Apple juice pancakes - a dairy-free version

By now you all know that the big girl has an allergy to cow's milk proteins. That means we pretty much live a dairy-free lifestyle here.

It also means I needed to learn how to adapt recipes to include milk alternatives.

Our pancake recipe is one of those adaptations. The base for the recipe was a pancake recipe found in the 1978 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

This is our version:

Apple juice pancakes

2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups apple juice
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp sugar (or honey)
2 Tbsp baking powder (not baking soda)
1 tsp sea salt

Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl. I like to use a large glass mixing bowl with a handle and a spout for easy pouring.



Mix well.

Then I heat up a skillet. We use bacon drippings to grease our skillet, but you could use lard or oil as well.

Pour a bit of the batter into the medium-hot skillet and cook the first side until the bubbles break. Flip the pancake and briefly cook the other side until cooked. Repeat until all batter is cooked.

While the pancakes are cooking I keep the cooked ones warm in the oven. This way we can take the cooked stack of pancakes to the table and we can all eat together.

We like to top ours with real maple syrup or homemade raspberry preserves or sometimes homemade applesauce.



I've also tried this recipe using berry juice in place of the apple juice and it was YUMMY - especially when topped with the raspberry preserves.

What do you like to top your pancakes with?

This recipe is dairy-free and also free of artificial colors, artificial flavorings, and preservatives.

Waldorf inspired toy giveaway

garden mama is hosting a wonderful giveaway right now. She's giving away a set of hand cut wooden toys (eggs, squirrel, rabbit, and chickens) and a handspun angora bunny! The toys were made by Linda from Natural Suburbia. Linda also runs Mamma 4 Earth over at etsy.

Go on over and check out Linda's handcrafts!

Energy conservation or how to pay less for utilities

We have done many things to help reduce our energy use over the years. I wish I had kept records of just how much we've saved, but it would take too much time to go back through statements and calculate the exact savings.

I can let you know that our energy usage is far below average for a home our size in our climate.

So what did our family do, exactly?

1. We replaced our 1970's forced air natural gas furnace in 2004 with a new energy efficient forced air natural gas furnace.

2. At the same time we installed an energy efficient centralized air conditioning system. This allowed us to stop using window air conditioners and fans.

3. We also replaced an outdated hot water heater with an energy efficient natural gas hot water heater.

4. We also keep the temperature on our hot water heater at 120F.

5. The Hubster replaced 12 of our home's 23 windows with new replacement windows. As we can afford it we plan to continue this replacement. The windows that were replaced were original to the home (circa 1880s) and very drafty. We noticed an immediate reduction in drafts which increased our heat retention in the home significantly.

6. We replaced our old thermostat with a programmable thermostat. It's recommended that the thermostat be set at 68 during the day and 55 during the evening in the winter months. We set it at 72 during the summer months.

7. We replaced most of our light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. As others burn out they are replaced with compact fluorescent bulbs.

8. We use homemade draft stoppers at the base of exterior doors and also on some of our old windows to reduce drafts.

9. We run our dishwasher only when it is completely full. It's run once a day.

10. We wash many of our clothes in cold water.

11. We line dry many of our clothes.

12. We strive to turn off all lights and electrical appliances when not in use.

13. We set our computers to "sleep" state when not in use.

14. We maximize our use of passive solar heat. Window shades are kept open in the winter when the sun is shining and closed when the sun is set.

15. We've replaced two faucets that were dripping. Any dripping faucets you have not only waste water but they also waste energy. You might literally be heating water only to have it drip down your drain without being used.


Some other things that you can do to conserve energy that we haven't yet got around to doing:

1. Unplug chargers when not actually charging
- cell phones
- drills
- PDAs
- other personal gadgets

2. Plug your electronic appliances like DVD players, TVs, etc. into a power strip and turn it off when not in use

3. Turn your computer off at the end of the day

4. Insulate your home's walls, ceilings, and floors (our home's walls and attic are already insulated, but we could increase the amount of insulation)

5. Walk, ride a bike, or use public transportation instead of a personal car (we sort of do this with our one car policy, but could increase our use)

6. Carpool if you must use a car to go to work (the Hubster carpools two days a week, but not fully)

7. Close heating vents in unused rooms (we don't have unused rooms)

8. Install heavy duty window coverings in cold climates or very warm climates. It will keep the cold out in winter and can help keep the cool air in during summer.

