Tackle it Tuesday

I removed the bebore pictures to save space.

After an early (10:00 p.m.) shower last night the bread was yet wanting attention.
The instructions said to bake when double.
A towel on top of the loaf was a problem, I think it left my loaf flat.
Last night at 11:45 the bread came out of the oven.
It was left to cool and I past out on my bed with exhaustion!
Wow it had a wonderful flavor.
Sadly I am not to imbibe for a wheat allergy gives me great pause.

set a new loaf that is now a pizza in the refer.
pizza and bread stick with marinara was awesome!

After all that work yesterday!
The yogurt was fantastic with that homemade strawberry jam.
Laundry soap will get lots of use today.
Having the coffee ground will go along way toward theses tasks today:)
before
This is really several jobs.
Oh the piles of paper that I have to tend too.
I really dislike it.
after....9:08 p.m.
Kill me...
It is one of those tasks that just add up so fast
I really resent junk mail!
My apron is covering a large pile of papers.
All just stuff that is of no real effect.
I just have not made the time to knock it out.
I will stay home today (this morning) to get caught up.
I serve at the school to help the kids with art.
So my afternoon is used.
I just have to get these things done.

before
This table has two jobs.
Papers and such being an easy one.

after
That gift bag was taxes to be done
oh taxes!

Before

after

after that:
Swept and mopped the living room.
then I had to go to the Elementary school to help the art directer with 27 second grade kids.
The children have used all four sleeping bags a few times lately and after airing them on the line they landed in here. I have not even had a chance to spend any time in here, can you tell...
Loads of clean laundry beg to be put away.
Children s messes cleaned.
Bren this is not your living room:)
I think I will be making my roost in here for most of the day.

before

after

And then there is this.
The kids rooms are clean....can you tell what the lab did last night.
It was all on big pile to be washed.

The kids each have a basket to put away and the hanging clothes to put on the hangers (before bed supper!)
Two more kids loads to fold now.
Then our laundry.
Dinner is made awaiting to be baked.
Kitchen table is being worked on.
kill me...
I have ABS
angry back syndrome :)

Simple Womans Day Book

For Today...

Outside my window... It is raining heavily and has been an hour or two now. The chickens are covered with a tarp. It sounds so peaceful. It is late night and dark. Makes me just want to go crawl under the covers

I am thinking... Hot shower, sleep.

From the learning rooms... Skills gained this last two months, Sour dough bread baking, yogurt making, and laundry soap making. Dove is doing great in all her lessons. Her character is wonderful . We did our valentines, and I to listened to her kindness in logic was just priceless. Dash was adorable as his thought about all the kids and gave to each one personally.
Dash won an award . He is in second grade and at a 4.6 reading level and just was awarded a math club award. Dove also is very advance in her reading and received another Pizza prize award.
I am thankful for... For the health of my sweet crew. The love of my sweet man. The glow of happiness in the children s eyes. Dash prayed at evening meal. He had gratitude for all things we have. Food, shelter each other...I am rich.

From the kitchen... Need to bake the loaf for lunchboxes

I am wearing...jeans socks and a pale yellow sweeter set. I had on a nice pale green necklace set.

I am reading... current events and world news.

I am hoping... Success in the chores of house and home and to also be able (more importantly ) to serve the kids at the elementary . All of that in a balance.

I am creating...Home made soap, yogurt, sour dough bread and a big mess in the kitchen.

I am hearing... The silence. The quiet late night hum of my computer.

Around the house... Laundry is mounded in the living room.
The kitchen is very well used and yogurt and bread are living well:)

One of my favorite things... Is when my children come to me after the story time with Daddy. They tell me the one last thing that is important to them for me to know or hear. I get a gentle cuddle and a soft smile exchanged.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Bible Study in the morning, service work at the school Tue., Wen. and Fri. Then on Thursday I have to go get the neuro testing at a 3 hour endurance of the courageous soul!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
That's Kelly Doves' Occupational Therapist...She would come once a week to help Dove to better function. Dove is three in the image and she was gaining better stability. She is playing dress up and the shoes are a problem. She grew so fast. Dash came home soon after and with him being so ill it was like I lost two years of her development just keeping Dash alive. I miss that time in her life.

