No one said it would be easy . . .

Wow, talking about the Lord giving me what I need when I need it - here is today's devotional from the book, Streams in the Desert compiled by Mrs. Charles E Cowman.

 

December 21

 

To him I give the land he hath trodden upon . . . because he hath wholly followed the Lord (Deut. 1:36).

 

Every hard duty that lies in your path, that you would rather not do, that it will cost you pain and struggle or sore effort to do, has a blessing in it.  Not to do it, at whatever cost, is to miss the blessing.

 

Every hard piece of road on which you see the Master's shoe-prints and along which He bids you follow Him, surely leads to blessing, which you cannot get if you cannot go over the steep, thorny path.

 

Every point of battle to which you come, where you must draw your sword and fight the enemy, has a possible victory which will prove a rich blessing to your life.  Every heavy load that you are called to lift hides in itself some strange secret of strength.  ~J. R. Miller

 

I cannot do it alone;

The waves run fast and high,

And the fogs close all around,

The light goes out in the sky;

But I know that we two

Shall win in the end,

Jesus and I.

 

Coward and wayward and weak,

I change with the changing sky;

Today so eager and bright,

Tomorrow too weak to try;

But He never gives in,

So we two shall win,

Jesus and I.

 

I could not guide it myself,

My boat on life's wild sea;

There's One who sits by my side,

Who pulls and steers with me.

And I know that we two

Shall safe enter port,

Jesus and I.

Thread the Needle Thursday

This week Mom is working on costumes for the Christmas play at church.  She making vests for the workers in the play and jingle bell costumes.  In between she has finished the gray socks and another pair of socks and started on a new pair.  There is no pictures this week.   Go ahead and post your links so we can see what you're up to. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
  Psalm 100:4

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  I am truly blessed and have much to be thankful for, not only today, but every day.

May we all remember to praise the Lord for all the blessings He has given to us.

 

Rainbow Jello

Pretty 12 Layer Salad

• Jello (3 oz) pkgs, Strawberry, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Berry Blue, Grape


• 16 oz Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
  

If making jello in a tube pan to flip out onto a serving plate, lightly grease tube pan.

Add 1 C. boiling water to Strawberry Jello, stir until dissolved.  Pour 1/2 of the jello into a small bowl and set aside.  Add 3 Tbs. cold water to remaining jello and pour into greased pan.  Chill 15 - 20 minutes or until firm.  Whisk 1/3 C. sour cream or plain yogurt into reserved jello, pour on top of first jello layer.  Chill until firm.  Repeat the same with each jello in order given.  This is always a winner with children.

If desired, you can just make it in a 9 x 9 pan and not flip it out onto a serving plate.  In this case, do the layers in reverse order, starting with the Grape Jello sour cream layer and end with the plain Strawberry layer.

Edit 03/03/2012 - to link up with Family Ever After's Once Upon a Weekend Link Party

Thread the Needle Thursday 11/19/09

Ok, I failed to post last Thursday.  I'm so glad Esther went ahead and posted it on her blog last week.  Thanks, Esther!    I'm trying to figure out how to add a Mister Linky so we can all go see what you are creating each week.  I'd love to hear what you are making!

I still haven't made my dress out of the black and pink rose corduroy.  I do want to get it made this week yet so I can wear it on Sunday to church.  I'm in a ladies quartet and we have special music this Sunday, a new dress would be nice to wear for that.

I'm still working on the black & gray socks.  The first sock is finished and the second sock is 2 rows away from starting on the heel flap.  Obviously, I've gotten a bit more done on the sock since this picture was taken.    Esther has Andrew's socks just about finished and then I will see if she will knit Isaiah's socks since I'm going to be up to my eyeballs with sewing the next few weeks.

As soon as my dress is finished I need to start on costumes for the children's Christmas play at church.  I have 11 metallic gold jingle bell costumes to make and 22 plain cotton worker vests.  I've already bought about 1/2 of the metallic gold fabric for the bell costumes and I need to go stash diving to see what color and how many yards of plain fabric I have for the worker vests.  The play is December 13th, so I need to get busy and start sewing like crazy.  *whew*

So, what are you making this week?  Are you working on any Christmas presents?  Are you sewing? knitting? quilting? any other needlework?  Please come share what creative endeavor is going on at your home!

