A Forced Sabbath

I have heard people reference these seasons before. A broken limb, a medical condition, a big move, or in our case, financial constraints that can force a season of rest you wouldn't normally implement. As much as I have commented in the past about trying to pare down activities and being unable to, the truth is, that I haven't wanted to. Or rather, I didn't want to deal with the fallout and disappointment from my 4 curious students who have grown accustomed to signing up for whatever activity or club that they find intriguing. (Oh the beauty and tempations of this homeschool friendly town that we live in!)

But now, we are stuck. Stuck at the cottage that we so badly desired. Stuck on our property with snowy trails and frozen creeks. "Stuck like Chuck", to quote my husband. (Poor Chuck, whomever he is! Always stuck.)  At least that is how I was viewing it up until this past week. As I fought off anxiety and worry, and even the slippery slope of  returning depression, I viewed myself as being a stuck prisoner and victim.  But now, I am learning that there is a huge difference in perspective between "stuck" and "rest".

I can now say that I am so very thankful for this forced Sabbath rest. Now that I have made it through the weeping ballerina who has to take a semester off from classes, and the myriad of "Awwww"s that emanated from other disappointed children, I am embracing the beauty of this time ahead.  I am avidly reading and studying how to better simplify our homeschool for a more permanent structure. I am seeing where I am succeeding and hugely failing at discipling, as well as educating my children. I have been made aware of how poorly I was trying to accomplish so much through my own inadquate strength versus resting in God's sufficient hand. I am realizing how skewed my goals and priorities have become in so many areas. I am made aware again, that I am a mess and I need a Savior. Thank goodness Emmanuel came!

So as I view this glorious scene from the windows surrounding my desk, I gaze while feeling more hope and optimism about 2016  than I have felt in a very long time. Yes, we're still stuck. Yes, I still desire to fulfill my childrens' every longing and curiosity.  Yes, we're still only getting a few hours of sunlight each day. Yes, we're still staring at those orange walls that I was sure I would have painted by now.  However, I can now rest in the everlasting grace and be confident that Emmanuel is still God with ME! He has not left nor forsaken my family. I know without a doubt that the Sabbath is a gift; a time to re-prioritize, refresh, and rejoice in what I already have, as well as trusting Him for what lies ahead.

Happy New Year to You and Yours!
Hillary At Home

From 'Homestead Someday' to 'Homestead NOW'!

Yes! Welcome to our revised blog and the tour of our new hobby farm-to-be, Wildwood Cottage (WC)! I cannot tell you how THRILLED I am to be finally writing this blog from the perspective of one who is truly working on their little farm rather than just pining for it!

For those of you who have not heard the oh-so-dramatic story, we heard about the cottage through a mutual friend with the sellers. It is the family home that he grew up in and inherited, and now his wife and him were ready to head south for sunshine and new adventures. I had just written my post here regarding the peace and contentment I had found once I submitted to the continual rental of our last home, Berry Creek Lane. And then WC happened.

At first it sounded daunting over the phone: 1100 square feet, 2 bedrooms with a third so small it was debatable whether it truly counted as a bedroom or not (depended on which appraiser you called), and 1 bath. Yes, 1 bath! Um, for 6 people? I don't know if I'm that hardcore. Maybe this wasn't for us.

 But then the magic words started pouring forth : "greenhouse....acre...flat acre...sunny acre...garden...ROOT CELLAR!"

Yes, folks, the idea of having a root cellar may or may not have initiated some sort of drunken, euphoric insanity in my wanna-be-homesteader brain. Suddenly 1 bathroom didn't sound so bad. Heck, we have 3 boys who can do their business pretty much anywhere on the acre, and the seller's parents raised 5 kids in this house, so we actually have one less body in the toilet queue.

And so, 7 months after the first awkward phone call, we took possession of this quirky little bungalow with the intent to finally begin collecting as much livestock and poultry as the city will let us have. We realized right away that we have a LOT of projects to do before we can go chicken shopping, and there's that whole 'seasonally self-employed husband in the middle of his busy season' to contend with. 

No farm is complete without a hound dog lounging around, right?

Fast Forward a bit and here we are two months into our mortgage, realizing that this is not an HGTV show where my property will be visual perfection in an hour or a weekend. (Oh Chip and Joanna Gaines, I need you!)  And Pinterest ideas are put on hold to purchase things like gravel and a toilet. More on those stories later..

Wildwood Cottage is the next chapter in our little family's journey on this planet. It is a training ground as our kids learn new skills right alongside us. It's an educational institution as we continue to keep the vision of our Upwards Academy and homeschool our brood.

Most importantly, it's our home. Right now it's our home. It won't be our home after the curtains are hung, every box is unpacked, or the mint colored doorframe is re-painted in the kitchen.

It won't be our home after the flooring is continuous or after the beadboard is hung. It is our home now, and I pray that it is full of joyful memories, spiritual discipleship, and Light for this dark world.

As we continue our projects and random musings, we hope that you will join us on this journey. It may not be very informative or make for an award winning blog, but I think you'll find it to be far from dull with our wacky little family circus.

Blessings,
Hillary At Home

How To Give Up

It's the proverbial light at the end of most military spouses' tunnels. It's this glimmer of hope that helps us to pack, move, unpack, and then repeat as directed. What is it? 


It's the vision of the Family Home. It's the notion of putting down roots, mortgaging a house, and finally FINALLY getting to experiment with all of those Pinterest projects that have been filling our boards and dreams! It's the romanticized plan of settling down in your grand home on the picket-fenced property that the kids and grandkids can return to year after year.  It will be idyllic, cozy, and sweet. It will be our own Green Gables or Rose Cottage-but with indoor plumbing and air conditioning!  Surely our husband will get a great paying, M-F job where he will be home on weekends, not 'stand duty' overnight, or be floating in the middle of the ocean. AND he will make plenty of money to afford the above home, of course.


BUT! What if your husband doesn't take the six figure job offer?(choke choke!) What if he decides to join the ranks of the dreaded 'self-employed'? (Nooooo!) What if his principles and values lead him to start a business where he uses those military-taught skills to better his community? Well, in a nutshell, that means two years of business records to qualify for a meager mortgage. It means two plus years to qualify for something bigger than a shoebox (especially in Alaska!). It means my own Green Gables is on hold....indefinitely...sigh.

