Livin' my life on the farm

Friday, I made some strawberry tarts to share with some friends.

I love tarts! I love to make them and I love to eat them.

I bought my 11 tart pans and a heart shaped jello mold, which works great as a tart pan, for only $1.00 at a flea market. I had been looking for some and I finally found them at that flea market I went to. I was very excited to get them! Below is a picture of the heart shaped jello mold, one of my heart shaped tart pans, and one circle tart pan.

Here is the recipe to make strawberry tarts.

Strawberry Tarts

Recipe for Tart shell:

Tart Shell

2 Cups flour
1 teapsoon salt
2/3 cups shortening
6 to 7 tablespoons of cold water

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the water over the mixture; toss gently with a fork. Gradually add more of the tablespoons of water while working with the mixture until the dough is moistened enough to form into a ball.Form the dough into a ball and flatten the dough, with hands, on a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough into a even piece of dough.

Lay the tart pan on the dough and cut around it 1/4 inch away from the pan.

Press the piece of cut dough into the tart pan. Apply enough pressure to the dough so that the dough will stay in place inside of the tart pan.

Now, prick the dough inside the tart pan with a fork.

After the dough in the pan has been pricked, it should look like the picture below.

After the all of the tart pans are filled with the dough and pricked, they can now go into the preheated oven. (Below is a picture before they have been baked.)
Here is a picture of the tart shells after they have baked.

Now the tart shells are ready to be filled.

Here is the recipe to make strawberry filling.

Strawberry Filling

2 tubes of Wick's Strawberry Glaze (it can be found in the produce aisle, it is NOT THE SUGAR- FREE)
2 quarts of Fresh Strawberries

Wash and strain the strawberries. Core and slice the strawberries into small slices and put slices in a medium miing bowl. Add the tubes of strawberry glaze to the sliced strawberries and gently fold together with a spatula. After glaze and strawberries are combined, pour it into the tart shells.
Put a little whipped cream on top of each tart before serving and they are ready to eat. Enjoy!

Belle

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http://homeschoolblogawards.com/best-homemaking-or-recipes-blog-2008/

My blog name is Born 100 Years too Soon.

Please Vote for my blog in the 2008 Homeschool Blog Awards!

12 Days of Holiday Homemaking!

I just stopped in real quick to say that the first day of Holiday Homemaking freebie is up!! So go stop by our website and pick up the ebook :) Today's ebook is "Be An Indian!" We have easy indian costumes and a woodworking project for the boys to make a pioneer gun!

I'm temporarily changing this template to one that I (and everyone else for that matter) can stand to look at without getting a headache! I'm not a procrastinator, I'm itching to fix this thing, but there are only so many hours in the day. The Holiday Homemaking deal has consumed our attention! So, till the day before Thanksgiving, the occupied sign shall be on my door!

Got Any Eggnog Recipes For Me?

Still trying new recipes and more of my life...

Today, I tried a sweet'n sour stir fry. I really tried hard to eat it, but it was so yucky! It was way too much tomato flavor than what I was expecting. I ate about half, but then I couldn't eat anymore. I like stir-frys in general, but this one wasn't to my liking. I couldn't fall back on the family meal, because my daughter made the potatoes, with cheese and sour cream in them, and the loaf had cheese in it. I guess I could have eaten corn and WW bread. Actually, I did eat some bread, cuz I was so hungry.

Today I spent a good portion of the day arranging paperwork for our Living Well meetings at church. I put together a notebook with monthly dividers so we can plan ahead. I typed up some recipes. I hole punched our planning pages and inserted them into the binder. I addressed some postcards and will mail those out tomorrow morning, I hope!

My van got fixed. My brakes have been squeaking each time it rains, likely because we live on gravel and the dirt just makes for nice squeaks. But as of lately, they sounded different, although, I didn't think they acted different. Well, we had put every other vehicle in for something or other in the last couple months that it seemed time to check the van. Dh actually wanted to fix my doors as the lock/unlock button never opened any doors and I had to do them manually, but they were often stuck in locked position or open position. Two doors wouldn't even open with the door latch. He figured it was just from living on the gravel because this was a sporadic problem, although it had worsened considerably the past couple months. I guess something was broken in the doors... they all had to be replaced... and Dh also fixed the door open light/alarm as that was always on and dinging even when every door was shut. He just mentioned for them to check the brakes cuz I had said something recently and they found the back brakes to be broken, the lines were even broken... so those were completely replaced... the front were fine. Well, nearly $1000 later, my van works! UGH... Dh thought maybe $300-500 tops but almost $1000.... he gave up his bale spear money so my van doors would work. It was frustrating to run out in the rain and stand there and manually open one door, then crawl in and HOPE you could get a door open for the rest of the family. I am sure the girls will appreciate this fix so much. My car now smells of cigarettes from the shop, but it works.

