Home with Tracy

This recipe has already been doubled because I like to freeze them for snacks and breakfasts. It is adapted from this recipe from Money Saving Mom. The recipe posted below makes 5 dozen muffins. This is the first time my husband really liked the muffins, so I made sure I wrote down exactly how I made them. 8 eggs 2 cups pumpkin 2 cups sugar 3 cups oil (I use butter oil, also known as Ghee) 3 cups natural unbleached flour 3 cups wheat flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup ground flax seed 4 tsp baking soda 4 tsp baking powder 2 Tblsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp salt 1 package chocolate chips Mix together eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 - 3/4 full. Bake 14-16 mins at 400 degrees. They came out so light and moist. It has taken me a few attempts to get them the way my whole family would like them and it was well worth it. Hope you enjoy them.

My husband had been gone at a conference for three days. It was three long days of everyone in the house being sick. When he returned, I tried to sneak away to our bedroom so I could watch a video I just received, Tea with Michelle Duggar . I was sitting in my bedroom watching the video and I had my Bible next to me so I could look up verses Michelle referenced. It wasn't long before my time alone ended and I was joined by my twins. About five minutes into their arrival, Michelle referenced a Bible verse. I picked up my Bible and began looking up the verse. While I was reading, my son got up and left the room. My son is a very active five year old and cannot sit still for long, so I figured he was just bouncing on to the next thing that would catch his attention. Just a moment later he returned, sat down beside me and handed me his Bible. He asked me to turn in his Bible to where I was in my Bible. (I should tell you, he cannot read...yet.) At that moment, it dawne...

This past week, our family went to our first ever homeschooling convention, Teach Them Diligently, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. We had an exhausting, but great time. I didn't make it to all the sessions I wanted, but that was my own fault. I am extremely uncomfortable going out on my own to places that I don't know where there are people I don't know. So, I either stayed with my children or I stayed with my husband. I know I need to get over these insecurities and I am working on it. I wish I would have carried around a notebook to take notes through our five day adventure. I had one in my suitcase, but I never got it out. I not only wish I would have wrote down things I wanted to remember from the speakers, but also things that I wanted to remember from my children. Our first full day there we went to Hollywild. It is a safari type zoo. The kids loved it. They got to see 3 baby bears and then we went on a safari ride in a bus with no windows. It was amazing! There w...

Back at the end of 2011, there were several mom blogs that were asking what one word you would choose to describe 2012. I drew a blank....for a long time. Finally, I have my word. INTENTIONAL! I am going to be intentional about studying God's Word and spending daily time with Him. I am going to be intentional about being the wife that God wants me to be, the wife that my husband deserves. I am going to be intentional about being the mother God wants me to be, the mother that my children deserve. I am going to be intentional about being a homemaker that God wants me to be, a homemaker that brings glory to God. I am going to be intentional about my daily attitude. I am going to be intentional about my daily attitude. Yes, I know I typed that one twice, it was intentional. Intentional is defined as "done with intention or on purpose." What are my intentions for the day? Do they glorify God? Are my intentions, or my purpose, accomplishing what I need...

Our friends, Kevin and Debbie, are in the process of adopting from the Democratic Republic of the Congo . You can follow their adoption journey at  Forever By Grace .  They have been accepted to be the featured family this week (Feb 26-Mar 3) with an organization called Give1 Save1 . Basically, people donate $1 towards their adoption fund and if 1000 people give $1 then that’s $1000 that goes to bringing home their baby! What a great organization and a great way for us all to work together to support adoption. I ask that you please consider helping our friends bring their baby home. Also, please fell free to share this post so that others may also help. Please consider helping support their adoption and give $1 to the Weldon's this week! Click  here.   Thank you!!!

Since we registered for the  Teach Them Diligently Convention back in the beginning of January, our oldest son has been wanting to pack for the trip. I keep telling him it is too early. He is so cute, he wants to pack a suit to wear in case he gets a chance to meet Ken Ham. I think he wants his job when he grows up. I must say, I am pretty pleased with his choice of a mentor. Today, I finally realize it is less than three weeks away. With a our family of six going, I decided I better start planning. So, I started making my lists...yes, plural! I was trying to figure out what bag I would take with me to the convention. I knew that I would need a bag big enough to carry my notebook, the convention notebook, my Bible, snacks for the kids, a change of clothes for the kids (12 hours away from the hotel, you never know what is going to happen), etc. I finally decided that I am going to bring our small rolling suitcase. I may look weird, but I will be very prepared and I wont have to...

The worldly message of what makes a marriage work as seen in movies, books, television shows, is most commonly portrayed as attraction. It is deceitfully described as love, but often it is only lust. Unfortunately, that is why so many marriages fail. Marriage is about much more than attraction. Actually, attraction is just a small part of it. Marriage is about devotion, dedication, commitment, loyalty, faithfulness, trust, forgiveness, patience, kindness, respect, growing. Marriage is about standing next to a person, taking a vow to be with them through it all. Through the mountains and the valleys. Being with someone, completely committed to someone through all the valleys, makes a marriage stronger. Marriage should grow through the years. Marriage takes work in order to grow. You would not simply plant a seed in the sand and hope that it grows into what it is capable of growing in to.   Marriage grows when it is cared for. Marriage grows when you are not only gro...