A lazy, relaxing Saturday with the kids

So today I had all intentions of getting up, getting things done, getting some progress on this house... but then snuggling came in, the blog came up, a good book found my hands... and well, just about no work got done! I say just about no work, because I did wash the dog.  Mind you it was freezing cold outside, the hose water was well below freezing (if that is possible) and the dog was not happy.  But what can you do when he gets sprayed by a skunk at 8pm the night before?  I was not about to tromp him through this house and take him to the bathroom~ the house already smells just from the spray outside!  So, 1 gallon of tomato sauce, 2 gallons of vinegar, some baking soda and some dog shampoo and... the dog still stinks!  Any tips?  He is outside now, drying off (tried to let him dry off in the mud room, but it stunk!!).  Will let him in the mud room soon, then try something else tomorrow... 

I am reviewing Mine is the Night By Liz Curtis Higgs.  It is a great book so far, although I do not like having to flip to the back of the book for interpretations and most of the language is tricky to put together... (have to sometimes say it out loud to get it)  But I am enjoying it for the most part so far. 

I am thinking of cleaning up the office/craft room and working on my quilting tonight while I curl up with the hubby and watch a movie.  I am trying to learn to quilt, and am working on a Turning Twenty {you can see the pattern in the book} quilt for my mother.  I had purchased all my fabric from a lady in Colorado who was selling off a bunch of her fabrics to help cover medical costs and ended up spending $80 for all fabric for an over sized queen quilt!  (Great deal I have heard.)  So now I am trying to square my fabric, although I have recently learned I do not need to square it all, just one side then cut the pieces and square them.  Should make life a little easier! 

Once I get this quilt going, as far as pieces cut and put together I will start to work on my scrapbooking again.  I have Chloe's birth day done along with her dedication and some other days, but have a lot left of Jacob to catch up.  And a ton left from our China trip.  My in laws, just gave me a beautiful silk cover scrapbook that I hope I can trim down my pages that I have done so far and glue them into it.  A word to the wise, do not have too many hobbies or you get very very behind in them all! I can only imagine what will come of this summer and all the gardening, swimming, camping, etc we plan to do... Where will my hobbies be then? 

This is the 4th day of Lent, and I am doing pretty good.  I have given up soda and sweets.  Something that I know I should have been doing a long long time ago!  The cravings for soda come late in the day, and being that wonderful time of the month, I am craving chocolate like crazy!!! But I have not given in.  I am also supposed to be adding time in the word, but I must admit I have a hard time keeping myself to that.  I usually read my Bible in the am once Hanna is here and back to sleep, but lately with the kids being sick I just haven't have the energy.  I know that is no excuse and am really going to try to be better this coming week.   

What are you doing for Lent?  Do you celebrate it?  Why or why not?  I would love to hear from you all!  Did you hear about the new NIV version 2011???  Guess I am going to have to check that out too!  May you have a blessed Sunday tomorrow and a wonderful time worshipping our Lord.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” - 2 Peter 1:4

Sickness all around...

Well it's Friday!!!! This usually would be a very exciting day for us, however it really isn't Friday since Greg has to work tomorrow.  And I am going stir crazy from being in the house all week!  If you didn't know, our car is almost completely dismantled in the garage.  It is getting a new transmission, a lower intake manifold, has something wrong with a head gasket (?), an oil leak, and a few other things I can not remember!  (Don't ask me what any of these things are~ I have no idea!  I am just thankful that my father in-law was a master mechanic for 20+ years and taught Greg a lot about cars so he is doing the work!  (Saving us thousands in labor- actually a new car since ours isn't worth much.) 

Both kiddos are sick, although I do think they are on the backside of this cold.  Both kids' fevers have broke (at least Jacob's, Chloe's I will check in a bit) and neither are coughing near what they were yesterday!  I am so thankful for that.  However the downside of having two sick kiddos is mom is starting to feel the effects of it.  :(  I do not enjoy being sick.  SO I am going to fight it the best way I can~ clean the house!

So now I am off of here, off to vacuum the upstairs of the house, maybe sort through some clothes to get rid of (still have my box of stuff to fill today!) and get something accomplished.  If I succeed in this then when hubby gets home with the truck~ I AM OFF!!!  I AM GETTING OUT OF THIS HOUSE!  We need many groceries and toiletries and mommy needs fresh air and interaction with people!

On a very positive note~ it has been raining ALL day today and has melted a lot of the snow out of our yard.  I will trade snow for mud any day!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I might be back tomorrow, since Greg is working, but if not I will see you all Monday morning!

Order your copy of Leaving today~ you will not be disappointed!!!  Check out my review on the book review page!

