Finding your Zen....

I have heard that somewhere and growing up with my mom very immersed in martial arts, she has a couple of black belts in different styles, the whole zen, yin and yang, etc was a daily thing. :0)

My husband told me a couple months ago to find my zen and it is a lot harder than you think.  I have had a very rough year and August, September and some of October have been especially rough, so I was on maintenance for a few months. Doing what needed to be done and barely keeping up with everything else. Going thru the  motions of living.

With maintenance mode you set aside non essentials things, for me it was cheese making, butter making, bread making, hanging clothing on the line etc. Instead I bought those already made or used the dryer. I kept things moving along at the pace that I could for the time being.

And the last couple weeks I have felt more myself again, so last week I made a batch of cheddar cheese, this week cheese again, and some butter this morning, last and this week I have made ricotta cheese with the left over whey. Swinging back into life is not always easy, living a maintenance schedule is OK for a little while. But then things start to show like dust on ceiling fans....:)
Taking that time to recoup, build your reserves back up I think is always good. So now I am getting slowing back into life, enjoying it, finding my zen.

Over the weekend my dad, the kids, and I dug around some antique shops. One was a junk shop, when you drive by you think nothing good will be there, but the treasures inside are amazing and very unique. Ashley found a lovely green bowl to match the green glasses she found at a yard sale. I told her to offer him a lower price and he took it, she was so nervous to speak to him, but he was so nice to her and smiled.

At another antique mall we went to I found this cute little pot(above) the orange enamel, and uniqueness of it caught me. Also the tea pot, most on here know I love blues and greens, so this pot was sitting right next to the enamel one like they were waiting together for me to take them home. I also found a enamel pot with a inner colander pot, but didn't get a picture. 

The pitcher of cream is part of a new food processor I bought for my birthday. My parents gave me money and this is what I needed, I use it to make so many things and mine died after many years of service. 

Below is the picture of the box. After much thought and research I decided on this one, instead of the traditional looking food processor. It made butter this morning perfectly. Now I did think hard about not getting an electric gadget and normally I try to keep things simple, I am not a gadget person. And I have done the whole off grid everything by hand thing, and I mean everything. But sometimes different seasons of life a gadget now and then is a good thing.  

Cheese making yesterday, cut curds resting. The process is so easy and so basic. Because of making cheese we have cut way back on how much we eat of it as well as butter. It takes time to age a month, I make it weekly with fresh milk, add only a culture and rennet no preservatives or coloring. I also make sour cream, yogurt, buttermilk, and probably a soft cheese for cream cheese this week for enchiladas. Again because I make these items we have cut our consumption of it down a lot, my family love these products so I try to make sure they have a freshest and best I can give them. And they are cultured giving us natural live cultures to help us in assimilating the goods things in them.

A gallon of whey and the first pressing of the salted finished curds. Later I added 20 lbs totaling 30 lbs the sit overnight. This morning I will take it out and let it air dry before sealing in an airtight bag to age for a month in the refrigerator. 

There was another half gallon whey in a pan on the stove. Which now as well as the above are being turned into ricotta, I'm thinking maybe a veggie lasagna tonight.

I have also been thinking a lot of Christmas, since we keep it very simple there, 3 gifts each for the kiddos. I am looking at making a quilt for Wyatt, some skirts and tops for Ashley, something for hubby, (he reads this so I won't say), and other goodies to mail to my parents. Homemade goodness that I enjoy so much.

Seasons of life go up and down, things revolve, change, the kaleidoscope of life is different everyday and finding that balance learning to let go and do what is needed can be hard. To not make yourself feel guilty for not being able to do what you normally do is hard. But learning to roll with the waves of your life and others so when the storms come, and they will, you are not buffeted about to much causing damage.

Good luck in finding your Zen...

Love,

Erika

Plain and Simple

Oatmeal, catnip infusion, scripture study, and finding peace in myself.

This morning I am sitting here looking thru the memories in my mind and thinking of all the things I have to do, prepare for, etc etc etc. Yes, the future is a daunting one for me, and trusting and letting it lay till it gets here is so hard. I worry about my children, I worry about the economy, I worry to much.

One of the things I have done to close out the world is I don't read the paper, or watch the news, I skim headlines on the internet, on our homepage but that is all. Yes, I shelter myself from it, but it keeps the worry at bay by not flooding myself with all the negative and creating anxiety in me.

This does not mean I am clueless as to what is going on in the world. I do find things out from hubby, friends, family. But I am not flooded with it morning, noon, and night. And for some reason that helps. I look at the news like the grocery store there is so much junk in it and to sift thru it to what is relevant is very stressful sometimes. So in the grocery I stick to the outside perimeter only skimming down the aisles every now and then.

I have so many things that pop into my head that make sense and makes me see the love that Heavenly Father has for me and I know it will be alright. But, then I look around and that trust dwindles and I start to feel anxious about so many little things.

2 Samuel 22:3 The Lord is my rock; in him I will trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower and my refuge, my savior: thou savest me from violence.

