betty homemaker

taco night

2008-09-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

My friends have "taco night" once a week. Every Wednesday they invite the entire YWAM Denver staff over to their house to eat tacos and hang out. They provide the food, we come and enjoy and socialize together. Of course, not everyone comes, nor are we all expected to come. Nevertheless, we are invited and there are always a good number of people there. Although we all do eat at the base regularly and do enjoy fellowship there, it is nice to be able to gather in a home and fellowship in a living room. It makes me happy. And I think other communities, churches, families, etc would also be happy if they were to try this. Tonight I went to taco night. Tomorrow it's sushi night at my house (though I'm not quite so brave as to invite the entire base on a weekly basis).

essential oils

2008-05-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of essential oils? They are amazing! Not only can they been mood enhancers and stress relievers, they can also be used medicinally. Many oils kill bacteria and can purify the air (as well as surfaces). I put lemon oil in my water, peppermint on my kids feet when they are stuffy, and tea tree and lavender on cuts.

Gingerbread

2008-01-03T09:13:00.000-08:00

I made a gingerbread house with my family in Texas this past Christmas. It was really fun. My youngest sister and her friend did the decorating. I tried to make a chimney, but it made the roof start to collapse. So, I took it off and made it into an outhouse.

t-shirts

2007-07-24T03:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not big into T-shirts myslef. At least not your traditional, run of the mill, billboard kind. However, this week for a project with some of our students, we decorated colored T's with words...words that God calls us. It was a really neat thing to see the girls' shirts with words like "worthy" and "pure" spelled out in felt letters. We cut the necks out and all wore our shirts "dancer style" the next day. Cheesy, perhaps, but fun. I'd recommend this little project to any small group as it is a fun way to bring the truth of what God says about us "home."

elimination communication

2007-06-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

My latest and greatest homemaking experience ever! Well...at least, I hope it will be. Probaby most of you reading this do not even know what I'm talking about. I admit, it is not exactly a well known or well practiced art in these United States. So, what amm I on about? Potty training infants. I know what you're thinking..."you'v'e got to be kidding!" Actually, I am not. It is possible ...well, sort of. I guess it's more like knowing your baby and helping him "eliminate" at the right time. Perfection of this art eventually has the baby reaching for the potty when he needs it and going "on command."

So, we're trying it. It's been one week into this process and things are going pretty well, I think. I can catch his poops and he's getting used to the sound "ssss" I make when he pees. I'm excited to see how this all pans out. I'll admit, it's hard work and can be time consuming. But, I' holding out hope that it will be worth it in a few weeks when we go to India and I don't have to rely on diapers they don't have. However, I am certainly no expert! I can only hope there is not some major aspect of this training I am missing. I really would like to see this work.

Craigslist

2007-05-23T15:42:00.001-07:00

Craigslist. Whoever thought up this online garage sale is a genious! Such good finds...so much easier to sell stuff than putting out on your front lawn for hours on end waiting for someone to buy it before you melt in the hot sun! Can I just say, I'm a big fan! In one fell swoop (well, a period of 2 weeks) we got bunkbeds for our boys, sold our living room furniature as well as our dresser and night stand, and bought new couches. Amazing! A whole new look- and we pretty nearly broke even with the money.

The "free" section is even more fun. Oh the things you can find! Now, mind you, most of it is free for a reason. But, it is fun just to look and see what people post. Free concrete, dirt, couches, refrigerators...who knew! One could waste lots of time exporing in this mannor as well, I admit; and if you're looking for quality, this is not so much the way to go. Nevertheless, if you're really stretched for finances, you could probably pretty nearly furnish your home for free (though I think I might be a bit leary of the appliances)!

ice cream

2007-05-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

yummy! one of the best desserts ever created! for my birthday this year (which is not until August) my mom sent me an ice cream maker. i've already used it quite a bit! frozen coffee drinks, frozen yogurt, ice cream, frozen custard...you name it, i'll try it!

but, i have to say my favorite so far (because of ease as well as taste) is ice cream made with milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla pudding mix. who would have thought? but, it is yummy! if anyone else out there still makes homeade ice cream, you gotta try this recipe! creamy without too much fat or sugar- especially if you get sugar free pudding mix.

Train Party

2007-05-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

It was Zion's second birthday this past weekend. I can't believe he's two! How time flies...and how big he's getting. So, although he's still too young to remember it in the future, we decided to have a little party for him. We invited his friends (and ours), blew up balloons, and made cake. As those of you who know me can imagine, decorating the cake was my favorite part. It was a train cake. My mom got me this cute pan I just had to try out from Williams Sonoma..."railway cake pan." The cars slid out amazingly well and I was left with a nine car train to decorate.

