I am going to share this book with you, "The Tongue- A Creative Force". It is so so good- so many believers know nothing about this. So, I share it with you all in hopes of helping you and myself as I re-read and type it. It is a bit long, but well worth it. Lots to chew on.
Chapter 1 Words
God's Word that is conceived in your heart, then formed by the tongue, and spoken out of your own mouth, becomes a spiritual force releasing the ability of God within you.
That's why Paul said, " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13) His heart (spirit) had received God's Word. It was not Paul's ability that made him say that, but the ability of God formed in him by the Word, and out of the abundance of his heart his mouth spoke.
Those that say they can and those that say they can't are both right. Words are the most powerful thing in the universe. We read in John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and he Word was with God, and the Word was God." We must learn to use our words more effectively. The words you speak will either put you over or hold you in bondage. Today, many Christian people have been taken captive by their own words. By the prayer of their own mouth they have been set in a position where they cannot receive from God. We have all done it at one time or another. We have used our tongue to form the very words that defeat us.We have even prayed contrary to the Word of God. We have prayed defeat and received it. We have prayed the problem and it became greater. Even prayer produces after its kind. In Mark 11:24 the Word says, "...What things soever ye DESIRE when ye pray, BELIEVE that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Jesus has set forth a great truth about spiritual law. God's WORD is spiritual law it functions just as sure as any natural law.
We have learned how to work with natural law. In dealing with the natural law that governs electricity, we have learned that if we work with that law by obeying and enforcing it. that electrical force will work for us. But if we continually violate that law that governs or controls electricity, we will get in a "heap of trouble." As long as we enforce the law that controls electrical forces, it will produce energy to give us light, heat our home, cook our meals, and wash our clothes; yet it will produce no harm to us. It is very useful and safe, when we understand and apply the law by which it is controlled. However, this same force can burn, kill and destroy, if the law that governs electricity is not enforce.
So are the words that come forth out of your mouth. They will work for you to put you over in life, IF you control those words and bring them into obedience to spiritual law, which is THE WORD OF GOD. Words governed by spiritual law become spiritual forces working for you. Idle words work against you.
The SPIRIT WORLD IS CONTROLLED BY THE WORD OF GOD.
THE NATURAL WORLD IS THE BE CONTROLLED BY MAN SPEAKING GOD'S WORDS.
THE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD IS CREATIVE POWER.
Therefore, even the words of our prayers should be chosen carefully and spoken accurately. We have often prayed, " Lord I have prayed and it's not working. The devil has defeated me." But the Word said, "What things soever you desire when you prayer, believe you receive..." Defeat is not what you desire, so don't pray it or say it. You can see how the wrong choice of words can cause even your prayers to work against you. You have prayed, "Lord, I've got this problem and it's getting worse."
Now let's compare this prayer with the Word of God. First, you have prayed the problem and not the answer. The Word said pray the things you desire. You desire the answer. Second, you have released faith in the ability of the enemy. To make it worse, you established the words of the devil that prayer doesn't work and things are getting worse. You are walking by sight and not by faith. You have denied the Word of God. You have done it because of the lack of knowledge. In Hosea 4:6 God said, "My people are destroyed (cut off) for lack of knowledge..." Lack of knowledge has caused men to be destroyed and lives to suffer needless loss.
A few years ago I came upon the scene of an accident. A car had gone out of control and cut off a power pole. The high line wire was hanging about three feet above the ground. Many people had stopped and gotten out of their cars. They were standing no more than three feet away from that live wire, thinking that it was insulated, or that the power was cut off. But this was not true; the wire was "live" with over 17,000 volts of electricity. I watched from my car, a safe distance away, as the ambulance attendants carried a woman on a stretch up the highway embankment. As they crawled under the powerline one of them got too close, and the electrical current arced to his body like a lightning bolt. He died instantly and the other attendant was critically injured.
He violated the natural law that governs electricity. No doubt he did it in ignorance, yet it was fatal.
Lack of knowledge did not stop the electrical force. It continued to work; it was the same force that cooked his meals, heated his house and washed his clothes. It was created to work for him to make life more enjoyable. The very reason for its existence was to supply his needs, but when he violated the law that controlled the force, it destroyed him.
SPIRITUAL LAW IS FOR YOUR GOOD.It is to produce the things you need and desire. But, speaking and praying contrary to the Word of God(spiritual law) will be just as disastrous as violating the law of electricity. We have prayed in all manner of prayer that the Bible doesn't teach. We have prayed to Jesus, and that is an unscriptural way to pray. Words are important. Begin now to become WORD CONSCIOUS. Words are like little seeds that produce according to the Word of God. God's Word will produce after His kind. "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things" Matt. 12:35
Jesus said, "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:23,24)
PRAYER IS YOUR LEGAL RIGHT TO USE FAITH FILLED WORDS TO BRING GOD ON THE SCENE IN YOUR BEHALF, OR FOR ANOTHER THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL.
It is the Word abiding in you that causes faith to be present in your words. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples" (John 15:7,8) Notice it glorifies the Father when you get your prayer answered and your needs met. Verse 11 says, " These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, that your joy might be full." Your joy can be full if the Word of Mark 11:24 abides in you, "...When you pray believe..."
FAITH WILL MAKE PRAYER WORK.
PRAYER WON'T WORK WITHOUT FAITH. FAITH WILL WORK WITHOUT PRAYER. Prayer is one of the means of releasing faith, so if we will line ourselves up with the Word of God and release our faith when we pray, we will see the power of God come alive in our lives.
God's Word is just as powerful today as it was the day He spoke it. Not one bit of power has left God's Word. God's creative power is still in His Word, just as it was when He stood there, in the beginning of time, and said, "Light--be," and light was.
This is the thing I want you to see. YOU CAN SPEAK GOD'S WORDS AFTER HIM AND THEY WILL WORK FOR YOU. But, they must be formed in your spirit. They must become a part of you. They must abide in you continually.
THE BEGINNING WORDS
***************************
In Genesis 1, it says "...God created the heavens and earth..." What did He use to create the heavens and the earth?
Hebrews 11:3 says, "Through faith we understand the the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. " The world was not made out of things you can see. You can't see spoken words nor can you see faith with the physical eye. The words that God spoke out of His mouth framed this universe, set it in motion, and it stands today in obedience to the words that God spoke. He said, "...Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters" (Gen. 1:6) It came into being and divided the waters from the land, and it's still divided from the land today.
The universe is still obeying His command - the Words that God spoke. Because God said it and let it stay said. He didn't back up and say maybe it will, or I hope so. No, He said it by the Word of His mouth and all hell stood up and took notice.
I really believe that millions of years took place between Genesis, chapter one, verse one, when God create the earth, and verse two, where He said the earth was void and without form. Because why would God create an earth without form and void? You see, what went wrong from the beginning was that Satan had come in to destroy the work of God on the earth. THEN GOD SAID, "Let there be light." It was the creative power that flowed out of God's mouth that turned the universe into light and caused every creation to come into being.
In Genesis 1:26 we read, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Then God delegated the power to man to dominate this earth. He created Adam, then put that authority in Adam, and He said, "now you dominate the earth."
So, Adam was the ruler of the earth.
Then, there came that Snake in the garden. The Snake said to Eve, "You'll not surely die if you at of that fruit. God knows you'll like Him if you eat of that fruit. You'll be wise like God."
Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, and I guess she talked Adam into it, because the Word says, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1 Tim. 2:14).
Well, Adam ate if the fruit and turned that power and authority over to the enemy; then Satan became the god of this world. " In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4).
But Jesus Christ came and got that power back for us. Jesus, God's Word, came and took flesh upon Himself.
Have you wondered how God did that? Some theologians say it can't be done; a virgin can't bear a child it's impossible.
We have the Word of God which tells us in Luke 1:37, " For with God nothing shall be impossible." The Concordant literal New Testament says, " It will not be impossible with God to fulfill His every declaration."
Whatever God says, He will perform. If you will notice throughout the Bible, God never did do anything that He didn't say first. He said it, then He did it. The power to do it was in the WORD.
The Bible tells us that "...(He is) upholding all things by the Word of His power..." (Heb. 1:3)
It didn't say by the power of His Word; it said BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER. The Holy Spirit put that in the exactness-- the way He wanted. THE WORD OF HIS POWER.
If He had said the power of His Word, that would have meant that there is some power in God's Word, but not ALL POWER. In other words, that's where His power is, IN THE WORD, in what He says.
It's not impossible for God to perform His every declaration. He can declare and do exactly what He SAYS HE'S GOING TO DO! And we find that God created man with the ability to operate in the same kind of faith.
Control those words that come forth out of your mouth and bring them into obedience to the WORD OF GOD, which is God's spiritual law.
The end of Chapter one. This book is written by Charles Capps, www. charlescapps.com
The next post will be "Creative Power in You".
September 30, 2008
Cultured Vegetables
In the olden days, when there wasn't mason jars and canners or refrigerators, people had to find a way to preserve food. Probably what they didn't realize completely, is that the method they used, which was fermentation, was very life giving. Raw veggies and fruits contain tons of natural good bacteria, or probiotics. (pro- good, biotic-life) They were literally eating living foods!
Since the industrialization of America, we have abandoned these practices and it's cost us in our health. When the vegetables are fermented, the lactobacilli break down the veggies and make them more digestible and the nutrients are more available to the body.
Ok, so I have never like sauerkraut- ever. I'm not a fan of sour tasting foods, however, I wanted to give it a try because of the health giving properties of natural, homemade fermented vegetables. I've made 4 batches of different fermented vegetables, and they came out ok except for one. I didn't put enough liquid in it and it went bad. So I was looking for some new recipes on the internet and came across the one I posted on Friday. So here is my set up:
So I had carrots, red and green cabbage, onions, garlic and fresh herbs that you can't see. Notice the coffee...
So I started off with the food processor. It has a chip on the lid that's been getting bigger, and it finally just died during this process. So, guess what I had to do? Use a knife and chop it all by hand.
Finally! My arm was sore for two days. The bowl on the left is for the cultured veggies and the one on the right is for coleslaw. Now time to do onions and garlic.
I whack the garlic cloves good with the side of the knife, then peel the skin off and chop it. Next I took out a few cups of the veggies and put it in a large measuring cup with distilled water. I am going to blend this up and add the whey from some kefir as my 'brine' for the veggies. I had to get a stock pot out to mix all the vegetables and herbs together because my bowl wasn't big enough.
Remember these are 'marinara' veggies, so I added fresh basil and dried Italian seasoning/herb de Provence. Mixing it up with my hands...
Ready to blend it up. Notice the mess on my counter top :) I didn't take pictures of how I separated the whey from the kefir. Basically you get a mesh strainer, set it over a bowl, lay a piece of thin tea towel or cheesecloth and pour in the kefir or yogurt. Let it sit several hours till you have a few T of clear whey in the bottom of the bowl.
Then you pack the veggies in the jars. I forgot to sterilize everything, but it's not really necessary. When the jar got half way full I got a wooden spoon and pounded it down until the veggies were packed tight, then I poured in the liquid.
Then I took one of the outer leaves of the cabbage and washed it, then I rolled it and put on top of the veggies to help them stay submerged in the liquid.
Then I put the lids on tight and put them in a dark place. I moved them to the pantry after taking this picture.
Here is what they looked like after three days of fermenting.
The recipe said to let them go for 7 days, but Nourishing Traditions always said 2-4 days, so I did 3.5 days :) I put them in the fridge last night and will taste them in a bit. I will let you know how they are!
*************************************************************************************
I have now tasted the veggies. They are very, er, sharp tasting if that makes sense. The flavors have not fully developed and I probably should have let them sit longer. Since they're in the fridge, I'm not sure if I should just leave them or take them out. I will probably just leave them there for several weeks and taste them again. They'll last many months.
Since the industrialization of America, we have abandoned these practices and it's cost us in our health. When the vegetables are fermented, the lactobacilli break down the veggies and make them more digestible and the nutrients are more available to the body.
Ok, so I have never like sauerkraut- ever. I'm not a fan of sour tasting foods, however, I wanted to give it a try because of the health giving properties of natural, homemade fermented vegetables. I've made 4 batches of different fermented vegetables, and they came out ok except for one. I didn't put enough liquid in it and it went bad. So I was looking for some new recipes on the internet and came across the one I posted on Friday. So here is my set up:
So I had carrots, red and green cabbage, onions, garlic and fresh herbs that you can't see. Notice the coffee...So I started off with the food processor. It has a chip on the lid that's been getting bigger, and it finally just died during this process. So, guess what I had to do? Use a knife and chop it all by hand.
Finally! My arm was sore for two days. The bowl on the left is for the cultured veggies and the one on the right is for coleslaw. Now time to do onions and garlic.
I whack the garlic cloves good with the side of the knife, then peel the skin off and chop it. Next I took out a few cups of the veggies and put it in a large measuring cup with distilled water. I am going to blend this up and add the whey from some kefir as my 'brine' for the veggies. I had to get a stock pot out to mix all the vegetables and herbs together because my bowl wasn't big enough.
