Just an average day

Our days have been quite chilly, downright "freezing" and the wind just keeps on blowing strong,  but that doesn't seem to stop the daffodils from blooming.  Signs of spring sneaking a peak at the world!  It is deceiving looking out the window each morning.  The sun streaming in our bedroom windows gives the impression that it is warm, until that is,  I walk outside.  Brisk, but bearable, I got out this morning, camera in hand, to capture all of our blooming daffodils.  It made me especially thankful for the beautiful creation that God has given us.  More especially that there is a time and a season for everything. . .

Chocolate muffins are on the menu for breakfast - a favorite of several in the clan.  Piano lessons and ballet are our agenda for today.  I think that an art drawing  of the flowers in the front beds should also accompany our learning for the day.  Home learning allows for just such a relaxed environment.  Hannah is reading "Ralph the Mouse," even though she thinks it is a "boy's book."

What turned out to be an evening dinner at my Dad's house, turned into receiving a surprise birthday present - he made me this absolutely gorgeous drying rack after I enviously (I almost hate to admit that I jealously coveted a drying rack) admired my step-mother's the last time we were over visiting.   It holds one full load of towels or clothing.  It is a goal of mine to wean ourselves off of our dependency upon electricity. Just one more step on my ladder of accomplishments to making my life more simplified.

Weekend Inspiration

One of the best parts of my weekend is spent reading my Saturday morning "weekend inspirations" from many of my favorite blogs.  They list great links to recipes, family, faith, crafting and lots more.

~Blogs~

Frugal Granola

Raising Olives

Recently, I have been feeling very burdened with feeding my family better food; whole foods, natural the way God intended us to feed our bodies with nourishment.  This burden was spurred on by an accidental placement of Joel Salatin's book, "Folks This Ain't Normal," into my Amazon cart by my dear hubby.  What was suppose to be a "wish list" book until I read some of his other books that our library holds, has turned into a diving board, so to say, into very deep, deep waters. 

Food is daunting to me.  My overwhelming feeling of ineptness, encompasses everything from what to grow, how to grow it, how to harvest it, how to store it, how to cook and process it and what it does to my body.  All I know is that I can't keep feeding my body corn, in the form of sugars, syrups, meat, and processed foods, nor can I sit idly by and feed my husband and children this junk.  The only way to make an impact is through my pocketbook - I determine what I buy and from where. I have a long uphill learning curve when it comes to food, from garden to table, but the results will be worth it. 

So with all this said, I came across a wonderful blog last night after reading (of all magazines) Martha Stewart Living.  I'm loving the look of the parsley root fries and cannot wait to try some of her other recipes. 

My New Roots

Enjoy your weekend!

Why didn't I think of this years ago

Photo credit

For years now I've been making our laundry detergent and have used various recipes from not only the Duggars, but online sources as well.  It usually sits in a large 50 gallon bucket in the laundry room, or hallway nearby.  This usually causes accidents of tripping over the bucket, or sometimes the bucket just happens to be in the way of opening and closing machine doors.  I do not have a large and spacious laundry room such as this one. . . .  but I can dream . . . .  . 



Photo source

So, imagine my surprise when I was flipping through my March Country Sampler magazine and I found a new way to make a large batch of laundry soap, but not have to store it in a 50 gallon bucket!


1.  Coarsely grate two bars of Fels-Naptha laundry soap into a 12-quart plastic dishpan and then add 4 quarts of boiling water.  Stir until the soap is dissolved.


2.  Add 5 quarts of hot water to the dishpan and stir in 2 cups of Borax and 2 cups of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.


3.  Once dissolved, add hot water to the dishpan up to a few inches from the top, stir and let sit overnight - letting it sit for 48 hours is even better.


4.  After the mixture has gelled, chop it in to pieces with a metal spoon or spatula, fill a mixing bowl with pieces of it, and mix with a hand mixer until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes.  Repeat with remaining gel.


5.  Disperse the blended mixture evenly among 12 one-quart canning jars.  Top off the jars with a little water, cover, shake and store.  This is the concentrated form of the soap.


6.  To use the laundry soap, pour one jar into an empty liquid detergent bottle, add 2 quarts of water and shake well.  Use the bottle's cap to measure the laundry soap just as you would for the store-bought detergent; for high-efficiency washers, just use a little less.  It's thin, but it works!

