Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

July 20, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

One of my favorite meals from last week was Chicken Bacon Ranch Pockets. The bacon was turkey, the pockets were wheat, and I used chicken from the freezer that I made last week.

chicken bacon ranch pocket

It made a nice meal, that was quick, easy, and didn’t heat up the kitchen too much.

On Wednesday last week, I cooked 5 pounds of hamburger. We had tacos that night, and I put 3 – 1 1/2 cup bags of taco meat in the freezer. I also put 3 – 1 cup bags of cooked hamburger in the freezer, too. Most likely, I will use it for spaghetti. But you never know.

freezer hamburger

That’s why I like to put plain meat in the freezer, so I can change my mind on what I am going to make if I want to. lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Chicken Stir Fry

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Turkey bacon, eggs, toast

Monday – chicken – Oven baked Chicken breast, rice, broccoli

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pizza, salad

Wednesday – Taco Night- beef or chicken – Beef Tacos with all the fixings

Thursday – chicken – Chicken from the freezer, homemade alfredo noodles, green beans

Friday – beef – Steak & Cheese pockets, broccoli

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

Our Homeschool Week in Review

July 17, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Well, it’s not really accurate to call this post Our Homeschool Week in Review. Since it’s been a couple of months since I’ve posted!

Quite a few things have happened since I last posted. I decided to rearrange the schoolroom. What a project that was!

homeschool schoolroom

I am still in the process of going through books and curriculum to get rid of. The books we are keeping are back on the shelves, so the room doesn’t look like this picture anymore. There are boxes of books now. All to be sold, or given away, very shortly.

We emptied out our craft room, and moved the contents to another room. We decided that we just had to get rid of most of these trophies. All eight of us have won trophies, and we have just run out of room for them all. There are actually a few trophies, like 20ish, that didn’t make it out here for the picture and sorting. We let the kids decide if they wanted to keep any of their trophies. Some did, some didn’t. My husband and I got rid of all of ours, but we kept the plaques.

Most of these trophies pictured were for model car shows. Some in my husbands pile were for real car shows. We did find a way to preserve the spirit of the trophies, without taking up as much room. I’ll share that at a later date.

trophies

Hannah finally got her license! She really didn’t care if she got it or not. lol She didn’t plan for her shirt to match the photo background. lol

hannah license

Our youngest daughter, 16, left in June for a summer mission trip. I will share at the end of the summer who she went with and where she went. I did get one phone call from her, and a few letters. She seems to be doing well, and working hard. In the beginning, she did say she was experiencing some major home and church sickness. She seems to have adjusted a little better now.

abby trip blog

I shared about my mother’s emotions missing my children yesterday.

Zach has been going to 4-H archery every other week all summer. They keep going until September. He just got back yesterday for a 4 day, 3 night kung fu camp that his kung fu instructor put on. He got some nice one on one training in, too. He leaves on Monday for church camp, and won’t be home until Friday afternoon.

Camps are keeping him busy this summer. That and video games. lol

To see more homeschooling posts, visit:
Weekly Wrap Up

A Mother’s Emotions

July 16, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

My youngest daughter, 16, left for a summer mission trip almost 3 weeks ago. I have been very emotional since she left. I just miss her very much. She’s been away to church camp before for 5 days at a time. And that never made me this emotional. In fact, I have had my 3 youngest all at church camp at the same time, and it didn’t effect me like this has been.

We have an older married daughter that lives in another county. I missed her like crazy when she moved out over 7 years ago. Our oldest son has moved away a few times, even to another state. I missed him, too. Our 20 year old son moved out about 2 weeks before our youngest went on her mission trip. I still miss him very much, too.

But none of those situations made me as emotional has I have been for the last two weeks.

Then our youngest, almost 15 year old son went to camp this week. I sure have missed him! But I didn’t get all emotional when I dropped him off at camp. And wasn’t extra emotional while he was gone. Well, it didn’t add anything extra to what I was already feeling.

And that got me to thinking. A lot.

I don’t love one child more than the rest of my children. So why such a strong emotional reaction to my 16 year old leaving?……

I came to the conclusion it is because I know this is the beginning of the end of my daughters time at home. And I’m not ready to let her go!

A Mother’s Emotions

She has told me since she was young that she wanted to be a missionary. While talking to her several times about college, she said she didn’t want to go to college. That if she did go, she would rather go to a Bible college. She said she didn’t care if she got a degree, she just wanted to go to study the Bible.

So I have a feeling, (mother’s intuition?) that she comes home next month, that she will say she wants to finish here remaining two high school classes, and go to Bible college starting in January. I won’t be surprised at all.

So I will learn to deal with my emotions. I will get them under control. Because I want her to go forward with her life. To be whatever God wants her to be. Whether she goes to college, or Bible college, becomes a teacher, nurse, etc, or becomes a missionary.

I know it’s not really the end of my time with her. It will just be different. And different is ok!

Don’t Miss Amazon Prime Day!!

July 13, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I have been a member of Amazon Prime for a few years now. I love it!

We can watch movies online for free and download music for free.

I really love the free shipping for most things I order, too!

I also have saved a lot of money over the years by being an Amazon Prime member.

Amazon has a Prime Day coming up on July 15th. They say the sales are going to be better than Black Friday Sales!

Sounds like there is going to be some great sales you won’t want to miss!

If you are not a Prime member, you can get a 30 day free trial and take advantage of the great sales on Prime Day!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

July 13, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I made this One Pot Pasta again last week. I made a couple of changes this time. I used canned tomatoes, instead of fresh. And I added some cooked hamburger I had in the freezer.

This dish tastes great, and is very easy to make.

