In the spirit of giving, Sheri Graham and I have teamed up to offer this free downloadable resource from the 12 Week Holiday Planner.  This is our gift to you this Christmas season and I hope this will bless you and your family.

Download this complimentary excerpt from The 12-Week Holiday Planner for creating a place to record your Holiday reflections, and get lots of ideas for creating after Christmas traditions.

Why not plan an Unhanging of the Greens Party, celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas or host a Twelfth Night Party?  Read more and download your complimentary ebook now.

Click here to learn more and download this FREE ebook today…our gift to YOU!

{Download will be available until December 31, 2011.}

Like me on Facebook:

I spent today clearing my bookshelves of items I no longer need.  Now that Mary is set to graduate in May, I am no longer a homeschool mom after 23 year of home educating.

I’m cleaning my bookshelves, and offering books at steal of a deal prices. Most of the following items are still brand new, unless otherwise indicated.  I have indicated the suggested retail price if I know it.

Bargain Books

Paypal Payment Only to urbanhome@tds.net Paypal accepts all credit cards without having an account.

Shipping will be as follows:

$3.00 for one book OR five or more books.

$3.50 for two books.

$4.00 for three books

$4.50 for four books

All sales will be final.

All Orders will receive a Free copy of Breakfast for Busy Moms or A Beginner’s Guide to Baking Bread

(spiral bound) by Marilyn Moll while supplies last.

First Come. First Served.

Vision Forum Products

A HOME SCHOOL VISION OF VICTORY Audio by Doug Phillips. Brand New Shrink Wrapped.  ($19.95 new)  Closeout – $5.00.

HOW TO EVALUATE A SUITOR Biblical wisdom for Fathers, Mothers, Eligible Daughters, and Would-Be Grooms by Doug Phillips.  2 Discs.  Brand New Shrink Wrapped.  ($12.00 new)  Closeout – $6.00.

SUFFER THE CHILDREN – The Blessing of ‘Imperfect” Children by Kevin Swanson. Brand New Shrink Wrapped.  (New $19.95).  Closeout $5.00.

Hope Chest Legacy

THE BUTTON JAR Book and The Button Jar Craft Kit by Rebekah Wilson. Lucie learns about the history of the button jar and createds her very own button jar with a simple cross stitch.  Brand New  ($29.95)  Closeout – $12.

LUCIE’S SNOWFLAKES KIT – Includes all the items necessary to complete one bread cloth or tea cloth.  Brand New.  (New $12.95)  Closeout $5.00.

LUCIE’S BIRTHDAY KIT – Includes all the items necessary to complete one lavender sachet.  (New $12.95)  Closeout – $5.00.

SUNFLOWER NEEDLECASE KIT – Kit contains all items needed to complete the project.  Shrink Wrapped.  (New $5.95)  Closeout – $3.00.

THE RUNNING ROOTER KIT – Kit contains all items necessary to coplete one pot holder. (New $12.95)  Closeout – $5.00

HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD’S- These DVD’s are all Like New Condition

THE ART OF BREAD MAKING – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00

THE ART OF COOKING – HOMEStEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00.

THE ART OF HERBS – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00

THE ART OF GARDENING – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00

THE ART OF CANDLE MAKING – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00

THE ART OF SOAP MAKING – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00

THE ART OF QUILTING – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00

THE ART OF SEWING – HOMESTEAD BLESSING DVD with the West Ladies.  (New $19.95)  – Closeout – $10.00.

LAMPLIGHTER BOOKS-Rare Collector’s Series

THE LAMPLIGHTER by Maria S. Cummins.  Hardcover.  New.  Closeout – $10.00.

THE LITTLE LAMB –  BY Christoph von Schmid. Hardcover.  New.  Closeout – $10.00.

THE BASKET OF FLOWERS – A Tale for the young. Hardcover.  New.  Closeout – $10.00.

THE WHITE DOVE by Christoph von Schmid. Hardcover.  New.  Closeout – $10.00.

HOMESCHOOL INTEREST

Good Condition.  (New $75.00) – Closeout $30.00.

EASY WRITING – LEVEL ONE AND TWO  In one volume by Wanda C Phillips. For Upper Elementary. Good Condition – Unused Workbook.  (New $25.00)  Closeout – $10.00

THE SAT AND COLLEGE PREPARATION COURSE FOR THE CHIRSTIAN STUDENT by James P Stobaugh. Good Condition – some writing in book.  (new $30.00)  Closeout $10.00.

WORDLY WISE 3000 – Sysematic Sequential Vocabulary Development – BOOK 6 and answer key.  New Condition.  (New $13.00)  Closeout $5.00

WORDLY WISE 3000 – Sysematic Sequential Vocabulary Development – BOOK 6 Test Booklet – New Condition – (new $8.95)  Closeout – $5.00.

