I've always wondered about what the REAL Iraqi person feels about what is happening in their country, and their views on the American people. I really liked to read and find blogs by Iraqis.
I have a friend who met and married an Iraqi girl. He worked for a private security firm in Iraq (no not THAT one), and fell in love with her. She worked at the University in Baghdad. Apparently, she was betrothed at 15 or so to a man who was kidnapped by Sadaam's soldiers and was NEVER seen again. About 4 years ago his body was found in a mass grave along with his i.d. papers. This freed her to marry, so she married my friend, and now they live in the US, though I have lost contact with them.
Like many others I have this perception of Iraqi people, some which may be correct, some entirely wrong I am sure. I did ask my friend's new wife about Iraq and she told me about her family which is all she could speak of. I really enjoy hearing first hand account of what it is like there, etc.
I remember where I was when the US entered into Iraq in 2003. I was working as a contractor for the Navy, and was pregnant with my third child (soon to be 6). I don't know why I remember that time, but I do, just like I remember what I was doing when I heard on the radio about the attacks on 9-11.
If you are ever interested do a search on Iraqi blogs, and read a few. Very enlightening.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Clothesline
A friend sent this, and I thought it was cute enough to share.
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:You have to be a certain age to appreciate this.
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES: (if you don't know what clotheslines are, better skip this).
1. You had to wash the clothes line before hanging any clothes-walk the entire lengths of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.
3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail!
4. Wash day on a Monday! . . . Never hang clothes on the weekend, or Sunday, for Heaven's sake!
5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busy bodies, y'know!)
6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero weather . . . Clothes would "freeze-dry. "
7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky!"
8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.
9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.
10. IRONED?! Well, that's a whole other subject!
A POEM
A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way . . ...
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line.
**I've routinely used a clothesline, with the exception for the past year when we were selling our house. We took it down, as I was told it was "tacky" to have one up while trying to sell a house. I disagree, but I do confess it is much easier to use the dryer when washing diapers for the baby. Plus I have a tendency to wash clothes late at night, once everyone is asleep.
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:You have to be a certain age to appreciate this.
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES: (if you don't know what clotheslines are, better skip this).
1. You had to wash the clothes line before hanging any clothes-walk the entire lengths of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.
3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail!
4. Wash day on a Monday! . . . Never hang clothes on the weekend, or Sunday, for Heaven's sake!
5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busy bodies, y'know!)
6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero weather . . . Clothes would "freeze-dry. "
7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky!"
8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.
9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.
10. IRONED?! Well, that's a whole other subject!
A POEM
A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way . . ...
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line.
**I've routinely used a clothesline, with the exception for the past year when we were selling our house. We took it down, as I was told it was "tacky" to have one up while trying to sell a house. I disagree, but I do confess it is much easier to use the dryer when washing diapers for the baby. Plus I have a tendency to wash clothes late at night, once everyone is asleep.
More Updates from the Border of Hell, AKA South Texas
Projected to be 105 today! Wow! It's only June. Very scary tidings for the rest of the summer.
I left with James this morning around 9 a.m. to come to the house to clean up. Still a long way to go. The girls and their dad showed up later, around Noon, unable to handle the heat out there. They are enjoying the AC here for now, while we make plans on how to combat the heat at the land. More later.
****Okay, I had company had to get the door.
We are basically all moved. We have the washer and dryer left to move, a few books, a cabinet of food, and that's it. LOTS of trash to throw away, and stuff to get rid of. I will be making another trip to the resale shop early in the week. Downsizing is harder than I thought. I wish I had a place to store my grandmother's table, and my mattresses out of the weather. I hate to get rid of beds, as they are so expensive to replace, but oh well. The DirectTV is connected at the land, and very much a welcome respite to pass the time during the heat of the day. The nights are very pleasant, with the wind and cooler temps. The pool has been repaired and set up in a more level spot. The girls enjoyed a swim this morning. I am looking forward to one this afternoon.
The water in the tank heats up quite nicely, and enables us to have a slightly warm, and refeshing shower at night. We don't even have to use the hot water heater. LOL!
I am overwhelmed at how much is left. My MIL stopped by today and said "I thought ya'll were almost done moving". I told her we are. She was shocked at how much stuff I have left. Still a house full. I was thinking of putting an ad on craigslist and having people just come take stuff away. Once I get organized at the land, and have no more room for dishes, and food, I'll think on it. I just don't want to deal with it, and the prospect of moving is very daunting, and unwelcome at this time, though I have been looking forward to it for years. Mixed feelings about letting someone else live in my dream house, even though they are family.
I am worried about the cats, I don't think they will do well at the land.
I'll wait to cancel all the utilities and the Internet until right before the 15th of the month. I am off to take out the trash, and have some lunch. Pleaes pray for me. I'll need all the energy I can muster to get this job done.
I left with James this morning around 9 a.m. to come to the house to clean up. Still a long way to go. The girls and their dad showed up later, around Noon, unable to handle the heat out there. They are enjoying the AC here for now, while we make plans on how to combat the heat at the land. More later.
****Okay, I had company had to get the door.
We are basically all moved. We have the washer and dryer left to move, a few books, a cabinet of food, and that's it. LOTS of trash to throw away, and stuff to get rid of. I will be making another trip to the resale shop early in the week. Downsizing is harder than I thought. I wish I had a place to store my grandmother's table, and my mattresses out of the weather. I hate to get rid of beds, as they are so expensive to replace, but oh well. The DirectTV is connected at the land, and very much a welcome respite to pass the time during the heat of the day. The nights are very pleasant, with the wind and cooler temps. The pool has been repaired and set up in a more level spot. The girls enjoyed a swim this morning. I am looking forward to one this afternoon.
The water in the tank heats up quite nicely, and enables us to have a slightly warm, and refeshing shower at night. We don't even have to use the hot water heater. LOL!
