Little Blue Bungalow

Tutorial: Homemade Pumpkin Puree

2012-11-14T18:45:00.001-08:00

I'm often asked questions relating to preparing fresh garden produce and the number one question I get this time of year is how to prepare pumpkins. And this year is no exception! (Keep those questions coming...) Though I admit over the years making pumpkin puree has been an economical effort to conserve our resources it has morphed into a food necessity. Honestly, it tastes amazing and knowing it came from your garden brings it all to another level.

One of the pumpkins this year came courtesy from one of Fiona's friends birthday parties. The pumpkin lovingly came home with gems, jewels, and a sticker face. It was darling, however, several weeks later (and with Fiona's permission) I started the process to turn a birthday party favor/decoration into food for Thanksgiving dinner.

After cleaning the pumpkin off, I popped the stem off with my hands and placed it into the microwave for two minutes. Wait...yes. I did say the microwave. This quick step makes the outer skin easier to slice into. After the pumpkin's ride on the turntable in the microwave, I removed it and sliced it in half.

After slicing it in half, I scooped out the pulp and seeds into a bowl. The pumpkin seeds can be removed, cleaned and roasted which we've often done in the past. However, this time I simply gave the seeds and pulp to my lovely urban ladies who gobbled this delicious treat up. (Note: The little Ziploc bag of gems and jack o' lantern face in the corner)

After removing the gunk out of the pumpkin you have two beautiful pumpkin halves ready to make their way to the awaiting pre-heated oven at 350 degrees.

Place the two pumpkin halves on a cookie sheet face down and place just about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of the pan. The pumpkins will cook for about one hour give or take depending on the size of your pumpkin. The outer layer will start to brown/blacken which is a sign that it is done and you can pull the pumpkin out of the oven.

Let the pumpkins cool as it may difficult and dangerous to pull the skin off too early due to the heat and/or steam. After cooling, you can easily pull the skin off with your fingers. The chickens never seem to interested in cooked pumpkin skins so I remove this from the "meat' of the pumpkin and dispose it in my compost bin.

Next take the pumpkin and place in a large bowl and mash with a large spoon. The consistency will be similar to smooth mashed potatoes. Some people prefer to place the pumpkin and mix it in a blender until smooth. However, I prefer to skip having to wash all the intricate parts of my blender for this simple task. (Seriously...why bother?) After the pumpkin is mashed I let it cool a bit more (usually around 30 minutes). I then start spooning the pumpkin goodness into quart size freezer Ziploc bags. I use a small kitchen scale and put 16 oz into each bag which is also 2 cups. Again, you are welcome to use a measure cup, but I prefer using my kitchen scale. Most recipes using pumpkins call for one can (16 oz) or 2 cups, so this is a great standard for storing your pumpkin. After putting 16 oz. into the Ziploc, I squeeze the air out a bit and seal it up.

Tip #1: Be sure to use freezer bags as other regular brands of storage can cause freezer burn or leave the pumpkin tasting like everything else in your freezer. Yuck!

Tip #2: Label each bag with a Sharpie. It is important that you use the older items in your refrigerator so you don't waste food.

And there you have it! I use my pumpkin for pies, muffins, and bread throughout the year. Remember last year when there was a shortage of pumpkin? I didn't worry because I had a surplus in my freezer straight from my yard into my freezer. Oh the goodness...

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Gardening 101: Opportunities/Successes List

2012-11-06T18:27:00.002-08:00

Most of you know I love to garden. It is not just a hobby, but a passion...something I love to share. I believe gardening is a dying art. I chose not to let this art die away, but share my passion and spirit for growing your own garden in your back yard for profit, sustainability and pride.

One of the biggest tips I can share with my new gardeners is to clear your garden at the end of the season. It is easy when the weather is bleak, cold and rainy here in the Pacific Northwest to forget about your garden beds, but it is a necessary evil to clear your beds of weeds so they don't have a chance to spread roots and seeds over the winter months.

After the weeds are cleared this is the time of year to make a list...and that is not a list of who is naughty or nice. Ah! What I'm referring to is making a list of your yearly garden successes and opportunities for next year. No, this is not the time to make yourself look like the Gardener of the Year, instead, these lists will help you prioritize and make progress towards that award next year. Well, at least we can all hope. (Ahem...)

