Practicing and Praying

We've practiced with the lunch box for over a week now.  How does a 3 year old learn to eat like a big school girl without some practice?  We unzip the brand new, cool lunchbox, get out the containers and practice opening them, wipe our hands, eat the good food (with no complaining or asking for someone else's lunch), wipe our hands and our face, clean up our area, put all the containers back in the lunchbox...and it is as simple as that.

YIKES!!!

My baby is going to preschool tomorrow and I am slightly panicking!!!

Will it be good for her?   YES.
Will she learn a lot?   Of course.
Will she make new friends?  That is my prayer.
Will it be fun?  I'm sure of it.

We've been over our manners again this morning.  I have talked about sharing and waiting our turn. There's lessons on not pouting and how we can't win all the time.  We've read "The Night Before Preschool" and "JoJo's First Day Jitters".  I am preparing her with all I can think of.  I'm reassuring her and encouraging her.  I am promising her it is going to be great!

We're practicing and praying.

Practicing for the procedures and rules of school and praying for a smooth adjustment and easy acclimation to the whole process.

I am reminding myself that this is good for her. This is preparing her for all the many years of school ahead. Preparing her to learn.  Preparing her to grow up.  Preparing her to be the young lady God wants her to be.

God is preparing her and her big sister for all He has in store...and He is preparing me too!  I am nervous as to what is to come.  I don't know what to expect.  What will I be called to do?  Is there something new in store for me as this new stage of motherhood begins?  I am a slightly panicking!!!!  But...

Will this be good for me ?  YES.
Will I learn a lot?  Of course.
Will I make new friends?  That is my prayer.
Will it be fun?  I'm sure of it...as long as I keep my eyes on my heavenly Father and trust Him and what is to come!  As long as we keep practicing and praying I have no doubt the year ahead will be a great one!


Today's Verse

Joshua 1:9

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Recipe Remake

I have been attempting to remake some of our family recipes a little more healthy.  And I have been trying to makes some suppers ahead of time and freezing for easy quick suppers, and making our own pancakes and waffles and freezing for easy morning prep.  This has been fun and given me a chance to try new things.

The news ingredient is...coconut oil.  It looks a lot like shortening, has no coconut flavor and is a healthier fat!

I recently tried to remake these applesauce muffins...

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2013/06/an-apple-day.html

Here are the new ingredients and they were a hit!

Applesauce/Carrot with Coconut Oil Muffins

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of applesauce (I used all natural, unsweetened)

1/4 cup minced carrots (1/2 carrot finely minced in the food processor)
6 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Mix dry ingredients in bowl and set aside.  Whisk together sugar and eggs until smooth.  Stir in cooled melted coconut oil, applesauce and carrots.  Pour wet ingredients in with dry and mix until just combined.  Over mixing makes a tough muffin.  Makes 36 mini muffins or 12 really big muffins.  Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes for minis or 18-22 minutes for big muffins.  Yummy and even more nutritious!

Today's Verse

"I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Galatians 2:20

What's Cookin'

So I have missed this!!!!  I can't say when I will be back on schedule, but we have got one child in school and one more to go (sniff, sniff).  Yesterday was the first day of first grade! (I have loved saying that!  It sounds cool!)  We are excited about the school year and all the fun and learning to come.  I did want to toss out some recipes.  I hope your family enjoys!

Please don't think I am tooting my own horn...but here are some back to school recipes from Thriving Family.  My jello apples with a twist are included along with other great ones...

http://www.thrivingfamily.com/free/www.thrivingfamily.com/~/media/Thriving/1-articles/PDFs/school-lunch-recipes.pdf


I did store up some frozen homemade pancakes (Just the Bisquick kind) and these french toast sticks from Taste of Home...

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/French-Toast-Sticks


And of course we had nutella and MM waffles yesterday for the first day of school...

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2012/08/not-so-good-for-you-but-ooooh-so-good.html



Today's Verse
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  Phil 4:13
(Even send my oldest to First grade and youngest to Preschool in two weeks!)

It may get worse...pt. 2

OK OK OK, I know I am taking a break from posting, but I just had to throw this out there.  I wanted to talk about it yesterday, but time got the best of me.  But I have been staring at the computer and feeling I should type one more thing and a few verses.

One story in the Bible that is sooooo "It had to get worse before it got better", was the story of Joseph.  Imagine what he went through.  Being the favorite of his father and despised by his brothers.  Being sold into slavery by his on family.  Making it to a high position only to be lied about and thrown into prison.  But even in prison it says, "But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison."  Genesis 39:20. Even after he had favor and correctly interpreted dreams, he was forgotten by the butler who was set free and for two full years he still remained in prison.

