2008-Jul-9 Green Cleaning Tips Posted By Boltbabe in Green Living Trying to go green, but having trouble justifying the cost of green cleaning products, not to mention finding products that work as well as their caustic counterparts? Check out this article for helpful tips. These are my thoughts. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link 2008-Jul-10 Simple Time for You Posted By Boltbabe   Simple Journey Ministries Presents I Can’t Live Simply Until… Simple Time for You One issue I have struggled with is making time each day just for me. Seems like I get up each morning (still exhausted from the previous day’s activities), my feet hit the floor, and I keep moving until it is time for bed late into the next morning. Then I start all over again. It’s a well known fact that if I stop for any reason, my eyes will shut and I will be slumber mode for several hours. Oh, you think I am kidding? One of my family members’ favorite sources of laughter is getting me to agree to watch a movie. Yes, they pop in the little video watch me stop moving and time how long it takes for me to start snoring. My life is busy, but with rewarding simple activities. Having a large family, it takes much time to be certain that I am spending time with each family member each day. Those simple activities are wonderful and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. However, I also had to learn to schedule time for myself. Those periodic times of refreshment are wonderful. Having quiet time with God each day is the best source of daily encouragement to accomplishing the goals for each day. Yet I have learned there is another important part of the day that is crucial to my mindset, and it is so simple. I try to be certain to schedule five minutes each day just for me. Because my family is busy and we are LOUD, I make those five minutes silence. Mostly, I go outside (by myself) for 5 minutes. There are times that I may have to use my bathroom as my area of respite. But I can sit on the edge of the tub and soak in the silence. It is AMAZING how much that silence helps me to be a better wife and mother! So, don’t wait until you can schedule time to do something simple. Take a few small minutes each day to refresh yourself! Now, this all makes me sound as though I have had some mental breakthrough or God given revelation, but I haven’t. I learned this from my friend Kathy. She has taught me so much about silence and solitude in a way that I never thought I had time for. God has truly blessed her with a heartbeat for helping. If you like this idea, I HIGHLY encourage you to visit her site and sign up for her free e-zine and e-votional. Her words will get you thinking and help you move towards a more simple life. These are my thoughts. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Garlic, Parsley, Long Shadows and a Little House on the Prairie Posted By Rachel in The Homestead Today has been one of those lovely mid-winter days. It didn't warm up until after lunch when we all went outside to get some much needed sunshine and to plant the rest of our garlic. I have eight rows in now, and approximately 10 garlic cloves per row. It's the first time I've tried growing garlic. Here is a picture of my parsley bed. I don't actually know why I planted so much parsley as it is my least-liked herb, and it has done really well, even though I have neglected it. But we had some visitors the other day who were admiring it and they said there is an old wives tale (or an old Maori tale - I forget which now), that says if you have abundant parsley beds, then you're going to have an abundant (large) family! We did have to laugh at that! We're onto our fourth - not exactly large to many, but large to some! When I'm in the throes of really bad morning sickness I will recite to myself over and over, 'do not plant anymore parsley!" Here is a picture of my late-afternoon shadow. You can see I'm starting to get a baby bump. My children have been enjoying the fine weather and have made the most of the mud and being outdoors. The result of many days cooped up indoors and watching Little House on the Prairie episodes has resulted in our own very little house on the prairie. Yesterday some neighbours came over to play and this was the outcome of an afternoon's work. I loaned the Little House DVD's to my neighbour who is from England and she had never seen them! She'd heard of the books, but never read them, and certainly never knew there was an entire tv series out. How deprived is that! I so love being the one to introduce people to lovely worlds like Little House. When I went out to take a picture this afternoon I also found this out there.... It used to be a really useful kettle. And I found this - which used to be a highly prized ornament for decorative candles that my husband and I bought on our honeymooon 10 years ago! Does anyone else find valuable household articles buried in the dirt where their children have been playing?   • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wed 9 Jul 2008 Steps for Successful Boiling-Water Canning..You have to check out this gal's blog Posted By GrandmaRosie in CANNING AND PRESERVING Steps for Successful Boiling-Water Canning 1. Fill the canner halfway with water 2. Preheat water to a boiling point 3. Load filled jars, properly fitted with lids, into the canner rack and use the handles to lower the rack into the water; or fill the canner, a jar at a time, with a jar lifter. 5. Turn heat to its highest position until water boils vigorously. 