Smith's Simple and Frugal Life

Control of Modern Day Vampires...

2011-04-18T01:57:00.000-05:00

I know that Fall isn't the real season for Vampires to come out...but instead spring seems to be one they most love. Mosquitoes are horrible. I thought I would share something that has helped me enjoy a little time in the evening outdoors without spraying deet products, or burning alot of candles.
Right before dusk, I place a little lemon dish detergent as well as some Lemon food flavoring into a sprayer that attaches to my water hose. I then spray all the flowers around the deck or area where I want to sit. Turns out mosquitoes and some other insects hate the smell of lemon and they leave the area.
To rid the garden of squash bugs I add tobacco tea to the lemon detergent as well as a little listerine. Squash bugs hate tobacco tea and it helps control those pesty pest.

Meatless Monday Begins

2011-04-15T06:56:00.006-05:00

We are going to stretch food dollars and hopefully cut our cholesterol by having one meatless day a week. My family are far from being vegetarians but this is our attempt to cut our food cost and hopefully cut down our cholesterol levels as well.
Every Friday in the side post I will put our Meatless Monday Menu. This is our family's attempt to cut our food spending as well as our cholesterol levels. We are far from being vegetarians and what we consider meatless is not what vegetarians consider meatless. Milk, Cheese, and eggs will be part of our Meatless Mondays.

Survival of Food Inflation

2011-04-14T06:26:00.000-05:00

Inflation, that ugly word that is killing all our fun and security these days. Well, it's not funny or cute anymore. It's getting down to the point we're having trouble feeding our kids and providing what we need not just what we want.

Here's some things I do to help with the cost of food I hope it will help you as well.

1. I buy in bulk things I know I'm going to need and use. Cheese, Flour, Rice, Canned goods all can be purchased at a reduced rate in bulk. If you can't afford to purchase in bulk, get some friends that are in the same boat as you and go in together to purchase in bulk for that cheaper price and divide it up. If you can't find friends, check around for a food co-op that you can join to benefit from buying in bulk.

2. Stop buying mixes and make your own. Soon I'll be posting recipes for your own hamburger helper mixes, and rice dinners that are alot cheaper than buying them in boxes at the store. You can make cream soups for casseroles without buying a can of soup.

3. Don't use coupons. I've found that if you use coupons it really don't save you money but instead directs you to a higher priced brand. Cheaper brands are very good. I've found that Aldi's "Small Sweet Peas" are the same as "Leseur" peas. I purchase canned good by the case. If I use coupons I find I have to purchase smaller quanities of cans of higher priced brands to use it. Unless it's something you usually purchase couponing just don't seem worth the time to me.

4. Grow your own. It don't take alot of room to stick a few tomato plants around. You can also get 2 or 3 chickens for the back yard. They help keep down pest, as well as furnish us eggs and fertilizer. If you're pressed for space to grow your own, then find a community garden that can afford you space to grow your own. I remember my great grand father growing tons of tomatoes, squash, and okra and onions in his flower beds. There are some churches that have huge lots they are forming congregation gardening. We are presently gardening a elderly friends back yard in trade with helping them cut their grass.
Just remember growing a little can help stretch your food dollars.

5. To have more food for money, I free up money spent on cleaning supplies by making my own. Laundry Detergent, windex, and other cleaning supplies can be naturally made. I'll have some recipes for great cleaning supplies next week.

6. Get to know your local farmers and buy from them. I can't possibly grow as many varities and as much as my family eats on the small garden plots I have so I keep a list of local farmers and what they grow handy. You can get bushels of vegetables reasonably priced by knowing your farmers. One farmer friend of mine will knock 1/2 of the price of his produce if you pick the same size container for him to take to the farmer's market. This is a win win situation because it helps me buy cheaper and it cuts his labor cost.

Everything is going up. The middle class and working poor are the ones that are going to suffer in this economy. I hope that doing these things help you as much as they have me.

Spaghetti Sauce Mix that is really good to keep on hand.

2011-04-13T05:37:00.001-05:00

This is a staple at our home. Debbie D. requested our recipe for this so thought I would go ahead and share it today.
We don't always eat our sauce on spaghetti because my husband grew up eating sauce mixed with elbow macaroni. When I asked his Grandmother how this became a tradition she said it made up more for a large family and the children didn't make a mess with it like they did spaghetti. If we want less meat and more sauce I mix up 2 batches of sauce but only use 1 lb of ground beef for the 2 batches of sauce. It is equally good with just making the sauce and using frozen meat balls. Other good variations is using ground turkey, italian sausage, or even add left over cooked chicken to it. When things got tight I have been known to use a smoked sausage cut in rounds and the family thought it was wonderful.
Try it and make it just right for your family. (I have even used this with some extra garlic and a little olive oil as pizza sauce and it's good)

Smith Family Spaghetti Sauce mix from Food Storage:

Ingredients for Spaghetti Sauce Mix Directions for creating Mix. Makes 4 packets of Spaghetti Sauce mix.

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup dried minced onion
3 tablespoons dried bell pepper flakes
3 tablespoons dried celery
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Chili powder (Family tradition from Keith's Grandmother Clare)
4 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic

Combine the first eight ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 year.
Makes 4 batches (1 cup total).

To prepare spaghetti sauce: In a skillet, 1 lb ground brown beef; drain. Stir in 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce mix, 1/2 Cup water, 1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes and 1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Yield: about 3-31/2 cups sauce per batch. Sometimes I will throw in some fresh onions and bellpeppers into the beef while browning it. If you add any dried mushrooms the make sure you add additional water or soak them before adding.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's a budget stretcher. Served with a salad in the summer from the garden, or baked apples in the fall with a big wedge of hot buttered cornbread makes this a great supper.

My Lessons in Food Storage

2011-04-11T06:16:00.026-05:00

Our family started storing food when we saw people loosing their jobs in 2008. As fate would have it over the coming months my husband and I both lost our jobs. We then decided that from that time on we'd be better prepared because it did help us not worry about the next meal. It was during that time we made mistakes and learned lessons about of family's buying habits, and food consumption. Here are a few of the things that we learned.

Lesson 1: If what you store isn't eaten then you've wasted your money. I found 1 lb bags of dried peas on sale for .50 cents a bag. What a deal, but I was the only one that liked them. The money I spent was wasted and so was the space it took up until I donated to a local soup kitchen. Store what your family will eat.

Lesson 2: Variety keeps life interesting. If you want to feel down and out then constantly eat beans. Most of those storing food buy honey, beans, flour, and salt and think they can survive. You might for a short time but you can't live that way long term. The vitamins and minerals needed to maintain good health and strength is necessary.

In order to store a variety of foods keep a list of the meals you prepare each week and how well your family like it. Next, make a list of what ingredients it takes to make that meal. That way you know how much you need to store. I then decide how often we will eat this meal in a year so I know how much of the ingredients I need to store.

Lesson 3: Extended Staples. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Store dehydrated and/or freeze dried foods as well as home canned and “store bought” canned goods. You can't make biscuits without shortening and baking powder. Other ingredients such as yeast, oil, spices, that you need to make those convenient foods from scratch. Powdered milk should be on everyones list.

Lesson 4: Learn how to make some things from scratch. This is how I discovered homemade ketchup, mayonnaise was wonderful. It also frees up storage space. We also decided instead of dried eggs we would always have chickens to provide our eggs.

Lesson 5: Store some "Feel Good Foods" Chocolate, puddings. Those comfort foods that help us get through stressful moments and make us feel "all is well." These may be different for each person in the house. So try and pick out items the majority of the family will love. Quick Normal foods such as candy, snacks such as peanuts, potato chips. Icecram mixes. Quick satisfaction.

Lesson 6: Use your food storage. This will keep it rotated, and expiration dates from expiring before you eat it. You also won't have to make as many unnecessary trips to the store because your store can be your pantry. That is one thing I've loved.

Yellow Rice Mix

2011-04-09T16:32:00.001-05:00

Each recipe makes 1 box meal. I usually have an assembly line and measure all the rice into Ziploc bags to make more than one mix and have it on hand. I make about 10 bags at a time and save the bags for the next time I mix it all up again.

1 cup long grain rice
1/4 teas tumeric
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas onion powder
1 tbs dried green pepper. ( I usually dehydrate my own peppers in the Summer)
3 tbs or 3 cubes chicken flavored bullion.

Combine and Seal in a Ziploc bag for convenience.
To prepare:
2 1/2 Cups tap water
2 Tbs. margarine
Saute rice and seasonings for a few minutes. Add water to boil. Place a lid and reduce heat to simmer (covered) until water is absorbed and rice is done.

My son loves adding some baked chicken to his if we have leftovers in the refrigerator.
This saves us 1.00 on each box we make.

Yeeee Haaaww! It's Spring in Dixie.

2011-04-08T06:20:00.003-05:00

Flowers are blooming everywhere. The warm sunshine, and the gentle warm southern breeze just makes my day! I love Spring.

Baby Chicks are in the livingroom because some spring nights are unpredictable and temperatures drop when cold fronts come through. We listen to them sing. When they run it sounds like they are typing. One loves to stick his head forward and run like he's a super hero. They are more fun to watch than TV right now.

We get to begin playng in the dirt again and watching everything start new again. I love spring!
This year my sweet sister will be my dirt buddy as we play in our garden. Our garden will grow this year to almost an acre. It'll be fun playing once again with my sister in the dirt.
Hope your spring is going well. Did I mention I sure love spring!

Winter Whites and Laundry Blues

2011-01-20T21:36:00.000-06:00

In the winter it's not as easy drying the laundry on the clothes lines. It takes a little more commitment and determination to hang wet clothes out with the cold winds blowing and your knuckles stiff and freezing. It also means you best hang those clothes out early if you want them dried by dark.
That's when we found drying indoors isn't so bad. We hang a shower rod between the door closest to the gas heater and hang shirts on plastic hangers, Jeans on 2 plastic hangers upside down. Towels, socks, undies all go on a wood rack that folds up and stores under the bed when not in use. We also have a vent box with filters that hooks up to the clothes dryer and instead of the heat going outside when in use, it comes back into the laundry room. I have found that the heat from the dryer is very moist heat and no matter how many filters you use, lint can still be a problem.
Another money saving idea for drying clothes is to use the dryer and remove the clothes before they are dry and hang up to completely dry. Less time, less energy.
If you have an attic you can walk around in, then stretch out a few lines to hang clothes on and put a few box fans blowing around. It will still be cold, but out of the weather and it works in the rain.

Cooking Steel cut Oats in the Crock Pot.

2011-01-19T22:25:00.000-06:00

Steel Cut Oatmeal is really good and is much different than processed oatmeal. Quick or rolled oats are steamed, rolled flat,then toasted to look like they do. Most of the real flavor and goodness is processed out of them. Steel cut oats have more dietary fiber,and protein per serving than rolled oats. I have found they don't make my sugar levels rise as the processed version does.

Here's how I cook them. I take my crock pot, and a casserole dish that will fit inside or you can use a pyrex bowl as long as it hold 4 or 5 cups of liquid.
I do this because using the crock pot alone makes the oats bake on the sides instead of staying creamy. Inside the crock pot I put enough water to come up 1/2 way on the outside of the casserole dish. It's like a double boiler. Inside the casserole dish I put 1 cup of steel cut oats, and 4 cups water. Set the crockpot on LOW for 8 hours. If you like you can add raisins or any dried fruit or cut up an apple and sprinkle with cinnamon. We usually just keep ours simple by not adding anything.

Everyone loves it and it's ready when we get up. Clean up is easy, we just put the casserole dish in the dishwasher. Pour the water out of the crockpot and it's ready for the next day. This is really good since our day begins at 5:00 AM and I have trouble focusing that early.
When my kids first saw steel cut oats and saw me cooking them they thought I was cooking chicken feed for them. (It does look like it but it's not) I have one child that is my MIKEY, you remember the kid that eats anything. Well, Breanna tasted it and couldn't stop talking about how good it was so the other two kids finished off their bowls. Now, they ask if they can have chicken feed for breakfast. So if you hear my kids say I cook good chicken feed you'll know it's steel cut oats. :)

September11th 9th Anniversary Approaching

2010-09-05T19:13:00.004-05:00

Today as I was going through a list of movies for the kids to watch we came across "World Trade Center". Since the oldest was born in 1999 none of them knew what 911 meant or what happened that day. That's when it dawned on me the one thing everyone swore not to forget is quickly being forgotten. I know time heals all wounds but we still shouldn't forget what caused that pain. We need to learn from it so it never happens again.

I remember that morning very vividly. I was up ready to start the day getting the lessons ready for my now 22 year old to be homeschooled. Gosh what a lesson we got that day. I remember watching in disbelief as I saw the plane go into the building. It was horrible, but was it just a feaky accident then we heard the pentagon had been hit I think that's when it dawned on me we were being attacked. Our oldest son is in the military and I remember picking up the phone to call him to make sure he knew what was going on. Then I called my husband to make sure he knew and to understand we were being attacked. The rest of the day we spent with one eye on the TV and the other on the events outside. I believe everyone that realized we were under attack was concerned this wasn't all to come.

My most vivid memory was how quiet it was for days after that. All air traffic suspended meant no airliners flying over head, no vapor trails. Friends that were out of town had no way home so they kept the rental car they had to get home with. People were stuck in airports around the country. Feelings of fear, anger, insecurity plagued everyone.

Now, 9 years later are we really any further away from those feelings? Sadly we were just long enough to forget. It's important to remember that day, choose strong leaders that will take a stand and protect us when it does happen. We as Americans need to remember what made this country right and uphold those values. Teach our children to respect our firemen, policemen and those in authority. Remember to thank a soldier for their service. Remember 911 forever.

Simple Foods/ Simple Grains

2010-08-20T02:37:00.000-05:00

Over the last few months I've put up quite a few jars of vegtables from the garden. The only thing I don't like about canning is the heat. My rice, wheat, beans and oats are also jarred as well. I love my foodsaver!

Make sure your recycled jars and lids don't have any odors from it's previous contents. I wash them good in hot soapy water then I boil the lids in baking soda water and that usually gets any odors the washing didn't get out.

The positives on storing food with the recycled jars and foodsaver is it's totally reusable again. Food will stay dry. It's much easier to use smaller quanities. Easier to store in boxes or on shelves than usual 5 gallon buckets. It's cheaper than storing in mylar bags and using oxygen absorbers. I can also have a good accounting of what I have better than using 5 gallon buckets as well. If I only use 1/2 of the contents of the jar I can reseal and keep it fresh by just resealing with the food saver.

Here's a great video from Youtube and Wendy Dewitt that explains quite a bit. Unlike her I use every part of my foodsaver not just the little port hole.

Real Happiness

2010-08-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

After much thought... I must be really happy. I'm not overflowing with so much I take for granted how blessed I am, and I have just enough to be thankful for my needs being met. Sometimes it's a curse to have too much because that's when people begin to forget where their blessings come from and theythen turn to depend on things that will crumble and fail. Look at how many people have put their faith for their retirements in things that just couldn't fail. Real Estate, retirement savings, wall street, their own abilities, occupations, and 401K have all failed to provide stability that people had really hoped for to provide them happiness.
I have come to find that happiness is between the ears and in the heart more than in our pockets. Someone told me it's alot easier to be happy with a pocket full of money but I've seen alot of miserable people with filled pockets. In the next few days we will look at happiness, learning to not count on material things to make us happy, and living simply. Some of this may be a review of things I've written before but once in a while it's a good thing to review and renew to commitments that add to our lives. If you have some things ideas on what makes you happy pass them along. You can never share too much "Happiness".

2010-07-19T07:33:00.004-05:00

This last week I've enjoyed all my children and grandchildren being around me. My mother was right when she said you could have 100 and they would all be different. Wish we all lived close together but then if we did moments like this might not seem so special to all of us.

I'm very blessed to have a wonderful family, I hope you all are blessed as well.

Silence is Golden: Getting rid of the everyday static.

2010-07-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

I became profoundly aware of what quiet really is right after September 11, 2001. When you walked outside it was quiet. No planes streaking across the sky, no noise of jet engines in the background. The world was uncommonly quiet.

That's when I realized just how much background noise we really have going on. It's no wonder no one really listens anymore or that we're all constantly talking louder to be heard. I started taking note of noise in and around our home. When my sister jokingly said "A ghost wouldn't haunt your house because of the noise." I knew I had to do something. My mission then became to invite "Quiet" back into our home.

First, I made a list of all the background noises around our home. (both inside and out) I found the TV or a radio was constantly running and no body was watching. The children were constantly talking louder and louder. One child in particular even talks loud in her sleep. Our house was noisy. I then went on a noise reduction campaign.

QUIET HOUR was declared. No talking, no TV, no Radio, no appliances running except for the refrigerator. The kids took this time to read a book, or to work on artwork.

QUIET RIDE came second. As an experiment I didn't turn off the radio before I started the car. No one asked: why isn't the radio on, in fact, no one talked. This spoke volumes to me about how we as moms set the atmosphere of our homes or in our cars. We now have quiet rides and there is some talking occasionally but it's usually because they see something now outside the car that is interesting, and they enjoy the ride.

My son wears a t-shirt that says "Silence is golden, Duct tape is silver" and there's duct tape over the area of a smiley face where his mouth would be. In this few months of searching for quiet I found that my home was loud because of the atmosphere I allowed. My house has gone through a noise reduction. Reducing the static, the background mindless chatter and keeping a roll of duct tape around just in case has made our home a sanctuary.

Meditation instead of Medication

2010-07-08T04:54:00.000-05:00

I know many will think I've lost my mind but meditation works. It's not just for hippies anymore. I don't sit like the girl in the picture but I sit in my recliner with my feet on the floor, my hands with palms up in my lap. With my eyes closed, I breath deeply through my nose, then hold for a few seconds then as I release the breath slowly through my mouth I think "I Am". Not for what I am but because God said "I Am that I Am." My husband says "Jesus". My mother in law says "Peace". The word should be something that makes you relax.

With each breath I can feel myself sinking further into my chair, relaxing then I notice my heart beating. I then feel that beating in my feet, all the way up into my head then I take it back to my heart. It's very relaxing, calming, and with all the stress that is going on in the world today it's a good thing to just stop, and meditate.

Now, the good points of meditation. It has reduced my headaches, my stress, and I have cut back on my bloodpressure medications after 6 months. My family are happier and notice a difference in my demeanor. I feel better and bottom line it has a healing effect without costing money we don't have. Most classes are held in community centers or senior citizens centers and I highly recommend meditation before taking medication. Please dont' stop your medications without your doctors consent. My doctor noticed I didn't need it and weaned me off those meds.

It's also a great way to fall asleep when you can't sleep because it calms the mind.

Updates and New Beginnings by Looking Back

2010-07-07T08:25:00.003-05:00

My first order of business is to thank everyone for your prayers for my brother. Never believe doctors when they say the end is near because there is a higher authority that has the final word. My brother is doing well. He's better than anyone ever expected. In the last week he got aggrivated by the trach tube and pulled it out himself. Everyone worried his oxygen level would drop instead it went up. He's now trying to talk and contrary to what the doctors say he knows what he's saying and understanding. My sisters and I don't know or understand why Dean's gone through all this but one thing we have totally understand is God is totally in control of life and death, not doctors.

When I started this blog I had lost my job, then shortly afterward my husband had lost his job as well. He is now back to work. We now homeschool our children, garden, raise chickens, can our food, and live on less. I'll continue to do these things but hopefully with a little humor and helpful ideas so those who are loosing their job can survive until days get better.

