Stuffed Pepper soup, for canning

 Hi there! It's been awhile... but I'm back, to share a recipe I came up with today, that I think you all are going to love!

Each year, we order a whole hog to be butchered, filling our freezer with pork chops, bacon, stuffed sausage, pork loin, and bulk sausage. I ordered more bulk sausage than usual last year, and we're barely getting it all eaten before it's time to pick up our meat again in March.

To use up some of our bulk sausage, I made up a Stuffed Pepper soup recipe, that can be canned, and it turned out delicious!!

I'll be serving it over baked rice, topped with sour cream and Parmesan cheese shavings-YUM!!

10lbs. bulk sausage, fried and drained of fat

4-28oz petite diced tomatoes

1TBS granulated garlic

1TBS + 1tsp Himalayan pink salt

1TBS Italian seasoning blend

4c green bell peppers, diced small

4c onions, diced small

1/4c organic cane sugar

2-32oz chicken broth

-Fry up your bulk sausage, till cooked through, draining excess fat. Pour into a large stock pot and add remaining ingredients. Bring it to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. 

-Pour into clean canning jars, leaving 1 inch head-space. Wipe rim tops clean, place lids on & screw tightly shut.

-place jars in a water bath canner. Fill canner with water till jars are just covered.

-Bring to a boil, and cook for 3 hours. 

-Remove from the water bath and listen for that wonderful "ping"that ensures a sealed jar!

Disclaimer: Some people swear you need to pressure can anything that contains meat or veggies.

I've been canning for 20+ years and have always used the water bath method for canning all my soups, containing meats and veggies, and I've yet to have a jar that hasn't sealed, or that's come unsealed over a period of time. 

That being said, you do you. If you're more comfortable using a pressure canner, by all means, go for it!

Coming Home

           This blog has been put on the back burner for a few years. Lately though I'm feeling the need to put my thoughts into print again...

            This week has been one of constant running. Taking the car to the shop, Ortho/dentist appointments. Haircut appointments. School & church activities....For some, this is a normal, every day kind of schedule...but not for me. I tend to be an introvert & make a point of scheduling quiet days into my week. Down-time to regroup & prepare myself for the next people-y thing I have to do...Don't get me wrong. I love people, truly...In small doses😜

...As the week progressed, it all started to snowball. I could feel the tension in my muscles building, creating sleepless nights & tiring days, to the point where I inwardly cringed when the sweet baby, in the cart beside me at Wal-mart, reached out to touch me...Thats when I know I've overdone it-I'd allowed myself to be stretched too thin-it was time to put myself in a time-out...
...This year I resolved to be intentional. Intentional with my Time. Relationships. Money. etc.
It's safe to say, that this week was not about being intentional. It was about getting done what needed to be done-even if it brought out the crazy a bit...

...Tonight though, coming home to my people, the tension ever so slowly, started to leave my body.
As I kneaded the dough for our Stromboli dinner...sitting around the dinner table, sharing a meal with the ones I love. Hearing about their day. My whole world started to quiet...This is my safe place, my soft place to land when the world seems to spin...

   ...It didn't take long for the children to start gathering around after dinner. I had hardly sat down on the couch when our 14 year old came to sit in my lap. After a few minutes, she settled in beside me, & the littlest one climbed up into my lap... A round of UNO was just getting geared up around the table, & I could hear 2 of the boys discussing hairstyles in the bathroom, & the hum of a hover board as a little person buzzed through the house...the sounds of home...My body relaxes more...

If you made it this far...All that, to say this. Take care of YOU. Figure out what brings you peace, then do it. Schedule it into your day, or week if need be. Mamas especially. It's impossible to pour from an empty cup...The thing that quiets my heart, is alone time with Jesus. Praying & reading His word...connecting with, & spending time with my family...

MY PEOPLE.

...The past few weeks, under some intense, on-going teaching & training, we are learning that not everyone(especially children) have that safe place. That soft place to land & regroup. They're living in intense, unimaginable situations & living conditions. We are coming to realize, we can be that safe place for someone else...but that is a whole nother post...we covet your prayers as we learn, train & prepare, to welcome a child into our home. To provide that safe place while Mommys & Daddys are figuring it out, & becoming healthy enough to parent again 🙏

River's story

This morning was the 1st morning I drove this little boy to school without anxiety for what his day would be like...

For anyone who knows him well, knows that when he's feeling like himself,  he's sweet & caring, fiercely protective of his family & pets, affectionate & kind.

For the past year & a half though, we've struggled daily with terrible mood swings, behavioral issues, meltdowns & on occasion, downright meanness...

