Y-to the-U-to the-M!

Food. I love it. It is really just fuel, but thanks be to God that he allows us to enjoy and find pleasure in even the simplest of things...eating. He loves for us to love things he created and I for one love to eat good stuff. (That may or may not be the reason I cannot shed these last 10 pounds of Lucy weight.) But let me just say that eatin' good is tough on a budget. Because I just don't want to eat well; I want to eat well...if you know what I mean.

It bothers me so much that I can't just get the kinds of food that will make my family healthy and not sick. It drives me crazy that I can't just go to the store and buy whatever I want because most of it, like 90%, is full of crap that will kill me. I mean have you ever looked at the ingredients in the things you buy. Everything has sugar, soy and MSG. Did you know that MSG actually GROWS cancer cells! Disgusting. No wonder our country is in a battle to the death. Anyway, I just am in this constant struggle between the budget and the food. It is what I spend a lot of my day doing and frankly I wish I could enjoy it more and I am trying to get some more cooking skills. But that will be something that takes a while.

I have been on a role lately though. I did make cinnamon rolls-from scratch. I was so thrilled. I LOVE cinnamon rolls. Two of my very favorite things in one buttery, gooey place. Cinnamon and bread. It is brilliant. Although they didn't quit turn out as I hoped, so unfortunately I will have to try again. But I have been trying my hand at more things homemade and even picked up a new cookbook that my friend Emily uses. Fannie Farmer Cookbook. I will let you know how it goes. It is full of basics and I am looking forward to utilizing it in my quest to be able to eat things I love without all the hormones, pesticides, MSG, soy, processed sugar and high fructose corn syrup....oh how I hate the high fructose corn syrup.

I did purchase 2 boxes of peaches from my sister-in-law...well from wherever she purchased them. So just as we were sick of watermelon we recieved these peaches and I have been cutting and peeling ever since. I did immediately turn about 20 of them into the biggest peach cobbler I've ever made. Which we have had for breakfast and dessert for the last couple of days. It is delicious with coffee I might add.

This is a sausage and tortellini soup I made in an attempt to be frugal and use what I had. It turned out pretty well. And sourdough english muffins make for pretty good garlic/parmesan toasties!


So all that to say I am looking for any good thoughts or recent ideas about saving money and eating well. I know that probably everyone is in this same struggle.

More new things...

A family photo! Hey, we have three kids this is the best we can do...my friend Sara took this for us! Holla!


A haircut! How is it that even the smallest of haircuts. Like a trim can change your outlook on yourself so drastically? Am I alone in this? I seriously got my hair trimmed and thinned...you may be shrieking in horror right now you thin haired people but trust me, it must be done. And I am wishing I hadn't postponed it so long. The ground was covered in hair and all she did was thin the living crap out of it and give it a little layering along the bottom. Whamo...I'm a new woman. And really you can't even tell...but I can. Crazy. Crazy I tell you! It just revealed to me that taking the time to budget $35 and 45 minutes for myself is really, really important and helps me to feel better. It is so small and yet so very doable.

A sunburn on my shoulders. To end the summer in style...and a little pain.

Dresses for the girls. I do not consider myself talented, gifted, handy, or even crafty. However, I can sew some things...some. I saw this pattern at a great little fabric store downtown called Buttercuppity and knew it was time to attempt something like this. So, I bought the pattern and the fabrics. See, I have what you would call "an eye" but not really the skills to back that up. I have learned this about myself and I accept it. If I had lots of money our house would be fabulously decorated because I have an eye. Anyway...this is the result. I am so stunned and thrilled with the results. Can't wait to actually try it again.

New things

My son has discovered the fan...you know...Luke, I am your father. Only he does "Daisy, get over here!" and also the theme song to Thomas the train and whatever else he can think of to say into the fan. Very amusing.

I have a new light fixture in my dining room! Yeah! I must tell the story. I was in Tri-Cities visiting my family and was going to help my aunt with some painting and so we went to Lowes to get paint. She had just gotten some screaming deals on lights and wanted to go check to see if there was anymore. And there it was. The light I had been looking for and couldn't afford. It was marked at $119 but my aunt assured me it would ring up cheaper (it was marked down from $235!) It rang up at $59! So I bought it. Had to.


We are going to a hoedown tomorrow...I think. I don't really know what it is. It is in a barn with dancing and some kind of 'show' and dinner. I'll share the details. Should be interesting.

Scroll down or go to Casey's site to see my beautiful baby Lucy!

Worth some thought.

IndoctriNation Trailer from IndoctriNation on Vimeo.

School is upon us...

I am staring down the barrel of another school year. I am actually excited because we have found a great science book (Apolgia flying animals). And after changing my approach for the third time-in three years-I think I have found the way! We are going to try although I haven't totally figured it out yet...I still have time...the Charlotte Mason approach. The science book is set up that way and I think that will be best for the Daisy. So, more on that later I am sure.
As far as Jack is concerned I couldn't decide whether or not to do preschool and since I couldn't decide and it is mostly too late for any kind of registrations somewhere I will keep him at home and most likely do it next year for sure. I am going to attempt teaching him to read; he is desperate for that. Although he thinks we will just sit down and he will be able to learn after we are done. Won't he be surprised! And Lucy will just do what she does...I hope.
All in all I am optimistic for this year. I started doing my planning and was looking for what I had scheduled for Daisy...I hope it isn't too much although I think in this approach it will be manageable. I'm not sure really. I'm totally guessing. I really want her to dive in this year and learn to be more self-motivated and just learn to do the work without me breathing down her neck all the time. I hate that. Hate, hate, hate it. Yes, I am using the word hate. I want her to enjoy it without my constant reminding her of what she should be focusing on. She is SOOOO easily distracted. Anyway, I have planned a full three weeks so far and am feeling really good about that. I'm not sure if I should keep planning or stop so that I can see how it goes and revamp if needed.
The line is so thin between giving your kids a challenge to grow and rise up to and pushing them too far. I hope I found it.

The garden and the chickens

I happened to be out with the camera and thought I would post some pictures of my garden which I am proud to report was totally from seed and has given me snap peas and lettuce so far. The tomatoes and cucumbers are looking good. I don't think I will get any peppers on account of our unseasonably cool summer. But that remains to be seen.

I caught up with the chickens with camera in hand. They weren't in a very pretty part of the yard but oh well. They are chickens and they do what they want. Lucy spends at least an hour a day following them around. She loves them!