SINCE MY HOUSE SMELLS SO GOOD

I'm going to do an extra post today. I'm making one of my favorite recipes right now. My house is filled with the aroma of this yummy food and it's inspired me to share the recipe with my faithful readers.

REFRIED BEANS WITHOUT THE REFRY
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Refried-Beans-Without-the-Refry/Detail.aspx

1 onion, peeled and halved
3 c. dried pinto beans
½ fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 T. minced garlic
5 t. salt
1 ¾ t. pepper
1/8 t. cumin
9 c. water

Combine all ingredients in crockpot; stir. Cook on high for 8 hours (it goes in about 4 hours in my crockpot, so stick around the first time you make it to figure out how long it takes in yours). Strain, reserving liquid. Remove onion halves. Mash beans, adding reserved liquid to desired consistency.

Notes: Use this recipe as a starting point and tweak to your liking. My favorite method is to do half pinto and half black beans, skip the jalapeno, dice half the onion (it gets mashed with the beans while the other half gets removed after cooking), use 2-3 t. salt, add more cumin, and use chicken or veggie broth in place of half the water. I always double the batch and freeze in quart sized bags for taco nights. Sometimes I opt out of mashing them and freeze in some liquid. I also freeze the extra liquid and use it when making rice. If you do that, then keep in mind some of the bean liquid is actually solid (bean stuff) and you'll need just a tad more water.

SUMMERY DESSERT

I don't know if "summery" is even a real word. And this culinary delight can be eaten any time of the year. So "summery dessert" may not be the best title. It just seems like a summer time treat though. Lemon bars. I love lemon bars!! Just made some last night and thought I'd share the recipe I use. Now, I know some of you make them out of a box and that's ok. After all, I've never met a lemon bar I didn't like. However, the homemade ones are even better and they aren't hard to make. So, give them a try!

SUNBURST LEMON BARS
The Pillsbury Cookbook

CRUST
2 c. all purpose flour
½ c. powdered sugar
1 c. margarine or butter, softened

FILLING
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. sugar
¼ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ c. lemon juice

GLAZE
1 c. powdered sugar
2-3 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine crust ingredients at low speed until crumbly. Press mixture evenly in bottom of ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until light golden brown.

In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients, except lemon juice; blend well. Stir in lemon juice. Pour over warm crust. Return to oven and bake 25-30 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely.

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for desired consistency; blend until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars.

LINKS I LIKE #2

Ok, I have a few sites to throw out to you. Ready?

I'll start with Jess. Her blog is called Making Home and it's filled with all sorts of fantastic stuff, both encouraging and challenging. I was originally intending on showing her recent post about Romans 14 and how it applies to the prideful and judgemental attitudes moms can have toward each other. Then she had an excellent post on a marital dilemma. I guess I'd suggest going to her site and reading in whatever categories appeal to you. It's all good!

If you want to listen to commercial free music while the computer is on, then check out Pandora. You can create multiple stations based on particular songs or artists. It's wonderful!!

Next on the lineup is The Pioneer Woman. Oh. My. Word. She's amazing! She is hysterically funny and a kick in the pants to read. She's constantly giving away prizes, has tons of pictures, a whole section of her site devoted to photography, another to cooking, one to home and garden, and the rest to whatever floats her boat.

Ashley sent me a link to the following site. It's called Stuff Christians Like and it's a riot. If you like sarcasm and are comfortable mocking some of the silly things that go on in churches, then you'll enjoy this site.

Metro Parent is a site that has a lengthy list of activities for families in the Portland area.

And I think we'll call that a wrap.

E - E - E - E - E - E

Encouragement - I have a bad habit. I knew it was a little problem, but two people mentioned it the other day. Now I know it's a big problem. I interrupt. A lot. I need to stop interrupting. I need all of you to encourage me to keep my mouth shut when someone else is talking. If I cut you off, then just remind me that you were still talking. I'm totally serious. Call me on it. Encourage me to not be a conversation hog.