WORDLY WISE Book 5 – by Kenneth Hodkinson.  With Teacher’s Key.

New condition.  (New 12.00)  Closeout – $6.00.

CRITICAL THINKING – BOOK ONE TEACHER’S MANUAL. Like new.  Closeout $3.00.

VOCABULARY:  LATIN I BY FRODE JENSEN Good Condition. (no writing in book) $3.00.

MAN IN DEMAND –STUDENT TRAINING MANUAL AND TEACHER’S BOOK (2 VOLUMES) by Wayne and Emily Hunter.  New condition.  Closeout – $5.00.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S BOOK OF MUSIC by Keith Spence.  New $14.95.  Good Condition.  $4.00.

CHRISTIAN WOMEN

THE HELP MEET’S JOURNEY – A Yearly Companion Journal for Created to be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. New Condition.  (New $14.95)  Closeout- $5.00.

HEARTH AND HOME Recipes for Life by Karey Swan.  Used.Condition.  (New $25.00).  Closeout – $10.00.

THE MOM WALK Keeping in Step with God’s Heart for Motherhood by Sally Clarkson.  New condition. (New $12.00)  Closeout – $6.00.

DEVOTIONS FOR HOMESCHOOL MOMS by Jackie Wellwood. Used condition.  New $12.00.  Closeout – $3.00.

EMILIE’S CREATIVE HOME ORGANIZER by Emilie Barnes.  New condition.  ($12.00 new)  Closeout – $5.00

For years the ability to maintain attractive, clean, sparkling floors without exhaustion and the use of nasty, expensive chemicals has eluded me.  That is, until I discovered the secret of environmentally friendly microfiber and water.

I love the Superior Mop System which is excellent for quickly touching up floors, cleaning dirty floors, ceilings, walls, and high windows especially if you have children and pets.
It picks up the finest grit that traditional broom and cotton mops miss, and keeps your floors cleaner, for longer times and without the use of chemicals or consumable products.

It is designed to be used wet or dry on virtually all flooring, such as ceramic tile, porcelain tile, porous tils, vinyl, linoleum, hardwood, Laminate flooring such as Pergo, and marble.

How to use Dry:

Attach the Mop Pad to the aluminum base.  Start by dusting the edges from the furthest point in the room back toward the exit or door, then move the dust mop in a figure 8 pattern keeping the leading edge of the mop forward at all times.  This will keep all the dust collected on the same side of the dry mop.

When you have finished, brush the collected dust and hair out of the mop using the rubber brush.  Launder the mop pad in the washer occasionally.

How to Use Wet

Moisten the microfiber Wet Mop Pad under running tap water, wring out well by hand before attaching it to the aluminum base.  When necessary, rinse the Mop Pad in the sink.

Rubber Brush

The rubber brush is best for removing pet hair, lint, dust, from the dry mop.  Other uses include:  brushing dirt and pet hair off car seats, upholstery, screens, car seats, and beds.

Mop and Cloth Hanger

Great for hanging the Norwex Mop System, Enviro cloths, garden tools, brooms, and more.

Now through November 30, you will receive one rubber brush with any Superior Mop System purchase.  This is a $13.99 value!

For a Complete List of my Norwex Overstocks and discontinued items at 50% off, please email me at marilyn@marilynmollsnorwex.com.

Please tell your friends about NORWEX!

Mentoring Moms are demonstrating and serving Creme Brulee on Friday for an elegant and easy dessert lesson.

To prepare ahead, I spent a mere 90 minutes with my friend Michele this afternoon before our Wednesday Bible Study, while we made the dessert and lingered over a leisurely lunch together.

I’ll be the dessert tutor and tell you just how easy it will be to pull off this gourmet dessert.  The best part is this can be made a day ahead, refrigerated over night and ready to serve the next evening.

Creme Brulee

5 egg yolks

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar, divided

2 Cups whipping cream

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  In large bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar.  In a small, heavy saucepan, heat the cream to almost simmering over low heat.  Add the cream to the egg mixture SLOWLY, whisking constantly.  Add vanilla, whisk to blend and set aside.

Divide the chocolate beween four 3/4 cup custard dishes or Remekins.  Ladle the cream mixture over the chocolate.  Place the cups in 9 X 13 baking pan and add enough hot water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the cups.  Bake about 55 minute or until the center of the custard is set.  It will jiggle just a little when set.  Remove the cups from the water and cool.   Cover each cup and chill overnight.

Before serving, preheat the broiler.  Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp sugar over the top of each chilled mixture.  Broil, wathcing carefully, until the sugar melts and browns slightly, about 2 minutes.  Cool about 5 minutes and serve.

