Adventures in Daily Life

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-31T13:59:00.003-05:00

Washing dishes....

2012-01-27T22:59:00.004-05:00

"Simple living is about living deliberately. Simple living isnot about austerity, or frugality, or income level. It's about being fullyaware of why you are living your particular life, and knowing that life is oneyou have chosen thoughtfully. Simple living is about designing our lives tocoincide with our ideals."

- Janet Luhrs -

I stood at the sink tonight with all the dinner dishesaround me and Little Miss sitting amid it all and I wondered why it isthat suddenly we stopped doing things like washing dishes by hand, rinsing,drying, talking and bonding, and just plain sharing life together.

Several months ago my dishwasher decided it had lived a long life and washed quite enough dishes. Without warning it went out with abang and nearly scared me to death.

In a trice my man was beside me, sure that he had just heard the report of a gun right there in our little kitchen.

Every since that night, I've been washing dishes, or moreaccurately, "we" have been washing dishes.

I don't always do them myself and I almost never do them alone. The boys help and naturally, Lex always wantsto be right in the middle of it.

Do you remember doing dishes two people at a time? Standing at the sinkshoulder to shoulder, one washing, one drying and all the time talking aboutthe day or your interests? Aren't times like this the times when bondingtakes place?

Maybe family ties and home relationships were stronger before we had all theselovely time saving devices. We hurry through our “chores” so that we canrush on and “relax” in front of the computer (or maybe the tv) and stay therefor hours on end, everyone engrossed in their own thing, no one talking, justsimply glued to the screen.

It is not that I think dishwashers (or any other time saving appliance or invention) is inherently wrong. Not at all. In fact I am very grateful for many of them, but I do think maybe….

just maybe, they aren't allthat we think they are. Maybe the time we are saving is simply beingwasted and doing dishes with a child might actually be worth far more than theminutes the dishwasher saves us.

Next time you go into the kitchen, instead of popping the dishesin the dishwasher, try it.

Stop and fill up your sink with warm water and soapy bubbles, turnon some quiet music, and use the time you are washing dishes to talk with yourkids or if you are are alone to simply think and pray, and relax.

It isn't so very quite here when I do dishes. Thereisn’t a lot of relaxing happening. But there is plenty of splashing andgiggles and conversation, sometimes interspersed with short little prayers. I am trying to learn this, trying to make prayer a fiber woven through my days and moments. Prayers like the ones Ann Voskamp wrote about so beautifully.

Someday there will be more quiet moments in mylife, and I am told that then I will miss these loud and often chaotic times.

I think that's true, and yet somedays I still findmyself dreaming of quietness and tidy floors.

2012 - Year of Hope

2012-01-03T15:55:00.001-05:00

The idea to give a word, or a name to the year did not originate with me. I borrowed it after reading Ann Voskamp's blog, A Holy Experience. This resonated with me, and I knew immediately that My word for this year needed to be "HOPE".

I walked outdoors and heard the bean pods rustle and rattle in the wind. They are shriveled and dried and apparently lifeless. In hope, I gathered up the pods and tore out the vines tiding up this bed for the winter and covering it with spent hay.
Later inside the boys joined me in breaking the pods open and collecting the beauty from within. What appears dead is actually a dormant life of bounty that waits for the warm breath of spring.

This is a reminder to hope, to believe even when the marks of death are written everywhere and the cold wind bites and stings bringing tears to my eyes. I am startled with the realization that this is a parable of life. Simple and profound, and I whisper thank you, because I needed this moment of realization.

" Hope abides; therefore I abide.

Countless frustrations have not cowed me.
I am still alive, vibrant with life.
The black cloud will disappear,
The morning sun will appear once again
In all its supernal glory. "

- Sri Chinmoy

A quick search in BlueLetterBible and hope shows up 130 times. I am reading these verses, reminding myself again and again. It is, after all, the only reason we have for hope. He is Hope, our only hope.

Psa 31:24	Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psa 33:18	Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

And so I trust.............. and I hope in Him ..............and through Him.
I am choosing not to give up, choosing to believe in new life and restoration. Choosing to hope........this is my year of hope.

Have you ever named a year? Did you name this year? Would you share your story with me?

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T16:13:00.004-05:00

It is lovely 68 degrees outside and D is taking full advantage of this beautiful weather to finish up our shed project.

This particular project has been in the works for a very long time, it was started April of 2009.

The garage doors just need a coat of paint and the project will be completed. I can't tell you just how much it means to me to see projects like this finished. I love, LOVE checking things off my mental to-do list. YEAH! and cheers to my amazing man for all his hard work and talent.

Orange and Freckles

Bread rising slowly on the counter

Chersonskaya Squash seeds spread out to dry for planting in next years garden.

In praise of the dress up box and creative play.

Baby Sweetness!

Purple Sicily Cauliflower = Happiness

2011-12-12T15:34:00.001-05:00

Funny, how purple cauliflower can literally make you feel happy. I can't help myself, isn't it just Gorgeous?

It is such a perfect contrast to this day of grey overcast skies,and the creeping chill from all the mist............ and it's Monday, too.

I don't know why Monday's seem to be difficult days for me. Many weeks I determine that this WILL be a good Monday, and some Mondays DO go better than others. Still, Mondays have to be my least favorite day of the week.

In less than the very best of humors, I went out to find a veggie for dinner, and instead I found beauty. I can't help loving purple cauliflower. This particular heirloom seed was shared with me last June, - Purple Sicily Cauliflower. I didn't know just how much I would love it. I really planted it just for fun and variety.

But I Do LOVE it, it is so determinedly bright and cheerful in the middle of so much grey and brown.

Right there in the garden I stopped and I thanked God for reminders of Him, reminders of beauty and glory in the most unexpected places and I took a little soul lesson from my purple cauliflower.

I found nourishment for our bodies, and for my spirit, too.

It really is the little things that make up the bulk of our lives. I continue to learn what it means to truly live well and fully, and the answers are, most often, surprising.

And they all lived happily.....after FOREVER.

2011-12-08T07:40:00.001-05:00

Did you ever have a REALLY long day, the kind that felt like you had been through enough for an entire day by 11AM. A day that feels like FOREVER?

Then you will appreciate what I overheard from the play of me seven year old as he told a story in the next room. His story ended like this

....and the all lived happily after FOREVER."

I grinned to myself as I wiped up a dirty kitchen counter and rinsed out the sink from dish washing (and picked the legos out of the drain). I repeated that little line to myself and then I laughed out loud.

So if you are in the middle of an extra rough portion of your own road in life, even if it seems like FOREVER, there is happily coming soon. Keep on keeping on!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T14:22:00.001-05:00

A Breakthrough/Revelation

2011-11-27T17:11:00.001-05:00

I have worked toward this moment for months and months,

and now it has come and I feel overwhelmed by the sheer pain of it all.

Shocked beyond belief and exhausted with the mental overload.

I have hoped that one day he would open up his heart.
One day he would trust me enough to share his fears,
to tell me his nightmares
to talk about his life before our family.

Now, I hold him in my arms like a baby,

He tells me about his life before he came home with us and his body shakes with sobs as his story of brokeness is finally spilled out.

Piece by piece the puzzle is fitted together before my eyes, and the stark and chilling reality is more than I can bear.

Again and again, I whisper my love and acknowledge the pain and the sobbing subsides and all is quiet for a moment and I think I have heard the worst.

More shaking sobs

More fear

More pain

More suffering

It is too much,

too awful,

too heartrending.

Tears fill my eyes and my mind flits back across the years to days when I curled up quietly in a corner reading

"Dori, the Girl Nobody Loved" -Doris VanStone
and
"Wednesday's Child" - Shane Dunphey

I remember this same feeling, I remember thinking, "I wish I could help a child like this".

I never knew that thought would bring me here, and suddenly I feel so selfish for all those times I was sure I just couldn't do this anymore. What is my misery compared to this....

If only I had known.....

I find myself tormented with so many memories of incidents and times

if I had known................... I would have been more compassionate
I would have held more.............. reassured more,
I would have been more patient....................more gentle..................

I didn't know,
I couldn't know.

Why?
If only I had known................

Slowly it dawns on me............IF I had known,
if we had really known the whole package and the whole story of this broken little life..... We would have been afraid and unsure. God knew, He knew all of it.

Today my husband whispered, "Why? Why did God think we could handle this?" and I touched his cheek and said, "Cause God knows things that we don't know".

There is a lot that we don't know, a lot that I don't know. I don't feel equal to the job that lies before me, I don't feel good enough or patient enough. Surely, there is someone out there with less on their plate who is also better equipped to work through these very difficult things and facilitate healing.

My head splits with a pounding headache

I take a deep breathe

Trying to focus on God

Trying to be still before Him

Trying to remember that He is the healer, not me,
He turns the ashes of life into beauty, not me,
He is the God that binds up the broken, not me.

And yes, He does know things that I don't know and for some unknown reason He believes in me more than I believe in myself. He has given this life to me, trusted me to be His hands, trusted me that I would allow Him to use me in this little life.

But will you pray, please? Will you pray for our precious son that God will bind up his wounds, and heal his heart? Will you pray for us, for wisdom, patience, understanding far beyond our years? For mercy and compassion and strength?

Top Ten Reasons I Love My Life

2011-11-22T21:09:00.001-05:00

I am privileged right now to live this life that I have been given. In no particular order, here are my top ten reasons for loving this crazy life.

Cooking daily with super fresh and healthy ingredients straight from our very own farm.
Being married to my best friend for 10 years and we are still best friends.
Hearing night noises- cicadas, crickets and other night insects/creatures that sing to me each night, just like they did in my childhood home. I can hear them outside my window as I write.
Being with everyone in this family all day, every single day (sometimes this drives me crazy, too)
Seeing new life over and over. Just this morning I watched the awe in my children's eyes as they gazed at seven brand new tiny little baby bunnies nestled in a soft nest of rabbit fur.
Learning with my kids and reading so many great books together.
Living within our means and without debt - this is freedom.
Itty Bits and her soft baby cheeks to snuggle and kiss
Three wonderful, dirty, energetic, growing, loud, creative boys to keep my from learning the meaning of boredom and loneliness.
The sense of God's presence in and through my most difficult days. He IS a Good God!

The Perfect Peanut Butter Muffin

2011-11-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

The quest for "The Perfect Peanut Butter Muffin" has ended, and I am thrilled to share this fabulous recipe with you.

If you have any peanut butter fans in your home, you simply MUST make these wonderful little gems. They are super moist, and possibly even better after they have been around for a day. This is passing awesome if you are a super busy mom, like me!!!

The male populace here has not complained about all the test tasting, as I searched for Peanut Butter Perfection.

Peanut Butter does not happen to be one of my favorite ingredients, but in this home I am out numbered 5 to 1.
EVERYONE else (and I mean every single person, even down to the little Itty Bitty) adores peanut butter.
The concept of a Peanut Butter Muffin is lovely because it packs some extra protein and nutrients and makes it perfect for a quick breakfast. I was amazed how hard it was to actually fill all my requirements and come up with a truly wonderful muffin.

My requirements include:

Freshly ground, Whole Grains
Raw Sweetener
Natural Peanut Butter
Healthy Oils/Fats

I made more than a few muffins.

Too dense.
Too dry.
Too crumbly

Like these peanut butter muffins pictured below.

Uggh! they look exactly as crumbly as they were. But they were not wasted. The men just poured milk on them and asked for more.

I finally created my own recipe, an adaptation/combinatioin of several recipes that I found online. The hardest part was the whole grains which tended, when combined with the peanut butter, to make the muffin dry and crumbly. These are most certainly anything but dry, and even I (the non-peanut butter fan) will eat one of these muffins with pleasure.

If you are struck with the unaccountable urge for some peanut butter in you life.. These muffins just might be what your looking for.

Perfect Peanut Butter Muffins

In a large bowl combine:

1 1/2 cups freshly milled Whole Wheat Flour - (preferably soft white wheat, finely ground a.k.a. Pastry Flour)
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp Sea Salt or Real Salt
1 1/2 c. Raw Sugar (Demerara, Turbinado, or Sucanat), Brown Sugar could be substituted.

In another medium sized bowl wisk together:

1/2 cup applesauce -( I may try adding 1/2 cup of mashed banana and see how that works)
1/2 cup oil (coconut/ sunflower/or palm oil) or whatever you normally use.
1 cup All Natural Peanut Butter - crunchy peanut butter is nice, but smooth is fine
2 eggs -Free Range is my choice, naturally
1 1/2 cups Raw Milk (we use our own fresh goat milk)
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Make an indentation in the flour bowl and pour in the wet ingredients and if desired add:

1 cup mini choc chips (optional)

Gently stir both mixtures together just until combined, using a gentle folding motion. Do NOT over stir, or your muffin crumb will be dryer and more crumbly.

Spoon into muffin tins that have been sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with cupcake papers. An icecream scoop works nicely for even proportions. This is exactly the right amount of batter for 24 muffins. These muffins do not rise as much as some muffins and you need not be alarmed at the rather full tins.

