Hello there, F.O.T.E.'s,
We're trying to clean up from our day of revelry yesterday. T.T. got a remote control car/boat thing--a "Morphibian." It's been quite a hit. Lioness made him a Superman birthday cake and some cupcakes. T.T. and Musical decorated those. Lots of fun! Anyway, here's another installment...if you're interested...LOL Hey, L.A....I'm going to include my whole wheat roll recipe at the end.
Friday, Feb. 29 ham slices, potatoes au gratin, broccoli, iced tea (yes, this was supposed to be
last night, but T.T. had pizza in mind for his birthday :-)
Sat. March 1 salad, lasagna, garlic bread, iced tea
Sun. March 2 veggie soup, cheese toast, iced tea (the soup will slowcook while we're at church)
Mon. March 3 BBQ beef roast, green beans, corn on cob, mixed veggies, iced tea
Tues. March 4 white beans and ham, collard greens, glazed baby carrots, cornbread iced tea
Wed. March 5 pork tenderloin, baked potatoes, California blend veggies, wheat rolls, iced tea
Thurs. March 6 white chicken chili, cheese toast, salad, iced tea
The Ewe's 100% Whole Wheat Yeast Rolls
Dissolve 1T yeast into 1 C warm water. Let sit at least 5 minutes.
When yeast bubbles, add 2T honey, 3/4 t salt and 1/2 stick melted butter. Stir well.
Add to the yeast mixture 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour. Beat w/ electric mixer 2 minutes.
Add up to 1 1/2 C additional flour--you want to add as little as possible: add it 1/2 C at a time. If the dough is too sticky, yet holds together in a ball, grease your hands and the dough rather than add flour. Doing it this way will help keep your bread from being too crumbly.
Knead gently a few minutes--it doesn't take much.
Let sit an hour. Punch down. Knead a few minutes. Shape into rolls (this amount of dough will make 16 rolls for me) and place on cookie sheet. When the rolls are on the sheet, turn on oven to 400 degrees. (I find that the preheat time is just about the right rising time for the rolls.) Once oven is preheated, bake the rolls about 12 minutes. Enjoy!
These taste great w/ a slathering of honey butter or Lioness' cinnamon butter. Yum. I like this recipe because it's tasty, easy and quick--after you learn the recipe, you can have dinner rolls/wheat bread/buns in an hour and 45 minutes, start to first bite. (Fifteen minutes to mix up; an hour to rise; 15 minutes (or so) to preheat the oven; 15 minutes to bake) We eat dinner at 6:00 and I start cooking at 4:00, so the bread recipe fits right into that time frame. There is only about 20 minutes of actual "hands on" time to making this.
Gotta run...Y'all keep your wool dry...
The Ewe
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A Very Neat Sight
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I've only got a sec, as today is T.T.'s 4th birthday and we've got celebrating to do! :-) But...
I just saw one of the neatest things, right from my bed. When I woke up this morning, I was lying there, looking up through one of the skylights in my bedroom.
Coming across the sky was a V of geese, flying North (yay, Spring!). There were at least 100 birds in the V. I thought, "Wow. That's cool." Then, came another V, bigger...then another and another and another...at least 10 V's, all with at least 100 geese. No, I didn't count all the geese, but I did count off 10, then gauged. My conservative estimate was at least 1,000 geese. The V's just kept coming.
Once they got off in the distance a bit, it looked like veins in a body, there was such an intricate pattern of lines and branches. Very neat. And, did I mention, they were going *North*? :-)
And to think that I saw it right from my bed.
Gotta run...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
I've only got a sec, as today is T.T.'s 4th birthday and we've got celebrating to do! :-) But...
I just saw one of the neatest things, right from my bed. When I woke up this morning, I was lying there, looking up through one of the skylights in my bedroom.
Coming across the sky was a V of geese, flying North (yay, Spring!). There were at least 100 birds in the V. I thought, "Wow. That's cool." Then, came another V, bigger...then another and another and another...at least 10 V's, all with at least 100 geese. No, I didn't count all the geese, but I did count off 10, then gauged. My conservative estimate was at least 1,000 geese. The V's just kept coming.
Once they got off in the distance a bit, it looked like veins in a body, there was such an intricate pattern of lines and branches. Very neat. And, did I mention, they were going *North*? :-)
And to think that I saw it right from my bed.
Gotta run...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Friday, February 22, 2008
Menus for Feb. 23-28, 2008
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Well, here it is...the next installment of Menus with Mom. :-)
Sat. Feb. 23 black bean soup, salad, homemade rolls, iced tea
Sun. Feb. 24 Eating out after church!!! Woo hoo!
Mon. Feb. 25 cheese enchiladas, raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, celery), iced tea
Tues. Feb. 26 broiled hamburgers, baked beans, salad, iced tea
Wed. Feb. 27 teriyaki chicken, stir fried veggies, brown rice, iced tea
Thurs. Feb. 28 Happy Birthday, Tater Tot!!! ham, au gratin potatoes, broccoli, homemade
rolls, iced tea, Superman cake and ice cream
Lioness is making T.T.'s cake...oops, I mean cupcakes...T.T. is going to decorate cupcakes himself. :-) Four years old! For T.T. IV
Gotta run...T.T. isn't wanting to settle in for the night...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Well, here it is...the next installment of Menus with Mom. :-)
Sat. Feb. 23 black bean soup, salad, homemade rolls, iced tea
Sun. Feb. 24 Eating out after church!!! Woo hoo!
Mon. Feb. 25 cheese enchiladas, raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, celery), iced tea
Tues. Feb. 26 broiled hamburgers, baked beans, salad, iced tea
Wed. Feb. 27 teriyaki chicken, stir fried veggies, brown rice, iced tea
Thurs. Feb. 28 Happy Birthday, Tater Tot!!! ham, au gratin potatoes, broccoli, homemade
rolls, iced tea, Superman cake and ice cream
Lioness is making T.T.'s cake...oops, I mean cupcakes...T.T. is going to decorate cupcakes himself. :-) Four years old! For T.T. IV
Gotta run...T.T. isn't wanting to settle in for the night...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Menu Plan for Feb. 16-Feb. 20
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Here's the next installment of menus...
