What's New?!

Good Morning!  I am sitting in the quiet of my living room looking out on a rainy morning with a cup of Earl Gray tea.  I love this time of quiet.  It is so unusual that both of my children would be asleep at 9:00am!  Usually we have already completed a class for school by now, but I couldn't bring myself to wake them up!  Actually, my daughter has been up, but cuddled up in my bed with the Kindle and is now drifting in and out of sleep.  My daughter, Grace, gets up, fixes her own breakfast, reads her Bible and prays, usually before my eyes open!  She is 8 years old and very indepedent!  She cleaned the kitchen last night for me.  I love that!  This morning, I was up before anyone, so I made pancakes with fresh peach syrup.  I have all of these peaches, so I grabbed a few, peeled them, put them in a pot, added a little bit of water, some honey, cinnamon and 2 glucomannan capsules to thicken it. Then I cooked it until bubbly.  Yummy!!  The Glucomannan is used to thicken sauces, puddings, etc.  This is a Trim Healthy Mama ingredient!

What is new in my shop?  LOTS!  I have added headbands made from my wire yarn, mostly.  These are so cute!  I love them.  My daughter, Grace, was my model and she kept saying, "Don't list this one.  I want it."  to about all of them!  It is a great use of the wire yarn.  I have a customer who said she was going to use the wire yarn she purchased for hat toppers instead of pom poms.  I had a gentleman buy some from me last year at a craft show I did.  I wondered what he was going to do with it!  Something creative, I bet.  Anyway, the headbands were listed with the hope of bringing a little fun into your hair!  

I also added a monthly Fiber Box Club.  You will get a box of mixed types of fiber each month for however long your subscription is - 1, 3, 6 or 12 months.  There is a minimum of 4 oz. in each box.  It will be a mix of wool and exotics and maybe a little bit of sparkle!  Gift wrapping is available!  I am trying to come up with some fresh ideas.  My shop is doing well, but just want to take it to the next level.  Any ideas are being accepted!  What would you like to see?

School is going great!  I think I have hit upon a winner for curriculum!  Finally!  Ben is enjoying school and so is Grace.  I am using Tapestry of Grace with Ben and Rod and Staff with Grace.  Ben is using Singapore Math and Apologia science.  It is great to see happy faces every day!  (well nearly every day! lol).  In the summer, we are finishing up right after lunch, then head to the lake for swimming and fun!  It is a great incentive to focus and get the lessons done.  

Take care and God bless you!

Kim

Reminiscing

Today is a rainy day!  I love rainy days - the smell, the cleansing (especially of all the pollen), the freshness!  I am one of those moms who let their kids play in the rain as long as it is not thundering or lightening.  They love it!  I, myself, like to sit on my back porch and just enjoy the peace of it

It is also a perfect day for all things fiber!  I have a sequined yarn that I am working on.  I finished one skein, but have enough left over for another skein.  Urg..  It is very pretty, but spinning with sequins is not a lot of fun.  It is also very time consuming.  I spun a single out of Ashland Bay's Concord colorway - Tussah Silk and Merino.  It is beautiful and soft!

Before

After

I had a dye day last week, so I will have lots more yarn to spin!  I went through my beads, buttons and ribbons stash and matched some fiber to them.  

So, those are my Finished Objects and some of my Works in Progress.  I am still working on my messenger bag and my quilt, but not much progress there.  I am going to start my dad's Irish Clan Sweater next week!  Trying to decide whether to spin the yarn or just buy it  The Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool is really calling to me.  lol  I did find out the yardage today - 2100 yards.  That is a lot of spinning!  

We are taking a break from school.  We finished up the year and did a trial run of the coming year.  There is a lot to schedule for this coming year with both children.  The trial week went fairly well.  Both Ben and Grace like their curriculum, praise the Lord!  They are ready to begin, so we will probably start next week.  Ben will be using Tapestry of Grace Year One.  It is themed around the Ancients and he loves it!  Grace is using Rod and Staff.  She loves that!  She is my workbook child. My challenge is to be able to juggle both with teaching one on one.  Ben has more independent work, but Grace is a lot of hands on teaching  I am using Homeschool Skedtrack  for scheduling, grading and tracking days off.  I really love this program and it is FREE!  

With the help of a good friend, I have been able to make yogurt a bit more easily.  (Easily - is that right?  It is an adverb describing make? )  lol  To begin with, you don't have to have raw milk to make delicious yogurt!  Great news since my source dried up  You put 1 gallon of milk (I used whole, but my friend just used 2% and it turned out fine) in a crock pot.  Add 2 cups of dried milk and stir to dissolve.  Then turn it on and wait for it to reach 180 degrees.  It takes hours, so you can walk away and live your life  I heated mine on the stove which is much quicker.  Either way works.  Once it hits 180 degrees, you remove it from the heat and cool to 120 degrees.  Then add a little thing of yogurt.  I actually added 2  individual servings of Okios Vanilla to mine  Stir it in really well.  At this point, you could add a sweetner - sugar or stevia or sweetener of choice.  I didn't add any sweetener to mine  I did add some vanilla - about a teaspoon  You could add any flavoring - lemon, caramel, citrus, etc.  Walmart has an excellent selection of flavorings  Then you pour it into jars, cap it, and put it in your oven with the light on (I think I forgot to turn my light off yesterday!)  and leave in 12 hours  If you go longer it's ok.  Mine was due to come out at 11:30 at night.  I dozed off and woke up a 1:00am and put it in the fridge then  It was yummy!  There was some whey liquid, but I stirred it into the yogurt.  Great flavor  Another friend told me she stirs peanut butter into her plain yogurt and it tastes like peanut butter cheese cake!  It is good!  

