Someone stop the world… June 25, 2008

…I wanna take a break!!

     Isn’t summer supposed to be the time of the year that things slow down and you can take it easy? 

     What happened to the lazy days of summer?  Yeesh!

     In addition to spending three days (or more) a week at the gym for Ms. Firecracker to prepare for Gymnastics Nationals, we also have VBS this week.  We love VBS.  The kids meet new people and make new friends.  They make crafts, learn new songs and just really enjoy learning about God and praising Him. 

     It is so awesome to watch the kids as they sing songs about God’s strength, mercy and goodness.  Despite all the busy-ness VBS is a very good week!

     On the homestead it has been a hard few months. 

     We have now lost all of our adult chickens.  It is driving me crazy!  They are not being picked off one at a time, here and there .  There are no carcasses to be found.  There are rarely feathers found.  It is not happening at night.  They are disappearing during the middle of the day.  There are 3-5 missing at a time.  I cannot find any tracks and whenever I have the game trail camera set up no chickens disappear those days!   So far I have ruled out possums, snakes and raccoons.  I have not smelled a fox in the area -ever.  We do not have any packs of dogs around here that I know of.  I have never known coyotes to hunt during the day and when they have shown up usually there is only one or maybe two chickens missing.    PS- this is also how we lost all of our ducks and most of our guineas. 

     Anyway, that leaves us with two adolescent chickens, 1 adult guinea, 1 adolescent guinea and 13 chicks.  Mr. Muscles and I have to sit down and come up with a plan.  A live trap is in the very near future.  Not that it would do any good with dogs or coyotes.  I will have to set the game trail camera up again. 

     It just makes me so mad.  All of our egg layers are gone and the adolescent chickens are 3-4 months away from laying eggs.  Geez, the chicks are just now 3 weeks old.  Enough whining, for now. 

     The kids and I have also been working our tushes off outside.   We have hauled 5 loads of dirt to backfill the retaining wall.  That is half of the loads that we need.  We have also built about half of the rock walls needed around the strawberries, grapes and blackberries.  I got a whole bunch of new flowers in the ground and even half of the first section of stone walkway laid out.   Oh, and I dug and built the new firepit.  We use it for roasting marshmellows and chilling around on the weekends.  

     See?  Busy but getting so much done!  I will get pictures up soon.  I would love to show ya’ll the progress we have made. 

I am off for now.  I have blogs to catch up my reading on. 

Have a blessed day!

~Rhen

My problem with coupons June 19, 2008

I don’t have a problem with coupons, per se but the title got your attention, right?   LOL

     Rather, I have a hard time implementing using them. 

     Cutting your grocery budget is a huge way of saving money.  To save money on groceries I menu plan, shop for two weeks of groceries at a time, use my store money-saving card, a few coupons and look for clearances. 

     I wish I could get more use out of coupons but it just doesn’t happen.  Very few of the products our family uses ever have coupons.  Usually the coupons are for disposable products, processed foods, foods filled with refined sugar, convenience foods and more generally unhealthy food. 

     Even with coupons, the individual serving snacks are more expensive that the big box or tub.   On the other side of coupons- so many of the name brands the coupons cover are still more expensive with the coupon than what I already buy and it is no better!

    As a part of our family’s commitment to be healthy, and raise healthy children, we not only are careful of what we put in our bodies but also what we put on ourselves.  Your body (and your child’s) is a sponge and it soaks up whatever chemicals bath products, lotions, make up, deoderant and such have in them.  This means we are very careful about what products we use.  Those products are bought at the local health food store with the exception of the Burt’s Bees products, which are sold at our local grocery store.  It is a very rare thing to find a coupon for organic products.  I am a member of a money saving club at our local health food store.  I save 5% off of each purchase and then 3 times a year there is a 15% off weekend but no coupons. 

     Recently I paid $2.50 for the Sunday newspaper to get the coupons out of it.  I was not even able to find enough usable coupons to cover the cost the newspaper. 

     So this leads me to a question I have for all of you.  Do you have a source of coupons that are for products that are healthy and eco-friendly?   Do you have any luck with coupons?  I would love to hear how the whole coupon thing works out for you. 

Have a blessed day,

~Rhen

    

This week’s agenda June 16, 2008

I am so proud that I have to share to something with you. 

I mowed the grass! 

An ordinary thing you say?  Ha!

     Over a year ago Mr. Muscles was mowing a path down by the creek and clearing some of the hollow.  When he had finished he started back up to the house.  He had only made it about 75 feet when the lawntractor ran out of gas.  Not a problem.  The ATV will easily pull it back up.  All was going well and he was almost to the top (we live in the mountains so this particular hillside is quite steep) when the rope contecting the lawntractor to the ATV broke.  For most of the trip back down the mountain the lawntractor just rolled backwards but about 20 feet in front of me, I was coming up the hillside, the thing diverted right and started fliping.  