Saturday, 2-16-08
white beans w/ ham hock, collard greens, cornbread, iced tea
Sunday, 2-17-08
chili, Fritos, cheese, salad, iced tea
Monday, 2-18-08
chicken and rice, broccoli, salad, homemade bread, iced tea
Tuesday, 2-19-08
hamburger casserole, mixed veggies, homemade bread, iced tea
Wednesday, 2-20-08
homemade chicken and dumplings, glazed carrots, green beans, iced tea (The Cracker
Barrel Special ;-)
YUM YUM!!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Here's the next installment of menus...
Saturday, 2-16-08
white beans w/ ham hock, collard greens, cornbread, iced tea
Sunday, 2-17-08
chili, Fritos, cheese, salad, iced tea
Monday, 2-18-08
chicken and rice, broccoli, salad, homemade bread, iced tea
Tuesday, 2-19-08
hamburger casserole, mixed veggies, homemade bread, iced tea
Wednesday, 2-20-08
homemade chicken and dumplings, glazed carrots, green beans, iced tea (The Cracker
Barrel Special ;-)
YUM YUM!!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
My Sports Car is a Mini-Van
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I ran across the list below awhile ago, and got quite a few chuckles out of it. In our case, number 14 doesn't apply to us--The Ram wants more children as much as I do. And number 53 just made me roll. Ain't it the truth?
One of these reminded me of something that happened to me last year. (I'll tell you about my experience, then include the list of funnies.)
I had gone to Walmart alone--a treat, right? To get to go somewhere by myself? I thought so, too...until my first shopping cart was filled up. And I hadn't even made it to the refrigerated/frozen section or produce. Hmmm....what to do? I considered getting another cart, but eek...I drive one cart badly enough. I wondered if maybe I could squeeze more onto the first cart...but things were already avalanching off the top and out the bottom rack. So, I checked out...thinking I would go back in for the cold stuff. Well, after unloading the cart into the back of the van, I was so tired I decided to go home. So, I did. When I got home, the hoardes descended on the van to unload it and I went in, fixed myself a drink and kicked back in the recliner to examine my receipt. I noticed a blurb at the top that told me if I went online and took their survey, I would be entered into a sweepstakes to win a ton of money or some other fabulous prize. I decided I'd bite. So, I went online. One of the questions was "Did you end up buying all you had intended to?" I answered, "No." It wanted to know why, and gave several options..."Didn't have the item/s in stock?" "Price was too high?" etc. I had to click "none of the above." Not one of the options was, "Shopping cart was too small." :-) LOL
Gonna run now,
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
How to Tell if You are a MoM (Mother of Many)
You know you are a MoM (Mother of Many) when:
1. You know where the bathroom is in any major store you visit.
2. Your car has more seatbelts than windows.
3. Your grocery budget is higher than your house payment.
4. You do most of your thinking and praying in the bathroom.
5. Creative decorating means lots of bookshelves and bunkbeds.
6. You no longer carry a purse, but use the diaper bag instead.
7. Your idea of good commercial building design means a comfy mother's lounge.
8. You constantly find yourself marveling how short the time is between birth and toddling, birth and schoolage, birth and graduation, etc.
9. Even your two year old knows that they must hold someone's hand in the grocery store.
10. You have a routine for stopping pacifiers, toilet training, cup training, and every childhood “phase”.
11. You have at least three witty replies to "Are they all yours?"
12. You just really wish people would not think they were clever for saying, "Don't you know what causes that?"
13. You have forgotten how many times you have been asked, "Are you Mormon or Catholic?"
14. You are still afraid to tell your husband how many more kids you want!
15. Your food storage takes up more room than your entire kitchen... And that is just for this week!
16. You have so much laundry that when you finally get to the bottom of the pile, it's actually stuck to the floor!
17. You spend a lot of time at church in the foyer or mother’s lounge, wondering why you can’t just stay home and listen to the baby fuss there!
18. You spend more money on diapers each month than you do on entertainment!
19. You instantly sympathize with any woman who is obviously pregnant in the middle of summer.
20. You are up to double digits in years that you have spent with a baby attached to you in one way or another!
21. Taking the kids grocery shopping with you makes you feel like a mother duck.
22. You hate carpools because you know who is going to get stuck doing the driving.
23. When you see photos of castles and grand mansions, all you can think is how many bedrooms it has (YES!), and how much space all those other rooms provide for the kids to mess up (NO WAY!).
24. You know that every time you move the couch or couch cushions, you will find Cheerios under them.... Even if you have not had Cheerios in the house!
25. You know the “law of crumbs”. “Any food item that will crumble will produce twice its own weight in crumbs.”
26. You know by experience that paint NEVER dries until it has been spread around in all the places you did NOT want it to be.
27. You know what to use to remove lipstick, shortening, and indelible marker from any surface.
28. You know how to get smashed raisins out of a carpet, and how to get bubblegum out of hair, and so do all your older kids.
29. You are certain one of your kids is sneaking rolls of toilet paper out of the house and selling them because you know there is no way they could be using that much of it, even if there ARE a lot of bottoms in your house.
30. When you go to order fast food, you order 6 hamburgers, one with ketchup only, one plain, one with no pickles or onions, two with no pickles, onions or mustard, and one with nothing but cheese, plus one fish sandwich, one chicken sandwich, one large hamburger, and one large hamburger with bacon. You then have to repeat yourself three times so the person at the window can get it right.
31. When your kids are learning a foreign language, you wonder how it is that they can find the words to insult each other faster than they can find the words to say “I'm sorry.”
32. If two kids bring home identical toys from their kid's meal, you know you have to put names on them first thing, or they will fight over whose is whose, even if both of them have one in their hand.
33. You spend a lot of time looking at the little kids, urging them on to the next step, while still wishing they could stay little just a bit longer.