I am overwhelmed at how much is left. My MIL stopped by today and said "I thought ya'll were almost done moving". I told her we are. She was shocked at how much stuff I have left. Still a house full. I was thinking of putting an ad on craigslist and having people just come take stuff away. Once I get organized at the land, and have no more room for dishes, and food, I'll think on it. I just don't want to deal with it, and the prospect of moving is very daunting, and unwelcome at this time, though I have been looking forward to it for years. Mixed feelings about letting someone else live in my dream house, even though they are family.
I am worried about the cats, I don't think they will do well at the land.
I'll wait to cancel all the utilities and the Internet until right before the 15th of the month. I am off to take out the trash, and have some lunch. Pleaes pray for me. I'll need all the energy I can muster to get this job done.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Stayed home all day and cleaned, threw things away and made a yard sale pile. I have a smaller pile of books I've chosen to keep (I am addicted to books). I used to be a romance novel reader, for years, since about 12 years of age. The past 3 years I have switched to compiling a homestead library. Anything to do with farming, self reliance, preparedness, building, etc.
We managed to get the living room mostly done, I just need to take the items I am keeping to the land. The girls and I headed to the land to feed the animals. We now have shelves in the bathroom, which frees up an entire shelf in the pantry. We also now have a new dead bolt on the cabin door.
Monday, the Direct TV installer will be coming to move the satellite service. I tried to sign up with their Internet service, but they don't provide it in my area. I'll be calling my electric company and taking advantage of their Wild Blue service in a couple of weeks.
Baeta popped the girls swimming pool. Apparently she was excited over the water being drained, in preparation for it to be moved to more level ground, and bit it three times. We will patch it, but it'll never be the same again. I'd really love a bigger and better pool in the future (next 2-3 years) along with one of those wooden play sets. I've been wanting one for about 5 years now, but it never happened. With living so far out, and away from playgrounds, the girls and James will really need something to occupy their time, if they are to stay out of trouble.
I'd also like a tennis court. Our ground is hard enough that we could do it, just need the lines and the net. Of course I'd love a REAL tennis court, but think that is out of the realm of possibility. But who knows what will happen in the years ahead.
Well, off to bed, church tomorrow. Have a great Sabbath everyone!
We managed to get the living room mostly done, I just need to take the items I am keeping to the land. The girls and I headed to the land to feed the animals. We now have shelves in the bathroom, which frees up an entire shelf in the pantry. We also now have a new dead bolt on the cabin door.
Monday, the Direct TV installer will be coming to move the satellite service. I tried to sign up with their Internet service, but they don't provide it in my area. I'll be calling my electric company and taking advantage of their Wild Blue service in a couple of weeks.
Baeta popped the girls swimming pool. Apparently she was excited over the water being drained, in preparation for it to be moved to more level ground, and bit it three times. We will patch it, but it'll never be the same again. I'd really love a bigger and better pool in the future (next 2-3 years) along with one of those wooden play sets. I've been wanting one for about 5 years now, but it never happened. With living so far out, and away from playgrounds, the girls and James will really need something to occupy their time, if they are to stay out of trouble.
I'd also like a tennis court. Our ground is hard enough that we could do it, just need the lines and the net. Of course I'd love a REAL tennis court, but think that is out of the realm of possibility. But who knows what will happen in the years ahead.
Well, off to bed, church tomorrow. Have a great Sabbath everyone!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Moving Saga
We are still moving bit by bit, all is left now is the t.v., stand, pie safe and refrigerator, plus a few odds and ends. I will call and have the Direct TV moved to the new place by the end of the month. Then starts the process of cleaning out and up the house, throwing out trash, decluttering and finding a home for the remaining items. I have a houseful of stuff to get rid of. It's very disheartening to get rid of things I have collected over the past 22 years, especially my antiques. It really hurts, but I have been gritting my teeth and making the decision, though in some eyes I haven't discarded enough. We'll see what we can get along without once we are living day to day at the land.
Another chick hatched today, so far that makes three, with two suriving.
We had an issue with the dogs chewing through the garden hose that supplies water to the barn. This hose is actually a series of hoses that runs about 400 feet. The "puppies" chewed it somewhere in the middle, which caused the 1100 gallon water tank to completely drain into the field in front of the cabin. The spigot is normally kept on, and the nozzle turned off at the end, so that we can water the animals at any time. Well, now that will have to stop, and the spigot will be turned off and on as needed. The hose needs to be repaired, as it shoots up a tall stream of water when the water is turned on. I sure am glad it was a hose, as we were not looking forward to digging up 200 feet of water pipe to try and discover a leak.
The shower works great, by the way, at the land. We were finally able to use it today, as the tile work has taken a bit of time to complete and cure. The Tiny Titan water heater appears to be working well, and provides ample hot water for me. But I only take a 5 minute shower, others like to linger for a good 30 minutes. This will more than likely have to stop.
Another rattlesnake killed this week, right behind the cabin, close to the entrance. Very scary. It was a small one, but still deadly.
Another chick hatched today, so far that makes three, with two suriving.
We had an issue with the dogs chewing through the garden hose that supplies water to the barn. This hose is actually a series of hoses that runs about 400 feet. The "puppies" chewed it somewhere in the middle, which caused the 1100 gallon water tank to completely drain into the field in front of the cabin. The spigot is normally kept on, and the nozzle turned off at the end, so that we can water the animals at any time. Well, now that will have to stop, and the spigot will be turned off and on as needed. The hose needs to be repaired, as it shoots up a tall stream of water when the water is turned on. I sure am glad it was a hose, as we were not looking forward to digging up 200 feet of water pipe to try and discover a leak.
The shower works great, by the way, at the land. We were finally able to use it today, as the tile work has taken a bit of time to complete and cure. The Tiny Titan water heater appears to be working well, and provides ample hot water for me. But I only take a 5 minute shower, others like to linger for a good 30 minutes. This will more than likely have to stop.
