It is finished!

So here is the BIG NEWS....It is finished!!!! In 61 days I finished reading the Bible from cover to cover!  I am so excited!!!!!

What started in a garden....

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. (Genesis 2:8)

...ended in a garden...

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit...And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)

Praise God!

Thankful for Fall...

 If you would like to know more about Multitude Mondays, click on the button above. 806. A trip to Anchorage807. Six pumpkins in the garden!808. A clean house809. The smell of fall--because we are so far north the signs of fall are starting to show up810. Different colored leaves811. Laptop being fixed.812. Great first week of Spanish lessons being taught813. The ability and the money to shop 814. Being a Christian for 32 years815. Celebrating my spiritual birthday!816. Being almost finished with the Bible in 90 days817. Hearing rain on the camper roof818. Great Mexican food!

Bible in 90 Days Check-in

So I am working through the New Testament.  I am scheduled to finish on September 1st if I keep up.  This will be a month ahead of the original schedule.  I am so thankful that I did push myself.  One benefit is that I will be done by the time my fall schedule is going at full steam.  Also, I have been keeping up with my pastor's wife who is doing a rapid read of the Bible.  It has been great to have someone walk beside me and keep me on track.  She has also been always just a bit ahead of me which has spurred me on.  We have had many email discussions of what we have been reading.  I am currently in Hebrews.

I came across these verses in II Timothy and I must say they ring truer than ever after getting this bird's eye view of the Bible...

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  II Timothy 3:16-17

The Week We Walked to the Planets (Almost)

This week we continued with school, but only on a part time basis.  I started my part time job...teaching Spanish lessons in my home in the afternoon after I have homeschooled the boys.  Next week we plan to go to our full schedule.  It will be quite an adjustment.

For part of this week we were down in Anchorage for a quick trip.  We decided on one rainy afternoon while we were there to do the Anchorage Light Speed Planet Walk.  Basically, you can walk (ok, not a good idea on a rainy day!) from the sun to Pluto. The walk is a scale model of the distance between the planets.  At each stop you can see a replica of the heavenly body in porportion to the others.  The sun is a huge disc on a street corner in downtown.  At each stop you can read about each planet and how they were named (mostly after Roman gods).  You are supposed to be able to walk at "light speed" (one step per second) and to do the whole distance would take 5 and half hours!  Well, we knew this wasn't doable in the rain.  So we decided that we would see the Sun and the four inner planets by walking and then try to find the others at "warp speed" by driving to them.  While our idea was great it didn't pan out as we had hoped.  The last three planets we couldn't find because you can't reach them by car (they are on walking trails).  While we loved the concept of the Planet Walk we wished that there would have been a way to do the last part by car.  But we had fun trying and learned a lot...it was like doing school without doing school!

Here is a live view of the Sun station.

Over 30 Years Ago...

on this day I gave my life to the Lord!  That seems like such a long time, but really it doesn't feel like it.  God has brought me through so many things since coming to Him. His protection, His love, His forgiveness, and His grace have brought me through more than I could imagine.  What would I have done without Him?  I love Him more and more! I am not sure I would have made it through abuse, miscarriages, depression, and a myriad of other things if He had not walked beside me.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  Psalms 91:1-2

The Homeschool Village- Community Service

This week at The Homeschool Village we are discussing community service.  I have to admit that this is an area where we have been woefully lacking!  Because I have to work parttime at home I don't have the opportunities to have my kids do a lot of community service. They have gone to the food bank to help out a few times, but most of their service has been within our church. For example, my oldest who is 13, runs the AV equipment during services and serves in the children's ministry with the kids.  I am looking forward to seeing what other families do.  Maybe there are some service projects that the kids can do from home. Any ideas?

When a Fish, a Vine, and a Worm Meet...

