Pie Just Sounded Good....

I had the apples and a frozen pie crust.....it was easy!

 

preheat your oven to 350

pull out your frozen pie crust (I have never succeeded at making my own)

peel and slice about 6-8 medium apples

3/4c sugar

3T flour

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cinnamon

mix everything together and fill pie crust

topping: 1/2 c flour + 1/2c sugar + 1/2 softened butter = yummy topping!!!

mix these together and crumbling it on top

Bake for 45-60 minutes and enjoy the sumptuous aroma

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream

Fat Friday Lent

This shouldn't even be "legal" for a Friday food during Lent. But.....we just have to go meatless. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the only manditory days of fasting and abstinence. So technically, this IS legal. And it was SO good!.....

I have been a "follower" of The Pioneer Woman for years. She makes me laugh, has fabulous recipes, tells great stories that I'm not too sure if I believe or not, takes beautiful pictures, and now has a delicious cookbook to call her own. Fantastic site! I highly recommend browsing. Be careful, you may become a "follower" yourself. ;-)

Anyway, this recipe is hers. I've used it since the day she posted it. It is fantastic for entertaining, movie nights, meatless Fridays ;-), gaining a few pounds, etc.

Preserving Beans

I made homemade baked beans the other day only to have my husband get the flu and not be able to eat them. What to do with them? I don't eat beans. The kids certainly wouldn't eat ALL of them. And I didn't have freezer bags to bag them into to freeze. Hmmm.....
Then I thought, could I can them? Is that safe? They do have some meat in them. So I did what any respectable woman with a question would do....I googled it. ;-)
And sure enough, it can be done safely. Meat is well cooked. No dairy contained in recipe. Jars were sterilized and processed long enough. The result was 2 quarts and 2 pints. I'm going to let them sit on the self for a few weeks before we try them out.

Meet My Three

Tuesdays With Him (week 1)

EVE and the creation accounts of Genesis (ch) 1-3:

1b. Reflect on the importance of the distinction made by God between people and the rest of visible creation. How should this distinction help to direct our moral and social priorities?

- I love the answer given in the appendix. It talks first about man being the only part of creation made in the image and likeness of God and that the rest of creation is subject to him. “…we have a responsibility to be good stewards of creation and God’s creatures, the care of human persons must always take pride of place.”

- “good stewardship” has been a resounding theme for me. I think it is easy as a mom to be overwhelmed by the day to day. Every second of every day I am “needed” by some member of our family…for food, play, help, laundry, diapers, love, attention, etc. And by the end of the day all I’m dreaming about is all the things I NEED which slides my thoughts into a more selfish mode and I then start thinking/obsessing over getting certain things done to free up more time so I can do MY THINGS. I understand the need for balance, a time and place for everything.  I just haven’t quite found  a regular groove. Most days are good days. Most days I can stop myself from sliding deeper into selfishness. Most days I can recognize triggers - those things that trigger a certain attitude or thought process - and try to stop the snowball effect. Most days. But it is on those few days of absolute insanity that I find myself screaming for (internally) and longing for freedom. A freedom that  I realize I already have. Silliness, I know. But I am sure many of you can relate in some way or another. Freedom to accept and embrace the Will of God in my life or the freedom to seek my own will. Sometimes it’s hard to identify God’s Will but in those times I’m reminded of a piece of advice my dad gave me a long long time ago: “Theresa, all you have to do is focus on fulfilling your obligations within your state in life (right now)….your vocation right now is to be a student (at the time). So be a student first. Being faithful to the little day to days that are right in front of you will give you the strength and grace to be faithful to the bigger things that may come your way like knowing when and who to date. Study and pray.” My point in this being, I am a wife and mom....my job/vocation is to love and serve with every fiber of my being......first the needs of my children and husband.

10a-d. I’m not going to write it all out, but this was a great point for me as well. It goes back to the recognizing my own vices and what triggers them. And then also putting solid means to overcome them and/or strengthen virtues that counteract them. I can totally relate in particular to Eve’s lack of self discipline and selfishness.  Oh the ugliness and shame of sin!!!!

