Daily Bread

I wanted to share my recipe for homemade bread using freshly milled grains. I have to admit that lately during this pregnancy I have been buying store bought rolls and bread out of convenience but with the cost of food seemingly going up every week I decided that I better get to baking. We were consuming at least one loaf of bread and a dozen dinner rolls every day.

This makes 2 loaves of bread or 24-36 dinner rolls. I did one loaf and 12 Large rolls. I also use this same recipe to make hamburger buns.

First:
Mill 2 cups spelt & 4 cups of hard white wheat

Into mixer place:
3 cups very warm water (115-130 degrees)
1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder
1/4 lecithin powder
3/8 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup raw honey
21/2 TBS SAF instant yeast
5 cups of the flour mixture

Mix just a moment, until all is moistened and cover and let set for 10-15 minutes. ( Don't forget this and get too busy, it will come over the sides of the bowl)

Then add:
1 1/2 TBS Realsalt (sea salt)
1 1/2 TBS dough enhancer
1/4 cup gluten

Add remaining flour, cover and turn on the mixer. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl, mine usually does not at this point so I slowly add unbleached all purpose flour until it does. Knead on low or med. speed for 5-7 minutes trying to insure the gluten is developed.
Cover and let rise until double in size.

To shape into rolls I roll dough into a rope and tie it in a knot. Place on greased pan.
For bread just shape into loaf and place in greased loaf pan.
Let rise until double in a warm place. (I have the oven preheating and I sit the pans on top of the stove for the dough to rise.)

Rolls: Bake 10-12 minutes or until brown.
Bread: Bake 25-30 minutes or until brown.

This is delicious straight out of the oven with honey on it.
You can also make a big batch of smaller rolls and freeze them for another day. Just place in freezer after shaping. (Do not let them rise before freezing)

The Beach Bums

So Jenna just had her first trip to the beach and that is all she talks about. If you even say the words ocean or sand you will get a response from her. This is what she told my Dad in church Wednesday night, "When we get done singing this song we are going to the beach" : )



After supper it is either Putt-Putt or go carts.


Thanks to my parents for taking them and my brother and his wife for helping to watch over them. ( I am a little obsessive over them being watched, constantly!) I just don't do sand and heat very well while pregnant. : )

I am never surprised...

...at the ideas my children come up with. Josh wanted to bring a little outdoors in.




and another thing that never shocks me anymore is where Jenna can go to sleep.



Please know that I DO NOT leave her like this. I have always had to rock and sing my children to sleep so this has been new to me.

So this post is nothing but a little bit of our normal days, nothing special. Well, I take that back, they are all special.

Have a blessed day,

Girls Will Be Girls.

Here are some fun pictures of Jessie and her friend WF playing dress up. I love that they still do this, I have pictures of them doing this 5 years ago and if I could find them I would post it too :)



and a silly pose........


Speaking of girls. Our new baby is a GIRL!!! So, the kids were really expecting a boy and they are insisting that the ultrasound was wrong. In the meantime I am having a hard time coming up with names. As you know our children names all begin with the letter "J" (Jessica, Joshua & Jenna)
Please give me your best suggestions and also tell me would you stick with the "J" theme? Some people are just taken aback when I even suggest that I will NOT do another "J" name? Is it going to be that big of a deal? What do you think?

I Am Listening.

I love homeschooling and the life style that it affords us. However at times I have found myself overwhelmed by the duties and responsibilities that it brings with it. Add to that the fact that I am getting closer to my 3rd trimester and what you have is a woman that knows she has a lot required of her. This past Saturday I spent a lot of time contemplating the upcoming week and I just could not move forward from the overwhelmed feeling I had, it was suffocating. The Lord was getting me ready to be able to hear loud and clear his direction. As I turned pages in my bible to the reading that was for that very day ( I am reading the bible chronologically) this is what it said:

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

Yes Lord, I hear what you are telling me. I will fall on The Rock that knows who I am, who my children are, and exactly what we need to accomplish.

Girl Moments

Coffee with Mom. I think I started drinking coffee at this age! You can see by this picture that it is more cream than anything.

Sister made Jenna a lovely crown of flowers.

Now Jenna will fix Jessie's hair.

We Made It!

21 meetings, 1000 miles traveled and many late nights....we made it to the end of the revivals that started in the last week in March and went through the first week in May. Many messages were preached, many songs were song. We heard the saints of God testify of His goodness, we heard repenting hearts pray, we joined in and sang the songs of Zion. It is my prayer that it was not all in vain and that hearts were revived. God was gracious to me during this time. I was very concerned about being able to travel so many miles with the issues that this pregnancy has brought up. I can honestly say that I feel better now than I did five weeks ago. Praise the Lord! There is nothing worse than sending your husband to a church alone. I love to go with him and hear what God has put on his heart to preach.

