tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87726064189645936962024-02-19T11:14:15.441-06:00Life in a Grub HouseWife. Mother. Teacher. Homemaker.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.comBlogger576125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-18332639150174993772017-03-24T18:46:00.000-05:002017-03-24T18:46:05.048-05:00Thank Goodness for Small MiraclesI winged it last night when I made dinner and the kids loved it! We had an abundance of plum jam in the fridge and I had just watched a cooking show about Pioneer Woman making peach chicken or something similar.<br />
<br />
Plum Soy Chicken<br />
<br />
2 C plum sauce or jam<br />
3/4 C soy sauce<br />
red pepper flakes<br />
garlic<br />
I would have added ginger, but I'm out<br />
1 diced onion<br />
lemon juice<br />
<br />
I browned the chicken hindquarters or thighs, I can't remember, and set them aside. Then I sauted the onions in the leftover fat and returned the chicken to the pan. I added the sauce, put a lid on it, and stuck it in the oven for an hour and a half. I think two hours would have been perfect, but I didn't have that kind of time. I would have served it over rice, but I didn't have any so I use quinoa. I typically hate quinoa, however, it was palatable covered in the plum soy sauce.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-55882150534300466322017-03-23T22:40:00.000-05:002017-03-23T22:40:33.173-05:003.23.17So. Life.<br />
<br />
There was a lot of screaming in my house today. Mostly from the kids. We're stuck in this awful weather pattern where it's nice for two or three days and then cold, sucky, and on the verge of raining. The shift in barometric pressure is wrecking havoc on my household. Sigh.<br />
<br />
Clementine has been exercising her voice. Her newest, and most annoying phrase, is "I DO!" She wants and insists on doing everything except that she can't. I may or may not have shut myself in the bathroom for a bit today.<br />
<br />
I'm trying to figure out a good rhythm for homeschooling. I think the answer is that there is not good rhythm with a toddler in the house. I have three night owls and two morning kids which makes for interesting days. For awhile I told the kids that all school work and chores needed to be completed before noon, but we don't even finish eating breakfast until 10:30 so everyone was ending up stressed and grumpy. My new plan is to do group work after breakfast, then work with my morning kids, and the night owls have until bedtime to finish their work. We'll see how it goes.<br />
<br />
I started another homeschooling group and am excited about it. The group is up to maybe 80 people now and I've got fun things planned through May. I could plan out the rest of the summer, but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. I love planning and when people are happy about it, I am happy and motivated to keep going. I'm hopeful this will be a positive group for my kids and that they make new friends.<br />
<br />
I am on top of gardening this year. I have almost finished adding four raised beds. I have planted kale, spinach, lettuce, radishes, and peas. I'm not sure about the radishes because they were subjected to Clementine's "I DO!" and for some reason I don't think they'll grow in a clump. I accidentally bought a Bartlett pear tree when the kids and I went to Walmart for a furnace filter. If I push it, I can probably squeeze in two more trees, but I'm not so sure I need anything. Maybe sweet cherries.<br />
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I'm scaling back on tomatoes this year and planting potatoes in hills in my big garden instead of in the potato planters. Ok, when I say "scaling back" what I mean it that I don't know how to scale back, but I have 30 tomatoes that I just transplanted into bigger containers, except I double planted so I have 60 tomatoes. It's still fewer than 70 from last year. I am pumped about growing a lot of potatoes. We eat a lot of potatoes. I need a root cellar.<br />
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Maeve is a sewing genius. I'm not kidding. She has an amazing ability to see patterns and translate them into whatever she wants. Her current project is a velociraptor. She sketched it in pieces on regular paper, made a pattern, and fit all of the pattern pieces perfectly onto her fabric. She's making toe claws and everything. This dinosaur is going to be as big as Finnegan. I'll post pictures when she's done.<br />
