Charity Grace

I've Moved!

2009-04-03T08:56:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone! Just want you to know that I haven't been able to use my blogger account lately so for now I've moved to Wordpress. Blogger is my fave, and I hope to end up back here one day, but till then, please visit me at my new site! I'm in the process of customizing, so it will look more like "home" soon...I hope to once again post 3 times a week. See you there!

Nourishing Breakfast--Bird Nest Eggs and a Tip

2009-03-11T12:04:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd have to bow out of this week's Real Food Wednesday, till I visited Katie's blog and saw her great egg recipes. I'm totally copying her egg motif! The theme of this week's carnival is healthy kid-friendly recipes.

I saw the idea for bird nest eggs on a childhood friend's facebook and made them myself. Big hit with my kids!

First make homemade hash browns. Boil potatoes--as many as you'd like. (I did this the night before.) Grate or shred. Salt and pepper, then brown in a skillet in coconut oil or butter. My cast iron skillet resulted in a nice crispy crust.

Separately, fry eggs over easy (remember, these need to be from pastured chickens for optimal healthfulness...I'm working on finding a source of healthy eggs). You'll want one egg for each person, per serving.

Arrange a pile of hash browns on each person's plate in the shape of a nest. Place a fried egg in the dished-out center. Now you have an egg in your nest!

You could also add some kind of yummy, healthful meat to your hash browns if you'd like. Ideally, this would be served with fruit and yogurt on the side, or something along that line.

My kids loved bird nest eggs. They were getting sick of scrambled eggs, so this was something that tasted different, as well as having an imaginative name!

On a totally different note, my kids are not picky at all and they love veggies. They really do. The other day my warped children were begging their daddy for the squash he got at the restaurant. They eat things other kids won't touch.

I've asked myself why. I think it's due to a number of things.

1. I exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. No solids, not even rice cereal.

2. I don't use baby food. From day one on solids, my kids are fed mashed up real food, fruits and veggies at first. (I avoid high allergy foods, of course.) They never know that Gerber Pineapple Delight exists. Their first food experiences are real food.

3. I don't fix "kid food." When we eat chicken, the kids don't get chicken nuggets, when we have spaghetti I don't order them pizza.

4. They don't have to eat what I fix if they don't like it or aren't hungry, but I don't fix special foods for them if they choose not to eat what is on their plates.

5. They have grown some of their own food. They might not like squash if their only experience had been the store variety, but when they had ownership in growing it, it became special. They watched and waited for it to be ready to eat, and since they grew it, of course they thought it was good!

Check out more great ideas at Cheeseslave.

A Perfect Week

2009-03-10T16:11:00.003-06:00

Well, so much for my goal of posting more regularly. Just as I was getting off to a good start, my computer went down and now I have sporadic access...Soon, I hope, things will be back to normal and I'll have pictures and regular posting again.

That said, last week was so very nearly perfect and full to the top with amazing blessings that I think words without pictures will be OK today. Here's a list of all the things that came our way...(and I'm probably forgetting some)...

Bags and bags of clothes and shoes in my size, many still with tags. Things I needed!

Lovely papercrafting gifts from my husband

A swing set for the kids--with a fort and slide

A see-saw for the kids (from a different person)

Information about where to obtain raw goat's milk locally, as well infor about local honey, organic apple cider vinegar, and real olive oil. WOOHOO!!!

Lunch with a friend at Copeland's.

A supper date with Billy to celebrate our 9th anniversary at Outback, redeeming a gift card from Christmas

Free babysitting for said date

A trailer full of compost for the garden we're planting

A library book sale...We got around 200 children's books for 75 cents and inch

And I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

I'm not so much thrilled with the physical gifts themselves (although I'm full of gratitude for them), but more amazed at the love of my heavenly Father Who pours His blessings out on me. What an amazing week.

One Who Has Friends Must Show Herself Friendly

2009-03-04T21:35:00.002-06:00

You cannot receive affection unless you will also give it. You cannot find others to love you, unless you also will love them. Love is only to be obtained by giving love in return. It is important to cultivate a cheerful and obliging disposition. You cannot be happy without it.

I have sometimes heard a girl say, "I know that I am very unpopular at school." Now this is a plain confession that she is very disobliging and unamiable in her disposition.

If your companions do not love you, it is your own fault. They cannot help loving you if you will be kind and friendly.

~The Original McGuffey's Eclectic Third Reader, 1837

Growing Things

2009-02-18T08:57:00.005-06:00

We're planning a garden this year and I'm excited. I grew up gardening. We've had a garden on and off, but having 3 spring babies over 5 years, my gardening involvement was limited.

Still, I couldn't wait for us to finish making garden beds. We had a few herbs growing experimentally in a little strip outside the front door. I threw a packet of lettuce seed out between the herbs and watered them a time or two.

It came up and it's growing day by day. My kids love to give me the lettuce report. I had to stop them from pulling up--and eating--all my baby lettuces.

There's something about growing veggies themselves that makes kids want to eat them. This morning we read about the Garden of Eden and I asked them to describe their ideal gardens.

Elizabeth (8): "My garden would have a silver and golden wall all around it and lots of flowers inside, with a secret gate. There would be a pink sparkly mail box and a castle in the middle."

Silas (5): "I don't know."

Sarah (3): "My garden would have a pink sparkly couch in the middle. And carrots and celery. When the rabbits came to eat the carrots, I would shoot them with a BB gun! And there would be a fort around the outside to keep bugs and rabbits out."

A side note: My computer's on the blink, so posting may be light for a few days!

Chewy Oatmeal Bars

2009-02-18T08:56:00.001-06:00

Recently I was looking for a good all-around cookie…somewhat nutritious, makes a lot, fast and easy, not crumbly…And this recipe fit the bill. Plus, they are man-pleasin’! I adapted it from one I found online and I’ve been really happy with the results.

*******************

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Bars

1 1/2 c. coconut oil OR 3 sticks butter (Billy and I like the taste of the coconut oil better, but butter works fine too)

3 c. brown sugar (if you are really going for healthful sweets, I’m sure rapadura or sucanat would work just as well)

3 c. whole wheat flour

3 eggs

1 T. vanilla

1 T. cinnamon

1 1/2 t. soda

1 t. salt

3 c. old fashioned oatmeal

2 c. raisins

Cream oil or butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in oats and raisins until well mixed. Mixture will be very stiff. Turn mixture into greased jelly roll pan and pat evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool, cut into bars.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

2009-02-18T08:54:00.003-06:00

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Who Says?

2009-02-17T12:19:00.004-06:00

Who says you can't play outside in a skirt...

with rubber boots...

A creamy skirt and black rubber boots...Do you think the fashion police will get us?

Homemaking

2009-02-17T10:49:00.004-06:00

...Making your home a place that sustains you and your family is one of the most important jobs you can do. Times are tough, there are all sorts of things going on in the world that are difficult to understand, but if you make your home a place that comforts, a place where you can relax and be your true self, a place where your children feel safe and warm, a place where you show your family the joy of living simply, then you are doing a really significant and essential job that takes the hard edge off the outside world. So when you shake open the sheets to make up that clean bed, when you set the table with knives and forks, water glasses and a flower in a cup, when your beef stew and dumplings is slowly bubbling away welcoming your family as they come home with the smell of home cooking, when you sit with your tea, when you sweep the floor, when you sew or knit or cook, I hope you find happiness in your home, because I know it's there. You might not have discovered the mother lode yet, you might just be picking up fragments every so often, but keep at it and you will be rewarded.

Read the rest of this wonderful encouragement at Down to Earth.

Cottage-y Pillows

2009-02-14T11:31:00.002-06:00

Sweet things for the house often turn up in the most surprising places. One place where I often find inexpensive, pretty household items is the dollar store. How convenient that it's just seconds from my house!

A few weeks ago I was in need of extra pillows for guests. At the dollar store, I found these cute little things for just $5 each. My house is mostly traditional, but I'm a fan of cottage decorating...So a pretty pillow is the perfect way to sneak in a little cottage flair!

Simple Homemade Chicken Soup

2009-02-11T08:47:00.009-06:00

Cheeseslave is hosting Real Food Wednesdays this week with the theme of bone broth recipes. Having grown up making foods from scratch I thought everyone knew how to cook a basic soup. like this one. The other day when I was talking to a friend, I realized this isn't the case. So here's my contribution! Hope it's helpful!

Simple Homemade Chicken Soup

1 roasted chicken (free range if you can get it--I can't so I use what I have)
6 stalks celery
6 carrots
1 onion
2 potatoes
1 small bag frozen green beans (or fresh green beans)
garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Debone chicken and refrigerate meat. Use bones to cook stock according to Nourishing Traditions or one of the great recipes available online. Strain out bones.

Now you have lots of delicious, nourishing stock!

Chop onions, carrots, and celery into pieces as large or small as you like. You are doing this because you want to cook your harder veggies first--they take longer. I like to cut my onion fairly small and slice the carrots and celery in slices about 1/4" thick.

Bring stock to boil (I start with at least a gallon) and add the veggies you've already chopped. You want the broth to be cooking your veggies at a nice steady boil, but not a violent rolling boil. Medium heat should do it. They should be done within 30 minutes. You want them crisp-tender at this point, like crispy stir fried veggies. Truthfully, I just boil away until they are done. Check your soup periodically to make sure your stock is not all boiling away.

Cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks and add to soup. Add green beans. Add chopped fresh garlic to taste...Or I use minced garlic from the jar. I don't know if that is NT kosher or not!

Continue cooking till the potatoes and beans are soft. Add meat.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

My kids beg me for this soup when they are sick. Turns out chicken soup really is good for what ails you! It's great to keep broth and cooked chicken in the freezer for quick soups...When I am sick and unable to take all the time to make stock, debone chicken, etc. it's nice to be able to put it together quickly!

Dairy Free "Ice Cream"

2009-02-10T14:24:00.002-06:00

::~Oops! The only picture I have is the strawberry version! We can imagine it's chocolate, right?!~::

The Nourishing Gourmet is having a carnival of healthful chocolate desserts in honor of Valentine's Day. This was a popular post when I first ran it, so I thought it would be worth posting again.

This one is a great alternative for those who must avoid dairy or who don't have access to raw milk from grass fed cows--or in my case, both.

Peel and freeze a bunch of very ripe bananas. I freeze them on a cookie sheet so they don't stick together and then tranfer them to a ziploc bag.

When you're ready to make the "ice cream," chunk a couple frozen bananas up and blend in the blender with a little water or rice milk or whatever liquid you have on hand. Just pulse it slowly till it's nice and creamy, and I promise you, it will have the exact consistency of soft serve ice cream. You can eat it plain...Add a little vanilla...a glob of nut butter...a few frozen strawberries (as pictured)...a spoonful of carob powder...Lots of possibilities.

Of course, since this is a chocolate/carob carnival, I will advocate the carob version! Some nut butter and carob powder really compliments the banana flavor and gives it a nice rich smoothness. I haven' t tried it with cocoa powder but I would like to some time. It's been soooo yummy every way I've made it.

I was amazed at how good it was. We served this to friends one night, and they later told me that their freezer is now full of frozen bananas, too. You don't have to be a health food nut to enjoy this.

Washcloth Giveaway Winner

2009-02-10T11:08:00.004-06:00

Oops! I forgot to draw for the handknit wash cloth yesterday! I'm sorry!

The winner is Jennifer who blogs at Strangers and Pilgrims. Congratulations, Jennifer! If you'll email me your snail mail addy I will send it right away. If I don't hear from you in the next few days, I will draw for another winner. So don't forget to let me know! :)

Carnival of Simple Craft

2009-02-09T09:17:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Carnival of Simple Craft! I'd love for you to join me in sharing about easy, beautiful things to create. The rules are flexible--Just post about a simple craft you've made. It can be as elaborate as a tutorial or as simple as a picture of something you've created. The one guideline is that it should be easy enough for a beginning crafter, or one like me who doesn't have a lot of time. I've posted a journal tutorial, which you can see below.

One last thing: Please link back to the carnival in your simple craft post! Thanks!

Carnival of Simple Craft up Shortly!

2009-02-09T06:43:00.000-06:00

Stay tuned!

Journal Tutorial

2009-02-08T11:53:00.029-06:00

This journal is an easy, inexpensive, pretty craft that also makes a great gift. My girl and I made this one for a birthday party a few weeks ago.

Here's what you'll need:

A blank composition book (10 cents at back to school sales)
scrapbook paper in one or more colors (50% off at Hobby Lobby)
Scrap fabric (stash)
opaque trim, such as ribbon or ricrac (stash/cheap at Big Lots)
ribbon for ties (same as above)
6 large buttons (stash)
pencil
scissors
Glue--preferable some kind of paper glue, a glue stick, and hot glue...Although I'd encourage you to use what you have to make it work. It's not about perfection!

But wow, that is a lot of supplies. Maybe I didn't choose the best craft for a simple craft. It's not hard if you can make it through my instructions. Hang with me!

First we are going to trace and cut a strip for the contrasting paper on the front. You can skip this step if you are going to use just one paper to cover the whole front. You don't have to use 2 papers, you know. I trace on the back of the paper because it looks neater and shows up better for cutting.

You are just making a strip. It doesn't have to be the whole width of the book. Your goal is to make sure it's the proper length.

Cut the strip however wide you like. Mine was about 3 inches, I think.

Make sure it's the right size.

And...

Glue it on.

Trace around the edge of your notebook to get the right size and shape for your contrasting color.

Again, it shouldn't be big enough to cover the whole book. You want to leave enough room for the brown paper to show, right? Unless of course you decide to do the easy thing and just use one color instead of two.

Cut it out and glue it on!

Cut a piece for the back. We used the same brown as the brown strip from the front. It tied it all together nicely.

Glue it on.

Cut a strip of fabric to cover the ugly black binding. Fabric has more give than paper and will hold up longer. The strip should be 1 3/4 inches by 9 3/4 inches.

Carefully glue it on. I used Elmer's glue. Fabric glue would probably work fine too.