34. You have a full baby book for your first two children, half of one for the next one, and nearly empty baby books or none at all for the later ones.
35. When the many-times-handed down clothing is finally too worn out to hand down again, you still have a hard time letting it go because it has so many good memories attached.
36. You don't have a wardrobe of “fat clothes” and “skinny clothes”. You have "regular clothes”, “pregnant clothes”, and “nursing clothes”.
37. When a child outgrows something, you put it away in a box in the closet or garage, even if you don't have a younger child of that gender, because you just know you are going to need it eventually!
38. Your idea of a great dining set is one that has lots of expansion leaves. When you see a corporate boardroom on TV, all you can think is what a great dining table the conference table would make.
39. You can list at least three different technological advances in diaper design which you, personally, have used on your kids.
40. You have at least one specialized medical skill because at least one of your kids has some kind of potentially risky condition which you deal with.
41. You sometimes wonder how it is that other moms get really nice gifts for holidays, and you end up with 6 pieces of cardboard with “I love you Mom your the best.” written on it in crooked writing. And you have a box in your closet that you put them in.
42. You cook dinner in pots large enough to bathe a baby in, and frequently lament over the insufficient size of convenience appliances like mixers, waffle irons, and crock pots – and you compromise by owning two of each.
43. Your car is large enough to hold the entire family, but if you go camping, you have to rent a trailer just to hold all the camping equipment.
44. You can't believe with the size of the larger RVs out there that they couldn't fit more beds into at least ONE of them, and you really wish they'd design one with two bathrooms!
45. If you see a home design with a Master Retreat room, you think what a great nursery it would make.
46. You can quote entire pages from Dr. Seuss without having to pause to think about it, and can sing any number of Raffi or Disney songs from memory.
47. You can think of more than three great Christmas gifts for a child of any age... Because you always have a child close to the age in question!
48. You have at least one story stored up for each of your kids which is guaranteed to embarrass them if you recount it in public.
49. You know, and are thankful, that when they get too old to send to their rooms, that possession of the car keys gives you the ultimate power!
50. When the first two kids move out, you can't believe how much smaller your family feels.
51. You think that a mini-van is just too small to be a practical family car - but you wish they'd make a shopping cart about that size!
52. Getting the whole family to fit into the Wal-Mart photo booth, and then getting a picture when nobody is crying, making bunny ears, blinking, or sticking their finger in their nose is a major triumph!
53. Your stretchmarks might better be described as "pleats".
54. Your kids don't need as many toys, because they always have someone to play with.
55. Other people dream of buying a Porche or other sports car, but all you can think is that it wouldn't be good for anything because it is not cheap enough for your husband to commute in, and it doesn't have enough seats for the family, and there's no WAY you are going to let your teenager drive that!
Written by Laura Wheeler
Co-Owner of Firelight Business Enterprises, Inc, and Firelight Web Studio – Laura writes instructional materials, produces infosites, and builds affordable websites for her business startup clients. Her varied experience allows her to give exceptional service, and to produce instructions on a surprising range of topics. Laura is a busy mom of eight, homeschooler, and home business owner.
This article may be reprinted if it is unaltered, and if the signature line is included with the article..
I ran across the list below awhile ago, and got quite a few chuckles out of it. In our case, number 14 doesn't apply to us--The Ram wants more children as much as I do. And number 53 just made me roll. Ain't it the truth?
One of these reminded me of something that happened to me last year. (I'll tell you about my experience, then include the list of funnies.)
I had gone to Walmart alone--a treat, right? To get to go somewhere by myself? I thought so, too...until my first shopping cart was filled up. And I hadn't even made it to the refrigerated/frozen section or produce. Hmmm....what to do? I considered getting another cart, but eek...I drive one cart badly enough. I wondered if maybe I could squeeze more onto the first cart...but things were already avalanching off the top and out the bottom rack. So, I checked out...thinking I would go back in for the cold stuff. Well, after unloading the cart into the back of the van, I was so tired I decided to go home. So, I did. When I got home, the hoardes descended on the van to unload it and I went in, fixed myself a drink and kicked back in the recliner to examine my receipt. I noticed a blurb at the top that told me if I went online and took their survey, I would be entered into a sweepstakes to win a ton of money or some other fabulous prize. I decided I'd bite. So, I went online. One of the questions was "Did you end up buying all you had intended to?" I answered, "No." It wanted to know why, and gave several options..."Didn't have the item/s in stock?" "Price was too high?" etc. I had to click "none of the above." Not one of the options was, "Shopping cart was too small." :-) LOL
Gonna run now,
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
How to Tell if You are a MoM (Mother of Many)
You know you are a MoM (Mother of Many) when:
1. You know where the bathroom is in any major store you visit.
2. Your car has more seatbelts than windows.
3. Your grocery budget is higher than your house payment.
4. You do most of your thinking and praying in the bathroom.
5. Creative decorating means lots of bookshelves and bunkbeds.
6. You no longer carry a purse, but use the diaper bag instead.
7. Your idea of good commercial building design means a comfy mother's lounge.
8. You constantly find yourself marveling how short the time is between birth and toddling, birth and schoolage, birth and graduation, etc.
9. Even your two year old knows that they must hold someone's hand in the grocery store.
10. You have a routine for stopping pacifiers, toilet training, cup training, and every childhood “phase”.
11. You have at least three witty replies to "Are they all yours?"
12. You just really wish people would not think they were clever for saying, "Don't you know what causes that?"
13. You have forgotten how many times you have been asked, "Are you Mormon or Catholic?"
14. You are still afraid to tell your husband how many more kids you want!
15. Your food storage takes up more room than your entire kitchen... And that is just for this week!
16. You have so much laundry that when you finally get to the bottom of the pile, it's actually stuck to the floor!
17. You spend a lot of time at church in the foyer or mother’s lounge, wondering why you can’t just stay home and listen to the baby fuss there!
