Making a mess

I am always astounded by the amount of mothers who will not teach their children to cook because they are worried about the mess. They know that it is an important skill but at the same time they can't be bothered cleaning it up afterwards. When I ask them why not get the children to help tidy up they often reply "It's faster to do it myself". We are now approaching a generation of girls who cannot cook, sew or clean properly. I know all this because my sisters and I were those girls.


My daughter loves nothing more to cook and bake. She can make the perfect loaf of bread, many salads and if watched carefully is developing a real talent for cookies and muffins.Yesterday in a bid to use of some of the excess courgettes we decided to make cheese and courgette scones. Aviva made them while I just watched and offered advice.


Aviva rolling out the scone dough

Cheese and courgette scones

Cooking and cleaning are never a drudgery for me. I truly love being in the warm kitchen in my apron singing and kneading out bread or hanging out the washing on a beautiful morning. And usually wherever I go so does Aviva. Whilst I hang the washing she feeds the rabbit when I fold the washing so does she. I pray I am cultivating a love and being at home because really there is no place in the world I would rather be. When you develop a joyful heart for your home your daughters are always watching and listening. Let them see and hear an attitude of love for your home.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:13

Summer vegetables

The solitary cucumber, after the rest died.

The marigolds which really brighten the whole garden up!

The courgettes which I simply cannot keep up with because they grow so quickly.

I love summer!I love the floaty, feminine skirts I can wear, I love hot days at the beach having picnics, I love the break from normal homeschooling so I can teach Aviva more practical skills and this year I love it even more because my garden is full of vegetables. I planted about thirty tomato plants and now they are all bearing small green fruit. I have been able to make huge salads every night and in a few weeks I will begin preserving and drying msot of it. I think back to only a few months ago when lettuces were selling selling for five dollars each at the super market! I had run out of ideas for the courgettes though until I found this recipe which I have adapted, it makes a great Vegetarian dish as it is high in protein.

Baked Courgettes

4 Courgettes

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup grated cheese

2 eggs

Seasonings

Grate courgettes and chop onions and add to lightly beaten eggs.Spoon into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.

Serves four

Note: The original recipe had only 2 courgettes so for a heavier dish you can omit the two I have added.

Welcoming 2009

I haven't written in such a long time it seems, I just haven't had the heart to talk about homemaking and homeschooling when on the inside I just felt like I was barely coping. My husband has been very ill and this comes at a time when my own health has been failing considerably. Oh but the Lord has been so faithful to us! Building me up when I felt like crumbling and sustaining my husband through what has been a very trying time.

We spent a lovely Christmas with extended family which is not what we had originally planned but it turned out to so much fun. My Aunt had gone all out and her house looked just like Martha Stewart had decorated it herself :)

We ended over fifty of our family members attend so it was a great turn out. Also today I saw a dear friend who had moved to Australia earlier in the year, We have been friends since I was ten so it was wonderful to see her, we walked around the waterfront and I ended getting burnt! I think it is time to invest in a straw hat.

I have an older Sister Toni who is a best friend to me, she is one of the people who have been there for me.In so many ways she has been a mother to me as well (she is ten years older than me) and when my younger sister died five years ago I think the tragedy brought us even closer together. After being told she would never hold a baby to full term the Lord has blessed her and last week she gave birth to a little girl named Ruby-Rose, she is so, so beautiful and my sister is just joyously happy!

I am looking so forward to the year! I have so many home school ideas that I can't wait to put into action. Also we are going to a christian camp in January and as I haven't slept in a tent since I was a child I am a little apprehensive but very excited as well!

May 2009 be a year of blessings for you!

Faith in hard times

I haven't written in a while due to something very sad happening within our family, I may write about it in a later post but right now I don't really have the emotional energy to explain.

I have become so aware of Gods faithfulness, even in the very hardest of times. When I don't think I can carry on God just steps in and does it for me.

" I am the Lord who takes you by your right hand and says 'do not be afraid I will help you'
Isaiah 41:13

In hard times so many people seem to fall away from God, which is just when we need him the most. I have had a few people say to me "you must not know where God is right now" but on the contrary I know exactly where God is right now-Helping me get up and be strong!

At times during this situation I have felt so alone but God has shown himself to me through many friends. Who are helping if not emotionally then practically. I don't know where I would be without my church family at times.

God never,ever leaves, forgets or forsakes us. He knows our pain and he hears our cries. We are never alone when we have him.

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:13,14