Honor Your Husband days 10,11, and 12,

I was very tired today..."I wonder why?" :)
"Daddy Man" took "The Dove" and I took Dash out on Saturday. "Daddy Man" came home just as fast as he could on Friday he caught the tail end of the party.
Today, Sunday, he built a Lego Sponge Bob with the kids 450 pieces and three hours later( his patience amazes me!) , I had finished my posts, that he is VERY supportive of me completing, I took a nice long shower and pedicure and shaved my sloughed legs after setting them up for the hot dogs and fruit on the plates.
He just loved me.
Helped me, played with his children and asked me if I had a nice shower and if I felt a little more rested. Now he is playing computer with Dash, while Dove is watching a movie.
He mentioned that he wanted to support me in getting the play house tarp mounted today. ( I too desire it off off my ironing board so I can start the fall dresses Little Dove will need for school.)
Seeing how I use a camera that is taped together he ordered me a new cannon out of our meager funds. Because he wants me to have a camera that is worthy of the work I am doing...

How can I say anymore than His actions say about himself...

Saturday: 33 pounds of Homemade Hamburger.

We call it "Meat Order". On Thursday when the party was being prepared there it was. London Broil and Tip Roast 1.99 pound Less than half Price, however if one stops to consider that 85%-90% fat content burger can range from $5-$7. a pound just think of how much I am saving. I also will point out that ground beef in the store can in one pound represent as many as 200 cow, you think about the risk reduction represented here. E. Coli and other food contaminates are becoming a great health hazard in our food supply.
Every quarter or so I put up hamburger for the family. We were out and only had one London Broil left in the deep freeze. I had told God that I would need meat soon. He apparently had the confidence in me I would get it ground quickly! I often shop at our local Safe way for "Angus beef". Now to make 33 (approximate pounds of fine grade home ground burger and put it up in the deep freeze.) This is a job that is time sensitive and must be done well and with utmost care for cleanliness and efficiency. Lay out paper bags, knives (sharpened) , knife sharpener (resharpen often), gallon zip bags (open each bag for later convenience) cutting boards (I never use wood boards the can cause illness).

If you can click on the photo you can see the first savings.
Now get the largest ones on the shelf. You too can reduce the cow count by grinding and packaging as you go. I have recycled my garbage bags (paper) they will be absorbing all blood that will spill from the package. Use plastic to place packaging in as you remove the mess. I have allowed my meat to rest in my garage refrigerator all day Friday (I had the party) and this helps it to age. (NEVER BEYOND THE PACKAGE DATE) .
Slice into width proper for your grinder. Good family investment ( I waited 16 yrs for mine) but I own it! Not on debt :)


When slicing roast cut in half then in strips if the edges of the ends don't seperate all the way it is ok because the first into shoot will pull the next slice into the grider.
Ready a pan for first double grind ,I use the large blade then grind again with the fine blade this is the meat I use for sauces and casserole, It is however not suggestible for hamburger patties it will fall apart. I will cook the first run while I am grinding. Note toweling on the floor I replace all cloth every morning and toss the day before or any contaminated cloth to the corner of the floor and then I take then to the laundry to be bleached.
Do not trim the marble off your meat, it is needed to cook properly. Your grinder will stop any Grissel.
Slice all, stow half in refideration. Work fast here
Double grind goes right onto stove to cook. I then will package it into one pound bags there will be no oil in the pan here this meat is VERY lean.

Time is so important! Work hard and fast here! Cover a scale with a baggie and the baggie save a mess!
I stand on a stool for better leverage. Oh man I look haggard. I am awake only a few moments here. I tied my hair up and got to work. Beloved came around the corner and snapped a shot during a "yuk" moment. Don't get me wrong this is hard gross work! When I first start I have to get my mind around the matter here. I am grateful to the animal for the loss of life will sustain our lives. This can be a reflective time for me too. You know it is a dead animal that your working with.
I have a hot date at noon with Dash Hawk. The "Daddy Man" has a pizza date with the "Dove". So I just work hard knowing I will shower very soon.
After first grind get rid of all setting blood. Bags into trash and counter sanitized all of this done in under an hour. Time is so important! I use a marble rolling pin the weight works for me so I don't have to.
Weigh and bag set aside.
Now using the heal of your hand press the meat into the corners of the bag , role out half seal the bag roll out air and seal, set aside next... Work fast! Meat must remain cold!

Left =roast 85% lean/fat best for burgers
Right bag= London Broil 90% lean/fat content

See bags done meat in pan cooling awaiting bags

UNDER ONE HOUR NOW! FIRST HALF IN FREEZER!
Catch your breadth, wash bowls out with soapy water, now again we begin all counter tops have been sanitized! The maid had a nice rest and cool down, Her and I both.
I transfer cooled cooked meat into weighed bags. Now the first batch again a double grind goes right into the pan don't even need to wash the pan (save energy be efficent) so it will cook while I grind and bag.
Cooked meat bagged into one pound packages. All meat ground and bagging in process the grinder at rest is cooling down. This is all the Grissel and waist you have out of 33 pounds of meat, Don't think about what you eat in the store bought grind (yuk). The cuts of meat I use are a high quality off the beef. You can use other cuts of beef but I use only the best I can afford for the family. Other cuts are not as high a lean/fat %.

With bowls and grinder parts soaking in hot soapy water I then weigh out pound packages, and 1/4 pound patties. Roll out the pounds as above turn off the stove so the meat can cool.


