Kitchen, Catch-Up, and Cafe

Kitchen

Happy Monday! First, our menu for the week. I've decided that when we start school I will add what we're having for breakfasts and lunches, too, but for now I'm keeping it simple by just listing dinners. This week I've included a recipe that my 11 year old chef-in-training created a few months ago, which he adapted from this Hay and Straw recipe. Fun!

Monday: Cheesy Beef Potato Bake, green beans, yeast rolls
Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken (Fix It and Forget It, p. 178), stir-fried veggies, rice
Wednesday: Pizza Pasta (a recipe created by my son! See below.) garlic bread, Caesar salad
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Take Out Chinese
Weekend: Sandwiches, leftovers, eat out after church

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"Pizza Pasta" (A Culinary Creation by Kyle)

1 16 oz package elbow macaroni
1 T butter or margarine
2 C pepperoni, cut into quarters
3 C frozen green peas
1 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet and saute pepperoni. Add peas and heat through. Drain pasta, transfer to a large serving dish and toss with pepperoni and pea mixture. In a sauce pan, combine Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and cream. Add salt and pepper. Toss with pasta mixture. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

To read more weekly menus or to post your own, head on over to Laura's.

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Catch-Up

Y'all. Guess what happened after my last post, in which I was so thankful for air conditioning??? You guessed it. We spent Thursday night camping out in the kids' rooms (the only rooms with a/c) and Friday morning with the air conditioner repairman getting our main downstairs a/c unit fixed. Can you believe it? (The same thing happened with my washing machine once after I posted a Thankful Thursday about it!) But, I still went to bed thankful for a/c that night... and thankful that we have two units!

We went over to a friend's house and had a small High School Musical 2 watching party, It was cute! I wrote about it, as well as the new musical I think Disney should write, here.

I hope you had a great weekend! I know some of you are returning from last-minute before-school vacations. I hope everyone had a relaxing time! I wouldn't exactly call our weekend "relaxing" but it was wonderful. On Saturday we enjoyed our niece's 4th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. We hadn't been there in years! It was fun to see her and all of her little friends enjoying the games and fun (but they weren't quite so happy to see Chuck E. the giant mouse when he showed up! Oh, the tears! They either love him or hate him, I've found!) Here's a picture of the older cousins clowning around. I didn't get a picture of the birthday girl, though!

After the party we did some work around the house and then spent Saturday evening after church unpacking our 15+ Awana boxes at the Awana office. (Whew!) It was fun to restock our shelves of all of the t-shirts, vests, jewels, handbooks and supplies that we will need during our Awana Club year. It always makes me excited about the upcoming year, much like buying school supplies does! As usual, we couldn't do it without our faithful kids, diligently working alongside us.

Then, yesterday evening we had our annual Awana leader orientation. We had over 100 people there! We enjoyed some wonderful words from our new teaching pastor, who really encouraged us in our roles to point these little ones to Christ and help them love Him more as they learn to love His qualities that they see in us. While our faithful leaders were enjoying sandwiches, inspiring words, door prizes and training sessions, the leaders' kids upstairs were enjoying our annual "Wild About Awana" party. I love having those parties for the leaders' kids when we have leader meetings. I tell ya, if you want to love on me, love on my kids! That's the philosophy I have when I want to show our leaders how much we appreciate them... I love on their kids! We had food, games and prizes for them, and they all had a great time! We had a great team of older kids and moms upstairs running the party while I ran back and forth between the big meeting and the party, checking in.
Whew! I didn't get to snap any pictures at the kids' party, but I wish I had. It's so fun to see those smiles! I did snap this one of my cute husband, "Commander Luke" speaking to the leaders. ("Commander" is the Awana term for the person who leads the entire club. To me, it seems like more of a "scout-y" term from back when it seemed to resemble more of a scouts-type organization. Our church is more relaxed, and Luke and I prefer calling ourselves the "coordinators" but once someone called me the "Lt. Commander" and, I have to admit... I sort of like it, LOL!)

This week I am continuing to flesh out our school plans. We have our big homeschool association meeting tonight, and I am officially passing the baton of "librarian" to someone else. Our fun friends that are "m's" in China are stateside so we are hanging out with them tomorrow. My hard-working daughter is working at the church cafe on Wednesday helping to cater an event. Friday is my final, major Awana work day in the office to finalize everything for the year. Add to the above a zillion errands and that's my week!

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Cafe

Lastly, (as if you haven't read enough of my rambling if you've made it this far!) join me at the Internet Cafe today where I'm talking about how God hears us, even when it seems like He doesn't. How can we know? Come find out!


Well, I'm all menu-planned and caught up. And, I'll be at the cafe all day!

I'm so very blessed that you stopped by, and have a terrific week!

Thankful Thursday

Oh, how refreshing in the midst of the heat of 105-109 degree days to stop and be... thankful. It is truly a cool, refreshing breeze against the oppressive discontent that can so easily settle in my spirit!

Today I'm thankful for:

~air conditioning. Truly. I have been praying for those who have nowhere to go to escape the scorching heat.

~a forecast of cooler temperatures through the weekend and next week.

~that the city library was kind enough to send our church their library book that we accidentally turned in there last week. (I knew that would happen if we checked out a book about sharks at church... that it would end up in the wrong basket!)

~ for my sweet cyber-smart mother-in-law who sends me e-cards. I'm also thankful for her wonderful, new job that she will be starting soon. Going to work a few years ago was a season of transition for her after being home so many years raising six kids. I am thankful that God helped her to hone marketable skills (not to mention tenacity and people skills) while she was home caring for those precious babies all those years.

~ for my hard-working husband who leaves the house at dark:30 in the morning to provide for our family. And calls me to thank me for the balogna sandwich I sent with him. :) How I love it when he comes in the door in the evenings and we all share a meal together. It's one of my favorite things in this life.

~ for the sound of Legos rattling in the bins upstairs as I write. I love my creative 11 year old boy and the creatures, ships and robots that he proudly shows me. While he builds with plastic bricks, God is nurturing and fostering his creativity, preparing him for the many ways He'll have him use it for building the Kingdom for God's glory throughout his life.

~ for my sleepy teenager who I'm letting "sleep in" during her last few days of summer. She works so hard for others, babysitting, working at our church cafe, teaching a gymnastics class, and helping me at the Awana office and around our house. I can see that God is building a strong work ethic in her, and I know it will serve her (and most of all, her Heavenly Father) well.