Most days, I couldn't wait to kiss him goodnight & be able to breathe, instead of holding my breath for the next meltdown or tantrum...The struggle was almost daily. I would watch him with tears in my eyes, knowing that this was somehow out of his control, but feeling so helpless, not knowing what he needed, or how to help him.

Getting him ready for school was a daily struggle. It didn't matter how much time we allotted, whether I laid out his clothes the night before...It didn't matter how much we prepared ourselves to avoid a meltdown, it was inevitable. There were even a few mornings I kept him home for the 1st half of the day, cause I knew he was in no state to be sent to school.

Church was a whole other story...If you've sat in front of us at church(or anywhere near us for that matter) at any time, you know that the slightest thing set him off & there would be an outburst.

I would get calls from coaches & teachers, wanting to discuss his behavior...

I'm so thankful though that that is not where his story ends!...

Here is the journey we went on, trying to figure out what we were dealing with...

About a year and a half ago, we started seeing behavior changes.

We tried any number of things to help him. One of them being Valerian root(A natural herb that has a calming affect on a childs nervous system), only to find out that he was allergic to it 😩

We tried Plexus(which helped some) but he hated it & it ended up being too strong for him, no matter how little we gave him.

We tested him for ADHD, The results were negative.

We were told by well-meaning people that maybe we weren't disciplining enough, or in the right way. We were told it's probably just a phase & he'll grow out of it.

We tried fish oil(good for the brain, focus & nervous system) which helps, & he's still using it-it just wasn't enough. 

At this point we were weary of trying new things.

We quit everything...

 I started researching behavior issues in children & what causes them.

The more I read, the more my gut was telling me we were dealing with Autism.

The behavior issues, the meltdowns, social issues...

I called his pediatrician, only to be told that that is probably the only thing he's not qualified to diagnose. We were given a referral to have him tested at Akron Children's Hospital.

Knowing he would be subjected to any number of tests, my heart was telling me he wouldn't be able to handle the testing emotionally.

We decided to check with our NMD(Natural Medical Dr.) to see if  she was able to pick up traits for Autism on the testing that she does...she could! 

Within 24 hours, I got the call, saying he tested very low for Autism(Thank you, God!!), but she noticed that his Blood sugar levels were extremely low.

We found out that abnormal blood sugar levels(whether high or low) are a HUGE factor in mood swings & behavior issues! I felt so naive😥

She advised us to make that he gets lots of healthy proteins, & 5-6 smaller meals/snacks throughout the day. She also gave him herbal drops that help him manage his emotions if we do get to a place where hes not able to get a snack in when needed.

In just the last 48 hours, adding a few healthy snacks into his day, & supplementing with the drops, he's an entirely different child.

We were able to attend church yesterday, & Andy and I were able to sit through the entire service(including Sunday school & an extra long service) without taking him out once.

He woke up this morning, calm, sweet & snuggly. He ate a protein-packed breakfast & was able to get dressed without a meltdown(we were even rushed for time, so this was a miracle!)

We had no idea how rotten he was feeling due to his Blood sugar levels being so low, then when he'd eat a meal it would spike & have the opposite affect.

He was all over the place but couldn't explain why he was feeling the way he was.

All that, to say this... We have our sweet little man back. 

It took us nearly a year and a half to figure it out, but I thank God for leading us in the right direction & for giving us the wisdom needed to get him the care he needed.

If you have a child thats struggling. If your gut is telling you that it's not normal child behavior, don't let someone tell you that it's just a phase, or that you didn't discipline enough(or the right way), you know your child better than anyone else. 

Are there any other moms out there who've had a similar experience-I'd love to hear from you!

The rantings of an old fashioned Mama

It's probably a good idea that I counted to a bazillion, & took a few very deep breaths before I started this post.

About an hour ago, I received the 2nd phone call this year, from the school superintendent saying, there has been another threat made towards the school where my babies attend.

I was immediately livid. Less than a month ago, it happened as well. Everything was kept hush-hush. No one found out who did it, or even if the child had any real consequences for having done it.

Fast forward 2-3 weeks & it's happening again, cause these kids aren't seeing that their peers have been given any consequences.

People, IT'S NOT GUNS. IT'S NOT MENTAL ILLNESS. 

1ST...Kids nowadays are filled with junk food, preservatives, easy-fast food. They're bodies can't process all that crap, therefore it messes with their physical & brain health.

2ND...There is a severe lack of parenting in our society today. Parents are working their tails off to give their kids everything they didn't have themselves as kids, when in fact, THAT IS ALL THAT THEY NEED.

