Goals for 2012

I don't really like making New Year's Resolutions. I always end up even forgetting what they were by the time we hit June!  But each year I try to pick a Word of the Year which happens to be "abide" for 2012. This will be the main concept that I will focus on in my walk with the Lord.

Besides that I have a few smaller goals in mind:

-A Pantry Challenge for January where I will try to use up what we have in the house to save some money in the process.  I will post more about that on Monday.

-Reading through the Bible chronologically in 90 days with a friend. I will be using

The Daily Bible: New International Version: With Devotional Insights to Guide You Through God's Word.

-Finally finishing memorizing James.  I am about halfway there, but it is slow going!

-Reading more classics...I have nine that I want to get through.

So, what are your goals this year?

2011 in Review

This year has been an amazing one for me...one of tremendous healing in my life.  I always enjoy taking a trip down memory lane at the end of each year.  Here are the highlights from 2011:

I started out with grace as my Word of the Year. I learned how grace and gratitude are mixed together and the hard lesson of there always needs to be a place for grace.  I also began to understand how we can kill grace with one ugly attitude. The end result of my year of grace was a series in October called 31 Days of Forgiveness. I cannot even begin to explain the healing that has come from extending forgiveness (a form of grace) to those that have hurt me.  It has been the highlight of my year.

Our oldest entered high school this year.  He taught himself to ride a unicycle during the summer!

Our youngest (a true "Renaissance Man") has been involved in all kinds of activities like horseback riding and art classes.

Our mini-Schnauzer turned two.

Tim, my movie star husband, spent time building a shed in our backyard while I spent time in the garden.

We have truly been blessed this year! I can't wait to see what 2012 holds for us!

Polka Dater Cake

A neighbor recently gave me some medjool dates.  Since I have never really used dates in anything, I decided to ask on my favorite homeschool message board for some recipes.  I decided to make a Polka Dater Cake!  I have never heard of this type of cake, but how can you go wrong with any recipe that requires chocolate?

Polka Dater Cake

1-1/4 cups chopped dates

1 cup boiling water

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1-3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips, divided

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix chopped dates in 1 cup boiling water. Beat butter, sugar and eggs until creamy. Sift the flour and baking soda together and add gradually to creamed mixture. Stir in date mixture, vanilla and half of the 6-ounce package of chocolate chips. Spread in greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Top with remaining chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

End of the Year Blessings

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-Learning how to abide

-Time to read books

-Good health

-Recovering from a cold

-Finishing Beth Moore's study on James. The last session was so powerful!

-Being able to show grace to another human being

-The smell of homebaked bread

-Enjoying dark, rich coffee each morning

-Having all the Christmas shopping done

-The pitter patter of puppy feet

-Peppermint fudge

-The song "Good King Wenceslas"...one of my favorite melodies

-That a new year is almost upon us

-Experiencing great peace

-The healing of the heart that I have experienced this year

-Sleeping in the past few days

Merry Christmas!

HippoCampus

I just recently came across a great website for high schoolers that is totally FREE! HippoCampus has teaching videos for several subjects (mainly science, social studies, and math). I am planning on using some of them with my oldest who is a freshman this year.  Check it out!

Snickerdoodle Coffee Mix

 {This is a re-post}

I love snickerdoodle flavored coffee. I normally buy St. Nickerdoodle flavored coffee from North Pole Coffee Roasting Company and add some hot chocolate mix to it. But this coffee mix is a good, cheap substitute. It doesn't have an overwhelming coffee flavor. I either mix it in hot water or add it to regular coffee.

Snickerdoodle Coffee Mix

1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup vanilla-flavored powdered non-dairy creamer
1/2 cup baking cocoa
3 T. instant coffee granules
1/2 t. allspice
1/4 t. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients. Store in airtight container. Attach instructions. Makes about three cups.
Instructions: Add 3 tablespoons to 3/4 cup boiling water.

Word Art- A Tutorial

Yesterday I mentioned that I have chosen my Word of the Year for 2012...ABIDE.  I decided I would put some word art up in my house to remind me of my word throughout the year.

It is surprisingly easy to do these big letters!  I think it took me under an hour to finish them.

You will need:

Scrapbooking paper (coordinating paper is a great idea!)

Wooden letters (mine were already painted white...however, you could paint yours any color to match your paper)

Also needed: a sponge brush, Mod Podge, and a tool to distress the edges (like an Emery board or sandpaper).

First, pick out your paper.  Turn the letters on the reverse side and trace them on the backside of the paper.

Here's the letter "A" with its paper already cut out.

The other letters...ready to go...

Then paint Mod Podge on the front of the letter.  Place the paper on top.  It is ok if some of the edges hang over a bit as you are going to distress the edges. Let dry a bit.

Then pain Mod Podge over the top of the paper to seal them.  The paper will bubble a bit, but will smooth out as it dries.

Finally, using an Emery board, sand paper, or a distressing tool rub the edges of the paper to give them a rough-edged look.

And you are done! The end result!

Word of the Year--2012

Each year I pick another word...just one word that will be my focus for the year. This past year I have been on an amazing journey of grace. I have come to appreciate the grace that God gives us and the importance of giving grace to others.  I found healing through grace by learning to forgive...I have never felt such freedom!

This year I feel that God is tugging on my heart to abide in Him. Unsure of what 2012 will bring, I have determined to focus on abiding in Him.  I only have an inkling of what it means to "abide", but I am eager to learn what it means and how to live it out.

