A Life At Home

Make your own laundry detergent in less than 10 minutes

2010-02-28T08:42:00.001-06:00

I originally posted this in 2008, but thought that I would revisit this little gem since it is time for me to make more detergent. This is a tutorial on how to make the powdered version of laundry soap. I hope to be able to put up pictures of how to make the liquid kind later on today. I prefer the liquid since it lasts longer in this house, but I will whip up a small batch of powdered if I'm in a pinch. No more running to the store just to pick up detergent so I can conquer Mt. Laundry.

This is another one of those things that I would have never thought I could do until I saw it on a website I visited. It looked really easy and inexpensive. If it's easy and cheap and works well, then I'm all for it.

I have seen a few laundry detergent tutorials out there, but none for the powdered version. My girls are the one who really wanted to do this tutorial. This was their first time making detergent. They were 14 and 12 at the time. So, as you can see, it is so simple that even a child could do it.

To start with you'll need 3 ingredients:

Borax - 1 cup

Washing Soda - 1 cup

A laundry soap bar--->Fels Naptha or Zote - 1 cup

Many people have said that they have had a hard time finding the washing soda or the Fels Naptha. The easiest way to find Fels Naptha is to go to this website. Under brand you click on laundry care and under item click on Fels Naptha. Then you can type in your zip code. It will tell you all of the stores around you that carry it.

To find the washing soda call this number. 1-800-524-1328. It is a recording that will give you a list of stores that carry washing soda in your area.

What to do:

1. Measure out 1 cup of Borax and put into a bowl

2. Measure out 1 cup of washing soda and put into a bowl

3. Grate 1 cup of the soap bar. Add to bowl with Borax and washing soda. I am using Zote this time. I usually use Fels Naptha, but found this at my Super Target and thought I would try it.

4. Mix well

5. Put in storage container---> In this case we are using an old cool whip container

6. Use 1 Tbsp per load.

That's it. It's as easy as that. It only cost me pennies per load. A very frugal alternative to store bought detergent. It works well too. If I have a really dirty load I will up the amount I use by a small amount. I know that people use Oxyclean also. Have you made your own laundry detergent? What did you think?

Pictures of making this version later!

Liquid Detergent:
Washing soda 1/2 cup
Borax 1/2 cup
Bar of laundry soap 1/2 bar (Fels Naptha or Zote)
Bucket
4 cups of hot water in large bowl

Directions:
Grate soap and put in a large saucepan. Add 6 cups water and heat until soap melts. About 15-20 minutes. Add washing soda and borax. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour the 4 cups of really hot water into your bucket. Add soap mixture and stir. Next, add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let soap sit for 24 hours before using so that it gels. Use 1/2 cup per load. If you are using a front loader use less than this.

Now, sometimes I add just a tad more soda and borax than the recipe calls for. In the summer is when I do this more as the children get dirtier. I put mine in a 2 gallon bucket with a lid. It fits on my shelf better. One more thing. As the detergent is gelling overnight, we take a hand immersion blender or my husband takes his drill with a paint stirrer attachment and will mix it up a few times. I find it just holds together better. Now, it will separate sometimes, but just mix it up before you use it!

Tomorrow is the day

2010-02-26T20:43:00.003-06:00

We are so excited because by tomorrow afternoon we will have 42 fresh chickens in my freezer. It's hard work, but there is nothing better than fresh, homegrown chicken!

We will take a break for a few weeks and then start one more small batch once the weather warms up just a bit so that they can eat lots of green grass and bugs. What's even better is that this batch is not for us. We are giving others the chance to experience just what we've been enjoying for awhile now.

Planning, seed starting, and working in the garden

2010-02-23T07:46:00.003-06:00

Our vegetable garden area after sitting all winter. Notice the green onions coming up in one of my herbs pot that I had growing until just last month. We will be expanding on the other side of the compost bin.

For the past few weeks we have debated whether we wanted to get our garden up and running again. It was not because it is too much work or that we don't have the time. It's just that we plan on selling our house sometime next year, so we thought that maybe we ought to spread the dirt through the yard and let the grass grow back.

We decided to go ahead and plant through the summer, but not in the fall. Down here, you can almost have a year round garden. After all was said and done, we made the decision to actually plant more. That means we need to put in another bed. We started using the Lasagna Gardening method last year and it was wonderful. Our garden produced so much in such a small space. We're hoping that it will be just as bountiful, if not more, this year. Our thought is to preserve and freeze as much as we possibly can in case we cannot put another garden in next year. The price of vegetables are skyrocketing and are so low in quality when compared with what we grow. For that reason alone we knew we could not skip this year.

