Life Giving home - Covering January and Introducing February

A dear friend has started a monthly blog link-up to go with the book The Life Giving Home, by Sally and Sarah Clarkson.  I had bought these books over a year ago and decided to jump in with both feet.  My desire is to make our house and homestead into a Home... a safe haven filled with love and laughter.  A place where each of us feels safe and secure physically and emotionally, while growing Spiritually.  I haven't read the book through yet, but am looking forward to working may through it and implementing the things that I feel would be beneficial for us. 

After the first section of the book, it is broken into months.  Perfect!  I also bought the 12 month guided journey.  While it is already February, I haven't posted my thoughts on January, so I'm going to take a step back and start there :)  My HOPE is to post the last Wednesday of the month a recap of how my month has gone implementing what I took away from the book, and saying what I plan to do for the upcoming month...  But with being behind, I'm doing all of January in one month and introducing February ;) 

In the book, January is centered on the rhythms, routines, and rituals of the home.  With being the planner that I am, this is a perfect place for me to start this journey as well as 2018!  I am not a schedule person!  I just cannot do it!!!  And maybe that is one reason I enjoy homeschooling so much - I don't have to look at the clock and say "oh it is 11 - time for Science."  I am, however, a routine person.  For example, in the morning, we all get up o spend some time with my hubby before he leaves for work.  He is fixed breakfast, lunch, and sent out for the day with lots of hugs, kisses, and love.  After he leaves, the boys and I tackle our homesteading morning chores like feeding the animals, getting them fresh water, and milking the goats.  Then it is time for our breakfast and starting our school day.  Our subjects vary day by day, but we have our morning time, which consists of singing the doxology, saying the pledge, praying, Bible time and then our family subject for the day, be it geography, history, or civics.  After that we tackle the rest of the subjects. 

My biggest take away from the January chapter was making time for people.  I am an introvert by nature.  Large gatherings exhaust me, leaving me needing some down time.  Even having eight children I am home with all day exhausts me, hence why I LOVE quiet time during the afternoon.  With that being said, I still need and crave adult interaction!  But more often than not, I lean more towards letting it happen by chance.  My goal for January was to actually set up time to have people visit our home; to grow friendships.  Sadly, this did not happen.  Instead, life has happened, and our family vehicle was broken, we fought the chicken pox, and I'm still fighting an infection.  But it is still a goal for the rest of the year ;) 

My other takeaway from January is the idea of decluttering and reorganizing.  This will take me ALL. YEAR. LONG if not longer!  But with that said, I have started!  I still have a long way to go, but I have started!  I have a seriously long way to go which is mind boggling as we decluttered prior to moving... but obviously not enough!

February is all about love <3 a="" about="" all="" and="" as="" because="" busyness.="" but="" cannot="" chapter="" children="" decided="" did="" first="" from="" good="" have="" he="" help="" her="" him="" hubby="" i="" ideas="" in="" included="" inside="" instead.="" it="" just="" later="" love="" me="" missed="" my="" nbsp="" neat="" normal="" of="" off="" one="" others.="" our="" out="" p="" possible="" put="" really="" shared="" sharing="" she="" show="" showing="" some="" something="" sons.="" stood="" story="" sunset.="" sunsets="" take="" takes="" that="" the="" then="" there="" thing="" think="" this="" thought="" thoughts="" time="" to="" tremble="" until="" wanted="" was="" were="" when="" wife.="" with="">
The thing that hit me right between the eyes, however was her proclamation that "keeping house - picking up those messes one more time - is a service of worship to God as we craft a place of beauty and comfort for all who enter our sanctuary of His very presence" (63).  Y'all I am not a good housewife.  Our house is lived in, and looks it!  When you visit me, especially "unannounced," you see what our lives entail, complete with school, toys, dishes, and laundry.  I despise constantly picking up the spilled dog food off the floor.  And yet this small, and may I add monotonous, act is a service of worship!  How dare I complain or grumble - audibly or within!