Hannah had the most fun helping with making "mashed potatoes" with them before we filled them into the canning jars.  Now, I have 8 jars of concentrate which equals 8 bottles of laundry detergent for less than $3.00 - I cannot even coupon that amazing price!  Have you tried making laundry detergent?

It Sold!

Remember this table runner. . .

Well, it sold yesterday . . .  my very first sale from my Etsy store.  Needless to say I was thrilled!  I think I bounced off the wall for most of the morning.


Not wanting my store to be bare I rustled up the last of the burlap and created another table runner.  Don't you especially like the soft and delicate, paisley cotton flannel ruffle?  That's my favorite part.  So while the kids were busy early this evening putting together their valentine cards for our homeschool Valentine's Day party this week, the whir of my sewing machine could be heard from the back room as this new runner was put together.

I just might have to purchase some more burlap and make another one for my table. A big "thanks" to Emily for the paisley printed fabric! Be sure to check out the link to my store on the side bar!

I'm not perfect

When I Say I am a Christian

by Carol Wimmer

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
I'm whispering "I was lost"
That is why I chose this way.
When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
And need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And pray for strength to carry on.
When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And cannot ever pay the debt.
When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are all too visible,
But God believes I'm worth it.
When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
Which is why I speak His name.
When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.


This beautiful poem came out of a book I read recently and I wanted to share it.  It is a heartwarming celebration of God through two women from vastly different lives, but through the grace of God, had their lives and hearts interwoven together.  I find myself intrigued by the Amish way of life - simply put - they live the simple life.  Their's is a way of life with no distractions, no information overload, no technological advances. . .  just simplicity.  They live off the land, cherish their family, work together in harmony and constantly give thanks to God for all of His provisions.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the humorous tales told by the two women.  What I found was that through their stories and life experiences they share a kindred spirit to the way they live life.   What interesting books do you have on your shelf?

Burlap Table Runner

source:  Country Living

I saw this and dreamed of the look on my table.  So, one evening, when my father sent a couple of yards of burlap home with my husband I got creative and this is what I created. . .

It is not to the exact image above, especially since one of the girls just pointed out while looking over my shoulder, "Mom, there is sugar on the table and George's booster seat on the chair," but then we all know I traded the "Beautiful Home" magazine look years ago for finger-print stained walls, sipee cups, loads and loads of laundry and smooshed down sofa cushions (from years of kids jumping on them) for my precious peas and I wouldn't change a thing.  I can add in little pieces of "Beautiful" in my home and that's the key word that I choose to embrace - "Home."  Through all the chaos - my home is PEACE for me.

Here is the best news of all - you can have one of these beautiful table runners because I created two and put one in my etsy shop * see the side bar for the link *.   and I promise there will be no peanut butter finger prints on your table runner!

May your day be blessed!

Michelle

Twenty-one again

Every year this man that I love, tells everyone he knows, "I'm twenty-one again,"  and every year that he tells this to someone it causes the children to have a quick math lesson.  They instantly chime in, quite frequently, with a "No, Dad that's NOT right."

You can see the wheels spinning in their minds and then a light bulb clicks on.  With a quick burst of wonder each spouts out - "Dad, you've been twenty-one for twenty-four years now."  He just chuckles like he always does when one of them surprises him with a witty remark.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!  I'm looking forward to many more "twenty-ones" with you.  I love you very much.

Mint Tea

When my mint is not being consumed by the slugs in my front yard, it grows quite prolifically.  Amazingly, it is also continuing to grow through our mild winter months!  So, with that in mind I decided to try my hand at mint tea like the West Ladies teach on their "The Art of Herbs" DVD.

Since the mint is right outside my front door - quite handy if I say so myself - I gathered a rather large bunch of mint stalks (really just enough to cover the bottom of a medium sized bowl), pulling all the leaves off and putting them into a bowl.  I didn't take the time to measure the water in the bowl, nor do the West Ladies, so if I had to guess, it was probably 4 - 6 cups of cold water that was added to the bowl.

Here's the fun part, take your hands and squish the leaves down into the water.  There is not an exact "squishing" time to follow, so I quit when the water turned bright, minty green.

Get your pitcher ready . . . you'll need a piece of cheesecloth, larger than the top of your pitcher.  Strain the juice into the pitcher, catching all the leaves.  The best part of this, if that didn't make enough tea, you can go back to adding more water to the bowl and squishing the same leaves all over again.  Don't forget to compost the mint leaves once you are done with them.

Now I added about 2/3 cups honey and stirred really well.