Here's a wonky picture of the lettering I printed for the front. "Journal" and then a quote:

"Writing is the best way to talk without being interrupted." Jules Renard

I find that's a really good quote for chatty little girls!

Cut out your words--I used pinking shears but you don't have to. Affix them to the book wherever you'd like.

I hot glued buttons to each corner of the "Journal" piece because I thought it looked cute.

So as not to burn my fingers, I pushed them down with a plastic knife.

Then cut a piece of opaque ribbon or trim. This is velvet ribbon, but ricrac is my favorite. The idea is to cover up the raw edge of the fabric that you used to cover the binding. Yeah, we covered something ugly and now we have to cover that. It's crazy, but it works.

I hot glued it on. Fabric glue would probably be a better choice, or even Elmer's glue might work.

I did just a bit at a time and used the plastic knife again. No burnt fingers!

Cover the seam on both front and back of the journal, and trim the ends so they don't hang over.

Now I need to do what Pioneer Woman does since she is so cool. See this blank space?

Imagine there is a picture of me hot gluing the ribbon ties and buttons on. This is the one thing I really needed pictures of that I didn't get. Basically if the ribbon is kinda wide, I pleat/fold/bunch it up so that the button covers the entire end. Since the ribbon I used is sheer, I glue the ribbon and button on at the same time. We are using the button to cover up the raw end of the ribbon. Brilliant, hmmm? Does that even make sense?!!!!!!!

Knife again! Push those buttons down!

Now it's beautiful. And I just accidentally deleted my final picture.

So I could go back and re-do the whole tutorial, or I can be content with it as it is, since I hope it inspires you. The possibilities for this little project are endless.

A Few Thrifty Crafting Tips and a Winner

2009-02-07T14:49:00.003-06:00

Jen is the winner of the teapot paper giveaway! Congratulations, Jen! If you'll email me your snail mail address I will get it off to you right away.

Recently I read a post by someone who wanted to craft but found that it was "so expensive." I could spend ALL our money on crafting supplies, but as it is I spend very, very little on my hobbies. Here are a few crafty tips that might inspire you.

Get on Hobby Lobby's email list. Weekly you will learn about their sales, and they frequently include a 40% off coupon for any non-sale item. Their sales are great!

Hand in hand with above, wait for sales. This may be obvious, but do you know how much scrapbook paper you can get for $5 if you wait till it's 50% off? A lot!

Join Freecycle. I often see craft supplies being given away.

Shop thrift stores. Recently I have seen knitting needles, fabric, yarn, embroidery hoops, and other items for sale at my local thrift store.

Make sure other people know you enjoy crafting. I'm not saying to fish for giveaways, but if people know you love to craft, they will often unload their excess on you. Sort through it and get rid of what doesn't work.

Big Lots ribbon. Big lots sells generous spools of ribbon for $1 each. Their craft aisle is tiny but yields great rewards.

Buy small quantities. Almost anyone can shake out their change jar and buy 1/4 yard of fabric or a spool of thread. If you can only afford a small amount at a time, you'll be surprised at how quickly it adds up. Soon you'll have an overflowing stash and you'll have to find someone with whom to share.

Red in the Kitchen

2009-02-06T22:12:00.001-06:00

I've never been a red person. But lately I find myself craving cool, cheerful colors. Especially in the kitchen.

Book Giveaway Results!

2009-02-06T14:39:00.002-06:00

Kelly is the winner of Sunday With Stevie! Congratulations, Kelly! Email me your snail mail address and I will send it right away.

Carnival of Simple Craft Delayed

2009-02-06T09:57:00.008-06:00

::~azaleas in vintage aqua pitcher~::

This week has hardly gone as planned. Wednesday afternoon, my 22 year old brother broke his neck in a car accident. When you hear "broken neck" of course you automatically fear the worst. However, we received excellent news from the neurologist yesterday. He will be in a brace for several months, but full recovery is expected. We are so thankful to God!

In light of that, all my preparations for the carnival fell by the wayside and truthfully flew right out of my mind until Erica mentioned it this morning. OH DEAR!!!

So the carnival is delayed until Monday. That will give me time to finish my tutorial and figure out Mr. Linky--two things I was supposed to do over the past few days. I apologize. This is my first carnival and I hate to change it up...But obviously more important things have taken precedence. Thank you for your patience!

P.S. I will draw for Sunday with Stevie in a little while. I haven't forgotten that!

Nourishing Foods, Limited Options

2009-02-04T11:27:00.011-06:00

On one hand I feel like a very beginner to the notion of nutrient-dense cooking a la Nourishing Traditions. On the other, I've been doing this to some degree all my life.

I grew up on a large hobby farm. My parents loved the country life and they felt it was a good way to raise kids. It was! Many nights we sat down to meals where we'd grown/cooked/preserved almost everything ourselves...Raw milk, fresh raw butter, homemade yogurt, garden veggies, grass fed beef, free range chicken and eggs, wild fruit at times. Once we even grew our own wheat for fresh homemade bread. We were amazingly healthy. I didn't go to the doctor from the time I was four till the time I had my first baby at age 22 (with the exception of a tetanus shot at age 12).

Now I live a different life. I live in a neighborhood outside town. Although I want to garden this year, I'm limited in how much food I can grow myself, and I live in an area that's a virtual wasteland for natural living. The only cow share farm in the state was shut down, I understand. I don't know of any CSA's and it's over and hour to the nearest health food store. (Is it coincidence that we also have one of the lowest breastfeeding rates and one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation?)

So at this point in my life, feeding my family healthfully is a challenge. Even if you have very limited options, I'd like to encourage you to make healthy steps too.

One thing almost anyone can do is make slow-cooked bone broth. I can't get organic chicken right now, so I use what I can with the goal of doing better as I'm able. I use it to cook rice and beans and make chicken soup. My kids beg me for this soup when they are sick. I crave it myself. It truly is healing!

My parents raise a grass fed beef for us yearly. We arrange slaughter so we can pick it up when we are home for the holidays. Do you have a friend, neighbor, or family member who might allow you to pasture a beef on his property for a reasonable fee? If they are local, perhaps you could have a part in taking care of the animal if necessary. Think outside the box.

A rural neighbor has been furnishing me (off and on) with bright-yolked brown eggs. I hear a rooster crowing early in the morning from another direction, so I know other neighbors have chickens too! Drive around in the country. Go slowly...You just might spot a "fresh eggs" sign or a chicken tractor in someone's yard. You might find someone who's willing to sell you fresh eggs.

Square foot garden in your flower bed or grow something in pots. You can grow a lot of lettuce in a big flower pot!

Don't be discouraged by lack of opportunity. Do the best you can with what you have, and don't allow debilitating worry to take over when you can't do as well as you'd like! Remember, "A joyful heart is good medicine!"~Proverbs 17:22

Check out more awesome tips at Real Food Wednesdays, hosted this week by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Giveaway: Handknit Wash Cloth

2009-02-04T08:42:00.003-06:00

This sweet little cotton wash cloth was handknit by me in just the right colors for Valentine's Day! It can be used as a wash cloth or a dish cloth. It's super soft, but has great scrubbing power! Just leave a comment to be entered. I'll draw a name Monday.

Remember, I have two other giveaways still open: teapot paper and a vintage children's book.

And the Carnival of Simple Craft is Friday!

Tidy House Rules

2009-02-03T14:35:00.005-06:00

One of my words for 2009 is orderliness. My little family needs lots of work in this area! Yesterday I made a poster for the refrigerator with our Tidy House Rules. It said:

1. A place for everything and everything in its place.

2. Don't put it down, put it away.

3. Leave every room better than you found it.

Cliches? Maybe. But cliches often come into being because they are true!

Giveaway: Tea Themed Note Paper

2009-01-31T11:29:00.006-06:00

Forgive the dark photos...I am working on learning more about photography but I am determined to not be such a perfectionist that it stops me from sharing before I get it just right.

I'm giving away this charming set of teapot note paper. Tea and creativity just go together, don't you think?

Excuse me, creativi-tea.

To enter this sweet little giveaway, leave a comment. And if you mention it on your blog with a link back, I'll put your name in the hat 3 times. Just leave a note to let me know since I am too ignorant to figure out when someone has linked to me. I'll draw a name next Saturday! Check back!

Don't forget, the Carnival of Simple Craft is coming up Friday!!!

The Art of the Possible

2009-01-31T11:21:00.005-06:00

From Jane Brocket's lovely book:

If you do feel encouraged to make or bake or grow something, the wonderful thing about the gentle arts is that they are totally manageable and achievable.

There is constant pressure today to have the perfect house/body/children/relationship, and we can only fail because the standards set in the media are so ridiculously unrealistic. But the joy of knitting or stitching or baking or homemaking lies in the fact that there are no rules, there are no levels of perfection that we need to attain. The whole point about the gentle arts is that they are noncompetitive, soothing, and utterly pleasurable. Anyone who tells you otherwise should be tied up with her acrylic yarn and deprived of her knitting needles for a very long time.

Giveaway: Vintage Children's Book

2009-01-30T13:51:00.007-06:00

Welcome to the re-lauch of a new, improved Charity Grace!!! What better way to start re-launch week than with a giveaway?

One purpose in my simple giveaways this week is to prove (to myself and others) that giveaways do not have to be time-consuming, expensive, or big to be fun.

Now you need to know that I am very stingy with my vintage children's books. I don't usually give them away. However, somehow I ended up with two copies of this little treasure that tells about Stevie's day in Sunday School. You will love the charming illustrations and sweet text.

To enter for a chance to win Sunday with Stevie, leave me a comment. If you mention this giveaway on your blog, I will put your name in the hat 3 times! Just leave a comment to let me know since I am too ignorant to figure out trackbacks and all that jazz. I will draw the magic name on Friday.

Carnival of Simple Craft Coming Up!!!

2009-01-30T13:50:00.003-06:00

A new, improved Charity Grace will re-launch on February 1! I will have simple mini giveaways almost every day that week, and the week will culminate in a carnival of simple craft on Friday, February 6! I’ll post a tutorial for one of my favorite inexpensive, simple crafts and in addition I want to hear about YOUR simple crafts!

You can post a tutorial, a story with a picture of a simple craft, or just a picture of something you’ve made. As long as the post revolves around the idea of simple craft, the guidelines are relaxed. You can even recycle an old post if you like. The only qualifications is that the item you post about needs to be a beginner-level craft—something simple and easy!

I’ll post a Mr. Linky so that you can link back to your post and we can all read about it. I am so excited! I know we will all get many wonderful ideas from you talented people!

Feel free to swipe the button and spread the word!

Excuse the Mess

2009-01-15T10:47:00.000-06:00

Please excuse the mess as I remodel the blog. Charity Grace will relaunch on February 1!

A Techie Question Regarding Categories

2009-01-14T08:33:00.001-06:00

I'd like to remove a few of the old categories. Not the posts themselves, just the category links in the sidebar. However, the only way to do that seems to be to individually recategorize each post (uh, not happening) or eliminate the entire category page and lose all my categories. Does anyone know how to remove, say, just one category without disturbing all of them?

Charity Grace Re-launch

2009-01-12T10:14:00.008-06:00

Well, this poor little blog is dying on the vine lately due to my deplorably inconsistent posting.

Not that it was every really thriving anyway. The main reason I blog is for myself, but this little pink place has turned into a mishmash of whatever was on my mind, veering wildly between theology, art, and personal musings with no real center.

It's all important, but a successful blog needs a narrower focus.

In that spirit, I've decided to distill the purpose of Charity Grace. Its main reason for existence will be to serve as a place for my own creative discipline as I explore some of the beautiful things in my life--crafting, cooking, homemaking and so forth. I've learned so much just by blogging. It's the only thing I do purely for fun (with the exception of an occasional craft), yet it's benefited many areas of my life.

That said, I've been enormously encouraged and influenced by the beautiful blogs others write. I hope that in limiting the focus of my blog, I might be an encouragement to someone in simple creativity.

For the 3 of you who read regularly, here are some things you can look for during my re-launch, which will begin
February 1:

Greater focus. Charity Grace will revolve around homemaking and simple craft, which will encompas cooking, gardening, and decorating as well as uncomplicated creativity in home and art.

More consistent posting. I'm aiming for 3 times per week, even if it's just an inspiring photo or quote. However, my goal is for posts to be meaningful and fit the new creative focus of the blog.

A seriously pared-down sidebar. Even though I've tried to categorize, my blog roll is an alphabet soup of blogs I like to read, many of which have no unifying element. Don't worry, if I've linked to your blog I am subscribing to it via google reader. I love all the blogs I've linked to, and I want to keep up with each one! (This will also be a time-saver for me which will hopefully enable me to produce more quality work.)

Giveways and carnivals during re-launch week. My giveaways will be in the spirit of vintage inspiration and simple craft. I'm also planning a carnival of simple craft.

Do come check it out!

Orderliness and Routine

2008-12-26T14:14:00.007-06:00

Last year, Cherry presented the idea of choosing a word for the year. I chose two for 2008:

streamline and organize.

It seems having a word or two to focus on worked. I streamlined and organized a lot this year. We had a big garage sale and took truckloads of stuff to Goodwill. I try to continue to take a bag or two every few weeks. I minimized clothing and streamlined my laundry routine. I organized my pantry and other key areas, although there's still a long way to go. (I did not, however, streamline my cooking. Healthful meals and food allergies don't go very well with minimal time in the kitchen.)

This year I'm choosing two words as well:

orderliness and routine.

These words run on a parallel track to the words I chose last year, I think. They will keep me moving in the same direction. Besides the simple fact that it's good for grownups to have well-ordered surroundings and a workable routine, it's especially important for my kids. And out of my kids, there's one in particular who needs more order and structure. So that is my direction for the year.

The domestic work of Carl Larsson personifies this kind of order to me. I love his work pictured above, "Flowers on the Windowsill." It's tidy and peaceful, full of the routine of daily living. It's a visual reminder of the qualities I hope my life will one day embody.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2008-12-22T19:09:00.006-06:00

Each Monday Peggy hosts The Simple Woman's Daybook. I decided to participate this week.