Roll out the cooked meat after it too has cooled the rest of the way. And place in deep freezer.
With all the 1/4 pound balls I form patties by this method. Squeeze with the left hand as you turn it with the right.
Cut Parchment or wax paper squares.
With paper on top and paper under you guard against freezer burn. Zip part way use your rolling pin gently and roll out a little thinner. (this helps defrost time) Seal all and freeze. This is under the second hour.
At just under two hours I have 33 pounds of high quality grade burger. Note that it is stacked in about a one cubic foot space. This has many benefits. If the monsoons cut my power a frozen block will stay frozen longer, It takes up much less freezer room, and I also can thaw out a bag in just 15 minuets .
I use the flash freeze feature on the freezer. This freezer was one of my first goals for home efficiency. I got it when we were together about four years. It has so paid for itself over and over.
The meat in the pan will go indoors to use this week in my menu.
Counter will need a final sanitizing
trash is contained in a plastic lined can and will go out, dishes soaking to be washed
Counter and grinder sanitized as is floor around work space.
2 1/2 hours passed dishes done all meat put up at the 1 hour time window, two times over.

Time to shower for a Mother/Son date with a "Dashing" young man!

Now lets do the math!
meat $1.99 pound x 33 =$65.67 plus tax

If I purchased it all made similar grade at $5.00 a pound (knowing full well it is more like $6.99)
so $5.00 x 33 pounds $165.00

$165.00 -$65.67= $99.33
$99.33 * 2 hours = $49.66 per hour

so tell me is it worth it to work for "the man" or "your Man" :)
If we used the $6.99 per pound we would be earning a $82.5 per hour! (but we'll be modest):)

We Homemakers are a very valuable , good thing. A wife can cause so much good. If the man who is able to support the family will support the homemaker in her career choice, he does a good thing. If she chooses to be at home working she works hard and earns every bit of the $49.66 and hour she gets (in all of her modesty)! She gets the benefits that far out weight the so called $5 a pound because we all know that it cost a lot more like the $6.99 with all the many "sacred cows" represented out there in the work force :)

Neil Armstrong Cake

Well with the decorations up, and the table

cloth created, Solar System Crayon, Use craft bond to save the confetti fom being all over your house. It also leaves a slightly sticky residue that holds the place cards and plates in place.

For the Frosting I use a simply butter cream 1/2 pound real sweet butter, powdered sugar incorporated with raspberry flavoring and (I use) soy milk.
If you place all eggs and oil into a 4 C. measuring cup your shells are gone and the mess is reduced, the same measuring cup is then used for the water. Less mess and dishes.
Spray your cake pan, and I used sugar to dust , If you add the dusting sugar and tap it around the pan OVER THE SINK no mess to clean( You gotta rence your sink out anyway) efficiency is a kin to invention.
Over filling pan is important, an edged cookie sheet is under the cake in the oven , this one did not over flow but it is a good time saver if it would have. I keep kabob's skures to check my cakes.

As our model displays the cake is very high in the pan and when the cake is leveled the pan remains full to the brim. Now a sunken middle that is the culprit often when an inverted cake cracks on you. A board is covered with foil. (butter cream is oily if you do not cover or use a paper doily it can spoil it).
I keep my cake decorating tools and supplies in a (right Hand ) drawer at my close to work surface. I will be getting into it a lot during the process getting out my tips and such. A tip container can easily be upset., so I so not remove the case from the drawer. I have my colors , calers, bages skures , brushes any thing that is small and cake making in nature.

Our model displays the joyful preparation of coloring our frosting, all colors are mixed prior to decorations commencement. (the joy is tasting the frosting!)
With Frosting room temperature. we begin. I use an open bag no tip to lay down frosting.
After laying it down and smoothing it out. I let it cure a little and then I use a free form and gently press and smooth it to shape.
Same principle with the black mask, once it set a little I smoothed it out. I them added soy milk to the frosting and used a food paint prush to add a high light of reflection to the mask.
I always have an image to work from.
I washed the toys in hot soapy water.Useing a little of the frosting I affixed the little guys to the board around the cake.

Mission Controll,Launch Succesful!

Neil Armstrong, Get ready were gonna eat your heart out.
I'll post on the cake I made tomorrow.















"t" 20 minutes all system ready!
Lets blast this Party off ! Table set, Cake secure all members in place.
Huston it a "go" "go""go!!!!"
A new pocket comb!


Ignition! all members "GO" "GO" "GO"

Reading and Happy! Hand wrought stuffed octopus
Spanish lesson via a birthday card..






Becca had a wish to "catch the rainblow" On our rides home from the city I often will let them have a treat from the junk machime. She always chooses scittles candy. One day she told me she wished she could catch the rainbow. I gave this a major priority. Each person at the party, including the two other Moms, all had a turn.
We also made rockets out of tubes and had a time to place a adhesive "foamie" with a signed name on it on her missile picture. She did not want to have any competition at her party so all feeling would be pleasant for each of her guest,
My kids were so sweet we had had long talks about decorum and how it was important to make the guest the most important persons at your party , that it was good form to enjoy them first before cake and presents. We had an altered experience and went with the flow, one of our guests may have had to depart quickly, that meant 4 would have to leave just as they had arrived. Thinking about the lesson, the cake came moments later followed by gifts before activities, but then after a phone call the disturbance in plans was found to be uncalled for. I continued by the seat of my pants a little be fettled in thought of the order of events but the flow was peaceful.
With free play it was fine and it all came together wonderfully. The four guest did have to leave prematurely due to a "wardrobe malfunction".
After their exit the party continues and four girls played girlie play. Two little boys pared up and life was grand!
It was all perfectly free form. Little to no stress.