His Grace To Me

Baked Kale Chips

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-06:00

I've seen recipes and rave reviews for kale chips all over the internet. My sister has been making kale chips and has won over her husband and in-laws, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I read through quite a few recipes and decided to try baking them in the oven for my first test. The most basic kale chip recipes call for about one to two tablespoons of oil per half-pound of rinsed kale that has been cut from the tough stalk and cut/torn into pieces. I used olive oil. Go with larger pieces because the kale will shrink. Pour the oil over the kale and massage it into the leaves with your hands. Gotta use your hands so that you know every bit is coated. A spoon just won't do the trick. Then add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt per half-pound of kale and mix well. I went with the smaller amount since I could always add more salt later. I used natural applewood smoked salt for one batch, and a pink sea salt for another batch.

The kale was spread on two ungreased cookie sheets and baked for 15-20 minutes in a 350 oven. Start stirring the kale around after about 7 minutes so the kale will crisp up as evenly as possible. Watch it carefully - it will be ready in a snap!

Wow, a very yummy, addictive and healthy treat! I'm glad I went with the smaller amount of salt, it was just right. I'm looking forward to trying this again, but instead of baking it in the oven, I will dehydrate it instead. This kale chip idea seems to lend itself to flavor experimentation. Give it a try!

Planting Grocery Store Potatoes

2012-01-29T21:35:00.001-06:00

A check of the potato bin in the pantry revealed a few russets that were just begging me to plant them! You know I can't resist the "call of the dirt"!

I prepped the potatoes by cutting them in several pieces, each with a sprout or eye. The cut potatoes sat for several days so the cuts could toughen over, and then into the ground they went!

Russets are an early to mid season potato, meaning that they will be ready to dig in approximately 70 to 90 days. The other potatoes that I planted, Red Pontiac seed potatoes, are early season and should be ready in 60 to 80 days. I don't know how the grocery will produce, but I hope to get at least 50 lbs of potatoes from both varieties.

From Paper to Cloth

2012-01-18T14:02:00.000-06:00

We are finally making the transition from using paper towels to using cloth towels. Paper towels were taking too big of a chunk out of my grocery budget only to be wasted. No matter how I tried to train my two boys, they never seemed to get the hang of taking only ONE paper towel at a time!

In the bathroom, I bought a bunch of $0.97 hand towels from Stuffmart as an experiment. I figured since they were so cheap, they might not last long, but they could buy me some time until I came up with a long-term alternative. The great news is that they are working out great! I may swap out towels 2-3 times a day( we wash our hands often because of leukemia), but because the towels were inexpensive, I have a good supply.

Our cloth napkins dry very quickly on the line - no extra energy needed.

In the kitchen, I bought some waffle weave dishcloths to use as cloth napkins/paper towels. I keep them in a basket for everyone to grab as needed. My kitchen cleaning towels are a different color and style, so they don't get mixed up.

The towels, since they are fairly small, don't add up to much more laundry work. I dry all of our towels on the line, so we're not using more energy either.

My plan was to keep a few rolls of paper towels on hand for guests. During the holidays, our Christmas guests insisted on using the cloth towels as well. Sweet! Everyone had taken to using cloth very well. So well in fact, that I regret not making the switch sooner!

I Think The Birds Have Forgiven Me

2012-01-17T01:04:00.000-06:00

My greedy little sparrow friends were the first to return to the this feeder.

It has been my habit for several years now to maintain several birdfeeders in our yard. Our main feeder is about 6 feet away from my bedroom window, which gives the children and I a nice indoor observation spot. Life was so overwhelming to me in the months following Donald's diagnosis that I neglected the feeders and birdbath. I was in survival mode and the birds were not a priority at the time. I felt so guilty that I let my bird friends down during such a hot and dry summer, especially when I think about how the drought dried up most of the natural food and water sources in our area. Oh how I missed spending a few quiet minutes each morning watching my bird friends.

It's been a few weeks now since I took up filling the feeders and birdbath again. It took a few days for them to notice, but I've had visits from all the bird friends that I would expect to see this time of year. I'm glad that the juncos, wrens, finches, chickadees, nuthatches and others have forgiven me. I think they deserve a new feeder and birdbath, don't you?

No News Is Good News, But...

2012-01-16T23:47:00.003-06:00

Life on the leukemia front has been quiet for the past few weeks. Bloodwork was okay on our last lab visit. No midnight trips to the ER. Definitely a case of no-news-is-good-news. But if I have learned anything from this cancer journey so far, it would be to enjoy the quiet moments because you never know what is around the bend.

That is why I keep a hospital suitcase packed and ready to go at all times. It is full of what Donald and I might need for a multi-day hospital stay. It sits right at our back door so I can pick it up on the way out. If we leave home and go farther than 30-40 mins away from home, I take the suitcase. It goes with us to all clinic appointments as well. The ice chest is filled with vegetarian microwavable soups and things, because although the hospital's food is pretty decent, it is expensive.

When we checked out of the hospital after our diagnosis inpatient stay, I thanked the nurse who had been so very kind to us. I told her that although I appreciated her work very much, I never planned to stay on the oncology floor again. She smiled grimly and responded with, "It's not if you'll be back, just when." Ouch. Reality check. So I'm learning to expect the unexpected while enjoying the quiet times.

God is Faithful.

Simple and Effective Worm Composting

2012-01-10T01:43:00.000-06:00

I've been inspired by this video to get a worm composting bin going. Food scraps in the top, compost tea out the bottom. Hmmm....

The Goal: Dark, Rich Soil

2012-01-10T01:32:00.000-06:00

The soil of East Texas is mostly sandy, which is both good and bad. It's great for growing root crops like sweet potatoes and carrots, because the soil easily makes way for the growing root. Sandy soil is easy to work in- a garden fork will most often do the trick. Sandy soil is a pain however, because it drains quickly- which sounds good, but that means any moisture or nutrients you add the soil wash away as well. With Texas forecasted to be in a severe drought for several more years(!), it is vitally important that I build up my garden soil so that it can hold moisture and nutrients longer.

A trailer load of manure for the garden- YAY!

In the past, I've been a bit sporadic about amending the soil. No more. My garden goal for 2012 is to amend the soil at least every two to three months. The caveat is that I need to do it for as little cash as possible. This year's garden budget is pretty much $0. As a result, I've been trying to flex my creative muscle with inexpensive options. So far so good. A friend with horses is letting us clear an old paddock that full of 2 year old composted manure. He also has old, trampled hay that we can regularly collect for garden mulch/compost. Each week I rake up multiple wheelbarrow loads of oak leaves from around our property to put in the chicken coop and pen as bedding. The chickens shred the leaves with their scratching and compost it for me. In warmer months, I'll use grass clippings as bedding with the same end result. I'm not even gonna let the wood ash from our fireplace go to waste! The wood ash gets layered into the compost bin with food and garden scraps, and also dug (moderately) into the garden where I am NOT going to plant potatoes or acid-loving plants. I will also take any nitrogen fixing plants like English peas or Field peas that I grow and chop them up finely when they are finished growing and add them back into the soil. With a bit of research, I can hopefully come up with a few more ideas to rotate through so that the soil is always getting something new and helpful. The goal: dark, rich soil!

Super Sibs!

2012-01-04T23:40:00.002-06:00

When Donald was first diagnosed, our assigned social worker suggested that I sign my two older children up for the SuperSibs! - a wonderful free program for siblings of pediatric cancer patients. They provide age-appropriate support for siblings ages 4-18 to encourage them as they travel the cancer journey with their sibling. My two 'olders' have received newsletters, journals, little fun goodies, activity books and even a trophy! Talk about a surprise when those arrived in the mail! Those trophies were so well-deserved!

Angelina(13) and Andrew(11) have been a real blessing. They have accepted the sacrifices that come with cancer well. They go to all of the clinic visits and are great in helping Donald to be brave when he is afraid. If Donald has to fast before a procedure- they join Mom and Dad and fast too, even if it means being up at 4:30am to travel to the clinic but not eating until 10 or 11am. They are always on the lookout for anything amiss- often they will notice if Donald is feverish before I do. When Donald is feeling bad, they are always willing to cuddle up with him and read to him or just comfort him. One night, Donald was feeling nauseous and started to gag. I was shocked at how quickly my two 'olders' responded! They had the trashcan and towels at the ready before I could call for help. True SuperSibs!

I do get the occasional, "Donald gets more attention than I do" complaint, but on the whole, Angelina and Andrew have been extremely accommodating. Sometimes things are a bit off-balance but they understand and give me a chance to make it up to them. My prayer is that God grants them both a special blessing for their hearts of love and service towards their little brother.

God Was Faithful In 2011

2012-01-01T14:24:00.002-06:00

2011 goes down in the history books as the most difficult year of my life so far. I've had some awful personal experiences, but having your child's life hang in the balance trumps it all. Although leukemia and May 19th (diagnosis day) will forever leave its stain on 2011, it is not my greatest memory for the year.

Remember how I told you about the song I heard on the radio when I realized that there was something very wrong with my child? And how Holy Spirit comforted me with the words, "God is Faithful"? That brief, three-word phrase has come to be my greatest memory for 2011. Like the Widow of Zarepath, we saw some hard times, but our barrel of meal was never empty and our cruse of oil never ran dry. I still struggle with the reality of leukemia, I still hurt for my child and family, and I still have to lay my problems at Jesus' feet on a daily basis. However, human words cannot express how abundantly faithful God has been to my family! I'm struggling with the words, so I'll say it this way:

God is Faithful. Trust Him in 2012.

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

2011-12-26T19:06:00.000-06:00

My sister and her husband flew in from GA to spend the holiday weekend with us. She brought a pint of chestnuts so we could try our hand at roasting them, just like the song says. We washed and cut Xs in the flat side so to allow them to open as they roasted. The container that the chestnuts came in said to roast them in the oven, but fire-roasting sounded like more fun.

We made a jolly, smoky mess! The first batch caught fire and burnt to a crisp. We lined the rack with foil and successfully roasted the second batch. The roasted chestnuts were very mild in taste and kinda beany in texture. I doubt we'll ever roast chestnuts again, but our attempts made for some good laughs.

PS- see that cake in the background? My mom makes delicious vegan desserts, that is a carob German Chocolate Cake.

Christmas Blessings - Home for the Holidays

2011-12-26T18:38:00.000-06:00

I've always loved the Perry Como version of Home For the Holidays. This year the song was an especial favorite because we very nearly spent the holiday weekend in the hospital. Our clinic visit last Thursday showed that not only did Donald have an ear infection, but his bloodwork showed that he was severely neutropenic- his body was not able to fight an infection. I've spent the last few days with a thermometer in my pocket, checking his temp every 1 or 2 hours. If we hit the magic number of 100 for more than an hour , then we needed to alert the oncologist on call for instructions and a trip to the ER.

This is Donald's first virus since being diagnosed. I was pretty upset and stressed because I had grand plans for a peaceful Christmas for all of my children. I was so ready to curl up in a ball and cry!

My first blessing was that Holy Spirit truly fulfilled his role as Comforter. My distress was replaced with a quiet, reassuring peace. God loves my child more than I do and wants the very best for him. Once I moved my fears aside and remembered to trust in God, I felt a thousand times better.

My second blessing was that my husband gave me the best pep-talk ever. He reminded me that I was not going through this experience alone and that we had each other for help and support. He said some of the kindest words to me in our 18 years of marriage. Do I ever love that man!

The third blessing was that although we hit a temp of 100, it did not last more 30 minutes. We have been home all weekend to enjoy the holidays together as a family. What a memorable Christmas. God is Faithful.

November/December in the Garden

2011-12-06T20:27:00.001-06:00

Believe it or not, we still have a few things going in our winter garden. Hubby's persimmon tree has given us some tasty fruit.

