tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34543555571163146542012-02-28T11:22:53.414-07:00Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.comBlogger7931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-20892975175560566392012-02-28T10:15:00.000-07:002012-02-28T10:15:45.359-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">About 8 am at our house:</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LnyUc7FxHWI/T0z9hzxYSXI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/7PoCrU2Kf4g/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LnyUc7FxHWI/T0z9hzxYSXI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/7PoCrU2Kf4g/s400/DSC_0063.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><br><div style="text-align: center;">About 8 am at a public high school in Ohio:</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://kdrv.com/files/images/2012/02/27/120227035547-ohio-shooting-05-story-top.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://kdrv.com/files/images/2012/02/27/120227035547-ohio-shooting-05-story-top.preview.jpg" width="400"></a></div><br><br>Would you rather your kids were here, or there?<br><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/here-or-there.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2089297517556056639?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-10327116161794200792012-02-27T22:29:00.002-07:002012-02-28T07:44:25.486-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier this month, Isaac and I ran to the library to get some books on the subjects we were going to cover in the next few weeks. I like to take just one or two of the older boys along on errands while the girls are at home taking their naps, and the other boys are reading or doing another quiet activity, with my husband watching them while doing paperwork from home. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even though I only had Isaac with me, we probably got about 60 or 70 books out - with six kids at home, even if we are only covering a few subjects, the books pile up fast by the time I get something in all the various age groups, and at their reading levels. Just to give you an idea, I take the <i>empty double stroller </i>into the library just so I will have something to lug all those books in. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/sainly-or-selfish.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1032711616179420079?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-80803541042271648482012-02-25T21:09:00.000-07:002012-02-25T21:09:17.413-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Saturdays tend to be major kitchen days for me. On any given day, I spend between 4 and 6 hours in there cooking, doing dishes, and feeding the kids. But on Saturdays, that might turn into upwards of 8 hours, as I do extra food prep, try to use stray stuff that has accumulated throughout the week, and pre-cook for Sunday lunch. Today was one of those days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After falling asleep just before 9 PM last night, I woke on my own around 5:45 am today. I can count on one hand the nights I get to sleep uninterrrupted each year since having kids. Well, last night was one of those blissful nights. My husband had offered to spend the night in the guest bed with Becky, who had been waking me every half hour all week long to wipe her nose during the night. As a result, I got to sleep with zero interruptions for the full nine hours - yay!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/barefoot-and-pregnant-in-kitchen.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8080354104227164848?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-43886203683839312632012-02-19T22:59:00.000-07:002012-02-19T22:59:37.162-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">YESSSS, birthday season is over for the next 7 months!!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, so maybe not the ideal first thought to have upon celebrating the last of the birthdays for this past string of birthdays, but it really IS tiring, especially since they are all clustered around the winter holidays, too. All six kids celebrate their birthdays between late September and mid-February, and when the madness is over, it&#39;s a bit of a relief. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Being ever concerned that the two kids at the end of the birthday train - Isaac and Miriam - might get the short end of the stick if my burnout were to show, their birthdays usually end up being the <i>bigger </i>ones.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/going-out-with-bang-or-rather-splash.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4388620368383931263?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-30737781720288570452012-02-18T22:50:00.001-07:002012-02-19T00:14:07.667-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">This last week, Miriam and Isaac both celebrated their birthdays. They are having a joint &quot;Under Sea&quot; themed birthday party tomorrow. We have been busy planning it, and getting everything ready. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Somewhere online I came across the suggestion of giving out live goldfish as a party favor. Can you imagine the horror?? You may just want to stop reading if this makes you queasy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We thought the idea was pretty cool. &quot;Goldfish Sunday&quot; is a tradition on many church bus routes, and it&#39;s always a huge hit. Every kid at some point has had, or wishes he/she had, a goldfish. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-fish-my-choice.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3073778172028857045?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-54194821717933667722012-02-15T21:22:00.000-07:002012-02-15T21:22:21.661-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yiV_D5GJph8/TzyEZ4j3cuI/AAAAAAAAF7A/Luoh9_lNt6E/s1600/430213_3360411686165_1145241822_33560300_494614542_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yiV_D5GJph8/TzyEZ4j3cuI/AAAAAAAAF7A/Luoh9_lNt6E/s400/430213_3360411686165_1145241822_33560300_494614542_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5419482171793366772?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-49055687907819778612012-02-13T17:54:00.002-07:002012-02-13T17:58:18.731-07:00<a href="http://www.afterthetribulation.com/">"After the Tribulation,"</a> due out in late 2012 is being produced by <a href="http://www.framingtheworld.com/">Framing the World Productions</a>, the makers of <a href="http://www.thegreatculling.org/">"The Great Culling."</a> Director Paul Wittenberger also directed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf0khstYDLA">"What in the World are They Spraying?"</a><br /><br />The final film will feature:<br /><br />- HD video footage of Pastor Anderson preaching at <a href="http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/">Faithful Word Baptist Church</a><br />- Exclusive telephone interview with <a href="http://www.kenthovindblog.com/">Kent Hovind</a> from prison<br />- Pastor Anderson speaking to a religion class at <a href="http://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> about the tribulation, rapture, etc.<br />- Interviews with <a href="http://www.veritybaptist.com/">Pastor Roger Jimenez</a> and Pastor Steven L Anderson<br /><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u0EO8LTkn00" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4905568790781977861?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-14215383743650894312012-02-12T14:48:00.001-07:002012-02-12T14:48:32.237-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, the last few days have been an entirely different sort of experience. Let me begin by backing up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three years ago almost to the day, Isaac for the first time ever started wheezing one night after having had a cough for a couple of days. It being in the evening, I took him to a pediatric urgent care, where they diagnosed him as having illness-induced asthma. However, it was very mild, so after one breathing treatment right there, he was sent home with an inhaler so use for the next few days until he was completely over his symptoms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given that this episode was a very mild and entirely isolated incident, we did not really think of Isaac as being &quot;asthmatic&quot;. The rest of the year, he is healthy as a horse and never gets sick. But, like clockwork, he would develop what I thought was a cold every single year around this time. I remember it distinctly because it is always the week before his birthday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/update-on-isaac.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1421538374365089431?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-29412088588948833292012-02-08T10:25:00.001-07:002012-02-08T14:02:11.603-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Anna is 14 months old today. Just two nights ago, she reached a milestone that is hugely important to me - going to sleep on her own. I know all moms have different beliefs about sleep patterns for babies, and whatever works for you is great. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Me - I can&#39;t handle the &quot;cry it out&quot; method. If the child is too young to understand what I expect of them, i.e. &quot;lie still and go to sleep&quot;, I just cannot justify leaving them to cry themselves to sleep. Sure, they will learn what those words mean simply by experience, but I just don&#39;t have the stomach for it. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/baby-no-more.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2941208858894883329?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-26446362577713916942012-02-04T12:18:00.000-07:002012-02-04T12:18:58.940-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">In the winter, it seems it&#39;s much harder to get a good deal or selection of organic produce. The last couple of weeks have been good, but not as great as what we can get in the summer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, today was a really good basket, and I am so excited about it! :)</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FVG9BYGjGVY/Ty2A1uxlyYI/AAAAAAAAF6Y/NZOkamSOVyE/s1600/DSC_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FVG9BYGjGVY/Ty2A1uxlyYI/AAAAAAAAF6Y/NZOkamSOVyE/s400/DSC_0286.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/yummy-produce.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2644636257771391694?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-35190026085497778822012-02-03T16:21:00.000-07:002012-02-03T16:21:13.752-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Teaching, that is. I know sometimes I sound like I hate teachers, but the truth is my problem is mostly with a system that thinks it takes a village (and billions of tax dollars) to raise a child rather than the parents. Most teachers no doubt think they are following a noble calling by raising other people&#39;s kids.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nt2yac-kYcY/TyxrP8wP2_I/AAAAAAAAF6E/NObaYbP3qkU/s1600/DSC_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nt2yac-kYcY/TyxrP8wP2_I/AAAAAAAAF6E/NObaYbP3qkU/s400/DSC_0284.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Me? You couldn&#39;t possibly pay me enough to take a job like that. I teach our children at home because I love them, and because I want to keep them safe from <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/31/mark-berndt-arrested-molestation_n_1244230.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009">perverts like this one</a>. But teaching and raising other people&#39;s children - forget about it!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/you-couldnt-pay-me-to-do-this.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3519002608549777882?