top diplomat, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, personally intervenes in working for Pastor Youcef’s unconditional release.

We are hand-delivering this petition to Secretary Clinton the moment the State Department opens its doors tomorrow morning. It is not too late to add your name to the list of over 127,000 people who have already signed this petition online. Pastor Youcef’s life hangs in the balance; please sign today.

for more info copy and paste the link below.
http://aclj.us/d5ra

Blasphemous to God?

2011-10-10T00:48:00.000-05:00

here is how Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words describes keepers at home ; it is used as an adjective and means:

Home, at Home (To Be; Workers):
"working at home" (oikos, and a root of ergon, "work"), is used in Tts 2:5, "workers at home," RV, in the injunction given to elder women regarding the training of the young women.

sooo we are to work AT HOME.

in working elsewhere we fail the to follow the next admonition of the verse , which is to be obedient to their own husbands. if you work outside the home you are obedient to someone else's husband. (or wife as in today's world). they tell you when to come in, when to eat lunch, if you can go home early etc, your schedule is not your own! it is theirs!

why do we do this? why be keepers at home ? so that the word of God be not blasphemed.!

how would that happen? well remember the verses in proverbs we mentioned earlier? those women were getting into trouble! were they doing anything that might blaspheme the word of God?

please comment on the question i posed. what were these women doing that was blasphemous to God?

The Phrase Keeper At Home

2011-10-09T11:36:00.000-05:00

the phrase keeper at home is used only 1 time in 1 verse in the whole bible.

again using the same method of a concordance and then a lexicon we learn that it means b) keeping at home and taking care of household affairs
the phrase comes from 2 Greek words- From οἶκος (G3624) and ouros (a guard, be "ware")

home- using our method, means the inmates of a house, all the members of the family.

so we are to guard all the members of our family.

so since the verse states the word "and" we are to do both- guard the family and take care of household affairs. as a domestic would.

here are examples of women who were not keeping at home as we are being admonished to
Pro 7:11 She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

1Ti 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

and here is an example of a woman being a keeper at home.
proverbs 31:10-31 and these 2 verses were singled out as examples

Pro 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

Pro 31:14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
so we have examples of what a keeper at home did.(note to self- brush up on sewing skills!)

(i am not writing this out of my own thoughts- this is coming from studying lexicons, concordances, and other texts which give the meaning to these words,)

Sarah is given as an example of a keeper at home, if you study out the word keeper using blue letter bible website.
Gen 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

True and Incorrupt Teaching

2011-10-08T00:44:00.000-05:00

Before the edict of Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed was given the first chapter of the book of Titus was written. Remember, there were no breaks in the letters written to the churches as there are breaks in our modern bibles. Chapter 2 goes with chapter one. Paul is dealing with the same situation in both chapters. How do we know this? Because after he is done explaining the problems with the people in chapter one he continues in chapter 2 explaining how to fix things, starting with the word "but" which means , in this case, moreover. so he is continuing his admonition.

What did this first chapter say? Long story short Paul was exhorting Titus to set the church in order. People were taking positions that they shouldn't have been doing. People were saying things they shouldn't be saying. So Paul was "getting God's house in order"

That sets the stage for the second chapter where we find out that Paul tells Timothy to "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

sound- true and incorrupt (using the concordance for the list of meanings and the lexicon for which meaning applies to which verse.)

doctrine= teaching (using the method above it means "that we might be taught)

SOOOOO, false teaching has been flying around town and Paul is explaining to Titus how to fix that. He doesn't have to do it alone- he can use the aged mean and women to do so! vs 2 and 3 And that will be true and incorrupt teaching. vs 1

What Is A Keeper At Home?

2011-10-07T17:48:00.001-05:00

I believe that we have diminished the importance of the home.
I think we have taken away the importance or significance of the home as the realm of the woman and placed it in the same category as, say, a job at anywhere else.

We don't value the importance of a keeper at home because , well, so few women truly keep the home .

Yes a woman might stay at home but is she keeping it? Does doing the laundry count as keeping the home? While laundry is a part of housework , which is a part of keeping the home,it is by far not the only thing a keeper at home does!

You can hire someone else to do your laundry. Or mop your floors.Or do the dishes.

We fail to see that keeping the home is much more than laundry, mopping or dishes. The arena which God gave to women is their place in the world, which has been shaped by satan,is to be a fulfilling life-giving entity.

I'd like to explore this keeping at home command with more depth. I'd like to share with you what I learn and I'd like you to share what you have learned.