In the last 2 years I've learned a few things that I would like to pass along to you now. We call them our principals for living in economic downturns and they are the same principals that helped our grandparents through the great depression.
SIMPLIFY your life: Change your mindset to make do with less. Appreciate and be thankful for the things you have. Simplicity in your life will bring you joy and contentment. Don't look to the things you don't have or things you think you want for your happiness.
THINK CREATIVELY: Some of the greatest inventions were birthed thanks to someone trying to fill a need. Imagine what it would be like to go back in time and do without some of the things that you can't live without. How would you do it if you didn't have those things. You can discover joy in doing things for yourself and not running to the store all the time.
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE: God wants us to be grateful in all situations. I'm reminded of a Veggie Tales song...A grateful heart is a happy heart. Madame Blueberry was only happy by buying more stuff from stuffmart but in the end she found it really didn't make her truly happy. Gratitude will prevent us from being tied to the demon of materialism.
PRAY AND BELIEVE: Every religion has a belief system and a prayer system. Use it! Mentally you can make it through hard times if you have faith in a higher power that hears your cries and answers your prayers. Keep a diary of your prayers and then look at how your prayers are answered.

It's always better to be prepared and to believe it within your abilities to make it. Life is in cycles, some up and some down. People have always survived hard times and we can too.

Gratitude comes to the Smith House.

2010-04-13T10:44:00.004-05:00

We have a new baby in the house. "Reiko" which means "Gratitude" in German. I'm sure someday someone will be in "Gratitude" he didn't take a bite out of them. He'll be off to Obedience school soon and right now he's being house broken. When he's grown he will weigh close to 130 lbs. We purchased direct from the breeder and he's a beautiful puppy as is all 9 of his siblings.

Update and Many Thanks

2010-04-07T04:16:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone. This is my brother a few days ago. He is not using the ventilator anymore but is still using oxygen. He seems more alert and still has days where he has more swelling than we like but seems to be doing somewhat better. They moved him to another facility since the nursing home could not take him with a ventilator. He has a rooftop view since he's on the 12th floor of St. Francis.
We don't know what God's timeing on things are and we take each day as they come.
Thank you for your well wishes and please keep us in your prayers.

Just a thought...I don't now St. Joseph but?

2010-03-19T17:51:00.005-05:00

March 19, 2010
Pelosi Prays To St. Joseph To Pass Health Care

Would a Saint in Heaven really think this bill was a good one? Especially since it condones abortion with American Dollars.

Stories to Pay Attention To...

2010-03-11T17:00:00.000-06:00

Here's some stories that caught my eye and I plan to keep one eye on...
The EU Authorizes GMO Potatoes
For those who aren't familiar with GMO it means Genetically-Modified Potatoes. Well, I'm not
going to plant potatoes and save my seeds as I do with my other vegetable seeds. So as the EU goes so goes Washington now days. One more reason to till some more grass up.

China is going into the GMO buisness. My O My...I remember the lead in the children's toys, and the sulfer infused wall board that made homes uninhabitable. I also remember baby formula and dog food with Melamine in it... need I say this can't be a good thing? Grow your own food or support farmers that refuse to use GMO seeds. Know where your food comes from.

Bill O'Reilly says it's ok to seize your guns in an emergency like Katrina. Really? I don't think so. You see, they would only be seizing those that had registered guns from law biding citizens. I all of a sudden feel the words of Charlton Heston rising up in my blood...They'll only get my gun from my cold dead hand."

A common weed-killer castrates frogs- And EPA won't regulate it. Now, I wonder how many of you try to eat organically and buy meats raised without hormones for dinner? Looks like you might want to pay attention to what your gardener uses to control those weeds in your lawn. If you think frogs don't matter think again. What affects them will eventually affect us.

Mark Faber says buy Gold and Farmland and prepare for a dirty war. I don't know about a dirty war but I do believe we are going to need Gold and Farmland. Very interesting view from over the pond but it's not really something we didn't feel needed anyway.

Sex life ends at 70 as health declines, study says. Well, Finally some good news? I'd like to know how they did this study wouldn't you? My first thought on that, who at 70 would admit they actually have sex? ONLY MEN of course! No woman would talk about sex at 70. My second thought, goes back up to the story on frogs and herbicide. I know that would end a sex life as well.

New York is proposing a bill to ban salt in Restaurants. This disturbed my husband mostly. He's the salt eater in the family and I fear there will be alot of bootlegging salt gangs over the country. I'm buying more to put up for hard times.:)

We're still taking one day at a time with my brother's health. He's on a ventilator and is alert more often but still not over the hump. Thank you for all your prayers.

4-H, Salt, and a man named "Dump"

2010-03-10T20:13:00.003-06:00

Lately, I've been replaying my life over in my mind. Remembering all the great things my sisters, brother and I did as kids. Wondering mainly where the time went. It's funny that when you're a kids you think you have all the time in the world but when you're older you realize it's not much at all.

While I munched on a biscuit, my mind wandered back in time to when I made my first pan of biscuits. I was in the 3rd grade and had just joined 4 H. Being a cocky kid, I had made up my mind I was going to be the best biscuit maker in the whole school. So while my parents were gone and the baby sitter was there I decided to make biscuits for the next morning. (That was the day we were suppose to bring our baked biscuits in for judging.) My intentions were to make them without any help at all, and so I did.

The babysitter's husband was there and he sat and drank a cup of coffee while they waited on my parents return. His name was "Dump". Gutherie was our sitter and she was rocking my baby brother trying to get him down for the evening. I was at the other end of the table with my mother's cookbook and up to my elbows literally in biscuit dough. Every once in a while Dump would peer over the top of his glasses to see what I was doing next and occassionally he'd say..."You sure that's what you do?" Ah sure, I'd respond...I've been doing this for a long time.

I cut out the biscuits put them in what we called our "Biscuit pan". (an old round cake pan ) I told Dump since he was there he could have one and see what he thought. I was so proud.

Those biscuits looked so good out of the oven and they smelled wonderful. I proudly served Dump the first biscuit on a blue dish because it was one of my favorite dishes. He smiled as he buttered and poured some molasses over that piece of art. I held my breath in anticipation of great praise when all of a sudden Dump started coughing, and motioned for water. I thought I had killed him.

He went on to ask..."Ok Miss Susan...how much salt did you put in those biscuits?" I had put way too much salt. He said "Those biscuits won't win so let's try another batch." Dump helped me with my second batch of biscuits and I didn't win but was given a honorable mention certificate.

Years later in 7th grade I won my blue ribbon finally not only for my biscuits but for my cornbread muffins too. Everytime I eat a biscuit now I remember Dump and his help. The last few times I saw him before he left this world of old age, he'd ask, "You made any biscuits lately?" And we'd both have a great laugh. I was blessed to have him and Gutherie in my life.

Discontinuing to post for a while.

2010-03-01T09:04:00.002-06:00

My brother, Dean, is not doing very well after a serious infection. He's being placed in hospice care so I'm going to be with him during this time. Thank you for your prayers.
Susan

Perfected Sandwich Bread using the Bread Machine

2010-02-20T13:46:00.010-06:00

Have you ever thrown something away then a week or so later wished you hadn't because you needed it? I'm notorious for it. I now keep things in a giveaway box for a few days so I keep from making that kind of mistake again. That's how we discovered the bread machine destined to go to Goodwill was to earn it's way back in the kitchen.

Bree and Britt found it. They had never heard of a bread machine so in my explaining what it was they pictured it as a huge wonderful easybake oven. Girls being girls, they excitedly went through the manual and played all week making bread. They tried all the buttons, every recipe. They then made their own recipe and special technique which is how we now enjoy the perfectly easy, perfect loaf of bread. Here's my shock of it all...it goes against everything I learned about making bread.

Here is the final recipe:

1 1/2 cup of what we call hottie warm water

1 T olive oil

1/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 cup bread flour

1/2 teas salt

1 1/2 teas yeast

Put these in the bread machine in the order written but when you add the yeast make a well in the flour to hold the yeast. Instead of baking the whole loaf in the oven they put it on the dough setting. It will go through the mixing, kneading, and the first rising on this setting. When the timer goes off the dough gets removed from the bread machine and punched down. We do things a little differently from this point. Instead of flour the girls used a bit of olive oil on the counter and on their hands so the soft dough wouldn't stick to their hands. (they thought that is what you did because we oil our hands when making pizza dough) Pat the dough into a rectangle and roll it to shape it for the loaf pan. The pan is sprayed and then a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of the breadpan. They put the loaf in the pan, and rolled it so that the top of the dough has a coating of olive oil then it's put in a warm place to rise again while the oven preheats at 350 degrees. Let it rise until it's about a inch above the pan then into the oven to bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

If you've been disappointed with your bread machine and it's not already on the Goodwill shelf do what the girls did. Get curious, play with it, and forget what you've been taught about bread.

Here's today's creation. My husband is loving it, my jeans aren't.

Ladybugs and Tater Cakes

2010-02-14T23:27:00.006-06:00

Is anyone besides me fighting the battle of Ladybugs? I vacuum them up and more appear. The kids have started putting them in jars and the youngest one told me Ladybugs eat dust so if that's so my home should be dust free by now.

My younger sister and I used to love to sing as kids. She had dark hair and always loved singing Loretta Lynn songs, especially "You ain't Woman enough to take my Man." She said I would have to sing someone else's songs because I didn't have dark hair. Now we laugh about it but I have something my sister don't have that belongs to Loretta Lynn. It's her Tater Cake recipe. I'll share it though and since my hair is now dark I guess I can cook a Loretta Lynn recipe now. I have cooked it several times and it's very good. Great way to use up left over creamed potatoes.

5 cups creamed potatoes
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying.
In a large bowl mix together the creamed potatoes, egg, flour, and salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into patties. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium high heat and fry patties for about 1 minute on each side or until browwn. Serve hot.

I add something to mine though that Loretta don't...I add a little grated onion into the mixture.
Great comfort food but not so good for the hips. This is one of our meatless meal foods that we eat with 2 other vegetables. Enjoy it.

Adventurous Weekend

2010-02-01T11:19:00.008-06:00

We were planning on a huge icestorm with downed powerlines. We were prepared. Oil lamps were at ready, water in bottles, bathtub had water so we could flush the toilet. Thank goodness it didn't get as severe as the weather guys were playing it out to be. Friday it was ice then snow, then more ice but it wasn't the kind of freezing rain that sticks to trees as mentally pictured.

Saturday morning is when the adventure began. My son had to fly out of Little Rock, Arkansas to go to Austin, Tx at 2:30 pm. I had with all hopes that they would cancel the flight but they didn't. We all got dressed, and decided to leave extra early because we planned on the 2 1/2 hour trip to be extended some by the weather but we didn't expect what we got into.

Tennessee Interstates were great, the trouble began when we reached the Mississippi River Bridge. It was one solid sheet of ice. No slush, no snow, ICE.

It didn't seem that Arkansas had done anything to their roads but after all who wants to work on a Saturday.

Here's what we saw ahead as we got off at the first bridge we could get off the interstate when we realized 2 hours had passed. We realized we couldn't make it without getting off the interstate. We went back roads that were very much iced over but no traffic at all.

We finally made it to the Airport at 2:25 his flight took off at 2:30 and he's finally in Austin enjoying warmer weather.

We finally made it back to West Memphis, Arkansas and we stopped at Cracker Barrell to eat since we had gone all day. Going the back roads meant no rest stops, no businesses open so with 3 kids this trip was miserable for everyone. We did finally convience one of the girls that it was OK to tinkle on the side of the road there was no traffic.

What would have usually taken us 4 hours at the most ended up being 12 hours. On the 16th of February we make the trip again to pick him up. I'm praying for warmer, drier weather. I will be more prepared for the back roads after all this. Drinks and snacks will be standard preps.

Chalkboard Ideas

2010-01-27T10:56:00.002-06:00

For the life of me I can't remember where I saw these done but I thought it was such a great idea I would try it. The jars I've had for a while storing my sugar, rice, and flour. The chalkboard label is new. I had a can of spray chalk board paint and a piece of clear contact paper. I took the the contact paper and taped it down flat so I could spray it with the chalk board paint. The first coat is rather light, the second coat is a little heavier, and then I put on a 3rd coat so it won't be seen through.

I've cut pieces in a rectangular shape, pull off the backing and stick it to the jars so it's totally removeable.

Then I went nuts, I stuck a piece to the trash bin in the kitchen to remind Alex to carry out the trash, a piece on the door so it and be used as a quick reminder of what needs to be picked up at the store. I put a piece on the solid side of my desk so when smaller children are over they have a place to draw and it won't mess up anything. Chalk is so much easier than crayons to clean from walls.

Now, if this was on your site...send me the URL so I can give you credit as well as go back and see the rest of your great ideas.

Storing Emergency Water

2010-01-26T11:18:00.001-06:00

Last time an ice storm came through our way I was totally unprepared. The power went out and we didn't have water to drink or cook with. That is when I decided it wouldn't hurt to find out how to store water for emergencies. Our water source is our well so if the power goes out we loose our water source. At first I was totally concerned I would poison the family but after speaking to a doctor friend, she told me how to properly store the water.
1. Throughly wash out your drink bottles. DO NOT USE MILK JUGS. You can't thoroughly get all the milk casein out and milk jugs get brittle and leake. Use dish detergent and make sure you rinse it well.
2. Pour in 1/2 cup of unscented household bleach in the bottle. I put the lid on and shake it all around until all has been covered with the bleach. I then pour it into the next bottle to sanitize it. Then rinse throughly the bottles to get all the bleach out.
3. Fill each bottle with water and before sealing I use a fresh batch of unscented household bleach in a measuring cup so I can easily dip in my "PINCH" measuring spoon. It's the very smallest measuring spoon and it holds 3 drops of bleach to preserve the water in a 2 liter drink bottle. Write the date on it and store.
4. One thing extra to do before you drink it. Pour back and forth in 2 glasses before drinking to improve the taste. I now have a "BRETTA" filter pitcher so I will pour it through into there now before drinking.
By the way...we tested to see if it was ok because we didn't want to have an emergency with another emergency and we didn't notice any taste difference or sicknesses.

You should have 3 gallons of water per day per person so I've got to find more drink bottles. Hopefully, the power will be restored before the water runs out.

One more tip. If you are on a well system and there's an icestorm in the forecast. Usually before I go to bed I fill the bathtubs. Not for drinking but for flushing the toilets. Keep a bucket near and if you pour directly into the toilet bowl it will flush down the toilet ok.

I need a life or this is a good idea...

2010-01-25T21:09:00.005-06:00

I usually don't use butter bowls...my mother would roll over in her grave if she knew I had a stash of these bowls. (it's a long story about this woman who had 2 rooms full and we were hired to clean out her house. She had no less than 5000.) Anyhoo... I only have a few to use for leftovers and when Keith worked he could carry his lunch in it without my loosing my good tupperware.

Today when I cleaned out my refrigerator I couldn't remember when a bowl of mac and cheese was cooked. I wanted to warm it up for the kids lunch so I came up with this idea.
EXPO to the rescue. It works the same as a dry erase board and you have to never question how old something is again. Works great on Tupperware too.

Then I got the idea to write the kids memory verse on the platter... it works great too!

Honesty is our word for this week.

My sister says I need a life if this is what gets me excited. I may, but there may be some out there like me that gets excited over simple things. Have a great day!

Teachable Moments

2010-01-22T16:25:00.001-06:00

If you had asked me if I was going to home school a year ago I would of said "NO WAY, I'm not crazy." but I've discovered to never say never. My husband and I have been homeschooling since Thanksgiving break. We've been totally amazed how easy this process has been and I don't know if it's because we're older or because the children love to learn. I really believe it's the fact that we've discovered the secret to fun learning called "Teachable Moments."
Today the youngest(my first grader) asked "Can I make a lap book on "Chickens?" I asked her what she planned to put in her lapbook that would teach others about chickens? She came up with a pretty good list of what she wanted to learn about chickens.
I'm now in the process of putting together resources for her to construct her own lap book on chickens. I'll let you know how it goes.
Watch and make use for those "Teachable Moments" when your child is hungry to learn and seeking knowledge on a particular subject. When there's a spark, learn to fuel it.

Pantry Supplies and Inventory 2010-2011 Part 2

2010-01-21T18:02:00.005-06:00

I've been asked by Liz Beth how exactly I went about keeping tract of this. I started in the summer of 2008 when I saw the beginnings of things economically tanking. FEAR was the motivation. I dedicated a notebook just for this and knew it wasn't going to be easy. My main goal was to keep up with what we purchased then at the end of the year I took inventory of what was in the pantry. I then knew if I had blown through 20 lbs of rice and didn't have any left at the end of the year I used 20 lbs of rice. (We go through far more rice than that but if you had asked me when I first began I would have said 5 lbs maybe.)

I guessed at first how many jars I'd need for my canning needs. I was very overwhelmed with the number of quart jars needed so I then purchased a freezer and decided some would be frozen because it was also my first year canning. I honestly had a fear of killing my family so I felt I had to freeze some just in case. (I am totally confident with my canning skills now that I won't worry about it this next season.)

At the top of my notebook page I have the following sections:

Date: Item Purchased: Size or Weight Cost:

I didn't try to group, I didn't worry about what my husband bought I just made him turn in receipts. Those receipts had what he purchased and the cost...

I'll include more tomorrow on the purchases and how I found it to be like a great investment.

FROZEN FOODS: 3 packages Phyllo Dough, 4 boxes Fish Sticks, 4 boxes Chicken Tenders (for the grandchildren because they like them)

DAIRY: 42 gallons Milk, 30 lbs Cheddar cheese, 24 cans of Evaporated milk (used mainy for cooking) 6 cans of condensed milk, 8 packs of Cream Cheese (it don't freeze well so I purchase went needed) 52 lbs of butter or margarine. (We used to use margarine but are now back to butter but that's another story)

TO CELLAR: We don't have a cellar but we have a closet that stays cool and dry so we stored the following 1 pumpkin, rutabagers, butternut squash, sweet potatoes ( we purchased 80 lbs in Louisiana and I'll double that next year)

SOUPS & STEWS: 24 Quarts of vegetable beef soup. 12 Cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup, 12 Cans cream of Chicken soup, 8 cans each of Chicken Noodle, and Tomato Soup (Cheapest place to purchase the canned soups "Aldi's"

PANTRY BACKBONE: 10 large cans of Coffee, 30 boxes of Tea, 2 quarts Red Wine Vinegar, 75 lbs White sugar, 3 packages of Coffee Filters, 5 large bags (from Sam's)Spaghetti, 5 large bags of Macaroni (from Sams) 2 boxes Cocoa, 2 bottles dark molasses, 2 bottles dark Corn Syrup, 2 bottles Light Corn Syrup, 4 bags egg noodles, 5 lbs Iodized Salt, 5 lbs, Kosher Salt, 5 lbs Brown sugar, 5 lbs powdered sugar, 20 lbs Crisco, 4 bottles of Extra virgin Olive Oil each are 2 liters each, Spices are purchased in large quanities: 1- 64oz Vanilla, 18 oz Minced Onions, 2- 18 oz containers of pepper, Chili powder, paprika, ginger, lemon pepper,red pepper flakes, cardamon, pickling spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, sage, 3 bags chocolate chips, 6 large bottles pancake syrup, 3 jars parmesan cheese, 40 cans of tomato paste (Aldi's) 3 large boxes baking soda, 1 large container of Baking Powder, 4 lbs Yeast

HOUSEHOLD: 6 boxes kitchen matches, 6 gallons bleach, 3 gallons white vinegar, 6 boxes borax, 24 bars of fels Naptha soap, 6 boxes Washing Soda, 4 large cans cleanser, 6 large bottles dawn dish detergent (not for just the dishes...but for window cleaner, spot removal etc)
1 gallon Ammonia, 7-30 roll packages of Scott Toilet Paper, 1 gallon Mean Green Cleaner
10 packs rat poison, 3 cans bug spray, 30 AA batteries, 20 AAA batteries, 25 Emergency candles, 5 gallons clear lamp oil, 10 replacement wicks. Canning lids (10 packs of each size)

MEDICINE AND PERSONAL CARE: 1 large box Q tips, 5 mascara, 12 large tubes toothpaste, 6 rolls dental floss, 3 large listernine, 4 gallons shampoo(purchased at beauty supply store) 3 bottles hair spray, 6 packages halls cough drops, 2 large vaseline, 2 large vicks salve, 3 bottles liquid cough cold medicine, 2 boxes benadryl, 2 hydrocortison cream, 2 boxes ibuprofen, 1 box acetaminophen, 3 bottles baby asprin, 50 bars bathsoap (will start making myown) 10 dedorants, 2 boxes epsom salts, 2 crystal salt deodorants(More on this later)

Personal prescriptions and Vitamins are purchased every 3 months.