We've got lots of swiss chard, which I use instead of spinach, which I can't seem to grow at all.

I love kale! It takes a bit of time to grow from seed, but it's worth the wait!

We still have peppers! I've put them in an improvised greenhouse and we'll see if I can keep them alive this winter.

I'm not a fan of turnips, but they are so easy to grow. Good thing my mom (and the chickens) like them!

The battle with the moles rages on. I had a lovely collard plant where this hole now sits. I don't want to put poison in my garden , so I try to flood them out of the garden and onto the lawn where I can use "stronger" means to eradicate them .

We Made It!

2011-12-06T19:13:00.001-06:00

After more than six months of intense frontline treatment, we have officially made it to the Long Term Maintenance phase of treatment. The LTM phase is the last phase (Lord willing) and will last the next 2+ years. We had a bit of confusion concerning our treatment roadmap, but everything has been cleared up and we're on our way. Instead of weekly clinic visits, we're transitioning through bi-weekly to once a month clinic visits. Whew!

Visiting with the Funnyatrics clowns to relax Donald before treatment.

We made it just in time. I'm VERY weary from 3 hr trips to Dallas, and that's just the driving. Almost all of our clinic visits start at 7:30am and last about 5 hours. Donald has been very brave, but in the last month or so, he has hit an emotional wall where he frets quite a bit about going to the clinic. He used to submit to treatment quietly, but now he is pretty vocal to the nurses and doctors about the fact that he does not like being poked and prodded.

This is what happens when you tell a knock-knock joke that makes the clowns laugh.

We're not on easy street by any stretch of the imagination - the treatment dosages have to be continually evaluated and adjusted, we also still have to be vigilant about side-effects and anything that can cause infection. Donald's bone marrow is "tired" from the frontline treatment and we have to work hard within the chemotherapy protocols to keep his body as strong as possible. Some children sail through frontline treatment only to have major problems during LTM. Only the Lord knows what lies ahead for us during these next 2+ years.

I'm thankful. That Donald is still in remission and that we have made it this far. God is Faithful.

Little Drops

2011-12-05T00:50:00.000-06:00

Little drops of water,

little grains of sand,

make the mighty ocean

and the beauteous land.

Little deeds of kindness,

little words of love,

make our earth an Eden,

like the heaven above.

Sometimes we think that to make an spiritual impact on this world, to truly touch the hearts of others, that we must do something grand and far-reaching. Like the two stanzas from this long ago poem-turned-children's-song reveal, it's the little drops that truly matter.

I had two phone calls this weekend. Chats with friends that lifted my sagging spirits. Words that encouraged and reminded me that God is with me. A funny story, a laugh, a kind word. Little drops. One of the calls was barely two minutes long, the other a good bit longer. The little drops sprinkled on me lightened my heart at exactly the right time and sent my mind to ponder God's love for me.

Thank you Lord, for those little drops.

God is faithful.

The First Five Days

2011-11-20T00:12:00.001-06:00

Donald was diagnosed with leukemia in the late afternoon and around 10pm that evening, we were admitted to the oncology department of Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Before this time, I was the only one who had ever spent the night in the hospital, and that was just to deliver my three children. Other than a few prescriptions for antibiotics here and there, no one in our family had ever needed any "real" medications. Suddenly, that all changed.

Poor Donald was confused about what was going on, but he was not feeling well, so he did not put up much resistance to the sudden, new changes. The Oncology fellow and the nurses who met us at the entrance of the oncology floor were very kind and gentle and Donald took to them very quickly. We had an initial diagnosis from our pediatrician, but Children's did their own series of tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine exactly what type of leukemia Donald had. Once it decided that Donald has pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, then it was also decided that we would spend the first 5 days of treatment inpatient.

Even though it's 1.5 hrs away from home, I'm thankful to live close as we do to a specialty hospital for children. Since diagnosis, we've made a few trips to our local ER because of fevers, and although it's a nice hospital (and my husband's employer), they are not as well equipped to meet the needs of children.

During the first few days at Children's, we were able to have the child life specialists meet with Donald to teach him about the port that was installed in his chest, and to work with big brother and sister to help them also understand what was happening. Not only did the specialists deliver toys and movies to the room, there was a "clean" playroom on our floor for Donald to visit once he started feeling better. I was so thankful to have my husband there, he got Donald out of the bed and over to the playroom, to make crafts and play games.

The rooms are outfitted with a sofa bed so parents can stay with their children, but siblings under the age of 18 cannot spend the night. I have a relative that lives about 30 minutes from the hospital and she arrived right away to very kindly deliver a key to her house. There is also a Ronald McDonald house a few blocks from the hospital with a shuttle bus to take you back and forth. The social worker assigned to us got us put onto the RMcD house list, so we can now use their facilities as needed. My mom came with us and stayed with Angelina and Andrew in Dallas so that they could be as close to their brother as possible.

We have been blessed. We have only had 5 days of inpatient care so far. Some families have to spend the first 30 days of treatment inpatient. Fortunately, all of our ER runs have resulted in us being sent home. We were nearly admitted just last week, but God answered my prayers. I was not feeling well myself and dreaded a sleepless night in a hospital room. Life is tough, but God is Faithful.

Day Before Diagnosis

2011-11-19T23:56:00.001-06:00

The day before Donald was diagnosed with leukemia, we could tell he didn't feel well, but did not know the extent of his discomfort. Now I know that like me, he has a high pain tolerance. We thought he had shoulder soreness from falling outside, but it was actually pain from the leukemia "blasts" in his collarbone. He was cheerful that day, but only interested in quiet play and sticking very close to Mommy. Part of me sometimes wishes that I had taken him to the doctor sooner, that I had done something to relieve his pain sooner. Can't beat myself up for something I didn't know. I just didn't know.

Keeping a Record of the Journey

2011-11-19T23:26:00.001-06:00

Since Donald is so young and doesn't fully understand all of what is happening to him, I hope to one day to have all of the leukemia posts from my blog printed as a "memory book" of this journey. Hopefully it will be something that will help him make sense of his experience with cancer as he grows older.

I also want to make sure that the comments and notes of encouragement that you have sent our way are not lost. Some of you have made comments that were exactly the heaven-sent words I needed to read at exactly the right time! There have been times where I've re-read comments multiple times because they were so cheerful/encouraging/uplifting to me.

I've got a few pictures and stories that I have not shared so I hope to get on the ball and get them posted soon! Sometimes technology can be a bother, but right now I'm thankful to have a blog to help me organize my thoughts as we walk this road.

Planting Weeds as Chicken and Me Feed

2011-11-14T22:25:00.001-06:00

I blogged earlier in the year that we have some wild edibles growing in our yard. Lamb's Quarter and mullein were the first things I found, then later this summer I found purslane and realized that we also have yucca. Life got in the way of me utilizing these plants the way I would have liked to this past summer, but I did notice some interesting things. The lamb's quarter, purslane and yucca survived the heat and drought fairly well. How exciting to know that I can still have some fresh healthy greens from our yard in the heat of summer I also noticed that the lamb's quarter grew thickest around the spot where we burn our brush. I don't know why, but I plan to do a bit of research to see what I can learn about that.

I let the patch of lamb's quarter around our burn pile grow until it went to seed. Then a few weeks ago I cut down the woody stems and shook the seedy branches around the outside perimeter of our chicken coop and in a few areas of our property that we don't mow regularly. I don't expect to harvest this "crop" until next Spring and Summer, but a few of the seeds decided to brave our warmish November weather and send up a few shoots.

I call lamb's quarters "chicken and me feed" because the young, tender leaves at the top are for me to eat. The leaves are high in vitamins and even protein. It makes an excellent substitute for spinach. It can be eaten raw, but is best eaten lightly steamed. I recently read here that the seeds are edible. Hmmmm. Maybe I should save some seeds for dinner instead of planting. As for the chickens- during the summer I supplement their feed with lots of lamb's quarters. They love it and gobble it right down.

Hopefully over the next few years, I can get a real nice patch of weeds going. My poor husband. I think he's getting tired of hearing me say, "I've got a project going, don't mow here, or here, or here or here or ...."!

Next stop, yucca. I hear that the roots will lather up and can be used as a shampoo. How 'bout that?

In The Lord We Have Righteousness and Strength

2011-11-08T23:48:00.000-06:00

Just because leukemia has moved into our house does not mean our other troubles and trials have moved out. It has been a hard few days and leukemia had nothing to do with the troubles I've had. The quote below was part of today's reading in my favorite devotional book, My Life Today. It was like a life preserver had been thrown out to me. What a blessing!

"The promise is, “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape.” Maintain to the last your Christian integrity, and do not murmur against God.... Consider that eternal interests are here involved. You cannot afford to become discouraged and cast away your confidence. The Lord loves you, trust in the Lord. The Lord Jesus is your only hope. Make sure work for eternity. You must not murmur or complain or condemn yourself. Neglect no means of grace. Encourage your soul to believe and to trust in God.
In the Lord we have righteousness and strength. Lean upon Him, and through His power you may quench all the fiery darts of the adversary and come off more than conqueror."

My Life Today, 313

Please be encouraged today and lean on Him. God is Faithful!

Frontline Treatment Nearly Done

2011-11-06T14:25:00.000-06:00

The first six months of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia is intense by design. He is seen by his oncologists nearly every week. We are starting week 7 of the 8 weeks in Delayed Intensification, the last and hardest phase of frontline treatment. When Donald's blood count reaches the required level in the next few weeks, we will settle into the last phase of treatment - Long-term Maintenance, which will last the remainder of the 2+ years of treatment.

Delayed Intensification has been a bear. We've had pain issues, appetite problems, fatigue and lots of nausea. We have had one ER trip during this phase for fever, but were able to avoid getting admitted inpatient. Then there were the 7 injections that I had to administer at home-YUCK! Our biggest issue right now is a very low neutrophil count, which means that Donald has little to no ability to fight off infection. As a result we are homebodies, because it is not worth the risk to have him pick up a virus that puts him in the hospital. The medications that Donald is taking are bad enough, I don't want to add a high dose of powerful antibiotics to the mix. Lord willing, in a few weeks his counts will rise and we can get out a little bit. We haven't been to church as a full family of 5 since the end of June. I'd like our family to take up a whole row like we usually do. Many patients end up in the hospital during Delayed Intensification- I pray we make it through without an admit.

Donald is such a brave boy. He has days where he feels bad, but he is still a pretty chipper kid. Now that our awful summer has ended, we try to spend lots of time outdoors soaking up the sunshine and getting lots of fresh air. I'm so thankful for our little two acres. We can spend the afternoon rambling about the yard, picking veggies from the garden, swinging on the play set without having to go to a park or being around people who might be be sick.

Thank you so much for your prayers and kind comments. They mean so much to our family. We continue to covet your prayers, we are doing well but still have a LONG way to go!

Chicken Tales

2011-11-06T13:45:00.001-06:00

My flock of 18 hens and 1 rooster is doing well. They're a sturdy little flock, they came through the long summer heatwave very well. We are collecting about a dozen eggs a day. What do we do with 7 dozen eggs a week? My goal is to sell 5 dozen a week to pay for their feed. My husband does well at getting buyers from his job at $2 a dozen. I think I'd charge a bit more if their feed was 100% organic. I only use vegetarian feed, and when I get the proper storage space, I can go to a local feed mill and order a custom organic vegetarian feed mix. When you use a feed mill, it's cheaper but you have to buy in large quantities- like 500lbs at a time- so I have to find a place to store that much feed. I need a barn!

Our neighbors are so great about helping us with our animals and keeping an eye on things whenever we are gone. I make sure that they never have to buy eggs. There is also an older lady at church that would love to have chickens but is not able to. I love to deliver eggs to her, it makes her so happy. Makes me happy too. There are also a few families having a hard time financially in our church that enjoy the gift of eggs as well. Everyone is always surprised to find sea green, olive green and blue eggs in their cartons.

