Recipe--Crock Pot Lasagna

Lasagna is one of my favorite dishes! Unfortunately, it can also be a bit complicated and time-consuming to make. Recently my Mom made this recipe when we had relatives over, and we all loved it! The crock pot is such a handy kitchen tool!

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef

½ cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

½ cup water

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 whole egg

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

 

In a large skillet, brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes. In separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.

 

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high. *Works best with a 4 to 6 quart size slow cooker. Serves 6-8.

 

* We doubled this recipe for our 6-qt crockpot. For this much, it will need to be cooked for 6 hours on low.

 

Bianca's Birthday Pictures

So . . . my birthday was back in July. I had taken Senior pictures in the Spring, but I had never had any pictures following my birthday. When I saw the magnificent fall color display Texas had to offer this year, I thought it’d be nice to get some birthday pictures now.

The only problem was, I am normally the birthday photographer in the family! It’s a little hard to take portraits of yourself. J But a friend of mine (who has also been challenging me to experiment more with my own photography) has been looking for some photo opportunities and was willing to do portraits for me! He admitted afterward that he had never done portraits before; but I was quite happy with the results!



Our first stop was the train tracks. This pose was his idea. J

I love all the big open fields around my house! Most of them are getting tilled and planted with winter wheat.

This was probably my favorite shot from the night (also another pose and location suggested by my friend.)

We had fun driving around and looking for old buildings, fields, and fences to pose by.

One of the last shots we took before the sun disappeared for the night.

Keeping with tradition, I want to hear what your favorite shot is! I’m not sure which one I want to frame in our living room yet, so suggestions would be appreciated! Leave us a comment!
 

Thanksgiving

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Fellowship

This past Sunday, our church had a Thanksgiving Fellowship potluck! It was so nice to have the opportunity to do a church-wide fellowship like this. Because we have two services, we don’t get to see everyone often enough. Times like this provide an opportunity to catch up with folks!

It was sleeting and very cold outdoors, so everyone was quite happy to stay inside, eat, and visit with church family. J

We are so thankful for the growth God has blessed our church with! The fellowship extended upstairs with more tables!

Our family in the corner with a view! J

The food was delicious! We have some good cooks in our church. J

After we ate, we stayed and talked a long time. I personally enjoyed the big fireplaces and cozy couches. J We stayed a bit to clean up afterwards too. We are so blessed by our church family and time spent with them is always refreshing!

Bowl-a-rama

This past Friday night, our family went to a fun church event with the kids’ ministry! They were having a “Bowl-a-Rama” for the 1^st through 6^th graders. I had never bowled before (I think everyone else in my family has at some point.) So I was talked into playing one game. J

We had lots of fun together! I got 1 strike in the game; I could have left right then. J I was quite happy, even though my score was nothing exciting.

Almost 50 kids came out for the event! They *definitely* enjoyed themselves. J

Football Playoff Game

This past Thursday night, Ben and I went to our very first high school football game! A friend from church takes pictures for one of the local teams, and they did well enough this year to make it to the playoffs. So we went along for the experience!

The town the game was taking place in was about 2 hours away from our house. But long drives always go by faster when you have friends along! J

We made it to the field in good time. Thankfully, the weather was pretty decent for the game. The temperatures were in the mid 60’s, but it was damp. We knew storms were coming, and we hoped that most of the game would be completed before things got worse.

The teams on the field getting ready to start the game.

Some of the action during the game.

Accordingly, we came to one of the best games of the year! The stands were full with a very enthusiastic crowd, the game was well matched, the weather was good, and our team was playing well. J

The only damper on the game was the lightning storm. With only 9:30 minutes left in the game, we heard the sound of alarms. We all got sent out to our cars, and that’s when the rain started. So we sat in the car for about an hour and a half before we could finally go back into the stadium. By that time, about half the spectators had left! The temperatures had dropped down to 45 and there was a light drizzle.

But it was so worth staying! The team we were rooting for won the game in the last few minutes when the opposing team failed a 2-point conversion. So we won by 1 point!

We were so grateful for the heat in the car on the drive home, and that we made it safely despite the rain. It was a really fun evening, and we’re so glad we had the opportunity to go!

Courage

Photo Credit: Roma

“I am 20 years old and have 13 children and 400 more who all depend on me for their care. Who are all learning to love Jesus and be responsible adults and looking up to me. The reality of it all can be a bit overwhelming at times. However, it is always pure joy.

There is a common misconception that I am courageous. I will be the first to tell you that this is not actually true. Most of the time, I am not brave. I just believe in a God who will use me even though I am not. Most mornings, before I even get out of bed I am overwhelmed with His goodness, with His plan for my life; I stand in awe of the fact that He could entrust me with so much. Most days, I don’t have much of a plan. I don’t always know where this is going. I can’t see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage is not about knowing the path. It is about taking the first step. It is about Peter, getting out of the boat.

