Break

I am enjoying a bit of a bloggy break this week...I didn't mean to...it just got crazy around here!  I'll be back next week!  In the meanwhile, take a look at this beauty...

Smoothies!

Sunday evening we planned to go on a long family bike ride, but when the littles woke up from naptime it was raining.  We opted for a movie night and smoothies!  The boys were thrilled and they always think that they are icecream.  This is how we make em...They are super simple!

A simple banana

Frozen watermelon and strawberries from the freezer

2 T Maple Syrup, A handful of Spinach, and some water...start with 1/2 cup maybe upto 1 cup (depending on how runny you want it), juice from a lemon or a capful of lemon juice from a bottle. 

Mix it up and pour...yum, yum!

My husband always grimaces at the spinach, but you can't taste it and it adds nutrition...but if you add too much--it will turn the smoothies green.  I love these best with the watermelon and strawberries, but you could use any fruit you have in the freezer.

On top of having an amazing time with my family this weekend, I was a busy bee in the kitchen.  Here are a few of the highlights!

 Easy Granola Bars!

I added chocolate and pecans...the chocolate was melty..but they taste GREAT!!

 Uncrustables

They make for a quick easy lunch on the go!

 I used the excess to make croutons too!

I used salt free butter, so I used garlic salt and Italian seasoning to flavor them...yum!

They are GREAT!

I hope you are having a great week.  We are enjoying the last few days of warm weather...I am hearing rumor of frost this week (on the news).

Blessings to you,

Amanda
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Sunday Five

I have really been enjoying my family--spending time outdoors and playing, I haven't been spending much time on the computer.  But I did have some time to pin some of my favorites this week!

1.  I have been really trying to cut out processed foods from our diet...it is always easy to go out and buy snacky foods.  We love goldfish around here, I usually buy the whole wheat or garden veggie ones anyway, so THIS recipe, for whole wheat goldfish crackers, is a real keeper!

2.  Friday night, after movie night, I took some time to do some prep work in the kitchen.   I had some bananas that needed made into bread, so I made a triple batch of banana bread, homemade granola bars, and then--I made uncrustables and homemade croutons that I saw in THIS post.  I loved this idea.  Often on gymnastics days, since we are in town anyway we have lunch with Aaron--I made these uncrustables to pack for the boys lunch.  I also loved that there was no waste--the homemade croutons were awesome and easy to make too! 

3.  This recipe for Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup with Pesto Cream Cheese is our dinner for tonight! Erica, one of my college roommates from college posted this recipe on Facebook last week.  It looked so good, I just had to try it.  I plan to roast the veggies and take the recipe through step 7  and then freeze the extra.  I hope it freezes well!  It looks amazing...and I can't wait to eat it! 

4.  Last week I used THIS site to make name practice sheets for the boys.  I just typed out their names and printed them off.  Just a note...I had to change the orientation on my printer even though I had chosen landscape on the page.  Also, when I printed them off...it all didn't fit on one page.  I cut them up and taped them onto another page--to make copies of and then laminate...I LOVE my laminator!

5.  I really like headbands with flowers and bows to put in Lydia's hair.  While I was looking something else up this week, I saw THIS tutorial on how to make a felt flower headband I am going to have definitely do this very soon! 

It is my prayer that you had a blessed weekend with your family! 

Amanda

Family Driven Faith Chapter 5

This weeks chapter in Family Driven Faith is such a simple, though often forgotten, concept.  It reminds us to take responsibility for the teaching of the Word of God to our children.  I thought Mr. Baucham did an excellent job of relaying the message in his first paragraph:

"Moses saw the home as the principal delivery system for the transmittal of God's truth from generation to generation.  There is no hint here--or anywhere else in the Bible--of the multigenerational teaching of the truths of God being abdicated by parents in favor of 'trained professionals'.  That is not to say that parents should reject any help.  However, we must be careful to shift the responsibility for our children's biblical training to anyone else."

In short, God gave your children to you for you to teach, help, and guide--we don't cut out the things that we aren't so good at, or don't have that much confidence in ourselves doing-- in favor of giving that part of our responsibility to someone else.  Sit down with your children, read to them, with them, give them an opportunity to learn and ask questions.  This chapter was a great reminder that we are our children's first teachers...we need to teach God's Word.  We can lean on books or people to help us and help them, but teach the Word....daily.  Make it a habit.  Your church, my church should be reinforcing what we teach...not exposing our children to it for the very first time.  Commit to teaching and spending time with your kids, even the small moments can be big learning moments with your kids.  Don't give up...you can do it.

Recently, I read a book that encouraged me to read the Psalms and Proverbs daily with my littles.  I knew I liked the Psalms and Proverbs, but needed that extra push to make it a part of my daily routine.  I decided to choose a few verses in Psalms to start.  My thought was to read one each day for a month and then at the end of the month the littles would have a grasp of those scriptures and we would move into Proverbs, then back and forth--picking out verses throughout the year.  The boys are sponges right now and are memorizing the Bible like crazy.  I used a very scientific procedure to pick out the verses...not really, I just opened my Bible and picked out the ones that I liked at that very moment. I typed them up, cut them into strips, and placed them in a jar.  I decided that breakfast time was a great time to have the boys pull out one scripture and read it together, repeating after me, and then filling in the blanks as we learn it better.  I said we because I picked out verses that I need to learn too!  Here is the post where I spoke about my jar plans.  There are also some other great suggestions in the comments section on that post about what other people do to teach the Word of God to their littles.

The verses that follow are out of the ESV version of the Bible, they are the ones I chose to start off with. Please copy them if you would like (there are actually 9).

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Psalm 63:1

Shout for you to God, all the Earth; sing the glory of his name, give to Him glorious praise! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.  All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.  Psalm 66:1-4

Praise is due you, O God, in Zion.  And to you shall vows be performed.  O, you who hear prayer, to you all flesh come.  When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.  Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!  Psalm 65:1-4

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.  He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.  There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves.  Psalm 66:5-7

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.  Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.  Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.  God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! Psalm 67:1-7

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.   Psalms 62:1

Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked.  Psalms 55:1

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, til the storms of destruction pass by.  I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.  He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to sham him who tramples on me.  God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!  Psalm 57:1-3

O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might.  O God, hear my prayer; Give ear to the words of my mouth.  For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves.  Psalm 54:1-3 

It is my prayer that you will be encouraged to teach your children the Word of God.

If you have time, take a look at the other posts in this series:
Invitation
Divided
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4


Blessings to you,

Amanda

Take a moment and share with us what you do to teach the Word of God to your children.   In the book Mr. Baucham suggested committing to reading a book of the Bible through with your family over the next week, buying everyone in your family a Bible, and after you have developed a routine with Bible reading--doing a devotional or study together.


Linking up today at:
Women Living Well
Raising Homemakers
Titus 2sdays
Raising Mighty Arrows