Back To Business

It's back to work for me around here today.  Good, hard work....the kind that leaves you coming up for a great big breath of fresh air as the July heat pours sweat down your back.  Am I back to 100%????  I suppose that's a rhetorical question as my 100% may be another's 10% it's hard to figure out just exactly what that may be.  So I'm done trying and just back to tending what needs done around here.  In the meantime, I THANK GOD I'm able to 'do' again.  And I will praise Him for the good times and the hard times of the last couple of months.  Thank the Lord He is enough, because I will never be on my own! 


In the meantime around here, I see some readjusting taking place.  Most of the harvest has come to an end.  There's been much learned and the garden served to be plentiful.  I'm on to nurture the tomato plants that are still making, keep some water on the melons, and the rest is over for the summer.  Time to research and plan for my next planting.  I do believe it will be sweet potatoes and cabbage, along with whatever other vegetables I find suitable to thrive and make at this time of the year. 


The chickens...oh the chickens.  I pulled another deceased foul from the chicken house today.  And of course, this happened AFTER my husband left for work, by only about 30 minutes.  Lesson learned....no more Sexlinks around here.  I'm curious to know if it's just a less hardy breed or just not meant to be raised in such a hot climate as ours.  Either way, every chicken we've lost has been of this breed only and the Rhode Island Red's continue to thrive.  I'm excited for them to start laying eggs!  It will be wonderful to have fresh eggs every day!  Just last week I scrambled eggs for the whole family for breakfast.....at the tune of a WHOLE DOZEN!  So yes, it will also be practical as well as enjoyable.


This round of planting, my very first garden, dies down to it's final fruits and I'm left turning the thoughts and lessons learned around in my heart.  That is a post for another day.  Today, I take care of what is mine to care for and I thank God that He's blessed us as He has.....even when I'm unsure of why things happen the way they do.  Thoughts of what is next on the agenda around here are exciting!  I see myself planning for the fall and some of the things I'm most excited to and ready to take on are.....


~Soap making
~Homemade cleaners
~Natural bath and body products
~A fall garden
~Baking our own bread
~A huge harvest of pears from my father in law to preserve
~Grandma's homemade Apple Butter to preserve
~A great big bunch of apples from Pennsylvania to make Apples for pie with Grandma's recipe


And of course and never the least.....loving and raising my children the way the Lord intends.  Like I've said before....not because I'm a great Mom.  But because without His grace, I would never even be good enough to take on such an awesome charge. 

 On another note, our vacation was absolutely amazing.  All of us, from baby Cass to Daddy had the time of our lives!  This was our first ever family vacation and we have memories to cherish forever!  Perhaps the greatest is just being together.  And knowing that we don't need the world's fancies to be complete.  Just each other and most of all, that perfect grace I mentioned before.  I thank God for my husband, these children, our families, and everyone in between.  So let me take a moment to share some pictures of our time in Branson!

Okra Wars & Mater Magic

It has been so dry here, so unusually hot for this early in the summer, and the worst so that most can remember.  When you combine that with the survival mode we had to lean towards with my surgery....I sadly have a garden I'm trying to revive to it's greater potential!  It's hung in there, my husband did a good job while he was here and I'm out there doing my best to give her a good drink of water every day.  A week ago, I was in tears, praying that it wasn't beyond hope because of the heat and lack of moisture.  Today, I'm excited to share that my squash is coming back to life, my corn may just make after all, even if it's late, and I'm about up to my eyeballs in tomatoes!  We've had an abundance of peppers, although the bell peppers seem pretty bad off from the heat.  The pole beans are pretty much goners, but we still have purple hull peas and butter beans looking like they're going to come on through after all!  And okra.....oh the okra.

Yes, I fight with veggies.  Okra and me, we've had a tough go of it this week!  Sure, it ate me up a little when I cut some tonight, but more so when I tried to blanch and cut it to cover in cornmeal for freezing.  I was taught to make sure they aren't hard when cut.  Still, I ended up with a big, slimy, celery tough like bunch of shredded okra and seeds.  So, did I pick too early, too late, or just go wrong on my efforts to blanch?  There's more on my counter tonight and more coming on the plants, which hopefully means I'm going to have opportunity to get on top of this here particular vegetable....or so hopes my husband!

