Student Orientation

Off we go.  Official parents of a college student.  This weekend was orientation at the University my son is going to.  It was so special.  I think I have taken for granted the big deal this is all around the country as parents take their children, the blessings entrusted to them by God, to a school and drop them off to be indoctrinated by that school.  I went to the first day with Alex.  I was all cheery and wondering if it were necessary for me to be there.  I looked around and saw anxious parents with concern, apprehension and excitement for their beloved offspring.  I was so thankful that I am not dropping my son off somewhere as I watched the parents letting go and saying good bye.  Our transition is relatively easy compared to these other families.  I too am filled with apprehension after 18 years of training and homeschooling my child, doing our best to raise our child in the paths of righteousness, it is hard to let go and entrust them to the teaching of another.  But isn't this what we are to do when we feel that this is the path God has for them.  Letting go is hard for me, how much more emotional it is for the parents that are dropping their seed off.  Have we prepared them for the path ahead?  Are they going to have hurts, disappointments, and trials ahead that we can't protect them from?  And most importantly will they stand for God no matter what they see or hear?  Our job as parents isn't over it is changing.  I pray all the harder.

At the church service at the University they had a "Cords of Covenant Litany."  What that was, was a written dialogue between the students, family and friends, and the University.  The students read and stated how they were seeking meaning and purpose and academic, spiritual, and social growth.  The parents spoke of entrusting the school with those they have been entrusted with and asking the school to model Christ for their child.  Then the faculty and staff responded with a covenant to be a community of faith and learning... committing to equip the students to be God's creative and redemptive agents in the world.  Sobs were heard across the auditorium as this was read and reality was hitting home.  I am so blessed by this statement and pray that this is truly the heart of this University.  After the service there was a bbq for the students and families and then many goodbyes were said and more tears shed. 

I remember my family leaving my brother at college many years ago.  It was so sad to say goodbye to my brother and I tried my best not to cry.  As we drove off and left my brother there was much silence in our car and I could no longer hold back my tears.  What a turning of the page.  I pray that the page we are now turning is for God's glory and am thankful we still have our son here with us and no good byes are being said. 

I read a quote the other day of a professor at a secular university who said he could care less all the years of training parents have given their children, now that they are at his school it is his turn to untrain all their parents have taught.  How scary.  My prayer is that God will bless and protect all our children and students that head off to pursue a degree they believe God wants them to seek.  May we as parents not hand them off blindly but continue to seek God on their behalf and may our children be so close to their Savior that they will not be turned from their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

God bless.  Have a great day.
Alicia

Fun Times

I love times with family and I love times with friends.  I was blessed to have both this weekend.  My grandparents came up to see us.  They live about four hours away and we are always blessed when they can make it this way.  We celebrated Grandpa's 87th birthday. 

My Grandpa and German chocolate cake with home made pecan icing. 

Grandpa with some of his great grandkids. 

Then we went boating with some church friends.  It was a very hot day so I stayed on the beach by the water with the little ones and got to chat with a friend.  David got to go with a group of dads on an tube that was apparently pulled a little bit harder then their bodies were used to and they were hurting afterwards.  The older four kids got to go tubing, wake boarding and knee boarding.  Then Cassandra and I got to take a ladies cruise and that was fun. 

Cassie with her buddy cooling off.

Alex and Latisha with a couple of their friends on the tube

Cassandra helping dad cool off.

The girls getting ready to knee board

Even in 100 degree temperature and only half an hour nap she was quite pleasant

Last week we began school, so life is in the scheduled mode again.  I sure am surprised how much we can get done on a schedule yet at the same time it can get overwhelming keeping up with all the house work.  I am blessed with children who help me and are fairly motivated to stay on track with their school work.  The other day I had one of those overwhelming thankful moments.  I love the life God has given me.  I love my husband and he loves me, each one of my children is a blessing and joy, I'm blessed to be able to stay home and home school them and I get to serve my Lord.  What a joy I find in my daily tasks.  Sometimes I forget how blessed I am but when I get out in "the real world" and see how many unhappy, discontent, angry people there are I remember how thankful I am, even with the Laundry, the struggle with spelling, the potty accident, the teething, spitting up, I could go on.  But what I am trying to say is we all need to find joy and peace in the life God has given us.  If you are not finding that maybe you are not living the life God intended for you.  Check your relationship with Christ and your focus and live the life God intended for you.   May God's peace and joy abound in you. 

Alicia 

Let the sewing begin.

First let me update on my garden.  It is doing good.  I have a strange effect on tomatoes.  They grow huge.  I'm not sure why but they do.  People show me their tomato plants and they are cute and full of tomatoes.  My plants are huge and produce little fruit.  So I give it a trim here and there but it just keeps on growing.  My strawberries are doing better.  I actually have a couple watermelon after a delayed start and we have been eating spaghetti squash, zucchini, lettuce, cucumber, beans, and corn.  Very fun. 

My first Christmas pj project.

