herban homestead

this moment {she's 8}

2012-01-27T06:30:00.001-06:00

all-purpose cleaner recipe

2012-01-25T09:40:00.001-06:00

...It's a dreamy kind of morning
The day started with rain
and the rain continues
Moonpie is on the couch reading
Buddy is in his room quietly playing
and I'm dreaming of a spring garden...

in the meantime, I have a new cleaning recipe to share with you. I usually am a vinegar and water kind of gal, but I threw caution to the wind this week and came up with something I rather like. I hope you do too!

Herban Homestead All-purpose cleaner
(based on a recipe found in Green Clean by Hunter and Halpin)

2 C hot water
1 tsp borax
1 tbsp Dr. Bronner's castile soap
1/8 C white vinegar
5 drops rosemary essential oil (EO)
10 drops lemon EO
2 drops tea tree EO

using a funnel, pour into spray bottle

This cleaner has better surfactants than my typical vinegar and water. And it smells great!

it's chinese new year!

2012-01-23T08:54:00.000-06:00

How about some impromptu celebrating?

crafts:

source: Craft Jr

source: OhDeeDoh

It's the year of the dragon!

Thumb print kumquat tree!

lunch:

fried rice

book to read:

this moment {haircut}

2012-01-20T08:14:00.001-06:00

joining soulemama

flowers for moonpie

2012-01-16T18:34:00.001-06:00

Know what I love even more than getting flowers from my husband? My little girl getting flowers from my husband.

swoon.

Moonpie has been wanting some extra daddy time lately, so this morning he asked her to go on a date with him. He came home from work with a bouquet of daisies wrapped in pink paper and a purple ribbon. I wish you could have seen the shine in her eyes when he handed them to her.

She put on a dress, we fixed her hair, and they were off.

John and I have worked with teenagers for about 17 years now. Here is one thing I have learned over that course of time- if a little girl doesn't feel special to her daddy, she is going to look for it elsewhere. If the first time she ever gets dressed up and has a man tell her that she is a knock-out is when she is on her way to the prom, you better believe that trouble will ensue.

Moonpie hears that she is beautiful about one million times a day. You'd think her name was "Beauty" because that is what she is called most of the time. Tonight, when she was in her dress, with her hair neatly combed and her lip gloss on just right, she walked up to our bedroom door and knocked on it to let her daddy know she was ready. He opened it and saw her sweet little face beaming up at him. His eyes lit up as he told her "wow! You look so beautiful!". That child's face shone like the moon reflecting the sun.

She knew it.

She knew she was beautiful because her daddy told her so.

this moment {in a tree}

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

joining soulemama in a wordless moment. so sweet that i want to capture it forever.

photo credit: Buddy

new year's tree

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

On new year's day we hauled our Christmas tree out back and began setting it up for the birds and squirrels. I had some fruit from a couple of fruit baskets we received that was past its prime, so I sliced it up and dehydrated it over night.

Buddy poked holes and Moonpie slid the strings into place. I marveled at the sunshine coming through the dried orange slices.

After we had our fruit ornaments ready, we hung them on the tree. The kids made up new words to "Oh Christmas Tree" as we decorated!

We have decided that we will continue to add to the tree as the days go by. Next on the list is a popcorn garland and some peanut butter and seed pine cones.

This was such a fun way to begin our new year; taking care of our new neighbors in our backyard!

We saw a robin red breast for the first time yesterday. He ( Moonpie grabbed the bird book to determine his sex ) was quickly run off by a territorial blue jay, but for that brief moment, we were pretty excited!

happy new year!

2012-01-04T09:36:00.000-06:00

photo credit: moonpie
you may be wondering "do you always dress like a 3 year old girl?"
the answer is "no, usually I dress like a 3 year old boy"

I'm blowing the dust off of my keyboard.

Cracking the creaky out of my fingers.

Trying to get my mind to settle on one thought.

And waiting to see what happens...

There is so much to tell you-

our new home
our new yard
my thoughts for the new year
near foster/ adoption placements
some refining that is taking place

Thanks for sticking with me these past months as I've sat quietly. Thank you for your emails "just checking in" to see if I'm still breathing.

I'm entering this new year of blogging with a realization that there is nothing new under the sun. Nothing that can dazzle. But the sharing of ideas, the reminders, the encouragement- these are all good things. And I'm thankful to be a part of it.

Free Real Foods e-course!

2011-12-11T10:38:00.001-06:00

I'm coming out of recently moving/ Christmas a-coming hibernation to tell you guys about this great opportunity! My master herbalist training program is offering a FREE e-course this January called "8 Weeks to Real Foods". I have learned so much from my master herbalist program. I'm positive that this e-course will be informative and even life changing for some! If you are wanting to eat a whole foods/ real food diet but uncertain where to start, please consider taking this course. It will help to clear the clutter of all of the misinformation out there. And did I mention it's free?!?!

Go straight to the information page to sign up today!

Also, if you are looking forward to the upcoming semester and wanting to integrate some herbalist training for the kiddos, check out the herbal books for kids and the newest one for tweens (to be released in the new year). Great information! You may even learn something as you teach it to your kids!

PS- will you let me know if you decide to do this? I would love to cheer you on!

I am an affiliate for Vintage Remedies. Any time you follow a link through my blog and purchase an item, I receive a small compensation (which is very nice, but mainly I do this to share the word about good health). Thank you for your support!

advent

2011-12-01T15:49:00.000-06:00

We are in it. The season of waiting. Of Emmanuel. God with us!

Our candles are up.

Our Jesse tree is up (and actually being used!).

I am being reminded to ask what it is that I am expecting in this season of the waiting.

And I am full of thoughts. Words are seemingly harder to find. That is a good place to be when you are waiting. Expecting.

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For a look back at season's past, click here.

this moment {picture-less}

2011-11-11T10:54:00.001-06:00

Virtual high-fives for anyone who can guess what I'm doing at this moment!

*hint* It rhymes with schmacking

I did it

2011-11-09T08:43:00.001-06:00

I started packing! After repeatedly calling John yesterday complaining about how much I had to do, yet I had no boxes to put anything in, he came home with boxes and tape and markers. And then my friend Brandi came over and picked up my kids so I could have time to pack. And then later that night, my friend Robyn showed up with boxes (thank you sweet friends!). Drat! Looks like I actually have to do this! So I did! And it feels good!

We have decided to make our last few days here all about our favorite things to do in this town. Today? Possibly a thrift store (my favorite) and then most definitely onto the ice cream factory for some fresh deliciousness (their favorite)! We are still going to be living very close to this place, but I really wanted some fun things for us to do in the midst of all of the things we have to do. Some time to fill love tanks while most of our time is spent side by side working away. So this seems to fit well.

I am thankful that we had the foresight to take a little mini road trip last week! We had so much fun just living in a pile on top of each other for the week. Really, I treasured every minute of it! We started at my brother and sister in law's place to finally (finally!) meet my sweet baby niece. She is full of cuddles and smiles- I just love her! We also got to go trick-or-treating with my nephew. That was so much fun!

Our destination after we left there was to a drive through safari. We had so much fun! The highlight of the day was when the ostrich stuck his head through our sunroof! We were all squealing and ducking away from certain pecking.

before the pecking began- typing this my brain is screaming "run for your life!!!"

the zebras were crazy friendly!

Thinking about it makes me smile. It was one of those perfect days when you are totally making your kid's dreams come true.

Off to pack up some books.
Who do I think I am with all of these books?!?!

surely there is something I should be doing

2011-11-08T10:22:00.000-06:00

I should be cleaning, or organizing, or dumpster diving for boxes. I for sure shouldn't be updating the blog!
Seems like with all that I should be doing, all I want to do is nothing. Funny how that works. Maybe funny isn't the right word...

So, in the spirit of procrastination, here are our Halloween pictures, a week late!

Buddy was a knight. Check out the shine coming from his sword! Sha-shinggg...

Moonpie was Tigress from Kung Fu Panda.

John and I were Bert and Mary Poppins

Ok seriously, I need to go do something.

look who thinks she can just start blogging again...

2011-11-07T09:20:00.000-06:00

Wait, did I just do that? Did I just click "new post" after a whole month of not blogging? And it seems that after a whole month, I'd have lots of pictures and words to share. So let's see, where to start?

Maybe this.

We are moving. Next week I will be in a new home, in a new town, serving in a new church. And I feel all the feelings that go along with that. Excited, sad, happy, overwhelmed. But mostly I feel confident. Confident that it is the right move for us, confident that we are leaving our current ministry in great hands. Confident that God has written these plans and humbled by His goodness.

We are moving into a house with THREE whole bedrooms! We will have a huge yard, almost an acre! We will be living across the street from the church that we will be serving in! We will be close to where we currently live.

These are good things.
These are gifts.
And we are so very grateful!

So right now I am planning bedrooms in my head. Our kids have always shared a room. How do I sort toys and books? I am planning packing in my head. I am theoretically ordering shower curtains and wall clings. And while all of things are going on in my head, I'm trying to slow our last days down in this home. Sitting by our dining room window that lets in the softest, loveliest light, making origami with Buddy. Singing, with John on guitar, in our poorly insulated living room. Rocking in our chairs on the front porch with Moonpie. Soaking in our final moments in this sweet little home of ours.

this moment {enchiladas}

2011-10-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

joining soulemama:

clean bill of health

2011-10-06T07:26:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much for the insight and recommendations about goats yesterday! I have primarily been researching Nigerian Dwarves having no idea that there are mini breeds of the La Mancha and Nubians. Oh the Nubians, with those floppy ears! So cute!

I had mentioned last month about my recent departure from taking the herb Vitex. I went last week to get my hormone levels checked and everything came back in the normal range! I am relieved. I didn't want to have to go back to square one and figure out something else to take. Most importantly, it's wonderful to just feel good.

wish list

2011-10-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

I added some new books to my Amazon Wishlist last night. Can you tell what's on my mind?

Day dreaming.

No, I think I prefer, preparing. Preparing for our "one day".

hiking with children

2011-10-03T15:01:00.001-05:00

hiking in Palo Duro Canyon

Fall is our favorite time to hike. After spending the latter half of the summer cooped up to escape the heat, the reprieve of autumn has us outside pretty much constantly. Hiking is one of our most favorite things to do as a family. We have hiked with the kids since they were babies, carrying them on our backs or up on daddy's shoulders. We have hiked on city trails, up mountain sides, and down to the creek. If a day isn't quite going the way we'd like, all it takes are the words "let's go for a hike" to cheer everyone up!

Hiking with children is different than hiking with a group of friends. I prefer to hike with children because the pace is nice and slow and gives me lots of time to check out the surroundings. Children are such keen observers and are happy to stand quietly to hear the rabbit rustling in the brush or to get down low to check out a tiny troop of ants busy at work. In order for us to have the best time we can, we have taught our children some hiking rules to follow. This gives us all a peace of mind and allows us to enjoy our time together even more so.

1. Whistles
The one thing we always give our children when we set out for some day hiking, or the minute we get to a camp ground for a weekend stay, is a set of whistles. We let them try out the whistle while we are setting up camp, getting all of their whistles out. After they have had some fun time with the whistle we remind them of the purpose. If they wander away, see a snake or feel lost, we tell them to blow out 3 short whistles. We practice a couple of times together so they know the drill. We have found that when they are playing with their whistles (who can resist?), they tend to blow long whistles. The shorter blows take more effort and concentration.

2. Stay with the group!
We are sticklers on this. While we are out hiking we want them to stay close by and on the marked trail. The time will come when they are older and can venture out a bit on their own, but for now, we prefer them close by.

