Humble Beginnings

I have a What Would You Do Question..

My ex husband called me the other day and we were talking about kids and etc and all of a sudden he says well I have a question to ask of you and your not going to like it. My first response was is it for you or for her???

You see first let me say this. My kids stepmom I don't feel like is very nice to them alot of the time.. She says my 13 year daughter needs to be in special ed and she made her write the alphabet because she wasn't sure she knew it.. What.. I am sorry, but all of MY kids are A or B honor roll kids and if their teachers do not have a problem then what is yours?? She has never had kids of her own and I understand that, but you knew that he had 5 when you married him...

She tends to get upset with Rodney if he has the kids any extra time except his weekends.. Now our parenting plan states that he gets them every other weekend and then every Wednesday for a few hours plus anyother time he might want them that is agreable between the two of us, plue every other week during the summer.. Now Rodney has been getting them his weekends, but he only had them 2 full weeks in the summer because of the situation with her.

Anyway the kids are looking forward to their weekend this weekend and she tells Rodney that he needs to change weekends because she only has 2 days off this week and etc and that if he doesn't change then he and the kids have to stay somewehere else...

Now I normally am very easy going and would trade him in a heartbeat, but I am sick and tired of her trying to keep him from having his time with the kids.. My kids welcome the time with their dad when she is not around and want to go ahead and go with him this weekend..

So long story short.. I told him that the kids wanted to come with him this weekend and that I was not going to trade.. If it was something that he needed becasue of work or something then we would work it out, but hello she knew he had kids and that he needs to spend time with them.. My older kids are upset because they know that their relationship with dad is going down hill because of her and they want to go to their dad's this weekend..

So should I switch or let them go with their dad?? I know that she or my ex MIL will read this and make comments, but really this is about the kids and their relationship with their dad..

God Bless you for reading this far....

God Bless,

Mars

Granny Square Tutorial with Pictures

Alright my friends, I am going to attempt my first EVER sewing tutorial!   I told you that I was taught how to make a granny square while I was on my Ladies Retreat.  It was so much easier for me to learn from the ladies teaching than it was for me to look at a book and try.  The picture quality is not wonderful, I just saw some of the pictures I took last night, but hopefully you will get the hang of it as easily as I did and you will be turning out some beautiful squares as well!
If you are a Newbie to Crochet HERE is a site to help you with basic stitches, you will see me refer to several in this tutorial... Chain, Slip Stitch, Double Crochet.

Step 1: Chain 5
Cool, you got that! Alrighty we are on our way!

Step 2: You want to turn that chain into a round so you will go to the first chain and slip stitch...
Now we have our center, we will build on from there! Woohoo!

Step 3: Chain 3
Here we are building out from the center and we will begin making a larger circle to build on from here

Step 4: Two(2) Double Crochets and chain 1
Alright, here we are in process of making our circle, so what we are going to do is we are going to double crochet 2 times and then chain 1.  The chain will make the space we need to help us along in future steps...

Step 5: 3 Double Crochets and chain 1 (3 more times) slip stitch to complete the circle
Now we have a circle!! Yippee... but wait I told you we were making Granny Squares right?  Ok, bear with me we will get to the square in a minute.
So to make sure we are cool to this point, counting the first 3 chains as one DC (double crochet) you will have 4 sets of 3 double crochets with one chain in between.... clear as mud??

Step 6: Chain 3 and then double crochet 2, chain 1, double crochet 3 and chain 1 in the same hole
If you will look at your round you will see 3 double crochets and then a hole/space in between each set of 3.  This space is where you will go into to make your next layer or sets of 3.  Does this make sense... I am trying!
What you are doing now is building your edges... we can't make this granny square stay a circle any longer, we are going to put some corners on it!

Step 7: Look for next hole, double crochet 3 and chain 1~ 2 times in each hole.  (You will do this in each hole till you meet back up with your first set.  This will form your first square. Slip Stitch to complete the square and now you are ready to build on. 

Step 8: Chain 3, double crochet 2, chain 1
You will notice that there is now a hole between each of the four edges, you are going to do almost the same thing in each hole... meaning you don't want an edge you just want a set of 3 dc's to fill the hole.
So dc three times and chain one and move to your edge.

Step 9: Double Crochet 3 times, chain 1, Double Crochet 3 times, chain 1 in corner hole.
Again, you are making corners for this square, you should be catching on to a pattern if I have successfully portrayed this to you.  So in each of the corners you are making 3 dc's, chain 1, 3 dc's, chain 1.  Simple!

