God's Nuggets: So Long Insecurity Simulcast

I was so privileged to attend the Beth Moore Simulcast last Saturday.  My husband has been having to work weekends and we don't find out until Friday night if he does so I went ahead in faith and bought my ticket and PTL, he didn't have to work so he could take care of our son for me.

I just wanted to share a few points that really spoke to me.  First of all, Beth spoke from Ephesians 4 and 5 which talks about putting off the old and putting on the new.  She made an acrostic with SECURE to explain. (Also, imagine her speaking in a southern accent and emphasizing these words!)

A SECURE woman is...
1. Saved from herself- my biggest enemy is my own insecurity, it is also a form of pride.
2.  Entitled to truth- we must not listen to the lies, but believe God
3.  Clothed with intention-   Proverbs 31: 25 says we are clothed with strength and dignity, we "dress" on purpose, I can say to myself "that is the old me, let me put on the new me"
4.  Upended by grace- I have freedom to forgive and extend that grace to others, love, love, love!  Grace is the only thing we give away that we can keep.
5. Rebounded by love-  We are completely loved by the God of the universe, when we know we are loved, we love others
6. Exceptional in life- Have people see that there is something different about me! 

Death to the OLD- Life to the NEW! Your security is in Christ- claim it!!

Recipe of the Week: Breakfast Egg Casserole

This is for an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. (Recipe can be doubled for 9x13 pan)

8 bread slices, cubed
6 turkey sausage links, cooked and cut (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked broccoli
3 eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard


Place 1/2 of bread cubes in a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Over bread cubes layer half of the cheese, sausage links and broccoli. Repeat layers, ending with cheese. Beat remaining ingredients and pour over pan. Bake 375 for 35-40 min.

(I took this from the 30 Day Freezer Gourmet and tweeked it to ingredients I had). You can use different kinds of cheese like swiss. You can use ham and add different veggies like sweet bell pepper or mushrooms.

Giveaways! Win a free night at a B&B!

Hi friends!  I just found two great sites that are sponsoring getaways to your choice of B&B.  Head over to Alicia's Homemaking (end today) or Katie's Blessed Femininity for details.

Works for Me Wednesday: Spring "Green" Cleaning Part 2

Here are some recipes for "green" cleaning: (from Green Clean Chic)
All you need is some baking soda, vinegar and essential oils. I also ordered the Green Clean kit that has the biodegradable cleanser and 4 essential oils.

Aromatherapy Gentle Scrub Cleanser- great for sinks and tubs
1/8 c. Biodegradable Cleanser
1-3Tbsp. Distilled Water (depending on desired consistency; I like 2 T)
3/4 c. Baking Soda
Mix together then add the following pure essential oils:
20 drops of Lavender (antibacterial)
10 drops of Eucalyptus (antiviral) (Rosemary is a nice substitution here!)
5 drops of Lemon (Orange or Pink Grapefruit oils also work great!)
3Tbsp. Distilled White Vinegar (ADD LAST!!!)
Mix - consistency should be creamy.

Antibacterial countertop spray
3 oz. distilled water
1 oz. distilled white vinegar
20 drops Rosemary essential oil
15 drops Orange essential oil
This is a wonderful countertop cleaner or a great replacement for your sprays that you
would typically use when cleaning stovetops, microwaves, refrigerators, etc….

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
½ c baking soda
10 drops Lemon essential oil
5 drops Tea Tree or Rosemary essential oil
Add these to toilet, then add about ¼ c vinegar, when fizzing stops, scrub and flush.
*Lemon is a natural whitener, and Tea Tree is antimicrobial and antifungal! Powerhouse
cleaning oils!!

Also, for carpet deodorizers...Try this natural remedy. Take an empty parmesan cheese container or spice container. Fill it with baking soda and a few drops of essential oil (I used lavender). Sprinkle on carpet and vacuum up.




Take advantage of this!  I just placed my order.  Can't wait!

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

Be kind to the environment inside and outside. 

Try green cleaning!  It’s easy, cost effective, and smells great!

FREE Sweet Orange essential oil with any online order placed now thru April 30^th.

Free sweet orange essential oil will be automatically included with order

www.greencleanchic.com

Floor Cleaner

15 drops Sweet Orange (antibacterial, good for sticky messes)

10 drops Eucalyptus (antiviral and disinfecting)

1 cup distilled white vinegar

2 gallons warm water

Gratituesday: Neck and Shoulder Therapy Wrap

 

These last several weeks I've been having some upper back and neck pain.  I went to our freezer to find our neck wrap and it smelled horrible!  So I decided to go shopping on Etsy for a decent neck wrap made with good ingredients and smelled good.  I found this wonderful neck wrap made with flax seeds and it smells like peppermint and lavender.  On top of all that, it feels great hot or cold!  I LOVE it.