I'll add more tomorrow but this pretty much sums up the bulk of what we purchase and do.

Pantry and Supplies Inventory for 2010-2011 Part 1

2010-01-21T01:42:00.007-06:00

Over the last year I have tried to keep up with what exactly our family of 6 used on a yearly basis. Much of which I try to purchase in bulk what we can't grow and preserve on our own.

We are growing more of our own food now and canning has saved us money.

I do cook more and we eat more at home than we did 2 years ago. We found making it from scratch is cheaper than buying the ready mix.

This list is for a whole year for a family of 7. (I only have 6 but one is a teenager so he eats like 2)

Meat: 30 whole hens, 1/2 beef, 35 cans salmon, 1 deer ground, 1 pig, 20 lbs Pork Sausage, 10 lbs venison sausage, 4 turkeys, 1 large country ham, 30 cans tuna, 1 case spam, 1 case potted meat, 1 case vienna sausages.

Grains and Legumes: 75 lbs rice, 10 lbs farina, 25 lbs rolled oats, 35 lbs steel cut oats, 10 lbs Kidney beans, 50 lbs White beans, 50 lbs Pinto Beans, 25 lbs Pecans, 40 lbs corn meal

Fruits: Pears 30 quarts, Cranberries 6 pints, blueberries 30 pints, peaches 30 quarts, apple sauce 15 qts, strawberries 25 pints, 8 lbs raisins, 12 cans Pineapple, 24 cans citrus sections

Apples 3 bushels total purchased

Vegetables: Last year we had 200 -250 quarts this year my goal is 350-450 quarts,

canned, frozen, or dried vegetables. Greenbeans,, squash, Carrots, Onions, Peppers, Celery, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Southern Peas, English Peas, Spinach, Turnip Greens, Rutabagers, Cabbage

Condiments: 30-pints Jams and jellies, 6 pints Apple Butter, 10 quarts salsa, 40 quarts Spaghetti sauce, 6 quarts BBQ sauce, 8 quarts Mayonnaise, 3 Large squeeze bottles Mustard, 25 quarts Sweet Lime Pickles, 25 quarts Dill pickles, 25 pints Pepper Relish, 15 Pints Pickle Relish, (We never seemed to eat that many pickles when I purchased them but that's what we went through this year of homemade) 2 cases of Peanutbutter (1 crunchy, 1 creamy)

The rest I'll post tomorrow. It will include the dairy, housecleaning needs. I'll also pass along what I learned over the last year that helped the most on saving money.

2010-01-18T19:09:00.004-06:00

WHAT A WEEKEND! The sun was shining, the day was warm, it was like spring. I couldn't believe that it was such a nice weekend after all that cold weather we went through.
I hope it was warm and sunny where you are too.

I have a recipe that will be good for the next cold spell. It's great with a cornbread muffin or with a warm piece of warm crusty bread.

Sausage Lentil Soup
1 lb of maple-flavored pork sausage
4 cans vegetable stock (or 56 oz. of your own vegetable stock from scratch)
1 (1 lb package) lentils
1 large white onion peeled and diced
2 large carrots peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, stringed and diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teas salt
1/4/teas black pepper
In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, brown and crumble the sausage. Stir in the stock, lentils, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduct heat to low, and cover. Add water if the soup looks dry. Serve hot.
Yields about 6-7 servings.

I hope you enjoy it. At first before we tried it I thought sausage in soup? It didn't appeal much to me but after trying it we have decided it's one of our favorite soups. My husband wants me to add some white beans next time as well. I may try it once. We've also tried this with venison sausage and it's good as well. I added some maple flavoring while browning it and I had to add a little oil because venison is so lean.

Oh, one more thing, pray for those in Haiti. Working conditions for the Volunteers are now made more harsh by gangs with machetes and those that live there will never have their life back as they did before. I pray it's better.

Don't let your guard down...check your preps.

2010-01-14T05:29:00.000-06:00

This was first posted 5/22/09 but thought I'd use it again for everyone to check their preps. You might even add to them so you can go longer than 72 hours since Homeland Security now recommends at least a weeks worth. This year has started out crazy with more terror threats and then Mother Nature has been off this year with colder than usual weather so it's important to be prepared for anything.

Headline News announced that today some African -American ex jail inmates had converted to Islam and decided that we were not doing the people of Afghanistan right. Angered at America, they were preparing to shoot down military planes and bomb synagogues in New York. They were well prepared to do the job but somehow someone told about their plan. Now they are cellmates once again.

I don't know about you but preparing for a terrorist attack had not been on my mind for quite a while. I felt safe and secure that wouldn't happen again. WRONG! It can happen and with American's focus on other issues the terrorist may take Timothy Geithner's advice. Remember..."You can never allow a serious crisis to go to waste." What better time for an attack?

If you have a 72 hour Bug out kit check it. Make sure the food is not near it's expiration dates.

Check medications especially prescriptions incase your medications have changed.

Children's clothing may be too small so you can repack larger clothing.

I also suggest you take a free class that will help you with what to do in an emergency. It's called C.E.R.T Class. Fema teaches these classes and how to be prepared and survive all kinds of disasters. Cert stands for Citizens Emergency Response Team. I recommend you also take your children to these classes because they will be better prepared for any emergency.

Remember the Boy Scout Motto: "Be Prepared."

Brain Blob..

2010-01-11T20:18:00.004-06:00

Some time back I was told those hot moments I experienced from time to time was because I had turned a new page in my life. YEP, Menopause. Isn't it ironic that when you need a hot flash they don't show up but the first 90 degree day it's like 400.

Today no flashes but another new page, I went to clean out the tub and saw the washer opened so I went to put the clothes in the dryer and found a pair of pants in the dryer that needed to be mended so I carried them over to the sewing machine. I laid down the pants to find the right thread and needles when the phone rang. I answered the phone and it was the wrong number and thought I'd check my e-mails but on the way I passed the window and saw the mailman... Well, you're probably getting the idea by now... I still have the pants to mend, and the tub to clean, and come to think of it I didn't take the laundry out of the washer to dry either. It's as though my mind has become airy. In thinking about my day, I remember a teacher telling me,

Susan, when you use your brain wrinkles form. She then added, "your brain is so smooth and pretty." Well, today somebody got in here and ironed my brain.

The one great thing about all of this...you just don't care. Tomorrow will be a new day so put it on tomorrows list. List...now where's that list.

Sweet Potato-Pineapple Muffins

2010-01-09T10:48:00.006-06:00

This morning we used up last night's left over baked sweet potatoes by mixing up a batch of sweet potato pineapple muffins. The recipe was from the Louisiana Sweet Potato Industry years back. We discovered how good Louisiana sweet potatoes are from my Brother in law who is from there. If you really want to know great tips on how to make do and redo ask a Cajun.;)
I will say at first I was concerned about this batter being so dry. I ended up adding a little of the pineapple juice that was drained off until it looked the consistency below. I'm guessing it was about 1/4 cup.

1 cup mashed baked sweet potatoes
1 8 oz can of crushed pineapple (drained but reserve, see notes above)
2 eggs
2/3 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans (Picked up from under Louisiana Pecan Trees)
2 Cups All -Purpose flour
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1 Teas Baking Soda
1/2 Teas Salt
1 teas Orange Zest

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In medium bowl combine Mashed sweet potatoes, crushed pineapple, eggs, zest, and sugar and whipped together.
In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients then add the dry to the wet until mixed. I did feel it needed more liquid so I added the juice I drained from the pineapple. I would have added some water if it needed a little more thinning.
Fill the greased muffin tins.
I used my 1/4 cup measuring cup to fill and it made 16 muffins exactly. The last 2 muffin spaces I filled with water so it wouldn't burn.

This is a great way to use up those sweet potatoes from dinner. The pineapple was also left overs from a pie I made earlier in the week. Look for creative ways to use all those odds and ends in your refrigerator. I've come to view cleaning out the refrigerator of food gone bad as throwing away money.

Five Dollar meals that feed 7: Polenta and Ragout.

2010-01-06T07:51:00.004-06:00

Here's a good recipe for Polenta.

7 cups of water
2 1/2 teas salt
2 cups CORNMEAL.... (Thanks Jayme)... That's what I get for staying up too late.:)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Italian Parsley chopped

Bring Water to a boil add salt and butter then add the cornmeal and wisk until thick. Add Cheese and Parsley at the end. It cooks about 30 minutes and will have the consistency of Cream of wheat.
Now, we have topped it with spaghetti sauce, used it without Parmesan cheese instead using Monterrey Jack or Cheddar and topped it with chili. Here's a great recipe to use that's good.

It's Beef and Sausage Ragout

2 tbls olive oil
1 chopped onion
3 cloves chopped minced
1/4 tea. of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lb of ground beef or can use ground turkey or ground deer meat.
1 lb italian sausage without casings
2 cans of crushed italian tomatoes (each is 14.5 oz)
4 cups of vegetables mixed. ( we use a combination of carrots, celery, and rutabager cut into equal size pieces.
1 tomato can of water. ( I use one of the empty italian tomato cans)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Let's start with the pan to use. I use a cast iron dutch oven. In the dutch oven I start the oil, onions minced cloves and pepper flakes to cook. When the onions are clear I put in the meat and cook until brown. I then put in the 2 cans of crushed italian tomatoes and the vegetables. 1 can of water and Salt and pepper to taste.
I then put it in a 350 degree oven to cook for 2 hours. Serve with Polenta, rice, or noodles
This feeds the world and if I find a great deal on the meat then the cost is below 5.00 to make.

Too COLD!!!

2010-01-05T00:12:00.005-06:00

For years now I've said, "If we'd have a really hard winter then we might not have so many garden pest." I think this will be the test for that one. I'm so cold that today I called my daughter in Texas to see if it was warmer there. I believe I would have been packing had she said 50. All you that live north of Memphis are probably laughing right now saying "She don't know what cold is." If it's colder than it is here I really don't want to know.

Today my sister called me to see if I had ever heard of an "Artic Outbreak Warning?" Neither of us had ever heard that term before so we decided to look it up. Here's what was found.

Artic Outbreak: It's depth can be best expressed by the Winnipeg, Manatoba settler that wrote this in his journal one cold winter day in 1879. "Upon retiring for the night, I tried to blow out the candle but the flame was frozen, so I had to break it off."

Now, that's cold. On a serious note, Can anyone tell me how cold is too cold for chickens? They don't seem to be bothered much but I don't want to go out and find them froze to their roost one morning. It's suppose to be 9 degrees with snow Wednesday.

Resolutions...Comparison from Last Year...

2010-01-01T13:58:00.005-06:00

In Red is what I wrote a year ago...This year's will be in Black.
res·o·lu·tion n. 1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. 2. A resolving to do something. 3. A course of action determined or decided on. Resolutions are not one of those things I try to make because I notoriously break them. The definition of resolution means being determined so I'm going to write what I'm determined to do with a few of the things I feel is going to be top of 2009's events.
I still feel the same about resolutions but there are a few things I do feel resolute about and I'll add them all at the end...
UNEMPLOYMENT: Due to the rising unemployment figures and myself being one; I am resolute to find a job that will cover the expense of childcare and pay bills with health insurance. If unavailable I will get prepared for a new occupation by getting the education necessary to reach my goal. If I don't find one soon I plan on making alot of changes in my purchasing and household spending. Somethings like cable tv will go. Telephones will go. Buying things not absolutely needed will be purchased.

Well, The unemployment figures rose at our home from a one income family to a 0 income family this year. Changes did take place. Unfortunately I've not found a job and neither has my husband. The education became self education because you can't draw unemployment and go to school. (I think that's not a good thing because the whole thing is to find another job which you could do if you upgraded your skills.) Government isn't really one to help you but keep you dependent upon them so it's up to us to change that one.
Cable TV has gone, Phones have gone...and we don't purchase unless it's absolutely necessary and we try Goodwill or Salvation Army stores first. Yard Sales are also good. This year I expect more sewing, more doing for ourselves in the way of gardening, canning, etc.

FINANCIAL MELTDOWN: I resolve not to make any "new" purchases in the coming year. If something needs to be replaced I will buy "USED" paying cash, or doing without. Some of the things that I thought I couldn't live without I've come to know "I can". If I can so can the rest of the family. It's not necessary to have cell phones, cable tv, meat with every meal, big meals with dessert, new clothes...hand me downs are ok, expensive date nights, Christmas gifts for everyone, big birthday parties, dates with the beauty shop and weekly visits to the nail salon. I resolve to lead the way of being an example to make do, re do, and do without.

This is continuing in 2010. Our Christmas was wonderful without all the expensive gifts. We've somehow been conditioned that Christmas Gifts mean how much we love or deserve a gift. That's not Christmas. Christmas is a reminder that the greatest gift was given in the form of a baby that grew up, lived an example for us, teaches us faith, and then died for our sins so we can go to heaven and be with him. It's about Jesus not Santa Claus.
I'm still resolved to lead the way of being an example of to make do, re do, and do without. This year I have followers which I didn't have last year.

PANDEMICS/SICKNESS/NO HEALTH INSURANCE:
I resolve to stay healthy by avoiding sickness, watching my diet, exercise, probiotics, vitamins, eating organic, homegrown vegetables and much prayer. Most of all I'll have faith in God to not allow sickness touch me or those of my household. I resolve to memorize scriptures regarding healing and health and believe them. I resolve to have the necessary medications and preparations necessary in case we have to shelter in place in a Pandemic state. Most items are already purchased and put away without having to break the first two resolutions to spend.

Well, Thank God the Pandemic wasn't as bad as they all painted a picture of it being. I was prepared if it did. We all stayed relatively well except for a few days of stomach flu. My blood pressure has stayed in normal ranges, my blood sugar has dropped to normal ranges, and my family have stayed all healthy. I still have even more faith in God that he is the reason sickness has helped us though not needing health insurance. I resolve to do what He has given me the ability to do and that is prevent sickness and do what is necessary to stay in good health. Loose weight, exercise, eat right and healthy.

DEPRESSION: I believe the news media limits the actual pit of the world wide depression by only looking at the economic side. If you look at any of the 1930's photos during the great depression, it wasn't limited to only to the financial but every aspect of every day life. My resolution is to be more encouraging to the ever growing depressed world around me. I'll be a living example of how to keep on going. I'll do my best to find humor and joy in every situation, and I'll seek out ways to make hard times better for those around me. I'll have more of a glass half full instead of half empty attitude. I, myself resolve to smile more, complain less in my own day to day living. I resolve to find a answer to problems that seem hopeless.

Well, this one has been the hardest because you can't always find the good in things or be joyful about beans after the 4th night, but then again, (forgive me here) we all laugh when we have a tooting contest after all those beans. The kids get to laughing and then we find joy in that too. It's all attitude.
I also find being hopeless is why people consider suicide. When you loose all hope you have lost it all. Hang on to HOPE. I've also learned I can't fix everything. I still hang on the glass being 1/2 full instead of 1/2 empty.

CRIME: I resolve to the fact that I can't do anything about cowardly criminals in our world with a mindset to choose wrong doing towards others. Today's news included how criminal cowards decided to get ahead by breaking into the homes of the elderly to steal what little they have. As the economy worsens Crime rises...unfortunately. We will do what it takes to keep crime off our 2 acres and our neighborhood. Security systems, Neighborhood watches, Shotguns, License to carry, volunteer as a reserve officer are all part of the plan to stop crime in my small corner of the world.
I can report that in 2009 NO crime happened on our 2 acres. (Unless you count the raccoon incident) We found him guilty and sentenced him to life somewhere else. I do watch after my neighbors more and they watch after us as well. I did not volunteer as a reserve officer simply because I decided I'm a very critical person and everyone that I thought was doing wrong might end up like the coon.
I will say THUGS cause crime...not guns, not parents, but people who decided they deserved something and their way of getting it was take it from someone else. (too many people blame their raising and guns for their own bad behavior kinda like Obama blaming Bush, eventually everyone's gonna know the truth)

Rising cost of FUEL... Yes, I believe that fuel cost will rise again. I use less gas now than I did when it was almost 5.00 a gallon. I cut back not only on my driving, but on my electrical use. I try to use 10% less fuel each month than I did the month before. No...it's not made a difference in the utility bill but it is weaning us off to the point just like cigarettes we'll not go into a panic when we don't have lights at all. Yes, I believe we will have alot of power outages and blackouts in 2009. Has anyone ever thought about how productive the people were in the old days before all these modern conviences? Maybe it was because there was no TV...no reason to stay up late. They got plenty of sleep, and were up early with the sun.

I've learned to use spell check so conveniences will be spelled correctly. :) We are still very conservative with our fuel usage. Prices at our gas stations just started going up again. In fact it went up 5 cents in one day and it's now up to 80.00 dollars a barrel. Hyper inflation is going to hit because we are in a bubble right now that keeps getting air from the printing of money and no rising interest rates to support it. Eventually that bubble will bust and we'll have skyrocket interest rates. We are going to continue to use less and less fuel unless it is used with a return. Example. (The tractor usage to work the garden) The return is food.

GARDEN: I resolve to grow over 90 % of the food we eat. Save Seeds, and use organic methods of gardening. Chickens and Eggs will be part of our 2 acres homestead. Pork, Beef will be purchased from a friend of ours or traded. Canning, freezing and drying will be part of of the way we preserve our yearly food.

This has become a way of life now. We didn't get quite 90% but we were actually about 60 %. I'm still going for the 90%. Chickens and Eggs are part of the homestead. We also get joy out of watching the chickens and their behavior. Need to laugh, we go out and watch the chickens.
We do trade or barter for goods. I've learned to can and not be afraid to eat it, freezing is a daily behavior. If we find 2 for deals on things like onions, celery, or cabbage, we use one and put the other in the freezer. We are planning on getting more chickens this spring.
We are looking into ways to expand our gardening as well.

Haircuts Going UP, UP, UP: The last time my husband went with the 2 boys to get their hair cut it cost us about 70.00. In 2009 I resolve to cut their hair. I have already tried this on the bravest of boys. (the youngest) and I think it turned out very well. I read the instructions, and after many years watching the gentleman cut their hair I think I did pretty good. I'll get before and after pictures when the other two decide it's ok to cut their hair. (Cowards) The girls hair is not a problem to cut. I've cut their hair several times. I have a friend that can cut my hair so we won't be spending the 70.00 a month for haircuts anymore.

Well, my hair has grown, and I have let the girls hair go longer with bangs. The boys hair is still being cut at home. I am happy to report no cowards around here now.

TAXES GOING UP: I will continuously call, not write or email our the senators and congressmen that we hired. I will speak to them equally on things they do right as well as what I disagreed with. We are in the habit of just voting and sending them to represent us but they get out of touch. I won't give my representatives a reason to get out of touch. I'll call them. DON'T listen to just he news... READ, THINK, and use your own mind. When in doubt, Question. America has got to get back to thinking instead of just sitting there not knowing. Don't question what the constitution says... read it, memorize it. Bill of Rights... Read them, memorize them... Don't just be there...participate! Which brings up the next.
Do I really have to tell you? If you've read my blog you know I'm constantly and excessively calling, writing, and complaining about our representatives. I don't look for that to change. I do investigate things more myself now and I don't rely on just one reporting. I will stand up for what is right when I find it and let everyone know when things aren't right.
Not only have I but my children all know the "Bill of Rights" We go over them, and the constitution at least 3 times a week.