 ...I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation....Phillippians 4:12

Contentment. The struggle with it plagues most of our society. It is the most oft-mentioned topic among my Mom friends. The Apostle Paul had to LEARN it. He had to be intentional and purposeful with it. He had to practice it to get it. Why, why, why is it so stinkin' hard to achieve?!

It's not as easy as just simplifying and down-sizing as many minimalist blogs would have you believe. As my analytical, yet usually correct, handsome hubby likes to point out, those are external actions that may or may not stem from an internal perspective shift. Just because someone has altered the size of their living space or quantity of possessions, does not mean that their heart is satisfied. Often, but not always,  they have just re-prioritized what their desires are into a different venue. (Yes, he's not only good looking and highly principled, but a deep thinker, too.)


In my case, I had the recent wake-up call that my cozy, nest-filled agenda was not God's. I was discontent because I was railing against His plan for my journey. I was too busy stalking craigslist and the local MLS to pay attention to His still small voice. I was too distracted for contentment in my current home by constantly looking at how I could gut it and improve it if only given the deed. Oh, I have plans for my homestead, and God was just in my way! My husband and his business were in my way! My whole situation was just in my way! (Stomp stomp)


Wow. Then through a variety of sources and venues (like the Spirit so often does), God gently showed me, not only the error of my sinful, toddler-ish  thoughts, but the way to conquer them:


1) First I had to remember that He has called me to this life. He has laid out the path for me to follow. My end goal is/should be to hear Him say "'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things...Come and share your master's happiness!'" (Matthew 25:21)  When I pause and actually play this scenario out in my mind, I am able to truly make this my ultimate desire. Consequently, it's much easier to remember that it's not about my timing or my agenda. It's about His and being faithful to this path He has called me to. And yes, while it may not be as literary and poetic as I wish it to be, it is what He has deemed appropriate for me, my family, and His divine plan. Besides, when I think about the horrible genocide occurring right now in Iraq and the persecuted church and poverty-stricken people all over the world, I have to ask "Is renting a house for a couple of years longer really that horrible of a trial? Really?"


2) Once I have that newly reshaped vision in sight, then the next step is the natural overflow. I must surrender. I must give God all of my plans, hopes, and ideals. I must truly and sincerely say to Him "Your will be done." As a friend prays  "Lord, let your will be done, and let us be faithful enough to accept it."


3) This leads to the most recent insight that the Lord has given me on this topic. To truly be content, I must not only accept, but embrace this journey I am on. I need to quit looking for ways to expedite His process or 'help' Him find loopholes to make it happen in my time-frame. I cannot resent the financial or familial situation that the Lord has placed me in. This is the journey that He has called me to. I need to be found faithful in it. 


I need to "...Do everything without grumbling [complaing] or arguing..." (Phillipans 2:14), whether that means out loud or internally! 


I have to purpose to seek joy in my situation. I have to choose to "....give thanks in all things..." (1Thessalonians 5:18), and I have to truly keep my perspective focused on eternity. I truly believe that living this way will lead to the spiritually abundant life promised in John 10:10. Do I want to merely accept my lot in life, or do I want to enjoy my life abundantly?


I have found that, for me, the most tangible weapon that I wield in the battle against discontent is to stop and pray for the chronically ill, hurting, dying, persecuted, starving, homeless, enslaved people scattered all over this world around me. There are literally those that live in constant fear and constant need with no hope of an end in sight. This is their life. If I take my eyes off of me and my shallow desires, and put them on Him and the mission field around me, I am much more able to count my blessings.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

 
As we can see by this song, penned in 1897, what I have written above is nothing new or mind-blowing. It is  a timeless struggle with a timeless answer. However, it is the fresh wake-up call that I needed, and I pray that it will encourage you in your own battle as well. 


Be brave and courageous fellow Warrior of the King! It is truly a noble, vital battle that you are fighting, and you CAN '...do all things through Christ which gives [you] strength" (Phillippians 4:13) which definitely includes slaying that nagging monster of discontent!

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep on singing as the days go by.

Blessings,
Hillary At Home

"Living Like The Impoverished"?!! LOLOL

Hello from the land of newborn cuddles and all-night feedings! Yes, I haven't blogged in FOREVER, but with the introduction of our newest bundle into this crazy family, the blog had to be put aside for awhile.  I was planning to gradually wade back into it since I have mentally composed countless entries during those 3 a.m. feedings, but after coming across the following tidbit, I decided to rush back into the blogging world full tilt.

Here is what has motivated me to pick up my virtual pen again. One of the local homeschool groups has a yahoo board for communicating among the local HS community.   The following text is the post that graced my inbox last night:

Our family is tossing around the idea that for the entire upcoming school year we will live as if we are impoverished. Exactly what that that means we haven't nailed down, but some examples might be:

1. Purchase only what is absolutely necessary
2. Purchase used clothing
3. Turn off our cable, maybe even the TV.
4. No cell phones for a year, only the land line
5. Ride bikes whenever possible

It would be great for other families to join us. Perhaps spend the year learning about other impoverished countries and cultures.

Maybe a weekly/bi-weekly get together. Sort of a support group.

Then, as a reward, at least for us, we are going to go to Europe for two weeks.

What in the world??  This person really thinks those 5 bullet points are impoverishment?! 

Okay, in an effort to maintain the positive attitude that I want this blog to exude, let me just tackle two of the many (I feel)  misguided items in this entry.  First off, I am going to re-paste the bullet list below with a comparison of our current lifestyle after each item.

1. Purchase only what is absolutely necessary  (That's what we do for the most part-especially when we have a specific savings goal in mind, i.e. paying off debt, saving to buy a house, retire, etc.)
 

2. Purchase used clothing (YES! The mark-up for new clothing is between 40-700%!  We buy used or heavily discounted.)
 

3. Turn off our cable, maybe even the TV.  (We have Netflix and Hulu for the Fall/Winter, but turn if off for Spring/Summer.)
 

