Wanna Be a Steader!

Wise Words from Marmee

"I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished, & good; to be admired, loved, & respected; to have a happy youth, to be well & wisely married, & to lead useful, pleasant lives, w/as little care & sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send.  To be loved & chosen by a good man is the best & sweetest thing which can happen to a woman; & I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience.  It is natural to think of it, Meg; right to hope & wait for it, & wise to prepare for it; so that, when the happy time comes, you may feel ready for the duties & worthy of the joy.  My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world, -- marry rich men merely because they are rich, or have splendid houses, which are not homes because love is wanting.  Money is a needful & precious thing, -- &, when well used, a noble thing, -- but I never want you to think it is the 1st or only prize to strive for.  I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, then queens on thrones, w/o self-respect & peace...

"...better be happy old maids than unhappy wives, or unmaidenly girls, running about to find husbands," said Mrs. March decidedly.  "Don't be troubled, Meg; poverty seldom daunts a sincere lover.  Some of the best & most honored women I know were poor girls, but so love-worthy that they were not allowed to be old maids.  Leave these things to time; make this home happy, so that you may be fit for homes of your own, if they are offered you, & contented here if they are not.  One thing remember, my girls:  mother is always ready to be your confidant, father to be your friend; & both of us trust & hope that our daughters, whether married or single, will be the pride & comfort of our lives."

~~Marmee -- from "Little Women" ch. 9.

Graduated Our "Baby"!

Well, 16 years ago, when we started homeschooling, we knew this day would come.  But I can't believe how QUICKLY it did!  Saturday, we graduated, Jenna - our 'baby'!  She didn't want the big outdoor ceremony like we did for Jasper in '06 (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Buckeyeblog/153294/) , she just wanted an open house - a more social event.  We DID, however, still get her a tassle &, of course, a diploma.  And I am still putting together her memory book. 

It was a beautiful day & we had over 100 people between 1-9:30p.m.!  One of Jenna's dearest friends, Hannah S., put together a great slide show that was repeating on our T.V. whenever anyone wanted to take a retreat from the slightly high humidity or get a piece of cake (kept inside so it wouldn't melt - lol) after their hambergers & hotdogs.

It was a great day!  Here are a few pics for you to enjoy...

Jenna w/some of her Besties!

Jasper (DD#1 on right) w/life-long bestie, Beth, & her new beau!

Ty (in the middle)...a.k.a....Daddy...a.k.a....my sweeite...a.k.a....grill master!  And co-horts.

Proud grandparents.

Various awards, trophies, newpaper articles, graduation tassle, diploma, Golden Angels homeschool volleyball team pics, etc.

THE diploma.  (Thanks HSLDA!)

VOLLEYBALL!!!!!!!!!

 And what's a cookout w/old friends if it doesn't end in a grudge water fight?!  (There's history behind those water fights!)  lol 

It was a great day!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

HSLDA ~ USA Today Gets Homeschool Story Wrong

On May 28, 2009 USA Today published a story based on a report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is part of the Federal Department of Education, titled “The Condition of Education 2009.” The headline of the USA Today story was “Profound shift in kind of families who are homeschooling their children.” A few days later the title was changed to “More higher-income families are homeschooling their children.”

Regrettably, among other problems with the article, USA Today made one blatant error and one very misleading claim. The blatant error is USA Today’s statement that homeschoolers are increasingly white. We do not understand how USA Today can reach this conclusion. Simply by reading the NCES report you will discover that the estimates for white homeschoolers, as a percentage of the entire homeschool population, were 75.3% in 1999, 77% in 2003 and 76.8% in 2007. The obvious conclusion is that for the years 1999–2007 white homeschoolers consistently represented just over three-quarters of the homeschool population.

HSLDA asked the NCES to comment on the USA Today article. Below is a statement from JoAnn Webb, a spokesman for the NCES, “The percentage of all homeschoolers who are White, non-Hispanic has not changed over this period (in the mid-70 percent range).”

Another misleading claim, as the revised title for the story states, is that more higher-income families are homeschooling their children. Again, USA Today failed to correctly read the report. In order to make their point, USA Today defines “higher-income” as families whose household income is over $50,000. How many people really consider $50,000 in household income “higher-income?” For comparison, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2006 married-couple families with one or more related children under age 18, the median nationwide income was $74,049. It is very misleading for USA Today to boldly assert that more “higher-income” families are homeschooling when out of the 60% of families they cite as being “higher-income” — (26.8% in the $50,001–$75,000 bracket and 33.2% in the $75,001 or more bracket) the 26.8% that USA Today believes to be “higher-income” actually have below average incomes.

