The Urban Homemaker Blog

Category: Family

The Ultimate Family Expo

Are you longing for the ultimate help in raising your children whether you home educate or not? I homeschooled full-time my three children for 19 years. The two oldest are homeschool graduates and college graduates. After my husband passed away, I became a part-time homeschool mom. Now I encourage younger moms to persevere in their high calling.

I remember when I went to the homeschool conventions filled with big name motivational speakers but I always felt that there was no way I could measure up to what they were doing, so I was always left feeling more overwhelmed than encouraged by those experiences.

I longed to hear from real moms who were finding solutions to making their homeschool work for their particular family situation, budget, and learning styles. I longed for more information on managing the day to day then teaching the academics.

I hated coming home exhausted and feeling like I couldn’t absorb another piece of information. I didn’t like choosing between two workshops I didn’t want to miss. All these objections have been solved by:

The Ultimate Homeschool Expo is everything I longed for and MUCH, MUCH more. The Ultimate Expo has something for everyone and for all Families. You will find speakers talking about topics of interest to ALL FAMILIES. Read more details below:

There are no large crowds! No outrageous gas bills! No makeup! No babysitters! No parking miles away! No expensive trips or hotel stays! No walking for blocks and blocks! No lugging big loads of books around! No expensive trips or hotel stays! No rushing around so you can catch the vendors, yet missing the wonderful workshops!

In fact! No missing ANY workshops! Look at this sampling of speakers that will appeal to all Families including those who have a baby on the way!

Anne Elliott
Using the Bible to Choose Methods and Curriculum

Carol Topp
Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out
Is Your Homeschool Group Ready for 501(c)(3)Tax Exempt Status?
Micro Business for Teens

Christine Field
Catching the Foxes that Ruin the Vineyard

Cindy Carrier
Creating a Joyful Home Atmosphere

Cindy Rushton
Back to the Heart of Homeschooling
Say Goodbye to Super-Mom!

Dawn Billesbach
Making Family Dinners More Feasible, Fun, and Healthy in a Busy, Multi-tasking World

Jane VanOsdol
Spiritual Disciplines for Your Kids
Publishing Your Young Writer’s Work: Tips for Getting Their Work in Print

Jennifer Schwilling
Homeschooling Through the Hard Times
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in Review

Karisa Rivera
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Sweet Memories and Valuable Lessons

Kimberly Ehlers
Homeschooling a Child with Health Issues

Kimberly Guthrie
A Mom’s Journey to Healthy Eating on a Real World Budget

Lisa Hodgen
“Teach Us to Pray” ~ Becoming a Family of Prayer

Lois Graham
Facing Frustrations and Surviving Stress
ABC’s of Creative Bible Learning

Lorrie Flem
How to Raise Children Who Win Friends and Influence People
Mind Training
Attitudes are Born in the Mind

Mary Kane
Take 5- Time Out with Jesus

Matthew Rushton
Graduated, Married, Got a Baby On the Way–NOW, What I Think About Homeschooling

Molly Evert
Protecting your Marriage
Homeschooling the Dyslexic Child (A Parent’s Perspective)

Paul and Marissa Osborne
Have A Killer Garage Sale and Live To Tell About It

Phyllis Wheeler
Internet Savvy for Homeschoolers

Rachel Starr Thomson
Power in Words: Encouraging Your Writer in the Art, Craft, and Ministry of Writing

Regina Hicks
Who’s Driving Your Bus? Tranquility or Turmoil
High School & Beyond: The Final Leg of the Journey
Three R’s for the Homeschool Mom: Rendering, Resting & Romancing

Rhea Perry
The Biggest Gap in Education and How to Fill It
Online Businesses You and Your Kids Can Start from Home

Sharon Jeffus
Using Art to Help Struggling Students/A Different Approach
Teaching Art to Reinforce Understanding of Core Concepts for Visual and Kinesthetic Learners

Stephanie Buckwalter
What I Learned From Keeping a Dirty House
How to Make Any Curriculum a Right Brain Curriculum or How to Make Any Curriculum Right Brain Friendly
Getting the Kids to Help—Your Part and Theirs

Susan Scott

Homeschool Success for Every Child: Uncovering the Unique Gifts within each Child

Tara McClenahan
Unpacking Your Child’s Suitcase
Discovering Your Child’s Love Language.
Is That Ultimate or What? There is something for everyone all from the convenience of your home!