As I stated yesterday, trust is very hard for me so this is a daunting task. I have trusted so much in the past only to be knocked down that I have put a wall up and it takes so much for me to trust an individual.

 But, I know that trusting in the Lord is what I should do, he answers all prayers in his own time and how he knows is best for us.

Knowing and actually doing are two very different things. I am bombarded with the worlds expectations of us and I know is not for me, but the condemnation of others is hard. I am not faltering on my choices, but I am letting whispers, laughs, unkind words, questions make me feel less of myself.

Why do we feel we must judge those around us who are different or who choose to be different.

A story, this story does not mean I agree with this man's choices or that I am for his choices.

There is a man in one of the small towns we shop in, he is a cross-dresser. I have seen him in our Walmart during the day for all the world to see. He is in high heels, short shorts, a silver la may blouse, dangling earrings, makeup with red lip stick. He is most certainly a man, I walk by, take note of him in my mind, but keep walking.  One day I am in Walmart, it is busy and he is there in the checkout near mine, waiting, people are behind him...pointing, laughing, degrading. He stands there his head held high, shoulders back.  And I am in awe of his fortitude to stand there and deal with it. He might be hurting inside, but it doesn't show. I have never seen him in that Walmart again....

Is society's self esteem so low that we have to point, laugh, and degrade those who have found what they feel is right for them even when we disagree? I do not agree with this man and his lifestyle choice, but I do see him comfortable with his sexuality and his body to be who he is and show it, but I am not so low in my self esteem that I will judge him and mock him. I actually admire him and those around me who live, dress, work, and do what is in them. He has courage to live like he feels he should how many of us can say that?

I love to wear skirts, homemade clothing, be a stay at home mom, home school, garden, live in the middle of nowhere, beat to the tune of my drum, be debt free, and live like I know is right for me. I cannot say I have not and do not judge those who make different choices, but I do strive to understand and see them for who they are a child of God. I too am only human and learn daily to take note, but not condemn those around me.

When do we learn to look past the judgements of others and move on to not let that create worry, anxiety, or feelings of ineptitude?

When do we stop trying to fit in the box society has created for us and see that we all have talents, are different from each other? That cookie cutter mentality has created a society of people who are self righteous, self loathing people, who feel superior to all around them.

One of our vocabulary words yesterday was Youthquake. A weird word that came about in the 60's. It means our youth creating a wave that shakes our foundation and changes society's values, styles, etc. The kids and I talked about the entitlement mentality our society has and what it all means. Their writing assignment this week is to pick an article out of the world section of the newspaper and write an argumentative essay on the article. One of them was the violence and looting in London, neither one of them picked the article, but it was perfect for this word. They both agreed that asking in prayer and getting guidance from Heavenly Father is a much better use of their time then following the wave of styles, degrading of values, and the "fitting in" so many of their peers feel is what is suppose to happen.

I may worry about my children and their futures, but when they teach me I am humbled and reminded to trust in the Lord.

Love,

Erika

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

6 c quick cooking oats

1 1/3 cup dry milk (I omitted this)

1 c dried apples

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c brown sugar (I omitted both sugars)

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients and store in an air tight container. To make add 1/2 mix to 1/2 boiling water.

I made mine without the powdered milk or sugars. And added honey to mine with coconut milk. 1/2 cup serving is more than enough, very filling. Though I am limiting my carb intake to a small amount daily this is perfect and without the sugar is very good.

The world as we know it...

Simplicity is my motto, if you have read this blog for any length of time you would know that.

Our family has one computer, no TV, no land line phone just cell phones we keep our lives as uncomplicated as possible. I am very much an introvert as is my husband and daughter. My son I haven't decided yet. And so to have things uncomplicated and time to refuel when things or life has gotten complicated is important to me.

We live a minimun of 20 miles from any place of substance. And the closest town are little ones, from there it is 45 minutes to something bigger. I love our solitude our quiet.

Hubby and I spent Sunday afternoon laying in the grass in front of the barn in the sun. It was so peaceful, quiet, and refueling. We actually fell asleep in the sun with a couple of barn cats and our border collar with us. The kids were making a little village by the barn with rocks, sticks, and pine needles, Yguy filled my shoes with leaves. Yes, at 16 and 14 they still play and for that I am very thankful.

Below, Yguy is using tea bags to dye some cloth to make something for school. An old fashion and simple thing to learn. I love the old fashioness of it, I have a gallon jar full of dry onion skins to use just for this same purpose at some point in time. I want to learn to use simple natural things to dye fabrics.

Last night a friend gave us this for cooking over the fire. She has never used it and thought we would get more use out it. She was very much correct we love cooking over the fire. We have a special place behind our house in the woods that we cook meals or just sit and enjoy each other and a little fire. It is in a cozy place that we cleared out last summer. Our fire pit as been in several areas but this one we all love and I think this one here to stay.

