August 6, 2008 - Tired...

This describes me today!  I am so tired.  Tired of preparing sweet corn for the freezer, but we are done... we have this year's harvest in.  Now, I can focus on something else.  I went to check the garden to see what might be next and I could hardly find it!  In living our life being driven by circumstances, I have had no time to tend to the garden and it is really showing. 

In late June, just before the fire, the sweet corn was weeded as were the peas and the broccoli and squash and onions and beans and tomatoes and peppers... The squash was already lost in weeds and about the time we got to the squash to weed we had the kitchen fire.  That is where our garden adventures stopped. 

My garden is filling with weeds taller than I.  Both Dh and I are discouraged about it, but are so exhausted from trying to tread water with everything else that we figured it is simply not something to cry over.  God is blessing us in ways that will make up for this year's garden harvest. 

I will likely get some onions out of the garden... If I can find them!  LOL.  I think they are about ready, so I imagine that is why I am not seeing the tops any longer... they likely have started to fall over.  At least I hope that is the case.  

I found some broccoli growing in the garden.  That is Just amazing to me... if you would see the leaves on my plants... they look like lace.  Hardly a trace of the leaf left... mostly holes.  But deep within the plant, I can see some broccoli coming on 4 of my 6 plants.  Now, if I can keep the cabbage worms from devouring the broccoli, I will get some broccoli to add to my stir frys. 

My tomatoes and peppers are doing well, despite the lack of care.  A couple plants have gotten heavy for the cages and fallen over.  I have some peppers coming along, some yellow, some green and some salsa and a few reds.  Lots of flowers yet on the peppers so we will see what comes of them.  And tomatoes... are sprawling all over the place and I see tomatoes getting bigger, so we will get a few of those. 

So overall, we will get some food from our garden, just not what we imagined.  My lettuce beds never produced much... I still have tiny leaves just starter leaves really, they never grew... I think it got too hot.  

Some day we will have a nice garden... just not this year.  

I'm glad the corn is in.  I can rest with that done.  I can turn my mind to something else. 

Warmly, ~Melissa 

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August 6, 2008 - Wednesday's Kitchen

Breakfast:  Waffles (with syrup or peanut butter and applesauce)

Lunch:  Assortment... Steve had leftover cavatinni, The girls had  turkey sandwiches, and I had lightly fried zucchini, yellow summer squash and onions with a bit of leftover spaghetti

Supper:  Rice, chicken and CORN ON THE COB (again! LOL)

Harvest/Freezer:  20 Quart bags of corn, 4 gallon sized bags of corn on the cob.

Warmly, ~Melissa

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August 5, 2008 - Tuesday's Kitchen...

Breakfast:  Waffles (either with syrup or peanut butter with applesauce on top)

Lunch/Supper:  Spaghetti and Sauce, with a green salad and french bread

Baking:  French Bread, made 3 small loaves, one for us and one for Dh and one for DH's leftovers

Warmly, ~Melissa

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August 4, 2008 - Monday's Kitchen...

Breakfast:  French Toast with beef sausage

Lunch/Supper:  Hot Dogs with Corn on the Cob

Harvest/Freezer:  24 Quarts of sweet corn for the freezer

Warmly, ~Melissa

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August 3, 2008 - Blessings...

Our summer has been full of blessings.  It is easy for one to get down and sometimes simply taking note of those blessings will be enough to lift you up for one more day on this tiresome old earth.  I thought I would share some of our blessings with you...

We went to campmeeting as a family and had a wonderful week together.  No horrible weather while we camped.  It was a nice spiritual retreat. 

We had a fire... Blessings... the house is getting cleaned from top to bottom and everywhere in between!   No one was hurt!  Fire went out by itself!

The stove/oven was burned up... Blessings, a new one was put in it's place.  

The hours of fire clean-up have been long... Blessings... the insurance company paid us for cleaning, which afforded us a new refrigerator which we really needed. 

Fire damage.  Caused some problems in our plans, but Dh has been talking of wanting to update the kitchen and this fire has allowed Dh the ability to make changes which feel like updates...even if they are repairs.   

