From Seeds to Harvest Gardening Challenge
We are in a drought here, which means every morning Jeff waters the garden and Olivia tends to her herbs. We NEED rain, like a whole week of rain! We've gotten some yellow squash from our garden and some wonderful lettuce. There have also been a couple blueberries ripe...can't
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Up-cycled T-Shirts into a Skirt
I am so fascinated with up-cycled t-shirts. It makes me want to go to the thrift store and buy a bunch! I love this skirt!!! Wouldn't it be cute with different colors?! Check out the tutorial at Analog Me!
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Fiber Arts Monday - Crochet Baby Bonnet
Here is a baby bonnet I did last week. Because I've made a few of these in the past I was able to 'make it up as I went' and not use a pattern. It took me about 2 -3 hours total and probably only cost about 25-50 cents to make. I love working with thread, I'd rather work with thread than y
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Building a Family Economy- Use Your Passion
What are you passionate about? I mean really love doing? What if money were not an issue? What if you had no debt and an endless supply of money, how would you spend your days? Consider your end goal: Is it to be filthy rich? To be famous? To make enough money to support
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From Seeds to Harvest Giveaway!
Don't forget to check out today's From Seeds to Harvest Gardening Challenge. There is a sweeeeeeeeet giveaway involved!
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Serving More than a Few Dinner Guests?
Hospitality should be a very important part of our lives. For some people it is their gift; it comes naturally. For others it is overwhelming. If you are not used to having guests over, start small. Maybe ask one family, or even one couple. Keep the food simple, or even order pizza. Sometim
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Rushdoony on Self-Righteousness
Last week our girls were at the Student World View Conference. The speakers were fantastic and the girls came home with so many nuggets of truth! After dealing with rebellion from our older two I do not take for granted that any of our children have a desire to grow spiritually, it is a beautiful th
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Fiber Arts Monday - Baby Hat
Saturday night I put my laptop aside and pulled out some yarn and a hook. I made this baby hat, not for a particular baby, but just to play around with a pattern. I have several baby showers coming up and I'm trying to find a good hat/booties pattern I like. I'm not real crazy about this pattern,
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How to Build a Family Economy - Graduation and Productivity
Listen to the whole thing, the last half is the most encouraging!!! We NEED to be productive! Our kids need to be working as early as possible. Graduation Speeches and Unemployed Graduates from Kevin Swanson on Vimeo. Our girls are at a conference where Kevin Swanson is speaking thi
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Don’t Forget the Gardening Challenge
Don't forget about the From Seeds to Harvest Gardening Challenge going on over at She Considers!
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Cut Hair at Home!
We just watched the DVD Bring It Home Beauty Hair Edition Volume 1 it is GREAT! It shows how to style hair, how to cut long hair, bangs and a men's cut. It also shows how to do highlights! Right now you can get it for $10.00 on Amazon. Just think, for $10.00 and
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Movieology - Helping You Choose Wisely!
I can't tell you how many times we've brought home a movie only to turn it off 20 minutes into it! Now that our children are older we tolerate a little bit more 'junk' than we use to, but we always talk through it and after it, tearing apart the movie and it's world-view. Even good movies can hav
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How to Make Corn Husk Dolls - Video Tutorial
It won't be long and most of us will have some fresh corn that we just husked. Turn off the TV and turn on come CREATIVITY by letting the kids make corn husk dolls, or flowers or anything else they can think of. Olivia made this one the other day. But you really need to see what and how these l
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How to Husk Corn - Video Tutorial
Got fuzzy corn? hahahaa If you have a lot of corn to shuck, put the right music on to get you in the mood...lol... Corn and bluegrass, they just go together! Right? If all else fails, train your dog to husk corn:
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Fiber Arts Monday - Patriotic Items
Someday... I want to have quilts for each season and holiday to display on our bench in the living room. I'm not sure when that 'someday' will come, but it is a goal I have. :) In honor of Memorial Day, I'm posting a flag wall hanging that Olivia made a few years ago, actually she's made 3 or 4 o
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A Typical Week for Us- Sort-of
To be honest, there is no typical week. Each season, each week looks a bit different, partly because our family is constantly changing, as the children grow up their interest and abilities change. As Jeff and I 'mature' we change also. Because all of our income is home based and we have several st
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Lori Wins the Cookies!!!
Lori, comment #25, wins the 2 dozen of Mrs. B's Best Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies! Lori, send me your mailing address and I'll get them out to you.