So, last week we got to planning and starting our seeds. Then, this weekend, in one of the outside beds, we put onions, spinach, lettuce, radishes, and a few carrots just for fun. It is a little on the late side for spinach here, but we have had an unseasonably cold winter for so far south. We are actually forecasted to get snow again tomorrow night! Even if it warms up quickly, I should still get enough to freeze a few bags.

The first two years we had our garden we would go down to the local garden center and buy our plants. We now use as many seeds as we can in our garden. It cost as much to buy one tomato plant as it does for a seed packet. One seed packet is more than enough for our family for the year. Being the frugal person I am, I now start as many plants from seed as I can. There are other reasons, besides saving money, that I like to start with seeds. Like being able to buy organic, heirloom seeds that are GMO free, but that's another post for another day.

We still have so much to learn, but every year we take away something. I encourage everyone I can to at least plant a small garden. Anyone can do it. What a great way to involve the children and do something together as a family. How rewarding it is to sit down together and eat the food that you all grew.

I've have a few people around here ask me to share what we've learned on how to start a garden using the lasagna method and start seeds. When we put that bed in next week we hope to snap lots of pictures and maybe do a picture tutorial. Have a blessed day!

Baking Day (part 2)

2010-02-18T14:38:00.003-06:00

After a quick cleanup of the morning mess and a nice lunch we got back to work making our sweeter items. Mainly things that didn't need time to rise. I didn't get nearly the amount of pictures in the afternoon because my photographer wanted to cook instead, but here are a few we managed to get.

We made a double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, a double batch of apple cinnamon muffins, a loaf of banana bread (that was part of Faith's 4-H project book), packed 10 cups of homemade chicken broth that I had simmering all night in the crock pot, cooked up some ground beef and packaged it, fed my sourdough starter, started another 2 jars of buttermilk, and finally started a batch of crock pot yogurt.

Here are the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. My daughters made them for the first time, (usually I do it). They were great!

Here I am feeding my sourdough starter. It is 6 months old now and is really healthy.

Finally, the finished result. We did not get a picture of the apple cinnamon muffins in here because they were still in the oven and the beef which was browning at the time. Also missing are the 2 jars of buttermilk, which were put away in the cabinet to do their thing overnight.

One final picture of most of what we did.

Baking day (part 1)

2010-02-18T08:38:00.000-06:00

Well, baking day was a success! We are some tired gals I tell ya. We took lots of pictures, but they will have to wait till tomorrow because we are going to put our feet up and have a big glass of sweet tea.

Here are the promised pictures of what we did in the morning before lunch. We made 2 loaves of honey wheat bread, one loaf of sourdough bread, a double batch of waffles and a triple batch of pancakes.

I first started making by making 2 loaves of honey wheat bread.

I do it all by hand. For a long time i've wanted a Bosch mixer, but God showed me something. Every time I knead my bread I am either praying or singing worship songs. It is just one of the ways I take moments to spend with the Lord in my day. So now I love kneading my bread by hand. It is very calming and satisfying to me.

My daughter loves this picture that she took of me adding more flour while kneading.

The final product, after kneading and ready to rise.

After the first rise.

Here is me kneading my sourdough bread. It is a quick rise white sourdough. I don't usually do a white sourdough, but we wanted something like a hearty french bread to eat with our stew. It was delicious!

As you can see, it's not a true white since my starter is made with wheat and spelt flour.

Isn't it pretty when it's risen?

Second rise done and ready to be put into the oven. We didn't get pictures of the final breads until the shot of all that we did.

Here are two of my lovely helpers that are making the whole wheat buttermilk pancakes. That is my own cultured buttermilk that I make.

Starting the whole wheat buttermilk waffles.

Part two will come this afternoon. It's time for our school day to begin. Hope you enjoy a glimpse into our kitchen.

Weekly Menu:

2010-02-15T20:13:00.004-06:00

Weekly Menu Plan:

Back in the day when I used to blog pretty regularly I participated in Menu Planning Monday. I have actually had quite a few people over the last year or so ask if I would ever put my menus with the cost up again. So, here is my menu that was right at $95.00. (Lisa, if you see this, this is for you!)

