Cherishing the Journey

We planted our first seeds today!  The seeds arrived yesterday – bush beans, carrots, lettuce, bunching onions, summer squash, zucchini, butternut squash and tomatoes.  (The potatoes should arrive soon.)  I knew the tomatoes needed to be planted right away since the package said to start them 6-8 weeks before the last possible frost which is mid-May for us.  I also decided to start some of the bunching onions since the package said I could start them indoors or sow directly.  I figure I’ll plant some both ways and see how they do.

The kids had fun watching me plant; although the Little Guy was the only one willing to get his hands dirty helping fill the ‘pots’ with dirt.  Care Bear kept commenting on how dirty my hands were getting.  It seemed kind of funny coming from a girl who loves playing in the sandbox.  Maybe the dark color of the potting soil (so different from our sandy soil) and doing it inside threw her off.  My response was that gardening involves getting dirty.

For my frugal DIY seed starter I used TP rolls cut in half inside a 5-lb plastic strawberry container.  Before putting the TP rolls in, I lined the container with plastic wrap since it has holes in the bottom.  I realized after we were done planting that the attached lid will not only act as a mini-greenhouse as suggested by several websites, but will also help in keeping BD from playing in the dirt.

 

 

 

FOR TODAY April 9, 2012

Outside my window… it is a beautiful, warm, sunny day with only a few puffy white clouds and little wind.

 

I am thinking… that it is definitely a Monday and I hope that quiet time/nap time will help reset the day.  So far the days adventures include BD finally climbing all the way up onto Buddy’s bed and then falling off (thankfully he was unhurt), the Little Guy scraping the popcorn ceiling off all over Care Bear’s bed and then when she tried to vacuum it up the vacuum dumped soot from the fireplace onto her bed as well, BD then had fun pulling wipes out of the package, and I just got done cleaning water absorbent particles out of the washer because a diaper got mixed in with the laundry.

 

I am thankful… for my new wagon (a gift from a friend) and new leather gloves.  I was able to collect two full loads of manure yesterday without breaking my back doing it.

 

From the learning rooms… We are getting back into our routine after being on break last week.  I am starting to use Happy Phonics with the girls this week.  They already read fairly well, but I want to make sure they understand the higher phonics concepts.  The Little Guy turns 4 later this month and I plan to start him with Happy Phonics after our next break.  Here’s hoping I can figure out how to juggle teaching 4 kids.  Buddy is learning multiple digit multiplication this week.  Right now he thinks it looks neat; let’s hope he still feels that way at the end of the week.

 

In the kitchen…I’ve spent a lot of time in the kitchen recently – 3 weeks of potlucks at church, restocking the freezer for lunches, and having a guest.  I need to make bread again tomorrow, but otherwise I’m thinking of pulling out some pre-made dinners from the freezer this week.

 

I am wearing… blue jeans, my red apple appliqué shirt, and the usual white sneakers.

 

I am creating… I am hoping to make some long sleeve light weight shirts for myself.  I got sunburned on my arms last week and when I looked for  something to cover up with while they healed I realized all my long sleeve shirts are winter weight (and even then most were only ¾ length sleeves).

 

I am going… to be getting dirt for my garden this week.  It is exciting to see it coming together and especially to have Dh’s support and help.  I must admit I am a bit nervous about the whole endeavor.  I grew up watching my mom garden and have read a lot in the recent months, but this will be the first time I’ve had the opportunity to actually do any gardening myself.

 

I am reading… Karen Kingsbury’s Forever Faithful trilogy.

 

I am hoping… that Dh has a good trip to NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) convention and that things go smoothly here at home while he’s gone.  It’s never fun having him gone, but the connections he makes and the things he learns are sooo important to being able to do his job well.

 

I am looking forward to… looking back on this next year and seeing how God takes care of/provides for the needs of our family and the mission here.

 

I am hearing… BD waking up; time to wrap this up and start part 2 of my day.

 

Around the house… I need to go switch the laundry.  I ran an extra rinse cycle on that load that had the diaper in it after I cleaned out the washer.  Hopefully that took care of it.

 

One of my favorite things…  cuddling with my husband.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Make bread, work in the garden, and remember to help the kids work on their Awana verses.

 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

 

 

 

FOR TODAY February 27, 2012

Outside my window… it is a cold, blustery day.  We started off the day with some sunshine, but the clouds have settled in thick now.  I’m told there is snow in the forecast, but haven’t seen any yet.

I am thinking… about health insurance.  Now that we are no longer with SEND we need to find our own insurance.  I’ve been researching a number of options, but I’m to the point that I just need to sit down with Dh and go over the questions I’ve come up with about it all.

I am thankful… for the many supporters who have expressed their excitement about our switch from SEND to WIM.

