MOVED THE BLOG - 10:05, Friday, June 29, 2007 |
JUST WANTED EVERYONE WHO VISITS THIS PAGE THAT A NEW ONE HAS BEEN SET UP AT THIS ADDRESS.THANK YOU http//homekeeperintexas.blogspot.com I hope that you will all come to visit me there. Please, leave a comment. Love to hear from other people |
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SETTING MY HOMESTEAD - 05:26, Tuesday, May 22, 2007 |
I have found out that I have a lot of work to getting this place set up like i want it. Almost everything I need is at my mom's place. I just have to find the time to get those things over here. So far i have a little garden tiller that i just love. I can actually start the thing. Don't you just love the smell of fresh dirt being plowed? So what do i want to have here for it to feel like a homestead. I believe everyone has their own special way of doing things. What they want to have or not have. I have to say that I admire the Amish women, in many ways. The care they put into their homes and yards are amazing to me. I don’t believe that they need to do those things with out the modern connivance that we have. Also I don’t believe that the way they dress has anything to do with the quality of life they have. Those are my own thoughts though. That is a goal of mine that I can keep a clean home that is simple yet very welcoming. A yard that is useful as in a garden yet beautiful as in flowers and other plants. I came up with a list of things that I want to have here to start this homestead. tiller is one of those things that you just have to have in order to get a good piece of land established. I don’t need a big one. First off I have to have things that I can maintain myself. I don’t have the time to wait for someone to start one for me. I found one of those little ones that starts much like a weedeater. It does only small places and that is all that i need one for. So that is one down on my list. Second off I want to have a clothes line. I got one strung up last week. The problem is that we have a yard full of trees. So i spend the good part of the morning cutting down limbs and branches so that I could have a clear area. I have 2 lines. That should be enough even with hanging out all the beddings. Since there are not near as many beds here to tend to as there use to be. I am still hunting that wringer washer. It doesn’t look like that I’m going to find one anytime soon. I have found a wash tub at my mom’s. The kind that has the hose that drains the water from the bottom. I know there were 2 over at her house at one time. I will have to go on another hunt for that one. Since i think that this is something that could be fun. Like most things that we don’t have to do, seems like that. I will try washing my clothes by hand outside. I will just have to get a wringer for now for the clothes. Until i can find that washer. I will post in the future how that hand washing is coming alone. I’m sure the *fun* part will wear out fast. If it does, no problem I’m not selling my washer here in the house. I’m making my own soap for dishes and clothes. Making my own food. I want to rid our diet from store bought food. Ever since the dog food scare, I have decided that there is no telling what we are putting in our bodies. I do believe that the water in our town is the cause of our stomach problems here, not to mention the clothes that it has ruined. I buy water in town for now. I found a bread machine at a yard sale I will be making my own from now on. Until the garden comes in, we will have to buy food in the store. One of my big things this year is canning. Not only vegetables but meats also. My mom said they canned all their meats. I will need some advice here on how that is done. I have never used a pressure cooker so that will be a new challenge for me. Anyone out there that has canned your own meat let me know about it. Herbs is another thing that I have planted a lot of. For medical purposes and for seasoning food with. I’m reading about the medical part of it now. No we are not going to stop going to a doctor. There are things that I believe that I can do to prevent us from having to go in the first place. Now if these people here will believe that, will be the trick! well that should keep me busy for the time being. I admire all of those out there that are living this way of life. I believe that it will bring a great joy to my life here and to my family also. |
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AROUND THE HOME - 07:43, Monday, May 21, 2007 |