Breakfast:
Monday: Waffles and fruit
Tuesday: Baked oatmeal
Wednesday: Muffins and sausage
Thursday: Eggs and biscuits or Baked french toast made with homemade whole wheat sourdough
Friday: Pancakes and fruit
Saturday: Eggs, hash browns, and a meat
Sunday: Country ham and gravy over biscuits

Lunch:
Monday: Homemade piggies in a blanket and a veggie
Tuesday: Sandwiches and a veggie
Wednesday: Homemade macaroni and cheese, carrots sticks and sliced apples
Thursday: sandwiches and fruit
Friday: Baked sweet potatoes and broccoli cheese soup
Sat and Sun: We either eat leftovers, or a salad, or sandwiches

Snacks:
Monday: Banana bread
Tuesday: Fruit
Wednesday: Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
Thursday: Veggie and cheese tray
Friday: Tortilla wraps---> Filled with peanut butter, banana, and/or honey

Monday:
Crockpot chicken
Carrots, celery, onions
Sweet potato casserole
Garlic bread

Tuesday:
Beef stew
Homemade sourdough bread

Wednesday:
3-cheese baked spaghetti
Salad
Garlic bread

Thursday:
Chicken and stuffing
Corn
Salad
Pumpkin rolls

Friday:
Homemade pepperoni and cheese pizza
Homemade bread sticks

Saturday:
Tatertot casserole
Green Beans
Salad

Sunday:
Baked ham
Mashed potatoes
Broccoli and cheese sauce
Dinner rolls

Tomorrow we are having a baking day. The schools are out for Mardi Gras, so I figured the kids could have a day off too. Hopefully we'll get lots of pictures up. My oldest is begging to put her new camera to good use.

My Take on the Movie: Food, Inc. (part 1)

2010-02-14T08:53:00.008-06:00

There has been quite a bit of talk about the movie: Food, Inc. lately. Even in some of the most unlikely circles that I run in. Since our family is on a quest to live a more agrarian life in the near future, a few have assumed that we have been influenced, at least in part, by what we saw on this movie. I will just say it now, Food, Inc. did nothing to bring about the changes we are making in our life. It did, however, make my stomach turn to think about eating fast food burgers ever again.

While I think that the movie did a good job on some points, I disagree with most of the movie's views. I will start with the good aspects I saw, hence the part 1 of this post. Part 2 will be my thoughts on why I disagreed with the movie. I'm sure to ruffle some feathers.

If anybody takes anything away from this film, my hope is that they were able to see just where their food comes from and realize that it is not a healthy model. I will not deny any of the cruel and filthy conditions that those animals shown in the movie had to endure so that we can eat. Most people are so disconnected from just how they get that nice juicy steak, or their trimmed boneless, skinless, chicken breast that it has promoted a lack of responsibility on their part. "Just get it to me nice and packaged up, but do NOT tell me how you do it." Is many people's thought. So, it was nice for the average "Joe" to get a small glimpse into the large corporation mass food industry.

I also thought the movie did a good job of showing just how some people think about how healthy food can be more expensive. The scene where they showed the family going through a drive thru because it was going to be cheaper than a healthy meal on the table was sad. Yes, an all organic diet can be more expensive than cheap, fast food. You can still eat healthier without going all organic though. While ideal, you have to provide the best food possible within your means.

I am a frugal zealot for sure. I do not spend a fortune on food for my family. Right now, my current food and household items budget is $400 a month for my family of 9. I still provide healthy food for my family. While I may not have picked up that head of fresh broccoli, I would have had two bags of frozen broccoli florets in my cart for the same price, if I was out of frozen broccoli from our own small, city, backyard garden. It is my hope that people saw how taking away the responsibility of providing our own food for our family has dumbed down some. Not all, but some. I also hope that it can bring about an awareness that can cause better choices when people buy the food that they are going to feed their families.

One last positive I saw in the movie, was meeting with Joel Salatin and seeing a piece of his farm. We are fans of his methods in this house. I really don't want to get into why I believe what I do about Joel Salatin and Polyface Farms right now, because I have that reserved for another post. I know some do not agree with his practices, but I believe them to be some of the most God honoring, humane, and environmentally responsible i've seen.

I really don't want to sum anything up here until I explain why I do not agree with the movie. So, until part 2....

2010-02-11T20:26:00.000-06:00

HEAVEN'S NURSERY

In Heaven there must surely be
A special place, a nursery
Where 'little spirits' not fully grown
Go to live in their Heavenly home.

The angels must attend with love
Tiny spirits on wings of doves,
The choir of angels must sing lullabies
Maybe quieten their tiny cries.

The Father must come by each day
To cuddle and play in a special way
These tiny spirits left earth too soon
Little ones called Home from the womb.

These sparks of life did not perish
But came to the Father's love to cherish,
To grow and be taught in His own arms
Safely away from all earthly harm.

