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Happy Birthday America!!!! Let's all cheer for the Red, White and Blue!!! I love the Fourth of July, and the cookouts, family gatherings, and fireworks. But this year, we aren't sure if there is going to be much fireworks. We might be able to still arrange the cookout, and just eat indoors. But is is difficult to celebrate with fireworks when it is raining!! UGH! The weather reports aren't sure if the rain will stop before sunset and the big firework displays or not. DARN IT!

Matthew took off earlier this morning with our Noah, 3 years old, to pick out some fireworks. We always wait until the 4th to buy ours because of the wonderful sales they hold the day of. He alsos picked up some sausage and milk on the way home for our breakfast....sausage gravy and biscuits!! YUMMY! He even made breakfast for us. Matthew never cooked (except for Hamburger Helper) until he met me. LOL Now he is the breakfast expert and won't let me in the kitchen when he is making pancakes or his specialty of biscuits and gravy.

The rest of the day we are going to hang out, relax (finish putting away laundry, do a few dishes) and just enjoy having daddy home! Tonight we are going to my brother's house for a cookout (possibly cook in...depending on the whether), and then back to town for the city wide fireworks display. I am looking forward to seeing my family today. We are all so busy, and it seems working schedules conflict that we don't get together more often. Looking forward to seeing how big my neice Megan is getting with her first pregnancy. She is due in October, and I am sure she isn't much bigger than her little frame was before, but maybe a tiny bit.

Matthew's family is all scattered this weekend. We made a comment last night that if everyone wasn't gone, we would have loved to get them all together at our house this weekend. Oh well. His parents church is having a 3 day meeting, his sister lives in Washington,DC area and unable to come home, and his other sister, her hubby and 5 year old daughter just started their 5 day trek back to Missouri from California and today. They visited Sea World, Disney, etc. and had lots of fun. I can't wait to hear about their trip!

Thinking about the Fall Garden

But, in order to have a Fall garden, some things should be done now- planning, ordering seed, planting seeds to transplant into the garden when it is time, adding compost or any other needed soil builders, etc.

In my area, July 1 was the suggested date for planting tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed. I'm a few days behind schedule, mainly because I'm trying to keep up with harvesting the tomatoes that are ripening like crazy right now!

Most of the Fall planting for my area comes a little later, since July and August are always HOT

. The bulk of planting comes from September to November. But, if I don't at least make a plan now and make sure I have seeds ready, I may miss my planting date when it arrives.

Many of the same vegetables that grow in the Spring garden can be replanted for Fall, they like the cool weather and will do well if they have time to mature before a frost gets them. You can probably get a list of what grows well in your area in the Fall either online, from a local nursery, or from your County Extension Agent.

Zone 3 - Sept 1st - 30th
Zone 4 - Sept 1st - 30th
Zone 5 - Sept 30th - Oct 30th
Zone 6 - Sept 30th - Oct 30th
Zone 7 - Oct 15th - Nov 15th
Zone 8 - Oct 30th - Nov 30th
Zone 9 - Nov 30th - Dec 30th
Zone 10 - Nov 30th - Dec 30th
Zone 11 - Frost Free

With that information you can see how long it takes a particular crop to mature and then count backwards to get an estimated planting date. Of course, it all depends on the weather, and it is good to give your plants at least a week or two of a head-start if your area often has early frosts. I live in Zone 8, and sometimes we don't even have a frost until close to Thanksgiving. Fall is a great time for growing here.

Please share what you grow in your Fall garden and any tips you have. Those of you who live in colder climates, please share your wisdom, as this Texas gardener has never had to garden where it really gets cold

Hope you have a great holiday weekend, and maybe next week, spend some time planning (and perhaps planting) for the Fall garden!

This Just Made Me Think

Family, Friends and Food for the Fourth (nd an update too)

Well I just got notification that my side of the family is having a big BBQ at my brother's house on the evening of the Fourth. I am thrilled since hubby's family is all busy and doing their own thing. His mother and father will be at their church's 3 day meeting, his oldest sister is in Washington and unable to come home but will be home in a few weeks for Grandma's 90th bday, and his youngest sister and her hubby and daughter are in California at Disney!

Of course I asked what I could bring and my SIL told me maybe a salad or a dessert. So I plan on taking both. LOL Not sure what kind of salad to take, and I have a simple dessert recipe I will make (it is red white and blue). Hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill sound so good right now. And I know several of the other dishes will be potato salad and baked beans, etc. One gal there doesn't cook, so she usually brings the pop, or ice and sometimes a large tub of icecream depending on what we are all having.

We aren't shooting off any fireworks there though. One of the twins is scared of fireworks, 2 of the other kids are with their dad for the weekend and won't be there either. So it is the one if the twin who likes fireworks, and Noah, who is only 3 but loved them last year, so I unless he decides to change his mind, LOL, I think he will be ok with them again this year. After the BBQ, several of us will drive back to town and watch the citywide fireworks display at the lake. We won't buy much this year....maybe some snappers, some smoke bombs, and some other smaller items for Noah. I just can't see spending alot of money on big bangs this year when we have so many things we could spend the money instead.