VOILA!  The most elegant, delicious, easy dessert you have every made.

Please be sure to “like” this post on Facebook and share with your friends.

About two years after Duane’s death I hit a wall and fell apart and could barely keep going.

What I learned in this journey is that I couldn’t keep doing the “right” thing under sheer willpower.  I had become lonely, cynical, and perhaps too religious.  I was out of steam, out of power, exhausted and discouraged.

Being at the end of my rope with disappointments in this life helped me to start to really see that the love of God is enough.

Literally God had to undo me.   I can say, now I am glad!  Because God is really good.

When I heard the words of the prayer (below) this morning on K-love radio, it touched me deeply and I wanted to share the words with everyone because it so beautifully states what I could not put in words.

Please read on:

Lord Undo Me

I  I don’t really worship these days
I don’t really stand up to praise you with songs
Or prayers or actions
or with anything
I am full of all the right moves
I am full of all the right words
I am full of all the right religion
But it is all just illusion
I am really
Lonely
Lost
Calloused
Jaded
Cynical
Too religious
Too realistic
and well really just to lazy
to worship you anymore
I have lost my first love
I have lost the joy of your presence
But most of all I have lost the fear of your glory

Father I need to see you again
Like Isaiah I want to stand in awe of your glory
To fall down at your feet
To come face to face with your
Perfection,
Radiance,
Goodness,
Holiness,
Awesomeness
I want to stand before you and see you for who you are
and me for who I am
I want to be undone

I want to know me for who I really am
I want to see the depths of my heart
And know that you are the only way
You are the only truth
You are the only life
I want to see me and understand
What it really must have taken for you to
Love me
Care for me
See me
Speak to me
Want me
Communicate with me
Die for me
Die for me
Die for me

Lord, I want to stand in that place where all I can see is your glory
And my sin
Because in that place I can’t help but worship you.
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
Lord, undo my heart break down these walls that I love so much
No, wait don’t,
I’m scared I don’t know if I can handle this don’t
But I can’t live this way anymore
I can’t stand here in this half-life
this going through the motions life
this not really alive life
Father, I need you so come in and do what you must
Cut out the tumor on my heart
Break down the walls that I love
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
Let me worship you again

*Blake Williams

I hope you are blessed.  The words of this page come from JD Chandler’s blog page at K-Love.

By getting started with the 12 Week Holiday Planner you can break down all the tasks of holiday plans into an organized and manageable system. The Holiday Planner, by Marilyn Moll and Sheri Graham,  begins the first week of October and I know  You will LOVE it!

Click Here for a complimentary copy of Week One Forms and information.

I’m also very excited to tell you about the BRAND NEW Update!

All forms from The Holiday Planner are in an editable PDF format included in a “zipped” folder just for YOU!

Testimonials from women who have used the Planner:

Dear Marilyn,

“I purchased The Holiday Planner last year and I absolutely love it.  I used it every day last year and I plan to use it every year from now on.  More than anything,  I appreciated how The Holiday Planner constantly reminded me to slow down, observe the wonderful joys of the season and of my children and to focus on what Christ would hope we would focus on.  I highly recommend this book.  Love love love it.” Shae

Dear Marilyn,

“I found it very helpful to have a plan to go by instead of scurrying around wondering what to do next.  By the time December rolled around, we had everything done and were able to just have fun.  .”  Lindy Sellars

Dear Marilyn,

“I really enjoyed this tool. I used the charts the most.  I enjoyed writing down all those ideas for Christmas in one place.  I didn’t have to search for slips of paper or reinvent the wheel, so to speak. ”   Jamie Payne

You can download the entire 14 – page Holiday Planner Sampler for FREE.

Did I mention that Fall is my favorite season here in Colorado?  This past week-end marked the peak of spectacular gold in the hills as change of season comes early in the high country of Colorado.

Today I want to tell you about the spectacular Fall Bundle of Savings for twelve (12) recipe books packed with seasonal recipes for everything from apples and pumpkins to slow cooker to school lunches to Thanksgiving recipes and more.  Purchased separately this bundle of recipes would retail for $104.60.

Today, this bundle is 75% OFF!  That’s right, twelve ebooks for only $24.97.

Christine Steendahl, AKA”The Menu Mom“, has included tons of recipes, crafts, decorating ideas, and other Fall seasonal ideas for one low price.

