Beautiful Bountiful Blueberries

This morning we are off on our annual blueberry picking adventure.  We've been gathering with friends at a local blueberry farm for the past few years.    We have to go early before it gets too hot.  It's been in the upper 90s here for the last couple of weeks, so when I say hot, I mean HOT and humid as well.

I try to get the children to gather about 5 gallons of blueberries and we typically freeze them for year 'round use.  Muffins, cobblers, jams and blueberry biscuits are some favorite berry delights here.  This year I am also going to dehydrate some blueberries.  I find them delicious in my homemade granola!  I also want to can some blueberry pie filling to make one of my favorite pies as well.

I expect to get about 2 gallons from our bushes here at home, so we should be pretty well stocked with what we gather today.  I thought I would share a quick and easy recipe for cobbler that can be made with any fruit, but is especially good with blueberries.

Fruit Cobbler

Place two cups of fresh or frozen fruit into a pot.  Cover partially with water and add 1/2 cup of sugar.  Place on stovetop and cook on medium heat until sugar is melted and fruit is softened.

Melt one stick or 8 oz. of butter in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Set the dish aside.  In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2  cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups of milk.  Mix thoroughly and pour into casserole dish.  Spoon fruit and syrup over the batter in the casserole dish distributing as evenly as possible.  Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.  Cool slightly and serve plain or with vanilla ice cream.  

This is so very yummy and so easy.  We usually make at least one cobbler every other week or so around here!  Let me know if you try this recipe.  You can be sure I'll be making one tonight!!

grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com

Quit Spending

That really would be an easy way to start saving some money, wouldn't it?  However, in today's world it is almost impossible not to spend money.   There are many ways that we can spend less, though, and our family has been brainstorming ways that we can save a few bucks here and there.  I thought I would share a few of those ideas with you today.

-Stay at home!  

Sounds simple, doesn't it?  But no matter how much I desire to have every one at home all the time, it just isn't possible.  Jeff must travel to work each day and, as we are a two car family with four drivers, at least three days a week he must come home for lunch to pick up Jordan.  Jordan works with his dad so they at least are together while away from home!!  ; )  That means, though, that Jeff is able to eat at home on those days, so it does offset his eating away from home expenses.  For years I packed his lunch daily, but he really likes to get out of the office and see some blue sky and greenery instead of the four walls of his office.  He usually comes home even on days that Jordan doesn't work so he can visit with us, but every week usually brings a business contact that he has lunch with or he meets with one or two men and lunches with them.

I try to combine my shopping and errand trips all in one day.  We live out from town, so a trip in usually takes 15-30 minutes depending on where we are going.  During the school year our "town day" is on Tuesday which is when we have piano lessons, so we also do our library stop, health food store, Sam's and grocery store run all on the same day.  This means I must be prepared with lists of needed items, but it is a great help to get it all done in one day.  During the summer we don't have piano lessons and we drop the library stops.  (we have MANY books at home) I am then able to make a shopping trip every 2-3 weeks instead.

Devin combines all of her violin students into one day.  It makes a long day, but she is also able to run any errands she needs to take care of on that one day.  She also has one day a week that she tutors another homeschool family's children.

Shopping online is another way to stay at home.  Most of our curriculum and book purchases are done online as is most of our Christmas and birthday shopping.  I generally try to get book purchases and gift shopping done when I find great clearance sales on products we love.

Instead of going to the movies we subscribe to Netflix.  For just $10 a month we get great movies sent to our mailbox!  I can't imagine how much it would cost for us (8 at home) to see a movie!!

Create restaurant style meals at home.  Jeff and I love to have an evening out at a restaurant every other month or so, but for the last few years we have generally been disappointed as I have learned to cook so many of our favorite restaurant style meals at home.  Pasta meals are really very easy to replicate and we love our homemade pizzas.  We regularly have some fantastic Mexican meals with enchiladas, fajitas, chimichangas, rice, beans and all the trimmings.  Chinese food can also be made cheaply and well at home.  We still go out occasionally, but it is becoming a rare occurrence.

-Buy in bulk! 


