Food for thought

I am a Titus 2:4-5 Woman. I am sober, I love my husband, I love my children, I am discreet, I am chaste, I am a keeper of the home, good, obedient to my own husband, that the word of God be not blasphemed. How about you?

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What a week!

It's been quite a successful and 'blessing filled' week...

Sunday was Girls and Boys Brigade Parade Service at church
Here's Melinda almost ready to go.


We then had a lovely new friend and her children back for lunch... it's extra nice when you find 'easy to get along with' people!

We have gotten much bookwork done with home ed... slowly starting to catch up! Our new maths curriculum arrived - we're moving from 'Easy Learn Maths' to 'Math-U-See'... I'll explain 'why' in another post. In a week or two we will begin the new work. I need to unpack some tools to use with it first - they're in a box around here somewhere!!

I'm pretty impressed with Melinda's writing (8yo) (we're not moving to cursive for a few years yet) I will admit I do push the 'neat' thing in our house. Adults with barely legible printing & writing drive me NUTS!!

(in the picture, the ants are carrying a pen - I had thought it was an airplane!)

Wednesday we had some of our favourite people drop by - my friend Marion and their 7 children - it's so wonderful to open the back door and see the yard dotted with children happily playing together. They live a couple of hours away so it's something that can take some planning! We'll be headed their way in the next week-ish (If she lets me!!)

Thursday I had an old/new friend stop by and we got chatting about kids, behaviour, parenting etc... again so nice to chat with people who have God in their lives!

...and then Today!

This morning we were once again productive with bookwork and so had a free afternoon. The children and I drove out to Sassafras in The Dandenongs to find old fashioned FUDGE... we found it!

We also found this

Nathaniel does a lovely girl - don't you think?

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Once A Month Cooking - Not Me!

If I had a bunch of 'kitchen hands' I might be able to pull it off... but while I only have 2... who have small hands and are still in training ... I don't think I'll ever truly attempt it!
Have you ever tried it? Cooking everything for a month in one day?

I can see the benefits but I can't convince myself to pay the immediate cost... so many dishes, so much thinking, tired feet, sore back... and not to mention how crusty my hands would be at the end of it!!


On the other hand... I'm not a cook it every night kind of person. I think I grew up with this for the most part. Meat and 3 veg kind of has to be done like that, don't you think?



While sitting here typing, I have a huge pot of spaghetti sauce simmering away on the stove... at least enough for 4 meals (I'd say 5 however we have guests for lunch tomorrow so that's where the extra is going)... though the pot is big enough that I could have doubled it again and had enough for 10 meals - maybe next time?

I sometimes like to cook a couple of different dishes at the same time. Spag sauce is good for this (though not happening tonight) because once it's on the stove it just needs to simmer for a couple of hours with little attention. It's a good time to look ahead at the menu plan and see what can be prepared ahead with next to no change in the outcome of the meal.

Some things l like to make ahead and leave in the fridge for later in the week...
~Zucchini slice (pick up hot chips on the way home one night and it goes well with the zucchini slice and a quick salad)
~Broccoli and/or cauliflower cheese bake
~Tuna pasta bake (freezes well too - some have told me that freezing pasta doesn't work for them... but I never have an issue... I'll explain what I do to freeze pasta dishes in another post)
~Taco mince
~Soups: zucchini; chicken, corn and noodle; beef & barley
~Rice for fried rice
~Mashed potato... spread it into a casserole dish and drag a fork over the top to make it look pretty. Sprinkle some cheese over the top when baking to heat and it's all good!
~Sausages... cooked ahead can save some time on a busy evening. Easily heated in a casserole dish in the oven or in the fry pan with a lid.

As a general rule, I like to get dinner happening soon after breakfast - if it's not already done. It means that even when the day gets crazy that dinner is taken care of :o)


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A Nation Transformed Through Prayer

Please friends, take the time to watch this
N xx