Christmas Musings

 

This time of year can be exhausting. We've made it so.  Lack of money, time...sometimes even Christmas cheer. It can suck the joy right out of the season.

 When I was a much younger woman I had visions of what the Christmas season would be like for my own little family. After all, the memories of my childhood Christmas' were precious and perfect. During the week after Thanksgiving we would all hike out to the woods that surrounded our house and cut down the perfect Cedar tree. I overlooked the little pricks and pokes my little hands received while hanging each ornament on the tree. Most of our ornaments were handmade. Every year we would create a new ornament and even during the years we were living in plenty we made new ornaments for the tree. We would carefully place Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus in their place of honor...surrounded by angel hair and votive candles. Baking and Candy Making. What magic! The hot peanut brittle. The Christmas fudge. Mexican wedding cookies. And don't forget the delicious Christmas cutout cookies. We made dozens and dozens and dozens of cookies and homemade candies. Neighbors, church folks alike would benefit from our baking marathon madness. We would gather around the TV like every other American family to watch Rudolph, Frosty, The Nutcracker Ballet (my fav) and It's A Wonderful Life. We would read the Christmas Story...of the birth of Jesus and sing those beautiful carols for everyone to hear.

I've tried to recreate many of those memories for my son. Though we have an artificial tree. And I might go all Ninja if anybody even attempts to wave a fudge recipe in front of my face this year. I'm losing weight here, folks! It was Josiah's job this year to set out our Nativity. And he and I have plans to wrap presents later on this week...after making handmade tags. We have a collection of Christmas movies...with some new favorites in the mix.

I've tried not to think about our lack this year. New medical bills were added this year. Food prices, gas prices, prices in general..all have gone up. Yet our income stays the same. There never seems to be enough. Yet, I am reminded that those memories I have of my childhood Christmas' don't really include what I received under the tree or in my stocking. I do have a few treasured memories of gifts, of course. My set of Laura Ingalls Wilder books, a pair of purple parachute pants and those red roper boots I got when I thought I was in love with a cowboy. But my most precious memories come from time spent with family. We celebrated. We celebrated our Savior's birth. And we celebrated by giving to others...mostly sacrificially and from the heart.

So this year...in our lack...I am savoring each moment spent together. Each carol sung. Each story read. We are talking about the Baby whose birthday we celebrate and encouraging each other to celebrate Him every day of the year...

In our tiny hall we hung a Thanksgiving Tree this year. Made with butcher paper (I painted gold) it is  filled with leaves that we each wrote our "Blessings" on. Of course, Josiah's vary from "food" to "Luke Skywalker," but I am hopeful that he is learning to count his blessings. We have so many. I left the Thanksgiving Tree up. It reminds me of God's faithful blessings...and his promises. I am hoping when Josiah is grown he won't remember Christmas for what he didn't have or didn't get...I'm hoping he'll remember Christmas for what he gave and the "Gift" that was given all of us so long ago.

HairTastrophy

It's me again.

Today has been a strange day. Josiah had oral surgery. Bless his heart. He has been a real trooper. Though I have never heard of anybody complaining so much about having to eat ice cream all day. Who would have thunk it? He's ready for mac and cheese. Me, too. But that's another story.

I'm also trying to finish up a very large apron order. I am making 10 aprons for one order (this is not including some other smaller orders). I've finished 4. Or maybe 5. I figure I'll keep cranking them out until somebody tells me to stop. I am currently taking a break from all the sewing madness. I made sure to wind an extra spool of green bobbin thread when starting this particular apron and now I can't find my extra spool. I refuse to wind another one! After all...It will take me at least a minute. I'm guessing if I sit on the couch long enough it will come out of hiding. And if it finds my camera's battery charger while it's hiding out....

So there's this weight loss thing I'm doing. AHHH! I had a brief hiccup over Thanksgiving. Not that I gorged myself, but there is only so much stuffing, potatoes and pie one can have. I've still only lost 61 pounds. I've got to shake it up again. My calories are good. I exercise, but it looks like I need to change it up a little. And then there is the hair. My hair has gotten so brittle and fine. It's falling out!!! Not that I had all that much to begin with. But good grief!! I've tried not to get so obsessed by it...there are worse things...but I'm kind of worried it's not going to get any better. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday to get some of my levels checked. I'll be able to talk to her about it then. If not...I guess The Studly Muffin will have to give me some pointers.


Nobody does Bald Better Than the Muffin.

 

 

Later (after lamenting my lost locks) we are going to put up our Christmas ornaments. We went out last weekend and got our Christmas stuff out of storage...except for the ornaments. Oops. The Studly muffin went and collected them after Josiah's surgery. Since Josiah can only have ice cream I've declared it Leftover Night. I would have liked to declare it Ice Cream night, but I want to lose more than 61 pounds.