The comforter was sent to earth at once
To the parents who lost their little one
Their hearts so ache, their arms feel empty
The question 'why' seems so tempting.

Then all at once in the midst of tears
There comes a peace that stills the fears
The parents share the Father's own need
To hold their tiny spirit being.

They relinquish their own desperate hold
And release their baby to the Father's fold,
Then comes an angel to whisper the truth
Of a nursery in Heaven bearing rich fruit

Of tiny spirits chosen to worship the Father
A place that couldn't be filled by another,
Called to be spared from the struggles of earth,
Chosen to be one of Heaven's births.

So Father, whisper words of love from me
To our unborn 'life' in your nursery.

(From Above Rubies website)

Self Sufficiency

2010-02-11T01:00:00.000-06:00

With the worries about the economy there has been alot of talk about stocking up, cutting expenses, and becoming more self sufficient. Becoming more self sufficient has been a subject that has always held an interest for me. It's a horrible feeling to be so dependent on outside sources for survival.

With a 9-5 job, a large mortgage, and two car payments you are at the mercy of the ups and down of the economy. I remember that horrible feeling of worrying about how we would survive without a stable income.

We have had a desire to become as self sufficient as we possibly could for quite some time now. For a long time it was just a dream. This last year has opened up a few doors to bring us closer to our goal. Even with Scott's layoff and self-employment we have been brought so much closer to realizing that dream. I suppose God wanted to get that great paying job out of the way to bring us to where we are at now. God has blessed our business and our life tremendously through self employment so now it is just time to take the next step. If it is God's will, we will be on our own small acreage, debt free, sometime next year! It is just another step we are taking on the path God is leading us.

That means that right now we are in the research and planning phase. While we have been studying for years, it's time to take it up a notch. I am reading a great book, by Joel Salatin, called You Can Farm. What a great read so far. We have been busy trying to learn as much as possibly can before we buy. We have made some local connections with people in the agriculture industry that are showing us the basics.

We plan on learning more about raising pastured poultry, pork, and beef. We are learning more about gardening and on how to build up nutrient dense soil. So much of our soil is depleted of most vital nutrients it needs. We will also how to make our own dairy products. We by no means plan on operating a large farm, but instead, we hope to practice alternative farming. There is so much to soak in before then.

We are also doing a few small remodeling projects to spruce up our place before we have to put it on the market. Another thing that we had to do was to give up our egg layers until we move. We needed to take the coop down to let the grass regrow. For some reason, we believe that most potential buyers wouldn't see a chicken coop in the city as an amenity. It was really hard to see them go. We sure do miss our eggs. The store bought ones just aren't the same. We will still be doing one more batch of meat chickens though. We have had so much interest in our birds that we are doing a small batch to sell.

This is one our family's vision. It is exciting to be able to include our whole family as we travel down this road. To learn together as a family, all 9 of us working side by side. Building our future together while building lasting memories.

I know I have neglected my blog for some time now, but I plan to write more about what we learn this year as we travel down this road. I hope to continue blogging in some form of what I used to. I have had so many ask me to start back up. I can't make any guarantees that it will be updated regularly, but i'll try.

Living By Faith

2009-06-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

I've had a few emails lately asking how we're doing so I thought I would update everyone through my blog. I know that I have entirely ignored my blog for quite some time. It's just one of those seasons in my life where I just don't have the time for it.

Truth be told, we have been better than ok. It just amazes me to watch God work. Never once since Scott's layoff have we wanted. Our life has only been bettered. Even in this economy, business is booming and we constantly have a waiting list for work. I can only give God the glory for it.

Making the transition to self-employed does require a learning curve, but living by faith has been the best thing that has happened for our family. So there you have it, we're quite alright.

Will paint for food and other happenings

2008-12-15T08:13:00.009-06:00

Ok seriously, i'm trying to be funny with the title of this post. But truthfully, as of last week God blessed us with the oportunity for Scott to paint full time now. So you see, he will paint for food. Well technically he will paint for money, but money buys food, right? Hence the title of the post.

This is something he has wanted to do for a few years now, but it has been too hard to take that leap of faith when you have a great job with a good paycheck. Especially when you have a family. Sometimes though, God likes to shake things up a bit. I like to think of us as baby birds who need to be pushed out of the nest in order to take flight. God chose to give us that push in the form of being part of a 10% company wide cut.

Neither one of us are upset about it, maybe just a little nervous on and off. Having 7 children to care for does that to you every now and then, even before you lose the security of a steady paycheck. We are actually thrilled to see what God does now.

