The Walnut Acre Daily - Weekend Wrap Up and Monday Fun

Words to Live By

1 John 4:9

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 

Books We Enjoyed Today

I read the first book with Austin and Amanda this evening and we also read Proverbs 14. The second book is the book I am reading.

In the Kitchen

Today was a simple day in the kitchen - toast, fruit and yogurt for breakfast, and sandwiches, fruit and cake for lunch. For dinner this evening Austin fried hamburgers and made a potato casserole. 

Around the House

I had a meeting this morning with one of the kid's social worker and we had more kids here than usual today so I really didn't get a lot of housework done.

Austin ran the reloaded and ran the dishwasher twice, and did the evening cleanup in the living room, playroom and upstairs bathroom. 

Amanda cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, did quite a bit of laundry and did the evening cleanup in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom. 

We Are Going

Doug went with Austin and Michael to their weekly Scout meeting this evening. 

Today's Quote

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~ Hanna Rion

Weekend Wrap Up

Here are some pictures of what Doug, Michael and I spent most of Saturday doing. We brought an old playhouse that was being used a storage shed from the rental property over to our back yard to use as a chicken coop. It was a long hard job but so satisfying to see it finished. 

Doug pulled the playhouse away from where it was setting so he could load it better and Michael was afraid it was going to fall over. 

Sunday Doug and I taught Pre-K children's church. They made these pig crafts and then we watched the story of the Prodigal Son and they looked for the pigs in the story. We also talked about how God wants us even when we make mistakes. We just have to say we're sorry and try again. It was a fun morning with a sweet group of kids.

Daily Deals

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The Walnut Acre Daily - Mac & Cheese Pizza, Naming Our Hens, and More

Words to Live By

Psalm 118:5-6

When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Homeschool and Independent Learning

The younger kids watched these four short videos this morning - Jesus Loves the Little Children, I Am Pizza, Count the Cookies, and the Letter Q Song. We reviewed the memory verse and song of the week and the colored and worked on worksheets. 

In the Kitchen

This evening was Amanda's evening to cook dinner and to go along with out pizza fun this week for National Pizza Week she decided to make a Macaroni and Cheese Pizza. Since we were at CiCi's Pizza a couple months ago and she had some of that pizza there she's wanted more. I don't know exactly how she made it - I let her have the kitchen and stayed out of her way - but it was very good.

Around the House

 I cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast this morning and that was really about all the housework I got done.

Austin cleaned up the kitchen after lunch and after dinner, did the evening clean up in the living room, playroom and upstairs bathroom and swept the floor in Michael and CJ's room.

Amanda did the evening clean up in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom and did some laundry.

Outdoor Fun

Our Furry, Feathered and Four-Footed Friends

The kids were so excited (and so was I) to introduce our new chickens to their new home. We had to wait for it to stop raining this morning to take them out. These five hens now have very interesting names - Callie, Pie, Fiesty, Fruits, and Michael. 

I was surprised when I went to check on them this morning to find an egg. I thought with being moved they probably wouldn't lay any eggs until they adjusted. But by the end of today there were three eggs. 

After Doug came home from work this evening he and Austin and CJ worked on setting up a temporary coop for the chickens to use at night. 

Michael and Lauren wanted to give Ronnie her food and water this morning. She can get a bit over excited sometimes so Austin held onto her until they had put the bowls down.

Amanda got our guinea pig, Little Red, out of her cage to play this afternoon and Christopher enjoyed watching her.

We Are Going

Austin is spending the night at a friends house tonight. He and Aaron have been friends a long time and now that Aaron's family has moved closer to us I'm sure they'll be spending even more time together.