I got some "disposable" plastic cake decorating tips from the grocery store, made icing, cut a hole in a plastic baggie (had to reinforce it with duct tape so it would not rip) and went to town. I also got m & m's, mini chocolate covered candies, and gum drops to help me along. Took a while, but it was worth it! So cute! I also made a cardboard box train for the kids to play in while they were at the party, but that was much easier and took much less time.

Anyway, everyone had a great time and the cake (as well as the hot dogs, cardboard train, and Zion's new toys) was a hit!

Yogurt 2

2007-05-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

So, I made my yogurt- two batches as a matter of fact. One batch of whole milk yogurt for Zion and another batch of 1% for me. It worked! Both turned out really yummy - though the whole milk was thicker and more of and the consistancy of what one would get from the store. It has a great flavor and I'm already making more!

recipe:
4 cups milk
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/4 c nonfat powdered milk

heat milk until 180 degrees. Stir and let it heat slowly so it does not burn. Cool to 130 degrees, add powdered milk, add some warm milk to the yogurt, then add the yogurt and milk mixture to the milk. Cover and place in ice chest surrounded by blankets for about 5 hours.

Yogurt

2007-04-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ever made homeade yogurt? It's my project for today. I've tried once before, but I had it in a warm oven that got pre-heated to 350 by my housemate. Obviously, it didn't work out. This time I've put it in a warm ice chest wrapped in a blanket. So far, so good.

But, I'm wondering how long I should keep it in there? Recipes vary from 3 hours to "overnight." Any insight?

mother of two

2007-03-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

Being mommy to two little ones is such an amazing blessing, but a challenge as well. Balancing my time is probably the greatest challenge as both boys as well as my husband require individual quality time from me. But, despite that...as well as the lack of sleep, it's fun. I love watching Zion try to take care of the baby and it's so amazing to have a newborn again. Taking photos (like the one above) is so much fun as well!

pregnancy

2007-02-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is...really, I don't. But, I realized I really hate pregnancy. Don't get me wrong...I love the result of pregnancy! I love being a mom! But, the nine months. I really think the whole nine months (not just labor and delivery) were put under the curse in the garden of Eden. (I'm just making a point. I'm not trying to open up a debate about the theology of it all)

Anyway, when I'm pregnant, I feel stressed out ALL the time! No matter what, no matter how I try to relax; I feel stressed. As soon as the baby is out, I'm good to go! No more stress. Life is good. I can cope. Why is this, I wonder. One thing I do know, I will prepare myself for this fact before the next time I get pregnant. Maybe (just maybe) it will help me get through it with more grace next time.

embarassing moment

2007-01-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

I know there have got to be millions of women all over the world who have gone to the hospital "in labor" only to be sent home not in labor at all. However, I never expected or hoped to be one of those. Well, now I am. For those of you in your "childbearing years," let me just exhort you. It really does work...trying to induce labor at home. At least, producing consistant and strong contractions. Bummer to find out though, after almost seven hours later, that my contractions were doing nothing to get the baby out and only causing myself unnecessary pain. SUCK! (if I may say so) After going in to the hospital at 11:30pm and getting back home a quarter to 2am...really not an experience I plan to repeat. In fact, the contractions didn't stop until after 12 hours of false "labor;" and now that I remember the pain of labor, I'm really not excited about going into real labor. But, what can you do...the baby has got to come out...

...I'm an idiot.

Snap, Crackle, and Pop

2007-01-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

Is there anything better than rice krispy treats? Yes, I'm sure there is. But, I do have to wonder...is there anyone out there who does not appreciate a good old fashioned krispy square?

It's not a dessert I think of often. In fact, I hardly do make them. But, I remembered about them and decided to make a batch today. Simple. Easy. Delicious. Addicting! I find I have to leave the room to keep myself from consuming pounds of sugar at a time!

Anyway, congratulations to the inventor of the chewy treats and cheers to those who enjoy eating them as well.

breakfast for dinner

2006-11-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

Breakfast for dinner...what a brilliant idea! I mean, breakfast has got to be the absolute most fabulous meal of the day! But, who can really enjoy it properly after just waking up and feeling famished in the morning? Pancakes...french toast...omlet...biscuits...are you feeling me yet?

Try it...at least once a year!

