Thanksgiving

We ejoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with Memom & Grandaddy & Uncle Erica & cousin Erica! We had a week full of fun.

The girls enjoyed playing Rummykube. This is a great game for the girls 7/8 and adults!! With 2-4 players you used numbered & colored cubes to make a set of same numbers in different colors or a series of numbers in one color... Just a week or so ago G'Ma Carol & G'Pa Ben taught us to play... and we were hooked!

While visiting we watched Amazing Grace. Wow it is awsome how one man changed the course of England! We need boys to grow into men like that!!

It is cool back at home!! Cool is low in the 40's. We're enjoying schooling by the fire.

Tomorrow is a Orthodontist #2 day!! We are also thrilled to be having G'ma Carol & G'pa Ben over with their crew!!

Tomorrow I'll be busy making a Taco Soup & Lovebug has asked for the Coconut Pies!! I hope that fits too!!! Then there's a B cake to make by Thursday!! Small Group is here on Wendesday... and I'm feeling snowed!!!

Pray for snow! Grace!! ss

Cornbread Salad

This is what I want to make this week at Memom's!! Have a great Thanksgiving!!! ss

Cornbread Salad from Michelle F.

• 1 (16oz) pkg. corn bread mix


• 1 (1 oz) pkg. ranch dressing mix


• 1 ½ c. sour cream


• 1 ½ c. mayonnaise


• 1 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, drained


• 3 tomatoes, chopped


• 1 c. chopped green bell pepper


• 1 c. chopped green onion


• 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese


• 10 slices bacon


• 2 (11 oz) cans whole kernel corn, drained

Prepare corn bread according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until

evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Whisk together the salad

dressing mix, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Set aside. Place half of the

crumbled corn bread in the bottom of a large serving dish. Top with half of

beans. Add the tomatoes, half of cheese, bacon, corn and salad dressing.

Repeat layering using remaining ingredients. Garnish as desired. Cover and

chill two to three hours before serving.

The Art of Knitting

We've just started working on knitting with Lovebug and Ladybug. I'm not sure they will be hooked... but it has been fun to check out....

The Art of Knitting 4 Kids is a DVD with great instruction!! Here is a snip it! I think it is an easy way to introduce you and your kidos to knitting...

Memom picked up this DVD. She is a compulsive knitter!! She's having a ball knitting socks!! We have a great shop we can get to get yarn & help!!

I'm knitting a bit!! I'm learning from Memom too!!!

Grace! ss

Comments

Nov. 17, 2007 - Posted by Leigharev2
Hi! I am very attracted to AO, but love Sonlight and am currently using that. I am looking into trying to morph some of the elements of AO into our routine.

Oral Surgery

Daddy's teeth!  O how quickly we head into the next thing....  I'd call it yet another crisis, but it just seems to be life this year... 

Orthodontics appintments have started already.  For a year we've made visits as they watch Lovebugs baby teeth be crowded out.  We'll this was the visit of action!!  Yikes, 4 baby teeth to come out!!  Peter Pan had a much better deal just sticking with his baby teeth!!!

This extraction is too much for our wonderful & familiar dentist DDS Baker...  Alas, we've been refered to an oral surgeon!!   Hubbie is in BSF with DDS Mac....  so it seems the path is set. 

Daddy had all this route as a child... a head brace... something called a functional regulator...  and a whole lot of stuff to give him a beautiful smile!!  (Thanks Mom & Dad!!)  He even threw part of it in the trash at school!!!   Maybe we'll not have that problem.... 

The appointment is for aftter Thanksgiving.... and maybe we'll put the surgery off into next year... this year has truely been a banner year!!

Rejoice in the Lord always!  ss

Better Yogurt

Would you believe last time I posted on yogurt... it flopped!!! My lesson from that round was new milk is much better than older milk!!

Yogurt for Daddy & the Girls!

• 4c Milk
• 3-4T Cornstarch
• Yogurt starter

1. Heat the milk & cornstarch till thickened... and just boiling...


2. Cool the milk to 120ish degrees... mix a small portion with the starter & combine with all cooled milk.


3. Put into yogurt maker for 24 hours.

Flavor the Yogurt- sweeten the entire batch

• 1/3 c maple syrup


• 2~ T of your favorite fruit preserves. Hubbie really likes peach.... we're also making blueberry, strawberry, apricot, blackberry, & raspberry.