The other happenings is some more good news. I'm actually feeling much better now. It took awhile to recover from the surgery and infection but that's ok. Sometimes we need to learn to lean on and trust in God more. Most of the time I feel so strong and capable, but I was quickly reminded of just how weak I could be. This is one passage of scripture that I have turned to recently.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

May you all have a blessed Christmas.

I'm ok

2008-11-11T14:41:00.003-06:00

Alot of people have been emailing me asking me how I am doing. Well, i'm ok. I know that most of you know what has been going on but there are a few who don't who have asked.

For those of you who didn't know, I had an emergency appendectomy almost 2 weeks ago now. My appendix actually ruptured so I had to stay for a few days in the hospital. I am feeling better now, although my healing seems to be taking forever. This lady is not used to having to slow down. This week I am slowly trying to get back some form of our routine.

Thanks to everyone for all you have done and your prayers. Keep them coming since I started to run a low-grade fever lastnight. I am praying that there is no more infection.

One day life may be normal again and i'll return to blogging, but for now it's not so.

The blessings of teens

2008-10-08T09:25:00.004-05:00

I just want to take a little time to give some props to my two oldest daughters.They are such blessings to me. Not just because they help around the house, because truth be told, with one of them I have get a cattle prod after her to get her to help at times. It is the relationship that we have that is a blessing. It is watching them blossoming into the young ladies that they are now that is a blessing. It is the honor that they bring to our family that is the blessing.

Many times over the years i'd get nervous thinking about parenting during the teenage years. I didn't exactly have the best relationship with my own parents as a teen. They still claim that I am the one that gave them gray hairs. Now I wasn't THAT bad, but it was rough for quite a few years.

With our own children, we have always been told that we have great kids in one sentence, just to be warned in the next that one day they'd be teenagers. Of course every teenager rebels and gives their parents trouble, right? At least it seems that many people think this way.

Scott and I have stayed up many a night talking about this, praying for our children and the wisdom to do what was right in raising them. We wanted it to be different in our family, (what family doesn't)? Not that we don't ever expect them to make a mistake. We just want to maintain a strong enough relationship to guide them through these years that lead to adulthood.

Although we are not all the way through the teen years and we still have many teens left to raise, I just wanted to say that I am really enjoying these years. All the years of training and teaching are really starting to show through.

One of the greatest moments was when I heard one of them repeating something that i'd taught them years ago to the little ones. I immediately thought, "Thankyou, Jesus. They actually were listening!" I am blessed indeed.

I just wanted to share a picture of my family. It is from Mother's day. I am hugely pregnant with Anna still in this picture, but it is all of us.

Coupon Class

2008-09-30T08:00:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who attended the coupon class last week. I really enjoyed it.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I know it's overwhelming to hear it all at once and then go home by yourself and try to apply everything that was taught. Remember to start small and add more as you get the hang of it all. It's definately a learning curve.

For those of you who weren't able to make it or just need a refresher I plan on getting as much of it as possible on my blog. I'd like to do it in a couple of podcasts, if I could. It may take me a few weeks, but I aim to start on it this week. Until then, you can always check out my series that i've written on How I feed my family for $300 a month. It's a very condensed version of the class.

Menu Planning Monday

2008-09-29T18:14:00.006-05:00

I'm a little late in getting this posted, but better late than never! This menu cost me right at about $80.00. My weekly budget is $75.00 for our family of 9. Remember though, I was had to completely buy all new meat due to the hurricane that came through. It's ok though since I still had leftover money from my previous budgets.

Breakfast:

Monday: Waffles and fruit

Tuesday: Baked oatmeal

Wednesday: Muffins and sausage

Thursday: Eggs and biscuits

Friday: Pancakes and fruit

Saturday: Eggs, hashbrowns, and a meat

Sunday: Country ham and gravy over biscuits

Lunch:

Monday: Grilled hot dogs, homemade mac & cheese, and a veggie

Tuesday: Sandwiches and a veggie

Wednesday: Soup and crackers

Thursday: Fried ham, mashed potatoes, and a veggie

Friday: Baked potatoes and vegetable plate

Sat and Sun: We either eat leftovers, or a salad, or sandwiches

Snacks:

Monday: Banana bread

Tuesday: Fruit

Wednesday: Homemade cookies

Thursday: Veggie and cheese tray

Friday: Tortilla wraps---> Filled with peanut butter, banana, and/or honey

Dinner:

Monday:

Teriyaki chicken

Eggrolls

Fried rice

Tuesday:

Mini meatloaf patties
Braised radishes

Cheesy cauliflower casserole

Wednesday:--->It's supposed to be cooler, I can't wait!

