Cold, dark, wet...what do you do?

Below is a picture of our dark, rainy sky....(and a beautiful autumn tree I couldn't resist adding)...It is cold, dark and dreary here in Pittsburgh, Pa....the way it has been for the past few days....so on this Saturday, what did we do...we got creative!

Meghan....crocheting a gift for a friend....I love the rich, red color of this cotton yarn.

Tent "forts" were built in the livingroom....


A WONDERFUL play was performed for Meghan and I...costume changes, lighting and curtains....above you see Isabella (Anna), Odette, (Sara) and the "Prince"...(Ronnie)... Job well done, everyone! (Sara...thanks for doing this with them...my creative genius!)
Crocheting slippers from warm , soft wool...

Sewing an apron for a new bride...with cherries on it!

Teaching the cat to"walk"...Anna's idea of fun! Chloe doesn't mind, either.

Spending most of the day in the kitchen...above, homemade bleu cheese salad dressing for the bridal shower tomorrow...
While all day....homemade molasses baked beans simmered on the stove. Yum! (the story behind this old family recipe will have to be another blog post!)
Crocheting another bridal afghan...this one in soft, soft yarn...in rich, warm fall colors....I am loving my wooden hooks...so smooth. Crocheting instantly relaxes me...and helps me focus. Plus...I feel good that when I sit down to rest ( and I have to rest often lately), I am being creative and productive.

~So now....little ones are bathed and in warm pajamas....hot bowls of beans are cooling for supper...will make some popcorn later on for a snack in front of the fire. I have one more salad dressing to make, and will finish sewing the apron after Ron gets up ... Ron will wake up in time to watch the Penguins beat the Tampa Bay Lightnings at hockey...and it will be a warm, cozy time here tonight.

I'll leave you all with this quote from Max Lucado:

"Constructing something engages only the hands, while creating something engages the heart and soul that our Creator gave us."

~Sue~

Quote of the day....humility

~Remember-the root word of humble and human is the same: humus; earth. We are dust. We are created...it is God who made us and not we ourselves.~
Madeleine L'Engle

Humility...being humble. This is my 'quote of the day' from a flip calender that Meghan got for me last year...I love this, and it sits right on the windowsill where I can see it, thru out my day.

This quote reminded me of part of what our pastor preached on last Sunday...and what our small group talked about last night. Humility....God's grace. We are no better than anyone else...and lower than most. We were reading in Luke 14 about the banquet...and one of the questions that our pastor asked was "who will you invite"? Even something as basic as inviting people to your home...will you only invite family? Other christians? Or will you go and open your hearts to friendships with non-believers...not necessarily to 'hammer' them with the gospel...but to gently show Christ' love to them...let them see and feel His love in action...thru you. It may be sacrificially...it may be a stretch for you to 'step out of your comfort zone'...but, think about it....who did Jesus befriend, serve and love? The sinners...the lost, the ill, the lonely, the outcasts....today, it could be the homeless, the drug addicts...the sarcastic, angry people....the people lost in 'worldliness'...loving the things of this world. I've really been thinking about this this week...who can I...who can we as a family reach out in friendship and Christ' love to befriend and serve? I think for us....it spreads to our extended family...and spirals outward to neighbors, friends...but we want it to extend even further.

I was talking to a friend last night , and one of the things that came up was going to a bar...sounds funny for me, but after talking to her, we could really make friends with some people who need to know Jesus' love and serve them with His care....just one example that would put ME out of my comfort zone...and today I ran into acquaintances from Ron and my dating days...20-something years ago...and they asked if we would be at the bar next Saturday to hear another friends band play...I haven't gone yet, but will pray about this, with the new insight that the Lord has given me....these people know we are Christians, they know we don't drink....but by being friends, being kind and meeting them where they are...maybe the Lord could minister thru us....show His love. I can't help the phrase echoing thru my mind lately...."but for God's grace....that would be me"....ONLY thru His grace.