<br />
Exercising is going great. There are days I miss a workout, but I feel good. I'm not sure if I've lost any weight because I don't own a scale. I have biceps again and am gaining muscle in my legs and abs. I have no idea of I'll lost 30 lbs by June and I honestly don't care too much. Exercising is a way for me to feel good about myself. A nice butt is certainly a bonus, but I've always have one of those. Ha, yes I just said that.<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-30505111229736100632017-01-21T23:49:00.003-06:002017-01-21T23:49:55.879-06:001.21.17I haven't written anything since 2015. I must be busy.<br />
<br />
Life is finally starting to settle down since adding a fifth kid to the mix. She is a spit-fire like the rest of them and is in to everything these days.<br />
<br />
I decided late last year that I am ready to work on me. I want to be strong and fit again and feel good when I get dressed in the morning. Or afternoon. I loved doing tae bo workouts in college so I ordered two dvds. They are terrific! One disc has eight different ten minute workouts. The other disc has four longer cardio workouts. My goal is to do one ten minute workout everyday and the longer workouts three times a week. So far, so good! I feel fantastic and have noticed that I have more energy and am happier.<br />
<br />
In addition to working out, I have started to eat more vegetables and protein. I also begin everyday by squeezing half of a lemon and adding a spoonful of raw honey to a quart of water. I honestly have no idea what benefits, if any, come from lemon water, but I know raw honey is good for you and the lemon is tasty.<br />
<br />
I was thinking today that I still haven't written down my goals for this year so here they are in no particular order:<br />
<br />
1. Get in shape. In a perfect world, this includes losing 30 lbs by June. That's only 5 lbs/month so I think I can get close.<br />
<br />
2. Increase sales for my <a href="http://grubhousesoap.com/" target="_blank">soap business</a>. I have tons of inventory sitting on the shelves and need to figure out how to move/sell the soap faster. I also need to work on marketing.<br />
<br />
3. Save money! We switched to an all cash system last year and it's been awesome! It's very similar to what Dave Ramsey preaches and has made a huge difference. We are saving for a recreational acreage since we are more than likely never moving from our current home.<br />
<br />
4. Take more road trips with the kids as soon as the weather is nicer.<br />
<br />
5. Add to the garden. I have a long list of herbal wonders that I plan to plant and want fill the four raised boxes my husband built last year. I also want to add grapes. I need grape juice during the winter. I mean nothing says summer like a glass of canned grape juice.<br />
<br />
6. Expand my herb knowledge.<br />
<br />
That's about it!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-8452143464555699122015-07-29T11:56:00.000-05:002015-07-29T11:56:07.519-05:00Clementine JaneI started having regular contractions around 1:30 pm on Wednesday, May 20th. I called my husband while crying and told him that he shouldn't come home yet because I wasn't sure whether or not I was in labor. He didn't listen and came home anyway and I was grateful because the contractions kept coming. I called my midwife, told her we were headed to the hospital, and we finished packing our bags. <br />
<br />
We arrived at the hospital around 3:30 pm and it took forever to get settled. The hospital makes you answer about a hour's worth of stupid questions. As soon as the nurse left me alone, we started walking. We walked and walked and walked. I was dilated to 3 cm when we got there and expected my labor to go quickly. Lori, my midwife, checked me again at 9 pm and I was only at 5 cm. I was contracting often and regularly while moving, but as soon as I stopped, so did the contractions. I agreed to have her break my water at 10:30 pm and my labor completely stopped. No contractions whatsoever. I was tired, frustrated, and upset. My labor with Finnegan had been similar, but when my water was broken, he was born in two hours.<br />
<br />