Step 10: Slip stitch to join the square together

Step 12: All the way baby... go all around just as I told you, come together again, slip stitch and tie off your end. 
The lady who taught me only does 4 layers, but of course you can do more if you like. 
Now you want a bunch of these... so get to it!
I don't have nearly as many as I would like to have had done by now, but remember I am teaching myself to hold the crochet needle/hook in the proper way, so I am SLOW JOE right now. 
Once you get several made you can do all kinds of things with them...
Make them into an afghan by stitching them together, make potholders out of them by putting several layers together on top of each other and stitching, use them as coasters, make a pillow cover, make your dd a doll blanket out of a few... whatever you like.
I hope you enjoyed and understood my attempt of spreading the knowledge that I received this past weekend.  If you see a mistake, feel free to email me or message me and I will change it, and now go get your yarn and your hook and go for it!  If I can do it YOU can do it!

With Love From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm

Rain Rain Quizes and other fun stuff...

It has been raining most of the week now and so once again everything in North Missouri is wet and soggy again.. :) I am not complaining I am just stating a fact.. LOL Jordin's ballgame was called Tuesday due to the rain and it looks as if tonighs game will also be called off due to the rain... That is too bad, but we will make them up....

Well this morning in microbiology we had a quiz.. It was a practice test and it went ok.. I am telling you this class is tough.. We were talking before the class and the teacher is like a genius and we are all normal so when he talks sometimes we are like hello please speak in english.. LOL

I spoke with my ex husband last night and he said his dad will not get out of the hospital now till Saturday. The kids are worried about him and can't wait for him to get home so they can see him...

Jeremiah had a dream last night about his uncle that died last week. He got up this morning talking about it saying how he had a dream about uncle Robery and that he had gotten shot, but it was just his arm that got it and so he was in a cast, but he got to come back home and so did Lizzy.. We talked about it and he understands and is ok with things, but please keep the little guy in your prayers.. I know it has to be hard to know that your uncle is gone and not coming back..

Well I better get going for now.. I have some labs to do on the computer and some videos to watch as well..

Take care have a wonderful day..

God Bless,

Mars

A Thursday Morning

It's still early here and all is quiet. So far this morning I have gathered a couple of eggs (production is slow these days) enjoyed toast with blueberry lime jam, coffee with cream, and pulled my flip flop from the jaws of the puppy...twice.

Yesterday's labors produced twenty more quarts for storage. Ten quarts of tomato juice, ten quarts of pearsauce. Middle Son is under the weather and has been for a couple of days now. Seems it's just a cold, but that's enough to make anyone feel poorly. It reminded me that I need to start going through our medicine and remedy chest to make sure that we are prepared for winter. Winter. It's so hard to think of it when it's been ninety all week!

Tomorrow morning I go for tests. Two hours of MRI's. I am not looking forward to it, but trying to remember who will be right there with me in the room. Every test and trial I have had has made Jesus so real to me, as though he was right there holding my hand...

 "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." Isaiah 41:13

Well, I have several things to get accomplished today. There are lessons to teach, laundry to hang and a meal plan to make for the next two weeks. Once that is all done, there are pears, of course. And I just bet that if I walk back to the garden, there will be some tomatoes as well...

Turn your worries into prayers...

Picking Berries...

I am having Chelsea read through some readers to try and improve her fluency with reading.  Today's story was about picking berries.  It was a nice warm story of one family picking blueberries. 

This afternoon, I was working in the garden and got what onions I could find out.  We also got some tomatoes and then I remembered that Dh showed me last night that the elderberries were ripe. 

I called Megan and Chelsea and asked them to come help me.  I grabbed three buckets and out we went to collect some elderberries.  We have a small patch that is quite easy to get to.  A second batch cropped up this year in a pile of brush.  In trying to reach the elderberries, I had to climb onto crackling logs and branches which were buckling under my weight, but thankfully did not come crashing down.  The girls enjoyed my gymnastics and had a good time out there together picking berries... just like in our story.  Chelsea even commented on us picking berries... hope we don't find any bears... just like in her story earlier.  She is 16yo, and was poking fun, but it was a smiley fun and she didn't mind picking berries at all. 

I have spent some time pulling berries off their stems, but I needed a break, so thought I would let you all know what I will be doing the rest of the evening!  My fingers are already purple and I smell of berries.  My hope is to get enough berries to make a batch of elderberry jelly and a batch of elderberry muffins.  We will see what we come up with. 

Well, I guess I had better get back to plucking berries into the bowl.

Warmly, ~Melissa

Pepper Jelly...

Yesterday I made 14 jars of pepper jelly.  A friend had asked if I would make some for them at the beginning of this summer.  I've been thinking about it for quite some time, waiting for the peppers to ripen... and finally I had enough to make some.  I was really glad to get that job done. 