But God had a plan.  Joseph could have faltered.  He could have given up.  Joseph could have thrown in the towel, walked away from God, let go of his faith, and lost all hope.  (I can't say I wouldn't have lost all hope in his situation!)  But he kept going; he kept his faith, and God did restore his freedom and put him second in command.  Not only that, but he was reunited with his family and forgave them completely!

Genesis 50:20a  "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good."

It got worse, and then a little better, and then worse again, and worse again, but it DID get better!


Today's verse
Psalms 139:8-10
"If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:  if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take wings of the morning, and dwell in the utter-most parts of the sea.  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."  (emphasis added)

He is there.  No matter what is happening, where we are, how bad it is...HE IS THERE!  Holding us; leading us!



A.S. I love you and am praying for you!!!

It may get worse...

Have you ever had an injury that didn't look too bad?  Yeah, it hurt a little, but nothing major! Then the time past and wow the pain really started stinging.  The hurt was bigger than we expected. The ouchie made us twinge with pain.  The boo-boo was getting worse!

My daughter had a small scrape this morning.  I was proud of her big-girl approach of it not being that bad!  (She is usually my drama queen when it comes to ouchies!)  But by lunch, the sting was really apparent.  She looked at me and said, "You know, you have said some things have to get worse before they get better!"

Wow, I have said that!  And man, I needed that little phrase just at the exact moment she said it!

Nothing we are facing is too big for God to handle.

There are some situations in our lives that may appear to be getting a little worse.  Things not going quite like we had planned.  Situations changing that we thought were becoming stable.  Plans being turned upside down.  We know there is a purpose for everything we experience in our lives. We pray for guidance and peace.  We hand the cares over to the Lord and try to move forward in His will.  But there is no guarantee that a painful or stressful situation is going change for the better as soon as we would like.  It may take a while.  It may even get a little worse before it gets better!   But we hold on to that hope that God is in control and it will get better!

We want the best for our children...don't you think God wants the best for His!

Today's verse

Matthew 7:11, "If ye then, being evil (or sinful), know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him."

The storm may rage a little longer, but there will eventually be sun after the rain.  The hurt my get worse before it gets better, but it will heal.  The darkness may seem inevitable, but the morning light will come again. Keep our eyes on Him and not the negatives, and we will see the rainbow after the storm. 

  

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2012/01/extra-o.html


Summer has definitely come and gone too quickly!  There are only 3 short weeks for us until it is back to school time.  We will be soaking in every last drop, so no more posts until we get back into the swing of things!  Enjoy the sun, your family, and every moment our heavenly Father blesses us with!

King Hezekiah

It's funny to say and funny to spell, but this king from the old testament has been popping up in my reading a lot this week!  It's so fun when that happens, because I know there is a lesson to be learned.  First, the story of his healing was in one of the girls' devotions this week; then he made an appearance in one of mine, and finally it just so happens I was reading in 2 Chronicles some this week as well!

I have put a link to the P31 devo below, so please go and check that out b/c it is a good one!  And then also, I really feel led to share the verse I read last night!  It was just what I needed and I hope it speaks to you as well!

Today's Verse
2 Chronicles 30:9b  "for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."


We've all turned our back on God.  It may only have been for a minute, when we were at our lowest and in the deepest despair.  We felt like He wasn't listening and we questioned if He cared. It may have been for a week, when one bad thing after another bad thing was bogging us down and the devil was whispering to throw in the towel.  We refused to pray and refused to pick up His Word.  Maybe we walked away for years, because surely we could handle things just fine on our own.  We never felt good enough to be one of His children.

Whatever the circumstances.  Whatever the pain and heartache.  No matter what we have done, thought or said.  If we return to Him, run back to Him, cry to Him...He is gracious and merciful and will not turn away His face from us!  He is there waiting "if ye return unto him."

WOW!  That is our powerful and loving heavenly Father!


http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/gods-strength-still-available-me-2013-07/

Easy sweet treat

Wow it is hot today!  But I am thankful to be seeing the sun here in NC.  We had so much rain last week and the poor farmers need their fields to dry out!

This is a sweet treat the girls and I like to make in the summer and perfect for a hot day like today.  A lot of people make this with graham crackers but we used mini vanilla wafer cookies.  The girls loved making these!  The mini cookies makes it is so tasty and easy for little ones to eat.  There is not a recipe but simply instructions and lots of smiles.  Hope your family enjoys!

Simply fill a plate with mini vanilla wafer cookies.  Spread about 1/4 tsp of chocolate syrup on top of flat side of cookie and then 1/2 Tbsp of whipped cream (We use the fat free kind and it works great!)  Top with another cookie to make little sandwiches.  Wrap plate with plastic wrap and freeze for about 4 hours.  Then you have tiny "ice cream" sandwiches they made all by them selves.  No oven or ice cream required :)

Today's verse

Proverbs 21:23 "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."