I have always wanted to live a simpler life. I look at the Amish lifestyle and wonder what it would be like to be that simple. Its hard work no doubt, but it must be rewarding at the same time. I honestly don't think I could ever go quite that simple as that would mean giving up the computer, movies, electricity in general and I'm just not that brave.
There are a few things I do to make it feel more simple around here, and to save money. I'd LOVE to make more homemade bread, but it usually goes to waste as Darren and I are the only ones who would eat it. I need to find a good recipe for easy, small loaves of bread. Darren did buy me a bread stone for Christmas. I suppose that is a hint.
One of the other things I'd love to do is cook healthier from scratch. I can do it and have done it in the past, but the boys are such picky eaters. I have begun to take on a more intense "You eat what I serve or go hungry!" attitude when it comes to meal time. I am slowly phasing out processed foods - slowly is the key word. I may accomplish it when Blase graduates from high school!!!
One thing I do and enjoy doing is sewing my own skirts. I haven't learned or attempted sewing my own shirts, but if ever I find a good pattern I'll give it a try. I do have a wonderful apron pattern I have gotten as far as cutting out the material. That is my next project.
The other thing I enjoy doing is making my own laundry detergent. I can't even remember where I got this recipe, but it was a GREAT website!! I have found that it cleans our clothes very well and is easy to make.
Laundry Detergent Powder
1 bar grated Fels Naptha
1 cup baking soda
1 cup Borax
Mix together, store in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon per load, adding to water before clothes.
Do you make your own laundry detergent?? I'd like to know and have your recipe. Send me ideas for living simpler, recipes and of course your favorite "go to" websites. THANKS!!!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Stranger yet
Just when you think I couldn't get any stranger...
I thought I would post something odd about myself. I have lots of strange habits like most people do. I think one of my strangest is that I cannot resist the urge to clean my ears if I see a Q-tip. I will literally clean my ears three or four times a day if I see a Q-tip that many times. In our last house I had to put the Q-tips in the closet so that I won't see them every time I brushed my teeth or washed my hands. Yes I know...strange. What's maybe stranger is that I admit it and have posted it for everyone to see. :-)
I thought I would post something odd about myself. I have lots of strange habits like most people do. I think one of my strangest is that I cannot resist the urge to clean my ears if I see a Q-tip. I will literally clean my ears three or four times a day if I see a Q-tip that many times. In our last house I had to put the Q-tips in the closet so that I won't see them every time I brushed my teeth or washed my hands. Yes I know...strange. What's maybe stranger is that I admit it and have posted it for everyone to see. :-)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Winter in South Dakota
Here are some pictures from Christmas weekend. We had a terrible storm blow snow and cold everywhere. There were 20 of us snowed in at Mom and Dad's. The electricity went out as we were getting ready to go to Midnight Mass. It was great because we each took turns using flashlights to get dressed. Not your typical Christmas Eve. Dad did try to start the generator, but ended up blowing up one TV, one DVD player, one sound system (which they fixed later), the power supply to the Wii, one microwave and the surge protector for the big screen TV. EXCITING!!! The electricity did come on after a bit and all was ok. I think it was a blessing actually because we couldn't use the excuse of watching movies...we had to actually play games and come up with things to do as a family. Good memories!!!
Take note - the ice was formed pointed out instead of down. That was a crazy wind we had!
Mom's clothesline, I think its pretty with the ice covered clothes pins.
The back yard - a winter wonderland of our own.
A close up shot of one of the trees.
This is the drift on the east side of the house. Notice the cat on the side??
The front of the house, facing south, with the deck snowed in to the first landing.
This is the neighbor's barn across the road (south of the house). Its hard to see, but the barn was covered from ground to roof. Notice the road is clear though. The plow came through on Sunday and it took a bit for him to clear out the road just south of the barn. Its always bad there, so we weren't surprised.
Take note - the ice was formed pointed out instead of down. That was a crazy wind we had!
Mom's clothesline, I think its pretty with the ice covered clothes pins.
The back yard - a winter wonderland of our own.
A close up shot of one of the trees.
This is the drift on the east side of the house. Notice the cat on the side??
The front of the house, facing south, with the deck snowed in to the first landing.
This is the neighbor's barn across the road (south of the house). Its hard to see, but the barn was covered from ground to roof. Notice the road is clear though. The plow came through on Sunday and it took a bit for him to clear out the road just south of the barn. Its always bad there, so we weren't surprised.Saturday, January 9, 2010
Finally done
As of this week I am done with the blood tests for the tubal pregnancy. It took 2 months and blood tests every other week to finally get to 1 (should have been zero) on my HCG hormone level. I am glad to know there is no danger of the piece of the placenta turning into a tumor - ITS GONE!! I am so blessed! God has taken care of me yet again.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
November anniversary
We celebrated our ninth wedding annivesary on November 25 in South Dakota. Darren surprised me with these wonderful flowers and then took me out for supper. It was so wonderful to be with him without any little helpers. The meal was quiet and peaceful for a change.
A couple of weeks beforehand I had taken my wedding dress out thinking my sister Mauri wanted to try it on for a possible wedding dress for herself. (She ended up buying a LOVELY dress online.) I had to try my dress on and see if it fit...and it did. Here is a terrible picture of it.
And here I am with my 5 boys - to prove that I could fit into it after 9 years and 5 boys.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
I am so lucky
Last night on the way out the door to violin lessons I mentioned to Darren I was hungry for pasta, chicken and wine. When I came home there was a delicious Italian worthy pasta and chicken dinner complete with Italian wine Darren had bought on his last trip there. IT WAS YUMMY! Darren had already fed the boys, so it was just him and I eating. The boys roamed around the table until they quickly vacated after a sip of wine. I heard quite a bit of gagging and there were a few cups of water consumed after that. :-) Nice to know none of the boys are fond of wine quite yet.
