Today's Baking- Artisan Rolls

I used one of the recipes from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking 

So cool to pull out your dough from the fridge, shape....fuggetaboutit  for a while and then bake into these.

This dough can be made in a couple of minutes, refrigerated, and used throughout the week.

Baked per instructions, the crust is very chewy, and you can taste the unique, rustic flavor from the kosher salt. The yeast flavor becomes stronger over several days and I personally prefer it before the third day.

But the convenience! Awesome! -Especially for you working mommas.

Psa 37:25  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Pickling Carrots and Jellying Flowers

 These are made with a unique blend of spices and as soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I had to try them. They have mustard seeds, fenugreek, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, coriander, and a few more strange combinations that make them just- WOW!

I saw the recipe in this book:

                                                                  

Lots of neat and different recipes here.

************

Ever had Nasturtium Jelly? That's another wacky thing I've tried this week. It's REALLY good!

I used this site as a guideline. 

Surprisingly, it's not peppery like the flowers, but I only used the petals. 

My kids thought it tasted like the Violet Jelly I made last year.

Have you heard about "That Works for Me"?

If you haven't heard, it's a fantastic new e-book that is LOADED- and I mean FULLY LOADED- with some of the best tips available in blogland.
There are innumerable links to blogs with tips on every subject under the sun! And yes, there's even a tip of mine in there- woo hoo!

Topics in the book include; Beauty, Gardening, Decor, Blogging, Recipes, Homeschool, Cleaning, Marriage, Hospitality, Craft, Gift, Pets, and more! There are 187 pages of tips, links, and more.

Below is a short video that these two ladies have put together to give you a visual explanation of what you can find in their e-book:

We Are That Family (one of the writer/producers) of this e-book is giving away several copies!

You may also submit a tip to enter their $150 giveaway for a free house cleaning!

Check out Facebook to learn more!

You can purchase the book at the link below for $8!
Click here to visit wearethatfamily.

(*Disclaimer: the last link is an affiliate link.)

The Money Saving Mom's Budget...

Crystal Paine, Money Saving Mom, has a new and very inspiring book about 'budgeting'. I had the wonderful opportunity to hear the audio version for review. Listening to her made me feel as though she was right here, talking to me. I love when a book is read by the author!

The book is very inspiring and encouraging. And it doesn't go straight into dealing with money; it's really budgeting your whole life!

She gives very practical advice and she also shares many stories that give you a sense of hope, no matter how tight your circumstances may be. She shares numerous examples throughout the book that make you feel as though "if they can do it, so can we!"

Multiple subjects for budgeting your life are in her book; clutter, coupons, grocery shopping, setting goals, getting organized, how to cut expenses, issues with credit cards and how to avoid using them, planning for sales and bargains,and much more.

Be sure to enter her giveaway today!

"What I love about the audio edition of The Money Saving Mom'®s Budget is that I
can listen to it on the go - on my run, in the car, or while I'm folding laundry. AND ... I
love that it comes with the downloadable worksheets. I am able to work through those
while listening to Crystal speak. So helpful. Perfect for my busy schedule." --Anne,
blogger (and reformed budget breaker!)

Celebrate with Crystal by entering her iPad2 Giveaway (a GREAT tool to keep track of
your budget!) and RSVPing to the Live Webcast Event on 4/5!

One savvy winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPad2
• The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine, audio
  edition

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends
4/4/12. Winner will be announced at The Money Saving Mom's Live Webcast Event on 4/5.
Crystal will be hosting an evening of chat, laughter and encouragement - bring your
friends! She'll share tips and advice and her husband will be joining her to share how the
principles Crystal outlines in her book have dramatically impacted their family life.
She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and
much more!



So grab your copy of The Money Saving Mom®'s Budget and join Crystal
and friends on the evening of April 5th for an evening of fun of learning, sharing and
encouragement.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to
see you on the 5th!

Want more info about the MSM?

Click here!

Current Reads at Our House

Several have now read this book and have really enjoyed it. It's written in a similar fashion as Mark Twain's The Complete Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Boys LOVE them!

My dd loves this set and has read through several this year. These were given to her and she treasures them!

She's currently on  These Happy Golden Years.

One just finished this and another one or two by the same author. Lots of interesting facts we learned from ONE child reading these because every day he would share something new from the book. Love a book that provokes excitement in a child!