Etsy Envy - If we were playing Scattergories, then I'd get double points for that heading. Now, I don't really have a problem with Etsy. My issue is with anyone who is qualified to sell stuff there. The artsy, crafty and/or creative people. I am completely jealous of people who can create something cool, who can envision what something could become and then make the transformation, who can transform the "blah" into the "wow", who can paint or draw or sew or knit or whatever.

Experiment - Have you ever pigged out on gummy worms? Did you feel bloated after the fact? Well, Becky and Brandon told us that gummy worms expand in liquid. Not that we don't trust them, but we had to check this out ourselves. And we're homeschoolers, so we can call it science. Anyway, we measured a gummy worm, then kept it in water for about 24 hours, then measured it again. Wowza!! Check this out. There are other pics on our Webshots page, but this should suffice for here. The thing doubled in size!!!

The original worm at 3.75 inches.

The bloated worm at 7 inches.

LET'S BRAINSTORM GIFT IDEAS

I've had conversations with a few people lately about giving gifts to kiddos. I think it's safe to say that most, as in 99.99%, of kids don't need more toys. Most have enough. Many have way too many. I realize "way to many" is pretty subjective. It's just my personal opinion. I like keeping things simple and that's hard to accomplish when there are 27 million toys in my house. So, in addition to having a "have less than 27 million toys" rule at our house, we also keep a policy of "new toy in, old toy out". The old toys go in a box to save for Naomi, on the curb in a box of freebies, to Goodwill, or to some kid we know. The boys help with the toy purging process and do a great job.

Anyway, I don't think toys are bad gifts. They're fun. There are new ones to discover as children get older. Toys are good. Really good. I'm not a toy grinch. I promise. I just like a balance.

Now back to brainstorming. I generally don't give toys as gifts. Instead I opt for books (it's my personal belief that one can never have too many books), consumables, board or card games, outdoor stuff, or something educational. The child in question always gets plenty of toy gifts anyway.

So, I'll give a list of non-toy gifts that our family enjoys giving and ones they've enjoyed receiving. Then your job is to post a comment with other ideas of non-toy gifts. Got it? Ok, here goes.


I Spy books
Where's Waldo? books
ant farms
Coldstone gift cards
Magnetix
Jamba Juice gift cards
puzzles
Candy Land
Eric Carle books
create a (fill in the blank) kits from Michael's
seeds/spade/trowel
buckets
balls
Pump It Up passes
slip n' slide
Chutes and Ladders
basketball hoops
costumes and dress-up stuff


Ok, that's what comes to mind immediately. I'm sure I'll think of more things as soon as I turn the computer off.

Now, you give me your ideas!

D - D - D - D - D - D

Daring Do - The boys needed something to do while I read to them on Friday morning. So, they styled my hair. Then they informed me that the hairdo was for the whole day, not just the morning. That means I went to Becky and Brandon's looking beee-yooooo-teee-full that night. Kelly and Hannah were there too. I'm pretty sure that Becky and Hannah were jealous of my hair bling. Or at least of my cool sons.

The boys and their hairstyling client.

And the view from the back.

Debut - Silas loves to take pictures. So, as of tonight, he has his own Webshots page. He came up with the name. He took the pics. He comes up with the captions. I just do the uploading and typing. He payed me in Kettle Korn that he bought with his own money at the Beaverton Farmer's Market on his Saturday date with Tim. I like edible payment.

Discipline - As many of you already know, I'm not a big fan of parenting books. The first reason is I think it's sad when people cash in their brain and use someone else's. Particularly when they treat a particular author or method of parenting as gospel. The second reason is that there are so many different approaches to parenting that you can find on a bookstore shelf and they all have some truth or positive results. Parents just end up confused when they read contradictory information. My approach is to use your brain. God gave it to you for a reason. If you get stuck on a particular aspect of parenting, then seek help in that specific area. I think the best place to seek counsel is from parents of children you enjoy being around and families who you admire. Find out what those people are doing that's working! And if you don't have kids yet, then start paying attention NOW! Don't wait til Junior is a three year old nightmare before you start thinking about how you want to parent.

