One Word for 2014

I am not a fan of "resolutions," long lists of things to do or change that are usually abandoned after the first couple of weeks.

I read about the "one word" idea last year and it appealed to me.  The choosing of just one word to apply to the new year is not only challenging, but requires much thought not only now, but throughout the months to come.  It can be applied in so many different ways in so many different situations.  It is not a inflexible list of "to-dos," rather a way to live in the upcoming year.

I chose optimism last year.  I wanted to see all things from a more positive perspective.  It was not easy.  I had to remind myself so many times to be optimistic during times of challenge or frustration.  To look at the world today can be very depressing and can turn one instantly into a pessimist.  It takes much to see all of that from an optimistic viewpoint.

This year, I am choosing indomitable.

Indomitable, you may ask?  What on earth does indomitable mean?

According to the dictionary, it means "that cannot be subdued, or overcome, as persons, will or courage, living and trusting without fear."

There it is.  Without fear.  In the Bible, the Lord tells us to "Be not afraid" or "Do not fear" many times.  I want to trust Him in all things without fear or trepidation.  I want to encompass the lyrics of Mandisa's song "Overcomer," knowing that with Him, we can do all things.  One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

As Christians, we are called to be indomitable.  He tells us that good will triumph in the end.  He has secured that victory for us.  His church cannot be overcome or subdued.  We are called to live in courage and trust Him without fear.

What is your one word?


Come see what my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew chose as their one word.  You can see the post here (after midnight!)  :-)




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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- 12/31

Happy New Year's Eve!  I hope 2014 brings you much love and peace.  :-)

Below in the first spot you will find linked up my Top 10 Recipes of 2013.  They are the recipe posts that got the most views.  Come on over and check them out.  :-)

Ok, so I owe you all two weeks of features since there weren't any last week on Christmas Eve.

Here are the features from the 17th:

Sweet Chili Onion Dip with Avocado and Cilantro from Jordan's Onion

Christmas Pretzels with an Allegry-Free Alternative from Be the One

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies from Melding Magic

And, here are the features from last week's linkup:

Chinese Christmas Cookies from Modest Mama

M and M Christmas Biscuits from A Moment in Our World

Peanut Butter Fudge from A Glimpse of Our Life

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Top 10 Recipe Posts of 2013

As 2013 draws to a close, I am sharing the recipes from this year that got the most page views.  If you haven't seen some of them before, feel free to click on them and enjoy.  We love to cook and bake here and are happy to share our recipes with you.  :-)

Without further adieu, here they are:

Honorable Mentions (just missed the top 10):

Deluxe Oatmeal Raisinets Cookies

Zebra Brownies

Chocolate Biscotti

There was an exact tie for 10th:

10) Chocolate Cake

10) Peanut Butter Oaties

9) Snickerdoodles

8) Buried Treasure

7) Homemade Donuts

6) Pressure Canning 101

5) Chocolate Chip Muffins

4) Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

3) Chocolate Green Smoothie

2) Peanut Butter Bear Cookies

and drumroll please.....the most viewed recipe of 2013 was:

1) Shipwreck Casserole

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday,NOBH, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and Mondays with Countrified Hicks and Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen and Family Fun Friday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop andAll My Bloggy Friends and Hearts for Home Blog Hop and Foodie Friends Friday and Family Fun Friday and TGIF Linky Party and Food on Friday andHip Homeschool Moms, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home andGood Tastes Tuesday and Thriving Thursday and Friday Flash Blog Hop 

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Christmas Memories

We had a beautiful Christmas.  The only problem was that hubby was sick in bed.  He was able to get out of bed by the next afternoon and had a belated celebration with the kiddos.

Christmas started for us on Christmas Eve with church.  It was SO beautiful!  The kiddos were decked in their best attire.  :-)

Celebrating Christ's birth is always special, but when you hear hundreds of people all singing carols together with all of the splendor around you, it is very touching and makes it all hit home.  The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us......


What really impressed me on Christmas morning is that the children didn't want to go see their gifts until they exchanged with each other.  Isn't that awesome?  They went out shopping with my mom, as I mentioned in a previous post, to buy gifts for each other.  Kiddo #4 made everyone a homemade gift in sewing class.

Kiddo #1 didn't want to buy Kiddo #2 a gift.  He wanted to make him a gift.  He designed a cabinet himself and enlisted hubby's help to make the sketches become a reality.  It came out absolutely gorgeous!  Can you see it under the gifts?  :-)

Everyone enjoyed the morning playing with their favorite gifts.  Those included airplanes

trains

calico critters

and all things football

Even Mittens wanted to join in on the fun

We had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed all kinds of yummy desserts.

I hope you all had a wonderful, blessed and beautiful Christmas with your families!  If you didn't read the Christmas poem I shared on Christmas Eve, you can click here to read it.  I know you will like it.

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A Blessed and Merry Christmas!

I wish all of you a blessed Christmas!  Let us never forget the true meaning of Christmas-- the most precious Gift ever given, the Miracle of the Incarnation, the Word becoming Flesh and laid in a manger in Bethlehem.  Let us always sing with the angels "Gloria in Excelsis Deo!"