So....who can YOU reach out to? Food for thought......~Sue~

Make it from scratch: Beef Broth

I was asked recently how I made my homemade beef broth. I had to think about it for a minute...I've been making it since before I was married, so I just throw everything in the pot! The story behind this broth is one of my favorites. My great- grandmother, my Baba, had 8 children. Her husband and 4 sons worked in the steel mill in Hazelwood (Pittsburgh, Pa.), and my great-grandfather insisted on having soup to eat every single day. They had other meals, as well...but a meal always started with soup. Apparently, the broth replaced everything that they sweated out in the mill. So, my Baba would make this soup, serve it with homemade noodles...then ONLY the men would eat pieces of meat and potatoes with butter...along with bread and butter with every meal. IF there were any meat or potatoes left...then the women could have them. When I think of everything that my Baba did in the course of a day back in the early 1900's....I think SHE worked much harder than anyone else....especially with carrying 9 babies ( I did say 8 before, but Margaret died of the whooping cough when she was 3 years old), nursing them all for well over a year...along with doing everything by hand. As I was growing up, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandmother, and she would tell me stories about her mother ( my Baba), and her growing up years....then I was blessed to live with her for 2 years before marrying Ron....so I learned A LOT! Here is a 'rough' recipe for homemade beef broth! Hope you enjoy! ~Sue~

~Baba's Beef Broth~

First, I melt 2 tblsp butter along with 2 tblsp olive oil in the bottum of my 20 quart stock pot.

Then, I season the meat ( I only had round steak yesterday, but usually use chuck...either one is good) and brown both sides VERY WELL. Then, I added 2 big beef soup bones. (now, these I used yesterday were organic from a butchered cow, that someone gave me, but I've bought them in the grocery store in the beef department....or ask the butcher)

Ok....so your meat is well browned and you've added the bones.....now I fill up the pot with cold water. As it is filling, I scrape up all the wonderful brown, carmelized bits off the bottum of the pot. Add in 4-5 celery stalks with the leaves, 5-6 large garlic cloves, smashed....2 large onions quartered with the skins ON, and a couple large carrots.....salt and pepper....and simmer for hours.
***Note: as the 'scum' rises to the top, skim it off and get rid of it...it will make the soup bitter if you don't***

Usually, after a couple of hours, it is a rich golden brown color, and I take everything out and strain. Since it has cooked down, I usually add some water to get it back up to almost the top. Then, I put the meat back in. A lot of fresh carrots, and a peeled whole potato for everyone and "one for the pot".....when that is tender, we eat the soup with the carrots, then everyone gets a piece of meat (kids usually want ketchup on it) and a potato with butter and salt. And that is it! (if they had them, my Baba would add in whole tomatoes at the end..sometimes I do and sometimes I don't...Sara and I are the only ones who like them)

We made enough for 6 of us for dinner last night, lunch today, 2 quarts given away....and 2 HUGE containers frozen to make french onion soup out of one and beef stew out of the other....each one is usually 20 quarts. Any questions, just let me know!

Serendipity....

From dictionary.com : Serendipity: 1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. 2. good fortune; luck:

~Serendipity!~

I love when homeschool days turn out much better than I think they will! Ty is here with us today, and he is cranky from a cold....clinging to my skirts, whining to be picked up..then wanting down right away...up, down, up, down....how I expected my day to go.

I happen to have a small pocket of quiet right now...Ronnie finished his schoolwork in record time, without prompting from me (I was pleasantly AMAZED)...and is now reading a magic school house solar system book before being picked up to spend the rest of the day at his friend's house, before cubscouts tonight...busy boy.

Anna also did her schoolwork without complaining today...learning to add, writing her numbers....then she read 2 'bob books' for me....I'm so excited!

The girls are busily doing business math and algebra...American gov't, and lit....lots of papers being written around here.

Even though I thought that today would NOT be one of our better days....it's turning out quite nicely....dinner is simmering on the stove....20 quarts of homemade beef broth, to be made into beef soup, beef stew, french onion soup...and just to drink from a mug...we love this stuff!

I was able to have a rather nice quiet time today, read proverbs with the kids at breakfast, vacumn the livingroom, talk to a friend who just had her 4th baby...and have a hot breakfast and a hot lunch....when I didn't think I would get anything done today! LOL Serendipity....love that word....but, I love THE WORD even more...and I think God is blessing me today...I know I am blessed everyday, but seems when I put HIS priorities ahead of my own....at the end of the day, it all works out. I've really been trying to follow Elisabeth Elliot's advice...just 'do the next thing'.....and I've also been trying to PRAYERFULLY, do the next thing...actually stop and ask the Lord "what do YOU want me to do?" Some days are better than others...but I wouldn't trade my life for anything!

Now.....time to clean up the kitchen, strain the broth, do some laundry and make kefir smoothies...then....on to the next thing! Have a great day in the Lord! ~Sue~

In the Pumpkin Patch!

