Weekly Menu

Monday - Chicken Alfredo, Cesear Salad

Tuesday - Kielbasa and Potato Soup, Beer Bread, Coleslaw

Wednesday - Sloppy Joes (bumped from last week), Sweet Potatoes, Applesauce


Thursday - Breakfast Night!!

Friday - Hamburgers with all the fixings

Saturday - Finger foods for our Home-Group

Sunday -  Chef Salad
              

This weekend, my Grandad celebrated 79 years young! 

One on the finest cowboys around with a great big heart of gold; 

he is the best Grandaddy a girl could ask for! 

Happy Monday Ya'll!

MadCounty Mama

One Mom to Another

This is a DAILY encouragement to me!

Thanks AbidingMom.

Super Mom	Abiding Mom
Does	Is (Psalm 46:10)
Tries to impress others	Pleases the Lord (Eph. 5:10, Proverbs 29:25)
Is controlled by an agenda (curriculum, schedule, etc)	Is controlled by the Holy Spirit: (Gal. 5:22-26) (Uses curriculum & schedules as tools for orderliness so she's more free to follow the spirit)
Her self worth is found in her accomplishments (clean house, perfect kids, the perfect bulletin boards, etc.)	Her self worth is found in an accurate view of who she is in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10)
Her peace is found in the “perfect” environment	Her peace is found in Jesus in the midst of any storm (Is 26:3)
She is discouraged by failure	Failure reminds her that God's strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
She expects perfection from herself and others	She practices grace with herself and others (Eph 4:32)
She teaches her kids to be good	She teaches her kids to be Godly (Proverbs 22:6)
She is frustrated with her lack of spiritual fruit	She abides in Christ and bears much fruit (John 15:5)
She does things with her children	She builds a relationship with her children (Deut 6:6-7)
Her perspective is based on what is seen	Her perspective is based on what is unseen (Col 3:2)
She chooses quantity of activities	She chooses the most excellent Way (I Cor 13)

MadCounty Mama

It's the Little Things that Matter

Details are important; at least they are to me. I notice the smallest things, the things that others would merely pass by. It is part of my character.

And it's God's character. I don't know why I never got it before. He is a God of details! The really teeny tiny details and the really big ones and even those middle of the road ones.

Now I need to admit that I feel a little scatterbrained with the whole homeschool gig. It's intimidating, a bit complex, very involved and it's only PRESCHOOL!!!

TIMEOUT!! Here's another lesson I've RElearned in the past 2 weeks. God is in control. Yep, uh-huh, imagine that. Again and again I try to lead the way, to lunge out of the harness, stomp my hooves and He calmly lets me. And I'm miserable and stressed and anxious. Then one day the fog lifts and I humbly seek His counsel and He is there, always. It's almost as though He is sitting up there in a rocking chair, like a loving grandpa shaking his head at my foolishness. And when I crawl up to sit in His lap, He always welcomes me lovingly and shows me my foolishness; shows me my pride(ouch!). And then in a glorious moment I see the path He has for me and He guides me to it.

So I asked Him to guide our week, our lessons, my teaching; I gave up my need to control it all and He used me. All the tiny details came together, like the spokes of gears that push each other round and round. God knit our learning with His tender care. It was fun, it was interesting and the boys were learning new things!

Eager Student = Happy Mama

Psalms 139:13 NIV

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.”

It is simply amazing to me that He is interested in every small aspect of my life. When the day has been too long and I am drowning in self-pity; His hand is always reaching out to me, to help me back up on my feet and encouraging me that while I cannot do it all on my own, He can. 

MadCounty Mama 

the Start of Something Wonderful

This past weekend I finally got around to starting some seeds. I will be planting my very own, very first garden!  My mother has always had a great big garden and I have never had a place to have my own. Every Feb-March I would start seeds in our tiny condo and care for them until it was time to put them in her garden.  She would water and weed it all summer and in the fall, we would drive up to help harvest.  I feel thankful that we were able to have fresh food even when we didn't have our own land to grow it on.  We've had home canned beans, beets, sauerkraut and pickles, frozen broccoli, fresh corn, peas, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, and squash - all from my mother's loving hand.  But this year we are taking on the project ourselves.
And I added a few Gifts to my list:
10. Laundry - fresh from the clothes line

15. Morning sunlight kissing the Tobacco Roots

22. Rich, soft, earthy dirt

I found a clever way to reuse empty toilet paper rolls as well.  You can read more about this easy project here.

Jeremiah 17:8

"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." 

MadCounty Mama

Weekly Menu

Monday - Ranch Pork chops, rice and pickled beets

Tuesday - Baked Tilipia, couscous, mixed vegetables and rolls

Wednesday - French Dip, oven fries, carrot sticks

Thursday - Waffles, bacon, fruit salad with vanilla yogurt

Friday - Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, peas and sweet potato

Saturday - not sure, possibly pizza

Sunday - Hamburgers w/ all the fixings

MadCounty Mama

Winter Birthday Fun

Every year we have a sledding (snowmobiles) party for my dad's birthday.  This year there was a little bit less snow since we ended up going a little later in the year than normal.  It was a wonderful day with lots of fun memories for my boys.  (Daddy and Princess stayed warm at home - Daddy is not a cold weather person although it was quite warm; into the 50s)

Helping Grampa hitch up the cutter.

