. . . the house  becomes a cluttered, unpicked-up mess

. . . dinner involves leftovers or whatever happens to be in the freezer

. . . her grand resolve to actually continue with Fly Lady is dashed

. . . laundry takes over the home

. . . she realizes that she is truly human and not super mom

. . . her blog takes a wee nap

. . . she falls behind on e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.

But.

When Mom is Sick. . .

. . . she becomes ever so grateful for the exhausting early years of training as she watches her eldest prepare lunch for everyone

. . . her normal health is no longer taken for granted

. . . she lays on the couch and snuggles her precious children for hours on end

. . . the ever-present strength of her Lord and Savior becomes an even more restful place

. . . the friends who live in her computer email to ask if she is doing well and she recognizes how much friendship means to her

. . . she is able to rest on the couch and read books

Being sick is never fun. But it isn’t all that bad after all.

Photo credit: davidlat

*This is a sticky post and will stay up until further notice. Please scroll down for new posts.*

Recently I read – rather, devoured – the book co-authored by Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. To say this book re-inspired me as to why I do what I do would be a major understatement. The back of the book has the words “Fresh Vision” emblazoned on it. That is exactly what it gave to me.

Many women have been touched by this book. Some have learned for the first time what a biblical woman is especially called to do. Others who have read it have undergone a transformation from evangelical feminism to truth. Still others became what I became: refreshed.

If you have this book, or can get your hands on a copy, would you be interested in an online study group? I am not sure exactly how I would go about this exactly. Would I hold once a week Twitter discussions? Use a chat room? Not sure at this point.

If you WOULD be interested in something like this, please leave a comment letting me know. I would need at least 5-7 women wanting to participate in order to make it worth my time. Also, suggestions on how to do this or any other ideas would be appreciated!

My children and I find that it is necessary for us to have healthy snacks throughout the day. Our blood sugar gets very low if we do not have just a little something between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner. When I started out my parenting journey I bought packaged foods that were convenient to take out of the pantry and hand to them.  Since we have changed our eating habits this is no longer something I can do and thus I have had to adjust what we eat at snack time. Generally I choose something that is easy, homemade, and has nutritional value.

Since moms can run pretty dry in the ideas department – especially when it comes to food – I have put together a quick list of kid’s snacks. Hopefully it will help some of you. Of course this list is minimal and does not contain all of the possibilities. Do you eat any items on the list below? What kind of homemade snacks do you provide your children? Let me know in the comments section so that I can add to my own list!

• Smoothies – this is very easy to do with some frozen fruit, plain yogurt, and a little bit of honey.

• Veggies and/or fruit with homemade dips, peanut butter, or hummus – (I LOVE hummus, but I have yet to find just the right recipe. Do you have a recipe to share?)
• Homemade granola –  I use my slow cooker to make granola. I only make this but rarely because there is a lot of honey in it.
• Cheese and Crackers – Homemade crackers are really good and fill you up more than white-flour crackers from the store. They are fairly easy to make. My kids love them!
• Muffins – Corn, apple sauce, or banana nut are some of our favorites.
• Homemade pita chips – Tortillas have been used in place of pitas as well. Spread a bit of butter on a tortilla or pita, sprinkle seasonings on top, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes. Cut into 8 -12  slices with a pizza cutter. Easy-peasy and so yummy.
• Apple sauce – Homemade or store-bought, kids generally like this stuff. Get the unsweetened and add a bit of cinnamon.
• Yogurt – I prefer to get plain yogurt and add fruit or berries and some honey.

Photo credits: thea0211, bluegum

As we all know, learning to type is important. Very few people can get away without having to use a computer these days. This skill also needs to be passed down to our little ones. The world gets more and more tech savvy as time goes on. Question is, what is out there to help a parent (homeschooling or not) in teaching this necessary part of our world? Thankfully, Leanne Beitel has created Keyboarding for the Christian School to help you in this endeavor.

There are two versions of this “learn to type” curriculum: one for elementary level and one for grades six and up. I used the elementary version with Sally. Let me share a bit more information about this product with you and then I will tell you what I thought!