Also, as has been confirmed by the NCES, the income figures between 1999 and 2007 were not adjusted for inflation. This means that the same type of person answering the NCES survey in 1999 that fell in the $25,001–$50,000 income bracket could easily find themselves in the $50,001–$75,000 bracket in 2007 since an income of $45,000 in 1999 becomes $55,518.63 in 2007 after adjusting for inflation.

It’s a shame that in an era when hundreds of diverse media outlets are able to accurately report on the homeschool movement a major newspaper has made such simple errors.

Perhaps the writer was just in a rush to be first, since his story was published on the day the NCES report was released online, or perhaps he has an agenda to falsely paint homeschoolers as rich and white, thereby dismissing the full range of people who are making tremendous sacrifices on limited budgets to ensure that the next generation receives the best education and upbringing available. Either way USA Today should make additional corrections to their factually inaccurate story.

Combating Garden Critters

From my latest installment of The Old Farmer's Almanac newsletter...

Combating Critters
Do you have any critters in your garden—rabbits, moles, slugs? Here is some advice to help:

• To keep rabbits out of your garden, surround it with fencing at least 3 feet high and 8 inches below the surface.

• Plant rue to keep cats out of your garden.

• To see a mole “run out, astonished” (according to 16th-century herbalist John Gerard), put a bulb of garlic in its hole.

• To deter deer and raccoons, tie old sneakers and clothes that smell of human perspiration to garden posts.

• Scatter garlic around your garden to deter many a pest—such as deer, woodchucks, and raccoons.

• Sprinkle ground red pepper in entrances to mole tunnels.

• If your neighbors don’t mind, play a radio at low volume.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Diagnosis is in...

...my mom was diagnosed with dementia leading into Alheimer's. My brother & I have some hard decisions to make. Please keep my family in your prayers. Thanks.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

FOR SALE: School Chalkboard & Tapestry of Grace

I am selling our 8' x 4' chalkboard that was from the original Troy Christian School.  It is in great condition & I am asking $150.00.  I will even include the eraser & chalk!  Haha.  It served us very well for 11 of our 16 years of homeschooling.

I am also selling my complete set of YEAR 1 Tapestry of Grace - 
"The History of Redemption" for $150.00.  Also included are the "Map Aids" & "Reproducables" DC-Roms.  This is valued at $250.00 (Bundle 1) on the website.  It's even all put together in 3 3-ring binders for you!

Unfortunately, b/c of time & shipping expense - & b/c my DH is laid off - I'm only offering this to local folks who can come & pick up these goodies.  By "LOCAL" I mean anyone from Miami, Montagomery, Preble, Clark, Darke, Shelby, Greene, Champaigne & other Ohio counties local to Miami.  If you have any questions, let me know.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Closing One Door, Opening Another

Yesterday, my DH & I deep cleaned our school room (A.K.A. the laundry room, the computer room).  We found things tucked - or stuffed - away that we had forgotting about.  Things we hadn't seen in years.  LOTS of memories after 16 years of homeschooling.

It surprised & some-what saddened me that the girls didn't want to keep certain things; and as I don't want to be a pack-rat, I didn't keep them, either.  We are keeping certain things b/c of sentiment & b/c  our girls will most likely homeschool their children (HOPING that it is STILL LEGAL by then).  Books and resources covering all age/grade levels; particularly those wonderful old readers that were once my grandmother's or my mother's or mine; and especially the McGuffey Reader's, Ray's Arithmetic, classics & old home-keeping manuals. 

But there are other books and resources we are keeping for other reasons.

We are keeping their high school History, Government & Science books b/c, as things are changing so quickly in America, even IF homeschooling should be legal when our DDs homeschool their children, we fear that it will be strickly controlled.  They may not be able to purchase books and resources containing GOD'S TRUTH about the Sciences or they may contain even more revisionist history than our public schools already spew.  We want our children to be able to teach our grandchildren TRUTH.  God's truth, as it applies to these subjects. 

We continue to pray for our beloved America, but we look to the East, as well.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #37 ~ 6/8/09

Outside my window...Grey, drizzly, unseasonably cool.  Take THAT Al Gore!

I am thinking...about the business I'm praying about starting.

From the learning rooms...preparations for DD#2's homeschool graduation!

I am thankful for...the small savings we had when DH got laid off 2 months ago & having been already living frugally so that not having a severance hasn't crushed us.