I am off to Muddy Pond to visit my sisters!  Until next time...

Kim

P.S.  I did forget to turn off the light in the oven!  Oh my!

God Is So Good!!

Well, let's see....
My son no longer has Chrone's Disease.
After forever - I no longer snore.
Toothache gone and tooth is in the process of being restored.
My other son healed from the beginning stages of MS.
A friend has been healed from Parkinson's Disease.
Another friend healed from head numbness.
Another friend received healing on her sprained ankle.

And, I am not talking about waiting for this - these healings happened immediately upon receipt.

God is pouring out His healing and miracles in these last days!!  Praise God!  He is alive and well in 2015 and still in control!

Everything else pales in comparison, news wise, but still going to share!

I am in the process of spinning my first ever sock yarn.  I hope to finish this week while on a break from school.  I also have 2 Ashland Bay rovings to spin - Merino and silk!  Yummy!

I am still working on the Messenger Bag and the quilt.  More on the bag than the quilt.  I am going to start my dad's yarn for his sweater this week.  I also hope to have it on needles by Saturday! 

I want to leave you with a recipe for a very simple cobbler.  I thought everyone knew this recipe, but I served it at our life group and several had not heard of it, so here it is!

1 cup of sugar ( I used one cup of xylitol and a pinch of stevia)
1 cup of self-rising flour ( If you don't have self-rising, use regular flour with 1 1/2 t. of baking powder and 1/2 t. salt.)
3/4 cup of juice from fruit or milk

Melt 1 stick of butter in your casserole dish.  When butter is melted, all fruit of choice.  I used frozen peaches on my last one.  Then pour the above mixture over the fruit.  bake for 30 minutes or until done.  Serve with ice cream or sweetened condensed milk drizzled over the top.

Enjoy!

Plans and Projects

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” 
― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Where to start!  The last freeze has ended and my yard is alive!  We have not lived here during spring, so I am waiting with anticipation as all the green wakes up in my flower beds.  I know there is one Iris and some lilies.  My maple tree is happily full of leaves.  The birds are singing.  But none have decided to make our birdhouse their home - yet!  I planted tomatoes and some Iris bulbs that I had forgotten about.  They had started sprouting in a bag on my porch.  So, I put them around the edge of the lake.  I have a box of heirloom seeds in the freezer.  My goal this next week is to plant them in pots and put them on the side of our home that gets sun.  Pots will allow me to move them around to the sunniest spot.  Not sure where that will be as we live in the woods!  But, our new neighbor has cut down a lot of trees, so hopefully that will help.  I will post pictures!  It is nighttime, or I would include some pics now!  Anyway...

We have been enjoying our meals on the screened in porch.  We have also had school out there.  The kids love it.  This afternoon, I was working on spinning my first sock yarn on the porch.  My plan is that it will be self-striping.  The trick will be to match up the colorways on the plys.

I have been watching a great knitting/craft  podcast - MandoCrafts.  She is into all kinds of crafts and her podcast is very organized.  She has different segments - What I Have Learned, Finished Projects, Works In Progress, Upcoming Events, etc.  And she has such a wonderful attitude.  She , Amanda Manus, has inspired me to work on projects for myself and family.  I have had such a hard time working on my projects.  I tend to spend that time on my ETSY shop.  Anyway, I have pulled out cross stitch, a quilting project, I finished my daughter's sweater, working on a messenger bag which has been on the needles awhile, and I have cast on a hat for my new niece, Viola, who will arrive in September.  I owe her a big thank you, so thank you, Amanda (MandoBug)!  Now to tackle my dad's Irish clan sweater!!  That will really be something.  Over 3 years!!  It is the monkey on my back!  I must restart it!  Here is MandoBug's Blog - http://mandobugcrafts.blogspot.com/.  Check it out.  You will love it!

Grace's Sweater
My niece's hat and a sweater will be in this same colorway.  I was about 10 yards short of enough yarn so I bought another skein.  I found the one I knew I had purchased with the original, so now I have plenty of this colorway!  What is this colorway?  It is Universal Yarns Classic Shades in Cool Blazes Colorway.

My Messenger Bag.  This was a free pattern from Craft Passion.  I goofed this up, but I think I can still make it work!  No way was I ripping out all of this work!

My Quilt Project - This is a set of 12 blocks called Butterfly Garden by Black Cat Creations.  I was in this block of the month club at a local quilting shop.  This was our first block.  The others are still neatly tucked in their packages, waiting to be colored!  You color each one with crayon.  Then set it with an iron.  Then you embroider around the pictures.  It will be beautiful when I finish.  I had intended to to this for my sister, Karen, who loved, loved loved flowers.  Unfortunately, she is with Jesus now and never even knew about this quilt.  It is hard to work on for that reason, but Amanda has inspired me to get it out again.

So, it is night and I have to help Ben finish a paper for composition.  Until next time, may God bless you richly!

Kim

Beautiful Day!!