Now that I've said all that, I want to give you two places for advice on training and disciplining your kiddos, if you are needing some help in those areas. First is Kevin Leman's book Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours. I love Kevin Leman! He's funny and practical, a fantastic combination. His books are always easy reads. I like recommending this book to people who ask about how we deal with the little Ws. He puts into words what our approach to parenting is. I'm a big fan of natural consequences and so is he.

The second place is a website called Raising Godly Tomatoes. There's a ton of info on the site and you may or may not agree with everything you read. Again, that's why God gave you a brain. However, there is one particular portion that talks about "tomato staking". I first heard the term on the Sonlight forums and checked out the site. The way it plays out will vary by family, but the concept is helpful to all parents.

EASY & TASTY

Last weekend someone asked me for the rice cooker mac and cheese recipe I use. I got the recipe from the Sonlight forums and don't recall where it originated from, but I wanted to make sure no one thought I was brilliant enough to come up with it myself. Just trying to give credit where credit is due. Or at least avoid having credit go where it isn't deserved.

Anyway, here is the recipe for an easy, peasy and super yummy meal. We have a big rice cooker, all love the recipe, and are fans of leftovers. So, we always double the recipe. This recipe is NOT doubled.



RICE COOKER MAC & CHEESE

2 c. noodles
1 c. stock or water
1 c. heavy cream
1 ½ c. grated, mixed cheese
2 T. butter
½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
pinch cayenne

Place pasta and all liquids in rice cooker and start cooking. When the cooker switches to “warm” add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Notes: I never add the butter and use regular cream because it’s cheaper.. It turns out fine either way. We’ve used various combos of cheddar, mozzarella, jack, and swiss. Next in the lineup is pepperjack.

MY LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN

Last night I told Tim that I wanted to spend time with my fourth baby after dinner. Both boys gave me strange looks. Finally Silas asked what baby I was talking about. My garden. Duh! They think I'm weird. I'm not. I just really love everything about my garden. As I walked out the door I said "off to see my baby". Devon got to the back door about the time I hit the dirt and hollered "It's a gaaaarden, Mom, not a baby". Then he smirked and rolled his eyes.

Without further ado, let me introduce you to the 2008 edition of our garden. And by "our", I really mean "my". "Our" just sounds more friendly and stuff. Here is 537 square feet of heaven on earth.

Oh dear! I'm coming back here after the fact to add one small detail that I failed to mention. There are actually things planted in that dirt. Bri, thanks for asking! This year we have pumpkin, corn, jalapenos, carrots, multiple varieties of lettuce, peas, cukes, green beans, spinach, cilantro, tomatoes, zukes, watermelon, strawberries, basil, bell peppers, and a ton of flowers. Tomatoes, strawberries, and a few flowers are all that are above ground right now. Everything else was started from seed.

This is the side that is out my kitchen window. It goes, moving to the left, garden, grass, patio, house. Notice our compost bins in the background.

And this is the other side.

And this is the back section, which is on the side of the garage. The previous pictures is behind me (as I was taking this pic) and on my left. The fence in the background of this pic borders our driveway.

REASON #93806937 I LOVE MY DAD

He makes me laugh. I needed to laugh this morning! This is an e-mail I received from him this morning. For the record, the "historical" information in his note is fictional.


Bethany,

Your blog posting about complaining too much reminded me of the passage in Romans 7 where Paul discusses the ongoing struggle we all have as believers doing the things we know we shouldn't do and then not doing the things we know we should be doing.

Well, back in the 1960's the Beach Boys wrote a song about this very struggle. In addition to being singers-of-surfin'-songs, the Beach Boys were also musical theologians. One of their best songs was originally called "Help Me, Jesus", dealing with this ongoing struggle, but the pagans back then got hold of the lyrics and changed it to "Help Me, Rhonda". Sad.

Anyway, I just happen to have the lyrics to the original, untainted version of the song. I also have guitar chords if you'd be encouraged by having Tim strum and sing for you.

Open the attachment and sing the words to the tune of "Help Me, Rhonda" and your spirit will be lifted and you will gain biblical perspective to your struggle with complaining and with all those other sins.

