Cabbage Rolls

This recipe is an adaptation of the recipe from Trim Healthy Mama. It's super good!!! I don't have much experience with cabbage, so when I made this I was so surprised at how good was. I ended up eating the whole batch over the next couple of days. It is a Satisfying (S) meal. It will be something I make over and over again.

 Cabbage Rolls

Step1: Blanch 14(+/-) large cabbage leaves in boiling water for about 5 minutes to soften.

Step 2: Cook 1-2 lbs. of ground beef. Drain, then return to pan and add chopped peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper and whatever other seasonings you like (chili powder, onion, garlic, etc.). Cook until everything is cooked well.

Step 3: Plop a little filling in the middle of each cabbage leaf and roll it up, tucking the sides in as you roll so you end up with an enclosed cylindrical shape.

Step 4: Put rolls in a 9x13 baking dish and cover with 1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce.

 Step 5: Bake covered in oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes until steaming hot.

Step 6: Enjoy!!! :)

The original recipe is for a crockpot, which I haven't tried yet, but here are the differences:

Step 2: Mix ground beef with 2 eggs, 1 finely chopped onion, and one finely diced green pepper. Season. (without cooking)

Step 5: Put rolls in crockpot and cover with above sauce, or diced tomatoes seasoned with Worchester sauce, salt, and pepper.

Step 6: Cook on med/high in crockpot for 7-9 hours.

*Another idea if you are doing THM is to add quinoa to the meat mixture (which would make it an S Helper).*    

My Beginnings of "Tot School"

Since Jabin turned 2 years old, I have been very interested in starting some kind of educational program with him. I've looked online at some ideas, but there are so many ideas it was easy to feel overwhelmed. I found one site, though, that had a lot of good ideas that I am hoping to start implementing to some degree.

I will be making "trays" with different activities that he will play with for set periods of time (10-20 minutes) depending on his interest level. Each of the trays will have a different theme. Themes would be things like pouring, spoons, matching, sorting, beads, strings, stacking, stickers, cutting, gluing, etc. Activities would be pouring beans, rice, etc. from different containers into other containers; using different sized spoons to move rice, beans from different containers to others; stacking blocks, lining them up; using play dough and cookie cutters; gluing papers, etc.

Another idea that I liked is making "sensory boxes." These are boxes that are filled with different things to explore and find. For instance, I may make a wood-themed box, filled with bark, grass, plants, acorns, plastic forest animals; or a dinosaur-themed box filled with beans or sand with plastic dinosaurs, rocks, and other things that could go along with that. They can be filled with anything that you have around the house, for instance, cotton balls, rice, beans, then put other little things in the box to find and play with. At the time of using the sensory box, I could also read books that would go along with the theme.

My goal is to have three planned activities each day, Monday-Friday. (Of course, some days I may not be able to when I have other plans or unexpected changes in plans, which is almost expected lately. :) ) These activities would include using a tray activity, sensory box, reading together, playing/working outside, working in the garden, bath time play, going to the park, or coloring, etc. Later this year, it may include learning some letter sounds and numbers. For now, though, I just want to enjoy life together with him and let him explore the world by experiencing different things and learning how things work.

(Jabin playing, and trying to eat, his first sensory box.)

For more information on sensory boxes and learning tray ideas go to: http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/

5 "Easy" Ways to Help Keep a Tidy House

     Here are just some simple ways that may help you as you go about your daily tasks as a housewife. We all know there are up and downs on keeping our homes looking nice. Whether you're having a new baby, or going on a trip, or having people over, there will be times when you can't always have a neat home. But there are some ways that may help you to not have such a huge task when you are trying get things "back to normal." Hopefully, we can use these steps and keep our homes looking neat and tidy!

Step One: Put your WHOLE heart into your work. When we work in our homes, we are fulfilling a God-given task. When we clean up messes, vacuum, wash laundry, etc. we do it as working for the Lord. We don't want to be lazy or half-hearted. Proverbs 31:17 says, "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks" (emphasis added).

