Bible in 90 Days Challenge

The Bible in 90 Days Challenge begins tomorrow!! Are you ready? I'm so excited, I received the materials in the mail today. But I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. My house is still a Christmas wreck, I have laundry baskets overflowing...but I'm choosing not to focus on those hum drum, every day challenges. I have my eyes set on a bigger prize...understanding the word of God.

WFMW - Wrapping Leftover Turkey

In a perfect world, anytime I roast a chicken or turkey, I would pick the bird clean and neatly place the bag of leftover meat in the fridge. But that doesn't always happen, especially on holidays. By the end of the evening, I'm usually so tired it's a miracle if all the leftovers find their way to the fridge at all, forget neat packaging. So for those days when I don't have time to pick the bird I found a way to wrap it that works for me. This keeps the bird protected until I can pick it and keeps all the juices from spilling all over the fridge.

Place the bird on a plate and put it on two or three overlapping pieces of aluminum foil.

Wrap the foil up over the edge of the plate and cover the bottom of the turkey.

Wrap the top of the turkey as normal and now you have a neat package that will keep the juices from running all over your fridge.

*For more Works For Me Wednesday tips visit Kristen at We Are THAT Family*

Dreams of Childhood

When I was a child I wanted to be a famous singer when I grew up. And I would have made it too, had it not been that pesky fear of singing in public. Oh, and the lack of a stellar voice probably hurt my chances too. Later I wanted to be a famous actress, that didn't pan out either. Now, I don't really want to be famous, just independently wealthy :) With all these boys running around here I've overheard a lot of dreams the last two weeks. The latest and greatest? Free runners. I have three teenage boys asking me if they can do things like try to do back flips in the back yard or jump off the shed roof. I think I've grown a few extra gray hairs.

CM3 Soft Place To Fall

It's Monday and I'm ready for some music! How 'bout you? CM3, a.k.a. Crunchy Mama Music Monday, is a weekly meme where you can express yourself through music. If you'd like to play along be sure to read the guidelines and link up. If the MckLinky isn't up or operational, feel free to leave a link in the comment section. Don't forget to include a link back here in your post so your readers can find us and play along too.

I love The Horse Whisperer. I just might have to curl up on the couch and watch it this afternoon. The dance is my favorite scene, the feelings of tension and desire are almost palpable. But it's the song, A SOFT PLACE TO FALL by Allison Moorer, that really pulls me in; and it matches my mood today. It's been a good but emotional holiday week and I need a soft place to fall. So I'm counting on the couch to catch me :)

Waitin' on Bacon

Bram decided to make a bacon box helmet while waiting on the bacon...I don't know why :) He ran around the house and watched some TV with his helmet. It was so silly I just had to snap a shot. Maybe I have the next Oscar Mayer spokesperson here?

So...

So tired...

So many great memories...

So much to share...

Maybe tomorrow. Tonight I must sleep :)

Merry Christmas

Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King!

Ancient Christmas Torture Device

Do You Bento?

My (Not So) Wordless Wednesday:

Shane likes to watch anime, a lot of anime. It's a sickness I tell you! But through these psychotic cartoons (some of which are actually good) we've learned a lot about Japanese culture. One thing that caught Shane's eye was the Japanese version of a lunch box, known as a Bento Box. This has quickly become an obsession, for both of us. I can't tell you why it's infinitely more fun packing a Bento than a lunch box...but it is! There are so many fun ways to pack them, I even tried my hand at rice balls and that went well. Do you Bento?

Peanut butter cracker sandwiches, pecans, mushrooms, cheese, apples and peanut butter & chocolate fudge

Sandwich skewers, carrots, hard-boiled egg, ferrero rocher, crystallized ginger, raisins

The Bible In 90 Days

Mom's Toolbox is leading a Bible-read-a-thon. Participants are reading the Bible, in its entirety, in 90 days. You wanna read that again? Go ahead, I'll wait.... That's right. The entire Bible. In 90 days. Wow.

I've decided to accept this challenge and read along.

If you are a regular reader, you know that I've been struggling for a while, trying to find God's plan for me specifically and my family in general. I've struggled over many things, like obedience, patience and submission but mainly moving (or not) and more children (or not). I've felt God has something special planned for our family and I want to be sure I'm following His path to that blessing.

For months I have been praying my heart out, struggling to quiet myself-which, if you know me IRL, you know isn't easy for me-and listen for His voice. The encouraging thing is, I've been slowly and quietly receiving the guidance I'm looking for.

Seek and ye shall find.

