Homestead Haven Beginnings

6 weeks in Montana...

...didn't seem like long enough!  My mama got hitched and so we went up for the wedding.  I fell in love with my home state all over again.  We stayed out at my mom and her new man's (aka Papa Russ whom we all fell madly in love with!)  He has quite the spread in the Bear Paw Mountains...BEAUTIFUL!  I will have much to blog about the next month, but I thought I would start with some of the scenic photos from our trip.

Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping

Dear Children,

          I write to tell you of the most extraordinary experience I encountered just this morning.  I was going about my daily chores when something caught the corner of my eye.  I looked toward the window and suddenly, as if on cue, a dozen yellow butterflies fluttered by.  They popped like popcorn and danced a waltz.  They flitted and flirted with the flowers.  But they seemed to move in unison, as if they were one.  And then as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone.  So quickly, that for a moment, I wondered if I had imagined them.  But it was such a perfectly splendid  moment that it pierced my heart.  I caught my breath and paused.  I was in the midst of "the perfect moment."  We all have hundreds of these in our lifetime.  Moments when our present troubles are pushed far away as we behold a glimpse of something close to perfect.  It may be a sleeping child, a phrase of music, or a shaft of sunlight on a snowy roof.  Something that takes us out of the daily routine into untold realms of light and beauty.  For an instant, we are in the presence of God, and nothing else matters.  All of our worries and troubles fall away and we are aware of only the perfection that is before us.  It is breathtaking and soul shaking.  And then, the moment is gone.  We are back on earth - but we are never the same. 

          We must learn to recognize these moments, for we all have them, though many of us no longer recognize them or know them by their proper name.  The more we look for these moments, the more they seem to occur.  And each time they occur, our souls are made deeper, our hearts - fuller.  And we carry that fullness into the lives of the people we encounter.

          Look for the perfect moments, dear children, and dwell on them.  Drink them in like water.  Seek them out and share them.  And they will enrich and bless you and those you live with all the days of your life, for life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

          Love always, Big Mama

It seems lately that the Lord has been reminding me of this.  To dwell on Him and the goodness and mercy He shows me everyday, the same goodness and mercy that I tend to overlook because of today's trials.

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

Have a perfect day...Blessings, Rossie 

Oh to have snow...

I have been hearing of all the snow and ice.  It is a time of "wierd" weather...so, I wanted to share a few pictures with you. 

Is that snow I see on the ground?  In southern CA?

Could it be?

Oops!!  I'm sorry, my mistake, it's the beautiful cherry blossoms falling from my tree in the 80 degree weather.  The sun is glistening through their delicate petals and warming up our green earth for the coming spring.

Just had to rub it in a little.  All in good fun.  For those of you who don't know, I was born and raised in Montana, and how I miss the snow!  Hope you all have a warm and blessed day!

Rossie 

A poor man's feast...

As I was making a favorite lunch today (spagetti noodles and a can of tomato soup) a stunning thought occured to me!  I called my mom, she didn't answer, but I am pretty sure I know the answer.  That meal was not a family favorite passed down from generation to generation as my parents told me, it was a poor man's feast!  That is what they had in the cupboards to feed us, and so they made the best of it.  What a lesson there is to be learned in this!  Life is not measured by what the Lord gives and takes away, it is measured in what we do with what He gives us.  Our attitude is so very important...especially concerning our children.  I never thought of myself as having a "poor" childhood, by financial standards, it was below the charts, but my parents choose to have an attitude of gratitude.  They were thankful for what they had, and made the very "poor" times in our life rather exciting.  All these years of eating this favorite meal, believing it to be passed down from generation to generation, has actually been a testiment to their faith.  One that believed that God had the very best for them and even a poor man's feast, in the eyes of a believer, is a feast worth praising God for!

I do hope this meal gets passed down from generation to generation...it certianly won't stop with me!

Just wanted to share that with you...Blessings,

Rossie

Menu plan Monday...

Well, Gabby's column is going to be fun!  She is so excited and has been researching the questions she has recieved (you can read about it in my previous post).  She wanted to answer the questions that very day, but I told her to take her time in looking into the questions so that she is able to give complete answers.  Then she will answer them Friday.  Really, I know we only need one computer junkie in this house, and by George, it's gonna be me!  Anyway, thankyou for the questions, if only I could take pictures of her facial expression when she got to see that there were actually questions for her to answer!