 

 

 

Next week...if all goes as planned...I want to share with you what is happening in our Homeschool World. It's craaazy, let me tell you! We have some special things we are doing for the Christmas season. It's too good not to share!

 

 

For now....I am going to give my sewing area "The Look." The green bobbin in bound to make an appearance sooner or later. 

 



Random Turkey Day and Birthday Boy Happenings

I'm blogging. That must mean there is some task I am dreading...Today it is pretty much all of them. I'm so far behind on my "to do" list. I expect I might catch up around Valentine's Day. Not a great way to start the Christmas Holiday. But I must sludge on (sludge on?...not sure if "sludge" is even a word). In true "sludging" fashion I am going to fill you in on recent happenings. Then I need to go tackle the stack of dishes in the sink. I would go on a "mom doesn't need to do it all" strike, but it would be there waiting for me when I got done pouting.

We had a pretty great Thanksgiving. Waayy too much food. Lots of kiddos. Plenty of family togetherness...that sort of thing. We alternate holidays with both sides of our family, so this Thanksgiving was with my folks on the farm. I dragged along all my little Fall crafty projects (including the Thanksgiving Chalkboard pictured above with my Mom's cat, Nim). I also dragged along my beverage servers, serving platters, sewing machine and some extra laundry. I have a patient (and strong husband).

What does a cook do when he or she needs to toast a meringue and the oven is full of turkey and stuffing? He or she calls upon the "Fire Master" (aka my Dad or "Papa") to get the job done. Every man should have a propane torch in their tool box. My Dad does...and More. He's officially hired for all future meringue toasting projects.

 Josiah Bevan's birthday is always in November (imagine that). And occasionally it falls on Thanksgiving. Not this year, but we have started celebrating on Thanksgiving with whatever side of the family we are visiting. This year he requested his Grandma Teague's Red Cake (served at all Holidays and special celebrations). He also requested a Star Wars Cake.

Grandma T. wrote out the recipe and mailed it out and I baked it up. Josiah gathered up his Star Wars guys and Voila! A Star Wars Red Cake. These Star Wars guys have been through it! C3PO has even lost his head!! Not to fear, Star Wars Fans everywhere...Josiah purchased some more with his birthday money. Everybody has all their heads and other appendages...at least for now.

Another Wilson family Holiday tradition (along with absurd amounts of Pie) is some Pickin' and Grinnin' . I come from a long line of pickers and grinners. Ama (grandma) has enough instruments in her little music corner to start a real live traveling band.

 We take these things very seriously. Bless Papa's heart. He's a trooper.

 The day after Thanksgiving the grandkids helped Ama (grandma) decorate the Christmas tree. I'm so proud. How many of you can say your son is not afraid to wear Christmas ornaments on his ears. Just don't tell his Daddy.

All the Tree Trimmers. What I want to know is how those kiddos got so big. My brother's twins are 15. What? How can that be? I'm only 17 myself. What.

 Under that pile is The Studly Muffin. The Cousins adore him.

He is loved. What a man.

 Every year we try and have Mom (Ama) take pictures of the Birthday Boy around the big day. These are his 11-year-old pictures. I can't believe how grown up he is.

 He had quite the Birthday week. We ate at his favorite places. He got a new bike. And then got to spend some cash (gotta love those adoring Grandparents).

 He wanted to go to a local video/gaming/etc. etc. store. I think it's hysterical how all of these grown men wander around these stores speaking in hush tones about the graphics of this game or that game...It's very reverent. I'm always kind of expecting to see somebody going all out in a cape and tights. Next time a certain boy in my house fusses about going to the fabric store I'm going to remind him how many times I have dutifully driven him to the game store...

The Studly Muffin and I are so blessed. Josiah is just a joy. Sometimes I can't believe how God worked everything out for us. I waited so long to be a momma.

But when it happened it was really worth the wait.

So I've really put off my chore list long enough. I need to get working on it before I am forced to add more to it! Sludge On!

Random Stuff

I haven't been avoiding you...I promise. It's been too crazy for words in my little world. So to catch up I thought I'd give you some not so random thoughts.

1. Josiah has been sick. He's such a trooper. He spent last week sounding like he was going to cough up a kidney at any minute. I made him miss swim team practice twice and Wednesday night church. I tell you it was tragic. Such drama. He's feeling better. I can tell because he hasn't stopped talking. This boy can talk. And talk. And talk.

2. We are going to Thanksgiving at my Mom and Dad's this year. I'm getting together my list of "Beke's Diet Approved Thanksgiving Dishes." And because I've had at least 3 members of my family remind me that unless there is pie it's not Thanksgiving I am going to have to face a Chocolate Cream Pie on that day. My family would pretty much be okay if that was Thanksgiving dinner. Pie and Mashed potatoes. And maybe homemade rolls. Which is a big problem for a girl in the middle of a radical transformation. I had visions of completely remaking our Thanksgiving meal, but then decided I didn't want to get voted off the island. I couldn't face that many pie lovers and live.