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-12406698044674045282012-02-01T11:50:00.000-07:002012-02-01T11:50:51.996-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sh2SSY1aXnU/TymF7YUFkEI/AAAAAAAAF5E/mteT5kTZFkY/s1600/DSC_0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, so much reproductive energy flowing through our home! Yesterday, Isaac (who is in charge of caring for our flock of backyard chickens) discovered that one of our hens had gone broody. She had found an almost inaccessible (to us) spot between the waterfall on our pool and the massive cactus behind it, where she kept laying her eggs and sitting on them in hopes of hatching them. We don&#39;t have a rooster, so these eggs would never hatch because they are not fertilized. Issac could see there were eggs under her, but not how many. Because of the cactus, he was unable to get to the hen and take her off her nest, and she was not budging an inch. With some long barbecue tongs, he was able to fish 9 eggs out from under her, but he thought there might be a couple more left that he could not reach.  </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--eiCPM4cOsA/TymGkrQxUOI/AAAAAAAAF5M/WG9NrBPiPCE/s1600/DSC_0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--eiCPM4cOsA/TymGkrQxUOI/AAAAAAAAF5M/WG9NrBPiPCE/s400/DSC_0243.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/broody-hens-and-gestating-mamas.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1240669804467404528?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-30651721887401477912012-01-30T16:06:00.001-07:002012-01-30T16:08:44.364-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">For the <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/free-shipping-at-strawesome.html">Strawesome giveaway</a>, I printed all the comments, put them into a hat, and had a child randomly draw a comment.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xOefWKpMzXY/TycCLSrDqvI/AAAAAAAAF4g/cQpo_WxABpw/s1600/DSC_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xOefWKpMzXY/TycCLSrDqvI/AAAAAAAAF4g/cQpo_WxABpw/s400/DSC_0230.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/announcing-strawesome-winner-and-other.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3065172188740147791?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-53307391202810225812012-01-28T19:56:00.000-07:002012-01-28T19:56:01.554-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aau6xO-f0-A/TySxOLRRmDI/AAAAAAAAF38/TiGoXxiZaFM/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">... is still junk food. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After dragging my tired self out of bed at half past way-too-early this morning, so I could score the best deals on organic, wholesome, healthy produce at the wholesale house, my husband and I decided to take our six little monkeys to the zoo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ehYWcqHOkwU/TySv1KPflsI/AAAAAAAAF3M/OUJUyJBSCPI/s1600/DSC_0219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ehYWcqHOkwU/TySv1KPflsI/AAAAAAAAF3M/OUJUyJBSCPI/s400/DSC_0219.JPG" width="267"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/junk-food-by-any-other-name.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5330739120281022581?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-83166299165736572422012-01-25T07:00:00.062-07:002012-01-25T07:00:03.944-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Today, I have some fantastic news I&#39;d like to share with everyone who has been praying for my severe morning (haha!) sickness, or just plain curious how I am.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a word: <b>BETTER</b>! In fact, I am <i>almost </i>back to feeling normal! If I keep improving at the rate I have been, I would say probably another two weeks or so and I should be in the clear.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which means that I only was severely ill for about five or six weeks this time - usually, it&#39;s about 12 to 14 (from week 4 to 16). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/morning-sickness-update.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8316629916573657242?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-8705356944156644622012-01-24T16:35:00.005-07:002012-01-24T18:24:38.565-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.strawesome.com/">Strawesome</a> truly is awesome! Several years ago, as part of trying to eliminate plastics as much as possible, I stopped buying plastic straws. But, like most everyone else, I love sipping from a straw! I didn&#39;t know there was such an alternative as glass straws available, until I found out about Strawesome from <a href="http://christine-mary.blogspot.com/search?q=strawesome">another blogger</a>. I have been so impressed and happy with every single order from them!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.strawesome.com/templates/Strawesome2/images/white/banner1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="http://www.strawesome.com/templates/Strawesome2/images/white/banner1.jpg" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br>Just as drinking out of a glass tastes better than from a plastic cup, sipping through a glass straw tastes so much better! Not to mention the health benefits of eliminating those cheap china-made plastic straws that leach questionable chemicals into your drinks. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/free-shipping-at-strawesome.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-870535694415664462?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-50055930608397609902012-01-23T15:08:00.000-07:002012-01-23T15:08:03.699-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Today, I "shared" a picture on Facebook from another friend's wall. A whole bunch of my friends, in turn, then shared it on their walls.&nbsp;</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6LqEGAjSNHU/Tx3ZyKOZNlI/AAAAAAAAF3A/2eVjx0-nCkA/s1600/twins.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6LqEGAjSNHU/Tx3ZyKOZNlI/AAAAAAAAF3A/2eVjx0-nCkA/s400/twins.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few hours later, the picture had been scrubbed from all of our walls.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, you atheists at Facebook can delete the picture, but you will realize one day that doing so does not delete what God has told us in his Word will happen after you die. Enjoy it while it lasts, because for all eternity, you will have to keep thinking about what a fool you were. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5005593060839760990?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-47705322409502957052012-01-21T22:11:00.000-07:002012-01-21T22:11:23.905-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Many of you have written to ask about Jessica and her family since she decided to close her wonderful blog some time ago. I have asked her to write a guest post to share an update with everyone, and she graciously agreed to do so. It was such a blessing to me, and I know it will be to you, too. Enjoy!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_WKmiR6Xyqg/TxuZB96S06I/AAAAAAAAF2Y/FAPnaotI4VA/s1600/family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_WKmiR6Xyqg/TxuZB96S06I/AAAAAAAAF2Y/FAPnaotI4VA/s400/family.jpg" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>October 2011</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hello to all my old blogging friends!</span></span></div><div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What an encouragement many of you have been, by trying to see how me and my family have been. I have been blessed to receive many emails and questions wondering how we are doing. One day, I may decide to blog again, but for now, I am content with not. I am however so excited and honored to be posting an update on Zsuza’s blog and she is so sweet to invite me to do so.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/guest-post-from-jessica.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4770532240950295705?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-24219500842640585132012-01-20T12:29:00.000-07:002012-01-20T12:29:39.091-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">From time to time I get asked about if we give our kids allowance money, or how we go about it. To be honest, this is an area that I myself often wonder what the best approach is. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For starters, I do not think our kids should ever be given &quot;free money&quot; on a regular basis (i.e. outside a birthday gift or something similar). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But on the other hand, I also realize that kids&#39; earning power and opportunities are limited to non-existent, while they need to learn how to handle money correctly from a young age. And it would get very tiresome to constantly have them asking me for stuff they want, because they have no money of their own to spend. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/kids-and-allowance.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2421950084264058513?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-36035771791889685222012-01-19T10:41:00.000-07:002012-01-19T10:41:41.438-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><u><b>Health Advisory:</b></u> As you may have noticed, about a year ago I started adding &quot;jump breaks&quot; in my blog posts, i.e. in order to continue reading a post, you must click on &quot;Keep reading&quot; at the end of the introductory blurb to see the rest of the post. If you feel your blood pressure rising during the first paragraph, and decide to click through to read the rest of the post anyway, please be advised that you are doing so at your own risk to your health and mental well-being. The author of this blog assumes no responsibility for fits of rage, stress, high blood pressure, or getting your underwear in a twist over what you read here. </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">~~~~~~~~~~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tempe Elementary Schools put our tax dollars to good use again this week when they mailed us a glossy ad package, which included a DVD, claiming that parents would not find a &quot;better educational alternative&quot; than their schools <i>anywhere</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, such boldness made me doubt our humble homeschooling efforts (ha!), so I went <a href="http://www.tempeschools.org/">online</a> to see what was so special that I could not provide. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/get-rid-of-your-kids-for-only-60-cents.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3603577179188968522?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-71979207226901511902012-01-17T09:56:00.001-07:002012-01-17T12:18:48.008-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">An older article from the USA Today reporting on a major medical study in Canada has been making the rounds on Facebook. The title sounds like it proves the point home birth supporters have been trying to make for years: <span class="inside-head"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-09-03-midwife-home-birth_N.htm">Home birth with midwife as safe as hospital birth</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="inside-head">But - this article irks me. Because the title is NOT accurate. Home birth, according to the study it quotes, is NOT as safe as hospital birth. In fact, the numbers given in the article show home birth to be ALMOST TWICE AS SAFE as hospital birth:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="inside-head"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">The mortality rate per 1,000 births was 0.35 in the home birth group, 0.57 in hospital births attended by midwives, and 0.64 among those attended by physicians, according to the study.</blockquote><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/home-birth-as-safe-as-hospital-birth.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7197920722690151190?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-38809874314067903762012-01-14T09:45:00.001-07:002012-01-14T09:46:29.739-07:00Our produce basket was such a great deal today, I wanted to share with everyone.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ObzOaoPznTo/TxGtFrfS_WI/AAAAAAAAF2E/kelwKz3OKnM/s1600/DSC_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ObzOaoPznTo/TxGtFrfS_WI/AAAAAAAAF2E/kelwKz3OKnM/s400/DSC_0174.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/todays-produce-basket.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3880987431406790376?