Why have chickens when we're mostly vegan? Besides the fact that we do eat a few eggs here and there, our chickens do lots of work for me. We don't have a garbage disposal and even if we did, I wouldn't use it because it would mess up our septic system. The chickens are great about eating the food scraps that come with meal preparation. They also work their way through the weeds and garden trimmings and break it down for us. They keep our bug population down which is a benefit to our garden. In return, I get lots of good manure for the compost bin. They are great garden workers as well. If you have an area that you'd like to turn into a garden , just set up a temporary pen in that spot. They will not only clear the ground for you, but also add manure right in the planting area. Next spring, I might try my hand at hatching my own chicks.

Readin' and Writin'...

2011-10-25T22:22:00.001-05:00

This morning I got out my lesson plan book to jot down a few notes about the schoolwork we need to accomplish in November. That's when I noticed that not only were my September lesson plans incomplete, but there were no lesson plans at all for the month of October! So, on October's page I wrote:

"No written lesson plans for October due to two steroid pulses! Did some math, geography, science and Bible. Lesson plans to resume in November! 10/25/11"

This treatment phase has been a bear. There were days when life was lived at its bare minimum: eat- sleep - clean clothes. Sometimes the clean clothes were dropped off the list! Five months of weekly clinic visits has really taken a toll on our entire family.

I'm thankful that Angelina and Andrew are a point where they can do quite a bit of their work independently. We added the Saxon Teacher lesson CDs to Angelina's math program and that has proven to be a huge help on the days that I just can't get away from Donald's needs to help her. Both Angelina and Andrew love their Apologia science books and so they are working happily on their own. Using the Jr. Notebook that comes with the elementary science program is a great help to Andrew and Angelina is improving in her study skills as she prepares to start high school next year. Our World Geography study is still very casual and self-directed, which make the learning much more appealing for all of us. Grandma has been very helpful with making sure the kids are able to get to piano lessons, which was something that I wanted to make sure we didn't lose after Donald's diagnosis.

Look up in the upper right corner of the picture- see it? Homeschooling in progress! Andrew worked on his math while I put up dried pears.

Our only schooling struggle has been in Bible. Actually our study of the life of Christ is going well, it's the extras that I had trouble with. My goal this year was to write an English/Language Arts curriculum to go along with our Bible studies. All of our grammar, vocabulary, spelling and writing was to be based on our Bible studies, but I just could not keep up. I hated to abandon my project for this year, but I have plenty of Language Arts curriculum that we can use until I can get caught up on my curriculum work.

Looking back, I can see that in spite of the madness that was October, God has proven himself faithful to our family. Now that I'm writing and reflecting, we have accomplished way more than I thought. God is good!

Now, to finish November's lesson plans...

My Latest Projects & A Disclaimer

2011-10-17T22:39:00.000-05:00

Lest you get the mistaken idea that I can leap tall buildings in a single bound, I want to make this disclaimer. On a really good day, I can leap a fairly small building, but it has to be a very, very good day! Recently someone tried to tell me that I was really good at "doing it all". I'd hate for that misconception to continue because it is just not true. I can't "do it all", I can only do my best.

In an attempt to keep leukemia from completely destroying the life our family once had, I try very hard to keep doing some of the "homesteady" things that I/we enjoyed doing. I think it's slightly comforting for my older children especially, to see that Mama is still canning, still gardening, still working towards our goal of a simpler lifestyle. Also, my puttering around with kitchen experiments is a welcome diversion from the near-constant round of medical appointments, an always changing list of medications and the accompanying side effects. So don't get the mistaken idea that I'm a super homeschooling/homesteading/cancer kid mom. I'll show you what I've been canning/dehydrating/preserving, but I'm not gonna show you my messy stovetop! I love my clothesline, but not the pile of towels that need to be folded, or the room that really needs to be painted, or the window with the fingerprints...never mind, let me show you what I've been up to lately!

I have a hate-love relationship with Kieffer pears. I hate processing them, I love the result. Fortunately, I've still got some canned pears from last year to finish up, so I planned on putting up only 2 bushels of pears this year. The drought and awful heat resulted in much smaller pears than normal, but they are very sweet, so I couldn't help picking up a half-bushel more of pears today to dehydrate. I have one of those spiral apple corer/peeler thingies that makes it so much easier to work with these super-hard pears. I soak them in citric acid for a few minutes and then throw them on the dehydrator overnight, usually at least 10 hours. Totally yummy snack that everyone loves.

Homemade Mayo- I finally did it! Store-bought egg-free mayos are nearly $7 a jar here- too rich for my budget! My first attempt at mayo making ended in failure because my blender died. I tried it again in the food processor and I was able to quickly and easily make a pint jar of mayo with just soy milk ,olive oil and my favorite seasonings. Now I'm going to start making fancy gourmet mayos for our sandwiches- chipotle, lemon-dill, etc. Here's a hint: use extra light tasting olive oil, unless you don't mind your mayo having a heavy olive oil taste. Here's the two recipes I worked with on this project: Vegan Dad's recipe and Leite's Culinaria. Thanks to these two blogs, I learned quite a bit and feel pretty accomplished. Yay me!

I still have some vanilla beans that my sister brought me from Madagascar, so I thought a jar of vanilla sugar would be a nice taste treat for the coming cool weather. I sliced a few vanilla beans in half and scraped out the seeds into a pint jar half-filled with evaporated cane juice. After mixing the seeds and cane juice, I stuck a few bean pods in the jar, added some sugar, stuck in a few more pods, etc. till the jar was full. What a lovely smelling project! After just a few hours, the vanilla had infused into the cane juice and had a wonderful flavor. Just a little something to sprinkle on oatmeal every once in a while, or on top of an apple pie. YUM!

I Need This - 14 Day Thought Improvement Challenge

2011-10-15T21:23:00.000-05:00

My blog friend over at Pearls of Price invited her readers to join her in an excellent 14 day challenge. Here are the details of the challenge:

14 Day Plan to Improve Thought Patterns

The topics of our conversation really can have a negative or positive influence on our health.

For fourteen consecutive days decide to say nothing critical or negative about anything or any person.
Not one critical word is allowed to be spoken to others (not even “constructive” criticisms.)
Speak to others using positive or neutral words or speak nothing at all (use the same rule for thoughts.)
If you slip upon any day during the two weeks, you begin counting again until you achieve all 14 consecutive days.
Don’t get discouraged if you have to start over; things will get easier as you become more aware of your thoughts.
After completing 14 consecutive days, constructive criticism is allowed and you will be a far better judge of what that really means.

This exercise may seem impossible for those raising children or leading in a business environment. It is possible, however, to communicate expectations and enforce consequences without critical words.

See why I said it was an excellent challenge? I need this. Life with leukemia has 'addled' my brain. I'm coming out of the depression that settled over me after our son's diagnosis, and this is an excellent way to 'self-check'. Consider how this challenge would bring a refreshing change to the atmosphere of your home! I encourage you to prayerfully consider joining us!

Pearls of Price: The Power of Positive Filters

A Dash of Citric Acid Everywhere

2011-10-11T20:41:00.000-05:00

Citric acid is my new household helper, and not for canning!(for once)

I have an HE washer that is supposed to be cleaned on a regular basis to remove detergent build-up. I don't really have a problem with build-up because I use very small amounts of homemade detergent, but I'd like to keep my machine running well. Since citric acid also helps laundry detergent work more efficiently, I intend to use it with a regular load. Running a cleaning cycle on the washer is a waste of water in our drought-stricken state.

Citric acid will also work to keep dishes sparkling in the dishwasher as well as keep the machine clean. If you have hard water, the acid will help eliminate the water spots.

I'm also using citric acid as new ingredient in my fruit/veggie wash. I tried combining salt, baking soda and citric acid together in a shaker to keep at my sink, in addition to a spray bottle of peroxide or vinegar. I mix the two at the time of use with moderate amount of water and soak my produce for a few minutes- then wash/scrub/rinse as needed. Problem is, the mixture of the soda and acid together goes solid. So I'm going to keep the citric acid in a separate shaker, then I can also easily add a few dashes to the dishwasher.

I picked up my citric acid in bulk at a Mennonite store, but you can also find it where canning supplies are sold.

A Visit to the Mennonite Bulk Store

2011-10-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

Once and sometimes twice a week we make the 1.5 hr drive to Dallas to the CCBD (Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders). We've been to Dallas more in the last five months than in the previous seven years that we have lived here. If Donald is feeling well enough, we try to make the most of our trips by getting some shopping done while we are there. One of my favorite places to stop on our trip is at a Mennonite bulk store.

I have always been a tad bit envious of some of my friends who live in Missouri and Tennessee, because they had access to Amish and Mennonite produce auctions and stores. These auctions and markets are great places to stock up on bulk produce for canning as well as bulk goods in general. I knew that there were no Amish-settled areas in Texas, but I forgot that Mennonite communities are much more widespread in the US. I did a bit of searching and found that there are a few small communities of Mennonites living in the rural areas south of Dallas. Imagine my delight to find a Mennonite bulk store along our route to oncology appointments!

Sea salt, peanut butter chips, dried cilantro and more!

I've had lots of fun stocking up my pantry for the fall/winter. The bulk spices are my favorite, but I can also get several varieties of wheat berries for grinding, oats, barley and other whole grains. They also have breads and other baked goods, baking ingredients, canning supplies, Rod and Staff homeschooling materials and even fabric. That's my kind of store! I was especially happy to find sorghum. I like to use sorghum syrup to make granola, and it's impossible to find in the groceries in my area.

We live in a "dead area" of sorts, where we are not along any of the delivery routes of the major bulk food or co-op distributors. Azure Standard just started delivering to Texas, but we'd still have to drive to Dallas for the nearest drop-off point. I consider it a blessing to have this store right along our route, because it saves me from paying extra shipping costs to have bulk goods delivered to our home. What a nice treat to brighten our trips to Dallas.

One my most recent stop at the Mennonite bulk store, I picked up a few pounds of citric acid. I'll share what I'm using it for in my next post.

A Well-Spent Hour

2011-09-27T17:23:00.002-05:00

I watched a very interesting independent film this weekend. The timing was perfect, because I need to make some changes to my gardening practices to improve soil health and increase water conservation. This movie gave me the inspiration I needed. Thing is, the movie doesn't just start and stop with sustainable organic methods, it takes gardening a huge step farther. What does God have to do with gardening? Click on the Back To Eden link below the photo to find out.

Source: backtoedenfilm.com via Ann on Pinterest

Back In The Garden

2011-09-27T17:00:00.002-05:00

It's the last week of September and it's still hot in east Texas. We've had temps in the upper 90's to 100 this week, but without the oppressive humidity, it is MUCH easier to handle. I'm working on getting back into my 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week gardening routine. Did you notice my sidebar? My garden report is back- Hurrah!!!

Because of Donald's weakened immune system, I cannot start my garden plants indoors. No potted plants at all, according to the oncologists. The soil in the pots can carry fungal spores that can cause serious infections. Fortunately, our local nurseries are getting better about having fall vegetables available, so I got a head start with collard and broccoli transplants.

The nice thing about the hot weather is that the seeds I did plant are germinating quickly. Yay! I hope to get my fall garden well-established before the weather gets cooler. We've had a few inches of rain in the past three weeks, but our drought is so severe that the amount of water we need can be measured in feet. Forecasters say that the drought may continue for two more years, so it's time to make some major changes if I want to keep gardening. Time to work on some serious water conservation techniques.

Let Us Off At The Next Stop

2011-09-25T22:21:00.001-05:00

When I was a teen, I loved riding roller coasters, but in my mid-20's I gave up on those thrill rides. I decided I like keeping my brain and internal organs properly attached and intact, thank you!