4. No cell phones for a year, only the land line (Well, we do have pre-paid cell phones for those twice a week calls...)

 
5. Ride bikes whenever possible (Okay, you got me there. We live up the side of a mountain next to a busy highway, so we have opted not to send our kids careening downhill into traffic.)

Now I am not sure what the benchmark is for impoverishment according to these criteria, but since we pretty much qualify for 4 out of 5, I'm assuming this woman would consider us to be so -along with the majority of one-income homeschooling families for that matter!  

At one point in our life, I would agree that we were poor. We were so indebted and underwater financially, that we were seriously struggling. We were slaves to many lenders.  Thankfully, we are now free of those chains by choosing to live with such restrictions as listed above. The ironic thing is, that while we could now easily afford to go back to a more luxurious standard of living, we have chosen to keep our modest ways.  We have seen the numerous benefits of restraining our purchases, buying/receiving used goods, spending our time away from the TV screen, and not being assaulted by a constant barrage of phone beeps and rings. And yes, when we can, we like to load up the bikes, head to a bike path or side road, and pedal our hearts out.

Item #2:  "Then, as a reward, at least for us, we are going to go to Europe for two weeks."

This seems so wrong in so many ways! First off, does the family behind this post really see these changes as true impoverishment? Are they so out of touch with what real poverty looks like that they feel they deserve an exotic vacation as a reward for their self-imposed martyrdom? It's no wonder, then, that many peoples in the world view Americans as jaded, greedy pigs.

Since I firmly believe that how a person spends their money is simply a matter of what their financial priorities are, I can understand that a person's impression of wealth/poverty stems from a personal perspective. That being said, here is my own list of what words I would substitute for the word "impoverishment" based on my family's experiences and beliefs:

"Living within one's means"

"Living on a budget"

"Living simply"

"Being a wise steward" (Luke 12: 42)

"Not being a slave to a lender" (Proverbs 22:7)

"Being faithful with little to earn responsibility over more" (Luke 16:10, Matthew 25:23)

"Storing up treasure in Heaven" (Matthew 6:19-21)

"Freeing ourselves from the strongholds of materialism" (Mark 10: 17-27)

Rather than feeling impoverished and trapped, we are much more free and flexible than we ever were before. In fact, I would highly encourage this family to take on their project! I have a feeling they would benefit in many more ways than simply a trip to the Eurozone when it was over.

Blessings to you and your homestead,

Hillary At Home

 

First Sunday of Advent!

First ornament on the Jesse Tree!

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
      And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
       The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,
      The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
      The Spirit of counsel and might,
      The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 

Isaiah 11:1-2 

  

We lit the Hope/Prophecy candle on the Advent Wreath.

 

Thank you, Lord, for the hope we have in Jesus the prophesied Messiah.

Advent blessings to you and your homestead!

Hillary At Home 

Homestead Holidays-A Jesse Tree

I was first introduced to the concept of a Jesse Tree a few years ago. However, each year I normally don't think about making one until we are already well into Advent. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this tradition, here is a great demo to explain it all.  This year I happened to catch a link on another website and thankfully my memory was jogged in time to get one ready for this year!

Now my problem was that most of the websites I found offered great layouts for the devotions but only gave you ideas for the crafts-as in 'you need to gather all the different materials and construct 30 ornaments for this tree'.  Hmmm, maybe someday but not this year at my homestead!  I then set off on an internet search to find a good devotional with simple printable ornaments that the kids could color, cut, mount on pretty paper, and laminate.  That quest was much harder than I had anticipated! Some sites had great devotions but no ornaments whereas others had altered the devotions by switching out some of the verses and Bible figures, but offered printable ornaments. Ugh! Couldn't I find the best of both?

Eureka! I finally found it! RCA online offers a very straightforward, free devotional guide here along with printable ornaments here!  Yay! This will give the kids something exciting to do while I prepare Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, and the goal is to have them ready to begin hanging on our little tree on Sunday.  For our tree, I chose to purchase a small 18" white artificial tree. I wanted it to be in stark contrast to our traditional tree, and I think the white will really help the ornaments to stand out.

If you choose to implement a Jesse Tree into your Christmas countdown this year, I would LOVE to hear your ideas and see pictures!

Holiday Blessings to you and your homestead,
Hillary At Home

Homestead Revelation-Putting The Brakes On Self-Reliance?

We've been trucking right along here at the homestead. The chicken coop is built. Jelly making is underway, and I have a few experiments in process.  My food storage is reaching pre I-thought-we-were-going-to-transfer levels, and we are still debt-free.  You would think we'd be rejoicing and full of peace. But no.  We have been frustrated, short-tempered, angry, and overly vocal with our children. Rather than having a peaceful homestead like I had envisioned, we have become a home of hostility. We were happier before attempting to simplify! What has happened?!

The other day I received the new Duggar book A Love That Multiplies in the mail.  That day was one of the worst I had with my children in a long time! In fact my sister called me from another state and instead of "Hello?" I answered with "How would you like to have 3 children shipped to you overnight?"  I was at my wit's end and about to cry. I felt like I had been yelling all day and the children were not only ignoring my instructions, but at points were completely rebelling against it. I wasn't having them do backbreaking labor, either. It was simple stuff like "Please go put this in the basket....please don't go in the chicken coop....clean up your doll clothes...please bring me your math book, etc."  You know, the mundane stuff. Anyway EVERYHING was a huge, fighting battle. It had been going on for several days but this was the day that I was about to lose my mind!

We made it through bed-time and then I sat down with this book. As I read the first several chapters I saw a theme. Here is a peacefully chaotic family that doesn't yell and scream and has loving, obedient children.  No matter how much character training I'm doing, I cannot seem to emulate this atmosphere in my own home.  Michelle Duggar is a peace-filled, calm mother, even in the midst of extreme pain, anxiety, and hospitality.  As I put the book down and asked the Lord what was wrong with me, I suddenly remembered another calm woman that I had learned about last summer. I had listened to Susan Conroy when she came to our local Catholic church to talk about her time spent working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta. The one thing she expounded on repeatedly was that Mother Theresa was a peaceful, joy-filled woman (even in the midst of death, disease, and other grotesque circumstances) who bathed each day in constant prayer.  As I read the Duggar's new book, I realized that's what was missing in my daily life, too. The Duggar family, and more specifically Jim Bob and Michelle, bathe each day and each decision in prayer.