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-44543673284363617242012-01-13T14:48:00.000-07:002012-01-13T14:48:39.453-07:00<ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>I don&#39;t think I have mentioned it on the blog yet, but Anna is walking now. She started about 2 or 3 weeks ago, going from not walking at all without holding on, to walking clear across the room. Still, up until last week, she would only walk at home, as long as her Dad was not in sight. If he could see her at all, she would drop to her bottom, scoot to him, stretch out her little arms and beg &quot;Uh! Uh! Uh!&quot; until he would pick her up and carry her around with him. Just this week, she has decided that getting around quickly on two legs was worth the gamble of her Dad maybe carrying her less, and she now freely walks everywhere. It is so cute to watch her toddle along, still a little stiff-legged. Anna LOVES to play out in the front yard. She is like a puppy, waiting by the front door all day for someone to open it, so she can immediately tumble out and take off. I tried taking a video of her yesterday, but my camera that takes them is not working right, so it&#39;ll have to wait.</li></ul><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-n-that.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4454367328436361724?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-18276498979366187492012-01-13T14:07:00.002-07:002012-01-13T14:12:05.698-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Through the years that I have been blogging, I have had a number of different approaches for dealing with comments. At times I would allow none, some, or most negative comments (barring only those that contained profanities or obscenities). Sometimes only those with a Blogger ID could comment, other times, anyone (even anons).<br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/note-on-comments.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1827649897936618749?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-41537044263262996962012-01-12T09:02:00.002-07:002012-01-13T14:12:58.965-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">What can I say, I am a bad parent with a long pattern of child neglect. But you already knew that, even before reading the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3454355557116314654&amp;postID=6448896076688532428&amp;isPopup=true">comments on the last post</a>. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--xNyy01ziUw/Tw8BZDBoyyI/AAAAAAAAF10/A9h5d0UTdQg/s1600/100_6203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--xNyy01ziUw/Tw8BZDBoyyI/AAAAAAAAF10/A9h5d0UTdQg/s400/100_6203.jpg" width="400"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NobQc3KY2zw/Tw8BcnX2f-I/AAAAAAAAF18/EaajZYrAJDY/s1600/100_6206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/face-of-evil.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4153704426326299696?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-64488960766885324282012-01-07T23:04:00.000-07:002012-01-07T23:04:27.279-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">It&#39;s been an uneventful week around here. With me still down with NVP, we are on &quot;survival&quot; mode. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We had a good New Year&#39;s Eve. Thankfully, I was feeling relatively well the whole weekend, and was able to make the cheese and chocolate fondues that we traditionally have. The older kids stayed up until midnight playing board games, and then watched as our neighbors lit fireworks for quite some time. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WhoA0AkyyHg/TwkqPC2zSUI/AAAAAAAAF08/dssl1aFZcuo/s1600/DSC_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WhoA0AkyyHg/TwkqPC2zSUI/AAAAAAAAF08/dssl1aFZcuo/s400/DSC_0150.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6448896076688532428?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-70859829338283299862012-01-03T15:34:00.000-07:002012-01-03T15:34:43.267-07:00Please <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/affording-organic-part-i-priorities.html">click here to read Part I</a>.  <br><br><div style="text-align: justify;">In an effort to improve one&#39;s diet, one of two goals should be to <b>replace unhealthy foods with all natural, whole foods alternatives</b>. Instead of buying cookies at the store, for example, they can be made at home with whole grains, honey, and real butter for a very wholesome and tasty alternative that is usually also cheaper. Depending on individual tastes and habits, and your family&#39;s compliance in this matter, this process can take years. As with most things, it is a lot easier to start out right than to change later on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Changing over to healthy products includes all areas of life, such as cleaning products, cooking utensils (non-stick, plastic, etc.), clothing (think toxic, but fire-retardant PJs for kids, new cotton  and/or dyed clothes, etc.), body care products, furniture (again, think of mattresses, curtains, etc. that are drenched in fire retardant) etc. but for sake of time this post is only dealing with the food aspect of it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b>other of the two goals should be switching over to all organic foods/ingredients</b>. Cost can often be a seemingly prohibiting factor. Below, I list some of the things I have learned in order to provide our family with all organic foods without being a millionaire, or even remotely &quot;rich&quot;. <br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/affording-organic-part-ii-money-saving.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7085982933828329986?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-51465231677614261332012-01-02T15:56:00.003-07:002012-01-03T15:37:53.904-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">This is a blog post I first started in October 2009. When I was almost done writing it, Blogger had a glitch and deleted the entire post without saving it! In June of 2010, I once again sat down and started writing this post, which I am finally finishing up now in honor of the new year. Maybe someone will make it their goal to switch their family to a more wholesome diet this year after reading this.<br><br><br>I think my great aversion to writing on this subject is due to the fact that <b>there is no easy answer</b>. I would love to give you tips on how to switch to eating 100% organic on your existing grocery budget, but for most people, that is simply not the case. Unless you are currently spending a fortune on eating out and buying processed foods and snacks/sweets/sodas, and are willing to stop all that cold-turkey and start making everything from scratch, <b>you likely will need to increase the amount of money you spend on food if you want to switch to eating all organic</b>. I think that most of my readers already cook many/most things from scratch, and live frugally in general. For these families, <b>short of switching to eating rice and beans, eating organically will mean spending more money. </b>That&#39;s the bad news.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/affording-organic-part-i-priorities.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5146523167761426133?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-54354805332838302542011-12-31T16:18:00.000-07:002011-12-31T16:18:58.804-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">So, one last quick post for this year... as promised, I just wanted to share some of our photos from Christmas. As it turns out, it seems I took hardly any pictures. I was terribly ill both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. While I usually have a few hours each day where I can get around and take care of basic needs, about one or two days a week I am completely laid up. It just happened to fall on Christmas this year. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It could have been worse - I remember our first Christmas just a few months after we were married. We had just found out a couple of days earlier that I was pregnant, when I started bleeding on Christmas Eve. When I started having horrible cramping on Christmas Day in the evening, we called my OB&#39;s answering service and they told us to go to the ER (duh - we had no clue there&#39;s nothing they could do for us). We sat in a cold ER waiting room for hours, where all the chairs were set up theater-style to face the television screens, which were blaring the &quot;Jerry Springer Show&quot;, so we chose to sit in a windowsill off to the side instead. People who kept coming in after us were called back before us because it was more serious - one guy still had a knife stuck in him! I think it was from a family gathering of all things. We finally got called back, just to be told they could do nothing to stop a miscarriage. It was a very bizarre experience, especially for me who had only been in the US for a few months and did not even know such television shows existed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-and-new-years-eve.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5435480533283830254?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-14852804956776326232011-12-24T23:36:00.003-07:002011-12-26T20:31:10.949-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Boy oh boy, has this last week been an interesting one! The &quot;morning sickness&quot;/NVP/hyperemesis roller coaster has had me clutching on for dear life as it seems. While it&#39;s been a general downturn for the worse (as in, MUCH worse), with me being mostly out of commission and incredibly miserable, there have been a few windows of feeling functional. I read on <a href="http://www.largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2011/12/closely-spaced-pregnancies-children.html#more">another blog</a> where a mom recommended eating at least 11 g of complex protein every two hours. While I knew protein helped me, I now have an exact figure I can shoot for. Will someone please leave a comment telling me that ice-cream is a nutrient-dense, high protein snack? Thank you. I also like the &quot;minimal activity&quot; part... at the beginning of this pregnancy,  I was still running with my husband, but have since had to stop because of the nausea and was feeling bad about that. When all else fails, lying down on the sofa always makes me feel a little better (the same cannot be said of my chores and other obligations). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/recent-pictures.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1485280495677632623?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-23023357909621736262011-12-18T00:53:00.001-07:002011-12-18T00:58:34.099-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Hard to imagine that my baby boy just turned SEVEN. Wow, time sure flies! </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HPS0-KfQ6bA/Tu2MJZ2HS4I/AAAAAAAAFts/9J1nbwbmKHM/s1600/000_1322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HPS0-KfQ6bA/Tu2MJZ2HS4I/AAAAAAAAFts/9J1nbwbmKHM/s400/000_1322.JPG" width="300"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Solomon (3) holding John (a few days old)</i></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/johns-7th-birthday.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2302335790962173626?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-1914078822648191332011-12-15T16:33:00.001-07:002011-12-15T16:33:39.832-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">... is that we are expecting again! Predictable, huh?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have actually known for several weeks (I am about 8 weeks along). For those of you who suspected something was up when I mentioned a triple stroller some time back - that was not a tip-off. I bought the stroller right before finding out the big news. In fact, I promptly turned around and sold it again (at a profit) because at over 50 lbs, it was too much of a behemoth to haul in and out of the van while pregnant. I will be looking into buying a trusted Graco double stroller as soon as I feel up to it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/big-news-of-day.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-191407882264819133?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-59456027479158329792011-12-15T06:33:00.001-07:002011-12-15T06:33:02.600-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">It&#39;s hard to believe, but our little baby girl is growing up SO fast. Seems like just yesterday that I was a mom to all boys, until our sweet little girl came into our life. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0yGBOU0H2s/Tuim4T2UE0I/AAAAAAAAFtM/I1dmgORmU_Q/s1600/DSC_1381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0yGBOU0H2s/Tuim4T2UE0I/AAAAAAAAFtM/I1dmgORmU_Q/s400/DSC_1381.JPG" width="267"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/miriam-gets-baptized.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5945602747915832979?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-29248904863599573162011-12-14T05:59:00.000-07:002011-12-14T05:59:24.796-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Little Anna still sleeps in our bed. I love dressing her in cozy little jammies because she spends much of the night snuggled up to me - so much better than a teddy bear! :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VsTS62G6Rtc/TuicDRd7C_I/AAAAAAAAFsw/BzdPUEIk8Rc/s1600/CSC_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N98ERBZPP_E/TuicJvASoSI/AAAAAAAAFs4/1j_K_4cvxXI/s1600/CSC_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N98ERBZPP_E/TuicJvASoSI/AAAAAAAAFs4/1j_K_4cvxXI/s400/CSC_0005.JPG" width="400"></a></div>  <br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/thing-1-or-thing-2.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2924890486359957316?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-87067059457708161432011-12-09T13:09:00.001-07:002011-12-09T13:10:05.415-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(if you are not Michael Smith, this post will be of no interest to you)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several weeks ago, you mailed my husband a package with a Bible, a sermon transcript, and a long letter. Thank you for mailing these. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/dear-michael-smith.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8706705945770816143?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-68316121389994459172011-12-08T09:36:00.001-07:002011-12-08T09:39:07.127-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Our sweet little Christmas baby is turning one today. Wow, time flies too fast! Of course, the birthday started out great for me, who got to wake up with the little sweetie snuggled by my side cooing and smiling. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nOIpoABTclA/TuDj4B9wUaI/AAAAAAAAFrg/jHeYHXVvPFI/s1600/DSC_1426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nOIpoABTclA/TuDj4B9wUaI/AAAAAAAAFrg/jHeYHXVvPFI/s400/DSC_1426.JPG" width="267"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/anna-turns-1.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6831612138999445917?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-34851996810395498662011-12-06T09:55:00.001-07:002011-12-06T09:55:59.104-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">... all I drink is juice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, not quite. That&#39;s a line from a Patch the Pirate song that came to mind when I sat down to write this post. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I often am asked what kind of prenatal vitamins and/or other supplements I take, or if I can recommend any certain brands. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/all-i-eat-is-vitamins.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3485199681039549866?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-42504342507218767982011-12-01T12:41:00.001-07:002011-12-01T12:42:29.555-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">December 1st, the day the kids have been waiting for with eager anticipation! As we do every year, the kids each got a little chocolate advent calendar. It&#39;s a countdown of sorts, with one little treat per day, until the 24th. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X0J2oL_HBkY/TtfTarKgRbI/AAAAAAAAFqQ/QfyNuFSkMHA/s1600/DSC_1357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X0J2oL_HBkY/TtfTarKgRbI/AAAAAAAAFqQ/QfyNuFSkMHA/s400/DSC_1357.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/happy-december.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4250434250721876798?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-46977820542037013762011-11-28T09:11:00.001-07:002011-11-28T10:30:25.933-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">In the news last week, I read a story about the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15870161">&quot;wrong twin fetus&quot; having been &quot;terminated&quot;</a> in Australia. The staff &quot;treating&quot; the woman accidentally killed the healthy baby, not the one who had a congenital heart defect. Notice the demented wording to make more palatable the fact that a mother KILLED her own CHILD in her WOMB, which should be the safest place on planet earth for any baby, but is the most dangerous. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/monsters-incorporated.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4697782054203701376?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com120tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-65889005304684947112011-11-25T23:22:00.001-07:002011-11-25T23:24:35.414-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">This tastes a lot like the one at Cracker Barrel. You can prepare it the night before, leave it covered in the fridge overnight, and pop it in the oven to bake in the morning. This is my adaptation of <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/cracker-barrels-hashbrowns-casserole-copycat-15242">this</a> recipe. </div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/recipe-for-hashbrown-casserole.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6588900530468494711?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-74905646976200205642011-11-25T07:43:00.000-07:002011-11-25T07:43:35.162-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Some time back when Anna first started teething, I purchased an amber necklace for her out of sheer desperation. She was the first of our children to have a hard time teething, except for maybe Solomon who ran a fever for one day when his first tooth poked through.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbBxzs2iv90/Ts-n2wa5gjI/AAAAAAAAFpg/BUekpiRjz04/s1600/DSC_0246+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbBxzs2iv90/Ts-n2wa5gjI/AAAAAAAAFpg/BUekpiRjz04/s400/DSC_0246+%25282%2529.JPG" width="267"></a></div><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/amber-necklace-review.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7490564697620020564?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-15672522709990964842011-11-24T18:22:00.000-07:002011-11-24T18:22:08.811-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Remember when I blogged about <strike>Safeway</strike> Riskyway <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/you-take-our-sandwich-we-take-your.html">having a pregnant woman and her husband arrested over $5 worth of sandwiches</a> that they forgot to pay for, resulting in their 2-year old daughter &quot;briefly&quot; (i.e. for 18 hours) being placed in the care of <strike>predators</strike> <strike>kidnappers</strike> CPS?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then I <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/update-on-great-safeway-sandwich-coup.html">emailed them to express my disgust</a> at their zero tolerance policies, asking them to disclose the reports by the Department of Weights and Measures, since I am sure every single <strike>Safeway</strike> Riskyway store across the country overcharges patrons by much more than $5 every single day? Of course, they would not share  those records with me. I need to to contact the DWM about that - surely, customers should have access to this information to allow them to chose the most honest store.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/riskyway-is-at-it-again.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1567252270999096484?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-69444686486754587602011-11-22T11:10:00.000-07:002011-11-22T11:10:26.445-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">What would you do with 380 lbs of ripe tomatoes?  </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday afternoon, I got a hankering for roasted tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. I called down to the produce house to see if they had any flats of organic on-the-vine tomatoes, and sure enough, they said they did - &quot;but they are on the ripe side.&quot; Well, I figured that would work for me because I was planning on using them for dinner. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gda4ttimP8o/TsvkQYN11DI/AAAAAAAAFpY/RJI3esmXKrs/s1600/DSC_1336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gda4ttimP8o/TsvkQYN11DI/AAAAAAAAFpY/RJI3esmXKrs/s400/DSC_1336.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/380-lbs-of-tomatoes.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6944468648675458760?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-84395833472470041102011-11-21T06:49:00.001-07:002011-11-21T06:50:22.193-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">I have waited for this week for quite a while now. It is our first week off from homeschooling since we started the school year the day after Labor Day. That means 11 weeks with no break. It may not sound like much, but believe me, it is. It is almost one third of the school year!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Keeping up with five different students on five different levels, making sure they all keep a steady pace and don&#39;t get behind on their work in any one subject, is stressful. It doesn&#39;t matter if I am tired at night or behind on everything else, I still have to check all their work from the day, and set up the next day&#39;s assignments. Even when we took a short vacation or went on field trips, we still made up for all the work allotted for that week in the remaining days. It will be nice not to have to be so disciplined this week. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-week-yay.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8439583347247004110?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-28102112845373138872011-11-20T07:46:00.002-07:002011-11-20T07:49:21.076-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Just a quick post to share some pictures from yesterday&#39;s wedding at our church for those of you who had asked for them. It all turned out really nicely! :)</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3f6jvHb9xUA/TskKOTBjnkI/AAAAAAAAFm4/2UeZr3QQWEo/s1600/DSC_1220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3f6jvHb9xUA/TskKOTBjnkI/AAAAAAAAFm4/2UeZr3QQWEo/s400/DSC_1220.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/wedding-at-our-church.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2810211284537313887?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-90582275331490463402011-11-19T07:30:00.002-07:002011-11-19T07:33:01.218-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, it&#39;s been a busy week. How many times do I say that, right? The kids crammed their five days worth of school work all into Monday through Wednesday, because we needed Thursday through Saturday off. We usually fit five days of school, plus one field trip day, into those six days each week. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Have you heard of the <a href="http://themim.org/">Musical Instrument Museum</a> in Phoenix? We went on a homeschool field trip there last week with other families from our church. Wow, was it ever impressive! If you haven&#39;t been, I definitely recommend it. If you bank with Bank of America, I think they give you free admission on the first Saturday of every month with your debit card. Not sure of the details, so check with the museum or your bank first.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EX1FV0RQ4-A/Tse5croKmvI/AAAAAAAAFl8/mnCWkW6jSIg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EX1FV0RQ4-A/Tse5croKmvI/AAAAAAAAFl8/mnCWkW6jSIg/s400/photo.JPG" width="300"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/busy-day-ahead.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-9058227533149046340?