Remember these are 'marinara' veggies, so I added fresh basil and dried Italian seasoning/herb de Provence. Mixing it up with my hands...
Ready to blend it up. Notice the mess on my counter top :) I didn't take pictures of how I separated the whey from the kefir. Basically you get a mesh strainer, set it over a bowl, lay a piece of thin tea towel or cheesecloth and pour in the kefir or yogurt. Let it sit several hours till you have a few T of clear whey in the bottom of the bowl.Then you pack the veggies in the jars. I forgot to sterilize everything, but it's not really necessary. When the jar got half way full I got a wooden spoon and pounded it down until the veggies were packed tight, then I poured in the liquid.
Then I took one of the outer leaves of the cabbage and washed it, then I rolled it and put on top of the veggies to help them stay submerged in the liquid.
Then I put the lids on tight and put them in a dark place. I moved them to the pantry after taking this picture.
Here is what they looked like after three days of fermenting.
The recipe said to let them go for 7 days, but Nourishing Traditions always said 2-4 days, so I did 3.5 days :) I put them in the fridge last night and will taste them in a bit. I will let you know how they are!*************************************************************************************
I have now tasted the veggies. They are very, er, sharp tasting if that makes sense. The flavors have not fully developed and I probably should have let them sit longer. Since they're in the fridge, I'm not sure if I should just leave them or take them out. I will probably just leave them there for several weeks and taste them again. They'll last many months.
September 29, 2008
Melting Pot of topics- very long
This is the first time I've even looked at a computer since Friday, which was a crazy busy day. But, we did go see Fireproof and it was awesome! What's even more amazing is that it was almost the exact situation the couple we brought were in. It really worked in their hearts. The crowning moment for us was when there was a critical heart wrenching scene in the movie, a RAT ran under our feet. AHHHH!!! He was the movie rat I guess, feeding off of the popcorn and snacks, LOL.
I saw some great previews to other movies coming out. I had told my 4 year old daughter, Alexa, that if a good kids' movie came out we would take her and her sisters. Well, there is one coming next week about talking dogs. I can't spell the kind of dog, but the 'Yo quiero Taco Bell' ones. It looks sooo cute. I'm not sure if they could all handle the darkness and loudness of the theater, so we will have to sit in the back close to an exit :) They'd probably be fine with a bag of popcorn though...
We never go to the theater, maybe once a year or less, but there are some good ones coming out, so we might save up a bit for it.
Alright, moving on...our weather is so nice right now. It's getting very cool at night- upper 50s or a little warmer- then hitting the low 80s in the afternoon. Still a bit warm, but better than 100! The mosquitoes are AWFUL right now- I haven't even been hanging clothes out because of them. (yes I know, use repellent, but I couldn't find it) My husband isn't too thrilled with our cool weather because of the garden. He made a plastic greenhouse for the tomatoes this weekend, so hopefully that will work :) We have decided to hold off on the chicken coop till the garden is done- just too much to do.
Today is the quilt day! I told myself I had to the end of September to get it done, so that doesn't leave much time. I just need to sew on the borders and then sandwich it all together and sew it. I'm taking all day today and tomorrow to finish it-finally!!! I will give a detailed post about it when finished. I also have another dress half way done for myself, and a new pattern for the girls to start winter/fall dresses. So much to sew, so little time.
I am also going to post my cultured veggie experience Friday. I will take some pictures of what they look like now later and then work on it. Things did not go as planned, but I'll explain later. I am still planning to do posts on various whole grains and how I cook them at some point.
Some of you may be wondering about the diet. Well, I kind of fell off for a couple of days and am now re-evaluating it. My husband and I talked about it and he is going to help me a lot more so that I can get some exercise worked in. We are in the process of turning out back porch into a gym- our neighbors have a weight bench and weights and a punching bag and we have an exercise bike. Until then I'll do exercise tapes. Oh how I dread the breaking in part of exercise!! All the soreness...
The diet is changing too. I am going to go back to what I did in the first place when I lost all the weight before. Duh...I've gone full circle, trying all these other diets and then coming right back to the one that I did before. Oh well..
Here is the Living Well Plan
70% of what eat daily is raw-fruits in the morning, veggies at lunch and dinner
No sugar at all
food combining- do not mix proteins and starches together, eat them at separate meals
of course only whole grains are allowed and the highest quality foods
eat good fats- butter, whole dairy products, olive oil, coconut oil, fish oil etc.
This would be hard for most people, but it became such a routine that it's just what I know. Even though it was almost 7 years ago, I remember it well :) This is what I would do each day:
Morning- drink two big glasses of water before going to work
at work I would eat an apple and a banana an hour apart and fill in with water
Lunch- big salad with protein like tuna salad or starch like beans and rice
Snack- baby carrots, water, sometimes some corn chips and salsa
Dinner- big salad and protein or starch
Weekly I would usually make this: a beans and rice dish, soup/stew- usually meatless, a pasta dish, and egg dish, some kind of meat and veggie dish, eat leftovers at some point or a veggie sandwich. On Saturday morning we would cook a traditional breakfast and I would eat Sunday dinner at my parents. Then I would get back on my plan on Monday. I lost 20 pounds the first month, and after 3-4 months I had lost about 40lbs. I went from like 216-175, then I conceived our first child and had morning sickness and the healthy eating went OUT! It was about survival then :)
So, probably I will continue to make other food for the family, such as eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, sandwiches for the girls at lunch time, little snacks for them etc. I will just be praying a lot :)
I am also wanting to do another series on an amazing, eye opening book I just read by Charles Capps, a minister from Arkansas, called 'The Tongue, A Creative Force'. Let me say you must read with an open mind, but it is probably the most important thing I've ever read. The power of life and death is in the tongue. I need to read it over and over again. I may catch a lot of criticism for it, but if anyone can benefit from it I will post it just for them. Alright, I also have a new weekly plan to post that I think will work good :) So, how many things did I just say I was going to post??
It will get done in time. Right now I have to go get sewing so I can be done!!
I saw some great previews to other movies coming out. I had told my 4 year old daughter, Alexa, that if a good kids' movie came out we would take her and her sisters. Well, there is one coming next week about talking dogs. I can't spell the kind of dog, but the 'Yo quiero Taco Bell' ones. It looks sooo cute. I'm not sure if they could all handle the darkness and loudness of the theater, so we will have to sit in the back close to an exit :) They'd probably be fine with a bag of popcorn though...
We never go to the theater, maybe once a year or less, but there are some good ones coming out, so we might save up a bit for it.
Alright, moving on...our weather is so nice right now. It's getting very cool at night- upper 50s or a little warmer- then hitting the low 80s in the afternoon. Still a bit warm, but better than 100! The mosquitoes are AWFUL right now- I haven't even been hanging clothes out because of them. (yes I know, use repellent, but I couldn't find it) My husband isn't too thrilled with our cool weather because of the garden. He made a plastic greenhouse for the tomatoes this weekend, so hopefully that will work :) We have decided to hold off on the chicken coop till the garden is done- just too much to do.
Today is the quilt day! I told myself I had to the end of September to get it done, so that doesn't leave much time. I just need to sew on the borders and then sandwich it all together and sew it. I'm taking all day today and tomorrow to finish it-finally!!! I will give a detailed post about it when finished. I also have another dress half way done for myself, and a new pattern for the girls to start winter/fall dresses. So much to sew, so little time.
I am also going to post my cultured veggie experience Friday. I will take some pictures of what they look like now later and then work on it. Things did not go as planned, but I'll explain later. I am still planning to do posts on various whole grains and how I cook them at some point.
Some of you may be wondering about the diet. Well, I kind of fell off for a couple of days and am now re-evaluating it. My husband and I talked about it and he is going to help me a lot more so that I can get some exercise worked in. We are in the process of turning out back porch into a gym- our neighbors have a weight bench and weights and a punching bag and we have an exercise bike. Until then I'll do exercise tapes. Oh how I dread the breaking in part of exercise!! All the soreness...
The diet is changing too. I am going to go back to what I did in the first place when I lost all the weight before. Duh...I've gone full circle, trying all these other diets and then coming right back to the one that I did before. Oh well..
Here is the Living Well Plan
70% of what eat daily is raw-fruits in the morning, veggies at lunch and dinner
No sugar at all
food combining- do not mix proteins and starches together, eat them at separate meals
of course only whole grains are allowed and the highest quality foods
eat good fats- butter, whole dairy products, olive oil, coconut oil, fish oil etc.
This would be hard for most people, but it became such a routine that it's just what I know. Even though it was almost 7 years ago, I remember it well :) This is what I would do each day:
Morning- drink two big glasses of water before going to work
at work I would eat an apple and a banana an hour apart and fill in with water
Lunch- big salad with protein like tuna salad or starch like beans and rice
Snack- baby carrots, water, sometimes some corn chips and salsa
Dinner- big salad and protein or starch
Weekly I would usually make this: a beans and rice dish, soup/stew- usually meatless, a pasta dish, and egg dish, some kind of meat and veggie dish, eat leftovers at some point or a veggie sandwich. On Saturday morning we would cook a traditional breakfast and I would eat Sunday dinner at my parents. Then I would get back on my plan on Monday. I lost 20 pounds the first month, and after 3-4 months I had lost about 40lbs. I went from like 216-175, then I conceived our first child and had morning sickness and the healthy eating went OUT! It was about survival then :)
So, probably I will continue to make other food for the family, such as eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, sandwiches for the girls at lunch time, little snacks for them etc. I will just be praying a lot :)
I am also wanting to do another series on an amazing, eye opening book I just read by Charles Capps, a minister from Arkansas, called 'The Tongue, A Creative Force'. Let me say you must read with an open mind, but it is probably the most important thing I've ever read. The power of life and death is in the tongue. I need to read it over and over again. I may catch a lot of criticism for it, but if anyone can benefit from it I will post it just for them. Alright, I also have a new weekly plan to post that I think will work good :) So, how many things did I just say I was going to post??
It will get done in time. Right now I have to go get sewing so I can be done!!
September 26, 2008
Today
I am still sleepy :) But I have an agenda today- Leiah, who goes to school, is getting out early today, so I need to bust it this morning to get the important things done. So far I've done my cleaning, which was just touching up from Monday.
1. clean sinks and toilets and change trash
2. vacuum living room
Next on the list is:
finish folding and put away the laundry
unload dishwasher and reload,
then, start the cooking, which will be :
Raspberry bars
Pumpkin muffins- I have a recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook
Cultured veggies- I am using this recipe with some changes based on what I have on hand. Lacto-fermented vegetables are so very healthy for the body because the nutrients are made more available to you and the natural probiotics populate the gut thereby boosting immunity and keeping the gut clean. I haven't made any in a long time and this time I am using whey from the kefir, which is already full of healthy bacteria thus ensuring the success of my veggies. More about that later. I will try to change the batteries in the camera and take some pictures of what I am doing and explain better.
Then, I may go back up to the library and get new videos for the babysitters tonight. Then I want to work on the quilt, but we'll see :)
Oh, and to Liz, Leiah is 5, will be 6 in January, Alexa is 4, will be 5 in December, and Sarah is 2 and will be 3 in March. Leiah is more like a 3 year old because of delayed speech and development. I am looking forward to the day when all are potty trained :) Alexa has been for almost two years, Sarah is working on it and Leiah is working on it...Time to get with it here.
1. clean sinks and toilets and change trash
2. vacuum living room
Next on the list is:
finish folding and put away the laundry
unload dishwasher and reload,
then, start the cooking, which will be :
Raspberry bars
Pumpkin muffins- I have a recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook
Cultured veggies- I am using this recipe with some changes based on what I have on hand. Lacto-fermented vegetables are so very healthy for the body because the nutrients are made more available to you and the natural probiotics populate the gut thereby boosting immunity and keeping the gut clean. I haven't made any in a long time and this time I am using whey from the kefir, which is already full of healthy bacteria thus ensuring the success of my veggies. More about that later. I will try to change the batteries in the camera and take some pictures of what I am doing and explain better.
Then, I may go back up to the library and get new videos for the babysitters tonight. Then I want to work on the quilt, but we'll see :)
Oh, and to Liz, Leiah is 5, will be 6 in January, Alexa is 4, will be 5 in December, and Sarah is 2 and will be 3 in March. Leiah is more like a 3 year old because of delayed speech and development. I am looking forward to the day when all are potty trained :) Alexa has been for almost two years, Sarah is working on it and Leiah is working on it...Time to get with it here.
September 25, 2008
Better now
Ok I'm not depressed anymore. Thanks so much for the encouraging words. I have so many things that I would like to blog about but so very little time these days. My husband and I are trying to go to the movie theater tomorrow to watch Fireproof, a movie made by a church. They also made Facing the Giants and Flywheel, which was awesome. I'm really excited to see this one.