My resolution this week in light of this study: To aid in self discipline, limit my email, Facebook, and blog checks to 3-15 minute sessions....one before the kids wake up in the morning, one during naptime, one after they are in bed. (ouch…gonna be hard) I will be using a timer. ;-) By doing this hopefully it will help me to focus more on the needs of my family instead of seeking time to get away to surf, respond, and write.

*What points stood out for you in this chapter? Feel free to share……

Great Giveaway To Take Advantage Of.....

http://thebusybudgetingmama.blogspot.com/

This blog is super cute, she's got great recipes, great $$$ saving ideas, great style, and a great first-giveaway. Take a look!

I Want I Want I Want

I have so many ideas and the desire to create is almost insatiable. I knit. I LOVE to knit. And I am currently taking spinning lessons. Frustrating, but I know I willl love it once I get the hang of it. And I also long to sew. I finding and ocllecting so many simple patters that I can't wait to try out. In addition to that, I'm scratching out ideas for crafts for the kids. I want to try to make our simple daily doings fun and holidays memorable. I want to read and learn. I want to bake!...I love to bake. I want to make daily bread. I want to spend more time outside and not be afraid or hesitant about taking all the kids out.....and ENJOY it! I want to be organized and dutiful in my daily chores. I want to write a book. I want to raise alpacas for fiber....and perhaps other fiber animals: sheep, llamas, rabbits, etc. I want a "fiber farm" (I think?). ;-) I want more land....maybe 8-10 more acres. I want horses at some point. I want (somehow) for John to be home with us everyday....work here....somehow have this place pay for itself.
I want to run a marathon before I have another baby. I'd like to have a few more kids....call me crazy but we LOVE being parents and having a full house is a wonderful thing. :-)

I know. I know. You all are probably thinking, "Your crazy!....never going to happen...you want too much....your being too idealistic or naive...." etc. etc. And my mother is probably going to call me after reading this and tell me I've gone off the deep end.

The truth is, my husband wants the same things. And two people as united as we are who share the same aspirations....well, I feel as though the sky is the limit. And we've made very positive steps in the right direction.

Back up a minute....
In the short time we've been married, John and I have lost a lot materially and financially, but what is infinitely more painful is the loss of loved ones....the loss of time with them. Time to share....time to love....time to get to know. We have lost the time and gift of future with them. But we are so grateful for the time that we had and the memories shared. The QUALITY of that time we had. Time NOT spent in front of the TV or on the phone or staring at a computer screen. It is the time and memories of holidays and family traditions, summer days by the beach, long September days in the kitchen canning the fruits of the summer, hours on the patio staring at the stars and enjoying eachother's company, celebrating life with baptisms and weddings and the bittersweetness of funerals, long walks and conversations that always end with a deeper apprecriation and understanding for eachother and who we are, hours upon hours in the woods hunting or on the lake fishing, memories in the garden. So many many things to be grateful for.

It is the loss and intensified gratitude that instills a longing in our hearts to be home....to be together....to make each day count....to "pass on" the love, memories, and traditions......Preserving Love.

No insane amounts of great wealth.
No fame
No vacation homes or fancy vehicles

All we want is to be home...together....with the people we love and the things we need. Nothing more.

Is that too much to ask for?
I honestly don't think so.

What is it YOU want?

Catch Up

I've been behind on my postings of Project Knit 52. I've been knitting, just not posting. Sorry. I was going to work on doing that tonight but I've gotten a sudden urge to bake. And baking is going to have to override blog catch up. You'll understand....

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE

Project Knit 9:52

I bought this kit as a birthday present for Wyatt. His birthday isn't until April 21st, but I thought I'd get it done so I'm not rushing in the end. Another fantastic Knit Picks find.

 

The kit came with the pattern and the yarn....$17.99. Not bad. 

 

Pattern and yarn for the mat is separate from the vehicles

View From My Back Door

I love mornings like this (minus the cold of course).......grey blue tones of winter, sign of the night's cold still lingering on the trees, no wind, just silence. Yes.....I love it here.

OH The Yumminess Of Homemade Pizza!!!!

