Menu Plan Monday

You know it is all worth it
:)

In the Grind

Today I have 30 pounds of beef to grind, and thin slice.
I ground the Spelt (an ancient type of wheat that I am not allergic to) flour yesterday
There is Barely and Millet to grind also. I moved the grist mill (it is a family treasure passed down to me years ago) into the kitchen.
I have celery to dice, onion to dice. leek to dice and brocoli to clean. Cabbage to cut. Grapes to wash

Monday:
Blueberry Spelt/Barley pancakes (batter made with egg and soy milk) with honey butter, cantaloupe
Tuesday:
Mc Mommy :) burgers (onion salt and garlic powder), lettuces, tomato cheese on Dove an Daddy's , Home fry's, golden apples and grapes.
Wednesday:
Beef broccoli and leek with marinated (in soy and dusted with arrowroot powder) thinly sliced beef, Jasmine rice and crunchy noodle on top
Thursday:
Jambalaya Rice with beef , steamed cabbage with butter and sea salt
Friday:
Chicken Tenders in Jasmine rice savory with herbs d' France, cut green beans, Julian beets with butter and sea salt.
Saturday:
Mommy Taco Bell lunch with all the fixings, Lettuce, tomato diced onion and cheese.
Sunday:
Mommy "Day o' Rest" All or any of the above that is left over. Use up and clear refer out.
Snacks for the week:
Celery and peanut butter, apples, chips, carrots,

cookies, lemon bars,

rice crispy squares.
Lunches for the week for kids and mom:
Taco's Mc Mommy burgers, Pasta, tuna salad with celery and dill pickle diced, curry chicken salad with grapes and been burrito

Hay! Have a great day !

Doves birthday party

My sweet Amrita reminded me that I had not posted Dove's Birthday Party.

Dove helped with the cake and I frosted it as per her desire.
It was to be pink with vines and thorns all around it and little hearts on it.
Her name is on the top so I can not show that vantage, but the top layer is a heart.
The lettering is done in the brown frosting.
This is a confetti cake it is full of all colored sugar chips in a vanilla cake, the frosting is home made butter cream.

We have a tradition in our family. Birthday parties are about celebrating those that we love. Our party plans center around the guest instead of the birthday child. I believe that this balances the children and keeps them from greed and expectations. Expectations are one of the biggest temptation to disappointments that can set us up for bad attitudes and behaviors.
At this party Dove wanted to have free play for the children.
She asked me that if Dash is with a child outside playing that I not call them in. She asked that I let the children just play where and with whom they wanted.
I had one plan that was for the needs of a child who wanted to give a gift of action.

This young man gave Dove the gift of a song he had been practicng just for her
The song was "Stand by me"...
We opened presents.

After free play , we recieved and opened the many thoughtful and generous gifts. This is how Dove chose her party, she felt that the kids would enjoy it first, more than the food. Kids really enjoy watching their gifts being opened. They want to know if the recipient likes it. We as adults are the same way. You may not relize this but children stress out over this concern often spoiling the fun they could be having.

She was so happy to recieve her wishes.
This is a pen that is also a game.

The children all got very silly.

We adults then began the surgery required to extricate the gifts from the anti theft packageing. There were two other mothers with Daddy Man and I. We adults all enjoyed our time as the children simply were children without a time line or expectation. This really was nice. Dove was very pleased with her party planning.

Propper silly party hats were attired.

This is a bedtime lamp we gave her (unfortunatly she likes to sleep with a full 20watt bulb bright in her eyes it is the sensory thing.) for her room.

The boys rendition of a party hat.

This friend Then lead us in a round of Happy birthday. I was so proud of him for he practiced great courage. He had been practicing to play at her party for several weeks. It was his motivation. A gift of heart so graciously recieved.
We then blew out candles and had cake and ice cream or pop cycles.

This little sweetie is doning a very attractive hat.
She came to me for her photo op and approval.
She is the sweetest kid!

This attractive "carrot top" was thrilled when I made his day by tieing the tissue paper to his head. He just wore it all day! His joy so expressive.
Dove gave out goodies or gift bags. Gifting her friends with the things that bring her simple pleasure. This year it was an activity book, crayons, a healthy organic snack cracker,
a F.R.O.G. ( Fully Rely On God) wrist band, and a little plastic frog.

The next day was her real day of birth
We started the day working on the coop


by
Mid afternoon the Grandparents came over.

They gave gifts of sweet kindness, Grandmother gave Dove a hand made pillow she had designed and the puppy stuffed toy from the Littlest pet shoppe.

This puppy has a web sight for Dove to go to and play games. I am very careful about her going on line.

I wish I could show you this but I need to be discrete.
It is designed and hand made with a ton of thoughtfulness and love.

Daddy and I then gave her our gifts.

To her joy I was able to find some very cute outfits when I was out with my girlfriend last week.

She really appriciates all the wonderful gifts that were given to her.
We all had a spaghetti and marinara sauce supper followed by cake and ice cream.
Later after the folks left we all had a nice movie night and showers and story time.
She really enjoyed her weekend.

