Thy Hand Hath Provided

Books, Books, Books

2012-05-24T08:06:00.002-04:00

We have two weeks left of (home) school and then our summer begins. It's not as much of a clear-cut break as one might imagine. Over the past few weeks, we've been dropping subjects. Not as in, "We don't want to do science anymore, so we quit," but as in, we've finished the book or run out of lessons. So our school days have gotten shorter, allowing for more time outside and free play all around.

Despite the tapering, we won't stop completely. Oh, I might allow for a week of no school as a celebration of a year completed, but we'll solider on with summer school. Our summer school is super light (maybe an hour a day) and doesn't get done every day. It's flexible, laid back and enjoyable but keeps the kids from losing everything they've learned from one year to the next.

Summer school also adds just a touch of structure which can go a long way for kids who are used to being at home and having a plan for the day.

Sam, who will be in 5th grade next year, will work through an Evan-Moor workbook (Daily Summer Activities, Moving from Fourth to Fifth Grade), keeping his math and language skills fresh. Sadie, who will be in 1st grade next year has a similar workbook that she'll begin once her math lessons are complete (we won't make it entirely through during our school year) and she'll continue with The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading (I LOVE this book- it's taught both Sam and Sadie to read).

Together, we'll read Exploring Creation With Astronomy (Young Explorers), the only Apologia elementary science topic that won't fit into Sam's science schedule. We're also going to read through Who Is God? (And Can I Really Know Him?) -- Biblical Worldview of God and Truth (What We Believe, Volume 1), Apologia's first year in a series on worldview. I opted not to order the workbook for Sam, but did order the coloring book for Sadie (and will copy a few pages from it for Miriam).

I have my list of books to order for next fall and am making myself wait to order them until our school year is done. In case you're curious, I'll tell you...we will continue to use Sonlight as we can't imagine using anything else at this point. Sam will be studying the Eastern Hemisphere (Core F) and Sadie will be doing Introduction to World History Part I (Core B). We'll continue using Saxon Home School Math, First Language Lessons, Exploring Creation Series' year of Botany (Soon, they'll release their junior notebook, so Sadie will get her own notebook, too), Sequential Spelling 2 (Sam) and Spelling Workout: Level A, Student Edition(Sadie), and A Reason For Handwriting: Cursive E (Based on Scripture Verse) (for Sam, "A" for Sadie)...and whatever else I'm forgetting.

We'll also do some read alouds with Heidi at the top of our list. I know how popular fantasy books are right now and many of the books below will seem heavy, but the real world is heavy. I want my kids equipped with stories of real life people who showed bravery and cleverness and were willing to stand up for what's right to be their source of inspiration when they head out on their own. Some of the books we've really enjoyed reading this spring are below. Maybe you'll want to add them to your summer reading.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, is a book I read aloud to Sam. Sadie listened in off and on, but this is a book for kids 3rd to 4th grade and up, in my opinion. It deals with racism in the south and doesn't hold back. There is some violence as well as disrespectful language. It's a book I would normally shy away from, but it did paint an excellent picture of sharecropper life and the fine line that blacks had (have) to walk in the south. Sam was mortified at the treatment of human beings portrayed in this book. And rightly so.

"History informs us of past mistakes from which we can learn without repeating them. It also inspires us and gives confidence and hope bred of victories already won." William H. Hastie, Speech given in Atlanta, GA (1971)

Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop was exceptional. "During the German occupation of France, twenty children were brought to a refuge in the mountains. One day a young man came to their school with a request: Could they take in, and hide, ten Jewish refugee children? Sister Gabriel spoke up. "The Nazis are looking for those children. If we take them we must never let on that they are here. Do you understand?" Of course the children understood- but how would they hide them if the Nazis came?" (taken from the back cover). While this sounds incredibly heavy, the book was actually delightful and almost whimsical, often making us chuckle. Toward the close, excitement ensues but all ends well. Another wonderful book giving us a glimpse into the past in a way we won't forget.

A Grain of Rice by Helena Clare Pittman is brief and a breeze to read. It's an enjoyable tale of a common peasant who uses his cleverness to outsmart the Emperor and win his heart's desire.

Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson is an excellent, simple story of the life of Helen Keller. It was amongst Sam's books, but Sadie (age 6) held on at every word. What a wonderful story of courage and determination by both Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan.

Hero Over Here: A Story of World War I by Kathleen V. Kudlinski, was another book that transported us back in time to a place fraught with tragedy mixed with hope and perseverance. "Theodore's father and brother are off fighting in the First World War. Theo is proud to be the man of the house- it's his chance to be a hero. But when his mother and sister become victims of the deadly flu epidemic of 1918, and he has to take care of them alone, he learns what being a hero is all about,"(from back cover). Sam and Sadie both enjoyed this book as well.

So, what are your reading and summer school plans (if any)?

Dinner Revival

2012-05-23T06:25:00.000-04:00

Everything doesn't always go as planned around here. We planted saved spinach seeds. They didn't come up (but have in the past when we've saved them). We planted spinach again, this time with bought seeds. They didn't come up either. Nor did our carrots. Nor did our herbs. We kind of like and need spinach and carrots, basil and parsley. So, we'll try again or bite the bullet and buy plants.

One of the things that is going well is dinner planning. Do you know why? Because I stopped planning! This is the time of year that I abandon all my freezer and pantry meal ideas and let the garden dictate and inspire what I make.

We're not getting enough to make entire meals from the garden yet, but the sides of asparagus, salad, mint tea, fresh strawberries and strawberry-inspired desserts round out our meals and are so refreshing.

There is freedom with this kind of meal plan. Come fall, I'm ready to plan again, but for the rest of the summer, I keep some basics on hand (tortillas, brown rice, pasta, canned beans, ingredients to make salad dressings) and let the garden lead the way.

Now I await sugar peas, mushrooms, raspberries and that spinach we'll replant. Isn't spring wonderful?

Mrs. Davey Funk Cake and Tishy Fuloo

Vacation at Home

2012-05-21T06:55:00.000-04:00

Jamey's job requires that if he wants to ensure he'll get certain days off during the year, he has to put in for all of them. At the same time. For the whole year. We knew we'd be taking an extended-family vacation in the summer, but decided to plan for a few more days off in the spring. We wanted to head back up to my family's mountain cabin. We hadn't been there for too long. As the month of May approached, we looked at the calendar and felt overwhelmed by all the running around already planned (which was minimal actually- we're homebodies if you haven't noticed). So, we decided to keep his days off but stay home instead.

Black raspberries, wine berries, red raspberries...all on their way.

Jamey had come off of 8 days in a row of work and needed a break. And so did I. Each of us got some much needed time to ourselves to run (Jamey), to work on a project (me), and work outside in general. We accomplished a lot and enjoyed all being together at home. For FIVE days in a row. Sometimes, vacations at home are just we need.

The tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, sweet potatoes, corn, and butternut squash were planted in the garden. The first planting of sunflowers went in. Sadie planted a flower garden. Sam, Sadie and Miriam planted their awesome pumpkin seeds sent to them from a dear friend (Thank you, Mavis!).

I weeded the dickens out of the red raspberry patch (and they fought back- my forearms are proof) and Jamey planted new shoots in the empty spaces. Pullets were held, herded around the yard and cuddled.

Jamey took down a tree and pruned bushes.

Flower beds were weeded. The lawn was trimmed and mowed. Strawberries were eaten directly from the garden. We hosted a camp out for our church's boy's club and went on a hike. Our church has the nicest boys. Seriously. I couldn't dream of a better group of boys for my Sam to grow up with.

Please remind us to take a vacation at home every year.

This Gadget, I Like

2012-05-18T10:45:00.002-04:00

I'm not a gadget person. I have a food processor, but I choose to chop all my vegetables by hand (even if there are a lot to chop). I prefer to chop my garlic, too, even though I have a nifty press. I use a standard old school metal vegetable peeler instead of the new ergonomically correct versions. I use a regular toothbrush, I hang up my laundry and still wash a good number of my dishes by hand even though I have a dishwasher.

All this is why I was incredibly shocked to find myself buying a new, plastic, electric gadget complete with a tremendous amount of plastic packaging.

My youngest has the tamest, easiest and slippry-est hair around. My other daughter, Sadie, has hair that delights in tangling whether it's clean, dirty, slept on, not slept on, conditioned or otherwise. And yet the poor girl wants long hair like her mommy and younger sister. So, we let it grow and suffer through every single combing session. I try to be gentle. She cries. I try to go quickly to get it over with. She cries. I tell her I have to comb out her hair soon. She cries. It was boiling down to either cutting it all off or realizing that a good portion of her childhood memories of her mother would be of me causing her pain and tears. On a regular basis.

Then, I happened upon an electric hair brush that claimed to de-tangle with no tears. I ordered it. When it arrived, I had forgotten that I ordered it and cringed at the packaging and the bright purple gadget complete with cord, stand and guard staring back at me. I cut it free from it's binding and plugged it in.

I had not combed Sadie's hair for a couple days. She combs her own hair, but it's more of a surface-job. It's hard for her to get to those stubborn tangles underneath. She was ready to try anything. All I can say is...

IT WORKS.

It gets out all the tangles. There are no tears. Sadie actually likes it and says it feels good. I let her use it on my wet hair after I had purposely forgot to use conditioner. It worked beautifully. Just set the brush in the hair and gently pull down. The bristles turn and wiggle their way through the hair without resistance. It comes with a thin, long, cord, so it's always ready. It can be used on wet or dry hair. Sadie combs her own hair with it now and I know it's done well.

Forgive me for placing a gadget before you and tempting you to buy something. I really try hard not to do that. But if you have daughters who want long hair and their hair tends toward the tangle-y, I do recommend this product.

Much to my chagrin :-).

Advice for the Excited

2012-05-17T09:28:00.001-04:00

One of the HUGE benefits to growing your own food is that you get to pluck it from the vine, tree or bush at it's peak...it's perfect ripeness. This means taking a garden tour every day (or close to it) to ensure you're timing is right, but it also requires something else that can be much more difficult.

PATIENCE.

Be patient, people! Patience is of the utmost importance particularly with strawberries and tomatoes. While it's tempting to pick the *almost* ripe fruits as well and let them ripen up on the counter or sill, why not let them finish out their ripening on the vine? It's a luxury you might not have if you're picking your strawberries at a pick-your-own place, but if you have them at home, take your time. Pick slightly more often so that the berries (and later, tomatoes) you eat are beautifully ripe.

One exception is, of course, if something is obviously after what you're picking. I'll bring in something that is almost ripe if it's obvious something is getting into it (ants, slugs, etc). This way I'll save a portion of the fruit instead of leaving it out in the garden to attract more pests.

So. The word of the day...PATIENCE. It can be difficult to muster when you've been waiting all year and are chomping at the bit, but it's worth it:-).

{Now, while it's hard to imagine after that little pep talk, there are things you should pick sooner rather than later- lettuce, spinach, chard, kale...these are more tender and less likely to be bothered by pests when their young. So, keep that in the back of your mind, too.}

And what, pray tell, should you do with those luscious, perfectly ripe strawberries (after eating your fill of them straight from the garden)? Let me offer a few suggestions...

Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles and Smoothies

Strawberry Brunch Souffle

Spinach Strawberry Salad
Mrs. Davey Funk Cake and Tishy Fuloo

Strawberry Bars

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Strawberry Pie

Backyard & Garden Video Tour

2012-05-14T08:01:00.000-04:00

Happy belated Mother's Day to all my women readers! Birthing babies is not a requirement for nurturing and mothering others. I hope your day was the perfect balance between normalcy and over-the-top...at least that's what I enjoyed:-).

This week, instead of photos and captions, I made a video. For those of you with dial-up or slow computers, I apologize. For coming off kind of flaky, I apologize as well (all my assumptions of what Jamey had done in the garden were actually correct!). For the brief gusts of wind that make it hard to hear that I'm showing you our pear and sour cherry tree, I apologize as well. Without further ado and with a clear conscience, welcome to our backyard....

Just a little update...the baby bunnies did get transferred to the chicken tractor where they made a super-quick escape when no one was looking. Smart bunnies.

The Needs of a Homeschool Mom

2012-05-10T08:54:00.000-04:00

When we talk about homeschooling, we mostly talk about the needs of our children. And, rightly so. But after five years of being a homeschooling mom, I can tell you that my needs are important, too. Not in a selfish way, but because if my 'homeschooling needs' aren't met, I won't be the effective and supportive teacher/parent I strive to be for my kids. Here are few needs that I've found are critical for me (and therefore for my kids)...

1) The curriculum needs to work for me, too. If I'm bored out of my mind, it's going to show- no matter how hard I try to hide it. But, if my excitement is evident (through tears and laughter- it happens almost weekly, thanks to Sonlight), even a child not-so-excited about school will sit up and take notice.

2) My expectations for housekeeping, cooking, blogging time, and any personal time whatsoever, need to be realistic. I'm not going to be able to stop cleaning and making meals, but if I can scale back my standards of dust-less furniture and new and amazing recipes every night, I will not be day dreaming of all I could be doing while my student is taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R to complete her handwriting. When my mind is elsewhere, I become agitated and impatient- a brewing storm when added to a child having a rough day getting through lessons. Just as a few weeds are okay in the garden, so is a little (or a lot) of dust in the house.