9. Use caulking or weatherstripping to stop drafts around windows.

10. Use weatherstripping to stop drafts around doors. (our doors are already weatherstripped)

11. Replace old doors with newer doors. (on our to-do list as money allows)

12. Plant trees to shade your home in the summer - deciduous trees can shade during summer and allow passive solar heat to come through in the winter

What are some of the things your family does to reduce energy consumption? Any tips that we left out?

To learn more about living with less visit this post that started the series.

Food, Inc.

The risks and benefits of infant feeding practices for women and their children

Visit the The Journal of Perinatology to read about

The risks and benefits of infant feeding practices for women and their children.


Abstract:
"Infant feeding decisions affect maternal and child health outcomes, worldwide. Even in settings with clean water and good sanitation, infants who are not breast-fed face an increased risk of infectious, as well as non-infectious morbidity and mortality. The decision not to breast-feed can also adversely affect mothers' health by increasing the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type II diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease. Clinicians who counsel mothers about the health impact of infant feeding and provide evidence-based care to maximize successful breast-feeding, can improve the short and long-term health of both mothers and infants."

Conclusion:
"Formula-feeding places mothers and infants at increased risk of a broad spectrum of adverse health outcomes, ranging from infectious morbidity to chronic disease. Given compelling evidence for differences in health outcomes, breast-feeding should be acknowledged as the biological norm for infant feeding. Physician counseling, office and hospital practices should be aligned to ensure that the breast-feeding mother–infant dyad has the best chance for a successful breast-feeding experience throughout the infant's first year of life, and as long thereafter as is mutually desired by mother and child.2"

What I found most interesting about this particular meta-study was the way that researchers acknowledged that mixed feeding prior to about 6 months of age (using both formula and breastmilk) was a risk factor.

For instance, "In a meta-analysis of cohort studies, Chien et al.32 found that infants who were formula-fed or fed a mixture of formula and human milk were 2.8 times as likely to develop gastrointestinal infection than those who were exclusively breast-fed."

Breastmilk provides not only superior nutrition, but also protects the health of our infants' gastrointestinal systems.

It's a bit wordy and may be difficult for some to weed through, but the article is well worth the time taken to read it.

This takes the cake, really!

Remember when I posted on my fan page about the hazards of leaving your babies in car seats when they're NOT being transported in a car because their oxygen input is compromised in the car seats?

Well...now I find this contraption (thanks to woman, uncensored). Apparently hauling your babies around in a car seat is too inconvenient and now SOMEONE has invented a shoulder strap so you can carry the car seat and your baby!

How about a sling or a wrap or a backpack carrier? Why on earth would ANYONE carry a heavy car seat and their baby???

Illuminate me, please!

Fess Up Friday

This weeks's Fess Up Friday confession is....(drumroll)

I almost never mop my kitchen floor. We sweep frequently (sometimes several times per day) and spot clean spills, but I almost never completely mop it.

There, you have it! My confession of my less-than-perfect and perfectly good enough housekeeping. ;)

Planning a medicinal herb garden

One of my goals for this year is to increase my understanding of and use of herbal remedies.

I have a fairly good handle on herbal remedies used during pregnancy and birth, but want to expand it to include general health and well-being as well.

On my to-do list is buying seed and expanding my herb garden to include more medicinal herbs.

This is what I plan to purchase:

- arnica (used to reduce inflammation)

- borage (used to treat fevers - can be used to treat inflammation)

- burdock (used to treat skin disorders)

- calendula (used in skin salves)

- comfrey (used as an expectorant, used to treat bruises and breaks)

- ephedra (used as a bronchodilator)

- marshmallow (used to treat respiratory diseases)

- motherwort (uterine tonic)

- nettles (high vit K content, galactagogue)

- yarrow (used in treating wounds)

- flax (used to treat coughs and colds)

- mullein (used to treat diarrhea and to cease coughs)

- Shepherd's purse (to stop hemorrhaging)

- valerian (pain relief, anti-convulsant)

- vitex (used to treat dysmenorrhea)

- wormwood (antiseptic)


I already have in my garden:

- sage
- lavender
- echinacea
- marjoram
- oregano
- rosemary (kept indoors in winter)


I've already received seed for:

- lamb's ear
- basil
- chamomile

We have back-ordered seed for:

- lemon balm

If you keep a medicinal herb garden, what plants did you select to include? Are there plants NOT on my list that you'd recommend?