Let's spend the next while discussing what a true keeper at home does. What she did differently "back then". How things came to be so different today.

If you are interested in this please comment and let me know. If not , we will move along ~smile.

Gifts?

2011-10-05T11:53:00.000-05:00

if you are on the look out for Christmas , birthday or any other gifts I'd appreciate it if you'd will kindly notice my Vision Forum affliate button on the right sidebar !
They are having a huge clearance right now and I'd love it if you chose my link to purchase thru . :) (ya'll know you buy from them anyways!)

grocery talk

2011-10-03T13:59:00.003-05:00

for more go here

mon- ham and beans, homemade bread
tues-tuna wraps
wed- eggs and sausage
thurs-potato soup and extras
fri-pizza

i am bound and determined to spend only $100 a week for groceries.(we have 9 in our family, plus 3 cats and 4 dogs) i usually manage to go over a little bit but not much! i plan to do better tho!

this week i spent a lot on my emergency cabinet supplies- winter is coming!- so i spent more than normal. but it's all good cuz it was necessary. i bought several canned soups since they were on sale and i had coupons. so i did well.

i have made several soups and frozen those also.

a friend gave me several canned veggies she didn't have room for in her new home so i have a lot of those in the emergency cabinet too. :)

some things i do to help along that $100 a week plan
-i have hens that lay all our eggs

we buy a half a cow at a time so our meat costs less. we plan for this purchase ahead of time so we can afford it.

-i am not loyal to any one brand but will buy what i have a coupon for.

-i look for deals wherever i go. for example i recently bought a package of 24 rolls of toilet paper at home depot. we went there for some glass cutting but i saw an endcap of great deals so...i stopped! they had charmin at a fantastic price cuz they were clearing it out. i don't normally buy charmin but i sure did that day!

-i stick with the basics for a lot of meals. beans, rice, potatoes, soups from scratch. i also make meatless meals some.

-i usually garden but with the drought i ain't gettin' nothin'!

-pancakes,french toast, oatmeal, brown rice topped with a spoonful of brown sugar are meals you can make several of when you buy just a few ingredients. and yes- even tho my "stalkers" say brown rice isn't a good meal obviously hasn't read much about it! plus i also serve fruit with it so...

-i don't waste my $ on organic milk. i used to til i read how the cows are treated are the same and the walmart milk comes from cows that are not given the hormones either so... i cut costs there.

i try not to but paper products too much. i buy cloth rags instead.

i make all my own cleaners so i save a lot there!!!!

when i run out of something i don't run to the store and buy it. i play around finding something i can use instead. no syrup for your pancakes? try molasses, honey, or jam. ~smile

i grow my own herbs and use them to make spices. i don't buy little packages anymore!

i tried a less expensive coffee and guess what? i liked it!! so try that on all sorts of things.

i'll share more tips when i think of them but i need to go- i am waiting for the vet to call. my dog was hit last nite by a car and he is having his leg amputated :( but he will be fine! and we already have a paralyzed cat so i guess we attract them! but seriously please pray that Peanut does well.

for more blog hops click here

Blessings

2011-09-29T20:24:00.006-05:00

i beg you to watch the video.

i often say i live between a rock and a hard place. and i mean it. nothing comes easy for me. or to me. others live out the dream that i have had for years and it comes so easily for them. i question God constantly it seems.

it hurts. it makes me cry. it makes me angry. it makes me feel like God's stepchild instead of his beloved child.

Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

my father has had a type of cancer that affects only 9 people a year. he has survived 4 years since diagnosed.

my daughter had a heart infection that they feared would kill her. she sailed thru surgery like a breeze.

my son was feared to die before his birth. we had no idea what our future would hold for him. he is perfect.

my husband and son survived an accident that all said should have killed them.

yes i have lost 6 children while pregnant. i have lost my home and it's contents. i have had much more happen that i won't bother you with.

BUT

i need to see the blessings.

if it weren't for the darkness i wouldn't see the light.