Sally spoke of how she made Valentines Day special for her children...  I have never really cared all that much for this holiday, as it has never been that big of a deal growing up or even as an adult.  I do try to have a special meal (usually chicken parmesan with pepperoni hearts on top) for dinner, as cooking seems to be how I show love... but I need to do more.  She also spoke of making birthdays extra special.

So here are my cumulative goals:

• Further refine our routine
• Continue to organize and declutter
•  Make time for people
•  Make my busyness wait instead of my children
•  Worship God in ALL things, even the monotonous chores
• Make holidays extra special
• Make birthdays a holiday!

I'll let you know in a few weeks how it goes!

Chickens, Turkeys, Ducks... Oh My!

Ahhh Spring is in the air. Okay. Not really!  Instead we are still covered under a foot thick white winter blanket of snow.  But that's okay.  We are nestled inside with our wood stove keeping the house toasty, making plans for the Spring.  Our lives start to get really busy in just a month here on our homestead!

One of the first things we looked into were which animals we wanted to add.  Right now we have ten goats, with at least three of our females bred.  The first doe is due to deliver the end of March.  We also have around 40 laying hens.  In March we will be adding two red wattle feeder pigs.  Also in March we are getting fifty Americauna chicks and five Polish chicks (one of five different breeds).  The Polish chicks, along with a couple other chickens we already have are "pets" and will be put to work in our garden.

The beginning of April we will be getting our first batch of broilers, as well as a Tufted Roman Gosling, a Black Swedish Duckling, and eight Buff Ducklings.  The goose will be a pet for one of the children, whose job will be to help protect our main flock.  The Black Swedish Duckling will also be a pet, and will be kept with the rest of our ducklings.  We are hoping for eggs and meat from them.  Our plan is to keep at least two females and a male at the end of the season, to possibly grow the flock for following years, depending on how it goes.

The end of April our second doe is due.  We will also be receiving fifteen Standard Bronze Turkeys.  We are super excited to try growing our own holiday birds! In addition, we will be getting our second batch of broilers.

I'll be trying my hand at gardening again this year as well.  Last year was semi-productive, but I am hoping for so much more!!!  I sat down this weekend and ordered what seeds I'll need from Bakers Creek.  We need to get our indoor greenhouses up, as I want to start a tray of celery and cabbages the end of THIS month!  Hard to believe it is about time already!  I also ordered strawberry plants, which will be going in the front of the area that will eventually become our orchard.  Looking forward to our first fruits in a couple years!

A Morning in the Life...

Today is one of those days that I just cannot help but smile while doing morning homestead chores!  For right now our homestead consists of ten goats and over 40 chickens.  Oh, and a dog, five cats, and 8 children ;)  For the last few weeks we have had bone chilling weather (we've seen real feel temps in the negative thirties!) and around six inches of snow on the ground.  This has led to the goats staying in their barns and the chickens in their coop for the most part.  But today, even first thing this morning, we were above freezing!!!  My window is open and today we will be doing some "Spring cleaning." 

After milking our three does in milk, they went out and joined the five doelings in their field.  Waiting for the garden to be prepared are two large piles of old bedding that is decomposing.  The goats decided they are perfect for playing "queen of the hill."  Then they started running and frolicking through the field, kicking up their heels and "maaa-ing" at me, as I watched.  Here soon I will be drying up one of our does in milk in order for her to nourish the little one(s) she is carrying.  Our three milkers are all bred and at least one of our older doelings.  Looking forward to the sweet babies in the not-so-distant future.  Our first is due the end of March!  In a nearby pen, the boys (a buck and buckling) tried to entice the girls.  They too seem excited to be able to run without the worry of the wind cutting right through them.

With the goats milked, their feeders filled, and fresh water in their buckets, the boys and I headed over to the chicken coop.  During the warmer months, the chickens free range in chicken tractors, but in the winter they go in the static coop.  With all the snow and bitter cold, the chickens have stayed inside rather than venturing out into their run.  Not today!  Today they were strutting their stuff out in the run, scratching for any seed they may find (and I'm sure searching for the rare bug) with our two roosters informing the world what a gorgeous day we have been blessed with, by God!  We gathered the few eggs they left us (we do not use any artificial lighting), filled their feeders and waterers, and then put a couple more bags of shavings down.  To help keep the chickens warm and healthy, we are using the deep bedding method this year.  We will see how it goes! 