Bake at 350 until set, which I believe is about 20 min but I will be honest and tell you that I have yet to time them. I am so sorry. I Always forget to time and just check them "at the right time". So maybe set your timer for 15 min and then keep checking them until they are set and no longer soft in the center. Then do me a favor and leave a comment and let me know how long that was for you. Grins.

Enjoy!

If you like peanut butter, you might also love Peanut Butter Granola Clusters.

Finally....A Name for the Farm

2011-11-17T06:42:00.001-05:00

Several months ago, I wrote A Farmette in Need of a Name. This month we have finally named our farm and opened a new blog, Farrago Acres, for all my agrarian posts. I will still be posting here. This blog will be dedicated to the more personal posts and family related topics.

Chaos & Sanity

2011-11-16T14:48:00.001-05:00

It's been a lot of managed chaos in my corner of the world.

On most days I am okay with this, actually great with the whole deal....

But there are times when I am completely and totally overwhelmed.

I really do Love my life, my husband, my kids, homeschooling, our friends, cooking, gardening....

Yet there are moments when I really just want to run away and hide. Moments when I feel that I absolutely just can't do this anymore.

But I know I can, and of course I will. Do you have times like this? and just exactly how do you stay sane?

October- A Month in Photos

2011-10-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

The cooler fall weather is here and I love being outdoors in the early morning cool air as the sun rises. Everything is beautiful, even the ornery wethers.

D is super happy to have a tractor on the farm. The tractor is in beautiful condition and an answer to the prayers of more than a year.

In September a dear friend came to give us a hand with planting our pasture since we still didn't have a tractor. That pasture looks lovely this month and we are so grateful that we are now able to start on the next pasture and do it ourselves.

Early in the month my mom and little sister came to visit us and we had a lovely time together. We made some fun and silly memories.

The day after my mom traveled home, D left on a little mission trip with Trav and the next ten days I spent a LOT of time in the office keeping things running and hopefully in good shape. I was super thankful for my mom's kindly offer to take two of the boys home with her for a bit to make my life easier. I gratefully accepted and still had my hands more than full as it was.

While D was gone we had a tiny bit of drama relating to the little girl I have been babysitting for the the last 4 months and the week after D returned was the last time we babysat little E. I do miss the little muffin.

We just added ducks to our farm (while D was gone K and I picked them up). These were gifted to us like so many other animals on the farm. In the spring they will start laying and I must say that I really look forward to having duck for dinner some night next fall.

Lexie celebrated her first birthday and we got our very first correspondence with her birthmother. A birthday card and a tiny little note requesting more photos. It was so sweet and touching.

We had a lovely zoo outing with some very dear friends Kim, Heather, and their kids.

And the hard business of cutting teeth, Lexie just got her top two teeth this month and is showing them off and grateful to feel a bit better again. This time around was rough for her, and for me too.

Hope you had a lovely month!

Another Birthday Boy & Contemplating Intentional Living

2011-09-25T18:16:00.001-04:00

The Add man just turned seven, and he informs us that he can now do more farm chores because he is older. Sounds like a good plan to me. :-)

Here he is with his birthday cake of choice a Banana Cake with Mini Chocolate Chips. Naturally, at birthdays I think back to the baby days and about how much has changed since then.

Several days ago I found this picture taken in May 2005 when we visited family in Pa and spent an afternoon with my Granny. She is no longer with us, and Add won't really remember her but for me the picture is special. In this picture Add man is about 8 months old. Nick 19 months and K. is 3 years old.

I looked at the picture and I had a flash back of those very busy toddler days when all the boys were three or younger. It is funny that I am just as busy now, but it is a different kind of busy. Can I say more stressful? I am not sure.

Then it struck me that in another seven years the boys will be 14, 15, and 16 1/2 and Itty Bits will be almost 8 years old. WOW!

I really want to make the most of these years and not to allow myself to simply be carried on the wind of the next pressing task or duty. I want some perspective and want my days to be filled with purposeful and meaningful choices.

But honestly, so many times I am just getting through the day and feeling overwhelmed with all my responsibilities.

Do you know what I mean? How do YOU stop and really live intentionally every day?

11 Months of Adoptive Breastfeeding

2011-09-23T21:32:00.001-04:00

I have previously blogged about the amazing privilege of breastfeeding my little girl and my early experiences with induced lactation. You can read all about it by clicking on the links below

Part 1 Induced Lactation

Part 2 Adoptive Breastfeeding

Part 3 Adoptive Breastfeeding/ Induced Lactation

These three posts have seen a lot of traffic from all over the world. I have received quite a few emails and comments from others interested in attempting the samething.

In this blog I will be answering some of the questions I have received in hopes that it will benefit others who may be searching the limited available data on induced lactation and/or re-lactation.

All questions will be in burgandy italics.

Was your experience a relactation, after previously breastfeeding? If so, how long was it since you breastfed your bio child?

Yes, I have previously breastfed two bio children but my last son was completely weaned over five years before Lexie joined us. The shorter time span between a previous breastfeeding and relactation the easier and more successful relactation will be. It is possible however to breastfeed with induced lactation without ever having given birth or breastfeed previously!

How long were you able to continue breastfeeding your adopted daughter?

Lexie will be 12 months old in just two weeks and I havecontinued to breastfeed her exclusively.

If she were eating solids I don’t think I would besupplementing at all. But she still refuses solids (the little silly head). I have continued to use a supplemental nursingsystem to supplement a few ounces of milk each day.

Lexie is also adamantly opposed to the bottle!

Maybe, just possibly,I was too concerned about nipple confusion in those first few weeks?

This refusal to eatsolids or take a bottle has been a source of annoyance to my wonderful guy, whowould really like a baby free date like we had with the other kids. Honestly, Ikinda think that would be nice too. I/we have tried every bottle you can imagine. No luck! A friend even loaned me one of thoseBoob Bottles. Haha! But no, it is just not good enough for theprincess.

So breastfeed I do…. and quite happily. Lexie is growing and thriving and developingon schedule, albeit she is still small for size, but this is genetic given herfamily medical history.

I saw on your blog that you did notuse domperidone? Is that still the case?

I do NOT take any Domperidone or any other drug!

As I noted in my previous blogs I have used herbal tincturesand teas with success.

What herbs did you find to be themost helpful and are you still taking them today?

In my first blog on Induced Lactation I shared what I have personally used to support lactation. You can read the full list here

Fenugreek, Fennel and Alfalfa would be my first herbs of choice. As with any herb be mindful of your body as you take them and increase slowly watching for any possible side effects. I took a lot and had no side effects save the Fenugreek scent of maple syrup that is common and harmless.

Normally each time I sat down to nurse I would drink tea (hot or cold), take tincture and/or herb capsules.

I highly recommend the Nurse-Me Ryme Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs scroll down the page on this link and you will see this tea listed towards the bottom of the page

or Mama's Milk Tea from Bulk Herb Store.

Don't forget that your diet and liquid intake will impact your milk in a marked way. Check out this Lactogenic Food List.

I have not continued to take herbal supplements and teas on adaily basis after my milk supply was well established – around 4 months I stopped taking these supplements on a daily basis.

I still rely on herbalsupplements each month just before my cycle. I have found that my milk supply is reducedsignificantly about two days before my monthly cycle and the first day or twoof my cycle. During this time I have found it helpful to use my herbaltinctures and/or tea. I also supplementduring this time with a bit more homemade formula than I would normally give.

Lexie normally takesa grand total of approximately 6 ounces of supplemental formula each day while nursing using the SNSMedela Feeding System. During this low milk supply phase of 3-4 days shewill take closer to 10 or 11 ounces of supplement. This ounce amount is a grand total for a 24 hour period and is in addition to the breastmilk that she gets from me. She is always offered as much as she likes with each feeding. I frequently nurse her on at least one side, sometimes both before adding supplement. Some feedings we use no supplement but normally she takes about 1-2 ounces of supplement with each feeding.

At 7 months we stopped using the supplemental feederscompletely and she was eating a tiny bit of baby food. She quit eating and we ended up needing tosupplement again. This is no big dealsince we are very used to it now and it doesn’t feel at all cumbersome.

Which supplemental feeding system do you recommend,the Lact-Aid or the Medela SNS?

From birth to 7 months I supplemented with donatedbreastmilk and during this time I solely used the Lact-Aid, and kept the SNS on shelf as back up. The Lact-Aid is my favorite because of howeasy it is to prepare milk in advance, transport it easily and feed discreetly but…

For the last five months I have been using the Medela SNS because I ammaking Homemade Goat Milk Formula and it is too thick to feed properly in theLact-Aid. I was forced to switch to theMedela SNS and use the larger tubing which is designed for older babies and afaster flow. It does not flow fasterwith this formula but we have had no trouble with the tubes clogging.

However, the design is weak and after 3 months Ihad to order replacement tubing becausethe tubes separate near the lid were they are attached and it starts leaking. It has been three months since replacementand once again the tubes are leaking, so maybe the life expectancy of thetubing is around 3 months. If you know you will be using the SNS for anyextended period of time, I highlyrecommend that you buy several replacement tubing pieces. I no longer use thestring around the neck and hold the bottle, this keeps baby from grabbing thetubes (read breaking the tubes) and really it is easier when you have beendealing with this contraption for months anyway.

You mentioned homemade formula, pleaseexplain.

The formula that I make is from - “Nourishing Traditions” bySally Fallon

I have made several adaptions – I swap brown rice syrup in place of thelactose sugar. Lexie did not do well withthe Lactose sugar and handles the brown rice syrup fine. On the same note, Iuse Goat milk and cream in place of cow milk, as well as goat milk derived bifidobacterium infantis, in place of thetypical cow milk derived version.

I have chosen to make her formula because I am veryuncomfortable feeding my baby Chinese sourced dairy products (just check outall the recalls), milk that has been processed at high temperatures, soyproducts or corn syrup. I will not belabor the point. If you are interested, here is a great blogwith the recipes and some explanations.

Video: Homemade Formula

and

How To Make Homemade Baby Formula

I believe that this answers most of the questions that have been asked. Feel free to leave additional questions in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

All In A Days Work

2011-09-18T21:18:00.000-04:00

The air is crisp and cool and the back of the truck is filled with baskets and baskets of apples. It is a perfect Saturday for working outdoors.............for making applesauce with our friends.

I hear myself assuring Kimberly (or maybe I am actually trying to re-assure myself) that doing 100 quarts of applesauce in a day is completely within our range.

Only.....there is another factor (or maybe three or four factors) that have not been taken into consideration.

We are actually trying to do more than just 100 qrts of applesauce today.

We will make a bit of cider, too.

Our little bit of sweet cider = 13 gallons.

We hung a couple sides of bacon and laid out a load of ham hocks in the smoke house to smoke while we are doing the sauce and the cider.

....and the previously smoked Canadian Bacon really must be sliced and packaged today.

photo courtesy of Kim B.

And since we are outside doing all of this, someone (no, it was not me) came up with the great idea of making stock from all the bones we saved from meat processing.

We do have a formidable crew of 4 adults and 10 children. Two of which are under a year and none over 13 years of age.

That Is plenty of hands, I assure you. It shouldn't be THAT hard, should it?

Is it possible that someone around here is an over-achiever? or maybe they are just to dumb to know when enough is enough.

photo courtesy of Kim B.

Either way, we really did do it, ALL of it, including the 112 quarts of applesauce.

photo courtesy of Kim B.

W couldn't have done it without our guys, they were awesome! and the kids were a big help as well!

photo courtesy of Kim B.

It's been another crazy adventure............. one we won't soon forget.

I'm so glad today is Sunday! It is lovely to rest and do a lot of nothing.

11 Months of Baby Love

2011-09-06T20:47:00.002-04:00

August in Review

2011-09-04T13:25:00.005-04:00

The month passed in blur of heat waves, food processing, homeschooling and reoccurring infections for me. I think August might have more accurately been spelled Exhaustion.

During especially difficult periods of life, I find that small things become more vivid and meaningful. Like this rose bush that Jenn gave to me this spring before she moved to KY. It's simple elegance is inspiring and makes me smile each time I pass by.

Or the fragrant leafy green of an amazing basil plant. I do love basil! It will dress up the simplest poached egg and toast and transform them into something truly lovely.

and of course, there is always Lexie. (Smile)
Here she is at 10 months.

Did you want to see how big she really is? Rrrr..... I mean, how small.

I present to you THE Itty Bit with my dear friend Kim's Mr. cutie pie..........

.........will you believe me when I tell you that Lexie is oldest of the two of them?
In all fairness, Little W. is actually bigger than average and Lexie is truly "Itty Bitty" so the contrast is rather striking.

We also celebrated Nick's 8th Birthday last month. He was thrilled to make his own cake - Double Chocolate with Sprinkles. Served with a large scoop Mint Gelato. Most of the pictures didn't turn out for some reason, but I did get one decent shot.