Life with leukemia is much like a roller coaster ride- full of the unexpected. We have experienced all of the twists and turns lately- episodes of nausea, severe bone pain, fatigue, appetite issues. It is intensely painful to watch my precious child deal go through these episodes, but I must say, I have been amazed at how brave my five-year-old has become. He is taking this ride with an unexpected strength. God is Faithful.

Fall Canning & Preserving

2011-09-13T20:38:00.000-05:00

Last summer I canned and froze a ton of fruit and I'm glad I did. Last year we had an overabundance of peaches, blueberries, blackberries and pears available in our area. This has been a lean year for our own fruit trees and also for local farms. I've had to keep an eye out on grocery sales to add to our winter fruit supply.

I recently picked up some peaches on sale and decided to try freezing them BEFORE I peeled them. I rolled the frozen peaches around in my hands under cool running water and the skins came off so easily! It wasn't hard to cut up the frozen peaches and get them into bags before they thawed out. Now we are set for smoothies this fall/winter.

It was 104 degrees today, but a cold front is on its way and is supposed to bring is temps in the 85-90 degree range this week. Just in time for me to can the bushel of pears that I picked up this weekend at a local orchard. Think I'll can sliced pears and a batch of pear preserves with almond flavoring and a bit of ginger.

Starting Over After the Hottest Summer on Record

2011-09-09T13:27:00.000-05:00

This is what happens to your yard when you have the hottest June thru August in US history, plus severe drought conditions. All of our landscaping is dead. We don't have a well yet, so watering two acres with our city water was not an option for my budget. Even if we had a well, I would not have risked running it dry to keep the grass green. Besides, we're not alone. Most of the yards and properties in east Texas look the same way.

For the first time in six years, my garden plots are completely empty. I have always had something growing in my garden year-round, even if it was just a few plants. Oh how that hurt my garden-holic heart! Nothing was strong enough to survive, no matter how much I watered. That rosemary bush in the background put up a good struggle- it survived 6 inches of snow, but the heat just dried it to a crisp. We gave up on the garden and worked to save our fruit trees. Lord willing, they should be fine.

The heat wave has finally ended, so I'm back to my 30 minutes in the garden a day, six days a week. It's kinda late for a fall garden, so I think I'll get a headstart on my winter garden. How about a few herbs in pots, some kale, swiss chard, bok choi, collards, turnips, lettuce, garlic, beets, carrots and short-season potatoes?

I'll Take Good News

2011-09-07T16:20:00.001-05:00

Last Friday when we talked with our pediatric oncologist about Donald's treatment plan, we got a happy surprise. The countdown to the end of Donald's treatment has already begun! I thought that it started at the end of the first 6 months of treatment. The countdown began at the start of our last treatment cycle. So the countdown to the end started on July 22. Yeah! Also, if there are delays in treatment, the countdown continues anyway. I've started a countdown ticker at the top of my sidebar. Hurrah for a tiny bit of good news.

Lemonade from Lemons

2011-09-06T21:55:00.001-05:00

Source: choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com via Ann on Pinterest

Between the extreme heat and drought, this summer has been a real lemon. I'm trying my best to make lemonade:

1. Dead or dying lawn, landscaping and garden- it makes free bedding and snacks for the chickens! It's not even hard to collect, I can rake up a quick pile in a few minutes. They love scratching and digging in the piles of "hay".

2. Broken limbs from trees- Our poor, stressed oak trees can't hold up some of their larger limbs, they just break off, especially when it's windy. It's a headstart on firewood for Winter 2012(needs to season) and our kindling pile is ready for this winter.

3. The oaks have been shedding leaves all summer in an effort to conserve moisture and energy- Looks like I have a head start on my leaf mold project. Doesn't that leaf mold in the picture look wonderful? Just leaves and time, that's all you need! My goal is to have a ton of leaf mold come spring to add to my garden as a free soil amendment. (you can click on the link above to learn more about making leaf mold)

There's nothing I can do about this awful summer except make the best of it. I'm on the lookout for more ways to make lemonade!

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

2011-09-01T22:26:00.000-05:00

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I would like to thank all of you for the kind messages of love and support you have sent my way since Donald was diagnosed with leukemia. Your words of encouragement have been a blessing to me- I appreciate them so much!

Can I make a request? Would you continue to keep my family in prayer? We desperately need them! Also, would you keep my dear friend Marci's family in prayer as well? She's my partner in this journey, her son received the same diagnosis just a few weeks after we did. You can keep up with how her son is doing at Jethenro's Journey.

Don't forget...God is Faithful!

Very Low-Tech Yogurt Maker

2011-08-29T18:02:00.000-05:00

An electric yogurt maker would be a fun addition to my kitchen, but I don't have the storage space for single-use appliances. Yogurt-making requires the cultured milk (or soymilk) to remain at approximately 80 degrees for at least four hours. In the past I've used the warming drawer on my oven, but I'm trying to refine the process to use as little energy as possible. Here's my very low-tech solution- a cast iron pot.

Cast iron holds heat, so it makes a perfect yogurt incubator. In the summer I put the pot out in the sun to warm up, then leave it in the shade to stay warm once I put the jars in. With our 100+ degree days, I can incubate the yogurt with no electricity.

In the winter, I usually put the pot in the oven to warm up after I have finished baking something. I can then put in my jars and put it back in the oven. The pot holds the residual heat very nicely.

This is a quart of yogurt divided up into 5 half-pint canning jars. I line the bottom and cover the top of the jars with towels. The cooler the weather, the more towels I'll wrap around the jars before I put the lid on.

Yogurt is incubated anywhere from four to twelve hours- the longer you incubate, the more tart the yogurt will be. Soymilk usually needs more time than milk. To stop the process, just put the jars in the fridge.

Yogurt making is very easy and inexpensive, especially if you are making soymilk yogurt. Commercial yogurt has a TON of sugar, which defeats its probiotic benefits.

Making Homemade soy yogurt-vegan-- Bryanna Clark Grogan

Soy Yogurt from Fat Free Vegan blog

Hillbilly Housewife's easy soy yogurt

The Anthem of Our Journey

2011-08-26T22:02:00.000-05:00

This is THE song. On May 19th, 2011, I was driving back to our pediatrician's office after taking Donald to get x-rays at another facility. I knew something was wrong, I just did not yet know exactly what the "wrong" would be. This song came on the radio and I could only hear snippets because the kids were happily chattering to each other . I was impressed to turn the radio up and listen.

It's hard to explain, but my heart was broken and comforted all at the same time. God was telling me that my precious 4yo was very sick, but that He was right there with us and would never leave us. The phrase, "God is faithful" has been running through my mind ever since that day.

We left the pediatrician's office with a diagnosis of leukemia. Our lives were forever changed, but I had bits and pieces of this song in my head to comfort me. Since that day, I've tried to figure out the artist and title of this song, but just couldn't remember, and never heard it on the radio. Until today.

I was running some errands alone this afternoon, listening to the news. I decided to switch to the local Christian radio station and there it was- the song, MY song.

My heart is broken and comforted all over again.

No Dryer Summer

2011-08-14T13:10:00.001-05:00

I challenged myself in mid Spring not to use my clothes dryer at all this summer. We finally put up our T-post clothesline so, in addition to my umbrella-style clothesline, I've got plenty of space for two or three full loads at one time. Our extra hot summer has made line-drying a hot chore, but I've been happy not to add to our electric bill.

I also invested in a indoor drying rack for our church clothes or clothes that I'm concerned might fade in the intense summer sun. I don't know if it's real or just a psychological effect, but it just seems a bit cooler in the room when the indoor rack is full of wet clothes.

Now that I'm in the habit of line-drying, I'm thinking of getting one more indoor rack and giving up the dryer for the remainder of the year. Our winters are not so bad that I can't hang a load out on cold days, so I think I'll keep going on my personal challenge. No clothes dryer for the remainder of 2011!

I'm So Done With Summer!

2011-08-13T22:16:00.002-05:00

Summer has worn out its welcome! The drought and heat are draining my sanity and energy. The garden is completely burnt, the lawn is crispy and the landscape plants that did not get eaten by the grasshoppers fell dead from the heat. The leaves on our many oak trees are falling early in an effort to save moisture. Our poor fruit trees are not dying but are very stressed. I look out the window and see so much work to do, but I can't even prep the garden for a fall garden for fear of heat stroke!

Oh Fall, where are you? I can't wait for cooler temps and lower humidity. I'm ready for outdoor chores- refresh the garden, plant new drought-tolerant bushes and trees, and re-seed parts of the lawn. Fall, where are you?

Is It A Good Thing or A Bad Thing?

2011-08-12T21:25:00.000-05:00

Every ten days we head to the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children's in Dallas. Donald knows the routine and staff well enough now that getting a finger poke for blood work no longer upsets him. He talks the phlebotomist's ear off and then chooses a sticker to add to his collection.

In this treatment cycle, Donald is supposed to receive an escalating dose of a particular medicine at each visit. The dose is supposed to increase from until he reaches toxicity- when his blood work and side effects show that his body can't handle the dose- and then the dose will be reduced. Sounds awful, doesn't it?

IV chemo through his port. He takes it all in stride.

The first dose of this medicine caused sores on Donald's lips, which is a common side-effect. Fortunately, the natural mouthwash I mentioned in the previous post cleared those up. That meant that he could proceed to a higher dose at his next appointment. UGH. Then his blood work came back and his counts were not high enough to proceed. YEAH! YEAH? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Donald has missed three of five chances to escalate because of low blood counts. I guess that means he is sensitive to this medication and has reached toxicity for his body with the initial dose. I don't want his body to suffer, but I also want every single cancer cell killed and the chances of relapse to drop as low as possible. Such is the angst that a cancer mom deals with on a daily basis.

I'm so thankful that I can leave this in God's hands.

Swish and Spit

2011-08-02T22:39:00.000-05:00

Mouth sores can be a problem with the chemo meds that Donald is taking. Fortunately, we have been able to find a solution that works for us without adding another prescription to our already too long list. My sister and bro-in-law had a dear friend Judy with adult ALL. My sister spent some time caring for Judy when she had a bone marrow transplant so that her husband could work. Judy used Desert Essence's Tea Tree Oil Mouthwash when she suffered from mouth sores during chemo. It worked for her and so my Dr. bro-in-law passed on the info to us when Donald was first diagnosed.

About a week and a half ago, Donald started a new treatment cycle with new IV meds. He reacted with sores on his lip within 24hrs. I put the mouthwash in a spray bottle and I would spray it in his mouth for him. At first it hurt and he did not like the idea of the mouthwash, but I tried to make it into a fun contest and now we "swish and spit" several times a day with no problems. We were able to heal the sores within a few days. What a HUGE relief, I just couldn't take the idea of a prescription mouthwash with more chemicals in Donald's little body.

Back to the Books!

2011-08-02T20:06:00.001-05:00

This week marks the start of our 8th year of homeschooling. Add Donald's leukemia to the mix, and I think it will be our most interesting and challenging year ever. This is Angelina's last year before she starts her high school studies. One of my goals is to make sure her study skills are strong, so she will be ready for dual-enrollment in jr. college by her 11th grade year. Andrew, my late reader, is really coming into his own as a student. I hope to work on improving his writing skills this year. Donald is doing "kindergarten-lite" this year, nothing too formal. He wants to "do school" like his siblings, so we'll do some fun things as his health permits.

2011-2012 Curriculum
Angelina
Saxon 8/7 math*
Finish Apologia Gen. Science* and start Physical Science*
Observation hours with local vet

Andrew
Saxon 7/6 math*
Apologia anatomy & physiology*

Both
Reading,Lang. Arts and Composition using two spiritual works as the literature basis:- Messiah* (story of the life of Christ) and Messages to Young People* (christian standards for youth)

World Geography and Cultures-year 2 (we're making it up as we go along)

Piano lessons & prep for skills festival at local university in January

UPDATE: Life with leukemia got the best of me and I could not write the Reading/lang. arts/composition curriculum like I had planned. So instead, we are using Holt Language Handbook for our grammar work. Our world geography research is giving us lots of non-fiction reading. We are still using the Messiah study guide questions for reading comprehension practice and the reflection questions for writing prompts.