The first taste was "WOW!"  I thought I had just swallowed a pack of mint gum.  It was very strong and not so appealing.  The frugal girl inside of me decided to let the tea sit in the refrigerator for awhile (before throwing in the towel by throwing the tea to my plants) and see if the mint and honey merged to make a more mellow "mint" taste. 

The next day turned out to be much better.  When I poured another glass, instead of "WOW" it was "OOOOH" that's really good and fresh tasting.  What a great way to use mint! 

Now, it's your turn - How have you used mint?

cold winter nights: snuggly quilt

Remember this sneak peak of a quilt square I was working on.  Well, it became this:

Our second oldest daughter loves Pirates of the Carribbean and now she has some pirates to snuggle up next to on those cold winter nights in Sparks.

Rejuvenation

So often we try to fit a mold, an idea, of what homeschooling should be, or could be, or looks like. Yet, it's not about a mold; it's rather about freedom, discovery and learning to do life.  We need to learn from veteran home school families - taking breaks is not cause for guilt or discouragement.   Just like in a garden – the soil must be left to rest and rejuvenate.   Everyone reaches a point where rest and a different approach are sorely needed. Sometimes the best way to rejuvenate yourself and your kids is to break the normal routine. 

1 — Take a look at your curriculum. Look at each of your kid’s work — is it too much? Is it too little?  Rest assured, its okay to switch curriculum in the middle of the year if it’s not working for your family.   Over our Christmas and New Year's break,  I take some time to look over the curriculum choices and then make the changes that are needed.   Sometimes, I add something new and fun, other times I drop the mundane work or the lessons that a child is not ready for yet. Although, I’ve never entirely switched everything in January before — knowing that I can gives me the freedom to choose what works best for the family.  Never base your curriculum choices on what other families are accomplishing – make sure your children are smiling after a school day, not frowning.  Some suggestions for a change of pace:

~ try lapbooks (A Journey Through Learning)
~ try a Charlotte Mason inspired nature walk (moments with mother culture) 

2 — Declutter.  Although this sounds like an “organizational tip” for the New Year, sometimes it might be just what your house needs in order to make schooling more enjoyable for all.  So, put down the schooling for a day and declutter!  First, go through the mounting piles of paperwork.  Sort, file and throw away any excess.  Next, consider moving on to the toys. Once again, get rid of the excess, the broken, and the missing pieces.  Finally, go through your school supplies weeding out the old markers, dead pens, pencils, and more.  My little ones love to spend time sharpening pencils – this is a fun activity that helps momma out immensely.  Make a game of “Search and Find” - go through the house and find a specific number of things to throw away and then that same amount of things to donate.  This makes decluttering even more fun.

3 — The Best plan is the one made not merely thought about.   Some of us are schedulers and some are not, yet just recently I created some new goals for our family for the upcoming year.  When you think about it, it really only takes a few minutes to jot down a Day’s Draft to the flow of your day.  I have not always homeschooled with a loose schedule.  My first year homeschooling looked so similar to a public school day, except that the kids were still in their pajamas and we were at the dining room table.  Over the years, I’ve found that I do like to have a general idea of what we’ll be doing or fieldtrips we’re going on. Take a look at your day’s plan and see if your schedule is working for the family.  Try something new:

~ begin the day with family devotions
~ Plan on attending a Home school convention in the spring – it will motivate you beyond words.
~spend the day learning and cooking together
~complete the afternoon school work first and then the morning school work
~create work stations in your home that the children rotate through, having some activities that they can accomplish without much assistance

4 — Rest.    Rest is so important, which is why in Matthew 11:28 - 30, God tells us to rest. . . Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
Make sure to take some time this week to sit and be still. Enjoy those children that you’re blessed to be able to homeschool.  Play a game, read a book, take a walk, and sit with them.  This is where our hearts and minds should be focused on – the eternal perspective of raising our children— the planning, scheduling, and decluttering can wait. Our family should be placed high on our priority list, but if you are weary, first rest your soul.  Your children want a well rested momma, not one who is foggily flowing through her days.

Goals 2012

photo source

Goals. . . I have never really sat and thought hard about them, or even written them down.  Goal planning has just never been one of my strong points - although working through the chaos that comes from not having a set course is not easy either.  So after reading a post from Quinn at On Just a Couple Acres, I decided it was time this year to put some goals on paper for our One Blessed Acre homestead.  Building a homestead isn't a quick process - it doesn't occur in one year, but over several and we are beginning our third year here, so I feel it's time.