So...this morning, we were off to the Pumpkin patch at Trax Farms! We met Lori and Ty there...great photo op! (or...at least we tried!) It was very chilly and windy...so we took our pictures and hurried home. It was worth, it, though....Ronnie and Anna had so much fun....Ty wasn't quite sure what to make of it...but we got some great pictures and made some special memories. Best friends....Ronnie and Anna!
I love this one!

My littlest pumpkins! I have so many pictures of Meghan and Sara in these cutouts over the years....they look so cute!

They had a great time climbing on the pumpkins! Ty lost his shoe at one point, and got stuck, but after Lori rescued Ty, Ronnie rescued Ty's shoe! It was pretty funny!
Look at our little pumpkin!!! This pictures is one of my favorites!
How I love this boy!!!
And my littlest girl....her sweet face and huge eyes!

On our way out....I had to get them in front of the mums.....(shortly after this, Aunt Lori bought them each a huge chocolate chip cookie!)

~So, that was our morning at the pumpkin patch! Came home...made kefir smoothies...did schoolwork, got dinner in the crockpot (stuffed pepper soup)....made a big bowl of popcorn, crocheted for a while before I had to take Sara to dance. Just got done playing a 'Leapfrog' phonics game with Anna....then it's tucking the little ones in and watching the new Duggar family special tonight with the girls, when Ron goes to work. Another full day....doesn't seem as if I got a lot accomplished, but, in another sense....it was a good day. Hope everyone keeps warm tonight! Going down to 32 degrees here! God bless! ~Sue

Cubscouts=Father/Son Memories!

Yesterday, Ron and Ronnie spent all day at South Park for the Cubscout Fall Fun day! What fun they had, too! Poor Ron...he got 4 hours sleep, woke up, got LOTS of coffee...and headed out for a fun, memorable day with his only son. I get so teary eyed everytime I watch them together...Ron tries so hard to make sure that he does everything with Ronnie...even giving up much needed sleep to do it. Sara took this right before they left...this year, Ronnie is a 'wolf' cub...and is so proud, he HAD to wear his new hat! My guys also love to match! Cracks me up!
Ronnie and his friend, James...getting ready for some fun activities.

Ronnie and James working together to do a big catapult.

Shooting a slingshot...

Archery was fun...We'll have to get him some of these fun "guy" things for this coming Spring.

He LOVED this! BB gun shooting, target practice..Ron said he was so intense, and he said he really enjoyed it. After me growing up with sisters and no brothers, and then also having 3 daughters....I am having to 're-think' some boy activities...

Ronnie very proudly showing off the catapult that he built...and has been shooting things around the livingroom ever since he brought it home! LOL I love that "toothless" smile!

One tired little guy....being treated to a dinner of b-q ribs at TGI Fridays by his dad...what Ronnie called a real "guy meal"! I guess surrounded by sisters all day, he especially needs to spend more time time doing whatever it is boys do....I'm especially proud of my husband who tries to do cubscouts with Ronnie, hockey with Ronnie....I mean, he is OUT THERE with him. Ron works so hard and so many long hours...but the pride and joy he has doing things with his son....priceless. Glad they had a special, memorable time! ~Sue~

10 Fashion-ny Things About Me

Okay, so we usually don't do tags, but this one is so cool! Sarah and Ella did it, so I shall come out of my Post-Blogging Depression (Not knowing what to write about)
Here we go!

1. My style is, as Meghan likes to call it, Modest Punk. Ha, that sounds weird, but I really love black plaid, zebra, funky tees, etc. Some pale colors look quite weird on me, but loud bright colors suit me fine. Item of Choice: Black/Rainbow colored peace tee with hot pink scarf.


2. In our family, our personal convictions are to wear skirts and dresses. While this is not for everyone, it works for us :) You can find some super cute dresses at Walmart & Kmart; I also love the look of dresses worn over skinny jeans. Item of Choice: Pink/White polka dot dress from Aeropostale.


3. I collect awesome tee shirts. Kohls, Walmart, Kmart, you name it and they have it. I think there is one at Kohls I want: it has a Calculator and a math book. The book says, "I have a problem." and the calculator says, "Yo, I'll fix it." I like those kinda things. Item of Choice: Kmart Mickey Mouse Cowboy Tee :)


4. I don't wear hardly any jewelry... I have my blue stud earrings in that I barely ever change, and my promise ring needs sized. I also have one special necklace that my momma gave to me on Easter :) Item of Choice: 'Love' Necklace


5. I like some of the Miley Cyrus/Max Azria line at Walmart. (I know, I can hear you all gasp in unison!) Granted, some of her things are odd/immodest, but I have seen a few really cute things! Item of Choice: purple/black plaid flannel dress (comfy!)