For example, here are my lists this year:

Garden Opportunities:

Small Green Bean Harvest North Side; Clear more strawberries, crowded out beans
Small pumpkin harvest; Establish a stronger gate so chickens don't eat sprouts.
Corn = EPIC Fail; Even though I used a Pacific Northwest I got one stalk and two ears of corn...seriously. After years of trying to produce corn here, this Iowa girl is vowing to not to plant next year.
Blueberries continue to have a low harvest; research new varieties and possible organic solutions. We currently have two plants and for our family's needs I believe we need at least six.
1st harvest of radishes were amazing. 2nd and 3rd planting of radishes were tough possibly due to the lack of rain, possibly water them to increase production and taste.
Lack any fruit trees on our property. Tore down three overgrown privacy trees and 1 rhododendron bush to re purpose an area on our property for fruit trees. We planted two semi-dwarf apple trees last weekend. I need to rethink other areas of our property to increase our fruit and vegetable yield. Though we'd love to live on a farm, the housing market does not make that a smart financial decision to leave our home. The Little Blue Bungalow will continue to be home for many years to come so we need to maximize what property we do have.

Harvested 42 Delicata Squash and 1 Butternut Squash. I thought I planted 4 plant starts of Delicata Squash and 4 plant starts of Butternut Squash. I think I need to make sure I label my seed starts better as clearly there was an error somewhere.

Yearly Garden Successes:

Impressive Tomato Harvest; harvested over 170 lbs of tomatoes. I will continue to have 5 plants as the weather was unseasonable making the tomato harvest truly EPIC. If the weather is normal next year, we'll need the 5 plants to sustain our family's needs.
Red Potatoes had impressive 60 lb harvest, however we only planted one variety. Will try a Yukon Gold Variety next year in addition to the red potatoes.

Organic Beets and Organic Carrots placed 1st at Evergreen State Fair. Organic Beets took best Division in the Organic category. (Ironic that I don't even eat beets...but hey, apparently they are impressive.)
Sold enough tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, eggs, and squash to pay for a Great Wolf Adventure for our family this October. We just begun to sell some of our chicken poop (or "goodness" as I like to refer to it) as well so that is another avenue for our little chicken operation.
Soil improved greatly in the main garden behind the garden. Attribute that to great compost and a winter cover crop that we tilled in the soil in early March. (I will talk about cover crops in my next edition.)
Shared produce including, potatoes, carrots, raspberries, beets and eggs for the Garden City Grange Display at Evergreen State Fair which took 2nd place for presentation. Super proud garden moment!

Great raspberry and strawberry harvest. Attribute the strawberry success to chickens aerating and forging in the strawberries each October to February. Planning on extending raspberry bed from off shoots in the spring and re-home or sell the remaining starts.
Re-homed a couple roses to the Little Blue Bungalow. The rose bushes are all well-established and produced amazing flowers. In addition, I re-homed several of my plant starts to friends this spring including hostas, blue flag, sedum, and daisies,to name a few.

As you can see, these lists are a great way for every garden whether experienced or beginner to start prioritizing and planning their garden for next year. Many of my listed items are tangible changes and don't require a lot of money, but instead time to plan and organize what will go into the garden next year. Each year I learn from mistakes and successes, but it is important I write them out so I can devise a plan to tackle next year's work.

Feel free to glean from my successes and "opportunities", but it important for you to write your own. Sometimes you might not have an answer to why something didn't work, but if you write it down you then can ask a gardening friend, master gardener, or someone like me who loves to share their passion of gardening.

Stay tuned for my next edition of Gardening 101 where I'll share how to plant a winter cover crop. Happy gardening...

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2012-10-10T08:04:00.002-07:00

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,

Katie Jean

Practical Gardening Tips 101

2012-10-09T13:38:00.004-07:00

It really is not a mystery that I love to write, but it is a mystery why I've been absent from my blog. Nevertheless, it is time to dig-in and start blogging about the happenings at the Little Blue Bungalow once again.

