Before I forget and never ever write it down anywhere, Isaiah SPELLED his first word last week. He spelled s-n-o-w. Of course I helped him sound it out, but he knew each letter on his own with no additional prompting from me other than the actual sound the letters make. Yay! An appropriate first word to spell considering how often it has been dusting us with snow lately. Supposedly we're getting a foot of snow tonight, but that's impossible with global climate change, right?
This makes me excited for homeschooling! I even started moving all the homeschooling stuff together in the dining room so I can have a nice place to sit them down when we do sit down stuff.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
I've been thinking.....
I have been thinking lately. I mean really thinking about everyday decisions that I make. I never really questioned before. Until my husband insisted that, yes, chickens in our backyard were a great idea, I had kind of just gone with the flow. Really, my entire life. I was pretty good about obeying my parents, I have never questioned my faith, I was great at doing school (until I got to college). I mean, there was always something a little different about me compared to my friends growing up. I never really "fit" into any specific group entirely, partly because I don't really like to exclude those who want to be included. I had a few friends who I stuck with for the most part, but I was the one who befriended the new kid. I had a great new-kid friend in elementary school that moved away a year later, and I had a great new-kid friend in high school who eventually found a crowd she "fit" with so we drifted. I had a very manipulative friend who disappointed me greatly, and she actually passed away a couple of years ago, after our friendship was kind of nonexistent. I had a group of guys I hung around with for years, but I've drifted probably because I am married with 3 kids now. My "group" growing up kind of held me at a distance, I think, because I was always befriending someone new. I love them, but sometimes I felt like I didn't fit with them. Now my place doesn't determine my friendships and I have a super-cool best friend now, and I am so grateful to have someone I can go to no matter what. Plus, my husband is the best. It is so cool to choose your friends.
Anyway, I'm glad to be thinking and questioning now. I don't just believe everything I hear or read, or someone tells me. I like to find out if it's that way for myself, or I ask Nathan to find out for me since he's always been a thinker--it comes more naturally to him. I am running into some trouble with all this thinking, though. What do I do when my mom disagrees with me. That's been happening more and more lately, and I hate it. I love my mom very much and to cause her grief or worry just plain sucks. But now that I have started down this path, it seems there is no going back to accepting everything just the way it is presented. The worries began with the chickens, but that was just the beginning. I think the dissension really began when we chose not to vaccinate Toby, and is growing over our decision to hopefully move to a farm and live as sustainably as possible. I think it's really hard for her to accept that we may one day live without electricity and milk our own cow and use a composting toilet. (not yet, but someday.)
On top of this I am feeling far away from God. It might be because all this questioning has raised some issues. Not really about my belief. I really truly deeply believe in and put my faith in Jesus. But sometimes about how I might defend my faith if needed, or about following what Jesus might ask me to do. I struggle with being unwilling, disobedient, and especially undisciplined. I have never been a faithful reader of my Bible, and although I pray often, lately it seems like the prayers are more like conversation in my head than conversations with the True and Living God. I am also struggling with the issue of birth control and what to do/not do about having more and more and more children. I think I am afraid to pray about it because the answer might not be one I am going to like-or one that I am willing to obey. I don't want to disobey God--but I also don't want to have 20 kids. Although, I know, I know it would be a blessing. (The prior sentence reads a little too easily--this is a struggle--and a paragraph that I cried through--I really need some peace about this) In this regard, please pray for a hunger to read God's word, wisdom in decisions about more children, and that I will have the courage to obey if the answers I get aren't the ones I hope for. Or you could just pray that God will tell me to tie my tubes : )
I guess I never really faced opposition before, because I never really opposed those around me. Now it seems like all the things I get really excited about are things that will cause some sort of dissonance between me and the family that surrounds me. Who knew that the number of children you have could be an open topic of discussion around the table between the women of my family? What about homeschooling? Although, not nearly as hot a topic as immunization or baby count, still something we differ on with some of the relatives. Also, who cares if I have a cow? Apparently there are some who would adamantly demand that I never have one. (Well, just one, actually.) Who needs to be concerned about the type of dwelling we choose to reside in after we move? Lots of those people, too. They can't talk me out of wanting one of these though.