I got a hair cut. The day after Dh's birthday, I decided to cut my hair. My daughter had an orthodontist appointment, so she had to sit and wait for me. They cut off 6 inches... I didn't realize it had gotten that long. I am trying to cut the "color" out of my hair. The trial of coloring my hair wasn't good. My head itched all the time and I didn't "love" the color... I feel more comfortable just being "me". Cutting off the colored hair will take time, but it will grow back soon enough. As for my hair cut... I'd show a picture, but wouldn't ya know that the very day after I got it cut, I got this HUGE ZIT on my nose! Since I do not know how to photo edit, you will have to wait to see it. It is just above my shoulders, the back is layered with long layers... just the bottom 2 inches or so. The sides she layered up to my bangs... so it is still the length of the back, but with shorter layers. Everyone says they like it... it's different from the one length haircuts I've had for many years. I am finding it a bit harder to care for. My hair is curly and after lying on it... it goes flat. I tend to sleep either on my back or my side and I wake up to one side curly and one side wavy/long/flat... really, it looks longer than the other side until it is washed and it curls back up. So, no waking up and heading out the door on the run... I definately will argue for a shower as my new DOOO does not sleep well. I think it is too short to pull back at the moment (I could with a pony tail and some barrettes), but Dh is glad for that. He likes my hair down and says he likes this hairdo. It looks best Moused... but of course... my skin breaks out from mouse... so yah, I think that is the reason for the HUGE zit on my nose and on my cheeks and all over! I woke up the day after with half of my face bright red... it was just beginning to break out when I awoke and each hour I could feel more and more eruptions coming to my face. ARGH! I should have told the gal NO mouse, but I was too polite and just let her fix my hair... cuz I was shopping afterwards and I knew the hair without some help at that moment would not look good walking around. Hopefully I will find a happy medium... with getting my curly hair to cooperate without adding too much goo and heat styling products. My hair is dry (curly hair is always dry), and using irons or dryers causes split ends within a few uses.

Well, that's catching up for now. I need to work on the checkbook and do some bills.

Changing Styles...

Saturday Psalm & Praise - I Will Serve The LORD!

This song is one of my favourites. It is about serving the Lord and trusting in Him.

I believe in God the Father
Jesus Christ, His only Son
And the blessed Holy Spirit
Distinct, yet three in one

I believe there is forgiveness
For everything we've done
That is why all the more
I will serve Him

I believe the Son of God
Was crucified upon the tree
And laid within a borrowed tomb
Not far from calvary

I believe He rose up from the dead
Alive for all to see
That is why all the more
I will serve Him

Chorus:
I have made my decision
I have drawn a line in the sand
And I'll not be ashamed
With the world behind me us
And the cross before
By the grace of God I will serve the Lord

I believe you must be born again
John 3:16 is true
The old life can be washed away
Everything made new

I believe the love of God
Can somehow find its way to you
That is why all the more
I will serve Him

Chorus:
I have made my decision
And I'll not be ashamed
With the world behind me us
And the cross before
By the grace of God I will serve the Lord

And I know when Satan and his minions
Come to torment me
When I invoke the name of Jesus
Every demon has to flee

I know the time will come
When Christ returns again someday
Till then there's just one name on Earth
Whereby men can be safe

I believe there is a right and wrong
A time to live a die
And the Bible is the blueprint
That all men should live by

I believe I'm not alone
With my faith in Jesus Christ
That is why all the more
We will serve Him

Chorus:
We have made our decision I have state my claim
We have state our claim
We have drawn a line in the sand
And we won't be ashamed
With the world behind me
We will serve the Lord

Chorus:
I have made my decision
I have drawn a line in the sand
And I'll not be ashamed
With the world behind me us
And the cross before
By the grace of God I will serve the Lord

By the grace of God
I will serve the Lord
By the grace of God
I will serve the Lord

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the thoughts and happenings of a fourteen-year-old girl from the country. “You can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens you!” Philippians 4:13

A Giveaway At A City On A Hill!

Computers = Friends

Ah, I felt so silly last week as I was talking with an online friend. She caught me off guard when she said she was 16. I had to go ask Amanda if this friend really was 16! She was like “uh, yeah, it’s been 2years since we met her”. *blank stare* I’ve been blogging for nearly 3years now and I met her nearly 2years ago so she was 14 and I was 15. I guess people grow up, huh, even on the computer?! I guess I didn’t mentally update my friends’ ages. Well, just some of my friends I guess.

I don’t have any real-life friends, only those who’ve I met online so I keep up to date all on their birthdays and special events going on with them. My calendar is filled with my family’s birthdays and then my online friends birthdays. I love my computer because my friends live in it, and several times I’ve had the utmost pleasure of getting to meet some of them in person! Passing through Indiana?? Let me know!

"Bub-ewl"

Grams permed my hair today and Nikki wanted to see photos so Amanda and I went to get take one, and we ended up taking quite a few just for fun. We had to get a few with Caleb and Lucylillie because they’re just too cute NOT to take their picture! I love those to rascals so much! Yes, they cause much trouble on a daily - alright - hourly basis, but they’ll grow out of it. Haha, at least I hope so.

Luli has been such the darling to me lately. Giving me kisses whenever I ask and cuddling with me inside my robe. She also learned to say “bubble” - SO ADORABLE! I’ll be washing the dishes and she’ll come and say “bub-ewl”. Of course then she’ll want a handful to rub in her hair afterwards! So precious! I’m cherishing these moments of her baby-hood as she turns into a toddler!

Post some photos of you with your siblings, and then LINK your post (visit post):