Okay, enough about that!  It's Monday...AGAIN!  Goodness how time flies!  This was my last week buying groceries for 2 weeks, next month, I will be doing monthly shopping.  I thought I would share again how I do my shopping because it makes things so much easier!

I have about 8 menu cards that I rotate.  Each menu card has a week worth of dinners on it, and all the ingredients on the back that I will need in order to make these meals.  My breakfast and lunch ingredients are all on my "staples" list because I buy the same things every time.  So on grocery day, I pull my 2 menu cards, and then highlight all the items I will need on my grocery list.  I found an great grocery list at donnayoung.org, and I usually don't go through my pantry to see what I have, I will over buy, and put it in my "stock" pantry in the garage.   

This is my week's dinner menu and ingredients I needed to purchace:

Monday - Tater tot casserole/ corn/ salad

Tuesday - Crockpot Tritip/ carrots/ potatoes

Wednesday - Stuffed porkchops/ salad/ h'made bread

Thursday - Green bean hotdish/ h-made bread

Friday - Potato soup

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Breakfast (Family night, so we well make all the favorites!)

Ingredients:

3# hamburger, 2 bg. tatertots, 2 condensed milk, 3 crm. of mush., tritip, porkchops, 2 cn. green beans, corn, bacon, chicken breasts, bread crumbs.

You will notice some ingredients are missing, and that is because they are my "staple" items, that I purchase every time.

Do you have a menu planning plan?  I would love to see it!!...I am addicted to organizing and reorganizing, so I am open to all ideas.  If you do, let me know so I can go visit your blog!

Happy cooking!

"ASK GABBY COLUMN"

Well, I am selling a share of my blog to my Gabby Girl!  She is working on her computer skills, so I thought it would be fun for her to start a column in my blog.  She loves to research animals, pioneers and gardening, so if any of you would be so kind as to ask her a question about any of these subjects, she will research and answer in her column "Ask Gabby" every Friday.  It doesn't have to be a question that the answer is unknown, but perhaps one that you think will be fun for her to research and look into.  I am calling on the help of you homeschool mommies and clever homesteaders and all questions will be answered, so ask away!!  This 7 year old is very excited for this new adventure, and will truly be blessed by your investing in her intrests and learning experience!

A bedroom makeover...

I wish I had before pictures, but I don't.  We have never had a nice bedroom, but in our new home, it is much larger and we even have our own bathroom.  I suprised my hubby on his birthday with a bedroom makeover.  I painted the walls, and we don't have a headboard, so I made a makeshift one out of fabric and fabric hooks.  I found a mirror on sale at Walmart, and I faux ficus tree for $20.  Decked it with little white lights (can't forget ambiance (sp)).  Then for Valentines day, he let me pick out some new bedding (What a guy).  So now we have a beautiful bedroom and it was all done for under $150!!!   Here are some pictures...how I love pictures!

Phil and I went to dinner the day before Valentines to beat the crowds!  Gabrielle took our picture.  Feel special because there are not many photos of the two of us.  Usually I am behind the camera!

Blessings, Rossie

The little old man...

So many times in the grocery store, I get those evil eyes becouse my kids are running, talking a little too loud and many times I believe it is just because I have kids.  My children have been scolded and yes even cursed at in stores, and many times I dread going to the store not because my children misbehave (they love the grocery store) but because of the grief we all get when we go there. 