From the kitchen...stir fry w/rice for lunch; not sure about supper.

I am wearing...jeans, blue t-shirt, brown zippered hoodie.

I am reading...'starting a small business' websites.

I am hoping...that I have the nerve to continue on w/the small business & that my business plan is ok.

I am creating...a cleaned-out school room.

I am hearing...the radio.

Around the house...deep cleaning the school room.  So weird to think that I don't need to keep school planning in the back of my mind all summer.

One of my favorite things...my log front porch swing.

A few plans for the rest of the week...cleaning, cleaning, cleaning; weeding herb garden, various graduation open houses...

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

This is my Dogwood tree earlier this spring.
 
Enjoy other Daybooks at:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

A Mother's Destiny ~ by Kim Wolf

{This is the script of one of the speeches I give on Christian women's issues.}

Have you ever thought of your life as being touched with destiny?  Everyone one of us here…no matter the circumstances of our birth, no matter the home life we were born into, no matter our economic status – or lack there-of – have been born with the plan of God in mind.  Our choice is if we will allow God to use us. 

Those of us who are mothers probably remember the moment we found out we were expecting for the first time.  Oh, remember all those day-dreams of pink and blue.  Of all the pretty little ruffles and bows we would dress our little girl in – or – as our husbands would remind us – the choice of whether our baby’s room would be decorated in Ohio State scarlet and grey or Bengal’s black and orange tiger stripes!  And then after all those important decisions were settled by reminding each other that the baby wasn’t even here yet; then the nerves set in…

…and the prayers…

“Oh Lord, am I ready for this? I thought I was, now I don’t know…cause it’s gonna hurt!  But, it will be worth it because I know You’ll give me the sweetest tempered, most loveable, most huggable, happy, compliant baby…but….just in case it should cry, just in case it should get sick…am I ready for this?”

No matter how much we pretended to be the best mommy when we were little girls, no matter how many younger siblings we helped take care of when we were growing up, no matter how many families we babysat for when we were teenagers…there’s NOTHING like having your own baby, is there?  So many things that Mom never told you about!  Everything from how morning sickness doesn’t actually end at noon, to how fatigue can hit you like a smack in the face, to how much you will LOVE that baby.  Isn’t it funny how changing YOUR baby’s diapers was never as bad as changing those of other babies?

And no one can ever tell you about how that love will show you the heart of God and how He loves His children.  Especially when it comes to what we will have to face – good and bad – when it comes to our children.  Do you think that we break our heavenly Father’s heart when we disobey?  Do you think, as our heavenly Father, that God’s arms burn to hold us and comfort us when He knows our future and the things that must pass, the furnaces we must walk through to become the children and have the testimony He wants us to have?  I do.

My husband, Ty, and I married in the fall of 1984.  Our marriage began in a little country church on a beautiful fall day filled with my favorite spectrum of colors…yellows, golds, rusts, reds, burgundies, and the deeper greens of autumn.  I took my farm-boy out of the country into Dayton and we enjoyed our new marriage and traveled on weekends with a contemporary Christian band he sang in; we enjoyed our friends, our church and our new-found status as a married couple in our extended families.  Soon we discovered that we were going to have a baby!  We would barely get to celebrate our 1^st wedding anniversary before it came.  As we were the 1^st of our circle of newly married friends (5 couples of us married w/in 4 months) to take the next step, everyone was very excited for us.  We were on our way to having those 5 kids that we had always talked about.

Oh, mothers, aren’t those 1^st months of pregnancy “great”?!  Where were you when your 1^st bout of morning sickness hit you?  Mothers, and we ARE mothers during pregnancy, soon find out that our sweet little ¼” long babies cause our body to take on a mind of it’s own!  My babies told my body to eat things like Taco Bell bean burritos, raspberries and ice cold tomatoes w/salt and pepper.  What did yours like?

Well, as with all things related to time, days turned into weeks and weeks into months.  In the latter months I soon found myself so swollen that I had to switch shoes at least 3 times a day…each one gradually a little looser fitting.  Then I noticed that I had NO ankles!  And in the last month I had about 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pants that I could fit into…including a pair of my husband’s old sweat pants w/the elastic taken out!  On my next trip to the Dr., he very quietly, very calmly told me, “I’m not worried about the baby, so don’t YOU worry, but I want to you go home, pack your bags, call your husband and have him take you the hospital.  We’re going to admit you TODAY.” 

