This sounds up our home school alley.

Joyfully Home: Pajama School#links is also giving away one free book in her recent give away.

Food, Family, and Fun

These four "F"s go so well together. Don´t they? I think many of you actually have used them in many of your titles. It´s just so alliterated.


Well, I did not get to blog about Making my Home Sing Monday as planned due to trying to make my home sing with company. We enjoyed every minute!

Last night, our guests, Matt and Kathy bought all the fixings for a wonderful Spanish supper! ( They are, btw, English folk living in Germany)

Requirements for a good Spanish Supper:

Good bread

Good ham

Good sausages

Good cheese

Great olives

Matt and Kathy bought good Asturian Spanish products that we don´t normally get to buy. It was such a treat! These cheeses were "grown" right in our area. It´s so fun to try new cheeses! I think I could be a connoisseur of cheeses and olives! God sure did prepare me for Spain.

Here´s Matt and Kathy on our city´s beach.

Friday we went to the Mountains not far from our home.

What you don´t see is the huge snowy mountain behind the mountains in the forground. They were so impressive and totally covered in snow!

Our boys on top of the world!

And of course more food! This was a chilly picnic on top of the mountain look-out. We had "Empanadas" a typical Spanish meat pie.

Living proof that something beautiful can grow on "stoney ground".

And of course more food! This is our church fellowship time after our Sunday evening Singspiration.


I was tagged by Ashely to give seven blessings. Oh, our God is so good to give us SOOO MANY BLESSINGS!!

I am so thankful for:

1. My Salvation! It´s free and it´s forever! John 3:16 and Efesians 2:8-9

2. My family! my Husband and children... That´s 4 right there!

3. My parents and brother! I have the most wonderful Christian parents who support us in the Lord´s work here in Spain and who have always supported me in everything.

4. My Hubby´s family! My hubby´s parents are loving and supportive as well and our boys have wonderful Aunts and Uncles

5. My Country! I am thankful to be an American.

6. My adoptive country! I love Spain!!! I love serving Jesus in this country and the more I live here the more I love it.

7. My dear friends who encourage, support and always leave comments! :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Burn it, Burn it!

1,448 calories!!!

That´s what my body burns in a sedentary state according to the bmr calculator! I think it lied! or I just didn´t burn enough or I just counted my calories wrong.

I tried to burn it. I really did. Last Friday, I ate about 1,300 calories and burned more than 500 calories on my bike with my lifts included.

I did not lose anything!

I tried to burn it! I really did. The next day, I ate a bit more because I exercised more. I swam 45 minutes and jogged/walked about 15 minutes. Had a really hard time calculating my calorie intake this day. I figured about 1,657 calories. I really thought I had burned enough though, with all that exercise, not to mention cheering like crazy for my Hubby at his football game...

But I did not lose anything.

I have to tell you I was a little disillusioned.

Well, at any rate. I kept up with my biking and walking the rest of the week.

Now for

Gettin´Fine in ´09 update.

I didn´t lose any more weight all week. I stayed the same.

At least till today...

We just got home from a long day of sight seeing with our visitors from Germany, eating a picnic lunch, snacking, having German chocolate, Spanish coffee and pastries, and then ending the day with pizza for dinner.

OH boy, oh boy! Not good for any dieter!

Had to call today my free day. I have allowed my self a day where I can have special foods and sugary treats. It has helped me to keep up on my Fitness Journey. ( I like this term better than diet)

My goal: Start off tomorrow with a light jog with my Hubby. Make pancakes and eggs for everyone and just eat some eggs and fruit. Lots and lots of fruit, veggies and water. I am going to try a combinations Atkins diet with the South beach diet. Low carbs. high healthy protein, no empty carbs. or sugars.

We are taking a trip to Granada and Portugal next week. I am so excited, but how am I suppose to keep the weight off? Any suggestions? I just gain weight looking at food!!

