Recap

It's come to my attention that I've not updated since Friday. It's sweet when y'all send me emails and call to check on me.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words this one should explain it all.....life gets a bit insane when my sanity leaves.....and the appliances may well be staging their rebellion as I type. I must remain vigilant.

Saturday

4 hours at the library working on lesson plans, correcting papers, gathering books for this week

3 hours with Jamin, Jared, Michael and I have our Socratic discussions for history, Church history, and lit. Michael made my MONTH when he commented after listening/participating in the last hour of discussion that, "You did good, I'm impressed." He promptly printed off 20 pages of Spurgeon's sermons for us to read "in our spare time" - one titled "Exodus" and one titled "The Passover" (or at least close to that).

We played games or something that night.

Sunday

Two services and a fellowship.

Josiah and Jamin rented "The Big Green" for us to watch. Cool.

Monday

6:00 Curves

7:00 - 8:30 School

8:45 - Dr's appointment

9:15 - 9:45 Family Circle, School

10:00 - Airport

10:15 - 11:00 - Groceries

11:00 - 12:00 School

1:30 - Speech

2:30 - 4:30 School

6:00 Curves Weight Solution Class (I made BIG points by stating that I didn't think this was going to work for me ::snort::)

7:00 - 9:45 - Mom's Night Out

There you are...the outline. Tomorrow will be another busy, busy day....then Wed....well Wed and Thursday may be busy too, but Friday...well Friday is co-op and well.....

Did I mention I've been praying about adding 2 music lessons, 4-H, and horse riding lessons?

This is JUST the bare bones....nothing said about the fun new homeschooling family at chapel, or the friendships developing here and there, or the awesome encouragement at MNO.....just the facts.

OH YEAH - Josiah got his first two exams back. He made 86% in history (the prof wants more writing in his answers ::snort:: - this is the boy that summed up the ancient Greek gods by saying "they were really messed up". This short answer issue has been long standing). He scored 102 on his math exam.

Friday


We have produce again! Yippee! I think numbers are going back up after the summer and we'll soon be back into a nice groove. Michael took Jared to visit our new doc on base.


Michael had wanted to take me out today. He's going to be gone next week. We agreed to lunch. We decided to load all the boxes from produce co-op and Shop Natural co-op into the back of the van and stop at the recycling center. Stacia noted we were going to leave. She started saying, "Daddy, Please I come. Please I come, Daddy"......she went out on a date with us. LOL We used to go out alone one week, take a child out the next week, go out alone again, and then double date....guess we are sliding back into that. She was a doll at the restaurant and we had a good laugh. We had a LOT of folks stop to tell us how darling she was, most smiling very widely and sweetly at us. It was apparent that all thought we were a sweet older couple who had FINALLY had a child in our old age. ::snort:: Same child - vastly different reaction when they see us all out together. ::snort::


JAMIN and JOSIAH are both home tonight. Jamin made pizza. I lucked out again. The guys went to watch the homecoming football game for the team that Jamin played for a few years ago. I spent my time putting unit 1 into sheet protectors and getting ready for my weekly lesson planning session.


YES, our new TOG arrived! The map aids are back ordered - bummer - I really need those. The Writing Aids look great. Michael is looking forward to the Pop Quiz.....there is a weekly audio portion - 15 minutes for him to listen to and he'll know what we are all studying. There are also cards with questions for each level per week - conversation starters. The only thing "off" is that we got two unit 1 lap book kits instead of one of unit 1 and unit 2. LOL We had decided we want to work on ONE as a family and not separate ones. I'll call the company on Monday.

Hogan's Heroes is about to begin. I'm off.

Thursday - BUSY

We went to our local nature center. Jared found out that what he thought was a garter snake when he was mowing was a baby rattler! God help us. They had baby pythons. They fed the snakes. They EAT mice and I was totally sickened and grossed out....but Zander and Nolan held the snakes. ARGH. We used a gal of antibacterial stuff when we left....lots of strange insects and critters.

We had one hour between the center and getting Jamin and Jared to HoF.

I usually use the 3 hours while the boys are at HoF to let the littles play while I make phone calls. Yesterday, we did school. We watched a DVD on King Tut.

I made Parmesan rice to go along with our crock pot chicken. I also made Jodi's pull apart rolls and a salad. I'll use the left over chicken tonight with the left over BBQ sauce from earlier in the week to make a BBQ chicken pizza - my favorite. "They" like ham and pineapple...reminds I'd best pick up some of that deli turkey ham today when picking up the produce order....

And that reminds me that I have 20 minutes before I have to do that and I've not set up tables and baskets. ::snort:: The day is off and running! No pictures or links because - one I forgot the card for the Nikon and two - I'm running late. LOL

"Moosewood" Refried beans - Crock pot version

2 C raw pinto beans
6 C water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C chopped onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 C minced green pepper (I didn't have any so left this out)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 C rice (optional)

Mix all in your crock pot. Cook on high. At 5 hours it was "beans and rice", by 8 hours I only had to stir and it was mashed...with a few chunks...we like chunks. I could have put it in the blender or mixer and made it really smooth. Add oil if you like the taste of the fat. You could fry it if you'd like.

We ate some for dinner and I froze the rest. I doubled the recipe and it was great in my 7 qt pot. I added the rice because I didn't want to have to drain the liquid from the beans...worked well.

Original Recipe: 

This recipe did not have any water listed which is odd as it calls for "raw pinto beans." ::snort::  So.....however you want to do it - get 5-6 C  of cooked pinto beans.  Here's the original recipe. 

