This has been a hard week for our area. The storms that came through wreaked havoc on so many homes.
The past couple of days my guys have been busy running chain saws clearing roads and helping get trees off of houses, while Amanda and I have been carrying water and food to help where we could.
Our church building was severely damaged. I went inside what was left of it today to help box up things that could be salvaged and it just broke my heart. Two of our church families lost their homes and several others had quite a bit of damage.
In addition to helping at the church, Murry, Ferrell and I spent part of today helping some of the families box and sort possessions that were savageable. Again, it was heartbreaking.
God was sooo good to our church family in that there were no fatalities. One of our members has a severely bruised shoulder and broken eye socket, but to my knowledge that was the only injury. I know that in other areas there were quite a few injuries and fatalities. Sometimes it is really hard to understand how things like this happen. I guess I can't understand, but I do know that I serve a faithful and loving Heavenly Father and that all things work together for good according to His plan.
I apologize for the rambling on this post, but I have seen so much heartache the last few days that it is totally overwhelming. Please pray for these families that are suffering.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Practice at My House
What's going on at your house tonight? At mine, my children and the young man that plays in the band with them are practicing. Love the sound of good ol' gospel music!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Homestead Additions
Amanda and I have been wanting to start breeding rabbits again for about a year, but we haven't actually done it. Saturday we had to go to the local Co-op for horse feed and while we were there we saw some folks with "Easter" rabbits for sale. It just so happened that the rabbits were New Zealand Whites which are exactly what we were wanting to get for breeding stock and they were selling for a much lower price than the rabbits we had been checking into. We bought two does and are hoping to find a buck from another source soon. My grandaughters are loving their "bunnies" and Amanda and I are looking forward to breeding them in a few months and having fresh rabbit in the freezer.
For the record, the two cute little "bunnies" we bought Saturday are our future breeders. They will NOT be the ones in the freezer. We don't make pets out of anything we plan to eat.
Here's a few pictures of our recent homestead additions.
For the record, the two cute little "bunnies" we bought Saturday are our future breeders. They will NOT be the ones in the freezer. We don't make pets out of anything we plan to eat.
Here's a few pictures of our recent homestead additions.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Plan for the Week
I really have not had time to plan a menu for the week, so I have no idea what we will be eating. I have quite a few things in the freezer so my plan is to just "wing it" this week.
My son, Caleb, is having a small bowel series Monday morning at 7:30 to check for possible small bowel lymphoma, which is a possible complication of Celiac Sprue. It's rare, but since my daughter had cancer at a young age the doctor wants to go ahead and check for the possibility. We should have all of the test and biopsy results back by Friday.
Tuesday I'm taking my Dad to the doctor in Tupelo. Hopefully, if my Dad is feeling okay, we will be making a stop at Sam's. I haven't been in several months and have quite a few items I would like to restock.
Wednesday, if everything works out, I am supposed to pick up one of our goats. She's a little nubian that will be ready for breeding this fall. Thursday we are supposed to pick up another goat. This one will be a Sanaan that freshened about a week ago, so we will have several months of fresh goats milk. I am so looking forward to having goats again.
Friday should be a relatively normal day, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Sounds good doesn't it? Well, that's my week at a glance, what's your week looking like?
My son, Caleb, is having a small bowel series Monday morning at 7:30 to check for possible small bowel lymphoma, which is a possible complication of Celiac Sprue. It's rare, but since my daughter had cancer at a young age the doctor wants to go ahead and check for the possibility. We should have all of the test and biopsy results back by Friday.
Tuesday I'm taking my Dad to the doctor in Tupelo. Hopefully, if my Dad is feeling okay, we will be making a stop at Sam's. I haven't been in several months and have quite a few items I would like to restock.
Wednesday, if everything works out, I am supposed to pick up one of our goats. She's a little nubian that will be ready for breeding this fall. Thursday we are supposed to pick up another goat. This one will be a Sanaan that freshened about a week ago, so we will have several months of fresh goats milk. I am so looking forward to having goats again.
Friday should be a relatively normal day, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Sounds good doesn't it? Well, that's my week at a glance, what's your week looking like?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
An Unusual Toy
Years ago when my children were young my Dad had to replace a culvert in one of the creeks on his place. He bought a large plastic culvert and cut it to fit the area where it was needed. After cutting it to the desired length there was a four foot section left. Daddy gave that to my children to play with and I have to say that piece of culvert has been the most played with and unusual "toy" my children ever had.
When they were little they would play inside of it by crawling and making it roll. As they got older they would walk on top of it and roll it around the yard. They have crawled through it as a tunnel on a homemade obstacle course and turned it up on end when playing hide and seek. The possibilities for play were limited only by their imaginations.
Yesterday, my youngest son Ferrell, took the time to clean that old section of culvert and brought it to the front yard for Rachel and Ellen to play with. It brought back so many memories to see them crawling through that "tunnel". I can honestly say that scrap piece of culvert has been the most loved play thing my children ever had.
When they were little they would play inside of it by crawling and making it roll. As they got older they would walk on top of it and roll it around the yard. They have crawled through it as a tunnel on a homemade obstacle course and turned it up on end when playing hide and seek. The possibilities for play were limited only by their imaginations.
Yesterday, my youngest son Ferrell, took the time to clean that old section of culvert and brought it to the front yard for Rachel and Ellen to play with. It brought back so many memories to see them crawling through that "tunnel". I can honestly say that scrap piece of culvert has been the most loved play thing my children ever had.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Lists
I'm sure that most of you have figured out by now that I'm one of those people that does not function well without a list to keep me organized. I make lists for just about everything. I have lists for cleaning, shopping, cooking, gardening, homeschooling, band records, you name it and I've probably got a list for it.