As I have been reading through the Bible in 90 Days, I have been on the lookout for the next series of lessons that I will be teaching my Jr. High Sunday school class.  While reading Jonah it struck me that there might be a plethora of lessons there.  So about a week ago I decided that in September I will teach a Jonah series to the kids in the class. Well, yesterday while surfing the web I found out that Priscilla Shirer has a new Bible study out on Jonah!  This is perfect timing.  I am almost done reading the Bible through (I probably have about 8 more days).  Now I will have time to devote to a Bible study.  I will do the study as I teach the kids.  I am so excited that God worked it out this way! He has great timing, doesn't He?! Most of my material that I use to teach the kids is not my own anyways.  I have used parts of Beth Moore's Bible studies and also used a book by Andy Stanley to teach them. This time I can use the information that Priscilla has put together. Can't wait to dig in and see what a ship, a fish, a vine and a worm have to teach me!  

Speeding Up Breakfast

I am on a mission to make breakfast ahead of time as much as possible.  I also want most of it to be from scratch so that I can save money.  I recently found a blog called Good Cheap Eats which gives all kinds of ideas for saving on your food bill while at the same time creating tasty food.  In this post you will find information on how to create your own baking mixes so that breakfast isn't such a chore! Check it out!

Why I am Thankful...

 785. Finishing the Old Testament as I attempt to read the Bible in 90 Days.786. Finding peace.787. Being ready to start the school year.788. Ready for Spanish lessons.789. Answer to prayer.790. Warm weather in August (we hit the 90's...unheard of in Central Alaska at this time of year).791. Running water.792. WIFI793. Being able to set up my new laptop.794. A fresh breeze flowing through the window.795. BLT's with lettuce and tomato from our garden.796. That God brings healing when there are hurts.797. Chocolate Butterhorns!798. A downpour...love the rain!799. The smell of soap.800. Arctic Aroma Melts from Mineral Creek Essentials801. Dinner at a friend's house.802. Yummy lasagna803. Peace in the midst of anxious situations804. Tomatoes galore off the vine...so much tastier than the ones in the store!805. Sunny, cool days...autumn approaching.

Bible in 90 Days Check-in...

Well, the BIG news???  I have made it out of the Old Testament! I can't believe it! I kept track of my hours to see how long it took.  I basically read the Old Testament in 37 hours give or take a few minutes.  This may be fast...I am not sure as Tim, my husband, swears that I read exceptionally fast.  I think my reading speed is about average...who knows?!

I have finished the first three Gospels and will start John tomorrow. I am getting to see how even though the stories are basically the same in each gospel the writing style is totally different!  I had never noticed that before.

I thought that this verse that I read today keeps life in perspective:

What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.--Luke 16:15

What the world seeks after is not necessarily what God wants for us! Fame, success, riches mean nothing to God...a heart for Him is everything we need.

Weekly Wrap-Up: In Which I have a Meltdown!

So life has been so busy that I have lost it!  Ok, not really, but I have been so stressed lately with berry picking, setting up our new laptop, getting school up and running and prepping for my Spanish lessons that I have felt so overwhelmed!  I felt like I was melting down!

Well, this week has been a welcome change...we have had very few outside activities and were able to stay home a bit.  We added more to our school schedule (more subjects that is), but won't be up to the full schedule until the beginning of September.  One of the things we are starting this year is that the boys have their own Bible reading time. Zach is reading through Luke right now and using SPECK to go over what he has read.  Noah is using the Day by Day Kid's Bible, and I am hoping he will be able to read through the whole Bible eventually.

I am just praying I can make it through this school year!  For some reason we are starting out the year feeling run down and worn out.  Hope that changes soon!

Produce Recipes

I love making recipes with fresh produce!  Look at the top of my blog for the "Produce Recipe" tab to find all kinds of yummy things you can make with different fruits and veggies.  At Life As Mom, Jessica (or FishMama) is asking for some great recipes using fresh produce.  Here is one of my favorites.

Mango Salsa (This is now my favorite salsa!)


