Time Flies.....

I would have finished that with, "when you're having fun",  but it hasn't exactly been all fun lately.  I preface this whining with the admission that I was warned.  K, my former boss, warned me that taking over as manager would come with headaches, frustration, a ton more hours and lots, I mean lots of phone calls and texts.  I heard her but it really didn't sink in.  You see, I have this deluded notion that I am Super Woman.   I get wild ideas that I can perfectly juggle as many roles as I want and it'll never come crashing down on my head!  I can be a dedicated homeschooling teacher, a gardener extraordinaire, an immaculate housekeeper, a devoted wife and mother and the most efficient food service manager.  To quote Dr. Phil, "How's that workin' for ya?".

Well Dr. Phil....it's not.  You see I learned this week that I don't have super powers.  Shocking right!!  Maybe if I get me a pair of them snazzy gold boots everything will work itself out.  No?  Oh, you think I shouldn't bite off more than I can chew.  What about a cape?  Capes ooze super powers.  No? Really?  You think I need to relax.  Well, well, well...you're a dumbass. 

I just completed my first full week as the manager and have never been so exhausted or frustrated.  Making the transition has been a little lot harder than I anticipated.  I'm a whiz at planning a menu and chopping for food for my family but making sure I don't run out of food for 100 ravenous campers is daunting.  I know that aspect will come in time but I've already had to make 2 runs to the local market to get extra items we've run out of.

The worst part for me is the actual manager role.  I am responsible for what comes out of the kitchen even when I'm not there.  I have 4 employees that I have to lead and encourage and at time correct.  Being a bit on the callous side I have caught myself several times from making harsh (yet correct) comments on their behavior and work ethics.  For those of you who ever watched That 70's Show,  I'm channeling Red Foreman.  Everyone's a "dumbass".  I know I lack a sensitivity in that department and am making it my goal to be more sensitive to my staff when they need help or have questions. 

It's all so exhausting.  I can't just leave after my shift...there's administrative work to be done.  I have gone in early almost every day to work on menus or ordering.  The only thing that's getting me thru is the knowledge that we only have 4 more weeks of camp left!!  It should slow down a little in September and October which will give me time to settle in properly.  Until then, I'll be curbing the urge to call everyone a dumbass and praying for happy hour!!

Because it's 5 o'clock somewhere....Super Woman

It's Official...

Today it was officially announced that I am,  or will be on July 1st, the new Food Service Manager at work.  This new position means I get to do things my way...mwhahahaha!!!  Okay, so I will get to change things up but not in an evil overlord kinda way.  After lengthy talks with the camp director we both are looking at taking the food quality in a better direction.  While it is camp, we shouldn't be limited to camp food.  We both want people to walk away saying, "Wow, that was a great meal" instead of , "Wow, that was great.....for camp food."

 I will slowly be incorporating fresher, less processed foods into the menu and am really excited about adding new foods to the repertoire. I've been paying attention to the types of foods and particular dished that are hits and misses.  I have a ton of notes and ideas that I can't wait to implement.  There are a few dishes in particular that I'm looking forward to "taking to the next level".

I haven't had a challenge like this in a long time and cooking and organization is one area where I can shine.  Fingers crossed the "management" aspect doesn't outweigh the creative outlet of the position!!

Bon Appetit....Deborah

Bureaucracy at it's finest

The events of today's travels tested my patience to their limits and I'm proud to day  I held it together!  In the words of Inigo Montoya, "Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up."  Mr Awesome and I were in need of a car.  Not a new car, just a beater that can better handle his new commute of 80 miles daily. His current car or as I call it, "his mid-life crisis car" was never meant to be driven on gravel roads or to have the wear and tear that those 80 miles daily can cause.  Our good friends Terri and Larry P. run a towing company and impound lost out near our in-laws place and happen to have a decent 95 Honda Accord for $350.  Um...hells yeah!!

Fast forward to today's hair pulling events which entail getting a salvage title and inspection.  Never again!!  We started off at the BMV over near the in-laws house to secure the permit to have the car inspected.  The permit, which allowed me to drive the car without tags for the day cost $53.50.  We then had to drive 75 miles north, past my home to the only inspection site with appointments open.  The site that was closest couldn't get me in until end of July!! 

I then had to get the old salvage title transferred into my name, an additional $29.50.  Back to the inspection office, car was approved, back to the title agency to have a "clean" title issues for another $16.  Then on to the BMV to get license plates costing $57.75.  Since my birthday is in August I was able to get 14 month tags and am good till 2012.

Throw in $20 in gas and our cheap little beater cost a whopping $510.75!!  Not too shabby for a solid, well running little car.  However, I will never, never, never go through that again.  The running back and forth between offices, the sitting and waiting....argh!!!  The BMV needs to take lessons from Walmart and offer one-stop shopping!!!

 greeting from the line @ the BMV....Deborah

What I learned from my Dads....

Yes, I intentionality wrote Dads...plural.  You see, I am blessed to have not only a biological dad, but the most amazing and loving step-dad, plus the sweetest and most fun father-in-law.  I drew the long straw in this scenario!!

The three men couldn't be more different.  We'll start with Ken, my biological dad.  I don't have any memories of him and my mom together as they divorced when I was 4 years old but my memories of our weekend visits will stay with me forever.  He used to sing silly songs to me all the time.  I was the only kid who knew the lyrics to the Pabst Blue Ribbon song and my favorite was this poem:

One dark day, in the middle of the night

Two dead boys began to fight.

Back to back they faced each other, 

drew their swords and shot each other.

Now a deaf policeman heard this noise, 

and came and killed those two dead boys.

If you don't believe my words are true, 

ask the blind man, he saw it too!!

Pops, as we have grown to call him, is a crotchety old man in every sense of the word. He's gruff, has little to say that is nice about the world and generally thinks everyone is a dumbass....but I love him.  Thanks Pops for teaching me tolerance by watching your actions and for giving me a love of silly songs!!

Jim, my beloved step-dad is a saint.  He married my mom and took on 3 more kids all under the age of 12.  At the time they married, he already had raised a family and his 5 kids were adults with kids of their own!!  Throw into the mix my sister, who challenged authority and was a parent's worst nightmare, and the man has earned his sainthood!!  Jim was a hardworking man and continued to work even after heart surgery and retirement.  He didn't want to sit still.  Up until a fall that left him with a fractured hip at the rip old age of 79, we worked full time at a local department store.  He was supposed to work in housewares but he ended up the official baby greeter.  Kids and babies love him and he loves them!!  From him, I gained my atrocious work ethic, my love of the University of Michigan (Go BLUE), the ability to use a jig saw and most importantly, a feeling of security and unconditional love. 

Lastly, but not at all least in importance is my amazing father-in-law, Chuck.  Or Ralphie, as I call him when I want to ruffle feathers!!  Chuck is another stand up man who married a woman with kids from a previous relationship.  Chuck jumped in to parenthood with both feet and an enthusiasm to be the best Dad he could.  Chuck is boisterous and animated and full of love.  I don't think he's ever met a stranger.  Chuck is able to converse with anyone and instantly make them feel comfortable and welcomed.  I think I love that the most about him.  I thank him for opening the doors for my relationship with God and for always being positive no matter how dark the situation.  He is most certainly a beacon of hope in my world.