It's been a hard month in many ways...
BUT GOD....... (I am so glad for that qualifier, it makes all the difference in the world)
He truly has been there and has seen us through. We are breaking new ground and seeing advances in areas we have prayed and agonized over for a long time. RAD is so complex and I am truly grateful that we serve a miracle working God who gives back the years that the locust has eaten (Joel 2:25) and is a God of mercy and restoration. That doesn't make things necessarily easy but it gives hopes. Hope is what keeps me going through the extra difficult days.

We have also made some great progress here on the farm.

From laying block to

Sealing the block in preparation for back filling,

And now working on the roof.
It appears that our root cellar will be finished before cold weather arrives and I am so excited. This project has taken ever so much longer than either of us anticipated and cost more than we calculated as well.
It reminds me of my Dad telling me that if you want a realistic figure you should always estimated how much you think a project will cost and then add half of that amount again to your estimation and you will be about right. If you really want to be safe, just double your figure. In this way you will never be unable to finish a project or be forced to borrow.
So far, my limited experience would second his observations entirely to well.

Gelato - Custard Style Ice Cream

2011-07-30T15:59:00.001-04:00

I promised I would share a fabulous Basic Gelato recipe with several of you, and the month is almost out and still no gelato recipe. So I am going to take the easy route out and give you a link to a wonderful blogger who has blogged about it beautifully. This recipe is truly Great!

Gelato: The Basic Recipe

Here are my adaptations:
Whole milk goat milk - no additional cream
Evaporated cane juice in place of white sugar -reduce amount to 1/2 c. per recipe.

I ALWAYS make a double batch. It is the perfect amount to fit in my little ice cream freezer.

I have also tried the footnote version that is thickened with cornstarch. He writes,

"If you don't like the idea of using egg yolks, there are eggless variations: many recipes call for some stabilizer like cornstarch, agar or gelatin to thicken the batter rather than the egg yolks. In this case, add all the sugar to the saucepan together with the milk in Step 1, then add 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch or one of the other thickeners as a slurry to the hot milk and cream until thick. You can skip steps 2-4; just allow the mixture to cool, and proceed with Steps 5 and 6. "

I tried the above version and it was okay. I wanted it a bit richer so I fooled around and basically ended up making a thick custard and prepared it the way you would normally make a cooked pudding or custard sauce.

1 quart of milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 whole eggs, beaten

This version is good for fresh eating but no where close to the quality of the original recipe.

DO NOT try to serve a cornstarch gelato version as an Affogato. As the espresso melts the gelato, something very strange takes place and you will find this sludgy weird thing happening in your bowl. It is really nasty and so wrong in every way.

I made this mistake and horrors! I actually served it to a friend. (I am so sorry Heather, one day I will serve you a real Affogato, and you won't need to be gracious it will be truly delicious).

Happy Weekend! -LeAnn

A picture is worth a thousand words

2011-07-19T17:54:00.000-04:00

This is a good thing, because I can't think of a thousand words right now. So here's your picture.

Break Even Day

2011-07-09T19:07:00.000-04:00

Princess Pea is Nine Months Old

I can't believe it has been nine months, already!

Little Princess is now mobile and getting wherever she wants to go. Communicates well, and says "Day-ee" and "MamMam" and a very steady flow of baby talk.

She remains firmly attached to my side, and we dub her the "barnacle baby". Although this is inconvenient at times, it is a good thing. We have no attachment disorder to work with, and that is truly a Huge blessing.

She is still not interested in solid food at all. Breastfeeding 100% of the time, but still using the SNS and supplementing a few ounces of Homemade Goat Milk Formula (adapted from the Nourishing Traditions Recipe by Sally Fallon). It is kind of amazing to have made it this far, but it seems totally normal and everyday to me. It has been a great experience and I would absolutely recommend it.

Happy weekend and a blessed Sunday for each of you!

Seed Swap Party

2011-06-30T22:36:00.002-04:00

My lovely friend Kimberly planned a fabulous seed swap party.

I love heirloom seeds for many reasons and fortunately some of my favorite people share the same love.

It was Wonderful to go to a party that didn't involve any guilty feelings or pressure to purchase items that are overpriced. I seriously have a great dislike for all those Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, and Etc. Parties.

I always feel like I Should go and then If I go I feel like I must buy something and then I feel guilty because I really Should spend more and I really don't want to. I just HATE it, it is a big ball of guilt and pressure and it is just not my cup of tea.

But this, oh my this was so different and so absolutely fun in every way!

We all had a great afternoon swapping seeds from our gardens and telling stories and trouble shooting together over garden problems and pests, and generally enjoying each others company and the lovely drinks and desserts that Kimberly prepared for us.

I brought home a awesome variety of seed and I can't wait to try them.

Early Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
White Dutch Cabbage
French Red Rock Cabbage
Yates Blue Curled Kale
Extra Dwarf Bok Choy
White Hailstone Radish
Baby Lima
Poinsettia Cucumber
Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber
Black Turtle Bean
Popcorn - NonGMO
Harvest Decorative Corn
Purple Sicily Cauliflower
Calabrese Broccoli
Long White Bunching Onions
Prescott Ford Blanc Melon
Sleeping Beauty Cantelope
Golden Honeymoon Melon
Green Globe Artichoke
Hyssop
Caraway
Blue Larkspur
Red Star Hibiscus
Mixed Hollyhocks

Some of the seeds I shared were:

German Pink Tomato
Banana Cantelope
Red Dragon Carrot
Feverfew
Amish Neck Pumpkin
Chinese Purple Foot Long Bean
Red Clover Cover Crop

All the kids (except the babies) occupied themselves outdoors while we chatted and swapped. They had a great afternoon, too!

But of course, we made extra certain not to leave any of them behind.

I love this sign! Just because I do, and partly because it is on Steve's barn which makes it even funnier.

Before we headed home we all went out to the garden to look at some particular problem that seems to be plaguing some of Kimberly's squash plants. I love the Three Sisters planting that she did this year! Beautiful!

And of course to admire the animals, too!

I am so grateful for such wonderful friends. I love you guys dearly and I look forward to our next seed and plant swap. Cheers!

A Farmette in Need of a Name

2011-06-19T20:53:00.000-04:00

I picked up our new geography book and began to read the first lines to the boys, and then I laughed out loud and read them again.

"Once in a while you find yourself in an odd situation.
You get into it by degrees and in the most natural way but, when you are right in the midst of it, you are suddenly astonished and ask yourself how in the world it all came to be."
- Kontiki by Thor Heyerdahl

Heyerdahl sums up my feelings about our farmette better than I could for myself.

We really need to name this little farmette! But we haven't hit on the perfect name and we have been at this naming game for over a year.

But the game must stop and we must land a name for this little portion of terra firma.

We joke about naming it
Google Farm - because we google everything and most of what we know we have learned through this medium.
But what if one day we needed to label a product with the name of our farm?
No, it simply will not do!

I need to make business cards to leave in strategic spots and hand out to unsuspecting friends in hopes that I might be able to sell a few of the oodles of eggs and gallons of milk that are overrunning us.

But it isn't like naming a farm is the only thing I have to do right now. There are berries to pick

a garden to weed. Oh, please don't come look at all my weeds, it is truly dreadful this year, and I am mortified. But the tomatoes are lovely!

(No, we don't grow Math-U-See cubes, though sometimes the kitchen floor looks like we might be growing them. Haha!)

We have also been Loving our Heirloom Dragon Tongue and Empress Beans.

and the Fresh Purple Stripe Garlic is absolutely amazing!!!!

Anything we don't want to eat will always be welcomed by Mama porker and her babies.

But a name?
We simply Must have a name (and it cannot have our last name in it, for various reasons).

Barefoot Ridge
Farthing Place
Ridge Croft

Do you have a suggestion?

8 months old - Already?

2011-06-08T19:37:00.002-04:00

2011-06-03T10:07:00.001-04:00

These guys make me smile!

Yes, they made me smile even when there were three loads of laundry on my living room couch and a mound of green beans on the kitchen table waiting to be snapped, plus dirty dishes on the counters.

I was having one of those moments of intense frustration, and feeling so very behind in absolutely everything. I went in search of boys for chore assistance and this is what I found.

It just made me laugh, this combination is really to funny for words.

Are you smiling, too?

If you have a good caption for this photo, please do leave it the comments.

2010-2011 School Year Completed!

2011-05-21T23:59:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was our last day of "regular" school!!
(Cheers and much dancing!)
Next week we will be doing term exams, and this is always looked upon as a fun school week by all the boys.

During the last few days we have spent a good deal of time discussing our favorite book selections from this school year. I asked each of the boys for their three top favorite selections. This proved and impossible task, so I stretched it to five favorites.

After much deliberation, Keishon narrowed his favorites down to these five books:

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
Men of Iron - Howard Pyle
Wind in The Willows - Kenneth Grahame
Book Of Indians - Holling C. Holling
The Heroes - Charles Kingsley

Nick's five favorites are:

Pinocchio - C. Collodi
Sea Bird - Holling C. Holling
Child's History of the World - V.M. Hilyer
Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
Peter Pan - James Barrie (not pictured, because we borrowed this one from the library)

Add just didn't get the four or five limit. He was nearly in tears because he had so many favorites and he wanted all of them on his picture. So here he is hiding behind his six favorites.

Pagoo - Holling C. Holling
Seabird - Holling C. Holling
Zlateh the Goat - Isaac Bashevis Singer
A Child's History of the World - V.M. Hilyer
Charlotte's Web - E. B. White
Dr. Dolittle - Hugh Lofting

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to hear them trying to pick favorites from among all these wonderful books.

As we finish up this year, I am already busy planning our next school year.
And, I am counting the days until the Childlight Conference.
I can't say enough good things about this annual Charlotte Mason Education Conference. I look forward to it each year for inspiration and encouragement. Teaching from a CM perspective takes a tremendous paradigm shift, and this can be really daunting. The Childlight Education Conference is the perfect place to take your questions and come away with answers, and the courage to tackle the task ahead. I can't wait!!!

I know that this conference will be a bit different for me, since I will be taking Itty Bits with me.
But you know, I wouldn't trade my little sunshine for the world! I could just eat this little gal up!
Seriously, do they make cuter babies anywhere?

But back to school subjects, before I get too entirely sidetracked gushing about my baby love. (Grins)

I am already really excited about our next school year, and can't wait to have all our new books in hand.
The CLUSA pre-pilot year has been really good for me (though it has also been really hard at some points, too)
This next year we will only be piloting Y4, and I will be making a few adaptations to bring all the boys on board for most of our studies. Of course, Math and that sort of thing will be at appropriate levels, and K. will have a heavier load than the younger two boys.

Our history time period will be running roughly from about 1650 to 1770.

Our book list for the year has no less than 50 books, 64 if you add in free reads.
This probably should be overwhelming, but I feel like a kid in a candy store.
This might be due to the fact that many of our books for this year are selections that I have never read and I can't wait to get my hands on them. These books come recommended by people that I know and trust, so I am quite sure that even the ones I am not familiar with will be wonderful.

It seems that maybe this year I will actually learn something about astronomy. Hah! about time, Right?
Surely, one of the eight science books will help me to get over my desire to see the dots in sky connected with little lines.

Maybe it will be
Night Watch, a Practical Guide - Terence Dickinson
or
Stars: The New Way To See Them - H. A. Rey

I am also looking forward to reading what George Washington has to say in his book
"Rules of Civility". I think we could use some of that civility around here.

Conveniently Tiny

2011-05-08T23:05:00.000-04:00

Miss Itty Bitty fits perfectly in the sink.

This works fabulously, though I can't say when it was that I figured it out.

We both think it is brilliant baby seat!

There is a green word for this, it is called re-purposing. We are VERY green around here.

Haha!

There just might be more than one reason to use non-toxic, organic face washes and moisturizers.

A Lovely Mother's Day Read

2011-05-08T15:57:00.000-04:00

This is a wonderful article by Gladys Schaefer, just perfect for Mother's Day.
I hope you will be blessed and inspired, too. Happy Mother's Day!

http://childlightusa.wordpress.com/

Keep on going

2011-05-07T07:08:00.000-04:00

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop."
~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

I learn so many things while reading/teaching my children...even from Alice in Wonderland. LOL!
Today, my little tidbit is "keep on keep'in on". Thank you Mr. Carrol

7 months old

2011-05-06T22:00:00.001-04:00

Little Muffin is 7 months old today.

Overnight she has become opinionated and very vocal about her feelings. For the past several days she has made it quite clear that she is not interested in any supplemental milk feeding. Bye, bye Lact-aid and SNS. At the same time she has also started to sleep through the night. It seems that my dreams have come true and we are now solely breastfeeding.

She takes absolutely no bottles. I am working on get her to take a sip cup, but honestly it is just a toy at the moment. She would rather have little sips of from my big glass cup. This reminds me so much of Keishon.
She eats only a tiny amount of baby food, one soft egg yolk and one avocado cube each day. Occasionally, she will also have a bite of banana or applesauce or chicken broth.

She is doing GREAT in every way and has mastered ALL of the seven month milestones. So though she is tiny I am not worried, I know its genetic. Tiny packages are so much fun!!!!