Making lists helps me to stay on track and organized. There are so many distractions throughout the average day that making a list helps me to prioritize. Even if I don't complete everything on my list for the week I at least know what needs to be done and where I need to focus my energies first.
For me, lists are an essential tool. So here's my TO DO list for this week. Thankfully I have quite a bit of it done already.
Make broth and jello for Caleb (that's all he can eat the day before his colonoscopy)
Make yogurt & kefir
Make cinnamon rolls for the freezer (gluten free & non-gluten free)
Make poultry stock (I have both chicken and turkey carcasses)
Cook ham bone for ham broth
Make bread for Caleb
Make basic soap for laundry detergent
Make laundry detergent
Clean my desk (It is continously piling up.)
Review several subjects with Ferrell
Sew up two nursing capes for a friend
Place order to food co-op
Pick up order from food co-op (about 1 1/2 hours away)
Regular household chores (laundry, cooking, straightening, bathrooms, sweeping & mopping)
Work on goat pasture fence
Make some freezer meals for my parents
Garden and yard work
Clean off front porch (Again!)
Making lists helps me to stay on track and organized. There are so many distractions throughout the average day that making a list helps me to prioritize. Even if I don't complete everything on my list for the week I at least know what needs to be done and where I need to focus my energies first.
For me, lists are an essential tool. So here's my TO DO list for this week. Thankfully I have quite a bit of it done already.
Make cinnamon rolls for the freezer (gluten free & non-gluten free)
Make basic soap for laundry detergent
Make laundry detergent
Clean my desk (It is continously piling up.)
Review several subjects with Ferrell
Sew up two nursing capes for a friend
Pick up order from food co-op (about 1 1/2 hours away)
Regular household chores (laundry, cooking, straightening, bathrooms, sweeping & mopping)
Work on goat pasture fence
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Weekend Cooking
Amanda and I spent most of this past Saturday cooking for her freezer. She has been having a good bit of "morning sickness" with this pregnancy with the exception that it's been in the evening instead of the morning. I only had "evening sickness" with one of my children and I thought it was so much worse than morning sickness. The reason being, with morning sickness, when I was finally able to be up and moving I was good for the rest of the day. With evening sickness I would start feeling bad around 4:00 in the afternoon and it would get worse until bedtime. Amanda's "evening sickness" seems to be working the same way that mine did.
Having great sympathy for any pregnant woman dealing with "morning or evening" sickness I decided that I would help Amanda get a good supply of meals in the freezer that would eliminate the need for her to spend much time in the kitchen. (At least until the sickness passes (hopefully). With Ellen the morning sickness lasted the whole pregnancy).
We made nineteen meals (or parts of meals) for her freezer and did several individual size containers for the girls. That gives her something quick and easy, besides sandwiches for their lunches.
Some of the things we made are sphagetti sauce, hamburger steak w/gravy, turkey rice soup, potato soup, hamburgers, precooked meat for stir fry, ground meat for casseroles, pancakes and applesauce muffins. Most of the things we cooked were meats that needed to be cooked on top of the stove instead of the oven. Those are the things that seem to bother her the most right now. Amanda has a wonderful vegetable steamer/rice cooker that she uses a lot for side dishes which is really nice since they don't require her to stand over them while they are cooking.
This week I am planning to make some banana muffins, broccoli rice casserole, freezer mashed potatoes, baked ham and turkey for the freezer. That should give her a good supply of quick and easy meals to get her through the worst of the morning sickness. After that we will begin working on meals she can have in the freezer for after the baby comes.
If you haven't started keeping pre-cooked meals (or parts of meals) in the freezer I highly recommend it. It is such a blessing to not always have to start from scratch after a busy day. It also helps the family budget, because by having meals in the freezer it isn't as tempting to eat out after a tiring day.
I would love to hear some of the meals that you cook for the freezer.
Having great sympathy for any pregnant woman dealing with "morning or evening" sickness I decided that I would help Amanda get a good supply of meals in the freezer that would eliminate the need for her to spend much time in the kitchen. (At least until the sickness passes (hopefully). With Ellen the morning sickness lasted the whole pregnancy).
We made nineteen meals (or parts of meals) for her freezer and did several individual size containers for the girls. That gives her something quick and easy, besides sandwiches for their lunches.
Some of the things we made are sphagetti sauce, hamburger steak w/gravy, turkey rice soup, potato soup, hamburgers, precooked meat for stir fry, ground meat for casseroles, pancakes and applesauce muffins. Most of the things we cooked were meats that needed to be cooked on top of the stove instead of the oven. Those are the things that seem to bother her the most right now. Amanda has a wonderful vegetable steamer/rice cooker that she uses a lot for side dishes which is really nice since they don't require her to stand over them while they are cooking.
This week I am planning to make some banana muffins, broccoli rice casserole, freezer mashed potatoes, baked ham and turkey for the freezer. That should give her a good supply of quick and easy meals to get her through the worst of the morning sickness. After that we will begin working on meals she can have in the freezer for after the baby comes.
If you haven't started keeping pre-cooked meals (or parts of meals) in the freezer I highly recommend it. It is such a blessing to not always have to start from scratch after a busy day. It also helps the family budget, because by having meals in the freezer it isn't as tempting to eat out after a tiring day.