~ for the energy and creativity God is granting me as I prepare for our upcoming schoolyear. Homeschooling is one of the privileges for which I remain supremely grateful everyday. Each year as the task seems to grow more daunting, God's grace increases all the more to meet me in my weaknesses and help me rise to the responsibility. Believe me, it's all Him!! Thank You, Lord!!

~ for all of the volunteers we have so far in our Awana club. It takes about 150 volunteers to run a club our size, and God Himself is assembling a top-notch team who He will use this year to bless so many households in our community. I love the mental image of His Word being poured into those homes and little hearts. Lives are being shaped and transformed, and it's such a privilege to serve in this ministry. It's a lot of work at the moment, but He is showing me that it's worth it.

Please stop by Iris's to share your thanks or to visit others to see what they're thankful for. Be warned... it's contagious! :)

I'm thankful that you stopped by! Have a great day!

A Busy Day Ahead?

"If I am going to have a busy day, I spend one hour with the Lord. If I am going to have a very busy day, I spend two hours with the Lord."
~Martin Luther

Morning Meditations

"May my meditation be pleasing to Him as I rejoice in the Lord." Psalm 104:34

Yesterday I awoke before dawn as I heard my husband stir to get ready for work. For some reason, I spent the next few moments remembering a horrible sin. An almost decade-old sin that has long since been confessed, repented of, and forgiven. But, yesterday morning, out of the blue (or "black" since it was still dark!) here it came. I lay there feeling so guilty, so regretful, and remorseful. Where did that come from? I don't know, but I can tell you where it went. Straight to the Father. Right there I prayed, thanking Him for His grace and mercy, and for the ready forgiveness He had offered for that sin all those years ago. I asked Him why that random thought had popped into my head, and asked Him to please take it (along with the familiar "pang" in my stomach) away, if it was not of Him. No matter where it was from, I asked Him to accomplish the purpose for which He had allowed it. Oh, how I want my heart changed! If He uses my past poor choices as warnings for me, I welcome those warnings! There are some places I never want to go again!

As I prayed silently, under that momentary burden of guilt, I remembered something my pastor had said in last weekend's church service. He was speaking of Christ's accomplishing work on the cross, and the unbearable physical pain our Savior had endured. Then he said, "But, that was nothing compared to what He went through mentally. As He hung there, He felt like a murderer. A thief. A child abuser." I thought of the pangs of guilt I was feeling and realized anew the tiniest, most miniscule fraction of what Christ felt- except that the guilt I felt was from something I had actually done! He felt guilt, shame, and remorse for things He had never even entertained the idea of doing. He endured the shame of the pain and isolation of the Father turning His face from Him, because a Holy God could not look upon such sin. He did that so that I could lay there in the early morning hours and know mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing.

I went through my day yesterday, knowing that God sees me as righteous, despite the horrible sin in my life, because for that moment so long ago, Jesus willingly took on that sin, plus all the ones I've ever committed before, plus all I'll ever commit, and all of every believer's past, present, and future sins throughout all of history and into the future.

And I was just feeling the weight of that one.

Oh, thank you Jesus.

"Sing O Sing, of my Redeemer

With His blood, He purchased me,

On the cross He sealed my pardon,

Paid the debt and made me free."

Menu Plan Monday

O taste and see that the LORD is good;

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Psalm 34:8

Happy Monday! I've been in and out of "MPM" this summer, but I've been planning menus each week just the same. I find that knowing what we're having for dinner each night helps anchor our afternoons and make everyone feel like there's a little bit of structure, even during these free-flowing summer days (which are all-too-quickly coming to a close!)

Some things we've enjoyed the past couple of weeks have been:

Baked Zucchini Chips
Rachel Ray's Corn Bacon Muffins
Hawaiian Meatballs
Asian Beef and Noodles
Chicken Pesto Paninis
Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Here's what we're having this week:

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday: Shrimp Scampi, rice pilaf
Wednesday: Crock Pot Tater Tot Casserole (from my Fix it and Forget it cookbook)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Order pizza with friends (and watch High School Musical 2, of course!)

Be sure to stop by Laura's for more menu plans, or to share yours!

What Do You See?

My sweet Grandmother, about whom I've posted before, is a vivacious 80-something year old woman with a heart for others. She volunteers in the two nursing homes in her town each week. Many of the people she visits are younger than her! Everytime we visit her, we accompany her on her "rounds" and always enjoy our time with the patients. The way their faces light up when she walks in the room speaks of the loving rapport she has with them, born of the hours she has spend looking into their eyes and getting to know them.

My son has become very interested in volunteering in a retirement facility in our town, running BINGO games once a week and helping some of them grocery shop at WalMart. I'm so glad he has a heart for these dear older people, and I believe it has stemmed from our visits to the nursing homes with my Grandmother. There is so much to be learned from them!

Recently my Grandmother came across this poem and gave it to the staff at each of the facilities in which she volunteers. I read it before our most recent visit, and it really changed how I saw these precious, precious people. It was written by an old woman in a geriatric ward in a hospital in Scotland. It was assumed she hadn't left anything "of value" when she died, but upon going through her things, this poem was found:

"An Old Lady's Poem"

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit,,with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe.....
Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill....
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse; you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of ten ...with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another.
A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.
A bride soon at twenty-my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.
At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.
At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love that I've known.
I'm now an old woman ...and nature is cruel;
'Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living life over again.
I think of the years ....all too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,
..Not a crabby old woman; look closer ...see ME!!

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

Thankful Thursday: Little Things

I haven't done a Thankful Thursday in just forever! I have been trying to cultivate a spirit of gratitude in recent months and today I thought I'd post some of the "little things" for which I'm grateful, that came to mind as I was getting up and around this morning:

~All of my houseplants are currently alive.

~My car passed inspection yesterday.

~My pedicure is still intact.

~There was enough of my favorite cereal for breakfast this morning.

~I went to Target yesterday.

~While there, I ran into a dear friend and got to chat.

~And I ran into someone who wants to be a leader in our Awana club.

~A sweet, fun friend is having my kids over to play today, while I go to a conference.

~All of our appliances are working, and even at this moment are washing our stuff and keeping our food cold.

~I know what I'm going to wear today.

~Despite the 105 degree heat index, I'll need a jacket at the conference.

~We have leftovers.

~We're having them for dinner tonight.