Our goals for 2012 ~

source

~At the beginning of the year we are planning and praying that our baby doe Nubian goats will be born and delivered to us.  We are anxious to begin the journey into raising goats for milk so that we can drink it foremost, but also to learn the process of making cheese, butter and soap.  The back area behind our chicken run will have to be enlarged and fenced in to house these new additions to our homestead. 

We enlarged our garden last year and while we were able to grow more vegetables this last year, we had a slow start.  If it wasn't the crows stealing the seeds or the gophers digging up the potatoes, it might have been the slugs that ate up the tender shoots.

~I hope to try my hand at winter sowing seeds.  I just might be able to get some early seed growth going while we are in our rainiest months April - May.  This just might actually beat those darn slugs.  With the mini-greenhouses, I might actually get some herbs to grow here on the North Coast.

~Our first order of business will be to make a scarecrow for the garden.   Perhaps something like this. .

source

~Next, we'll need some row covers and the West Ladies are just my inspiration.  In their Homestead Blessings Gardening DVD they show exactly how to install row covers which will protect my early crops from a myriad of pesky pests.

~I also hope to expand my herb garden and fill our front garden beds with more perennial herbs, both medicinal and culinary.

~To our orchard - Next fall, my plans are to plant a few more fruit trees , such as another pear tree and perhaps a plum.  I'm not sure what will do well here. . . I'm hesistant to try figs (while they grow great here) because no one in the family is particularly fond of them.  Maybe another apple tree to replace the old one that only produced a handful of apples this year.

~We'll be adding some new layers to our flock in the spring so that we don't always have the "Sold Out" sign up on our egg stand.  We have been blessed with such a demand for our ladies' eggs, we rarely have enough to supply everyone that stops by.  Anne is also going to try her hand this year with some specialty breeds to show at the fair this summer. .  perhaps a Silkie.

~Our meat chicken production has been nil.   We'd like to try doing a set of 25 in the summer, but we are struggling with where to house them. .  we aren't sure if we can put them in with the other layers.  We know that the meat would be far superior than the meat we are buying at the grocery store, as well, we'd know how well the animals were treated while with us.

~Hannah would love to get new rabbits this year - she is still missing her two bunnies from last year that died unexpectedly.  My husband would love to get into raising meat rabbits, and we could easily build a few more rabbit hutches.

~I'm determined to finish a king-size quilt I began about 4 years ago for our bedroom.  This is just one of the many pieces I have completed.   I just need to piece it together and put a backing on it.

~I am going to keep better financial records of how much our garden costs and food storage amounts that we put up this year to get a better understanding of what it will take to be self-sustaining (well, at least 75% or so)

~And lastly, I hope to paint our master bedroom . . . . I'm envisioning this color

source

So, while I've never done any formal goal planning, this seems like a good fit for us to accomplish this 2012.  Many blessings to you all.

Michelle

home during the holidays

CHRISTMAS is for family

photo source

we have been busy this month

every year we begin with the town tree lighting. . . the streets are packed, we are all dressed warm and the town kicks off the Christmas season by lighting the tree at the end of Main Street, while singing several carols.

even Anne got to participate in running the show this year through the 4-H Community Pride group

the tractor parade is always a fun time.  George especially loved seeing the many John Deere tractors drive by all lit up with their twinkling lights

and for a first - it didn't rain this year

we had a cookie exchange at our house - I ate way too many cookies - must stop eating cookies

we've baked cookies, santa hats, peppermint bark and pretzels and delivered them all before Christmas to our neighbors and close friends. .  .  spending time together with the kids baking creates such wonderful memories

no one, not even Grammie will forget George swinging pretzel dough around the dining room - good thing not one pretzel was formed with that dough!  Keeping things simple and lighthearted creates something so sweet and special.

we've been to the dentist this month, and we have to go back this week for cavity and sealant fills - not such a fond moment for those un-named children

we've been to Grandma and Grandpa's for Christmas Eve dinner. . .the fireplace was roaring, heat pouring throughout the room and once in the door, everyone scrambled to get the "hot seat."  The candles were lit and little ones were told NOT to touch them (that sometimes can backfire)

we ate our traditional, delicious Northern California crab and steak dinner with my parents

we haven't had all rosy moments this month and not all the moods were festive - Anne was not feeling up to par, but was a good spirit and came with us to Grandpa and Grandma's for dinner and gifts

we've opened many gifts - all of which are so appreciated. . . both in the time to make and/or buy them, wrap them, and send/give them. . . I think everyone would agree that we are all very blessed

All kids got new warm socks.  A bonus was to be had for the girls. . .Grandma got them new pajamas for when they spend the night

we've enjoyed spending time with family.  Family is what makes this season special . . .we love sharing it with family.  We only wish that ALL of our family could be closer so that we ALL could be together during these days.