Once the animals were done, it was time to head inside and take care of all the children's schooling.  Fridays are lighter days for school (unless the children get behind), as it is also a cleaning day for us!  On the way, I stopped by the area for my garden.  Much of it is still covered in snow, but areas closer to the foundation have begun to melt.  We still have a handful of carrots growing (how in the world they are surviving I don't know!) and there is also garlic.  We planted four pounds of garlic cloves this past Fall in hopes of a decent crop.  It is our first time trying that here, and our first attempt with hardneck garlic varieties.

And this is my life <3 -="" a="" all="" and="" are="" at="" being="" beyond="" br="" but="" fun="" giggles="" golly="" grand="" home="" homesteading="" is="" it="" kicks="" like="" measure="" mom...="" monotonous...="" much="" nbsp="" no="" of="" oh="" rewards="" stay="" the="" yes="">

2017-2018 5th Grade Curriculum Choices

2017-2018 5th Grade Curriculum Choices

My second oldest son is starting 5th grade this year... He is still figuring out  where his interests lie, and what he wants to pursue.  He is most definitely still interested in birds, however, so is SUPER excited about science this year!!!

5th Grade Curriculum Choices:
Bible: Apologia What We Believe Series - This year we are starting with Volume 2, Who am I?
Literature: Prairie Primer, with lots of other stuff added
Writing: Shurley English, Level 4
Spelling: All About Spelling, Level 3 and 4
Science: Apologia - Zoology I
Math: Math U See: Delta
Geography: Finishing up Asia and then starting Europe, hopefully in January
History: Mystery of History Volume 4 and Time Travelers for more in depth on the wars
Civics: Amanda Bennett's American Government Unit Study with more added :)
Other: Still hoping to add Violin and Woodworking
Extracurricular Activities: Homeschool group, 4-H, and Birding

We are still looking into the various groups for birding, as well as where he can learn more about woodworking.  Right now he leans some towards being an architect, and at other times being a general contractor.  (There are other days he wants to be a farmer.)  With his interest in wood, however, we will be putting him to work with the multiple projects we have coming up for the homestead.  Everything is a work in progress ;)

2017-2018 6th Grade Curriculum Choices

My oldest son is starting 6th grade this year... not sure if that is considered Middle School or Elementary School out here.... but around our house it is considered the last year of Elementary.
This means it is his last year of doing the same science as his siblings... And he is going to have to start working more independently next year.  So this year, we will be spending some time working on his independence and responsibility... well more than normal I should say.

6th Grade Curriculum Choices:
Bible: Apologia What We Believe Series - This year we are starting with Volume 2, Who am I?
Literature: Prairie Primer, with lots of other stuff added
Writing: Shurley English, Level 5
Spelling: All About Spelling, Level 5 & 6
Science: Apologia - Zoology I
Math: Math-U-See - Epsilon
Geography: Finishing up Asia and then starting Europe, hopefully in January
History: Mystery of History Volume 4 and Time Travelers for more in depth on the wars
Civics: Amanda Bennett's American Government Unit Study with more added :)
Other: Still hoping to add Guitar and Hunting/Trapping
Extracurricular Activities: Homeschool group and 4-H

Right now he still isn't quite sure what he wants to do when he is older, which is okay with us.  He still has lots of time!!!  He is interested in Engineering as well as possibly some type of wildlife rescue work.  I do not know enough about engineering to know if there is a way to combine the two loves.  I'm also not sure how we would direct his path for schooling for either of these interests, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!!!

2017-2018 9th Grade Curriculum

As our new year of school begins, all of our excitement rises!  While we technically school year round, the Fall always introduces new curriculum, with extras added in that we were not doing in the Summer.  It is hard to believe my oldest is in High School this year!  Her enthusiasm for school and desire to learn is unsurpassed!  I always give her an option in what she wants to spend the year focusing on, and more often than not I have to try to reign her back a little!  This year was no different, as she wanted to learn THREE foreign languages!  She had planned to do all three, all year long!  So far I have her convinced to narrow it down to two!