I was out of canned diced tomatoes, so I used whole tomatoes and cut them up. I dumped all the tomatoes in the pan, and used my kitchen scissors to cut them up.

Quick & easy! And no cutting board to wash! lol

I also made Easy Chicken Curry last week. This has become a family favorite. It also only uses one pan and is easy to make.

I serve it over rice, but I have eaten it the next day for lunch without rice. It’s good that way, too.

I cooked up a couple of chicken breasts in coconut oil on Saturday to put in the freezer. The coconut oil adds a great flavor. If you let the chicken brown, it will get a little crispy on the outside, without any flour or batter. I love this on salads, or to make a quick chicken salad sandwich. Just defrost & eat! I love having my own homemade convenience foods!

I also sliced two chicken breasts and sauteed them in the coconut oil for supper that night. I served them with alfredo noodles, and peas & carrots. I did have some slices left to put in the freezer for another meal, too. 🙂 This was my plate, and I did have more chicken on it. I remembered after I started eating to take a picture! lol

Yes, those are noodles from a package! I bought a few of these to have on had for when my daughter’s teeth hurt after brace adjustments. They are easy for her to make whenever she wants one. Turns out, the family loves them. So I serve them once a month or so to keep them happy. It’s easy for me, too! lol I need to come up with a one pot alfredo noodle recipe!

I talked before about how I went from cooking for seven to cooking for 5. (One son moved out, another buys his own food & cooks for himself) My daughter left on a mission trip two weeks ago, so I have been down to cooking for 4. I don’t know how to cook for 4 people! lol This morning I dropped my youngest off at camp, then next week he goes to another camp. So I’m down to cooking for 3 people for the next couple of weeks. I have no idea how I am going to just cook for thee people! lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Chicken sauteed in coconut oil, alfredo noodles, peas & carrots

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Chicken tenders, homemade macaroni & cheese, green beans

Monday – chicken – Chicken, turkey bacon, lettuce & tomato stuffed pita pockets

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti with homemade meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- beef or chicken – Beef Tacos with all the fixings

Thursday – chicken – Baked chicken, rice, beets

Friday – beef – Fish fillets, oven roasted potatoes, carrots

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

7 Family Ministry Essentials

July 12, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I recently received 7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries (David C. Cook, June 2015) to review. With decades of ministry experience, Michelle Anthony and Megan Marshman capture the guiding essentials of life-changing family ministry in this new book for children ministry and student leaders.

These seven essentials for children and student leaders emphasize:

The seven essential points covered in the are.

1. Empowering families to take spiritual leadership in the home

2. Forming lifetime faith that transcends childhood beliefs

3. Teaching Scripture as the ultimate authority of truth

4. Understanding the role of the Holy Spirit to teach and transform

5. Engaging every generation in the gospel of God’s redemptive story

6. Making God central in every biblical narrative and daily living

7. Participating in community with like-minded ministry leaders

7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries

*This post contains an affiliate link.

7 Family Ministry Essentials will equip you with practical steps, inspirational stories, and a biblical foundation you need to be an effective leader.

Here’s a little bit about the authors of 7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries.

DR. Michelle Anthony is the vice president and publisher of learning resources at David C Cook and a popular speaker in the area of family ministry. She is the author of Spiritual Parenting, The Big God Story, and Becoming a Spiritually Healthy Family. Michelle has graduate degrees in Christian education, Bible and theology as well as over twenty-five years of family ministry experience. Michelle and her husband, Michael are the parents of two adult children and live in Colorado.

Megan Marshman is the director of student resources and production for David C Cook and has led and challenged thousands of students in their faith at Hume Lake Christian Camps. With a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Azusa Pacific University, Megan speaks nationally at churches, conferences, and university chapels. She and her husband, Randy, live in Long Beach, California.

7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries will change the way you work with, and listen to the children and youth you work with. I like the the book gives ways to work with the parents of the children you work with. Even if the parents don’t go to church themselves.

There are Ministry Assessment sections at the end of each chapter. Each one has three sections: Listen, So What? and Now What? to help you see where you are in your ministry, and what you need to do moving forward.

While 7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries is mainly for those in ministry, you will find many ideas and tips that you will be able to use in your home.

7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries is now available for purchase.

See what others are saying about 7 Family Ministry Essentials: A Strategy for Culture Change in Children’s and Student Ministries.

*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): I received a product sample for review purposes. I received no other compensation. I was not required to write a positive review. My opinions are my own.”

*This post contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and purchase something, I will receive a small commission.

Sitting In The Sun

July 9, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I really am not a fan of sitting on the sun. Sure, I laid out in the sun as a teen. Growing up on the beaches of Cape Cod I spent a lot of time on the beach. And I do remember laying out on my yard to get a tan as a teenager.

But now, as an adult, the sun is not my friend. You see, I passed out from the heat at an amusement park at the age of 18 and at the weight of 95 pounds. I guess from a heat stroke. (I never went to the doctor) Because ever since then I can not be in the sun for more than about a minute without feeling like I am going to pass out. For the last couple of years, any heat makes me feel sick. Even in the winter time if someones house is too warm, it makes me feel sick.

Sitting in the Sun

I hate it. I really do, because it makes me miss out on many fun times with my family. But there is nothing I can do about. It would make it easier, though, if my family was more understanding instead of pressuring me to go places and be outside when I say I can’t.

So I hate sitting in the sun. I also view it as a waste of time now. However my doctor told me to sit in the sun. I have an extremely low vitamin d level and the sun is the best cure for that. So here I sit in the sun.
I’m not having fun but at least I am being productive by typing on my phone and taking pictures of my view!

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