I generally spin the batch with my immersion handheld blender. Enjoy! I'm making 3-4 batches a week!! Maybe cooler temps will slow it down.... we'll see.

Well, that blender is the latest appliance to spark & toast!! Maybe it will be on my list for the biggest shopping day of the year... Toaster ovens, microwaves & blenders are not meant to last forever!!! God's word lasts forever!!! ss

Chicken & Rice Soup

A few weeks ago, we enjoyed a wonderful weekend with Memom & Aunt Karen. One of our delights that weekend was a wonderful soup...

Memom's Chicken & Rice Soup

• Whole Chicken


• Onion - Diced


• 3 Ribs Celery Diced


• Salt & Pepper


• 10oz Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice **Next time I'll use the 5oz


• Peas & Carrots - Frozen

1. On stove top, cover Chicken with water, add Onions & Celery. Bring to boil & cook til done (2hrs). Remove Chicken & all bones :). Debone Chicken & dice. Remove the fat from the broth.


2. Bring broth w/ onions & celery to boil add rice. Cover and cook until done.


3. Add Carrots & Peas (& corn too if ya wish) & add back Chicken & cook til carots are just done. (With the 10 ounces of riced I added back in like 3 cans of broth.... that's why I'll go to the 5 ounce next time.... and a little white rice if needed... )


4. Serve with crackers and Enjoy!! Freeze in small zips for and easy lunch on cold winter days!!

I took the soup to our Small Group last night!! I think Caleb (4) liked it the most!! What fun!!

Rejoice in the Lord always! ss

My Best Overall Coconut Pie

I yet cannot believe I won the best overall pie contest!!

Best Overall Coconut Pie

Here's the recipe...

in a minute!! ss

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Tonight we're heading to our Small Group.  The day has been yet another struggle... oral surgery!!  but that's another post...  This is great for the season!!!

Pumpking Dump Cake  from AllRecipes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree


• 3 eggs


• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar


• 1/2 cup white sugar


• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk


• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 (18.25 ounce) package spice cake mix (I used a yellow cake)


• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans


• 1/2 cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.


2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, white sugar and milk. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Pour into pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin filling. Sprinkle pecans over the cake mix. Drizzle melted butter over all.


3. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool.

Enjoy God provison & give Him thanks!! ss

Broke Broke Broken

Ok.... I'm glad it is not a nose! And Hubbie is healing...

Yet! I'm getting weary of this!! Broke broke broken.... Today it is the microwave!! The button to open & close the door is popping out. I've already lost the toaster oven because it shocked me... grr...

It seems everything broken and everybody has been broken/damages & is healing... I'm weary! We've started to dig out of the related bills... it will stretch us & make us lean... :) Leaning on Him!

I'm praying God's hand on us for good & not to harm us. I'm praying for the washer & dryer & the cars.... the a/c & heat. I'm praying God's protection in the daily miles we cover & the Thanksgiving miles we'll drive. God's protection on the family we love.

When I am weak... He is strong.... He must be really strong now because I'm really weak! ss

Remembering

My heart and prayer goes out to Caroline in the loss of her little one!!! It brings all back the sadness of loosing our little one!! Remembering...

As we told the girls, we prayed for them as a family. Ladybug prayed that our little one and their little one could now play together in heaven.

It was a God moment filled with His comfort!!

Update: Lovebug's nose is positivelly green!!! Healing. Hubbie announced today that the bumps in the road no longer hurt. Healing. He's also back to driving his stick!

It is amazing how God created our bodies to heal!!! From noses to major surgery we continually see God's hand in healing our sickess... It is so good to call on Him!! ss

Comments
Nov. 12, 2007 - Posted by lklivingston
I didn't know about this. I'm so sad.

Broken Nose??

I dont even want to think of yet another dr bill...

but Wednesday my 7 yo fell and hit the bridge of her nose.... we were at Chick-fil-A... she slipped and hit a metal handrail.....

I know it hurt badly... and she's turning blue under her eyes... and this evening the swelling has impaired her breathing.... she complained her nose hurts & tylonol has helped....

Alas, now what?? Her nose is not misshapened.... Do we visit a Dr? An ENT? The ER??

Any experience here???

I'm so tired of drs!! I'm even more weary with medical bills!!! God goes before us! He owns the cattle on 1000 hills!!! And all my pennies are His... and it seems He is spending more!!

His grace is sufficient!!! ss

Note on recovery...