So check out HomeGrown Pillows on Etsy for your own Therapy Neck Wrap!  Would make a great gift for a girlfriend, mom or sister.  :)

Also, bop on over to Heavenly Homemakers for more Gratituesday.

God's Nuggets: Power of a Praying Wife

Power of a Praying Wife is about the most POWERFUL book for a wife to have in her library.  I got this book several years ago and it stays next to my Bible.  I have benefited greatly from not only the prayers in this, but also the candid personal stories of the author, Stormie Omartian, and her encouragement to be a godly wife.  I am so excited to go through this book again with an online study group over at Hallee the Homemaker.  I encourage every wife to get this book and make praying for your husband in a powerful way a number one priority. 

May God bless your day and your marriage!  -Shonda

Recipe of the Week: Masterful Mac and Cheese

Don't know why this picture is sideways!

This is how I freeze it.

OK, so I'm enthralled with the Sneaky Chef.  This book has amazing recipes.  It's worth getting.  When I started making food for my son I was enjoying purees.  Then I stumbled on this great book, The Sneaky Chef.  I have made several recipes from this cookbook and they are wonderful.  Enjoy this healthier version of mac and cheese.

1/2 lb macaroni

1.5 cups milk

1/2 cup Orange puree (you cannot taste the orange puree in this recipe)

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Optional- 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9 inch square baking pan.  Bring pot of water to boiling.  Add macaroni and cook until just tender.  Drain and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk milk with the Orange puree and salt (optional eggs as well).  Put half of macaroni in pan, top with half of cheese, rest of the macaroni and pour milk mixture on top.  Top with cheese.  Bake 30-35 minutes.

Orange Puree: (I make a batch of this and freeze in muffin tins, pop out and put in a freezer bag for later use)

This makes about 2 cups of puree. Double the recipe if you want to store another cup of puree. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze one-quarter cup portions in sealed baggies or small plastic containers.

- 1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and rough chopped;
- 3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks;
- 2-3 tablespoons water

> In a medium pot, cover carrots and potatoes with cold water and boil for about 20 minutes until yams, and especially the carrots, are very tender. If the carrots aren't thoroughly cooked, they'll leave telltale little nuggets of vegetables, which will reveal their presence (a gigantic NO-NO for the sneaky chef).

> Drain the potatoes and carrots and put them in the bowl of food processor with two tablespoons of water. Puree on high until smooth; no pieces of carrots or potatoes should remain. Stop occasionally to push the contents from the top to the bottom. If necessary, use the third tablespoon of water to make a smooth puree, but the less water the better.

Check out my other Sneaky Chef recipes that I've made:

*Cocoa Chocolate Chip Pancakes

* Sneaky Chef Chocolate cupcakes

Wordless Wednesday: Kitchen adventures!

Monday Non-Mayhem: My plan

Wow, I had such a fun week at the Ultimate Blog Party sponsored by 5 Minutes for Mom.  I have met so many new blogging buddies.  Thanks for coming to visit Knowlton Nest.  I look forward to getting to know you better and learn new ideas from all of you.

OK, so I've been lacking in some areas, so I have made a plan of things I want to accomplish for the rest of 2010.  I will be blogging about my adventures so keep me accountable!

Here are my areas to conquer:
*Knitting- finish projects and start some new ones
*Sewing- I have a purse I really want to make
*Attic-  what a mess, I need to organize all my school and baby things
*Reading- lots of book to read
*Math class-  I am working on getting credits for my teaching certificate
*Plans for teaching Shrade- I'll be looking at several fun websites and books and documenting everything on Milk N' Honey
*Playing piano-  My son loves music and it's my first love
*Organize my home and clean- I'm going to try a new way and see if I can get some more done by I Dream of Clean
*Call family and friends more often
*Plan great dates with my husband
*Be more intentional in my workouts- I did lose 20 lbs last year of baby weight!
*Continue to keep on track with cooking and also try new recipes that I find
*Make a blogging calendar!

So, it looks a bit daunting, but I will do it!

How do you keep non-mayhem?  Let me know and have a great day!  Blessings, Shonda

God's Nuggets: So Long Insecurity

I just finished the most amazing book by my favorite Bible teacher, Beth Moore.  When I saw that Beth was going to write about insecurity, I had to read this book.  I feel like I struggle with insecurity everyday.  Even as a child of God, I rarely tap into God's power to overcome my insecurity as I learned to do after reading this book.  I highly recommend this book for EVERY woman.  Get it today and one for a friend too!

