Frugal Cheese

Last weekend when I made my bi-monthly Wal-mart run, I planned to buy a HUGE block of cheese (I forget how many ounces) I had seen during previous visits. At first I didn't see the cheese and thought I had missed my window of opportunity. Luckily, I am not shy when it comes to asking questions, and an employee led me right to it! When you buy a large quantity of cheese in the deli, it is expensive, but this cheese was located outside the deli in the refrigerated section. It was about half the unit price of the larger block of "Great Value" cheese I usually buy.

This story gets even better! Having read in the Tightwad Gazette that many stores will slice meat and cheese for free, I had the deli slice the cheese into thin squares for sandwiches. I paid just $10.95 for all this!

My hubby placed it in a ziplock bags for the freezer. As we run out, we will pull out a block, thaw it in the fridge, and eat. All this cheese will last us a LONG time.

I really should have bought another block and shredded it in the food processor... Maybe next time!

Yummy Family History

Who knew family history could be so...delicious?

Some time ago I borrowed my mom's recipe box so that I could copy some favorites from my childhood. Tucked in the cards was a recipe I didn't recall ever having eaten. It was called "rice and curry," and since I like the taste of Indian food, I wrote it down. When I asked my parents about it, I found out that it was my great-grandmother Elsie (Genske) Meyer's recipe. Because she was a German, I was surprised to find curry attributed to her. It was then that my dad reminded me about Grandma Elsie's sister and brother-in-law, Maude and Floyd Heinly, who were missionaries to India. My dad conjectures that Elsie's recipe was either given or influenced by the Heinlys as a result of their ministry in India.

And why do I not remember eating this incredible skillet of deliciousness growing up? While my dad has fond memories of this meal, my mom is not a fan of curry. She says it too strong a flavor for her liking. Seth and I, being huge fans of heavily-spiced cuisine, LOVE our new discovery! I do believe it will become a staple at our house!

I truly enjoy delving into my family's history. The truth is, genealogy is so much more than birth and death dates. The "in-between" times, like dinner at the family table, are the real jewels.

Recipe for Grandma Elsie's Rice and Curry:

3 Tbsp. Crisco

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. curry powder

2 Tbsp. flour blended with 1/2 c. meat stock or rich milk

1 c. chopped onion

1 lb. ground meat

1 c. diced tomatoes

1 c. diced potatoes

1/2 c. beans, peas, corn (we think carrots would be nice, also)

Directions: Grease pan with Crisco. Add salt, sugar and curry powder. Heat. Add onions and fry until brown, stirring often. Remove onions. Put meat in pan and fry until brown. Add onions back in. Add tomatoes and potatoes and cook until tender. Add beans, peas or corn. Add stock/milk. Serve over rice. (We mixed the rice into the skillet and stirred it all together).

What is your favorite family recipe?

*Sorry about the picture...it looked better before Seth and I devoured it!

Good News in Song - What a Mighty God We Serve!

Since writing the introduction to my blog series "Good News in Song" last Saturday, my brain and heart have been on high gear as they sort through a long list of favorite hymns in an effort to locate the perfect song for week one.

In the end, I thought it best to write about my earliest hymn memory: "What a Mighty God We Serve!" by Barney Warren and Clara M. Brooks. I believe that this was one of the first hymns I learned to sing, both in the pew on Sunday mornings and in Vacation Bible School. Not only was it my first hymn, but it also remained a favorite through the years.

Why was this my favorite? I believe the marching tempo and catchy tune drew me in initially, but the most important factor might have been my dad's tenor voice echoing each phrase of the refrain, as in, "What a mighty God we serve (we serve)." When we sang songs in the car, he would do the same thing, and I reveled in it.

You will not find this hymn in very many hymnals because it is known as a Church of God (Anderson) heritage hymn. Barney Warren was one of the most prolific hymn writers of the Church of God movement, and I learned some interesting tidbits about his life in the book Heavenly Song by Kathleen Buehler.

• Being from a particularly musical family and being one of ten children, Warren's family enjoyed singing together as a double quartet. They especially enjoyed singing the hymns of the church.
• Warren studied musical harmony and theory intensely and therefore was able to write from his heart and his head.
• Warren wrote a total of 7,000 gospel songs. Often he composed the melodies, but he could write lyrics as well.

What a Mighty God We Serve!

1. Our Father’s wondrous works we see
   In the earth and sea and sky;
   He rules o’er all in majesty,
   From His royal throne on high.
   • Refrain:
     What a mighty God we serve!
     What a mighty God we serve!
     Reigning now above, on His throne of love,
     What a mighty God we serve!
2. The raging winds and waves are calm,
   When He says to them, “Be still”;
   The heavens praise Him in a psalm,
   And the angels do His will.
3. He maketh worlds by His command,
   Weighs the mountains great and high;
   He metes the waters in His hand,
   Spans the lofty, starlit sky.
4. Our God, to save from sin’s control,
   Gave His Son: a sacrifice;
   His grace, abounding in the soul,
   Makes the earth a paradise.
5. Click here for more information on the hymn and a midi file of the melody.

