Monday, November 30, 2015

Menu Plan Monday




Our breakfasts and lunches are pretty simple. We usually have hard boiled eggs,cereal, juice and fruit for breakfast. For lunch we have sandwiches, frozen pizzas, burritos, leftovers or something else simple and quick with a veggie and/or fruit on the side. But I try to make our dinners a little more filling and interesting. 

MONDAY - Chicken and Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Green Beans, Cranberry Salad (These are the last of the leftovers my sister sent home with me from Thanksgiving dinner)

TUESDAY - Sausage Stuffed Squash, Mandarin Oranges, Brownies

WEDNESDAY - Dinner at Church

THURSDAY - Ground Turkey and Rice Casserole (to take along to my sisters for dinner)

FRIDAY - Vegetable Ham Soup, Canned Pears, Potato Bread (making soup from a batch of soup/casserole/stew base I made and froze last week)




Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Homemade Brown Sugar


Did you know that if you forget, week after week, to buy brown sugar, that you can actually make your own?

It's very simple and takes just two ingredients - plain old white sugar and molasses. Add one tablespoon molasses for each cup of brown sugar, mix well and enjoy.

 Easy Peasy!

Friday, November 20, 2015

The Walnut Acre Weekly November 15-29, 2015

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Better a small serving of vegetables with love
Than a fattened calf with hatred.
Proverbs 15:17

TODAY'S QUOTE

Economic advance is not the same thing as human progress. ~ John Clapham


IN THE KITCHEN


Michael and I had some fun in the kitchen this week making teddy bear toast and white chocolate chip cookies. 




ANIMAL UPDATES

This little dog followed Michael and I home from one of our walks. She's such a sweet little thing. But she discovered chasing our cats was not a good idea. She chased one cat only to have another cat comes to it's defense and smack her across the nose. Poor thing wasn't sure what happened!


HOMESCHOOL

Michael and I added a couple new learning activities this week. I placed math problems at various places on the car mat and then had him drive the number of cars that made the answer to the math problem.


Another time I placed words on the mat and he drove the cars to the words as I called them out. He seemed to really enjoy these activities.




SOME OF THE RESOURCES WE USED TODAY

Austin and Amanda

 


Our Scripture reading this week: Monday - Psalm 150:113-120, Tuesday - Psalm 150:105-112, Wednesday - John 17, Thursday - Psalm 1



Michael

 


OUT AND ABOUT

We had a fairly busy week. 

Sunday was church and choir practice. Sunday and Monday evenings we went to special meetings at a local church. Wednesday evening was dinner, prayer meeting or classes and choir practice at church. Thursday evening we were at my sister's for dinner. 

This afternoon we were at Wal-Mart and I had to get these photos of Michael dancing with Santa. He was so fascinated with this mechanical Santa that danced when he clapped his hands. I think poor Santa looks a little annoyed though at having his hat pulled.



READING AROUND THE WEB





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Mom's Small Victories

Five Minute Friday : : Dwell

And now comes the time when writers from all corners gather to write, without too much editing or planning for five minutes on a given word. 




Today's word is Dwell.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
For you alone, Lord,
Make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

It's been a hard day. I'm glad it's over. It just seemed like emotions piled on top of emotions all day long and finally exhaustion began to set in.

But it's OK, because at the end of the day, even though it was hard, I know that God is still in control and in Him there is still an underlying peace, even on the hard days.

And now, it's time to sleep, resting, dwelling, in the safety of His love.




Now please click on over and read more about this weeks prompt at Heading Home with Kate Motaung.


ALSO LINKING HERE
WEDNESDAY - Women With Intention WednesdayHomemaking Linkup, WholeHearted Wednesday Linkup, Welcome Home Wednesday THURSDAY - NO RULES Weekend Blog Party FRIDAY - Weekend Linkup, Wise Woman Linkup, Faith and Fellowship SATURDAY - Weekend Whispers

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Italian Cheesy Breads


These simple cheesy breads are a favorite way at our house to use up some extra hamburger buns as well as round out a meal. 

A little butter, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and shredded cheese on top it all. Pop in the oven a broil for a few minutes and Voila! 

Just don't do like I did and get involved in conversation and completely forget they're in the oven or you'll end up with this! And your family will say nice things like "Look she's serving us burnt offerings again!" and "Ashes for dinner!"




LINKING HERE

Mom's Small Victories

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Walking In His Strength




Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 
1 Thessalonians 5:18

The joy of the Lord is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10

In the last week my family has found itself in a very hard place. The details are not up for discussion but I have found myself functioning again as a single parent. And I have been very aware of a community looking on which has the tendency to make me second guess every decision I make on a daily basis. 

But Jesus never fails. And when Jesus said He would give us peace if we would trust Him he wasn't just saying empty words. That peace and that strength is real and trustworthy. 

Our family has chosen to move forward in His strength and His peace and His joy. Does this mean we don't cry, and we don't hurt? Absolutely not. And there are so many questions that we would love to have answers to. But we are not living from that place of uncertainty. Instead we are living from the One who came to give life and give it abundantly. And we have been blessed with a wonderfully supportive church, family and community.

Yesterday I was at a service at Destiny Family Center where Ed Traut was the speaker. He said something that resonated strongly with me and I felt like it was said directly to me. He said "You cannot fight the devil from a place of self pity!" 

