Canning

Yesterday I put away over 2 dozen pints of home made turkey broth. It is a wonderful thought to know that when I make soup or anything else that requires broth, I can go to my pantry and get out a jar or two.

I know what's in it, and I did not have to pay money for it at the store! I consider it "free" because I counted the cost towards the meal the turkey was served at, and I have used my jars enough that I no longer consider the cost on them.

Technically, I should count the cost of the lid, since they are not reusable, so...maybe 10 cents a jar. Still alot better than what the cost is at the store!

I need to do a search on those tattler lids I have seen online. I wonder if they really live up to their claims.....hmmmm

This is wonderful!

Got this in an e-mail today:

After being interviewed by the school administration, the prospective teacher said:

'Let me see if I've got this right.

'You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning.

'You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride.

'You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.

'You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they all pass the final exams.

'You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their
handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English, Spanish or any other language, by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card

'You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard,a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.

'You want me to do all this and then you tell me. . . I CAN'T PRAY?

Menu for the week--12-27 to 01-01-11

Monday: Jam Chicken over rice

Tuesday: Baked Burritos

Wednesday: Corned Beef and Cabbage

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Restuarant. It's our anniversary!

Saturday: Standing rib roast, rolls and veggies.

Life keeps on going....

Well, she made her choice and it's to no longer live here. She is also saying that she is going to "get rid" of this pregnancy. This saddens us so, but she is an adult and feels that she can do what she wants. My heart breaks for her and her baby, but all I can do is pray.

Now we have to deal with explaining to I and A about her decision. Major prayerful consideration going into those future discussion. I just know that this will change the way they see their sister. (Another way that she will have a lifelong after affect of her decision!)

Well.... I had hoped to not have to make a post like this, but life happens and all we can do sometimes is do the best we can and pray!

Canning, canning, canning....

I am getting into the habit of canning in small batches a couple times a week.

In the past week I was able to can 7 quarts of kidney beans and I just put up 9 pints of chicken broth.

I also have a recipe for canning a "soup starter." I found it on this blog; Creative Chicks Soup starter.

I will post about it after I try it.

Like is never boring!

Goodness alot has happened since I last posted.

I have been accepted to Liberty, so I am getting all my financial stuff taken care of, so I can start in January.

Oh....also found out we are going to be grandparents! Of course, not the one that is in a committed relationship, but the other daughter. We are trying to encourage her to live here with us, but she is not sure. I don't see it as a hard decision; secure place to live, no worries about food, and people that will help her take care of the baby....compared to relying on "friends" for a place to live, no job so must rely on the government or friends for food and no help with the baby. To me there is not much to have to "think" about. Oh well, she will do what she wants and everyone else (including her unborn baby) be d*mned! (yes, small vent there)

Work is going good. Life is good, even if stressful. I am blessed in many, many ways!

Took the next big step in my journey to teach!

I applied to Liberty University Online yesterday! If all goes well, I will be starting with them in January.

Other than that, not much is going on. We (the kids and I) had the day off today, but I don't feel like I got much accomplished. :-( I worked on laundry, folded some laundry, did dishes, took to online quizzes, got two new tires on the car and now have brownies baking. I guess I did get some stuff done today after all. LOL

I have re-committed to my weightloss journey. I can not get to the local WW meetings, but I know the program and I have a really good online support group available, so I should be able to do this. I will update on my weightloss blog.

I need to get a menu written. Kinda late, but better late, than not at all. :-)

Monday morning check-in

It's November 1st. Wow.... 2010 is flying by.

Not much has gone on since my last post. Working, school and homelife going along fine. Going to get some beans soaking today so that I can can them tomorrow.

I plan to start canning at least one batch of something each week. Working full time takes away time in the kitchen, but I will work it in when I can. (no pun intended. LOL)

Post again soon......

Musing about my online "life"

I have come to the coclusion that I am on too many message boards. I do not post regularly on most of them, but they take up too much of my time.

I am going to close out the accounts that I can and just delete the links on my computers to the others and hopefully my account will be deleted for being inactive after awhile. I hate to do this, but the part of me that likes to lurk and be "nosey" is just too strong and taking away too much time for other things.

I am not going to list the boards here, but if I stopped coming to one that you are a regular, please do not take it personally.

Have a great weekend!

Big week last week!

I have a new neice! She was born October 19th, 2010. 6 lbs. 12 oz. 19 1/2 inches long!

Her daddy (my BIL) received his operational wings on the 22nd of that week!

The new little family is doing great!

Worst Blogger Award!

Sorry readers (if there are any!) but life has been busy and my online life is what has taken a move to the back seat!

I am now working full time as an Instructional Assistent in Special Education at my daughter's elementary school. I love it!

I am also still going to college to finish up my final semester at the Community college before transferring to a University to finish my teaching degree.

Besides those two, I am also still a wife and mother, which is a full job in itself!

I am still trying to live as frugal as possible and hope to post about some of the ways I am doing that while working full time.

Have a great Thursday!

I lost a very special family friend yesterday.

I have known her since I was about 4 1/2 years old! I grew up at her home almost as much as I was at my own at times.

Cancer! It is a cruel, cruel manifestation of all that has gone wrong in this world since Adam and Eve fail from perfection! I don't beleive there is a person on this earth that has not been affected by this dreadful disease.

Sleep now, Linda. We will see you again in the New System, where cancer will be a thing of the past; just like all other illnesses and even death!

:-(

The final countdown.....

School starts in two weeks!

I will be working some days the week before, but everyone starts back on the 23rd.

