Let the planning begin!

I look forward to my garden.

It brings me joy.

It's a great learning activity with the kids.

It provides quality food at the best cost ever, FREE. Well, almost free.

I've started planning this year's garden because I can't wait!

So far plans include...

Planting 2 apple trees and 2 blueberry plants.

Out front I'll add several herbs, many pickling cucumbers and another raspberry plant.

In the back I'll be planting pumpkins, carrots, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, peas, beans, yams, potatoes, watermelons, brandished and lots of tomatoes.

I'm still not sure where to fit in corn and strawberries.

I not only look forward to planting and tending, but finding creative ways to grow the most I can on my small piece of land, putting up food for the year and determining how to add more next year!

Somedays...

There are some moments as a mom that you know they're coming.

You know they're going to be bad.

You know they're normal too.

I got one of those tonight.

Sunday nights 5 of my 6 munchkins go to "big church" with me. They sing the songs they know and fake the ones they don't. Rather joyfully shake the hands of most any member of our church family. Excitedly drop their coins in the offering plate when we have any. They sit in the pew beside me with their note pads and "take notes" like mama.

Usually.

Except not tonight.

It was Emmi's second Sunday night in "big church" and she hadn't napped. The new had worn off for her and she feared holding still or else she'd fall asleep!

By the time pastor was starting his sermon, I knew.

I collected up kids and coats and crayons and took them to the foyer.

A year ago, I would have been embaressed beyond belief!

Now I realize something. I have no reason to be embaressed.

Kids have good and bad days.

Kids learn by doing and testing.

Moms aren't prefect.

Everybody doesn't always get the nap they need.

But mostly, everyone in that room would rather see me walk my kids to the foyer than know I didn't come. Because they care about us and they love the Lord.

And anyone who would rather I had kept them home and skipped service, I pray for you. I hope you search your heart. Those children you view as a problem in the next pew are the future generation of the church! Don't scowl at the tired mother, smile at her. She feels defeated enough.

Better yet, after service, give that mama a hug and remind her she's going good. It will make a world of difference for her!

New Goals for a New Year!

Every year for the last 4 years I have set 10 goals for the new year.

I have never reached all 10 goals. I've always achieved 6-8 of them and made progress on the rest.

This year I've aimed higher than ever, yet I also have this overwhelming sense that I am going to reach each and every goal this year.

Maybe it's because I set clearer goals. Maybe it's because I have set mini monthly goals to get me there. Maybe it's because I got rid of the goal to shed 20 pounds (clearly that 20 pounds likes were it's at and I don't dislike it enough to really do anything about it.) Maybe it's because none of the goals are "the big one" (i.e. moving, give birth, husband come home alive.) Maybe it's that I've reached out and several wonderful friends have offered to be my accountability people, it's not just me.

Maybe it's a little bit of all of it.

This year feels different. The goals are more challenging and bigger than ever, but I feel certain that each goal will be met!

For those who wish to follow along on my journey to accomplish these goals, the list is at the end of the post and I'm going to update at least once a month on my progress every month.

Here they are...

1. Read the bible and 4 other books (I did the bible and 3 books last year)
2. Take a meal to one family/person a week (was a monthly thing last year)
3. Get off TANF (last year I got off WIC and increased my income)
4. Grow or produce most of our food: grocery goal budget is $200 or less (last years budget goal was to pay off the van)
5. Get involved in another ministry at church (last years goal was the same, but I'd like to be more involved than just subing in the nursery)
6. Work on house: paint interior, replace carpet, upgrade some insulation (last years housing goal was to move out of the scary apartments!)
7. Build up stock for craft fairs: completely 10 projects a month, not including orders (last years was to complete a project every month)
8. Eat better: more organic, no soy, mostly GF, less sugar (I had no food goals for 2013, just weight goals)
9. Stop smoking... yes, I know... (repeat goal)
10. Expand animals and their housing: add 1 goat, 3 ducklings, 3 chickens, 13 rabbits, 2 goat pens, custom rabbit cages (no animal related goals in 2013)

Old School

Today marks a big change for us.

One with a few upsets, a few cheers, some disappointment, some excitement.

Driven as much by nessecity as by desire.

Today was the last day of school for the girls.

In January when the other kids head back to school after Christmas vacation, we will pick up homeschooling again. It's what fits for us in this season of life.

Poultry swap

I mentioned in my last post that we added 4 ducks and were selling most of the chickens. For good reason...

My little homestead is in town. It's a small town that has a lot of rules allowing small livestock. I also have more flexability because of the specific zoning of my property.

One restriction that was limiting me was a ban on roosters. My hens were never going to hatch chicks. I would always be buying chicks.

However, a drake is allowed. My duck hens can hatch cute little ducklings whenever I let them. Those ducklings can grow into new layers for us, a replacement drake as needed, a yummy dinner or be sold for profit (or to at least make up for the cost of feed.)

Since my goal is be as cost efficient as possible and have as many income streams as possible, the switch seemed like the most logical step to take for us.

Whenever you see a limit or block in your path, brainstorm and find a way to overcome the obstical. It may not be what you thought you'd do, but don't get caught up in the details and keep your eyes on your goal!

Oh the changes!

I promise one of these days I'll get better about updating this blog.

There have been a lot of changes and yet nothing has changed. We're still us, with the same goals, ideals, values, morals and struggles. So here we go....

The switch to GF has been a challenge to my budget. I'm figuring it out slowly, but it took my $450 average grocery bill up to about $575. After this months big shop, my total is already at $540. I have $20 set aside for food the rest of this month. Good thing the pantry is full! Next months goal is an even $500 for the month.

I made the choice to pull Dakota out of school. His weak immune system and horrible asthma combined, he was never going to make the attendence requirements. He handled it well and we got to keep his curriculum, so hopefully next week we will be back to homeschooling. I am incredibly excited to be homeschooling at least one munchkin!

The homestead has been busy! Bought a goat buck and got both does bred! Come March we will have sweet little kids and fresh milk! We're breeding holland lops again. Our meat rabbit herd got a new sure and has welcomed numerous litters. Even the garden was still trying, Octobet yeilded 4 yams and 2 zuchinni! Biggest change is the welcoming of 4 ducks and the farewell we will say to 28 chickens today! I'll explain in another post why that change is happening.

Finances have not recovered from me getting sick, but they are in the.process. The budget still looks scary and putting it on paper still makes me sick to my stomach, but each month is a little better. Hopefully I'll be able to add another weekly cleaning job before the end of the year.

My hope is to update here weekly. Maybe if I start with once a week I can get back in the habbit of blogging!

Back to blogging!

I have so missed my blog and writing.

Things have been busy and sort of crazy around here lately. But when aren't they anymore?

What brand of crazy have we been up to this time?

School. Which has been a harder adjustment than I expected and the financial aspect is becoming a heavy burden. I'm counting down to resuming homeschooling next year.

The munchkins:
A- Loves school. A bad day is one without homework, but she says the works too easy.
B- hasn't been getting enough sleep. In turn behavior issues are more frequent and more intense.
C- has been gluten free for 2 months, the improvement in her skin, GI issues and energy levels is amazing.
D- he's been having a lot of breathing problems, colds, possible allergy flares. His immune system is stressed.
E- quite the little lady! She amazes me daily with her ability to go from sweet as pie to evil Lucy in a snap!
F- walking, climbing, talking, stubborn little peanut! His size is slowly catching up with his attitude.

Rabbits. Are doing well. I've lost track of how many kits I've sold at this point. My mother found a fiber glass greenhouse on craigslist that we use as a bunny barn.

Goats. The girls are doing well. One of them delivered a stillborn kid and unfortunately I think that will be it for kids this year. However, in just a few days, I'm picking up a beautiful buck.

Chickens. These girls are funny, but not smart. However they have been hiding their eggs! So their free ranging days are coming to end once I finish building a chicken run.

Garden. Currently nothing. Soon I'll have 2 potato towers going in the bunny barn.

Canning. I have been canning like crazy! Spaghetti sauce, applesauce, apple butter, jams, pumpkin and anything else I can get my hands on are quickly filling the pantry. I've also made lots of apple chips and froze some corn and 35 quart bags of broccoli florets gleaned from a local farmer.

Work. I lost 3 jobs when I got sick. I've found 2 new jobs, but combined they still pay less than the lowest paying one I lost.

Things have been busy, crazy and blessed by His grace and mercy.