Contest

Who wouldn't want a vacuum cleaner? I know ours is scary old, and it's not even ours, so we would definitely love one of these. Visit 5 Minutes for Mom to enter.

March News

March has been an interesting month for our family. My husband turned 30 this year, his mother turned 50 a few days later, and our oldest son turned 7 the week after that. We found out that we were expecting our 6th child, and that my husband would not be transferred to another store.

We have also had some less than pleasant things. A few minor injuries that ended up with a few trips to the doctor. Thankfully they only looked worse than they ended up being. A few days ago, our daughter ate some sort of pill off the floor at the store while I wasn't looking, and had a reaction to it. She started with a rash and hives, but thankfully it didn't get any worse than that. She still had to drink some charcoal and stay under observation in the ER for a few hours, but she ended up being just fine. I don't think she'll do that again for a while.

Now, for the difficult part. We found out yesterday that the baby that we were expecting, has perished. We don't know much except that it was alive two weeks ago. We don't know what could have caused the baby to die, nor when it happened exactly. This is our first confirmed loss, so it is rather difficult. We still need to tell the children, though I think they suspect something isn't right.

We are working through the grieving process, but so far we are holding up. We have had an outpouring of support from some of the ladies in our church, and it has been very much appreciated.

It will probably be a while before I resume blogging again, but don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Just taking a break.

Love,
The Woodman Family

It's Still March, So I Can Still Post This!

This is one of my favorite Veggie stories, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Tasty Thursday

Week 4. This is a good side dish, but it is good enough on it's own. Try adding some leftover ham or chicken, and you've got a really great dish.

Visit The Pumkin Patch for more Tasty Thursday recipes!

Golden Au Gratin Potatoes

• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¾ cup margarine or butter, melted, divided
• 3 tablespoons minced dried onion
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 package (32 oz.) frozen southern style hash brown potatoes, thawed (plain or with peppers and onions)
• 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 ½ cups crushed cornflakes

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, ½ cup butter, onion and salt. Stir in the potatoes and cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Toss the cornflakes and the remaining butter; sprinkle over potatoes around the outer edges. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Bubble Wrap

Who doesn't love bubble wrap? This year is the 50th anniversary of bubble wrap, or sealed air, which was created by accident. For some bubble popping fun, visit Virtual Bubblewrap and pop away. And visit this part of the site for more fun facts.

Works-For-Me-Wednesday

Today's WFMW is somewhat about myself, and my son. When I was a child, I was diagnosed with ADD (they hadn't come up with ADHD, but that probably would have been closer to what I really was dealing with). After many years of medication, with regular increases in dosage and little result, my mother turned to the Feingold Diet, discovering that my real issue was allergies to preservatives, colors, and basically anything that really had no business being in good food to begin with. She immediately forbade me to eat any of the things I had grown to love, and noticed a drastic improvement in my behavior. The only thing that she did wrong, was to cut me off completely. I essentially went into withdrawl for the things that I liked to eat, especially candy. Because of that, I rebelled and ate candy whenever I could. Unfortunately, she could tell just by the sound of my voice if I'd had candy during the day, and would find me out almost immediately.

Now, I am noticing some of the same things in my son. While I'm not sure he has the major issues that I did as a child, I know for sure that his bad behavior trigger is chocolate. If he gets chocolate, he's nearly certifiable. He's aggressive, can't listen or sit still, and it's very difficult to get him to focus. He's already had trouble with taking chocolate and candy without asking, so I know he has the same desire for the things he shouldn't have that I did.

For him, I came up with this idea. I remembered how difficult it was for me to give up those things that I couldn't eat, so for my son I decided that he could have chocolate one day a week. He could have chocolate one day a week, close to bedtime (so it wouldn't affect his behavior too much). I allowed him to pick the day that he could have chocolate so that he felt like he was involved. I explained why it was so important for him to not have chocolate at any other time, and hopefully his seven year old mind can understand it. This is our first week, and tomorrow is his first Chocolate Day. I will post next week about how this process is going.

Visit Rocks In My Dryer for more great Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips.

Another Contest!

5 Minutes For Mom is having another fun contest. This one is for Katchy Kids Dancewear, and it looks sooooo cute! Swing on over and sign up for the contest, and you could win one!

Why We Homeschool 5

5. Would you want your child indoctrinated without your knowledge?

4. Who wouldn't want their child courted by a college because they were homeschooled?

3. Our children are less likely to have this happen.

2. Our children won't have to witness terrible crimes like this.

1. Our children are less likely to be sexually assaulted.

Tasty Thursday: Strawberry Apple Pie

I am hoping to make this tonight, and it has got to be one of the best tasting pies I've ever had. I didn't know if I'd like it at first, but now I can't get enough of it. Don't forget to visit the Pumkin Patch for more Tasty Thursday recipes!

