I found this recipe many, many, many years ago in a red spiral bound, paperback cookbook that I picked up somewhere, probably a garage sale or thrift store, shortly after Shane and I were married.   It was called something like “Teachers in Space.”I think was meant to be a fundraiser for the newly developing  “Teachers in Space” program in 1984.   It  contained recipes from teachers around the country, including Christa McAuliffe, the teacher that perished in the tragic Challenger explosion.

Yesterday, the children  asked me to make the much loved dish for fellowship meal this Sunday.  I went to get the cookbook, but could not find it.   Panic set in and I turned the house upside down looking for it.  I have a terrible habit of carrying cookbooks all over the house while I’m menu planning or looking for new ideas.  Still…no cookbook.    This morning I recruited the boys.  We scoured the house for the “red cookbook, with the black spine.”  Still… no cookbook.  Sadness sweeps over our faces.  Yes, I think I can recreate the recipe so all is not lost (the secret is an egg and dry mustard), but I really do love that worn out and tattered book.

But then I remember my trusty computer with the all-knowing Google search bar.   Guess what?  Google found many sites with the exact recipe and others  with a tweaked version.

But the most important thing… I have the recipe!

Without further ado…

1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni

1 teaspoon butter

1 egg, beaten

1 t salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I use whatever I have on hand)

1 cup milk

Boil macaroni until Al Dente, and drain thoroughly.  Meanwhile, mix salt and mustard with 1 Tablespoon hot water (I use macaroni water)  and add to milk.  Stir in butter and egg into the macaroni.  Add cheese, leaving enough to sprinkle on top.  Pour into buttered casserole dish, add milk and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at   350 for about 45 minutes or until custard is set and top is crusty. Serves 4. *

*I usually double this recipe, and it adapts well to a crock pot.

Needless to say it is one of our family favorites!   Although, I’m not sure it’s entirely healthy or even a little healthy,  it’s VERY good!

Math.

One of the nemesis of home education for most of us.

Four children.

Many different math programs.  Miquon, Rod and Staff, Saxon, Developmental Math, Horizons… among others I am sure.

Math for Princess (15) was the hardest because she was the first.  You name it, we tried it!   Finally, when she reached about 10-11, it clicked and she is now working through Saxon Algebra I and doing well.

Little Bit (who’s not so little anymore, btw) is a math whiz!  He went through most of Developmental Math and has now switched to Saxon 6/5  with no problems!  (He’s 10 1/2).

Math for Bubba… much harder!  He just was not getting it.   We tried the Teaching the Trivium approach, but even at 11, it still wasn’t clicking.    Then we discovered Life of Fred.   Last year, he struggled a bit, but this year we started fresh.  He GETS it!  We have just received Decimals which he will begin in a couple of weeks because he is about to finish Fractions. One thing Bubba LOVES about LOF is that the lessons are short.  No more than 10 problems in each lesson.  One lesson last week had only ONE problem!  He thinks he’s getting away with something… but I know better!

Testing is done by crossing “the bridge”  Every 5 lessons the student attempts to cross the bridge.  Usually, he must get 9 of 10 problems correct to cross.  But, if he doesn’t cross, he gets 4 more tries!      Ingenious!

Life of Fred is written in living book form.  The storyline is interesting, while teaching the math concepts necessary for maneuvering through life.   (You can read about the storyline in other reviews).  But let me give you a hint… Fred is a child.  He acts like a child, and thinks like a child.  He teaches like a child.  I believe that is why children get LOF.

Life of Fred is also a hard-cover affordable curriculum.  The elementary series are $16 each.  Then  $19 each at the next 2 levels.  The next several levels are $39 each, and IF your child is smart enough the Linear Algebra book is $49.  Some of these higher levels also need an answer key that is $6.

You can check out out Life of Fred  here

Oh and in case your wondering, Cathy Duffy likes LOF too!

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately… lukewarm Christianity that is…

Revelation 3:16 says, ” So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

At our last Wednesday night prayer service (2 week ago).  Our pastor lead the service last week.  He spoke of Ezra 9.  Ezra tore his garments at the news of the sinfulness occurring in Israel.  He fell on his face in repentance for the sin of Israel.

Sunday morning, his son led our class in thoughts about Psalm 110.   He mentioned that this was once the most memorized passage of Scripture.    It is filled with the Greatness of the Lord!  After that, Psalm 23 was the most quoted passage, then John 3:16  Now… Judge not….

Generation Cedar had a wonderful post about Job…He feared God and shunned evil.

This verse goes right along with what I’ve been thinking.

This last Sunday, one of our deacons led Sunday School.  He spoke of humility.  Again! His class went right along with my thoughts on being lukewarm.

My question….

Does the church fear God and, does it shun evil?

Overall I’d have to say the answer is NO!  In fact, many churches welcome evil.  They call it by different names.

I have relatives claiming Christ, that embrace those living a homosexual lifestyle in the name of compassion.

There is a church in Wichita, KS that apparently embraces abortion, because they had an abortion doctor that was a member, until he was unjustly murdered himself.

There are those that preach love without God’s justice.   Yes!  Hell is a very real place.   God does not lie, and He speaks about it in His Word.  He is a PERFECTLY just Creator.  Not like people.  Sometimes it’s hard for us to think outside that box.  We don’t like to think of eternal damnation, but that doesn’t change the facts.

We want our rights!  Anything we say can be taken as a legitimate offense against anyone!

We think we are living righteous lives… but in reality, I think that is nearly impossible in this culture, in this society…no matter how humble we are, no matter how much we simplify our lives (which seems to be the newest fad), we still have so much more than so many around the world. And the Word says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom  (Matthew 19:24)

A week ago tonight, my Daddy rolled into town.  In tow he had his little John Deere tractor, garden box, forks, and tiller.  Little did I know the things we’d accomplish this past week.  I wish I had pictures… but alas words will have to do.

* mowed a good portion of our side field, (more than half) including clearing brush out from around our barn.  (a huge feat by itself… it would have taken hours and hours of manpower to clear out all the junk)

* pulling out about 100 feet of fencing and fence posts.

* clearing out a path wide enough and tall enough to move said chicken house

* putting skids under and moving an 11×11 foot a frame chicken house about 75 feet (NEVER would have happened without a tractor)

*pulling out a dilapidated chicken tractor.  The weeds had sucked it in.  scraping all the chicken wire out so we can now mow over the spot instead of having a pile of grass to mow around.

*  Clearing out weeds/grass behind the barn, placing some fencing, and our watering system (an old hot water heater on about 20″ of concrete block)

*carrying bucketloads of brush/an old goat house etc to the burn pile (as soon as it’s wet enough we’re gonna have a bonfire baby!)

*spread 2 loads (about 30 tons of gravel) on our driveway.

* Everybody drove the tractor and used it!  (except for Shane and Princess).  Both boys hauled and dumped stuff on the burn pile.  The little girl mowed some of the field and yes, at 5 years old she ws drivin it with only a little bit of help.  I was pulling fence posts out.  YeHaw!

Dad said when the work was done, he’d load up and go home.  He pulled out this morning and is sleeping in his own bed tonight.

Dad says the old neighbor man that lived next to him would say…

“John Deere…. Dear John”

He kept tellin me he wouldn’t leave it, but we inherit the John Deere

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