6. Set a timer for the minutes required for processing the food. 7. Cover with the canner lid and lower the heat setting to maintain a gentle boil throughout the process schedule. (Make sure your jars are covered with water the entire canning time. If you have to add water, make it hot before adding as not to slow your canner down) 8. When jars are boiled for recommended time, turn off the heat, and remove the canner lid. Make sure to watch the steam as you lift off your lid. 9. Using a lifter, remove the jars without delay and place them on a towel, leaving at least one-inch spaces between the jars during cooling. Do not place directly under a ceiling fan, cold surface or in front of cool draft. Let cool naturally. From The Simple Womans Cannery blog • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Snow Photos Posted By Rachel in This Land I Love When we had the snow last week I had lost the cord to download my pictures from the camera onto the computer, so I am late getting these up, but here is one of my favourite pictures taken from my son's bedroom and looking west just as the snow started falling. I love the way it sticks to the window. And here are some pictures from our larger dumping a few weeks previous, taken the day after. This first one looks west towards the southern alps over my neighbour's land. And this last one is looking over the south end of my vegetable garden (buried way in there) towards the Port Hills in the distance. Between our land and those hills is the city of Christchurch and we are half an hour's drive out from the city limits, so those hills look a whole lot closer than they really are.   • Comments (3) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, July 9, 2008 ~Nice Day, But Thunderstorms On The Way~ Posted By Ruth Kobrin Looking out the window it's nice and sunny, We had abit of rain but it didnt last long....But by the look's of it there are some nasty thunderstorms on the way, So we will have too wate and see. It has been really hot today, I wount even think about going outside with the boy's they had docture appments today but with the nasty weather we are too get today I had to make new apptments for in about two weeks from now becuse our Docture will be away, She is a really nice and good Docture, We have had her for just a little over a year and a half now, When I was pregent with Jack we moved and she took me in right away, Plus she was more than willing to take in the hole family as well which was WONDERFUL!! Sometimes it can be hard too find a Docture that is willing to take you in. I found what look's like a good bread and bun recipe, I think I might give it a try, I just have too buy some yest frist befor I can give it a try, I have never tried too make bread or bun's befor so I have no idea what will come of it, But never hurt's too give it a try and see what happions. I have so many recipes I want too try but I'm too scared too incase I mess them up and knowing me I probly will....he he, But hey ya never know, I think I know what we will have for supper, Something fast so that the house dosent heat too bad. Befor winter come's I want too make as much stuff as I can too freez so that we can have some extra stuff in the house during the winter months which can be hard, I found a really good recipe for frezzer pickles I think I might try, It look's really easy too do and I think there was a couple other recipes that looked intresting as well, I found it in the Aug issue of today's parent I think. After my post the other day about haveing a better week I talked with my aunt yet again later that night.....I guess everything is my fault yet again, Even though I know it's not.....But I'm not going too let this get me down, I just cant anymore, Sometimes I just get tired of crying and the kids dont need too see mommy crying all the time, When your 3 year old see's you crying and comes and rub's your back and gives you a tissue, I deffently think he has seen you cry a little too much.....But it deffently makes you feel abit better becuse you know even at the tender age of 3 he has love in his heart! Well I best get going and get supper ready and going....Blessings to you all! ~Ruth   • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, July 9, 2008 An Update of Sorts Posted By amanda in On the Homestead Good Afternoon Family & Friends! It has been ever so long since I last blogged. Not by my choice though. We are still without a computer at home. I don't see getting one too near in the future. I would like to get a new one when they have tax free day in NC. That would save me about $100. They also usually have good sales on computeres then. Lord willing, in all things though! Our corn completely dried up this year. We are getting a bit more rain lately. Just too little too late though. I was able to gt about 180 ears of corn last week from a nearby farmer. I ended up freezing most of it off the cob with some on the cob. I am thankful to have found it. It ended up costing about $13 a bushel. That is so much more this year than last. Never the less in ALL things be thankful! And so I am! We are also getting over a strange stomach bug around my house. We have never had the "uck bug" as I call it, in the summer!  