After supper Darren served some cookies from Italy with an Italian dessert wine, Limoncello. The cookies were AWESOME, but the wine was better by itself instead of dipping the cookies in it like you are suppose to. Then to wrap up the night, Darren bought out yet another bottle. We then had a half glass of Passito (another wine).
It was heaven! I have to admit I'm not much of a wine fan and I can't say I loved the wine, but it was good. I felt wonderful afterwards...so calm and relaxed. And NO I was not drunk (at least not too bad).
After supper Darren served some cookies from Italy with an Italian dessert wine, Limoncello. The cookies were AWESOME, but the wine was better by itself instead of dipping the cookies in it like you are suppose to. Then to wrap up the night, Darren bought out yet another bottle. We then had a half glass of Passito (another wine).
It was heaven! I have to admit I'm not much of a wine fan and I can't say I loved the wine, but it was good. I felt wonderful afterwards...so calm and relaxed. And NO I was not drunk (at least not too bad).
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Slowin' down after vacation
I know I have posted about gearing up for vacations in the past. Right now we are winding down, coming off the high of our last vacation. We had a great time in South Dakota (honestly, do we ever go anywhere else??) yet again.
The boys played at the Mark Park a couple days when the weather was nice. My family has added new things to the park, so it was like we were seeing it for the first time again. Its truly amazing. Today would have been Mark's 18th birthday, so the boys and I will put $18 in the Mark Park fund in memory of his birthday. Its hard to imagine he would have been 18 - a man who could go to war for us, buy tobacco and other "firsts". I know he is looking down at the park and sending his love to us for remembering him. Some days...well, some days it still doesn't seem like he is gone. I find myself expecting to see him back home. I guess that is one of the bad things about living so far from home. I haven't really gotten used to him not being there yet. I am sorry to say I didn't even make it to visit his grave this trip. Maybe that is a good thing because I just let life happen for a change and didn't try to center it on Mark being gone. Oh well...I've shed my two tears for the day and now can move on. Please remember Mark in your prayers.
Back to vacation...Darren had a birthday - he is 34 now. We had an anniversary - 9 years and counting. Darren took me out for supper and up to Deadwood for some gambling. I won on the penny machine and 2 cent machine. After subtracting our loses and the original money we put in...I still came home with a nice amount. I would have come out further ahead, but Darren wasn't winning when I was. That's the way it goes I suppose.
Our Thanksgiving was quiet. We spent it with my parents. The next day our family had a photo shoot at the house so we cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the main living area. Mom was interviewed by a magazine about feeding our large family. So they sent a photographer in to do pictures for the article. It was fun and frustrating at the same time. There were...ummm 25 of us?? Not even sure, I'd have to count...terrible isn't it?? Anyway, getting that many of us to smile or even look at the camera was a major deal. As soon as I download pictures off the camera I will post a few on here.
We had the Gebes family Thanksgiving on the Saturday after. It was a quick stay as we were on the road by 3 that afternoon, heading home. We were even in time to stop off at Cabela's. Darren drove until 2 AM when we stopped at a hotel room. It was a LONG day!!
We are now home, the house is back in order, clothes put away and most everything unpacked. School has had a slow start, but we will get there. I must admit I enjoyed the South Dakota 60 degree days verses our 30 degree days here.
The boys played at the Mark Park a couple days when the weather was nice. My family has added new things to the park, so it was like we were seeing it for the first time again. Its truly amazing. Today would have been Mark's 18th birthday, so the boys and I will put $18 in the Mark Park fund in memory of his birthday. Its hard to imagine he would have been 18 - a man who could go to war for us, buy tobacco and other "firsts". I know he is looking down at the park and sending his love to us for remembering him. Some days...well, some days it still doesn't seem like he is gone. I find myself expecting to see him back home. I guess that is one of the bad things about living so far from home. I haven't really gotten used to him not being there yet. I am sorry to say I didn't even make it to visit his grave this trip. Maybe that is a good thing because I just let life happen for a change and didn't try to center it on Mark being gone. Oh well...I've shed my two tears for the day and now can move on. Please remember Mark in your prayers.
Back to vacation...Darren had a birthday - he is 34 now. We had an anniversary - 9 years and counting. Darren took me out for supper and up to Deadwood for some gambling. I won on the penny machine and 2 cent machine. After subtracting our loses and the original money we put in...I still came home with a nice amount. I would have come out further ahead, but Darren wasn't winning when I was. That's the way it goes I suppose.
Our Thanksgiving was quiet. We spent it with my parents. The next day our family had a photo shoot at the house so we cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the main living area. Mom was interviewed by a magazine about feeding our large family. So they sent a photographer in to do pictures for the article. It was fun and frustrating at the same time. There were...ummm 25 of us?? Not even sure, I'd have to count...terrible isn't it?? Anyway, getting that many of us to smile or even look at the camera was a major deal. As soon as I download pictures off the camera I will post a few on here.
We had the Gebes family Thanksgiving on the Saturday after. It was a quick stay as we were on the road by 3 that afternoon, heading home. We were even in time to stop off at Cabela's. Darren drove until 2 AM when we stopped at a hotel room. It was a LONG day!!
We are now home, the house is back in order, clothes put away and most everything unpacked. School has had a slow start, but we will get there. I must admit I enjoyed the South Dakota 60 degree days verses our 30 degree days here.
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