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-38584814064568957382011-11-14T17:16:00.000-07:002011-11-14T17:16:42.101-07:00My husband and I took the crazies to a cabin at Dead Horse Ranch for a night last week. We left early Thursday morning so we could spend the day hiking in the beautiful forests between Prescott and Jerome. At about 6000 ft elevation, the weather was still nice and fall-like, although we did have to wear sweaters for the first time since last winter. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2q39EgWY8zY/TsGjKqmopUI/AAAAAAAAFjM/e27469QaOO4/s1600/DSC_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2q39EgWY8zY/TsGjKqmopUI/AAAAAAAAFjM/e27469QaOO4/s400/DSC_1144.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Anna didn&#39;t get the memo that this was supposed to be <i>fun</i>. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nbkQHr391mU/TsGjOIycqzI/AAAAAAAAFjU/4dabgGmxZZg/s1600/DSC_1145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nbkQHr391mU/TsGjOIycqzI/AAAAAAAAFjU/4dabgGmxZZg/s400/DSC_1145.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> There, that&#39;s better</div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/cabin-fever.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3858481406456895738?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-86042862265030041502011-11-11T08:14:00.003-07:002011-11-11T08:17:51.513-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Our church held it&#39;s annual chili cook-off last Monday, October 31st. Of course it is no coincidence that this is always held on the same day as &quot;Halloween&quot; - we like to offer people something better to do than either participate in a satanic holiday, or hole up in their house ignoring the incessant door bell ringing. This is always a great evening of fun for everyone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year, we hired a great entertainer - <a href="http://arizonarick.balloonhq.com/">Arizona Rick, the Balloon-Making Cowboy</a>. We have seen him perform at the library before, and wow - this guy is GOOD! His show lasts about an hour, and the kids (and adults) were in stitches the whole time. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vMdvegQSLNY/Tr0whqNUPnI/AAAAAAAAFiY/EXMBZWQsXH0/s1600/DSC_1118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vMdvegQSLNY/Tr0whqNUPnI/AAAAAAAAFiY/EXMBZWQsXH0/s400/DSC_1118.JPG" width="267"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Miriam, the big, bad wolf</div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/annual-chili-cook-off.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8604286226503004150?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-18340109495142911992011-11-10T01:28:00.000-07:002011-11-10T01:28:31.460-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Not talking about myself here, in case the title gave you heart palpitations. No, no, I&#39;m tackling another hot-button issue today, and that is that of <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20543449,00.html">Mrs. Duggar and her announcement this week that the family is expecting their 20th child</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just in case my title is giving the wrong impression, no, I am neither surprised nor angered by the fact that she is yet again &quot;with child&quot;, the more biblical term. For me, there really is nothing to this news beyond thinking how happy I am for the family, and praying that Mrs. Duggar will have a healthy pregnancy and birth. End of story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/oh-no-shes-pregnant-again.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1834010949514291199?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-86411636157994428082011-11-09T18:32:00.001-07:002011-11-09T18:34:00.743-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Being the concerned consumer that I am, I wrote a letter of complaint to Safeway (which I have renamed Riskyway) yesterday.</div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b>Me:</b></u> I am writing to express my outrage at your store policy leading to the arrest of a pregnant mom and her husband over their accidentally forgetting to pay for a couple of $2.50 sandwiches.  I am particularly disgusted that you allowed it to come to this in spite of the fact that it meant the couple&#39;s young child had to spend 18 hours in state custody. Why you would endanger the health and well-being of a young child over a couple of bucks is beyond me.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/update-on-great-safeway-sandwich-coup.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8641163615799442808?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-72058914227617393742011-11-08T09:12:00.001-07:002011-11-08T09:12:37.604-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Or: Why I will never shop at Safeway - it&#39;s too dangerous. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Did you read <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/pregnant-mom-says-sandwich-arrest-horrifying-214407004.html">in the news this week</a> about the pregnant lady who ate a sandwich while shopping at Safeway, and when ringing up her purchase, forgot to pay for the sandwich? She had saved the wrapper intending to pay for it, but forgot. Safeway would not allow her to simply correct her mistake by paying the couple of bucks for the sandwich. Oh no. They called the cops and had her arrested for shop lifting. Her 2-year old daughter was taken into CPS custody for a full 18 hours, even though the mother was released from police custody the same night.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/you-take-our-sandwich-we-take-your.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7205891422761739374?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-80324670682076616312011-11-07T23:12:00.001-07:002011-11-07T23:12:52.618-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">It&#39;s been a rough day around here today, as well as last night, but I will spare you the details, &#39;cuz they ain&#39;t pretty. Life with lots of little kids is never boring (and nights are never quite long enough). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But, wouldn&#39;t you know it, we received not one, or two, or three, but FOUR packages in the mail today from various people around the country and around the world who all listen to my husband&#39;s sermons online, and each of them wrote such kind, encouraging words. It really helped make my day a lot better, even though two of the packages were actually for my husband, not me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FqOqZq-lN9A/TrjE12qXxbI/AAAAAAAAFh8/raRggQeivi0/s1600/DSC_1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FqOqZq-lN9A/TrjE12qXxbI/AAAAAAAAFh8/raRggQeivi0/s400/DSC_1191.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/11/snail-mail-to-rescue.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8032467068207661631?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-64535293357203075162011-10-31T16:08:00.001-07:002011-10-31T16:11:28.627-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">It&#39;s hard to believe Becky is already three. Seems just like yesterday she was born. We had a great time celebrating her birthday.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gH9zCh4Ds5A/Tq8e37ZX1jI/AAAAAAAAFc4/S-g5zDxD9kI/s1600/CSC_0971.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gH9zCh4Ds5A/Tq8e37ZX1jI/AAAAAAAAFc4/S-g5zDxD9kI/s400/CSC_0971.JPG" width="267"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>She got a tutu and matching shirt in her favorite color, purple, ...</i></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBvsBesGzqg/Tq8e8QLifWI/AAAAAAAAFdA/bk8V9xYExzQ/s1600/CSC_0969.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBvsBesGzqg/Tq8e8QLifWI/AAAAAAAAFdA/bk8V9xYExzQ/s400/CSC_0969.JPG" width="267"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> ... and a few other goodies.</i></div><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/beckys-3rd-birthday.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6453529335720307516?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-5200818938081654512011-10-26T00:50:00.000-07:002011-10-26T00:50:52.751-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Recipe courtesy of my local Trader Joe&#39;s.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We tried a sample of this while grocery shopping today, and were instantly hooked, as were all the other people around us sampling the food while oohing and aahing. </div><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Ingredients</b></u></span></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKpLj9WaDHg/Tqe4HkXjPjI/AAAAAAAAFZs/OlzUJKQpo-4/s1600/DSC_1049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKpLj9WaDHg/Tqe4HkXjPjI/AAAAAAAAFZs/OlzUJKQpo-4/s400/DSC_1049.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-pasta-sauce.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-520081893808165451?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-2906229997827568472011-10-24T12:22:00.001-07:002011-10-24T12:22:22.457-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, birthday season is upon us! Within 4 1/2 months, we celebrate the birthdays of all six kids, as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Solomon is first during this crazy season of each year with his birthday in late September. </div>  <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qJefht6UhKI/TqT7NWbPBPI/AAAAAAAAFW8/Tv0E3JTRGnQ/s1600/DSC_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qJefht6UhKI/TqT7NWbPBPI/AAAAAAAAFW8/Tv0E3JTRGnQ/s400/DSC_0559.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Good morning, birthday boy!</i></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/solomons-10th-birthday.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-290622999782756847?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-5675445192174888812011-10-18T23:38:00.001-07:002011-10-18T23:38:49.935-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">On my <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/oh-good-old-fatherland.html">previous post</a>, two readers <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3454355557116314654&amp;postID=1716501141511515473&amp;isPopup=true">expressed their doubts</a> about my truthfulness in saying that German textbooks contain what Americans would consider inappropriate content for elementary-age children. To quote myself:<br><br><blockquote style="color: #38761d;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The German books we use have been a funny throwback to the different mindset and culture in Germany. Notwithstanding the fact that all the kids&#39; books are for elementary age or younger, they have so far taught how to ask someone whether they smoke, and how to say that someone is drinking wine or buying beer. Nice sample sentences, eh? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><blockquote><i>Hi, my name is Isaac. I am eight years old. What is your name? Do you smoke? This is my Mom. She is buying beer and drinking wine. </i></blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">  <br></div></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-cant-make-this-stuff-up.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-567544519217488881?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-17165011415115154732011-10-15T07:08:00.002-07:002011-10-15T07:14:50.417-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">This year, more than ever before, I have really made a serious effort to make sure our kids grow up speaking German fluently, i.e. being bilingual. German is actually not my first language - that would be Hungarian. But, sadly, my Hungarian is too rusty to teach the children, and it also happens to be one of the most difficult languages there are. We&#39;ll just stick with German for now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For English speakers, German is not that hard to learn, plus there are tons or &quot;German as a second language&quot; materials available on the German Amazon website that I can order and have delivered here. Much like in the US we have a lot of kids in need of &quot;ESL&quot; classes, in Germany there are lots of kids entering school needing to learn &quot;GSL&quot;. These materials are perfect for our kids.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/oh-good-old-fatherland.