In His Presence
Thanksgiving Countdown!
Wishing I had more time to post here to ya'llWe are living here in Linden, or should I say south of Linden. Its beautiful here in fall but boy it sure feels more like winter already. Tonights low is 15 and we have been 2 weeks with no furnace due to the electrical fire in it . We have rented a 14x60 2 bedroom 2 bath. Now imagine me trying to sort through all the stuff that we brought with us from our 2200 sq ft house, after getting rid of half of it. We only brought our beds and my sewing stuff and my soap stuff and my homeschool stuff, crib, changing table, porta crib, high chair, fold up tables and 2 folding chairs, 2 bins of toys that were left of the girls ( baby dolls and tea set, little people house and farm, noahs ark and play set.) All the bathroom, kithen stuff and what food I could bring with us. I am sorta set on baking supplies for a month maybe less and it seems that I only run low on milk and meat, potatoes and those things that come from a garden. Since we were moving we didnt really plant a huge garden as we wouldnt be there to can things. We left for TN Aug. 2nd. I did have meat in the freezer but it was not able to travel down with us , what I tried to bring spoiled on the way down though packed good. Yes I brought my electric sewing machine and serger and vacume and our computers. ( 2 desktops and one laptop with wifi capabilities) Well the point is we thought we were coming down with less and yet in the RV and in this smaller home it seems like alot of stuff. So what is really needed anyways ? Well as I sort through it all much is going in boxes to be sold. To raise money for other needed things. ie. land, cabin or small home, wood cookstove. After all that was the idea, to move here and eventually get land and homestead more then we had been in NY. Somehow living the countrylife no longer seems like homesteading once you have visited many here that life off the grid and have built their own home, rustic as they are, they are home and boy they seem nice to me. What is life all about anyways ? Was it about nice rooms with painted and papered walls ? Was it about having a nice bathroom with all the fixtures and such ? No, it is nice to see an outhouse now with paper holder, a light in there and ya know what ? copies of countryside and a real toiet seat !!!! Fancy huh !!!! Some here have solar, some are living no electric substitute at all and each encourages us to strive toward whatever the Lord tells us is for us to do and each gives "My use to be DH who said we will never go non-electric and we will never live like the Amish" A new vision for our lives. The first goal was to live on what money we do have or can make and live on less or with less. Unless it can make you more money or serves a purpose that is useful, it has no real value here. ( I will admit I have my country tins, crock, and rooster things with me, but they serve a purpose too. My rose bowl and pitcher and my tea set will be used not just sit on a shelf for looks anylonger. Here DH has a shed to keep his tools in and we can keep our goats here. All the new ways are blessings and those we meet are the best blessings in our new life here in Linden TN. The likemindedness is in the fact that Jesus died for each of us and though we are each different in our degree of living the life of plain and simple living, we are all sharing the fact that Jesus died for us to save our souls. Wensday night we attended a local sing, the glorious sound of our blended voices while we blend our lives in friendship I am sure is the most wonderful thing to the Lord God. Blessed to be in His Child Love Linda Faithful Acres Homestead
Changes in the plan- its okay.Remember when I said my menu plan was more of a set of guidelines? TACKY or frugal smarts?
Tackiness vs. simplicity photo- last year's postcard Christmas cards. Help needed I'm making a dollI'm making a doll for my granddaughter she will be 5 on Sunday.We are taking her out to dinner tonight and I'm trying to make a doll..I'm having a hard time on figuring out how to put hair on her..Its made out of muslin..Do I stuff her first then put the hair? I've tried to find tutorial on this but I'm just not getting it..Its 1:45 AM I need sleep but I have to finish this doll. I have put eyes on and a mouth and eye brows I just did running stitch..I still need to sew together the doll make clothes and stuff... Help..Please.. Thanks.. Brenda Happy Birthday Susan and StacieOk I am a little late, but I want to wish my 2 daughters Susan and Stacie a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.. Sue's was on saturday the 15th and Stacie's is today.. WE LOVE YOU GIRLS!! Giving 3 days straightWe sure do know how to stretch out a good thing here. We’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving for 3 days! Can you imagine the leftovers?The good thing is that I will be contributing to the various meals not making everything for 3 days. Whew! Thanksgiving Day will be spent at my parents’ home. I’ll be bringing spoonbread and my famous Triple Fudge Brownies. Mr. Steady will be fixing up his scrumptious Dirty Mashed Potatoes. I think the girls and I may make a loaf of bread too. The Day After Dinner, as it is now known, is spent with Mr. Steady’s parents. We cherish this quirky tradition as it means we get to spend some great quality time with his parents (it’s a gi-normous family). A few years ago we sucked Mr. Steady’s sister and kids into the tradition- since her hubby is always working that day. Foodwise: we try to keep to serving leftovers- another tradition. Mr. Steady does fry a turkey breast because we just love it. We have leftover mashed potatoes and spoonbread, his mama brings cranberries, a pie and a Jell-O salad. His sister brings her amazing potato rolls and at least one veggie side dish. I laughingly make a boxed stuffing mix to round it all out. This year my sister and her hubby have invited the family to their home for the Day After After Dinner. [This is the “off year” that my siblings each spend with their in-laws on TG day.] Since this is a first I don’t know what the plan is. I am currently waiting for my sister to inform me of what I am bringing to the event besides myself and 4 other hungry souls. I have to admit I’m getting a bit antsy as I’m working on my grocery list. I’m a bit of a nervous-ervous. I don’t normally grocery shop during Thanksgiving week. But Mr. Steady and I are hoping for some better sales in the local flyers and so we have put off some of the holiday shopping. Yikes! We made this week a pantry week so that we could save this week’s grocery money, combine it with next week’s and hopefully stock up on some things. Still, it makes me feel like I’m waiting until the last minute to get all my ducks in a row . . . . here come da police...Howdy - I hope everyone has been making it along on your homeplaces. I have been really busy lately with homecrafts, foodmaking and winter preps and it seems I have had little time to catch you all up on the goings on around here.The weather is definatly cooler now and all the trees are starting to look bare. Some are just so pretty with vibrant colors of red and oranges. I love it!
