Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Just so ya know....

I didn't fall off face of the earth.  We've just been super-duper busy and I've taken a blogging vacay.  Not that I blogged frantically anyway but......

And as my luck would have it we are moving this weekend.  Just in time for the holidays.  Which brings out the good and the bad......yay for a new place with HARDWOOD floors (roll the heavenly chorus) and nay for unpacking a house this close to Christmas.  With a first birthday and necessary party thrown in there!

The plan is to start blogging more frequently-like more than once every two months-but I'm not so good with plans.  That's all most of my intentions are---good.  :)

I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!  Our week was complete with taking my two-year old to the ER because he drank a lot of Benadryl and then rushing to Augusta to the ER where my husband was passing kidney stones.  Very eventful.  We were thankful to be safe and snug in our own beds on Thanksgiving day!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed Christmas will be relatively uneventful but with this crew ya just never know! 

Monday, August 2, 2010

Another big win.....

Last week I redeemed some of my Swagbucks for some amazing books from Amazon.  They arrived today and we have already started reading them!  What fun to get new books in the mail! 

Here's what we received:

Eloise Wilkin Stories (Little Golden Book Treasury)  Eloise Wilkin Stories--This includes nine of Ms. Wilkins stories.  I absolutely adore her pictures and books.  So sweet and innocent!

Aesop's Fables for Children: Includes a Read-and-Listen CD (Dover Pictorial Archives)  Aesop's Fables for Children--This included a read-and-listen CD, which I'm hoping Luke will love, especially during quiet time.  Such a classic book!

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name  The Jesus Storybook Bible--This book was highly recommended by two of my favorite bloggers on the same day!  We read the introduction tonight and I think the children will really enjoy it.  The pictures are really great, too!

The World of Christopher Robin: The Complete When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six (Pooh Original Edition)  The World of Christopher Robin:  The Complete When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six--This is a collection of poetry by A.A. Milne.  It also has adorable little pictures.  I love reading poetry to the children.  I want  them develop an appreciation for its beauty.

The Children's Book of Virtues  The Children's Book of Virtues--I have checked this book out from the library before and we loved it!  It has short stories that have some sort of moral in them.  It's similar to Aesop's Fables, in my opinion. 

I was under the assumption that you had to order new books to be eligible for the Super Saver Shipping on orders of $25 or more.  Turns out that's not the case.  Three of the five books I purchased were brand new, while the other two were used.  All five of them were eligible for free shipping, so be sure to check carefully when shopping! 

If you aren't familiar with Swagbucks, you can read my original love letter here!  :)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse.....

In my e-mail this morning from Parents Television Council:


Today, New York's Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the Fox v. FCC case, approving the airing of unedited profanity at any time of day on broadcast television.  

In this ruling, three New York City judges have made a decision that will affect every child and every family in the United States, and authorized the broadcast networks to use the "f-word" at any time of day, no matter how many children are in the audience. These three judges substituted their own personal opinions for those of the Supreme Court, the Congress of the United States, and the overwhelming majority of the American people. For parents and families around the country, this ruling is a slap in their face.

The judges claim the FCC's rules aren't clear enough about exactly which profanities, under exactly which conditions, are illegal. If this kind of illogical analysis would be applied to other areas, virtually every law on our nation's books would be overturned for "lack of clarity."  

The broadcast decency law, which the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld, is clear: broadcasters must refrain from violating community standards of decency during hours when children are likely to be in the audience.  

"...the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things." - Prov. 15:28

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

A Few Frugal Tips



I've learned a few things over the last several years about being frugal.  By no means do we live a frugally as some people (I just can't give up my paper towels completely like some do!) but we do pretty good.

Here are just a few ways we've helped cut our bills down.  Remember, a little bit saved here and there really adds up over a year's time!

-During the hot summer months, I keep the blinds closed to avoid the extra heat from the sun.  I also bump the thermostat up a couple degrees when Austin leaves for work and turn the fans on instead.   I also try to keep the lights off, particularly the bathroom lights, to keep from generating so much heat.  You would be surprised at the noticeable difference in the temperature of the bathroom!  Make sure to turn off things like radios, appliances, DVD players, etc., if your not using them. 

-I reuse freezer ziplock bags!  Just this morning I pulled out some homemade frozen waffles for the kids, washed the baggie out, let it dry, and stuck it back in the drawer.  I don't reuse bags that have had meat in them, just to be safe concerning bacteria.