Movement Milestones

Rolls both ways (front to back, back to front)
Sits with, and then without, support of her hands
Supports her whole weight on her legs
Reaches with one hand
Transfers object from hand to hand
Uses raking grasp (not pincer)

Visual Milestones

Develops full color vision
Distance vision matures
Ability to track moving objects improves

Language Milestones

Responds to own name
Begins to respond to “no”
Distinguishes emotions by tone of voice
Responds to sound by making sounds
Uses voice to express joy and displeasure
Babbles chains of consonants

Cognitive Milestones

Finds partially hidden object
Explores with hands and mouth
Struggles to get objects that are out of reach

Social and Emotional Milestones

Enjoys social play
Interested in mirror images
Responds to other people’s expressions of emotion and appears joyful often

Peanut Butter Granola Clusters

2011-04-28T12:11:00.007-04:00

We happen to have a surplus of raw milk and all my men have been begging for granola.

So last night we made a batch of our favorite granola. My guys like big clusters, so I tweaked our recipe a bit and everyone was cheering this morning when they discovered that this granola was nearly All clusters.

When I make granola it involves lugging out big five gallon buckets and there is Always a mess involved.

To save time and frustration I do an extra big batch. If you want to try our recipe, feel free to reduce the amounts. I promise it won't effect the end product.

Peanut Butter Granola Clusters

Combine in a large bowl or bucket

20 c. Rolled Oats or Rolled Mixed Grains

This time around I used 10 cups of Rolled 7 Grain Mix & 10 cups of Quick Oats

If you use all rolled grains and no quick oats, you may want to pulse about half of the rolled grain in a blender so that it is easier for littles to chew.

4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut -(you can swap sweetened and reduce the sugar a bit)
3 cups Sucanat -(or raw sugar, or brown sugar)
3 c. Raw Wheat Germ
3 c. chopped nuts -(your choice - we often use peanuts)
1 c. Ground Flax Seed -(or Chia Seed)
2 tsp. Sea Salt
4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

In a blender combine

1 1/3 c. Coconut Oil (or swap for an oil you keep in stock if you don't use coconut oil)
1 1/3 c Honey (measure it with the cup you measured your oil in and it will slide right out)
1 1/3 cup of Natural Peanut Butter * (see note)
2 TBL Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup Water

Blend wet ingredients until combined and then mix the wet ingredients thoroughly into the dry mixture.
Spray your baking pans with non-stick spray or coat with oil or butter.
I divide this quantity between 4 large 12x18 sided cookie sheets.

Press the mixture down firmly, as if you were making granola bars.
You will need to bake these in two batches.
Adjust two oven racks to the center of your oven, place one cookie sheet on the top-center, and the other on the bottom-center.
Bake at 350 for 15 min and rotate the pans from top to bottom and bottom to top and bake another 15 min until golden.
Allow granola to cool in the pans and then break into clumps. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

*Note:
If you have a powerful blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec) you can substitute 3c. of peanuts for the peanut butter and blend these with your oil, honey, water and vanilla until it is smooth and creamy.

Farm Babies

2011-04-27T16:40:00.005-04:00

The baby kids are so SWEET!

Full moon was April 18, our animals all had their babies the day before on the 17th.
This is Mulk's right before she kidded.

Mulks is 1/2 alpine, and if I remember correctly, part Saanen, Nigerian Dwarf.

This was her first kidding and she had two kids, both female, YEAH. We had her bred with a friend's Nubian and the kids both have the long floppy Nubian ears and they don't look a bit like their mother.

The sow had six piglets and she balanced things out by having 5 males and only one female. Arggh.

And four baby bunnies too. Here is the one of them, K says it looks more like a squirrel than a bunny. LOL!

Everyone is especially enjoying the cute bunnies and the funny little kids. We chose to bottle feed our kids this time around and hopefully they will be easier to handle and more people friendly. After the initial first days, the boys have taken over this job.

Nick is a natural around the kids and loves to take care of them.

I, personally, am floored at how many animals we have around this place. Five years ago I would never have guessed that we would be doing this. Shoot, even two years ago I might not have believed it.

But here we are, and strange enough I am enjoying the early morning milking routines, and I love seeing the boys relating with the animals.

A BB In My EAR

2011-04-20T22:22:00.000-04:00

"Mom, you need to look in my ear, it kinda feels like there is a BB in there."

I narrowed my eyes just slightly and said, "Add, would that be because there IS a BB in your ear? Maybe you had better come here."

He came over to the couch, where I sat nursing Lexie, and I peered down his ear canal. Yes, I saw the shiny BB lodged rather deeply in his ear canal. He must have tried to get it out on his own earlier. An inspection of the opposite ear revealed the same condition there. BB's in BOTH ears?

Honestly, we do have things to do around here besides filling our ears with BB's.

I know that most people would head straight to the emergency room or the doctor's office to get this sort of thing removed "professionally".

Around here, we don't have insurance to cover this sort of thing and ...........neither are we extremely doctor friendly.................surely I can figure out a way to get this out myself. Right?

Besides, D was not at home. We have only one vehicle, so I couldn't have gone anywhere had I wanted to do so. What to do?

The tricky part is simply making sure that whatever I do, I do not push it down further into the ear canal.

It was already too deep in the ear canal to tweezer it out.

After some thought and prayer, I got a small bulb syringe and warm water and gently filled the ear canal with water. Then I proceeded to gyrate his ear around in hopes that some water would go around the edges of the BB and maybe it would float up. No such luck! Next I had him flip his head over and we thumped around on his head a good deal and sure enough, out it popped. Then we worked on the opposite side which didn't come out nearly as quickly, but finally it also came out.

I had him banging on his own head, so it was a joint effort. :-)

And just in case you are concerned, he wasn't crying, and was not in anyway injured by all this pulling, twisting, and thumping.

I kidded him that I was just knocking some sense into his head, so it wouldn't happen again. But we did have a little conversation where in we discussed the possible side effects this could have had, including an emergency trip to the Doctor. Doctor is not a familiar word to my children and it carries a very SERIOUS stigma.

Life is interesting, isn't it? Do you have kids and BB's? Beware! :-)

Mommy's Little Helper

2011-04-05T22:33:00.000-04:00

No, your right.....
she doesn't Exactly help me.

But she would like to think she helps, and one day she will actually be a huge help.

For now, Lexie loves being in the middle of everything we do. She wants to hold a book when one of the boys is reading to me, she loves to be right there on the counter or the table while I am cooking, or folding laundry or weeding. She wants to hold something real, forget the baby toys. A salad spinner is much more fun, or a big leaf of spinach. If I am doing laundry she wants a piece of laundry, and yes, she will most likely end up sucking on it. When I am weeding or planting in the garden she is happiest with a fist full of grass, or Henbit.

This stage reminds me that right here is where it all starts. If we want our kids to work with us when they are older we have to let them hang with us when they are really to little to offer an valuable help.
We want them be involved and work hard later on in life, and this is easiest taught before they are three years old in fun ways.

At six months Lexie is already learning things as she hangs out with us in the thick of things.
She is Mommy's Little Helper in Training.

Meet Nikka

2011-04-05T21:51:00.001-04:00

She is Nick's identical twin sister.

Well, actually it is Nick with a wig that we picked up on our "Dress Up" shopping spree.

But I think he is adorable! Don't you?

Last Friday I took everyone to the Goodwill Clearing House to find lots of cool dress up items. We found some really cool stuff and some really crazy stuff too.

I believe that, a child's dress up play is one of the ultimate creative play activities. I think every child should have a variety of props to facilitate their playtime.

I clearly remember being a very little girl, trying on a fuchsia hat and fake pearl necklace and snakeskin high heeled shoes at my neighbor lady's house and feeling so very elegant. LOL!

I think it was at that moment, gazing at my reflection in the bathroom mirror that I decided that I would always have dress up things for MY children.

But it is funny, I don't have any high heeled shoes in my collection right now. It seems that the popular items are holsters, Indian costumes, cowboy hats, camo, and wigs.

Some day the girlie side of our dress up bin will be more fleshed out. But we still have some things to share with little girls when they come to play. A knight must occasionally rescue a princess, or kneel to a queen. :-)

So as I mentioned earlier, we headed off to the clearing house to find fresh inspiration for our dress up bin. If you have never been to a Goodwill Clearing House, the way it works is pretty simple. The super fast checkout is awesome! You get a big blue plastic bin on wheels when you walk through the front door. This bin is lined with a clear bag, everything in the store is $1.19 per lb. Fill up your cart, wheel it to the front, and up onto a scales and pay whatever it weighs x $1.19.

Ok, so digging through piles of stuff is NOT my favorite thing to do. But my boys LOVE it and they did most of it. Since I was intending to get dress up things, anything else was just a perk and made our trip very low key and fun.

I really should have the boys model our lovely creative finds, I am sure that they would be happy to let me do a photo shoot.

We found:

a black cape
a Indian Vest
a grandmother dress
two wigs
a baseball outfit
a bright purple silk shirt
yrds of tan fabric and red silk
a Russian flag
a bright pink hat
a string of beads
green feathers
a cowboy shirt
a plastic holster
vinyl "leather" coat

Oh yes, and a whole set of little plastic Army Men and Cowboys and Indians. The boys were ecstatic about this piece of loot.

The question from the boys is, "When can we go back again?"

I think the answer might be "After we get a bigger dress up box". LOL!

Back Online

2011-04-04T21:13:00.001-04:00

Hey there my friends!
It is good to be back, and I am so glad to have a lovely new laptop. It is a sweet little Lenovo Think Pad and I truly love it! I cried no tears about parting with my clunky old Dell and it's dear broken hinges. I am really not sentimental in that way. Actually, I am afraid, I am not very sentimental in ANY way.

The past two weeks have flown by and so much has happened in that time. I have lots and lots of pictures about everything from birthdays to gardening to nature notebooking. And I do hope to have some time soon to post a few of these things.

The biggest events were my oldest son turned nine years old. Goodness, when did he suddenly become so grown up?

Lexie started sitting alone without any support. Sweet little bitty that she is!

and again, laughing her silly little laugh.

We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in Charleston, SC. The camera batteries died and I didn't take any pictures. But then, it isn't like you haven't seen us before.
We did have a lovely relaxing time. Charleston was lovely, as usual. On our first night the reservation department had reserved the wrong dates for us. All of the regular hotels in the area were booked full due to some events in the area. They ended up moving us for one night to the Lodge Alley Inn Resort where we got a two bedroom apartment on Meeting Street. Which cost us nothing at all, since it was their mistake. Sweetness!

This was nice mistake for us, though it was Friday night on Meeting Street and there was certainly a noise factor. The funniest part had to be the valet parking. It was late and it just struck me as horribly funny to park our GGB (Great Green Beast) with all of its grand diesel rumble at the curb of a Lodge Resort Inn. Hah Hah! The utter discrepancy was just hilarious.
We enjoyed some great meals, walking along the Battery, through the market and downtown area as well as plenty of down time. It was so refreshing!

Lexie went along with us and she was a show stopper, as usual. I know she is cute, but what I wasn't prepared for is the perfect strangers that asked to hold her. In two days time I had six of these requests.
Uh, no....I don't exactly pass my baby around to strangers. Did they actually think I would hand over my baby gem? For real?

I promise I'll be back soon with more photos.

The Creation of A Cake

2011-03-14T21:00:00.000-04:00

This cake was Keishon's invention. He wanted to make a fluffy white cake with lemon filling and lemon frosting.
I translated that as
White Genoise with Honey-Lemon Curd Filling and Whipped Lemon Frosting.
We spent the afternoon creating his cake.
Tomorrow there will be a small birthday party with his best friend and twin, E celebrating both of their 9th birthdays.

Cutting parchment circles for the cake pans.

Keishon making beurre noisette.
Just browned butter, really. But beurre noisette sounds much nicer, doesn't it?

Weighing the eggs for the genoise.

Ah, nice fluffy batter with the flour and cornstarch sifted over the top and just waiting to be folded int gently. That is a mommy job, ya know.

And into the oven to bake, with our fingers crossed because, after all, genoise is sometimes fickle.

But all is well, and now the cake is cooling nicely while we move on to the next step.

Honey- Lemon Curd. Oh yeah!!!

K's first egg separating experience.

He loved it, and who can blame him?

It IS amazing to feel the white slide through your fingers and to hold this lovely round yellow orb in your hand.

Stir, stir, stir!!!

Brushing the layers with simple syrup.

Spooning on great mounds of Lemon Curd.

He seems remotely happy. Don't you think?

and now for the frosting, and a bit of mommy help.

Dream cake completed.

Hiking ~ Family ~ Nature

2011-03-13T21:33:00.004-04:00

Today was lovely in every way. Inspiring. Quiet. Peaceful. Restful. and just plain Fun.

In the early afternoon, Duane suggested a short hike and we all headed out to enjoy this awesome weather.

Macy loves the water and she took off ahead. We found her swimming happily in the swamp waters when we arrived.