Passive Thinking:
I resolve to learn something new once a month. I will also teach or share that knowledge with others. Read, work crossword puzzels, what ever will make you think and grow mentally do it. I will learn new words and their definitions. I will gain new skills. I refuse to let my mind turn to jello. We will have less TV more reading time.

We have now quiet days, and I'm enjoying learning new things. I'm trying to tackle knitting but I have found there are times when I want to throw down the needles and just crochet. I do crochet more.
I'm also teaching more. (Homeschooling) The kids are learning to care for themselves. They have chores. The youngest boy is now 10 so he is learning to cook. I guess we are learning life skills. This year I've learned canning, how to care for chickens, how to dehydrate foods. I've learned how to bake edible bread. I've learned to enjoy a glass of red wine. This year I want to learn to make wine and vinegar.

I don't think 2009 will be our best year but I'm going to try and be prepared and mentally ready for what does happen.
In many of ways 2009 wasn't our best year but in becoming more a family, becoming more self-reliant, it was the best year ever.

In 2010, things could get worse and probably will; especially if you listen to the news, but as long as you have God, your family and friends you can make it though the rough patches.
I do pray more, I listen more, and learning more for 2010 and I hope you all will too.
God Bless you all and Happy New Year

Five dollar meals that feed 7: Pizza Dogs from the Grill

2009-12-28T19:10:00.000-06:00

I know..hot dog buns aren't that' expensive but this taste so good.
Pizza crust is homemade and is great to keep in the refrigerator for use when needed.
The kids love making lunch pizzas out of left over bbq from the refrigerator, veggies, or just sauce and cheese. This is what we came up with when we had hot dogs and no buns. It worked, was very good, and we didn't have to leave home or spend money.
Here's a great dough to keep on hand in the refrigerator. Recipe is below.
My hot dogs I picked up for 2.00
The pizza dough is food items I by in bulk and I think I've figured this dough recipe to cost us about 1.50 to make.
We usually have baked beans, chips or fries and it's a quick summer grill meal.

6 3/4 cup bread flour
1/2 ounce active dry yeast - or one tablespoon
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups hottie warm water (very warm but bearable to your hand)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I prefer Olive oil)

PROCEDURE:
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients first, then add the water and oil. It will appear to be too dry at first. Do not add water. Keep working the dough until it is smooth.(This requires a little faith but it really works).
2. Let the dough rise once (approx 1 hour). Punch it down and knead again.
3. At this point you may choose to refrigerate some of the dough. If you do refrigerate it, be sure to wrap it well. With fresh or refrigerated dough, let the dough rise a second time for 1 hour.
4. After it has risen, punch it down and use it for your pizza. The dough will rise a little while you put the rest of your pizza toppings on it. Then bake as appropriate for pizza thickness and
toppings.

Just about any kind of topping for pizza is good. We have a pizza night every other week and the kids make their pizzas using their favorite foods. One likes garlic butter, olive oil, and broccoli. (not bad for a 6 year old) We have heated our pizza stone in the grill and cooked our pizza's on the grill. Quoting Martha Stewart here..."It's a good thing."

Just Guessing Here but I'd loose my job if I came to work Intoxicated.

2009-12-27T20:08:00.004-06:00

Senator from Montana needs to take his debate to an AA meeting. I hope the people of Montana do something regarding this. What ticks me off is this man is making laws over all of us. We wouldn't allow a drunk man to drive us around town...then why are we allowing intoxicated legislators to impose laws over us?

My favorite Christmas Memory

2009-12-23T20:44:00.005-06:00

1963 Me, my sister Hope, Daddy, and Dena
"Those were the days!"

Indulge me a little please.

For years my Grandmother Sadie always had all her children and grandchildren at her home on Christmas Eve. In 1963 we received 10 inches of snow 2 days before Christmas. All of us kids were thrilled because we knew Santa would have a easy trip. My Uncle and his family had to drive by our house to get to Grandma's house so we all traveled together in case anyone had trouble getting there with all the snow on the road. My cousins and I sang "Jingle Bells" all the way to Grandma's house.

It was the most beautiful Christmas Eve night I ever experienced because all the trees glistened in the bright moonlight. It looked as though glitter was dusted all over the ground, very magical. We lived about 10 miles from my Grandmother's house and it's as though every mile I remember.

My younger sister and I were always excited about going to my grandmothers. Dena,(the baby) just went everywhere with no opinion. I looked forward to seeing all my cousins, and seeing Grandma's aluminum Christmas tree with the blue balls on it. That was when I learned my oldest cousin was about to leave with some of his buddies to basic training then on to Vietnam. That was about the last year we were all together. I don't remember the gifts that Christmas...and I don't remember even caring about getting gifts that year. I do remember being happy, well loved and loving all my family together.

This year I'm spending it with my younger sister and her family. My brother and baby sister can't be with us this year but they'll be with us in spirit. My Children unlike my Grandmother's children are scattered around the globe so I will keep dreaming of giving my grandchildren the same Christmas at Grammy's I so cherished as a child. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas...and I pray your New Year will be a blessed one.

Merry Christmas

Would you survive? Plan for it.

2009-12-22T01:16:00.004-06:00

I usually fall asleep listening to "Nightline" and my timer on the TV will cut it off about the time the show ends while I never see past the first 5 minutes of the show. Tonight was different. Tonight they had "Are you prepared to survive?" on.
I will say this caught my ear because it went with what I've been hearing in my heart for the last few weeks.

The program spoke about terror attacks, train wrecks, airplane crashes and other disasters that have recently happened. Disasters wasn't what caught my ear. What stuck in my brain was 9 out of 10 people that survived disasters had played them out in their mind before hand and figured out their response. They were prepared to handle and act on that emergency at some point in their thinking. They asked themselves "what if" and figured out mentally without pressure what to do if that ever happened, because of that, they survived the diaster while those unprepared and caught off guard unfortunately died with that deer in the headlights fear.

In my growing up my school had tornado drills, fire drills, earthquake drills and the scariest was being prepared for a nuclear attack during the Cuban Missle Crisis. I've had to plan emergency routes to the hospital incase I went into labor early, and I've even planned and prepared to deliver my own child when doctors quit delivering in Florida in the 80's because of their mal practice insurance preminums being so high. A nurse at a Florida health department handed me a book and said you must be prepared to deliver your own baby. (That's a whole different story.) It all worked out and I didn't have to deliver my own child but if it had come down to it I had planned out what to do and was prepared to do so. Point here, we're taught from childhood to be prepared. The scout motto is "Be Prepared". If you ever think "What if" this happens, stop take a few moments to play it out in your mind how to survive because it might just be God's way of helping you help yourself.

"A Prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it."
Proverbs 22:3

Little lovn' from the Oven: Pumpkin Muffins

2009-12-16T02:05:00.006-06:00

Here's a recipe that has become one of our favorites and we've taught the 10 year old how to make them. He's becoming a regular chef at the age of 10.
This year we put up our own pumpkins from the garden and it's really good. I like it much better than the canned from Kroger.
Here's the recipes. Sorry for not having pictures, the camera is down right now.

Pumpkin Muffins
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 3/4 Cups flour
1/4 cup molasses 1 teas. soda
1/2 cup soft butter 1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup raisins & chopped pecans mixed
1 cup pumpkin (thawed from freezer)

Cream sugar, molasses, and butter. Add egg and pumpkin. Blend Well. Sift dry ingredients. Add to batter, beating well. Fold in pecans and raisins. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Makes 16 muffins.

We love them on a cold morning with a little pumpkin butter and chai tea or what the kids call kettle tea.
Here's the recipe for Kettle tea.
1 spoon of creamer, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teas sugar, 1 teas vanilla. Fill cup rest of way with boiling water. Warm, vanilla milk but the kids think it's wonderful. I know my oldest kids are screaming..."that's not the recipe...we never used creamer" We did it on accident one morning and the kids loved the extra cream to it. I'm sure Nana would approve the change.

NO Mobile Home Disaster here.

2009-12-13T23:43:00.008-06:00

I don't know if anyone has ever watched Bill Engvall's show "Mobile Home Disasters" on CMT. I was always watching to see an actual mobile home makeover only to find they just replaced the old with the new. For many that's no option and in today's economy why not remodel mobile homes. That's why I want to share what we do to repair, replace, and make do with our Double wide on 2 acres.
The last 14 years of our lives has been living in a home I've not always liked. I wanted to build on our land but instead to save our marriage we went ahead and purchased a double wide trailer. For a time it had pink and blue floral walls and I absolutely hated it. My mother's voice kept ringing in my ears that we were throwing away our money but in the long run saving our marriage was worth it. You see, we lived in a very small camper trailer, then a friend let us live in their upstairs apartment for a time. Sadly it took me several years to get to the point I love my home.
The first thing that I did was paint over the pink and blue walls. I also hated those strips that for some reason trailers are famous for. I pulled the ones down in my kitchen and master bath. Filled up the cracks between the wall board and in the kitchen I re-papered with a paper that looks like textured tiles. The paper went up easy, is thick and if there are any defects in the walls it covers those. You can see it on the right of the picture.
The other side is with the strip. Here's what I found...no matter what you do you are going to have a crack in the corners of the walls. Guess what I did. I took bathroom caulk (because it bends, twist, and is flexible with movement) and I caulked and smoothed the corners. In the picture you can see it looks better than the one below, no cold air either.

I am guessing that many of the people like me are wanting to know how to make repairs, or re make their mobile homes or double wides. I hope this will be the first of many to help them.

Cutting Back Pays off

2009-12-11T21:34:00.003-06:00

I'm still cutting back...I'm not at the goal I want to reach but it keeps getting a little lower each month. I want to see if I can cut our usage back to 900. My husband thinks I'm nuts but to be honest he thought that when I first started this quest. Now I'm not as crazy unless it's extremely cold. If you look at the top you will see what we were doing a year ago.
If you are wondering how we did it.
1. We cut back on our drying usage. The old fashioned solar clothes line works great except for wet days. On those days we don't do laundry.
2. We don't wash in hot water except for a full load of socks and underwear. I use bleach in those loads so they stay white. Bleach just don't work well with cold water.
3. Dishes are done by hand. We also use what my grandmother used in her restaurant before dishwashers took over the industry. Bleach in the rinse water. (Not much but enough to sanitize and prevent colds being shared)
4. The thermostat is cut up in the summer and cut back in the winter. We have it set where it will cut on right before we get up at night so that we actually want to get out of bed. (I hate to get up with it being extremely cold from a nice warm bed) Summer Temperature is 79, Winter Temperature is 68.
5. WINTERIZE... We caulked every possible opening that would let in a breeze. Our doors, windows, and outlets. It not only helps in the winter but it helps in the Summer too.
6. Wear clothes. You don't have to turn up the heat if you wear warm clothes.

Five Dollar Meals that feed 7: Salsa Chicken Rice Casserole

2009-12-10T23:12:00.003-06:00

Well, tonight I tried a recipe that I pulled out of my oldest recipe box. I've tried to catalog all my recipes but this one box I had forgotten I had until I pulled it out of a box while cleaning up the Storage area. How it got there I have no idea.

It's Salsa Chicken Rice Casserole.
1 1/3 Cups uncooked rice
2 2/3 cups water
4 boneless boiled chicken breast cut into bitesize pieces. I usually shred mine.
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese ( I use Sharp)
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 onion chopped
1 1/2 cups Mild Salsa We use Pace.

Cook the rice by directions.
350 degree oven Lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish
Mix the cheese and soup and Salsa together along with Onion.
Layer Rice, Chicken, Soup mixture and end with the layer of cheese on top.
Bake 40 minutes until nice an bubbly.
Unsure about the cost but I know it didn't cost 5.00 because most of the ingredients were bought in bulk and from last month's Chicken sale.

It's the perfect dish for a cold evening. We enjoyed ours in front of the TV with out TV trays watching "It's a Wonderful Life." It was a wonderful evening. Enjoy.

Of Outhouses and Ornaments...

2009-12-09T20:36:00.003-06:00

OK...I first want to apoligize for sinking to their low by my last blog. I just get so angry that our Country just seems to be changing so far from the way it began. I'm not sorry for being angry but I'm sorry that I used their wording.
Enough....

Today was a totally different day. I decided to leave off the news, put on some Christmas music and remember the reason for the season. It's time I take my own advice and remember God is still in Control and all is not lost.
Do your Christmas Ornaments have a story? This is one of my favorite ornaments. It was one of those I made for a Christmas that my youngest son was 2 years old. We lived in Florida and was trying to operate our own business. Thing happen for reasons. I think we were suppose to come back home and it wouldn't have happened if things had stayed good. Our son got sick. He'd walk and just pass out for no reason. We went to every doctor that we could and they couldn't find anything with him wrong. I finally called the one doctor that I've always been able to count on for solid advice. He was there the first day our oldest was born and knew him very well. We called him Dr. Jim. I called him long distant from Florida his first words were..."Hang up, I've got your number and I'll call you." No sooner than I hung up good the phone rang and Dr. Jim patiently listened, suggested some test to run . A few days later he called me again to check on those test. He was a God sent. His final conclusion..."That boy is homesick" Bring him home and I'll check him out. We packed up our stuff, and moved back to my parents home until we could find a place and job. (It was much like today's economy but no unemployment) You can't get that when you work for yourself. Well, Dr. Jim was right. The boy was homesick. He got over it and is now the father of 4 and doing great things that I can't go into now.
Well, back to the Ornament...Our youngest son was 2 and it was his first really "WOW" Christmas. We had left our Christmas stuff in Florida because we couldn't afford to bring everything home. So I made the ornaments along with a few others but this one represents all those to me. They are just chalkware ornament painted and hung on a tree on the worst economic Christmas we've ever experienced. We survived and I think that's why I love this symbol of Christmas past for us. Just past Christmas is a whole new beginning.
Every year my 21 year old baby still gets excited about pulling out the ornament and picking just the right spot on the tree for them to hang. I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas.

I dont' even know what to title this.... "FIST YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS" maybe?

2009-12-08T21:51:00.004-06:00

Ok... I'm on a tangent again. I tried to stop because my blood pressure was rising, my head constantly hurt, and I stayed angry all the time. BUT somethings have got to be said. I really don't know just how much more Americans can sit back and watch what's happening without rising up without leaving those pitch forks at home. God is past due apoligizing to Sodom and Gomorrah.
People... I'm not going to go into details on this subject but I am going to tell you to educate yourselves so you will know what is being taught to your children. You can find the article on it by going to the "Drudge report" or going to "Big Government" by Andy Breitbart. It's in regards to Obama's Safe School CZAR speaking to a group and handing out "HOW TO" information on "Fisting" and oral sex.
This was taught to 14 year olds. You can learn more about the "SAFE SCHOOL CZAR" demonstrating this to 14 year olds here.
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2009/12/fistgate-barack-obamas-safe-schools-czar-promoted-fisting-to-14-year-olds/

I'm at a loss. We complain about condom's being handed out in schools. We complained about sex being taught in schools. We complained about teenage girls being taken for Abortions without parents consent...now the SAFE SCHOOL CZAR has taken it upon his self to be a one man pervert to all schools. I think there has to be something done...not complained about but some real action that stops the perversion that is going on in our Country with this adminstration.
DRAW a FOOT on a piece of paper...and write on it... WE have our own way of FISTING. IT's with this! GET RID OF THE SAFE SCHOOL CZAR! Mail them to every Senator and Congressman. My great grandfather would have said..."I'm going to kick you so high that the eagles will make a nest in your hair on the way back down." It would have had a few other words but you get the just. I would rather have a WEAK SENATE and a WEAK CONGRESS. NEVER RE- ELECT any elected offical back into office. WE have got to take a stand.

Here's what is on the letter in BOLD RED LETTERING.

I am an AMERICAN ...and I demand to be heard.
To my ELECTED representative...
Americans are FED UP with your closing eyes and ears to Perverse and Illegal Activities
in the WHITE HOUSE and on the HILL.
CLEAN UP WASHINGTON.
START WITH THE PERVERT CALLED THE "SAFE SCHOOL CZAR."
OR THIS IS OUR WAY OF FISTING...
IT's WITH THE TOE OF OUR BOOTS!
Then I signed it.

Feel free to use it. I think I would not use such a large boot print but I've done this
and they hopefully will get the message.

Remember the Price of Freedom this Christmas

2009-12-07T23:51:00.005-06:00

Tonight while taking a side trip home we happened upon this home. I'm telling you it tugged at my heart strings. In the front you can see a sign well lit and large enough to read clearly. They have done their math and figured up what the cost of freedom has cost us since the very beginning. It states just how many American lives have been taken in every war this country has been involved in. It also give a counting of every WWII veteran left each year.

I applaud this family's efforts to make it known Freedom don't come cheap. If you have ever had a loved one killed in action then you know the cost is high. These men and women died believing it was worth the cost and knew the risk.
Next time you see a soldier don't just walk by and stare at that uniform... Shake his or her hand and tell them how much you appreciate their sacrifice and their service.

Window Displays and Christmas past

2009-12-07T06:03:00.003-06:00

Do you remember "Window Displays"?
As a kid we loved window displays at Christmas. A huge Mr. Bingle would appear in Lowenstein's window. The Enchanted Forest would appear at Goldsmith's. Those were the days. You didn't see plastered everywhere "30% off" or "Holiday Clearance". Christmas was commercialized but you wouldn't have found it like it is today. Everything was dreamy and magical.

I love window displays at Christmas but today they are hard to find. The one above is an Antique store in Texas.

Do you remember when you got dressed up to go Christmas Shopping? It was a special time. We had on our crinoline slips to make our dresses stand out and they were ironed with every pleat and fold crisp and straight. Our bows were tied just right in the back. Black Patient Leather shoes shined with a dab of crisco from the kitchen. (Was my mother the only one that did that?)
Lunch at Walgreens with their huge apothecary jars filled with colored water that glistened.

Are our kids short changed? I wish all children could experience a Christmas past. What's your favorite Christmas memory?

I heard the Bells...

2009-12-05T14:32:00.003-06:00

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of my favorite poets during my early years. Miss Addie Lee Harrell was my teacher for many years as well as my mother's and Uncle's teacher. Miss Addie Lee as I called her had Henry's picture on her wall and for some reason (I'm sure being very young had something to do with it) I thought he was a relative.? One of my favorite poems and the first that I could memorize was "I heard the Bells of Christmas Day" It wasn't until recently that those words chime out to me with real meaning.
Most of the people of my youth are all gone now...my mother, Miss Addie Lee, and my grandparents and I find myself sad to not have them as I'm guessing Henry felt before writing this poem made hymn. You see, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lost his wife in a fire, he tried to rescue her and he was burned badly(which is why most of his pictures has him in a beard) and that same year his first born son "Charles" was killed during a battle of the Civil war. All this happened at Christmas time.
All of us have battles going on, losses in our lives...but the main words to remember comes in the 3rd verse. "God is not dead nor doth he sleep" Cling to God.

God Bless.

Earliest Snow on Record for HOUSTON??? TEXAS????

2009-12-03T22:27:00.006-06:00

(Don't worry this is last years snow down by our creek. It wasn't suppose to snow then either.)

I don't know about all of you but I've listened to the Gobal warming thing and wondered just exactly when is it going to happen? I'm about to freeze to death.

Today on the "Drudge Report" the headine read "Earliest SnowFall on Record for Houston." I had to read it to make sure it wasn't Houston, Alaska or some other place that gets snow this time of year. My sister in law and her family live in Houston. I can count on 1/3 a finger the amout of snow they have had in the last 20 years. Let's hope that global warming soon hits Houston so they don't all freeze to death too. Did I mention I'm about to freeze.