The work I do in my gardens throughout the year isn't magical (even though I image it in my mind), but really the work I do is practical. It really is not a mystery and should be shared. It dawned me as I stood in line to turn in my open class vegetables at the fair this year...that gardening is a dying art. I literally was the youngest participant there by at least 30 years. I was shocked! If our generation doesn't embrace the art of gardening we will begin to become more distant from where our food grows and miss out on the garden goodness. We need to teach our children and those around us on how to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. No matter how big your yard is, a garden can enrich your family's life and provide you with super nutrients that will help you live healthier and ease your pocketbook.

Gardening is my passion. If I could spend every day in the garden digging in the dirt, growing new life, enriching the soil...I think I'd fulfill who I was created to be. But as much as I LOVE to garden I love to share the knowledge I've gained through gardening. No, I'm not a master gardener, but I have experience around a pitch fork and growing organic goodness for my family, friends and neighbors consumption for nearly 27 years. (Don't try and figure out the math...I'm 37 years old.) I'm thrifty, resourceful and can help you attain a garden that may not live up to Martha Stewart's standards, but provide your family with fresh food and enjoyment.

Gardening to me is a year round activity. Yes, year round! Now, you may be thinking, "That is great KJ, but how do I do it?" I have your answer...I want to take the mystery out of gardening and bring you weekly tips that will help you improve or start your own garden. Stop by my blog every Tuesday and I'll share a practical gardening tip that you can put into practice in your own backyard farm. Join me on this journey as we learn together and grow our gardens. Be also on the lookout for some basic gardening classes at the Garden City Grange in Snohomish, WA as well as onsite at The Little Blue Bungalow throughout the year.

From inside The Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday: Now and Then

2012-07-04T12:32:00.003-07:00

Our family participating in the Yankee Doodle Dash in Everett, WA today (7/4/12) and then (7/4/09).
From inside the little blue bungalow, Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2012-06-27T20:29:00.004-07:00

Drew was overjoyed to help Fiona work on her first ever Science Project...every engineer's dream to help his daughter grasp electro magnets. (Wink.)

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Like a Fish Out of Water

2012-06-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

Crab fishing. I guess I shouldn't have been the least bit surprised when I heard the words come out of my husband's mouth last night. But...to say I wasn't a bit shocked would be a farce. Did Drew just announce to the family we were going crabbin' this weekend? Yes. He. Did.

Living with my husband is an adventure. He is an explorer, a life-long learner, a seeker of life. Though I think I'd rather be one to sit and enjoy my garden with a cup of tea (of course!), Drew wants to experience life first hand. What is it like to view the mountain from that park, stand where his Irish ancestors farmed, run with the bulls (no, we haven't done this...but DON'T mention it to him!), eat the bazaar, etc.?

Drew's ideas are amazing, fun and full of wonder. Just living with him is my adventure, to partake in his excitement for life. He has instilled this in our children to want to experience everything and so I'm grateful. However, I admit sometimes I'm the dream crusher when I convince him it may just be too dangerous for the kids to experience this or that. But, mostly he has researched and romanticized whatever the new idea is that as a wife and friend I couldn't say no to his enchantment with whatever he has "dreamed" up to do.

But...crab fishing? Honestly, I kinda' feel like a fish out of water. What in the world are two Midwesterns going crab fishing with their kids? But, it's too late. The kids are on board. Drew is researching where to buy or rent a crab pot. (Huh?) And...the family calendar clearly says Crab Fishing for Saturday, June 30. I guess there is no turning back but to experience life to it's fullest...head on...even if it means crab fishing.

So here's to crab fishin'... And don't worry when I told Drew I didn't have any idea how to crab fish, he said, "No problem. There are lots of youtube videos and books about the subject."

Of course there are. So here's to a week of reading up about crab fishing...because there will be a sign on our door on Saturday morning saying "Gone Crab Fishin".

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wine Bottle-tastic!

2012-06-12T09:17:00.003-07:00

Fortunately early on in my life, my parents taught me one of my most valuable lessons in life..."Make due with what you have." In a want this, take this society it is easy to get caught up with wanting more even though the monetary means are not there to make it possible. However, with a little creativity and a little work anything is possible.