Reaching for the prize,

Wednesday "What´s Up" with the Crew

"What´s Up with the Crew" post almost didn´t happen today. We got cleaning and studying and having supper.. but we did get some pictures posted. Two of them really enjoyed doing their posts with Mommy. Maybe they will be writers someday. I pray that no matter what they do they do it for God´s Glory.

"Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding."

Proverbs 4:1

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

Tuesday Tortilla and Not a Chip

No it´s not a new meme. It´s not a mexican flour tortilla, and it´s not even a tortilla chip.

I will now attempt to demonstrate how to make a Spanish Tortilla or better known in the USA as a Spanish Omelet.

It´s so ironic. My friend Pilar learned how to cook in the USA, my home country and I learned to cook in her home country, Spain. When I got to Spain, I had to learn how to make everything from scratch.

One dish that I always wanted to know how to make since I arrived, was the Tortilla. It smells so good cooking. But I would always end up making scramble eggs and potatoes. It never turned out. Until I learned the secret. Read to the end to learn the secret.

All you need is:
6-7 medium potatoes or 3-4 large potatoes.
7-8 eggs (there is a secret...read to the end)
1 onion (optional)
2-3 garlic cloves (optional)
Olive oil (to be healthier) or you can just use plain ol´vegetable oil.
and a Non-stick deep frying pan.

1. Dice up the onion and mince the garlic. I love the onion and garlic flavor and tend to add more.

2. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and onion to fry till tender. Try not to brown any of it.

4. Dice the potatoes very small.

5. Add them to the onions and garlic. Fry them till they are so tender that they mash easily but don´t mash them all up. Try not to brown them too much. The torilla looks so much nicer when it´s not so brown.

6. Add salt. I never add enough. Today I added about a tsp. to the potatoes and another 1/2 tsp to the eggs.

6. Have the eggs already beaten and set aside while the potatoes are frying. Don´t forget to add the salt. Then add them to the potatoes.

7. Turn the heat way down. Flatten and move the potatoes around till the egg is even all around. Keep the edges from touching the sides. Round them off. This helps form it into a round pretty piece of art. Cook it on low till the sides firm up and the middle is no longer liquidy.

8. Now comes the fun part. FLIP
I use a plate large enough to cover the pan. Cover it tight and flip it.

9. Then slide it back into the pan to cook the underside. Remeber to keep it on low. Cook till the middle is no longer wiggley. (that´s a technical cooking term)

10. Flip it back onto the plate when it is done. and Wa-la! You have yourself a very popular Spanish dish! Everyone eats them. They are even in every restaurant. We eat them for mid-morning snack, Comida (lunch at 2:00), Merienda (afternoon snack) or even for Cena (supper).

Don´t forget the bread!!

The secret to a great tortilla:
always use more egg than potato
and enough salt.

Go ahead now, you can do it. It takes practice so don´t give up on the first try.

Do you have something fun or ethnic you like to cook?

Marriage and the Home

Marriage and the Home

(message by my Hubby aka: Pastor Joe, preached this Sunday in our little mission church.)

Introduction
Marriage - one man, one woman, for life. Romans 7 explains how a widow or widower can remarry. Divorce is not God´s plan (Matthew 19:8). The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality and gay marriage (Leviticus 18; Romans 1).

Ephesians 5 - As Christians we are to walk in light, not like the world. The world produces fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, deceit, and drunkenness. It is selfish, it seeks its own, not that of others. Beginning with marriage and the home, the Bible teaches God´s way, the true way, for peace, happiness, and success in life, walking in the light.

I. Wives submitted to their husbands - 5:22-24.

A. Relevant for today

1. This is not cultural.
2. This is not outdated.
3. This is not male-chauvinistic - The Bible has done more to elevate the role of the woman than any other influence in the world today.