We make homemade pizza about once a week. This week features chicken, spinach, artichoke, mushroom, and onion pizza with a ranch-ish sauce. Kids have about 1/4 plain sausage pizza. Yum Yum Yum!

I had a hard time with the crust for a while but have found a tried and true recipe from Betty Crocker Bridal Edition cookbook - the BEST cookbook ever!!!

2 1/2 c flour
1T sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pk dry active yeast (I like Fleschmans over Red Star)
1 c very warm water
3 T olive oil

mix 1c flour, sugar, salt, yeast, water, and oil together. Add 2.5 - 3 c flour. Knead until springy. Let sit for 20 minutes. Roll out and poke holes in (with fork all over to avoid air pockets). Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Pull out, add toppings, and bake again for 15-18 minutes. YUM YUM YUM!!!!!

Very Good...Very Different Ash Wednesday

Every year has always been the same: Mass with the family, ashes on the forehead, Lent begins. This year, however, has been different.....almost comical yet very good. I began the day like any other, except eating wasn't really an option.....coffee, toast, vitamins. That is it. I made my list of resolutions/sacrifices/things to work on a few days ago so I knew exactly how THAT was going to go. The morning was normal. My afternoon is what kicked off the day:

1:00pm bible study - I won a book from the fair last summer and it was from the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Fargo. A woman stopped by in late October to drop it off and invited me to do a weekly bible study with her. I stated very clearly that I was very happily catholic, but would love to do a bible study. We've been studying every week since and have become pretty good friends in the process. We have a lot in common...cooking, farm living, homemaking, etc.

3:30pm Mass at St John's Catholic Church

5:45pm supper and fellowship at the Lutheran church - some friends of ours here have been wanting us to meet the new pastor and his wife. They are young and new to the area and our friends thought we'd really like them. TRUE! They are really nice!

So....7th Day Adventist bible study, Catholic mass, socialize with the Lutheran pastor and his wife. Anybody know any mormons around here? ;-)

Corners Of Our Life

I've been trying to make the sometimes valiant effort of returning order to our home before going to bed at night. This means making sure the kids pick up toys before bed, cleaning up the kitchen immediately after every meal, vacuuming and sweeping every single night after the kids go to bed. I must say...I had forgotten just how much floor space we have in our house! ;-)

I love waking up to a clean kitchen and an empty counter. I feel like I can conquer anything (at 5:30am)!

My very favorite spot right now in our house is Yvette's room. So pieced together, but so so so inviting. John's little sister Ann made the quilt for a wedding gift. I made the afghan for John for his birthday. And the rocking chair was my great grammy's. This corner of our house means a lot to me. I sit in there and I can almost physically feel a hug!

 

 

Deliberate Living

Since our announcement a few weeks ago of adding alpacas to our life, we've received a few sarcastic comments almost boardering on mockery. Now, I consider myself a fairly tough skinned person having grown up with 3 brothers, sarcastic uncles, all boy cousins, and the like. However, I CAN tell the difference between playful sarcasm and mockery. A person mocks our lifestyle, I tend to take offense to it.....as would many people I'm sure. Thus I feel the need to explain ourselves a little bit.

My husband provides a VERY comfortable middle class living for us. With that said,

- I DON"T can food because we can't afford to buy it the store
- I DON"T garden because we can't afford fresh produce
- I DON"T knit because we can't afford winter necessities
- I DON"T sew because we can't afford to buy clothes and blankets

I DO these things because I WANT to. Because I believe they are getting to be lost arts. Because the matriarchs of my family took great pride in providing these things for all of us and they were very proficient at it. I'd very confidently say they were true artists in their everyday deeds/chores/activities. And aside from the fact that I genuinely enjoy handcrafting and homemaking, I feel an obligation to learn as much as I can, share as much as I can, and pass on as much as I can to my own children with the hope that these things will always in some way or another be a part of our family for generations (more) to come.

