Rainy Days

Rainy Days

My family and I woke up early this morning

and it was a gloomy, rainy day out. The kids

were kind of down because there would be no

going outside, at least for the first part of the

day. Personally, I enjoy a good rainy day every once in a while, the windows open, the smell of rain blowing in the window, candle's lit, and everyone trapped in the house all cozy on the

couch reading books and listening to stories

on tape. Most of all, I realize how much I

enjoy my big porch. I line dry all of my clothes,

there for on a good rainy day my porch comes in handy, I don't like to get behind on my laundry

so I hang them out on the porch. The children went outside with me, while I was hanging them

they sat on the old porch swing, swinging away playing " The Car Game ". Yes, unfortunately, my cozy home gets neglected from its normal clean ups blankets on the floor, dishes in the sink, and books lying around, but I and the children take long naps that we older ones don't normally get. As we wake up, the sun is shining, there is a good breeze out, and the frogs are chirping. I wake my oldest up and ask him if he wants to go out frog hunting, and I have to go about cleaning up the mess that was left from our cozy gloomy day.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea is great to take while pregnant. It helps
to make your pelvic and uterine muscles strong for delivery. I take
it 2 times a day, 1 time in the morning, and 1 time before bed. I like
to put a cinnamon stick in it to add a little taste. At first I did not like
it, but now I enjoy the taste.

2 tablespoons to 1 cup of hot water
steep for 10 min
1st trimester drink 1 glass a day
2nd & 3rd trimester 2 glasses a day

The things I enjoy watching

Here are just a few things that I really enjoy watching..........

I enjoy watching my husband reading his Bible. Not only does he not just read for himself, for his family so he can be the husband and father that the Lord would want him to be. He is the light of my day when we wake up next to each other. I enjoy getting up early every morning to make his breakfast, coffee, making sure that his clothes are laid out for him, and he has everything he needs to get to work.

I love to see my children work together. There is nothing more beautiful than sisters and brothersthat get along and love one another.

This is ree roo in the chicken pin walking around enjoying getting dirty. She is just now learning how to walk well. It so sweet to see a child take her first baby steps, tripping and falling alongthe way.

Cooking With Chloe: Pork Chops......

Cooking With Chloe !!!!!!

We made a simple meal, but one that we all enjoy. Pork Chops, Apple Sauce, Potatos,

a nice little side of of fresh garden tomato's, some warm bread right out of the oven, and

some ice cold ice water.

Chloe always enjoys peeling the potato's, of coarse with some help from mommy. After

the potato's were peeled and sliced, we mix them with cream of chicken soup, sour cream,

a few diced onions, a little milk, and mixed well. We placed in the oven for about 1 hr. I

am sorry that I don't have the exact measurement's, but we just kind of mixed them

together the way that we like. I think that we did add a little pepper. ( I never add salt

to my meals, I place the salt on the table for daddy only ).

We cooked the pork chops in a skillet with a little butter. I cook them on low for a slow

cook, this way they will be nice and tender so you can cut them with a fork.

I had bread frozen in the freezer, Chloe smothered them with butter, and we placed them

in the oven till they were golden brown.

Apple Sauce is wonderful with pork chops.

A nice little side of Tomato's right out of the garden, delicious, and makes the plate look

lovely.

Rissy seems to like it very much, she had to go right to the bath!!!!!!!!!!

Boils

Last summer, our oldest son, Gage, popped up with a cluster of boils under his right arm. He maybe got 5 or 6 under one arm,and oh my was it painful for him, and depressing to mommy and daddy to see him in so much pain. We put hot compresses on them, cleaned them, and they went away. After about a week of playing and working in the hot sun, getting all hot and sweaty, some popped up on his bottom. Our poor little boy could not even sit, it broke our hearts to see him in this much pain. We prayed, he prayed, and we tried everything, but they kept popping up in new spots. This is when my husband and I started to get a little nervous, we thought it might be something in his blood, so after praying, we decided that maybe we needed to take him to the doctor. Being we don't have health insurance, and we like to do things as natural as possible, taking him to the doctor was serious to our family. He was put on an antibiotic, didn't work, they gave him a stronger pill, didn't work. What are we to do now ? I called different herb stores, nobody had an answer. At that time we did not have the Internet so that was not an option for us. A good friend of mine had came over and she had done some research on the Internet, and she found these 3 herbs that he could drink for 9 weeks and it would cleanse his body out. What a blessing it was, it was long and sometimes inconvenient, but well worth the time. The boils healed, and did not return.