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1716501141511515473?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-77039518225451362902011-10-14T10:48:00.001-07:002011-10-31T16:18:18.152-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">This week, as we do once every month, we got a delivery <i>by semi truck</i> from <a href="http://www.azurestandard.com/">Azure Standard</a>, an organic and natural foods co-op based in Oregon. Now <i>that&#39;s </i>large family living. I know my groceries are here when I hear the air brakes, and a 64-foot, 18-wheeler big rig pulls up in front of our house. </div><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4y9dA7s_14g/TpfFt9ETNMI/AAAAAAAAFUI/8XJ5Su0qTAc/s1600/DSC_0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4y9dA7s_14g/TpfFt9ETNMI/AAAAAAAAFUI/8XJ5Su0qTAc/s400/DSC_0806.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/grocery-shopping-my-way.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7703951822545136290?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-37311974444108248382011-10-11T06:39:00.001-07:002011-10-11T06:39:00.081-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, in a masochistic fit, I whipped up a batch of <a href="http://foothillhomecompanion.blogspot.com/2008/12/do-you-smell-what-i-smell.html">chocolate playdough</a> for the kids. As can be expected, they made a complete mess of the kitchen counter and the floors, which is a sure sign that they had a great time. I just practiced deep breathing, looked the other way, and cleaned up when they were all done. I am NOT the type who just naturally lets kids explore and make messes as they play - it makes me cringe. But I have learned to grin and bear, at least to some extent. </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cRQHdKoDKmo/TpM8sZF2WEI/AAAAAAAAFTo/QBuZsEF6RQI/s1600/DSC_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cRQHdKoDKmo/TpM8sZF2WEI/AAAAAAAAFTo/QBuZsEF6RQI/s400/DSC_0632.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/chocolate-playdough.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3731197444410824838?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-9062360328609320572011-10-10T11:01:00.001-07:002011-10-10T11:27:37.164-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">The summer heat <i>finally </i>broke last week. At the beginning of October, we still had days over 100 degrees, but one big thunderstorm last week finally ended the last 6 months of heat, and brought cooler weather. For us, that means being able to go outside again. Hence my lack of blogging - wow, there&#39;s a world out there! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Solomon is the one caring for our chickens every day. Of our 8 chicks, five made it to adults in this summer heat. Two or three of them are laying now, and hopefully the rest will start soon.  </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvZcdaf6qTk/TpMlWr930oI/AAAAAAAAFSg/b6-jZ7po_SY/s1600/DSC_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvZcdaf6qTk/TpMlWr930oI/AAAAAAAAFSg/b6-jZ7po_SY/s400/DSC_0707.JPG" width="267"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/hello-world.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-906236032860932057?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-86393818218346176972011-10-03T08:09:00.000-07:002011-10-03T08:09:28.835-07:00Through Saturday only, watch the documentary "Food Matters" for free <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://foodmatters.tv/screeningeventcinema">HERE</a></b></span>. <br /><br />This is the trailer:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="264" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r4DOQ6Xhqss" width="460"></iframe></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8639381821834617697?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-19026922890442897682011-10-01T10:39:00.001-07:002011-10-01T10:39:52.108-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WdYzmMkeaBU/TodFVyjiOyI/AAAAAAAAFSA/-5NlQ0K-X_8/s1600/DSC_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WdYzmMkeaBU/TodFVyjiOyI/AAAAAAAAFSA/-5NlQ0K-X_8/s400/DSC_0521.JPG" width="267"></a></div><br><div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday, I was shopping with only Miriam and Anna. As I was waiting in the checkout aisle, an elderly lady from one lane over left her cart to step over to where we were and admire the girls. She especially loved the baby, and joked that she wanted to take her home. In passing, she mentioned &quot;I was never able to have any children of my own&quot; before heading back to where she had left her husband with the cart. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/no-regrets.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1902692289044289768?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-17087960316911155782011-09-30T07:58:00.004-07:002011-09-30T08:06:24.687-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">Last week, I ran over to the produce house to buy a case of organic on the vine tomatoes to make roasted tomato soup.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EPyfarEeGeg/ToXUGxmc0rI/AAAAAAAAFRo/9zKCbzJbfpI/s1600/DSC_0520.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EPyfarEeGeg/ToXUGxmc0rI/AAAAAAAAFRo/9zKCbzJbfpI/s400/DSC_0520.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-love-coke.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1708796031691115578?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-84513031056585159042011-09-28T01:02:00.001-07:002011-09-28T01:02:29.015-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Today, our oldest is turning 10 - the whopping double digit birthday! No longer am I the mother of only little kids. How exciting, and how sad. It really does go by in the blink of an eye!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is just past midnight as I am typing this, and I only just now finished decorating the main area of the house. As I was doing that, I started wondering how many times before I had decorated late at night, after also doing my regular chores, wrapping presents, and working on last minute preparations. That would be 30 between all the kids - thirty birthdays complete with parties, decorations, special meals, gifts, cake, and the whole nine yards. And to think our oldest is only ten. Wow, funny how a birthday here and a birthday there adds up so quickly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/growing-up.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8451303105658515904?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-17077623512606565282011-09-26T07:03:00.003-07:002011-09-26T07:44:48.828-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">My apologies for still not having answered all the questions from the <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/04/another-q.html">Q&amp;A back in May</a>. To see my previous posts on this, please click the <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Q%20%2B%20A">Q&amp;A label</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/q-answers-part-iv.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1707762351260656528?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-46271078747086770902011-09-23T05:40:00.001-07:002011-09-23T05:40:00.161-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday, as I was yet again dealing with a mess caused by one of the children, I was trying to figure out why taking care of children can be so wearisome even though I love them so much and would never rather do anything else. Then it hit me - as mothers, we are always the ones <i>fixing </i>everything, getting it back in the &quot;right&quot; condition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/fixer-uppers.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4627107874708677090?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-49490720962290606292011-09-22T08:46:00.001-07:002011-09-22T08:49:51.054-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZ0IdfKceiY/TntXji3a2nI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/fnoKSihTiZI/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have been having such a great homeschooling schedule this year. The boys are now old enough to work without constantly distracting each other. Plus, now that I have more &quot;students&quot; than kids who mostly just play, the older ones aren&#39;t just constantly trying to sneak off and get out of working because their younger siblings are playing. Make no mistake, they really are not overworked and deprived of time with their younger siblings - they have all of their &quot;seat work&quot; (i.e. boring Math and English worksheets and books) done before lunch every day, leaving our afternoon time for the funner, more hands-on interactive subjects such as history, science, geography, German, art, etc. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/its-zoo-arond-here.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4949072096229060629?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-88888320345490564962011-09-21T06:00:00.001-07:002011-09-21T06:00:07.971-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Dear readers near and far, do you happen to have horse chestnut trees where you live? </div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/a/i/trees/horse-chestnut-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/a/i/trees/horse-chestnut-3.jpg" width="400"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/horse-chestnuts-anyone.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8888832034549056496?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-50137348731586475562011-09-20T05:37:00.001-07:002011-09-20T07:12:43.735-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Some of you may have heard me talk about <span id="goog_656231367"></span><a href="http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/">Bountiful Baskets<span id="goog_656231368"></span></a> before. We have been participating in their produce co-op for at least three years now. In the last year or so, it sadly has become very disappointing in terms of quality and quantity. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, I explored the option of instead starting my own &quot;mini co-op&quot; with local friends that I know are into healthy/organic eating. Many of these I know from being a drop site for <a href="http://www.azurestandard.com/">Azure Standard</a>, another great co-op we get most of our groceries from. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/where-theres-will-theres-way.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5013734873158647556?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-16983487291095369562011-09-18T23:36:00.000-07:002011-09-18T23:36:47.158-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes people ask me where I get all the energy I seem to have, or how I have time to do this or that. Personally, I don&#39;t think I have unusual amounts of energy, nor do I get everything done that I need or want to. But, working slow and steady, I often find myself surprised at all the stuff I got done once night comes around. Of course, there is always more that DIDN&#39;T get done than what did. So I am not writing this because I am some sort of authority or source of special wisdom on this question. These are just some tips that someone else might benefit from.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/maximizing-your-time-and-increasing.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1698348729109536956?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-78621150290293138982011-09-13T09:06:00.001-07:002011-09-13T09:06:28.947-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Did you know it was my 4-year blog anniversary yesterday? No? Well, that&#39;s okay, because I forgot about it, too. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today, something new and never seen before: a VIDEO tutorial! My apologies about the sound, because it came out much too quiet, but if you turn your speakers all the way up it should work. Maybe later I have time to fiddle with it and figure out how to amplify the sound.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-we-memorize-bible-verses.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7862115029029313898?