It was one of those days around here. Since it was raining philip got the workers set up at a job, then came home to work on some bids. I really like it when he is able to be here while im working on my daily things. I had two things that i wanted to get done. One was make some soap since I was all out of the store stuff. To make bread in my machine that I got at a yard sale. I never had much luck with the other one I had. i got a loaf about 50% of the time. I have no idea what I was doing wrong. Philip had two things on his *honey do list* that i really needed to get done by Saturday's graduation party here for Jake. One was to check out the toilet in the front bathroom. The back porch was needing a little repair work on it also. Well, there are a 100 of things that I would like done, but i chose those two, since i figured i would be blessed just to have them done. Well the toilet had to go and a new one was needed. That took all morning to get into place. While he was doing that I decided i better get that bread started. I mean how hard is it to follow directions on this thing?? well i guess harder then I thought. No bread at the end. All I got was the smell of a home baked glob of something at the bottom of the pan. He should be use to things like that around here. LOL I mean doesn't everyone cook a batch of soap while their trying to haul a toilet out of the house, with a yapping dog under your feet, and a loaf of blob cooking in the bread machine?? sounds normal to me! I have to have a menu schudule going for the summer. Cooking is a time consumming job. I cook 3 meals a day. If i don't get a routine happening before it starts. I will be a mess all summer. I have been looking into a lot of crock pot recipes. I even found one for a cobbler, I had made it years ago. It was really good. Since it rained yesterday the clothes got washed but not hung out. That will have to get done first thing in the morning. I know that rain is rare in May around here, but enough already! This is the time of year that things need to get done outside. I'm going to see if i can get a loaf of bread out of that machine. If not then im going back to my kitchen aid mixer. I think i should have done that instead of messing with that bread machine to began with. I will need at least 2 loaves a day to feed everyone here. I better figure out something quick I don't think they will be happy waiting on me to figure this process out. I know that if i could just turn out one loaf they would be impressed.The problem is they have no patieces! LOL
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Ok well I thought, this is not going to ruin my day I still have the soap to make.
Now that did turn out a lot better. Philip did walk passed the stove about dinner time wondering what in the world was cooking for dinner. He said, did you rinse that pot good before you started to cook?? there are bubbles boiling in that water! 
Im making soap! AROUND THE HOME - 05:03, Sunday, May 20, 2007 |
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. Life continues to be busy here. I knew that May was going to be like that. There is so much that was happening in this family. Mother’s day, graduation, sending off Jared for the Navy, and the prom. Add in to that, the outside chores of the yard and garden. Needless to say I’m worn out. Well May is about over, God has blessed every thing that I had on my list. We are now down to the graduation which will happen this coming Friday. It Is hard to believe that 4 out of 5 children will be finished with high school. I'm very proud of Jake and very blessed how God has worked in his life as a young Christian man. These two last sons have had a totally different family life then the other 3 had. I can tell the difference in just how they conduct themselves that they were raised with Christian parents. Oh, how I wish, i was able to provide that for the other 3 while they were still home. That is why I know that my job will continue here at the home to minister to others. I Continue to hear “Change the heart of the mother and the child will follow.” That is something I knew for years now. Since the other 3 were in their teenage years when I became a Christian. They were not just going to turn over a new leaf and become something they were not raised to be. Yet I never had to preach to them about God. They see what God does in my life everyday. Oh how they are changing. I’m praising God every day for that. |
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LIFE HERE - 05:35, Friday, May 18, 2007 |
What a day! i was gone from 8:30 until close to 4. I don’t like being away for that many hours. Sometimes things happen to where I have to be. Im working on a poster board for Jake to hang in the church this sunday. They are reconizing all the senior during the service. I had almost all of his pictures on a cd. Then i had so many rolls of film here that I had no idea what was even on them. I arrived at wal mart, 15 minutes before they opened the photo shop. Already there were people using those copy machines. I had only until 10 to get this done since I was to go to a lunch date with some friends. we were meeting at the church at 11. I called my friend to say i can’t get there on time. The pictures weren’t going to be ready until 11 or later. That is what happens when you bring in 8 rolls to be devoloped! Since we were going to eat in waco anyway, they would stop for me on the way. I said ok, only to noticed I was not dressed to go out anywhere. I didn’t have time to curl my hair or put on make up that morning. I had an older t-shirt and streach capi’s on also. I ran through the make up section for make up. I choice the cheapest stuff I could find. Better that then nothing. I went to the clothing dept found another t- shirt and went with the same capri’s. The hair