My Birthday....

I've been asked...what was my birthday like?  Not what I expected!

The not so nice but still a blessing is that the electrician came today to put in a new breaker box and fix the wiring in the house.  We didn't have power for 8 hours...but the wiring is safer.  We will have to wait until spring when they can come in with a trencher to get power back out to the outbuildings.

It looks as though we may have lost the majority of our bees this winter.  It's been a really.really hard winter. But we will see once it warms up.  Supposed to be mid 50s later this week!

Cooked my own birthday dinner...but fixed my favorite...Chicken Chimichangas. YUM!

Had a beautiful message on my cell phone from my Mommy!  She sang me Happy Birthday.  I'm such a sap it made me cry!

Found out that  two of the scrapbook stores that I have recently been to (and they gave no indications while there) went out of business in the first week of February.  But a Hobby Lobby opened up where I drive at least 3 times a week.

Then, the "heathens" I work with threw me a birthday party!  I've been making brownies or cake for various friends at work and they all decided to pay it back.  One brought brownies, another brought me a planter with flowers, another my favorite kind of cookies, another punch,  yet another brough 4 kinds of chips and 2 different dips and 2 bottles of pop!  Finally one slipped me a dollar and said he wanted to treat me to a snack in the vending machine but didn't know my favorite.  How's that???

Even when things aren't great...it's all in how you look at it.  I was made to feel very special in a place where I like to be the least.  Things are flipped around crazy right now and I'm trying to make sense of it all.  Personally, in the areas that I should feel confident and loved...I don't see it.  So, I realize this is a crazy post, but I'm confused and trying to sort it out.

I see my blessings...but right now things that I felt were the blessings in my life, have had some of the glimmer rubbed off and the banes of my life today became a joy.  Hmmm...

I can't say I have my health...I've had some serious issues come up in the last 30 days (besides the sinus infection).  I do have my family, but after being in the house for 11 days, I think they need to see less of me. (grin). In recent weeks, I've disconnected from many of the people, things, and activities that I hold dear.  And I miss them...but.....

It was a BAD week!

I missed 6 days of work this month...which for me means that for February...the first day I worked was the 13th!!

It started with the big ice storm mentioned previously.  So...I couldn't get out of the yard on Feb 1-4. At the same time...Boy was sick January 25-28, then Man was sick Jan 30-Feb 3rd... Then on the 5th...Man & I's 18th anniversary..when I was sure I had dodged the bullet....I got sick.  Really.really.SICK!  UG. Then finally on the 9th, I made it out of the house and out to the doctor.

On Feb 11th..it was a really. REALLY. BAD. DAY!  First Boy was supposed to be having a sleepover with one of his best buddies..who's family now all had the flu.  We called another friend..he has strep throat and mom is sick also.  Finally managed to arrange a afternoon with another cherished friend after homeschool gym. ..then...after going to town to check the mail, we headed out to go to gym and ....I crashed my car.  Not bad...for the people.  The car slid on a sheet of ice going down a hill under the Interstate and the driver side wiped out a mailbox.  Mind you...when we stopped I was facing the wrong way on the road.  There was only a little dent near the top of the wheel.  So I set about heading for home...somewhat dazzed and trying to comfort Boy.  The car was acting totally weird.  The horn area of the steering wheel that should be horizonal when going straight was verical.  Then we hit more ice and the dumb car was all over the place.  We drove the 1.5 miles back home.  And asked Man to look.  He was such a rock and so sweet.  Didn't get mad or yell or anything.  Looked under the car and the rod that holds the tire out...was bent in half.  One wheel was going straight the other was turning the corner.  Boy was shook up...but more upset that we were going to miss gym and the promised play date. 

Man had us go down in the delivery van.  Through the crash, out of 12 dozen eggs waiting for delivery...only 3 eggs were broken.  So then, I called insurance and set up for the tow truck to come get the car.  SIGH.  Not great for the debt resolution.  We have a $500 deductible.  But yesterday, I picked up a rental car after another HORRID day. and went to work early (how's that for a bad day?)

FINALLY, I've decided that it wasn't that 2010 was a bad year. (It WAS) and now the yuckiness was leaking into 2011...it was that 39 was my bad year.  Today was my birthday.  I've shook the BAD off my shoes of the previous year and am going to make 40 the best year.  And yes, I said it out loud.

 I.am.40!

The miracle of the power line!