Homemade chili

Cornbread

Thursday:

Crockpot ribs

Mashed potatoes

Corn

Friday:
Homemade pizza

Breadsticks

Saturday:

Smothered pork chops

Rice and gravy

Green beans

Yeast rolls

Sunday:--->Olive Garden night! I got the recipes from copycat recipes. It tastes exactly like the real thing!

Blackened chicken alfredo

Tuscana soup

Breadsticks

Olive Garden alfredo sauce:

Ingredients:

1 pint of Heavy Cream

1 stick of butter

2 Tbsp. Cream Cheese

1/2 - 3/4 C. Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Garlic powder

Directions:

In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and Garlic powder. Simmer this for 15 - 20 minutes on low. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper. I have done this with half and half, but we prefer the heavy cream. But I wouldn't try it with plain milk.

Olive Garden zuppa tuscana soup:

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian Sausage

2 large Russet Baking Potatoes sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices

1 large Onion, chopped

1/2 package Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits or 6 slices bacon, crumbled

2 cloves garlic minced

2 C. Kale or Swiss chard chopped

2 cans Chicken Broth

1 qt. Water

1 C. Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 tsp fennel seed

Directions:

Brown sausage in large pot. Place in bowl and put off to side after done cooking. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, garlic in pot, and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done. Add sausage, bacon, salt, and pepper to taste, and fennel seed and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn to low heat, add kale and cream. Heat through and serve. Please don't skip the fennel seed. It is what really makes the dish turn out just like the real thing!

For more great menu ideas, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for Menu Planning Mondays.

Works for me Wednesday: How to hang a picture in the perfect spot

2008-09-23T21:43:00.001-05:00

I've always had a hard time in the past hanging something on the wall in just the right place. I would pick out a spot and then when all was said and done I would find that either the picture was too high or too low.

Well one day, after listening to me complaining about how a new mirror I just bought was hung too low, my ingenious husband came up with a great idea on how to solve my problem.

To do this the first thing he does is to stick a thumb tack through a piece of masking tape, (sticky side facing the tack). Next he then tapes it onto the picture. You now have the thumb tack sticking out facing you. We then pick out a perfect spot for our picture on the wall. He then pushes the picture against the wall right in the spot we chose, (this sticks the tack into the wall), and pulls it right back out. It leaves a tiny hole in the wall, obviously. After that he hammers a nail right into the tiny hole he just made and then hangs the picture. Voila, now my pictures are in the perfect spot every time.

For more Works For Me Wednesday posts be sure to visit Shannon's blog, Rocks In My Dryer.

Fresh Eggs!

2008-09-23T10:27:00.005-05:00

This is for all you local people who keep up with my blog. We have 11 layers now! It's about time all the girls started laying since they are 6 months old now. What that means though, is that we have a bit of an excess. Even my large family cannot eat all the eggs we are getting.

As of right now I have about an extra 2-3 dozen per week of brown eggs, depending on how many we use. If you want fresh eggs instead of store bought, here's your chance. I don't charge a set rate, just a small donation to help cover feed costs if you can. If not, then it is our blessing to you. You can just email me or even talk to me in person if you want. I do have a few egg cartons, but those things are expensive so keep yours if you can. Have a great day!

Menu Planning Monday:

2008-09-22T15:16:00.015-05:00

I actually planned a menu this week! I don't know if the motivation for it is because I have a class to teach on menu planning and budgeting this week, or if it's because i'm just so ready to get back to normal life again. I normally have a budget of $75.00 per week for my family of 9. This weeks menu cost $100.00 since I was out of so many things.

So maybe this week isn't as frugal as usual but don't worry, i'm still on budget since I had leftover money from previous weeks. I am also still stockpiling a few things that I have coupons for. I have enough bottles of salad dressing to last the rest of the year or more. I was out of anything that wasn't perishable because of the hurricane so that's why it's a bit more this time.

I do have to say that it is so nice to eat cooked food again. We are all so tired of sandwiches here. You just have no clue.

Breakfast:
Monday: Waffles and fruit
Tuesday: Baked oatmeal
Wednesday: Muffins and sausage
Thursday: Eggs and biscuits
Friday: Pancakes and fruit
Saturday: Eggs, hashbrowns, and a meat
Sunday: Country ham and gravy over biscuits

Lunch:
Monday: Grilled hot dogs, homemade mac & cheese, and a veggie
Tuesday: Sandwiches and a veggie--->sorry kids!
Wednesday: Soup and crackers
Thursday: Fried ham, mashed potatoes, and a veggie
Friday: Baked potatoes and vegetable plate
Sat and Sun: We either eat leftovers, or a salad, or sandwiches

Snacks:
Monday: Banana bread
Tuesday: Fruit
Wednesday: Homemade cookies
Thursday: Veggie and cheese tray
Friday: Tortilla wraps---> Filled with peanut butter, banana, and/or honey

Dinner:
Monday:
Crockpot chicken--->recipe below!

