Priorities, Part 2

"Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which can not satisfy."

I want my children to grow up knowing the gospel and having it a part of their daily study. That is one of the reasons homeschooling is so appealing to me. Homeschooling curriculum tends to focus around bible study. The scriptures say all things show evidence there is a God. Don't I want my children to make these connections while they are learning so it's a faith building experience versus learning in a public school that avoids God like a plague? (These websites are just ones that have ideas I like, maybe to build my own curriculum on.) http://bookofmormonstudyguide.com/

I long to have my children home with me. I love when they have friends and go play, but I dislike having someone else choosing what values my children learn. I don't like that the school sees my kids more often then I do. I don't like that I have very little control over the people my children have to interact with daily (on socialization).

Building Relationships http://raisingolives.com/2009/02/before-the-beginning/

I want to home school my children; I just don't know how to do it. http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Utah.pdf http://www.all-about-spelling.com/spelling-products.html http://www.alabacus.com/

God in Schools

I've been reading up on homeschooling. One post I read recently was talking about why she doesn't want her kids in public schools partially because they are godless. The author has issue with the lack of pray, bible study, and discussions on God's truth and love.

While I agree with her about wanting my children to love the Lord and examine every situation in light of God's word, I don't want my children hearing what that Word is from just anyone.

For instance, lately we have been having a ton of missionaries visit our house from different faiths. I always welcome there discussions and let my kids come hear them talk, because I feel it's good to hear others talk about God somewhere other than our family's discussions and church, so long as I am there to hear what, exactly, is beings said. I want to know what my children are being taught so I can have a discussion with them later about differing points of doctrine and have the opportunity to correct any deviations from our faith they may hear.

If the public schools did teach gospel truths, whose "truths" would they be teaching? My family lives in a very Mormon area, and most likely it would be the same as they learn at home and at church, but I wouldn't know for sure unless I was there listening, which wouldn't be really an option in public schools. Thus, I am against having it in them.

However, I do feel spending 30 hours a week in a godless environment is counterproductive to my goal of centering my children in the gospel, and maybe not the best place for them to be.

Priorities

I have separation anxiety. Every time I go anywhere without my whole family, I worry about that being the last time I see them, or they see me. Even when I leave from visiting family, I worry about it.

Then I read about a family, Roscommon Acres, much like my own, trying to get through the death of their almost two year old and it kills me, because that could happen to us. I read about Raising Olives talk about her mother choosing what to do with the 6 months she has left to live after finding out she has cancer. She makes the point, "When you are faced with death your priorities are much more clear than during the daily grind of life."

When it comes down to it, aren't we all faced with death every day? The scriptures say we are in a state of probation. We are in a testing period and at the end of that period, we die. Shouldn't I be living my life with the priorities that stand out when faced with death?

One thing I have notice in reading Roscommon Achres is she rarely ever blogs about anything other than her children since the accident happened. It's like she's trying to get everything written down about them so she doesn't forget.

Looking back at my own blog, it's not the political views I find interesting to read, it's the stories of my children and family, the funny things they have done that, even just a few months later, I have forgotten. How often have I had that moment with one of my children and thought, "I'm taking a picture in my mind of this moment. I never want to forget it," but even just a few hours later I can't remember what that moment was.

I've been thinking about this a lot the last few month. My life, my family's life, has some changes to be made. I'm just still trying to discern what all those changes are.

The Luck of the Draw

It finally came in the mail this week- the Publisher's Clearing House registration form, I don't even know if that's the right name. I was just going to throw it away like I always do, but Grace saw it and asked if she could really win $5000 every week. I told her it wasn't likely, but she could fill out the form if she wanted to. She did and then asked what to do with it.

"You mail it in and then you'll be in a drawing and they will pick someone out to win the money."

"Maybe Scout should do it then, she's better at drawings then I am. I'm not very good."

"You probably won't win anyway, it's really not very likely."

That happened Wednesday, it took me until Friday to get what Grace was saying. She has no idea what a drawing is. She thought she would have to draw something and they would pick the best drawing. That's why she said Scout should do it, because she thinks Scout is a better artist then she is.

At the time, I had assumed she was talking about her luck at winning stuff. If you see it how Grace was thinking, I'm a huge jerk!

Banshees and Dimes

I blew up at my kids today. Scout has been so grumpy today. We went to the doctor this morning and the kids were really good- nice, happy, a little too loud for the waiting room, but I was willing to let them since they were all playing together so well. Then we left to go to a movie and she just ornery. Every time Grace or Abi said anything, she said they were wrong. She griped about listening to a book instead of music. She complained that I didn't tell her to bring money for her to buy stuff at the movie theater. She got mad I didn't have a quarter for her to put in the gumball machine. When the movie was over, it continued for the next three hours. She was given jobs (that I didn't end up following through with) and got lost her swimming rights during Max's lesson (that I ended up giving in and letting her have 1 minute after the other girls got in. ). In between all of this, right after getting after her she would act the perfect angel for a whole minute, then go right back to being a grump.

Meanwhile, the other girls are being pretty good. Grace snipped at Scout once is all, but when I told her to come here, instead of listening, she just kept asking, "Why?!" I hate that. "Because I told you to. Maybe after you do it I will answer, but you do what I say first!" Abi was surprisingly agreeable with both her sisters. But then it came to getting them out of the pool. I have talked to them every day this week about getting out when I tell them. I am just so tired of them not listening to me. I snapped, but had the decency to wait till the privacy of our car, for the most part.

"I'm sick of you not listening to me, ever! And I'm tire of hearing you fight with each other and me over every little thing. I try to do fun things with you and it makes me very angry when you are just so rude! I'm tired of you being rude to me when I am being a nice mom, so now you don't get nice mom anymore, you can have mean mom."

Grace- "What did I do?" Genuine question too, not the smart off version. And really, she didn't do much of anything, but I was already started. I had to finish right?

"You all are grounded for the rest of the weekend. You can clean or sleep. That's it! And if I hear a word of complaining while cleaning, you will go straight to bed. And if you don't go, I will spank your bum, hard. If you fight you will get more jobs, wait, no, you are already just doing jobs, so if you fight then you can go to bed. And I don't know if I am going to take you to swimming lessons next week." Not my finest speech.

Everyone was quite for the drive home. I told them to get their pjs on and do their jobs. When we got home, I told Grace that she didn't really do anything, I just want her to listen when I tell her to do something. She teared up and said ok.

Inside, they all got to work. Grace did everything she was supposed to and tried to help more by vacuuming all the rugs. Scout got mad at her for moving the rug to the living room to vacuum and started yelling at her. I told her to go to her room.

"Why?!"

"Go and then I will tell you."

"But I didn't do anything and you won't even tell me why!"

"Do what you are told!"

She stayed there saying the same things over and over until I moved over to spank her for not listening, like I said I would do. She glared at me and went upstairs.

Right after this yelling match with Scout, Abi, who is usually horrible at picking anything up, walked up to me with a dime she found while cleaning the living room.

With a big smile, she holds up her dime and asks, "Pay you for a kiss?"

I wonder how she could possibly want a kiss from me, being the banshee I've behaved like. "You never have to pay me for one of those."

I want to be a better parent. In the evenings, when I have time to myself, I look back at my day and see how little I have moved myself and my family toward my goal of "always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." (Ether 12:4) How do you do it? How do you make the change?

Freezer Meals Recipes

It's days like these that 5:30 rolls around and I don't have any idea of what we can make for dinner (pancakes, again?) that I think, we could really use some freezer meals, or an extra $300 every month so we can go out to eat. I am starting to plan it out; these are my recipes. I haven't chosen a date yet to do it, maybe while Jared is out of town.

These recipes are set to make 3 meals for a family of 7. Since it will just be me, it will give me a total of 21 meals for my freezer.

Chicken Enchiladas

30 tortillas

5 lbs chicken

2 pt sour cream

3 lbs cheese (cheddar or Jack)

2 jars green salsa

1 bunch cilantro

Before cooking day

- cook and shred chicken

- grate cheese

- blend green salsa and cilantro till smooth

Cook day

- combine salsa and sour cream.

- spread small layer of sauce on bottom of pan

- fill tortilla with shredded chicken, then cheese, and sauce. Roll.

- Top with more cheese and sauce.

Eat day

- Thaw. Cook at 325 for 50 min, covered. Remove cover and cook for 10-15 more minutes.

- Side suggestion- serve with a fruit salad.

Indian Butter Chicken and Saag (makes 3 meals of each)

6 onions

6 tbl fresh ginger

12 cloves garlic

6 jalapenos

6 tbl oil

4 tbl garam masala

2 tbl chili powder

1 tbl coriander

48 oz tomato paste

12 c chicken broth

12 lbs boneless chicken

9 lbs spinach

6 c. half and half

Before cook day

- cube onions

- peel ginger and garlic

- seed jalapenos

- combine seasonings

- divide these in half

Cooking day-

- saute 1 batch onion mix with spinach, then blend with rest of ingredients except chicken. (saag)

- saute 1 batch onion mix alone, then blend with rest of ingredients except chicken. (butter chicken)

- mostly cook chicken cubes through, season with salt and pepper.

Eating day-

- Simmer, before serving add 3 Tbl butter and garnish with cilantro.

- Serving suggestion- rice and mango lassi

Basil Cream Pasta

2.5 lbs boneless chicken

red pepper flakes

1.5 onions

8 cloves garlic

3 c chicken broth

24 oz cream cheese

1/2 c parmesan cheese

Before cooking day

- cube chicken to 3/4" cubes

- grate parmesan cheese

- dice onions

Cooking day

- Season chicken with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and saute with onions. Add garlic the last minute. Add rest of ingredients and simmer till smooth.

Eating day

- Thaw and heat in pan.

- Add 1/2 cup loose packed basil, chopped for last 5 minutes. (can use 1 tbl dried basil)

- Serve with noodles and a green salad

Stroganoff

3 lbs ground beef

2 onions

6 cloves garlic

45 oz cream of mushroom soup

45 oz golden mushroom soup

2 pts sour cream

Before cooking day

- dice onions

- brown ground beef and onions together, add garlic

Cooking day

- combine all ingredients

Eating day

- warm sauce in pan

- Serve with egg noodles or over baked potatoes or rice.

- Serving suggestion- serve with a cooked vegetable.

Meatballs

3 eggs

3/4 c milk

1 c oats

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp ginger

3/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp allspice

6 lbs ground beef or pork

3/4 c onion

Before cooking day

- dice onions

Cooking day

-combine all ingredients and shape into balls. Cook at 350 until juices run clear.

Eat day

- heat and eat. Use in spaghetti, meatball subs, etc.

Meatloaf

6 lbs ground beef

3 lbs sausage

1/4 c salt

1 heaping Tbl pepper

4 onions

10 eggs

5 cups oats

40 oz tomato sauce

1/3 c water (adjust if necessary)

4 bell peppers

2 lbs spinach

2 lbs mozzarella

Before cooking day

- dice onions, peppers and spinach

- shred mozzarella

Cook day

- combine everything except spinach and cheese. Layer that meatloaf with spinach and cheese.

- freeze raw.

Eating day

- thaw and cook at 350 for 1 hr 15 minutes

- Serving with potatoes and cooked vegetable (fresh rolls would be good too)

Book of Mormon in 90 Days

I really stink at ready my scriptures daily, and every time I go to start doing it, I am at a loss for where to start. So, I was reading the blog Raising Olives, and she was talking about doing the Bible in 90 days, which seems just insane and inspiring to me, but it did make me think that doing so with the Book of Mormon may get me out of my funk. I brought the idea up with Jared and found out he had been searching for his lost Kindle this last week so he could do the same thing. Last week, our bishop said there are no coincidences, just the Lord's hand in our lives. Apparently, this is what we need.

We decided that next year when we do this again (hopefully), we would have Scout do it with us. Ten years old seems like a good age for this, but when we were talking about it, both Scout and Grace said they wanted to do it, too. I don't know that they actually will, but as encouragement, I told them if they finished in 90 days, we would take them to Jason's Deli, which is their favorite place ever.

So if there is anyone out there that would like to join us, here is the schedule our family is following.

"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost." Introduction to the Book of Mormon