I asked for an epidural. I am pro natural child birth and am aware of the risks of a medicated birth, however, I was fighting what few contractions I was having and was so, so tired. They started pitocin shortly after the epi was placed. The pitocin was increased four times before my uterus starting contracting. I could feel my contractions start and everyone came back into my room to get things set up for delivery. Clementine Jane was born at 3:30 am, or close to 3:30....I can't remember the exact time, after a few pushes. We had decided to name her Imogen since the name means "last child", but she didn't look like an Imogen. The other names on our list were Filomena after my great Italian grandmother and Mable. The kids didn't like Filomena and my husband didn't like Mabel.<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-33383368907788319602015-07-15T22:36:00.002-05:002015-07-15T22:36:21.154-05:00How to go to Bed Like a Three Year OldHow to go to bed like a three year old:<br />
<br /> 1. Lick your mom's back as soon as she gets into bed. <br /> 2. Get a drink of water.<br /> 3. Sing loud songs about rainbows.<br /> 4. Collect as many stuffed animals as possible. Make sure they don't belong to you.<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> 5. Get a drink of water.<br /> 5. Collect stuffed animals one at a time.<br /> 6. Pretend to be a spy.<br /> 7. Bend over and make fart noises.<br /> 8. Fight with at least one brother.<br /> 9. Get a drink of water.<br /> 10. Pretend to sleep for so long that your mom leaves the room.<br /> 11. Cry. A lot. Try hard to produce real tears.<br /> 12. Get a drink of water.<br /> 13. Complain about something.<br /> 14. Fall asleep, but wake up to pee.<br /> 15. Remove all stuffed animals from bed.<br /> 16. Collapse and sleep.</span>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-70463759040906292592015-07-07T13:45:00.001-05:002015-07-07T13:45:51.584-05:00Phone CallsThe kids can be somewhere playing happily, but the minute the phone rings, all hell breaks loose around these parts.<br />
<br />
My mother-in-law called today. Four children were quietly eating at the kitchen table. Clementine was asleep. All was well. Then the phone rang.<br />
<br />
"Hello"<br />
<br />
Moooommmm! Mom! I need to tell you something. MOM! Why are you ignoring me!? MOOOM!<br />
<br />
Or how about the time I called my mother. All of the kids, with the exception of the baby, were upstairs sleeping.<br />
<br />
"Hello"<br />
<br />
Groggy eyed kid enters and immediately starts arguing about why he should get to use his kindle upon waking. Clementine wakes up in her bassinet and Tillie starts crying at the top of the steps.<br />
<br />
Or the time when my dad called and asked if it was a good time to talk. Hahahahaha! Nope, it's never a good time to talk on the phone or with any other human if you have five kids. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-91936134481025495032015-07-07T13:33:00.005-05:002015-07-07T13:33:58.110-05:00Life with Five KidsDo you ever wonder what life is like with five kids? Let me tell you.<br />
<br />
The goal this morning was to run a few errands and stop at Target
before noon. The three younger kids were up by 9:30. The plan was to
make donuts, but no one collected eggs over the weekend and the coop is a
disaster from the rain this morning. Homemade yogurt to the rescue!
Except, as much as the two middles claim to love homemade yogurt, they
don't so they raided the fridge and ate bits and pieces of ev<span class="text_exposed_show">erything and left a mess of wasted food on the table. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
The two oldest finally got out of bed after I threatened to take away
their electronic devices and started complaining about yogurt for
breakfast. The youngest woke up from all of the loud complaining and she
needed to nurse. Shoes! Brush your hair! Stop eating!<br />
<br />
And we
were off. Everything was smooth sailing while we made a few stops. Then
Clementine pooped her pants. I could hear that it was a big one. Her
pooping means that my afternoon will be great, except that we were in
the Target parking lot, there was no water in the car to wet the cloth
wipes, poop was oozing out of her diaper, and it was raining. Poop went
everywhere. On the car seat, all over my hands, and her legs and feet.
