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Of Birthdays, Gardens and Physical TherapyYesterday was the Baby's Birthday. It seems impossible that an entire year has passed since God placed her into our home and lives. She has been an incredible blessing that is indescribable. Before she was ever born, God used her to bring about such wonderful things in our family and that has continued. We have watched God's beautiful miracle of life. It is amazing how much this wee one has changed all of our lives and we are grateful to God for her. This past year has wrought many changes. To God be the Glory, for all things come at His mighty Hand! This has been a rather busy week. I began Physical Therapy. I went Monday , Wednesday and Friday. It does seem to be helping already. I am not sure how long this will take. My prayer is that I will recover without surgery. I know that my God is capable of doing this, should He so choose. It is in His hands. May the Lord keep you in His mighty Hand Featured Blogger ~ Rosie from Rosie's Country Home
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08:26 PM, Mar. 19, 2010 .. Posted in Featured Blogger .. 1 comments .. Link This week's Featured Blogger was also nominated by her fellow bloggers. Please stop by Rosie's Country Home and congratulate her for being this week's Featured Blogger! While you are there, be certain to check out her delicious sounding recipes like: Teriyaki Steak & Quinoa and No Yeast Whole Wheat Bread. Congratulations Rosie!
Please help me choose the next Featured Blogger. If you have a blogger you'd like to nominate as our Featured Blogger of the Week, send me an email at senioreditor@homesteadblogger.com . Keep in mind that Featured Bloggers must be at least 18 years of age and their blog must be encouraging, uplifting, and/or inspiring. Who knows, you may be our next featured blogger What projects are you ladies working on????I just read on Crystal's message boards that several of the ladies are working on crochet projects, knitting projects and yes even sewing projects. I felt a little like the black sheep of the family when I posted that I am currently working on 3 recipe scrapbooks. LOL I don't crochet or knit, and I wanted to finish these projects before starting a new sewing project. Two of them are for Christmas presents for my SILs and are more than 70% done I would say. The third one is for a friend and I haven't even started it yet. I am hoping to get my goodies out tonight and do some work on them though. I am done with baby quilts for now (which I took pics of and uploaded on the computer and now can not find. LOL So I have requests out to the mommy's to send me pics of the babies with their quilts. When I get them I will try to post for you all!) and will move on to Noah's quilt, and then the sisters and neices aprons for Christmas presents. I love sewing up aprons. Many moons ago every woman had several aprons to wear while housekeeping and cooking. Now a days, I find many of my family and friends don't have one, but when they see mine they want one so badly! LOL So hopefully the girls will love their aprons when they receive them. So, the question is....what projects are you working on right now??? Perhaps you are dipping candles like Chas, or making a new Spring table runner. Tell us if you are making jelly, or sewing up pajamas (another project for the littles for Christmas this year!), or scrapbooking. Enquiring minds want to know! Chicken Cordon Blue
Posted by HSB Front Porch
12:50 PM, Mar. 19, 2010 .. Posted in Homestead Kitchen .. 1 comments .. Link This is a yummy dinner, with a little "wow" value, but so simple to make.