Things here are going well. I am recovering pretty well, but slow, the second surgery was harder than the first and the recovery has been longer… the weekends seem to be the hardest. I don’t know why but through the week I feel pretty good, minor discomfort but when the weekend hits I start to hurt in mainly two areas of my lower abdomen. I still have some swelling that as the day drags on it seems to shift toward my beltline and once it contacts my beltline I then start to bend over and it hurts pretty much until I get home and in bed for the evening. I think the doctors would tell me when that happens I need to stop pushing myself.

I have been back at work for two weeks since the surgery. It has been a help to be back here because I come in and do something consistent from day to day and I can feel myself getting stronger. Each day I am able to last longer and longer before the beltline issue above starts.

Tuesday I went home and we picked up pumpkins and carved them up for the girls, and they loved it. I will have to post some pictures of it.

This last time the surgery was on Tuesday and I had a real hard time pretty much through Thursday. Friday I was able to get out of bed and get moving.

KjS

Peter Pan Teeth

It was park day and the girls enjoyed outside time with friends. I too enjoyed visiting wth other schooling moms. And then.....

On the monkey bars, Ladybug hung.... as sister came to the rescue, she grabbed on hanging Ladybug and pulled her down. It was not a graceful rescue... and I'm sure it was not the safest way down.

Ladybug sat crying & her mouth bleeding! Unconsolable! We left the park yet in tears... I was gald we were close to home.... erands would have to wait...

Peter Pan is not what the girls are dressing up for tonight's Farm Fair! Nor is it the attempted rescue!! We've talked alot lately about Peter Pan teeth!! We all enjoyed reading Peter Pan in AO1... Ladybug yet has those Peter Pan teeth... all baby teeth! Since the crash we've wondered if she'll loose one of those baby teeth... As of yet they are all in tight, except for an occasional "I cannot bite that!"

Bloging has come slower as life has resumed pace. Hubbie is long back at work... and he's yet in pain. More pain than last time and more than he's expected! This 2nd surgery has been alot harder recovery! Monday we'll see his surgeon again and make sure all it normal!! Often hubbie takes his temp to make sure his is norm.... He's yet praying for no leeks from the surgery... and he's hoping 6 weeks from surgery he'll feel much better than now!!! Now he's 4 weeks out....

Best Overall

I cannot believe it!!! I won!! I won the Pie Bake-Off!!! I took Memom's Coconut Cream Pie & won!!

There were awards for Best Tasting, Most Creative, & Best Over-all!!!

I think tomorrow I'd better share the recipe!! We'll celebrate with a gift card!! ss

Comments
Nov. 5, 2007 - Posted by lklivingston
How wonderful! I would have loved to have tasted it!

Memom!

Yea! Memom & Aunt Karen are coming!!! We are looking forward to a weekend with family!! It is so fun to inport family!!! Thanks to ya'll for covering the miles!!!

Yogurt!! Yikes the last time it flopped!!! Oh, I'll have to discover why!!

And they are here!!! Memom memom memom!!!

ss

My Best Yogurt

With all hubbie's surgeries... he's learned to like yogurt! Yogurt yogurt yogurt gets expensive! So with our fresh milk, we make butter and now yogurt too!!

Thanks to Evelyn & Aimee, I'm using a yogurt maker! It makes 5 cups at a time!

My Best Yogurt

• 3c Milk


• 1/3c Sugar


• 3T Cornstarch
  
  

1. Heat to 185-195F. Place pan in cool water to cool down.


2. Cool to 122-130F

• 1/2c Yogurt- Plain for starter (I'm using a Bulgarian Yogurt)

Mix starter into cooled milk. At this point I add it to my yogurt maker for 12-24hrs.

This makes a sweet yogurt. We then add peach preserves, apricot preserves, or blueberry jam and eat it up! Yumm...

I've also read of making yogurt in a cooler with hot water... and other ideas too!! Sound cool??!!! I'll post soon some Pumpkin Muffins!! We'll make them first!

Hubbie is yet hurting!! Humf! It seems this should be done!! Lovebug decided adoption would bring a baby our way. Her knee is also healing from a bad figure8 crash (Ask KjS!) and repeat falling on it! Ladybug is learning her "j J Jam". Mama's making a southwestern soup!!

I've been reminded everything is God's and with open hands we hold it for him!! Trusting His loving hands!! ss

Beatitudes

Today we caught up on Lovebug's Bible Study Lesson. Matthew 5:1-16

Snuggled in bed we read Jesus' words. She did good reading through the questions. She was challenged to memorize the eight Christian characteristics of blessed people.... in her BSF lesson.