I have been having lots of trouble with the girls too which is part of the problem, the other part is about a friend, but it's better now praise the Lord! My girls have been destructive and so silly lately. For instance, Matt and I were in the kitchen, and actually he was praying for me. The girls were in the living room, but we could see them. (except our eyes were closed because we were praying) When we opened our eyes I saw the middle on with her hands full of fluff- stuffing. I thought it was from a pillow, but no, she had pulled it out of our very nice COUCH!! They had it all over the living room. I was so shocked! There was a zipper compartment in one of the arms of the couch where the stuffing was and she found it.
They are balls of energy, but when I take them outside to relieve the wiggles, they only play for a little while or lose interest in being loud and rough. They want to scream for fun constantly and make annoying sounds constantly. I can only take so much. However, we have prayed about it and believe they will shape up. I did inform them that tomorrow they will be with me the whole time- no running off outside or to watch TV. They might be doing lots of sitting because I have cooking and sewing to do.
Anyways, it's good now, I have a plan and a wonderful amazing husband to encourage me. I want to take some pictures of stuff but the camera needs batteries and I just now got some more. Our garden is flourishing and I want to take pictures of that and the quilt progress etc.
Ok, must go now. Maybe I'll pop in tomorrow, we'll see :)
I have been having lots of trouble with the girls too which is part of the problem, the other part is about a friend, but it's better now praise the Lord! My girls have been destructive and so silly lately. For instance, Matt and I were in the kitchen, and actually he was praying for me. The girls were in the living room, but we could see them. (except our eyes were closed because we were praying) When we opened our eyes I saw the middle on with her hands full of fluff- stuffing. I thought it was from a pillow, but no, she had pulled it out of our very nice COUCH!! They had it all over the living room. I was so shocked! There was a zipper compartment in one of the arms of the couch where the stuffing was and she found it.
They are balls of energy, but when I take them outside to relieve the wiggles, they only play for a little while or lose interest in being loud and rough. They want to scream for fun constantly and make annoying sounds constantly. I can only take so much. However, we have prayed about it and believe they will shape up. I did inform them that tomorrow they will be with me the whole time- no running off outside or to watch TV. They might be doing lots of sitting because I have cooking and sewing to do.
Anyways, it's good now, I have a plan and a wonderful amazing husband to encourage me. I want to take some pictures of stuff but the camera needs batteries and I just now got some more. Our garden is flourishing and I want to take pictures of that and the quilt progress etc.
Ok, must go now. Maybe I'll pop in tomorrow, we'll see :)
sldkgsdi
Hey everyone...I am tired and sort of depressed about a situation and behind on things so I may not pop back in for a bit. But here is a recipe I made yesterday that turned out good. I just call it Fruit Fluff.
You need:
1 package strawberry jello
1 regular size container of cool whip or real whipped cream
mini marshmallows
crushed pineapple
cottage cheese
Pour the jello in a bowl and boil 1 cup of water. When it's boiling pour it onto the jello and stir well, then put in fridge. When the jello has set up but isn't too firm, take a whisk and stir it good to break it up, then whisk in the cool whip. Next stir (get a spoon) in a half a cup or so of both cottage cheese and crushed pineapple. Next add as many marshmallows as you want. Combine well and put back in fridge to chill for an hour at least. Everyone loved it.
You need:
1 package strawberry jello
1 regular size container of cool whip or real whipped cream
mini marshmallows
crushed pineapple
cottage cheese
Pour the jello in a bowl and boil 1 cup of water. When it's boiling pour it onto the jello and stir well, then put in fridge. When the jello has set up but isn't too firm, take a whisk and stir it good to break it up, then whisk in the cool whip. Next stir (get a spoon) in a half a cup or so of both cottage cheese and crushed pineapple. Next add as many marshmallows as you want. Combine well and put back in fridge to chill for an hour at least. Everyone loved it.
September 23, 2008
My Favorite Things
"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..."
That's been in my head for several days now, which is odd considering I haven't watched the movie in years! Anyways, I thought I would list off some of my favorite things for the home and other just for fun.
1. My favorite cleaning products are Mrs. Meyer's all natural products. They come in several smells such as Lemon Verbena, Geranium and Lavender. She makes everything under the sun, but mostly I've used the dish soap and counter top spray. My bottle is almost gone, so I've been adding purified water and white distilled vinegar to prolong its use. The nice scent is still there even with the vinegar :)
2. I do not enjoy mopping, so, to get around getting the mop out, I just spray the floor with some all purpose cleaner, wet a dish towel in hot water, plop it on the floor and use my feet to wash it. Works fine.
3. I love Downy's Lavender Vanilla scented fabric softener. It is pricey, but I use just a little for our clothes and I can make a large bottle stretch for months! Of course I don't use it on towels and things, just clothes and bedding.
4. I love anything cinnamon scented, specifically the candles you can get at walmart- 'mulled cider' and 'pumpkin spice'. They are burning just about everyday. I love fall :)
5. I love Johnson's Bedtime Bath and lotion. I use it for myself! I love the floral with a hint of sweetness- not too strong. No other brands smell as good.
6. Coffeemate French Vanilla. I've tried lots of other flavors of coffee creamer, and this one is just my favorite. Last week I bought the biggest size I could find because now my husband is using it :) This isn't a healthy thing, but as long as I allow coffee this will have to go with it.
7. Tom's of Maine toothpaste- pricey, but when we can get it I really like the lack of sweetness. It was hard to get used to, but now I prefer it to other brands.
8.I generally buy only Gold Medal flour, because it's the only one that sells unbleached all purpose and whole wheat flour at a good price. However, I have bought other brands like Hodgson Mill and King Arthur, and I like the results of Gold Medal best.
9. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing is yummy, and is great for pasta salads and marinades for chicken. I watch for sales and grab some.
10. Helman's Mayonnaise- I keep trying other stuff, but this is the best tasting in my opinion. I HATE Miracle Whip- ack! Someday I want to make some with coconut oil.
11. Bob's Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal- this is like steel cut oats, but a finer grind and quicker cooking. We LOVE it- it's so much better in texture than regular rolled oats in my opinion. I can't really describe it, more like a porridge I guess.
12. Brown Cow plain full fat yogurt- oh wow this stuff is great. It's the only plain yogurt I've ever been able to eat straight up. It's really good with baked oatmeal and a drizzle of honey. We buy it at the health food store once a week or so.
13. Jiffy Brand corn muffin mix- it usually sells for $0.33 cents a box, and even though it has refined flour in it, it sure tastes good! We love it, but I only buy it occasionally.
I will probably add more to the list later. I am drawing a blank right now :)
That's been in my head for several days now, which is odd considering I haven't watched the movie in years! Anyways, I thought I would list off some of my favorite things for the home and other just for fun.
1. My favorite cleaning products are Mrs. Meyer's all natural products. They come in several smells such as Lemon Verbena, Geranium and Lavender. She makes everything under the sun, but mostly I've used the dish soap and counter top spray. My bottle is almost gone, so I've been adding purified water and white distilled vinegar to prolong its use. The nice scent is still there even with the vinegar :)
2. I do not enjoy mopping, so, to get around getting the mop out, I just spray the floor with some all purpose cleaner, wet a dish towel in hot water, plop it on the floor and use my feet to wash it. Works fine.
3. I love Downy's Lavender Vanilla scented fabric softener. It is pricey, but I use just a little for our clothes and I can make a large bottle stretch for months! Of course I don't use it on towels and things, just clothes and bedding.
4. I love anything cinnamon scented, specifically the candles you can get at walmart- 'mulled cider' and 'pumpkin spice'. They are burning just about everyday. I love fall :)
5. I love Johnson's Bedtime Bath and lotion. I use it for myself! I love the floral with a hint of sweetness- not too strong. No other brands smell as good.
6. Coffeemate French Vanilla. I've tried lots of other flavors of coffee creamer, and this one is just my favorite. Last week I bought the biggest size I could find because now my husband is using it :) This isn't a healthy thing, but as long as I allow coffee this will have to go with it.
7. Tom's of Maine toothpaste- pricey, but when we can get it I really like the lack of sweetness. It was hard to get used to, but now I prefer it to other brands.
8.I generally buy only Gold Medal flour, because it's the only one that sells unbleached all purpose and whole wheat flour at a good price. However, I have bought other brands like Hodgson Mill and King Arthur, and I like the results of Gold Medal best.
9. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing is yummy, and is great for pasta salads and marinades for chicken. I watch for sales and grab some.
10. Helman's Mayonnaise- I keep trying other stuff, but this is the best tasting in my opinion. I HATE Miracle Whip- ack! Someday I want to make some with coconut oil.
11. Bob's Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal- this is like steel cut oats, but a finer grind and quicker cooking. We LOVE it- it's so much better in texture than regular rolled oats in my opinion. I can't really describe it, more like a porridge I guess.
12. Brown Cow plain full fat yogurt- oh wow this stuff is great. It's the only plain yogurt I've ever been able to eat straight up. It's really good with baked oatmeal and a drizzle of honey. We buy it at the health food store once a week or so.
13. Jiffy Brand corn muffin mix- it usually sells for $0.33 cents a box, and even though it has refined flour in it, it sure tastes good! We love it, but I only buy it occasionally.
I will probably add more to the list later. I am drawing a blank right now :)
September 22, 2008
Busy Monday
Ahh, the first time I've sat down on this computer today...the feet are up in the recliner :)
Wow, I cannot believe how productive this day has been. First off, our weekend was rather unproductive with things to do around here (garden, chicken coop etc) but we did have some nice family time at the county fair Saturday. I actually stayed on my diet, for real, except for a bit of cotton candy, but hey, I haven't had any in forever!
Anyways, I determined to go to bed early enough to get up early today. Well, I can't say that I went to bed early, but my alarm did go off at 5am and I managed to get up at 5:15. I made a cup of tea (trying to go easy on the coffee for a bit), then sat down with my Bible and a book by the minister Charles Capps, called "The Tongue, A Creative Force".
I wished I could have started at 5:00 so I had more time for reading, but shortly after 6am my husband was up and I started the morning stuff. I purposed that today I was going to do all the housecleaning I could- hoping it would work out- so I could have more time in the rest of the week. Cleaning bit by bit each day does work well, but at the same time it's nice to get it all done with. I have lots of sewing projects and need to help my husband work in the garden this week, so I decided to try to get it all done.
I switched out some laundry, then I went to take a shower and get dressed, made the bed and tidied the room, made Leiah's lunch and started breakfast. (we had whole grain cream of wheat, homemade banana muffins I had frozen a couple of weeks ago with yogurt cheese to spread on it). My dishwasher had been emptied the night before, so I didn't need to do that. I woke Leiah up (wow- she wasn't up yet, she's usually awake by 6:30) and got her dressed. The other two were awake so they got up. I finished breakfast and got Leiah to the table to eat. Then I started another load of laundry and made a list of to do's for today. We all ate breakfast here and there.
After Leiah and dh left, amazingly, the other two started playing with their toys!!! Breakthrough!! They NEVER ever just sit down and start taking toys out of the toy box and play- shocker! So I got to work- wiped down the bathrooms (sprayed the sinks, counters, toilets, shower/tub and wiped them); wiped down all appliances, screens and mirrors, mopped the kitchen floors, cleaned the girls' bedrooms, changed some sheets, vacuumed the whole house, did more laundry, finished the dishes and started the dishwasher, then we stopped to do school. After we got done, the girls were getting kind of rowdy and didn't want to go outside, so I separated them into different rooms to play for awhile. I boiled some eggs, washed a head of lettuce, unloaded the dishes, made tuna salad, spun the lettuce dry and chopped it, made our lunches and ate. Did more laundry, then I got a phone call. After that we cleaned up the toys, put Sarah to bed and I mixed up the meatloaf for dinner and went ahead and put it in the oven. Next I blended up a smoothie to drink because I was already getting hungry again :( Then time for Alexa to lay down.
Now I'm sitting and drinking my drink. I still have more clothes to fold, my sourdough starter to feed, potatoes to scrub and bake, a big salad to make and fabric that needs to be cut. BUT, I got a week's worth of cleaning done in like 1.5 hours. Now I'll just need to touch up later in the week. I'll give this plan a shot for awhile and see how it goes. Mondays are my best day as far as getting a lot accomplished, so it just makes sense to clean then.
I am having quilt issues for those interested. I'm really not sure what to do...still thinking on it.
Wow, I cannot believe how productive this day has been. First off, our weekend was rather unproductive with things to do around here (garden, chicken coop etc) but we did have some nice family time at the county fair Saturday. I actually stayed on my diet, for real, except for a bit of cotton candy, but hey, I haven't had any in forever!
Anyways, I determined to go to bed early enough to get up early today. Well, I can't say that I went to bed early, but my alarm did go off at 5am and I managed to get up at 5:15. I made a cup of tea (trying to go easy on the coffee for a bit), then sat down with my Bible and a book by the minister Charles Capps, called "The Tongue, A Creative Force".
I wished I could have started at 5:00 so I had more time for reading, but shortly after 6am my husband was up and I started the morning stuff. I purposed that today I was going to do all the housecleaning I could- hoping it would work out- so I could have more time in the rest of the week. Cleaning bit by bit each day does work well, but at the same time it's nice to get it all done with. I have lots of sewing projects and need to help my husband work in the garden this week, so I decided to try to get it all done.