Donald
Scripture memory work

Basic math skills-

Beginning literacy and writing
Eager Beaver curriculum (Adventurer club)

Note: *items are Amazon affiliate links

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

2011-08-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

Don't worry, I'm not going to turn this blog into one big advertisement. I've been an Amazon affiliate for a while, I just got lazy about adding links to my posts. I will always make sure to mark all Amazon affiliate links in my posts so you will know. Never fear, I won't get carried away with the links.

Summer In Texas

2011-07-30T22:01:00.002-05:00

The water coming out of the cold tap is warm.
Our dog, cat and chickens lay around in the shade together, because it's too hot to bother each other.
Our oak and hickory trees are shedding acorns/nuts early as a survival tactic.
The water in the hoses outside will burn you when you first turn them on.
We can only open the curtains on the north side of the house without the house getting warmer.
The one day last week that the high temp was only 98 felt noticeably cooler.
The garden veggies that are supposed to thrive in a normal Texas summer have burnt to a crisp.
Dripping-wet heavy laundry like blankets and towels dry on the clothesline in under thirty minutes.
Some mornings the air smells strangely ripe for fire.

I don't know how my ancestors did it. A normal summer in Texas can try the hardiest of souls, but this summer is exceptional. The sweltering triple-digit heat that we normally see in August showed up in June. Not only are we extra-hot, we are also extra-dry. Texas is also suffering from extraordinary drought conditions. It is scary to watch the local rivers and lakes drop lower and lower each week. The scariest of all is when the air feels and smells like a fire might break out at any minute.

Most summers, I usually don't mind the heat and just tough it out, but this summer...I can't wait for Fall!

More Room in the Coop

2011-07-25T23:24:00.003-05:00

If you listen to what popular culture says, one would think that roosters only crow at the crack of dawn. Not true at all! Most rooster crow any and all hours of the day. Our Ameraucana rooster Tex did. I say did because I sent Tex off to a new home today along with four Ameraucana hens. I offered them to a friend at church who was glad to take them.

Now I'm down to 18 hens and just one rooster. Our coop is okay for 22 hens, but too small to house two roosters with the hens. I don't have the time or energy to build a larger or second coop, so I was glad to send a few chickens off to a good home. 18 hens is still quite a bit, but I kept the calmer, more docile birds, so they should do fine in the space we have.

Our hens are starting to lay. With 18 hens, there is a good chance we could end up with at least a dozen eggs a day. No problem though, I've got plans for these eggs. I may sell a some, but I want to share some with some of our very kind neighbors and an elderly lady I know who loves "yard eggs" but is not able to have chickens.

I can't express why in words, but I really enjoy keeping chickens. I love to hear a rooster crow, so I hope the rooster we kept will soon realize that he's the new leader-of-the-flock and let the world know. The coop is a great compost bin- we just dump grass clippings and the weeds we pull from the garden in the coop and the chickens eat seeds and scratch the remainder into bits while it composts with their manure. I've been letting them loose to wander the yard and eat up as many bugs and grubs as they can- we should see a marked difference in the pest population next Spring. Our flock is a useful and fun addition to our little homestead.

My Disappointment is Gone

2011-07-20T21:53:00.000-05:00

Originally posted on Donald's CaringBridge site on 6-11-11.

Blood transfusions make a real difference! Donald is more interested in actively participating in life when his hemoglobin levels are up. He asked me to read a Bible story this morning and is now happily singing along with a kids gospel songs video.

***God is Faithful***

Disappointed

2011-07-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

Originally posted on Donald's CaringBridge site on 6-10-11. I'm moving all the posts to my blog.

Today's 1.5 hour appt. turned into a 6 hour appt. when the blood work showed that Donald needed a blood transfusion. It takes 3-4 hours to complete a transfusion and the infusion room was full, so we had to wait to even get started. I had a feeling he would need one, but I was still disappointed that my blood-building efforts of the week were not totally successful. Dr. Fustino explained that the current dose of chemo drugs are so strong that they override nutritional efforts to strengthen his blood.

Our first visit to the infusion room (I hate to say it may not be our last) was peaceful because we were in the back and the last family there. Each little "booth" has a TV and DVD player with Wii and X box. The hospital also has WiFi so I checked my email while DK dozed and the kids snacked. Next week I'll do a better job of packing for any eventuality. We packed a lunch, but I should have brought dinner as well. Live and learn!

Operation Blood-Building

2011-07-20T21:38:00.006-05:00

Originally posted on Donald's CaringBridge site on 6-6-11. I'm moving all the posts to my blog.

The goal this week is to build up Donald's blood to avoid a blood transfusion on Friday. Last Friday, his hemoglobin level was 7.9 , they usually give a transfusion for any level below 8. Donald was able to avoid a transfusion because he looked so good. I plan on working hard to combat his anemia with iron-rich foods this week:
*Hummus with tahini - chickpeas and sesame seeds are high in iron.
*Malt o Meal/Cream of Wheat- add a few raisins and some blackstrap molasses and you've got a winner!
*Stealth spinach -blended up and added to smoothies, pasta sauce, everything!
*Beans and lentils- good thing he constantly wants burritos!

I hope my efforts will be successful.

***God is Faithful***

UPDATE A FEW DAYS LATER:
My blood building work is doing something for Donald, he is not as fatigued as he was last week. Much more active, and happier. I'm glad. Hope this means no blood transfusion on Friday.

I would like him to eat more raw foods, especially veggies, but the dexamethasone is making him crave salty snacky-type foods. Guess I need to work on some creative ways to overcome the craving.

Perspective

2011-07-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

Originally posted on Donald's CaringBridge site on 6-3-11. I'm moving all the posts to my blog.

This week was challenging. The steriod dexamethasone really kicked in, making Donald hyper and VERY hungry. As in constant talking and craving food. It seemed like I spent all day, every day fixing mini-meals for Donald. The chemo in general has made him very high maintainance. If it's not food, it's helping him at the potty. It was kinda frustrating, because I was trying to catch up on the laundry and get the house back in order at the same time. Fortunately, Angelina and Andrew were so helpful. I'm still very tired because Donald gets up several times a night to use the restroom. I just finished the week feeling very frustrated.

Until we got to clinic today. We had a later appt. and the wait room was full. Full of kids much sicker than Donald. With multiple issues. Who couldn't walk or communicate, some not even feeling strong enough to sit up in a chair, but wrapped in blankets on a loved one's lap. Donald was able to walk into the clinic, communicate his needs and complain that he was hungry and walk out of the clinic to the car.

We are blessed, I don't feel frustrated anymore.
*** God is Faithful***

I Don't Like This Picture

2011-07-20T21:25:00.001-05:00

Originally posted on Donald's CaringBridge site on 5-19-11. I'm moving all the posts to my blog.

I don't like this picture at all, but in it, Donald looked like how I felt. He was settled in the bed for his first night at Children's, waiting for an IV to put in his hand. He looks so small in that big bed, he looks a bit lost and overwhelmed. Like I said, he looked like how I felt that night.

A Hymn for the Hard Days

2011-07-18T23:22:00.001-05:00

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,

Gives unto each day what He deems best,

Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,

With a special mercy for each hour;

All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,

He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r.

The protection of His child and treasure

Is a charge that on Himself He laid;

"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"

This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then, in every tribulation,

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,

Offered me within Thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

E'er to take, as from a father's hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

Till with Christ the Lord I stand.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/713#ixzz1SWO01v6W

Calm on the Surface, but...

2011-07-17T23:02:00.000-05:00

...paddling like crazy underneath! I think that describes our family right about now. Life with leukemia means trying to keep up with the normal routines of the household while dealing with weekly medical appointments, constantly changing medications, and side effects-fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, etc.

Despite the seeming chaos, there is a very special peace in our lives. God has drawn especially near to our family- Oh! what a comfort and blessing that is! Little mercies each day remind me that God is giving us strength for this journey. God is faithful.

Raw Food Video: Zucchini Pasta

2011-07-12T21:32:00.004-05:00

While I chatted on the phone with my sister this afternoon, she whipped up a raw zucchini dish for dinner. What a great way to beat the heat with one of my favorite veggies! I was reminded of this recipe on Jenny Cornbleet's website.

The Next Best Thing to Being a Farmer...

2011-07-11T22:09:00.002-05:00

...is to know a farmer! My purple hull peas are not doing well, so I was glad when a gentleman who farms not too far from us called to ask if I wanted to buy peas. Yes! He grows a great crop and when he sells you a bushel, it's a jam-packed bushel. We've been steady shelling peas to get them in the freezer for winter. One bushel done and working on a second. My goal is three bushels. It's wonderful how the Lord has been making provision for us, considering how my garden has fallen by the wayside. The empty hulls won't be wasted- they are going in the chicken coop as cheap bedding.

My favorite way to eat peas? With diced tomatoes, some corn, onions and garlic and a tiny bit of Tofurky sausage. Simmered and poured over rice. YUM!!

A Short Leukemia Animation

2011-07-11T21:33:00.003-05:00

This short animation gives a good explanation of the disease our family is fighting.

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Grasshopper Wars- Again

2011-07-06T00:01:00.001-05:00

My first harvest of purple hull peas. I'm hoping that it won't be my last harvest. See the bite marks? Those are grasshopper bite marks. The grasshoppers are at it again, having a wonderful time eating my peas and the contents of my container garden.

My chickens are doing their best to solve the grasshopper problem, but they need backup help. The best organic solution I've found so far is NoLo Bait. It's not cheap, but I really hope it will do the trick. The good thing is that I can put the bait just in my garden, and the grasshoppers themselves will do the work of spreading it around our property.

My husband volunteered to clear all of the weeds and turn over the soil in my garden- he's doing it by hand in 100 degree temps every evening after work. Wow! So between my husband and the NoLo bait, it looks like I'll be able to plant a fall garden next month after all!

Sparkler Fun

2011-07-05T00:30:00.001-05:00

Even though Donald's ANC / neutropenia count is good, he did not get to go with his older siblings to a local lake to watch a fireworks show on the 4th. Too many people, specifically children, increases his risk of catching an infection that could cause him to be hospitalized. Not to worry though, he was actually happy to stay home with Daddy, because he does not like loud fireworks. A few sparklers at home are more Donald's speed, and he was perfectly happy to enjoy those with the family.

Donald has not lost his hair as I expected that he would have by now. I had to cut it last week because it was getting too long. His nurse said that she has only seen two children in the last six years that did not lose their hair during chemotherapy. I wonder if my little man will be the third.

Best Possible News/Blessed Sabbath

2011-06-26T13:33:00.001-05:00

Dr. Fustino, our pediatric oncologist, gave us the news that we were praying for on Friday. Remission! His minimal residual disease level (MRD) was less than 0.01%, meaning in a check of 10,000 cells, less than one cancer cell was found. We can't say zero cells because all of his cells were not checked, but this is exactly what we were hoping for. Less than 0.01% means that his chances of relapse drop drastically and his chances for 3-5 year event-free survival increase drastically. Praise goes to the Lord!

Treatment does continue, but because his MRD numbers are good, Donald moves to a lower dose/ less aggressive treatment protocol. I'm thankful for that because then the chances for long-term negative effects drops as well.

Because his immune system numbers were good this week, the entire family was able to attend church yesterday. First time in more than a month. What a blessing! Our pastor anointed Donald and we re-dedicated him and our other children to the Lord. Pray for my husband and myself as we seek to follow God's will for our family.

