Store offerings

I had some free time, the booth where stuff us homesteaders make and sell was a little empty so I gathered some goodies. Vanilla extract was a must:

I finally got around to making these soap dispensers. This is a project I started thinking about when pregnant with the little guy if that tells you how much I procrastinated on it. 

Busy

I made dog treats from chicken livers and hearts:

Sprinkled them with garlic salt and tossed in the bowl.

Put them in the dehydrator and after 8 hours they wee ready for Bo. He approves!

 

I also made blueberry sourdough bread for the humans.

Cinnamon sourdough:

blueberry sweet rolls:

and the man of my dreams made a light for my kitchen:

Food

Trying to buy healthy organic GMO free food can make one dizzy. It is hard to know what is really in the food we eat. Clearly most people know that fast food of any kind is generally not healthy but I thought this article was enlightening.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/10/11/232106472/what-s-in-that-chicken-nugget-you-really-don-t-want-to-know

If you have ever wondered what is in those chicken nuggets this article is certainly worth a read.

At home today I kissed babies, cooked meals, did laundry, cleaned out the fridge and pantry, and prepared my grocery list for tomorrow. I placed our meat order at the local meat market, so I know where my meat comes from :-)

Great Minds

It is said great minds think alike and I love being around like minded ladies. Last night was our meeting and food swap. I made granola and got all sorts of yummy goodies in exchange.

I also bartered some stuff we no longer use for a lego man hat, orange essential oils, honey granules, sunflower seeds, garbanzo beans, homemade deodorant, and homemade chocolate syrup.

 

Our guest speaker at the meeting spoke on organization. I didn't learn a great deal since I tend to be a very organized person anyway but I did leave feeling motivated to continue decluttering and organizing.  The kitchen was done last week, today I did the master bathroom and tomorrow I will do the pantry items.

 

Freezing

Living in GA we get spoiled. Normally how to keep our animals cool during a heat wave is our only worry but this past week with temps dipping in the single digits and wind chills well below 0 we had to worry if they were going to be able to stay warm. It went down to 6 last night and this morning I was happy to see the chickens and rabbits come out in the sunshine and greet us for their food. I kept telling myself we've never done anything differently to keep them warm, they are resourceful, they have shelter and each other but seeing other homesteading woman worry about their animals safety in the cool temps got me worried too. I was oh so relieved to see I worried for nothing.

Tomorrow my oldest turns 15, I wonder where the time went, who blinked and why we can't freeze time. Parenting teenagers is so hard, harder than I was ever prepared for. No one ever tells you when they hand you a neatly swaddled newborn that in 13 years that child will make you worry relentlessly. That he will make poor decisions and you wonder what you did wrong despite trying to do everything right.

Tonight is our Ladies Homestead Gathering meeting, I look forward to these monthly meetings so much. They are a great resource, I always leave feeling like I learned so much from everyone there. Over the next week I will making a list of things I hope to learn and accomplish in 2014 :-)

Inspiration and Purpose

There are times that I lack inspiration and times that I lack purpose. When I lack both I know cha-cha changes are a coming. I don't know what or why or if the outcome will look anything like the plan or beginning but changes are coming. I know that I have a great purpose in staying home with my kids and providing nutritious meals while saving us as much as possible but I need something for me! I am trying to think that through.

The new year brought new goals and conversations about the future so I will have to find something that helps in achieving those goals :-)

I have had a quiet week. It has been cold so outside activity has stopped, I have accomplished a lot in the house and that will continue. The big kids go back to school on Tuesday.

I have been working on bartering more and spending less. This week I traded a jar of apple butter for 10-7 gallon food grade buckets, a clay roaster for some cinnamon rolls and sour dough starter, I also sold the baby's bumbo seat and high chair earning a little cash.

As we say good-bye to 2013 and welcome 2014 I am excited to see what is to come....