Queen of the Castle: Week 39

For those of you playing along...(if you've just joined us you can get caught up a bit here) we are on week 39 of the book Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker.

This week's chapter is titled "How Can I Make Dinner When I'm Always in the Car?  Dinnertime Solutions".  In my opinion if you are asking yourself that question then the first thing you need to do is re-read chapter 38 and prioritize family activities!  Then think on the following ideas.

"If I'm not making the effort to provide a family dinnertime whenever possible -- even if it's frozen pizza and bag salad -- my family misses out on that connection of sharing the day's ups and downs.  We miss out on the habit (not to mention good manners) of learning to eat what's in front of us, rather than thinking life always includes menu options.  We miss out on the benefits of working together to clean up after a meal.  Mealtime is family time, plain and simple, and it's something I've realized I'm willing to be inconvenienced for."

"When meal planning think of which dishes you can prepare early in the day and reheat later; look for recipes with quick-cooking fish fillets, chicken that's already boned, vegetables that are precut.  Accept that you may have to put aside the Julia Child for now and go for 101 Ways to Make Magic with Cream of Chicken Soup."

"Break food prep into fifteen minute bursts...make dessert the night before."

"Make extra food on weekends and freeze if for the week ahead, or even the month."

My tips:

Make a meal plan!  It helps... A LOT!

Put a one dish meal in the crock pot the night before and stick it in the fridge.  The next morning let it sit for about 20 minutes and then turn it on slow for the day. 

- - -

"There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good.  This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?"  Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Triple Chocolate Cake

I know this is supposed to be Kitchen Tip Tuesday but I had to tell you about this recipe!  Consider this your kitchen tip...make this!  This is from Goosberry Patch's Fall, Family, & Friends cookbook.  It's a lot like the crockpot Lava cake that I make (that recipe's HERE), but this is sooo much better!  It's the sour cream that makes it so divine! 

Triple Chocolate Cake
18-1/2 oz. package chocolate cake mix (I used chocolate fudge!)
8-oz. container sour cream
3.9-oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. oil
1 c. water

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker; mix well.  (I mixed it in my KitchenAid mixer first.)  Cover and cook on high setting for 3-4 hours.  If desired (and I think it's a must!) serve with ice cream!  Makes 8-10 servings.


Enjoy!

Homemade Blueberry Pancake Syrup

We ran out of our homemade syrup so since we have a ton of blueberries in our freezer I thought I would whip up some blueberry pancake syrup.  I found this recipe at cooks.com.  It is DELISH!!

4 cups blueberries (stemmed and washed)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Crush berries with back of spoon. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.  Enjoy!

*This recipe makes enough to feed our family of 10 for a meal and left overs.

October's Menu Plan

Behold the (tentative) October Menu Plan.    

The great thing about BigOven is that I can swap a meal around without redoing the whole thing.  

Then I just print out the new one!  

You should be able to click on it to enlarge.  I'll post links to the recipes that have posted at some point this weekend.  Or you can search for them in the search bar if you don't want to wait for me.  : )

Queen of the Castle: Week 38

For those of you playing along...(if you've just joined us you can get caught up a bit here) we are on week 38 of the book Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker.

This week's title is "Grocery Shopping and Meal Planning". Well that's right up my alley!  Since we have 10 in our family meal planning and grocery shopping is at the top of my to-do list!   Lynn, the author, laments that grocery shopping with children can be something she'd rather not do.  I am blessed to either have my husband pick up groceries on his way home from teaching (he even does the deals and coupons!) or grocery shop myself with my mom home to watch the troops. 