Dad



HELP ME, JESUS

Since I came into this world I’ve been out livin’ in my sin
Then I read in the Bible, Jesus said “You must be born again”
He gave me eternal life
But I’m still feelin’ some kinda strife
You gotta help me, Jesus, help me keep You close to my heart

Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, yeah, keep You close to my heart

Well, the things I should be doin’ are the things I never want to do
And the things I should avoid are the very things that I pursue
There must be something that I just don’t git
‘Cuz I’m feelin’ like a hypocrite
You gotta help me, Jesus, help me keep You close to my heart

Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, help, help me, Jesus
Help me, Jesus, yeah, keep You close to my heart

I. AM. FRIED.

My eyes started improving after taking a nap yesterday. So, that's a huge blessing. I skipped church and went to bed early to try to catch up on all the sleep I've missed during my stretch of nights with only five hours. Couldn't fall asleep. The house was cold. Our thermostat isn't working. I have no idea why. I'll be calling the landlord shortly about that. Finally konked out around 10. Naomi woke up at 3. She cried off and on til 6. She only fell asleep then because I was rocking her.

I'm tired. I'm cold. I don't want to parent today. I don't want to make my bed. I don't want to do my dishes. I don't want to take care of the pile of toys in our hallway that I need to sort through. I don't want to get dressed. I don't want to do anything.

Just a little over 9 hours til Tim gets home. Not that I'm counting.

And now I'll return to my "no complaining" habit.

C - C - C - C - C - C

Cages - Two years ago we used those cone shaped, wire tomato cages. They couldn't support the weight of the tomato plants and toppled over. The plants didn't die, but we lost a bunch of tomatoes in the bottom of the heap. Last year my dad came to the rescue and created custom tomato cages. They're fantastic!! So, if you need inexpensive and sturdy tomato cages, then check these out. I don't remember the exact measurements, but I think each side is 3'x3'. They're made completely out of PVC and held together with velcro. You can disassemble them into the three individual sides for easy storage.





Coldstone - I love ice cream. I really do. And I really love Coldstone ice cream. However, as you know, I am a bargain shopper and never pay full price for anything other than produce. And Coldstone is pricey. So, Tim and I get it with the BOGO coupons from the paper periodically. It's one our little indulgences in life. Want to know my current favorite flavor? Apple Pie A La Coldstone. Ready for the ingredients? French vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, graham cracker pie crust, apple pie filling, and caramel. Salivating? You should be!



Complaining - Last week it struck me that I complain way too much. I don't know why this fact suddenly became so clear to me, but it's better late than never. So, I decided to make an effort to cut the complaining, to find the positive spin on the situation I want to gripe about. Guess what happened about 24 hours after making that decision. Allergies. My eyes are so puffy and red and itchy. I haven't had a good night's sleep in a few days. Such is life for me in May. Needless to say, I've failed at my attempt to stop complaining. However, I've definitely been much more aware of what comes out of my mouth. There have been many more times that I've chosen to keep my mouth shut or found something positive to say than there have been times that I've complained. I figure a red, puffy eyed, sleep deprived girl has a right to do a little complaining. And I'm thankful that I have eyes. And that they work. Even if they itch.

A COUPLE MOVIE PLUGS

We checked out two very different, yet equally good, movies from the library recently.

First, A Mighty Heart. It's the story of Daniel Pearl's kidnapping from the viewpoint of his wife, Mariane Pearl. It's rated R for language, which I realize will be a deal breaker for some of you. If you can get past that detail, then I'd encourage you to watch it. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be overseas and pregnant when your Jewish husband is kidnapped by Muslim terrorists. The scene where Mariane finds out that Daniel is dead is heart-wrenching! If you still aren't sure if it's your kind of flick, then click here for an objective list of possibly offensive things to decide whether or not you want to watch it.

Second, and on a much lighter note, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. We had a family movie night and watched it with the boys. What a treat! It's magical like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with some good life lessons thrown in. It's rated G and there is absolutely no excuse not to watch it. Our whole family enjoyed it. Oh, that there were more good, clean movies!!

