Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up June 29

The month of June is gone.  Wow.  Is it me or does the time just go by faster and faster?

This week was VBS for three of the kiddos at my parents' church.  Kiddo 3 and 4 attended and Kiddo #2 volunteered as a helper/aide.  I am very proud of him.  He has such a gift with children!  :-) 

They have a closing performance Friday night.  I am really looking forward to it.  Be sure to come back and see the pictures.  I'll have them posted here on Monday. 

I am so glad to have my computer back.  It just took a bit of time to get all of my files from the external back on the laptop, but it is now good to go!  Yay! :-)

It was nice for the kiddos to have a week of VBS and swimming in their grandparents' pool with virtually nowhere else to go.  I did get a lot of errands done and was very busy during those morning hours, but I really enjoyed the time with Kiddo #1.  We did a lot of laughing and I really loved his company and help with what I needed to get done.  I mentioned that and some other wonderful things for which I am thankful in my Thankful Thursday post here.

My other posts this week included the amazing NASA photos that my children were able to have taken.  You can see the others in Wordless Wednesday.

This past Tuesday, I hosted my recipe linkup with 26 recipes posted so far!  I shared my Beef Noodle skillet.

I am really learning to cherish the ordinary, everyday moments that are so truly special, but so easily overlooked.  I shared about them here in my Make Life Meaningful Monday post.

What I am reading: continuing with my Proverbs online Bible study, A Mother's Rule of Life, and various books on gardening/canning/homesteading, etc.  :-)

What I'm praying for: a church friend whose father's funeral was today, those who are sick and suffering, our nation (now more than ever), our freedom of religion and conscience, my husband and his unit as they finish up their training and come home this weekend.....

A quote or photo to share: "Man's life comes from God; it is his gift, his image and imprint, a sharing in his breath of life. God therefore is the sole Lord of this life: Man cannot do with it as he wills."-- Blessed Pope John Paul II

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
John Adams

"Every step we take towards making the State our Caretaker of our lives, by that much we move toward making the State our Master."
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Kiddo #4 and Smokey, one of the two kittens my parents got for Christmas.  Isn't he just the lovebug?

Linking up with Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up

Thankful Thursday- June 28

I am thankful for many things this day.

I am thankful that my hard drive was able to be backed up before it crashed, thus saving all of my precious photos and homeschooling documents/resources. (that is why there will sadly be no photos in this post, as the computer is "in the shop" getting a new hard drive)

I am thankful that my husband was able to get a phone signal on Wednesday and speak to me and each of the kids.  We are so looking forward to seeing him on Sunday, God willing.

I am so grateful and full of hope when I witness things like I did when dropping off the kiddos at VBS.  One of the group leaders, a boy of just 16, had his Bible open and was reading to the kids and explaining things to them before the day even started.  That was so amazing to witness and it filled me with joy.  I immediately went and told him mom (she is one of the women running the program) just how proud she should be.  She certainly was!  :-)

Related to the VBS, I am very proud of Kiddo #2 who, for the second year, has volunteered to be an aide/helper.  He does have a gift with children (I see that when he helps his brother and sister with their schoolwork, too!)

Wednesday night I was invited to a friend's house for a Thirty-One demonstration party.  I am grateful to have such a wonderful group of friends.  We attend church together and most of the women there and their families also attend our annual family retreat.  We have grown in faith and fellowship together these past years and I am thankful for such a wonderful community.  It was certainly great to have the chance to spend the evening with them all.  My parents watched the kiddos since my husband is away and it is much appreciated.

I am thankful, also, for the special time that I have been able to spend these last few days with Kiddo #1.  While his siblings have been in and/or helping with VBS, he has accompanied me on various errands to stores, the bank and the post office.  Not only has he been extraordinary helpful, we have been able to have some special time to chat and laugh together that I truly cherish. 

I really enjoy writing these posts.  It is almost therapeutic to write a list of gratitudes. We are given so many precious gifts, and we need to take the time to reflect upon and recognize them in our lives.

Linking up with Theresa at Red Oak Lane, Raising Mighty Arrows, NOBH and A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Wordless Wednesday- June 26

Ok, again, it will be almost wordless, lol!  :-)  We recently participated in NASA's MoonKam project!  (and are excited about the extended mission that will start in August).  Children were able to request photos of specific coordinates on the moon and the NASA moon-orbiting satellite took each photo and they were sent to us when complete.  Here are a sample of the photos my kiddos requested.  Check out the ones with the Earth-rise in the background!  The others were the coordinates of where some of the landings were in the 1960s.  Too incredible for words!  :-)

I cannot add the other photos as my laptop crashed tonight.  :-(  Thank God, I was able to get everything backed up to an external hard-drive in time.  Just the thought of losing all of my precious photos was devastating.  But, emergency averted.  Yay!  :-) I hope everyone has a happy Wednesday!  :-)

Linking up today with Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy , What is a Mom, Living Well Wednesdays, A Mother's Heritage and NOBH.