I would love to hear some of the meals that you cook for the freezer.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Menu Plan for Week 4/17/11
Here's the plan:
Sunday - Hodge Podge (everyone fends for themselves ;)
Monday - Hamburger Steak w/gravy, Rice, Steamed Vegetables
Tuesday - Stir Fry and Rice
Wednesday - Ham, Garlic Potatoes, Raw Veggies
Thursday - Chicken & Rice Soup and Taco Soup
Friday - leftovers
Saturday - Bar-b-que Ribs, Cabbage Slaw, Homemade Baked Beans
Breakfast - Oatmeal, Eggs & Grits w/toast, applesauce muffins, pancakes, fruit & smoothies
Lunch - Sandwiches, Fruit & Smoothies, Pasta Salad, Soup
Snacks - Popcorn, Fruit & Smoothies, Cheese & Crackers, Homemade Bread w/jam
Sunday - Hodge Podge (everyone fends for themselves ;)
Monday - Hamburger Steak w/gravy, Rice, Steamed Vegetables
Tuesday - Stir Fry and Rice
Wednesday - Ham, Garlic Potatoes, Raw Veggies
Thursday - Chicken & Rice Soup and Taco Soup
Friday - leftovers
Saturday - Bar-b-que Ribs, Cabbage Slaw, Homemade Baked Beans
Breakfast - Oatmeal, Eggs & Grits w/toast, applesauce muffins, pancakes, fruit & smoothies
Lunch - Sandwiches, Fruit & Smoothies, Pasta Salad, Soup
Snacks - Popcorn, Fruit & Smoothies, Cheese & Crackers, Homemade Bread w/jam
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Beans
I know that there are a lot of people that have an allergy to beans, but "so far" that is not an issue for our family. We love beans and eat a lot of them around here, so I thought I would share some of our favorite ways to eat them.
To start with I usually keep several quart bags of already cooked and seasoned beans in the freezer to use in various recipes. To cook the beans for the freezer I rinse them and then soak them overnight in water and kefir (or lemon juice, vinegar, whey, etc.) using 1 tablespoon of kefir per cup of water used for soaking. After soaking I rinse the beans again and put in a stockpot with enough water to cover the beans. I add chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and any other seasoning that sounds good at the time. I cook them until the beans are tender. After cooling, bagging and freezing the beans they are ready to use in a variety of ways.
Some of the recipes I use beans in are:
Chicken, Rice, and Bean Casserole
Beans & Rice
Bean Dip
Burritos
Soup
Beans and Cornbread
Crockpot Baked Beans
Taco Salad
Stir Fry
Eggs, Rice & Beans
Beans are very economical and a really good choice for those on a tight budget. Below are a couple of recipes that we like using beans. Hope you enjoy!
BEAN DIP
I simply take a bag of precooked beans from the freezer and thaw. I then take my stick blender and blend the beans until smooth. At this point you can add different things to the beans before eating (cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc.). The beans can be eaten with chips or spread on soft tortillas for a bean burrito.
CHICKEN, RICE, and BEAN CASSEROLE
Amounts will vary depending on the size of your family. This is what I used.
4 cups cooked rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped chicken
2 cups cooked beans (drained)
milk (as needed)
Mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste
I use leftover rice from the freezer, thaw and mix with chicken broth (you can use more or less), chicken, and beans. Stir together and if too thick add milk (or more broth) to give a "juicy" texture to finished casserole. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in casserole dish and cover with mozzarella cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand). Bake at 350 degrees until casserole is hot and cheese is melted.
*I usually mix several types of beans (pinto, red, kidney, and northern) together when cooking for the freezer.
To start with I usually keep several quart bags of already cooked and seasoned beans in the freezer to use in various recipes. To cook the beans for the freezer I rinse them and then soak them overnight in water and kefir (or lemon juice, vinegar, whey, etc.) using 1 tablespoon of kefir per cup of water used for soaking. After soaking I rinse the beans again and put in a stockpot with enough water to cover the beans. I add chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and any other seasoning that sounds good at the time. I cook them until the beans are tender. After cooling, bagging and freezing the beans they are ready to use in a variety of ways.
Some of the recipes I use beans in are:
Chicken, Rice, and Bean Casserole
Beans & Rice
Bean Dip
Burritos
Soup
Beans and Cornbread
Crockpot Baked Beans
Taco Salad
Stir Fry
Eggs, Rice & Beans
Beans are very economical and a really good choice for those on a tight budget. Below are a couple of recipes that we like using beans. Hope you enjoy!
BEAN DIP
I simply take a bag of precooked beans from the freezer and thaw. I then take my stick blender and blend the beans until smooth. At this point you can add different things to the beans before eating (cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc.). The beans can be eaten with chips or spread on soft tortillas for a bean burrito.
CHICKEN, RICE, and BEAN CASSEROLE
Amounts will vary depending on the size of your family. This is what I used.
4 cups cooked rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped chicken
2 cups cooked beans (drained)
milk (as needed)
Mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste
I use leftover rice from the freezer, thaw and mix with chicken broth (you can use more or less), chicken, and beans. Stir together and if too thick add milk (or more broth) to give a "juicy" texture to finished casserole. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in casserole dish and cover with mozzarella cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand). Bake at 350 degrees until casserole is hot and cheese is melted.
*I usually mix several types of beans (pinto, red, kidney, and northern) together when cooking for the freezer.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Random
Even though yesterday was not as uneventful as I had hoped, I was able to get some of the things done that I had planned. One of which was cooking two huge pots of beans. After using some of them for our evening meal I was able to put nine quarts of beans and two quarts of bean broth in the freezer. What a blessing to have a few already prepared meals (or parts of meals) in the freezer again.
I also spent some time working on our family band schedule and did a little cleaning. Most of the day, however, was spent with my precious grandaughters. Amanda had some errands to run so I kept the girls and we had a great time making mud pies, swinging and later cuddling together and watching a movie. I love being a grandmother.
I plan to tackle a few more things on my list today, but first I have to take my mother and youngest son for their hair appointments. After that I'll keep the girls for a short time while Amanda delivers Avon and then I'll start on my list for today which includes:
- more freezer cooking
- baking (cookies, pies, bread, cinnamon rolls, etc.)