***God is faithful***

No Victory for the Locusts

2011-06-23T00:01:00.001-05:00

"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten...' Joel 2:25

I was feeling a bit sad about losing a large portion of my spring garden because of our unexpected hospital stay and the changes in our lives because of cancer. After making an effort to spend 30 minutes a day in the garden, 6 days a week, for several months, I was out of the garden for nearly three weeks. In that time bugs and weeds took over and destroyed healthy plants and cut my harvest by nearly two-thirds. Just last week I decided to clear as much out as I can and cover the whole garden with straw until fall, or maybe even winter. I said to myself, "I'll find a farm stand and get a bit of produce to fill the freezers for winter.

On Sunday, I was blessed with nearly 2 bushels of fresh produce as well as groceries. Someone I know was cooking vegan and raw food for a very large event and gave me just a small portion of what was not used. What an unexpected blessing! A half bushel of apples for the freezer, and I was also able to make 4 quarts of juice for making apple syrup and jelly. A ton of oranges and grapefruit that made the best fresh-squeezed juice, beautiful fresh kale and greens and so much more.

Joel 2:25 has been a favorite verse of mine because of the ways that God has made this verse a reality for me. Once again, I have a new reason to love this verse.

***God is Faithful***

Happy The Home

2011-06-22T23:46:00.000-05:00

Happy the Home #1 of 26 - "What We Need to Succeed" from Raynes & Waters on Vimeo.

I'm watching Happy the Home online and reading the companion book, The Connected Family featuring the Rayne family from Restoration International. Beautiful talks and challenges designed to strengthen our families and draw all closer to God. The title of the series has had me humming the hymn, Happy the Home all week! (If you don't know this hymn, click the link- it is a great one to learn!)

Life is Good

2011-06-22T23:07:00.000-05:00

Put a cup of corn and a cup of wheat berries in the grain mill and find an 11yo willing to do the grinding. Add the rest of the ingredients for cornbread, and bake it in your grandmother's iron skillet.

Cook up a pot of home-grown purple hull peas to eat with the cornbread, and discover that you can't help but exclaim, "Life is good!"

***God is Faithful***

One Month of Leukemia

2011-06-20T21:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked one month of living with leukemia. In many ways, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around our new life. My brain is full of cancer facts and details that I never intended to know, but now I do. Our family is still trying to get settled into a new routine, one that is structured enough to provide order and security for our family, but flexible enough to handle whatever leukemia may throw at us. A tall order, but we're trying.

Donald started this journey with severe bone pain, fever and weakness. Although he still is showing the effects of steroids (moon face and weight gain), he is pain-free and getting back to his old four-year-old self. We've finished the first cycle of chemotherapy, a very intense cycle of treatment. We are waiting for bone marrow results to see if he is in remission. If so, we move on to the next cycle, otherwise we return to intense chemo.

So much to share and so little time! I hope I can backtrack and share a few details of how good God has been to us during this first month with leukemia.
***God is Faithful***

What Cancer Cannot Do

2011-06-20T00:37:00.000-05:00

What Cancer Cannot Do

Cancer is so limited.....
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.
—Source Unknown

The Stream Wins

2011-06-14T22:32:00.000-05:00

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream wins.....not through strength but by perseverance."

I Have Company on the Journey

2011-06-09T23:50:00.003-05:00

My friend Marci has joined me on this journey of being a mama to a son with leukemia. Oh how it hurt to hear this news. I don't want company on this journey! We were able to steal a few moments today to chat-what a blessing to be able to comfort one another and pray together.

Would you please add Marci and her family to your prayer lists? If you have a moment, could you pop over to her blog and just leave her a little message of encouragement? Thanks so much, and don't forget..God is Faithful!

Spring Garden Wrap Up

2011-06-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, my Spring garden is pretty much done. The 100 degree temps and humidity are here, which means no more blossoms on the tomato and pepper plants. The high heat dissolves the pollen. This year I'm going to experiment with the tomatoes. I'll trim them back fairly severely and then water and fertilize them carefully through the summer. Perhaps I can coax them through to get another harvest in September and October. To be on the safe side, I'm starting a new set of tomato plants for fall as well. The pepper plants will start producing heavily again in the fall, so till then, they get shade and water.

The cukes have dried up, but I was able to get 9 pints of pickles canned as well as share a huge amount with my neighbors. I may plant a small amount of cucumbers this fall- we're not major pickle eaters, so 9 pints will get us through till next spring.

The onion tops have fallen over and the potato plants are dying. That's a not a bad sign, it just means that the onions and potatoes are ready for harvest. I planted nearly 600 onions, but I think my harvest is in the 250+ range. The snow and hard frosts we had in Jan. and Feb. along with a VERY hungry gopher caused me to lose much of my crop, which was not completely unexpected. It's okay though, I've got plenty of onion to dry and use all year long.

I've got a few other bean and squash plants that are giving us a meal here and there, they are pretty much done too. Considering all that is going on in our home, I think we've done well with our Spring garden. Time to change gears for summer.

Too Much Sugar!

2011-06-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

I came across SugarStacks.com recently- what a great visual lesson on sugar!

Sugar lowers the effectiveness of your immune system for several hours after consumption. We've always been very careful about our sugar intake, but now that our youngest is on chemo, we are being even more vigilant. Our goal is to use a very healthy diet as a way to minimize the chemo side effects, so sugar has no place in our goal.

This sugar stack concept would make a great health lesson/activity. Each sugar cube is about 4 grams of sugar. Collect a variety of food labels and make sugar stacks. Then work on a list of healthier alternatives. Think I'll try it out on the kids at my church.

Our New Normal

2011-05-30T23:11:00.000-05:00

Learning about the port that was installed in his chest.

*Medications(a new concept at our house) taken morning and evening.
*A hospital suitcase packed and ready to go at any time.
*Weekly trips to Dallas for treatment and careful monitoring.
*A mask to protect his weak immune system when going to the doctor.


Sing and pray time with Mommy.

*Constant surveillance for side effects from medications.
*Stacks of paperwork to be sorted, filled out or mailed.
*Hand washing has taken on a new importance.
*Germs, bacteria and cleanliness is a major topic of discussion.

Working hard to be healthy!

***God is Faithful***

The Two Words That Have Changed Our Lives

2011-05-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

"It's leukemia."

A long day last Thursday at our pediatrician's office trying to figure out the source of our 4yo's shoulder pain led us to the two words that have changed our lives forever. Suddenly we were on our way to Children's Medical Center in Dallas for a flurry of lab work and tests to confirm the diagnosis and begin treatment.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the name of the mountain we're climbing. Looks like the journey will take 3 1/2 years.

After five and a half days in Dallas, we're home again. I've got so much to share about what God has done for us in just a few days. New goals, new plans, a new life.

***God is Faithful***

Blackberry Winter Projects

2011-05-18T17:43:00.000-05:00

We've been experiencing a "Blackberry Winter"- a Southern turn of phrase meaning a bit of unusually cool weather just as the blackberries vines are blooming. A brief blog break was in order to get a few projects done before the oppressive summer heat sets in.

Since it's still cool out, the dehydrator is humming right now, full of oregano and rosemary from the garden. Except for a batch or two of strawberries, I think I'm done dehydrating till fall. The humidity that the dehydrator puts out is not an issue except during hot weather.

I hope to get my pictures organized and share a few of the projects that we've been working on in the next few days.

I Planted Our Dinner- Again!

2011-05-09T22:58:00.000-05:00

I couldn't finish chopping up the red potatoes for dinner because they had sprouted. Yes, I know you can cut those off and eat the potato just fine, but I kept thinking to myself, "Each one of those potatoes could be eaten now, or planted and provide a few pounds of potatoes later." You guessed it- I planted our dinner. This is not the first time that potatoes intended for dinner ended up in the garden. I'm pretty sure it won't be the last time, either!

Lamb's Quarters and Mullein

2011-05-04T23:31:00.001-05:00

I never knew we had Lamb's Quarter in our yard until my children showed me. Actually, I saw the plants,but considered them a weed and ignored them until my children taught me otherwise. It's actually an wild edible that is good for you. Lamb's Quarter is related to spinach, beets and the grain quinoa. Free edibles growing in my yard? I love it!! I'm hoping to get one plant to go to seed so I can "plant" a larger patch next year. My only problem is that the chickens love Lamb's Quarter too and will run to the nearest plant and gobble them up when I let them out to free range in the yard. I can't believe I'm considering fencing of a patch of "weeds"!

A few years ago, a friend gave me a dried flower stalk filled with mullein seeds. I did not realize that one stalk can hold up to 85,000 seeds! One of my kids got hold of the stalk and used it as a play sword, waving it all over our yard. Instant mullein farm! Most of the plants get mowed down when we cut the grass, but even so, 5 years later, we still have mullein popping up in the strangest places. This particular mullein plant picked a safe spot against the house. Those leaves are larger than an adult man's hand! Most of the leaves will be picked and dried. The dried mullein leaves will be valuable during cold and flu season in teas and tinctures and poultices.

In Light of Today's Breaking News

2011-05-02T11:59:00.000-05:00

I was on my way to bed last night when I read online that President Obama was scheduled to give a late-night message to America. I stayed up to listen, read a few headlines and watched video of the crowd gather in front of the White House. The cheering crowd really got to me. I kept thinking to myself, this news is a magnificent distraction. The Bible verse about "peace and safety" came to my mind this morning, here's the whole chapter.

¹But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
²For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
³For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
⁴But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
⁵Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
⁷For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
⁸But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
¹¹Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
¹²And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
¹³And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
¹⁴Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
¹⁵See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
¹⁶Rejoice evermore.
¹⁷Pray without ceasing.
¹⁸In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
¹⁹Quench not the Spirit.
²⁰Despise not prophesyings.
²¹Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
²²Abstain from all appearance of evil.
²³And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
²⁴Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
²⁵Brethren, pray for us.
²⁶Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
²⁷I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (1 Thessalonians 5, King James Version)

The Best Ever Use for Sugar

2011-05-01T21:49:00.000-05:00

I don't why it has taken me so long to put up hummingbird feeders, but I am sure glad I finally did. We are now blessed with a great nature show put on daily by two pairs of Ruby-throated hummingbirds. The two feeders are hanging at each end of the front porch and we just sit in chairs between the two and watch in amazement. Yesterday my 4yo was not feeling well enough for church, so he and I spent a quiet morning on the front porch with our bird identification books and the camera. What fun it was to see (and feel) them swoop and dive around us as they darted from the feeder to a nearby tree and back again! I never realized that the "hum" hummingbird's wings could be so loud. God is good!

Praying for Tuscaloosa and Berry

2011-04-29T00:24:00.000-05:00

The roots of my family tree are buried deep in the soil of two tornado-devastated towns in Alabama-Tuscaloosa and Berry. We are blessed so far that we have not had any bad news concerning family. I am so thankful for that.

When I think about how the same storm that killed so many on Wednesday rumbled over my home on Tuesday night, I am humbled. A tornado touched down just 10 miles northeast of our home before the storm raced on to gather up more destructive strength. Wow. Who am I to deserve such mercy?

My Current Inspirations

2011-04-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

What I've come across on blogs or sites that have inspired me lately:

Cassandra @ Adventist Homemaker and Susan @ Susan's Spot have been participating in a "Blogging through the Gospels" challenge. I have really enjoyed reading their thoughts as they study the Gospels.

I have a few pallets lying around the yard and I'd love to turn a few of them into these creative tables. Aren't they cute? I think I could do that! My daughter and I are also planning to turn a cedar log that someone gave us into a split-log bench.

Angela's garden blog @ Harmony Hollow has inspired me to dig out my seed sprouter and to also gather materials to start growing microgreens. YUM-O!