The youngest just read this. Love ALL D'aulaire books!
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
Abraham Lincoln (Bicentennial Edition)
Benjamin Franklin
Leif the Lucky

Looking for mythology? This is a really nice read ...but my kids find their gods to be just lunacy. :) But it is easy to understand and has lovely pictures!

We are in the last few pages of reading this aloud. Several of the older kids have read it and sit on the edge of their seats as we go along saying things like; "Oh yeah! Here's where it gets good!" and "You remember .....well, here's where they become important!"     This book gives lots of detail, without being even a tiny bit boring! Love it! (They are hoping I'll read the whole series out loud, but I dunno 'bout that!)

facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque

Books We're Enjoying:

This book is an amazing tale about a group of men who set out on the ocean- on a raft! (High schooler loves!)



I'm not sure who enjoyed this book more, the children or me! It's hard to put it down for wondering what these children will do next. (This book is a 'magical' fairy tale.)

My daughter really enjoys these American Girl mysteries.

My boys have loved all things Gary Paulsen:

Tonight, we're not doing much reading though. The older children are out of town for the weekend and the younger 3 have decided that they want to 'rough it' and 'camp'. So, they have all of their pillows in the floor and they've built blanket walls around themselves, they've pulled up a tiny television to watch Benji, and I've taken them their MREs (chicken strips and oven fries) on their 'camping tins' (old cake pans), along with a 'canteen' (a big water jug) full of water- and they think this is the coolest night ever!

Anyone else having the 'coolest night ever'?

Our Current Reading List- lots of goodies from our local library or online free

3rd grader-Kyler: Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Pinocchio, McGuffey’s Fourth Reader, The Swiss Family Robinson, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Treasure Island, Christopher Columbus and the Discovery of the New World, Rascal, Lentil, The Bears: Hemlock Mountain, The Sign of the Beaver, A Lion to Guard Us, The Family Under the Bridge, Yonie Wondernose, The Book of Dragons, The Enchanted Castle, Make Way for Ducklings,  Allan Fowler- Pine Trees, Maple Trees, It Could Still Be a Tree, Simple Machines, Can You See the Wind?, -One Morning In Maine, A Tree Is Still A Plant, The Apple and the Arrow, Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving, The Story of Valentine’s Day, Blueberries for Sal, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Daniel’s Duck, Hatchet

4th grader-Kayanna: The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, The First Four Years, Little Men, Rascal, Secrets on 26^th Street, The Family Under the Bridge, Thee Hannah!, Twig, Watcher in the Piney Woods, Listen to the Nightingale, The Enchanted Castle, The Railway Children,

6th grader- Kellan: The Silver Chair, The Last Battle, David Crockett-Scout, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Pathfinder, Robinson Crusoe , Elements of Civil Government, Not Yours to Give, The Story of David Livingstone (http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=golding&book=livingstone&story=_contents),  Rascal, The Yearling. The Sign of the Beaver, The Family Under the Bridge, The Door in the Wall, The Enchanted Castle,The Wanderings of Odysseus, Abraham’s Family by John Morris, Black Ships Before Troy, Minn of the Mississippi, Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving, My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, Call it Courage

8th grader- Kemuel: On That Day Began Lies, Don Quixote, Life on the Mississippi, The Soldier in Our Civil War Volume 2, Rascal, Lord Peter: the complete Lord Peter Wimsey stories, Our Town: A Play in 3 Acts,- Cry: The Beloved Country-, The Family Under the Bridge, The Bronze Bow, The Enchanted Castle, Exploring the History of Medicine, Mosque by Macaulay, Cathedral by Macaulay

10th grader- Krestan: Roughing It (semi-auto Twain)My Utmost for His Highest, Elements of Civil Government, My African Journey, Luther and the Reformation (G), Beacon  Lights of History Vol V -?(G), Why Won’t They Listen? http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/wwtl, Rascal, An American Plague, Silas Marner, The Nine Tailors,  Crime and Punishment, What’s So Amazing About Grace?,  The Family Under the Bridge, The Enchanted Castle,

Exploring the History of Medicine, Mosque by Macaulay, Cathedral by Macaulay, The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia, The Screwtape Letters

Our Jesus Box:

The correct name for this is "A Box Of Blessings" and was written by Kathy Collard Miller. It is featured in Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress's book;  "Taking Back Christmas and Other Family Celebrations".

Her book is there for $10 and is a great investment for every mother seeking to keep Christ at the center of her home. (This is not an affiliate link but I do have Mrs. Burress's permission.)

