Three Fold Cord

Still Alive and Busy

2012-01-29T07:13:00.000-05:00

Just so you didn't think that maybe I dropped off the face of the earth or that an entire room full of dirty laundry swallowed me up, I thought I would write a quick note. All is well here in our "one wild and precious life." Things keep coming at me that consume my good intentions. You know those things known as the logistics of living. I will try and do better about writing, but I also tell myself that about cleaning the house too! The difference is that I miss writing, but I can live without cleaning.

grace and peace,
julie

Just so you know, the "one wild and precious life" is taken from a poem by Mary Oliver. I don't want to be accused of plagiarism!

One Less Worry

2012-01-21T09:22:00.000-05:00

When we moved to Rhea County a little over a year and a half ago, I spent many hours bemoaning the fact that my children would not have close relationships with other adults in their lives. I especially felt sad about Josh because he was caught in between. He had those people in Greene County... the ones that could love on him and scold him in the same breath. I never expected him to find those kind of adults here in our new home. I didn't think Josh would allow himself to develop those kinds of relationships, and I was even more concerned that the people in Rhea County wouldn't take the time to build those kind of relationships with my kids.

I am happy to report that I was wrong. People have not only learned our names, but they have developed relationships with our kids. Good relationships that allow them to love on our children and to scold them when necessary. I was reminded of this last night as we helped with a large baseball fundraiser. I had the opportunity to talk with several people that my kids know better than I do. These people know my kids at their best, but they have also seen them making mistakes. In other words, they know the good and the bad! I am so thankful for the people that have poured into my kids' lives. Michael and I pour everything we have to give, but then other people come in and add more, which adds something special to the mix.

As we listened last night to Cory Gearrin, a native of Rhea County who plays baseball for the Atlanta Braves, I realized just how much others have an input into our children. Cory took the time to honor his own parents, but he also took the time to share just how much the other people of Rhea County had influenced him. The teachers, coaches, parents of his friends, as well as others helped grow him into the man that he is today.

The above picture says it all for my son. She is a mom to one of Joshua's friends. She took the time to get to know Josh. She has fed him, laughed with him, cared about him, and yes, scolded him when needed. She has poured into him good things as well as good memories. By the way, she is just one of many that have done the same thing for him.

I wish I had known the outcome a year and a half ago when we left on this journey. I wouldn't have shed so many tears about moving, and I wouldn't have made such a long list of things that concerned me.

I am thankful that I have one less thing to worry about...

grace and peace,
julie

2011 York Family Year In Review

2011-12-31T19:55:00.001-05:00

Our children got to enjoy snow the first winter that we were in our new home. They even had their first ever horse drawn ride with our neighbor and his dog.

The brothers found a new place to call home and shoot guns.

Spring came and Josh went to the prom. No, his date wasn't this cutie pie, but it was her sister. By the way, this little girl still refers to Josh as hers.

Spring also brought us our first garden here in our new home. By the way, it was probably the best garden that we have ever had.

The end of May brought Jacob graduating from middle school and heading into high school.

Summer brought Missy posting herself on guard on the front porch. She enjoyed watching the birds and the kids play. She doesn't like the heat very much so she has become more of a porch dog as she gets older.

Summer also brought about a bad eye report for our youngest son. This required us to patch his good eye. We bought him a sword and a hook, and called him Captain Fatbaby.

Summer gave way to a new school year. This school year rocked our world with me getting a job at our local high school as a teacher. By the way, I am loving it!

The garden kept producing and I kept canning even though I was now working full time. Michael also took his spot in the kitchen as the garden kept gifting us with beautiful treasures.

We celebrated our daughter's 13th birthday. She also has been wearing braces for over a year now.

We watched our boys play football and our daughter play basketball. We celebrated Joshua's football season as well as his 18th birthday. With his birthday came the signing of papers for him to become a Marine.

We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with family this year. We then came together to celebrate Christmas with just the 7 of us on Christmas day here in our home. The end of the year has seen us resting, relaxing, traveling, studying, cleaning, hunting, and cooking.

I hope you stick around to see what the new year brings for our family. I fully expect animals to come to our property this year. The only two things Jacob asked for this year for Christmas were sheep and a German Shepherd puppy. He didn't get either this year, but I have a sneaky feeling that next year he will have some animals to enjoy.

Happy New Year!!!!!

grace and peace,
julie

Christmas 2011 and Some News

2011-12-28T13:28:00.000-05:00

Christmas came and went once again this year. Here is a short recap of how our family celebrated the Christmas season.

Hope and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen fixing all the goodies.

There was a lot of laughing and eating this year.

Our Christmas tree was decorated right after Thanksgiving while our college son was home.

We then loaded up the suburban with all 7 of us plus our son's girlfriend and headed to Kentucky to celebrate with our family there. Missy stayed home alone this year. Our neighbor came and checked on her while we were gone.

We had Christmas with Michael's side of the family. The next day we celebrated with my side of the family.

Hope enjoyed her second cousin a lot. I enjoyed him too! I also got to spend time with my niece and nephew.

My brother and I even took time out for a photo.

We traveled back home and waited another week to celebrate our family Christmas here in our home. Matthew came home again.

This was about the best I could do with our family Christmas photo. These kids just aren't very cooperative first thing in the morning!

I enjoyed the last few weeks so much. This Christmas was extra special to me this year. First, it has been 7 years since all of our kids have been in Kentucky together to celebrate Christmas there. This Christmas has the potential to be the last Christmas for awhile that all 5 of my kids will be home to celebrate. Joshua enlisted in the Marines, and only the Lord knows where he will be next year. I tried to savor each and every laugh, conversation, hug, and memory that was made this year. While I am very proud of our son, the reality of him leaving home soon hits this mamma's heart hard.

Josh wanted a guitar and lessons this year for Christmas. We were happy to comply with that request. It has been awhile since he took piano lessons. I look forward to hearing him learn to play guitar! I don't look forward to August when he leaves for boot camp!

grace and peace,
julie

A Bean Bag Chair and an English Mastiff

2011-12-26T19:38:00.000-05:00

Seth and Missy have been enjoying a lazy afternoon. Somebody left Hope's bean bag chair in the living room. I guess Missy thought it was a large pillow so she helped herself. Then along came Seth with a video game and decided to use both the bean bag chair and Missy. They spent all afternoon in this position!

grace and peace,

julie

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T14:14:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

grace and peace,
julie

Crock Pot Peanut Clusters Recipe

2011-12-23T11:03:00.001-05:00

I would have never tried this recipe if I hadn't eaten the peanut clusters first. With one bite, I knew I had to have the recipe. My sister-in-law was more than happy to share. She is good like that. This maybe the easiest candy recipe out there. I know it is a bit on the expensive side to make, but it does make a lot of clusters. My cake plate is almost empty, but there were a lot more on there just a few days before. Hope you enjoy this one!

Peanut Clusters

12 oz can unsalted peanuts, dry roasted
12 oz can salted peanuts, dry roasted
1 bar German chocolate (green box found in the baking aisle)
1/3 bag of peanut butter chips (found in the baking aisle next to the chocolate chips)
1 bag chocolate chips
1 and a half block of white chocolate (this is the candy quick found in the baking aisle or almond bark)

Layer in crock pot as listed. Cook on warm for 2 1/2 hours. Stir together, then drop on wax paper in clusters and cool.

grace and peace,
julie

The Simple Joy of a Gracious Southern Christmas

2011-12-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

I saw a quote in a magazine the other day, and it touched my heart enough to share it with you.

"May you enjoy the simple joy of a gracious southern Christmas."

When I first read it, I was struck by two different thoughts. The first thought was about the SIMPLE joy. Too often, Christmas becomes crazy and anything but simple. I like a simple Christmas. Actually, I like a simple holiday season. Your definition of simple and mine may be quite different. I find it pleasurable and simple to putter in the kitchen making holiday candy with my daughter. You may find that task deplorable and stressful. You may enjoy knitting or sewing. I would rather go to the dentist than to sew anything! It is up to each of us to find the balance between a simple Christmas and the responsibilities that come with the holiday season.

The second thing that caught my attention with the above quote was the "gracious southern Christmas." I know what that looks like in the magazines. I also know what that looks like on t.v. But what does that look like for me in real life? First, I want my house in order. It doesn't have to be spotless, but it does have to be clean. I enjoy burning candles in the evening and watching the Christmas lights twinkle. I enjoy gathering with my kids and watching Christmas shows on t.v. I enjoy cooking big meals and baking goodies. I enjoy spending time with my kids and their friends around the dinner table. I enjoy being with my husband. A gracious southern Christmas isn't one of perfectionism, but one that enjoys each and every moment of the holiday season.

grace and peace,
julie

Christmas Broccoli

2011-12-21T18:35:00.000-05:00

This has been the first year that I have harvested fall vegetables during the Christmas season. Our broccoli is glorious this year. We have enjoyed broccoli soup along with plenty of broccoli and cheese as a side dish. I also harvested lots of romaine lettuce and buttercrunch lettuce. Our collard greens have produced in abundance as well. Our cabbage is the only thing that hasn't grown to completion yet.

When you walk past our fall garden, it looks kind of sorry at this point. However, it is still producing and we are still enjoying the goodies. My rosemary, oregano, and mint are also still hanging in there from this summer's garden. Next year I would like to add green peas to the fall garden.

I know that Christmas isn't even here yet, but I am already thinking about my spring and summer garden. In just a few short weeks, I will be planting my seeds for the beginning of the spring garden.

grace and peace,
julie

Hot Cocoa Mix

2011-12-20T18:33:00.000-05:00

Winter time in our home brings traditions for our family. While I love the summer time and all the business of the garden and outside fun, I also treasure the slower winter months. You might find me curled up on the couch reading a good book or our family huddled together on the couch watching a good movie. Whatever the case may be, you can be certain to find hot cocoa mix sitting on our counter waiting to be enjoyed by one of the kids. I LOVE this mix stirred into a cup of warm milk. It is truly a decadent treat. My children stir it into a mug of warm water, and my husband has been known to add it to his coffee for a mocha type treat. If my hips would allow, I would partake of this cup of goodness every day. I hope you enjoy!

Hot Cocoa Mix

1 Box Powder Milk
1 Regular size Coffee Mate Creamer
1 Regular size Nestle Quick Powder Mix
1 1/2 cups Powder Sugar

Mix all together and store in an airtight container. To make a cup of cocoa, mix 1 mug of warm water or warm milk to 1/2 cup of mix.

grace and peace,
julie

Help with Header Image, Please

2011-12-20T06:22:00.000-05:00

Has anyone else had any problem with their header image? One day everything was fine, and then the next day my picture had shrunk without me changing anything. Now every time I try to add an image to my header it shrinks. Any help with this would be appreciated!

grace and peace,
julie

Husband Comes to My Rescue

2011-12-03T08:53:00.000-05:00

I love my husband's Droid phone. He uses it to surf the web while he deer hunts. Apparently he just found my latest post, which happened about 15 minutes ago, and decided to offer his help for my meal list. I guess he panicked at the thought of eating fast food/pizza again this upcoming week. Here are his ideas:

1. Broccoli Soup and Sandwiches (apparently broccoli soup by itself is an incomplete meal)
2. Grilled Mushroom Swiss Burgers
3. Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with a good tomato (Where in the world does one find a good tomato in December)?
4. Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies
5 Ravioli Casserole, Salad
6. Chili Dogs
7. Meatball Subs (I am going to change that to Sausage and Peppers. I just need a good bottle of wine to make this dish).
8. Grilled Pork Chops and Veggie Side Dishes
9. Chicken and Dumplings

Notice Michael's meal list. What does almost every meal contain? MEAT... He doesn't even take the time to spell out what veggies sound good to him! My men are truly carnivores! I am just thankful for the ideas. Any ideas that you may want to contribute, please feel free. I still have several slots left for dinner for two weeks!

grace and peace,
julie

Help! I Need Meal Ideas

2011-12-03T08:26:00.000-05:00

Our house is all decked out in its Christmas attire. I am so thankful that we accomplished this task the Saturday/Sunday after Thanksgiving. I ended up getting sick this past week, and I haven't been much good for anything. I haven't cooked the last three days. I think this is a personal record for me, but I just haven't felt up to making a meal. Pizza Hut has come to our rescue as well as a few fast food joints. I am hoping to put a list together today so my husband and I can go shopping. I don't think I have enough energy to do it by myself. This bug has really gotten me down. I am even having a hard time coming up with something yummy to cook for the upcoming meals. The only thing that sounds really good to me is broccoli soup. Lucky for me, I cut our garden broccoli the other day before I got sick so I have plenty of fresh broccoli for my soup.

As I have been curled up under a blanket on the couch, I have so enjoyed the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. I can focus on the huge tree instead of all the mess that is piling up around me. I did hear my husband and son up early this morning. They were doing dishes and laundry before heading out to deer hunt this morning. I bet Jacob needed underwear and Michael needed a cup for his coffee! Whatever the reason, it was music to my ears.

What are you feeding your family this week? I might just be a copycat since I can't come up with any of my own ideas!

grace and peace,
julie

Just a Thought

2011-11-29T15:36:00.001-05:00

We have had a visitor the last few days. As much as I enjoy seeing a hawk on my fence post, it also reminds me that we will need to protect future chickens. I am looking forward to bringing the animals back on the farm this coming spring.

grace and peace,
julie

Tired Dogs

2011-11-27T19:36:00.000-05:00

This is the way we all felt today. We were all tired from the Thanksgiving celebration. We had a wonderful time with family, and I am thankful for the opportunity to spend time with everybody. After our family left, we celebrated Joshua's 18th birthday. We then decorated the Christmas tree so that our oldest son could be a part of that fun before he went back to college. We crammed a lot of fun and food into a few days. I think we all need to go back to work and school so we can rest up for Christmas!

grace and peace,
julie

Let the Cooking Begin!