I know I can’t wait, there is a lot for me still to learn. I hope you will join me in obtaining a ticket to the Ultimate Family Expo.

April 28, 2010
Moving to the Camp Kitchen

I spent a large portion of my time last week moving kitchen essentials into my camp kitchen and boxing up the non-essentials from my “old” kitchen. The picture below shows my kitchen table, working counter top with a hot plate, electric tea kettle, and storage for silverware, mixing bowls, and pots and pans.

The right corner of the camp kitchen contains an old computer desk that I used for writing ebooks and newsletters when Duane was still living. Now I have my bible, laptop, home telephone and answering machine located here. To the right of the main eating table (outside the picture) is a very old set of file drawers that are doubling as a counter to house my microwave/convection oven combo, an airpot being used as a faucet for cold drinking water, and my beloved Bosch.

Along the left side of my camp kitchen facing the window is my entire family library with a banquet table set up in front for my cutting board, utensil storage, and dish washing station. The trash can is in front of the banquet table.

I now have my dining room, family library, kitchen, and desk area tucked into about a 10 X 12 foot space. It’s all very cozy but surprisingly functional.

April 5, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Plans- Part Two

The above picture is a rendering of my proposed kitchen remodel floor plan with window seats.

The most exciting development in the last week is that a Paonia, Colorado customer has asked if she could have my old cabinets and help with the demolition project. She came over, made measurements, took pictures, went home and called back a little while later saying she thought everything would work in her kitchen and is very excited and so am I.

I really am old-fashioned at heart, I believe in the old adage of “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

So why am I no longer making do with these serviceable cabinets, then?

My kitchen remodeling project has several goals:

1. Replace/Update 35 year old appliances that are not repairable.

2. Re-do the kitchen layout so the kitchen can accommodate more people and add an island to facilitate traffic flow.

3. Expand the existing small kitchen space into the existing dining space to add a desk and get family paperwork off kitchen counters and move the dining room table into the existing sun room, a large space that is underutilized.

4.) Most importantly, I intend this “new” kitchen to be my future studio for producing instructional DVD’s.

In the last week I have been able to reduce the cabinet costs by choosing to use rustic alder (it’s on sale this month) instead of rustic cherry, making minor cabinet modifications that don’t take away from the original design, and identifying other cost saving options.

My plan is to order the new cabinets next week, and use the week-end to decide whether to keep the window seat cabinets (lots of extra storage and seating) or eliminate these cabinets from the project to cover other costs. An elder in our church who I consult when facing big decisions has encouraged me to give myself permission to waffle back and forth in the next few days, – yes, I want the window cabinets, no – I can live without them. So that is what I’m going to do.

The above picture shows a representation of the kitchen without the window seat cabinets. Whether I do with or without the window seat I will be putting a small bistro table in the space in front of the window for eating. The funny looking beams at the ceiling line represent beams going up to a cathedral ceiling in the new kitchen area. The existing kitchen area ceiling will have to stay the traditional 8 feet.

I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts.

March 18, 2010
The Living Farm – Joining a CSA

Thursday, my assistant Renee and I received our first newsletter from The Living Farm CSA in Paonia, Colorado (Community Sustained Agriculture) we have just joined. Although I dream of a fabulous garden in the five large raised beds Duane built, the reality is, my gardening skills have yet to yield enough produce for Mary and I to live on.

Renee has a small family of 3, and Mary and I are a family of two, so together we decided that it is time for both families to put our money where our mouth is, so-to-speak, and take the plunge to eat more organically and in particular, LOCALLY by investing in one 40 week CSA share commitment.

Eating locally, also known as, becoming a locavore, is defined “as collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies – one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is locally integrated” is a topic I will take up in more depth another day

It is exciting to me because the family we are buying our produce live in my town and they are not strangers to me. The Gillespie family mom, Lynn, wrote the book Cinder Block Gardening (now out of print) that inspired Duane to build the raised beds in my back yard. They are also the same family who has been producing fresh Mesculan Greens that I have been buying at the local grocery store for several years.

So when Renee discovered The Living Farm CSA was starting this month, we decided to join because unlike other CSA’s in our area, the deliveries will be for 40 weeks starting next week (March 20) and going through December.

We have been promised fresh tomatoes by June, which in Colorado is just barely past the frost free date, so early season fresh tomatoes and strawberries, that have been locally grown in the Living Farm’s greenhouses was another big reason we decided to take the plunge and make the commitment.