Home made Laundry soap

This recipe can be found over at "Down to Earth"
Wish her well ...she lives down under
no she was thankfully not personally hit by the fire.
Rhonda a wonderful Lady who shares her Knowledge freely
1 bar of laundry soap grated
in
1 1/2 quarts water melt completely
cook over medium heat until dissolved stir often
add when the soap is all melted
remove from heat
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing soda NOT BAKING SODA

stir until thicken then remove from heat
add to a 10 quart bucket full it with HOT tap water mix and walla!

This became nice and thick

Here is the cost ratio

$5. for a 75 oz box of Borax 75*4 oz per batch is 19 out of the box= .26 cents a batch
$5 for a 55 oz box of washing soda 55*4 oz per batch is 13 3/4 out of the box=.36 cents a batch
$1. bar of soap

$1.62 per batch of 313 oz that's
1/2 cent per oz!

$7.00 per 55 oz liquid equivalent =
.13 cents per oz!
that's 313 x's .13 = 40.70
less the $1.62
that's a 39.07 savings!!!!!!!!!

One hour of my time
I just got paid
39.07 for an hours worth of work!

Please Pray for the Australians

Terrible terrible fires have killed 173 people~
See article here

Are My Motives Pleasing to You, God?

What is the real underlying motive for all of the good stuff that you do?
join us over here

To Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul , mind and strength,against this there is no law.
To love my neighbor as I love myself..
To comfort the Widow and the orphan in there hour of distress.
Never to keep my hand from being reached out to the poor...

I do not think too often about motive. It does not find focus.
The thoughts of my life are about "choosing what is right". Knowing what is right and choosing to do that well that is a personal option. As the children are taught ...Choose right and it will go well with you.
I think under the motive of my life what I do is because I know that God loves me and this pleases me to follow His instructions. I read the Manuel for life (The Bible) it teaches me to walk in the favor I have found out of gratitude not duty.

Duty is what is owed to do.
It is an obligation to honor.It is not error, but I have found a place of doing what is right for I intimately understand that it is for my best benefit that he keeps me contained within this covering of his wing over me.
The desires within my heart... are placed there, and then I am given choice.

The perks are ...
So many.
When I wake in the morn and choose to fix the meal for Beloveds lunch I am loving (God's)HIS as (God) He loves me...this is friendship with God.
I Believe in The GRACE (unmerited ) favor that was purchased on that Calvary Cross through the final payment for all debt; through the belief in it.
When I tend my young ones...it is that I am simply and extension of HIS wing over them. I must abide under it to be able to extend it.
At the elementary,Oh when the orphaned of love, parental supervision, time and attention....well those hugs that all but disrupt the class as I enter are explanation enough.

Those things, the skill sets that have been obtained at great effort to compliment the natural talents HE has given me...well that is simply an expression of gratitude and in that...yes duty.
It is my duty to gain the knowledge and skills for the tasks he has set before me to do.

I do not live... to have to please God.
HE is pleased already with me, HE loves me.

I live because HE first choose to love me.
How can I but love HIM and HIS.
I simply desire to live in that LOVE.
To walk in HIS council.

Meal Plan Monday

Home made laundry soap

Join us over here
There is often an overflow from prior week.
Cooking every meal from the base ingredients take prep work
dice all the fine veggies for the days ahead to only a few days.
The veggies (some faster than others ) can loose the vitality in short order.
Onions last 5 days if kept very cold diced.
Tenders like peppers 3-4
and tomatoes only 1-2
fruits for the most part oxidize very quickly cut as used.

Rice and beans are a staple in the refrigerator.
If I get called away or am just plain too tired to cook they can easily by most members be plated and warmed in the micro wave.

Raw soaked beans are really the base here but for time sake I use the canned, Only if they have nothing added to them.