~I got up really early.

~The kids didn't.

~My bed is made and waiting for me to fall back into it tonight.

What "little things" are you thankful for today?

Visit Iris for more Thankful Thursday posts.

We Don't Always Need to Pray for Peace

Or to feel peace. Sometimes, it's perfectly appropriate to pray for the Lord to "disturb us" about certain things! Join me today at the Internet Cafe where I share a prayer that has had a profound effect on me.

66 Things I Love About My Mom

(Why 66? Oh, just a, um, random number...)

1. She used to feed and care for me when I couldn't.

2. She cared for my grandmother (her mother) when she couldn't care for herself.

3. She is a good friend to many.

4. She has generations of past school students who remember her as one of their favorite teachers.

5. She comes to see my clean house and must remember the pile that was my teenage bedroom...

6. She worked really hard while I was in college so that I wouldn't have any student loans.

7. She always stays in the Word. No matter what.

8. She brings beautiful music into people's lives.

9. She loves a good joke. And laughs politely at the dumb ones.

10. She taught me how to skin and debone a chicken. A skill I've never used, but at least I know how!

11. She taught me how to drive a stick shift... AND not roll back when stopped on a hill! A skill I needed when I drove in France last year.

12. She can say "Cyn-thi-a!" in a tone that no one else can.

13. She can accomplish much with one raised eyebrow. Move over, Yoda.

14. She has never met a dog she didn't love.

15. She sews better than anyone I know.

16. She can make gravy with anything, and taught me the "ways of the force" in this area.

17. She'll try anything once.

18. She has a heart for mission work.

19. She has scrapbooked every. single. picture. she owns.

20. She thinks every woman she meets is "just the cutest thing you've ever seen!"

21. She thinks her church is "just the sweetest bunch of people you've ever known!"

22. She's not afraid of hard work.

23. She made all my (CUTE!) maternity clothes in an era when all of the maternity clothes had sailor collars and big bows. I had women stop me and ask where my clothes were from.

24. She is convinced that all her grandchildren are gifted and talented. Really. They are.

25. She is convinced that my brother and I are gifted and talented. Really. We are.

26. She is shocked at some of the things my brother and I tell her we did when we were little. Like, I think she thought we were nice.

27. She faithfully endured years of dinner table conversations about bodily functions. ("Every time we sit at the table, it degenerates into this!")

28. She has adopted some of my grandmother's sayings. "Oh, law!"

29. When she sees homeschooling moms out and about, she stops them and tells them what a wonderful thing they are doing.

30. She shops 'til she drops, then she crawls.

31. She believes in daily naptime. I didn't appreciate this as a child, but now I see the beauty of it!

32. She has watched "As the World Turns" since the world actually started turning.

33. She can make a devotional out of anything. A rock. A tree. A pipecleaner. Dryer lint.

34. She has no greater joy than to hear that her children walk in the truth. (III John 4)

35. She can play anything on the piano. While making a row of 5th grade boys behave.

36. She never made us eat liver or lima beans, even when she made them for Dad.

37. She cheers the loudest at games of any kind, any team, anywhere.

38. She laughs with those who laugh.

39. She weeps with those who weep.

40. Whatever emotion you're going through, I guarantee you she understands.

41. She sets specific goals and achieves them.

42. She loves her big brothers so much, just saying their names makes her cry.

43. She's married to her best friend.

44. You can hear her a mile away at a theme park. ("Yep, that's mom on the log ride...")

45. She taught me how to, um, take care of restroom needs on a steep incline on the side of a mountain. (Oh, those Colorado summers... And, yey for hiking boots.)

46. She told me I was pretty even when I wasn't.

47. She told me I was good at math even when I wasn't.

48. When I finally was relatively pretty and good at math, she said, "See? I told you so!"

49. She says "You can always do more than you think you can."

50. She also says that if you say "I can't" you must follow it with the word "yet."

51. She feels that chocolate cake is a perfectly healthy breakfast, as long as you have milk with it.

52. No matter what it is, if she has it and you need it, she'll give it to you.

53. She has sung the showstopper in musicals and waiting for the applause to die down did stop the show momentarily!

54. She makes a church lady face when she sings solos in church and she's not afraid to own that fact.

55. She sat in the ICU waiting room for days with my dear (young, scared) husband when I had heart surgery.

56. She endured years of a very realistic fake spider ("Spidey") being placed strategically on her pillow, in her underwear drawer, etc. when she would least expect it. I can still hear the shrieks. Her poor heart.

57. She always helped me decorate my dorm rooms and apartments so they were just the cutest. For nine months. Until it was time to take it down and move it somewhere else. Year after year.

58. She knows every hymn ever written.

59. All four stanzas. (None of this skip-stanza-3 business.)

60. She accompanied me for UIL competition when her piano part was much harder than my french horn part, and then jumped up and down for MY "one" rating.

61. She would do cartwheels in the yard for my good grades in elementary school.

62. She loves her son-in-law and daughter-in-law like they were her own children. Maybe even more... ;)

63. She's artistic.

64. She's computer-savvy.

65. She is a living testament to those immortal words, "What separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."

66. She knows that His eye is on the sparrow, and she knows He watches her.

I know God is watching her with love and rejoicing over her with singing today.

Happy birthday, Mom!

Praying for Minneapolis

As I mentioned it at the end of my previous post, my prayers (and I'm sure yours as well) are going out to the families of those affected by the Minneapolis bridge tragedy. If you or anyone you know have been touched by this, please know that I am praying.

Since John Piper's church is located there, I knew that he would have some powerful and (and much-needed) words to say in the wake of this.

His initial response is here, titled, "Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed." There have since been other posts on the Desiring God Blog, and I'm sure others will follow in the days to come.

This n' That

Okay, Target a couple of days ago was wonderful. I spent over half a day there. Not because I bought a LOT of stuff, but because it took, you know, awhile. And it was air conditioned. And there are groceries. And a Pizza Hut place for the kids. And the aforementioned Starbucks. Not a bad place to spend an afternoon!

First, I must say that before I had a blog, I never came home and took pictures of my purchases. But, I know you'd do the same for me... ;)

We picked up a couple of these fun chairs for only 12.00 apiece for Bethany's room. She enjoys having friends come over and "hang out" in her room, but there's no seating besides the bed. These chairs perfectly match her decor, fold up to be out of the way, and then provide a great way to sit comfortably on the floor. Fun!


