Happy {sleepy} homemaker Monday!

It's Monday again! My girls are down for their afternoon nap, I have my space heater blowing directly on my freezing feet, and I'm planning a nap as soon as I'm doing sharing with you, my fellow homemakers :) It's a good day!

As I look outside my window:::
Bright blue sky, bright sun... and bitter cold. Winter in Iowa continues on as we experience a "blizzard" sans snow. A first in my life, I'm sure. 

Right now I am::: 
Taking a bloggy break here at the ol' desktop. Waiting to see if the UPS man is coming today - we have a few things we are waiting on!  

Thinking and pondering::: 
Why I left the Tigger movie on when my children are asleep? Ah, the mom life. Also wondering if my biggest girl really just has a cold... fingers crossed.

On my bedside table:::
"Letters to Pastors Wives" still, my One Year bible as I read through chronologically. 
 
On my tv tonight:::
Nothing. 

Listening to:::
Tigger and Piglet jabbering in the background. Ugh.  

On the menu for this week:::
Skipping this part this week. I have a LOT of catch up grocery shopping to do. 

On my to do list:::
Figure out why dishwasher is leaking... a lot.

Replace electrical box in the laundry room, after a small fire in it this weekend. (scary)

Fix or replace a toilet in our bathroom, annoying.

Unload dishwasher

Put clean clothes away

Plans for this week:::
Monday - Ballet class for the 5 year old, grocery trip?
Tuesday - cell group #1
Wednesday - Worship night with the teens
Thursday - cell group #2      
Friday - Taking a friend a new baby meal, GIRLS NITE with some friends.                                  

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Hoping to sit down and plan out valentines stuff this week. 
 
My simple pleasure:::
Leftover fettuccine alfredo for lunch, trying a new fruit (Pummelo), and running the steam vaporizer.  

Lesson learned the past week:::  
The weeks that my husband is on to preach for Sunday morning, I feel literally attacked from all sides. Physically, I don't feel well. I'm grumpier. My kids annoy me. My husband appears to need more and our house really falls apart... I shared this with my pastors wife lastnight and she assured me I'm not insane. So thankful that the Lord cares and sends people into my life to encourage and remind me of truth. Ready to pray and be on guard next time! 

Looking around the house:::
Oh the mess of young children and a sleepy, prego momma. This morning my girls had a cotton ball fight. That's allll I'm sayin'. 

From the camera:::

It's not fancy or well decorated or even big. But THIS kitchen is full of love and nothing warms my heart more than having friends, teens, and people over as often as possible.

Prayer List:::
New believers in our church who are making BIG decisions for God. So exciting.

This baby I'm carrying. Going into 22 weeks and really feeling some movement. :) 

Bible verse, Devotional:::

Wow, just so loving my read through the bible. I'm in Genesis and the story of Lot fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah right now. Our God HATES sin - great reminder. 

A friend in need NEEDS good taste, indeed :)

Sometimes I just feel like I need to climb a mountain and scream, "To God be the Glory!", then...climb back down, take a deep breath and keep on living. Just like the ol' Hymn continues,

"Great things He has done"!

And this is true in my life.

Hello, my name is Mandi, it's Friday... and my house has been tidy and kept all week. Mind you, I had hubby home for 4 glorious days {spring break}, wasn't babysitting our extra little man, and... nowhere really to be to get in the way of some tidying. But...still. This is a record and I praise the Lord for the energy, conviction, and great feeling of accomplishment in keeping this place up! I could get used to this. ;) In my reading yesterday I was so challenged by the thought of also using night times for work. It's like I was hearing it for the first time, even though I know it wasn't. I remember my mom folding clean laundry well into the dusk of evening, sweeping floors or making meals ready for the next day. Somehow I just forgot, and funny how that piles on even more work for the days to come. Ugh. Very cyclical. My usual nightly routine is... get girls to bed, crash on couch with tv on, don't move a muscle until hubs wakes me up and says "go to bed". Isn't that beautiful? {hey, just bein' honest} For those wondering... "no" is the answer there. What a waste of time. I'd be the first to stand up for myself in defense... "I have very small children, I truly am tired." Or, "it's not wrong to rest at the end of the day." I agree with those things, and say them often, but, I think when it becomes a conviction of your heart and you STILL ignore it - something needs to change. But enough about my tidy home...sheesh!



I love making meals for people. It's one way that I feel I can totally minister to and love on someone. In our fairly large church opportunity ABOUNDS. Seems someone has a baby every month! While we haven't had a ton of people over to our home lately - I really do think the "hospitality on the road" idea rings true for me. I take pieces of my home to someone...with food! And I really do think taking a DELICIOUS meal to someone is a great chance to bless and spoil them. I've tried to "kick it up a notch" with my delivered meals lately. Here are a few to share! Happy cooking/baking/creating! To GOD be the GLORY!

Sausage Macaroni Skillet
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 T. chopped green pepper
2 T. chopped sweet red pepper
2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
2 c. water
1/2 c. chili sauce
5oz. evaporated milk
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1) In large skillet, cook sausage, onion and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add macaroni and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.
2) Stir in chili sauce and evap. milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes.
3) Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
*I serve this with seasoned broccoli spears! Mix some melted butter, garlic, onion salt, basil, thyme and pepper in a small bowl, pour over about 5c. fresh or frozen broccoli and microwave in a steamer basket about 4 minutes. If you are a non-microwaver...like I want to be... I'm sure you can do this in a stove top steamer basket. :)

And, don't forget the sweets!

Sweet Potato Muffins
2 c. self rising flour
2 c. sugar
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 egg
2 c. cold mashed sweet potatoes (without added butter or milk)
1 c. canola oil
Glaze:
1 c. confectioners sugar
2 T. plus 1 1/2 t. 2% milk
1 1/2 t. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon

1) In small bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk the egg, sweet potatoes and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
2) Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cook for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. In small bowl, combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm muffins. MAKES 2 DOZ.

Make them feel the Love

We are on Spring Break here. It's glorious. Everyone slept in this morning... except whatever that bird is right outside our bedroom window that starts singing at like 5:45. No complains, it's Spring BREAK! :)

My goal for day #1 of break is to whip this house into shape. Small jobs I've been putting off are now massive jobs that are unavoidable. Doesn't that always happen? So, yea, a good day to get things ship shape and ready to go.

I'm joined up with Karen Ehman and the study on Hospitality that she is running on her blog right now. Today's post was such a great reminder to me on how making your guests feel loved and special is SO important. If you aren't signed up to do the study yet... do it. Click here.

http://karenehman.com/home

It got me thinking again about the connection between a tidy home and showing love to my family. Now, I know they aren't really "guests", but... why should guests be the only ones who get the clean and tidy home?! Challenging to my momma heart today. I want my family to feel order and organization and calm because of my love for them. I can show that love so easily by just kicking it in gear. :) So, wish me luck as I sweep, dust, and cycle through laundry piles to show my family hospitality today! I want to bless their hearts.