You my have noticed that I posted even less than usual this week. Well, Monday afternoon, Rich received the call about our first choice of a job. So, we went in to high gear on packing, house searching and getting ready to go. We spent this weekend in our new town visiting houses and trying to find a place to live.

Between the moving and the fixing up the new house, it will be a while before I can post a whole lot. I'll try to check in at least a little bit.

It looks like we've found a house. The size of the property is a bit smaller than we were interested in at first, but it is surrounded by a farm field that is owned by the same person selling and the family is willing to sell more acreage to us in a few years.

The house needs a lot of work, but the structure is good. It will take a lot of time and effort on our part, though, to make the insides what we want and need. There is room for our chickens already a small pasture that is fenced, but needs to have weeds cut down and burned and soil turned over and reseeded before we could put sheep or anything else out on it. The owners are farmers who have owned the property in their family for years, they are nice people, they are Christian, they are willing to work with our family. So much so, that they are willing to let us move in before the sale is through on a month to month lease until all the paperwork and money is taken care of for the purchase. We still need to do a building/property inspection and do all the back and forth that goes with this before we can own it, but barring any really bad news about the property or problems in timing with the loan, we should own it within four months.

Both Rich and I feel good about this, even though we were both skeptical about the property when the realtor told us about it. We both have a little bit of trepidation about the whole process of buying and the responsibility that comes with that, as we've either rented or had a house connected with Rich's job (which was kind of the best of both worlds, we didn't get equity, but we didn't have to pay for repairs or pay the mortgage/rent either). Fortunately, we have a little nest egg of money to put into a house and Rich has a VA loan available to him for his service.

Please be praying for the whole situation that it would go smoothly and well for all parties. We are excited and nervous to be moving into this house. Pray for us as we are still sorting, tossing, packing and cleaning. Pray also for the family that has been living in this home we are considering. There are some serious spiritual and familial problems in their home. The couple has three children, the younger two who are still very sweet, the oldest who is in a lot of trouble. All of them are being affected by the problems in the parents. It was heartbreaking to see the children, we left with much concern for their children as well as them.

Labels: Blog Info, Family

It is another hard week of cleaning and packing here. Please keep up your prayers. We have already gotten some small good news about another situation we were concerned about. We are waiting to hear from three different places to see if Rich has a job elsewhere. Things look good at all of them, but we do have one we favor over the rest for our family. We know that the Lord has something good for us and we trust that the timing will be perfect, but it is hard being uncertain.

We are still trying to use up our freezer stores and cook as much as possible out of the pantry. We did receive the ground beef we had ordered from the pasture raised, grass finished beef. That and our half pig are almost the only meat we have bought in the last couple months. I am going to make one more stop at our butcher shop, so we can say good bye to them. They have been friends to us over the years. I'll probably pick up some bacon ends and some beef jerky for the road.

In the meantime, I have a big box of homeschool materials that I would love to sell and get rid of, as they are not what we are using and I really don't want to pack them. If you are interested in a list, please leave a comment or e-mail me with your contact information.

• Monday: Leftovers


• Tuesday: Fake Chicken Marsala with Pasta, Salad


• Wednesday: Torteggas


• Thursday: Grilled Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, Bulgur Pilaf, Salad


• Friday: Migas


• Saturday: Rolled Chicken Washington, Broccoli in Cheese Sauce, Salad


• Sunday: Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup, Salad

If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can.
What is on your menu this week?

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

Mr. Linky has a new server, which I am trying out today. I will try to reload my old linkies to the new server and hope that they all show up.

We have finished packing several boxes and will be continuing over the next few weeks. If anyone who is local is interested in bringing boxes, helping pack or cleaning up, we definitely would appreciate it.

Labels: Finished Object Friday

Here he is at birth:



You can still see the resemblance. He was our only child who was remotely pudgy at all at birth. All of our other children were sticks. He was born on Rich's birthday, Father's Day that year, looking exactly like Rich. Except with red hair. I was basically the host.

However, as he has gotten older, he has started to look a little more like me. He was also our biggest mama's boy for the longest time, which made up for the whole host thing.

Nine Neat Things About Dominic

1. He is a voracious reader.

2. He is a friend to everyone he meets.

3. He is generous.

4. He is a cheerful worker.

5. He looks for ways to help others.

6. He is gentle with small children.

7. He always has a smile on his face.

8. He is content with small joys.

9. He still loves to hug us.

Happy birthday to my sweet boy!