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- June 26

It is Tuesday again and that means time for a new recipe!  :-)

This week I am sharing my recipe for Beef Noodle Skillet.  It is a relatively easy recipe that is quite tasty.  If you have your ground beef already browned in the freezer, you are halfway there.  :-)

Beef Noodle Skillet

1 pound ground beef

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Pepper

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce (I used my mom's homemade and we call it gravy :-))

9-12 ounce egg noodles

1-2 cups shredded cheese

Brown beef, drain.  Add seasonings.  Stir in tomatoes and sauce—bring to a boil and simmer.

Cook noodles, drain and add to skillet, simmer for a few minutes.  Add cheese—stir, allow to melt a bit.

Linking up this week with Kids in the Kitchen, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows, Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday, NOBH,  Judy H-J's Thoughts and Wisdom Wednesday

Make Life Meaningful Monday- June 25

It seems everywhere I go, or with every blog I read, I am reminded to slow down, appreciate the "little" moments, and even the noise, as when the children and grown and gone, the silence will be deafening...  Sad to think about, but it does make me all the more appreciative and mindful of the beauty of the simplest of moments and just how meaningful they really are...

like my sons playing a game of catch in the yard

or my son and daughter being so amazed over fireflies.  That priceless innocence and wonder. 

There was also the playdate on Sunday (rescheduled from Friday due to rain) and how well our 9 children get along together.  :-)

I cannot help but think that we as adults, are somehow cheating ourselves out of the joys of life by not sharing in their childlike awe.  I will strive to be more like them, appreciate the "little" things more and stop more often from the "busyness" of life to enjoy the everyday moments.

Thanks to my bloggy friends Jenn and Nikki for their inspirational posts this past week that really encouraged me in this regard.

Linking up with Michelle at Make Life Meaningful Monday and Wisdom Wednesday at a Mother's Heritage.  Come over and share what makes your life meaningful this day.  :-)

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up June 22

Another week has come and gone.  The scorching summer heat is already upon us and we are enjoying each other and just taking it easy for a bit....  We will do some math review, continue our bird study and work on a fun Olympics unit that I am planning, but right now, it is savoring the first few days of summer with relaxing, swimming and other activities.  It is a wonderful cure for burnout of all kinds!

On Monday, the kiddos had their music lessons (piano and guitar).  I love hearing them play their music.  Now, just to get them to practice a bit more!  :-)

I also posted about the beautiful gift that Kiddo #4 made her daddy for Father's Day.  If you didn't see the post, you can find it here. 

On Tuesday, my dad had his pool all ready for the kiddos and they eagerly jumped right in.  I guess we all could jump into cold pools as kids.  I could never do it now, but I really enjoyed watching how much fun they had.  I shared more photos of them swimming and being together in my Thankful Thursday post here.

I also hosted my weekly linkup called "Try a New Recipe Tuesday." I have gotten such wonderful and tasty recipes from my bloggy friends. You can see this week's linkup here. You are welcome to go back and see any of the others to check out my recipes or those that have been shared.

Wednesday was another day of swimming and a wonderful dinner picnic with some church friends.  Being busy helps pass the time until hubby comes home!  :-) 

(notice how the camera even begins to steam up due to the heat.  It has hit triple digits here with high humidity these last few days.  What a start to the summer!)  :-)

My Wordless Wednesday post this week was of the fun we had playing miniature golf on Father's Day. 

Thursday had Kiddo #1 and I helping at church with a funeral and Kiddo #4's sewing class.  She made the most precious hat for her brother's Dumbo stuffed animal and she is working on a collar to match!  It is absolutely adorable.  Of course, at 2 am as I am writing this post, I cannot locate said hat to take a photo of it, so I will have to include it in Monday's post.  I hope you come back to see it, as it is really so very, very cute.  She has such a natural talent and her sweet giving spirit makes it all the better!

Kiddos 1,2, my mom and I went to a Phillies game Thursday night.  We are Philadelphia sports fans here and always enjoy a good game.  It was hot and humid, but we were prepared with plenty to drink and were blessed that our seats were not in the direct sunlight!  Unfortunately, our team lost, but we did have a good time together and it is always fun to be in such an electric atmosphere.