We have been buying in bulk for years, but have recently upped our food storage so that we can make fewer trips to town.  If I have a large stock to choose from I don't have to make purchases as frequently which saves gas and/or shipping and gives me more options for meals.  What do I buy in bulk?

                    canned goods
                    grains
                    flours
                    sugar
                    honey
                   beans
                   oils
                   produce
                    toiletry products
                   and so much more!

-Homemade


Learn to cook from scratch instead of buying mixes, canned soups or bread products.  It is cheaper and healthier for you.  Make large batches of soups and sauces and either freeze or can them.  Make a double batch of muffins, pancakes, biscuits or waffles for two meals instead of just one.  Homemade cookies, cakes, pies and ice cream are so much better than the store bought versions!

Make homemade cleaning solutions and laundry detergent.

Learn to sew simple projects and make repairs to clothing.

Make homemade popsicles with reusable popsicle trays or paper cups and unsweetened juices.

Learn how to can, freeze and dehydrate foods for food storage.

-Start a garden


There is definitely some money involved in getting started, but there are so many ways to garden frugally.  Jeff and the boys go to a friend's house every year and bring back a large load of manure from his barn to add to our compost bin.  Our raised beds were built from either scrap lumber or from landscape blocks that we purchased on clearance many years ago.  We save scraps, rake up leaves and grass clippings to add to our compost.

We have been eating lettuce from our garden now for about 2 months.  I paid about $4 for heirloom lettuce seeds.  That is the price that I would have paid for one box of spinach from Sam's which would have lasted one week.  We will be eating tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, squash and much more from our garden this summer.  It has taken a good bit of work, but we count that as character training!!  For us and the children!

-Take care of what you have!


Maintain your car properly.  Make sure you change the oil when it is due, use the correct gas, go the speed limit and all those other things that will prolong the life of your vehicle.

Promptly take care of home maintenance projects.  That leaky faucet is not going to suddenly stop leaking and will cause more damage if left alone.  Been there, done that!!

Take care of your clothing.  Treat stains promptly and sort your clothes according to color.  Use the correct temperature.  We have outside clothes and shoes  and town clothes and shoes for the younger children.  Have work clothes and boots for those who work outside and aprons for those who spend lots of time doing kitchen work.

Have a method for storing toys, games, puzzles and curriculum.  My youngest children have some of the same toys, games, puzzles, curriculum and manipulatives that my older girls had 25 years ago!  My grandchildren come over and put together the same puzzles that their mommy had!

Save clothes for the next child.  My children have always worn hand me down and even though Jordan and Caedmon are 16 years apart, Caedmon does have some clothes that have been handed down through all four boys!

-Decrease use of electricity, propane or natural gas!


Hang clothes on the clothesline.  If you don't have a clothesline you can purchase a drying rack cheaply and hang some articles of clothing to dry on hangars hung in doorways or on shower curtains.

Fill the sink with dishwater rather than letting the water run while you wash dishes.

Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth.

We do not have central air conditioning and have 5 window units.  During the night we only run the units in the bedroom.  During the day we run the two ACs in the living areas and in the boys' room.  We use a fan to move the air from the boys room into the living areas as well.

Keep lights turned off.

 Cook outdoors on the grill or set up a table on the porch or deck to cook outside in your crock pot.  This will help keep the house cooler.

Cook more than one meal at a time.   Eat one/freeze one!

-Don't pay full price for anything if possible!


Search out clearance racks.  Almost all of our clothing comes from clearance racks.  I never buy clothing unless it is on sale (usually at least half off), clearance or buy one get one half off.

My strawberry plants were purchased on clearance last year as were many of my perennial herbs.  I also have three knock out rose bushes purchased on clearance and some salvia as well.   A very little amount of TLC and they are doing great!

Most of my meat purchases are from the reduced section in my grocers meat market.  I also buy lots of my produce this way as well.

-Homeschooling!


Yes, I really think homeschooling our children has saved us lots of money through the years.  Yes, we spend money for books and other materials, but in the long run I know we have saved.  Here are some tips to save money while homeschooling.