Two weeks ago, we had an issue with the power line that goes out to the security light, the coop and the barn.  Keep in mind our farm house is 105+ years old.  When they put the power in, it was somewhat random.  On the circut that has the outbuildings also has the sub-box that is in Boy's room that runs ALL the lights in the house (and many of the outlets).

On that morning, I was getting things together to take to my dear friend's house (and one of Boy's BFF).  She had a beautiful baby boy the previous week and we were taking over meals and belated Christmas gifts and "stuff".  Then *poof* power out.  We checked the breaker box...and the one would buzz and then pop.  What???  Now if you are going to lose power, I suppose this is the way to do it.  We heat with wood, so that wasn't an issue.  The blower for the woodburner was running....so was all the appliances and the deep freezer, so no lost food.  And the breaker for the woodshop was running so Man could still work.  We had ONE outlet that would still work so we could get the computer up and a lamp.

So, I left a message with the landlady and went on my way.  Two days later the electrician came out and seems that there is a problem with the line going out to the outbuildings, so that was cut off and the rest of the house was restored to power.  We knew that the line going out was somewhat unsafe and had asked our landlady to look into having it upgraded over the summer.  Apparently it was too expensive because after the electrician came out in July, we didn't hear any more about it.  Now it's freezing or below and it has to be addressed.  The lines come out above our kitchen and run parellel out to the light post.  It looks as though the insulation on the lines are gone and they are only a foot apart....perfect for arc-ing. 

OK, long story, I know...if you know me...have I ever told a short story??? :) Fast forward to yesterday.  A HUGE storm came through and left about 3/4 inch of ice on everything.  Followed by high winds.  Nice combo, eh?  So during the night the power went off and on a few times.  Luckily we are in a very small rural electricity co-op and so things get restored fairly quickly.

However, we awoke to many tree limbs (large) down all over the yard.  Including one that came down over the power lines between the house and the light post!  One of the lines was pulled out of the house and was laying on the roof of the porch....over the ground...over the wooded picket fence....over the wooden wishing well....out to the post.  The other has the branch still hanging from it.

Had it been two weeks earlier, that line would have been live and because of the bad shape it was in with the missing insulation....our house likely would have caught on fire...and did I mention our house is 105+ years old....old wood...instant kindling??  Yep...there is the blessing and the miracle of us losing power two weeks before everyone else did. 

The line is still laying on the roof....waiting for above freezing weather and well, the ice to melt before getting taken care of.

New Year..plus a month!

I know I say this quite a bit...but I'm sorry for not being a better blogger.  I've got reasons and excuses....Trojan Virus took over the computer....not much happens in the winter on a farm (like anyone believes that!)...I've had new health issues rare their ugly head,..work deadlines that apply to January only...power outages at home...snow...ice..not being used to typing on a netbook and ending up with 4tijdhsguiv epiuarci....blah..blah...blah.

So, here on the last day of the first month of 2011, I'm going to start off again.  For my birthday coming up, there is a shiny (refurbished) new computer being delivered to our door....TODAY!  Woohoo.  It's faster and more memory for pictures. 

First confessions....it has not been the best year so far.  We found out on the 1st that DH's fishing buddy passed away at a fairly young age.  On the second, a good friend and co-worker (and the Eskies puppy sitter when we went to Arkansas a few years ago) unexpectedly passed at the age of 43.   I discovered on the 7th that my earache/toothache/headache is none of the above and is likely a degerative thing that I will need to take meds and figure out.  DS has been fighting school even though I've tried to do some different things (like a unit study on Pizza, of all things)

I try to take a picture a day...and if not that...then a few a week.  For 2011 so far, I've taken 3 pictures total.  So to say it needs to get better....um yes, please.

With all that being said....I'm back.  My resolutions for 2011:

• The typical, lose weight & get fit.  This time I've got more realistic expectations and bigger motivators with my new health issues.
• Pay down debt (goal is 1/3-1/2)
• Blog 3-5 times a week.
• Examiner article 1x weekly
• Get organized...really or I (and DH) will lose my mind.
• Homeschooling caught up.

Along with those goals...it's opened up new topics for the blog now that there is not a lot going on outside.

February's Plan...