For Today...December 22

Outside my window...it's gray and chilly. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 70's though!

I am thinking... how glad I am that I mixed and froze cookie dough next week for stress-free baking this week!

From the learning rooms...free reading this week since we are on Christmas break.

I am thankful for...my sweet husband and precious children who have gone Christmas shopping for me. :)

From the kitchen... pie crust for sweet potato pies. Fajitas for supper. Christmas cookies!

I am wearing... fave Keen shoes.

I am reading... Nourishing Traditions.

I am hoping... to get all my Christmas prep done in time for a peaceful holiday.

I am creating... a fruit of the Spirit quilt for my oldest girl, a little blue purse for my middle girl, and a secret gift for my son.

I am hearing... Baby fussing on my lap...she is so sleepy.

Around the house... laundry, holiday cleaning for a tidy Christmas, wrapping gifts.

One of my favorite things... quilts handmade by Grandma.

A few plans for the rest of the week... cooking.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Thanksgiving at Grandpa's

2008-12-22T08:58:00.012-06:00

I'm a little late posting pictures from our Thanksgiving visit to my mom and dad's farm. These are my mom's sheep.

Well house

~~Mouser~~ Kitty cat

I love the barn!

Grandpa took all the kids on a hay ride. Do you think these cousins have something in common?

This is my dad's old horse, Drifter. Drifter is 25. That's very old in horse years.

We had an entourage for the hay ride.

For these guys, the emphasis was on "hay."

Yummy!

For more pictures of Grandpa and Grandma's farm, go here and here.

Biscuits for Breakfast

2008-12-19T15:14:00.002-06:00

We traditionally have a big breakfast on one of Billy's days off (Friday or Saturday). Lately I've been learning how to make biscuits. Good ones. Like his grandma used to make. Mmmmm...

If You're Here for A Day in My Life...

2008-12-14T17:44:00.002-06:00

Scroll down past the Christmas meme. It's here, just a bit buried! Welcome, Little Jenny Wren readers!

Christmas Meme

2008-12-14T11:15:00.006-06:00

I was tagged for this meme via email by my good friend Jenny. I figured I'd just post it to my blog!

1. What do you use, wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I get nice, heavy paper on clearance at places like Hobby Lobby. My favorite in recent history looks like old-fashioned sheet music for Jingle Bells!

2. Real tree or artificial? I love a real tree but succumbed to the lure of artificial when our allergies got too bad year before last. It's pretty, but it has no smell.

3. When do you put up the tree? Early! This year it was before we left for Thanksgiving vacation.

4. When do you take the tree down? Whenever we get around to it. Last year it was February.

5. What is your favorite Christmas beverage? Nonalcoholic eggnog. I haven't had it in years though. I keep thinking about making my own.

6. Favorite gift(s) received as a child? A babydoll I named Blanche (WHAT was I thinking???!!!) that I got on the only white Christmas I ever had. A whole stack of books by the tree. A diary when I was 9. That started my love affair with journaling. The pearl earrings Billy gave me on our first Christmas. Oh wait, I wasn't a child then. Although at age 22 I might as well have been.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Billy, I guess. Sometimes he just tells me what he would like for Christmas and truthfully I like that. It helps me know, and then he gets something he really wants anyway. But I'm also getting better at guessing what he'd like so there are some surprises.

8. Easiest person(s) to buy for? My kids, of course.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes,actually two. One is a Willow Tree nativity and the other is white and gold porcelain.

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Email. I used to send cards but somehow I never get around to it any more.

11. Worst Christmas gift(s) you ever received? Honestly, I don't ever recall getting a bad gift. I'm fortunate! Also, my parents taught me to be thankful for whatever I got, so I learned to always love the gifts others give me.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Charlie Brown Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Theoretically all through the year. In reality, we shop online after Thanksgiving. We don't fight Christmas crowds anymore. Next year I'd like to make a lot of my gifts. Maybe I can carve out the time if I start in January.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'm sure I probably have. (I know, tacky tacky.)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pie. Fudge. Oranges. I guess I have a sweet tooth.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes! My favorites are the big colored retro lights I grew up with. White lights are pretty too, though.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I love them all. I can't choose.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We have usually traveled in the past. Last year we stayed home and it was such a peaceful Christmas. There are positives about both. We miss seeing family when we don't travel, but it's really nice to have a quiet day at home too. Of course I am a homebody anyway!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? I don't know.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A pretty metal star from Bass Pro Shop. It's not camouflage, I promise.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People who overload themselves with stress and obligations to the point that they say, "I can't wait for Christmas to be over." Also, people who let you know they are disappointed with the gift you gave them. It's so rude. My pet peeve.

23. Favorite Christmas ornament or theme or decorations? Vintage glass from the 1940's.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Billy's cooking. I don't care what he makes as long as he makes it. He's an excellent cook. Last year he made some amazing spaghetti and meatballs.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? What I want most is to get our 3 years worth of digital pictures developed. I'm not a materialistic person, but I do keep thinking of silly things I'd like to have, like a tempered glass cutting board or particular books or cd's. Normally I can't think of anything, though, and if I were asked I'd forget all those silly things I thought of earlier.

Gosh, did I just sit here and answer 25 Christmas questions when I should have been washing dishes? Thanks, Jenny! That was fun!

A Day in My Life--December

2008-12-14T08:37:00.013-06:00

On Sunday mornings I usually get up early and get myself ready about an hour before the kids get up. This makes our Sundays go so much more smoothly, since we attend the early service at 8:30. However, Sarah (my 3 year old) was up several times last night complaining of a sore throat, and sure enough, she is sick this morning. So I changed out of my church clothes and into jeans in preparation for a day at home.

After I fed the children, I put some turkey bones on to boil. I'm a huge fan of the Nourishing Traditions way of eating, and I've found homemade soup from bone broth very comforting and healing when we're sick. My kids look forward to it too. I made this little bouquet garni to add flavor. The rosemary is from my tiny herb bed, and the bay is from an elderly friend's huge bay tree. He gave me a six-foot branch and told me it's the most fragrant variety of bay.

Then I spent some time reading my Bible. I've been mulling over Psalm 119, which is a long treatise on God's Law. This verse (37) jumped out at me: "Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things." As a busy mom of 4 small children, time management is my greatest challenge. It's a struggle to know where to devote my limited energies because there are so many worthy things calling for my attention. I need God's help to know which things are "worthless" and which things deserve a second look.

This question was especially on my mind this morning as I spent a few minutes reading blogs. I find these journals of the wonderful things people do so inspiring, but at the same time I must understand that I can't do it all. So when I have a few minutes to read for inspiration, where should I go? Blogs about crafting, frugality and simplicity, homemaking, homeschooling, health, cooking, gardening??? Should I read for pleasure or simply for information? I wonder.

The kids and I had a little church/Sunday School time here at home. I plunked out a few songs on the piano (and plunk is right--Elizabeth says, "Mama, you need some more practice!") and Silas strummed his guitar and we make a joyful noise. Elizabeth read us the creation story and we talked about things God made and their Proverb from church Wednesday night. Then we prayed and they watched Veggie Tales. (OK, so Veggie Tales isn't part of the church thing--that's simple entertainment.)

Through the rest of the morning I rearranged the dining room, did laundry and cleaned, and finished the soup, as well as staying in touch with a couple friends via facebook. My sick baby didn't want to stay in the living room alone, so she brought a beanbag chair and the basket of Christmas books to the kitchen where I was.

Then Billy came home and we ate together before I tackled the pile of dishes on the counter. The afternoon was filled with mundane little things. One included the collapse of my cookbook book case. It's been wobbly for awhile, but it finally fell apart altogether. I guess I'll have to find a new place for my books, or get a new little book case.

Before I knew it it was time for Billy and the older kids to go to our church school's Christmas musical, leaving me with the little ones.

I plan to keep working on the house this evening, so it's tidy for a new week. There's bread in the machine and Sarah is watching Spot. Later, I'll feed everybody a light supper and we'll all head to bed.

Hope you all had a lovely Sunday!

Read more "A Day in My Life" posts at Little Jenny Wren!

Books I'd Love to Own

2008-12-11T14:47:00.003-06:00

I've been keeping a running list of books I'd like to have, as I think of them. So often I think of a book I'd like and then forget about it because I don't write it down. Here's a portion of the list, so far.

Seventeenth Summer
We Had Everything But Money
The "Have More" Plan
Hungry Planet
Material World
Don't Make Me Count to Three
Leading Little Ones to God
Practical Herbalism
The Herbal Home Remedy Book
The How-To Herb Book
Square Foot Gardening

By Elizabeth Goudge:

A City of Bells
The Scent of Water
The Rosemary Tree

By Grace Livingston Hill:

The Enchanted Barn
A Daily Rate
Found Treasure
Cloudy Jewel
The Cloudy Jewel
The Seventh Hour
Re-Creations
April Gold
Brentwood
The Prodigal Girl
Partners
The Christmas Bride
The Gold Shoe
Astra
The Substitute Guest
The Patch of Blue
The Strange Proposal
Mary Arden
Beauty for Ashes
Crimson Roses

Seven Random Things

2008-12-03T11:52:00.005-06:00

1. Well, I was on a roll when we went on vacation and I got sick. Yes, simultaneously.

Billy's also recovering, I'm still hacking, and the kids are snotty, so life is in the slow lane. Grace isn't complaining, but she's been up a lot at night and I'm a zombie. Billy ordered me to drink tea and watch TV today (awwww...sweet...), and I'm loosely interpreting that to mean clean the bedroom so I don' t want to cry/have a panic attack/throw up every time I peek in the door and blog. My brain is working in a very low gear, but those are two things I can't mess up too badly, I guess.

2. It's satsuma season again. I love those little easy-to-peel mandarins. So do my kids. We went through half a five-gallon bucket (from a friend's tree) in about 2 days.

3. I love my new Ergo! Wearing baby is so much more comfortable than any other carrier I've used, and she's much happier too.

4. For those of you who know my sister or used to read her blog, she has a new baby boy. This makes boy #3 and he is such a cutie! I was sufficiently recovered to see him on Thanksgiving day (two days after his home birth), but I didn't get too close and I certainly didn't hold him. Didn't want to take chances. I enjoyed him from afar, though.

5. I organized my pantry. That's another thing that was just about giving me panic attacks. Considering the frequent disarray of various areas of our home, I'm sure my husband doesn't believe me when I say disorganized messes make me physically ill. They just paralyze me, which is why they stay the way they do. I feel so happy every time I look into that orderly pantry!

6. I got pantry organizers in a most unorthodox way. Our freezer died (probably from power surges during Hurricane Gustav) and we had to get a new one. The wire baskets from the old freezer were perfect for the pantry shelves.

7. I've come up with a non-food reward for myself when I'm working through a really big job. I don't have time to sit down and read blogs like I used to, so I treat myself to a crafty or homey blog when I've finished a work milestone. Just one. Then on to the next chunk of work.

It suppose it's silly, but I get to read the blogs I love, my work gets done (somewhat), and it's noncaloric. I've lost 10 pounds in the last couple months, so I guess it's working.

Savoring Autumn

2008-11-19T07:11:00.004-06:00

September to Christmas has always been my favorite, favorite time of year. Hurricane Gustav stole about 4 weeks of our fall this year, though. The Christmas season is almost upon us, and I don't feel ready. I who usually can't wait for Christmas! I'd like a little more fall, please.

In the warm climate where I've lived for years (three different states, all growing zones 8 or 9), it's finally chilly enough for a cup of tea in the morning. As the season goes on, we pull out jeans and sweaters, and occasionally even coats.

I'm squeezing out the last bit of fall pleasure before Thanksgiving. It's not Christmas yet!

New Orleans Streetscapes

2008-11-17T12:33:00.010-06:00

Recently Rebecca posted "Maybe I'm an Impressionist," where she took on the idea of global thinkers as opposed to detail people. I concluded that I'm definitely a global thinker. My (detail-oriented) husband could have told you I'm not about details. It's the big picture, people.

So now I'm noticing this difference everywhere I go. And sometimes, like today, it makes me laugh.

We got new furniture yesterday, a barter with a friend who's moving. It's not what I would have chosen if I were going to pick all by myself, but it's very beautiful. It's definitely Billy's style: traditional and a little ornate. I can't help but love it. Especially since it replaces the freecycle futon we've had for so long.

I told Billy it looks like married people live here now. Now that we have furniture, I'm thinking about paint and curtains. And art. I could picture exactly what I wanted. A New Orleans streetscape. Deep, saturated color. Oils.

So Billy and I browsed Allposters together. "That doesn't match our furniture," he said. "It's sort of weird and ethereal. See?" Then he found some different prints. "This is nice. Clean, straight lines."

And, I noticed, details. Traditional, realistic details.

How funny that this idea of global versus detail thinkers came full circle when we were looking at paintings.

We haven't purchased any art. Maybe another day. Maybe we'll find just the right thing that's a perfect blend of what we both like. Or not.

Blue Autumn Sky

2008-11-17T11:37:00.001-06:00

Photo by Elizabeth, age 7

Windows of New Orleans

2008-11-16T13:56:00.010-06:00

We went to New Orleans a few weeks ago.

I've only been there a few times, although Billy went a lot when he was in school.

I love the building colors.

I'd love to incorporate them into my home.

I think a New Orleans style house would be beautiful, if it wasn't too stereotypical.

French vintage beauty.

(Photos by my husband)

I Heart Bargains

2008-11-12T08:55:00.002-06:00

Funky shoes.

$5.00 on clearance.

The pink ones are Keds.

The brown ones were $40 before they went on sale.

I've wanted to buy some cute lightweight shoes for a long time. But I knew they wouldn't last long, so I couldn't even really justify $15 at Wal-Mart. It seemed a little ridiculous.

Isn't it amazing how God cares for the silliest little details of life?

Blessings

2008-11-11T14:20:00.004-06:00

I made this simple banner for autumn. I actually started a tutorial, and then forgot I started it and completed the banner without taking pictures of the process. Long story short: Cut paper squares in graduating sizes and glue them together. (Click picture for a better look.) I used a utility knife to cut slits for the ribbon. Easy peasy. However, since I don't have much time for crafting lately, it still took me several weeks to complete! Oh well. I'm just glad I got to make something pretty.