Matthew got called today for a small electrical job. The guy wants an electrical hookup for a camper put in behid his barn by this weekend. So Matthew is running a little late tonight getting that done. He was hoping it was a 10 minute job, but knows things happen and it might take longer. Oh well, we need the money to take care of part 2 of fixing my car's air conditioning. (Part one was putting in a new fan, which he did last night. Part 2 is??? LOL I have no idea. I know the fan works now but no cold air. Maybe it needs freon?? Who knows. That is hubby's job)

I have discussed having a yard/garage sale and then canceled it thinking I would just have an auction (a HS friend has an auction business and is going to hold a consignment auction), but now I am thinking I should just open up a Ebay shop, and possibly put some stuff on Etsy as well.I think in the long run I will end up getting more money for the items. I will just advertise that I go to the post office once or twice a week, etc. so I don't have to go every single day. That would be crazy. On days I have many packages, I will ask a girlfriend to watch Noah, or drop him off for an hour at grandma's shop.

Speaking of grandma's shop.....she has offered me one of her large display windows to put items in if wanted. I told her I would speak to Matthew, pray about it and get back to her. I know I won't make alot of money from it, because her shop is kind of out of the way, and not many people walk around there either. However, the customers that come into her shop for Speech (She is a Speech Pathologist) might see something and buy it, or order one in a different color, tell their friends, etc. I was thinking of putting some vintage items in the window, and making up some aprons and shaggy blankets to display and sell there. I am getting excited about the opportunity to make some money to help with household items and Christmas, etc. When I get the shops up and running, I will post the addresses here for all of you!!!

Matthew (who is the king of putting things off, starting projects and then not finishing them, etc.) has turned a new leaf. I am not sure what happened, but I am not about to ask and screw this up. LOL Projects like Noah's bedroom upstairs that have sat for over 3 years without being finished are now being worked on! He comes home from work and instead of colasping in his chair with the laptop, he asks if there is anything I need him to do! Mostly it is small stuff like, take out the trash, take this box upstairs, etc. But recently he has fixed part of the air conditioning on the car, fixed the leaky roof, replaces a filter on the furnace/air conditioner, and my favorite, bought and hung a ceiling fan in Noah's new bedroom!!! The later was all his idea and he was so pleased to be able to buy the fan with his extra money coming in from electrical jobs. :) Makes me smile to see this part of Matthew blossoming.

Noah has been talking up a storm!!! I can't believe in the last couple of months since his birthday screening in April, how much he has developed. He is definately not the same little boy. He is doing better every day. Last night I told Matthew that he had been talking up a storm all day long and learning new words every day. Later on Matthew said, how do you turn HIM off?? LOL We both had a great laugh over that one. The little boy that wouldn't talk earlier except for mom, dad, cookie, candy, etc. little words, is now talking 4 word sentences, answering questions with words instead of sign language, and asking for items instead of pointing and grunting. God is so good to us. I love this little guy. And yes, there are times you want to turn him off still. LOL But most of the time, I love hearing him talk (now not only in English but a little Spanish and Chinese due to a few tv shows he watches)

Excellent Home Making Article

When I read the following excerpt from Managing A Home by Crystal Miller in the Homestead Happenings newsletter this morning, I just had to e-mail her and ask permission to post it here on the Front Porch. Some of our new bloggers may not be familiar with Crystal's newletter or her Country Store, and I don't want anyone to miss out on the blessing of what she has to offer! The article spoke to my home-maker's heart and was both an encouragement and a reminder that I need to be diligent in caring for my home and family. Hope you enjoy the article as much as I did.

When I think of the word “Homemaking” I think of the word as “Making a Home”. Homemaking is all that goes into making my house a home. Due to my home being a priority to me and perhaps because I have a large family I feel like much of homemaking is good home management. I have felt that it takes a well functioning home to feel like a comfortable home. A home where your family enjoys the time spent and others like to come to your home for refreshment and encouragement. I personally feel like it is hard for me to nurture my family and reach out to others if my life and home are not functioning as they should.

In order to manage a home you have to have a plan. You have to have a basic daily plan on how to keep the home flowing and the work done. A plan consists of routines, good time management, chores maintained, systems of organization, and tools to help you keep it all in order and keep the wheels moving forward in your home. Remember that one of the most important aspects of being a homemaker is creating a loving and peaceful environment for your family.

The housekeeping plan you use needs to be one that works for you and your life. I have read lots of books and read many ideas and used different plans, but ultimately these plans and ideas were not the end in themselves, they were the means to creating my own plan. My home is unique and so is yours. I don’t believe we could follow someone else’s plan exactly and have it work for us. We will tweak it and modify and then find something else and say, “Oh that might work” and try it and tweak that, etc., until after a time what you have is “your” plan.