3. Hug a tree!
Even though we try to keep everyone close, the time comes when one will run up ahead of us and shoot around a bend out of our eyesight. We have taught our children that if they get away from us to stop where they are and hug a tree! They are to stay put hugging on that tree and blowing on their whistle until we find them. This is something we practice before we start out, and when we get to the trail head. "Quick! Hug a tree!".

4. Everyone carries their own water and snack.
This is difficult for smaller children, but it can be done. We want our children to carry their own water and snack just in case they get lost and are apart from us for a long time. While we would never anticipate them truly getting lost, it DOES happen. It is better to be safe. Currently we use water bottles and small backpacks, but I would love to invest in a small CamelBak for each member of our family. (note: I don't always do this for short hikes. But if we are going out for a few miles, I do try to have everyone carry their own pack.)

vine swings!

5. Explore!
Remember that hiking is about the experience! It is not about getting to the destination. If the area is safe, take time to go off trail a bit as a family. See what's at the top of that hill- together.

6. Rest!
If you want happy hikers, be prepared to take lots of stops along the way. And be sure that they know that you don't mind the break! Sighing or rushing can make them feel guilty and not enjoy the moment. Push and encourage to go on when necessary: "Let's see if we can make it to that waterfall!", but know when enough is enough. Trust me!

I think this list could go on. There are ways to make hikes fun for those they may be a bit reluctant (like letter boxing), and there are ways to challenge your family to press on farther. But this is a good beginning. Because really, hiking should be about being together experiencing the beauty of nature. If things seem too "ruley" it's not going to be any fun- for anybody. Up front training and gentle reminders can keep everyone in good spirits along the trail and make for a memorable hike.

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If you are new to hiking and would like more details about what to pack in your own backpack, or the gear to carry along, please ask away!

If you are experienced in hiking with children, what are some tips you'd like to add?

this moment {photographer}

2011-09-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

joining soulemama in a wordless moment. so sweet that i want to capture it forever.

thrifty thursday

2011-09-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wow! I haven't done a thrifty thursday post in forever! But you better believe that we are still hitting the thrift store as often as we can!

A few weeks ago when I was out thrifting, I had already made my purchase and on my way out of the door I saw this sitting on the sidewalk:

Isn't that the most precious toy box you have ever seen? Right now it is sitting at the foot of Moonpie's bed holding all of her stuffy friends.

Moonpie and Buddy share a bedroom. Just in case you are wondering what her side of the room looks like, here's a little peak:

Maybe one day I'll do a proper room tour!

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What fun treasures have you found out and about lately?

book review {surprised by oxford}

2011-09-28T16:13:00.000-05:00

I have recently joined up with the Tommy Nelson publishing company to review new books. This is a win-win for me. I love to read, I don't like to spend money. Bam! Free books! Yes!

The first book I chose to read is the novel Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. This is the memoir of Ms. Weber's journey to Christianity. I believe that it is her first novel, however, she is a professor of romantics literature and has had much exposure to great writing. This comes across in her work.
I love the pictures she paints of Oxford! When I was a freshman in college, I had the opportunity to study for a semester at Oxford, but couldn't quite make it work. I've always wondered what that would have been like. Her description of the different colleges and the surrounding area are so beautifully described. I was able to "feel" like I was there experiencing the dank basements, the cold, wet air, and the glorious English country side. That was truly a treat to read!

I am always interested in hearing people's stories, so I am no stranger to a memoir. I actually have read two memoirs this month! This story was especially interesting to me as it was about her conversion to Christianity in the realm of academia. It comes across as a genuine story, and is interwoven with how she met her husband.

Overall I really liked this book. There were areas that fell flat for me, but I would recommend it as a good read. I think the most tedious thing about the writing is the redundancy of examples. When making a point Ms. Weber pulls from several sources (quotes) to drive the point home. It is heavy with references to CS Lewis and U2. Heavy. I grew tired of that after a while, but it wasn't a big enough factor to make me want to put the book down.

So in a nutshell, I would recommend this book. Had I not received the book for free, I probably would not have purchased it for myself, however, it definitely would be worth checking out from the library.

checking in

2011-09-26T17:54:00.000-05:00

This weekend John officiated a wedding for a family that is very dear to us. We all went up to Waco for the night and packed lots into a very short window of time. The wedding was a late evening ceremony on Saturday in the backyard of the bride's grandmother. It was very sweet and had lots of charming touches. About five minutes before the ceremony began, Moonpie was doubled over in stomach cramps. I was so thankful for the venue in that moment! She was able to lie in bed until the ceremony was over. We hit the road to get back home right after and the poor little dear began getting sick. She ended up vomiting 6 times in the car on the ride home and then off and on throughout the night. She is a trooper, and by the next day was up and slowly regaining her appetite. Today John came home from work sick, so we are back in for round two. Ugh.

In the meantime Buddy and I, being the lone survivors, are doing all we can to fortify ourselves against this bug. He (and now, Moonpie) is eating lots of yogurt with some extra probiotics mixed in. I'm taking my probiotic capsules and eating lots of yogurt as well. I'm also hitting my immune builder herbs pretty hard. And then there's the hand washing and laundry. A never ending cycle.

At this point in my mommying (and life) I realize that no plan is full proof, so I'm making an extra large pot of my feel better chicken soup just in case the children have to fend for themselves for the next couple of days. Fingers crossed they won't have to! Nothing worse than being sick and having feral children running around!

this moment {gotcha!}

2011-09-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

joining soulemama

the chicken killer has been caught!
now, about that possum that's digging up my garden...

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addendum: about five minutes after a catching this little bandit we heard squeaky raccoon talk coming from the porch. We check out of the window and saw a much larger raccoon standing next to the cage. When we opened the front door, he lazily walked off of the porch and watched us from the stairs. He matched the description of the actual chicken killer much better. He was very large. Looks like we're still on the hunt (if you count a non-kill trap and release program as a "hunt"). sigh...

the apparent project {haiti}

2011-09-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

my cuties decked out in their apparent project jewelry!

I received a box of happiness on my door step today! Beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, jewelry pouches, ornaments and key chains made by artisans in the Haitian Apparent Project.

I love the heart behind this non-profit agency. They were made aware of the problem of child abandonment, realized that this was, in most cases, a direct effect of poverty, and set out to be a link in the chain to end that cycle! And they're doing it! They are training men and women in skills, employing them, and paying them a living wage for the work they do.

From the Apparent Project site:

We train each parent in a specialized skill, such as jewelry making, bookbinding, sewing, or another craft, building relationships along the way.Through addressing educational needs, homelessness, joblessness,nutritional problems, medical needs, and building emotionally and spiritually enriching relationships, we are trying to bring dignity and wholeness to the whole person, strengthening each to be a support and encouragement to others.

all images borrowed from the Apparent Project site

While the Apparent Project advocates passionately for the adoption of true orphans we also believe that preventing child abanonment by economically empowering Haitian families is the best way to rescue children. This is why we have created opportunities for impoverished parents to earn an income through our artisan program.

This is why we are called the "Apparent Project". We are trying to help mothers and fathers in poverty be A PARENT to their children. We are educating and taking care of street kids who don't have A PARENT. We are using media and the arts to make the needs of Haiti APPARENT to those who can help, and we are doing this all with the hope that the love of God will be made more APPARENT to those we humbly serve and that He will be known as A PARENT to the parentless.

I read this and my soul says "yes". This is the kind of work that I want to be a part of. The hard work of redemption, of breaking the chains of oppression. Of mamas and daddies getting to keep their babies while having the ability to feed them and clothe them.

If you would like to be a part of this work as well, would you consider going over to the Apparent Project website and seeing how you can help? You can donate on a one time basis, on a monthly basis, or do some early Christmas shopping. Or, maybe you would consider hosting a jewelry party? It can even look less like a party and more like you putting out a message on FaceBook and your friends coming over and rifling through the box of happiness with you. Trust me, this goodness is hard to keep to yourself.

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I was first made aware of the Apparent Project through my buddy Heather. She and her husband Aaron work for an agency in Haiti called Heartline. Heartline does amazing work, offering prenatal and postpartum care to women in Haiti. They are midwives, breast feeding educators, and doulas. And counselors, and pastors, and teachers, and surrogate mamas to their girls. Right now Heartline is trying to build a maternity care center. They have recently been entered into a contest to win a $50,000 grant. Can you imagine how much that money will do to get them closer to their goal? Wanna help them make it? Would you please take a minute and head over to The Giving of Life site and vote for Heartline? What an easy way to make a BIG difference in the lives of women and children in Haiti! You guys are awesome! Truly, you are!

a lesson learned {vitex}

2011-09-19T06:00:00.012-05:00

image found here

About two years ago I had some blood work done which revealed an imbalance in my hormones. Specifically, I was producing too much prolactin. After some research I discovered that prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland. A little more digging uncovered that the pituitary gland is most nourished by red meat. I hadn't eaten red meat since I was about 17 years old. It became clear that I had malnourished this important gland, and was now paying for it.

I am a firm believer that food is medicine. But I knew that I couldn't eat therapeutic amounts of red meat to make up for the damage already done (both for financial and taste preference reasons). I began a supplement with my B vitamins and one month later became pregnant. We had been trying for so long to get pregnant- we were thrilled! If you've been reading here for a while, you know that we were heart broken when that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. A few months after that, my doctor suggested the blood work panel.

When the labs showed my high prolactin levels, I knew that I'd try chasteberry (vitex). Vitex is a powerful herb! So powerful in fact, that it can rebalance hormones in a very short period of time. Finding reliable information on vitex was difficult. I couldn't find solid dosage recommendations or even for how long to take the herb. I decided to go with what seemed right to me, based on my experience over the years with other herbs. Before taking the vitex, I was experiencing:

irritability
short luteal phases
minor hot flashes
anxiety
severe moodiness

After a three month cycle on a therapeutic dose of vitex, these symptoms disappeared! For the first time in years, I felt like myself! As you can imagine, I continued the vitex hopeful that it could keep me feeling balanced and normal.

Many of the places I read mentioned that vitex needed to be taken for six months before any significant changes would occur. When I hit the six month mark of taking it daily, except during my period, and still felt great- I decided to take a break from it. Just to see. That was a mistake! And a rough month. The next month, I got back on, and felt good again.

I had read some information that said the vitex should be discontinued after one full year on it, but I could tell that my body wasn't ready yet. So I stayed on. I actually ended up staying on for about 18 months! At the 14 month marker, I started feeling 'off' again. I considered the vitex, but decided that it was probably just the stress of our life at that time that was making me feel bad. For the next four months, my symptoms worsened. I was back to feeling anxious, but this time the anxiety was acute. It took major prayer and scripture recitation to get me feeling okay again. I was also extremely sensitive to the heat we were experiencing. That heat would be a trigger for my anxiety. It was horrible! I was having dry mouth. I couldn't figure out why I was having to drink countless cups of water a day to stay hydrated.

A light bulb went off one day while we were at a friend's house. They had the TV on and one of those pharmaceutical commercials came on. I wasn't really listening, but I picked up on one of the side effects of the drug- dry mouth. I started thinking about the vitex, and about the quiet voice that had been telling me that I was done with it. I kept ignoring my body because I was afraid to stop taking it. I was afraid of going back to the anxiety and the moodiness. Yet as I looked at my present state, I realized that I was back there again already. On the herb!

This month has been my first month off of vitex in 18 months. I debated about weaning off of it, but I decided to just go cold turkey. And I have felt great! The best I have felt all summer! I go to the doctor next week to get my blood work done again. Just to see if things look ok.

The experience of taking the vitex has been a powerful lesson learned for me. One of trusting, one of knowing when to hold 'em and knowing when to fold 'em. One of listening to how my body is working, taking the time to check in with myself. And the great reminder that nothing is to be done out of fear.