Meal planning is a strategy that you don't realize what you've got until you don't have a plan for a week!  You find yourself struggling at 5:00...trying to come up with something for dinner.  Been there, done that!  There are all sorts of strategies that you can implement for regular menu planning.  Make a list of meals that most of your family loves.  Rotate those meals.  No one will remember when you ate what...if they like it, they'll eat it!  There are a number of ways to organize your menu planning.  Write the menu on a piece of paper, type it up, print off the menu page from Motivated Moms and fill it out, or use a computer system like BigOven.  If it helps, assign each night of the week with a type of food.  Mondays and Tuesdays are crock pot nights for us since I'm out before dinner with various children and their lessons.  Wednesdays need to be easy clean up since we leave for church activities right after.  I plan fairly nice meals (and usually time consuming) for Thursday evenings since I'm usually home all day.  Friday is always pizza; either home made or an occasional carry out treat.  Saturdays are usually "fun food" like burgers on the grill, or BBQ chicken.  Sunday's lunch meal is usually a nice crock pot meal and Sunday night is "clean out the fridge night".

To help your menu planning and grocery shopping easier here are some of Lynn's tips with mine sprinkled in for good measure:

*Clean out the fridge before you shop so the "new" foods don't hide the "old" foods which will go unnoticed and start to grow lots of fuzzy friends.

*Don't wing it!  Shop regularly and with a LIST!


*Don't shop hungry! 

*Doing the last two things together are often cause for T.R.O.U.B.L.E....on your pocketbook and your waistline!

*Try listening to your iPod in the store...with upbeat music playing.  If the store is playing slow music you have a greater chance of spending more time there and spending more of your precious money.

*Keep a price book.  List items that you regularly buy, the brand, the store you purchase it, the size, the price, and the unit price.  This will help you figure out if that can of "sale" soup at Wallyworld is actually a good deal or not.

*Shop the outskirts of the store.  The healthier items are on the outside edges of the store...meat, produce, dairy. 

- - -

"Studies show that families will eat the same ten main dish foods eighty percent of the time." 

(See, I told you...they won't mind!)

- - -

"But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing:  Psalm 34:10

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Today's kitchen tip is an assortment of fun fall decorating ideas!  I found these while perusing another wonderful Gooseberry Patch cookbook:  Harvest Kitchen.

Need a clever place card?  Pull back the husks on ears of mini corn and use a bronze or gold paint pen to write the name of each guest along the husks.  Arrange one ear of corn in the center of each plate. 

Turn a hollowed-out apple into a mini vase...fill it with water, then add fresh leaves and bittersweet berries.


An apple, mini pumpkin or pear makes a cleaver napkin weight when dinner goes outside for an autumn picnic.

Here's a yummy cooking tip:
Toast buns slightly before adding shredded or sliced meat, or sausages or sandwiches...it only takes a minute and makes such a tasty difference. 

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Pumpkin Pie Squares
adapted from Gooseberry Patch Taste of Autumn cookbook

Crust:

1 c. flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 c. brown sugar packed
1/2 c. butter

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar and butter.  Press into greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Pie:

30 oz. can pumpkin
2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
4 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1 t. salt

Blend pumpkin, evap. milk, eggs. In another bowl mix sugar, salt and cornstarch. Mix the dry in to the wet until smooth; pour over crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

Topping: 

1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. butter
Combine oatmeal with brown sugar and butter; sprinkle over the top. Bake for 15 additional minutes. Cool, then chill. Makes 24 servings.

Queen of the Castle: Week 37

For those of you playing along...(if you've just joined us you can get caught up a bit here) we are on week 37 of the book Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker.

This week's chapter is titled "Schedules (or, Which of the 568 Volunteer Opportunities Should I Sign Up For?)".  Wow! What can I say but wow!  I wish all moms read this chapter!  I've needed the reminder at times, too! I will share the highlights here with you.

Lynn, the author, shares that we need God's wisdom in deciding which activities to pick for our family members.  "Are we pursuing an activity for them because everyone we know is signing up, or does the activity really reflect their natural "bent"?"  We can't say "yes" to every activity that comes our way.  Lynn suggests lots of prayer, and so do I!  We need wisdom in steering not only our children's activities but our own!  Between Bible studies, classroom or church volunteering, classes we can take they fill up our family time on the calendar fast.  Over-volunteering for things doesn't make us super moms but sometimes super crabby moms.  Lynne quotes Sandra Felton from The Messies Manual, "Vegetables that are planted too close together jam each other so tightly that none develop properly.  In order to have full, healthy vegetables, some good plants have got to go to leave room for the others.  Some of us have so much jammed together  that none of our activities are really producing well.  The quality of life improves as the quantity of activities is reduced, if we have overscheduled ourselves."