18. You spend more money on diapers each month than you do on entertainment!
19. You instantly sympathize with any woman who is obviously pregnant in the middle of summer.
20. You are up to double digits in years that you have spent with a baby attached to you in one way or another!
21. Taking the kids grocery shopping with you makes you feel like a mother duck.
22. You hate carpools because you know who is going to get stuck doing the driving.
23. When you see photos of castles and grand mansions, all you can think is how many bedrooms it has (YES!), and how much space all those other rooms provide for the kids to mess up (NO WAY!).
24. You know that every time you move the couch or couch cushions, you will find Cheerios under them.... Even if you have not had Cheerios in the house!
25. You know the “law of crumbs”. “Any food item that will crumble will produce twice its own weight in crumbs.”
26. You know by experience that paint NEVER dries until it has been spread around in all the places you did NOT want it to be.
27. You know what to use to remove lipstick, shortening, and indelible marker from any surface.
28. You know how to get smashed raisins out of a carpet, and how to get bubblegum out of hair, and so do all your older kids.
29. You are certain one of your kids is sneaking rolls of toilet paper out of the house and selling them because you know there is no way they could be using that much of it, even if there ARE a lot of bottoms in your house.
30. When you go to order fast food, you order 6 hamburgers, one with ketchup only, one plain, one with no pickles or onions, two with no pickles, onions or mustard, and one with nothing but cheese, plus one fish sandwich, one chicken sandwich, one large hamburger, and one large hamburger with bacon. You then have to repeat yourself three times so the person at the window can get it right.
31. When your kids are learning a foreign language, you wonder how it is that they can find the words to insult each other faster than they can find the words to say “I'm sorry.”
32. If two kids bring home identical toys from their kid's meal, you know you have to put names on them first thing, or they will fight over whose is whose, even if both of them have one in their hand.
33. You spend a lot of time looking at the little kids, urging them on to the next step, while still wishing they could stay little just a bit longer.
34. You have a full baby book for your first two children, half of one for the next one, and nearly empty baby books or none at all for the later ones.
35. When the many-times-handed down clothing is finally too worn out to hand down again, you still have a hard time letting it go because it has so many good memories attached.
36. You don't have a wardrobe of “fat clothes” and “skinny clothes”. You have "regular clothes”, “pregnant clothes”, and “nursing clothes”.
37. When a child outgrows something, you put it away in a box in the closet or garage, even if you don't have a younger child of that gender, because you just know you are going to need it eventually!
38. Your idea of a great dining set is one that has lots of expansion leaves. When you see a corporate boardroom on TV, all you can think is what a great dining table the conference table would make.
39. You can list at least three different technological advances in diaper design which you, personally, have used on your kids.
40. You have at least one specialized medical skill because at least one of your kids has some kind of potentially risky condition which you deal with.
41. You sometimes wonder how it is that other moms get really nice gifts for holidays, and you end up with 6 pieces of cardboard with “I love you Mom your the best.” written on it in crooked writing. And you have a box in your closet that you put them in.
42. You cook dinner in pots large enough to bathe a baby in, and frequently lament over the insufficient size of convenience appliances like mixers, waffle irons, and crock pots – and you compromise by owning two of each.
43. Your car is large enough to hold the entire family, but if you go camping, you have to rent a trailer just to hold all the camping equipment.
44. You can't believe with the size of the larger RVs out there that they couldn't fit more beds into at least ONE of them, and you really wish they'd design one with two bathrooms!
45. If you see a home design with a Master Retreat room, you think what a great nursery it would make.
46. You can quote entire pages from Dr. Seuss without having to pause to think about it, and can sing any number of Raffi or Disney songs from memory.
47. You can think of more than three great Christmas gifts for a child of any age... Because you always have a child close to the age in question!
48. You have at least one story stored up for each of your kids which is guaranteed to embarrass them if you recount it in public.
49. You know, and are thankful, that when they get too old to send to their rooms, that possession of the car keys gives you the ultimate power!
50. When the first two kids move out, you can't believe how much smaller your family feels.
51. You think that a mini-van is just too small to be a practical family car - but you wish they'd make a shopping cart about that size!
52. Getting the whole family to fit into the Wal-Mart photo booth, and then getting a picture when nobody is crying, making bunny ears, blinking, or sticking their finger in their nose is a major triumph!
53. Your stretchmarks might better be described as "pleats".
54. Your kids don't need as many toys, because they always have someone to play with.
55. Other people dream of buying a Porche or other sports car, but all you can think is that it wouldn't be good for anything because it is not cheap enough for your husband to commute in, and it doesn't have enough seats for the family, and there's no WAY you are going to let your teenager drive that!
Written by Laura Wheeler
Co-Owner of Firelight Business Enterprises, Inc, and Firelight Web Studio – Laura writes instructional materials, produces infosites, and builds affordable websites for her business startup clients. Her varied experience allows her to give exceptional service, and to produce instructions on a surprising range of topics. Laura is a busy mom of eight, homeschooler, and home business owner.
This article may be reprinted if it is unaltered, and if the signature line is included with the article..
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
St. Valentine's Day
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Well, I'm tired of talking about vomit. Let's talk about something I *like*. Valentine's Day!
Now, why in the world would I like a holiday that has been corrupted by Hallmark and American Greetings? A holiday that leaves so many feeling left out and hurt that their "special Valentine" didn't remember them on that wonderful day? Well, outside the great emphasis on showing love (laudable, for sure!) the answer lies in one word:
Chocolate.
I have loved St. Valentine's Day since I was a little girl. It was the one day a year that I got *my own* full box of chocolate. I had an elaborate system of attack: find out which ones were the maple and which ones were the coconut--those went first. Next, identify the truffles (chocolate on chocolate) and consume. Chocolates with nuts went next and on down the line until all that were left were the chocolate covered jelly things. Not my fave. Those usually lasted about a week. I saved them for those desperate times when no other chocolate was available.