For some good discussion questions visit Living Proof Ministries blog.

God bless, Shonda

Recipe of the Week: Homemade Pizza

I LOVE pizza and I found this great homemade pizza that is healthy, once again. It's from Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers. Check out her site and also her ebooks. She has some fabulous posts about life as a mom, healthy eating, marriage, homeschooling and of course A LOT of recipes. You will see that I get a lot of recipes from Laura. I also try to participate in her weekly Gratituesday.

I usually buy a few yogurts to put in the freezer for this recipe.

Works for Me Wednesday: "Green" Dishwasher Detergent

Well, I've been looking for some "green" cleaning options and I stumbled on Green Clean Chic through one of my blogging buddies, Holly.  I was so impressed with the products and I ordered the green clean kit which came with 4 essential oils and one biodegradable cleanser.  I immediately started using the products and my house smelled so good and clean!  Well, I wanted to see what else I could replace in my cleaning.  I consulted Holly and also found a good recipe in Super Baby Food (which I HIGHLY recommend, not just for baby food!).  Mix equal parts Borax and Baking soda and add a few drops of lemon essential oil from Green Clean Chic and you have your new "green" dishwasher detergent.  Add 1 T of this mix to the open compartment and 1 T to the closed compartment in your dishwasher.  So I tried it and it works!

PS.  Check out my other "green" cleaning posts.

Gratituesday: Books!

Can I just say I absolutely LOVE books and I cannot live without them!  Here are just a few that are on my current reading list.  OK, I have an obsession with books.  First, as you can see I can't just only read one book at a time.  Also, I go to the library every week not only for books for me, but also for my son.  I really like to smell books too.  I know that's weird.  It's very homey to me.  But what I love most about books is getting LOST in the story.  I will brag about books that are page turners for me.

Are you a book lover like me?  Love to hear from you!

Check out more Gratituesday posts at Heavenly Homemakers.

Prolific Blogger Award! I was awarded!

I want to thank Hallee who awarded me with my first blog award! Wow! I was very excited to see my name on her list of 7 blogs that she gave awards to. The details of this award can be found here.

I met Hallee the Homemaker through one of my Gratituesday posts and I continued to browse her blog. I noticed that Hallee is an authentic Christian woman who loves God, her husband and children. She strives to impart wisdom and knowledge as well as great opportunities to improve your life as mom and wife.

I again thank Hallee for giving me this Prolific Blogger Award. I was very surprised, yet honored. I can now pass it on to my favorite blogs:

1. Chic Crafty Chick- my high school friend Shelly
2. Mommy of Faith 19- my new blogging FB friend Holly
3. Inspired Homemaking- a new mom-to-be blogger Emily
4. My Brazilian Life- my new blogging friend Michele
5. Hospitality Haven- my wonderful blogging FB friend Alison
6. Scripted by Shasta- my teacher friend Shasta
7. Newlyweds- mom of twins, Sweet Pea

Book Review: Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go by Lucille O'Neal

This book is about an African-American woman who is very proud of her roots, went through many joys and heartaches and came out on top because of her faith in God. She started with “mental welfare” as her son describes and emerged with mental health.

This woman is Lucille O’Neal, mother of the great basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. And I have to admit, that was the reason I chose to read this book. I was instantly drawn into this story because of the descriptive details Lucille shared concerning her life. She takes you back to the hardships of growing up as an African-American and also the difficulties of her dysfunctional home life. However, a Scripture begins every chapter and even though, through her life, Lucille ran away from God, I really like that she came back to him at the end through the love and prayers of her mother. She not only is Shaquille O’Neal’s mother, but she is woman of great courage and perseverance. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels they are in a state of “mental welfare” or to anyone who enjoys a true story of faith and hope.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ultimate Blog Party: Introduction

Hi, I'm Shonda! Welcome to Knowlton Nest. Nice to meet you! I started my blog commencing the birth of my first son in 2008. From there I started visiting other blogs and have found a wonderful world of new online friends. I have had so much fun reading about the lives of others and getting ideas for my life.

I have since expanded my blog to include things in my life that are important or what I think you might be interested in reading or learning.

Here are few examples of what I like to blog about:
*Faith- Gratituesday, God's Nuggets
*Cooking-Ginger Peanut Chicken
*Organizing- Spring Green Cleaning
*Being a mom- Tot school
*Book reviews and reading goals- Booking It, Book Reviews -this is my first one (I just joined Booksneeze- bloggers read free books and review on their blog, see my button)
*Giveaways- I post about giveaways that I come across and I will have some of my own!

Also, you can check out my new adventure for teaching- Milk N' Honey.