What is your earliest hymn memory?

Good News in Song - Introduction

Hymns have always exerted a poignant influence on my spiritual life. When I was a little girl, my mom would lower the hymnal so that I could see it. We would mingle our voices together in praise, and when I lost my place, she would point me in the right direction. In later elementary school, I remember becoming confident enough (as a result of memorization and increasing music literacy skills) to sing the melody while Mom sang the alto part. One time during our Wednesday night church meals, Mom and I were asked to sing before the meal. I can remember it like it was yesterday...I was probably about twelve years old and VERY nervous because I was going to carry the melody by myself. We sang "In My Heart There Rings a Melody" straight from the hymnal, sharing with the church congregation something we had shared in the pew for many years.

As I get older, I find that hymns continue to nourish my soul and point me to the Good News of Jesus Christ. They are an integral part of my morning worship time in my car on the way to work. Sometimes in the evenings, my husband and I sing hymns together. Other times, we turn off the TV and play "name that hymn." This involves Seth playing a melody from our hymnal on recorder and me having to come up with the lyrics.

I have experienced some "blogger's block" over the past few weeks and therefore have struggled to find a worthy topic about which to write. Over the past few days, an idea for a series has taken root in my mind and heart. Every week or two, I will be sharing my thoughts on a particular hymn that has pointed me to Christ in a special way. I hope that you will join me on this journey. May God bless you richly as you serve him.

*image from http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2789393&ct=8579947

101 Things Update

Welcome to my monthly update on my progress toward 101 Things in 1001 Days. In OCTOBER, I completed the following...

#14 Meet with a new teacher friend to practice conversational Spanish

I have enjoyed speaking Spanish over lunch with our new librarian. It is disheartening to hear how rusty I have become outside of what I use for teaching my elementary kids, but at least I'm doing something about it.

#32 Get new tires for Seth's truck (only the back ones were necessary)

#67 Get my nice Bjorn dress shoes fixed

I went to the shoe repairman in H-burg and paid only $4 to have the strap re-sewn!

#22 Create a substitute box for each school in case of emergency absences

I now have both boxes completed and just need to remember to get the Lincoln Trail one out of my trunk :)

#84 Get a new dentist

I made an appointment with a different dentist. We can't get in until January, but that shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully we will no longer have to endure water pick torture!

#97 Read 12 non-fiction books

1/12 complete. My husband and I finished Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler, which we have been reading for a long time as a nightly devotional.

#77 Read 24 fiction books

2/24 complete. I finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling.

I have decided to wait on...

#89 Grow my favorite herbs in an indoor planter

I had 6 plants going; 5 sprouted and looked great and then were suddenly killed by a yellow fungus that formed on my potting soil. I think I will wait until Spring and try different pots/soil.

Special Note on...

#8 Finish paying off debts

We made our last payment on my students loans this month!!!!!! Now we have just hubby's consolidated student loan to go and we will be completely debt free. It won't be long (9 months if everything goes according to plan) until ole' Sallie Mae gets kicked out of our guest room!!!!!

My Weekend

Last weekend my husband and I traveled to the town where I grew up and where we both attended college. We started out after school on Friday, stopping on the way to eat dinner at O' Charley's. I was so excited to have a nice dinner out with my hubby (the first one at a sit-down restaurant, just the two of us, in a couple of months), but I was sorely disappointed. I ordered a Philly steak sandwich that tasted like the cook had dumped an entire container of salt in it, not to mention that it caused me days of digestive problems. I should have asked them to take it back, but I didn't. Hindsight is 20/20, right?

We arrived at my parents' house late to find my mom waiting up for us and my sister and her fiance hanging out in the living room. We visited for a while, despite the hour, and then went to bed. The next morning, we all woke up very early to head to a music education workshop held at a university an hour from my hometown. The workshop was absolutely wonderful! It started with a choral reading session led by the fabulous Ruth Dwyer (one of the directors of the Indianapolis Children's Choir). Not only did I get some great ideas for choral literature, but I also learned some valuable rehearsal techniques that I used as soon as I got back to school. The next segment of the workshop was on active listening. One of my professors from Indiana University's Summer Kodaly Institute, Brent Gault, led this session, and of course it was awesome! Lastly, we participated in a very meaningful movement session with Sarah Hassler, an awesome teacher in the Indy area. I have some great pictures from this session, but they are on my mom's camera, and she doesn't know how to get them off without help :) In addition to the great presenters, I had a blast with my mom (a music teacher), my sister (an elementary ed. major), and her fiance (a music ed. major). Isn't it great that my family and I can share so much in common? Also, I got to catch up with two friends from my summer classes at IU, who were also present.

After we arrived back at my parents' house that afternoon, my mom and I headed over to visit with Harold, a dear friend of our family because he was Meme's "special friend" (AKA boyfriend ;)) He is such a gem that I kind of feel like he is my adopted grandpa. We're even pen pals! He seems to be doing well these days, and is certainly staying active taking care of his house, yard, and vintage car.