And the tomatoes.....how I wish you could see the tomatoes.  Let me tell you that I was told I wouldn't be able to grow a single tomato on this land.  I don't listen well as I took that as a challenge, and something God had different plans for when He led us to plant this garden!  We have batches of tomatoes ripening each day, with so many more on the vines to come!  I have cherry tomato plants that are loaded, one with probably 200 little tomatoes!  

 My canner has stayed on my stove and my sister and I are working our way through the harvest, learning as we go!  I wish I could kidnap my Grandma Betty, along with all of her canning goodies and keep her here through the summer to soak up all of her knowledge and great company in the process!  But since Grandpa probably wouldn't let me get away with that, I'm going to have to keep reading, listening, watching, guessing, and seeing what works and what doesn't.  In the meantime, we are being blessed with such good, healthy food, in spite of the torching heat and dry, dry weather.  My kitchen counter has taken on the daily role of garden extension, as you can see!

 



Just some of the tomatoes out today, I have more outside to ripen.  Lots of peppers, and of course the okra that has me baffled.  You can see jars of Peach preserves, Jalapeno jelly, and seasoned tomato sauce, which Nessie and I made just today!  Yes, we only made 4 jars....accidentally, but I suppose that's how we learn!  And it did make the house smell wonderful!





Nessie stirring down the tomato sauce as it cooked down.  We took turns keeping watch....the ENTIRE two hours because we were too afraid to step away!



Cass can't wait til he's a big boy and can be in the dugout like his brother!  Aiden's doing great in T-Ball and I've been able to go and watch the last couple of games!




Me and my babies.  Just missing our Alaina here....she had a birthday yesterday and is now officially in the double digits!  Oh how they make my days go round, fill with joy laughter, and remind me just how awesome of a gift I've been given.  I wouldn't trade my husband, these children, my life, our home, or our values for anything in this world.  God has been so good to us!

 

We are to be good, faithful stewards of what's been given us.  That means taking good care of what's been entrusted to us, no matter what the size or condition of the circumstance may be.  It's been on my heart the last several months that in doing just this I will honor God, being sure to make the very most out of every opportunity and circumstance He sends my way.  Does this mean I'm perfect in doing so?  Surely not.  I've spent way more time complaining and being ungrateful after this surgery than I care to admit.  And then I go back to this thought.....I'm to make the most and do the best with what I've graciously been given. 

My garden....it has grass EVERYWHERE, I've lost my pole beans, and almost my squash.  But I didn't let it go.  I decided to nurture and care for what hope was still there and tonight I'm rewarded with a peek of what may still come from my plants.  I can't pull my weeds right now, but I can water and pick.  That's doing the best I can with the cards I've been dealt this last month.  And I believe God is honoring that, as I hope I am honoring Him in doing so.  My garden continues to grow, the harvest keeps on coming in!  So tonight I am grateful.  Tonight I strive to do my best and give the most with what I've been given.  Not complain about what I can't do or wish I had things or abilities that I don't.  No, I am to be content doing just what God has laid out for me right now.  That, I can continue to reach for!

ON ANOTHER NOTE~
DISCLAIMER....If you're a man, you can quit reading this post now!  Thanks!

I need hormone guidance!  Any and all advice, direction, and reference would be greatly appreciated.  I need knowledge, personal stories, and opinions if any of you have any to give.  Thank you kindly!

Sunday Thinking

Today, I'm admittedly not where I want to be.  Well, hypothetically that is.  I am exactly where I want to be, I'm just not capable of doing what I want to be doing.  But apparently, this IS what I'm supposed to be doing.  I can't change the fact that I'm stuck on the couch, I can however change how I look at today.  God doesn't make mistakes and I know He hasn't forgotten about me or left me out to dry with yesterday's laundry.  That leaves only one option....I must be exactly where I'm SUPPOSED to be today.  I do know, that regardless of my attitude and emotions (trust me, they've been all over the place) I AM exactly where God called me to be today!  And my choice is in how to take that, how to find His purpose in this, and above all how to make sure that my life today brings Him glory.

For today I am reminded......

And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Knowing that He WILL finish what He has started, I find comfort in knowing that somehow, this is all part of a great big plan....