I had to buy one of these for some of the fun Rachel Ray recipes I'm trying. I'm do not particularly enjoy standing out in the 104 degree heat index grilling on the patio, and sometimes things just sli-i-i-de off the George Foreman. (Or I don't want them grilled on both sides at the same time.) There were other pans with Panini presses that were much more expensive. But, I was being budget conscious, what with the chairs and coffee and all. :)

And, have you seen all of the Crayola Total Tools? Talk about fun! My son got the talking ruler (which really works great), the erasable highlighters, the Ultimate Cutter (which ultimately cuts into counter tops, I've discovered...), glue roller (very cool), and the staple-free stapler.
Those, plus this airplane that's a ruler, pen, and a bookmark have begun to start to initiate the process of getting him in the mood for back-to-school.




In the dollar section I picked up some "Build-a-Story Flip books" that we thought were fun. There are different sections of sentences that "flip" together to make nonsense topics for writing, like... "Imagine you are on your way to school and you find... a shoe... that can leap over mountains." or "What would you serve for dinner if your visitor was... a hippo.... that could sing rap music?" or "What if a king... wrote a famous speech... while perched on a cliff on the side of Mt. Everest?" Kyle and I made up stories for most of the afternoon using those. And they were a dollar! And I didn't have to make them!


I got this magnetic dry-erase board with an Old World map on it in antique colors, that matches our school room decor perfectly. (We used it later that night to keep score when my husband skunked us all at Guesstures.) It will eventually go in my about-to-be-repainted-and-reorganized schoolroom.
I also picked up one of these to go by our calendar in the kitchen. I like the main family calendar, but sometimes I just need to focus on the week at hand!

Oh, and as a public service, I will just tell you do not buy this paper shredder in your Target back-to-school section. We shredded a few papers in it this morning before it pooped out. SO, now I have to go back. :::rubbing my hands together::::

Today I'm cooking Mexican food for my parents, brother, nieces and nephew who will be coming over tonight to celebrate my Mom's birthday. I can't wait to see everyone! In a bit I'm going to go work in the Awana office for awhile. Friday is officially "Awana Day" around here for me each week. It's starting in just a few weeks, and there's lots to be done!

I don't watch the news at all, really (it's not good for my stress level) but yesterday I turned it on to get a glimpse of the Minneapolis situation. It seems so trivial to post pictures of what I bought at Target and talk about little details of my week, when others are going through such an unspeakable tragedy. My prayers go out to all involved, whose families were touched by this and who are in the ongoing recovery efforts at the bridge. I can't imagine. I know you're praying, too.

Well, if you've made it this far, thank you! Have a blessed day and weekend!

I have so much that I want to post about...

Like...

what I learned at the Rebelution conference.

what I heard on my John MacArthur podcast this morning.

what I've been reading lately.

what recipes I'm making this week.

what we've been up to in the last few days.

and my oh-so-Deep-Thoughts on a myriad of topics.

But, we just got one of these:





And it has this:

And I must... go... there... now....

:)

Seek Peace and Pursue It

In my repeated reading of 1 Peter this past month, it seems the Lord has been bringing this verse to mind:

For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:10-12 (quoting from Psalm 34)

The words that keep ringing in my mind are "Seek peace and pursue it." Over and over. "Seek peace and pursue it." And you know what? I think that's what I've been doing.

First, you've got to seek peace. Look for it. Prayerfully ask God where it will be found. In setting a certain relationship in order? In becoming obedient in a certain area? In giving Him an area of fear? In my case, I decided that one of the places peace could be found for me was in an orderly home, which I admittedly hadn't had in quite some time. I used to be a nut about keeping my house perfect. When the kids were very small, I was so into my house that it became an area of bondage for me. Over the years, with God's help, I began to relax my standards. Then, my flesh took over and in recent years, my increasingly relaxed standards coincided with our increasingly busy schedule, and chaos began to take root. In my junk drawers. In my master closet. In the garage. Ack! I was in bondage to the house again, but not because it was too neat, but because it was too messy! Oh, it looked fine if you came over, but I knew that lurking behind cabinet and closet doors, and on the other side of the garage, there It was. Disorder. And the mess wasn't just contained in closets and drawers, but it began to invade my thinking as well. My mind became just as cluttered. And, I have to admit that I felt no energy or enthusiasm to do anything about it! I would clean a cabinet and wait for the "cleaning fever" to hit like it used to, and it didn't. I would take a vitamin. Drink some coffee. Pray. (Not necessarily in that order!) And still, the cleaning bug didn't bite. I wanted it clean, but didn't want to put everything aside in order to do it. The kids wanted to go to the pool, we were invited to go out of town, there was a conference, we had mission trips... there was always something!

Well, in recent weeks, I decided to do the second half of that sentence: "Pursue it." I knew peace could be found in order, but I had to pursue it. I began to see that cleaning a kitchen cabinet here, a pantry there, a laundry room shelf here and a bookshelf there were starting to help clear my mind and energize me. As I posted last week, I tackled my son's room, and as I mentioned in my post, my master closet was next. Boy, was it ever! I emptied that thing all over my room, up and down our hallway, and into our dining room. Stuff. Everywhere.

I became the "clothes bouncer," deciding which clothes could come back in. "You, but not you... you but not you." I interviewed my clothes, asking pointed questions like:

"Who was president when you were purchased?"

"When was the last time you were worn outside of this closet?"

"Does the number on your tag accurately represent my current size?"

"Does wearing you look like a cry for help?"

You know. Those tough questions that some of the clothes in our closets don't want to answer!

Sadly, not everyone qualified to come back in. Not all of our "stuff" was qualified to come back in, either. Some memorabilia, I found, wasn't worth taking a walk down memory lane with anymore. There were some things I thought I would want around, that suddenly I didn't want as much as I wanted peace. So, out they went. For two days I worked. Now, it's beautiful. It's organized. It smells like Cucumber Melon air freshener. Aaaahhh.

Yesterday we tackled the garage. My school shelves are where I can get to them, you can walk through it without wearing protective clothing. It's a work in progress, but it's measurable progress!

And do you know what I found this week? Peace!! Apparently it was stuffed in my master closet, garage, and under my son's trundle bed all along! Flattened under piles of stuff and weighed down by clutter, fragments of peace were cloistered away, just waiting to be found. I've got a pile of junk ready to go out with the trash in the morning, and a mountain of wonderful treasures ready to be picked up for donation on Tuesday. And I'm walking around clutching my prized posession, my greatest find in all of that mess... my peace!