Be prudent in your volunteering.  Pray.  Seek Him to show you how you should spend your time.  Just because it sounds good on paper doesn't mean that it will fit.  She suggests taking on the habit of graciously not committing to a responsibility when first approached.  When someone approaches you to do something ask them to let you pray about it, check the calendar, and seek the counsel of your husband.  Ask them if you can let them know by the end of the week.  Really think on what they are asking you to do. 

Something that I do that helps us is to keep a limit and stick to it.  Our children are committed to Wed. night Bible club, the oldest five take piano lessons and then they are allowed one more activity that doesn't interfere with the weekend (family time...relaxation time...and most importantly Worship time).  The oldest has a guitar and is seeking lessons.  The oldest two girls take violin lessons from a nearby mom.  Their younger sister chose dance this year.  The middle son hasn't chosen anything, yet (even though he's asking for drums!).  The younger two are too young so they get to sit it out this school year.  We don't "do" sports.  We've tried it but it's too much time commitment...between practice and game time.  Add to the fact that they don't enjoy extra-curricular sports that much. They enjoy playing in the yard and playing football with their daddy more (he's making sure they know the in's and out's of sports).  Also they are more than likely going to enjoy music as an adult rather than play a sport, anyway.  I make Thursdays and Fridays our stay home days (unless, of course, a doctors appointment is necessary).   Jackie Wellwood from The Busy Mom's Guide to Simple Living suggests the same thing.  "...Write 'STAY HOME' two or three times each week on your calendar.  If I am to be a homemaker, then I need to be home.  Errands can be run on certain days.  On my 'Stay Home' days, if something comes up I can say no."

The woman described in Proverbs 31 "looks well to the ways of her household" (v.27).  Christian speaker and writer Kathi Lipp has a few questions to ask yourself before agreeing to a commitment.

1.  Is this commitment in line with my fgifts?
2. Will this help or hurt my family (will my husband or kids be picking up the pieces of the fallout of this decision)?
3.  Am I doing this for my own glory, or will it bring glory to God?

- - -

"So teach us to number our days, that we may present  to You a heart of wisdom."  Psalm 90:12

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: One Dish Meals

A dear friend just had her fourth baby and requested I share some one dish meals with her.  I thought you all might be able to use the recommendations as well.  A lot of my meals can be made into one dish meals.  I'll list the link with the name so just click on the name of the dish to take you to the recipe.  I'll also share any ideas that I have to go with those recipes.

Simple Roast  To go along with this you can put some red potatoes and green beans in the crock pot with it.


Creamy Chicken and Stuffing  Add some raw green beans to the crock pot in with the chicken.  Make some of these (Smashed Potatoes) to go along with it.  Use this tip for the potatoes.

Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes  Like it says in the post, add chopped up ham or chicken to make it a main dish.  Steam some veggies and you have a meal!


Easy Cheesy Bean Dip  Stir in some ground beef and serve with Mexican rice, beans, sour cream and salsa (use some good veggie filled salsa!) and you have a meal!

Chicken Pot Pie is great all by itself!  It takes a bit of work, but if you make a few at one time, eat one and freeze the rest you are all set for a few more meals!

Easy Peasy Chops This dish is a another one where you can do the smashed potatoes (see above) and steam some veggies and you're all set.


Creamy Chicken and Noodle Casserole  Add some cooked mixed veggies to this and you have a one meal dish!  Serve with some yummy rolls!

Chicken Burritoes You can make a few batches of these, bake them and then freeze the leftovers for another meal!  Serve with rice, beans, salsa and sour cream.