I shared this poem last year and so many enjoyed reading it that I thought I would share it again.

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,

St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;

Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,

While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child;

The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,

The grown-ups wouldn't bother, there's no room they said;

When even the innkeeper send them away,

Joseph was wondering, where they would stay;

He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,

Let's go there said Mary, it's silent and still;

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,

Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;

And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,

Our Savior was born on that first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in Heaven above,

He sent for His angels, His couriers of love,

More rapid than eagles God's bright angels came;

Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,

Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;

Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,

Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,

And saw in the heavens an unearthly light;

The Angels assured them, they'd nothing to fear,

It's Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,

Till Mary invited them in to adore;

He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,

Never did the shepherds see a baby so sweet!

He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,

He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;

Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,

And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,

Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!"--Sr. St. Thomas, BND de N

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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 24

Merry Christmas Eve!  :-)

Due to not having a whole lot of blog time this week and a lot more baking, decorating, card-writing and gift-wrapping time, there will not be features.  I will do 2 sets of features next week!

In the first spot linked below, is the homemade Alfredo Sauce that my children made in their 4H cooking class.  It is SO good and easy to make.  I know they would love if you would take a look.

Have a wonderful Christmas!  Next week, I will share the top 10 viewed recipes of 2013.  :-)




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Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Here is yet another delicious recipe that my kids made in their 4H cooking class.  We came back and made it at home and it was a hit.  :-)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a combination of Colby Jack and American)

Melt butter in microwave using a 4-cup glass measuring cup on Medium (50%) for 45-60 seconds. Stir in flour and seasonings until smooth.  Stir in milk.  Microwave on High (100%) for 6-8 minutes, until thickened, stirring every minute.  Add cheese, stir until melted.

Enjoy!

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday,NOBH, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and Mondays with Countrified Hicks and Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen and Family Fun Friday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop andAll My Bloggy Friends and Hearts for Home Blog Hop and Foodie Friends Friday and Family Fun Friday and TGIF Linky Party and Food on Friday andHip Homeschool Moms, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home andGood Tastes Tuesday and Thriving Thursday and Friday Flash Blog Hop 





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Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up December 21

Another week over and we are now done school until the new year!  Yay!  :-)  Kiddos 1 and 2 finished their Algebra mid-term exam and thus begins our Christmas vacation. (that means I have 4 days to finish getting ready and I am NOT ready yet!!)  :-)

What non-Algebra was accomplished this week?  lol.  We continued our Jesse Tree ornaments/study as well as reading special and meaningful books.  There was math for Kiddos 3 and 4 as well as grammar and reading.  But, they thought that Christmas baking and the taking of our Christmas card photos were much more fun.  :-)

There was also more cold and snowy weather and we thought that our Advent prayer service at Church would have to be cancelled.  It wasn't, and it was absolutely beautiful.  Kiddo #4 volunteered to help, and she got to hold a basket of votive candles as the congregation came up and each took one to bring back to their places and illuminate.  I read at the service and was humbled at the opportunity.

We had our last classes at church for the year on Thursday and Kiddos 1 and 2, as well as the other volunteer teen helpers, were remembered with gift cards.  I thought that was very sweet.  We teachers, who are also volunteers, lol, were given a lovely statue of the Holy Family from our pastor.

On Friday afternoon, as I continued to bake, my mom took the four children out for an annual shopping outing.  It is a very special one, because the kids get to pick out gifts to give to each other, as well as to my husband and I and my parents.  They always come home very excited and eager to wrap up their surprises.  It warms my heart that they are so very enthusiastic about giving.  Kiddo #4 went along for the ride, but if you remember, she made everyone a gift in sewing class and has already wrapped them secretly in her room.  :-) 

My posts this week:

Happy Birthday Kiddo #3

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap up

Apple Crisp (in the microwave!)

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Books to help celebrate Advent and Christmas

Free Printable- Foreign Language Flashcards

What we are looking forward to this coming week:

Christmas!!!  :-)

Have a very blessed and beautiful Christmas with your families and friends!

Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection and Family Fun Friday and T.G.I.F. Linky Party and Let's Homeschool High School and This Week

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Free Printable- Foreign Language Flash Cards

My children are studying Italian.  Most recently, their teacher was teaching them words for various foods.  They made a "supermarket" and learned how to ask for and buy each item on their list.

To help them remember the various items, I am making color-coded flash cards.  If your children are studying a different language, just substitute the translation over the Italian one.  I will post as I add more.

Just click HERE to download your own copy.

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Books to help celebrate Advent and Christmas

(affiliate links included)

We, like many other families, have favorite books that we like to read every Advent in preparation for Christmas.

No matter how many years we have read them, or how old my children get, we all still look forward each year to reading our favorites.

Some of these include:

Merry Christmas Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski

The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell

The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola

The Christmas Tree by Julie Salamon

These stories touch your heart and soul and really help in preparing for Christmas.  If you haven't read any of them, I would strongly suggest you read them with your family.  You won't be disappointed.  :-)

Come see the favorites of my Crew mates here.


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