How about you? Do you pick a word for the year?  What will you be focusing on this year?

Christmas Blessings

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

-Blessings by Laura Story

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-The blessing of Christmas (A Savior for us all)
-A great lunch with a friend
-Blessings even when there seems to be none
-Christmas goodies like these
-The end of the semester
-Teaching my last Spanish class of the year
-A great Wednesday night small group lesson at church
-Paper to keep all my thoughts
-Cell phones
-Christmas songs
-That God is in charge and will take care of those we love
-Houses decorated with Christmas lights
-God is gracious
-Picking a Word of the Year for 2012 (more on that later)

-Loving God
-Watching a TV show with my hubby
-A wiggly, wagging puppy dog tail
-Joy
-Soft, gentle music

Make Ahead Meals

I love make-ahead meals!  Frankly, that is about the only way we eat.  I make several meals and then freeze them for future dinners.  Here are some of our favorites...

Meatballs

6 lbs ground beef

3-4 cups bread crumbs

2/3 cup milk

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup minced onion

2 T. minced garlic

1 T. salt

2 t. black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Using your hands (Gross! I know!) thoroughly combine all the above ingredients. Shape into one inch balls. Place on baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Here are some ideas for meals that use meatballs.

Spaghetti and meatballs

Sweet and Sour meatballs

Meatball subs

Crockpot Meatball Stew

Meatball Stroganoff

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

These are great to make in bulk and freeze for future dinners. This recipe is more time intensive, but worth it! If you double the recipe then you can use the whole can of chilies…make a pan for tonight and then freeze the other!

3-4 chicken breasts-cooked and chopped
Corn tortillas
¼ cup margarine/butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
½ of a 4 oz can chopped green chilies
¾ cup chopped onion
Melt butter. Blend in flour and chicken broth. Cook until it thickens. Blend in sour cream. Don’t boil. Pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of 6x10” pan. Mix 1 ½ cups of the cheese, onion, chilies, and chicken in a bowl. Use this mixture to fill the tortillas. Roll tortillas and place seam side down in the pan. Pour sauce over all. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake 15 minutes longer.

If you are feeling lazy…you can always do the enchiladas in layers instead of rolling them. I do sauce, tortillas, filling, more tortillas, and more sauce.

Booking It 2012

Last year I participated in Booking it over at Life as Mom.  It motivated me to read a tremendous amount in 2011!  I mostly read the classics with a few faith-based books and cookbooks thrown in.  I am planning on doing Booking It 2012 combining it with the Back to the Classics Challenge.  If you would like to read more about it click here! I can't wait to start reading!  We will be discussing the 12th of every month the books we are reading.

In the Busy Times

Advent can be such a crazy time...it shouldn't be that way, but it is.  Instead of getting anxious because I have so much to do I am counting my blessings.

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*Lights on the tree
*Getting my cooking session done
*Time to focus on God
*Hot chocolate
*Watching my puppy cuddle up in my son's arms
*Enrolling for a class
*Fresh flowers on the computer desk
*Time off from work
*Funny birthday cards
*A new deep fat fryer
*Yielding to God
*Comfy friendships
*Lots of exercising this week
*Tim home from work
*Tim finishing the Christmas shopping and mailing of packages
*Tim working on the Christmas letter

Classics Reading Challenge

This past year I spent most of my reading time in the classics.  I am loving it so much that I am going to do it again with a little more structure.  I have decided to do the Back to the Classics Reading Challenge.  To read about it, click here.

Here are the categories and what I plan to read...

• Any 19th Century Classic-Uncle Tom's Cabin 
• Any 20th Century Classic -The Great Gatsby
• Reread a classic of your choice -The Woman in White
• A Classic Play-Othello
• Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction- Hound of Baskervilles
• Classic Romance -Scarlet Pimpernel
• Read a Classic that has been translated from its original language to your language - To clarify, if your native language is NOT English, you may read any classic originally written in English that has been translated into your native language.    The House of Bernarda Alba
• Classic Award Winner - To clarify, the book should be a classic which has won any established literary award. The Age of Innocence (Pulitzer Prize)
• Read a Classic set in a Country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime - To Clarify, this does not have to be a country that you hope to visit either. Countries that no longer exist or have never existed count. Gulliver's Travels

Christmas Pizza

Aren't these awesome?!?!  We are going to be trying these sometime during the Christmas season.

Edible Nativity in Candy Form

Have you ever done an edible Nativity as a gift? Each food represents a part of the Christmas story.   I normally pack the nativity in little gift bags and add a list of the verses so that recipients know which candy represent which character.

I have seen edible nativities using cookies, but for those that don't want to bake or don't have that kind of time during the holidays a candy nativity works well!

{Jesus} Lifesavers- "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

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{Mary} Treasures- "When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary  treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. " Luke 2:17-19

{Joseph} Lifesaver Pop (Because he was the "pop" of the "Lifesaver")- "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph." Matthew 3:23




{Angels} Almond Joy-But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10

{Herod} Nutroll (He was a little nutty)- "When King Herod heard this he was disturbed" Matthew 2:3




{Star} Starbursts-“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2

{Wise Men} Smarties-"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem." Matthew 2:1

{Shepherds} Jolly Ranchers (Happy sheep ranchers, that is!)-"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." Luke 2:20