B. Follow the leadership of the husband as head of the home.

1. This does not diminish the dignity and value of a woman.
2. “Head” of the home does not mean dictator, it means manager - the husband is to set the direction of the home and let his wife flourish in her gifts and talents in order for that direction to be fulfilled.
3. Proverbs 31 - Gods sees a virtuous wife as one who joyfully fulfills her work in the home, is involved in business, production, labor, and is intelligent, and uses all these gifts for the good of her home.
4. The wife gives counsel, makes decisions, leads in the home, following the direction in which the husband desires to lead the home.

C. God gives peace and harmony

1. God gives order to free the home of fighting, violence, and abuse.
2. Can there be two presidents? Two judges? Two generals? There cannot be disagreements and division. One needs to make final decisions.
3. The wife is his helpmeet.

II. Husbands love and give themselves for their wives - 5:25-29.

A. He is not a dictator.

1. He does not demand and expect to be waited on.
2. He does not submit his wife by force.
3. He does not treat her as a servant or a possession.

B. He is to love her and be willing to sacrifice himself for her.

1. Be willing to set aside preferences, desires, ambitions, even his own life for her - self sacrifice as did Christ for the church.
2. He is to love her as his own body and self, sustaining her and caring for her.
3. Rather than selfishness, all the attention that he would want and give to himself, he would give to her.

C. God gives peace and harmony - 5:33

1. A wife can submit herself to a husband that loves like that.
2. A husband can be a loving head of the home for a wife that submits like that.
3. But this teaching must begin early, from childhood. Young people today are taught self-satisfaction at all costs. That hurts marriage.

Conclusion
After a person´s relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the most important relationship in life is the marriage relationship. God created a perfect world and placed a married couple there to care for it and enjoy it. Christ´s love and relationship to His church should be pictured by the marriage relationship. We can all strive to be more Christ-like and Biblical in our marriage and home.

I was going to write it out in my own words but His outline is so good and complete. I am so thankful for such a wonderful Husband! I had tears in my eyes as he preached this and gave examples of our life together. I am overwhelmed. Our love makes our home sing! What makes your home sing?

Tag you´re It! & The Envelope Please!

I have been tagged! I must admit I have never been tagged in this new blog life that I now live. In fact I haven´t even played blog tag, but I was really hoping to play one day. My new bloggy friend Alicia @ Confessions of a Snowflake has tagged me.

Now I tag you!

Tag! You´re it!

Julia @ Amazing Love

Moms the word @ Momstheword - living for him

Sarah @ modern dayknights and a princess

Tori @ a home far from home

Pilar @ Starks in Spain

Jill @ Jill Boyd´s Place

Kristy @ Canadian Chronicles

Amy @ Daily Pleasures

Here´s how it works.
There are some rules with this tag:I need to link to the person that tagged me.I need to share 7 things people may not know about me.I need to tag 7 people to share 7 things and link to them.I need to let them know they've been tagged.

Here are the 7 things about me you may not know :

1. I use to have only one barbie doll and she was the one in charge of all my miniture Strawberry shortcake doll collection and rode my only "My little Pony".

2. I played American Football with all the boys in the neighborhood till I was 12 and it started to hurt in places I was embarrassed to say.

3. The year I was 7, my mom threw me while I was sitting on her feet in the air. I landed on my tail end and tried to brace myself with my hands. Needless to say, I broke my elbow on our vaccation trip to Canada!

4. That same summer, My Grandma tripped down our stairs and dislocated her elbow. I thought it was my fault. Cried like a baby. My Grandma and I had casts at the same time.

5. I was called to be a missionary after a missionary showed slides of his field in Bolivia at my school. I was 10.

6. I flew out of a car in Paraguay on my short term missions trip. Landed under a parked car and broke my collar bone. Ended up in a private hospital and had morphine for the first time. While I was in the ambulance, I went into shock. The whole lower half of my body shook, while I laughed with my friend! I remember saying.. "Hey look I am shaking like a leaf!" Had no idea I was in shock.