They need a parent to be there when they wake in the morning. They need a healthy breakfast before being sent off to school. They need a parent to greet them at the door when they get home, to sit around the table with them as they do their homework, & talk about the happenings of their day. Families need to be sitting around the dinner table, enjoying at least 1 meal a day together, discussing the happenings of the NEXT day & preparing the child to be successful, whatever that day may hold.

They need to be tucked into bed each night(my 14 year old still asks to be tucked in). The last thing they need to hear as they drift off to sleep, is that they are precious. They matter. They are important to you, & that you love them.

3RD...You aren't doing them any favors by not punishing them when they do wrong. Children need to know that you love them enough to discipline when necessary. They need rules, guidelines & structure. It helps them to feel safe, loved & cared for.

They need to believe in something. 

We believe that Jesus loves us enough that He died for our sins, He rose again & is interceding for us today, in Heaven. We read our Bibles & pray together with our children every night that we can before bed. Sometimes it gets loud & crazy, & everyone is talking at once., & we wonder how much they are actually retaining... but they are.

You might say that you don't believe in Christianity...I pray that you will, one day.

But even if you don't, you're children need to believe in YOU. They need to believe in LOVE.

Dawson's 14th Birthday!

Today our firstborn turns 14! ...About 2 more years to psych myself out, thinking of him getting his driver's license😳 

Husband took the 2 oldest boys & they're headed out to see all the new gadgets & products for outdoor sports, at the Sportsman show today.

This boy lives & breathes the outdoors. His favorite things to do are traipsing through the woods, looking for any type of creature to bring home & care for. 

Hes happiest with a fishing pole in hand. It doesn't matter whether he's fishing from the boat or off a bank.

This was a trophy catch this summer. He was fishing for musky & saw this one floating by, that had swallowed another fish & it got stuck in it's mouth & killed itself. Dawson claimed it stank something fierce, but he wasn't going to pass up a photo of something "so cool" 

This was a Bass he caught at his Grandpa's pond. He fished for this one a long time...It's also part of his Birthday gift(Andy is getting it mounted for him)

I love his adventurous spirit, his love for the outdoors, & the soft spot in his heart for animals...

...Except for maybe the puppies, whom he loves to tease mercilessly.

Goober 😁

His birthday supper request is Stromboli, with only pepperoni & cheese, topped with coarse garlic salt & seasonings(he was very specific)

And a "cake" stacked high with glazed donuts.

Happy Birthday, Dawson!! We love you like crazy!

Motherhood

The 1st 4 posts I saw on Facebook this morning had to do with parenting. The highs, the lows, the WORK... 

Truthfully, those 1st 5-7 years feel a lot like boot camp. You teach, train & repeat until you think you might just lose your ever-loving mind. 

It is work, & it is hard...but it is so rewarding when you start to see that work pay off.

There are days when the house looks like Hurricane Harvey has blown through. Where you find 20 snack-size snickers wrappers beneath the sofa cushions while cleaning.

 Evenings where you walk into the bathroom, & find that a little Dachshund puppy has somehow managed to find it's way into the bathtub with 2 little boys(How did that get there?!) 😳

There are days when you simply get nothing done but feed, hold, kiss, & hug the little people.

Days where you feel like more of a referee, breaking up the latest brawl, than a Mom...

And then there are days when it clicks. All that teaching & training pays off-you get to reap the rewards. 

That something you've been teaching, finally makes sense & they GET IT.

The day you can make a job list & each child knows exactly how to do their specific jobs & the house gets cleaned in record time.

The day you can say, "go change out the laundry, please" & it gets done, just like you'd do it yourself... 

The day you see 2 or more kiddos snuggled up together, reading stories or watching a movie together(they DO love each-other), who knew?

When you catch an older sibling looking out for, or helping a younger sibling with something they're struggling with. Giving piggy-back rides, or coloring side by side...

All that, to say this...

Parenting is hard work. Period. It is also one of the most rewarding things you'll ever get a chance to do.

I don't claim to have all the answers. We have teenager, 1 yr. & counting, & another about to earn that title in a few months. We're entering a whole new stage of  uncharted territory.

Some days we'll get it right, & other days we will fail miserably...

Don't beat yourself up about it.

Some days we wonder, "What were we thinking" & other days we wonder how we'd ever survive without them...

It's time to wrap this up...there are cookies to bake, granola bars to make, & laundry to do. After all, well-fed kiddos seem to be the happiest kinds of kiddos.😋  Press on, young Mamas, it gets easier. 

Asher's 5th Birthday

My baby is a whole handful of years old.