Everyone was accusing me of having hot flashes last week. It turns out tht the "bug" starts out with serious "hot flashes" then the puking and an aweful fever and body aches. It only lasted 2 days though. Thank The Lord for that! We should be starting school back on the 21st of this month. I still need to get a few more supplies for my dd (14). I found a new Bible devotions curriculum by Plain Path Publishers. It looks like a great curriculum for our daily devotions during the school year. I chose the Character issue. Well, I need to go. My time on the library computer is about over. ( I MISS my computer!) Have a blessed week in The Lord! For is is Foreverto be praised! Amanda <>< II Corinthians 5:7 • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link 2008-Jul-8 Homeschool Organization! Posted By Boltbabe in Homeschool Simple Journey Ministries Presents Keep it Together Girl! Homeschool Organization Homeschooling requires organization! We all know it. Some of us dream we were more organized. We have all experienced those times when we have had the opportunity to really get organized; noting how smoothly things run when we do. But how can we possibly get organized for the year without driving ourselves crazy? Well, I am really excited to let you know the Cindy Rushton is hosting her Let's Get Organized for the New School Year seminar set!!! Even though I have been homeschooling for years, I took this seminar last year and it was THE best homeschool organizational thing I have ever done for myself. Obviously, I try to keep my life organized, as I share here with you each week simple ways to do that. But we all need refreshment, and this sure did it for me! The best part is that when you buy a ticket, you get to have the audios to listen to all year long; providing that needed encouragement and refreshment all year long! EVEN BETTER, is that you can join the seminar live for FREE! So if budget is tight, make time to schedule this mommy time, as it will make all the difference in your homeschool year! Still not sure? Well, then join in live tomorrow 1 pm CST (July 8, 2008) for Let's get Organized!   Tuesday, July 8, 2008 1PM CST F* R* E* E*! Let's Get Organized for the New School Year! Cindy Rushton from Http://www.CindyRushton.com Talk-a-Latte Online Conference Room   (See our complete Summer Preview Chat Schedule here: http://BacktoSchoolBlast.com/)      Scheduled Start Time: 11:00 AM Pacific Time 12:00 PM Mountain Time 1:00 PM Central Time 2:00 PM Eastern Time   How to Join Us Online in Our Conference Room... We provide the software download-free. Here is the link:   http://www.cindyrushton.com/Conference.exe   Click to begin download or copy/paste into your internet browser and click ENTER. It will only take a few minutes to download into your computer, but you want to do it ahead of time so you don't miss a minute in the Conference Room. After it is downloaded on your computer, it will set up an icon on your desktop that says CONFERENCE. Then, you will only have to click it to open up the room. Here are your instructions from there:   When you are ready to enter, you will enter your NAME or EMAIL ADDRESS in the first blank. Add the following information when prompted:   Name of Room: Talk-a-Latte Password: letschat (password is case sensitive-do not enter any extra characters or spaces-password is only in effect during the actual chat) Remember...your password is different for chats and other classes. It only works for the room when the room is open for the study. STILL NOT SURE??? Then Consider this... No time to travel? No extra money for hotels...parking... and eating out? Can't break away from your family? No crowds! No makeup! No parking! No walking for blocks and blocks! No expensive trips or hotel stays! No babysitters! SO, what are you waiting for? You can get ALL the information you need by clicking here. Ready to join for the entire weekend? I AM! The entire set is going live July 11-12th. I will be there tomorrow, so come hang out and gather some of the BEST info on Homeschool organization. Not only is this seminar great, but the friends I have met through the many Talk A Latte seminars I have participated in are priceless! Don't Miss this opportunity! Jump in on the Fun TODAY! SEE you in the chat room!!! (Oh and bring a pad and pencil, b/c you ARE going to want to take notes!) These are my thoughts. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Pain Posted By Jeanne Hi everyone.  I think today was one of the worst days for pain.  it's going down my left leg and i can hardly walk, laydown or sit comfortable.  I looked on the intenet for exercising and I"m not sure if I'm over doing my muscle or what?  I also took lotion and rubbed my left leg afterwords.  My dh has been wanting me to go food shopping for the last 3 days and finally today I told him I would go.  It was so hard for me to sit in our car.  We're half way there and he asked if I'm in that much pain and I told him yes.  He said lets go back,  I said no where half way there and I want to get over with it.  I"m not sure when I"m going to be able to shop again  so this time I bought extra food. I'm going to make this a short one since I hurt.  Hope everyone else is fine and I'll be back soon.  NIte NIte all....Jeanne • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Tuesday, July 8, 2008 My Little Man Posted By Schatzi Here's my little guy after his dental surgery this morning.  He came home and said he was doing great...trying to resume his normal life...but 30 seconds on the couch and he was asleep.  Then after waking up he came downstairs and said his mouth was hurting so gave him some liquid Tylenol and here he is again...  Made Hungarian Goulash over rice for dinner tonight...very simple meal but extremely healthy.  Cut the grass in the back yard and then Ethan and I worked for about 1-1/2 typing up vines that had fallen down with heavy fruit.  I'm am amazed at the amount of time Ethan has been spending with me in the vineyard...this weekend also, he came out on his own and stayed with me the entire time working side by side....I always have such a blast with him....he keeps me laughing the entire time we are working.   Dh made everyone chocolate and  banana milkshakes for dessert...they tasted awesome.  Well, I am tired and it's time for bed. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

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