Homeschool (or traditional school) unit on food

This is a great unit for teaching kids about where their food comes from.

It's Food Miles: Growing Local Food Connections. It's Canadian and produced by Falls Brook Centre. When you click on the link you get a pdf file. It's full of hand-on learning activities that are suitable for grades K-8. Not every activity works well for the younger kids, but the mixture includes them.

Scripture verses of the day

Matthew 25:1-13

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Interesting article about unschooled reading learning

Children Teach Themselves to Read

In a nutshell the author details "Seven Principles of Learning to Read Without Schooling" and uses illustrative research and first-hand accounts of unschoolers who learned to read without being taught reading.

Well worth the read!

Reducing expenses

Reducing expenses was one of the strategies we employed when we were faced with a reduction in income. It makes sense, doesn't it? You have less income so you must reduce expenses.

But where do you start?

For us we took a look at what are our needs.

Our needs are:

- warm dry shelter
- food
- transportation (so that the Hubster can work)
- clothing
- health care

Then we had to look at what are our obligations. You know, those agreements we made and must honor.

- tithe
- student loans
- car loan
- mortgage & 2nd mortgage

Beyond that most of the rest of the things we spend money on are wants or a need/want combination.

You all saw our budget already so you know what our final decisions were.

But what are some of the things people can do to reduce expenses? What are some of the expenses that can be expendable?

Here is a list of things that *I* consider expendable or at least negotiable. Now these may not be so in your opinion. The interesting thing about expenses is that we all have different priorities and some things that may be easy for me to cut may not be easy for your family to cut. If you're going to undergo this exercise in your own life you'll want to consider your values and long-term priorities during your decision making process.

Things I would consider cutting or reducing in order to reduce expenses

- alcohol/tobacco
- restaurant meals
- cable or satellite tv
- 2nd car
- new clothing (buy used or sew your own)
- expensive entertainment (find low-cost entertainment options)
- gym memberships (exercise at home or outside)
- non-nutritional beverages (drink water)
- magazine subscriptions (read online or borrow from library)
- vacations (use a staycation or do short day trips close to home)
- convenience foods (make the food yourself)
- reduce energy consumption (lots of ideas and that's a whole 'nother post)
- reduce gift-giving (sometimes less is more)
- new electronics/furniture/etc. (buy used or make do without)
- shop around for lower insurance
- reduce housing costs (sell home and buy smaller, rent if need be)
- sell newish car and buy a good quality older model car
- replace car with use of public transportation if possible
- replace long distance phone service with low cost cell phone service or online service like Skype or Google-talk
- replace consumable goods with reusable goods (paper towels, baby wipes, diapers, menstrual products, dinner napkins, food storage containers, etc.)
- replace costly cleaning products with inexpensive homemade products
- replace costly beauty products with inexpensive products
- replace services with DIY (learn to cut hair, basic auto maintenance, home repair, etc.)


What are some of the ways you reduce expenses? Any tips you'd like to share about making these decisions?

Scripture verses of the day

Matthew 25:14-30

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he agave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Ask in Faith and Act

For those of you who are LDS, you're familiar with the phrase "Ask in faith and act." Last April Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a conference talk titled, Ask in Faith. The message I got was more DO in faith.

Anyway, I bring that up because the Hubster and I are finally at the action portion of our dream to have a small farm.

All along we've been doing and acting. We're acquiring the skills we'd need to utilize a farm. We've been growing vegetables here on our tiny city lot for five years now.

We've been learning about fruit trees and herbs.

We've been studying and learning.

Now we've decided (at my prompting) to begin more activity.