Tuesday, I let the world in the house. Hubby and I needed new phones, after washing my simple cell phone in the washer a couple of years ago it finally decided to die. Two years isn't bad for a phone that did a cycle in the washer. I was quite impressed but since we both needed new phones and our contracts were up....

 Hubby wanted to get me something with all the bells and whistles. He kept his simple, since even this computer I am using frustrates him. But for me he thought I would enjoy this little bit of technology. I have so far and the kids have figured it all out. Last night I even checked a recipe online while I was at Walmart so I could get all the ingredients.

It has lots of neat new extras, but am I sacrificing my simple values by letting this little device amuse me? We will see as the days go by so far I really like it and am having fun streamlining it to fit what I use. Calender, notepad, email, and taking off what I don't like, social networks like facebook and twitter. I have added music since that is my addiction. I love music of all kinds even rock. I want to add scriptures but as the days go by I will see how this little piece of the world grows.

What kind of cell phone do you have?

Have a simply blessed day

Erika

Plain and Simple

   at the cottage....

Dandalion and Catnip came in

Our tissue paper stars we made in Dec. We had Christmas ones during the holidays, but I like the multi colored ones.

A new bowl from the thrift store....free

and

these enamals cake pans that will be perfect for eating on out at the fire when we cook out there. We will cook pizza out there tonight if the weather holds.

Over the weekend we took down this table from the hayloft and I stripped it and sanded it down. It was my grandparents table the kids used it when they were little for crafts so it had paint and stickers on it. Its about 30+ years old and a lovely Teak wood. I loved the smell as I sanded it down.

The top piece after one layer a stripping had been taken off and another applied

The table extenders, this is what the table looked like new. Since these were seldom pulled out.

Everything sanded

All done and in the house. It is such a pretty honey color. We put it behind the couch and yesterday afternoon they played Risk on it while I cross stitched on the couch. It will be perfect for doing puzzles playing games etc.

Another thrift find but this wasn't free...it was 50 cents though I just love it on the table with candles lit.

Consignment shop find 69 cents a new cross stitch when I'm done I'll let you see what it is.

Have a simply Blessed Day

Erika

Turning the Kaliedoscope

This week the kiddos and I are rearranging things, dusting things, and lots of sewing. We are enjoying our time playing games too...lots of games. We sat on the floor in the livingroom yesterday, between sewing and taking all our books down and dusting and putting them back to play a dice game called farkle. It is such a fun and fast paced game.

But onto what I sewed yesterday, covered this chair and the pillow. I made a removable cover for the pillow so I can wash it. The chair had a cream colored cover originally and I covered it with a deep green checked cover when our couch had the same couch cover. But now I want to go back to my blues.

When we went yard saleing on my birthday I found this demin couch cover brand new for a $1 well I snagged it for the fabric it nothing else. It didn't have the covers for the cushions though, well a few weeks after that I found, at yet another yard sale, a bag of demin pieces for a couple of dollars. Those pieces are being turned into covers, I did one yesterday and will finish the other today.

New curtains from yet another steal but this time at the thrift store. A 12 ft long tablecloth for $2. My pinecones in the window and my little rock collection.

The outdoors make me happy and I can't always sit out there all day especially this time of year so I decided to do something different and bring it indoors to me for those days I can't get out for very long.
I got the idea from Sew Liberated I remembered her doing something like it in her baby's room. Well in the next few weeks I will be making the little clothe birds to go on this swag I can't wait to see it finished.

The pattern for the birds is here. I'm thinking of making the bird mobile too and put it in the corner of the livingroom.

Ash and I went and cut branches and wild grape vines and drug them in yesterday for this project. After I put them up I thought I should have waited since in the next few weeks we'll be painting this room. :0)

The acorns I brought back from New Hampshire when the kids and I were up there 5 years ago. We don't have acorns this size here and these were so much fun. I glued loops of fishing twine on them and hung this this morning. Such fun.

I am having fun redoing and turning the lens of my kaliedoscope so the design and colors fit what I want and need right now. Shifting the focus just a little so that the colors in my life are vibrant once again.

Have a Blessed Day

Erika

Kaliedoscope

Remember as a child looking through a kaliedocope and seeing the colors changes, swirl into different designs, the colors changing as you looked at different lights. I never had one but I remember looking at some friend's, or at stores.

The changing of colors, designs, depending on what you did was interesting. I loved the colors reminds me of stainglass windows which I love, but ever changing to fit the mood of the person turning the end of the scope.

The seasons change and we all love different seasons, I love spring and fall, winter and summer not so much. The rebirth in spring is fantastic and colors vibrant, fall the world folding up for the season getting ready to sleep. Nesting preparing to snuggle in and the colors again, amaze me.

We are coming to the end of yet another year. Have the last two gone by fast for anyone else? This year has been a tough one so I am not so sad to see it leave but it is all going so fast. Spring will be on us in no time here in the south and I for one am ready for the lengthing of days, the sun warming, the sprouting of wonderful veggies, and digging into the soil to ready it for summer.

We still have many days of cold to go but come Feb we can plant irish potatoes, order our meat chickens and turkeys, plan for the pig we want to raise...

