TYLER'S BIRTHDAY - 2012

12/6/12 THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for a busy December calendar because it's a constant reminder of a family to love, friends to share life with, a home to live in, opportunities for adults and kids to work,  traditions to enjoy, and the birth of Jesus.

What's something that you're thankful for?

MENU - FIRST HALF OF DECEMBER 2012

I have a couple new recipes for you before I post our current menu.  Ready?

glazed ham - We have another ham recipe that we like, but decided to try a new one.  It was tasty!

sweet & spicy roasted pecans - These get mixed reviews in our house, but enough people like them that we've made them a couple times already.



BREAKFASTS
* doughnuts x2
* oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, milk, raisins, fruit,huh-koe-pee milk, and energy mix as optional toppings x8
* almond coconut granola
* zucchini bread
* wheat germ whole wheat buttermilk pancakes

DINNERS
* leftovers x2
* tacos x2
* Papa Murphy's
* slow cooker Asian short ribs/rice/green salad
* new salmon recipe/rice/roasted broccoli
* garlic chicken with more garlic (from the freezer)/rice/green salad
* soup fest (from the freezer)
* new soup recipe (not worth making again)/cornbread  (make two & freeze one)
* Swiss ham wreath/green salad
* Jen's chicken (from the freezer)/rice/peas & corn
* Heddy's black & red bean soup

SNACKS & DESSERTS
* produce
* popcorn
* sweet & spicy roasted pecans
* birthday cake & creamsicles
* sugar cookies
* graham cracker "gingerbread" houses
 

 

12/3/12 - WORTH REPEATING

Faith is the root of our salvation. Works are the fruit of our salvation, which come from being well-rooted.

~ Brett Meador at Athey Creek Christian Fellowship (11/3/12)


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I'm thankful I have enough for today, which means I have enough to share.

~ Pamela Reynoso


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He that would be angry and sin not, must not be angry with anything but sin.

~ John Ruskin


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Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not.

~ Dr. Seuss in The Lorax


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I also think that it is not necessarily all that important what we try to teach our children about giving and receiving from Thanksgiving to New Year's.  It's what we teach them from New Year's to Thanksgiving that will make the greatest impact.

~ Angi in 31 Days of Giving on a Budget: Teaching Our Children To Be Gracious Receivers at Money Saving Mom

BOOKS I FINISHED - NOVEMBER 2012

Unwind, written by Neal Shusterman
I was told about this book by a woman I met a swim lessons. The fictional story is based on the outcome of the Heartland War, a battle between pro-choice and pro-life that resulted in abortion being banned, but parents having the option to unwind their 13-18 year old kids.  I loved this book and immediately picked up the second book in the trilogy.  I've heard the story is being made into a movie and I can't wait to see it. 

Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, written by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio
I plan on seeing the movie when it's on DVD, but wanted to read the book first.  Incidentally, it was upon finishing the book that I found out the screenplay was written before the book.  Interesting story and I'm glad I read the book.

UnWholly, written by Neal Shusterman
This is the second book in the Unwind trilogy and I enjoyed it.  Actually, I've been told there's a book # 1.5 called UnStrung, a short book that was written once the decision was made to turn Unwind into a trilogy.  I think it may only be available for e-readers and I skipped it, but UnWholly still made sense without it.  The third book hasn't been published yet, so I'll wait impatiently for it to arrive at the library.

The Hundred Dresses, written by Eleanor Estes and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
Read aloud for Naomi.  This is the third time I've read this book and I always enjoy it.  It's the story of a poor Polish girl who is teased because of her unusual name and for wearing the same shabby dress every day.  Good lessons about not judging others by their appearance and sticking up for those who are treated poorly.

Sherlock Files #01 - The 100-Year old Secret, written by Tracy Barrett
Pre-read for Silas and Devon.  The boys enjoy mysteries and this seemed like a book they'd like.  Maybe they'll end up reading the rest of the series for fun.

In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart: Hope for the Hurting, written by Ruth Graham
I randomly pulled this off the library shelf, but ended up skimming most of it. She had some good things to say, but the book just didn't hold my interest.

The Wounded Spirit, written by Frank Peretti
This was another random pick of the library shelf, a book about those who are teased and bullied, those who do the teasing and bullying, and how we should all use our strengths to benefit and protect others.  It's a quick read and good for everyone, but I'd definitely recommend it to every parent and person who works with kids. 

Breaking Stalin's Nose, written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
Pre-read (actually, I listened to it on CD) for Silas and Devon.  Though the author was born and raised in Russia, the story is fiction.  It's about a six year old boy who is devoted to Communism and is eagerly anticipating joining the Young Pioneers.  They day before and of his joining, however, do not go the way he anticipated and he begins to question everything he's always believed.

Love in the Driest Season: A Family Memoir, written by Neely Tucker
And yet another random pick from the library.  The author, who is a journalist, and his wife lived in Zimbabwe in the late 1990s.  With the AIDS epidemic in full swing, they started volunteering at a local orphanage, ended up as foster parents to a girl from the orphanage, and ultimately tried to adopt her.  The book is filled with horrifying stories of things the author experienced in various countries at war, mind-boggling statistics about AIDS, orphans, and orphanages during that time, and the determination of a couple committed to adopting a girl they loved from a country with an astounding numbers of orphans and an unwillingness to allow foreigners to adopt.

One of the things I found interesting was that when the author and his wife were trying to adopt, they could hardly find anything online when searching "Africa adoption".  With the exception of a little bit of activity in Ethiopia, they said there was virtually nothing happening in that part of the world.  I don't know what current statistics and information are for Zimbabwe concerning orphans and adoption, but I have many friends who have adopted from Africa and a quick online search brings up over 33 million hits.  I call that progress!

Twice Told: Original Stores Inspired by Original Art, written by 18 different authors and illustrated by Scott Hunt
I discovered this book online while searching for UnWholly, as Neal Shusterman wrote in it, and it intrigued me.  I liked some of the stories, didn't like others, but really liked the idea of having different authors write stories for the same picture.

11/29/12 THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful that Tim has the ability and willingness to sleep with little Ws who are snotty and need to keep their heads elevated during the night.

What's something that you're thankful for?

MENU - SECOND HALF OF NOVEMBER 2012

I'll tell you what we've been eating lately, but first I'll link a new recipe.

cider roasted carrots & parsnips - I'll probably skip the parsnips and double the carrots next time, but these tasted good.

BREAKFASTS
* doughnuts x2
* oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, milk, raisins, fruit,huh-koe-pee milk, and energy mix as optional toppings x8
* Amish egg casserole
* blueberry sour cream pancakes
* cranberry granola
* egg & potato scramble

DINNERS
* leftovers x2
* tacos x2 
* Thanksgiving - We're responsible for cranberry sauce, green beans with feta & dill, and sweet & spicy roasted pecans
* quinoa salad with apples & almonds
* glazed ham/roasted broccoli/rice
* Lebanese red lentil soup/green salad
* ham & lentil soup (crockpot)
* Cajun chicken pasta/green salad
* winter squash & pine nut pasta/roasted broccoli
* London broil (bbq)/garlic green beans/rice
* brown rice & lentil salad over spinach
* cheesy green beans/rice

SNACKS & DESSERTS
* produce
* popcorn
* sweet & spicy roasted pecans
* oat & almond bars
* pumpkin muffins (for giving away)