July 19th Daybook

For today, Tuesday, July 19, 2011~

Outside my window~
the sun is hiding behind some clouds

I am hearing~
the fan on the A/C

I am thinking~

about my sweetheart :)

I am thankful~
for good health

I am remembering~

sitting on my "Pappaw's" front porch

and the scent of his boxwoods

I am reading~
the latest issue of Taste of Home

I am hoping~

to get a lot of things done today--we'll see :)

I am praying~

that God will change me into who He wants me to be

I am creating~

some new clothes for "R" and "S"

On my mind~

is a fellow blogger who just had a baby girl and

the reminder of God's timing and
the joy of His redemption

From the learning rooms~

still working on the coupon thing

R is busy with her Bible Bee verses and word study

D is having fun with numbers

S is doing well with potty training

Noticing that~

I need to get a few things organized before

my cousin visits next weekend

Wondering~

where the summer has gone?

Pondering these words~

"But He giveth more grace..."

From the kitchen~

trying to lighten up the menu a little

Sunday-caribbean jerk chicken w/ fresh salsa

Monday-chef salad

Tuesday- caribbean jerk chicken w/ fresh salsa (using up the leftovers)

Wednesday-taco bowls

Thursday-tba

Friday-chicken tenders

Saturday-tba

Around the house~

the family room is so much more organized

now that we have our little cubes in place

One of my favorite things~

is when my Hubbie says

"You're so pretty..."

A few plans for the rest of the week~

"R" has basketball camp this week

finish up a few sewing projects

pick some fresh veggies from the garden :)

church on Wednesday night

From my picture journal~

black bean and corn salsa

grilled jerk chicken

the presentation

 fresh corn on the cob (from our garden)

Thanks for stopping by today! I'll be linking up with

The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

A New Daybook

For today, Tuesday, June 7, 2011~

Outside my window~

the sun is shining, and it's kind of cool this morning  :)

I am hearing~

my children's voices

I am thinking~

about going walking this morning

I am thankful~

for my sweet Hubbie

I am remembering~

the wonderful weekend we had with our church family...

we celebrated 30 years of ministry!

I am reading~

Psalm 62

I am hoping~

to get a summer reading "wish list" written down,

and to start the Elizabeth George book,

"A Woman that Reflects the Heart of Jesus"

On my mind~

is my sister who just moved to Indiana last week

Pondering these words~

"God's been good...in my life...I've been blessed

beyond my wildest dreams..."

From the learning rooms~

school is finished for the year, but we will continue

to work on reading skills with "D", language and math skills

with "R", and potty training for "S"

Noticing that~

I work better under pressure

I am praying~

that God will keep working on my heart

Wondering~

if we will get any green beans from our garden...

we seem to have a little visitor that likes the leaves

I am creating~

a clutter-free home this summer

Around the house~

things are put away and I love that feeling of "Ahhh"

when I get rid of stuff we don't need! :)

One of my favorite things~

is spending time with my family...and we are

making our summer plans (so fun!)

From the kitchen~

Monday~out to eat to celebrate the end of the school year

Tuesday~leftovers (roast and vegetables)

Wednesday~chef salad

Thursday~chicken enchiladas or fajitas

(using Philadelphia Cooking Creme)

Friday~bacon cheeseburgers

Saturday~tba

A few plans for the rest of the week~

Wednesday~mid-week church service

From my picture journal~

with temperatures predicted to be 99 degrees by Thursday, plus

high humidity, I think I might be wishing for

some of this! :)

I'll be joining other bloggers at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Thank you for stopping by today!

Thank you, Lord~

For today, Tuesday, January 18, 2011~

Outside my window~

the ground and trees are covered with ice

I am thankful~

that my Hubbie did not have to drive on the icy roads this morning

I am thinking~

that the Lord is good...all the time

I am hearing~

the kids playing with trains

I am remembering~

the time when I was a child that we got three feet of snow...

and school was cancelled for days!

I am reading~

Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney

Decision Points by President George Bush

I am hoping~

that we are still able to have our homeschool group today

On my mind~

is my Hubbie

From the learning rooms~

we are nearing the end of the first semester...

and that means all the grading needs to be finished soon!

Noticing that~

since the Christmas decorations are put away,

the house is "back to normal"

Wondering~

why it has taken me so long do write a Daybook this year?

I am praying~

for a blogging friend and

for the Lord to keep working on my heart

I am creating~with Hubbie's help~

a new master bedroom  :)

We have not done this room at all and are

excited about the changes that are coming!

From the kitchen~

Sunday~cheeseburgers, baked beans

Monday~ roast, noodles, gravy, green bean casserole

for dessert this week, I made a carrot cheesecake (YUM!)

