tablets and frustration and recipes, oh my!

Hi friends! I know, it's been forever since I have posted here. The truth is......perhaps you should sit down.....1.I was given a tablet, and as much as I absolutely love it for checking on people all day and for use in homeschooling, I can't do blog posts on it....yet. (still figuring it out). 2. We purchased, in my dear hubby's words, a crappy house, and it has needed a LOT  of TLC. I painted the entire interior of the house by myself. I cleaned by myself. I worked on flower beds and yard by myself. In other words.... so exhaustingly busy. ( I actually just invented a word!) Add to that, said dear hubby changed jobs, became a first lieutenant chaplain in the Texas Army National guard, and came home one day with a completely new diet! May I just take a moment to breathe? I'm getting tired all over again just writing this stuff. Oh, and let's not forget that we went to Bolivia the last week in January! That was glorious, but sent my poor body for a loop afterward.

I am loving my new (crappy) house and my girls are happy, too. You see, we had been crammed into a 2 bedroom townhouse with no yard for 3 years. It was a good place and served its purpose in our lives, but it was time to stretch a bit. We now have 3 bedrooms and more space. My 2 youngest girls still share a room, but I have it divided with one of those magnificent Expedit shelves from Ikea. So, they think they have their own rooms, and we have peace among the Mohicans. I have torn apart the kitchen and put it back the way I like it. It's very French country......by necessity. The cabinet doors were all formica on particle board. They were all swollen with grease, and moisture, and I don't want to know what else, so I removed them and painted the cabinets. I hung curtains in front of the lower cabinets, so that I am at least allowed a little bit of disorganization! Those who have seen the pictures know that I picked a dark yellow for most of my house. It is a happy color, but also it reminds me of Bolivia. That makes me even happier to be reminded of our other home.

On to the diet. We've recently done a lot of study (mostly hubby) on the ketogenic diet. Basically it is high fat/no carb. Ah, although we already had a really healthy diet, we still ate a lot of carbs. I had no idea how many until we cut them out. I've planned so many meals saying, "Oh we could have some rice, no that's carbs. Or we could have some potatoes, no that's carbs...." And on and on I go until I find an acceptable substitute for carbs. Oh my goodness, this has been so tough! Can I say, though, for the first time since having 3 babies I am losing weight. Yay! (Of course it could be from working myself to the bone on this house..) heehee. So anyway, my creative juices have kicked in and I am working on recipes for our new diet that will agree with the taste buds and also be healthy. Can I tell you I am missing chocolate cake for some odd reason? Ok, enter my new Nutella cookie dough cheesecake! Cheesecake is an excellent recipe for no carb and no sugar eaters! With this recipe you also get my low carb sugar free cookie recipe, too. A twofer!

Cookies!
1 stick of butter softened (it really is good for you folks)
1-1 1/4 cups xylitol or stevia (they are even better with a drop of molasses or something dark and sticky)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix those together until nice and smooth
1 cup almond meal
1 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix again and add some chocolate chips that you like. If you are just making cookies, drop by teaspoon on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350*
If you are making the cheesecake, you need to add some Nutella (or a low sugar/no sugar kind) to the cookie dough batter and set some aside.
Cheesecake!
Crust
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup xylitol
1/2 stick of butter melted
Mix that together and press into your cheesecake pan
Filling
3 packages of cream cheese softened
3 eggs
1 cup stevia (I use the Stevia in the Raw kind that is cup for cup the same as sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
Mix together until smooth and pour over crust. Put little drops of cookie dough on top and smoosh them into the cheesecake batter. Bake at 325* for 50 minutes. Since it's a cheesecake, it has to jiggle on top when you check it. Bon Apetite!

writer's block gone

Hey friends! I hope everyone is looking forward to a wonderful holiday week! I know I am! Calories? What are those??? I have no idea!! heehee! I can say that for one day, right? Today my daughter says to me, "Mom, you always make way too much food on Thanksgiving." You bet your booties, I do!! That, my dear, is the idea! I must confess that my kids abhor dressing (stuffing), but I make it anyway because I love it. I'm not sure what else I'm going to make this year. I suppose I should decide soon. ha. Anyway, I wish you all a wonderful holiday and many happy triptofan induced dreams! Yay!

My cutie girlies get ready for a fall festival

For those who regularly read my blog (I'm assuming anybody reads it!), you know I've written and posted 2 novels here. BOOK 3 IS NOW GOING AGAIN! I had an acute case of writer's block in the penning (or typing) of my 3rd sequel. However, today during my Sunday nap I was struck with inspiration. I could not jump out of bed and unload my ideas immediately, since my hubby was studying for his certified fraud examiner's exam. (doesn't that sound so fun? yawning here). So, this evening I finally sat down and my inspiration made it to my fingers! This does not mean that book 3 will be published tomorrow! No way!! But I give you the hope that it will be on the horizon soon. I will need to send the rough draft to my professional editor ( my lovely mother), along with a lot of proof reading for myself. (Oh my goodness that line makes no sense!!! and that sort of thing). If you haven't read my novels, you can catch up by clicking on the links on the right. Any publishers out there....hey I'd love to hear from you!