Let it snow, let it snow!

2006-10-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have snow here in sunny colorful Colorado! It's coming down blizzard style! Last night when we went to bed, it was clear and 52F. This morning it's 32F and white outside.

So far, having only come accross the street from my house to the YWAM base, I really can't complain, but apparently many major roads are having major troubles. I think we can forget going too far today. I just hope our returning outreach teams are able to safely land in Denver and get picked up in a reasonable time frame. They've been traveling for quite a while already. I'd hate to see them stuck at some random airport- or stuck in our own airport only half an hour away!

So, maybe I shouldn't say "let it snow"...though that is certainly what is happening outside right now. White and Christmasy. Makes me want to stay in, bake cookies, drink coffee, and watch a movie. Any takers?

cabbage

2006-10-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

Cabbage...ever considered all you can do with a cabbage? I have! For the past five weeks, at least, we have gotten cabbage from the food bank. I've made Irish cabbage soup, we've had sautee'd cabbage, we've had steamed cabbage...I've even tried my hand at making Russian borsht (turned out pretty well, I might add). But, I'm about tired of cabbage now...and we've still got a good 4 gallon bags full of it in our freezer! What is a person to do with so much cabbage?!

Random thoughts

2006-05-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

Found this amazing carpet cleaner! My white carpet (who puts in white carpet?) was getting sadly stained and I thought it was a lost cause. But, at Wal-Mart (who would have thought) I found a white spray bottle that claimed to take out "old stains." So, I said to myself, "what do I have to lose?" and bought it. True to it's advertisement (I am happy to report) it did a great job of cleaning my floor and I would recommend it to anyone...if only I could remember the name of it...

Also at Wal-Mart (thought I generally do not care for the store, honestly), I found some fabric that matched some khaki cords I wanted to make into a skirt. For $1 I was able to buy 1/2 yard and now I have a great casual skirt!

Ever made pavlova? Have I ever written about this before? It's one of the best dessets IN THE WORLD (can be low fat, as well)! Very sweet, though. I like to drink coffee to balance the sweetness. Coffee!!!

Speaking of coffee, I never really did kick the habit. As a matter of fact, I could use a cup right now. But, if you enjoy strong stuff (the kind that will make a spoon stand up) like I do, try CDM (Cafe du Monde) brand! Amazing!

Speaking of amazing, there is a wonderful Asian market downtown Denver. I'm sorry to those of you from other states and cities. Maybe you have an Asian market as well. If you do, it's well worth a visit!

Speaking of visiting...just kidding! I think I'll let you go now!

My favorite times...

2006-04-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

Although I moan and groan each time I hear my little Zion cry in the middle of the night, being up with him in the wee hours are sometimes some of the sweetest moments of my life. I go into his room, give him his milk bottle, and pick him up. He snuggles up against me and drinks like he's never eaten before in his life. Soon, his hunger begins to diminish, he drinks more slowly, and begins to fall asleep again. Shortly following, he drops his bottle, puts his little arms around me, and falls asleep in my arms.

By this time, I am well awake. I snuggle him close and watch him sleep for a few minutes before I put him back into his crib and crawl back into my own bed. Holding him close as he sleeps, he is calm, peaceful, and trusting. Him resting in my arms is the picture of what I imagine God means when he says, "rest in Me." I stroke his head, I feel his soft cheeks. He has no idea how much pleasure I get simply by being with him. How often I forget God must feel the same way about us! Hummm... Lord, help me to simply rest in you. Let me be one of Your favorite times!

Parnsips

2006-03-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

Parsnips...the name makes me smile. I also really like the vegetable...or root...or whatever the technical genere is. Ever had them? If you've ever spent any time in England, you probably have. If not, perhaps you've never ventured out to try these white carrots. Well, if you like trying new things, I would recommend you give parsnips a go. Sweet and somewhat chewy, my favorite means of preparation is to cut them up into strips and roast them on a baking sheet. Put some seasoning salt on for extra flavor. If you find you don't like them, just invite me over...I'll polish them off for ya!

versitile sewing patterns

2006-02-24T19:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, don't tell McCalls I'm telling you this. But, you don't have to buy different patterns for everything you want to make. Now...little disclaimer here...you do have to have somewhat of a grasp on sewing in order to pull off what I'm about to reveal to you. Here goes...if you want to make a basic article of clothing (I'm not talking elaborate prom dress here)- say, a shirt. As long as you have a basic shirt pattern, you can make almost any variation using that pattern- varying shirt length, sleeve length and style, and even neck lines. Same with pants, dresses and skirts. You can also use the top part of spaghetti strap dress patterns to make cute sleeveless shirts.