was just going to have to be. I wasn’t going to invest in another curling iron. I found a pair of earring on the bottom of my purse. Made my purchase and went to the bathroom to change. I felt like superman. I came out transformed or better then when I entered. It was a lovely dinner at a tea room. Something that I would eat at every day but nice for a change. Back to wal mart which was even worst then when i left there earlier. Finally got the pictures and a few groceries and headed home, finally. since the boys were not home for the evening we ordered out. Nothing here got done. Tomorrow will be another busy day. we are painting a friends house. I will not get to be there much I have to finish the poster board. I also have to find time to write Jared a letter. Hope your day was a good one... |
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- 05:10, Friday, May 18, 2007 |
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I love how God will continue to guide my life. Even when we are swaying back and forth off the path that He has designed for us to follow. Around 4 years ago, I placed my family at the foot of the cross. Handed the whole situation over to God, to be in His control. I told God that what ever was needed I would do. Just save this family. Over the next 2 years, He guided me in the direction that He needed me to take. In that time frame, Philip lost the job that he had held for 18 years. Our income dropped by 75% in one year. I took it as a challenge to see how I was going to change things here for that change to work as a blessing in our lives. I can’t remember a happier time in my life. Even through the times when I worried about where the next meal was going to come from. God provided people and places for us to help us get through those times. I remember I was never so tired at the end of one day from the new work that I had here. I learned to cook from scratch in order to save money on food, hung the clothes on the line, even digging up the ground in my first attempt to grow our own food. With all this new things happening in my life, I had little time to talk on the phone, watch TV, read books, or run here and there on a whim. I had a schedule that had to be followed for all these things to get done. Yet i can’t remember a happier time in my life. I found joy and contentment in all those things. I learned to give God glory for the changes that I saw happening in each one of my children, and husband. I read and re read, about the Titus 2 women, the Proverb31 women. I prayed that God would make me into those women. It was around 2 years later that the boys were getting older and were home less and less. I started to do less of those things. I began to seek things outside the home to fulfill my time. I still cooked, but not like I use to. I still did the chores around here but not like I had before. Things started to get cluttered, things were left un done at the end of the day or not done at all. I wasn’t here like I had been so things weren’t getting done. I was very busy with things that I told God I'm doing for his glory. Bible studies, teaching a Sunday school for women, cooking at the church on Wednesday nights. There was a time I was gone every night. All those things in themselves were not bad. It was just that I assumed it was what God wanted. That he was preparing me for when my sons would be out of the house. There wouldn’t be a need for me to be a homemaker on that level anymore. I thought that in order to show others what God had done in our lives I needed to go outside the home to tell them. It started not to make a lot of sense to me. How was it that i could tell them about all the joy and contentment that I had if i wasn’t home anymore to do those things. It got to where i was talking about the passed all the time. I started to long for those time back into my life. It was just this winter that God showed me that this is where my ministry was to be, from my life in the role of a home keeper. That is how others would see His work being done. Just because our sons were growing and moving on I was still to stay right here and continue to do those things for them. By being here I would be able to continue to minister to others in many ways. I could email, write letters of encouragement, talk to women that were going through hard times. I noticed that being home all the time I was given the blessing of women just dropping in to tell me their good news. It was from those times that I was blessed the most. So I’m home to stay again. We are down to 2 boys here now. Yet the workload is full. Just knowing that I’m available to others. I have found that contentment, joy, & happiness, once again. That is why i started this blog. To allow others into my life. I never do anything life shattering. I do know that when the boys come in and find home make desserts, or other foods I can tell that means a lot to them. I know that when my husband is home and I’m here every evening He is happier. This spring I have a garden here again. I have just been so busy working at setting up my little homestead. |
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home centered life - 05:13, Thursday, May 17, 2007 |
