Minestrone with Italian Sausage Courtesy of Taste of Home

1 lb bulk Italian sausage (I used my turkey sausage)
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek (white portion only)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 med zucchini, cut 1/2 in pieces
1/4 lb fresh green beans
6 C beef broth
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano & garlic
3 C shredded cabbage (I left out)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can garbanzo beans (I used C of cooked, fresh)
1/2 c uncooked small pasta shells
3 T minced fresh parsley (I used dried)
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

*I used more spices....and a touch of honey...season to taste.

Cook sausage & onion over med heat. drain. Stir in carrots, celery, leek and garlic; cook for 3 min. Add zucchini and green beans; cook 2 minutes longer.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 45 minutes.

Return to a boil. Stir in garbanzo beans, pasta and parsley. Cook until pasta is tender 6 - 9 minutes.

Serve with cheese - makes about 3 quarts. I doubled - freezes well. I really liked this but it could be because I was able to use so MUCH out of my veggie crisper. LOL

POLLS

Today is the last day to vote in the poll in the side bar. I'm going to think of another riveting question! ::snort::

This week's project

Last week Jared researched The Royal Game of Ur. He decided he could do a better job with the project than he had done. Yay - son! I challenged him to be a leader and get the little ones involved in the project. I encouraged him that he didn't have to have it done "on schedule" - that he could work on it in bits and pieces. I told him I'd go buy FINISHED wood and we could do it right.

I heard pounding....I looked. He found scrap wood and was busy working.

Before long he was joined by eager helpers.

Mike came home and took the opportunity to begin teaching "guy things". Jared said he made some comment like, "I've been negligent". I guess Jared is going to learn some skills we hadn't

planned.

Thus a family project is born! I love the lifestyle of homeschooling!

BTW we had a cold snap!!! I love it.

Monday

Considering the weekend, Monday went smashingly smooth!

We continued on with school.

We went to speech.

I cooked dinner (minestrone and cheese biscuits).

I went to Mom's Night Out with a friend. She drove. I took a bunch of things to put on the free table and 99% of them WENT. I've decided to follow a cyber friend's example. I'm not reselling used items. I'm giving them away in the hopes of blessing other homeschoolers. Thanks for the example, Karen.

Oh - I was on a panel at MNO and had a blast. I have been thinking we'd participate in the group's history fair but alas - it's on Tuesday night...BIBLE STUDY NIGHT. Maybe churches down here don't have ladies Bible Study on Tuesday Nights - our group seems to plan a lot of things on that night. I missed the first year of MNO because it was on Tuesday Night. Ah well.

Jamin has only one more week to wait before he can see the oral surgeon. This has been a trial for him and for me. Maybe more for my MOTHER'S heart than him. He's handling it well. I, on the other hand, am storming the military insurance provider....it is simply not right that a minor have to put up with this sort of pain, for this long, because none of the oral surgeons want to deal with the military insurance provider. I'm not a fan of the whole concept of nationalized healthcare having seen how the government handles military care. LOL We have some GREAT docs, pharmacists, nurses and techs in the military - but the insurance provider - Tri-Care and United Concordia sure muddle things up.

That's a day!

Sunday

I desperately wanted to be better by Sunday. Mike preached in three services. He and I team teach a Sunday School class. I was supposed to do Children's Church in one of the services. I wanted to pass out our new Bible study books on having God Confidence.

I did none of these things. I slept. Arielle stayed home with the younger two so that Mike wouldn't have to worry about them behaving in service while preaching. She did a great job. I slept on.

Saturday

The day began with a dull headache. It quickly progressed to a roaring migraine. I wanted to attend a big used book sale - but instead - Mike told me to go back to bed. I did. I slept.

Mike took the younger 5 children out Geocaching. I even told him it would be a good day to be Disney Dad - so they headed to DQ after a couple of finds. ::snort::

Let the Caching Begin
Prickly Hiking - lovely fall scenery????


It's got to be HERE


Arielle Found it First ::snort::
Not EVEN funny! Did I tell you the younger two put one of these in my BED when Mike was gone last month? Ah - Riding Beats Hiking ANY day! Jared - the photographer for this day's photos Second Find of the day! Pure Joy! Kiss it! A find cleverly disguised as a MOUSE!