Take exhibit one: an ordinary wine bottle. For years I've dreamed about a creative border in my gardens to help little ones know where the grass and garden collide. But I didn't want it to look like everyone else and of course, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it.

Many years ago I added a few wine bottles to my garden in the front beds as "poor man's" lighting to add a bit of interest. I simply pushed the wine bottle neck into the ground and a little tea light was added to the top for night time viewing. It was nice, but with only a few wine bottles here and there it added little or no impact.

A couple of months ago, I got an idea to make my garden border a reality without spending a dime. At first, I told a few friends to start saving their wine bottles for my project. But as I realized the sheer amount of wine bottles I needed I decided reaching a larger network was needed. So after I posted my request via Facebook the wine bottles started coming in...delivered at work, left on my front porch, handed to me at the bus stop. Yeap, to me it didn't matter how and were they came from just as long as they were coming in. However, I enjoyed listening to the stories of parties and get-togethers of friends who enjoyed the contents of the bottles. As more bottles were delivered the anticipation of what I was creating began to grow in those hearing of my project as well as myself.

Suggested by my friend Jen, I began to place the bottles into the ground in groups of ten. This thought ensured I didn't have tons of bottles sitting on my patio where my "helpers", aka Fiona and Keegan, could knock a bottle over and break them. It was brilliant and allowed me to make sure I was mixing up color of bottles and labels for a purely eclectic look.

To complete the project I used my long shovel, a piece of string to help keep a straight line, a bucket to hold the extra dirt, and a bucket to collect any weeds or grass that got uprooted. Really! That's all I needed to make my project a reality...well, that and 78 wine bottles. (Thanks to my wine drinking friends.)

The actual time needed to put all the bottles into the ground and clean-up was 3 hours. Weeds went into the green bin, tools put away and the extra dirt was used to cover the growing potatoes in the garden. The best part is the cost to me was absolutely nothing. I choose to leave all of the labels on the bottles for an eclectic look, but they could be soaked off as well. The labels will eventually come off in the rain, but I think the look will be shabby chic.
Yes, this look of 78 wine bottles in the ground isn't everyone's style, but here at the Little Blue Bungalow it suits us.

It isn't precious stone from Italy with a cascading waterfall, but in my eyes it looks unique and definitely is a conversation piece. It is my own. Being creative with what I have and using it to make my own garden masterpiece is something every gardener's motto should be. Creative ideas, like good wine, getter better with age. (Wink.)

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday (Archive)

2012-05-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

Happy 14th Anniversary!
From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Thrifty Thursday: Trim the Fat

2012-05-17T07:20:00.002-07:00

Welcome back to the Thrifty Thursday Tip here at the Little Blue Bungalow. (Hooray! I know many folks who have specifically asked for this weekly post to return so, without further a do...) Thursday's posts are devoted in helping you save money as well as being creative with your time, household supplies and budget. My intent is to share practical tips on how our family stretches our budget in an expensive economy.

Though most family's don't want to admit it or "stick with it"...a budget is an effective tool in understanding what "comes in" and "goes out" of your home each month. Used correctly, budgets can help you make critical decisions that effect how your home functions, save for the future or make "want" and "need" decisions with ease.

Each New Year's Day (I know...as exciting as it can be!) Drew and I have a yearly financial budget meeting to discuss the goals and reallocation for the year's finances. This meeting helps us get on board and have a consensus of what will get accomplished each year (new purchases, home improvements, family vacations, etc). Though I complete the monthly budgeting and bills for our household, it is critical that we are on the same page for the welfare of our family. For example, our budget would never work if I had only planned a camping trip for our family vacation in the Puget Sound and Drew was insisting we should spend three weeks in Italy and it wasn't in our budget.

Being on the same page is vital. We have been married 14 years next week and have always had a set consensus of a dollar amount we could spend without the person knowing about it. For example, right now the dollar amount is $25, so if I want to spend $100 on new shoes I would have to consult with Drew to make sure we both felt it was a worthy purchase and that it fits into our budget. This has helped us avoid those awkward situations when one is worried about paying the car payment and the other person just spent $65 on a random rafting trip. But mostly, this helps us be accountable to our budget. Did I allocate monies for new shoes this year? Are the ones I have really worn out? Can I find a bargain price somewhere? Honestly this system has helped us not to make any impulse decisions and kept a lot of piece in the marriage. Depending on our income level this dollar amount has varied over the years, at one point it was as low as $10 and as high as $75.