9th Grade Curriculum Choices:
Bible: Apologia What We Believe Series - This year we are starting with Volume 2, Who am I?
Literature: Excellence in Literature - Literature and Composition
Writing: Institute of Excellence in Writing, finishing Continuation Course Level B, and then Elegant Essays and Speech Boot Camp
Grammar: Fix It Grammar, Book 4
Spelling: Phonics Zoo Level B and C
Science: Apologia - Biology
Math: Math-U-See - Geometry
Geography: Finishing up Asia and then starting Europe, hopefully in January
History: Mystery of History Volume 4 and Time Travelers for more in depth on the wars
Civics: Amanda Bennett's American Government Unit Study with more added :)
Foreign Language: Spanish - CD courses, German - CD courses
Other: Still hoping to add Keyboard and Horse Riding Lessons
Extracurricular Activities: Homeschool group, Teen Bible Study, and 4-H

In addition to all of that, she also plans to focus more on her baking.  She has been working on refining her designs with fondant, and wants to take a Wilton Cake decorating class (or five) through Joanns.

It will be a busy school year for her, with lots of activities.  As she narrows down her dreams more, I'm hoping to curtail her school more towards those.  Right now she wants to be a doctor that writes and has a baking business :)

Weekly Menu for Sunday, May 9th - Saturday, May 13th

A few of you have e-mailed me about what in the world I cook for our crew.  Many of you know we suffer from food allergies... This includes gluten, dairy, and weird stuff like beans and squashes!  We TRY to eat real food most of the time... I also generally incorporate what we are studying in our homeschool to work with our menu.  So I finally decided to type up this week's menu.  I often try new recipes, so most of these recipes we have never had before!!!  Maybe at the end of the week I will write what we think about the recipes... but all of you know that I'm not the best at keeping up with y blog right now.   What can I say - life is busy!!!

Sunday:
     Breakfast: Oven Baked Eggs in Tomato Cups, with Fruit
     Lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches (we are going grocery shopping after church, so we need to bring lunch with us, and this will be convenient)
     Dinner: Hawaiian Pork Burrito Bowls

Monday:
     Breakfast: Allergy Friendly Cinnamon Rolls, Mixed Fruit, Sausage Links
     Lunch: Sizzling Cilantro Lime Fajita Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
     Dinner: Pesto Chicken Pasta with Mushrooms, Salad

Tuesday:
     Breakfast: Mushroom and Goat's Cheese Omelet with Spinach and Avocado, Bacon
     Lunch: Leftovers
     Dinner: Salmon Teriyaki over Rice,  and Peas (For studying Japan in Geography)

Wednesday:
     Breakfast: Breakfast Quinoa
     Lunch: Barbecued Pork for Sandwiches, Cucumber Slices, Applesauce
     Dinner: Jamie's Minestrone - without the beans (For studying "Grandfather's Journey" - FIAR),
          and Sourdough Einkorn Bread

Thursday:
     Breakfast: Cherry Tomato, Leek, and Spinach Quiche
     Lunch: Leftovers
     Dinner: Down Home Chicken (Civil War recipe for History), Mashed Potatoes, and Vegetable

Friday:
     Breakfast: Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Recipe with Bananas
     Lunch: Spaghetti with Broccoli, Garlic, and Chili
     Dinner: Grilled Venison Loin with Rosemary, Thyme, Red Wine, and Olive Oil, Thyme Roasted     
          Radishes with Potatoes, Peppers, Zucchini, Carrots, and Onions (Goes with the sound of the
          week - the "long I" sound of the "Y")
     Dessert: Pineapple Cream Pie

Saturday:
     Breakfast: Western Omelet Casserole
     Lunch: Leftovers
     Dinner: Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork, Rice, and Vegetable

So this is the plan.  Let me know if any of you have cooked any of these recipes!  What is on your menu for the week?