Home Education~Ministry Moments~Hearth and Home

Monday, May 26, 2014

Hobo Dinners and Cornbread


     I don't share too many recipes, but thought I'd share what we had for dinner tonight.  Hobo Dinners and Cornbread are one of my favorite meals for 3 reasons: 1) Cheers from the boys when they know I'm fixing it, 2) It's very economical and 3) SO easy!
     There are lots of hobo dinner recipes out there.  Ours is pretty basic: ground beef (whatever is on sale!), potatoes (red or russet), carrots (baby or regular), yellow onion, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and just a tad of water.  I cook for about 45 min. at 400 degrees. (All put in individual tin foil packets.) I really don't measure anything or pay particular order to how I put it all in the foil.  It always comes out tasting the same.
     Our hobo dinner meal would just not be complete without cornbread.  I recently found a Paula Deen recipe for moist and easy cornbread that I just love.  After having cornbread made with buttermilk you'll never go back!  My cornmeal is from Nora Mill Granary in Helen, Ga.  (I shared in a post HERE about using their bread flour.) 




Oh, how I wish I lived closer!

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Free Scripture Printables from Lifeway

There are lots of scriptures to choose from on their website, but these are two of my recent favorites:


(A great verse looking back at last week: Christian Home Week.) 
Proverbs 14:26 

 


(A great scripture for a graduate!)
Joshua 1:9

(I shared about a year ago in this post other scripture printables if you are interested.)

Free Issue: May/June The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

HERE is the May/June issue!  Enjoy!
Do you know what 4 crucial skills your homeschooler needs before entering college?  Check out page 54 to find out!

Oh!  And HERE is the March/April issue since I forgot to post it last time in the midst of our moving!
Creating Excellent High School Transcripts  really piqued my interest, as we are wrapping up our very first high school year.

Enjoy all the great articles!



Thursday, May 15, 2014

Chritian Home Week: Family Devotions (What we do)

     Setting time aside to disciple your children is so important.  Sure, they will learn much by just watching how you live and attending church with you...but there comes a time when you need to open the Bible at home together.   I realize that this is easier said than done.  Satan has an endless number of excuses ready to offer up.
     One of the things that had our family "stuck" for a while was the fact that our boys were getting older.  We wanted more that just Bible Stories (though a wonderful choice for younger kids!) or devotions with just a few paragraphs and one Bible verse.  We wanted the teaching to go further.  My husband searched and searched and found I Want to Teach You What I Believe from Victorious Christian Living International.  We have been very happy with it. There is no prep work required, yet the teaching is thorough.  My husband teaches from the notebook (not sure if those are available anymore...looks like just the cdrom.) and writes on our chalkboard notes for our boys to write in their spiral notebooks (just ones you get at the store...no special book is needed).   The boys have enjoyed this "teaching time" with dad, as mom teaches them all day long!
     When we first started family devotions, we tried doing them in the living room, but we found that once we all scattered from the dinner table that it was difficult to get everyone back together again.  My husband had the idea to have them around the dinner table.  In our last home, we had a dry erase board in our dining room.  This really didn't go with my decor, but was worth it, of course. In our new house, it works out to have an actual chalkboard near the kitchen table...and it goes with my French Country/Coffee Bistro decor!  :)
     I have shared only one idea source for family devotions.  There are plenty out there, just ask God to lead you to the right one.  In fact...all you really need is the Bible!!  


Monday, May 12, 2014

Christian Home Week

     Christian Home Week began yesterday, on Mother's Day. (How appropriate!)  I had no idea this weekly emphasis existed until I read about it in the Alabama Baptist today.  I am a strong believer in the fact that home is the first and foremost place where our children learn to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Church is second, but home is the foundation.  There is so much that can happen in and through the Christian home.  I hope to share with you more of my thoughts on this throughout the week.  Today I will begin with an article written by Frank Page last year: http://frankpage.org/2013/05/may-12-mothers-day-and-christian-home-week/






Saturday, May 10, 2014

Some Lego Love for Mother's Day

     My Lego-loving son has been making several creations in honor of Mother's Day.  (Sorry I can't show them all to you.  He's entering a contest.)  This was my favorite.  He knows how much I love a picnic, especially on Mother's Day. 

I just love the patchwork quilt and picnic basket.

Also notice that my husband and I are drinking coffee.  :)




Happy Mother's Day!

Thursday, May 8, 2014

That's Worth Repeating Thursday #3



“Secularism, materialism, and the intrusive presence of things have put out the light in our souls and turned us into a generation of zombies.” -- AW Tozer



Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Whatever Wednesday #10

Whatever Wednesday     


 What we discovered this week: Our local library!  And it's awesome!  The whole family is so excited to have access to such a fabulous library.

What's going on in our homeschool?: My oldest son just wrapped up his speech season with NCFCA (more on that next week!)  So...for the first time since August we are not thinking about speeches.  It's a little sad...but I'm happy to just focus on Biology, Algebra and American History for a change!  

What I'm looking forward to: Tonight, and every Wednesday night leading up to VBS, we will be having Adult VBS at our church.  I've never been involved with Adult VBS.  I'm so excited...and what a great way for me to get prepared as I will be teaching the children in several weeks. 

What moved me this week:  This quote from Mother Teresa was read at the end of the Speech/Debate competition as a charge to the students.  I've GOT to get this printed off and framed to display in our home!  
Photo: #Kindness http://bit.ly/17dV8wI  

 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God's glory." 1 Corinthians 10:31