Entering a new season for our family this decision has made us readjust our budget mid-year. Reducing my rate of pay and hours has caused us to re-evaluate our lifestyle. Many of the luxuries of me working full-time needed to be cut. Though we have a tight budget there were places we knew we needed to cut immediately to make our budget balance. Though some of these were easy...others were harder. Gaining more time with my family and personal time in my gardens were a huge factor in making any cuts seem logical and worth it. But nonetheless, these cuts are changes in which our family has to uphold in our budget and personally deal with.

Changes that immediately occurred included:

Pull Fiona for the Afterschool program M/W. Savings = $77.50/month
Cut Personal Training Sessions. Savings = $25/month
Stop prepped meals with Dream Dinners. Savings = $100/month
Change Keegan's Kindergarten status from full-time to alternating. Savings = $270/month
Stop Cleaning Services. Savings = $75/month
Discontinue/Minimize Babysitting during work hours. Savings = $500

Of course, there were other options on the 'chopping block', but we believe these immediate cuts will help stabilize the budget. It doesn't mean that these proposed cuts with not come into fruition. For example, we discussed discontinuing our Netflix subscription of $8.68/month. Now many of you would think why bother? But, it is something we use some, but not tons and may "force" us to be more creative with our down time...like reading more. This small change could be mentally stimulating as well potentially save our family $104.16/year.

In the next couple of months we will be re-evaluating our budget to ensure we are on track and able to sustain our new budget. If not, we definitely will go back into negotiations and have to "trim the fat" elsewhere. Developing a budget and sticking to it is one of the greatest tools you have in maintaining financial peace in your household.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2012-05-16T20:53:00.001-07:00

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Friday Night Entertainment?

2012-05-12T05:03:00.002-07:00

To say my life is "interesting" is a relative term, but I'll let you be the judge. Different, possibly, but certainly my own. Of course, it is my life so I find lots of enjoyment from it by being surrounded by my family and friends, growing and preserving our own food, having chickens and living a life with God as the center. Last Friday night was no exception to my so called "interesting" life. As most eagerly got off work to enjoy an evening out on the town, put their feed up and watch a movie, etc...I was busy grabbing a empty box from work, map questing an address, and texting my husband these few words... "Please get Keegan. I will b out rescuing a chicken. Seriously...I will explain more when I get home."

Thankfully, my husband is a gracious man and doesn't say too much about my...ahem..."interesting" life. So after finishing my text, I was in the car onto my next adventure...rescuing a chicken. I know, most of you are shaking your heads...but hey, it is my life...you just have the privilege of knowing me. (Well, I hope so!)

My Friday started out like any other one. Get up, drink tea, let the chickens out, get the kids ready for school, carpool, drop the kids off and head into work. Two hours into work I had a conversation with one of our members that changed the course of my Friday evening. She unfolded a story of a neighbor's lone chicken, abandoned and being sought out by the local coyote. As I listened intently, she suddenly asked would I come out and rescue the chicken. Huh? What is that you say...rescue the said chicken?

Suddenly I had questions, what kind of chicken was it? Was it a rooster? Was it injured? How old was it? Do you have permission to save the said chicken?
And just like that...with the exchange of phone numbers and address my Friday evening had been sealed. At 4 pm when I left work, I was meeting the Y member to rescue the chicken. (I know..."interesting".)

As I pulled up their driveway in the rain no less, I had no idea what to expect. I opened my trunk for inspiration...for tools. Well...I did have the box from work and...YES, my husband had left his pull over boots in the trunk from the Earth Day project a couple weeks ago. After slipping my Drew's boots on and enjoying some light conversation with Joyce, we walked up to the neighbors barn and there she was...the chicken.
I was relieved to find she appeared in good health, sitting on a couple of eggs. However, I was more relieved to see her in a somewhat contained area. This rescue was going to be a cake walk or...so I thought.