 

 

On this Father's Day, I wanted to salute the Dad's in my life and I couldn't sign off before thanking Mr. Awesome too.  He's a wonderful dad and husband too.  I thank him for being active and engaged in the lives of the Oompas.  He's a teacher, disciplinarian, cheerleader, chauffeur, and someone who will love and accept them no matter what.  Thank you Mr. Awesome!!!

Off to hug a Dad.....Deborah

Whooo-Hooo...I get to pay the bills again!!!

Yes, I am excited about paying the bills and NO, I'm not crazy.  Well, actually I am a little crazy but it's not because I am looking forward to cutting checks to pay off debt!!

Yesterday marked the end of an era full of frustration and doubt.  Yesterday, Mr. Awesome received his first paycheck after a little over 8 months of unemployment!!  During that time we put all the medical bills and non-essential debt on "hold".  We were able to keep the utilities and house current but had to let our credit scores take a little hit by stopping payments to the various and numerous medical institutions we've graced with our presence.  I hated doing it but knowing I could put food on the table and keep the kids warm over this long and cold winter was more important.

Thanks to the miracle that is direct deposit, Mr. Awesome's first check arrived in our checking account before I even awoke yesterday.  What a great way to wake up!!  On my agenda today is writing up a budget and breaking back out our trusty envelope system.  Thank you Dave Ramsey!!  If you haven't heard of him...take a moment to check out his message and debt reduction system. 

For the first time in my life I am looking forward to writing checks and paying bills.  I quickly ran numbers in my head , which was a huge feat since I suck at math, and if my calculations are correct we're looking at making our debt free (except for the mortgage) yell in about 18 months.  It'll be sooner than that if I get the promotion to Food Service Manager at work. 

I know budgeting and money management are of great interest to a lot of folks right now so once I'm finished with my budget I'll post it up here for show and tell.  I will also be making frequent updates on how I do sticking to the new schedule.  Publicizing it will hopefully keep me on track and one or two steps closer to being debt free!!

So I got on my bike and rode....

Yes, I am a "fat bottomed girl".   I was waif-ish as a child due in large part to extensive, bone-breaking orthodontics.   Once those nasty suckers were outta my mouth and I was able eat...I ate.  Along comes the babies and well...I now bear a closer likeness to the Stay Puff marshmallow man than a supermodel.  I openly admit to stress eating.  I learned early on that I can't freak out and scream or cry or throw tantrums when upset but I can quietly eat the stress away.  Well, if I'm being honest it doesn't take the stress away it just stuffs it down to a place where I don't have to deal with it.  I think a lot of overweight folks can relate.  It's very common from what I read. 

Today was one of those crappy, eat an entire bag of Doritos and sit on the couch all day,  kinda day.  My car, which we thought was fixed and running is not.  I had to call off work yesterday which I hate doing.  Even though Mr. Awesome got a new job making good money we still need my income (tiny as it is) to get caught up.  It's been a frustrating ride for us.  We have struggled since day one.  When we first married I'll admit we were both stupid with money and got caught up in the joys of eating out and shopping and golfing (Mr. Awesome's guilty pleasure).  Things only got worse with the addition of our second Oompa, followed shortly by the tragic events of September 11th which led to a lay-off from an awesome job in manufacturing.  It took almost a year to recover then along came Oompa number 3!! 

We struggled greatly for the next 3 years.  When we moved from the city to a little house in the country things turned around.  We were able to do more and go places and afford things.  The savings account grew a little but there always seemed to be a hiccup that would drain it or at least come close.  We were able to buy a nice "forever" house with a little land.  We had begun to relax and feel like we'd finally made it.  Then, last October when Mr. Awesome lost his job we thought we were done for.  I had lost all hope.  Our battle was the largest we had faced to date and we had no weapons at our disposal.  Thankfully, Mr. Awesome landed a good job and started work this week.  I know it was Pollyanna-ish of me to think that this great new job at Honda would magically slay all the demons we are facing.  I'm just so tired of fighting.  I'm plain wore out.  However, with three children who depend on me, quitting is not an option.  Which leads me to the title of this post.

My childhood was good, probably better than most when you block out all the crap my sister inflicted upon the family and some of my fondest memories are of riding my bike all over the neighborhood.  My first bike was a pink and white Huffy with a huge pink banana seat.  It was tres cool!!  I so desperately needed to shed these awful feelings and shrug this terrible weight off my shoulders, even if only for an hour.  So tonight, I dug my bike out of the shed, oiled up the chain, dusted off the seat and rode.  I rode with my kids, laughing and feeling the wind in my face and enjoying the freedom. I rode with no destination in mind, no check list to complete.  I rode for me and for my sanity which is ever so slowly slipping way!!

I rode.....because Fat-Bottomed Girls,  we make the rockin' world go round!!!

Hoarding or Emergengy Preparedness??

My deep freezer has been a health hazard for some time now due to the Oompas just throwing food in it after grocery shopping.  None of them have yet to show signs of my OC tendencies  organizational skills.  Don't judge me because all CDs and spices are in alphabetical order!! 

I decided to tackle the job to cleaning out old foods, organizing and making an inventory list.  In theory, when an item is removed from the freezer it'll be marked off, thus making grocery list planning easier and more efficient.  Yeah right!!  I know it'll only work for a few weeks tops but hey...it gave me something to do on this stormy, windy day.

Now I ask you, is is hoarding or just good planning that has me with 9lbs of ground beef, 10lbs of boneless chicken breasts and 8lbs of ground ham??  I won't even mention the dozens of frozen vegetable bags I found lurking in the bottom of the freezer.  It's a little embarrassing!!  

I've challenged myself to cook from the freezer for the next few weeks.  Of course I say that then see the local big chain store has chicken breasts for only $1.87/lb. 

What's a hoarder   survivalist  freak  gal to do??


(Sorry for the excessive use of the strike tool...it's just so darn cool!!)

Plodding along...sigh...

Today is Tuesday and this week is already proving to be difficult. 

We were looking over schedules and realize that the girl Oopma-Loompas only have 3 more weeks of school while boy Oompa has at least 8-10 weeks left.  Due in large part to us switching charter schools during the first week of November.  Don't get me started on what a turd the old school's curriculum proved to be.  No math lessons!!  None, nada, zero, zip, zilch.  They kept saying they were developing a new, improved math curriculum that would knock our socks off but in the meantime, no math.  Grrrr, I got started...sorry.  Rant over!!

Boy Oompa offered to double up on Science, History and Math lessons plus complete an extra lesson or two on Saturdays in order to have a decent summer break.  Bless his pointed little head!!   His goal is to have all lessons finished by the first week in July so he'll be ready for summer camp.  He's really excited about camp.  It'll be his first experience sleeping away from home without his sisters and without the luxury of staying at MeeMaw and Papa's house.  I'm a little worried about this because he's a bit of a Momma's Boy.  I made him that way...he can't ever leave me!  Will add "toughen up boy" to my to-do list.


Let's add to this week's stress by having a full work schedule, middle Oompa's 4th grade recorder concert (yah!! :-?)  and Mr. Awesome just called me to report 2 growing cracks in his windshield.  UGH.  He was headed to the scrapyard when the car in front of him threw a rock up.  Looks like we will need a new windshield.  Deductible is $100.  Not exactly what I wanted to spend money on but it happens. 