Strawberry Apple Pie

• 3 1/2 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3 medium)
• 1 1/4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pastry for double-crust pie
• Topping:
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• Whipped topping (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the apples and strawberries; drizzle with lemon juice. Combine sugar and flour; sprinkle over fruit and toss lightly.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry. Cover edges loosely with foil.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; remove foil and bake 35-40 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped topping if desired.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Storing Baking Supplies

I use a lot of baking supplies, and usually go through them pretty quickly. I've also lived in a few apartments prone to summer bugs, which has affected my baking supply. I found that I could fit most of my supplies, like flour, sugar and brown sugar, into gallon zip top freezer bags. (The freezer bags are sturdier). It's been great. They stay in their containers, and I'm not trying to stack huge containers that don't fit into my cabinets anyway. I also put things like leftover chocolate chips (of which there are few), and nuts into the smaller sandwich bags.

And that's what Works-For-Me. Visit Rocks in My Dryer for more great Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips.

Soup For Fuzz

Fuzz Martin is giving up meat for Lent, so as a supporting blogger, I've decided to share my potato soup recipe. It is just about the easiest soup in the world, and if you can't make a white sauce and cook a potato, you probably don't belong in the kitchen. ;)

Baked Potato Soup

• 4-6 large baking potatoes
• 2/3 cups butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon black or white pepper
• 6 cups milk
• 1 cup (8oz.) sour cream
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)
• 10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Version 1. Bake the potatoes until done. Cool completely, peel and cube.
Version 2. Boil potatoes until tender. Drain.
Version 3. Nuke those potatoes. (Poke holes in them first, please).

In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes and green onions. Garnish with bacon and cheese.

Yield: 10 servings

Tasty Thursday: Eggs Over Easy

Okay, here is Tasty Thursday number two.

It's not so much a recipe, as it is a plug for a certain spice available at Penzey's.

Make some eggs over easy (or however cooked or less cooked you like them). Make some toast while you're at it, too. When your eggs are done, sprinkle with a little Black and Red spice from Penzey's. It gives you a nice little wake-up smack in the face (especially if you over-do it, like I've done once or twice). It's really good, especially if you like spicy things on occasion, and you don't need as much salt, since the peppers are enough flavor for anyone.

I very much suggest getting into a Penzey's and taking a look around. Most of their spices are cheaper than regular store-bought, and they're healthier too. They don't use chemicals to preserve their spices. And, the more you buy, the more you save. So if you use a lot of spices, check it out. It's very much worth it.

Don't forget to check out more great recipes from Tasty Thursday, at The Pumkin Patch.

My Son, the Knight

I currently have four boys, and one girl, with another on the way. They are Boy, 7, Girl, 5, Boy, almost 4, Boy, 2, and Boy 9 months. It is sometimes a very loud household, but I have been blessed.

Recently, my soon-to-be-4-year-old-boy, has decided that he is my knight, and that he must protect me from the dragon, and the lizard.

Today he started asking me questions about being a knight, and what knights can do. As we were getting ready for church, he asked if knights could go to church. Later, he asked me if knights used the potty (we're still working on potty training, but if this works, I'm all for it!). After that he asked if knights could play games. Of course, the answers to all of them were yes, and he was very happy with that. As he runs around the house, protecting his princess from danger, I am reminded that God's love is abundant, and very tangible in times like these. God protects us from the dangers around us, and keeps us safe from the dragons.

For a great definition of Knighthood, read this post by Everyday Mommy. Read the rest of the posts before it here, here, here, and here. There are more to come, so keep your eyes out for them.

Ultimate Blog Party! All About Me!

Well, I thought it was about time I properly introduced myself.

I am 28, and I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost 8 years. We have had 5 children, and we are expecting another one towards the end of October. Their names are Ben, 7 (next Saturday), Ariel, 5, Ethan, almost 4, Samuel, 2, and Aaron, 9 months.

I home school the oldest two, sometimes three. The younger ones are usually napping at that point. We use Five In A Row, and I will be getting Miquon Math very soon. They love the stories, and the trips to the library.

I am involved in Pro-Life ministry, through leading LifeChain in our area. We are starting a new one this year, since we moved to be closer to our church.

I love to bake, sew, cook, and crochet. I also cross-stitch, but I have been focusing elsewhere for a while. I am working on three quilts, a handful of crochet projects, and two dresses. I'm almost done with most of them, or I will be, eventually.

That's about all for now. Our lives are constantly changing, so there will always be more to add.