The older kids were gagging and offering to stand outside the van to
collect rain water so that I could wet the wipes. Whatever. I made the
best of it and washed my hands and her legs when we got inside Target.<br />
<br />
Target was a successful trip. The kids were good. Clementine slept in
the wrap. It was raining harder when we were walking to the car. I got
the kids buckled, Clementine started crying, and the car wouldn't start.<br />
<br />
The end.</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-9021410735192262652015-01-21T21:58:00.000-06:002015-01-21T21:58:00.271-06:00Baby #5Baby #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.<br />
<br />
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. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-89014537125673864422015-01-19T21:32:00.000-06:002015-01-19T21:32:32.912-06:00Soap!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. <br />
<br />
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. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-70082741776939523352015-01-13T21:35:00.002-06:002015-01-13T21:35:58.627-06:00Back to BasicsIn 2008 I wrote this entry:<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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?!<br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-57473703203746564532014-09-21T22:27:00.000-05:002014-09-21T22:27:31.312-05:00Family of SEVEN!I am pregnant!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-69365735816311452372014-07-14T13:34:00.000-05:002014-07-14T13:34:48.682-05:002014-2015 School YearIt's that time of the year again when I start to obsessively comb the internet for new homeschooling books and ideas. I'm switching things up just a little, but our year will look similar to last year.<br />
<br />
Singapore math: I'm giving the kids until the end of Aug to finish the current book and am hopeful we'll be able to start 3A the first part of Sept.<br />
<br />
Story of Our World: We're still working through the first book about ancient times. I'm going to try to pick up the pace so we can finished by the end of 2014 and start on the next book..<br />
<br />
Noeo Science Chemistry: This is new for the year. I tried Apologia and hated it. The kids didn't mind it too much, but there weren't any colorful pictures and I thought the textbook was dry and the activities were lame. Noeo looks awesome and combines classical and Charlotte Mason types of learning/teaching. I'm looking forward to chemistry because we've studied animals since the beginning of time.<br />
<br />
Easy Peasy for English: I need a bit more direction teaching the kids grammar (they hate Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind) and literature so we're doing Easy Peasy for the year. It's free and mostly online so I don't have to teach it. This should give me time to work with the younger kids while the olders are working independently.Maeve still dislikes reading, but loves being read to so I'm hopeful this will be a good compromise.<br />
<br />
Handwriting Without Tears: My kids like it and I like that I don't have to do anything except check work. <br />
<br />
I bought Sonlight language arts for Oren because I think he's ready to be more included in our schooling. Tillie will do Montessori type stuff and probably drive everyone crazy.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-39652762900685620502014-06-20T22:19:00.002-05:002014-06-20T22:19:53.166-05:00Our Newest AdditionWe recently brought home a yellow lab named Finley. He turns four this year and is a really nice dog. Tillie can pull on his tail and he will not react. He's gentle with the kids, obeys commands, and has transitioned almost seamlessly into our family. The chickens are the only ones that aren't too thrilled with another dog. They pay no attention to our other lab, Bridget, but when Finley goes running outside they squawk like they are under attack. In true lab form, he only pays attention to the chickens when they have kitchen scraps.<br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-59519524955871526222014-06-20T11:40:00.001-05:002014-06-20T22:10:04.186-05:00ProduceI've been keeping track of what I'm spending on produce and I'm averaging about $40 per week. I shop every two weeks so I spent $80.31 today on produce. I bought:<br />
<br />
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3 pineapples<br />
2 pints of blueberries<br />
3 honeydew melons<br />
1 cantaloupe<br />
2 bunches of bananas<br />
2 pints of mushrooms<br />
10 # of carrots<br />
1 mango<br />
5 pears<br />
9.49 # of cherries<br />
12 # of apples<br />
6.97 # of grapes<br />
<br />
We have lettuce and chard growing in the garden that will provide more vegetables.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-47932154197284560702014-06-07T21:22:00.002-05:002014-06-07T21:22:51.574-05:00How to Shop for Groceries and Save MoneyGrocery shopping on a budget for a family of six can be challenging. I shop every other week and try to stay out of the grocery store between trips. Before I go to the store, here's what I do:<br />
<br />
1. Take inventory. Am I out of oil? Do I have enough spices for another two weeks? What staples am I missing?<br />
<br />
