I'm learning

I'm learning....

Homeschooling is still sort of new to us. 

I'm learning to be flexible.

  That 2 kids learn 2 different ways. 

Last Monday morning the kids were having trouble focusing at 9:00am...

So we went to the zoo.

They were so happy. 

  It was such a blessing to spend that time with them away from our kitchen table, enjoying God's creation.

AND

When we came home at 1:30, I had 2 perfectly focused learners...

Hugs and happy improvising :)



Homemade Chicken Strips

I was on a quest to find a recipe for chicken strips that would taste similar to those from a restaurant,  and I think I found it!    I think the secret is soaking the chicken in buttermilk.  Makes tasty chicken strips!

I found the recipe over at the Pioneer Woman's blog.  But here is the recipe:

Soak chicken strips in buttermilk for 20 minutes (I soaked them for about 2 hours, I'm thinking the longer the better)

Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour.  paprika and pepper in bowl (I just eye-balled the amount).  Drizzle 1/2 cup of buttermilk into milk while mixing with a fork (this makes the yummy crispy bits form on the strips)

Fry in oil (I use coconut oil) for 1-2 min per side

thats it!

Hugs and happy cooking!

(note:  we bought our first roll of paper towels since we gave them up in september, just for this recipe.  Draining oil onto a dish rags grosses me out... )    ;)

Air Zoo - Kalamazoo, MI

Grandma and Grandpa W. treated the kids and I to a trip to the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo Michigan yesterday.  It was AMAZING!  Lots to look at, lots to learn and rides.  We had a ball.  :)

(pics are blurry, from my phone)

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for a fun day!

Hugs!



Prov. 31 - Full Busy vs. Empty Busy

Below is today's devotion from Proverbs 31 ministries.  It spoke right to me as I am often the one who puts the kids in bed only to find a sink full of dishes, laundry baskets full of clothes and a sense of wondering how I didn't get them done before bedtime...

Full Busy vs. Empty Busy
Glynnis Whitwer


“We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.” 2 Thessalonians 3:11 (NIV)


I love empty calories. I confess. Chocolate brownies are my favorite.


Although I try to tell myself the eggs inside make them healthy, the truth is there is little in that fudgy goodness that brings value to my body. Besides the moment of pleasure in my mouth, brownies only fill my need for calories but offer little nutrition.


Being busy can have the same effect. We can fill our days with busy-work, then flop on the couch after dinner, exhausted and empty. And yet we look around our homes and wonder why a week’s worth of mail is stacked on the desk, dirty clothes drape over the hamper and the kitchen floor is a sticky slip and slide…but we were so busy!


Much like the woman who spends $100 at the grocery store and has nothing for dinner, if we aren’t wise about our busyness, we will find ourselves frustrated at how little gets done. Like the brownies and their empty calories, there is activity that keeps us “busy,” but produces little benefit.


One area of temptation to empty busyness is my computer. The nature of my work requires that I spend a lot of my workday at the computer. If I sit down without a plan, two hours can pass and nothing is accomplished – except for watching videos of really cute puppies. However, when I’ve taken the time to set goals for my day, it’s easier to stay focused.


The same is true for my housework. When I take a few minutes to identify my priorities for that day, the tasks that need to be accomplished usually get done. Otherwise, it’s 7 p.m. and I’m wondering what’s for dinner.


Today’s key verse caught my attention recently. I realized we’re no different from those early believers addressed in it. Only our idleness looks different—it looks like busyness. In fact, we often convince ourselves that it was necessary to get caught up on the news, visit a friend’s blog or research next year’s vacation. Important? Yes. A priority for today? Maybe not.


There is a time for brownies, getting caught up with friends and online research. There is a time for rest. After all, God ordained the Sabbath. There is a time for play. Even Jesus enjoyed a wedding reception with His friends. The key for productive busyness is to know what time it is.


Instead of trying to figure it out ourselves, a wise woman seeks God’s direction for her work and rest. What has helped me avoid empty busyness is taking the time to pray about God’s will for me each day. My quiet time always includes a to-do list. In addition to spending time just enjoying the Lord’s presence, I also seek His guidance for my day.


I sit at my kitchen table, cup of coffee in one hand and pen in the other, and ask God to show me His priorities. He is always faithful to help me create a list of what needs to be done that day—not the next day or next week, but that day.


My challenge is to be a good steward of my time—both at work, play and rest. I’ve spent too much time on empty pursuits. Busy isn’t always bad, only when it’s empty. And brownies aren’t bad either, at the right time.


Dear Lord, You are the Creator of time, and so often I neglect to seek Your will for my days. You have called me to a place of stewardship with my time and I need Your help. Please show me when and how to be productively busy—and when to set it all aside and rest or play. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Hugs and happy Monday :)



Swim class

The kids are taking a homeschool swim class on tuesdays after classes. 

 My little fishies :)

Climbers

 We have 2 climbers. 

 Its not unusual for us to find that they have shimmied up their door frames and are hanging from the top.

  This past weekend we took them to Climb-Time where they could channel their climby-ness.

One of my favorite secrets

I LOVE it when my child asks for broccoli.  And while this actually does happen on occasion, its not often enough.  So I often resort to "sneaking" some extra nutrition into my family's diet. 

One of my favorite and least-detected ways is:  Flax seed. 

I put flax seed in cookies, pancakes, oatmeal, breads, I have even added it to stir-fry for a nutty flavor. 

There are many benefits of Flax seed:

Great source of magnesium

(and you all know how I feel about this miracle mineral)

Good source of fiber

 (so important I need to devote a post JUST to fiber)

Cancer preventative properties

Lowers cholesterol

May guard against heart disease

and the list goes on...

I add as much as I can but not enough that the family notices.  Example: for a batch of cookies, I probably add about 1/2 cup before I add the flour and then only add the flour until batter is the right consistency (it usually ends up being a little less than the recipe calls for.) 

Hugs and happy "sneaking" good nutrition into our diets!

Shhh.... don't tell my family :)

 

Novi/Northville, MI

Last week we took a trip with Tommy to the Novi/Northville Michigan area.  The kids and I found some fun, educational things to do.  LOVE exploring new places!!!

This is the Mill Race historic site.  So neat!

Love to see the original dates for these buildings as we begin to teach the kids about history.  We talk about what life would have been like for kids their age during that time.  Logan was so fascinated with the well-pump.  Shocked to think there were no faucets for running water. 

Sitting in the Novi public library doing school work. 

We also visited the West Bloomfield library.  It had the most AMAZING children's section I have EVER seen, (and we have visited a lot of libraries).  We spent alot of time exploring there.  They had this contraption that demonstrates  the Bernoulli Principle.  They loved the way the air pressure shot the balls into the top of the tube. 

Tis the season?

Came home to find that Olivia did some decorating while I was out... 

 WE LOVE the Chirstmas season and our tradition is to put up our tree on Olivia's birthday, November 21st. 

Apparently we started early this year.  I plan to leave her decorations, just as they are, until the middle of January... even though its only October 8th :)

Happy early decorating!!! 

L.O.V.E.

LOVE my family :)

why am I the only one actually WEARING the new eye-black that the boys just HAD TO HAVE?  I have no idea