Nitty-gritty

• These products are in eBook format
• $15.95 for the grade 6 and up students’ version and $12.95 for the elementary version
• Many other products available that will help you learn basic computer skills.
• Elementary version is 87 pages long, with  lessons 32 lessons. Grade 6 and up version contains 107 pages with 43 lessons
• Covered are how to correctly and efficiently type letters, use the shift key, numbers, symbols, and more

A little background, taken straight from Mrs. Beitel’s “about page”:

“HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN KEYBOARDING: As Leanne was teaching in the private school arena; she noticed a need for Christian material for the computer courses since the only ones were Glencoe, Century 21, and Mavis Beacon software.  Through a diligent search; there was no suitable curriculum which demonstrated proper touch-typing methods, offered MLA and APA report formatting, and had Biblical-based references and material for students to copy.  Thus, Christian Keyboarding was formed combining the elements needed to satisfy state education requirements and Biblical references for the private school requirements.”

Now. What did I think?

I thought this was a wonderful typing program! This is one thing that I could find no fault with. First off, the program is simplistic in two important ways. There is very little teacher prep. And the lessons are short and descriptive enough without being overwhelming for my 1st grader.

Before the lessons begin, an introduction is given as well as a “touch typing technique” list. The list gives directions on the best way to sit so that your typing is efficient. I found this especially helpful for my beginning typist because her natural inclination is to hunch over the board and this ends up placing stress on her small frame.

The practice sentences are made of Biblical concepts. I especially appreciate this because this is killing two birds with one stone. Not only are my children learning to type but they are also being reinforced in values that I want them to learn. For example, one practice sentence is “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Now. Some of this was a little over the head of my 1st grader – such as enumerated lists. I just skipped those parts and focused on what she needed at this point in her life.

This program gets my two thumbs up. I highly recommend it and I encourage you to check out the Christian Keyboarding site. She has a number of good deals for these two keyboarding programs as well as other computer skills curricula she offers.

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Disclosure: I received this product to review as part of the TOS’ Homeschool Crew. I did not receive any monetary compensation in return. This review is my unadulterated opinion.

Today I am guest posting over at 3 Boys and a Dog about “Improving my Wifely Ways.” Head on over there to see my five tips towards making a peaceful marriage.

Who are you?

Really that is such a strange way to start a blog post. But who are you my wonderful readers? Tell me a bit about yourself! If you would, please click on the link below and fill out my survey. I will have no idea who fills out what so be assured that your information is totally confidential.

I really need to know pretty please and I can’t afford to give away any super duper prizes on this so please accept my humble thanks.

It’s easier than falling down. I promise.

*Update: Wendy asked two good questions in the comment section. I’ll post them here just in case you too are wondering!

“Kelly,
Just came by and completed your survey. How is the information going to be used? There wasn’t a space for answering “why” I’m following or coming to your blog, though you said that’s one of the purposes of it, so I’m going to answer that here. I’m just wondering why you needed people’s income levels and education.” -Wendy

Here is my answer, in short: “a) I want to know who is reading my blog and why. I did not put in an option to answer why in the survey as I assumed that people would leave that in the comments. Next time I’ll make sure to add that in.
b) I am compiling my much needed media kit. I have advertisers often email and ask to purchase ad space. I need to have something to give them as far as stats go. The income and education questions are merely to give advertisers and sponsors an idea as to who reads my blog.”

My wondiferous survey is only a click away!

Photo credits: yarranz

*This is the last post in my Menu-Planning How To Series. I got a lot of great feedback on this and I thank you for it! I hope it has helped in some way. Just in case you have not yet ready the first four posts here they are: part one, part two, part three, part four.*

Today I will share with you an interview with Laura from I’m An Organizing Junkie. She hostesses the very popular Menu Plan Monday meme. If you have not participated in this meme I highly encourage you to do so. Not only will you get great inspiration on how to make your own menu plans you will also be motivated to make your own! Make sure you visit Laura’s website. It is jam-packed with great organizational tips, info, and recipes.

Thank you, Laura, for taking time to do this interview! I owe you one.

Laura is an addict of all things organizing especially containers.  She is addicted to the high that comes with living a life of order and simplicity and is always looking for her next “fix”.  You can find her blogging regularly and sharing her passion for organizing and menu planning over at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

What prompted you to start meal planning?

I started menu planning four years ago when I became a stay at home mom after the company I worked for closed down and I had my third child.  I was having trouble getting dinner on the table each night just flying by the seat of my pants and I knew if I didn’t do something about it soon I’d lose my mind.  I started menu planning just a couple of meals a week and it didn’t take long for me to recognize that menu planning was the answer to my prayers. It literally changed my life.

