This week before the rush of the holidays begins, I am purposing to focusing on serving others with my children. It's important that our children see us serving, that they know how to find ways to serve and that they participate with us as often as possible.
We will start out with some simple letter writing and cards. I want my children to carry on the act of a written letter or a card to send wishes to a friend or loved one. In today's culture of email and text messages, a written note is a lost and dying art. Tomorrow's schoolwork will consist primarily of writing notes and cards to cousins and other family members who are far away. I have photos set aside to include with these letters as well. We also have a card signed for George, the retired Marine we heard about last week who is in need of some encouragement, and another for Tabetha, a friend at Morning Grace who is recovering from major surgery. Of course I set the example for them today, writing thank you notes that were overdue and a long letter to Amber's birth mom. Lastly we will begin to work on cards and pictures to put in Grandaddy's care package going to Cuba later this month.
I try to encourage my children to use their talents to serve the Lord and others whenever possible. Serving others should be a joy, not an obligation, and what better way to serve with joy than by doing something you love and have a talent for! This Tuesday, I will use my talent and their eagerness to learn about baking to benefit the Charlotte Rescue Mission. All day Tuesday we plan to make baked goods for CRM to serve during their Thanksgiving meal on Thursday. Wednesday we will deliver the baked goods and then head home to cook up our own contributions to the Thanksgiving meal we will be attending at Aunt Jen and Uncle Mike's house.
What can you do to serve someone this Thanksgiving holiday? What talents and interests do you have that can be used in an act of service to others? Leave a comment and let me know what you are doing to serve someone this Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Holiday Countdown - In the Kitchen
Now that Halloween has come and gone, thoughts are turning to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call your relatives and finalize your Thanksgiving dinner plans now if you haven't already. Our family will be spending Thanksgiving with my brother's family and my mom - Daddy will already be in Cuba by then.
Once you know where you're eating, you need to decide what you're eating. Are you hosting the family at your house? Do you need to bring something to dinner at someone else's house? Decide now what you will make and start watching the sales ads for the ingredients you need.
You can also begin to think ahead to Christmas gifts from the kitchen. I love to bake so I do a lot of baked goods gifts for neighbors, the kids' teachers in their different homeschool activities and some of Michael's coworkers. I also like to doing some holiday baking now to help prepare me for all the parties and dinner and just special time with family and friends. If I do some baking now, I have more time to relax and enjoy the season! I set aside Wednesdays for cooking/baking and cleaning my kitchen.
My first plan of action is to buy bags of ripe bananas marked down at the grocery store. Then I use them to make as many batches of banana bread as possible - 6 bananas will make 2 or 3 batches depending on your recipe. Last year I bought some individual mini foil baking pans with holiday lids at the end of the season. So far I have about a dozen mini loaves of banana bread in the freezer waiting to be gifted to a friend or neighbor or teacher. I bake the loaves then let them cool. After I put the lids on the pans, I wrap them first in plastic wrap and then in foil. Then I put the loaves in freezer bags and stack them in my freezer. Make sure you label them so you know what you have!
This past weekend I bought half a bushel of honey crisp apples at a produce stand near my mom's house. On Wednesday I'll be making apple butter, apple jelly and baked apples to can. These will also make great gifts!!
Not all my baking is for giving away! If I gave it all away, there would be mutiny in the house. I also plan to start preparing cookie dough to freeze and pull out in December for those days the kids want to decorate cookies. I also try to make a double meal when possible, serving one for dinner and freezing the other for another busy night during the holidays.
Leave a comment and tell me about your favorite gift from the kitchen to give or one you've received!
Once you know where you're eating, you need to decide what you're eating. Are you hosting the family at your house? Do you need to bring something to dinner at someone else's house? Decide now what you will make and start watching the sales ads for the ingredients you need.
You can also begin to think ahead to Christmas gifts from the kitchen. I love to bake so I do a lot of baked goods gifts for neighbors, the kids' teachers in their different homeschool activities and some of Michael's coworkers. I also like to doing some holiday baking now to help prepare me for all the parties and dinner and just special time with family and friends. If I do some baking now, I have more time to relax and enjoy the season! I set aside Wednesdays for cooking/baking and cleaning my kitchen.
My first plan of action is to buy bags of ripe bananas marked down at the grocery store. Then I use them to make as many batches of banana bread as possible - 6 bananas will make 2 or 3 batches depending on your recipe. Last year I bought some individual mini foil baking pans with holiday lids at the end of the season. So far I have about a dozen mini loaves of banana bread in the freezer waiting to be gifted to a friend or neighbor or teacher. I bake the loaves then let them cool. After I put the lids on the pans, I wrap them first in plastic wrap and then in foil. Then I put the loaves in freezer bags and stack them in my freezer. Make sure you label them so you know what you have!
