Amish shows

You're probably thinking "oh she's on to Amish things again" LOL

I can't help it, I have immense respect for the Amish and their way of life, of thinking and especially their faith.

When I have a few spare moments to watch something on the TV or the computer, I like to find Amish shows to watch, and this morning I came across these on YouTube.

The first one is called Trouble in Amish Paradise, it's only 6 parts long and they're all about 10 minutes, so not long to watch, but I really enjoyed them.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

I have to say that I really loved this family and I hope that God continues to watch over them and Bless them.

And then I saw that there was a sequel to this short series, called "Leaving Amish Paradise".

You can find those clips on YouTube as well.

Here is the first part:

Part 2

Part 3

and the last part

So there you have it, something for those of you out there who love watching Amish shows as much as I do.  :)

I'm off to take some Motrin, after what seems 3 weeks of dancing around a cold, I am not feeling very hot today.  Bad timing though as my little baby girl is turning 13 years old today.

Wow time sure as flown, I can't believe I'm the mother of a teenager :)  A teenager who doesn't think taking pictures is cool anymore, and really dislikes smiling for the camera..........HELP ME!

Lord give me strength LOL

Happy Homemaker Monday #15

Morning everyone.  Sorry this is going up a little late, I'm moving a little slow this morning, actually overslept.  Oops :)

Again, thank you to all who participate, I'll be coming around to say hi shortly as there is no rushing around for testing this week.

Just a quick reminder, please don't add any other links to the list, unless it's a Happy Homemaker Monday post.  Any other links will be deleted.  :)

If you want to save and use the new button, just click here.

The weather:::

108 degrees this weekend.  Yes, we are well on our way to an Arizona summer and I'm already trying to get myself used to it but it's not easy.  You go outside for 5 minutes and you're literally soaking wet from the sweating and can't handle being out there any longer.  I think this week it's supposed to cool off a little and there's even a chance of some rain on Thursday.  I won't hold much to that because 99% of the rain and thunderstorm predictions never come true here in the Valley LOL  

 
On my reading pile:::  
Joyce Meyer Devotional
Joseph Prince Devotional
Bible
Recently got my hands on all the Janette Oke books for my Kindle.  I'm SO excited.  Actually plan on starting The Centurion's Wife this week :) 

On my TV:::

Yesterday I watched The Conspirator on Instant Netflix.  It was a fantastic movie about the assassination of President Lincoln, I think you would all enjoy it very much :) 
Will be catching up on the Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener on YouTube. 

On the menu for this week:::

 Monday -   Broiled Parmesan Tilapia, Salad
Tuesday - Sausages in Tomato Sauce w/ mashed potatoes
Wednesday - Jasmine's Birthday.  She has requested my Creamy Chicken Florentine
Thursday -  Feijoada (Portuguese Bean Stew)
Friday -  Homemade Pizza with Garlic Crust
Saturday - Chicken Curry 
Sunday -   Burgers with Jalapeno Cheddar Burger Buns

On my to do list:::

Finish the laundry, iron and put away two baskets
Homeschooling
Some more shopping for Jasmine's Birthday  

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

Still working on the ripply cushion.  The front is finished and only have another 2 rows to finish on the back, then just have to put it together.  Can't wait to see the finished product :)  
I'm also going to be making some Vicks Vapor Shower Discs this week.
I have some crochet jar toppers in mind as well.
Would like to make some more progress on my Spring Quilt.

In Homeschooling:::

Last week due to testing, we didn't do much schooling, so this week we are catching up and actually pushing ahead so we can finish this year within the next 2 weeks or so.  The kids are about done with school and truth be told, so am I.  
Around this time of the year I think everyone is just ready to have it over with and to start the summer break :)   
 

Looking around the house:::

Jasmine is still asleep.  I had forgotten how much teens like sleeping, good grief LOL

Nicholas is up and playing a game on his computer.  My dishwasher is swishing behind me.  I have a cup of not so hot coffee sitting next to me, which I'm sure I'll have to top off here shortly, nothing worse than taking a sip out of the mug and swallowing cold coffee.  BLECH!

House is clean, just have to mop the floors.  

 

From the camera:::

Iced Mint Tea....a favorite around here for the hot days.

Something fun to share:::
This weekend, I was searching online for Amish related blogs and came across a really neat one called About Amish.   

As I started going back through the posts and reading, I was fascinated to find out that the owner of this blog is none other than Saloma Furlong, the ex Amish lady that was in the The Amish show on PBS a few weeks ago.  Do you remember me mentioning the show???  

It was really good.  You may still be able to watch it online at the PBS site :)

On my prayer list:::

Friends and family.  Praying for whatever it may be that they're going through at the moment.
For me, I'm praying for the continued focus to keep reading the Bible daily and to not give up....I'm doing so well, I'm proud of myself :)

Bible verse, Devotional::: 

But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22

In the garden.....

It's past 8pm and I am sitting outside, under my canopy in the backyard.  It's dark, but it's a stunning night, not a single cloud in the sky, 108 degree weather earlier and it feels sooooo good now that the sun has set.

There is a game of badminton going on right in front of me, hubby and the kids are playing in the dark, with a few lights, but it's hilarious watching and hearing them play.  Giggles and loud cackles reverberate through the neighborhood, signalling the beginning of summer nights and fun time spent outside.

We've had a fantastic weekend!

