Homemade Broth

Each week my family roasts a whole chicken, ususally on Monday or Tuesday night. I roast it with celery, carrots, and onion underneith. I put it in the oven once my little one sits down to eat that nights meal (I don't get home until 5:30 so there is no way I could roast a chicken and eat it the same night!) and it's usually ready to come out about the time he's ready for his bath. I pull it out let it cool and after he's asleep I really get to work!

I break it down into leg quarters and take off the breast meat from the bone. I package everything up, including the bones and veggies from the pan.

Night 2 I take out the legs and cook up some veggies to go along with them. My son and I each get a leg (I usually send the thighs with hubby for his dinner). After dinner all the bones and veggies go into a pot with a fresh onion, rosemary, cracked pepper and salt. Cover everything with water and put on medium heat. I usually let it go for about an hour to 2 hours or until the liquid is reduced down some and golden in color.

I usually get about 2 cups of wonderful broth. Hope you enjoy!

A Christmas Survey
I have seen this on several blogs, so thought I would join in......

About the TREE....
1.When do you put up the Christmas tree? The day after Thanksgiving normally!
2. Real or fake? fake.
3. Lights? What color? Clear
4. Garland? Not this year...
5. Theme or no theme? I used to do a certain color but this year no glass balls with a 2 year old!
6. What kind of topper? An Angel
7. What's your favorite ornament? Two teddy bears in a santa hat, it was our first Christmas together!
8. What does your tree skirt look like? White with light green "whispy" trees
9. Where do you put your tree? In our dining room - note to readers: think about this before you purchase a large couch!
10. Who decorates the tree? Me and my son!
11.What's "under" the tree? Probably ornaments from where DS keeps taking them off
12. Do you put candy canes on your tree? nope!
About the FOODS....
1. What's your favorite Christmas cookie? sugar cookies
2. Do you bake cookies and give them away? I would love to but work'n momma is doing good to get dinner done most nights!
3. Any "special" foods or candy that you only have at Christmas time? chocolate covered cherries.
4. What do you eat Christmas EVE? BBQ (we are in NC after all!)
5. What do you eat on Christmas day? sausage balls, the hubby has oyster stew (gross!)
6. Do you like Eggnog?? NO.
7. Do you like candy canes? They are ok.
Decorations....
1. Where do you hang your stockings? I don't really know yet...
2. Do you put lights on your house? NO!
3. Got any outside lawn decorations? We have a simple white manger sceen (not out yet either)
4. Do you put up a nativity (creche)? no.
Do you hang mistletoe over the door? Nope.
6. Got a wreath on your front door? I should... dang, gotta work on this stuff!
7. How long does it take you to decorate? apparently longer than I thought!
About the movies/shows
1 . Favorite Children's Xmas TV show/cartoon? Rudolph.
2. Wonderful Life/Miracle on 34th St/A Christmas Carol (Scrooge)I like them all.
Favorite Christmas movie?? A Christmas Note
4. Have you ever seen the Nutcracker Suite Ballet live? No.
5. Ever been to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show?? No.
6. Ever gone to the movies on Xmas Day? No
Other Christmas things....
1. Favorite Christmas book or story? The Christmas story from the Bible.
Do you stuff your stockings with any types of food? Hubby gets candy
3. Do you go to church on Christmas or Christmas Eve? No, services start at 9pm!
4. Have you ever gone Caroling? Yes
5. Favorite Christmas Carol? Away in a Manger
6. Do you believe in Santa? Nope... don't tell Mom!
7. Do you leave Santa cookies? No
8. What about Rudolph...Nope
9. What was your best Christmas gift? Can't really think of any material items...
10. What was the worst/most odd gift? My MIL gave me a toilet bowl brush (one of the ones that comes with disposable heads) one year. I still think of her when I scrub my toilet :)
11. Do you go to a "work" Christmas party? every year!
12. Do you hate going? No, we are all good Godly people having a good time!
13. Do you send Christmas cards? I always sent Christmas cards! Guess I need to get on that too.
14. Do you make a "list"? yes, several
15. Do you check it twice? & thrice & etc...ususally it gets lost...
16.When do you start shopping? January 1st!
17.Do you shop on Black Friday? I used to. there is a technique to it.
20. ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS? LOL! - That is a funny question!
Now it's your turn!

I found this great blog - http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com
and thought I would try it out...

FOR TODAY... from Jess' Daybook

Outside my window... rain

I am thinking... that there must be a better way to balance a checkbook!

I am thankful for... a King who is still on the throne! (AMEN!)

I am wearing... jeans and a purple sweater

I am remembering... My (currently sleeping) baby's laugh

I am going... to bed soon I hope!

I am currently reading... Help Me, I'm Married! - Joyce Myer

I am hoping... That when my hubby gets home he will be joyful to see me even if it is 11:30PM!

On my mind... Christmas...

From the learning rooms... snoring!

Noticing that... I only have days until Christmas!

Pondering these words... Be Not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

From the kitchen... Hopes of breakfast :)

Around the house... Christmas decoration boxes (I think that they breed during the year!)

