Thrift Store Finds!!!

This past Sunday driving to church I saw that my favorite local thrift store(not Goodwill!) was going to be having a sale this week on clothing! The sign read "ALL CLOTHING Buy 1 Get 2 FREE"!!!!! Sooooo I kept telling myself all week that I needed to get in there!! Well the store isn't open on Sundays, and they close early so waiting til after dinner when hubby is home is out of the question. So I finally just went today! I left my kids with 12yo son in charge, and 21mo sleeping and trekked over there to see what they might have on their racks. As usual, I was not disappointed and I walked away with a bag full of clothes for $14.84(including tax)!!!!

I got myself a Paradise Bay navy skirt, and 2 pairs of Studio Works shorts(tan and black) for $4.00!!!
I got my oldest son 2 pairs of boxer shorts(uses for pjs), a swimsuit, a pair of cotton shorts, and a pair of Land's End quick dry nylon shorts. Also in the picture is a pair of shorts with the Detroit Tigers logo on them for son #2. I got all 6 pairs of shorts for $4.00!!!
I couldn't leave the store without looking for things for my only daughter!! I purchased 2 pairs of shorts, a navy skort, 3 pairs of knit pants, a pair of navy dress pants, a pair of dressy sweatpants and a pink flower short sleeve shirt. All of it was for $6.00!!!!

My daughter will have to grow into a couple pairs of the pants. The Land's End nylon shorts are too big around for my oldest son so those either will get passed on to someone else or I will hang on to them for ones coming up behind him.

I love being able to get clothes that look decent and are in style for a fraction of the price they would be new!!

Book Review---Homeschooling at the Speed of Life

I have just taken the last few days and read thru Marilyn Rockett's new book, Homeschooling at the Speed of Life. It is an easy read but it is stuffed FULL of encouragement and help for a weary Mom who thinks that having a perfect house and "perfect" educated kids at the same time is an attainable goal. It is an attainable goal with functional neatness, an FSharp filing system and SOS days(Salvage our Sanity)!! (read the book to find out more!)

Marilyn gives practical advice along with Biblical guidance to help Moms get organized to get things done so that they can enjoy their families. She lets you know how to earn your “PhD” (Praying for Help Daily!) for life!

She takes the time to lay a foundation of organizational principles and then goes on in the following chapters in giving steps to develop a peaceful well organized home. A home where training children life skills, keeping the paper clutter to a minimum, family life, and regular record keeping are possible without having to be a “SuperMom”! One might even be able to be hospitable and enjoy the company of others in their home without feeling embarrassed over the state of their house.

At the end of each of the 10 chapters, Marilyn makes you stop and think and evaluate your life. She asks questions to guide you in helping you apply the encouragement that she presented in the chapter. She also gives you Bible references to look up, mediate on, and then pray to ask God for help in those areas where you need it. She also makes it very clear that balancing everything can only be done with God’s strength and not just your own.

The book comes with a CD full of useful organizational tools (forms) for you to use to help get organized and able to achieve your goals of homeschooling and keeping an orderly home.

I am definitely recommending this book to other moms who ask me how I manage homeschooling along with the rest of life. Or for those moms who are just starting out on the homeschooling journey, who need the reassurance that you can homeschool and keep up with everyday details at home with the key of balance.

Kitchen Tips--Snacks

We are getting closer to the start of school!! Actually I have read of some kids going back already!! Last week, I gave a list of packable lunches so this week I want to give you some healthy (or not so healthy) packable snacks. The list below is all the different snacks that I rotate thru in my snack baskets. I keep a "snack basket" in my cupboard and I use veggie drawers in my fridge for those snacks that need to keep cool!

I plan my snacks for each day that way it is easier to keep track of what is being consumed and I know what types of things I need to replenish on my baking days. When I do up my homemade goodies, I take the time to individually wrap them so they are ready for an easy grab.

Chewy Granola Bars
3 cups oats
1 cup flour
1 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
2/3 cup butter, softened
½ cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup mini chocolate chips or M&Ms
Optional: raisins, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, and baking soda. In another bowl, combine vanilla, butter, honey, and brown sugar; add to oat mixture and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Lightly press mixture into the pan with the back of your spoon. Bake at 325 for 22 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.


Pudding

Cake (like Chocolate Chip Cake or Surprise Cupcakes or Jello Cake)

Popcorn

Toast with PB

Cinnamon Toast(toast a slice of bread, butter it, sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on it)

Homemade Trail Mix(usually sunflower seeds, cheerios, peanuts, M&Ms, goldfish, pretzels)

Mini Sandwiches(PB, tuna, cheese, chicken) sometimes I make dinner rolls or get some brown and serve rolls from the store and then slice them for them to grab to make a quick snack sandwich.

Homemade "Almost Nutri-Grain" Bars(in Miserly Meals)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup oil
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ cup apple juice
10 oz. jam (apricot, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, or apple butter)
1 T. water

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the oil, egg, vanilla, and apple juice, and mix with a spoon or a mixer. Press 2/3 of the mix evenly into a greased 8x12 pan. Mix the jam with the water, and spread evenly over the mix. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top, and bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Before cutting, cool completely.