2011-11-21T21:26:00.000-05:00

The groceries are all bought and put away for the big upcoming Thanksgiving week. After I got home from work today, I began to cook for Thanksgiving. I made and froze the pie crusts. I made an ice-cream cake and oreo balls. I also made a double batch of fresh cranberries. Tomorrow will find me cooking for every one's arrival on Wednesday. Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Potato Salad, along with Baked Beans will be filling up the plates for Wednesday's dinner meal. I will also be making fudge for my niece and an Apple Cake for my mom. Michael offered to cook tomorrow night's supper so that will free me up to spend another evening for cooking ahead. I want to get as much done ahead of time as possible so that I too can enjoy being with all of our out-of-town guests.

grace and peace,
julie

Friday Night Fun?

2011-11-18T17:15:00.000-05:00

As you well know, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I have always loved this holiday. My family will be coming to our house this year to celebrate Thanksgiving so I have lots of things to accomplish before the big day. I have already planned the meals for next week, and I have also made out the shopping list. Now I have to do the shopping so I can get started with some precooking over the weekend. Michael offered to shop with me this evening. He must be hungry or else he probably wouldn't be so quick to suggest going with me. I don't care what the reasons are behind his offer. I just need extra muscles and hands to push the second shopping buggy!

grace and peace,
julie

The Last Time

2011-11-16T21:51:00.001-05:00

Recently our son's high school football team celebrated Senior Night.

Then he took the field for the last time. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my freshman #28 and my senior #54 playing the game of football together. There is something so special about watching my two boys play together and encourage each other.

Josh, #54, had a wonderful football season. I am pleased with all that he has accomplished on and off the field this past year. I am pleased with the new coaching staff. I am thankful for each and every one of the coaches that have poured into my boys' lives. I am especially thankful for the one who took Josh under his wing when we first moved here. That man really has no idea just how much of a difference he made ( and is still making) in Joshua's life. My heart will forever be grateful.

I know many people do not value sports, but for our family sports has had a wonderful impact on each of our children. Yes, the kids have learned how to play the game, but there has been so much more to it than just learning a game. There has been the wonderful aspect of learning character and having the opportunity to apply that character when there is adversity. Sometimes my children have missed the mark, and I am thankful for each coach that has been there to point them back in the right direction. I am thankful that my children have had the opportunity to play a game and learn so much.

grace and peace,
julie

Happy Veterans Day

2011-11-11T16:14:00.001-05:00

What does a veteran look like? They are fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, and friends. They are mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and friends. They come in all shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common. A desire to serve our country and protect our freedoms.

Thank you always seems like such a cliche thing to say on Veteran's Day. However, it is all I have to give to the people who have given so very much for me. Then I realized just recently that I have more than just words on my lips. I have actions. I watched my 14 year old son do something that brought me to tears in Walmart several months back. As we were checking out the groceries, he walked to an elderly man sitting on a bench wearing a hat that said he was a veteran. Jacob went up to the man and shook his hand and said, "Thank you for serving our country." The man smiled, and at that moment I knew I had more to give to a veteran than just a thank you. My husband and I have passed on the value of veterans to our children.

Many of you know that my husband served almost 12 years in the Navy. At times it was hard, but I am so thankful for all that time taught us as a couple. I am so thankful for the friendships that were formed from those days of being in the military. Many of those friendships still remain today. I am so thankful for the job/career that the Navy trained my husband for today. I am so very thankful that I was a Navy wife in those early years of our marriage. I know the cost, and I am still thankful.

grace and peace,
julie

BonFire Nights

2011-10-23T19:50:00.000-05:00

Missy has been busy lately enjoying bonfire nights. She is always excited when it is time to make the fire because she knows that yummy food is sure to follow.

She is very helpful when it comes to choosing the right piece of wood for the fire. She wants to make sure that her hot dogs and marshmallows are cooked to perfection.

Smelling the wood to decide which piece to choose...

It appears she is hiding something in her mouth. I bet she got into the marshmallows!

grace and peace,
julie

Catching Up

2011-10-18T14:07:00.000-05:00

I have spent the last few days catching up on some of the things that have gotten behind in my world. At the top of my list, I wanted to get outside and enjoy nature. I love being outside any chance I can get, and being in a school building all day has been different for me. I miss the beauty of the outdoors, and the feeling of calm that comes with nature. Michael and I stole away for a bit Sunday morning and we spent some time outside. It was a much needed treat for me.

I also didn't realize how far behind on things I was until I started to try and catch up on those things! Wow, many daily things have been left undone so I am thankful for the extra cleaning that has happened around our house this week. I also have spent time grading papers and recording grades. I felt like a huge burden had been lifted from me when I had completed that task. I try my best to stay on top of the grading, but sometimes it does get the best of me.

I have enjoyed my time in the kitchen and my kids have enjoyed the results. I felt like I had gotten behind on the nice meals for my family. Jacob was setting the table the other evening and he wanted a tablecloth. I didn't have one clean and that seemed to bother him. I am glad that my boys want things to be nice when we come to the table together. It is something that they all value because I have valued it over the years.

Well, speaking of family dinner, I must go and make Chicken n Dumplings, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Yeast Rolls, Sweet Tea and maybe something for dessert. Hope you have a blessed day!

grace and peace,
julie

Fall Break Cooking

2011-10-17T07:52:00.000-05:00

Our school is on fall break this week. My husband took vacation time and we are enjoying time with the kids. Matthew, our son at ETSU, didn't get the same fall break as our school. He is due to come in the last part of October. It has been awhile since we have seen him, and I am ready to hug his neck.

Michael and the boys are enjoying the time deer hunting. We are all enjoying some relaxing time. I am also taking this opportunity to catch up on some school work as well as house work. It amazes me at just how quickly a house can get undone!

I am also enjoying being in my kitchen. I am making the dishes that take extra time that I don't have during the school week. I am also enjoying baking pies, breads, and cakes. Fall has always been my favorite time of year to cook. I am thinking about Thanksgiving and looking for ways to do things early so that I can enjoy hosting my whole family while also working a full time job. I think I have some plans that I will share a bit closer to the time.

Today, I will be grinding wheat and making whole wheat bread for our neighbor. He brought his team of horses and his disc to prepare the big garden for winter. I know he likes my cinnamon raisin bread so I will be making some for his family as well as ours. My recipe is on the sidebar if you would like to try it for yourself. If you want to try a banana bread that is wonderful, check out that recipe on the sidebar too. The banana bread is the one that is in the above picture. Happy cooking and baking!

grace and peace,
julie

Football Mishap

2011-10-14T15:41:00.004-05:00

Guess where we were last night? If you answered, "Children's Hospital in Chattanooga", you are correct. Jacob was knocked out while making a tackle during the football game which required a trip to the hospital. It was determined that he had a concussion, but he will be just fine with a few days of rest.

Let me just say that I was beyond impressed with the hospital. The facility was wonderful and the nurses were amazing. They covered Jacob with stickers and had a great time with him. This made him much more relaxed for his CAT scan and his x-rays. They brought him little sprites and everything. When we first got to the Children's Hospital, he was still a bit disoriented. All the patients were little and dressed in their jammies. He sat down beside me and asked me why we brought him there with all the little people. I assured him he was in the right place. After spending just a few minutes there, he realized that he was in the right place. I am so thankful for the care, and for the people who serve in that profession. I am also thankful for insurance and that my child will be alright.

grace and peace,

julie

Hope's Concern

2011-10-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

Hope came home yesterday evening from basketball practice and opened the refrigerator to get something to drink. As she stood in front of the open door, she looked confused. She then said, "What's wrong with the refrigerator?" I asked her to explain what she meant, and she responded, "There is nothing in here. It is just empty and clean!" This pretty much sums up my pantry as well as my refrigerator. However, my canning pantry is stocked full to the brim with garden produce. Somehow my kids don't want to snack on canned jalapenos!

This all leads to my morning be full of grocery planning and shopping. I have been putting this one off for as long as possible, but alas we have no more meat in the house. There isn't even a morsel of chicken because the last three meals have consisted of chicken. My husband was gracious about it last night, but not happy since chicken isn't one of his favorites. He tolerates it, but that is about all. It was a good thing that I had a pan of homemade yeast rolls on the table!

Well, I am off to spend more money than I would like at the grocery store. On the up side of things, maybe Hope won't be worried about the refrigerator once it is full again!

grace and peace,
julie

Garden Vegetable Pie (Quiche)

2011-10-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

My fall garden is full of broccoli plants. I think there are over 70 of them out there! We love broccoli, and fresh from the garden broccoli is in a class all of its own. My family loves broccoli steamed with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese, but they also like broccoli in casseroles. Here is a quick and easy dish to serve for a brunch or as an easy supper with a salad or a soup. The easy part is that you don't have to make a traditional pie crust for the quiche. The best part is that it tastes great. By the way, I have substituted zucchini for the broccoli in the spring when we had zucchini coming out of our ears. It was wonderful that way too. Hope you enjoy!

Garden Vegetable Pie (Quiche)

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 medium carrot grated
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Blend milk, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir in rest of ingredients. Pour into a greased deep dish pie plate. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes in 400 degree oven or until set and brown.

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

2011-10-02T07:41:00.000-05:00

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."

Lamentations 3:25

Fall Garden

2011-09-30T14:59:00.002-05:00

We have had our fall garden planted for several weeks now. I love fall gardens because the bugs aren't usually a problem. Our fall garden is always just an eating garden...no canning required! This is also another reason to love gardening this time of year. We have broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, lettuce, and cauliflower planted. I meant to plant peas and spinach, but I forgot to pick up the seeds.

God and the rain brought back our flowers these past few weeks. I am enjoying the last few bits of color that these flowers are bringing in our world. Hope y'all have a great weekend. You can find me in the herbs pulling the weeds!

grace and peace,
julie

First Day of Fall

2011-09-23T15:17:00.000-05:00

Our second grader came home from school today and reminded me that today is the first day of fall. I am so thankful to see the heat of this past summer melt away into the cooler days of fall. Tonight we will be enjoying our high school football game. The cooler weather makes for a much more enjoyable football experience! Our oldest son will meet us at the game so I will get to wrap my arms around him. I am looking forward to seeing him even if it is just for the game.

On Saturday, we will be throwing a birthday bonfire to celebrate Hope's special day. That day will find me cleaning house, grocery shopping, and making food for the party. I plan on keeping things simple for the bonfire, but I do want to spoil the kids that come a bit. I ordered a birthday cake from a bakery because Hope asked for a bakery cake. She shares my love of bakery cakes! Dessert will be the simple part. I plan on serving hot dogs that the kids can roast over the fire. I guess that counts as simple too. I will have a crock pot full of Pulled BBQ Pork along with another crock pot of Cowboy Beans. She has asked me to make my Chicken Salad, which doesn't go with anything else on the menu. I will oblige her since it is her 13th birthday. Otherwise, I would throw that idea right out the window! I will also serve Hot Apple Cider, Hot Coco, and a few appetizers. Of course there will be fixings for Smores.

I am looking forward to spending some time hosting a get together for her friends. Since I am at the high school, I don't get a chance to spend as much time with Hope's friends as I would like. This will be a great opportunity to enjoy seeing some kids I haven't seen in awhile, and it will be fun doing something big to celebrate Hope's birthday!

grace and peace,
julie

Happy Birthday, Hope Shalom

2011-09-21T17:55:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe that our baby girl is celebrating her 13th birthday today. Once again, our house has three teenagers! We are going to really celebrate her birthday this weekend with a good old fashion bonfire and friends. Josh did check out of school today to go pick Hope up from her school so he could take her out to lunch at a local restaurant. I am thankful that he was able to do something special with her on her actual birthday.

Happy Birthday, Hopie Shalomie!!!!

grace and peace,
julie

Hot Apple Cider Recipe

2011-09-20T15:20:00.001-05:00

Before you attempt to make my Hot Apple Cider recipe, you need a cold, dreary day like the one in the above picture. This is the perfect setting for a nice cup of cider. Hope you enjoy!

Hot Apple Cider

Place 18-20 whole cloves and 4 cinnamon sticks in a cheesecloth. (On occasions that I haven't had a cheesecloth, I have just placed the cloves and cinnamon sticks in the cider without putting them in the cheesecloth. When it is time to take them out of the liquid, I use a slotted spoon. It is a bit more trouble, but it works when I am in a pinch).

In a large stock pot, add 1 gallon apple cider, 1cup mild honey (This makes the cider very sweet. If you don't like things very sweet, you may want to cut back on the honey), and 1/2 cup orange juice. Add the whole cloves and cinnamon sticks.

Heat slowly until hot. Simmer 30 minutes. Let stand 2 to 3 hours before serving. After an hour, remove spices so the cider doesn't get bitter.

I sometimes make this cider in my crock pot if I am hosting a large gathering. Refrigerate any leftovers. Reheat to enjoy. Take a mug of Hot Apple Cider to the front porch with a good book and enjoy the beauty of fall!

grace and peace,
julie

Fall Treats

2011-09-17T09:51:00.000-05:00

Fall has to be my favorite season of all, but I say that about every season. There are so many things that capture my heart during the fall: the crisp weather, the outside beauty, and of course the food! I love the smell of hearty soups and stews simmering on the stove or the aroma of fresh baked bread in the oven. Who can resist a slice of apple pie and a cup of coffee?

