GratiTuesday - Family Blooms

When I was a little girl, my mom and my great-grandmother had a friendly little competition going.  Each year as Christmas approached, they would count the blooms on their Christmas cacti.  Mom's would be big and beautiful and covered in blooms - and then we'd go see Grandma, and she'd slyly point out her cactus, which not only completely covered her floor-model TV, but reached nearly to the floor on either side.

As a kid, I loved watching the two of them laugh about their plants and count the blooms, pretending to try to one-up the other, knowing that both of them were very talented Christmas cactus people.

So imagine my delight when my Secret Santa gave me a small Christmas cactus my first year of teaching.  I was very excited and planted it in a new pot after Christmas, anxiously awaiting the blooms .... that never came.

I still have that Christmas cactus ... and it finally bloomed!  It manages to pop out a bud every other year or so, but this year was special.

Do you you see it?  Maybe you need a close-up.

It's got TWO blooms - in the same year!  Never mind that the silly plant is blooming a few months past Christmas - better late than never, right?


The kids are completely amused at my excitement over these two little red buds.  Maybe someday they'll understand.

And maybe someday, given another sixty or eighty or two hundred years, I'll be able to coax a few more blooms out of it.

'Til then, I think Mom and Grandma are winning.

For more GratiTuesday, visit Heavenly Homemakers.

Menu Plan Monday - March 26, 2012

 

We still haven't managed to finish celebrating our Big Helper's birthday - but this time the company got sick and the party got rained out.  We're on again for this weekend!  We did manage to do the birthday dinner out, but sadly she was disappointed by the fish and chips she so wanted to try out at a restaurant.  She's asked for them at home, so we'll be having those this week.

With commitments at night by at least one person in the family every single night this week - such a rare thing for us! - I'm keeping dinners very simple so I can be cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time.

So, here goes:  this is what we'll be eating this week.

Breakfasts:

 

- yogurt with fruit and Cinnamond Almond Granola (Big Helper's newest favorite breakfast)
- Southwestern breakfast tacos
- baked doughnuts, oranges
- breakfast muffins, bananas
- cinnamon rolls, fruit

Lunches will be our usual assortment of leftovers or sandwiches with yogurt or cheese and sliced fruits or veggies.

Dinners:

 

- Baked chicken, S'mashed Italian Potatoes, baked cauliflower, applesauce

 

- Fish and Healthy Homemade Potato Chips, roasted carrots
- Mexican pizza, corn
- Chicken corn soup, breadsticks

 

- Birthday cookout:  cheeseburgers, Mom's Baked Corn, Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dinner at church

Our House Party should finally happen on Saturday!  I won a Johnsonville Sausage House Party, and it looks as if we'll have more than 20 people here.  The kids are looking forward to some playtime outside with their friends, and we'll all enjoy a beautiful day and yummy food.  For that, we're planning to make Italian baked beans, pizza, lasagna, rigatoni with Bolognese sauce, and a cheesy dip.  My Big Helper's planning her first trifle, as well.

What are you cooking up this week?


For more Menu Plan Monday, visit OrgJunkie!

 

Semi-Homemade Baked Corn Dogs

Earlier this week someone asked me how I make our semi-homemade baked corn dogs.  These are so simple it's funny, but since you asked, I'm happy to share.

We don't eat hot dogs in any form very often, but the kids love them, and this makes a fun change from your typical dog-in-a-bun.  Besides - cornbread just tastes yummy!

So, to make your own baked corn dogs, you'll need:

• 4 hot dogs
• 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1 egg

To make your corn dogs:

1. Throw your hot dogs on a baking sheet to heat.  The idea is just to get them hot so that they are ready with their corn muffin clothing is baked.
2. Mix your Jiffy muffins.  Add the egg and milk to the mix in a small bowl and stir.
3. Dip the hot dogs into the mix one at a time to coat.  I don't think it's possible to give them a thin coating, which makes my kids happy, hence the lumpy mess you see above - but it's tasty.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

I've made these other ways, too, depending on what's going on, so here are a few other ideas:

• After mixing your muffins, put a spoonful into each well of a mini loaf pan.  Cut each hot dog in half and push it into the muffin mix.  Bake as directed above.
• Mix muffins and coat hot dogs as directed above.  Place each hot dog into it's own piece of foil, sprayed to prevent sticking, and fold to prevent air from escaping.  Bake on a top rack on a grill, checking periodically to prevent burning.

Of course, if you have a corn bread recipe you just love, I'm sure that would work, too.  I haven't found a great one yet - so feel free to pass yours along!

New SwagBucks Sign-up Code!

If you're wondering what the fuss is about the SwagBucks program, now is the time to sign up!

SwagBucks is a site that gives you points, or SwagBucks, in exchange for performing simple tasks, many of which you would do anyway, like searching the web.  I rarely do any of the activities besides a one-question daily poll and my regular online searches, and I often earn between 20 and 30 points daily.

What do you do with the SwagBucks once you acquire them?  You trade them in for other things!  You can play games, buy clothing, music, gift certificates, etc.  My favorite is the Amazon e-card, because I can buy nearly anything with that.  I've purchased parts for my bike, books for Bible study, Christmas presents for my kids, and am currently saving to replace my dying bread machine.

Generally you receive 30 SwagBucks when you register, but right now you'll earn an extra 70 when you use the code MARCHSWAG.  This code is valid now and will last until midnight on April 2nd.  That's a total of 100 SwagBucks (and a $5 Amazon card is only 450 pts!).

Any other Swaggernauts out there?  What do you think of SwagBucks?


**The links above contain my 'affiliate' links that will allow me to earn matching points for your first few as a new sign-up.  Thanks for using them!