Today's Quote

You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind. ~ Author Unknown

Daily Deals

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No Ordinary Blog Hop, Saturday - Your Great Idea, Monday -  Make It Pretty Monday, Making Your Home Sing Monday,  Homestead Barn Hop, Mop It Up Monday, Market Yourself Monday, Motivating Monday Link-Up, Tuesday - Heart + Home Link Up, Titus 2sday, Creatively Tuesday, 

The Walnut Acre Daily - More Pizza Recipes and the Beginning of My Backyard Chicken Flock

Words to Live By

1 Peter 1: 15-16

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””

Homeschool and Independent Learning

Michael and Lauren enjoyed watching these four short videos this morning - Cedarmont Kids - Jesus Loves the Little Children, I Am a Pizza, Add 'Em Up, and the Letter P Song. We also reviewed the memory verse, song of the week and word flash cards.

Books We Enjoyed Today

The first three books are the books I read with Michael, Lauren and Christopher. The last book is the book I'm reading for myself.

In the Kitchen

The following two pizzas, along with a salad, are what we had for dinner this evening. Both were a first for us but I'm pretty sure it won't be the last time they show up on our menu. 

Beef and Cheese Pizza

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 - 1 1/2 lbs stew meat

1 large baked pizza crust

2 tablespoons mustard

2 cups shredded cheese - your choice

salt and pepper to taste.

In nonstick skillet brown stew meat and saute onion together in one tablespoon vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread pizza crust with two tablespoons. Sprinkle on half of the cheese. Top with with beef and onions and then remaining cheese.

Bake according to crust package instructions.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1 lb cooked chicken, cut into small pieces

2 cups shredded cheese, your choice

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 large baked pizza crust

Spread BBQ sauce on pizza crust. Top with chicken, peppers, onion and cheese. Bake according to crust package instructions.

Around the House  

I cleaned up the kitchen this morning after breakfast and also after dinner and did a little laundry.

Austin did the evening cleanup in the living room, playroom, and upstairs bathroom and cleaned up the kitchen after lunch.

Amanda did the evening cleanup in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom and also did some laundry.

Outdoor Fun

I've been watching Craigslist for some laying hens and today I found some. I called and arranged to pick them up this evening. When Doug came home from work this afternoon he and Austin worked on setting up a place for them.

 After dinner we went and picked them up. We bought five. They are Black Australorps. I got this very poor quality picture of them because the garage where they are staying for the night doesn't have good lighting for photos. 

Today's Quote

"Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral.” - Frank Lloyd Wright

Daily Deals

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

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No Ordinary Blog Hop, Monday - Make It Pretty Monday,  Making Your Home Sing Monday, Mop It Up Monday, Motivating Monday Link-Up, I Made It, Making the World Cuter Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Market Yourself Monday, Tuesday - Titus 2sday, Tuesday's Treasures, Creatively Tuesday,  Tweak It Tuesday, Heart + Home Link Up,   Friday - Flaunt It Friday, Home Sweet Home, Feathered Nest Friday, Saturday - Your Great Idea, 

The Walnut Acre Daily - A Slow Day

Words to Live By

Matthew 6:19-21

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Homeschool and Independent Learning

Besides our reviewing our memory verse and new song we also watched five short videos - Jesus Loves Me:Kid's Song, I Am a Pizza Song, Letter O Song, Counting Down From Twenty Song, and

Counting Firetrucks.  They also completed math worksheets and Lauren colored a purple pizza picture.

Books We Enjoyed Today

The first three books are the books I read with Michael, Lauren, Damien and Christopher and the last book is the one I am reading myself.

In the Kitchen

We took a break from pizza themed food today and had other simple meals instead. I've tried to keep things somewhat bland because Michael's been having tummy issues the last couple days. For breakfast we had toast, bananas, yogurt and juice and for lunch we had chicken salad sandwiches, salad and applesauce. Normally we are at church for dinner on Wednesday evenings but I kept Michael home this evening and cooked us some Ramen noodles for dinner.

Around the House

I cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast and after dinner and also did some laundry.

Austin did the daily cleaning in the living room and playroom and cleaned up the kitchen after lunch. He also washed the living room and playroom windows and cleaned under the furniture in the living room.

Amanda cleaned out the guinea pig cage and did the daily cleaning in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom She also did some laundry.