3 in 30 Week One Check In

Wow it has been a week since I posted my goals for this month?!?!?! 

Here is how I am doing:

1) create and stick to a budget~ haven't started... although a friend is letting me borrow her dave ramsey book, so I guess that is something! :)
2) spend at least 15 minutes a day reading my Bible~ haven't done this everyday, only the days I get up when Hanna is here... Need to be better~ also adding extra time for Lent, so there is double reason!

3) do not let more than 3 loads of laundry build up~ Well, now I am good, but this weekend~ oh boy look out!  Sick kids, one kid wet the bed, plus I try not to do any work on the weekends when Greg is home, so that left A LOT of laundry on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

HOMEmaker's Challenge~ in the kitchen, recipe challenge

This weeks challenge was: Find and make a new recipe.  Well, this seemed pretty easy to me I just tweaked an already pretty good one.  Lasagna!  Well I call this one Stuffed Lasagna!  :) 

I started with whole grain pasta, we don't always use it, but try to when I remember to buy it! 

These are the tomatoes we canned from our garden this year! :)  YUMMY!!!! Used them in our sauce!  When we canned them, we added parsley, garlic and oregano to the mix to make our own Italian tomatoes.

Yummy sauce with sausage, beef, onions (as you can see from the side of the pan), garlic and tomato sauce.

Cheese mixture.  Ricotta, about 1/2 cup of goat cheese (had some left over), some left over cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 3 cheese Parmesan mix, eggs.  This was a must-go lasagna~whatever must go, must go in the lasagna! :)

The stuffed layer, summer squash, zucchini, olives and some parsley!

You can see the stuffed layer.  :)  Always trying to squeeze in any extra veggies I can!

Jacob posing in our messy kitchen! He loves his picture being taken and taking them himself!

Refrigerator biscuits with garlic powder sprinkled on top... Our favorite!

Time to eat! :) 

Overall, it turned out great, although I could taste the goat cheese (not a fan) but no one else complained! :)  I always try to add as much veggies as possible to the mix, but this was the first time I just did a layer by itself!



Wednesday already!!!

WOW, it is Wednesday already and I have not really been on the computer since Friday!  Usually weekends are off limits for me to be on the computer and then Greg was home on Monday, so there went that day!  And yesterday, kiddos were very sick and I had a long long list of housework to get done before I could come online!  (Well obviously I didn't finish my work and didn't get to the blog world!)  So that leaves me with today...  Kiddos are still fighting this sickness...  Jacob is doing ok~ I don't worry about him quite so much as he is old enough to take some meds,  Chloe on the other hand has been fighting a fever and we are rotating between tylenol and ibprophen...  She has a horrible cough when awake, but when sleeping it seems to go away which is good.  It stinks not having insurance incase something were to go wrong, although I know we would make it work one way or another. 

I am needing to write my first review on Nightshade and having a little trouble getting started on it...  Oh well, guess I just need to jump into it!  As far as my 3 in 30, laundry got behind this weekend (blame it on not doing work on the weekend, sick kiddos and then a little guy who wet the bed Sunday night), but now I am all caught up.  I think there are 2 loads to fold and then a gentle cycle for Chloe's quilt and I am all done!!!! :)  I need to post my recipe for HOMEmakers Challenge and post some freecycle/craigslist items!!!  OH if only there was more time in the day and more energy for mommy!

I also put in for my first product reviews, and will be excited to hear back from them! 

I have started
Leaving by Karen Kingsbury and love it as usual!  I am also reading
A Conversations with God for Women and really enjoying that as well.  On Monday I got my first two books to review (real physical copies that is!!) one being the Conversations and another
Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs.

Ok well, I must leave my blog for now, and get some work done! :)  We did our school work for the day and if you are looking for a good Christian homeschooling program check out http://www.daniellesplace.com/.  By becomeing a member (only $23.95) you have all 26 letters lessons (they come with an animal, a verse, a character building, math, science, reading, physical education, cooking, songs, etc. all for ages preschool through 3rd grade along with Sunday School lessons, special day lessons, and so so much more!)  I am finding that I don't have enough time (or ink) to print out and do all that I would like from her site!!!  Todays lesson was F, flamingos.  We were learing how to Change from the Inside Out and how the Holy Spirit helps transform us into Christlike people!  We played flamingo bingo learning about different colors and relating them to Jesus!  The kids love the lessons. Oh and your first 4 are free!!!!

Today is also the begining of Lent.  I am still trying to think about what to give up~ I think soda and sweets and then also adding something to my day, maybe extra time in the Word.  What are you doing for Lent?