Coffee is purchased in bulk and ground fresh a week or two worth at a time.
Kept in the freezer for best quality.

Set everything you'll need out and have it at hand
Everything that touches the yogurt has to be scalded.
I use a bit of water in each jar and then run it through the micro wave.
Jars are under the towel and in the unit to keep clean.
Lids are drying on the towel.
By heating a large 4 cup galss measure in the micro and pouring it in a bowl over the lids this is done simply.
This is an extra incubator IIt took a good wait to get it down to 115*
starter is mixed in a luke warm 1/2 c soy.
once at 115* this is added and all is set to process.
yogurt will take 12 hours to process and another 24 to cure to nice full ripe flavors.
I will almost always do either double batches or make two at a time.
Cook once wash dishes once!

Four hours later!

Oh Henry!
Wow!
The lemons from Sunday are ready to be grated for the rind
snack ready for the kids
lemon aide and chex mix

Blowing kisses at Henery ( Mr. Sour Dough starter)

Last evening we met Henry.
He earned himself a name.
I figured if I am gonna have to feed him , he ought to have a proper name.
Now Henry has been getting kisses from the Angles.
Your loving prayers invoked I'm sure.

This Morning he was so happy he had almost overflowed his jar.
He tells me its the water!
NO TAP WATER!
He is a country boy, just cant tolerate that city water!
I thought I would pour him out half way and begin to proof him while I drove into the city this morning. Well upon my return TWO hour later! Henry had had a joyful morning!
Kissing the Angles, no doubt.
He is foamy and white, ready to get to work.
HE takes after me :)
The jar is almost filled again up to top within those two hours!

He just seams so eager to please.
Just like my other children:)
So I set him to dough.
Noon time now, lets see what he is made of by night fall.

He said "you sure are industrious"...

I met the children Friday after school with a nice afternoon snack.
We just love popcorn.
This micro wave popper is awesome.
Dove can even make popcorn on her own now.
That is a big thing for her and she takes great esteem from it

Friday The dishwasher also got a good cleaning.
We had this in inventory above the washer.
Taking advantage of what I had , thought to use it.
We have very hard water here.
I have tried the old vinegar trick to where you place a large bowl of vinegar in the bottom rack and run it.
I was not real thrilled with the results.

My dear heart dug the earth up and over for me to plant this week.
I look forward to tending to it.

While the funeral for the starter was being had we were off to the outskirts of the city.
My love took me to this wonderful nursery we love.
He and the children played on the tree house while I shopped the seeds.
The tooth was some less than budgeted for and I had a nice spring budget set aside for the garden so I had a ball!
Heirloom seeds!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the difference in the tooth.

Herbs are a treasure
There are Lemon Thyme, Sage, Margram (sp?), parsley, and a six pack of butter lettuces.Click on image to enlarge
OH JOY!!!!!!!

We went to the folks after the nursery play time :)
The evening was wonderful, We shared a meal together
She gifted me with some of my favorite dish clothes.
They are so pretty !
Look at the sunflower one!
I separate it all; big bowl is for the chickens.
broccoli stalks for soup
culender for perfectly good things.
the paper bag is for the compost.
All the cabbage leaves and any thing that showed wilt goes to compost.
Before we left for the city we stopped to get the boxes the produce fellow set up for me.

See the bock choy I just break off the old part to the compost and the hens just love the rest.
This is the second box!

Al toll 4 large bags of chicken scrap, once the stalks were pealed there were at least two bags full for the compost.
Two perfect heads of butter lettuce, a lot of parsley (it just had to be gleaned through), a large carrot and 4 nice radish. Some Swiss chard as well, just enough to add to a nice rice dish.


