Disappointed-Selling our Trailer

We are disappointed but glad for the man that bought our trailer. He is going to do to the trailer what we wanted to do. Fix it up and put it on a plot of land in New Hampshire or Maine so that we and people from our church could have a vacation spot.

The recession has hit us extremely hard in our part of Massachusetts. Everyone is trying to do their part with helping us live her and keep our little church, friends, children, my mom, our church, but we are losing our home to an illegal modification and had to sell the trailer. It was not large enough for us to live in it so we had to give it up.

God has something better, TRUsTInG In HiM!

Children Surrounded by Good Art

Children and Art

Do you have children? I have five and have always incorporated art into their education.

There are many galleries that you can visit like in Boston on Newbury Street. All free and you can spend as much time as you like visiting. Many old master's works including art of the 21st century.

Libraries are great too. Our library, even though they do not like me taking pictures of the architecture and small wonderful details of the interior (I had to get permission) are wonderful places to show your children photography and prints of masters for free.

Incorporating art into your children's education may be the very subject they need to relax them from tough school days. My children are used to me always pulling them into some store that has pottery or prints, museums, special printmaking shops, glass blowing factory, local libraries and even my town's art group.

Even though art may not be their specialty, I will tell you that they use art in alot that they do.

Seth works on the Dark Jedi Brotherhood online and creates graphic figures along with working on our family business using a photoshop program. Luke, who graduated from college this spring, called me one day while finishing up a final project in a required art course, asked me various questions on techniques and supplies. We had an awesome conversation about art and Picasso which is his "favorite" artist. (I never knew that:) Lexin pulls out her drawing pad and draws clothing illustrations. Josiah works on his photography photoediting it and is creating his own personal portfolio. I havn't talked to Adam much about his liking of art because he is serving in the Air Force in South Korea.

Perhaps when they are even older, they will do the same for their children as I have.

Wall Art Made by Your Children

Art by children is so special. My husband is a pastor, so almost every Sunday, we have Faith and Lily that bring us pictures to take home. I spoke with their mom Julie and asked about their drawings. She said she never knows who they are going to give their drawings to. Isn't it special that they would think of us to give to.

Arts and crafts for kids probably is the best gift along with instruments and sports equipment to give to children at holiday times and birthday times. I was an only child, my brothers were 13 and 16 years older than me so my mom and dad would buy me craft items and I would sit at my great grandmothers house on Saturday Night watching Lawrence Welk and doing my punch yard project,or drawing cartoons. I honestly believe what you have around your children will build interests in them.

If you yourself gets an art idea, do it with your children. Make their art and their crafts your wall art. Mount it on foam core, place it on the frig with a magnet, buy a clear frame from Christmas Tree Shop or the Dollar Store. When they do a new picture, put it in the frame and change it. You will constantly have new colors and ideas on your walls. You may not be able to keep everything your children do with the arts and crafts, but take a picture and put it in an album. I have homeschooled my children and can not possibly keep every paper, drawing and craft, so I would take pictures of them holding their piece. Make an art portfolio with them and date the pieces. This will show a progression in their skills.

You can cover their bedrooms with wall art. Make a mural type affect and select frames that match their furniture or perhaps a frame that compliments their individualized art. Have fun with this.

New Ebook

I am writing a new ebook that hopefully will be finished and up in a month. This will be my second book on a different topic. I will surprise you soon! The first ebook I wrote is still in progress. I was hoping it would have been for sale a year ago, but my publisher and editor were having personal problems, which affected my dates. My sales letter is being written in progress and then it will be up and ready to read!

My children are older now ranging from 15 to 26, two of my sons are married, and three live with me and my husband. Being Saturday morning, or afternoon I should say, they are still sleeping. They are teens and are eating and growing!

Hubby bought me a Dunkin Donut Coffee, and I sit here blogging while my kids are snoozing. Then we will be up and running like chickens with our heads cut off. One son will go to the restaurant where he is a seafood cook at a Lebanese Restaurant and he is only seventeen years old. Our up and coming chef on the food network:) My husband is writing the sermon for tomorrow, I am making sure I have clothing and food ready for church and after church. And I don't know for sure what my other two children have planned. I am sure I will be driving someone around today.

The kids wanted me to take them to a fair that is from one of the old hometown areas which is 1 1/2 hour away which doesn't seem to fit in the schedule for today.

Frugal Meal for Hot Wednesday

Yes, it was hot and sticky again here in Massachusetts. Mid-afternoon came and I needed to decide what to make for supper. Finances are tough right now and I am using us what is left in my cupboards and freezer and trying to be creative with what foods are given to my family. My husband is a pastor and our church is suffering through the financial crisis. So, I decided to make chicken soup.

Here is my different chicken soup recipe that my Italian friend "Chris" gave to me years ago and my family loves it. The recipe can be changed if you only have certain ingredients.

1 roaster chicken

2 jars of Ragu

cellery

carrots

onion

chicken bouillon

spices-salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion salt, and any type of seasoning you prefer

garlic fresh if you have it (I used jar garlic about a good TBS of it)

rice or pasta

Put your washed roaster in a pot and add water to 3/4 filled pot.

Let boil and simmer till chicken is cooked and you have a stock. Add more water if it evaporates. Mine does. Remove your chicken to cool. Add cut up celery, carrots, and chopped onion. Add about 3-4 chicken bouillon, spices and fresh garlic. Now that your chicken is cooled, take it off of the bones, add it to the pot, add two jars of Ragu (I like this the best) and add quite a bit of salt and add pepper. You can boil rice or pasta in another pot, and then add to soup.

This soup does not take long except for the chicken to cook and the carrots and celery to tenderize. After that, it is nothing for the other items to be added. This soup tastes the best if you start it in the morn. Eat it with parmesian cheese and a loaf of Italian break, french bread or biscuits. Yum

Enjoy with your family