Please Pray with me for my heart is full toward so many.

My dear Long time (19 years) friend is challenged right now with health issues. Yesterday she had to ingest radioactive iodine. She is doing well. I love her so much! Will you hold her up in your thoughts and prayers with me. She has an eight day isolation of sorts (from infants and pregnant women).
Her blog is "Just a Mom" on my side bar. Your encouragement would also go a long way. It has been so quiet out there. I hope your all doing well.
There are many who I care so much about who are suffering right now. I find myself thinking and praying a lot.

There is a young man who I have known all his life. He has made another mistake that might land him in prison (again), a foolish mistake. This child has poor impulse control and now, a young man. I am broken over the loss of his productive life. I had a vision of this when he was small. To see this unfold is heart breaking. I long that his soul at least may be freed. I have watched this last year as he (in my opinion) has been set up to fail.

My dear Friend Michel has been challenged with a terrible illness that leaves her incapacitated and worn. Her suffering is taxing her so hard. I miss her warm smiling heart. Suffering is hard. I MISS YOU SIS> Please pray for her that this heath issue , this terrible mystery become solved. Medical testing is hard she needs strength and encouragement. She is a mother with three kids to raise and a husband who loves her and needs her. Please pray

Please pray for Trisha "Photo Daughter of the King" my sweet friend. She has a very serious inner (to the brain) I think ear infection that is very rare. She is responding well to anti biotic. My desire for her it to be free of this infection. She is a beautiful soul with young children.

Please remember "shorty bear" Denise. She bravely faces diabetes and all of the many challenges that is faced with this life long illness. Encouraging her is a blessing.

My sister is moving next week and today she is having a tag sale. Her husband and English citizen is facing deportation. Her home sold, they are temporarily going into an apartment. They have lost almost everything. The dollar has little value to the euro they have lost so much. She is walking on a knee that is all bone on bone and is having a total knee replacement. She is 2000 miles away and I can not help her either. Well not physically. So I pray. I pray for her souls freedom as well. Think about the pain she is suffering with the knee lifting boxes and selling every last thing. I grieve. Her moving to Europe with her husband means that I may never see her again.

These are only a few of the reasons I have been so quiet. Don't you just fill up inside with grief when those you love suffer? I just want to weep. I keep a silent vigil of thoughts of compassion and Yet, my life goes on and there is so much to rejoice about. So many tasks undone. The beauty of children to teach and lives to tend to. So little I can physically do for these. So I pray I hold them all in my heart like so many tightly squeezed teddy bears. Hugging until my arms ache.

This morning I am asking for you to join me in prayer.
As I go about my day this has been my heart

Oh thank you...
I just need to share the load and ask for the prayers that avail much.
I hope you are all well and filled with the sights and smells the sounds that bring beauty into your day.

Chook, chickens or hens, they are home!

Jasper
(very tame and likes to be pet and held) His back is so Petty but he is a camera Ham...
Prissy
(this is the one Dove named) Road Island Red?
Maud
(stilts)
Mable
(My favorite, she is so tame and likes me to hold her. She is also the largest.
Ruby
(In fond memory of my Mom) Ruby Marie, "she will be comin' round the mountain when she comes. We'll all have chicken and dumplings when she comes" The song I sang to her at her death bed. I found joy in that today as the children and I sang the whole song. (killing the old red rooster got a big shout of disagreement and a big "Hay!".
Alice
(Timid and shy I think of "Alice's Restaurant") cause you can get most anything you want at ....
Pearl
( I love the color of black pearls this sweetie is that color, dark pewter) Her back is so shiny.
Un-named
(she has feathered feet)
Huck (as in huckleberry Finn.
We think this one may be a rooster. It has feathered feet.
Teren
(this is the one Dash Named) This bird sounds like a canary No joke! it sings so pretty.

If any of you know the breads leave me a comment please.
They are all supposed to be mixed bantoms.

chicken coop for the birds they come home today.

We worked until dusk. It was just too dark to see. I'll clip the wire today.
I was in the garden this morning at 5:45 a.m. after my sweet boy came in to get me. He wanted to work in the garden with me.

We have this... so far. We worked on the side and one end.
The end to the left will have four nesting boxes and we will build doors on this side and the one end with the nesting boxes. Much work yet to do.

I love my red chicken steps!
This was a gift of scrap lumber from the folks.

We are using washers and screws to gaurd and keep the dogs out just in case. This is a much more secure way to attatch it. The stapels can be dug at by dogs and I do not want ot chance it with the Willy Lab.
Pictures of the chicks by evening.
I am sorry I have not been around to visit everyone. Many of you I have I just have not been very talky. I have been a little down lately.

Thankful Thursday...Chicken Coop, Volley Ball and friendship

I am thankful!

This is how I have spent my mornings this week.
The church gifted us with Volley Ball lessons for the 5 days. The kids are running hard and are very tired by the end of a Day.

They do drills and have them establish skills that pertain to the game.

They have improved much from day one.

There are several levels and skills represented in the 10 different kids.
The coaches are professional and the children even do a devotional.