Stunningly Accurate

2008-11-05T20:12:00.002-06:00

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are an Audrey!

You are an Audrey -- "I am at peace"

Audreys are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.

How to Get Along with Me

* If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don't like expectations or pressure

* I like to listen and to be of service, but don't take advantage of this

* Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit

* Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It's OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally

* Ask me questions to help me get clear

* Tell me when you like how I look. I'm not averse to flattery

* Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings

* I like a good discussion but not a confrontation

* Let me know you like what I've done or said

* Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life

What I Like About Being an Audrey

* being nonjudgmental and accepting

* caring for and being concerned about others

* being able to relax and have a good time

* knowing that most people enjoy my company; I'm easy to be around

* my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator

* my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now

* being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe

What's Hard About Being an Audrey

* being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive

* being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline

* being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally

* being confused about what I really want

* caring too much about what others will think of me

* not being listened to or taken seriously

Audreys as Children Often

* feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant

* tune out a lot, especially when others argue

* are "good" children: deny anger or keep it to themselves

Audreys as Parents

* are supportive, kind, and warm

* are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

This stinkin' two question test is astonishing. This describes me very closely. Probably the biggest thing that's not me is the part about not knowing what I want. I have to mull it over for awhile, but once I make a decision, I stick to it. I don't think I'm overly sensitive unless I'm very tired, but others might disagree. However, I won't open the floor for discussion on that one. *wink* This was fun.

Voting

2008-11-03T09:59:00.003-06:00

Well, I typically try to keep this blog a "safe" place from potentially controversial subjects like politics. In fact, I left the days of political activism behind long ago, and I haven't had much interest in politics for years...Until this election. It's been a fascinating one. And since presidential elections don't happen every day, I'm breaking my political silence just for a moment.

As long as I have the freedom and right to vote, I plan to exercise that freedom. My philosophy is pretty simple. I vote for the person whose values and beliefs most closely align with mine.

This year that person is John McCain. I'm not voting for him because I think he'll necessarily be an exceptional president if elected. I put my hope in God, not in politicians. However, I do believe that a person of strong moral principles will be a better leader in all areas than one whose values stand in opposition to Christian moral beliefs. I have always admired McCain's war record, and I'm a fan of Sarah Palin, because of her strong faith and conservative values.

I've heard smart and sophisticated conservatives say that they are bowing out of this election because they don't see any great change that would come out of a McCain win and that Obama is exactly what we deserve. I guess I don't understand that kind of pessimism. Perhaps it sounds as though I'm speaking in platitudes here, but like I said, I'm simple. There are two choices, and I choose the one I believe is the better of the two.

Wonderful, Challenging Food

2008-10-30T20:58:00.005-06:00

This week we've learned what we suspected for some time...It's almost certain that one of our children has a dairy allergy, as well as a sensitivity to high fructose corn syrup. We had two bad, bad weeks, and after we removed the dairy, we had the best week we've had in...I don't even remember how long. So this discovery, while not what we'd prefer for our little one, is a relief. Having a good week has been awesome.

Nevertheless, dealing with a food allergy (or sensitivity of any kind) is really overwhelming. Cooking is already--bar none--the most stressful part of my homemaking job. Cooking food that my family likes, that doesn't contain ingredients we already try to avoid, that doesn't keep me in the kitchen all day long, on a budget, is daunting. Add no dairy whatsoever to the mix, and it gets really challenging. Well, I'll just be honest, I'm stressed out about food already, and when this came up I was so overwhelmed I had a good cry.

But this is a time when I'm so thankful to live in the information age. I was expressing my frustration to God the thought popped into my mind to check food blogs. A quick google for "dairy free blogs" turned up treasure troves of information. Twenty minutes reading the wisdom of people who have been there put me in a much more cheerful frame of mind.

Here are a few:

Kids Food Allergies Blog

Sakura's Baking Blog

Go Dairy Free

Stuffed Chicken Breast

2008-10-24T11:38:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I was able to spend a little more time on supper and make something that was actually different and good, as opposed to the frantic meals I usually prepare. (Feels like everything is frantic and half-done these days...)

It was easy though--stuffed chicken breast. Here's what I did, so I have it for future reference. Maybe you'll enjoy it too!

8 chicken breasts

1 batch cornbread (The recipe took 2 cups--that size of a batch.)
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1 small onion
poultry seasoning (about 1 T)
sage (about 1 t)
salt and pepper
chicken broth to moisten
1 egg

I sauteed the veggies in a bit of olive oil till soft. (some celery, mushrooms, or pimiento would be good too, I think...)

Then crumbled the cornbread in.

Added dry ingredients.

Stirred in enough broth to make it moist.

Then I tasted it--before I put the egg in. (I'm weird that way. I don't eat raw cookie dough either.)

Added the egg and mixed really well.

Slit and stuffed the chicken breasts. Put them on a big cookie sheet.

Put the leftover dressing around them. Put a bit of water in the pan so they wouldn't stick and dry out.

Covered and baked at 350 for about 1 hour.

Yum!

Would have been even better with gravy. But it was fine this way too.

Strength

2008-10-22T10:27:00.003-06:00

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak.

Isaiah 40:29

Finding My Way

2008-10-12T17:38:00.003-06:00

It's amazing how quickly things return to "normal." On the other hand, it's amazing how long it takes to find one's rhythm again after a natural disaster like a hurricane.

The area is being cleaned up and repaired as quickly as can be expected, thanks to a well-planned infrastructure and the dedicated work of many volunteers bringing help and relief supplies. Electricity is back (except for some of those whose homes were flooded or destroyed with the water from Ike...a double whammy), and most of the stores are open that will be re-opening--which is nearly all. The mountains of fallen trees that lined both sides of our street have been picked up. People go about their daily lives as normal, for the most part. This was our first rodeo, so it's amazing to see recovery happen. People who have lived here all their lives have stories to tell of many storms they've weathered. I told Billy, it's no wonder some of them begin to feel that they're bulletproof.

We're finally establishing a groove after our homeschool year got off to a rocky start. We had school even while we were evacuated, but it's hard to give it 100% when things aren't normal. I feel fortunate though--local schools were closed for weeks.

I've worked out something of a routine...a flexible schedule of sorts. We hurry with morning chores and start school shortly after Billy leaves for work. I get Elizabeth started and when she's able to work alone I work with the middle ones on phonics, math, and other pre-K and Kindergarten skills. We work hard and try to finish the most intensive part of our work by noon. That (theoretically) frees the afternoon for housework, as well as tea parties and other such fun. Fall is here! Time for tea!

I find that Elizabeth, especially, thrives on routine. It feels good to know what to expect, what's going to happen next. I think it's particularly helpful after a month of limbo.

This has been far more boring than I intended. Now that we're functioning at something more like normal, I hope to resurrect this blog and write lots more often. I love to write here...It's the only real hobby I indulge right now, except for the every-so-often crafting. See you around!

Post Up at Blissfully Domestic!

2008-09-24T09:06:00.003-06:00

Woohoo!!! My first post is up at Blissfully Domestic!

It will look familiar to those of you who have been around here for awhile...It was so popular that it seemed like just the thing for BD.

10 Ways to Help Your Kids During Times of Stress

2008-09-17T07:57:00.002-06:00

1. Model trust in God. When our children see that we are not afraid because we believe with all our hearts that God is in control, they will be more at peace. It will help their faith grow.

2. Give them spiritual encouragement. Read and memorize scripture together. Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 are great places to start. Pray for and with them.

3. Keep a peaceful atmosphere. Play calming music and minimize chaos and excessive noise.

4. Don’t take your stress out on them. It’s easy to become testy or withdrawn when we feel tense or concerned. Our kids need us to be even-tempered and approachable during times of stress more than ever.

5. Spend time together. Talk, read aloud, play games, go for a walk. This helps our kids feel secure.

6. Reassure. Encourage your children with your words, but also give lots and lots of hugs.

7. Establish some sort of routine. As a crisis drags out, it’s comforting to have a routine and a general plan for each day, as much as possible.

8. Feed them healthfully. Make sure they get a balanced diet, not too many weird or new foods, and not too much sugar. Keep them hydrated with plenty of water.

9. Make sure they get adequate rest. Not only do they need a usual amount of sleep, they may need an extra nap or early bedtime. Stress is exhausting.

10. Turn off the TV! In times of natural disaster, viewing destruction will only make your children feel powerless and afraid, especially if they know it’s where their homes, friends and family are. They don’t have the emotional filters we adults have, and it’s detrimental to allow devastating images to play in front of them over and over.

After Hurricane Gustav

2008-09-11T09:04:00.003-06:00

Hurricane Gustav was a natural disaster second only to Hurricane Katrina. Why aren't you hearing this on the news? I don't know. Maybe because this is not New Orleans, because it "wasn't as bad as expected," because it's an election year and it's political, or because there are more sensational stories. Who knows.

Life is slowly returning to normal. Many, many people are still without power across the southern portion of the state. We anticipated a month to six weeks without power, so when the lights came on four hours after we returned home, we considered ourselves incredibly blessed!

A few more stores open each day. Some grocery stores are open, but every line at every register stretches to the back of the store. We were fortunate to be able to pick up a few items to carry us through until things are a bit more normal. I don't plan to shop for awhile. Although most people have been amazingly patient, tensions are still high for some. I feel more comfortable staying in, plus I don't want to wait in line for 2 hours with 4 little kids. During our evacuation, Billy's mom picked us a bunch of beautiful pears from the old pear trees on family property, so we're blessed with fresh fruit. These pears are a hard variety that last a long time.

By the time we returned, a lot of cleanup had already taken place, so the roads were at least passable. There are still huge trees down everywhere. Yesterday Billy and some other staff members from our church helped a lady whose home was destroyed by an enormous oak. Billy said it was so big two men reaching around it could barely touch hands.

We'll finally be able to have church services again Sunday. Sunday is also my 30th birthday, and I can't think of a better gift!

I'm A Blissfully Domestic Contributor!!!

2008-09-10T09:57:00.005-06:00

Woohoo!!! Power is back MUCH sooner than anticipated and things are getting back to normal just a bit.

I recently discovered the wonderful world of Blissfully Domestic and I was thrilled to death when the opportunity came up to become a contributor to their home and garden channel. I'm a little behind the rest of the new contributors (thanks to Gustav), but I should have something up soon.

Gustav

2008-09-06T15:29:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone, our home was in the path of Hurricane Gustav so I won't be able to post for 4-6 weeks. God was very good and we are all fine, but life won't be back to normal for some time. I will post on CharityGrace as soon as I can!

Window Mistreatment

2008-08-18T14:12:00.007-06:00

Blogger's acting wonky, so let's try this one more time!

The Nesting Place is hosting a Window Mistreatment Party. Wonder what window mistreatment is? Here are her definitions:

Mistreatment: (n). covering for a window that is quick, cheap and pretty. may or may not need hardware does not require sewing. a real designer's worst nightmare.

Mistreating: (v). the act of treating a window with dignity and respect without use of the following: hundreds of dollars, sewing, time, crying, divorce, child neglect...

Here's a window mistreatment of my own. It's just an (unironed) old tablecloth and a couple lengths of grosgrain from my stash, hung over an existing rod. And now it's the only window in my house with a curtain. (In the ugly bathroom at that!) But with all the great ideas I got at the party, that's about to change!

A Day in My Life-August

2008-08-14T09:09:00.013-06:00

This month I'm joining Little Jenny Wren's "Day in My Life." A bit late, but still...

Billy was out of town for the night and I'm sick, so we slept in this morning till almost 8. I woke with Sarah, my darling 3-year-old, snuggled in my bed and Baby Grace's blue eyes peeking at me over the edge of the co-sleeper. What a great way to start the morning!

Otherwise, my whole morning felt off-kilter since I felt so bad that I pretty much just fell into bed last night without making usual preparations for the next day. No one had clothes laid out, I didn't know what to fix for breakfast, and everything seemed to take twice as long as usual.

Finally everyone was clothed, beds were made, and Elizabeth had practiced her piano. I made old-fashioned oatmeal. My kids love this with cane syrup, which is sort of like Molasses. Mmmm...I love it too.

Normally Elizabeth starts her school work after breakfast, but it's rained a lot lately and the kids haven't been able to spend much time outside, so I let them play this morning. It's a beautiful day. We'll do lessons later, when it's too hot to be outside. Elizabeth showed me the "spear" she made, she says for spearing flounder. A friend told her how they used to spear flounder at night, and it has captured her imagination.

While they played outside, I began my housework. I felt flustered and scattered and realized that I hadn't yet spent time with God this morning. I've been hanging out in Proverbs 31, which tells about the ideal wife. I think I needed the encouragement and inspiration of this hard-working lady. I usually feel completely overwhelmed by all there is to do to run a household, homeschool, maintain friendships, and reach out to others, as well as keeping a strong marriage with my sweet husband. I know I don't need to be superwoman, but there is a way to get it all done, somehow.

In addition to housecleaning and nursing sweet baby, I washed a few of my "hand wash only" skirts, and hung them out to dry. I do "big" laundry every other day, and special things like this in between.

I made a quick batch of cookies and fed the kids lunch. Afterward I put the littles down for quiet time, cleaned the kitchen and did school work with Elizabeth. And snuggled and fed the baby. So sweet.

Late afternoon: I tidied the bedroom area of the house and worked on preparations for our coming homeschool year while the kids played outside.

I had promised Elizabeth pancakes for supper, but I really didn't have the time to make them, so I asked her if she wanted to. Of course my little cook said yes. She was so proud and I made sure that I praised her efforts. Let's just say that I'll give a little more assistance next time.

Billy got home as I was bathing the kids. It was so good to have him home, even after just one night. After we put the kids to bed we visited for a little while and watched the last episode of 24: Season 5 and then we turned in ourselves.

And obviously I didn't get this posted last night. So here it is this morning!