 

Thread the Needle Thursday

I've decided to spend Thursdays sharing about what needlework I'm currently working on.  I have many needlecraft interests, so there may be a variety of current projects.  More than likely there will be at least one sewing project, plus some knitting and/or cross-stitch or whatever other item has my current attention. 

This week I'm knitting some Christmas socks.  I can't say who they are for, but I think he will like them. 

I'm currently caught up with my custom sewing for clients, so it's time to get some sewing done for the family.  I've been losing weight and it's time for some new clothes for Momma.  I've had this piece of featherweight corduroy for a year or two.  I fell in love with it when I saw it and have had it in my stash just crying out to become a dress for me.  I have my pattern pieces just about ready to lay them out and cut out my new dress.  Yay!

Isn't it pretty?

What are you working on this week?  If there is enough interest, I'm thinking of making a button and adding a Mr. Linky so we can all see what everyone is making.  What do you think?   

Wordless Wednesday - Hummingbird Moth

Esther's Favorite Boiled Tater Tot Soup

Ok, this isn't really a recipe, but more of a method of how I make Cheddar Broccoli soup. The Tater Tots came about the last time I made the soup. I wanted the soup to have a bit more "oomph" to it and remembered I had a partial bag of Tater Tots in the freezer. I was trying to surprise Esther by making her favorite soup and when she saw the Tater Tots floating in the water she got a strange look on her face. I told her I was making Boiled Tater Tot Soup and to trust me. And now Cheddar Broccoli Soup is known as Boiled Tater Tot Soup here at the Bair Homestead, because we are just weird like that. LOL

• 1 lb bag frozen chopped broccoli



• Tater Tots - frozen - several large handfuls (watch ingredient list if needing to be gluten free)



• Onion (fresh, dried minced, powder - whatever you have on hand)



• Garlic (again - fresh, minced in a jar, powder - whatever is convenient)



• 2 Carrots, peeled and diced

(Veggies in the pot, ready to cook)

Put all the veggies into your soup pot and add:

• Water to cover (I used 6 cups)



• Chicken Soup Base* (add per instruction on jar, you can also use bouillon cubes)

(This is the point where Esther looked in the soup pot and gave me a strange look!) 

Cook until veggies are softened and then mash with potato masher for chunky soup or use a blender if you want it less chunky. :o)


(Soup cooking away - can you smell the yummy goodness yet?)


Add:

• Shredded Cheddar Cheese



• Milk, 1/2 & 1/2, cream - whatever is on hand, I add just enough to make it creamy



• Salt and Pepper to taste

(Pile of diced cheese waiting to be added to the soup)

Heat enough to melt the cheese but don't bring to a boil or the milk will break down.

*I really do think the chicken broth makes all the difference here. It definitely adds another depth to the flavor versus using just water.

Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy the warmth and savor the creamy flavor.  Be prepared for your family to beg for seconds!




Come see what gluten free soup everyone else is making this week at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.

My First HSBA Swap - What Fun!

I joined the HSBA Swap for the first time in October.  When you join the swap you are sent a list of questions to answer then you are paired up with another homeschool mom.  During the next few weeks you e-mail back and forth to get to know one another.  After about three weeks you send a package of goodies to your partner.  Oh, what fun I had looking for goodies to send to my Swap Sister, Kris .   My youngest son even got in on the fun as he made her a potholder. 

You should really go check out Kris' blog - Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers - she is a wealth of information and has lots of good tutorials for a variety of projects.  And check out her drawing skills - she has a real talent!

My daughter and I had taken a quick trip to Ohio to visit family, I was exhausted by the time we pulled into our driveway.  When I went to check the mail I found a large package from Kris waiting for me - what a great welcome home!   She had given me a teaser that she had included something kind of "different" but she thought I would find it very useful.  Can you pick out which gift she was talking about? 