This past weekend I bought half a bushel of honey crisp apples at a produce stand near my mom's house. On Wednesday I'll be making apple butter, apple jelly and baked apples to can. These will also make great gifts!!
Not all my baking is for giving away! If I gave it all away, there would be mutiny in the house. I also plan to start preparing cookie dough to freeze and pull out in December for those days the kids want to decorate cookies. I also try to make a double meal when possible, serving one for dinner and freezing the other for another busy night during the holidays.
Leave a comment and tell me about your favorite gift from the kitchen to give or one you've received!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
3 Months with Georgia
It's hard to believe that little Georgia is already 3 months old! Seems like just yesterday we were counting her fingers and toes, marveling at the beautiful creation of God. She's such a little trooper - already she has had to go through jaundice, colic and the swine flu (Mama had it, but God protected her). We are so thankful she is now healthy and growing.
She is really starting to develop a little personality. She loves to smile and coo now. She very much prefers Mama's lap to anyone else's and usually protests if someone else tries to hold her. She is also rolling over now and loves to lay on her Grandmama quilt in the floor and just look around.
I am so thankful God chose to bless us with Georgia! What a wonderful gift she is to our family. We love you Peaches!!
Toilet Paper Pumpkins
Yesterday I found this great little decoration for fall and I just HAD to try it! It was so quick and easy and I already had all the supplies right here at home. Thanks to the Moore Minutes website for the idea!! You can get instructions here on how to make your own, plus another idea for making pumpkins out of dryer vent tubing.
Here are some pics of the finished product:
Here are some pics of the finished product:
Post a comment and share how you decorate for fall!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
My Favorite Couponing Website
About a month ago, a friend of mine recommended a great website to me:
This is a great website if you are just beginning to collect coupons or even if you have clipped coupons for years and just don't know where or when to use them. There are several great features to the website:
1. Couponing 101 and other info: This is a great place to start if you are ready to save money but don't know where to begin. There is also a list of terms and abbreviations that are frequently used on the website listed and what they mean. And you can learn the basics of store programs like CVS Bonus Bucks and Walgreens Register Rewards.
2. Grocery stores: Each week the best deals for southern grocery stores are listed on the site. Grocery stores listed on the site are Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Harveys, Ingles, Kroger and Publix. Just click on the store you like to shop at and see what's on sale and if a coupon is available for that item. If there's a coupon available, it will list the amount in red along with the date it was in the Sunday paper. For online coupons, a link is provided for you to go and print the coupon. The website will also highlight items available for free or very cheap when you use a coupon and frequently lists the best weekly deals so you know which store has the best price if you must buy diapers or ground chuck for example.
3. Drug stores: Each week the website will list sale items for Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens. Similar to the grocery listings, if an item has a coupon available it will be listed below the item. Also listed are items in the store program deals such as CVS Bonus Bucks or Walgreens Register Rewards. At the end of each store's listing, the website will give you a shopping plan of what to buy and what coupons to use, showing how much you will pay out of pocket and how much you will save or even earn in store money.
4. Other good deals: Frequently the website will post rebates, special sales or giveaways by companies. Last week we went to Coldstone Creamery and took advantage of free ice cream. Today I found out about a new rebate offer from SC Johnson & Company. A lot of these offers are for a limited time so it's important to stay tuned to the website. The best way to not miss out on these deals is to either subscribe to Southern Savers - it's free just click the link on the right side of the webpage - or become a fan of Southern Savers on Facebook and the offers will appear right on your newsfeed wall.
This website can be credited with really giving me a better grasp of not only how to save money with coupons but also with how much money we have the opportunity to save if only we are aware of it! I hope you are helped by it as much as I have been!
This is a great website if you are just beginning to collect coupons or even if you have clipped coupons for years and just don't know where or when to use them. There are several great features to the website:
1. Couponing 101 and other info: This is a great place to start if you are ready to save money but don't know where to begin. There is also a list of terms and abbreviations that are frequently used on the website listed and what they mean. And you can learn the basics of store programs like CVS Bonus Bucks and Walgreens Register Rewards.