Frugal No-Sew Pillow Hack

2008-08-01T15:18:00.015-06:00

Several years ago we ditched our delapidated old couch for a Freecycle futon. I saved the old couch's original pillows, though, and re-covered them in some upholstery fabric someone gave me.

They've gotten kind of grungy, being used for naps, forts, and pillow fights.

When I re-covered them, I made 2 of them reversible by putting different fabric on the opposite side. Since I rarely display this side, they are still looking pretty good.

With the 3rd pillow (which didn't have a reversible side), I used a piece of dollar a yard cotton from my stash and wrapped it like a gift. Safety pins in back.

I could have sewn it, but I didn't have time.

I finished it off with a length of grosgrain ribbon--a dollar for a big roll at Big Lots--also from my stash.

I also had this pillow, which I think is really cute. I especially love the color combination. But I don't really have an appropriate place to display something that says "Mommy Time Out."

A scrap of cotton someone gave me and a scrap of ribbon from a gift...

Fold, wrap around the middle, and pin...

Here's the front.

Tied with lavender.

Voila! So much lighter and brighter! If I count materials I actually bought, the total cost is less than $3. But I don't usually count the cost of stuff that's been in my stash for a long time.

And time? Ten minutes, tops.

Linkety Link

2008-07-27T13:46:00.002-06:00

I have a few minutes this quiet Sunday afternoon, so I've cleaned up my blog roll--removed blogs that haven't been updated in a long time and added some fun new ones.

This is a good time to mention that I just put blogs on my roll that I enjoy reading. Just because they are on my roll doesn't constitute an endorsement--as if I can project what anyone is going to write on their blog anyway! Click through--I hope you find some new ones that you enjoy too!

Basil for Pesto

2008-07-18T19:08:00.006-06:00

This year I really wanted to garden. But for the 3rd of the past 5 years, I had a baby instead. Ah well, babies are more fun and a whole lot sweeter.

Still, I couldn't get past the urge to grow...something. So I picked up some herb plants. Rosemary, aloe, peppermint, sage, and basil.

Since Elizabeth loves to water plants, most of them survived my Black Thumb of Death, all except the aloe, which I can't seem to keep alive no matter what I try. (The neighbor has some on his porch to which he does nothing as far as I can tell--and it thrives.) And the peppermint, which I planted under a faucet that doesn't drip. The basil was a bit yellow for awhile, but soon it greened up and filled out and now it's really beautiful.

So I picked some.

I've never made pesto before. But it sounded so good.

Pine nuts? How about toasty pecans instead?

Garlic. Parmesan. Oil.

Maybe I shouldn't show you this. The green mess doesn't do this deliciousness justice. Oh my. It was so fresh and good. I could have eaten it all from a spoon. I grew up in a home where we often sat down to meals where we'd grown virtually everything, but it's been a long time since I've had food I grew myself.

Instead of eating it with a spoon, I made a pizza. Chicken, tomatoes, and mushrooms. It would have been better with fresh mushrooms and sun-ripened local tomatoes, but it was still amazing. Even Billy liked it, much to my surprise.

Pesto pizza. I highly recommend it.

When You Are Three

2008-07-13T10:54:00.003-06:00

Who cares if shoes are too big...

Or if they are on the wrong feet...

As long they are pink!!!

Lemonade on the Porch

2008-07-13T10:46:00.004-06:00

One of the things that excited me most about our new house is the small screened porch in back. I've wanted a porch for all our married life, but I've never had one. However, one thing after another took precedence and I hadn't yet gotten the porch orderly enough to actually use. That was on my to-do list every day last week, but still I couldn't seem to get it done.

Billy and I have a weird sort of telepathy. Often when I have something on my mind, he does too--but we often have different purposes in mind for the same item or event, and he usually beats me to the punch. (I procrastinate.) So naturally when he scored a weight bench on Freecycle last week, the first thing he thought of was turning my beloved porch into a weight room!

The next morning I took the little ones outside and we put the porch to rights. Then we had lemonade, made from local lemons I juiced and froze last winter, to beat the sweltering heat. So nice. The porch might turn into a weight room one day, but I'm going to enjoy it for now!

Embellished Clothespins

2008-07-11T08:55:00.013-06:00

Don't you want clothespins to match your laundry?

Then get out your Eric Carle paint set.

Mix pretty colors...

And go to town!

Flower garden colors...

Black and white...

Cherry pie? Ladybugs? What does this make you think of?

(I"m hesitant to use these on a real outdoor clothesline since I'm not sure they acrylic craft paint would stay put if they got wet. Anybody know?)

Show and Tell Friday hosted by Kelli.

I Haven't Stopped Blogging, Really

2008-07-05T12:04:00.002-06:00

Life has been crazy. Four babies, guests once to several times each week, a time-consuming new writing project, washer and dryer on the blink, etc. etc. I've had a lot on my plate. I so enjoy the creativity of having a "fun blog"--in fact, this is really the only thing I do consistently for fun. But lately it's had to take a back seat. I hope to streamline my blogging so it takes less time and I can do it more often.

A Ladybug for Grace

2008-06-24T20:37:00.001-06:00

It's fun to make things for little girls!

World's Best Chocolate Pie

2008-06-17T12:31:00.005-06:00

No, really. It is the best. This is what I made for Father's Day.

Nana's Old-fashioned Chocolate Pie

2 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
Dash salt
6 egg yokes (save whites for meringue)
3 c. whole milk

Whisk sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and milk together. Beat egg yokes and mix well. Cook over medium heat till filling is very thick, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn!

Place in 2 baked pie shells. Use whites to make meringue. (Instructions here since I don't have time to type it all in.) Top pie and brown in a 350 degree oven till golden. Cool and enjoy. Because you WILL enjoy it!

Hot

2008-06-13T09:14:00.003-06:00

Our a/c is out, as in completely dead. Which wouldn't be so bad if we didn't live in the subtropics with temps over 90 and 1,000% humidity. OK, it could be a lot worse and I'm not complaining. The house is bearable in the morning, so we are trying to get our housework done first thing. Then we have a small portable unit in the master bedroom where we can do school and quiet work and play when it gets hotter. And hopefully we'll come up with a permanent fix soon. Till then, we grin and bear it!

Kitchen Informercial

2008-06-13T09:03:00.002-06:00

OK, so I'm not a superblog who's asked to review products. But this one has been so great for me I'm reviewing it anyway, in hopes that it might help somebody else. It's a non-toxic cleaning block for the kitchen. It acts kind of like a sanding block, but supposedly doesn't scratch. I've enjoyed it most for scrubbing cooked on food and stained pans. Does wonders! Way better than a scrubby! The only drawback is that I think it could have a better shape, although I'm not sure what. The block shape is just a little unweildy sometimes.

Oh, the package I bought actually called it an Earthstone. The pic above is made by Earthstone--it's the same thing, but the package looks different.

Elizabeth Sews

2008-06-11T20:02:00.003-06:00

Elizabeth is going to our church's summer day camp 2 days a week. She wanted to make herself a lunch bag. She sewed most of it with minimal guidance from me. I just tackled a couple trickier details. Didn't she do a good job? I'm proud of her!

Today she left it behind by mistake, hopefully in Billy's office. It broke my mama heart when I saw her tears as she realized she'd forgotten it and said, "But Mama, I made it myself!"

On a completely different note, I think this is a record for not posting (other than an announced sabbatical). Not that I have such a huge number of readers, but those who visit here are so sweetly faithful. Thank you. I apologize for not responding to comments lately, along with not posting. Real life has come along and I've spent a lot of time recently with those relationships, both friends and family. It's been sweet, but I've missed the fun of posting.

Back!

2008-06-05T09:08:00.001-06:00

Back from vacation. Catching up, cleaning my messy house. Posting soon. Don't give up on me!

Important Things You Should Know

2008-05-24T08:49:00.009-06:00

Also known as, News From Here For Friends and Family Members Who Care About the Mundane Details of My Life.

We're schooling year round this year due to time we had to take off for moving and a new baby. I didn't take much time off when Grace was born, but we missed a few days and just focused on the most important subjects. I'm taking off this week to plan the next couple of months. I want it to be a really productive summer in terms of academics, brushing up on our weak spots and finishing whatever we haven't gotten done yet. Silas is also more than ready to learn to read, and in fact chastised me just yesterday because he isn't reading yet. ("Mama, you haven't taught me to read yet! You said you were going to teach me to read!" Um, yeah, we talked about that last week...) Pretty amazing for a kid who could have cared less till a few months ago. Elizabeth has plowed ahead in a few subjects and finished several books, like reading and math, so we will be able to focus more intensively on her areas of struggle. The goal is for a strong start this fall. I'll have a 3rd grader, a kindergardener, and a preschooler this year. WOW!!! I can't believe it.

Grace singlehandedly created 2 loads of laundry in the past 12 hours. She is more talented than any of my other children have been in this regard, and trust me, that is saying a lot. I'm doing 20+ loads a week right now. Part of it is just that she has a sensitive little tummy. I have to be careful what I eat, but more than that I have to carefully watch that I keep foremilk/hindmilk in balance and that I don't stuff her too full. I am all about following baby's feeding cues, but if Grace eats too much it's not pretty. However, she is growing at an astounding rate and she's all rolls and chubby cheeks, so she is certainly getting enough. She'll be moving from newborn clothes to 3-6 month size this week.

Billy and I are sick with sinus infections. Although we live in a warm, wet, moldy climate, it probably has more to do with too much sugar and too many late nights ~~watching multiple episodes of 24~~ taking care of a new baby.

I finally fit into my fat jeans this morning. You know, it is a little disheartening to have a baby and then not even be able to wear your fat clothes. I still have a goodly ways to go, but at least the weight is starting to come off. Time to break out the confetti and ~~cake~~ celery! I've come a long way from my first pregnancy when I prayed daily (no joke) , "God, please don't let me get fat." I'm no longer obsessed with being skinny. But it would be nice to be at that ideal size for reasons of pure vanity.

Ice Cream

2008-05-20T08:43:00.005-06:00

I scream

You scream

We all scream

For ice cream!

A Day in My Life--May

2008-05-15T12:39:00.010-06:00

It's once again time for Little Jenny Wren's "A Day in My Life." Actually I'm a day late posting. There was just no time last night to tell about my day.

I woke about 4:30 this morning with a noisy baby. She and I moved to the rocker recliner in the living room for the rest of the early morning so everyone in the back of the house could sleep. We both fell back to sleep and I dreamed that I was having a party but couldn’t find anything to wear. In my dream I was also doing mountains of laundry. Someone removed the wire shelving from above the washing machine and wouldn’t put it back, which was a catastrophe in dreamland, just as it would be in real life. I love my laundry room!

I ended up oversleeping with my snuggly baby, and jumped up just in time to fix Billy a quick breakfast before he left for work. I made the kids and me some toast with the bread I made yesterday. It’s from the last of our wheat, which isn’t readily available here. Fortunately my parents should be able to bring me some more soon.

I showered and quickly dressed the kids and we took Elizabeth to speech therapy. She was having a difficult time with the R sound, but a few sessions with our therapist friend from church have solved the problem. Her therapist said she doesn’t have to come back any more!

After her session we dropped by the dollar store for pencils. Elizabeth had a few dollars burning a hole in her pocket, and she insisted on buying a small gift for each of us. I put a limit on how much she could spend, or she probably would have spent it all. One of the things I love about my girl is her giving spirit. She loves to give gifts!

At home I put on a load of laundry (from the real laundry mountain) and nursed baby Grace, who is 5 weeks old now. Then warmed up leftover spaghetti while the kids watched Dora the Explorer. I’ve tried to be even more conscientious about using leftovers since the cost of food has gotten so high.

Elizabeth got the mail and came in shouting, “Jack is here! Jack is here!” Billy and I have recently gotten hooked on the show 24, 6 years late to the party. We don’t have cable so we have been ordering the complete seasons from Amazon, which saves bookoodles of money. Season 4 arrived today. The kids are not allowed to watch it, but E knows we have been keeping our eye on the mail box!

After lunch I sat down with the middle littles while they fell asleep. They are not fans of naps, but still really need them. I have learned that it works much better if I supervise them until they are asleep. Silas lays down on the futon and Sarah and I take the rocker recliner. It usually doesn’t take long before they are out and I can go about my day without wondering what they are up to! Elizabeth is reading over my shoulder and giggling at this as I type. She has been working on her school work while I get the littles down. Somehow new pencils made it more fun today.

I was ready to shift into high gear for the afternoon when baby woke and needed to be fed. I enjoy the chance to read, rest, or spend time with God during our nursing times, and I try to not take them for granted. The newborn stage is so short. There are times when I feel frustration that I’m not being more “productive”, yet what is more productive than nurturing a sweet little life, an eternal soul made in the image of God? Mopping can wait. I did coach Elizabeth on her schoolwork during that time.

Finally I was able to spend a couple hours cleaning and doing laundry before it was time to leave for church. I accomplished one of my goals, which was to clean off the top of the pie safe. In our last house it became an unsightly collection spot for this and that. When we moved in here I thought perhaps if I put some nice decorations on top we might avoid that. No such luck. It looked worse than ever.

I filled my biggest mixing bowl with all that stuff!

Whew, much better! It’s a beautiful piece of furniture, and I hate to see it cluttered with junk.

We have family suppers at church on Wednesday night. Last night they served red beans and rice. It is soooo nice to not have to cook on that night!

I didn’t actually get to attend church because Grace needed me. I spent most of the time in the nursery. I don’t typically leave my babies till they are older, just because they are so tiny and I don’t like to subject them to all those germs if I don’t have to!

We visited with friends for awhile afterward and got home about 8:00. We put the kids to bed and watched a couple episodes of 24. Actually we would have headed to bed earlier, but Grace was having tummy trouble and we would have been awake anyway.

Finally Grace fell asleep and we turned in around midnight. Sweet dreams!

Two Links and a Lactation Tip

2008-05-14T13:31:00.003-06:00

I've discovered a couple delightful blogs lately. One is 4 Reluctant Entertainers, a blog dedicated to Christian hospitality. It's artful and encouraging.