Step Two: Make a schedule. I love lists and schedules but I think that even people that aren't "natural" organizers can benefit from having a basic schedule. Depending on where you are in this category, this may be harder or easier. But despite whether you like schedules, you have to plan ahead on what you are going to do, in order for things to run smoothly. For instance, maybe you want to have certain days for certain jobs. I like to do laundry on Mondays that way I have clean clothes for the rest of the week. Some people like to do their laundry throughout the week as they get a load. Having that idea though will save you from getting to an event and not having clothes to wear because you didn't plan ahead. Things are more likely to get done if you plan to do it, even if you don't get it done the specific day you planned.

Step Three: Put things in a specific place. Let everything have a home. If you can't find a home for it, ask yourself whether it's something you really need or want to keep. If it is, find a place to keep it; if not, find a new home for it- Goodwill, garage sale, give it away, sell it online, etc. This will make things much easier for you in the long run as you will know where everything is and won't spend valuable time trying to find it (unless you have small children who move it). Have a place for incoming mail and bills so they don't get lost, then once they've been taken care of, have a place to keep them for your records.

Step Four: Pick up after yourself. This goes back to the previous step, in putting things away. Try to put things back where they belong after you use them or when you see that they are out of place. Even young children can put things away when they get them out; I know because I have a 22-month old. If you are there with them, have them put away their toys after playing with them instead of getting everything out and having a huge job of putting everything back at once. This also helps them not to feel overwhelmed with a huge task. You won't feel as overwhelmed either, if you put away a few things here and there, before it becomes a huge looming pile.  :)

Step Five: Do "light" cleaning. Sweep the floor if it needs it, vacuum, etc. Clean the dishes up and wipe up spills or other messes. Clean up as you go about your day. These are besides doing your main scheduled "event" (laundry, bathrooms, organizing, grocery shopping, etc.).

These tips are all "easier said, than done" at times, but just remember that your work is done for the Lord and He will help you with them.

Home-made Playdough :)

Today I made home-made playdough for Jabin to play with. We made 4 different colors and then used animal cookie cutters to make cows, chickens, pigs, geese, and sheep. :) Jabin did pretty well for his first time. He licked it a couple of times, but it was made with salt, so he didn't really want to eat it.

Here's the recipe:

No-Cook Playdough Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons oil
A few drops of food coloring

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients very well and store in plastic bag or covered jar.

Christmas Miracle

Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, born in a manger so many years ago. We celebrate, not because Jesus was a baby, but because He willingly humbled Himself and came to earth to save us from our sins, by taking every single one of them on His perfect self.

Jesus' birth was filled with many miracles: a virgin birth; an angel announcing the birth and then a choir of angels telling the shepherds in the fields; a census at the right time to lead them to Bethlehem, as foretold;  Elizabeth and John knowing the significance, even in the womb; a special star leading wisemen from a faraway place; Joseph's dreams; plus, fulfillment of prophesies made hundreds of years before. 

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

This Christmas, let's try to really think about the birth of Jesus as if we were there, seeing the miracles happening before us. How would we have responded? Would we have been like so many of the people of the day, not realizing the majesty of the babe in the swaddling clothes? Would we have come to worship with the wisemen or shepherds? Would we have prepared a room for Him or pushed Him out to the stable? The people of the day weren't prepared to welcome the King of Kings, Savior of the world, at His birth; but are we ready to welcome Him when He comes again? Let's take time to prepare Him room in our hearts this season.

God's Mercies

Today I'm thankful that every day God's mercies are new. Several mistakes happened today, due to my lack of forethought and planning, which could have been avoided. I'm glad that despite my failings, God is still the same God and shows us mercy. I'm thankful that He already knows everything about our circumstances before we tell Him. I'm praying for wisdom for the life that I live now. I'm so glad that God has it, and wants to share it with me.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 

Give Thanks

Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

I have been especially enjoying the weather and beauty of fall this season. This is the first fall here at our new house and the neighbors in front of us have a big yard with huge trees that had bright orange leaves. It is so beautiful. It is amazing how different places have different types of beauty. God is so creative. When you think of all the places in the world and all the different landscapes with their own beauty it's incredible. Thank you, Lord, for all the beautiful colors and smells of your creation. Thank you that you are good and your love endures forever.... We serve an awesome God. No other "god" is like our God. He knows the stars by name and knows even the hair on our head x 6 billion+ people!!! We must be thankful. We take so much for granted, not even thinking about it. God really is so good.