To crochet or not to crochet...

that is the question!

In all seriousness something went terribly wrong with my "Blanket" (Afghan) of course I'm not working a pattern, heck I don't need no stinkin instructions! I just doodled through this with practicing various stitches, single, double, triple crochet. I was so gleeful! I felt so proud and thrilled to about my creation! My Mom and Middle Sister (Mandy) are so talented when it comes to crafting and Mandy with her talented knitting needles that I felt that I could tackle this, right?

I did take a few days off and did I mention in those few days when I was sick I forgot the stitches and so I made up what I thought was right? So I'm stitching and stitching tonight so proud that I am zooming through my rows so quickly. After the fourth time around I realize something is off. I hold up my creation and...



I find...

RUFFLES!

Now what?

Go on chuckle!

I know what I need to do, I just feel a bit sad in doing so. Of course there has been some adult joking between Terry and I what to use this for, and Jess thought it would make a great doily or sippy cozy. Back to the drawing board for me! I have been youtubing how to crochet and found some really great videos!

Bethinx1 has some really good easy to understand tutorials. I like that she goes slowly enough and talks about what she is stitching. In the meantime I was checking out Toothbrush rugs that my gal pal Peggy was telling me about. Then pinterest, oh my I can get lost on there! Check my boards out, Melinda Campos.

Well back to rolling up the yarn! SIGH!

Make food from scratch!

I want to greatly reduce the garbage output from the house. I have so much cardboard from the boxes from rice, mac n cheese or random snacks that it is frustrating. In my hopes of reducing this I decided to make more meals from scratch. My new found adventures in cooking has been interesting! The joke around here is if the smoke detector goes off dinner's done! I made up my very first batch of Spaghetti sauce with nothing but natural veggies! Well I didn't have garlic cloves so I used the jar of minced cloves. I felt like I cheated! I used the sauce as the base for Pizza nite and oh my was it YUMMERS! And a big hit! Of course the girls asked why it was orange and not red like normal, but I explained this is what the sauce is supposed to look like. I plan on making more of this one! I found the recipe in my Grandma's old Italian cooking cookbook.

Decided to try at least 2 new recipes a week, from dessert to main course. I had kicked around a monthly menu for us, which Terry bought Mastercook for me to incorporate my recipes that have been floating around in cookbooks or randomly on the fridge. Mini Man is in the "Can't hold me down or back stage" so chairs end up next to the counter or sink so he can reach anything and everything! So back to the Monthly Menu planning! I made out 9 1/2 days for January. I hit a brick wall! Terry suggested I make a list of things I already make to help nudge me along. I made a Excel spreadsheet of Main courses, Desserts, Appetizers and Sides, which I came up with over 30+ items! I was surprised, though I am not sure why this surprised me but it did! After that ephiany I told myself to work on it more, but I got distracted as usual (there goes my undiagnosed Adult ADD again. I still promise to ask the Dr. if this is try or maybe it's just my age.)

Yesterday out the blue I grabbed the calendar, pen and wrote out the menu. It goes like this:

Sunday- Roast something (chicken or beef or port)
Monday- Anything in from a Box
Tuesday- Something in a Bun
Wednesday- Prince Spaghetti nite! (OK maybe not Prince, showing my age for this advertised jingle in the 70's) This could also be Italian Nite.
Thursday- Mexican Nite
Friday- Pizza Nite ( Found this good pizza crust in my Pillsbury cookbook!)
Saturday- Anything goes from leftovers

Less aggravation for me and I can do fancy food recipes for lunch for Terry and I during the week! YEA! Alex is a picker eater so this will work for us. Nothing like having to argue about if the kids will eat what's comin from the kitchen! But she has been good about trying new things lately. OH! I made a Greek lasagna that was WONDERFUL! I should have let it set up longer after cooking but the next day it was so yummy! Much better then the first day!

We did have the Flu bug run through, seems as I am the last to get it. I've felt run down, sick to my stomach and achy over the past few days. I don't have time to get sick! Too many things to do! Terry snuck this picture of Mini Man and I napping yesterday! The Booger Face!

I couldn't sleep any longer yesterday afternoon, so I ended up painting the cabinets over and under the kitchen sink that I had put off doing. I also tackled my future "Butler's pantry cabinets". Today Jess helped me plant about 50 cups with veggie seeds to start us. I have a HUGE list of other herbs and veggies I would like to have.

I started composting! Oh my gosh I can not tell you how excited I am about that. I'm thinking I need to have more excitement in my life. (Not crazy STBX excitement) Just maybe a night out. LOL!
I also know that I have to hold my composure when someone throws out eggshells or the coffee grounds. You would think I had lost gold in the garbage can!

I trimmed Terry's hair the other night. I have a phobia about this only because of STBX. So cutting anyone's hair makes me break out in sweat and shake, seriously. I was so proud that I didn't do that this time, but in my haste I ended up trimming Terry's prized "Sideburns"! After I was done and looking pleased with myself that everything seemed equally and not too butchered I told him to go look in the mirror to check it out. He came back from looking with a big grin on his face and he said, I'm missing something... Remember my sideburns?!

UGH!

Luckily he is good natured about it. We have laughed, giggled and are still making jokes about that one! Anyway his hair and sideburns made it into my small compost can.

I found a Herb garden plan I adore and a veggie garden plan too! I can't wait for SPRING!

Organization!

Yes me! Actually!

Terry added more shelves to the pantry to accommodate the need for space for bath towels. I'm lovin it! So is Mini Man! I have found potatoes and random onions all over the house.

We have a new shelf downstairs for other needs besides food stuff. Such as camping, misc. kitchen and of course bulk items. I'm really digging stocking up. I sort of went nuts in Aldi a few days back. I spent more then the $20 I had initially set for us to spend. Well, it had been almost 2 months since I have done any decent shopping, lately I have been spending $25 here or $100. I really need to set a budget for us since we have limited funds for now. I am trying to dig inside my memory for ways to make money.

I do Craigslist, Etsy, eBay and have been thinking about everything under the sun for extra cash. Legal that is! Growing herbs, flowers, veggies, crafting with herbs and so on. Selling eggs, goats milk/cheese/soap, beekeeping for honey/pollen/wax. I really want to be able to stay home with Mini Man. I was hoping my Doula business would take off. I have had one lead and sadly I missed out due to the move and having no internet to find out about her interest. GRRFACE!

I have been still kicking around the idea of going to Libraries to do speaking or craft demo's as well. I have plenty of experience with that or even maybe something informational about childbirth.

OK, so I got to thinking what in this short time on this earth do I have had experience doing? Besides Secretarial, Receptionist, Super Mom with awesome cape and everything!

MOMS Club charter starter/President
Sunday school teacher
Craft seller and later demo at library
Avon
Christmas around the world
Cub/Girl scout leader
Master Gardener Program
Doula program
Antique/Vintage Dealer
Cleaned houses/businesses

As with all things there has been great success and failures. Or what seems as failures. I have found I am not good with MLM or Sales such as Avon. But I can sell my own things! We have been discussing have a Barn sale in the Spring, perhaps it will not only lead to $$ but also to leads on antiques or items that are needed to be taken off someone's hands. It's a thought! I did enjoy cleaning out houses (taking items soon to be discarded).

Since I do have the Medical Assisting and Doula (Birth Assistant) recently under my belt to my ever growing list I am really hoping to find perhaps a Caregiver situation where I can bring Mini Man with me. But of course if the farm takes off then I will be super busy with that! Oh, thank God that I have so many choices and thank God for providing all I need at this time.

 In the meantime I will keep leaving all in God's hands. Enough rambling I sound very whiny today.

GREAT NEWS!

 If you have been following my other blog you know of the hopeless feeling I was having due to not having a divorce atty. Well! I got one!

YIPEE! He is a volunteer atty! I'm so relieved and hope this well help speed things along.












AND

We have 2 new additions to our home! PUPPIES! 2 adorable puppies! Lab/Australian Shepard, 3 months old outdoor dogs. We are pretty excited and hyped up! Can you tell from the exclamation points?

I am in the process of teaching myself how to crochet. I showed Jess my progress on my first future afghan and she was not as excited as I was. She made a face and said "Really good Mom." She didn't pat my head but I was feeling it coming. The girl towers over me now. I feel as though I am shrinking. I'm 5'5 and she is 5'7. Alex is on her way too, she's 5'6. SIGH! At least I will be taller then the baby for now. BIG SMILE!

I have a garden plan and a handful of seeds to start! I am very excited for Spring as well as chickens, maybe a goat and possibly bee's this year. Oh, Spring come soon! I hope to pick brains of anyone that knows a bit about these.

Things are coming along inside the farm house. I found my doily's and lace tablecloths. Hope to start staging rooms soon. Pictures of improvements soon!

More on Emergency Preparedness

Here's the rub, without my religious beliefs thrown in about Tribulation times...

If our world economy keeps going the way it is our country can be a big crisis.

OR

If you subscribe to the whole Mayan calendar theory...

OR

Maybe it is just a bad storm

OR

You have to leave your home with minimal items for some reason

What will you do if you can't use your cell phone?

If you have no electricity? No microwaves, sewing machines, fridge or dare I say it computer!

No running water

Perhaps you can't even use your car or public transportation!

Now what? Can you feed you and your family or pets for a week or 30 days?

What do you have in your fridge? Oh remember the power is out, so what you have in there now won't keep long!

Pantry items?

Not someone that cooks?! HMMM! Sounds like your in trouble!

It's cold outside now do you know how to make a real fire? Do you know the items besides a stick, string or gas that you can use to make a fire. Going on the theory you may not have a lighter on hand.

Kerosene does last longer then gasoline and can be used in oil lamps! Yes those old fashioned things you see in old re-runs of Little House on the Prairie.

For an extra $5 a week you can grab an extra Mac n' cheese, 5 lbs of flour and perhaps a few cans of soup.

It's not too late to start a small stockpile of things in case of emergency.

We do an Aldi run and pick up things here and there to have it on hand for the if SHTF (*hit Hits The Fan) scenrio. It can't hurt! Picking up OTC medication is helpful, toilet paper, paper towels, diapers and wipes.

Suppose after 30 days you survive whatever. Can you barter for more food? Do you have a garden? Do you have canned items? Can you sew (without a machine!)? Do you have farm animals to trade eggs or milk or meat?

I plan on learning all I can about farm animals going to try chickens, goats, rabbits, and bee keeping, I can use the goat milk for of course milk, cheese and these animals can be used for meat if need be. Which brings me to bee's! Honey, candle wax and to pollinate my garden!


I challenge you to start preparing now! Check out Cafemom (Ladies free to join) there are several homesteading and emergency preparedness groups. Check Yahoogroups or just Google SHTF or Emergency preparedness. Be informed and plan ahead

Super excited!

I can not wait for Spring! We have so many ideas for the farm from gardening to revamping the place. in the meantime I began decorating for Christmas last Thursday. Yes, I know! I know! Christmas is right around the corner and I just dusted off the totes for decorating.

I was so dog gone tired of opening boxes that I threw up my hands and complained to Terry that I didn't want to do any decorating. I sort of stomped my feet and pouted. Hands on my hips and everything!

He gently asked me to just look through things and decide then. Especially since our Mini tornado is still plowing through anything not tied down. So I relented and waved the white flag. Once I got going I was pretty happy he talked me into it. How can I forget my super cute Fisher Price Little People Nativity! Ultimate happy face! As above my Mini man was thrilled to start playing with it! It was a pleasant surprise present last Christmas from my Favorite Guy.

We are really starting to love it here. It feels like home. Terry and I are enjoying the birds, fire's and being so close to nature! Deer at our front and back door!

The girls have adjusted very well to school. Though both are anxious to have Christmas break! 





Someone enjoying a yummy donut this morning! And Maggie is hoping to grab a piece!

 Alex and Jess not so happily helping me make some homemade bird feeders with pinecone's, peanut butter and birdseed. I gathered the pinecones from the front yard and didn't know so many little bugs still made them home at this time of year! YUCK!

 My favorite guys and Maggie enjoying the great outdoors! Maggie is eagerly awaiting for someone to let her out to eat any creature she can sink her teeth into!

 Now this is a Cardinal, he started to flap his wings to go back to his nest!

 Fire time! Loving the view, which I can see from our kitchen window! Alex and Terry soaking up some warmth from the fire!

Jess and her friend Ve loving the view!

Have a great night!

Ok! We moved!

Well the farmhouse redo is totally a fib. It's our redo! I wish I could go into more details. But I can not even give outdoor pic's due to my issue with my Soon to be ex still doing the stalking (visit my other blog for that drama!).

We have so many plans! It has taken every ounce of time we have to work on it! And plans for goats, beekeeping, chickens, oh my! I'm super excited!  More to come!