Working indoors

Every once in a while Jennie threatens to start hammering nails in walls to hang pictures etc, and that is normally my clue that I need to spend some time in the house completing honey-do's.  She actually does a very good job!  When it comes to heavier items that require anchors and or finding a stud that is normally left up to me.  Unfortunately in these double-wides they use studs very sparingly, and they never put them where they would be helpful for a shelf or heavy decor item.  I do love those plastic screw in drywall anchors that are good for 50 lbs, they are a life-saver and we probably have used close to 75 in this house.  On this particular day I had a helper with me when installing this hook in our bathroom.  We don't typically install hooks this low to the ground but this one was to support the dirty cloth diaper bag, that has been hanging on our doorknob for ever.  My helper pulled the trigger to drill the holes and put the screws in as well.

Man shall not live on bread alone

But boy, does it sure smell so good and taste delicious when it comes right from the oven. I have been baking whole wheat bread now for, oh, I think about over a year now. I have gone through a few different recipes that I have found off of some blogs that I follow, but I have ended up with the one that I actually began with.  It is from Crystal Miller's blog, http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/. I love that I can make 6 loaves at a time. I used to make it about 2x's a month. But since our kids are growing and consuming more calories, especially when they work hard all day long on the farm, I am starting to make it closer to once a week.  Now ever since I started getting my organic flour from Azure Standard, a natural foods company online, our bread has tasted better and looks prettier. We use our bread for a lot of things. From the original P.B. and J, cheese and tomoato sandwhiches, to using it with soups or having toast for breakfast. I also have been starting to use the heels, even though our boys like them, for making bread crumbs and freezing them until we need them.  I love fresh bread crumbs. Crystal Miller  also uses her bread recipe for also making hamburger and hot dog buns and other pastries. I haven't tried the buns yet but I am eager to. We have gone back to buying bread a few times when life was just to busy, moving, during the sick part of pregnancies, or right after having a baby. But the first time after a break from bread baking I just soak in the smell while it bakes in the oven. It smells so good and we all enjoy the taste of fresh bread once again.    

Merry Christmas!!

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us."
Matthew 1:23


But the angel said to them.  "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2: 10-11

Beekeeping

This last spring my brother-in-law took up beekeeping, and it has been very interesting to learn the process. Typically Jennie uses quite a bit of honey in her baking as it is a more natural sweetner. Even at Costco it is pretty spendy. So, when I suggested that we look into it Jennie was all for it. Our property also borders a large berry field so I figured it might pretty easy to get it going. And also the honey bee was the one bee I was not allergic too when tested in high school, so it must have been meant to bee. My brother-in-law always does his research when taking on a new hobby, and he said the best book by far was the Beekeeping for Dummies. So, as you may have guessed I have checked it out from the library and am starting to familirize myself with those busy little bees. As I have previously mentioned I am slow reader, so could take me some time :-)
I am hoping to get everything ready for next spring.

Joel Salatin - Family Friendly Farming

Good Evening!
I (Dave) have finally finished reading Joel Salatin's Family Friendly Farming.  Yes, I did start it quite a while ago, lets face it, I am not a fast reader.  Not to mention I lost it for a couple of weeks since I could not renew it and had to get it back from the library to finish it.  Overall I thought it was an AWESOME read.  We are by no means anywhere near the point of dumping my city job and just diving into full time farming, but this book has lots of good ideas on making your farm friendly to family, primarily it is referring to kids.  Although I will admit sometimes I fall asleep dreaming of full-time farming where my boys can help me with the chores in the morning before starting their homeschooling and then being able to come in and have lunch with my family.
In the book Joel talks about the 10 Commandments for Making the Kids Love the Farm:

• Integration into Every Aspect
• Love to Work
• Give Freedom
• Create Investment Opportunities
• Encourage Separate Child Business
• Maintain Humor
• Pay the Children
• Praise, Praise, Praise
• Enjoy your Vocation
• Back Off from Personal Domains

I have started to try and implement some of these concepts.  For instance when the boys have helped me out in the yard over and above their standard chores, I have started paying them.  Joel's comment on allowances is "No person should receive pay just for breathing." and he goes on from there with a very good argument against allowances.  

In Chapter 23 he goes on to talk about Greenhouse Kids.  This is the metaphor that Joel uses in reference to homeschooling.  He goes on to say "The whole goal of keeping kids home and protecting them from the world early on is to give them strength and stability, to establish their stem and their viability early so they can take the elements and thrive later on."  Just as with a greenhouse we need to start our children off in a protected environment where they can grow and thrive.  

I really don't have time to go through everything that I loved about this book, but overall I really found Joel's insight helpful and encouraging.  Since finishing this book I have listened to a couple of lectures;/podcasts by Joel and enjoy his humor and matter-of-factness.  Separate from his views on a family friendly farming I also like how he raises his cattle and poultry naturally, purely grass fed.

George Washington wanna-be's

So today we are finishing up learning about George Washington with making Tri-corn hats. The kids were marching around with flags and Mia carrying a rifle. They even shared one with Lily Mae. Today has been a good day of schooling. Lots of excitement while learning and reading. days like these really remind me of why we are homeschooling our children. To see the excitement firsthand of finally mastering reading and to pick up any book and start reading because he loves it or figuring out a math problem and loving to do more, or mastering a phonics sound and getting to put it up on their tree, (I'll make a post about that later). Those are the things that I would not want to miss if our children went to school. Don't get me wrong . There are some pretty hard days that I end up crying and wondering if this is really want God wants for us. But then He just confirms our questioning by giving us good days like this.

Harvest Party

Just some fun pictures of the kids at the Harvest party that we go to with family and friends every year at Dave's parents small community church. After going back and forth for months the kids finally decided what they were going to be Sunday at lunch time. YIKES! I'm glad we had lots of dress up clothes to choose from. :o)
Ethan chose to be a Knight for Lily Mae was his princess. Evan was Roy Rogers and Mia was a Cowgirl/sheriff. Out of the whole evening for Lily, who is teething and has been a rather cranky little lady lately, she LOVED baby Presley. Some friends of ours who live just up the street from the church. They are also country folk and we love buying their beef. We had a wonderful time and although there where some questionable costumes this year it brought up some good conversations with the kids.