And Now, We Wait

2011-04-20T00:18:00.000-05:00

For tomatoes to grow larger and turn red,

To see how many onions the gopher will pull into the ground before they are ready to harvest,

If we'll have a good crop of persimmons to send to my MIL,

Who will be the first person to eat a ripe peach,

And if that chicken with a comb that is turning red early is going to crow! ( I ordered 25 pullets, but I think I have at least 2 roosters- to be expected so I'm okay with that)

Beat The Heat

2011-04-19T23:26:00.000-05:00

The race is on to get as much outdoor work done as possible before the summer heat and humidity sets in. Today was 93 degrees, so I don't have much time left! There's some landscaping to do, more garden space to clear , a clothesline to move and...sigh...wood to stack. We've already cut and stacked a winter's worth of wood, and still have so much left to go. I hate to say it, but stacking wood is one of my least favorite chores. There is nothing nicer than free heat in the dead of winter, so I guess I'd better quit my belly-aching and get busy!

Moving Into Their New Home

2011-04-07T21:46:00.000-05:00

I love my little chickie-babies, but they just HAD to be evicted from our garage and moved into the renovated coop. The brooder is now too small and the garage was starting to smell a bit...barn-ish. At 4 weeks old, they are not yet fully feathered, but the days are warm and the heat lamp is keeping them toasty at night. We still need to paint the coop (barn red) and finish the nest boxes, but we have plenty of time for that.

Learned Something New Today

2011-04-03T23:05:00.000-05:00

Today I learned that fresh picked peas are very sweet and yummy when you just split open the pod and pop them in your mouth. I also learned that you must pop them in your mouth quickly if you want to enjoy them before your husband tries to grab them. I learned that I did not plant enough of these yummy peas. Better find some more seeds to plant this fall.

End of March in the Garden

2011-03-29T01:33:00.008-05:00

I'm so excited- I've got green peas! I've never grown them before. The plants are flowering and putting out cute little pods that are slowly-but-surely filling out with peas. I'm going to have a ton of peas to shell, but I'm already planning to plant more come fall.

A few of my tomatoes are blossoming- Yeah! The first tomatoes of the season are usually eaten about 5 seconds after they are picked, so I wonder who will get to it first. Usually it's my husband.

Now that it is warming up, the kale is starting to blossom. That's not a bad thing. I'm going to let it blossom and then it will set seed pods. Then I'll have kale seeds to plant in the fall. The onions on the right side of the picture are doing well. The unusually heavy freezes and snows we had in February killed about 1/3 of my crop. Fortunately, I'm learning to plan for loss and should still have a good harvest of red, yellow-sweet and white onions.

Strawberries!

2011-03-28T19:32:00.001-05:00

Strawberry farms are opening for the season all over Texas. Hurray!!! During strawberry season, we eat fresh strawberries nearly every morning for breakfast.

As much as we love strawberries, I've never but much effort into preserving some for the winter. I don't know why. I usually make a few small jars of freezer jam, but that's pretty much it. Time to make a change. I'm aiming for at least 12 pints of strawberry jam this year.

At the end of the season last year I test-dehydrated a one pound- WOW!!! were they ever delicious! Way better than candy. I've decided to get a jump on things this year and get started right away. I hope to dry at least 12 quart bags of berries. Oh how nice it will be to have a few sweet berries to sprinkle in granola or over oatmeal come winter-mmmm!

A Flock of Fluffies

2011-03-27T19:09:00.000-05:00

Our little flock of chicks is growing rapidly. They will be 3 weeks old this week and should be fully feathered in the next 2-3 weeks. We've had very warm days lately, so my daughter takes the chicks out of the brooder for a daily romp in the grass. They are learning to chase and gobble down bugs, so I am VERY happy!

(mental note-fix date on camera!)

Working on the Economy in Home Economics

2011-03-22T23:15:00.000-05:00

Rising prices in every aspect of homekeeping has me putting some serious thought and effort into saving money.

Laundry- I'm so thankful for Spring- warm clothesline weather! A new set of clothespins seems to make hanging laundry more fun. I've been using as little laundry detergent possible for each load to make it stretch. For example, why use a full capful of detergent for a load of gently worn church clothes? I've noticed that using less detergent when possible, reduces stiffness in line-dried clothes. I also use cold water washes as much as possible.

Dishwasher- did you know you don't need to fill the reservoir full of detergent? Just a tablespoon will do. I just learned that! I've been using less detergent in addition to vinegar in the rinse aid compartment and I've noticed no difference. Yay! I recently came across a homemade dishwasher detergent recipe that I'd like to try. Have any of you made this? How did it work?

Clothing- Last week, I was talked to several ladies at church about having a clothes swap- trading clothing and shoes in good condition. I'd rather trade or give away clothes directly to someone who needs them rather than donate them; most of the charities in our area re-sell the items for outrageous prices that the needy can't afford. My daughter's too small church clothes already go to younger girls in the church and my oldest son gets dress clothes from a fast-growing teen in our congregation. When I'm out shopping I scout the clearance racks first. Right now, I'm looking for next winter's clothing. Sweaters and sweats and heavy boots are on clearance, so now is the time to find a bargain.

Groceries- I'm still using coupons, but I'm finding that keeping careful track of price trends is really helping me the most. I've discovered that many sales run in 3 month cycles, so I try to purchase a 3 month supply of canned pineapple,for example, when they are on sale. I like to buy in bulk, but when 1lb bags of rice or beans are on sale and cheaper than a 25lb bag, I just buy 25 1lb bags instead.

Bartering/Trading- I'm trying to put the word out that I'm willing to do some bartering. There's a older lady in my church who is willing to trade all sorts of goodies for yard eggs, so I can't wait for my chickens to start laying. I also know of a few people willing to trade for home-canned foods, so I'm going to try to have extras on hand in case a good deal comes along.

How About You?- What are you doing at your home to stretch a dollar? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Share in a comment or leave a link in the comments to your blog--new ideas for saving money are a blessing!

The Homekeeper's Journal - This and That

2011-03-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is about This And That!

In My Kitchen this week………..Banana-pear bread. I had a few soft bananas and a few soft pears. Why not mash them all up and combine them in a banana bread recipe? So good! I have a homeschooling mama friend that wants to come over this week and work together on bread-making skills. Looking forward to that!

In My Yard ……..I'm digging, clearing more garden space and planting. Stacking next winter's wood. Pulling weeds. Getting some much needed exercise and outdoor time.

I’ve been thinking …. about books and materials for next school year.

What motivates me more than anything else is ….. my family and the times we live in. Jesus is coming soon, there is no time to waste!

My Devotional life and walk with Christ …. It is such a blessing to know that God gives us guidance in EVERY aspect and area of our lives, that we don't have to stumble around in the "dark" wondering what to do with the situations life hands us. All we have to do is go to God.

I struggle ….. with saying no, but I'm doing much better! Your emergency is not necessarily my emergency!

I dread …. being over-worked or over-scheduled. I've lived that life and I don't ever want to go back. Being constantly on the go does NOT equal happiness or fulfillment. Next time you are out in public, notice how hurried and stressed people seem to be.

But I look forward …. to the simple pleasures of life- a laugh with a friend, playing a game with the children, working on a family project, serving a meal to friends and family.

The Highs and Lows of Life

2011-03-15T23:19:00.000-05:00

The High- Our 25 chicks are nearly a week old and are just little fluff-balls of fun. They hatched last Wednesday morning in Ohio and were in our brooder in TX by 8 am on Thursday morning. Pretty cool! (My favorite TX hatchery is sold out until summer) Already they are trying to eat any bug that is attracted to the light of the heat lamp. Good girls, that's what I got you for!

The Lows- We lost our dear dog Gracie last week when she was hit by a truck. My children are taking the loss well, but breaking the news to them and hearing them cry nearly broke my mama-heart. The blessing is that the chicks are easing the pain of losing their favorite pet.

Life. Who knows what's around the next corner? All I know for sure is that God is good.

Congrats to My Favorite Pianists!

2011-03-14T00:00:00.001-05:00

The extra lessons and hours of practice paid off for my two pianists. My oldest son earned a medal and my daughter a trophy for their participation in a piano festival sponsored by the local University of Texas campus' music department. They were graded in both technical skill and performance by a judge, which was a very new experience for both of them. Between the two of them they earned an A+, 8 A's and one B+. Since it was not a competition, every child who participated was eligible to earn an award. I'm very pleased at the efforts that both my children made in doing their best.

Nothing like a Deadline to Get You Moving!

2011-03-08T23:03:00.000-06:00

After a year-long break, we're taking on chickens again. The children helped me finish building our chick brooder. Heat lamp, feeder, waterers, chick feed, bedding all ready to go. The 25 chicks we ordered are scheduled to hatch tomorrow (3/9), and should arrive at our post office the next day. This time around we're going with Buff Orpingtons, New Hampshire Reds and Ameraucanas. The children are excited to have a new set of animals to play with. I'm looking forward to having some bug eaters roaming around our yard.

The deadline? Well, the chicks can stay in the brooder in our garage for just a few weeks, and then they are going to need to move to the coop.

We have not finished the rehab work on the coop. The bottom portion still needs to be predator-proofed and we need to close in at least two of the sides with plywood. I took down the old, torn-up chicken pen fence, I need to get the new one up in the next week. Time to put on my work clothes and get busy!

Gardening on the Cheap

2011-03-07T08:33:00.000-06:00

Rising food prices has motivated me to grow as much as possible this year. Problem is, my gardening supply budget is at an all-time low. Time to get creative.

Starting your plants from seed is the cheapest way to go. I'm excited to have 15+ decent tomato plants from seed, waiting for the ground to warm up. I started these plants on Dec. 26th. Buying plants for a large garden can get expensive, so I'm thankful for the success. Sometime in May, I'll start a new set of tomatoes for the Fall garden.

I'm trying to recycle what I have to start my seeds. Here are my mini-greenhouses. The large salad containers make great seed starting domes. I put the seed in the dirt, water and put on the lid. I water every other day until the seeds germinate, then take off the lid and put the plant under the grow light. I also have been saving old zipper plastic bags to use as well.

The peat pots at the store are great, but most of the time you end up having to transplant your seedlings out of those little pots before you can put them out in the garden. I've been experimenting with rice/soy/almond milk cartons, and they work great. Rinse them well and add some drainage at the bottom and you've got a free pot. The sides I don't use are cut into strips to use as plant markers.

Grow lights have been my best garden investment so far. Seedlings need lots of light when they first germinate. These are plant lights from a hardware store. See that white board in the back against the wall? That helps reflect the light back at the plants. I need to cut it and hang it on three sides of the plant shelf for maximum reflection. Saves me from buying more lights. Aluminum foil would work too.

These are Yukon Gold and Red Pontiac seed potatoes. Potatoes like soil that is a bit more acid, so instead of buying something to add to the soil, I've added some of the ashes from the oak leaves I burned last week to the area where these will be planted.

So far so good. I'm always on the lookout for cheap garden ideas. I'll share more as I find them.

Homekeeper's Journal - Spring Time Changes

2011-03-01T22:27:00.000-06:00

This week the Homekeeper’s Journal is about Spring Time Changes.

In My Kitchen This Week … I'm canning beans. I got off track, but my goal is to can a full canner-load (7 quarts) each week until the weather gets too warm for canning indoors. Now that I think about it, that only gives me 3 months, it will be hot by mid-May. Make that 2 canner-loads of beans each week!

Changes I Make To My Home In Spring … Clean out the fireplace one last time and put all the tools away till next fall. I usually put out some new candles and swap out a few knick-nacks to freshen things up. I think a few new curtains would be nice, I don't sew too well, but curtains I can handle.

Changes In My Schedule …As the days grow longer and warmer, our family spends more time outside. I seem to wake up earlier in Spring compared to winter.