One of my favorite quick snacks for fall is to combine candy corn and peanuts in a pretty serving dish. Everybody loves this simple sweet and salty treat. The English Mastiff that lives here especially likes this combination so I have to make sure it is out of her reach!

Don't be fooled by her sleepy eyes. Trust me she is watching and waiting for us to leave any goodies unattended for her consumption. She finished off a bowl full of jolly ranchers recently. On the upside, she did have fresh fruity breath!

Next post, I will share our family's fall apple cider recipe with you. Our second son loves this warm concoction so much that I keep it made up and stored in the downstairs refrigerator. All he has to do is heat it back up a cup at a time. When the outside temps recently dropped down into the 70's, Josh was asking for me to make Hot Apple Cider for him!

grace and peace,
julie

Fall is in the Air

2011-09-11T21:14:00.000-05:00

We finally had a break in the heat this past week. I was so thankful to see rain and cooler temperatures. Our grass was thankful too! This past week has had a fall feeling to it. I have been celebrating the feeling of fall by burning candles and baking treats. This morning I made homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast. This afternoon I made yeast rolls and a peach cobbler. Since I have started working, I find that I enjoy baking on the weekends. I don't have time during the week to bake much, so I take advantage of the extra time I have on the weekends. My kids are very appreciative of the weekend treats.

I have also spent a large portion of my weekend time sitting on our front porch enjoying the breeze and grading papers. The hummingbirds have been in full force these past few days. I guess they too are enjoying the fall weather!

The cooler weather also made our Friday night football game more enjoyable. We played in Knoxville so Matthew was able to drive down to watch the game with us. One of Joshua's friends also came down to watch the game and to spend the weekend with us. I love it when friends from Greeneville come and spend time with us. We spent ten years getting to know the kids from Greeneville, and I miss them now that we have moved.

Well, it is time to prepare for another week. Bedtime is calling my name for sure! I hope you have a blessed week. Let's not get so busy that we forget to enjoy the journey!

grace and peace,
julie

Remember the Moments

2011-09-04T17:08:00.000-05:00

The last month has been pretty much a blur in my world. Going to work has eaten up more brain cells than I have to offer. I sent the 7 year old to school without studying his spelling words. I didn't even think about it until the day after the spelling test. I sent the 14 year old to school without any lunch money. He came asking me for some money at school and I had none. I had to send him to find his brother to give him some money. Which reminds me, I still owe that 17 year old $25 for a parking sticker. I find myself forgetting to lay out the meat for supper, and I seem to be always behind on the laundry. I am enjoying my new job, but I am having to adjust the way I do things on a daily basis.

As I was working on the computer this afternoon, I realized that it was September. Keep in mind that it has been September for the last four days, but it startled me to realize that August had already passed. Then I remembered that I forgot a very special day. I haven't forgotten this day for the last 5 years. This was the first time, and I was saddened a bit that it could slip my mind so easily. It also scared me because I don't want to let the memory of a father be forgotten. It has been six years since my father went to be with the Lord...six years since I heard his voice...six years since I saw him smile...six years since I heard him say, "Julie Bell".

I know that forgetting to pause and mark the day of his death doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of life. I know that just because I got busy and forgot the day doesn't mean that I will get busy and forget him. I also was reminded of a card that was given to me this summer by an old friend. The front of the card read, "We do not remember days, we remember MOMENTS." I hold those moments with my father close to my heart, but I can't tell you what days we shared them. The same holds true with other people in my life. I may not remember the days, but I most certainly remember the moments.

grace and peace,
julie

A Happy Gift

2011-09-03T20:28:00.000-05:00

I was sitting at my school desk one morning this past week when I heard a sweet voice say, "Julie." I looked up and saw a friend that I just met several weeks ago. She had this GREAT garden bag in her hand as a gift for me. I was so surprised!

When I turned the bag around, I saw that she had filled the other pockets with all sorts of school supplies for my classroom! She wrote me a special card with a very kind note, and this gift just made my day. I smiled each time I looked over at my desk and saw it.

Thank you, Marcy for such a kind gesture. You just have no idea how much this meant to me!

grace and peace,
julie

The End of The Summer Garden

2011-08-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

Our garden has produced a tremendous amount of vegetables this year. We have enjoyed eating fresh from the garden as well as filling our pantry with canned goods. This has required a lot of time, but it is coming to a close for now. I can't say that I am sad to see the hard work go, but I am sad to see the fresh food go by the wayside!

At the beginning of the garden year, we decided to plant a traditional row garden. This was in order to save time and money. After working in the traditional garden this year, I think we have changed our minds about raised bed gardening. I don't think we will spend the money or time to do a raised bed garden in the future. This year's garden has been by far the best garden that we have ever grown. It hasn't taken much time. In order to weed it, Michael has ran the tiller down the rows. It is quick and to the point.

We have experienced a drought this year. If it had not been for our drip tape, we would have lost most of our garden. I am thankful that we still used our watering system even though it was a bit more of a challenge in the traditional row garden.

As with any garden experience, we have made our share of mistakes this year. For example, we only planted about half of the amount of green beans that we needed to can. We will fix that problem next year. Our second corn planting didn't come up, so we should have replanted more corn. We just didn't pay attention, or realize it until it was too late. We also let the weeds take over the herb garden. My herbs are still producing, but I did lose my Thyme in the process. I can't tell the Thyme from the weeds! I will do better next year.

The next chore on our list is to clean up after the summer garden. We have to roll up the drip tape, and till the old plants under. It is also time to get my fall garden planted. I have been trying to hold off on planting my plants due to the heat.

grace and peace,
julie

Friday Night Football

2011-08-21T18:23:00.000-05:00

It's that time once again here in Rhea County!

Josh is a senior this year. He is wearing number 54. Although we got beat, he played a great game.

His brother drove 3 1/2 hours just to watch him play. I sure am glad he performed well.

grace and peace,
julie

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-08-14T17:09:00.000-05:00

Once again I didn't mean to take such a long break from the blogging world. Life has swept me off my feet lately, and there just hasn't been much time left for me to write. I have started teaching at our local high school. This has been a huge change for our family. I love the job, but when I get home there isn't much time left for the computer. Our garden has produced an enormous amount of food this year. I think it is safe to say that this has been the best garden that we have ever grown. I wish we would have planted more green beans and corn, but we will make those adjustments next year. We are running out of canning jars this year, and I have to admit that there is something very fulfilling about seeing our once empty jars filled with food.

We even had success growing watermelon this year! I think it had something to do with the soil and the heat. Missy hasn't enjoyed being outside much this summer because it has been so hot. She follows me everywhere I go so she is often in the garden in the early morning before the heat comes.

My summer has been filled with flowers. Our zinnias are getting tired just like the rest of our garden. Shortly, we will be tilling the plants under in order to make room for our fall garden. I have already planted my seeds in our shop greenhouse. Under the grow lights, I have lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage plants. In a few short weeks, we will be planting these all out in our fall garden. I am ready for a break in the heat! If I am honest, I am also ready for a break from canning. It will soon be time to pack away my canner, but for now I am still busy canning tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.

grace and peace,
julie

Weekends

2011-07-23T13:48:00.000-05:00

Weekends come around and the list of things to do grow longer. I love taking Saturdays and accomplishing unfinished tasks around our home and garden. I also love taking Saturdays and spending some time enjoying my home and my family. I sometimes struggle with finding the right balance between working and relaxing. Today I have enjoyed the work that my hands have found to do, and I have also found time to enjoy the ones I love. For me, this is the perfect balance on a hot Saturday in July. I hope you enjoy your weekend as well.

grace and peace,
julie

A Day In Court

2011-07-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

Today you will not find me in front of the stove with my canner. I will also not be found in the garden enjoying my summer bounty. Instead you will find me in a far away county in the courthouse standing before the judge. Well, I won't be standing before the judge. No sir. I learned my lesson about driving fast when I was in my early twenties. You will find me with my son who will actually be the one standing in front of the judge explaining why he was speeding. In the state of Tennessee, any teenager who receives a ticket also gets a trip to court to visit with the judge. Notice I didn't say a free trip to court. Nope...it will have to be paid for by the one who broke the law. His ticket will also have to be paid by him along with his date with traffic school. The state doesn't say who has to pay for all of these items, but Michael and I demand that the teenager must be the one to pay. That is our rule, and thus far it has worked out well for our family.

At first, I told Michael that it was his turn to stand in front of the judge with our child. I went to court with our first son when he got a ticket so it only seems fair that Michael should go to court with our second son. He was in agreement with our arrangement. Then it dawned on me that if our third son went to court for a traffic violation that it would once again be my turn. Now I love our third son, but he is always a handful and I am never for sure what he might do. I decided that I would rather go with our second son rather than our third. Our second son is easy going and you can always count on him to be responsible. I went back to Michael and begged for the opportunity to go to court today. I hope this doesn't back fire on me. I would hate for Michael to get the idea that I love going to court with our traffic violators/children!

By the way, you may not want to call me today. I have a bad habit of not turning off my phone. I sure would hate to make the judge mad!

grace and peace,
julie

Summer Thoughts

2011-07-18T13:10:00.000-05:00

Summer is racing quickly away to a new school year. Just a little over two weeks left before our kids start school. I have so enjoyed the slower pace of summer days. The garden is keeping me busy, but that is a fun kind of chore. I have been canning and freezing almost every day, but that too is somewhat fun. I sure am enjoying watching my canning shelves fill up with food. There is still a lot of canning ahead of me before summer slips away into autumn.

With the new school year comes a new teaching job for me at our local high school. I am so excited about the new chapter in our life, and I am so thankful that the Lord opened up this door for me.

grace and peace,
julie

Summer Thoughts

2011-07-07T13:34:00.001-05:00

Hope you are having a relaxing summer just like Missy and Seth!

grace and peace,
julie

Creative Fun for a Summer Afternoon

2011-07-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

Our daughter enjoys watching shows like Cake Boss. She would love to decorate cakes someday. She sits around and designs cakes in her free time. What is a wanna be cake decorator to do when she can't find any fondant to use for practice? Hope took play dough and made roses. I was impressed with her creativity as well as her flowers. I now have many play dough flowers sitting on my side table as decorations. I was pleased with her success.

grace and peace,
julie

Garden News

2011-07-04T06:37:00.002-05:00

Forgive me for such a long pause since my last post. I have been busy enjoying life! (By the way, Happy 4th of July! We celebrated last weekend in Kentucky with our family so I almost forgot today was the actual holiday)! One aspect of life that I dearly enjoy is the garden, and our garden is doing very well this year. I have had much loot from the flowers that I planted. These flowers have resulted in endless smiles and bouquets for me.

These sunflowers just make me happy! I have pitchers filled with happy sunflowers all over my house.

What other bounty from the garden are we enjoying? Lots of zucchini and finally some yellow squash are showing up on our dinner table. Our cucumbers are just starting to spit out one of life's finest summer treasures. (You can find one of my favorite ways to eat cucumbers here. Just scan to the bottom of the post for the recipe). We picked our first red cherry tomato last night. Michael ate it, but he did find one more to share with me. For just a minute, I was very unhappy with him. Green onions are still abundant, and our okra is producing just a bit. It hasn't made enough for a meal yet, but soon enough we will have our fill of okra. I also have baby cantaloupe along with watermelon blooms. Our green beans should be ready to pick some time this week. The neighbor did share a 5 gallon bucket of his green beans so you can find me canning green beans this morning should you happen to need me.

And this will be my view from the stove...a beautiful arrangement from our garden along with an English Mastiff thinking about her next adventure.

grace and peace,
julie

A Father's Day Letter to the Love of My Life

2011-06-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

As I sat around yesterday and enjoyed the laughter of our children, I realized that these children are who they are because of the father that you have been to them. You have a firm hand that comes with a soft heart. You know when to discipline, but you also know when to love. You have a witty sense of humor that comes with many words of affirmation. You have shown our boys what it is to be a man that isn't afraid to love. You have shown our daughter what a husband and father should be. That doesn't mean you are always right, but you surely know how to say "I'm sorry." What is the best gift that a dad can give to his children? To love their mother unconditionally, and you have done just that since the moment we became one standing in my parent's backyard saying our wedding vows. How could I ever ask for anything more?

In all ways,
For always,
i love you

Everyday Happenings

2011-06-14T12:45:00.000-05:00

Finally, I am in the flower business. My zinnias are blooming as well as my sunflowers. I have fresh cut flowers in my house, and all seems right with the world once again! Just ignore the fact that I have dirty dishes in my sink and my laundry hamper is overflowing. On the up side of things, my kitchen table doesn't have folded clothes on it because I haven't done any laundry!

With the encouragement of my fresh cut sunflowers and zinnias, I am heading downstairs to make chicken and dumplings, sweet potato casserole, and fried zucchini for supper. Don't even bother to tell me that fried zucchini doesn't really go with that menu. I already know that. However, I did promise a certain 7 year old that we would eat it this evening for supper, and he has been literally watching the zucchini grow. I can't disappoint him by not honoring my word.

grace and peace,
julie

Brotherly Love

2011-06-09T12:12:00.001-05:00

Growing up in a home full of boys can be hard, but it does come with some rewards. Here Hope is enjoying her oldest brother's hugs. Shhh...don't tell anybody, but she really misses him living here at home.

grace and peace,
julie

Ravioli Casserole

2011-06-07T15:31:00.001-05:00

Do you happen to have a lot of lettuce growing in your garden? We sure do, and it seems that I plan my meals around salad these days. I also have a nice herb garden complete with fresh basil so I decided that I wanted to make an Italian dish for supper. My family loves Italian meals, but the problem is that most of those meals are time consuming. It doesn't bother me to simmer a pot of sauce for hours if I am going to be at home. On occasion, I have used the crock pot to cook my sauce. However, I have been on the lookout for a good Italian meal that is quicker than the average homemade Italian dishes that I usually serve my family. I found that dish in the new Taste of Homes Church Supper magazine. The recipe was submitted by Margie Williams and it was wonderful. ALL of my kids enjoyed it, which is amazing because it doesn't contain any meat! Hope you enjoy!!!