Rigatoni Casserole This dish has meat, veggies (assuming you use a good sauce), carbs (*smile*)...the total package!  Pop some garlic bread in the oven and you're all set!

Chili Serve with crackers and corn bread!

Chicken Tetrazzini Again, like the chicken and noodles...add veggies!  Serve with bread!

Duggar's Taco Soup

Easy Beef and Noodles  Serve with rolls!

Pioneer Beef Stew  Serve with rolls!  (Do you see a bread trend here? LOL!)

I hope those help!  I'm searching for some more great crock-pot one dish meals for our family since we have a few more busy days this fall.  I have a Gooseberry Patch cookbook that I'm perusing now!

Out Galavantin'...again!

Today you'll find me sharing my Ollie Kookin recipe over at Raising Homemakers!  See you there!

Big Oven: A Tutorial

I have been promising this for a long time.  I'm finally going to make good on my word!  I'm going to show you how to "do" BigOven for your recipes.

Ready?  Hang on!

First you need to order Big Oven.  If you wouldn't mind ordering it by clicking on the words "BigOven" over at the side bar...it's burgundy/red-ish.  Thank you!, that would be great!  I am an affiliate and I get a little cash-esh for you precious souls buying it.  There...shameless plug done.  Phew!

Anywho...pull up BO on the computer. Should I call it BO?  That always meant "body odor" when I was a kid...hmmm.  Nope, can't do it.  I'll just have to type it out.  O.K. ... pull up BigOven on the computer.

Click the "New" button.

Type in the information:  title, serving size and anything else you want to remember.
Then click OK.
Next you are going to have a mostly blank screen to start with.  It will look like this:

Here you will enter your recipe information. Now a great thing here is that you can enter recipes that are on the computer somewhere else...like, say... on my blog!  ; )  You can import them.  Here's how:
Click on Edit and scroll down to Screen Import.

Another window will pop up.  You will then go to the site on the computer where the recipe is.  Copy and Paste the recipe here in the window...like so:

Next highlight the title and click "Recipe Title".  It will turn one color.  Highlight the ingredients and click "Ingredients" and it will turn another color.  Then highlight the instructions and click "Instructions" like the picture below and it will turn another color.  (You have the option to add notes and serving sizes, too.)

Next click on the "Import" button (near the bottom of that column) and then voila!  It's there on your recipe card. (You can also make new recipe boxes in your program!)

You can also size the recipe down or increase it.  This will come in handy if you import one of my huge casserole recipes and you don't happen to have a ginormous family.  Tell it how many servings you want and it'll calculate it for you!

Just click on the button that my red arrow is pointing to (in the image above) and that little box will pop up.  Type in how many servings you want.  Here I changed it from 24 to 12 and it shows you the scaled down amounts.

Then even better is that you can make your menu from your recipe cards in the program!
What you do is go to "View" and click "Meal Calendar".  You have the option to plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks.  You click the day you want to plan for and drag and drop a meal to the category.  For the sake of time I'm going to plan only dinners.

 You'll see that I highlighted the day on the calendar. I then drug the particular dish to the box and up popped the question of serving size.  When you type in your recipe you need to add the serving size. (I just guess and say 10 or 12 since we have a large gang.)  You can change it for the day like if you were going to have another family over and needed to make a larger casserole.  It would then increase or decrease the amount needed.
Then you click on "Print" and it will bring up a printable menu that's neat and tidy and can be hung on the fridge! Again, for the sake of time the menu is only for one week here. 

But wait!  There's one more thing!  You can even print out a grocery list from your menu!  And it'll condense the amounts you need!  Say you need a cup of milk for one dish, two for another, and 1/4 for this dessert, and then 3/4 for that one...it'll tell you in the list that you need 4 cups of milk!  Now I know that is simple math, but think of how easy it would make it for spices.  No more wondering if you'll have enough!
It looks a little like so:

  
I know some of you may think it's a lot of work, and it is in the beginning if you're typing in all new recipes.  But if you are like me and have a bunch already on the computer or find some on the internet (say a food blog that you just adore!  hint, hint *wink*) then you will be all set.  It's super easy.  And it's not super expensive, either!  It's only $29.95. 