I switched out some laundry, then I went to take a shower and get dressed, made the bed and tidied the room, made Leiah's lunch and started breakfast. (we had whole grain cream of wheat, homemade banana muffins I had frozen a couple of weeks ago with yogurt cheese to spread on it). My dishwasher had been emptied the night before, so I didn't need to do that. I woke Leiah up (wow- she wasn't up yet, she's usually awake by 6:30) and got her dressed. The other two were awake so they got up. I finished breakfast and got Leiah to the table to eat. Then I started another load of laundry and made a list of to do's for today. We all ate breakfast here and there.
After Leiah and dh left, amazingly, the other two started playing with their toys!!! Breakthrough!! They NEVER ever just sit down and start taking toys out of the toy box and play- shocker! So I got to work- wiped down the bathrooms (sprayed the sinks, counters, toilets, shower/tub and wiped them); wiped down all appliances, screens and mirrors, mopped the kitchen floors, cleaned the girls' bedrooms, changed some sheets, vacuumed the whole house, did more laundry, finished the dishes and started the dishwasher, then we stopped to do school. After we got done, the girls were getting kind of rowdy and didn't want to go outside, so I separated them into different rooms to play for awhile. I boiled some eggs, washed a head of lettuce, unloaded the dishes, made tuna salad, spun the lettuce dry and chopped it, made our lunches and ate. Did more laundry, then I got a phone call. After that we cleaned up the toys, put Sarah to bed and I mixed up the meatloaf for dinner and went ahead and put it in the oven. Next I blended up a smoothie to drink because I was already getting hungry again :( Then time for Alexa to lay down.
Now I'm sitting and drinking my drink. I still have more clothes to fold, my sourdough starter to feed, potatoes to scrub and bake, a big salad to make and fabric that needs to be cut. BUT, I got a week's worth of cleaning done in like 1.5 hours. Now I'll just need to touch up later in the week. I'll give this plan a shot for awhile and see how it goes. Mondays are my best day as far as getting a lot accomplished, so it just makes sense to clean then.
I am having quilt issues for those interested. I'm really not sure what to do...still thinking on it.
September 19, 2008
A Holiday rant
I used to think that it was absolutely crazy that stores would start putting Christmas stuff out in August. America seems so materialistic when it comes to that holiday. But with the fast paced life we have, I can see how it seems to slip up on us before we know it. It has become very important to think ahead and begin working on ideas for presents etc. now, at least for me, because I need to save money up and I don't know about yall, but December is just crazy busy! So many family gatherings and parties, plus I want to instill traditions in our own family.
Anyways, today while shopping there were many Christmas things out already, and it is tempting to buy it. But I must resist!!! Back to what I started this post for- I am amazed at how popular Halloween is becoming. I mean, now you can buy a whole set of bathroom decor for Halloween. I even saw a wreath decorated with black ribbon and little skulls. Don't forget kitchen towels and dishes too, cookie cutters and orange and black cupcake liners...come on, why do we need more stuff?? There is a house down the road that is DECKED OUT with Halloween decor- I'm talking a blow up spider that's so big you walk underneath it to the front door, spider web all in the bushes and plenty more. Why don't people see that there's something wrong with celebrating a holiday that is about blood and guts and witchcraft? How scary this must seem to little kids who don't understand what's going on.
Why can't we just celebrate Autumn with good old fashioned fun? Hayrides, bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, make a scarecrow, roast weenies and marshmallows over an outdoor fire...if kids miss the candy have a pinata and let them dress in a cute costume- nothing scary. We don't do Halloween at all- no decor except pumpkins and such and no trick-or-treating. I usually make a fun meal like pizza and candy apples and let the girls dress up in their princess stuff. We might let them stay up and watch a movie, but really, that's it. Our Pastor hosts a weenie roast at his home for the church with Gospel singing and a hayride after the last weekend in October.
Anyways, it's just crazy to me that the market is trying so hard to get us to buy more stuff, like coordinated Halloween lotion pumps and soap dishes for the bathroom. I admit, for Christmas I go all out, because I love the holiday so much and it's obvious meaning. And, even though I love decorating and stuff, I am trying to use simple and homemade things. We are paring down what we buy this year a lot too; I want my girls to enjoy the holiday for all the special things we do together and Jesus' birth, not just the stuff :)
In fact, this year my husband will have the whole week of Christmas off and his parents may be down, so I am thinking of making a gingerbread house that week. I made one with my grandmother as a teenager and it turned out really well. She baked all the pieces though, so I haven't done that part before.
Alright, this is getting long so I'll go :)
Anyways, today while shopping there were many Christmas things out already, and it is tempting to buy it. But I must resist!!! Back to what I started this post for- I am amazed at how popular Halloween is becoming. I mean, now you can buy a whole set of bathroom decor for Halloween. I even saw a wreath decorated with black ribbon and little skulls. Don't forget kitchen towels and dishes too, cookie cutters and orange and black cupcake liners...come on, why do we need more stuff?? There is a house down the road that is DECKED OUT with Halloween decor- I'm talking a blow up spider that's so big you walk underneath it to the front door, spider web all in the bushes and plenty more. Why don't people see that there's something wrong with celebrating a holiday that is about blood and guts and witchcraft? How scary this must seem to little kids who don't understand what's going on.
Why can't we just celebrate Autumn with good old fashioned fun? Hayrides, bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, make a scarecrow, roast weenies and marshmallows over an outdoor fire...if kids miss the candy have a pinata and let them dress in a cute costume- nothing scary. We don't do Halloween at all- no decor except pumpkins and such and no trick-or-treating. I usually make a fun meal like pizza and candy apples and let the girls dress up in their princess stuff. We might let them stay up and watch a movie, but really, that's it. Our Pastor hosts a weenie roast at his home for the church with Gospel singing and a hayride after the last weekend in October.
Anyways, it's just crazy to me that the market is trying so hard to get us to buy more stuff, like coordinated Halloween lotion pumps and soap dishes for the bathroom. I admit, for Christmas I go all out, because I love the holiday so much and it's obvious meaning. And, even though I love decorating and stuff, I am trying to use simple and homemade things. We are paring down what we buy this year a lot too; I want my girls to enjoy the holiday for all the special things we do together and Jesus' birth, not just the stuff :)
In fact, this year my husband will have the whole week of Christmas off and his parents may be down, so I am thinking of making a gingerbread house that week. I made one with my grandmother as a teenager and it turned out really well. She baked all the pieces though, so I haven't done that part before.
Alright, this is getting long so I'll go :)
September 18, 2008
Diet Log
I'm just going to keep track of what I've been eating on here so it can be 'filed' away under the Diet label. I would probably lose a piece of paper, and if anyone else is interested they can read it too.
Breakfast: omelet with satueed onion, mushroom, fresh spinach and cheddar cheese ( this was fairly small- 2 egg omelet) and topped off with some spicy salsa. Plenty of coffee :) I stayed up way too late last night for reasons.
Midmorning-A big glass of water and Dr. Schulze's superfood tablets
kefir smoothie
Lunch- raw veggies and homemade ranch dressing; two slices homemade sourdough pizza ( I was actually too full eating the two pieces, one was plenty, and they were medium sizes slices)
Snacks could be: more raw veggies; raw fruit; yogurt with sliced bananas, pecans and a little honey; water
Dinner- shepherd's pie and big salad
It's odd because I don't really have a written plan I'm going off of; I am just combining several diets I've been on before and using the most healthy parts of each. I am mostly low carb, but I am eating whole grains each day. I try to food combine, which means I keep starches and proteins separate; I try to eat more raw foods than cooked. I allow myself a vanilla wafer here and there :) And I use regular coffee creamer and honey in my tea. I'm not budging off of that yet.
I just plan out what I'm going to eat the day before and make a mental note of anything I will eliminate or cook extra for myself.
I made this smoothie yesterday:
First I thawed a bag of whole strawberries and blended them up with some sugar, then blended it with kefir and yogurt. Next I added a really ripe banana and a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil. It was REAL good :) I drank some yesterday afternoon and the rest this morning.
Breakfast: omelet with satueed onion, mushroom, fresh spinach and cheddar cheese ( this was fairly small- 2 egg omelet) and topped off with some spicy salsa. Plenty of coffee :) I stayed up way too late last night for reasons.
Midmorning-A big glass of water and Dr. Schulze's superfood tablets
kefir smoothie
Lunch- raw veggies and homemade ranch dressing; two slices homemade sourdough pizza ( I was actually too full eating the two pieces, one was plenty, and they were medium sizes slices)
Snacks could be: more raw veggies; raw fruit; yogurt with sliced bananas, pecans and a little honey; water
Dinner- shepherd's pie and big salad
It's odd because I don't really have a written plan I'm going off of; I am just combining several diets I've been on before and using the most healthy parts of each. I am mostly low carb, but I am eating whole grains each day. I try to food combine, which means I keep starches and proteins separate; I try to eat more raw foods than cooked. I allow myself a vanilla wafer here and there :) And I use regular coffee creamer and honey in my tea. I'm not budging off of that yet.
I just plan out what I'm going to eat the day before and make a mental note of anything I will eliminate or cook extra for myself.
I made this smoothie yesterday:
First I thawed a bag of whole strawberries and blended them up with some sugar, then blended it with kefir and yogurt. Next I added a really ripe banana and a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil. It was REAL good :) I drank some yesterday afternoon and the rest this morning.
Quick Post
Just real quick- I am letting you all know that I am going to start a new series of posts about trying all the different whole grains out there, how I cooked them and how we liked them. I will also write about each one, where they come from and why they are good for you. I am also going to do a series of posts about culturing veggies. I've found some great recipes that I want to try in the next week or so.
Also, the quilt top is together, I will take pictures BUT, I have made some fatal mistakes :( It really helps to measure before you start you know. My quilt top is the perfect size for a toddler bed or crib quilt not a twin...so, I can either make more squares with different fabric because I don't have enough left and the store has discontinued it, OR, make it into a wall hanging and do a plain blanket on her bed with one whole piece of fabric. I would need to make 9 more squares...boo hoo....I want to move on to making another new dress that I bought fabric for and starting on winter clothes/PJs for everyone but I have to finish the quilt first or else it will never get done.
Anyways I have chores and school to do for now.
Also, the quilt top is together, I will take pictures BUT, I have made some fatal mistakes :( It really helps to measure before you start you know. My quilt top is the perfect size for a toddler bed or crib quilt not a twin...so, I can either make more squares with different fabric because I don't have enough left and the store has discontinued it, OR, make it into a wall hanging and do a plain blanket on her bed with one whole piece of fabric. I would need to make 9 more squares...boo hoo....I want to move on to making another new dress that I bought fabric for and starting on winter clothes/PJs for everyone but I have to finish the quilt first or else it will never get done.
Anyways I have chores and school to do for now.
September 17, 2008
Diet progress
My 'diet' is going well, I think. I haven't been getting hungry much and haven't had to ward off sugar cravings yet. I have not started exercising either- I have been sooooo tired and just can't seem to wake up early enough. My neighbor wants to do it with me in the afternoons during naps, so I guess that's what I'll be doing. I like being fit, but I dread the breaking in phase- much soreness!
It's hard to get all the veggies and stuff in too, but I'm working on it and not trying to be perfect about it at this point. Yesterday I ate 2/3 cup of oatmeal with some honey, milk and vanilla extract and coffee, a large salad with cheese, some chicken and an apple for lunch; I ate the last piece of red velvet cake someone made for me :). For dinner I ate a large spinach salad and some spaghetti. A friend brought some pudding she made and I felt bad declining so I ate a bit. So far today I've had about 2 scrambled eggs and some coffee (I'm not deleting that one) and then at lunch I ate a cup or so of the Pumpkin bean soup I made Monday. I should have eaten a salad too but I was full. I'll eat some raw or steamed veggies later and make a kefir smoothie with the coconut oil this afternoon later. For dinner I was planning an interesting fall squash millet casserole but forgot the butternut squash/fresh pumpkin from the store!! However, I saw some pork steaks on sale, like enough for all of us for less than $2 so I decided I make like a millet dressing/stuffing and homemade applesauce for the meat.
This is what I'm planning:
Saute onion, celery and a chopped apple in butter. Mix cooked grains with the sauteed veggies, some dried cranberries, chicken stock and herbs/seasonings and bake. In a pan I'll sear the meat and put on top of the grains to finish cooking in the oven. Then in the same pan I cooked the meat I'll 'fry' some more apples and a pear in butter and when it gets soft I'll put a bit of rapadura (natural sugar) and cinnamon/nutmeg- then smush it a bit to put with the meat. I have a bunch of leftover spinach salad to go with it. I love the combo of sweet and savory flavors a lot. We don't eat a lot of pork, but since I forgot the squash from on store, and the other store didn't have any that's what I came up with :) I am planning to also make homemade banana pudding to use up some bananas- mostly for the girls and Matt- he loves pudding things.