I love my family dearly, and I just hope we can find a way to live in peace now that I disagree with some of the things they think are best for me. By family I of course mean those outside of my home, you know, Nathan and I agree on the big stuff we are choosing to do together. By living peacefully, I of course mean they will come to fully accept, understand and convert to my way of thinking ;) No, really, just no anger or disappointment would be fantastic. Or worry. No worry either.
Well, being this honest has made me hungry. I may go make some potatoes the way Kristin taught me. Nathan's new favorite breakfast. But seeing as it's 11:15 pm I'll probably just have some cheese or something. We got some really awesome cheese at the Amish store. It's almost gone so I'd better be quick.
Anyway, I'm glad to be thinking and questioning now. I don't just believe everything I hear or read, or someone tells me. I like to find out if it's that way for myself, or I ask Nathan to find out for me since he's always been a thinker--it comes more naturally to him. I am running into some trouble with all this thinking, though. What do I do when my mom disagrees with me. That's been happening more and more lately, and I hate it. I love my mom very much and to cause her grief or worry just plain sucks. But now that I have started down this path, it seems there is no going back to accepting everything just the way it is presented. The worries began with the chickens, but that was just the beginning. I think the dissension really began when we chose not to vaccinate Toby, and is growing over our decision to hopefully move to a farm and live as sustainably as possible. I think it's really hard for her to accept that we may one day live without electricity and milk our own cow and use a composting toilet. (not yet, but someday.)
On top of this I am feeling far away from God. It might be because all this questioning has raised some issues. Not really about my belief. I really truly deeply believe in and put my faith in Jesus. But sometimes about how I might defend my faith if needed, or about following what Jesus might ask me to do. I struggle with being unwilling, disobedient, and especially undisciplined. I have never been a faithful reader of my Bible, and although I pray often, lately it seems like the prayers are more like conversation in my head than conversations with the True and Living God. I am also struggling with the issue of birth control and what to do/not do about having more and more and more children. I think I am afraid to pray about it because the answer might not be one I am going to like-or one that I am willing to obey. I don't want to disobey God--but I also don't want to have 20 kids. Although, I know, I know it would be a blessing. (The prior sentence reads a little too easily--this is a struggle--and a paragraph that I cried through--I really need some peace about this) In this regard, please pray for a hunger to read God's word, wisdom in decisions about more children, and that I will have the courage to obey if the answers I get aren't the ones I hope for. Or you could just pray that God will tell me to tie my tubes : )
I guess I never really faced opposition before, because I never really opposed those around me. Now it seems like all the things I get really excited about are things that will cause some sort of dissonance between me and the family that surrounds me. Who knew that the number of children you have could be an open topic of discussion around the table between the women of my family? What about homeschooling? Although, not nearly as hot a topic as immunization or baby count, still something we differ on with some of the relatives. Also, who cares if I have a cow? Apparently there are some who would adamantly demand that I never have one. (Well, just one, actually.) Who needs to be concerned about the type of dwelling we choose to reside in after we move? Lots of those people, too. They can't talk me out of wanting one of these though.
I love my family dearly, and I just hope we can find a way to live in peace now that I disagree with some of the things they think are best for me. By family I of course mean those outside of my home, you know, Nathan and I agree on the big stuff we are choosing to do together. By living peacefully, I of course mean they will come to fully accept, understand and convert to my way of thinking ;) No, really, just no anger or disappointment would be fantastic. Or worry. No worry either.
Well, being this honest has made me hungry. I may go make some potatoes the way Kristin taught me. Nathan's new favorite breakfast. But seeing as it's 11:15 pm I'll probably just have some cheese or something. We got some really awesome cheese at the Amish store. It's almost gone so I'd better be quick.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Real Quick
Okay, okay I'll blog! I have so much I want to write about our trip to Texas that I never seem to find the time to write a huge post. It was so much fun, so relaxing, and I terribly miss my friends now. And Toby got huge while we were gone.
