Life these days

Still haven't found my camera cord, but I'm hoping that will change soon :D I've got the primer coat done on the downstairs, and that means I'm ready for the top coat. Once I get that done, we'll begin setting up one end of the big room as our homeschool area. The other end will likely still be empty. We're hoping to get flooring in the next 1-2 months max. We'll floor the empty end of the room, then move the HS stuff to that end & finish in the other end.Tomorrow, I start my new again job. Last year I worked for the same company as Hubba. It was just a couple of hours a night, a few nights a week. It was more or less on my own schedule. I basically just stocked shelves, faced & fronted the store & did the merchandising. I enjoyed that it was in the evenings, and I didn't have to leave my kids home all day. I was presented with the same opportunity again a couple of weeks ago, but this time in a different dept. I'll have the same "hours," the same boss, the same job. I decided that when the girls started school, I'd no longer be watching children. It's going to be less than time & cost effective.

Now, don't get me wrong. If a daycare charge fell into my lap that was under school age, I'd likely care for them. I don't see that happening. One of my stipulations, and the one everyone seems to have a problem with, is that I no longer wait until the end of the week, pay period or month. I've been ripped off 3 times by 3 different families, and I'm out over $100. I figure if they're not willing to pay me up front, they're not willing o pay me at all. I say this because it's not like they have to have $200 up front for a full week or 2. I am ok with them paying up front on a DAILY basis. That typically only runs $20-25 at the most.So, anyway, it will be nice to work for this lady again. I did the math. I can earn more after taxes in less then 1/4th of the time that I do with one daycare charge.

Seb & Hubba have spent this past week in hunter safety classes. They were going from 6-9 M-F & then they did the shooting range Sat. morning 8:30-11:30. They are both now certified to "hunt safely." I'm so proud of both of them. Hubba got 100% on his final test. The instructor said that he's only the 2nd *man* that has scored 100%. Women apparently breeze through the test & scoree 100, but men don't typically score 100. Seb on the other hand got a 96%. PHENOM for a boy his age (even if that's only MY mom opinion, LOL). Next year, we want to sign Tris up for the classes & Kee the following year.

I asked Hubba to get a couple pics at the range. These are taken under a cover with a cell, so the picture quality isn't great (ok, it downright sucks). Here are a couple of Seb:



A friend of ours will be taking Seb hunting this year, even if Hubba can't always go. We're all pretty excited about this new chapter in our life.

I'm also praying for a HARD freeze in our bodies of water here. This past winter, we were supposed to go ice fishing (myself & aforementioned friend), but the water didn't freeze hard enough. If we get a hard freeze, we're aiming to do it this year!

Otherwise, life is good. The animals are doing well, the garden is ding well, all things considered.

God is a wonderful God!!

A little update

Still can't find the camera cord, but lately we have been so busy. We've been gardening, raising chickens & rabbits and doing all sorts of other things around the mini-stead. Since May 23rd, our downstairs still hasn't been the same. Most of our things from down there are still in the garage. Instead of bringing it in, we decided this would be a good opportunity to finish it. It's been drywall since we moved in almost 2 years ago. We've had a friend over showing us how to properly drywall & tomorrow we are hoping to get the bulk of it done. Today was spent moving things from the big room, hanging plastic & removing hardware from the walls.

Anyhoo, I'm hoping my cord shows up soon, so I can show you all the neat things we've been doing.

Be blessed!

As soon as.....

I find my camera cord, I'll be blogging about the things we've done so far to prepare for this next school year. :D

Reusable canning lids bulk order "co-op"

Some of you have heard about the Tattler reusable canning lids. The more you order, the cheaper they are (in a bulk order of 500 or more). Is anyone interested in ordering these & how many would you want? Here's what I want to do- You tell me how many you want, I'll get a tally after a week or 2 (deadline TBA, depending on if there's interest) of how much they'll be & ship them to you for the total cost of the lids & Tattler's shipping + shipping & handling from me to you.

After I find if there's interest, I'll place an ordering deadline. Once we reach that deadline, you will have 1 week to get your money to me. I will accept immediate pay via paypal & I'll accept well-concealed cash & money orders via snail mail. I will NOT accept e-checks nor will I accept mailed checks. I'm looking to have these ordered by the end of July, which means orders & payment in by then.

Filipino Chicken Adobo

I found this recipe on a forum I was a member of quite some time ago. It is delicious served with rice. I like to double the sauce ingredients so we can ladle it over the rice.

3# chicken thighs
3 crushed garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
peppercorns (about 12-15, your preference)
1 c vinegar
1 c water
1/2 c organic soy sauce
2 T sugar
S&P to taste

Place chicken in a heavy bottomed pan. Add remaining ingredients. Cover & bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low. Simmer til liquid has thickened, and chicken is cooked. Remove bay leaves, & serve over rice.

Seminoe Reservoir, N Platte arm & beautiful Wyoming scenery & sky

April birthdays

Yup, way late posting this. Tris & Hubba's birthdays are the end of April. Here they are opening their pressies.

Yu-gi-oh cards from the brothers

Indiana Jones stuff from Meema

Nice shirt from Mamaa

And his own pick from Mom & Dad- fishing pole & a filet knife

Hubba got cards, money & a book. The book was from his Mom.

Kahlua

I am blessed. I have awesome Mom & Dad in-laws. Truly, I mean that! I emailed my Mom in-law a couple months ago. Several years back she shared a homemade kahlua recipe with me & in between lots of moves it got lost. So.... I asked for it again. Here's the email she sent me. I did change *names of the family members* she mentions:

I can't believe I found it! It had addresses on the back of where * Jane, Joanne & Sam* lived 30 years ago.

Here you go!

Kahlua (I'm not sure if that is correct)

3 Cups Water

3 Cups Granulated Sugar

10 Teaspoons Instant Coffee

4 Teaspoons Vanilla

1 Quart Vodka (Cheapest you can get)

Bring water, sugar and coffee to boil. Simmer 1 hour. Cool to room temperature, add vanilla and vodka.

Easy as pie!

Enjoy

Love,

Mom

See? I told you she rocks!!

Thank you Hunt's brand!

I had heard that Hunt's ketchup had gone back to a HFCS-free ketchup. While in the store a couple days ago, I saw it with my very own eyes. I'm very excited about this. While I know that Hunt's ketchup is still not the perfect food (neither is the organic stuff that's processed), this is one of our "compromise foods."

If you enjoy a HFCS-free diet, or you like ketchup, please send Hunt's an email showing your appreciation!
I did:

"I wanted to thank you for going back to a HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) free product with your ketchup. I had been buying organic ketchup, as in my area, it was the only ketchup I could find with no HFCS. HFCS-free foods are extremely important to our family. Thank you so much for making this change. We will be able to purchase Hunt's ketchup & do so more affordably now that we don't *have to* buy organic."

My week long "internet sabbatical" in review

"A sabbatical is a period away from your normal routine - a time to immerse yourself in a different environment, a chance to see your life from a different perspective"

This past week I have taken time away from the internet to refocus & play a little game of catch up. I did get online each day to check emails, as that's how my jobs are doled out & how I head up the food co-op & homeschool group. I went into this week knowing that there was no way I could catch up 100%, but I wanted to begin.This is only part of the week. I have another post lined up with more pics & more stuff that we did. I also plan on catching up on more stuff over the weekend & & next week.

After the year I've had, I have gotten so far behind in...... well, everything. My home has taken a hit. Our homeschooling has taken a hit. The garden, the animals & "homestead" projects.... all have taken a hit. As a friend of mine said "it's been an armpit of a year."

So, I decided to shower my year, add some deodorant & pray for the best......Here is my week in review:

We spent Monday at the lake with some people we know. I think I found a true & good friend. They also helped BIG time when we had the sewage flood. I got burned horribly on my lower shins. We had fried chicken & chips & cake, and we fished. The kids got to go 4-wheelin'! It was a blast!



I got my bathroom back on Tuesday..... The sanitation crew came & took their last 3 fans & the dehumidifier



More importantly, I got my bedroom back!!! I love my bed!

I made another batch of mayo. This stuff is the bestest!

I used the delicious mayo to make a batch of coleslaw

I made a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce

We enjoyed that sauce with pasta, spinach salads & watermelon....

I started a batch of kraut in my new-to-me glazed crock. I got it for 2 bucks at a yard sale last weekend!

I made time to enjoy some hot tea. Mmmm.... Madagascar Vanilla Red.....

We played Uno

I did lots & lots of laundry. The good news is- I caught up from the sewage flood we had.

I fixed the gate to the chicken run

We enjoyed some DELICIOUS hard boiled eggs from the backyard. Oh.my.yum!

We watched the puppy play. We played with the puppy. We laughed at the puppy. We even had to get on to the naughty puppy some.

The joys of having a St. Bernard..... We vacuumed lots of fur..... lots.

I got sunburned twice. In the same place on my body..... YOUCH!

The bestest..... We had brotherly love.

We enjoyed many breakfasts & lunches together. Usually, I don't eat at the same time as the kids, so we tend to miss out eating together (except at dinner). This was one of the best parts of my week


I made kefir cheese

We had BBQ ribs in the crockpot


We did a lot of dishes..... A.lot.

I got to go to a "pre-yard sale" sale at a friend's house. We got some books & a rug, and a pair of shoes for Kee to grow into, and this (I have wanted one of these for ages!):


I made chocolate syrup


And I rescued my dairy kefir grains from the fridge


I rescued my sourdough starter from moldy neglect, only to find out..... it didn't work :-(


I made Amish Friendship Bread. Instead of mixing & baking, I allowed it to soak for 7 hours, just to see if it's work. I didn't get a pic because it went that quickly. Oops. Yeah, it worked!


I enforced some child labour


But we got the walkways dug & the garden beds raised. That aforementioned boy ROCKED!!!




I finished 2 of my recycled lilac limbs trellises


We planted bean plants & bean seeds, pepper seeds, squash plants & seeds, carrot seeds & I covered the corn plants again.

After going to the lake, the poor Uplander was in dire need of some TLC. We vacced & wiped & scrubbed the inside of that baby..... Sand, dirt, puppy fur be gone!

We tormented the poor little kitty. OK, no we didn't.


We fed the puppy a.lot. Another joy of having a Saint puppy.

I finally filled the pepper shakers. No more pinching it from the tub & then **OOPS** touching our noses. HAHA!!!


We tried a new recipe for pancakes..... RYE pancakes. Oh yummy!

I'm hoping to get back to blogging more. I'm aiming for at least once a week for now, so if I do that, expect longer picture-heavy posts. I hope you've enjoyed this one!