Labels: Birthday, Family

My husband has the most integrity of any single person I know, man or woman. He is a good man, husband, father, worker. He is incapable of doing any job or task half way, much to my frustration sometimes (ask me about the three hour salad sometime). Rich is gentle and sensitive and kind - strong, determined and unwavering. He would tell you that he isn't all that generous, but everyone who has received from the largesse of his heart would tell you differently. He is generous with his time, talent and treasure.

Which is why it is so hard for me to come up with my birthday lists for him. It isn't that there is so little to celebrate about him, it is that there is so much, most of it difficult to put into pithy one liners. Rich told me that I should just cull one of my older lists and just add one or two things to that. I try to come up with a new list each year. There are often some repeats, because there are things that I appreciate about him all the time. Not least of which are his rugged good looks. Each year, though I get to see some part of him that stands out as particularly endearing.

For the last nine years, Rich has given up his birthday for the most part. It is primarily a celebration for children and it matters more to a child than to an adult. So, he has gladly given way to Dominic. I thought I'd give them separate birthday posts, at least, this year.

I didn't want to take a picture of Rich in bed this morning and, of course, he had to get to work so I didn't have much time to take a shot of him before he left. I didn't think it would be wise to post a photo of him in his towel after the shower. After all, this is a family blog. So, I'll post this photo of him bringing in the food from the grill Sunday and try to get one up of him today.



39 Things that Thrill Me About Rich

1. He is dependable.

2. He is adorable.

3. He is honest.

4. He makes me laugh.

5. He is resourceful.

6. He can make just about anything with just about anything.

7. Did I mention his good looks?

8. He knows exactly how to run his fingers through my hair.

9. He is my best friend.

10. He is quick to apologize when he is wrong.

11. He always speaks highly of me to other people.

12. His eyes light up when he sees me.

13. He holds my hand in public.

14. He is enthusiastic about life.

15. He is an amazing father.

16. He laughs at my jokes.

17. He has introduced so much beauty to me.

18. He has an artistic eye.

19. He is willing to endure.

20. He still gets up at night with our children.

21. He loves to dance with me.

22. He will dance with me in public places that aren't dances.

23. He is modeling strong manhood to our boys.

24. He is teaching our daughters what kind of man to marry.

25. He is faithful to God.

26. He is faithful to the Church.

27. He is faithful to me.

28. He treats me like I am the most important person in his life.

29. He listens to the children's stories.

30. He is always willing to play with our children.

31. He romances me every day.

32. He is the first to say that I need a break.

33. He does his duties around the house without complaint.

34. He asks how he can help when I am frazzled.

35. He then does it.

36. He talks to me about everything.

37. He seeks my counsel.

38. He always tries to do what is best for me and our children, even if it costs him something.

39. He can tell me something just by looking at me.

Happy birthday Rich!

Alright. Here is a picture of Rich I was finally able to take. He looks exhausted, as he is and happy, as he is. I love you Rich!

Labels: Birthday, Family

Amira's ballet recital is this week, which is very exciting. We will have photos up as soon as we get them. Because of all of the end of the year activities we have going on, we don't have as much cooking to do for our dinners.

Since Rich and Dominic's birthday is this week and the Cub Scout picnic is the same day, I'm bringing a cake and calling it a birthday party. Dominic is all over having his birthday with his Cub Scout friends and we can have a quiet family party at home. Which we definitely appreciate right now.

This is a kind of bittersweet time for us in the Arabian Knits household. We have been preparing ourselves for a very possible move which is now a definite move. We've lived in our place for six and a half years, in our town for nearly ten years, and we will be moving on within the next month and a half. Please pray for us as we seek guidance on which job we will take, as our time at this airport is at an end. Part of my cooking out of our freezer so much has been an effort to whittle down what we have so we can pack our deep freeze chest freezer and only have to move that packed, while the other freezers can be empty or act as coolers for our refrigerated items. It's been hard to write here while we have been going through all of this and we have been hit by a few other difficulties lately, which have added to the burden.

It is good to remember that most people do not get to live on their own terms, and though we have been given nearly a decade of exactly what we want, we will join those who are making the best of their circumstances. Please continue to pray for us. We were not able to put a garden in this year, after all of our preparation, because of the shenanigans here. That has been hard for the family, but especially for Rich, for whom the plants in pots and the sprouting potatoes have served as a painful and maddening reminder of what wasn't being done. We feel like the Ingalls family who had to leave behind their farm and garden in Kansas. We are trying not to be too bitter about the reasons behind the move. While we are relieved not to be under the stress of a bad situation, we are saddened that we are being forced from a place and friends and a church that we love. In the meantime, it is hard not to be glad when we see the trouble these people are having, even if that is not the right attitude to have toward them.

• Monday: Dinner with friends, children will be eating leftover souvlaki, skewers & pasta.