-I use mainly vinegar and baking soda to clean and mop with.  It's amazing what a great job these household items can do on a bathroom!  Plus, they are really inexpensive and aren't harmful to touch or breathe, like most cleaners

-I keep old baby washcloths in the kitchen to wipe up the kids after meals.  This helps save paper towels or wipes.  You can find these super cheap at yard sales or consignment sales.

-As stated above, obviously I shop at yard sales and consignment sales!  It takes very little effort to save money this way.  Don't let pride stand in your way of saving money!  And for any of you name-brand lovers out there, I get Old Navy, Gap, and  Gymboree clothes all the time at these sales.   I have to admit I'm pretty partial to Gymboree!  :)

- Coupons, coupons, coupons.  I can't begin to tell you how much I've saved using coupons.  And it's not as time-consuming as people think.  Just a few minutes a week and you're set!  Pretty much all of our toiletries are free (shampoo, gel, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving needs, feminine hygiene products, etc.) due to coupons, sales, and playing the drugstore game. 

-I've recently started making our own laundry detergent which has helped to save a lot of money.  Detergent was one thing that was hard to get really cheap, even with coupons.  I also wait until I have a full load of laundry (which isn't a problem!) or dishwasher before washing.

-I try to make much of our meals from scratch.  This has helped to really cut down the grocery bill.  I even make our own cream of chicken soup and we love it!  Even the off-brand of that stuff is around a dollar a can and it seems every recipe I cook calls for it!  Bags of baking items can go much farther than a boxed package, not to mention the health benefits of cooking from scratch.

-We recently called and changed our cell phone plan so that we are paying less.  It's good to review your utilities ever now and then to see if you can bundle services, lower them, or even do without.  As I posted a few weeks ago, we have canceled our Directv service, giving us about fifty extra dollars a month.

-I have nursed all of our babies at least the first seven months, which has eliminated the need for the expensive formula.  Luke weaned at 7 months, Chloe at 8 months, Jacob at 13 months, and Asher is still going strong at almost 7 months.  I also mixed their baby cereal with water or breast milk instead of formula.   

-Utilize your local library!  They have lots of cd's and dvd's you can check out for free!  Not to mention all the thousands of books! Hours of entertainment provided at no cost!   Well, that is if you return them on time!

Many of these frugal ideas were born simply out of a desire to live healthier.  Cheap and convenience doesn't always mean better, especially when it comes to food.

So there you have it.  A few frugal things we do around here to save money.  What about you?  What are some ways you save money at your house?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Four years ago....


She was born on Thursday, June 29, 2006.  She weighed 8 lbs., 10 oz., and was 20 inches long.


She found her thumb at four months old.  She still has it, even though she's four today.  :)


She. loves. sweets.  The cliche "Sweet as sugar" definitely applies in her case.


She loves to smile and laugh.


Her curls can be a bit unruly at times.

She has a keen fashion sense.



She is our one and only princess in a house full of princes and we love her with all our hearts!

Happy fourth birthday, Chloe!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Words of Wisdom


"If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love."  ~ Amy Carmichael

Friday, June 4, 2010

A Letter to DirecTV



Dear DirecTV,

It's been four months now without you and we are doing just fine.  We didn't even have withdrawals from you like we thought we would!  The only thing we've missed a little bit is Fox News, and that's usually depressing anyway, so we're still okay.  And the extra fifty bucks in our bank account is super sweet.

So please tell your customer service people to stop calling us.  Tell them to believe us when we say we haven't switched to another provider.  That we discontinued our service with you because we simply don't want television service in our home.  I'm pretty sure that one lady swallowed her gum when I told her that.  Oops.  She sort of choked up and started laughing rather hysterically if you ask me. Apparently she doesn't hear that often.

To be honest, we are just plain tired of your cursing, your vulgar language, immodesty and nudity, your dysfunctional families, your homosexuality promoting, God-hating programs.

Please believe us when we say we want more time for our family, for our marriage, and for God.  Please don't try to entice us with free service or premium channels like HBO and Showtime.  They have more filthiness than the other stuff, so why would we want that?

I know it sounds crazy to not have television service, but we're crazy like that. Rebels, living life on the edge.  The edge without TV. 

Again, I repeat, please stop calling us.  You've called three times now and each time you've received the same answer.  We are satisfied without you.  You are wasting your time.  Kindof like we were wasting ours.