I've begun to experience a peace in the knowledge that He is with me, and freedom in knowing that if I keep putting one foot in front of the other He will illuminate the path before me.

So when I read that Connie from Smockity Frocks was participating in The Bible In 90 Days adventure, I thought "what a cool idea" and quickly scrolled on down my reader. Then I felt a gentle nudge to participate. To be completely honest, I wasn't too happy. I've tried and failed to read the entire Bible many times before. I didn't really want to take this on. But I was afraid of ending up in the belly of a whale, so I said aloud "I hear you Lord" and commented on the blogs of other participants, some of which were hosting giveaways for the curriculum material.

And wonder of wonders, I won a free copy of the curriculum from Mom's Toolbox! God is speaking loud and clear. I feel honored that as I've drawn closer to Him, He has drawn closer to me. I am embarking on this journey, making this commitment in order to know Him better, to discern His will and hopefully, be pleasing in His eyes.

CM3 Here Comes Santa Claus

It's Monday and I'm ready for some music! How 'bout you? CM3, a.k.a. Crunchy Mama Music Monday, is a weekly meme where you can express yourself through music. If you'd like to play along be sure to read the guidelines and link up. If the Linky is not up or operational, feel free to leave your link in the comment section. Don't forget to include a link back here in your post so your readers can find us and play along too.

Christmas is only a few days away!! So, of course, I chose a Christmas song for this week's CM3. So many Christmas carols are, well, slow and almost sad. I wanted a fun upbeat song to match my festive mood, and 'round here it just ain't Christmas without Elvis. So here's Elvis Presley singing HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS (even though we don't do Santa) to get you motivated. Wrap some presents! Toss some tinsel! Get in the Christmas spirit!

R'uh R'oh! Snow!

Yesterday we woke up to 8 inches of snow! By lunch we had about a foot. It snowed steadily all day and we now have a grand total of 17 inches. Yesterday was a great day. There was sledding and snowball fights, igloo building, hot cocoa and movies in front of the fire...ahhh...what a life!

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:7

I Want To See These Movies!!

Both of these movies were previews I saw on a movie I rented from Netflix. I had never heard of either of them and they both look fascinating to me...

Expelled : No Intelligence Allowed

The Stoning of Soraya M.

WWU : Slave to the Public School Schedule

This week has been long but enjoyable. My hat's off to working parents, homeschoolers who foster parent or have step children in public school, etc! Balancing that schedule is tough. "The Boys" (my husband's little brothers) are still with us and will be through Christmas. I am so excited! We get to spend our Christmas break together...and they're calling for 6 inches of snow this weekend. We should have a lot of fun! But this week has worn us out.

The boys get up early and leave with Shane on his way to work. They make the 1 hour and 15 minute drive for school from here in PA to VA, then Shane picks them up after school and they make their way home again. They've been getting home around 6:00p.m. By the time we have dinner, do homework (EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE ALREADY SPENT 6 HOURS IN SCHOOL) and make the rounds of showers it's time for bed. I feel like they've been here all week but I've only gotten about 15 minutes a day of quality time with them.

But the weekend officially begins soon and we can enjoy a slower, steadier pace. With the exception of getting a little behind in his assigned reading of Tom Sawyer, Fox has done a great job of keeping up with his work, even with the chaos. And Bram has reveled in having 3 big boys to follow around and play with!

So that's our week in a nutshell. I'd like to write more...but I'm tired! :)

Christmas Breakfast Practice Run? Check!

Last weekend we had our Christmas breakfast practice run. We made overnight cinnamon rolls. They were yummy. However the filling wasn't as ooey-gooey as I like. So I'm going to tweak the recipe to make a gooey filling. I'm also going to add my vegan margarine in place of the oil for a bit more flavor. If it turns out well I'll post the recipe after Christmas. If not, I'll stick to the original recipe, they disappeared quickly even without the gooey-ness.

Wordless Wednesday : I Did Not Know Him

I did not know him...

Before Monday I had never uttered his name...

But he has touched my life...

Changed me forever....

I will love deeper

Hug tighter

Listen longer

And smile when I want to cry

IN LOVING MEMORY OF BRYSON ROSS

Grandparent's Top 10 Un-Gift Guide (what not to buy the grandkids)

We've all been victims of a gift-gone-wrong, like when a well meaning friend gives us fuzzy pink slippers or Aunt Kitty knits us a lovely sweater with uneven sleeves. Since I took the time to create Somewhat Crunchy's Edible Gift Guide, I thought it would be prudent to look at gift-giving from the other end...what not to give. So Grandparents, listen up! Here are the top 10 gifts you should never give your grandchildren.