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Today’s Table -How Sweet and Awesome is the Place
I love that spring/summer is here! I love that I can always have fresh flowers and herbs on our table for free! Just a little color on the table makes all the difference!! Here are a couple of herbs from Olivia's garden and a couple blooms from the butterfly bush in our front yard. Planting per
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Givaway- 2 Dozen Mrs. B’s Cookies!
A couple weeks ago I baked a BIG batch of my Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. I've done this recipe for years and I really can't give exact amounts because I'm to the point I just throw it all in and I know when the texture is right. Everywhere I take these cookies they
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It’s Worth All the Gnashing of Teeth!
I popped in on Olivia's blog and saw this sweet, sweet post she wrote about her little sister. It has to be one of my favorite things she has written, I also love that this picture is not staged, she really took it while Emma was still asleep. As I reflected on her writings I thought abou
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Fiber Arts Monday - Rescuing and Redeeming a Quilt
OK, so I love using words that reflect my faith (rescue, redeemed) and as my kids will tell you, I make an analogy out of EVERY thing...I really can't help myself! The other day Jeff and Olivia were cleaning out a basement for a lady, she hadn't been in there for 20 years she
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Three Keys to a Successful Family Economy
1. Define Success You must first know where you are going before you can start in that direction, otherwise you'll run in circles and probably end up where you started...confused. Some people have huge goals, others just want to get through the day. Some people want to be wealthy s
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2011 From Seeds to Harvest Gardening Challenge
A couple years ago I did a From Seeds to Harvest Gardening Challenge that was quite popular. I'm going to do it again this year except our daughter, Olivia, will actually be hosting it on her site, She Considers. I'll post about it here each week, but we'll all link up over there. I look forward to
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Winner of Dinner’s in the Freezer
Darcy (commenter #21)!!! You are the winner of Dinner's in the Freezer book. Please send me your address and I'll get it in the mail to you!
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Reduced E-book Prices
We have just lowered the prices of all of our e-books! No reason not to get your copy today! How to Grow and Use Culinary Herbs $2.97 Tools and Tips for Successful Cake Decorating $2.97 What to Do When Your Daughter Hates Being in the Kitchen $2.97 How to Quilt in Five Easy
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A Free Education ~ RC Sproul Jr.
(All bold print is my emphasis.) “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” Such is the wisdom one can expect to find on a car’s bumper. Wisdom, however, is found in God’s Word, which, surprisingly, says not a peep about “ed
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Great Project for a Boy
Here is an easy beginner's project for boys and very functional! Detailed instructions over at Design Sponge .
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More Thoughts of Tom Lee and Updates
This video clip reminds me of how Tom Lee lived, giving his all for his family. The way he died was a reflection of how Christ died, laying his body down to save his family. Please continue to pray for the Lee family and the struggles they are enduring. They have some special prayer requ
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Giveaway- Dinner’s in the Freezer
I am clearing a lot of books form my shelves, rather than trying to sell them I thought I'd give them away, so here is the first one: Don't Panic- Dinner's in the Freezer Taking one day a week or month and getting some meals in the freezer is a great way to save yourself time, mone
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Fiber Arts Monday - How to Add Photos to Fabric
A couple weeks ago I showed you how I make photo quilts. Here are a couple of video tutorials to help you understand the process of getting the photo on the fabric better. I have used the same liquid that this lady uses and it is MUCH more cost effective than buying the sheets of photo pa
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How to Build a Family Economy- and Why
I was recently asked, "How did you get from where you were to where you are now? That was a tough question, because it is such a LONG story. My husband and I were raised as most average Americans were. Both of our parents worked, we both went to the government schools, we rarely attended church a
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How to Cut Onions and Laugh
Just let Emma do it... Emma volunteered to cut them up ... she had her swim goggles with her! "Is that enough yet Mom?" It was actually all her commentary that made it fun, not her silly goggles. :) Adult children that are well skilled, FUN and dedicated are a HUGE blessing! Our f
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Blue Drop Flower Mini Cupcakes
I had already committed to a cupcake order a couple weeks before the tornado hit. My biggest problem was that I had no electricity when the time came to make them. Thankfully because my husband is in the fire department I was able to bake the cupcakes and mix the icing in their kitchen at 9 at night
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Living with the Cookie Monster
Today I am baking enough cookies for 225 people that will be attending our 2nd Annual Christ Church Spring Conference. This year's theme, Covenant Community: A Biblical Alternative to Socialism. Baking cookies is not near as easy as it sounds when you live with the Cookie Monster, aka, Jeff Brodo
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Tool Drive - Tornado Relief
Teaching Good Things is sponsoring a Tool Drive to help some of the families in Shoal Creek Valley, AL, who lost all their tools in the April 27, tornado. There are a lot of people willing to help rebuild, but tools are scarce. These families not only need tools to rebuild, but because
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These Girls are Real Go-getters!