We took off this afternoon and we all went to a nice park and the kids had their bikes.
We sat in the warm sun, the rains were heavy and the sky had huge thunder heads on the out skirts surrounding the valley. It was so pretty.
The kids climbed trees and we walked hand in hand as they urged us to stay in one spot. We really wanted to stroll. Those kids cant stop them when you want to and when we wanted to walk they had become friends with a tree.
It was very refreshing.
We stopped for a few stock goods for the next few week. The toilet paper type thing.
We splurged for the first time and bought a ready made "chicken Popper". They are real whole chicken breast cubs with a breading the bake in the oven type. Beloved wanted me to take a break. Boy I was so glad. I had not eaten well and my blood sugar CRASHED!!!!!!!
He was so sweet.
He got a glass of lemon aide and helped set up all the stuff while I put the chicken on , and warmed the veggies.
The stalks of broccoli needed to be finished as well
I put them on the boil while we ate and then Dove and I finished the movie (twelve long miles).
The time with her was sweet. It was a teenage coming of age movie.

After all the stalks were pealed, then boiled...I ran them through the blinder with some unsweetened soy milk.
Then the left over potatoes that had been mashed for Mr. U. bday were added. A quort of chicken stalk. Seasoning would of been best nutmeg, but without it I used cinnamon and allspice. Mace would have been nice but i was out.

My Sweet Mr sharpened a knife and placed the vice near. I decided to finish them up. The Asian knifes needed tending. These are hardened steel and a gift to me from my brother in law.

The kids needed strawberry jam, so being tired of the $3 for 6oz. jars...I got some frozen berries and made my own!
Wow you would of thought it caviar!

Now that is a nice fresh jam.
Yep the berries were frozen, but wow what a flavor!
Very easy to do by the way.
I did not put these up (can them for the pantry) they will be gone way too soon for that.

I started Henry again.
Thought I might of lost him again, Mr U thought I said put it in the refer, when I asked him to put him on the refer.
He was a happy blend this evening. Took a pause in the post to go feed him.
He had a good fome on him.

Ending the day with the kitchen done.
Have to go to the city tomorrow.
Dash has a broken hearing aide.
Same one as before , I might request a new one.

Broccoli Potato chowder is finished for the evening meal tomorrow.
Have the salad to do and the bread.

Full full day.
full weekend too.
Time to go join my sweet heart
good night.

Pay it forward 2009

I was visiting Denese at Samaritan Woman , and she has posted a "Pay It Forward" Challenge.
This is a great way to bless others with a surprise in their mail--using your time, energy and love.
Here are the rules :
The first 3 bloggers to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand-made item from me.

Those 3 bloggers promise to post this challenge on their blog (meaning they too will ‘pay-it-forward’, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers that leave a comment on their blog!!) That's a lot of hand-made love being passed around! ; )The gift can be any price range--though I'm thinking that keeping it small will be sufficient--and you have 365 days to make/ship your gift!!
So, the person receiving this will be definitely surprised when a surprise shows up unexpectedly in their mailbox! As you can see, if everyone cooperates and "pays it forward" this spreading of love could go on for a very long time. If you want to participate, just leave a comment telling me so and then re post this on your blog so that you can pay it forward to 3 others, and so on, and so on, and so on.......

You can still leave a comment here even if you do not want to participate....... Just tell me if you do...... It is that easy!

I love doing this and had such a great time with it last year................... Sooooooooo Pay it Forward girls.....................

It was the water

Bren gave me a link about the sour dough.

I used tap water at one point to feed the yeast!
The chlorine in tap water will kill your starter. Be sure to use your R>O or spring water for it.
Full family day. I'll try to blog later.
Happy Sunday!

No go on the sour dough!

Need to keep learning...
the bread did not rise.

Sour dough.

Tonight I poured the hooch off the sour dough starter

Have you ever heard that term
"Hoochie Momma"
Hooch is the water that rises to the top of the starter.
It is like a nasty beer.

Hoochie Momma was a woman who took to the drink of her hooch.

Funny where things come from, now I just deduced this .
I think it must be so

There will be bread to make in the morning.
At least to rise it till evening hour.
We will have our first homemade sour dough bread tomorrow for our dinner hour.

I warmed then cooled the oven to touch.
The "starter" is being proofed.