Homekeepers Journal - June 15th

What's going on in my kitchen this week .... lots of raw veggies ! We are all helping out at VBS and they are making some food there . Not all of it can/will we eat so I have sandwich stuff . Trying to make smoothies in the morning . (Almond milk, frozen mixed fruit, banana,ice, sometimes flax seeds , coconut oil...whatever!) I got veggies at a stand this week-end and a few more (like celery) at the store. If they are available they will get eaten! We are also in a heat-wave here so if I do make a full dinner I will be using my new crock-pot !





Every time I try to .... send cards out I get them written but hardly ever get them mailed !If the thought is what counts I am good ! LOL But I am highly suspicious that my friends and church family would love to actually get a card ! :-/





Thinking very heavily on this right now... Summer camp ! I am working up examples and playing with craft ideas . We are all emailing back and forth about all the details and such . It is getting exciting !





I wish my Mother or someone had told me that ... laundry NEVER ends ! I was not taught to keep house. My mom kept house well but she felt it was her job . I was an awful kid too so I doubt I would have been teachable if she tried !





I am determined to ... keep trying to make more of what we eat from scratch . Weeding out as many harmful additives as possible ! Esp. MSG . I would like to scale back on eating out too but that's how my family likes to celebrate and such . And it's just plain too easy ! I just told my DH that I want to plan weekend food similar to a camping trip . Do as much prep ahead of time as I can so it throws together easily and quickly . I am going to try freezing some breakfast burritos and extra muffins too !

That's all for this week ! :-) Ya'll leave a comment if you stop by and don't forget to go by Christianhomekeeper.com to see the other posts ! Just follow the link <-----

homemade frapp'e

Those icy coffee Fraps are a delight to me and my kidd-o's (15 & 21 , I am not giving it to toddlers! LOL) The ones at the coffee shop are $3-$5 and the Mickey D's are about $2.50 or more . THat adds up ! I got one the other day when they were on the $1 special . I asked myself what makes them SO good ?! They are rich , creamy,sweet and COLD ! SO ...I have experimented here at home to see if I could make something satisfying .
Here's what I have found we like . :-) It is seriously yummy !
1 cup of coffee
2 Tbs unrefined sugar (or what ever you use)
1 Cup raw milk (or whole milk , or 1/2 & 1/2)
3 cap-full of vanilla
12 sprinkles of cinnamon
1 Tbs virgin coconut oil (I use spectrum)
lots of ice
I put the sweetner in the warm coffee and mix to dissolve , I pour that in the blender . Then the coconut oil . Next put the milk or cream , add vanilla and cinnamon ( I have fallen in love with Pampered Chefs) fill the blender with a large amount of ice ( I fill 3/4 of the way full) Blend ! I just guesstimate the amounts so play with it . The coconut oil adds a richness to this and it is a GOOD for you addition . It staves off hunger ! Seriously ! Look it up . :-)
If ya'll try it let me know !

Homekeepers Journal

This is for the Homekeepers Journal posted on June 8th . I didn't find it until today . :-) I checked Monday and early Tuesday for it but then the week went crazy ! The princess has started a new job working with some cute little girls she just loves ! And the prince was away at an out-of town friends house. I did get quite allot done (not that you can much tell) And I did start working on crafts for camp . Playing with new ideas . I came up with a bracelet I think I am going to offer to the kids . I really like it ! I will try to post some pics Monday . DH is home and not feeling well so I know i won't get it done this weekend ;-)!

So here's the Homekeepers Journal entry:

My definition of a Homekeeper is.....well...a person whose life and ministry centers around the home .


My favorite place to practice the profession of home keeping is... The kitchen. I love finding nutritional recipes that my family actually likes. I love the nights we can have dinner all together (rare indeed!) I love canning too . But that also falls under providing good stuff for the consumption of ppl I love !

I do/do not find joy in keeping my home and I think the reason is.... I do find joy in it ! I know it is because I love my family . We homeschool so we really do live, love and learn here . We eat here , minister to neighbors , have bible study ,tend a garden and small pond . We have 6 pets so lots of life lessons there too . And since dear hubby travels allot with his job , I live to provide him a safe haven to come home to. And I am also , by default, the parent on call ...for what-ever arises .

At this point in my life , I believe my children, husband and/or other family members think about our house... Hubby loves coming home . When you frequently live out of a motel home is a luxury . DS enjoys being home . The princess is yearning for a home of her own . And by her age I was married and had a baby so I do understand . She can enjoy home , resent us, nit-pick it what-ever . She is at a dis-contented place. We try not to worry too much about the "others" part . Our home is far from picture-perfect but it is a work in progress and as I am finding out , so am I !

Things I wish someone had told me about homekeeping when I was young... That it's a real job ! That it is respectable to stay home and make your family priority #1 . I didn't know the Lord until 10 years ago and I certainly wish I had met Him as Savior long before that , He really changes the whole equation !