Well, my last grocery store experience was a whole different story...as always shopping is going rather smoothly.  No candy bars "accidently" opened, not "accidently" spitting on any customers, no laying flat on their bellies looking for what is under the isles, like I said, going smoothly.  We get to the check out lane, and of course my 3yr. old claims he "has ants in his pants" when I ask him why he is getting a bit destructive.  There is a little old man in front of us who keeps turning to look at us.  Only this time it is not a frown I see, nor the evil eye, but rather is that a glint I see, a sparkle of amusement?  I soon come to find out, he kept turning around to wait for the perfect time when my 3 yr old has his back turned to him.   All of the sudden quite unexpectedly, the little old spry of a man turns around and does that quack noise (you know the one like Donald duck) and grabs my son by the ticklish sides of his tummy!  My son squealed and toppled to the ground where he laid face up with a look of I got caught, then one of disbelief, and finally a look of relief before he gave in to a nervous giggle.  That giggle finally erupted in a burst of belly laughing...then I realize that not only is the little old man quite tickled about what he had just done, not only were the kids and I laughing, we had gained the audience of the entire store!!  Everyone was standing around and laughing at the situation that had just occured and this little boy laying face up in the middle of the grocery store!  

I just want to say thankyou to the little old man and all the people who show tolerance to us mommies out there.  The grocery store is often times a place we would rather not go with our little ones, but we don't have much of a choice.  This instance has givin me a new perspective on grocery shopping, and  I am going to be sure I make it a fun time for not just me but for all the mommies out there.  And I hope when my children are all grown and gone, and as I age, I will always remember this little old man and how it made my children and I feel when he showed us some love in the grocery store! 

A family night success!

I don't know if family night could ever not be a success, but last night was really neat!!  Gabrielle and I have really been learning about having a servants heart, and I wanted to put it into real life practice (the boys have been learning about respect, so I will have to think of a creative way for them to practice...open to any ideas!)  Anyway, I rented a couple playstation2 games for daddy and the boys to play.  This is a real treat, the video games are put away and only brought out for special occasions.  This was to keep them busy while the girls layed out their plan for a special dinner, Gabrielle just blew me away with her creativity and thoughtfulness.  She was the chef of the night, and I her humble helper.  Sporting her apron, she made an appetizer of mini pigs in a blanket and served to the "men" while they played, and then  returned to the kitchen to give me my orders.  She whipped up BLT's, homemade fries, salad and a cherry cheese cake.  She decorated the table in a festive valentine's theme complete with candles and  place cards.  Here I thought I was going to teach her a thing or two about having a servants heart.  I am amazed and humbled as a mom, how the Lord must love me to bless me with these children!!

Oh how I love family night!

Blessings, Rossie

A much better day!

I have been feeling a bit under the weather the last few days, but today was much better!!  I have been holed up in the house this week and needless to say, the kiddos (and myself) have been going a bit stir crazy.  So, today, I went to clean Hubby's shop, and there the kids have plenty of space to burn off a little bottled up energy!  Then we came home and planted a few of our herbs.  We planted just the ones we use frequently as a family: Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Mint, Lavender and Parsley.  I have them in the kitchen window, and can't wait till they are growing...they will look so pretty up there!  I will have to post a few pictures here soon.

Other than that it was a relaxing day...well if you count that I have to chase a dog and a chicken aalllllllllll day long.  We have a Border Collie, and my hubby and I can't agree on whether she is smart or not-so-smart.  Phil thinks she is smart b/c she has learned to open the chicken pen no matter what I do to secure it....I think Lucy is not-so-smart b/c after chasing, scolding and putting her in the garage for a good time out, she has still not learned not to do it!!!  You tell me?!?!?!

Hope you are all having a blessed weekend!

Rossie

Isabelle's new dress!

I made a new dress for my 2yr. old.  It is just a basic pattern, but I love the fabric.  For one, I got it on the clearance rack at walmart, and two, it has that "vintage" look to it.  Anyhow, just want to share a few photos:

Gabrielle, my 7yr. old, helped a little with this.  She is very excited, my friend and I are going to begin sewing classes with our daughters this week.  Their first project will be aprons, and then I want to make colored dirty clothes bags for each bedroom.  A white bag, light and dark bag to help the kids with their sorting.  What are some other things we can use as a beginning project for our girlies?  Any ideas would be great!

Blessings, Rossie

Out of the mouths of babes...

We had an "Abraham" moment that I just had to share.  This 6yo. boy of mine colors my calander with the silly/hillarious/hysterical mind that he has.  I don't know where he gets his humor, but I will say that his rather quiet/inverted daddy of his likes to glide and prance through Blockbuster video store as if he were a gazelle.

As the story goes:

Mom - "Okay son, sound out this word."