3. I've lost 61 pounds as of this week! October was a really slow weight loss month. I've tried to to worry too much about it. But also I don't want to become complacent. Just because I feel better and have lost 4 sizes doesn't mean I can rest. I still have plenty to go. When I took Josiah into the Doctor last week (we share the same doc) the first thing she said to me was "Girl! You've lost weight!" Yes, Ma'am. I have to tell you that it's a pretty good feeling.If I could get away with doing some sort of Fame like dance strut up my street I would. But in my neighborhood I'm afraid I'd get approached to see if I could sell them whatever I'm on.

4. I have a terrible confession. I can't find the battery charger to my camera. I last remember it being plugged into an outlet in my dining room. Yes. THAT dining room. I have a theory or two. It's possible it was consumed by large tub of fabric...if so I don't know when I'll see it again. I'm afraid if I go digging I'll lose an arm. Another possible theory is Alien Abduction. Hey! Alien's need digital cameras, too! In any event there are many things I need to be recording for all time. The adorable wreath I made for Fall. My cute paper strip pumpkins. Our Blessing Tree I hung in the hall. Josiah's huge feet. I mean really! The boy can wear my shoes! Not that he will anytime soon. His daddy would frown upon black ballerina flats.

5. I was so involved in some much needed housework Saturday morning that I ripped the sink handle right off the kitchen sink. Oops. I'm not that strong. It was that old. So Monday the plumber for our building came and put in a new sink faucet And then yesterday he came and replaced the whole bathroom sink. It's like Christmas. Who would have thought I would be so giddy about plumbing.

So that's all for now, folks. I've got a list of stuff to do that seems to be magically growing (either that or Aliens are involved).

Blessings!

Rebekah

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Review: November Issue

http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/

 

I don’t know about anybody else, but it’s about this time of year “dazed and confused” becomes part of my every day countenance. I love the Holidays. I really do. But as I always seem to be perched on the edge of the proverbial cliff, (with my toes…which are sadly in need of a pedicure… barely clinging to the sides) I don’t need any more stressors and added activities to push me over the edge. I know. Sounds like a Bummer. And it always seems as if the ole’ Homeschool routine suffers the mosst.

“A Day In The Life of a Crazy, Over Extended Homeschool Mom”. Or ” I’m About At The Edge of My Sanity and I Have to Teach What Now?” These both could be titles of my current book. All of you Homeschool Mammas are waving that gospel hand in the air right now. Preach it! You know what I’m talking about.

Enter The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. The Old SchoolhouseMagazine is a lovely (and FREE) digital magazine filled with all the help and encouragement for the modern homeschool family. I recently curled up with my laptop and my favorite (sugar free) hot chocolate and opened up the The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's November Issue. It was like sitting down with a friend.

First of all, the magazine is visually appealing. Colorful and beautifully laid out. I used to get it in a print copy, but The OldSchoolhouse Magazine is now riding the digital wave and even has a free app, which can be found at TOSApps.com . The quality of the magazine hasn’t changed in the least..in fact, there is even more content.

My favorite articles in this particular issue of The OldSchoolhouse Magazine are (not coincidently) concerning things God has been dealing with me about lately. There is much needed encouragement in “Refuse To Be A Victim: Avoiding the Self-Pity trap.” By Denise Mira. This hit me right where I live. Too many times I get caught up in what I don’t have or how hard it is to ____ (fill in whatever blank is appropriate for the day) or what curveball life has happened to throw me.  This article is so good I have been quoting it all week…mostly to myself.

This issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine also has focus on music and poetry. Which are two of my great loves. And ironically, two of the things I have had a harder time implementing into our homeschool. I am ashamed to admit this, but I am a former music teacher. For some reason I have had difficulty transferring those experiences and knowledge to our Homeschool. How do I incorporate music into my full curriculum in a broad scope? And how do I do this on a tight budget?  The November issue of TOS really gave me a lot of tools. From “But I Can’t Teach My Child Music” by Marcia Washburn to “Frugal Tips For Music Lessons” by Molly Green (TOS’ Frugal Guru) this issue is full of helps for those of us who need to step it up concerning our child’s music education. There is even a Techy’s take on the whole thing with “Free Music Software” by Andy Harris.

