This Post is Just for Me...

...I hope you like it too.
Here are my liked links of the week:
Alphabet Parade
Kindergarten Worksheets
Ballerina preschool pack
were going on bear hunt printables
household management forms
Preschoolers
Preparing ahead for Advent 2011


And definitely end with this one...
A holy experience.

May God bless your week as you rise up, as you sit down, and as you go into the world. Be doers and not hearers only; teaching them diligently.
{love grows here}

My husband calls me a hippie...

I really enjoy being creative, but even more than that I enjoy researching. Lately in my research, I have found some creative ways to make my own hair care and skin care items.
Check it out!
I've been doing the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) for my face for a little over 2 weeks, and not shampooing for a little over 1 week - so far I'm loving it and even got the compliment yesterday your hair looks fuller from Rob. {Big smile}
http://simplemom.net/a-natural-beauty-update/

Traditional White Bread

This is my slightly altered version of Betty Crocker's recipe, and I've learned the hard way not to vary the method or ingredients too much. :) Let me know if you make it a different way and if it works for you!

Ingredients:
7 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
2 packages quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4 cups very warm water (I microwave a glass Pyrex measuring cup for 1 1/2 minutes)
Desired amount of melted butter or olive oil for tops of loaves

Instructions:

1. Mix 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast in large bowl. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.


2. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

3. Grease bottoms and sides of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 or 9 x 5 x 3 inches, with shortening.

4. Heat oven to 425°. Deflate dough with fist and divide in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into rectangle, 18 x 9 inches, on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side, to form a loaf. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Press each end with side of hand to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with melted butter or olive oil. Cover and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until double.

5. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter or olive oil; cool.

When She Says No

This week, when I said, "JoeAnna, do you want to do school?" She just said, "no." Everytime. I don't think she's to the age where it's damaging to her to not be progressing through a preschool curriculum, but there is still something inside me that cries "oh no, she doesn't want to learn!" Any veteran homeschooling parents suggestions are welcome!

New (to me) Library Sale Books

Here is the list of books I bought yesterday at the library book sale! I can't wait to announce the completion of these titles (except that I already read "Never Let You Go" I plan on putting that on paperbookswap.com). All of these for $20!
Love Walked In 

Abide in Christ

Winter Is Not Forever (Seasons of the Heart)

MiraclesThe Time Traveler's Wife 

The WitnessThe Poisonwood Bible: A Novel (P.S.) 

Ever After (Lost Love Series #2) 

Family (Firstborn Series-Baxter 2, Book 4) 

Like Dandelion DustFound (Firstborn Series #3) 

Summer (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 2) 

A Time to Dance 

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES 

Big Stone Gap: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle) 

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

Disney's Little Einsteins - Our Big Huge Adventure (DVD)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 

One Tuesday Morning/Beyond Tuesday Morning (September 11 Series 1-2) 

Never Let You Go

Who doesn't like free?

Free Book Download!

"First-class entertainment." ~RomanceReaderatHeart.com

Celebrating the release of Leanna Ellis's new novel, Facelift, her earlier hit Elvis Takes a Back Seat is a FREE download at Amazon through Sept. 30, 2010

BHPublishingGroup.com

Through Amazon you can download Kindle-for-PC for free and it takes only 2 minutes or so, I was reading this book in less than 3 minutes!

Let me know if you try it!

Day 258

I'm elated to report that I have finished another book! September has been a rockin' month for reading at my house! But before I tell what book I finished and before some of you roll your eyes, I must say that I was compelled to read this book because it was made into a movie. I saw the movie first and just wanted to know more. Come to find out the book was almost completely different! Most of the names were not the same, lots of new characters in the book, some of the characters were drastically different ages, and needless to say most of the details were changed. So, you must be wondering what it is that I read? Love Comes Softly (Love Comes Softly Series, Book 1) by Janette Oke. I read the original though copyright 1979, and I just saw that on my link here to the book it has a different copyright date and different number of pages! Hmm... I may have to pick up that book too and look for differences.
I can't tell you how much I was touched by the similarities in the last two books I've read. Look back one post about When Life Is Hard. I found myself looking at the face of "Marty" the woman in Love Comes Softly and thinking "she's learning James 1, 1 Peter 4, 2 Corinthians 12, and Hebrews 12"! She had to face her impossible situation, her grief, her hatred and pain, her responsibilities (a 2 year old and pregnancy), and her marriage to a man she just met and learn to live WITH it all and not run from it, criticize it, fold under it, or complain about it. In Love Comes Softly you get to see the inner struggle she faces and ultimately the blessing God provides her - even though he never takes any of her problems away! 
This book was deeply touching, and I hope you read it. Or if you already have, please tell me what was your favorite part. :)