I have been all snuggled in this week thinking I was cold because I needed more Synthroid. They warned me that was one of the signs of needing to up my dosage years ago. Feeling I needed to go for another round of test just to see when it just came to me. God must have a sense of humor. I can imagine him was sitting up in heaven listening to Al Gore's jibber jabber and then turning to Gabriel and saying "We'll show him." At that moment, Hell freezes over.

Hey Al...Mother Nature is like kids. She'll make a liar out of you everytime. If you don't believe me ask a few weather men.

Five Dollar Meals that feed 7: Chicken in Dumplins

2009-12-03T06:44:00.002-06:00

When it's cold, damp and dreary out my family love good comfort foods. Chicken and Dumplins fills that need for comfort. This recipe is so easy and so quick. I have made dumplins from scratch and they are delicious but this is a five dollar meal that's good.
First, I buy what ever chicken is cheap. In this case it was 4 leg quarters for 2.00. I wash and put them in a pot to boil along with celery, onions, salt and pepper. When they get done I pull them from the water and let them cool so we can take the meat off the bones and add later to the dumplins.
Now...here's the easy part. I use canned biscuits. I pull apart each biscuit dough into 4 parts and drop into the boiling broth. The pot will get very full so when I add additional I push them down into the pot. Cover, allow to cook but don't stir too much because your dumplins will dissolve if not too careful. Your broth with thicken up, dumplins will form and that's when I serve.
I used 3 cans of biscuits which was on sale for 1.00 each. The celery and onions were from a huge sale and I froze into bags for soup or dressing so I don't figure it cost that much. It might add an additional 1.00 if you have to purchase it off sale. OH..and don't forget to add back the chicken to the pot. Enjoy.

Memories...Re-creating Memories...You can never get them the same.

2009-12-02T16:21:00.012-06:00

My daughter wanted her children to experience what she remembered as a kid in Tennessee. You know the trampling out in the woods, cutting down the perfect tree and dragging it for miles back to the car to get it home. Then...get it in the stand to find it's 4 feet too tall for the ceiling. Oh...her memories are described much differently. Her memories are like watching the Walton's movie in comparison to what her father and I remember but that's ok...I'm glad her memories are good ones.
They live in Texas and don't own large acres of land with trees to cut. That's the first change in direction of re-creating her memory. Her memories didn't cost us much at all. The grandchildren's memories of cutting down a Christmas Tree will cost...thus "The Christmas Tree Farm". You pay them $40.00 or more for the experience of cutting down a Christmas Tree. Kids don't know these things though...and it was worth it.

This place has a way of preventing getting a tree that's too big. They give you a rod and a saw to use to cut down the tree. This is my honey with the measuring stick acting like Moses leading the masses. They let us ride a hay wagon out to the tree field. Then when the tree was cut we didn't have to drag it far at all...they came and put it on the wagon and we all rode back to the barn.
Everyone had a turn cutting down the tree. The weather cooperated by not raining or being too cold.
My daughter missed cutting down the actual tree so she cut a piece off after the tree fell.

Is this place like my daughter's memories of cutting down the Christmas Tree? No...but it's a great memory for the kids. They had a blast. The farm had a petting zoo, a manger scene for the kids to become a part of as demonstrated by my little angels, a donkey, goats, and a gift shop filled with Christmas Ornaments from all over the world. We all watch them make wreaths and it was really funny watching them shake the tree.
You can't re-create fully to every detail the same memories that you grew up with. I used to stress trying to do it...what I learned. New memories with touches of old is far far better than stressing out details that can't really be re-created. I hope to be around to hear their memories of this day when they tell their children.
I pray your Christmas be filled with many wonderful memories this year.

I'mmmm Baaaaaccccckkkk!

2009-11-30T20:59:00.003-06:00

Well, I've had 2 e-mails wondering if I fell off the face of the earth. Thanks to Amy and Joanne for asking. All is well but very busy. We have been getting back into homeschooling 3 kids, Thanksgiving cooking, and traveled out of town for a few days. From looking at the picture above can you guess where I went?

We traveled to Austin to visit our daughter, her husband and 2 of the most wonderful grandchildren; Lauren and Cody. We had a blast cooking, and decorating for Christmas. I'll be sharing some of the fun things we did later.

Last Friday I decided to go online to show my grandaughter some photos on the blog and I was shocked! appalled, then ANGERED! My blog had been hijacked by a group that is for Obama's health care! It was huge! The ad covered one whole side of my site. Now, you all know that I'm not thrilled with all goings on in Washington these days, and this totally went against the grain with me. I pulled the google ads. I am removing all ads from my site. I don't want anyone or any group able to do that again to my site.

Austin was wonderful. Our family enjoyed the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. My son in law and husband deep fried 2 turkeys. One for a friend then one for our family to enjoy. It's become a tradition to deep fry the turkey. I don't think I'll ever cook another turkey in the oven. If you like a moist, flavorful turkey I totally recommend deepfried turkey.

It took us 4 hours longer to come home than it did to get there. First it was traffic, then the rain began to fall, then it went from raining to torrential downpours. At times it rained so hard we couldn't see the road. We made it home and I'm sad to leave family behind but so thankful for a few hours sleeping in my own bed.

Mourning at the Smith's...

2009-11-17T06:52:00.008-06:00

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

This morning we found one of our hens, (Emiline)was carried off by what we believe is a coon. The evidence is in the mud...the footprints. CSI Keith is still working on the evidence.
Yesterday was a hectic day and my husband forgot to go out and close the hens up. He's devastated because they would all run after him and peck at his feet. Now, he feels he's let them down.
He's now gathering up traps to catch the coon that molested our poor Emiline.

Thinking of ways to torture the criminal. Like the "talesfromthecoopkeeper" we hate coons!!!

I'm so mad...I can't believe one of my girls is gone.

Dear Mr. Congressman Cao.

2009-11-08T00:43:00.002-06:00

Forgive me everyone while I blow some steam. Then I promise I will just avoid this subject again.
Tonight one lonely little republican voted for the Pelosi bill. He has that right I guess but what bothers me is one line in his interview after the vote took place. I believe it's the mindset of everyone that voted for this bill.
His reasoning as to why he voted on it. I'll put it on here as well andthe link to it. I will put the lines that bothers me in RED BOLD Italic letters. I think you'll agree after you read this it's what's wrong with this country. THEY AREN'T LISTENING TO US. He knew what was best for his citizens...it wasn't about what his citizens wanted. How do I know this...because HE ASKS for their support during this.

Dear Mr. Congressman Cao. IT"S NOT ABOUT YOU...I hope that letter from Obama to hang on your wall was worth your unemployment next year. You sold out your constituents and hung a debt on them they won't soon forget.

From the BNO Newsroom.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- Louisiana Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao on Sunday morning released a statement after he voted as the only Republican in favor of the Democratic health care reform bill.

The health care reform bill, dubbed the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (H.R. 3962), passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a 220 - 215 vote.

"Tonight, I voted to keep taxpayer dollars from funding abortion and to deliver access to affordable health care to the people of Louisiana," Cao said in a statement released by his office. "I read the versions of the House [health reform] bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health care costs are exploding – if they are able to obtain health care at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children."

Cao wrote he obtained commitment from President Obama that he would work together to address the health care issues of Louisiana, including the FMAP crisis and community disaster loan forgiveness, as well as issues related to Charity and Methodist Hospitals. "I call on all my constituents to support me as I work with him on these issues."

Cao said: "I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents." His yes vote received a lot of criticism from Republicans.

The Democratic health care reform bill also includes the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which will keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections for health care providers.

Cao said: "Before the Stupak-Pitts amendment was adopted as part of this health reform bill, the bill failed to explicitly include the longstanding policy prohibiting federal funding of elective abortion and plans which include elective abortion. Thank[s] to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, taxpayer dollars will not go to supporting elective abortions, and for thousands of my constituents, this was a top priority. By incorporating this amendment into the health reform bill, my colleagues and I made this bill better, and that is an achievement of which I will always be proud."

Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, the archbishop of New Orleans, said he was grateful for Cao's vote. "I am grateful to Congressman Cao for his courage and determination to defend life. I appreciate his work to prevent abortion from being included in health care reform and for protecting conscience rights of health care professionals," he said. "I – and, I am sure, many in New Orleans would join me – [I] appreciate Congressman Cao's commitment to the people of New Orleans."

Which prison do I need to report to Mrs. Pelosi?

2009-11-06T18:50:00.004-06:00

Well, according to the Drudge Report, the new health care plan that is supposedly the cheapest for a family is going to run $15,000.00 a year. That's $1,250.00 per month for an average family. Since my unemployment is 241.00 a week, I think I'm a little short. I too can't understand if it's against the law to imprison someone for a debt why this would be different?
Non compliance can get you a fine of up to $25,000.00 and 5 years in prision. Well, right now with our unemployment prison sounds pretty damn good. My options right now are pay a insurance premium or be homeless? I don't feel threatened by the thoughts of a 25,000.00 fine...and prison? You can't get blood out of a turnip, too, it sure beats our present retirement plan with $15.00 in it. We would get 3 meals a day, a place to sleep with heat and air, they furnish my clothes, and all I have to do is sit in a small confined area for 5 years. Hey, I even get free health care and dental. I consider that a better than average retirement plan.
We also have 3 kids. What are they going to do with them? I guess they can be more easily indoctrinated into the Obama school of worship while we are in prison. This may time out just right because the government will be inheriting 3 teenagers by the time this healthcare bill goes into effect. All the better. Have any of you ever raised teenagers? I think indoctrination is equal to compliance, well good luck with that one and the 3 kids I have. Someone else raising teenagers for me sounds like a dream come true.
Now, right now my unemployment is about to end. No jobs in site, and even when I had a job I couldn't afford health insurance that cost me 850.00 a month so how do they think this is helping the American public?
I doubt that I'm the only one that is going to see the great benefits of not buying into their plan for health care. Why buy it when you can get all the great benefits of not buying it.
Have they figured up the cost of all those new prisons that will have to be built? What is all those childcare going to cost for all those parentless children? Who is going to pay all those extra taxes they are going to need to fund it all if everyone is in jail?
Gosh...ya'll what a great way to make it through hyper inflation too.
With that in mind and another bill collector calling, please Mrs. Pelosi...what prison do you want me to report to? Hurry up please before you all figure out you screwed yourselves out of a job and tax revenue.

Sweeter Dreams Simply...

2009-10-27T23:50:00.006-05:00

Nothing is more irritating than not getting enough rest. I know this from first hand experience. Sometimes I can't sleep because my mind just won't stop working. Sometimes it may be worry over things going on in my world or actually around the world. Guess what I learned when I visited church, doctor's offices, or any place that requires sitting for any time? I'm not alone! I'm not the only one dozing through conversatinos or off in "la la land" also known as daydreaming. If you fall asleep in church, I feel your pain. I've even thought of asking the pastor to bring his preaching to the bedroom so I can sleep so well at home. I don't think he'd appreciate that though. It's not the preaching as much as it is the sitting still.

Before you go the doctor or go for sleep studies, let's try some things that cost us nothing first. Let's start with the Bedroom. Is it relaxing? Is it comfortable? What activities dominate your bedroom? Is there electronics or lights that hamper your sleep?

When looking at the list, my bedroom was like my desk. Filled with unfinished projects and what some call clutter. Pants thrown across the chair, books and newspapers on the floor by the bed. That was the first clue. DECLUTTER and CLEAN.
I tore the room apart, cleaning, dusting, doing everything to make it comfortable, cool and dark. I put my scentsy warmer on a timer so it would cut off right before bedtime but cut back on about 2 hours afterwards so if we got up in the middle of the night we could make it to the bathroom. It would still smell relaxing but not have a light. Blinds are great but if outside lights still shine through close the curtains. I now have wood blinds so no light shines through like it did when we had vinyl blinds. Phones charging give off a light, we now open our bedside table drawer and drop them in and close the drawer. (the cord hangs out but no light)

Being too hot, or too cold is not good. Both my husband and I like it cool. We have a fan in our room not only for the constant hum but for air blowing across us. In the winter time we cut our thermostat back to 65. Our Summer nights we use the fans and less covers.
One of my pet peeves is how the linens are on the bed. This is one of the reasons I was banished to my own twin bed as a child. My mother hated my yelling down to her "Hope's wrinkling the sheets again." Yes, I think I was a little well, picky (My sister used a word that begin with A) What can I say? I love my sheets straight, even, and smooth. No heavy blankets allowed instead one that will keep us warm without the weight. My pillow is not a huge pillow but one feather pillow that is ancient. It forms around my neck and supports my head. If my house is on fire the one thing I will grab is my feather pillow. Comfort is vital to getting a good night sleep.

Next, Exercise or not. I would exercise before bed. I found that even though it helped my blood sugar it was horrible on my relaxing. Exercise woke my body up instead of relaxing it to sleep. You may be different so try and find what works for you. My husband sleeps very well after exercising.

Don't eat late. I find if I eat late I can't sleep because of an acid reflux problem. The answer was for us to eat an early supper. We now eat at 5:30. It gives my body time to relax and digest the food before bed. I have found that a little warm drink does relax. My drink of choice is what we call kettle tea. It's not Tea at all instead it's 1/2 cup hot water, 1/2 cup milk, a spoon of each vanilla and sweetner. Hot chocolate is good too.

Quiet down time: Set the mood for going to bed. Dim the lights at night, turn down the volume on the Tv. Watch shows that are entertaining but not going to hamper sleep. Don't watch the news before bed time. Now the news will give you nightmares instead of sweet dreams. Why not try an hour before bedtime cutting off the TV and listening to some relaxing music that is calming while reading a book. Most importantly, do not watch TV in bed. I also found taking a hot bath with lavendar is very relaxing before bed.

To quiet my mind I meditate. Not the kind of mediate that's new age but the kind that relaxes my mind and puts it toward God. Here's a few of the verses that help me fall asleep at night.

Ps. 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Prov. 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Ec 5:12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet...

Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early and sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows for he giveth his beloved sleep.

Sweet Dreams.....

Emergency food ideas when the money has run out.

2009-10-27T06:01:00.001-05:00

I was reading today about a couple that said they had both lost their jobs, their money had run out, and they were down to eating rice with ketchup packets for flavoring on them. Creative but I don't think you can realistically feed a family on that. Yes, when things get tough you do what you have to. I thought I would pass along what this couple didn't know to get by with until they get that next job.
1. Apply for emergency foodstamps at the nearest foodstamp office. Now, I have applied and didn't qualify when it was to me an emergency. So then I move on to the next emergency food helper.
2. Churches: I suggest that you contact your church or the church of a friend and ask for their assistance. But quite honestly, most churches now days are at the point they only help those that are members of their own congregation due to their budgets being tight in this economy. But it's worth a try. They may direct you to a place that can help.
3. Call on family for help if you have them close.
4. A friend of mine has gone to the back of their neighborhood Kroger store and sought out what they have thrown away from the produce or broken packaging. Several times she has found bags of beans that were busted open or accidently cut when the box was open for stocking. Most of the vegetables were wilted but still edible with a good washing. There were canned goods with labels missing but still perfectly good to open and eat. (Talk about mystery meals.) This tied her over until her husband's work picked up and she never told him they were eating from a dumpster.
5. My way of being ready for emergencies is buying extra each month when money is good. I will say that this has helped us a great deal many times. Below are some tips for this one area I know works.
a. At the first sign things are going to get tight, grab a pen and pencil and take inventory of all the food in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Every bit of food you have.

b. Sit down and creatively figure out every possible way you can stretch what food you have by meals and set up a menu for the number of days. I instantly go for 2 weeks because within those 2 weeks I can come up with extra food money by selling something or working an odd job. 2 weeks also will help you with the foodstamp delay as well.

c. Budget stretching suggestions: Eggs. Did you know that it only takes 3 eggs to make a piepan of crustless quiche. Toss in a few vegetables and you have protein and vegetables in one meal.

Beans and Rice together make a protein. If you have cans of soup stretch it with rice or homemade biscuits. Remember that carbs and starches are very filling, and help the budget.

Freeze now your odd and end pieces of bread that you can use later in french toast, or dressings, or in bread puddings.

Don't toss out that last bag of potato chips or doritos bag. Use it to add flavor & crunch to casseroles
These too can be frozen for later use.

You've heard the saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention"?
Start making a list now of all the meals that you can make that are budget saving meals. I keep a whole list of budget meal ideas in my homemaker's notebook.

Monthly Menu Monday

2009-10-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

I know tons of people are thinking MONTHLY? Yeah, I plan by the month because it's much easier for me and I can manage the grocery money easier. We make use of this month's cheap buys for next month's menu.
Last month Pork was cheap. I purchased a large pork loin and when I arrived home cut it, froze it and planned how many meals I could get for that amount of pork. Cost for 15 meals 15.00. Not Bad.
Chicken has been on sale so I have also purchased lots of chicken. Dividing and freezing into meal size portions.
The hens are laying 6 eggs a day now so I have tons of eggs. I can purchase sweet potatoes cheap right now, and make best use of what is on sale. Cheese too was very reasonable this month.
Here's what I put together for this next 4 weeks of cooking.

Monday's
Soup and Sandwich night
1st, Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Cabbage Beef Soup (Homemade)
2nd, Grilled cheese Sandwich, (Canned) Tomato Soup
3rd, Broccoli corn Bread, White bean Chili
4th, Hot dogs, Loaded Potato soup

Tuesday's
Vegetable Night
1st, Cabbage, Baked butternut Squash, Okra &
2nd, Squash, Greenbeans, eggplant Casserole
3rd, Glazed carrots, butter beans, cabbage
4th, Broccoli casserole, White Beans, Pear & cheese salad

Wednesday's
Homemade mac & cheese, Sweet potatoes, greenbeans
Quiche & Pear & Cheese salad, Biscuits & bacon gravy
Homemade mac & cheese , Carrot, Raisin & Pineapple salad, broccoli
Salmon patties, Slaw, french fries

Thursday's
Baked Potato Nights
Idaho Pig (BBQ, cheese stuffed potato) (For quickness can purchase 2 lbs from local BBQ location)
Loaded Baked Potato with Ham
Beef Tips & mushroom stuffed potato
Chili Cheese Potato

Friday's Our favorite TV show night
Pizza & appetizer supper Just quick & easy.
We have what is on hand to make pizzas. If there's bbq, we use it,
Chicken, cheese, vegetable pizza, Anything on hand. We make our own pizza dough and
purchase jars of pizza sauce.
For appetizers we have carrot, celery and cucumbers, dip, and buffalo wings & legs, Onion petals & dip.

Saturday's
Hot Dogs, baked beans, chips
Hamburger & French Fries
Spaghetti & garlic bread
Lasagna & salad

Sunday's
Ham, Scalloped potatoes, greenbeans, & homemade rolls
Chicken Croissants, Broccoli, Creamed potatoes
Pork Rounds, Rutabagas, Turnip Greens, white beans
Chicken & Dressing, Fried Cabbage, sweet potatoes

I will admit that to get started I had quite a bit in the freezer that helped. If this week chicken is on sale cheap, just pick up a little extra. Next week ground beef may be on sale. It all adds up to just a few dollars more that first month. I purchase most of my bulk items at Sam's, my canned goods at Aldi's, and I use coupons. I make most of my own food from scratch. Homemade pimento cheese which has less sugar than store bought is a family favorite. Homebaked bread, biscuits, and salad dressings save us. I not only find it's cheaper but it's less to go to waste.

Get your Sunday paper or go online and check out your store ads to see what you're going to eat next month. Check out farmer's markets for the freshest local grown vegetables. Grow what food you can.

Five Dollar meals: Chicken Crossiants & Gravy

2009-10-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

3 cups Cooked chicken shredded
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese (Low Fat)
1/2 pack frozen chopped onions, peppers and Celery mix
2 packages Refrigerated Croissant Rolls or 1 package Phyllo Dough
Seasoned Bread Crumbs or Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing mix
Melted Butter
1 jar of Chicken Gravy or McCormick's Chicken Gravy mix (mixed to directions)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook the chicken until tender; cool and shreds easily.

