Giveaway

 

With a new school year quickly approaching, I thought I'd give away a copy of R.C. Sproul Jr.'s wonderful book When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling.  I have read this book several times and I am always challenged by the information in it.  If you already homeschool, it will make you take a long, hard look (in a good way) at how you do it.  If you have chosen not to homeschool your children, then watch out because it very well may convince you otherwise!  

"We talk to our children when they lie down and when they rise up, we speak to them of who God is and how he relates to his world - that is how we develop a Christian worldview. It doesn't come from reading worldview books, going to worldview camps, or taking worldview classes. Our children will adopt a Christian worldview as we talk to them about God and how he relates to everything. That's how we raise up godly seed."

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below.  For a second entry, blog about this giveaway or post it on Facebook and then leave another comment letting me know that you have done so.  For a third entry, leave yet another comment telling me how you have chosen to school your children and why.  I'd love to hear!  The giveaway will end at midnight on Monday, August 6 and I will try my best to announce a winner on Tuesday the 7th.  

Recipes

I have recently found two great recipes that have become regulars for us.  The first is a wonderful granola.  I started out with a Sun-Maid recipe and changed it some until I got it the way I like it. It is not overly sweet like some recipes, and you can really taste the flavors of the nuts and other ingredients.  It is so good with fruit and yogurt, or with just milk, and it is very filling.  I usually triple or quadruple this recipe, which lasts us around a week.

2 cups oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups raisins

Heat oven to 300. Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Heat honey and oil until syrupy. Stir into oats mixture. Spread into pan and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in raisins while still hot. Let cool and store in an airtight container. Makes 6 servings.



The second recipe is one that is easy, delicious, and makes the house smell great!  In the past I have used whole chickens like the recipe calls for, but this weekend I am going to make it with bone-in chicken breasts for Sunday's lunch.  The spice rub (below) is really excellent, and cooking the chicken on top of the onion gives it a great flavor too.  I plan to make a large batch of this soon just to have on hand.  I'm sure it would be good on sauteed vegetables and other things as well.

2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper

Grandma's Tutus

Several years ago my mother gave me a box of tutus that she wore when she was little.  Our girls were very small at the time, so I put the box in the attic.  When we moved back in May, I came across the box and let the girls try them on.  They love them!  The tutus are still a little big, but the girls enjoy dancing around the house in them, and they love the fact that they belonged to Grandma!  

These pictures of my girls were taken at my Grandmother's house in Pennsylvania...the exact same house where my Mom grew up and where the pictures of her were taken!

I'm guessing that these pictures of my Mom were taken around 1958 or 1959 when she was 9 or 10.  

Six Months

Our sweet baby Peter turned six months old yesterday.  He's a little guy, though I am not sure of his current stats and he doesn't go to the doctor for another couple of weeks.  He is eating wonderfully now!

Peter loves the swimming pool!  Abigail and Esther like to paddle him around in this little boat. :)  He is so relaxed in the water!

I started him on solids 2 weeks ago.  I like to wait until 6 months, but he was hungry.  I always have milk supply issues, and while things went a little better this time than they have before (thanks to the help of a midwife friend!), I still did not have what he needed.  He was waking up 3 times at night with a growling tummy.  I don't mind getting up to feed him, but at six months he should be getting enough during the day that  he doesn't need to wake up to eat 3 times each night.  The little stinker will have absolutely nothing to do with a bottle...no formula, no water.  So I started him on solids and, as is typical of our babies, he loves to eat!  He has had avocado, banana, sweet potato, and butternut squash. Next up is boiled egg yolks, broccoli, peas, and applesauce.  He has been downing a whole banana for breakfast (after nursing, of course), which seems like a lot for his tiny little self.  The extra calories are helping him to sleep much better.  He either sleeps 10 or 11 hours straight, or he wakes up once and settles back down easily.

I took this video of Peter eating a banana yesterday.  He gets so excited when I put him in the Bumbo to eat.  When he sees the bowl of food he wiggles his feet around until I give him a bite.  It's really cute. :)

We love our sweet little pumpkin!