I know that the ultimate goal should not be neatness for neatness' sake, but godliness and holiness. But I found that, for me, the disorder in my home did not reflect God's character, for He is a God of order, not chaos. I've still got some other areas where God has shown me I'm to pursue peace... a couple of relationships and some habits I need to work on, but the peace I've found in recent days by restoring order in my home will certainly accompany me into those areas as well. Sort of like a "peace snowball" I guess. It's getting bigger!

Where is your peace? I would encourage you to, with God's help, decide where it will be found, to seek it. Then, with His energy... pursue it! It's worth it!

I Wish I Was As Sweet As My Tea

But most days I'm not!

Come to the Internet Cafe today where I'm discussing how being sweet can effect others. Our example is a woman from the Bible who I'm sure was, as we in Texas would say, "just the sweetest thing" even though she had good reasons to be bitter.



It sure would be sweet of you to stop on by!

Cleaning

Yesterday when the kids got up, I warned them: "Today is cleaning day. Your goal today is to clean. It is our reason for being today. Cleaning. That's it. Cleaning and organizing. If it doesn't fit one of those two categories, we ain't doin' it." You can imagine the joy on their faces as they munched their cereal and heard the exciting plans for the day. I'm sure they were sad they hadn't gotten up earlier. Life just doesn't get any better than a sunny summer day when you wake up and your mom tells you you're cleaning your room, nay, the rest of the house. All. Day.

I'm sure one of them uttered a silent prayer, a plea for rescue, as I was speaking. How am I sure? Because after I had issued our orders for the day and we began to get our game faces on, the phone rang. It was Grandma. She's enjoying a week of vacation, and wouldn't the children like to spend the day with her at the lake? Luke's brother has a beautiful travel trailer/ RV which he took out to a lake not far from here and set up for her so she could spend time out there fishing and enjoying time by the water, relaxing. (Isn't that a sweet son?) So, of course, she would love it if the kids could go with her and fish and swim and enjoy it with her. (Isn't that a sweet Grandma?) I stood looking at the chaos and dirt around me (the result of our flying-by-the-seat-of-our-swim-suits summer lifestyle) my plan-for-the-day still echoing in my mind. The kids were already cheerfully hopping to it (really, that's how they are!) having no idea what I was on the phone discussing. I held their futures in my very palm, and they had no idea! So, what did I do? I let them go, of course. (Isn't that a sweet mom?)

Before they left, I decided we would do something for Dad, who is working long(er) hours this week while his business partner is out of the country. He's starting his days at 4:30 AM, coming home v-e-r-y tired. Too tired to mow the yard. So, my son and I tackled the yard together. I mowed and he weed-eated weed-ate used the weedeater. We knocked it out and they happily skipped off with Grandma by 10:30, and I had the day to myself. So, what did I do? I continued with The Plan. If it didn't have to do with cleaning, I wasn't going to do it! Still panting from yardwork, I decided to tackle my son's room. He had already warned me, "Mom, when we're cleaning my room, don't get mad, okay?" He knows me. And I know him. And I know that in the realm of kids and chores, you get what you inspect, not what you expect. I am not a good "inspector" most days, so I often find clothes behind the door and all manner of clutter stuffed where a resourceful 10/11 year-old would stuff clutter in the name of getting-through-with-chores! He's not as naturally organized as his sister, he just wants to get on with life!

I did what Laura the Organizing Junkie suggests, which is "empty the space." And I mean, I emptied the space. I took everything out of his closet and put it in the playroom. I took every toy, bin, shelf, all but his bed, desk and dresser... out. Bless his heart! If he would've been there I know I would've gotten frustrated with him over what I was finding. I'll bet I found enough socks to outfit the nearest elementary school. When I pulled out his trundle bed to move it, it was covered in books, socks, pencils, his mp3 player, etc. I decided early on that while I was working in his room that day, I would pray through it. I also decided that if I got frustrated with him (which I did, often! "This is not where he's supposed to put this!! And he knows it!!") I would pray for him. I had to keep reminding myself, that... he's a child! He's learning. And as I went through his things, putting things back in order and praying for that sweet child, I learned too.

I wonder if that's what it's like for Jesus, as He's going through the mess in my heart that I bring Him daily. I wonder if He thinks, "What a mess! What is this doing in here?? What did I tell you to do with this? And, do you still have this? I thought I asked you to get rid of it. Here, let Me help." It made me think of that little booklet, My Heart, Christ's Home, that I got from a Sunday School teacher in middle school. The concept of Jesus coming in and helping me deal with the clutter in my heart and setting it in order for His purposes has always been such a blessing to me. I'm His child. I'm learning.

So, what were the results? When my cute husband came home and saw the yard, he looked at me like he wanted to marry me again. I was even still in my yardwork clothes with my hair piled on my head! He said, "I thought you were kidding when you said you mowed!" Kidding? Who would kid about a thing like that? That's like burning a cookie-scented candle and making everyone's mouth water, thinking there's fresh-baked cookies somewhere when there's just... wax! Anyway, it was worth it to see the look on his tired face when he got home after a long day and was able to relax instead of do yard work.

My son came home today (they ended up spending the night last night- fun!) and l-o-v-e-d his room. He's up there now, listening to his radio and playing with his hamster in his newly-organized room. He feels thankful, most of all. (He hugged me SO tight. "Thanks, mom!!") He feels relieved that it's done. He feels empowered because everything is where he can get to it and knows exactly where to put his things. He feels relaxed because clutter has a way of producing tension. (I ought to know... it's how I feel when I walk in my closet! That's next on my list!) It's been in order before, but after our schoolyear and busy summer, it needed to be organized. I'm sure in a few months it will need it again, and that's okay. I wish I had a picture of his smile. And someday I'll share pictures of his room.

But right now I'm too tired!

Menu Plan Monday

Happy Monday! I hope you had a terrific weekend!

Let me just recommend Taste of Home's Southwestern Fish Tacos again. We had them last week, and they are wonderful. The recipe recommends haddock or orange roughy, but I have a fisherman who loves to bring home catfish and sand bass and this recipe works great with those. It is lighter than a beef dish, easy, and very quick! (It would also work great with tilapia fillets.) My husband asked me to write out the recipe for him last week after we had them so he could share it with a fishing buddy whose freezer is also full of fish. (And you know when guys are exchanging recipes, it must be good!) My kids also love them.

