Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Baby #5

Baby #5 is another beautiful girl! We are so excited to welcome another child into our family. I am currently around 22 weeks and feeling good. Maple Syrup isn't too big so her kicks don't hurt and she's not up in my rib cage. Sleeping is uncomfortable and I manage to sleep well about every other to every third night. Sleeping would probably be a bit easier if Tillie wasn't such a snuggler, but I know her snuggling days are limited so I don't mind.

I have no super cravings this pregnancy. I do love the smell of homemade cream of mushroom soup and ate a lot of green bean casserole on Thanksgiving. I don't have much of a sweet tooth right now and have started walking on the treadmill every other day. I only walk for 20 min and don't go very fast, but I'm moving and that's more than I did with any other winter pregnancies. I am certain I will be a lot more active this spring since the kids and I will be soaking up the sunshine and fresh air and working diligently in the garden. I would like to gain a reasonable amount of weight this time around and not gain 55 lbs like all of my previous pregnancies. I think this is my last baby since I'm now considered an old mother, but we've already hit the crazy family with a lot of kids label so we'll see.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Soap!

I've discovered a new hobby! Soap making! I enjoy taking basic ingredients and making safe, natural products for my family. I have tinkered around with recipes and have created a shampoo bar that has a rich, creamy lather and have also made regular soap bars that do not dry out my skin as much as other soaps on the market.

I think I'm just about ready to take a giant leap and start selling my soap. I have all of the legal stuff to figure out, but am excited to offer people a high quality, no frills soap. My soap is not vegan since I use tallow and lard, but I render the tallow myself and the lard comes from a local locker. I will have several varieties available and the soap will be priced at $5.25 per bar. I took inspiration from this blog and my business is called Grub House Soaps.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Back to Basics

In 2008 I wrote this entry:

Five years from now I hope to be living on an acreage. I want chickens, an orchard, a beehive, a massive garden and a compost bin. I want my children to be able to explore the world around them and have a deep respect for nature. I want them to know where their food comes from and how it grows. I want to teach them lost arts like sewing and baking bread from scratch.  My kids will be proud to wear secondhand clothes and to do their part to reuse and recycle. They will be confident, respectful, reflective, inquisitive and compassionate children.

It's now seven years later and we live in the same house, have chickens, an orchard, three beehives, a massive garden, and a compost bin. My kids love nature, know where their food comes from and can tell you how it grows. My daughter enjoys sewing and I usually have a helper in the kitchen. All of my kids rock second hand clothes and they recycle. Each child is confident, respectful, reflective, inquisitive, and compassionate. How's that for meeting goals?!

I am content with where we are and while I would someday love to have more land than our half acre, we have enough. We have fruit, vegetables, honey, eggs, and loads of herbs to heal many ailments. I started making soap last year and hope to turn it into a business. We almost have our own basketball team and our marriage is good. I am grateful for all that I have and hope this year will be full of joy as I watch my family continue to grow.