- deep clean bathrooms
- grocery shopping
-everday things like laundry, sweeping, straightening, etc.
- make kefir
I think that's probably all I will get to today, even though I have a few more things I would like to do. What's on your list for today?
I also spent some time working on our family band schedule and did a little cleaning. Most of the day, however, was spent with my precious grandaughters. Amanda had some errands to run so I kept the girls and we had a great time making mud pies, swinging and later cuddling together and watching a movie. I love being a grandmother.
I plan to tackle a few more things on my list today, but first I have to take my mother and youngest son for their hair appointments. After that I'll keep the girls for a short time while Amanda delivers Avon and then I'll start on my list for today which includes:
- more freezer cooking
- baking (cookies, pies, bread, cinnamon rolls, etc.)
- deep clean bathrooms
- grocery shopping
-everday things like laundry, sweeping, straightening, etc.
- make kefir
I think that's probably all I will get to today, even though I have a few more things I would like to do. What's on your list for today?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Normal
Finally things are beginning to become more normal. I know that there are people who spend a large portion of every day away from their homes and still seem to accomplish all that they plan. I am not one of those people. I have always been a "homebody" by nature. I enjoy my home and family and for the most part am perfectly content to be right here.
I will be spending most of today, tomorrow and Saturday continuing to catch up on some things. I have two huge pots of beans cooking for the freezer and was able to get some chicken cooked and frozen yesterday. I didn't get the pancakes cooked as I had planned so I am hoping to do that as well as make a few pies and casseroles for the freezer. That should make next week quite a bit simpler.
I am really enjoying my supply of fresh goat's milk and may have the opportunity to milk for my friends again this weekend. So far, we've mostly been using the milk for drinking and making yogurt and kefir. I used some of the kefir for Caleb's gluten free bread yesterday and he absolutely loved it. He said that it reminded him of sourdough bread, which is one thing that he greatly misses since being gluten free.
Oh, a quick update on Caleb. He had the endoscopy done Tuesday and the procedure went well. The doctor re-confirmed the diagnosis of Celiac Disease. The blood work looked good and there seems to be no malabsorption concerns at the moment, which is also good. Caleb will be having a colonoscopy next Thursday to see if he is also dealing with Crohn's Disease since he is still having symptoms, even after being gluten free for two years. He is ready to get all of the testing over with and find something to get his pain, fatigue and other issues under control. I am trying to be very conscious of cross contamination possibilities in the hopes that maybe this will help him. With so many people in our home I know that it could happen and to be honest I really hope that's what's going on with him, instead of Chrohns.
We came up with a few ideas yesterday about rearranging the kitchen to make Caleb's gluten free area more isolated, so we'll see how that works.
Well, I guess it's time to get moving. Hope your day is great!
I will be spending most of today, tomorrow and Saturday continuing to catch up on some things. I have two huge pots of beans cooking for the freezer and was able to get some chicken cooked and frozen yesterday. I didn't get the pancakes cooked as I had planned so I am hoping to do that as well as make a few pies and casseroles for the freezer. That should make next week quite a bit simpler.
I am really enjoying my supply of fresh goat's milk and may have the opportunity to milk for my friends again this weekend. So far, we've mostly been using the milk for drinking and making yogurt and kefir. I used some of the kefir for Caleb's gluten free bread yesterday and he absolutely loved it. He said that it reminded him of sourdough bread, which is one thing that he greatly misses since being gluten free.
Oh, a quick update on Caleb. He had the endoscopy done Tuesday and the procedure went well. The doctor re-confirmed the diagnosis of Celiac Disease. The blood work looked good and there seems to be no malabsorption concerns at the moment, which is also good. Caleb will be having a colonoscopy next Thursday to see if he is also dealing with Crohn's Disease since he is still having symptoms, even after being gluten free for two years. He is ready to get all of the testing over with and find something to get his pain, fatigue and other issues under control. I am trying to be very conscious of cross contamination possibilities in the hopes that maybe this will help him. With so many people in our home I know that it could happen and to be honest I really hope that's what's going on with him, instead of Chrohns.
We came up with a few ideas yesterday about rearranging the kitchen to make Caleb's gluten free area more isolated, so we'll see how that works.
Well, I guess it's time to get moving. Hope your day is great!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Today's Plan
The plan for today is to "catch up". Last week and the first part of this week has been totally crazy with errands, doctor's appts., and sick children so you can probably imagine what things are looking like around here.
Yesterday was "super crazy." It started with taking my Dad to his doctors appointment. After spending a couple of hours there I came home and picked up Caleb for his doctors appointment. On the way for Caleb's endoscopy we stopped at the pharmacy to drop off my Dad's prescriptions. When Caleb's procedure was finished I brought him home and got him into the bed, picked up Amanda and the girls, went to my parents and picked up their grocery list (my Mom doesn't drive anymore) and headed to town. After pickings up my Dad's meds, buying our groceries, and getting the groceries sorted out and delivered to the correct house it was time for supper.
My sweet, sweet, youngest son had prepared deer meat, rice and steamed vegetables for our supper. In addition to cooking supper, he had washed, line dryed and folded all of the laundry, swept the floors, cleaned the kitchen (he cleaned it again after supper), and took care of the chickens and horses. Somehow in the midst of doing all of these chores (without being asked) he still managed to fit in school. Such a blessing. It meant so much to come home to a hot meal after a crazy day and having the laundry done was an added bonus. What made it even more special was that I never asked. He just did it, because it needed to be done. I LOVE that kid!
Oh, I forgot to mention that after all of the crazy running around we did yesterday little Rachel managed to stick a piece of plastic up her nose and get it stuck. We seriously thought we were going to have an E.R. visit, but somehow Amanda managed to get it out. Honestly, the things kids think of is beyond me.