I can look through life with a single lens and see only what is there or I can see it through the many colors and patterns Heavenly Father has set there for me and look in awe at what I have been given.  We have many things we want to do this coming year whether we get it all done due to finances or time is still a big question.

Today the kids and I are going to go through the house move everything, clean under everything, rearrange somethings, pack away christmas, and get ready to start this new year with a new thought, a new plan, but with old fashion ideals that have been tired and tested and much loved by this family.

This year I want to make soap, continue in making things from scratch, still sew most of my clothing, visit the temple with more purpose, learn to love myself and who I am again, deepen my relationship with my husband, continue to enjoy each and every minute with my children, and put the ideals and thoughts of the world where in belongs outside and not in our home.

Setting the pace of my home is my job and I have failed at it lately and I want to set the pace again, slow it down, focus it, and enjoy every minute of it. The simpleness of it all brings me peace and I am going to work at it hard to keep it the way I know it should be.

Yesterday, Ashley was extended her first calling at church, piano player for primary she will play the prelude music, and I was called as 2nd councelor in Relief Society.  I am hoping we both find the confidance in ourselves that we both lack since I know Heavenly Father has it.

Have a Blessed Day

Erika

Forgiveness

A couple of days ago we watched a movie called Amish Grace, it is based on the Amish schoolhouse shootings 4 years ago.  When hubby and I were looking around on the internet at some info on one of the actors we ran across some not so nice reviews on the movie. I didn’t read the reviews, only the intro lines, but I wondered if what they wanted to see were the disgusting details of what happened that day. The movie was not a big budget movie but the actors portrayed what the core of the movie was about very well.

What came of that tragedy was the knowledge of the amazing faith these simple people have and how they live their lives with total commitment to what they believe. The message was clear, forgiveness, we know what happen in that little schoolhouse it was all over the news for so long but that fact that they forgave that man and did not hold a grudge toward his wife and children was and is such a powerful message. Even stepping forward to attend his funeral, not for him, but for his family as a support when so many walked away from them.

Can we say we would be that forgiving?

The dough in the bowl isn't as forgiving as the kitten below whose total trust and love is shown in his position in my son's arms. He has been dropped from only about a foot off the ground and he was wiggling up a storm but he still loved the person (me) who did it. He has gotten wrapped up in our feet as we walk across a room since he has to attack everything moving and been accidently kicked but he still loves us.

The dough on the other hand can be very unforgiving depending on the littlest of circumstances. I have added to much salt and killed the yeast, or not enough of something simple and the results have been tasteless. Bread is very simple to make and I have gotten good at it but it still can fail because of a little thing I forgot or that someone else did. It doesn't bounce back and take shape because I said I was sorry.

To forgive is so hard and to forgive such a gut wrenching tragedy says so much. It is so easy to hold on to that anger and hard heartedness and let that anger simmer and become more than it needs to be.

The adversary knows this and stokes the fires that keep that anger burning. It consumes us a till we are so bitter at so many things that we have forgotten what started it all. Our hearts are shallow pits of hate.

But the one person that started it all has moved on and either doesn't realize what they did or doesn't even care. Do we want a hurt to fester to the point where it rules our every thought and action?

Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trepasses. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.

The movie held a powerful message, one of the Amish mothers said in one scene that every day she wakes and expects to hear her daughters singing but that she doesn't anymore and the anger threatens to overtake her. She offers it to the Lord and in and hour she might have to do it again and then in an hour do it again. We have to work at it hourly keep ourselves in check.

I for one learned from the simple message throughout the movie, forgiveness, it is such a simple word but holds such power over us. To forgive brings peace to not forgive brings such anger and hatred.

What will rule our lives if we let it?

The Art of Writing...

I have decided to take some time off from blogging... I have loved blogging but I have let it get to be to much in my life.

Last year our family did a week long media fast, it was wonderful, from that I changed many things, like deactivating my facebook.... But I need to do more.

I have two wonderful blessings in my life named Ashley and Wyatt that need my time more than you do. I have a marriage that has been going well for 17 years but I want it to do better, we have lost ourselves in ourselves and need to reboot and renew the sacredness of our marriage. Our lives of late have been so stressed and hectic and I feel we are forgetting why we first married.

I started blogging April of 2007 and I see a difference in who I was and who I am. I want to see myself again and the world around me, really see not think of what I can blog about.

I am a private person but then I open myself of almost daily on this blog. I find time when I shouldn't to blog or read blogs that time needs to be in my home and loved ones. I have kept blogs I love, to check up on sometimes, but not as often as I do now. 

Tomorrow will be different....

Tomorrow I will be that private person again that finds great joy in her family and in her little cottage and loves every precious minute of it.

I have recently started exchanging letters with a wonderful woman who loves her skirts as much I do, sews, cooks, and many of the same things I love. I have had fun dipping into the old fashion world of letter writing. There is something soothing about sitting on the front porch and reading a letter from a friend you have never met.