Blessings to all and happy holidays! Be thankful!

Creative expression

Well, I'm back with another crazy project! I have some funky material I wanted to use, but wasn't sure what to make! Ever been there? So I decided to make a purse organizer (after being embarrassed about carrying certain things in plain view in my homemade purse). I came up with the pattern in my head and then set about sewing it together. Midway through I had to think about how I encourage my daughters when they are doing difficult projects. 1. Persevere, it will be worth it. 2. If it makes you soooooo angry, leave it and cool off for a while. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE BINDING! It's bugger stuff made to un-nerve the best of seamstresses. I had already committed to doing the seams on the outside, and thus, committed to binding. Lord , help me! It's done and quite useful, but no claims are made in the professional department!

I did experiment with using craft foam in the center pocket for reinforcement. I like! You can sew through the foam and still keep the shape.

So I want to know what you tell your kids when a projects brings them to frustration and tears. Comments please!

More projects

Hey! It seems as though the fall is an extremely busy time for us. Even though we homeschool, our schedule is packed. There is a lot going on at our church in October. We have a pumpkin patch, the profits of which go to pay for a Fall Harvest Festival. Each year they give away free food and have free games and activities with the goal of reaching some of the near 5,000 visitors with the Gospel. It's pretty awesome. They have a puppet show which runs several times during the day and my oldest is a puppeteer this year. She practices at home every day and then at church once a week. Big deal for her! She says, "It's a lot of work, but so much fun!" Anyway, included in my exercise regimen for the month is pumpkin tossing and carrying!

We are still pushing toward our goal to raise 5,000 dollars for a planning/goundwork trip to Bolivia in November. Click on the link if you wish to help!
http://www.adventive.ca/

On to my project last week. My oldest loves fabric with froggies! So, when I found a small remnant at the store, I had to get it. The trick was to make a shirt with this tiny piece of fabric. It turned out a little short, even with the lace on the bottom, but she just layers it with other shirts and it's adorable. 


Next project was a lady bug princess costume; which I will have to post pictures of another day. Said lady bug princess got her costume dirty upon it's first fitting. 

Today I shall bake a huge pumpkin for my freezer. Never done it? It's easy and great to have in the freezer for every "oh, I need some pumpkin to make that" emergency. Joking, of course. I don't think average people have pumpkin emergencies, however, I've been seeing lots of recipes for homemade pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cupcakes, breads, whoopie pies, and much more on Pinterest.com. So, I will tell you how I do it. Cut the top off around the stem and scoop out all the guts. (I know, I had to go there). Cut the pumpkin in wedges. I usually make sure that my wedges are no wider than 5" in the middle. Place the wedges skin side down on a cookie sheet and bake the whole thing at 350* for about an hour. You will know when it gets that dark orange color and is nice and soft. Scoop the soft meat out of the skin right into your baggies. I put 2 or 3 cups of mush in each bag so that I'll have the right amount for my recipes.
Well, that's all for today! Hope you have a blessed week!

trend on a budget

I don't know about you, but I get really excited when fashion trends for girls actually look GIRLIE! I'm trying to raise my girls to be feminine and lovely, but the whole of the fashion world out there is making that really difficult! There is such a push to make little girls look like big girls and to make big girls look like women! That just makes me growl! I do not want my girls to walk around in potato sacks, but at the same hour I cannot in good conscience let them dress like the stars of popular child and tween shows.

Anyway, I am so excited that these are "in" this year! Bloomer shorts (I've seen them with ties on the legs, mostly).

That brings me to issue number 2! Budget!!!! We can't afford to go out and buy sweet, feminine, yet stylish clothing for our girls from the department store. So, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. My oldest is growing like a weed and it is impossible to find modest shorts for an 11 year old without breaking the bank! Unless, you sew like I do.

I had been given some chambray fabric, which is perfect for this style. Have I mentioned I love free fabric???? That is the best way to keep sewing! Let your friends know that you'll take any unwanted fabric off of their hands! (Unless you live in a certain area of Missouri where I have lots of friends....They all sew!! No extra fabric there.) So, I had free fabric, great! Then I always get my patterns from JoAnn's when they are 99 cents. NEVER, EVER, AT ANY OTHER TIME DO I PURCHASE PATTERNS. You may as well be buying store bought clothes once you pay full price for a pattern and fabric! Pardon the rant, I will continue now. I had already used this pattern before, so I consider it already paid for. Which equals====free pattern. Good tally so far, free and free! I refuse to figure out how much a quarter of a spool of thread costs. If you are that analytical, you can figure it out.