My daughter sent in her application to volunteer at camp late... really late.  Someone was let go and a replacement was needed.  The late application wasn't tossed out, but instead, it was a blessing to the Camp Director who needed more staff.   She was taken on half way through the summer to finish out the camp season as a volunteer.

We had heavy and continual rains this spring which caused havoc on some of our crop.  Our corn was coming, but not the crop we had hoped for.  Blessings... God only could have done it... we are to get 30 Dozen ears of corn to replace our corn that may or may not come up.  Since seed corn is planted next to our land, the seed company wanted our corn out ASAP... the farmer put up an account for us at a local sweet corn farm to make up for what we may have lost.  The farmer just detassled our crop and says we might still get some corn from the one variety which was already tassled out.  He said, keep that for a bonus.  While many would have been upset at the inconvenience, it was a blessing for us as we were sure we lost 50% of our own sweet corn. 

Sweet Corn day one...5 dozen blanched, cut and frozen... Put away 13 quarts.  The 5 dozen I picked up was prebagged and was over 7 dozen ears of corn.  Only 4 ears were horribly bad, but the chickens and horses loved them.  The tally... 5 dozen perfectly good ears (no worm damage at all) and 2 + dozen with the top 1/2-1 inch bugged up... easy to cut off and still a whole lot of corn left. 

This year, students in our county are getting a $75 walmart card for each student in school.  Homeschoolers included.  First to be used for school supplies, second for clothing or shoes.  Very timely for two of my girls. 

Dad's surgery went well.  He seems to be sore, but recovery is good.  The pain in his legs is almost completely gone after surgery, just a few occasional spasms which are likely due to swelling in the area.  He says the only pain he has is right at the incision... where it should hurt! 

Family and friends nearby are able to care for the horses while my Dad recovers.  At the moment all seems taken care of, which is a blessing since I need to be home working with the sweet corn and a few garden items of my own to harvest. 

Growth at camp... My girls each had their own experiences this summer where God touched them personally. 

*My Megan loved some u-tubes shared at camp over several evenings talking about the skies, stars and planets.  She had recently studied the solar system the year before in science, so this was just adding to her knowledge base, yet the spiritual application was Huge on her and she is sharing it with friends and grandparents and has even got her Dad out on the telescope gazing the skies again. 

*Chelsea at campmeeting was taught about relationships during her week of youth meetings.  That always makes me nervous since I try to teach more courtship concepts than dating concepts and I was pleasantly surprised that this year dating wasn't encouraged, but rather waiting for when you are ready to marry and in the meantime... (other ideas to help them cope with not dating during their teen years).  Volunteering at camp she has been presented with three different situations in which she has had to make a vocal stand on her convictions of dating/courtship.  I was praying for her, but she stood up and said... I'm not ready.  Chelsea is my social bug and it is wonderful to see her stand on her convictions rather than being controlled by her peers.  Her peers and even the boys asking her... are impressed with her ability to not cave and just join the crowd. 

*Kate is working at camp and is having a spiritual high.  She says Jesus is so real to her right now.  She is loving sharing Jesus with the kids at camp, with other staff and just loving the realness of Jesus.  She is a hard worker... all my girls are and their ability to keep going when they are tired shows.  Kate has gotten compliments that she is one that the other staff looks up to because she just keeps going and never complains.  She can see how her raising up has made her to be someone out of the ordinary... She has been so thankful for that, not so that she can receive compliments, but that she is able to shine for Jesus in a unique way... she has always wondered why God has asked Mom and Dad to pull her out of school and homeschool her.  She is now beginning to understand that God is using her in unique ways to reach out to her peers that she might not otherwise have been able to do had she continued through school with them.  She is seeing the blessings of having been raised and schooled at home.  

NO zucchini in our garden... Blessings... Mom gave me  two large zucchini a couple days ago.  

Went to thrift shop and found an ice shaver with two motors and several ice cups for $2.50.  My Mom had a half price coupon with her, so I was able to get this special treat for Megan for just $1.25.  

Went to visit my Mother and Dad.  Gas at home was $3.92 per gallon.  Gas was only $3.64 (in their area) to refill my tank for the ride home... every little bit helps! (still 3.92 here at home!)

My mother is lonely.  She just got a new dog to keep her company.  She seemed very happy with her new companion.  Little Sophie seems to like Mom just as much.  

Paige stuck a bead up her nose.  Blessing... she was fine.  The emergency room doctor was so kind and removed it without any trauma to Paige.  She actually enjoyed meeting this doctor and stated he was now her favorite doctor.  She assured us she will never stick another bead up her nose again! 

Oh there have been many more blessings, but these are the few that I recall so late at night!  God is good to us.  I can see how Satan is working hard to break my spirit and those around us, but I see friends and family rising above that pain and heart ache.  When Satan takes away, God has replaced or given above and beyond what we ever imagined.  I sit back and smile.  I read the book of Job a few days ago and I stand in awe and wonder of his greatness.  God is truly in control! 

Warmly, ~Melissa 

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August 3, 2008 - No rest for the weary...

After returning home from visiting my parents, I was plundered back into the home routine with full force.  I got home on 9 pm on Friday evening.  I got to bed shortly after and then awoke and went to church.  I came home and we enjoyed some afternoon company from two girls who came to visit Megan. 

After Sabbath, Dh and I decided to wallpaper the one wall in the kitchen that needed rewallpapering.  We completed it around midnight.  We think we will be wallpapering two other walls in the kitchen after some preparation to the walls.  They are currently panelled, but the panelling went out of stock and then was discontinued, so we no longer can get it to match.  The insurance estimates have been finalized and we cannot resubmit a claim for a change of price.  Our first estimate was low due to the sale... being $13 a sheet.  Now the cheapest we can find is over $20 a sheet... so we are now considering wallpaper.  I'm not too excited about using it behind the stove, thinking it would get dirty fast and be fate to falling off as the glue would be warmed so often it would likely dry and unseal itself.  I don't know that to be true, but it is a thought of mine.  

Today we went to town to pick up some paint so I can be ready to paint tomorrow when Dh takes the cupboards down.  We will also be wallpapering and fixing a wire that the fire seemed to have shorted out as our new oven hood works, but not where it is to be hooked up.   

I also took in a gallon of paint that Dh thought was ceiling paint when he opened it... it was not, it was a base paint, soooo I now don't have the option to return, since it was opened and secondly... the only colors I can tint it is DARK... one gallon of dark paint... we will see what we decide to do with that... that is not my priority at the moment.

I picked up some corner molding for the kitchen walls and they had ONE 8 ft. section in stock... I needed 3.  I am finding this to be alot of work to get all the material we need at once.  *grin*  

Next, I did our grocery shopping.  On the way home I picked up some sweet corn and am working at getting them blanched tonight and I will cut and put into the freezer later.  My water should be boiling... so more will come later.

Warmly, ~Melissa

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July 28, 2008 - Health Report:

I saw Tricia had updated on her challenge and I've been watching her progress.  I was curious as to my own progress.  While not dieting or exercising in regular fashion, I have increased activity based on cleaning up our fire and moving everything around over and over; I also am watching my fat intake.  I don't have a weight.  Dh doesn't have the sheep scale set up and that is our ONLY scale.  I find my changes a bit encouraging.  While not what I want in the end direction, I realize that some increases are due to muscle growth and that is a good thing. 

June 26: 

Upper Chest:  34,  Breast: 36,  Waist:  36.5,  Hips:  42,  Upper thigh: 24.25, Lower thigh:  17.5, and Calves:  15 inches, Upper Arm 12-7/8ths.    Weight:  150 pounds. 

July 28th:

Upper Chest 34.5,  Breast 36.5,  Waist 37,  Hips:  41.5,  Upper Thigh: 23.75,  Lower Thigh:  18.75,  Calves:  14.75,   Upper Arm:  12.5

Warmly, ~Melissa

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July 24, 2008 - Clothes for Paige...

Mom sent me some clothes for Paige and while we didn't get on the web cam... Mom, here's some pictures of Paige.  She loves them and is already saying she wants to wear them to church and she is mixing and matching with her own combinations.  Dresses with pants and she is having a ball.  Steve said they were nicely made and thought they are great for Paige.  I will need to move buttons on the shirts, as the straps are too long, but that is a small thing and hopefully I can get that done in short time.   Mom made these all for Paige... when she told me she was making some dresses, I did not expect this many nor the shirts and pants as well.  I was happily surprised.

So, here's the pictures... enjoy! 

Thanks Mom!

~Melissa

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July 24, 2008 - What I am beginning to notice...

Is that life is revolving around this fire.  Every day is seemingly affected by it.  It is just crazy how one small incident that took just minutes to happen has somehow touched so much of our current life.   I am trying to change that, however it seems a bit hard.  Part of each day needs attention spent on cleaning up... if I don't, we won't get past this. 

Today, Dh and Megan helped a friend sort his sheep out.  He had a hand injury that is limiting what he can do, so help was needed.  While they left this morning, I cleaned the bathroom linen closet.  It is now clean, but I had packed away much stuff and I will still be working on putting things back.  But I am glad it is clean.  Towels are all back and not packed away.  Spare bedding is slowly returning as it gets washed. 

After our morning work, we left for town to do some errands.  I picked up the package from the post office from my mom for my daughter.  We have not opened it yet... Paige is still sleeping at the moment.  I got some buns from the bread store for the funeral lunch that we are helping with tomorrow.  I got some money from the bank for my two kids that are working at camp and apparently BROKE.  We then went browsing at Menards to pin down ideas on items that need fixing. 

All this... do we stay with the same color or something new???   I'm not sure we determined much to be honest with you.  We plan to hit a couple other home improvement shops and hope to make some decisions in the next week or two.  Steve wants to get started so it gets done sooner than later.  But we haven't heard from the insurance company as to what they are covering in full, so we wait to make sure we get paid for the estimates we sent in.  What i found today is that I forgot to add paint to the ceiling tile price... that will add another $100 to the overall cost.  I also priced out the cheapest wallpaper to replace and we're leaning towards one that is about $5 more per role...so $15 more overall, but still.   Each little bit adds up. 

 Tonight we brought lots of samples home and we just sighed, not really able to make a decision.  Too much running through our heads at the moment.  

I'm learning to just take each day... just one at a time. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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July 23, 2008 - Kitchen Fire UPdate: Oven here!

We got our oven yesterday.  We are all so happy.  I can't imagine not having one.  I know people who wouldn't have hurt without an oven, but for us it was torture.  LOL!  Even my little  3yo understood we couldn't make bread, cake, muffins, etc. 

Last night to break in the stove we made a half batch of sugar cookies.  After I got to starting on them I was freaking out with each ingredient... sugar?  (I threw out the open sugar, do I have any other sugar?),   Cream of tartar (we threw out most every spice in the cupboard, but I had a spare new one in the bulk cupboard), almond extract?  (I knew I threw it out, but I had recently bought some new that I hadn't opened and it was ok).  I didn't have any regular white flour, but I did have bread flour... the cookies ended up a bit heavy, I imagine from the higher gluten content.  I imagine we won't eat the entire batch anyways... Steve and I are trying to eat healthier and the girls are just not woofing down the sweets.  It was more of an effort to give Paige some Mommy time.  She saw the oven and said... Mommy, I want to make cookies.  She wanted some "normal" back into her life... so we made cookies. 

As we were placing the cookie dough onto the sheets Paige looks up to me and says so sweetly... Mother, I am glad our oven is back... with a soft sigh. 

The oven does look almost identical to our other one... which we were told to replace as close as possible.  Even thought we had just bought the oven this January, the model is not a current one, even thought it was new.  So, we had to find something as close as possible with the current models.  We lost our warming burner.. .to get it was another $100, but we didn't use it and it was in the way.  But now all the burners are able to cook with two different sizes... so it was a trade off.  I am happy with the exchange.  I would have liked to have gone back to a gas top /bottom electric oven, but that was more yet and not comparible in price... I just find I am not crazy about the flat top stove.  It is not flexible in my mind and the pans swim on the top surface... driving me crazy!  But DH loves it and I will eventually get used to it.  Dh says if I can't manage after a year he'll buy me an LP stovetop... But that seems silly to me altogether! 

Anyways, we all just sighed when the oven came... life is feeling more normal. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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