I realized that in my quest for a simplified life in which we were more self-reliant for home-education and food sources, I had carried that mentality across to all areas of my life.  Suddenly I was only praying lukewarm prayers during an occasional early-morning quiet time, meal blessings, and bed-time prayers with my children.  I definitely was not "Pray[ing] without ceasing" like the Apostle Paul instructs us.  As a result, we were making choices that seemed logical (and even trivial)  at the time but were adding to the overall stress level in the home.  Sure, it seemed logical and trivial to get our kids guinea pigs, so we did. Now, though, we found out one is a male so we may have baby guinea pigs to deal with, not to mention that we need to work out a feeding/cleaning system my young children can deal with because I am barely getting my normal chores done as it is!  One of the pigs has a sore on it's mouth, so I will have to budget a vet appointment into our time and money.  These things sound silly, but I know now that we should have stopped and prayed about this. We had no idea how much more in-depth three guinea pigs would be as compared to the hamster I had growing up!

Another area that needed prayer covering was in how I discipline and talk to my children.  Rather than shoot up the 'arrow' prayers like I used to ("Lord, please tell me how to respond to this right now")  I was just reacting in my flesh. This led to harsh words and overzealous,irrational consequences.  I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit got a hold of me before I damaged any relationships with my children!

Why am I dumping all of my dirty laundry out here in a public blog? Am I done with the homesteading life? Have I suddenly decided that it's not okay to store food?  No.  I will still argue that it is being a wise steward to have food on hand for times of emergency. In fact, I firmly believe it's biblical (Genesis 41) and will allow us to be a blessing to our own families and others.  I just realized that just like anything else in this fleshly world, good pursuits can become dangerous idols. In my case I had traded God-reliance for self-reliance. As my daughter used to say when she was three, "Not good!" Ashamed, I immediately repented and purposed to bathe each day in prayer.  As I did, I felt a dark cloud lift from my soul.  Yesterday, I made a point to stop and pray throughout the day, being sure to do this in front of my children to reset that example in their minds. We all agreed that we noticed a considerable change in the atmosphere of our home.

Now considering I come from a pretty vocal, Irish-Italian family, I may never be the soft-spoken type that resembles Mother Theresa or Michelle Duggar, but I know that living my day in constant communion with my Heavenly Father makes it possible to live by Ephesians 4:29  :

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, 

but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, 
that it may benefit those who listen.

-NIV, emphasis mine

Peaceful blessings to you and your homestead,

Hillary At Home

Homestead Musng-An Alternative View to Mothers' Day

This Mothers' Day, I want to challenge you.  Most of us view Mothers' day in our minds with sort of a pinkish-tinged haze.  It's springtime. It's feminine, It's about birth and life and love.  Aw, what's not to love??  Well, if you're a woman who's plagued by infertility or whose "womb is barren"  to put it biblically, it can be the hardest day of the year to suffer through.  All of those precious church services that affirm Mothers and encourage them in this noble calling, can be flat-out painful for a woman who's deepest longing is to live that life.  Can you tell I'm talking from first-hand experience here?   Thankfully the Lord did answer my prayers in His timing, but those 7 years of waiting were full of 7 excruciating Mothers' Days!

So, this Mother's Day, if you are a Mother, pray or reach out to someone that you know is suffering with an unfulfilled desire to be a Mother.  Be considerate and gracious of their feelings.

If you are that person whose heart is breaking while waiting for a child, go out of your way to rise above yourself and exhort others through the supernatural strength of God's Holy Spirit living in you.  Lavish your attention on the matronly figures in your life. Pray for the motherless children around the world who long for a woman to honor all year long.  Pray and/or reach out to the mothers who have lost their children.  May these actions serve as a reminder that you are not the only one hurting today, and to help you to keep your eyes on Jesus rather than your own self.

Blessings to ALL of the Lord's Daughters this weekend. Regardless of your child-rearing status, you are a precious princess of the King of Kings!
Hillary At Home

Homestead Review- "Frontier House"

I recently was able to check out a copy of "Frontier House" from our local library. For those of you who are not aware, this was a reality-type show that PBS produced for five months in 2001.  You can read more about it via wikipedia here, but the main premise is that 3 families of different backgrounds take a stab at re-creating a homestead during the year 1883.  They participate in a wagon train (only 2 days long) to get to Frontier Valley in gorgeous Montana, and then they must establish a homestead and prepare enough supplies to get them through a Montana winter. At the end of it all, their efforts are graded as to whether or not they were likely to have survived.

This was a fascinating (and I'll admit, addicting) show!  I learned so much about the homesteaders' life via these six episodes. These are the nitty gritty comparisons you don't get to see while reading Laura Ingalls books.  The families all get in touch with their survival skills, work ethic, and food chain during this time, and it's especially intriguing to see the transformation of the 21st century children and teenagers.

As much as I loved this show, and plan to show it to my children as part of our pioneering study, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it without some disclaimers.  I am afraid that even PBS puts in their fair share of  reality show drama. While a lot of it is fueled by the drive to survive in these tough circumstances, they do focus a lot of time on in-fighting and the demise of one of the marriages. It's really quite sad, and while it's not filmed in an uber-trashy format, I just don't feel comfortable with my younger children having to vicariously go through that tragedy.  Also, there are a couple of scenes where the adults and women address adult issues (mainly contraception practices and menstruation) that are interesting for grown adutls, but are not age appropriate for young ones.

SO, with all that, you will find, below,my episode-by-episode review that I recently shared with my friends.  While I do feel that this is a very valuable teaching tool that should not be overlooked, I want to give you a heads' up before diving in. With all viewing material, the best practice is for parents to watch it first as much as possible, but I am all too aware that there are times that you don't have that allowance and often just pop the disc in and hope for the best.  In that case, be sure to read my review below :)


Episode 1: Great intro and shows all their training for the project.  The only sketchy part is when you see all the adults sitting around the table with a dark background.  They will be discussing contraceptive practices of the era. It's interesting, but you may want to watch that on your own...Also, when you see all the ladies sitting around in a cabin, they will be discussing the sanitary practices for menstruation...