• Tuesday: Chili Cheese Potato Casserole, Steamed Broccoli


• Wednesday: Spinach Artichoke Salad with Cous Cous Cakes (I am making the cakes with bulgur and cooked chickpeas, using artichoke hearts and olive oil, as well as adding the cucumber to the salad), Whole Wheat Bread


• Thursday: Dinner at Cub Scout Picnic, we are bringing Doritos, Salad & Birthday Cake


• Friday: Pepper & Onion Quesadillas & Salad


• Saturday: Not sure, Dinner might be at a ballet reception


• Sunday: Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup, Salad

If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can.
What is on your menu this week?

Here is the list of foods from the freezer, fridge and pantry that I'm using this week. Anything from the freezer, pantry or fridge that was not bought specifically for this meal or this past week will be included in my lists.

Freezer:
Ground Beef
Bacon
Mixed Peppers

Fridge:
Souvlaki
Veggie Kabobs
Baked Lemon Pasta
Butter
Feta Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Milk
Lettuce
Carrots
Celery
Lemons


Pantry:
All Herbs & Spices
Salt
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Olive Oil
Bread Flour
Whole Wheat Flour (freshly milled!)
Basmati Rice
Bulgur
Chickpeas
Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Sugars
Canned Artichoke Hearts
Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce
Tortillas

Labels: Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen

Sorry this is late! Mr. Linky seems to be having some long term problems, so we still have the link at the bottom.

If you have one or more finished items this week, please sign Mr. Linky below and share all you have made. Your Finished Object(s) can be knit, crocheted, sewn, quilted, tatted, beaded, papercraft, woodwork or any other kind of craft. Show off what you have made! Please make sure you link to the exact post that shows your finished item(s) rather than just to your blog.

Labels: Finished Object Friday

We do not have as many repeats this week as we have been having over the past few weeks. One of those repeats is on purpose, though. We loved the baked lemon pasta, so we are having it again. I used a whole grain pasta, which was made with whole grain durum wheat, which was wonderful, but thought the amount of fat in the recipe was too high for our tastes, so I will leave out the oil this time and increase the garlic even more (I doubled it, but thought it could have used even more). This would make a great potluck dish as well as a one dish meal if you added some greens and diced chicken or shrimp to the pasta before you baked it.

This is also now a time of end of year activities and parties. We have one play off finished, team party to attend, rehearsals for a recital and the recital to see still ahead of us. We have a little bit to go in school still, as we have adopted a modified English school schedule for our family, which gives us a little more freedom to take time off during the school year, but extends the school year a little on the end.

Our half a heritage hog was delivered on Friday, to much rejoicing. We are excited to eat this guy up. The folks who raised this guy also raise Dexter cattle, so I'm hoping if they butcher a steer or two, we can buy part or a whole from them. The pork ended up costing us about $3.25 a pound for heritage, pasture raised meat, including the kill fee, cut & wrap and the curing and smoking on some of the hams (we split the ham into smaller roasts), the hocks and the bacon. We also received all the belly fat for rendering, not only from our half, but also from two other pigs they slaughtered, as the people who ordered them did not want it. Had they also not wanted the hocks, we could have gotten more of those, but it seems the other customers were wise to that. I wish I had asked for any of the tails, so we could roast them over the fire like in Little House on the Prairie. That would have been a fun thing to do with the children.

We still haven't gotten word that the butchering and grinding of our beef is finished, but we are looking forward to that as well. Since we've been eating so much out of our freezers, we have more than enough room for all these treasures.

We also have had an answer to prayer, for which we are thankful. This has been a hard year for us, with a beautiful gift of a daughter given in the midst of some trials. We are ever grateful for the mercies that we see.

• Monday: Pork Chops (from our heritage pig!) Smothered with Apples, Sauerkraut & Onions, Baked Potatoes, Steamed Green Beans


• Tuesday: Sausage & Lentil Soup, Crusty Wheat Bread


• Wednesday: Mussels Cooked in White Wine and Butter with Garlic & Parsley, Parmesan, Herb & Garlic Bread (her recipe uses asiago), Salad


• Thursday: Barbecue Beans (from freezer), Cornbread, Orange Slices


• Friday: Cheese & Spinach Omelets & Salad


• Saturday: Team Party


• Sunday: Souvlaki (we had them cut much of the shoulder into kabob cubes just for this very purpose), Vegetable Skewers, Baked Lemon Pasta

If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can.
What is on your menu this week?

Here is the list of foods from the freezer, fridge and pantry that I'm using this week. Anything from the freezer, pantry or fridge that was not bought specifically for this meal or this past week will be included in my lists.