Never Give Your Grandchild:

10. A Holiday Sweater - A green sweater showcasing Rudolph with a big 3-D nose does not scream innocence. It screams "Help! My grandmother bought me this ugly thing and my Mom is making me wear it to be nice to the old bag!"

9. Perfume or Cologne - Unless you know the exact name of their preferred scent, do not buy perfume. We love you Grandma, but your perfume is a little too powdery for our tastes.

8. Underwear - It's just embarrassing, for everyone.

7. Lingerie - It's just inappropriate. Little ones don't need to feel sexy.

6. Facts of Life Book - Again, it's just embarrassing.

5. VHS Tapes - Grandpa, I know you're proud of the great deal you got on those movies, but they're cheap because they're obsolete. Sorry.

4. A Pet - Do not purchase any living thing unless you're willing to enforce the care of the animal or, better yet, keep it at your house.

3. Anything That Makes Noise Over 40 Decibels - If you can hear the toy's bells and whistles over the din of Walmart's Christmas rush it's too loud!

2. Anything That Takes Up More Than 2 Cubic Feet - We just don't have the space, the same stipulations as in #4 apply, see above.

1. Anything That Sends The Message You Don't Approve Of Them Just The Way They Are - This means NO hair trimmers, make-up, clothes deliberately opposite of their usual style, pimple cream, hygiene kits, etiquette books etc. Such things can be addressed any other day of the year, not a day of universal love and good cheer.

CM3 The Revelation Song

It's Monday and I'm ready for some music! How 'bout you? CM3, a.k.a. Crunchy Mama Music Monday, is a weekly meme where you can express yourself through music. If you'd like to play along be sure to read the guidelines and link up. Don't forget to include a link back here in your post so your readers can find us and play along too.

I heard this song over at Homeschool 101's. I thought it was so beautiful, I just had to share. What a fabulous song to start the day!

Speaking To Me

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Discipline Advice for New Parents

I had a lesson yesterday. One that taught me something I already knew, but haven't been following through on. I've been lazy in my parenting.

I was reminded of how important it is to start where you want to end.

I was at the grocery store. Bram did not want to stay in the cart, not even in the cool race car end where he could pretend to drive. He kept climbing out. I tried keeping him in, I tried feeding him, I tried allowing him to help push the cart and lastly I tried allowing him to walk beside me. He wasn't having any of it. His only desire was to run FULL SPEED up and down and all around the aisles.

I sent Fox out to the van with Bram, and quickly made my way through checkout with only our lunch meat. I left everything else in the cart, in the middle of the aisle. While checking out I hastily sent an angry text message to my husband. "Having to leave groceries at the store-SO PISSED- your fault!"

Why did I send this ugly message? Because when Bram was just starting to walk Shane went shopping with us a few times. To keep Bram calm in the cart I would open a bag of chips or cookies and feed him as we shopped. Shane didn't like this because we hadn't officially paid for the items yet, so instead he took Bram out of the cart and walked with him around the store to keep him occupied. Thus began Bram's aversion to sitting still.

I'm calm now, so I realize those few instances didn't culminate in the temper tantrum. It was the continuation of the behavior.

So if I have any advice for new parents it is start where you want to end. Do not begin a behavior pattern you don't want to continue. What's cute at 10 months may be not so much at 18 months.

But there is hope. You can change unwanted behaviors, it just takes (extra) time and (most importantly) consistency. So please excuse me while I teach my toddler some patience.

WWU - No Complaints

Wonder of wonders, I have NO complaints this week! :) We had a very productive week, stayed on track in our curriculum schedule and had a fun (for us) surprise. How was your week? To share your week or read more Weekly Wrap Ups, visit Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Monday - Shane's work went back to a 5 day work week, so he wasn't home today. Even though we missed him, we were much less tempted to extend our weekend into Monday. We got through the work quickly. Fox and I are almost finished Streams to the River, River to the Sea by Scott O'Dell and we've really enjoyed it so far. Fox has learned more about Sacagawea in this book than I did in my whole public school career.

Tuesday - Co-op went well. Fox is really enjoying his Physical Science class. The General Science class I teach went well. Next week is our last meeting until Jan 12th. Boy am I looking forward to the break! I feel like life has been really fast paced since mid-October and I hope to fit in some time to relax.

