We updated Joyous Notions on how to make a placket : )  Blessings, Theresa

It's so hard to keep up with our blogs!  We had made a wordpress blog Notes From Home, didn't like wordpress much at all.  I am keeping this blog, but I don't update much here!  We finally decided blogger was easy to use and update.  Visit us at www.Joyousnotions.com.  You'll find us updating more there! The spring cover:

Anyone twitter?  Visit me there also!  www.twitter.com/treann

Blessings!

Dad with 7 of our 9... 

I just love making jam in the summer.  We wish we had our own fruit farm!  We made our first trip to an organic farm here for bing cherries and red currants.  The red currants we picked, and how easy that was!  The bushes don't have thorns or even many flowers, so stabs and bees weren't part of this adventure.  All of our children love going to this farm and picking.  Even though I grow pumpkins in my backyard, it isn't harvest time without a trip to this farm for a hayride. 

So, I bought 34# of cherries (I think we will eat a pound before the pitter ever touches them!)  and only 6 quarts of currants.  It was blazing hot there and being 8 weeks with baby the heat was really making me sick.  We will start our jam making tomorrow.  This is our first time making cherry and currant preserves and I have tons of plans for them.  I'm going to do a little online search for recipes...here are some pictures from the farm today.

Zoe and her berries.. 

Our pretty cherries (yum!) and our currants..

 I'd put more pictures but it says I'm out of space so I'll have to put more on photobucket....!  I'll post our jam sessions this week with the recipes we use... I love to use jams in our pressure cooking classes when doing different types of meat... it only takes a little and makes a yummy sauce. 

Blessings, Theresa

I was going to post about how well cranberry extract works with a woman's cycle.  I read that it will regulate it.  It really helped mine get on track the last time or two.  I woke up on the expected day this time thinking, wow, not a sign... hum.  We are expecting #10 Jan. 08.:)!!

If certain members of my family read my blogs, the ones who are worrying right now, you should be rejoicing.  The Lord rewards us with children.  He calls them mighty arrows, they are for our defense!  He builds generations for his purpose through us, when we allow Him too.  You are blessed.  I wish you could rejoice with us. 

Blessings, Theresa

I'm not normally looking at the news on yahoo.  This caught my eye and I had to go back and look at it. The title was too funny, but the article even more ridiculous.  How sorry I feel for anyone who follows the advice!!  It reminded me of some really bad advice I got when I worked long ago.  I was told to ask on an interview 'why' there was an opening; discontent employee or did they actually need help?  I was cut the nasiest look the interviewer could muster and boy did that interview end quick.  That is probably a legitimate question, but only good to ask if the latter of the two I mentioned is the answer!

I'll just put some of the highlights of the article. 

Toot Your Own Horn on the Job
"It's not enough to just do a good job at work. You have to let people know that you're doing a good job at work....
Frequent updates are a good way to make sure your boss realizes how much you contribute.
Michael Dobson, co-author of "Managing Up: 59 Ways to Build a Career-Advancing Relationship with Your Boss," recommends sending your boss a half-page weekly summary of your accomplishments.
People also hesitate to toot their own horns for fear of looking conceited. But "you're not only entitled to some self-promotion, you're obligated to do it because your boss needs the information," he said.
If you don't find yourself at meetings with upper management, there may be other ways to get on their radar screen. Miller suggests volunteering to work on a United Way campaign or other corporate project.

Isn't it nice that we don't have to 'toot our horns' to the Lord?  Isn't it nice when we do work, that it never goes unnoticed and we need say nothing to get the 'Boss' to know us?  We certainly don't need to give him a 1/2 page weekly report on the reason He 'needs' us!    Humble is no longer associated with work in this world.  The world is tooting!!!  What is God thinking...