I had the privilege of meeting Mrs. Burress years ago at a women's workshop, Keeping Holidays, Holy Days. The ticket was a very precious gift to me from a lady that helped shape my Christian "mothering", Mrs. Pat. There are some things that you don't get over, I didn't get over the gift the Lord sent me in Mrs. Pat and I didn't get over the things I learned from Mrs. Burress's conference.

Funny, I only had 2 little boys then, but now 6 kids have been so shaped by what I learned. This box, worn and tattered as it is, gets brought out for every Christmas and is so cherished by all of my kids. (But they are asking me to make a new one ;-) But as you can see, I put this together as frugally as possible. You can even use prints of these objects instead of the real thing if you don't have them handy. You can also add verses and more to your daily 'present'.

I pray that you all would find the Blessing in this Box of Blessings!

The following are the instructions as I have them from years ago, as best I can still read them. The first day of December, we get the box out and it goes from there.

"Present #1 A large wrapped box containing 24 gift-wrapped presents. READ: We are going to be opening little presents for 24 more days. God gave us the most precious gift of all, His Son Jesus. (John 3:16) Have each of us received this gift of Jesus into our lives?

Present #2 Several pieces of any kind of food.  READ: Does food always stay the same even after a long time? No, it changes when it gets old, doesn't it? But Jesus never changes; He is always the same. (Hebrews 13:8) Why do you think it is important that Jesus never changes?

Present #3 A heart shaped object. Hearts remind us of love. We love others, but did you know that God loves us even more? (1Corinthians 13:4-7) How many things about love can we find in these verses?

Present #4 A piece of soap. READ: Jesus washed His disciples' feet to show them that they should be servants to each other. (John 13:5) How can we be a servant to each other?

Present #5 A piece of flat bread for each person. (Matzo works!) READ: Jesus was tempted just like we are. (Matthew 4:1-11) When we are tempted, how can we resist the Tempter like Jesus did? 

Present #6 A small candle or flashlight. (I use a tiny b-day candle.) READ: Both a candle and a flashlight give light. (Matthew 5:16) How can we be a light so that other people can see Jesus in us?

Present #7 A little Bible or tiny Scripture booklet. READ: God gives us His words in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16) How does the Bible help us to live the Christian life?

Present #8 A piece of modeling clay. READ: We can mold this piece of clay into whatever we want it to be. Sometimes we want to be like the people of the world but Jesus wants to mold us into His image. (Romans 12:12) Are there some things we do that are like the world and not like Jesus?

Present #9 Scissors. READ: With scissors, we can cut out crowns for us to wear. (Have construction paper available for crowns.) Jesus promises to give heavenly crowns to those who still love Him even when sad things happen to them. (James 1:12) What sad thing has happened in each of our lives? Do we still love Jesus?

Present #10 A toy boat. READ: The disciples were afraid they would die in a storm. (Mark 4:35-40) Are we afraid of something? What does God say about fear?

Present #11 A small battery. READ: A battery gives a flashlight the power to produce light. Similarly, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live a Christian life and have the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22,23) What are the fruits of the Spirit? How can we have the fruits of the Spirit?

Present #12 A penny for each person. READ: God fave us everything we need and wants us to give a part of it back to Him. (2 Corinthians 9:7) What can each of us give to God? Does God want us to be happy or sad when we give to Him?

Present #13 A plastic lid. READ: We usa a lid or seal to keep something inside a jar or other container. (Ephesians 1:13) Who does God use to seal our salvation within us?

Present #14 A rubber band. READ: See this rubber band? When we pull and stretch it, it becomes tight. That's a good example of how we feel inside when we worry. If we don't stretch it, the rubber band is soft and relaxed. (Philippians 4:6-7) God wants us to relax in Him. If we are uptight, what do we need to so so that we can relax inside?

Present #16 A blank piece of paper with "sin" erased off. READ: When you make a mistake in writing, you can erase it and start over again. When you do something wrong, called sin, you can ask Jesus to forgive you and He will forget all about it. You can start over again. (Ephesians 4:32) What is something each of us did wrong lately that Jesus has forgiven us for?

Present #17 Empty. READ: Were you surprised to find this present empty? So was Peter when he found the tomb of Jesus empty. (John 20 1 9) Jesus was born so that He could grow into manhood and die for our sins and then be resurrected from the dead. What does resurrected mean? Jesus is alive- how does that affect our lives as Christians?