I made lemon muffins last night and they are gone today. Yum. I think I may make orange muffins next.
I'll write again really soon. Really.
I made lemon muffins last night and they are gone today. Yum. I think I may make orange muffins next.
I'll write again really soon. Really.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Just yesterday I was discussing Christmas with the kids and Isaiah was telling me that it was all about baby Jesus' birthday then he said, "But He's a big boy now." Merry Christmas from the Arnolds.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Food
What can one make with 7 pounds of rice, 6 bags of mozzarella cheese, 1 carton of heavy cream and salmon? And 32 cans of cream of mushroom soup. Ew. No food, no idea what to fix for lunch. I guess the kids will have peanut butter crackers and oranges for the 5th day in a row or pretty close to it. I am having a cup of coffee and the last Aldi brand swiss cake roll for a late breakfast. I should be eating eggs, but I chose sweets and caffeine because I was a zombie this morning. Oh! Eggs! I can make the kids eggs for lunch! If you couldn't tell, it's grocery shopping day.
We just made a cute little craft for Nannie and Pop for Christmas. It's a little box made of craft sticks. I have some more crafts to make before Christmas. We are probably going to make a gingerbread something. A couple of years ago we made a gingerbread train and it was really cute, and easier, I think, than a house. I do want to try a gingerbread house sometime though... Maybe after I get the kitchen sparkling and sanitized I will get the ambition to go forward with the ordeal. Hence the coffee.
Oh and we had hamburgers on homemade buns this week and they were awesome! I don't know if we'll ever buy buns again. We already don't buy bread, but I have been really slacking off on making it, so we have just been doing without. But one night this week I wanted burgers so I had to make buns, and YUM! The recipe was from allrecipes and the bread only had to rise once which was nice, but I think I could actually make buns with any of the bread recipes I already use and I could probably only let it rise once too. Especially my whole wheat bread, it rises so well, I could probably just let it rise once. Okay, here's my whole wheat bread recipe. Usually I just write down the ingredient list and MAYBE fragments to get me through the recipe, but I will try to be thorough for you who may actually try this:
Ingredients
8 c. whole wheat flour
2 packages (5 tsp.) of active dry yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. veg. oil
Although I would feel comfortable substituting some water for some milk or sugar for honey if I was out, or some white flour for some of the wheat or melted butter for oil... I'm getting pretty adventurous with my bread making!
Okay back to the recipe
I use the kitchenaid, but I have made it by hand because it is past the capacity for our mixer.
1. Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour undissolved yeast and salt
2. Heat milk, water, honey and oil until very warm (not boiling!) about 120-130 degrees. Sometimes I use the thermometer, sometimes I just wait until little bubbles form around the rim of the mixture. It's usually pretty close.
3. Gradually add the warmed mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl already.
4. Beat 2 minutes
5. Add 1 cup of flour and beat 2 more minutes.
6. Stir in rest of flour and knead 6-8 minutes
7. Let dough rise until doubled 45-60 minutes
8. Shape dough and rise again until doubled, 30-60 minutes.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until it looks and sounds done.
Although if you use all whole wheat flour the bread is really dense so it takes
a bit longer than you might be used to if you use a mixture of white and wheat.
If it looks done, I usually give it a few more minutes. Sometimes I slice into
it and it's just not quite done in the middle, but we usually just eat it
anyway.
We just made a cute little craft for Nannie and Pop for Christmas. It's a little box made of craft sticks. I have some more crafts to make before Christmas. We are probably going to make a gingerbread something. A couple of years ago we made a gingerbread train and it was really cute, and easier, I think, than a house. I do want to try a gingerbread house sometime though... Maybe after I get the kitchen sparkling and sanitized I will get the ambition to go forward with the ordeal. Hence the coffee.
