Redwoods Camping Adventure - DayTwo

Tuesday morning started off with of course, coffee :), and breakfast burritos.  

Breakfast Burritos

Tortillas

Sausage

Eggs

Hash brown potatoes

Seasonings - Chopped onions, salt, pepper, tabasco

Shredded cheese

Fry the sausage.  Add in the potatoes.  Cook the eggs in a separate skillet.  Add together.  Put a helping in a burrito.  Top with cheese and serve.

Then we checked out the visitor center which was very neat.  A guide took us on a tour through the forest right across the road from the center.

It is very difficult to explain or describe the redwood forests.  They are just simply - amazing!  If you have never seen them or had the opportunity to meander through the woods...put it on your bucket list.

After our hike, we went to a few other groves to see more amazing trees.  Then we headed to Eureka.  We first had a late lunch at a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives stop - called Cafe Nooner. 

Then we did a little self-tour of Fort Humboldt.  This was a fort that was built to keep peace between the settlers and the Indians there in Eureka on the bay.  An interesting fact was Ulysses S. Grant was a captain there for awhile until he got homesick and went home to farm.

After the fort tour, we stopped by the Carson House.  Mr. Carson was a lumber guy who made a lot of money. :)  This was his home and it is now a private club.  It is the most photographed Victorian home in America.

Summer wanted her photo taken at the pink house!  She asked if she could go in and I said someone lives there.  Then she wanted to knock on the door.  Ha!

Then we went to Clam County Beach.  Just a simple beach with just a few dog walkers.  I am not a beach/water lover but I have to say I very much enjoyed our time there!  

In fact, while the girls were playing, I actually fell asleep on the blanket there on the beach.  It was awesome until a little puppy came up and attacked me jumping on me and woke me up!  Ha!

It was just so nice.  The girls loved playing in the water and sand.  It was just perfect. :)

When we got back to the campsite, I made another foil pack dinner.

Seafood Foil Pack Dinner

Potato/veggie medley (Frozen variety - I used roasted red potatoes with veggies-asparagus, carrots)

Fish filet (I used tilapia but you can use most any kind)

Small pre-cooked shrimp

Seasonings (I used McCormick California Style Garlic Pepper with red bell and black pepper)

Spray the foil square with cooking spray.  Put the veggies and potatoes on the bottom.  Season the filet and place on top of veggies.  Put a handful of shrimp on top.  If you want, put in a lemon slice or two.  

For dessert, we did campfire cones.  You can fill them with a variety of ingredients.  This is what we did.   (I didn't get a photo of ours so this is what it looks like.)

Campfire Cones

Sugar waffle cones

Sliced strawberries

Chocolate chips

Mini marshmallows

Fill your cone and wrap in heavy duty foil.  Put on hot coals and then enjoy!

Feel free to change up to your favorite ingredients.

Redwoods Camping Adventure - Day One

Beautiful ending to our Sunday. :)  View from our deck.

Our Monday dawned very early!  I was up at 4:45am getting ready and finishing last minute to-do's.  We left about 7:15am for our trip to the Redwoods.

We saw some beautiful scenery on our way.  Not even 45 minutes we had our first car sick child - Sierra.  She didn't quite make the vomit bag so that was fun!  LOL!  Good thing we had paper towels and wet wipes and Clorox wipes and garbage bags!  Then Addie was next.  Always fun!

 The first stop in the Redwoods National Forest was the Grandfather Tree.

 We then checked in to our campsite at Burlington Campground.  My husband and I stayed here once before and he loved it.  You camp literally in the redwoods with them all around you.  It is very dark all day long as well as very cool.  You can see how big the stumps are all around you.  The girls loved to climb on them and make adventures with them.

 They had a nice cabinet to put all our food items in for the week.  We were able to use our new set up with the lantern and stove hooked to the large propane - it was nice not having to deal with those little propane bottles!  Of course, a red-checked tablecloth finishes off your campsite. :)

 Chairs around the campfire...Eric set up both tents...and I do love my camping totes to store all my items!