I've told you about the Weckler sisters before, and their outstanding entrepreneurial spirit! Here is a recent TV interview they did. As you can tell they really are go-getters! Check out their website Sewing Kits 4 Kids!
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Be Able to Jump into Action with Confidence!
For the last couple years I have prayed that my children (remember they are older teens and 20 now) would see real heart ache, to see suffering, not that I wanted it to happen to them, but to see that there are so many in need. I wanted them (and myself) moved to deeper levels of compassion for othe
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Fiber Arts Monday - Who’s Doing What?
With all the tornado recovery going on around here there are no Fiber Arts happening, I guess you could say there are a lot of culinary arts happening! Either way, I'd love to hear and see what you all are working on, please do share! Fiber art is anything that includes stitching, weaving, quil
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Fruit and Veggie Display
I had an order for just a fruit and vegetable display for a wedding, the family did their own cooking. It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding! Absolutely beautiful!!! Olivia went with me, 4 hands are better than 2; she took these pictures. One side was vegetables... the other side fruit. This
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The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World
Moms and future moms, know that you ARE building the future, one day at a time, one cup of water at a time. Make sure you are influencing the future for the Kingdom, in a way that truly pleases God. Don't worry about keeping up with the Jones. Don't worry about what friends and family members think
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Tornado Relief -Updates
THANK YOU to all of you that have so sacrificially given to the people in our area that lost so much in the April 27, 2011 tornadoes. Many of you have emailed and called wanting to know specifically how to help. What a blessing to be joint workers in the Kingdom of God!!! As you all help in w
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We are Bound by Blood - Alabama Tornado Part 2
You can read about the night the tornado hit here. That night was a living nightmare. Among our friends, three homes were destroyed and one damaged along with one life lost. We have a large Christian homeschool community here that spans several counties. Not only are we large in number
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The Night the Tornado Hit - Part 1
I know I need to document our experience with the tornado, but I'm having a hard time mustering up the words. I know I need to write it all down before I forget the details, even though I keep going over it in mind constantly. This is going to be pretty long so I understand if you just want to mov
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Alabama Tornadoes
As most of you know we have been very busy helping our dear friends. Below are video clips, I'll let them tell their story: Jordan will bring God glory as he carries on his father's legacy in Godly manhood! Some of our dearest friends! Thankfully our home rece
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Our children are…
Our children are God's gift to us. If we are Christians, they are God's; and it is our responsibility to hide them in Christ. It is our responsibility to say 'No' to the world, which in every subtle way would put it's stamps upon their minds and hearts. Our children are given to us to raise for
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Today’s Table - Easter 2011
We had a pretty full Easter weekend with a Good Friday service at church, then a community egg hunt on Saturday where Emma made balloon animals for the kids, and then worship on Sunday. Saturday night Olivia mixed up the cinnamon rolls and put them in the refrigerator so all I had to d
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Living Financially Secure Ever-after
A couple weeks ago a quote was used in the sermon at church, it was so rich I just have to share it with you! Dr. Lightfoot shows that it was the custom of the Jews to bring up their children to some trade, yea, though they gave them learning or estates. Rabbi Judah says, "He that teach
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Fiber Arts Monday
Last week we had two birthdays in our home and had house guest for a few days which means I did not work on any projects. I'm really hoping to get some sewing done this week. I have the up-cycle bug and am looking at all kinds of ideas on how to make what I want out of things already made. :) I do
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Unplugging, Reflecting, Rejoicing!
I'll be unplugging the computer for a couple days to reflect on the price paid for my sins. May you know who you are in Christ and live your life in a way that brings glory to the One who gave His all. Our family will gather tonight at church for Good Friday service. Tomorrow we have a communi
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Good Student or Life Long Learner?
Growth and mastery come only to those who vigorously self-direct. Initiating, creating, doing, reflecting, freely associating, enjoying privacy —these are precisely what the structures of schooling are set up to prevent, on one pretext or another. ~John Taylor Gatto We have got
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