I will be making some raspberry pepper jelly as soon as I get to the store or Farmer's Market for some jalapeno's.  Dh requested that jelly.  My jalapenos didn't come up in the garden, so I'll need to purchase those. 

Nice to get something into the pantry for a change! 

Warmly,  ~Melissa

Blessed Wednesday

After a taste of Hurricane Gustav last night, heavy rainfall, wind, etc, Oklahoma is experiencing a major cool down today. Our highs of 95-100 are no more, at least for today. Today's high was 73 and windy. I nearly needed a sweater. How I love the cool down that fall brings, but unfortunately for me, every time a change of seasons comes around, I end up getting sick. I'm feeling it  come on slowly, sore throat, constant sneezing, and an irritating headache. But I am one of the fortunate ones that sickness generally does not linger long. Praise God for that!

So, how has your day been? Ours has been full and tiring. After another productive day yesterday, today we all went to the dentist, well, all being myself, my oldest son, and my middle daughter. It was cleaning time and I have got a tooth that's becoming increasingly sore. Shame on me for not taking better care of my teeth. The kids passed with flying colors, however I didn't, so I'll be back in the dentist chair before long.

The rest of the day held school, cleaning chores, and now, I'm settling down to do some desk work...balancing checkbook, bills, menus and shopping lists. My beloved husband, apparently saw the look of exhaustion on my face and offered to take the children with him to deposit his check and said he would pick up a couple of the Little Ceasar $5 pizzas for dinner. I knew I married him for a reason. lol. So I'm getting to enjoy a little peace and quiet and I praise God for that too.

On my menu this week, and for the next many weeks, I'm going to include at least one meal a week that I make extras of to freeze. Being that this baby is due not many weeks before the Christmas holiday, I feel an urgency to prepare as much ahead as I can, that includes meals, and gifts, which for us is usually handmade of special baked gifts. So I'll be sharing that in the next few days as well.

Well, back to desk work and preparing for dinner to be delivered. Have a blessed evening!

Sara

Gustav upadate Day 3

*PLEASE READ BOTTOM OF PAGE:

Still no electricity.  My neighbor said the newspaper said it may be 4 more days or more.  The generator hasn't  failed us yet.  As long as we can get gasoline we'll keep it going.   So far we're able to run the freezer, frig, tv, a couple of lights, computer, and the small window unit a/c at night, though not all at the same time.  I am so thankful for that.  It's such a helpless feeling watching all your food thaw out and spoil as has happened before with Katrina.  I feel bad for those who don't have a generator. 

 I'm hearing that a few spots here and there have gotten power but for the most part we're still without.   My hubby is really having to work extra hard.  Then there are so many that can't work at all until power is restored.  We've got hotels filled to capacity with evacuees.  I wonder what they are doing with no electricity. 

Thankfully, it's still rainy and windy so the temperatures are bearable.  I'm able to "live" throughout the house.  If the sun ever decides to come out then the temps will rise to the 90's and it will be like an oven in here so I'll have to stay in the bedroom and turn on the window unit for the most part.   

The weather channel shows there may be another storm that might head to the Gulf.  I'm not going to think about that one just yet. 

   Today is our 26th Wedding Anniversary! 

After typing all this my daughter called and is sick and needs to go to the ER.  She can't reach her doctor, the nearest hospital is not taking patients, and the next closest is overflowing and running on gereator power and can't even be reached by phone due to phone lines not working.  Please pray for Summer.

The sun just came out....

DRIVE IN MOVIES

I remember my older cousin taking me and my brother to a Drive-In movie when I was really little.  I vaguely remember the movie that was playing on that big screen was "The Birds".  I really remember the experience more than anything.  Since then I've often wished I could relive it all over again. 

Even with tv and netflix movies there's just something about the Drive-in Movie that is on a different level altogether.  Being parked out under the wide open sky, waiting as the other cars roll in and park all around.  And just as it's getting dark you making the stroll over to the concession stand for goodies to eat and drink during the movie.  (Usually even a double feature!)  If you're really lucky your Drive-In still has the old fashioned speakers but some places you just turn to a certain number on your radio to hear the movie which is neat too. 

 I honestly thought Drive-Ins were a thing of the past.  I haven't seen or heard of one since I was little.  Boy, was I happy when I found the website that showed me in a not-so-far-away town there is an old Drive-In still doing business and the cost is only 6 bucks for an adult admission and even cheaper for kids.   It's been lots of years since I went to a Drive-In movie when "The Birds" was playing but I'll be going again before long!  I hope they have a concession stand! 

click here to see where the closest drive in movie screen is in your neck of the woods.