2 fresh diced mangoes

1/4 cup crushed pineapple

1 minced shallot (or onion)

2 T. chopped, fresh cilantro

2 T. lime juice

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 seeded and minced jalapeño pepper

2 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Just mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve with chips! Yummy!

Favorite books

This week at The Homeschool Village we are talking about favorite books....

For my oldest who is 13: The Mysterious Benedict Society series

For my youngest who is 9: Bill Wallace's dog books like Pick of the Litter

I am not sure if the above books would be considered great literature. These are more fun for the boys to read. Recently, we have enjoyed reading aloud Shadow Spinner and discussing how stories can affect our lives.

There are so many great books out there it is hard to choose!

More Breakfast in the Freezer Ideas

I have been building up a supply of breakfasts in the freezer before I have to start homeschooling full time and working part time.  That way we can pull stuff out quickly to eat in the morning with not much effort on my part. I recently came across a great blog with ideas for bulk breakfasts: Life as Mom.  Here are two recipes from her site that I am making to put in my freezer.

Red, white and blue scones
Chocolate butterhorns

Do you know of any great sites with breakfast recipes you can do ahead?  Let me know!

Breakfast in Bulk

I start full time homeschooling and teaching Spanish parttime towards the end of August. In an effort to stay ahead of the game, I decided to do some breakfasts that will be in the freezer.  Here is what I ended up with...

Strawberry Banana Smoothies
32 oz. strawberry yogurt
1 pint oj concentrate
frozen strawberries (about 4-6 lbs.)
4 bananas
Label 8 quart freezer bags.  In each bag put 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/4 cup oj concentrate, 4 strawberries (give or take) and 1/2 banana.  Freeze.  To use: Thaw baggie under hot water enough to get contents out.  Put in blender with 1 cup water.  Blend and enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos
1 large bag O'Brien potatoes (cubed potatoes with onion and peppers)
12 eggs
shredded cheddar
salt and pepper to taste
30 flour tortillas
Saute the potatoes until cooked through.  Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add salt and pepper.  When potatoes are done, add eggs.  Cook until eggs are set.  Assemble burritos: a spoonful of egg mixture and some shredded cheddar on top in a tortilla.  Put in gallon ziplocs and freeze.

Butterscotch Balls

Blessings Beyond Belief

774. My first vine-ripened tomato that I have ever grown!  Tomatoes are so hard to grow here in Central Alaska.

775. Several meals worth of breakfasts in the freezer!

776. Swim lessons are over for the summer!

777. Our new laptop!

778. Getting through the major prophets in my reading of the Bible in 90 days.

779. Abundance of food...a full freezer

780. Time of praise in the car

781. Tim's birthday

782. Halibut in the freezer

783. Time...it is so precious! I have been so busy lately...I am realizing how precious time is!

784. The ability to keep up with the busyness of life.

Want to start your own list? Click on the Multitude Mondays button above to find out more.

Bible in 90 Days Check-in

Wow, I have made it through the major prophets!  It was hard to be honest.  I found that Jeremiah and Ezekiel were very hard to read.  They both contain tons of warnings to Judah to change their ways or they will be taken into captivity.  But I like the way Ezekiel ends...with God telling them that they will be restored.

I just finished reading Daniel which for the most part I love.  I can't say that I understand the end time prophecies in the second half of the book.  But some of my favorite stories are in Daniel.  I love when the three friends of Daniel who are about to be thrown in the furnace say,  "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King,  that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

I will move on to Hosea...

Captured By Grace by Dr. David Jeremiah

Do you really understand grace? Do you know that God is out to get you...pursue you with His love? Have you been captured by grace?

Dr. Jeremiah explores the concept of grace and what it means for us as human beings. Using the life stories of the apostle Paul and John Newton (the author of the song, "Amazing Grace"), Dr. Jeremiah gives us a picture of what grace can do in a person's life that was totally against God. He travels through the different principles of grace like...

*apart from works.

*accepted by faith.

*available to all.

*attained by justification.

*awarded freely.