     It was crazy looking!  The hood opened up and was bent, two of the tires were pulled off their rims and the poor thing looked bad.  Mr. Muscles did manage to get it all the way up to the house where we accessed the damage. 

     has been working on it ever since.   While it was working well enough to be used last summer I did not feel safe.  This year Mr. Muscles did an overhaul on it and now it is working like a champ again.

Our grass so high the kids could play Marco Polo and Hide and Seek in it! 

It is extremely satisfying to mow down grass that tall.  I laughed, out loud, the entire time I was mowing!

Everthing looks so much better.   It actually looks like someone lives here! 

     Mr. Muscles, the kids and I worked hard around here this past weekend and I hope to carry that momentum through the week despite our schedule.  LOL

     So, my to-do list is:

scrub and clean out the fridge

grocery shopping for the next two weeks

laundry (a little to make up after working outside so much)

finish the new fire pit

gather rocks for the rock walkway to the grilling deck

a load or three of dirt to fill in behind the retaining wall

weed and mulch the front gate gardens

weedeat

finish attaching the pasture fencing to the t-posts

finish ordering the rest of next year’s curriculum

oil all the wood furniture in the house

mulch the vegetable gardens

finish our study of the human body

help the kids to write down the last of their books for the summer reading program. 

 

I really hope I can get this list completed.  With the kids’ summer gymnastics schedule it is harder to get everything done before it gets too hot outside.   That afternoon heat is a little too much when you are trying to haul rocks around.

For this week’s menu:

Tuna Salad

Hamburgers w/ baked homemade cheesy fries and baked beans

BBQ chicken stew

Homemade pizza

Veggie night

Chicken fajitas w/ refried beans

Saturday night is our family night out.  No cooking, no cleaning and my tea glass is never empty. 

Looking for more menu ideas?  Visit Organizing Junkie! 

All of our meals are homemade and not out of a box.  If you are interested in any of the recipes I use just leave me a comment and I will post it with next week’s menu as well as email it to you.

Have a blessed week,

~Rhen

Fundraisers are not good for my hips. May 31, 2008

We are all so proud of our Ms. Firecracker (7). 

She won the State Championship Gymnastics Competition for her age group and is now going to Nationals. 

What does this mean?  This means that we have to do some serious fundraising. 

One of our fundraisers is selling chocolate bars.

They are the largest dollar fundraising bars out there, they are made in a peanut free facility and the chocolate with almonds one is delish! 

I have lost count of how many of those I have bought.  Too many, I can tell you.  LOL

I will be so glad, yet sad, when this fundraiser ends. 

Have a blessed day,

~Rhen

 

Pass the superglue please. May 28, 2008

My hubby man, Mr. Muscles, has done it again. 

He has lost his wedding ring.  *sigh*

Obviously, this is not his first time. 

A few months ago we were in the same predicament.  After hunting for weeks we finally bit the bullet and bought him another one.  A couple days later, we found his wedding ring.   THANK YOU GOD!!  I returned the other one.

Sadly, Mr. Muscles did not take away anything from that experience (sorry, honey) and the same thing happened again.  The same way.  Insert eyeroll here.  LOL

My suggestion.  Tattoo my name around his wedding ring finger.  Simple and unable to be lost.  That is, unless he cuts that finger off.  We pray that doesn’t happen. 

Yes, I am a tattoo person.   For anyone who will no longer be reading my blog because of that, have a very blessed life and remember to take joy in everything God brings to you.  For those of you who will stick it out with me, bless you! 

Anyway, I think my name around his finger would be a great idea.  If he finds his ring again it will cover the tattoo but, if he loses it again, viola! 

I could do the guy thing to mark my territory but I cannot pee standing up so that is not an option.  Just kidding!  I wouldn’t do that to him.  Unless he really, really deserved it.  LOL

Oh, where does the conversation go from here??!! 

This is me saying “later” and laughing my tush off. 

May God bless you,

~Rhen

This week’s plan and menu May 19, 2008

How was your weekend?  Mine was crazy busy but a good one.   We were able to accomplish almost everything on last week’s list. 

As for this week…

~ Gardening.  Things are sprouting and growing like crazy in the gardens.  There is a little weeding to do.  We are trying to stay on top of it so it doesn’t become too much.  Mr. Muscles has to till the lower garden and make a gate for the upper garden.  I have some more planting to do in both. 