At this point I would still recommend vitex to a friend. But I would recommend that it be treated with great respect and caution.

ps: the information shared here is intended to relay my personal experience with this herb. I am not a doctor. If you feel that you need medical attention, please go see your doctor!

this moment {a bit of quiet}

2011-09-16T07:09:00.002-05:00

joining soulemama

my sister's birthday

2011-09-15T06:00:00.001-05:00

Moonpie's birthday post card (I smudged her real name out)

There is this great picture somewhere of my older sister and I together- I am sitting in some sort of 70's baby carrier and she is sitting next to me in all of her three year old glory. She is leaning towards me showing the baby blue eye shadow she so expertly applied to her lids, her sweet little face framed by her golden Tennille haircut. This is one of my favorite pictures of us. Her being such a big sister, and me just basking in all of her loveliness.
I love my sister immeasurably. She's all the way out in California, and sometimes I get so homesick for her that it makes my heart hurt. And if I could have one wish today it would be that I had a Scarry-esque apple helicopter so I could span the distance between us and share some ice cream with her on her birthday.

So,
to the one who taught me how to wear high heels with my Wonder Woman underoos so stylishly
how to read (as a 4 year old)
how to lay out on the trampoline (even though I would get really bored and start bouncing you)
how to pluck my eyebrows (against my will) and
how to see Jesus in every one I meet

To the one that let me sleep in your bed when I was scared
or lonely
or confused by what was going on in our home

To the one who turned on the Christmas carols every Christmas Eve and threatened that Santa would not come if we did not go to sleep
who taught me how to spend my money
who taught me how to give generously

To my one and only sister
my dear
my heart

Happy birthday to you.

I love you.

-m

my sister and moonpie, 4th of July

tree of medicine

2011-09-14T08:44:00.001-05:00

image found in google images

We have had about two weeks of sinus and respiratory troubles making their way throughout our home. It has been a good time to use one of my favorite herbal treatments, the elderberry.

For thousands of years, elderberry has been known as the tree of medicine. In folklore, it is said that Native Americans thought that elderberries could heal all and its consumption offered the gift of long life. Hence the name elder. Modern science has revealed that elderberry prevents the flu virus from spreading throughout your body. Or taken as a preventative, it can even prevent it! That is a lot of power in a little berry!

Elder can be taken (and is very effective) for:

colds and flu
fever
congestion (lung or sinus)
hay fever
skin tonic
burns
chapped hands
cuts, scratches
tonsillitis
sore throat

Elderberry plants (Sambucus nigra) grow natively throughout North America. (If looking for it in the wild take care that you do not consume red elderberries as they are toxic.) Often times you will find elderberry growing right alongside plants that cause allergies. The remedy with the offender. In herbalist circles they would call that the wisdom of mother nature, but from my perspective as a Christian, I see that as the providence of God.

During flu season we generally drink elderberry tea on a regular basis, three or four times a week. I also make up a batch of elderberry syrup and keep it in the refrigerator for acute illness. However, this time of year, when it is still reaching over 100 degrees everyday, it has not occurred to me to make the syrup. Fortunately, the dried berries are a staple in my pantry and I always try to have some on hand.

To steep a cup of elderberry tea for medicinal purposes, I generally:

place one tablespoon of dried, black elderberries into a reusable tea bag
once the water is boiling and whistling away, I pour it over the tea bag
place a saucer over the top of the cup so the steam stays put
mix in a spoonful of honey (which contains its own healing properties)

This creates a very strong tea that children may not prefer. For children, I would use 2 teaspoons of dried berries. An added treat for a sick child is to use an organic lolli as the stir stick. That always seems to brighten their day!

If symptoms come upon you and you have no elderberries in sight, there are some very nice and effective elderberry syrups on the market. I have tried both this one and this one.

*Curious to know where I've learned this information? Visit the Vintage Remedies button on the side bar there. I am currently enrolled in their Master Herbalist program. Two other great sources are A Kid's Herb Book and the Vintage Remedies handbook.

ps- I'm not a doctor. I'm just trying to pass on what has been effective for me and thousands of other people over hundreds and hundreds of years. If you feel that you need medical attention, please go see your doctor.

making words

2011-09-13T06:00:00.005-05:00

What can be more riveting than a post about spelling? I know- how about another post about spelling- back to back!

I wanted to share one more activity that Moonpie and I did today at the last minute. She was struggling to come up with more than two -ake words, so we made a game out of it. I printed out a template used for geometry instruction. It is a cube you can cut out and tape together. On one of the cubes I wrote -ake on every side. On the other cube I wrote different beginning sounds, like 'l', 'm', 'b', etc. She would roll the cubes like dice and put them together to see what word she made. Then, she would write the word on her paper (clipped to her very official clipboard).

It's a very easy way to make word work a little more engaging and fun. Here are some visuals:

step 1: You must dress up like a kitty cat. This is crucial. Do not skip this step! Wait, that wasn't the first step. Roll the dice. Yes, that sounds more like it!

step 2: put the dice together and see what word you have made.

step 3: write your word on your very official paper clipped to your very official clipboard.

I have made up another cube with new beginning sounds that we will use tomorrow to keep the list growing.

If you are not a homeschooler, this is a fun way to have your child practice their spelling words, or just practice making words in general. Some variations would be to put a different word ending on each side of one cube (at, it, ock, etc.) and different starting sounds on the other. Keep in mind that your child will probably come up with some very creative words. On their paper you can have a column for non-sense words. Every word made should be written down. It will be good practice for you child to be able to differentiate between true words and non-sense words. Or you can even go nuts and write numbers on each side! Throw caution to the wind and use the cubes to practice math facts.

Keeping something as versatile as this on hand is an easy way to make language and math work a bit more fun!

homeschool {natural spelling}

2011-09-12T07:29:00.002-05:00

My thoughts on teaching spelling are largely influenced by my experience as a second grade, public school teacher. What I saw time and again was that my students could be successful on spelling tests, but struggled with carrying over what they had learned from that rote memorization into their real life writing. As with anything else, unless they were really ready and mindful of what they were doing, it really didn't stick. One way I found to make spelling more meaningful (since throwing out the practice wasn't an option!) was to create individual lists for each child based on their writing journals. They would have a core of five words that followed a certain pattern (called a word family in early literacy training) and then five words that we would pull from their journals. This seemed to encourage their interest, since it was words that they used frequently.

I appreciate that in the Charlotte Mason philosophy, teaching spelling is not really practiced until third grade. Up until that point, it is more encouraged to allow the child to be freed up to write as they wish so the ideas can freely and easily make their way onto paper. She taught that spelling was more of a natural skill and encouraged the use of copy work. The thinking being that the more the child is exposed to proper spelling, the more the child will correctly spell! I love this thinking. It jives with me. (Again, this is up to second grade. After that, a more intensive spelling program is encouraged.)

I've been thinking about all of this lately because of my Moonpie. She loves to write. And she loves for things to be correct. She will not sit and spell freely. She wants the words to be spelled the right way. This creates frustration for her because her stories are slower going than she would prefer. Because of this, that an extreme interest is there, I have decided to introduce some formal spelling lessons into our day. In small doses.

The nitty gritty:

If you are in a similar boat and wondering how to teach spelling, here are a few of the things we will be doing this week:

I am pulling from a common misspelling that I see frequently in her spelling- that dreaded silent 'e' ending! Yesterday, a story she was writing featured the baking of a cake. She had questions about spelling both 'bake' and 'cake', so we will be focusing on the -ake word family this week. She will be creating a paper cake to write out her -ake words. I'll come up with a nifty little poem featuring lots of
-ake words for her to read through and highlight. We'll be writing our words with sidewalk chalk and what not. As with any other skill, hopefully she will continue to pick up on the pattern of how words work. When we come into contact with words that don't fit our pattern, but have the same sound (for instance - the word 'break') we will call that word an outlaw word and put his sorry rear in jail. My hope for right now is to create a fun environment and one that she can feel successful in! And even though we are jumping into formal spelling training earlier than I had intended, I am content in knowing that it is something that she is interested in.

(this is an edited version! i love the irony that i wrote a post on spelling and made a ton of grammatical mistakes! so much for posting RIGHT when i wake up!)

this moment {date night}

2011-09-09T07:39:00.000-05:00

inspired by soulemama

just me, john and mr. lewis. talk about a third wheel...

eating at royer's round top cafe. wear your old maternity pants

and leave the skinny jeans at home.

a chelsea morning

2011-09-08T08:18:00.001-05:00

I am just ashamed. After all of those posts where I complained about the heat this summer, I haven't taken the time yet this week to rejoice (here) in the reprieve we are having. Highs in the 90's! Which may sound hot to some, but we are loving it here! That we can actually walk out of our door without feeling like our faces are going to burn straight off is incredible! Last evening, Buddy and I went out to get the final load of sheets off of the line. We walked out and I said "doesn't it feel great out here?!?" and he, being unable to tell the difference between the 70 something degrees our ac was pumping out, and the 80 something degrees that was outside replied "it feels...normal!!!". And he was right. Finally, some normal temps!

This is my favorite time of year. I love the transition from summer into autumn. The way the sunlight changes as it streams in through our 80 year old windows. It is this time of year that I understand what Joni meant when she said that the sun comes in like butterscotch and sticks to all my senses. I feel that way too. And if the butterscotch sun had a smell, it would be the smell of hope. This is what paying attention to the seasons can offer you. The chance to see that just as the seasons shift, the seasons of our lives shift too. Just when you think the oppression of the summer will not end, autumn sweeps in and offers hope.

This summer has been a difficult one for us for various reasons. Both in the actual situations and in the ways we had to learn to cope with those situations. This week even has been hard. So, so hard. But then there is that butterscotch sun reminding me in the hope I can have. And in Whom my hope is found. I am reminded that the prophet Isaiah shared that He (God) gives beauty for ashes and gladness for mourning. So when I burn out all of my own resources, and wonder why I still can't stand, I look to my Father, and I'm reminded. He can make something beautiful out of all of this burnt out mess. And the hope that He offers clings to all of my senses...if I let it. And I do. I am so hungry for the beauty that I open myself up to it. I am broken and healed all at once.

But the trick,

the trick,

is in the remembering. The noticing. The allowing.

That is why I can truly rejoice in the fact that we are having some reprieve around here.

our day in austin

2011-09-06T18:22:00.001-05:00

I have a new little niece that will be here very soon! I cannot wait to see her sweet little face and just breathe her in. We recently met my brother, my very pregnant sister-in-law (who looks fantastic, by the way), and my sweet nephew for breakfast and park time in Austin. It was so much fun and truly my dream Friday. Does anyone else have these fantasies of meeting up with family every Friday morning for breakfast at a great cafe and eating pancakes as big as your face while having lively conversation over the voices of all of the cousins?

While there I was finally able to give them the pants I made for sweet baby Mae. I was given Anna Maria Horner's book for Christmas, but this was my first time to make anything out of it. I had only intended to make one pair of pants, but they are so very fun to make! So one turned into three sooner than I realized.

side A

the flip side

Oh, and there were the head bands. Because I can't leave well enough alone.

After breakfast and gift giving, we headed to Zilker park for some fun!

At this point we parted ways and headed to Deep Eddy pool for a lazy afternoon of swimming.

We had a wonderful day in one of our favorite cities, with some of our favorite people.

happy labor day!

