The Good. The Random. The Fun

Happy Monday.  Here's a little of what happened over the weekend...

The Good. 

Caleb came to visit this weekend.  It was sooo good to see him. 

The poor boy -  he nearly gets bowled over when he enters the front door as we all come to hug him, and then everyone talks at him at once as we all are so excited to see him and want his attention. There's just so much to catch up on.  It's good to know you are loved.

The Random.

I'm trying my hand at culturing some vegetables.  Starting simple with a cabbage/apple mixture from this book, which is so helpful and informative.  

And I have 2 new favorites!   

The Fun. 
From the man who said, he'd never have chickens... Actually, he'll be the first to tell that he is not getting chickens.  They will be Ellie's chickens.  She has wanted them so such a long time, and is now old enough (responsible enough) to be able to handle the chore all on her own.  

How about you?  What's goin' on?  


~Carol

I'm linking with Random-osity today.  Come join the fun.

A couple of recommendations and some fun news

Do you ever stumble upon something so good that you just want to tell everyone about it?

Well, I've got some things to share with you.

First...these two books.

 

 

Last year when my dear friend came for a brief visit, she told me of A Gospel Primer

by Milton Vincent.  I had never heard of it before, but after her description and high recommendation, I hopped on line and ordered a copy. 

Each little segment is a reminder of a Gospel truth, but what I LOVE about it are the footnotes which take you right to the Scripture. 

 

The other book I came across recently and completely by accident.  I've always admired and respected Pastor John MacArthur.  One Sunday at church on our "free-for-the-taking" table, there were several books, this one, called At the Throne of Grace, being one of them. 
This book is a collection of his prayers that his children recorded and then printed.  What I LOVE about this book are the footnotes which take you right to the Scripture!  :-)

 

Both these books are like little Bible studies.  They are meaty and weighty, yet comforting at the same time. 

So these are the books I grab first thing in the morning. 

I read from my Bible first.  I'm working through this Bible reading plan.  I've chosen to read using a Bible reading plan so that I am not willy-nilly in the Bible without context.  I find I understand it much better.
After that, I dive in to these other books.  {The aqua book is my journal.}

This time has been extremely rich and fulfilling.  It is so good for me to rehearse these truths and think of them throughout the day.  I need that.  More than anything, I need that.

. . . . .

 And I discovered a new blog too, which I am really enjoying.   {Deardarla.com}

Parisienne Farmgirl recently featured a post on baking French baguettes.  She teamed up with her cousin at DearDarla.com.  The two of them made this really cute YouTube video on how to make these divinely delicious baguettes. 
On DearDarla's blog she is having a month long baking challenge and each week she has featured a different kind of bread to bake.  Week 3 was the baguette.  For week 2 she featured some scrumptious dinner rolls.  The cutest song is playing while the video is rolling, would you believe, she is the one who wrote it and is singing it?!  You should listen to it.
She is one creative gal (so is Parisienne Farmgirl for that matter.) 

. . . . .

 

and how about this news flash...

 

The Silver Longboarder is racing!

Taking the inside corner to pass for the WIN which qualified him for the next heat.

This was the second race of the Northwest Trail Series on the BPA Trail, but Eric's first race ever.  Eric's top speed was 26 mph!

He went into the race with the idea of just seeing what it is all about and if he liked downhill style boarding. 
If you know Eric, then you already know.... He really liked it. There are a couple of races in March that he'd like to enter, Lord willing.   Lord willing I'll be able to be there to shoot some photos.  These photos are courtesy of Eridanus Media.
I had to miss this race due farm life {Matt and I hauled the goats over to a host farm for CAE testing.  Ours have always been negative, but it's nice to have the vet's paperwork.}

Wouldn't it be neat if he got sponsored?  With the motto - yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks.   ;-)  

. . . . .

The weather has been sunny and mild in the Pacific Northwest.   If you live in other, colder/snowier parts of the nation, hang in there, spring is coming.

"More like treasure protectors"

Some might think that being without a car has got to be one of the worst things ever.  While it is true I've had to adjust my plans, 

however, staying home has given me renewed determination to weed-out,

purge, and organize the closets, the bookshelves, the homeschooling supplies, and most recently ~ my recipes.  

 

What can I say.  I really do like to organize, and I was on a roll.

 

Let me give you a little history...
Many years ago I had a friend who had created a three-ring binder of typed family favorite recipes.  It was very organized, divided by tabbed sections, with all the recipes inside sheet protectors. Not only were her recipes easy to find in the binder, but if someone asked her for the recipe, she could just print off a copy.  The best part about her system was that she was thinking of her daughter and being able to create a binder for her with all the recipes she had grown up with, that she could take with her as she began her own home.

I loved the idea, and set to work to make one for myself.  When I would find myself with some spare time, I would type up recipes.  I sorted through ones that we loved, and ones we wanted to try.  It took a long time to complete.  My masterpiece was massive. 

We used it all the time and it worked well, just as my friend's had. 
 
BUT THEN...

One Christmas I was given a little recipe box from my Aunt Barbara.  In it were about a dozen recipes written in her own hand, that were recipes from her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother.    It was a treasure!

I kept the cards in the little box, but after repeated use , the box fell apart.  {It wasn't wooden, but a cardboard replica of a cottage.}

What to do?  The recipes would just slip around inside the big, notebook, page protectors, and I was not going to just type them into the computer and discard the hand-written cards.  A few years ago I found some recipe books at a Hallmark store. {of all places!}   They came with 40 plastic {read wipe-able} sheets that are divided in the middle to allow for two recipe cards to be inserted. They were perfect for my treasured recipes, but it also meant I would have to copy some recipes back onto cards.  I was ok with that.  The notebook was huge and heavy.

