Make a Smilebox slideshow

Influance of Attitude

This past year I've become friends with a lady who seems to always be positive in her attitude toward life. I don't mean to say that she portrays her life as being perfect but that she chooses to look at life with joy and hope. Not only is she positive about her own life but she bestows praise freely on those around her. Many times over the past year she has been a breath of fresh air to me. I want to cultivate this characteristic in my own life.

As I was thinking of having a positive attitude I ran across this about teaching reading to a struggling learning and I think it applies to many area of parenting, life, and education:

Limit struggle. Limit failure. Praise success. Keep your energy level high. Keep surprising him. Keep him laughing and giggling. Happy people learn faster. Have fun. He will take his cues about attitude from you. (from Joyce Herzog)

Abiding with the Lord

Last night as I dropped into bed I was weary from hauling loads of dirt for my garden and just working hard physically all day. So I turned to the Psalms. They always bring calm and comfort to my heart. I was delighted with Psalm 15 and read it over several times. I love it when the Bible plainly states what I am to do or be! And this Psalm is very straight forward! It clearly explains what I must do and be so that I might abide with the Lord. And truly that is what I want for myself and those that I love!

Psalm 15
Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in they holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
He that putteth not out his money to usury, not taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Great Idea

I'm putting this in my sidebar. I don't know that I've ever apologized for not posting. I doubt anyone is too disappointed if I don't post, guess that's why it's never occurred to me that I should apologize. But I like this little banner and thought maybe some of you would, too!

Free Worksheets

I ran across this website this evening and wanted to share it with any of you who might be interested. I was impressed. Here's the link. Enjoy!

Worksheets

Great Missionary and Mothering Advice

The children and I are reading aloud William Carey, Obliged to Go by Janet and Geoff Benge. In the chapter we read this evening, William is concerned about the authorities not permitting him to land in India without a permit. He shares this situation with John Newton and asks for his advice.
Newton replied, "Then conclude that your God has nothing there for you to accomplish. But if He has, no power on earth can hinder you."

I'd benefit by keeping this in mind as I go about my daily tasks!

As a side note, don't you just love how biographies bring you into contact with so much more than the main person you are reading about. I had no idea that we would encounter John Newton this evening! It was a pleasant surprise.

I was saddened to read of William planning to leave his wife and children to head to India, possibly being separated for years. Dolly, at this point, is not willing to go. But the story is not over, maybe I won't be disappointed after all.

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God."
~William Carey

Book Suggestion

I've not read the book I'm about to recommend but I'm confident it will be worth your time. In my post below that referred to Susan's writing on housework, Susan left a comment with a book recommendation. I have Letters from a Woman Homesteader on my wish list but as I was doing a search online for sellers of this book, I ran across the text online, free for your use! Letters from a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart can be found here. I've benefited from many of the books that Susan enjoys. Anytime I hear her mention a book that she values, I jot it down because more than likely it will bless and instruct me to read it. I'm thankful for my online mentors!

I also will mention that I have really enjoyed troubling stars blog. She's not been writing on her blog for long but I've enjoyed several of her posts. I love her refreshing and honest look at what it is to live the Christian life as Jesus would have us to. She is serving those around her and it has blessed my heart as well as challenged me to "get my hands dirty".

Importance of Sleep

I've always felt that when kids aren't allowed to get enough sleep that it is very close to abuse. Guess I feel strongly about this subject. Maybe I'm just overly opinionated! That is is very real possibility!

Anyhow, I just know from my very limited experience with my own four children that when they are rested, our lives progress much more smoothly than if they are sleep deprived. My baby boy who is now 2 and a half years old still takes two and three hour naps. He's much happier, content and peaceful when well rested. Life just becomes a big frustration to him when he's tired. Tears are never far away.

This afternoon Nathan and I were reviewing the new math program we just purchased. It is an Intermediate Hands-On Geometry course. I decided to let Nathan "play". He loves hands-on learning of any kind, it seems, and I'm undecided as to which direction we should go in math and so we'll just play for awhile. Nathan is thrilled with this new course of study. Back to my point, as we were beginning the program I read over the page titled "Hints on Tutoring" and ran across this statement that I found interesting. "Research shows one of the major causes of difficulties in learning new concepts for this age group is insufficient sleep" Unfortunately the author, Joan Cotter, does not site the research she is referring to. I'd be interested in knowing more.