I find slowing down, savoring old fashion notions, learning to breath in the world, and letting go of the panic around me helps me hear what Heavenly Father has for me to learn.

I would like to open my mailbox to others who might want to delve into the world of letter writing. I would love to exchange ideas, thoughts, recipes, trials, triumphs, and share my passion/mission for letting the world rush by so that I can hear what I need to.

Email me at pioneerhomemaker(at)gmail(dot)com

and we can exchange addresses if you too like to letter write.

Until....

Have a blessed day

Erika

No Poo...

No Shampoo that is...I have tried this before since our water dries mine and my daughters' scalp out really bad, it doesn't help that we have eczema either. I have done it off and on a few times since reading about about 4 years ago but never really stuck with it for really silly reasons. I'll just say the world stepped into my head and I had to go back to what I was doing.

Well, at Feelin Feminine the challenge this month is going No Poo for 2 weeks. If I have something to work towards I do pretty good. So I have excepted this challenge and will keep you posted on the results.

Last night, was the 1st day of the challenge for me and I will post again in a week. One thing I have tried in the past is a green tea rinse for dry scalp or dandruff, it worked beautifully. So I am adding that to the regime and working that into this so I'm not having all these steps making my shower longer than needs be.

Have a Blessed Day

Erika

Room Redo

This was the only picture I could find with the color of our room before without looking through many disks of the last 4 1/2 years. But you get the idea dark, yucky, and in a major need of sprucing. I am not a decorator and haven't a desire to be so this is just us. Country and simple.

This shelf I bought at the thrift store and on it has hubby's John Deere tractors and a plaque they gave me at girls camp. "HOME, is where they love you the best," it reads. Yes, that is a lasso at the side of hubby's dresser.

I moved my dresser I wanted less stuff in our room and removed alot and I didn't want my side of the bed cluttered anymore.

And Weazy making herself at home in the middle of our bed she is our geriatric cat at 14 years old she still bites really hard and rules the roost!

Winter Melon

That is the color of my room now....The icky dark rose is gone. Ash and I are painting today, we also changed out our ceiling fan in my room. The motor in our old one went and she and I did it all by ourselves!

I don't have the camera this week the boys have it at camp so it will have to wait till we are done instead of taking pixs during the redo.

The boys left early this morning by early I mean 5:15am and are all set up at camp and have already started earning patches and enjoying friends.

Have a Blessed Day...well evening

Erika

Earth Day

art.com

Forty years ago an idea was born to bring awareness to enviromental concerns and it was called Earth Day. My mom remembers this starting I wasn't thought of yet.

Twenty years later a big boost came about and all over the world people jumped on, my high school planted a tree in the courtyard and we had a carnival that was the best, we were let out of class to have fun.

Now, 20 years later I have teenagers and the enviroment and learning to care for what is around us as well as providing our own healthy foods is important.

 Happy Earth Day!

A name change

Years ago we named out little hobby, Simple Pleasures Farm. We had 15 milk goats, about 40 laying hens, rabbits lots of them, and various other things as well as a big garden. We wanted to name our little hobby something that fit us that these simple things were pleasures to us.

Well during this journey a very sick minded person decided that our email, which had this name without farm since that was to long, meant something else. After getting several very disturbing and well lets just say they bothered us greatly since they were directly written to me. We changed our email and stopped using that name, to us we still have called it Simple Pleasures Farm.

Well after Hurricane Katrina things changed for us drastically and we were blessed with our 10.21 acres and small home. We love this little house, we built a barn, which I laughingly compare in size to our house. It is actually almost the same size but we love both dearly. I am content with it, our little cottage.

We no longer have our goats which we hope to change soon, we do have our chickens, and garden. But the simple things we worked for daily in our lives preKatrina and while we lived off grid in Montana have slipped away somewhat as our lives have become extemely busy.

So we decided on a name change for our farm one that describes our journey, the other day I posted about what has been up here so far this month and the idea came to me. Hubby loved the name we needed something that describes us.

There and Back Again Farm

As we have traveled the simple road to a busier one we are slowly transversing that off ramp to the slower simplier one that we love so much.  So we have been there and now are going back....

Another thing led to another and now I want to name our little cottage it is our home and deserves something special. I read that in the Netherlands they name their homes or Holland I think and that has always struck me as special. So now we are on that quest for a name that describes us and our little cottage in the woods.

Here are some ideas.

Oak Leaf Cottage
Eternity Cottage
Maple Cottage
Dogwood Cottage
Crabapple cottage
Middle of Nowhere Cottage
Nowhere Cottage

All of us have thought of something but none of us have put alot of effort and thought, these are just randomed things thrown out.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Natural Cleaning Products

art.com

The quest for having a healthy home started for me by wanting to save money. I don't like spending lots of money on items that are easily made. I didn't want stuff flushed down our septic tank that would mess the balance up so that it cost us money to have someone come pump it out or have to fix it at some point. So I searchedor easy ways to save money.

