January Happenings - Canning - Sledding

Sunday, 30 January 2011

• January Happenings

  January was a busy month.  We did a variety of activities......
  Ben, George, Uriah, Oliver, my mom, Gordon, Kelsey, Oakley and myself went to the Farm Show on Thurs. the 10th.  It was the first time we watched team penning.  Interesting......
  
  We decided to stay for the rodeo in the evening, since it was family day and the children got in $5.00 per person instead of $15.00.    Somewhat unnerving at times, but fun.....
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdlm858vb6U  - check out bull riding
  A real alpaca with Uriah and Oliver...
  
  Kelsey & I made homemade mushroom soup and canned it.  It is delicious....and easy to do....If you want recipe and details, let me know.
  
  
  I want to start making cheese again, but first cultures had to be prepared. Cultures are poured into ice-cube trays and once frozen, I release them into a freezer bag and use 1 cube per ounce of culture called for in recipe.
  
  I didn't get to make my usual muenster cheese yet, but tried (again) yogurt, cottage cheese and kefir.  I do not have success making yogurt.  Not sure what I do wrong, but Dave & the boys do not like "drinking" their yogurt.  Will have to work on that one.  Kefir was a success and is great in fruit smoothies, plus it is a great probiotic. 
  My 2 favorite books on making cheese .....
  
  Speaking of needing probiotics.....we should have been more diligent in taking them, for all the boys were really sick for about a week.  How do we homeschool when we have sickness in the house?  We watch documentaries and science movies.  We are members of netflix and they have LOTS of documentaries and movies pertaining to science.  One of our favorites was "Inside the US Secret Service".  We got an education on what all is involved in protecting Mr. President and other important people.
  We went to our wonderful library where a wonderful person named "Katie" helped the children make gingerbread houses.  That was our art for that week. 
  
  A new experiment this month, was trying to can rice.  It was successful!  1 1-2 cups rice (long grain brown), 1 tsp. salt in quart jar.  Fill with water to within 1 inch of rim, seal and pressure can for approx. 17 min..
  
  I tweaked another recipe for rice and beans.....3/4 c. rice (again, long grain brown is what I used) and 3/4 cup dried kidney beans, 1 tsp. salt, and water to fill to 1 " from rim.  Seal and pressure can for 1 hr. 20 min.   Tada!!    Open the jar, dump into skillet and add any other ingredients your heart desires and you have a very quick meal!
  
  And, of course, we had snow a few times....
  
  
  
  And it was discovered that plastic feed troughs, including hay, make great toboggans....
  
  Went as far as 1/4 to 1/2 mile ride!
  
  What will February hold?  I don't know, but I do know the One who is in control and holds tomorrow in His hands.  No need to worry or fret!
  Until next time...........

New Testament in 1 Year

Friday, 28 January 2011

• New Testament in 1 Year

  There are 260 chapters in the N.T., 52 weeks in a year.  260 ÷ 52 = 5.  5 chapters a week = N.T. in 1 year.  Thought I would share my schedule of reading to obtain this.  Being a wife, mother, & homeschooler is a very consuming blessing and sometimes our uninterrupted time is very limited.   The following schedule seems very obtainable and it can be incorporated in our homeschooling as our Bible curriculum.  It gives time to read, meditate and apply what is learned. 
  MONTH                 BOOK & CHAPTERS
  January              Matthew 1 - 21
  February            Matthew 22-18, Mark 1-13
  March                Mark 14-16, Luke 1-20
  April                   Luke 21-24, John 1- 18
  May                   John 19-21, Acts 1-19
  June                    Acts 20-28, Romans 1-13
  July                     Romans 14-16, I Corinthians 1-16,
                             II Corinthians 1-2
  August                II Corinthian 3-13, Galatians 1-6, Ephesians 1-6
  September          Philippians 1-4, Colossians 1-4, I Thessalonians 1-5,
                             II Thes. 1-3, I Timothy 1-6
  October              II Timothy 1-4, Titus 1-3, Philemon, Hebrews 1-12
  November           Hebrews 13, James 1-5, I Peter 1-5, II Peter 1-3,
                             I John 1-5, II John, III John, Jude
  December           Revelations 1-22
  Until next time...........