2011-09-05T08:08:00.005-05:00

swimming at Deep Eddie pool - Austin, TX

love,
Moonpie and Buddy

this moment {cereal for supper}

2011-09-02T06:45:00.000-05:00

a small moment from the week. one worth hanging onto. no words.

joining soulemama

our staple

2011-08-31T07:13:00.000-05:00

Our first couple of days of official school-ish types of projects has gone great! Too my great shock, Buddy seems to be disappointed that he doesn't have more to do. I really believe in a play-based kindergarten year, but he's not buying it so far! I'll assess the situation after a couple of weeks, tweak where it is needed and see what we come up with.
We are outside as much as our weather allows right now. We are still at miserable temps (yesterday it was 105), and after 30 some odd days of straight 3 digit temperatures, it just feels like it will never let up. Like we are going to be stuck in summer forever. However, if we can get out of the house before 9, it is only in the 90's and pretty pleasant! We are enjoying mornings of catching lizards,

chasing dragon flies, and gardening (and by gardening I mean ripping out dead plants!).

Yesterday, Moonpie and I spent some time putting together our math manipulatives for the year. Instead of investing in base 10 blocks, I busted out our pantry staple - beans.

This is something I would do when I taught school. Even though we had access to the base 10 blocks, there is something about the process of making your own that adds to the level of understanding.

When I am approached by parents that are considering homeschooling, but are put off by the costs, I always remind them that every homeschool looks different. Just as every child is different, every budget is different. For us, we opt to put our small budget towards really great books.

The rest is up to me.

our weekend

2011-08-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

Our official school year begins tomorrow. The kids are jazzed and I'm feeling ready. Ready for some rhythm (wow! I actually spelled that right on the first try!), ready for a little order to our day. We're jumping in even though I'm sure I could use a few more days of planning to feel prepared. Maybe. Maybe I'll never feel completely prepared. I'm ok with that. One of the many beautiful things motherhood has taught me is to just let that go. Be ok with where we are, and go with it.

To end our summer, we had a little cousin time on Friday. My sister-in-law and her family came to visit us on her birthday. We were so honored to be dubbed the official "making birthday dreams come true" destination! Not to mention I got to kiss on the littlest cousin all day long!

photo credit: Buddy

Do you not want gobble that little girl up? She is our little MerBear and we love her so. And then there's this guy, my sweety nephew J getting his Blue Bell on at the factory. Look at his dreamy eyelashes.

He is growing up so fast. He is such a sweet little boy. He's two and way too busy for kisses from his Aunt Mandi. However, he did let me hold his hand. I'll take what I can get!

Here are some more pictures from our time at Blue Bell (sorry Uncle Max- you seem to have not made it into any pictures...)

Buddy loving every minute of his brightly colored ice cream that his daddy let him have (ahem). Yes, his t-shirt is on inside out.

My little wookie.

Do not let John near your baby. This man has some serious baby fever and will try to steal any baby that will let him near. Ok, maybe not steal. But definitely give some lovin'.

This is my sister-in-law Johanna. The great thing about being with John since toddlerhood (or high school, whatev) is that I've been a part of his family for a very long time. Jo and I had spanish class together! I love that we have a history. We are friends and sisters, and that means so very much to me!

Tonight we wrapped up summer with a family showing of Swiss Family Robinson. One day I too will live in a tree and have a refrigerator kept cool with water from a waterfall. One day...

slow moving

2011-08-23T20:51:00.000-05:00

After many, many hot days and nights spent under the hood- Mr. Lewis (affectionally named after the original owner) is up and running! I'm not sure who is most excited about this, the daddy or the kids. John installed the seat belts tonight and we were able to go for a pretty long cruise through town. We talked about living back in the days before air conditioner and cup holders. Before air bags and high speeds. We took it slow and easy, much to the dismay of the cars behind us!

Speaking of slow moving, that's how I want to live this last week of summer. We have an official start date for school next Monday, so this week we'll finish up some deep cleaning, wrap up our studies of Japan, and get books re-sorted and ready to go.

In honor of slow moving, I don't think I'll be back in this space for the remainder of the week.

Happy last week of summer (if you live in our house), or first week of school!

put down that soda, dangit!

2011-08-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

When people ask me if I have a number one tip to give them to feel better, increase their energy and maybe shed a few pounds, my response it always to give up soda. I gave up soda 9 years ago and it was so hard! It took a good six months for me to finally get over it.

Here's the thing about soda. It's just plain bad for you. There. I said it.

When I saw this over on The Kitchn, I knew that I wanted to post it here as well. Enjoy!

Via: Term Life Insurance

*Disclaimer: I am in no way giving a thumbs up to Term Life Insurance. I just liked this image and the information provided. I know nothing about their company.

the pros and the cons

2011-08-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

TodayAug 15	Tue16	Wed17	Thu18	Fri19	Sat20	Sun21	Mon22	Tue23	Wed24


Mostly Sunny	Sunny	Partly Cloudy	Mostly Sunny	Mostly Sunny	Sunny	Mostly Sunny	Mostly Sunny	Partly Cloudy	Scattered T-Storms
105°FHigh	104°	104°	103°	102°	102°	101°	102°	101°	100°
75°Low	76°	75°	76°	76°	74°	75°	75°	75°	75°

EXPAND GRAPH

the pros:

my clothes dry on the line in record time!

the cons:

it's too dang hot to walk my rear out into the backyard to hang clothes on the line.

*****************************************************************

are you familiar with Randy Kaplan? Take a listen to my summer anthem.

this moment {first lost tooth}

2011-08-12T09:59:00.000-05:00

sorry for the blur. but you know how it goes when trying to get a 5 year old boy to "show me your lost tooth". mmm hmmm....

joining soulemama

homeschool {2011-2012 books}

2011-08-11T09:18:00.000-05:00

are you sick of these yet? i can't get enough of them! photo credit: Ryan Price

One of the ideas that led me to the Charlotte Mason theory of education is the use of books for learning. Not text books, but real, living books! When I thought about how I learn as an adult it came down to two things: reading about the subject and hands on experience. I want my children to know how to learn. I want them to LOVE to learn. The philosophies of Charlotte Mason resonate with me because they speak to this love of learning.

If you would like a peek at some of the books we will be using this year, I've listed them in my {bookstore}. They only allow 18 books in the bookstore, so here are some books we will be using but did not have room for:

Science: Apologia Press- Land Animals of the 6th Day

The Burgess Animal Book for Children

we will heavily depend on the library for books regarding the animals we will be studying

Nature study: Keeping a Nature Journal

History: The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer
again- LOTS of library books to fill in the gaps!

Geography: A Child's Geography by Anne Voskamp

Bible: Bible Study Guide for All

Read alouds FREE on the Kindle:

The Five Children and It

The Story of Dr. Doolittle

For most of our small non-fiction picture books, I will use the library. Unless we are studying something for months on end. In the spring we will be covering Ancient Rome, and this is a unit we will be revisiting in later years, so I will purchase books about the subject. Or let's say units on birds or trees. These are topics that come up all of the time, so I am sure to purchase a few good copies on the subject for our home library.

homeschool plan

2011-08-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

Another school year is starting up and we are ready for it! The kids are asking every day "when does school start?". The pressure is on, people!

I have had a rough sketch of a plan in my head for the past few months, and I was able to get most of it mapped out last weekend. We are continuing with our Charlotte Mason based learning with a Waldorf twist. I love how Waldorf schools focus on trickster/ saint tales for second grade. Moonpie is definitely in a trickster phase with all of her joke telling these days! But there is still that sweetness, that little girl that wants to cuddle. The thinking in the Waldorf tradition is that children at this age can relate to these tales of the tricksters and the saints.

Here's an overview of our week:

Monday- Wednesday- we will have circle time, language arts block, Bible, math, and history/ science
Thursday - geography/ earth science and nature study, math review work, Bible
Friday- Bible, geography/ earth science, family day

I'm hoping that Thursday will also be a day that we can have a nursing home day alternated weekly with a science club day.

Our monthly history focus will influence our science and language studies:

September-
history- ancient China
science- primates
LA- Chinese trickster tales (featuring the monkey king)

October-
history- ancient Africa
science- spiders
LA- African trickster tales (Anansi the spider)

November-
history- ancient Americas and Thanksgiving study
science- coyotes
LA- Cherokee tales (featuring trickster Coyote)

December- Saints/ Christmas around the world

That is the rough idea for the year. I have history all laid out and I'm waiting for my books to arrive so I can figure out the stories we will be covering.

I think I will be talking some more about homeschool planning this week. I also have a kindergartner on my hands that lost his first tooth this week! His day will mirror much of what I am doing with his sissy, but with some fun planned just for him. He is very excited to be a kindergartner, although he's not all that sure what that means!

ps- the dye has completely faded now. The belly took the longest to go away. Go figure.

dirty dozen

2011-08-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

Did you notice that back in June the Environmental Working Group released their annual Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list? I missed it! And honestly didn't really know that they update it on an annual basis. Just in case you are in the same boat, here are the new lists:

Dirty Dozen

These fruits and vegetables are those that carry the most pesticide residue. They are:

1. apples
2. celery (57 different pesticides used!?!)
3. strawberries
4. peaches
5. spinach
6. imported nectarines
7. imported grapes
8. sweet bell peppers
9. potatoes
10. domestic blueberries
11. lettuce
12. kale/ collard greens

The Clean 15

These are fruits and vegetables with the least amount of pesticide residue:

1. onions
2. corn (I would still recommend organic in order to avoid GMOs)
3. pineapple
4. avocado (hallelujah)
5. asparagus
6. sweet peas
7. mangoes
8. eggplant
9. domestic cantaloupe
10. kiwi
11. cabbage
12. watermelon
13. sweet potatoes
14. grapefruit
15. mushrooms

Any surprises this year? Feeling relieved about any? I for one am happy to see avocados on the clean 15. I can't find those organically here and we really dig them!

caught purple handed

2011-08-05T08:29:00.000-05:00

Soooo... Buddy and Moonpie were out back mixing up vinegar and baking soda with a dash of food coloring. Next thing I knew, I had a walking Easter egg on my hands.

You know how vinegar sets in the dye? Making it impossible to get off? Well, we're going on day three of a vivid Buddy. It's not just his belly and his hands, by the way. He painted EVERY inch of his body that he could reach.

This boy sure does make an ordinary day around here more exciting!

out with the old

2011-08-03T08:48:00.000-05:00

zinnias from our garden. my absolute favorite flower.

We are in the midst of the worst drought Texas has seen in 100 years. In our rural town there hasn't been much talk about water conservation, however I cannot help but be moved in that direction. In that light, we decided that our small garden was not producing enough to warrant the amount of water being used on it. So yesterday morning, before we hit 107 degrees, I harvested the last little handful of tomatoes and tore out the garden. Today I hope to spread some rabbit droppings and let things sleep for a while. In the mean time, we will get seedlings going for the fall, and pray that the season shift will usher in the rain we so desperately need.

When it comes to raised beds and tilling up a big spot in the yard, there are definite pros and cons to both. The biggest con to raised beds in my experience has been the amount of water they require to keep things hydrated. I look at what our CSA farm is accomplishing, how they are still cranking out food like nobody's business while only watering a couple of times per week. I am so proud of the work they have put into their farm. Our farm! They are a living example to me on the importance of working the soil consistently. And how organic really is the best way to go.

Today I end our summer garden chapter. It is always so exciting to look ahead and dream for fall.

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Grain/ sugar fast- day 2

By the end of the day yesterday I felt exhausted. My head felt cloudy and my body felt achey. I was in bed by 7 pm! Not for good, but really useless after that. I woke up this morning feeling like I wasn't ready to get out of bed, a bit congested, but clear headed.

What we ate:

B- blueberry, cherry and raw milk smoothie

L- lentils cooked in chicken stock, ginger carrots, spinach salad with cucumber and tomato
shot of green juice (kale, cucumber, green apple)

D- leftover chicken spiced up for tacos, sauteed bell peppers and onion, avocado, tomato, sour yogurt, wrapped in lettuce leaf. Black beans on the side.