The boys really wanted to join her out there. Adison announced, "Mom the water is really warmish, coldish." I have a feeling that it was certainly more "coldish" than "warmish".

Of course, they all stayed dry and clean...........well, not exactly dry..........and I suppose clean isn't the word to use either. But they enjoyed it, and that is what really matters.

Lexie checked out some dry grass, enjoyed the warm air....

...and snuggles with Daddy.

I absolutely love watching these two interact!!! They are the BEST!!!

Spring Is In The Air

2011-03-13T15:26:00.002-04:00

The seedlings are doing well. Just maybe, I might be getting excited about the new garden.
It felt so overwhelming just a few weeks ago. Today is a sunny 77 degrees and somehow it makes me feel like being out there cleaning things up and seeing things grow again. We still have some winter crops. Kale, Collards, Spinach, and Chard.

The chickens are laying more eggs...

and the fish are happy to be warm and keep literally jumping out of their pool.

Experimental Makeover

2011-03-09T09:05:00.001-05:00

It's a case of a boy confiscating his daddy's razor.

How long does it take for eyebrows to grow back?

More Than One Color

2011-03-08T15:23:00.000-05:00

He said, "Momma, look what I have."

He opened his hand to show me a picture in beans. "You see, this is our family!"

Alexis - 5m.

2011-03-07T21:16:00.000-05:00

Dark Days and Faith Rewarded

2011-02-20T20:46:00.001-05:00

Hello dear friends!

Yes, I am alive and well, though it HAS been a difficult month. It seems that the clouds are lifting and the sky is blue again.

Sometimes I wonder if Ephesians 6:12 is possibly the cause of much more than we ever realize. I am not the type of person who sees demons and darkness behind every little incident in life. I believe rather firmly that every life happens to have a few curve balls.

But there are moments when things are just far to pronounced to be coincidental. The last three weeks have been like that for us, and one night last week dh and I finally looked at each other and verbalized what we had each been thinking. Something else is going on here, we are wrestling unknowingly “against principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world”. But why? Why now?And then it hit us.

Lexie’s adoption!

What we have just done with Lexie’s adoption is a picture of Christ’s love for each of us.
Lexie's adoption is

a light in darkness,
redemption in action,
a place of belonging in a lonely world,
it is Beauty out of the ashes of sin.

Why WOULDN’T this cause a disturbance in the spiritual realm and call forth an attack on our home?

Wrapped in each other’s arms we prayed together for strength, wisdom and courage for this fight. We have felt His presence and He once again has reminded us that after all He DOES know what He is doing, if we will just trust him.

This week we did our taxes and found to our amazement that God sure has His own ways seeing to all the details.

Let me explain, there is an adoption credit/deduction that has been in effect for years. Each year you can take a certain deduction from your taxes because of adoption. If your income is low this deduction can be rolled ahead to whenever you need it. This is nice and it has been of use to us but the deduction each year is not significantly large. Well, as of November 2010 these laws changed. Now the entire deductable may be taken at one time as a tax return, if we chose. WOW! That is a significant sum.

Between Nick and Lexie’s adoption credits, both of their adoptions will have cost us nothing. We are still waiting on Lexie’s birth certificate which has to come through before we can claim any of these credits. If all goes well, this should happen before April 15.

It was an incredible reminder to us that when you do what God asks of you, He will watch out for you. After such a hard month, it was really like a warm reassuring hug. I can’t tell you how grateful we are just now!

Maybe you have something big or challenging going on in your life, too. If you would like some extra prayer, leave a comment, I’d love to pray with you and for you.

A Very Happy Day!

2011-01-28T21:27:00.034-05:00

Lexie's adoption has been finalized in court!!!! She is 100% our very own little girl and we couldn't be happier!

In this state even the birth certificates will read that she was born to D & I. There is no access to the old birth certificate docs, even in the court files.
.
It was all such a big and memorable day...

....and I would go and leave the camera in the parking garage under my seat.
Seriously? What is wrong with me?

D. comforted me with the fact that we have the cell phone.
And so, here we are with the judge and two very dear friends who joined us to share our special day. It would have been lovely to have the court room full of family and friends, but distance made that impossible. We love you guys, and missed your presence!

Great quality, eh?

Itty Bitty - 3 months old

2011-01-15T10:17:00.000-05:00

Mind Food

2011-01-11T13:30:00.004-05:00

"Oh mom, do I have to read the appetizer."

"Excuse me, the what?"

Sigh. "The appetizer, right here." and he points to the title above his reading story.

"Well, yes you do. But that is called a title, not an appetizer."

"Oh, okay!
But, Mom, I think appetizer makes more sense then title, and I WOULD rather just read the story."

You just have to love the way a six year olds mind works. It is so creative and imaginative!

It isn't all that hard to imagine how he came up with this nomenclature.

An appetizer comes before a meal. Right?

A story is a meal for the mind.

So it naturally follows that what comes before the story would be the appetizer.

This made me think of what Charlotte Mason's wrote in "Towards A Philosophy of Education".

"As soon as a child begins his education, he begins learning as a student. Our role is to make sure he has plenty of food for his mind.

He needs intellectual nourishment of good quality, and he needs lots of it.

Each of us naturally has a limited amount of ideas in our minds, but we know where to get more.

The best thoughts that the world has are stored in books.

We must introduce our children to books--the very best books.

Our concern as educators is to have abundance and orderly serving of them."

I really love this quote! It sums up a great deal in a beautiful way. Mind Food! Yes!

And you know, children aren't the only ones that need intellectual nourishment, mommies need it too.

I had a wonderful conversation about our need for mind food with my sweet friend Kim. It is easy to be so busy mothering that we forget that we must feed ourselves, too.

Life is busy and full and it can be hard to grab those moments to read books that furnish our minds with ideas that are alive. Things we will think about and ponder.

"An inspiring idea sparks a new habit of thought,

and, therefore, a new habit of life.

....

In attempting this important task,

we seek and have the promise of receiving the help of God's Spirit.

We recognize Him as the Supreme Educator,

teaching humans things that men have labeled as secular,

as much as He teaches them things that are considered religious."

- School Education p. 173

Are you reading anything interesting, thought provoking? educational?

I would love to hear about what you are reading. I am always looking for recommendations and suggestions.

You can check out what I have been reading in my sidebar on Library Thing.

School = Leisure?

2010-12-27T16:43:00.002-05:00

Did you know the word school originally meant leisure?

“Latin scola "school," borrowed from Greek skhole,

originally meaning "leisure," then later, "discussion" and "school."

(Education was originally affordable only to the leisure classes.) The Latin word is found in almost all European languages.”

When I read that I found it amusing. Leisure? Hah!

Not so much.

School, or homeschool, is anything but leisure for me. But it is a privilege for me, and for my kids.

Sometimes it is easy to forget that not everyone receives an education.

I happen to live in America, in this country “we” think it is our RIGHT to have an education. Never mind the fact that in Africa over 40% of kids never have any sort of book education and out of the 60% that do, only 1/3 are able to finish primary school.

So, though I may not consider it leisure, school is still for the privileged of this world. I, for one, am extra blessed because I get to teach my own kids.

It is startling how ungrateful I really am, and how blind I am to my own ungratefulness.

In the midst of all the drama and the craziness of this thing called homeschooling, I want to stop and say thank you to God.

1) For my kids
2) For my education
3) For the freedom to educate my kids
4) For a great husband who supports me/us making it possible for me to homeschool
5) For wonderful resources, and inspirational books that help me to be a better teacher/mother

Right now, I am in the midst of planning our next term, hopefully coming up with a new plan that will work with baby girl on board.

Honestly, I feel less than enthusiastic. Overwhelmed might be a better term. I know when we get past this emergent and beginning reader stage things will get easier.

I’ll take a deep breath, and I’ll thank God.

1) For paper, even if it is all over the floor

2) For all the pencils and books that litter the room

3) For the happy faces of my boys, hard at play outside in the frosty air

4) Itty bitty, snuggled up against my chest, sleeping

5) For My man, hard at work in the office.

Life is good, and I am privileged!

Worth it All

2010-12-20T16:45:00.003-05:00

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.
-- Anonymous

Real Life Friday

2010-12-17T14:26:00.006-05:00

It is so easy to forget to document everyday events. Of course, we take pictures of birthdays and parties and special projects. But the little things, the things that make our life what it is, these are so often forgotten. I think reading about a dear family who lost their little boy last week in a sudden freak accident has worked on me subconsciously and made me think about these little moments. I take so much for granted, I really do.

This morning baby hung out in the office with her daddy so that I could get a few pictures of the boys while they did their morning farm chores. I think Lexie thoroughly side tracked her daddy and I know she just ate up all the attention. He loves her to death.

K. feeding the meat birds

and the pigs

Nick checking the nesting box for our one set of layers.

Ad and K filling the pigs water trough

Then we came back in doors and gave baby girl a bath....
which she hates....
and then snuggled her up in a towel which she loves.

Isn't she just too cute for words?

This afternoon we baked some sugar cookies and Duane popped out to shoot a couple pictures of us.

Ginger Studded Sugar Cookies

Mix thoroughly:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tsp tangerine zest

1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

( I am ginger fanatic and love eating crystallized ginger and using it in various baked items. I make it so that I don't have to be stingy with it) :-)

Blend in:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

Cover and chill for 2-3 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough in half and roll out each half to 3/16"

Cut into desired shapes and bake for 7-8 minutes or just until edges begin to brown slightly.

Now off to do laundry, and dishes, after all it is Real Life Friday. Isn't it? LOL!

Induced Lactation - Adoptive Breastfeeding - Adoptive Nursing - Part 3

2010-12-13T21:58:00.006-05:00

Okay, I am finally back again!

I need to finish blogging about breast feeding so that I can move on to other more festive subjects. J Right?

Picking up where I left off on the last blog with

Week 3

This week was similar to week 2. I spent a good deal of time online reading everything that I could find on the subject of induced lactation

All my reading, lead me to believe that I really MUST use domperidone if I wanted any notable success. I broke down and ordered one box of the stuff from a source in Canada. I still can’t believe that I did this, but I was pretty discouraged. I was feeling really impatient with my slow progress.

I dreaded the questions from my wonderful, well meaning friends. I really tried to stay positive for my own sake, but I felt like crying, “A lot of no progress, and I am so discouraged.”

The hard part was that I knew, they would all assure me that it would be okay to bottle feed and I shouldn’t stress about it. I just wasn’t ready to hear that or to allow myself to consider stopping even though I was really discouraged. I gave myself lots of little pep talks. All the info said that 12 weeks was how long it took to really stabilize anything and I was only ¼ there . I told myself daily that it would come, sooner or later and probably later. L

It was during this week that we ran out of our donated breastmilk stash and I started giving her formula – some of the stuff that was sent home from the hospital with us. Ugghh!

It was not a happy time. She went from being a very contended baby to a miserable colicky baby overnight. In the hospital they had already figured out that she was lactose intolerant and had released her on Similac Sensitive. Now I understood why the nurses told me that she was a high demand baby. Suddenly she was, and her diapers were a nasty green and she got horribly constipated. Poor baby!

Two dear friends, Susie and Elizabeth, started donating breast milk. It wasn’t enough on its own.

But I discovered that if I mixed half formula with half breastmilk and added a digestive enzyme powder. She could handle it relatively well though she wasn’t as happy and content as before. Her diapers were still occasionally green, but she was having normal bowel movements and was able to nap without waking up screaming with her little legs pulled up against her belly.

Now I had a real motivator to keep going! I knew I couldn’t rely on donated breastmilk forever and I really, really didn’t want to do soy formula. Soy would be my only other option out there.
Just for the record,
I also tried making the Sally Fallon formula from Nourishing Traditions and the poor little girl was in miserable agony for hours. It was heartbreaking. I know it had to be all the lactose that is added into the recipe. In the spring I may try again with goat milk when our goat freshens. I think I would swap brown rice syrup for the lactose, unless I think of a better option between now and then.

Week 4

Somewhere about half way through week 4 I started to get worried because Lexie wasn’t finishing the supplement and I was so worried because she is already small to start with. I would keep offering her more and she would scream at me in frustration. At the end of each feeding she would be all worked up from frustration and I would be nearly in tears. Why wouldn’t she finish nursing? Why would she only nurse on one sided and refuse the other? Why wouldn’t she even finish what was in the Lact-aid?

Dh came to my rescue and reminded me that she was probably just getting more from me. Uh………………duh, right? Why are mommy brains so dense? Seriously, you would think that I could have figured out that much on my own.

Lexie wasn’t feeding any more frequently, but supplement dropped from 2.5 ounces down to anywhere between 1.5 and 2 ounces. So when I finally realized what was going on I stopped trying so hard to make her eat and did my own little victory dance. I figured now we are finally getting somewhere and I was thrilled.

I also did some rather extensive research during this week on formula and ended up ordering

Organic Baby’s First – Lactose Free Formula

No Chinese dairy products, 100% organic, no corn syrup, and no sucrose. it is sweetened with brown rice syrup. It IS milk based, but lactose free I felt a bit better about giving her this than the Similac Sensitive.