2. Check the ads. New ads come out every Wednesday. I look through the ads for Aldi, Fareway, and a new, local grocery store that just opened. I do all of my shopping at Fareway and they will price match everything as long as I have the ad or can pull it up on my ipod (or smart phone, but I don't have one of those). I look for things that are super cheap. I've been shopping for awhile so I know that if cheese is 2 for $3 that I need to buy a lot of it this trip. If apples are $0.69/lb, I will buy more apples than other fruits. I only ever buy fruits and veggies that are on sale and I always buy fresh and not canned.<br />
<br />
3. Go through my recipe box. I look for recipes that will use ingredients I already have in my pantry and ingredients that I saw in the grocery ads. I make a big list of dinner meals for two weeks and add any needed ingredients to my grocery list.<br />
<br />
There is a program called<a href="http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/"> Bountiful Baskets</a>. I think Bountiful Baskets is a great idea and want to jump on the bandwagon, but I don't think it's cost effective for a big family. I buy a lot of produce.<br />
<br />
Here's an example of my latest grocery trip:<br />
<br />
3 pineapples<br />
4 cantaloupes<br />
20 lbs of apples<br />
8 quarts of strawberries<br />
5 pints of blueberries<br />
3 heads of broccoli<br />
a 4 pack of peppers<br />
15 lbs of potatoes<br />
3 stalks of celery<br />
a bunch of bananas<br />
<br />
I spent $74.66 and am happy with what I paid. I price matched the blueberries and strawberries and the apples were $0.99/lb. Fareway had already marked down a couple of other things that I can't remember to match either Hy Vee or Dahl's ads.<br />
<br />
When I got home from getting groceries, I got out my list of meals and my calender and planned out breakfast, dinner, snacks, and daily food tasks for the next two weeks. I have found that I save a lot of money and don't waste food when I plan out detailed menus.<br />
<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-58319955146876849512014-05-22T23:44:00.000-05:002014-05-22T23:44:06.136-05:00GardenThe garden is almost finished! I still need to plant watermelon and the hot peppers and then I am done until it's time for the beans and fall stuff.<br />
<br />
So what did I plant this year? Well.....<br />
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These two beds are by the front door. One contains basil, parsley, thyme, and some carrots. The other is full of carrots and cilantro. For the record, I am not a cilantro fan, but I do like it in salsa.<br />
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The section to the right of the pavers is my perennial flower garden. I added lavender and two yarrow plants. <br />
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The two pots are rosemary and lavender that I started from seed this winter. They are growing and somehow the kids have not yet dumped the pots. It's a small miracle. <br />
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These beds are along the side of my garage. One bed is full of spinach, lettuce, and chard. The other bed is full of strawberries and spinach. <br />
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The small garden in the backyard is supposed to be full of lettuce, spinach, and chard, but the dog rolls around in it and I think the rain washed away some of the seeds since I planted it early. I'm planning to use the entire area for garlic this fall. I do have quite a bit of chard and spinach up and that makes me happy. <br />
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I have another small garden for invasive and annoying perennials. It's full of spearmint, lemon balm, oregano, and I added cone flower this year. <br />
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This is a terrible picture, but we added four <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-grow-100-pounds-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet-81760">potato growing thingys</a> this year. As soon as the potatoes grow out of the soil, you add another layer of wood and more soil. One thingy should grow something like 100 lbs of potatoes. We're growing Yukon golds since they're expensive and delicious. I have no idea where I will store 400 lbs of potatoes, but I don't need to think about that just yet.<br />
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My big garden was a flop last year. It was so full of weeds that I couldn't keep up. We covered everything with black plastic for about a month and a half and it did wonders for the garden. I have planted 59 tomatoes, most of which I started from seed in January, 15 sweet peppers, three or four butternut squashes, muskmelon, cantaloupe, and a couple of pumpkins. I also planted lots of sugar snap peas in an attempt to be able to put some in the freezer for later. I had one more weedy section that I covered with black plastic and that's where I'll plant the jalapeno and chili peppers. I'll stick the watermelon in somewhere with the rest of the melon.<br />
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I'm extremely happy with everything we've done this spring. My aronia bushes all have leaves, my service berry trees have leaves, and all of my fruit trees, with the exception of the peaches, flowered. The only thing left to do is add mulch around the aronia bushes and I think we're doing that this weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we have a good growing season and will have a lot of tasty, fresh food to eat soon. I love fresh salads. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-53221140222253310022014-04-13T22:08:00.000-05:002014-04-13T22:08:18.092-05:00All Around the HomesteadWe have lots of exciting projects happening around here this spring.<br />