Episode 2: So interesting. Teaches about the wagon trains and the dangers of.

Episode 3 and 4: While the wedding is sweet, and it's neat to see the groom and his dad getting the cabin ready for the bride, it's full of in-fighting and drama with the other families. I will probably just skip these episodes or skip to the wedding part. It's too bad because these episodes are also full of the day-to-day living practices of the era. Unfortunately it just gets kind of catty and snarky.

Episode 5: Super neat! It's all about the kids and how they establish the one-room schoolhouse.  Definite 'must-watch' with the family!

Episode 6: The wrap-up. They have a harvest fare, and get ready for winter. They are graded on if they would've survived. Then it shows them after leaving 2 months later, and how they feel about the 21st century after having lived on the frontier. It's kind of sad that one marriage does end up separating, so I don't know if you'd want to show them the last family's review (the Glenn family).  However, it is really neat to see the children's changed perspectives in regards to material posessions and work.


Blessings to you and your homestead!
Hillary At Home

Guest Blogger: A Reader's Success Story!

Fellow homeschooling Mom, Theresa Jacobsen, left the following comment on my blog over at the Homeschool Channel.  I was inspired by her success and wanted to share it with you. I am pasting it below with her permission.

"Last spring ('10) I decided that I wanted to spend less time shopping....that was my goal....to shop no more than twice a month.  At 2.5-3 hrs a week grocery shopping, if I could reduce my trips to 2 a month ("others do it, why not me?", I asked), I would gain 5-6 hours 'back' in my month.  I really needed those hours and it seemed imprudent not to recover them if I could.

I reached my goal by summer and now easily shop only twice each month (I could shop once a month if I had an addt'l fridge...we drink a lot of milk and can't keep a cow/goat here in the burbs :o/ ....I do freeze milk) In the process, I've reduced my grocery budget by $125 each month (planning and buying in bulk/quantity really does save money) and I have a very well stocked pantry and freezer.  With the 'savings' over time, I've purchased a pressure canner and new extra large pot for water bath canning -and with more time at home instead of the store, I've learned to use them :o) , a FoodSaver, various other small items AND truck tires :o)  I also had extra money to set up several edible garden plots in my suburban back yard, although last yr's 'bounty' was mostly knowledge :-o  So now I have a $125 monthly grocery budget 'hedge' against inflation and I still manage to add to as well as rotate my pantry.

I make my own laundry detergent and fabric softener and easily have a yr's supply of those ingredients which readily fit on just one shelf in the cabinet above my washer....my entire laundry room couldn't contain a yr's supply of 'store bought'.  I've canned chicken and beef, sweet potatoes (purchased at .10 a lb), b.e. peas (the only 'abundance' my garden produced last yr), various soups and chili, strawberry jam, strawberry syrup and blueberries.  I'm having a blast, and my 20yr old daughter is learning alongside me....we're both having such fun.  I am "not afraid of snow", Prov 31, or immediate inflation as I "looketh well" to the ways of my household.  I make a pretty mean biscuit (my lovely daughter's is much better than mine) and we keep a large container of homemade 'bisquick' on hand.  I "strengtheneth" my arms while kneading my bread vs 'curling iron' in the gym (I used to do that).  I certainly "eateth not the bread of idleness" :o) and God has blessed me and my family.

Is keeping a pantry and looking after one's family unBiblical?  sigh, yawn; some women have their hair and nails 'done' on a weekly basis while their cupboards are bare. 

Anyway, that's the story behind my beginning a real pantry; maybe my comments will inspire someone?"

I don't know about you, but I am definitely encouraged! I love her insight in the next-to-last paragraph about many womens' priorities. That is definitely brain fodder to chew on!  I also had to literally LOL at her workout.  I said that very thing to someone the other day.  I get such a workout kneading my wheat bread dough, that it is foolish for me to give that up to justify getting a fancier mixer-and then go hit the elliptical for a total body workout!

More seriously though, I love how she reinforces the concept that the contentment and peace we feel after stocking our pantry is not born of pride or a lack of faith. Rather it is the fulfillment of all those promises made to a wise woman in the scriptures.  God has provided food and tools for our homes. If we utilize them, we are being resourceful, not rejecting.

Thank you again, Theresa, for taking the precious time to share that.  If anyone else has a Centsible success story, or testimony to share with other readers, please do! I think we all find comfort and motivation in other peoples' exhortations :-)

Blessings to you and your Homestead,
Hillary At Home

Wisely Creating A SPAM Free Pantry-Pt 4

Okay, so here is part 4 on your journey to having a great pantry for emergency reserves!  So far you've (hopefully) assessed why you want to have one, what meals you want to prepare, what kind of ingredients  you are going to buy, and where you are going to put it all. So, the last step in this equation is "How much?"  How do you know how much to buy?  All you math-resistant homesteaders, do not fear!  It's really quite simple, and as you'll see, it's a  very logical conclusion to this whole process.

Back in Part 2, you made a list of 14 meals you are going to serve in a rotation over a specified period of time.  (I chose 6 months for mine, so all of my samples are based on me serving each meal 13 times.)  Now for the next part, you'll either need a paper and pencil (and maybe a calculator), or a spreadsheet program like Open Office or Excel.  My choice is Open Office, and the default setting when you open up your sheet is 3 separate pages per sheet (bottom tabs to toggle between).  What you'll see here are the different pages I have to keep my 3 steps separated.

First off, I entered in my list of dishes.

Now on another tabbed page within that same worksheet, I made a list of all the ingredients I was going to need for these meals.

In column C,  I wrote how much of the ingredient is going to used for each meal. In column E, I simply took the amount in column C and multiplied it by 13 so I knew how much I would need to make the meals 13 times.  Now, on another sheet within this spreadsheet, I had taken an inventory of what I already had on hand. (See below for sample.)  So, in Column H of this page, I took the difference between the two numbers. For the items I was lacking, I put the number in bold font so it would really stand out.  Then, off to the right side I started a list of all those items so I could start dividing out when I was going to buy them.

Here is the inventory of what I already had on hand.  I also included the expiration dates of the items. Food that had recently expired, or was going to during the next year was in bold type so I knew it needed to be used up rather than included in my long-term storage.