Alright, got to clean out the van, it is disgusting, work on Leiah's quilt, cut out a dress pattern and prep dinner. Maybe I can sneak a little nap somewhere in there :)
It's hard to get all the veggies and stuff in too, but I'm working on it and not trying to be perfect about it at this point. Yesterday I ate 2/3 cup of oatmeal with some honey, milk and vanilla extract and coffee, a large salad with cheese, some chicken and an apple for lunch; I ate the last piece of red velvet cake someone made for me :). For dinner I ate a large spinach salad and some spaghetti. A friend brought some pudding she made and I felt bad declining so I ate a bit. So far today I've had about 2 scrambled eggs and some coffee (I'm not deleting that one) and then at lunch I ate a cup or so of the Pumpkin bean soup I made Monday. I should have eaten a salad too but I was full. I'll eat some raw or steamed veggies later and make a kefir smoothie with the coconut oil this afternoon later. For dinner I was planning an interesting fall squash millet casserole but forgot the butternut squash/fresh pumpkin from the store!! However, I saw some pork steaks on sale, like enough for all of us for less than $2 so I decided I make like a millet dressing/stuffing and homemade applesauce for the meat.
This is what I'm planning:
Saute onion, celery and a chopped apple in butter. Mix cooked grains with the sauteed veggies, some dried cranberries, chicken stock and herbs/seasonings and bake. In a pan I'll sear the meat and put on top of the grains to finish cooking in the oven. Then in the same pan I cooked the meat I'll 'fry' some more apples and a pear in butter and when it gets soft I'll put a bit of rapadura (natural sugar) and cinnamon/nutmeg- then smush it a bit to put with the meat. I have a bunch of leftover spinach salad to go with it. I love the combo of sweet and savory flavors a lot. We don't eat a lot of pork, but since I forgot the squash from on store, and the other store didn't have any that's what I came up with :) I am planning to also make homemade banana pudding to use up some bananas- mostly for the girls and Matt- he loves pudding things.
Alright, got to clean out the van, it is disgusting, work on Leiah's quilt, cut out a dress pattern and prep dinner. Maybe I can sneak a little nap somewhere in there :)
September 16, 2008
Isolation
I live in a friendly community. I am surrounded by the people I go to church with and well, grew up with. I see them driving or walking by almost everyday.
Yet, I still feel isolated. Alone during the day. Why is that? Well, the grandmother of everyone (not us) whom we rent from is confined to a wheelchair and can't get around. I can visit, but it's a pain with the girls because while I'm trying to talk with her they are off meddling and it's so hard to keep them all with me. The other neighbor is also handicapped and she works on the computer all day long and absolutely cannot have any noise going on or she will get in trouble with her boss. (she takes calls/orders for companies) The other neighbor is newly married, sleeps till noon and has her own things going on. We do hang out, but not everyday or anything.
I have created somewhat our own family culture that is very different from what everyone else does. Maybe that's where the isolation comes from. What's important to me isn't to others. They are constantly telling me, " I don't know how you do all that with three kids." Well, maybe if you visited you'd find out!
Maybe I seem too busy or something, but I think it's because they don't understand what I'm doing. They don't understand why I hang laundry on a clothesline when I have a dryer. They don't understand why I sew our clothes instead of buying from walmart. They don't understand why I make bread and cook from scratch instead of buying it. Or why we are having a fall garden, or why we are building a chicken coop. What is important to us is not important to others, even though they are the sweetest Christian people I know. There are differences.
We are just different- if I had millions of dollars do you know what I would do? Pay all my and my family's debts off and then buy a farm. I want an old, refurbished farm house with a giant red barn, plenty of land for gardening and playing, a large wrap around porch, and a massive clothesline. That's it. Oh, and grain mill too :) I enjoy the work that is involved in taking care of a home and family the old, slower way. I've been that way since I watched Anne of Green Gables for the first time at the age of 8 years old. My husband is with me- he really enjoys being outside and watching the plants grow and building the chicken pen. He thrives on it and wishes he could stop being a computer programmer. I might be willing to move to Upper Michigan if we could farm and live next to his cousins that farm with 9 kids :) I don't now if I could handle 6 months of frigid cold weather though...major culture shock.
Some days, I feel really alone. All of my 'mom friends' are now back at work because their kids are in school. All of my single friends have ditched me...my mom is crazy busy and so is my sister. Pretty much everyone I know either works or is disabled. I don't go to MOPS anymore because it just doesn't do much for me. I've tried making new relationships there before and no one wanted to let me into their lives. I'm just too different I guess.
So, that leaves you, my blog friends :) I know that I am not alone at all, but I really struggled with this last week. Being cooped up in the house for several days made it seem worse too. (rain)
Doing the same things, over and over and over, each day just like the other...just kind of got to me. I believe the work in the home is very important and I guess that's the big difference between me and most other women I know. Unfortunately, my dear husband catches it all and I have a hard time letting him do what he wants because I'm so hungry for adult conversation and loving attention from him :)
So, if you've never commented before, feel free too. I could certainly use some friends :)
Early to bed, early to rise...
I've learned something about this getting up early thing- it's a big secret...are you ready for it??
You have to go to bed earlier!
Wow I bet you didn't see that one coming. Yeah, well, it's a lot harder than it seems. My husband doesn't usually get home from work until around 6:15-6:30, then we eat dinner, clean up, have some family time, get the kiddies ready for bed, go through the bedtime ritual, then it's about 8 or so, then if he has some things that he needs to do such as water the garden etc. that takes time, then it's 9pm and we haven't spent any time together, and so on...
Shortly before 5am this morning my oldest woke up crying and wouldn't settle back down, so she ended up sleeping between mama and daddy until 6:30 or so. We're all tired...we didn't get to bed till after 11pm last night :(
So, any ideas? I know I could set dinner time earlier and me and the girls could eat then and get everything cleaned up etc. But, I really want us to all eat together. I am generally the only one who cleans up after meals. The girls can only do so much to help without me having to go back over it later, so sometimes after they go to bed I finish up the kitchen and any meal preps for the next day. My husband will sometimes help, but I don't usually ask. He is such a help with getting them ready for bed etc.
Hmmm, thinking here...paper plates?? We stopped those for awhile due to budget. I try really hard to get most of the work done early in the day so I can have free time in the evenings and be able to get to bed by 10pm.
Oh, I have another problem. Every week Leiah brings home lots of neat artwork and worksheets that she has done throughout the week. I don't know what to do with them! I don't want to keep them all, but I hate to throw them away. Alexa makes things during the week too that I want to keep. After a whole year I would have tons of papers!!!
I have something of substance to blog about as well...maybe later after the coffee wakes up my brain :)
You have to go to bed earlier!
Wow I bet you didn't see that one coming. Yeah, well, it's a lot harder than it seems. My husband doesn't usually get home from work until around 6:15-6:30, then we eat dinner, clean up, have some family time, get the kiddies ready for bed, go through the bedtime ritual, then it's about 8 or so, then if he has some things that he needs to do such as water the garden etc. that takes time, then it's 9pm and we haven't spent any time together, and so on...
Shortly before 5am this morning my oldest woke up crying and wouldn't settle back down, so she ended up sleeping between mama and daddy until 6:30 or so. We're all tired...we didn't get to bed till after 11pm last night :(
So, any ideas? I know I could set dinner time earlier and me and the girls could eat then and get everything cleaned up etc. But, I really want us to all eat together. I am generally the only one who cleans up after meals. The girls can only do so much to help without me having to go back over it later, so sometimes after they go to bed I finish up the kitchen and any meal preps for the next day. My husband will sometimes help, but I don't usually ask. He is such a help with getting them ready for bed etc.
Hmmm, thinking here...paper plates?? We stopped those for awhile due to budget. I try really hard to get most of the work done early in the day so I can have free time in the evenings and be able to get to bed by 10pm.
Oh, I have another problem. Every week Leiah brings home lots of neat artwork and worksheets that she has done throughout the week. I don't know what to do with them! I don't want to keep them all, but I hate to throw them away. Alexa makes things during the week too that I want to keep. After a whole year I would have tons of papers!!!
I have something of substance to blog about as well...maybe later after the coffee wakes up my brain :)
September 15, 2008
Just rambling...
I wasn't really looking forward to starting another week :) I felt like I worked all weekend too without much break and rest, so I wasn't all that thrilled with starting again. But, blessedly, after the hurricane we now have some nice cool weather- like, you need a sweater. Wow!
I opened the windows in every room to let the fresh air in, and I'm about to head outside to hang out some laundry. I allowed myself to just chill with my girls this morning before jumping in on the work to be done, and that helped get me in a better mood. The Lord has been dealing with me lately about busy-ness. Is it really necessary to be soooo busy at home all the time?? It's not when my girls haven't gotten a hug that day or any of my time.
Why do I have to be on the go constantly? Well, I am going to change some things. For one, I am going to start getting up even earlier- WHAT!!!??? Yes, earlier. I have promised my husband that I am going to work hard on my body and I prefer to exercise completely alone. So the only solution is to do it early. I also have been missing my early meetings with Jesus, so I need to work that in before everyone gets up too.
Another thing is I just need to settle on what is good enough-not perfection. Not getting every piece of laundry folded and put away isn't going to make a huge difference. Not getting the kitchen perfectly clean and shiny isn't going to hurt anyone. Letting the girls make a large mess with toys isn't the end of everything- they get to clean it up :)
Now, how am I going to have the energy to make it through the day if I get up at 4:30am? Hopefully the exercise will energize me, and, I am making diet changes. We do eat healthy, but lately I've been baking a lot and using regular sugar. We drink lots of sweetened iced tea. We eat carbohydrates more because of the low cost. They are good carbs, but still, I am probably taking in too many calories to lose anything.
If I could lose 50lbs I would be a lot more energetic! Yes that's right, I weigh somewhere between 230-240lbs. I do carry it well and don't feel that bulky, but I am way heavier than I want to be. Generally for my size I'm in good shape- I can do physical labor ok without getting too out of breath. But still, I miss being in great shape. This is my food plan:
Daily I need to eat:
2-3T coconut oil
4-6oz of kefir
my supplements
1 serving of carbohydrates such as soaked oatmeal, potatoes, whole grain bread etc.
Boo-koos of veggies- mostly green- raw and steamed and buttered
1 piece of fruit
some protein
lots of water
So, the idea is that if I get hungry, then I fill up on vegetables, either raw with some kind of dip (protein) or steamed with butter/coconut oil. The fat makes the vegetables' nutrients more absorbable. (is that a word?) I plan to blend the kefir with fruit and drink it in the morning with breakfast, which will either be the cereal or eggs. I am trying to keep the carbs and proteins separate for easier digestion.
Lunch will either be salad and veggies with protein (eggs, cheese, meat) or a baked potato with veggies and soup. What will I do when I start craving sweets?? Drink water, pray, drink hot tea, pray some more, if all else fails, eat a spoon of raw honey. Dinner will be what the family is having with extra veggies. I have been overeating lately too- so I'm going to try to re-teach my body when to stop eating.
My goal is to exercise 2-3 times a week, either walking or doing my workout tapes. I have two Firm tapes but no step to use, so I haven't been using them.
If I weigh myself I might put a weight tracker on the blog, but I have no scale right now...
Anyways, so this means baking day has been shortened to bread and one treat to put in lunch boxes :) I will eat what I make, so I just have to stop making it :)
So how does this relate to not being so busy? I guess I'm going to focus more on my health instead of my home for awhile and be more tuned in with what my children are needing from me. I'm still nervous about trying to get up so early- will I crash out mid-morning?? Will I have to go to bed at 8pm?? My husband won't like that :) I'll just have to experiment :)
This post is getting very long...one more thing. I am trying a new soup recipe that looks very interesting. Here it is:
Mexican Pumpkin Soup
1. saute chopped onion and garlic until soft
2. add dried spices to the oil in pan, and warm the spices until fragrant:
cumin, cilantro, dash of nutmeg, chili powder, salt, pepper, basil
3. add 4 cups? vegetable broth, or leftover bean broth to pan
4. add 1 regular can of pumpkin, or 3-4 cups small chunks of raw pumpkin or butternut squash
5. add 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
6. Simmer all, until potato and pumpkin (if using raw pumpkin) are soft, 15-20 min
7. add chopped green chiles, to taste, leave out if too spicy
- add one can diced tomatoes, or 2 cups salsa, add pinch of sugar
- add leftover pinto beans, frozen corn, and one 13 oz can light coconut milk
8. Simmer, and warm everything, taste for seasoning
I got it from Lentils and Rice- over there on the left hand sidebar. I will be changing the ingredients somewhat- I don't have green chiles or a sweet potato and I'm using canned pumpkin and full fat coconut milk and chicken stock. I've got the beans simmering on the stove right now. I've deemed Monday as soup day since it can cook all day without a lot of attention while I get the week started out good :)
Alrighty, I'm done rambling. Have a nice day everyone!
I opened the windows in every room to let the fresh air in, and I'm about to head outside to hang out some laundry. I allowed myself to just chill with my girls this morning before jumping in on the work to be done, and that helped get me in a better mood. The Lord has been dealing with me lately about busy-ness. Is it really necessary to be soooo busy at home all the time?? It's not when my girls haven't gotten a hug that day or any of my time.