My goodies included 2 books that I'm really looking forward to reading - The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian and Becoming a Woman of Faith by Cynthia Heald.  The Gummie Bears met an early demise - we'll just pretend they are still in the bag.  *ahem*  Esther will be using the index cards for Spanish vocab words, she goes through a whole package for each PACE so I can always use more index cards!  Somehow, Kris seemed to know that I'm always needing paper to write my grocery list on and those pencils???  They are just for me. . . they are *PINK*!!! 

In a couple weeks I'll be switching my candle scents from Pumpkin Spice to Apple Cinnamon, the tealights came at just the right time. 

And of course, the mini screwdrivers were the "different" item she made sure to send to me.  I used to have a set years ago but they have long since been lost and I kept forgetting to pick up a new set.  Now hubby and the boys better leave mine alone, especially since they are in a purple case!  I even had a chance to use them already to replace my watch battery this afternoon.

Thank you, Kris, for making my first HSBA Swap so much fun.  I'm looking forward to putting all my gifts to good use, especially my new screwdrivers. 

I had a lot of fun doing this swap and look forward to joining again in the future.  You should join us!  Just keep watch at The Homeschool Post for the next call for sign-ups and be prepared to be blessed getting to know another homeschool mom.

Simple Maidens Daybook #19

Want to Join?  Click here.
Today… Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Outside my window… Finally sunny and 80!

I am thinking… Winter is going to be here before we know it :(

I am thankful for… fabric

I am wearing… Cornerstone shirt and blue tiered skirt

I am reading…  So Much More, and the Bible, Promise Me Tomorrow by Lori Wick, and A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

I am creating… something for my Mom : )

From the kitchen... Having tomato soup for lunch

One of my favorite things… playing classical music

For education this week… Piano, Algebra II, Proverbs, English, Science, and Social Studies, and Spanish

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning …  Cooking

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… Trusting

A godly character trait I plan to work on… Patience

Scripture I am memorizing… Whatever my pace tells me to memorize

I am praying for...  Taya and Galen and my youth pastor's son Micah  Here is a blog for Micah so you can know what exactly is going on. 

For the rest of the week… Laundry and help at school on Monday,

A picture I’d like to share…




A truck that Dad brought home from work last year.  He took it to the school so the could climb up into it.  Pretty sharp looking.

Piano

For this week I won't be playing for church on Sunday night since there are Undershepard meetings.  For piano lessons though I am playing: Prelude in B Minor (Chopin), Allegro scherzando in F Major (Haydn), Fur Elise (Beethoven), The Yankee Doodle Boy, and As the Deer.

We Will Never Forget

It's hard to believe it has been 8 years since that devastating attack.  I was in my second grade class room at school when they announced there would be no after school activities that day.  When my Mom picked me up from school that day, I asked her why there wasn't any activities for that day.  She told me that something bad had happened. 
Parents are wondering if they should tell their kids, who were too little at the time, what happened on September 11, 2001.  Pretty soon this is going to turn out like the Holocaust.  People denying it ever happened. 
I don't support war and I don't like it but I'm going to support the soldiers who sacrifice their lives to keep me and my country free.  I know I'll never forget the people who died to keep this country free or the innocent people who died that fateful day.

Piano

This week for piano I am playing Nor Silver, Nor Gold, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Tell Me the Stories of Jesus, and Count Your Blessings.

Simple Maiden's Daybook #18

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Today… Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Outside my window… Gray and dreary

I am thinking… I wish I knew where I put that Spanish tape. I kind of need it.

I am thankful for… Babies

I am wearing… Farmgirl shirt and denim skirt

I am reading…  So Much More, and the Bible, Promise Me Tomorrow by Lori Wick, and A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

I am creating… something for my Mom : )

From the kitchen... Hoping there are leftover mashed potatoes for lunch.

One of my favorite things… Walking around barefoot

For education this week… Piano, Algebra II, Proverbs, English, Science, and Social Studies, and Spanish

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning …  Cooking

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… Trusting

A godly character trait I plan to work on… Patience

Scripture I am memorizing… Whatever my pace tells me to memorize

I am praying for...  Taya and Galen and my youth pastor's unborn son Micah  Here is a blog for Micah so you can know what exactly is going on. 