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-64382598082474750782011-09-12T14:51:00.002-07:002011-09-12T15:04:12.730-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Whew, can you tell I have been busy? You know I have too much on my plate when I no longer even have time to <i>blog</i>. This being my last and only hobby, when I don&#39;t have time for that, it means I am working all day, every day, without so much as a break.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just a few random blurbs on recent going-ons:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/monday-blurbs.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6438259808247475078?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-70586300317305999472011-09-07T00:05:00.001-07:002011-09-07T00:05:43.506-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Our first day of homeschooling went very well today. For those of you who are interested, I will give a brief re-cap of the day, which was actually a very typical day for us. While I don&#39;t have a set minute-by-minute schedule, I do follow a certain pattern every day.</div><br><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/day-one.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7058630031730599947?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-68624058498587903702011-09-06T00:06:00.001-07:002011-09-06T00:07:34.225-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">NOT Back to School for us is tomorrow. I refuse to start a new school year before September. It&#39;s just not right. Starting any sooner would be like celebrating Christmas in November.The kids are excited. Miriam kept telling me today, &quot;I&#39;m so nervous! I don&#39;t know if I can do it! Maybe it&#39;s too hard!&quot; She is going into K-5, for crying out loud, and she has a very gentle and slow-paced curriculum. She has a tendency to agonize over little things. Thankfully, she is learning in the safety of our family.  </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today, the last day of summer break, I finally finished writing the lesson plans for this year. That usually takes all my spare time for a couple of weeks. Yesterday, I spent a solid two hours agonizing over just what new German books to order the kids from Amazon in Germany - does that count as planning? Oh, what would I do without access to books and materials from the Old Country???</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PY2npyALGnI/TmW62d3b4rI/AAAAAAAAFNg/C21HhW2onJE/s1600/lesson+plan.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PY2npyALGnI/TmW62d3b4rI/AAAAAAAAFNg/C21HhW2onJE/s400/lesson+plan.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click on image to enlarge, click again to enlarge even more. </span></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/new-year-of-home-education.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6862405849858790370?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-58204767753531176722011-09-02T13:36:00.000-07:002011-09-02T13:36:43.689-07:00<div class="ingredients" style="margin-top: 10px;"><h3 style="text-align: center;">Ingredients</h3><ul><li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 1-1/2 cups chili powder</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 2 tablespoons garlic powder</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 2 tablespoons onion powder</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 2 tablespoons dried oregano</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 1/4 cup paprika</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 3/4 cup ground cumin</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 1/2 cup sea salt</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;"> 1/2 cup black pepper</li> <li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="text-align: center;">if you like it spicy: up to 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (I use none)</li> </ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 4 cups - 1/4 cup equals a packet of store-bought taco seasoning.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tastes great for making tacos, taco soup, fajitas, burritos, etc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5820476775353117672?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-39148621738686302392011-08-30T18:35:00.004-07:002011-09-02T15:47:48.570-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">On a recent post, there were a few comments regarding the swim suit I sewed for Miriam, so I wanted to elaborate a bit more on it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AY2f0NGiw58/Tl2HQqWuBuI/AAAAAAAAFNA/eoqafJAB1jA/s1600/DSC_0353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AY2f0NGiw58/Tl2HQqWuBuI/AAAAAAAAFNA/eoqafJAB1jA/s400/DSC_0353.JPG" width="267"></a> </div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/swimsuits-take-ii.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-3914862173868630239?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-49078748147943473162011-08-30T14:59:00.022-07:002011-09-02T15:49:45.629-07:00Just kidding on the title, of course. :) My husband made this funny video with the kids.<br /><br /><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RZUEQOeyWjY" width="420"></iframe><br /><br />If you enjoyed this, you may also like (in chronological order) "<a href="http://youtu.be/dvlQTLJ9hk0">Lego Firefighters</a>", "<a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/10/20000-leagues-under-sea_10.html">20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</a>" and "<a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2010/02/life-of-moses.html">The Life of Moses</a>."</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4907874814794347316?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-74604251508890547472011-08-28T15:23:00.004-07:002011-09-02T15:48:30.558-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">All week long I look forward to Sunday afternoons. The way it works out with the morning service and lunch, all three girls nap at the same time right after we are done eating. My husband is almost always out for church between the morning and evening services, and the boys are already used to having their &quot;silent times&quot; every day so it&#39;s no different for them on Sundays. We try to get the chores caught up on Saturday, and being gone for church on Sunday morning helps with the house staying reasonably clean. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-love-sunday-afternoons.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7460425150889054747?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-58975789453349183862011-08-28T07:03:00.002-07:002011-08-28T07:03:00.422-07:00Did you know that I am a procrastinator? I am. The bigger the task, the less I even want to think about it.<br><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Put it off for a day and ten will go by. - Chinese Proverb</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two projects I have been dreading were organizing our bedroom, and the school room. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/procrastination.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5897578945334918386?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-66368315359372537502011-08-27T00:49:00.000-07:002011-08-27T00:49:33.222-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Our family likes granola bars, particularly <a href="http://www.naturespath.com/products/bars%20and%20cookies?tid=7&amp;brand=All&amp;nutri=All">Chococonut and Peanut Choco</a>. Since we go through one box just for everyone to get one bar, but most of us usually want a second one, I have been looking for a good recipe to make my own.</div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/recipe-for-granola-bars.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6636831535937253750?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-74103465529476987872011-08-26T10:11:00.001-07:002011-08-27T00:16:22.018-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Back in 3rd and 4th grade, I had a teacher that I remember distinctly. He taught our class for all grades except arts/crafts - even P.E. This was at a little country school in Germany. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My teacher was rather strict. If students acted up, or talked out of turn, he would pull their ears. Like, waaaaay up. Almost-lifting-you-off-your-feet/bottom-up. Not that I ever got my ears pulled for popping off or anything... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-homeschool-cuz-im-lazy.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7410346552947698787?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-22598878183988405232011-08-25T08:19:00.000-07:002011-08-25T08:19:16.302-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">For your viewing pleasure and a little (okay, a lot) of comic relief, please enjoy this absolutely hilarious, albeit entirely extrabiblical, banter by none other than <a href="http://www.hardpreaching.com/page4.html#schaap">Dr. Jack Schaap</a>.</div><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18099567?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Oh, I love this clip! It makes me laugh tears every time I watch it. <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2259887818398840523?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-44945640853242372332011-08-23T20:33:00.001-07:002011-08-23T20:39:20.466-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">... our new puppy, &quot;Lucy&quot;. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uyaVIHsQIF8/TlRvAd8Ta5I/AAAAAAAAFMI/5Al5LqD6pdA/s1600/DSC_0305+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uyaVIHsQIF8/TlRvAd8Ta5I/AAAAAAAAFMI/5Al5LqD6pdA/s400/DSC_0305+%25282%2529.JPG" width="328"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/introducing.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4494564085324237233?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-69192706913327532992011-08-22T10:03:00.002-07:002011-08-22T10:04:23.486-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">For lack of time, I used random.org to determine the winner of the board game giveaway. In case the number fell on a commenter who was not interested in the prize (as expressed in the comment), or not eligible because they lived outside the US, the next commenter below was going to win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InBU2cXu4G4/TlKKNhmfJEI/AAAAAAAAFMA/aC2qhm5iVrk/s1600/random+number.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InBU2cXu4G4/TlKKNhmfJEI/AAAAAAAAFMA/aC2qhm5iVrk/s1600/random+number.JPG"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which means the winner is.... <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/and-winner-is.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6919270691332753299?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-1527695647872753832011-08-22T00:00:00.002-07:002011-08-22T00:13:00.562-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Caution, reading this blog may be injurious to your health. The author assumes no liability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I realized I didn&#39;t make it clear what I meant by &quot;canning cantaloupe&quot; - unlike most fruit, cantaloupe cannot simply be canned in syrup and then processed in a hot water bath. I won&#39;t go into the specifics, but basically it is not acidic enough and would need to be processed in a pressure canner. Since cantaloupe is so soft, that would turn it into mush, so there is no effective way to can cantaloupes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/read-at-your-own-risk.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-152769564787275383?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-11515197971274910232011-08-20T10:43:00.001-07:002011-08-22T00:02:12.228-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Today, I have a bunch of stuff that needs to be done in the kitchen. Mostly, because there is so much produce available this time of year - more than we can eat fresh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At 6:45 this morning, me and five kids left to go pick up our produce share basket with Bountiful Baskets. My husband and Solomon were gone on a business trip. From Bountiful Baskets, we went straight to the Phoenix Downtown Farmer&#39;s Market, because I needed some more pickling cucumbers. The stand where we bought them also had organic watermelons and cantaloupes for cheap, so I bought 2 of the first and 9 of the latter, plus some apples because the kids eat those like crazy.