In our first weekly email newsletter, Lynn writes about their new CSA:

“This is more than just weekly produce. This is a chance for you to get connected with the land and the farm. I want to take you on a journey of fine food, seasons, loss and triumph. A farm is a living breathing entity all on its own. Then we add the cycles of life, death, hot and cold, wet and dry, wind, bugs and disasters. What we are left with is miracles, life force and skill.

You will be able to taste the hard work, the love and the dedication to bring you this fine food. New varieties of food that you didn’t even know existed will appear on your dinner plate. Old favorites will spring forth with amazing new and delectable tastes.

If you will allow yourself to go beyond “filling the void” and really embrace the local organic food you will be amazed at what you find. My favorite part of the farm is giving people the “ah ha” moment. When they realize the vast difference of the food and how they feel and function after eating the organic local food.”

Our newsletter advised us that our first pick-up will include Bok Choy, a vegetable I have never tried and don’t know anything about and even included a simple recipe for preparing the Bok Choy that sounds delicious! Here is the recipe:

Stir Fried Bok Choy (taken from Robin Miller-food network)

1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
8 cups chopped bok choy
2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add bok choy and soy sauce and cook 3-5 minutes until greens are wilted and stalks are crisp-tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If hope you will be inspired to investigate what CSA opportunities exist in your area and consider supporting family friendly farming.

In the next few months I will be writing more about our experiences and hope you will follow our adventure and share your family’s experiences with Community Supported Agriculture.

March 13, 2010
Holiday Open House for Neighbors

Ed Note: My 2nd Annual Neighborhood Open House was held yesterday afternoon. The following vingette is written from my daughter Laura, a 20-something’s point of view. Enjoy!

12 guests arriving. 11 coats a’hanging. 10 dripping boots. 9 plates of cookies. 8 people eating. 7 cups a’sitting. 6 ladies chatting. 5 children screaming. 4 degrees outside. 3 broken ornaments. 2 spilled drinks. 1 Christmas party!

Yesterday was my mom’s Christmas party for her neighbors. Since my husband and I are visiting from Tennessee, we were lucky enough to be invited along with the neighbors. And because my husband and I had been visiting friends 70 miles away, we arrived just in time for the party, and were lucky enough to escape the prep work.

My poor mother! Thankfully, she was lucky enough to have the help of a creative neighbor, who enjoys putting together parties.

My mom is always brilliant when it comes to serving food and put together a lovely mix of appetizers and snacks. She filled our tummies with pinwheels, brushettas, veggie and fruit platters, and topped it off with apple cider and wine. Neighbors also contributed with a delicious array of cookies. There are 11 months to diet from one month of Christmas for a reason!

The special part about her Christmas party was that it was made up of mostly neighbors. What a blessing to live in a place where you know your neighbors well enough to have a party with them. I think that we all lament the social isolation in neighborhood communities, but few of us have made an effort to reach out.

Of course, it takes time. My mom has lived in this community for seven years and this was her second neighborhood Christmas party. (The first one was before my dad passed away in December of 2007.) I appreciate that she was willing to step out and bring everyone together!

Some of the appetizers recipes follow in the next blog entry below. I hope that you can enjoy making some of these recipes, and perhaps even enjoy them with your neighbors. Merry Christmas!

Ed Final Note: Several neighbors mentioned that since we were having such a good time visiting together, we should do this more often! The success of the party was not the food, but building relationships with friends and neighbors. Memories created. Goal achieved.

December 21, 2009
The First Thanksgiving – an Historical Perspective and Contest

Ed Note: According to apronmemories.com here is a huge reason to not only be humbled but exceedingly thankful to our Puritan ancestors as we prepare for the big day. “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for if we do not give up we will reap a harvest of righteousness.” I am so grateful to these folks who had a vision and did not give up despite overwhelming difficulties.

“Of the eighteen married women who sailed on the Mayflower, only four lived through the first winter to see Fall of 1621. With the assistance of five surviving girls and one maidservant, the four, thankful to be alive and grieving for those not, prepared a meal of gratitude.”

We have an amazing amount to be thankful for even during difficult times. I am particularly thankful for the legacy left to my family and I by my late husband Duane, that my daughter and son-in-law will be home for Christmas, my daughter, Mary for her terrific housekeeping and musical talents, and my son Stephen’s soon-to-be officer commissioning. Please post some of the things, large and small you are thankful for.