Also, this Chicken Spaghetti recipe worked *great* in the crock pot last week. I added extra cans of each of the soups, and added a can of low-sodium chicken broth, and it stayed really creamy until we were ready for dinner (which turned out to be late, as my sweet husband unexpectedly had to work late.) It turned out so good, he took leftovers to work for lunch twice!

Okay, here's what we've got cookin' this week:

Monday: Bar-b-cups, green beans, corn
Tuesday: order pizza
Wednesday: Chicken Pesto Panini sandwiches (on the George Foreman grill), Baked Potato soup
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: African Chicken Treat, rice, stir-fried veggies
Weekend: Leftovers, sandwiches, out to eat after church

Be sure to stop by Laura's for more menu plans, or to share your own. I hope you're stirring up some fun at your house this week!

I Want My Kids to Rebel...

Against mediocrity. Against ungodliness. Against immaturity. Against rebellion! Here's where our family will this weekend- The Rebelution Conference! (Though, it's hard to believe our kids are old enough for "teen" conferences... :) If you've got teens/preteens I encourage you to check out the Rebelution site. What's a "rebelution?" From their site:

"The word 'rebelution' is a combination of the words "rebellion" and "revolution." So it carries a sense of an uprising against social norms. But in this case, it's not a rebellion against God-established authority, but against the low expectations of our society. It's a refusal to be defined by our ungodly, rebellious culture. Actually, we like to think of it as rebelling against rebellion. "

"And it's exciting, because the Rebelution has really become a type of counter-cultural youth movement among Christian young people from around the country, and even around the world, who are not only rejecting the lies and the corruption of media-saturated youth culture, but they're returning to biblical and historical levels of character and competence."

Alex and Brett Harris are awesome, truly leading by example and encouraging our youth to "rebel against low expectations" and "do hard things." Amen! I can't wait for our kids to hear what they (and their father, Gregg, whom we greatly admire) have to say.



I'll let you know what we learn. (And I do mean "we." Am I ever in "learning mode" at the moment!)

Have a blessed weekend!

Diving Into The Word This Summer

I haven't posted a "Works-For -Me-Wednesday" in just forever, but after I typed this post I realized it was Wednesday and I was posting something that "works for me" so I decided to link it. Last week someone commented on my WFMW: Prayer Bible post from way back in December, so that shows me that sometimes when you're prompted to post something that works for you, it can help someone months later! (I know going back over some of the great tips from others that I've missed on some busy weeks... God knows just when I need to read them!)

Today I thought I'd post about something I've been doing this summer that has been refreshing to me. I have begun a new approach to Bible reading, and I just love it! In past years I've enjoyed my Daily Bible, and have loved how it helps me read the Bible through in a year. At times, due to schedules, traveling, and general craziness I get off "schedule" but usually I'm able to get caught up, and I've found that it was a marvelous way to see God's Word speaking directly to me- I would read something in August that profoundly effected me, something that was dated for June, but God knew I would need to read in August! So, the daily, through-the-year Bible was something God used for several years in my life to ground me in His Word and help me become acquainted with the whole counsel of Scripture.

A couple of years ago I read How to Get The Most From God's Word by John MacArthur. In that book, he outlined a Bible reading plan that really interested me. This spring, as I began my usual daily-Bible-reading-derailment during the weeks preceding our trip to China, I was reminded of the method MacArthur described, so I looked it up and decided to try his approach.

Old Testament: MacArthur says, "For the Old Testament, I suggest reading through all of it once a year in a narrative manner (from Genesis to Malachi, no skipping around.) ...the best way to read the Old Testament is straight through, like a story. Don't look for a presentation of systematic theology... simply read the Old Testament to see what it says, to hear the story it has to tell. You will see the unfolding of God's progressive revelation; and you will also discover foundations for New Testament truths that come later.... When you come to a passage you don't understand completely, don't let it bog you down. Put a question mark in the margin and move on. As you continue to read the Old Testament year by year, line upon line and precept upon precept, you will begin to erase the question marks." He breaks it down into about 3 chapters a day (15-20 minutes).

New Testament: MacArthur says of the New Testament, "I use a little different approach. I still keep the principle of repetition from Isaiah 28:9 (line upon line, precept upon precept) but with an important variation. Instead of reading through the entire New Testament from Matthew to Revelation, I read each book over and over for thirty days... The Bible has a flow and a context, especially the letters from Paul, James, and others. When somebody writes you a letter, you don't stop to read a nice line, then jump two pages to find another good thought. You read it through, to understand the flow of thought.... You break the longer books up and still use the same thirty-day system. For example, the Gospel of John has twenty-one chapters. Divide it into three sections of seven chapters each."

His book goes into greater depth about the benefit of such a plan and the discipline involved, and I highly recommend it. (In fact, when I originally read it I read big chunks of it to my kids, too.) This summer I began with Colossians, now I'm in 1 Peter, and I'll be going on to James in August. In my Old Testament readings I am in Ruth, and it has coincided with Nancy Leigh DeMoss's series on Ruth on Revive our Hearts. God is so faithful!

Another thing I have been doing, which has been fun, is to use the Inductive Study Approach as outlined in The New Inductive Study Bible. I first learned this method when I did a Precepts Bible study two years ago, and I love it. I get to color in my Bible! Each morning I get out my box of colored pencils and color-code and mark key words throughout the passages I'm reading. Mainly, I've been marking my New Testament readings, a new chapter as I read the entire book each day. I'm not marking the Old Testament passages, although I've begun marking Ruth as I'm lingering there listening to Revive Our Hearts. (There is a pretty good explanation of how to "mark" or observe passage in this method here.)

Here is a picture of one of my pages from 1 Peter, to show how I've marked it. (You can click on it to make it larger.)There is a list of suggested markings in the front of the Inductive Study Bible, and I have some that I've developed on my own to help me remember key concepts. Combining the methods I learned in Precepts with MacArthur's reading plan has been so beneficial for me.