I want to note that the kids felt the effects yesterday. They complained all day of not feeling well, and were pretty crabby. I heard things like "why can't I just have ONE sucker??? They're ORGANIC!!!". Mmm-hmm. They are wanting some sugar pretty bad! There is a lot of fruit being consumed around here by those two!

making fruit leather

2011-08-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last week we picked up a peck of East Texas peaches. They were HUGE! We made some peach preserves, but I ran out of my pectin before I got too many jarred. I like to use Pamona Universal Pectin because I can use honey in it instead of sugar. Unfortunately I cannot get this locally. So when I'm out, I'm out. I ended up with seven jars of preserves and a ton of peaches. Buddy was thrilled by this prospect! That boy put away so many peaches! Towards the end of the week they were getting squashy and not very appetizing. We took those suckers and made fruit leathers out of them!

This was my first venture into making fruit leather, but for some reason I didn't really research any methods. I just followed my gut on what to do.

First I chopped up the peaches and removed all pits- I didn't peel them. I put them in my big stock pot and cooked them down a bit. It was probably around three minutes of actual cook time. By that point they were nice and juicy (remember, I started with over ripe peaches).

Then I popped them into the blender and pureed them until they were completely smooth.

I layered some plastic wrap on three cookie sheets.

Then I poured the pureed peaches onto the plastic, about 1/4 inch thick. John and I discussed the best method for dehydrating them. We figured we might as well put the 104 degree temps to work and laid them out in the back of the car.

This was genius! Or so we thought. However, we didn't take into account the temperature fluctuations that would take place on our short drive to church. After 24 hours the puree was somewhat dry, but still really tacky. I gave up on my dream and popped them into the oven. The great thing is that with the sun doing most of the work, they were only in the oven for about 3 hours on the "warm" setting, and then they were ready store!

Using my kitchen scissors, I cut them into leather strips. If after exhibit (a) we made our own fruit leathers and (b) we tried to dry them using solar power, you still don't believe that we are hippies, well, here's Buddy displaying the final product in his home made tie-dye t-shirt.

After the kids ate as many as I would let them, I wrapped them up in wax paper and put them in the refrigerator.

We ended up making about 50 leathers! That alone well covers the cost of the peaches. I am very pleased with the final product. They are delicious!

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Thank you for all of your thoughts and experience shared in the comments about our going grain and sugar free. It really encouraged me to hear all of your stories!

Grain/ sugar fast update:

Day one down! I wanted to write this here for my records. I figured it may be of interest to anyone else that is thinking about going down this path.

Monday we ate:
B- fried eggs, watermelon and banana
L- romaine and spinach salad with blueberries, crispy almonds, chia seeds, and salmon (on sale! YES!)
D- Roasted lemon chicken with roasted carrots and parsnips and sauteed okra with red sweet peppers

I feel:
tired. And I have a headache behind my right eye. I am surprised by this! I was expecting some side effects, but not this soon. Who knew my few servings of grains per day would cause such drastic effects? Ok, well, some of you knew. But since we eat so clean in general, I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. I am starting yogurt and have a chicken in the crock pot for more stock. Here's to being another day closer to feeling great!

menu and blog change

2011-08-01T08:14:00.000-05:00

I spent some time this weekend finally learning how to make a blog banner (!) and updating my pages on the menu bar. The most exciting change for me (besides my banner) is the addition of a true bookstore! I've always wanted to be a bookstore owner and now I am. Virtually anyway. Sure, I can't dance around it with my daughter like Meg Ryan did, or smell the inky pages, but it's something!

I also spent some time thinking this weekend. John ended his summer camp schedule this week with his last youth camp and he is ready for a change in his eating. To be honest, I am too. Our occasional treats have gotten way out of control this summer and I have been left feeling shaky and crampy. It is just a sad truth of my life that I have to eat better than the average bear in order to feel somewhat normal. My threshold is very narrow. Before I know it I am clear on the other side feeling awful. In that light, we have decided to do a week of grain free, sugar free, and pasteurized dairy free (so long tiny cheeses) eating. Just a week, but it will be a good start to see where we should go from here. I for sure had to do some meal planning this week, or I knew I would revert to "how about some cheese and crackers for lunch?". We are also doing some major juicing this week to help jump start our engines.

A grain free a dairy free meal plan:

breakfasts:

almost oatmeal
paleo pumpkin muffins
homemade raw yogurt
pastured eggs
good morning muesli
lots of green juicing
smoothies

lunches:

romaine salad with blueberries, almonds, chia seeds
confetti salad
thai salad mix
leftovers
miso soup (here's hoping I can find miso!)

dinners:

chicken soup with bone broth
roasted chicken w/ sauteed okra and tomato, summer veggie kabobs
lamb meat balls w/ garlic swiss chard and ginger carrots
beef soup with bone broth (potato free)
beef and bean casserole (cheese free)
lemon chicken with capers sauteed summer veggies

*daily kombucha intake as well (and hopefully kefir, if I can come across some grains!)

That's more meat than we typically eat. But with the very light lunches I figure we'll be pretty hungry in the evenings. Also, Buddy has been very cranky lately and we've been eating mainly a vegetarian diet, high in carbs. I'm interested to see how a higher protein intake effects him.

sour dough {edited}

2011-07-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

Right now I'm in the kitchen trying to convince my sour dough starter to grow, grow, grow. I have yet to be successful in my sour dough ventures, but I have feeling that maybe my patience has been the problem and not my starter. This notion was brought about after I spent a little time on the Cultures for Health site and watched some of their wonderfully informative videos. Did you know that when the brown liquid rises to the top of the starter, that means your starter is hungry? I didn't! What helpful information!

impromptu backyard picnic

So while I'm in here growing bubbles and bacteria, my loves are in the backyard welcoming the sunset. I love to peek out the window and see what they are up to. On my last check, Moonpie was walking around the backyard trying to balance a bucket of water on her head while singing a song. Always a song on that girl's lips. I love her creativity. I could see it in her face that she was somewhere far, far away. I kept my peeking to a minimum in fear of ruining her moment. Her private moment wrapped up in her wonderful mind. I walked away from the window so grateful that I get the chance to share this life with these two precious people.

edit:
This morning I got up ready to feed the starter and make sour dough pancakes. There were bubbles, but only on the surface. And the starter had a distinct odor. The kids were grossing out, but I pushed on. Sure, it smelled like baby poop, but I've never had a successful starter, what do I know? Maybe it's supposed to smell really awful and then miraculously turn into pure delciousness. Let's just say that was bad thinking on my part.
After more research on the Cultures for Health site, I've realized that I'm not supposed to start a culture with freshly ground flour. Can anyone give me any pointers on this?

(I should add that the culture I'm using is not from Cultures for Health. This particular brand did not note if I was to use white flour or whole wheat. I'm assuming at this point that it was probably intended for white flour.)

farewell cocoa

2011-07-25T09:31:00.002-05:00

photo credit: Moonpie

This weekend we lost our last little chicken, Cocoa. She was a beautiful araucana and laid green tinted eggs. After we lost Blackberry, she developed a bit of a crow. We thought that maybe she was crying out for her buddy, feeling a little lonely and lost without her sidekick. She spent her last days roosting up in our live oak tree- we couldn't get her in her coop at night to lock her up safe. Poor little thing.

We are still on the quest for the raccoon. He is old and smart and will have nothing to do with our live traps.

We've decided not to replace the chickens until we catch him and remove him from the area.

It's weird not the hear the cluck-cluck of happy hens first thing in the morning.

I miss them.

my first guest post

2011-07-22T18:49:00.000-05:00

I guest posted for Heather at Sit a Spell yesterday! And being the on the ball blogger that I am, I'm just now posting it here! If you get a chance, go over and check out Heather's blog. Her family is in Texas right now, but they are about to head back to Haiti, where they live and work full time. Heather is passionate about justice and redemption and is currently writing a series on how to care for the poor while living in the United States.

Head on over!

the frugal garden

2011-07-19T07:52:00.000-05:00

I've been busy working on a guest post for a friend, and have been neglecting this space here. I'm talking about living frugally while living naturally over there (not posted yet), so frugal living has really been on my mind. It's one of those things that is just so tied into our everyday living that it was hard for me to put words to it. Does that ever happen to you? But I must say, it is always a welcome gift to actually think through the why I do what I do. I started looking through all of the areas of our day to day living, looking for glimpses of frugal living.

In the flurry of harvesting and putting up produce this time of year, sometimes it is easy to overlook one of the most frugal uses of our garden bounty. Saving the seeds. I was thinking about this yesterday when I was cutting up some cantaloupes a friend brought over from his garden. The peel was to go to the chickens, the fruit was to go in our bellies, and the seeds were to be saved for next year's garden. Not one part of this fruit was going unused!

I do this with most of the veggies and fruit that I get locally (whether through my own garden or the gardens of friends). Store bought fruits and veggies are often hybrid, so their seeds are not viable options for saving.

To save the seeds, I simply remove all of the fruit or vegetable matter (sometimes this calls for a thorough rinsing) and lay out on a paper towel to dry. Once the seeds are completely dry I move them to seed saving tubes, or envelopes. I clearly label each little package with the name, the date, and where the seed came from. I'm sentimental that way. I like to be able to say, "those are my daddy's tomatoes".

It is wonderful to be able to plant an entirely free garden patch. Or, it is a good way to free up some money to buy some wonderfully different variety of vegetable from the seed catalog. Those are nearly impossible to resist!

lessons from a flower

2011-07-16T21:54:00.002-05:00

image credit: here

It was before bed time, the sky was pink and dusky blue, begging us for some time. The kids and I set out, out walking the day light, reaching the fallen tree by the time the sky was newly dark. On our way we passed flowers planted along the park perimeter, and were passed by pick-up trucks- one after another. We filled my pockets with dead flower heads and a couple of live ones too.
We turned back, following street lights and the rhythmic sounds of hip-hop - the sounds that play a back drop to our gardening, our play, our laundry hanging- the sounds that lead us home. Hip-hop, R&B, rap...
We returned home with Buddy on my back and Moonpie carrying the bouquet we wove together on our journey.
Buddy busied himself with flower arranging, and I began the task of collecting seeds. The black-eyed Susans handed over their seeds happily, dropping them by the dozens on the kitchen island. I pulled out my seed saving tubes, wrote out the labels, and tucked the seeds away with a smile. Easy, satisfying work.
Until I came to the echinacea.
She guarded her seeds fiercely with prickles that kept digging into my fingers. I marveled out how desperately she held onto her seeds when she was designed to eventually have to let them go. That is the point of flowers after all (so my botany professor taught me), to spread more seed and guarantee that the species will go on.
And of course, viewing all things through mama eyes I thought of my own seeds. My two little lovelies. And I could commiserate with this plant. Wanting so badly to hold on, to protect, fully knowing that one day they must go on - and I must let go.

this moment {five}

2011-07-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

this moment- inspired by soulemama...

no words.

please share your moments in the comment section.

buying club

2011-07-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

Way back when I wrote a post about the Frontier wholesale co-op that I host. We have been going strong for close to five years now! I currently have 8 members and we order monthly. When people ask me about how I can afford to live naturally, I always tell them about the co-op. I am able to order items for almost half of what I would pay for them in the store.

I thought I would break down what a month of savings looks like for me. Also, if you tend to buy more conventional products, this may give you a peak into what the cost difference is.

I will list the product info, the SRP (suggested retail price), and the price that I paid.
(I should add that some stores sell items for more than the SRP, which means that this is even more of a savings.)

Some months are heavier buying months than others. This was one of those for me. We hadn't ordered in about six weeks, so we were running low on some staples. Also, I ordered disposable items that I don't usually order. It's nice having those things on hand for large get-togethers that tend to pop up in the summer!