What does that mean? I have prayed for a long time that God would guide me into the direction for the changes that I will be facing in the coming future. Im to the point were our sons are moving on and out on their own. I figured it would be a time for me to get ready to go into the work force. That thought never did appeal to me. Then it was the thought that I can finally do all those things that I have had to put aside all these years. When I thought about all those things, it didn't sit right in my heart either. So i prayed that God would show me what it was that I was needing to do. I always loved the country and the simple ways of life. I believe that I was born too late. Instead of the year 1963 It should have been 1936. Cooking, canning, hanging clothes on a line to feel the sun on your face. Planting your own food. Those are the things that I have longed for in my heart. I knew that if I was away from home that couldn't all get done. All winter I have prayed and seeked God in what He needed me to do to bring His glory to others. Slowly but surely His will was revealed. One time by a pot of talking dumpling, another with talking kolaches. I will post about those times later. I figured if God could use a talking donkey to get his will across. Then He can use food to get my attention also. So my minstry is here. Through being at home. By the simple things that will keep me steadfast in everyday chores. I believe that I'm on the right path. How else could I explain the joy and contentment that I have had since I have obeyed His calling? The last few weeks, I have had joy in digging through an old house to get an iron bed. I spent hours in an old barn and shed looking for containers to plant my first little garden. Even on a jouney to the cemetary to find more containers. Hanging out the laundry in the morning only to have to run and save them from the rain 2 hours later! I see and smell things that I have never took the time before to pay attention to. The smell of fresh dirt, there are doves around here somewhere, I hear them every morning while walking around the backyard. So far it has been hard work, im tired beyond words at the end of the day. Yet im praising God for all the blessing of that day. I awake and thank Him for allowing me another day here. To serve my family and everyone that enters this home. If your home all day or work. You still work for the Lord. Seek Him first, your blessing will be abundant. Just like His word says it will.
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ANSWERS TO REPLIES - 04:43, Thursday, May 10, 2007 |
I wanted to thank everyone who has come to this site. Also to answer any question that were asked. No i didn't get to keep the calf |
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Oh will maybe soon i will get one. HOME & GARDEN - 08:02, Sunday, May 6, 2007 |
This is the place that I want to share things that I use to keep the house/yard clean. It will have things that i will suggest that are helpful to me. I will not post things that i have not tried my self. That doesn't mean you will like them or that they will work for you as they do for me. This will be just suggestions. I can not use a lot of cleaning products that are on the market. The smell of most things makes my head hurt and stomach churn. Besides I am trying to get away from all chemicals, in the house and yard. |
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letting them grow up and move on - 11:45, Saturday, May 5, 2007 |
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It was a very memorable day here. We gathered to wish our oldest son Jared, 23, off to the Navy. I have some pictures will post as soon as I get the time. You would think that I would be prepared for this to happen. He actually knew that he was shipping out way back in December. Now i have a few more days for him to be here. I am no closer ready for him to leave then I was in December. He is my first born. I had such a wonderful time with that boy, I never wanted to have another one. He was all I ever wanted. I even worried when I found out we were having another child. I wondered, will I ever be able to love another child like I do this one? I never left him with anyone. If he couldn’t go I didn’t go either. I thought who wouldn’t want to be around my baby? He is so precious! He has always been the “ love you mama” child. He will hug me everyday all day long. That i will miss the most. Even on the busiest day he will find time to hug his momma. So pray for me for the next few days. Come Monday afternoon We are leaving him in Waco with his recruiter. I have no idea how I’m suppose to just leave him there. Knowing that he will not be home in the morning on Tuesday. This is the boy that has never left Texas, never been on a plane, or away from home more then a few days. I think this will be a shock to both of us. I pray that he will be happy with this choice. That is the most important thing. If you are blessed enough to find something that you really love to do everyday and get paid for it on top that, what a life. |
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