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me; thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Psalm 138:8

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

In these days of not being able to do the work I'm accustomed to, or to be who I feel I need to be for those around me, I find myself feeling kind of helpless.  But you see, when I'm helpless and don't know what to do or how to make it happen, our good Lord has me covered!  That's a wonderful security I find in trying to live His will and not my own!

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:24-27

I've been so blessed to feel, hear, and see the hand of God in my life.  You see, I know what I'm supposed to be doing with my days, and this is just it.  My first and foremost ministry and calling in life is to be a wife and a mother.  And I thank you Lord for such a perfect place to be....this life and family are more than I could have ever asked for.  So amidst the frustration and sadness of not being able to do what I think I need to do, I know.  I know that it will be okay, that we will be okay.  Being a Christian was never supposed to make life easier or make me perfect.  Instead, it insures my future and gives me a hope when things seem hopeless!  For my imperfections are what make me in need of a savior to turn to each and every day!  In the meantime, I also know this....

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

From my heart to yours and so much bigger than any of my discontentment in recovering, is this....

Super baby!  All of a sudden, we have a big little boy!  My baby has turned into one of the big kids, or so he thinks!  Especially when it comes to rough housing with Daddy!

Have I ever mentioned that I have FIVE kids!  This little family tradition we have equates to a nightly fit of giggles for all involved or watching from the outside!

I still can't figure out whose the biggest kid of them all!!!!

And the garden continues to grow!  The kids' sunflowers are blooming!

There's nothing better than this!

Ta-Dah!!!!  Presenting today's harvest!  Tomorrow will be the day to start preserving!  I can do alot to help!  My slicing, dicing, and instruction giving skills are in no way connected to my stomach muscles! ;)

Pile of Kids!  Oh how I wish I could have captured all five smiles at once.  But I'll take what I can get here!

Here's to a wonderful week for us all!
Jennifer

Gains and losses on the homestead this last week

What busy days we have had this past week!  So much has taken place I'm not even sure where to begin.  We've added new additions to the life out here on our hill, and sadly we've lost a few little ones too!  We've had good times and some sad times.  Lots of peace, and moments of anxiousness.  But at the end of each day we've been able to thank the Lord for His provisions and protection.

It wasn't until several days after the tornado devastation of last week that I realized that God clearly spared my husband from being right in the middle of these storms.  An unbeliever would say Tommy got lucky, but we clearly see that God isn't done with my husband and this family!  Any other hitch, my husband drives the exact route of these storms home from work.  And this devastation took place on the exact day and time that he was supposed to be there, in the middle of the storms.  Fortunately, it was one of those deals where he had been scheduled to leave work early to attend a class in Houston.  Thank you God for looking out for my husband.  I'm not talking about a 'maybe' here, I'm telling you that any other hitch, the day and time were exact....there would have been no way for him to be ahead of or behind these tornados, he would most likely have been pulled over on the side of the road seeking shelter.  What little faith we have when facing life's daily trials.  No matter what has happened, my husband and family are alive and well and our home is still our home!

Now onto life here at the house......



How far I have come with our cows!  Me and this here handsome white bull have no problems at all, and I've recently been informed that I should be afraid of him.  After a little contemplation I've decided that's just silly, I'll continue to be aware of and respect him, but white bull and I are doin' fine!  This is a huge step from how I use to let the larger cows intimidate me.  And trust me, they KNOW!  I'm living, walking, talking proof that a cow CAN and WILL bully an unknowing Northern girl if given the chance and the right personality of cow!





FREE AT LAST!  FREE AT LAST!  So the piggies were set free this week!  A few weeks of good feedin' and some pretty tame pigs and it's time for them to head back into the woods!  Maybe they'll just fatten up enough to end up on the dinner table!  I regret to tell you that I didn't capture a picture of the greatest moment of all.....all the pigs running across the pasture, Freckles a few yards behind them.....and then my husband, just trying his hardest to get ahold of that dog!  It was very entertaining!

 


Louie Louie!  We're loving this new little guy!  He is so smart, just like a grown up dog trapped in a little doggie body!  The kids love him, Gracie will stay outside all day walking him around, or just watching him for the longest time!  Beautiful dog with a great personality!  We're excited to see just how this little guy will turn out when he's grown up!  Until then, I will admit that I'm having to restrain myself from spoiling little Louie rotten!  He was named by Aiden!


Okay, now how's this for cheap entertainment?  Our kids are so grateful and appreciative of everything!  We took a short little trip this last weekend and their favorite part was easily the motel room!  Can you tell?  They're so fun!  So here's the 'before' shot.....and then 'after' all of the excitement of the short hotel stay!

And sadly, I feel I must share one of the sad moments of the week along with the good ones.  We returned from our overnight trip to a very horrible occurrence.  We had just decided to set the ducks out free by the pond when we got back home and sadly, we can't do that now.  It was sad, scary, aggravating, and all around horrible to come home to a snake in with our chicks and ducks.  By the time of the discovery, we already had one less duck and the snake was in the middle of one of our little sexlink biddies.  I'm thankful this wasn't worse than what it was, but it still shook us up a good bit.  We've worked with and nurtured these little fellas way too long to lose one to a hungry predator.  Anyhow, if you look closely you can see the snake on the right of the first picture and towards the front of the second.

So as not to end on such a sad note, I'll leave you with the latest glimpses of my very loved garden!  I'm learning that when everything gets hectic or my mind gets to full of the world or events going on....I can always find hope and stillness out here!  So this is a good final place for me to share tonight!



Look at the runners on these guys!  They're very much in need of poles to climb!  The rain got in the way of that today, but hopefully by tomorrow evening I'll be able to have them on poles!  It's neat to me how they're reaching out and wrapping around each other!




And we have 'maters!!!!!  I'm SO excited!  I can't believe how they just appear overnight!  I find myself out there several times a day just to inspect!




More of my little accomplishments!

On another note, I've enjoyed some great new things from a good friend!  I've now been using a homemade dishwasher detergent for a few weeks and am really happy with the results.  I do need to adjust my ingredients to better fit our water quality (or lack thereof), but for a cost of .014 cents a load, I'm definitely NOT complaining.  And the recipe she found explains how to go about that until I get it customized to our water supply!

Another great thing I was given was my very first homemade deodorant!  And yes, I know how unsure this may sound to many of us!  But let me be the first to tell you I am SO impressed with just how great this seems to be working!  After a few days of use (and yes, I was too chicken to try it out in public the first time) I'm finding that it really works great!  I feel so much better knowing also that I'm not covering my body with an antiperspirant.  Our bodies were meant to sweat so it really does make sense that stopping them from doing so on a daily basis would set us up for problems!

Next on the agenda is homemade laundry detergent!  I'm excited for that, and excited to make my own dishwasher detergent and deodorant after I've enjoyed and used up what I have!  If you're interested in any of this,  I believe my friend found the recipes for all on two great blogs we enjoy following.  They are Homestead Revival and Country Blossom.  And no, I'm not going to go find the exact link because I hope to see you enjoy reading and browsing these blogs as much as we have! 

Lord, how I thank you for this family, this land, the opportunities you have given us, and the beauty I see around me every day!  Please forgive me for my worries, you have been so patient and faithful to remind me that you have our lives completely and fully under control!  You are such an awesome God, a faithful God, a loving God, and MY GOD!  We love You and will follow You and ONLY You the rest of our days!



Click here to join in on the fun or just to discover some great new things!

Oh how my garden and children grow!

So much has happened in this last week!  Easter was great, we attended our first Passover Sedar and I encourage any of you who have never done so to look into this!  It's an amazing demonstration of how the old tradition points straight to Jesus Christ as the awaited Messiah of the Jews!  I hope to see it become a yearly tradition for our family!

And oh, how my crops and children are growing!  And yes, animals too!  It looks like we may have puppies any day now, so that will be excitement for all of us!  Thankfully the only damage we sustained in the storms this week were a couple of beat up plants and no lights for almost 24 hours.

My right hand garden hands and I would like to share our progress around here!  It's SO amazing to me how things are growing!  Something that seems so simple is bringing me so much joy!  There seems to be a lesson in everything our garden does, it's almost like God has used this show us how life should be!  I'm finding a peace in this work, a stronger bond with my family, and gratitude to our Lord for the accomplishment He's filling our hearts with as our garden grows!



Pole beans and squash!  Aren't they beautiful!  Can you see how proud my baby girl is of the work we're putting in?  She loves her garden and I'll be the first to tell you that this tiny little girl works right beside me!




Our first runners on our pole beans!!!  Good thing Daddy's home from work, I couldn't reach high enough to stake these guys even if I tried!  I look forward to harvesting, preparing, and canning these together with the kids!  I think they'll get such a kick out of this!



One of my favorite plants!  This is a type of Chocolate Pablano Pepper...I'm still not quite sure what to expect!  But it sure is growing good!

Another of the pepper plants!  And let me tell you about this little piece of equipment you see in the background!  You can tell my kids are country....they call this their tiller and take it up and down the rows tilling the ground for me!  And Tommy just had to point out that they broke the wheels off of their tiller, just like their Mama did to one of ours earlier this spring!



Our bigger tomato plants!  Aren't they beautiful?  I followed the advice to break the bottom 'splits' off of the plant's main stalk.  Not sure that was best, as I seem to be learning that it's only the 'suckers' that need to go!  I just have to remember that after each trial and error....we will find our greatest success!  And in the meantime, I'm trust God to fill in the gaps where my efforts fall short!




Look at that baby boy!  I definitely have the greatest, and best looking, garden crew around!  And yes, that includes our own little Freckles back there rolling around!  Where we go, that sweet dog follows!

 I Can't leave my oldest boy out of the posts today!  He's at school during most of my picture taking, so I want to take a minute to focus on our Aiden!  We are so ready to have him home for the entire summer!  This last week of Easter break made it SO hard to resume the final bit of the school year Tuesday!  I can't believe my first born is already so big, so smart, and just so amazing all around!  We're very proud of this little man! 


Let me tell you the story behind this tooth!  Aiden has pulled all three of these teeth himself!  He thinks he's pretty tough, I think he just wants the money to go to the dollar store!  When it was time to put his most recently lost tooth under his pillow Friday night, it was nowhere to be found!  We even dug through the trash looking for the ziploc bag that held it!  Aiden was quick to inform me that, "you're trashy Mom".  He's so funny!  Anyhow, we decided to leave the tooth fairy a letter in another bag!  He wrote and told her that he couldn't find his tooth and to leave him some money!  He did add a nice heart to the bag that read, 'Love Aiden'!  Well, it worked, and the next morning he had money....and no letter.  I suppose the tooth fairy took the letter for a keepsake!  But, it wasn't long that next morning until the mystery was solved!  We hear this mischievous little laugh as Gracie giggles and tells us....."haha, I hided Aiden's tooth from the tooth fairy so her not find it!".   And we still don't know where the missing tooth has been hidden!




My little soccer star!  This kid loves soccer, and he's great at it!  Saturday will be his last game for the season and I'm not sure how many goals he's scored this first year, but it's been several!  He loves the game, enjoys the team, and has a great time playing!  We're sad to see the season come to an end, but as soccer fades away for the year, TBall begins!

One of the sweetest sites of the week.....Anybody want a kiss?  Freckles runs straight to this spot every day and kisses a pig!  YES, actually kisses their snouts!  How sweet is that?



On another note, I want to share this picture of the kids and their Papaw Coleman and Grandma Vickie!  A great picture of a great time over Christmas!  Weren't we just talking about how fast they grow?



I have been so blessed with these kids!  I'm 30 years old and couldn't ask for a better family!  People always talk about how sad it is to watch your children grow up.  And I guess I'm just not there yet!  I know one day I'll look back at these happy times with tears of reminiscence.   But as for now, I'm just enjoying our time as what it is.  Each day is so full of the laughter, sweetness, temper tantrums, joys, challenges, and love we have.  We're just too busy 'being' everyday to be sad that yesterday has passed!  I love my kids and I cherish who they are today!  And most of all, I thank God for entrusting them to me.  I'm so unworthy of being their Mom and yet that's who I am!  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I'd love comments from family and new friends who are just joining us on our blog!  As for how to go about all of that.....you'll have to ask someone else.....I'm still new to all of this blog stuff! ;)

God Bless,

Jennifer, Tommy, and Kids

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

Psalm 91:2,11,16