* * * Conni is an army wife and homeschooling mom of three, living in North Carolina. You can find out more about her on her blog: MamaHen Get It In Gear Girl!!!I have to admit I have more energy than in previous weeks of this pregnancy, but I haven't accomplished much with that extra energy. LOL I am still dragging my feet a little, and I just need to get my booty into gear!!! I have made a goal to get this house back into working order by next Friday! I will work hard on it this weekend with a little help from hubs, and finish up the last details and grocery shopping and pantry organizing next week while Noah is in school! I feel so disorganized and not myself when the house is in disaray, there is laundry waiting, etc. So, today is Friday and Noah has no school. He will be helping me in the toy area cleaning up, putting away and organizing. He is a wonderful help!!! After that is done, I will dust all the tables and such and vacuum. Noah loves to wipe down the tables, so perhaps he will help with that as well! In between cleaning, vacuuming, etc. I will try to get the dreaded laundry caught up today and put away before the weekend really begins. For me that means, no laundry during the weekends. We like to have at least one thing we don't worry about on the weekends. Matthew will help me with dishes since my hip has been bothering me and I just can't stand very long right now. It's one of the things he honestly doesn't mind doing. I am thankful for his help, and hanging out in the kitchen usually puts him in the mood to bake. LMSO So maybe we will have some muffins or biscuits this weekend from hubs. Tonight Matthew has an appointment at 6 with our tax lady. I have all the paperwork in order on the family's finances, etc. but since he has his own electrician business, he needs to talk to her about what she needs, etc. to figure his side of the taxes correctly. We are praying for some BIG MONEY on our tax return, because I have a few bills that need to be paid in full soon. If the tax refund is as big as I am hoping, we should be debt free except for our mortgage by the end of summer, or the end of the year at the latest! I wrote our picture appointment for Easter pics down on the wrong day....so pics are TOMORROW, not today. LOL I am glad I checked with Renea last night instead of just showing up on the wrong day. LOL I got NOah some cute sorts and polos yesterday, so I am thinking he will wear his choice of them. Well ladies, that is the boring antics of our household. LMSO Nothing too exciting here this weekend....taxes, coffee with the girls on Saturday morning, pictures that afternoon, etc, LOL It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.....a beautiful day in the neighborhood.....I woke up to birds chirping outside my window.....a cool crisp air.......a little boy laughing......a hubby's kiss......oh what a wonderful day! LOL Ok, so I wanted to sleep in (but Noah had school), but most of the rest is true!!! While I was running errands I had the window down from some fresh air and I have enjoyed the sun today as well!!!!! Noah quickly got ready for school today because I spent an extra 10 minutes in bed trying to wipe the sleep from my eyes....and when he was gone on the bus, I went to WAL-MART!!! Wally World and I have a love/hate relationship. I love going there......and spending money.......but I hate going there....and spending money!!! LMSO I ended up finding a few winter shirts for Noah for next winter on clearance for $5 each and then found a pair of shorts and polo shirt he can wear for pics tomorrow. Noah is having Easter pics taken tomorrow. It is cheaper to have them taken now when they are running a special than to wait until his birthday in April to have his 4 year old pics taken, so I am taken advantage! LMSO He better smile is all I am going to say!!! Noah's bus was LATE today coming home. I was wondering if they were every going to bring my boy home. LMSO I called the school and they had some bus problems and were running late. When they got here, the bus driver said it was their 3 bus of the day!! UGH!!! And since they have 19 kids in kids carseats, that means they moved carseats and had to rebuckle, etc. 3 times today! UGH! Friday, Matthew is talking to our tax lady. I already have the paperwork all ready for her, except his receipts and such on HIS business. So the rest is up to him and her. I am praying for BIG MONEY< NO WHAMMYS!!! LMSO I already have alot of the money allocated for one thing or another, so I am hoping it comes in quickly so I can pay off some bills. I think by the end of summer, or at least by the end of the year for absolutely sure, we should be debt free again except for the mortgage. Then we will start putting our extra money into paying off the mortage again!!! YEAH! This weekend, I am having coffee (ok I dont' drink coffee, so I will have chai! LMSO) with the girls at the coffee shop. I don't get to make it often, but when I found out my girlfriend from California is going to be there, I put it on the calendar and told Matthew I needed to go and he was in charge of Noah!!! LMSO Well all, I hope you have a fabulous day!!! Life, up dateIt has been a long time from my last post. I am doing some what better with the loss of my beloved Hope. some days are better than others. We did adopt a puppy her name is Issabella. We enjoy her, but she can not replace Hope. Kristi our baby turned 18 years old. That one is hard at times. where did the time go?? She is a senior in high school and going to college, time has gone by so fast. Our oldest daughter Dejah is expecting our fourth grandbaby on my birthday November 1st. We are so happy and can not wait for the new baby. My friend Annie's daughter, Jennifer, who is 25 years old, had emergency surgery due to she has cancer. Jennifer is getting married in December. Her husband to be and his family are a blessing to them all. They are sad that Jennifer can not have babies any more, but they say they will love any child brought into the family. Annie is having a hard time, she is heartbroken. Jennifer is waiting for her results to start cemo. I think that is it. I will be posting more, getting out of this rut. Blessing's Mj Simple Homestead Blessings: Share Yours!