So I started with a plain, elastic waist shorts pattern. I would tell you I followed directions, but I never do, so I won't. You may follow the directions! I left the bottom 3 inches of the sides open so I could add the ties. Then I gathered the bottoms, centered the ties with the inseam, and sewed them on. I top stitched the whole thing, hoping it would look a little more pro. heehee.

the gorgeous model with her new shorts

So, I think they turned out really cute! More importantly, she thinks they are awesome!
Victory for Mom!!!! And they were basically free. The only problem is that the other two are begging for me to make them a pair!
se la vie.
Check out our mission blog!
http://sotxandeanboendeavors.wordpress.com/

Busy much?

pink kitchen made from recycled tea boxes and foam

Hey! Hope everyone had a fantastic summer and that the "beginning of school rush" has begun  to abate. We finally started school this week and it went well. I had a moment of panic when I was trying to keep up with letter writing for 4th grade, compound sentences for 6th grade, and alphabetizing names for 1st grade all at the same time. I eventually realized that it went well and I don't think I had any new gray hairs at the end of the day.
 We continue to make Barbie crafts, which I consider to be art, science, and a lot of other technical educational terms. heehee. We have had to re-organize the area where the dolls are kept several times to accommodate the constant remodeling.I must admit to throwing some things away when the girls aren't looking! I get overwhelmed! I have to say, this has been a wonderful summer that I hope my girlies remember always. I've made an effort to play with them and be involved in what interests them. We are so much closer and it has been a great conversation starter!
Here is our September newsletter for those who read my blog about direction.

Hi Friends!

Many of you already may have heard, we are launching a new outreach, South Texas Andean/Bolivian Endeavors. (That’s a mouthful, I know!) Throughout several months of groaning and praying over our enormous desire to return to the mission field, we learned of and joined a mission organization called Adventive Cross Cultural Initiatives (ACCI). Through them we will begin leading short term mission-trips to Bolivia. Even though we wish we could move onto the Bolivian foreign mission-field tomorrow, that is not what God has planned for us at present.

What does this mean?

We are in the process of raising support for our first trip, hopefully this winter. This will be a survey trip where we will reconnect with our former mission colleagues and fellow laborers in Christ. We plan to travel to the various places where we formerly lived to organize optimum ministry contacts for our future teams. Our first trip will be about surveying these places and making arrangements for future mission-trip teams.

How can you be involved?

We need you to help us get to Bolivia for this first survey trip! Please consider one of the following options:

Onetime gifts of $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 or more to reach our survey trip financial goal of $4,500.

See donation info below.

Where can you get more info?

http://www.facebook.com/SouthTexasAndeanBolivianEndeavors this is our Facebook page.

http://sotxandeanboendeavors.wordpress.com is our blog.

To make tax-deductible gifts, go to: http://www.adventive.ca/ This is the website for the mission that oversees us. There is a link for donation on the left side of the page. Click “Donate now (US)” and then find us in the drop down box labeled “choose a fund” under: “South America – Short-term Outreaches (Tom and Ann Withers)”.

If you wish to donate by mail: Send your check made out to ACCI to 141 East Main St, Rock Hill, SC, 29730. Stick a post it note to the check stating that it is for: S AmericaST (TWithers)

Thanks in advance for letting God use you to further His kingdom!

In Him, Ann Withers

Mountains and valleys

Hey cyberspace, how are ya? Life has been busy! The first week of July we went to the Davis Mountains here in Texas and went camping. It was gorgeous and cool, but rained everyday. I thought our little tent would float away down a mountain run-off. We had to rig a tarp and some trash bags on the roof to keep us and our things from getting wet inside. My youngest was terrified of the lightning and thunder booming through the mountains.The other two were trying to count to figure out how far away they were. We hiked a 5,000 ft mountain together. It was tough, but we sure enjoyed the time together.

Honestly, our lives have been like that grueling 3.5 mile trek. We have felt lately that our direction will soon change, once again. We have been through being missionaries, students, workers, and now it is time to change. For years it has felt as though we left our hearts in Bolivia. We left there in the midst of political unrest in 2005, and although I was very ready to leave at that moment, I wish we had stayed. God knows best, though, and has brought us through an unbelievable "hike" since then. Hubby has 2 master's degrees that we hope will give us an opening for our place in promoting His kingdom. Anyway, we are hoping to be launched again. We cannot presume it will be very soon, but we pray for our Father to make a way where there isn't one.
So, here I sit. I'm sending my yearnings out into internet land. Have you ever really fit in a place , but you didn't realize it until after you were gone? Feeling here, but not really. Restless, but still content. Ok, that's enough. Thanks for reading!