Son - "SSSSSAAAAADDDDD"

Mom - "Now say it fast"

Son (while now distracted by the paint on the wall in front of him) says, "MAD"

Mom - "No son you did not say the sound MMMMM, you said SSSSSSS..........son please look at the page...son? Hello....it's right here....just look down...Son?"

Son - "I'm sorry mom, I'm just confused in my brain...I think there's a party going on in there!)

Mom - (Silence)

[Enter third party]  Kids in next room - (booming laughter)

Son - (big grin)

Mom - (to the calander to write this interresting reading experience amid laughter throughout the house)

Sigh...oh the joy of homeschooling!

My Friday...

Well, it turns out my roast last night was much larger than I had thought, so we had roast, carrots, mashed potatoes & gravy (little tip, I bought a huge bag of potatoes on sale, and they lasted so long...in the fridge), wild rice and stewed tomatoes.  So tonight we will be having the menu posted yesterday...I love when this happens!

Today is my "Deep cleaning" day as is every Friday.  If you do not have a home management planner and would like to build one, then head on over to Large Family Logistics.  She has a great system that I have followed for quite some time.  She is a list maker/planner/scheduler lady like myself, and I love it!

On my cleaning list for today:

Vacuum

Mop

Wash doorknobs and door frames

Wash windows

Scrub tubs and toilets

Dust

Sort laundry (tomorrow is "Laundry Day")

1 load laundry (I do one load per day, and finish on Saturday along with doing all the bedding Saturday)

Water plants

My daily chores

Of course, I don't do this all myself, that is why I have children!!!  After our morning routine and morning chores, we do school and then get on with the good stuff!  Deep cleaning day is actually fun for all of us...this is the day the kids get to switch around chores, and do the "fun" things.  My 3 year old especially loves the hand held vacuum that he uses to suck up all the dust bunnies under the beds and in the corners of the house.  Anyway, hopefully it all goes smoothly!

Happy Friday!

How do I get my "Catagories" list to show!

I am a computer clutz, and I cannot figure out how to get my Catagory list to show in the right hand column!  Any help would be fantastic...also those of you who have had your Blog makeovers, do you do it by yourself...or do you have someone else do it for you??  I love them and would love to have something to fit my personality more!

Blessings, Rossie 

Created to be his Help meet!

I am reading the book Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl:

And after throwing the book across the room a few times I came to the realization that she really speaks the truth.  She is not crazy and judgementat as I first had thought, she is doing what God has commanded her to do.  She is teaching us women that our job as help meet and keepers of our home is a HUGE job!  You will not find a job description in all the world as detailed nor as important as this job, and she is teaching us the meat...no sugar coating and no beating around the bush.  She is putting her neck out and takes a lot of heat for what she says, and I admire that and am thankful for it!

Anyway all that to say, I wanted to list a few of the qualifications we have as wives and mothers listed in her book:

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not falce accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober,

Sober - To do one's duty, be moderate, self-controlled, thoughtful, and to learn to make wise decisions and judgements.

to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet,

Discreet - Prudent; wise in avoiding error and in selecting the best means to accomplish a purpose;circumspect;courteous, polite, honest dealings.

chaste,

Chaste - Pure in thought, word, and act, and to be modest and honorable in all things.

keepers at home,

Keepers - Being on guard, watching, caretaker.

Home - Seat of domestic life.

good,

A Good woman is genuine, joyful, virtuous, valuable, competent, ready, kind, benevolent, merciful, hardworking, agreeable, pleasant, congenial, honorable, faithful, gracious and wise.

obedient to heir own husbands,

Obedient - Yielding, willing and eager to accomplish injunctions or desires, abstaining from that which is forbidden.

that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus 2:3-5

Wow...is there a school where we can go to get a degree in all these areas??  Absolutly not!  We need to be seeking God's help and counsel in all these areas, our job is so very important and we can not risk doing it without His help.  You are all amazing women and I am so thankful that I have this family here to help me grow in the areas that I am weak (which is most), encourage me to seek the Lord and lifting me and my family up in prayer...I love you ladies!

Okay, this is turning out to be a bit more sappy than I had intended...Sorry!