I do not know my five year plan; even tomorrow will probably not go as I have planned. I am thrilled and I am terrified, in a good way. So some call it courage, some call it foolish, I call it Faith. I choose to get out of the boat. To take the next step. Sometimes I walk straight into His arms. More often, I get scared and look down and stumble. Sometimes I almost completely drown. And through it all, He never lets go of my hand.”

(Katie Davis, www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com, August 14, 2009)

  

~ posted by Betsy ~

Recipe--Tuna Chowder

I’ve been on a big soup kick lately. Today, it is bitterly cold here in what is supposed to be sunny and warm Texas. The temperatures are in the 30’s with the wind howling, and an impending winter storm warning for tomorrow. It made my day so much better when I got to enjoy a hot bowl of this soup for lunch! It’s very easy and inexpensive comfort food! We doubled this recipe, and used 2 parts canned chicken and only 1 part of canned tuna in order to a fool a few tuna-hating members of the family. J They all loved it!

Tuna Chowder

2 teaspoons oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery stalks, trimmed and finely sliced

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 ½ cups milk

7 oz. canned tuna in water

11 oz. canned corn, drained

2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and celery and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time until the onion is softened.

Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute to thicken. Take the saucepan off the heat and gradually pour in the milk, stirring throughout.

Add the tuna and its liquid, the drained corn, and the freshly chopped thyme. Mix gently, then bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chowder with the cayenne pepper and chopped parsley. Divide among soup bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Even More Photography

~By Roma

I’ve had the opportunity to take so many nature pictures, and pictures of other things that I don’t get to share often. So what better opportunity than the blog! Here are many miscellaneous pictures I’ve taken over the past few years, most of them from MI. Feel free to comment on them, and enjoy!

Spring….

Summer…

Fall…

Winter…

Okay, so it was mostly nature pictures. I could’ve posted lots more, but the post would’ve been too long and I’m running out of time. As for the pictures—not bad for a tiny digital canon camera that was $100. J

Quote to Ponder

"In prayer we talk to God. In Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking." --D.L. Moody

Duck Dynasty Review

Several months ago, a friend gave us Season 1 and 2 of the popular reality show “Duck Dynasty.” We started watching a couple of episodes at a time as a family during our Friday pizza and movie nights. We had heard a lot of positive things about the show. So we were quite interested in seeing it for ourselves!

We just recently completed all the DVDs we have. My thoughts on the show are mixed, so I want to present the positives first, followed by the negatives.

Positives—the Robinson family is very outspoken about their Christianity. They have a firm sense of values that is displayed well, especially by the kids. They have been very adamant about keeping their faith in the show as well, despite pressure at times to back off on expressing their faith.

Each show ends with the family gathered around the dinner table, praying, laughing, and eating together. The show is very funny, and basically follows the lives of the big Robinson clan!

Negatives—probably the biggest negative for our family was the crude language. There is no cursing on the show, just some words used frequently that we try to avoid as a family. Along with crude language is some crude humor. Some people wouldn’t be bothered by it, but our family is sensitive to that kind of thing.

Sometimes the shows are honestly a little over-the-top, and maybe stretch the “reality” part of the show. But again, that’s more of a personal preference thing.

So all in all, there are a number of positives about the show, along with some negatives (at least for our family.) With all that in mind, I would recommend some of the episodes but probably not all of them. I really admire the Robinson family for what they do, but the show may not be best for younger kids who might copy some of the crude language.

Nighttime Photography

Recently, I’ve been challenged by a friend to experiment more with my photography. Specifically, to experiment more with nighttime photography since our rural location provides such wonderful views of the night sky.

I took advantage of the full moon earlier this week, and got some neat pictures of it and the clouds. It almost created a rainbow effect!

This picture was taken 100% manually. I manually set the shutter speed, ISO, and focus. It was a big step out of my comfort zone!

Another night, I got a text challenging me to get a proper exposure of the moon in 5 tries or less. This was number 5. J

A couple of nights later, we were supposed to have a meteor shower. I got up at 4:30 a.m. to try and catch some of it. Unfortunately, because of the full moon, not a lot could be seen. But this long exposure of the clouds was neat!

Another night, I shot a sunset manually.

And this was the moon that night! Bright orange and hanging low in the sky!

I’ve had a lot of fun learning more about photography, and hope to continue learning and experimenting!

Shoe Box Packing Party

Last Monday night, we had an Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Packing Party! We used to do this with our Home Group in Michigan every year, and we thought it’d be a lot of fun to do one with our Life Group here in Texas.

We met and had dinner beforehand, and then got down to business! We packed 20 boxes in record time!

The paper cutting and candy-bag stuffing stations.

The packing crew with the finished boxes!