How do I know? I've done it! I know it's shocking (kidding) that I would attempt such things. But, it's true. Mind you, some things have been more successful than others- and I've certainly improved over the years! So, I do admit, there is risk involved in this endeavor. However, if you have the patience and the skill, I highly recommend this fun creative way of sewing. Shoot!...if you're really good, you don't even need a pattern at all. (I'm not there yet)

personal training

2006-02-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, so Ben and I (along with about 40 other staff here at YWAM Denver) are getting personal fitness training by one of the staff here. (Just for the record, don't worry...I am not doing this to lose weight- just to get back into shape) It's great to have specific exercises as well as accountability on the matter. But, it's no walk in the park. Any of you who know me know I'm generally into nutrition and eating right. So, in theory, the nutriton part of this plan should be a no-brainer for me, right? Wrong! Lately, I've been bad about my eating habits and have really given up caring about nutrition altogether. Okay, that's an exaggeration. But, you get my point. Anyway, in this new plan, we are supposed to eat in proportion of 20% protein, 60% carbs, and 20% fat. I'm here to tell you, it's hard! But good. I'm really enjoying this plan so far and it's made me be more conscious about what I eat, how often I exercise, and how intensely I need to exercise to get results.

my sweet find

2006-01-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

I'm really not the type of person who cuts coupons, hunts for bargains, and spends endless hours in the clearance section of stores. (I firmly believe "bargains" cause many to spend money on useless things people will never use. Therefore, most of the time I talk myself out of buying even the "on sale" items.) Nevertheless, I will admit to being sucked in to the 90% off after Christmas sale at Target. Target is my favorite store, first of all. Secondly, 90% off is really amazing! So, I managed to stock up on wrapping paper, tissue paper, and boxes. Here's the great part! Most of the wrapping paper I bought is not overtly "Christmas." That way, I can use it all year long for birthdays, baby showers, and pretty much anything else I need wrapping paper for! Yeah baby!

shower curtain

2006-01-13T11:01:00.000-08:00

Did you know that making a shower curtain can be one of the easiest sewing projects ever?! Neither did I- until I was sick of our plain white plastic one, couldn’t spend the $15-30 for a nice one, and happened to have some nice fabric that matched the colors of our bathroom.
My shower, perhaps smaller than most, was 60” long as well as 60” high. Since my fabric was also 60” wide (as well as finished on the two ends), this was a perfect fit! All I had to do, was cut it to the right length, hem the bottom and top, make button holes for the rings, and hang it up in my shower in front of my plastic liner. Success!

For inexpensive fabric, check out Wal-Mart’s $3 and under section! For a contemporary variation, large beach towels can be used.

Chicken and Pie

2005-11-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

My grandmother taught me how to make pie crust and "chicken and dumplings" while I was in Texas a few weeks ago. Two staples in the homemaking world, as far as I am concerned. Ever since I've been craving chicken and dumplings...though have not had opportunity to make it. I have, however, had the opportunity to practice my pie crust. For our Thanksgiving feast up at Eagle Rock, everyone helped prepare in some way. I signed up to help one of the girls with her mom's "French Apple Pie" recipe...not knowing she had never actually made a pie before. Thankfully, detailed instructions on how to make pie crusts were fresh in my memory. The pies turned out great and we had fun making them! Thanks, Grandma...and thanks, God!

Remote

2005-10-30T17:41:00.000-08:00

"Arie, will you get me a remote with soft buttons," my brother Daniel inquired of me the other day. You are probably thinking as I did, "huh,?...did I understand that correctly." And the answer is, yes, you did. He did indeed ask for a remote with soft buttons. More specifically, he desired small television or VCR remote control he could "take the batteries out of and take to school" in his pocket. So, the question remains, "why?" Well, you see, he enjoys rubbing the "soft" rubber buttons. My life! Leave it to Daniel to think of the thing I would have never considered! (Though, after he showed me, I admit I do understand what he means) Apparently, during movies, he sits on the couch, floor, or wherever he happens to perch himself, and fingers the buttons on the remote. He tells me that sometimes he accidently pushes buttons and stops, rewinds, or fast-forwards the movie. "Then Josh has to take the remote away and fix it." Thus, he needs his own without batteries. Makes sense. Don't you agree? Well, I don't know if I will grant his wish or not. But, I had to chuckle and say, "Daniel, you've earned yourself a paragraph on my website!"