It's also okay if instead of your toddler sitting beside you studying her letters while you teach your other daughter, she's sitting on the floor meticulously peeling the paper off all the crayons, making an incredible mess. Just let it go...who really needs to know the name of each color anyway? Or, if she gets a hold of the body lotion and paints her arms and shirt with it, or...well, you get the picture. Expectations need to relax.

3) Setting aside time to spend with a homeschooling mom-friend is priceless. I have a dear friend whom I get together with every other month or so. We talk homschooling, but we talk about so much more and that's where the value lies. While homeschooling takes up a lot of our lives, it isn't our whole life. It helps to have a homeschooling girlfriend who gets that. It's a big part of our life, but it's not the only thing we're good for (overstated here, obviously). After spending time with her, I feel understood and certainly not alone (thank you, Carmen!).

4) I need my spouse to understand what it's like. A huge gift of Jamey's work schedule (which wasn't evident at first) is that he regularly has a day off during the week. On these days, he takes over either morning or afternoon school. More even than giving me a break (which is awesome), he gets to see first hand what the kids are doing, how they're doing and what I'm doing everyday. It's like being seen. While he doesn't do it day in and day out, he gets a frequent glimpse into the state of things, including the difficulties. This is feasible for those of you whose husbands work weekdays- just take a day off during the week and do school on a Saturday so Dad can feel more involved. Who knows! Maybe he'll even want to take over a subject for you (a mom can dream, right?).

5) Homeschool moms (like all moms) need a humble heart. Homeschooling is humbling and you have to be able to roll with that fact. Never in my life have I done something that has pushed so many of my buttons. It's all a continuation of parenting, but with homeschooling, there's the added dimension of trying to educate your children in a more formal way. My true (unpleasant) colors shine through WAY more often than I would like. By being together ALL the time like this, there are so many more chances for my kids to see me at my worst. Oh, and they have. But! If you can talk about your mistakes, ask forgiveness from God and your kids and try again (over and over and over), this job does refine you. Be gentle with yourself. Admit those mistakes- you WILL make them! And model for your children the virtue of recognizing when you've messed up seeking to make things right.

6) While making sure your kids are meeting their educational goals, we must remember the importance of educating the child's soul. It's so easy to be constantly comparing our kids level of mastery of different subjects with big-school-going kids. It's also easy to lament that they might not be getting as strong a concentration in this or that subject. There are ways around these concerns, but no school is going to be perfect. And these pressures can leave us stressed and on edge and focused on turning our children into perfect academic students (also not realistic).

What's more important is who our kids will grow up to be. What kind of person will they be like? Will they be driven to succeed at all costs like so much of the rest of our country or will they lead a life driven by a deeper purpose? Take your focus off those comparisons (within reason, of course) and remember it's a person you're raising and educating, not a test score. This is freeing for both you and your kids.

7) I need an under-booked schedule. Some moms seem to thrive (or at least keep their heads above water!) when their family calendar is full of activities, whether it's sports, music, play dates, etc. Routinely, I re-evaluate my kids activities (or lack there of) and routinely lean toward the under-booked life. I function better without too much on my plate and my kids do, too. Figure out how you thrive and make sure it's a good fit for your kids, too. Re-evaluate it now and then, but don't feel pressure to be/do something that doesn't work for your family. In a couple years, things may look differently, but for now, trust your gut, not others'.

Keeping these needs in mind certainly doesn't make everything run smoothly all the time, but it certainly helps. May God bless each of you as you finish out the end of your year and as we all look forward to summer!

Watercress

2012-05-08T08:34:00.000-04:00

The other week, I was taken back. A friend gave us a stuffed gallon-sized bag of watercress. As soon as I laid eyes on it (and later sunk teeth into it) it transported me back to when my mother would glean watercress when I was a child. I remember my mom substituting it for lettuce in Lettuce and Egg Salad and my grandmother making a warm bacon dressing to drizzle over the top of it. Crisp and bite-y, watercress has it's own unique flavor that gives a punch and crunch to whatever it's added to.

If you aren't familiar with watercress, let my Food Lover's Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst give you a more proper definition...

"Cool running water is the growing ground for this member of the mustard family which can often be found in the wild in and around streams and brooks. Watercress has small, crisp, dark green leaves. It's pungent flavor is slightly bitter and has a peppery snap. Watercress is available year round and is customarily sold in small bouquets. Choose crisp leaves with deep, vibrant color. There should be no sign of yellowing or wilting. Refrigerate in a plastic bag (or stems-down in a glass of water covered with a plastic bag) for up to five days. Wash and shake dry just before using. Watercress may be used in salads, sandwiches, and soups and a variety of cooked dishes. It's also a popular garnish fast replacing the ubiquitous parsley."

Lettuce and watercress topped with local feta, chopped pecans and dried cranberries.

We've been combining it with lettuce and eating it in big salads and on sandwiches. If you can glean some from a neighbor or pick up a bag from a vendor at your local farmer's market, go ahead and do so. Better yet, if you have a creek or spring on your property, you might be sitting on a ~~gold~~ green mine.

Local spinach and sun-dried tomato bagel with cheese, humus and watercress.

How do you eat watercress?

Dress Them Greens

2012-05-02T09:01:00.000-04:00

I love this time of year. Feeling the crispness of fresh lettuces in my hands and mouth makes me feel complete, as if part of me was missing. This may seem pretty dramatic (I'll be the first to admit, it totally is), but there is something about those first bites of spring, whether it's lettuce, spinach, asparagus, what have you. The garden is waking up and aren't we so excited?!

Because there isn't much else growing right now, the way we dress our greens seems more important now than it will seem later on, particularly in the fall when those fall crops of green will be topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, (dare I dream, mushrooms?) etc.

So for now, we top our salads with whatever we can muster- hard boiled eggs, cheese, nuts, and maybe even some dried fruit. I know there are purists out there who only need a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper to top their salads but I need more.

I need dressing.

But not some highly processed dressing made with sugar and corn syrup. It seems an insult to those fresh little lettuces. So. Today I offer you some excellent, super easy homemade dressings (only one of which has any sugar in it).

The star of the show is a new recipe that I am currently a bit obsessed with. The other night, we had soup (carrot soup, from the freezer), oatmeal rolls, and a big salad with this dressing. I bypassed the soup completely and had two big bowls of salad. I would tell you that I'm salivating right now just thinking about it, but that would be gross.

My sister made an amazing salad for us last week when we were at their house (three cheers for sisters living close!) and introduced me to this dressing. I tweaked it only by adding an additional clove of garlic (it gives it some more zip) and using the separate ingredients of mustard and honey instead of honey mustard. It's a cinch to make and so delicious.

Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette (adapted from a recipe from my sister from Martha Stewart)

2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a bowl with a whisk. Drizzle in the olive oil while stirring. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Other dressings you need to be aware of are...