Why do I have to be on the go constantly? Well, I am going to change some things. For one, I am going to start getting up even earlier- WHAT!!!??? Yes, earlier. I have promised my husband that I am going to work hard on my body and I prefer to exercise completely alone. So the only solution is to do it early. I also have been missing my early meetings with Jesus, so I need to work that in before everyone gets up too.
Another thing is I just need to settle on what is good enough-not perfection. Not getting every piece of laundry folded and put away isn't going to make a huge difference. Not getting the kitchen perfectly clean and shiny isn't going to hurt anyone. Letting the girls make a large mess with toys isn't the end of everything- they get to clean it up :)
Now, how am I going to have the energy to make it through the day if I get up at 4:30am? Hopefully the exercise will energize me, and, I am making diet changes. We do eat healthy, but lately I've been baking a lot and using regular sugar. We drink lots of sweetened iced tea. We eat carbohydrates more because of the low cost. They are good carbs, but still, I am probably taking in too many calories to lose anything.
If I could lose 50lbs I would be a lot more energetic! Yes that's right, I weigh somewhere between 230-240lbs. I do carry it well and don't feel that bulky, but I am way heavier than I want to be. Generally for my size I'm in good shape- I can do physical labor ok without getting too out of breath. But still, I miss being in great shape. This is my food plan:
Daily I need to eat:
2-3T coconut oil
4-6oz of kefir
my supplements
1 serving of carbohydrates such as soaked oatmeal, potatoes, whole grain bread etc.
Boo-koos of veggies- mostly green- raw and steamed and buttered
1 piece of fruit
some protein
lots of water
So, the idea is that if I get hungry, then I fill up on vegetables, either raw with some kind of dip (protein) or steamed with butter/coconut oil. The fat makes the vegetables' nutrients more absorbable. (is that a word?) I plan to blend the kefir with fruit and drink it in the morning with breakfast, which will either be the cereal or eggs. I am trying to keep the carbs and proteins separate for easier digestion.
Lunch will either be salad and veggies with protein (eggs, cheese, meat) or a baked potato with veggies and soup. What will I do when I start craving sweets?? Drink water, pray, drink hot tea, pray some more, if all else fails, eat a spoon of raw honey. Dinner will be what the family is having with extra veggies. I have been overeating lately too- so I'm going to try to re-teach my body when to stop eating.
My goal is to exercise 2-3 times a week, either walking or doing my workout tapes. I have two Firm tapes but no step to use, so I haven't been using them.
If I weigh myself I might put a weight tracker on the blog, but I have no scale right now...
Anyways, so this means baking day has been shortened to bread and one treat to put in lunch boxes :) I will eat what I make, so I just have to stop making it :)
So how does this relate to not being so busy? I guess I'm going to focus more on my health instead of my home for awhile and be more tuned in with what my children are needing from me. I'm still nervous about trying to get up so early- will I crash out mid-morning?? Will I have to go to bed at 8pm?? My husband won't like that :) I'll just have to experiment :)
This post is getting very long...one more thing. I am trying a new soup recipe that looks very interesting. Here it is:
Mexican Pumpkin Soup
1. saute chopped onion and garlic until soft
2. add dried spices to the oil in pan, and warm the spices until fragrant:
cumin, cilantro, dash of nutmeg, chili powder, salt, pepper, basil
3. add 4 cups? vegetable broth, or leftover bean broth to pan
4. add 1 regular can of pumpkin, or 3-4 cups small chunks of raw pumpkin or butternut squash
5. add 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
6. Simmer all, until potato and pumpkin (if using raw pumpkin) are soft, 15-20 min
7. add chopped green chiles, to taste, leave out if too spicy
- add one can diced tomatoes, or 2 cups salsa, add pinch of sugar
- add leftover pinto beans, frozen corn, and one 13 oz can light coconut milk
8. Simmer, and warm everything, taste for seasoning
I got it from Lentils and Rice- over there on the left hand sidebar. I will be changing the ingredients somewhat- I don't have green chiles or a sweet potato and I'm using canned pumpkin and full fat coconut milk and chicken stock. I've got the beans simmering on the stove right now. I've deemed Monday as soup day since it can cook all day without a lot of attention while I get the week started out good :)
Alrighty, I'm done rambling. Have a nice day everyone!
September 12, 2008
Potato Storage
Here is my tater box. I think almost everyone around here has one. At least, in my family it's in everyone's home. My grandparents made this one- built it and painted it. My grandmother gave it to me last year. Sometimes I take all the potatoes out and let them 'loose', but I'm usually in a hurry so I just plop the whole bag in there. I wish there were more room for the onions since I got two bags of them this week. Oh well.
Getting Ready
Today is my baking day. On my list:
Two loaves bread- from the bread machine
Sourdough pizza dough for 2-3 large pizzas
(we're having guests later)
Banana crumb muffins
Sugar cookies (from a mix given to me)
Gingerbread
However, since Hurricane Ike is supposed to hit tonight on the coast of Texas, I am making another trip to the store and movie rental place. I was supposed to go yesterday but forgot the rest of my money so that didn't work. If it's going to be raining and possibly storming tomorrow, forget it! I want to have what I need before.
So, that means today I have to do whatever laundry that needs to be done so I can hang it out while it's sunshiny. And that also means I may be cutting my baking list short for today. If we are going to be inside tomorrow then I will have more time to bake tomorrow. Hopefully.
I'm not worried about tornadoes and destructive winds/rain on our property and garden. I'm not even worried about power outages. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared in case someone else needs something. Psalm 91 says 'A thousand may fall at our side and 10 thousand at our right hand, but it will not come near you.' The Lord is our refuge and fortress, in Him we trust, and He will guard us and our property.
Anyways, I better get started with it all :)
Two loaves bread- from the bread machine
Sourdough pizza dough for 2-3 large pizzas
(we're having guests later)
Banana crumb muffins
Sugar cookies (from a mix given to me)
Gingerbread
However, since Hurricane Ike is supposed to hit tonight on the coast of Texas, I am making another trip to the store and movie rental place. I was supposed to go yesterday but forgot the rest of my money so that didn't work. If it's going to be raining and possibly storming tomorrow, forget it! I want to have what I need before.
So, that means today I have to do whatever laundry that needs to be done so I can hang it out while it's sunshiny. And that also means I may be cutting my baking list short for today. If we are going to be inside tomorrow then I will have more time to bake tomorrow. Hopefully.
I'm not worried about tornadoes and destructive winds/rain on our property and garden. I'm not even worried about power outages. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared in case someone else needs something. Psalm 91 says 'A thousand may fall at our side and 10 thousand at our right hand, but it will not come near you.' The Lord is our refuge and fortress, in Him we trust, and He will guard us and our property.
Anyways, I better get started with it all :)
Another budget meal
Yesterday I had scheduled to make a new recipe with a grain called millet. However I forgot to soak the grains the day before and couldn't find a good recipe and just plain got busy. So, I made a different plan. We ate roasted chicken on Wednesday, and after we were done I put the carcass in a stock pot with water and started simmering it that evening, turned it off before bed, then turned it back on the next morning and simmered it all day long.
What was left was about a gallon of chicken broth and some leftover meat. I decided to make a chicken pot pie gravy and serve it on top of biscuits.
Chicken Gravy
1/2 to whole onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
3 T butter
3 T flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
herbs for seasoning- I used thyme and herb de provence
frozen green peas
1-2 cups cooked chicken
Melt the butter in a large deep skillet or pot and add the chopped veggies and herbs. When veggies are softened and semi cooked add the flour and cook at least a minute. Slowly add the chicken stock, allowing it to thicken after each addition of liquid. Then add the milk. When it has thickened to your liking, add the chicken and peas. Season with salt and pepper.
Any biscuit recipe will do, but this is what I use.
2 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 T baking powder
1 T sugar
1 stick of butter, or combo of butter and lard
2/3 cup buttermilk (mine is really thick like yogurt since i make it and I add a little milk to moisten it better)
Mix dry ingredients well with fork/spoon/mixer. Cut butter in chunks and cut into flour mixture. When it resembles coarse meal and butter is thoroughly mixed in, add the liquid until you have a slightly sticky dough that pulls together. I just pull off pieces of dough and form it in my hand, then place it in a greased pie plate. I usually get about 8-10 medium/large biscuits. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or lightly browned on top. The homemade buttermilk makes all the difference!
I served this meal with leftover mashed potatoes and a spinach salad that had red onion, carrots and diced apples in it. Then I made a dijon vinegarette(sp?) - 1 t dijon mustard, 1 t honey, 2 T apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper- blend with whisk, then slowly add 3-4T olive oil. Pour on top of salad and toss to coat.
Ever since the spinach contamination back in 2006 I don't buy it very much. I avoided it for so long that I just don't think about buying it anymore! But I really don't have anything to worry about because first of all, we pray over all of our food, and, we eat lots of probiotics that will keep the bad bacterias from hurting us. Apple cider vinegar can kill it too.
***To anonymous, I will take a picture of my 'tater box for you later.
What was left was about a gallon of chicken broth and some leftover meat. I decided to make a chicken pot pie gravy and serve it on top of biscuits.
Chicken Gravy
1/2 to whole onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
3 T butter
3 T flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
herbs for seasoning- I used thyme and herb de provence
frozen green peas
1-2 cups cooked chicken
Melt the butter in a large deep skillet or pot and add the chopped veggies and herbs. When veggies are softened and semi cooked add the flour and cook at least a minute. Slowly add the chicken stock, allowing it to thicken after each addition of liquid. Then add the milk. When it has thickened to your liking, add the chicken and peas. Season with salt and pepper.
Any biscuit recipe will do, but this is what I use.
2 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 T baking powder
1 T sugar
1 stick of butter, or combo of butter and lard
2/3 cup buttermilk (mine is really thick like yogurt since i make it and I add a little milk to moisten it better)
Mix dry ingredients well with fork/spoon/mixer. Cut butter in chunks and cut into flour mixture. When it resembles coarse meal and butter is thoroughly mixed in, add the liquid until you have a slightly sticky dough that pulls together. I just pull off pieces of dough and form it in my hand, then place it in a greased pie plate. I usually get about 8-10 medium/large biscuits. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or lightly browned on top. The homemade buttermilk makes all the difference!
I served this meal with leftover mashed potatoes and a spinach salad that had red onion, carrots and diced apples in it. Then I made a dijon vinegarette(sp?) - 1 t dijon mustard, 1 t honey, 2 T apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper- blend with whisk, then slowly add 3-4T olive oil. Pour on top of salad and toss to coat.
Ever since the spinach contamination back in 2006 I don't buy it very much. I avoided it for so long that I just don't think about buying it anymore! But I really don't have anything to worry about because first of all, we pray over all of our food, and, we eat lots of probiotics that will keep the bad bacterias from hurting us. Apple cider vinegar can kill it too.
***To anonymous, I will take a picture of my 'tater box for you later.
September 11, 2008
Have a look in my pantry
Here is my pantry closet before I went shopping. We exhausted ALL the food stores last week. That's the barest my shelves have ever looked- even the fridge was bare and there were no potatoes in the tater box either.
Here is the after shot- much better :)
The fridge and freezer are stocked, there's a LOAD of potatoes and onions in their boxes (the onions were buy one get one free) plus plenty of flour and baking supplies. Thank you Lord!
**Please do not be alarmed by the bacardi bottle on top- it was given to us and has just been sitting there. We do drink alcohol on occasion, but rarely ever! It just sits there :) As you can see not everything I buy is perfectly healthy, some things were given to me, some were really cheap and some have just sat there for weeks untouched like the box of cheerios. Time to trash them :)
Here is the after shot- much better :)
The fridge and freezer are stocked, there's a LOAD of potatoes and onions in their boxes (the onions were buy one get one free) plus plenty of flour and baking supplies. Thank you Lord!**Please do not be alarmed by the bacardi bottle on top- it was given to us and has just been sitting there. We do drink alcohol on occasion, but rarely ever! It just sits there :) As you can see not everything I buy is perfectly healthy, some things were given to me, some were really cheap and some have just sat there for weeks untouched like the box of cheerios. Time to trash them :)
September 10, 2008
Been to Town...
I was planning to do a picture post of my pantry, but it hasn't gotten totally stocked up yet, so that will have to wait. For those of you who buy groceries at Walmart, I don't know how you do it. I hate it! It's always so busy and the layout just doesn't make sense to my brain, especially the refrigerated bins in the middle with meat and stuff in it- I always forget to look in there.
I much prefer stores that are just grocery stores and smaller. I just can't handle Walmart when buying food :) I actually made several stops today. I went to Goodwill looking for sheets, he,he. I came away with a pretty skirt, denim jumper and basic white knit top. I also bought a set of small juice glasses at $.49 each and a cute white enamel tea kettle for $1.99. But the best of all was finding a sheer white valance curtain with little daisies embroidered all over it- absolutely perfect for my daughter's yellow and white bedroom. It was $1.99. Now I don't have to sew one :)
I also went to the health food store to stock up on our oatmeal, pastry flour, honey etc.- we were totally OUT of everything. I was sad to see that the whole wheat pastry flour has gone up $2. I have got to get a grain mill- I've been wanting one for years. Someday...