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Our ghetto front door has been replaced with a real, normal size door. The guys even added a screen door. Yes, we are fancy. Replacing the door involved tearing out a wall on the porch and leaving a gaping hole in my house for a day. I bet the neighbors loved looking at it.<br />
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The three chicks we picked up a month or so ago are growing nicely. Two chicks are red sex links and the big white one is a mystery. She's supposed to be some kind of rare breed. I am going to move the chicks in with the big girls after this week's cold spell passes.<br />
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We lost one of our older hens a couple of days ago. She was the alpha and I was sad to see her go. It looked like she had a prolapsed vent, but an extreme version. There was so much of her intestine?? sticking out that there was no way I could save her.<br />
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I've had terrible luck finding another French Angora. The breeder closest to me had a barn fire and lost her Angoras. The next breeder I found was almost three hours away and we couldn't get our schedules to coordinate. The third breeder is one I will probably use, but he only had chocolate does and they looked funny. My man, Zircon. will soon have a very cozy colony style set up outside. I'm a little nervous to raise Angoras outside on the ground, but I think it's ultimately healthier for the rabbit and I plan to keep his belly and legs shaved. He will have lots of hiding spots and protection from the weather.<br />
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We are getting bees this spring. It was a last minute decision and I hope it works out. I'm reading a lot and watching many You Tube videos. I'm hopeful our equipment will get here before the bees. I went with eight frame hives and medium supers. I like the interchangeability of beekeeping that way.<br />
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Every year we try to add a tree or some kind of permanent, edible landscaping. This year we are adding aronia berry bushes and serviceberries. I'm excited. I've started lavender in pots and will eventually attempt to put it in the ground. I plan to also add yarrow, purple coneflower, and Russian sage because it's pretty.<br />
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My main garden is a disaster and is in need of a good till. My smaller garden has been seeded with spinach, lettuce, and chard. I planted garlic there last fall, but haven't noticed it coming up yet. The tomatoes I started in January are big and doing well. I started squash last month and it's not coming up. I had a couple of helpers planting the seeds and think I need to plants the seeds again while my helpers are sleeping. <br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-58480313701088347402014-03-07T23:23:00.000-06:002014-03-07T23:23:00.761-06:00Kids Camera<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKL9mkmHH6DuhnwJSANKOPshrxr347FcOryJ3RxnegMfiUw07oDtF1jcxpxVrzrpkiSMkyF7i67Hi8pHJkaD5awW4IOjNE93ax0wpmgIHuMZoJiB3p5W9GKYjcwhG9LKvPhmId1l2dv8/s1600/IMG_1466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKL9mkmHH6DuhnwJSANKOPshrxr347FcOryJ3RxnegMfiUw07oDtF1jcxpxVrzrpkiSMkyF7i67Hi8pHJkaD5awW4IOjNE93ax0wpmgIHuMZoJiB3p5W9GKYjcwhG9LKvPhmId1l2dv8/s1600/IMG_1466.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys being boys</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tillie's head. I have about 10 more just like it. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you tell she's almost two?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The butt dance. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daily uniform of bed head and pjs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kickin' it old school with Super Mario World and corded controllers.</td></tr>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-68382602344039379442014-03-05T22:55:00.002-06:002014-03-05T22:55:47.975-06:00I Hate WinterI hate winter. Actually, I don't mind winter until after Christmas. February is, by far, the longest month of the year to me. Spring starts this month and there seems to be no end to winter. Blah. Blah. Blah. I feel blah. The kids feel blah. The house seems to be much smaller than it was last fall. The animals aren't too interesting anymore. Crafting is blah. Cleaning is blah. The kids are sick. Again. So we can't leave the house. Again. And even if they were all well and we did leave the house, they would get sick. Again.<br />
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I want to move. I want to see my tulips and daffodils. I want to turn my enclosed porch into a sewing nook. I want to open the windows. I want to take a walk. I'd like to worry about getting a sunburn. I want to yell at the kids for tracking mud into the house. I want to use my fancy steam mop to clean up all of the tracked in mud. I want to eat fresh food. I want to see the look on Tillie's face when she holds a worm. I want to complain about allergies.<br />