Wednesday - I spent my "free time" reviewing Fox's curriculum, making plans for his upcoming high school years. A while ago a bought a great book Kris had recommended (sorry I couldn't find the link) called Reading Lists for College Bound Students. It is a wonderful resource, but there is A LOT of information in it. If you didn't get the book but are looking for something similar on a smaller scale check out the 100 Books Every High School Student Should Read page.

Thursday - I'm slowly learning not to freak out over hiccups in our schedule. I stress, but I try to remind myself that God has a reason for whatever the change. It's funny how things work out. Fox got up early and finished his independent work before I woke up. I wanted to reprimand him for not sticking to a schedule, but instead I told myself God had a reason and simply warned him not to rush through his work, to do it thoroughly no matter when he does it. Well, later that afternoon I got a call from Shane. His father, who I've mentioned before has addictive issues, had called. He had fallen off the wagon. He wanted to go back to rehab and needed us to take care of the boys. So I spent the afternoon, which would have been full of schoolwork had Fox not gotten up early, getting out the blow-up mattress, making sure the boys had room for their clothes in the closet and catching up on my laundry.

Friday - In case you don't remember, the boys are about Fox's age 12 and 13. They are bright, rambunctious red-heads and I love them dearly. I'm sorry Shane's father is going through this, but I love having the boys here. My house if full and so is my heart. Shane took the boys to school this morning on his way to work and will bring them home with him this evening. They will be here at least until Monday morning. After that I don't know, it's all up to how long of a stint my FIL's insurance approves. Last time it was only 3 days (how do they expect people to get well in 3 days with no counseling? So infuriating!) So today will be/was made up of getting through schoolwork so Fox and Bram can drive me crazy anticipating the boys' return this evening :)

Somewhat Crunchy's Edible Gift Guide

Somewhat Crunchy's Edible Gift Guide

...where the guide isn't edible but the suggestions are

For many of us money is tight this year. If you feel like me, then you may scream if you have to add another name to that gift list or buy one more gift card. Between family, friends and co-workers (don't even get me started on hostess gifts) the expense can quickly get out of hand. So below I've provided some easy, inexpensive, edible gift ideas. Even better, none require you to fire up the oven...because haven't you done enough baking already?

FOR THE SWEET-LOVERS...

Hot cocoa mix is always a great choice. Who doesn't love hot cocoa? Just mix up the below ingredients and divide the mix into baggies. Neatly place a baggie in the bottom of a decorative mug and top with peppermint candies, a chocolate dipped spoon and ribbon. Yum!

5 cups dry milk powder

2 1/2 cups 10X sugar, well sifted

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer (you can really jazz it up with flavored powdered-creamers like vanilla, hazelnut or mocha)

Tasty Whipped Creams make a great last-minute hostess gift. Keep heavy cream on hand to whip up a quick and flavorful batch before you head out the door.

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup 10X sugar

1/2 teaspoon extract or 1-2 tablespoons liqueur

(vanilla, mint or coconut extracts are great or try Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Bourbon)

In a chilled bowl combine the above ingredients and beat with a mixer on high speed until well thickened and stiff. But be careful not to over beat!

FOR THE SAVORY LOVERS...

Herbed Butter is so easy to make, yet it is a memorable gift. Gift it in a decorative bowl with ribbon for a beautiful presentation.

1 stick butter or margarine, softened

2 tablespoons herbs, finely chopped (parsley, dill and/or sage work well)

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Simply beat all ingredients together until the herbs and lemon juice are well dispersed throughout the butter. Neatly place the mixture in a pretty bowl. Store in fridge until hardened and remind the recipient to store it in the fridge when not in use.

Flavored Vinegar is another great gift that is easy to make, though it requires resting time for the infusion to take place.

A small bouquet of desired herbs or spices, well rinsed (sage, thyme, garlic, peppercorns etc.)

2-3 cups vinegar

A decorative, heat-proof bottle, well washed

Place the herbs in the bottle. In a saucepan bring the vinegar to a boil. Using a funnel pour the vinegar into the bottle with the herbs. Allow the vinegar to cool. Seal it and place in the fridge for 2 weeks.

When it is finished steeping you can remove the herbs to increase shelf life or leave them in for decoration. Either way, store in fridge.

FOR THE COOKS...

Homemade Bisquick Mix is a fantastic addition to your pantry.

I like to gift this in a mason jar topped with a fabric square and ribbon.

9 cups flour

1- 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil or crisco

1/2 cup baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in the oil or crisco about 1/2 cup at a time until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Store in a cool, dry place or the refrigerator.