We're starting to look at properties for sale. We're deciding just what we need in a farm and what we'd want to have.

We're looking at locations and trying to decide which are most desirable to us and which are less desirable.

I put together a treasure map of various small farms for sale in our county and put it up over my kitchen sink.

We're evaluating our current lifestyle and determining what adjustments we'd have moving to a rural location. I'm no stranger to rural life having spent the latter 8 years of my childhood on a hobby farm in the far north. I know what it's like to wake up at 4am to feed and water the cattle before getting showered and dressed for school. I know what it's like to be out at -30F weather because you need to take care of livestock.

But we're doing even more. We're making preparations to sell our current home. We're looking at what projects need to be finished and planning how to best show the home. We're evaluating realtors.

We are exercising our faith. We are acting in faith.

We know that if a farm is a need for our family, then our Heavenly Father will provide it. We're acting in faith. We're operating on the assumption that when the time is ready - when it's His time - we will be provided what we need.

This doesn't mean that we're going off to sign a contract today or tomorrow or probably even next month.

It means we're trimming our wicks and filling our lamps, though. We're getting prepared. We'll be ready when He is.

Scripture verses of the day

Titus 2:11-15

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

I'm feeling sick

It's nothing major. Just a little fatigue, nausea, over-stimulated sense of smell.

Before you accuse me of being pregnant let me assure you I've peed on three sticks now and all say I'm not.

I'm not sure what to believe.

Usually when the wolf nose appears (that's what we call my hyper-sensitive sense of smell that I get when I'm pregnant) it's a sure sign a baby is on the way.

But the tests say no.

Because I'm still in the bliss of lactation amenorrhea I can't tell by a missed period because my last period was in June of 2007.

But I'm not feeling up to much writing, either.

I have a list of topics and partially started posts lined up in my queue. I have projects sitting on my sewing desk and a binder full of other projects but every time I think of them I realize I just don't have the initiative to get going.

And I feel sick.

And there is laundry to wash and floors to sweep and toys to pick up and, well, life to live.

So don't worry if not much content shows up here this week.

I'm okay, just distracted and not feeling fully human. (excuse me while I burp and feel nauseous)

Dinner Menus - Feb 22nd thru Feb 28th

Monday, February 22nd – Meat-less meal
Veggie Shepherd's Pie


Tuesday, February 23rd – Pork
Pork Potstickers with Orange Ginger Dipping Sauce, steamed broccoli, jasmine rice


Wed nesday, February 24th – Soup
Ham and bean soup, bread


Thursday, February 25th – Poultry
Teriyaki chicken, rice, mixed vegetables


Friday, February 26th – Pizza
Pizza – one with cheese and one without cheese


Saturday, February 27th – Pantry Ready to Eat
Tuna noodle salad, carrot sticks


Sunday, February 28th – Pork or Beef
Meatloaf w/ ground pork, mashed potatoes, peas

Scripture verses of the day

Psalms 127

1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Scripture verses of the day

Psalms 1:20-33

20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Flex bed commercial featuring a homebirth with a midwife

(thanks to Tales from the Cottage Cheese Cottage for bringing it to my attention)

It amazes me that other countries, like this example from Spain, view homebirth as something so normal and natural that it would be used to demonstrate why you'd choose a certain brand of bed.

Honestly, it makes me nearly speechless how different American culture is - and not in a positive way.

Small sewing aka mending

Have you ever thrown away a pair of jeans because the zipper broke? How about throwing away a shirt because you lost a button? Are you guilty of throwing away a pair of perfectly good pajama pants because the elastic was all stretched out?

I actually know people who've done this!

(I reluctantly admit to #1 in my pre-frugal days)

Taking a little time to learn some basic garment rehab and mending skills will help you extend the life of your wardrobe and help you save a TON of money.

In addition to helping me keep clothing we'd otherwise toss, my mending skills have allowed me to get clothing for nearly free. Often thrift stores and garage sales will have boxes of discounted or free clothing. At thrift stores I'll see "as is" tags that indicate there is a broken zipper, etc. and I can buy the clothing for a very very low price.

I take it home, rip out the old zipper, sew in one of my 25 cent thrift store replacement zippers and viola! a fully refurbished garment.

