Homesteading: A Woman's Journey

Home Canning for the lunchbox

I finally let go

Decluttering & Freecycle Weekend

Paper, Plastic, or Cloth?

"Do you want paper or plastic?" was once a common phrase heard in grocery checkout isles.  Today, most stores now have fully converted over to using the plastic bags.  There are 2 stores that I know of in the city that still uses paper bags.  I remember when plastic bags were first being used.  A local news station talked about the number of trees that were used each year to make the paper bags and how the plastic would save a large percentage of the trees.  Years later, when plastic was being used in the greater percentage of stores, there began reports of the impact the plastic bags have on the enviroment. 

A new trend is beginning to take place.  There are those who are now using canvas bags for their shopping.  These bags are easily found in any craft store and in many grocery stores.  Along with the canvas bags, grocery stores also sell the bags made for hot/cold use. 

Making the change to using the canvas shopping bags can take time.  It is a major change in habit.  The hardest obstacle for many being to remember to take them in the store.  Sounds silly, but it is true.  Another obstacle that some have spoken of on various forums has been the reaction they receive from the store's employees.  Some are very good about it, wile there are a few that see having to pack the groceries in a canvas bag is a nuisance.  To estimate how many canvas bags you will need, just count how many plastic bags you use.  Because the canvas bags are larger than a plastic grocery bag, you can fit more in them.    Keep the weight of the groceries in mind though if you buy alot of canned goods or other heavy items when bagging your groceries.

I have been working on taking the canvas shopping bags a step further.  At the dollar stores and discount stores it is easy to find the mesh fabric laundry bags.  The bags ae large enough that you can make 6 produce bags from one laundry bag!  I make a simple bag with a ribbon drawstring.  The bags are light weight enough that they don't add weight to my purchase. 

Another way to use less plastic is to make your produce bags from the very soft bridal veiling fabric.  These are great for buying products from the bulk bins such as grains, rice, or any other non-powder items.  The health food store has long twist ties for their plastic bags at the bulk bins.  The twist ties have a paper strip on them for writing the bin number.  I attach one of these to the bag to close it, just as I would if I were using their bags. 

For the powdery bulk items such as Stevia, sea salt, etc. you can recycle the plastic deli bowl with lids.  These are the clear plastic bowls that the salads and other deli foods are sold in.  The containers have almos no weight to them.  I have found though that it is best that you ask the store first if you can use them instead of their plastic bags.  For some reason, some stores are more receptive to it than others.  To label the bin numbers, you can tape a piece of paper to the lids to write the number and information on.  Another option would be to have a container for each item.  This is an easy thing.  Just keep track of what powder/granular items you purchase in bulk and have a container for each one.  To label the containers, I use a Sharpie type marker and write the item name on the containers.  You can use a dry erase marker then to write the bin numbers.  When I get home, I transfer the bulk bin items into other containers.

It may sound like alot of work to do this, but actually the bulk of the work is in the setting it up.  Once you have everything together, you can store them all in a tote ready to grab and take on your next shopping trip!  Using the re-usable shopping bags and bulk food containers helps so much in eliminating the amount of trash we bring into the home.

Home Pantry: Lessons learned in an ice storm

I have had a pantry/root cellar all my life.  Growing up, we canned our vegetables each summer and made jams, jellies, and pie fillings from the fruits.  We also had 2 freezers, one for meats and the other for fruits and other items that we not canned. 

 Because of the way I cook everything from scratch, we shop at a grocery store about 35 miles from home.  There is a store closer, but it does not carry everything that we need.  We also buy from a health food store that is located 75 miles from home.    Because of the distance the stores are from us, we do the bulk of our shopping once a month.  I drive out to the health food store and buy enough for 2 or more months.  On the way home, I stop at the grocery store and buy everything else we will need for the month. As money is available, I buy extra of the staple items to build up the pantry.

 Each winter that I have been here in Oklahoma, we have had a major ice storm that made travel very difficult for a period of time.  One year, we were unable to get our car out of the drive for 6 weeks.  Thank the Lord, we had a good pantry and neighbors who had 4-wheel drive vehicles that could pick up what we didn’t have on hand when they went to town. For the most part, we were well prepared, but there is always room for improvement.

 I learned a lot during that winter.  Lessons that I now use to be better prepared.  Each spring, I begin the process of building up the pantry for the next winter.  I plan to purchase pantry storage items each shopping trip.  Once we are getting fresh vegetables from the garden, I am able to use that part of my grocery budget also to stock the pantry.  One of the things that I now store is powdered milk.  Not only can I use it in my cooking & baking, it is great to have on hand for our daughter just in case we run out of milk & can’t get to a store.  Likewise, I have extra cans of baby formula for our infant son. 

 It is also wise during the summer months to stock up on things like charcoal for a grill.  During a power outage, if you have an electric stove the charcoal grill may be your only means of cooking.  If your grill is propane, you may want to try and store an extra tank of propane for the grill for emergencies.

 Something that many people never consider when setting up their pantry is to have a section for non-food items.  Unless your family uses the flannel family wipes, you will find storing toilet paper very important if you get snowed in!  Likewise, you will want to store feminine products and extra packages of baby diapers/training pants if you don’t use the cloth versions.  Other non-food items would include soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, deodorant, laundry products, dish soap, candles or oil lamps, oil for the lamps, matches, extra batteries for flashlights, and bleach or water purification tablets.  Aluminum foil is essential if you plan to use a grill as your emergency back-up cooking method.  You can use it not only to line the grill, but for making the foil pouch dinners.  Foil can also be used to make a makeshift solar oven.

 If you have never stocked a pantry, some quick tips to keep in mind.  Only store what you know that you will use.  On the Internet, you can find lots of websites that have food storage calculators that will tell you how many pounds of wheat & other grains you will need per person.  If you don’t cook with the grains, nor have the means to mill them, storing the grains would be a waste of money & storage space.  A very simple way to start your pantry is to save your grocery receipts for 1 month.  Make a list of everything purchased and record the quantity of each item you purchased through the month.  This will give you a starting point.  Many people do not immediately consider their cooking styles when planning their pantry, only to be frustrated when an emergency happens.  If you mill a lot of grain for flour, cracked grain cereals, etc., consider having a small non-electric grain mill that you can use if there is a power outage.  One lesson that I learned the hard way was that while having an electric grain mill was a blessing most of the time, it was useless during a power outage.  Another common mistake that I have often seen made is people who store a lot of store-bought canned goods and only have an electric can opener.

 First aid supplies are vital in any home storage.  If there is a severe storm such as tornado or other natural disaster, the first aid kit will be essential.  One great way to store it is in a large fishing tackle box.  You can use the sections in the box to keep various items in an organized, easy to locate manner.  Be sure that you check the kit every 6 months to note expiration dates and restock anything that has been used from the kit.  If anyone in the family is on prescription medication, you should always have extras in the kit.  Keep a close watch on the expiration dates. 

 If you have family pets that require special feeds, you will want to store up a supply of that also.  While most animals can live on people food for a short time, you don’t want to have them eating it too long.  A medium to large sized dog will eat through your food supply rather quickly, for example.

 One family that we visited when I was a child had a great system for rotating their food storage.  They turned their garage into the storage area.  In the garage, they had metal freestanding shelves that were far enough away from the wall that a person could step behind it.  When they put away new supplies, they brought all the stems on the shelves forward, and then stocked the shelves from the back.  They also had some custom built shelving for the store bought canned goods.  The shelves had just enough space between them to allow 1 inch above the cans when laid down on their side.  The front of the shelving was ½ inch lower than the back and had a small strip of wood across it to prevent the cans from rolling off the shelves.  They stocked these shelves also from the back.  They used labels on the back at each opening to identify what product went in each slot. 

 I find it important to keep a written inventory of the pantry.  List each item you plan to store, the amount you will need for 6 months or a year depending on your intentions, and the amount you currently have on hand.  This makes your shopping list so much easier to plan.  It also helps you in not over or under buying pantry supplies.

Thanks & an update

I first want to thank everyone who contacted me and left comments with ideas for helping to soften the clothing dried on the clothesline.  I will give the ideas a try and see what difference they make.

I decided that because I need to make new diapers for Micah, I will make them with line drying in mind.  I am making covers with a flannel lining in them.  I am also going to make prefold diapers large enough that he will be able to use them for quite a while.  This will allow for fast drying on the line.  This winter, I will set up a drying rack near the wood stove to dry diapers overnight.  If I do end up having to run the prefolds in the dryer for a couple of minutes to soften them for him, that will be fine.  The main purpose of cutting back on the dryer usage will still be achieved.  The dryer is also a benefit in the winter as it helps to heat teh back of the house.  If I can find a soft fabric to use in his diapers that will dry on the line and still remain soft, I will let you know as this may be useful for others to know also.  I am going to take advantage of the windy days and try to do whatever laundry we have on those days. 

Friday night I was up late, until nearly 1:30am, getting the food ready for the weekend.  Friends are coming for a BBQ today and I needed to bake bread & some burger buns.  I ended up making cinnamon swirl bread to have with our breakfast.  Abbie loved the bread.  She kept walking around and showing it to us in between bites.  She seemed especially fond on the spots where there are abit more brown sugar & cinnamon.  I may start making this bread more often.  I am thinking that I may start my baking before dawn now that the days are getting so warm.  

On Saturday, the BBQ went very well.  We had a lovely visit with our friends, Kyle & Christee.  They brought us 2 A/C units that they no longer needed.  They had already replaced these with new ones.  Kyle and Joe put one in the front room and the other in the kitchen.  What a blessing!  They are keeping the house so much cooler.  Micah is doing much better now as he was having alot of problems with the heat.

While Kyle & Christee was here, our neighbor and his sons brought over a young ram for our ewe, Angel.  We had bought Angel from Mr. Maples last spring when she wa a couple of months old.  We had thought to have her go to "visit" one of his rams in the fall for breeding.  He had alot of new rams born this year, so he called and offered to sell us one of them.  They picked out the best one for us.  He breeds registered Hampshire sheep that his sons take to the livestock shows.  We have no plans of showing the sheep we have.  Ours are strictly for meat.  Next spring, I would like to get one more ewe lamb from him.  We will then have 1 ram and 2 ewes for breeding.  We want enough ewes to allow us to control the frequency of breeding as much as possible.  The lambs that we get from the ewes will be butchered in the fall/winter to provide meat for our family.

Our dwarf nubian goat, Cloe, who runs with Angel has been playing with the ram.  She bangs her head up against his and chases him around as she used to do with Angel before Angel reached full size.  Right now, the ram is slightly taller and much heavier than Cloe.  It won't take long for him to play too rough for Cloe and she will settled back down again.

Today has been a quiet & restful day for us.  We had planned to go have a family picnic at a park next door to where Joe works.  His boss is giving him all the scrap pallets, wood, and tree prunings to bring home for use in our wood stoves and some mulch material they have no need of.  We all ended up sleeping in this morning so we stayed home.  While the kids are taking their naps, Joe is out picking up a load of the wood & mulch to bring home. 

I am starting more seeds in little planters.  I hope to get a good start with them for my fall garden. Our current garden is very water-logged at this time.  We had alot of rain 2 nights ago.  Luckily, the plantings were done in raised rows which will prevent the plant roots from being too wet.  The garden is gaining alot of weeds starting to pop up.   With the ground so wet, it should make it easier to weed through the garden.  We have some weed barrier plastic to put down in the garden again.  Between the weed barrier and the mulch, we should be able to get the garden set up for little to no weeding.

Among the wood scraps Joe is bringing home, there are pallets and other pieces that are serviceable enough to be recycled and used for building our chicken coop and chicken tractor.  I am sure as time goes on, we will find alot more uses for them.

We are beginning to set our goals for next spring.  It is funny how in homesteading or farming, you have to set your seasonal goals a year in advance!  We are planning to add to our livestock next spring.  As mentioned before, I am wanting to get a 2nd ewe so we can stagger the breeding between the 2 ewes and hopefully prevent over breeding 1 ewe.  We are going to get the coop & chicken tractor ready this summer so that we can buy new chickens, guineas, and possibly turkeys next spring.  Another addition will (hopefully) be a pair of Border Collies.  Since we are planning to turn our homestead into sheep & goat farm, having the border collies will be a great asset.  Joe will train them to help in herding the animals.  We will have a pair so that we an also breed them. 

One of the primary goals, besides being able to support our family's needs through the homesteading, has always been to get ourselves set up in such a way as to be able to help others who are just getting started.  We have been greatly blessed by the Lord through the generosity of others who have given to us or have sold at a discount to us livestock to get our homestead started.  We would like to be in position to do the same for others just starting out.  As we gain knowledge in how to do things more simply and self-sufficiently, we hope to be able to share that information to teach others how to do it for themselves. Each season, I am seeing us becoming closer to reaching that goal.  There is so much yet to learn and do before we will be in a position to truly help others as we desire to do.  By and by it will happen though.

Clothes Drying questions

I am trying to keep from using the electric clothes dryer to cut down our expenses further and have a couple of questions.

When I dry the clothing on the clothesline, some of the clothes (jeans for instance) come off the line very stiff and rough feeling.  I notice that it happens the most with the clothes that have a high percentage of cotton content.  Unfortunately, nearly everything we wear is cotton.  How do you avoid this problem?  I am having to put the line-dried clothing in the electric dryer for a few minutes to soften them, which completely defeats the purpose.

My other question is for the cold months.  Do you know of any way to dry the laundry without using the electric dryer during the fall & winter?  If I put them out on the line in the winter, they will simply freeze.  Our house has small rooms which prevents using a clothing rack to hang the clothes on. 

Make Your Own Picnic Pack

This is a simple sewing project that you can make in time for summer picnics & BBQs.

I have seen similar totes for sale and they are very pricey, but you can make a set for the cost of one purchased tote!  The tote is simply a rectangle shaped piece of fabric with little pockets sewn in to hold your knife, fork, spoon, and napkin.  It has ribbon ties that hold it together once rolled up.

The base of the piece is a fabric placemat.  Choose a complimenting fabric to make your pockets & napkins.  For a binding across the top of the pockets and to make the ribbon tie, I use bias tape.

Start by making your napkins.  You can do this by simply cutting your fabric in a square 1 inch larger than the finished napkin size.  I cut mine 18” square to make a 17” inch finished size napkin.  You can either finish the edges with a narrow rolled hem or serge the edges.

To make your pockets, cut a piece of the fabric 6” x 6” square.  Trim one edge with the bias tape to make a nice finished edge to the pocket top.  Fold under the other 3 sides a quarter inch and press in place.  Position the pocket near the right hand lower corner of your placemat.  Topstitch along the sides and bottom to attach.  Repeat to make a pocket for the lower left hand corner.  To make the little pockets for the knife, fork, and spoon, divide the pocket into thirds and topstitch.  Place the napkin & utensils into the pockets and roll up the placemat starting on the right hand side.  Cut a length of bias tape long enough to wrap around the placemat and tie shut.  Unroll the placemat.  Fold the length of bias tape in half to find its center.  Finger press to mark the center of the bias tape.  On the left hand edge of the placemat, find the center.  Tack the center of the bias tape strip to the back edge of the placemat.  Add your utensils and napkin, roll it up & tie to secure.

Viola!  You are finished!  Make one of these little totes for each family member. 

I am making these to carry with us when we go to church or out running errands.  We usually carry a picnic lunch with us so that we can stop at a park or somewhere that our daughter can play.  You can keep these totes along with some plastic dinner plates and bowls in a backpack, a basket, or other container large enough to hold them. 

These are great for everything from picnics away from home or backyard BBQ’s.  I love them, as they are also reusable.  Just wash them up when you get home, then repack them so they are ready for the next time.  Having little ones, I add to the pack right before we leave, a little rectangular container with some fabric wipes that are already wet with a solution of water with a drop of baby wash. 

Enjoy!

Recycling

Recently, I read a blog by Susan called “Reducing How Much Trash We Produce”.  In her blog she talked about how her family recycles instead of using a trash service.  This blog was very inspiring to me.  We live in a rural area also where you have to pay for your trash pick-up service.  The service in our area has raised their fees twice since last summer. 

I began thinking about the types of trash we toss out.  After talking with my husband about the blog and her ideas, we have decided to recycle our trash.  In making the decision, the first step was to find out if there was a recycling center in our area.  The only one that we have in a nearby town is a feed store that collects aluminum cans for recycling.  We needed something that would take a larger range of items.  I did a search online and found Earth911.  This website not only has great ideas and blogs about recycling and conservation, but also a searchable directory of recycling centers.  You type in your zip code and then choose the distance you are willing to travel.  The search will give you a list of centers within your mileage range complete with details on the types of materials they accept for recycling.  We were able to find a center approximately 35 miles from home.  The center accepts aluminum cans, paper, several types of plastics, tin/steel cans like the ones canned foods come in, and glass.  There are other things that they accept, but these are the ones most trash consists of.  The only downside that we found is that the center pays only for the aluminum cans.  They do not pay for the other materials that you bring in.  They do ask that the food containers be rinsed out before recycling, something that we planned on doing anyways.  Beginning this month, we are canceling our trash service.  We will be able to make a trip once a month to the recycling center for less than the cost of the monthly trash service.  We have contacted others to let them know what we are doing & to offer to haul their recycle materials for them when we go.

We have been a part of Freecycle for a few years now.  Any usable items that we have no need for is offered on Freecycle.  If no one wants the items, we donate them to a charity.  This is a great way to pass on clothing, furniture, electronics and any other number of things that you may no longer have need of. 

Between Freecycling or donating the usable items and recycling our trash, we will have eliminated completely the need for trash service.  It will take a little more work than simply tossing things into a trash can to be hauled away.  The work though is a small thing.  The hardest part is developing the habit of rinsing out the food containers and sorting the trash.  We are setting up trash bins for each type of material to be recycled.  At the end of the month, we will only need to gather up each bin and haul it to the center.

I am so grateful that I found Susan’s blog.  She has so many great ideas and information that she shares through her writings.  What a blessing her blog has become to our family as it inspires us to make changes that will benefit our family both financially and in matters of our health.  I strongly encourage you to check her blog out if you have never done so before.  Susan, thank you for being so generous in your ideas and sharing of your knowledge.  I pray that the Lord blesses you and your family greatly as you continue to live the simple life.

Homemade Fruit Snack Pies

Flannel Baby Wipes & Prefold Diapers

Two years ago, when we had our daughter, we soon learned that her skin was very sensitive to disposable diapers and wipes.  Once we began using cloth diapers on her, the diaper rashes went away.  The disposable wipes however were still making her sore, even when using the types without alcohol in the solution.  I came across a website that talked about making your own baby wipes.  Since then, we have used cloth wipes almost exclusively. 

Cloth baby wipes have a few advantages.  Cloth wipes are much less expensive.  You can buy flannel on sale and make a stack of wipes that will last several years.  The flannel is much softer on baby’s sensitive skin.  We use a solution made of water and a couple drops of baby wash to soak the wipes in.  Once you no longer need the wipes as a baby wipe, you can continue to use them as little wet cloths to carry with you for quick clean-ups away from home.  You can fold a couple of the wipes in half and stack them inside a cloth diaper to give it a little extra absorbency.   When they get worn-looking, you can use them as dust rags or for cleaning.

Baby wipes are easy to make. I make ours from a double layer of flannel.  The finished size is about 8” square.  You can make these several ways depending on what you have to sew them with.  I use a serger to make ours, overlocking the edges to prevent unraveling of the fabric.  You can also make them using a zigzag stitch or use a straight stitch and trim the edges with pinking shears.  If you want a no-sew wipe, buy a soft, thin polar fleece fabric and cut out the squares.

Another easy project is to make your own prefold diapers.  One advantage to this is that you can make the middle absorbent section as thick as you want.  You can also custom make the size to fit any size diaper from newborn through extra large.  Prefold diapers can be used alone or folded in thirds and placed inside a cloth diaper as a soaker to increase the absorbency of the diaper.  As with wipes, these can be used for multiple purposes such as burp cloths or cleaning cloths.  You can find a nice online tutorial on how to make these at Fern & Fearie Prefold Diaper Tutorial.  In the tutorial, they show how to turn old t-shirts into diapers.  When I make prefolds, I prefer to use a heavy weight flannel.  Whatever fabric you choose, the main thing to remember is to use a fabric that will hold up well to multiple washings.

Green Living Tuesday

I am beginning a new weekly topic of ideas and tips for "Green Living".  It is a topic close to my heart.  Our family is very conservation minded.  Not only is it vital due to our homesteading and wanting to conserve the resources we have on our land, but it economically makes sense.  When you consider the Proverbs 31 woman, she was very good at conserving her resources and exercised careful stewardship over them. 

A couple of years ago, I read a blog about cloth pads.  My first reaction was "ewwww, ick, and yuck"!  After that initial knee-jerk reaction, I thought about it.  I read on a couple of website where the cloth pads were sold and learned about how women use the the pads dealt with the main issue I wondered about: using them when away from home did they have to worry about leakage.  I found that they are just as reliable as the store bought.

One problem that I have always had with store bought was the soreness they caused.  Something in the materials used always caused me problems.  So, I decided to try out the idea of using cloth.  I traced around one of my store bought pads and made a couple from material that I had on hand.  I used 2 different colors of flannel so that I could tell the top from the bottom.  Inside, I used cotton batting and a piece of water barrier fabric that I had left over from previous sewing projects.  With abit of skepticism, I tried the pads out.  The first thing that I noticed was the pads are not bulky feeling like the store bought ones tend to be.  They were very comfortable.  They were every bit as absorbant. I was even able to use them post-partum without any problems.  During my pregnancy, they were effective also when the baby was playing soccer with my bladder.  Caring for the pads is easy.  I have a container of cold soapy water that I soak them in.  I usually rinse them in cold water first, but you wouldn't have to if you didn't want to.  The main rule is to never use bleach as it will cause staining. 

I have been using cloth now for a couple of years and love it.  For me, it is no different than using the cloth diapers on our little ones.  You simply carry a "wet bag" to put the soiled pads into when you are away from home.  When you get home, put them in the soak container.

If you are interested in trying these out, there are websites that teach you how to make your own.  You can also buy them online from Belle.  She uses some really cute fabric for the ones that she makes.  There are also a few other items that she has on the site that may be of interest.

When I think of the waste of money spent each year (on average $5 per month or $60 per year for one person) to buy the disposible pads, I cringe.  To some, that may not be alot of money but think about how many years a woman buys pads.  From teenager through her 50's, a span of about 40 years, that $60 a year becomes $2,400.00 that is spent over that woman's lifetime for a product that is single-use and ends up in the landfills.

When making the switch over to cloth, you will want to start out with no less than 2 dozen pads.  This will eliminate the need to launder them every day.  If you can get a wet bag, do that also.  A wet bag is simply a water-proof bag to carry the soiled pads in.  Many of the women who make the cloth papds also make the wet bags.  If you can't get one however you can use a cosmetic zippered bag or anything that is water-proof.

Self Reliant???

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 (King James Version)

I remember learning that verse years ago when I was a child.  The older that I am, the more I realise the depth of meaning the verse has.  Living on a homestead, one of the goals that we have is to live as self reliant as possible.  We are working towards raising all of our food, alternative energy options to be able to not depend on the public utilities, and be able to earn an income from the homestead.  Many refer to this as being self-reliant, but is it really?

Self reliance invokes thoughts of being able to depend on oneself to meet the needs of the family.  The longer you homestead, the more you realise that a "self reliant" life is in fact a "God reliant" life.  It is only through God's blessings and grace that we are able to grow the crops we need, raise the animals necessary to meet the needs of the family, or have the income needed to financially meet the responsibilities.

What good is a wind powered energy system for your home if the Lord doesn't send the wind?  Why plant a vegetable garden if the Lord doesn't provide the warmth and rains that the plants need to grow and produce the food for your family?  Each time you plant a seed in your garden, you are trusting in the Lord to do whatever is necessary to aid in your garden's success. 

When we trust in the Lord with all our heart, having complete faith in Him, he blesses us greatly.  The blessings may not come in the manner we would have chosen.  There may be obstacles in our path that we need to overcome.  These obstacles are not always a trial, but given the right attitude can be an opportunity to learn and grow.  They only become a hinderance if we do not look for the lesson in them. 

With each lesson learned, we can develop a stronger relationship with our Lord.  As we begin to lean on the Lord more - and on ourselves less - our family is blessed with the abundant blessings from our Lord.

I pray that we each learn to become more God reliant and less "self" reliant.

Mini Baking Spree

Today was a mini baking spree.  I have been baking loaves of bread to sell to neighbors and others in our area.  Last night, a couple stopped by to place an order for 8 loaves of bread to be picked up today.  With the bread I already had planned to bake today, that made a total of 12 loaves!

I spent the day baking in between tending our kids, cleaning the kitchen & doing abit of laundry.  The house smelled wonderful with the scent of bread baking in the oven.  I managed to get everything finished that I had hoped to.

The couple who bought the 8 loaves asked me tonight about making snack sized fruit pies.  I make them from time to time for our family but have not considered making them to sell.  It seems that the man's co-workers would enjoy them as they snack often at work.  Tonight, I am going to figure up my costs in making the fruit pies. They are very easy to make, so wouldn't be difficult.  In fact, the most difficult part that I would have is in keeping everyone out of the cooling pies until I have enough made to fill an order. 

Joe has always loved my cooking, but it never fails to amaze me that I am able to sell so much baked goods.  What a blessing to be able to do this and earn alittle extra while still being able to be home with my family.  I am so grateful for having a Grandmother who taught me the enjoyment in baking & cooking.  Her attitude and abilities were an inspiration to me when I was growing up.  I am so blessed to be able to take skills that she helped teach me and use it to help provide for my family.

Cloth Diapering

Cloth diapers have changed.  Years ago, the cloth diapers were a flat large piece of cloth that you had to fold a particular way to get the absorbancy and fit needed.  Next came the prefold diapers, a piece of cloth with a thicker layer in the middle.  You still needed to fold it somewhat to get a good fit.  Problem I always had with both of these was the lack of getting a good fit in the legs to prevent "diaper blow outs" which always seems to happen when baby is wearing their newest dressy outfit or you are somewhere in public. 

Today, you can still buy the prefold diapers but there are better solutions available.  Cloth diapers have stepped into a new era with the fitted cloth diapers.  What a blessing!  These diapers are similar in shape to the popular disposible diapers.  They have elastic in the legs, some also having gussets, that provide a much more secure fit.  For closures at the waist, you can use hook & loop tape, snaps or diaper pins. 

The fitted cloth diapers come in 3 basic variations that seem to be the most popular.  Your typical fitted cloth diaper is made with the elastic legs, sometimes elastic across the back for a snugger fit.  You can find these made in a variety of fabrics, the most common being flannel, fleece or terry. Most styles come with an absorbancy layer built into them.  They don't have a moisture barrier fabric so you need to put a diaper cover over them to prevent leaks.  The All-In-One (AIO) diaper is the same as the basic fitted one with one major difference.  AIO diapers have a moisture barrier fabric either layered inside the diaper or used as the outside layer of fabric.  The most common that I have seen are made with PUL fabric. PUL is a fabric that has a coating applied to the right side that prevents the moisture from leaking through. The AIO diapers have an advantage in that you do not need a diaper cover.    The pocket diaper is a simple fitted diaper "shell" with a pocket opening into which you place a soaker. 

I have used cloth diapers on Abigail since birth.  I started making my own and found that each of the difference styles had it's benefits and drawbacks.  It was a process of trial and error to find the diaper style that worked best, not only in the fit & absorbancy but in the care and laundering of the diaper.  Now we have a new baby in the house and he will be reaping the benefits of the work I did with our daughter's diapering.  Each person who cloth diapers will have their own preferences.  Here I will explain what I learned and what works best for us.

Basic fitted diapers without the moisture barrier layer are easy to use but with one drawback.  Many times the diaper would still leak even with the diaper cover.  Many diaper covers are too small in one area or another to properly fit over the diaper.  To guarantee the best fit you pretty much have to purchase the covers from the same company who makes the diaper.  The main problem are is in the height of the diaper.  Any area of the diaper that is not covered by the diaper cover is prone to leaks.  Another disadvantage is that the diapers, because the absorbancy layer being built into the diaper, take much longer to dry in the dryer.  With the AIO diapers, you also have the problem that depending on the moisture barrier fabric used, you may not be able to dry the diapers in the clothes dryer.  PUL fabric can break down in the heat of the dryer and over a short time lose it's water barrier quality.  If the diaper has a layer of ProCare or other water barrier fabric you may be able to use the dryer without any problems.  The primary advantages to these dipaers is that you don't have several parts (diaper, absorbancy layer, cover) to keep track of.  The diapers, especially the AIO, are ready to use.  The AIO diapers are great when away from home or for use as overnight diapers as you don't have to worry about leaks in the carseat or bed.  A free diaper pattern for these can be found at:  Mama Bird's Diaper Pattern

The pocket diapers are alittle more work to use, but many find them to be easier in the long run.  The diaper shell is made similar to the fitted diapers but without the built-in absorbancy layer.  Most have a pocket opening in the back into which you place the soaker or a folded up prefold diaper to give the diaper the absorbancy level needed.  The outer shell has a water barrier either in the form of PUL fabric or a layer of water barrier material sewn to the back fabric during construction to allow you to use the diapers without needing a diaper cover.  The soaker is simply a rectangle of fabric made from a very absorbant fabric such as fleece, flannel, hemp, or terry.  The advantage to the pocket diapers is that they are very fast to dry in the dryer or clothesline.  You also have the ability to adjust the absorbancy layer's thickness to fit the needs of your baby.     Here is a link to a free pattern for this style:  Ritas Rump Pocket Diaper Pattern

When making diapers for Micah, I have found a balance between the diapers styles that works very well for us.  I took the Mama Bird pattern and made it without an absorbancy layer inside.  The inside fabric is made from either a heavy flannel or a fleece, depending on what I have on hand.  In the middle, I placed a layer of ProCare to prevent leaks.  The outside layer is made from any cotton fabric or fleece.  I made the diaper with the elastic in the legs and back.  Once made, I attached tabs on the sides for closures.  NOTE:  here is where I altered the pattern a bit.  I made the tabs about 3 inches long.  On each tab, I  placed a square of hook & loop tape.  The "hook" part is placed near the end of the tab and the "loop" part is placed near the diaper. When you launder the diaper, you fold the hook tape to attach it to the loop tape.  This will help prevent the hook tape from getting pieces of lint or threads caught in it during laundering.  On the outside of the right hand tab, I placed a long piece of loop tape.  On the front of the diaper, I place a long piece of loop tape across the entire front of the diaper.  The longer the loop tape is in the front, the more adjustment you will have.  To close the diaper, I first attach the right hand tab to fit.  The left hand tab is then placed over the diaper front.  This is where the loop tape on the right tab is important.  If the diaper is alittle large for your baby, you are able to snug up the diaper's waist by overlapping the tabs.

For absorbancy, I make separate soakers.  I measure the soakers to fit the size of the diaper.  The soaker is simply a double layer of fleece that are stitched together either with a zigzag stitch or serger.  You can make 2 with one being slightly smaller.  These are stacked together if needed.  The advantage that I am finding is that I am able to make diapers 1 size larger than the baby's size and get more use from them.  By having the soaker layer separate from the diaper, the drying time is shortened and I am able to adjust the absorbancy needed.  ProCare inside the diaper allows me to machine wash and dry the diapers without worry that the water barrier will fail over time.

I also make my own baby wipes.  Simply cut pieces of heavy weight flannel to the size desired with pinking shears or you can serge or zigzag stitch the edges to prevent unraveling.  Place in a container with a mixture of water and a couple drops of baby wash.  You can also recycle old receiving blankets to make the wipes.

Enjoy!

Micah has arrived!

Greetings to all!  I apologise for the long delay in posting.  We have been without a computer for quite awhile, so I was unable to blog or write email.

Our precious son, Micah, was born on April 4th.  It was such a blessing as the doctor who delivered him was the one on call that day.  I ended up having an emergency c-section due to Micah's cord colapsing after the water broke.  He was 7 lbs. 8 oz. and 22 inches long.  At his most recent check-up 2 days ago, he now weighs in at 11 lbs. 8 oz. and is 22.5 inches long.

Abigail, age 2 yrs., just loves being the big sister.  She is so nurturing towards him.  She strokes his hair and talks to him often.  We let Micah lay in Abigail's lap sometimes so that she can hold him.  She is always very gentle.  One afternoon when Joe put Micah in her lap, Abigail had one of her little books and "read" to him.

We are getting settled into a new routine now.  Joe is now working a local job that keeps him home every night.  What a precious blessing that is!!!  He was missing out on so much when he was truck driving and gone for a month at a time.  Micah is sleeping about 5-6 hours at a time during the night so we are no longer looking like the chronically fatigued anymore. 

We are getting our garden planted.  Joe has been doing the hard part of preparing the soil for me so that I can go out and do the planting.  The seeds I planted earlier have drowned in the spring rains for the 2nd year in a row.  The only plant that survived the rains was a single pumpkin plant.  This time, we are running the rows so that they will drain downhill to keep the water from standing too long.  To keep the plants/seeds from getting too much water in the storms, we are following an idea my father-in-law gave us to raise the planting area.  It is an idea that he saw on Martha Stewart's tv show.  You pile soil in rows so that the planting area is about a foot higher than the path in between them.  This will prevent the plants from getting too much water and will allow the excess water to drain easier. If this method works as good as we believe it will, our garden should be able to produce very well.  To cut down on the amount of weeding that will need done, you can put weed barrier plastic or  some other material or mulch over the raised rows.  In the paths, you can put old newspapers covered with mulch or any other material that would prevent plant grown in the paths.

I was asked recently to teach a series of cooking classes for a local community action center.  The classes are all based on the theme of getting back to the basics.  It seems that cooking from scratch and knowing how to feed your family on a limited budget is becoming a "lost art" in many families.  My first class will be in June.  The center wants me to teach the basics of menu planing & how to stock your pantry frugally.   Many of the students have never been taught how to cook without using the store-bought canned, boxed or frozen foods in their meals.  Some of what I will be teaching through the series of classes is bread baking, homemade pasta, making your own cereals and "convenience" foods, and home canning/food preservation.  I am both nervous and excited about teaching the classes.   I have never felt comfortable in from of a group, so that part will be abit hard.  I do enjoy showing others how to do these things though and am hoping that it will somehow bless their families by saving them money and eating healthier.

Nursing Shawl / Poncho

Have any of you ever made a nursing shawl or poncho for discreet nursing in public?  I am trying to find a pattern for something lightweight enough to be used on a hot summer day, yet discreet enough that I would be able to nurse the baby in public without anyone noticing.

In teh meantime, I an trying to come up with something myself.  I will post here when I find a solution.  Until then, and suggestions would be appreciated.

Lost Art of Letter Writing?

Let's face it, the world today is becoming very technology oriented.  With the advent of email, telephones and text messaging has letter writing taken such a back burner position that it is becoming a lost art?  It seems that when you go to your mail box today, you find bills or advertisements.  How long has it been since you received an actual handwritten letter or a card with a note tucked inside?

When I was young, I loved having pen pals and going to the mailbox to see what letters were there.  It was a joy to have these little notes and letters that I could save to read over and over again.  Some of the most precious were letters and cards that I received as a young adult from my Grandmother and my Father. 

Over the past couple of years, I have been taking part in circle letters with a group of Christian women from across USA and also a few overseas in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.  What a blessing it is to share stories and experiences with these women.  Sometimes the cicle letters are specific to a topic, other times they are simple "general chat" type letters talking about our families.  I am blessed also to have made friendships through these letters with many of the women.  As we get to know each other, we share our lives with one another, encouraging and praying for each others' families.

I love the quiet time I spend with the letters.  When Abigail is sleeping, I take the letters out to read & reply to.  There is such a peaceful tone to the day when I take the moments to read these letters.  I find in writing my replies that I am also at peace in a way that email and phone calls just cannot compare to.  There is a gentleness of spirit, a chance to slow your day down to a restful pace as you write.  The words used to express your thoughts are more fluid and descriptive than a computer can provide.  There is a "personal" feeling to the letters and an appreciation to the author of the letters I receive that they took the time out of their day to actually sit down and put pen to paper, writing a letter or note to me.

Is letter writing a lost art?  I hope not, though it seems less often people are willing to do it.  As our children grow up in an age of computers and the instant gratification of email & text messaging, we can instill in them the trait of hospitality in personal letters.  Starting with a simple "thank you" note for a birthday gift or other kindness shown to them or getting them involved in a penpal exchange through a reputable source.  One of the greatest methods to teach children to love writing letters is to show them by example.  Maybe write little notes to them and tuck in their school backpack for them to find later in the day.  Simple notes of love and encouragement to brighten their day and let them know how proud you are of them.

Stationary doesn't have to be fancy.  You can easily dress up the most plain of papers with rubber stamps or stickers.  If you are artistic, try designing your own line art design for your letters then make photocopies or have the line art design made into a rubber stamp.  There are many pretty papers available today at the craft stores.  You can purchase decorative papers in the scrapbooking section and make your own blank notecards.  While there, you can also purchase some beautiful colors of ink pens.  For the really adventurous souls, try your hand at using the calligraphy pens to make your letterheads & note cards.

Whatever style of stationary you choose, fancy or plain, have fun with the letter writing.  You may even try writing "letters" to your children in the form of a journal.  It would give them a keepsake to read through and learn more about your thoughts and ideas.  What a blessing it would be for them one day to share the journals with their own children! 

I pray that this has inspired you to remember letters or notes that you may have received in the past that had left an impression on you, maybe even inspired you to consider the art of letter writing again.

Canning: Cream of Tomato Soup

This is one of my Beloved's favorite soups.  It is very inexpensive to make, yet tastes better than the major brands at the store.

Pregnancy Update & More

I am now at 34 weeks, only 6 weeks to go.  It seems that now that time is running closer, I am getting nervous about getting all the preparations made.

The baby is moving alot, even rotated into what I am hoping is a heads-down position Monday night.  Unfortunately, the position change brought on more labor again that luckily stopped on its own after just over an hour this time.  The last time I had labor pains, they lasted 17.5 hours and had to be stopped at the hospital.  The doctor had said that my stomach was very sensitive to my activity levels, but I hadn't thought about it being sensitive to the baby's movements also.  We have chosen the name already, Micah Nathaniel.  We are thrilled to be having a boy this time around.  Joe and I have both wanted to have 1 of each, now we will.

Joe left out for work yesterday.  It was hard on him to leave as he knows how much help I am needing at home right now.  I thik in many ways this time is hardest on him.  I may be going through the physical part, but he worries about me when he is gone and wishes that he were home.

Abbie is so cute about the pregnancy.  Up until we knew the gender, we have been referring to the baby as "Jellybean".  It is the same nickname we used for Abbie before we knew we were having a girl.  Now, Abbie comes up to me and points at my belly and says "Jellybean".  She also has taken a liking to rubbing my belly and poking it to get Micah to kick and move around.  Poor baby is not even born yet and Abbie is eager to play with him.