Today's plan is to pick up fresh goat's milk, make pancakes for the freezer, make a loaf of gluten free bread for Caleb, sweep & mop the whole house (I hope), clean the bathrooms, straighten my bedroom (which looks like a disaster), soak beans to cook for the freezer, and clean my desk. I also need to figure a way to rearrange my kitchen to make it a little more "gluten free friendly" since there are five of us in the house and Caleb is the only one gluten free and he is EXTREMELY sensitive to cross contamination.
Well, I guess if I don't get started I won't get finished. Hope you have a great day!
Yesterday was "super crazy." It started with taking my Dad to his doctors appointment. After spending a couple of hours there I came home and picked up Caleb for his doctors appointment. On the way for Caleb's endoscopy we stopped at the pharmacy to drop off my Dad's prescriptions. When Caleb's procedure was finished I brought him home and got him into the bed, picked up Amanda and the girls, went to my parents and picked up their grocery list (my Mom doesn't drive anymore) and headed to town. After pickings up my Dad's meds, buying our groceries, and getting the groceries sorted out and delivered to the correct house it was time for supper.
My sweet, sweet, youngest son had prepared deer meat, rice and steamed vegetables for our supper. In addition to cooking supper, he had washed, line dryed and folded all of the laundry, swept the floors, cleaned the kitchen (he cleaned it again after supper), and took care of the chickens and horses. Somehow in the midst of doing all of these chores (without being asked) he still managed to fit in school. Such a blessing. It meant so much to come home to a hot meal after a crazy day and having the laundry done was an added bonus. What made it even more special was that I never asked. He just did it, because it needed to be done. I LOVE that kid!
Oh, I forgot to mention that after all of the crazy running around we did yesterday little Rachel managed to stick a piece of plastic up her nose and get it stuck. We seriously thought we were going to have an E.R. visit, but somehow Amanda managed to get it out. Honestly, the things kids think of is beyond me.
Today's plan is to pick up fresh goat's milk, make pancakes for the freezer, make a loaf of gluten free bread for Caleb, sweep & mop the whole house (I hope), clean the bathrooms, straighten my bedroom (which looks like a disaster), soak beans to cook for the freezer, and clean my desk. I also need to figure a way to rearrange my kitchen to make it a little more "gluten free friendly" since there are five of us in the house and Caleb is the only one gluten free and he is EXTREMELY sensitive to cross contamination.
Well, I guess if I don't get started I won't get finished. Hope you have a great day!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Roses
My Nannie was one those people that could make anything grow. Sometimes I think she could plant a dead stick and make it bloom. Her yard was always beautiful with an abundance of beautiful flowers of all kinds.
I, however, DO NOT have a green thumb. At least not when it comes to flowers. For some reason I just cannot make flowers do well. I think it's sad, because I really, really love flowers and I love having flowers in my yard, but unless it's something that you plant for a short growing season they just won't hardly make it here.
I have (in my 13 years of living here) managed to keep one rosebush alive and it's blooming, and it's beautiful, and I thought I would share pictures.
I, however, DO NOT have a green thumb. At least not when it comes to flowers. For some reason I just cannot make flowers do well. I think it's sad, because I really, really love flowers and I love having flowers in my yard, but unless it's something that you plant for a short growing season they just won't hardly make it here.
I have (in my 13 years of living here) managed to keep one rosebush alive and it's blooming, and it's beautiful, and I thought I would share pictures.
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| My "Joseph's Coat" rosebush. Usually there are at least three (sometimes) four colors on this bush at one time. This is my favorite rosebush. Of course it's the only one that's actually mine :) |
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| This is Amanda's "Joseph's Coat" rosebush. It's about three years "younger" than mine. See how big it is? Yeah, it's the whole "green thumb" thing again ;) |
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| I don't know the "official" name of this rose, but I think it's pretty. It's also Amanda's. So far, my little "Joseph's Coat" rose is the only one I've ever been able to keep alive for more than a few weeks. I'm just NOT good with flowers! |
Monday, April 11, 2011
Goat's Milk, Yogurt & Kefir
I have really enjoyed having fresh goat's milk available this week. I had forgotten how good it tastes when compared to store bought milk and the fact that it's a little easier to digest is a blessing. Even my lactose intolerant daughter has been able to drink the goat's milk with no problems.
I do have to admit that I pasteurize my goat's milk. I am well aware of all of the health benefits connected to raw milk and really wish I had peace of mind about using raw milk, but due to a "scare" with our goat herd several years ago (back when we were milking our own) we have begun pastuerizing. Even with the benefits that are lost through pasteurizing I still think that "homegrown" milk is better for you than what you purchase and I have peace of mind which counts for a lot.
Some of the ways I've been using our goat's milk this week (in addition to drinking it) are yogurt and kefir. In the past I've made yogurt in the crockpot, but it's never turned out exactly the way I like it. This week I've been making it in quart jars in an insulated cooler and I'm much more satisfied with the results. Since it doesn't require any more effort I think that (at least for now) will be the method I use.
The Kefir fascinates me. I have never had any experience with Kefir until Caleb started having digestive trouble and a friend of mine recommended he drink Kefir. She brought us a carton of Kefir she purchased through a co-op that she is in and Caleb drank it for about a week. It did seem to help quite a bit with the pain and some of the other symptoms improved slightly. (Coincidence or not I can't say). We ran out of the Kefir so he hasn't been able to continue until now. My cultures have arrived and I have started my own Kefir making experience.
The grains looked sort of like wet noodles when they got here, but after feeding them a couple of days they are starting to look more like cauliflower, which is how they are supposed to look if I'm understanding what I've read. They appear to be growing nicely and I'm hopeful I'll even have some to share in the future if I find anyone interested.
