Walkin' On Sunshine Day 9

It was 2 miles for me today. How did everyone do?! :-)

"The little farmhouse is waiting

Beneath the maples' rich yellow;

Corn shocks stand with pumpkins near,

And frost-nipped apples are mellow.

The red barn is filled with grain,

Cellar shelves hold treasures;

Oh, I am thankful to be living,

To share in autumn's pleasures!"

~Earle J. Grant

from Ideals magazine

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Days Gone By" by Jim Hansel

Farmhouse Hamburger Soup

Farmhouse Hamburger Soup
8 servings

oil
½ onion, chopped fine
1 pound ground beef

2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can corn, drained
1 can green beans, drained

1 can baby peas, drained
2 potatoes, chopped
1 cup baby carrots

1 small can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
lots of freshly ground black pepper
cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream
tobasco sauce

Cook onions in oil until tender; add ground beef and cook until beef is done. Place onions and beef in a large stock pot (or crock pot). Add tomatoes, corn, green beans, peas, potatoes, carrots, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and seasonings. Simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender. Top with cheese, sour cream and tabasco sauce to taste. Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

I am trying this in the crock pot since it is soccer practice night. I am hoping four hours on high will cook the potatoes and carrots. :-)

Edited to add - four hours was just right!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup, Jam Hands Recipe Roundup August.

Homemade Hot Cocoa

I've always thought the color of hot cocoa

was the loveliest color in the world! ;-)

Hot Cocoa
4 servings

2 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup water
3 cups total of milk and/or cream to taste

Mix sugar and cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth. Place over low heat until mixture boils. Add milk; heat until scalded. Do not boil. Just before serving, stir smooth. Pour into a favorite mug and enjoy!

Country Oatmeal

There really isn't much decision to make, 

as far as what to have for breakfast on a rainy autumn morning... :-)

Country Oatmeal
2 servings

1 cup water
¾ cup milk
1 cup quick oats

Bring water and milk to a boil. Add oats and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Cover, remove from heat and let sit 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with your choice of butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon. Curl up in a cozy chair and enjoy!

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 8

Who's out there walkin' on sunshine? I'm going to leave the doggie at home tomorrow and try to get 2 miles in. :-)

Happy Columbus Day!

Activities -
Enchanted Learning crafts - Columbus
We chose to do the color-by-number, alphabet code, and map activity.

Books -
Monday
I, Christopher Columbus
by Lisl Wiel
Things to Make and Do for Columbus Day
by Gail Gibbons
Tuesday
1492 Year of Columbus
by Genevieve Foster
Wednesday and Thursday
Columbus
by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire
Friday
I, Columbus My Journey 1492-1493
edited by Peter and Connie Roop

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
24 servings

for filling
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
for muffins
2 1/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon all spice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup oil

For the filling, beat cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth; set aside. Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Divide half of the batter among 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Drop filling by teaspoonfuls over batter. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks and enjoy!

Supper Menus
October 13th-19th

Monday
"Columbus Day Dinner" super easy super cheesy lasagna, caesar salad, italian bread
Tuesday
hamburger soup, jalapeno cheese cornbread
Wednesday
Mrs. Wilt's saucy chicken sandwiches, lettuce and tomato salad
Thursday
texas chili, johnny cake, rustic autumn fruit tart
Friday
pot roast, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls
Saturday
steaks, corn and bell peppers on the grill, baked potatoes, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls, Laura Ingalls Wilder's gingerbread

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 7

We're 1/3 of the way done! Didn't that go by quickly?! I only got in a token walk this evening - ran out of daylight. How did you do today? Please leave your progress in the comments! :-)

If anyone would like to be a "Sunshine Walker" for the last 2 weeks of Walkin' On Sunshine, please feel free to post a comment and let us know you're joining in! :-) Happy Walking!

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 6

We're one more day closer to the goal! How did everyone do today? Post your time and/or distance for Saturday. It's ok to miss a day or two. I'm just trying for the 21 days in a row to get that habit back in my mind - to feel like something is missing if I haven't walked. Happy Sunshine Walking! :-)

Napkin Folding

My daughter was taught a nice way to fold a napkin at her last 4H meeting. She would like to share the instructions with you!

Start with a square napkin.

Fold it in half.

And fold it in half again.

Fold down the first corner.

And then fold down the second...

...and third corners.

Pick up the napkin and turn it over.

Then fold one corner in...

...and then the other corner.

Turn it over again. Now your napkin is complete and...

...you have a pocket to put your silverware in! Fun!

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 5

Sunshine Walkers, how did you do today?

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 4

Hi all you Sunshine Walkers! It's time to report your times and/or distances! Four days down, only seventeen to go! :-)

Comfort

"It doesn't matter what you have, someone else always has something bigger or better. And those decorating magazines can often give us great ideas but also a dose of the "gotta have it" syndrome. Maybe it's time to take a little break. Instead of focusing on "home beautiful", concentrate on what makes your home warm and caring. A place where you can express your God-given talents. No mater how little or how much you have, you can experience the results of a godly home. Make it more of a sanctuary in the best sense. A place of security, trust, and comfort. That comes from you. There's no decorating scheme in the world that can replace the role you play in your home!"

from "The One Minute Home Organizer"
by Emilie Barnes

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 3

We have two more Sunshine Walkers!

Welcome to
Linda and
Canadian in the Country

As you complete your walk (or other exercise) today, feel free to post your progress in the comments section here for Day 3!

"Pumpkins in the cornfields

Gold among the brown,

Leaves of rust and scarlet

Trembling slowly down.

Birds that travel southward

Lovely time to play,

Nothing is as pleasant

As an autumn day!"

~Author Unknown

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Harvest Memory" by John McNaughton

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 2

Hi Sunshine Walkers!

I think I'll put a post up each day of the Walkin' On Sunshine 21 days, so that participants can post their time and/or distance. I can also add the names of anyone who would like to join us - it's not too late. :-)

After your walks, don't you just feel like you can conquer the world! Or is that just me... ;-)

Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped vegetables of choice (onions, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini squash, carrots, mushrooms)
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
pinch of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce

Saute vegetables in oil until tender. Add seasonings, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve over pasta and enjoy.

Our sauce was extra special tonight with garden fresh peppers from Giggles's Mom. :-)

Do you have a pedometer?

They're great! This is a very simple one that I got at Wal-Mart for about $6. It keeps track of time, steps, mileage and calories burned. I have found it to only be accurate when I am actually out on a walk. If I clip it on when I am just walking around the house, it will say I walk 3 miles just unloading the dishwasher - haha! But when I am out walking for exercise, it is very accurate. And a great motivator!