Blessings, Theresa

Madison said, "Why did you buy picks for your teeth?  To get the cabbages out?"  (She meant cavities)
Jordan said, "I want to be a race car driver."  I paused and looked at him.  "With a real car." he said.
Dad said, "I just found this roll of toilet paper soaked at the bottom of the stairs.  Someone tried to flush it and when it wouldn't go they threw it!"  We all hold back our laugh as this is Dad's life story.  A man and his plunger.   Mike:  "I wouldn't of touched that.."
"After cutting Zachariah's hair I said, "Oh you know what I'm going to say to you!"  "Yes, I'm so sweet!"
Dad:  "That does it, I'm getting two plungers."
Jadon:  "See that mommy?"  He showed me a game under a pillow.  "I'm hiding it from the boys."
Zoe said, "I want to be a waitress and cook food."  Jessica responded that a waitress serves food.  "What's the difference?"  said Zoe.
Dad to John Jr.:  "I'm assuming the wet carpet is from toilet paper?" 
"What is money made out of?  The coins?"  said Madi.  "Nothing, I replied."
Time for a good dose of "What Ever Happened to Penny Candy"...

Today my sweet daughter made me pancakes, bacon and a cappucinno for breakfast.  She then blessed me again later with her own starbucks version of a carmel iced latte later on..way better I must say... and not $4.00!    Then she made a german chocolate cake for dessert.  (She made this from whole soft wheat flour and you would never be able to tell; visit her blog and ask her for her recipe if you want to try it).. TeaFlower (Homesteadblogger)
I am finishing sewing tonight, tea with hubsand and off to bed.  Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day.

Blessings, Theresa

I have a lovely little booklet called, "A Woman's Mission" by John Angell James.  It would seem odd for a man to write about the subject, in fact I wanted to laugh when I first saw the title.  I have found since that time a few different men delivering astounding relvelation on a woman's place.  Men in their place, know a woman's place!  It's heartlifting.  Here are small portions that encouraged me so this am.

"It has been often shown that by being taken from himself, she was equal to man in nature; while the very part of the body from which she was abstracted indicated the position she was intended to occupy.  She was not taken from the head, to show she was not to rule over him; nor from his foot, to teach that she was not to be his slave; nor from his hand, to show that she was not to be his tool;  but from his side, to show that she was to be his companion."

Now this is something to think about.  Here is a another favorite part in the book.  Think about this deeply.  Even if a woman is in her home, her idleness can make her unlovely.

"One of the most hallowed, lovely and beautiful sights in our world is a woman at home discharging, in all the meekness of wisdom, the various duties of wife, mother, and mistress, with an order that nothing is allowed to disturb, a patience which nothing can exhaust, an affection which is never ruffled, and a perseverance that no difficulties can interrupt, nor any disappointments arrest-"

Another:
"Christianity has provided a place for a woman for which she is fitted and in which she shines; but take her out of that place, and her luster pales and sheds a feeble and sickly ray.  Or, to change the metaphor, woman is a plant, which in the seclusion of its own greenhouse will put forth all its brilliant colors and all it's sweet perfume; but if you remove it from the protection of its own floral home into the common garden and open field, where hardier flowers will grow and thrive, its beauty fades and its odor is diminished."

Well, this am let me encourage you to take charge of your lovely place.  Have a wonderful day seeking out all the Lord has put before your hands to accomplish.
Many blessings, Theresa

We were out walking early yesterday morning.  Just in time to witness the high school students walking to their bus stops.  Has anyone ever noticed the 'walk' of these children?  It's quite amusing.  One boy walked quickly, back pack in place, eyes straight ahead.  He was the only one I witnessed that looked anxious to get where he needed to be.  Oh, here comes a lovely girl.  No books, no coat.  Walking just as slow as she can.  Looking good though, her hair and makeup were all in place.  Up ahead of us, a child weaved back and forth looking as if he might turn around and go back the other way.  2 boys passed us, chuckling and drinking their mountain dews.  As they approached us silence commenced.  I thought even with my wake up look I'd be brave and make them speak to me.  So I gave a loud and cheery 'good morning boys'.  They both said good morning.  The point here is that most of these children were moping and dragging their feet.  Well, I guess my children can drag their feet to the table when it's time for school.  Another odd thing, the school buses here now have black combined on them.  They are horrid looking.  We all just stare as they roll by.  I remember when I was little the bus was a symbol of a joyful ride.  Issh.  That isn't a word, but how I feel!

