Busy & Creative at Home (The Grasshoppers Have It Easy)

Mrs. Grasshopper doesn't have much to do in life, other than to chomp on my bush that I worked so hard to prune last week.  (See Not-So-Extreme Makeover: The Front of Our House.)  Sometimes I could wish for such a carefree existence, but then I think...

I was created for more than that! I was created in the image of a creative God to be creative.  Part of that is needing to think through how to solve the myriad complexities  that I face every day as a wife,  mother of 10, homemaker, teacher, and writer.  It calls forth all the resourcefulness I can muster.  That, and a whole lot of just plain effort.  It reminds me of the fable of the grasshopper and the ant.  I need to be more like the diligent ant.

Melody's school bin
keeps everything
in one place,
ready for action.

Yesterday, I stayed busy indoors and running errands.  I thought about it later, and realized I had washed and folded about four loads of laundry, did the dishes, vacuumed my bedroom, made breakfast for four kids, sent my lesson plans from my laptop to my iPod, home schooled my first grader all morning, went to the bookstore, grocery shopped, picked up two kids from school, made dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, took my teenage daughter out shopping for a prom dress (which she fortunately found at the first store, a consignment shop!), organized the medicine and first aid boxes, worked on history with my ninth grade son for an hour, tried to straighten up the living room, and...  I can't even remember what else I worked on.  I did sneak a nap around lunchtime.  Thank God for that.

Leftover Taco Jumble

When my daughter unexpectedly asked me to take her dress shopping in the afternoon (since the prom is tomorrow night!), I decided to make a quick dinner before we left so we wouldn't be in such a rush to get back.  My husband had cooked a large batch of ground beef a few days ago (like I wrote in Cooking Ahead Without Too Much Complication), so I reheated it in the microwave, mixed in a can of diced tomatoes and a can of black beans, then layered it with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.  (You could also add salsa, taco seasoning, chili beans, lettuce, green or red peppers, or onions.)  We scooped it up with round tortilla chips.  Yum!  What do you do for quick dinners?

I'm still trying to get the house organized and keep it that way.  That's probably wishful thinking with as many messy people as we have in our family.  I started looking at the FlyLady home organizing web site again, and my friend Ginny Jacobson recommended SimpleMom.  Other great web sites are I'm an Organizing Junkie and Organized Home.  Though I am saving some of the huge projects for summer, I try to organize at least a little something every day, whether it is a small junk basket, my daughter's bin of school books, a shelf on a bookcase or in a pantry cupboard, the top of my dresser, the linen closet, the front hallway, our school supplies, a kid's dresser drawers, or whatever.   What have you been organizing lately at your house?  Do you have any tips to share?

Some of my other home organization posts (from three of my blogs) are:

• A Place for Everything

• Organizing with Plastic Zip-Style Bags at Home and On the Go

• "Bin There, Done That" (Or How to Keep School Clutter from Turning You Into a Basketcase)
• Let Our Ordered Lives Confess the Beauty of Thy Peace...?
• Menu Planning Tips & Links
• Organizing and Laundering Your Linens
• First Steps to a Tidy Home / Children & Chores
• Mt. Washmore (Laundry for a Large Family)
• K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Sweetie!
• A Tribute to Sono Harris: The Legacy of a Joyful Home School Mom
• Household Organization: Clutter, Clothes Storage and Chores

Grace,

Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

P.S. I took the grasshopper photo to submit to the Project 52 photo challenge.  The theme of the week is Green.  I took it with my iPod camera, which happened to be in my pocket when I spotted the grasshopper.  Unfortunately, the battery died after I snapped three pictures, so I couldn't play with it and make sure I got it just right.  The grasshopper seemed a bit blurry and indistinct.  I decided to edit using Microsoft Office Picture Manager, which doesn't have a lot of fancy features but gets the job done well enough.  The main changes were made with saturation and brightness.  I like how it made the green pop out.  The real bush is more muted like the original picture on the left, so I had to wrestle between my desires for both fidelity to the original and artistic creativity.  In the end, I went for the more dramatic lush jungle effect, which is visually pleasing.  What do you think?

This post will also be linked at my weekly Equip & Encourage blog carnival and to Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays.  Click the pictures to come join the fun, whether it is adding your own link or visiting the other participating blogs!

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #5

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #5


Dear friends, Welcome to week #5 at the Equip & Encourage blog carnival! You can see all of the blog carnivals by clicking here: Equip & Encourage.


Here's how it works: Each week, I will put up a new Equip & Encourage blog carnival post. Then you link your blog post using the convenient tool provided by Simply Linked. At the bottom of your post, please link back to my blog so your friends can join the fun and visit the blogs of our other contributors. Your posts can be of anything interesting to the target audience, which is generally Christian moms. So posts could be about mothering, marriage, homemaking, education, crafts, devotional, missions and outreach, what life is like at your house, something new you've been learning, something you're frustrated about, a book review, etc. It doesn't have to be a recent post, so feel free to dig into your archives and bring out a favorite! How about it? Link up, ladies! Then check back later to see what others have posted! Just enter your title, your e-mail address (won't be shown), and the web link for your post below, then grab the Equip & Encourage blog button above to include at the bottom of your post. Thanks for joining!


Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

New Every Morning (And Even Better than Buttered Crackers)

Buttered Crackers

Dear friends,


I woke up this morning thinking of buttered crackers.  I know that is odd.  I don't eat them often -- maybe once a year? -- but someone left out the butter yesterday next to a package of saltines, and I couldn't resist.  Buttered crackers are one of the comfort foods from my childhood.  Something about the smooth butter, the crunchy crackers, and the salt.  I used to eat frozen orange juice concentrate right out of the can, too.  I know, odd!


Anyway, about 6:20 this morning, as I was thinking about those buttered crackers, I realized I hadn't heard my 17 year old daughter getting ready for school yet, so I got up to make sure she was on track to catch her bus.  Seeing her scurrying around, I offered to make her lunch: a ham sandwich and some chunks of Granny Smith apple sprinkled with lemon juice and ginger.  Then my husband drove her to the bus stop a few blocks away.  He and I tag teamed like that for a while, me rinsing chicken thighs to prepare for baking, and he cleaning out the sink, me driving the three younger kids to school, and he getting the older boys out of bed and helping them with their home school math, etc.   I'm glad we took the time to hug and pray and laugh before I left.  He was driving out of the neighborhood as I was pulling out of the adjacent school parking lot, and we blew each other kisses.  He called me later to check in on who was doing what when and tell me about something he heard on the radio. We need those kinds of cooperation and connection to face all of the stress in our lives right now.  Sometimes it gets rather overwhelming.


I was talking with a friend the other day and we were both mentioning how sometimes it is just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and taking life step by step.  God's mercies are "new every morning" to give us strength for the day.


This morning I needed that grace.  As I posted on Facebook, "I just signed papers to withdraw Melody from public school first grade and bring her back to home school. She had a good three months and a lot of fun there, but I think she will work better at her own level with me since she is a late bloomer with an August birthday, they run a very rigorous program at English Estates, and she is usually fried and not ready for homework in the afternoon. So I've got my pile of curriculum in front of me and I'm fixing to write my lesson plans for next week. This is actually one thing about home schooling that I always enjoyed. Reading on the couch with my littlest one again will also be a big bonus."  


I've been thinking about this for a while and after talking to Thad some more, I decided to take the plunge again.  I was a little nervous about talking to her teacher, but she was quite supportive of my decision.  She'd like to home school her own daughter.  I'm really thankful for how much she has invested in my daughter since January, when we enrolled her.  Now, here we are again.  I know I can do this.  I have home schooled my 10 kids over a 20 period, though this year four of them were in public school at least part of the year.  Back to the 3R's!

Pink Moss Rose

As I walked back into the house this morning, I noticed a bright pink moss rose blooming in my garden patch. I accidentally knelt on top of it yesterday when I was transplanting some lantana from the backyard.  I'm so glad it survived in spite of me.  I just planted it two days ago, and this one had only tightly closed buds on it, so I couldn't even tell which color the bloom would be.  I hoped it would be orange and yellow, like the other three moss rose plants I bought.  But it's a maverick.  Different.  Unexpected.  And that's how life is sometimes: not what you planned.  In this case, it's just as beautiful, and a daily reminder for me to embrace what comes, trusting in God's fresh daily compassion.  For comfort, that's even better than buttered crackers.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, 

for his compassions never fail. 

They are new every morning; 

great is your faithfulness. 

I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; 

therefore I will wait for him.”  

Lamentations 3:22-24

Grace,
Virginia Knowles
www.comewearymoms.blogspot.com

P.S. You can see my other orange and yellow moss rose and lantana in this post: 

Not-So-Extreme Makeover: The Front of Our House

This post is linked at my blog carnival.  Click the picture and join the fun:

Also linked at:

 Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays 

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #4

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #4

Dear friends,

Welcome to week #4 at the Equip & Encourage blog carnival!  (You can see previous weeks here: Equip & Encourage #1 and Equip & Encourage #2 and Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #3.)

                  

Here's how it works: Each week, I will put up a new Equip & Encourage blog carnival post.  Then you link your blog post using the convenient tool provided by Simply Linked.  At the bottom of your post, please link back to my blog so your friends can join the fun and visit the blogs of our other contributors.  Your posts can be of anything interesting to the target audience, which is generally Christian moms.  So posts could be about mothering, marriage, homemaking, education, crafts, devotional, missions and outreach, what life is like at your house, something new you've been learning, something you're frustrated about, a book review, etc.  It doesn't have to be a recent post, so feel free to dig into your archives and bring out a favorite!

How about it?  Link up, ladies!  Then check back later to see what others have posted!

Just enter your title, your e-mail address (won't be shown), and the web link for your post below, then grab the Equip & Encourage blog button above to include at the bottom of your post.  Thanks for joining!