Something I love in general about The Old SchoolhouseMagazine (other than the fact it is FREE…I did mention that, didn’t I?) is that it is thoughtfully divided up into sections depending on the specific needs of the homeschooling family. There is The Charlotte Mason Homeschooler, The Classical Homeschooler, The Struggling Homeschooler (penned by one of my favorite’s, Dianne Craft). It helps the reader get right to the nitty gritty of it all. I immediately went to Dianne Craft’s article in The Struggling Homeschool section (appropriately titled "Homeschooling A Struggling Learner: Where I Find the Time?") before going back and reading the additional articles. I always find her advice to be so encouraging and practical.

Now just a little bit of additional advice. The OldSchoolhouse Magazine is full of advertisements. All helpful I’m sure, but you do have to get a bit of a handle on your impulses when looking at all the wonderful curriculum and helps (speaking from personal experience). I have used TOS quite a bit when shopping for curriculum, but  have to sit on my hands otherwise. But what a great resource in general to have.  It’s advice you can’t get just anywhere. It’s helpful to know that there are families who have been where you are and understand the particular needs of the Homeschool family and the lifestyle that comes with it.

As anyone who does Homeschool understands it is not just about academics, but the whole lifestyle of a family is involved. What I appreciate about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is that I cannot only find nuggets to help me with the academic aspect, but there are articles that address my spiritual needs and even practical homemaking concerns as well. 

 So with that in mind I am going to to off here and read  "Declutter Your Home In Time For the Holidays" by Malia Russell over again. Then I shall go forth and conquer! My dining room needs an intervention! And then my closets and probably my homeschool cabinet...the list goes on and on! I encourage you to download your free copy of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine today! Happy Reading!

 

Rebekah

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

Streeechhin' It Out: A (Frugal) Weightloss Post

So it's Fall here in the beautiful Ozarks. And it has been pretty nice. We've had rain (with a tornado here and there for some excitement). We've had perfectly gorgeous sunny crisp days. We've had a few cloudy miserable ones that encouraged plenty of hot cider drinking. And then we have today. I think it's around 80. That being said, all this variety in our weather pattern makes Beke a regular Snot Bag. I feel like I have it running out my ears.

Yesterday, Josiah and I went to a local produce market and picked up a few pumpkins. We got a nice sized pie pumpkin and a few little cute ones for an activity with the cousins we are hosting at the end of the week. I'm pretty cheap. That pie pumpkin is going to be our carving/science/eating pumpkin of the week. And speaking of cheap....

Ever have those weeks when the grocery budget is tighter than my last pair of spanx? (and I guarantee you that they're pretty stinkin' tight) Our grocery budget this week was  slim. I am pretty good at making creative meals out of next to nothing, but making really healthy creative meals out of next to nothing is pretty tough. I've always promised myself that even if our grocery budget was of the Ramen Noodle/Hot Dog variety my family would never know it. So. Here is a few tips I have for you. We can't be the only family who struggles with this. And I want to help those of you who are trying to be as healthy as you can to succeed.

1. Use What You Have. Within reason, of course. If you have a pound of bacon in the freezer you don't need to waste it, but it doesn't need to be the center piece of every meal. My mamma blessed us with a HUGE pork roast this week. It isn't as diet friendly as a piece of salmon or organic chicken breasts, but pork can actually be quite lean. And I'm stretching it out as much as I can. Yesterday I roasted the whole thing with some apples I needed to use pretty quickly (they were almost past the point of no return), whole cranberries I found in my freezer (don't ask how old they were) and an onion. It was delish. I took of a portion of the meat. Chunked it up and made a lite sauce with the now cooked apples, cranberries and onions and served it over brown rice. Today I took another chunk of the pork and made a lite Hawaiian pizza with a whole wheat crust. I used a can of pineapple I found in my pantry and made my own sauce. Pizza is not something we eat all the time at the moment so my guys are going to enjoy it. Tomorrow I am going to shredded some of the pork for Green Chili & Pork Tacos. My guys will never complain. Josiah thought last night's pork was chicken anyway.  And I might even have enough for a Posole (a brothy Latin soup). Try stretching a whole chicken. Or make a big pot of Pintos and you've got quite a few meals.

2. Reimagine Your Favorite Dishes. It's called substitution. This week I found some lite turkey breakfast sauce for 1.39. I can use this turkey sausage in any recipe that uses ground meat. It might give it a slightly different twist, but all I have to do is make the appropriate adjustments. For example, this week we have the cousins coming to spend the night on Friday. I plan on making my famous turkey meatballs with sauce. How easy will it be to make those meatballs out of the turkey sausage? I will make slightly smaller meatballs and not add as much spice to my sauce itself. The flavor the turkey sausage will do the trick. To add to the nutrition value of the dish (as well as make heartier) I will add a zucchini that I found extremely marked down at the produced store. My recipe doesn't necessarily call for zucchini, but I know that I can add almost any veggie for a great dish.