Obstacles to Planning

Our Attitude
There are obstacles that can make a home management plan difficult. One is our attitude about cleaning a house. Being a homemaker is hard work and it takes a positive attitude and a lot of energy and determination each day. The beauty of it all is that with the right attitude caring for our home can be one of those areas in life where we can learn to get into the rhythm of the tasks and learn to appreciate things like warm soapy dishwater on our cold winter-time hands, the soothing hum of a washing machine going, the smell of dinner wafting through the home, the beauty of a shiny clean kitchen floor, the peace that comes from a home where all is clean and in order.

Any woman can choose to believe that their job is drudgery or they can choose to view it as a service to Christ. I believe that being a homemaker is a ministry of service and love unto Christ to those the Lord has given me to love, nurture and care for. My husband and family are the ones that mean the most to me; they are the closest to my heart. They are the first and foremost ministry in my life. If I begin to think of other things I would rather be doing then laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc., I realize that I have neglected to view my role from God’s perspective and that is as His servant. There is something humbling about serving others, washing the feet of our loved ones in these tasks; something that can, if we allow it, help to put our heart and attitudes in the right place. It can change our view of the work we do each day. If Jesus walked into your home you would do everything possible to serve Him while He was in your home. Well ladies, He IS in your home and you are serving Him each day as you go about your task of raising up godly children and caring for and keeping a home for you husband and family (Matt. 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ”Assuredly, I say to you inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me”).

Busyness
Many years ago when I began my quest to manage my home better I evaluated all the busyness in my life and looked at what things might be preventing me from managing my home better. I decided that if I am not able to take care of my home in such a way that shows that I have control over my domain then I may need to lessen what I currently have going on and not add any more to my schedule.

I have always been a person who would bite off more than I could chew so to speak. I don’t think I am alone with this either, as I talk to other women who deal with the same issue. I would take on more projects than I could handle, I volunteered for more than I should have, and I made plans that were beyond my abilities or time. The end result was always the same; something would suffer.

When I am too busy the first thing to suffer is always my home. It becomes a mess, laundry backs up, and clutter is a big problem. Then my children are next; attitude problems, discipline issues not being handled well, little ones not getting enough mommy time. Of course meals suffer; boxed cereal, instant, expensive and typically unhealthy food is served. All for the sake of not having my home under control.

The dividing line for outside busyness and effectively managing a home will be drawn in a different place for each of us. I am not saying that all outside activity needs to stop, that would be unrealistic. But rather when life has too much going on, it is much more difficult to manage a home as it should be managed. I had to make very different choices in my life in order to achieve my goals.

Time Management
Problems in good home management can also come from our time not being used as efficiently as possible. I know that it can be somewhat depressing for someone to look around and see that they don’t have control over their home or don’t have as much control as they feel they should and think it is hopeless, I might as well just continue on because I can’t ever get it under control. But let me encourage you that my experience is that as I have worked to organize, deal with clutter, create and implement systems of operation in my home and learn to use my time wisely that my skill level in these areas has increased, my efficiency has increased and I am able to train my children to work along side me and eventually move beyond the basics and accomplish other things in my life.

The first thing to remember is that there are only 24 hours in a day. We can’t expect to find anymore time available than this! We need to sleep a certain amount of those hours; we need wake up time and unwinding time and personal time. That calculates into only so many available hours to do all the other things we would like. These available hours should be viewed as precious time to accomplish the work the Lord has given us!

Be realistic about what you can do with the hours you have. Know your limits, your strengths and your weaknesses. I remember planting a huge garden one year. That was great except for the fact that I was due to have my 5th baby at the beginning of September. The same time all my tomatoes were ripe and ready. I personally did not have the energy to go from birth to canning in the same week! I was still struggling to care for my new baby (which was the 3rd baby in less in than 3 years) and recover and regain some energy. I was not very realistic about what I could accomplish. I wanted to do it all and I physically could not.

Recognize the things in our life that rob time from us. Over commitment, the telephone, the computer, laziness, hobbies that need to put off until the house is in order. Once you have a good handle on time management you will find it much simpler to accomplish the basic priorities.

In Summary
Time spent making and managing a home for my family will be a value passed on not only to my children but to future generations too. I think of the legacy left to me by my hard working, home loving, dedicated grandmothers and I know I can leave this same legacy for my grandchildren.

Managing my home is a mission that the Lord has given me. I always want to remember that homemaking is not a job to be avoided but a job to embrace and live to its’ full potential. This is one major area that is so easy to run from. It can be hard work to run a well managed home. This is a challenge that we as homemakers can embrace and be successful. It requires a determination to succeed and a plan. I don’t mind hard work and I don’t mind working towards these goals when I know that my hard work and my goals are for the purpose of something worthy. And certainly raising a family in such a way as to honor Christ is a worthy purpose.

An excerpt from:
Managing a Home: Tips, Organizational Advice and Practical
How-To’s from a Mother of 8
A new eBook from The Family Homestead

Featured Blogger~Mama Hen

Praying for the Sun to Make an Appearance Today!!!

Thinking about the Fall Garden

This Just Made Me Think

Family, Friends and Food for the Fourth (nd an update too)

Excellent Home Making Article

Featured Blogger~Mama Hen

More on Fermenting Foods

A Beautiful Sunday

More Questions And Answers

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