It is absolutely beautiful outside.  The temp is around 70 and the sun is shining brightly. 

 I was sitting on my porch, working on my ETSY shop, thinking how blessed I am to have such a beautiful home.  My 8 year old little girl was asking me this morning if everyone had a shower.  I said, no, not everyone has a shower.  We are very blessed to have one.  We don't think about this often, if ever, but most of the world probably does not have an indoor shower with hot water and the turn of a knob.  We are very blessed here.  I told her that we should never take anything for granted. 

Now, on the eating front!  Several people at church this morning remarked about my weight loss.  It is all from the lack of sugar and wheat in my diet!  I am still trying to stick with the Trim Healthy Mama plan - mostly S plan - because of my sugars being so out of whack.  I baked the Chocolate Chip Cookies the other night and they were a big hit.  I believe I have posted the recipe in a previous blogpost.  If not, I will post it in the next one.  Last night, we had Big Mac's THM style.  It is called Big Mac In A Bowl!  It is a bowl of lettuce, hamburger with cheese, tomato, onion, pickle (I left this out) topped with Thousand Island Dressing!  It was really good.  Grace and I were the only ones who had it in a bowl.  Gene and Ben ate theirs on a bun. 

In shop news, I have a new goal of 211 views/day.  I did a numbers analysis on my shop, because, as I learned in sales, numbers never lie.  It is true, but you have to have accurate numbers!  So, after 4 years of my shop, I have some pretty accurate numbers to deal with.  Anyway, to reach my goal of $1500/month in sales, I need 211 views.  If you are interested in the formula, you can email me for the details.  So, on to the task of increasing views!  How?  More frequent social networking!  I am actually toying with the idea of a regular podcast. 

I have taken a few classes on spinning different types of yarns from Ashley @ Neauveau Fiber Arts.  She has a lot of YouTube videos, but she also has an ETSY shop where she sells various video courses.  I have bought just about all of them!   So, I have spun 3 different types of yarn as you can see below.  The blue one is a mohair wrapped wool yarn.  The red/green one is a supercoil, which I learned from Jace Boggs' book, Spin Art.  And the funky green/orange one is called Root Yarn Spinning.  It reminds me of Jamaican hair! 

My next yarn is going to be a fabric yarn spun out of this bunch of strips!

I can't wait to spin this.  I believe it will be something I love or hate the process of spinning it.  Hoping for love!  So many ways to spin yarn!  Love learning the new techniques.  I am so glad I invested in the Ashford Country Spinner.  It makes all of this possible! 

Until next time...
God Bless You!
Kim

 

Surviving the Storm

We have had quite the adventure on the Cumberland Plateau in the last couple of weeks.  We still have folks without power.  For those who don't know, we had a tremendous ice storm Friday before last.  I have never heard such scary sounds in my life.  The wind was blowing and you could hear the branches cracking and then breaking under the weight of the ice.  Then, BANG, they would hit the roof.  I lay awake all night praying for protection.  I love the snow, but hate the ice.   We were without power for almost a complete week.  It went out Saturday morning and was restored last Friday evening.  We drove to Knoxville on Sunday to get one of the few generators available anywhere!  My hubby hooked it up to our fuse box somehow and we had power.  Everything worked but the stove, the dryer and the hot water.  To get those to work he needed a different cord - a 220 or something like that.  Finally, on Friday, he was able to get one from Lowes.  But the power came on!  Praise the Lord!  Our friends had a gas hot water heater, so we were able to take a hot shower.  The hot water is what we missed most of all. 

There was some fun! Our lake froze!  This is not an every year occurrence for us.

Apparently, we are in for another round tomorrow and Thursday.  I felt kinda sick when I saw the alert on Facebook.  My husband went out last night and bought more gas cans and a tank we can use to heat water and have a hot shower.  One of us will have to stand outside the shower and pour it out from above, but that will be ok.  Teamwork!  Family!  A time of growing closer.  We are blessed with a gas fireplace and a gas grill, so we did have heat and a way to cook.  This time, we should be ok.  I just pray that all branches that were going to fall, have fallen!  No more trees down! 

In shop news, I am selling lots of Ashford products!!  Happy about that!  I have some yarns to post and my hubby is working on weaving some purses.  Can't wait for that! 

On the subject of cooking - I am using ground turkey in place of ground beef.  It is better for you and a lot cheaper than ground beef.  I have made hamburgers and tacos with it and my family loves it.  Even my 10 year old son loves it.  I am doing well following the THM S plan and keeping my sugar down.  I feel so much better!  I am going to host a THM get together soon and I will have some great recipes to share from that event!  Everyone will bring a THM dish that they really like along with the recipe.  That way, we can try different things and share ideas.  Great fun!!

Until next time, stay warm and may God bless you!
Kim

Good Eats!!

Ok, I am enjoying the Trim Healthy Mama S plan!  I really am.  I am still challenged in the baking dept., but I have found some really yummy recipes!  I am going to share 1 original and 1 from the files on the THM Mennonite Facebook page.