For the rest of the week… Laundry, spending the night at a friend's on Friday, going to a square dance on Saturday!, play piano at church Sunday and help at school on Monday, and more laundry

A picture I’d like to share…


This is a flower from the cabin we stayed at in Ohio.  Yes I know I haven't posted about it yet but I'm still trying to get the images to upload so I'll post about it as soon as possible. 

 

Piano and Prayers

For piano this week at church I have Glory to His Name, Trust and Obey (love this song!), Standing on the Promises (love this one also!), and Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.  For piano lessons I have For Elise, Allegro Scherzando in F Major (sounds a lot harder than it is), The Yankee Doodle Boy, Prelude in B Minor, and As the Deer.  I love having so much to practice!  I get bored if I don't.

Thank you to all you have prayed for Baby Micah.  They set his due date to September 2 but he decided to come a little earlier and was born by C-section at 8:11 last night.  Micah was 19 inches and 5lbs 9oz (I think but I'm not sure).  They were able to get a tube in just fine.  They put Micah under a vent and have been pulling it off of him little by little.  He is now starting to breathe on his own.  If you don't know what was going on you can go to Baby Micah's blog.   Just keep praying that he will continue to grow stronger each day so they can remove the cyst.

Simple Maiden's Daybook #17

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Today… Tuesday, September 1, 2009 (September already!  Anyone else think August went fast?)

Outside my window… Sunny but on the chilly side

I am thinking… I hope someday I can have many children.  Duggars are expecting their 19th! (I think that's how many that'll be)

I am thankful for… Semi drivers (Thanks Uncle Kris!)

I am wearing… Fire Rescue Shirt and blue tiered skirt

I am reading…  So Much More, and the Bible, Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy, and A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

I am creating… something for my Mom : )

From the kitchen... Going to have mac 'n' cheese for lunch!

One of my favorite things… Playing piano for church

For education this week… Piano, Algebra II, Proverbs, English, Science, and Social Studies (the VCR ate my Spanish tape so we'll have to see how much the DVD is...)

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning …  Cooking

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… Trusting

A godly character trait I plan to work on… Patience

Scripture I am memorizing… Whatever my pace tells me to memorize

I am praying for...  Taya and Galen and my youth pastor's unborn son Micah  Here is a blog for Micah so you can know what exactly is going on. 

For the rest of the week… Helping Grandpa with the Garage sale Thursday and Friday, making cookies for that, and apple dumplings for the DAR garage sale.

A picture I’d like to share…

I can't get pictures to upload.  Hopefully it will be working next week.

Been Awhile...

Sorry we haven't been faithful bloggers.  I'm trying to upload pictures from our vacation and will post them when they finally load.  Until then maybe Mom will post something.

Esther

Hill Climber's Bread

This recipe is my Great Grandma Helmuth's. I use white flour and am still experimenting with wheat flour to get it to come out right so here it is.

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs (yes 1 Tablespoon) salt
1/3 cup melted butter (or you can use oil)
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 cups scorched milk (I put it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 2 min.  watch that it doesn't boil over)
5 tsp yeast
6-8 cups all-purpose flour

Put everything except flour in large bowl.  Let yeast activate (usually around 5 min) until bubbly. 

Stir in flour.  I usually use 6-7 cups flour but you may need more or less it all depends.  The dough will starting forming a ball as you stir.  Your arm will be sore when you are done stirring.  Put the dough onto a floured surface.

Knead the dough until soft and elastic.  You should be able to pinch the dough and it will fall back into place.  Usually I knead the dough for 5-10 minutes but again it all depends.  Here is a video of me kneading.



Put dough in a large greased bowl (I just wash out the bowl I used to mix it and then grease it).  Flip the dough over so the greased bottom is now on the top.  Cover with a towel.  Let rise until doubled (this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours).  Punch down.


Take out and divide dough into two.  Shape each into a log type shape.  Put each log in a greased bread pan (seam down). 


Cover with a towel and let double.  Again this can take 30 minutes to 2 hours.


Put in a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.  Take out of oven and immediately remove from pan onto counter (I use a wood cutting board).  Use 2 Tbs melted butter and a pastry brush to smear the butter all over the 2 loaves.  Cover with a towel until ready to serve.