Spice on his Christmas present from Uncle Cole

Sugar and Uncle Cole Snowball fight!

Sugar getting pulled by Grampa

Lunchtime

So Much Fun!

MadCounty Mama

Your Junk = My Treasure

My dad called me up a few weeks ago and asked me if I needed some new pots and pans.  

Of course!! (and I actually do) 

Then he told me he'd found a box of pots and pans at the...dump. 

I was a little apprehensive but he assured me that they look barely used and aside from being a little dusty they were in great shape.  He sent them home with me and I put the box in the garage without really glancing at them.  But rather than put it off any longer, last week I grabbed the box with the determination to clean them up, check 'em out and decide if they were worth it.  

They. Are. Worth. It!

It is not a complete set, missing a large stock pot, but I already have one of those.  This set includes three sauce pans and two skillets. 

*All brushed stainless steel

*All with silicone grips oven safe to 400*(although I don't think I'll ever use them in the oven, that's pretty neat!)

*All Kitchen Aid brand!  

Retails at $245 and I got it all for the price of a big fat NADA!!!

These pans are great - I love the way they cook and clean up! They are obviously not non-stick but I've learned a few tricks of cooking with stainless steel; first make sure your pan is hot before you add oil, then add what you are cooking. Meat will stick if you put it in a cold pan no matter how much oil you use. 

Also, it is a little like cast iron. The pans need to be seasoned a bit so that the oil will fill in the pores. It's best to not wash with a lot of soap, as that will rid the pores of the oil, just try soaking the pan in water.  If the food is really cooked on, put enough water into the pan to cover the cooked on parts and heat it to boiling on the stove, turn off the heat and let it soak. 

So get out and go DUMPSTER-DIVING!!! or hit up your local second hand shop, you never know what kind of treasure is waiting for you!

MadCounty Mama

Weekly Menu March 14th - 20th

Soon I hope to add a new page to this blog with some of my favorite recipes and new recipes that I test! I love to explore with my cooking/baking and love to share what I learn.

Monday - Grilled Chicken, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Jello

Tuesday - Calico Beans, Homemade Bread, Steamed Carrots

Wednesday - Fish Tacos, Broccoli Salad, Applesauce

Thursday - Egg McMuffins, Waldorf Salad, Orange Julius

Friday - Beef Stroganoff, Pickled Beets

Saturday - Corndogs, Carrot sticks, Broccoli

Sunday - Chicken Spinach Salad

Happy St. Patty's to all....I love Corned beef and cabbage but no one else in my family does, but my mom has promised to save me a bowl from her pot! She's the best!!

A Dare

I have decided to take a dare.  "A Dare to live fully right where you are." I was looking for blogs about home school preschool when I discovered a treasure.  And there was a book that went along with it One Thousand Gifts.  I started reading it right away and it is more intense and wonderful than I'd first imagined! And so I've accepted the Dare to write down a thousand gifts in my life. I have done like the author and taken a small journal type notebook and as I think of the gifts bestowed upon me, where ever I may be, I take the time to jot it down. And with new appreciation for what used to seem like small things in life, I am humbled and give thanks to God for the blessings that bring quiet joy to my heart.
My List:
1. The way an almost 2 year old boy squeals with excitement and runs away.
2. Warm sunshine on me
3. The smell of my mom: of fresh air, hay, horses, and sweat.
4. Playing the piano

I highly recommend watching the trailer for the book.

Until next time, I will be Counting My Blessings.

Underneath the big green ash in my backyard is a bench.  And beside that bench is a babbling fountain put in by the previous owners. Since we just moved into our first home in November I have yet to relax in my backyard and enjoy the breeze playing with the leaves or the sound of water gently falling down those rocks.  And while I am very anxious for summer to arrive so I can sip iced tea and sit on that bench, the tree is still beautiful in the harsh winter.  Naked with no leaves it reaches up toward heaven like the sinner who is nothing without God.  God who paints the sky and brings out the beauty of a simple tree.

Weekly Menu March 7th - 12th

Yep, it's Tuesday and the menu is late.  That planner/cook lady should get fired!

Monday - yesterday :) Chicken & Rice Casserole, Sweet Potatoes and Rolls

Tuesday - Sante Fe Chipotle Soup...(we will see how this one goes over with PreacherMan and his munchkins) and Cheddar Bacon Corn Muffins -thanks Krystin!

Wednesday - Not sure yet, could be lasagna that I didn't get made last week

Thursday - Hashbrown Breakfast Bake minus the onions and peppers

Friday - Steaks, Baked Potatoes, Broccoli Salad

Saturday - Leftovers

Happy Fat Tuesday...whatever that is.

Six Months

Today my baby girl is 6 months old.  Yes, time does fly; but it also seems like she's been a part of the family forever.

Mommy's Love

Daddy's Princess

God's Blessing

Our Princess now...

Big Girl sitting up!

Love her personality!