Raising the boy

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word." Psalm 119:9

Raising this 3 yr old, mischievous, little angel drives me to my knees daily. Causes me to read every christian parenting book known to man...not just once, but twice!

Such challenges, frustrations, and joys I have never know before. Such responsibility.

We are not just raising a little boy, but a mature God-fearing man. I pray that he will grow up to be a man of character, conviction, and commitment.

God tells us that boys/children are a blessing to us, and as we aim them in the right direction, they will go on to bless many others. Just keep reminding yourself of that during the messy, loud years, and enjoy the blessing of boys.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on cob, biscuits & pumpkin butter

Tuesday: wild turkey breast, slow-cooker stuffing, shells n cheese, green beans

Wednesday: Crockpot Night - Enchilada Soup, tortilla chips

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Family night - Homemade Pizza and a movie

Saturday: Reuben sandwiches

Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner - Caramel Banana French Toast, Sausage


What do you have planned for dinner this week?
To be inspired by over 400 more menus - head over and visit Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.com

Monday's Simple Woman's Daybook ~ Oct 12th

For today - Oct 12th, 2009 -

Outside my window...its a gray fall day. Neighborhood kids are out of school due to Columbus Day. So even though its chilly, lots of sweatshirts and pink cheeks running around out there, laughing and screaming...enjoying the last few moments of indian summer.

I am thinking...what am I thinking??

I am thankful for...God opening the doors for my mom to move down here. It will be such a nice blessing to have her near instead of 5 hours away.

I am wearing...jeans and a tshirt.

I am remembering...the crunch of falling leaves....smell of wood-fires burning...

I am going...to fix a cup of hot tea.

I am reading...some homeschool blogs.

I am hoping...for a relaxing evening at home tonight. Warm and cozy.

On my mind....that baby Keira is going to wake up and need fed soon.

From the learning rooms...Ashleigh is doing very well with addition. Gets impatient though. She continues to enjoy phonics. We are using the Rod & Staff phonics curriculum. She has started reading some words and even sentences now.

Noticing that...my phone is missing! Was wondering why my husband hadnt called on his way home yet....I must have left it around here somewhere....

Pondering these words...listening to Focus on the Family.

From the kitchen...going to cook up the wild turkey breast that my husband got this past weekend. Along with mashed potatoes, and corn.

Around the house...Logan is helping his Grandma bake biscuits to go along with the batch of pumpkin butter we made this afternoon. The kitchen smells spicy. Just right for fall :)

One of my favorite things...caramel candy corn! My sister introduced me to it last weekend. Love it even more than regular candy corn.

A few plans for the rest of the week....a quiet week at home. Catching up on school work after missing all last week due to flu. A doctor appointment. Homeschool co-op classes one afternoon.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

You might enjoy reading other ladies' daybooks or perhaps you would like to start keeping your own journal... check out Peggy's site: The Simple Woman's Daybook for a list.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I have been fighting the flu this week, so my dear husband made up a huge stockpot of this delicious soup. Homemade chicken noodle soup has always been my favorite soup. Probably because growing up, my mom's was amazing and always so comforting on cold winter days...or sick days. I love this creamy version. It has such a rich, thick broth. I hope you enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

4 large chicken breasts

4 T chicken bouillon

10 C water

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

1 C chopped carrots

1 C chopped celery

1 minced garlic clove

1 tsp parsley or poultry seasonings

salt & pepper

10-14 oz egg noodles

1 pt heavy cream

1 C sour cream

In large pot, boil the water with the chicken, chicken bouillon, onion, carrots, and celery, and spices for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.Remove chicken and add egg noodles. Boil until tender. Meanwhile, dice cooked chicken. Place chicken back into pot and simmer until ready to eat. Add heavy cream and sour cream and heat through, but do not boil. Add more sour cream to get desired thickness.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, and Artisan Bread

(made by my sweet husband especially for me, because I have been fighting some bug all weekend and fever today)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Crockpot Night - Enchilada Soup

Thursday: Fish & Chips

Friday: Family night - Homemade Pizza and a movie

Saturday: Mexican - bro-in-laws' birthday dinner

Sunday: Grill Night - bbq chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on cob

(carried over from last week)

To be inspired by over 400 more menus - head over and visit Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.com

Carnitas & Black Beans

Carnitas

3 lbs. pork shoulder

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs salt

1 tbs ground pepper

1 tbs paprika

1 tbs cayenne pepper

1 tsp oregano

2 bay leaves

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 large dried chipotle peppers

1/2 can coke

1/2 cup milk

2 tbs brown sugar

1. Trim the fat off of the roast. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. While it’s getting hot, mix the spices together on a plate and roll the pork roast in them. Gently place the roast in the hot oil and sear all sides until browned.

2. Place it in the crockpot. Add the brown sugar, coke, milk, garlic, bay leaves and chipotle. Cook slow & low...5 hrs or so. It’s done when the pork starts to fall apart when poked with a spoon.

3. Remove the meat from the crockpot with a slotted spoon and shred it into smaller chunks. Remove any solids (peppers) from the broth. Pour into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Fry the meat in this until it begins to crisp, and all the liquids are gone.