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/kitchen-day.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1151519797127491023?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-78239308414287404892011-08-19T00:21:00.000-07:002011-08-19T00:21:44.160-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><i>Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus&#39; feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. </i><br>(Luke 10:38-42)</blockquote></div><br><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the famous story of Martha and Mary. Martha is worried about getting the chores, housework, and cooking done, while Mary is more concerned about the spiritual matters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To be quite honest, I do not like reading this story. It seems like some sort of cruel joke, even though of course I know it isn&#39;t. I think about it often. Especially at 5 am when I&#39;m getting up to tend to a needy child, after what seems like 5 minutes of sleep that night. What do you chose when you stayed up until midnight the night before pairing socks so everyone would be able to find a pair the next day? The extra hour of sleep you know you need to make it through the day without losing your sanity before breakfast, or a quiet half hour to read your Bible? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/martha-vs-mary.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-7823930841428740489?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-51024082465275619282011-08-18T01:13:00.001-07:002011-08-18T10:45:17.522-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">As I have mentioned before, Anna has been having the worst time teething. It&#39;s been hard on all of us. Our usually happy, smiling, content baby that had fallen into a wonderful sleep pattern has been cranky, irritable, fussy, restless, and generally MAD. She has not gone to sleep before about 11 PM but twice this whole month, and on those two nights she woke up again and kept us up until well past midnight. Both her and I are a bleary-eyed mess.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7L5pH_G04fw/TkzHZoWy39I/AAAAAAAAFLs/GUJVZAN2J34/s1600/DSC_0216+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7L5pH_G04fw/TkzHZoWy39I/AAAAAAAAFLs/GUJVZAN2J34/s400/DSC_0216+%25282%2529.JPG" width="267"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A nectarine popsickle - yummy, but didn&#39;t help.</i></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/amber-grail-of-teething-relief.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5102408246527561928?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-42580294690134070792011-08-15T08:00:00.001-07:002011-08-15T08:27:57.034-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Life is never dull around here. Last week, I canned 32 lbs of peaches and processed 24 lbs of nectarines (used fresh in smoothies and froze for &quot;winter&quot;). I used honey for canning instead of sugar as explained in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Putting-Up-Honey-Preserving-Cookbook/dp/0930356136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1313420102&amp;sr=8-1">this book</a>. Sadly, it is no longer in print, but the information contained in it is entirely up to date and in line with today&#39;s canning standards. Truly a wonderful book!<br><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ndWTPcmn104/Tkkx6dqy_2I/AAAAAAAAFLQ/KjpYSZqTZkc/s1600/DSC_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ndWTPcmn104/Tkkx6dqy_2I/AAAAAAAAFLQ/KjpYSZqTZkc/s400/DSC_0081.JPG" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Just before being processed. We got a total of 15 quarts. </i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/crazy-busy.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4258029469013407079?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-3600871015286067182011-08-13T00:28:00.003-07:002011-08-13T00:37:03.477-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Have you ever wondered what people who do not have a television do for entertainment?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hedgedruid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/no-tv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://www.hedgedruid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/no-tv.jpg" width="400"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/from-bored-to-board-game-and-giveaway.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-360087101528606718?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-46031087956185718502011-08-09T11:18:00.003-07:002011-08-09T11:26:55.406-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SW1ejfCD0S4/TkFq7V2MphI/AAAAAAAAFKk/15FRQYHeeX0/s400/DSC_0063.JPG" width="267"></div><br><div style="text-align: justify;">You know the <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chinese proverb</b></span> that says:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: #a64d79; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.</i></span></div><div style="color: #a64d79; text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/get-ready-to-melt.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-4603108795618571850?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-80039608862819640902011-08-09T00:00:00.002-07:002011-08-09T00:09:19.677-07:00My husband and I have been so blessed to have our wonderful children, and the Bible to guide us in raising them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.<br><br><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~</div><br><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, I was having a particularly rough day where everything seemed to be going wrong. Plus, I was tired from battling allergies. While the boys were playing in the pool in the afternoon, I noticed them whispering with each other. Suddenly, they all got out and announced they were tired of swimming, something they NEVER say so I knew they must be up to something. They urged me to take the girls swimming and relax in the water with them for a while, &quot;at least an hour&quot;, while they would just entertain themselves in the house.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/look-at-fruit-not-tree.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-8003960886281964090?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-62230602614738612392011-08-07T16:05:00.003-07:002011-08-07T16:12:25.716-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">These traditional German rolls are quick and easy to make, inexpensive, perfect for entertaining, and absolutely delicious!</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zMaQ5ifmsXk/Tj8QIiD1anI/AAAAAAAAFJk/2jm8AC3iFmg/s1600/DSC_0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zMaQ5ifmsXk/Tj8QIiD1anI/AAAAAAAAFJk/2jm8AC3iFmg/s400/DSC_0278.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/recipe-for-partybrot.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6223060261473861239?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-63638806268989937092011-08-04T22:06:00.003-07:002011-08-04T22:10:31.751-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">For those of you who were excited about a special giveaway to celebrate this here <span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>700th blog post </b></span>of mine, I am sorry. My 1-year menu plan is not quite finished, and short of not blogging again until it is done, I decided to do the giveaway next month for my 4-year blogging anniversary, which should give me enough time to finish up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/letdown-post-plus-kitchen-tip.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-6363880626898993709?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-58176471416219318352011-08-03T22:46:00.001-07:002011-08-03T23:39:15.536-07:00<ul style="text-align: center;"><li>My husband found a scorpion in the middle of a room last week when we got home at night. He said it was HUGE, and he is not one to exaggerate. I find myself afraid to walk barefoot in the house any more. I mean, I know that <i>technically </i>there are scorpions, snakes, and other mean critters in Arizona, but we have never before seen one on our property.</li></ul><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/random-blurbs.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5817647141621931835?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-6893501568822359372011-08-03T00:08:00.001-07:002011-08-03T23:39:59.768-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c1sqGmYTh1A/TjjwDg5xsbI/AAAAAAAAFH4/g0uy1YanpSo/s1600/DSC_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c1sqGmYTh1A/TjjwDg5xsbI/AAAAAAAAFH4/g0uy1YanpSo/s400/DSC_0226.JPG" width="400"></a></div><br><div style="text-align: justify;">John, who is 6, is our little artist. If he is off somewhere quietly, I know he is drawing pictures. His hands are permanently stained from markers. There are pictures he drew in every room of the house, taking over all horizontal surfaces, as well as my fridge doors.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/it-definitely-beats-writing-on-walls.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-689350156882235937?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-54388062554102441412011-08-02T22:39:00.001-07:002011-08-03T23:44:05.653-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">This recipe was born out of a need to quickly use up a 15-lb case of organic nectarines before they would spoil. It has become an absolute favorite in our house! Nectarines, like peaches, are on the &quot;dirty dozen&quot; of conventionally grown produce, so look for organic ones. In the summer, our local Sam&#39;s Club carries 4 lb boxes of organic nectarines for about $6.50 - maybe yours does, too. Peaches make a great substitute for some or all of the nectarines.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zm7SIov5RtU/Tjje3L1yKNI/AAAAAAAAFH0/pzMzXMYuFMw/s1600/CSC_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zm7SIov5RtU/Tjje3L1yKNI/AAAAAAAAFH0/pzMzXMYuFMw/s400/CSC_0148.JPG" width="267"></a></div><br><br><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/nectarine-smoothie.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-5438806255410244141?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-27395189090245689782011-08-01T23:55:00.001-07:002011-08-03T23:44:51.543-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">There is a somewhat modern movement out there called &quot;Natural Parenting&quot;, or &quot;Attachment Parenting&quot;. Really, all that is modern about it is the name, as the concept of being a failure of a parent and not raising decent kids is as old as humankind itself. Anyway, I am here to pick apart &quot;Natural Parenting&quot;. Buckle your seat belts.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/unnatural-parenting.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-2739518909024568978?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-14713818720521932002011-08-01T09:30:00.001-07:002011-08-03T23:45:42.581-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">As I <a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/07/kitchen-challenge.html">mentioned a couple of weeks ago</a>, my health goals for July were to never use the microwave, or any processed sugar.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/microwave-no-more.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-1471381872052193200?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3454355557116314654.post-9806251070430066502011-07-25T07:45:00.001-07:002011-08-03T23:46:34.561-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">The last four days have been a blur. If this is incoherent, I apologize.<br><br><br></div><a href="http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-am-married-to-old-geezer.html#more">Keep reading...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3454355557116314654-980625107043006650?l=stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Zsuzsannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03062136377263894876noreply@blogger.com23