We had Quincy here for Easter on a break from his Marine training. It's
been so nice having him only an hour and a half away, so we've been able
to meet some other Marines and bring them to church. He has told us it is
hard sometimes for he is in a very dark place, but he prays to be a light
and shine the gospel of Christ to those around him.
We are still waiting on our baby from China, which is presently looking
towards the end of this year. Once we get her, we will have been in this
process over three years. Hard to believe. I am definitely overdue!
We have only six more weeks of school left before summer vacation. I look
as forward to it as do my children. There's always a certain amount of
giddiness as we approach May with the thought of three whole months to
savor in the summer. It makes me feel like a kid again.
Here is what has been happening in my home recently:
1~ My son, Gabe, had a bad ingrown toenail. He put echinacea tincture on
it several times a day, and that helped him to get it out and healed.
2~ I am doing so much better with my canker sore problem now that I have
discovered it was an allergy to the nightshades all these years. The
nightshades are potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. As long as I
stay clear from these foods (although I can have red potatoes and red
bell peppers I have learned), I am good to go with no canker sores and no
lymph gland swelling. It is such an answer to prayer! I have had that
problem for twenty years without realizing it was indeed an allergy.
3~ I find that I enjoy cleaning more when my cleaning products smell
good. So I add a bit of rosemary or lemon oil to different gently
cleansers to make the process that much more pleasant. I especially love
pine for the floors. A drop of rosemary on your kitchen sponge is
wonderful too. When I take a nap, I put a drop of rosemary on my eye
cover. It is heavenly to smell as you fall asleep. Lavender is a great
one for the evening bedtime.
4~ I pray so often for good habits that are such a help and not a
hindrance. And I ask the LORD that if there is anything He needs to
change to help me do just that. I have been working on my morning routine
for some time now, and it's getting easier and easier. My goal is to keep
my evenings free to spend time with my husband. So if I get my morning
and afternoon routines done (as the Flylady describes), I don't have as
much to do in the evening short of a bit of clean up from supper and
getting ready for bed.
5~ Four weeks ago, we had our septic tank overflow. Yes, water all over
the hallway. It was quite a day. Then the man who cleans out our tank
came and accidentally popped his tire by hitting our fence while driving
up to the tank, so we were without a system for five and a half hours.
But we had the pleasure of his company for lunch while he waited for the
tire guy to arrive. Gabe made us all pizza.
6~ This is the second year that I have taken echinacea and astralagus
tinctures to avoid getting sick in the winter. My husband is amazed that
I haven't gotten sick and is ready next winter to join me in taking the
tinctures.
7~ A friend of ours had a bad boil causing him no small amount of stress.
I looked up in my herbology notes and saw that hot and cold alternating
compresses will bring it quicker to a head to pop and relieve. He tried
it, and it worked. Echinacea to keep the immune up is good to avoid
another one and lots of yogurt and beneficial cultures to set the system
straight. I love studying nutrition and herbology, then being able to go
into my notes when I need them for this and that. I am constantly taking
notes and learning. It's so fascinating. (As I was writing this, I
learned that honey mixed with ground wheat flour on a boil the first it
comes up will help it go down faster without pain.)
8~ I found a beautiful old apron on sale in an antique shop the colors of
my kitchen. I brought it home and used it as a table topper between my
husband's chair and mine.
9~ I know prices have gone up in gas and food as many of you have written
to me. I am still able to stay within my budget by sharing the car with
my husband and only using it one day a week to clean the church, run
errands, and do my food shopping. It also helps me to be more organized
since that is my only day with the car. And it helps me with my time,
since I can't take my kids here and there since we have no car the rest
of the week. I found this especially peaceful on my Easter vacation.
~Smile~ And we save on insurance, DMV fees, and gas sharing one car.
Since it is an 86 Honda, we really save on insurance and fees.
I am also able to stay in my budget on food by continuing to learn how to
cook as much as I can from scratch. The more I can add to my personal
cookbook, the more I can save. So I am constantly trying new recipes each
week or having my kids make the recipes as part of their schooling each
day. Today we are trying a new pasta dish, yesterday it was a new cake
for Abbie's 17th birthday, as well as using leftovers to create something
delectable. I find the more you cook, the more creative you become, and
the more daring you become to whip up a saute or a white sauce to use
this leftover or that.
Here are some other savings:
I use glass plates on bowls of leftovers to save on plastic wrap.
I use the bags from the grocery store for my trash bags.
I use cloth towels instead of paper towels.
I wrap my celery in tin foil to keep it much, much longer.
I turn the cottage cheese, yogurt, and sour cream upside down to keep
much, much longer.