So, between now and then I am finishing up getting school supplies together, new shoes for those that need them and renting a clarinet for the boy.

Also, within the next two weeks I need to work out a plan for meals. I need to get into the swing of planning out my meals again. I also want to start using my crockpot some more.

Also... I have not used my rottiserrie (sp?) in a long time, so I have a whole chicken defrosting in the fridge right now. :-)

Things are getting back to normal, kinda.

I am such a bad blogger!

I always plan to get on here and post, but it never seems to come to fruition! I need to find an app for my ipod that allows me to post here. That would be SO cool!

Anyways....what is going on here:

Garden is doing really good this year. I have cukes coming out my ears. I will have more cantelopes and watermelons that I will know what to do with! My tomatos are prolific, but alot of them seem to be splitting before they become ripe. :-( Considering how dry it has been, maybe we are over compensating with the sprinklers....hmm still figuring that one out.

Classes are finishing up for the summer. So far, so good. I did find out that taking Spanish online is NOT for me. Only class I have ever had to drop. But having a "withdrawl" on my record on my transcript is better than an "F" in the long run. Plus it was not a requirement for my degree.

I was hired on full time as an instructional assistant at our elementary school. :-D That is nice! I even have a photo badge and everything!

School starts on the 23rd of August, but I will probably need to work some the week before. Have not heard anything definite about that yet.

I also plan to start looking into "Once a month" cooking. I plan to use my crockpot more, but sometimes I want meals that are not crockpot friendly, and having an entree in the freezer sounds like the way to go.

Well... that will be all for now. I do hope that I don't wait another month and a half to post again, but I am not making any promises!

Menu.....Wednesday??? LOL

I keep forgetting to post this on Monday. LOL

Monday- French Onion Soup

Tuesday- Leftovers (cleaned out the fridge)

Wednesday- Chili w/cornbread

Thursday- Crockpot pork ribs

Friday- Pizza

Saturday- Grilled steaks, potatos

What do you think?

Okay... I was lurking in the atheist/agnostic parenting forum on a message board I frequent when I read a rant by one of the ladies there.

She was upset that her MIL taught her 2.5 year daugther to say "thank you Jesus, amen" before eating. She went on about how they are not respecting their non-beliefs and so on... At first, it seems like a valid argument, until....

She states how her in-laws watch her every friday while they play softball, and that sometimes it is overnight so that the little girl is not up late.

Now, it is just me or does this seem a bit childish? I mean, her in-laws watch her for them, what seems to be every friday and they are upset that the little girl pick up saying grace before meals???

The poster even states in a later post that her MIL said that she didn't "teach" the little girl to say it, but that she sees them say grace before meals and that's how she must have picked it up.

So.... does she expect her in-laws to change their habits and beliefs for her?? Seriuosly! I mean, if my MIL watched my kids for me on a weekly basis I would not complain about something like a 2.5 year old saying an innocent prayer before eating!

I could understand if they were teaching the little girl racist things or that people who don't beleive are evil, but to complain over something like this??? PULEEZE.... if it's so terrible, find a babysitter!

Okay... mini-rant over. I feel better. LOL

Menu Monday

Monday: Corned beef and cabbage

Tuesday: Clean out the fridge night

Wednesday: Crockpot chicken thighs cooked in spagetti sauce, served over rice

Thursday: Grilled steaks, potatos and green beans

Friday: Pizza night

Saturday: Grilled chicken, mixed grilled veggies and bread

Sunday: Kings Dominion: Pasta salad with grilled chicken, veggies and cheese.

Working full time, going to school full time and blogging...

do NOT mix! LOL

I don't plan for it to go SO long between blog posts, but life gets in the way!

We have our garden in, for the most part. I have some more blueberry and raspberry bushes in this year, oh... I also have some wonderful flowering strawberry plants in my front flower bed! I am more for function than looks! LOL

This week and next is finals week for three of my classes. Then I start the summer semester on May 17th. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel... I am almost DONE with my Associates degree! Yay me!!!

Book Review: Family Feasts for $75 a Week.

This is a wonderfull cookbook from a blogging mom! You can read about her and her family of 12 at Owlhaven.

After reading the book, I like the wonderful Mrs. Ostyn writes about her family life and how she adapts recipes for her family. I like the easy recipes and her hints on ways to make them even for frugal!

I fixed Chili Corn Pone Pie (pg 112) for my family the other day. Overall it recieved good reviews. The only desenter was my youngest who is not partial to beans, expect of the green variety. LOL For my family, I will make it saucier next time, but there will be a next time with this recipe. Which is a good thing!

So, if you are in the market for a new cookbook, check out "Family Feasts for $75 a Week" by Mary Ostyn.

**I am not receiving any kind of compensation for this review. I even bought the cookbook myself.**

Blizzard of 2010

That's how the local news is describing it. LOL This is from the first wave of the storm. I was going to get some pictures of todays new one, but the wind was SO bad that it was pure white outside most of the day. Maybe I can get some pictures tomorrow.

I had not realized I have been THAT busy!

I have been working full time at the school and I am taking a full course load of classes this semester. Add that to keeping house, I am one BUSY lady!

I do not want life to get in the way of my blogging, but I am not sure how I am going to work my posts into my schedule. Maybe I can plan to spend 10-15 minutes a night thinking of things to write about and then another 10-15 minutes in the morning posting those thoughts.

I still need to be frugal, but how I do that is changing. I can not spend as much time cooking as I used to, but I don't want to start buying convenience food either. Not just because of costs, but also because of health reasons!

I will work this out and start posting more.