Sincerely,

A now satisfied use-to-be customer

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Saturday Seven - Link Edition

I have so many blog posts or articles I've read that I would love to share with you, so I am going to occasionally use Saturday Seven to do just that!  I encourage you to read these, even if you may not be interested in the subject.  A little challenged thinking never hurt anyone!  :)

1) Large Family Myth Busters

2) I don't want my children to be happy

3) Woman performs abortion while pregnant (Mature Audience)

4)  The Pill:  Making Motherhood Better?

5)  Pros and Cons to Homeschooling

6)  Subtle Effects of the Birth Control Culture

7)  Top 5 Reasons Not to Send Your Kids to Govt. School

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The Dirty Dozen


I recently stumbled across a list, published by the Environmental Working Group,  of the 12 most dirtiest fruits and veggies, aka "Dirty Dozen."  It's best to always buy them organic, so as to reduce the pesticide intake in your food.

On the flip side, they also published a list of the "Clean 15" considered the lowest in pesticides.

I'm all up for feeding my family less pesticides, so this list will be beneficial.  I try to buy organic but am always hesitant because of the expensive prices.  Often I limit buying many things because my grocery budget doesn't allow to buy all organic produce.  By utilizing this list I should be able to buy more produce and still limit the amount of pesticides.  Now I can definitely buy organic of the Dirty Dozen and feel safe when I buy non-organic of the Clean 15.

2010 Dirty Dozen

1.  Celery

2.  Peaches

3.  Strawberries

4.  Apples

5.  Blueberries

6.  Nectarines

7.  Bell Peppers

8.  Spinach

9.  Kale

10.  Cherries

11.  Potatoes

12.  Grapes  (Imported)



Clean 15

1.  Onions

2.  Avacado

3.  Sweet Corn

4.  Pineapple

5.  Mango

6.  Sweet Peas

7.  Asparagus

8.  Kiwi

9.  Cabbage

10.  Eggplant

11.  Cantaloupe

12.  Watermelon

13.  Grapefruit

14.  Sweet Potato

15.  Honeydew Melon

As always, be sure to wash all produce, regardless if it is organic or not.

If you want a printable guide to take with you to the store, click here.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

YES!

I just had a teary-eyed mother moment.  And not the kind where the kids are fighting, the house is a mess, and it's 6:00 and dinner is the farthest thing from happening. (Although this seems to happen to me a lot!)

No, these tears were accompanied by a heart surge of pure joy.

Chloe has been asking for about two weeks to play Candyland.  She always seems to ask at the most inopportune times, so the answer has been no.  Not tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.

So tonight during dinner she asked if we could play.  My first reaction was to check the clock.  Eight-o-clock.  Baths still needed to be given.  No way.  It would be too late to play games.

Then I remembered Ann's post on the year of Yes.  (I highly recommend this post) 

So I said YES!

Fast forward cleaning up the kitchen, three baths later, putting the youngest two to bed, and it was almost 10:00.  Way past bedtime. Not that we have a strict bedtime but I shoot for 9:00.  Most nights I just shoot myself in the foot on that one!  :)

But I had said YES so downstairs we went to play Candyland.  There were lots of smiles and laughter, some jumping up and down, praises sung, and a good time was had by all.  (And might I add yours truly won the game.)

As we were headed upstairs Luke said, out of the blue, "I always wanted a mother like you."  Chloe echoed, "Me too!"  To which I replied, despite the lump in my throat and the tears in my eyes, "I always wanted a little boy just like you and a little girl just like you.  And God gave you to me!"  Then Chloe ran over and hugged me and said, "I love you Mommy!"

The power of a simple YES.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Your Attention, Please

I think about my blog a lot.  I write about five posts a day in my head.  Couldn't tell it from my 0.9 posts per week, right?

The problem is that, well...how do I put it?  Remember how I told you about God breaking ground in my life? As a result, many of my beliefs, opinions, convictions, or whatever you choose to call them go against the grain.  And so, for fear of hurting someone's feelings, I don't write anything at all.

Nada.

Zilch.

Which is really frustrating because you either believe something or you don't.  I am not being true to myself or to my readers if I don't write about who I really am and what I think about things.

Things like marriage, submission, feminism, dress, child rearing, education, religion, and the list goes on and on.

Maybe it's because I know most of my readers.  People I went to school with, or to church with, or are family.  People that I see on a somewhat regular basis.  And so, I let fear of what some of you might say or think, rule what I write about.