3. Learn to Cook. Ouch. So I know that for some of you this is painful. But you don't have to become a professional chef. Just learn a few basic techniques. Go on Youtube. Haunt the Food Network site. Buying prepared meals or meals is not only expensive, but often isn't as healthy for you either. Sparkpeople.com (the site I keep track of my calories) has a professional chef that posts videos of all kinds of recipes. Learning to cook with larger cuts of meat, fresh veggies and whole grains can really make a difference in your health and your wallet. One of my favorite site for light cooking is skinnytaste.com.  Try and educate yourself concerning what you are putting in your mouth.

4. Plan your meals, but be flexible. This kind of goes hand in hand with reimagining your favorite dishes. This happens to me a lot. Say I want to fix Teryaki Chicken Breasts (one of our favorites). I usually serve it with brown rice and Roasted broccoli or maybe a light Asian slaw. But I find chicken legs on sale instead for .99 a pound. Dark chicken meat has kind of gotten a bad wrap. It has so many good things going for it. Simply remove the skin and now you can make Teryaki Chicken Legs. It might take a little more time, but you have probably saved $4 dollars or more.

5. Give a good portion of your budget to the Fruits and Veggies. Now if you feel you always wind up wasting said fruit and veggies because they don't get used by all means go a different direction. Start in the frozen veggie section. You have to make this healthy lifestyle a priority. Don't buy fancy yogurts and cheeses. Don't get sucked into all the hype of whatever we are all trying not to eat right now. If you focus on whole foods you can't go wrong. I have certain things I know I can use regardless. I love zucchini. I always cook with onions and garlic. Carrots have a long refrigerator life.I try and keep frozen broccoli is my freezer.  Also, I use a lot of cabbage. Especially when the budget is tight and I can't afford my spinach or romaine. Maybe not as good for me, but it sure is filling. Right now I am blessed with a little Swiss chard in the freezer. And my family loves apples. If canned veggies are all you can manage this week don't feel guilty. Just simply rinse them and press on. Do "not" do something just because you feel you can't do it the way everyone tell you it has to be done.

6. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Portion control, my friends! I have a pretty big eater in my house. The Studly Muffin has a metabolism like a speeding bullet (though upon reflection I'm not so sure what kind of metabolism a speeding bullet would have). And I have a nephew who comes over once a week who could literally eat me out of house and home. So I have a stash. A basket of goodies that are fair game. Some granola bars, a few bags of popcorn...you get the idea. I try and use a little less of my more pricier ingredients. Not as much meat in the chili. More beans. A little more cabbage slaw for the pork carnitas. Not as much cheese. You get the picture. Also, I believe in repurposing. Recycling those leftovers for another day. Within reason. But I sure can get a lot of mileage out of a pan of oven baked brown rice. Add it to taco filling. Stir-Fry with veggies, an egg or two for a tasty meal.

7. KISS. Keep It Simple Sweetheart. I've talked about this before. And this is personally my hardest task. I am the Queen of the Overkill. If I plan a Taco Night suddenly I am making my own tortillas and  refried beans from scratch. Now that is pretty frugal, but I seldom have time for all that. I pick one or two things in my meal to really give special attention to. My family feels they are getting a treat and it still keeps that creative, crazy side of me satisfied. Our breakfasts this week are basically oatmeal, scrambled eggs & toast. I eat oatmeal almost everyday. But I make it special by adding a few walnuts (I have a bag in the freezer I take a few out of every day) and my own special apple butter (homegrown, no sugar added, cooked by me). I made a loaf of rye bread over the weekend made with applesauce (made with the same homegrown apples). That bread slathered with some of the same applebutter with scrambled eggs has been a pretty hearty breakfast for The Studly Muffin and Josiah. I didn't have to reinvent the wheel or buy  all sorts of pricey cereals. As I mentioned before we are having company at the end of the week. I budgeted out enough to make these yummy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spiced Frosting to have for our dessert. Other than that we plan on making popcorn via stovetop with our WhirlyPop and I will set out my pretty teacups along with hot chocolate mix. Simple and memorable. I knew an older lady one time who talked about a particularly "tight" time in her married life. The best she could do for a few nights was some homemade tomato soup. She served that tomato soup in her prettiest bowls. She set the table with candles and cloth napkins. I doubt her family ever questioned the sparsity of her meal. Make it simple...but make is special.  

I encourage you this week to go forth and eat healthy! Be creative! Learn! Have fun!

Hen Pecked

So it's fall here at the old homestead. Better known as the our Apartment On The Second Floor. I promise some pics this week on some of my fall projects. After I get my house cleaned. If I let you see the condition of our humble abode now I would probably have to go into hiding for a least a year. And a half. The shame alone would drive me into seclusion. Which now that I think about it might not be a bad idea. I need some alone time.