2. Grocery stores: Each week the best deals for southern grocery stores are listed on the site. Grocery stores listed on the site are Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Harveys, Ingles, Kroger and Publix. Just click on the store you like to shop at and see what's on sale and if a coupon is available for that item. If there's a coupon available, it will list the amount in red along with the date it was in the Sunday paper. For online coupons, a link is provided for you to go and print the coupon. The website will also highlight items available for free or very cheap when you use a coupon and frequently lists the best weekly deals so you know which store has the best price if you must buy diapers or ground chuck for example.
3. Drug stores: Each week the website will list sale items for Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens. Similar to the grocery listings, if an item has a coupon available it will be listed below the item. Also listed are items in the store program deals such as CVS Bonus Bucks or Walgreens Register Rewards. At the end of each store's listing, the website will give you a shopping plan of what to buy and what coupons to use, showing how much you will pay out of pocket and how much you will save or even earn in store money.
4. Other good deals: Frequently the website will post rebates, special sales or giveaways by companies. Last week we went to Coldstone Creamery and took advantage of free ice cream. Today I found out about a new rebate offer from SC Johnson & Company. A lot of these offers are for a limited time so it's important to stay tuned to the website. The best way to not miss out on these deals is to either subscribe to Southern Savers - it's free just click the link on the right side of the webpage - or become a fan of Southern Savers on Facebook and the offers will appear right on your newsfeed wall.
This website can be credited with really giving me a better grasp of not only how to save money with coupons but also with how much money we have the opportunity to save if only we are aware of it! I hope you are helped by it as much as I have been!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The Fourth G
Introducing
AVA GEORGIA VELEKE
the fourth G
Georgia arrived on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 at 11:22 am.
She was born on my parents' 36th anniversary.
She weighs 6 lbs 11 oz and is 20 inches long.
God blessed Mama with a quick delivery - only 4 and a half hours - surrounded by my hubby, my Mama and my "sister" cousin Beckie.
We are so grateful for this newest addition to our family.
God is so kind and continues to bless our family far more than we deserve.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Are You Ready?? He's Coming!!
This week I reached the nine week mark in my pregnancy with baby Georgia. In just nine short weeks she will be here with us and the anticipation will be over. Are we ready?? Not by a longshot.
Lately I've had a lot of thoughts about preparations that need to be complete before she arrives and the what ifs (what if she's early? what if I need a c-section and have a longer recovery?). I don't want to be caught off guard and bring home a baby to a mountain of laundry, piles of dirty dishes, an unplanned school year and disorganization. I know that things will go more smoothly if there are meals in the freezer for dinner, clean laundry in the drawers, a system of housekeeping in place that my family knows how to follow. So we have begun to prepare. We're doing lots of extra cleaning, staying on top of chores, planning our school year now for this fall. We are anxiously awaiting Georgia's arrival and we want to be ready for whenever that may be.
This morning as I began making lists of things still left to be done, my thoughts turned to another event I am anticipating - the coming of Jesus. In Mark 13:32-37, Jesus reminds us that the day and the hour of his return are unknown and we must be ready. "If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone. Watch!" (Mark 13:36-37) In the busyness of life we can get caught up in our to do lists, the frantic pace and the urgent things that cry out for our attention. But we must not lose our focus! We must be always looking to the sky, ready for the Savior's return for his bride!
In the same way I don't want to be found unprepared when baby Georgia arrives, I want my Jesus to find me ready and waiting for him. Are you ready?? He's coming!!
Lately I've had a lot of thoughts about preparations that need to be complete before she arrives and the what ifs (what if she's early? what if I need a c-section and have a longer recovery?). I don't want to be caught off guard and bring home a baby to a mountain of laundry, piles of dirty dishes, an unplanned school year and disorganization. I know that things will go more smoothly if there are meals in the freezer for dinner, clean laundry in the drawers, a system of housekeeping in place that my family knows how to follow. So we have begun to prepare. We're doing lots of extra cleaning, staying on top of chores, planning our school year now for this fall. We are anxiously awaiting Georgia's arrival and we want to be ready for whenever that may be.
This morning as I began making lists of things still left to be done, my thoughts turned to another event I am anticipating - the coming of Jesus. In Mark 13:32-37, Jesus reminds us that the day and the hour of his return are unknown and we must be ready. "If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone. Watch!" (Mark 13:36-37) In the busyness of life we can get caught up in our to do lists, the frantic pace and the urgent things that cry out for our attention. But we must not lose our focus! We must be always looking to the sky, ready for the Savior's return for his bride!
In the same way I don't want to be found unprepared when baby Georgia arrives, I want my Jesus to find me ready and waiting for him. Are you ready?? He's coming!!
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