I'm still working out some kinks and adding new things all the time. I look forward to getting to know you better. I also try to make my posts short, but significant. God Bless, Shonda

PS. Feel free to grab my new button (my husband made the nest for my son's room and my friend Donnetta created the button) or become a follower.

PSS.I was pretty shy about joining the party, but I saw the banner on a recent blog and thought I would check it out.  I honestly did not know I would be having SO MUCH FUN meeting so many new "blog" friends.  I respond to every comment and check out your blog too.


There are many prizes to be won at this years Ultimate Blog Party, but my top 3 picks would be...US 10 – Young Living Essential Oils Stress Away Roll-On , US 18 – Goodie Basket for Mom, USC 29 – For one winner a set of two multi-language format children’s DVD’s (includes American Sign Language) from Little Leaders: Little Noah, Learn About Animals and Little Moses, Learn to Count for ages 9 months and up.


And if my top 3 picks are chosen I would like the following- US 79- A surprise jar of KindNotes, INTL 9 – 10 winners will receive two ebooks: Pretty.Cool. Cakes: A Baker’s Dozen of Themed Birthday Cake Ideas and FishMama’s Guide to Cooking with Children.

For more fun blogs to visit go to:
Ultimate Blog Party 2010- 5 minutes for Mom

Recipe of the Week: Hodgepodge Skillet

In a large pot or skillet stir in one food from each of the following four groups:
1. One cup of raw whole grain (rice, millet, etc) or pasta
2. A can of soup (cream of potato, mushroom, tomato soup) mixed with 1.5 cans milk or water
3. 1/2 cup cooked beans or eggs (I used a can of black beans)
4. 2 cups cooked or raw veggies

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer 30-45 min until grains are done. Stir occasionally. Optionally add 1/2 to 1 cup of cheese or tofu.

You can also sprinkle in some spices like garlic, oregano and cumin.

I make Shrade sized portions for the freezer. Freeze, pop out and put in a bag. Take out the night before and thaw in the fridge. Easy!

Wordless Wednesday: Stuck!

"I want that golf ball, but going around the chair is too easy!"

I'm Booking It 2010 (April)

In March I read:
*Honor's Price by Kristen Heitzmann
*Honor's Quest by Kristen Heitzmann
*A Woman's Heart Bible study by Beth Moore
*No More Headaches by Juli Slattery (I made a Marriage Monday post featuring this author)
*Reading through the Bible- I just finished 1 Samuel.

Still reading and reading for April:
*So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore (going to the simulcast on April 24!)
*Honor's Disguise by Kristen Heitzmann
*Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson
*Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood by Jim and Charles Fay (I will be sharing what I learned on my new blog for moms: Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow)
*Every Woman's Marriage by Greg and Shannon Ethridge
*Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go by Lucille O'Neal (my first Booksneeze book to read and review for FREE!)
*A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George (Bible study with my friend)
*True Colors by Kristin Hannah

PS. Check out more Booking It posts from Life As Mom.

Marriage Monday!

Hi everyone, I'm here with another snippet from the seminar we went to in February. So, I really enjoyed Dr. Juli Slattery and I decided to check out her book No More Headaches from the library. It's a great read with plenty of humor and practical suggestions for intimacy as well as addressing some struggles of both men and women. I highly suggest reading it.

Here are some bits that I picked up from the seminar from Juli:

The most powerful relationship is your marriage. There is no boundary in marriage.

*A woman's power- to recognize her husband's greatest need which is to be her hero.
He asks- do you believe in me? Are you there for me?

*A man's power- for the wife to feel safe in his love.
She asks- does my husband love me? Am I safe with him?

He wants to be a leader. Can you help him learn how to lead you?

Mark 10:6-9 "But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” ⁷“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife^{* 8}and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’ "

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13

Happy Easter! Letters to God

Isn't our God awesome! He arose from the dead to save us from our sins! As I was contemplating Easter and the fact that God wants each of us to come to him for his saving grace, I came across this movie trailer that brought me to tears. It looks like a MUST SEE movie- Letters to God.

God's Nuggets: Good Friday

What is "good" about Good Friday?

It's the fact that Jesus willingly placed his life on the cross in MY place and took all the sins of the world on himself and when he did this he was separated from the Father. He did this so we could be seen as "holy" in God's sight. Wow! He did that for me and you.

Easter is my most favorite day to celebrate because it is the reminder of the love that Jesus has for me. I am having a hard time putting into words all that I know and feel, but remember that if Jesus did not do this for you, then you would not be able to have eternal life with the Father in Heaven.

Listen to O Happy Day! It's on my playlist that I just added. Scroll down and turn up the volume. It's my song!!!