My Very Last First Day Of Homeschooling...

Hi there.

I hope all of you are doing well.

It's been quite some time since I've written on here!

It's been a very busy summer for us! We had a summer full of work travels and we even squeezed in a little fun here and there!

 

Hopefully you have enjoyed your summertime too!

 

I absolutely cannot believe  it, but it is already time for school to start!

 

 

Many of you have already been in school for over a month now!

 

As most of you know,

we homeschool.

I have been so very blessed to be able to home school our 3 children for the last 20 years!

 

This year is going to be so bittersweet for me...

 

Sweet, because Lord willing at the end of this 2016-2017 year of school, I will have home schooled for 21 years total!

I feel very happy about that!

 

Bitter, because after this last school year, life as I know it will be different!

 

I will officially have an empty nest!!

 

I won't be ordering any more school books, buying school supplies or grading papers!

 

To be honest, I'm pretty nervous about this new life that's waiting for me, but I know that with God's help, I will be okay.

 

So, in honor of our

Very Last First Day of School,

 I thought I'd post a few pictures of our Austin

 through the years...

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Where in the world has the time gone??

 

We are so very proud of you Austin!

We love you and even though it may seem like I'm going to hang on to you for dear life as you prepare to leave my nest, just hang in there with me and don't panic!

I'm working on it and everything SHOULD be fine by graduation!

 

Unless...

 

 I decide you're not ready to graduate and hold you back!!!

 

Hmmm,

I wonder how many years I could try that one and get away with it... :)

 



 

I love you and I am looking forward to our last year of schooling.

 

~Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (KJV)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Recipe For Homemade Banana Pudding That's Sure To Make Your Day A Little Happier

Hello there! 

I hope you're having a good day so far.

 It's so hard to believe that March is already here!

The older I get, the faster time seems to go.

I am excited to see Spring coming!

 I always love to see the new blooms growing on the trees and to see the daffodils and other pretty flowers popping up everywhere! 

There's just something about Spring!

~A new beginning~

Speaking of flowers...

My favorite flowers are Tulips!!  

I love them in every color!

A couple of sweet ladies from church brought these beautiful red tulips to me at our Ladies Breakfast in February!  

There's just something about fresh cut spring flowers!

I don't know about you and your family, but my family usually enjoys eating certain foods during certain holidays.  

In the spring, with Easter just around the corner, a menu of 

Ham

Deviled Eggs

Yeast Rolls

Macaroni and Cheese

Green Beans...

comes to mind.

Oh, and of course there will be dessert!  

One of my very favorite desserts at Easter time is

Homemade Banana Pudding 

Oh dear me!!

Does it get much better than this???

Let me share my favorite recipe for 

Homemade Banana Pudding

 with you... 

Here's what you will need:

1 Cup of Sugar

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of Self Rising Flour

1 and 1/2  Cups of Milk

1 Teaspoon of Butter

2 Large Eggs, Separated

Vanilla

and 

Vanilla Wafers

Oh and of course you will need...

 Bananas!

The first thing that I do is to pick out a pretty bowl that I want to use for my banana pudding.  

Then, I line the bowl with vanilla wafers.

Next, I slice bananas over the top of the wafers.

Now, in a large saucepan, I mix my sugar and flour with a whisk.

 I add 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk.

Next, I beat my egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the milk and mix that into the other mixture.

Add the rest of the milk, the vanilla and the butter.

 Now, I turn on the heat to medium and cook until I see the mixture is to the thickness that I want.  You will want to continue to whisk the mixture as not to burn it.  

It won't take too long before you will see the mixture is a thick and smooth pudding!

This is just so yummy and rich!

Head over to the bowl of bananas and wafers and pour some of the pudding right over the top of the bananas!

 I'm drooling!!!!! 

Repeat the layers until you run out of filling!

Now, it's time to top your pudding with meringue to make it extra beautiful!

Just beat your egg whites and some sugar (about 1 tablespoon)  with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

After you have a big puffy meringue, spread it over the pudding and bake in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes, just until it is lightly browned on top!

That's it!! 

You've just made a delicious 

Homemade Banana Pudding

from scratch!  

Put your pudding into the fridge for a couple of hours before serving!  

You will LOVE this recipe!

~ Enjoy your day~ 

~ Hebrews 13:2 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (KJV)

 

 

Sharing A Recipe For Homemade Lotion

Good morning! 

I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend.

 The weather here in Alabama was just beautiful!

It's Monday; and since sometimes Mondays can be a little bit "Blah", I decided to share a quick and easy recipe that is sure to perk up your day!

Today I'm sharing a recipe for 

Homemade Lotion! 

I LOVE this recipe! 

My dear friend from church, Sherrie Stephens, shared it with me about a year ago and I've been making it ever since.  

It is the softest lotion and smells oh so good! 

Here's what you will need:

8 Ounces Of Vitamin E Cream

7 1/2 Ounces Of Vaseline

15 Ounces Of Baby Lotion

This is so easy to do! 

You just mix all of your ingredients together with a hand held mixer and that's it!!

Fill containers with your lotion! 

I use the container that the Vitamin E comes in by just peeling off the stickers and washing the empty container out.

 

I think it's my favorite type of container to use. 

I didn't this time, but sometimes I use small canning jars too for pretty gifts. :)

You can change the scent of the lotion to fit your preference.

I sometimes make Cocoa Butter and I've made Lavender for a soothing scent, but my very favorite is Baby Lotion! 

Hmmmm... I wonder why.

I'm forever thinking of when I had babies! :)

They may not smell like baby lotion anymore, but they will always be my babies! ;)

Happy Monday!

~ Ephesians 4:4-6 "There is one body, and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (KJV)

 

Sharing A Little Laundry Tip On Getting Whiter Whites

Good morning! 

I hope you are having a wonderful Saturday!

If you are anything like me, your Saturday probably consists of

doing some laundry. 

I recently came across a handy laundry tip for getting your

whites whiter and I gave it a try.  

I was very pleased with the results! 

I decided that I would try it out on my yellowing bed pillows...

This is how one of my pillows looked before the treatment.

Ewwwwww!

Here's what I used ...

1 Cup of Liquid Laundry Detergent

1 Cup of Powdered Dishwasher Detergent

1 Cup of Bleach

1/2 Cup of Borax

and

VERY HOT WATER

First, you will need to boil some water.  I just boiled one big pot to 

 add into my washer.  While your water is boiling, mix all of 

the other ingredients together in a bowl.

At first, the solution will look like this.

But, as you stir, it should look like this. 

Now, put your laundry into the washing machine and 

set your cycle on HOT water, letting your water rise 

to a level that is just above your laundry.

Stop the cycle and add your solution and your boiling water.

Let your laundry soak for 2 hours in this solution.

Then, restart your laundry cycle.

After the laundry is washed, tumble dry.

This was my pillow after the treatment...

Let me show you a side by side comparison...

BEFORE

AFTER

I was extremely pleased!! 

I even tried it on my hand towels...

I hope you'll give this laundry tip a try!! :)

Happy Saturday!! 

P.S.  I just remembered another tip that I wanted to share 

with you!  

These handy little bowl covers...

They are like little shower caps for your bowls. I find them 

very handy for leftovers.  I just grab one and fit it over the 

top of the bowl. 

 Easy as that!

They come in a box with 3 different sizes included.

They are only $1.00 at the Dollar Tree!

* Thank you to my mother-in-law for sharing them with me!

 ~ 2 John 6 "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.  This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it." (KJV)

 

 

 

Let's Bake Some Homemade Cookies!

Good Morning! 

I hope you are having a beautiful Wednesday.

Here in Alabama, it's a sunny day, but very cold outside!

I would imagine that it's cold where you are too. 

On days like this, I would love to wrap up in a warm blanket and sip a hot drink all safe and 

snug at home. 

Days like this make me want to stay home and bake! 

 What a great day to stay in and bake 

HOMEMADE COOKIES!  

Here's a couple of cookie recipes that my family loves...

 OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

This recipe was given to me a long time ago when I taught a 3 year old preschool class at a

church preschool.  At the time, Ashley was only 4 years old!! 

 One of the mothers brought these for a snack one day and she was kind 

enough to share the recipe with me! 

 I've been making them ever since! 

Here's what you will need...

1 Cup Of Self Rising Flour

1 Cup Of Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

1/2 Cup Of Raisins

1/4 Cup Of Melted Butter

1/4 Cup Of Melted Shortening

1/2 Cup Of White Sugar

1/4 Cup Of Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon Of Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Of Milk  

Speaking of Oatmeal...

My sweet sister-in-law, Tammy, gave me this pretty little container to keep 

my oats in! 

I just love it!!

Thank you Tammy! <3

I also wanted to share a handy kitchen tool that I absolutely LOVE having in my 

kitchen!

 It's a mess free measuring cup!

I think I've shared this with you before, but you just need to hear it again! This is a perfect 

solution to measuring out shortening or peanut butter!  You fill your ingredient to the proper

lined measurement and then push the bottom of the cup to "pop out" the ingredient, then

 swipe the excess from the top of the cup! So easy and so clean!! 

You can order those from Pampered Chef! :)

Okay, okay, back to the recipe!

Now, mix all of the ingredients at once in a bowl until blended.

Once the ingredients are all mixed together, drop your cookie dough about 2 inches apart

 onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes! 

Then, cool and enjoy!! 

These are so good! 

~ <3 ~

Now, to share another recipe that you are sure to fall in love with!

HOMEMADE SUGAR COOKIES

This recipe is from a little lady whose husband attends church with my Mama and Daddy. 

 These are VERY POPULAR and will melt in your mouth!

Let's get started...

You will need only 5 simple ingredients.

1 Cup Of White Sugar

3/4 Cup of Vegetable Oil (DO NOT USE CANOLA OIL)

1 Egg

2 Teaspoons Of Vanilla

1  and  3/4 Cup Of Self Rising Flour

That's it!!! :) 

So simple!

Mix all of the ingredients well.

Now, spoon out onto an ungreased cookie sheet, by the teaspoon, leaving space for the 

cookies to spread out while they bake.

Bake  at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Cool on racks

and enjoy!! 

P.S. Don't forget to share! ;)

I hope you'll give these two family favorites a try!

Stay warm and enjoy your day!

~ <3 ~ Hebrews 10: 24

 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works" (KJV)