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Seriously, if it snows in May again this year I might just lose my mind. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-17566319763150061402014-01-23T23:35:00.000-06:002014-01-23T23:35:00.246-06:00SpinningI bought myself a spinning wheel as an early Christmas present last year. It's a <a href="http://www.woolery.com/Store/pc/Louet-S17-c144.htm">Louet S17</a>. I bought it used and have had fun learning how to use it. Spinning is relaxing and monotonous and quiet enough that I can do it while the kids are sleeping or in front of the tv. <br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-6741457889958213862014-01-21T23:26:00.000-06:002014-01-21T23:26:00.278-06:00French AngorasYou've heard the saying "they breed like rabbits", right? This must not apply to French Angoras. I have two beautiful rabbits; a self chocolate and a broken blue, but they stink at mating. <br />
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My doe kindled, or gave birth, to a litter of six in November. She did not build a nest and tossed five of the babies out of the cage. She ate baby #6. I made her a nest, put the babies in it and it looked like she was feeding them for a day or so. Then she trampled all of them and pooped on the nest. I think she ate a couple more also. Yum-o. <br />
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I've been trying to get her pregnant since I bought her in May. It is not working. My buck is enthusiastic and seems to be doing his job, but maybe not? It would seem somewhat tragic for French Angoras if all of their fur prevented successful mating.<br />
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My doe is slightly underweight and I was thinking that there might be something wrong with her and maybe that's why she's not getting pregnant. Nope. I figured out that she started losing weight when I switched to a j style feeder in her cage. I think she's too stupid to take out enough food. I've been putting pellets in a bowl in her cage and she's back to eating a decent amount. French Angoras are apparently not highly intelligent animals. <br />
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I do love French Angoras and like plucking their fur. I like spinning their fur too so I'm hopeful I can get the breeding thing figured out soon. I'm going to be buying two more rabbits soonish so that ought to increase my chances of them having successful litters. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-20335495087803446852014-01-19T23:25:00.000-06:002014-01-19T23:25:00.670-06:00Natural CareI've been learning about essential oils, herbs, and other plants for the past year and am becoming comfortable creating salves. Maybe if I'm ever done having children, I'll become a Master Herbalist.<br />
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Here's what I keep in the pantry:<br />
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-dried platain or plantain infused olive oil <br />
-beeswax<br />
-dried calendula or calendula infused olive oil<br />
-lemon balm<br />
-raw honey <br />
-essential oils. My favorites are lemon, eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, and lavender.<br />
-epsom salt <br />
-activated charcoal<br />
-clay<br />
-sea salt<br />
-yarrow (I will be planting this in my garden this spring)<br />
-apple cider vinegar<br />
-colloidal silver<br />
-grapefruit seed extract<br />
-elderberry (I made a syrup this year and made the mistake of keeping it in the fridge. It spoiled. I will be freezing it in ice cubes trays this year.)<br />
-Coconut oil<br />
-dried dandelions Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-64494493387404765542014-01-17T23:17:00.001-06:002014-01-17T23:17:45.855-06:00Four Kids and CountingPeople often ask me if I'm done having kids and the answer I always give is "yes". I said I was done after Finnegan, after Oren, and after Tillie. Am I done? Yep!<br />
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I have a pros and cons list going in my head as to why we should or should not have another child. It's a big decision and one that I don't take lightly. One the one hand, I have devoted the last nine years of my life to babies. Nursing babies, changing babies, bathing babies. I don't know if I have it in me to do it again. It would be so freeing to not have a nursling. I could be gone for extended periods of time, someone else could put all of my children to bed, and I could get my body back in shape. Heck, maybe I would even buy a normal bra for the first time in nine years. It would be amazing. I wouldn't have to schedule my days around sleep or tired times and all of my children could dress themselves and wipe their own butt. My days could be spent gardening without worrying about a baby eating dirt or dog poop, sewing without constant interruptions, cooking new, more time consuming recipes, and maybe I could even start up a little business for salves, yarn, fiber, and honey. <br />