The same can be applied to our intent to "farm". We will be adding alpacas, sheep, chickens, and maybe a goat or cow at some point. All these things because we WANT to not because we NEED to. If there is any need, it would be to instill in our children a sense of responsibility and work ethic, a knowledge of the hard work that goes into providing simple things for a family, and a sense of value for the land and all it provides for us. This is our intent in homemaking and farming. This is our lifestyle. It is chosen as a first choice, NOT a last resort.

See What I Have To Work With....

After she models so obediently I say, "Okay Yvette....can you look right at me and smile?"
This is what I get.

Adding To The Mix

We've made the decision to move forward on our goal of "hobby farming". After much deliberation, list making, money crunching, date setting, etc we have decided to start with alpacas. The end of April we will be going out to Montana to pick up 3 young male alpacas. Over the weekend we received pictures of some of the ones that are available. We've fallen in love with Chester. There are a few more, but I'll post them later (having trouble saving them to a file??).

Big John:

Chester:

 

Bonanza:

Project Knit 8:52

I found this pattern on Knit Picks. AWESOME! I found a few other ones that I purchased and will most likely showcase in the near future. I am using Mission Falls 100% superwash merino. Very soft fiber to work with. And I LOVE the color! The pattern is for infant to adult sizing. This hat is for me by the way. ;-)

Tuesdays With Him

It has been on my heart to organize some sort of bible study or mom's group or something. But honestly the thought of hosting/leading anything like that is very overwhelming for me at this point. John's work schedule is so crazy and the kids are a handful. That responsibility would make me nutty I think. SO, to satisfy this little voice in my heart and to feed my own need for greater depth in my spiritual life, I am going to "lead" an online bible study.

I thought that doing this during lent would be an especially good thing (for me) as I do need a lenten resolution of sorts and I'm not really a fan of "giving up" something. That usually doesn't work for me. So instead I try to add something GOOD......more frequent sacraments, extra minutes of prayer each day, read a particular spiritual book, etc. This lent I'll be "studying". I am going to use Stacy Mitch's Courageous Women. It is a study of the heroines of the Old Testament: Ruth, Esther, Jael, Hannah, etc. Paging through it, it looks really great! And I haven't done much reading of the Old Testament. So this will be good. I had purchased a bunch of these books a few years ago because I did actually have a small group lined up to study it, but everyone backed out. Yup. Everyone. And NOBODY paid in advance. Very frustrating. SO....if you are interested in joining me, let me know and I can send you a copy. I'm asking $10 (this includes shipping) via paypal or postal mail.

I will post a couple discussion points and a couple of my own insights/reflections and hope that you all would share as well.

Every Tuesday beginning February 23rd. HERE.

Cheating or Crafty?

I have a confession. I read. I "read" a lot. I've "read" 5 books so far this year.

I am IN LOVE with audiobooks. Seriously!....the best invention since.....since.....Nintendo! ;-) I've never been a huge Nintendo player for the simple reason that once I get started on something like that I know without a doubt I'd be addicted to it. Hence the comparison. For a long time I didn't listen to the audiobooks. I thought it was cheating. I thought I was choosing the easy way. I thought this until Wyatt was born. When he was born I was in the middle of reading the (very addicting) Twilight series. I didn't mind nursing him as often as possible for as long as he wanted because it was my excuse to read. But there was a conflict. I rekindled my love for reading at the same time I developed a passionate relationship with knitting. I couldn't do both. Until........

John had asked me to look into some audiobooks he could listen to while driving, working out in the garage, etc. He didn't have time to sit down for hours on end to read, but he so wanted to. This got me thinking.....hmmm.....

Is it REALLY cheating? Can I still say I "read" a particular book?

Yes. Yes. Yes. AS LONG AS it is the unabridged version.

Feeding both loves at the same time is incredibly........satisfying.

Obsession....

I love this book. But most of all, I love the perfectly poofy cloud of yarn that it is sitting on. Is it normal to dream about yarn? Probably not. *sigh*

Project Knit 7:52

My current project is one I've done several times before. It is a child sized tam. SO cute! Everyone that I've knitted them for loves them! I've found a matching mitt pattern that I will work on as well.

yarn of choice: Stylecraft's Luxury Merino Superwash. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! And so soft to work with.