The view to the top of the trees is so pretty. :)

 After setting up camp, it was time to get dinner cooking.  The first new meal idea I tried was a foil packet meal.

Meatball Foil Packet Meal

Southern-style hash brown potatoes

Italian frozen meatballs

Canned sliced carrots

Seasonings like chopped onions, garlic, salt and pepper

Shredded cheese

These turned out yummy and had a thumbs up from all the family. :)  (Disclaimer:  My can opener broke so I wasn't able to use the carrots that I brought.)

You can change up the veggie if you prefer a different one. 

A few tips on the foil packet meals...

Invest in the heavy duty foil.  It is pricey but works great!

Be careful when opening the packets after cooking - hot steam!

Charcoal would work great for these meals.

And of course, a cup of coffee by the fire is a great way to end the day. :)

My Five Favorite Things of the Week

My first favorite thing of the week is camping!  Many of our family trips as kids were camping and I have always enjoyed it.  Yes, you do have to spend more on it these days.  Ha!  But it is just fun!

My new red percolator.  The best way to make coffee camping. :)

Pie.  :)  In this case, strawberry rhubarb.  MMM!

Fall-scented candles.  I bought my first one last week.

Our camp stove.  Probably odd to some of you but I love this stove!  Makes cooking in the camp simple and easy!

(We also bought this set up you see that we are able to hook up our stove and lantern to our large propane tank - no more little bottles of propane to mess with!  Awesome!)

Friday's Challenge on Posted by Rebekah

Every Friday @ 12:30pm (CST), you can hear a weekly challenge from me on Faith Music Radio.  My podcast is called Posted by Rebekah. You can listen online HERE or download the free app for your smartphone.  I would love for you to join us, listen and take the challenge!

Tune in any time of the day to Faith Music Radio for uplifting Christian music and talk. 

Here is today's podcast in blog post form. :)

Today, I would like to share a story from the early years of our ministry...

My husband being a pastor for a year now...one of the burdens...is the finances of the church. In the one year of our church, we went from the small conference room at the Hampton Inn for $90.00 a week to now having a permanent building to call home for $1,624.89. (LOL! I do the bill paying so I know. :) A big jump. A large step. A big undertaking for our small congregation of believers.

Finances will make or break most anything...marriages...businesses...and churches. So in being the wife of the pastor, I share that burden with my husband.

I wouldn't say we necessarily worry. But it stays on our mind a lot. :)

Yesterday morning, I read this verse in II Chronicles 25:9... "And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this."

Yes, he surely is. I am grateful for everyone person that is faithful to the Lord and tithes...they give back to God simply what is His.

As I look at the tithe that my husband and I give each week in the church offering...I can ask God..."What will you do with the $100 that I have given to Sierra View Baptist Church?"

And the Lord answers me..."I am able to give thee much more than this."

Yes, the Lord will take care of Sierra View Baptist Church...His church.

And for that reason, there is no worry. :)

Today's challenge is:  What do you have that God is asking YOU to give?  Step out on faith and you will hear..."I am able to give thee much more than this."
Will you take the challenge?

Refreshed

I hope somewhere and some way...you are being refreshed today.  

A second cup of coffee.

A flickering candle.

Beautiful music.

Rain on the roof.

Sunshine through the windows.

A favorite old TV show.

A phone call with a friend.

Extra time in your Bible.

A walk in nature.

A good book.

Have a great day, friend. :)

Recipe: Crock Pot Turkey White Bean and Kale Soup

This is the soup recipe I made Wednesday that I never got to eat.  Ha!  But since it was eaten by four children, I would say it is a good recipe. :)

Crock Pot Turkey White Bean and Kale Soup

1 small onion, diced
2 cans of carrots, drained
1/2 bunch of kale, washed and sliced
1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
1 Italian salad dressing pouch
1 lb. ground turkey, cooked
8 cups chicken broth

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.  Since it is all cooked, it only needs to heat through.