MONKEYS & SLUGS

Friday was a beautiful day! So, the kids and I spent the morning at the zoo with some friends. Good times were had by all!

Parker, Devon, and Silas monkey around on a rail.

Addy and Naomi slug around in their strollers.

WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY DAY?

Of course you do. After all, you came here to read whatever fascinating thing I was going to write about. So, let me just tell you what a stinkin' great day this was. Oh my!

I woke to the sound of Silas coming out of his room. Admittedly, it was a little too early for my liking, particularly since Naomi had me up half the night. But that's not the point.

Since yesterday was a scorcher and today was going to be the same, I decided I may as well head outside to do some gardening. Now, in case you've missed this little tidbit about me along the way ... I love yardwork and gardening!!! So, at 7:00 I was outside planting seeds. Silas came out with me and we just enjoyed the quiet morning together.

A short time later Tim and the rest of the crew got out of bed. Since we were all hungry and I was extremely busy getting my hands dirty, Tim was in charge of breakfast. He just happened to have a box of doughnuts that he'd brought home from work last night. Have I mentioned that I have a major sweet tooth? Well, it's the truth. The tasty truth. Can't beat doughnuts for breakfast, right? Wrong!! Having a doughnut picnic on your back patio at 7:30 in the morning while it's just about 70 degrees if delightful!

I worked until about 8:30 and then Tim headed off to a men's Bible study. Naomi konked out and I hung out with the boys in their room for a couple hours. I worked on budgeting that blessing called an "economic stimulus check" while they played. Then we piled on Devon's bed to read a couple books. Then we sprawled out on the floor to work on some puzzles. Have I mentioned that my boys are pretty much great? Well, they are. Feel free to remind me of that when I'm turning into psycho-mom.

Tim comes home. We eat some lunch and the kids go down for naps. Tim works on his car while I finish money stuff. Have I mentioned that I love budgeting and box checking and list making? Well, I do. I'm just nerdy like that.

Then everyone wakes up from naps and returns from running errands. We all get dressed and head out the door to a birthday party. Jayden's birthday party! The extra Weathersby is turning eight!! So, the boys and Tim spent over an hour rollerskating at Oaks Park. They all had a sweaty, but great time gliding around the place. I got to snuggle Naomi, visit with Kema, who I miss seeing all the time, and eat an ice cream cake. Have I mentioned how grown up the boys are getting? Well, they are. You should have seen them working so hard on skating, shaking off each Weathersby Wipeout (that's what crashes of any kind are in our neck of the woods) and popping back up on their feet, and persevering. They were each noticeably better at skating when we left than they were when we arrived.

We headed home after the party and I wolfed down a honkin' bowl of salad. Then it was off to perform my all-time favorite chore. I got to mow the lawn. Have I mentioned that I love mowing the lawn? Well, I do. I was very crabby about giving that chore to Tim in the last 6 weeks or so of my pregnancy with Naomi. Anyway, I mowed the lawn for just over an hour. Our combination of moss, dandelions and grass looks spectacularly smooth and even right now.

Now it gets even better. I got to go back out to the garden. I was out there for over an hour planting more seeds. Have I mentioned that I love gardening? I did? All righty then, I won't bring it up anymore.

I lied. I'm going to talk about it some more. I love making a little map of how I want to plant everything. I love getting my fingers dirty. I love making neat and tidy little rows of things. I love watering at the end of the day. I love seeing little sprouts shoot up through the ground. I love yanking weeds.

As darkness fell at about 9:00 I headed in and took a shower. I was one grubby girl. Have I mentioned I love showers? I do. Particularly really long, scalding hot ones. I hate baths. But don't tell my boys I said that, because they aren't allowed to say "I hate" and I don't want their image of a perfect mother to be shattered.

Then I realized I was hungry. It's hot. It's 9:00. I don't want to cook. I definitely want to eat. Guess what was in my fridge? Rice cooker mac and cheese. Have I mentioned that I love leftovers? I do. Instant food. Real food. Not snacks. And I love rice cooker mac and cheese.

And I ate my delicious leftovers while I blogged about my day. Have I mentioned that I love blogging? I do. I think it's an overflow of my love of talking.