In the meantime I thought I would share a few thoughts and pictures from our wise old resident sage. Not The Studly Muffin. I mean the other wise old resident sage. Mr. Josiah...who will be turning 11 in just over a month. What??? How did that sweet baby grow so fast? And how can I be the mother of an 11-year-old? Okay. So some of my High Schools peers are parents to young adults and some are even have grandchildren, but in my head I'm still like 16.


This isn't the best quality. But it does give some indication of the quirky personality of my guy. Who takes a picture of the bottom of their own foot? It's just plain weird. Anytime I tell Josiah he's being weird he asks me, "But aren't you weird, Mom?" Point taken.

I assure you I haven't let Josiah loose on the world with sharp objects. Unless he's within arm's reach. He loves to help me in the kitchen. At least to cook. He tells me he's "not big on washing dishes." Sigh. Who is, my son, Who is. Here he is helping prepare a casserole to go in my handy dandy Bean Pot (of which I would love to sell you one). He also is dressed for the occasion. Every chef needs a cool Hawaiian shirt and a Fedora.

I want to also assure you that this sight is a rarity in my home. Something sugary and gooey on my kitchen cabinet. It just ain't happenin' nowadays. But Josiah wanted to take a treat to his Royal Ranger group (they were working on their cooking badge) and this was it. He made them himself (with my verbal coaching, of course). I did partake. That is my confession. I had one. But considering I've lost (drum roll please) 55 pounds as of this week it didn't hurt me too much.

Another self portrait. He's at my mom and dad's farm. These are my mom's reading glasses.

He also tried them on the cat. I shared this pic some weeks back. It still cracks me up. She's such a good cat. And she loves Josiah with all she can muster. Which is quite a bit.

Speak of love. This week one of our read aloud's was Washington Irving's short story, Rip Van Winkle.  I need to first encourage any readers with kids to expose them to the classics. Don't be afraid of what might be perceived as archaic language or complicated verbage. Bring out the dictionary. Talk about it. I made several copies of the story (which I found in nice e-form with illustrations) and we gathered around with highlighters in hand. My nephew, Christopher, was over for school that day and we had a lot of fun reading it. When I was little and read so much (many books that were considered beyond my years) my mom set me up with a little notebook to write down words I didn't understand. We would look them up together. We did the same this week with Rip Van Winkle only we took advantage of our brightly colored highlighters. The boys loved it.

Rip Van Winkle is about an easy-going guy with an aversion to "profitable labor." He is also described as a "hen-pecked husband." I explained this little piece of the story as Rip Van Winkle's wife being hard to live with sometimes. Josiah perked up and said, "Mom! That's just like you!"

Ouch.

Then again he later complimented me and told me that my hair looked just like Anakin Skywalker's hair in Star Wars Episode 3. I'll take it where I can get it.

Losing Myself: A Weight Loss Post

Do you ever have those weeks/months/days/years when everything in your life seems to whirl about nilly willy...with nary a thought to where it all might land?

This is my week/month/day/year. Not that anything is bad. On the contrary. Every day is a blessing. A gift from God. But, true to form (mine), I have filled my days with all kinds of busy. And busy isn't all good all the time. There are times I seem to lose myself. My level head. My sense of creativity. My sanity. My sense of self.

Whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed it is tempting to resort to my "go-tos" for instant relief. A quick run by the thrift store. A potato chip. A book. And while all of those things are not bad things...they all can be harmful in one way or another if not practiced in moderation. Thrift stores are great. They are, in fact, Thrifty. But if one spends more money than they have or brings home trinkets to fill up an already crowded home..what then? A potato chip by itself if perfectly fine. But a whole bag full eaten for breakfast is a problem. And how about the book. I have a confession. Maybe I have confessed this before, but it's worth repeating. I have always been a veracious reader. Books have been and always will be some of my favorite friends and toys. Books and purses. And shoes. But I digress. With books I could be someone else or escape to another land or even another planet. Yep. Pure Geek. And I would devour books like Josiah devours a stack of pancakes. Which basically means I could read morning, noon and night. At one time my parents even limited my reading. What? What kind of parent would limit a child's reading? Well. The kind of parents who would like their child to pay attention to other things in life as well. Schoolwork, chores, conversation.

Even now I sometimes have to fight not to get lost again. Be it a good fried potato chip or a book (or 3). Because when I get lost in those things I seem to forget to pay attention to other things in my life. As I approach a 60 pound weight loss here is the question I have been asking myself over and over again. "How did I let myself gain all this weight to begin with? And how could I have just lived with this for so long?" Okay. That's technically 2 questions.

And before you reassure me that I had no control over some of this (as The Studly Muffin did when I posed this question to him) let me remind you that I am well aware of the uphill struggle I have found myself in these many years.There have been things that I have faced that have been scary and overwhelming and just plain Poo. I know. Not the most sophisticated terminology, but it fits. I have drowned it all in things that have allowed me to lose myself.