Our School Lunch Menu

Just thought I would share a little system that my daughter and I made for lunches for school.  We created a two week menu that we repeat every two weeks.  She packs the lunches each day for me.

Monday:  Corn dog, grapes, carrot sticks with ranch.

Tuesday:  Bologna sandwich, yogurt with granola, cucumber slices with ranch.

Wednesday:  Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fruit cup, granola bar.

Thursday:  Tuna fish wrap, boiled egg, piece of fruit (whatever is on sale that week).

Friday:  Mac and cheese, peas, applesauce cup.

Monday:  Lunchable, dill pickle, fruit cup.  (You can make your own lunchable with diced meat, cheese and crackers.)

Tuesday:  Bean burrito, chips and salsa, applesauce cup.

Wednesday:  Mini pizza, green beans, piece of fruit.  (I make these with hamburger buns, pizza sauce, toppings and cheese.)

Thursday:  Ham sandwich, yogurt, chips.

Friday:  Pot pie, corn, granola bar.

For very busy or working moms, we don't have time for all the great and creative lunches inspired by Pinterest!  Ha!  Sometimes, simple is best to stay in the game. :)

My Week

Monday began a new week.  Second week of school for the year.  Since we have done school the same each year, each new school year is not too much of an adjustment.  Probably the hardest is getting everyone up and going. :)

When we get to school in the morning, I start by grading any papers/homework from the previous day.  I also get the girls their papers for that day for each subject.  I organize any tests or quizzes that they need to take along with the answer key for that test.  Addie is doing her quizzes and tests this year online which is different for the both of us!  Her grandma (Eric's mom) gave her a tablet for her 12th birthday and she is able to log on and do her quizzes and tests right at her desk.  It is different because it saves all that grading for me!

Baby Aaron usually plays or sleeps and Reagan does her own thing.  She's crazy!  LOL!  We are also potty training so that is interesting as well.  (These are the kids I babysit all week.)

Tuesday, school from 8:30-2pm.  I made a meal for Josh and Jenny - she just had her baby.  Roast with potatoes, onions and carrots along with a Caesar salad and warm peach cobbler.  Mmm!  I almost went to their house to eat dinner! :)

I also made a run to Home Depot to get some supplies for the church with the husband.  New flooring for the nursery.

Wednesday, school from 8:30-2pm.  I also have my nephew again each week on Wednesdays. Actually, we stayed until around 3:30 this day to catch up on some extra work with Autumn and Sierra because I had worked on the church building in the morning.  Dropped the girls off at home and then right back to the church for our admin meeting from 4-6pm.  Picked Addie up to drop her off at the church at 6:30pm for YLC-Youth Group.  

Funny story, I made a new recipe for a soup in the crockpot that morning.  On the way to taking Addie to youth group she says, "Umm, we kind of ate most of the soup."  I replied, "I hope you left some for me and Daddy at least."  "Well, there might be."

Got back home to find about 1/2 cup of soup.  Sigh.  I had to call my husband as he was leaving the church and have him pick up Subway for us for dinner!  Kids.  LOL!

Thursday, school from 8:30-2pm.  You might think I would get bored every day but it even amazes me how much there is to do from grading to helping with concepts to correcting homework with one of the girls to watching the little ones to working on things at the church.  In fact, I rarely go home feeling caught up!  LOL!  Thursday night is my shift for Senior Helpers as well.

Friday, we had a slightly later start at 9am because of me getting home from work and needing to get ready.  But we still were done before 2pm. :)  That night, we had crockpot chicken and dumplings and watched Paul Blart - Mall Cop 2 as a family.  (OK, I fell asleep but hey, it was a long week!)

Saturday morning, I took Addie to her first softball practice for the fall ball season.  Gave my husband a hair cut.  Spent a few hours at the church sweeping, mopping, taking out garbage, setting up tables and chairs and decluttering the office.  Then went to Winco to get all our groceries for our camping trip next week.  To Wal-Mart to get a few other supplies for camping.  Then home to pack camping supplies and finish up the laundry.