Present #18 A cotton ball with perfume on it. READ: This smells good, doesn't it? What Jesus did for us, by dying for our sins, smelled good to God. (Ephesians 5:2) What nice thing have each of us done lately that smells good to God?
Present #19 A plastic or toy angel. READ: An angel will announce when Jesus comes back to earth to take His children to heaven. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) Do each of us know that we are going to heaven? How can we know for sure?
Present #20 A match. READ: The deeds we do are either valuable or worthless. (1Corinthians 3:12, 13) What deeds are each of us doing that will be considered good in heaven? What deeds will be judged worthless and burned up?
Present #21 A picture of a neighbor or friend. READ: God uses the word "neighbor" to mean everyone. (Galations 5:14) He wants us to love everyone. Do we have a hard time loving everyone?
Present #22 A happy face sticker. READ: Is there something you can do to make God happy? (Colossians 3:20) What are some ways each of us can be obedient today?
Present #23 A tiny piece of concrete. (I have a piece of hardened play-doh.) READ: The foundation of a house is usually made from concrete. It is put in first before the house is built. (Luke 6:47-49) Is Jesus our foundation? Is He first in each of our lives?
Present #24 A tiny globe or picture of the earth. READ: God made the earth and everything in it. That includes each of us. (Genesis 1:1 Psalm24:1?)
Present #25 A photograph of each child when they were a baby.  READ: You used to be a baby, didn't you? So was Jesus. Just as you are growing up, Jesus grew up so that He could one day become our Savior. (Luke 2:1-20) What do you want to be when you grow up? In what way can each of us continue to have the Christmas spirit every day of the year?"
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Be sure to visit Frugal Fridays for more frugal tips for the holidays!

Alibris Coupon Codes- extended Cyber Monday

Alibris has tons and tons of books. Often you can find the same or better deals there, than other places online. With these special coupon codes, you likely can get the best prices with them through 11/30.

For $5 off $50 use the coupon code SPLURGE.
For $15 off $100 use the coupon code TREAT.

Another New Page-

I've got LOTS more I want to share, but I had enough to be useful, so I went ahead and published the new FrugallyFreeHomeSchool page at the top. I pray you'll find lots of helpful resources on the links to free home school materials.
Blessings!

Thinking Out Loud Tonight...Children, the Bible, and the Vipers that Await Them

During recent days, I took some time (too much really) to look around at the big, bad, and sometimes ugly world and see how things were ticking. Please don't get me wrong, I'm an optimistic person by nature. I can usually find something promising in a rock! But- looking at what others are saying here and there on the big WWW, I've nearly made myself vomit with nausea.

There are atheists and venomous vipers out there lurking and waiting for your children and mine, to come out of our warm, safe, Christian homes- and right into their traps.

They've made it their life's goal to educate themselves on logic, fallacies, ad hominem, and lunacy and rebellion against the Word of God....like NOTHING I've ever seen here in Smallville.

They know the Scriptures probably better than you and I, and they are so much like their father- the father of lies?- that you almost can't tell them apart. It's only a little flesh on their bones that gives them away... They take the blessed Word of God and they do just as our arch-nemesis did in the garden. "Thou shalt not surely die!" And they go on to say that "God lied" because Adam and Eve did not die right then and there. Do your children have an answer for that? The snakes have one that they are lying in wait to give to your children and mine.

Looking further my eyes and heart burned with indignation for our beloved God. And fear nearly rattled my brain at the thought of what this great God will one day do to those who refuse to turn from their sins. These vultures are lurking and they can't wait to pounce on our children and back them in a corner with; "If your God is so loving, why are kids starving to death this very night? And if your God is so loving, why did He order so many deaths in the Old Testament? And if your God is so much better than their god, then why did He say people who did certain sins in the Old Testament should die...after all, He is the same God as in the New Testament, isn't He? So what makes Him any better than their god?"

Oh but the madness doesn't stop there my friends in the faith! I had one tell me just today that the only things that mattered in the whole Bible were just the exact words that Jesus Himself spoke in the New Testament.... while telling me that I needed to go read my Bible. In my exasperation, I tried to quote some verses back to this person, but the Words of that precious Book were unacceptable on that forum. Seems that "Scriptures" are equated with "curse words" in many places today. But again I ask, do your kids have an answer for that?

I think of these verses and I'm convicted:
Deu 6:7-8 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

And I think of this:
1 Pet 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh..


And this one;
Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

I'm forced to confess my inadequacies to God and beg for His guidance, knowledge, and help.
He promises to help you and me!