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02:26 PM, Mar. 18, 2010 .. Posted in Simple and Frugal Living .. 3 comments .. Link Spring...are you ready? I sure am! As we spoke of Spring plans, my family and I decided to write a list of some of the "Homesteading Blessings" we enjoy during this season. I thought we would share them with you, and maybe you could add a few of your own to the list! Our homestead! Small though it may be, it is home! Spring flowers that burst forth in the reminder of God's perfect plan for renewal of this Earth! Laughter, and the funny antics our animals do everyday. Ever seen a chicken who thought she was a dog? We have two! Fresh grass for the livestock. A cup of tea shared on the veranda. Outdoor grilling that mean no kitchen clean-ups, LOL! The old swimming hole that becons as the weather warms. Children playing on the lawn. Church picnics that warm us with fellowship and joy. Easter! The glorious celebration of the resurection of our Lord and Saviour! Cool evenings that are just right for a brisk walk. Gardening! Love shared, and sorrows halved. Early morning and breakfast served in the wonderful Spring air! So many more, were I to write them all, I might never finish!
Share yours, won't you? Until we meet again, may the Lord bless you GOOD! Bev
Bev resides deep in the woodlands of South Carolina. Surrounded by her loving husband, children, family and friends, she thrives on her love of God, family, and the land. "Homesteading is more than just a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle of Hope and Heart!"
Green Spring Clean!
I love this time of year! Days are slowly getting longer; the sun is warmer (when it does come around), and everything is ’springing’ to life. It’s time to fling open some windows, let some fresh air in and get down to spring cleaning and organizing! In order to get down to cleaning, I need to have things organized, first. As a homeschool family, I believe we are extra challenged to keep clutter at bay! All those projects, papers, supplies, books, and wait - why is there a clay canoe in my bathroom sink? (As my youngest daughter admitted, “I wanted to see if it would float”. Hmm, well…okay, she IS learning, I tell myself!) If you are a homeschool parent, you may know exactly what I am talking about! As much as I love all of my children’s beautiful writings, projects, creations, copy work verses, math lessons, craft projects….I know you’re nodding your head right now… reality though is that I just can’t keep it all, keep my sanity and keep our home organized! Keeping our homeschool projects and such organized can be a challenge. So, as we go about our learning we keep record and memory of projects and such by taking pictures. This works for us! Don’t get me wrong, we keep some special things such as a poem, special story, etc. in a scrapbook that we have for each child, along with pictures of what they’ve done as well. Not only does this serve as a very special ‘Memory Book’ of sorts, but it keeps things organized in a manageable way that is very simple. Once the clutter of paperwork is cleaned out, we go through our curriculum. This is a great time to take stock of what we have on hand for next year! What worked? (What didn’t?) What will need to be purchased? What is my oldest child done with that I can reuse with a younger child? What needs to be tossed? We do the same with clothing; winter clothing gets tucked away for next year and out comes spring/summer clothing. Things that need to be passed down to the next child get moved, things that need repair go into the sewing area, and things that are beyond repair go in the ‘rag bag’ for use in cleaning if they have no other use. I like to have 3 boxes or large plastic containers available when I start this process. I use one for things to donate, one for things to sell (or give away) and one for things that need to be tossed, along with a large canvas type bag or ’stuff sack’ I use as the ‘rag bag’. These come with me through the house as I embark on this process. I go to each room or area until all has been gone through. When I do my Spring Cleaning, I get brutal and toss, toss, toss! Once I’ve combed through each room, it’s time to get down to cleaning!
