Whats for Dinner?...... Chili

Jacob helped me make dinner for this evening! It was a big help!

I stayed up last night and watched the new show about the Duggar Family. I really think they are inspirational. Do I feel the need to have 18 kids? NO! But, they are the only family on t.v. that is living the values we hold in our family. They dress like us, and believe like us (somewhat). I really commend them for being a witness to the world that our lifestyle isn't that crazy! I just wonder where Michelle finds dresses for all the girls. I have a hard time finding dresses and skirts for me.

Little Miss Liberty is 7 months old today!

Liberty is officially 7 months old today. She was a Leap Day baby so her birthday will only come every 4 years. We had so many different reactions from people when they found out what day she would be born. Everybody knows somebody who is a leap day baby.

I was okay when she turned 6months, but 7 is a different story. I think that it is too near 12 months for me. I kinda feel like she was never little. She was a big baby! I hate that time flies so fast. Anyway, I love you baby girl!

Glazed Apple Cake

Here is a recipe I found last week. A couple from church gave us some apples from their trees and I needed a recipe to make. I have several Amish cookbooks and this recipe was in one of them. I made this cake last week, and Peter loved it. He requested I make another today for dinner. I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Glazed Apple Cake

5 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. cinnamon 4 eggs
4 med. apples 3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice

Mix 5 Tbsp. sugar with cinnamon. Reserve 2 Tbsp. of mixture for topping. Pare and slice apples and mix with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Combine oil, orange juice, and vanilla. Beat; add eggs and beat again. Combine flour and 2 cups sugar. Add gradually to orange juice mixture. Mix well. Pour a small amount of batter into a greased 10" pan. Add a layer of apples. Contine to alternate ending with apples. Sprinkle with reserved sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake at 350 for 1 1/4 hour. While cake is still warm, pour glaze over top.

Glaze:
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar 2-4 tbsp. orange juice

Wonderful Recipe!

Homeschool happenings......

We are about to finish week 8 in homeschooling. So far it has been going pretty good. I've had to switch the boys into either a grade below or a grade higher on some things, but I finally feel everyone is where they need to be. Here is an example of what we have learned so far.

Bible - Jesus is the light of the world, Jesus is the bread of life, and Jesus is the Rock

Spelling - Jacob has taken 5 spelling tests,

Phonics and English - Jacob is moving along in BJU phonics, Caleb will start next week because I need to adjust him into BJU k-5 phonics.

Handwriting -

US History - Vikings to Benjamin Franklin

Math - Jacob Lesson 17 (saxon2) Caleb- Lesson 15 (saxon1)

Plus other miscellaneous stuff....

I did take some pictures as we went along I will try to post them within the next couple of days.

Morning Thoughts

As I look around my house this morning, I see alot of stuff that is out of place, somethings that are dirty, and some things that need attending. Alot of times these things determine my attitude for the day. They dictate how I will respond to my children, husband, and life in general. I started thinking about the post I wrote about your home being a business. The verse I cited came to mind and the part about "the Lord's countenance". If I truly wanted to the Lord's countenance to shine in my home, do you think that He would be so proud that my home was perfectly in order, immaculately clean or museum quality? I guess if my home has gotten that way without nagging at my kids or feeling overwhelmed He might be proud. But, I think He would be most pleased if I took the time and trained my children, spiritually and physically for real Christian life, played with them and enjoyed them. Talk with them of His love and how we don't have to be perfect to be loved by Him. Take the time to explain how the Lord deals in our lives everyday.

I will still try to attain the "perfect home", but I need to focus more on the eternal and not the here and now.

p.s. please pray for Caleb and Liberty, they have asthma, and we have been to the doctor every two weeks for the last 3 months. It is getting old!

It's starting to feel like Fall!

It is finally cooling down here in West Virginia, and the leaves are starting to turn a little. Fall has to be my favorite season! Fall in West Virginia has always been so special to me. I love the crisp air, tastes, smells and colors!

Every year in our neighboring town they have a Pumpkin festival. I love to go. You can eat anything and everything pumpkin. (ice cream, fudge, cookies, bread..ect.) I really hope Peter and I have a chance to go this year!
The picture above is Jacob and Caleb last year at the pumpkin festival!

I think I'll try to make a pumpkin roll this weekend!

This is a picture of the evening sky behind our house. I thought it was so beautiful!

Romans 6:13

"Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness." Romans 6:13

This verse tells us not to yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God.." Have you ever noticed how easily and thoughtlessly we yield our members unto sin? It is usually so quick that we don't even think about it. Sometimes I am so carnal in my Christian walk that I don't even realized that I have sinned. Yet when I am impressed by the Lord to do something for Him, my flesh fights hard against it.

Example: Yesterday I called my best friend to vent about stuff and people. We got off the phone and I went on with my day. This morning I realized how my part of the conversation was not God honoring at all. I had to ask God to forgive me for sinning.

The day before yesterday the kids and I went through the KFC drive-thru for lunch. The Lord pressed upon my heart to give the cashier a tract. My flesh did not want to do it. I was so nervous waiting for her to give us our food. I was fully aware that I was doing something that was going against my flesh.

I need to be more mindful of how I yield my members! I am so glad that God still forgives and is a patient teacher!

Wii fun

My brother Benjamin loaned us his Wii for a couple of days and the boys (and daddy) have been loving it! We are definately Wii fanatics now! I actually was little sore from playing Wii sport. It really gets you moving! Hopefully Santa can get us one for Christmas! I personally like the Mario Kart game. Of course I am a child of the 90's so anything Super Mario brothers is pretty cool to me.

New phrases heard as playing Wii:

"Oh man, I've been shrinked and inked." - Jacob

"You just got shrinktified" -Jacob (I think this one is found in the NIV somewhere LoL)

"Holy manroad, mom" - Caleb (translation - "holy mackrel)

The Wii's time in our house is almost up, it goes home tomorrow.
Will I miss it? yes and no
Yes - I think it is fun
No - boys are obsessed with it

The Wii definately gets my thumbs up!

Miranda's Cookbook

Hey guys! Check out my new blog, www.mirandascookbook.blogspot.com! This blog will be my virtual cookbook. I will posting recipes that I love, and I hope you will add yours as well! I hope that it will a place of inspiration on those days when you just don't know what to cook!

Is your house a home or a business......?

Psalm 4:6 "There by many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us."

Our homes are to be a refuge and a place of safety and peace for our families. Sometimes when you are in the home everyday, your home sometimes becomes your workplace or business. Things are pressing on you, pressures to perform to perfection, child training, teaching, and people and tasking are demanding attention. It is not just homeschooling moms that face this, but every mother trying to raising their children biblically and wives that are trying to be a helpmeet to their husbands.

The end of this verse is really what I want for my home and family. I pray that the light of God's countenance will shine in and out of our home. The first part of the verse is like the world outside, "is there any good anywhere." I pray through my home and life my family, friends and strangers my see the light of God's countenance in me.

It is my duty as a wife and mother to make my home as God would want it, but is also has to be a place of refuge, safety and comfort for me. If it feels like my workplace it will not be comfortable and I will want to go "home" sometime.

"Please forgive me Lord for making my home more business-like than a HOME. Please help me to see what changes need to be made. Thank you for your forgiveness!"

Labor Day Fun

Yesterday was Labor Day, and we spent it with my family. We all went to a little creek and rode 4-wheelers and swam. We all had a blast. Peter finally decided to trying driving, and he had a blast. It was an end of the summer celebration, and also time with my brother Christopher who was leaving for the police academy today. Him and Benjamin (my youngest brother) will be leaving for Iraq in December so we are trying to get as much time together as possible.