7. I wish I had taken piano and voice lessons in College. I was too scared.

Ok enough confessing...

I would also like to announce another award...

I would like to award four of my missionary friends who have been so dear to me in my blogging beginnings with this award. They have commented on almost all of my posts, flops or no flops and are very uplifting and encouraging in their posts. The Light of Jesus shines through them!

Through you and your blog!!!

The envelope please...

and the winners are...

Pilar @ Starks in Spain

Nina @ Portugal Bound

Tori @ a home far from Home

Kristy @ Canadian Chronicles

There are many more who I have met and who have become very dear (check out my sidebar), but these four have been there since the beginning!

Thanks girls, for being faithful where you have been planted and for being so encouraging! May we see much fruit for our labor!

Fattness or Fitness?

I am choosing fitness! I have just joined "Gettin´fine in ´09" and want to start doing my own studies and posts on Fitness.

All my life, I have been doing some sort of exercise, from aerobics with my mom, swimming, high school and college soccer and softball, to now running, and blading with my three very active sons. Gotta keep up some how.

After having a baby a year for three years straight, it took it´s toll on my body. I really have been trying for the last 7 years to get back to my pre-baby body. This is not everything in life to me however, as even in the Bible, Paul writes to Timothy (inspired by God) saying that " bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things," ( 1Timothy 4:8) We must be sure our priorities are in order. Quiet time first. I am preaching at myself here. I need to make sure I am spending my quiet time with my Lord and then all other things will fall into place.

Fitness and exercise are becoming a big part of my day, though as I have eliminated the unwind-veg. time of my day. It feels great! Every evening when I would normally just flop on the sofa just pleased to have made it through, I will get on my bike and watch football (I miss football season) or watch a part of a movie I really like. Boy, does that help pass the time.

Melissa encouraged her blogger readers to do HIIT exersize and gave a great plan for losing weight. Using weights in the rest time of the cardio work out has been a geat fat burning boost. I have been lifting 5lb weights doing biceps, triceps, butterflies, shoulder presses and trunk twists while biking the whole time. Lifting in the slow interval of my biking. I do this every other day. The other days I walk and then bike as far as time allows on my stationary bike in my living room.

I have however hit a plateau this week. Finding Lisa, at Lisa shaw fit life led me to Sandy at God Speaks Today which led me to Sarah at No Pain No Gain and her accountability challenge "Gettin´ fine in ´09". They all are challenging each other to reach for their goals. Reading how many calories they are burning, I started upping my work outs! I started yesterday burning more than 500 calories. I can´t wait to see if this kicks this plateau.

I know God wants us to do our best. There are many areas I need to work on, (Like my laundry baskets of clean clothes to be folded) so I am going to keep endevoring to get myself disciplined in more than one way.

"I press toward the mark for the prize

of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:14

Making things Fair by Jill Boyd

I don´t usually post so often. In fact I am very new at all this blogging stuff, but I just recently received really great advice and wanted to share it. Not to mention some great humor! Thanks Mrs. Boyd.

Post by Jill Boyd

On my last post, I talked about Luke's disappointment and the fact that we can't make everything right for our children. In the comment section, Dani Joy wrote, "Actually, lately they have been getting ridiculed in Karate and in the park. My hubby has great advise for them but as a mommy I want to just go and take care of it all. What advise would you give?"

I can give advice here, but I have to warn you that I'm not an expert. I have the experience of a mother of twenty years (I can't believe I"m actually admitting that!) and I have six children. My mothering skills are sometimes suspect--although so are my cooking skills. And I haven't killed anybody yet (with either skills) so that has to count for something. Right?

But before I give the advice, I do need to make the following disclaimer:

The advice presented here in no way is a replacement for professional advice. Some advice from me has been known to cause dizziness, headaches, tears and the occasional upset stomach. If these symptoms persist or are intense, discontinue my advice and seek a doctor's help immediately. Or simply don't seek my advice again...
Read the full advice at Jill Boyd´s. Place...