Ok. So, the chocolate was great...but, in all honesty, what I loved more was that Daddy *always remembered* to buy me and Mama a heart shaped box of candy. (Mama's was always bigger--as well it should have been.) When February rolled around, I knew what was coming.
When The Ram and I first got married, I was sure to let him know of this expectation. The first year or so, it was a little confusing--that whole "leave and cleave" thing. The Bible never said anything about who bought the candy! It did become clear after a couple years that, indeed, the Candy Buying Responsibility now fell to The Ram. I have come to believe that, while Scripture doesn't specifically mention who buys the candy, it is right for the husband to do it. (I'm sure, however, there would be nothing wrong w/ the Daddy to give chocolate, too, for, as you know, we'll always be "Daddy's Little Girl." :-)
I have to say, though the first couple years of marriage my feelings *did* get hurt, nowadays, The Ram knocks it out of the park on Valentine's Day. (I wonder if it has something to do with being the Daddy to 4 little girls?) Last year, he regaled all his "girls" with boxes of chocolate (now, *I'm* the Mama, so *I* get the big box ;-) and brought me a comically enormous vase of roses and a heart balloon big enough to go in Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. It sang, "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch". LOL It was fun.
I realize I sound very selfish in this post--I don't mean to. I enjoy blessing my family on St. Valentine's Day. I like all the busy-ness in our home, as the children cut hearts out of construction paper and make cards. I love planning a special dinner--always something red!
But,
what do I love the absolute most about Valentine's Day? I love that the day reminds us of our Lord Jesus:
"Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.
Y'all keep your wool warm and fuzzy,
The Ewe
Well, I'm tired of talking about vomit. Let's talk about something I *like*. Valentine's Day!
Now, why in the world would I like a holiday that has been corrupted by Hallmark and American Greetings? A holiday that leaves so many feeling left out and hurt that their "special Valentine" didn't remember them on that wonderful day? Well, outside the great emphasis on showing love (laudable, for sure!) the answer lies in one word:
Chocolate.
I have loved St. Valentine's Day since I was a little girl. It was the one day a year that I got *my own* full box of chocolate. I had an elaborate system of attack: find out which ones were the maple and which ones were the coconut--those went first. Next, identify the truffles (chocolate on chocolate) and consume. Chocolates with nuts went next and on down the line until all that were left were the chocolate covered jelly things. Not my fave. Those usually lasted about a week. I saved them for those desperate times when no other chocolate was available.
Ok. So, the chocolate was great...but, in all honesty, what I loved more was that Daddy *always remembered* to buy me and Mama a heart shaped box of candy. (Mama's was always bigger--as well it should have been.) When February rolled around, I knew what was coming.
When The Ram and I first got married, I was sure to let him know of this expectation. The first year or so, it was a little confusing--that whole "leave and cleave" thing. The Bible never said anything about who bought the candy! It did become clear after a couple years that, indeed, the Candy Buying Responsibility now fell to The Ram. I have come to believe that, while Scripture doesn't specifically mention who buys the candy, it is right for the husband to do it. (I'm sure, however, there would be nothing wrong w/ the Daddy to give chocolate, too, for, as you know, we'll always be "Daddy's Little Girl." :-)
I have to say, though the first couple years of marriage my feelings *did* get hurt, nowadays, The Ram knocks it out of the park on Valentine's Day. (I wonder if it has something to do with being the Daddy to 4 little girls?) Last year, he regaled all his "girls" with boxes of chocolate (now, *I'm* the Mama, so *I* get the big box ;-) and brought me a comically enormous vase of roses and a heart balloon big enough to go in Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. It sang, "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch". LOL It was fun.
I realize I sound very selfish in this post--I don't mean to. I enjoy blessing my family on St. Valentine's Day. I like all the busy-ness in our home, as the children cut hearts out of construction paper and make cards. I love planning a special dinner--always something red!
But,
what do I love the absolute most about Valentine's Day? I love that the day reminds us of our Lord Jesus:
"Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.
Y'all keep your wool warm and fuzzy,
The Ewe
Monday, February 11, 2008
Oozing Ickies
Hello (yawn) F.O.T.E.'s,
Not a lot of time to chat today. Ol' Man Stomach Virus is picking us off, one by one. Or two...Last week Musical was tossing cookies. Yesterday, Miss H started her show at church potluck. (I bet half the ladies there were hoping she hadn't eaten *their* food, lol). Then, in the middle of the night, T.T. chucked in the bed. Today, Musical is being so sweet to her brother. I think she remembers how miserable it is to have a sick tummy.
I don't think TT remembers ever having thrown up before. He was waxing philosophical last night (in the middle of the night) about it...He said, "Sometimes, the food just jumps out of your mouth. You've got to hold your mouth together like this: [purses lips tightly]. Sometimes, the food jumps into the potty. But you can still use the potty afterward...after it's cleaned." I could tell he was working through the process. :-)
Let me share with you something that, while it began as a happy accident, has been a boon to us when battling tummy troubles...
Last summer we had a tea for Lioness' 13th birthday. We had bought an enormous (that was the only size they had) roll of lavender disposable vinyl table cloth. I wondered what in the world we were going to use it all for. Welll...
When the ickies struck last Fall, we needed something--in a hurry!--to protect the carpet. The Ram was saying, "Get me something, QUICK!!" I was standing there, looking to and fro, saying, "Uhhhh.....uhhhh....uhhhh....HERE!" I spotted the roll of lavender, propped in the corner. I grabbed it and thrust it at The Ram...he immediately began unrolling it over carpet, making a path from Sick Person to Toilet. We had a purple runway for days. Seems like I remember someone--Lioness?--saying, "Some people roll out the red carpet...we roll out the purple one." LOL
This morning, Musical got up (she had missed all the fun in the middle of the night) and came in asking, "Who's puking?" Yup. The Vomit Carpet is a dead giveaway.
Must run...just heard an unsettling noise.