~ Laundry.  I try to hang as much outside as I can.  It really cuts down on the electric bill.  I try to do 2-3 loads a day but I was not able to do much laundry over the weekend so I havve to catch up.

~ Grocery shopping.  Every other week we go grocery shopping. 

~ Projects.  I have a small rock wall to build at the top of the strawberry bed.  My work on the projects is light this week.  My schedule is a little more full than usual. 

~ Homeschooling.  In addition to our normal work we also have several homeschool get-togethers and outings.  I am still choosing curriculum for next year.  I have the handwriting and science and I know what I am getting for math but there is more than just that!  LOL 

 ~Spiritually.  I am looking to finish up my Elizabeth George book (A Woman After God’s Own Heart).  This has been an excellent book!!

~~My cleaning zone this week will be the kids’ rooms.  Our May assignment for Organizing Junkie’s Monthly Round Up is kid’s rooms.  I am very excited about getting their rooms done!  I have already been at work in the rooms and taking pictures. 

On the menu for this week:

Pasta Bake w/ garlic bread.

Hebrew National hot dogs with cole slaw and baked beans.

BBQ Chicken, potato salad and fresh sliced veggies.

Breakfast with cheesy eggs, turkey sausage and toast.

Chicken Fajitas with refried beans.

Beef tips and rice with green beans and Greek salad. 

Saturday night is our family night out.  That means no cooking and no cleaning!!

What’s happening in your house this week?  Leave me a comment with a link to you so I can visit! 

Have a blessed week,

~Rhen

PS-

All meals are homemade and if you are interested in a recipe just let me know.  I will post it with next week’s menu. 

For more Meandering Mondays visit Tiany and for more Menu Monday visit Organizing Junkie

Excuse me? No bathroom? May 15, 2008

There is something that is the bane of every potty training parents’ existance.  A store with no public restroom. 

How is that possible?

Do the owners of the store sit around musing among themselves that their customers, and the money said customers are interested in spending in their store, are not important. 

Are we not important enough to warrant a bathroom? 

Okay, I can see someone off the streets, who can easily head to a gas station or something, but what if you are big pregnant (with 20 pounds pushing down on your bladder) or have a child with you? 

What if that child is POTTY TRAINING!!??

Have they no heart?!?! 

I, personally, would drop my would-be purchases on the counter and leave to find a more accomodating store.  I know that is what Gettysburg Mom would do. 

What would you do? 

Take a peak at Gettysburg Mom’s story and let me know. 

I would be interested to hear from you!

A plantin’ we will go! May 14, 2008

High Ho the Derry-o, a plantin’ we will go!

I love my time out in the garden.

Tonight it was just God and me. 

So quiet.  So peaceful.  LOL 

Ok, maybe it was not too quiet.  The dogs barked at everything and I talk out loud to God but it was a great conversation!

I got a lot planted.  I planted the 2nd of 3 succession corn plantings.  In two weeks I will get the last one in. 

I also was able to plant 2 rows of okra, 3 of large yellow onions, 1 of 2 rows of spinach, 2 rows of peas, an area of carrots and radishes, 8 cucumbers, and a few marigolds and sunflowers. 

I use a wide row method that makes use of every square inch of garden space.  When I say I planted two or three rows they are not the traditional rows that are several feet apart so I am able to plant a hundred feet of corn in a wide row that is 20 foot long. 

I also use this method for planting my lettuce, carrots and radishes.  I have blocks of lettuce and blocks of radishes and carrots.  By planting the radishes and carrots together I am giving the carrots the space they will need.   The radishes will be ready at 21 days.  As I harvest them I am opening space up for the carrots to really take off and get fat.  The carrots from the store cannot compare to the sweetness of carrots from your own garden!

If you are interested in wide row gardening I highly recommend this book:

Also, I like to mix flowers in my veggie garden.  Marigolds are especially heplful in repeling many different pests.  I also put sunflowers in there.  The kids love them and they add such a bold splash of color and interest. 

I still have quite a few other things to either get planted (seeds) or transplant.  More tomatoes, peppers, squash, watermelons, pumpkins, potatoes, sweet potatoes and such.

I have my composted manure for making “tea”.   We are supposed to get rain tomorrow and I will make my first batch of “tea” this weekend for the veggies as well as the fruit trees, vines and bushes. 

What are you planting?

Do you have a favorite food to grow?  Mine are tomatoes.  I absolutely relish picking a big, juicy, ripe tomato and making a gigantic sandwich out of it.  Yum!

What’s yours?

 

This week’s plan and menu. May 12, 2008

Hello and good Monday!  Did you have a great weekend?  Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms!  Hope it was a blessed one.