Mix chicken with the softened cream cheese in a small bowl. Roll out the croissant rolls, put a spoonful of chicken mixture at the wide end of the roll, fold over the sides and roll to seal mixture in. Roll in melted butter (I like to just brush some on) and then in the breadcrumbs (I like to add a little grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs). Put in a large muffin pan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

If you use Phyllo dough fold into little packages and bake in large muffin pan. (not the mini muffins)

While chicken rolls are cooking, heat up the gravy.

To serve, pour gravy over croissants.

This is really good with a salad. I have also used this same recipe with left over Turkey at Thanksgiving and it's also very good.

Fall apples make great cakes!

2009-10-21T09:41:00.005-05:00

Fall is my favorite time of the year. In the last few days things have been a little hectic. Won't go into details right now. In all my running I came across the best apple cake that I think I've ever tasted. I think you'll love it too. You see what was left while I searched for my camera.

It's Caramel Apple Cake. I bake it in a Bundt Cake pan. (Everytime I write Bundt I think about the movie "My big fat Greek Wedding." that scene is so funny) I will say don't send your husband to get caramel, mine came up with a sqeeze bottle of caramel syrup...not the same but wasn't bad. This cake is so moist and it won't last long.

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup water

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1- 4 0z pack instant vanilla pudding

1 teas cinnamon

1 jar of apple pie filling from Cracker Barrel (1/4 goes into cake batter)

1/2 a package of kraft caramels 1/2 cup milk

Spray and flour your Bundt cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first 6 ingredients while oven heats up. Mix in 1/4 of the jar apple pie filling into the cake batter mixture.

Pour 1/2 of the cake batter into Bundt pan. Spoon rest of apple pie filling onto the center of the batter. Pour in the remaining 1/2 of cake batter and bake until you can insert tester and it comes out clean. 350 degree oven approximately 45 minutes.

When done allow to cool and invert onto cake plate.

Drizzle over the top the thinned melted carmels. Enjoy. I found Cracker barrell's apple pie filling tasted the best in this recipe. It is seasoned well but more importantly still has the taste of apples.

My husband and I enjoy this cake with a great cup of coffee while we sit on the backporch and watch the leaves fall.

We need some Sunshine! Folks are getting Cranky.

2009-10-16T05:01:00.000-05:00

You all know we've passed a record number of days of rain. In the last 20 days I think they said we've only had 3 days of partial sunshine. It's really affecting how people get along down here.
Today as I drove to town I had to stop at a light. Well, I put on the breaks and stopped at the light and everyone started honking their horn at me. One even drove around me yelling "Are you color blind woman...the light was GREEN" So you can clearly see how the sun is very necessary to everyone's good nature.
Even my own family need some sunshine, especially my husband. Every morning my dear honey goes out and lets the chickens out of the coop and takes them a quart of chicken feed to start off their day. They follow him and peck at his feet. (He thinks they are worshipping him by all that bowing down and is thrilled with that) So when I was at the craft show I found for him the perfect T-shirt. It had a chicken pecking the ground and above it in big letters it said "Hen Pecked". He wasn't happy at all..infact he said he was going to get me one with the rear of a....oh well, you get the jest. After he calmed down I explained why I purchased it and he was ok with it. Now all of this could have been avoided had the sun just shined a little and brighten everyone's spirits.
Now, if you can spare a little sunshine, share it coz there's a load of people that need it!

Don't fix what ain't broke!!!

2009-10-14T23:08:00.005-05:00

Forgive me but I'm on a rant today. I'm sure you have your list of items you don't want anyone to change. I have my list as well and I've even gone as far as writing the companies to tell them how disappointed I am that they felt a great product had to change in the name of progress.

This all began with Top Job. The old Top Job that cleaned everyting is no longer. Why...the company was bought out by a competitor that wanted their product to be #1 so they bought out the company and quit making Top Job. I'm still boycotting Mr. Clean. I could use the old Top Job and have the work done in 1/2 the time. It cleaned ovens spotlessly and with out effort. I've even stripped furniture with it. I miss Top Job it was a great product.

SINE-AID. Which is what got me started on this rant today. I used to take a Sine-aid and my headache was gone! Now, I have to take 3 products and a antibiotic to get the same results. DON'T fix what ain't broken!!!

Birdseye Frozen stirfry with a mustard sauce and asparagus in it. It was great for making spam stirfry. I kid you not! When our kids were little and our money tight they begged for that spam stirfry with the mustard sauce and asparagus, carrots peppers and onions. It was a great way to get the kids to eat vegetables but evidently great products can't last long. The Birdseye company changed it up, people stopped buying it and they quit making it all together. Again, I say...Don't fix what ain't broken!

Digital TV, can anyone watch TV and relax anymore when it's raining or the wind is blowing? The bill of goods sold to the nation, "Great signal" "Clearer Picture" and so on. Lies! If it rains the signal is broken and lost. I don't remember ever loosing a signal with the old analog TV. A few weeks ago we couldn't tell a storm was coming because it was raining very hard at the station and couldn't pick up the signal. We now don't watch TV it's so frustrating. We rent movies or watch the computer. I don't loose signals on the computer. I suggest if there's bad weather you better have a weather radio because you won't know about it by the TV.

Now everyone is being urged to use CFL (compact flourescent lights) instead of the regular light bulbs. Yes, it does save money but instead of just throwing broken glass in the trash as we did with the old light bulbs, you have to put on a hazmat suit and go through several steps to discard safely and not poison yourself or your family. I don't think they really thought this out very well. Worse yet, you can't read with them without going blind. A few weeks ago they banned the old light bulbs in Europe. Everyone has to use CFL lights. People in Europe are complaining about their eyesite, having headaches and how they don't like these lights but it don't matter it's the new and improved for the enviroment's sake. Aladdin lamps are now being used in record number for reading at night in Europe. It's a matter of time before we in America can only get CFL's as well. New, improved, cost reducing, don't mean it's good!

What worries me now, the words "We can fix the healthcare crisis!" Representatives Please, don't fix what ain't broke!!! , or the Americans you don't listen to might just get a new and improved representatives on the hill.

Our Troops Need Us NOW!

2009-10-08T22:40:00.009-05:00

Being the mother of a soldier in the Army, my heart sank when I read the words of a soldier that is in despair questioning why he was in Afghanistan. Now is not the time to take on the politics of why this is happening instead it's time to take pen and paper at hand and write out a letter of Thanks to our young men at war.
You can read the story on this here.
I want to challenge everyone to take the time to do something. Write a letter of encouragement, send a donation to the USO, help crochet Afghan squares for injured soldiers, OR at least say a prayer. Do something to let a Soldier know we appreciate them and their service.
If you are at the airport and see a soldier walking through the terminal, stop and shake his hand.
We need to show them our appreciation. Below are some ways you can send your support.

1. Combat Outpost Keating Relief Fund.

PLEASE READ YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY THEY NEED SUPPORT NOW.
Here is where to donate online using your credit card. Here is where to mail checks:
COP Keating Relief Fund
PO Box 1954
Indianapolis 46206

Here is an online form that you can send in with your checks. Make sure you have COP Keating Relief Fund on the check so we can allocate it correctly.

If you want to send stuff today, and do it completely on your own, please mail to:

CSM Robert Wilson
TF Mountain Warrior
FOB Bostick
APO AE 09354

(Send them LETTERS!) These men have been through hell and desperately need encouragement. Hand written is best, even if it's on notebook paper. Get your kids to draw pictures and let them scroll out Thank you. Help them reconnect to life again. Below are some links to help you find a way to support a soldier.

ANY SOLDIER

Soldiers Angels

Afghans for Wounded Soldiers

The USO

I urge everyone to pass this information to everyone on your e-mail list. Get your churches involved and lift the morale of our soldiers.

Demise of the Dollar and what might be knocking at our door.

2009-10-06T23:02:00.009-05:00

This all began with one story that was in BRIGHT RED BOLD headlines on the Drudge Report. You can read it for yourself. It's un-nerving to many including myself.
THE DEMISE OF THE DOLLAR

At first, I was among the ones wondering what this meant for our country. Then it turned to what it meant for my family. Get ready because inflation is about to come knocking at our door.

What really bothered me the most is the global friends that are also coming against us. I expect this from Russia, The Arab States and China but it's still upsetting about being stabbed in the back by England and France. Basically our friends are lining up with those that have set out to destroy the United States. I think the main thing we need to do is stop buying anything from these countries. Do not bring in any items from them into our land. The problem; the country has become so dependent upon cheap labor and cheap products that Americans are not prepared to stop purchasing them or make the decision to do without. We have become spoiled.

Australia (who has a stronger currency presently than we do) has raised their interest rates today in preparation for the coming inflation. What is America doing... nothing. Our President can't make decisions about our soldiers in Afghanistan but he can pound us with more debt and new bills from the hill that will further destroy the United States. I really feel this administration has lined themselves up with our enemies and are helping them destroy us.

Here's what my family has been doing and I recommend to others to do as a fight against the coming inflation.
1. Don't purchase foreign made items. If it's not made in America we don't need it. Buy Gold. If you can't afford Gold, buy junk silver. Even diamonds have value that our dollars don't. Buy Real Estate, only if you can sit on it and won't need cash from it.

2. PAY off your debts. The less you owe the better off you will be. THIS DOES NOT MEAN BORROW TO PAYOFF...it means sell what you have, work more, do without, and take what you can from your paycheck and pay down debt.

3. BUY FOOD NOW and put it up. Buying now at a cheaper price is a good hedge against the coming inflation. Grow your own garden. Learn to preserve food by canning or freezing. Learn to cook from scratch and do without mixes and processed foods.

4. Do what it takes to stay healthy. Stop smoking, Walk more, loose weight. Cut sugar and fat from your diets. Take vitamins, and eat more vegetables and fruits. Cut out stress. Get a hobby that makes you happy to relieve stress and take your mind away from money woes. It's always better to have a healthy defense against sickness.

5. HELP one another, get to know your neighbors. Our survival will come down to one another helping each other, sharing knowledge, trade skills, and childcare. Back in the Depression Grandma moved in and took care of the babies while the rest of the family worked in the fields. Teach your children to do their share because it will be necessary. My children know how to clean, wash clothes, hang out clothes, pull weeds, feed chickens, and they don't expect to be paid, it's part of being a family. Work together.
Ages you ask? My children are 6,7, and 9. Even 2 year olds can do something to help the family. Don't expect perfection, train them.

6. Learn to Barter. I read where some doctors were taking fresh eggs and vegetables in trade for exams now. If you have skills or abilities that you can use for bartering use them If you don't you need one. I traded sewing and hemming of pants for my canning jars this year. NO currency needed and we both parties achieved what we needed.
Trade out babysitting, Net work in a new way. My phone book includes skills listed by people names and addresses so I know who I can possibly barter with or learn from.

7. Learn to do without! No one likes this but it will be a necessary mindset. When I become unemployed we made cuts in our lifestyle. I cut off all the phones instead using magic jack and the internet because I have grown children around the globe. NO long distant bills, almost no phone bill. My phone bill is basically 15.00 dollars roughly for the year.
USE WHATS FREE. I use SKYPE. It's free. We cut CABLE. We gathered with friends that were also cutting back and made a list of books, and DVD's that we all have that we could swap. We watch what are shared with one another. There are alternatives for cable on the internet for free. We have also discovered it's nice not to watch anything instead READ.
We cut our utility usage from 2218 kwh a month to 1108 per month by hanging clothes out on the line. We wash in cold water. The AC is not set below 79 in the summer and 69 in the winter. I cook using my crockpot, the grill, and my husband is building me a solar oven. Do what you can to cut that utility bill. Sit down with your family and make decisions now on what you can and can't do without then put the plan to work.

8. Do not count on this government to help you with a bailout. There won't be one. Many people were hungary or worse died during Katrina because they were not prepare and waited on the government to help them.

My family have been working on this for a while. We've been forced to survive on less due to unemployment. I felt last August before unemployment that hard times were coming our way so we started then preparing. I've thrown myself into learning everything I can that will help my family. It's not hard if you have the attitude that you can make it.
My last thought, get a copy of the Constitution. Teach it to your children. Memorize it yourself. It may come a time when you need to stand on your constitutional rights or do what you have to fight further erosion of the Constitution.

Reelfoot Weekend

2009-10-06T06:55:00.005-05:00

Saturday was my idea of the perfect day. Sun shine, 69 degrees, miles of arts and crafts and yard sales. I had planned on taking pictures but the crafters wasn't too happy for us doing that. They were afraid we were stealing their ideas so you'll have to take my word there had to be 1000 crafters not to mention all the yard sales stretched between Ridgely and Reelfoot.
If you are not familiar with Reelfoot Lake it has a very rocky beginning. In 1811-1812 Reelfoot lake was formed by the strongest series of quakes in history. Estimates of 7.9- 11 have been stated but most agree it had to be 8.1 earthquake that made the ground drop and rise, along with making the Mississippi River flow backwards about 24 hours. That's how Reelfoot Lake was formed. There was a few settlements that were located there but were destroyed during the earthquake. It is said that the earthquake made the bells ring as far away as Boston.
Our area has been told to prepare for another strong quake within 100 years of that one. I just noticed that 100 year mark is very close. Yes, I do have a kit just in case.

One of our family traditions is to drive a little further north into Hickman, Kentucky and take the Ferry across the Mississippi river to Missouri for the drive back through Arkansas to home. The kids love the ferry and it takes about 20 minutes to ride the river to the other side. It was a very nice day.

Winners and Quiche

2009-10-01T08:26:00.007-05:00

Debbie at Simply Kneaded Blog

Congratulations. Debbie will win her choice of Sentsy warmer and Sentsy Bar. I know, it was suppose to be the Scentsy Jack O Lantern but I recieved my order with it marked BACK ORDER, but then there has been some conflicting messages which makes me question my getting a sentsy Jack O Lantern at all. So to make it up...I am going to allow Debbie to pick what she wants from my catalog site.

CRUSTLESS QUICHE:
This morning I began my diet. I think it's a little odd that the first thing that popped up on my computer this morning was "Why French Women stay Skinny without Exercise." I bought it hook line and sinker, clicked on it...guess what...THEY EXERCISE....it's the mind set that's different. Instead of going to the gym they walk more, ride bikes for errands, they even look at sweating differently than we American women. I wish the person writing that book had been here as I gardened this spring and summer or cleaned out the hen house... Sweating was not optional, it just happens when you work which is part of the reason supposedly French women are skinny. I have a different idea. If you've ever eaten at a French Restaurant, or watched them plate up on PBS during a French cooking show, their portions are TINY compared to what we plate up here in the States. I'm changing the plates I eat with. The one above is not a regular size plate, it's not a dessert plate, instead it's a saucer that goes under a cup.
To make the Crustless quiche here's the recipe.
You'll need to spray a glass pie plate with Pam so it won't stick.
4 eggs
1 cup of whipping cream
1 cup swiss cheese
1/2 cup onions chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers chopped
3 strips of bacon cut into pieces

1. I place the bacon pieces in a skillet and fry them until they are about done but not crispy. DRAIN off the excess fat, keeping the bacon in the skillet. Add the onions and bellpeppers.
2. As they cook I mix up my eggs, whipping cream, and swiss cheese in a bowl.
3. Pour the bacon, onions, and bellpeppers into the greased pie plate. Spread evenly on the bottom.
4. Pour the Egg/Cheese mixture on top of the bacon mixture.
5. Cook in preheated oven at 350 degrees until firm about 20-25 minutes.

My left overs will be be refrigerated, and reheated by microwave for my next breakfast.
My breakfast menu plan and how it fit with breakfast this morning:
1 protein EGG & Cheese
1 fat (Bacon)
1 milk (whipping cream) Cheese also comes under dairy
Onions and Bell peppers in this amount is FREE foods...
1 fruit: 1/2 cup sectioned grapefruit.

Now, I'm off to start my exercise regimen of sweeping the porch.

New Diet to begin October 1st.

2009-09-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

Here I am, this is my before picture for now all surrounded by some of the reasons why I want to loose my weight. I've read about 4 different diets, spoke with my friend Janie (the dietitian) and she recommended a 1400 calorie diabetic exchange diet since I had success with it years back and we could alter it some. Now, the alterations aren't that drastic...it's just at this time I'm down with gout in my feet so I can't exercise. We are cutting back on the starches to help my blood sugar not run up. Skip Beef and red meat, as those famous bovine suggest; "eat more chick'n." I'll also eat tuna and salmon.

About 20 years ago I had gestational diabetes with my youngest birth son. I loved it because the day I gave birth I weighed less than when I got pregnant. It was easy to stick to, the only thing that I actually hated is it seemed I ate all the time. No sooner than I finished breakfast and got the dishes put away it was time to eat again. I don't think that will be a problem this time.

Here's the diet.
Breakfast:
1 starch or bread
1 fruit
1 milk
1 fat
1 protein
Here's my menu idea for this. 1 slice whole wheat, 2 tbls peanut butter, 1/2
banana, and 1 cup milk. You got it right if you say, 1/2 peanut butter banana
sandwich with a cup of milk. Peanut butter is a high fat protein so no butter.

Lunch:
2 oz protein
1 starch or bread
1 vegetable
1 fat
This is a tuna stuffed tomato with crackers and 1 teaspoon mayo.

Dinner:
3 oz protein
1 starch
1 fat
2 vegetables
1 fruit
Since I'm trying to stay off red meat right now, I bake chicken, brussel sprouts,
squash, grapes, and the starch can be a taste of baked potato or mashed potatoes, or
a roll.

Afternoon Snack:
1 dairy
1 vegetable
1 fat
Sugar free yogurt, or milk, carrot sticks & ranch dressing to dip in.

Evening Snack:
1 bread,
1 protein.
Usually cottage cheese, a free food such as sugarfree gelatin, and graham cracker.

I'm going to make up my diet menus and get prepared to start on October 1st. Making a menu plan that will work with my family would be nice but sometimes impossible.

No diet is a good one unless I exercise. Walking, being active...it's necessary. I'll have to come up with something until my feet allow me to walk without pain.
Drinking lots of water is required.
Oh... one more thing to hold me accountable, today I weigh 210. My goal is to loose 80 lbs. I plan on weighing in on the 1st and the 15th of every month. My complete date is September 27, 2010.
I'm doing this to get healthy, to feel better, and to hopefully prevent going on insulin. Since I'm one of the many without insurance and unemployed insulin would be hard to get.
You're welcome to join along. I'm sure together we can win at loosing. My next update to let you know how it's going will be October 7th, 2009.

What a wonderful day! SUNSHINE!

2009-09-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today is a very special day. Back in 1974 on this date we had a new little visitor come into the world. We were blessed to have our first child, who is now 35 years old. So I would like to first say Happy Birthday Son. We are looking forward to your visit home soon.

Now, the other reason this day is special...the SUN is shining! It was shining yesterday too but I wouldn't have known since I was in bed sick all day. My husband worked in the yard with the kids. I think one time I raised my head to notice the youngest daughter bringing in a chicken to tell me somehting. (She's the one I had to rescue the chicken from a few weeks back.) NO, I don't allow the chickens in the house either so I did muster up the words "TAKE THAT HEN BACK OUTSIDE!" I'm very thankful that she didn't put her down in the house. Life around here don't stop of migraines.

While laying in the bed it dawned on me I need to make some changes in my life. Now go ahead and laugh my husband did, but it dawned on me if an ambulance had to come pick me up because of my head falling off in pain, two things had to change. 1. My furniture arraingement wouldn't allow easy flow for a stretcher to get to my bedroom. 2. They might need a crain to get me up off the bed.