The message I received about being a wife and mother when I was growing up ... That they had to do it all , and it should come naturally . My mom did it all . Dinner on time , yard work , laundry . She didn't teach me any of it so I just assumed it must come natural when you needed it . HA.HA ! Wrong ! My poor hubby had some rough times as I struggle to learn what i needed to know . I crashed and burned ALLOT in the beginning ! I have totally raised my girl differently ! She knows most of what she needs . She my have a limited menu rotation ...but she wont starve of scare him . LOL

Six blessings God has given me this week ... healing for the awful dizzy spell I was having (praise God , none this week!)
Healing our kitty , bringing dh and ds home safe , advancing ds a grade in school , a wonderful floating light in my newly re-newed pond (got it at a thrift store for $3 !) a couple of nice hours with my mom . She rode with me to do some errands . It was a nice , low-stress time . Kind of rare sine my brother died last August .

Ya'll feel free to comment ! And don't forget to check the other entries !! Go here http://christianhomekeeper.org/blog/homekeepers-journal-june-8-with-linky-love/ to read the others !

Blessing ! Lora

It's Thursday

It's Thursday ! Yay !
Why am I excited that it's Thursday ? Because today our prince got to come home from his special invite camping trip . He got to go on a beach camping trip ...for free ! He had an awesome time (which is great for a guy who isn't fond of the beach). He got sunburned a bit , because he fell asleep in a hammock . And he came home tired , and kind of hungry...since it was a beach trip , it made sense to the men-folk to have sea-food...except the prince doesn't really eat sea-food . LOL
So I made one of his faves for dinner . Beef-tips in rice . Well basically . I just shred up a small roast , use the drippings to make gravy , mix it together and ladle over brown rice . Simple , filling ...and the only GRAVY anything that he will eat !
Also , Thursday means my DH will be home tomorrow ...we have home-group too . Awesome !

Hopefully see ya'll tomorrow for 5 faves !

Homekeepers Journal

I was super excited to find this ! :-) Thank you Sylvia for letting us join .

Here's what's happening in my home this week ...

1. In my Kitchen.... Homemade muffins , some of my moms favorite cookies (a recipe from her childhood that's really easy)
cooking a London Broil (that will be made over 3 times), trying to figure out how to cook for just 2 people , since it is just me
and the princess at home this week ! I will be making hard boiled eggs and some fruit salad as some safe "grab-it" foods to
satisfy that munchie attack I tend to get around 4pm daily !

2. In my marriage.... DH is out of town on a job . I did get a very welcome surprise and got to have lunch with him today since
he had to come back for something ! It was a great surprise ! And Cracker Barrel is always a winner for me . :-) We had a great
week-end over Memorial Day and I look completely forward to this coming weekend . It is my 40Th BD Sunday and we are going
to get together with friends . It should be very good .

3. With my children... The prince is away on a special invitation camping trip . He is at the beach , camping out , in his very own tent !
And I miss him ALLOT ! I am working on his room , more specifically , his laundry quandary while he is away . He just has too many
clothes ! And when I go to get a load I set the timer and do 15-20 mins worth of pick-up . I already see improvement ! And that makes
me happy.
The princess is out with a friend tonight . A girl that she has known since she was 10 and we were at our first church . She has a couple
jobs this week , so I will have quite abit of quiet time ...if I manage to stay home anyway ! I am trying to stay home more , it's hard to
tho' . (Does anyone else have this problem??)

4. I feel so relieved when... things work the way they are supposed to ! Recently my favorite crock-pot died . Then my back up didn't
work right either ! That ended up being one meal out and one meal of eggs and quickly thawed sausage ! Very frustrating !! When I
need papers printed for an interview I was suppose to conduct , the printer wouldn't work this morning ! I was out of black ink ! (and
because I had bought a refilled cartridge , it didn't tell me!) Sigh... I had warned the gentleman I was not a professional ! And then proved
it ! LOL

5. My spiritual life is declining (alittle) ..... We have had several people on our prayer list die in the last month . And I think that is a
whammy . I don't doubt Gods wisdom , timing or sovereignty . It just took the wind from my sails a little . We watched a friend lose his
battle with cancer . And saw how his wife fell apart and is fighting bitterness . Very sad ! One friend from church had his daddy die from
a horrible boating accident . God gave them 12 days together , to talk , and love each other tho' . Both my bible studies groups are 'off' for
the summer . So I HAVE to make the effort to get into the Word on my own !

6.If I am honest , the thing that keeps me from praying as often as I should is ... busy-ness , fake busy-ness even ! It seems to be satan
s favorite ploy for me . "just keep her going in circles"

7. I see God moving in ... My desires to make our home more home-y and welcoming . To have less stuff and stream-line a little . Not that
it's easy ... I have been a pack-rat (but I don't want to be a hoarder!)

8. This is in the deepest recesses of my mind but it should be moved into the light ... My tentative probing of how I feel about turning 40 .
My husband is 10+ years older than I am , and he makes me feel very loved ....just 40 is a biggie , or at least the world says it is ...so I am
wondering if it IS ?? And how I feel about that ?

That's all for this week ! Ya'll make sure to read the other posts over at Christian Homekeeper Network .
Have a blessed week !
Love,
Lora Lee