Today we are packing up stuff still.  Fridays are cleaning days, but my sweet husband cleaned most of my house yesterday, getting the rooms in tip top shape for showing.  Business always happens daily. 
My husband was feeling convicted about any business stuff on Sunday.  He said that God meant what He said back then about work and rest and he means it today.  So, he said only family, hobbies and feasting on Sunday.  Ok, I was very good with this.  When he makes decisions as this, the Lord is truly working.  Well, I was sitting at my serger and thought I would show my daughter how to serge an embellishment to this tablecloth I'm using for a model (yes business).  So as I was serging, I serged the tablecloth into the embellishment.  OH no!  Oh Lord you know this fabric was expensive..!  and immediately... Yes.  You also know your husband (and I) said no work. 
I could laugh a little as it came across my conscience.  I put it down, lesson learned.  I relaxed and got things done for Monday that I normally don't get done, because we still were working on business things.  Not anymore.  My school lesson was prepared, my gardening was done outside.  We just spent time the way the Lord wanted us to.   He just means what He says!  What a comfort.

Blessings today,
Theresa

If anyone has ever been interested in the Nutrimill, I wanted to post to get the word around that they have a new one speed Nutrimill out.  This looks exactly like the variable speed, but only one setting for fine bread flour:)  Most only use their mills for this anyway. 
It is so reasonably priced right now at $199.99, until Mother's Day, when I think they might raise it to $220.00 or so.  The regular Nutrimill is 260.00.

www.ripe4harvest.com  :)

Also, my bread group was turned off for now, I found life getting a bit busy and I needed a little relief.  I am very glad to help anyone by email who asks me however!  If you have questions about bread making please feel free to drop me a line!  My video is done and I think will be a huge help since I answered a lot of questions on sponging, when to stop adding flour, techniques, etc.  I'll post when it's in hand.  If anyone needs dvd/website production visit our editor Eric Novak at www.ericnovak.com :)

Our family could use prayer.  We have had our home for sale for months now and weren't sure where we would go when we sold.  My son has a job here and it made us feel we shouldn't drag him from that.  This morning I became very motivated to get our house in order.  We did the numbers using a realestate agent and then continuing by owner.  We haven't advertised much so we will start because as usual, by owner is motivating when you add it up!  This is our 4th home by owner, I think I was just too busy and almost lapsed to calling in an agent out of laziness!  Then, my son phoned after all this motivation and the company side he works for can't pay them.  So, bascially he was laid off.  Pray for him if you think of it, (Mike), he was very discouraged at this happening and certainly needs to know that the Lord will meet all his needs.  My heart breaks when I see the Lord taking a road that we know is for good but our little ones, yes even our 17 yr.olds can't see it.  This all happened within 2 hours of my husband I praying and being motivated to work harder (together). 

Well that is all this morning.  Blessings friends, Theresa

Blessings to everyone this Easter morning.  Think of Cross should you happen to get flustered in activity today.  Let the Resurrection rule our hearts.

We have a quiet snowy day happening here this morning.  We hid candy for the children throughout the house.  They love the excitement of a good candy hunt.  We will make a feast of food to celebrate, read, listen to music and spend time with each other.

Right now the children are getting ready and cleaning their rooms (I think cleaning).  We made an easy casserole since we will have lots of food later.  We do not normally use throw aways for pans, only when we want it super easy.  How easy is this for breakfast:

15 eggs (remember I have 9 children)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cheddar chesse
16 sausage links (pre-cooked) cut into 1/2" inch chunks
2 cups of frozen hash browns
season with your favorite
Whisk all together and put in a large tin.  Bake at 400 until firm.  Serve with homemade whole wheat toast.  (Hopefully homemade..?)

If you keep a journal, my grandmother would be writing down things the children said as they went about the festivites.  These were funny to read as we got older.  She even tape recorded us when we were little.  You know children may laugh and think your a nut, but years later those things will be a special present they will very much enjoy.  Try it today, even if you have a crowd.  My grandmother didn't care who was around or how many people there were in the room.  She just made the most of time. 