So if you see us, whether we're laughing or crying (we've done plenty of both) please pray that we would continue to walk in His strength, that we would allow Him to carry us when we cannot walk, and His love, peace and joy would continue to flow through us and even touch those around us. And prayers for wisdom would be wonderful too. 

LINKING HERE
MONDAY - Mama Moments Monday  TUESDAY - Titus 2 Tuesday , Tell It To Me Tuesdays WEDNESDAY - Women With Intention Wednesday Wake Up Wednesday, Homemaking Linkup, Welcome Home Wednesday, Coffee For Your Heart, The Ladies Collective Linkup, WholeHearted Wednesday Linkup  THURSDAY - From House to Home,Weekend Blog Party, FRIDAY - Weekend Linkup, Susan B. Mead, Faith and Fellowship, Essential Things Friday SATURDAY - Weekend Whispers


Mom's Small Victories

Monday, November 16, 2015

Menu Plan Monday Monday November 16 - Saturday November 21

I'm tryin to get back into the swing of Menu Plan Monday again. Everything seems to run so much more smoothly when I know ahead of time what I'm planning to cook and when I need to be in the kitchen. We raised a pig for meat and as of Thursday of last week we now have a freezer full of pork. So there are quite a few pork dishes on the menu and probably will be for some time. 


BREAKFAST


MONDAY - Teddy Bear Toast, Apple Slices, Milk





TUESDAY - Cereal with Milk, Bananas, Juice

WEDNESDAY - Oatmeal with Milk, Raisins, Juice

THURSDAY - Pancakes with Peanut Butter and Syrup, Bananas, Juice

FRIDAY - 7-Grain Cereal with Milk, Apple Slices, Juice

SATURDAY - Cereal with Milk, Bananas, Juice

LUNCH


MONDAY - Pizza Rolls, Corn Peaches

TUESDAY - Stuffed Chicken, Green Beans, Applesauce, Butter Bread

WEDNESDAY - Tuna Mac & Cheese, Peas, Apple Slices

THURSDAY - Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

FRIDAY - Sandwiches, Oranges

SATURDAY - Bacon, Eggs, Grits, Fried Potatoes, Pears

SNACKS



TUESDAY - White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Milk

WEDNESDAY - Peanut Butter Cheese Crackers, Juice

THURSDAY - Crackers, Juice

FRIDAY - Banana Grape Dolphin Cups, Milk

SATURDAY - Cheese Crackers, Juice

DINNER


SUNDAY - Baked Ham, Macaroni and Cheese

MONDAY - Sausage Gravy and Biscuits, Fried Potatoes, Applesauce

TUESDAY - Baked Ham, Greens, Corn, Pumpkin Bread

WEDNESDAY - Dinner at Church

THURSDAY - Green Beans, Sausage and Potatoes, Apple Delight, Bread

FRIDAY - Leftovers

SATURDAY - Vegetable Ham Soup, Pineapple, Bread

LINKING HERE
TUESDAY - Titus 2 Tuesdays  WEDNESDAY - Wake Up Wednesday, Homemaking Linkup. THURSDAY - From House to Home


Saturday, November 7, 2015

The Walnut Acre Weekly

WORDS TO LIVE BY


He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
He drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
From my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
But the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
He rescued me because He delighted in me.


TODAY'S QUOTE

Give thanks with a grateful heart. When we fully realize God's love for us we automatically give thanks. ~ Author Unknown

ON MY MIND

This past weekend I was tired! On the way to church Sunday morning I was thinking about how tired I was and the why's and the how's and the where from here's and then this song came on the radio. And I realized I didn't need all the answers. I could simply let go and know that I am secure, I am held, and He's got this!



FUR, FINS AND FEATHERS


HOMESCHOOL



SOME OF THE RESOURCES WE USED THIS WEEK

Austin and Amanda




Michael

 



Preschoolers

Me


IN THE GARAGE

I'm not always sure what's going on out here but it seems like there's always something going on.



OUT AND ABOUT

It's been a busy week!

 Sunday we were at church of course.

 Monday evening a friend took me out for coffee and we had a nice long talk and time to pray together. It was so refreshing to spend time together like this. And the Pumpkin Spice coffee was absolutely delicious!

Tuesday evening Michael and I went to my sister's for awhile after dinner. Michael hadn't seen his best friend and cousin for over a week because they had been out of town and was missing him so much. On the way there Michael said "While Jayden was gone I dreamed about him and I prayed 'Lord, bring him him home' and He did!" We stayed pretty late. The kids played and watched movies and the adults talked and played card games.

Wednesday evening we had the usual church dinner, classes/prayer meeting, and adult choir practice. On the way home I stopped at the grocery store for a few things. I was planning to send Amanda in to get the things but she had forgotten to bring shoes along! How one forgets to wear or bring shoes to church is beyond me but that's Amanda.

Friday was errand day with stops at the bank, PetSmart, Game Stop, Sharp Shopper, Goodwill, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Food Lion and my sister's house. 

Saturday Michael spent the day at my sister's house. Austin and Amanda had a church youth activity from 4-8, and while they were there I visited with some friends. After picking up Austin and Amanda we went back up to my sister's to get Michael and stayed there for awhile.

AND MORE




READING AROUND THE WEB




This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation if you make a purchase using these links.