I have been working on this while I wait. The last two days and then yesterday here when a friend came to visit.
I have had this set up to do for years. I just fell in love with it. I thought I better finish it before the kids are grown.

I have been a bit blue lately. several small occurrences have wounded my tender ego. I was almost in tears yesterday. Just feeling so lonely. I reached out for that is the gift of loneliness. I had a few nice little encounters. I was sitting in the church lobby while the children played Volley Ball. I normally sit in the gym on the bleachers. I am the only Mother who ever stays.
It was nice to have a few little fellowship type moments. Loneliness can hurt when lies from the enemy flood in. Having memory problems from the brain injury makes socializing very threatening sometimes. It happens so very often that I do not know who I am speaking with or I am not sure. That just makes me want to isolate. If you notice anything about me . I am a gregarious soul. Isolation is far from healthy for me. So I keep trying to reach out. Sorrow over swept me of late for so many many lives around me are in crisis. It grieves me so to see folks suffer and struggle. I want to help and so intercede. It is a prayer of whole heart ed compassion and of late I have felt drained to see so much suffering and so many consequences from poor choices.
A friend had a message on my voice mail when I returned home. She wanted to come over and did so. We had a real good mutual support and heart pouring that we each needed. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. I was able to finish my dishes while we visited and get a lot done on the pocket dolls as we sat at the table and fellowship ed. It was real nice. She feels safe here and comes to my home to rest. I am so warmed that she is safe and can rest here. It is a real delight and a touching tribute to the peace in my home.
After supper....We went to work on the coop!

This saw is failing (after 30 year) so he took it apart and it is still going. We are using earplugs for it is VERY noisy and squeals like a banchie.

It has been a very full last couple of days. Last night the kids took turns using the hammer to nail on the red steps. We think it good to give them experiences like that. It did however slow us down a bit. We must have ready the habitat by Saturday at the very latest. Friday night in actuality. We have been working on it every night. Knowing Mr U as many of you do , I am sure you know how beautiful it is. I keep having to remind him that it is just a coop it is alright if it is not perfect. I'll tell these chickens are going to be living the good life.

"Delight yourselves in the Lord; yes, find your joy in Him at all times. Have a reputation for gentleness, and NEVER forget the nearness of your Lord. ... DON'T WORRY OVER ANYTHING WHATEVER; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the PEACE of God, which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.* ... Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. THINK ABOUT ALL YOU CAN PRAISE GOD FOR AND BE GLAD ABOUT. Keep putting into practice all you have learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you."** ...
I have been having a lot of nightmares the last several nights. I have to be much more thoughtful and careful of what I put before my eyes. Reading too many current events and watching too much late night T.V.

I have a very full day today! I must take the kids to VB and then we have a treat. I get to take them to a place called "Bounce You" it is a place full of inflatables. It will be the church group. Perhaps the children might meet a friend and consider Sunday school. As of now they sit through church with us. That does not bother me. It would just be neat to see them with kids. I like being the spiritual educator, bout it might be cool to have a back up Sunday school teacher to confirm what we teach.
I have lunches for all of us packed. The dishwasher humming. I need to put supper in the oven so that it is cool enough to refrigerate before I have to leave for VB. Meat loaf!
I am a tired girl and it is not even 7:30 yet!
My sweet Beloved sat bed side and patiently asked me about my day. He was tired and yet he kept talking with me.Until was talked out. Often the sweet man just passes out of exhaustion. Last night he made himself totally available to just listen. It was really touching. I have a big weeping in my soul. I am not sure but I think it is over the suffering around me in the lives of those I care so deeply for. When I love others it is to the core of who I am. Perhaps faulty to the outsider but deeply from my core. I weep. Without tears, silently.
It was so good to have the fellowship of my friend and my dear beloved. It comforted my heart to be un- alone yesterday.
I am thankful for the fellowship of the Christ Minded who love me.

Tackle It Tuesday

Good Morning!
It is an early start for me today. I have risen with the dawn. The house is quiet....

This guy has been fed and is resting now with Rena at my feet.
He is a good companion.
Mr U took the new mixer apart to find that it has been dropped on the motor end, the housing is shattered as is the switching mechanism. He is looking into the cost of replacing that part of it. The mixer is new and sells for $180. so it may be worth it to fix.

The kitchen reflects a wonderful meal last night.
I have it to clean.
Meat to cook for the suppers tonight and so on.

I have a ton of laundry to fold and store.

Wash and dry.

This is laundered and I need to fold it , and return it to the owner. It has been on loan to us for the house staging.
It is the bed spread that was on the big bed in our room.
The chicken coop tractor is coming along. We found a lot of free wood this weekend. The folks also came on Sunday (for Doves Birthday) they came with several peaces of scrap lumber (actually just what we needed!)
Mr U. worked some on it last night .
Our weather has been so hot here it is hard to work on it.
He has a class again this morning so he will be home a while and then home a bit earlier tonight. I love when his employment gives him free education. It is such a blessing.

I have to leave here for Volley Ball lessons mid morning so I better take advantage of this quiet house and go fold clothes.
some prayer time first though...