Nettle Leaf - 2 times a day for 1 week
Burdock Root - 2 times a day for 1 week
Echinacea Purpurea Root- 2 times a day for 1 week

Repeat the cycle for 3 weeks in a row!!!!!

This is well worth the time, and it is good for you and your children. My son drinks at least 1 glass a day, because he enjoys it and he fears of getting boils. None have popped up on him this year.

Selfishness

Yesterday was just one of them days here at the Stroupe house, I was behind with house work from the busy weekend, and being gone all day Tuesday, grocery shopping, and seeing the midwife, so therefore Wednesday just did not want cooperate with me. Trying to catch up on house work, busted watermelon in the middle of the floor, and hanging out 5 loads of laundry. Top it off, last night Gage had soccer practice that we had to be at by 6:00, and Andrew had a side job to tend to so he was not able to take him. Anyhow, I was running out of time, so I had to leave clothes out on the line. When we got back, Andrew was on his way home, he had not ate supper yet, (clothes still on the line ) I fix hubby's supper, and Gage and I go out to put the chickens up. ( It is now dark time ). We were missing one chicken, so I asked Gage to go in and get daddy to come out and see if he could find her. Before Andrew had gotten out there I had found her, Andrew puts her in the hen house and we walk together toward the house. Oh my, still hanging, are the clothes, sense before soccer practice grrrrr. Here I am thinking, YES, I have help. I start to take them down one by one, hubby continues to walk to the house. My thoughts * I can not believe he is not helping me, here I am outside, 2 loads to take down and he continues to walk in the house *. I walk into the house with an arm load, Andrew is in the bathroom washing his hands after handling the chickens. I go outside to get the rest. The thought was going through my mind, * how could I think that, he worked for 8 hrs, went to do a side job, got home late, and all he wants to do is relax. All I can think about is me, me, me, it is my fault that they are still out here, and that I am behind on my duties as a wife and mother.* So as this is going through my mind, guess who comes outside to help, yep the most wonderful, unselfish,loving husband in the world. I asked him to go back inside, that I am almost done, and to go in and relax. When I went into the house I was telling him everything, and he just GRINNED........ So this morning all of this is going through my mind, I sit down to my Bible, and guess what I read.. 2 Timothy ch 3 2 & 3 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemeres, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy 3: Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent fierce, despisers of those that are good. AMEN

The Weekend

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth. KJV


As I am sitting here eating my egg and cheese sandwich and drinking my tea, taking a break

from the busy morning, 3 loads of laundry, hanging them all out, and another load waiting to

be hung, I am thinking WOW how did I get so far behind on house hold duties???? Our

weekends are a little different from some. My husband works on Saturdays so Sunday and

Mondays are our weekends. Almost every weekend I get behind because we like to spend

as much time as possible with Daddy. It may be cleaning the yard, mowing, or washing the

vans, no matter what it is the inside usually gets neglected.



I would like to share with you how our weekend went. Sunday we were gone all day long

to minister and be with some friends. The Lord took 2 of their children to be with him in

the same week last month. Monday, in the morning time I did get to hang 1 load out while

my husband, and 3 of my children replaced a tire on our van. I walked up with our

1 year old to see how it was going. It is really a lot of fun, and up lifting trying to teach our

children, diligence, joyfulness,and obedience. Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again say rejoice.

Philippians 4:4 KJV





























After they got done with working on the van, all of us started

in our garage, and oh my, if you

could have seen that mess you would think it would have taken a week to clean it out.

We were so busy we didn't get any pictures of us cleaning, but here is one of us resting, and

the results of the garage.













Here is a picture of the children when it is all done and over with.











Here is our youngest hard at work!!!!!!!!



Now I see why it is a blessing
to get behind on the weekend !

There Is No Greater Joy !!!!!!!!!!!