Gingerbread

I found the best recipe for gingerbread from http://pleasantviewschoolhouse.blogspot.com/search?q=gingerbread. I fixed some today while Artie and the children were out raking leaves in the yard. It was so yummy!!!!


•Schoolhouse Gingerbread•

Combine and beat until smooth:

1 c. sugar
1 c. molasses
1 c. oil
3 eggs

In another bowl mix:

3/4 t. salt
1 t. cloves
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda

Add to first bowl, then stir in:

1 c. boiling water.

Bake in greased and floured 8x8 pan at 350 for 45 minutes.

A nice surprise at Kindergarten

Friday the boys had to wear black pants and a black shirt to kindergarten, but weren't told why - it was a surprise. When they got there, they were given the white and black polka dot t-shirts to wear over their black shirts. They teachers wore the same thing.

They were the 101 Dalmatians!! They watched the movie and I think everyone had a fun day. Bobby looked very cute with his nose painted!!

A morning at the dentist

dentist's chair
Originally uploaded by tommy vicious.

Today was the dentist day for three of the four little ones. Emily, Stephen and Bobby all had to go in for a cleaning. Emily was so excited, the hygenist pulled her front tooth. Now she will get a tally mark on the big tooth on the chalk board in first grade!!

Terry was very disappointed that he didn't walk out with the new toothbrushes, pencils, and stickers. I realized he's not a baby anymore and it's time for him to be seeing the dentist too. So, come June, all four littles will travel together to the dentist office. I can't believe my little baby is growing up so fast.

A Lysol kind of day

lysol
Originally uploaded by jactivity5.

All the children have been sick this week. We have been spraying lysol everywhere, serving orange juice, passing out cough syrup and cough drops, handing out vitamen C drops, changing sheets, washing toothbrushes, taking naps. Hopefully this will pass soon. School starts back tomorrow (out yesterday for teacher/parent conference and today for election day) . Tonight we will be serving up some homemade chicken soup and french bread.

Sunday Afternoons

I love Sunday afternoon naps!! They are one of my favorite things in life. Today everyone (except Brian who was keeping up with his Redskins) took a nap - even the cat was asleep when I laid down. Oh, it's such a nice feeling to lay down with no guilt. What a gift from God!!

My Clothesline

One of my favorite joys - hanging clothes out on my clothesline!! I love my clothesline. I am trying to teach myself and Brenda to hang out like the Amish do - all like things together and by size. She thinks I've flipped my lid and am gonna run off and become Amish!! It looks so pretty when it is all hung neatly though.

(Beside the tree, behind the clothesline you can see Artie's horseshoe pits - that was his father's day present last year. And then the children's fort is coming off the side of our pecan tree.)

Sarah Plain and Tall

It was Sarah Plain and Tall day today. Hallmark showed the complete trilogy!! I love these movies.




As I watched the moves today I cleaned my family room and kitchen. I deeped clean in some piles of papers that were in desperate need of attention. I found some important insurance papers that needed to be filed that were just sitting and waiting. After the table was all clean we had a nice warm dinner of salmon stew - our first of the fall. I love having all my children around my table. Terry has been sick and during the end of the last movie I got to just sit and rock my sweet baby and watch the movie.

Watching the movies I realized that Sarah is a Charlote Mason mama!! She taught the children music - singing and playing the harmonica, nature drawing, journaling, outdoor activies such as swimming and planting flowers, love of animals, and the art of creating beauty in the areas around you. She inspires me to be a better mama and have a prettier kitchen!

How to feed a family of 8 for $4.00?

pinto beans
Originally uploaded by spentpenny.

Pinto beans and fried potatoes. It was so yummy. We cooked up a pound of pintos and 10 pounds of fried potatoes served with a lot of ketchup and sweet tea!!

Here are our Halloween Trick or Treaters!!

Bobby is an army man, Emily is a girl from the 50's with her poodle skirt, Terry is Superman, and Stephen is a boxer (with a black eye)! They had a fun night going around our neighborhood. They will get to dress up again this weekend and trick or treat at their grandparents homes.

Fall Leaves

The fall leaves are so pretty this year!!!
This is my favorite tree in our yard. It is a sugar maple. Wow, we will have lots of raking in a couple of weeks!!

Beverly Lewis

"The Revelation"
Originally uploaded by Pictorial Life.

My favorite fictional author right now is Beverly Lewis. I am currently reading The Shunning, but my favorite so far is Abram's Daughters - a series of five books. She is such a wonderful writer. I love hearing about the Amish life!!