I've learned a few things, even in the few days that I've been making Kefir. One is that if you don't feed them as much as they need the milk seems to separate from the whey and have a more "sour" taste. Also, the longer you leave it to culture the more sour it gets. My family seems to like it better after about 12 hours. It isn't as sour and is a little runnier. I think the Kefir that cultured longer will make an excellent substitute for buttermilk and since I have an abundance of Kefir at the moment I will probably be giving that a try sometime today. The "12 hour" Kefir tastes a lot like plain yogurt to me and I'm planning to use it in smoothies.
I love to learn new things and have really enjoyed "playing around" with the Kefir and Yogurt. I'm looking forward to getting more goat's milk to "play around" with in the near future.
I do have to admit that I pasteurize my goat's milk. I am well aware of all of the health benefits connected to raw milk and really wish I had peace of mind about using raw milk, but due to a "scare" with our goat herd several years ago (back when we were milking our own) we have begun pastuerizing. Even with the benefits that are lost through pasteurizing I still think that "homegrown" milk is better for you than what you purchase and I have peace of mind which counts for a lot.
Some of the ways I've been using our goat's milk this week (in addition to drinking it) are yogurt and kefir. In the past I've made yogurt in the crockpot, but it's never turned out exactly the way I like it. This week I've been making it in quart jars in an insulated cooler and I'm much more satisfied with the results. Since it doesn't require any more effort I think that (at least for now) will be the method I use.
The Kefir fascinates me. I have never had any experience with Kefir until Caleb started having digestive trouble and a friend of mine recommended he drink Kefir. She brought us a carton of Kefir she purchased through a co-op that she is in and Caleb drank it for about a week. It did seem to help quite a bit with the pain and some of the other symptoms improved slightly. (Coincidence or not I can't say). We ran out of the Kefir so he hasn't been able to continue until now. My cultures have arrived and I have started my own Kefir making experience.
The grains looked sort of like wet noodles when they got here, but after feeding them a couple of days they are starting to look more like cauliflower, which is how they are supposed to look if I'm understanding what I've read. They appear to be growing nicely and I'm hopeful I'll even have some to share in the future if I find anyone interested.
I've learned a few things, even in the few days that I've been making Kefir. One is that if you don't feed them as much as they need the milk seems to separate from the whey and have a more "sour" taste. Also, the longer you leave it to culture the more sour it gets. My family seems to like it better after about 12 hours. It isn't as sour and is a little runnier. I think the Kefir that cultured longer will make an excellent substitute for buttermilk and since I have an abundance of Kefir at the moment I will probably be giving that a try sometime today. The "12 hour" Kefir tastes a lot like plain yogurt to me and I'm planning to use it in smoothies.
I love to learn new things and have really enjoyed "playing around" with the Kefir and Yogurt. I'm looking forward to getting more goat's milk to "play around" with in the near future.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Menu for April 10-16, 2011
Last week's menu was constantly changing due to several things we had going on. I'm hoping to stay on track this week. Here's the plan:
Sunday - Chicken Sphagetti and Green Beans
Monday - Deer Meat, Rice, and Steamed Vegetables
Tuesday - BLT's and chips
Wednesday - Taco Soup and chips
Thursday - Oven Roasted Chicken and Garlic Potatoes
Friday - Hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans
Saturday - leftovers
Breakfast - Oatmeal, muffins, fruit, smoothies, eggs & toast
Lunch - leftovers, sandwiches, soup, fruit, smoothies
Sunday - Chicken Sphagetti and Green Beans
Monday - Deer Meat, Rice, and Steamed Vegetables
Tuesday - BLT's and chips
Wednesday - Taco Soup and chips
Thursday - Oven Roasted Chicken and Garlic Potatoes
Friday - Hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans
Saturday - leftovers
Breakfast - Oatmeal, muffins, fruit, smoothies, eggs & toast
Lunch - leftovers, sandwiches, soup, fruit, smoothies
Saturday, April 9, 2011
We Survived!
We survived!!!! Yay! Just kidding. Not kidding that we survived, just kidding in the sense that it wasn't as bad as that makes it sound. I'm referring to the past week.
This past week was very hectic with several doctors appointments with my Dad, my son Caleb and my daughter Amanda either needing me to drive, be there for moral support, or babysitting. I am honestly and truly glad this week is over, but having said that I am VERY thankful that it went as well as it did. I'm not complaining, I promise, just very, very tired.
My Dad seems to be a good bit better than he was earlier in the week, but he is still very weak and experiencing quite a bit of dizziness. I am supposed to take him to the Pulmonary doctor in Tupelo on Monday morning, but at this point I'm really not sure he is up to riding that far. I guess we'll just have to see.
Caleb had his appointment on Wednesday and we still don't really know anything. They did bloodwork and have him scheduled for a gastrointestinal endoscopy on Tuesday and on the 21st he is scheduled for a colonoscopy. Hopefully we will know more then. The doctor did say that he is pretty sure it's not cancer based on his initial evaluation, but he will know more after the tests are done, so we feel relieved about that. Right now we're just working on managing his pain and other symptoms with diet. We don't know what else to do at this point.
Amanda had her first doctor appointment Friday morning and so far everything is looking good. They did a sonogram and the heartbeat appears strong. Due to complications with her last pregnancy and the fact that Ellen was premature the doctor says that he will be monitoring her closely. Apparently Amanda has problems with low amniotic fluid which can cause cord compression for the baby. She dealt with it a little bit when pregnant with Rachel, but it was much worse with Ellen. The doctor plans to do another sonogram next month and then we'll know more.