Now I'm going to go log into my Grocery Game account and find out what fabulous deals and freebies I'm going to score at Rite Aid and Walgreens in the morning.

And that's that.

The day is done and it's been fabulous!

FREE ADVERTISING #3

The kids are in bed. Tim's watching a movie. I'm wasting the night away online. Figured I may as well do something worthwhile, so I'm directing you to the sites of some friends and acquaintances.

Randi took the plunge this week and started a blog dedicated to her photography! All the pics are great, but the ones of children and babies are so stinkin' cute!! So, if you are in the Portland area and need some photos taken, then check out her work.

Are you a "save the planet" type of girl? Try to avoid using disposable products? Then Jen's cloth pads would be right up your alley. I'm a bit of a "ruin the environment" kind of girl myself when it comes to these products, but I know LOTS of women who love the cloth! If I was going to go for something more environmentally friendly, then Jen's the girl I'd go to. Plus, she's just a fun person.

Ginnymae's site is filled with purses and totes of all kinds - quilted, straw, feedbag, etc. She also makes "hares and bears", miniature rabbits and bears, for just about every occasion you could think of. Right now her site is offering free shipping on hares, bears, and straw purses!!

If you've known me for any length of time, then you know that I have a major sweet tooth. Well, one of the sugary treats I tried recently was a lavender cake that Seri, a woman from church, made. Oh. My. Word. It was fantastic!! I'm going to send you straight to her menu so you can salivate all over your keyboard. If you live in the Portland area and need a tasty cake for a wedding, birthday, or just for kicks, then she's your lady!

And that wraps up another free advertising post. Be sure to check out these sites and keep these women in mind for your own needs or for gift giving.

B - B - B - B - B - B

Balls - My dad made a tether ball stand while he was here over the weekend. The boys have enjoyed whacking that yellow ball around the pole. We had a really cool tether ball setup when I was a kid and we'd spend hours playing. We're making it adjustable, so the adults and the kids can enjoy it. Now I just need to play against Tim. I'll get smoked, but it will be fun.

Bargains - Value Village has one of their 50% off days coming up, so mark your calendars!! Buy for now. Buy for later. Just be sure to snag some good deals. Here is a link for store locations in America, Australia, and Canada.

Box Day - Yesterday was our third Box Day. That's the blessed day that our curriculum arrives for the upcoming year. The FedEx delivery person is our best friend for the day. Or the month. We bust the box open and the boys take turns reading the titles to me while I mark off the packing list. We have about 3 1/2 weeks left in this year and we'll start next year in July. Oh, the anticipation!!

It takes a while to get through the box when you have to look through each and every book.

Smiles from the list checker and the title readers. Box Day is fun!

A GOOD DAY

Just making a public declaration that today was a good day. Bible was read. Muffins were baked. School was done. Laundry was taken care of. Cookies got baked. Boys' drawers got purged. Boys' summer clothes got brought out. Multiple projects got dealt with online.

And I thoroughly enjoyed all three of my kids. They were all cooperative, obedient, fun, and cute. And I didn't yell or whine at them.

What a good day!

Now I'm off to take a scalding hot shower and hit the sack. The perfect ending to a good day.

MOTHER'S DAY - 2008

Posing with the offspring on Mother's Day. Aren't they cute?

A - A - A - A - A - A

Agriculture - My dad came over the weekend for his annual "rototill Bethany's garden" trip to our house. I love planting. I love weeding. I love watering. I love harvesting. So, now it's time to get some stuff in the dirt!!



Armpits - I'm giving you this information as an act of community service. So, be prepared to be thankful. A couple years ago someone told us about a product that has changed our lives. Admittedly, it's a small-scale change, but it's a fantastic one nonetheless. You see, we had spent years looking for a deodorant that worked longer than five minutes and didn't stain clothing. We had spent a small fortune looking for this product. It didn't exist. Then Tanya, an angel sent from heaven, told us about "the crystal". It works for 24 hours. It doesn't stain. The stick lasts about a year. So, if you have a stinky family member or just don't like the deodorant you're using, then I highly recommend this deodorant crystal. We buy ours at Fred Meyer, in the health food store area, for about $6.00, but it's available other places too. Here is what it looks like.