I'm letting that sink in for a little bit.

The children get to chose their Birthday dessert(it's not always cake)

Asher had very specific ideas for his cake.

It had to be homemade. Chocolate cake with chocolate icing, & Christmas sprinkles.

His Birthday meal included hot-dogs, cheesy noodles, chips & pretzels, & cake & ice-cream.

Hes so excited to go to school with his siblings next fall...

His Birthday wish-list included a backpack, basketball & fidget spinner for himself & one for his brother.

My dearest little man,

 My wish for you would be that you grow to love Jesus, more every day. That your heart would desire to serve Him as you grow. 🎔

  

Changes and New stages

The changes I see happening outside right now...the cooler temperatures, brightly colored leaves, the scent of fall all around me, the flavored coffees & pumpkin everything...

Just as the weather is changing, so is our family...Just as Autumn is my most favorite time of year, I feel as if this may be my most favorite stage in life as well.

The baby toys have long ago been garage sale-d or taken to the nearest thrift store...in fact, the younger ones rarely play with toys at all. They want to do what the big kids do. Legos, Sports, etc...

Disney Jr. & Sprout have been dubbed "baby shows"...Looney Tunes, Wild Kratts & Dude Perfect are preferred.

I can no longer shop in the toddler section for clothes...I can't even shop in the Jr.s for the 2 oldest(crazy!)...

...And then theres school. 

We started them all out as home-schoolers this year(I'd never had all 5 at home during the school year). I realized very quickly, that I had taken on much more than I could handle and by stretching myself so badly, I was doing them a disservice.

Firstborn decided to finish school at home(he will likely graduate early-one of the perks of home-school) He has his heart set on getting out there, getting a job & making some money...The others are all back in public school again, and I'm realizing that this is okay too.(they're loving it!) New Grade school...new Middle school...Big changes!

This Fall, the 2 oldest will be joining Jr. Youth activities...The youngest is actively participating in pre-school classes...no more babies on my lap during Sunday School...

I'm loving the big conversations I get to have with them(the older ones especially) The way their hearts are becoming sensitive to the Holy Spirit. The discussions that follow our evening Bible reading...

We also get to talk about some of the things that aren't so much fun. Like body changes, drugs, sex, and pornography...These are the hard ones. This is where we beg God for wisdom, we ask Him to guide us as we prepare our children for the world that we live in...Above all else, we pray they love Jesus, love people, and show kindness-Always.

Heres to big kids...big changes...& big conversations!

...& HAPPY FALL

Home-school prep for 2017-2018

Yesterday the children & I sorted through closets & drawers. Taking out clothes that were well used or outgrown & put them on piles to donate or get rid of...

...Today was an all-day-in-the-kitchen kind of day.
 I never feel as if I'm quite ready to dive into the new school year, unless I have some freezer meals stocked & Tupperware containers filled with cookies & muffins to put in the freezer for those weeks that I don't have time to bake.

I baked up a double batch of Ree Drummond meatballs. You can find the recipe here. (Her recipe is our favorite.)



I also put together 2 Chicken Pot Pie meals & tossed them in the freezer.




Last but not least, I baked up a double batch of Blueberry Muffins.

The children were a huge help today & did most of the weekly cleaning & helped out with laundry so I could be in the kitchen all day...Now I'm headed outside to get the yard mowed quickly before dark.
School starts next week & I feel like it's crunch time!
Once school starts, everything slows WAY down & I like our focus to be completely on the school day.

Last year we went into the school year with little to no plan & had unexpected things come up like, a week long vacation & moving our family to the next town over...It was NOT an ideal Home-school year.
I'm hoping with a lot more preparedness & lesson plans scheduled & in place, that this year will be much more successful!

God-hugs & Hondas

A little back story here 1st...

We seem to be notorious for choosing vehicles that turn out to be lemons. About 5 years ago, we purchased a super cheap mini van when little Asher joined our family. We drove it about a year when it started to completely fall apart, quite literally. I vividly remember driving through Canton & having parts fly out from under the van & it coming to a jerking screeching halt. 

After that, we were gifted a newer mini van, that we hoped would outlast our kiddos... After pouring thousands of dollars into repairs, over the course of 2 more years, only to find out the transmission was about to blow, we were feeling pretty discouraged about it all. 

We have a mini vacation coming up & knew there was no way, it was going to get us there & back, so we decided to reach out for recommendations this time & try to shop a little smarter.

We came up with a budget plan & set out looking for our next car.... This is the part I love :)

We shopped online(some of the local dealerships) we were initially looking for a Honda Pilot, but our search revealed that even the used ones were far beyond our budgeted price. We found an Explorer that we wanted to look at though.