*acquired through redemption.

My favorite part of the book was when he elaborates on the story of the Prodigal Son. I love how he focused on the response of the father to his son and the grace that was involved. I will have to admit at times I had a hard time focusing on some parts of the book, but all in all I loved this look at grace!

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it. I am not required to give a positive review. All my opinions are my own.

It's someone's birthday...

Happy Birthday, Tim!

Learning Styles

This week we at The Homeschool Village we are talking about learning styles.  So what are my boys learning styles and how do I handle them?

My oldest is almost completely auditory!At nine months of age (yes, 9 months!) he said his first words! By 18 months I was able to carry on a complete conversation with him on the phone.  This is very typical of kids that are highly auditory.  I just didn't know it at the time.  He is my challenge in homeschooling simply because his learning style is different from mine.  I am somewhat auditory, but I am way more visual.   From the beginning I have struggled to understand how to teach him and what works for him.  Anything done outloud is a piece of cake for him.  Ask him to pick up a pencil and his progress slows WAY down.  Last year we had him tested by a school psychologist.  Well, guess what we found out...he is higly gifted in auditory skills, but pencil and paper activities slow him down to the point that he struggles. Knowing this has given me compassion to deal with his slowness when he does have to write by hand.  It also has given me an appreciation for him...he is able to do things that I can't even begin to understand because of his auditory abilities.  We have always tried to modify some of his work so that it can be done auditorily.  But we do require that he puts pencil to paper.  He can't totally get away from it.  As the school psychologist said, "We all have to work on our weaknesses."

My youngest is like me in that he is visual.  I also think he might be a bit tactile, too.  Because his learning style is similar to mine, I have found it easy to homeschool him.  He is also highly motivated to work...something that I have been my whole life.  His biggest struggle is.....you guessed it....listening! So his weakness is his brother's strength.  His strength is his brother's weakness.  I believe this is no accident.  It is teaching my boys compassion for others who may struggle in a certain area.  It is showing them that we all have positives and negatives in our lives.   With my youngest we have really had to work on the nuances of the English language.  Because listening isn't his thing for the longest time he would use words like "goed" for "went" and "eated" for "ate".  He has basically overcome this, but we still work on having him focus on what people are saying. Because you know, we all have to work on our weaknesses!

"Monster Muffins"

We finally completed our start of school tradition...making a fun cupcake!  This year the boys have dubbed the cupcakes "Monster Muffins"!

Bulk Cooking and The "Blahs"

This summer has been hard to make time to bulk cook with my friend.  We have already missed one month, and it was looking like August would be the same.  So my friend came up with an idea.  She would make three recipes and quadruple it and then give me half.  I would do the same!  It will still produce the same effect...12 meals in the freezer for each of us, but without us fretting over a time when we can both devote a day to cooking.  We will do it on our own time.

We are also going through a "blah" time in our cooking experience.  Have you ever gone through that?  You know...when you aren't inspired to cook and all the recipes you find seem "blah".  How do you get past that hump?  Any suggestions?  We are combatting the "blahs" this month by picking our tried and true favorites....recipes we know our families won't reject.

I will be making...
Taco Soup
Orange Chicken (Uncooked chicken breasts thrown in Ziploc bags.  Pour this mixture over them: 1 part bbq sauce, 1/2 part italian dressing, and 1/4 part orange marmelade.  The breasts can be thawed and grilled when you want to serve them.)
Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

My friend will make...
Chicken Parmesan (we just coated chicken breasts will beaten egg and then breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan cheese and Italian spices, then baked in a pan with spaghetti sauce and a slice of mozzarella on the top of each breast.)
Black Bean Pumpkin Chili
Jambalaya

Bible in 90 Days Check-in: The Prophets

So I have hit the prophets.  I am currently in Jeremiah.  I can't say that I totally understand everything that I am reading, but I do adore some of the passages. Here is one that struck me...a description of Jesus:

See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness- so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. Isaiah 52:13-15