On the brighter side, not that one can see it through these dang rain clouds,  I got a lead on a good job.  My sister-in-law works for a steel supplier and they are in desperate need of inside sales people.  I like being inside and I know how to sell things!!  I polished up my resume and sent it off so fingers crossed.  It pays amazingly well, offers bonuses and insurance.  Downside is the full-time hours and long drive.  I'm looking at it as a temporary solution to our financial problems.  We should hopefully hear back this week about the job at Honda for Mr. Awesome .  It pays amazingly well too and would mean a huge weight would be lifted.  Praying big time for this opportunity!!

...wishing everyone a calm week

Mother's Day Happiness...

Hope all you moms had a great day, pampered by your hubbies and kiddles.  I have been celebrating Mother's Day for 12 years now and this is the first year Mr. Awesome© and the Oompas went all out making it a great day for me!!  The Oompas' band Thunder Monkeys played a show at a friend's school on Saturday evening so I slept in a little.  My Mom was up visiting and we enjoyed a nice cuppa joe whileMr. Awesome© made eggs, bacon and toast!!  I had to assist a little as he's not well versed on how to make eggs but my input was minimal!

My Mom and I got to hang out, enjoying the peace and quiet during the afternoon.  Mr. Awesome© and the Oompas went into town to procure gifts for us!  The work boots I wanted were being a tad illusive so I have to hunt for those myself but the kids did get me several pairs of new earrings!  Littlest Oompa gave my his present last, since it "was the best"!  Love that kid!!

My day of rest and being adored is over.  Monday had arrived with a large list of chores but I'm not complaining.  The sun is shining, the air is warm and I look hot with my new earrings in!!!


Happy Mothering to all....

Yard Sale Loot

The weather here in Flood-Hio has abated and the sun shone in a beautiful blue sky today.  It was also the annual yard sale weekend in the little burg where my in-laws live.  Uhhh...yee-haw!!!  Winning!!

Littlest Oompa and I ditched school work for the afternoon and headed over for a day of hardcore yard sailing!

I got the girl Oompas 5 skirts, 1 corduroy jacket and 2 tops; a stainless steel potato masher and cookie scoop; large vintage mixing bowl; mason jar oil lamp; half gallon mason jug; Rival food saver and a wooden crate....all for $23!

.....confessions of a Yard Sale Queen!!

Spring...is that really you???

That big glowing thing in the sky that heats and lights the Earth was out again a little while ago.  At first I was frightened and ran back into my cave, grabbed my club and prepared for battle.  It had been so long since I had seen the glowing orb, I forgot if it was friend or foe.  I ventured out into it's rays, ready to throw down but was pleasantly rewarded as a feeling of warmth and peace came over me.  It was then I remembered that the orb in the sky was my friend and without it I couldn't make the things grow that give me food.  I quickly went back in my cave, changed into my work bearskins and began carving a hoe from my spare club.  I've got a lot of work to do before the white coldness falls from the sky again!!

Lilacs

Red Raspberry

Onions

Carrots

Apple Blossoms

...signed She Who Clubs Dinner of the Soggy Feet Clan

Little Boys are Grody...Part II

Boy Oopma is a strange creature.  May I present my first piece of evidence.

As if camo boy wasn't odd enough, he's currently learning about Vikings and has taken to wearing a "coyote" fur vest, coon skin cap and seen going A-Viking.  He's turned their playset into a viking longship and was recently kicked off  by his mutinous crew members. I'll say it again, the kid's weird!!  It seems too, that he's embracing the viking culture in other ways.  Hollywood romanticizes the Middle Ages, but I'm betting money those people stank.  My little guy sure does!!

This is after his shower.  He then proceeded to wash them off in the sink.  Grody.

signed, Deborah the Red......Viking Warrior

Chicken Tractor...

The new and improved Hen's Pen chicken tractor is completed!!  For those of you not familiar with the term, it does not mean a hopped up John Deere sized for a chicken driver...it's a temporary, portable chicken shelter.

Two years ago I ventured into the realm of raising chickens and per usual I jumped in blindfolded with both feet.   I bought these cute, fuzzy, little chicks.  I had a brooder set up and what more would I need.  They are so little, I'll have plenty of time to think about the next step.  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, whew!!  Them little, fuzzy suckers grew fast and within a few weeks were using their little feathered wings to escape the brooder and poop all over my computer room.  Not cool man.  The weather was warm enough so I constructed this pathetically sad,  PVC, 4x4 frame and used zip ties to cover it with chicken wire. 

While it served it's purpose, it didn't come without a few headaches.  Namely wind.  Anytime the wind blew over 5mph the little hennys relived the Wizard of Oz and would go flying in their tractor across the yard!!
Guess they know what lies over the rainbow.    

Last year's hatchlings were treated to a much larger brooder and had the luxury of staying in the garage until they were big enough to introduce to the existing flock.  Sadly, they were all eaten over the course of the summer my damn varmints.  Think I'll join Yosemite Sam in the varmint hater's club.  This year's chicks are a different story however. 

Mr. Awesome© and I designed a right nifty tractor for the babies this year.  It's created from 5 separate panels connected by hinges that will allow us to fold it flat for storage when the little ones are ready for the big move to The Poop Coop.  The hardware cloth is painstakingly stapled to the inside and it is completely predator proof.  We even boxed in one end to provide shelter from the wind and rain.  Seeing as it hasn't stopped raining here in Ohio for the past 4 weeks, it was more than necessary. 

Presenting....The Hen's Pen

I know it's crazy to say the chicks were smiling at us when we moved them into their new digs....but really they were!!!

Smiling...see!!

Big grin!!

Tidings from the land of smiling chickens.....

Unlucky Day...

Sunday's are supposed to be a day of rest.  A day spent in worship and to recharge our internal batteries for the upcoming work week.
Nooooo, not for me. This past Sunday was a most unlucky and stressful day...

It begins with an unruly 8 year old boy, refusing to get his sad, sorry, stayed up too late the night before watching movies, butt outta bed.  Needless to say he fiddle-farted (one of my Mom's amazing words) around and dawdled any chance he could.  I found him in his bedroom just sitting on the bed looking at his clothes like he was trying to use Jedi mind tricks to get them on.  The Force is NOT strong with this one.  Needless to say we were late getting out the door and seeing as we needed to arrive at church a whole half-hour earlier than usual for the kids to have a final rehearsal of their dance number, I was a little more stressed than normal.
Sad too, I was hoping to stop for an eye-opening cappuccino.

I barreled onto the freeway and was grateful traffic was flowing around 70 mile per hour.   Or was until I saw the two state troopers sitting in the median.  I, like everyone else backed my speed down to 65 and kept on going.  I watched in my rear view mirror and didn't see either car pull out with lights flashing so I figured I was safe.  After all there were other cars who were cruising faster then me when we drove by.   My luck had just run out.  About a mile down the road I see the cruisers (notice I used the plural) approaching fast in my lane so I get over into the slow lane.  So did the troopers, then the enevitable happened, they turned on their lights.

This was a new experience for me.  In all my 18 years of driving, I have only been pulled over once.  7 years ago and I had back-up in the form of Mr. Awesome and 2 friends in the car with me.  This time, I was alone, save the Oompas and what experience did they have talking their way out of a ticket??  Thankfully, the trooper was very kind and informed me that I didn't have a  front license plate.  After a little looking around we found it on the floor of the car and I was sent on my way with a warning to get it on the front bumper by the end of the day.  Whew!!  I felt like a hardened criminal with both of the cruisers sitting behind me, lights flashing and all the officer's shiny patent leather gleaming in the morning sun.  I was sure I'd be calling my in-laws to come bail me outta jail!!