Enjoy this special day in the Lord, make lovely memories no matter what your plans are. 
Blessings, Theresa 

This is tricky springtime here.  We can have very warm days, and then all of a sudden rain/snow.  More frosty looking out there today.  The grass is white instead of green. 
My girls planted some flowers in starters for our pots outside and I put them out in the sun the other day and forgot them.  The next morning they had been frozen to death.   "Oh Mother", said Zoe.

We have a little bird outside our door that built a nice little home for it's eggs..

Zachariah came in very upset, he confessed he picked one up.  He was afraid that the mother wouldn't come back so he sat at the window and waited.  Yes, she did come back to her eggs.  What a happy boy.  They can't wait until they hatch.  I stood on a chair and just pointed the camera down to get this. 

Spring may be tricky, but not for the birdies.

The Friday before Easter is such a special day here, we have a building excitment to the Risen Lord.

Much blessing today,
Theresa

I had put this on my homeschool blog because this blog wasn't working.  I was so happy to see an entry go through so I'll post here too.

I received the huge shipment of my first book yesterday!  What a lovely moment.  I was hoping I wouldn't be disappointed with the brown print on cream paper.  I had dreams that the print was smudged etc..  It just looked perfect to me! 

Baby's First Foods is filled with information about whole grains, milling, pressure cooking, bread making and family meals.  This book starts with baby food.  You learn how to make grain cereals, or cook grains whole.  Fruits and Vegetables are covered through pressure cooking.  A whole section is dedicated to making whole grain bread.  Family Recipes has several recipes to start you off.  A video will be available this month when it returns from editing.  See it on the link in the side bar.  I start shipping today. 

We still have our house for sale.  We haven't really pushed it with advertising because our bath had to be torn out.  This was the second time the builder had to fix our shower, this time they pulled the whole wall out.  It was leaking behind the wall where they didn't seal well.  We took on the project of putting down matching tile in our bathroom, the builder had messed up on that shower also and was nice enough to give us tile for the floor.  There wasn't enough so we mixed it with slate and it looks really nice.    Husband is off and we are working at getting things organized.  I have to get our business and school stuff sorted out. 

Ok, still early here so I'm off to get things done. 

Blessings, Theresa

We almost got to 70 degrees yesterday here!  I can see the grass too:)  My husband is going to be taking a vacation break, but our vacations are usually spent semi local.  He gets another week this year so maybe on that break we will go to the Grand Canyon.  We would like to go back east to see family but it's just too expensive for all of us.  For hotels we need 2 or 3 rooms for our family.  Flying isn't in the budget with all of our book printings this year either.

We need to get the house and yard back to showing condition after the snow, so I think we will take a few family day trips and work on that stuff.  I'm hoping the house sells on his time off without having to pay an agent.  No offense to you agents out there. 

I saw our neighbor shoveling snow out of his yard into the street Sunday.  Rather funny, that peek of grass was too much to bear I guess!  

Still quiet in my house, they are pooped from all the outside play.  Off to the morning.

Blessings Theresa

We hardly ever buy expense presents.  When I do get presents from my husband, they are usually ones that will help me make my home because he knows I'll use the life out them.  His present.. a new Bernina serger!  Yahoo!  I took a 6 hour class and have the threading down at least:)  It's going to be so much easier to put dresses together and other lovely things.

I was thinking it would be easier to blog if I could take a picture of what goes on here and paste it in with understanding.  I thought I had to share at least breakfast.

My children decided to make breakfast.  Zachariah gets the eggs insisting he won't get shells in.  John Jr. starts to make cappucinno for me; Zach is breaking the eggs, the steam is rolling from where John is, Zoe hops through the kitchen on one foot.  Madison is feeding the baby her cereal, Jordan is crying because he wants cappucinno with mommy.  Jade hops behind Zoe trying one foot but not quite making it.  Breakfast is done, with one little bite, I get a crunch.  A warning is sent out to be careful for shells... I'm handed quite a tasty cup of cappucinno with whipped cream.  Zoe hops through again, Jade follows.  They clean up quick because how could they be expected to have school when it's 58 degrees outside with sun...