1 package (25 oz) frozen cheese ravioli
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
2 1/2 cups Marinara ( I used a Prego brand for convenience, but it would be fantastic with a homemade one)

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and salt. Continue to stir until smooth. Gradually add milk and wine. (I used chicken broth because my husband said I couldn't open the special wine just for cooking). Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in fresh basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Toss drained ravioli with white sauce mixture. Transfer to a greased 13x9 baking dish. Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheeses on top.

Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with a fresh garden salad and homemade bread sticks! If your men fuss about the lack of meat, you could cook up some fresh Italian Sausage and add it with the marinara sauce. I am sure it would be fantastic!

grace and peace,
julie

Garden Progress

2011-05-31T07:03:00.001-05:00

We have been enjoying fresh lettuce for several weeks now. I always love the salads made with our garden lettuce.

I cut my lettuce in the morning while it is still cool outside. I use a bread knife to cut it, and then I bring it into the house and soak it in a sink full of cold water. I then use my salad spinner to spin it dry. I usually cut enough lettuce to last us at least several days. I store my clean lettuce in a plastic bread bag in the refrigerator. It is a chore to wash and dry the lettuce, but I find that we use it more if it is prewashed.

Since we are eating so many salads, this gives me plenty of free calories to enjoy strawberry cake and coffee on the front porch. Okay, that may not actually be true, but it did sound plausible! (Strawberry Cake recipe coming soon)!

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

2011-05-29T08:11:00.000-05:00

"...He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" Philippians 1:6

Keeping It Real

2011-05-27T07:49:00.001-05:00

Do you ever get tired of looking at homemaking blogs and wondering if these people are real? It is amazing what details can be left out of a photograph! For those of you who may wonder about our family being real, here is a little proof...

You will almost always find clean laundry on our kitchen table. This is the spot that I always fold our clothes. If you come to our home and there isn't folded clothes on the table, either you had an invitation or I got up early that morning. The other scenario is that I saw you coming down the driveway and I quickly grabbed the clothes and made a mad dash to throw them on top of the dryer. If that is the case, the laundry room door will be closed!

Speaking of laundry, I found these this morning in our dirty clothes hamper. I have no idea who owns this pair of underwear. I have no idea how they ended up in our dirty clothes hamper. I assume that one my children wore somebody else's underwear home, but again I am unsure of the reason why. I don't think it was my husband who wore them home, but he did wake me up at 6:00 a.m. asking me if he had any clean underwear. I directed him to the kitchen table. Isn't that where everybody keeps their husband's underwear?

And speaking of husband, I did a bad thing this morning. I sent him to work in a shirt that was in desperate need of ironing. I kind of sort of mentioned that it needed ironing, but I didn't say much more than that. I figured he is a big boy with better eye sight than mine so he was responsible for his clothing decision. It was only after I had my first cup of coffee that I felt a little guilty about his attire.

I always have dirty dishes in my sink. If the sink is clean, we are expecting company. The other real thing about our dishes is that if you come to our home you will probably be drinking out of a mason jar. We don't have enough glasses! It doesn't bother me because I like the ambiance of a mason jar. I am weird like that.

This is the view of our back porch. It looks like a bomb went off, but don't worry it is just the kid's stuff. Most people enter our home from this area. I try to keep it cleaned up, but those kids of ours haven't gotten that memo.

The entryway to our home brings me to my next real point. For the first time in our 20 year parenting career, Michael and I both went to asleep last night without knowing for sure that our teenager got home safely. Well, this one isn't on me because I always fall asleep early. Michael bolted out of bed this morning asking me if Josh got home. I looked in the driveway and his car was there. However, I have no idea what time Josh entered our home. This is a little disconcerting to say the least.

And speaking of kids, this picture is the perfect example of our 14 year old aggravating someone. This particular time Jacob decided to steal Matthew's shoe and hide it on top of the playground equipment. Jacob loves the fact that he out grew his older brother in height, and he reminds Matthew of it any chance he can get.

If you want to stop by our home, you are always welcomed. Just be aware that we are real people, with real children, and a real dog that sheds real dog hair. And you will be served a glass of tea in a real mason jar!

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

2011-05-22T14:00:00.001-05:00

"Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Potato Bugs on My Tomato Plants

2011-05-21T06:54:00.000-05:00

If you want loads of tomatoes like this...

then you better watch out for the dreaded potato bug eggs! I found them in our garden last night. They are little yellow eggs on the underside of the leaves. My solution is simple...just use your finger and smash them. Make sure you stay on top of this problem because these bugs can do a lot of damage to a tomato plant!

grace and peace,
julie

Another Boy In High School

2011-05-19T11:08:00.000-05:00

Jacob has had a busy week. He has spent some time getting to know the neighbor's horses.

He has been busy playing baseball.

And today he was busy graduating 8th grade. We now officially have two high school students in our family. I am looking forward to seeing what the next 4 years hold for Jacob Andrew. I expect it will be a fun ride for sure!

grace and peace,
julie

Garden Progress

2011-05-16T09:50:00.001-05:00

We are finally making headway with our garden. I have felt perpetually behind this year and I am unsure as to the reason for this. This is the first time for us to garden in our new area, and I am still learning the planting schedules. Michael decided to have two gardens. The picture to the left is our large garden. This is where our tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumbers are growing. We still have more tilling to do, but we are moving along nicely.

This is our "kitchen garden". This garden is closer to the house to make it easier to pick things for the dinner table. My herbs are here along with lettuce, squash, zucchini, okra, green onions and flowers. This year we have had trouble with our seeds germinating. I am trying to use up as much of the old seed as I can. I will purchase new seeds for next year's planting.

Please note that I have added a new category on my side bar. I plan to keep a list of the amount of food that I store this year. Since our move, we have completely emptied our freezers and most of our canning jars along with our bank account. We spend an amazing amount of money on groceries these days. I look forward to "free" food growing in the garden once again.

grace and peace,
julie

Unintended Blogging Break

2011-05-05T15:44:00.001-05:00

I didn't intend to take so long between posts. Life just happened and I got caught up living it. For the last several months, I have been substitute teaching at our local high school. I am hoping that it will grow into a full time teaching position next year. Many of you do not know that 20 years ago I graduated from college with a major in English and a minor in Education. My dream all along was to be a teacher. I had no idea that I would take a break from my dream career and home school my own children for the next 15 years! Oh, I wouldn't change anything about putting my teaching career on hold.

Now all of my children are in school, and the time has come to pursue this childhood dream once again. I have spent the last few months vigorously studying to take my Praxis exam. I passed both of the exams that I needed to be issued a teacher's license in the state of Tennessee, and I recieved my license in the month of April. I have waited 20 years for this piece of paper! Now all I need is a job.

I have to be honest about this new chapter in my book of life. I am a bit scared and more than a bit overwhelmed. As with anything in my life, I will take it one day at a time. My family supports this decision, and everyone has been pitching in to help around the house. My biggest challenge thus far has been meals. I have always been a planner where meals are concerned, but now I have to plan even more. I'll let you know how this new chapter plays out in our life!

grace and peace,
julie

Growing Kids

2011-04-19T08:54:00.002-05:00

Although last year found us without a garden, that didn't mean things didn't grow in our world. Our kids have all grown leaps and bounds since I have been away from the blog world. Here is our oldest son, Matthew. He hasn't come to visit us as much as I had hoped, but we do see him about once a month. In a few weeks, he will complete another semester of college. I miss him being a part of our everyday life. I cherish our daily phone conversations.

Joshua has done his fair share of growing this year. He has adjusted well to our new life. He is working two jobs and will be finished with his junior year of high school in May. He has made many friends since being in his new school, and he has brought many of them to our dinner table. I have enjoyed watching him grow into a fine young man. Did I mention that I also love spending time with him?

Jacob has probably grown the most these last few months. He now outweighs Joshua and they are wearing the same clothes! He earned several awards this year for football. Next year he will be starting high school. He is still very loving, unless it is early in the morning! I think he misses the farm more than any other of the kids. He told me just the other day that if he could have just one farm animal that he would choose the sheep. He loved their personality. Hopefully soon we can start getting animals again for this young man to tend.

Hope has gotten braces since we last spoke. She has grown into quite the cook. Here we are decorating Christmas cookies together. She is still playing basketball and she excels in school. I don't have to nag her about getting any of her homework completed. She is on top of it all! I have watched her grow in her relationship with her brothers. She is learning how to take their jokes and responds back to them with great wittiness! Did I mention that I enjoy having a daughter?

Seth has grown a lot these last few months as well. We celebrated his 7th birthday. He is doing well in school. He holds close to a 100% average in all of his classes. He is still shy, but he is growing into being a more confident person. Our neighbor has a grandson that is close to Seth's age. These two boys spend a lot of time together, and Seth has been enjoying being with the grandparents. He eats dinner with them a lot, and they invite him to come along on walks. I am thankful that the Lord has put this couple into Seth's life. It has been so good for him. I love the fact that we still have a young child in our family. It keeps us still seeing the world through the eyes of a child!

While all of these kids have been busy growing, Missy has been around watching it all. Well I should say she has been busy watching in between naps!

Michael and I have been enjoying the family that the Lord has given to us. When my children were all little and it seemed like I would never be finished changing diapers, I often wondered what it would be like when they were older. Let me just say, it has been great. We have our ups and our downs just like any family, but the rewards are well worth the sacrifices. One of our kids made a comment to us the other evening. He said just think how much money y'all would have if you had never had any children. We quickly reminded him that although our bank account would be much fatter, our hearts would be missing out on so much love. I wouldn't trade that for any amount of money in the world!

grace and peace,

julie

Sunday Scripture

2011-04-17T06:22:00.000-05:00

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

Garden Updates

2011-04-16T07:33:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, Michael borrowed our neighbor's tractor to plow up our garden area. We decided for this year we would grow our garden in the traditional rows. I love the raised bed gardens dearly, but they are expensive and time consuming to get started. This year we needed cheap and quick to define our garden! There is also something beautiful about a traditional row garden. I remember as a child walking through my grandmother's garden, and I loved the flowers even then. As you can tell by the picture, Missy is still part of our family!

After the garden was plowed, our neighbor then brought his team of horses up to do the rest. I loved watching the horses work. There was something very peaceful about the whole procedure. We then began the planting process. Unfortunately, our first planting of seeds washed away. Last weekend, we tried again. I think we will see success this time. We are planning on having a huge garden this year. I heard the CEO of Walmart say that food prices will rise considerably over the next few months. That was all the incentive I needed to grow a large garden! Plus, I missed out on the whole garden season last year due to our move.

grace and peace,
julie

Hello Again

2011-04-15T11:38:00.003-05:00

It has been awhile since I last posted. I promised that I would come back once our Internet issues were resolved. We are no longer using satellite for our Internet, but instead we are now DSL users. That makes all the difference in the world! I have missed being a part of the blog world. I have lots of things to share in the coming months. Of course there are many new recipes that I would love for you to try, and I have stories to tell about our kids, our dog, our garden and our home. I hope you will come along and join me in the months to come. I wanted to say a heartfelt thanks to all the people that have left comments on our blog during our absence. You just don't know how encouraging those words have been to me. As a matter of fact, they are the reason that I decided to start writing again.

grace and peace,
julie

The Ideal Farm

2010-10-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

A glistening drop of moisture drips onto lap as the tangy taste of the lemonade washes over my tongue. Birds scatter as the squirrels chase each other around the one of the leafy maples in the front yard. I lean back in my rocking chair and survey the bright green, weed free pasture. The lambs playfully run from the yearling calves as their mothers lazily chew their cuds. The soft sounds of horses are heard from the freshly painted barn and a rabbit is sighted sitting on the edge of the garden. I wonder if he is nibbling in the rich thick lettuce or on a bright green giant head of cabbage. The sun settles low in the western sky. I consider clipping a pest free rose from the trellis for my lovely wife.

Nice picture isn’t it. Unfortunately, it’s the cover of a small farm magazine, not my farm. Can I get an amen. One of the first mistakes that I made when making the move to our simpler life was painting a mental image that was unattainable. While you certainly should plan and set goals, you have to keep it real. Those pictures sell magazines, but they don’t always reflect what 99% of us face on a daily basis.

The ideal image created by many companies (trying to sell me something) and by some bloggers (trying to make themselves feel better), causes two very big potholes on the road to simplicity. The first is mental anguish, with the second being financial anguish, which by the way, leads to more of the first. While dreams are useful and goals are necessary, unrealistic expectations can become burdens. The constant frustration with the real farm never reaching the unattainable bar that you’ve set will eventually lead to burnout and just plain giving up. There will more to follow on this subject in several future posts about expectations, priorities and purpose.

Anyone reading this that has attempted to make all or part of their small farm look like the magazine covers, you know what I’m about to talk about……money. Simple lifestyle it may be, but it still takes money to make it work. There are definitely some things that can be accomplished on the farm with minimal funds, but if you want it to live up to the ideal, you had better have a rich uncle close to death. The subject of money will also be explored in more detail as I go along. It is a very a complex part of the simpler lifestyle that must be analyzed piece by piece.