You would think that the children would grow tired and complain. I never once heard them grumble. As we were driving through the country at around midnight last night, Jenna was singing at the top of her lungs. She has made her own little melody with the hymns "His Love Lights the Way" and "He Set Me Free", it was too cute. All of the sudden she stopped singing and said "Preach Daddy!" We have some great memories of traveling together to these meetings.
I thank the Lord for traveling mercy and grace.

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (KJV)

I Can't Wait to See This!

If you are interested in this film, please don't make the mistake of giving too much credit to the mainstream reviews. This is a film that will be mocked by Hollywood. I have even read a review from one of the prominent entertainment channels that advise folks to "just ignore" this movie!

Still Learning

Not so long ago, before I had children, I had people say things to me such as "You are such a free spirit." Now I thought this was a compliment. You know, I just marched to the beat of my own drummer and was not bound to do what the "mainstream" was doing. I don't think I have ever been afraid to be different. This was all well and good until I became a stay at home, homeschooling mom with 3 children and one on the way. (really it was sooner that this, but I will write about the here and now)

Children require certain things at regular times (like....food...clean clothes.....education) . I quickly came to see that the free spirit thing was not working for me when it came to aspiring to be that
Proverbs 31 woman. Let me just go ahead and say here that what I have learned is not much different than what my Mom has been trying to tell me all along. : )

So I have this little book entitled "The Disciplined Life" by Richard Taylor. The author does not aim to make you feel warm and fuzzy. I wanted to share a couple of my favorite passages. These are the ones that spoke to me loudest. Routine and responsibility are a huge asset.

"Disciplined character never dissipates time and energy by catering to moodiness."

" Or she will make the bed and do the dishes in the morning, rather than allow afternoon hours to find her in tears because of the neglected housework that suddenly stares her in the face"

"prod yourself, kick yourself, it is the only way!"

Wow! Does this man know me? Scary! I have been challenged by this book as well as by other women who strive to make a beautiful home for their family. A haven for my children and an oasis for my hard working husband to come home to. A happy place with order and free from chaos, that is my goal. Now, mind you, I have not arrived and I love romantic ideas, but this is important to me. I want my children to have many wonderful memories of home when they leave to start families of their own. As for now I want them to enjoy being here and not long to escape, like so many children their age. I am so thankful for what the Lord has done in our life. I am thankful that He made me to think outside the box, so to speak. If not,I would have probably never even considered homeschooling, cutting off the cable and I would not be filling their ears with gospel and classical music. I am still learning. I fail much, more than I care to admit. But I am pressing on.

Every wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Jenna gets ready for church.

You may remember the post from last year when we were getting ready for church and Jenna applied mascara to her entire eye. This year for revival she decided to accentuate a different part of her face. Note: she is using my lipstick that does not come off for at least 24 hours!

Something to think about...

I have many thoughts on the state of our country, but I cannot articulate them like my friend Tara does. Please take a minute and read this post on her blog.

My Jesus, I Love Thee.

As I sat on the porch waiting on the kitchen floor to dry, this song came from my lips without my mind giving it the first thought. It is a great song for this day before Easter.

My Jesus, I Love Thee

William R. Featherston, 1864

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Fun in the Country

Who knew a hay ring could be so much fun? These boy's were having a blast. I am so thankful for our little piece of country and the fun that my kids have here. (click on the top picture to enlarge it and look at Cowboy's face)

The Need of the Hour

What does our country need?
Not armies standing
With sabers gleaming ready for the fight;
Not increased navies, skillful and commanding,
To bound the waters with an iron might;
Not haughty men with glutted purses trying
To purchase souls, and keep the power of place;
Not jeweled dolls with one another vying
For palms of beauty, elegance, and grace.
But we want women, strong of soul, yet lowly
With that rare meekness, born of gentleness;
Women whose lives are pure and clean and holy,
The women whom all little children bless;
Brave, earnest women, helpful to each other,
With finest scorn for all things low and mean;
Women who hold the names of wife and mother
Far nobler than the title of a queen.
Oh! These are they who mould the men of story,
These mothers, oft time shorn of grace and youth,
Who, worn and weary, ask no greater glory
Than making some young soul the home of truth;
Who sow in hearts all fallow for the sowing
The seeds of virtue and of scorn for sin,
And, patient, watch the beauteous harvest growing
And weed out tares which crafty hands cast in.
Women who do not hold the gift of beauty
As some rare treasure to be bought and sold,
But guard it as a precious aid to duty-
The outer framing of the inner gold;
Women who, low above their cradles bending,
Let flattery's voice go by, and give no heed,
While their pure prayers like incense are ascending
These are our country's pride, our country's need.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Sweet Slumber

Today has been a busy day. I have had more energy today than I have since I learned of the little one on the way. Jenna stayed right with me all day, sweeping, vacuuming whatever I was doing she was doing too. So I sat down to rest and check the blogs and I heard her say " I have to check my email." So I opened her little laptop and she went to the couch. I heard a couple of clicks, then nothing. I just had to share this picture.