Washing Dishes By Hand

High Desert Home always gives me much to think on! I love her ideas and thoughts on so many subjects. She's able to put into words so many things that I think about. I like her writing style and love getting little peeks into her world. She's always inspired me to enjoy the ordinary, every day aspects of my life. Read this article on housework to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

I have to agree with her concerning the peace and contentment that comes when doing things by hand. Just this evening I enjoyed a leisurely time in my raised beds. I planted some more lettuces, a few tomatoes and peppers, pulled a few weeds and just enjoyed being in my little domain. My husband and son sat on our bench swing and planned the new chicken house and yard. Kiersten followed me around watering everything I planted. Zeke played with all of his tractors nearby and Nathan was practicing riding a wheelie on his bike. Life was good as I played in the dirt. But I digress....

Kiersten's piano teacher wrote a little biography on Kiersten to read at her upcoming recital. She asked Kiersten to list some of her favorite activities. Kiersten didn't have too think to long and she quickly came up with the following list:

sewing (I am ashamed to say I've not taught her much of anything. She sewed on two buttons last week without any assistance. She's working on an apron for her doll.)

crocheting (I don't know how to crochet, although I would love to learn. She's had friends who have shown her some basic stitches-Is that what they are called?-and she is getting much better.)

picking flowers (We are often blessed with wild flowers in a vase, jar, or cup on our table because of Kiersten's love of pretty things!)

buying dishes (For several years now Kiersten has shopped at thrift stores for dishes that she can use for tea parties. She fixes me a cup of tea at least once every day!)

And last but not least she said she likes to~~~

wash dishes by hand

This prompted a lively discussion on the simple joys of washing dishes. I love it when a breeze is wafting through the window as my arms are submerged in the hot, soapy water. I like watching the many birds at the feeder and the bluebirds twittering back and forth as they feed their young, which are housed in the gourd house one of the kids made. I often find myself talking to God and thanking Him for His many blessing on my life. I remember washing dishes with my mom every evening after long days at school. I needed that. We talked over everything that had happened during the day and she helped me to sort it all out. Or she just listened and I felt better.

I hope my little girl can hold on to all the simple joys she now knows. I hope I don't clutter up her life in a way that will crowd out the peace that can come when life is so uncomplicated.

Neuro Toxin

This past weekend I was blessed to attend a great homeschool conference. I hadn't planned to attend until I saw that a lady who works with children with certain learning difficulties would be speaking. I was able to meet her before I heard her speak and we hit it off right away. There were so many subjects we both passionately care about: living foods, raw milk, cultured foods, harm from plastics, great farm raised meats, EFA, organic products, chemical free home and body care, gardening and most of all children. Children, who we believe, have been affected by this toxic world that we live in.

In a session she taught titled "Reading and the Brain: The Neurology of Learning Disabilities and What You Can Do About It" she was asked about diet and if it mattered. She emphatically shared with the audience that she did and recommended a couple books. Then she pleaded, "Please, please, please, stay away from sugar! It is a Neoro Toxin, not a traditional part of our diets." That was all. She didn't preach. She didn't rant and rage. She just pleaded with a large group of parents to not feed their children what she believes is poison. Oh, and then she shared that she believed it to be more addictive than heroine. We really wouldn't know though, would we, since most of us rarely stay away from it for any amount of time. I'd bet the majority of Americans eat sugar every day!

This stuck with me. I want what is best for my children. There are many things in this world that I have no control over but I can limit our sugar intake and I'm going to be much more vigilant about it. I don't plan to feel deprived, either. There are a ton of foods that we'll enjoy on this journey to a more natural, poison-free diet.

I wrote this mostly for my sake, I will need the reminder!