Another rattlesnake killed this week, right behind the cabin, close to the entrance. Very scary. It was a small one, but still deadly.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Oh My!
I spent about 30 minutes typing a really long post, only to have it lost. Oy vay!
The loft in the cabin was finished today when I arrived home from church. I wasn't expected it to be done at all, so it was great. This really opens up the room, and provides a lot more floor space. The girls and I spent the afternoon picking up tools, trash, bits of wire, dirty clothes left there while we worked, and Lauren swept the carpet. She and I stacked the bookshelf end of the former bunk beds on top of the desk end of the bunkbed. This provides a 9 foot tall wall unit that gives us a good amount of storage. The plan is to put the T.V. and the computer on the desk, and use the shelves for the DVDs, VHS tapes, Playstation and games, plus books.
The tile work in the bathroom is just about done. It has to sit for 24 hours before grout is applied, then the bathroom will just need a few shelves to be complete.
The kitchen is boasting two new sets of stainless steel shelving 6 feet high and 10 feet long. This is my pantry area, and is opposite the counter with the stovetop and sink. I washed a sink full of dishes, and the Tiny Titan water heater worked great. The water was extremely hot, though I had been told it was only luke warm. I burned myself because I wasn't expecting it to be so hot. We'll see how it handles a shower once the tile work is complete.
The girls and I will be making several trips tomorrow back and forth to the land to deposit loads. I am getting very excited to be moving! It has been a year and a half since we bought the land, and I had expected to move much sooner than this...
I should be moved by the end of June (if I get cracking), leaving me the first two weeks of July to clean the house and get it prepared for my nephew to move in. Yeah! Thank you God! Finally!
The loft in the cabin was finished today when I arrived home from church. I wasn't expected it to be done at all, so it was great. This really opens up the room, and provides a lot more floor space. The girls and I spent the afternoon picking up tools, trash, bits of wire, dirty clothes left there while we worked, and Lauren swept the carpet. She and I stacked the bookshelf end of the former bunk beds on top of the desk end of the bunkbed. This provides a 9 foot tall wall unit that gives us a good amount of storage. The plan is to put the T.V. and the computer on the desk, and use the shelves for the DVDs, VHS tapes, Playstation and games, plus books.
The tile work in the bathroom is just about done. It has to sit for 24 hours before grout is applied, then the bathroom will just need a few shelves to be complete.
The kitchen is boasting two new sets of stainless steel shelving 6 feet high and 10 feet long. This is my pantry area, and is opposite the counter with the stovetop and sink. I washed a sink full of dishes, and the Tiny Titan water heater worked great. The water was extremely hot, though I had been told it was only luke warm. I burned myself because I wasn't expecting it to be so hot. We'll see how it handles a shower once the tile work is complete.
The girls and I will be making several trips tomorrow back and forth to the land to deposit loads. I am getting very excited to be moving! It has been a year and a half since we bought the land, and I had expected to move much sooner than this...
I should be moved by the end of June (if I get cracking), leaving me the first two weeks of July to clean the house and get it prepared for my nephew to move in. Yeah! Thank you God! Finally!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Celiac Disease
I don't know if I have commented before on this, but our eldest daughter has Celiac disease. I was reading up on it tonight and a lot of things make sense. Lauren was diagnosed around 2 years old, but has not been on a strict diet for it, primarily because of her relunctance and refusal, and the outright headache it was to enforce it. It was suggested by her doctor that I leave her alone and that when it really bothered her she would eat correctly. Well, this has taken years. After reading tonight, I hope she hasn't seriously damaged her intestines by not eating gluten free. I didn't realize that it was strictly necessary, only preferred.
Lauren has a love of bread, a big no-no. She is struggling with this so please pray for her. I told her today to think of all the things she could have, instead of what she couldn't have. If she weren't so picky, it'd go easier for her. She is just going to have to stop being picky, and I am going to have to be stricter with her diet, and not cave in. This I can do, but I don't think her dad can. He spoils her. Another thing is Lauren's love of fatty foods, apparently a compensation in her body with the Celiac, or so I understand from reading. She also needs to make sure she gets enough Vitamin K.
Let's see for breakfast she had gluten free waffles with syrup. For lunch she had soup, and for dinner she had tacos with corn tortillas, with ice cream for dessert. I know she also ate potato chips while at the land. Over all, it was a good food day for her. I am trying to eat the same way, and encourage Hannah to do so also, that way she won't feel so deprived, but it will be hard. She really needs to eat more fruits and veggies, and I will keep encouraging this for her.
Lauren has a love of bread, a big no-no. She is struggling with this so please pray for her. I told her today to think of all the things she could have, instead of what she couldn't have. If she weren't so picky, it'd go easier for her. She is just going to have to stop being picky, and I am going to have to be stricter with her diet, and not cave in. This I can do, but I don't think her dad can. He spoils her. Another thing is Lauren's love of fatty foods, apparently a compensation in her body with the Celiac, or so I understand from reading. She also needs to make sure she gets enough Vitamin K.
Let's see for breakfast she had gluten free waffles with syrup. For lunch she had soup, and for dinner she had tacos with corn tortillas, with ice cream for dessert. I know she also ate potato chips while at the land. Over all, it was a good food day for her. I am trying to eat the same way, and encourage Hannah to do so also, that way she won't feel so deprived, but it will be hard. She really needs to eat more fruits and veggies, and I will keep encouraging this for her.
