Perhaps I waited too long...

to put him down for a nap.

I knew it got really quiet all of a sudden.

Thank You for Your Suggestions

I was just going to put this in the comments on the book question, but I thought it was too long for a comment.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Maybe one day I will get to read all the books that were suggested. For now I have decided to go with Precept Upon Precept for two reasons. First of all, it received the most suggestions. (Thanks Pam and Heather.) And secondly, I already had the book. Yes, I'm a little ashamed that it has been collecting dust on my bookshelf for two years now. My hubby bought it way back when while it was being taught (by sweet Mrs. Heather's husband Brian) in our Sunday school class at Maranatha. I started reading it way back then, but honestly was a little intimidated by it and at the same time didn't realize how much guidance I was going to need. I think my heart is in a better place to receive and understand it this time.

Mrs. Laura also had a wonderful suggestion. She suggested I read Created To Be His Helpmeet. I think that is a wonderful suggestion! However, I have already read that one. I actually keep it on my nightstand and reread parts of it from time to time. I suggest that book to anybody who will listen to me.

I started reading on Wednesday and have read the first 4 1/2 sections. There are 11 sections total, I think. My goal is to read one section each week day. If I do that, I should finish fairly quickly. There are already several sections that I have marked to reread later. So far, I am really enjoying it. It didn't take long before I was in tears, on my face, begging God for wisdom. But hey, that's a good thing, right? So, thank you ladies for the suggestions. I love you all!

Whatza Runza?

Runzas are, from the info I have gathered, a meat filled pastry with Russian/German roots. I was introduced to them a few weeks ago by a friend who is originally from Nebraska. Apparently, they are pretty popular there. Being the southern gal that I am, I was a little sceptical and wasn't real sure I would like "yankee" food. (I'm just teasing about the yankee thing, nobody get mad.) I loved it! It was so yummy that I immediately came home and googled "runza" and quickly came up with about a million different recipes.

So, I told hubby about it and he sounded intrigued. I decided I would have me a big ol' runza making party the next day. And let me just throw this in here now, if you are going to make these I would recommend making a big batch and freezing them. They are a little messy to make, and a little time consuming too. I didn't know that at the time, so I ended up making mine in two smaller batches as well as making a casserole (also, super yummy) with my one batch of meat. These freeze really well and can be individually wrapped for lunches or quick snacks. I have to say I'm a huge fan now.

The recipe I used can be found here. (I used 1 lb. ground turkey and 1 lb. Italian sausage instead of ground beef. I also did not use caraway seed.)

And the recipe for the casserole here. (I halved everything and made a smaller casserole and also used the leftover meat mixture I already had.)

Please leave me a comment and let me know if you have every heard of these, had these, or if you try the recipes. I'm curious.

Cost to make runzas and casserole:

Italian sausage---------$1.89

Ground Turkey--------$0.89

Slaw Mix---------------$1.09 (I used this instead of cabbage.)

Bread Loaves----------$1.99

Cheese----------------$1.89

Crescent Rolls----------$1.09

Total-----------------$8.84

Overall, the price isn't too bad. We got several lunches out of the runzas and one dinner with leftovers. Next time I make these however, I will make my own dough to save money. Does anybody have a recipe that would be good for these?

Oh Yeah! I'm going to have my hands full. =)

My soon-to-be big brother has decided he wants to be a "baby". We have been trying to get things in order for the new little one, which has no doubt evoked a little jealousy. He walks around pointing to himself and says "baby". He insists on sitting in the baby's carseat, bath tub, exersaucer. And the kicker---he asks for a bottle now! The kid has never had a single bottle in his life and now he wants one. Funny stuff.

24 week belly pic

Ask The Audience

I have a really bad habit of starting a book, reading for a while, and then stopping. I usually eventually go back and finish them over time, but honestly I'm not the world's most avid reader. I do enjoy reading, but it just seems to get pushed to the side with all the other day-to-day business that must be taken care of. I am almost finished with Stepping Heavenward which I started months ago. (Sorry Becky, I'll return it soon.)

This is where you lovely people come in. I would like to read one good baby/child training book before the arrival of our next little bundle of joy. So, if you could recommend only one book (other than the Bible) what would it be? I have already read To Train Up A Child, but I can always read it again. What are your favorites???