Commit thy works
unto the LORD,
and they thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs 16:3

Interesting Info on the Brain

I've been trying to eliminate stress lately. I mean really working at eliminating anything unnecessary to my peace of mind. I'm doing this out of necessity. My blood pressure is high, again, and I'm even on medicine this go around. In light of all I've been working on lately, I found this article interesting. Here's an excerpt:

This has strange consequences. We try to talk on our cell phones and drive at the same time, even though it is literally impossible for our brains to multitask when it comes to paying attention. We have created high-stress office environments, even though a stressed brain is significantly less productive. Our schools are designed so that most real learning has to occur at home. This would be funny, if it weren't so harmful.

I'll be perusing Brain Rules blog and their website more thoroughly over the next few days.

Over Budget

Yep, I've already spent more than $500 this month on food. I've spent $515.40 to be exact. This morning I read this wonderful post at The Common Room. She is so right. We just have to get creative. I'm amazed at all the details she gives in this one post! This would be a wonderful article to print off for those just starting out trying to live within a budget and not having a clue what to do.

Now... as to why I've gone over budget. It's really not so much that prices are up but that I just wanted my house stocked up with the basics. And I found lots of good deals over the past couple weeks! I think by spending this month, I may be able to save next month. We'll see....

Last night's supper was easy, yummy, and frugal. Kiersten did most of the cooking for me. She's really wanting to cook and bake these days and she's doing a great job of learning! Thursdays are crazy days for us. It is our big "town day". As gas prices increase, we definitely don't need to be running every day and we don't like to anyhow! We like long days at home. Here's what we had with prices included:

Organic Marinara & Herbs Pasta Sauce (Walnut Acres) with Italian Sausage (all-natural and freshly made at our local grocer) ~ $1.40 for the sauce and $.75 for 3/4 pound of sausage

All-Natural al dente Spinach Fettuccine (I love this pasta for quick suppers as it cooks in 3 min.) ~ 12 oz. for $1.12

Bird's Eye Frozen Peas with butter and salt ~ 69 cents for the peas and 5 cents for the Tbsp. butter

1 fresh sliced cucumber ~ 55 cents

Water to drink

The total price of this meal is $4.56. There was enough left over to pack a lunch for my husband and even have a some left after that. We'll say we served 8 for $4.56. That's $.57 per person.

The Bird's Eye Vegetables were one of my great deals this month that I spent a good chunk of money on. My freezer is stocked full of frozen vegetables, though! I had waited a long time for these to go on sale like this.

So, to be frugal, sometimes we have to spend! Don't you just love the feeling of a stocked pantry and freezer?!

Blonde Brownies

I use all "real" ingredients in these brownies, but, um......they really are not good for you! :)

Brown sugar is what defines these brownies as blonde. Top them with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a bonus.

1 (16 oz.) package brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans (I don't always put these in.)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to sugar mixture, stirring well. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350* for 25 to 28 min. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 2 dozen.

Living Rich

This post from Carocoknits Weblog sums up my vision on frugality.

Know that you don’t need hundreds of pairs of earrings. Know that there are other ways to save money than using an egg carton as an earring holder. Simple living is about knowing what is important to you. It is not about baking bread and raising chickens. It is about making choices that are strictly based on you, not about what the neighbors might think.

I had been wanting to put on paper my swirling thoughts concerning "living rich". But I kept running into a brick wall, because I really don't know myself well enough yet. There are too many other voices still whispering in my head for me to be able to clearly know what I need in order to feel as though I am "living rich". Oh, there are moments of my day, when I "know" that what I'm experiencing or seeing is truly "rich". For instance, yesterday morning, Kiersten wanted to make a fruit salad. All we had was a pear and an orange, but we cut these up in bite size pieces and sat down to tea and fruit salad together. As we clasped hands over our little breakfast and I heard her sweet little voice pray, "Our dear Lord Jesus.....", I knew it was a moment that I wanted to hold onto! And, by the way, the fruit salad was delicious! Simple can be so wonderfully sweet!

"Living rich" is going to look so different for all of us, isn't it?! Just as living a frugal life fleshes itself out in very different ways in each family! I'm convinced, though, that for me to truly live a frugal life, I'm going to have to work on "living rich", which means I have to get to know myself! I have to listen to my true thoughts, now those fed to me from so many outside sources. And, of course, I must find QUIET in this noisy world that I might be able to hear the voice of the Spirit of God who created me. My Creator wants to teach me who I am and I know that I can learn that best by knowing who HE is!