As I had mentioned in Part 3,  I had figured out that I could spend $100 every two weeks toward food storage and emergency supplies.  I took my shopping list and knowing the approximate prices of the items on it, divided it up into two sub-lists that I would alternate shopping from.  I also added in some toiletries and paper products as well as the food items.  Also, if you are planning to can some goods to use in your pantry, do not forget about jars, lids, pectin, sugar, and special salts!

Then comes the exciting part of shopping and/or gardening and harvesting for your pantry. As I write this on my laptop, I have the pressure canner going with batches of potatoes.  Over the past 24 hours I've canned 12 jars of cheese sauce, butter, and spiced pears.  Maybe I'm weird, or maybe it's the inner-farm girl in me, but I get a "thrill" (to quote Anne Shirley) when I see my shelves lined with mason jars filled with yummy food. That feeling is a strange mix of contentedness, job satisfaction, and thankfulness to the Lord God above; the Giver of all good things.

I hope this 4 part series has been helpful to you in establishing your own pantry of stores.  I pray you never have to use it, but if we should, I pray it will be more than sufficient for your family.
Blessings to you and your homestead,
Hillary At Home

Wisely Creating a SPAM-Free Pantry (Pt. 3)

So, let's recap. On Monday I posted about why I have a well-stocked pantry, and yesterday I posted about how I figure out what to put in the pantry.  This post is to tell you how I took the list from yesterday and began the process of breaking it down into affordable portions to buy and store.  Before you ever get to the store, there is a little more assessment that needs to be done, so even though I thought I would be done with this series today, I am seeing that there will be one more post tomorrow with the final suggestions.

The next thing you probably need to do is figure out how much money you can set aside from each paycheck towards food storage.  For example, my DH gets paid twice a month.  We usually set aside any extras from our zero-based budget for debt pre-payment and/or savings.  Since we were trying to get out of debt, I did not want to stop our extra payments completely. So, I decided to take a little bit out of the extra payment and a little out of the food/grocery budget so that I had about $100/paycheck towards food supplies. Now $200/month may sound like a lot to those of you down south, but up here, $100 will not buy too much at all-especially if it includes shipping on cases of canned goods.

Now the next part is deciding what kind of goods you want to store.  In our case, we are active duty military who generally move quite frequently. (I say that hesitantly because we actually just found out that we're staying here for 4-5 more years!  Our average time at a station before was 1.5 years, but we will have stayed in this town for 8-9 if we finish out this next full billet. That is a true gift!) Because of the likelihood of having to move our food at some point, we decided the best plan for us is buying cases of canned goods that are specially preserved for extra-long shelf lives; usually 20-30 years! As long as the cans are un-opened, the movers will move them, versus miscellaneous coffee cans and bakery buckets of rice and beans.  Plus, as long as the cans are kept dry, I don't have to worry about critters, bugs, and rust.
 
Since shipping is such a huge factor up here (many of the emergency suppliers won't even ship to us at all), we bought what we could through the LDS Distribution Center store online. This was mainly rice, pinto beans, quick oats, and wheat berries.  Then the local LDS church also does an annual co-op order through Walton Feed to get other supplies barged up here.  They were kind enough to let us tag onto that the past two years.  If you live in a place with UPS and Fedex ground services, you will have many more options.  Two other popular suppliers are Emergency Essentials and MRE Depot.  Please note that I have not ordered through Emergency Essentials, but my friends have without any problems. I have ordered through MRE Depot, but now they are pickier about what they will ship to AK. Apparently sending 4 cases of canned sugar to me made them review their shipping policies. Drat! However, the one experience I had was fine and I would recommend them to anyone else.

Other storage methods besides canned goods are 5 gallon food grade buckets with/without oxygen absorbers and gamma lids, mylar pouches (watch for rodents with these!), vacuum sealing bags and jars (i.e. Foodsavers), and the afore mentioned coffee cans and bakery buckets (although those are only good for short-term storage).  I do have a couple of sealed 5 gallon buckets of wheat berries, old fashioned oats, and honey that I ordered through our last Walton's order, but mostly what I have are cases of cans that I stack in the crawlspace under our stairs.  That was another benefit of standard-sized, stackable cases; easier storage. Some people use the spaces under beds for this storage, or designate a side of a child's closet to stack them.

Our long-term storage items

For the most part, these cases have been a great solution for us, but there are still irregularly shaped goods that I purchase from traditional stores. Most do not have such a long shelf-life. Plus, I am also stocking my own home-canned items. How do I store all of those?


For bulk items that I want to divide and use within a year (20# bags of flour, sugar, rice, etc) I do use those bakery buckets, clean coffee cans, and even some really large wine jugs that I got at the thrift store (great for rice!).  I buy bay leaves in the bulk spice section of Safeway or Fred Meyers (pennies for a large baggie full verses what you pay for the little bottle on the shelf in the spice aisle!) and layer one in every few inches as I'm pouring.  These help to keep the food tasting fresh as well them being a repellent to most bugs.  For the large cans of tomato sauce, coffee, jugs of powdered creamer, shortening, cooking oils, etc. I keep those in upright cabinets with doors, down in our garage.  (Note: If you live down south, you need to be mindful of overly hot and/or humid garages. For those up north, try to keep it in the 40's to avoid freezing.)  I write the expiration dates on the cans with a sharpie marker in big numbers to make it easier to rotate the goods. I have begun using Wendy Dewitt's method of taking stock of these goods at the beginning of each year and just pulling out the ones that expire during that calendar year. I bring them upstairs to my cupboard for regular use and just make a list of what needs to be replenished for the downstairs cache. That way I'm not having to worry about a month by month rotation.  When I buy these goods, I do look through several cans to see if I can find the one with the furthest sell-by date.  Often I can find ones that are a full year out from their shelf-mates!

The cabinet on the right was a cast-off from an office building. I loved using it as a pantry; so much so that I bought the plastic version at the store for about $80. While not as sturdy or big, the two together make a great storage solution for a pantry-less house.  (The empty shelves are a result of us eating through a lot of canned goods in preparation for our transfer this summer. Now that we're not moving, we need to replenish!)