Blessings, Theresa   

What a lovely morning in Colorado.  Although I saw something about a blizzard warning in the forecast tonight, from the south, which means it could dump a foot.  I just started to see the edge of my lovely garden.  When you live somewhere that has warm weather for 4-5 months, you just have to have outdoor snow plans, lest ye go nuts.

Not that we all need another group to join but recently I started a Bosch bread making group.  It really mainly is bread making with mixers and using freshly milled flour but anyone interested in bread making can sign up.  We do know hand kneading of course, it's just not as easy as the mixer technique.  Well, we started to discuss homeschooling last night and I decided to also expand the group out to this topic also.  I've been homeschooling 14 years now and still love it.

I would also love to talk sewing on there, since I just got a new Bernina serger to go along with my Bernina sewing machines.  The serger is a bit of a learning curve for me, it's all LCD like my sewing machine, but all the thread, oh my.  We are all Bernina girls over here, even my sweet 8 yr old.  I took her to a kid's class at their store here and she was hooked.  She couldn't find the back up button on her White machine and became a little distraught saying she needed the Bernina or her clothes would just unravel.  Too much fun. 

If you think you may be interested in joining the button is on the right sidebar.  We have a few lovely ladies right now.  Some homeschool, some do not.  Some have bosch mixers, some do not.  My daughter and I intended it to be a help source for bread making to go along with our site ripe4harvest.com.  We only ask that you post your introduction immediately once approved.  When you send the request to join please give your name and why you would like to join and where you saw the invite.  :)  We are doing are best to keep the group safe. 

Joyous home is our other business and we are expanding this also.  You'll see some changes over the next month with homeschooling products, our books:) and more.  Jessica's new product "Herbaids by Jessica" is getting a bit bigger now.  She is really doing a wonderful looking professional job on the products.  She started to ship some down to Florida when a friend of my sister caught hold of one of them.  Now they are displayed in the school's sick room where my sister is a nurse.  They come several different sizes and have several different herb combinations and are heatable!  Here are some pictures:

A group shot of the sizes she has so far.

The round pillows are wonderful.. the nursing/cycle pillows.  They fit nicely right where they need to.  Filled with herbs for muscle tension, cramping...:)  Then of course an eye mask filled with lavender and mint; the 'tangle' pillows filled with either a cold and flu mix of eucaplytus, mint and lavender or our 11 herb mix for complete relaxation and pain relief. 

Be sure to see my new book, due to be released next month.  "Baby's First Foods, A Mother's Guide to Whole Grains and Family Nourishment".    I also have a new bread making video due out soon.  We cover basic and advanced techniques in this one, Bosch, and home grain mills and more.  Watch for that coming out soon. 

Blessings, Theresa 

I wasn't sure what to call this ramble.  After stopping to pay attention to the annoying noises our children were making, I found it quite amusing. 

Our kids are just loud sometimes.  It won't always be loud, so generally I try to give them some freedom.  I stopped to watch what the noise was about.  Our husky 4 year old was chasing the other 5 children and doing some kind of magic wand move on them, where upon the wave of the wand they would hit the ground (the annoying part).  So they were trying to hide from husky boy.  I walked into my bathroom and started to brush my teeth and caught glance of my 11 year old flat on his back in the tub hiding.  Well, here comes husky and walks right up to the tub waving his wand at me (momma doesn't fall down on purpose) and he never saw the hidee.  So, John jumps out of the tub and runs right by him with husky in hot pursuit, he gets the wave of the wand and down John goes,  kaboom!!!!!  I'm glad my 17 year old wasn't playing.  

Oh, I don't know just a ramble here.  I found this whole thing quite amusing to watch which was much more pleasant than getting upset.  There is nothing more funny to me than watching our 4 yr. old terrorize the older children.  He feels so special when he can get them all screaming.

We are starting to advertise the house more now that some of the snow is disappearing near the sign, well at least a path was cleared.  Our garland from Christmas was still on the bottom of our post, frozen into the block of snow behind.  Tacky but funny.  

