Make Life Meaningful Monday- July 16

It was a good weekend.  On Friday, we welcomed home Kiddo #2 and my dad from Cooperstown.  They had a great week full of adventures in boating, fishing, hands-on history and of course, baseball!  :-)

The other kiddos decorated the driveway in their honor and Kiddos 1 and 4 baked them a welcome home baseball cake.  My husband just bought me the pan the other day, and what a perfect time to use it for the first time-- to welcome them home from the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Sunday was Church.  I loved how in the sermon, it was stressed that we are all called to be disciples.  The words of St. Francis were quoted.  I don't remember them exactly, but they went something like this: "Preach the Gospel always.  When necessary, use words."  He said that especially in our country the way things are going today, if we live a good Christian life, we will be noticed and that will be a witness, a discipleship; We will be preaching the Gospel by our very lives.

After Church, my parents, hubby and I canned some more corn.  Kiddo #4 snapped this photo of us getting the corn off of the cobs.  Working together, we made really good time and got to enjoy watching the Phillies win at the same time.  :-)

Linking up today with  Modest Monday, On, in and around Mondays and Inspire Me Monday in addition to Wisdom Wednesday and Living Well Wednesday 

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-up July 13

Another fun and event-filled (yet somehow relaxing) summer week here.  :-)  We were missing Kiddo #2 a whole bunch, but glad to know that he and his Pop were having their own fun and event filled week up in Cooperstown.

On Monday, the kiddos had their music lessons.  Kiddos #3 and 4 have been printing out fun coloring pages and Kiddo #4 made her own train track.  :-)

I also posted about my very first adventures into canning here-- a few ears of corn that I had around.  It worked out really well.  We opened a jar the other day and it indeed was the sweetest, most delicious corn we had had in a long time.  :-)

Tuesday was Kiddo #4's July jump-rope class. 

In the afternoon, we went bowling.  I posted about it and shared more pictures here.

On Tuesday, I also posted my recipe linkup.  I shared my homemade french toast recipe.  There were so many other delicious recipes posted here. 

Wednesday was our amazing honey making and jarring class that I wrote all about here.  The kids learned so much and had lots of fun while doing it.

On Thursday, Kiddo #4 picked our very first cucumber!  It was so good!  Nothing beats homegrown veggies.  It really amazed her that we started that plant from a single little seed back in February, and now it is yielding a harvest.  Pretty amazing when you think about it.  :-)

Friday (today, as I am a bit late in getting this posted this week!), will be some swimming, maybe more canning and welcoming home Kiddo #2.

What I'm reading: "I SURRENDER: Thoughts on Making Christ the Center of your Daily Life" and lots of canning recipes.  :-)

What I'm praying for: many who are ill, suffering, our military and our nation. 

A quote or photo to share: "When we view the blessings with which our country has been favored, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down unimpaired to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then, unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of All Good."-- James Monroe

Not sure what kind of bird this is (we will have to look it up and write about it!), but we saw him while hiking after our honey adventure and thought he was pretty striking.  :-)

Hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed weekend! 

Linking up with Create with Joy, Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up.

Thankful Thursday- July 12

I am so grateful for wonderful homeschool programs like the one that we attended today.  These classes are held on a breathtakingly beautiful 90-acre site that is so peaceful.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch after the program and a long hike.

Today's adventure was on honey-making and jarring.  The kids all learned so much about bees, how they "communicate," how they function in the hive and of course, how honey is made.  The actual honeycombs were taken into the kitchen and they were all shown how to take the wax off of them. 

Then, they were placed in the extractor, where the honey went down and into each of their jars. 

My kiddos all helped out, especially Kiddo #1, who proudly accepted the larger and heavier tasks.  :-)

They each got to decorate their jars. (they are SO quaint and pretty-- I don't even want to open them but I will because the honey is SO delicious!)  What really impressed me was that each of them thought of their brother who is away on a trip with my dad and wanted to make him a jar, as well.  It was very sweet and very thoughtful.

Incredibly miraculous, I found that my little girl, who until today, was deathly afraid of bees, allowed one to crawl on her hand.  It was a baby drone that didn't have a stinger.  That made her very comfortable and she even talked to the little fella.  Wow!  :-)

My children learned SO much and had lots of hands-on fun.  I am very grateful for the volunteers who organized and taught the program.  What a gift they are to all of us!  I look forward to whatever programs they are planning for the future.  We will be glad to be a part of them.