Poor in spirit, Mourn, Meek, Hunger & Thirst for righteousness, Merciful, Pure in heart, Peacemakers, & Persecuted because of righteousness.

The next question: "Does one of these eight characteristics describe you? Which one?" Mourn for our BaBy

Daily I'm reminded by both my girls of the baby we've lost now a month ago. This chapter I closed when Hubbie went back in the hospital... is yet a chapter continuing. Last night Lovebug thought she'd figured it out... laying down to sleep.. "Mama, we could adopt a baby." And tonight again on the pillows Ladybug asked if I missed out little one.

My first prayer with loosing the baby was for God to protect the hearts of my girls. Their hearts yet ache and I'm reminded that they each are a blessing! Life lessons... this is a big one!! ss

Fast or Slow

What is fasting? Going real fast. -Love Bug

Sinus alarm: 5:45 Oh, that's too early for me!

40 Days of Prayer: We'll join the prayer campaign today. A challenge to commit to pray. That's a good challenge

Civil War Battle: Today we'll visit the 1863 period Confederate and Federal military camps complete with infantry, artillery, and cavalry. Also visit the period civilian camp, shop at period sutlers, or come and listen to the band play. Modern food concessions are also located on site. Come enjoy the day with us!

2:00 p.m.

Battle reenactment begins

Tonight is Ladies Night: Chocolate & How you met your husband! (Oh, that's a story... Rome!)

Grace to ya! ss

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Sinus Battle

My driver has been sleep. Once or twice a week I awake in the night with a sinus attack. I lay down as long as I can stand it... and eventually I grab a box of klenex and try to breathe for hours. This week I've had to take the upgrade to Puffs with lotion for my hurting nose!!!

Yesterday I made a break through!!! I headed to our health, herb, natural, grains, and I even heard buffalo store. I got the herbal ingredients for a Sinus Wonder Wash. It is not for the fair hearted. It is not pretty. It is for battle!! A battle I want to win!

After years of struggle... my M.D. had me on Rx after Rx and Zertec had helped until this year it dried my eyes and I could not wear my contacts :( dried my lips to the point of pain... so I wearied of the Z and cut my dose to 1/2.

Then my N.M.D. (Natural Medical Dr.) said I was generally healthy!! Merely a bit of venom in my system and I was good!

All that and the sinus attacks continued... even on the Zertec... and much harder after. Well Sunday I stopped the Z. Wednesday I bought the soft kleenex. Thursday I started the wash. Last night I slept all night and woke rested. That was wild!! I felt better than longer than I can remember.

The Sinus Wonder Wash has not been my first alternative help!! GOOT was a first try. If you are curious e me!! I'll share what I've gleaned!! Tonight I'll sleep and enjoy breathing anew!

Jesus Heals! ss

Comments

Oct. 22, 2007 - Posted by Anonymous
Just what was this miracle weapon?

Dec. 22, 2007 - Sinus Remedy
Posted by lklivingston
Check out this link: http://instapundit.com/archives2/013258.php Perhaps it would be worth a try?

A Midsummer Night's Dream

We enjoyed A Midsummer Night's Dream play today!! I'd not planned this trip with all life has going on lately... but last night I prayed "God, if you want us to go, get us up in time."

He must have wanted us to go!! This morning I was up at 6a and my sinus attack kept me up!! So I started to get ready for the day and realized that God had gotten me up in time to go to the play!! I was dressed and fixing breakfast at 8a.... my little one was up at 7:45 and dressed right away. I woke my big girl and she was eager about the play too. We ate and were out the door by 8:30! Impressive!

I'm so thankful!! I'm surprised too, that we could be up and gone!!! God is so good!!! And I really like ages 5 & 7!!!

Just so I knew God was orchestrating... He got me at the play at 9:20 just as Traci was arriving. It was a God appointment!! We'd never met and only emailed on our AO site.!!! She has 3 kidos and my girls had a ball playing with them after the play!! It was great sharing our AO journey and learning from each other!

The play was enjoyed by all!! It is great to see Shakespeare acted out. We are reading his plays in our AO plan, but reading does not capture the joy of his plays.

God's Plan!! ss

Mum- so glad you found our site :) All our love to you & dad & Eric. We miss ya!

Comments
Oct. 18, 2007 - Posted by lklivingston
I really wanted to go! I'm glad it worked out for you.