I have really been glad for a totally uneventful, normal Saturday. Ferrell and I have been working on mowing our yard and my parents yard, which is several acres all together. I have also weeded my garden and planted some more lavendar and also another grape vine.
We were blessed with a wonderful visit from my Dad's sister and her husband this afternoon. It was so good to see them and we really enjoyed their visit.
Well, I have yogurt making, laundry hanging and chicken cooking with another long week ahead so I guess I better go get busy. Hope your weekend is great!
This past week was very hectic with several doctors appointments with my Dad, my son Caleb and my daughter Amanda either needing me to drive, be there for moral support, or babysitting. I am honestly and truly glad this week is over, but having said that I am VERY thankful that it went as well as it did. I'm not complaining, I promise, just very, very tired.
My Dad seems to be a good bit better than he was earlier in the week, but he is still very weak and experiencing quite a bit of dizziness. I am supposed to take him to the Pulmonary doctor in Tupelo on Monday morning, but at this point I'm really not sure he is up to riding that far. I guess we'll just have to see.
Caleb had his appointment on Wednesday and we still don't really know anything. They did bloodwork and have him scheduled for a gastrointestinal endoscopy on Tuesday and on the 21st he is scheduled for a colonoscopy. Hopefully we will know more then. The doctor did say that he is pretty sure it's not cancer based on his initial evaluation, but he will know more after the tests are done, so we feel relieved about that. Right now we're just working on managing his pain and other symptoms with diet. We don't know what else to do at this point.
Amanda had her first doctor appointment Friday morning and so far everything is looking good. They did a sonogram and the heartbeat appears strong. Due to complications with her last pregnancy and the fact that Ellen was premature the doctor says that he will be monitoring her closely. Apparently Amanda has problems with low amniotic fluid which can cause cord compression for the baby. She dealt with it a little bit when pregnant with Rachel, but it was much worse with Ellen. The doctor plans to do another sonogram next month and then we'll know more.
I have really been glad for a totally uneventful, normal Saturday. Ferrell and I have been working on mowing our yard and my parents yard, which is several acres all together. I have also weeded my garden and planted some more lavendar and also another grape vine.
We were blessed with a wonderful visit from my Dad's sister and her husband this afternoon. It was so good to see them and we really enjoyed their visit.
Well, I have yogurt making, laundry hanging and chicken cooking with another long week ahead so I guess I better go get busy. Hope your weekend is great!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Can't Wait!
I am so excited! Yesterday on our way back from my son Caleb's doctors appointment we were able to go by and pick out our new baby goat! Sort of!
I've had the opportunity to milk a few times for some friends of ours and mentioned to them that I was wanting to get goats again. She called last week and they will be selling some of the babies they have and wondered if I was interested. After talking to my family we decided that I could get one of her little doelings which will be ready to milk by next spring and in the meantime I would like to see if I can find one that is already milking. If I can't, we at least have this little girl to look forward to next year.
When we stopped by we found that they have three little doelings, but my friends children have all laid claim to them. She and her husband are planning to keep one of them and sell the other two. I gave her my order of "goat preference" and she will be getting back to me in a couple of weeks when the babies are weaned. I can't wait.
I also got two gallons of milk from her while I was there and am hoping my live Kefir cultures arrive today. I can't wait to start making kefir and will be making yogurt today as well.
I guess the plan for the moment is to get the barn ready and "dog proofed" before we bring our new little girl home. I'm also looking for a small wether as a companion for her, since past experience showed me that goats are VERY social. I'll be posting pictures when she gets here. Can't Wait!
I've had the opportunity to milk a few times for some friends of ours and mentioned to them that I was wanting to get goats again. She called last week and they will be selling some of the babies they have and wondered if I was interested. After talking to my family we decided that I could get one of her little doelings which will be ready to milk by next spring and in the meantime I would like to see if I can find one that is already milking. If I can't, we at least have this little girl to look forward to next year.
When we stopped by we found that they have three little doelings, but my friends children have all laid claim to them. She and her husband are planning to keep one of them and sell the other two. I gave her my order of "goat preference" and she will be getting back to me in a couple of weeks when the babies are weaned. I can't wait.
I also got two gallons of milk from her while I was there and am hoping my live Kefir cultures arrive today. I can't wait to start making kefir and will be making yogurt today as well.
I guess the plan for the moment is to get the barn ready and "dog proofed" before we bring our new little girl home. I'm also looking for a small wether as a companion for her, since past experience showed me that goats are VERY social. I'll be posting pictures when she gets here. Can't Wait!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Hectic Week Ahead
I already knew that this week would be busy, but it is shaping up to be WAY more chaotic than I expected. I spent most of Sunday night (from 12:30 until 4:00 a.m.) at the emergency room of our local hospital with my Dad. He was having chest pains, irregular heartbeat, sugar dropped very low, coughing, dizziness, nausea, and sweating. Since he is a heart patient that sent up red flags and I really pushed for him to go to the E.R. The doctor said that he had a bad case of bronchitis and vertigo that was causing his body to do crazy things like irregular heartbeat, low sugar, etc. We were able to bring him home and he has spent most of his time in bed. Since I am an only child, whenever my parents are sick I spend a big part of my time with them. Especially since my mother no longer drives.
Today is a little better, but since I spent yesterday taking care of my Dad, that means that I have a LOT to catch up on here and I will probably be babysitting this afternoon so that Amanda can run some errands.
Tomorrow, my middle son Caleb, will be seeing a gastroenterologist in Columbus to see if we can find out why he is still having trouble with his stomach. The doctors have mentioned the possibilities of Crohn's Disease or Colon Cancer (leaning towards Crohn's), but we will hopefully know more after tomorrow. Needless to say, after having one child with cancer a few years ago, I am battling a "Spirit of Fear" at the moment. I know that God is faithful and will see us through whatever comes our way and I am thankful for that comfort.