Outdoor Fun

Austin took the little kids out to play for about a half hour this morning. 

We Are Going

Although Michael and I didn't go to church this evening, the rest of the family did. It's was the first Wednesday evening back after the Christmas break and I was looking forward to catching up with everyone but there will be plenty of time for that later. 

Today's Quote

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble. ~ Rudyard Kipling



Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

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The Walnut Acre Daily - Easy Sausage Pizza, Apple Pizza Pie and More

Words to Live By

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Homeschool and Independent Learning

This morning Calla, Lauren and Michael reviewed the memory verse and we sang His L-O-V-E. Then we watched the following videos - Jesus Loves Me Children's Song, I Am Pizza, Toddler Math - Addition For Kids, and the Letter N Song.

Yesterday the kids were not in the mood to do worksheets and coloring pages and today they could hardly get enough. They colored the Nn and Mm coloring pages and talked about the sounds the letters make and what words begin with those sounds. They colored the coloring sheet that goes with our song this week. We all worked together on the math sheets. They enjoyed coloring pictures of pizza (it looks to me like some is burnt), and colored a picture to go with our memory verse.

This evening I read spent some time reading with Austin and Amanda. We read some more of No Woman So Fair by Gilbert Morris and Proverbs 13.

Books We Enjoyed Today

The first two books are the books I read with CJ and Michael at bedtime this evening. The third book is the book I am reading with Austin and Amanda and the last one is the book I am reading myself.

In the Kitchen

We continued our pizza fun for National Pizza Week by trying the following two recipes for dinner this evening.

Easy Sausage Pizza

1 lb ground sausage

1 12 inch pre-baked pizza crust 

1 cup pizza sauce

1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 green pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

Brown sausage.

Spread sauce over crust, spread with one cup cheese.

Sprinkle sausage, peppers and onion over cheese. 

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake according to crust package instructions or until cheese is melted.

Apple Pizza Pie

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 (21 ounce) cans apple pie filling

 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Cream together butter or margarine and confectioners' sugar. Add 1 cup flour and mix just until dough forms a ball. Spread into a 12 inch pizza pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove  and spread with apple pie filling.

Mix together the cheese, 3/4 cup flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples pie filling. Bake for an additional 25 - 30 minutes. 


These two pizzas along with a salad made a very good dinner. I also made a sausage pizza without the peppers and onions for those who don't like veggies on their pizza.

Around the House

I cleaned the kitchen after breakfast this morning and did some laundry.

Austin cleaned up the kitchen after lunch and dinner, and did the daily cleaning in the living room, playroom and upstairs bathroom.

Amanda did the daily cleaning in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom and did some laundry.

Outdoor Fun

Today was warmer then it has been for awhile and the kids went outside for a little. 

We Are Going

I was planning to take Austin to the Antique Mall and Amanda to the pet store this afternoon and let the little ones enjoy the outing as well. Then when when Doug came home from work he was going to stay with the younger ones while I took Amanda to volunteer at the SPCA. But out plans changed a little when Michael woke up this morning with a stomach bug. We stayed home this afternoon and then when Doug came home from work he took Austin and Amanda to do the things they wanted to do. 

Amanda bought two Fancy Rats and named them Jasmine and Lucy. She's had Fancy Rats as pets before and really enjoyed them. After the last ones died she took a break from them for awhile and then decided she wants some more. She already had the cage and over the weekend she set it up and had it all ready for them.

Today's Quote

Thank God every morning when you get up, that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and forced to do your best will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know. ~ Charles Kingsley

Daily Deals

Free Printable Coupons

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

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No Ordinary Blog Hop Monday - Make it Pretty Monday,  Making Your Home Sing Monday,  Mop It Up Monday, Motivating Monday Link-Up,  I Made It, Making the World Cuter Monday, Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Market Yourself Monday  Tuesday - Tweak It Tuesday, Titus 2sday, Creatively Tuesday, One Project At a Time, Tip Me Tuesday, Heart + Home Link Up, Wednesday - Adorned From Above, Whatcha Work-up Wednesday, WholeHearted Home Wednesday, Homemaking Link-up, Create and Share, Thursday - Creative Juice Thursday, It's a Party, Friday - Flaunt It Friday, Home Sweet Home, Feathered Nest Friday, Saturday - Your Great Idea,

The Walnut Acre Daily - Personal Mini Pizzas and More

Words to Live By

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, 

the world, and all who live in it;

for He founded it on the seas

and established it on the waters.

