This Simple Womans Day Book #3

This Simple Woman's Day Book

For today... October 20, 2008

Outside My Window...it's dark, I can hear the crickets, and see a few moths flying around
I am thinking...how I need to do a study on patience and hide the word in my heart that I might not be so quick to be impatient with my girls
I am thankful for...Yahweh's mercy that is new every morning
From the kitchen...put in the last batch of chocolate chip cookies
I am wearing...a lavender jumper with beading around the neck, white blouse and barefoot
I am creating...personalized tea bag covers for my girls tea party on Thursday
I am going... brew me some herbal tea, curl up with a good book (Beautiful Girlhood) and relax before retiring to bed
I am reading...Beautiful Girlhood by Mabel Hale
I am hoping...to finish up this wedding dress this week
I am hearing...the girls whispering and cutting out paper dolls
Around the house...it's a bit untidy, it's time to pick up and get ready for bed
One of my favorite things...chocolate covered pomegranate seeds
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: finish up the wedding dress, cut out a few dresses, and collect everything I need for the tea party
Here is picture thought I am sharing... this is a kitten we found roaming around, we had a friend who adopted her

If you would like to join in and keep your own day book

than feel free to visit The Simple Woman' s Daybook

and happy journaling!

This Simple Woman's Daybook #2

October 13, 2008

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Outside my window: it's dark out...cloudy...and looking a little stormy

I'm thinking: How nice it will be to take a nice hot shower and then pour myself some herbal tea and open up the word for some nourishment.

I'm thankful: for a car that isn't a gas hog...just $20-25 a week...

From the kitchen: dishes are calling to be washed, we had canned soup Select Harvest Italian Style Wedding soup, which was very filling and fulfilling :-) Before going to bed I'll put on a pot (crock pot) of beans to slow cook all night and all day tomorrow.

I'm wearing: white blouse, black jumper, and barefooted.

I'm creating: We (my girls and I) are embroidery napkins for our Thurs. Tea time.

I'm going: to bed very soon...yawn...

I'm reading: B'resheet/Genesis 4-6, finishing up Boxcar Children, Meet Felicity, and starting later on this week: The mystery in the Cave, and The mystery of the Mixed up Zoo.

I'm hoping: I can figure out how to put back together this wedding dress I have apart...The layers of chiffon are constantly shifting and just giving me a head-ache.

I'm hearing: The radio~ Come eat bread if your hungry

One of my favorite things: Is to go on a nature walk with my girls...and I especially enjoy grilling out at the park later!

A few plans for the rest of the week: oy! to finish up this wedding dress. I bought a couple of patterns, fabric, and lace to make the girls some dresses. They are on this Felicity kick right now, so needless to say we are making "Felicity" style dress... *grin* perfect for the upcoming Thanksgiving Dinner.

Here is a picture thought I want to share: This is the fabric we chose. The printed autumn leaf fabric will the the dress and the green fabric will be the cap and shoulder shawl.

I'll be making the dress on the far upper right side of the pattern. The lace will be around the cap, shawl, hem, and sleeves.

This is the wedding dress I'm altering...oy...I'm so ready to be finished with it...
this is a pic of the waist: removing the skirt from the bodice of the dress...yes those are little beads that will have to sewn on by hand, all the way around the waist, front and back...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you would like to join 'The Simple Woman's Daybook'
just click the above link...happy journeying!

This Simple Womans Day Book

Friday October 10, 2008

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Outside my window: The sun is just rising, casting shadows across the driveway. There is a gentle breeze, and a few birds gliding in the sky. It looks to be a beautiful Autum day.

I'm thinking: Time is moving too fast...I have to get dressed and get our shopping...

I'm thankful for: a hard working husband who comes home to me every evening, for children who love me and are still untainted by the world, for the freedom we given in USA, and for my Master, Yahshua the Messiah who saved my from my life of sin and engrafted me into life eternal.

From the Kitchen: This is a new recipe I'll be trying today. My family loves Challah bread, however, I haven't made it in a while and when I went to look for my recipe I couldn't find it. No problem, I just googled it and found one very similar to it:

Best Challah (Egg Bread)
Adapted from Joan Nathan

The secrets to good challah are simple: Use two coats of egg wash to get that laquer-like crust and don’t overbake it. Joan Nathan, who this recipe is adapted from, adds that three risings always makes for the tastiest loaves, even better if one of them is slowed down in the fridge.
Time: about 1 hour, plus 2 1/2 hours’ risingYield: 2 loaves
1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl5 large eggs1 tablespoon salt8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup raisins per challah, if using, plumped in hot water and drainedPoppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling.
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard size KitchenAid–it’s a bit much for it, though it can be done.)
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
4. At this point, you can knead the raisins into the challah, if you’re using them, before forming the loaves. To make a 6-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
7. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
Note: Any of the three risings can be done in the fridge for a few hours, for more deeply-developed flavor. When you’re ready to work with it again, bring it back to room temperature before moving onto the next step.
Round or straight braid? Raisins or skip them? Straight loaves of braided challah are eaten throughout the year–typically on the Sabbath–round challahs, often studded with raisins, are served for the New Year and the other High Holidays that follow. I made one of each, so you could see examples.

I'm wearing: My bed clothes (lol)

I'm creating: Well, there are so many things in the making right now! I'll share with you what I'm finishing up. I'm altering a wedding dress three sizes, yes that's right three dress sizes and at the moment it is in three pieces...ready to be sewn back together...

I'm Going: Today is grocery shopping day...so I'll be making out my list and will be pushing my cart along with the other 'Friday shoppers'. Oh JOY!

I'm Reading:

This is my leisure reading:
Return to the Land; An Ephraimite's Journey Home
byEphraim Frank

This is our Family Read-out-Loud:
Felicity's Short Story Collection
by Vallerie Trip

Home school help books:
The Walk the Way Book
by Nancy Rue
If You're Trying To Teach Kids How to Write...
you've gotta have this book!
by Marjorie Frank

I'm Hoping: The budget will allow me to order some books from Doorpost

I'm Hearing: I'm hearing my girls whispering...wait, I think they have something, sounds like they are opening a 'food wrapper'...yep I just checked it was a package of ritz crackers LOL

One of my favorite things: There is nothing I like better than feeling the gusting wind wirling about me on a clear fall day! Oh and those beautiful colored leaves...just gorgeous!

A Few plans for the rest of the week : Well since today is the sixth day of the week, at sunset we will be observing not only Shabbat, but also "Day of Atonement" this will be our first observance of the Biblical Holy Day, we are so looking forward to it.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing: beautiful Challah Bread

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If you too would like to
join 'The Simple Woman's Day Book'
Here is the page with the
instructions on all the how to's