We made it to church only 10 minutes late.  Hallelujah!!  Worst part of the day over!!

Yeah, not quite.

Kids were surly and nasty the entire drive home after church.  Mother Nature was definitely PMSing and throwing 30 mile an hour winds at us.  My house was a mess and my plans of working in the garden gone.  So, I did the grown-up thing and took a nap!!  Mr. Awesome woke me with promises of finishing the new chicken tractor and fixing that pesky license plate issue so I willingly hopped in the car and ran into town to the hardware store to pick up supplies.  But not before we were pulled over, again!!
This time it was a wet behind the ears, rookie cop, serving and protecting here in Podunk, OH.  He informed us, again, that there was no front license plate and after explaining that I had already been warned about it  and that we were on a mission to the store to pick up parts to remedy the situation, we set off again with another warning and comment that it just wasn't my lucky day.

Thanks Officer, ya think so??


....a tale of warning from your law-breaking friend

Twitterpated...

Spring is the season for birth and new growth and well, friskiness!!  At the camp where I work as a cook, the majority of the staff are college-aged kids.  Well, I guess technically, they're adults but to me in my advanced stage of life they're kids.  We recently had a new hire appear on the scene, a 24 year old Army reserve kid who has the girls all a twitter!  Love, or more appropriately, Lust is in the air.  The past two weeks I have been witness to all kinds of eyelash batting, giggling and have been forced to watch otherwise strong, independent girls act all......girlie.  Blech!!

I'll be so happy when the new kid's novelty wears off and the hormonal fog that's hovering dissipates.  I'm gagging on estrogen and pheromones.  I know I acted like that when I was a mere pup and in the courting stages with Mr. Awesome©.  I can say with authority that I am thankful that part of my life is behind me.  Yes, it was exciting during the "getting to know me" stage but as I watch these girls preen and fluff their feathers I am reminded of how utterly exhausting it was too.  I enjoy the level of comfort Mr. Awesome© and I have attained.  Over the past 16 years I've stopped wearing makeup everyday and putting on a skirt requires an event.  Mr. Awesome© hasn't worn cologne in years except for a handful of special occasions and the only flowers I get anymore are on Mother's Day in the form potted plants.  But I still wouldn't change it or have any desire to relive those days.  

Case and point:
I came home from work the other night and was recounting a few of their antics to Mr. Awesome© while we both typed away at our computers and were supervising the kids' evening chores and were generally busy taking care of the necessary tasks at hand.    I looked down at the desk to find that while we were talking, he had pulled all the red Spree candies from the package he was eating and set them out for me....he knows they are my favorite.  Sure am glad I twittered and fluffed my feathers!  I guess stand watching the girls do the same, after all, they're just looking for their own Mr. Awesome©.


.....twittering and preening, Deborah 

Site worth checking out...

I stumbled across as product called Taste Book a few months back.  Through their website you can create and professionally print your own cookbook.  As an amateur chef, this appeals to me...greatly!  I have a sad, old, taped together, 3-ring binder bursting at the seams with old cookbook pages, recipes printed from the web, and a few of Mom's old handwritten index cards.  All crumpled and stained with various ingredients from years of use and abuse.  Every once and again, I'll sit down and weed out the recipes that didn't quite make muster and attempt to reorganize the recipes back into their proper categories.  It lasts a few months then chaos returns!!

I plan on taking the next few months and compiling all my family's favorite recipes into my own Taste Book and then having 1 or 2 printed.  I love the idea that I can have multiple copies of the same recipes to pass on to each of the Oompas.  I remember my sister and I fighting it out for certain recipe cards from my mother's old tin recipe box.  While the professionally bound and printed book won't have the added sentimental value of  handwritten notes and copious stains, it will convey the love and dedication I put into each recipe and into my family.  I'm a big believer in the concept that actions speak louder than words and even though I shout it from the rooftops that I love my family, this helps them to see that as well. My dedication to preparing healthy, delicious food is just another way I can show them I care. 

Here is my book in progress...I hope you enjoy!!


.....good eats and good night.

12 days and counting...

For the first time in my life I have chosen to participate in season of fasting.  I'm not of a faith that partakes in the rites and traditions of a typical Lent fast.  No meat on Friday, no way!!!  However, as my very wise pastor said last week, "Fasting brings out the inner-man".  I believe fasting rids one's mind and spirit of the trappings and obstacles that get between you and God.   I think that any willing sacrifice of something from your life in order to draw your focus back to God is a good thing.  Following the rules and procedures of a traditional Catholic Lent out of compulsion defeats the purpose and negates any blessing you could receive.  Whether you fast 4 or 40 days doesn't matter, it's how you use the time that matters.  Personally, I like the symbolism of a 40 day fast. Call is what you will, it's working for me. 

My fast is far from the traditional no meat on Fridays that my Mom, a childhood Catholic church attendee, had to follow.  I chose to fast social media outlets.  Facebook, blogs and forums that I realized I was wasting countless hours perusing to no end.  I found myself reading blog post after blog post authored my people I didn't know who were, in my eyes, leading way more interesting lives than I was.  I started getting upset that they had things and were going places and doing things that I wasn't.  My conversations with Mr. Awesome© were peppered with," well so-and-so just got 2 dairy goats and a brand new barn and now I want that".  Despite the fact that so-and-so's hubby was a building contractor and was able to recycle the lumber to build the barn for next to nothing and the goats were part of a swap deal.  I couldn't or wouldn't see that.  All I saw was someone had the life I wanted and I was mad.  I was coveting.  Covet (verb)-to desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others.  I think God clearly stated that coveting was bad.  Um, help!!

Hello, My name is Deborah and I'm an addict...

I've been Facebook, blog and forum free since Ash Wednesday on March 9th.   I refrained from posting here until I had myself in check because I didn't want to substitute my addiction to the other sites with this one.  I'll admit that it was harder that I thought it would be.  I never in a million years thought I would crave the updates I got or excitement from reading other folk's doings.  I came very close to cheating a few times too!! 

I do have plans to return to the social network of those site after Easter but I know I'll use them in moderation.  I won't be posting updates as frequently as before and I will be happy for the lady on the forum who is finally able to build the barn of her dreams and stock it with the creature of her choice.  I'll see the happy faces in vacation photos instead of the misinterpreted boasting I was perceiving when my I viewed my step-cousin's niece's daughter's trip to Hawaii.   Not that I have a step-cousin with a niece with a daughter. 

Over the last month I've used my newly found free time to read the Bible, pray, spend more one-on-one with the Oompa-Loompas and Mr. Awesome©.  I've cooked more from scratch and found it wasn't as time consuming as it had been in the past.  I made my hobbies more of a priority and set up a permanent sewing nook.  I even took an afternoon to clean out the shed...yuck!  But most importantly, I spent time reflecting on how amazing my life is and how blessed I am to have such wonderful people around me.  We have friends who would wipe our butts and once even offered to do so (it's a long story and involved  Mr. Awesome© being incapacitated), we have family who loves us just as we are and prays for us to excel and become prosperous in this world.  We have beautiful, healthy, talented children who know God, respect their parents and elders and are on the right path for a bright future.  Doesn't get much better than that...