Tuesday~pork BBQ, coleslaw, pumpkin muffins

Wednesday~ham and cheese sandwiches

Thursday~burritos, black bean soup

Friday~homemade chicken tenders, baked macaroni & cheese

Saturday~chili

Around the house~

school is getting done,

Hubbie is working from home today  :)

One of my favorite things~

is having some extra time to spend with my Hubbie

A few plans for the rest of the week~

homeschool group today?

church on Wednesday

basketball league on Saturday

From my picture journal~

a pumpkin cheesecake that we had in the fall

(can you tell from the tablecloth?)

this has become one of our favorites  :)

 

To read other Daybooks, please visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook!

Have a great day!

Daybook~11/9/2010

For Tuesday, November 9, 2010~

Outside my window~

the sun is beautiful as it rises over the horizon;

it was light outside when sweet Hubbie left this morning

I am hearing~

the furnace  :)

I am thinking~

about my wonderful family

and how God has so richly blessed us

I am thankful~

that my nephew is out of the hospital

I am remembering~

the time my family and I got to spend

with my brother a few weeks ago

I am reading~

my Bible and my "to do" list for the day

I am praying~

for my country and her leaders

I am hoping~

that the congestion in "S" will go away soon

On my mind~

is how I'm planning to get the "to do" list accomplished

Noticing that~

the leaves are still pretty in the woods behind my house

Wondering~

why time seems to speed by these days...

(maybe I'm getting old)   ;)

I am creating~

the menu for "S" birthday party

From the kitchen~

little egg souffles and sausage patties

bbq, coleslaw, pumpkin muffins (new recipe that is a keeper!)

swiss steak

Around the house~

organization is coming along rather nicely!

One of my favorite things~

is seeing my Hubbie smile

A few plans for the rest of the week~

library run, grocery store, church,

birthday party, clean house, start working on

photo calendars for Christmas gifts

From my picture journal~

chocolate-caramel cheesecake (sugar free)

I'm joining Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Thank you for stopping by...have a wonderful Tuesday!

Ready for Some Baking?

I received this picture and recipe from

Gooseberry Patch...and now I am hungry! :)

I love pecan pie, so these little gems will be perfect during the Thanksgiving season, the Christmas season, for birthdays, for anniversaries, for church socials, for...

Happy Wednesday!

Pecan Pie Bars
Wonderful little pecan pie bars you can't stop eating! Great for a church social or holiday cookie exchange.

1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. plus 3 T. brown sugar, packed and divided
1/2 c. plus 2 T. butter, divided
2 eggs
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Combine flour with 3 tablespoons brown sugar; cut in 1/2 cup butter until coarse crumbs form. Press into a lightly greased 11"x7" baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. While crust is baking, beat eggs in a large bowl and add remaining brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, corn syrup and vanilla. Blend in pecans and pour mixture into hot crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Makes 2 dozen.

Monday, Monday

~for Monday, August 2, 2010~

Outside my window~

is a beautiful sunny day

I am hearing~

the dishwasher

and

the chatter of family members

I am thinking~

about my sister...married 20 years tomorrow!

I am thankful~

that "R" made it home safely from church camp

and had a wonderful time

I am remembering~

the time spent with family this past weekend

I am reading~

none of my summer wish list

I am hoping~

that the cheesecake that is in the oven

turns out to be delicious!

On my mind~

is my Hubbie

I LOVE YOU!

Noticing that~

the lower my carb intake,

the better I feel!

From the learning rooms~

school planning...

Wondering~

if I will make my weight loss

goal by Christmas

I am creating~

a new blog post :)

From the kitchen~

is a strawberry cheesecake (low-carb)

Around the house~

we painted "D"s room, Hubbie

put trim around the windows, and now we're

 searching for navy blue bedding

One of my favorite things~

is children's laughter

A few plans for the rest of the week~

Swim lessons every day through Thursday

a wedding on Friday

I am praying~

that my brother and his family have a great vacation

From my picture journal~

sugar-free yumminess!

~I combined two recipes for this~

Okay, I'm hungry for something sweet now!

Have a wonderful day!

A Slow(er) Week :)

Simple Woman's Daybook

~For today, Monday, June 21, 2010~

Outside my window~

mostly sunny; nice and hot for the first day of summer

I am hearing~

Oldest Daughter sweep the kitchen floor

I am thinking~

about my sweet Mom who had her gallbladder removed on Friday

I am thankful~

that she is feeling a lot better!