The other is Blue Yonder, also delightful, even if I was tortured there by pictures of incredible pies today! Oh my!

Now for the tip, since I have to post things in threes.

When my other babies have gotten too much milk, they just unlatched in frustration. Grace, however, seems to think if she just drinks FASTER! AND! FASTER! she can somehow manage the deluge. Then we end up with choke, cough, sputter, gag, cry...It hasn't equalized with time. Finally I tried a tip I read once--let gravity work in your favor. Feeding babe while laying on your back sounds tricky, but it's not really hard and it works. No sputtery baby. I know I'm not the only one who's had this happen, so perhaps it will help one of you moms out there!

Down the Rabbit Hole

2008-05-13T07:51:00.002-06:00

Have you ever had a day that just felt like it came from Bizzare-o Land? That was my yesterday. Everything from kids stuffing flowers in their ears to accidentally dumping ice water on the 4-week-old, to dreaming up new ways to aggravate each other that I wouldn't have thought of if I lived to be 100. Today I'm happy for new beginnings!

Home Sweet Homeschool (links)

2008-05-08T15:35:00.003-06:00

Teen Graduates High School, College in One Week

How Long Should a Homeschool Day Be?

(Hat tip, Jess at Making Home. )

Reading Placement Test (scroll down, it's the San Diego Quick Assessment)

I was delighted that Elizabeth, who's 7, is reading at a 5th grade level. This was especially encouraging as we get back into the full swing of things since baby's birth. I've focused more on just the 3 R's for the past few weeks. A trip to the library is on the agenda for tomorrow, and a full re-evaluation of where I'm achieving and failing as a teacher is coming up very soon as well. I know I have areas of both. I never doubt our decision to homeschool, but it's the scariest thing I've ever done.

Ice Cream Shop

2008-05-05T09:13:00.015-06:00

When we lived downtown, we were half a block from an old-fashioned ice-cream shop, a community fixture. We paid our favorite shop a visit yesterday after Silas's birthday party.

The owner bought it many years ago when he was just 17 years old.

It's a treat for the eye as well as for the palate, filled with brightly-colored old-fashioned delights...

Lollipops...

Pennsylvania Dutch hard candy...

And stick candy, just 15 cents each!

(Would you believe, I didn't even get a picture of the ice cream!)

Frugal Birthday

2008-05-05T09:04:00.002-06:00

To celebrate his 5th birthday, Silas wanted to take a few friends fishing. We chose an easy-access park on the water.

Dessert: brownies and sandwich cookies.

Favors: 4/$1.00 water guns.

It was easy and relaxing. We didn't catch many fish, but we sure had fun.

Cheap Lunch

2008-05-02T16:31:00.003-06:00

I'm not a fan of fast food, but if we are going to occasionally splurge on cheap, nutritionless treats that don't even really taste that good, I don't see any reason to spend more money than necessary.

Yesterday the kids and I each got a double cheeseburger from McDonald's dollar menu. The dollar menu isn't where McDonald's makes their money, though. It's the side items.

So instead of buying fries and drinks (we usually get a cup of water, honestly), we hit the dollar store and got 3-for-a dollar cheetos and a 2-liter bottle of Sprite.

Total to feed all 4 of us, with leftovers? $6.

From now on, I think I will keep a small stash of 3-for-a-dollar chips in the van so all I have to do is add dollar sandwiches and water in a cup (unless we bring our own drinks). That leaves a few more dollars for real eating out, which is a lot more fun!

Frugal Fridays hosted by Crystal.

Guess

2008-05-02T16:21:00.008-06:00

Guess what I got?

Guess what somebody gave me?

Maybe this helps!

Yes, a treadle sewing machine!

Billy's parents generously shared this lovely family heirloom with us. It looks to be in good working order. And it's beautiful.

Show and tell Friday hosted by Kelli.

Sweet Feet

2008-04-30T13:23:00.005-06:00

Tiny shoes...

for tiny feet...

So sweet!

Cher Bebe

2008-04-30T12:01:00.008-06:00

I figured it's about time to post an update on Grace for those of you who read for family news. It's been fun to have a baby here. When we announced I was pregnant we got only congratulations, in contrast to the snarky comments we got further north when we announced #3. A predominantly Catholic culture is different in many ways from what I'm used to, but one of the great positives is the appreciation for life that seems more pervasive here. The community seems to treasure children, and wherever we go, people (guys and girls, all ages) start what Billy calls Cajun grandma talk. "Awww, cher bebe!" Apparently that's the rough equivalent of "sweet baby," which is what I call all of mine. Even the guys have to kiss and love on her.

We were overwhelmed with meals and good wishes after her birth. In fact, I still have a couple meals in the freezer. I've only cooked 3 or 4 times since she was born. I'm very blessed and spoiled!

Grace is thriving on all the love. She had gained a whole pound 5 days after we came home from the hospital, and now at almost 3 weeks, she is already past that initial new-newborn stage. She's filled out and smooth, and we've had to adjust the car seat straps to accommodate her growth.

She is a good sleeper, as my babies go. As long as she isn't gassy and stays warm, I get a good 2 hours between feedings. She had a bad night or two, but I tried cutting dairy out of my diet and it's done wonders. (I've learned a lot over the course of having a few children--I wish I had known to try that the first time around. Would have saved Baby some pain and us some sleepless nights, I think.) She really is a sweet, easygoing little one. She doesn't cry much and when she does, it's usually easy to stop. She especially loves to lay on her tummy across anyone's lap.

She loves her daddy already, and unless she's hungry he can soothe her pretty well as easily as I can. I love to see them together--she looks so tiny in his arms.

The kids are in love too. Elizabeth is already such a help. Her favorite assignment is to hold Grace while I do some little task nearby. She can usually get her to stop crying just by talking to her. The other day she read her the funny papers from cover to cover. As much as Silas wanted a brother, he is crazy about his new sister. He grins from ear to ear when he gets to hold her, and he is the one who always wants to give her hugs and kisses. There are big problems at our house if he misses her good night kiss! This morning he sang her the ABC songs and all the Sunday School songs he knows. Sarah has made the transition to big sister pretty easily. I try to make sure I snuggle her often, since she is such a cuddly girl. She loves Grace too. She likes to hold her, but only briefly. She mostly loves to pet her fuzzy head. She was a bit disappointed that she doesn't get to feed the baby, but she got over it quickly. The other day she announced proudly to her favorite nursery worker at church, "My baby doesn't have a bottle! My baby gets Mommy milk!"

I had a lot of fears that I was "due" for a hard baby since Sarah was so easy, but the transition from 3 to 4 has been surprisingly easy. Of course there's always lack of sleep, more laundry, time spent in baby care (many hours daily), and just the logistical adjustments of adding another person to the mix, but overall I couldn't be more happy. Grace is so easy, and my older kids are big enough to take on extra responsibilities, so I know it won't be long till we are in a new routine that works. I think part of it is that I am just more relaxed this time, and I know a little more what I'm doing than I have before. (A side note, this is my first baby since I started taking Armour thyroid for hypothyroidism, and that's done wonders for my mental and emotional state. I'm handling everything better this time, from pregnancy onward.) I know this newborn phase will only last a few weeks and then we will be back to something like normal, so I'm enjoying the long hours of snuggling and trying not to worry too much about all that's not getting done. People have told me over and over that after #3 it's all the same, whether it's your 4th or your 14th. (Don't worry anybody, we aren't having 14!) They've said that it really does get easier. If Grace is any indication, that's true. Although I didn't know during the pregnancy how it would all turn out, I'm crazy in love too. What a little joy!

For Your Reading Pleasure

2008-04-28T10:03:00.003-06:00

Since I can't even get my dishes done, much less blog, here are links to people who are clearly more organized and less newly postpartum than myself.

Jen of Et Tu? (Diary of a Former Atheist) is interviewed at The Cynical Christian. The topic? Approaching Atheists: What Can Christians Do? Good stuff. I don't often run into avowed atheists, but in a region that's 80% Catholic , I do frequently encounter people who are greatly disenchanted with organized religion. Ironically, Jen is Catholic, but her faith is clearly real to her. I appreciated her thoughts.

Anna's older children have all found their life's work and become good at it at very young ages. I recently asked her how she and her husband accomplished this, and she kindly answered me with this post.

Billy tells how to choose a good Christian book at The Disciple's Journey.

Pottery Barn Kids Without the Price Tag

2008-04-21T08:12:00.003-06:00

Shannon posted ideas of Pottery Barn Kids wall hangings that would be so easy to copy. I had the same thought when I got the recent PBK catalog. I especially love the ladybug art pictured above. Go check out this super cute stuff. When I'm less newly postpartum, I MUST give these a try! The possibilities are endless. In addition to wall hangings, you could make cards and who knows what else.

Sweet Sleep

2008-04-18T08:56:00.004-06:00

This show and tell is more practical than artistic. This is the new Arm's Reach Co-sleeper we got for our sweet new baby, Grace. I am loving it! I've tried just about every newborn sleeping arrangement from bassinet to pack and play to crib to full co-sleeping and none of it worked for me. This was recommended by a pediatric nurse friend, and it's perfect. Grace is right next to me, so I can keep a close eye on her, pick her up easily (without getting out of bed), and during nursing times I don't have to worry about dozing off and dropping her. That's always been a big fear. The sleeper actually straps to the bed between the matress and box springs for a nice tight fit.

She loves to sleep in my arms, but she also does really well in the co-sleeper with her foam wedges and a good swaddle. The nurses at the hospital showed me how they wrap the babies, and while I haven't perfected their burrito swaddle, I can get her snug enough that she feels secure and sleeps well. This is my first success with getting baby to sleep on her back. I think the swaddle has something to do with it.

In any case, I wholeheartedly recommend the co-sleeper. It's kinda pricey and at first I thought we had just bought a really expensive pack and play...It's a lot more than that, though. Works for us!

Show and Tell Friday hosted by Kelli.

Labor

2008-04-16T14:29:00.001-06:00

I have lots of posts floating around in my head, but a certain sweet little person is keeping me pretty busy. Meanwhile, read Hannah's great thoughts on birth. She is right on target!

Abigail Grace

2008-04-13T07:42:00.003-06:00

Grace was born last week after an easy and uneventful labor. Her first name, Abigail, means "song of joy" and that is certainly what she is to us!

8lb 13 oz
20 1/2 inches long

A Sarah Funny

2008-03-28T20:05:00.003-06:00

If you've ever watched a Veggie Tales movie (I LOVE them--uh, that was sarcasm...But my kids really do...) you know the theme song:

If you like to talk to tomatoes
If a squash can make you smile...

Sarah, my almost-3-year-old foodie, sings it like this:

If you have a chocolate tomato
You will be very, very happy.

Quiet

2008-03-25T21:09:00.003-06:00

Sorry for not posting. I'm afraid about now I tend to feel kind of hermit-like, quiet, home-focused.

I'll be back soon I hope. Meanwhile, Billy Stevens at The Disciple's Journey is writing again. Good stuff. Check it out.

New Daily Routine

2008-03-18T13:37:00.004-06:00

Just the very basics--to be adjusted as necessary!

Morning—Before 10

Quiet time

Dress and comb everyone

Make beds/tidy rooms

Breakfast--hard boiled eggs and fruit or granola bars and fruit

Supper in crock pot

Bread in machine

1 load laundry

Mid-morning—10-12

Mid-morning snack-veggies & dip/nuts/goldfish/pb crackers/popcorn—outside!

2^nd load laundry

School/preschool

Lunch

PB&J or burritos+fruit, chips, and/or cookies

10 minute tidy

Story time, if possible!

Afternoon

Naps/quiet time

School

2 loads laundry

Finish supper

Evening

10 minute tidy/clean rooms

Eat supper

Wash dishes

Thaw meat for next day

Lay out clothes for next day

Everyone bathe/brush teeth

Streamlining

2008-03-18T13:24:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the light blogging lately. Time and energy are at a premium these days.

I mentioned awhile back that one of my words for this year is "streamline". I've been analyzing just what takes most of my time and what I can do to streamline those things.

I spend many hours each day in the kitchen. Sometimes the food is not even that great, yet I find that I've been there for a really long time, cooking and washing dishes.

These little cups are a small step toward streamlining my kitchen time. Each child gets a cup with their name on it for the whole day. That means no extra washing cups, no kids getting multiple cups out of the cabinet, no mixing up drinks. (If you wonder where my child named Alycia has been you're to be commended for your astuteness. I don't have one. But the little neighbor is here so much she deserved a cup of her own too.)

Another thing I must do is find some great crockpot recipes. I've tried quite a few through the years, but most of them have not passed the husband test. Nevertheless, I think for awhile it's going to be a toss-up between real meat in the crock pot, or hot dogs...So the goal is to make the crock pot food taste great. Anybody have a recipe to share?

I also scratched out a very basic routine that encompasses the things that absolutely must be done every single day. We have to eat, we have to dress, we have to wash clothes, and in the process the house will hopefully stay in some kind of order. I also hope to take only the bare minimum of time off from school.

Finally, I'm moving the kids toward doing more on their own...Teaching them how to do small jobs, having the older ones help the younger.

Frugal Container Repurpose

2008-03-18T13:19:00.003-06:00

As any regular readers know, I'm all about using what I have in my hand. Our new house is large, but the master bathroom is tiny, with 6 inches of counter space and one very small cabinet for storage. I have to get creative.

When I was given a pretty bath set in this tin, I knew just what I'd use it for. On the back of the commode, it saves counter or cabinet space, and washcloths are always in easy reach.

The creamy box is an old keepsake video box, just right for small toiletries.

Don't you just love the mint green tiles? OK, I'm kidding. Hopefully they will go one day. Meanwhile, I'll be content with what I have. My dad grew up without indoor plumbing. I can hardly complain!

A Day in My Life

2008-03-13T10:36:00.017-06:00

Little Jenny Wren is hosting a "Day in My Life" project each month and I decided to give it a shot, at least this once!