          Use unit studies....teach them all the same topic at the same, but at different levels.
          Use curriculum that can be adapted to a wide age span.....i.e. The Natural Speller and more.
          Use curriculum that can be passed down.  My six year old is using the same math program that three of his older siblings used.
          Use curriculum that can be reproduced.




So what are some ways that you use to save money in these days of the disappearing dollar?  Have you tried to cut back your spending?  I would love to hear some ideas from you!

Use It Up!

Don't forget about my giveaway here!!  Victoria Botkin's Curriculum Advice may be just what you need!


Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!  That's a wise old adage that many of our grandparents or great-grandparents learned as children.  However, through the years as convenience foods became more available,  homemaking skills decreased, and moms joined the work force it seems that many of us today have no idea how to live or even want to live by this adage.

It is so easy to hop in the car for a fast food dinner, ask hubby to stop by Walmart on his way home from work for that single ingredient we left off our shopping list earlier in the week, or make a quick run to pick up a few necessary items for a project that if we had planned more carefully, could have been picked up when we were out for other reasons.

With gas prices inching up even as I type and the cost of groceries and other products going up right with the gasoline, it is even more important for my family to make wise decisions concerning where our money goes.  I thought I would share some of our ideas on saving money and energy today.

USE IT UP!   I am working hard to be more creative in using up our leftovers.  Through the years I have saved bits of meat and vegetables to make homemade soups, but now I am saving even more and freezing them.  When the container is full I then make a big pot of soup.  I did this last week and made so much that I was able to share a large amount with a family who just celebrated the birth of their newest member and froze some for my married daughter to take home with her.  We also had 2 meals off of this soup made with ingredients that many folks would have thrown out!

I have shared before about how I cook chickens:  I bake two whole chickens at a time and freeze one for another day.  That saves much time and energy, but after we have cut the meat from the chicken I then use the carcass to make a rich flavorful broth.  I put the carcass in a big pot and cover it with filtered water.  Add a splash or two of organic apple cider vinegar, garlic cloves, a couple of carrots, a quartered onion and some salt and pepper and I can create some fabulous recipes using this broth as a base.  I also use chicken breasts in the same way after we cut the meat from the bone for chicken strips or whatever we are cooking.  I used to freeze this broth, but am now canning it which makes it even easier and quicker to use.

One roast can become several meals as I divide it in half after cooking.  I serve one portion and freeze the other with the juices for another meal.  This week we had a smaller roast and we used the leftovers to make wonderful hot open-faced roast beef sandwiches.

WEAR IT OUT!  Hand-me-down clothing has always been a budget saver for my large family.  Most of my younger boys wardrobes consist of hand-me-downs---even those from their oldest brother who is 12+ years older!  I have purchased a handful of clearance rack items each year to give them a few fresh pieces to have as well.

Jackson has grown so much recently that he was ready for a larger bike.  Did we go out and buy one?  No, just headed out to the barn where there was a bike in just the size he needed.    Jackson's outgrown bike will be just right for Caedmon in the next year or two.  We'll just need to add a new tire and put the training wheels back on.

Toys and school items?  Yes, my little man and the grandchildren play with toys and puzzles that my oldest daughter played with over 25 years ago!  And they are not worn out yet!  I also have many manipulatives and handmade educational games that I made for my oldest daughter 23 years ago.  In fact, we even have some shaped crayons in our crayon bucket that she received as gifts when she was two years old!  She is now 27!  We also try to use as much of our curriculum as possible with all the children.  There are workbooks that we have that are reproducible that I have been using for over 20 years.

MAKE DO!  Learn how to substitute ingredients in the kitchen.  If you don't have one particular ingredient for a meal use another one that will work just as well or be creative and come up with your own recipe.

We have been making the raised beds for our garden from wood recycled from a deck that the boys dismantled two years ago.  When only small pieces were left, Jordan began making planters.  We used logs from our woods to make another needed bed or two as well.

If I have curriculum that is not fitting the learning style of one particular child, I find ways to tweak it to fit by adding in simple hands-on activities, changing the location of our lessons, or finding free materials from the internet.

Instead of buying mixes and instant foods, make your own!!  Grow and preserve as much of our own food as you can.

DO WITHOUT!    I think this will probably be the hardest thing to do!  We are taught that we deserve anything we want and only the best.  But really, we need to practice self-discipline and realize that there are many things that we can simply do without!  Do we really need a new pair of shoes or a new outfit for Easter this year?  Won't the same outfit we wore last year do and will anyone really notice or even care?   Is that junk food or soda really necessary?  Can we drink water for more of our meals instead of tea?  Can we stay at home and play a game instead of using gas to head to the park?   There are so many things that we can simply do without that will not really be sacrificing all that much and will probably be much better for us.  We are trying to do without running the air conditioner more often.  We are hanging out the laundry....hanging our clothing out on the clothesline does take more time, but it gets me outside and saves much money as we aren't using the dryer as much.  Turning out lights when they are not really needed.  Keeping electronics turned off and unplugged when not in use can also save money.

Stay at home more often when it is not necessary to travel.  Create a day or afternoon for all of your shopping, music lessons, and library trips.  It may make your day a little longer, but you will save money and time in the long run.

There are so many ways that we can use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.  What are some changes that your family is making as we face these more challenging economic times?  Maybe this is the way your family has chosen to live regardless of the world's economic situation.  I would love to get some new money saving ideas from you!

Linked over at Titus 2sday

Linking up at Raising Homemakers 

What Are You Doing With All That Milk?

Yes, just what AM I doing with all that milk?   Aside from using it to cook with and the occasional glass to drink, I am :

-making delicious cultured buttermilk and butter.  I put about a quart of cultured cream (meaning it has set out at room temperature for about 24 hours and then refrigerated for a short time) into my Bosch bowl with the wire whips.  I set the dial to one and let it run for about 10-15 minutes.  When I take off the lid I see lots of clumped butter.  I simply strain off the buttermilk and then press the butter to get all the milk out of it as well.  I put some cold water in the bowl and continue pressing the butter to release all the milk.  I pour off the water and continue the process until the water is almost clear.  Then I put the butter into a container and add it to my freezer.

-making yogurt.  This has not been going very well with the fresh milk.  I had been making yogurt in my crock pot with store bought milk and was successful with that, but it doesn't seem to work as well with fresh milk.  I have also heated the milk on the stove, mixed with yogurt and put into quart jars and incubated them in the dehydrator.  It took a very long time for the yogurt to thicken this way which made my yogurt VERY tart.  I hope to try the cooler method this week.  We'll see how that turns out!

- I decided to make the four quarts of yogurt into yogurt cheese that could be sweetened to counter the tartness.  Yummy!!   This has a cream cheese like consistency and we have used it to top oven pancakes and this weekend I made my traditional blueberry/cream cheese pies using the yogurt cheese and making homemade pie filling instead of buying a can from the store.  Oh, my!  This pie is wonderful!

-made ricotta cheese....kinda/sorta.  Following the directions in Nourishing Traditions for cream cheese,  I set out two gallons of milk to clabber.  After two days the whey was one the bottom of the jars and the milk was a jiggly mass of curds.  I poured this through a strainer lined with an old pillow case and as I had a lot, I finally poured it all into another old pillow case and suspended it for several hours over a large pot to continue removing the whey.  When I dumped it all out I wasn't sure what I had created!  It didn't look at all like cream cheese, but more like very large curd cottage cheese.  I decided to put it in my Bosch and mixed it up with a little (very little buttermilk) and added some salt.  We finally decided I had made cottage cheese, but mixing it up made it look and taste like ricotta.  I used it to make two pans of lasagna for the freezer and today I will use the remainder to make two pans of enchiladas that call for cottage cheese in the recipe.

-What am I doing with the whey?  Dumping it.  I know, such a waste, but I have so much milk that I am using it to soak my grains for baked goods and I don't know that I will use any for lacto fermenting vegetables as Caedmon is allergic to dairy and I don't want to add any to our vegetables.  I may try lacto fermenting some salsa this summer as Caedmon is also allergic to tomatoes.  Freezing the whey right now is not an option as my freezers are "whey" too full!

-I made a pint of French Sour Cream from Nourishing Traditions this weekend.  I haven't tasted it yet, so  have no idea whether or not this worked.  You simply take a pint of fresh cream, add a tablespoon of buttermilk and let it sit out for 20-24 hours then refrigerate.  I'll try it out tonight on our enchiladas!

-This week I should get my canner in the mail.  I want to try to can the milk for future baking.  I have heard canning it does change the taste, but it is still good to cook with.

-I also hope to order rennet online so we can make mozzarella cheese.

-Do you have any other ideas of what I can do with this bounty of milk?

-I am going to really try NOT to mention milk on this blog again this
week....but don't hold me to it!

Linking up today over at homesteadrevival.com.

Got Milk? Recipes Needed!

        





I told you last week that we've got milk...lots of it.  I am making butter and buttermilk, yogurt and yogurt cheese and hope to try my hand at cream cheese and mozzarella later this week.  I am using the milk to soak our fresh ground wheat the night before mixing and baking it into fresh bread.  The texture is very much improved from either the soaking or the milk.  Normally we use water, but this is much better.
The buttermilk is going into large quantities of biscuits and pancakes.  This week we'll be making lots of buttermilk pies and pound cakes to share and for the freezer.

Even with all that we are doing, we still have lots of milk....and we rarely drink it!  Maybe if I get some Ovaltine the kids would drink it. ; )  Anyway, here is where you come in!  I need recipes for buttermilk and milk and maybe even some tips in making butter, cheese or yogurt.   Oh!  How about some ice cream recipes!  That would be great as we approach warmer weather.

I can't wait to see the recipes you all share here.   Just look below and you will find Mr. Linky.  Just click and follow the directions to link up from your own blog or leave me a  note in the comment section.  And if you are in the neighborhood stop by for a glass of milk and a slice of home baked bread with fresh butter and jam.

Got Milk?

I've got lots of it!  One and a half quarts of yogurt, half a quart of whey, a quart of buttermilk, a half gallon of cream, almost 4 gallons of milk and some fresh butter in the fridge!  And we are making all kinds of dairy products!  I skim the milk after it sits in the fridge for a day.  This morning from 2 1/2 gallons of milk I got half a gallon of cream.  I will let the cream sit out for 24 hours to culture and then will make butter and buttermilk with it tomorrow morning.   I make yogurt in the crockpot and then drain the yogurt in a coffee filter lined colander which gives me a bowlful of whey and  a much thicker, creamier yogurt.

So, what are we doing with all these dairy products?  The yogurt pictured here is now being further strained to make yogurt cheese which is similar to cream cheese.  The whey is being saved for my neighbor/friend's chickens.  I used a quart of buttermilk to make pancakes this morning and they were terrific!  The 1/2 gallon of cream will make about a pound of butter and a quart of buttermilk. We also love buttermilk biscuits, pies, pound cake and a chocolate sheet cake with icing also made from buttermilk.

 I am now soaking my fresh ground wheat in milk before using it to make my bread products.  I have dough rising right now that soaked all night.  It looks terrific.  We are also going to try to make mozzarella cheese on Friday and maybe try another cheese or two in the near future.  I am also doing some research into canning milk and butter.  We'll see!  It sure is a blessing!  Do you have fresh milk?  What do you do with it?

Jeff commented that lately my blog has been full of homemaking posts which he said filled the "Busy Hands" part of the title, but where were the "Busy Minds"?  I assure you we are doing school at least 4 days a week, but we are using our minds to learn more about gardening, dairying and food storage methods in our spare (and not so spare) time.

Proverbs 24:30-34


I went by the field of a lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

Find more simple posts today at GNOWFGLINS.

Simply Saturday

-tons of laundry
-normal housework duties
-clean out refrigerator--BBQ sauce exploded in there!
-make a few pans of cinnamon rolls
-filling raised beds with peat moss, compost, manure and soil
-making more raised beds to fill with transplanted strawberry babies
-planting cabbage, broccoli, spinach, lettuce 1 and lettuce 2
-scrubbing all the red dirt off the porch
-grilling burgers and veggies
-ironing clothes for tomorrow
-lesson plans


What does a typical Saturday look like at your house?  It's not so simple, is it?

Menu Plan Feb. 21-27

This week I am doing things slightly different.  I have a small freezer full of prepared foods such as vegetable soup, spaghetti sauce, broccoli soup, lots of pinto and white beans, shredded chicken, half a turkey and a casserole or two.  I also have a large freezer full of fruits and vegetables put up during the summer.  This week I am going to create meals from what I already have cooked and from the fruits and veggies that I have put up.  Both freezers need to be cleaned out and inventoried and I need to use up the food in there in the next few months to prepare for this year's produce.

We will most likely have the following meals:

-veggie soup with turkey salad sandwiches
-white beans with ham bits topped with cheddar cheese and corn bread
-spaghetti
-beef pot pie (I think there is one in there!)
-turkey and rice soup
-corn on the cob, stewed potatoes, yellow squash, okra and green beans
-grilled burgers
-chicken and cheese quesadillas
-cheesy bean dip with corn tortillas
-homemade pizzas
-baked potatoes and broccoli soup

Hopefully this will clear out the small freezer and we can start putting together some other meals in the next couple of weeks.  What a blessing it is to pull out a meal that is either fully prepared or takes very little prep time straight from my freezer in the mornings!

While we will be eating mostly prepared foods this week there are several kitchen projects that need to be tackled this week.  We will attempt to make the following:

-granola--we are almost out!!
-strawberry fruit leathers (Roll Ups) from the strawberries in the freezer
-strawberry bread
-scones
-bagels
-hamburger buns
-bread
-blueberry coffee cake
-blueberry pound cake

Making Applesauce in the Slowcooker and a Recipe for Applesauce Muffins

I've recently been experimenting with using my slowcooker for more than just dinner recipes.  Here is a quick and easy way to make your own healthy applesauce.  It's so very easy!!

For this batch of applesauce I purchased several pounds of Granny Smith apples which were reduced for only 99 cents for 3 pounds.  I used about 5 pounds in this batch.  Wash, slice, core and peel the apples.  Add to your slowcooker.  Turn on high.  Simply let the apples sit for 3-4 hours and stir them occasionally.  The apples will simply fall apart as you stir them and turn into sauce.  If you don't like a chunky sauce, simply run the apples through your blender or use a stick blender straight in the slowcooker.   These 5 pounds of apples yielded almost 2 two quarts of applesauce that is now in my fridge ready to enjoy.  You can also can in pint sized jars using a water bath method for 10 minutes.

You could cook a little longer and add cinnamon and allspice to make apple butter.  Just cook until it thickens considerably.


Applesauce Muffins

1 cup softened butter 
2 cups sugar (I actually use 1 1/2 cups with no change in taste)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups of homemade applesauce or natural unsweetened applesauce from the store
2 tsp. soda
2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon


Cream sugar and butter; add eggs and vanilla.  Beat well.  Sift flour and  cinnamon together.  Heat applesauce; remove from heat and add baking soda.  The applesauce with puff up a little!  Add applesauce and flour alternately to butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition.  Place batter in greased muffin pans and bake for 15-20 minutes in 350 degree preheated oven.  When done, roll in powdered sugar.  This batter will keep in the refrigerator several days or you can freeze baked muffins.  Makes 7 dozen miniature muffins.  You can also make larger muffins and even bake it in loaf pans.


You can definitely leave off the powdered sugar, but kids really enjoy them with the extra sweetener and it makes them look extra special!  If you decrease the sugar in the muffins perhaps you won't mind adding a little extra on the outside.  : )   I get rave reviews and recipe requests when I take these anywhere.  Enjoy!!



 This post is linked to Raising Homemakers today.  Head over and check out lots of great homemaking tips from other moms.

Birthday, Recitals, Gardening and Frugal Shopping All in One Post-Whew!

We have had lots going on since my last post.  Kaelan turned 11 on the 19th.  She had fun with another young lady as an overnight guest.  She made her own birthday cake, a delicious lemon ice box cake.   Kaelan and Devin had decided they wanted a bedroom makeover for their birthdays (Devin's is in June), so for Kaelan's birthday they got new dust ruffles, comforters and pillow shams.  For Devin's birthday they will get matching sheets and window treatments.  That will be the extent of their bedroom makeover. ; )

Kaelan and my sister, Tracy, who shares the same birthday

Kaelan also received three new Homestead Blessing DVDs-sewing, cooking and dairying

Kaelan with her Lemon Ice Box Birthday Cake that she made herself

(all of my girls started making their own cakes after the age of ten---their choice!)

The day after Kaelan's birthday  was the piano recital.  My sister who shares a birthday with Kaelan just happened to be in the area and was able to join us and my mil was here for a few days as well.  Aaron and Kaelan did a terrific job and we enjoyed a late night dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants afterward.

Aaron played two minuets by Bach and did a fantastic job!

The next day was the violin recital for Devin's students.  This was her first recital as a teacher and she did a great job.  Kaelan is one of her students and she did a terrific job.  My children are really turning into great musicians.  All of my former college professors would be proud!!  

Kaelan and Hannah Duley played a duet at the violin recital.  Kaelan had fun getting together to practice with Hannah.

                                  Devin with some of her students.  Not all of them were able to
                                  play in the recital.                                          



Our work in the garden continues.  We have corn and beans up in our 4 x 4 beds.   We are trusting the Square Foot Gardener knows what he is talking about!!

Bush beans coming up.  There are 9 plants in each square foot.  Sounds crazy, but we are hopeful!!

This is one of two raised beds of corn, four plants per square foot.

This past week I was able to get out to do a little shopping.   The Lord truly blessed my grocery shopping efforts on Tuesday.  I came across lots of reduced produce, whole chickens, chicken breasts, buttermilk and milk at Kroger.  At Sam's I got reduced stew meat and a huge roast.  The stew meat was cooked with the reduced mushrooms and made into  fabulous beef tips in mushroom gravy.  Twelve chicken breasts were turned into three meals of seasoned chicken strips for wraps and salads, two quarts of seasoned chicken stock and two quart bags of shredded chicken.  We also did lots of baking this week of our usual homemade bread, pizza, pizza muffins, pesto roll, pizza roll, four chocolate chess pies, two buttermilk pies, three buttermilk pound cakes and two loaves of banana bread.  God gives us so many good things to eat.  My freezer is thankfully VERY full.  Feeling blessed about that!!

Jeff and I had a night out this week and I asked if we could go to Kohl's.  They have great clearance sales at Kohl's and I hadn't gone to check out clearance racks in months.  I needed a good fix and some of the children needed an item or two.  Most of what we purchased was 80 or 90% off with the exception of two nice Ralph Lauren shirts ($12. 50 each) and some much needed shoes for Jeff to wear to the office which unfortunately were not on clearance and were not even on sale. : (    We got over $500 of clothing for around $130.  Chaps dress shirt for Jackson for $5, Van's jeans for Aaron for $4, Chaps dress pants for Aaron for $3.60, various long-sleeve tees for Aaron, a light- weight trench coat for Devin for $8 (which she loved---YEAH for me!!), two summer tops for Kaelan for under $3 each and two sweaters for me for $3 and $4 dollars.  Jeff very rarely goes shopping with me, so he was very impressed with how much we saved.  Of course, we could have saved more had we not gone in the store in the first place, but I really like dressing my children well for very little money.  I have posted before about my clearance rack dressed kids and I am always very thankful for the Lord leading me to find just what is needed and sometimes, like with Devin's trench coat, desired.   I try to check out the clearance racks at several department stores 2 or 3 times a year.  It has been a money-saver for our family.

I am getting way too long here and will share our adventures at a tag sale with pictures later.  Hope you all take time out to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have given their lives to defend our rights as American citizens.  We will spend time with friends celebrating tomorrow, but tonight we had our grilled burgers and salads and are now preparing to settle in the den and watch Gary Cooper in Sergeant York.