So, we went to three stores, stopped for gas and at Sonic for lunch and there was no crying or fighting amongst the 2 and 4 year olds- wow! We're still working on listening and not wandering off, but much better overall.
I sat down and went through all of my fabric scraps to see what I had. I have a good little bit to get started on more quilts, but I'm not sure about it. It would be really nice to have extra income, but the time and work involved might be too much. I would hate to take 6 weeks on something for someone. However they would be smaller and more manageable, hopefully :) Still thinking on that one.
Well, maybe I'll have some pictures later. I feel very uninteresting right now. I have nothing profound or inspiring to say; no deep thoughts about life right now, no wonderful tips on mothering or homemaking or frugality. I am learning along with everyone else and I'm just plugging away at daily life right now. On the way home I was thinking what a paradox I truly am. On the outside, I look like a certain type of person- no makeup, homemade floral dress, hair piled on top of head, little girls with homemade dresses with me, white minivan, at the natural foods store... But, step in my car and be blown away with the heavy rock music. That is how I am. I enjoy being feminine and modest and a godly wife and homemaker, but the real me is still there as well. She peeps out in unexpected ways- suddenly sprinting down the road to race my girls, running around in the dirt barefooted or digging in it, making some exotic Indian dish that my family is scared of, finding the hardest rock Christian music available, figuring out how to make something myself even if we can afford to buy it, just because I want to see if I can do it.
You certainly cannot judge this book (me) by its cover.
I much prefer stores that are just grocery stores and smaller. I just can't handle Walmart when buying food :) I actually made several stops today. I went to Goodwill looking for sheets, he,he. I came away with a pretty skirt, denim jumper and basic white knit top. I also bought a set of small juice glasses at $.49 each and a cute white enamel tea kettle for $1.99. But the best of all was finding a sheer white valance curtain with little daisies embroidered all over it- absolutely perfect for my daughter's yellow and white bedroom. It was $1.99. Now I don't have to sew one :)
I also went to the health food store to stock up on our oatmeal, pastry flour, honey etc.- we were totally OUT of everything. I was sad to see that the whole wheat pastry flour has gone up $2. I have got to get a grain mill- I've been wanting one for years. Someday...
So, we went to three stores, stopped for gas and at Sonic for lunch and there was no crying or fighting amongst the 2 and 4 year olds- wow! We're still working on listening and not wandering off, but much better overall.
I sat down and went through all of my fabric scraps to see what I had. I have a good little bit to get started on more quilts, but I'm not sure about it. It would be really nice to have extra income, but the time and work involved might be too much. I would hate to take 6 weeks on something for someone. However they would be smaller and more manageable, hopefully :) Still thinking on that one.
Well, maybe I'll have some pictures later. I feel very uninteresting right now. I have nothing profound or inspiring to say; no deep thoughts about life right now, no wonderful tips on mothering or homemaking or frugality. I am learning along with everyone else and I'm just plugging away at daily life right now. On the way home I was thinking what a paradox I truly am. On the outside, I look like a certain type of person- no makeup, homemade floral dress, hair piled on top of head, little girls with homemade dresses with me, white minivan, at the natural foods store... But, step in my car and be blown away with the heavy rock music. That is how I am. I enjoy being feminine and modest and a godly wife and homemaker, but the real me is still there as well. She peeps out in unexpected ways- suddenly sprinting down the road to race my girls, running around in the dirt barefooted or digging in it, making some exotic Indian dish that my family is scared of, finding the hardest rock Christian music available, figuring out how to make something myself even if we can afford to buy it, just because I want to see if I can do it.
You certainly cannot judge this book (me) by its cover.
September 9, 2008
This and That
Sorry I haven't been around. Sometimes I get on a good roll and blog everyday and other times I completely forget!
Yesterday wasn't terribly busy, I was just focused on my tasks I guess. I am a lover of fall/autumn. However, Texas stays purty hot and the leaves don't change until well into October, if then. Sometimes it's Christmas time before the leaves get really pretty. Thankfully we have had some nicer weather due to the hurricanes, which is a nice break.
So, I went ahead and dug out my fall decor yesterday. I don't usually do that until October, but I felt the need to do so earlier. I even made a curtain from a scrap of fall fabric I had leftover from two years ago. I will be adding more things here and there over the months, but I like the earthy colors and warm smells from my 'mulled cider' and 'pumpkin spice' candles :)
Today will be another quiet day at home. The weather outside is dark and cloudy and rainy looking. After our cleaning chores and homeschool I am planning to gather all of my fabric scraps and figure out a use for them. I have been thinking about possibly doing an online business. Awhile back I made a new clothspin bag from scraps and it turned out really cute, so I could start making up some of those and some smaller, throw size quilts to sell. Anyways, I'm going to gather all my scraps and group them together and see if I have enough to make anything with. I have a few more quilt squares to stitch around, then it will be time to piece the whole thing together. The reason it's taking so long is money. It's been unusually tight and fabric is low on the priority list when we need food :) I have given myself till the end of September to complete the quilt, throw pillow and curtain for Leiah's room.
Other projects coming:
I need clothes!!! More shopping for sheets at Good Will coming soon.
The girls' need fall/winter church dresses- I can buy some at thrift stores too
I am making matching Christmas dresses for them, and if possible, one for me too
I wanted to embroider some tea towels as presents for Christmas
Can I do it?? Probably, it will just take some planning and using small chunks of time to finish the projects. I had hoped to be able to make a rag quilt for my bed too, but it's a king size, so that one will take awhile, maybe...
Also, I am thinking of buying a pattern for bloomers/pantalettes for the girls and myself. I hate wearing tights under a dress, and it's hard to find quality fabric for winter that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. So the idea is to make loose pants out of flannel or something to wear under a skirt/dress, then I could just wear knee highs or something if going somewhere. If at home I'll wear slippers or nothing of course :) We'll see...for the girls I'm saving capri type pants that they can wear under a dress too.
Well I'm kind of just rambling here, so I better get. The girls are getting antsy and it's time to get them dressed and started on cleaning etc.
Yesterday wasn't terribly busy, I was just focused on my tasks I guess. I am a lover of fall/autumn. However, Texas stays purty hot and the leaves don't change until well into October, if then. Sometimes it's Christmas time before the leaves get really pretty. Thankfully we have had some nicer weather due to the hurricanes, which is a nice break.
So, I went ahead and dug out my fall decor yesterday. I don't usually do that until October, but I felt the need to do so earlier. I even made a curtain from a scrap of fall fabric I had leftover from two years ago. I will be adding more things here and there over the months, but I like the earthy colors and warm smells from my 'mulled cider' and 'pumpkin spice' candles :)
Today will be another quiet day at home. The weather outside is dark and cloudy and rainy looking. After our cleaning chores and homeschool I am planning to gather all of my fabric scraps and figure out a use for them. I have been thinking about possibly doing an online business. Awhile back I made a new clothspin bag from scraps and it turned out really cute, so I could start making up some of those and some smaller, throw size quilts to sell. Anyways, I'm going to gather all my scraps and group them together and see if I have enough to make anything with. I have a few more quilt squares to stitch around, then it will be time to piece the whole thing together. The reason it's taking so long is money. It's been unusually tight and fabric is low on the priority list when we need food :) I have given myself till the end of September to complete the quilt, throw pillow and curtain for Leiah's room.
Other projects coming:
I need clothes!!! More shopping for sheets at Good Will coming soon.
The girls' need fall/winter church dresses- I can buy some at thrift stores too
I am making matching Christmas dresses for them, and if possible, one for me too
I wanted to embroider some tea towels as presents for Christmas
Can I do it?? Probably, it will just take some planning and using small chunks of time to finish the projects. I had hoped to be able to make a rag quilt for my bed too, but it's a king size, so that one will take awhile, maybe...
Also, I am thinking of buying a pattern for bloomers/pantalettes for the girls and myself. I hate wearing tights under a dress, and it's hard to find quality fabric for winter that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. So the idea is to make loose pants out of flannel or something to wear under a skirt/dress, then I could just wear knee highs or something if going somewhere. If at home I'll wear slippers or nothing of course :) We'll see...for the girls I'm saving capri type pants that they can wear under a dress too.
Well I'm kind of just rambling here, so I better get. The girls are getting antsy and it's time to get them dressed and started on cleaning etc.
September 6, 2008
The Dress
Well, I just finished it. It's hard to see the details in the pictures because it is such a 'busy' print. I am planning on making another one with different fabric as soon as possible, and maybe the details will show up better. I'm not sure if I want to embellish the dress with lace or trim yet, still thinking on it.
Oh, and it's a BAD hair day today...ugh.
Oh, and if you click the pics it will get larger.
I think the dress is somewhat slenderizing, which is a big plus for me.
So, what do you think?
Oh, and it's a BAD hair day today...ugh.
Oh, and if you click the pics it will get larger.
I think the dress is somewhat slenderizing, which is a big plus for me.
So, what do you think?
September 5, 2008
Gettin' Creative
I am so proud of myself. Well, really I should give the credit to God because He gave me the idea. See I've been itchin' to make myself a dress, but have not been able to find a pattern in the style I want. I love the vintage 1950s-1960s look, but cannot find anything in plus sizes. Plus, I don't have extra funds at this point to buy fabric or patterns.
So, I got to digging in a box of patterns and found two that I never cut- the bottom of one I loved, but the top was immodest. (why did I buy it??) The other one was slightly frumpy, again, why didI buy it? So, I mixed the two together.
Now, where to get fabric? Well, I bought a really nice Ralph Lauren sheet right after we got married, thinking it was a set. Well it was just a queen flat sheet and I've kept it because it was so pretty. Yall, I made a dress out of a sheet!!
What a way to go, the fabric is such good quality and there was so much of it! This has turned out to be the prettiest and most flattering dress that I've ever made for myself! I had to fudge the patterns a bit to get it the right size, adding extra here and not so much there, and it came out perfect. I cannot believe it- plus is pulls over my head, no zippers or buttons. The problem is, how do I duplicate another dress? Well, I just wrote down what I did and will have to work with it each time. All I have left to do is finish the neckline and hem it- then I'll post a picture.
And, I cut out the pattern, cut out the dress, and sewed most of it in a few hours. Major plusses!!
I think from now on I will be hunting for queen sheets at Goodwill and garage sales :)
So, I got to digging in a box of patterns and found two that I never cut- the bottom of one I loved, but the top was immodest. (why did I buy it??) The other one was slightly frumpy, again, why didI buy it? So, I mixed the two together.
Now, where to get fabric? Well, I bought a really nice Ralph Lauren sheet right after we got married, thinking it was a set. Well it was just a queen flat sheet and I've kept it because it was so pretty. Yall, I made a dress out of a sheet!!
What a way to go, the fabric is such good quality and there was so much of it! This has turned out to be the prettiest and most flattering dress that I've ever made for myself! I had to fudge the patterns a bit to get it the right size, adding extra here and not so much there, and it came out perfect. I cannot believe it- plus is pulls over my head, no zippers or buttons. The problem is, how do I duplicate another dress? Well, I just wrote down what I did and will have to work with it each time. All I have left to do is finish the neckline and hem it- then I'll post a picture.
And, I cut out the pattern, cut out the dress, and sewed most of it in a few hours. Major plusses!!
I think from now on I will be hunting for queen sheets at Goodwill and garage sales :)
September 4, 2008
$40 for groceries?
Today my frugality skills were put to the test. I only had $40 for groceries. I do have a few things in my pantry/freezer, but I still needed several things. I've been thinking and working on it and this is what I came up with.
In my pantry I had: lots of brown rice, dried white beans, dried split peas, several potatoes and onions, flour, sugar, oats and other stuff. In the fridge and freezer I had some vegetables, a gallon of milk, lots of chicken stock and cooked chicken, some butter and cheese...
So our list of meals is this:
Thursday- breakfast is fried eggs and toast; lunch is homemade chicken noodle soup and crackers; dinner is chicken curry over brown rice and cole slaw. I might do something with some leftover mashed sweet potatoes too.
Friday- baked oatmeal for breakfast with fruit, lunch is tuna fish sandwiches with carrot sticks, dinner is split pea 'stoup' over mashed potatoes, cole slaw, corn bread and brownies/cookies that I will be making.
Saturday- pancakes and sausage (turkey); leftovers for lunch; ground turkey and refried bean burritos with salsa, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, corn chips and maybe spanish rice.
Sunday- oatmeal and raisin bread; out for lunch at my mom's; dinner is either leftovers or breakfast food.