Week 5

Lexie nearly always refused to nurse both sides unless asleep. I really wanted to do the recommend feeding on both sides and then offer the supplemental feeding with the Lact-aid. But she would scream in frustration when I tried this. I guess it just didn’t come fast enough. So I started trying to pump on the side she didn’t feed on and make sure to start her off on that side at the next feeding. It didn’t always happen, but I tried. When I pumped I didn’t get very much, just 5-10cc, I had to assume that she must be getting more than I could pump. She was having plenty of wet diapers and was alert and seemed to be doing fine

I had hoped to see her continue to drop the supplemental feeding amount but there was no decrease this week.

Week 6

Everything is the same, no notable changes besides maybe being able to pump just a tad more. Again I am discouraged. Lexie feeds every three hours around the clock and isn’t interested at all if I offer nursing in between.

Week 7

Suddenly, overnight Lexie started to take no more than 1.5 ounces and sometimes only 1 ounce of supplement. If she is sleepy she will nurse without the Lact-aid for a few minutes. Sometimes I can get her to nurse on both sides, I also have started switching her to the other side after she has taken about ½ of the supplement. I wish she would nurse for longer but she sucks hard and is done quickly. I tell myself to try to pump more often or after each feeding but I am exhausted and it just isn’t happening.

Ironically, my domperodine finally arrives. It goes on the shelf. If things are looking up. I would rather not use it.

This same week Lexie sleeps one night for 6 hours straight and it scares me when I wake up and see the time and she is still asleep. From here away she goes a 4.5-5 hours stretch once each night. With a time or two a bit longer than that. I am excited because I know she must be getting more and is satisfied or she wouldn’t be sleeping this long at night.

Week 8

Supplemental amount stays the same, If she only nurses on one side I can usually pump an ounce. I know that doesn’t sound like much but it feels great to be able to get enough to actually measure in ounces. Sometimes in the early morning I can get a good 1.5 ounces.

Our routine has changed a bit. I now start nursing Lexie on the fullest side while I warm the supplement and will continue to nurse her as long as possible before offering the supplement. Sometimes it is very short and other times I can nurse her and switch her to the other side before offering supplement. It seems to depend a bit on her mood and how patient or hungry she happens to be.

This week on two night time feedings she nursed on both sides and refused supplement completely. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was.

Week 9

We went to the pediatrician for her two month check this week. I have been really worried that the pediatrician would be concerned about her weight gain and give me a hard time about breastfeeding. He was happy with her weight gain and says she has stayed on the same curve and though she is small he doesn’t feel that it is any concern at all. I was relieved to say the least.

This is my first experience with pediatricians; my other boys have never ever been in a doctor’s office or an emergency room EVER.

I couldn’t ask for a better pediatrician, and was so grateful for the great referral. Amazingly and thankfully, this guy is okay with me not doing immunizations and all of that. Big, big plus! Still after court finalization I won’t be doing anymore well baby visits. J

Okay, back on track now.

We have occasional feedings where we use no supplement but most feedings we are still using the lact- aid and supplementing an average of 1 ounce. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I feel like we are doing a see saw. One day she won’t nurse without the Lact-aid, the next she will nurse nicely without it and we will just finish up by offering it after nursing on both sides, and occasionally refusing any supplement. She certainly will let me know when she is full.

She still nurses for shorter periods of time than I wish she would, but at the same time I should be grateful that she has such a strong suck.

I am still struggling to get her to nurse on both sides. Some feedings I just give up and let her nurse one side and then try to pump on the other side. Frequently when this happens, I can pump after nursing her and get as much as she took from the Lact-aid or almost as much. I really wish she would be happy to always nurse without the Lact-aid, and use it only for extra.

Week 10

This week Lexie has started to nurse occasionally for comfort. Sometimes she has acted like she wanted to nurse and so I start nursing her and offer the LAct-aid and she will repeatedly spit the tube out, or pull it out and go back to nursing. This has been fun for me to see her obvious enjoyment in nursing even when I could tell she wasn’t getting much because she was seldom swallowing.

But this isn’t always the case. Frequently she will still pull her head back and yell at me when I offer to comfort nurse her.

Today has been one of those strange days where she has taken very little supplement but she has also nursed for very short periods of time and gets really upset when I try to offer her more.

I try to remind myself that she will nurse when she is hungry but it bothers me because she is so little. My boys were all little “chug a lugs”. Lexie is still only 20. ¼ inches long and weighs in just under 8lbs. That feels so tiny to me and I just want to fatten her up. J

Here is Lexie with her cousin who is just 4 week older than she is. "Itty Bitty and Chunky Monkey". J

So there you have it. I probably will do another post soon after the New Year and let you know how things are going after that magical 12 week point.
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For additional information and a question and answer blog, check out my newest post

11 Months of Adoptive Nursing

Induced Lactation - Adoptive Breastfeeding - Adoptive Nursing - Part 2

2010-12-06T22:54:00.004-05:00

Today marks the 8wk anniversary of my breastfeeding adventure with Lexie.

Here I will share our story from the beginning and hopefully come back and update over the course of the next few months.

I had planned to begin nursing Alexis immediately in the hospital, BUT…………..

…the nurses and doctor totally freaked out on me.

I tried to reason, to refer to medical data, and assure them that I did not require any assistance or time commitment from them. But it was just too much for their textbook minds to handle.

Warning! What follows is rather long winded nursery/doctor drama, and umm..........well, my own personal rant. So if you like you can skip on down to the bottom where I actually start the story of breastfeeding Lexie, feel free. :-)

The head nurse, coincidentally Lexie’s assigned nurse, was horrified when I explained that I was prepared to breastfeed Alexis using a supplemental feeding system. Her words were, “Oh, we COULDN’T let you do THAT! You would be putting the baby to your ACTUAL BREAST, and she isn’t yours.” Stutter. “I mean, she is ….uh…. under the attorney right now and you don’t even have guardianship papers yet.

Truly, I nearly laughed out loud it was so absurd, “actual breast?”

Nah, I figured I would use these fake boobs until all the paperwork is through. LOL!

D told me later that he bit his tongue to keep from saying, “Why yes, didn’t you know this was a new form of sexual assault, putting a newborn to a naked breast.” :-)

Why couldn’t I just be normal and give her a bottle like everyone else?

“After all formulas are so good today that it really isn’t much different than breastmilk and it is completely a matter of personal preference.” (These are the actual words that I overheard from a nurse to a new mother who was asking about breastfeeding.)

Can she really mean the stuff that lines the supermarket shelves? That formula is based on Chinese powdered milk and corn syrup or sucrose (white table sugar). Need I mention all the recalls? Similacs most recent contamination recall was just before Lexie was born. Comforting, isn’t it? Have you ever had your breastmilk recalled? :-) Oh, but it is all the same. Sure it is. (NOT)

Anyway, back to this nurse, (still need to go back and review her on Angie’s List, she was ….well, let’s just say, “Not a good experience, I could say ever so much more about her, but let's just say she needs another job badly”.)

She (the nurse, that is) proceeded to explain that I would have to have consent from the attorney before they could allow me to do THAT.

This was meant as staling agent because it was the weekend and she assumed that I couldn’t possibly get a hold of the attorney until Monday.

I took it as a valid piece of legal red tape, just something to be untangled. I dialed the para-legal and in five minutes, with the nursing standing right there, had gotten verbal consent. Oh,that wasn’t enough SHE had to speak to them herself. I made a move to pass the cell phone, but the nurse held up her hand, and said, “ Oh no, I can’t take consent on a cell phone, they would have to call the nurses line.” (Seriously?) “But”, she continued, “I have to feed another baby, so I can’t take that call until after 12, and they would also have to fax in written consent. “ I dutifully relayed this info and hung up.

I am starting to get the picture. These people REALLY don’t want me to breastfeed this baby. Noon arrives, everything falls into place with consent from the attorney.

Ah but no, the doctor would also have to give consent. So I stayed on in the nursery awaiting the advent of the all powerful doctor person.

Now the nurses begin to suggest attractions in the area, and places to eat

Do you think they wanted me to leave?

I certainly am not about to miss THE DOCTOR?

Just before the doctor arrives, the nurse comes to me to explain that when the doctor arrives I will have to leave the nursery because each of the babies in care need to be discussed with the nurse in charge of them and this is private information and they can’t have ME in there while they are doing this.

I smile (hopefully sweetly, because I am now getting annoyed) and state that I will stay with Lexie until I need to leave but request to see the doctor before he finishes duty on the floor. She says, “Yes, yes of course.”

In walk two different sets of parents to sit with their littles, and a minute later THE DOCTOR arrives. I wait to be asked to leave because I have a suspicion. Which is confirmed, the nurses have a problem, because all the other “NORMAL” parents can’t be asked to leave and this puts them in a a hard spot because it will look very bad to ask me this strange anomaly adoptive parent to leave. Forty five minutes later all the other babies on all sides, before and behind have been seen, and a whispered nurse/ doctor confab has been had at the far side of the nursery.

Finally, it is Alexis turn to be seen and charted. I wait and then just as doctor turns to leave I say, in my sweetest voice, “I have a couple of questions, if you have a moment.” She (lady doctor) turns around and asks, “Oh, what would you like to know about the baby?”

“Actually, I just wanted to discuss breastfeeding with you. The nurse stated that I would need your consent to breastfeed Alexis.

Doctor crosses her arms, and frowns and says, “We don’t do that sort of thing, here.”

I push onward.

“ I am aware this is not standard procedure, and I will not require any assistance from the nurses. I have the supplemental feeding system that would be necessary for this and am prepared to use it. You will be able to monitor exactly how much she is receiving; all I am requesting is your consent.”

With a toss of her head, she says, “Why would you want to do THAT? You don’t even HAVE any MILK.”

Swallowing my offence, I refer to medical data concerning bonding, and skin to skin contact. I appeal to her doctor knowledge saying that I am sure she has read the studies on these issues.

She grudgingly said that she is aware of these studies but she doesn’t think that it indicates breastfeeding. Close contact is all that is necessary. After a lot of other blah,blah, blah, about good formulas and the fact that I “might confuse the baby, which would make it take longer till they could release her , and certainly I wouldn’t want that” She ended by saying, “I can’t control what you do when you leave here, but while you are here in this nursery you WILL NOT be doing THAT.” (THAT being the unspeakable freak show of adoptive nursing). And then she left, stalked out really.

I was so upset, and had tried so hard the entire time to “hold it together” and be self-controlled and level headed. I walked out into the parking lot and in tears called dh to come and get me. While I waited for him I vented on my dear friend, Laura. Thanks, girlfriend!

Later dh told me that I should have just broken down in there and cried and said, “Why is it so unreasonable to want to nurse a baby?” Maybe it would have softened her a bit.

But I didn’t do this because, first of all I don’t cry very easily and second of all not in public, and certainly not when I am trying to be diplomatic and reason with someone.

Let’s just say that if I didn’t like doctors before, this certainly confirmed it.

Whew, now that I have all of that off my chest, maybe I can actually tell you about adoptive breastfeeding. :-)

Sorry, about all the ranting.

Week 1

It was Monday evening, Oct 11, when we arrived home with Alexis . At 5 days old she has been fed solely with the long firm hospital nipples.

Bottles like the one in the picture above.

Our first several feedings she would struggle to “find” the nipple with her mouth wide open just waiting for something to be shoved in all the way to the back of her mouth. We started with the Medela SNS, and not the Lact-aid. One good thing about this was that because the SNS is gravity fed, the tubing would drip milk into her mouth and then she would latch on wonderfully after realizing that there was milk there. I will never forget that very first feeding. When she started to suckle, all snuggled up against my skin, a shiver like tremor went through her whole body and she heaved a huge gasping sigh, relaxed completely and went on nursing. Honestly, I think she knew that somehow things were going to be alright in her little world.

In less than 24 hours she had figured out the change and rarely needed any special help to latch on properly.

Throughout the next days we had our struggles with tubes slipping out, the SNS bottle leaking, and just my general clumsiness but all in all it went well. By Day 4 I was able to hand express a drop or two of milk and I was thrilled. But by Day 7 I was discouraged because not much had changed, I still didn’t have more than a few drops.

Week 2

Somewhere in this week I was able to begin getting a fine spray of milk but things just didn’t seem to be progressing as I had hoped. I still couldn’t hand express more than a tsp or so per side. I read some more, and was comforted to find that things really were progressing well. With induced lactation there is never a time when you are engorged and your milk suddenly comes in. The common saying is that it creeps in. Well yes, mine was creeping in, and I was not feeling very patient.

About this time the Lact-aid came in the mail and I noticed that Lexie definitely had to suckle harder and thus it was more stimulating than when using the SNS. Plus it was much easier to clean and all around I would choose it over the SNS any day.

My dear friend Susie had donated a great deal of colostrum and early breastmilk which she had saved in her deep freezer. It was wonderful to be able to give Lexie straight breastmilk for those first two weeks.

More soon…..