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On the other hand, I've always wanted four children, but now that we have four, I feel like there are others that we still need to meet to complete our family. We have been blessed with four beautiful, strong willed children. I love feeling the first little kicks from inside my womb. I love wondering who my baby is going to be and then seeing them for the first time. I love how empowered I feel after child birth (NOTE: I do NOT love child birth). I love breastfeeding and baby wearing. I love everything about having a baby. It is an absolute miracle that my body can create, grow, and sustain human life. I think mothering is the most important job in the world and children grow in the blink of an eye.<br />
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Sigh. See my dilemma?<br />
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P.S. I love my children beyond their newborn days. I love watching them discover their environment. I love those first steps, the first words, and every other first. I love seeing my child grow and learn and think. <br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-80917699878558808692014-01-14T21:12:00.001-06:002014-01-14T21:12:14.782-06:00Schoolish ThingsThis school year is productive!<br />
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Maeve finally understands math. In fact, she understands math so well that she's almost completed Singapore 2A. Yipppeee. This is huge for her and I'm proud. Finn finished 2A a couple of weeks ago so I ordered 2B, or at least I thought I ordered 2B. It took two weeks for the book to get here and only then did I discover that I had inadvertently ordered the workbook instead of the textbook. I immediately ordered the textbook from a company that is closer to home and received an email today telling me that it's back ordered. Annoying, but no big deal.<br />
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Maeve has taken off with reading this year. She enjoys reading to her siblings and anyone who will listen. She sat on the couch one day and read an entire Frog and Toad book. I keep encouraging her to pick up a chapter book. I moved all of the kid chapter books next to the living room couch and am hoping that will entice her to read more. Finn can also read and continues to improve. Both he and Maeve read from McGuffey's Readers and Finn reads things on his various video games.<br />
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I like The Story of Our World. The kids like it too and I think we've finally found a history book that works. The text is informative, not overwhelming, and the activity book gives some good ideas. I am hoping we can complete the book by the end of the summer and start book two next school year.<br />
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I am following the science topics from Ambleside Online this year and it's working. We are currently studying planets and are doing one planet per week. I will have them make a big solar system when we are finished. Then we will learn about amphibians. Since we've been learning about amphibians since the beginning of time, I'm probably going to skip frogs and pick something else. Or maybe I'll have them do research project and presentation about frogs. That could be fun.<br />
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The kids love Handwriting Without Tears. They have both completed their books from the beginning of the school year and have started the next book. Maeve's handwriting has improved significantly and Finn's fine motor control is better as well.<br />
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We are moving like snails through Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind. The kids tolerate it and listen. I'm going to try to pick up the pace just a bit so we can finish the book and move on to book two. <br />
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I am going to add a Bible study to our stuff since we are regularly attending church (Yay! I should have agreed to go to my husband's family's church a long time ago), but are not able to get there early enough for classes. A friend recommended God's Great Covenant and after looking at it, I decided to order it. It looks like something my kids will enjoy and I think this will be meatier than the readings from Ambleside Online. <br />
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Oren likes school time and his attention lasts anywhere from one minute to 30 minutes at the table. He can recognize many numbers and can do one plus one, two plus two, and two plus one. He stinks at letter recognition and recall, but he is slowly working his way through Handwriting Without Tears. He loves that book.<br />
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Tillie likes to taste glue, bite the tips off of markers, and eat crayons. Her biggest strength is being cute.<br />
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Overall, I am pleased with the progress that the kids have made this year so far. It seems like we've finally figured out this homeschooling thing. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772606418964593696.post-16674536792051951122014-01-14T19:10:00.000-06:002014-01-14T19:10:50.434-06:00SurrenderMy word for this year is surrender.<br />
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I am a perfectionist and have trouble delegating and get upset when reality does not match the plan in my head. As one might imagine, this leads to frustration and stress. Lots and lots of stress. I'm giving all of that up.<br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523097485538206127noreply@blogger.com0