Blackberry Crisp - Really more like Blackberry Soggy.  I made this as an experiment for our small group on Friday nights.  I melted a stick of butter in a casserole dish - a 9x13.  I then added my blackberries to the melted butter.  Now for the topping.  I used coconut flour, almond flour - 1/2 cup of each.  Then I put in about 1/4 t. salt and 1 cup of xylitol with a 1/4 t. Stevia.  I cut up about 1/2 stick of butter and made the mixture into a crumble.  I then sprinkled it over the top of the blackberries and baked it for about 40 minutes at 350.  It never did get crisp, and I almost didn't serve it, but I had nothing else.  My hubby went out and bought some cookies from the store, but I hated not to have something homemade.  So, I put it out with some homemade whipped cream (Heaving Whipping Cream and a sprinkle of xylitol whipped up in the mixer).  It was almost gone!  Some even had seconds.  The taste was great but the texture - ugh.  But apparently not so bad to everyone else.  Some remarked that it was like a pudding.  Even my picky son loved it!  So, it is worth a try!  Experiment and make improvements!  Let me know how it works!  Remember to be THM - no flour and no sugar! 

This next one is great! 

Satisfying Low-Carb Pancakes
4 eggs
1 c. ricotta - I used 1 c. of cottage cheese
1/2 c. flax seed meal
2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
sweetener to taste (8-12 dashes of Stevia Extract)  I used stevia powder
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1T. Cinnamon

Mix this all together and cook on a griddle.  It makes 12 4" pancakes.  I served them with real maple syrup, but you could also use Greek yogurt with berries.    This is considered an S breakfast.  Serve with Sausage or bacon.

I wish I had taken pics, but I didn't.  The recipe I followed had the cinnamon as optional, but I can't see leaving it out.  It really gave it a great flavor.

So, since I don't have any food pics, I will share a couple of yarns I posted to my shop last night!

I now am over 200 items in my shop!  I am at 201!  lol  More coming!  The Lord has renewed my motivation! 

Grab a cup of coffee, a good book and a blanket.  Snuggle in the arm of the couch and enjoy your day!  You have my permission!! 

God Bless You!
Kim

A Cold, Misty Morning

A misty, cold morning on the Cumberland Plateau! 

Yesterday, I got my 400th sale on ETSY!!!  A milestone that took 4 years!  My goal is to make 500 by the end of this year.  Can I do it??  Yes, I can!  With God all things are possible!  I also hit 200 items in my shop, another goal!  Well, it is now 199, as I sold something yesterday ( my 400th)!  So, not complaining.  I am going to dye some wool today and spin away.  I also have some cashmere, mohair and angora I could create with!  Hmmmm. 

I am running an idea around in my head - Yarn Home Parties.  I don't know exactly what that would entail, but with some creativity - who knows??  Any ideas from my readers???

I am still doing the THM S plan.  Last night, I had spaghetti squash with tomato sauce (which isn't really on plan).  But, the good news is, my family loved it!  I am so happy about this!  So, for lunch today, I am going to have spaghetti squash with a white sauce and salmon.  It sounds good, so I will let you know!  Also, after about 2 weeks of just using Stevia, I am developing a taste for it.  Yea!!!!

I am still participating in the Good Morning Girls reading the Bible through in 3 years!  Today, we read Exodus 28.  I want to share my SOAK with you today.  Remember SOAK is Scripture, Observation, Application and Kneeling in prayer.

 S: v.35 "Aaron will wear this robe wheneer he ministers before the Lord, and the bells will tinkle as he goes in and out of the Lord's presence in the Holy Place. If he wears it, he will not die." O: When the God tells us to do something, He means business! We, too, need to heed God's commands and obey. I think we have lost the reverence we should have for God. We, as a Christian society, have dumbed Him down to our level. To think that you can appraoch God in any way but in fear and trembling is a lie from Satan. God has not changed. The God that killed Aaron's sons, is the same God we worship today. He is Holy, Holy, Holy!! Just because we do not approach Him in that manner, does not change the fact that He commands our respect. In Mal. 1:6 God says "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve?" Do you know everytime we use God's name flippantly, it is blasphemy? There is a whole marketing campaign, complete with products, using OMG. This is the way the devil works. It it socially acceptable to say "Oh my God" and not give God a thought. Christians do this all the time. I do it! I caught myself yesterday doing it, but thankfully, the Holy Spirit gave me a huge whack upside my head and I immediately repented out loud in front of my children. God is Holy. Do we really want anything less? Rev. 4's picture of God is tremendous. This is the God we serve. There is so much comfort in knowing that He is in control. A: I am praying daily, that I have a Holy reverence for God. I have the Holy Spirit in me and I can talk to Him and just be the messed up me. The Holly Spirit is God's Spirit, but it is not God Himself. God Himself sits on the throne in Heaven and is worshipped by angels who cannot even look at Him He is so Holy. Wow! And this God - this Holy, Holy, Holy God - loves me! He knows my name! He knows my thoughts. He knows me through and through and He desires a relationship with me! Unbelievable! Yet, through Jesus' sacrifice, I can approach His Throne. But I must have a reverential fear and respect. He is Holy. I must never think less. K: Father God, may I never, ever use Your Name in a flippant manner again. I want to always, always remember Your Holiness and treat you with respect and awe. I thank You that I can approach Your throne and that the veil was torn that seperated me from You, but that did not make You less Holy. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. I find great comfort in that. Thank You for Your Word, thank You for loving me and caring about the smallest details of my life, and for giving me the Holy Spirit to guide and direct my every step. In Jesus ' Name!