The Farm, Flu, and Facebook

Friday, 21 January 2011

• The Farm, Flu, and Facebook

  One thing about the farm - it doesn't close due to bad weather.  Especially if you have any kind of live stock and you want it to remain in that state.   Second thing about the farm - it doesn't close when those taking care of the live stock have the flu.  Those 4 legged creatures that provide part of our living need to be fed and milked twice a day, 7 days a week year round, no matter what!!  So, this week arrived like every other week has been doing, but some things are different.  The skies have decided to deliver snow, which makes outside chores slighty more difficult.  Dave is working on a job (that must be finished by next week) laying tile and has to start early in the morning and don't get home til 5:30.   Solomon worked a few days, which leaves Ben, George, Uriah, Oliver and myself to cover chores.  This is usually no problem at all, however, this week the flu hit and hit Ben, George and Uriah hard.  Chills, fever, stuffy head, dizziness, cough and exhaustion.  Oliver is only starting with it now and I am praying that somehow, someway it will totally miss me.  Dear Ben drags himself out to the barn to milk, with George's help if he is not too tight on his chest, and hurries back into the house to hold down the sofas and to provide us with some music titled "hacking".  Oliver & I have been doing all the feeding.    Am I complaining?  No, (even though I tend to get really tense when the boys are sick) this is life and all situations are permitted by my Heavenly Father and we learn character lessons through it.  It also confirms how important each and every family member is and how special they are and how thankful we are that we stick together through sickness and health, rain and snow, hot or cold.  By the way, it is only 58 more day til Spring!!  Bring it on!!
  Ahhhh, facebook.........I have come to love it!  It has been so good to keep in contact with old friends and new friends and get to know each of them better - all the while being able to stay in our home.  I have gotten to know some of my classmates, from 27 years ago (that long ago? really?), much better than when we were in high school.  Some folks accuse facebook of being a gossip center, but I cannot accuse any of my friends of doing that, plus they have provided encouragement and humor in my life.  I have one problem with it....it is addicting....  I go throughout my day feeling like I have to check fb when I get too close to the computer, and I feel I must check first thing in the morning and last thing at night.  So, I have come to love it too much.  I have been thinking of my priorities and realize that they are a tad mixed up.  The order of my priorities need to be, in this order:  God, Dave, our children (and everything that goes into meeting their needs), then everything else.  Facebook should fall in the last slot, but it has been up the list further.  So, I decided to do another fast for an undetermined amount of time.  Not because of my friends, but because of my lack of discipline.  So, my dear facebook friends, I will still be sharing about our lives on this blog and receiving email.  Xanga allows comments from non-members, so feel free to "talk" to me here, or email me.  My email is on facebook (no, I did not cancel my account and yes, I probably will be back).   So.....
  Until next time..................
  Update as of Sat. 22nd - Had Uriah and Oliver to Dr. - Uriah has upper respiratory infection, Oliver - bronchitis.  Georgie is better, Ben is still hacking, Solomon is now sick, but according to nurse it is not the true flu!  =)  See how long Dave & I can dodge it.  The Lord knows what we can handle.

Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe

Saturday, 15 January 2011

• Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe

  Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, catch a diet by it's toe, if it fails, try another, eenie, meenie, minie....oh! bother!  The whole subject of losing weight is quite popular this time of year.  The new year rolls around and everyone is reminded on how they failed to keep off weight or lose weight in the past year and they determine that the coming year WILL be different.  I fall into the "everyone" and I suspect that some of you do, too.  I have been doing research and thinking about the epidemic of overweight people and I am (or was) attempting to try to figure it all out.   Did you know that it is better to eliminate all the fats, meats, dairy (including eggs), from your diet and eat mostly complex carbs, veggies and only 3 servings of fruit a day?  You will lose weight really fast and be filled with energy?  Oh, did you know that you should cut out most of your carbs, but eat fats (the healthy kinds), veggies and some fruits and you will lose weight and be filled with energy?  By the way, did you know that if you eat soup and vary some of the ingredients so you don't get bored, you will lose weight and be filled with energy?  I almost forgot...did you know that you should eat NO carbs, but eat LOTS of eggs, fats, meats and veggies and you will lose weight and be filled with energy?  Or, maybe, you should know that you should eat mostly raw foods, including some meats, lots of healthy fats, fermented everything and you will lose weight and be filled with energy?   Better yet, eat whatever you want, but cut your portions in half.  And they all work, I know because I read the testimonies.  So, you are saying you didn't know all that?  Where have you been all these years?
  We live in the land of Options.  We can go into any grocery store and choose from a huge selection from all the food groups.  Need a new car?  Well, which one do you want?  How about a church, or clothing store, or whatever......and of course, we want the best bargain.  So we spend much time, much money, and too much energy into finding and making the perfect choice.  The world of dieting has joined the ranks of obsessive searching for the best bargain.  The one that promises to quench that fleshly desire of looking slim and sleek and fit for the billboard - fast!  And through it all, people are making big money giving completely opposite information from the next guy who has discovered that humans are very gullible folks!
  Now, back in my high school days (let's see, I can't remember when that was), it was such a shame to be even slightly overweight.  Double chin?  Do this exercise.  Thighs rubbing?  Buy the exercise gadget that hangs over the back of your door.  Now, I am seeing a different story.  The Dr. told me that they changed the charts, so now we aren't expected to be so skinny.  And I just read an article questioning the myth that obesity will kill you.  Why, us folks that are chubby are healthier than those slim, sleek Kens & Barbies!  Oh, you didn't know that either?  You definitely have been out of the loop.  Loop?  What loop?  Which one?  Which ever one you want to find - right or wrong - true or false - it is out there and you can read all about it in whichever magazine you pick up or website you want to read.
  What's the solution?  Don't quite know, for you see, I am still chubby.  Depending on which Dr. I ask, just 30 lbs. overweight, to another Dr. 50 lbs..  Who knows, I might find one that tells me I am skinny! 
  Well, to be totally honest, I think I have some answers!  I Timothy 4:1-5 tells us that we should not be commanded by anyone to not eat certain foods, which God has created and we should receive it with thanksgiving (please read this, it is very interesting).  And there are other scriptures that provide answers, but my intention for this post was not a sermon, but to just share the humorous (sometimes not so humorous) side of it all and to encourage each of us to eat according to how God is leading you.
  Until next time.......... 

Cow Politics

Friday, 07 January 2011

• Cow Politics

  Socialism:  You have two cows.  Give one cow to your neighbor.
  Communism:  You have two cows.  Give both cows to the government, and they may give you some of the milk.
  Fascism:  You have two cows.  You give all the milk to the government, and the government sells it.
  Nazism:  You have two cows.  The government shoots you and takes the cows.
  Anarchism:  You have two cows.  Keep both of the cows, shoot the government agent and steal another cow.
  Capitalism:  You have two cows.  Sell one cow and buy a bull.
  Surrealism:  You have two giraffes.  The government makes you take harmonica lessons.
  
  Until next time...............

22nd Birthday for Ben

Sunday, 02 January 2011

• 22nd Birthday for Ben

  Ben turned 22 yesterday, New Years Day.  Wow!  Already?   It worked out better to celebrate it today, though.  The day didn't start out exactly how I had planned it.  I spent last night from about 12:30 to 5:00 out of bed with a headache, still sore gums from my tooth extraction on Wed., and a backache.  When ibuprofen don't help, then I know I need to see a Chiropractor (on my list for this week).  Anyway, I was finally able to sleep early this morning and when I came downstairs, David's mighty men were hard at it.  The dishwasher was being emptied, rooms tidied up, floors being swept, and table being prepared for company.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate my boys and hubby!  Anyway, lunch was almost ready by the time the guests arrived - Kelsey, Gordon & Oakley, Grandma L, Carrie, Nathan and Sara.  Along with chicken and green beans, we had home-made french fries that were cut with my food processor (with french fry cutter) and then coated with olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt and onion flakes and baked in oven.  They were very yummy, especially the crispy ones!
  

  

  
  
  
  For dessert, we had tapioca pudding, ice-cream and coconut cake.
  
  Ben is a good meat processor (for some reason "butcher" sounds somewhat barbaric, doesn't it?) and so his cake was a diagram of beef cuts.  Wondering about his candles?  I didn't have 22 candles and I had just read in a magazine about using spaghetti.  Well, they didn't work, but it sure made for a good laugh!
  

  

  
  So, our oldest child is 22!  Ben is a great guy and we are very blessed to have him.  Love you, Ben!
  Ben and long time friend, Nathan...
  

  

  
  Grampa and his special little lady, Oakley...
  

  

  
  Fun day with family and friends!
  Until next time..............