~ The Day of Love ~

Today is Valentines Day!! I love Valentines Day!
In the midst of diapers, laundry, cleaning and schooling my children it's sometimes hard to find the time or energy to always do something special for your man. But Valentines Day, well that's a good reason for time to stand still and all my effort can be put into making my man feel great!

Some women like to receive pretty little gifts on Valentines, flowers, chocolate or thoughtful cards. To others having their husbands take them out or bring home dinner does the trick. While other women still, love is spelled one of two ways D-I-S-H-E-S or V-A-C-U-U-M-I-N-G!
We are all very different including our husbands. But, generally across the board one thing spells love to our husbands. RESPECT!

Our men thrive on respect! They need to know we appreciate what they do for us. They need to feel like we need them, that we value them and their leadership of our family.
If you do nothing else for your man this Valentines Day at least do this. Think about some things that you respect about him, does he work hard so you can stay home? Does he pay the bills on time? Is he a good father? Does he help around the house?
Later this evening tell him you've been thinking about him today and thinking about things that you respect about him. When he asks what they are, and he will, tell him! If you feel more comfortable write it all down and give it to him over dinner, email it, or leave it on his voice mail at work.
This will energize your man and and speak love to him in leaps and bounds!

Now if you're wallowing and feeling like Valentines won't be special because your husband isn't romantic or you can't afford to go out...Stop!
You can change the dynamic of the evening. You can make him something special tonight. Give your children something simple for dinner and put them somewhere else in the house to watch a movie so you and your husband can have dinner just the two of you. It doesn't have to be elaborate, make his favorite or just add special touches.

Because I'm a little under the weather, this year will be nothing spectacular but still special nonetheless. Nothing speaks love to a manly man like a perfectly grilled steak. With this hunk of beef we will be having a cheese fondue. I love snuggling up next to him on the couch, hovering over the coffee table dipping an assortment of nice breads and veggies into a cheese pot. Add some mood music and a few candles, you've got romance baby!

There are lots of great recipes for cheese fondue out there, but this ones simple and most have the ingredients on hand.

In a med. sauce pan~

1 cup dry white wine (I have on hand for cooking, not chugging :)
1/2 pd. mozzarella grated
1/2 pd. cheddar grated
2 tsp. flour
1 garlic clove or a pinch of garlic salt
pinch of pepper

Mix cheese and flour together. Heat up wine till simmering (lower heat) add pepper and garlic salt if using.
Add cheese/flour mixture gradually. Stir and allow cheese to melt between each addition.
I like to cut a clove of garlic and rub it all over inside the fondue pot then crush it and leave it inside the pot before filling with cheese sauce.
Serve with an assortment of nice breads like a french stick, pumpernickel and slightly steamed veggies. (broccoli, snap peas, carrots)

Later while that hubby is putting the kids to bed you can wash out your fondue pot and whip up this chocolate fondue for the two of you.

1 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup of sugar
1 pound of bittersweet chocolate
3/4 cup of puffed rice cereal
chopped chocolate toffee bar (optional)
In a pot, heat milk/sugar to a simmer.
Remove from heat and add choc. Let sit 2 min.
Whisk well. Now stir in rice cereal and toffee bits.
Pour into fondue pot and keep warm
Serve with strawberries, grapes, banana chunks, granny smith apple slices and chunks of pound cake. (found frozen in your grocery store)

Nothing more romantic than melted chocolate to share. You can eat, talk, and stare into each others eyes, and if you're feeling adventurous, paint each other with the chocolate afterwards...did I just say that?

Now go forth and have a fabulous Valentines, be fruitful and multiply or at least practice!! :)

~ "I'm Sorry" ~

I'm nauseous!
Now mind you I am not as ill as I was in previous pregnancies as I have found the worlds greatest secret, but nevertheless I'm still a little nauseous.
Sitting at the computer makes it worse and trying to type and stare at the screen makes me feel all weird inside.
This isn't a good kind of weird, like that kind of weird I feel thinking about my tradesman and Valentines and all. No siree, I wish it was that kind of weird because then I 'd want to be pregnant all the time and somehow I don't know if that would be good for this poor tradesman of mine since the list of "household to do's" before baby arrives is already tiring the poor man out!