Garden Salad Dressing

Creamy Salad Dressing

Caesar Salad Dressing

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

Lettuce and Egg Salad -This is not egg salad, it's a salad of greens, tossed in an outstanding dressing and topped with sliced hard boiled eggs.

If you're not hungry for salad right now, I don't know what to do with you. Now, go forth and dress them greens!

Despite the Mess

2012-04-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

Sometimes giving of ourselves or even considering giving of ourselves in a new way makes me seize up and want to turn and run the other direction. It's not as easy as others make it appear. It takes energy (both physical and emotional). It takes sacrifice (of time and resources). Sometimes rendering your life drastically altered.

Most of all, it takes Spirit-protected skin to withstand the world's constant stream of messages that say, "What about you? You deserve an easy life. You do other things. Don't overdo it. You need to put yourself first in order to be good for anyone else."

I'm pretty sure someone else called us to be last.

"Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.'" Mark 9:35

I appreciate so much the way Lisa Qualls, wrote about it (here),

"When we love people, we invite their brokenness and mess into our lives. Mess is inconvenient; it takes our time, energy, and sometimes money to make it better. Despite our efforts, the mess cannot always be fully contained. It spills over and touches the people who dare to stand near."

Let's be those who are standing near, despite the mess.

Growing Shiitake Mushrooms

2012-04-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

So now you know. And even though the HUGE majority of you guessed bees, that majority wasn't actually wrong. Bees have been something we've been dreaming about for a few years now. Jamey is currently in the process of building a hive just in case he hears about a swarm that needs a home. We're hoping that in the next year or so, we'll get ourselves some bees.

He's building a top bar hive. Here are the top bars ready to go.

In the meantime, we decided to try our hand at shiitake mushrooms. The inoculation or spawning of mushrooms is fairly simple, cheap, and takes a minimal time commitment. Plus, we have a friend who has had great success with mushrooms who is coaching us along. It seems like the perfect project for us right now when life feels very full but we're eager for a new adventure (of sorts).

The spawn arrived in the mail and we kept them in the fridge until we were ready for them (just a couple days).

It helps that we love eating mushrooms, too, but rarely buy them because they are expensive. We're not used to buying a lot of produce, so we get sticker shock when we see those prices. Hats off to those of you who are able to stay within your food budgets without growing a lot of your food!

Now, please understand that we have not been successful with mushrooms YET. I'm just going to show you what we're doing and you can sit back and watch us and see if we succeed or flop. Then you can decide if you'd like to follow suit. I'll post our progress and label these posts so you can easily pull them up and see how we're doing. For now, I'm just going to give you a very simple explanation of the process and show you what we've done so far.

To start the process of growing shiitake mushrooms, you need to introduce the shiitake fungus to logs (where the mushrooms will grow and be harvested from). Spawn is the plant body of the fungus that is 'planted' in the logs. Introducing the two is called inoculation or spawning.

That's the most complicated part of it all right there, so if you can wrap your head around that, you're good to go.

We chose to use "thimbles". These are thimble-shaped pellets of spawn mixed in sawdust and capped with a thin white foam cap (seen above).

The spawn must be planted in hardwood logs such as white oak (the favorite choice), other kinds of oak, sugar maple, sweet or black gum, or ironwood. The kind folks (in the next state over) that we ordered our spawn from said chestnut was fine as well. We asked because we have a chestnut tree we could easily cut from.

The logs need to be recently cut from healthy, disease-free trees. You should not use deadfall or damaged trees. Your logs should be 3 to 4 feet long and 3 to 5 inches in diameter. Depending on where you live, there are certain times of year that are better than others for cutting, so find out what timing is best for your area if you want to give this a try as well.

Once you have your logs, drill holes into the logs to the specification of your thimbles. Our order came with precise instructions on the size drill bit, depth of the holes, as well as the desired distance between the holes. Once the holes are ready, insert the thimbles and tap in place. I found that a phillips head screwdriver was super handy for digging the sawdust out of the drilled holes and then using the handle to pound the thimbles in tightly.

Next, cover the holes with melted beeswax (which smelled divine, by the way). This keeps the spawn from drying out and keeps organisms from getting in. Our friend advised us to also put beeswax on the ends of the logs.

Next, we leaned the logs against the side of a shed in the shade. Now, we wait for a sign that it's time to carry out the last step. We are to watch for white, fuzzy patches that turn brown around the edges to appear on the ends of the logs OR wait for a period of about a year.

Our friend who grows them locally says she usually only has to wait a few months for the white patches to appear. At that point, we're to simulate a rapid drop in temperate and a hard rain by submerging the warm (from the weather) logs into cold water for 24 hours. Then, they are to be set back up in their place and mushrooms should emerge in a few days. They should be ready to pick 4-6 days later when they are about 70% open (regardless of size). Once picked, the logs can be induced to produce additional crops by giving them a rest period and then a re-dunking.

We ordered 150 thimbles which we "planted" in 8 logs. The cost with shipping? Fifteen dollars ($15) even. Worth the risk? I think so:-).

How many mushrooms could we get? The instructions that came with our spawn say, "Depending on the diameter of the log, up to a dozen crops may be induced every 6-8 weeks during warm weather, over 3 or 4 years." A dozen crops? If it works that well for us (or even partially so), you bet I'll be experimenting with different ways to preserve them.

But what I can't wait for is to eat them- sauteed, in stir-frys, raw in salads, on pizza, grilled...however we please.

Let's just hope we have as much luck growing fungi as we do dandelions. Well. Maybe not quite that much luck.

A New Endeavor

2012-04-23T08:14:00.000-04:00

Over the past few years, we've been slowly "thinning" our garden pursuits. We gave up on the rhubarb that the chickens kept getting into because...well...rhubarb is yummy and all but only when mixed with copious amounts of sugar and turned into a dessert. Not that that there is anything wrong with that. Unless you're trying to eat less desserts, of course.

We're only growing sugar peas this year because sitting and shelling a bushel of garden peas only to get a few pints (delicious as they are) makes us go a little crazy. Growing only as many carrots and onions as we need to to get through canning season (tomato sauce, etc.) has become the norm since for the life of us, we can't get them to store properly.

Then, there are the different varieties of squashes we've grown. There really haven't been that many, but once we discovered our favorite (butternut), why grow the kinds you need an ax to break into?

Ten different kinds of tomatoes? I don't think we ever grew ten kinds, but now we're done to three or four- Romas, a slicer and two heirlooms (one from a neighbor and one from a friend).

See? We're simple-minded folks- honing our pursuits and attempting to become more time-efficient homesteaders. Waiting to mow the grass until it's shin-high is another time-saver. (Actually, we're just having mower issues.)

But then. We hear more about a new endeavor. Then, we read about it. Then, we (mostly Jamey this time) research it a little more and before we know it, we're smitten with the idea and realize that the real reason for "thinning" might simply be to make room for a new project. Care to guess what it is?

I'll give you a few choices and then, hopefully, show and tell you later this week.

A) A Pig
B) Mushrooms
C) Bees
D) Earthworms

Clarifying & A Giving Top Ten

2012-04-18T08:50:00.000-04:00

I never want any of you to feel as if I have figured out *the* right way to do things- especially when it comes to giving. I appreciate the kind ways some of you pointed that out in my post a couple weeks back. God has given us each our own "soft spots" that help determine how we give and who we give to. If we all had a passion for one organization or means of giving, many would be lacking in the other need categories!

With that said, this is a blog where I chronicle my thoughts on how our family feels lead to live and give. My hope is that it will inspire you to be deliberate about how you live and give. I may quote scripture that speaks to me in my current stage of my faith journey. My hope is that you will seek out the scriptures to guide you in yours.

Blogging can be tricky because sharing your experience can so easily come across as presenting *the* way to do things. My goal is not to convince you of anything, but to inspire you to seek out Truth (through scripture and prayer- I'm not apologizing for this piece- it is central to all we believe and do) and follow God's leading in your own life in your own way. Oh, the many, many gifts we all represent!

I wanted to especially attempt to clarify this today because I want to talk about ways to give effectively to the poor. Here again, I hesitate to share personal giving preferences because I don't want anyone to believe our way is the right way. So, instead, I wanted to share a resource that I came across recently that I thought was very helpful.

There are so many Bible references calling us to help the poor of this world- a quick search in your concordance or online will leave you swimming in them. The one that send chills up my spine is this one...

"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." Ezekiel 16:49

Arrogant, overfed and unconcerned? Um, yep. If we're feeling super honest, that hits pretty close to home for many of us.

So we know we should give (our time as well as monies), but with all the different organizations out there petitioning us for our dollars and energies, how do we know which are the most effective ways to make a difference, particularly for the poor in developing countries? Well, last month's issue of Christianity Today looked at that. Here's what Bruce Wydick wrote....

"So what are the best ways to help the poor in developing countries?

To answer this question, I polled top development economists who specialize in analyzing development programs. I asked them to rate, from 0 to 10, some of the most common poverty interventions to which ordinary people donate their money, in terms of impact and cost-effectiveness per donated dollar.

Sixteen researchers responded to the survey. They are from Cornell, Duke, Yale, the University of Maryland, UC-Berkeley, Stanford, George Washington, UC-Santa Cruz, the University of Minnesota, Brandeis, Michigan State, Tufts, and the World Bank. Of the respondents, five are members of the Association of Christian Economists. And they showed remarkable consensus in their ratings. Virtually none of the highly rated poverty interventions received low marks from any of the responders. Likewise, virtually none of the lowly rated programs received high marks."

Here are the Top Ten, listed in order of most effectiveness...

1) Get clean water to rural villages.

2) Fund de-worming treatments for children.

3) Provide mosquito nets.

4) Sponsor a child.

5) Give wood-burning stoves.

6) Give a microfinance loan.

7) Fund reparative surgeries.

8) Donate a farm animal.

9) Drink fair-trade coffee.

10) Give a kid a laptop.

To read the article in it's entirety, go here.

Interesting, huh? It is my opinion that making each of these strategies even more effective is to pair them with the Gospel. If we can find organizations that serve the poor in the name of Jesus Christ we're introducing a hope that will transform their lives forever, no matter how destitute they are (I talk more about this here).

Before I sign off, I do want to highlight one organization that is near and dear to my heart- Compassion International. If you'd like a little window into our passion for this cause (including some quotes from and pictures of our sponsored kids), you can visit my Compassion page here. That said, there are other wonderful, Christian child-sponsorship programs out there as well, so browse around and see where God leads you if you're interested in sponsoring a child.

I hope this list is helpful and inspiring. May we use our blessings to be blessings to others.

Garden & Canning Gleanings

2012-04-16T08:23:00.000-04:00

We are on the precipice of another gardening year. Are you ready? Sometimes the thought of it energizes me and sometimes it exhausts me. It all depends on the particular minute I happen to think about it.

I thought as a way to launch you into the gardening season, I would share with you some of the things we've learned in our 6 or so years of gardening and preserving. Mind you, we're still mighty young as gardeners go. Even so, maybe some of these thoughts will help you this year.

Heritage red raspberries leafing out. Remember to prune these about knee high in the early spring and remove dead canes. They like a little mulch, but not too much as they need good drainage.

First off, we've learned that mulching our garden is worth it. It makes for a garden that looks a bit different than most traditional gardens you might see (as the photos in this post illustrate) but the benefits outweigh the odd appearance. Mulching with hay, dried leaves and even shredded paper keeps moisture in, keeps weeds down, gives you clean pathways to walk on (and kneel in) and makes for pulling out the occasional weeds easier because the ground underneath is moist and not bone dry. The decomposing leaves and hay breakdown adding to the organic matter. Earthworms thrive and multiply under the decomposing leaves, breaking down clay-y soil, adding nutrients and aerating the soil.

Some folks express concern that the straw itself may sprout weeds. The secret to the straw is to lay it on really thick. This squelches any little seeds that may try to sprout. Some people lay newspaper down before the straw to help with this, but we just lay it on super thick (8 inches thick of loose straw). We do consider how terrible it would be for weeds to become established in crops like strawberries which remain in the same spot for several years and therefore would be difficult to to a purging of all things growing, so we mulch strawberries with leaves. That said, by mulching heavily, this hasn't become a problem. Grass sneaking in from the yard around the perimeter is a much greater threat for us.

Our main garden.

Now, while all this sounds good, you still have to weed. You still have to pull the mulch aside to plant, then place it back around your plants when they're established. When it's super dry, you will still need to water. It doesn't mean you can completely ignore the garden, but it does free you up a bit (and keeps your shoes from becoming muddy messes after it rains).

Garlic coming up.

Secondly, try anything, but start out small. Thinking about planting something you've never planted before and not sure if your family will love it or if you'll be able to find enough ways to preserve it? Go slow. Don't waste garden space on new endeavors that may bomb and overwhelm you come harvest time. Even though unused produce can be composted or given away, those instances can leave a sour taste in your mouth and frustrate you. We've found that it's a more enjoyable experience to try a small patch of something new, find we love it, and look forward to planting and planning for more the next year.

We planted sugar peas this year instead of garden (or English peas). The straw was pulled out of the way and left in the paths. Once they're taller, the straw will be put back under them to hold in moisture and keep down weeds.

Thirdly, can (or freeze) new things in moderation. Experimenting with new canning recipes can be fun, but when you go crazy with it, there's a chance your family will either grow sick of it or won't like in the first place. What a waste of time and energy! I've tried numerous recipes that we've liked at the start, but grew sick of because I canned ridiculous amounts. Instead, try new recipes in small batches and save your mammoth canning projects for those foods you know your family loves and will eat. For us, it's applesauce, tomato sauce, tomato soup, canned fruit, stewed tomatoes and jams. I can other things, but I save most of my jars for these projects.

Strawberry blossoms.

Lastly, be kind to yourself. Don't set expectations you can't live up to. Recognize the life stage you're in. Are your kids at an age that you'll be able to leave them alone long enough for a good weeding session now and then? Can you trust to have them in the garden with you without having to watch them constantly for fear they'll walk over your new plants? Do you have a spouse or older children that will have time to help you? Take all these things into account while you plan and plant. Each year will offer new challenges and added benefits as your family and garden experience grows. Be flexible with yourself.

Cold frame with lettuce.

Gardening is great, but it isn't our life. Finding ways to incorporate it into your life instead of trying to fit your life around your garden is something that we've discovered is important to do.

Oh, and one more thing. This one is very important. Are you ready? It's okay to have some weeds in your garden. I'll say it again. It's okay to have some weeds in your garden. Don't let them overrun the place, but don't beat yourself up over a few weeds. Even if company is coming.

I think we're ready. We are ready...right? Of course we are. Happy gardening, friends!

A Wonderful Opportunity to Give

2012-04-14T19:10:00.000-04:00

Christians in China are asking for Bibles. Can you imagine not having one?

A Chinese woman named Yanqui was a Christian for 20 years before she finally received her own Bible. She said, "It's better to read the Bible one time than to listen to a sermon ten times. Getting my first Bible was like getting a key to many locks. Very precious treasure."

The American Bible Society is currently able to put a Bible into the hands of a Chinese believer (or potential believer) for only $1 in a campaign to send 300,000 Bibles to China. What an amazing opportunity to give. If this is something your family would like to consider, go here.

I See

2012-04-11T08:40:00.000-04:00

Maybe once upon a time you worked outside the home. You completed tasks on time, closed cases and filed away finished projects neatly. You conversed with adults about grown-up things. And had performance reviews where you were praised for a job well done. Maybe clients sent thank you notes (or even a plant once) or told you how much they appreciated you. And you were paid for your services. Maybe even sometimes you were rewarded with a bonus for handling that extra tough project in a commendable way. You'd leave the office each day with a sense of accomplishment. It was tough work, but you completed it and you did it well.

Maybe now you're a stay at home mom. There aren't so many deadlines anymore. Instead there are never-ending lines of laundry, dishes, school work, bottoms to wipe, noses to swipe, breakfasts to fix, lunches to make. You converse with little people about little-people things. There are no performance reviews because no one really sees what you do all day except these little people and they don't even know how to write yet. Their reward system is a little willy-nilly. One minute you're rewarded with sweet kisses and hugs and the next minute tantrums on the floor or meltdowns in Target. You fall in bed every night thinking of what didn't get done. It's tough work and it's never ending and sometimes it feels as if no one notices.

Sometimes we look for affirmation from our mates because surely they will notice our hard work. Sometimes they do...but sometimes they don't. Well then. Our families and friends should see all that we're doing and give us a little pat on the back now and then because, goodness, look at all the energy and patience it takes to do what we do. But they are rightfully busy with their own lives and often they don't seem to see either. Well then. Society should speak up and acknowledge our service- devoting our lives to rearing kind, concerned, law-abiding citizens. Funny, I know. They don't either.

This is sometimes a very lonely, seemingly unappreciated place to be.

But, I am here to tell you something very important, dear friends.

Our heavenly Father, The Lord God Almighty Himself, sees.

Oh, yes He does. And He says...

"*I* saw you force yourself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to feed your baby even though you were bone tired.

*I* saw you get up and get breakfast for your children even though you wanted nothing more than to stay under those covers and sleep the morning away because you didn't feel well.

*I* saw you as you calmly cleaned up one more spill, one more over-turned bowl, assuring your little person that it was a mistake as you consoled their whimpers.

*I* saw you as you wept, hidden in the laundry room because you didn't want to yell or spank out of anger.

*I* saw you as you read book after book to your toddler as you fought waves of nausea from "morning" sickness that lasts into the afternoon and evening.

*I* saw you as you lead your children in prayer before mealtime even though everyone was hungry and just wanted to eat...an hour ago.

*I* saw you when you kept your tone of voice in check and taught your child the proper way instead of only scolding.

*I* saw you as you held your tongue even though you wanted to give your child a tongue lashing in response to their disrespect.

*I* saw you when you felt alone today in the midst of a loud and busy household.

*I* saw the shoes you tied, the tears you wiped, the dishes you washed, the toilets you scrubbed, the messed sheets you changed, and the thousandth picture you colored alongside your little one.

*I* saw the hugs you gave, the kind words of encouragement you shared, the reassuring glances, and the healthy meals you prepared.

*I* saw as, through tears, you asked for your children's forgiveness. Again.

*I* saw the mistakes, the regret, the times you fell short, and the moments of weakness. In spite of all that, I still love you and offer forgiveness every single time you ask.

*I* saw the love, the dedication, the hard, exhausting, draining and often unappreciated work you did.

*I* saw and *I* see. Every day."

"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." Psalm 139:1-5

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' "Matthew 25:40

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

Glimpses of Easter

2012-04-09T08:23:00.000-04:00

Some of the glimpses I did not document were those of runny noses, sunburn, tattling, under-baked pizzas and a frisbee toss that resulted in a black eye. I hope your Easter was just as perfectly real as ours:-).

This Week

2012-04-02T08:28:00.001-04:00

The title of this post might be a little bland, but this week won't be.

First of all, it's our spring break. A whole week of no school- praise the Lord and hallelujah! If you homeschool, you know that this stretch is the hardest, but the end of the year is finally in sight. After our hiatus my hope is that we'll jump back in full steam ahead and finish strong. Our spring break week was chosen strategically and I'll tell you why.

Helping us celebrate Easter weekend this year will be three out of my four siblings and their families as well as my parents. So there is a house to clean, bedding, towels, and table cloths to ready and food to prepare. What are we having? For our Easter meal there will be Gene Wenger's Ham Loaf mix made into ham balls with Jamey's mom's pineapple sauce, my mother's cheesy potatoes, green beans, pickled Easter eggs, red raspberry applesauce jello salad, pies and my sister-in-law's Yaya's chocolate mousse. Then, we'll roll ourselves away from the table to watch six children hunt Easter eggs in the back yard.

As if this week isn't full of enough goodness, one more huge event is happening. One of my sisters, her husband and three little girls (and I mean little- 3, 1 and 2 months) are moving from two hours away to 25 minutes away!! I can hardly contain myself!! So this week will also entail some niece-keeping while their mom and dad get unpacked. I am giddy, I tell you.

Not only will this be a great week, but two huge prayer requests have recently been answered for our local communities. First of all, a young mother of three is out of the woods after a life-threatening bacteria almost actually took her life just after her baby girl was born. Secondly, one of Miriam's sweet little friends is home with a treatable diagnosis after a week of hospitalization and unanswered questions.

But life is not always so sweet. Please take a moment and visit Camille's blog and let her know you're thinking about her and her family. She is a long-time reader here and in need of some serious prayer support.

May we all remember that God's goodness will be with us during the times we can't always see or feel it as well as times when we can.

And may each and every one of you have a blessed Easter week celebrating our risen Lord.

You are so dear.

Love,
Jane

Outside or Inside?

2012-03-28T07:46:00.000-04:00

Spring or what I've been staring at all winter?

The choice is clear.

Chicks & Our Outdoor Watering System

2012-03-26T07:29:00.000-04:00

Finally! A chicken post for all you poultry fans.

Jamey came home from running errands the other day with six Rhode Island Red chicks. The kids were ecstatic and so was I. Nothing says spring like sweet little chicks that will grow into hens who will lay eggs for us, get into the garden and flower beds, poop in the yard...oh, wait. Happy thoughts. Chicks are just precious:-).

They started out inside, right off our mudroom, but quickly transitioned outside to the chicken tractor. A heat lamp over a bed of straw will keep them nice and warm.

Jamey is a wiz at rigging things up (that's really the best way to say it). Our chickens have access to water in the chicken house but they spend so much of their time outside, we wanted to give them outside access as well. Here's an action shot of them enjoying a fresh drink. Go, go gadget neck!

The way this system works is that water is pumped from our cistern (or well in winter) into the top of a 50 gallon barrel via a standard hose. The water flows out the bottom, through another hose that leads to the basin (technically, the cut-off bottom three inches of a five gallon bucket). In the basin (seen above) is a float valve (the black thing) that keeps the water from continuing to run once the basin is full (keeping it from overflowing). As the chickens drink the water, the float valve lowers and lets more water in. The wooden block and clamps attached to the float valve just keep the valve at the desired level.

The screen over the barrel keeps the mosquitoes out and is held in place with a wire wrapped around and twisted like a twisty tie so it can be removed easily when more water is needed. The lid has brackets on the inside to keep it from sliding off the top when the wind blows hard or kids bump it.

It's a low maintenance, high-ish tech, low cost means of keeping your chickens watered that doesn't require tons of attention. It's right up our alley.

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

2012-03-23T08:22:00.000-04:00

Our chickens lay the most lovely colored eggs on their own- hues of blue, brown, and pink.

So why would I need to dye Easter eggs? Well, I was curious. And for those of you who don't have access to eggs already colored by chickens, I thought you might like an option that celebrates even more of God's creation. The instructions below show you how to dye blue, brown, yellow and pink eggs using purple cabbage, coffee grounds, turmeric, and beets.

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs (recipe from Yankee magazine)
Read the instructions below carefully. The ingredients below are totals- some will be divided.
Use only metal or glass utensils and bowls if you do not want your plastics and ceramics stained.

up to 2 dozen white eggs, hard-boiled
16 cups water
4 tbsp. white vinegar
4 tbsp. salt
2 small beets, chopped
1 small head purple cabbage, chopped
4 tbsp. ground coffee
5 tbsp. turmeric

If you have 4 sauce pans/pots (that can easily hold a quart and a half each), you can make all four batches of dye at one time. If you're like me and only have two, you'll have to make two batches, rinse out your pots and make the next two. You're going to make a "base" for each color and then add the ingredient that gives color.

For each batch, combine four cups of water, 1 tbsp. of white vinegar, and 1 tbsp. salt in a sauce pan/pot. This is the base. To each base add the coloring. For the pink eggs, roughly chop two small beets (skins and all) and add them to a pot. For the blue eggs, add 1 small head of purple cabbage roughly diced to another pot of base. To the third pot, add four tbsp. of coffee grounds and to the fourth pot, 5 tbsp. turmeric. Bring all four pots to a boil, then simmer (note times below).

beet dye- simmer for 20 minutes, strain through a sieve and let cool
cabbage dye- simmer for 20 minutes, strain through a sieve and let cool
coffee dye- simmer for 10 minutes, strain through a coffee filter and let cool
turmeric dye, simmer for 2-3 minutes, while whisking, until the turmeric dissolves (I should have done this longer), pour into a bowl/jar and let cool (no straining needed)

Once the dyes have cooled to room temperature, gently add the hard boiled eggs. Refrigerate them until you've reached the desired intensity of color.

I pulled one of each out early for you to see (above), then returned them to the dye overnight (below). Carefully, remove the eggs and let them air dry on a paper towel. Keep refrigerated until you're ready to display/serve them. Beautiful and much more natural-looking than artificially dyed eggs.

Vibrant Pickled Easter Eggs

2012-03-22T07:46:00.004-04:00

This is a re-post from April 2009. I wanted to remind you all of these beautiful and delicious eggs.

Some of my most vivid childhood memories of Easter are not my Easter basket, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks. They are of the vibrant colored eggs in the center of my Grandma's table at Easter dinner.

I loved eggs even then- deviled, pickled red beet, hard-boiled, scrambled, you name it. Unfortunately, I had a mild egg allergy when I was a child. If I ate one, my inner elbows and the backs of my knees would break out into a spotty red rash. It was lovely. Thankfully, I have completely grown out of this.

For me to risk rash, the egg I was about to eat had to be special. And these Easter eggs were. Grandma displayed them in a large glass vase-like bowl that, now that I think about it was probably some kind of liquor decanter (although, to my knowledge, neither my Grandma or Grandpa drank liquor). Anyway, they were so pretty and it was so hard for me to wait for them to be passed around the table. They were tart, tangy and perfect.

This year, we are staying home for Easter. My sister and her family are joining us, as are some neighbors. Guess what is going to be in the center of my table?

Grandma's Pickled Easter Eggs
(make several days in advance)

10 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and rinsed
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
food coloring (at least three colors)

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Divide vinegar mixture between at least three jars with lids, reserving a cup. Add food coloring (6 or 7 drops per color) to jars. Add peeled hard-boiled eggs- several to each jar. Fill jars with reserved vinegar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for several days before serving. Grandma says they will keep for several months. Mine are not going to last several days.

Heating Our House: Blowing Insulation in Our Attic

2012-03-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

I know this isn't a very seasonal topic for some of us. When the temps reach the upper 70's, the first thing you think about isn't usually insulation. That said, I want to get this out there and promise I'll have a much more seasonal post coming up next.

Heating Our House: The Problems
Heating Our House: The Inspection and Results
Heating Our House: Wood Stove or Outdoor Furnace?
Heating Our House: The Decision

Well. We finally got around to our last big insulating project the other weekend when Jamey's parent's were here (Thank you, Dad!). Our attic had only about 5 inches of blown insulation in it which equals an R-value of about 15. New homes require and R-value of 39 (in our area). Hmm. We were {obviously} a little lacking.

With the project finished, our new R-value is about 40 ( about 12 inches thick). Jamey and his dad also blew insulation into our kitchen's attic (the only one-story portion of the house).

At our local Lowe's store, if you buy a certain number of bales of loose insulation, they let you borrow (yes, for free) the machine complete with hose that you use to blow it in. For our job(s), we used 35 bales. Below, Jamey is taking off one of the attic vents to feed the hose through. He had to crawl up through the little attic access hole in Sam's room to get himself up in there. The gaping hole in the house just below him in the picture is the hole he created to be able to blow insulation into the kitchen's attic (what he's standing on in the picture).

in action

It was a dusty mess but, thankfully, this insulation is made from recycled newspaper, so there are no irritants in it. Jamey used a respirator since he was the one up in the attic spraying, but did not use eye protection because with his glasses it would have been hard to see (our attic is dark to begin with). His eyes were a little irritated afterwards, but nothing like how fiberglass insulation would have made them. He also wore a headlamp so he could see better.

The whole project took about 2 hours from start to finish not counting the added time you'll want to consider if you accidentally step through the attic floor and into your bedroom. It's okay, Jamey. It happens to the best of us:-). Other than having to deal with that little mishap the project was relatively easy and is only a two-person job- one person to keep feeding the insulation into the hopper which blows it up the hose and one person to hold the hose and shoot the insulation around in the attic.

This project will not only keep us warmer in the winter, but also keep our house COOLER in the summer as well. In old farmhouses without AC, you KNOW how important this is if you live in one.

Need insulation? Go for it!

The Barnyard Animal Game

2012-03-19T08:43:00.001-04:00

If you can believe it, we've recently hosted our very first kids birthday party (we've held family birthday parties for them before). Sam turned nine and while he had occasionally asked about having a friends birthday party the past couple years, we weren't sure the timing was right. This year we decided to host one and it turned out to be a blast.

The first question was who to invite. Sam has several different circles of friends. Instead of inviting friends from different circles who may not know each other, we decided to invite a group of kids that know each other well- Sam's Sunday school class. This group of ten kids that span three grades are SUCH awesome kids.

Sam helped design the invitations and addressed the envelopes himself.

There was no theme and no favors. The kids arrived and we started in on the activities. Sam LOVES scavenger hunts. The ones we usually make entail handing the group a clue which leads to a hiding place where they will find another clue and a puzzle piece. We actually had two hunts going at once so that the groups were smaller. At the end, both teams had to combine their puzzle pieces and reveal a message that told them to go eat cake. For older kids, these Around the House Riddles are great for helping make up the clues.

After ice cream sandwich cake (Sam's request) and the opening of some of the sweetest birthday cards ever, we started in on another game. This is the MOST fun party game I have ever seen played. I am NOT exaggerating when I say that I was in tears laughing so hard. We've played it with adults before and it's {possibly even more} hilarious.

I took several little videos of the game in action, but want to respect our party guests' privacy, so you'll just have to use your imagination. Make sure to imagine VERY loud girl and boy voices... four cows, four ducks, and three pigs all making their noises, at the same time, in competition with each other, some growing quite hoarse in the process. Imagine kids hopping up an down while they make their animal noise or sometimes putting their nose down to the floor while quacking or moo-ing. Imagine squealing and running, rushing and laughing. Not a clear enough picture?

Here's how the game is played:

Barnyard Animal Game (discovered here)

1) Spread peanuts (in shells) all around the house (we did this while they were eating cake). We hid a large bag full. Obviously, if a guest has a peanut allergy, choose another item to hide. Make sure they are all visible. Don't hide them under or in things.

Obviously, you could hide them outside if yours is a summer party. I guarantee you'll have curious neighbors peeking over the fence once the noise starts:-).

2) Divide the group into smaller groups of 3 or 4. Each group should chose a captain. Give each captain a bag of some sort to hold the peanuts. Assign each group a barnyard animal that makes noise (cow, sheep, rooster, pig, hen, dog, etc.)

3) Give these instructions:

~ Only the captain can pick up peanuts. The other group members may not.
~ The captain may not look for peanuts him/herself.
~ There is to be no talking.
~ The way the captain finds the peanuts is by listening for his group's animal sound.
~ The way the team members show the captain where the peanuts are is by splitting up and then standing near the found peanut and making their team's animal noise. The captain follows his/her animal team's sound to find and collect the peanut.
~ Captains may not pick up a peanut unless someone from their team is at the peanut making their team's noise. (This keeps captains from answering another animal team's call.)
~ When all the peanuts are found, the teams count up their peanuts and the team that has the most peanuts wins. Teams can divide up and take home peanuts if they like.

4) Let all teams begin at the same time, but remind the captains that they have to stay put until they hear their animal team's noise calling them.

Warning: Prepare to almost pee your pants and have your ear drums burst. Also, the participants may lose their voices:-).

Saturday Giveaway!

2012-03-17T09:27:00.002-04:00

This giveaway is closed.

Congratulations to Amy G.! I'll email you the coupon code right away:-). I sure wish I had two more to give to our other two entrants as well!

Hello, dearies! I hope your weekend is off to a great start.

The last time I was at the grocery store a $20 off your next Shutterfly purchase catalina coupon came printing out. It's for new customers only and since I'm a frequent Shutterfly user, I thought I'd pass this coupon on to someone else.

Shutterfly's photo books start at 12.99 and would be perfect Mother's Day brag books for any mother you know. The coupon can go towards anything on their site including "personalized announcements, thank you notes, invitations and more". And, if you spend $30, you can use the code SHIP30 to get free shipping!

I've used these type of coupons before and they are super easy to use. I'm not sure if the $20 off counts toward shipping, but you could play around with your order to see.

The Details/To Enter:

~ You must be a new Shutterfly customer or plan on passing this along to a new customer.
~ To enter, leave a comment below. Make sure to identify yourself with initials or leave your email so I can identify/contact you if you win.
~ I will choose a winner tonight. The winner must email me within 48 hours or another winner will be drawn. I will email the coupon code to the winner- It expires on 3/29/12, so plan on using it right away.
~ Details on the coupon read, "Visit www.shutterfly.com/dealsites and follow instructions to redeem. Offer is good for one-time credit towards a purchase of $20 or more. Limited to new customers only and one per household. Offer ends 3/29/12. See website for other terms and conditions."

Happy weekend everyone!!