Are there days I don't get to it? Sure! Are there days I don't read every single chapter in "the plan"? Absolutely! You know what? It doesn't matter! The key is, I'm in God's Word, soaking up His truths, reading them in context and prayerfully applying His profound Word to my life. It's not meant to be intimidating or rigid, but enjoyable, interesting, and relevant. There's no "wrong" way to mark passages, it's strictly what helps me to identify key words, phrases, themes, people, and lists. I'm enjoying it immensely, and since I always love hearing what Bible study methods work for other people, I thought I'd share it with you today. I'd love to know what you've found that works for you, too!

Visit Shannon to read more of what works for some of the smartest women on the web!

Monday Menu, Meme, and Musings

Hello to another week! Doesn't it seem like summer is just flying by? Last week we got back from our quick trip to Sea World just in time for my daughter to attend a week of volleyball camp. She really enjoyed it, but I'm looking forward to this week with fewer days punctuated by regular pick-up and drop-off times. The kids are swimming and fishing with their cousins right now. My mother-in-law is so sweet to always call on her days off and want to spend time with her grandkids. She grabbed up whichever ones were available today for a morning at the marina. SO, I'm home getting caught up on some house chores (and blogging!)

First, our menu:

Monday: Southwestern Fish Tacos, black beans, guacamole, chips

Tuesday: Chicken Spaghetti, (mixed up and put in the crock pot- my favorite summer appliance besides the air conditioner!), caesar salad, green beans, garlic bread

Wednesday: Corny dogs, potato salad, baked beans

Thursday: Left-overs or eat out on the way to this (fun!)

Friday: Moroccan hamburgers, sweet potato fries, salad

Weekend: Leftovers and out-to-eat

Last week's menu highlights:

We really enjoyed this Crockpot Chicken Taco recipe, but made with pork. (We love any kind of taco around here!) The meat turns out so great in this recipe. We also enjoyed Crockpot BBQ Ham sandwiches one night. I'm tellin' ya, my Crockpot is one of my best friends during these hot summer months! I also bought all the fixin's for banana splits (complete with the cherry on top) and we had fun making those a couple of nights.

Visit Laura's for more menu ideas, or to share yours.

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Now, onto a fun meme that Susanne tagged me for last week. This is the "Questions Meme." She made up 5 questions for me to answer, I answer them, make up 5 more questions and then tag 5 other people.

Here are her questions:

1. If you could meet any famous person in the world, be it political leader, celebrity, novelist, missionary or preacher, etc. who would it be? Hmmm. Well, it depends on what book I'm reading, usually, but I'd say that I've always wanted to sit down and chat with Elisabeth Elliot. She's so, so wise, and gets straight to the point!

2. What is your all time favorite novel and why is it your favorite? I don't read a lot of fiction, but one of my all-time favorites that I read in high school and is currently in my "to-be-read-again" pile is To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee's writing is masterful, I love the way she develops the characters, and the story is gripping and makes me cry. I love it.

3. If you could go on any game show, past or present, which would it be? Well, since as a homeschool mom I already play "Are You Smarter Than A __th Grader" everyday, I definitely won't choose that one! I'd have to say Wheel of Fortune. Even though I know that I'd freeze up and forget what vowels and consonants are and land on "bankrupt" repeatedly...

4. If you could obliterate one tv show off the current programming schedule which would it be? Desperate Housewives

5. What is your dream job? I grew up wanting to be Julie from Love Boat, so I'll have to say cruise director!


Great questions, Susanne! That was fun!


Here are my questions:

1. When is a time you felt especially close to God?

2. If you could learn another language (easily), what would it be?

3. What house chore is your least favorite and why?

4. If you could have any animal (tamed) as a pet, what would it be?

5. What's one thing about your life now that would've surprised the "teenager you" to know?

I tag Linda, Lisa, Mindy, Lauren, and Christine.

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Well, on to the "musings." One thing I'm musing about right now is a toothache. I used some Anbesol earlier and enjoyed a numb tongue, but no real pain relief. Ith a good thing my kidth were gone thwimming and I dint have to thay anything... Oh! And one of my favorite jokes is coming true this afternoon. My dentist appointment is at 2:30. (Tooth-hurty?? Get it??? Cracks me up everytime!) But for some reason, I'm not laughing as hard today! Another thing I'm musing about this morning is how blessed I am to be in a ministry with my husband. We worked this weekend on our Awana schedule for the year, I finalized all of the record keeping from last year, and we brainstormed some leadership issues and upcoming events. We are meeting with our Childrens Pastor's assistant tomorrow to go over our year. As busy as it keeps us at times, I just love serving with my husband. So often our obligations and ministries take us in separate directions, and I just love that we're in this together. It's such a blessing and a privilege! I'm also musing about school. I'm knee deep in curriculum and planning for our homeschool year (which I post about on my homeschool blog when I can). Homeschooling is another blessing and gift in my life for which I am always doubly thankful this time of year. God is so, so faithful to give me enthusiasm for what He has called me to do.

Well, thanks for reading all of this! I hope your week is off to a great start, and that you, too, are experiencing enthusiasm and strength through God Himself as you do whatever He has called you to. Be blessed today!

I haven't posted all week because...

I. Can't. Do. It. All.

And you know what? Neither can you. Praise God, we don't have to! Join me today at the Internet Cafe where I'm discussing blog intimidation, "irl" comparison (what's that???), guilt, a liberating quote, and some thoughts on how sometimes good enough is... good enough!

I'd love to see you there!

"Spur" Of The Moment Vacation

SO... where did we go this weekend?

Here are some hints:

Yes, we headed to San Antonio! It's been rainy everywhere, but we decided to take our chances and head south. Luke and I realized a few months ago that our kids have seen the world, but not much of our fair state, so with work being slow due to the rain we decided it would be a fine time to take them on a "San Antonio Spur"-of-the-moment trip to Sea World and the Alamo. We had a great time! I was finishing folding some laundry when he called from work to say, "Hey, let's do it!" so I just diverted laundry into some duffle bags and off we went!

We arrived late after taking the dogs to be boarded and sitting in rush hour traffic leaving town. Once we arrived to our hotel we realized that the only room available was a smoking room, which didn't work for us at all. SO, here we were on a weekend, in the summer, looking for a hotel room in a major tourist town. We drove from hotel to hotel, Luke would go in a ask what they had and I would be on my cell phone calling the ones in the travel guide. On our way to one that seemed okay, he happened to pull into one we hadn't seen. Just what do you think the Lord provided? A beautiful Marriott Courtyard that had only been open for four days! We had a beautiful suite and more than likely, we were the first people to ever stay in it. Instead of smoke, it smelled of fresh paint, new carpet, and fresh linens. Heaven.