Changes In My Yard/Homestead … New fencing and gates for the garden and a refurbished chicken coop. A new, larger clothesline and some new plants for the flowerbeds.

What I Look Forward to This Spring …Chicks! Our little brood of Ameraucanas, Buff Orpingtons and New Hampshire Red pullets are scheduled to hatch March 9th. We can't wait for the post office to call for me to pick up our cheeping box of fluffiness!

Spring Brings with It … The countdown to summer. There is so much to do before the summer heat arrives and slows everything down to a crawl.

A Sure Sign Of Spring … A transition of birds at our feeders. We've seen a mama bluebird several times at our bird waterer, hopefully she has found a suitable nest nearby. The goldfinches will be gone soon, heading north.

A Favorite Spring Activity … Planting the spring garden and putting a few new plants and bushes in the yard.

Homekeeper's Journal - Gentleness

2011-02-22T10:59:00.000-06:00

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is about homemaking, of course and…… Being Gentle.
“Behold your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey” (Matt. 21:5; cf. Zech. 9:9)
Gentleness is one of the Fruit of the Spirit. We’re commanded to be gentle with others. In the Bible the word Meekness means Gentleness. Most women don’t have too hard a time being gentle or meek. The problem women sometimes have with gentleness is in thinking that gentleness equals weakness.- taken from Christianhomekeeper.org

In my kitchen this week …..lots of transplants waiting to go into the garden and seeds waiting to be planted. A bit of cooking too!

On my mind this week … Spring projects outdoors, household budgeting and lesson planning for the last few months of the school year.

Gentleness is one of the Fruit of the Spirit so as a Christian …..I need to consider how well gentleness is growing in the garden of my heart. Am I letting gentleness be watered and fertilized? Am I giving it room to flourish? Am I diligent about letting God pull up the weeds of pride and selfishness?

When the Bible says that Moses was the meekest of all men (Numbers 12:3), it reminds me that …. we often have a mistaken idea of leadership. Our natural, human bent is to become a tyrant, especially in our homes. We can see the fruits of the wrong kind of leadership right now in the Middle East. Servant leadership is what Jesus modeled for us. Are we willing to lead with self set aside and our hands ready to serve others?

The gentle person has died to self, so when I am gentle in situations that cause others to be angry and violent (Proverbs 16:32; 25:28) ….. I can rejoice because then I am reminded that "His grace to me is not without effect" (I Cor. 15:10).

Knowing that gentleness is not cowardice or lack of conviction (1 Peter 22-23), I am encouraged to ….Be quiet! Christians sometimes talk too much in the name of "standing up for right". We are mistaken in our thought that we are called to speak up every single time we see something that is contradictory to our standards or threatens our sensibilities. Sometimes we overestimate the power of our words and our ability to cause others to change. Isn't that trying to take over the Holy Spirit's work?

Potato Fail

2011-02-21T19:18:00.000-06:00

Potatoes have been on sale recently (clearing out 2010 crop), so I thought I'd give dehydrating potatoes a try. I found what sounded like a quick and easy shortcut method. I sliced the potatoes fairly thin and soaked them for a few minutes in ascorbic acid which was supposed to keep them from turning dark while drying. Not so. So much for a shortcut method. I'm going to try again, this time using the method my trusty Ball Blue Book of Preserving : Slice and blanch the potatoes in boiling water, rinse in cold water and THEN dehydrate.

Counting Birds

2011-02-21T19:08:00.000-06:00

Goldfinch at the suet feeder

Our list of birds reported for The Great Backyard Bird Count:
Northern cardinal
Carolina wren
Red-winged blackbird
Brown-headed cowbird
Mourning dove
Black-capped chickadee
Tufted titmouse
Blue jay
Common grackle
American goldfinch
Pine siskin
House finch
White-breasted nuthatch
Downy woodpecker
Eastern bluebird

Don't forget: The GBBC starts tomorrow!

2011-02-17T12:20:00.000-06:00

Nature lovers, don't forget, The Great Backyard Bird Count starts tomorrow. It only takes 15 minutes and you can learn so much about birds! We'll be counting at our house. Fun!

I'm a Happy Seed Addict

2011-02-16T00:14:00.000-06:00

This is only just a small portion of my seed collection!

Confession: I can't stop buying seeds. I have my favorite heirloom seed catalogs to order from, but even then, I can't help but pick up a few packets at the local farm store. There's one farm store in our area that I have to work hard to avoid because they have the most lovely seed counter! The seed counter is about 30 feet long, filled with jars and bins and drawers full of the most beautiful seeds you ever saw! ***happy sigh***

I got out my seed box today because I am starting a few flats indoors so they'll be ready for transplant come March. The seed box is organized into two groups: warm season and cool season crops. I used to keep my seeds in the fridge, but they take up too much space. Now I simply store them in a box away from light and heat. They keep well, because I'm now planting my 2007-09 seeds and I haven't had a problem with germination.

My favorite seeds were given to me by family. I have 4o'clock flower seeds from my late grandmother that I was able to grow and share the seeds with other family members. I was given some hard to find tree collard seeds from plants my aunt grew on the family homestead in Alabama many years ago. She's in a nursing home with dementia now, so I treasure the gift of those seeds. My pigeon pea and hibiscus (sorrel)seeds from my mother-in-law are normally grown in Jamaica. Hopefully I can follow her instructions well and harvest a tropical crop in Texas!

Did I mention that I love seeds?

Homemaker's Journal -Spring Plans

2011-02-15T23:33:00.001-06:00

In my kitchen, I plan to ….. do some organizing. I am continually running out of safe spots to store canning jars, whether full or empty. I hope to do some serious canning this summer, so I need to find the space now.

Plans with the children ….. I am working on teaching my children to cook several different dinner entrees. We've got breakfast and lunch covered, and a few desserts too. They know how to make lasagna, roll lumpia (egg rolls) and some other basics, but I want to teach them a few more complicated items. I have been negligent on teaching them to work with yeast dough, so I'll start with pizza dough and this easy dinner roll recipe (scroll down in the .pdf file to pg 20).

Plans with the husband ….. It's time for Hard-Working-Hero and I to sit down and work on our family vision and plan for the next few years. What are our goals, where do we want to be five years from now if the Lord has not come? I think a few changes are in store for our family!

Plans for my house ….. A little bit of paint and some inexpensive upgrades here and there, like new door handles and new sink fixtures. The original owners of this house (we're the 2nd owners) loved faux wood paneling way too much. I've been dying to take most of it down, I'm just afraid of what I'll find behind it! I guess it's time to try my hand at installing drywall and taping seams.

Garden Plans ….. Sifting my compost so I can get in dug into the garden. Started more seeds for my spring garden, I hope to get an early start this year.

Other Plans ….. Finished my measuring for my new chicken pen fencing today. Hope to have my little chickies in the coop soon!

You can join in the weekly Homekeeper's Journal prompts at Christianhomekeeper.org

Piano Perseverance

2011-02-14T22:10:00.001-06:00

We have been in piano overdrive for the last few weeks. Our piano teacher wanted to have a few of her students participate in a skills festival sponsored by the local university. Interestingly, it ended up being only her homeschooled students. Last month my two oldest children participated in the technical portion, where each student played for a judge who graded them on a set criteria for their skill level. The preparation was difficult, but both my children scored very well, with A's and a B+ . My daughter even earned an A+ in sight reading.

The performance portion of the festival is scheduled for the end of the month. Both my daughter and oldest son have to prepare two pieces to play for the judge. The music is challenging and they are taking instruction twice a week instead of the normal once-a-week lesson. With a few tears and many prayers and practice, we are learning much more than just a few classical scores. They are learning patience, the rewards of endurance and effort, responsibility and how to meet a challenge with a willing spirit. Mom and Dad have learned much about how to be encouraging motivators.

I'm so thankful that we have this opportunity. I've seen amazing growth in my children's piano skills and in their personal growth as well. My prayer is that the lessons learned from this experience bless them all of their lives.

This Week's Homekeeper's Journal

2011-02-10T00:42:00.000-06:00

This journal prompt is courtesy of christianhomekeeper.org. I like that her journal prompts are not always the same, they change from week to week. I liked this week's prompt, so I thought I'd join in.

In My Kitchen this week ………
We're beating the winter blues with peach cobbler. My wrist hurt for two weeks after putting up all those peaches last summer, but now I'm glad I did! I'm thankful for the all of the fruit we put up last summer, cause the fruit in the stores right now is either no good or too expensive.

Foremost in my thoughts this week ……..
How the economy and world events are rapidly changing life as we know it. How people are in denial about how bad things are. That many people I know are struggling to maintain lifestyles they cannot afford just to keep appearances. Simplicity is not a bad thing. God is the source of true contentment.

I’ve been so busy with ……..
Getting caught up with housework after the kids being sick last week and taking my turn at being sick last weekend. I would not wish that stomach virus on anyone.

Could someone please ……..
Tell Canada to close the door? It's too cold in Texas! Those arctic blasts that come our way are killing my garden!

I’ve been wanting to do this for so long ……..
Put up new fencing around my garden and the chicken coop. Finish the brooder and order my chicks. Start prepping for spring gardening. Sift the compost and start a new pile.

If I manage things just right ……..
I'll be done with this week's chores sometime next week! LOL!

It's Not A Good Deal If They Won't Eat It

2011-02-09T23:26:00.001-06:00

I found some high value cereal coupons and then our local grocery had a great sale. I could stock up on cereal cheap! Cold cereal is in our breakfast rotation but we don't go for the flashy stuff. The kids eat the very plain stuff- no added sugar bombs. Well, I picked up the stuff we normally eat and then since I had a coupon, I thought I'd 'treat' the kids to a box of something a bit different. Hey, it was a great cheap deal, right?

Well, my 4yo spit it out after one bite, my older son ate only one small bowlful and my daughter never even tried it. Maybe the compost pile will eat it.

Coupons Will Eat You Alive If You're Not Careful

2011-02-09T22:57:00.000-06:00

I started off couponing very gung-ho, but I've cooled off a bit. I still see the value in using coupons, but if I'm not careful, I'll waste more than I save. Time is a factor to be considered when couponing. You can spend hours browsing websites to find coupons. There's the expense of ink and paper for printing internet coupons (I did find a deal on ink and paper though). Don't forget the cost of the Sunday paper for coupons as well. If your favorite grocery does not carry the brand you have a coupon for, then there's the expense of finding a store that does carry that item.

To keep myself on track, I decided to give myself some personal guidelines for couponing:
*The coupon has to be usable at the two main stores I visit- no extra trips.
*Internet coupon printing no more than twice a week for about 10 minutes.
*Stick to coupons that fulfill the menu plan and household shopping list.

My goal is still $15-20 in coupon savings each shopping trip and thankfully, I'm meeting that goal. I've started using a price book which has made me more aware of pricing trends and when a sale is not really a sale. Watch out for those 10 items for $10 sales! Just because you have a coupon does not make it a good deal. A very nice benefit is that I've been able to use our coupon savings to stock up on good deals without going over the budget.

Winter, Winter, Winter!

2011-02-04T16:39:00.000-06:00

The thing I like best about winter storms in Texas is that our already quiet road gets even quieter. No school buses, or cars. Only the ranchers are out on the road, taking hay to their livestock. I enjoyed a quiet walk this morning, just the sound of the birds chattering at the feeders and blanket of white making our house and road seem so beautiful and romantic.

2.5 inches of lovely fluffy snow. As usual, my husband was the most excited. We always seem to get the most snow on Fridays, his day off. He was still out enjoying the snow long after the kids had gotten cold and come back inside by the fire.

A row of onions peeking through the snow. Right now, all of their growth is in the roots, so the snow won't slow them down. Supposedly the cold is good for the peach and nectarine trees, so I hope we have a good crop this summer.

Rumor has it that we might get more snow next week. So much for mild Texas winters.