Today was a good day. We headed over to the new town we will be living in to attend a presentation at the library on Reptiles, Amphibians and Arthropods. It was about an 1 1/2 hour long and very informative. The girls really enjoyed it. I like for them to attend events like this, as I view it as part of their homeschool science. The man giving the presentation did a wonderful job explaining all about each species. The only part I didn't like is his continual refereance to fossils, animal ancestors and using the "millions of years" terminology. We teach a young earth concept and the girls know that when people say the earth is millions of years old, or an animal (like the dinosaur) became extinct 100 million years ago, that it is not a true statement. But if I had known the presentation was more than just a bug exhibition, as it was advertised, I would not have attended. Once we got past the beginning of the presentation everything was fine.
We came home to make dinner. I made tacos using corn tortillas since we are still working on Lauren's gluten free diet. She also made her Decadent Chocolate Cake using the gluten free cake mix and gluten free icing. I really like it and so did Hannah. Their dad, not so much, and Lauren is scared to taste it.
At the land I moved I set up one of the rabbit cages for the hens to sit on their eggs. One hen started with one egg, and ended up with two hens sitting on twenty eggs. I took all twenty eggs out, but could only catch one hen. The poor thing keeps trying to arrange all those eggs under her without success. I guess the ones on the fringes won't hatch. I just couldn't keep her in the coop as the other hens kept laying in her nest and I had no idea which eggs were new or old. So, now I will be able to pick up any eggs in the coop and know they are fresh. If nothing hatches by the end of June. I'll throw all the eggs away. Still working on buying the incubator.
Trench work was the main order of business tonight. The girls dad worked on digging the trench, I gave him a break for a few minutes and removed a small pile of dirt, but I am not strong enough yet to shovel for too long or to remove too much. Since he was anxious to finish tonight he took over again. All that is left to do tomorrow is to lay the pipe, run the wire through and connect the above ground pump. This pump will move the water from the 1100 gallon above ground water tank through the pipes to the cabin. I like the idea of having this tank so that in the event the pump goes out again, we will have water for washing and flushing until we can get the well man out to fix the pump. Without this tank, it would be very difficult to live out there...no water for watering the animals (unless we dipped out of the pond), no water to flush the toilet, though we could use the compost toilet, and primarily no water for bathing. I could always buy bottled water, or fill up containers at the house in town, but it would be tedious. 1100 gallons will give us a good supply. In addition, it has been plumbed to fit our fire hoses, so in the event of a fire (grass, etc.) we will be able to attempt to put it out.
I brought my pressure canner home as I will be working on canning green beans (I want to buy a green bean frencher like my friend Bonita), and I will be making pickles, hopefully this weekend. My FIL brought me a bag of green beans and a few cucumbers. He asked me if I wanted more cucumbers, and I told him yes, so he is going to bring me more. The grapes probably won't be ready until next month, and then I will make jelly.
We also need to get busy on building the loft for the girls, doing something about the floor, and getting some shelving up, THEN we can start moving our stuff. I am getting antsy, plus not looking forward to downsizing, all while toting a baby.
We came home to make dinner. I made tacos using corn tortillas since we are still working on Lauren's gluten free diet. She also made her Decadent Chocolate Cake using the gluten free cake mix and gluten free icing. I really like it and so did Hannah. Their dad, not so much, and Lauren is scared to taste it.
At the land I moved I set up one of the rabbit cages for the hens to sit on their eggs. One hen started with one egg, and ended up with two hens sitting on twenty eggs. I took all twenty eggs out, but could only catch one hen. The poor thing keeps trying to arrange all those eggs under her without success. I guess the ones on the fringes won't hatch. I just couldn't keep her in the coop as the other hens kept laying in her nest and I had no idea which eggs were new or old. So, now I will be able to pick up any eggs in the coop and know they are fresh. If nothing hatches by the end of June. I'll throw all the eggs away. Still working on buying the incubator.
Trench work was the main order of business tonight. The girls dad worked on digging the trench, I gave him a break for a few minutes and removed a small pile of dirt, but I am not strong enough yet to shovel for too long or to remove too much. Since he was anxious to finish tonight he took over again. All that is left to do tomorrow is to lay the pipe, run the wire through and connect the above ground pump. This pump will move the water from the 1100 gallon above ground water tank through the pipes to the cabin. I like the idea of having this tank so that in the event the pump goes out again, we will have water for washing and flushing until we can get the well man out to fix the pump. Without this tank, it would be very difficult to live out there...no water for watering the animals (unless we dipped out of the pond), no water to flush the toilet, though we could use the compost toilet, and primarily no water for bathing. I could always buy bottled water, or fill up containers at the house in town, but it would be tedious. 1100 gallons will give us a good supply. In addition, it has been plumbed to fit our fire hoses, so in the event of a fire (grass, etc.) we will be able to attempt to put it out.
I brought my pressure canner home as I will be working on canning green beans (I want to buy a green bean frencher like my friend Bonita), and I will be making pickles, hopefully this weekend. My FIL brought me a bag of green beans and a few cucumbers. He asked me if I wanted more cucumbers, and I told him yes, so he is going to bring me more. The grapes probably won't be ready until next month, and then I will make jelly.
We also need to get busy on building the loft for the girls, doing something about the floor, and getting some shelving up, THEN we can start moving our stuff. I am getting antsy, plus not looking forward to downsizing, all while toting a baby.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Tank is Here!
The tank has arrived, finally! This was one of the last things we were waiting on so that we could move. It is plumbed to the well already, but now we have to connect the above ground pump to the tank, connect the electricity, and we are in business. Once we have water to the cabin, we can begin moving our stuff in, and getting rid of the rest. I am going to have one HUGE yard sale once we are moved. I plan just to move everything out to the land, and sort it out there. Everything will have to sit out in the open since I don't have anywhere to put it, but what doesn't fit inside will be sold.
I was give a wonderful oven this weekend. It is an Emerson Convection oven, it will fit a 12 " pizza, and my bread pans fit inside. Yeah! I thought it was going to be a toaster oven but it is better than that! My sister also gave me her George Foreman Rotisseire. Not sure if I will use it, but it was thoughtful, and we do eat a lot of baked chicken, so we'll see if I have room for it.
The kids and I baked their dad's birthday cake in it yesterday, and I cooked BBQ chicken in it for dinner.
We are off this morning to my sisters. The girls will swim later, but Hannah is staying with her while I take Lauren for an appointment at Whole Foods Market. She is having a tour and presentation on Celiac and Gluten Free foods.
I was give a wonderful oven this weekend. It is an Emerson Convection oven, it will fit a 12 " pizza, and my bread pans fit inside. Yeah! I thought it was going to be a toaster oven but it is better than that! My sister also gave me her George Foreman Rotisseire. Not sure if I will use it, but it was thoughtful, and we do eat a lot of baked chicken, so we'll see if I have room for it.
The kids and I baked their dad's birthday cake in it yesterday, and I cooked BBQ chicken in it for dinner.
We are off this morning to my sisters. The girls will swim later, but Hannah is staying with her while I take Lauren for an appointment at Whole Foods Market. She is having a tour and presentation on Celiac and Gluten Free foods.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Swimming Lessons and Barn Cleaning
We were up bright and early Saturday morning to take Hannah to register for swimming lessons. She had a swim test first to determine skill level. She by passed Level I and is in Level II. Her lessons are in the last session, which is the end of July. There are usually less kids in this session, so she will hopefully get more focused attention.
We came home and the baby took a nap before we headed out to the land. The girls watched videos in the bedroom, and looked after the baby. It was 100 degrees Saturday, so I wanted him kept in the AC.
I headed to the barn to sort through storage boxes. No snakes so far, but I saw a mouse, was chased by wasps and killed a brown recluse. I have a stack of items for the trash, stuff that has been destroyed by rats/mice and the puppies. There is also a stack of items for the yard sale. I think I will sell most of my linens too. I'll keep plenty of blankets, but get rid of most of my sheets. I'll keep two sets for each bed. I don't know how long it will be until a house is built or put out there, and there is limited room in the cabin. I really need the barn for other things, so downsizing my belongings is a good idea. I am about a 1/3 of the way through the boxes.
I did find a box of my pans, my new pressure cooker/canner, and canning supplies. I also found two small, white, lace curtains. I washed these in the kitchen sink, wrung them out, and hung them up at the bathroom window. They were dry in no time, and they look good. Will save me having to buy some. I took a picture and when they are developed I will post them here.
It finally got too hot and around 4:30 p.m. we all came inside to cool off and take a nap. We went back out around 7 p.m. The girls and I watered and fed the animals, and their dad finished cutting grass and weed eating. He is worried about more rattlesnakes and the girls getting bit so devoted the past week to getting it done. Everything looks really nice. There is a little bit of shredded trash that needs to be picked up, but we'll do that tomorrow.
In addition, I need to clean my two rabbit cages (one is a friend's and needs to go back to her, and the other is mine). The broody hen is collecting more and more eggs, and has already sat on a few for almost the allotted egg hatching time. If any hatch, I may take the rest to my friend to put in her incubator or buy my own. That would be easier. Anyway, Lauren and I plan to move the hen with her eggs to the cage to prevent her collecting more eggs. We also need to clean the coop really bad.
A funny story. For the past couple of weeks we have arrived to find Baeta sleeping inside the coop. Apparently the door fell open, and she went in. She really doesn't seem bothered by them, maybe because she has been living next to them for about a year. Well, last night Hannah went in to collect eggs and left the gate open. The chickens rushed out and over to Baeta's bowl, which she was eating out of. She walked away, laid down and let them eat her food! I was so surprised. I thought for sure she'd kill one. I know Duchess sure would have. Baeta has such a laid back attitude for a Rottweiler, though strange people do set her off.
We came home and the baby took a nap before we headed out to the land. The girls watched videos in the bedroom, and looked after the baby. It was 100 degrees Saturday, so I wanted him kept in the AC.
I headed to the barn to sort through storage boxes. No snakes so far, but I saw a mouse, was chased by wasps and killed a brown recluse. I have a stack of items for the trash, stuff that has been destroyed by rats/mice and the puppies. There is also a stack of items for the yard sale. I think I will sell most of my linens too. I'll keep plenty of blankets, but get rid of most of my sheets. I'll keep two sets for each bed. I don't know how long it will be until a house is built or put out there, and there is limited room in the cabin. I really need the barn for other things, so downsizing my belongings is a good idea. I am about a 1/3 of the way through the boxes.
I did find a box of my pans, my new pressure cooker/canner, and canning supplies. I also found two small, white, lace curtains. I washed these in the kitchen sink, wrung them out, and hung them up at the bathroom window. They were dry in no time, and they look good. Will save me having to buy some. I took a picture and when they are developed I will post them here.
It finally got too hot and around 4:30 p.m. we all came inside to cool off and take a nap. We went back out around 7 p.m. The girls and I watered and fed the animals, and their dad finished cutting grass and weed eating. He is worried about more rattlesnakes and the girls getting bit so devoted the past week to getting it done. Everything looks really nice. There is a little bit of shredded trash that needs to be picked up, but we'll do that tomorrow.
In addition, I need to clean my two rabbit cages (one is a friend's and needs to go back to her, and the other is mine). The broody hen is collecting more and more eggs, and has already sat on a few for almost the allotted egg hatching time. If any hatch, I may take the rest to my friend to put in her incubator or buy my own. That would be easier. Anyway, Lauren and I plan to move the hen with her eggs to the cage to prevent her collecting more eggs. We also need to clean the coop really bad.
A funny story. For the past couple of weeks we have arrived to find Baeta sleeping inside the coop. Apparently the door fell open, and she went in. She really doesn't seem bothered by them, maybe because she has been living next to them for about a year. Well, last night Hannah went in to collect eggs and left the gate open. The chickens rushed out and over to Baeta's bowl, which she was eating out of. She walked away, laid down and let them eat her food! I was so surprised. I thought for sure she'd kill one. I know Duchess sure would have. Baeta has such a laid back attitude for a Rottweiler, though strange people do set her off.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Resale, Cabin Decor and More
We took a large rubber maid tote over to the resale shop. It was mostly Lauren's clothes. We did save out a few special pieces for Hannah, but she has recently received some really nice summer clothes and more from a friend. Some of the money we received today went to purchase Lauren a nice pair of jean capris, a yellow sleeveless blouse (really cute) and a pink t-shirt. Hannah bought a green t-shirt dress like one her friend Shelby gave her. I know it sounds wierd to buy more clothes after taking in clothes to get rid of but we got rid of so many, that it was okay to get a few pieces that they WILL wear.
You know it's really funny when you watch and monitor what kind of tv programs your kids watch. I used to be really strict with Taylor because he acted out so much. We had to cut out any shows with karate, the Transformers, Ninja Turtles, etc. With the girls I figured they wouldn't be into that stuff, and they aren't. Their TV is now limted to the Disney Channel when school work is done, and watching any Animal shows on Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet and PBS. They LOVE the nature shows. The other show they also really like is "18 Kids and Counting" on TLC. Lauren has also been skimming through the Duggar's book that I bought recently. The other day at the resale shop she found a really cute long denim jumper. It has buckles on the shoulders like overalls but is an ankle length skirt. There are butterfly appliques around the hem. She also purchase a white t-shirt with pink and blue bands around the neck. Now, keep in mind this is how the Duggar girls dress, and I did not encourage her to buy this jumper. She came to me and asked me if she could buy it. I always encourage modesty, and don't allow anything that I consider immodest, so was very pleased that she picked the jumper out on her own. She LOVES it. She has worn it for two days straight now, and it is in the washer for her to wear tomorrow with yet another t-shirt. So, see, what they watch does influence them, either good or bad.
On another note, I picked up two tension rods to hold curtains to hide the under counter area in the cabin's kitchen. I also picked up two curtain sets that have baking pictures along the hem with green checks. Very cute. I also found a magnetic curtain rod! This was exciting. It is really difficult to screw anything into the walls of the cabin as they are thick metal, and the screws will of course poke out through the other side. I bought this curtain rod for the bathroom window along with a blue toilet seat cover and the little rug that goes around the toilet. I hung the curtains under the kitchen counter. Very nice! I also swept the bathroom. Then using Windex I sprayed the small bathroom floor (about 4 X 4 if even that) and cleaned it with a wash rag. I scrubbed the toilet with vinegar and placed the bathroom trash can with a new liner in it. The bathroom looks great! I need to make a little curtain for it out of the fabric I have, so that is next on the list.
We had driven to the next town over to check out the location of the hospital there. I had called around to find the closest hospital to me with anti-venin for snake bites. We have killed a lot of snakes recently (friends have too) and I felt it was important to know where to go. We showed Lauren too, in case she has to drive me or her dad there. Just in case. She has driven on the property, and is a good driver for her age. Since we live in the country, and the potential for injury is there her dad thought it was a good idea for her to learn how to drive for EMERGENCIES ONLY. She drives daily from our chicken coop to the front gate where either her dad or I take over to drive the rest of the way. She can back up through a ranch gate, park, brake without jerking. It's funny to watch her move the seat up, put on the seat belt, adjust her mirrors and head out the back gate onto the driveway towards the front gate. Like a little adult. ;-)
Anyway, I digress. After finding the hospital (really easy, take the second exit off the highway and go straight through the stop sign, it's on the right) we headed to Walmart. This Walmart is the oldest Walmart in our area (possibly in the U.S.). It is the same one that was there 20 years ago when we moved into the area and you can tell. They didn't have everything I was looking for so I will need to head to another town over to the bigger Walmart.
After arriving at the cabin the girls' dad continued to cut the grass to help keep the snakes under control. We have also burned brush, picked up a lot of trash, split and stacked the wood (where we found a rattlesnake). In the process of shredding, a rattlesnake was killed, along with a bull snake that was shredded (accidentally) to little pieces.
Monday is the girl's dad's birthday. With the money they made from selling their clothes they bought him a birthday card and a $15 gift card to Regal cinemas. He LOVES going to the movies. He was very pleased with his gift this afternoon. Of course, they were waiting to accost him as soon as he came in the door. They didn't want to wait until Monday.
Well, off to bed, tomorrow we have to be up early to take Hannah to register for swimming lessons.
You know it's really funny when you watch and monitor what kind of tv programs your kids watch. I used to be really strict with Taylor because he acted out so much. We had to cut out any shows with karate, the Transformers, Ninja Turtles, etc. With the girls I figured they wouldn't be into that stuff, and they aren't. Their TV is now limted to the Disney Channel when school work is done, and watching any Animal shows on Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet and PBS. They LOVE the nature shows. The other show they also really like is "18 Kids and Counting" on TLC. Lauren has also been skimming through the Duggar's book that I bought recently. The other day at the resale shop she found a really cute long denim jumper. It has buckles on the shoulders like overalls but is an ankle length skirt. There are butterfly appliques around the hem. She also purchase a white t-shirt with pink and blue bands around the neck. Now, keep in mind this is how the Duggar girls dress, and I did not encourage her to buy this jumper. She came to me and asked me if she could buy it. I always encourage modesty, and don't allow anything that I consider immodest, so was very pleased that she picked the jumper out on her own. She LOVES it. She has worn it for two days straight now, and it is in the washer for her to wear tomorrow with yet another t-shirt. So, see, what they watch does influence them, either good or bad.