Induced Lactation & Adoptive Breastfeeding

2010-12-04T14:38:00.002-05:00

Adoptive breastfeeding/ Induced lactation has begun to receive more attention in the recent years.

But if you are like me, you probably don’t know anyone personally who has induced lactation. If you do know someone I would love to hear about it.

It really isn’t anything remotely new. Women have done this out of necessity for hundreds and hundreds of years. Early American history refers to the wet nurse which was simply surrogate or adoptive breastfeeding. Sometimes this was a woman who was already lactating, but certainly not always.

Mass produced formula has only been around since the mid-twentieth century, and in the absence of formula this was frequently the only option. There are various stories from other countries of grandmothers breastfeeding their grandchildren in a normal community setting.

Lactation can be induced simply through stimulation from a suckling baby or a good quality/hospital grade breast pump. Adding drugs and/or herbs greatly increase success. Some women lactate more easily than others and will produce more milk, many mothers will need to supplement to some extent until the baby is eating solid food.

When nursing my two homemade boys, I certainly had plenty of milk. I joked that I could have nursed triplets without any problems. I decided for various reasons, bonding issues being the most important, to breastfeed Alexis.

Not surprisingly, I have chosen to go the herbal route. J

I have been using my own

More Milk Tincture– taken 4-6 times daily

Fenugreek, Fennel & Goats Rue

Mama’s Milk Tea- 1 quart a day

Red Raspberry Leaf

Fennel Seeds

Nettle Leaf

Fenugreek Seed

Dandelion Leaf

Blessed Thistle

Marshmallow Root

Along with some alfalfa tablets and foods with lactogenic properties.

Some of the most significant food sources are oats, barley, dried beans, green drinks & dark leafy greens, carrots, healthy oils (butter, coconut oil and olive oil) and Brewer’s Yeast. You can read the whole list here:

Lactogenic Food List

I did not have any time to prepare in advance, so we started in immediately nursing with the Lact-aid system.

The fine tube is placed right next to the nipple and inserted with the nipple into the baby’s mouth.

As the baby suckles it stimulates milk production and is fed through the tube of the nursing unit. As your milk supply builds the baby receives both your milk and the supplement at the same time.

This continues until you reach a point that you have enough milk for the baby to nurse happily without the Lact-Aid, then at the end of the feeding the baby may be offered the Lact-aid to finish feeding, if needed.

In my next post I will share our story from the beginning, Monday will mark 8 weeks of breastfeeding. J

If you have questions, I will be happy to try to answer them.

2010-11-17T21:38:00.000-05:00

"You don't need a "mansion" to have a well appointed, lovely and welcoming home.... I had forgotten. Your friendship reminded me. "

These are words from a dear friend to me just today. They brought tears to my eyes. This is what I want for our home, each and every day. A welcoming spot, a gentle reminder of things larger than consumerism, and the American dream, a place where we can share Christ and give (and receive, too).

And yet.......
I'll admit sometimes I do cringe when I welcome friends who live in large, lovely homes into my little 1993 Fleetwood, with its grand total of l200 square feet. It is a 17 year old double wide, and friends, this fact can't be hidden.

Or can it?
Facts will be facts, of course.

But maybe it doesn't matter quite as much as we have been led to believe.

Maybe, just maybe it is more about friendship and sharing and caring and loving.

Oh, we could live in a mansion, and have a 30 year loan hanging over our heads. But we have chosen not to do this, and someday we may get our chance to build our little dream cottage.
Or not.
Either way, no matter where I live I want to always remember to share what we do have without apology.
It is what God has given to us, to share with others for His glory.

I needed this reminder, it is so easy to forget.

Hey there

2010-11-17T19:28:00.008-05:00

Baby girl waves hello to each of you.

Today Lexie is 6 weeks old

7lbs 2 oz

20 " long

She has grown 2" and gained 1lb 8oz since we brought her home.

I love the way she raises her eyebrows and wrinkles her forehead.

This week she started to respond with big smiles and little baby "talking" noises that are halfway between a gasp and a giggle. Duane is entranced, I have never seen him so totally into a baby like he is with Lexie. It is the sweetest thing!

It's the weekend

2010-11-07T21:49:00.002-05:00

On Friday we went hiking with a lovely friend, Kerstin and her kids. Everyone had a wonderful afternoon, I think baby girl would perhaps live in the wrap quite contentedly for days on end.

I, for one, was thrilled to be out doors with nothing to do but trail along after the children. Kind of therapeutic and rejuvenating. Very needed in my life just now.

Really, I am getting pretty close to a walking zombie these days. Strange enough, it has had some good side effects. Lack of sleep has made me more mellow, and low key.

Weird, I know, but still true.

Like tonight....two months ago I would not have been sitting here staring at a computer screen. I would have been picking up the living room, washing dishes, and laying out school stuff. Make no mistake, all of those things really "should" be done (plus about a gazillion other things, too.) but I am frankly to tired and so...........well, just don't come visit me right now if you wanna see my house. :-)

See.... here I am, just rambling and babbling when I had really intended to simply post some hiking photos. Half of which didn't even turn out because the camera settings were all screwed up, must be my baby brains.

That was our fun relaxing Friday afternoon. Well, okay making it out the door at 1PM was NOT relaxing but after that it was all good. :-)

Saturday we spent the morning at the flea market and came away with a wonderful loot of boys clothes size 10-14 for just $28. A huge Dillards bag full of clothes, all of them in like new condition, name brand, etc.
The mother was telling me that they had never been dried in the dryer and she always ironed everything when she laundered. I smiled and nodded and thought about the last time I ironed.
Probably on a Sunday morning, to make my dh's dress shirt presentable for church.
Do I ever iron jeans or T-shirts?
Ummm, that would be a NO! But I guess you can do stuff like that when you only have 1 kid, and I won't complain because I am all to happy to have these clothes. Sweetness!

We wandered around and found a few other great deals, ate some boiled peanuts and stocked up on some produce from the Mexican stands before heading home.

Then we seriously worked our brains out trying to quickly finish the greenhouse for the aquaponic system before nightfall. Last night the temp dropped to 31 and knowing this was the forecast we really didn't want to loose everything. We did get things winterized AND ate dinner at 9:30PM (horrors, I know, and so bad for your digestion. But what was I to do? We were all starving and the guys certainly wouldn't have been happy to wait until breakfast).

We rejoiced that we could turn the clock back in the morning. Which we actually haven't even gotten around to doing yet. Tomorrow, yes... I will do it tomorrow. Maybe I can post the greenhouse pictures too,...... or not..... since I will be in the office all afternoon while D takes all the boys to the dentist.

Goodnight. I am off to nurse Itty Bitty.

4 Wk Photos

2010-11-03T15:03:00.003-04:00

4 Wks Old - (6lbs 9oz.)

Love that little tongue!

Kiss those baby cheeks.

Bath time.

Itty Bitty's Bathtub- the kitchen sink.

Chicken Tractor

2010-11-01T10:57:00.000-04:00

Here are the requested pictures of the new chicken tractor. I will say this, if you were to build one from all new materials it probably would not be the most economical chicken tractor. Most of the materials I had already so the cost for me was quite less.- Duane

Wordless Wednesday - Well... Almost Wordless

2010-10-27T20:38:00.000-04:00

3 Weeks old (6lbs 4 oz)

This is especially for you mom, so you can see how tiny she really is. Laying a top of two regular size bath towels.

My hard working men building a chicken tractor for the flock of 50 meat birds that absolutely must be moved out of the brooder, TOMORROW.

My favorite person relaxing on Sunday afternoon and snuggling baby girl.
I love you, Dear and Happy Birthday too! You have been entirely awesome these last weeks, I promise I won't entirely forget to celebrate your birthday. Tradition will continue, Cheese Pastries are in your future somewhere, I promise. :-)

I feel so grateful tonight for all the big and little blessings that I enjoy. Maybe tomorrow I can post a gratefulness post and list some of these special things.

Lexie - 2 wks

2010-10-20T14:25:00.000-04:00

Has it really been a whole week since my last post? My, oh my, how the days have flown past.

Baby Love is two weeks old today. We think she is the cutest thing we ever did see and we just can't stop kissing her soft baby cheeks.

You don't think Adison is in love, do you?

Oh, but wait till you hear what he asked me two days ago.

He was sitting on the couch cuddling Lexie and holding her baby fingers in his with the most infinite tenderness when he looked up and said, "Oh Mommy, could you ever actually marry your sister?" Lexie stole his heart and he is so in love with her.

The other brothers are in exactly the same shoes. They are both mighty proud of their little Itty Bitty.

Keishon is my special babysitting help. He is fabulous with her, so very protective and gentle.

So there you have it. Life here is all about baby right now. We will blog other things in good time, for now bear with me a bit.

Itty Bitty Alexis, Her Story and Ours

2010-10-13T22:19:00.002-04:00

About three years ago we began to discuss adopting a baby girl to complete our family. We started the procedures and road the roller coaster of emotions that goes with adoption.

Last year we had a potential match and thought we would be bringing a baby girl home . This situation was frustrating, painful and a very emotionally draining experience.

Over the course of the next weeks and months we have had small possibilities rise and fade on the horizon. Of course, as always there were plenty of high dollar adoptions that we weren't even able to consider.

Another year passed, and then this spring we frequently discussed adoption and prayed a good deal about it. In the end we decided that when our paperwork expired in July we wouldn't renew it. We decided it was time to move on.
If we were really supposed to adopt, God would have to arrange it in His own way. The money that had been set aside for adoption we used for expanding our farm, fencing in the property, and to fund several other projects. We honestly thought it just wasn't meant to be and so moved on with life.

God obviously had other plans in mind for us, which we knew nothing about until last Thursday, Oct 7 at 4:45 PM.
We were traveling towards Greenville to pick up some Craigslist garage doors to finish yet another farm project when our cell phone rang.
It was Carrie from Special Link. She told us that there was a baby girl that had been born the day before to a 13yr old and needed a family that was ready for immediate placement. Would we accept and come immediately.

We explained that our home study was not current, and that we would need a few minutes to get around minds around this before we were ready to answer either way. She assured us that they were fine with using the old paperwork and could start proceedings with this and simply follow them with an update.

Relinquishment papers had not been signed but were scheduled for the morning. Knowing how often things fall through before consent is signed we said yes, knowing that it might mean nothing at all and yet somehow sensing otherwise in our hearts.

I didn't sleep well that night and all the next morning I felt more anxious than I can ever remember feeling in my life. My mouth was dry, my stomach tied in knots, and I jumped each time the phone rang.

At 12:30, Friday, (October 8) the paralegal called and said that relinquishment papers had been signed and would we please come yet today to spend time with the baby.
Last minute babysitting arrangements were made for all the boys and by late afternoon we were making the two hour drive.

As the miles sped past we wrestled with the suddenness of it all and tried to wrap our minds around what was taking place. We were thrilled, still logistics loomed over us like a grey cloud.

When we held Alexis for the first time, 27 hours after the first call, any doubts that might have remained in our mind evaporated. We fell completely in love with her, and knew instantly that all would be well.

The following days seemed to drag on forever as we waited for her release from the hospital. The weekend made the paperwork issues take a good deal longer. I wrote a blog on some of that that some how didn't get posted and ended up in a saved draft that I discovered today. (Strange, probably you all didn't need to hear my whining and complaining)

Yes this has all happened very suddenly and has caught us a bit unready.

We feel this God arranged this in his own unique way. He is also quite able to provide all the means for the needs ahead.
For those that asked, the donations button on the side was placed there for those of you who expressed an interest in helping with the costs involved in this adoption.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to message/or comment.

Most importantly we do ask for your prayers, and want to say a special thank you to all of you who have given so freely in many different ways.
Thank you for sharing your time by babysitting for our boys, bringing us a hot meal, sharing baby clothes, and even delivering a tote full of diapers, wipes, and baby clothes to our door step to greet us on our return. Your generosity has been touching and the warmth of your love felt deeply.

It is alll greatly appreciated, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Alexis - 1 week old

She has regained her birth weight plus 2oz and now weighs 6lbs.

Mama & Baby

2010-10-12T18:33:00.000-04:00

The light in our bedroom was perfect this afternoon and I called D away from his desk long enough to shoot a mama baby picture.

We are home!!!!

2010-10-11T18:28:00.003-04:00

Thank you all for your prayers! We arrived safely home with our precious bundle at 5:30 PM this evening.

Photo update

2010-10-09T18:51:00.003-04:00

Itty Bitty awake, just before her 2PM feeding.

The IV ports were all removed at 5PM.
At 8 after the nursery shift change we will get to see her again and dress her for the first time. She is doing GREAT! Thank you for your continued prayer.

Welcome Little One

2010-10-08T23:06:00.004-04:00

Today we held our daughter for the first time, and our hearts melted. Yes, I do believe in love at first sight. How can I not believe in it?

I will try to share some more of her/our story in the coming days. Everything has happened so fast we still aren't quite sure which end of our world is up or down.

