Then towards to end of my 20's I came to realize and understand myself a lot better and in my 30's I have grown into and feel wonderful at who I am. I have loved my 30's. I have no problem telling people how old I am, 38, and that I have gray hair and not one problem with it.
I am a wife to Andy for almost 19 years, March 19th, he was my high school sweetheart though he is ten years older than me and had been in the Navy for 10 years when we married. And I was 19 when we married and no I have never regretted marrying at that age.
I am a mom to 3 wonderful children, Ashley (17) and Wyatt (15) pictured, and Dannett who passed away 14 years ago.
I love to can and we do a lot of it every summer.
I am learning knitting and crocheting and make lots of dish clothes. Since so far that is all I have learned, but I love them.
My husband bought me my first chicken flock after I had our daughter 17 years ago and we have had chickens ever since. We raise our chicken meat for the year every summer, as well as a turkey or two. This past summer(2011) we raised 10 and slaughered them and have had delish meals with them. I can the chicken up and make stock from the bones. This year we did 30 chickens and had about 100lbs maybe a little more of meat that will last us till next slaughtering.
I love using our clotheslines and gardening, preserving our harvest is a bonus.
Quilting has never been my thing, I have made lots of baby quilts 2 yards of fabric, batting, yarn, and some time and that was easy. But piecing together a quilt I haven't wanted to do, till I made this one for my son for Christmas. I saved the how to and pattern from a Woman's Day magazine from 1996 and found that it was so easy and fun to make. So maybe quilting is in my future...
A wanna be herbalist...I am slowly learning herbs and things. Above are elderberries for elderberry syrup which is so tasty, hubby says it tastes like pumpkin pie. We are also changing the way we eat which is harder than you would think, but I for one have enjoyed it very much. We had a delish sweet, sticky, spicy chicken last night, we used one of our frozen turkey breasts, I made it with honey instead of brown sugar and added carmelized leeks and carrots made with honey as well. Very yummy.
I would love to learn cake decorating and catering. I cook for girl's summer camp during the summer. I usually cook for 110 people about, 3 meals a day plus snacks and love doing it. Catering would be just like that and I love doing it and find it very easy.
I love to read and read a lot, also we like to play games, board games bore me but card games I love something that keeps you on your toes thinking is fun to me. Also the oil lamp in the doorway we have lots of them and lived off grid and hauled our all our water for three years in Montana when our children were little ones.
We always have candles burning, I buy them at yard sales which I am addicted to or thrift which I am equally addicted to. We bought a bunch half off after Christmas and the all smell so lovely, cinnamon, vanilla, pine, love love love them.
Soap making, sewing my clothing, gardening, cats, nature, woodfire cooking, living frugally, living my way instead of the world's way, science fiction I know weird right but I love Star Trek etc, also I love end of the world type movies, Day After Tomorrow, The Postman,but I also like 1700 to 1800's history and living as well as many other things that make me who I am.
I am a Morman or a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and am a Christian for those who think otherwise. I love the gospel with all my heart and am thankful for being a convert.
I also am imperfect and daily work at overcoming anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. This is a new thing for me and I have slowly been pulling myself through it for over a year now. I am learning to listen to my body and use natural things to help me through this rough time. No it hasn't been easy, but with my family I have been able to work through it and see that there is light at the end of the tunnel though that end might be far off.
I work daily to continue to discover who I am and find joy in learning one more thing I didn't know the day before.
I hope to continue to find Joy in the Journey!
Love,
Erika