Y'all keep your wool...uh...healthy,
The Ewe
Not a lot of time to chat today. Ol' Man Stomach Virus is picking us off, one by one. Or two...Last week Musical was tossing cookies. Yesterday, Miss H started her show at church potluck. (I bet half the ladies there were hoping she hadn't eaten *their* food, lol). Then, in the middle of the night, T.T. chucked in the bed. Today, Musical is being so sweet to her brother. I think she remembers how miserable it is to have a sick tummy.
I don't think TT remembers ever having thrown up before. He was waxing philosophical last night (in the middle of the night) about it...He said, "Sometimes, the food just jumps out of your mouth. You've got to hold your mouth together like this: [purses lips tightly]. Sometimes, the food jumps into the potty. But you can still use the potty afterward...after it's cleaned." I could tell he was working through the process. :-)
Let me share with you something that, while it began as a happy accident, has been a boon to us when battling tummy troubles...
Last summer we had a tea for Lioness' 13th birthday. We had bought an enormous (that was the only size they had) roll of lavender disposable vinyl table cloth. I wondered what in the world we were going to use it all for. Welll...
When the ickies struck last Fall, we needed something--in a hurry!--to protect the carpet. The Ram was saying, "Get me something, QUICK!!" I was standing there, looking to and fro, saying, "Uhhhh.....uhhhh....uhhhh....HERE!" I spotted the roll of lavender, propped in the corner. I grabbed it and thrust it at The Ram...he immediately began unrolling it over carpet, making a path from Sick Person to Toilet. We had a purple runway for days. Seems like I remember someone--Lioness?--saying, "Some people roll out the red carpet...we roll out the purple one." LOL
This morning, Musical got up (she had missed all the fun in the middle of the night) and came in asking, "Who's puking?" Yup. The Vomit Carpet is a dead giveaway.
Must run...just heard an unsettling noise.
Y'all keep your wool...uh...healthy,
The Ewe
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Weekly Menu and Grocery
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Hope y'all are doing well. Everyone make it through the foul weather last week okay? It hit all around our friends and family, but, to my knowledge, all our folks are fine. So sorry, though, to hear about all the destruction Down South on Super (Cell) Tuesday.
I read a few ladies' blogs regard homemaking and family growing, and I've gleaned several great ideas from them. I have noticed that many folks enjoy reading about others' menu plans and grocery lists. That topic has sparked some interesting discussions (believe it or not) that I've enjoyed.
So, in the interest of mutual improvement, as well as historical documentation, lol, I think I may start posting my menus and grocery lists here. If it bores you to tears, just skip it. :-) You won't be missing much.
So, for the week of Feb. 9, 2008-Feb. 14, 2008--
Saturday, 2-9: ham, au gratin potatoes, glazed baby carrots, steamed broccoli, iced tea
Sunday, 2-10: Church Potluck: we're taking chili and shredded cheese, homemade
whole wheat bread, chocolate cake
Monday, 2-11: slowcooked BBQ beef, homemade whole wheat bread, salad, green beans,
iced tea
Tuesday, 2-12: chicken crescents, steamed CA blend veggies, salad, iced tea
Wednesday 2-13: white beans with ham, collard greens, cornbread, iced tea
Thursday 2-14: whole wheat spaghetti and meat sauce, salad, garlic bread, iced tea,
cheesecake with chocolate sauce (Happy Valentines Day!)
Well, there she is. As for breakfast, usually the children eat a bowl of cereal or oatmeal or grits. (I don't usually eat breakfast--I feel better when I don't...don't scold me, I think it's related to my thyroid issues. :-) Lunch will generally be salad and soup or sandwiches. The Ram takes dinner leftovers. We generally drink water or milk during the day (you'll notice iced tea for supper).
As for the odd "week," I plan my menus on Thursdays, finalize my grocery list on Fridays and either I or The Ram (bless him!) do the shopping early Saturday morning. So, my planning goes from Friday dinner to Thursday dinner. We had to eat dinner on the run last night, as Lioness had Bible Quiz practice from 4-6, then we had to drive up to the airport to pick up The Ram. So, last night it was cheeseburgers. (blush)
It being Saturday morning, my grocery list is at the store with The Ram and the Three Musketeers (Lioness, Lovable and Musical). So, I can't post that right now...maybe later... I do know we'll be driving out to the dairy tonight to pick up our weekly allotment of 6 (!) gallons of milk. MOOOOO!!! LOL We feel so blessed to be able to buy it directly from the dairy for $2.50/gallon.
Well, must run...my grocery "delivery" will be here soon. I also need to go try to figure out how to cook this here ham this afternoon. I've never done a whole ham before. We'll see what happens--at least it isn't Tuesday.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "When I grow up, I'll need a wife to change my diapers. Lovable is nice."
--Tater Tot
Hope y'all are doing well. Everyone make it through the foul weather last week okay? It hit all around our friends and family, but, to my knowledge, all our folks are fine. So sorry, though, to hear about all the destruction Down South on Super (Cell) Tuesday.
I read a few ladies' blogs regard homemaking and family growing, and I've gleaned several great ideas from them. I have noticed that many folks enjoy reading about others' menu plans and grocery lists. That topic has sparked some interesting discussions (believe it or not) that I've enjoyed.
So, in the interest of mutual improvement, as well as historical documentation, lol, I think I may start posting my menus and grocery lists here. If it bores you to tears, just skip it. :-) You won't be missing much.
So, for the week of Feb. 9, 2008-Feb. 14, 2008--
Saturday, 2-9: ham, au gratin potatoes, glazed baby carrots, steamed broccoli, iced tea
Sunday, 2-10: Church Potluck: we're taking chili and shredded cheese, homemade
whole wheat bread, chocolate cake
Monday, 2-11: slowcooked BBQ beef, homemade whole wheat bread, salad, green beans,
iced tea
Tuesday, 2-12: chicken crescents, steamed CA blend veggies, salad, iced tea
Wednesday 2-13: white beans with ham, collard greens, cornbread, iced tea
Thursday 2-14: whole wheat spaghetti and meat sauce, salad, garlic bread, iced tea,
cheesecake with chocolate sauce (Happy Valentines Day!)