Attitude - I have been struggling in my attitude toward one of the little Ws lately. My frustrations with their disobedience and concerns over not reaching their heart really get me discouraged and annoyed. I frequently find myself pushing that child away, either in thought or action. And, for the record, I don't literally mean "pushing", but sending to another room, putting in time out, etc. Anyway, I've felt convicted about it, but haven't known what to do. So, starting today, my approach is "pull close when I want to push away". It will not come naturally. It will take effort. A lot of effort. But I really think it will make a difference. So, feel free to ask my how I'm doing. I could use the accountability.

CORNBREAD

I will never be the amazing cook that my friend, Laura, is. I will never chill my salad plates like she does. However, I can copy her in one food related area. I can post a recipe on my blog.

This is a cornbread recipe that my grandmother gave me and it's so yummy!! This is the original recipe. I also have it posted on allrecipes, where it has five stars and over 400 reviews. Have I mentioned that it's stinkin' good cornbread? If you do things gluten-free at your house, then this is a site where someone tweaked the recipe for you.

Happy eating!!

CORNBREAD
Lucille Schneider, my grandmother

1/4 lb. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 t. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. unsifted flour
1/4 t. salt

Melt butter in large pan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Add cornmeal, flour and salt. Stir until well blended. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Notes: Sometimes this takes longer than 30 minutes for me, though that tends to be when I use whole wheat flour instead of regular.. So, allow a little cushion of time when you cook it with whole wheat flour. It freezes well. Just wrap it in foil, then thaw and warm (in the foil) before serving. I have this recipe online where it’s gotten rave reviews. Check out the link for tips!

SCHOOL DEBT

PART ONE – This is a letter I wrote to my step-sister as she was struggling with the financial aspect of her choice of where to attend college. Her desire was to go to one of two Christian schools. She lives near a small state school. I don’t think there is necessarily a right or wrong choice in the matter, but I wanted to give her a reality check about what school debt looks like post-college. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with attending an expensive school. I do, however, think a person should seriously consider the fallout of taking on massive debt to attend an expensive school. These questions are geared toward a female, but many also apply to males. Perhaps they'll help some of you as you decide where to send your kids for college.

First, I'm going to give you some numbers and facts. Second, I'm going to give you some questions to think about. You obviously don't have to give me the answers. I'm just giving you my two cents on school loans and some long-term results of them for you to ponder.

Now, it would be awesome if the Lord dropped a full-ride scholarship to the school of your choice into your lap. Just in case he doesn't, I'll give you a few things to think about. I think it's really important to figure out your approach to debt as soon as possible. I love you no matter what you decide. :)

Ok, here goes. Tim has 50,000 in school debt. It's a 30 year loan, much like a home loan, except that education doesn't appreciate in value like a home. The interest on the debt is 40,000. So, we will be paying for Tim's education until we are 60 and it will cost us 90,000. He will be nearing retirement by the time we finish paying off his school debt.

We pay 250 each month toward school debt. Actually, right now it's just going toward interest. We haven't even started to touch the principal. That is money that could go in savings or toward home ownership, but it's going toward debt. We could lessen the amount of interest paid if we could afford to pay extra each month. We can't afford to.

Here are some things to think about.

What is the average salary of the job you are pursuing?

How does that compare to the amount of debt you're considering going into for school?

What would the total debt, principal plus interest, be on the debt that you are considering going into?

Do you desire to be a career woman or a SAHM?

If you get married in your twenties and have kids soon after, assuming you want to be a SAHM, how will you feel about the debt you went into for the few years you spent working before kids?

If you get married in your twenties and have kids soon after, assuming you put them in daycare, how will you feel about the fact that someone else is spending all day with your kids so that you can pay off school debt?

If you don't get married in your twenties, would you want to spend that time making extra payments toward your debt in order to decrease the amount of interest you owe?