Ultimate Blog Party! Day 2

Well, here we are in day 2 of our Ultimate Blog Party! Step on in, take a look around.

Here is a little treat to start your day with.

Frozen Fruit and Yogurt Cups

2 Almond Biscotti
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup frozen raspberries, unthawed (or any type of frozen fruit)
4 teaspoons orange blossom honey
4 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Coarsely crumble the biscotti into 2 small bowls. Puree the yogurt and frozen raspberries in a blender until smooth and thick. Spoon the yogurt mixture over the biscotti. Drizzle each bowl with the honey and sprinkle the almonds on top. Serve with a cup of Americano coffee, if desired.

(recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentis)

I personally prefer semi-homemade chocolate almond biscotti. They taste so good crumbled with the frozen fruit and yogurt, and then the honey and almonds... Mmmmmmm!

1 box Devil's Food or Chocolate Fudge cake mix
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 stick melted butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Pour your cake mix and flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in nuts. This dough will be very stiff but will not stick to the bowl when properly mixed. The consistency will be like children’s play dough. Divide dough into two halves. Roll each half into a log, and place on a lined 11” x 15” x 1” baking pan. Gently press the top of the cookie log into a rectangle, about 3 inches wide. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove cookie pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Do not turn the oven off. Remove cookies from baking pan and cut into 1 inch piece logs. You will be cutting this on the width. Place cookies on their cut side on the lined baking pan. Place pan back into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.


While you're here, check out some of these other great sites!

Karla at Looking Towards Heaven. She even has a prize on the list! So check her out!

Lauren at Baseballs and Bows. Check out her birth story here.

Milehimama at Mama Says... is expecting very soon, so go wish her happy delivery!

That's all for now, so come back later in the party and look for more!

Ultimate Blog Party: Who's Pregnant?

So, after reading the wonderful news about our expectant hosts, I got to thinking. How many of us out in Blogland are expecting? So as my first post for the Ultimate Blog Party, here goes! Leave your blogsite in the Mr. Linky, linking to your announcement. If you don't want to leave your announcement on your blog, then just leave a comment in the comments section.

Don't forget to stop on by 160 Acre Woods for some party favors!

Known Expectants,

Susan and Janice, of 5 Minutes For Mom, expecting around Christmas

Me! MommaBlogger, of Homemaker's Guide To The Galaxy, and I'm due in late October.

Anyone else?

Pregnant Again!

Yes, I am expecting another child. This will be number 6 for us. We are hoping for the little one to come around the end of October-ish. I'm hoping maybe for November, since we already have a baby with a birthday in October. Gotta go for one in every month, right?

We're hoping for a girl this time, and my husband actually wants to get the ultrasound and find out what it is. He hasn't in the past, and last time, I begged for a week to find out. He finally conceeded, and the little bugger crossed his legs on me! We couldn't figure out whether I'd be having a boy or girl. So hopefully this time, baby will be a little more cooperative.

So here's to hoping for a healthy pregnancy, and a little girl.

Ultimate Blog Party Starts Tomorrow!

Don't forget to stop by 5 Minutes For Mom and check out the Ultimate Blog Party! There will be prizes galore, and lots of great moms (and others!) to chat with!

Get on over there!

Tasty Thursday

Oh, what to share? There are so many recipes that are my favorite, but I think I'll share something good for a cold, windy day. Visit The Pumkin Patch for more great Tasty Thursday recipes!

Awesome Chicken Soup

• 1 to 2 pounds cooked chicken, diced or torn, or white meat from a whole roast chicken, torn off by hand (original recipe suggested a few raw chicken breasts, cut)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 to 3 ribs celery and greens from the heart, chopped
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded potatoes, ready to cook hash browns, or frozen shredded hashbrowns
• 1 pint whole milk, or half-and-half or cream
• 1 quart chicken stock, available in boxes on soup aisle
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, a healthy grating
• 1 cup frozen green peas

In a medium pot over medium to medium high heat, cook chicken in butter for a minute or two, then add veggies and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more, add flour cook another minute. Add potatoes, then whisk in half-and-half or cream and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil by raising heat, then turn heat back to simmer and cook soup another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add peas. Stir in to warm them through for about 5 or 6 minutes.

Why We Homeschool 4

4. Who wouldn't want their child courted by a college because they were homeschooled?

3. Our children are less likely to have this happen.

2. Our children won't have to witness terrible crimes like this.

1. Our children are less likely to be sexually assaulted.

Why We Homeschool 4

4. Who wouldn't want their child courted by a college because they were homeschooled?

3. Our children are less likely to have this happen.

2. Our children won't have to witness terrible crimes like this.

1. Our children are less likely to be sexually assaulted.