Actually this is all from the 13th. I wasn't sure how to handle the time difference between Jenny's time and US time...If I do it again I will just wait till the 14th. And excuse the flip-flopping between past and present tense. I'm afraid I was a little brain dead.

I almost didn't participate because my day got off to a rocky start. I went to bed late and then woke around 5 and never fully went back to sleep. Billy went to work early and I knew I wouldn't be able to doze off again, so rather than staying in bed feeling frustrated, I got up and had my quiet time. We're doing the Bible Study Experiencing God at church, so I did my homework for today, and then hung out in Psalm 40 for awhile. That's my life passage, one God gave me when I was 14, that I return to often. I prayed that I'd have a productive day and that God would help me not focus on my exhaustion, and then I felt better. I'm so glad he cares about the little stuff and gives us strength for daily life.

Sarah woke before I was finished and climbed into my lap with a library book. She is such a sweet little snuggler. She stayed nearby while I did some internet research...Brushing up on natural birth, and finding the best deal on an Arm's Reach co-sleeper. I've tried to order it from Arm's Reach about 3 times, without success. Finally it dawned on my that I might need to get it from someone else. Sure enough, Amazon has them for about $50 less.

Today I'm hoping that slow and steady will win the race. I put on a load of laundry and set the timer...Then I work till it's done. When the next load is in, I let myself get off my feet for a few minutes. All morning I have rotated laundry, cleaning, homeschooling Elizabeth, caring for the little ones, and short breaks. It still feels like I'm walking through deep mud, but I have made headway in a few key areas.

Noon has come and gone. I warmed up leftovers for lunch, but my food isn't pretty and the kitchen is a mess, so I didn't take pictures. This is the time of day where I so often lose focus. I have to remind myself to stay on task and not get bogged down in all there is to do. Laundry's still rolling, the timer is set. I have about an hour to finish my days' work before Billy gets home--early, since he left so early this morning.

The kids play in their tree house just about every spare minute. It's only a couple feet off the ground, but they think they are on top of the world.

My two oldest asked if they could wash their vehicles (bikes, scooters, and various other wheeled toys). I said sure, if they didn't get too wet...I wasn't holding my breath though. I wasn't counting on the huge mud pit they created though. I won't share pictures of that either. Let me just say the 4yo looked like he belonged in a mud wrestling competition. Lack of appropriate attire and all. I'm laughing now, but I wasn't then. Instead, here's a cute shot of the three musketeers--or perhaps I should call them the three partners in crime. They do just about everything together.

Toddler feet are so adorable, especially when the toddler is napping. I love spending time with my babies, but I love nap time too. That quiet interlude in the middle of the day...

It's now 6:45. I had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and then we ran by Shoney's for an early supper since we had free kid's meal coupons. I should have had my camera--their food was pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, some of the chicken strips were raw in the middle and we didn't realize it till after we had eaten some. The manager gave us a nice discount, but more than that, we hope we don't get sick.

*********

After we got home I spent a few minutes taking pictures outside. Does anyone know if this is Japanese plum? It's growing in our back yard. Actually it seems that the trunk is on our neighbor's property, barely, but it spills over into ours. It is loaded with fruit. It's a joy to live in a place where fresh fruit is so abundant. It sometimes reminds me of the garden of Eden, with the warmth, humidity, and frequent cloud cover--plants seem to grow freakishly fast and produce exceptional amounts of fruit.

As I type this, I know I need to go wash dishes, but Sarah (who's almost 3) is standing behind me combing my hair and monologuing. I don't have the heart to move just yet.

*********

Billy's officiating a wedding tomorrow so he had the rehearsal tonight. He wasn't gone long, but I got the kids ready for bed and he got home just in time to pray with them and hug them good night.

*********

I planned to at least light a candle and have a cup of tea before bed, but by the time I finished the dishes I was honestly too tired. Instead, Billy and I watched a couple episodes of Hogan's Heroes and then we were out like lights. Sweet dreams!

So Much More By Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin: A Review

2008-03-13T10:35:00.007-06:00

I’m the mother of three precious daughters and a wonderful son, whom I homeschool. I’m a Christian who bases my decisions on the Word of God and who, with my husband, strives to raise our children in godliness. I believe that my husband is to be the head of my home, that I am to graciously and voluntarily submit to him, and that I have a high calling as a wife, mother, and homemaker. I desire for my children to obey their parents, to serve God, and for my daughters especially to understand the glorious role for which God has created them. It would delight me for my daughters to live at home, safe from a ravaging world, until they marry. I believe that is often a wise course of action.

I also will not tell my children God requires something of them that He does not state in His Word. Therefore, when I heard about Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin’s book So Much More, and the controversy surrounding it, I was intrigued--intrigued enough that I got a copy of my own so I could read it objectively for myself.

I actually enjoyed the book very much and found it engaging and compelling on many fronts. It’s beautiful to look at, excellently written, and just feels good in the hand. (Bibliophiles will know what I mean!) My copy is now thoroughly read, written in, underlined, full of notes—notes that explain what I love about the book as well as what I disagree with. It was so convincing on virtually every front that I actually had to stop myself a few times, step back from the sweeping emotion I felt, and take an objective, biblical look at its teachings. The Botkin girls themselves are beautiful, sincere, well-spoken Christian young ladies who seem to have a great love for God and for their family. I’m greatly impressed by the quality of their work and the passion with which they execute it. Here are a few things I appreciated about Anna Sofia and Elizabeth’s conclusions:

They emphasize the glory and importance of the home.

They understand the power of a married woman’s role.

They advocate an excellent education for women (in contrast to some homeschoolers who contend that girls don’t need to be that highly educated since they will “just” be wives and mothers).

They encourage close families and good relationships with fathers.

I also very much enjoyed and appreciated the chapter on courtship, which I found refreshingly free of the formulas advocated by so many courtship “experts.”

However, I still found much about which to be troubled. Here’s the first of my main concerns, the way the Botkins mishandle God’s Word.

The Botkin sisters claim to write a book that expounds on God’s will for unmarried girls and women as revealed in scripture. However, they clearly show ignorance of basic interpretive principles. Conservative Bible scholars (across denominations) interpret the Bible by a set of simple objective criteria to ensure that they do not filter the Word through their own opinions. Does this mean that correct interpretation can only be achieved by specially trained Bible scholars? Of course not. However, many churches I know of fail in genuine discipleship, including training Christians how to study the Bible for themselves. Consequently, many well-meaning Christians apply all kinds of meanings to Biblical texts that are not there, simply through ignorance. (I’m no expert on this, but it’s something I’m working on. A full discussion of biblical interpretation would require its own conversation. I can recommend a few good, conservative books on the subject if anybody’s interested. My husband is the expert Bible scholar in our family.)

The most glaring (and critical) example of this sloppy interpretation in So Much More is at the beginning of Chapter 3. They state, “Because the Bible doesn’t give a huge amount of instruction exclusively to fathers and daughters, most of what we have to work from are passages setting the patterns for men and women in general.” There’s a big problem here. Most of the passages about relationships between men and women in general—which they use--have to do with the marriage relationship. These are the passages the Botkin girls use to create their theology of father-daughter relationships. Anna Sofia and Elizabeth are correct—the Bible, and especially the New Testament, speaks little to the role of single women. The Botkins attempt to speak where God’s Word does not. Making the jump from, “Biblical patterns for men and women in marriage are XYZ…Most girls will marry…So the Biblical pattern for unmarried women must logically be XYZ…” adds to the Word what God never says.

The Bible tells us in Titus 2 that a married woman’s role is to love her husband and children as a keeper at home. However, I Corinthians 7:34-35 says of unmarried women, “There isa difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.”

Because the Botkin sisters apply scripture about married women to the unmarried, many people concluded that they espouse the notion that daughters should serve their fathers as helpmeets, in addition to their mothers. This was a huge concern for many, and in response the Botkins later denied that this was their intent. Their good friends, well-known authors James and Stacy McDonald, came to their defense in an October 2, 2007 blog post wherein they stated that they could not figure out how anyone could pull this conclusion from the pages of So Much More. (The post contained a portion of an email between Mr. McDonald and the Botkins and was apparently written with their support. It’s the only attempt I’ve found online to correct any misunderstandings.) I re-read the chapter myself to see if I possibly misunderstood it—and after a thorough examination, I don’t know how anyone could read this book and NOT come to the conclusion that the Botkins believe daughters should be their fathers’ helpmeets.

A quote from page 42: “You may not immediately see how much your father needs your help and just how much you can help him, because the very importance of a ‘helpmeet’ has been long forgotten.”

On the same page, they further quote a friend named Ruth who says, “I realize that it is most likely God’s will for me to be married someday, and I desire and have the responsibility to be prepared, as much as possible, for this role as God sees fit. I want to be a true helpmeet to my husband, and what an excellent opportunity I have to practice this with my own father!”

The statement of most concern is this one: “A father is most fruitful when he has the help of his children (in addition to his wife, his primary helpmeet)…”

The McDonalds claim that the word “primary” is merely an editorial error, and that it’s the only statement that implies a girl is to be her father’s helpmeet. (Mr. McDonald goes on to attack the Botkin girls’detractors by questioning why they did not clarify this statement with the Botkins themselves. In an article that accuses detractors of throwing red herrings, he himself attacks the character of the detractors rather than addressing their actual concerns—a red herring of his own.) While I have to contend that it’s not the only statement that leads to this conclusion, the Botkins in their very own statement do not even go so far as to call it an editorial oversight. They do claim to be misunderstood.

I’ve mulled over how this supposed misunderstanding could have taken place. How can the Botkins be contend that it’s simply a misunderstanding, while so many who have read the book are convinced that they espouse such an unbiblical mindset? I’ve concluded that if the Botkins truly did not mean to lead young women to the belief that their God-ordained role is to be a helpmeet to their fathers, ultimately the blame lies with their mishandling of God’s Word, unintended as it might have been. When they apply “helpmeet” passages to the relationship between fathers and daughters, the logical conclusion is that daughters are to be their fathers’ helpmeets, whether or not it’s explicitly stated. Since young women and their families are basing major life decisions on this principle, it’s incredibly important for the authors to convey their thoughts with absolute clarity.

One fatal interpretive mistake the Botkins commit is to use the “example” method to determine whether or not a single woman can be a missionary (p. 267). Since there are no stories of women missionaries in the Bible, they conclude that a woman can never be a missionary. There is a problem with this method of interpretation, too. We don’t have examples of women in scripture doing a lot of things the Botkin girls do, such as making movies, writing books, taking notes at business meetings, and so forth. Simply because there are no examples in scripture of a particular person doing a particular thing does not mean it is consequently forbidden by scripture. By the same token, simply because a person in scripture commits a particular worthy act does not always mean we should follow in their footsteps. If you follow the “example” logic, we could encourage girls to pound spikes through the heads of God’s enemies, like Jael, seduce men on the threshing floor like Ruth, or enter a king’s harem like Esther. The “example” method can lead to all kinds of trouble. An amusing sample of this kind of interpretation is the satirical piece “Top 15 Biblical Ways to Acquire a Wife.” We should be on the lookout for God’s specific instructions rather than basing doctrine on examples. They actually turn their own argument on its head by telling the story of God’s work through Rahab and then admonishing girls that her example of the end justifying the means should not be followed. So clearly they pick and choose the examples they subscribe to.

(Incidentally, I find it interesting that the Botkins believe a girl can serve as her father’s “ambassador” as she takes care of the elderly and as she goes here and there serving others, but she cannot serve as his “ambassador” on the mission field.)

Furthermore, the Botkins pull verses out of context. Here’s one example, which I believe is key because it focuses on a major tenet of the book—that a daughter must “give her heart” to her father until she gives it to her husband. On page 39 they state, “Proverbs 23:26 suggests, in paraphrased form, that daughters must give fathers their hearts: ‘…and let your eyes observe my ways.’” In an even stronger statement in Appendix A, their father, Geoffrey Botkin states, “Fathers must represent God to daughters, because daughters are commanded to give hearts to fathers.” (p. 327, emphasis mine) However, even a cursory reading of Proverbs 23:26 reveals the true context of this verse: a father instructing his son to heed his words as he tells him how to avoid the wiles of a seductive woman. It has absolutely nothing to do with a daughter giving her father her heart until she gives it to her husband on her wedding day.

The Botkins also fail to differentiate between the Old Covenant and the Gospel of the New Covenant, as evidenced by their premise that unmarried daughters of any age are under the complete authority of their fathers, based on the Law of Vows in Numbers 30 (p. 24). Not only is that not what this passage says, but Believers are no longer bound by the law. If we must obey part of it, we must obey all of it. However, we are in fact free from the law and live under the New Covenant of Christ. (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15) Again, this could be another discussion in and of itself! However, this is my own dearly-held conviction, so obviously their use of OT law in their defense of their position is a massive red flag to me.

They state on page 155, “…we are trying very hard in this book to advance only those ideas that can be defended exegetically.” They go on to define exegesis as “the drawing of truth directly from Scripture in the correct interpretation,” which is an excellent definition. Unfortunately, in many places they’ve failed at this. Remember, just because you fill a book with scripture does not make it biblical!!!

Another issue of concern is the Botkins’ apparent belief in Christian Reconstructionism. I’m not an expert on Reconstructionism, but what I’ve read from a number of reputable sources has revealed tenets of this belief consistent with the Botkins’ approach. The main tenet of Christian Reconstructionism is that we must apply Old Testament law to today’s society in order to reconstruct society toward the Kingdom of God on earth. (Note this use of the Law in their appeal to the Law of Vows, mentioned above.) This is an extreme version of Reformed eschatology (end-times theology), known as Postmillenialism. From what I understand, Postmillenialism teaches that God’s kingdom began with the first coming of Christ and will advance throughout the earth until Christianity becomes the world’s primary faith. Postmillenialism teaches that Satan will be gradually vanquished on earth as the Kingdom of God expands. According to this belief, Christians will usher in the second coming of Christ after a “Golden Age”—the Millennium.