I have complimentary copies of either one of my spiral bound books (your choice), A Beginner’s Guide to Baking Bread or Breakfasts for Busy Moms, for 15 people who post their thankful comments. I am particularly looking for contest particpants willing to share how they have faced very difficult trials this past year and you are still able to see the positive blessings of God’s goodnesss to you and your family.

November 18, 2009
Unto Him Who is Able

Friday, I prepared my Sunday School lesson for parents of teens based on the scripture, Ephesians 3:20:

Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…Unto Him be the glory!

As a parent or mother, a wife, business person, whoever you are, you will face circumstances far above your ability to handle. You can bank on it. There is a war being waged daily against you.

The war is waged by an enemy speaking subtly destructive messages you will hear as thoughts in your mind. Such thoughts may include variations on the theme of: “The situation is hopeless, you are hopeless, things will never change, you are a failure, you might as well give up, why bother, etc.”

Don’t listen to this. Resist these lies. Stand on the truth.

A modern paraphrase of Ephesians 3:20 may be just what you need to hear today.

When you are the neediest, He is the most sufficient. When you are completely helpless, He is the most helpful. When you feel totally dependent, He is absolutely dependable. When you are the weakest, He is the most able. When you are the most alone, He is intimately present. When you feel you are the least, He is the greatest. When you feel the most useless, He is preparing you. When it is the darkest, He is the only Light you need. When you feel th least secure, He is your Rock and Fortress. When you are the most humble, He is most gracious.

Instead of being discouraged, think upon the truth, dwell on it constantly.

He is able, as we surrender our cares and anxieties to Him. Are you willing to submit to his complete care?

November 2, 2009
Navy ‘n French Green Bean Soup

Ed Note: I made this soup last night to serve at Mentoring Moms. It smelled as good as turkey baking in the oven according to my daughter.

Used by Permission from
Soups and Muffins by Sue Gregg

Makes 8 Servings

Soak beans in water during the day or overnight:

8 cups water
2 cups navy or small white beans

Bring undrained beans to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to keep at very gentle boil for 1 hour or until beans are tender.

Drain the beans, reserving the bean liquid.

Combine in large stock pot:

2 Cups of the cooked beans
2 Cups Chicken Broth
3 Cups bean liquid plus water as needed
1-2 tsp salt or to taste
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 4 oz can green chili, finely chopped
½ tsp dry mustard
2 bay leaves (optional)

In a blender, puree the remaining cooked beans with liquid. Add the following ingredients to the soup pot, cooking about 10 minutes longer to blend flavors and heat ingredients:

Remaining cooked navy beans
1 cup water
2 cups frozen French cut green beans (10 oz) or canned
2 cups chopped cooked chicken

Serve with crusty bread or corn bread.

October 23, 2009
It’s not About the Money, it’s About the Time

In our Sunday paper, there is a weekly column in the business section written by a father and son called Yoder & Sons. The senior writer is chief of the Wall Street Journal San Francisco Division, the junior writer is his 14 year old son.

Yesterday’s column tackled the topic of whether son Levi can use his own hard earned money to buy an X-box. Levi of course arguing the side of why he should be permitted to spend his money as he sees fit. Dad came down firmly, fairly, and articulately on the negative.

I quote Dad, Steve:

“It’s not about the money, it’s about the time. So it doesn’t matter whose money it is: We won’t have an Xbox or PlayStation of Wii in the house.”

I did a double take to re-read the above words at least twice. I’m not the only parent who is saying a young person’s life is already overloaded with distractions and temptations to waste time!!!!

The author/parent was saying his son didn’t need any more time wasters in their life/home.

All I can say is AMEN. AMEN AMEN.

And I thought I was the only parent who didn’t allow this junk, I mean time waster, in my home. Enough said.

October 5, 2009
The Idol of Success

My Sunday School class has been looking at idols of the heart that can get in the way of effective parenting. We studied Ezekial 14:1-16 and discovered that as long as there were idols in the hearts of the prophets, God let them have it their way. The results were not pretty.

One idol of the heart can be “success”. My definition of success can certainly be a block to my dear daughter learning to be accountable to God. I take things into my hands rather than allowing God’s might arms to handle the matter. Why do I think I need to help out God?

Reaching her heart to want to please God is my job, by asking good questions.

This is a whole new mind set for me. How are you doing with reaching the heart of your young people?

October 2, 2009