This is Meme and Harold in July 2009

The next stop was the hardest. We went to Meme's house. I had not been back to her home since the week of her death, and as you might imagine, the tears flowed freely as soon as I walked through the door. I knew I wouldn't hear her voice say, "Well, hello! Come on in!," but a part of me still waited for her to rush to the door and greet us. Mom and I mainly worked in the second bedroom where Meme kept her computer and desk. I alternated between crying and laughing as I went through the desk drawers. One of the funniest things I found was a cassette tape labeled "Olivett snoring" in my Papa's handwriting. My mom said she remembered Papa recording Meme once so that she could no longer deny her ability to saw some logs. I also found a paperweight that Papa made with his picture in the bottom. The back of the picture says, "The one and only Eugene F H, age 19." My grandpa was quite the handsome fellow. I've always thought he resembled a Grease-era John Travolta. I also found an envelope of family pictures with my name on it (Meme always enjoyed helping me with geneaology), and one of the pictures showed my Papa's mother as a little girl with her parents and siblings! Even though the pictures were a great find, I treasured every single thing my fingers discovered, even her wallet with its MCL coupons, which expired in July. Mom left the wallet on the desk, telling me that she wanted to leave it just where it was.

I love this picture of me and my Meme. The other picture is from Meme and Papa's wedding in 1948.

That evening, my parents, Seth and I went to Cracker Barrel for a nice dinner. I must admit, I enjoy the fact that my parents eat out a lot, because Seth and I hardly ever do. My dad and I got to visit quite a bit that evening, which was really nice!

I like this picture of my parents, which was taken at Thanksgiving a couple years ago.

On Sunday morning, we went to church with my parents. It is always nice to visit my home church, mostly because I get to greet my former Sunday School teachers, spiritual mentors and family friends. It is very different from the church I attend now, but it's still "home." After service, I walked across the parking lot to peer in the windows of my old elementary school, which has been closed for some years now. I quickly found out that the church has just purchased the school building to use for community ministries, and one of the members in charge of the renovations asked if I would like to go inside and look. Of course I said yes! I found every classroom I studied in, from grades 1 though 6, and many memories came flowing back. I had excellent teachers in elementary school, but the social component of my education was rough. I never had much in common with my peers, preferring adults and "weird" kids. As a result, I was ridiculed mercilessly. The neatest part of my little tour was finding a Looney Tunes mural that I helped to paint still looking great in the foyer. The church people are going to keep the mural there and even have a painter restore it! Isn't that awesome?!

After a quick lunch at home, Mom and I headed to her classroom (she is a junior high choral director) so that she could show me some sheet music. I was looking for some pieces my upper elementary kids could perform at their Christmas program, and boy did I hit the jackpot! By that afternoon, I had the whole program selected.

Much too soon, it was time for my husband and I to head back to our little home and get ready for another work week. Our weekend getaway, despite being emotionally exhausting, was a real treasure!

101 Things Update

I thought I would give a monthly update on my progress toward 101 Things in 1001 Days. Here is my September progress...

Completed:

#1 - Get my sewing machine cleaned

#11 - Get a laundry drying rack

#47 - Read outside under a tree

#51 - Make a new friend

I have enjoyed getting to know our new library/media specialist at school, who is just a few years younger than me.

#62 - Start a prayer journal

#67 - Get my nice Bjorn dress shoes fixed

#68 - Organize our storage area in the shed downstairs

Hubby did this!

#69 - Make a bookmark out of a favorite photo

I used a picture taken on the ski lift in Colorado on our honeymoon!

#73 - Clean up my front deck

#74 - Repot/prune house plants

#79 - Complete a crossword puzzle

#87 - Buy a bunch of plain washcloths and begin using them instead of paper towels

I still have paper towels from previous stock-ups but I am going to try to avoid buying them in the future.

#93 - Send a birthday card on time

This card was to my mom.

#94 - Make homemade softscrub

Love it!

#95 - Get my laptop serviced

In progress:

#3 - Learn how to crochet

I can do the single stitch, and I have learned how to turn my work.

#15 - Earn enough Swagbucks to purchase another season of the Andy Griffith Show

I am almost ready to get my 2nd $5 gift card.

#19 - Complete my Kodaly Certification

I have completed 2 of 3 levels. Level 3 will be this summer.

#22 - Create an emergency substitute teacher box at each school.

The box at Lincoln Trail is done.

#32- Get new tires for Seth's truck

The tires have been ordered.

#55 - Memorize a poem

I have started to memorize "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.

#77 - Read 24 new fiction books

I read one fiction book in September. It is called Bringing Them Home by Elizabeth Wiens.

#89 - Grow my favorite herbs in an indoor planter

I am growing a number of herbs in my various windows. So far the dill and basil have sprouted!

I don't expect every month's update to be this extensive, as many of these things were started before I made the list. However, the first month's progress is encouraging!