Rice pilaf

Corn on the cob

Tuesday:
Baked tilapia

Butter and garlic green beans

Salad

Wednesday:
Mexican bar night--->we have tacos, burritos, enchiladas, mexican rice, refried beans. Everyone just chooses what they want.

Thursday:
Family syle chicken

Roasted squash and zucchini

Yeast rolls

Friday:

Baked italian sausage and peppers

Green beans

Twisted breadsticks

Saturday:
BLT's

French fries

Sunday:--->one of our favorites! I can give recipes if you'd like.
Mini meatloaf patties with mushroom gravy

Braised radishes

Cheesy cauliflower casserole

One of my easiest recipes that I cook on a busy day is crockpot chicken. It only takes about 5 minutes to get started and everyone here loves it. I used to make it without the thyme and rosemary, but it has made it so much better since we started adding these herbs. We use dried herbs out of our garden, but you can use fresh also if you'd like.

Crockpot Chicken:

1 whole chicken 3-4 lbs

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can of water

salt and pepper

garlic powder

Thyme

Rosemary

Directions:

Put chicken in crockpot. Add canned soups and water, mix as well as you can. Season top of chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. I just eye it. I might use about 1 tsp of each. Cook on high for about 6 hours or until done. I usually debone it after it's done cooking since I have little ones.

For more great menu ideas, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for Menu Planning Mondays.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry

2008-09-10T22:51:00.003-05:00

Our trip to visit family in Houston has been great so far. We have been enjoying their outdoor kitchen, sitting in the jacuzzi, and visiting with family. It's been really nice. That is until we heard the news that hurricane Ike has decided to follow us here.

We have been following the news and were so sure that Ike was headed south of here so we decided to stay. Now the county we are in is talking about mandatory evacuations tomorrow. We are actually considering staying put here if the road conditions are like they were for Rita. Evacuating the Houston area is a disaster waiting to happen.

So now, either our trip will be cut short, if we can even leave, or we will be going through yet another hurricane. God be with us. Please pray that we will be safe whatever decision we make.

It's official....

2008-09-05T17:02:00.005-05:00

I'm exhausted. Yes, this supermom is just plain ol' worn out. The middle of night feedings, broken bones, illness, hurricanes, and now surgery this morning on the before mentioned broken bone have all taken their toll. Life happens at times.

Although this is a tough season I still find rest in my Lord. I draw strength and comfort from God's word.

Matthew 11:28-30 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I was reading a book to the younger children the other night before bed. It is a book by Max Lucado named, You Are Special. It is about a wood carver who has made a village of wooden people. One little wooden person cannot do anything special so he has no self worth. By visiting with his maker everyday he learns how much his maker loves him and just how special he is. While my issue is not with self worth, I was reminded that when I meet with my maker I find rest and peace. God can even use a children's book to give encouragement when you need it.

So, for all you locals who know me personally, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I am ok, I am just busy taking care of life right now.

Oh, Rebekah did fine during her surgery. She is just in quite a bit of pain right now. We are trying to keep her as comfortable as possible. Just praying that her finger will be healed after this. Love you all.

Hurricane Gustav

2008-09-04T12:21:00.004-05:00

We've been out of commission here for awhile. Hurricane Gustav decided to pay a little visit. We had lots to do to prepare beforehand. We were going to leave, but decided to stick it out. The kids were scared, but we kept them occupied with new board games and color books. We fared out really well compared to alot of people here. We just have to fix our fence that we lost and our master bathroom window.

I am happy to report that although shaken and quite irate, all of our chickens made it through just fine. In protest though, they decided not to give us any eggs for a few days. After we gave them fresh shavings, food and water I think they may have calmed down a bit. We are slowly starting to get eggs again. If I didn't know any better, I would think that the children were more concerned for the chicken's safety than our own.

It is actually a beautiful day here today so i'm hoping that we'll dry out and get some more work done. I need that fence back up so that I can let the kids out in the yard again. We all are tired from a long week.

In other news, we are getting Beka's cast off today. Hopefully the finger will have healed and won't need to be re-casted. I know the other children are ecstatic since she has discovered that it can be used as a weapon. Her new nickname is "the club".

Hopefully soon i'll be able to get back to blogging on a regular basis.