One of my favorite things... Thick Blankets for stormy North Carolina nights

Desire

My post today is about something that has been deep within me since my childhood: the desire to be a Godly wife and mother.

Growing up my Mom, whom I love and respect more now than ever, was a stay at home wife and mother. She took on part time jobs to supplement my dad's income and help out with gifts but mostly she tended to us (there are three) and our many pets (we had horses, dogs, goats, birds, chickens, you name it!). It wasn't easy for or on her but it was wonderful to have her there, always with us.

Sadly, she and my MIL are the only women I know personally that were stay at home Moms. I have met many wonderful women through following blogs who stay at home with there children, raising them, teaching them and mostly loving them.

I so desire this lifestyle! I want more children (I only have one sweet ds) and to be at home with them teaching them how to live for God! I know there must be other women out there who feel this way, yet have to work outside of the home and put their children in daycare and public school. My husband doesn't understand. I have worked the numbers upside and downside and we cannot afford to live off my hubbys salary alone, plus when I was on maternity leave with our ds he nearly went crazy worrying about the money. I couldn't dare put him through that kind of stress when I could easily help out with the income.

What do we do about our desire to be home?
As I was praying on this last night (forgive me if I've bored you to this point!) I came to a revelation of sorts...
Titus 2:5 reads:
5to be sensible, pure, (H)workers at home, kind, being (I)subject to their own husbands, (J)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
If I am working for the betterment of our home in good and honest profession I am being a worker at home! I am being subject to my hubby! I am honoring God! I realized that at this season in our life I must do what any Godly wife would do by bringing in a salary to help keep our home, to help buy groceries, to give us the security of being able to go to the doctor when we are sick. I am selfish and I am working on that, but I think am where God wants me to be. I must make myself understand (the hardest part!) this. I'll keep praying until I do!

Blessings 'yall! Jess

A FEW THINGS ABOUT ME - BLOG PARTY

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?

Water (and maybe some chips)
2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
God in my life

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
Farm, if I could stay at home with the babies and tend to the farm I would be completely happy!

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Right now it is vacuuming. This is usually my favorite chore but latley my 2year old ds wants to "help" and we both wind up crying!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
Don't have a clue!

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?
Home with the Family. I don't like being in big crowds.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Cold Mountain, the romance of waiting and wondering while he tries his best to return...

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?
Ususally forget to put it on in the first place!

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
I love making clothes!

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Cleaning under stuff (my house can be covered in dust but under the dressers and beds are spottless! kind of obsession I can't explain)

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
His kindness

12. What is something you love to smell?
Clean laundry and my ds after his bath, oh yeah and my hubby when he gets home from a hard day at work... I guess that's three things but they are all so differant!

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
my "correcting". We live in the south (I was born and raised here) but I don't talk like it. It gets on my hubby's last nerve when I correct his speech.

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Usually buy something for my ds or dh.

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
LOL! I love a good belly laugh!

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
The Cloth Barn (a local fabric shop)

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Spend time with my family. I wish I could be a stay at home mom and have more kids.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
Frugal!

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)
Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov from Crime & Punishment. I've read it too many times!

you want to be famous?
nope... I wouldn't like it a bit!

You can visit Lynnette's party here: http://lynnettekraft.blogspot.com/

A BAPTISM IN TIME...

This past Sunday one of the young boys in my church was baptised and announced he was ready to give his life to the Lord. Watching this brought back a flood of memories from my own baptismal.

It was a big ceremony and several of us from young (I believe the youngest was 7) to old took the path of Christ that day. My sister and myself included. I was terrified that I would look stupid in front of the congregation. Those pre-teen years are so funny with things like that. I expected to feel different. Like the weight of the world was lifted and I could jump for the first time! Unfortunately I just felt wet and soggy. I was 11 and wanted that special thing that we all look for so hard only to find it in our own hearts!

It has been 13 years since then and a whole lot has happened! Just recently I feel as though I have really taken that baptism seriously. I think I should have waited but then I wonder if it would have ever caught me if I had (kind of like taking a year off from school only to realize that I'm 24, a wife and a Mom, oops!). Maybe I'm not thinking about it right, maybe it's just the symbol, the path has to already be set and this is just letting everyone know your choice.

1 Peter 3:21-22
21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge† of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand–with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

This past year has really changed my perspective. I've really and truly found God in my life. I've opened myself to him and hope to learn more everyday. 13 years is a long time for something to "kick" in. I've gotten married, it was a good christian wedding, but I didn't really get it. Last year I had our first son. His birth was a wonderful thing. I have spent countless hours since trying to figure out how to be the best mother possible. This has led me to God. I cannot be a good mother (or wife, daughter, etc.) with out Him. I can't love my son until I love Jesus. Wow. How simple!

Back to Sunday afternoon...
I wondered about this boy, I don't really know him other than from seeing him in church. He seems quite. I couldn't really know. All I know is that he has openly and willingly given his life to Christ. He has been forgiven and cleansed. Now all he has to do is open the door to God. That knocking in the background shouldn't be ignored! I hope he doesn't wait as long as I did.

I know this has been random...I'll try better to stay on task.

Blessings,

Jess