 

 

Right now. . . I am. . .

Right now, I am...

:: enjoying every warm day we have before the rain and the chill brings us inside for several months.

:: ecstatic that Lindsay doesn't have another ear infection. . . she's just growing up and more teeth are pushing through those gums of hers and they hurt. . .

:: feeling the busyiness of the holidays picking up, as we scramble to get ready for the coming of Christ.

:: harvesting, still, every last bit of swiss chard and brocolli I possibly can.

:: wanting to get my hands busy with some sewing  . . . both Christmas presents for the girls and the king - size quilt I began several years ago.  Don't you love the way my new table runner turned out (pictured above)!

:: enjoying apple butter canned from last year on my toast this morning.

:: holding my daughters hair while I roll it in rag curls

:: thinking that life couldn't get any better than this

:: grateful for "family" - the ones born into as well as the ones married into

:: anticipating our Christmas morning worship service - we have been truly blessed by those in our church

:: itching to open my presents. . . sometimes I think I'm less patient than the kids

:: wishing my husband a very Happy 17th Anniversary. . . it seems like just yesterday we got married in Lake Tahoe on that blustery, snowy Christmas Eve evening . . . . . I wish I could express in words how much he means to me

:: wondering what next year will hold for our family. .  we went through a big change this year when our second oldest daughter moved out

:: hoping your day is a lovely one, friends.

Merry Christmas to All!

Brave Enough

Momma finally got brave enough to use the clippers on my hair. . . . .  don't I look all grown up?

Serve One Another with Love

I Corninthians 13: 4 -7

 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love seems to be missing in our normally quiet home.  Tensions are high and bickerings are abounding as we shuffle from activity to activity during this busy holiday season.  I am currently reading The Ministry of Motherhood, by Sally Clarkson and she touches on this topic of making sure our children understand that loving one another is one of many things they need to be trained for.  She brings her readers right to this passage. 

Loving one another does not come naturally, just put two toddlers together in a room with one toy and see what happens - our nature is inherently wicked - not inherently good as most would like to tell us.  Perhaps that is why we are constantly reminded in the Bible,  Romans 3:10      As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one 

So, whether I have to read this verse to the littles or the olders have to write it over and over, we will learn that love is kind and we are called to be loving towards one another as Christ, our ultimate example, was to us.

Galatians 2:20      I have been  crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but  Christ lives in me; and  the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in  the Son of God, who  loved me and  gave Himself up for me.    
 

Thankfulness

Source

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have been thinking lately,

We live in a land of abundance

We live more abundantly than people in many other parts of the world

We can look around today and see God's hand in every part of our life

How freely God gives to us

He gave us the greatest gift - - His Son

Every day is another day to count our gifts

Be sure to THANK God for your blessings.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Weekends are for pedicures

She may be eight, but she'll always be my little girl.
She smiled from ear to ear while her feet were soaking.
It was a day out with momma.
The massaging chair tickled her back, but she really enjoyed the tapping motion.
She didn't even flinch when he scrubbed her feet.
Her toes were a vibrant, sparkly purple.
And afterwards she said, "When can I get a manicure?"

Here and there

The spaghetti dinner is ready and waiting for the General Manager to take to our weekly Bible Study at church.  He has graciously volunteered to lead the group and I'm so thrilled for that.  He has such a wealth of wisdom to share with others - it will be great to see his God-given talents put to use.

We had our first threat of frost the other night - fall is in the air here in Northern California.  Because of that we spent the better part of Monday afternoon harvesting the remaining vegetables in the garden, covering what we could and leaving the rest for compost in the ground.



The girls have been playing indoors the last few days, absorbed in the doll houses.  Whenever George is around their houses mysteriously have a tremendous amount of earthquakes.



Last weekend we had a Harvest Dinner here at the house for the members of our church.  So, around 45 of us (mostly children - what a sweet blessing to see them all play together) shared a meal and fellowship together during  what was the most beautiful October day - God was gracious to give us a warm sunny day to celebrate the fall harvest season.  A plaque on my wall reminds me . . . .

 Ecclesiastes 3:11   He hath made every thing beautiful in his time