Sometimes I am frantic with impatience. I know myself. I am afraid that when things get tougher or when I need to escape the pain of my body or a stressful or overwhelming experience I will get lost again. There is a part of me that still feels trapped in my Fat Suit. I still remember what it was like to be petite. When I didn't have to hide behind my big dangly earrings and a ready smile. Or just stay home because the idea of meeting new people in my larger, more awkward body was humiliating. Who will I be when I am finally free? Will I have learned to take better care of myself? Will I still be the same slightly fruity, phlegmatic personality that has carried me through so much pain? I was in my early 20's the last time I weighed what I should. What will this body and this face look like at 40? It's exciting to think about...yet a bit scary.


Some days I have to give myself a little pep talk. I have to remind myself that in truth I am finding myself again. I am discovering who God intended me to be. I have to tell myself to hang in there. To not get discouraged with the lack of results or the slowness of a particular week in my weight loss journey. To understand that all of this is part of a bigger plan...And losing myself to find myself again might be what needed to happen all along.

Happy Apron Maker

I'm blogging so I must be trying to avoid a tedious chore. Or several tedious chores.

It's not that I don't regret not blogging more as of late...I really do. But I'm so stinking busy!!! And I've decided to share the evidence.

I mentioned during a previous post that I have become your neighborhood Happy Apron Maker. Pretty much a fluke kinda thing. Well. Let me tell ya. I am thinking about changing my name to Rebekah "Happy Apron Maker" Teague. Apparently, I'm quite the hit. Who knew?

I had several orders to fill this week. So I set up camp at my dining room table (which is preferable to the balcony...though that location might be easier on my family). And proceeded to Sew. And sew. And sew. And sew. I did make sure my family had nourishment (peanut butter counts).

I would take a picture of the scene of the crime (my dining room), but I'm pretty sure somebody would call Clean House or something on me....and I don't wish to be humiliated on national television. Not at least this week. I might change my mind. At this point I can still locate my son and my keys.

I thought I would show some pics of my creations. They are already in their new homes. I feel like a momma sending her kiddos out into the world.

Speaking of kiddos. This is my pride and joy. And it wouldn't be a day at our house without a self-photo by this guy. He's too cool for school.

These were some of the first ones I cranked out this go around. And this is my pitiful attempt to take pictures of them. Like my fashionable plastic hanger?

My tags. Created by me. Don't hold it against me.

We interrupt this shameless Apron promotion to bring you another photo by one Josiah Bevan. Of Stella. One of the farm cats. Wearing glasses. Poor Cat...though she doesn't look too offended.

Here is an Owl Apron. The little owl in the corner of the pic is one I made last year for my mom. Who by the way is in charge of the camera at this point. Which is a good thing. You can actually see the aprons.

 

Another day. Another apron. Actually it was the same day. Just a different apron. The patchwork you see is from an old scrapbag of quilting blocks. Love them!

 

Santa makes his appearance.

Pumpkins and more pumpkins!

More Christmas!

Another Fall and Another Christmas. I'm kinda repeating myself here.

One of my favorite part of making aprons is the little embellishments I add. This week I was on a fabric flower kick. All of the flowers are detachable so the aprons can be washed without messing up the flower...and the flower can be worn with other things.

I also tried my hand at some different kinds of flowers. These were so much fun. They involve satin and fire. Thankfully, I have a helper who is fond of fire (he could care less about the satin).  Isn't it purty?

So that was my week. Now I am trying to organize my sewing notions and get my next orders in line. Sigh. Which means I need to dig out my table from under the mountain of fabric/buttons/thread/old water bottles that have taken over my life.

Have a great week!

Beans Beans,The Magical Food.

This is my view for the day.

And this. I'm making aprons for several ladies who want to purchase aprons at my mom's work. I don't know how it happened, but I now have a Rep as "Extraordinary Apron Maker." Which is hysterical. I have known how to sew since I was a little girl. But it doesn't mean I'm very good at it.

In fact, this little pin cushion I have had since I was 12. I got it in San Fransisco one summer. In China Town. Don't look at it too close. I'm not sure what's on it. It certainly looks like it is almost 30 years old.

I thought instead of working on apron strings (which is my least favorite part of apron making...hence the Big Diversion of Blogging) I would tell you about one of my favorite healthy, really cheap foods.

The Bean.

I love beans. I'm sorry if you don't. Really. I am. Beans are not only economical, but they pretty much a perfect food. So healthy and wonderful.

I cook beans on Monday. I make a main dish for the family and then I sometimes fix a pot of lentils to divide up for my lunches for the week. Lentils are cheap. They cost under $2 a bag and I get at least 2 weeks out of one bag.