Monday- French toast and fruit; cheesy rice and veggies; minestrone soup with white beans, salad, garlic bread
Tuesday- scrambled eggs and toast; egg salad sandwiches; chili mac and corn
My husband gets paid on Wednesdays, so I'll start over for the next week there. I will still have enough food for Wednesday if for some reason I can't go shopping that day, like yesterday. (baby was sick and it was raining)
My goal was $4o or less and I actually spent $49. I splurged on chocolate chips for cookies and two seasonal votive candles at 33 cents each. I could have gone real cheap and not bought fresh foods, powdered milk instead of fresh or margarine instead of butter, but that's a false savings- save my health or save money? I will be using cloth diapers and making dishwasher detergent for a few days as well, but not big deal. I'm thankful that I have those things to fall back on.
So, since I went slightly over my goal I just got a little less gas, and it evens out :) Gotta stay home now...actually, we've been home the whole week until this morning. It's been raining and cloudy and thank the Lord it's not hot at all- but slightly cool!! Yippee- a break from the oppressive heat!!!!!
For tomorrow's baking day I will make two loaves of whole wheat bread (bread machine), 1 loaf of raisin bread, cookies or brownies, possibly some banana bread. I was going to try a granola recipe where you soak the grains first, but I'm out of honey so it'll have to wait till next week.
Anyways, I am still tired from the cold I had and lack of sleep, but I'm doing ok. I finished ironing on all the quilt pieces and just need to stitch around them. Then time to get the rest of the fabric and batting and put it all together. Next will be sewing for me. I need some clothes bad!
More on that later, the girls are suddenly naked!
In my pantry I had: lots of brown rice, dried white beans, dried split peas, several potatoes and onions, flour, sugar, oats and other stuff. In the fridge and freezer I had some vegetables, a gallon of milk, lots of chicken stock and cooked chicken, some butter and cheese...
So our list of meals is this:
Thursday- breakfast is fried eggs and toast; lunch is homemade chicken noodle soup and crackers; dinner is chicken curry over brown rice and cole slaw. I might do something with some leftover mashed sweet potatoes too.
Friday- baked oatmeal for breakfast with fruit, lunch is tuna fish sandwiches with carrot sticks, dinner is split pea 'stoup' over mashed potatoes, cole slaw, corn bread and brownies/cookies that I will be making.
Saturday- pancakes and sausage (turkey); leftovers for lunch; ground turkey and refried bean burritos with salsa, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, corn chips and maybe spanish rice.
Sunday- oatmeal and raisin bread; out for lunch at my mom's; dinner is either leftovers or breakfast food.
Monday- French toast and fruit; cheesy rice and veggies; minestrone soup with white beans, salad, garlic bread
Tuesday- scrambled eggs and toast; egg salad sandwiches; chili mac and corn
My husband gets paid on Wednesdays, so I'll start over for the next week there. I will still have enough food for Wednesday if for some reason I can't go shopping that day, like yesterday. (baby was sick and it was raining)
My goal was $4o or less and I actually spent $49. I splurged on chocolate chips for cookies and two seasonal votive candles at 33 cents each. I could have gone real cheap and not bought fresh foods, powdered milk instead of fresh or margarine instead of butter, but that's a false savings- save my health or save money? I will be using cloth diapers and making dishwasher detergent for a few days as well, but not big deal. I'm thankful that I have those things to fall back on.
So, since I went slightly over my goal I just got a little less gas, and it evens out :) Gotta stay home now...actually, we've been home the whole week until this morning. It's been raining and cloudy and thank the Lord it's not hot at all- but slightly cool!! Yippee- a break from the oppressive heat!!!!!
For tomorrow's baking day I will make two loaves of whole wheat bread (bread machine), 1 loaf of raisin bread, cookies or brownies, possibly some banana bread. I was going to try a granola recipe where you soak the grains first, but I'm out of honey so it'll have to wait till next week.
Anyways, I am still tired from the cold I had and lack of sleep, but I'm doing ok. I finished ironing on all the quilt pieces and just need to stitch around them. Then time to get the rest of the fabric and batting and put it all together. Next will be sewing for me. I need some clothes bad!
More on that later, the girls are suddenly naked!
September 2, 2008
Changing routines, again
I've been wanting to post about my new daily routine/schedule. I actually haven't made one officially, but rather rearranged things on the papers in my home management binder. So, this is how my week goes:
Monday:
*I have been usingij this day as laundry day. However, since it's supposed to rain all week, I'm just doing 1-2 loads each day. Also, I've been doing wash on Fridays too, to keep from having soo much on Monday, which helps a lot. So, mainly Monday and Friday I do laundry unless something happens.
* I change all the trash cans out in the house and change/wash bedding. I alternate mine and the girls' each week, so I don't wash ALL the bedding every Monday, either the kids' or mine.
* I wipe down my stove, appliances, fridge etc. with all purpose cleaner.
* If the house is pretty dirty then I'll quickly vacuum the living room or spot mop too.
* We eat soup for dinner- either in the crockpot or slow cooked on the stove.
Tuesday:
* dust, wipe down surfaces, windex screens and mirrors
* Finish up any laundry I didn't get to the day before and/or iron
* work on home management binder; make menu and grocery list
* we eat a meal from the pantry (like tuna casserole or beans etc. )
* Buy groceries in the evening
* start some meat based stock in the crockpot before bed
Wednesday:
* Run errands
* work on projects such as organizing, deep cleaning, sewing etc.
* New recipe day, specifically we are trying out new grains and using the stock to cook them in
* Make yogurt cheese
Thursday:
* clean bathrooms- sinks, toilets, tub/shower
* mop hard floors
* strain and start new kombucha
* feed sourdough starter
Friday:
Baking Day- generally I will be making 2-3 loaves of either sourdough or yeast bread, some kind of cookies or brownies for the freezer for lunches and desserts, muffins or granola etc. Usually about 3-4 things.
* Vacuum the house
* bleach kitchen sink
* Get rid of old leftovers, wipe out fridge
* wash anything that is piling up- usually the girls' clothes or kitchen towels
The Daily Plan
5:30 Quiet Time
6:30 I'm up and dressed and making lunches for school/work, then I start breakfast
6:45 Get Leiah dressed for school and pack her bag
7am Breakfast, then kitchen clean up
7:30 am Leiah's bus arrives and she's off to school
The other ones usually watch TV while I finish cleaning up etc.
8:00 Get girls dressed and clean up bedrooms/make beds
8:30 start cleaning chores
9 ish Start school- Bible story, alphabet, shapes and colors etc.
10:00 break-snack etc. then work on any other chores not done yet while girls play
11:30 make lunch and eat
12:00 table chores
read some books or outside play
1:00pm naps
I work on a project or blog or get dinner started if needed
3pm Girls are up and Leiah gets home
snacks/drinks free play- I usually bring in clothes off the line at this point and put them away
4:30 Work on dinner, unload dishwasher if needed etc.
6pm Eat dinner then clean up
Family Time
7:00 get girls ready for bed
7:30 bedtime for the littles- they get up early!
I pick up the house and make sure kitchen is tidy
Free time/time with my husband
9:00 do my evening/bedtime routine- prep breakfast, thaw meat, bathtime etc.
10:00 bedtime for me
There are lots of gaps there, but that's the basic plan. I'm ahead of schedule now- it seems the work is well balanced in this way and all bases covered. Yea!! Good thing because I'm about to be doing lots of sewing!
Monday:
*I have been usingij this day as laundry day. However, since it's supposed to rain all week, I'm just doing 1-2 loads each day. Also, I've been doing wash on Fridays too, to keep from having soo much on Monday, which helps a lot. So, mainly Monday and Friday I do laundry unless something happens.
* I change all the trash cans out in the house and change/wash bedding. I alternate mine and the girls' each week, so I don't wash ALL the bedding every Monday, either the kids' or mine.
* I wipe down my stove, appliances, fridge etc. with all purpose cleaner.
* If the house is pretty dirty then I'll quickly vacuum the living room or spot mop too.
* We eat soup for dinner- either in the crockpot or slow cooked on the stove.
Tuesday:
* dust, wipe down surfaces, windex screens and mirrors
* Finish up any laundry I didn't get to the day before and/or iron
* work on home management binder; make menu and grocery list
* we eat a meal from the pantry (like tuna casserole or beans etc. )
* Buy groceries in the evening
* start some meat based stock in the crockpot before bed
Wednesday:
* Run errands
* work on projects such as organizing, deep cleaning, sewing etc.
* New recipe day, specifically we are trying out new grains and using the stock to cook them in
* Make yogurt cheese
Thursday:
* clean bathrooms- sinks, toilets, tub/shower
* mop hard floors
* strain and start new kombucha
* feed sourdough starter
Friday:
Baking Day- generally I will be making 2-3 loaves of either sourdough or yeast bread, some kind of cookies or brownies for the freezer for lunches and desserts, muffins or granola etc. Usually about 3-4 things.
* Vacuum the house
* bleach kitchen sink
* Get rid of old leftovers, wipe out fridge
* wash anything that is piling up- usually the girls' clothes or kitchen towels
The Daily Plan
5:30 Quiet Time
6:30 I'm up and dressed and making lunches for school/work, then I start breakfast
6:45 Get Leiah dressed for school and pack her bag
7am Breakfast, then kitchen clean up
7:30 am Leiah's bus arrives and she's off to school
The other ones usually watch TV while I finish cleaning up etc.
8:00 Get girls dressed and clean up bedrooms/make beds
8:30 start cleaning chores
9 ish Start school- Bible story, alphabet, shapes and colors etc.
10:00 break-snack etc. then work on any other chores not done yet while girls play
11:30 make lunch and eat
12:00 table chores
read some books or outside play
1:00pm naps
I work on a project or blog or get dinner started if needed
3pm Girls are up and Leiah gets home
snacks/drinks free play- I usually bring in clothes off the line at this point and put them away
4:30 Work on dinner, unload dishwasher if needed etc.
6pm Eat dinner then clean up
Family Time
7:00 get girls ready for bed
7:30 bedtime for the littles- they get up early!
I pick up the house and make sure kitchen is tidy
Free time/time with my husband
9:00 do my evening/bedtime routine- prep breakfast, thaw meat, bathtime etc.
10:00 bedtime for me
There are lots of gaps there, but that's the basic plan. I'm ahead of schedule now- it seems the work is well balanced in this way and all bases covered. Yea!! Good thing because I'm about to be doing lots of sewing!
September 1, 2008
Unexpected
Wow, this weekend did NOT go as planned. Dh and I got sick- that hasn't happened in a long time. However, it's just allergies/sinus, but it just hit us so suddenly, I know it was an attack of the enemy. I did every natural cure I could think of and it didn't even touch my stuffed nose. Probably didn't help that we had gone to bed very late Friday night/Saturday morning and I have been eating a good dose of junk food this last week :(
However, we held fast to the Word of God, because according to it we are healed, we're just dealing with symptoms. We praised Him for our healing and went about our business as best we could, and even though I only got about 2 hrs of sleep Saturday night too, I felt totally fine. What a miracle. I am still dealing with stuffy nose and plugged ears, but it's not near as bad and I feel better overall. Thank you Jesus!
My baking day didn't go as planned. My children were not being very obedient, and while I did get my baking done, they were either sitting in a chair beside me or in the playpen/bedroom. I never got to my cleaning chores. Oh well...try again next week.
For those of you have read my posts under the label 'Feminine Dress' you may remember that my decision was to wear what we wanted as long as it was modest. I was no longer dresses only. But it's funny, now I have a desire to go back to just dresses. Not because I feel I have to to obey the Lord, but because I want me and the girls to look feminine and innocent or pure. It may not be the most popular or easiest road to take, but I feel more comfortable in my role as homemaker wearing a dress. So, I'm on the lookout for a simple flattering dress pattern for myself. I have loads of patterns for the girls. I want to make them bloomers as well to cover their little hineys when they're playing. It's also much much easier to hang dresses on the clothesline than 100 little pieces of things- uggh!
Alright, I'm off to search for some healthy frugal meal ideas...I'm drawing a blank :(
However, we held fast to the Word of God, because according to it we are healed, we're just dealing with symptoms. We praised Him for our healing and went about our business as best we could, and even though I only got about 2 hrs of sleep Saturday night too, I felt totally fine. What a miracle. I am still dealing with stuffy nose and plugged ears, but it's not near as bad and I feel better overall. Thank you Jesus!
My baking day didn't go as planned. My children were not being very obedient, and while I did get my baking done, they were either sitting in a chair beside me or in the playpen/bedroom. I never got to my cleaning chores. Oh well...try again next week.
For those of you have read my posts under the label 'Feminine Dress' you may remember that my decision was to wear what we wanted as long as it was modest. I was no longer dresses only. But it's funny, now I have a desire to go back to just dresses. Not because I feel I have to to obey the Lord, but because I want me and the girls to look feminine and innocent or pure. It may not be the most popular or easiest road to take, but I feel more comfortable in my role as homemaker wearing a dress. So, I'm on the lookout for a simple flattering dress pattern for myself. I have loads of patterns for the girls. I want to make them bloomers as well to cover their little hineys when they're playing. It's also much much easier to hang dresses on the clothesline than 100 little pieces of things- uggh!
Alright, I'm off to search for some healthy frugal meal ideas...I'm drawing a blank :(