Leaving FB

2011-09-28T12:29:00.002-05:00

this is the link i used to delete, not deactivate, my facebook acct. i am sharing it because i was asked to- not because i am trying to force you to do what i did lol

delete facebook

i discovered that fb tracks people even after they log out or deactivate! they know everything we do! i realize that we are not "safe" if we are on the web at all but this , among other things, is just too much. once my husband deleted some pics of the kids from his account. totally deleted them. they were not there! then when i signed on to my dd's name to check things out lo and behold those pics were being shown in the sidebar as pics he had put up. i went back to his name and they were deleted. BUT everyone saw them except my husband. So he thought they were deleted and they were, but only from his viewing- not the entire world's!! if you read the fine print- fb owns everything you ever write or put on your fb page. not cool!

this is a violation of my privacy and i felt it was time to leave.

i have tried- a rerun

2011-09-27T16:25:00.002-05:00

i posted this a few days ago and then took it down becuz i didn't want to offend anyone but it did get emailed to subbers. i have had some come to my blog and want to comment but can't so i am putting it back up so that they can :)

i have tried to "change things up a bit" here on my blog. i have tried to make myself known and cull more readers . i have tried to "get noticed".

and i have been.

but noticed by whom?

strangers who follow my blog but never read it.

people who vote for my blog and ask for me to vote for theirs but i still can't figure out what we are voting on.

people who comment on the giveaway i offered but never come back after they didn't win.

it is all so fake!

i tweeted a comment today on why i followed so many people. it was so i could win a kindle!

i enter a lot of giveaways and sometimes i earn another entry into the giveaway by following that blog on fb or twitter.

sad isn't it? how i am just as fake as others? i mean i know women who follow over a thousand blogs- do they really read them?

i thought if i made money from my blog i could be more like the Proverbs 31 woman. i don't sew well, or do any other kind of handicraft so that was out.

i don't write well enough to really get noticed and "be someone" in blogland while still maintaining my integrity. others do and do it well but that is not me.

i have been told , and am finding out, that it is almost a fulltime job to blog and get paid well. unless you already have a "fanbase" of, say a thousand and i sure don't!

but i don't have that time! i homeschool 5 children and take care of 7 total and have 4 dogs, 3 cats and 7 chickens. plus a husband who likes to eat and see the rug vacuumed!
i enter giveaways because for some reason God has blessed me there and i win a lot of them. and they are helpful to win. like dvds, books , t-shirts and such for gift giving occasions. and food products for my family to eat.

and so i tweet.

facebook now is only a place to escape and play games. especially now that i can't understand it!

i wanted to make friends and socialize on it but how can you? you don't really know those people and just saying hi isn't enough for me.there are benefits to it but i still wonder. i mean - how can you be "friends" with 5000 people? do you really visit their profiles and read up on each one?

i have started discussion groups on both facebook and blogfrog and getting people to respond is like pulling teeth! i honestly don't have the time to keep starting topics that no one replies to.

i will be taking both the fb group and the blogfrog down.

i will still tweet and facebook on my own name cuz i get coupons and giveaways that way.

i will still blog because i want to encourage keepers at home.

but that's all. i hate the fakeness. i am not going to tweet and facebook unless i really am sincere in showing you what others have to offer, no more tweeting just to win. no more liking a page because i gain another entry. no more following if i don't plan to come back.

i am still open to affliates if anyone ever so chooses me! but i won't keep working so hard at it!

please don't think i am downing bloggers who do work at it and make money- i am not! it's just not the right path for me.

UPDATE- i deleted my whole fb account. not deactivated, but deleted it permanently.
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Links I'm Into These Days

2011-09-27T12:08:00.003-05:00

My Parker when he was little!

Priceless Woman

Testimonies of
Women Leaving The Workplace

My Blogfrog Community

How to Delete Facebook Forever

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Christian Unschoolers

How to Make a Peasant Skirt

That Little Word At

2011-09-25T15:35:00.000-05:00

What Does It Mean To Be A Keeper At Home?

In Strong's Concordance, keeper at (#3626) was defined as being a stayer at home; domestically inclined; a good housekeeper. It comes from the Greek word ouros that means a guard, or to be ware.

Note that tiny little word at. It plays an important part in defining a woman's role. Webster's Dictionary says that it is used as a function word. The two that best fit the phrase "keeper at home" are the following: a function word used to indicate presence or occurrence in, on, or near; used as a function word to indicate that with which one is employed or occupied. Now, if that doesn't open your eyes I don't know what will! According to God's word, a woman's presence is in the home and that she ought to be occupied by her home! If indeed she is occupied with her home, she will not have time for a career outside the home. That is our Father's will for women. Not a career outside the home for our career is our in our home, husband, and children.

for more go HERE

For All Your Hair Needs

2011-09-23T14:15:00.001-05:00

yes i have found another wonderful Lilla Rose giveaway!

go HERE to enter