Children live what they learn.

Good evening,
Dove and I went into the coop after Daddy Man mowed the lawn,
he and I shifted the coop tractor for the third time this week. He mowed the former spot I hosed it then raked up any left over scraps of lettuces and spinach. Dove has Maud and I am holding Jasper. They are falling asleep in our laps. The others had all just climbed the ladder to be. This now they do instinctively at sunset.

The Lab is very interested and is a bit of a nuisance about it, my golden barks and will go off after a bit.

It is so nice when they go off and stop pestering us.
Dash asked his Daddy to move the tedder todder over onto the lawn.
We were all out in the chairs of on the teder todder and we saw ...
THE MOST!
amazing shooting star. It had a differentiating tail very long with several pieces flying off of it.
SO COOL!
Last night at 2 a.m. when I was up sitting under the stars, I had asked God for the opportunity to see one, it had been so long. Tonight My wish came true and we all cheered as it was some seconds across the low sky and maybe only 50 mile out.

The kids were so happy bummping each other high off the seat.

We had a nice play date today and I spent the afternoon relaxed with a friend. She helped me bag the cookies and the rice crispies, as I did the meat patties and the pound packages and all. It was nice to work together. We did some crafty hand work with threads and just had a nice fellowship time as the kids played.
We have had a T.V. restriction as a loss of privaledge for a major infraction the midia is off for two weeks. Violence got into the heart and mind and was acted out (part way) and Daddy halted all violent media and all media for two weeks. YA!
It was nice. They even made up games. The time they played with the chickens was adorable. I gave dove some needed responsibility to over see the kids in the coop. There were three of them. She taught the younger the rules and helped them to know how to handle the birds with care. They all washed up well.
The kids made their own suppers from items I made ready and available. It is important that I start giving them opportunities to be more able and Independent. I sit on my hands and ignore the mess. The pride of accomplishment is the reward. They are getting better about putting things away and being a little more neat about it. They are helping themselves more and more. It is nice to see them being able.I am even having them empty the washer and dryer and putting the basket on the table for me. They are so able and happy to really do things that they can do. It s almost like I withheld the privilege just long enough to make it a desire. Now I let go and see them thrive. It takes a bit of work to teach them the steps , each time they do it I add a step to the process for them to take over.
Well It is story time and Huck and Tom ( The adventures of Huckleberry Finn) are bringing Daddy's audience to a thrill of "cool"...Fun to hear.
Good evening.
I want to go learn about composting and raising worms for the castings for the garden.

Please pray...:)
Dash has a dental time tomorrow 10 a.m.
Daddy Man took off work to watch Dove. Dash will be sadated. Oh I hope he does better this time.
He was sedated last time and faught us tooth and nail, pun intended!

Tackle It Tuesday

The Morning started off with a big event.
Our truck has been ransacked. The took 5 gallons of fuel and left everything else.
The truck it appears was locked and they just opened all the doors and left one locked. If one was locked they all were ( I use a key bob).
I did report it to the authorities.

Thank you is first up in the day.
To our mystery gift giver...I received the book. Thank you That was very kind and generous of you. You gave me pause for gratitude.


The kids are in the chicken coop.

My Darling scratched his glasses yesterday so I'll need to see what can be done for him. Done (glasses can not be fixed) and got him an appointment. Last appointment he had was in 2005! It is about time!

I'll need to mail a letter and stop by the health food store to get some fever few (great stuff for Hubby's headaches.) Done!

I want to have the kids shred some news paper to begin a worm compost. I'll need to see if I can find some red wigglers. I will begin a compost of the stuff the cooks do not eat. Doing a worm compost I will also begin to create some castings to amend this sad soil. There is a wonderful blog on my side bar "Down to Earth", she has been tending this type of life for some time and shares her knowledge generously.

I have to package and freeze the meat order I prepared yesterday.

I could not pass up this deal. I needed to do a meat order for I had just 2 pounds of last springs order left.

I cooked down around 5 pounds to have for quick meals.

Before Doves ortho appointment I was able to get them bagged to cool.

With the center the first roast I had all lean lightly marbled (tender) section of bottom round. Sliced thin for a stir fry this week. I set it to marinade in the refer.

Then ground (mix up the meat while you grind to distribute the marble if you do not then your patties will fall apart) the rest of the first roast. I washed it all down and put fresh bags down and began on the next roast. I still have to weigh out my one pound bags. I will weigh them and then roll them thin to quick freeze. See the little bit of scrap on the bag that is all the scrap there was in the first roast.

Here is six pounds of 1/4 pound for burgers. I need to make patties and quick freeze them before I package them. When I do this a neat trick I learned is to make the center thinner than the edges and the burger will cook through well. We do not eat under cooed meat.
There is also a three pound loaf to tend to. I may make meat balls out of it with rice and dried onion, spices and such.

Wash up the kitchen and finish up (well catch it up) the laundry. With the kids attending school in a couple of weeks I have clothing to sort out. See what they have out grown and such. Ready there rooms for fall.
We have a play date at 11 am Well it is almost 11: and we just got home!
Enjoy your work for it is the benefit of a life lived.

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.