Alexis Chantel

Born October 6, 2010

Weight 5lbs 14 oz

(exactly what I weighed when I was born, not that that matters)

Alexis is an estimated 6 weeks premature. She is eating well, and seems to be doing truly doing wonderful in every way. She is being kept in Level II care for monitoring because they really don't know how premature she is and how well she will handle her feedings.

Tomorrow the hydration IV will be removed and if everything goes well she will be ready to be fed on demand by late Saturday or Sunday. We are hoping she will be released on Sunday. Currently they are telling us Monday or Tuesday. Please pray with us that this time will be shortened and we will be able to bring her home sooner.

Sleep well my baby love! We can't wait to see you in the morning.

It's 7AM

2010-10-06T14:29:00.001-04:00

Hmm, just possibly you forgot comb your hair this morning? :-)

Fall is here wearing its changing colors.

2010-10-04T21:45:00.001-04:00

I do so love fall weather!

The crisp cool mornings and the air full of change and newness.

It is not only in the great outdoors where we see the face of change but for us it is also in our personal lives. Like the misty fog in the early morning hours it hangs over us, veiling the horizon in haze.

It's hard to be still and calm in those awkward and uncertain times when you can't be quite sure which way you are supposed to turn at the crossroads. We have really been praying for God to direct us, and lead us.

All we know for sure is that we have been given the verse "Seek you first the kingdom of heaven and all these things will be added unto you."

So we are going with that and waiting to see what He will make clear in His time. Now is the time for patience and waiting.

Interesting that just a few days ago, a white dove arrived. We have no idea where she is from.
Its fun to think of it as a sign of peace and blessing, especially right now. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. I don't mind believing in signs, especially beautiful ones that hold such wonderful meaning.

But daily life does go on, and I have to remind myself that little people don't need to feel the stress of adult life. Keep it light, and sweet and joyful. When the house is quiet that sounds so easy and wonderful, but it is easy for those thoughts and ideals to get lost in the clatter and bang and jumble of life with three boys, and on some days you might just make that four. :-)

I think we have fallen into our new school grove and things are going well. The boys are enjoying our mornings of school. I am too, only for some reason I find myself nearly exhausted by noon every single day

The relief of cool weather has drawn everyone outdoors for long hours of fresh air and sunshine. This is truly wonderful for the boys, and for me too!

Dear friends gave us a two nanny goats, one that had two 1week old kids. The boys have really enjoyed the kids! and the milk.

I have got to say, I never ever thought I would be milking a goat, not in my wildest dream!

The craziest part is that I don't mind it, I actually kind of like it. Its especially cool for us because the boys can't handle regular cows milk. I am not crazy about goat milk, and D won't touch it. But it is awesome for the kiddos. I do like chevre, feta, and halloumi. If we have a surplus I'll give goat cheese a whirl, it shouldn't be any more difficult that cheese making with cow milk.

So, anyway..............here are the kids with the kids. :-)

Simple Living...

2010-08-15T17:08:00.001-04:00

...is about making deliberate thoughtful choices.

The difference is that you are fully aware of why you are living your particular life, and that life is one you have chosen thoughtfully.

Living deeply means living conscientiously...being fully present, fully aware." - Janet Luhrs

Play Silks

2010-08-08T16:42:00.001-04:00

If I had to pick only one toy for my kids, I really think it would be play silks. That doesn't exclude books, of course. You see books don't really classify as toys. It goes without being said that we obviously need lots and lots of books.
For literally years I wanted to buy play silks, but I was put off by the price. Seriously, at $10.00 a piece that really adds up. I won't argue that I may be too dollar conscience at times. But, what if my boys wouldn't think they were as awesome as I did. Then one day not too many weeks before Christmas, I was struck with a sudden and unusual stroke of genius. Surely, somewhere I might purchase these silks in plain white and dye them myself for a fraction of the cost. So trusty Google lent a hand and I found the perfect place to purchase the silks and the dye, as well. When my lovely package arrived it was stowed under the bed until one night after everyone was tucked into bed and fast asleep and Mr. Man was at his martial arts lessons. Then out came my big pot and wooden spoon and I began to dye these lovely 22x22 squares of fluttering softness into vivid colors of red, orange, gold, blue, purple, brown, and sage. I strung a line through the dining room and hung them to dry. It wouldn't have been hard to imagine myself as a gypsy just then. Months have passed and the silk are showing signs of much love and hours of play. I wish I had pictures of a girl playing with them. I am sure there are many wonderful feminine uses for these creative play things. Here are some masculine uses.

Enjoy! Maybe you will be inspired to dye some lovely play silks for the littles in your life.

*Note: The basic dye colors of red, yellow, and blue, are all you really need. You might want black & brown, maybe. I found that I had a good deal of fun mixing my own colors and sampling their shades by dipping 1/4 cup out of the pot and into a small glass cup. The dyes are very vivid and I have plenty of leftover dye for many more scarves.

Hospitality

2010-07-30T21:57:00.000-04:00

Tonight I found a blog on hospitality that really inspired and challenged me.

"Hospitality is {not} a Dirty Word "

My favorite quote from this blog:

"The biggest challenge that God has lain upon my heart through my journey to understand what hospitality is and is not, is that hospitality does not ask me to be impressive - with my home, with my food, with myself. Lay the measuring stick of perfectionism aside, and open your doors wide. Simply share with others what God has blessed you with – no matter what that is or looks like. When we choose to practice biblical hospitality we will soon learn that it is a lifestyle that spills from our heart."

That I needed to hear again. Why is it so easy to forget and turn our focus inward? I'm glad for reminders, because I surely need them.

"When hospitality becomes an art it looses it's very soul."

- M. Beerbohm

" In hospitality, the chief thing is the good will."

- A Greek Proverb.

If you have never read
"Open Heart, Open Home" by Karen Mains
do try to get yours hands on it. This is truly a great book and changed the whole way I look at opening my home. It is inspiring and challenging at the same time.

Moments of Quiet in a Whirlwind Life

2010-07-26T21:44:00.001-04:00

I am so completely exhausted lately... every single day!!!

My life is moving at a frenetic pace. It is all craziness, but there doesn't seem to be one thing that I can do to change it. Or maybe I am just blind and can't see it, that is possible, too.

I am trying to carve out little moments of quietness here and there. Tonight was one of those moments that I intentionally stopped and took the boys out for a walk/bike ride. It was lovely, the afternoon storm had cooled the air and made everything feel so much nicer than usual. The guys biked, explored, dug in the clay, found a moth and deer tracks and generally had a great time. I was reminded once again that I really need to do this more often for them, and for me. It was great to just spend some time walking, praying, and singing, and just leaving the to do list behind for just a short time. Yeah, I will probably have to get up at 5AM tomorrow, but my kids are truly more important.

Even in the middle of this hectic time I am getting some things done that I have wanted to do for a long time! Actually tackling a bucket list item! I am .... learning to SWIM!

Imagine that! Really, it is Quite shocking to me, too!
It is all because of a lovely friend who happens to have background as a life guard and when she discovered that I didn't know how to swim (blush) she absolutely insisted that I let her teach me. She is a fabulous teacher!!!! Though I really "didn't have time", last Wednesday afternoon was carved out and I had my first swim "lesson". I surprised her and myself, as well. This week we will give it another whirl. Of course, with three boys diving around me it creates a bit of turbulence and gives me some extra little learning curves, but it's all good. :-) I'm really excited about this week, and the boys are counting the days, since they absolutely adore water.

Dh will be home again any moment, so off I go to do a last minute quick tidy of our room. Goodnight!

Sunflowers are so Happy...

2010-06-29T07:49:00.004-04:00

...they make me smile just looking at them.
This is probably the reason that I have quite a few sunflowers in the garden this year. Some, have chosen to grow to shocking heights of over 10 feet tall. The bees seem to love them as much as I do, and are constantly buzzing around them or busily crawling about their surfaces. (not that I do that, of course)
Next year, I think I shall plant a host of small sunflowers too. The variety that are perfect to cut and keep in a big pitcher on the kitchen table. Ah, lovely!

Summer is fully here and it is hot, quite HOT!
I am embarrassed to admit that I am already thinking longingly of September and October days. Is it truly hotter this year or does it just seem like it is?
Even with the heat, we still spend a good deal of the morning and many evenings outdoors.

"Never be indoors when you can rightly be without" Right?

Some of this is actually more by necessity than by desire. Highly influenced by a garden to tend, animals to feed, and a fence that is still not quite finished and really should have been finished several weeks ago.
I have discovered that those "little rolls" of barbed wire are quite heavy when new.

Did you ever run barbed wire along the top of livestock fence?
I never did before, but I have now! And I have learned quite a few things in the process.
First and foremost, would be a new respect for fences and those who install them by hand. Now whenever I drive by miles of fence, I suck in a bit of air thinking of all the hard work that went into that. (not to mention money, ouch)
I am comforting myself that all of this hard labor has really been a great workout. It includedes weights, squatting, resistance training, etc etc. I haven't touched my workout videos in weeks! Honestly, I have no intentions of touching them for quite a few more weeks. For now our many projects will suffice, if not overwhelm.

All of this merited a break and we headed to Lake Murray for some swimming and relaxation. FUN!!!

Our next big project is now underway. Yes, we seem to be very good at starting new projects while old ones are still unfinished. Maybe it is because we have options then, we can choose what we want to do. Work. Work or WORK. Very funny, I know.
Anyway. our new project is a large root cellar/storm shelter.

We are excited about this project and I hope to update photos as the work progresses as we have time and money. It is hard to come by both at the same time. :-)
So there you have it, a peek into our most recent adventures. TTFN!

Life is Good

2010-06-24T10:32:00.001-04:00

... and entertaining too!!!
This picture makes me smile, their energy just leaps out of the photo. I find it hilarious that they each wrote, "Ha" on their foreheads. Well, Ha ha, and enjoy your life today. :-)

From the Mouth of a 5 yr. Old

2010-02-16T18:51:00.003-05:00

Today, the Ad man was helping with our monthly mailings in the office and he was quietly adding stamps to envelopes and listening to his Daddy talking with a customer on the phone. Evidently this particular customer must have asked to speak to the head manger because D. was overheard saying, "....actually, you are speaking with the head manager."
I noticed the eyes of little Ad enlarge, and then he leaned over toward me and in a stage whisper said, "How did he GET to turn into THAT?" I answered, "Turn into what?" and pointing to his head he replied "A head manager." Truly, I could have died laughing, though I only smiled and proceeded to explain what a "head manager" actually is.
Really.............. imagine what he must have been thinking, WOW, Dad is like God or something. Five year olds have a tremendous sense of the literal.
You just gotta love it!

Here is link with more pictures of the lovely 6 inches of snow that we got in SC:
Photo Bucket Pic of SC Snow

2009-12-09T19:42:00.002-05:00

Yes, I admit it….. I Have been avoiding my blog, and I can’t honestly say why. It’s true, the last two weeks have been busy, stressful sort of weeks. Oh, there’s been nothing hugely momentous, just plenty of little trifles, lots of running about and all our evenings full, full, full.
I think I blog more for myself than for any other reason. I like having a photo journal, a living scrapbook of sorts. Homeschooling three boys, and juggling all my other normal responsibilities leaves me no time to compile the beautiful scrapbooks that I used to make. I suppose this is my “new” way of preserving memories. Plus, blogging has it s perks…..comments from dear friends and readers. And so I blog….ha…or try to anyway.
This morning was another “normal” school day. We finished most of our work by noon and then headed outdoors to hike. The weather was perfectly gorgeous and wind was warm and invigorating. We had a lovely time!

But tonight I am tired, and I have a huge “to-do list” (I always do). Still….. maybe I will just make myself a cup of tea and curl up with a book near the Christmas tree. It sounds deliciously inviting.
What shall I read? Oh, I would love to hear your suggestions.

Winter Preparations

2009-11-21T19:29:00.004-05:00

We heat with wood.........and we love it!

Today was a perfect day for taking care of a task that has been put off entirely to long. Normally we cut, split and stack wood a year in advance. This time we are rather behind the ball. Fortunately, our neighbor has quite a few trees in his pasture that have been drying slowly for the past three years. He was glad to have them removed and we are glad to have them for the winter months.

The boys were a great help this year. They each worked right alongside of us the entire time.

The day could not have been more beautiful. The air was crisp and invigorating. Fall is beautiful!

A stacked cord of wood is somehow almost a thing of artistic beauty. There is certainly a wonderful feeling of accomplishment when you turn to look at the product of your labor one last time before going indoors. And, oh the joy of a wood fire on a cold winters' night. I love the inviting curl of smoke from the chimney, the scent of wood smoke in the air outside.

There's something so deep-down satisfying about stretching out in front of a fully stoked wood-burning stove on a long, dark, wind-swept winter's evening.
Wood heat, besides being such a readily available low-technology source of energy, is just plain enjoyable!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-18T17:04:00.001-05:00

Great Things? or Great Love?

2009-11-05T16:45:00.000-05:00

"We can not do GREAT things, only small things with GREAT LOVE." - Mother Teresa

Today I read this quote and the thought has lodged itself deeply in my brain............I hope, permanently.