....an (hopefully) inspiring message from my newly free and easy spirit

Little Boys are Grody...

When the littlest Oompa was a mere babe, I began kissing his little temple every time I would pick him up or set him down or really, whenever I felt the urge.  Over the years we dubbed it "the spot".  Now that's he's older and it's not all that cool to get slobbered on my mom, I just ask for the spot and he tilts his head for a quick peck.  During this weird and clingy act, I would also give his head a quick sniff.  For all you moms out there, you know the intoxicating scent of your baby's head is one no master perfumer can rival.  I could probably pick my Oompas scent during a blind test. 

Fast forward a few years and um.....Houston, we have a problem.  I learned last night that 8 year old boys are grody.  Like, seriously, grody to the max!  Gag me with a spoon.

I checked in on my little guy before going to bed and saw "the spot" was in prime reach for a kiss.  However, the stench coming off that little snot about knocked me out.  He smelled like my brother's room did when we were teenagers.  Ew.  Really, ew.  I guess it was to be expected.  He belly crawls across the ground stalking me, his sisters, the chickens any chance he gets.  He climbs dirt mounds for fun and thinks mud puddles are the best thing going.  I got a little spoiled too with my girls.  They like to smell  fruity and pride themselves in clean shiny hair.  They even wear perfume. 

Sigh...looks like my head sniffin' days are over.  I love my littlest Oompa but fear my nose will go on strike if I expose it to that putrid vapor again. 

From behind the gas mask.......Deborah

A Little Vernal Equinox Fun...

My mother instilled in us a love of wives tales at an early age.  She grew up in rural southern Ohio on a dairy farm with her 9 siblings.  She uses says warsh instead of wash, crick instead of creek, used an outhouse up until the age of 8, and knows that they'll be three more snows after the forsythia blooms. 

Every year on the Vernal Equinox we'd sit around the dinner table a little longer and watch patiently as Mom would balance eggs on end.   For those who don't know, during an equinox the Earth's axis is inclined neither towards or away from the sun...a day of balance if you will.  The wives tale states that only during this moment of perfect balance can the egg stand on end.  Myth:BUSTED.  Yes, eggs can be balances on their ends any ol' day of the year but we never tried or cared.

I remember the table littered with dirty dishes, no one in a rush to remedy it either.  We would just sit and talk and watch Mom balance one, two and one year up to 4 eggs on end.  We'd talk about school, the garden, the family, just life in general.  It brought balance to our lives for one night.  

Last night at 7:21pm, marked the Vernal Equinox of 2011.  As I sat trying to balance eggs, I listened to my kids running and playing outside and had a wonderful conversation with Mr. Awesome©. 
Last night, I was in balance.

Vernal Equinox 2011

Now slightly off balance....Deborah

Rainy Days and Wednesdays...

We are once again the land of gray skies and rain...............sigh.  I had high hopes of getting the garden tilled up and my plant babies in the ground.  They're doing great by the way, except for the cukes......I kinda dropped the light on them the other day when I was watering and well, they're not looking so hot!!  I plan on removing them this Sunday (my only day off this week) and replanting.  At the rate we're going, I'm not gonna be able to get to my garden till late April anyway!

The little fuzz butts are growing at such a rapid rate they'll be ready for their garage brooder in another 2 weeks and if if ever warms up and stops raining Mr. Awesome© and I will start building their chicken tractor.  I learned last year that introducing the newbies to the older girls too early results in a chicken riot with lots of squawking and flying feathers!!   I'm not sure how Indian the Amorous Roo will react to them either.  My backyard could turn into a hippie love-fest!!  I just hope that with more ladies to um..."service", he'll mellow out a bit.  He's become so protective of  Ella, our only hen, that he attacks if she gets within 5 feet of us.  Little does he know I have a delicious recipe just a waitin' if he doesn't change his attitude. 

In other news, I did accept the second job and started work on Monday.   However, there seems to be a gigantic lack of communication going on and I was given the wrong start time and the department supervisor didn't seem too happy to see me.  It seems while I was hired in to work part-time weekdays that department only needs coverage every other weekend!!  I'm hoping to get it all straightened out and fingers crossed the other department I was going to work in actually has available hours during the week.  As is, my weekends are booked cooking at the camp and it's 8 mile drive and slightly higher pay is a huge trump card in this game.  Why can't I find an employer who's willing to pay me $50 an hour to work from home in my jammies???  I have cute jammies too!

Oh well...can't win em' all!!

From the land of gray skies and polka dot jammies.....

Disgustingly Productive

Lemme start off by sayin' that I don't like it when my kiddos are sick but Lord if I haven't been productive because they were!!!  Must have a little of Charlie Sheen's Tiger Blood in me!!  Winning!!

My littlest Oompa-Loompa has been sick for the past two days.  Fever, yucking up, cough, sore throat, basic crud.  Needless to say, he's parked on the couch, sipping fluids, munchin' crackers, watching movies and napping the day away.  This also means, no school work...for him or teacher!!!

I am finding myself with whole days of "free" time since we're not trying to complete lessons.  It's odd.  It's refreshing.  It's wonderful!!!  Mostly, because I know this break won't last.  Lil' squirt was feeling better this afternoon so it looks like it's back to mean ol' schoolmarm for tomorrow.

But today's not over yet!!!  I have been so productive that I'm starting to make myself sick (not in a virus way but a you annoy the crap outta me way).  I have washed, dried and folded 3 loads of laundry; downloaded and watched last Sunday's church service (didn't make it due to flooding and ice); grated 5 bars of soap to make a batch of laundry detergent; made 8 mini homemade pizzas; chatted with Weird Neighbor; feed the baby chickies; cleaned out my freezer (inside one); and designed a logo and label for my products that I hope to sell at the community market.

Have I annoyed you yet?  Has my perky attitude and zealousness for projects and chores made you want to stab me in the neck with a spork?  I understand, really I do...I can get a little carried away at times.  Mr. Awesome© knows to run and hid when I get like this or I'm liable to have him serving as a dress form or taste testing all sorts of weird concoctions that spew forth from my oven!!

Alas, the day is drawing to a close.  The sun, what little we can see through the gray impending rain clouds, is setting.  I need to get dinner started before running out to pick up the Girl Scout cookies my daughters sold.  Then it's back home to hang with the kiddles, watch American Idol (love me some Paul McDonald) and oversee bedtime routines.  Tomorrow is another day!


...tidings from a total frickin' rock star from Mars!!!

Homemade Liquid/Gel Laundry Detergent

Don't judge...it works!!

Supplies:
1 Five Gallon Bucket
1/2 cup Measuring Cup
Ivory Soap (or Fels Naptha-I'm not fond of the smell...but to each his own)
Borax
Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda)

Grate 1 bar of Ivory soap in a pot with 6 cups of water.  Heat to melt, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and add 1/2 Cup of Washing Soda and 1/2 Cup of Borax. Stir until dissolved.

Pour 4 Cups of HOT water into your bucket, add the soap mixture and stir well.  The add an additional 1 Gallon and 6 Cups of water.  Stir to combine.

Let mixture sit overnight.  Depending on humidity and a few other factors yet to be determined the mixture will gel.  If yours has some liquid in it, that's okay...it works no matter the state.