Well, time to dress, get my son up and begin a great day of school, fiber and food! 

Until next time!
Kim

Blood Sugar Adventures!

I am seriously doing Trim Healthy Mama - S plans - to get my blood sugar under control!  I have ignored this for too long!  Right now, all systems are working but I have got to take responsibility and do my part in regulating.  Cake and doughnuts for breakfast have got to come to an end.  So, that being said, I made some great cookies last night that were on plan.  Want the recipe??!!

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

1 stick  butter, softened

1 Egg

1 T. coconut oil, melted

1/3 c. Truvia ( I used Erythitol)

1 t. Vanilla

1 t. Baking Powder

Pinch of Sea Salt

4 T. Unsweetened, Vanilla Protein Powder

¼ c. Coconut Flour

¾  c. Almond Flour

Suger-Free Chocolate Chips to taste (I used Carob Chips)

Mix together softened butter, coconut oil, and egg.  Add baking powder, salt, vanilla, Truvia and protein powder.  Stir well by hand.  (I used a mixer).  When ingredients are well-combined, add coconut and almond flours.  Stir.  As the final step, add desired amount of sugar free chocolate chips to batter.  Mix until combined through.  Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet.  Optional:  you may choose to gently press the cookie batter down with a fork, but I like them to have the nice dome-shape to them!  Bake 350 for approximately 8-10 minutes.  These are a really soft cookie, so let them sit on the sheet for a bit prior to transferring to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!! 

I didn’t flatten  the cookies.  They definitely don’t flatten themselves.  They brown on top a lot. 

 

They spent the night in hiding in my oven - unfortunately, my family loved them!  No, I am glad they liked them, but they, like me, have a hard time denying themselves cookies! 

Also, if you are watching sugar in your diet, be sure to check out the ingredients in what you purchase at the grocery store.  Everything, just about, has sugar in some form, as an ingredient!  It is amazing! 

And!!  I have finally developed a taste for Stevia!  Now it just tastes sweet!  Love this, because Stevia is supposed to lower blood sugar.  I am also back to drinking my vinegar/turmeric/cinnamon, cayenne pepper/stevia water - sometimes lemon added.  This, too, is a developed taste.  But hang in there, and you will soon crave it!  Yes, it is true!!  I like mine iced, but some like it as a hot beverage.  I use Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar and put about 2 T in a cup.  Then I do about 3 shakes of turmeric, a couple of pinches of cinnamon, 1 pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 pinch of stevia and then fill with water .  I give it a good stir and add ice.  It helps to give the glass a good swirl before each drink so you stir up all the spices that have fallen to the bottom. 

Anyway, this is what is going on in my life today!  What about yours???

Experiments

Cute!  And my favorite theme - coffee!

I just saw this on a post on FB.  http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/apronevangelism.htm.  Do you mean that if I dress up like June Cleaver, my children will respond to me differently in a good way??  For $11.97, I can get a cute apron, potholder and dish towel at WalMart.  Where has this info been all my life??  Don't think that I'm not going to Wally World today and pick one up.  For $12.00 I can afford to experiment.  The comments on the FB post lead one to believe that it, does indeed, work.  I will definitely let you know the results! 

I am going to learn to write knitting patterns!  It is a direction I have been wanting to go in for awhile, but just no time.  Now that I have a renewed motivation for my shop, I think this is a good addition.  My hubby is also wanting to get back to weaving, so I will carry some of his creations also!  In the meantime, I am at 185 items in my shop!!!  15 more to go!!  Another experiment.  Once you have 200 listings, your traffic is supposed to really increase.  I will let you know about that also!  Here are a few new additions:


I am spinning some beautiful purple right now for my hubby to weave a clutch purse on the Knitter's Loom.  I can't wait!  I need to dye some emerald green to go with it.  Maybe today! 

I am going to drag out my frozen turkey today.  I discovered a fantastic way to prepare a frozen turkey thanks to my procrastination.  I was supposed to take turkey to our homeschool group Thanksgiving dinner.  Well, of course, I still had the turkey in the freezer the day before!  So, what to do?  I was going to have to carve it all on a platter to take to the group, which I hate carving.  So, the thought came to me to just stick the frozen turkey into my huge post and just boil it!  I did and the results were a very juicy turkey that just feel off the bone!  It was fantastic.  I pulled the big pieces apart and put them in a 9x13 casserole dish and covered it with it's juices.  It stayed so moist!  Love, love this.  It wouldn't work if you were going for the golden roasted look of the whole turkey on a platter, but if you are going for the practical side of things, this is a great way!  You can't get the organs out until it cooks a bit, but the bag they are in is in tact after an hour or so of boiling.  It takes around 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the turkey.  Try it, you may like it!

God Bless you on this cold Tuesday!
Kim
 

Loving This Winter!!

The view from my back porch this morning was stunningly beautiful!  I praise the Lord for the winter wonderland He provided.  They sun is out now and the temp. is going up,  but I am thankful for the sight, if just for awhile

.

I have been busy spinning, dyeing, and carding fiber!  I am trying to get 200 items listed in my shop.  Apparently when you get 200 listings, you get more traffic directed to your shop.  Each time I get past 160, I have big sales and it goes back down.  I AM NOT COMPLAINING!!!  I rejoice in each and every sale.  I just need to up production to keep up!  My son, Ben, made a rolag last night on the Ashford Blending Board.  He loves fiber and I love that he loves fiber!