While I wouldn’t say that we have tried make the cover of a small farm success magazines and journals, I would say that I’ve often made myself crazy trying to achieve many of the ideal philosophies espoused by small farm/self-sufficiency experts. Julie would say my anal type “A” personality doesn’t help, but I figure if you’re gonna do something, do it right. The problem I’ve run into is figuring out what is right for us.

Check back over the next few days, and throw your own opinions and observations in as we go.

Michael

Complex Simplicity

2010-10-24T11:35:00.001-05:00

While Julie is taking a break because she says she has nothing to write about, I've decided to pick up the slack. Although the changes we've gone through in the last few months have diminished our farm holdings to a stock trailer, a handful of equipment, and a large dog (I think you're all familiar with her), our farm is still very much real. Plans are in the works, and hopefully by this time next year there will be more than enough rural life antics for Julie to write about. But, it seems for now, you're stuck with me.

With the new home and property, we've certainly been spending a lot of time discussing what can be done with the land, animals we would like to have, fruit trees, landscaping, etc., etc., etc. Our new farm has great potential and is an opportunity for a do-over on some of the things we messed up with our old farm. But amid all the discussion and new ideas, I've spent a great deal of time in reflection on our original plans when we first moved to Tennessee.

After having spent many years in the military, moving from state to state and really not being able to enjoy country life, we were ecstatic when we realized we were actually going to be moving to Tennessee 10 years ago. The final few months prior to moving were consumed with planning for a farm, and a simpler lifestyle. I was making plans to continue working in a off farm job for enough years to obtain land, equipment, and animals, then transition to full time farming and self sufficiency. We were so excited and happy with those grand plans. We read everything we could on the Internet, in magazines, articles, etc. that pertained to self sufficiency, small farming, direct marketing; you get the idea. Upon arrival in TN, we immediately began to take action on those ideas and a great deal of our adventure has been chronicled here on this blog.

Needless to say, we've obtained a plethora of experience in the last 10 years. While some of that experience was practical (how to administer animal meds, planting techniques, soil preparation), much of it has been learning about the realities that come with this lifestyle. These realities have not always been encouraging and have caused us to evaluate our priorities as we move forward into this new season. The single biggest lesson we've learned is how complex transitioning to a "simpler" life can be. Over the next few weeks, I will share our thoughts about what we've learned; the good and bad, how our priorities have shaped; and are shaping our farm life, and maybe vent some of the frustrations we've experienced. Who knows maybe I can get Julie to weigh in on some of these things.

Michael

Good Bye for Now

2010-10-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

I am sure you have noticed over the last few months that my posts have been getting fewer and fewer. The reason for this change is our Internet service. We no longer have high speed Internet because it is not offered in our area. I have tried to overcome this challenge, but I find that I am only getting frustrated. With that being said, I have decided that it is time to say goodbye to the world of blogging for now. I appreciate all of you that have read my writings for the past several years. I plan on leaving the blog in place so that you can still access my recipes or articles. We have been told that high speed Internet will be in our area in several months. As soon as that happens, I would love to come back to the world of blogging. Until then...

grace and peace,
julie

Fall Thoughts

2010-09-23T13:18:00.000-05:00

Although it has been hot around here the last week, I know that fall is in the air. We are enjoying the cooler evenings, and there are a few trees starting to turn colors. I love the smell of the outdoors during fall. My mom used to say that she knew fall was almost here because she could smell it.

I also love the smell of the kitchen during this season! With fall approaching, I find myself automatically changing my menus. I tend to cook more soups and stews. I bake more breads and desserts too. I am also drawn to make more pies during fall than any other time of the year. Fall meals are usually budget friendly so that is just another reason to enjoy the good food! With the cooler weather, more opportunities come to enjoy sipping coffee in the evening on the front porch. I am looking forward to the pace of life slowing down a bit. I also can't wait until the trees adorn themselves with the glorious display of color that only the Lord Himself could orchestrate. Until then, I think I will go bake something and enjoy a peaceful afternoon in the kitchen!

grace and peace,
julie

Happy Birthday Hope Shalom

2010-09-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated our daughter's birthday. We always allow our kids to choose the activity and dinner that they want for their birthday. I would have let her stay home from school, but she really wanted to go. Any of my boys would have chosen the get out of school free birthday pass!

Hope wanted to take her birthday money and go shopping for the evening. We drove to Chattanooga and we had a great time together. We spent the whole evening in the mall just looking at girl things. She spent most of her birthday money in order to finish out her fall wardrobe. She is a great shopper. I kept looking at the front of the store for pretty items. She never stopped at the front. She always headed to the back of the store and looked at the clearance racks first. She never would buy anything full price. She is a much better shopper than me.

While we were at the mall her brothers made her dinner of choice. Hope knew all along that she wanted to go shopping. She chose an easy meal that she happens to love so that we could shop without having to worry about making dinner. The boys made her hot ham & cheese subs with marinated lettuce. Dinner was almost finished when we got home. She had requested a cheesecake with cherries for her birthday cake. I made that ahead of time! I didn't trust those boys with that task.

We all had a wonderful evening. The only thing that was missing was our oldest son Matthew and his girlfriend Chelsea. This morning I was driving Hope to school and she mentioned that she was really tired. I asked her why because I knew she had gone to bed on time. She giggled and said that Matthew had called her right before she went to sleep, and they spent a long time talking together on the phone. I knew he didn't get off work until 10:00 last night so I wasn't too upset that he kept her up late. I was just thankful that he took the time to call her. It was the perfect ending to her birthday!

grace and peace,
julie

He Made Me Smile Today

2010-09-20T08:46:00.000-05:00

Look what I found this morning laying right beside all the dirty breakfast dishes, the leftover pancakes, and the book that the eighth grader forgot to take to school. Just a few words scratched onto a piece of torn notebook paper by my 16 year old. It made all the difference in the world for me today.

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

2010-09-19T07:10:00.000-05:00

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Planning and Dreaming

2010-09-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

When we haven't been busy playing checkers on the front porch...

Or watching our boys play football...

We have been busy thinking about farm babies.

While farm babies do bring a lot of work, they also bring a lot of rewards. We know the steps that we have to take to bring animals back to our new home. For now, we aren't in the position to get animals. The fences need to have major repairs which cost money. It is also expensive to purchase animals. Michael will be in school for the next year so there isn't time to work on the farm. For now, we are spending our time planning and remembering. Our daughter is enjoying not having any animals. She likes not having the responsibility. Our boys are feeling quite differently. I hear them talking often over a good game of checkers just how much they miss having the animals. It always makes me smile because I remember it wasn't that long ago when they complained about all the extra work that the animals created for them!

grace and peace,
julie

Technical Difficulty

2010-09-13T07:24:00.000-05:00

I am experiencing frustrations beyond belief with trying to upload a new picture for a header on my blog. I can't get the picture to fit the header space. When we lived in our old house, I could try multiple pictures until I found one to fit because we had high speed Internet. Our new house doesn't come with such conveniences. We have satellite connection. While I am thankful for Internet, it is still unbelievably slow. When I upload more than two pictures to my blog, I have time to take a shower and get ready for my day while that upload is taking place. I need to figure out how to change the width of the picture in the html. I know this has to do with the amount of pixels, and I know it is accomplished in the layout. I don't have a clue as to what to change the pixel size too. If you have any advice, help, or just sympathy, please leave me a comment. I am starting to get frustrated.
grace and peace,
julie

Morning Quiet Time

2010-09-09T09:31:00.002-05:00

The morning sky beckoned me to come outside and sip a cup of coffee. "Come and enjoy the beauty that the Lord Himself painted in the sky" was the cry of the moment just before sunrise.

Although I am drawn to want to do this every morning, I often times do not give into those callings. However, this morning I gladly resisted the responsibility that morning time brings to a busy mother. I took a blanket, a cup of coffee, and a prayer.

A stolen moment in time to whisper thanksgivings and petitions to my Lord always makes my day go better even though the clocked bellowed that I was running late. The morning came and went. The children made it to school on time. The breakfast dishes have been washed and the youngest child of all has been diligent to work on his school.

Those quiet moments entertained before the household was awake laid the foundation for the new day. I am thankful to have enjoyed them and to cherish each new day that the Lord gives to me. I ask myself, "Why don't I stop more often and share a cup of coffee with Him before the whirlwind of each new day begins?"

grace and peace,
julie

Enjoying the Front Porch

2010-09-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

The weather has turned off cooler the last week or so. We have taken advantage of it and spent a lot of time on our front porch. We have been enjoying the humming birds.

With the cooler weather, the thought of fall is on my mind. I have had this candelabra piece for almost two years. It was still in the box because I had no where for it in our other house. I assembled it last night and added some cheap silk flowers. I love the fall touch that it adds to the front porch.

I also had another piece that I kept in our fireplace in our other house. It held pillar candles, and it was always pretty glowing with candle light. I had some leftover flowers and only a few pillar candles. I threw it together and placed it on the other end of the front porch.

I also created a checker area on the front porch. Michael's dad gave us this checkerboard before he died. He grew up playing checkers on it. I wanted Michael to make some checker pieces, but he has never taken on that task. However, he was in the process of building a chess board. He had all the pieces cut out. I was stuck in the shop helping him get it in order. I found the pieces and decided that they could be used as checker pieces. He wasn't thrilled, but I promised him that they would be alright. We put the board on top of an old barrel. The kids are always gathered around playing checkers.

I am ready to get some rocking chairs for my front porch. I am also ready to find the rest of my fall decorations. I love this time of year!

grace and peace,
julie

Raised Beds Or Row Gardens

2010-09-05T07:59:00.000-05:00

We are trying to decide how we want to do our garden this time in our new home. In times past, we have had both raised beds and traditional gardens. There are pros and cons to both. Raised beds in my opinion are more beautiful. They have the look of large flower boxes with beautiful things growing inside of them.

Raised beds are also great for growing large quantities in small areas. You can also control each individual bed easily. Did I mention that they are beautiful?

What are the negatives of raised beds? They can be expensive to install. There is also a lot of work to getting raised beds first started. Depending on the material used for the beds, there is also the cost and time of replacing the wood on the beds later down the road.

We have a large area just past the drive way and before the cow fence that we have decided will be our garden for next year. The previous owners already had a garden there and they installed a water spigot which is very helpful when gardening. The area is large and narrow, but there really isn't much else that could be done with it except have a garden or mow it.

We could have the neighbor plow it up and make a traditional row garden. Space isn't an issue for us. We have plenty to plant whatever we desire. We could still use drip tape and water in that manner. This would be the least amount of upfront money as well as the least amount of work. Our traditional row gardens have always yielded plenty in the past. The only real problem with it was that I had a hard time keeping up with it. I can't run the tiller myself so it required Michael or one of the boys to till between the rows to keep up with any weed issues. They weren't always available to do that when it needed to be done. I also had to have one of them around to till up an area if I wanted to plant something new. My raised beds were much easier to work. I could work with out Michael for the most part if I needed. I spent many afternoons planting new items in the garden while Michael was at work. The other great thing with raised beds is that the rain didn't stop me from picking in my garden. I could walk easily on the grass beside the beds and harvest freely. I didn't have to worry about sinking in the mud in a traditional row garden. In the end, gardening is about harvest. While I like it to be beautiful, I still need it to function well. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars just for the beauty factor.

Do any of you have any suggestions concerning this garden issue? What has worked well for you? Have you had raised beds in the past and decided to go back to traditional row gardening? If so, would you please let me know your reasons?

grace and peace,
julie

College Classes Back In Session

2010-09-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

These two started their new semester of college classes this week. Matthew called and said he didn't like to do the grown up things like paying bills. He is enjoying his new classes though. It is still strange for me not to have him living here with us. We all talk to him several times throughout the day, but I miss seeing his smiling face. And I miss that girlfriend of his. I only get to see her about once a month, which isn't enough in my book. Whenever he comes home, he eats whatever I prepare like there is no tomorrow. He doesn't cull anything. He leaves his "resident health nut" title at his apartment, and he enjoys the food...even the desserts. He even asked me to bake cinnnamon rolls for him!

grace and peace,
julie

Bread Baking Problems Fixed

2010-08-31T13:48:00.000-05:00

Since we moved to our new home, I have had a problem baking bread. I kept baking it, but it wasn't turning out the way I wanted. Sometimes it was fit to eat, but other times it was used to feed the neighbor's cows. The cows have had so much food from me that they run to me anytime they see me. We now have a relationship that involves a lot of mooing on their part. The last straw was when I served half done biscuits one morning. I couldn't get them baked. I marched myself to Walmart and went in search of an oven thermometer. It cost me $5.50, but it saved my sanity. I was starting to think that I had lost my touch at baking bread and sweets! I discovered that my oven was off by 50 degrees, and even more than that the higher the baking temperature. I had my oven adjusted at 475 degrees to bake my biscuits, but it was only baking at 375! That explains all of my issues...well, at least the issues with my baked goods! I am now leaving the thermometer in the oven and using it to adjust my temperatures. It was a quick fix that got me ready to bake a loaf of bread once again. Now all I have to do is get over this nasty cold!

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

2010-08-29T07:08:00.000-05:00

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put your confidence in man." Psalm 118:25

Memories of a Father

2010-08-27T09:04:00.000-05:00

It has been five years since I heard him laugh or felt the touch of his hand. It has been five years since I looked into the beauty of his blue eyes or heard him call me Julie Bell. This past year has found him in more of my thoughts than in times past. I am sure that he has been there so often because it was a hard year, and when hard years come he was always a safe place. I remember when I was just fifteen years old. A small occurrence happened that seemed like the size of the universe to my young heart. He was watching t.v. on the couch. He called me to sit down beside him. I obeyed. As soon as he put his arm around me, my tears flowed like a river. He held me while I sat there and cried into his chest. He promised me that my heart would heal soon, and he was right. The feeling of safety that a Daddy's arms brings to a daughter never leaves... even when the Daddy leaves. Where there once were silly phrases like, "Cat for to make a pair of kitty britches with" now all that are left are memories of a long ago childhood. Memories that sometimes flood my mind and heart unexpectedly, and leave traces of tears running down my cheeks or laughter pouring from my lips. My older children have their own memories of this man that they called Papaw. My younger children have fewer memories of him. And the youngest child of all only knows him through the stories that are told to him.