This last week it was time for Police Son's final class which was EVOC - basically they learn to drive in extreme conditions and in pursuit. Big Miss was chosen to be his chauffeur for the week and was there to chronicle his week in pictures. Here he comes now...
I think he's speeding...
Hows those stop sticks working for ya Police Guy???
Please remember The Full House family this week in your prayers as their son is having a kidney transplant. They are holding up very well but the stress and strain with it all and the effects on a special needs son must be overwhelming. Please Father God guide the surgeons hand and let the surgery go smoothly and let his new kidney be a perfect working kidney -Amen
I also had a great time with some ladies this week and taught some bread making skills. I always love that because it gives me a chance to share things about homemaking skills that were shared with me and helping others is what it's all about isn't it??? We made some honey whole wheat bread, cinnamon swirl, and butterhorn rolls.
We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with Sunshine and dad in Arkansas and will be cooking up some yummy dishes soon. NOT that my diet needs this right now as I have been splurging and eating quite a bit more things than I should and just trying to maintain is so hard during the holidays. Anyway, we can't wait to spend this special time with special family. I am still making a weekly menu, I have just neglecting in posting it. I will post a few more great recipes with you soon though. The economy and the cost of groceries are still climbing so we need to accept this and find a plan that will work for our families. I am still staying within budget but it does require some thinking and planning to serve delicious, wholesome meals for our families now without over-spending on the grocery budget.
This last week-end Frontier Man and I got a rare chance to go out for the day and evening alone as Little Miss wanted to go visit at Cowgirl Cuties house. So we took full advantage of it and did some hanging out at a gun range and looking for the "right" gun for each of us. We also checked out a big flea market and had some great lunch (the absolute best mexican food "Teds Cafe Escondido") and we finished a great day with dancing the night away. You gotta take those memeries every chance you get. I'm afraid to say it but I believe the bike has been put away till Spring. It is cold and Frontier Man may get on and ride but it has to be wayyy warm for me. I see the sadness in his eyes already, I heard him start it to just let it run..... but I am sure he is missing that loud rumble and all that wind and the vibrations...... poor thing! I hope he realizes that I'm in mourning too (good-by black cool sexy Frontier Man chaps.... till next year.....wah hah....) Till next time... blessings from our homestead to yours. The MIXI’ve been getting lots of requests for me to share my Christmas trail mix recipe. I’ve been wanting to do it as a picture post for the fun of it but haven’t assembled all my ingredients and containers yet.And it’s not on the agenda until after next week- So I’ll share without pictures for now and then add the pictures later . . . . . With that said- I must warn you that I change this recipe every single time I make it. I figure it just adds to the surprise. First I’ll share the basic mix and then boggle your minds with my switcheroos. Basic Christmas Snack Mix 1 large package Christmas M&Ms 1 pound chocolate covered raisins 1 pound white fudge covered pretzels 8 cups cinnamon graham cereal Mix it altogether and package in air-tight containers. Please note that I have never ever made it this way. Yes it is quite simple and I’m sure it would be truly delish. But I just can’t help myself. I must tweak recipes. So what do I do? Well, there was the year I couldn’t find white fudge covered pretzels- so I used yogurt pretzels instead. Yummo. Combine that with dried cranberries. Also- I’ve taken to purchasing the fancier bags of Chex mix that come out around Christmas time. Of course I purchase them when they are on sale- buy one get one free. Last year I used Chex Chocolate Turtle mix- 2 bags. Added in 2-3 cups of cranberries, the M&Ms, 1 pound yogurt raisins and a 28 oz. package of white fudge pretzels. Excellent. In the past I also found an apple-cinnamon Chex mix and added more dried apple slices, M&Ms and dried cherries. I love the look of the red dried cherries and yogurt raisins/pretzels. I often double the recipe due the high demand for this yummy mix. I keep costs as low as possible by looking for sales on the pricier items- like the Chex mix and M&Ms and buying the raisins and cranberries in bulk at an Amish store. I will post again when I’ve got all of this year’s ingredients assembled to give you the 2008 version. MPM- more of a guideline
Menu with Daily Costs Notes: My menu is really more of a set of guidelines- what I’m prepared to prepare. Sometimes life gets in the way and meals get switched or we find ourselves helping out at my parents’ place and eating supper with them. Often I will carry over a meal to the next week if we didn’t get to it- since I have the ingredients on hand. With the holidays coming we have declared this week to be a pantry week- meaning we will be eating from the pantry and freezer and only purchasing staples like milk and eggs this week. Monday { Last Page } { Page 1 of 5 } { Next Page } |
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