Now...I'm flexible enough to realize that when you make a plan like this...SOMETHING...will happen.  But this is the plan and it may be tweeked as the month goes on...This is actually starting as of tonight because with the whole excitement of the Angel Box we're going now! *items are from the Box

30-*Minestrone Soup and Grilled Cheese
31-Chicken Nuggets*, Waffle Fries* Salad, Homemade Ranch Dressing

1. Chili & Corn Bread, Salad
2. Leftover Night
3. Homestead Chicken and Noodles
4. Homemade Pizza (Homemade Dough)
5. Anniversary-Steaks (in freezer since summer), Baked Potatoes, Broccoli, Salad, Brownies (made by Boy!)
6. Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Homecanned Green Beans, Homecanned Applesauce
7. Speghetti & Meatballs*, Salad
8. Veggie Lo Mein
9. Bean Soup* with Ham, Salad
10. Chicken Nugget Cassarole*, Homemade Bread, Salad
11. Baked Fish, Broccoli, Salad
12. Stuffed Green Peppers with Hamburger and Rice
13. Macaroni & Cheese with Ham Chunks, Cauliflower and Broccoli, Cole Slaw
14. ?
15. Fiesta Jalisco Take out!
16. Sloppy Joes, Waffle Fries, Carrots&Snap Peas*
17. Pork Chops with Apple Dressing
18. Out with Friends!
19. Chicken Nuggets*, Waffle Fries*, Salad
20. Crockpot Beef Roast* with Carrots, Celery, Onions& Potatoes
21. Baked Chicken*, Baked Potatoes, Peas (Evening with the Presidents-Boy giving speech)
22. Leftover Beef made over into Stroganoff with Noodles
23. Baked Beans and Sweet Italian Sausage*, coleslaw
24. Shepards Pie with Green Beans & Mashed Potatoes
25. Homemade Pizza (homemade dough)
26. Turkey & Stuffing, Smashed Pototoes, Cranberries
27. Meatball Subs*, Waffle Fries*

Angel Food Boxes and the Month of (almost) Nothing

Have you ever heard of Angel Food Boxes?  If not, let me tell you about it.

From the website: Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States. The program began in 1994 with 34 families in Monroe, Georgia (between Atlanta and Athens), and has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of families every month across 45 states. Angel Food Ministries crosses denominational lines and has spread the good news of the gospel of Christ through salvation tracts that are placed in each food order.

Blessings by the box

Angel Food is available in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each month's menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60. Comparison shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one could purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.


A friend told me about them a few years ago, but I always seemed to miss the cut off date. As one of my New Year Resolutions to be more aggressive about debt, I decided to do a month-of-almost-nothing at the grocery store.  It seems like that is the only place you can really try to cut back.  I have done a pretty good job in recent months of "Grocery Gaming" and doubling up coupons so that the pantry is fairly full.  The deep freeze is also in good shape and we still have most of the chickens butchered from the homestead.  I was looking for menus and recipes in my anticipation for February being "the" month and came across the Angel Food site again.  It just so happened that the night I was looking at it was the cut off night.  SO, I quickly ordered a box to be delivered to the church down the road from us. (OK, it's about 9 miles...)
 
So here we are.  I got the box today.  I sat down and did what I've always said I wanted to do and planned out almost ALL the meals for the month of February.  (I was bragging that I had planned out all the meals and challenged Man to ask me a day and I'd tell him what we were having...and he picked one of the three days I HADN"T planned....that will teach me to brag!)  We have a few "special" days in February, that's why it is the month of ALMOST nothing.  Our 18th Anniversary is coming up, as is Valentine's Day, and my dreaded milestone birthday...you know the one with the 0 at the end.  So we've planned a night out with dear friends of ours on the 19th.
 
Here's what is in our box this month:

• 1.5 pounds choice beef netted roast with pop-up timer
• 2.5 pounds IQF split chicken breast
• 2.5 pounds breaded chicken breast assorted pieces
• 1.5 pounds fully cooked meatballs
• 2 pounds fully cooked ministrone soup
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound sweet italian sausage
• 1 pound yellow squash and zucchini
• 1 pound sugar snap peas and carrots
• 5 pounds waffle fries
• 6.9 ounce beef-flavored rice and vermicelli
• 1 pound pasta
• 25 ounces pasta sauce
• 1 pound Northern dry beans
• 18 ounces quick oatmeal
• 32 ounces 2 percent shelf stable milk
• Dozen eggs
• One dessert item-Sugar Cookies

After picking up our box, we went over to Kroger and picked up 2 bagged lettuce, 1 of coleslaw, tomatoes, and dairy (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) and 10 boxes of tissues as Boy was sick most of this week and now Man is getting it.  Oh, and cold medicine.

Come along with us...on this adventure.  I'll post our menu tomorrow.

Mixing Bowl Academy

Let's start the New Year off right! With a giveaway!!