I am remembering~

a beautiful song that spoke to my heart during church last night

I am reading~

my Bible, Simple and Delicious magazine, and The Aristocats to "D"

I am hoping~

to lose some weight before our summer vacation

On my mind~

 is how to accomplish what I am hoping for  :)

From the learning rooms~

summer books are being worked on

Bible Bee verses are being memorized

Noticing that~

the chore charts we created for "R" and "D" are working! :)

I am creating~I created~

silhouettes of the children for Hubbie for Father's Day

Pondering these words~

"If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it."

From the kitchen~

bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich this morning (Hubbie said it was yummy!)

Around the house~

the laundry is getting done

"big kids" have done their chores for today

One of my favorite things~

is spending time with my sweet Hubbie

and our children

A few plans for the rest of the week~

library

church

bridal shower

Thanks for stopping by today. I am having a little difficulty getting to my pictures right now,

but hopefully that will get fixed soon. :) I hope you have a wonderful week!

Daybook

~For today, Tuesday, June 15, 2010~

Outside my window~

the sun is starting to just come over the roof of the house across the street;

showers in the forecast for this afternoon

I am hearing~

silence

I am thinking~

about exercising

I am thankful~

for a good family

I am remembering~

opportunities given to me as a child~

a Christian home, a good church, a quality education

I am still reading~

the latest issue of Simple and Delicious

I am hoping~

that Oldest Daughter does well today at Volleyball Camp

On my mind~

are the folks in Oklahoma City who got ten inches of rain yesterday

Go here to read about Stephani's experience

From the learning rooms~

the school year is finished, but the learning doesn't stop! :)

Kids are working on time management and getting their "chore list" done correctly and efficiently

Noticing that~

I have been blessed with a wonderful Hubbie!

I am creating~

my summer reading "wish list"

Pondering these words~

"A life lived for Christ has no regrets."

From the kitchen~

for breakfast yesterday, I made some yummy cheese souffles for Hubbie and I :)

Tuesday~taco bowls

Wednesday~mozzarella chicken

Thursday~tba

Friday~tba

Saturday~out for BBQ at one of our favorite spots

Around the house~

is a little project that needs to be finished before Sunday

One of my favorite things~

is spending time with my Hubbie and family...they are my joy!

A few plans for the rest of the week~

volleyball camp, swim lessons, cleaning, laundry, church, yard work, exercising, eye appointments

From my picture journal~

Some of my summer reading "wish list"

A few weeks ago, I won a new cookbook from Mrs. H.! I have enjoyed looking through it...and maybe some of those empty spots in my menu will get filled soon! :)

Go here to see a picture of the cookbook.

Thank you, Mrs. H! :)

Thanks for joining me today...I hope you have a wonderful day! :)

Daybook

I'll be linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook on Tuesday if you'd like to read other entries.

Also~ Don't forget about the GIVEAWAY. Click here for more information.

Have a great day! :)

~For today, Monday, May 24, 2010~

Outside my window~

cloudy skies, chance of rain, 66 degrees

I am hearing~

the washing machine is working hard :),

the box fan is running

I am thinking~

that I have a wonderful family :)

I am thankful~

for God's beautiful creation all around me

I am remembering~

the family reunions we went to as kids

I am reading~

just starting Do You Mind if Your Kids Don't by Dr. Bill Rice, III

I am hoping~

that Oldest Daughter finishes the school year strong!

On my mind~

is a friend who has a new job...so amazed at how God is working out all the details!

From the learning rooms~

tomorrow is the last day of school! YIPPEE!

Noticing that~

I sure do feel better when I eat good food (not refined foods, loaded with carbs!)  :)

I am creating~

some graduation cards to send to some seniors who will be graduating in the next two weeks

From the kitchen~

Monday~pizza noodle casserole, salad

Tuesday~out to eat (to celebrate the end of school)

Wednesday~BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, vegetable

Thursday~meatloaf, noodles (cooked in beef broth)

Friday~hot dogs on the grill

Saturday~?

Around the house~

I'm doing some heavy cleaning and some laundry today

One of my favorite things~

is watching kids grow up.

One of the graduates on Friday night gave a great speech.

I was amazed by her poise and dignity,

and how much she had changed since I taught her in second grade!

I am encouraged~

by the strong character of the teens in our church and school

A few plans for the rest of the week~

include swim lessons, church, summer planning, a library visit, and cleaning my house

From my picture journal~

Can you guess where this is?

We were driving through this state one summer, and the name of this little town just made us giggle...and ever since that time, if my dad is driving through on the big rig, he'll call and say, "Hey, Donna, guess where I am?" or "Just letting you know that I'm passing through Bucksnort."