Kiddo #1 did a great job with all of the baseball photos.  I managed to get the camera from him to take the one of him and his brother after the game was over.  :-)

What I'm reading:  A Mother's Rule of Life, My study guide for my online Proverbs Bible study, some great ebooks on gardening, homesteading and prepping....bits and pieces of other things.  I have so many books I want to read!  :-)

What I'm praying for: those who are ill or suffering, my husband while he is away with the Army, our nation, its military, our religious freedom and freedom of conscience.  The list goes on.....

A quote or photo to share:

"It is for war and sword' (Matthew 6:24), to separate the lovers of God from the lovers of the world, the materially-minded from the spiritually-minded, the proud from the humble."- Saint John Clemacus (525-606)

"True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made."- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Did I mention that it is rarely dull around here?  lol!  :-)))

Linking up with Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-up and Friendship Friday.

Thankful Thursday- June 21

On this scorching hot day, I am thankful for a number of things:

that my dad opened his pool and the kids are enjoying it for hours on end

that we were able to find last year's swim toys and the pump to blow them up without any problems

that the kiddos really enjoy each other's company and play well together (for the most part, that is, lol!)

that I was able to make them the cinnamon sugar muffins stuffed with Nutella that they asked for (they wanted me to make them since a fellow blogger linked them up last week!)  :-)

that my husband was able to get a phone signal, if even for 3 minutes, so I could hear his voice and know he was ok; tired and hot, but ok.  :-)

that we were invited to a dinner picnic/gathering with families from church at a local park

that we already invited some friends over for lunch and swimming on Friday

that my little plants aren't so little anymore and that there now are flowers- hopefully veggies before too long.  :-)

Linking up with Thankful Thursday at Red Oak Lane and Judy at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Wordless Wednesday- June 20

Ok- almost wordless, lol.  :-)  Miniature golf after going out to eat on Father's Day with the Kiddos.  Got two nice pictures with my dad, as well.  We are thinking of my hubby, praying for his safety and well-being, and looking forward to his homecoming in a couple of weeks.  The evening ended with a few scoops of ice cream.  :-)

Linking up today with Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy , What is a Mom, Living Well Wednesdays, and A Mother's Heritage

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- June 19

It's time again for another great week of sharing recipes!

This week I am sharing my hot dog and veggie stir-fry recipe.  It is relatively quick and easy and comes out really, really good.  :-)

8 hot dogs, julienne cut or sliced

1 onion, sliced in smaller pieces

2 bags of broccoli and cauliflower mix (you could use other veggies if you prefer)

garlic and pepper to taste

Saute the onions in olive oil.  Add other veggies, continuing to stir.  As veggies are beginning to soften/cook, add hotdogs (the original recipe called for them to be cut in julienne pieces, like little matchsticks.  While that looks really pretty, if you don't have the time, you can just slice them as I did in the photo) After they are cooked, add pepper and garlic to taste.  Stir and serve over rice or noodles.

Enjoy.  :-)

If you are able, it would be most appreciated if you could grab a button or link back here so others could join in the fun!  :-)

Linking up with Kids in the Kitchen, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows, Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday, NOBH, and Judy H-J's Thoughts and Wisdom Wednesday

Make Life Meaningful Monday- June 18

As I mentioned on Friday in my weekly wrap-up post. Kiddo #4 just couldn't wait for her daddy to come home from Army duty to give him the Father's Day gift that she made in sewing class.  She was literally jumping up and down with excitement when he came home for a couple of hours on Thursday night.

She made him a pillow case, complete with the word "Daddy" on it.  She found a fabric that she said "looked like" the Army. ;-) I know he would love anything that his little girl made for him, but this was truly a special gift because of the time and thought that went into making it.

Of course, it went right on his pillow and packed in the car for the trip down to Ft. Bragg.

Also, Thursday nights are Kiddo #1's Civil Air Patrol meetings.  He really is enjoying the experience.  It seems like part Boy Scouts and part military, lol.  :-)  In all seriousness, he is already learning so much-- not only about aviation and aerospace, but about disaster preparedness, teamwork, first aid and even job interview skills.

Since hubby came home for those couple of hours, I was able to take a special photograph-- one of my two "men" in uniform together.  I know I am biased, but don't they look handsome?  ;-)  No one would guess that the kid just turned 14 a couple of weeks ago!  Our first "baby" is truly growing up fast!

Joining with Michelle for her Make Life Meaningful Monday linkup.