But.

This is my blog.  About my life.  And I'm purposing to take a very deep breath and write.  Write whatever it is that I'm thinking about.  No matter how controversial the issue.  And if it offends you, please know that is not my intention.  And if you think I'm crazy, well, you won't be the first! 


Now don't be getting worried I'm going to actually publish five posts a day.  Chances are I'll stick to my 0.9 posts per week.  After all, I do have a busy husband, four children ages five and under, homeschooling to do, a dog, some chickens, hu-mon-go-longous mounds of laundry and dirty dishes, dusty baseboards, dust bunnies, piles of ironing to be done, stacks of books to read, and much more.  I'm not sure I could fit the 2.3 hours it takes me to write a post into my schedule.

So now you know.  I've been a big chicken.  Not any longer.  I'm going to throw my neck out there and write with no fear!

Yeah, right.  Who am I kidding?  I'm reconsidering publishing this post.  You can't say I didn't warn you, though......  :)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I have a little two year old....









Happy Birthday to my blue-eyed, dimple cheek, lover of danger, lover of laughter little Jacob!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Saturday Seven-Quick and Condensed!

1)  We are having a birthday party for Jacob today, (his 2nd birthday is Tuesday) so I'm SUPER busy cooking and cleaning.  Thus, the quick and condensed version.

2)  My house looks like a tornado came through here.  Maybe two or three, even.  And it's a really good thing I waited to mop the kitchen floor.  I was going to mop it yesterday but decided to wait until the last minute today and it's a good thing, too.  Considering the mess after dinner last night I'm pretty sure I would've laid down in the floor and threw a tantrum!

3)  I'm listening to the song playlist from my blog as I work today.  I do that a lot.  Austin does too.  Obviously, my favorite songs are on here! So uplifting and encouraging.

4)  I'm absolutely loving the lush beauty of spring.  All the green leaves on the trees are so gorgeous.  God is the best artist! 

5)  I won a giveaway from Quinn at On Just a Couple of Acres!  She was giving away six Bible story books she had accidentally ordered duplicates of!  I'm super excited about that, seeing as how I've never won anything from all the blog giveaways I've entered! 

6)  We are now the proud owners of ten baby chicks!  They hatched a couple of weeks ago and are really cute!  Too bad they don't stay that way.  We are looking forward to having fresh eggs in a couple of months or so!

7)  We went "fancy" camping last weekend with two families from our church and had a blast. If you have a camper, electricity, or bathrooms (and not necessarily all three) then you are "fancy" camping.  It was my first time fancy camping and the kids first time camping ever.  We borrowed my father-in-laws pop-up camper, which was really nice to have.  The kids were so incredibly dirty from playing in the lake, the dirt, and even the charcoal ashes.  They could've qualified for some of those "adopt a child" commercials! 

~This post wasn't all that condensed after all!  Imagine that!  :)  Now off to conquer more of Mt. WashMore!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Friday, April 23, 2010

My Earth Day Contribution

A few weeks ago, I made my own laundry soap.  I had wanted to make it for a couple of years while but thought it was going to be this tedious task.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was and how little time it took.  And the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store!

I have been aware for some time about the harmful chemicals in laundry detergent, thus sparking my interest in making my own.  Not to mention all the money I would be saving.

It wasn't until I read an article in Prevention magazine that I got myself in gear and followed through with my good intentions.  Here's a portion of the article:

Researchers at the University of Washington analyzed a popular detergent and found that it emitted 13 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), five of which are regulated as toxic or hazardous by the EPA. "Often, laundry products can contain hazardous chemicals such as neurotoxins and carcinogens," says study author Anne Steinemann, PhD, professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs at the university. "Exposure to them can cause migraine headaches and asthma attacks." 

Just Google "chemicals in laundry detergent" and you can find dozens of articles that will make you want to go back to boiling clothes in a big pot over an open fire while stirring them with a stick. 

Or not.

At any rate, you'll probably think I'm not so crazy after all for making my own detergent!  You might even want to make your own.  There are many different recipes you can use but here's how I did it!

Homemade Laundry Soap
1/3 bar Heavy Duty Laundry Bar Soap  (I had Fels-Naptha, but Ivory would work too)
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
2 gallons water

Grate 1/3 to 1/2 bar of soap.  Add to 6 cups of water in a large pan.