Freezer:
Smoked Polish Sausage
Green Beans
Spinach
Barbecue Beans
Chicken Stock


Fridge:
Eggs
Butter
Cheddar Cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese
Parmesan
Milk
Sour Cream
Lettuce
Carrots
Celery
Lemons
Sauerkraut


Pantry:
All Herbs & Spices
Salt
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Olive Oil
Bread Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Corn Meal
Basmati Rice
Whole Durum Wheat Spaghetti
Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Sugars
Honey
French Green Lentils
White Wine
Oranges

Parsley from the Herb Garden

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen

Mr. Linky still seems to be having trouble, and so do I. It is considerably harder for me to finish things lately, with our school and family schedule. We are in that wrap up time of the year for all the childrens' activities, so there are play-offs, rehearsals and picnics and we just seem to be running all the time. Since we're also dealing with some other challenges here right now, it is a little harder to find the time to work on projects for myself.

If you have one or more finished items this week, please sign Mr. Linky below and share all you have made. Your Finished Object(s) can be knit, crocheted, sewn, quilted, tatted, beaded, papercraft, woodwork or any other kind of craft. Show off what you have made! Please make sure you link to the exact post that shows your finished item(s) rather than just to your blog.

Labels: Finished Object Friday

I realized that I have not even posted photos from when we went to the zoo in Portland in February. So, here they are, from February. I know more pictures were taken, but I cannot find them.

Buying tickets for the train:


Getting off the train in the tunnel below the zoo:


Most of the children in the model eagle's nest:

Labels: Family

I have a couple repeats this week. We had quite the exciting weekend. Jerome, who is definitely winning the head injury competition, tripped down the driveway and landed on his mouth and chin in the gravel. This happened Friday night, 20 minutes after prompt care closed, so we had to get him to the ER for stitches in his chin and to glue his lip together. We had a small party of people over, and were just getting a fire ready in the fire pit for the children to roast marshmallows so that has been postponed as well.

Also, I had the first ever failure of my melanzane al forno recipe. And it happened with guests here who had to eat it and pretend like it was all okay. Somehow, the eggplant we picked up was really bitter. I've never had eggplant this bitter. I don't know if it was just picked unripe or if the plants did not receive enough water, but it was not good. We scooped out the insides and mixed it with the sauce and pasta, added some more salt and ate it that way the next day for lunch. Because, of course, we had tons of leftovers. I still feel like I need to apologize to everyone who ate it. Sorry!

We have an abundance of rhubarb at our home right now, so I will be making some rhubarb desserts this week. My goal is to make our favorite rhubarb shortbread from Baking with Julia. You make a ton of shortbread dough, chill it a long time, make a rhubarb vanilla jam with fresh rhubarb and vanilla beans, grate half the dough into a pan, cover it with the jam, grate the other half of the dough over the top and bake it. It is lovely. I also would like to make a rhubarb crumble cake, which will take less effort. If I still have any left over, I will make this. I don't know how well these last two freeze, so I guess we'll just have to eat them up. Anyone in the South Sound area, Summit near 108th & Canyon in Puyallup off of 512 has rhubarb for $0.99 a pound if you buy 10 pounds or more.

• Monday: Veal Meatball Soup, Crusty Wheat Bread, Salad


• Tuesday: Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken and Garlic Green Beans


• Wednesday: Fiesta Casserole & Tomato Rice


• Thursday: Deviled Chicken, Baked Lemon Pasta (using whole grain pasta), Salad


• Friday: Spinach Egg Puff, Garlic Bread, Salad


• Saturday: Barbecue Beans (from freezer), Cornbread, Fruit Salad


• Sunday: Church Picnic, we're bringing Potato Salad, Chips & maybe a Watermelon if we can find a seeded one.

If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can.
What is on your menu this week?

Here is the list of foods from the freezer, fridge and pantry that I'm using this week. Anything from the freezer, pantry or fridge that was not bought specifically for this meal or this past week will be included in my lists.

Freezer:
Chicken Thighs
Chicken Breasts
Ground Veal
Pineapple
Peppers
Green Beans
Peas
Spinach
Barbecue Beans
Ricotta


Fridge:
Eggs
Butter
Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan
Milk
Sour Cream
Mayonnaise (homemade, of course)
Lettuce
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Scallions
Lemons


Pantry:
All Herbs & Spices
Salt
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Sesame Oil
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Mustard
Bread Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Corn Meal
Basmati Rice
Whole Durum Wheat Spaghetti
Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Sugars
Honey
Black Beans
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Water Chestnuts
Sesame Seeds
Cashews
Tortillas
Bread for Bread Crumbs

Basil from the Herb Garden
Parsley from the Herb Garden

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen