Minnesota Family Musings

Opening Statement

Not my first blog entry by any means, but a new beginning.  My previous blog had, I felt, lagged due to a lack of defined mission.  I had begun just in an interest in blogging and thought to keep a sort of online journal.  I've found that I journal in order to "think out loud," to sort out what I'm thinking; this doesn't work well in a public format.  Therefore, an online journal isn't for me.

However, I have a renewed interest in keeping a blog for a new reason.  In my 5-ish years of homeschooling and homesteading, I've often wished to be a fly on another's wall.  I read about some neat ideas but wonder what they look like in practice.  As I've talked to others, I find we often have the same questions.  What does school time look like in someone else's home?  Or family devotions?  Or discipline problems?  How do they get done what they do?  Do they really smile all the time? 

At my last homeschool conference, I saw many, many desperate-looking newbies running around wanting to find out how to do it "right".  I could so relate.  I kept thinking there really needs to be "Fly On the Wall" sessions where various homeschoolers describe their typical day.  In a "duh" moment the other day, I realized I could begin a blog on the same idea.  Isn't that what we're all doing anyway?  Sharing what we do; learning by what others do. 

So begins my contribution...

Free Stocking Filler for my Daughter

In my attempts to create a homemade Christmas I went looking on the internet for ideas.

Imagine how thrilled I was to discover these two websites with absolutely wonderful old-fashioned paper dolls! Paper Dolls do seem to be back in fashion here among the little girls of New Zealand at the moment. And I know my 7 year old daughter Meredith will get so much pleasure out of these. They are free to print. The first website is for Betsy and Barbara and their clothes. I'm sorry for the funny-coloured photo. I had to take the pictures clandestinely while my inquisitive daughter was hanging around.

And the following website was my favourite find. It is the Betsy McCall pages. I am especially thrilled with this. They follow Betsy from around 1950 through to the new millenium. Here is one of the first pages from the 1950's Betsy McCall.

They include little stories about Betsy and her family and her outings. Betsy goes to a wedding, Betsy goes on a picnic, Betsy goes to the Beach etc, etc and they all have the appropriate clothing. They're so cute! And I hope to combine all these into a bound little book (costs $4 at the stationary store to have done), and in a little plastic sleeve inside the cover put the Betsy and Barbara dolls from the first link. I can't wait for Meredith to open it up. I know she's going to love it!

Jewel Blog????

Does anybody know if Jewel is ok? She hasn't posted on her blog for a while now. I hope she is ok and she is just taking a break from blogging..

Brenda

crafts

I was out lurking around for a doll pattern and I came across this blog.. She has a lot of crafts things listed. When you have time check her out.. @

http://calamitykim.typepad.com/calamity_kim/advent-elf-pattern-free-p.html

Have a great day ! Blessings Brenda

My Two Year Old Knocked Over the Christmas Tree!!!!!

Ok, stop laughing already!  LOL  Ok, it might be a little funny today but let me tell you, this mommy was not too happy when it happened earlier today!!!  UGH!!  But this pretty much explains my day today in a total nutshell.

I think Noah woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something.  He was whiney and grouchy and crabby all day long.  When he is like this he doesn't want to snuggle and calm down, he just PUSHES EVERY BUTTON HE CAN until you bust.  LMSO  So, it started off with the fabric Christmas doll on the back of the couch.  He picked it up, looked at it, hugged it, and then threw it on the floor, and jumped off the couch and pounced on it.  I was shocked because normally he is not like this.

Then started the whining for POP!  We have a few 2 liters left over from our late Sunday Thanksgiving dinner and he saw them in the kitchen and wanted some.  I said no way!!  So, he turned to get the broom (I forgot to put it away last night after breaking a plate and sending shards of glass everywhere) and was using it as an entended limb to turn the light off and on, and hit me in the leg.  The part of using it to turn on the light really impressed me, but I was a little annoyed he was banging me in the leg and I took it away from him and told me to follow me into the living room.  Well he refused!  So he got in trouble.

Then he refused to do something else, stood on toys he knows he is not allowed to stand on, and he climbed up on his little table and stood there looking out the window.  About the time I hollared for him to get down, he reached up and decided to hit my expensive stained glass angel hanging in the window.  (It is huge,a nd I love it so!)  Well, he sat in the chair and had a talking to AGAIN.

FInally about that time, was when I decided I might need to calm down, and get him to calm down for a few minutes before his nap (in about 15 minutes).  I called his dad to check on him and low and behold, while I was picking something up I had dropped, he jumps up from the naughty chair and then BAM.  Down went the tree.  Before I knew it the tree was on the ground and Noah was under it.