The blue tote on the top left has cans of coffee that all have the same expiration date 2 years from now. I just wrote the date on the tote label. The pink containers on the top left contain hard-to-stack items like ramen noodles, spaghetti, bags of dried beans, etc.

These tubs run about $4 a piece, but are great for stacking loose bags! Plus, stacking them on top of the cabinet frees up shelf space for jars and cans.

Yes, there is a use for all those old glass jugs and coffee cans-Rice!

See how I wrote the expiration dates with a sharpie? MUCH easier to see at a glance!

If you have the space, many people like to use the Self Reliance shelving units with the sloping slots for canned goods.  Personally, I wanted something more discreet. Besides, most canned goods last better in darker storage, and I had issues with the thought of my mason jars rolling and smacking into each other.

With all of my food products, I have tried to keep it as shelf-stable as possible, meaning that I am trying to get all my food in forms that do not need refrigeration or freezing.  For example, we have learned how to can butter and yummy cheese sauce (scroll down on the link for the cheese sauce).  We tried canning the hard cheese as listed on the same site, but didn't like the result. It's okay for grating but had a gritty texture. One of our future homestead experiments we're getting ready for is waxing cheese, so stay tuned!

As for meat products, we currently have cans of freeze-dried, flavored TVP crumbles, tuna, and canned salmon. However, I am gearing up to start canning ground beef and chicken that I stocked up on during a recent sale. Currently it's all in the meat freezer, but it's getting ready to go on the empty shelves in my pantry; another homestead experiment to check back on. :)

As for paper products, I have those stashed all over.  We were fortunate enough to receive some large shelving units from an old museum, and now they run along the back wall of our garage. I have toilet paper and paper towels stored on a section of that.  Our goal is to have the overhead shelves in our garage cleaned off in the next few weeks. At that point, I will probably move the paper products up there in some sort of plastic bag or tub.  Don't overlook the possibility of overhead storage in wasted space, and you don't need to buy the expensive shelving kits (although we have in the past, and they are convenient.) As you can see, cheap primitive storage with 1/4" pressboard and plumber's strap is very  effective for storing seldom-used items!  This is shelving that has been left for us by our landlord, but we are planning to expand it to wrap around other walls in the garage.

The packages of paper products that we are currently working out of is divided up between the bathroom cabinets and the remainders stashed in that crawl space under the stairs for easier access.  Detergent ingredients and 'Health and Beauty' items (shampoos, deodorants, bars of soap, feminine hygiene, toothpaste) are stored in the bathroom cabinet and the overhead cabinet in my laundry room/bathroom.  I also scored a great deal on garbage bags recently on the clearance aisle of the home-improvement store. I have just stacked those on top of my buckets in the crawl space, but will probably work them into the overhead garage shelving later.

Stashing cleaning liquids behind the towels!

 So, I feel that this is a good place to stop this entry.  Your homework?

*Take stock of what space you have for storage, and what kind of food storage will best fit your lifestyle.

*Look at your budget and pre-determine an amount that you can use towards this endeavor. Do not overlook the cost of jars, lids, and shipping if applicable. Go on-line and search for shipping prices at various vendors, and maybe even take a trip to your local Sam's or Costco to see what they have to offer.

*Peruse great sites like Becky's Farm Life and the Homestead-Acres Youtube channel. Whew-that's a lot of homework, but hopefully you will find it kind of fun and exciting.

Next I will write about converting your ingredients list into an actual shopping list. 

Until then, blessings to you and your homestead,
Hillary At Home

Wisely Stocking A SPAM-Free Pantry (Pt 2)

Howdy Homesteaders!

So, yesterday I wrote about my reasoning behind having a well stocked pantry. Today I want to share with you the how's of building said pantry! When I first thought of doing this, I got overwhelmed at the mental list I had going: veggies, fruits, sauces, soups, noodles...oh and what about shampoos, detergents, deodorants....which led to cleaning supplies, paper products, OH MY! I realized right away that if I didn't get a systematic process going I was going to end up with one of two results: a)I was going to end up obsessed with building a sporadic inventory, or b) I would be overwhelmed and just quit. Knowing my type-A tendencies, it probably would have ended up the first scenario, and I would have become anxious and panicky because of not having a game-plan. Yes, I admit that I am a recipe follower, not a 'pinch of this, dash of that' kinda gal. Thankfully, a dear friend introduced me to a fabulous plan that really helped me develop a process that I could build on incrementally as my budget and space allowed.

First off, I watched a series of youtube videos by Wendy Dewitt. While I don't necessarily agree with a lot of her theology, I will wholeheartedly say that this lady has got food storage down! Each video is about 8 minutes for a total of an hour or so, and I will encourage you to watch them all as she has great tips for using vacuum sealers, solar ovens, etc. As for the food storage,here's the plan in a nutshell: Take 14 index cards and write the name of a dinner recipe on one side of each. These will be your 14 meals that you will have once every two weeks. Now, on the back of each card write the ingredients and amount that you need for each meal.  Simple, right? Simple but brililant!

Personally, I tried to pick meals that had the following criteria:

1-They needed to be hearty and filling

2-(As much as possible) They needed to be complete meals (have protein, veggies, and starch included)

3-They needed to be fairly inexpensive

4-They needed little to no perishable ingredients, and preferably overlap ingredients with other recipes..

So, after all that, here is my list:

1. Garlic Spaghetti

2.Spaghetti with meat marinara

3.Chicken and Dumplings

4.Vegetable Beef and Mac soup

5.White Chicken Chili

6.Shepherd's Pie

7.Potato Chowder

8.Salmon (or Tuna) Noodle Casserole

9.Ramen Noodle Stir Fry with veggies

10.Swedish Meat balls (or meat sauce) over egg noodles or rice

11.Japanese Rice

12.Red Beans and Rice

13. Rice Pizza Casserole

14.Tomato Chicken Rice Casserole

Now, I do not necessarily have the money or space to build a one-year supply of food stores. Instead, my goal was to aim for a 6 month supply. So, I took the ingredients and multiplied by 13, figuring we would eat that meal 13 times over 6 months. As for breakfast, I planned that we will probably eat oatmeal and eggs from our chickens. I thought it was very interesting that Mrs. Dewitt took the time to research historical eating patterns during depressions and famines. As she noted, people tended to eat a large breakfast, a large lunch (dinner), and then a lighter supper. I my case I'm planning for an evening meal of bread and jelly with a beverage (ie tea, coffee, milk, etc). So, on 2 more cards, I figured out how much oatmeal, milk, cinnamon, molasses (to make brown sugar), sugar, and raisins I would need to feed my family bowls of oatmeal each day, as well as the ingredients I would need to make a loaf of bread each day along with canned butter. We make cases of jelly every summer with local berries regardless-although I did figure I would need to plan on sugar and pectin for that.  I also planned on cake ingredients, powdered sugar (for icing), etc. for birthdays and special occasions.