Alright, are you ready for this? I don't know if I am!

Huddle up, all hands in...

Ready...

Break!:

Product SRP wholesale price

7th Generation 12 pack toilet paper $13.19 $6.32
Earth Friendly veggie wash $5.99 $3.60
Dr. Bronner lotion $9.99 $5.99
Kiss My Face shaving lotion $7.95 $3.58
Alba SPF 25 lip balm $2.99 $1.53
Eco-Dent xylitol gum $1.99 $.89
Nutiva 29 oz coconut oil $21.99 $14.65
Nux Vomica (homeopathic meds) $7.95 $4.75
22 Ultra Green plates $6.79 $3.69
Organic Chia seeds $14.49 $6.53
7th Generation paper towels $3.69 $1.76
Earth Friendly dish soap 25 oz. $4.69 $2.80
Ecover limescale remover 16oz. $5.75 $3.45
7th Generation pads 18 count $6.45 $3.85
Earth Friendly dishwasher gel 40oz $6.96 $4.00
Kiss My Face shampoo 32 oz $17.99 $10.79
KMF conditioner 32 oz $17.99 $10.79
Alba lip gloss $3.99 $2.39
Frontier Organic Tea 1 lb. $17.90 $8.95
Giovanni shampoo/body wash 16oz $9.95 $5.97
Organic chili powder refill 1.3 oz $3.32 $2.19
Kiss My Face toothpaste $5.95 $3.57
Cat supplement 2 oz $7.99 $3.23
Weleda tooth gel $7.00 $4.20
Ultra Green cutlery (36 pieces) $3.89 $2.12
7th Gen. disinfecting wipes (70 wipes) $9.09 $5.45

SRP Total: $225.92

Wholesale Total: $127.04

Total Savings: $98.88!

That is pretty big savings! I've never broken it down like that before so I'm pretty excited to see how much I saved. I rarely spend over $100 a month, but I bought larger items this time. I'm hoping that the shampoo and conditioner will last for three months. The shaving cream typically lasts for around that long as well. The chia seeds and the tea will not be monthly purchases either.

Besides the great savings, I also like the time saved. By ordering all of this and having it shipped directly to me (for free!) I don't have to drive around trying to find it all. And, news flash, in our small town I wouldn't be able to find the majority of these items anyway.

If you are looking for a great way to save money, get your friends together and start a co-op! I couldn't be happier with the customer service of the Frontier people and the variety of items that they offer.

If you have any questions about starting up, please let me know. I'll answer all questions in the comment section.

this moment {science}

2011-07-08T06:29:00.000-05:00

as inspired by soulemama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

B.R.A.T. diet

2011-07-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

We're on the B.R.A.T. diet over here. You know bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. Monday Moonpie was having stomach aches, but we attributed it to one too many sugar babies at the 4th of July parade. For a child who doesn't eat much in the processed food realm, a small bag of sugar babies can do you in! She's been a little under the weather all week, and my stomach has been off and on. Buddy on the other hand has been great. So imagine our surprise when he leaned over the arm of the couch yesterday and threw up. Three times. John and I looked at each other and said "hmm, that's weird". And then got to the business of cleaning.

This weekend John and I are supposed to be going into Austin to sing in a wedding (here's what we are singing, with some minor word changes- and minus the leather pants and heavy eye liner). They are providing two whole nights in a hotel for just the two of us. Here's hoping we make it through today and then are able to make it. I'd hate to miss.

In honor of our feeling ick, I'm busting out my all time favorite book to read to the kids- A Wrinkle in Time. I hope they love it as much as I always have.

Back to bed we go.

this moment {harvest}

2011-07-01T06:00:00.003-05:00

{{{as inspired by soulemama- one single, wordless moment that is worth hanging onto}}}

summer is for sunflowers and salads

2011-06-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

this is part 3 in my "summer is for salads" series. if you'd like some other easy recipes for salads check here and here.

I have this bed in the very front of our yard, up near the mailbox. I like to plant all sorts of wild flowers and low maintenance plants up there. This summer we have been experiencing a major drought, so I have tried to be responsible in my watering. Our rain barrel is dry so to the tap I must go. We are mainly only watering food giving plants. Sadly, my front bed has not made the cut. Imagine my surprise when this beautiful sunflower popped up, all on its very own!

Is there a sight happier than a mammoth sunflower? Every day since it has bloomed, the kids and I like to go visit it. See how its doing as it reigns over our yard and keeps watch on the road.

If you haven't tired of me blabbering on about salads yet, I'd like to share with you another easy salad recipe that stores great and gets better over time. This is a pasta salad (served here with spinach, watermelon and cheese toast).

Pasta Salad

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta (or a GF version)
1/2 C olive oil
1/3 C brown rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t brown mustard
2 C halved grape tomatoes
2 C cucumbers (or add 1 C cukes and 1 C squash- whatever summer veg you have on hand)

Mix the dressing with a fork until the oil is mixed in well. Pour over cooled pasta and veggies.

I plan on having all three of these salads ready to go for all of our family coming in this weekend.
How about you? Any quick salads you can recommend?

summer is for gardens and salad

2011-06-29T06:00:00.002-05:00

this is the second post in the summer is for salads series. if you'd like another great recipe check out this post.

our pumpkin plant. so far we have one little lovely coming in!

Our garden has done really well this year. Better than years past. I think the deep mulching really has paid off.

I planted pumpkins earlier this year than I usually do. Which means I'll have pumpkins way before halloween. But I'm ok with that, as long as I have pumpkins! I've never had a successful pumpkin patch because I've tried to time it with halloween (planting seeds on the 4th of July). This year I planted them in May and we already have one little punkin coming in! I'm thrilled!

glorious basil! remember to pick those sweet flowering heads off for better yield.

And the basil! The faithful companion to the tomato. I love, love basil and cannot get enough of it. Which is a good thing. Because we have tons of it! The taste of summer to me is basil and tomatoes. We have harvested 4 pounds of grape tomatoes alone this year! That has been such a yummy treat! And one of my favorite sights this summer has been Buddy running into the house with his shirt pulled up into a pouch, overflowing with tomatoes. He exclaims "mama, I have a surprise for you!" every single time. That boy...

baby japanese eggplant

Wee japanese eggplant. We have only harvested four eggplants so far. For some reason my plants can only produce one at a time.

Onto the salad. This salad is the taste of summer. Oh! I think I'll call it that so it will sound fancy. Introducing THE TASTE OF SUMMER SALAD!!!

You will need:

3 cucumbers
3 tablespoons of plain yogurt ( I really like Greek yogurt in this)
handful of grape tomatoes
dill
salt
pepper
and some fresh parsley ( if you want it to be pretty )

Mix it all up and call it done! Best after it is chilled in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Or even the next day. Go nuts.

I am really enjoying having salads already made and ready to go in the fridge. They are so easy pack up for a picnic, or have at home after a long bike ride or time spent in the garden.

summer is for fishing and salad

2011-06-28T06:00:00.003-05:00

The kids had so much fun fishing with their granddad and daddy yesterday! They didn't catch anything, but John said they were really patient and gave it true effort!

And since summer is more about doing fun stuff like fishing, and less about heating up the kitchen, we have been eating lots of salads around here! Here is my bean salad recipe (as Buddy says "tastes just like Jason's Jelly" that's Jason's Deli for those of you that don't speak Buddy).

3 bean salad (based on a recipe from Mary Jane's Farm magazine)

1 C black beans (or one can, drained and rinsed)
1 C garbanzo beans (or one can, drained and rinsed)
1 C kidney beans (or one can, drained and rinsed)
1 bell pepper diced
1/2 of an onion diced
1/2 C cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 C olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 t ground cumin

1. mix beans, peppers, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl
2. whisk together the ACV, honey, oil, salt, pepper and cumin to make a dressing
3. spoon dressing over the beans and gently stir
4. let sit in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. best served the next day.

This is so good! I like to serve with some cornbread and watermelon. Sounds like dinner to me!

quiet morning

2011-06-27T09:09:00.001-05:00

It's a quiet morning here on the homestead. John and Granddad took the kids fishing, leaving me to a silent house, a mountain of laundry and a to do list. But know what I want to do? Crawl back in bed. Read a little. Sip some tea. Just enjoy the quiet of it all.

Mornings like this never happen for me. So maybe I'll take a part of it and just be.

home study: complete!

2011-06-23T08:28:00.001-05:00

our living room

It makes me so happy to write those words, "home study: complete"! We had the best caseworker in the world. She was thorough, but in a very casual way. She was encouraging and helpful. And she was hilarious! My interview took us 2 1/2 hours to finish because she was cracking me up so much!

Between the requirements of the state and those of our agency, we had a total of six interviews to complete. We were all interviewed separately and then John and I had two interviews together. Moonpie is super friendly and comfortable to talk with anyone, but Buddy is much more shy. He was really apprehensive about his interview time. Our caseworker, J, set up her Farmville game on her computer. He loves video games so he went over to check it out. Through the course of her explaining the game to him, she completed his interview! He didn't even know what hit him! I was so thankful for her flexibility.

Yesterday she walked through the house checking for things like smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, clean floors, etc. Before she left she gave us big hugs and said she'd call us next week to check on us.

Not only did we complete our home study yesterday, but I also received our picture portfolio in the mail! I'm still waiting on the hard bound one so I can send them into the agency. The birth moms use the portfolios to help choose the family they think will be a good match.

As far as the requirements go, we are done. Now the real waiting begins.
Waiting to be chosen.
Like a big, really important game of kick ball. Hoping the team captain chooses you. We are so ready to be put in the game!

it's happening

2011-06-20T07:03:00.001-05:00

Our home study is tomorrow, and it's happening again- I'm getting nesting urges for this child. For so long nothing seemed to be going on and the adoption felt unreal. Like we would wake up one day in our 50's and think "remember that time we tried to adopt? ". But it's happening. We are moving towards adoption. We are moving towards the day that we meet our birth mom. A young woman is about to have her heart ripped out and pass it on to someone else. A young woman that we will always be connected to...and we don't even know her name yet. I already ache for this person. I already cry for her and the pain that she is facing right now and the increasing pain she will face when she places her child into our arms. I pray that she is not alone in facing this burden. This grief. I am thankful for our caseworkers and the tireless work they do in loving on these moms. But I know it's not enough. This world of hurt can only be healed by Jesus, and I most of all I pray that for her. That Jesus will wrap her up in his arms and hold her tight as He whispers promises of hope in her ear, reaching all the way to her very heart.

In the meantime, through the tears, the prayers, the grief...for her...there is joy. And excitement. I started pulling out fabric for a baby quilt last night, Moonpie standing by for recommendations and vetoing power, talking about how much she loves this baby already and wants to make her/him a raggy quilt and a baby doll. I'm dreaming of cloth diapers and sweet little baby hats. Of late night feedings, and what exactly will that look like this time around? I'm daydreaming about this child, the timing, the race, the sex- all the unknowns. Wondering how this is all going to go down. Wondering why we have been chosen for this painful, beautiful mystery of adoption-

and grateful for it.

this moment {little nibbles}

2011-06-17T08:50:00.000-05:00

joining soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

hunkering down

2011-06-16T07:23:00.001-05:00

In an effort to ward off the carnage that ensued the night before, we did a bit of shifting last night. The bunny came in to sleep in a dog crate and our one last chicken was placed in the bunny hutch. I was up with the sun this morning letting Goldie out of the hutch. As we all know, the early bird gets the worm and she was not happy to be held up in that hutch one moment longer! I will continue doing this arrangement until John is able to rework the chicken coop and we find a live trap to remove the biggest coon ever known.

Speaking of John...

He is my hero. Even from afar he was busy taking care of this family of his.