A Few “Green Spring Clean” Recipes: Although it seems we clean all the time, this time of year we deep clean! Everything gets dusted, wiped down, and cleaned off. It’s just amazing how many dust bunnies can accumulate in such short order! I use natural, homemade, non toxic cleaners for everything. Not only are these ‘green’ but they are a huge money saver! I use a variety of recipes depending on what I have on hand. I love to use essential oils — not only their pure fragrances but also for their anti-bacterial properties! But if you don’t have essential oils in your home at this time, you can simply make up your own natural cleaners without them. Here is a short list of supplies to gather, right from your kitchen and laundry room: Vinegar Now gather up some old sour cream containers (or used glass canning jars with lids), a couple of empty sprayer bottles, some of those old articles of clothing that are in the rag bag, and maybe a green ’scratchie pad’. Surface Cleaner This works great on counter tops; I use it on the kitchen floor for spills and such too! Take one of your empty sprayer bottles, and add 2 cups of warm water, 2 TBS of Vinegar, 1TBS Borax, and 1TBS Lemon Juice. Shake it up well and voila; you have a multipurpose spray cleaner that is a great surface cleaner! Bathroom Scrub Carpet Cleaner Grab one of those handy empty sprayer bottles! Pour in 2 cups of hot water & 2 TBS baking soda. Shake well and spray over the carpets lightly, let it sit for awhile and vacuum up. This freshens up the carpeting without those toxic, dusty powders or those terribly toxic carpet cleaners! I like to add essential oils to this mixture to kill germs and add a nice scent too! 20 drops of Lavender essential oil will do the job (or any essential oil you like that has anti bacterial properties that you like). Now that we have a few basic cleaners made up, how about a wonderful Spring/Summer Potpourri blend to bring a little ’spring’ into the home? I love to have our home smell nice and inviting, and here is a potpourri blend that you can easily make up and set out in a pretty dish, or toss a cup into a simmering pot of water! You can even take a handful and put it into those single, old socks that you can never find the match for… tie the end in a knot and you have the most frugal sachets around! Tuck them into dresser drawers and closets for lovely fragrance throughout the home! (No one will ever see them and they use those mystery single socks that you’d just toss anyway!) Spring & Summer Potpourri Blend 1 Cup Dried Lavender Buds/Flowers Place all ingredients in a wide bowl, mix together well; you can also drizzle 20 drops of Lavender essential oil and 20 drops Geranium essential oil over the mixture and mix well. The remainder you can leave sealed in a container or Ziploc type bag for about a week, shaking up and tossing around the ingredients every few days. I store in Ziploc type bag and replace as needed. This also works beautifully in homemade, hand sewn pretty sachets! If you’re looking for more natural cleaning recipes, come on over to our website and check out our Homestead Simplicity: Natural Clean EBook. It’s LOADED with naturally clean recipes! Joyfully Home keeping, “She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 10:27, NASB Straw Bale Happenings......Shopping for Windows!Hello to all our homesteading friends! We hope all is well in your little corner of the world today.Fred and I have been asked to blog about our straw bale home building project. As many of you may know, we are building a house made of straw bales! We're doing quite a bit of the work ourselves to eliminate the high cost and a 30 year mortgage. We're hoping in the end to have a low mortgage for about 5 years. We do not want a mortgage payment when we retire or the high costs of heating and maintaining our home! Our first plan was to have NO mortgage payment. But that would have been very difficult to do. Maybe if we were younger and had more time? So I encourage you younger folks to think about getting out of debt and building debt free now....while you are young. It's such a good feeling! There are a few reasons we are building a straw bale home. 1.) The "R" value is high........35 - 50! That's good. Average is 25 in a standard home. 2.) It conserves energy and saves you a lot of $. It lowers the heating and cooling utility bill big time. 3.) Anyone can do it! It's tedious work......plastering those bales of straw, but even a child can help build a straw bale house. We're at the point where we are doing some of the work ourselves and doing some pricing around. This past weekend, Fred and I visited a unique store in downtown Syracuse run by Habitat for Humanity. They recycle surplus building materials that are donated for new building projects on a budget... maybe some low cost materials for our construction project! We would like to find good windows at a bargain price. We also checked out the kitchen cupboards and interior doors. It was time well spent. I think we may go back and buy some picture windows for the sun porch when the time comes. ![]() Click for Habitat For Humanity Store Photos Thank you for joining us in our adventure! We will strive to keep you up to date on what we are doing. Some weeks may be more interesting than others.....depending on where we are at and what we are doing. Fred & Teresa and family live in central N.Y in a rural farming community. They enjoy living the country life on their 1 acre homestead "Red Maple Roost!" Our goal is to one day be "off the grid." We strive to live a more self sustaining lifestyle on a shoe string. Blessings one and all! { Last Page } { Page 1 of 5 } { Next Page } |
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