This week, we will be in the Redwoods on our family camping trip so I will have next week's update next Monday with lots of photos!  I will also have this week's posts scheduled to post while I am gone.  Have a great week!

"She Should Divorce Him..."

As things come out in the media about people...consider this one thing:

You can't guarantee that what happened to that person you are making a judgment about - will never happen to you.

I remember one day very clearly in my married life.  I was reading a blog of a pastor's wife one afternoon.  It was then I found out that her husband wanted a divorce from her.  He wanted to be with someone else.

My husband came home from work and when I told him, I cried and cried.  Honestly, I was crying from fear.  If that could happen to another pastor's wife - someone I knew personally, why couldn't it happen to me?

I was honest with my husband that day - I was scared that was going to happen to us.  It really shook my faith.  I knocked me down mentally.  It gave me a wake-up call.

And from that moment, I had a different perspective. 

 One that - I may be in that person's place one day.

First, don't be too hard on that person who fell.  That just may be YOUR husband one day.  I promise you can't guarantee he would never do that.  Never say never.

Second, don't be too quick to say what you would do if you were her.  I am pretty sure you will think differently if you were in her shoes.  

Third, repentant hearts deserve a second, third...multiple chances to be forgiven.  Seventy times seven.  That's from Jesus - not me.  

Thoughts from a heavy heart.

Five Favorite Things for the Week

My first favorite thing for the week is the Awana Cubbie curriculum.  It is a fabulous curriculum!  

New camping supplies.  (Bought at a great discount with my husband's Sportsman's Warehouse employee discount!)  My favorite is the red coffeepot. :)  And the cool sporks!

This little guy!  I love babysitting him. :)

Smoky skies are so beautiful!  (The fires are not cool but I do love the skies.)  (Taken from our church parking lot.)

Funny things like how kids sleep!  I'm surprised she doesn't suffocate.  LOL!

Friday's Challenge on Posted by Rebekah

Every Friday @ 12:30pm (CST), you can hear a weekly challenge from me on Faith Music Radio.  My podcast is called Posted by Rebekah. You can listen online HERE or download the free app for your smartphone.  I would love for you to join us, listen and take the challenge!

Tune in any time of the day to Faith Music Radio for uplifting Christian music and talk. 

Here is today's podcast in blog post form. :)

Have you ever had something frustrate you so very much?  We have these old sliding closet doors in our home.  They are always coming off the track and it is very difficult to get them back on.  Like “throw the door out” kind-of-frustrated.

The other day, the closet door came off the track (and no one in the house would admit to it!).  I tried to get it back on and in my efforts, I stepped into the closet to see better what I was doing.

Lo and behold, (this is where you can’t judge me) I noticed that there were actual places where the track was indented to place the door back on.

I lived in this house seven years.  And I am just realizing this.  (I know – pathetic!)  I could have saved years…and that is not exaggerating…of frustration.

Are you in a frustrating situation?  Dealing with frustrating people?  Tired of it all?

What can we learn from this illustration?

1. Take time to investigate.  Not all things are really as they “seem” to appear.  Are you getting frustrated over things that aren’t really a problem?  All this time I was frustrated at an inanimate object when the solution was in front of me – I just didn’t look hard enough for it.

2. Take time to learn something new.  Sometimes, some things can be solved by just coming up with a different solution – one different than anything you have ever tried.  I used to get so frustrated with having dogs as pets because when we would be gone, they would go in and out of the house – dragging dirt on my clean floors and furniture.  I would come home to a dirty house and it frustrated me to no end.  When we had our home remodeled, the contractor put up large pieces of plywood to keep the dogs in the hallway.  It enabled them to be inside – just in the hallway to access their beds and food and enabled access to their dog door to go outside as well.  I now can leave my house all day knowing the dogs can’t wreak havoc on my house and I will come back to a clean home.  My frustrations are gone.  It just took a new solution.