Heat until soap dissolves.  While waiting for soap to dissolve, heat 4 cups of water in microwave.  Add washing soda and Borax to dissolved soap mixture.



Add the 4 cups of hot water to the bucket you will store the soap in.  Add contents of pan to the bucket.  Stir.  Add 1 gallon + 6 cups of water to the bucket.  Let it sit for 24 hours.
You can also add 1/2 bottle of essential oil if you prefer a fragrance.  I didn't have any oil this time but have recently ordered some lavender oil I plan on using next time.


Here's what my detergent looked like right after I made it.  I just used a five gallon paint bucket from Home Depot.

After it sits overnight, it will turn into kindof a goopy gel so I just stir it up before I use it.  I use a little less than 1/2 a cup per load.  And my load of laundry is all the way to the top of the machine.  I don't mess around with wasted space in the washing machine!

I was impressed with how well the detergent cleaned our clothes.  And we know how to get dirty around here!  Sometimes I can only see the whites of their eyes amidst all the grime!  I honestly couldn't tell a difference from the commercial stuff.

I will most definitely be making my own soap from here on!  It gives me great satisfaction to know I am saving money and reducing chemical exposure to my family. 

If you'd rather not bother with making your own but would love to buy someone else's homemade soap, check out HopeSuds-Do Laundry. Save Orphans. Andrew and Lora have five children and are hoping to adopt a child from Uganda.  They are selling their homemade powdered laundry detergent and using the money to help fund the adoption!  What an inspirational and worthy cause!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Words of Wisdom

"If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves."    -Carl Jung

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Freebies in my mailbox!

Remember when I told you about Swagbucks? A couple of weeks ago, I redeemed some of my bucks for some books on my wishlist at Amazon.  Here's what I got for FREE:



A Mother's Heart: A Look at Values, Vision, and Character for the Christian Mother by Jean Fleming

Little Pillows  by Frances Ridley Havergal

The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot


Swagbucks are so easy to earn and they add up quickly, allowing me to be able to purchase books.  There are many prizes you can redeem your bucks for, but there are tons of books I want, so the Amazon gift card works best for me!

It's super easy to sign up for.  You can also download their toolbar, which frequently has free codes you can redeem for bucks.  Lately, I have been winning Swagbucks just for logging in on their toolbar!  It's great!

Can't wait to cash in some more Swagbucks to expand my library!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

CVS Savings!

It's been a while since I've been to CVS.  The deals have been pretty slow.  This week, however, proved to be awesome!  Look what I purchased last night:


Here's the breakdown:

Six Degree deodorants- $2.50 each
Herbal Essence Shampoo and Styler-$2.99 each

Total=20.98 (before tax)

Used:
$4 of $20 purchase (in email I received)
(3) $3/2 deodorant
B1G1 Herbal Essence product
-$4 ECB's
-------------------
Grand Total of $2.11 (with tax)

 And I received $6 ECB's!  They pretty much paid me $4 to take this home!  Wow!  I love a good deal!

Saturday Seven

1)  I just finished making my own laundry soap.  I've been meaning to do this for about.....umm.....probably a couple of years.  Yep, procrastination is my middle name.  It seriously took me all of 20 minutes. Super easy.  It made about 2 1/2 gallons.  That will go a long way when I'm only supposed to use 1/4 cup per load!  I have to let it sit for 24 hours so I'll let you know next week how I like it.

2)  Jacob is now in a toddler bed.  We really had no choice, trust me.  It was either put the toddler rail on his crib or end up with a broken arm or other body part.  We would hear a loud thump followed by the sound of his diaper swishing as he came running down the hall.  The biggest challenge has been his lack of sleep!  The first peep of the eye and he's up and running.  I'm hoping once the newness of it all wears off, he'll not be quite as excited about getting up.

3)  To prove he's not getting the sleep he's used too......


He fell asleep eating lunch while I was writing this post.  He didn't even care about the peanut butter and honey all over his face!  Not that he normally does.

4)  Today is officially the first day of spring!  Yay!  I'm so ready for warm weather and sunshine.  The kids love playing outside so much better when it's warm!  And trust me, the boys need to get out all of that energy.  There are little holes all over the backyard where they've been digging with their shovels.  The poor swing set has taken a beating since Luke got a tool set with a hammer in it! 