Well, how do you NOT worry about a thing like that?  I was still 15 days short of my due date.  Well, you know how those pregnancy hormones are…I told myself that since the Dr. wasn’t worried about the baby that I could handle this change of plans.  It wasn’t until my husband came home to get me that I realized that something must be wrong w/ME and as soon as the door opened I fell into his poor, confused arms and sobbed.

Once we got to the hospital, we went through the admitting process and I was astounded at the weight I’d gained in a week.  I was also shocked that the nurses were so shocked that my legs were the same size from my hip to my ankle.  Didn’t all preggos swell like this?  I was equally concerned when they didn’t say ANYTHING after they took my blood pressure.  When my Dr. came in, he again reassured me that the baby was fine but that I had Toxemia and I had to stay in bed until the baby was born b/c I had retained so much fluid and my blood pressure was at pre-stroke level.  Mind you…he was saying this in the calmest way possible so that my blood pressure wouldn’t go up even more!!

Five days passed, not only was my swelling and water gain not going down, but neither was my blood pressure.  The decision was made to take our predicted 10 lb boy by c-section the next day. 

Before 7a.m. I was wheeled into surgery with my sweet, nervous hubby following behind me.  I remember a sweet little nurse popping her head over mine as I lay on the table, saying, “Do you realize that in 5 minutes you’re going to me a mommy?!”  FIVE MINUTES!! 

Before I knew it, the Dr. told my frightened husband to look over the little curtain to see what he had.  All I can say is that LIGHT absolutely BEAMED from my husband’s face.  Whatever our baby was, I knew then and there that it was beautiful.  Then, to the shock of us all, the Dr. said, “It’s a GIRL!”  A 7lb. 10 oz. 19” long precious baby girl!  Jessica had come to join our family!

The worst part about having a c-section is that all you can do after is sleep.  It’s also the protocol for many hospitals to keep c-section babies in the nursery for 4 hours before bringing them into the mother’s rooms.  Just in case we ever wondered, this was another opportunity for God to show us that He was watching out for our little family.  During an exam a nurse noticed that the tube she was using to suction Jessica’s nose with turned and came out the other side.  Just to make sure, she did it again.  Same result.  This was a clue that she needed to get the Dr. in to verify a suspicion…after x-rays the suspicion proved correct. 

Jessica was born with a Trechial Esophogial Fistula.  Her esophagus actually grew into her lungs instead of going into her stomach.  If I would have nursed her after birth, she could have drowned.  Immediately, the decision was made to take her to Children’s for surgery.  The surgeon assured us that this happens in 1 in 4,000 births and that he personally does 2 of these surgeries a month.  She was other-wise very healthy and because of that she sailed through a 9 hour surgery in 4 hours!  In a few days, like so many other babies w/a fistula, she also had to have a trache put in.  Believe me, there’s NOTHING like your baby watching every move you make while you put in her trache tube for the 1^st time!   The Drs were all very encouraging and she came home 5 weeks and 1 days after she was born. 

Jessica was home!  There may be doubters, but I’m telling you that she KNEW she was home!  She slept soundly and comfortably and learned to laugh in our home.

One cold January, on a Saturday morning, when Jessica was 12 weeks and 4 days old, my husband got up to change her diaper and have a little Daddy Time w/her so I could get 5 more minutes in our warm bed.  I heard a noise and looked up as Ty came running wide-eyed into our room.  “I’m calling an ambulance!  Something’s wrong w/Jessica!”  I went in and she was still breathing but was limp and ashen.  Everything was such a rush!  The EMT’s came in, looked at her, and after taking her vitals and using a hand pump over her trache, they snatched up my baby, ran down the stairs and put her in the ambulance.  I tried to get in the back but they pushed me up to the front seat w/the driver.  I can tell you EXACTLY when she left this world.  We were crossing the Stanley St. bridge and the men in back started screaming for the driver to hurry! 

We got to Children’s and I watched them run, carrying my sweet baby into the ER…and I waited for Ty to get there as he had driven behind us.  We were ushered into a little room where we called our parents and prayer warrior friends.  There was a young lady who was the clergy on duty that morning who was assigned to us.  I told her, “Listen, we’re Christians and I don’t want you praying any pansy prayers like you would w/unbelievers clinging to anything they can.  If you pray…then you PRAY!”  We prayed.  She would come in and out and give us up-dates.  Finally, after an hour and a half, the Dr came in and told us that she was gone.  They tried so hard but she wouldn’t stay. 