So now the sewing begins. Christmas eve for the past 16 years, except one, I have made Christmas pjs for our family. A couple days ago I began the cutting out task. Cutting out the pattern is my least favorite part of the job. It requires much time and space and I sure do make a mess. But I finished getting all 8 pj's cut out today. I enjoy being creative and each year I try to make the jammies a little different. Some years they are cuter then others but the kids love opening their presents and I love us all matching. The job has gotten a lot larger over the years but so has the help. We have two sewing machines and I will, at times, have one daughter on each machine as I pin and press and they sew. We can get a lot done together. I really wanted to get the pjs cut out before school started so I am glad to have it done. It is always a walk in patience going to the store to get the material. Searching, brain storming and standing in line. Then getting everything to go with it and standing in line again. It surprises me how time consuming it gets. I don't think the line behind me really appreciates it when it is my turn and I ask for 26 yards of fabric. Then I get the question of "what are you doing with all this fabric?" It is fun.  Well, I hope you are all having a blessed day.  God bless.
Alicia

laying out the fabric and pressing it.  I'm grateful for enough room to lay it all out.

trying to figure out how to make it all fit

Yeah, I made it with just a little fabric left.

Last years pjs.  I can't wait to see how they turn out this year.

   

Home again Home again

Another exciting week at our home.  I guess it actually started over a week ago.  I don't know how many times we have had sicknesses before we take a trip but we did again.  A week ago last Thursday my two oldest took off for Fine Arts.  They had competed in drama and music and made it to National Fine Arts in Arizona.  They left just in time because things went crazy here.   Cassandra woke up a little slow.  She said she didn't feel well and just laid on the couch and fell asleep.  It was a long day as she came in and out of sleep with her temperature rising.  It reached 103.2 and I was beginning to get quite concerned.  I had given her some medicine earlier but she threw it up.  Now I gave her more and just rubbed her head as I applied a cool rag.  I kept checking her temperature and finally it came down to 101.  The next day she spent throwing up and the fever was still there.  Saturday she was doing better but now Isabella began to throw up.  We were leaving Tuesday for our vacation and I was afraid we would have to back out of it.  But by Tuesday every thing seemed fine.  So off we went. 

here we are at my Aunt and Uncles.  They have such a beautiful home and lovely yard.

We stopped first at my Grandparents.  It was so great to see them.   We also got to stop at one of my favorite restaurants, Mama Inez, and get Crab and Shrimp burrito.  Then we went to my Aunt and Uncles to stay the night.  Well, Isabella apparently wasn't all better so she threw up all over my aunts carpet and myself.  Now what do we do?  Turn back?  Nope.  Onward we went to the reunion.  It takes a lot to keep us away.  Danika got a bit sick, then it was my turn.  But I was very thankful that David and Sierra didn't get sick. 

here are some of the kids with David's Aunt and Uncle

Our small family at Yellowstone.

Cassie and smores once again

The reunion was nice.  We were in Island park and went up to Yellowstone for the day.  Seeing family is always fun.  It is so great to see people you haven't seen in years.  Then to see those who were single last time you saw them are now married and have children.  Life just keep going on and on.  This wasn't our biggest reunion but I am thankful for all who were able to make it and for David's cousin who planned the whole thing. 

Here we are with my parents and my grandma. (and a little cousin sneaked in :))

After that we were able to stop at my dad's side of the family reunion.  What a blessing that they were both geographically close and dates side by side.  But we were tired.  It was good to see more family.  David's grandparents have 7 surviving kids and my grandparents have 7 kids.  So both reunions are good sized.  It is sad that less then half the family can make it to the reunions but I am thankful for the family we have and so glad to see the ones that could make it. 

On our way home we were able to stop and see some old friends we haven't seen in years.  They look great and it was so good to talk to them.  They were very inspiring to us in the Lord many years ago.  When we first moved from our home town they were so wonderful to befriend us and encourage us in the Lord. 

Well, now summer is almost over and we're looking forward to another school year ready to begin.  Such big choices for my son as he has now chosen a college and a degree.  I'm glad that he will be attending a Christian College in our area and so he will be able to stay here.   I hope you are all having a great summer.  God bless.

Politics and Canning

Ok, I have become very behind in keeping up with the news lately.  I catch things here and there but have found most of it to be too annoying to listen to.  I know we need to be informed and am grateful that my husband keeps me updated on the necessary.  This whole "he said she said" thing drives me crazy.  It is so amazing to see Congress trying so hard to push their own agenda that they can't get anything accomplished.  I really believe if they would use the Bible as their guide our world would be such a better place.  I've heard this before but recently heard it again so thought it worth repeating.  As the family goes so goes the church, as the church goes so goes our nation.  God help our families to follow You then maybe everything else will fall in line.  There is so much in life that can bring us down I want to encourage you to make Philippians 4:8 to direct your thoughts...

   "Whatsoever things are true,
      Whatsoever things are honest,
      Whatsoever things are just,
      Whatsoever things are pure,
      Whatsoever things are lovely,
      Whatsoever things are of good report;
      If there be any virtue,
      and if there be any praise,
      Think on these things."

I try to test my thoughts to see if they match up.  When my thoughts match up then I am so much more content and my stress level is less.