One of my favorite bean meals is a pot of beans, a batch of my homemade salsa, brown rice and this recipe for chimichurri sauce. Josiah has even found he loves Black Beans. Though in our house we call them "Darth Vader Beans."

Another great resource for my bean cooking I found at the library. It is going to have to be one of my future purchases, but for now I have been busily scratching down the recipes I like.

It is called Spilling The Beans  and it is genius. It even has desserts and breakfast foods!

I prefer buying dry beans and cooking them from scratch, but I am not opposed to canned beans if I need them. Sometimes it's just plain easier. The following  recipe is one I took to a church function this summer. My Dad had plenty of green onions in the garden and there was a few cans of beans on hand.

It has many names, but I have most commonly heard it referred to as "Texas Caviar." My recipe nixes the bottled salad dressings I find in so many of the recipes. I also like this particular dish because it you can use any kind of bean you might have on hand.

Aren't these onions pretty? These came from Dad's garden. I made a pretty big batch so there are quite a few onions here.

My recipe calls for Balsamic vinegar, but really. You need to just use what you have. Don't rush out and by special vinegar if you already have a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar in your pantry. Speaking of Apple Cider Vinegar...I have a really sad story involving my bottle of raw organic Apple Cider Vinegar and a fly. RIP.

Easy Peasy! I'll give you the recipe on down, but doesn't it look festive?

I served it in my Mom's Bean Pot from Celebrating Home. Yummo!

Here is the Recipe. Go whip some up! And Eat your Beans! (please)

Large Lime or lemon, Juiced
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
½ tsp. Ground Cumin
¼ tsp. Salt (or to taste...I like the 'Taste and See' method
1  Can Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels, Thawed (I have also used canned corn..shhh! don't tell!)
1 Medium Tomato, Diced
6-8 Thin Green Onions, Sliced (1/2 cup)

1 clove of garlic, minced (optional, but I like a bit of bite)
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1  Avocado, Chopped ...(also optional)

Combine the lime or lemon juice, vinegar, cumin and salt in a bowl. Add in the beans, corn, green onions, garlic and cilantro. Stir to mix well. Before you serve it add in the tomato and avocado.

What's New (with me)

Shew! Things are hopping over here in Beke's Life. Like how I capitalized the whole thing? It deserves a moment...it's that crazy! My life that is...Beke's Life.

We have officially started all of our busy homeschool year activities this week. Josiah took swim all summer, but we are adding something else to the mix this week and then in another 2 weeks something else. Some of my friends are twice as busy as we are with their homeschool. I just can't do it all. I've got to school the boy at some point...and do our church ministry stuff...and sleep.

To top it off I am now a new designer with Celebrating Home. It is a lovely little company that sells all sorts of lovely things. I will be the first to admit. I am a terrible salesperson. Just ask Avon (my first attempt at sales). Though I doubt they cared..I bought more than I sold. But times are tough and this girl needs to help put groceries on the family table. Besides I'm a fan of Celebrating Home. They have the best "Beanpots." Warning: I am going to now give you a "spiel." If you live near me and would like me to come to your house with cute stuff and fix you and your friends a yummy meal and have the opportunity to get free products...call me...message me on FB. I will come do this for you.

I am also whipping up a batch of aprons for some ladies at my mom's work. I am not the best seamstress, but I do whip up a cute apron. And there are a few other secret projects that I can't speak about as of yet...I am Industrious! At least that is what I tell myself.

So with all of this craziness it is a wonder that my weight loss journey hasn't fallen by the "weigh" side (snicker). As If! I actually have lost (drum roll, please) 45 pounds as of today!!! That is a few of my nieces...put together. I still have a long way to go, but man does this feel good. It also has caused a clothing crisis. How does one not loose 45 pounds and not have a clothing crisis? Another reason I had to find another source of income...Beke Needs Threads! Don't you love how I am talking about myself in 3rd person?

I want to write a little bit (in the very near future) about losing weight on a very limited budget. We are a nation of quick fixes. We want a magic pill and sometimes we are willing to pay whatever it takes for that pill. I understand. I used to pray that I would wake up one morning...minus 100 pounds. Food that is good for us cost more (or so we say)...We can't afford a gym membership...If we had personal Chef's like Oprah we could lose weight, too. You can't tell me nobody but me has thought any of those things. But I am hear to tell you it is possible to be broke, on a budget and lose a lot of weight...without starving and without extreme exercise. So stay tuned for future posts. I used to want to write a book "You Skinny People Shut Up" (respectfully, please). Simply ranting about how the world is filled with skinny people trying to educate the "fluffies" about how to live and lose weight...not knowing what it is like to live in this fat suit. And don't get me started on the quick fix health trends. Wow! Beke needs to go work off some angst (there I go with the 3rd person stuff again). My new book goes something like this "I Did It! So There!"

Anyhoo. Stay tuned.