If you have any questions please post them here because other folks may want to ask that same question.  I'll try to answer them the best I can!

Queen of the Castle: Week 36

For those of you playing along...(if you've just joined us you can get caught up a bit here) we are on week 36 of the book Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker.

This week is titled "The Party's Over: School Days".  Lynne's children attend a private Christian school, so I can not relate in the way they go off to school.  I can, however, relate to the newness of each school year.  Each parent, whether their children are in public, private or home school should feel a hint of sadness as they grow up and learn new things...it means they are one step closer to leaving the nest.  I am saddened when I am at the grocery to hear various moms and dads chatting with friends to be excited...not for the new experiences their children will have but to be excited to get rid of them because they don't want to be around them.  Lynn reflects on the sadness she feels when they head out the door to catch the bus on that first day.  I can sympathize.  I've never experienced sending them off to school, but I do feel a tinge of sadness as they return to their dance class for the year or enter into a new Sunday School class or Wednesday night group.  It marks another year of growth and learning...and a year closer to leaving the nest.

Like all families who's children have to fit into a school routine, homeschool families do, too.  We are sleepy the first week of school.  Who wouldn't be?  After regular nights of staying up late to enjoy popcorn and a movie, getting up earlier can be a drag!  Lynn suggests a morning checklist, easy breakfast food that the family enjoys, and having things ready the night before.  We get things ready the night before our crazy Wednesday mornings that we have piano and library time.  Using a timer in the morning is another suggestion.  We live by the timer at our house!  To get the slowpokes moving with their morning chores I'll set the timer for 10 minutes.  That gets them going!

Lynn also suggests the book Raising Musical Kids:  Great Ideas to Help Your Child Develop a Love for Music, by Patrick Kavanaugh.  It contains ideas for getting kids to practice their instruments, as well as an appendix listing classical music that appeals to kids.  Our homeschooling family starts the day with school work and when they are done they must first practice piano and violin (we have two on violin) before they get time to play on the computer.  I also play classical and instrumental music on Pandora.com (free!) for the kids to listen to while working...it helps tame the savage beasties!  Sometimes we kick it up a notch by listening to Allison Krauss or some bluegrass!  O.K....a lot of times. : )

Lynn suggests some quick lunchbox ideas that I also use in our home:
*Cut sandwiches in shapes with cookie cutters...our youngest two enjoy this, anyway.
*Peel and core an apple, serve with peanut butter (or Sunbutter if you have a peanut allergy).
*Include an occasional note, riddle, comic strip, Bible verse  in their lunch box.  We'll go around the table ala Dinner Time Quiz Show style.

Raising our family is a privilege.  Pray for protection and wise choices.  Pray for them to love the Lord and serve Him above all else!

- - -

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6-7

Spiced Chai

psst...I know this is supposed to be Kitchen Tip Tuesday but I wanted to share this recipe with you all soooo badly that you'll forgive me, right?

I love chai!  L.O.V.E. it!!  I drink at least a cup a day.  This recipe is super simple and very affordable!

I need to give my friend Jenny props here for sharing this awesome recipe with me!  Hi Jenny! Thank you!! 
*me waving profusely*

Enjoy!

Spiced Chai

1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1 cup French Vanilla non-dairy creamer
2-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea granules
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. each: ground cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice
1/8 t. white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Blend the mixture, in small batches, in a food processor until the consistency of fine powder. Store in an air tight jar. Stir 4 heaping teaspoons into a mug of hot milk to serve.  Enjoy!  Mmm mmm...yummy!

**PURCHASE SPICED CHAI MIX OVER AT THE MERCANTILE  HERE

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Warm Fuzzies

I know a lot of these tips don't have to do with "kitcheny" type things, but I thought since Autumn is right around the corner I would share some fun things from Gooseberry Patch's Autumn in the Country cookbook..