You might wonder how you can acquire these wonderful skills. My favorite book source is the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing. It has great pictures and step-by-step instructions for the novice. I prefer the 1976 edition because later editions were further edited and information was lost. These regularly show up in thrift stores and garage sales here and I never pay more than 99 cents for one. They're also available in used form via Amazon. (disclosure: this is an Amazon Associates link)

There are also some good online sources to learn:

How to Mend Clothes at HowStuffWorks

Learn to Mend Your Clothing at About.com

Mending Holes and Rips at Dummies.com

Repair Clothing at About.com

eHow.com has a video series about How to Mend & Hem Clothes

You'll need some basic equipment in your mending kit, too. I keep a small kit in a zippered pouch. This one lives upstairs in my bedroom so I can sew on buttons right away when I notice they're missing. In that kit I keep a small pair of embroidery scissors; several needles; seam ripper; navy blue, black, and white thread; and assorted men's shirt buttons.

Downstairs in my sewing desk I keep a full range of sewing supplies, but for basic mending and garment rehab sewing I'd recommend the following list of supplies:

- needles
- needle threader (if you're getting up in years it's especially handy)
- pins
- pin cushion
- scissors
- seam ripper
- measuring tape
- thread in assorted colors
- safety pin or bodkin (used to thread elastic through casings)
- replacement notions (snaps, hook & eye closures, buttons, zippers, elastic etc.)
- iron
- sewing machine

So what are some of your favorite clothing saves? Any tips on making mending easier?

Buying in bulk and bulk storage

Narrow wooden shelving the Hubster built in pantry #2 to accommodate food storage


As part of my continuing series on living with less it's time to talk about bulk buying.

Some people mistakenly believe that buying in bulk is always a good value. But it isn't! You need to always compare your unit costs.

I also want to point out that when *I* discuss buying in bulk I'm talking about buying a 25 pound bag of flour versus buying a five pound bag of flour. I'm not talking about a larger bottle or can of something at the supermarket.

For me bulk buying often involves finding a local vendor or farmer and buying directly from the producer as well.

By now I'm sure regular readers are tired of hearing about our bulk meat buying, but it's probably the most vivid example of how we can provide high quality healthy meat for our family and stay within our limited grocery budget.

Another way we buy in bulk is to take part in a grain co-op. Many people in our region come together to buy cooperatively and we are then able to buy 45 pound buckets of organic wheat berries for $35. Even as lazy as I am I can turn the handle on a wheat grinder to make flour (once in a while, at least).

We also use large warehouse style stores like Costco to buy in bulk. That's where I buy my olive oil for about $22 dollars for a five liter container (five quarts, 9.1 oz). Compare that to around $7 for 16 ounces at the supermarket. My unit price ends up being around 13 cents per ounce. The supermarket olive oil is closer to 43 cents per ounce.


Costco olive oil in 5 liter size


To make using the olive oil easier we pour it into this container using a funnel

In addition to searching out your best sources and tracking your unit prices, you need to take into consideration how often your family consumes whatever product you're evaluating.

For instance, our family eats rice at least twice a week so we buy our rice in 25 pound bags at Costco. We pay a little over $12 for 25 pounds. Our unit price is around 48 cents per pound. If I could find Jasmine rice at less than 48 cents per pound my 25 pound bag wouldn't be a good value. If my family didn't consume it quickly enough it also wouldn't be a good value. Wasted or rotten food is NEVER a good value, folks, regardless of how little you paid for it.

Some people wonder how to store bulk food purchases. We have the luxury of living in a home that was built in the 1880s (I write this with a rather tongue-in-cheek tone, btw). Our kitchen does not have built-in cabinets like modern kitchens do. At some point in the past the kitchen had two pantries with some built-in cabinets, but these were removed prior to our purchase of the home. One pantry had shelves built in and the other was pretty bare. The Hubster added more shelving to each pantry and included some deep shelves to accommodate larger than average food containers.


Upper shelves in pantry #1 - for these we used laminate shelving

If you don't have the luxury of an extremely un-modern home you can still add shelving in a closet or basement.