Use 1/2 Cup of detergent per load more for heavily soiled..  It is a low suds formula and is safe for the new front load machines

Best Chicken Sammich....EVER!!!

Ask anyone and they know someone, who knows someone, who's brother's uncle's best friend's roommate makes a really awesome chicken sandwich.  When asked what's on it, they never know.  Apparently, the best friend's roommate is guarding his recipe like the Crown Jewels!  Well, I have an easy recipe that'll make you cry out and worship the ground I walk on (okay so maybe in my mind you'll be worshiping!!).


The ingredient list couldn't be simpler either:
1 Whole or 2 half Boneless Chicken Breasts (Makes 4 servings)
1 pound bacon
Coriander
Pepper
2 cups Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
Kaiser Rolls

Cook bacon in skillet.  Transfer to paper towel lined plate.  Reserve approximately 1 Tablespoon of yummy goodness, otherwise know as bacon grease, for cooking the chicken.  Shhhh, what your doctor doesn't know won't hurt you!!

While the bacon is popping and making your house smell divine, place each half  of the chicken breast between wax paper and pound thin.  Refrain from using UFC style blow to the meat...we're looking to keep it intact.  Once you have both pieces thinned out, cut in half so you end up with 4 even sized portions. 

Liberally, dust the chicken with coriander and pepper.  Interesting note, coriander is the crushed seed for cilantro and have a wonderful, mild lemony flavor.  Cook in the pan of bacon grease for 15 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of your pieces. Make sure to flip the chicken after about 7-8 minutes to ensure both side get that beautiful golden color.  Once the juices run clear and your chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove from heat and heap as many pieces of bacon you can and as your arteries will allow plus 1/4 cup of cheese per chicken cutlet.  Put a lid on the pan and wait for the cheese to melt!

I serve my sandwiches on toasted kaiser rolls with a little mayo, lettuce and tomato.  A dash of honey mustard probably would be a sin either!!

Sweet sounds...

My Top 5 Favorite Sounds:

1. That snuffling sound a newborn baby makes
2. Baby chick peeps
3. Belly laughs
4. That lip smacking sound a baby makes while nursing
5. Doves cooing

I have a thing for newborn babies sounds...they are so stinkin' precious!! I even love their little toots!  Since I don't have a newborn to record, I gave you a sample of my next favorite.  Hope you enjoy!!

Turning those lemons into lemonade...

Today could have sucked rocks...but I refused to let it!!  Boy Oompa-Loompa finally came down with the plague his sisters have been dealing with for the last two weeks.  He spent the night vomiting, coughing and tossing and turning with fever.  My poor wittle baby!!  I hate it when my kids are sick...seeing them so miserable and not being able to make them better sucks. Rocks. 


Needless to say, I was draggin' this morning.  Thanks to a relaxed homeschool schedule we were able to skip today's lessons and I parked the boy on the couch with Sierra Mist, crackers and PBS.  I decided to use this new found free time to clean my scurvy house!!  I swept up enough dog hair to make an entire new mutt and was able to evict the swamp monster living in my bathroom.  I also caught the dirty clothes breeding like rabbits in the laundry room.  Leaving the boy in the capable hands of Mr. Awesome©, I was even able to run into town to do a little grocery shopping so Mother Hubbard's Cupboards are overflowing once again. Picked up some cheesecloth so I could get a batch of apple cider vinegar brewing and in a few weeks I will hopefully have a gallon of the good stuff to sell.

The girl Oompas are home from school and finishing a few chores before I tackle dinner.  Need to decide what to do with the chicken breasts I picked up at the store. We're also gonna whip up a batch of chocolate cherry almond granola bars for breakfast this week.  It's a new recipe so fingers crossed it goes well!!


From the land of swamp monsters and ever multiplying laundry....Deborah

Back to the Grind

Finances have been tight here at the ol' homestead since Mr. Awesome© lost his job back in October.  I've been working, when work was available, at the camp but struggling to pull 10 hours a week.  It will get progressively busier as the weather breaks and we resume a steady stream of school groups plus with the summer camp sessions beginning in mid-June I'll be busier than a one legged man at a butt kickin' contest!  Unfortunately, June is a ways off and we've got bills that need to be paid, like now!

In the meantime, I've accepted a job at a local assisted living facility in their housekeeping and dietary departments.  Cookin' and cleaning.  Two things I can do well!  Pay is a little lower than the camp and it's a 20 mile hike versus the 8 mile trip to the camp.  The selling point is more hours and longer shifts. With both jobs being part-time I'm hoping I can balance them without difficulty.  My boss at the camp is amazing and she understands that I need to support my family. I'll deal with any scheduling conflicts as they arrive and pray I can balance both jobs, the house, garden, kids and Mr. Awesome©!!

Spring...yeah baby!!

We're finally thawing out here in snOh-io which is unfortunately causing massive flooding.  In two days we went from 6 inches of snow and ice to 12 inches of standing water!  The creek running behind the house is normally a slight trickle of about 1 foot....but was up to about 8 feet yesterday.  I'm feeling a little Huck Finnish today!!  Who's up for rafting??  Anyone?? No one??  Bueller?  Bueller?

Anywho, the first signs of spring are starting to show...

So stinkin' cute

 I pick up these little ladies from the feed store on Tuesday.  We've got 5 Americana, 3 Buff Orpington and 1 Barred Rock.  I love the sound of their little peeps and how they hop around the brooder!  I want to look at the breeds TSC is offering and may pick up a few more layers to help rebuild the flock.  We've got plans to make the coop into Fort Knox to prevent anymore varmit attacks.  Plus I'm stocked on ammo and have been target shooting!!  I need to post a sign, "Raccoons Beware".

Grow baby, grow

I also repurposed a 20 gallon aquarium given to us by a friend into a mini-greenhouse.  The florescent lights work well to simulate sunlight and these sprouts are 4 days old.  I spent a lot of time pondering which veggies to grow this year based on supermarket costs and availability.  While it was fun growing black beans last year, I would have needed to quadruple the amount of plants to make it really cost effective.

I've started seeds for Roma and Yellow Pear tomatoes, pickling cukes, snap peas, and broccoli.  I will direct sow my spinach and lettuce and am planning on doing another planting of broccoli later in the season for a fall harvest.  I am looking into container gardening for carrots.  Research has led me to re-think my potato set-up.  I will continue to use the stacked tire method but instead of filling each subsequent layer with dirt I'll use straw.  Folks are suggesting ti works...we'll see.  I've got big plans for this year!!

Last but not least, spring is returning because......

My one and only hen, Ella,  started laying again!!!! She's been a trooper over the winter with just the nasty roo, Indian,  for company.  I guess he's a little bored only having one hen to look out for because he has gotten a little testy with Mr. Awesome© and the Oompa-Loompas.   Challenging them and rushing like he's ready to throw down.  He may just fancy himself an MMA superstar.  It's not like there's much thinking going on in their tiny little brains!  Once the little ones are big enough to move to the coop he may very well find himself in freezer camp!   He'd make a nice plate of fried chicken.

Happy early spring everyone!!


Happily,
Deborah

My new name is Elastigirl....

I've been stretched so much these past few weeks I am donning myself Elastigirl!!! While I'm good at putting on a show to the world, saying the right things, smiling at the right moments, I've been a wreck inside. With Michael's job loss and the overwhelming lack of new potential out there at the moment we've been struggling, really struggling.