It's broken!

2008-08-20T11:09:00.011-05:00

Well, there's a first time for everything. We have experienced another new first in our house. A broken bone. You would think that with 7 children that we'd have had our fair share of broken bones. Nope, we've been lucky. Until yesterday that is.

Our little 2 yo daughter had to be the first to try this. She is a little bundle of energy, to say the least. She is also fearless. I'd love to say that she was doing something reckless and wild, as is usual for her, but she was just helping mommy clear away the lunch dishes off of the table.

Of course to help mommy she did have to pick the ceramic plate that my 14 yo daughter just had to eat off of. Imagine a very petite, 24 pound 2 yo carrying a large, and quite heavy I might add, ceramic dinner plate almost above her head. Could she walk slowly to do this? Of course not. She was at a full sprint heading for the sink. Then, imagine a small rug placed in front of the kitchen sink that had one end flipped up. You see where i'm going with this, right?

Needless to say, she tripped over the rug, the plate flew out of her little hands and landed firmly on one of her fingers like a guillotine. After a few hours at the local after hours clinic and a couple of xrays we found out that her finger is indeed broken. Now we have an appointment to see the orthopedic doctor this Friday. That makes 2 appointments that day and it's my birthday. Happy birthday to me. Ha!

You can't really see how bruised it is here. Poor baby.

Isn't she cute with her splint on? Note: This is one of the rare moments that we caught with that splint on.

Hopefully things will calm down here soon. At least everyone is well again. So, does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep a splint on a very determined not to wear it 2 year old?

Anna....again

2008-08-16T07:56:00.007-05:00

It's Anna....again.

It seems as though we can't get rid of the sickness here. I had 2 of the other children sick a few weeks ago with a cold and then I got sick with laryngitis. I am finally just now getting my voice back. I'm sure the children are none too thrilled about that.

I tried so hard to keep it from doing an entire sweep of the household by disinfecting everything, having everybody washing hands constantly, washing bedding. You know the drill.

I actually thought we were over it, but it seems as if I passed my sickness onto Anna. Poor little thing. She now has croup. For any of you moms who have experienced croup with your children, you know how dangerous it could be in a 2 month old. In fact, her pediatrician said that Anna was the youngest case of croup she had ever seen. Of course it had to be Anna. Infants as young as she is just don't usually get croup.

I am by no means an alarmist when it comes to using the doctor. I use one when we really need it. Not for every little thing that comes our way. When she sees us, she knows that I have tried to treat at home and it's beyond what I can do.

After much deliberating, we put her on a dose of steriods. From working as a nurse in NICU for years I know that steriods is an "avoid it unless absolutely necessary" type drug in little ones. It suppresses their immune system. When you have to decide between airway and immune system though, airway wins everytime. :-)

A few hours after her first dose she already sounded better. Not 100%, but at least there is no more stridor. *Stridor is that horrible noise they make when they breathe in and out during a bad case of croup.* Her doctor and I am positive that we would have been in PICU with her if we hadn't started the meds as early in the day as we did with her. We're not out of the woods yet, we still need to keep an close eye for the next night or two but she did well lastnight.

So, if you could just think about us and say a quick prayer for Anna. She sure has kept this experienced mom on her toes.

Just for fun here's a picture of her from last week. She sure has grown. She's up to 11 lbs now.

Grocery Gathering - Albertson's DFW 8/13 - 8/19

2008-08-13T09:15:00.005-05:00

Sorry I didn't get this post up a bit sooner but I have been sick since this past weekend....ugh. I'm still not 100%, but at least my voice is coming back. There is not much in the way of great deals, but you could get a few decent deals with the right coupons.

3 day sale: 8/15 - 8/17:

Large shrimp $3.99/lb.

2 Liters Coke $.99/ea.

Bar S hotdogs $.78/ea

- $.25/1 IP here

I will add more if I see more anymore good deals. Please stop by and visit Becentsable, who hosts the Grocery Gathering, for more great grocery savings.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - Beauty From Pain

2008-08-09T13:38:00.008-05:00

This is my first time participating in Then Sings My Soul Saturday. The song I wanted to share is a song that has been on my heart alot lately. It is a song by Superchick called "Beauty From Pain."

Just recently I have known a few people that have suffered horrible losses. Many other people have been going through really hard times. All suffering silently in their lives. I hope that this song is as encouraging to you as it has been to me. While we may not understand why, we have the promise that one day God can bring beauty from our pain.

For more encouaraging songs make sure you visit Signs, Miracles, and Wonders for Then Sings My Soul Saturday.