Anyhow, I just want to apologize for taking a rather large leave of absence with no warning. I have such faithful readers which I know from my statcounter and from the sweet emails I receive.
Tradesman has been giving me a little hard time about not getting on here and at least posting something. And since I love pleasing that man, I'm here...with bowl in close proximity, just in case.

I had so many ideas for my blog for the month of February. Yummy recipes to make for those men of yours, some romance 101... a refresher course, and even a poem for my tradesman.
But, alas, gestating a baby takes precedence especially when it takes 2 hours to write one post because you have to keep getting up from the computer so as not to have to use "the bowl!"

I wish I could say that my house was spic and span and my children were especially well-educated this past 10 days because I have spent zero time on the computer but seems teaching, cleaning and well generally everything has the same draining property's!
I'm so excited about this little one growing inside of me, but I am very much looking forward to the next stage of pregnancy where I'm not continually wearing green...on my face that is.

I promise, I'll be back tomorrow, it is Valentines after all!

~ Sheltering, Bad? ~

"Clearly there is an appropriate kind of sheltering. When those who are opposed to homeschooling accuse me of sheltering my children, my reply is always, 'What are you going to accuse me of next, feeding and clothing them?" ~R.C. Sproul Jr

~ The Funnest Toy Ever ~

Meet the funnest toy ever, really I'm serious, just ask them....


My mother bought this for my 2 yr. old for Christmas, though his big sisters are having a ball as well...

I'm not sure if it's the crazy hair their brothers got going for him, or if they were licking the plastic balls, but this things got them hyper!

They began to think that simply sitting inside and playing would be far too lady- like, so they opted for a little "crazy"....

"What would happen if we shake this thing back and forth?" they decide to try it out....


Looks like the 2 yr. old was the wiser of the bunch, he is the only one left standing, I mean sitting.

~ The Ultimate Sacrifice ~

A man gives up his son so that many may live. It seems such a radical decision. It is one that I don't think I could make. However, am I ever thankful that my HeavenlyFather did.
(turn off music in my sidebar)

~Out of the Mouth of a Babe~

I was sitting with my 6 year old daughter the other day watching a program on television. A commercial for flooring came on showing beautiful rooms decorated with gorgeous furniture and accessories. Both of us were mesmerized and sat watching with rapt attention. (we don't watch television often, obviously)
When the commercial was over she turned to me with a look of innocent indignation.
"Momma, why do they have commercials like that, that just makes people not be happy with what they have already and they just be selfish and want more pretty stuff?"
This was funny because obviously she doesn't "get" the whole point of commercials, and not so funny because apparently she is far wiser than her momma.
Her comment shamed me, because while she was thinking "far above her years" I had been dwelling on far less noble things.
During the commercial I was thinking how much I hated my hallway/foyer area and how badly I wanted to renovate it. How nice new tile and walls would look and how unfair it was that I couldn't afford to do that right now.
Nothing like God using your child to give you a nice dose of reality! I continue to be amazed at the character of my children when I am faced daily with my own selfishness.
I told my daughter how right she was and we had a great little discussion about the whole thing while inwardly chastising myself for my lack of gratefulness.

Its so easy in this day in age where everything is all about ME to lose focus on how very blessed we are. There always seems to be someone who has more. Malls scream at us and taunt us with everything they have to offer. I don't go to a mall very often cause it always leaves me with a spirit of discontentment.
Suddenly my clothes don't seem very nice, I really NEED a new outfit or that pretty decorative object to complete my look in a particular room. The kids clothes seem suddenly shabby where only weeks before I was thrilled with all the stuff I had scored at Value Village for so darn cheap.
Why bother. Skip it, avoid it. Just stay out of those places. Choose to not look at shopping as a hobby or a fun past time. If you really are honest with yourself, it breeds nothing but disappointment.

~ We've Got it Backwards ~

"God says that debt is a curse and children are a blessing. In our society we apply for a curse and reject a blessing. " ~ Doug Phillips Vision Forum