I buy a big jug of enviromental safe dish soap and regular shampoos and soaps...for now. But for cleaning I have five basic things that I use. I do have clorox wipes under my counter which I would prefer not to have but for the moment they are there. They were given to me so I use them for now.

My ingredients list is as follows...

Borox: homemade scouring powder, laundry soap, dishwasher soap

Washing Soda: laundry soap, natural bleach

Vinegar: fabric freshner/softner, floor cleaning, toilet cleaner, litter box cleaner, window cleaner, veggie wash

Zoot, Fels Naphta, or Octagon soap: laundry soap

Baking Soda: laundry, scouting powder, dishwasher soap,

I have saved bottles fro soy sauce and keep a bottle of vinegar in the bathroom for cleaning the toilet, there is also one I have filled with vinegar in the spice cabinet since I buy large jugs of vinegar at sams every couple of months.

I saved peanut butter containers and made scouring powder with salt, borox, and baking powder and place a container in the kitchen and bathroom for easy cleaning.

The cat litter box gets about half a cup of vinegar once a week outside. We fill it with water and let it soak.

I did have to buy some bleach last week since during the winter mold grows on the bathroom ceiling above the shower. I tried other natural things this winter but had to resort to bleach again since nothing else worked. But with clothing I use lemon juice or washing soda, and the sun. Between those 3 it works really well. Plus I tend to ruin things when I use bleach so I have tried to lesson its use in our home over the last couple of years. A bottle lasts me about a year.

I am no expert and this quest I started with wanting to save money and then turned into wanting a healthier home for my family. I have gotten sensitive to cleaning fumes now and hubby sprays lysol in his work boots it helps keep athletes foot away since he has a very hot and sweaty job and wears heavy boots. But that lysol is noxious and I can't stand the smell and fumes, I clear the room when he sprays it. :0) But then again it is alot cheaper than the actual foot spray and creams.

I hope to learn more and save even more as I travel down this road that sometimes parallels and converges but sometimes between saving money and healthy they can go in opposite directions.

Change

Change is an everyday thing. It happens because we choose to or because we have to and when we really don't want to but are forced to.

This weekend our desk top computer died we have not a clue why and so the laptop has now become our main computer. Which I am Ok with, hubby on the other hand....This was one of those changes for him that he didn't want to do but....was forced to.

 I took it in stride. I didn't like loosing the pictures I have saved on there. There were not to many since I had already burned all of last years to disks and cleared away for this year. I had also already burned other files etc I knew I might need later for callings and personal things. The pictures well they are saved on this blog, some at least but the rest no. But I'm OK with it, change doesn't bother me... to much. Somethings I am a little spastic about and have a hard time but most things I am mellow about.

Lifestyle changes can be so hard for most. I know when hubby and I decided we wanted something more for our daughter than what we could offer when she was a baby that was hard. We gave up all our comforts so that she and future children would grow up in a respectful way and learn to love Heavenly Father. Something hubby and I had not learned.

But through the years we have through our own hardwork and the love Heavenly Father has for us changed. We have moved closer to how he sees us instead of where our lives at the beginning were taking us. Our children have grown in the gospel and we have learned from them and others around us.

Change was hard and at times not wanted. But we have over the years climbed those hills of heartache and frustration and learned to change and grow in our new path. We have never done it alone we have  had Heavenly Father guiding us all the way his love for us has sustained us and helped us become more than we were.

One day I hope to see myself as he sees me. He knows I can be so much more. And one day I will be what he knows I can but only with change and most importantly his love guiding me.

Now the desk was my sewing desk an old writing desk that was my grandmothers. It is from the 40's about maybe late 30's. I decided to change around things. This is now our office desk and my armoire that was the office is now our sewing area.

Because of this change and move around of furniture. Our small living room is now even bigger than before. So even when the change that is to come isn't welcomed or wanted at the beginning it can be what is needed and later very much enjoyed.

Starting your Day

How do you start your day?

Mine is an experiment... I have been trying for the last couple of weeks to get up before anyone else. My hubby is an early riser to....It is really hard and has gotten a little harder now that I am into the third week.

But it has had its ups, I feel more prepared for the day ahead, hubby seems to like it, that feeling of running around like a mad woman isn't there and that is nice.

I wanted to have time on the computer so that I am not taking away from my children and home during the day. I felt very selfish when I took the time to be on here during the day. So I thought if I want to be on here bad enough to read blogs and blog then I need to make the sacrifice of doing it when no one else is up. Staying up late at night is out of the question, I like sleep to much, so early morning is much better since I am a morning person.

Maybe not this early of a morning person but it has been working out pretty well, so far. It is only an experiment for now I liked Saturday far to much this past weekend since I promised myself I would sleep in on that day and on Sunday not get up as early.

But now we are back into our "work" week and I am blogging, going to make hubby's lunch and breakfast, and since he is leaving very early (for him) this morning I am going to fight the urge to go back to bed. Turn on some soft music and get to work. Since my job as homemaker is never ending and very rewarding when I am prepared for what ever comes my way.