But my memories are etched in my heart for a life time.

grace and peace,
julie

Fun At Fall Creek Falls

2010-08-21T19:16:00.000-05:00

Matthew and several of his friends came down this weekend for a visit. We took all of them to Fall Creek Falls to spend the day. Fall Creek Falls is my favorite Tennessee State Park. Our family had been there about 7 years ago. I was pregnant with our last child at the time. My mom and dad brought their camper and we spent several days enjoying the beauty of the area. Seven years ago I would never have dreamed that we would live close to Fall Creek Falls.

Here are some of the boys enjoying the waterfall. It was cold, but apparently the water hits with a lot of force. This was the reason for the faces!

Seth was mad because he had to play in the calm water instead of climbing up the rocks to the falls. I promised him that in just a few blinks of the eye that he too would grow big enough to follow his older brothers. He was still mad, but was willing to cool off in the water while waiting for the rest of them.

We packed a picnic and grilled at the park. Grilled hamburgers, chips, store bought desserts, and a large watermelon were all on the menu. This was a spur of the moment trip so I wasn't able to make food ahead of time. You know what? It was nice not to have to make a whole bunch of homemade goodies to head out for the day. It was kind of like a vacation day for me. When we got back home, my kitchen was still clean!If you ever get into this area of Tennessee, you must head out to Fall Creek Falls. Trust me...it is worth it!!!

grace and peace,
julie

Laughing is Good for the Heart

2010-08-19T15:25:00.000-05:00

When all of our family is together, our house is full of laughter. You know that deep down in your belly kind of laughter. It does tend to get loud sometimes...

But I guess we should have thought of that before having five children!

It is often loud enough to drive the Mastiff under the table to look for a quiet refuge. You know what? I would rather hear my children laugh than fight so I am good with it! When was the last time you laughed with your family? Why not try it tonight at dinner? You too may be under the table looking for refuge, but it beats an argument any day!

grace and peace,,
julie

A Glimpse Into My Schedule

2010-08-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

As a reader and writer of blogs, I often am curious about how other people order their days. I am not nosey, but what I am looking for is something to make my day easier or more organized. You know.... a better way to do a common chore. I have decided to share with you a common week in my world now that school has started. Please keep in mind this is a loose outline of how my time is spent during the day. Each and every day has unexpected things come up in the day. Some of those things are good and some of them are bad, but they all have to be dealt with one way or the other.

My day usually starts somewhere between 5:45- 6:00 a.m. It is during this time that my husband is getting ready for work and I am downstairs making breakfast, packing his lunch, and trying to get my eyes open! (Before we go to bed at night, I usually ask a child to put coffee on for the next morning. This chore consists of grinding the coffee beans and filling up the pot with water. The next morning all I have to do is pour the water in the maker. This not only saves me time in the morning, but it makes me happy. You know like somebody else made coffee for me)!

6:30 a.m. Michael is out the door, and I have a few minutes to take a quick shower and get dressed. By 6:45, I am waking up all the kids to get ready for school. We have about 30 or 35 minutes to get ready and eat breakfast. The high school junior drives himself to school. (I am so thankful that he has a car to do that)! I take the two middle school students to school. I arrive back home around 8:00 a.m. This is when the fun begins! Seth and I eat a quick breakfast so we can get ready to start his school. He is in 2nd grade this year. By 8:30, we have finished breakfast and checked the kids rooms to finish anything that they may have left undone before school. My kids are pretty good to make their beds and at least pile up their dirty clothes. We are still working on them getting their dirty clothes to the laundry hamper!

Now it is time to work with Seth for school. He gathers his backpack and heads to the kitchen table. He spends a couple of hours working through his assignments. ( I have always loved the idea of having a school room. The first house we lived in here in Tennessee had an area that we devoted to the school room. It lasted about 2 weeks, and we moved school back up to the kitchen table. This was when all of my kids were little and I was still home schooling the three older ones. The school room concept didn't work because I was stuck away from the kitchen. When I home school, I take the extra time in between kids' questions and I work on dinner or folding laundry. I couldn't do this if I wasn't in the kitchen area). Now my days are a bit different because I am only home schooling one of our children. I have more time in between questions to work on daily chores. I teach the concept and while he works on it, I am busy preparing things for dinner or cleaning up the kitchen. I am right there to answer any of his questions, but I want him to learn to work without me having to sit right beside him. (If you are working with a child that still can't read, this method is not as effective). After seat work is finished, I always give Seth a little bit of time to play. He will often choose to go outside for a few minutes or sometimes he will play with toys. This gives me a few minutes to check the computer or take care of any business things for our family. We then come back together for reading, science, and social studies. We always curl up together to read on the couch. It is a fun time that we both enjoy. After reading, we are finished with formal school time. Here in Tennessee, I have to fulfill 4 hours of school time. In order to do this, he will work on an art project or he may get on the computer. He loves Webkins and he has learned a lot using this teaching game. He then has about 2 hours to spend playing toys before the rest of the family starts coming back home.

After I finish school with Seth, I have about 2 1/2 hours before I have to leave to get the other kids. It is during this time that I do housework. Some days I may really concentrate on the floors other days I may hit all of the bathrooms in the house. It kind of depends on the need at the moment and the mood that I am in at the time. I also use part of this time to exercise on the treadmill. Around 2:00, I am usually ready for a few quiet moments before it is time to head out the door again.

2:30 p.m. finds Seth and I back in the truck heading out to get the middle school kids. We are back home around 3:15 p.m. The school kids are usually famished so they are raiding the refrigerator and getting ready to start home work at the kitchen table. I am busy helping them while preparing more of dinner. Michael gets home around 4:00 p.m. We take a few minutes to chat as a family. The kids are always ready to share their day with him. He helps with any math homework that they have. I stay in the kitchen for that!

Football season puts a kink in my usual dinner plans. We have to eat in shifts because of the kids' schedules for practice. I hate that, but I don't have any choice during the season.   After football season, we will all be back around the table for dinner once again.

Michael's new job comes with 16 months worth of school. He did Nuclear Power School once already in our first year of marriage. Now he is redoing it, but in a much shorter amount of time. He is in an accelerated program that requires a lot of study time in the evening. This has been a huge change for our family. He spends a large chunk of his evening studying nuclear things. His job depends on him doing well during this training so we are all very supportive of him. We just don't like it very much. I spend my time with the kids in the evening. Sometimes we are watching t.v. together or sometimes we are sitting on the porch relaxing. We always find time to talk no matter what we may be doing.

Tuesday evenings find me and Hope at ballet. Thursday and Friday evenings find our family at football games.  These nights I have to plan easy meals. I usually have something in the crock pot or something like homemade pizzas or tacos.

Around 9:00 p.m., we are all getting ready for the next day. Kids are taking showers and clothes are being set out for the next day. Any kitchen chores that need to be finished are getting completed. 9:30 p.m. brings bedtime for the kids. The high school junior is allowed to stay up a little later. By this age, I figure he is mature enough to go to bed when he needs to. If he doesn't, then it is he who has to pay the consequences the next day. I am almost always in bed between 10:00 to 10:30 p.m. If I had my way, it would be more like 9:30!

As I said earlier, each day comes with its own set of challenges. I try to multitask as much as I can. While Hope is in ballet, I will do my grocery shopping for the week. (Her instructor won't allow parents to watch or I would stay and watch her dance). There are always errands that need to be ran or other things that are unforeseen. I try to do all of these things when I am already out picking up or taking kids to school. Fridays are my cleaning days.  I want the house cleaned and in order for the weekend. We cherish our weekend times together. Michael doesn't have to study on the weekends so we can enjoy being with him more.

What must get done everyday in my world? Meals and laundry are always a part of my day. The other chores can wait until the next day, but I have to feed everybody and they must have clean clothes. I also make it a priority to spend some one on one time with each child.

Our life can be hectic. We could slow the pace down by quiting sports and ballet. However, I believe those things are good for our kids and they enjoy them. We just have to make sure that the extra activities don't steal away all of our time as a family. We have to purpose to find the time to be together and laugh and make memories.

grace and peace,
julie

Weekend Happenings

2010-08-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was full of fun activities, company, and a birthday celebration. First, on Friday we had some dear friends drive an extra 4 hours out of the way to spend the day with us. I can't believe I didn't get a picture, but I was busy visiting. Later that day our oldest son's girlfriend also came to spend the weekend with us. I was a little worried about her driving down by herself, but she made it just fine. Our son had to stay behind and work. Such is the life of a college student who has to pay for an apartment!

After a fun filled Friday, we spent Saturday at the football field. As you can see by the picture, this football season will bring our boys playing for a new football team. Jacob looks odd wearing the #21. He has always had the #22 on all of his jerseys. That number was already taken. He is enjoying running the football for his new team, and he doesn't care what number is on his jersey as long as he can run the ball! After spending the day at Jacob's jamboree, we then loaded up the family and headed to Chattanooga to watch Josh play for his new football team. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of him. My camera got left on all day and the battery was dead. I felt so bad about missing taking pictures of his first outing with his new team. However, I did get to enjoy his performance. He looked like a total different football player than in times past. I was impressed. It was during this moment that I missed our oldest son the most. He would have just beamed if he could have watched his brothers play football.

In between football outings, we had a birthday to celebrate. Since Chelsea wasn't with us on her actual birthday, we had to make sure we still celebrated her special day. She chose a turtle cheesecake for her birthday dessert. I was pleased with the new recipe. I'll have to share it with you in a few days. All of the fun, visiting, football, cooking, and eating made for one tired momma. We were going to try and find a church this Sunday, but we were all wiped out from the previous days events. I did take an hour long bubble bath on Sunday afternoon! It was heavenly!

grace and peace,
julie

Inside Tour of Our New Home

2010-08-11T09:58:00.001-05:00

Since we are getting things in order in our new home, I thought I would show you around a bit. Please keep in mind that we haven't hung anything on the walls as of yet. We have only been in the house for 6 weeks. This is a picture standing in my dining area looking at the front door. We brought our couch that we had in our basement at the old house and put it in our great room. It fits wonderfully and my family is enjoying having it in our main living area.

This is a view of my kitchen. I was standing at my dining room table when I took this shot. Remember that our living area is a large great room that includes, living room, kitchen, and dining area. My kitchen is small. I almost went into a crying fit when I realized how small it really is. Then I decided that I had to make it work. I also realized that I had to use the top of the cabinets for storage so I wanted it to be as pretty as possible. My stove is in the island. I have to store all of our food in the laundry area that has a nice size closet. It is just a few steps away from the kitchen so it is manageable. This kitchen may be small, but over the last few weeks I have realized just how wonderful it is set up, making for a great cooking experience. Over the winter, Michael will be making me a canning kitchen downstairs. I will also have more storage area so I can get my pretty dishes and jars out of his shop.

There is a short hallway just off the kitchen area. Down the hall, you will find the doorway to the basement, a bathroom, and the kids' rooms. This is Hope's room. It is a very large bedroom. I would love to find her some beautiful bedroom furniture at an antique store. For now she has her bed, bookshelf, and bean bag chair. She has a small dresser in her closet. She wants to paint it a lime green color. I told her we would get to that soon.

Across from Hope's room, you will find the room that houses all 3 boys. This set up has worked out much better than I thought it would. We must must must find the time to paint this room. The yellow is so bright that I almost have the urge to find a pair of sunglasses before entering! The boys have all been good sports about it, and for that I am thankful.

If you go up the stairs by the front door, you will come into our bedroom. This picture doesn't do a good job showing the amount of space that we have in our room. It is truly a sanctuary that we are enjoying.

Our master bathroom is huge! I never thought I would enjoy a large master bathroom. That was always Michael's dream, but never one I cared to desire. Let me tell you...he was right. It is glorious to have such a a large space. I also have a linen closet in here. That too is something to enjoy!

Here is our loft area that is also located upstairs. It is a large balcony area that overlooks the great room. We have our computer, a couch, bookshelves, and a few of Seth's toys up here. This area is in need of some more of our attention. I look forward to getting some pictures on the wall in here for sure!

See we still have plenty of boxes to unpack and things to organize! I just stuck everything in the shop area!

Stay tuned over the next few months as we start to turn this house into a home with paint, hanging of pictures, and landscape. We also have mountains of work to do in the shop area if I ever want Michael to build me some furniture. I am tired just thinking about it!

grace and peace,
julie

A Summer Visit

2010-08-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

When Missy hasn't been busy hosting Reno and offering cold doggie drinks on the front porch...

She has been a playmate to maybe one of the cutest little girls I have ever seen in my life. (Shh..don't tell Hope I said that)!

She has been giving kisses...

And playing trains...

And fetching balls...

and being a snuggle pillow for this little girl. She also assigned herself the role of babysitter when this family came to visit. The two youngest children could not go outside without Missy being by their side. She had to make sure that they were safe at all times.

It has been a full summer for Missy. She was glad that yesterday was the first day of school. She finally had time to catch up on her sleep!

grace and peace,
julie

P.S. If you have young children, babies, older children, or teenagers, an English Mastiff could be a perfect fit for your family. I have never seen a dog be any more gentle than the English Mastiff. She tolerates the explorations of children and she has a heart full of love for kids of all ages. She is the perfect childhood companion for my kids. Seth would like her to be a little more energetic, but she is always available for a good old fashion hug.

