A Quick Reminder!

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Just a quick reminder - the Curriculum Clean-Out starts Sunday, August 2nd!!

Click on the button below to find out more!

Singing a New Song

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This picture has been sitting in my files for a few months and tonight this song from Psalms was going through my head:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit, out of the miry clay. I will sing a new song!"

Psalm 40: 1-2

A friend of ours recently miscarried at 17 weeks and my heart has been breaking for her and her family. After talking to her today, I am so very thankful for our amazing God and the wonderful peace that He is surrounding them with, and the friends He is providing to lift them up and help them through.

The hope only He can give.

And knowing that no matter where we are, He is willing to drop everything to pick us up. Hold us. Listen to us cry and grieve along with us.

Thanks, Lord for your compassion. Your tenderness. Your peace.

Yellow Squash Cookies

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You read that right. Yellow squash.

I have so much of it right now that I had to find something, anything to do with it. Sauteing, grilling, eating it raw...it was all getting a little tiresome, so why not try cookies?

Technically, this could almost count as a vegetable serving. Almost.

Ingredients

~ 1/3 cup honey **
~ 2 eggs, beaten
~ 1/3 cup oil
~ 2 tsp. vanilla
~ 2 cups flour {I used whole wheat pastry flour}
~ 1 tsp. baking powder
~ 1/2 tsp. baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
~ 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed {optional} **
~ 2 cups shredded yellow squash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients and mix well. Stir in dry ingredients til moist and then add in shredded squash.

3. Using a small melon scoop or a tablespoon, drop the dough onto well greased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

4. Bake until golden brown, 8-9 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

** I used the flax seed just to add a little extra health in. You can also substitute 1/3 to 1/2 cup brown sugar in place of the honey. I tried the recipe both ways and they turned out great with either sweetener.

My Favorite iTouch & iPhone Apps

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Scribbit recently received an iTouch for her birthday and posted about some fun apps she found...which reminded me that I had a half-written post back when I first started accumulating apps for my iTouch.

I figured that it was about time I finished that post up and shared some of the fun and free apps that I've been using. Not that I'm opposed to paying for an app...but really, I'm opposed to paying for an app. Even 99 cents {cause I'm cheap like that}.

And if you're thinking "Well, an iTouch isn't cheap!"~ you're right. Except I managed to get it for roughly $16 brand-spankin-new via WeightWatchers Incredible Rewards.

But that is a story for another day. Meanwhile, here are some of my most frequently used apps:

App Miner

This is a lovely little app that helps you find other apps - specifically ones that have gone on sale or are now free. It updates constantly helping you find great deals. You can also create 'watch lists' for apps that you are interested in, but perhaps not willing to pay what they are asking for quite yet. I've found several fun apps through using App Miner ~ and the cute little guy as the mascot doesn't hurt either!

Catcha Mouse

Completely mindless. Very fun. You need to set traps so that the mouse can't escape through one of the holes. The game gets more challenging as you progress, but very cute! No mice will be harmed in the playing of this game...it just might get you motivated to set a few traps of your own.

Purex Laundry Help

I finally have something in one place that can answer my laundry stain questions. This app gives you advice on how to treat stain based on the type of fabric, type of stain, and also helps interpret all those laundry care symbols on clothing.

Gift Planner

Plan gifts for family, friends and business contacts and keep track of your budget too. You create groups and set budgets for each member in the group and can create gifts along with photos of the gifts. Fortunately you can also 'lock' this app with a passcode just so little sneaky children don't get into it.

Suduko

Really, Suduko doesn't need any introduction. It's something that makes me feel that I have a wee bit of brain power residing in my body and it's also free. That should be enough said.

Sprout Player

PBS Kids offers the Sprout player that has podcasts for your preschooler. You can flip through the show until you find an episode to watch. New podcasts are added frequently ~ very handy for waiting time at the doctor's office! {fyi - Sprout needs internet access - we are fortunate to pick up wifi at our doctor's office!}

Olive Tree Bible Reader

The free version has the KJV and ASV versions of the Bible as well as a search feature. Find passages quickly by choosing book, chapter and then verse. You scroll through the passages quickly and can bookmark verses. Handy if you happen to forget to bring your Bible to church {ahem}.

Amazon Mobile

This app lets me check and compare prices on products. I have access to my 'cart' and the app also helps me remember items for later that I want to look into more. Very handy if I want to do price checks on items while out and about. {also requires wifi}

Waterslide Extreme

Another mindless game to play, but rather fun. You race down a waterslide trying to collect point and avoid crabs without falling off the slide to a certain death. There are nine levels and you can keep track of your time when playing against other.

TweetDeck

I use TweetDeck on my laptop for Twitter and they now have an app to go along with it that is set up very similar to the computer version. It will even import your groups you've created on your computer and sort tweets for you that way. {wifi access needed}


Just wanted to pass along a little something that is Working for Me!

Relishing Diapers

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I can't believe I'm saying - or even THINKING - that I'm enjoying diapers! But at the moment it pretty accurately pinpoints where I am in life.

I am not quite ready for Kaleb to be out of diapers. There. I said it.

Think I'm crazy? Well, it is quite possible. I had every intention of jumping right in with the potty training the moment we returned from vacation.

Then we returned from vacation, I put a pair of underwear on Kaleb the next morning and he screamed. And screamed. And SCREAMED.

I caved. Put the diaper back on and frankly, I'm fine with that. Maybe it's because he's the only one that I have in diapers at this moment so there is no 'rush' to avoid having two in diapers together. Maybe it's because I am too L.A.Z.Y to push the issue {ahem}. Maybe it's because I know he will not be 18 years old and still in diapers. It will happen soon enough.

I've never pushed it with any of the others and they transitioned quite fine. So for now, I'll just sit here and wait until a certain someone decides not to be lazy about it.

Or wait until someone else suddenly finds a huge fascination with the toilet that involves something other than flushing plastic cup-like objects down it.

Mom is Bragging

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What good is having a blog if I can't use it to shamlessly brag on my children?

Laurianna and McKenna have been swimming hard all summer and are a part of a local swim team. They have worked so hard this season to better their times and strokes, overcome some fears, and the hard work paid off!

At the final meet of the summer, Laurianna took 5 SECONDS off her time in the 25 freestyle! She was so excited when she pulled up out of the pool to see she was also first in her heat.

For the first time this season, McKenna swam the 25 freestyle without stopping to grab the line!! She also shaved 10 seconds off her time too! Something finally clicked with this last meet and she is already excited for next year.

Way to go my girls! And you know your Daddy is SO proud of you too!