Months before all of this we'd been working with our bank on a home modification and like all big business...kept getting the run-around. Lost paperwork, misplaced documents and one out right screw-up of we shredded your paperwork by mistake!! It had gotten to the point that we were scheduled for mediation at the courthouse on Tuesday at 3pm. Monday afternoon I made one last hail Mary attempt to resolve the situation and again received the run around about the bank needing the same paperwork they already had, yet again.

Defeated and just plain sad, I told the gentleman on the phone that I appreciated his help but that time had run out for us. I wished him a very Merry Christmas and hung up the phone. Fast forward to Tuesday morning when I receive a call for the above mentioned gentleman now dubbed Hero!! He hand delivered our paperwork to the authorization department and we were approved. All they needed was a copy of 3 pages with a current date and signature. Done and done! Our last hurdle was a phone call to come in sometime that day from the Trial Plan department with the specifics on our new payment.

I'm going to pause in this story to remind you all of something I'd forgotten while wrapped up in the angst of all of this. God is NEVER late and rarely early. Easy to forget when your stomach is in knots and you often sneak off to the bathroom in the middle of the day to cry. I know many families are in this exact same position. Jobless, facing foreclosure and being forsaken by the banks for a buck. It makes it all the worse when you learn the housing crisis was a planned, calculated event. I digress...

Okay, now where was I? Oh yeah...Tuesday at 1:48pm, I received the call from the bank with our official approval. Trial plan runs from January to March, payments reduced by $300, interest rate lowered to a whopping 2.25% and our pay-off date didn't change. 1 hour and 12 minutes to spare. Mediation was canceled and the foreclosure process stopped. God is NEVER late and rarely early.

I know there are still hurdles to overcome in this mess. Michael still needs to find a job but now that the depression and fear of being homeless is off his shoulders he is attacking that obstacle with full force. We're not free and clear just yet but I know with this renewal of faith and sheer determination to make sure this blessing is not wasted, we'll make it.

"...with God, all things are possible." Mathew 19:26

Faithfully,
Deborah

Bending so I don't break....

I can rationalize that change can be for the good in my life but try telling that to my emotions. We've been going through a tough time since Michael lost his job in early October. Manufacturing in Ohio has dried up and with an excessive of new college grads with drafting skills and the willingness to work for migrant worker pay, there aren't many options left. One upside to the downsize was an immediate improvement in Michael's overall attitude towards life. No longer beholden to a bully of a boss and the confining 9-5 schedule he once again saw the world as his oyster. He took a few days to re-group and we discussed where we go from here. Return to manual labor in a shop, try and compete as a drafter, start a new business, and the last ditch idea....prostitution! Obviously, the latter wasn't a viable option...Michael refused to wear a skirt and heels!!

Joking aside, this situation has greatly impacted all of us. While I am know for my thriftiness, I had to become even more creative. Gone are the days of loading up the grocery buggy with extra treats for the kids. I am happy to report that our monthly grocery bill, which includes cleaners, paper products, health and beauty items plus dog food, has dropped from $450 a month to close to $300 per month!! Not too shabby for a family of 5 with a German Shepherd puppy who spends his day eating. The kids have learned to cut back as well. The girls are no longer buying lunch one a week which shaves off $20 from our expenses. We've luckily found activities for each of them that require little to no cost and even planned Grace's ice skating and slumber party for under $20. I'm even looking at my receipts for Thanksgiving dinner and I'm under $30 for 18 people. Yes, it's a potluck but I'm providing the turkey and most of the side dishes!! Thank you garden and grocery store sales!!

Thanking my lucky stars we has subscribed to the Dave Ramsey debt free model and had a saving cushion. With that we've been able to develop a workable plan and start up a new business. Diamond Clear Headlight Restoration. Thanks to Michael's father, we have the tools and techniques to really make it viable. We're starting off in the absolute worst season but I fully believe and have faith that it'll take off.

Our divergence has taken yet another fork in the path...I'm a little trepidacious but KNOW we'll be alright. After all, when one door closes another opens and leads to a new adventure!!

Time flies when you work too much....

This summer went by like a blur and I didn't get to enjoy it. I vividly remember summers as a kid where your toughest decision was orange or cherry popsicle. Due to the circumstances of life and the economy, I spend my summer working 7 days a week at the Lutheran Memorial Camp. They run a summer camp program for kids and offer a way of connecting with God via nature as well as teaching environmental education. Great program, great location, great people. Unfortunately, this took me away from my garden, which suffered greatly. After working long days/nights in extreme heat on my feet (hey, that rhymed!!) I was in no mood or condition to get back out in the heat to weed and prune. My bounty this year is very embarrassing: 3 quarts of pickles, 12 quarts of apple sauce, 1 gallon bag of sunflower seeds, 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, 5 pounds of sweet potatoes, 4 cups of frozen sweet peppers, 3 quarts of dried beans, 1 pint of dried cherries and 12 half-pints of peach butter. We had a nasty wind storm that blew over my corn...tried to save it but with such shallow roots it was a lost cause. My tomatoes were amazingly abundant this year but due to a lack of pruning they resembled a jungle!!! There's always next year!!

What's at the end of your rainbow?

Weird weather Ohio has been serving up lately. We've had temperatures running 15-20 degrees above normal and lots of sunshine!! I'm by no means complaining, just remarking. My ideal growing conditions are 75-85 degrees with as much sun as possible. Keeping in mind this is Ohio, if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute or two....Last night a few storms rolled through bringing that wonderful rain my garden needs to grow. It also brought tons of lightening and a beautiful double rainbow. The family and I stood on the back deck and watched the show. The piece de resistance was seeing where the rainbow ended in the woods and watching a small herd of deer that seemed to appear from it's end and walk off into the field!! Our theory was that due to the economy and low price of gold, the leprechaun decided venison was the prize to stash at the end of a rainbow!!!

Pie anyone??

That pesky little guy Stress has been an unwelcome house guest here at Casa de Patrick for longer than he should have. That old adage about house guest and fish smelling after three days is definitely true....we were bordering on 6 months with him and I had to fumigate!!!

However, all good things come to those who wait and in my case, keep the faith. It helps relieve my stress when nature helps me out with a beautiful cherry harvest!! Not sure if luck is on my side or if my hungry little velociraptors just ate their weight in bugs, but I've lost less than 5% of these gorgeous babies to worms!! Compared to the past 2 years where we only harvested a few cupfuls. This is just what we got from picking this morning, I need to get Tall Man out there on a ladder tonight to pick what we munchkins couldn't reach!! Life is good and just getting better!!

Grow Baby Grow...

Not bad for a few hours work...

Five-8' x 4' raised garden beds-ready for dirt and plants tomorrow.

Cherry and apple trees are doing remarkably well this year..bees did their job pollinating so fingers crossed we don't have any freak acts of nature that will diminish my harvest this year!!

Caught up in the moment....

Had a freak out moment over the past week or so....life beat the crap outta me in the octagon.
I'm better now, at least better than I was and getting back to damn near perfect!!

The depression from the stress and this awful medication means I haven't even started on my gardens. Shameful, I know. Thanks to a swift kick in the pants and a lot of prayer I'm back on my feet and WILL have the gardens finished by this weekend. Mikey has graciously offered to help, how much he's going to be able to do with his bad shoulder is questionable, but his offer to help is as much a catalyst as anything.

I've got Roma tomato seedlings, several variety of sweet peppers, spinach, broccoli, celery, basil, oregano, pinto and black beans, corn, lettuces, onion and sweet potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes waiting to be planted. Late start be damned....I have faith (or delusions) that this year's harvest will out shine all the others!!!

We have babies!!!

The best way to learn is to do, so I did...or at least tried. I purchased 12 Americana chicken eggs and 6 Bourbon Red turkey eggs to hatch this spring. A kind and generous friend lent me her incubator and I was off. The kids and I spend many a night candling the eggs and weeding out the obvious duds. It was very educational all around and one night we even saw movement in one of the chicken eggs!!


This past week was hatch week so we've been on eggshells (sorry for the pun), waiting for zips and pips. Thankfully we were not disappointed. Our hatch was smaller than I'd hoped for but not too bad for a first-timer. We welcomed 7 chickens and 1 turkey into our family!!

The whole point to all of this is less reliance on store bought food. I like knowing where my food has come from and having a hand in the high quality. It's also cost effective due to the high price of organic foods on the market. Next step in our educational process is the Whizbang Chicken Plucker! Sounds awful but it's the best thing going right now for processing your own chickens.

The seedlings for my garden are emerging in the mini-greenhouse I built and fingers crossed, I can get a load of topsoil delivered this week and will put my raised bed gardens together. Frost dates in this part of Ohio are second week of May so I have a few weeks yet but hate waiting till the last minute!!

With the apple and cherry tree in full bloom my spring plans also include the revamping of our sad, little pantry to help accommodate all the applesauce and cherry preserves we'll have.

Until next time...

My pet made my breakfast...

This folks, is breakfast perfection.....

One fresh, still warm egg from the coop, fried and served on homemade artisan bread. Doesn't get any better than this!!!

Special thank you to the lovely and talented Ella for producing such a gorgeous egg to begin with...yes, my pet made my breakfast.

New beginnings....

Not to scare you and cause a mass exodus to the hills with shouts in horror and fear, but I'm back. I've revamped the blog a little and chosen a catchy new title inspired by the great poet Robert Frost.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I marked the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

His words speak to me and inspire me, and the whole family for that matter, to take that lesser traveled path in life. Michael and I have worked very hard to set ourselves apart from the masses by sticking to our principals and making sure we know why we believe what we believe and teaching that core value system to our children.

In light of these turbulent political times our family is working towards a goal of becoming more self-sufficient. This spring and summer we will be building our garden up to make it more productive and hopefully less maintenance with the addition many raised beds. We are also working towards obtaining several dairy goats which will provide our family with milk, cheese and yogurt. Our hen house will become a little more crowded in the next several months as the turkey and chicken eggs hatch. With the addition if a Whizbang Chicken Plucker that Mikey is so graciously going to build me, we'll have a fresh supply of homegrown meat too. My grand plans for our little 2 acre homestead include a new and better compost bin, rain water collection barrels, solar panels and hopefully a wind turbine!!

I hope you all will follow us on our journey down the less traveled path. It's sure to be filled with bumps, setbacks, heartaches and hopefully a lot of laughter and will make all the difference!!!

It's been a while.....

Dear Blog,

I sincerely apologize for the months of neglect and inactivity. It's not you, it's me. I admit I've been seeing this other site on the side. You may have heard the rumors about my facebook account and I'm ashamed to admit that it's all true. I was seized by the glitz and games that it offers and the draw of Mafia Wars and virtual farming hooked me. I've seen the errors of my indiscretion and vow to be more attentive to you in the future. I know you are hurting and hope one day you'll forgive my transgression.

Sincerely,

Your Humble Blog Owner

My Kids Rock....Literally!!!

Michael has been wanting to connect with the kids and find an activity they can all share, in the hopes that even once they hit those turbulent adolescent years, he will still have a way interact with them and be a part of their worlds. His talents and hobbies are so varied, I imagined each kid choosing a different activity and my house turned upside down with 3 projects in varying states of completion! Thankfully, they all chose music. Chloe was a natural fit to the bass and Grace is occupying herself with the keyboard until we can find her the right drum set and Mom an insulated door to help block out the "lovely" sounds coming from their music room. Tonight is the first time all three kids have played together and they are trying to get in sync with each other. They did take the time to brainstorm a bitchin band name and I am proud to introduce......Las Baneras.....The Bathtubs!!!

Heritage Family Christian Works

Given the background of Michel's family, it's astounding that I don't go to church more. Actually, I think that's one of the reasons Cookie and Chuck founded Heritage Family Christian Works. If your father-in-law is pastor...you can't make a lame excuse as to why you weren't in a front row pew on Sunday. Although it's still small in number the quality of people attending is amazing. Honest, spirit seeking, salt of the Earth kind of folks. The type of people you want on your side when all hell breaks loose!! As with any church, Christmas is a big deal...celebrating the birth of Jesus and his resulting impact on the world is truly awe inspiring. Heritage Family was no exception and I hope you'll enjoy my daughters' contribution to the service.


Chloe has discovered the joys of Microsoft PowerPoint and showed off her skills.





Grace loves to sing and while her song choice was from the secular realm, it's too darn cute to exclude!!!

Dance Recitals

The girls completed another semester in dance class. This time it seemed a bit more like a chore. The weekly 65 mile round trip drive, the frantic searching for leotards and ballet shoes minutes before we leave, keeping Elijah occupied while they twirl and leap. Their instructor was a little more distracted with her college courses this time too, she never did get the girls a CD if the music to practice at home and their dancing shows it!! Please don't laugh too hard......at least they looked good!!!!!

9 years and counting....

It's hard to believe that Michael and I will be celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary tomorrow(actually it's taken me so long to write this that it's now today!!). I don't feel old enough to have been married 9 years, let alone to be the mother of three children. Where did the time go? Honestly, it seems like yesterday that I met this long-haired, hippie with a knack for dirty song lyrics at a party hosted by 2 insane women calling themselves "Thelma and Louise". We laughed at my cousin's weird dancing...imagine Seinfeld's Elaine brand of spasmodic twitching.

We turned 'Twas the Night Before Christmas into an X-rated, ripped straight from the pages of Penthouse poem and shyly flirted all evening(much to the dismay of a friend who had her eye on him too). It seems particularly ironic to be celebrating our anniversary since the party was supposed to serve as a quasi-set up between Michael's friend and myself and he only came along at the last minute to serve as wing man. Thankfully, I spent the night getting to know a man who would ultimately change my life and the gentleman I mentioned earlier spent the night buried under a pile of coats making out with one of the crazy party hosts!! Um....I'd like to take a moment and thank Fate for quickly stepping in that night and preventing me from the catastrophic mistake of hooking up with the Man-Whore.

Nine years has seen us thru a lot of ups and downs; the additions of a few more kiddles, the stress of almost losing one before she was born, the actual loss of loved ones, the frustration of layoffs and financial woes, the awkwardness of living with Michael's parents, the falling out and then back in with mine, the formation of a successful business, the joys of home ownership, I could go on forever(I'll spare you that pain!!). Whatever the moment, I'm just glad I've had my long-haired hippie by my side the entire time.

Here's to another 9 years...after that it's 11 years and counting, his folks said I could return him after 29 years!!