3. Take time to take time.  What does that mean?  Sometimes, we just need to wait before we act on our frustrations.  Don’t jump the gun.  Don’t accuse before you find out the entire story.  Sometimes, just hold on and wait.  Take time to cool down.  Get away from the frustrating situation and do something else.  You will probably find that in the end, it wasn’t as big of a deal as you thought initially.

Today’s challenge is:  The next time you are frustrated, take time to investigate, take time to learn something new and take time to take time.

Will you take the challenge?

Recipe: Fettuccine Alfredo with Beef Strips

I wanted to share this week not necessarily a new recipe - but a change-up from the norm.

I normally write down my menu for the week along with my To-Do's in a one subject notebook.  Well, I lost that notebook and I had no idea what recipe I had chosen to make that day!

So after school and two big photo inspection jobs, I had to throw something together for dinner!  I saw a box of fettuccine and alfredo sauce in my pantry.  Instead of chicken, I sauted some beef fajita strips that I had in my freezer.  Instead of our normal broccoli, I added these to the fettuccine along with one can of Italian diced tomatoes (drained).

It was delicious!  Add garlic bread and a salad and you have a simple and very quick dinner.  Don't forget to top with shredded parmesan!

1 box fettuccine

1 jar roasted garlic alfredo sauce

1/2 bag of beef fajita strips

1 can Italian diced tomatoes (drained)

My Week

 This was a different week for us that we have ever had.  This year, we are doing our home school day at the church.  This was a decision that I made to enable me to better help at the church while still being able to home school successfully.  If I were to be honest, it was a decision I struggled with.  However, after a week, I think it was a good decision.  Yes, it does take dedication, work and sacrifice in some ways.  I won't lie.  But all things take some measure of sacrifice and work.  

We have set up in a small outside classroom and it works really well.  

 We start at 8:30am and end by 2pm.  The girls do the DVD accredited Abeka program.  This is our 8th year with Abeka.

 Monday, I had three dentist appointments scheduled from months ago.  So after a few hours of school, we had to head to the dentist.  This week, I had seven kids all week - my four, Alex and Aaron and Reagan.  Seven kids to the dentist - let's just say that I was asked if I was a foster parent!!  Ha!!! That made me laugh.

Summer, our youngest, is in K-5 this year.  She loves to do her papers with me - and wants to learn combinations as well.

Side note - Josh and Jenny had their baby - Grant Ryan - Sunday evening!  Here is the little guy!

Tuesday, I stole my husband's laptop before he got to the office to write and record a podcast.  This is the view from my school table. :)

Tuesday, I had to take Addie back to the dentist to fix a cap that was coming off.

Sometimes, you just need some pizza. :)

Wednesday, I set up for a meeting my husband was hosting in our Fellowship Hall for some local pastors.  Just some coffee, juice and water.

 Also started working on our new coffee area in our lobby.

 This is baby Aaron - he is so adorable!  I babysit him during the week.

 I also spent some time working on preparations for my new Cubbies class for our Awana program.  

Then our administration meeting.

Thursday and Friday was school.  We also got to visit Grant, Jenny and her mom.  Friday, I had to get groceries before we starved to death.  LOL!  That meant seven kids to the grocery store.  But we made it!

Saturday.  Saturday takes on a new meaning when you now leave your home every day!  I did laundry, ironing, house cleaning, watered the lawn.  It was nice to have a morning not to have to rush off!

Then it was a date with my husband to Chipotle, a chiropractic visit and an errand to Home Depot.  We worked at the church until 7pm.  A big thank you to Josh who spent his entire Saturday working on projects around the church.

Beautiful ending to the week.

Sunday was a wonderful day!  I filled in for Jenny to play the piano.  We had a delicious dinner made Miss Robin of chicken enchiladas, a corn salsa and jello with whip cream.  Then it was our first night of our Awana year.  I was happy to be able to do the Cubbies class this year. :)

And with that, I will end this.