Well, there she is. As for breakfast, usually the children eat a bowl of cereal or oatmeal or grits. (I don't usually eat breakfast--I feel better when I don't...don't scold me, I think it's related to my thyroid issues. :-) Lunch will generally be salad and soup or sandwiches. The Ram takes dinner leftovers. We generally drink water or milk during the day (you'll notice iced tea for supper).
As for the odd "week," I plan my menus on Thursdays, finalize my grocery list on Fridays and either I or The Ram (bless him!) do the shopping early Saturday morning. So, my planning goes from Friday dinner to Thursday dinner. We had to eat dinner on the run last night, as Lioness had Bible Quiz practice from 4-6, then we had to drive up to the airport to pick up The Ram. So, last night it was cheeseburgers. (blush)
It being Saturday morning, my grocery list is at the store with The Ram and the Three Musketeers (Lioness, Lovable and Musical). So, I can't post that right now...maybe later... I do know we'll be driving out to the dairy tonight to pick up our weekly allotment of 6 (!) gallons of milk. MOOOOO!!! LOL We feel so blessed to be able to buy it directly from the dairy for $2.50/gallon.
Well, must run...my grocery "delivery" will be here soon. I also need to go try to figure out how to cook this here ham this afternoon. I've never done a whole ham before. We'll see what happens--at least it isn't Tuesday.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "When I grow up, I'll need a wife to change my diapers. Lovable is nice."
--Tater Tot
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Our Enormous God
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I just remembered something that happened last week. I think I'd blocked it subconciously, due to it's heartstopping nature.
I was reading my emails early one morning, with Lil Miss H playing near my feet. After a few minutes, she started playing w/ the computer cords and I immediately rose to get her. Suddenly, the printer started falling from the shelf in the closet, over 5 feet up. Miss H was pulling on its cord and had pulled it off! Miracle of miracles, I caught it. I don't remember catching it--and I am *awful* at catching anything but a cold--but there I found myself, both arms stuck out with the printer sitting on top, inches over Miss H's head. It all happened in the span of probably 12 seconds, start to finish. When the shock wore off, I started shaking and thanking God for sparing Miss H. I starting thinking, "What if I hadn't *immediately* gotten up?" "What if I had missed the printer?" "What if..."
All I could do was thank the Lord. I have no doubt whatsoever that *HE* saved her.
So, I gave a last shudder, hugged H, thanked God again, then went on with my day.
I didn't even think about the episode again until that night...
We were involved in a discussion in the living room, the children were playing, talking, reading--run of the mill evening fare. Next thing I knew, someone let out a shriek and The Ram was picking Miss H up from the bottom landing of the stairs--she had fallen all the way down. The Ram witnessed her descent, and he said she fell well (if there's such a thing). Our stairs are carpeted and, evidently, she stayed relaxed...She stood up at the bottom and was ready for a snuggle with Daddy and Mama. After half a minute of crying, she was fine. We watched her for any negative signs, but she never had the least bit of a problem. Again--we were praising God for protecting her.
I'm sure someone searching for fault could find it, but The Ram and I were *right there*. We responded immediately. Things just happen. We are as diligent as possible, but when you boil it down, it is still the Lord who is in control. Truly, He is the one who holds our life in His hands.
I remember hearing the story of when The Ram, as a boy, fell out of a van in motion, right onto the pavement. I've been told many times of the earthquake that hit our area when I was about 6 months old. It left a long crack on a wall of the house I grew up in. Mama said she ran to the kitchen to hold onto the counter, but forgot me, sitting in a baby seat under a swinging light fixture. She wasn't able to get to me because of the shaking, but I believe the Lord had me right in His hand. Just as He had Loveable, Lioness and me when we were involved in a car wreck nearly 10 years ago.
The Ram and I have lost a baby. It is incredibly painful. The experience caused me, for a while, to hyperfocus on safety. It was beyond being sure the children wear their helmets on bike rides or making sure the baby's car seat is installed properly. I do those things so I don't have to worry that there was more I could have done--should an accident occur. No, after Charity died, I had to fight not to be a fretting, fearful mother, who wouldn't allow her children any freedom, lest they get hurt. It was a sore temptation right after Charity's death, and I'll admit, still is at times. But, days like last week, when the Lord reminds me that I'm not in control, help me relax and enjoy this good life our Lord has granted.
Sorry this was such a heavy post. Just needed saying...
Hey--
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
I just remembered something that happened last week. I think I'd blocked it subconciously, due to it's heartstopping nature.
I was reading my emails early one morning, with Lil Miss H playing near my feet. After a few minutes, she started playing w/ the computer cords and I immediately rose to get her. Suddenly, the printer started falling from the shelf in the closet, over 5 feet up. Miss H was pulling on its cord and had pulled it off! Miracle of miracles, I caught it. I don't remember catching it--and I am *awful* at catching anything but a cold--but there I found myself, both arms stuck out with the printer sitting on top, inches over Miss H's head. It all happened in the span of probably 12 seconds, start to finish. When the shock wore off, I started shaking and thanking God for sparing Miss H. I starting thinking, "What if I hadn't *immediately* gotten up?" "What if I had missed the printer?" "What if..."
All I could do was thank the Lord. I have no doubt whatsoever that *HE* saved her.
So, I gave a last shudder, hugged H, thanked God again, then went on with my day.
I didn't even think about the episode again until that night...
We were involved in a discussion in the living room, the children were playing, talking, reading--run of the mill evening fare. Next thing I knew, someone let out a shriek and The Ram was picking Miss H up from the bottom landing of the stairs--she had fallen all the way down. The Ram witnessed her descent, and he said she fell well (if there's such a thing). Our stairs are carpeted and, evidently, she stayed relaxed...She stood up at the bottom and was ready for a snuggle with Daddy and Mama. After half a minute of crying, she was fine. We watched her for any negative signs, but she never had the least bit of a problem. Again--we were praising God for protecting her.