My baby?  MY BABY?!  My baby that I’d had her name picked out since I was 15 years old?  My baby that I sang “Jesus Loves Me” to my whole pregnancy so that she would know it when she was born?  My baby that I had nearly died to have?

Oh God!  What has happened to our world?  God, did You feel this way when Jesus died and had to be separated from You before the resurrection?  How do we live through this?  How DO I live through this? 

In John 6 Jesus told the nearly 150 disciples that to follow Him they had to eat His flesh and drink His blood.  Vs. 60 says, “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching.  Who can accept it?’”  Many of them left until practically only the 12 remained.  Jesus turned to them and said, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”  And for once Peter didn’t have his foot in his mouth and he said one of the most profound things anyone trying to hang on to reality could ever remember:  “Lord, to whom shall we go?  YOU have the words of eternal life…”

The next several days were a blur of shock and sadness, but we hung on to Jesus.  My body still prepared itself to feed Jessica – but she wasn’t there; my arms ached to hold her – but she wasn’t there.  After weeks of all the activity that surrounds a new baby, my world just seemed to stop.

But I have to tell you ladies, that God IS still on the throne!  He does lift us up and He does get us through.  His Son didn’t leave this world w/o scars, why should we think we should be any different? 

When the smoke started to clear and we got slowly got back to living life, the Lord gave me a verse I have claimed as my life verse:  2 Cor. 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

That’s destiny.

Mothers, everything we go through has the purpose of destiny behind it.  Jessica was put here not only to bless our lives for 3 months, but to teach us about the heart of God toward His children.  We also had 2 miscarriages between Jessica and our other beautiful daughters, Jasper and Jenna.  (Did you notice that God DID give us the 5 we prayed for?  Just not the way we thought He would.)  But we have been able to minister to others who have gone through those same things like no others can.  Because we had Jesus to rely on, we have been able to step out and do more and say more than would ever have been possible before.  The Lord used what we went through to make us strong and bold for His glory…not our own.

Mothers, you have been chosen to do extraordinary things!  Your attitude in the “mundane” is what teaches your daughters character and perseverance and joy in their home.  Your “everyday” is what shows them that life is worth living because when they grow up, they will be blessed with the privilege of caring for their children.  All the wiping of bottoms and noses, all the patty-cakes, all the same stories read over and over again, all the skinned knees, the chicken pox, the school lessons, re-learning new math, field trips, talks about the facts of life, first crushes and broken hearts, graduations…and letting go.

Mothers, all these things have YOUR fingerprints on them!  Your fingerprints are all over your children!  Your destiny is them!  Because God has touched your life with destiny, because everything that He has taken you through – even what seems so boring and mundane -- has taught you something that you can pass down to your children and, in the spirit of Titus 2, pass down to the younger mothers that you know.  And because of that, the Lord has written about YOU in His Word…

“She is clothed with strength and dignity;

She can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

And faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her:

‘Many women do noble things,

But you surpass them all.’

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

But a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Now THAT’S destiny!

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

This song is such a blessing to me.  We sang this on our praise & worship team this past Sunday.  LOVE this song! 

Blessings from Ohio, Kim<><

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV2zMZ-nZ7k

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #36 ~ 6/2/09

For Today...

Outside my window...Beautiful sunshine, blue skies.  It will be hot and humid today, ushering in t-storms for tonight.  Enjoy the sun while we can.

I am thinking...That 10 years ago right now, my family was at my Daddy's hosital bed knowing that he had less than 24 hours left w/us until we meet again in Heaven.  Unbelievable that it's been so long.

From the learning rooms...Preparing for DD#2's homeschool graduation!

I am thankful for...My dear DH who is willing to try anything to get a new job since his lay-off.  He has a class today at a job finder.

From the kitchen...Made homemade chicken noodle soup yesterday; since I will be out w/my mom most of the day, DD#2 will be the cook for DH.  DD#1 is at work all day, so she will eat out.

I am wearing...tan capri pants w/bumble bees all over, black top.

I am reading...STILL reading "Mansfield Park" by Jane Austin.  I have sadly not had the time to read that I'd like.

I am hoping...That my mom's Dr's appt is productive and that she doesn't have Alzheimer's.

I am creating...Frugal ideas for DD#2's graduation.

I am hearing...The radio, the dog's tags jingling as she prances past me.

Around the house...Everyone is going their seperate ways today - I hate that.  I'm going to take my mom for her Dr's tests, DH is going to his class, DD#1 is at work, DD#2 will be stuck "holding down the fort" while we're all gone.  Poor DD#2!