I keep my nuts in the fridge or freezer to keep from spoiling.
I keep a running list of what I need at the grocery store on my kitchen
desk.
I keep grains, dried herbs, and green drink powder in the freezer.
I feed any old rice or beans to the chickens to save on chicken feed.
I feed old fruit to the goats.
I buy meat marked down early every Tuesday morning when I am done
cleaning the church.
I use double coupons for many items.
I shop many stores taking advantage of their weekly specials.
I copy many new recipes from the cooking magazines at the library.
I use a lot of quality ingredients in season for our health and wonderful
flavor.
I shop the 99 Cents Store for some incredible deals.
I buy in bulk when it is on sale, like two hams or baking goods during
the holidays.
I use half the required laundry detergent for lightly soiled clothes and
a longer agitating cycle.
I stay home more and out of the stores.
I shop with a list.
10~ Friday is Fun Day! Last Friday we had friends over for a Fiddler on
the Roof potluck party. My friend and I wanted so much to go see the
play, but we couldn't afford it. So we decided to throw a potluck party
and watch the movie. (We ended up watching a different movie.) It was
great, inexpensive fun.
11~ I had a bit of a staph infection on my leg from shaving (which the
doctor told my husband is common if you shave often). I used Neosporin
regularly on top of the infection to clear it up. I also took acidophilus
and black walnut tincture internally.
12~ I love the envelope system for our finances. Each payday I separate
money into each envelope based on my budget, and it is from that envelope
system that I pay yearly payments. This month was the property taxes and
a car repair. Also, if I need something in the future, I create an
envelope for that need and pray to save - saving a little here and there
as I go. Presently that is outside paint for the house.
13~ I love my morning routines. This morning at 4:00 a.m. I awoke to find
one of my son's friends pulling an " all nighter" in our kitchen to turn
in a paper due today in class. I had my Bible study and prayer time
(first time with someone there that early!), then started my morning
routines after getting my husband off to work while he continued to
study. His being there didn't upset my routines at all as they are so an
ingrained part of my early morning. By the time the rest of the house was
getting up, I had bathed, tidied my room and made my bed, put a load of
clothes on in the washer, tidied the living room, and cleaned the
bathroom. I just love the quietness of the early morning routines. I
can't recommend them enough.
14~ When I leave a room, I look for something to take out of it and put
back where it belongs. This little habit saves so much time and stress. I
know I've mentioned it before, but it is such a wonderful practice.
15~ My husband loves this roast leg of lamb:
Leg Of Lamb
6-7lb. leg of lamb trimmed of most fat with olive oil rubbed all over
Put slices of 4 garlics in each side, making slits with your knife, then
put fresh rosemary all over the top with salt and pepper to taste.
Put on a rack uncovered at 350 for 1 1/2- 2 hours. Let rest 20 minutes
before cutting. You can cook scalloped potatoes or roasted vegetables at
the same time. This is especially good lamb in homemade tortillas.
16~ I love potstickers. I love them plain or in soup. They're just so
good. Here is a good recipe:
Potstickers
2 green onions chopped
2 garlics chopped
1 lb. ground pork
1 inch ginger grated
salt to taste
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 t. sesame oil
1/3 of a napa cabbage chopped finely
Mix in a bowl and fill round potsticker wrappers, seal with a brush of
water and crimp edges. Fry in a little oil until brown on bottoms, then
add 2-3 T. water and steam covered 4-5 minutes.
17~ I got this recipe from Martha Stewart. It is fast and great for tea:
Orange Yogurt Cake
1 c. flour
1/2 c. plus 2 T. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. oil
1 t. orange zest
1 T. orange juice
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
Mix all together in a bowl and pour into a greased round cake tin. Bake
at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
18~ My husband loved this one evening:
Stromboli
Roll out a pizza dough into a circle as usual, then spread with thawed,
wrung out (in a tea towel) frozen spinach, cheese of your choice, and
ham. Roll up tightly and put on a cookie sheet, let rise a bit, then
brush with an egg wash. Put in a 500 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
Delicious and so easy.
19~ My husband also loves this dish:
Antipasto Pasta Salad
1 lb. tubular pasta cooked and drained, then tossed with 1 T. olive oil
1/2 lb. diced mozzarella cheese
1/4 lb. capocollo or salami into cubes
2 tomatoes diced
1 purple onion sliced
1 jar pickled vegetables drained
1 T. oregano
1/2 cup sliced black olives
Mix all together and toss with:
2 T. red wine vinegar
4 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Mixed first.
I hope you all have such a lovely spring!
Love,
Laine