I texted him after the run in with the coon at 4am. By 8am he had a college age boy I have never met at our house, crawling under the beams and retrieving the carcass. I couldn't bear to look, but he said it was bad. Really, really bad. This boy, he was precious! Can I say that about a 19 year old young man? Just don't tell him I said that, ok? He showed up completely prepared to crawl under my house and come face to face with a beast. And a completely gutted chicken. As we were chatting, he mentioned that he was leaving for Columbia today to go work in some orphanages. See? PRECIOUS!

the kids were a rapt audience for Tyler. and kept him busy with all sorts of questions about
Star Wars and Pokemon. Two things they've seen at the thrift store and are sooooo curious about!

After my new best friend Tyler removed the body, our friend Farmer Jason showed up to help out too. He is super busy this week but made the time to stop by to check on us and see what he could do. Here's my new motto: a mark of a good friend is the willingness to crawl under your house and scoop up a dead chicken. The end.

goodbye blackberry

2011-06-15T06:48:00.000-05:00

it happened in the middle of the night. or the wee hours of morning. depending on how you look at it. i heard a strange noise, like scraping metal. after wandering the house a bit, peering out windows, checking on kids, i was stumped.

back to bed. then it hit me. metal. the right side of the house. the chicken coop! i scrambled for a flashlight. by the time i made it to the kitchen window to see, sans flashlight, blackberry was clucking something terrible. and then i saw it. the largest raccoon i have ever seen. and he got her. i checked this morning. all i see are feathers.

she's gone.

she was my favorite.

adoption update

2011-06-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

We have a home study scheduled!!!

I am just a little over the moon excited about this! (As if the overuse of exclamation points didn't clue you in to that.)

It is going to take place one week from today. We are working with a woman that our agency contacted on our behalf. She is already cracking me up just from messages and our one phone conversation. Thank you Lord for giving us a caseworker with a sense of humor!

In the mean time, I'm working on our photo book and leaving helpful reminders to my husband to write his "about me" section. You know, while he's on his second mission trip in a row. Ahem. Let's be honest. I've known the man since he was 15 years old. I'm pretty sure I can write it and even have it sound like him. And he's confidently hopeful that it's going to play out that way.

As of right now, I'm not anxious or nervous at all. I've had enough friends go through this process to know that it really isn't a scary occurrence. I'm just day dreaming about all of the food I'm going to make for her. Oh, and where to strategically place the fire extinguisher. I thought it was weird when my mom gave it to me in my stocking, but now I'm completely down with it!

If you've had a home study, please tell us all a little about your experience!

moonpie made breakfast

2011-06-13T09:04:00.000-05:00

and it was good!

her secret ingredient?

besides butter on the floor?

basil.

Howdy from Lubbock!

2011-06-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

(I'm posting for the first time from the iPad. Please excuse any weirdness.)

We are back in Lubbock this week. We are partnering with Calvary Church offering a morning skate camp and working in their evening VBS. John promises that he will take to me to various VBS around the state to celebrate our anniversary every year. He really knows how to keep the magic alive!

The kids opted not to do skate camp this time around (once they realized that they'd have to share daddy with 27 other kids!). They decided they'd rather have some private sessions when we get home. So while John is doing most of the ministry this week, I'm trying not to overlook the fact that pouring into my little ones and making sure my husband has what he needs are just as important ministry opportunities.

Here's what I'm really enjoying this week:
-access to a pool
-the glorious proportions of a 4 year olds body (and the mane of hair that adds even more diameter to that sweet head)
- the creativity birthed out of living in a hotel room for week
- maid service!
- time to just play, play, play
- the company of sweet, old friends (and their remarkable children)

happy, happy

2011-06-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Ryan Price Photography

Today marks 12 years.

12 years of

hugging

smiling

hoping

succeeding

crying

Ryan Price photography

making

doing

failing

laughing

kissing

supporting

and loving.

Ryan Price Photography

This life we have built together,

this is my favorite thing.

I am so thankful to have you, my best friend and love, by my side.

Happy anniversary to you.

To us.

All of us.

this moment

2011-06-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

{{{as inspired by soulemama- one single, wordless moment that is worth hanging onto}}}

so...i'm making my own shampoo

2011-06-02T06:00:00.005-05:00

(technically it's an herbal rinse. for those who are bit more, you know, technical.)

let's talk about mulch

2011-06-01T06:04:00.006-05:00

I know. What can be more exciting than a post about mulch? The sad thing is, I get kind of excited about mulch! I feel like now that I understand the purpose of mulching, that I have arrived at some sort of gardening milestone. So let's discuss it, shall we?

What is mulching?

When I speak of mulch, I am speaking of it more in the verb sense than in the noun sense. To mulch is to put some sort of top covering over the soil and around the stems of your plants.

Why mulch?

There are several reasons to mulch. It's actually a crucial step in gardening. Mulch is good for insulating roots and soil in the colder months and keeping them cool in hotter months. Mulch keeps moisture in, keeps weeds out, prevents disease, and enriches the soil. I read an article recently that cited research by Texas A&M University. According to their findings, well-mulched gardens can yield up to 50% more veggies than an unmulched garden space. Fifty percent!?! That is huge! I put a lot of work into my soil this year before the seeds and starters went in. I certainly don't want to waste all of that by skipping this step.

It is already very hot here (it got up to 98 degrees today). I knew that I couldn't put off mulching for many more days, so Monday I got to work.

The girls in their coop. See Blackberry back there?
She's broody again and gets all puffed up when we go in to get eggs!

In the early spring, after the last frost, we rake up all of our leaves and spread them in the chicken run. The chickens love having some new leaves to scratch around in and I love that they break them all down for us, add some fertilizer, and create free mulch!

The chicken run was a mess, so it was good timing. I got to clean out the pen while mulching. A win-win situation!

Look at that shovel back there. The leaves were thick! The good stuff was underneath...

I started out by shoveling all of the leaves onto a big tarp. Why a tarp? We don't have a wheel barrow! Let me stop right here and over emphasize how important it is to have the right tools for a job. My tarp worked great, but lugging that thing from the back into the front nearly killed me. I seriously had to take a rest after that!

Mama needs a wheel barrow!

While I was shoveling, I had the sprinkler turned on the beds. I like to mulch after the soil is wet so the mulch can help keep that moisture in and maintain a cooler soil temperature.

After I turned off the water I fertilized with some fish emulsion.

At this point in the day, it was HOT! So we all headed inside. After dinner Buddy and I went back out to finish the job.

Yes- I do yard work in a skirt. It's the best way to keep cool!

It is recommended in hot climates to add four inches of mulch to your plants. In cooler climates you want less mulch to help inhibit mold growth.

When I went out Tuesday morning to check on the plants they looked perky and the soil still felt damp. That is a major difference! Usually by morning they are a little droopy and ready to be watered again.

This is my first year to properly mulch the garden. I can't wait to see if the yields are truly higher this time around.

If you want to read more about mulching (and really, who wouldn't?), Mother Earth News has a great article on it this month.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All you savvy gardeners out there- have you found higher yields with mulching?
Any none mulchers in the crowd?

and he's off!

2011-05-31T06:00:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I was looking for a vintage bike for Moonpie on Craigslist. That same day I was talking to my brother as he was driving by an antique store. He mentioned that they had the coolest kid's bike out front. I asked him to turn himself around and go back and get it for me!

When we got it from him we realized that it was a bit small for Moonpie, but just perfect for Buddy. This weekend John got the seat lowered, the wheels shining, and Buddy boy was off!

Moonpie had coached him through riding without training wheels a while back, and he is do really well!

Man, he sure is cute on his banana seat bike!

As far as a bike for Moonpie goes, have no fear- last week I was driving by our thrift store and lo and behold...

As you can imagine, it was the enormous handle bars that caught my eye. I turned around as quick as I could and raced back. It was priced at only $12! It is a great size for Moonpie, but needs more work than Buddy's did. We need new peddles, new inner tubes, and I'm dreaming of recovering the seat in something really cool. Her only request was that we find some silver streamers for the hand grips- I can do that!

backseat wisdom

2011-05-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

I think this is the longest unplanned blogging hiatus I have ever taken. We are doing some minor bathroom renovation, my google account got all wonky on me, and then there was every day living. Less screen time just sort of happened. Now that it is starting to really heat up outside (it got to 97 degrees this week), we will be in more. That's the way it goes here where we really only get two true seasons- winter and summer!

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My camera cord is still floating around John's office somewhere, so I will leave you with this shot of Moonpie (taken by her brother) on our April trip to West Texas (notice the window crayons). And some words of wisdom from said Moonpie:

The other day we were driving and this the conversation I overheard coming from the backseat:

Buddy: I feel really mad and sad still about this morning.

Moonpie: Don't you feel like you've carried that anger for long enough?

B: What do you mean?

M: Well...think of it like a bucket...and that the bucket is full of anger. Don't you think it's time to empty the bucket? I do.

dishes

2011-05-17T10:50:00.000-05:00

When we married (12 years ago this June!) we registered for dishes from Pier One. I love that we picked a style reminscent of Fiesta Wear, but in earthier, subdued colors. We still have many of the large dishes and pasta bowls, but our bowl and salad plate collection has slowly dwindled. I usually pick up replacements at the thrift store, whenever they come available, but my dream would be to begin replacing them with handmade pottery.

My dad remarried when I was 15 and my step-mom brought with her a collection of pottery dishes that she had been adding to over the years. It was the first time I had ever seen hand made pottery- and I loved them!

Here are the pieces I'm dreaming of today:

from Claytastic

I like the earthy, organic/ free formed feel to this piece.

from LeslieFreemanDesigns

This color is beautiful! It reminds me of the ocean.

from Hughes Pottery

Love this one! It's so moody! The saturated blues are beautiful.

I like the idea of having coordinating pottery from different artists. And if I'm really dreaming here, I'd love to know how to make my own...

Just add it to the list of things I want to learn how to do!

john took the camera to work

2011-05-12T06:54:00.000-05:00

But if I had it, I'd show you:

how one of my tomato varieties (the mortgage lifter) has leaves the size of my hands! It's extraordinary really, something I've never seen!
the country roads inspired skirt we whipped up for Moonpie yesterday (the one that started as a shirt).
the felt weather chart Buddy made yesterday- his first time to use the sewing machine (and how his stitches are straighter than mine ever were as a beginner).
the evidence of a true rain- that lasted for a brief 10 minutes or so (our first rain in over 6 months)!

And since I didn't have the camera, I couldn't:

be bothered to take pictures of said rain. Instead I was freed up to enjoy the rain completely with my children. We ran and danced and sailed leaf boats. We tilted chins to the sky with mouths wide open. Oh the joy in their eyes- rain!

And since I don't have the camera, I will send you:

over to Jaime's, to make the most delicious chicken pot pie you have ever dreamed of (you dream in pies, right?)
to Design Mom to jog your memory in the skills of friendship bracelet making.
to one of our favorite, new library books.

the farm grows

2011-05-10T09:36:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago Miss Moonpie asked if she could begin saving up for a bunny. We talked it over and decided that it was a great idea! Not too long after that discussion, this jar turned up in the living room:

You can see that the jar is empty now!

Look who has come to join the mini-farm-

This is Cupcake. Also known as Bunny Boy and Little Darth Vader. He is such a sweet addition to our daily life!

