Whittling down the debt

Today is my birthday.  I have avoided the computer some and spent time with my family & catching up on some long over due paper work(bane of my existence).

It has been a good day.

Cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

2 hours of quiet(for the mentioned paper work) from my hubby.  He took the kids out to look at dealerships he said.  I really think they went shopping but we will see later.

They drove home Buick Rendezvous. 

Not a new vehicle but if we go that direction it would eliminate our auto loan.  We haven’t made any decisions yet other than we need to sell the Rav4 we have now.

Back in October when we were in this lovely place. 

We made some hard decisions.  It was time to work towards getting out of debt.  We had had some great opportunities to invest & spend in the past couple of years.  It didn’t work out so we are changing our directions(per God’s orders) and working on it.  We aren’t going under or declaring we are bankrupt but the debt we had was too much. 

It was a burden and suffocating us.

This year will be a year of change and I am actually looking forward to it.

I think it is a great attitude for a birthday.

Now on to cake, presents & time with my family.

Praying for my children

Do you purposefully pray for your children? 

I mean beyond “Please God keep them safe"?

I have done different praying at different times in their(my) lives. 

1.  Infant—Please HELP me God, I don’t know what I am doing.

2.  Infant—Please God just a few minutes of sleep?

3.  2 years—Please HELP me God, I may loose my mind.

4.  3 years—Please God will he/she ever go in the potty?

5.  Middle Years—Please HELP me God, you meant them to be my kids right?  They are so strange.

6.  Middle Years—Please God will they survive to be adults?

7.  Teen Years—Oh Lord, you and me right?  HELP!

8.  Teen Years—Lord help them to be pure and wait for the mate you have for them.  Help them desire your best.

9.  Teen Years—Please God help them to hear their tone of voice.

10.  College Years—Please Lord, bring him home once in a while.

Today I don’t have bottles & diapers to deal with any more, but the remaining years seem to be flying by as my little people are rapidly becoming BIG people.

This morning I was blessed to have this verse jump off the page.

Asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

And we pray this in order that you may life a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in everyway; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.       Colossians 1:9-10

Even if it wasn’t highlighted already I would have recognized this verse.  I have prayed this over and over for my children. 

For so many of those younger years I kept looking for the fruit of my labors.  I did see some good fruit.  They would share toys, play nicely & speak kindly—most of the time.  But it seemed I saw my fair share of rotten fruit too.  Hitting, selfishness, laziness—they are/were human after all.

Now I am learning to let them go.  A year ago I was a total mess.  All I knew was that my oldest, who was a senior, was LEAVING. 

My heart was breaking and I cried A LOT.  I couldn’t stand it.

I knew he was ready for this step and that he would continue to grow and become an amazing young man.  BUT it is hard to let go and see things change.

I prayed that verse many times because I knew that God would take care of him when I wasn’t there.  I didn’t want him to stay the same but finding a way to let go was just beyond me.

So I continue to pray although he isn’t under my roof everyday.  I don’t know where he is most of the time.  I pray for him to have good fruit in his life. 

But I know my job—to pray and lift all my children up so that God can fill them with the knowledge of his will.

What do you pray over and over for your children?

DIY Cream Soup Mix

My husband really doesn’t like food that has been over salted.  Even peanuts he prefers the ones lightly salted or unsalted.

I try making our meals lower in sodium by making my own cream of _____ soup.  It is also saves me $$$—have you seen how much a can of soup costs?  Yikes!

Use the mix below as a basis for your soup and then add the ingredient that forms the flavor of the soup.  Chop mushrooms, saute a bit in some olive oil & you have cream of mushroom soup with out the mega sodium & preservatives. Chop celery for cream of celery or chop chicken for cream of chicken.

DIY Cream Soup Mix

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup instant reduced sodium chicken or beef bouillon granules

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

1/4 tsp white pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well with wire whisk until blended.  Store in an airtight container.

To prepare:

As a substitute for 1 can of condensed cream soup in recipes, stir together 1/3 cup dry mix & 1-1/4 cup water in a glass bowl or sauce pan.  You can microwave this—stirring every 30 seconds—for 2 minutes.  Also it can be heated on the stove while stirring.  I use the microwave because it is faster that way—just don’t for get to stir!  The mix makes the equivalent of 9 cans.  For cream of chicken you might want to use chicken broth instead of water to help with the flavor.

Linked up at

Frugal Follies

Joy in ordinary things

I walked to the mailbox today.  No jacket & I didn’t freeze

I saw the green iris leaves peaking through the dried leaves.  Almost time to rake back the old brown dead stuff & prepare for the new green growth.

The mud isn’t ruining the kids shoes because we found fun muddy boots for them to wear outside when they exercise the dog & when they go out to play.

My birthday is next week.  Not forty yet.  Still ornery.

Phone calls & emails from old friends. 

It is good to rejoice together.

Hubby is researching places to stay on the beach.

Ahhh—I am blessed.

It is so easy to get caught up in what is wrong and forget the little joys.  It is so much simpler to just appreciate what I have & not wish for what I don’t.

  

Favorite Freezer Meals

It has been a month since we did a batch cooking day.  So I’ve been doubling some recipes to stash in the freezer to beef up our supply.  You never know when a day might go crazy so it is good to have a few of things ready to go quickly!

A super easy one that gets gobbled up here is Chicken Tetrazini.  I like it because as long as I have Colby cheese on hand then I will have all the other staples available.

This recipe is one that I make two and freeze the extra one.  I like to have one on hand to take to a sick friend, a family with a new baby or just to bless some one.  It isn’t spicy so it appeals to many—besides who can resist cheesy noodles!

Chicken Tetrazini

12-14 oz of noodles—any variety

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

8 oz Colby cheese shredded

2 cups chicken cooked and diced

16 oz bag of frozen peas & carrots(optional)

Boil the noodles until slightly under done.  While noodles are cooking, mix soup & milk in a large bowl.  Drain noodles & add to soup mixture.  Add chicken & 1/2 of the cheese.  If you want to add the vegetables it should be done at this point.  Mix well & put in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Top with the remaining cheese.  Bake on 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot & bubbly.

Pair with a green lettuce salad & you have a quick easy meal!

Here are some other great freezer meals!

Lemon Chicken—paired with rice, noodles, grilled, crockpot—you cannot hurt this recipe!

Teriyaki Chicken

Skillet BBQ Chicken

Linked up at Frugal Follies