Joyce had enlisted the help of her husband as well so I was happy that this job of rescue would be over soon...I mean of course, it would! Three adults and 1 random chicken...easy, done, finished. However, as I bent down to pick her up...crazy chicken evoked! Even though Joyce was standing in front of the opening where the door had been...she was gone. Fantastic! Now we had the joy of catching a chicken in an open pasture and of course in the rain no less. Yeap. My Friday evening had turned from interesting to "Oh, my goodness...this is going to be FUN!"

There is no book on how to chase a chicken, especially one that is not extremely accustomed to humans or one that has had practice out running coyotes for the past couple of weeks. As I jogged behind the ever increasing chicken, thoughts raced in my mind. What in the world I'm I doing? How in the world was I going to catch this chicken? In the past, my children have been my source of help when I couldn't catch a chicken. Keegan is especially helpful and has no fear when it comes to catching chickens. However, I was in an open field, in the rain with three adults running after a chicken. Entertaining I'm sure...even the neighbor came and sat on his porch and watched all of the commotion for awhile. Seriously? Thank God he didn't video tape it...I didn't want to see my Friday adventure youtubed for the whole world to see. I mean, blogging about my adventure was going to be good enough. I am glad we provided some entertainment for the neighbor, but honestly.

Think Katie Jean. What was my strategy? Ok, I had it we have to somewhat contain it again...convince her to go back to her old coop. Convince a chicken? Are you crazy? And that is just what we did...after about 30 minutes of running, chicken cackling, and utter frustration. She was back in her coop...of course without a door!
Laying near the entrance was the door and in utter desperation I looked at Joyce and said "Hold this door up! I'm going in...whatever you do don't let go of the door until I've got a chicken in my hands!" And after a few more minutes that is what I did...without fear I grabbed the very unhappy chicken and stuffed her into my box from work. Success.

With grins and hand shakes we congratulated one another as we had cornered and successfully caught the chicken. Now I only had to get her home and introduce her to my existing flock. Worried that I would have a rogue chicken flopping around my car, we quickly thought to duck tape the box down. How in the world was I going to explain this one to the cop when I got pulled over...yes, duct tape was a good option.

Driving home my phone beeped. Oh, a text message from Drew..."R u ok? Been home 4 awhile." Ah...yes...now to describe this adventure to my wonderful husband and better yet present my box of new fun...the rouge chicken. I couldn't think of any other way to tell my husband about my new friend in the car so when I walked in the door but said something like, "I have a surprise for you!". Yes, definitely a surprise. He is such a gracious man.

It has been a week now since my Friday adventure and it has been tough introducing the new girl to the flock. I'd love to say it was just a wonderful thing, but they were not thrilled. No, not at all and there has been much chicken drama at the Little Blue Bungalow. I have found most of my week herding chickens...existing flock out of the coop...new chicken in...new chicken out of the coop...existing flock in the coop. I'm sure you get the picture.

It will get better once everyone knows there place on the pecking order...it just takes time. Yea, we've got some chicken drama going on...similar to a fight scene from West Side Story. I'm just waiting for the story book ending, but hey...at least it is interesting.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2012-05-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Changes

2012-05-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

Change is hard, but is necessary at times. I recently made one of the toughest choices I've had to make...resulting in change. Though some people embrace it, while others run; I guess I fall somewhere in the middle.

I had been restless for a long while now. I tried this and that, (more time in the garden, more prayer, more activities with the family) but nothing seemed to make sense and put my heart at ease. I prayed. And prayed some more and when I finally stopped and listened I realized I needed to make a change for myself and my family.

Though my path is laid now, I am learning to embrace the change. To let go and trust God. Stepping down at work and making my family priority didn't always make sense to me, but is clear now. I'm reminded by God simply that He has big plans for me and my family. I am elated that I still have a role as a Marketing lead but reduced to 10 manageable hours per week. This change will allow me to still make an impact on our community, but also be there for my family.