On another note, I picked up two tension rods to hold curtains to hide the under counter area in the cabin's kitchen. I also picked up two curtain sets that have baking pictures along the hem with green checks. Very cute. I also found a magnetic curtain rod! This was exciting. It is really difficult to screw anything into the walls of the cabin as they are thick metal, and the screws will of course poke out through the other side. I bought this curtain rod for the bathroom window along with a blue toilet seat cover and the little rug that goes around the toilet. I hung the curtains under the kitchen counter. Very nice! I also swept the bathroom. Then using Windex I sprayed the small bathroom floor (about 4 X 4 if even that) and cleaned it with a wash rag. I scrubbed the toilet with vinegar and placed the bathroom trash can with a new liner in it. The bathroom looks great! I need to make a little curtain for it out of the fabric I have, so that is next on the list.
We had driven to the next town over to check out the location of the hospital there. I had called around to find the closest hospital to me with anti-venin for snake bites. We have killed a lot of snakes recently (friends have too) and I felt it was important to know where to go. We showed Lauren too, in case she has to drive me or her dad there. Just in case. She has driven on the property, and is a good driver for her age. Since we live in the country, and the potential for injury is there her dad thought it was a good idea for her to learn how to drive for EMERGENCIES ONLY. She drives daily from our chicken coop to the front gate where either her dad or I take over to drive the rest of the way. She can back up through a ranch gate, park, brake without jerking. It's funny to watch her move the seat up, put on the seat belt, adjust her mirrors and head out the back gate onto the driveway towards the front gate. Like a little adult. ;-)
Anyway, I digress. After finding the hospital (really easy, take the second exit off the highway and go straight through the stop sign, it's on the right) we headed to Walmart. This Walmart is the oldest Walmart in our area (possibly in the U.S.). It is the same one that was there 20 years ago when we moved into the area and you can tell. They didn't have everything I was looking for so I will need to head to another town over to the bigger Walmart.
After arriving at the cabin the girls' dad continued to cut the grass to help keep the snakes under control. We have also burned brush, picked up a lot of trash, split and stacked the wood (where we found a rattlesnake). In the process of shredding, a rattlesnake was killed, along with a bull snake that was shredded (accidentally) to little pieces.
Monday is the girl's dad's birthday. With the money they made from selling their clothes they bought him a birthday card and a $15 gift card to Regal cinemas. He LOVES going to the movies. He was very pleased with his gift this afternoon. Of course, they were waiting to accost him as soon as he came in the door. They didn't want to wait until Monday.
Well, off to bed, tomorrow we have to be up early to take Hannah to register for swimming lessons.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The girls and I have been sorting through clothes. Setting the stained ones to be cut into rags, saving the ones of Lauren's that will fit Hannah and that are in good shape, the rest we will be taking to a second hand Children's Resale in a town near us. We just discovered it the other day. We took a bag load, and the girls got a couple of denim dresses. Very cute..oops, baby is awake, more later.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Two snakes killed today. One (bull snake) was run over by the shredder, the other, a rattlesnake was intentionally beheaded. The scary part is that I had the girls pick up trash in the area where the snake was killed. They could have been bitten. We really need to come up with a plan on keeping everyone safe. Even the dogs were scared. Baeta was shaking as she tried to sniff at the snakes.
Lauren's Reading List
A friend asked me the other day if I was keeping a list of what Lauren has read. I do have one, but I am going to compile an electronic listing of the books that Lauren has read, and keep them here because it is easier to access. My written list is in a notebook and it is late and I don't want to turn on the light and wake the baby, so I will write here those I remember off the top of my head, and add the rest later.
Pollyanna
The Little Princess
The Secret Garden
Heidi
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Kaya series (American Girl)
Kirsten series (AG)
Felcity series (AG)
Tinkerbell series
Pilgrim's Progress
Black Beauty
Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe
Anne of Green Gables
Wizard of Oz
The Little House series
The Box Car Children, books 1 and 2 (we just started these)
*more later
Here is the link to the primary reading list that I used for the kids:
http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html
Pollyanna
The Little Princess
The Secret Garden
Heidi
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Kaya series (American Girl)
Kirsten series (AG)
Felcity series (AG)
Tinkerbell series
Pilgrim's Progress
Black Beauty
Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe
Anne of Green Gables
Wizard of Oz
The Little House series
The Box Car Children, books 1 and 2 (we just started these)
*more later
Here is the link to the primary reading list that I used for the kids:
http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
I bought the Vaccine book by Dr. Bob Sears yesterday. I read it last night when the girls and I spent the night at the land. I really wish I would have read it prior to getting James his vaccinations. He was given a couple of his vaccinations yesterday at his appointment. I didn't really want to vaccinate him at all until he was older, but due to recent measles outbreaks and the swine flu scare, I caved and started him on a delayed vaccination schedule. Doing one vaccination at a time. Yesterday was his Polio vaccination, which I found out I didn't really need to give him at all because Polio no longer occurs in the U.S. He was sick all day yesterday and today. He has been extremely cranky, crying very badly, not eating, or sleeping, and today he has been throwing up. If he isn't better by the morning, I'll call the doctor. I understand some reactions can be expected with vaccinations, but am still worried. I think I am going to stop all his vaccination boosters, and go with Dr. Sears Alternative Vaccination Schedule for all the kids, with the exception of the HPV vaccine for Lauren. I talked with her today regarding the vaccine and what it was for, and that I was not going to get her vaccinated. We have talked about sex before, and I told her that my hopes and God's plan is for her to wait until she is married to have sex. She said that this was her goal also, as she did not want to have a baby young because she sees how hard it is with James, and with a young girl we know who had a baby last fall.
I told her that I will do my best to make sure she waits, but once she is an adult, her behavior is her responsibility and she should get the vaccine if she chooses, plus if her future husband has chosen not to abstain until marriage she will need the vaccine to make sure he doesn't infect her. I told her I was praying for her in this area, and was also praying that her future husband would keep himself pure for her.