I believe this is the perfect morning for a Maple Steamer.  My daughter, Jessica, and I were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at exactly this time last year.  We were caught in a blizzard in the middle of nowhere - Chatham.  We were in a 4 room motel and there was a bar & grill, a general store (a real general store - they had everything) , an organic little restaurant, and a post office.  It was literally a stones throw away from the motel.  We went to the organic restaurant and I discovered the Maple Steamer!  It was great!  It is nothing more than maple syrup - about 2 tablespoons in a large mug and steamed milk.  I don't know if it is the taste or the bringing back of a close, shared time with my daughter, but I love this drink.  Definitely a comfort drink for me. 

Have a wonderful Saturday!!
Kim

Good Monday Morning!

Good Morning!!  The sun is shining and the temperature is perfect for a woman of many hot flashes!!  I am loving winter this year.  I have never truly embraced winter.  It has always been the prelude to one of my favorite seasons, Spring!  However, this year, I am really enjoying snuggling with my family by the fire, hot cocoa, sweaters, and the occasional dusting of snow.  I pray for more snow, but it is not up to me!  So, I am just enjoying the cold! 

I have been busy getting my shop rejuvenated!  I updated my Twitter, Ravelry, Facebook, this blog, Stumble Upon and have joined Tumblr.  Not even sure what Tumblr is, but I am part of it!! 
I have some fabulous art batts in the making and 1 really cool one ready to be listed today.  I carded some Romney wool with bamboo and then put it in my dyepot!  The plan was for the bamboo to not take up any of the dye and stay white.  It worked beautifully! 

I am really tempted to spin this.  I have some really great ribbons I could add as well as some sparkle. 



This morning's Good Morning Girls Bible Study has us in Exodus Chapter 11.  Here is my SOAK!

S: v.3. "Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel."

O: The Israelites needed to collect their wages of silver and gold from the Egyptians for work they had done. It seems.unlikely in the flesh, that the Egyptians would just hand over silver and gold to their slaves, but they did. Why? Because God gave the Israelites favor with the Egyptian people. I have experienced God's favor and it is definitely a "wow" moment. And the best thing is - we can walk there!

A: If I abide in the shelter of His wings, then I will walk in the favor of God. I put the caveat of abiding under His wings, because if I am indeed covered and abiding, then that means I am totally trusting God with everything. I am seeking Him for the everyday of my life. I am in obedience to Him. There are many rewards to living under His wings - not the least of which is protection from deadly disease, no evil will conquer me, no plague will come near my home, protection wherever I go - I won't even hurt my foot on a stone! I will be rescued from trouble! Talk about favor!! Check out Psalm 91! So my goal is to purpose to abide in the shelter of His wings for the next hour. Then I will, with the Holy Spirit's help, I will abide for another hour. I may have to repurpose every 30 minutes, or even 15! But I am feeling pretty good right now , before my day starts, with an hour.

K: Lord, thank You for this beautiful day! Father, let me praise You without ceasing for you are worthy of such praise. I want to abide in the shelter of Your wings all day long. I want to bring my children with me. Hold onto me tightly and give me a swat when I start to be restless and pull away. I do not want to leave you. I love You so much. Without You, I am nothing. Thank You in advance for giving us a glorious day! In Jesus' Name..

Have a wonderful day!

 

Busyness of Life

Good Morning!!  Good Cold Morning!!  I love the winter time!  Snuggling, hot cocoa, snow, and a definite quick fix to the hot flashes!  Gotta love it!

                                                                       
Speaking of winter, we have a rewards chart we use for discipline issues.  If, for instance, my kids are not unkind to each other, they get a reward.  My son's reward is a coffee drink.  So, I have looked up some coffee recipes and this one for Caramel Macchiato is great!

In our Good Morning Girls devotional today, we read Exodus 10.  Here is my SOAK!
S: v. 1...."I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them. 2. I've also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them- and so you will know that I am the Lord."
O: This answers the question that has been bothering us -"Why did God harden Pharoah's heart?" The sad thing is, the immediate generation, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, did not respect God or His power. 
It is also interesting that the plague of locusts was related to the defeat, in the Egyptians mind of Osiris, the god of fertility and crops and the darkness was to show God's power of the sun god, Ra. 

A: God had a plan then and he has a plan now. In the midst of this chaotic mess of a world we live in, God is in control. Nothing that is happening is news to Him. We have to spend time in the Word and in developing a close, deep relationship with the Holy Spirit. We must put that first. The busyness of the day gets in the way of our developing that relationship. It is like "I will get with You in a little while. Have a seat." And we never show up! He has sat there all day and we never show up! Why is this so important? Because if we don't hear from the Holy Spirit, we are going to be seriously handicapped in this time of tribulation and persecution. Where do we go? Where does God need you today? Who does God have for you to witness to today? Do we stay where we are if we face persecution or do we sneak away? The Holy Spirit will direct our every move, but we cannot leave Him sitting in the chair all day! I challenge myself in this also. I cannot let the busyness of the day come between me and my Lord. He has to come first. The 15 minute praise breaks I posted about a few days ago have really helped to keep God at the forefront all day long. Everything goes better. My head is clearer, my day is brighter, my children are happier. 