By the way, I love to make bread and we do raise chickens! I feel quite rich as I sit down with my family to fresh baked bread lathered with real butter! And I find great joy watching the chickens free range across our property! I guess in my case, raising chickens and making bread fit into my living a rich life! But I understand that doing this might make you feel quite poor!

March Food Budget

I did it! Two months in a row now, I've stayed under my $500.00 amount budgeted for our food expenses. I'm finding that by the end of the month we are running low on quite a few items; therefore, the first week of the month I'm spending quite a bit of money. This first week of April I spent to the tune of $260 some odd dollars. I didn't splurge, just restocked. I did put in a coop order that included, molasses ( at only $5 and something a GALLON!), agave nectar, organic popcorn, sea salt, etc.

I'm excited about the organic popcorn that I was able to purchase through the coop! I got a 5 pound bag and we've already enjoyed some big bowls of yummy buttery, salty popcorn! It's a healthy, cheap, quick snack. What more could you want?

I'm staying under budget, but I have yet to put any money back towards meat purchases from local farmers. I really would like to do some more pork and by the end of the year I'm going to want more beef. Since I've already spent so much this month, I don't see how I will be able put any money back. Guess I need to spend some time thinking on this one.

I'm still not making a weekly menu. As I read blogs, so many ladies swear that by planning a menu, they save money. It's not my personality to plan my meals ahead, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't benefit me to do so. I don't know, it's as if my creativity is stifled if I have to think too far ahead when it comes to food. Lame excuse, right?!

This month we've been able to purchase raw goat's milk. Oh, it is so creamy, rich, and sweet! I've been making lots of kefir which we use in our shakes. I pack two fruit and kefir shakes for my husband to take to work every day. The kids and I enjoy them for breakfast!

Prices have gone up on so many of our basic necessities. We live in uncertain times but I think our outlook on life really matters! I'm focusing on trying to live "rich" on what we have. I can't say that I feel we've gone without anything because of the increase in grocery prices, unless it would be less fresh produce. There are times I stand in the produce isle and look....and then just walk away. I have "limits" that I just won't cross. Do you do this? For instance, I won't pay more than $1.99 for 10 pounds of potatoes. We just do without if they cost more than that. I buy a couple bags when the price comes back down. We just eat some other starch if we are out of potatoes. No one in our family knows the difference. No one feels that we've gone without anything. We feel blessed with what we have!

Mothering Philosophy

I just wanted to say that this post by Like Merchant Ships matches up with my mothering philosophy very much! I'm no expert but my children seem happy enough, especially when they are dirty!

The guys all enjoyed a very wet, muddy camping trip this past weekend. I'm just now catching up on all the laundry as our well was hit by lightning over the weekend and we were without water for a while. Thankfully, the damaged parts have been replaced and we are in full laundry mode again! I even got my kitchen floor mopped today!

Last weekend it was warm enough for the kids to wade in our creek which was up more than usual because of all the rain. Since our creek is in the middle of the woods, there are vines to swing on and all sorts of other adventures to be found. The kids would come in for some clean, dry clothes and head back out later on. Roasting marshmallows was a great ending to our day!

Recently, there has been a lot of new life around: new plants, baby goats, and day-old chicks. What fun! Spring is here!

Emily Dickinson Quote

He ate and drank the precious words.
His spirit grew robust;
He knew no more that he was poor,
Nor that his frame was dust.
He danced along the dingy days,
And this bequest of wings
Was but a book. What liberty
A loosened spirit brings!

Oatmeal Cherry Scones

These are wonderful little scones that are quite easy to make.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450*F. Have ready a large ungreased baking sheet.

Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Stir in, using your fingers if necessary to separate the fruit:
1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cherries, cut into small pieces

Whisk together, then add all at once:
1 large egg
10 Tbsp. warm melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk

Mix with a wooden spoon just until dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be quite sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. With floured fingers, pat the dough into an 8 inch round about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 or 12 wedges. Using a spatula, place the wedges at least 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on a rack or serve warm.

We enjoyed ours warm with fried eggs. YUM!