One of my favorite things...Riding horses.

A few plans for the rest of the week...MASSIVE house cleaning before the grad open house; finishing weeding my garden.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Daddy's girl.

Enjoy other Daybooks at:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Homemade Glycerin Soap

I enjoy making my own health care, skin care and home care items.  I've posted directions for such items as homemade toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent, face wash, etc.  Today I'll show you how I make our homemade glycerin bar soap!

First, you will need a few basic items...

You will need:  glycerin soap chunks, glass measuring cup, whisk, rubber spatula, water, extra virgin olive oil, fragrance/essential oils, botanicals/herbs.

Place several glycerin chunks in the glass measuring cup...

Melt chunks in microwave at 20 SECOND intervals until melted...

While your soap is melting, crush any botanicals/herbs you may want to add to your soap.  In this case, I am crushing dried rosemary leaves; later I crushed a few lavender buds from some I grew last year & had hanging in my kitchen...

When soap is melted, pour into a mixing bowl and add your botanicals/herbs, any coloring you may want (I usually don't add coloring), 1-2 TB extra virgin olive oil, 1-2 TB cold water and fragrance/essential oils...

In this batch I'm also adding about 10-15 drops of rosemary essential oil and 10-15 drops of tea tree oil.  Mix QUICKLY w/a whisk until soap is somewhat thick & frothy.

Pour into soap molds...

Remember...your soaps will not be the 'prettiest' at this point.    The bottoms are a little 'rough' but you will trim the 'uglies' off when your soap has cured.  Below, I have made 2 bars of lavender (upper left), 2 bars of gragefruit (my husband's shower favorite; lower left) & 4 bars of rosemary/tea tree (my shower favorite & what I sometimes put on the bathroom soap dish; right side).

After your soap has set in the molds for at least 30 minutes, turn them out onto a wire cooling rack to cure for 2 weeks.

You will notice that they are not 'pretty' on the edges.  As I said before, you will trim the excess off the edges when they are cured and you are ready use or store them.  Until I use them (or give them away) I wrap them in colored plasic wrap or brown paper gift wrap and tie w/raffia or brown or colored twine.

These are low-lather soaps and are particularly good for oilier skins w/o being drying to dry skin-types.  Adding oatmeal makes them great for drier skins or even exfoliating normal skin-types.  Adding coffee grounds that have been ground again (by you) is great as a gardener's or mechanic's soap.  Adding a few drops of tea tree, rosemary & lavender makes a great soap for oily skin (if you prefer a bar soap instead of the face wash I made earlier from liquid Castile soap).  Adding simply Vitamin E or extra virgin olive oil or a honey-almond fragrance is excellent for a bath soap for the whole family - good for the skin and even though it has a nice fragrance, it's not too girlie for the man of the house.

Let me know if you try this recipe.  Enjoy!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Jenna's Senior Pictures

Here we are, getting one step closer to the end of our 16 years of homeschooling everyday.  Jenna's academics are finished and we are looking forward to her graduation Open House in June.

In the meantime, a dear friend of ours (who just happens to be her BFF's dad) took her Senior pictures this weekend.  I think they turned out very well.  Here's a few...

When did all my babies grow up?  Time passes SO quickly...ONE MORE REASON TO HOMESCHOOL!  Think of all the precious time we would have missed with our daughters if they had been away from us all those years.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Yippee!!! Yahoo!!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #35 ~ 5/19/09

For Today...

Outside my window...Beautiful, lovely sunshine!  In the mid-60's degrees; will only get up to around 68 today.

I am thinking...about my DH's job situation.  If he doesn't find something by the end of the month we'll have to turn in 1 of our cars.  BUT I have faith that the Lord IS supplying even as I type!

From the learning rooms...Formal homeschooling in OVER!  After 16 years!  We will be graduating DD#2 on June 20th - ALL OF YOU who are local are invited!!

I am thankful for...An Imperials concert on May 20th, 1982...tomorrow will be my 27th b-day as a Christian.  THANK YOU, LORD!

From the kitchen...I need to run to the store and get some vanilla rice milk so that I can make a particular recipe for lunch.  DD#2 is allergic to dairy so I use rice milk in milk-related recipes.

I am wearing...burgandy thermal pants and a burgandy sweat shirt - it was a chilly morning.

I am reading..."Mansfiled Park" by Jane Austin.

I am hoping...That DH gets a job TODAY!

I am creating...plans for DD#2's homeschool graduation and a business plan for a POSSIBLE home business.