Welcome to Our Home

2010-08-06T11:24:00.000-05:00

I know I promised to show you the outside of our house weeks ago. I may be slow, but I am at least going to fulfill that promise. Our home is a Cape Cod house. The front porch is in desperate need of some love and rocking chairs. This isn't in the budget for this summer so camping chairs will have to do for now. We are still enjoying the space and the evening and morning breeze that whispers in our ears. We are also enjoying the neighbor's dog, cows, and horses. This may become our new idea of farming. We are also taking some time to think about landscaping. What do we do with this area in front of the house? Time will tell, but we are open for suggestions and ideas.

This is our side yard view. See the neighbor's cows? We feed them left over scraps. They are realizing that this fence line is the place to be. There have been many corn husks and watermelon rinds thrown over there recently.

This is the view from our front porch. See the mountains in the background? They aren't quite as beautiful as the mountains in Greeneville, but they are still mountains none the less. The Lord knew my heart. The mountains have been something I have enjoyed greatly every since we moved to Tennessee from Florida. I was so afraid that we wouldn't get to enjoy the views in our new home, but God had a different plan. I am pleased. We finally closed on our home last week. We had a few minor glitches here and there, but in the end we signed the papers. This is another miracle in our life. (I don't use that word lightly). If you had asked me 3 months ago if we could really buy a house, I would have had to say "No". It didn't look like it from all of the indications. We had decided to rent, but that didn't work out either. To make a long story short, the Lord opened the doors and brought us exactly to the place we needed to be. I am more than thankful...my heart is overjoyed with thanksgiving!

grace and peace,
julie

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2010-07-30T09:58:00.000-05:00

This salad has become our new favorite salad. It has a sweet, tangy flavor with lots of crunch. My family went crazy over it. The dressing makes enough for two salads. I stored the leftover dressing in the refrigerator for several days and then used it again on another salad. It was still yummy. This salad would be a great spring salad because the spinach and strawberries would be fresh from the garden. Since we don't have a garden this year, we are enjoying it all summer long. Hope you enjoy!

1 bag fresh baby spinach
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup red onion
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, bacon, onion and nuts. In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients to make the dressing. You can stir it, but I used my stick blender. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad. You may prefer to use even less than that. Refrigerate leftover dressing for later uses.

grace and peace,
julie

Missy and the Move

2010-07-28T06:59:00.000-05:00

Several of you have asked about Missy and how she is adjusting to the new place. I was very concerned about her during the move. She was so worked up all the time that I thought she might just have a heart attack. She wouldn't let me out of her sight. If I went to the bathroom, she went with me. If I was in the kitchen, she was laying on my feet. Have you ever tried to cook a meal with a 200 lb dog laying on your feet?

Gradually she is returning to normal. She is enjoying her new home. She loves to lay on the front porch during the early morning or late evenings. She entertains the neighbor's dog with a large bowl of cold water and a small amount of play. She is even willing to share Seth with him which frees her up to come back inside and sit in the air condition with me. She seems more content now. I can even get a meal cooked without having to step over her.

grace and peace,
julie

Icebox Lemonade Pie

2010-07-27T12:39:00.000-05:00

I don't know about where you live, but it sure has been hot here in our little corner of the world. We are also trying to adjust to the humidity here. In the mountains of East Tennessee, we didn't suffer from as much humidity. We had wind, but not humidity. Just for the record, I'll take a little humidity over the wind any day! I find that when it is hot outside my family enjoys lighter desserts. This dessert is one our favorites. It is a refreshing cold pie that is great served next to a glass of sweet iced tea. It is also easy and can be made several days in advance. What's not to love? Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup lemonade concentrate
1 (8 oz) carton Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in milk until blended. Beat in lemonade concentrate. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate until set.

grace and peace,
julie

Shh...I am Giving Out My Mom's Recipe

2010-07-24T20:23:00.001-05:00

When I was growing up, my mom made an amazing meal called Shish Ka Bobs. I loved this meal as a child, and I love it even more as an adult. It is an easy way to take a few steaks and feed an entire family. This is a splurge meal because the meat is expensive. My mom used fillet Mignon steak, and that is the way I like it. Why are my boys holding hands you ask? Because we were ready to pray, but I was busy taking pictures. What do you need to make this meal? You really need skewers. I got mine from mom, but in times past I have used the large wood skewers from Walmart. Just remember to soak them in water before you use them to keep them from catching on fire. You can thank me later for that little tip. You will also need some sort of steak. Fillet Mignon is the best because it is so tender, but you could use other cuts of your choosing. You also need to have vegetables. I use whole red potatoes, red, green, and yellow peppers, onions, and whole mushrooms. You could add cherry tomatoes or corn on the cob pieces. I don't, but do what you like. After all, it is your creation to enjoy.

After you decide what veggies you like, you need to parboil some of them. I parboil the potatoes. In a separate pan, I parboil the green peppers and onions. Parboiling is a simple step that ensures the veggies are done when you are grilling them. It speeds up the grilling process. Just cover the vegetables with water and boil just for a few minutes. You don't want them done when you take them off the stove. You just want to start the cooking process. Drain the water off, and set the veggies aside until you are ready to grill. I usually do this in the morning or early afternoon before I am going to grill them in the evening. This allows the vegetables to cool before I have to handle them.

When I am ready to grill, I cut the steaks up into bite size pieces. I then thread the steaks and veggies on the skewers to prepare them to grill.

There is no magic way to thread the items on the skewers. You can do it any way you want. Just make sure you leave some space in between the meat pieces so they can cook well. Here is the secret part. Melt a stick of butter or half a stick if you aren't cooking for an army. Add Worcestershire Sauce. I add about a 1/4 of a cup, but if you are doing a half stick add less. Add salt and pepper. While the shish ka bobs are grilling, spread the butter mixture over the shish ka bobs. I use a large brush. Be careful because the butter mixture may cause your grill to flare. Grill until the meat reaches the desired doneness that your family likes. For my carnivores, it doesn't take very long for the meat cook. They like their meat rare. I like mine more done so I leave one on a little longer to cook. You can serve them on the skewers or you can do what we do. We take a large platter and slide all of the shish ka bobs off the skewers and let everyone choose what they want. This would also be a great dinner party idea. Ask your guests to bring enough steak for their family and a specific veggie. Ask each guest to bring different vegetables so you have different things to cook on the shish ka bobs. This would help alleviate the cost, and everybody could pitch in and thread the skewers. Squash and zucchini would also be great on the shish ka bobs, but my mom never did that so I don't venture out and do it either. There are some things that I am traditional about, and my shish ka bobs are one of them! Do me a favor. Don't tell my mom that I am giving out her secrets!

grace and peace,

julie

(P.S. Blogger is having issues with the alignment. I am sorry about that, and I hope to get it resolved before my next post)!

It Must Be Us

2010-07-20T09:50:00.000-05:00

At our farm in Cedar Creek, we spent countless hours working on fences to keep the animals contained. The horses were the easiest of the animals to keep them were they were suppose to be. I always liked that about them. Sully wouldn't cross as much as a string to get to the next field. The other animals didn't have his same appreciation for our time as he did. They were always testing the boundaries of the fences.

We no longer have any animals except for Missy. We downsized during the time of the move. We were sad to see the animals leave, but at least we wouldn't be spending time chasing them. When we moved to the new house, we were delighted that the neighbor's used our property to house their 5 horses. This was the best of both worlds for us. We got to enjoy the neighbor's horses, but we didn't have to do any of the work or spend any money on them! The horses had lived over here for the entire summer. All was well, but they did get out once or twice. It was no big deal because they kept the big gate shut that blocks the driveway. This kept them in the front yard. Since we have moved into the home, we no longer keep the big gate shut. We have been here for almost 3 weeks, and the horses have decided that it is fun to escape. We have chased and put them back several times over these past few weeks. Things weren't panning out quite like we thought. On Friday afternoon, Michael came home to all 5 horses running in the road. He quickly hopped on the 4 wheeler to round up the horses. Our boys ran out the door without shoes on their feet. Another neighbor came riding up on his horse to help get the horses put back home. These horses broke right through our fence. We have decided that it must be us! Lesson learned from all of this...before any more animals can be purchased for this farm, we must do a lot of fence repair!

grace and peace,
julie

A Letter to a Childhood Friend

2010-07-18T12:58:00.000-05:00

We grew up across the street from one another. She was older than me by 11 months and 1 week. I loved the week when I too turned her same age. I rubbed the fact in like salt in a wound. Apparently neither one of us really understood the concept of age or time. We spent many days playing Barbies or babies together under the shade of her large oak trees. We drew hopscotch squares on the street and competed to see who could throw the rock the best and reach the number 10 first. We played Chinese jump rope together. I was standing in her living room the day I saw my dad carry out a bundle and place it in his trunk. I knew that my beloved German Shepherd had died. She comforted me as I cried. She was a year ahead of me in school. She made the band and became part of the color guard. I wanted that position so bad, but I wasn't quite coordinated enough to master it. She spent hours helping me learn the routine standing in the same road that we grew up playing in. We moved on to college and became roommates in the dorm. Shortly there after, I got married and moved away from our neighborhood and our college dorm. I went on to birth three boys and she moved away to make her mark in the big city. She too eventually got married and had a baby girl 11 months and 1 week before my baby girl was born. Although we don't live next door to one another, our girls have found a friendship. The girls would both be visiting their grandparents during the holidays and quickly found a friend in each other. They too play under the shade of the oak trees that remain in her childhood yard. They too play in the same road that was our domain so many years ago.

Last summer my daughter went to her house and spent a week. This summer her daughter came to our home. What a special treat to see our two girls being together. What a treasure it was to be with a child that reminds me so much of a childhood friend, and to get to know her. What a pleasure it was to have her daughter snuggle up with me on the couch and let me scratch her back and just love on her. Thank you for the best gift of time with your children and time with you. Thank you for loving me with all of my faults. By the way, I am sorry that I stole your boyfriend so many years ago. Neither one of us wanted him in the end so it worked out, but I am sorry that I hurt you then. It is one of many regrets of my teenage years. I forgive you for telling me that there was no Santa Clause, tooth fairy, or Easter Bunny. I also forgive you for telling me there were alligators living under my bed. By the way, I still sometimes check under my bed to make sure all is well when I am home alone. I think of you each and every time.

There is something very special about having a friend that has grown up with you, seen your good and bad, lived the same childhood history as yourself. As she was standing in my kitchen this time, she asked me about the lunchbox that was on top of my cabinet. Her dad also carried one like it to the mines. She too has the same memories of a father coming home smelling of coal dust. Then ever so quietly she said, "I miss seeing him get out of his truck, carrying his lunchbox." I too miss my dad, but no more words were needed between childhood friends.

grace and peace,
julie

Recipe Organization

2010-07-15T07:01:00.002-05:00

Do you remember several months back that I asked for help with recipe organization? Many of you stepped up to the plate and left some great ideas. Tnfarmgirl called me after that post. She commanded me to set a date that we could meet. She came to the house armed with binders, plastic covers, and tabs. She spent the whole day with me organizing my recipes. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed her handy work. I am now an organized recipe collector and owner!! Her system is simple and best of all it works. She brought 2 heavy duty large 3 ring binders. They have pockets in the front and back. She brought tabs that also had pockets in the front and back. She labeled the tabs and we started placing my recipes in the plastic sleeves and filling up the binder. The pockets that are on the tab sheets are there to store recipes that I would like to try. For instance, if I find a good looking chicken recipe I can just tuck it in the pocket labeled chicken. It will be waiting for me when I am ready to try it. If I like it, then it will go into a plastic sleeve and be added to the binder. If we don't enjoy the dish, the recipe will go into the trash.

Here is the part that has always given me fits in the past. Her suggestion was to take apart all of my other homemade cookbooks and put them in the new binders. We did just that. We also started copying my favorite recipes out of my other cookbooks. The addition of a printer with a copy machine has been greatly appreciated for this job! I added those recipes to my new binders as well. Now if I am making a meal all I have to grab are these two binders and not 6 different cookbooks! I leave all of my other cookbooks on a bookshelf upstairs.

I am still in the process of making copies of my favorite cookbook recipes. Cheri suggested that as I use the recipe from a cookbook to take a few moments and make a copy. Each time I cook I should get another recipe added to my binder. I can't tell you how much frustration that I have eliminated out of my life due to this one organization project. Thank you, Cheri!!!!! Your the best!

grace and peace,
julie

Summer Time

2010-07-13T06:47:00.000-05:00

This summer has been especially crazy for us with the move and new job. However, other aspects of our summer have been all too quiet. With no garden planted this year, my canner is still packed away in boxes. This has freed a lot of time for me to unpack boxes. Just for the record, I would rather be gardening and canning than moving!

What have we been doing to have a little fun during our summer? We have enjoyed a wide range of friends and family visiting us at our home. Summer is always a time for visits from out of town people and this summer has been no different. In the above picture, Jacob was having a great time with our friends' girls from Texas. This child followed him around the whole evening they were with us. He loved it!

Before the move, the kids enjoyed lazy evenings playing on the trampoline. We still haven't put it back together, but soon they can jump and scream until their little hearts desire once again. We have also been enjoying the new lake in our area. Swimming is great fun and it wards off the extreme heat that we have been enduring.