Then a nice discovery last night.  When we bought the house we had problems with both showers.  Our shower wasn't sealed correctly and leaked for a very long time under our carpet.  My husband found a mushroom (weird) growing next to our bath and we discovered the leak.  So the builder had to pull out most of our glass shower.  Fixed that.  Then our other bath upstairs had been leaking behind the wall.  We noticed mold on the ceiling (this was a new house) and my husband pushed on the tile wall and it turned to mush.  So last night we discovered the wall in the tile bath is moving again.  A little push and close glance at the mold on the ceiling told us it was leaking again. 

The builder is out again on Monday.  We sell by owner.  Can you imagine if we didn't discover this again?  I don't think the new owners would have been happy.

Well, I'm off to blog hop a little, haven't had a second to do that!  BTW.. Our first book is at the printers! This is why I've been so busy.  Baby's First Foods,  A Mother's Guide to Family Nourishment should be available next month sometime.  I'll post more about it soon!!  Or take a look at it on my website, I put it right on the front page!

Blessings, Theresa

I'm really not complaining, I love snow.  I had a dream that I was walking around in lush green grass in our front yard though... I'm am dying to see my garden and start planting!  So as I look out the window and snow is a fallin, I'm wondering just when I'll see our lush green grass!  It's not likely any time soon.  My boys built an igloo with tunnels and it still stands about 5 feet high. 

This has been the first winter that we have been loaded with snow almost weekly.  3" quickly turns to 12" in the forecasting lately.

So, busy inside.  My husband and I have tried to keep up with our outside walking.  We like to run but not on ice. 

I'm trying to check blogs here often. 

We almost have our first book "Baby's First Foods" to the printer, a bit of grammar fixing to do.  Feb. 5th is the 'to the plant' date.  We are excited to see this one in print! 

I've mostly been busy with that and now working with my husband on a writing project.  Getting lots of bonding time together, praise the Lord.

Blessings to all my friends, I'll be blog surfing to see what everyone is up to!

Theresa

Well, colds have struck our family.  We were doing pretty well keeping the house at a mere chill, we have avoided the flu this way I think!  Our gas bill came in and it was 2x lower than last years at this time!  I couldn't believe it. Only a few of us have colds, but when I'm included the house goes into turmoil.  I'm sure moms can relate there. 

It's been freezing outside.  Artic air has set in and we have ice on the insides of our windows where the locks are.  So with our plan of keeping the house kind of cold and the air outside at negative something, it made perfect steam in a hot bath.  The baby is so stuffy and I found if poured the hot water way up high and back down into the tub, it created a huge steam bath.  I guess that's one way to get a sauna going.  She was feeling much better though and me too with the help of my daughter's herb packs.  I've been wearing it for two days, it really does keep my sinuses open!

Well, off to keep warm!  Blessings, Theresa

If you never had any children you would miss some of the most joyous discoveries there are to be made.  Here is a little list:

• Children of large families tend to stick together, they like to team up.  When one gives the thumbs up, several thumbs up arise.  This is also true with a thumbs down.
• If you find a name printed on a freshly painted wall, don't inquire with child whose name is written, grill the other children.
• Babies have an unusual fondness of using rice for earplugs.
• A 4 year olds nostril hole is the exact size of a pea. 
• Put sour cream on anything and your children think it's the supreme treat, this is tripley true for whip cream.
• Throw away at minimum every department store ad in the Sunday newspaper, your boys are not looking at comics.
• Do not leave scissors on a table of freshly cut patterns.
• Your children only need to see you take off a door knob one time.
• If you find the wheels to a child's bike on the garage floor, with tools and bolts next to it, find the child who watched you take off the door knob.
• Let your child also see you put the door knob back on.
• Do not let your children see you give your hair a little trim.
• If your children believe that the sweetest part of a banana is the black part, they will eat that first.  (from a journal of my 11 yr.old at age 3)
• If your 4 yr. old is telling you daddy needs the "weezers"...daddy needs the tweezers.
• When you have a lot of children, you also should not covet any material object in your house, your new motto should be "Ya can't have nothin."  The period is on purpose.

Taken from life at the Power's household. 

I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it!!!

Blessings, Theresa