Thursday should be an at home day, unless the doctor schedules tests for Caleb, and Friday I will be babysitting for Amanda while she goes to the doctor. We're praying that she will have a much easier pregnancy this time and will not be in and out of the hospital as much.
I think I am looking forward to the weekend more than usual, because as of this moment it is COMPLETELY free of anything out of the ordinary, which for me is plenty busy enough.
How's your week shaping up?
Today is a little better, but since I spent yesterday taking care of my Dad, that means that I have a LOT to catch up on here and I will probably be babysitting this afternoon so that Amanda can run some errands.
Tomorrow, my middle son Caleb, will be seeing a gastroenterologist in Columbus to see if we can find out why he is still having trouble with his stomach. The doctors have mentioned the possibilities of Crohn's Disease or Colon Cancer (leaning towards Crohn's), but we will hopefully know more after tomorrow. Needless to say, after having one child with cancer a few years ago, I am battling a "Spirit of Fear" at the moment. I know that God is faithful and will see us through whatever comes our way and I am thankful for that comfort.
Thursday should be an at home day, unless the doctor schedules tests for Caleb, and Friday I will be babysitting for Amanda while she goes to the doctor. We're praying that she will have a much easier pregnancy this time and will not be in and out of the hospital as much.
I think I am looking forward to the weekend more than usual, because as of this moment it is COMPLETELY free of anything out of the ordinary, which for me is plenty busy enough.
How's your week shaping up?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Daybed Makeover
Cleaning and rearranging seems to be the story of my life lately. I have spent a big portion of the past few weeks working on "finding" more space in my home and this weekend we began working on "finding" more space in Amanda's home. That is especially important in light of the fact that she is about to make me a grandmother again.
Amanda has decided that, with a new baby on the way, now would be a good time to start transitioning the girls into a new bedroom and sleeping arrangement. We had a daybed in our barn loft that had been Amanda's before she married. We decided that it would make a good bed for Rachel, so Saturday morning Ferrell climbed into the loft and got the bed down for us and we spent most of the day sanding and painting it for Rachel.
Amanda let Rachel choose the paint for her "NEW" bed and of course being the "girly girl" that she is, Rachel chose PINK. Below are a few before, during, and after pictures of the daybed's makeover.
Amanda has decided that, with a new baby on the way, now would be a good time to start transitioning the girls into a new bedroom and sleeping arrangement. We had a daybed in our barn loft that had been Amanda's before she married. We decided that it would make a good bed for Rachel, so Saturday morning Ferrell climbed into the loft and got the bed down for us and we spent most of the day sanding and painting it for Rachel.
Amanda let Rachel choose the paint for her "NEW" bed and of course being the "girly girl" that she is, Rachel chose PINK. Below are a few before, during, and after pictures of the daybed's makeover.
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| If you look closely you can see where a large portion of the white paint has chipped off. Also the gold knobs were very faded and dull. |
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| After sanding the flaking paint off, it was time to begin painting. |
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| The finished project. |
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| A happy little girl! |
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Menu for week of April 3 - 9
Since this week is looking like a pretty hectic one, I am really glad to have a meal plan in place ahead of time. An added bonus is having a lot of it already cooked and in the freezer! Sooo, here's the plan!
Sunday - Leftovers & Sandwiches
Monday - White beans and Ham, Cornbread, Salad
Tuesday - Steamed veggies, Ham, Rice, and Bread
Wednesday - Leftovers & Turkey Rice Soup
Thursday - Southern Sausage Pilaf, Salad
Friday - Hamburgers & Potato Wedges
Saturday - BLT's & Soup
Breakfast - Oatmeal bread, pancakes, hot or cold cereal, fruit, smoothies
Lunch - sandwiches, leftovers, soup, fruit & muffins, smoothies, salad
Sunday - Leftovers & Sandwiches
Monday - White beans and Ham, Cornbread, Salad
Tuesday - Steamed veggies, Ham, Rice, and Bread
Wednesday - Leftovers & Turkey Rice Soup
Thursday - Southern Sausage Pilaf, Salad
Friday - Hamburgers & Potato Wedges
Saturday - BLT's & Soup
Breakfast - Oatmeal bread, pancakes, hot or cold cereal, fruit, smoothies
Lunch - sandwiches, leftovers, soup, fruit & muffins, smoothies, salad
Friday, April 1, 2011
Delicious Homemade Sloppy Jo's
I have never cared much for Sloppy Jo's and that goes double for Sloppy Jo's made with canned sauce. Last night changed that! I made Sloppy Jo's that, not only my family loved, but I loved them too. Thought I would share my new FAVORITE Sloppy Jo recipe.
Homemade Sloppy Jo's
ground beef (approximately 2-3 pounds)
1 large diced onion
3-4 diced garlic cloves
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup honey (can substitute sugar if desired)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup brown sugar (can be omitted)
2 cups salsa (I used my homemade salsa that I canned last summer)
3 tablespoons mustard (I used Dijon)
1/2 tablespoon molasses
Cook ground beef with garlic and onion until meat is done. Drain excess grease. Combine remaining ingredients and add to meat in skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. DELICIOUS!!!!
Homemade Sloppy Jo's
ground beef (approximately 2-3 pounds)
1 large diced onion
3-4 diced garlic cloves
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup honey (can substitute sugar if desired)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup brown sugar (can be omitted)
2 cups salsa (I used my homemade salsa that I canned last summer)
3 tablespoons mustard (I used Dijon)
1/2 tablespoon molasses
Cook ground beef with garlic and onion until meat is done. Drain excess grease. Combine remaining ingredients and add to meat in skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. DELICIOUS!!!!
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