I am hearing...The radio, traffic passing b/c the windows are open.

Around the house...I'm so excited that everything but 1 thing is growing in my garden.  I've 'graduated' myself from window herbs to a smallist herb/kitchen garden this year.

One of my favorite things...Seeing those lovely green plants pop up out of the grownd in my garden and knowing that it's what I WANT to be there and not a weed.  lol

A few plans for the rest of the week...meeting w/a group of ladies from church tonight, planning DD#2's graduation, sending out memory letter requests for DD's memory book, laundry, finding new ways to be frugal, attending a grad party.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Just a glance at my antique school desk w/part of my collection of antique school books.

Enjoy other Daybooks at:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Day is FAST Approaching...

The day is FAST approaching when we will be graduating our 2nd daughter, Jenna! We've decided upon June 20th as the date. Several other homeschooled kids are graduating this year and we're all trying NOT to step on each other's parties.

I had Jenna's school planned out until the end of this month but she's finished everything & I see no reason for busy-work. SHE'S FINISHED! Bittersweet. She plans on waiting a year before deciding about going to college or not - taking the year to get a job, get involved in our church's Young Adults and LIVE.

So, I've been glancing through our school books - the ones I haven't sold over the years - and trying to decide which ones I want to sell and which I want to keep - both for senitment and for those future homeschooled grandkids that I may help to teach! '-)

It will certainly be an odd fall - after 16 years of homeschooling all the books will be put away.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #34 ~ 5/11/09

For Today...

Outside my window...Beautiful, lovely, bright sunshine and blue skies w/a few fluffy clouds.  New green leaves on our big Maple trees and songbirds singing their special songs!  PTL!

I am thinking...that I hope my husband finds a new - WONDERFUL - job SOON!  (Like...TODAY!)

From the learning rooms...Subjects are narrowing down as they are being completed.  DD#2 has completed American Gov't and Nature Journaling for the year.  Graduation is nearing!

I am thankful for...A husband who loves Jesus.

From the kitchen...Simple grilled cheese sandwiches & soup for lunch; cheesy quesadillas for supper...I think.

I am wearing...Jeans, blue plaid shirt.

I am reading...Gardening books; I may re-read some Jane Austin book.  I have them all (thanks to DD#1) and never tire of them.

I am hoping...that DD#1 has 'all her ducks in a row' as she plans to move out into her 1st apt this summer w/her friend.  Oh...when did my girls grow up?!?!

I am creating...an organized house.

I am hearing...the radio, birds singing outside the widows, the jingle-jangle of the dog's tags as she trots through the house.

Around the house...Deep spring cleaning room-by-room, school.  My herb garden is GROWING!  Woohoo!!

One of my favorite things...Food cooked on the grill.  Why is food cooked over a fire SO MUCH better?

A few plans for the rest of the week...DH is going to a job fair, homeschool, putting together a business plan for a POSSIBLE business I MAY start after DD#2 graduates, putting together 2 of my unit studies for publication ("Horses" & "Little Women ~ The Civil War for Girls").


Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

My sweet Grandpa has been on my heart all weekend.  My mom gave me one of his hats that has been at her house all these years (33) since he died.  I miss him SO much; he passed away only days before my 17th b-day.  He was a 'storybook' Gr-pa; a wonderful, godly man.

Enjoy other Daybooks at:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Simple Woman Daybook ~ #33 ~ 5/3/09

For Today...

Outside my window...Lovely, lovely sunshine!  The leaves on the trees really popped this last week after all that rain.

I am thinking...That I hope I can continue to bring cheer to my husband's heart while he is unemployed.

From the learning rooms...DD#2 has an American Gov't test.  Oh joy.  '-)

I am thankful for...The meager savings that we have to keep us going.

From the kitchen...hamburgers on w/w buns w/lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, co-jack cheese; cucumber slices, mac n cheese...Summer-time food!

I am wearing...skirt made of sweat-shirt material, black 3/4 sleeved shirt.

I am reading...garden & herb books.

I am hoping...That my Dear Husband finds work SOON, he's starting to get discouraged and trying not to show his fear of our shrinking savings.

I am creating...a peaceful home.

I am hearing...radio, washing machine & dryer; listening for the bread machine beeper to go off so I can put the dough in the bread pan to rise and then bake.

Around the house...school is going on - DD#2 only has less than 4 weeks of homeschool to go; DD#1 is getting ready for the night-shift at work; I'm getting ready to do a little weeding in my herb garden (HOPING that it takes!), looking for new growth & hoping I don't "weed" the wrong thing!  lol

One of my favorite things...when our DD's recognize the love and work of the Lord in their lives.