Oh and we had hamburgers on homemade buns this week and they were awesome! I don't know if we'll ever buy buns again. We already don't buy bread, but I have been really slacking off on making it, so we have just been doing without. But one night this week I wanted burgers so I had to make buns, and YUM! The recipe was from allrecipes and the bread only had to rise once which was nice, but I think I could actually make buns with any of the bread recipes I already use and I could probably only let it rise once too. Especially my whole wheat bread, it rises so well, I could probably just let it rise once. Okay, here's my whole wheat bread recipe. Usually I just write down the ingredient list and MAYBE fragments to get me through the recipe, but I will try to be thorough for you who may actually try this:
Ingredients
8 c. whole wheat flour
2 packages (5 tsp.) of active dry yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. veg. oil
Although I would feel comfortable substituting some water for some milk or sugar for honey if I was out, or some white flour for some of the wheat or melted butter for oil... I'm getting pretty adventurous with my bread making!
Okay back to the recipe
I use the kitchenaid, but I have made it by hand because it is past the capacity for our mixer.
1. Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour undissolved yeast and salt
2. Heat milk, water, honey and oil until very warm (not boiling!) about 120-130 degrees. Sometimes I use the thermometer, sometimes I just wait until little bubbles form around the rim of the mixture. It's usually pretty close.
3. Gradually add the warmed mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl already.
4. Beat 2 minutes
5. Add 1 cup of flour and beat 2 more minutes.
6. Stir in rest of flour and knead 6-8 minutes
7. Let dough rise until doubled 45-60 minutes
8. Shape dough and rise again until doubled, 30-60 minutes.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until it looks and sounds done.
Although if you use all whole wheat flour the bread is really dense so it takes
a bit longer than you might be used to if you use a mixture of white and wheat.
If it looks done, I usually give it a few more minutes. Sometimes I slice into
it and it's just not quite done in the middle, but we usually just eat it
anyway.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas Favorites
Christmasy stuff
Tagged by Kristin
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. I try to wrap at least part of the gifts the kids open, but we do a lot of bags. Last year we used some leftover baby shower bags. It's more about what's inside that counts, right?
2. Real tree or Artificial? I've never had a real one, but we thought about it this year since the state apparently decided to cut down anything within 20 feet of the road and that included a LOT of perfectly sized Christmas looking trees...ah well, eventually.
3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime the week after thanksgiving usually, although I ask Nathan if we can put it up before Halloween almost every year.
4. When do you take the tree down? Pretty quickly after New Year's day, but what about the 12 days of Christmas? That would put us to at least the 5th.
5. Do you like eggnog? Never tried it because it looks GROSS
6. Favorite gift received as a child? a pretend camping set with a lantern and a canteen and other great stuff. My sister spoiled the surprise that year, but it was still the best gift ever.
7. Hardest person to buy for? brothers in law. all of them.
8. Easiest person to buy for? my kids!
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes a hand me down ceramic one and a beautiful small Fontanini set that I got as a wedding gift. Ooh and I love the willow tree kind but I don't have any of those yet
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I wish we were the mailing type, but email all the way.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I cannot remember any one specific bad gift, but I definitely remember being disappointed at least a couple of times
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation--it's a yearly event
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. Is that really so bad? I mean really who can use 4 bottles of bath and body works lotion in a lifetime, let alone one Christmas? (now you know! don't get me lotion! even though I am extremely dry)
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? chocolate covered peanut butter crackers made by my Great Aunt Elsie and also her white chocolate covered pretzels. And all the other awesome candies at my granny's house on Christmas eve
16. Lights on the tree? Well, yes. White and colored. We try to find a new interesting set of colored lights every year when the Christmas stuff is marked down 90 percent.
17. Favorite Christmas song? We Three Kings. And the yellow disc of WOW Christmas 2002. Esp. Sing Mary Sing by Jennifer Knapp
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? travel close-by. Nothing out of state. Barely out of county, but still full and busy.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet Cupid Donner Blitzen Rudolph... but ask me in June and I will have no idea. I have just read them too many times in the past week.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither. We have nothing at the top. Isaiah says we need a star, though, so we might make a star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas eve at my Granny's and Christmas morning at home and then at my parent's
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The unending annoying "Christmas" songs like frosty the snowman and jingle bell rock, although the kids really love stuff like that so it's much easier to tolerate it when it's my kids singing.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? No theme here. I would like to have a beautifully put together tree with all coordinating ornaments, but what would we do with all the ornaments we love?
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Not turkey! We have tacos at Nathan's mom's Christmas get together and I really look forward to that.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Money for our trip to Texas!
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? ? No Idea!
27. Does Santa wrap your gift or leave them unwrapped? Both. Some unwrapped for the WOW moment but some wrapped so we can enjoy the moment longer. and because kids like to un-wrap stuff.
Okay! I tag Jud, Jamie, Teresa, and especially Nathan! What IS your favorite Christmas song? And if you read my blog and I don't know it, let me know so I can tag you too!
Tagged by Kristin
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. I try to wrap at least part of the gifts the kids open, but we do a lot of bags. Last year we used some leftover baby shower bags. It's more about what's inside that counts, right?
2. Real tree or Artificial? I've never had a real one, but we thought about it this year since the state apparently decided to cut down anything within 20 feet of the road and that included a LOT of perfectly sized Christmas looking trees...ah well, eventually.
3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime the week after thanksgiving usually, although I ask Nathan if we can put it up before Halloween almost every year.
4. When do you take the tree down? Pretty quickly after New Year's day, but what about the 12 days of Christmas? That would put us to at least the 5th.
5. Do you like eggnog? Never tried it because it looks GROSS
6. Favorite gift received as a child? a pretend camping set with a lantern and a canteen and other great stuff. My sister spoiled the surprise that year, but it was still the best gift ever.
7. Hardest person to buy for? brothers in law. all of them.
8. Easiest person to buy for? my kids!
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes a hand me down ceramic one and a beautiful small Fontanini set that I got as a wedding gift. Ooh and I love the willow tree kind but I don't have any of those yet
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I wish we were the mailing type, but email all the way.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I cannot remember any one specific bad gift, but I definitely remember being disappointed at least a couple of times
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation--it's a yearly event
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. Is that really so bad? I mean really who can use 4 bottles of bath and body works lotion in a lifetime, let alone one Christmas? (now you know! don't get me lotion! even though I am extremely dry)
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? chocolate covered peanut butter crackers made by my Great Aunt Elsie and also her white chocolate covered pretzels. And all the other awesome candies at my granny's house on Christmas eve
16. Lights on the tree? Well, yes. White and colored. We try to find a new interesting set of colored lights every year when the Christmas stuff is marked down 90 percent.
17. Favorite Christmas song? We Three Kings. And the yellow disc of WOW Christmas 2002. Esp. Sing Mary Sing by Jennifer Knapp
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? travel close-by. Nothing out of state. Barely out of county, but still full and busy.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet Cupid Donner Blitzen Rudolph... but ask me in June and I will have no idea. I have just read them too many times in the past week.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither. We have nothing at the top. Isaiah says we need a star, though, so we might make a star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas eve at my Granny's and Christmas morning at home and then at my parent's
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The unending annoying "Christmas" songs like frosty the snowman and jingle bell rock, although the kids really love stuff like that so it's much easier to tolerate it when it's my kids singing.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? No theme here. I would like to have a beautifully put together tree with all coordinating ornaments, but what would we do with all the ornaments we love?
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Not turkey! We have tacos at Nathan's mom's Christmas get together and I really look forward to that.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Money for our trip to Texas!
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? ? No Idea!
27. Does Santa wrap your gift or leave them unwrapped? Both. Some unwrapped for the WOW moment but some wrapped so we can enjoy the moment longer. and because kids like to un-wrap stuff.
Okay! I tag Jud, Jamie, Teresa, and especially Nathan! What IS your favorite Christmas song? And if you read my blog and I don't know it, let me know so I can tag you too!
Monday, December 1, 2008
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