Though I am excited for this new opportunity, on the other hand, fear sometimes overtakes my joy. Most of these times, it is societal views of 'keeping up with the Jones' that overtake me...that small voice, saying "Really...Financially will you have enough?". But, I remind myself that I've never been about the fancy car or being the best dressed. Nope, my lifestyle falls more into the..."wow, I just made my own dress out of a feed sack and canned 20 jars of pickles". Nevertheless, one has to be comfortable with a decision such as this and I'm excited to blog about my frugal and "radical homemaker" ways knowing wealth comes from not necessarily having dollars but true fulfillment.

Though I don't officially leave my full-time role for a couple weeks, I am at peace. I am comforted by friends prayers and good wishes and know that God will make my path straight. A good friend recently shared a comment from her grandpa via text that I feel sums up my journey with making this choice that I leave you with...

I was praying for you today and something my grandpa always told me came to mind. It's simple but always impacted me. He said the easy choices we make have no sacrifice are usually not of God. Its the choices that cause us to lose sleep, cry and wonder - they are the ones of God. Its then we are putting it all in HIS hands.

Her grandpa is wise indeed.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

2011 Pictures in Review

2011-12-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,
As 2011 draws to a close, we are extremely blessed to reflect on this past year. This year was a year filled with transitions, but through it all we have had tons of fun and laughter in true Britten style.

As always, we feel pictures are a great way to "view" our family's year without a long draw-out Christmas letter. (Even though you know I'd LOVE to write about it!) So without further a do I present to you...2011 Pictures in Review. Click on this link below to get a glimpse of 2011 at the Little Blue Bungalow.

http://bit.ly/tozRYZ

2011 Little Blue Bungalow "notables" include:
-Fiona loosing her two front teeth
-Keegan playing on an older soccer team
-Completing our garage
-Adding another vegetable garden
-Our August Roadtrip to Iowa
-Fiona transferring to a new elementary school, Maltby
-Drew starting a new job with Boeing as a Technical Analyst
-Both kids ditching their training wheels on their bikes
-Started attending Christ Church Monroe

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Hosting Fellowship

2011-12-11T15:51:00.000-08:00

As I loaded the car with boxes of decorations and fine china this afternoon a feeling of familarity swept over me. Even though I had a few jitters about hosting a table for our new church's Christmas party it felt oddly too familiar and fond memories overwhelmed me.

From Christmas parties to mother/daughter teas, I've hosted a few tables over my thirty-six years. In Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin and Washington we've shared fond memories of newly found friends and fellowship abound hosting events through our churches. Many of those individuals we've met around those "hosted" tables have become life-long friends and have shared in the "seasons" of our lives through prayer, laughter, and general life.

I've never forgotten any of those experiences and sometimes long to sit and reflect with some of those old friends around a table for just a few hours. To push the hours of time back and tranport myself to that particular season in my life...a newlywed, married with no kids, newly preganent, married with kids, etc.

Tears are streaming down my face as I think of those sweet times, each in their unique way. Knowingly I can't easily say one "season" is better than the other, but each piece together in my being, who I am today. I am better for having spent fellowhip with those that have surrounded my hosted tables over the years. Even with my jitters, I look forward to the new friends that will surround my table tonight. Tonight is another opportunity to share in fellowship.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

Many Thanksgiving Blessings...

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Christmas Family Traditions

2011-11-27T17:36:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many of you have vivid Christmas traditions that you continue with your present day families. Since I was a little girl I remember waking up Christmas morning to a big mug filled with egg nog and pumpkin and zucchini bread on the counter cut into big slices slathered with butter. It was always such a treat since the remaining 364 days of the year we ate cereal (no sugar cereal either folks!).

Though our family's breakfast is more varied now (Sorry Mom, no hard feelings.), we still continue eating pumpkin or zucchini bread Christmas morning as well as a few treats from my husband's past. In addition, my husband reads the Christmas story from the bible just as my father did year after year around our dining room table. I love having these moments of my past become my children's memories.

Over the past five years, we have also created a new family tradition special to just us. Each night before Christmas, I have a large basket over-filling with wrapped Christmas books for each child to pick as a bed-time story. Getting to open a package each night is such a thrill for the kids even though they know that inside contains a book about winter, snow, and/or Christmas. The excitement and anticipation for bedtime increases each night as we get closer to Christmas and Drew and I get to share a special moment with our kids reflecting on Christ's birth.

