The day after Christmas, and all through the house...

The day after Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring...until about 8:30 a.m. when the kids started waking up.   Are you tired?  I definitely am!  What a wonderful and blessed time I have had this weekend.  Today we are planning on this being a slow day....catching up on some rest, and cleaning up around here. It is now 1 p.m. and we have only done the "catching up on some rest." I am enjoying some coffee from my new coffee maker today.
 My son had a pot of coffee brewing for me on Christmas morning....The fun part of that is that I woke up to get the coffee going...but smelled coffee going already!  I was going to surprise the kids with their stocking gifts...all kinds of cappuccino, creamers, iced coffee...Guess they turned the surprise on me! If I plan things just right...there will not be any cooking done today.  I think we will try this recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/  to use some of our ham leftovers.

Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/3 cup diced celery

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 cup diced cooked ham

3 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste

5 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

Directions

1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

I am excited about some things I am planning for the blog.....I will keep the recipes going, finish our Fifty-Nifty Recipe Tour....and a few new topics I have in the making.

Let's do a few more of the Bible virtues....praying for your children.  Remember that your children are never too young or too old to pray for.....each day.  I have a scheduled prayer time, but there are other times I remember to pray for specific people throughout the day.  For example....My mother-in-law~ I have a small Irish wind chime hanging in  the bedroom window....As I fold laundry~I pray for that person....There are little reminders all over the house that encourage me to think and pray for that person.

#22  Contentment  Phil.4:12-13  Not only that they should be content with what physical things they have, but also in the situations that they are in....
#23   Faith   Luke 17: 5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40  I pray that faith takes root and grows in their lives...
#24   A servant's heart  Eph. 6:7   Wow...
#25   Hope   Rom.15:13
#26   Willingness and ability to work  Col. 3:23

Well, thank you for stopping by today....Enjoy some quiet time!

 

Researching with my cup of coffee....

I try to spend some time each week looking for new recipes.  So here I sit with my coffee searching for new recipes.  I have collected recipe books for years....I still love them, but more and more I find myself using my computer.  More and more I also find myself telling my girls,"You can find the recipe for that on my computer."  I found this yummy sounding recipe that will probably make its way to next month's menu!  Stuffed pizza rolls!  She also has a good recipe for ham sliders.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls | The Girl Who Ate Everything

Let's continue a little more on the virtues that we can pray for our children....I am working ahead because I am planning on an overnight trip with my girls this weekend.  Looking forward to a lot of giggling and and some one on one time with them.  My girls are awesome!

#17  Joy  1 Thes. 1:6  My prayer is that my children will be filled with the joy that the Lord gives...not of the world.

#18  Perseverance  Heb. 12:1  Run the race...  Have you ever read the definition of this?  Wow!  Such an important virtue for our children to grasp!

#19  Humility  Titus 3:2

#20  Compassion  Col. 3:12

#21  Responsibility  Gal. 6:5

Keep praying for your children...even when it seems your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and walls.  Remember that God makes all things beautiful in  HIS time!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend~

Super Hero Powers....Slow cooking?

Ever feel like you are pulled in so many different.directions?  Maybe you feel that you need super hero powers to make it through your day?  We all live in a busy world...too busy at times!  Next month my husband and son start coaching a homeschool basketball team.  It steps up our pace a good bit more...often challenging meal times.  I need good meal ideas for my family on practice and game nights...eating out gets expensive.  Some of us like to eat before we leave, yet my guys need to eat afterwards!  So, I turn to my crockpot.  Which reminds me, you should check out the Crockpot Girls on Facebook.  They have so many ideas. 

I am working on November's menu and have decided to do some Chicken Fajitas on a practice night...sounds like a "hit the spot" idea!

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas 

2 lbs chicken

2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans ro-tel tomatoes

green bell pepper, sliced

onion, cut in strips

3 tsp. cumin

4 tsp. chili powder

garlic. to your taste

flour tortillas

"Extras"  Mexican rice, lettuce, tomatoes....whatever you enjoy..that goes for the seasonings, also...sample and cater to your families likes!