And the little sacrifices I make today will bring tranquilty tomorrow.

How do you start your day?

Tasha Tudor

I had the library do a ILL seach last week and they were able to get a book for me from another library system. This book I loved!

The Private World of Tasha Tudor was inspiring. My hubby is reading it now he thought it sounded interesting when I was telling him about it. I am going to read it again when he brings it back to me.

Her choices and her life were lived on her terms, not the worlds that really struck me throughout the book.
The simplicity of her choices and her life brought her great peace....

We all need that I think but we run around doing what the world dictates we should and shouldn't do.

The library called me yesterday and said they had another of her books in, Tasha Tudor's Garden, I think it is called. At least that is the topic. I am excited and am making a trip to get it today.

Last day of 2009

I'm sitting here it is 4 in the morning on the last day of 2009! Yes, you read right I am up at 4am I have been up since 3am actually and am wide awake! I just woke no real reason just wide awake thinking of all the things I want to do this coming year.

2009 has been extremely busy and not in a productive way. It has been good as far as my children and callings have gone. But my home has been sorely neglected and that my friends worries me very much. I love my home and all that it involves from cleaning the toilet, cleaning the lint trap, to the more enjoyable hanging fresh clean laundry on the clothesline.

Why should the place that I serve the most important people in my life be neglected for the sake of serving others outside of my home. I know I should serve my fellow man but isn't my family the most important? Yes!

Am I setting that example to my children, yes! Is it an example I want them to learn, to serve others wholeheartly, yes. At the expense of their families, No!

So for 2010 I am returning home. I am going to strive to put all others and all things behind my family.

I have so many things that I want to return to from the simple oil lamp to light our home a very simple reminder of our simple life we lived off grid in Montana. Getting rid of the weight of so many things that just collect dust. Sitting and enjoying the outdoors reading with my children, watching the hungry birds devour yet another filled birdfeeder, enjoying a lovely new handmade skirt with handmade cotton slip underneath, and simply enjoying the beauty around me. Soaking in the scriptures and kneeling humbly and listening to what the Lord has in store for me.

So many things I have taken for granted this year and so many things and opportunities I have missed all for the sake of the world. We gave the kids simple things for Christmas puzzles, games, etc. The games we have been playing every night and the laughter that has rung in our home is something that has been sorely missed, am I am so sorry for that.

It is my job to keep the flow of our home moving in a peaceful, caring, loving way and I have let my own stress of life, hurt feelings, others opinions, my husband's stresses and worries take over the enviroment and it has affected us greatly.

What started out as maybe a list of things I want to do has turned into me realizing so many things I have taken for granted and so many things I have forgotten. This year will be my year of simple remembrances and the meaning behind why I love to wear skirts most of the time because I am a woman and what a gift that is!

I started really studing Proverbs 31 the other day and WOW is all I can say. To simply read it doesn't do much but to actually study really opens your eyes and I want to strive to be that kind of woman, one that her family is proud of, one that Heavenly Father knows I can be.

Not what the world thinks a woman should be.

For all the people I know who read this I love you and am proud to call you my friend for those I don't know I wish I did! I send my love to all and hope that at the closing of this year you see what is for you to see that with Heavenly Fathers loving guidance you can learn and grow to be what he knows you can be!

Till 2010....

Keeping ones own council....

I am a quiet opinonated person. My husband would say I wasn't he hears my opinions all the time! But I feel if you have an opinion thats fine but there is a time and a place to share them. And ALL THE TIME is not the time nor the place.

Today I let my opinion fly about something really silly but something I feel strongly about. I think though that I shouldn't have. It isn't nice I don't like when people do it to me I think it is quite rude actually to try and shove your opinion down someone elses throat. I think voicing it is ridiculous and I think that someone who thinks they should let everyone know what their opinion is on everything all the time has a serious problem. And then turn around to basically tell them they are wrong and this is why is really wrong.

Working on ones self esteem would be a good thing. You don't have to voice them as soon as you meet someone or while bearing ones testimony. I think voicing them in a way so that others don't feel you are talking down to them and to people who actually care about what you are talking about is OK.

But making sure that you let others know what they are doing, who they are, what they believe, how they live, etc, etc, etc is wrong. We all live the best way we know how or how we want to live. It doesn't matter that you might live one way and I live another your happy and I'm happy that is what matters.

So my opinion stays in my own head even on this blog. I just don't think voicing it is right. Today I think I just got tired of hearing this ones particular opinion ALL THE TIME that I just had to say what I thought about global warming.

So with no further ado I will say what I think and this will be the last time I shove it down your throat LOL. But side note is I will write about what I feel is right for me and my family. I love skirts and I wear them most of the time and I have said that on this blog but I have never said my friends who wear pants all the time are wrong. I said I like this, it works for me, and this is right for me and my family and I want to share what I have found makes me happy. Writing this blog is just that discovering me and what makes me happy and helps me grow.

OK whether or not global warming is happening or not I don't care. But to live green I feel is important if we are spraying all these chemicals around what is it doing to us inside. I know I can't breath when hubby starts spraying his work boots with lysol but it keeps athletes foot away.