Homeschool Fun and Independent Learning

Since the younger kids have the same memory verse all month we started our morning with reviewing Romans 5:8. This week we are also learning this song.

They watched four videos - Jesus Loves Me (VBS Version) , On Top of My Pizza, Preschool-Kindergarten Math Teen Numbers Song, and the Letter M Song.

They completed these math pages from KidZone and Michael colored a picture to go with out memory verse. 

We also enjoyed playing a memory game with word from the -at and -ag word families.

Doug started math lessons again today after the Christmas break. Here he and Amanda were working on liquid volume conversions and Michael was trying to help. He did the same lesson with Austin a little later. 

This evening I began reading again from No Woman so Fair by Gilbert Morris with Austin and Amanda and we also read Proverbs 12. 

We listened to NPR talk and learned about current events, Amanda continued to explore baby names and Austin pursued his fascination with all things antique or collectible by watching his favorite tv shows on the subject. 

Books We Enjoyed Today

The first two books are the books I read with CJ before he went to bed, books three through six are the books I read with Michael and Lauren at storytime, I read from No Woman So Fair with Austin and Amanda this evening and Surrender the Wind is the book I am reading myself. 

In the Kitchen

As part of this week's National Pizza Week fun we made mini pizza's for lunch. We used the round  whole wheat sandwich thins bread for our crust. Then each person added their own toppings - sauce, cheese, pepperoni, green and yellow peppers cut into different shapes and black olives.

Amanda tried to help Christopher make a pizza  but he was more interested in throwing the toppings on the floor and watching the dog eat them.

And here are our pizzas ready ready for the oven. 

They were yummy and so much more fun to eat because they made them themselves.

Around the House

I cleaned up the kitchen this morning after breakfast, washed down the cabinet and appliance fronts, cleaned  and did some laundry.

Austin cleaned up the kitchen after lunch, cleaned up and vacuumed the playroom and livingroom, did the daily cleaning in the upstairs bathroom,  cleaned the cabinet under the kitchen sink and washed the kitchen windows. 

Amanda cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, did the daily cleaning in the mudroom and the downstairs bathroom and did lots of laundry.

We Are Going

Doug, Austin and Michael went back to Scouts again this evening after the holiday break. Michael was so excited he could hardly wait until time to go. In fact, they ended up leaving a few minutes early because he just couldn't wait anymore.

Today's Quote

Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes. ~ Author Unknown

Just For Fun

CJ and Michael got out the cars and trucks they got for Christmas and played very happily together for quite a while before dinner this evening. 

Since we're having fun this week celebrating National Pizza Week I thought I would share this infographic I found on Pinterest.

Browse more infographics.

Daily Deals

  

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

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No Ordinary Blog Hop  Monday -  Made By Little Hands, Making Your Home Sing Monday,  Make the Scene Monday, Making the World Cuter,  Craft-o-Maniac Monday, Market Yourself Monday, Motivate Me Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Mix It Up Monday, The Better Mom,  
Make It Pretty Monday, I Made It, Mop It Up Monday, Motivating Monday Link- Up,  Tuesday - Tweak It Tuesday, Titus 2sday, Creatively Tuesday, One Project At a Time, Tip Me Tuesday, Wednesday - Adorned From Above, Whatcha Work-up Wednesday, WholeHearted Home Wednesday, Homemaking Link-up, Create and Share, Thursday - Creative Juice Thursday, It's a Party Friday - Flaunt It Friday, Home Sweet Home, Mini Pizzas, Saturday - Your Great Idea, Overflowing With Creativity,