Ingredients:
2 C raw pinto beans
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C chopped onions
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 C minced green pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
olive oil (about 3 T)

Directions:
Cover the pintos with water and let soak 1.5 hours or more.  Drain. Cover with more water and cook until well-done- usually 11/2 - 2 hours. (See post about the easiest way to cook dried beans). Drain off excess water and mash with a wooden pestle or potato masher (or throw them in a food processor or blender).

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onions, garlic, cumin and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook over low heat until onions are translucent. Add green pepper, cover and simmer 5 - 8 minutes. Add sauteed vegetables to the beans along with a tsp of salt and black pepper (salt to taste). Mix well. Keep the beans hot in a medium oven until ready to serve.

Just made these again last night - the stovetop vs crock pot way and was surprised when they were ALL gone. I open a can of Rosaritas and they put a "bit" on their tacos - must have it - but no one eats the rest. This was a lot of beans and they were all eaten. I do believe I need to get back into the habit of making some up ahead and freezing. (11-1-2013)

Wednesday!

Yes!!!! Another week over 1/2 way completed!

I went to Curves. I placed our produce co-op order.

School didn't go according to our normal schedule this a.m. because we discovered we were out of TWO essentials: milk and dog food. While at Sam's, I picked up 3 types of cheese and 10 lbs of beans. I think I had a craving for beans and rice. ::snort::

Nolan and Zander carry 25 lbs of bird seed and dream....

of hefting 52 lbs of dog food!

We DID manage to school in the afternoon which is pretty amazing for the younger ones and I. We are typically useless for anything but crafts and games in the afternoon.

I decided to get some beans going in the crock pot. My thought was that I could later turn them into refriend beans. Josiah loves to throw beans and cheese in a tortilla for a quick snack/lunch. One thing led to another and before I knew it I'd thrown all the ingredients for our favorite refried beans into the crock pot...along with a cup of rice because I wanted it to thicken up and I didn't want to drain the spicey liquid. It worked wonderful. At 5 hours I had some savory beans and rice for dinner instead of a steak.....and at 8 hours I had only to stir to get refried beans...no fat. LOL

Jamin and I continued to work through the HUGE curriculum for driving in TX. I can't believe all the work that goes into getting a permit or license down here. Good stuff - but surprising - I've not noticed the drivers down here to be any better than any other state we've lived in...and considerably worse when it rains! ::snort:: ::ducking::

Mike came home and burned the steaks for me. I fielded several phone calls while making bisquits, fruit, and oven fries....Jamin threw a "man's salad" together. Do y'all know what a mans salad is? HUGE pieces of lettuce, quarters of red peppers, and quarters of carrots....very basic but manly, yes! LOL

While we were all bustling to get dinner on the table, Stacia came running in with Arielle following....

"I dit - I dit"

Oy vey - WHAT did she do NOW????? She went potty in the toilet! I think she is training herself....I'd best get on board. ::snort:: Quite the change from Zander who cared NOTHING about such things until he was past 3.

The younger ones, Michael, and I, headed to a new building area to find an errant rocket. We didn't find it. The older boys finished cleaning up dinner and met us. It was a great night for a walk.....lots of cool breeze...maybe fall will reach us here eventually.

Josiah had his first college exam today. He's not home but I trust it went well. He has another one on Friday.

I believe the Students are arriving back for Master's Commission this week. Bre and Krista both report being busy with preparations. The first week is always an orientation and a big trip up to the mountains/retreat etc. The second year students arrived last week. Bre was still trying to find a few more host homes for students last time I talked to her.

BBQ Meatballs (Freezer/Crockpot Meal)

Meatballs:
3 lbs ground beef (I use turkey these days)
1 12 oz can evaporated milk (I do whatever I think I should do)
1 C oatmeal
1 C cracker crumbs (or another C oatmeal)
2 eggs
1/2 C chopped onions (or more)
2 tsp garlic powder (use fresh)
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp chili powder

Sauce:
2 C Catsup
1 C Rapadura (brown sugar)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (WHAT is this stuff - Zander won't eat this meal so I use it)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I use fresh)
1/4 C chopped onion

To make meatballs, combine ingredients (mixture will be soft) and shape into walnut size balls. Place meatballs in a single layer on wax paper-lined cookie sheets; freeze until sold. Store frozen meatballs in freezer bags until read to cook.

To make sauce, combine ingredients and stir until "sugar" dissolves. Place frozen meatballs in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan; pour on the sauce. Bake at 350* for an hour.

Yield 80 meatballs.

I'm trying to get favorites on the blog s0 that I'm not at the whim of "I Don't Know" who puts my cookbooks in strange places. I use this sauce as our BBQ sauce - you can use LESS sugar. I've used this over meatloaf. It's WONDERFUL to have the meatballs in the freezer - you can make so many DIFFERENT meals with them. In a pinch you can even buy Sam's meatballs and top with sauce. LOL

I have a lot of sauce recipes to throw in a crock pot or oven with meatballs. LOL

For more yummy eats check my recipe index.

Menu for 17 September

Yeah - I KNOW it's Wed - but remember I couldn't do my Sat chores on Saturday. ::snort::

Monday - Shepherd's Pie

Tuesday - BBQ Meatballs & Rice - Crockpot

Wed - Steak Burn, Corn on the Cob

Thursday - Chicken - Crockpot

Friday - Pizza - HOMEMADE - I can do this even though Jamin isn't home. ::snort:: I'm not sure if I'll do deep dish or "normal", but we'll have fun!

**I'm not sure what I'll do with that whole chicken in the crockpot - feel free to send your suggestions! LOL