K: My Lord! How I do love You. Today, create in me a pure hear and a clear mind. Fill me to overflow with Your Holy Spirit. May I be obedient to Your every word and may I not do or say anything that You do not tell me to do or say. Help me to be a blessing to You today and not a discipline problem child. I adore You! You, alone, are worthy of my praise and adoration. In Jesus' Name.

May God Bless You Richly Today!

Where is Your Quiet Place?

Good Morning!!  Today, in our Good Morning Girls devotion, we read Exodus 8.  Below are my SOAK thoughts:

S & O: In today's reading, one verse really stuck out to me and that is v. 10 - "Do it tomorrow..." This was in response to Moses' question to the Pharoah, "When do you want me to pray for you, your officials, and your people? Then you and your houses will be rid of the frogs". TOMORROW?? Really?? Why not right now? Crazy! Then when God sent the flies, Pharoah told Moses to "Hurry and pray for me." (v.28). I wonder why he didn't want rid of the frogs right now. Hmmmm. Verse 27 was a verse I can pick to apply to my life. "We must take a 3 day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, just as He has commanded us."  

A: Today, we think we can live in the world and pray in the world. We need to get away and spend some quality time with God. Jesus would often go away and pray. He left all the people and the disciples and went away to pray to His Father. It's hard to have a good visit with anyone when there is chaos all around. We can't concentrate, or listen to what God has to say when we are in the midst of noise and cares of this world. We are in the world but we are not of the world. Get away, in the quiet, all alone, and let God minister to you. That is what I am going to do today! Now where will that place be?? Usually it is the shower for me. That is the place where I can hear from God the best. If I get so frustrated, I head to the showers. When I need desperately to reconnect to God, I head to the shower. I am a very clean person! lol  

K. Father God, I am so appreciative of Your patience! You love me and never give up working on me. Lord, help me to get away and visit with You, even when there are no problems in my life. Help me to come to You - just as desperately as I do in the bad times - in the good times. Bless the Good Morning Girls today as we go through our day. Speak loudly to us and pull as away to just spend time with You. I love You so much! In Jesus' Name.

Remember: S stands for Scripture, O stands for Observation, A stands for Application, and K stands for kneeling in prayer.

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Last night I finally got my Dye It Yourself Yarn Kit posted in my ETSY Shop!!! I love dyeing fiber and creating new and unique colorways. It is interesting sometimes to see how the colors bleed into each other, creating an altogether new color. Sometimes it is frustrating when they bleed together to make a new color! lol But when I spin it into yarn, it totally changes into a new and beautiful creation - well usually. I once spun some yarn from a beautiful roving. I loved the colors in the roving. Well, the yarn, I thought was horrible. It was the ugliest yarn ever. I don't have a pic to show you, but take my word for it. Well, I needed to make a baby gift, so I used this yarn to make a baby hat. Let me tell you, there has never been a more beautiful baby hat color wise. That ugly yarn knitted into a self striping fantastic hat! I could not believe it! Anyway, lesson being, looks can be deceiving - in people and yarn!

I am going to post an art batt I created last night. I will give you a sneak preview:

Until next time, have a blessed day!

15 Minute Praise Time Updates

The change in the atmosphere of our home this morning has been nothing short of miraculous!  The kids are getting along, our homeschool morning has run smoothly, all is as it should be.  Every 15 minutes the bell goes off and we all raise our hands and start praising the Lord!  We sang a couple of times, and just gave Him verbal praise other times.  It is so awesome!  I thought at first 15 minutes would be too often and would interrupt school too much.  But nooooooo!  It is perfect!!  

I would strongly encourage you to try this!  It is amazing!

Am I Really Like The Hebrews In Exodus????

Isn't it awesome that God's mercy is new every morning!?   Great is His faithfulness!!  This morning I read Exodus 7.  It is funny because the verse that stood out to me was one from the commentary - Psalm 106:7 "Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord's miraculous deeds.  THEY SOON FORGOT HIS MANY ACTS OF KINDNESS TO THEM."  WOW!!    You know, every time I read Exodus, I get so angry with the attitudes of these people!  What is it going to take for them to stop their complaining?  I can't believe that they could be so ridiculous when they are physically being led by a cloud during the day and fire by night!  How could they worship other gods when they have had a sea opened up and the land to be dry for them to cross??  Unreal, right?

Then....I look at my life.  What will it take for me to stop complaining?  After all the blessings God has bestowed upon my life and all of the miracles He has perforned for me, how can I ever leave the shelter of His wings?  How can I possibly put reading email and Facebook before I tell my Father good morning?  How can I??????  It goes on and on.  I have to get on my face before God and repent. I hear people say that God understands.  He understands but He does not approve!  He wants to be first in our lives.  Anything that is in that first place spot besides God is an idol.  It is true.  We don't like to look at it that way, but it is true.

Today, I will purpose to put God first in everything and praise Him all day long!  Right now, it is very quiet.  Hubby has left for work and the kids are still sleeping.  In a few minutes, I will awake my children for school and begin our day.  That is when the challenge starts.  Keep God first!  When I get frustrated, I will go to a private place and get with Him, BEFORE I express frustration to my children.  I will put Him first!  If you are like me, you will need to do recommit to this every 15 minutes.  I can't just say I will do this in the morning and expect that I will remember!  I must do this every 15 minutes.  I am going to set my timer on my oven for 15 minute intervals all day and when the bell goes off, I will praise the Lord and dedicate the next 15 minutes to Him.  I bet my day will be fantastic!  I will let you know!