After the fun and laughter of packing the boxes, we got more serious. We surrounded the boxes and prayed over them. It was such an incredible time before the Father’s throne! We pray that these shoeboxes have a big impact in the lives of the children who receive them!

God's Whisper

“Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze

If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols

Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too

Until the congregations few, then have revival

Tell your friends that this is where the party ends

Until you're broken for your sins, you can't be social

Then seek the Lord & wait for what He has in store

And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful

‘Cause you can sing all you want to

Yes, you can sing all you want to

You can sing all you want to

And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song

Take a break from all the plans that you have made

And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper

Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak

And pray for real upon your knees until they blister

Shine the light on every corner of your life

Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open

Then read the Word and put to test the things you've heard

Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken

'

We must not worship something that's not even worth it

Clear the stage, make some space for the One who deserves it.”

(From “Clear the Stage” by Jimmy Needham)

~ posted by Betsy ~

Recipe--Taco Soup

With the arrival of the cold weather, comes the time for soup! Recently one of our friends from church brought this soup to Life Group. We really loved it, as it truly tastes like a taco in a bowl! This soup is super easy to make, and people enjoy it because it’s very “customizable.” Try it!

Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef

2 cups diced onions

2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles

2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles

1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional

1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional

1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix

1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

Corn chips, for serving

Sour cream, for garnish

Grated cheese, for garnish

Chopped green onions, for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Guacamole, for garnish

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and cilantro.

Homeschool Blessings Part 1

~ posted by Rubia

There are many reasons why I’m so thankful for Homeschool. We now apparently live in the “Homeschool-friendly State” where we have had the privilege of seeing lots of other homeschoolers and hearing of other homeschool groups in our area. Maybe one of these days, Josiah will get into a group since he has not yet had that experience like his older siblings have. J

The very first reason why I’m thankful for homeschool is my parents! I’m thankful for their decision in the beginning. Back then, homeschooling wasn’t very popular. But they realized that it is not only very Biblical, but it also allowed them to spend more time with their kids, and be close to us. I also realize the importance of their decision more and more as I see and hear of all the issues in government schools today: God is ignored and pushed out, kids learn things that aren’t true, they learn inappropriate things at the wrong age, there’s much peer pressure, and so on. I see that here at home, I am protected just enough, learning things that will benefit me throughout all of life, and I don’t feel at all like I’m missing out!

While I have subjects that cover Bible, Math, Science, History, English, and Music, today I am going to talk about Bible.

I am thankful for all of the time I spend studying the Bible. It convicts me, and penetrates into my heart, teaching me how I need to grow and change, Through it, the Lord gives me peace that surpasses all understanding; as He teaches me about Himself and His saving Grace. I am still working on reading the Bible all the way through. I’m not ashamed of being slow, because I am catching things from each passage that I may have missed if I was going faster! Currently in the Old Testament, I am reading through Exodus, and in the N.T. the Book of Romans. At the same time, I read one of the Gospels every month or so. My favorite is John, because He touches more on the personal relationship between Jesus and believers. And though the O.T. is for most, harder to get through, it points to the New. And right now from Exodus, I have enjoyed learning about God’s mercy and grace to His people which were the same even then!

I also study with my family. On Mondays and Tuesdays, my Mom and siblings and I read together from Proverbs. It is one of my favorite books for the wisdom it teaches! On Wednesdays, we work on scripture memory. Thursdays, we work through a curriculum called “Bible Study Guide for All Ages.” Then on Sunday afternoon, our entire family reads together. We are using a curriculum/guide called “Balancing the Sword.” As this book guides us, we are now going through the book of Joshua. (at Josiah’s request! J)

An important part of my Bible studies is Scripture memorization. This I believe is very important because there are times in life when we especially need specific verses, depending on what we’re going through or who we’re talking to. Some special friends from MI have uniquely put together different kits of verses with a theme, and each verse has a tune to sing. This way it is easier to memorize them. Now I am going through an appropriate kit: verses about Thanksgiving. Thank you, Miss Wendy, Amy, and family for these kits with the pictures and tunes!

Okay, one more study to share with y’all! One of my favorite nights of the week is Tuesday night when Roma and I get to spend time with Mom learning about how to live as daughters of the King, pleasing Him and bringing Him glory. We recently finished a wonderful Christian Charm Course, with Emily Hunter, (focusing on our appearance, inwardly to outwardly.) Though sometimes some things about it seemed outdated, since it was written a long time ago, those kinds of lessons are timeless.

Now we’ve started a book that I’m excited about: “Before you meet Prince Charming” by Sarah Mally. Roma and I will be learning about things we must know so we remain pure until our wedding day.

Enjoying the Blessings of a life at home with my family! Until next time, have a blessed weekend!

                                          For His Glory,

                                        ~Rubia

“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” 1 Thess. 4:1

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Col. 2:6-7