Would you rather spend 250 (ok, that's our number, but we'll use it for the sake of example) each month for 30 years on debt or home ownership?

When you get married, do you want to present your husband with tens of thousands of dollars in debt as a wedding gift?

How would you feel about your husband working to pay off your school debt while you are at home raising kids?

Does an education that plunged you into debt give you any advantage over an education with no or minimal debt when it comes to looking for a job?

Does an education that plunged you into debt give you better friends, closer walk with the Lord, or more fun in your college years than an education with no or minimal debt?

What do you consider to be the long and short term advantages of an expensive school over a relatively inexpensive school? Are those advantages worth paying for until you are 50-60?

What are the long and short term disadvantages of an expensive school over a relatively inexpensive school?

What are the long and short term advantages of an inexpensive school over an expensive one?

What are the long and short term disadvantages of an inexpensive school over an expensive one? Are those disadvantages worth living with in exchange for not paying for school until you near retirement?

Is there any guarantee that you will find a job right after graduation, regardless of where you go to school?

Is there any guarantee that your income will allow you to make large debt payments, regardless of where you go to school?

If need a certain education for pursuing the job you are interested in, then would you rather pay X amount for it or 10X?

Does paying the larger amount for your education help you in any way on the job or increase your salary?

Well, that's the stuff off the top of my head. I know it's a lot. I just want you to really think through it carefully. I wish more time was spent with high school seniors talking about the long-term results of school loans.


PART TWO – Just a couple more thoughts as she was asking college graduates whether or not they thought the debt of an expensive school was worthwhile.

First, Romans 13:8, which says "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another". It's one I ponder a lot, particularly when it comes to buying a house. Just something to think about.

Second, be sure to get as specific as possible when asking people how they feel about their school debt. If all I said was "I hate it" you wouldn't be helped. Nor are you helped when someone tells you they have no regrets about their school debt. Find out WHY they feel the way they do. Find out how they feel about debt in general. Find out how much they pay each month and how long they'll be paying it off. Find out what percentage of their monthly income goes to school debt. Get the nitty gritty so that you can make a more educated decision.


4/8/11 UPDATE - We have worked our tails off and now have Tim's debt down to $25,000. Our required payment is now $321/month. We moved into an apartment one year ago for the sole purpose of paying the debt down faster. In addition to the $321 minimum payment, we've also been paying an extra $250 each month. That's 19%, or one fifth, of our income going to school debt. Between that extra payment and some random financial stuff, we've been able to knock $5,000 off our debt this year. However, like I said, we still have $25,000 to go.

Now, due to dealing with mold in our apartment, we have to move. Do we continue living cheaply and pay the debt down faster, but risk another moldy apartment that fits in the same price range? Do we shrink the extra payments, which means more money paid in interest and a longer time until the debt is gone, and move to a more expensive and non-moldy apartment? Do we walk away from hearing our neighbors pee, cough, and flush, from having communal yard space we can't use because it's filled with dog poop and flooded with rain or sprinkler water all year, and just rent another house, knowing that we won't be able to make extra payments on the debt? Do we try to buy a house, despite the fact the only ones we can afford to buy are teeny tiny, falling apart, and/or in horrible locations, yet cost the same as a not-so-great apartment?

These questions would be irrelevant if we weren't paying a minimum of $321 a month toward school debt.

I'M BACK!!

I arrived home from my perfectly wonderful vacation on Sunday night. It was so much fun!! I ate lots of good food - catered from the resort, raw pizza, burgers, regular pizza, and all sorts of treats. I laughed until my cheeks and stomach ached. I saw dolphins playing in the water. I saw lots of skin. Ok, that wasn't necessarily a highlight of the trip, it was certainly part of the experience of Southern California beach towns. I rode on planes with my friends. I slept far too little. I laughed more. I looked at lots of photos. I watched talent shows and flip flop contests. I learned that lime green is the safest color. I listened to the ocean during the night, which made me miss Brookings a little. I ate s'mores on the beach. I laughed some more. I slept far too little.

I'm so thankful for the chance to go to the BFM '08. It was truly a financial miracle and was all I wanted it to be ... and more.