- - -

Put away summer toss pillows for the season...set out warm and cozy cushions of flannel or fleece.

Pack away summer linens with sachets so they'll be fragrant when unpacked in the spring.  Place a spoonful of dried lavender on a pinked square of pretty fabric, gather into a bundle and tie with a satin bow.  So sweet!

A striking fall bouquet is as close as your own backyard!  Look for late-blooming flowers, short branches of colorful leaves and even interesting twigs to arrange a fall vase.

- - -

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn." -- Elizabeth Lawrence

Amazing Caramel Corn

Photo courtesy of Good Housekeeping

As far as I'm concerned once the calendar flips to September it's FALL!  I have all my decorations set out (well except for waiting on some pumpkins for outside).  Ever since a friend gave me this recipe years ago this has been a fall tradition in this house. It's a recipe passed on to me by a dear friend years ago. Once you have this caramel corn you'll never eat another pre-packaged caramel corn again...EVER!  Even the kind from the fair or carnival just doesn't cut it! Enjoy!


Carmel Corn

6 qt. popped corn
(You can use 3 microwave bags but I'm too
cheap so I pop it in a large covered pan on the stove.)


In a sauce pan melt and stir:
2 c. brown sugar
2 sticks butter (salted)
1/2 c. light corn syrup (I use store brand...remember I'm cheap?)
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook and stir occasionally over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Once it comes to a rolling boil keep it on medium and stir constantly for 5 minutes (keeps it from scorching). Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. baking soda and stir. Pour it over the corn (the bigger bowl to fold it in, the better!) and fold until coated.

Pour onto 2 cookie sheets with raised edges (don't grease them). Bake 200 degrees for an hour...important...gently flip over the caramel corn with a pancake flipper every 20 minutes.

Store in airtight container...assuming your family hasn't devoured it in an evening...as ours definitely can!

Queen of the Castle: Week 35

For those of you playing along...(if you've just joined us you can get caught up a bit here) we are on week 35 of the book Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker. 

"The Job of Queen:  Homemaking As a Profession, Part 2" is the title of this chapter.  I totally agree with Lynn when she writes "Confirmation for a job well done doesn't come from next Friday's paycheck but instead comes a couple of decades down the road when you hear the majestic opening notes of "Pomp and Circumstance" or "The Wedding March"."  Jill Savage adds "We can't buy into the belief that accomplishment is measured by something that stays finished...The profession of motherhood has one primary goal -- to see a child grow into a mature, godly, respectful, and loving adult."  Lynn continues..."We will grow discouraged in our work as homemakers if we measure success by whether or not the dining room table stays cleared of papers. ... remember the goal is not ot tend a house; the goal is to tend a family.  And if that means the washing machine continually swishes, the kitchen counter is littered with snack remnants, and the family room is decorated with tennish shoes, history textbooks, and a forlorn French horn waiting to be practiced -- well, so be it.  That's what raising a family looks like."  Amen and Amen!!

Lynn also goes on to say that while keeping up with the business of life happens we need to have a mission, a goal for our family.  Like I always say "It's good to have a goal!"  We want our homes to be welcoming and comfortable.  We need to reflect Christ -- in our words, actions and attitudes.  As Paul wrote in Philippians, we need to "press on".    

Sometimes we need a little motivation.  There are books and magazines available to us to hone our homemaking skills.  Organization, finances, shopping, cooking, and cleaning are all skills that must be learned!  Start your own personal library.  Or blog about your adventures!  

Lynn suggests a few homemaking magazines and newsletters.  I'll pass them along to you.

Hearts at Home www.hearts-at-home.org

P31 www.gospelcom.net

Above Rubies www.aboverubies.org

An Encouraging Word www.wisgate.com

"In the long run men hit only what they aim at.  Therefore, though they 

should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high."

-- Henry David Thoreau

"A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!"  Proverbs 15:23