A lot of yard work has been done, things moved around here and there, mowing, water sprinklers, grilling and gaming.

I think it's what summer is all about.  Minus the crazy high temps which make it very hard to be out here for longer than 10 minutes at a time.

I've got my veggie garden going again because it was so successful last year.  For so long I was terrified, intimidated and just overwhelmed with the thought of gardening and especially growing my own vegetables.  I couldn't keep the simplest of plants alive, but I guess I moved past that , even my hubby is impressed with my progress, and honestly, what's better than homegrown goodness??

I thought tonight I would show you a little of what I'm growing.

Right now I have two different lettuce varieties.....here's my bibb lettuce

 

And my Romaine Lettuce 

Here are my beans, these guys grow so fast

 

my squash...

  

I have spearmint and peppermint growing extremely well in my kitchen, so I've been using them in as many ways as possible.  At night for hot tea, and during the hot day, for some Iced Mint Tea.  You should give it a try, it's amazing :)

 

As the garden grows, I'll continue to take pictures and show you how it's coming along. I have Broccoli, Thyme, Parsley, Cilantro, Cantaloupe, Bibb and Romaine Lettuce, Yellow Onions, Chives, Green Onions, Tomatoes, Beans and Squash....oh and Blueberries. I just can't wait for it all to start producing so we can start enjoying it :) 

To protect the lettuce especially from the groundhogs, as they ate all of ours last year....we created raised beds and lined the bottom with chicken wire, then lay the soil on top before planting. Last week though, I noticed the birds swarming down and trying to eat my bean stalks, so hubby and I spent yesterday morning fashioning some protection that would still allow the sunshine in and accessible to watering, but would keep the critters out. This is what we came up with.....just using what we had at hand....bamboo sticks and a little netting.

 

Definitely not going for pretty or perfect here. I love it though, it works great and does the job.

  

And here is my next project in progress, have two of these going, but don't have enough soil or the plants yet. Need to pick up some pretty flowers and then it will look perfect :)

  

And now I'll leave you with a little glimpse of the weekend fun..... 

 

Lots of rehydrating going on. 

 

I'm off to have a hot cup of tea and then it's an early bedtime. Hubby returns to work tomorrow after a week of being off, it was so much fun having him home. 

 Our AIMS State Testing also took place last week so it was crazy busy around here, so we're heading back to our normal relaxed schedule and finishing off homeschooling for the year in the next 2 or 3 weeks. 

 Have a great night everyone!

In the moment

I don't think it's any lie that I don't like Arizona, don't like living here and am counting the days until hubby retires so we can return to Idaho.

 

I've done my fair share of crying, of asking why, of getting upset, of seeing just the bad in the area we live in.

And then came the moment where I realized that what matters is being in the moment.

God doesn't expect me to love everything I'm doing, or everywhere I am.  What a revelation that was to me.  Almost five years of wasted time, complaining, whining and stating that this sucks, that this place is not what I want, when can we leave, I can't wait until we're gone.

It's frozen me in time, so to speak.

I never really allowed myself to look around and to just be in the moment, to find the beauty in certain things, to allow myself to be truly content.

But as my journey to a closer relationship with God, has progressed, I've seen many changes in the way I see things and this week, for the first time in almost 5 years, I have allowed myself to look around me and to really take in God's work before me.

We've been doing State Testing, which means every day this week we have had to drive the kids to a location not too far from where we live, but it seems like a world away now that I've opened my eyes.

 

The kind of greenery that I dream of living in......

Farming, crops, mountains in the distance

A ranch surrounded by white fencing, with a barn or two

 

and an orchard filled with all different kinds of fruit tree.

I envision myself walking between them, reaching up to grab an apple, or lugging a big basket full home to make a homemade apple pie.

And it's still a dream of mine, which may never come to fruition but it doesn't hurt to think and imagine.

What I've found though, the past week, as we have driven by these fields, surrounded by the deepest blue of the sky, the warmth of the sun and the activity of field life, is that I really am where I'm supposed to be for the moment.

I'm supposed to see all of this and to take it in, to soak in the beauty amongst the thorns, the brown, the desert and the stuff that I don't like.

Because for now, I am willing to accept it and to live vicariously through these moments.  I can drive by these white fences and imagine that I'm driving by my own property.

 

Oh I could continue to dislike it all and to pray for orders out of here, but how tiring is that? So much energy wasted. I think I've learned an important lesson. Stop, take time to breathe, accept your surroundings and be really content with what you have. I think I'm finally there and I think the Father above is smiling down on me, proud that His child is finally GETTING IT! :)

God Bless,

Sandra

Cooking Thursday

Good morning everyone :) I apologize for my absence this past week, but we've been extremely busy with State Testing and I haven't had a chance to do much of anything. Can't wait to get back to normal schedule next week, I have some posts to go up :)

If you want to use the picture, just click here for the original.

On to today's recipe:

 

Grilled Bacon Burgers

1 egg
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground beef
5 bacon strips
5 hamburger buns, split
Leaf lettuce, tomato slices and onion slices, optional


In a small bowl, combine the egg, cheese, onion, soy sauce, ketchup and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into five patties. Wrap a bacon strip around each; secure with a toothpick.


Grill the patties, uncovered,


over medium-hot heat for 5 to 6 minutes


on each side


or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees and juices run clear.


Discard toothpicks. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato and onion if desired.