My, oh my!

2005-10-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

One never can tell what will happen with my family! (I'm in Texas with my siblings while my parents go to Australia) This morning, before getting on the plane, my mom watched my eighteen year old sister put a sharp five inch kitchen knife into her backpack. Needless to say, my mother quickly repremanded her and retrieved the knife. "But mom, I need a knife to cut my apple with...here...I'll take a smaller one," she replied, sorting through the knives. Don't get me wrong, she really was taking the knife for culinary purposes. However, ...to school?! After much talk about the potential of expulsion (should the knife be discovered), the small weapon was surrendered and a butter knife took it's place. This, and I was about to take over as head of household for two weeks!!!!

Cardmaking 101

2005-10-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Go to Wal-Mart. Pick up a packet of white card stock and a box of card sized envelopes.

Step 2: Go home. Contemplate your favorite warm beverage while you search the house for scisors, glue, pens, pencils, newspaper, fabric pieces, needle, colored thread, beads, string, ribbon, tissue paper, colored paper, a ruler, and anything else one could possibly put on a card.

Step 3: Make your beverage and sit down surrounded by your heap of supplies.

Step 4: Take a piece of cardstock and cut it in two. Fold each piece in half.

Step 5: Stare intimately at the blank card and consider a theme or a individual whom you want to bless.

Step 6: Cut a square piece of colored paper and glue it centered onto your card.

Step 7: Take the end of a pair of scisors or a pen and poke small holes along the bottom of the card. Run a ribbon or thread through the holes.

Step 8: Write (or print out and glue) a simple message inside the colored box (ex: Thanks!, Happy Birthday!, I Love You!, etc.)

Step 9: Pick up your other card, consider your supplies, and be creative!

Mother of Invention

2005-10-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

"Necessity is the mother of invention" could be the theme of my creativity. Put simply, I find I am quite good at creating "something out of nothing." Surround me with abundant resources and endless options, adn I will be useless- stuck in the dark world of decision making. However, give me a few seemingly meaningless items adn leave me alone for half an hour, adn I will present my inventive creation.

Honestly, I don't know many others who are wired this way. In some ways, my "make do" mentality perhaps limits me. However, I really believe this way of thinking somewhat defines my relaxed and generalizing personality. Strange as it may seem, this "talent" (if you will) is what keeps me inspired and motivated to invest in new creative outlets.

Inspired by this revelation and soon to follow:
Cardmaking 101
Simple meals on a tight budget
Beanies and scarves galore
Sewing basics
etc

baked apples

2005-09-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Nothing says "fall" quite like the sweet aroma of baked apples. Being up in the mountains with the cool, crisp air, I decided baked apples were just the thing for this evening (well, that and the fact that there are quite a few apples in the fridge on the verge of spoiling). First, I peeled and cut up three apples and put them in a pot on the stove to make some applesauce for Zion. Then, I took the peels and put those on a cookie sheet in the oven on low heat to dry.
Now, for the real treat. Next, I'm going to core whole apples, fill them with brown sugar and butter, and place them in the oven to bake. Yummy!

Yogurt

2005-09-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to make yogurt? I have...several times. The first time, it worked (amazingly enough). However, after that, things went down hill. My troubles?

First of all, I have come to the conclusion that yogurt cannot be made with highly processed (UHT) milk. (I tried this twice before giving up) Secondly, yogurt cannot be baked at a temperature of 350F. How do I know this? (Besides common sense) I experienced this first hand yesterday.

Having spent eight hours trying to maintain a perfect 110F, I failed to mention to my housemates that I had yogurt in the oven. One of our girls came home yesterday afternoon and promptly pre-heated the oven to 350F in preparation for a batch of brownies. All my efforts had been for naught! Of course, not wanting to lose my eight hours of work, I tried to rescue my creation. However, the rubber-like substance simply could not be salvaged. Ah...well...

Chai

2005-08-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Next to coffee, of course (though a very close second) Indian chai has become my favorite beverage. If you've never tried it, I must recommend you do. Starbucks is good, however, I prefer to make it myself. Having learned from someone who lives in India, I have no exact recipe. But here are the ingredients. Each batch turns out a little differently, which adds to the fun!

per serving...though you really can't make just one!
1 tea bag
1 cup 2% or whole milk
1 t (or so) brown sugar
fresh ginger
cinnamon
cardamom
black pepper- just a dash