The house is still coming together. Michael has started unpacking boxes in his shop. The shop will take several months to be put in order. It is a jungle down there! I am finding that I am enjoying the house more than I previously thought I would. It is nice to have a house that is in need of no work. I am enjoying keeping it clean. I am back to making regular meals for our family to enjoy. In between cooking, cleaning, and having fun, I am still unpacking boxes. Perhaps by Thanksgiving there will be no more boxes to unpack! Well, I am not holding my breath on that one!

grace and peace,
julie

Saying Goodbye

2010-07-07T07:52:00.000-05:00

We lived in boxes and ate cereal out of plastic cups.

Missy slept on the big pile of moving blankets.

The rest of us slept on the floor.

We said goodbye to our oldest son. This goodbye was the hardest part of the whole move for me. We also said goodbye to our farm and all of our dreams for that piece of property. We said goodbye to the home that we have poured our hearts, our labor, and our finances into for the last 6 1/2 years. I'm not going to lie...it was hard. But, we said Hello to the next part of our life... a new BEAUTIFUL home that doesn't need any updates or work or walls removed...8 acres that will be room enough to house the animals that we desire...a fantastic job for my husband...and weekends of fun when our oldest son will come and enjoy being part of our family once again.

grace and peace,
julie

P.S. I haven't taken any new pictures of our new home. Stay tuned for those soon!

Moving Quote of the Day

2010-06-29T08:12:00.000-05:00

My daughter has now lived with all of our belongings in boxes for about the last 12 hours. As she was eating captain crunch cereal out of a disposable cup she commented, "This is no lifestyle for a child."

grace and peace,
julie

Moving

2010-06-27T21:12:00.000-05:00

The packers will be here in the morning to begin the great packing project. Two days of packing and one day of moving then the fun begins for me. That would be the unpacking and putting away part. I am ready to make the move. I am ready for life to become normal once again. I am not ready to leave our oldest son behind, but it is part of the process. I guess they have to leave the nest sometime.

I will do my best to get back to blogging as soon as possible.

grace and peace,
julie

A Twist on Sausage Biscuits

2010-06-22T08:17:00.001-05:00

My husband loves sausage and biscuits. He would eat sausage biscuits 7 days a week. If you really want to make him happy, make some gravy. He will love you forever. I and the kids are getting tired of the same old sausage biscuits. I was on this lady's blog and she had a "lazy" moment that I thought was fantastic. I didn't use her recipe, but I used her idea. If you go to her blog, she does have a recipe for this. I used my Fast Food Biscuit recipe. You can find that here. To start these biscuits, you first need to brown a pound of sausage and crumble it like you would if you were browning ground beef. After it has cooked, let it cool. (I was in a hurry so I stuck my hot sausage in a bowl in the freezer while I made my biscuit dough). Next, you make dough for homemade biscuits. I used the large recipe and it was the perfect amount. Once you have the dough mixed, add your cooked sausage and a large handful of shredded cheddar cheese. I added extra cheese because I like cheese. You do want you feel is necessary. Mix again to ensure that the sausage and cheese are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Roll dough out and cut out biscuits. I used a large drinking glass to cut my biscuits. I had 12 large biscuits when I was finished. Bake according to your biscuit recipe. I did add a few extra minutes to the baking time. These sausage biscuits were fantastic. This would be great if you needed a quick breakfast to eat while you were heading out the door. My kids gobbled it up faster than I would have imagined. Just because it was Father's Day, I also made gravy to serve with these. I did make sure my husband knew the gravy was only there because it was a holiday. I don't want him to think that these biscuits will always be served with gravy in our house!

grace and peace,
julie

Lasagna Recipe

2010-06-18T18:33:00.000-05:00

Several people have requested my lasagna recipe. First, I must say that I make it different each and every time that I serve it. I don't use measurements as much as taste. I just keep tasting the sauce and adding to it until it suits my desires. This is only a problem when I share the recipe with others. I am doing my best to be accurate, but you can change the amounts of the seasonings according to your taste buds. This recipe makes 2 9x13 pans of lasagna. I will often time bake one of the pans for dinner and freeze the other pan for later. I have found that the lasagna tastes better if I freeze it BEFORE I bake it. To use it, I let it thaw out in the refrigerator then I bake it until it is bubbly. If I am serving a lot of people, I will use this recipe and put it in a large throw away roasting pan. It bakes up nicely and is enough to feed a large crowd. Hope you enjoy!

Sauce
Brown 2 - 3 pounds of ground beef. Cut up large onion, a large green pepper, and 2 cloves of garlic, and brown cook these along with the ground beef. When meat is no longer pink, drain away the fat. Place cooked meat and onions in a large dutch oven or stock pot. To the meat add, 1 large can of tomato paste, 3 large cans tomato sauce, and 1 large can of tomatoes. Add about 1 Tablespoon oregano, a scant Tablespoon of basil, about a Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning, 2 bay leaves, a splash of apple cider vinegar, salt to taste, and about a Tablespoon of sugar. I also add crushed red peppers to my sauce because I like it to have a bit of a kick. Cook this sauce for several hours so that the flavors can meld together. I usually add extra oregano and salt to my sauce after letting it cook for a while. I simmer mine for at least two hours and I stir it as needed. This is also my basic spaghetti sauce, but I add Italian Sausage cut up with my ground beef for spaghetti. (If you don't want to fool with the effort of the homemade sauce, Prego makes a nice sauce that is much quicker than this)!

After the sauce is cooked, cook a 1 pound box of Lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain.

While noodles are cooking, combine a large can of Parmesan Cheese with a large container of Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese. (Please don't use cottage cheese...it ain't the same as Whole Milk Ricotta)!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter your pans. Spoon in a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of the pans. Cover with a layer of noodles. Sprinkle large handfuls of mozzarella cheese over the noodles. (I usually use almost all of two large bags of Mozzarella cheese when I make lasagna). Add ricotta cheese that was mixed with Parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella. Add some more sauce. Continue layers ending with a layer of noodles. I think a 9x13 pan holds three layers. On the last layer of noodles, spread more sauce and sprinkle Parmesan cheese. If I have leftover Mozzarella cheese, I sprinkle that on too. Cover with foil and bake about an hour to an hour and a half our until bubbly. I remove my foil the last 20 minutes of cooking.

The trick with lasagna is to make sure you have time to let it set for awhile after it has been cooked. I like to let mine set at least 30 minutes before cutting into it. This keeps it from running all over the plate when serving. If you don't have time to let it set, it still tastes the same but it isn't as pretty! Enjoy!

grace and peace,
julie

Just So You Can Imagine With Me

2010-06-16T07:02:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pictures that the realtor sent me of the new house. I figured since I haven't seen it and you haven't seen it we could tour it together. According to my husband, this is the great room that you enter when you walk through the front door. (He promises that it is larger than the picture shows. I'll let you know when I finally see it in person)! If you go up the stairs, you would enter a balcony area that overlooks the great room. There is a large loft area that will be used as an office, and there is also a master bedroom and bathroom up there on the other side.

Standing at the front door, looking through the great room you also see the kitchen. (Please remember that I am just telling you what I have been told. I really have no idea, but I will see it the day we move into it)! The doorway that leads out of the kitchen takes you to the laundry room and walk in pantry on the left or if you go right you head out onto the screened in porch and deck area. The wall that is just to the left of the doorway is going to be filled with a handmade hutch. It hasn't been made as of yet, but I am busy making plans for my husband and his new shop.

This will be a much smaller kitchen for me to work in than what I have now. I am a bit concerned about storing all of my stuff in here. My husband has promised that we will have room for shelves to hold extra items in the laundry room. The stove is set in the island, and there are more cabinets on both sides of the stove. I love the tile. I don't know that I would have ever had the guts to pick it out, but I think it is beautiful. Guess what...I don't think much dirt will show on it! Jumping for joy on that account! The counter tops are solid surface, but we don't know what kind they are for sure. The door way that is in the picture leads to the basement. The basement is a LARGE shop area and it has a very nice full size bathroom down there. If you look past the basement door, there is a short hallway. There you will find 2 more large bedrooms and a nice size bathroom.

This is the tub in the master bathroom. Let me just say I am pleased about this little jewel.

I can't wait to see our new home for myself. As of now, I don't think I will get to see it until the day that we move into it. Michael had to pick out carpet for the bedrooms. Part of our offer for purchasing the house was that the sellers would replace the carpets, but we would get to pick it out. They agreed and Michael went to the carpet store yesterday. He called in a panic because he had no idea what he was doing. I assured him if he could buy the house without my seeing it that he could buy carpet without me. Apparently the sales lady felt bad for him or me, and sent him home with several samples!

grace and peace,
julie

Move Update

2010-06-15T07:29:00.001-05:00

Everything is moving along around here. In less than two weeks, I should be moved into a new house! We should close on our house here this week or early next week. Then we have 30 days to turn over the house to the new owner. The moving company will be here today to do a walk through and a survey of our things. They will be moving us the week of June 21st.

Michael put an offer on our new home and asked for us to rent it until we closed on it. The sellers agreed so we take possession of that home on June 21st. That means I won't have to live in a campground! It was harder than I thought to have him look at the house without me. He wanted me to go down and see it before we put an offer on it. Our schedule here just didn't allow for that. I encouraged him to put the offer in without me seeing it. At first he was unwilling, and then the threat of camping brought him to his senses! The funny part about the whole thing was this was the only house in the whole area that didn't have any inside pictures on the MLS listing! I spent my weekend asking him questions about it. Finally, after a few days the realtor did send us a lot of pictures. It looks wonderful, and I am thankful.

The very things that were tugging on my heart strings about leaving in our home are all present and most of them are better in the new home. I was sad because I loved the new configuration of our living room, dining room, and kitchen. It had a great room feel, and I have always wanted a great room. Guess what the new house has? A great room!!! Just recently I decided I would love a screened in porch. I don't even think I shared that with Michael, but it became an unspoken desire. Guess what the new house has... a small screened in porch! Our neighbor has demanded that our brand new stainless steel appliances stay with our house. I was sick over this part of the deal. I have cried buckets of tears. Michael and I have fought more over the leaving of these appliances than anything about the whole move. Let's just say you shouldn't mess with a woman and her new appliances. In the end, I realized that it was the only way to seal the deal and I gave up my appliances. Guess what the new house has? Nicer appliances then the ones we have here! (Yes, I had to beg forgiveness over that one)! The list goes on and on.

I can't wait to share our new home with y'all. It doesn't need renovations because it is already finished and it is only 5 years old. It does need decorating and landscaping. That is the fun part so we are excited about that. Michael is already making plans on the furniture that he wants to build to go into the new home. There is still a lot to be accomplished here in the next few weeks. I look forward to sharing it as we go!

grace and peace,
julie

Harder Than I thought

2010-06-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

I wrote earlier in the day about how Michael was going to pick out our house and I had told him to put an offer on one if he liked it. You know, I trust him and all. He is in the process of looking and he had the audacity of finding a house that doesn't have any pictures on the MLS. I can't even kind of sort of imagine what it looks like because there isn't anything to help direct my imagination!!! Well, there are his descriptions. He gave me a lovely description of the shop area. That was about the time I started feeling a panic attack. "WHAT ABOUT THE KITCHEN," was all I could think about while he kept giving more description of the shop.

I'll keep you updated in between panic attacks!

grace and peace,
julie

Simple, But Not Cheap

2010-06-11T07:07:00.000-05:00

My house desires are not complicated. I want a few acres to grow a garden and to raise some farm animals. I also want some space so my rowdy kids can run and romp without bothering the next door neighbors. I want a functional house, but it doesn't have to be new with all the bells and whistles. I love the look of the house in the picture. It is located at Cades Cove, and every time I go into the house I dream about what it would have been like to live there.

The desires that we have for a house with a little land may be simple, but they aren't cheap. I am still breathing in a brown paper bag trying to recover an even breathing pattern every time I look at house prices! Michael is looking at houses this morning in our new area. I have given him the go ahead to put an offer on any house that he sees that would fit our criteria without me seeing it. He knows me and he knows my likes and dislikes. He knows what I value in a home. We are getting down to the wire on time here, and I trust him to make the right decision. With all that being said, I am still very anxious to see what he chooses. I want a play by play report of his day! I'll keep y'all up to date as well! Who knows, we may not be living in a campground yet!

grace and peace,
julie

Moving Update

2010-06-09T07:47:00.000-05:00

Things are going so fast around here that I am having trouble keeping up with it all. Michael started work this week, and let me just say that my heart is so full of thanksgiving for this job. With each new day brings a new benefit that we can celebrate. We have excellent health insurance AND dental insurance. Each of my kids have asked for a dental appointment. TVA will be packing AND moving AND storing our belongings. This will occur sometime during the third week of June. We are working on selling our house to our neighbor. I could and would love to write a book about this whole process, but that wouldn't be prudent at this time. Let me just say it has been an adventure and I am ready to get off the roller coaster!

The big question that is left in my life for now is where are we going to live. In less than three weeks, we will leave this home and move somewhere. We just don't know where as of today. We looked at all of the rentals and we understood the reason that they didn't mind for Missy to be with our family. It would have been hard for us to live in them, and I am not picky! There isn't a lot of options to choose from in the new location. Rentals are scarce as hen's teeth, and we have yet to see a good one. We are now trying to find a house to buy. That is a whole new adventure, and we are having a hard time finding one that suits our needs. If we didn't want acreage, we could find a house with no problems. We just don't think we would be happy living in a neighborhood and so we don't want to settle for that.

Don't worry though I do have a plan for living arrangements...even if nobody in my family is thrilled with the idea. If all else fails, I plan on camping until a house of some sort comes available. That is the best plan I have come up with, and I am hoping and praying that my husband has an alternative plan brewing!

grace and peace,
julie