Joy in ordinary things

I walked to the mailbox today.  No jacket & I didn’t freeze

I saw the green iris leaves peaking through the dried leaves.  Almost time to rake back the old brown dead stuff & prepare for the new green growth.

The mud isn’t ruining the kids shoes because we found fun muddy boots for them to wear outside when they exercise the dog & when they go out to play.

My birthday is next week.  Not forty yet.  Still ornery.

Phone calls & emails from old friends. 

It is good to rejoice together.

Hubby is researching places to stay on the beach.

Ahhh—I am blessed.

It is so easy to get caught up in what is wrong and forget the little joys.  It is so much simpler to just appreciate what I have & not wish for what I don’t.

  

Favorite Freezer Meals

It has been a month since we did a batch cooking day.  So I’ve been doubling some recipes to stash in the freezer to beef up our supply.  You never know when a day might go crazy so it is good to have a few of things ready to go quickly!

A super easy one that gets gobbled up here is Chicken Tetrazini.  I like it because as long as I have Colby cheese on hand then I will have all the other staples available.

This recipe is one that I make two and freeze the extra one.  I like to have one on hand to take to a sick friend, a family with a new baby or just to bless some one.  It isn’t spicy so it appeals to many—besides who can resist cheesy noodles!

Chicken Tetrazini

12-14 oz of noodles—any variety

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

8 oz Colby cheese shredded

2 cups chicken cooked and diced

16 oz bag of frozen peas & carrots(optional)

Boil the noodles until slightly under done.  While noodles are cooking, mix soup & milk in a large bowl.  Drain noodles & add to soup mixture.  Add chicken & 1/2 of the cheese.  If you want to add the vegetables it should be done at this point.  Mix well & put in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Top with the remaining cheese.  Bake on 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot & bubbly.

Pair with a green lettuce salad & you have a quick easy meal!

Here are some other great freezer meals!

Lemon Chicken—paired with rice, noodles, grilled, crockpot—you cannot hurt this recipe!

Teriyaki Chicken

Skillet BBQ Chicken

Linked up at Frugal Follies

Picking Your Battles

I’ve been battling with the youngest male in my house.  For some reason he thinks that the floor around the laundry basket is a better place than IN the laundry basket. 

On the other hand he is getting his bed made, most days.  All his clean laundry is in the dresser & not on the floor.  All steps in the right direction.

We are still working on it.  I have pointed out how it would be easier to find his shoes if he would pick up his room.  He is doing a great job with all his other chores but the floor of his room is just a huge challenge. 

Now that I am mobile again I think we are going to spend 5 minutes in his room together each morning.  He is my social child.  He hugs me a kazillion times a day.  So if I make it a reward(time together) for him I think that will do the trick.  Then consequences if he cannot keep it picked up from there on out.  I am not going to clean it for him—that is a big temptation for me.  I will “help” but most of it will be me asking him “Where does that go? or Does that have a place?” 

Using a timer for just 5 minutes will keep us from getting sucked in to an all day cleaning session but we will make progress. 

How are you kids rooms?  Where is that tough spot for them to keep clean?  Maybe you should spend some time together working & making some progress!

   

Still beautiful . . . .

I am really tired of snow and ice but it is still beautiful. . . .

But I am ready for some of this. . . .

10 Food Favorites

1.   Cooking again(am I really saying that?) & not having to put that responsibility on my family!

2.  19 year old bringing pizza home for us for supper

3.  Watching my youngest make his own pb & j’s—he’d eat this every day if I let him

4.  Crispy cinnamon sugar on the top of my spice muffins

5.  Stir fried broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, onions & chicken!  Healthy & yummy!  Mmmm

6.  Sharing food with friends that blesses them & us

7.  Lemon cake made by my daughter with frosting drizzled on top

8.  Shopping with my littles & having them steer the cart

9.  Fresh fruit prices going down!  Yeah spring is coming

10.  Cinnamon roll smells.  Having extras from a batch for hubby’s breakfast.  Oh and finally getting to eat one after making dozens & dozens

It struck me at the end of my long, tiring day when I was in the kitchen that there are a ton of things that I am thankful for in the midst of all my work!

Kids Fundraising & White Wheat Rolls

As our kids have gotten older, it seems like their activities start to drain us dry.  Especially since we now have several who are of age to be going and doing.  Right now there are two but next year it will be three!

Don’t get me wrong I like that they have social interaction, opportunities to serve, & ways to grow their faith.  But it can be a juggling act to finance it all.

My son used to earn his cash for Nationals by mowing the lawn.  We paid the fee & then he mowed all summer.  It worked well and everyone was happy. 

Now we have two girls coming along and there isn’t enough lawn or cash to go around so they’ve had to look outside the home for ways to earn money.   They haven’t gotten in to babysitting but that may be an option later on.

This year my oldest daughter sold homemade vanilla to neighbors & friends around Christmas time.  It is a great gift & super easy to make but you have to think ahead.  Like 6 months ahead because that is how long it takes to make it.  If you are interested in in how we did it head over to Heavenly Homemakers to learn how to do it(Love Love Love her site by the way).  She had 3/4 of her fees to go to Bible Quizzing Nationals by January!

We weren’t sure if #2 daughter would make the cut for Nationals so we didn’t start fundraising for her until just a few weeks ago.  She has been baking some yummy treats to sell.  It has gone well so far.  She is making Happy Honey Wheat Bread, Cinnamon Rolls & White Wheat Dinner Rolls. 

 

I will share one of the recipes below.  It is a lot of work but she’s doing a great job with helping.  We worked all afternoon Saturday.  When done there were 5 pie plates of cinnamon rolls, 4 9x13 pans of cinnamon rolls, 3 loaves of bread, & 60 dinner rolls.  Whew!  This pictures is after we delivered some of the good!

I am so proud of my kids for working & not expecting a hand out.  I think it will teach them the value of a dollar to earn it themselves.

White Wheat Dinner Rolls—makes 15-20 rolls

1 1/4 cups milk

1 large egg

6 T melted butter

3 T honey

2 cups white wheat flour(I use Kroger brand)

2 cups unbleached flour

1 1/2 T. vital wheat gluten

2 t salt

1 pkg yeast(a little less than a full tablespoon)

Add all ingredients to bread machine in order.  Select dough cycle & when finished divide and shape buns.  Let rise until double.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Other options:

You can also do this in a kitchen aid mixer & double the recipe.  Remove the dough from the mixer bowl when finished mixing & place in a larger bowl to rise for an hour and a half.

This recipe makes great hamburger buns also—just make larger buns & you will have around 12 hamburger buns.