6. I love Pajamas! Oh my goodness, I love comfort so if I am comfortable, then I am happy! Right now I am in a big penguins Tee and fleece pants. Item of choice: Hoodies!


7. Shoes are run, but shopping for shoes, not that great. I have very strange feet because they are wide at the top and skinny at the bottom. Shopping for shoes that are cutee and that fit is horrible. Item of Choice: Knock-Off Ugg boots or flip flops.


8. I have probably ten hoodies. I have four from Aero, one with John 3:16 on it, and then a few others. They are so comfy and I just love'em! Item of Choice: Aero Hoodie


9. I basically do nothing to my hair. My mom cuts it, I usually just let it go. It is always either up in a bun/ponytail or just down. I part it on the side usually, but whenever I don't feel like messing with it, down the middle it goes. I do like bandanna head bands, so they keep my hair out of my face. Item of Choice: Hair Net for dance class, I guess :)


10. I really like styling other people! I just got Anna dressed for the day and she is in a: pink long sleeved shirt with lace, a denim/pink skirt, pink striped leggins (with lace) and grey & pink tennis shoes. Ca-Ute! Item of Choice: Style Tips!

Okay, that was fun. Now I am off to make sandwiches and slide back into my blog-depression :) Ta-ta!

Adventures into 'green'....

Well....We've been trying to little by little put into practice around our home, things that would A: be healthier ie: as little chemicals as possible, B: save us as much money as possible and C: be easier on the environment

Now, some of the things we've done seem common sense...but they also remind me of my grandmother....I LOVE doing things the way that Grandma did them! Such as line drying...before we moved, we had 4 clothes lines..and I used them almost daily....if it was a nice day in January, out the laundry went. Since we've moved here, I strung 3 lines in the basement, which is very nice, but , OH...how I miss hanging them out...I think Ron is going to put in 2 umbrella dryers outside....that we can put in and take down whenever needed.

We've also been trying diligently to make as many of our gifts as we can....whether they are crocheted or sewn...baked or cooked. Meghan and I have been crocheting...I've been sewing and quilting, baking ...Sara makes beautiful jewelery...and helps with the baking and cooking.....or we have 'thrifted' gifts...antiquing gifts....or used coupons when we can....lots of gift ideas floating around our home! It has been fun to hear all 4 children 'get creative'! The little ones have tons of ideas....not always HOW to do them, but great ideas!

We've put in a garden this year...and learned A LOT of lessons about gardening in the suburbs...with all the deer and 'critters' who like to eat our hard work! Planning for next year...bigger and FENCED!

We've been freezing and canning....will be going apple picking soon, then we'll can apple butter and dehydrate a lot of apples.

We are using cloth for more things...and planning on making cloth napkins this winter after Christmas is over. (and making Christmas gifts!)

We've also not used shampoo, conditioner or deodorent for months now...I know...sounds crazy! But, here is what we've done:

For 'deo'....we use (or at least I do...the girls do most of the time too) coconut oil, and then dust on a mixture of 3 parts cornstarch to 1 part baking soda...works great!

As for shampoo and conditioner...we've tried baking soda but I did NOT like the results...then I read on a blog called 'little house in the suburbs' ( I wish I knew how to link on this computer, but if you google it, I'm sure you'll find it)...anyway, she had done research showing that Ivory soap really WAS pure...and it DOES float! LOL Anyway...according to her research, it would cost a lot more to make homemade soap...and Ivory was as pure as you can get. So...we thought we would try it. Well....it's great! We use it to bathe with, to shampoo with...then we rinse, squirt a mixture of applecidar vinegar and water on, work it thru then rinse with water....I can easily get a comb thru my long, wavy hair...and it is so soft! I only need to wash it every 2-3 days...more often in the summer.

So...we now use Ivory soap to wash our clothes...our hands, bathe with, and shampoo with...and it is so inexpensive!

We've also been entering the composting journey....hoping to improve the gardens for next year.

As for health...we've been culturing kefir with unsweetened frozen fruit twice a day...going thru 2 gallons of kombucha a week....and having homemade broth almost everyday....along with vitamin c and elderberry as needed. So far...our colds have lasted just a couple days.

So, I'm curious.....any of you 'adventuring into green'....whether for health reasons, the environment or to save money...I'd be very interested to hear your ideas! ~Sue~