Ready for a fun day!

A theme park is a busy place on a summer Saturday, but way more fun than being home doing chores, which inevitably happens if you're around the house on the weekend...

Feeding the dolphins

A mother-daughter "myspace" picture and a family picture on the way to the waterpark. where we had fun floating around the lazy river and splashing around before heading back to some of the shows.

How do they DO that???

Shamu was so fun, we went to that show twice. (The second show was a different one.) Am I the only one who cries when they play that music and Shamu and the trainer swim around together?? I'm such a sap!

It was a perfect day!

Breakfast on the Riverwalk the next morning on our way to the Alamo.

Visiting the Alamo was a perfect cap-off to our study of Texas History this year. It was a great weekend!

I hope you had a great weekend as well. Isn't summer spontaneity fun?

It's been rainy and dreary here for days... SO, we're kidnapping our kids and taking them on a surprise trip for the weekend! Just for fun, I'll surprise y'all, too. I'll be back Monday with some fun pictures of where we went!

A Real Time-Saver

Note: I posted this over the weekend, but it quickly got buried underneath other posts and my weekly menu. I'm moving it up in case you haven't seen it. It's too cute to miss!

If all of us moms could just memorize this song, it would really streamline our day! This is Anita Renfroe in a clip, found here on her website from her DVD "Total Momsense." It's everything a mom says in 24 hours condensed in 2 minutes and 55 seconds. The first part is cut off for some reason, but I'm sure we've all said it... whatever it is!

Enjoy!

Freedom From... Freedom For

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Let freedom ring! Yes, today we celebrate our country's freedom. Our hard-won independence. Our patriotism. When I really begin to think about it, my mind automatically thinks of the Revolutionary War heroes who gave all. I found out last year that I have a patriot in my ancestry, which qualifies me for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. I remember reading through all of the research and seeing my family tree leading me to him and seeing his name, rank, and location. All of a sudden I felt a... connection. A connection to something historical and fascinating. Yes, today I'll be thinking of my Great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather Thomas.

And today I'm also thinking about being set free. I remember in Beth Moore's "Breaking Free" study years ago, coming to grips with the concept of being truly set free. If you haven't done that study, I highly recommend it, or at least reading the book. (Even if you're not particularly "Beth Moore-ish," the information it contains is so beneficial and straight from the heart of God, it'll be worth your time, I promise!) I'm not sure if it was in that study or in subsequent readings that I really began to ponder the fact that I've been set free from... and I've been set free for.

Freedom from one thing leads to freedom to do something else. So, today as the firecrackers are popping, I'm going to be thanking my Heavenly Father that He sent His Son to set me truly free- free from the eternal consequences of my sin, free from sin's bonds while on this earth, free from thinking that this life is all there is. And I'm going to be thinking all day about what I've been set free for.

As one of my favorite Ginny Owen's songs says:

You're free to dance

Forget about your two left feet

And you're free to sing

Even joyful noise is music to Me

You’re free to love

'Cause I’ve given you My love

And it’s made you free

I have set you free!

My mind finds hard to believe

That You became humanity and

Changed the course of history

Because You loved us so

And my heart cannot understand

How You accept me as I am

But You say You've always had a plan

And that's all I need to know

So when I am consumed

With what the world will say

Then You're singing to me, as You remove my chains

Free from worry

Free from envy and denial

Free to live, free to give, free to smile

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That's true freedom.

Don't you feel a connection to something historical and fascinating now, too?

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Menu Plan Monday (and two fun desserts!)

Since we were out of town last Monday, I didn't post our menu (which I'm not sure I'll do every week anyway since it's summer and around here "summer" is synonymous with "unpredictable!") First I'll share our menu for this week, and then some some "highlights" from our menu last week.

Monday: Orange-glazed pork chops, stir fried veggies, baked potatoes
Tuesday: Pizza Pancakes, caesar salad
Wednesday: ****Happy Fourth of July!**** Cooking out.
Thursday: Pan-fried fish, mixed vegetables, salad
Friday: leftovers
Weekend: Sandwiches, leftovers, and out-to-eat after church

What we loved last week:

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches I got the recipe out of my Fix It and Forget It cookbook, but it's similar to this one, and it was a *hit* around here.

Fruit Pizza I found this recipe and made it for a party a couple of weeks ago, and we loved it so much I made another one last week for our family.
I like this recipe because it also has a glaze. Easy and so, so yummy!

This one isn't as "pretty" as the one I made for the party, and I didn't like our bananas so I used mandarin oranges and they were great! (I just noticed that just about every picture I post has something in one of these metal baking pans. It's a family thing. My grandmother has a bunch, and so do I because you can bake things, pop the metal lid on it, stack it in the fridge, transport it, and it is virtually indestructable!) I made it in this rather than on a pizza pan so we could store it and eat it over a couple of days.

Fried Ice Cream- I got a recipe from the Spanish curriculum we used when the kids were younger, and it has been a family favorite! I haven't seen it in any books (and our curriculum is packed away) but the recipe is similar to the one found here. (The top one that doesn't actually involve frying!) I threw together some nachos one night last week and this was a perfect dessert to follow! I substitute some other ingredients to make ours a little sweeter, though. Here's how I do it:

Cinnamon graham crackers
Frosted Flakes
Vanilla ice cream (in nice, round scoops) You can scoop them up and refreeze them for a bit, or just work fast.
Caramel syrup
Crush the graham crackers finely. (I use my food processor.) Also crush the Frosted Flakes, but not into a powder like the graham crackers. Put each into separate bowls.


Scoop out the ice cream (and brace yourself for your hands to be cold for a few minutes!)



Then you roll the ice cream ball, first in the graham crackers, then in the Frosted flakes. I have to sometimes press the Frosted Flakes around it to make it stick.


Put them on a plate or pan lined with wax paper, and then cover with caramel syrup before you put them back in the freezer, where they will harden while you eat dinner.

An easy, fun treat! (And one that the kids can help with, too.)

Thanks for visiting, and I hope this week finds you cookin' up some fun, in or out of the kitchen!

Visit Laura for more menus, or to share yours. Thanks, Laura!

What's Irritating You?

I'm over here today. Stop on by for a fresh look at how God might be using those little (and big) irritations in your life. It could be more than meets the eye!