5)  Speaking of back yards, Austin has decided we are going to raise chickens.  Last week he built a door in our fence that will open up into the coop. (Or whatever it is you call the place chickens lay their eggs)  I think the plan is to get about ten eggs and hatch them out.  The kids are super excited about it.  I love the idea of having my own eggs, although I'll have to get used to the fact you actually have to go get the eggs from the chickens and not the store.  Big difference. 

6)  Austin was talking to someone the other day and telling them about the chickens we're hoping to get.  The question was asked if we could have chickens because we live in a subdivision.   Austin's reply was "I own the subdivision.  I can do whatever I want with it!"  'Nuff said.  Definitely a perk for us, huh?

7)  If you didn't already know, we do in fact own a subdivision.  We bought and developed the land about two years ago and he is finishing up his fifth house now.  I am so proud of him!  He has amazed me with his determination.  He can do whatever he puts his mind to.    Not to mention, he recently got promoted to manager at his job!  His big thing now is, whenever I have a problem and he helps me out, he'll wink at me and say "I'm a manager, baby."  He's such a nut!  :)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Showers

Oh, happy day was the day my Luke said he wanted to take a shower like Daddy!  I was more than happy to oblige him.

Let's be honest, bathing four children is no small task.  I feel like SuperMom on the days everyone gets a bath!

So, we marched off to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and had a lesson on how to actually take a shower.  And that the point of a shower is to get clean and not to stick the foam letters all over the tub wall.



A couple of days later, I realized I had failed to mention we don't close the drain when we're in the shower.  It's not exactly safe. Or good for the bathroom floor.  Or my stress level.

It's been great to be able to tell Luke to go jump in the shower and never have to get my sleeves wet!  I've pretty much traded his bath time off for this little fella's bath.


 I'd say he's pretty happy about the trade!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Cookies for Breakfast

I've been trying several new recipes for breakfast lately in an attempt to break away from cereal.  We LOVE cereal at our house but it is a highly processed food, even the "healthy" kind, and we are trying to limit those as much as possible.  (Couldn't tell it by the Butterfinger Bliss recipe I posted last week, right?  *Smile*)

Laura, at Heavenly Homemakers, has a lot of great recipes, many of which we are trying.  Her Giant Breakfast Cookie recipe looked great.....and I can attest that they taste great, too! 

While the cookies were baking, Luke kept saying, "But we don't eat cookies for breakfast.  They are for snacks!"  After he saw I was seriously giving them cookies for breakfast, he went running to tell Chloe and Jacob the great news! 

Here is my modified recipe:

Breakfast Cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips  (Any excuse to get in some chocolate!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix butter, applesauce, honey, eggs, salt, soda, cinnamon, and buttermilk.  Stir in flour, wheat germ, and oats.  Fold in raisins and chocolate chips.  Spoon heaping tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Free Book!


What a great deal on a must have book!  Now through February 19, 2010, you can get a free copy of Passionate Housewives Desperate for God from Vision Forum.  You pay only shipping, which for my address was only $7.50 for Priority Mail. 

"Hear a former “Christian” feminist share how she went from a die-hard homemaker-in-training to a dedicated career woman and then back again — after God gripped her heart."

This is a must have for all women, whether you're a stay-at-home mom or not, in my opinion.  It has been a wonderful blessing and encouragement to me.  It's one of the tools God has used in breaking ground in my life.  Here's what you need to do:

~Visit Vision Forum and add Passionate Housewives Desperate for God to your cart.

~Go to checkout and add coupon code FREEPHDG.

~You should only have to pay shipping charges!  This offer expires at midnight (CDT) on February 19, 2010, so you must act quickly!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Butterfinger Delight

Because one can never have too many recipes for delicious desserts, I'm going to share this yummy-scrumptiously-chocolatey recipe with you!  It's SUPER easy and oh-so good!

Here's what you need: 

 

Brownie mix, chocolate pudding, large container of cool whip, and Butterfinger candy.  My mouth is watering already. 

 

First, prepare the brownies and pudding according to the directions on the package.  Crush up the candy into tiny pieces.
Optional, but highly recommended: To make sure the brownies aren't poisonous, help yourself to a small portion, as seen in the picture above.  You certainly wouldn't want to make your family or guests sick! 


 

Then, place chunks of brownie to cover the bottom of your dish and spoon half of the pudding over top.


 

Next, spread whipped cream over the pudding and  sprinkle candy pieces over top.  Repeat the layers again:  brownie, pudding, whipped cream and candy!  


 

The finished product!  Your friends and family will love this!