After lifting the tree off of him, and accessing the boy for any marks I picked him up and took him directly to bed for his nap.  It was either that or I am afraid I might have lost my cool!!!  So he was upset that I didn't do the naptime routine and I was upset that there was my tree angel laying on the floor in the corner.  I was praying her porcelain face was not broken because my mother gave her to me the last Christmas she was alive.  She was intact and ok!  I put the ornaments that were scattered around the living room floor back on the tree and by then the phone was ringing off the hook.  It was hubby saying, I heard screaming in the phone and then the phone went dead.  He wanted to make sure we were ok.  I told him what happened and we talked for a few minutes before getting back to work.

As I sit here now, looking at the tree, I realize there are still a few "dented" areas in the greenery that need to be fluffed more.  LMSO   Geesh.  Maybe tomorrow will be better.  I didn't get much of my list of items done today either.  I did get some tidying up done, but the dishwasher wasn't set correctly last night for some reason, so when I opened it to unload clean dishes today, they were still dirty!  So I ran them again, and will put them away in a bit when they cool down.  

Looking for?

I'm looking for used ma&pa kettle movies used..Does anybody out there have any they would like to sell?

Brenda

How to Make Cottage Cheese...

I got the recipe from Countryside Magazine and it is de-lish!

No-rennet Cottage Cheese

1 gallon milk (I use raw)

1 cup cultured buttermilk

Warm the milk to about 95 degrees F.  Stir in buttermilk and allow to set at room temperature for 12-18 hours.  The milk will clabber, or become thick.

Cut the curds into 1/2 inch cubes and let rest for 10 minutes.  Place the pot into a double boiler-type potand heat at a very low setting until the curd reaches 115 degrees F (I didn't use a double boiler, I just kept it on low for a little over an hour).  Stir often to keep the curds from matting together.  This will take an hour or more.

The curd is ready when it is somewhat firm on the interior of the cheese.  Cook longer if necessary.  Some whey will rise to the top.  Let the curd settle to the bottom of the pot, drain off the whey and place the curds in a cloth-lined colander to drain.  Be gentle, as the curds are rather fragile.

Allow the cheese to drain until it stops dripping (I let mine hang overnight).  Place in a bowl and add salt to taste.  I usually use about one teaspoon of kosher or canning salt per pound.  Stir in about four ounces of half-and-half or cream ( I used cream off the top of our raw milk) per pound if you like a creamed cottage cheese.

I had some for breakfast this morning and it was the best.  Hope it turns out as well everytime I make it.

I have been fighting a cold since Saturday.  I have been consuming a lot of Vitamin C poweder and Echinacea/Goldenseal along with Throat Coat Tea.  I prefer Gypsy Cold Care, but I drank what we had on-hand.

I want to make my own by buying my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs, but I just haven't gotten around to it.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The After Holiday Crash....

If you have ever had the blessing of giving birth, you are aware of at leat the term of postpardum.  I can't say that I ever had that but maybe once, a little, out of three births, but we are now coining a new phrase in our house that explains the after holiday crash: "Post-HoliDum"

Really, I mean, after all the famly or guests have left or even just the preparations for the Thanksgiving meal are over and we're facing de-boning a turkey (yuck) and eating left-overs for who knows how long, there is a bit of a crash or let down.

Some people faced the end of the holiday crash by shopping on the Friday afterwards. That's not me. Not being a crowd person (except at Disney World) the Black Friday distraction from Post-HoliDum could not interset me in the least. So, what did I do...

Originally I just wanted to flop. Stay in my PJs and not do squat except sit by the fire. Alas, that only lasts for just so long until it gets on my own nerves.

So my darling hubby of 23 years said - "Trust me" and took my hand asked me to go for a ride with him.  We drove to look at lights, even if they were just windows or city lights, we went to eat at a new place we had never tried before and we drove home (realize we are an hour from any place that could be called a city or suburb). 

Seeing the lights and night life (okay, 8pm is night life to me now) was uplifting, but it also reminded me why we love the country life. From the window of the car, it all looked so pretty and sparkling, but I did not want to go into the mall after seeing the parking lot or shop after sitting in traffic.  It was enough to be a spectator and let that re-set my perspective correctly.

"Post-HoliDum" is actually a real event after the build up of the holidays. How we deal with it is important. Surely I can't be the only person who 'crashed' a bit after Thanksgiving...

Best Blessings~!

Donna

Projects for Today:

I am not goign to be super busy today, but I do have a few projects in the sewing room I need to get going on!!!

1. Tidy up the house

2. Unload clean dishes and put away

3. Put clean clothing away

4.  Put supper in the crockpot (bbq pork for sandwiches tonight)

5. 

Sewing:

1.  cut and sew a crayon roll (to be hung on the wall even) for a swap

2.  Cut fabric and start sewing new apron (for another swap)

3.  Get all packages ready to be shipped tomorrow

Vanilla Granola