From the learning rooms… We are on break this week.  I did really well getting a lot of projects/cleaning done on our last break and hope I can do well this time too.  We hit the end of the first semester mark last week.  Where has the time gone?  Buddy did very well on his history test.

In the kitchen…I am going to attempt making bread bowls for the soup tonight. Tomorrow I need to make our regular Honey-Oatmeal bread since we are out again. Now that I have an x-large mixing bowl maybe I will try doing 8 loaves at a time.

I am wearing… blue jeans, a cream/brown/red print shirt, and the usual white sneakers.

I am creating… One of my projects I hope to get to this week is the quilt blocks for the Craftsy Block of the Month (http://www.craftsy.com/class/The-Craftsy-Block-of-the-Month/50).

I am going… We are really hoping to get away for a weekend soon.  Dh is really overworked right now and feeling the need to get away.

I am reading… nothing particular right now.  I’m wanting to find my Little House on the Prairie books to read to the kids.  I know they’re in a box somewhere in storage still.

I am hoping… that the transition from SEND to WIM will go smoothly and we won’t lose many supporters.

I am looking forward to… looking back on this next year and seeing how God takes care of/provides for the needs of our family and the mission here.

I am hearing… the girls turning pages as they read during quiet time.

Around the house… I need to go switch the laundry.  It really helps me to have a set day for doing laundry, but it also gives me that feeling of being on a hamster wheel with everything just starting all over again each week.

One of my favorite things…  trying new recipes.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Finish reorganizing the kids off-season clothes, make my quilt blocks for February, make bread, patch Buddy and Care Bear’s jeans, etc….

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

Last fall DH and I had the opportunity for a date night at one of our favorite restaurants.  We both tried their fall special of butternut squash bisque and enjoyed it immensely.  We have both (Dh especially) mentioned it many times to friends.  Since we don’t live anywhere near this particular restaurant I knew that for us to experience that taste sensation again I would need to try to recreate it at home.  The thought of trying to recreate something that made such an impression on Dh was a little daunting.  Would my version even come close?  However, I’d been thinking about it lately and last week when I passed the squash as I was going through the produce aisle I decided to give it my best shot.  I found several recipes online and combined them to come up with my own recipe.  It was pretty good, but lacked that special something so I enlisted the help of Dh’s discerning palate to figure out what it needed.  The resulting recipe was a BIG hit with all the kids and we are looking forward to having it again.

¼ c margarine

1 c chopped onion

8 c cubed butternut squash

2 medium carrots, diced

1 medium potato cubed

4 c chicken stock

2 dashes nutmeg

1 dash sherry

2 dashes garlic powder

1 dash curry

1 can evaporated milk

2 large dollops sour cream

2 dashes lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in margarine until tender.  Add squash, carrots, potato, chicken stock, nutmeg, sherry, garlic powder and curry.  Boil until vegetables are tender.  Use hand-held blender to puree soup or puree in batches in food processor or blender.  Add evaporated milk, sour cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Heat through without boiling.  Enjoy.

FOR TODAY September 12, 2011

Outside my window… it was nice and sunny earlier when we walked down to the school library, but now the clouds are rolling in like they do most afternoons here.

I am thinking… about our new school year starting next week.  I’m a bit nervous about it since I will have three in ‘school’ this year as well as a preschooler and infant.  Here’s hoping it won’t take us to long to find a rhythm/routine.

I am thankful… for God’s provision so that we can live/work here serving Him.

From the learning rooms… we are finally getting to the end of our school work from last year.  We ended up with so much time off last fall due to all the transitions and then having a baby that we’ve been working non-stop through the summer to catch up (not as hard to do here since the heat and bugs make it not so enjoyable to be outside).

In the kitchen… I am collecting some new freezer meal recipes.  It really makes such a BIG difference in my day to not have to spend much time fixing dinner.

I am wearing… blue jeans and my Grace Carillon t-shirt from college.

I am creating… a fall wardrobe for Princess.  So far I’ve completed one shirt and am almost done with a pair of pants.

I am going… to Albuquerque to pick up my brother tomorrow.  He is flying down to spend a few days with us before heading to a friend’s wedding.

I am wondering… how to best help Princess with her speech.  Both Dh and I agree that we need to make it a top priority for her this year.

I am reading… ‘Her Mother’s Hope’ by Francine Rivers (by far my favorite author)

I am hoping… for a good school year.

I am looking forward to… looking back on this next year and seeing how God takes care of/provides for the needs of our family and the mission here.

I am hearing… BD shaking his rattle.  He loves things that make noise when he shakes them.

Around the house… I need to go switch the laundry; have to get it all done today.

One of my favorite things…  strawberry lemonade made with real strawberries.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Enjoy my brother’s visit and finish prepping for school next week.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

The kids had a lot of fun with the volcano project for science.