It’s important to note that the beliefs of many Postmillenial Christians fall within the pale of orthodoxy and do not subscribe to the extremist stance of Reconstructionism. However, the Botkins and those with whom they most closely associate have apparently adopted this extreme belief. They laud Rousas J. Rushdoony (commonly known as the father of Reconstructionism) as a “great scholar.” (p. 135) Rushdoony reportedly espoused some horrific teachings which I am in the process of verifying before making a definitive statement. Feel free to do some research of your own if you’re interested. The Botkin sisters also refer favorably to other Reconstructionist Theologians such as Gary North. Their admiration of theologians of this stripe should be cause for concern in and of itself.

But I have other concerns that have to do with the specific teachings of the book itself.

One is that the Botkins espouse a view of honor that goes beyond what scripture states. Christians are called to serve one another and children should honor parents. However, the Botkin girls give suggestions never found in scripture. They suggest by examples given that an unmarried girl or woman could serve her father by untying his shoes, fetching his slippers, and asking him about his preference as to the colors she wears (all examples given in the book). I tread a fine line here, for Christ Himself gave us the example of washing the disciples’ feet. My concern is not so much with the actions themselves as the attitude behind them that goes beyond mere service to an honor that approaches worship. (The father is referred to more than once as “my knight in shining armor.”) In So Much More we learn that a daughter is to find out what her father believes about everything (not just salvational issues) so that she can adopt all of his beliefs and opinions as her own (p.35). One of the “heroines” in the book says that she once asked her father questions like, “What if I don’t hold the same convictions you hold in this area?” She goes on to call such questions “selfish” (p. 37). Another young adult “heroine” tells the story of how her father caused her to be 45 minutes late for a lunch appointment. She condemns her irritation, stating that it indicated that she was focused on her own desires and schedule rather than being fully submitted to her father’s. (p. 195)

So Much More clearly states that a father has the authority to discipline an unmarried daughter of any age (p.199, 303). They specifically advocate spanking for younger daughters, but are silent as to how a father should discipline an adult daughter. Should he spank her? Remove privileges? Allow God to deal with her? (My guess would be no, since the father is supposed to represent God to the daughter in a way that almost seems to approach mediation.) They don’t say. Among Patriarchal families there is a small but growing subset that teaches “Christian Domestic Discipline”—a husband exercising corporal punishment upon a disobedient wife. With such extreme and abusive teachings swirling around the Patriarchal camp, it seems extremely unwise for the Botkins to be so ambiguous about the issue of adult daughters and discipline. And we haven’t even gotten to the real question, which is whether a father, in fact, should be able to discipline a daughter into her late teens and adulthood. The Botkin view about discipline is extreme, dangerous, and at the very least should require careful clarification.

The belief that a father should discipline an unmarried daughter, regardless of how old she is, leaves the door wide open for humiliation and abuse. Before you write this statement off as radical and extreme, let me assure you that I’m personally aware of families where this has happened. Before I even finished this review, I received correspondence from those who have seen this happen in their family as a result of the Botkins’ teaching. Aside from the fact that this level of servitude, submission, and authority goes beyond scripture, it is also a predator’s dream come true. I would love to believe that all Christian fathers are good and godly men, as my husband and father are, but the sad fact is that all are not. As a pastor’s wife who has heard the stories of many families who come to my husband and me for counsel, I’m all too aware of the perversion and abuse that goes on in some homes that appear squeaky-clean on the outside.

The Botkins mention that a girl should not stay in the home with a father who is involved in abusive criminal activity, but they touch on this so briefly and incompletely, while emphasizing again and again the responsibility of the daughter to submit to her father in all things, that an impressionable young woman could easily feel that to resist the approaches of a father-abuser would be rebellion against God. Again, I am personally aware of situations (yes, plural) where daughters have remained in abusive homes (physically and/or sexually) because they have been saturated from birth with the teaching that they must submit unquestioningly to their authorities. This isn’t theoretical, it really happens. In a culture where rebellion is the norm, I believe we need a call for children to honor their parents. But I believe that teachers like the Botkins have taken that call to an extreme that can be harmful to vulnerable young women.

So Much More is filled with alarmism, drama, and exaggeration. The Botkin sisters state that to counter-culturally choose to stay at home and serve your father till marriage will take “the courage and conviction of a martyr.” (p. 13) That’s a gross exaggeration, and a slap in the face to the martyrs who have spilled their blood for Christ through the ages. I stayed home till I married for some of the reasons the Botkins endorse, and although many people were perplexed, I was the subject of misunderstanding and ridicule, and even sometimes shunned, the “persecution” I endured did not come remotely close to what a martyr endures, nor did it require the level of courage and conviction of a martyr must have to give his life for Jesus. Try telling a Saudi Arabian Christian who is about to have her throat slit for her faith that you have equal courage and conviction because you are staying home till you marry and see if she agrees. See if you can agree. That is a ludicrous statement!

The Botkins also regularly refer to girls who choose to stay home until marriage as “heroines of the faith.” That’s rather dramatic, I think. Wise young ladies? In many ways, yes. But heroines? Not quite.

They refer a number of times to women (even single women) who work for men as “wage slaves.” That’s quite an inflammatory term, and one that’s hard to pin down. If a girl creates items for a home business and receives an order from a man, is she then his wage slave? Is a man who works for another man a wage slave? This term, even this idea, is not found in the Bible. It’s great for dramatic effect though.

Anna Sofia and Elizabeth (and their father) paint with a broad brush many, many times throughout the book, lumping all Christians, movements, or groups into one category. To summarize some of these, Young people who attend college are robbed of their wisdom and discernment. Parents who send their offspring to college want to buy a degree for children who have little direction in life. Singleness is a stage where you, among other things, “become uninvolved in your family’s concerns (and reluctant to let them be involved in yours.)”. Girls who have difficulty getting along with family members will not be able to get along with husbands. Day cares are ruthless environments Youth mission trips do very little good. All of these scenarios are true in some situations, but certainly not all. I found a particularly broad-brush and mean-spirited example in Appendix A, the girls’ interview with their father. Geoffrey Botkin states, “If daughters get schooling rather than education, they will turn out deceived, a chip off the old man’s block, and they will be just as trapped in the ways of blind conformity as their cowardly fathers—in the permanent underclass.” (p. 305)

They also approach their subject with a strong either-or mindset. Either you stay home and serve your father until you marry, or you are a raging, rebellious, Marxist feminist. Either you submit without question to your father’s every whim, idea, and preference, including his color choices for your clothes, or you are out in the cold, resisting his protection.

The Botkins criticize churches that operate by a senior pastor model (actually their father does: p. 296), as well as the modern missions movement, which they claim are unbiblical (p. 271). They go so far as to state that churches, not missionaries, are the “primary biblical missions agencies.” By that standard, even the Apostle Paul would not fit their criteria. They also condemn unmarried women missionaries like Amy Carmichael and Mary Slessor. The Botkin girls state that women missionaries can only bear a very small amount of fruit (p. 271), apparently not because they themselves have inspected this fruit in light of God’s Word, but based on their presupposition that a woman missionary cannot possibly bear much fruit because she is not living at home with her father according to “God’s design.”

They unequivocally advocate a dramatic pendulum-swing to the extreme opposite of our culture in order to somehow counterbalance it. This is human nature. When humans see errors in the way a previous generation did things, we tend to swing to the opposite extreme. It’s how people typically approach life, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right thing to do. Biblical balance is often somewhere in the middle.

I was also disappointed that the book contained misleading “research.” When you first open it, you notice that it is filled with footnotes, usually an indication that a book has been thoroughly researched. However, a closer examination reveals that a huge number of the footnotes, probably the majority, are from Vision Forum publications (the book’s publisher), or organizations with close ties to VF. Many, many of the people they quote with great authority are actually quite obscure, and not recognized authorities by anyone but a handful who subscribe to Botkin-style or extreme Reconstructionist views. Other footnotes are authoritative definitions of terms with no references whatsoever.

I must add that the best and most well-researched part of the book was Appendix B, direct quotes from militant feminists like Margaret Sanger. But the footnotes were a disappointment.

Finally, the Botkins (and Vision Forum in general) have a greatly romanticized and idealized view of history. America’s past was indeed more Christian than it is today, but it is hardly the shining ideal they describe. In their minds it seems almost perfect. At times in America’s history (before the second Great Awakening, for example), it was not safe for a woman to walk in the street because crime was so great. Christians at America’s great universities had to meet in secret and keep their notes in code for fear of persecution. America has a great and rich Christian history, but she has still been a country operated by broken, sinful people in a broken world. If we constantly try to improve ourselves and our society by a sentimental reach toward a better past, we’ll be disappointed in people and their methods. Our hope is Christ alone, not an idealized history.

**********

As I stated at the beginning, this is a beautiful, compelling book, written by lovely and talented young ladies. Nevertheless, I found that its positive messages were far outweighed by these concerns. I believe that God’s Word, properly applied, should be our standard. Decisions such as whether a daughter should live at home till marriage should be made with wisdom, but not with a distortion of what God has actually said.

~I realize there may be some confusion in regards to the date this was posted. I hijacked an unused draft and tucked this article back in my archives, since it doesn't really fit the current focus of my blog. The funny thing about blogger is that when you save a draft, it automatically publishes with the date the draft was saved, not the date you actually publish. So although the original date this draft was saved was in March of 2008, the article was just published February 6, 2009. Clear as mud? :)~

Fuzzy

2008-03-11T15:45:00.005-06:00

Am I the only one having difficulty with the time change? I used to expend a lot of passion on my hatred of daylight savings time (after all, I grew up in AZ where there was no such thing), but I gave that up as an absolute waste of my limited energy. Now I accept it peacefully, but my body is in overt rebellion this year.

On an entirely different note, I'm badly in need of an embroidery project, but my mind just won't get in creative gear to think of something. It would be nice if it's something I could work on in bits and pieces over the next weeks and even after the baby comes. I could have it all transferred and ready to go, for effortless crafting with a tiny one. But I can't think of anything. Ideas?

Books!

2008-03-06T20:14:00.005-06:00

Here are just a few of the wonderful hardcover children's books we got at a library book sale last weekend for $2 a bag. You can't beat a used book sale for excellent bargains! More info on building your home library cheaply here.

Show and Tell Friday hosted by Kelli.

Frugal Home Library

2008-03-06T13:05:00.006-06:00

One objection I sometimes hear to homeschooling is "It must be so expensive." Not really. Not only is it possible to buy curriculum inexpensively, a home library provides excellent resources for your homeschool. But books are expensive, right? They can be...But they don't have to be.

The cheapest way I've found to build your home library is used book sales. City libraries almost always have a yearly book sale of some kind, and some even have free tables or free rooms. In the city where Billy and I last lived, one of the local colleges accepted book donations all year and had a huge sale in the basketball coliseum. (Billy really loved this one because sometimes the families of deceased pastors would donate their entire libraries, providing an awesome selection of Christian books.)

These sales are almost always reasonable. I've been to some that charge a dollar or so for hardcover books, to as little as 10 cents apiece. Our local library has a sale where they charge 75 cents an inch. You can get a lot of children's books at that price. The other day we happened on a special sale that charged just $2 for all the books you could fit in a paper bag. By the time we were able to attend, the books were well picked over, but we still came away with 3 large bags of wonderful books, including children's classics as well as older history and science books. We spent just $6 for 50 or more books!

A side note that really has nothing to do with frugality: I love old history books because they are far more accurate (and less PC) than more recent ones. Science books may not be as up-to-date, but typically those about nature are still very accurate and tend to have beautiful illustrations. Finally, I really enjoy children's fiction from the 50's and earlier. I've noticed that there was a sharp turn in children's literature around 1965 from happy innocence to much darker subjects. Even the convers are less cheery. I might be old fashioned, but I think small children should read happy books. They will have enough death, depression, and drama to deal with in real life without providing it for their entertainment. Now that my 7-year-old is reading well, I'm much more aware of what I provide for her reading pleasure. Many years of used book shopping has taught me to scan spines for books that likely fall into these categories.

So call your local library and see if they have any kind of sale. Even if they don't they can probably point you in the direction of someone who does.

One more bit of advice: If you do find a good sale, try to arrive early. You'll discover that dyed in the wool bibliophiles will do just about anything to have first choice. At the college sale I mentioned, people camped out with lawn chairs and snacks as early as 3 hours in advance just for a chance to be first in the door. It became a fun tradition for us, too. It might sound like a lot of hassle, but it's worth it to build a home library for a little bit of nothing!

Frugal Fridays hosted by Crystal.

Easy Meatloaf

2008-03-05T15:13:00.004-06:00

We've been enjoying a lot of meatloaf around here lately. I'm all about easy, so I found a recipe for "Easy Meatloaf" online and made it even easier. Billy's complimentary, so it's probably pretty good. Here ya go...

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup 2% milk OR 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce--I put in a lot more!
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 T. or so minced garlic
• Generous shake onion powder
• Handful dry oatmeal--about 1/2 c.
• 1/2 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce

I also add a good shake of dried parsley. Mix everything together except the ketchup. Put into a big loaf pan or shape into a loaf in a baking dish, pour ketchup or bbq all over the top. Bake at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours or till it's no longer pink in the middle.

Rest

2008-03-04T14:05:00.003-06:00

Early to bed
Early to rise
Makes a man healthy,
Wealthy,
And wise.

-Ben Franklin

I grew up in a family of early-to-bedders and early risers, and I never remember feeling excessively tired as a child. I slowly got away from it, but I find right now, as I'm well into the third trimester of pregnancy, that I especially need adequate rest. It takes a lot of energy to sustain the life of another human being that now weighs several pounds.

I've heard that pre-midnight sleep hours are several times more effective than hours slept after midnight, and it seems true for me. I can sleep 8 hours starting at midnight and feel exhausted all day, or 8 hours starting at 10pm and get through my day with plenty of energy (especially when I'm not pregnant).

I've been staying up till 11:00 or so for the past few weeks, and yesterday I reached the end of my rope, physically and emotionally. Last night I headed to bed around 8:30 and Oh My! What a difference it made! I feel like a new person today.

I'm a slow learner, so I'm trying to keep this in mind for future days. Early to bed is good. Especially now.