Now what a busy couple of days we have had.  I love watching my canning shelf fill up.  Lately I have been quite busy with making jam or preserves or syrup, matters who you talk to.  I have decided to quit using pectin in my jam making.  I feel it is such of waste of money.  Fruit has pectin already in it and if I cook it a bit longer it makes wonderful jam.  I so prefer home made jam over store bought so now I have several jars.  My friend told be how making jam without pectin saves money both because you don't have to buy the pectin and the jam is a bit runny so you don't use as much on your sandwich.  :)

We have also made 10 loaves of zucchini bread (and ate 3), zucchini cookies, chocolate zucchini cake, and strawberry rhubarb pie in addition to our strawberry rhubarb, apricot, and apricot/pineapple "jam." I really enjoy cooking. The clean up not so fun but worth it. 

  Have a great day and if you ever wondered what to do with rhubarb I included a recipe for the pie.

Rhubarb pie for Davids birthday party, with the left over dough we roll it out, spread butter over it, and sprinkle Cinnamon and sugar.  Then bake it with the pies. 
Strawberry Rhubarb pie:  mix 1 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.  Add 2 1/2 cups rhubarb and 2 1/2 cups strawberries.   Mix all together then let set while you prepare the crust.  Pour into crust and top with dots of Butter around top of pie.  Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. 

here are 6 of our zucchini bread loaves ready to freeze

made strawberry rhubarb jam with remaining strawberries and rhubarb and for fun added some raspberries.  Can't hurt, right?

Here are the apricots.

and here is my poor sick little Cassie girl.  She is better today but hasn't been doing much but sleeping lately. 

Fun Day

Yesterday we had a busy but fun day.  The morning was spent with yard work and a blessing from my neighbor.  She has an abundance of raspberry plants and let me come dig some for myself.  Apparently, I'm not very strong but was able to dig some and transplant them.  It was in the upper 90's so probably not the best time to be transplanting but the opportunity arose and I took it.  I drenched them in water and we'll see what happens. 

After that we went to do photos.  Oh what drama but we try to make it fun.  After the discussion of attire and hair we finally made it to the park to take pictures.  I brought lots of water but we drank it all and were very thirsty and tired when all was done.  I think we got some good pictures.  My favorite was of all the girls.  By that time Isabella was no longer happy and Cassie was ready to play but I still liked it.  It is so funny to see their personalities shine when you take pictures.  Several I took, I just couldn't delete because they cracked me up.   Alex was working so we'll have to get some of him later.

Then we hurried home for naps and to ready ourselves for the evening.  We were having Mark and Amy and their 8 (and one on the way) kiddos and Chad and Jessica and their 5 kiddos.  What a fun evening.  We roasted hot dogs (yes in 90 plus degree weather), had a great potato salad, yummy watermelon, homemade cherry ice cream (the remaining of the cherries we picked),  then finished the evening with games, conversation and SMORES.  How great is that.  I so enjoy getting our families together.  Everyone has someone to play with and I just love them all.  I am so blessed to have such good Friends.

Mark and Amy had just had their ultrasound that day and after 4 boys in a row they are expecting a healthy baby girl.  What a blessing!!!  The older girls are thrilled.  They have the sweetest story.  I wish Amy would start her own blog but she has ok me to tell this story.  God has been so good to them in blessing them with 3 (now 4) girls and 5 boys and the provision has always been there.  It has seemed that with several of their babies they received raises.  So, when Mark got a raise a couple months ago he came home and asked Amy is she was expecting again and to their delight she took a test and sure enough, they are.  Isn't God good?   

I wish I had pictures to share from last night, but I hope you enjoy the pictures from the park.  Have a blessed day.

Cherries, cherries cherries.

 

Ok so every year I look forward to cherry season.  I really enjoy cherries.  A few years ago I had made a comment to my husband how fun it would be to have a cherry pitter.  Not thinking much about it he bought me one.  What was I to do with it.  Well, I was very blessed with a Friend who allowed me to come and pick my fill of cherries.  This year my friend's, that I normally get cherries from, tree didn't produce much.  I was bummed and thought it all lost for the year but was blessed by another friend whose tree produced an abundance.  So I have been busy and could probably do more but here is what we did. 

First we canned 17 qt cherries.  We are already eating one.  We wash, then pit them.  Add hot water and 1/3 cup sugar.  Put lids on then place in boiling water for 25 minutes to seal jars.

Then we put some of the cleaned and pitted cherries in the freezer on cookie sheets to freeze.  Then will place in gallon bags to store. 

Next, we made this amazing crisp.  Thank you Amy for the recipe.  I took 8 cups cherries (cleaned and pitted), boiled them in 2 cups water for 10 minutes.  Mixed together 2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup cornstarch then added them to cherries and stir till thick.  I then poured them in a cake pan.  Next I mixed 1 cup softened butter with 2 yellow cake mixes and sprinkled on top the cherry mixture.  Baked for about 1/2 hour and yum. 

Then what ever is left we are eating fresh.

I was wondering next year about making cherry jam and maybe canning cherry pie filling.  Oh well, we'll see.  Hope all is well out there.  Have a great day.  God Bless