Marlon was up early one morning and heard the chickens squawking particularly loud. When he went outdoors, he later told me that he noticed a cat in the backyard. He proceeded to say that our rooster was so startled and looked to him for comfort, so Marlon held him until he calmed down. For those who know Marlon and his aversion to touching domesticated animals, it's pretty funny to picture him holding our rooster with hopes of offering comfort. That would have truly been a "kodak moment:...I wouldn't be surprised if he took a shower later (lol)
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Marlon just brought to my memory how we used to have "Black Out Nights" (aka, "Pioneer Living"). We would turn off all lights & electronics, then use candles and old time evening activities (storytelling, hide-and-seek in the dark, etc). These were such great memories for us. I think it's time we set more Black Out Nights to help us simplify our "norm" and connect without all the distractions. BTW, if I remember correctly, it actually saved some money on our electric bill....that's a benefit worth considering! Please take time to invest in creating family memories. As a child, I remember MANY occasions playing by the creek acting like a native living off the land. I also recall blackberry picking, salamander catching, and family marches (or Saturday walks that mom demanded for us to partake of, even though we preferred to sleep-in...Thanks Mom for the memory!) Creating these type memories don't even have to cost lots of money. For example, we recently had a desire to go camping. However, with a new baby and the need to limit extra activities for a few more weeks, we planned a Backyard Camp-out. I asked the children to help with the menu and we enjoyed some Kosher Smores (http://www.joyfuljunction.com/1/post/2010/08/kosher-smores.html) . Additionally, they had backyard racing games and some memorable firepit experiences. I admit, it was TOO COLD to actually sleep in the tent because we'll need a few more weeks before we can tolerate the drop in weather at night. However, we did make a blanket-tent indoors, thenenjoyed banana splits along withstorytime and games in the house.
My point is to help you think outside of the box and perhaps ask your children to tap into their creativity to make more family memories! I'm still in preparation mode and came across this website for those with bigger budgets & less time to plan: http://www.shelfreliance.com/ For those of us who have already started some preparations, this site is super helpful for ideas. SANITATION: This is one item on my list of future purchases....A bucket seat cover for a little over $10. (Some may prefer to just dig a hole in the backyard and squat) This reminds me of an idea a friend in Tennessee shared with me regarding "Travelling with Young Children." She suggested putting a potty seat in the vehicle and line the bottom with a plastic grocery bag and a sanitary napkin (or a cloth diaper would work). Make sure you have extra hand sanitizer, wipes and/or toliet paper. Then, if you have a youngster with a need to "expel" and you're in a remote travelling area OR you don't want to unload everyone to go inside to the potentially unsanitary gas station restroom........simply pull over, let them sit privately (perhaps use a sheet to cover for modesty purposes.) Then tie up the plastic bag (the pad will absorb the fluids), drive to a gas station or grocery store and discretely dump it in the trash. Viola! A stress free solution to accomodating a natural bodily function. HYDRATION- Another aspect to our planning has been water storage. I haven't been able to purchase the water barrels on my list, so we're using an idea from a local friend. Directions:
I also got some tips from the FEMA website and learned that I shouldn't use containers with juice or milk due to potential bacterial growth.
Here's the link for more tips: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/water.shtm#1 I recently told a friend that I'd re-post links to this book, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, which shares a fresh perspective on being a "godly homemaker." (BTW, if you don't have this book or can't afford it, I was able to find it available at our local library.)
This is a link to the preface of the book: http://media.visionforum.com/products/images/extra/84332/phdg_preface.pdf If you have Quicktime, you can preview an interview with one of the authors: http://www.visionforum.com/browse/product/videos/passionatehousewives/ Finally, here's a review from Vision Forum: “Have you struggled to reconcile God’s vision of virtuous womanhood with worldly myths that marginalize and mock the role of the homemaker? Do you wrestle with cultural messages that demean the homemaker’s calling and exalt instead the emotionally androgynous power-woman — the wife whose worth is measured only by the degree of her ambition, the shape of her body, or her money-making skills? Such is the image of the “desperate housewife” that the modern media, culture, and feminism are promoting with great energy. In a delightfully fresh and honest way, this book addresses these issues head-on and provides fresh vision for the hopeful homemaker. Hear a former “Christian” feminist share how she went from a die-hard homemaker-in-training to a dedicated career woman and then back again — after God gripped her heart. See the hollow counterfeit of whitewashed feminism and “me-ology” destroyed. And consider the beautiful picture painted in Scripture of the truly fulfilled homemaker who glories in the hopeful calling God created for her. Pull up a chair, dust off the cookie crumbs, and join Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald as they lay aside stereotypes like the “Stepford wife” and dispel such myths as the 1950s “perfect homemaker.” Laughter and tears will flow, and hopefully you will be infused with a renewed vision for victory as a wife and mother. Discover what it means to be a passionate housewife “desperate” for God alone!” We just received our summer workbooks and I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove of our homeschooling. For those who want a simple resource to keep their children's academic lessons fresh, consider this series entitled, "Summer Bridge Activities." I bought ours at a discount from Rainbow Resource (www.rainbowresource.com) Additionally, I've set a goal with another mom to plan a few enriching field trips for our children this summer so we can explore more of our surroundings. Here's to summer fun!
My friend down south shared this simple Granola recipe (below). You can "mix and match" your wet and dry ingredients depending on your taste, budget or whats in your pantry. For our most recent batch, I used oats, dry milk, ground almonds and coconut mixed with honey and cranberries (YUMMY) The recipe is from the More with Less Cookbook: Basic Dry Cereal Formula
Notice: The clear pan cooked slower and required less stirring than the cookie sheet. I did put the lighter granola back in the oven to brown a bit more. Also, this recipe can be done in a slow cooker. Here's an OLD link of us making another granola recipe in a slow cooker: This is the second week in a row that simple planning has saved us some MEGA BUCKS!!
I once had a great habit of doing weekly menus and making a shopping list accordingly. However, with the many recent changes in life, I've gotten a bit off track:-( Now I'm happy to share with you that I'm getting back into taking time to plan our family meals on a weekly basis. For the past 2 weeks, I've spent the same amount of money for one week of feeding our family of 10 as I used to spend for 2 1/2 days before my "prep day" each week...This also includes meals for hosting Shabbat fellowship which requires much larger portions. This is truly amazing to me because it equates to over $500 dollars in savings per month!!! Furthermore, I didn't even have to spend Marlons hard earned money at the Super Giant to get these savings. Just simply planning meals from scratch, plus doubling some recipes has proved super successful. And just imagine, as I continue to buy bulk and if I get a handle on this couponing mindset, we'll be saving even MORE CHA-CHING($$). I'm so excited and hope you'll consider some of your shopping habits and how you can make improvements :-) In an effort to make dedicated family in the evenings, we're trying a little "English-Style" experiment. We're having tea-time in the evenings: This may not be an every night kind of thing, but it does encourage relaxation and gives us an opportunity to have evening prayer, devotionals, and general family time together in the evenings. I'm trying to keep our Tea Tray on the mantel (see pic below on far left) and look forward to making some special memories with our children. Do you have any special family time ideas to share??
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This nook is a bit of reflection and inspiration from me, a Joyful Mommy of 10 with hopes of encouraging others along their journey :)A Few Family Pics: Categories
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