James 1:5-6  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering...


Well- what about faith and asking in faith not wavering?
Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

His Word is our supply of faith and the more we go to It, the more faith we can gain. The more faith we can gain, the more we can ask for that "wisdom" in prayer and be "given liberally"- it is a wonderful cycle that He has created!

Oh that God would help us, because the vain philosophers are there, crouching and waiting.

I shared this because it was on my heart tonight (after reading so much filth) but it is reading these things that has caused me to add a couple of things to our reading list this year. (One
and Two and I would love to get the series
for younger kids.)

Let us pray for one another!
And please do tell me if you have other suggestions for preparing children, spiritually, for the wild world!

"Have We Forgotten How To Raise Boys Into Men?"

That is the title of an article that I read a few weeks ago on Fox. It was written by William Bennett, whom many educators and conservatives appreciate. It is a post promo for his book but it also has some thought-provoking statistics for those of us with a quiver full of boys!

Thought some of you might enjoy the read.

Here's a few of his other books that we've enjoyed:

When Queens Ride By- free ebook

You may remember this story from Brandy's site. It is really thought-provoking for every woman and mother.
I was tickled to see it in this format and FREE! It loaded quickly for me in PDF.
I think you'll find it a blessing!

Free Kindle for Your PC on Amazon and Free Books for Your Kindle

Did you know you can get Kindle For Your PC free on Amazon? Yeppers, easy as a click HERE.
Then all you have to do is type in "free Kindle books".
Easy as that!

Book Review: The Hour That Matters Most

Do you look for ways to bring your family closer together? Do you long to create a strong family bond? In this book, the writers share tips and stories from their own families about how and why we mothers should strive towards The Hour That Matters Most.

Our world is so busy today and if we can all be home together, we often can't leave technology alone long enough to be with each other. The ladies in this book share encouraging words to help you set guidelines for that special time around the dinner table. They even share tips for keeping some of the squabbles down. (With 5 boys in the house, that was my favorite chapter!)

Through the different lifestyles of the writers they share various ideas for how to make this happen. They give many ideas through their own stories for ways to involve the entire family in the preparations of mealtime. They share tips for starting conversations as well as manners at the table.

The book does include some recipes but that is not the main focus. The focus of the book is the importance of sharing a meal together and drawing your family closer. These ladies share practical steps and stories from their own mealtimes that all of us mothers can relate too. The book is an easy read and gives you the feel of talking to your best friends.

If you're struggling with mealtime and wanting the kind of atmosphere at your table that is a blessing to each family member, this book will give you practical insight on how to make that happen.

The following is one of the recipes from The Hour That Matters Most.

Turkey Bacon Egg Strata (serves 6 to 8)
4 cups cubed sourdough bread with crust
1/2 cup minced sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons dried parlsey
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup cooked bacon crumbles
2 cups shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese
1 cup nonfat liquid egg product
2 cups nonfat milk
Spray a 9X13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer first 10 ingredients in the order given. Pour
egg and milk over the top and cover. Refrigerate overnight or freeze to use later.

If you've frozen the dish, thaw completely. Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes; then
remove cover and bake 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Taken from Hour that Matters Most by Les and Leslie Parrott with Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna. Copyright © 2011 by Les and Leslie Parrott and Dream Dinners. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

·         The Hour That Matters Most launches September 6, 2011

·         For more information visit, www.thehourthatmattersmost.com

·         Available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

·         Price: $15.99

(Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book to review and above is my honest opinion. I truly enjoyed this book and would love to see many young mothers read it as they start their families and 

seek to build their homes.)

Frugal Book Tip:

Driving past one of my favorite used book stores the other day, I noticed boxes out in front of the store. Hmm, whatever could that mean? It means free books!

If you see boxes outside a used book store- that's a good time to stop!

They often have, what they can't sell or what they deem to be too old or too rough, in those boxes.

I found this nice little treasure (as well as a book about the constellations and one about Mussolini).

This little treasure has a copyright date of 1930 and a price on the back of  "Retail .64" and "Exchange .59".

Pretty neat, huh?

It looks a lot like the McGuffey's Readers.

Hearts at Home Products...

This is First Form Latin from Memoria Press. Hearts at Home carries this product and also offers the cheapest price that I've seen on the internet!

They also carry Apologia on their site. Apologia is tops in Science. Their products are beautiful and they do an excellent job of keeping science in line with theology!

Don't forget to enter their Giveaway!