Happy Monday

~For today, Monday, May 3, 2010~

Outside my window~

the skies are cloudy and gray, rain is falling, but the temps are comfortable

I am hearing~

the coffee pot brew my morning coffee

I am thinking~

about some friends who are traveling later this week

I am thankful~

for a wonderful church, and a great man of God as our pastor

I am remembering~

visiting my grandparents (Dad's side) and at the time we weren't required to wear seat belts. While we were traveling, my brother and sister and I would lay down in the back of the station wagon and look at the stars.

I am reading~

my Bible~and so thankful I have a copy of my own

I am hoping~

that some family plans come through

On my mind~

is a list of things I want to get accomplished today :)

From the learning rooms~

school is winding down (16 days left!) WOO HOO!

Noticing that~

my attitude affects my family~therefore, I must guard that influence very carefully

I am creating~

(with a friend) a game for our mother/daughter luncheon

Pondering these words~

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God."~Ephesians 4:30

From the kitchen~

Monday~mozzarella chicken (moved from a day last week)

the rest of the week has not been planned yet :)

Around the house~

are some things that need to find their home

One of my favorite things~

are memories of family times...and I love my Hubbie's kisses!

A few plans for the rest of the week~

school every day

Wednesday~church

Friday~decorating the church gym

Saturday~Mother/daughter luncheon

From my picture journal~

Not my fence, but it sure is pretty!

I'll be linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook tomorrow. Please hop over there if you want to join or read other daybooks. I hope you have a great Monday!

Making Home A Priority

This Thankful Thursday, I wanted to share a new blog that I found. Perhaps you've already visited Rachel. She has some really great ideas to help with housekeeping.

I know that everyone is busy! Some of you may work outside the home. Others may be a SAHM. Whatever the calling, I know that we probably all desire to make our homes feel welcoming to our families and to our guests.

Another one of my personal goals this year is to make my home a priority. It's relatively clean, but I sure could use some help in keeping myself on some sort of schedule without feeling overwhelmed. I hope you have a few minutes to visit Rachel's blog. If you need some housekeeping hints or helps, you'll be glad you did!

Do you follow a schedule for your housekeeping?

Have a beautiful Thankful Thursday!

Simple Woman's Daybook~12/14

Happy Monday! Today, I am linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook.

FOR TODAY
Monday, December 14, 2009

Outside my window...

foggy and cold~34 degrees!

I am thinking...

that I have a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally!

I am thankful for...

a great church

From the learning rooms...

gearing up for the last week of school before Christmas break!

From the kitchen...

old fashioned oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins

I am wearing...

my pink and green pj's and warm socks

I am creating...

a birthday banner for my oldest daughter

I am going...

nowhere~ I hope!

I am reading...

the latest issue of Taste of Home

I am hoping...

that I will get the Christmas gifts wrapped this week

I am hearing...

Christmas music via http://www.rejoice.org/

Around the house...

it looks a lot like Christmas!

One of my favorite things...

coffee with peppermint mocha creamer

A few plans for the rest of the week:

birthday girl tomorrow, church Wednesday night,

Hubbie off work on Friday, Cookie Party at Grandma's house on Saturday

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Double Tree Hotel Cookies~YUMMY!

Plans for the week...

Here it is Monday evening, and I have not posted yet!!! The day just seemed to fly by. Ever have those kind of days?

We have a busy week with schooling, celebrating Hubbie's 35th birthday, and finishing up decorating the house.

We will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow since we have other plans for Thursday...on the menu will be poppy seed chicken, and for dessert--that homemade cheesecake that I wrote about here. Of course, it will have cherry pie topping. Yum! I hope you all have a great evening.

Pumpkin Week~Part 1

Happy Tuesday morning! My husband had a great idea of sharing pumpkin recipes this week to get me prepared for Thanksgiving. Thank you, Honey! However, most of these recipes are not on my "diet", but with a little substituting, they can be a little more diet friendly.

Today's recipe is from Very Best Baking. This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving desserts. In December, I also make a few of these, cut them in half, and give them as Christmas gifts. Is there anyone who can turn down homemade baked goods?

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Cake:
powdered sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Filling:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan; line with wax paper.
• Grease and flour paper.
• Sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar. (Save for after the cake is done.)
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the eggs and sugar in a large mixer bowl until thick.
• Beat in pumpkin.
• Stir in the flour mixture.
• Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.
• Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
• Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off the wax paper. (Be ever so gentle doing this step.)
• Roll up the cake and towel together, starting with the narrow end. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• After cake is cool, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in a small mixer bowl until smooth.
• Carefully unroll the cake; remove towel.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over cake and then reroll.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. (I usually refrigerate for several hours.)
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
• Makes 10 servings. This is delicious!