The Hair Dare!

Moms Ministry and More has put out a dare that I just couldn´t pass up.

The Hair Dare

In my past I have been much more daring but my hair grows slower now.

Many of you helped by voting and ideas!! Thanks so much!



Here is my before picture...






And Drum roll please....

hehehe!!!!

My hubby is pleased! That´s a big plus! My boys aren´t too sure. Especially Michael, who hates it when I get my hair cut. He even said he wasn´t going to look at me and only look at old pictures of me. He´s omething else, I tell ya.

I am so thankful to the Lord for my English teaching jobs that allowed me to just go for this new look. Haven´t had my hair in a bob like this since college!

Wednesday "What´s Up" with the Crew

"What´s Up with the Crew" is going to be hosted by the Contreras Crew every Wednesday!

They have been hoping to get updating their blog and I finally got to helping them do so.

Take a moment and see

"What´s Up with the Crew."

Rest in Me

Rest in Me Upload Music

Rest in Me

To dove tail on my post yesterday, I want to share a special song that has touched my heart.

That same day I journaled about my failure, this song came on. I just cried and cried, praying and asking for God to still my heart.
May you take a moment and listen. I pray it may touch your heart too, and be a blessing today.

"Rest in Me"
by Carry Schmidt

When confusion fills my life
And my world inside is torn apart
When the road just seems too rough
And discouragement just grips my heart
I lift my eyes and see
The One who died for me
Is standing there beside me
And says so tenderly

Oh be still my child
And know I´m your God
Rest to know that the King of Glory is on your side
Let me bare all your pain and carry your load
Oh, be still my child and rest in me

When I lose the ones I love
Or no one there to stand by me
When all I have is gone My dreams and plans are all destroyed
I lift my eyes to see
There´s still on standing by me
Jesus stands beside me
And says so tenderly

Oh be still my child
And know I´m your God
Rest to know that the King of Glory is on your side
Let me bare all your pain and carry your load
Oh, be still my child and rest in me

Making my Home Sing????

Hi there, Welcome to my home. Pull up a chair, smell my vanilla candle, soak in the roses at my table, I would love to share.

I have failed in so many ways. I know it´s not uncommon, infact the Apostle Paul wrote about his failure in Romans 7:15. "For that which I do, I allow not; but what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I..." Last week, I wrote about one such failure in my journal.

You see, it seems that no matter how much I tell myself to be calm, I still get all worked up. It´s happened almost every Saturday. You would think I would learn. We normally have a wonderful morning together, the boys and I. Then it all goes awry with these words, "Ok guys it´s time for jobs."

They know what to do. They have done it for so many months now, but how is it that I fail to have patience with their childish cleaning. They are works in progress and I know this. Does God lose His patience with me, His definite work in progress? No , I know He has patience with me. So why is it so hard for me to repeatedly show my active boys how to clean their rooms?

Well, I read Momstheword sometime last week and thought and meditated on how I could make my home sing on Saturday mornings even through clean up.

Here are somethings I have come up with. I welcome any other ideas as well.

1. Play some calming music.

2. Make a list and give them enough time to finish it. ( not rushing them is a key)

3. Try going into the kitchen and not coming out till they are done with their jobs.

4. If my jobs are done, just tune them out till they are done.

5. Not expect adult clean and don´t get worked up when I have to ask them to re-do. (you see I don´t believe in doing it for them. That doesn´t teach them anything.)

6. Pray!

7. (because 7 is the number for perfection) Pray some more!

So, this past Saturday went better. I am so thankful for the verses the Lord led me to that day, as I was feeling very overwhelmed at my failure. Romans 8 does not leave Paul feeling like a failure. No, he continues to write how to pick back up and continue on.

"For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." Romans 8:37

Thanks for stopping by. I pray that you too can find the "Song" in your home. We must be in tune with the One who should be in the center stage. So go ahead "make your home sing"!