The cost has been quite minimal for this project and in less then forty-five minutes I can always get the books all wrapped after Thanksgiving. The first year my mom helped me (I was on bed rest with Mr. Keegan) purchase as many books as we could find about Christmas from Goodwill and other second hand stores. We were short a few that first year and borrowed a few great books from our local library. We wrapped them like the others but in a different wrapping paper so we could open them first to return them on time. (My mom would go crazy if she know I ever had a late library book!)

Over the years, I have added to my collection when I found a wonderful Christmas book at a garage sale or local second-hand store usually for less than $.69 a piece. I then store all the Christmas books with my Christmas decorations in anticipation for next years discovery. After several years of Goodwill collecting I'm up to 48 books...enough for both kids to unwrap one each night before Christmas. This year Fiona helped me wrap all the books and she eagerly read each title to me as we wrapped them together. I personally am excited this year as I know she will be able to read them herself this year.

I love sharing this tradition with my family each night as we head to bed. I hope that maybe this is one of the traditions my kids will "adopt" into their own family's traditions.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Pumpkin Fest,
The Little Blue Bungalow

An Impulse

2011-10-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

Too often in life we are confined to our "boxes" and "normal routine" and don't look around for the unexpected. We are told, "keep your head down and keep walking". And for what? The norm.

Isn't it funny how during our school age years we yearned to be "normal", to belong. Now as an adult the taste of "normal" in my mouth is bleak. I long for a break in my routine a blast of the unexpected, an impulse. Unfortunately with two working parents, young kids and the pace of life the impulses are infrequent. Sometimes I yearn for more out of my life.

As I age, my eyes have changed. Though my eyes haven't physically changed, (OK, they have changed some hence the reason I need bi-focals) my perception has changed.

I now notice the oddities. The things that don't "add up" in my daily routines.

On Sunday we enjoyed a slower Sunday afternoon strolling through a local apple orchard picking apples. And in the midst of all these loaded apples trees was a single white chair. Since the orchard we visited wasn't a heavily commercialized orchard it was even odder for us to be among this quiet orchard and then to see this random chair.

Though I walked by it a couple of times on the hunt for the best tasting heritage variety, it kept "haunting" me. What in the world was it doing here? To pick apples? Did someone need to rest while picking apples?

In the last minutes of our pick, I instinctively looked at the kids and said, "PHOTO SHOOT!" And in an impulse, I plopped the kids down and started shooting a series of shoots. No, they weren't professional, but it represented my kiddos in this "season" of their life. Keegan was mad, Fiona consoled him, Keegan was still mad...But in the last shoot (shown on top) I captured a moment in time...my kiddos.... Fiona with her toothless grin, Keegan with tear-streaked innocent cheeks. An impulse. A blast out of my "normal"...a random photo shoot in an abandoned apple orchard on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I need more random impulses in my life to help ease the normal, the routine. Like last night when I picked butternut squash in the pitch dark with my head lamp. (Seriously...don't ask.) I think these random impulses define us, not the norm. Whether planned or on "the fly" we all need something out of the ordinary in our lives, an impulse.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

Dreaming of Summer already...

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

I am Passionate About

2011-09-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

In the midst of everything we do in life it is easy to loose site of what makes up our core being. Our sparks, our passions...that make us who we are today. Though this list may not bring much meaning to you, it is a visual reminder of who I am and aspire to be. It has been a particularly long week and just writing these words gives me HOPE.

I am passionate about my family and the adventures that come with being a family unit. I am passionate about gardening and making my kids feel important by baking each of their birthday cakes. I am passionate about growing my own food. I am passionate about having urban chickens. I am passionate about making a difference in my job. I am passionate about blessing other families with gifts and hand-me downs. I am passionate about taking time to get to know people from all walks of life and share God's love. I am passionate about maintaining skills to restore, repair and make new life out of our home, furniture and furnishings. I am passionate about writing and desire to write my own book someday. I am passionate about genuinely smiling.

We all have passions. What motivates you? What are your passions? What brings you HOPE?

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean