First Grade

Yeah I know...it has only taken me more than half the year to post this...yay for first grade!

We have gone to a year round schedule this year which we are ALL so EXCITED about!  We are on 3 months and off 1 month. It works out nicely having all of December, April, and August off. These months give me a time to rest, work on projects, and equip for the next 3 months.The first 3 months we focused on science, the second 3 months we are focusing on history, and the last 3 months we will focus on unit studies.

Bible: The Golden Children's Bible
I can't say how much I like this book. It's so hard to find straight from the bible story books with NOTHING added...so weird I know. This is an old book but I love the pictures. So many story bibles out there are too cartoony for my taste.

Dad has been reading The Action Bible at night which they both love!

Math: We are still using the Ruth Beechick approach to math with an added workbook. We use dice games, rocket math sheets, games like Uno and Monopoly, etc. We do some worksheets from  www.dadsworksheets.com and this book...

Reading: We are still using this book...

some Bob Books and a lot of books printed from ReadingA-Z. I'm REALLY pleased with these books!

Writing: We are practicing our letter formation this year and started a bible journal that gives him a place on top for a picture of what we read and lines on the bottom to summarize the lesson.

Science: We have learned about trees/plants, the water cycle, lightening, tornadoes, and used this book:

History: We have learned about Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, The Wright Brothers, Knights and Castles, and we are currently on Vikings. My son has really liked this book...

Unit Studies: I haven't planned this part yet but Little Astronaut and I will be having a brainstorming date sometime in April.

Read Alouds: We have not read as many as last year because the Action Bible usually takes that time slot *Smile*

Where the Red Fern Grows (try reading the last 2 chapters aloud without crying...I dare you!)
Rod and Staff Readers (Busy Days, More Busy Days, etc.) We read these last year but both children enjoy them and they are full of great life lessons!

Now that it's spring time the curriculum catalogs are coming in! I knew that I wanted to homeschool before our children were born so I started me research VERY early. I thought for a long time I would be a 'Boxed Kit' kind of mom. I was so intimidated by the eclectic idea. But as we neared Kindergarten I realized I knew what I wanted and I was just not finding the 'Box Kit that fitted my needs. Now I'm looking into second grade and I really do enjoy finding the right pieces of the puzzle to complete our vision for that year. Happy browsing everyone!

As I was in the kitchen today...

...all of a sudden I wanted to slam my hot pink-giraffe printed broom down on the tile. I wanted to stomp my feet, throw my fists to my sides, lift my head to God and yell, 'But I want it now!' I really did think this. I could see myself in my mind doing it. I'm so glad I didn't actually do it. I would have had to explain this embarrassing behavior to two wide eyed children.

This is the problem...The Lord has planted a couple seeds in my heart. He has given me a couple visions in my mind. He has gifted me a couple desires in my soul. The problem is...He has told me to wait.

While lying in bed tonight I was reminded of my childish behavior and my need of repentance. 'But you didn't really do what you wanted to do' some of you may be thinking. But I did. My childish attitude was in my heart. It was in my mind. It was in my soul. And it was ugly. I asked the Lord to forgive me which he graciously did ya know {Grin}. He listened to my frustrations and he granted me comfort.

He reminded me of faithful Noah who built an ark for 120 years for a flood that was unimaginable since there had never been rain and no great sea was near to cause a flood. He reminded me of patient Abram who was to be a father of a great nation yet did not receive his first child until he was Abraham and 100 years old. *sigh* Thank you Jesus for your comfort.

I believe I will sleep in peace tonight as I have realized my rightful place in the Father's Hands.

"And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." Hebrews 6:15   

Real Granola Bars

This is what you will need:

4 1/2 Cups Oats
    1   Cup Whole Wheat Flour
    1    tsp Baking Soda
    1    tsp Vanilla
    1    Cup Butter (softened)
    1    Cup Honey

I also add:

1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
1/2+ Cup Extra Honey
 2-3 T Chia Seeds

To acclimate the children and husband *grin* I made these each time adding one more ingredient  to the batch. I've never gotten a complaint and we eat these as snacks or even for breakfast with some apple sauce on the side.

You want this to be on the stickier side, not crumbly at all, so I eyeball the extra honey until it sticks together.

Butter a 9x13 pan and smash down.

Bake 15-20 mins at 350*

Until golden brown...

^ This is an absolutely horrible picture! Sorry. *Cringe* 

Wait at least 10 mins until cutting. I usually make this at night and wait to cut in the morning because I like crisp cuts. If you are a little Martha Stewart-like then I'm sure you will cut all your pieces and put them into individual packages that look so neat and cute. Or you can leave them up on the counter covered with a cloth napkin and devour the whole pan in about 48 hrs like our family.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we do! We do not treat these like treats because they are a great source of  protein and the oats should keep you regular *grin*. Merry Christmas everyone!

Where I take forever to give you a pancake recipe...

     I know I've talked about this before but after a dreaded trip to WinCo on a Sunday I just have to say it again. My heart is saddened to see cart after cart bursting at the seams with boxes and cans of gross food...if you can call it food. But, it was not that long ago that we were there too...Pop Tarts, dessert-like cereal, mac 'n' cheese, 24 pack chip bags, corn dogs (I do miss those sometimes *grin*), Uncrustables, frozen waffles, Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my! Man, this stuff is slowly killing us.

    Now let me rewind and give you some Me history *smile*. I was not taught how to cook. I don't think my mom was either. I don't think many of us were taught how to cook. Seriously, I had no idea you could make pancakes without a mix. I thought you had to have a sort of talent to bake and cook. It was not until I met two wonderful friends, Jess and Anna, that I discovered people actually do prepare Real Food for their families! Thank you girls! You inspired me!

    A friend of mine asked for my pancake recipe a while back and that's when I thought, "Hey, there are people just like me that want to learn about Real Food. Where do they start? Where did I start? I remember feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by this whole Real Food thing. So here's a challenge for you...toss your pancake mix (and your pancake syrup while you're at it) and try it from scratch! It can be done!

 


Rule #1: If you are going to spend the time to make something from scratch then double or triple it! (if you can)

Pancakes:

1 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour 
1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
    2   T Baking Powder
    3   T Sugar
   3/4 t Salt
    1   T Vanilla
    3   T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    3   Eggs
2 1/4 Cups Liquid...we use Almond or Rice Milk...sometimes I use half water or all water and it works
    2   T Chia Seeds

Some days we add dairy free chocolate chips. Recently I've been sneaking in a couple tablespoons of pumpkin puree. 


*Make them to fit in your toaster so you can heat them quickly in the morning.
*Buy some Quart Jars like the ones above and make a few ahead of time.
*Use honey instead of pancake syrup...why?? Go check the label.

Tada! This recipe is tripled and makes about 17 1/2 pancakes. We go through these in about 2-3 days. Make sure your pancakes go from the skillet to a wire cooling rack (Do Not Stack! This will make them soggy for the next day.) Let them cool completely. I prefer to store them in glass in the cupboard but you can use plastic and store in the fridge.

This was one of my first 'from scratch' recipes and I can make them with my eyes closed now...Miss Adventure helps me sometimes and she already can tell me what comes next *beam*.

Have You Told Your Children They Are Not Good Enough?

I do a lot of thinking in two places of my house...in the shower and at the sink. Sometimes it's just me and my thoughts but many times The Lord meets me here. Today he brought to my mind two trips to Target and two different mothers. Both times my children and I were walking along and both mothers had a child with them that was just falling apart at the seams. I smile at both mothers and try to say 'I understand' with my eyes. We've all had bad days and it doesn't help when you have an audience. Both times the mothers looked at me and my children and looked at their own and said something so painful I'll never forget their words, "Look at them! They are acting so well! Don't you want to be like them?!"

My heart breaks at these words. Do these mothers not understand what they just told their children? Do they have any clue how deep that wound will go? They just told their precious child 'You are not good enough.' Does Jesus do that to us? Does he compare us to each other? Does he frown and shake his head that we have not lived up to the standard of the Christian next door? No. He does not put us down he lifts us up. We know we are not worthy of his love and discipline. Does he want us to live in shame of it though? No. He wants us to live in Freedom. 

These children were not failing their mothers. These mothers were failing their children. As I look back I wonder what these mothers would have said if I walked up to them and told them, "You are not as pretty as the woman in aisle 3. Don't you want to be like her ?"

Wouldn't this be equally painful?  Wouldn't this eat her up inside? Even if her soul dismissed the statement, would her spirit ever forget? I think not.

Take heart mothers. Do not fail your children.

Do More Than Survive Summer

Schooooooooools out for summer! Don't lie you know the song popped right into your head when you read that {smile}. I hear so many parents at the end of summer say, 'I can't wait til school is back in! My kids are driving me crazy!'. I hear ya! But! I believe the key to a joy and peace filled summer is...A Plan. I think a lot of parents just figure their kids want to veg out all summer. Trust me I'm sure they will last about a week or two but then they need stimulation! And I don't mean TV, video games or even playdates. If your children are in a private, public school, or educated at home they are used to schedules and constant transitions. Being at home without these can make them unmanageable, cranky, and racing away from home to friend's houses.

Take the summer to reconnect with your children. They have just the spent the majority of  9 months away from their home base.  We are striving to win our children's hearts to the Lord but first we must win their hearts to ours. Don't push them out of your home and schedule five days a week away from their respite place. Read this article about being the 'Door Opener' and start winning your children's hearts!

This is my plan...

Most nights I jot down a plan for the next day. For example the first day of our summer I wanted to get some cleaning done but of course I need to remember my children come first so this was my plan that day...

Breakfast

Bible with children

Clean bathrooms (they help with this- cleaning baseboards and cabinets) 

Play shoots and ladders

Laundry

Stamps with the children

Wash dishes 

3-D Pirate book and 3D Dino Book

Of course this includes Quiet Time, lunch, and snacks so this was a full day for me but the children were happy all day because they were not pushed aside or forgotten.

Here's our Summer Adventure List:

Trip to the doughnut shop

Trip to the cookie shop

Trip to the ice cream shop

Local Zoo

Visit Spray Parks

Make Smores

Visit Barnes and Noble- they love to browse the kids area

Make peanut butter balls

Make homemade paint 

Out of town Zoo

Craft Mondays

Throw an Un-Birthday Party

Build Fort

Camping

Fishing

Feed the ducks

Visit Insect Lore

Ride Bus

Ride the train

Summer $1 Movies

Beach Trip

Make a Bible Trivia Game

I'm sure we will add a few more here and there. We hardly visit the doughnut, cookie, and ice cream shop because we usually make these at home so it's a big deal for my children when we do visit them {smile} It's not about what exactly you do or how much you spend it's about building memories and trust together.

I also have my own Project List:

Paint mirror

Repaint black table

Paint coop

Extend chicken run

Come up to date on kids' scrapbooks

Make Miss Adventure's dress

Work on school schedule for next year

Then there's one last thing that is SUPER important...re-training in areas that need it. A few months ago we made a list of house rules. We were all very good at keeping to those rules but just like anything practice makes perfect and we need to  re-train (practice) what is expected. 

These are our rules at the moment:

1. Obey right away. 

* This is one we train for every few months as we can become slack after a while. Children push a little here and there and parents expect less and less little by little.

2. Do not get out of Quiet Time. Do not ask to get out of Quiet Time. 

*  The children have an hour and a half of Quiet time every day. Miss Adventure sleeps and Little Explorer plays for half and lays down for half. The talking and coming out of Quiet Time was become excessive and less and less Quiet for any of us.

3. No talking while brushing teeth.

* This task should take 5 minutes but with the talking and whining was taking 15 minutes! And leaving mommy and daddy very frustrated and tired.

4. Bed Time: No yelling. No getting out of bed. 

* The children share a room so this can get out of hand. Bedtime would start at 8 and take 1 hour to fall asleep.

5. Do not ask for something more than once.

* This drives me crazy plain and simple.

6. No potty talk.

* No explanation need right?

This week I choose #2 and #4 to re-train. Every time they obeyed the rules they got a treat (2 PEZ candies). Every time they disobeyed they missed out on their treat which was a sad sight from Miss Adventure by the way. Starting tomorrow we will move on to another rule. Now that they have been reminded and have had time to practice #2 and #4 they will receive discipline for disobeying. House rules may make some of you cringe but children need to know what is expected of them and each parent needs to know what is expected so one is not a softy and taken for a ride{like my husband...grin}.

Happy Summer!!  

What?! No meat?!

A few days ago my hubby and I watched Forks Over Knives. My husband is very gracious with me changing our food/health/hygiene stuff. But after watching this film he was more than 'ok' with it. He was totally on board and excited to push our journey further. I love my husband. He is just so wonderful {Grin}.

We watched this film on Tuesday and payday was on Thursday. I got a text from him Wednesday saying...'Just got Panda for lunch. Disgusted with how much meat is in here.' Whoa! This is a new frontier for him and I was so excited. I didn't have much of an appetite for the few things we had left in the fridge and pantry either.

About a week or so before that I was having some convictions on how much dairy we had been consuming. It's VERY cheap, versatile, and easy...like cheese and crackers, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese quesadillas, etc. We had cut down on dairy before but sometimes those things you weed out just creeps back in.

I was so relieved Thursday morning. I had my meal plan ready and grocery list in hand. After spending $100 I had only bought 3 things in a can (olives, tomato sauce, and chilies), 2 things in a box (raisins and shredded wheat: to add to our homemade granola cereal), and 6 bags (freeze dried strawberries: also for our cereal, zucchini, kale, spinach, carrots, celery). Everything else was from the bulk section or produce. I did not buy one animal product! Not even cheese. *Gasp*

We do a lot of meatless meals but this one was different. I was intentional. And it felt good that my husband was excited about it too. It was good, hardy, and filling. We even had banana ice cream (with a few chocolate chips on top). A night very satisfying in more ways than one.

So what did we have?? I wish I had taken a picture : /

We had tacos: Corn tortillas, brown rice, pinto beans, tomatoes, avocado, olives, and homemade salsa. (Red onion and spinach was supposed to make it on these but they didn't end up on the table) I had planned a side dish but I was just getting home from the last grocery store at 6 so that wasn't going to happen.

Today I made almond milk and hopefully we can crank out some bread, granola bars, and granola cereal before dad gets home. Tonight we are making pizza (from scratch of course). Everyone can make their own with these toppings as choices: bell peppers, olives, red onion, zucchini, and tomatoes. I'm undecided on the cheese factor. I bought some nutritional yeast (can be used as a cheese substitute) and I have some sheep cheese and a bit of cow cheese. We may do a cheese mix of these and go light on the cow cheese part. 

Anyways...we are really excited about this next step into whole foods so I wanted to share. If you can watch Forks Over Knives I definitely recommend watching (Netflix instant play). I may take it over to my grandparents house so they will stop trying to feed my kids those neon wafers. lol



Oh and dessert was banana ice cream: frozen bananas with a bit of vanilla and a splash of rice milk.

Happy Friday!

Treating An Ear Infection (Part 2)

After I did Part one I thought it was important to go over the why of the treatment...duh.

Vitamin C Chewables- immune booster and mild anti-inflammatory

Garlic Cloves- antibacterial

Zinc chews or lozenges- immune booster and helps reduce infection

Echinacea / Goldenseal combo in liquid form- antiviral/ antibacterial and soothes irritated mucous membranes

Instead of the olive oil and garlic drops treatment you can use odorless garlic capsules in juice for a child or swallow for an adult. 

When any of us have any symptoms like a cold or flu we immediately start a treatment of Vitamin C and Echinacea / Goldenseal every two hours for 24 hours. This usually knocks whatever we were fighting out or we recover very quickly. During a time of sickness make sure you are avoiding diary products, High Fructose Corn Syrup (check that canned soup!), and as much processed food as you can. Diary will make your body create more mucous, High Fructose Corn Syrup is harmful to your immune system, and processed food will not give your body what it needs to fight against infection and slow recovery down. Hope that answers any questions you may have :)

Treating An Ear Infection Naturally (Part 1)

Ear infections are often a complication of a common cold or other upper respiratory infection. A child will sometimes have a runny nose, a cough, sore throat, and occasionally vomiting and diarrhea. An older child will tell you their ear hurts or feels full. An infant may pull or hit their ears or just be irritable with a slight fever. Recently, my three year old had a sore throat one or two days, then a slight fever one day, then wasn't sleeping well...she finally told me her ear hurt in the middle of the night.

Conventional treatment is antibiotics. I have one thing to say about antibiotics: They will ONLY work to fight a bacterial infection NOT anything viral. Antibiotics will kill ALL biotics you have in your body; good and bad. This is why it is so common for a child or adult to have chronic ear infections if treated with an antibiotic and no probiotics to restore balance.

So what if your child has this...

You will need the following: (We keep these things in our house at all times)

Vitamin C Chewables

Garlic Cloves

Olive Oil

Zinc chews or lozenges

Echinacea / Goldenseal combo in liquid form 

First we PRAY! We pray for God's healing and if The Father decides not to heal us or our child instantly then we pray for Him to boost our immune system and to be with us in our natural treatment. It is good for our body to fight sickness...I will repeat...IT IS GOOD FOR OUR BODY TO FIGHT SICKNESS...our body needs to exercise and build our immune systems. How can it do that if we only break it down with back to back immunizations, antibiotics, and medicine to stop symptoms (which are signals that your body is fighting something and sometimes helping to fight)

During acute infection (the day you either self diagnose or a doctor does) give one dose every 2 hours of Vitamin C and Echinacea / Goldenseal. *You will need to determine what the child dose is of course. I think a good rule of thumb is to take the adult dose and divide either by 3 or by weight. I break a Vitamin C chewable in half or fourths for a child's dose. My 3yr old gets 5 drops and my 5 yr old gets 10 drops of  Echinacea / Goldenseal.*  Sometimes instead of a chewable I drop the Echinacea / Goldenseal in real Oj like Simply Orange Juice.

About 3 times a day heat a fresh garlic clove in olive oil and, with your child lying on his/her side, put one or two drops of warm (not hot!) oil into the affected ear.

Give your child zinc-based lozenges, two to three times a day, as needed. Again...figure out the child dose for what you have bought! I've used a chew that I cut in half and a lozenge cut in half (this one can be tricky! Watch your fingers!).

After symptoms have eased reduce your treatments but continue for about a week. We usually go down to Vit C 3x a day, Echinacea / Goldenseal 3x a day, no drops, and Zinc 1x a day.

We usually avoid breaking fevers because your body uses a fever to kill off infection but when you're dealing with a child and painful ears you don't have many options. First try a cold or warm compress on the painful ear and see if that relieves the discomfort. If not use a child's pain reliever. 

When your child lays down the pain/ fullness may get worse so try propping your child up a bit. Miss Adventure hadn't slept well in days which means I had not either so I finally slept on the couch at an angle to let her sleep one night. Her body fought so much better with that night's sleep and you could totally tell the next day!

I am NOT a doctor or nurse so it is up to you how long you want to wait to see a doctor or use antibiotics. I've treated my son this way and he was fine in 48 hours. My daughter just recently took about 8 or 9 days to recover. At day 7 I was considering taking her in but chose to wait until we hit day 10. We never had to go in.

IF you do decide to use antibiotics make sure you are using probiotics for balance and to prevent your child or yourself some getting sick right after your cycle is done. I personally will use antibiotics in the morning and at night but use probiotics in the afternoon.

We believe the Lord gave our bodies the amazing ability to heal itself of almost anything. I hope this helps anyone wanting to exercise this ability :)

Homemade Pancake Syrup

So in our effort to evict High Fructose Corn Syrup from our house we started buying Real Maple Syrup. Honestly folks...I didn't know there was any other choice other than Mrs. Butterworth's. Real maple syrup?? What do you mean real?? What was I buying and eating that wasn't real?? Seriously I had no clue. Just in case you don't know yet...what you're pouring over your fluffy pancakes is colored high fructose corn syrup. Gross right?? I thought so too. So anyways...we stared buying 12oz Real Maple Syrup at Trader Joe's for 6or 7bucks. This is quite a jump after only spending $2-$3 for twice as much. So this is what I'm doing now...

Boil 1 Cup Water

Add 2 Cups Organic or Unprocessed Sugar*

1Tbsp Molasses

1Tbsp Real Vanilla Extract 

Wisk until sugar is fully dissolved over med/high heat

And there you have it...2 cups of pancake syrup you can proudly feed your family {Grin} and it won't put a dent in your food budget.

*If you are used to Real Maple Syrup's thinner consistency then follow the recipe. If you want something thicker you can add an extra cup of sugar and an extra Tbsp molasses.

At this moment...

We're dreaming about a homestead in the country.

We're pondering living off grid.

I have 3 bags of organic apples to make into yummy apple butter

and chunky applesauce.

I have 2 bags of pomegranates to make into jelly.

The kids and I are remodeling the chicken coop.

The backyard bushes need to be trimmed...badly.

I'm mentally planning our food storage.

I want a couple of these.

I want to try one of these.
I'm scared to try this but I still want one :)

Excited for my new book to come in the mail.

Because of our puppy I need to replant our carrots, lettuce, and broccoli.

I'm so glad fall is here.

I'm so thankful for where the Lord has me.

Where are you at this moment?

Happy Birthday Miss Adventure!

Oh sweetie, how I love you.

Three years ago we welcomed a beautiful little girl into our family.

Your birth was fantastic.

You arrived on your due date.

 You grined at me when you were put in my arms.

You nursed all day and cried all night.

 We love your bright eyes.

You weaned yourself at 18 months.

You potty trained yourself at 2 1/2.

You are quirky, adventures, and my mini me.

 You have bought so much laughter and joy in our home.

 I'm so thankful for the dynamic you haved added to our family.

Happy Birthday My Love

Something Sweet

Conversation With Lego Men

My Son: Want me to show you where my church is?
Lego Man: Yep
My Son: My church is at my home. My mom teaches me.

This made my heart smile. I never want to forget that conversation. Ever.

Where do your children learn about the Lord?

Kindergarten

Ahhh....school is starting!! Do you remember that feeling of going back to school? The dread. The dissappointment that summer is over. That nervous feeling for new teachers, new schools, new friends. What if my clothes aren't cool enough? What if my hair is not pretty enough? What if I can't find my friends before lunch? I hope my kids never feel that dread or nervousness about school.

Then again there was always excitement too. Buying new clothes, shoes, and backpacks but having to wait to wear them til school started. Excited to be around friends again and see who the cutest boy is that year. I hope my kids have lots of those feelings about school too. To this day I'm giddy over school supplies!

Long story short...we feel that raising our children in the way they should go includes education. Yes. That means we are the weirdos on the block...the homeschoolers.

We feel that education starts at birth but we are starting our first official year of Kindergarten in 2 days. And we are SO excited! I thought I would put our school year out there just in case anyone is browsing for ideas.

Bible:

I really like this book. It is the closest to the bible I could find. We go through a story each day and discuss what happened in each story and how it applies to our lives. For each story there are 3 questions to ask your child.

We memorize a new bible verse every 2 weeks. This book not only has A-Z bible verses it also has a children's story to give the child a better understanding of the verse they are on.

Unit Study (Themes): 

I will choose half and Little Astronaut will choose half. We will use our home library and the county library for these. Over Starbucks and Juice boxes he told me he wants to learn about...
Magnets
Telephones
Electricity
Architecture
Pyramids
Lighthouse

I will add...
Weather
Space
Ocean Life
Helicopters
Insects
Dinosaurs
And lots more...

 

Phonics:

I didn't want anything fancy, frilly, or distracting.

This book is black and white...simple.

We are using Bob Books also.

Math: We are doing hands on math...using a lot of manipulatives and learning what a number 3 is not what the number 3 looks like on paper. Ruth Beechick is great because she lays out where your child is developmentally and shows you how to teach simply according to that stage.

Writing:

We will be building up fine motor skills by...mazes, connect the dots, tracing, cutting, and art. I printed up a bunch of  mazes, connect the dots, and tracing sheets online. Eventually we will make it to writing letters but in the mean time I really like Rod and Staff's ABC Series. It is black and white to keep the distractions down, uses pictures of everyday objects, and is SUPER affordable! We will be for sure meshing some of their stuff in our school through out the years.

I used to draw very well. Then I became a little cooler in school and never picked it back up. So I'm excited to be using this book to build our kids love for creating and to reignite mine.

So far our Read Alouds are :

Busy Times (Rod and Staff)

More Busy Times (Rod and Staff)

Climbing Higher (Rod and Staff)
Five True Dog Stories
Dolphin Adventure
Stuart Little
Charlotte's Web
Doctor Dolittle
Mary on Horseback


Little Astronaut will have the pleasure of picking the order we read them {Grin}


I could go back to work and then we could put our children in a very small private school but they still would not get the opportunities they get at home...to pick and choose what they want to learn about, to spend time with people who really love them and have a special interest in their real future not just their test score future. They wouldn't get to dive into the interests God has put in their hearts. And after homework, dinner, baths, and bedtime stories I wouldn't be able to give them that either.


Home education may not be for everyone but I'm sure glad it is for us...

Where the heck is Hawk??

Ginger broke into the chicken coop the other day and had Ducky cornered when we walked out there. So the next day I can't find Hawk...

Me: Where is Hawk??...Oh no...Ginger ate her...no...I would have heard that...oh no...she died from the heat...(walking around the yard) where the heck is she??

Miss Adventure walks outside: Where's Hawk?? (This is her favorite chicken)

Me: Uhm...I don't know sweetie...oh Lord let me find her first...

Finally I check behind the AC unit on the side of the house...

*Gasp!* Is that what I think it is!? It is! An Egg!! Yay Hawk!

One egg?? No way 3 of them...

(No, I don't think this looks like a comfy spot to lay an egg either.)

The kids and I were so excited!! The next day she laid one more so Miss Adventure and I had 'Hawk Eggs' for lunch. Can you tell she thinks this is the coolest thing?

Now let me tell you...it was kindda wierd thinking...I own that bird. I feed it. I watch it walk around my yard.  And now I'm going to eat it's eggs...what if a baby chick is in there?? (impossible btw) I dunno I was just a little freaked out about it. For your information a fresh homegrown egg is hard to break, has firm yolks, and has a deep orange coloring. This was all new to me. 

Mmmm...fresh eggs and turkey bacon...it was a yummy, satisfying, powerful, homegrown experience {Grin}

Today as we pet her we made sure to say thank you for her eggs...

I never thought

I'd be making my own dog food...

But for this sweet girl...why not??

This is Ginger and she is our new first family dog.

We picked her up from my in-law's ranch and had to treat her for fleas...they were everywhere; poor girl. Even in between her toes :(

Then a couple days later she got Parvo. Guess what...If a property ever has a dog with Parvo on it all your future dogs will get it to. It stays in the land forever! Crazy right?!

Just in case you have a puppy that comes down with this...Pray! And then keep her fed and hydrated. Dogs don't die from the virus but from starvation or dehydration. Ginger lived on Nutri-Cal, milk, and watered down gaterade. She lost a bit of wieght but she's alive and thriving.

Shortly after this I ran into a neighbor and she said that I should look into the cons of feeding your dog corn meal. So I went home did a bit of googling and found these two links that were very helpful...

http://www.dogster.com/forums/Food_and_Nutrition/thread/330428
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=myths

Here's the jist of it (from the first link)...

The digestive systems of dogs (and cats) are made to digest meat better than anything else. Corn is used in dog food as a source of protein that's much cheaper than meat is. Some dogs have problems digesting corn, and even if they can digest it, it's usually not fully digested (which is often why dogs tend to have smaller poops on a corn-free food than when they ate food with corn in it). Also, corn is a common allergen for many dogs.


That said, if meat is the first ingredient in the food and corn is relatively far down on the ingredient list, then it's more likely that it's there for a little extra protein, as opposed to making it the sole protein source of the food. The problems happen when corn is the first ingredient, or there are a couple of different corn products in the list (called ingredient splitting: if meat is first and then three different types of corn are next, there's most likely more corn than meat in the food). Corn is considered a filler--something that bulks up the food for not much nutritional value, and little cost.

Protein from meat is much more bio-available to dogs than protein from corn (or other grains), meaning they can use the protein more easily. So even if you get a food with (for example) 22% protein with corn as the main protein source, there's actually more usable protein in a food with 22% protein with meat as the main protein source.

So I priced the 'Right' dog food and decided we couldn't afford $60+ to feed our puppy. Then I found out you can make your own...duh...and that dogs need a diet that consists of 40 percent meat, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch.

I have a whole bag of Boots and Barkly dog food so I'm mixing 1/2 and 1/2 to keep costs down. Ginger was still recovering from the Parvo virus and would play for a bit but then her energy would sputter out. So I fed Ginger her new food yesterday morning and within 30 mins she was playful and running around like crazy having a good ol' time. Her energy didn't fall out like it had before. From this I was sold...I can't feed her perfectly but I can do my best for her and hope she doesn't develop any arthritis, blindness, or sickness in her later years due to her food. 

You can do it too! Today I mixed up 2 big chicken thighs (cooked), 5oz tuna, 1 lb peas/ carrots mix (mashed a bit), and 2 cups brown rice (2cps measured dry). Costs were about $5...and this will last a week.

Next week I'll do 1-1 1/2lb ground beef (cooked), 1lb peas/ carrot mix (mashed a bit), and 2 cups macaroni pasta (2cups measured dry). Costs will be about $5 for a week.

Meat can be: Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Tuna, Salmon
Veggies can be: Anything I think...Carrots and peas seem to be the most common. No onions and only tiny bits of garlic.
Starch can be: Oatmeal, Potatoes, Rice, Pasta

You can also throw in plain yogurt, cottage cheese, and/or eggs.

Make sure they get plenty of exercise of course and enjoy your new dog...she'll thank you I'm sure {Grin} 

Great Pets!

"Chickens are the best pets!"

This quote is from my husband who is NOT an animal person.

That is a BIG deal.

And he's right, they are cool 'pets'.

Chickens eat snails, slugs, ants, and some left overs.

You don't even need to pick up any poop because it's just free fertilizer.

 I also found out 4 chickens can gobble up 4 tomato plants in minutes. Not so good.

We had a big snail problem before the chicks but now it's hard for

Ms. Adventure to find any in the morning to play with. Sad for her but great for the garden.

Chickens are so easy too!

Babies need:

A box to keep them in (we used a 20gal Rubbermaid box for 4 chicks) $12

A heat lamp + bulb (got ours at Walmart) $12

Chick waterer $4

Chick feeder $4

Chick food $30 for 50lbs

We use Organic food.

It's so gross to me that the minute those sweet chicks are born

 they are given a food with hormones and antibiotics.

If that is not a gross factor for you food is much cheaper.

Just today I mixed some oats, lentils, and split peas in their food.

(chopped a bit in my magic bullet)

They seem to like it and I really want them to eat more compost food

so I've been trying that too. I think you have to train domestic

chickens to eat left overs. Mine only eat real food when they are really hungry. 

Once they are about 6weeks old and/or have their real feathers

they can be moved outside. (at least 60* at night)

Outside Chicks need:

A Coop $40

Feeder and Waterer off the ground $8 each

A dowel they can roost on $5

Nesting boxes for laying $10 each or make your own

Chicks will start laying around 20-24 weeks

Door on the right will be where we put our nesting boxes

for easy egg collecting.



And that's it! We let ours roam the backyard from 8am-8pm.

Then they get locked up for the night.

We love having chickens! They are so fun to watch.

The kids love them and their

eggs will be nice too {Grin}



Herb of the Day

Herb: Fenugreek
Part used: Seeds
Primary Nutrients: Choline, Iron, Lecithin, Minerals, Protein, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and D

Now on to the cool stuff....

It was first used in Asia for inflamed bowels and stomach problems because of it's bowel-lubricating abilities.
The Greeks used it for respiratory problems.
Is able to dissolve hardened masses of accumulated mucus in the body!!
Helps rid the lungs of mucus and phlegm in the bronchial tubes.
Combined with honey and lemon juice can help soothe the throat and reduce fever.
Helps expel waste through the lymphatic system!!
Contains antiseptic properties that help kill infections in the lungs.
Contains choline and liptropic which aids in lowing cholesterol.
Reduces mucus in cases of asthma, sinus and bronchial congestion!!
Can be used as a poultice on wounds, inflammations, boils, and skin ailments!!

Isn't that so neat!! 

Primary Applications are....
Allergies                              Loss of Appetite
Catarrh, Bronchial               High Cholesterol
Diabetic Retinopathy           Gas
Gastric Disorders                Lung Infections
Excessive Mucus                Sore Throat

Secondary Applications are...
Abscesses                          Anemia
Asthma                               Boils
Body Odor                         Bronchitis
Cancer                               Swollen Eyes 
Fevers                                Gallbladder Problems
Heartburn                           Inflammation
Sinus Problems                   Ulcers
Uterine Problems                Water Retention


Now if that doesn't excite you I'm not sure what will!! lol Just kidding of course...

Anyways we used this for my son because you could hear the mucus build up in his lungs and chest and the doctor wanted to treat him 'like' bronchitis. For an adult you could probably drink 3 cups of tea a day. For a child I would do a 1/3 cup of tea 3x a day. I just brewed one cup in the morning and had him sip it through out the day. It took all day but I was happy with that from my picky little guy : )


Information taken from Today's Herbal Health By Louise Tenny MH
and Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child By Numerous Authors

Phew!

Little Astronaut was sick from onset to today 12 days! Ugh ...so glad it's over but we learned so much in that time. This was his list of supplements...

Fenugreek Tea (once a day)
Echinacea (2-7x a day)
Golden Seal (2-7x a day)
Vitamin C (3x a day)
Euctalyptus (chest rub, neck, foot rub)
A Zinc chew (2x a day) 
Garlic (3x a day)
And as many fluids as possible

Needless to say I'm tired but thankful. The last couple days he had only a dry cough and an on and off fever. So I was thinking we may have been fighting a bacterial infection after all...but! Low and behold yesterday he said his ear hurt. I never thought I would have been happy about an ear infection but I was! It meant he was successful in fighting his first thing  and on to something else. That issue should be gone by tomorrow and this brings me to my next few posts...an Herb of the Day series! Aren't you so excited!? I think Fenugreek may be first...only because it's kind of fun to say. {Grin}

In His hands...

Food heals. That's what I tell people. That's what I believe.

But when my son starts struggling to breath we turn to the Lord and thank him that I saved the inhaler for emergencies.

Little Astronaut was struggling to breath Tuesday morning. Then that afternoon...and then again that night. When he gets sick we have to watch him because he has gotten croup a few times. The humidifier has really helped us avoid medical intervention. But this time it was within minutes he was not able to speak between breaths. Scary. I pray. We used his emergency inhaler and 3 hours later it happened again. I pray. And a wonderful friend of mine flew to my house with her nebulizer and saved me a trip to the ER. We had to use it again that night.

God can heal us right? I know it. He says it. I believe it. 

The next day he's so much better. We take him to our doctor and she says...Hmmm...there's definitely something going on in there (listening to his breathing you could hear the mucus). We'll treat it as bronchitis. It's probably viral but I'll prescribe you antibiotics. (I'm thinking...yeah right) I ask if there's a way to test if it is bacterial so I know if he needs antibiotics and she says no. She obviously knows me (and other mom's like me) and says with a smile I can wait 48 hours before I give it to him. She prescribes a nebulizer, Albuterol and a steroid. She gives him a breathing treatment there (Albuterol) because his oxygen level was low. 

So we leave and I head to our local health store. I'd been reading about Fenugreek; an herb that dissolves mucus, so I get that. I'd also been reading about Ginger; an herb that increases circulation and get that. We go home and there I am...

Food heals. That's what I tell people. That's what I believe.

Do I believe it enough for my son?

This is not a cold, the flu, chicken pox...this is serious.

I call a mom that has become a mentor to me and I surprise myself and breakdown on the phone with her. She prays. I feel peace. I call my husband. I walk into the kitchen and mix Simply Oj with Echinacia and a cup of Fenugreek tea...I give it to my sweet boy and I pray. I pray some more. I pick up our nebulizer and Albuterol for emergencies and wait.

Today is Thursday and Little Astronaut is doing wonderfully.

Thank you LB. Thank you TE. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you dear friends whom I can reach out to and you pray.

What I've learned from this...
I am not in control. No matter how much I know and read; I'm not The Healer. 

The minute that Little Astronaut gets congested we will start treatment immediately with herbs and vitamins. And I will not be afraid to use our emergency medical supplies.   


**I'm not telling you what to do with your kids medically or herbally. I just wanted to share what the Lord was reminding me... He's got the itty bitty children in his hands {Grin}**