By the Light of the Silvery Moon" by Tricia Goyer

 

Amelia Gladstone was headed to America to meet her pen pal - and hopefully her future husband - when she sees a homeless man being thrown off of Titanic, the ship on which her New York Yankee bought her passage.  With one member of her family unexpectedly detained, she offers the ticket to Quentin Walpole, hoping to give him the hope he seems to lack.  Amelia doesn't realize that Quentin comes from a wealthy American family, nor do they realize that his father and brother are both residing in first class cabins.  With both Walpole brothers and an American pursuing her affections, Amelia must make her choice - and hope that they all survive the tragedy aboard Titanic.

Goyer handles the tragedy of the Titanic beautifully.  While she describes the vast numbers of people who didn't survive that fateful night, she finds a balance between between portraying the horror of it all and yet contrasting that with the bravery and courage shown by so many of the passengers and crew on board.

Goyer's extensive research shows through her attention to detail through descriptions of the furnishings and even menus on board.  From dresses to music to floor plans to class separations, Goyer leaves nothing out.

The plot is far advanced beyond most Titanic stories I've read, and the drama of the story is the very best part of all.  Of course there's a complicated love story, there are class differences, there's wealth and beauty abundant; but there's also a Titanic- era retelling of the Prodigal Son.  With faith and forgiveness as main themes of the story, By the Light of the Silvery Moon is completely unique.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and wasn't ready for it to end.  When I turned the last page, I immediately turned back to the middle and began again.  I've finally put it down for now - but I'll definitely be picking it back up again.

If you like history, don't miss By the Light of the Silvery Moon.  It's a must-read - and a keeper.  Check out the trailer below:

If that has sealed the deal for you, you can buy the book here now.  For a second opinion - or third or fourth - visit the blog hop here.

 

Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-two books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

More info: Living Inspired (http://toginet.com/shows/livinginspired) and www.triciagoyer.com.

But wait - there's more!

Win an Flip HD Camcorder during @TriciaGoyer's Unsinkable Titanic Giveaway and RSVP for 4/10 Titanic Party! Celebrate the release of By the Light of the Silvery Moon with Tricia by entering her giveaway and RSVPing to her Titanic party.





One "unsinkable" winner will receive:

• Flip HD video Camera (Make your own dramatic saga!)
• Titanic movies from the ages {Titanic (1953) Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), Titanic (1997)}
• Secrets of the Titanic (Get the facts from National Geographic.)
• And the Band Played On (Music Played on the Titanic.)
• By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer (Be swept away in this tale of love and courage.)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 9th. Winner will be announced at "Silvery Moon" Titanic Facebook Party on 4/ 10. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club). During the live chat Tricia will have a *special guest* join her. More details coming soon!

So grab your copy of By the Light of the Silvery Moon and join Tricia on the evening of the April 10th for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Titanic?) and lots of giveaways. 

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 10th!

I received a free copy of By the Light of the Silvery Moon from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free o

What to Read?

My kids are both bookworms.

They love to read.  Neither will leave the house without a handful of books in tow - and if it's a trip of any length, then they pack a bagful.

I love this characteristic.  I love that they're curious, they love the written word, they get lost in stories of imaginary times and lands and people.  They read to gain information, to learn how things work, to figure out their world, to add to their storehouse of knowledge.

But all of that reading takes a lot of books, and while one of them happily reads the same books about the same topics over and over, accepting that new books on these topics are limited, the other frets and pushes the limits.

She doesn't want to read the same books time and again.  She wants to be challenged with new material, new words, new terms and concepts.

So I hunt, searching for books suitable for both her age and reading level, trying to find mysteries and humor and children being creative but being children.  I search for books with characters who are kind, mature, problem-solving, and for authors who write with flowing prose and strong vocabularies.

That's hard.  There are lots of kiddie chapter book series out there, but many of them have a watered-down vocabulary and name-calling characters.  She can read harder books, but many of them contain information for which she is too young.

I don't expect her to read Moby Dick, and fluffy books make great entertainment; but even fluffy books can be of good quality.


So my search continues.  I currently have stacks of kiddie books to read before her but would love to find something more difficult, something that makes her think and takes longer than 30 minutes to read.

What about you?  Do you read books before passing them off to your children?  What are their favorite books/authors??

GratiTuesday - Spreading Out the Love

All last week, we geared up to celebrate our Big Helper's birthday.  As you can imagine, she was super excited and had big plans for her big weekend - until she got sick, that is.

A few days before her birthday she got a tummy bug, and unfortunately, it was a particularly unpleasant few days for her.

Not knowing when she'd recover or who else might get sick, our out-of-town guests postponed their visit and all birthday plans went from 'definite' status to 'maybe.'

I feared she would cry, but she surprised me.  She got quiet for a few minutes, nodded that she understood, and asked a few questions to clarify the plans we were able to make.

First, she took advantage of the enforced stillness to read, write, and draw.

Then she began planning.  Knowing that the birthday plans that had been scheduled over a two-day period would now need to be rearranged, she sat down and drew a calendar and started penciling in her new ideas.  She even exclaimed at one point, "Mommy!  Now I'll get to celebrate my birthday for two weeks!"  What an attitude!

After poring through a new cookbook, My Big Helper chose to make a peanut butter cake and wanted it shaped like a doll.  She was excited to be well enough to help make it ...

and she screamed when she saw my pathetic attempt at making a doll cake.  I was so glad that she liked it!

So, now, we've celebrated with one set of grandparents and will with the other soon.  She'll celebrate at school tomorrow and the birthday express will continue.

For now, though, I'm grateful that the tummy bug has moved on.  That my Big Helper's smile has returned and that she willingly made the best of a very yucky situation.  That she's a happy and healthy seven-year-old who delights in even the simplest things - that's just the best.

For more GratiTuesday, visit Heavenly Homemakers.