I've talked to the girls about God having their husband already in mind, and Hannah finds this very interesting. She was talking about James' future wife last night. It was very cute.
After the baby's doctor appointment Monday morning, we stopped by Sun Harvest for Lauren to pick out several snack and food choices. She has Celiac Disease and milk allergies but other than when she was really young she has never eaten appropriately for it. I was becoming so frustrated with her poor eating habits that the doctor told me to leave her alone, that when she was bothered enough by the wrong food she was eating she'd make the change herself. This went against everything I believe in being the parent, and making her eat correctly, but I was really tired of the battle, and the lack of support from other adults who fed her whatever she wanted. So for the past several years she has surived primarily on chicken strips, pickles, potato strips, ramen soup, and the occasional apple. Well, she has recently been having stomach issues that are bothering her, and I reminded her of the Celiac. She didn't remember having it, but was willing to try different foods. We bought pasta that was gluten and wheat free. Regular spaghetti and some organic fusilli make with rice, potato and soy flours. I made spaghetti tonight for both the girls using this pasta, and they didn't notice a taste difference. We also got several different types of cookies, cake mixes, and an All Purpose baking mix (Like Bisquick) all wheat and gluten free. We are on the hunt for new recipes, and a different eating way for Lauren, but also hopefully will eat healthier for the rest of us.
Tonight for dinner I made Skillet hash using ground pork (from a hog the pastor shot), diced red potatoes, and romaine salad for me and Rodney. The girls had the spaghetti. Neither are a big beef eater, though I do add ground beef/pork to the sauce. I am providing apples, bananas, grapes and carrots, free choice, for the girls to eat as they want. Hannah enjoys yogurt and string cheese, and eats a lot healthier than Lauren, though they both have a ways to go in the vegetable department. We are working on that...
Lauren was also given money to purchase art supplies. She is very artistic and loves to draw. She had been wanting art canvasses and oil paints, but after looking through the art shop next to Sun Harvest and talking to an employee we didn't choose the stretched canvasses, but a pad of 9 X 12 canvasses in a pad form (much cheaper) and acrylic pants. She also bought a brush set, a paint palette for mixing the paint colors (she only got red, blue, yellow and white) and a small sketchbook. She has been painting yesterday and today and really likes it. I need to look into art lessons, and/or a book on painting for her. I am useless in this area, as I have no talent for drawing/painting. My skill area is more in the area of famous artists (Monet being my favorite).
We rounded out our day Monday at a birthday party for a friend's young son. He was turning three. He is so cute. The girls had fun playing together, though Hannah needs to seriously work on her manners and sharing skills. If she keeps it up, she won't be allowed to play out of my sight when we go over. (I really like the tomato staking philosophy, but have been lax recently. Time to start staking I think.) www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com
I told her that I will do my best to make sure she waits, but once she is an adult, her behavior is her responsibility and she should get the vaccine if she chooses, plus if her future husband has chosen not to abstain until marriage she will need the vaccine to make sure he doesn't infect her. I told her I was praying for her in this area, and was also praying that her future husband would keep himself pure for her.
I've talked to the girls about God having their husband already in mind, and Hannah finds this very interesting. She was talking about James' future wife last night. It was very cute.
After the baby's doctor appointment Monday morning, we stopped by Sun Harvest for Lauren to pick out several snack and food choices. She has Celiac Disease and milk allergies but other than when she was really young she has never eaten appropriately for it. I was becoming so frustrated with her poor eating habits that the doctor told me to leave her alone, that when she was bothered enough by the wrong food she was eating she'd make the change herself. This went against everything I believe in being the parent, and making her eat correctly, but I was really tired of the battle, and the lack of support from other adults who fed her whatever she wanted. So for the past several years she has surived primarily on chicken strips, pickles, potato strips, ramen soup, and the occasional apple. Well, she has recently been having stomach issues that are bothering her, and I reminded her of the Celiac. She didn't remember having it, but was willing to try different foods. We bought pasta that was gluten and wheat free. Regular spaghetti and some organic fusilli make with rice, potato and soy flours. I made spaghetti tonight for both the girls using this pasta, and they didn't notice a taste difference. We also got several different types of cookies, cake mixes, and an All Purpose baking mix (Like Bisquick) all wheat and gluten free. We are on the hunt for new recipes, and a different eating way for Lauren, but also hopefully will eat healthier for the rest of us.
Tonight for dinner I made Skillet hash using ground pork (from a hog the pastor shot), diced red potatoes, and romaine salad for me and Rodney. The girls had the spaghetti. Neither are a big beef eater, though I do add ground beef/pork to the sauce. I am providing apples, bananas, grapes and carrots, free choice, for the girls to eat as they want. Hannah enjoys yogurt and string cheese, and eats a lot healthier than Lauren, though they both have a ways to go in the vegetable department. We are working on that...
Lauren was also given money to purchase art supplies. She is very artistic and loves to draw. She had been wanting art canvasses and oil paints, but after looking through the art shop next to Sun Harvest and talking to an employee we didn't choose the stretched canvasses, but a pad of 9 X 12 canvasses in a pad form (much cheaper) and acrylic pants. She also bought a brush set, a paint palette for mixing the paint colors (she only got red, blue, yellow and white) and a small sketchbook. She has been painting yesterday and today and really likes it. I need to look into art lessons, and/or a book on painting for her. I am useless in this area, as I have no talent for drawing/painting. My skill area is more in the area of famous artists (Monet being my favorite).
We rounded out our day Monday at a birthday party for a friend's young son. He was turning three. He is so cute. The girls had fun playing together, though Hannah needs to seriously work on her manners and sharing skills. If she keeps it up, she won't be allowed to play out of my sight when we go over. (I really like the tomato staking philosophy, but have been lax recently. Time to start staking I think.) www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com
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