On this blog, in cooperation with Currclick, Ami is having not one but two giveaways. The first is for a one time "Mixing Bowl Academy Class." These classes are held "virtually". Some are pre-recorded and others are at a set time weekly. The second giveaway is for a month long class. You can see what they have to offer here .

Go to Ami's Blog to sign up!


"Reprint of my Examiner article"
http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-columbus/mixing-bowl-academy-homeschool-class-giveaway

Merry Christmas from the Homestead

Here's hoping yours is Healthy and Happy!

Our Christmas eve was quiet.  Man's business is very busy so we spent the day working.  I've started helping out in the woodshop as well.  So all three of us were working like Santa's elves to get everyone's Christmas wishes completed for pick up.

A local family had a terrible fire night before last and lost absolutely everything, so I've been sorting clothes for the mama.  She is about the same size as I am.  Scott took a gift to the bank and we are looking at what else we can do.  Luckily, a neighbor saw the blaze and was able to pull the two of the family to safety.  They didn't have an alarm and they almost slept through it!  Thank God everyone is alright!! 

And it is a reminder to us to test the smoke alarms and burn a cresote 'log' to clean out the inside of the chimney again.  Since we heat only with wood, this is so important.

Boy's favorite friend and her family were to spend Christmas Eve with us, but they had unexpected visitors....in the form of little hair bugs...so they are having a "Lousey" Christmas.  Keep your chin up, K...it's almost over!!

Tomorrow, my sister will be over to have Christmas dinner with us!  We're on "puppy watch" as there is a 10% chance that Iona, the pyrenees might have puppies.  At this point, I don't think so as she doesn't seem to be "showing", but we'll see...she would be due between Christmas day and New Year's Day.  So right now she is living on the back porch.  We tried to bring her into the house, but she totally freaked out!

Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas!  Remember why we celebrate it!!

Early Hard Winter

The cold came in fast!!  It went from 40* to 5* in a day....unfortunately, the animals did not take well to the quick temperature change.  We have lost all the Californian Rabbits except Robbie.  And we also lost Sweetie (the lop).  So far, we have lost 3 guineas (both the white ones) and 14 hens (mostly the newish Americaunas) and Gibby Gabby.  Most all we lost the same night...the first really cold one.  It's disappointing because we did have the coop winterized.  It's continued to be frigid and we have not lost any more in the past 4 nights, so hopefully the worst is over.

Here it is the beginning of Christmas week.  I can't believe I haven't posted since Thanksgiving.  Sorry about that!  2011 will be better!  I promise.  I will be posting regularly for a few different topics.  I've been coming up with my plans for the blog and the new year.  As I posted before, I will be blogging for an online "newpaper." and the articles will also be posted here.  I am mainly a homeschooling examiner, but will be posting on some other topics as well...so watch for homeschooling articles.  I've also come up with some "themes" to keep me posting on a regular basis.  I will also be doing some reviews of products and will be able to do giveaways as well!  WOOT!  So start commenting.  The more comments I have, the more products I'm given to review and give away!

Here are some things to look forward to:
Made from Scratch Mondays
"Wordless Wednesday" (This is from another blog carnival)
Field Trip Friday
Homesteading Homeschool

Let me know what you would like to see....

It's Thanksgiving week...and time to be thankful.  I'm thankful for my family who have had to deal yet AGAIN with my health issues....and my mental health issues.  For the farm despite all the work it is.  For bountiful crops and full pantries. For a job that has been here even when I don't love it and even gives me time to blog occasionally.

Last week we took the last 10 meat chickens to be butchered.  Well, I thought it was the last 10 birds...after returning from the processor...two more were lurking around.  We have a bit of a challenge with "chicken math".  Two nights before it was time to take them, I tried to count the number of birds we have.  There are so many right now that I don't really break it out by what they are...just a beak count.  I came up with 73.  THEN we took 10 to the processor...so it should be 63, right??  I counted 67...then found 4 more sleeping in a tree...HUH?!?!  So God multiplied where I subtracted.  Since then we have lost 3.  We had gone almost 6 weeks without finding a dead bird, so it was a bit disheartning to start counting again only to have them go and die on me.  So I think we are at "about" 70 birds. 

