Hidden Treasures

There's an auction going on that you do not want to miss! Hidden Treasures is a blog that is fundraising for the children who are being rescued from the same orphanage that Katie lived in. The little ones are all so malnourished and desperate but each one has a family raising funds as fast as possible to come and get them.

The current auction will benefit lovely little Lina. She is five years old and only 11 pounds. She will thrive at home with her loving parents and siblings! Have you peeked at sweet little Katie today? There's pictures there that you will LOVE!

Look through the items and bid on your treasure. If you have an item to donate or would like to offer a gift certificate or other item, e- mail hiddentreasuresauction@gmail.com and let them know. I love this idea! Everyone can do something to help this precious little child!

The Passed Over Babes

My friend Julia has blogged touchingly once again about darling little children who need a home. The Passed Over Ones...the ones who are STILL longing for a family, yet are languishing at an orphanage or even in a mental institution instead.

Yegor

Paul

Robyn

Arina

These who aren't as little, aren't as happy in their picture, aren't as lovely, according to the world's standards. The ones who have been on Reece's Rainbow for years. Years. Think about that. Think about them being passed over time and time again as others are chosen. Oh, how He loves them!

Julia and her friend Debby have put together a giveaway to benefit these children. Go over to her blog to see all of them....Donate just $5 to two children to enter. You can make a difference this "Cyber Monday". Rather than buying a passing fancy, make a difference for eternity!

The First One!

After it hung on precariously throughout our Thanksgiving vacation, an hour and a half after getting home, Troubles lost his very first tooth! What an excited six year old we have tonight! More pictures of vacation coming tomorrow...stay tuned.

The Best and the Worst: Thanksgiving Edition

I'm joining with Renee at The Baker's Dozen with a Best and Worst.

The Best News of the week? Katie is home and doing well.

The Worst? There are so many others waiting. Pray, browse their stories on Reece's Rainbow and advocate for someone!

The Best Thing about driving two cars to Grandpa and Grandma's house? All my Littles slept much of the way and I got to listen to my audiobook.

The Worst? Not getting to sit next to my husband as he drove.

The Best Thing about eating gluten-free for Thanksgiving? No sugar coma or bloating after feasting.

The Worst? Not having stuffing. We visit with family and I couldn't make and bring too much. I will make this stuffing recipe for a side dish at home soon.

The Best Part of the beginning of the Christmas shopping season? We are already finished shopping! No Black Friday fighting for us.

The Worst? Waiting until Christmas morning to see the children's faces when they see their gifts.

Tears of Joy!

Giving thanks this day for MIRACLES!

Lasagna Casserole

Excuse the messy stove....we cook here! These are the Lasagna Casseroles that I made for dinner tonight. The 9x13's are made with regular pasta and the pie pan is made with spaghetti squash. This recipe was approved by the Crew and added to The List. Even Poppa enjoyed the bite he took! It's very flavorful and much quicker to make than traditional lasagna.

Lasagna Casserole

• 1 lb ground beef, uncooked1 lb Italian sausage, hot or mild
• 1/4 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (16 ounce) packages pasta shells, cooked
• 6 cups mozzarella cheese
  
  • 24 ounces cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • 2 quarts spaghetti sauce
    Cook beef and sausage with onion, salt and half of the pepper. Add spaghetti sauce.In bowl, combine 3 cups mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, beaten eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley, remaining pepper and cooked pasta. Divide pasta mixture into two greased 9x13's, top with meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot.

Baking Day

The Littles and I made Cranberry Bread! We read Cranberry Thanksgiving and we wanted to try Grandmother's secret bread recipe. There was measuring of flour and baking powder....

and zesting of the orange. Cutting in of butter....

and more. Later, after finishing the loaf, there was the washing of dishes....

Finally, after a long bake, there was delicious bread to eat!

We also made a dozen gluten free cupcakes so that Momma could enjoy some seasonal goodness, too. What great Lambies I have! I am so blessed to be able to spend each day with them.

Michael Pollan's 7 Food Rules

Photo from Paleo Food List.

How better to Love the Crew than to feed them well? I try to cook with these rules in mind. If you'd like to eat better than the SAD diet, you can pop over to my recipe blog for ideas, research the low-carb, slow carb, gluten-free, primal and paleo ways of eating, begin to serve two veggie sides with dinner rather than starches and visit your local farmer's market often!

Michael Pollan's 7 Food Rules

1.Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.

2.Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

3. Stay out of the middle of the supermarket; shop on the perimeter of the store.

4. Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot.

5. It is not just what you eat but how you eat. Always leave the table a little hungry.

6. Enjoy meals with the people you love.

7. Don't buy food where you buy your gasoline or in the car.

Ransomed!

Katie is out of the orphanage! Please join me is praising the Lord for Katie's release. Let's pray, also, for her health as they make their way halfway across the world. Pray for Katie to not be anxious, frightened or stressed; for her to tolerate her feedings well; for grace for her parents. Pray for wisdom for the doctors as she is admitted to the Children's Hospital when they arrive home. Remember, Katie is nine and a half years old. She is obviously very medically fragile. Let's flood the throne of the Lord with sweet prayers!

Fall Decorating

Fall decorating is really not my thing...but these lovelies were going to the trash if they were not taken after our homeschool Thanksgiving party today. I brought some home and set up a little 'Harvest Corner'. The kids think it's beautiful! Maybe I should do this more often.

Our Most Recent Project

What's been keeping us busy lately?

My Honey has been busy updating our computer lab. The Lambies have had one computer to share for schoolwork and fun. However, Dad and Mom just got new computers, so they got the 'hand-me-downs". Three computers would not fit on the desk, though, so Poppa went to work.

He wasn't working all alone, though. He got all the help he wanted (and maybe more at times).

Now there are three computers for them to work and play on! See the laptop hiding on the far side of the shelf? It lives on the pull-out keyboard shelf.

I love that My Honey can just build whatever we need when we need it. He is SO talented! Thank you, Lord, for giving him to me!

The Crew's Meals

I don't usually post these, but thought I might for a change. Do you appreciate others' meal plans or prefer to plan your own? This is from last week. I make a general plan for the week's meals, but leave it flexible as to which meal to serve which day, depending on how the days go. I also allow for changes based on clearance meats I might find throughout the week.

Sunday:

granola bars and smoothie
BBQ'd hamburgers and hotdogs
leftovers/fruit/veggies

Monday:

cereal or eggs
sandwiches
Mexican (my husband and I eat taco salad, kids usually have burritos)

Tuesday:

eggs, any style
soup
Crockpot Pork Loin Roast, home canned green beans, salad

Wednesday:

Smoothie and oatmeal
leftover or sandwiches
Baked Chicken Thighs, sage rice, green salad and hard boiled eggs

Thursday:

sausage and eggs
leftover or sandwiches
Mexican (yeah, we do it often; it's super fast and easy!)

Friday:

Hot Cereal
quesadillas
Bacon Chickpea Potpie (not a family favorite; we won't have this again)

Saturday:

cereal and/or eggs
chips and salsa
leftover Bacon Chickpea Potpie

Moosey's Birthday

Today Troubles declared that it was Moosey's birthday. Moosey is now six years old and it's high time for him to have a birthday party! Troubles made invitations with GirlofGod and invited all of his brothers and sisters, along with their favorite stuffed friends. They all brought gifts for Moosey. They sang "Happy Birthday" and cheered for him. Fun was had by all, as Troubles' imagination was fed by loving siblings.