I had an appointment in Wooster earlier this week & decided to drive over & take a look at the Explorer after I was done. It turned out not being something we'd want. Knowing we were crunched for time, I was feeling discouraged & decided to get some ice-cream, just another block up(because eating your feelings is always a good idea) haha!

Anywho :) ...As I sat there, having my caramel sundae, I talked to God. Asking His favor in finding the car we were meant to have...

I started for home, and as I passed the next dealership, A white Explorer caught my eye & I decided to stop on a whim & take a look at it. Andy & I had discussed mileage, price & a few other details that were important to us & the Explorer had almost double the miles what we had talked about...

Just as I turned to go back to our van, a young man came up behind me & asked what it was that I was looking for...

I told him we were looking for a 7 passenger vehicle, with 50,000 or less mileage & gave him the budget price we came up with. 

The young man looked at me a little surprised at the exact specifications & said, he had a Honda Pilot in the garage, getting detailed & it would be ready to sell by the following day & it was almost identical to the ones we thought we couldn't afford & exactly within all our specifications. The young man said he would notify us as soon as it was ready & we could be the 1st ones to test drive it.

 The following day, we got the call, but couldn't get in to drive it. We were asked if we wanted to put down a deposit to hold it till we could test drive it. We declined, believing that if it was meant to be, it would still be there... & it was :) We drove it the next day & both Andy & I loved it.

We went inside & crunched some numbers. We had both decided, that if the payments came to more than our budgeted amount, we would simply walk away & trust that God had something better for us.

The numbers came back, & the payment was 150.00 MORE than what we could do per month, so we apologized for wasting their time & planned to leave. 

The young lady, working with us at that point, asked us what we were looking to pay monthly, she took the numbers to her manager & they crunched some numbers, & came in 4.00 better than our budgeted amount... & the rest is history. 

I'm still in awe, how Abba Father orchestrated it all, & not only provided, but showed favor & allowed us the opportunity to purchase a car we loved & thought would never fall within our budget.

Happy Love Day

 This Valentines didn't exactly go as planned, but it will likely be one that we don't forget :)

Husband texts me at about 4:30, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, BABY...Boss wants to finish a job, it will be at least 7:00 before I get home...

That was about the same time that I had put my mini, heart shaped meatloaves into the oven, along with the cheesy potatoes...

I gave the kiddos a snack & turned the oven to a lower temp, hoping the children could hold out till daddy got home...

About 6:00, dinner was ready & there was no more waiting for the children. They were HUNGRY!

I flipped the mini meatloaves out of their silicone heart molds, to find they looked nothing like hearts & more like turds.(tasty turds non the less)...

I had wrapped up a chocolate for each of the children & placed them on their plates... When River opened his, he said,"Mama, its too cute to eat!" ...It was gone within the next half hour :)

Just as we were finishing up, husband walks through the door with an arm full of wildflowers & chocolates...

I warmed up his dinner & then it was time for him to open his gift from me :)

The complete series of  The 3 Stooges.

I'm pretty sure I nailed it...

Lesson learned...tradition will change a little, starting next year.

Mama is going to enjoy the day as well & take-out will be ordered. No more heart shaped  turd loaves, or heart shaped anything-except maybe cookies!

River

This boy never ceases to make me smile with his words.

Since I'm awful at keeping baby books, I put to words here, all that I want to remember...

Tonight, as I filled little medicine cups with herbal drops & water, & mixed tiny spoonfuls of raspberry jelly, with their powdered prebiotics... then on to rub 4 little feet with Unkers, before slipping socks onto them, River looks up at me & says," Thank you for taking care of me, Mama.(heart melted)

Once they were tucked, all snug in their beds, I went downstairs to finish polishing my nails for church tomorrow. Only a few seconds later, I hear little feet, running down the stairs again & River calling out for one more hug. I say, "I can't baby, my nails are all wet." To which he replied, "But I can!" & came in for a squeeze...

A few minutes later, as daddy tucks him in for the 3rd time, I hear them talking & River says,"We need to go to sleep right away! So we can watch the football players, play bowling tomorrow!"

Daddy replied with a smile in his voice, "No, they will be playing football in the Super-Bowl game"

As little one INSISTS, that NO! they will be bowling! I know it!...

He fills my days with laughter, & brings joy to my heart.

He is my 4th born, the one who is so much like myself that I sometimes cringe. 

The one who will be spitting mad one second & loving on someone the next. Hes mischievous, & a big tease, but full of so much love.

I love you a million red M & M's! <3