Bananas

Popsicles

Peanuts

Yogurt

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Cheese and Crackers(use a variety of snack crackers and cheese)

Graham crackers (variety of flavors)

Homemade Donuts

Cheese Crackers(like goldfish or cheez its)

Crackers with PB(either using Ritz or Saltines)

Cookies(PB, Oatmeal, Monster, Snickerdoodles, Sugar, Chocolate Crinkles, Chocolate chip, Oatmeal Scotchies, M&M)

Brownie Bites(done in mini muffin pan)

Coffee cakes (Jewish Coffee Cake)

Cinnamon rolls

Pizza Sticks(homemade pizza cut into strips)

Muffins (banana, pumpkin, pumpkin-oat, cinnamon, chocolate, zucchini, apple cider, orange juice, choc. chip, bran, blueberry, strawberry) instead of always doing loaves of quick bread I take my quick bread recipe and put it into muffins sometimes regular muffins, or sometimes mini muffins

Cheese sticks(I usually slice a chunk of cheese into approx. 1/2"-3/4" thick slices and then cut into strips)

Carrot sticks with ranch dressing

Nilla Wafers (plain, or with frosting for homemade sandwich cookies)

Fruit snacks

Meat/cheese rolls(deli sliced meat with a cheese stick rolled inside)

"In Season" fruit (like apples, pears, grapes, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, watermelon, raspberries) sometimes I take a combination of fruit and make a fruit salad

Banana pops

**These last three are a little difficult to do as "packable" snacks but they are very enjoyable at home!!

Ice cream

Homemade Icecream Shake

Berry smoothies




For more kitchen goodness(tips, & recipes, etc.), head over to Tammy's Recipes and check out what others have linked!!

Menu Plan Monday 8/3-8/9

**Another week is upon us so that means it is time for another menu plan! This is just a plan and it could change on the cook’s whim!

Last week’s menus went off without too much trouble! I did get some of my baking that I had planned done but I still have several things that I need to do so that my family doesn't start complaining of having nothing good to snack on or eat for breakfast! I did have to change some of the dinner meals around on the different days because I was getting a few complaints of the same types of meals being served. For instance, we had creamy chicken (#1), noodles and green beans for dinner last Monday so hubby didn’t want to have Easy Beef Stroganoff (no mushrooms and making own beef gravy), noodles, peas/salad, and biscuits later in the week so I moved that meal to this week and did something quick that night.

This week’s grocery shopping was more of a stockpile shopping week. I am to the point where I should just need to go after milk and fresh produce for this week! Come back later in the week to see if I did that or if I couldn’t help myself with the sales that are going on this week!! One of my favorite stores is having a 10 for $10 get 11th item Free Sale which has several good items!!!

Lunches listed are for the kids and me. Usually with our lunches I served carrot sticks, and some kind of fruit along with juice to drink. Hubby usually takes dinner leftovers each day along with several items for snacks.

A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus; go check other delicious meal plans that have been linked at Laura-Organizing Junkie's site! **

Sunday (8-3)
Breakfast: eggs, hash browns, Canadian bacon and jiffy muffins
Lunch: pizza rolls
Dinner: McDs(after church)
Snack: sandwiches (before church)

Monday (8-4)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: sandwich and chips
Dinner: Easy Beef Stroganoff (no mushrooms and making own beef gravy), noodles, peas/salad, and biscuits **carryover from last week**
Snack: snack basket

Tuesday (8-5)
Breakfast: waffles
Lunch: sandwich and chips
Dinner: oven fried chicken (#5), mashed potatoes & gravy, corn
Snack: cookies & milk

Wednesday (8-6)
Breakfast: bagels, yogurt and cereal
Lunch: chicken nuggets and tater tots
Dinner: saucy pork chops, rice, green beans and honey oatmeal rolls **carryover from a couple of weeks ago!**
Snack: snack basket

Thursday (8-7)
Breakfast: buttermilk pancakes and sausage
Lunch: pizza rolls
Dinner: grilled lemon pepper chicken, crashed potatoes, corn and biscuits
Snack: snack basket

Friday (8-8)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: sandwich and chips
Dinner: grilled bacon cheeseburgers, fries and fresh veggies
Snack: homemade chocolate shakes

Saturday (8-9)
Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice”
Lunch:????
Dinner: ???? (checking other's menus for inspiration!!!)
Snack: popcorn or snack basket

Singing Sunday

Hallelujah, Jesus
by Monk & Neagle

Keeper of the stars
Lord of time and space
I will live my life
Lifting up Your name

Lover of my heart
God who came to save
Thank You for the Cross
And the life you Gave

Wonderful
Powerful
Jesus is your Name

-Chorus-
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
You are the everlasting God

Author of my life
Friend of sinful man
Holy, mighty God
Ever great ‘I Am’

You're so wonderful
Powerful
Jesus is your name

-Chorus 2x-
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
You are the everlasting God
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
My Lord, beautiful you are

I love to sing your name
I love to sing your name
I love to sing your name
I worship and adore You God
I love to sing your name (hallelujah Jesus)
I love to sing your name (hallelujah Jesus)
I love to sing your name (hallelujah Jesus)
I worship You with all my heart

Wonderful
Powerful
Jesus is your name

Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
You are the everlasting God
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
Hallelujah Jesus
My Lord how beautiful you are