The Lord Is Willing, But Am I?

Good Morning!  The sun is shining and it is, I'm guessing, single digits outside.  I love winter!!  Now, if it would only snow!

This morning, I read Exodus 6 using the color coding and SOAK method.

Scripture:  v. 12 "But Lord!" Moses objected.  "My own people won't listen to me anymore.  How can I expect Pharaoh to listen?  I'm such a clumsy speaker!"

Observation:  Once again Moses says "I can't" contrasted to verses 6-8 where the Lord says "I will" 7 times!  I will free you from your oppression;  I will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt;  I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment;  I will claim you as my own people;  I will be your God;  I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;  I will give it to you as your very own possession.  I AM THE LORD!  Moses reacted from his feelings.  He was discouraged because not even his own people would listen to him.  He wanted out, but God kept persisting and the results speak for themselves.

Application:  How many times has God asked me to do something and I didn't FEEL like I could do it, or I was afraid of rejection, or what people would think.  But praise the Lord, He gave us the Holy Spirit to "twist our guts" when we even think about disobedience!  I love that!  God takes us out of our comfort zone and puts us in the power zone!  I need to not ever act on how I feel, but always rely on God to take me where I need to be.  He promises never to leave or forsake us.  We must trust Him!  I must trust Him!

Kneel in Prayer:  Father, I love you so much.  I am so sorry when I depend on my feelings and act on them instead of trusting you and listening and obeying what You tell me to do.  Mold me and make me into a vessel You can use.  Create in me a pure heart and mind - one that is always in tune with You.  Help me to only say and do what You tell me to say and do.  May I be a reflection of You while I am on this earth and none of me!  Empty me today of all the uck and fill me with Your Holy Spirit to the overflow!  In Jesus' name.

I would encourage all my readers to try this method with any chapter.  It is very rewarding.  After all, we must be doers of the Word and not hearers only, right?

Off to fix breakfast for my hungry family.  The cupboards are bare, so it is going to be an oatmeal morning - organic, of course!  Did you know if you put the oatmeal in the water at the beginning, it will be very creamy.  Just add butter and a little brown sugar and you have a very delicious, satisfying somewhat healthy breakfast!  I am trying to get away from sugar, but stevia just doesn't quite cut it in oatmeal - not like brown sugar!  Yum!

Take care and God Bless!
Kim

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Everyone!  I have missed blogging.  As it is the beginning of the new year, my intentions for blogging are at an all time high.  We will see if that sustains itself into February and beyond!  I have my blog address posted on my ETSY shop site.  I know I hate to click on a blog and the last entry is 2 years old!  So, that being said, I am going to make every effort to not let that happen - again!  lol

 I think I left you hanging on the organic food adventure.  We are still trying to eat as much unaltered and poisonous food as possible.  This process is expensive, but still doable.  I bought beans, rice, lentils and wheat berries in bulk from Cloverdale Bulk Foods in PA. This helped immensely with the budget. If you are blessed to have a Kroger near you, their Simply Truth brand is fantastic in the area of quality and price.  Plus, you get loads of coupons in the mail if you have a Kroger card for Simple Truth products.  Their meat is a bit expensive, but that is to be expected, I suppose.

I am going through a Bible Study right now with Good Morning Girls, headed by Courtney Joseph.  We are reading a chapter a day using the SOAK method - Scripture, Observation, Application, and Kneeling (Prayer).  Right now we are going through Exodus.  Check it out.  You can start anytime.  After you read the chapter, you can add your own comments to the Good Morning Girls FB page.
Today's reading was Exodus 4.

S; 4:12 - "Now go! I will be with you as you speak and I will instruct you in what to say."
O: 4:12 reminds me of Jesus' remarks in John 12:49 -" For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. ".
 A: I have challenged myself to move closer to this mark. To only speak what the Father wants me to speak - WOW! How awesome would that be?!! 
K: Lord, I praise You! You are so patient. The patience You showed Moses has not changed for me! I appreciate that! Please, Holy Spirit, lead me on the path of complete and total obedience. Empty me of myself and fill me with You. Get me to the place where I only say and do what my Father tells me to say and do! Use me mightily! In Jesus name!

I am really getting a lot out of this.  I have read Exodus 4 a bunch of time, but never using a process.  I am also using the color coding method that Courtney recommends.  My colors are a little different, but the idea is the same.  

In Simply Homespun News, I have learned to spin wire yarn!  It is awesome!  So much fun to fiddle with and make letters or sculpt something.  I sold some to a customer who is going to add it as a topper to hats she is making.  What a great idea!  It is florist wire, corespun with art batts.

I used it as a decoration on my Christmas Tree.  It really added a touch of whimsy!  

Onto a totally unrelated subject - Tomorrow morning's breakfast!  I saw it in a post on Facebook.  It looks yummy.  Actually, I may make it tonight so it is ready in the morning.  Although, hubby and my son are in the kitchen doing math.  The bread may not survive til morning.  I will just have to make 2!  

Amish Cinnamon Bread

No kneading, you just mix it up and bake it

Batter:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions
Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan). Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Until next time - God Bless!!!

Kim