Equip & Encourage ~*~*~

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #3

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #3

Dear friends,

Welcome to week #3 at the Equip & Encourage blog carnival!  (You can see previous weeks here: Equip & Encourage #1 and Equip & Encourage #2)

                  

Here's how it works: Each week, I will put up a new Equip & Encourage blog carnival post.  Then you link your blog post using the convenient tool provided by Simply Linked.  At the bottom of your post, please link back to my blog so your friends can join the fun and visit the blogs of our other contributors.  Your posts can be of anything interesting to the target audience, which is generally Christian moms.  So posts could be about mothering, marriage, homemaking, education, crafts, devotional, missions and outreach, what life is like at your house, something new you've been learning, something you're frustrated about, a book review, etc.  It doesn't have to be a recent post, so feel free to dig into your archives and bring out a favorite!

How about it?  Link up, ladies!  Then check back later to see what others have posted!

Just enter your title, your e-mail address (won't be shown), and the web link for your post below, then grab the Equip & Encourage blog button above to include at the bottom of your post.  Thanks for joining!

Equip & Encourage ~*~*~

Two Trifles: Chocolate Strawberry and Caramel Apple

Dear friends,

Easter dinner calls for a special dessert!  This year, I decided to make two trifles.  A trifle is made from layering chunks or cake with sauces, whipped cream, and other yummy ingredients -- in our case  one with chocolate strawberry and the other caramel apple.

Chocolate Strawberry Trifle: Brownies, vanilla pudding, sliced strawberries, whipped topping...  

The J on top is for Julia, one of our married daughters, 

who would be turning 23 in a few days.   

I borrowed this trifle bowl from her.

It could also have been for Jesus, since we were celebrating his resurrection.

Caramel Apple Trifle: Homemade apple pie filling (sliced apples baked with apple juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and other spices), chunks of yellow cake, caramel sauce, vanilla pudding and whipped topping...

This trifle is in a large crystal bowl. I swirled the caramel and whipped topping with a fork to make it even fancier.  The cross is made from cinnamon sticks.  Even with food, I try to keep the Easter focus on Jesus and his sacrifice for us!

"Be imitators of God, therefore, 

as dearly loved children and live a life of love, 

just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us 

as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." 

Ephesians 5:1-2

Grace and joy to you!
Virginia Knowles



P.S. This blog post is linked to...

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival

Project 52!  The photo theme this week is Sacrifice.

 

 Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays 

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival #2

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival

Dear friends,

Welcome to week #2 at the Equip & Encourage blog carnival!  (You can see last week's here: Equip & Encourage #1)

                  

Here's how it works: Each week, I will put up a new Equip & Encourage blog carnival post.  Then you link your blog post using the convenient tool provided by Simply Linked.  At the bottom of your post, please link back to my blog so your friends can join the fun and visit the blogs of our other contributors.  Your posts can be of anything interesting to the target audience, which is generally Christian moms.  So posts could be about mothering, marriage, homemaking, education, crafts, devotional, missions and outreach, what life is like at your house, something new you've been learning, something you're frustrated about, a book review, etc.  It doesn't have to be a recent post, so feel free to dig into your archives and bring out a favorite!

How about it?  Link up, ladies!  Then check back later to see what others have posted!

Just enter your title, your e-mail address (won't be shown), and the web link for your post below, then grab the Equip & Encourage blog button above to include at the bottom of your post.  Thanks for joining!

Equip & Encourage ~*~

Fun & Fruity at the Grocery Store (P52 Foolin' Around)

Horned Melons

Have you ever heard of a horned melon?  No?  Well, neither had I until last weekend.  I thought they were some sort of April Fool's joke sitting there in the Winn-Dixie produce section.  Nope!  You learn something new every day!  I looked them up, and horned melons, also called horn melons, are originally from Kalahari, Africa, but are primarily cultivated in New Zealand.   According to one web site, they have a sweet-tart banana-lime flavor.  They would be fun to try out, but they come with imported prices, too, costing about 5 bucks for a melon the size of a large pear.  That's not in my price range for one piece of fruit, but we do sometimes buy pomegranates, kiwis, and mangoes for a little exotic flavor.  But maybe I'll take my kids on a field trip to the produce section of either Winn-Dixie or the Family Produce Market (on SR 436 in Casselberry) soon so they can at least see all of the odd fruits that our creative God makes.  

Cherimoyas, a fruit from the Andes mountains,
which Mark Twain reportedly called
"the most delicious fruit known to men."
(Well, it certainly isn't the prettiest!)

The Winn-Dixie near us recently renovated the entire grocery store.  It used to be a run-of-the-mill place, but they really spiffed it up into more of an upscale gourmet establishment with a full hot and cold deli, huge produce section, and even a huge bulk candy area.  I don't go to Winn-Dixie every week since their prices are too high for me, but my daughter Lydia hadn't seen the "new store" so she wanted to go in.

Winn-Dixie in Casselberry, Florida

The M & M and Jelly Belly jelly bean dispensers
are several feet tall!

Gummy worms!

Have a little fruity fun today!


Oh, and a little of my favorite fruity inspiration from the Good Book!

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.... Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:11, 29

Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.   Hosea 10:12

The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.   Isaiah 32:17

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing... This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5, 8

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23a

Virginia


This post is cross-linked at: 

Equip & Encourage Blog Carnival

 

Project 52!  The photo theme this week is Foolin' Around!






 Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays