Simple Pleasures

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-12-09T11:02:00.001-08:00

Right now the weather is clear, cold, and sunny. We got a bit of rain earlier this week and I thank God for that! The forecast is calling for more over the weekend. I should only hope so.

I am thinking that I need to do lesson planning for science soon and then tackle my Insanity workout. I am in phase II which means an hour workout. Oh the grief!

I am thankful for a warm house, food in my belly, and the ever present Holy Spirit.

I am wearing (do I have to say?) my pajamas still. It's hard to get dressed when it's so cold. We leave the heater off at night so it's freezing when we wake up!

I am remembering lessons learned over the past year at Bible Study Fellowship.

I am going to finish these lessons, workout, and then go to work. Little brother's wrestling meet is tonight too!

I am reading my lesson plan books and the Bible. Currently in the book of John.

I am hoping I can get my stuff done in time today.

On my mind is how I need to follow the Lord's timing.

From the learning rooms is learning how to budget.

Noticing that I am sore and still a bit cold in the first floor of the house. Why does heat have to rise?

From the kitchen this week is eating out of the pantry. I am looking forward to my homemade pizza on Friday. Yum.

Around the house I am still debating on whether I should tackle the Christmas tree situation in one of several ways:
1. Shell out the bucks for a live one.
2. Make a wall tree.
3. Nix the tree this year and buy a fake after Christmas sales.
4. Buy a fake one now.

One of my favorite things is driving down a road lined with gorgeous trees with their leaves all fallen!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-10-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...clear skies, sunny, with a bit of chill in the air.

I am thinking...about what a yummy weekend it was!

I am thankful for...my husband, who is the easiest person in the world to talk to.

I am wearing...things that aren't very attractive. A long sleeved shirt with snowmen on it (LOL!), brown pj pants, and plaid toe socks. I pretty much look hideous.

I am remembering...about the "newness" I felt when I first started dating my husband.

I am going...to finish my BSF study for tonight, rake leaves into the trashcan, and look nice because I'm giving my CASA kid a tour of the courthouse today.

I am reading...too many things. The Tightwad Gazette I,II, and III. Better Homes and Gardens Good Housekeeping, and the Bible (currently in John).

I am hoping...I can grab a bite to eat for dinner!

On my mind... is how time is quickly slipping away.

From the learning rooms...learning more about budgeting.

Noticing that...my body is sore from the run I had yesterday.

Pondering these words..."witness"

From the kitchen...nothing fancy. Husband is gone this week.

Around the house...seeds that need to be sewn, a guest bedroom which needs to be completed, dishes, always dishes.

One of my favorite things...this fall weather!

From my picture journal...

I love my man!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-09-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...clear weather and very warm. There's an empty clothesline which won't be empty later on today.

I am thinking...about all of the different things there are to do.

I am thankful for...yummy food in the kitchen, a sweet husband, fellowship with other belivers

I am wearing...orange tank top, shorts, bare feet

I am remembering...last night's cake I baked for bible study. I think I'll bake another one for my friend

I am creating...ideas and plans for my garden. I should say for my "lack of garden"

I am going...to hang up the clothes when I'm done typing this.

I am reading...the book of John (BSF started up again!), Cut Your Bills in Half

I am hoping...that I attend to what the Lord would have me do today

On my mind...many different things!

From the learning rooms...I'm learning new ways of structuring my Sunday School Class and how to be more submissive to the Lord

Noticing that...I have a problem with being an early riser. (Same as last week!)

Pondering these words...John 19:23-24

From the kitchen...I should probably make some homemade tortillas today to eat with my beans tonight.

Around the house...The inside is pretty tidy but I do need to call the carpet cleaners.

One of my favorite things...Having time in the Word where I really take time to "get it"

A few plans for the rest of the week...all the normal lesson planning, CASA stuff, and also trying to plan a Family Night Out for the special families whose children I teach on Sunday. We're going to the ice skating rink - all the children I teach have some special needs (i.e. wheelchairs, health, sensory) so this should be a treat for everyone!

Picture Thought

This is our dog, Oreo, who we had to put to sleep a few weeks ago. I really miss having him around the house!

For more Simple Woman's Daybook visit here!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-09-14T12:36:00.001-07:00

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...the weather is cloudy, windy, and beautiful. A gift of a fall type day in a normally 90-100 degree weather.

I am thinking...about the book I just ordered on Paper Back Swap. I hope I get it!

I am thankful for...this weather today!

I am wearing...green dress and bare feet

I am remembering...how nice it is to have fellowship with other believers.

I am creating...new ways to get my caffeine fix. Today it's coffee.

I am going...to be very busy for the rest of the afternoon/evening.

I am reading...devotionals from Our Daily Bread, Better Homes Cookbook, and Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

I am hoping...that I can get my run in today.

On my mind...is the load of dishes in sink, the run still waiting to be taken, and the shower afterwards.

From the learning rooms...I don't have children but I'm learning how to be more frugal and new recipes.

Noticing that...I have a problem with being an early riser.

Pondering these words..."The Early Bird Gets the Worm"

From the kitchen...pinto beans in the crockpot

Around the house...the dishes STINK.

One of my favorite things...coffee on a windy and chilly day.

A few plans for the rest of the week...get back into my 5K training routine

From my picture journal...

We went to the LA Zoo last week. God's creation declares his glory!

2009-08-21T23:37:00.001-07:00

My dog irritates me. To no end.

I love him.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Mix

2009-08-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all!

Sorry I stopped posting my dinners after Tuesday. My camera died and I couldn't find the charger until tonight. Serves me right for not putting it back in the place I found it.

I've been utilizing the seasoning/sauce packet which comes in an off-brand of Hamburger Helper for my meals. I always love to find a DIY version of anything and everything and I finally found a homemade version of a base sauce.

I found it on a great site called Thrifty Fun. Here is the direct link to where I found the recipe, posted in the comments section: Homemade Hamburger Helper.

"Here are the ingredients:
2 c. nonfat dry "instant"milk
1 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. unsalted chicken or beef bouillon powder
2 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp.dried thyme
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Use as base mix for hamburger helpers."

I divided this mix into roughly 5 half cup servings. I will use each serving of mix with 2 cups of water, 2 cups of pasta, and a pound of ground turkey. You can add other items which suit your tastes.

The best thing about this recipe was I already had all these ingredients on hand! I had a baggie of cornstarch which I was wondering if I'd ever use and I'm glad I didn't throw it away after all!

Take some time tonight to prepare your family for the Lord's day so you're not rushed in the morning. Enjoy your Sunday worshiping the Creator!

A Week of Dinners, Tuesday

2009-08-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner was tacos. I am not eating at home this evening but I still made dinner for hubby. Below is the homemade taco seasoning I use for our taco meat. Enjoy!

Homemade Taco Seasoning:
Chili Powder
Paprika
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Oregano
Chili Pepper Flakes

I didn't add measurements because this is something I eyeball. However, I did list the ingredients in order of how much I use. I use roughly a tablespoon of chili powder and adjust the other seasonings based on taste. I suggest you add the seasonings based on your family's preferences. You throw this homemade seasoning mix in with 2/3 cup water after you've browned your meat.

Pilgrim's Progress

2009-08-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

Ever since reading Little Women as a young girl, I was always curious about the play they act out in the first chapter. They use The Pilgrim's Progress and have great fun re-enacting it.

Recently I took a trip to the library's "classic" section and found this same book. I had no idea what it was about and read the back cover to find out it was the journey of a man named Christian. A classic book that looks favorably and deeply on Christianity? I was stunned. I was gung ho about reading it for the first 10 pages or so...but then I got lazy. And my bookmark just fell out of the book as I took the picture for the blog so I have no idea where I am. It's due back to the library next week (after its 2nd extension) and I'm not sure if I want to finish it. I love the message and I love the allegory. For some reason though it is extremely hard for me to get through.

I'm thinking I will put this book away and come back to it later. I'm going to finish Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World and then tackle the rest of my reading list.

Oh, praise Him! Hallelujah!

2009-08-10T20:56:00.001-07:00

All too often I get so caught up in the busyness of life that I forget the simple, profound things. One of such things is alone time with the Lord. I put the Lord at the top of my list every morning and some days He just keeps getting pushed back further and further until it's 9pm and I realize I haven't spent any precious time with my Father.

The problem with putting God at the top of your list is that you can choose to do other things which you have inadvertently separated from God. Husband is a separate entity. Housework is a separate entity. And so on and so forth. But when you put God in the center (like a wagon wheel) all things lead back to Him. I love this visual of putting God in the center of your life instead of at the top of your list. It reminds me of a song by one of my favorite artists, JJ Heller:

I don’t want to make you small
I don’t want to fit you in my pocket
A cross around my throat
You are brighter than the sun
You’re closer than the tiny thoughts I have of you
But I could never fathom you at all

Currently I am reading the book of Joshua and am in chapter 11. Instead of tackling my to-do list I'm going to focus on the center, spending time in prayer and in His word. And when I do get to my cleaning list, I will be thinking of Him throughout.

Good evening.

A Week of Dinners, Monday

2009-08-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd do a little series showing what a typical dinner week looks like for my family. Feel free to join in...I love seeing pictures of food *drool* and learning new recipes or remembering old favorites.

Tonight's dinner was homemade hamburger helper. The vegetable served was salad for me and cauliflower for hubby. Dessert was a fresh fruit salad (sorry no picture) made with bananas, grapes, cantaloupe, and nectarines.

Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients:
1 sauce packet from a box of hamburger helper (lasagna tonight)
2 cups whole wheat pasta (penne style for us)
3 cups water
1 lb ground turkey

Directions:
Brown and drain ground turkey. Add sauce, pasta, and water. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature to med-hi. Simmer for 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Now you have hamburger helper with less fat (ground turkey) and more fiber (WW pasta) which tastes just as good as the original! For the curious, I keep the pasta from the boxes I purchase for use when I have guests over who don't like whole wheat pasta. Everything (eventually) gets used!

A delicious snack

2009-08-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a simple snack really hits the spot. Today's snack was a cold glass of pink lemonade and some slices of whole wheat toast with margarine spread. Mmmm...

My Bread Box

2009-08-09T21:40:00.001-07:00

I purchased this long, decorative cardboard box at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store in our town. For $1 I got two boxes that looked like the one in the picture plus two boxes with the same decoration but in cube shapes. The box is the perfect shape for a loaf of my homemade bread. I use the produce bags from my grocery trips as my bread bags to keep it fresh.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-08-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

The previous week's menu plan proved to be a hit so I'm going to go ahead and use yet another 5lb chub of ground turkey this week to plan my meals around. This time each meal will use a little less than a pound of ground turkey. Any leftovers will be used for lunch the following day.

Monday - Homemade Hamburger Helper (lasagna) with whole wheat pasta and cauliflower on the side
Tuesday - Taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, tortillas, cheese
Wednesday - Bun-less Hamburgers, oven baked potatoes, broccoli, tomato and onion slices
Thursday - Whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, meatballs, cauliflower
Friday - Meatloaf, rice, mixed veggies
Saturday - Homemade Hamburger Helper (beef stroganoff) with whole wheat pasta, mixed veggies or salad

Menu Plan Monday

2009-07-26T21:28:00.001-07:00

This week I have an overabundance of ground turkey. Five pounds to be exact - with two people in the household. The most my husband and I eat at dinner is a half a pound combined between the two of us. This means that a 5lb chub of ground turkey is 10 BIG meals for the two of us.

So what I have decided to do is make ground turkey all this week (Monday-Friday) and double our usual portion (so I'm using a pound a night) and freezing half of the dinner each night. This way when I am out of town next week my husband will have plenty of food for dinner and for leftovers.

Here's what we'll be eating this week.

Monday: Taco Night! Stuffed Bell Peppers for me and Tacos for hubby.
Tuesday: Hamburgers! Cheesy rice and broccoli and hamburger fixin's on the side.
Wednesday: Meatball Subs! Mixed veggies (Hubby) and Salad (Me) on the side.
Thursday: Homemade Hamburger Helper! Made with WW pasta and a veggie thrown in.
Friday: Meatloaf! Brown rice and broccoli or cauliflower on the side.

Note to self:
*Dry out sourdough bread for bread crumbs. Season with Italian seasonings.

I'm trying to lose a few extra pounds before leaving town so we'll see if I am able to do that with these dinners! :)

Productive Day

2009-07-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days where everything clicked! :) Praise God for days like these. I made out a to-do list on my gmail account (they have a new application called "Tasks") and it was very satisfying to click the box so it would cross out that item on the list. Here's some of what I did today:

- Put away laundry that dried on the line overnight
- Finished one more load of laundry
- Cleaned out and tidied up my closet
- Washed hubby's car inside & out
- Trimmed plants on front walkway
- Swept the front walkway
- Hosed down the cobwebs on the house
- Bought the dog some new food
- Cleaned all the bathrooms in the house
- Cleaned up a pile sitting in my kitchen
- Folded and put away winter sheets
- Went to my parent's house for a visit
- Dropped off some items at Goodwill

The only thing left on my list is to workout for an hour! After that I want to get the following things done before bed:

- Shower
- Post-workout snack
- Read some of "The Pilgrim's Progress"
- Lesson plan for tomorrow
- Write up a to-do list for tomorrow
- Enjoy time with hubby

I'm hoping I can get more things done tomorrow too!

One last note - today and yesterday I lined dried my clothing (almost 6 loads)! This is a chore that I really enjoy doing. There's something about being outside and hanging up the clothes is relaxing to me. I find it is a great time to pray and just talk to God. There are some spiritual benefits to slowing down and doing things the "old-fashioned" way. I wouldn't have prayed if I was just throwing the clothes from the washer to the dryer.

And now for the REAL last note - I was browsing around craigslist and the Supercuts in our town is giving out free haircuts tomorrow and Friday which I'm super stoked about. I don't have a style, just long straight hair. The reason the cut is free is because their students are doing it. I'm hoping they can cut straight; if they can then I will look great! haha. I love random and useful freebies like this.

Have a wonderful evening everyone!

Delicious Iced Tea

2009-03-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Today I gave my first attempt at making my own iced tea. It came out delicious! I followed the basic template for Perfect Iced Tea over at Hillbilly Housewife and tweaked it to my preferences and what I had on hand.

Ingredients:
6 bags of tea
4 cups of boiling water
4 cups of cold water
Sweetener to taste

Directions:
Steep 6 bags of tea in boiling water for 8-10 minutes.
Pour cold water into pitcher. Pour hot tea after.
Add sweetener to taste. Chill in refrigerator.

I used 5 bags of Lipton tea and 1 bag of berry-flavored Yogi tea (free sample I received in the mail). Then I added several packets of nutrasweet and several packets of NuStevia.

Welcome!

2009-03-09T17:21:00.001-07:00

Hi, my name is Sarah and I have decided to being blogging again!

I wanted to keep this blog clutter free and chose the title "Simple Pleasures" because I am on a quest to keep things simple that don't need to be complicated. Obviously life isn't always simple, the Lord promises us that difficult times will come for those who are in Christ. Ultimately I strive to keep things simple in my homemaking, which gives me great joy. I find it fun to run against the grain of society when it comes to what I purchase. I frequent thrift stores for the necessities and keep what my family eats simple and wholesome.

I hope you enjoy me on my quest for simple homemaking!