Now, this is quite a bit of homework to do, and may take a full evening or two-especially if you're not typically a menu planner. To avoid overwhelming you at this point, I'm going to stop my entry here for today. Next time I will show you how I took this ingredient list and broke it down into a manageable shopping list that was not scary and kept me from wandering store aisles for hours at a time. In the meantime, start working on your recipe cards.

I want to encourage you-YOU CAN DO THIS! It may sound weird now, but as you start to see your pantry shelves fill up with healthy food and supplies, there is a feeling of excitement and thankfulness. I pray that our families never have to use these supplies, but if you do need them, what a gift it will be!!

Until next time, blessings to you and your homestead,

Hillary At Home

Why I 'Prep' (Creating a SPAM-free Pantry Pt. 1)

I have been a part of a few on-line threads lately regarding the scriptural-ness (?) of the prepping movement.  I lightheartedly address this topic in this previous post, but wanted to tell you my theological views on prepping.

The general question usually goes something like "Doesn't it show a lack of faith to hoard food?"  I can completely understand that point of view. However, let's take a little trip to the Bible book of Genesis starting in chapter 41, verse 28.  Joseph has been sold into slavery, subsequently put into jail, and then brought before Pharoah to interpret a pair of rather disturbing dreams.  He tells how the symbolism in the dreams is actually God's warning that there will be 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine. God is warning Egypt to wisely preserve a portion of the harvest those first seven years to be able to have food for the latter 7.

In the very same way, I am looking at the historical trends of pantries and food storage, as well as sizing up the world around me.  We know the Bible predicts famines, natural disasters, and economic hardship, so isn't it prudent to prepare somewhat?  Now let me clarify that there are religions that cite certain prophecies for what is to come, and they base a portion of their salvation on having food storage.  That is not the case with me. Regardless of how much food I have on hand, I will still trust in the Lord for my portion and salvation.  Honestly, there are a lot of people in the Japanese devastation that would hardly be better off if they had stored food, because sadly, it would have been washed away anyway. On the other hand, there are many people in standing cities like Tokyo who are scrambling to find food,fuel, and power for their homes.

In addition, there is no way that I could write this blog entry without touching on the global economic crisis underway.  I will confess that it was that very subject that changed our position on prepping.  Prior to that, we had been part of the crowd that rolled our eyes at our depression-era grandparents and their enormous pantries of mason jars.  Now I am reading and listening to these very people with rapt attention to learn how to do all these very same things! (Oh the humbling irony.) I won't pretend to know very much about economics, and I do not want to be a fear-monger. However, I will say that as state and municipal bond markets begin to adjust, oil prices rise, and commercial real-estate market adjusts, I foresee prolonged economic woes.  The state of the American dollar is beyond pitiful, and I have read a lot of articles about the housing market still being overly-inflated due to government incentives.  Now, this data could all be wrong and we could be headed back to another strong bull market, but just in case, I don't think it hurts to be without debt and have some canned goods and a propane stove in the garage!

Unfortunately I see a lot of people that stick their head in the proverbial sand and keep on with their past financial trends. "We are America. We are special. We are somehow exempt from all the catastrophe and famine that plagues everyone else." Oh Rome, ignorance is only bliss for so long.  As one popular site, MRE Depot says. "When disaster strikes, the time for preparation has passed."  Like good little Boy Scouts, isn't it wise to "Be prepared" ?

Besides, there are other reasons for having emergency supplies besides global tragedies. What about a job loss? What about prolonged power outtages? What about winter storms?

I was blessed enough to live most of my childhood in rural Alaska.  During the 1980's, the transport of freight into our isolated town was much less frequent than today.  We got a barge of dry-goods once a month all year long, and air-freighting perishable goods was very sporadic. All of my friends had large pantries in their homes, and we were served powdered milk in the school cafeteria. (In fact, when we lived in Northern California, one of the biggest treats for me was getting to drink white OR chocolate milk out of the cute, little cartons in the lunchroom!)  All this being said, I am amazed at how many people who also lived through that same time period somehow think it's impossible that we could ever go back to that. Personally, I tend to look at the fuel supply/pricing and draw the conclusion that if fuel prices ever resume the 2008 climb, transporting cans of tomato sauce and fruit to Alaska will probably become sporadic and expensive once again.

Finally, let's look at the word "hoarding".  I think there is a big difference between hoarding food, and having a pantry.  In fact, I think it is well summed up by fellow blogger Heather Laurie in the intro to her new blog.  She wrote in a message board "I talk about creating a pantry, supplies, and reserve that is wise not greedy to care for our families." (emphasis mine)

If we go back to that passage in Genesis, we continue to read that not only did the Egyptians use the food to care for their own people, but they shared their excess reserves with foreigners who came to the country for aid.  One of my goals for my pantry is to have an abundance of food and supplies to not only care for my own family, but to be able to minister to those in need around me.  In my mind, hoarding is greedily stockpiling with a Scrooge-ish mentality whereas prepping is doing what I can to ease the burden of whomever the Lord puts in my path, whether it be within our own home or not.

So (big breath!), after all that, you may be wondering how to start your own pantry and where to begin. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will post the methods and resources I used to begin my own food storage in a systematic, frugal, and thus non-intimidating way.  There will be some time involved here, but since "Time is money", it is much better to spend time planning now, than to waste money buying random cans of peaches. :)

Until then...
Blessings to you and your homestead,
Hillary At Home