I'm sure someone searching for fault could find it, but The Ram and I were *right there*. We responded immediately. Things just happen. We are as diligent as possible, but when you boil it down, it is still the Lord who is in control. Truly, He is the one who holds our life in His hands.
I remember hearing the story of when The Ram, as a boy, fell out of a van in motion, right onto the pavement. I've been told many times of the earthquake that hit our area when I was about 6 months old. It left a long crack on a wall of the house I grew up in. Mama said she ran to the kitchen to hold onto the counter, but forgot me, sitting in a baby seat under a swinging light fixture. She wasn't able to get to me because of the shaking, but I believe the Lord had me right in His hand. Just as He had Loveable, Lioness and me when we were involved in a car wreck nearly 10 years ago.
The Ram and I have lost a baby. It is incredibly painful. The experience caused me, for a while, to hyperfocus on safety. It was beyond being sure the children wear their helmets on bike rides or making sure the baby's car seat is installed properly. I do those things so I don't have to worry that there was more I could have done--should an accident occur. No, after Charity died, I had to fight not to be a fretting, fearful mother, who wouldn't allow her children any freedom, lest they get hurt. It was a sore temptation right after Charity's death, and I'll admit, still is at times. But, days like last week, when the Lord reminds me that I'm not in control, help me relax and enjoy this good life our Lord has granted.
Sorry this was such a heavy post. Just needed saying...
Hey--
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Monday, February 04, 2008
My New Cell Phone/ Ewemanitarian Award
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Hope your Monday was great! Ours was just beautiful. The temperature was around 70! The Lambies rode their bikes in the driveway and I sat in the sun. Lil Miss H got to ride in the bike trailer. She's big enough this year. A lovely day...
Some of you have been privy to my cell phone situation. Back in 2001 The Ram and I got matching cell phones when we moved (back) to KY. Though The Ram has had a couple new phones since then (he uses his a lot w/ work) my poor old "model T" was the one I used. As long as I didn't need to dial a "3" "6" or "9", it worked ok. LOL Somehow, those keys froze up the last time Tater dunked the phone into a glass of water. And that was a couple years ago.
I was embarrassed once when my dad asked me to call my brother on the cell. I assured Daddy I was more than happy to do that...then, I realized the first digit in the number was "6". I was glad Lioness had remembered the "Kid's Phone," so I just used it. All the keys work on that one :-)
One fun thing about that old phone was sending text messages. My notes were like little puzzles written out with whatever characters were working at the time. The Ram "enjoyed" figuring those out. A word of advice: those little foreign money signs and stuff work great in a text message pinch.
But, truly, the old phone had outlived its usefulness. It was hard to admit that...I had it all nice and worn in, just like I liked it (well, except for the whole "3,6,9" business.)
We had tried a few times to get me a new phone, but for different reasons, it didn't work out. Then, a friend on a white horse rode in (with help from the US Postal Service) and delivered to me a new phone! The first thing I did was to text The Ram with a note comprised of all the characters I had been unable to send for so long...the 3,6,9 and all their corresponding letters. I had forgotten how easy texting could be--when you can actually use all the keys! Wow.
I do miss my old ring tone. I keep missing calls, because I don't know what the noise is. LOL I had had that old ring tone so long, the new one just doesn't spur me to action yet. I'll get used to it. :-)
So, SRF-- THANK YOU! Here's to text messages without Euro signs and to the ability to dial "911!" (clink) I award you The Ewemanitarian Award for your kind gesture. :-)
Well, I'm heading to bed. Got to get up early tomorrow to wait for the snow. ;-) Btw, Phil the groundhog needs to quit looking so hard for that shadow...
Anyway,
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Hope your Monday was great! Ours was just beautiful. The temperature was around 70! The Lambies rode their bikes in the driveway and I sat in the sun. Lil Miss H got to ride in the bike trailer. She's big enough this year. A lovely day...
Some of you have been privy to my cell phone situation. Back in 2001 The Ram and I got matching cell phones when we moved (back) to KY. Though The Ram has had a couple new phones since then (he uses his a lot w/ work) my poor old "model T" was the one I used. As long as I didn't need to dial a "3" "6" or "9", it worked ok. LOL Somehow, those keys froze up the last time Tater dunked the phone into a glass of water. And that was a couple years ago.
I was embarrassed once when my dad asked me to call my brother on the cell. I assured Daddy I was more than happy to do that...then, I realized the first digit in the number was "6". I was glad Lioness had remembered the "Kid's Phone," so I just used it. All the keys work on that one :-)
One fun thing about that old phone was sending text messages. My notes were like little puzzles written out with whatever characters were working at the time. The Ram "enjoyed" figuring those out. A word of advice: those little foreign money signs and stuff work great in a text message pinch.
But, truly, the old phone had outlived its usefulness. It was hard to admit that...I had it all nice and worn in, just like I liked it (well, except for the whole "3,6,9" business.)
We had tried a few times to get me a new phone, but for different reasons, it didn't work out. Then, a friend on a white horse rode in (with help from the US Postal Service) and delivered to me a new phone! The first thing I did was to text The Ram with a note comprised of all the characters I had been unable to send for so long...the 3,6,9 and all their corresponding letters. I had forgotten how easy texting could be--when you can actually use all the keys! Wow.
I do miss my old ring tone. I keep missing calls, because I don't know what the noise is. LOL I had had that old ring tone so long, the new one just doesn't spur me to action yet. I'll get used to it. :-)
So, SRF-- THANK YOU! Here's to text messages without Euro signs and to the ability to dial "911!" (clink) I award you The Ewemanitarian Award for your kind gesture. :-)
Well, I'm heading to bed. Got to get up early tomorrow to wait for the snow. ;-) Btw, Phil the groundhog needs to quit looking so hard for that shadow...
Anyway,
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
My Beautiful Tulips
Aren't these lovely? They bloomed around New Year's. Sadly, they are all dead now.
The Ewe
Aren't these lovely? They bloomed around New Year's. Sadly, they are all dead now.
The Ewe
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