Because You Asked

*Somebody* asked for more pictures of the boy. Here you go. The rest of you will just have to suffer through. =)

Yum Yum Cake

We are part of the hospitality committee at church. Basically it's just a different couple each week who greets visitors and try to get to know them and make them feel welcome. God is really using that to help break me out of my shell. Last Sunday was our turn to help out with the meal for visitors after service. I was asked to bring a dessert and I usually don't take something unless I have made it before and know it's good. But I decided to be different and make a cake I had never made before. The recipe came from a lady I used to work with who was an amazing cook, so I figured it must be good. It was! Since I don't like to keep all the goodness to myself, I'll share the recipe with you.

Cake:

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 pkg vanilla instant pudding

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

1 8 oz. carton sour cream

1 bar Baker's German Chocolate; grated

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 bag chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients. Bake in bundt pan at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 TBSP milk

Mix together and pour over cooled cake.

Now I know it's not as cute as this cake, or this one. But what it lacks in cuteness it makes up for in taste. Enjoy!

Transparency, Part II

As I sit here typing this, I keep telling myself not to. But hey, you've gotta blog about something. Right?

Today has been "one of those days" for me. More accurately, I guess, it has been one of those weeks. Today is just the day that it has all decided to manifest itself as a nice, big, out-of-control emotional day. I know a lot of it has to do with hormones, but I also know that I am in control of my own emotions.

My hubby and son are at church for a father/son cookout today. I should be thrilled that I have this time to myself to relax and rejuvenate. Instead, I'm sitting here crying and I don't know why. Nothing is wrong. In fact, things are pretty good. I just feel like lately my life has gotten somewhat out of balance. I've become too focused on improving in a few areas that it has quickly resulted in other areas suffering. I just need to find the balance again.

So, there you have it. Another glimpse at the not so pretty side. I'm off to read my Bible and pray (again) for a better attitude.

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Be Back Soon

Homemade vs. Prepackaged Oatmeal: A Cost Comparison

My hubby loves to take oatmeal to work for breakfast. I love it too, because it is healthier than pop-tarts and other convenience foods. While it isn't too terribly expensive, I did notice a pretty significant rise in the price here recently. His favorite is Apple Cinnamon which currently sells for around $3.00 for 10 1/4 cup packs. He takes 2 packs per day to work, so one box lasts us a week. I am always looking for ways to save money so I decided to see if I could cut some of the costs by making it myself. Here is what I came up with.



Cost for prepackaged:

$3.15



Cost to make it myself:

Oats---------------------$1.98

Apples (3 lb. bag)--------$2.99

Cinnamon---------------$1.00

Sugar (4 lb. bag)---------$1.65



Total--------------------$7.62



Okay, so obviously it looks like making it yourself is a lot more expensive. But using the ingredients I purchased, I can make almost 8 times more oatmeal than what comes in a prepackaged box. Plus, I still have some ingredients left over. Very, very cost effective and easy too.



Here is the recipe I used to make the Apple Cinnamon. This makes enough for 10- 1/2 cup servings.



4 C Quick Cooking (1 min) oats

3/4 C Sugar (or brown sugar if you prefer)

1/4 C Ground Cinnamon

2 mediums apples (dried and cut into chunks)



Mix together, store in air tight container. I measure out 1/2 C in a microwave safe bowl and hubby adds water and microwaves at work. Easy cheesy!



Here are some other recipes as well.



Cinnamon Raisin:

4 C oats

3/4 C Brown Sugar

1/4 C Ground Cinnamon

1 C Raisins





Strawberries and Cream:

4 C Oats

1/2 C non-dairy coffee creamer

1/2 C sugar

1 C dried strawberries

Finished Product (minus apples-they were still drying)

Corn Dogs, Funnel Cakes, and Rides-Oh My!

Believe it or not, Knob Noster (population 2,400) is actually big enough to have a carnival every year. Last night we just couldn't contain ourselves any longer and decided to venture out. Can I just say that carnivals are expensive??? I couldn't believe the prices of stuff last night. Tickets cost $1/each and most of the kids' rides were 3 tickets for a two minute ride. That's $1.5 0 a minutes per kid. All the adult rides were at least 4 tickets each. Funnel cakes were $5.00, cotton candy was $3.50, corn dogs were $4. Craziness, I tell ya! And for those of you who are wondering, we spent our $15 in tickets and left.

The carousel was his favorite!