Monday morning, I'm moving furniture around just in case the time comes I or someone else needs a stretcher. I already have in my mind how it can be moved around but I don't dare start until the kids are in school.
I also am going to start that diet. I have about 80 lbs I need to loose and I think I'll feel better.
I'm thinking I can't depend on someone else to hold me accountable except me so I'm going to share the ends and outs of my diet once a week in the blog. If you want to join in you're welcome. I'll leave the furniture up to you to change. :) Let me know some of your diet tips that might help me.

Christmas Time's A Comin' WAY TOO FAST

2009-09-24T22:18:00.008-05:00

Alright, I know it's September but Christmas Time is coming! Today I heard it announced, "It's only 92 Days until Christmas!" I panicked. Like Scarlett O'Hara, I find my self asking.."Where shall I shop, What shall I buy? Alright, I know she didn't say that, but one reality, How will I pay?

Years ago when the children were little, Christmas began for me in October. Something we had back then that I heard is making a return is called "LAY A WAY." That used to be the only way my husband and I had Christmas under the tree for the kids. We would go in October, pick out what we thought the kids might want and then the store would hold on to it and each week we'd pay some on it and pick it up before Christmas. NO credit cards, no bills after Christmas, IT Was WONDERFUL and we spent the rest of the time between October and Christmas conviencing the kids of what they really wanted. Those were the days.

Unemployment is going to be the Grinch of Christmas this year, but only if we let it. I spent the weekend talking to the kids about Christmases past. I even thought about my own Childhood Christmas Memories. Guess what we discovered! None of our favorite Christmas Memories had anything to do with wrapped up gifts. It was about an unusual snowy Christmas, being with family, the food we ate, putting up the Christmas tree, crying when we took the tree down. Going to church at midnight on Christmas Eve. Walking through the woods looking for the perfect Christmas tree to cut down. Shooting mistletoe out of the trees. Going Christmas Caroling with the youth group. Making Christmas ornaments out of old Christmas cards. The whole town gethering in the town square to watch the Christmas parade, drinking hot cocoa from the Lodge hall, and visiting people. One of mine was the year we made kids made Christmas paper ornaments for all the old people in our small town and hand delivered them. They loved the visit and we loved seeing the smile.

So, I'm looking forward to a wonderful Christmas. Our most important gifts for Christmas, baby Jesus, Love, and each other, and a few homeade Christmas ornaments on the tree.

First project::Pantry Organizer for the wraps in our life.

2009-09-21T19:30:00.000-05:00

Since my honey got his new toy to work with I've tried to come up with little projects for him tinker with. He came up with some for me as well...like cleaning out the pantry. That is how his project came about. During all the cleaning out we found tons of oven bags, sandwich bags aluminum foil, glad wrap, and freezer bags. We have stopped using paper towels and paper napkins since we moved to reusable cloth. I don't use plastic wrap unless it's to send someone something to eat and aluminum foil is not used as often since I learned how to bake potatoes in the cast iron dutch oven. Well, now, I found all of this in the back of the pantry hidden by canned goods. Needing a place for these, this is what my honey come up with. He made one with a slat front and one with a solid front that I painted with chalk board paint and put a message we say often to each other. We hung them on the inside of the pantry door and now, if I ever need them they won't be hidden ever again.
And by all means, if life has you down...remember to SMILE, because God's in control.

Saving Money by Planning meals

2009-09-19T18:44:00.003-05:00

One of the things that help me save time and tons of money is planning my meals. At first it took me an hour now I have it down to 15 minutes.
I break down my choices into categories such as: Baked Potato night, Soup & Sandwich night, Casserole Night, International night, and All American Night, Vegetable night, Sunday Special.
I then have approximately 4 meals per category that fit into my budget then I recycle those meals according to what's on sale. I have seasonal meals that fit those categories as well and it helps save money.
This summer we ate out of the garden. It was a budget helper and I did put up quite a bit in the freezer and canning which helps us stay in budget if the prices go up.
Soup and sandwich night may be canned soup and homemade pimento cheese, or homemade vegetable beef soup with cheese toast or cornbread. Soup meals, potato meals and vegetable dinners save money.
My family breakfast is usually steel cut oats cooked overnight in the crock pot, or we have eggs (fresh from the hen house). Do you know you can cook an eggs in just about the same time it takes to fix a bowl of cereal and it don't cost as much.
Lunch time we eat leftovers. My husband and I have lunch from what was left over the night before, or we have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with chips. The kids eat at school.
To feed a family of 6 for the week usually cost us between 75 and 85 dollars a week, which saves us money, we eat healthier, and we don't waste as much.

The only rooster on the place.

2009-09-18T12:00:00.001-05:00

I am often amazed at how many people question, "How do you get eggs without a rooster?" I say it's quite easy, we go open up the nest door and pick them up. I wonder if more people would have chickens if they knew more about them.
When we chose to get chickens we had no desire to get a rooster because of the noise they make. At the top of the next hill lives a rooster and we can hear him crow all hours of the day. My husband says he must be blind because he crows constantly. Roosters crow...that's their nature.

Our chickens just started laying eggs which is really nice. We are going to be getting more chicks next spring (by mail) and a whole group of new chickens will start laying hopefully next September. I hope this next time to get Rhode Island reds since I think they are pretty, not that mine aren't pretty, being all white but every time I tell the kids they are leghorns I can't help but think of the widow hen and Foghorn Leghorn.

The chickens have given us much entertainment over the summer. The kids have held them, pet them, and laughed at how they fight over worms. One day I found the girls trying to put doll clothes on them. (Yes I rescued the chickens) None of our chickens will be on the table, you can't eat pets.
Chickens were a great investment for our little acreage and it's taught the kids there are rewards in being responsible enough to care for a pet.

Swine Flu in the house: My Quarantine Plan

2009-09-17T12:00:00.001-05:00

This flu is totally different. I would love for someone to explain to me the difference between the H1N1 and SARS since most of the deaths sound more like SARS instead of just the flu. If you know please let me know in the comments.
My plan to quarantine someone sick in my home is a little different than most. I don't have a guest room in fact I really need a larger home but in our economy I don't dwell on this long. So, I do what I can, I purchased a tent. I know, that sounds ridiculous but hear me out. It's not one of those that goes outside but one that goes over the kids bed. My kids shares rooms so I plan on setting up a sick bay area in my bedroom with a mattress and the tent. Two reasons for that.
1. I can make sure that child is breathing ok, going to the potty ok, and is drinking enough.
2. The child will only be in 1 area of the house using only one bathroom.
What I won't do during a quarantine is stop hugging and holding my children. I still rock my little ones when they are sick and they love it. My husband will probably move from the bedroom to the sofa bed so he can sleep with out being disturbed by my getting up to check on the sick one.

I do have supplies on hand, juices, gator-aide, soups,all medications one needs during the flu, and loads of bleach, vinegar, and masks on hand. I planned my supplies to have enough on hand for the entire family to be in for 3 weeks without having to leave for the store. One thing I also have added to my supplies is AIR FILTERS that are a little better than usual. They are suppose to catch 90 % more particles than the cheaper filters. I plan on using one per week instead of 1 per month. I also have cut and additional one up to place in my bedroom air return so it will reduce germs in the sick bay from going back to the air conditioner to re-circulate. (This is an attempt to protect those not sick)

Additional things we will continue to do:
1. WASH constantly our hands, Cover our coughs with our elbows. Use Hand sanitizer that is 60+ % alcohol.
2. When in the sick bay area I will wear a robe over my clothes while I hug and check on my sick one. I won't wear it out of the sick area. I'll wash upon going into the well area.
3. Wash bedding often using bleach & vinegar in the wash to disinfect.
4. Take things in stride. I know that if I have one child sick odds are the other two have also been exposed so it may be only a matter of days before one or both of them start showing symptoms. Preventive measures while well is our best defense and it's yours as well.
5. I will continue to wipe down door knobs, and all hard areas that I can to disinfect.
6. We will stay home, no guest are allowed. So extra entertainment such as books, movies, color books and crayons around for entertainment.

Today I have one home sick. He was up coughing most of the night, and had a low grade fever. I don't see other symptoms of flu but we're treating it as though he does. He's camping in the sick bay coloring batman color sheet. I'll let you know how it goes.

SWINE FLU...My Prevention Plan

2009-09-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

In the last 8 days there have been 2 deaths due to swine flu. Both seemed healthy before the flu and didn't have any other health problems. I have a neice that is sick with the swine flu along with about 25 percent of her school. I do believe we are going to have to self-quarantine or the government will step in and do it for us their way. I prefer doing things our way. I have drawn up a plan for prevention, and a plan for the flu visiting our own home. Today is the "Prevention plan".

Here's how I'm trying to prevent the swine flu at our house. I know it may seem extreme but if it prevents sickeness then it's working and I welcome extreme.

1. The Super Germ Killer from friends at "Our Country Haven" forum.
Recipe to be mixed as written. 1/4 cup bleach into 1 quart water, then add 1/4 c vinegar.
I spray and wipe down all hard surfaces, door knobs, counters, kids furniture.

2. I lysol the fabric surfaces, change kids pillow cases every morning and in the was I put 1/2
cup of vinegar to disinfect the clothes worn that day.

3. Kids Pencils, crayons, and toothbrushes are all separated for each child. They don't
share supplies or toothbrush holders. I throw away toothbrushes at the first sign of sickness, and I dip in bleach water solution after each use.
They get a new toothbrush again when the fever is clear. I wipe down pencils, scissors, and
their backpacks with the super germ killer. I spray lysol on the crayons. Backpacks are not
allowed past the mud room until I treat.

4. All drinking cups and eating utensils are dipped in bleach water then put into the dishwasher.

5. I don't go to grocery stores with drugstores in them. That's where sick folks gather so I make
sure I avoid those areas.

6. The best thing...I run the kids through the bathtub right after they come in from school. It
makes for a nice evening and the bedtime schedule is on time. My kids get up at 5:00 AM
and catch the bus at 6:20 so they are ready for bed by 7:30 pm. Getting plenty of rest is
preventive for sickness as well.

7. Volunteer to help your kids School disinfect. Teachers, and school budgets are tight so I'm
sure they would welcome either donations of disinfectants or your time to help wipe down
desk and doors.
Hope this helps you and your family prevent the flu at your home.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

2009-09-15T19:00:00.000-05:00

I first heard this recipe from a friend, then this weekend I heard another version of it on a show on TV, (Can't remember which show) I tired it, kids loved it, and it will make a meal in itself. Another way of enjoying a Summer baked potato cold. My friend also puts hers in a baking dish and cooks hers until the cheese melts. I think it's just great cold. The other treat is instead of filling the potato skins, sprinkle them with cheese, bake until melted and a little crisp, fill with sour cream sprinkled with chives for a good snack. Kids love them.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

4 pounds Idaho potatoes, Scoop out of potato skins save to refill.

1 pound bacon, crisply cooked, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped green onions or chives

2 cups grated or shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream (regular or low-fat)

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Bake your potatoes or use left over baked potatoes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato flesh, reserve the skin to refill and serve.
Add ingredients in the order listed above and mix well. I added a little more sour cream because it was a little dry.
Fill the empty potato shells with the potato salad. You will have extra you can serve without shell.

It don't take much to make my Man happy!

2009-09-14T10:40:00.002-05:00

For our 36th anniversary I purchased my honey a new toy. A brand new bandsaw. He is now out in his little shop putting it together and planning his first project. I'm sure it'll be good.

Did my Chicken lay this egg or a TURKEY?

2009-09-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

The egg on the left is the usual size of our chicken and this morning we found the one on the right. In comparison it's HUGE!
Turns out it's a double yolk egg. We didn't know until we had it for breakfast this morning.
People always ask if there is a difference in taste, my husband responds...yes...better!
Since they are free range hens they are suppose to be better for us to eat. Less Cholesterol.

Today we celebrate 36 years together...

2009-09-12T19:42:00.005-05:00

The way we were... In 1973.
This picture was taken about 2 weeks before we ran off to get married in Arkansas. Looking back we were babies! He had just turned 21 and I was 16. We didn't have 2 nickles but we loved each other...still do.
You may ask what is the secret to a long marriage... Love.
Keith, I love you and I have never regretted our running off to Arkansas. I pray for 36 more to come our way.

Gone Country...Again

2009-09-09T19:29:00.003-05:00

This blog is in response to Angie at HomeGrown on her curiosity to know our "Gone Country" stories and to be an entrance to her give away. Here's how you can help me win...Go over, leave a comment on her blog that SUSAN from Smith's Simple and Frugal life sent you there.
I'm one of those like the old Barbara Mandrell song , "Was country when country wasn't cool". I will say I'm not as country as I used to be. As a kid I remember getting out of school for 2 weeks in September to pick cotton and help other farmers get their cotton in to the market. In the small country community of Braden not many could afford fancy machinery to pick their cotton. Later on, my sisters, brother and I earned our school clothes by working during the summer by growing a huge pea patch, picking those peas, and then going door to door to sell our bushels of peas. Growing our own food, and making ways to make ends meet is what it was back then and why today we've seen a surge of people once again return to the "Country Life."
Last November I lost my job. I felt a urgency earlier to return to a more self sufficient life so we could possibly make ends meet though what I saw as a bad economy coming our way. All summer long we grew, canned, froze, preserved, pickled as much food as we could. I now gather my own fresh eggs and eat fresh baked bread. We no longer desire to eat out instead we enjoy cooking and inviting family and friends over. One of the greatest benefits besides our living expenses dropping, our loosing weight because we're eating better and not sitting behind a desk; the family is closer than we've ever been. Last month my husband joined the ranks of the unemployed, but we're prepared. We have discovered that we're not so stressed as those laid off with him. We enjoy life more now than we did before. Our life is simple. My children don't worry, they don't know realize our money is tight...they just keep playing with the chickens, gather the food from the gardens, and I've brought up another generation of children that will know when the time comes how to make ends meet just as my siblings and I grew up.
One more thing... when we earned a paycheck we knew we worked in our own power to earn that pay check and always thought we were worth more..:) Planting a seed hoping for a good harvest is beyond our abilities and requires we apply faith in a higher power for our sustenance.
I don't think I'll leave "Country" again.

GIVE AWAY! SIZZLIN SCENTSY JACK O'Lantern

2009-09-03T18:27:00.008-05:00

To celebrate my new Scentsy business I want to give away September's Scentsy Scent and Special Warmer shown above. If you haven't heard of Scentsy they are wonderful! My home smells so wonderful now and no worries about open flames because Scentsy is wickless candles! To enter Email me with the words "Sizzlin Scents" in the subject line. In the body of the e-mail please include your name, phone number, and address. No information will be sold or shared. Winner will be announced October 1st!

Sunday Morning News: Fresh Eggs and Pears for Preserves

2009-08-30T15:12:00.007-05:00

We are all resting from Saturday's one day run to Louisiana to gather pears and bring back ailing 4 wheelers for repair. If I do it again... I think I'll spend the night and enjoy the trip more. 4 hours there , 4 hours work, and 4 hours back makes for a long day.

This week I'll be canning pears and making more pear preserves. A friend in Texas has requested some heat in his preserves. So Harry, I'll be sending you some to Austin soon. I don't know if Tennessee jalapeno's are going to work as well as those in Texas but I'll give it a try.

While we were gone on our one day trip our leghorns started laying eggs. We picked up 3 eggs but one didn't make it to the house with three little helpers trying to all get a look. We weren't expecting them to start laying until next month. The eggs are small but all we've read is that is quite common in the beginning of their laying. I'm so looking forward to some great omlets, and egg salad. I couldn't help but think about friends Johnny Maxx and the Queen hatching 100 quail eggs in their kitchen! I can't keep up with my chicken's I don't know how they keep up with all those little chirping quails.

Pear Preserves is one of the oldest thing I remember my Great-Grandmother teaching us girls how to cook. It didn't really sink in until my mother started making them I might ought to actually pay attention to how to do it. There isn't a real recipe...just simple instructions.

Wash all the pears, peel and slice thin. These pears are the same kind that grew in my childhood home's yard. They are very hard so be careful cutting them. It's much easier to peel them with a potato peeler. Use the largest, heavy pot you have to make the preserves. Using a thin pot makes for burned preserves.
I make about 2 batches at a time in my large pot. I put in 8 cups of sliced pears, 8 cups of white sugar, and the juice from 1 lemon and about 1/2 cup of water. As it slowly heats, I stir and it will start to liquify and cook the pears tender and then it thickens until it is like honey. Some people even call this pear honey but we all grew up with Pear Preserves. Nothing any better on a homemade biscuit than pear preserves.
Pear preserves are also very very good for a cooking condiment to pork, and chicken. This year I'm adding a jalapeno to try something different. I'll let you know how it turns out.

We're back...Been seeking Work!

2009-08-26T21:47:00.003-05:00

Guess everyone's noticed we've been off for a while. We took off in the direction of Texas seeking a new life. Turns out yes, things are bigger and better in Texas...but my honey's heart is still in Tennessee. We try and get things lined up but things are on hold now until Christmas Break unless we get a call saying "Come to work". It would be wonderful being close to our daughter and son in law. Even better our beautiful grandchildren which really don't appreciate me calling them my "Grandbabies" Lauren is now 13 and Cody is 10. I really enjoyed visiting with them but had to get down to responsibilites with the 3 little ones I had get them in school back here and check into the legalities of us moving with them to Texas.

I found a new podcast on homesteading self sufficency. You can listen in on www.sshomesteading.com. Today I listened about making vinegar with Johnny Max and the Queen. They live in Texas and are quite entertaining. You can also listen to some interesting things on survival at the Survival Podcast at www.thesurvivalpodcast.com. My friend Jack Spirko takes a common sense approach to homesteading and survival. I know you'll enjoy him. Jack is just outside Dallas, Texas. My sister and I have listened to him for the last 14 months and have learned quite a bit about gardening and being self sufficient.

2009-08-18T20:46:00.001-05:00

LOOKING FOR A NEW OWNER:

2009-08-02T17:57:00.006-05:00

This home is a 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bath that is just the right place to get away from it all. It has 3.14 beautiful acres with what we lovingly call a donut pond. (Picture above) Pond is stocked with catfish, bass, bream. Oak trees, azaleas, plum and pine and many dogwood trees are all around. Many garden areas to choose from. This home has neighbors but not close. Out in the country it has no city services but is still close enough to get to doctors, and shopping. Brand new well pump, new central air system, Sun porch, Shed building, single garage, security system and a wonderful wide wrap around porch to enjoy the day. You won't believe how reasonably priced this home is. It's only 169,900.
Clean, well maintained ready for move in. Call Betty @ 901-356-6088 for more information or set up an appointment to see. If you're interested in getting away from it all, LOW LOW taxes, then this home is for you.

Tomato-Watermelon Salad

2009-08-01T14:50:00.003-05:00

Watermelon Salad is what we call it. My Aunt Net gave me this recipe some years back and a few years ago we saw the same recipe in Southern Living Magazine. I'm sad to say I didn't try it until I saw it in the magazine because I wasn't big on sugar and tomatoes. I can now vouch that it's very good. If you get a large watermelon, I usually go ahead and cut the seedless part in the middle out and use it to make it easier. This year we are eating this one really cheap. We grew our own watermelons, and tomatoes. I did purchase the onion though. This is really a good salad for those really hot days with a good combination of sweet and tang...

6 cups cubed watermelon
2 lbs of cubed ripe tomatoes
3 teas sugar (I use splenda now)
1/2 teas salt
1 small quarted then sliced thin red onion

1/2 cup Red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
cracked black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine melon and tomatoes sprinkle with sugar and salt toss and let sit 15 minutes.

Stir in Onions, vinegar, and oil cover and chill for 2 hours Sprinkle with cracked black pepper to taste before serving.

This is a great salad for picnics and we usually eat it with barbequed chicken. I've never noticed a difference using splenda and have used stevia plant extract from the garden to sweeten. We've never had left overs either.

WHAT A WEEK!