Would you share with us how you menu plan? How long does it take you? Do you do it weekly? Monthly? Bi-Weekly? Do you base it off of coupons/sales/etc?

I sit down every Sunday evening for about a half hour to an hour to menu plan.  I start by looking through the sales flyers to determine which meat is on sale.  Then I slot in which meat I want to have on which day and I often include a meatless night as well as a leftover day so nothing goes to waste.  Once I know which meat I’m cooking I hit the internet scouring blogs for yummy recipes.  I actually have a recipes folder set up in my Favorites with sub folders for the various meats, potatoes, veggies, appetizers, desserts, etc.   I have quite the selection of recipes there that I’ve bookmarked from all over the web.  This speeds up the process considerably.  I’m very careful to select recipes that are easy to prepare, don’t require a huge number of ingredients and are relatively healthy.  Once my meal plan is created I do up a grocery list so it’s ready and waiting for when I go out to do my weekly Monday morning grocery shop.

If planning a whole week intimidates you, start with a couple of days.  Do that for a couple of weeks and move up from there.  Check out Menu Plan Monday and see what others are eating each week.  You’ll find plenty of inspiration.  Don’t be afraid to try out some new recipes to help get you out of a rut and motivate you to continue.  I encourage you to give it a try and be blessed by the many benefits.  It’s not near as hard as you might think it is, I promise!

My kids are big fans of board games. Games in general are enjoyed by our family. Our shoe closet holds a few games that we enjoy but few of them are age-appropriate for our children. Scrabble would end up with teeth marks from Boo and mama can only play so many games of Chutes and Ladders. Fortunately for us, the people at We R Fun remedied this problem by creating a preschool version of their Life on the Farm game.

The object of the game is simple: each child fills out their little red foam barn with animal shapes gained during play. You can play with either a winner or everyone wins goal. It reminded me of CandyLand a bit.

The board is not actually made of the usual cardboard you will see in a normal board game. Instead it consists of giant foam puzzle pieces that are very easy for young children to put together. – and may I just interject here that my children love puzzles, especially puzzles that they can do, and so this game was a hit with us before we even started playing it -.

Cards with either one or two squares of a certain color or an animal card are used to navigate the board. When a child lands on an animal card they receive that particular animal shape to fill in on their foam barns. It is all very easy peasy and self-explanatory.

My children and I both like this game and when the time comes we plan on purchasing the version made for older children. It is a little more expensive then other children’s games at $20 and I think that is one thing that will deter families from buying it. Even so it is well made and easy to use and I do definitely recommend it.

Make sure to visit the We R Fun website where you can learn a little background of the game and who invented it. With Christmas just around the corner you will probably find that this game will make the perfect gift for some young child in your family.

I know I have shared Grace Gems snippets before. This one especially touched my heart today and I felt it would probably be a blessing for my visitors. It sure encourages me to keep on keeping on!

To many people–life is very hard

( J. R. Miller, “Life’s Byways and Waysides”)

For the Christian, all of life’s conditions and circumstances are transformed.

Take the matter of CARE. Every life has ‘cares’. There are cares in business. There are cares in home-life. There are cares of poverty–but no less has the rich man his cares. Childhood has its anxieties; young faces sometimes appear careworn. No one can escape care!

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To many people–life is very hard. But Christian faith transfigures care, for those who are Christ’s and have learned how to live as He teaches us to live. He tells us not to worry about anything, because our Father is caring for us. He tells us that life is a school, and that all our cares are parts of lessons which He has set for us. That means that every care has hidden in it–a secret of blessing–a gift of love which our Father has sent to us.  Every time you come to a hard point in your life–an obstacle, a difficulty, a perplexity–God is giving you a new opportunity to grow stronger, wiser, or richer-hearted.

We try to make life easy for our children–but God is wiser than we are. He wants His children to have struggles–that they may grow strong, holy and noble!

Thus it is that common care is transfigured by the grace of Christ! It enfolds blessings for us. It carries in its ‘dreary form’ secrets of blessing for us. Even our ‘drudgeries’ have blessings in their wearisome routine; we get many of our best lessons out of them.

All we need to learn is how to meet our worries, and they are transfigured for us! Paul tells us in a wonderful passage how to get this transformation of care: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. God’s peace will then shine through all life’s frets. Thus care is transfigured, by the love of Christ in the heart.