The one thing I didn't care for with the new book was the tabbed dividers.  The categories weren't the way I cooked or thought.  I decided to personalize it.  I cut the tabs off the dividers, then I replaced them with the adhesive kind and attached them onto the dividers to make my own personalized sections.   Over time, I began to copy the most used recipes back onto cards and transitioned out of the computer recipes.   I am so glad I did. 

This summer I bought a second book. {the retro one above}.  It has all my "cooking" recipes in it.  The older blue one has the "baking recipes" in it.    

I like this way of recipe keeping the best.  I love seeing the cards that are handwritten, not just from my aunt, but from Eric's Grammy, and friends too. 

 

 It also makes me think through my collection before I add another card.  {Do I really need another chicken recipe?}  So now I have two manageable and organized books filled with the tried-and-true and treasured family recipes. 

P.S.  As for the handing down of recipes....I just write them out in my own hand, which I think my girls will look at with sweet memories of our time in the kitchen.

 

P.S.S.  Can you guess the quote in my title?  ;-)

Smile at the rain

Summer rains are refreshing.

 

 Here are some fun shots Hannah took of the girls in the rain.

 

I'm not sure which was more fun for them - using the umbrella or playing in the rain drops.

They came in soaked and laughing.

The summer rains are good for the garden, good for the hydrangeas, and good for soul.

Everything outside is washed and refreshed.  I feel refreshed too. 

.  .  .

 

I recently found a vintagy duvet cover at an antique store.  The fabric looks vintage, but the duvet was from Ikea - so there ya go. 

 

$20 - not my usual steal-of-deal from the Good Will, but I couldn't pass it up because I knew I could use it to make the cutest dresses for the girls.   When you figure 3 vintage looking dresses for $20 - well, now you have a pretty good steal-of-a-deal! 

I cut them out today, and I'll begin sewing tomorrow.  It would be fun to have them for Sunday church, but we'll see how it goes.  Sometimes sewing sessions are smooth and easy, other times, not so much. 

. . .

 

I just finished reading Susan Branch's latest book.
What a treat it was to curl up on the couch with a good read with the sound of summer rain in the background.  Talk about relaxing.

This book is about her trip to England to discover all the delights of the English countryside.  She wrote it in journal style, but to the reader.   She is so descriptive.   She made you feel like you were along for the trip, made me want to take a trip of my own. 

Who knows?  Maybe one day!

 

Reading

"Oh, the beauty and mystery of words!

What richness can be conveyed by those who master them!"

 

~

 

"Every child ought to know the pleasure of words so well chosen that they awaken sensibility, great emotions, and understanding of truth."

 

~

 

"Books are no substitute for life, but a keener pleasure comes to life because of books."

 

~

 

"Facing failures and tragedies with the characters

of a story may vicariously give children the experience of courage and loyalty."

 

~

 

"Good literature teaches more than we know.  Example always speaks louder than precept, and books can do more to inspire honor and tenacity of purpose."

 

~

 

"Reading should offer the solace of hope and goodness of another world where truth and right triumph."

 

 

Reading aloud to the children is just about my favorite way to close a day.

I think its value is immeasurable!

 

Our current read aloud is Homer Price by Robert McCloskey.

Next  ~ Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald 

and

The Moffats by Eleanor Estes

 

 

They grow up so fast!

 

I'm cherishing these times with them.

 

 

 

 

 

Butterflies

A friend of mine has a daughter who recently had a birthday party .  She had a small gathering of friends and did this craft with them.  I thought it was such a fun idea and probably pretty easy for my little girls to do, even though they are a few years younger.

The supply list is simple:

Paper {Any kind, but light card stock works best.}

Craft paint {Any kind, but the small acrylic type is what we used - leftover from our garden rock project.}

scissors

pipe cleaners

butterfly template.  Found here. 

 

Begin with white or colored cardstock. 

You can use printer paper in a pinch, but it doesn't work as well {You'll see why in a minute.}

 

Put blobs of paint on your paper.  You can be random or ordered.  It doesn't matter.

 

 

Fold the paper in half and rub the paint - creating a smeared masterpiece.

 

 

Unfold the paper quickly so that it doesn't stay stuck together

{which is the problem with the printer paper.}

 

If your name is Hannah, embellish with polka dots.  She claims,

"Everything is better with polka dots."   :-)

 

 

Let them dry completely.  This may take a while.

 

When they are dry hold the butterfly template over the painted area and cut out the shape.

Then wrap a pipe cleaner around the center for the body and antenna.

Daniel read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle to them.

 

Who would have thought that paint blobs smeared on paper would yield such interesting results.

The girls just love having these friendly critters on their windows.

 

This was an easy, no fuss craft to do with them.

Perfect for practicing cutting skills.

Perfect for practicing patience...while waiting for them to dry.

More Treasures

It's hard to believe that we have been homeschooling for 17 years.  Over that time we have collected a lot of books!  Some have been required for literature studies, others recommended by homeschooling giants, some are well known classics.

 

As we wrap up this year's studies, I am beginning to plan for next year. I've been combing through my bookshelves to see what resources I already own and can use.  It's so easy to buy a book, put it on the shelf, then forget all about it.

I found these two books on our shelves that I hadn't read before.

 

Have you read them?  The Cay is a thin book - only 105 pages.  It was riveting and I couldn't put it down.  I read it in an afternoon.  I don't want to spoil any of the details for you, but suffice it to say,  it's a great read for the summer.

 

The other book, I am taking more time with.  It's not difficult reading, but it is spiritual in nature and more thought provoking as it relates to my own walk with God.

It's another little gem. 

 

If you run across these books at a used bookstore - you should snatch them up.

You won't be disappointed.