~~Another Great Giveaway~~

My friend Kimberly is having a great giveaway. She is giving away some wonderful handmade notecards. Click here to enter. Be sure to check out the rest of her site while you're there as well.

Bread Machine Woes

Don't laugh---I just got a bread machine. (Thanks Mom) I know, I know. I must be the last woman on the face of the earth to own one. LOL! Tuesday night I decided to make our first loaf of bread. During the entire 3 hour and 10 minute process I was giddy! Anybody who knows me very well knows that I am very rarely excited, let alone "giddy". But, I was. I couldn't stay away from the thing. I watched all the processes with sheer fascination. At the end of the cycle my house smelled so good. I was so excited to try my creation. And then it happened...

My bread was stuck. Bad stuck. It wasn't coming out. I ended up having to rip it out in several pieces. Sad does not even begin to describe how I felt. I cried. I don't cry.

So dear readers, I ask. What did I do wrong? Was I supposed to spray the bucket with Pam or something? Not enough oil? Or water? The homemaker in me is feeling pretty down. Please help...

Mmmmm, Peanut Butter From The Jar! My Favorite!

Jean Transformation

Friday afternoon my friend helped me turn a old pair of jeans into a skirt. She has done several and they always look great. I really needed some maternity skirts, and they are almost impossible to find. I had several pair of maternity pants from my last pregnancy, and I'm so glad I've found a way to revamp them and put them to use again.



Sorry, I don't have any before pictures. You all know what a pair of jeans looks like. Here is the after:

Front

Back

Free Subscription to Woman's Day Magazine-Better Hurry

Woman's Day magazine is currently offering a free subscription here. This will go really fast so hurry and get your subscription while you can. Once the total on your checkout is no longer $0.00, the free offer is expired.

This would make a great gift to send to someone if you know they like this magazine. I don't think I've ever read it, but I did order a subscription since it was free. Just to try it out, you know.

Free Falafel =) and Other Goodies

My friend Pam over at Good News From A Far Country is having a giveaway in honor of her one year anniversary of living in Jerusalem. She is giving away some great stuff. Be sure to head over there and say hello and register for these wonderful goodies. And while your there, be sure to look around. She is a very talented lady and always has something encouraging to say...and some great pictures too.

Toddler Bed Update and Questions Answered

Day 2 in the toddler bed

The boy did survive his first nap in the toddler bed. He only slept for about 30 minutes, but that's all he sleeps sometimes anyways. Oh, how I love the two-hour nap days! But, I digress...

He is napping in there again today. Pam asked if he still likes his bed. He really loves his bed as long as he isn't in the room by himself. I have been getting him to sleep elsewhere in the house and then putting him in his bed after he is asleep. So far, so good. Maybe I can keep this up and it will become routine.

Randi Jo asked how old he is. He will be 20 months this week. Hard to believe it, but he is. The box that the bed came in said for 15 months and older. So, I guess around that time is safe to transition them---if you are both ready.

Kimberly asked how I keep him in there. LOL-I don't. When he's tired of being in there, he gets out. I'm really hoping he sees his bed as something that is only his and learns to love it. (He's all about the "Mine, mine, mine" right now.) I'll let you know if I find something that works. And if not, I know I have at least one other friend with a kid in the bed with them. =)

And Becky, we might as well face it. Our little boys are growing up.

The post-nap photo shoot:

A Milestone

First nap in the big boy bed.


I won't tell you where he normally sleeps.

The Mind of Eight Year Old

This past Sunday our pastor preached on Moses and the burning bush. Every time I hear this story mentioned it reminds me of my first day of fourth grade. Each year on the first day of school the teacher would tell us a little bit about herself and then I'm sure we would all take turns telling something about ourselves too. Our teacher introduced herself, told us about her family, and also said that she went to Burning Bush Baptist Church.

Later that evening, my mom was asking us about our day and about our new teachers. I told her my teacher's name and whatever else I could remember, and also that she went to Burnt Leaf Baptist Church. Burnt Leaf, Burning Bush-it was all the same to me.

=)

Dr. Law and Dr. Grace

This is a sermon by Lester Roloff from many years ago, but just as wonderful today. It is probably the most famous message he ever preached and definitely my favorite. If you have never heard it, I would highly recommend you listen to it. It is pretty long, but well worth it even if you can only listen to part of it.

If you have never heard of Lester Roloff, you can find out more about him here.