Included in the bundle are the following:

- All About Apples (Valued at $5.97)

- All About Pumpkins (Valued at $5.97)

- Delicious Fall Recipes (Valued at $8.97)

- Eat Whole Foods – For the Health of It (Valued at 12.97)

- School Lunches Made Easy (Valued at $8.97)

- It’s Sleepover Party Time (Valued at $6.97)

- Slow Cooker Recipe Book (Valued at $14.97)

- Thanksgiving Planned for You (Valued at $12.97

-AND MUCH MORE! Check it out!

This recipe for Apple Kielbasa Roasted Vegetable Dinner caught my eye because I had lots of delicious apples, company coming and the vegetables just needed to be roasted.

Everyone loved this Fall flavored dish.  The sage aroma filled my house and tantalized the taste buds and everyone wanted seconds.  Start to finish this recipe takes about an hour.

Here you go:

3-4 Cups Brussel Sprouts, halved

1 large red onion, cut in 1/2 inch thick rounds

1 pound of Turkey Kielbasa cut in 1/2 inch rounds

2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2-1 inch chunks

2 baking apples – chunked (I used my favorite Honey Crisps)

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dried sage

1 1/2 tsp Real or Celtic Salt

3/4 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the vegetable chunks and apple pieces into a large mixing bowl along with the Kielbasa.  Drizzle the olive oil over the veggie mixture.  Sprinkle in the sage, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.  Transfer to 2 9 X 13 inch casserole dishes or one large cookie sheet with rimmed sides.  Arrange the mixture into one even layer and bake for 40-45 minutes or until everything starts to carmelize or brown at the edges.

I served this dinner with homemade apple sauce, crusty bread, and garden greens.

Don’t forget to “like” my facebook page, marilynmoll.com.

MarilynMoll.com is back! I am very excited about re-connecting with you my faithful friends, readers and customers!  After passing the baton from The Urban Homemaker to the Marsh family in April, my passion for homemaking remains but with a new twist!

My Mission

My mission at marilynmoll.com will to continue to fill this blog page with fresh, relevant information, tips, recipes, food-for-thought, and resources for homemakers of all ages and in all seasons of life and occasionally with a more eternal perspective and use of scriptures.

Although I have experienced many changes and many losses in the last three and half years, I have come to accept that change is inevitable.  I like this quote:

There is no growth without change.

There is no change without loss.

There is no loss without grief.

There is no grief without pain.

Family Updates

Since passing the baton to the Marsh Family, I have spent many weeks taking care of my aging parents and getting them moved to assisted living in Florida.  The highlight of my summer has been connecting with oldest daughter Laura, one-year-old grandson Job, and son-in-law Brandon while they spend their summer on the Western slope of Colorado.

Laura is now expecting a new baby in March 2012.

Son Stephen is now commanding a platoon at Ft Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

Youngest daughter Mary just began her busy senior year of high school and I now have a part time job a personal care provider.

“Like” my Facebook Page

One thing hasn’t changed – my passion for homemaking in all seasons of life, so that is what we will talk about here.  Please tell your friends and “like” my new facebook page.

I’m excited because I have lots of new recipes and resources to tell you about. 

Next week’s Kick off will include some valuable Give-Aways which will include an American Harvest dehydrator, Norwex Superior Mop, and other goodies.

Lastly, if you would like to correspond with me, I’d love to hear from you.  Email me at marilyn@marilynmollsnorwex.com.

Visit my store and sign up for marilynmollsnorwex.com enewsletter for information, tips, and special offers.

Testimonial of the month:

Dear Julie,  (This is a true story shared with my friend Julie and we have been given permission to share)

My daughter is pregnant with her second child.  She has developed the same horrible, angry, itching rash on her abdomen that she had with the first child.  None of the women on the Mom’s blogs have been able to find a solution.  Neither has her midwife.  She even told my daughter that the rash has lasted for some women 6 months after birth!  And Katie had it so bad last time that it spread to her legs and arms.  Well I told her to try the Norwex face and neck gel.  Within days not only had the itching stopped but her skin completely cleared up!!  She is now going to bring the gel to her midwife and let her see her abdomen and the solution! I have chosen to just show the after pictures of the pregnant belly  below:

One more reason why I love Norwex!!

Mary Jean P

Norwex consultant

Superior Mop System Testimonial:

Dear Marilyn,

“This house has 4 rooms that have hardwood floors, and 3 with Tile. Sweeping all those floors wasn’t working for me, so I ordered the Norwex  Superior Mop and it’s usefulness has really made my day! It makes life so much easier for me since I have 5 bulging discs in my back, 4 abdominal hernias, and amessed up rotator cuffs in both shoulders. I just push the Mop along, and let one of my children do the honors of sweeping up what it caught at the end. Another child gets to take the dry mop head outside and brush the stuff off.”

Share your Norwex testimonial and if I publish it, you will receive a FREE Enviro Cloth!

New Product Information will be coming soon.