In crockpot, combine the chicken, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and seasonings.  Cover and cook on low about 5-6 hours.  Remove chicken; cool slightly.  Shred and return to crockpot.  Warm or fry tortillas.  Place the chicken mixture and extras in tortilla and enjoy!  Just imagine the smell of these when you walk in the door after a long day.

Okay, as far as needing to be Super Mom...it took me a while to realize something...we can run our kids to every event/ activity possible, stay busy...busy...BUSY...saying we are doing it all for the kids...they need to be happy after all...and I agree...I want my children to be happy.  My children are happy when I am being the (super) mom that God designed me to be.  Make sure you make time for that quiet time with the Lord.  It will help you focus on your day...to know what is really important.  Another hard lesson that I had to learn was that I need to learn when to say, "Ummm, no."  This is something that is hard for me to do.  Just remember, ladies, the Lord has great plans for you and your family....keep Him first!

Sunday Dinner

Sunday dinner was wonderful!  We tried a new recipe...Coca-Cola Chicken!  Definitely one that we will do again.  Here is the recipe, then we will continue our tour tomorrow.

Coca-Cola Chicken

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tbl vegetable oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 (12 oz) can of coca-cola

1 cup ketchup

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 pepper

4 1/2 tsp.cornstarch

3 tbl cold water

In a skillet, saute onion in oil until tender.  Add chicken; brown on all sides.  Carefully add cola, ketchup, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.  Remove the chicken and keep warm.

Combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth; add to the skillet.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Return the chicken to the pan and heat through. 

 Mashed potatoes and green beans with the chicken....then a nap!  It was a good afternoon.

Let's continue on with praying for our children...hang in there with me.  There are about 30 virtues!  Prayer is so important, but please don't forget how important it is to teach about these virtues throughout your day with your family...and by your example.

#5.  Self-control...1 Thess. 5:6  I pray my children stay alert and have self-control in everything they do....not just "follow the crowd."

#6.  Love for God's Word...Psalm 19:10  God's Word should be more precious than gold to them.

#7.  Justice...Psalm 11:7  I want them to love justice as God does...and act justly.

#8.  Mercy...Luke 6:36  That they will be merciful....

#9.   Respect (for others, authority ,self...)...1 Peter 2:17  Probably no explanation for that one...

Wow!  How convicting this is for me when I pray for my children...It is never too late or too soon to pray for your children...My husband tells the story of how I when was pregnant with my oldest I would set a cassette player (Yes, before Cd's and MP3's were out...) on my belly...and let her listen to good music ...and Mommy and Daddy talked and prayed with her a lot. 

Don't pray when you feel like it.  Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it.  A man is powerful on his knees.

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?

~Corrie Ten Boom

Fifty-Nifty Recipes... Rest Area....yes, again!

I think you are right...seemed like we just had a rest stop.  Well, today was just too pretty to research a state inside....the colors are really looking pretty here.  It will get even more colorful.  Today I grabbed the camera...time for some fresh air and sunshine.  Today we will just sit on my front porch and listened to the crickets and birds...and the sound of college football through the open window.

Several deer have come right up to the back of our house.  The deer seem to like to watch us...watch them!

Across from our house...our Internet is being extremely stubborn right now...I have more pictures to share, but I guess they will have to wait.  It would have to be the picture showing off some beautiful colors!

Here is a favorite site of mine...so many good recipes!
"http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=109224"  Gooseberry has a lot of cobblers, crumbles, etc. for you to browse through when you have time.  Enjoy your day, your family, and your football! 

A few years ago  I came across a list of things to pray for your children...I have used it since that time.  Pray for your children...about everything.  Does it take time?  Yeah, but they are worth it, right?  Example...when they are five, do they need a husband then?  No, but I pray for their spouses.  Still do...it is so important.  You don't need a name....you can fill in the blanks later....There are things they need now though.  Take the time for prayer!

1. Pray for their salvation.  John 3:16
2.  Pray for their "growth in grace".  2 Peter 3:18
3.  Love.  I want them to live a life of love..  Ephesians 5:2  Lots of verses....makes a good Bible study!
4.  Honesty and integrity.  Psalm 25:21

I will do more next time!

Thanks for stopping by!