Now onto my plans for this week.

~Yes, laundry.  I only have 2 laundry baskets.  While some might think that 2 is plenty, not for a family of 8.  One basket is the permanent sock basket and so I actually only have 1 working one.  I need a few more. 

~Gardening- We picked up the last of the fencing for the gardens and we have finished enough of the deck and retaining wall work in the lower garden to get planting there as well.  I am looking forward to getting things in the ground.  Mr. Muscles has to till in there first.

~Projects-  I have one more stretch of pasture that needs t-posts.  Yah!  Mr. Muscles is really feeling a wild hair to get the fencing done.  I am going to take advantage of that giddyup.  LOL 

~We have to get the yard cleaned up.  All of the projects and such makes for such a mess of the yard, driveway and parking area.  The kids and I are hoping to get out there Tues. and get everything put away, thrown away and cleaned up.  The yard is in need of mowing but that will have to wait.  I have too much to do this week.

~The competitive gymnasts booster club is having a fundraiser yard sale this weekend.  I am heading that up and I have tons of stuff for it.   We were already planning on having a yard sale but this will provide us with a much better location and then we can use the money for gymnastics competions for Ms. Firecracker.  We have a couple of other kids who may go competitive and I want to be ready just in case. 

~Homeschooling- the kids are really feeling the push to finish more books.  I am not pushing them but they see just how close they are to being done with certain books and subjects and they are pushing themselves.  Every once in a while I have to slow them down a bit.  LOL 

~Spiritually I am looking to finish up my Elizabeth George book (A Woman After God’s Own Heart).  This has been an excellent book!!

~~My cleaning zone this week will be the kids’ rooms.  Our May assignment for Organizing Junkie’s Monthly Round Up is kid’s rooms.  I am very excited about getting their rooms done!  I have already been at work in them and taking pictures. 

On our yummy menu this week is:

   *Chicken Fajitas with refried beans.

   *Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, peas and fresh veggies.

   *Breakfast including cheesy eggs, turkey sausage, toast and gravy.

   *Pasta Bake with garlic bread.

   *Chicken and Macaroni cheesy casserole.

   *Beef tips with rice, onions, bell peppers, and beans with sliced veggies.

   *Saturday night is our night out.  This is my favorite night.  No cooking and no cleaning!

All meals are homemade and if you are interested in a recipe just let me know.  I will post it with next week’s menu. 

For more Meandering Mondays visit Tiany and for more Menu Monday visit Organizing Junkie.

Ya’ll have a very blessed week and don’t forget to leave me a comment.  I love them and then I get to come visit you!

~Rhen

The recipes requested last week:

BBQ Chicken Stew:

Cooked chicken diced up and put into a stew pot (I use 6 chicken breasts).   Add 2 diced tomatoes, 2 cups of green beans, 2 cups of corn, 5-6 medium sized potatoes diced and 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce.  Allow all of it to boil together.  If you use canned veggies the juice you will only need about 2 cups of water but if you use fresh veggies you will need 4.  You can use chicken broth instead of water as well.  Allow it to come to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are soft. 

Breaded herb chicken.  I use a mixture of my favorite herbs (you can buy mixtures such as Italian, Lemon and Pepper) and toast that has been crumbled up.  Break 4-6 eggs into a dish and whisk them.  I use chicken breast or tenders.  Dip the chicken in the eggs and then roll in the herb and bread crumbs.  Put them in an oiled pan on the stove, cover and cook on a medium heat until they are done.  The chicken can be covered with mozarella cheese and a light dusting of herbs when they are done. 

 

WFMW- lessons-learned-the-hard-way May 7, 2008

Oh man, do we all have lessons we have learned the hard way. 

You get a tip on how fantastically it worked for someone else, you try it, and then disaster! 

Things should not be allowed to work that way.

What has not worked for me?

Getting up really early suggestions.  I know moms who have half of their daily to-do’s accomplished by 6:30 am.  I am not one of those moms.  Don’t get me wrong.  I do not sleep my day away or anything but I am by no means a get-up-before-the-sun-and-conquer-the-world kind of girl.  I conquer the world after 7 am. 

Swiffer wet jet.  I do realize how sanitary it is to be able to throw away the pad but it just cannot clean the edges of the floor, the cracks (or grout) in tile and baseboards.  It just doesn’t seem to work as well as an old fashioned scrubbing.  I use an industrial string mop and wash the head.  It is a washcloth to clean the baseboards and edges.

So, what doesn’t work for you? 

Pop over to Rocks in My Dryer to read more “didn’t work” and leave a few of your own!

Have a blessed day,

~Rhen