2009-07-30T21:42:00.003-05:00

We've been so busy canning, freezing, and re-planting for the fall. Not to mention it's pouring down rain. So I've not written in a while trying to catch up with garden work.
A few things did happen while we worked. My husband joined me on the unemployment line. He was stressed out for a few days but finally figured it was hurting him more than helping him to be so stressed. We made some more cuts in the budget and moved on. He's out quite a bit now looking for a job. He's glad now that we have a huge garden when at first he thought I was nuts carrying prepping to far is what I believe he called it. Prepping has helped us.

School starts in a few days. We're really looking forward to that. I had thought about homeschooling but after doing some praying and my honey got unemployed school sounds like a good thing. We are on both ends of our 50's and have never had an empty nest so us being home together alone during the day will be a treat. We plan on working on finding a job though.

Peaches are at the peak of their season right now so I'm freezing and canning, peaches and have made more preserves. I'm looking forward to soon getting pears and apples soon. This year the smaller the peach the sweeter and juicer they seem to be.
I'm trying something a little different. Hominy. I'll make a video on it so you can make your own. We were given tons of corn for the chickens that was too hard and dry. I remembered my great grandmother telling me how she made hominy so I'm going to try it. Hope it turns out good.
I have a new recipe I'll share in the next few days so forgive me for taking a few days off.

Five Dollar Meals that feed 7: 3 meals of Smoked Pork Butt

2009-07-21T23:22:00.007-05:00

Pork is a really great deal at the store right now at 97 cents a pound. The one at the top is about 10 lbs. Now,you might be doing the math right now and wondering how this has anything to do with a 5.00 meal. We usually get 3 meals out of this which averages 3.00 for each meal.

The first meal is of course Pulled BBQ sandwiches, with chips & a big kosher dill spear. Cost about 4.50

The second meal is a large BBQ salad. It's made up with lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Cucumbers, Bell peppers, Banana peppers, Thin matchsticks of jicama (for a little added crunch), Grated Cheddar Cheese, and of course the pulled BBQ Smoked butt. For a dressing, we make our own with 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1/3 cup sticky fingers BBQ sauce. Most of the ingredients come from the garden except the cheese, and jicama.

Third meal, The Smith version of what is called an Idaho Pig. It starts out with a great big Baked potato, Cut open wide, filled with BBQ meat, BBQ sauce, Grated Cheddar Cheese, Red

Onion , and a little dab of Sour Cream. It's a meal in itself with a great roll. The kids love their Baked potatoes. Best place I've found great Large Baked Potatoes is SAMS. I get 1 large 15 lb bag for 6.00 and get 2 baked potato meals. You can see our other Baked Potato recipe here.

You can bake the potatoes on the grill at the same time you are smoking the pork, I wash my potatoes, roll in kosher salt, wrap in foil and bake until I can put a tooth pick in easily. It's ok to let the potatoes cool, and store in the refrigerator until you're potato meal.

I unwrap from the foil, place on a plate and heat the potatoes in the microwave until hot. In the summer time this keeps the Kitchen from warming up.

Urgent, Obama to back door Nationalized Health Care!URGENTOBAMA END RUN ON HEALTH CARE..!

2009-07-19T23:10:00.005-05:00

THIS JUST IN.
President Obama, seeing his approval ratings plunge, is going to use a maneuver known as the budget reconciliation procedure in order to ram through universal health care and bypass the need for 60 votes in the US Senate.
This procedure is only used in budget bills but the president will stop at nothing in irretrievably altering your choice for medical care.

Call these legislators and voice your objection to using shifty tactics and a fabricated crisis to destroy an industry and leave millions without employment.
Call or fax Monday 07/20/09

This is critical..! You must call. Please call your friends and have them call as well.....we must stop it in it's tracks now!

CALL Congressional Switchboard.
The Senate can be reached at (202) 2243121
and the House at (202) 2253121.

Tennessee:Senator Bob Corker: 202-224-3344, Fax: 202-228-0566
Senator Lamar Alexander Phone: 202-224-7257. Fax: 202-228-0904

Burn their phone lines down. We must get them to stop this madness! Please pass this along to as many people and groups as you can! Now is the time to act!

Christmas in July Make it homemade.

2009-07-16T12:58:00.005-05:00

Not to cause alarm but we only have 5 1/2 months until Christmas. Worse yet, the economy is not getting better and is not predicted to be better by that time. If you've listened to some of the trend forecasters on the economy one in particular states that this Christmas won't be about gifts under the tree but food on the table. "OH MY!"

I believe this Christmas will be different than any we've had in a long, long time. I think more people will get back to the real meaning of Christmas and it won't be so commercialized. (Sears must worry about this because they've already put out their Christmas stocks) This year all my gifts are going to be handmade; not just because of hard times but because I've made a pledge not to purchase foreign items especially from China. Support America...Buy AMERICAN! I always liked getting handmade gifts so I hope I'm not alone.
I put up extra pickles, and relish to give. Homemade jellies, crocheted afghans, or dish cloths might be a nice gift. I'm learning a new craft so I can make handmade soaps and bath salts. Now is the time to plan and make my Handmade Christmas gifts so I can really enjoy Christmas without all the hustle.
I'm already looking forward to a Commercial free Christmas. Getting back to what is important all of the time, and at Christmas time. Jesus, Family and Love. Take a little time today to think about the gifts you can start making now for this Christmas.

The "ROUTINE". Time management

2009-07-14T14:26:00.008-05:00

I will say that changing habits is one of the hardest things to do, especially at our age (over 50) On average it takes about 21 days to make a change last or it could be a sudden reality when you instantly find yourself with 3 extra children. You will make that change in a much quicker 21 hours. We changed our mindset to a more frugal and homemade one quickly. We knew we had to do a lot more for ourselves, more like we did when our own children were little.

After a little time, trial and error, we finally established a well grounded routine that made our life much happier and helped the children adjust to their new home. It also helps us work to build our sanctuary together. Notice how I said "Our sanctuary" Everything we do together builds a relationship that grows stonger each year. Our home tasks carried out each day reminds us that we love one another and want what's best for each other, not just ourselves. If you've ever heard of "Clara"; the grandma that remembers how her family made it through the Depression, list "FAMILY" on the list. Household Routines builds family bonds. Everyone has to pitch in to make a HOME.

Getting into a routine of doing a certain number of chores each day and repeating daily those actions began to save us time and began making home a place all of us enjoy. We began with a basic 5 things that we did everymorning, things that all households usually do. We added more to the routine when the first five basics were perfected, things that was more specific to us and required in our own life. Example: Your chores would be different if you lived in an apartment than one who lives on a rural home with garden and chickens to care for.
Here's our first basic morning list:

Make the beds. Even the kids know to make their beds to start their day.
Freshen up the Bathroom for the day.
Empty the dishwasher & put out fresh dish towels in the kitchen. Pull food from freezer for dinner.
Laundry sorted and 1st load started and hung out to dry.
Organise and tidy one area a day. We set a timer to this one. Ususally 15 minutes. It might be a drawer that needs tidy, or decluttering a room, shoes in the closet. Something that keeps your home from looking untidy.

And when you have your morning routine working for you, think about your bedtime routines. We have a routine that aids us to start the next morning.
1. Turning on the dishwasher before bedtime. The day's dish towels are placed in the washer
along with the bathtowels for the first load of the day.
2. The 15 minute pickup. This helps everyone get their toys up, books up, what ever is out of
place can keep the home orderly.
3. About an hour before bedtime, the lights go down, we try to wind down the day.

When the evening routines are perfected then add a weekly activity: learn or teach one new skill every week. This adds interest to a simplified life. This week the girls are learning how to crochet. Our son is learning to bake bread. We try to learn something new that will build on our simple or frugal lifestyle. It may be adding to our cookbook with new recipes, baking bread. Learning to sew or work though something over the weeks - like building a compost heap, learning about vegetable gardening, experimenting with sourdough or other fermented foods, teaching your children simple, practical skills like how to sew on a button, tie their shoe laces, tell time or read the sky - during the day for changes in the weather and at night for interest.

If you want to maintain your youth, never loose your interest in learning and discovering new things. It adds interest to life, and remember that the skills you know may help you make it though hard times better. Schedule time in your day to learn new things.

I hope this way of establishing housekeeping routines works for you. It has helped us not only maintain our sanctuary, but it's helped us make time to be a family.

Redeeming the time: Building the Dream

2009-07-10T22:10:00.011-05:00

"Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run." Hab.2:2

One of the most important things you can do is not keep what you want in your head. My husband and I had the same dreams but we actually kept going against each other because we envisioned separate ways to get there. Imagine both of you want a 3 bedroom 2 bath home, but your vision of that 3 bedroom 2 bath is a nice brick home with shutters and the perfect lot and your husband's 3 bedroom 2 bath home is a double wide parked on 10 acres. There's quite a bit of difference there. That's why it's important to discuss, write down, make the vision clear so the two of you don't wander away or head towards different directions. We have never failed to achieve the dreams when we take the steps to write the vision clearly for both to see.

One of the things that has helped us save time, and energy, and kept us focused when life threw us curves is "The Home Notebook". Our Home Notebook is a little different than most. It not only is a great tool to keep all the common household information in but it also has a section just for our "Dreams". In that section we write our goals, visions, and wants. We put pictures in with notes that give us a descriptive visual of that dream, or goal so we can be on the same page. The pictures are cut out of magazines and others are photos as we came across great ideas when we traveled. We also write down what sacrifices and steps we need to take to achieve them. We have even drawn up a map of how we want to change the layout of our 2 acres and the purpose of those areas.

The other areas of the "Home Notebook" is support areas. To create your own you will need just a plain notebook, it don't have to be fancy but my friend purchased a plain blue horse notebook and covered it with nice fabric. What the notebook looks like isn't as important as to what is in the notebook. I put tabbed dividers in. I label the tabs with Calendar & Addresses, Dreams & Visions, Budget &Bill paying, Menu plans & Pantry, Recipes, Family Information, Home & Garden, and Chickens.
Calendar & Addresses: All the activities, important dates, reminders, along with Addresses, most common and phone numbers are in this section. Schedules are also included.

Dreams & visions are all described in the previous paragraphs.

Budget & Bill paying: we keep an accounting of every dime that enters and exits. Our budget, and a monthly record of dates, check # and amount paid.

Menu Plans, & Pantry: Here I keep a coupons in a zippered bag, and the weekly menu along with the cost of that weekly plan. An accounting of the pantry is also kept in there and I go through quarterly and check to see how we're doing. (our goal is to go to the store once a year and can our yearly needs from the garden.)

Recipes: Not only hold food recipes but homemade soap & cleaning supply recipes.

Family Information: Shot records for the kids, Medications List, Copy of birth certificates & custody papers, Each ones sizes for clothing and shoes, List of items each one needs soon so we can be watching for those items. I also Keep Santa's wish list in there when I hear them say something about wanting something more than once.

Home & Garden: Cleaning schedules, Paint colors, fabric samples for decorating. Garden plans, changes needed, list of pesticides used, results, fertilizing and yields from crops.

Chickens: Ages, egg production, food purchases.

Everyone in our home knows if an emergency arises grab that notebook. Most of the time I have it with me and it saves me time, money, and keeps us all focused on our goals.

What are you really living for? Redeeming your time.

2009-07-09T09:56:00.017-05:00

What are you really living for? If you had only three days to live and were asked "If you could start your life over what would you change?" I doubt you would say "I wish I'd worked more hours at the office."

If you listed 3 things in your life that mean the most to you. Taken together they may be your reason for living and may be the 3 things you spend the least time with.

Odds are you are like all the rest of us that fall short. If you aren't spending large chunks of time on those 3 elements then there are some possible reasons why.

1. You possibly think things that are important don't require a lot of time. It's a matter of quality not quantity.

This is a false statement that in reality is a cop out excuse. It does require quantity of time to build relationships, and memories, not just quality.

2. You're unsure or have never thought about priorities, you just live life as it comes.

Life as it comes has lots of twist and turns that will get you off your priorities and on to just staying busy. You have to purpose and plan the life you want.

3. You aren't putting your time where your priorities are.
I will tell you this is where our problem was. We put lots of time into what we thought would get us what we wanted when in reality it took us further away from it. It's mostly caused by not getting your priorities in order and not being a great manager of your time.

My husband and I had a heart to heart after a serious health scare. We decided to make changes in our life and spend more time now with the things in life that brought us the most happiness and joy. It required us to stop working for later days of enjoying those things and to take advantage of it now. We had to change our thoughts, priorities, and our way of living by cutting back on spending and deciding to live on less. We had to decide on what was really important to us.

In the next few days we will examine ways to redeem your time and get on the road to a simplified life. Think about what you think is really important in your life. Make decisions on how to achieve the time to do what you are really wanting in life.

CAP & TRADE MUST FAIL!!! CALL YOUR SENATOR!

2009-07-08T10:27:00.003-05:00

I've been very busy this week calling senators, and telling them why I don't want Cap & Trade. Why I don't want Socialized Medicine, and asking "Why Czars?" when we have state government officials that handle insurances. I urge you to make your voice heard as well.
My mother taught us "If you don't speak up when you know something isn't right, you can't complain when it happens!" So I've been yelling. Below is information you can use to contact your senators.

CAP & TRADE TAX
Now called Waxman -Markey Tax/Clean Energy Act of 2009

Passed the House 219 to 212. It MUST Fail in the Senate.

Action Needed: Call your US Senators. Tell them you want this bill defeated in its entirety! Amendments will not make it acceptable.

For Tennessee:
Sen. Lamar Alexander http://www.alexander.senate.gov/ 1-202-224-4944
Sen. Bob Corker http://www.corker.senate.gov/ 1-202-224-3344

Outside Tennessee: Go to http://www.senate.gov/

Cap and Trade and the company that I get my Power...

2009-07-01T00:12:00.006-05:00

Most of you know we've cut the use of our power back and our goal is to eventually only use power for the refrigerator, freezer, and well pump. For more on our goals you can read about our cutbacks. We cut our utility bill down even more but found what is less on the meter isn't less on the dollar amount. My husband decided he would raise his thermostat on the Air conditioner to 80 which means some nights it don't come on. This raise in the thermostat has lowered our utility bill an extra 20.00. Now... Cap and Trade comes into play...
We get our power from a utility co-op and they send out a monthly magazine. The cap and trade bill passed on Friday. On Tuesday we received the magazine in the mail. In it they clearly state this bill is going to raise our utility cost significantly. The National Rural Electric cooperative CEO, Glenn English said "NRECA supports developing affordable, simple, and flexible climate-change legislating. However, the bill does not yet meet that test." Well,too late now.
There are 2 ways this bill is expected to make us pay more.
1. We have to pay the cost of emissions allowances purchased on a complex auction market that will do nothing to reduce greenhouse emissions. 2. We will have to pay for the cost of replacing our existing fossil- fuel generations facilities with low-carbon alternatives. When asked approximately how much it was made clear these two are very expensive costs.
I'm about to finish taking the items out of our freezer make up a lot of stew and can it. The garden vegetables will be canned. We are going to make further cuts in our power usage.

OH...by the way. since our last story we set up the swimming pool( holds about 6000 gallons) and makes the heat bearable. Many have asked about the pump running all the time. Truly, you don't have to run the pump all day, we run our pump 2 hours a day and that's all. Our water stays clear and clean. I remembered this tip many years ago from Thomas Edison's tour of his winter home with the first swimming pool made of concrete.

If we all stopped together using electric power, gasoline, and somehow could all arranged our vacations for the same week, stay home do you think this would help Congress, and the Senate WAKE UP? I'm sure the day I have my meter cut they'll still find a way to charge all of us a cap and trade tax. Maybe on breathing?

Climate Change bill! Let the Real Climate Change begin in Washington FIRST!

2009-06-26T14:11:00.009-05:00

Today congress is once again pushing through a bill that they say will change our climate; that it will surely do. If passed, 0ur climate will take a turn towards the good old days our grandparents were so happy to leave behind. The one where you have to get up and throw another log on the fire to get warm in the winter. It'll bring back hand fans in the summer time. More people will have time to talk to their neighbors because no one will have jobs to go to because companies can't afford to continue business with this tax. Yes, our climate will change...but a day is coming and coming soon for real change in America.

Real Change for America will bring about a real change in Washington! All those Congressmen and Senators are about to be returned home to all those of us that won't have jobs, tired of being taxed, and since the Change we Americans can bring to them is the loss of their jobs, they will have all the time in the world to hear us then! Our voice will be heard loudly and clearly on election day!

Yes, climate change is coming but I don't know if those with deaf ears in Washington are ready for it, but come 2010 we Americans that have been screaming to those deaf ears sure will be!

WOW!!! I FEEL SO HONORED!!!

2009-06-25T17:28:00.008-05:00

WOW... I was tagged with my first Blog Award. Who on earth would do such a thing you might ask? A friend in blogland named Leslie. You can be her friend too just visit her blog "In the Shadow of Juniper Hill". I found her blog one evening and thought "This girl is making an oasis out of a desert." Like myself, I bet you'll find a friend named Leslie "In the Shadow of Juniper Hill."

"The Honest Scrap" award is not one to hold all to your self but it must be shared!

First, the recipient (Me) has to tell 10 true things about themselves (ME) in their blog that no one else knows. I'll try but I do live an open life.
Second, the recipient has to pass along this prestigious award to 10 more bloggers. (I'll list them below.)

Third, Those 10 bloggers all have to be notified they have been given with this award.
Then last but not least...those 10 bloggers that receive this award should link back to the blog that awarded them "The Honest Scrap' award.

Here are 10 things that you didn't know about me but are true:

1. I ran off with my husband and married at the age of 16. (He was 21)

2. Just to clarify something...our first child was born exactly 14 days after our first wedding anniversary.

3. My nick name as a child was "Snookie". (My mother's father crowned me with that name and it didn't stick. I don't even think my sister Hope will remember this one)

4. At age 8 I rode a cutting horse named Doll Baby that decided to take off and run because I dropped the reigns. (with a cutting horse that's not a good thing to do unless you want her to cut cows for branding) It's debateable who ran faster...the horse of my mother.

5. At age 13 I got the worst whipping I've ever had from my mother for riding a bull. No...I didn't last 8 seconds. It was more like 1 1/2. Too sore to run from my mother too.

6. My first halloween costume scared me to death but I wore it anyway. (It was a devil costume) (Mother's never wait till Halloween day to buy a costume for your kids that's how I ended up as the devil)

7. I had worms as a child and the doctor gave me medication that was too strong and I saw chickens pecking my feet...the weird thing...my sisters on the same medication saw the same chickens . (Was there chickens possibly?)

8. This year I purchased 6 chickens not only for the eggs but to get over the fear of them pecking my feet. I'm not over the fear of them yet...but I do tolerate them being closer to my feet with shoes on.

9. I am a Decorative artist that loves German Folk Art. (must go back to my German Roots)

10. One of my favorite things to do is walk Antique malls and Flea markets to add to my treasure trove.

Second thing to do...this is not the easy part at all. I keep up with alot of blogs but I have narrowed it down. I know you'll love them all too.

1.Home Sanctuary.

2. "I'd Rather Be...The Pursuit of an Off Grid Life."
3. Confessions of an Overwork Mom .

4. Living off Grid at Eclectic Culture Farm

5. HOME GROWN
6. News from Goat Creek
7. 50's Housewife

8. Life at Home

9. Karla's Cottage

10. The Good Life

Five Dollar Meals that feed 7: Sweet and Sour Meat Balls

2009-06-19T10:36:00.002-05:00

Ingredients for meat balls:

2 lbs Ground Beef

1 grated onion

1 teas garlic powder

Mix throughly, and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls

Place in long rectangle baking pan and bake @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Ingredients for Sauce:

1 cup vinegar

1 cup Ketchup

1 can pineapple (crushed )

1 teas pepper flakes

1 cup Bell pepper (chopped)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 teas cornstarch

Mix together well, pour over the meatballs and cook meatballs and sauce together for 20 minutes longer.

Serve over cooked rice