Happy to linkup with: Red Oak Lane, Raising Mighty Arrows, NOBH and A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Wordless Wednesday- July 11

Yesterday I took 3 of the Kiddos bowling (since Kiddo #2 is in Cooperstown with his grandfather).  We hadn't been bowling in a while.  They had a great time.  :-)

 Linking up 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 and Favorite Things.

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- July 10

Last night was breakfast for dinner for our family.  The first thing my family asks for is my french toast.  The past few times I have made it with my homemade bread and now they don't want it any other way.  The recipe for my bread can be found here.

Lisa's French Toast Recipe (I usually have to double this for a family my size)
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
lots of cinnamon (my family loves cinnamon, so I put in several sprinkles before each piece of bread)

I set my griddle at around 275 degrees.  Enjoy!  They are really yummy!  :-)

I look forward to seeing what delicious recipes you all will share this week.


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, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things and Modest Mom.

Make Life Meaningful Monday- July 9

It was a good weekend, hot, but good.  I didn't step foot out of the house on Saturday, as the mercury was up over 100 and high humidity.  Well, except to watch the kids in the pool.  :-) 

Sunday was, of course, church with my family, which is always meaningful.  The homily was excellent-- perhaps we should spend less time asking God to change others and begin with asking Him to change ourselves, and to have faith that God will make miracles within us if we just open up ourselves to His Grace.

When we got home from church, I decided to try out my new pressure canner for the first time.  I have been really excited to try it and want to be able to can all kinds of veggies from our garden and some fruit, as well.  My mom helped me and we canned a few jars of corn.  Getting it off the cob was the biggest challenge, but it was fun and now that I know how to do it, will buy the corn in a much larger quantity, so we can have plenty of fresh, sweet and delicious corn to have all year long.  :-)  The possibilities are endless!

This morning, Kiddo #2 left for a trip with my dad.  Dad started a tradition last year with Kiddo #1-- when they turn 13, they can choose a place that they would like to visit for a few days.  Last year, Kiddo #1 chose the Air Force Museum in Ohio and an RC flying show right over the border in Indiana.  Kiddo #2, who will be 13 next month, chose the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.  So, my sports fan is on his way.  I can't wait to hear about his adventures. 

Linking up today with Modest Monday, On, in and around Mondays and Inspire Me Monday in addition to Wisdom Wednesday and Living Well Wednesday and Make Life Meaningful Monday.

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly-Wrap Up July 6

We enjoyed VBS last week, but were glad not to have to be up and out that early during this hot and humid week. (or any week for that matter, lol)  :-)

On Monday, there were no music lessons (the instructors were enjoying some away time with their family), so we made a fun 4th of July craft.  You can read more about it and see pics of the kiddos making it here.

I also posted here about the Kiddo's final assembly for VBS, which, despite the heat, was really wonderful.

On Tuesday, Kiddo #4 attended a jump rope class.  It is being held on a 90 acre estate that is just breathtaking.  We are signed up for some other classes that are being offered there (next week is make and fill your own honey jar) which I am really looking forward to.

I also hosted my weekly recipe linkup.  I shared my recipe for chocolate chip banana bread.  It is REALLY yummy.  You can find the recipe and all of the others that were shared here.

Wednesday was the holiday.  We enjoyed just spending time together, barbecuing, swimming and watching "A Capitol Fourth" on TV.  We finished the evening by reading the Declaration of Independence and remembering the true meaning of the day and being thankful for all of those who have fought for our freedom.

On Thursday, in addition to more swimming, Kiddo #4 had her sewing lesson. She finished a new collar for her brother's Dumbo stuffed animal to match the hat she had already made him.  Isn't it adorable?  Kiddo #3 added the cross sticker to Dumbo's hat afterward.  :-) Kiddo #1 also had his Civil Air Patrol meeting.

I posted my "Thankful Thursday" post today, expressing my gratitude for the freedom we have in this nation and how blessed we are to be able to celebrate July 4th.  Come see photos of us celebrating the day here.

What will Friday bring?-- perhaps some more fun art projects and definitely more swimming, as the excessive heat warnings continue until Saturday night.

What I'm reading: "I SURRENDER! Thoughts on Making Christ the Center of Your Daily Life," and the instruction book on my new pressure canner, lol. :-)

What I'm praying for: those who are ill or suffering, our nation and its military, the preservation of our freedom of religion and conscience...

A Quote or Photo to share:

Kiddo #3's Dumbo and Kiddo #4's pigs had their own Independence Day parade.  :-)

"Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual. ... Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us."-- John Hancock


Linking up today with Create with Joy, Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up.