4. Serve with warmed corn tortillas, chopped fresh cilantro, wedges of lime, and diced red onion.

SpicyBlack Beans

2 cups dried black beans
2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) water
2-3 fresh sprigs oregano, or 1 Tbsp dried
3 bay leaves
6 small or 3 large sage leaves
2 teaspoons salt
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 chopped peppers – bell pepper, Anaheim, or jalapeño (your choice, depending on taste for heat), seeds, stems and ribs discarded
6 cloves crushed garlic
2 Tbsp chili powder or Tabasco to taste
1-2 teaspoons of puréed chipotle in adobo, chipotle Tabasco, or chipotle powder (to taste)
1 Tbsp cumin
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Prepare the beans. Rinse and sort the beans, discarding any stones or shriveled beans. You can soak the beans overnight in cold water (cover with several inches of water) OR pour enough boiling water over them to cover by a few inches and soak them for an hour OR skip the pre-soaking step. Soaking will speed up the cooking process. If you soak, discard the soaking liquid after soaking.
2. Add beans to a large pot with 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water. Add oregano, bay leaves, and sage. Bring the beans to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are soft, but not quite done. The time will vary depending on how large, dry, or old your beans are, and if you have pre-soaked them, from anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.
3. While the beans are cooking, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add chili powder, and/or chili purée, cumin, and garlic. Sauté until spices are fragrant.
4. Fish out and discard the bay leaves, stems of oregano, and sage leaves from the pot of beans. Remove, but reserve, extra cooking liquid until there is about 1/2-inch of liquid above beans.
5. Add the onion mixture and salt to the pot of beans. Cook another hour or so until thickened. Add reserved liquid if needed.
6. Just before serving, add lime juice, and vinegar. Salt to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
Serve with corn tortillas, and/or rice, sour cream, and salsa.
Serves 8.

How did she get to be so Big?

Ashleigh discovered her first loose tooth this week. It was wobbly and came out later that evening. I dont know how we missed it being loose!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: polish sausage, fried tators & cabbage

Tuesday: Chicken Lo Mein

Wednesday: Freezer Pleaser - meatball subs & chips

Thursday: Crockpot Night - Carnitas w/Black Beans (a new one I'm trying. will post recipe later this week if it turns out!)

Friday: Family night - Homemade Pizza and a movie

Saturday: eating from the chuckwagon at the Old Fashioned Heritage Days

Sunday: Grill Night - bbq chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on cob

To be inspired by over 400 more menus, AND to enter a drawing for an awesome giveaway, head over and visit Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.com

Monday's Simple Woman's Daybook

For today - Sept 28th 2009 -

Outside my window...the sun is bright though a chilly autumn breeze is blowing. Its a gorgeous fall day! Someone is burning wood...the smell is heavenly. Here in the Ozarks, we've had a cooling trend in the weather...unusual for this time of year, but I'm loving it!

I am thinking...about my neice in Denver, who just delivered a healthy, robust, little guy this morning. Braxton Tucker...8 lbs and 8 oz.

From the learning rooms...we added two new classes this past week. Computer class - Logan is quickly learning how to work a mouse and really enjoys the educational preschool games. And Storytime - we are using Five in a Row some...and creating our own with other books. We do this class right before naps/quiet time, so it has been helping them wind-down a bit.

I am thankful for...my husband, who is my hero. He takes care of the ugly jobs that sometimes need taken care of. I pray I never take him for granted.

From the kitchen...making a cup of hot tea to enjoy during my "quiet time" :) Thinking smoked sausage with fried potatoes and cabbage for dinner this evening.

I am wearing...capris and a tshirt.

I am reading...some Country Living magazines I picked up at the library saturday. Have a couple new books to start... when I find the time!

I am hoping...for a nice long pleasant fall. I love the beginning of a new season! We get a fresh look at the exquisite grace and beauty the Lord surrounds us with. Its as if He re-decorates the earth to refresh our perspective on life. A new season marks the passing of time, and it reminds us to live our life fully alive….cherishing the sweet simple moments….counting our blessings….and to be a blessing to others.

I am creating...a cozy fall atmosphere for our happy little home. Pulling out the pumpkins, apples, spice candles, leaves.....it's in those extra little things we do, to create a feeling of warmth and whimsy, joy and goodness, that we communicate a message to our family that says: you are loved and it is my pleasure to make you feel nurtured and cared for. A message that hugs the hearts of those we love and it gives them a delicious affection for home. Providing a loving environment for our family sets the stage for happy memories that will last a lifetime.

I am praying...for wisdom and guidance in parenting a fiesty three year old boy.

Around the house...I have been cleaning from the weekend busyness. Doing laundry. Making the house beautiful for fall...

One of my favorite things...a pot of simmering hearty soup.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a jr high football game with warm snuggly blankets, hot cocoa & popcorn! Library used book sale. And a fieldtrip to a farm for Old Fashioned Days.

What are your plans for this week? How do you decorate and cozy up your nest for fall?

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

-Baby Keira's first real bath -

Read other Simple Women Daybooks at Peggy's site: The Simple Woman's Daybook