He is a Dutch bunny (hence the oreo markings). And although he is joining the urban homestead, do not dismay. This little honey will not be eaten! He is simply here for the cuddles.

my so called health

2011-05-09T10:07:00.000-05:00

You know, sometimes no matter how hard you work to be healthy, the outside factor of stress can take you down like a 12 year old girl in one of those sumo wrestler suits. After 2 weeks of the kids passing a mystery virus back and forth, I finally succumbed. You know, on mother's day weekend. We have termed it the mystery virus because it's a mish-mash of all of these symptoms that shouldn't go together. At one moment you feel normal, and then the next minute you're passing out at the town festival. A mystery I tell ya.
But, through it all, I was able to set a goal for myself- you know, being the over-achiever that I am. My
goal?

image taken from netflix

To watch the entire series of "My So-called Life" on Netflix instant. And not to brag, but I totally did it. At the end of episode 19 I was left feeling just like I did as a 17 year old- what happened? It was such a good show (besides that weird homeless girl/angel episode), had so much potential and some major unresolved issues. I declare a need for all of the actors to re-assemble and make a movie. To wrap it all up for me. Do Angela and Jordan Catallano end up being together, or does she go the better route with Brian. Come on! These are important issues that must be resolved.

It was so much fun to watch again. To see my entire wardrobe from high school (brown corduroy over-alls from Urban Outfitters? Umm, yeah, of course.) The funniest part to me was that I had no recollection of the parent story-line at all. I was so wrapped up in the drama of teenage politics.

Well- I suppose that's enough talk about how I spent my entire mother's day weekend. You know how when you're feeling healthy, a day in bed watching movies sounds like a dream? That you couldn't even imagine the luxury of that? Yeah, didn't enjoy it one bit! I wanted to be out at the parade with my people so bad! Eating yummy food. Playing board games. Just...being mama.

Lucky for me, that isn't relegated to just one day a year.

this moment {helping}

2011-05-06T09:01:00.002-05:00

{{{as inspired by soulemama- one single, wordless moment that is worth hanging onto}}}

Buddy working the pedal...

feeling inspired

2011-05-05T08:57:00.000-05:00

Last week I was feeling a bit uninspired in my crafting, in my menu planning, in my schooling, in my home keeping, all around - uninspired (except in the garden-where I spent most of my time!). I felt like I was going through the motions just to get jobs done. My desire is to be joyful in all that I do, and not begrudge the work set before me. But it doesn't alway work out that way! Well, just around the time that I started getting sick of myself, something wonderful happened...babies were born! There is nothing like new life to get the creative juices flowing!

appliqued onesie and headband - for Mia

for Madison

for soon to arrive, Liam

I love newborns! Their squishy little faces, their creamy skin, their feather soft hair. I just want to breathe them in. And then get to the sewing machine!

road trips with children

2011-05-03T08:56:00.001-05:00

last summer's road trip to Baltimore

We are a family that loves to travel the open road! After our last trip up to Canyon, TX, the question came up about what we do to keep the kids entertained in the car on long trips. We have some real experience in this department. We have driven all of the way up to Pennsylvania!

Traveling with kids takes some forethought. I never just hop into the car and hope for the best. Even for shorter trips- like driving the 1 1/2 hours to the see the grandparents, I like to have some sort of plan.

All of the supplies that I gather before the trip for them are kept up front with me and I pass back one at a time. This is key to success!

Here are my 10 tips to traveling with children:

1) The travel notebook

Before the trip I print out crossword puzzles, coloring sheets, number games, mazes, etc. and place them into a 3-ring binder. I also put blank paper, graphing paper (because it's fun!), notebook paper and a zipper pouch. Inside the zipper pouch are scissors, pencils, pencil sharpener, and colored pencils (because crayons tend to melt).

One other thing the kids love is when I make a travel bingo game. I usually make about four different sheets. On each sheet I'll do a 3x4 grid of clip art of road side things we may see. Like a stop sign, a motorcycle, or an airplane. If we are going to be in the city I may put a bus or a city train. As we drive along and they find an object on their page they will cross that item out.

The travel notebook is usually the first thing to get busted out on a trip.

2) Bag o' goodies

A month or so prior to the trip I start collecting little trinkets for the kids. Maybe a new hot wheel for Buddy, or friendship bracelet making stuff for Moonpie. My most favorite thing to stock the goodie bag with is Dover stickers. I usually buy several of these sticker books to keep on hand. These are also easy to find on the road. Mainly because of my husband's obsession with the Cracker Barrel. As the trip progresses I'll pass back a new item. We can get about one hour out of each new thing. I actually time this. Even if they tire of the item, I won't pass back a new one until the hour is up. Sometimes I swap with the kids and sometimes I let them keep the whole enchilada back there.

None of the items in the bag usually cost over a dollar. See that picture of Moonpie up there working in her notebook while wearing a shower cap? That shower cap was from our hotel room! I knew that she would love it, so I swiped it before she could see it and tucked into my bag. The next leg of the trip I whipped it out and she was thrilled! Until her head started getting sweaty.

3) Window crayons

I felt like a real genius when I came up with this idea. We used these on our recent trip to Palo Duro Canyon. We got some real mileage out of these! The kids loved them and played with them for hours off and on. However, they were pretty messy. My poor mister almost had an aneurism from all the window mess. He is a fan of clean windows. I was pretty impressed that he allowed the kids to gunk up the windows at all. My recommendation with these is to keep wipes in the back seat and be ok with some mess. Or I'd advise the window markers over the window crayons. That's probably what I'll do next time.

4) Wikki Stix (with an "x" because they are so "x-treme")

This is one of those classic travel items for us. My kids love them and get lots of play time out of them. However, we have had them melt in the car- so some caution there. Another cheaper, non-melty option is pipe cleaners.

5) Book basket

We always keep a basket of book in between the kid's seats. For a trip I like to surprise the kids with new books that I've squirreled away from the thrift store (our thrift store sells children's books for 35 cents a copy). I'll also put one coloring book for each in there.

6) Snacks

I am the snack master. We always have snacks in the car. I usually pack carrot sticks, grapes, O's cereal, Annie's cheddar bunnies, Yummy Earth suckers and water. These also periodically get passed back. Sometimes when the trip feels really long, like driving across west Texas for example, we stop at the DQ for a mini blizzard. That always lifts spirits and lets little legs get some energy out.

photo credit: buddy

7) "Look out of the window!"

All of this planning doesn't result in problem free traveling. I still find myself responding to "I'm bored" with "well, look out the window!". Because that's what a road trip is about to me. It's not all about arriving. Some of it is about the getting there. One thing (besides the road trip bingo) I have found to encourage the children to look out of the window is to give them a camera and let them take pictures of what they see. Buddy's pictures are usually of trucks and giant tires, while Moonpie's are of trees and birds. It's lovely to view the trip from their perspective.

8) Audio books

We love audio books! I usually check a few out from the library or download some episodes of Adventures in Odyssey.

9) Movies

We are pretty strict when it comes to movies in the car- just like at home. On long travel days (8-10 hour legs), we usually get up early- around 5am- and hit the road. We don't allow movies until after lunch time. Then we usually only do one a day. Sometimes two if the kids are having a hard time finding a rhythm.

10) Silly travel games

We like to play silly games on the road that we have made up. The kids created a verbal version of "Guess Who" ("I'm thinking of someone with a mustache, who wears blue overalls and red hat"). Or the game of sketchy situational responses called "appropriate or inappropriate" (ex-"Buddy- appropriate or inappropriate- wearing shoes on your head and underwear for a shirt). And there's always "what animal is this?" ("it has long legs, a long neck and a sharp beak).

There you go! 10 things that work well for our family. As they continue to grow I know I'll need to change up my arsenal. My hope is that no matter the age, we can enjoy the car time as a family. And that when my children look back on their childhood road trips they will remember mama making hats out of pipe cleaners just as fondly as seeing waterfalls and canyons.

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What about you? Any travel tips you can recommend?

this moment {tastes like sunshine}

2011-04-29T12:31:00.000-05:00

{{{as inspired by soulemama- one single, wordless moment that is worth hanging onto}}}

some inspiration

2011-04-28T06:04:00.001-05:00

I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately. When the kids are ready for mommy time (in between all of the wonderful, sunny outside time), all I can come up with is reading. Or board games. Or tickle time. Which is fine. But I'm ready for a little more excitement around here!

Here are three activities that we will be trying out soon:

geode eggs!
My kids love rocks- I know they are going to flip over these!

lava lamps (first seen on Flower Patch Farmgirl)

homemade silly putty (first seen on Progressive Pioneer)
I've done lost my mind!

And while some of these were supposed to be more "eastery", we'll just change them up a bit to make them more every day fare!

What have you seen lately that has brought on some inspiration?

just a really good cookie

2011-04-27T09:58:00.002-05:00

Recently I made these cookies found here. They were so good. The texture was perfect. The peanut butter and chocolate... I mean, come on. Then, the added salt took them overboard into an ocean of deliciousness. So when I say that these were really good, I mean it!

I made a few changes. I used rapadura/sucanat for the sweetener. I used freshly ground whole wheat flour instead of all purpose. And of course, fair trade chocolate chips.

soaking it in

2011-04-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

barn pickin'

2011-04-20T06:45:00.002-05:00

John went barn picking yesterday. This barn belongs to my childhood bestie's grandparents. Look what he came home with:

aluminum ice chest with wooden rim- can't you see it brimming with granola at the market?

scratch that- make that two aluminum ice chests

an old oiling set- i love the colors!

more great color

I have a thing for old rusty lanterns. And hand painted...anything.
This wooden sign will be showing up on my market day table as well.

moonpie did some pickin' of her own- in the glove compartment of the car.
yeah- you read that right.

He came home with a whole car!

And not just any car. This is his dream car. For as long as I've known him, he's wanted this car. I am so very happy for him- so grateful for this gift!

passover

2011-04-19T06:04:00.002-05:00

Our Easter garden

Last night we observed passover in a very protestant, modern way. We ate pizza (it was practically unleavened), lit some candles and talked about what the passover meant for the Israelites thousands of years ago and what it means for us today. It just so happens that we have been studying Moses and the passover account in our Bible curriculum during the school day, so the kids were really into the discussion we had.

The conversation was about remembering.

About obedience.

God told His people that He wanted them to talk about the passover every year- to remember how He set them free from their slavery under the Egyptians. How He sent an angel to "passover" the homes marked with the blood from the sacrificial lamb. How death fell on the households of those that did not obey.

We discussed how God wanted His people to remember what He has done, because we are extra good at forgetting His goodness. He pours grace upon grace over us, and in the midst of hardships (or sometimes, just getting through the day), we forget. We forget that the God we have entrusted our eternity with, can be entrusted with our present.

This talk of remembering resonated with me. I have been focusing on remembering lately as we wade through the s-l-o-w adoption process. Remembering that the God that gave us two remarkable children through birth is the same God that is adding to our family again through adoption. That His timing is perfect. Truly perfect. That we are not choosing a baby. No. We are waiting on the baby that we have been chosen for.

I love how throughout scripture, God refers to Himself as "the One who was, the One who is, and the One who will be". He is forever. He's always been forever. And when I begin to forget this, I can look back on the way He has blanketed us with His lavish love.

How our neighbor that has never spoken to us brought us two watermelons on the morning that I woke up craving watermelon. How He walked us through losing a baby. How zinnias, my very most favorite flower, are popping up all over the garden. How He walked me through my parent's divorce. How He walked the Israelites through the wilderness.

He's always been there.

Guiding.
Leading.
Loving.
Disciplining.

I want to remember.

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As we reflect and celebrate during this holy week, we are using these two ideas/resources:

an Easter Garden

this devotion (we are simply following the guide for the week between Palm Sunday and Easter) as suggested by my buddy Heather.

I'd love to hear what you are doing!

market day

2011-04-16T15:53:00.000-05:00

We'll be out at Home Sweet Farm's market day this Sunday from 2-4pm selling granola, crispy nuts and maybe sprouted whole wheat flour! We'd love to see you!