A few plans for the rest of the week...homeschool, Dayton Dragon's baseball game, gym(?), DD#2 babysits on Friday, Sunday worship w/the saints!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

My beautiful, silly DD#1.

Enjoy other Daybooks at:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #32 ~ 4/27/09

For Today...

Outside my window...dark, breezy night.  Sweet sounds of tree frogs along w/one abnoxious baby bird who must be afraid of the dark; it keeps chirpping non-stop.

I am thinking...about the nice time we had last night; my DH was baptized (he had been sprinkled as an infant, before) and we became members of our new church.  After, we had a nice talk w/our pastor and frozen custard at Culver's w/a nice couple from church.

From the learning rooms...other than the usualy, DD#2 helped me put in my new herb garden in the front yard where our huge pine tree had been.

I am thankful for...peace in my home.

From the kitchen...tonight I made boneless/skinless chicken breasts fried in olive oil w/Spike Seasoning, rosemary and my own herb mix sprinkled on top; potatoes w/cheese and green beans.

I am wearing...jammies; I'm doing my Daybook at night this time.

I am reading..."Treasury of Vintage Homemaking Skills," "Encyclopedia of Country Living" and notes from a ladies' meeting I went to on gardening for ideas for my herb garden.

I am hoping...my herb garden that I planted today takes off!

I am creating...good for my family.

I am hearing...the beautiful sound of tree frogs over that silly little bird!  I also hear bits and pieces of "Miss Potter" from the living room.

Around the house...Things are quieting down as the day unwinds and we all cozy-down for some T.V. or reading before bed.

One of my favorite things...Laughing w/my family!

A few plans for the rest of the week...homeschool, job interviews for DH, weeding, deep cleaning a couple of rooms, church.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Magpie Maggie Mae on her favorite 'perch' where she can look out of the windows to see who dares to walk past HER house w/o saying hello!  It's HER world, we just live in it.

Enjoy other Daybooks at:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here is one of the simplest and most effective recipes for homemade laundry detergent.  Our family has used this for quite some time and we love it.  Once the initial purchases are made my laundry only costs about 3-5 cents per load!  It's my understanding that you CAN use this in front-loading machines b/c it's a gel and not a liquid; plus it is low suds.

And you know you have something good when your 21 year old DD says, "One of these days, when I leave home, will you still make this for me?"  lol 

First, you must to collect the things you'll need to make your soap:

A large pot and a WOODEN spoon DEDICATED to ONLY making soap; I label mine w/a Sharpie marker so that no one will confuse them for cooking utensils - even though I don't actually keep them in my kitchen, you never know and you want to be safe.  You also need a box of Arm & Hammer WASHING Soda and 20 Mule Team Borax, along w/a bar of Fels Naptha Soap - these items are found in the laundry isle of your grocery - and Lavender essential oil - it's antibacterial AND it smells SO good!  And while you're in your kitchen, grab a hand grater and med-sized dessert-type plate.

And don't forget a container w/a good lid to keep your finished product in!  This is what I use - an old popcorn bucket - so it doesn't have to be anything fancy.

Pour 8 c. of water into your pot and let it be warming on MEDIUM heat while your are preparing your other ingredients.

Grate 1/4 of the Fels Naptha bar...

Add 1/4 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda...

Then 1/4 c. 20 Mule Team Borax...

Mix them together a little...

And w/the wooden spoon, scoop the ingredients into the warm water...

Bring heat up to MED-HIGH and...

Add 1ts. Lavender essential oil, stir until soap bits are dissolved and then stir occasionally while this heats up for about 20 minutes...

After it has all dissolved and is well stirred, remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour.

You can see that after if has sat for 1 hour that it is starting to gell-up.

Then just pour the partially gelled detergent into your storage container, top w/the lid and let it finish gelling.  If you made your detergent in the morning it should be ready to use by the evening, other-wise, just wait until the next morning.

Use a 1/2 c. or so in each load - if I'm doing a large load I will add a little more.

This has gotten out all sorts of stains for me.  If the stain is really bad - and if 'someone forgot' to tell me that their favorite shirt has some sort of stain on it and it has set in - I take an old toothbrush, get a little detergent on it and brush WELL across the stain and then let it sit for an hour or so, after that I wash it as usual and the stain is generally gone.

I have never had any desire to go back to store-bought deterent.  I hope you enjoy this.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><