Soup in a Jar makes a beautifully visual gift. To make Minestrone in a Jar, neatly layer the following ingredients in a mason jar. *Recipe from All Free Crafts

1/4 cup red lentils

1/4 cup green split peas

1/4 cup barley

1/3 cup beef bullion powder

2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

3 tablespoons dried minced onion

1/3 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon basil

1/4 cup small pasta (alphabet, macaroni, ancini di pepe)

Top the jar with a decorative fabric square and a pretty card with the following instructions: "In a very large saucepan combine 8-10 cups of water, 28oz. can crushed tomatoes and soup mix. Add 2 chopped carrots, 2-4 chopped potatoes and 2 cups chopped cabbage (optional). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour or until peas are tender. Enjoy!"

FOR THOSE WHO PARTAKE...

Limoncello is a refreshing sweet-but-tangy after dinner drink, popular in Italy. It is a very impressive hostess gift. It's yellow color is beautiful and though the recipients will assume it was difficult to make, it's quite easy. *Recipe by Alton Brown.

zest only from 2 lbs lemons

large glass jar

750 ml bottle vodka (100 proof)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup water

Combine the lemon zest and vodka in a large glass jar. Allow it to rest undisturbed in a cool place for 7 days. Then strain it, removing the zest. Throw away the zest and set the vodka infusion aside. In a saucepan over high heat, combine the water and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Allow it to cool. Once cool, pour into a glass jar (mason jars work well) and add the vodka-lemon infusion. Mix well and chill in freezer for at least 4 hours before serving. Store in freezer for up to a year.

See, I promised they were easy. Make extras to keep on hand for when your neighbor unexpectedly invites you over for cookies and cocoa, or you brother-in-law shows up with an uninvited guest.

Ya Think He Likes Green Olives?

For more Wordless Wednesday visit Extraordinary Mothers

I'm Gettin in the Mood...

...for Christmas carols! This is surprising to me because I usually don't want want to hear a single Christmas carol until December 20th. I don't know why, I'm kind of a Scrooge like that. But this year, for whatever reason, I've already found myself humming one of my Christmas favorites, Silver Bells...the Elvis version of course. It just ain't Christmas at my house without Elvis!

CM3 Bowling for Soup - 1985

It's Monday and I'm ready for some music! How 'bout you? CM3, a.k.a. Crunchy Mama Music Monday, is a weekly meme where you can express yourself through music. If you'd like to play along be sure to read the guidelines and link up. Don't forget to include a link back here in your post so your readers can find us and play along too.

I love this song by Bowling For Soup. It just cracks me up. You can listen to it above, but if you want the full effect I suggest you watch the video. It's a riot. I was born in 1979, so I am definitely a child of 80's and early 90's music. Oh yeah, it takes me back...

Why We Don't Do Santa Part 2

In case you missed it, here's Part 1

After that eye-opening conversation with my first born, I realized that if we were ever to have more kids, we might want to reconsider the whole Santa thing. Fox had been very hurt by the fact that his parents (who taught him the importance of honesty) would lie to him, even in the name of fun.

Two years later we were blessed with another boy, Bram, and we needed to make a decision. After much thought and discussion, these were the points which cemented our decision to forgo Santa.

• We teach our children the importance of honesty and make a point to never lie to them. So why should lying apply to a holiday centered around good will, generosity and faith?

• Though the lie was innocent enough it effectively shook our son's faith in his parents. (temporarily)

• When a child has been brought up to believe in Santa, only to find out he's not real it may lead that child to doubt their faith. "If Santa isn't real then is Jesus a myth too?"

• The reality of disadvantaged children is easier to understand when Santa isn't real. A grasp of the importance of giving and volunteering naturally follows.

• The child better appreciates their parents (and the budget) if they know where the gifts really come from.

• You can have open discussions about "not going overboard" in tough economic times

• The emphasis is where it's supposed to be, faith and family

Those are the reasons that convinced us to ditch Santa. But no Santa isn't a death sentence. It's still Christmas without him! Jesus is the reason for the season. Our children still know about Santa, he just doesn't bring the gifts.

So, now that you know why we don't do Santa, to demonstrate that we're not complete Grinches, here's what we do do. We still talk about Santa and his origins as Saint Nicholas. We still exchange gifts. We still watch fun Santa movies and sing Here Comes Santa Claus again and again. We even have our kids pictures taken with Santa at the mall, it's just old fashioned fun. Santa is still a part of our lives, but more in the Frosty the Snowman kind of way, he's a myth steeped in tradition, a fun extension of the holiday. But in our house, he's not real.