I think we need to take care of everything that is given to us not just pay tithing on it. I think that as a society in the US we can affect so much change in the world by our example. If we are to busy making reality TV shows on silly things, McMansions, Big Mac's and making tons of money and not actually using that brain power and money to help those around us we are wasting our time. We can do so much but are we really...the examples are boundless of what we are actually doing for our fellow brothers and sisters in the world. Yes, there are examples of good as well I will whole heartedly agree with that I love it the simple act of love.

But do we need reality TV shows Wife Swap...What is that ----------opinion deleted ;) Do we need to be so wasteful is it a test for us if we are so wasteful with these little things what are we like with the big things.

I am far from being an expert on just about everything. But I do know by simplying our lives and learning to use what we have makes life so much more worthwhile. You peel away the layers of worldiness and what you have left, the basic, simple, and uncomplicated.

I think if we jump to the big things and make sure we let everyone know how smart we are then we have left something out somewhere. We should start small and work our way up slowly, quietly, and with love, graditude, charity, reverance. We build ourselves, our testimony, our faith, in a quiet but sure way. We can affect so much change by our examples and loving guidance after we have learned and grown into it. Not by shoving our over educated, high minded opinions down others throats.

Debating gets us nowhere except to show how much of an a-- a person is, period. What works for me works for me and that is all that matters. Does it work for you? I don't know but I hope by sharing what I have learned and what we do in our lives is setting an example for you to pick and choose from.

I love the example of the many women around the world whose blogs I read, whether they are LDS or not, married or single, American or not. They are true searchers of what is best for them and their families at their stage in their growth and their examples I learn from and grow from daily.

Making Traditions

I am not a holiday person, I don't really like them and they are always hard on me. Dec 20, this last Sunday was the 11th anniversary of our youngest sons death. He would have been 11 this past May. He was 7 months old when he left our family. But this doesn't mean the holidays aren't a reason to celebrate in our family.

Over the years we have carved our own traditions and have made the Christmas season easier for me. Even before he died I didn't like them. All the rushing and arguing over silly things. The abundance of more stuff that you have no room for and the general feeling of selfishness really bother me. They always have but it has been just the last few years that I have come to understand it.

In Relief Society one year we had a lesson on traditions and carving your own. That one lesson made me really see what I needed to do. Instead of living traditions that weren't me, that I didn't understand, or only had vague memories of, we as a family should make our own. So that year was the first year we made a birthday cake for Jesus and from then on we have slowly added more traditions for our family.

Last year I really felt the need for change concerning our tree and this year we have set a balance that works. I wanted a more spiritual Christmas and to leave the world outside even more than we have been.

We started doing the Jesse Tree that I am sure many have seen on the net. I converted it to fit within our beliefs and bringing in more than what I found. Bringing in the Book of Mormon and just more. We dug through our ornaments and picked ones that would fit with each story some are odd like Spider Man is for Issac (it was an ornament for Yguy when he was little). We do have a handblown glass whale for Jonah. We plan on doing more with this over the year reworking the scriptures making an LDS version and making ornaments to fit the stories.

We also tossed the old Christmas tree and used garland this year instead. I like it very much and might keep it instead of a tree. I packed up all our stuff with Santa I just put them out because I had them or I just left them in the boxes. I sold all of it at a yard sale a couple weeks ago. I did keep the 2 collectors ornaments with Santa on a Harley they represent a time in our lives when we had a Harley and who we were.

I started putting the focus more on the birth of a child who changed the world and focusing on that has made a difference for me. When the kids were little we threw out the Santa notion and laid it all out to the kids they were so happy and excited that mom and dad were Santa instead of the thought of the stranger coming in the house with gifts. LOL We also narrowed the gifts to 3 representing the 3 the savior received as well as their stockings. As the kids have gotten older we have wanted to do more in the way of service and have some but I want to do more but Yguy wants his gifts instead. ;)

By making simple little changes the holidays have become a little easier for me. By keeping it centered on our family and centered on why we celebrate this season brings a new meaning for me and as the years go by I will learn and grow more into the true meaning of Christmas.

This nativity my grandmother made when I was little. It is made from yarn and plastic canvas the creche went missed years ago I vaguely remember it. And Yguys dog chewed the legs on the donkey so he has 2. I want to make the creche for it and repair the donkey but haven't been able to find a pattern that comes close to matching this...yet! The angel was our tree topper.
We started collecting this last year we always wanted a village and these were marked down. I don't know if we will add to it this year though.

Our Christmas garland is hung on an arch way between our living room and dining room. I usually hang cards on it but I hung them somewhere else this year. I made little grapevine wreaths from the wildgrape vines in our woods to hang the garland from.

This is something we have done for a long time, make ginger bread houses. This year we found this little village and did it instead. The kids worked on it yesterday.

I hope that all your traditions that you make in your own home are a comfort to you and yours and that this holiday season you have seen the reason for the season.