• 2 silkies (Professor & Princess)
• 3 adult Muscovy Ducks (1 Drake-Drake, 2 hens- Brownie & Quack)
• 6 "teen" Muscovies (1 Drake, 5 Hens)
• 1 Turkey (Thanksgiving-whom I think has been dieting as he is not ready for Thursday)
• 11 Guineas (2 white, 8 purple, 1 white & purple)
• 2 "left over" meat birds
• 2 roosters (Boo the Americauna and Mohawk the Rhode Island Red)
• 43 Hens (20 newish Americaunas, 2 newish RIR, and some of our named birds including the original Buffy and Muffy and Arica.  Also Susie and Gibby-Gaby)

We've had a dwindling of baby rabbits and are down to 2 "teen" Californias.  So the Rabbit Count is:

• Robbie (Buck-Californian)
• Meg & Mollie (Does-Californians)
• Spot (Buck-Lop)
• Sweetie & Frosty (Does-Lops)
• 2 Teen Californians that need to be "checked"
• There is a possiblity that I will be picking up another female "mini-lop" today.

Everyone is going to be breed this weekend.

We still have the 3 dogs.  Kristl, the inside Eskimo Princess.  Danny, the inside Eskimo Spazz (who was fixed on November 8th and just finished wearing the "Cone of Shame". and Iona, our barn dog Pyrenees.  She is getting on the thin side so we are working on getting her fattened up for winter.  Also, we are not completely convinced that Danny didn't have a romantic interlude with her before his trip to the vet....those cold be some interesting looking pups!

Friends of ours has asked if we would consider keeping a meat cow on the property for them.  We are considering it.  There is the whole fence situation...some areas are not very secure....and I'd like to have a goat or two to take care of the weeds and such.  If we do keep a steer for meat....I'm thinking we ought to have one for milk too.  But that's kinda getting the horse before the cart....oh and speaking of a horse....JK!

Our church had a "Thanksgiving" dinner last night.  I didn't get to go because of work, but the guys went and took my entry for the Cranberry contest.  Each family needed to make a dish with cranberries in it. It could be dessert, salad, etc.  I made a Cranberry and Apple Crisp Bake with Honey Crisp Apples.  There were 18 entries....and I got 3rd!!  WOOT!  So I hope I wrote down.....somewhere.....what I did!

So there's a quick update as to the happenings on the farm.  I am looking to redo the blog so it has tabs and catagories instead of having 6 different blogs going on.  I have been accepted as a local and national blogger for an online magazine site so I need to get this stuff figured out soon.  The bonus of having deadlines for my blogging is that you will now get more timely updates!  There will be tabs for homeschooling, homesteading, canning, scrapbooking, and also one for Zachary's "Smiles for Sam" blog...which was also updated this week.  There are also some other things that I am working on that will be a cool addition if I can get it worked out....hopefully by January. 

Stay tuned.....and please comment!

My apoligies

I have been very far from blogging lately....you see, I have a bad back.  And it has it's moments when it MUST have all the attention.  The last 5 weeks have been all about it.

It's not really better, and I'm coming to realize, that this is my "thorn", as Paul put it.  I'm learning to cope and relearn how to do what must be done, and can be done....just differently.

We'll be back with farm antics, homeschool antics, my new cupcake obsession, and the last of the canning very soon.

Canning Scoreboard

Below is the list of the jars on my shelf.....(I didn't put quantities)

• Jelly / Jam
• Sunshine (Peach/Pear)
• Blackberry
• Black Raspberry
• Queen Anne Lace (aka Weed Jelly)
• Cherry
• Blueberry
• Elderberry
• Concord Grape
• Peach / Cantaloupe Conserve
• Peach
• Strawberry
• Red Raspberry
• 
  Veggies
• Corn
• Creamed Corn
• GreenBeans
• Fruits
• Diced Tomatoes
• Quartered Tomatoes
• Peaches
• Pears
• Tart Cherries
• Others
• Spiced Pears Pear Chutney
• Peach Salsa
• Tomato Salsa
• Tomato / Tomatillo Salsa
• Pickled Peppers (Pepperochinis)
• Bottled Tomato / Garlic / Basil

Frozen

• Corn on the Cob
• Corn (not on the cob)
• Blueberries
• Peppers

Dehydrated

• Corn (Have I mentioned how much corn I got?  Look here)
• Blueberries
• Elderberries
• Peppers

Other Harvest

• Homegrown Popcorn

It's been a busy summer....and I still have two pear trees that need harvested and processed and also 2 bushels of apples to do.  And possibly a few more tomatoes.  And I need to dig up the potato harvest.  Oh, and I picked up Golden Raspberries at a U Pick...well, actually Boy picked, so that will be jelly soon.

Oh, I was asked if I am selling the jellies....yes, I suppose so...The local market for a half pint is $3.50.  Let me know....

for 'colie

I was picking up our RIR's and saw this crate.