We use five gallon food grade buckets to store flour, rice, dry beans, and wheat berries. For the flour and rice buckets that I keep upstairs in the kitchen I added gamma seal lids that screw on and off for easy access. (disclosure: this is an Amazon Associates link)


5 gallon food grade buckets with gamma lids

You can often get very low cost or free buckets from bakeries. The buckets that icing comes in wash up well and don't retain odors like the pickle buckets do.

Another food storage option is glass canning jars or recycled glass food jars with screw-on lids. We use these often for storing things like baking soda, dried fruits, and nuts.

Our family made the decision years ago that we'd hunt down the lowest unit prices and buy in bulk to reduce our grocery expenditures. We also keep an eye on seasonal prices and try to buy when prices are lowest. Our food storage also gives use an emergency buffer. In times of financial need we can rely upon our food storage and that frees up more cash to be used if need be.

What are some of the foods your family buys in bulk? Do you have any creative food storage techniques you'd like to share?

Fess Up Friday

Kendra over at New Life On a Homestead has started a new Friday feature she calls Fess Up Friday.



In her words, "This can be about cleaning “shortcuts”, mommy mistakes, recipe flops, forgetful minds… anything to get a laugh!"

If you want to play, too, just pop on over to her Fess Up Friday post and add yours to the Mr. Linky.

So....here's my Fess Up Friday.

If we're having guests over and I run out of time to pick up toys, etc. and declutter I'll just pick up things and put them in a laundry basket and carry them upstairs. They're hidden in the bedroom until after the guests leave.

So now you know my trick as to why our house always seemed so tidy when you come by. ;)

Parenting writing contest over at Stand and Deliver

Stand and Deliver is hosting a parenting writing contest

Here is a thumbnail account:

Topic: Becoming a Parent, Becoming Transformed

Genre: Your choice (first-person narrative, short story, informational article, etc.)

Length: 500-1,000 words

Deadline: entries must be received by March 1, 2010

Submission instructions: email your essay and contact information to stand.deliver at gmail.com. One entry per person, please. Entry must be your own original, unpublished material. Don't even think about plagiarizing.
Prize: winning entry receives a $50 gift certificate to Second Womb Slings. The entry will also be published at Stand and Deliver.


Go over to Stand and Deliver and find out more for yourself.

Pigs in a blanket - reconstructing childhood

On Wednesday I took a trip down memory lane and brought the kiddos with me.

One of my favorite school lunches was called pigs in a blanket. They're hot dogs covered in bread.

I don't know why, but on Wednesday I got it in my head that my kids needed to eat them. We homeschool/unschool so they won't have the opportunity to eat this treat in a school lunchroom.

My version is really pretty basic.

First, you need a package of Hebrew National hot dogs. They have no added fillers. They have no artificial colors. They have no artificial flavors. They are made with real beef meat. They are kosher.



This is *not* optional unless you make your own hot dogs. If so, go on ahead and use those. You have my persmission. Really, it's okay! :)

Honestly, though, I don't want it on my conscience if you're feeding your kids hot dogs made with animal by-products, artificial colors and who all knows what was cooked up in a food scientist's lab. It's well worth the few extra dollars to feed them real food.

You'll want to heat up a saucepan full of water and add in your hot dogs. Boil for five minutes. They are not precooked so again, this step isn't optional.



While the hot dogs are boiling away, go on ahead and mix up your bread dough.

We like to use this recipe. Yes, I know it's pizza crust but you'll have to trust me on this. It works.

If you use that recipe you'll get WAY more bread dough than you'll need for this recipe. Take a look at the huge ball of dough it makes:



We use the excess for breadsticks. Just roll them out into snake shapes and bake at 425F for 17-19 minutes.

But back to the pigs in a blanket.

I cut the dough into small shapes using my handy dandy dough knife. This was the best $8.99 I ever spent, btw! (disclosure: this is an Amazon Associates link)



Then flatten the small bits of dough into a shape roughly resembling a rectangle.



Cut your fully cooked hot dogs in half. I like to use my kitchen shears for this.

Take one half of a hot dog and place it on one end of the dough rectangle. Roll it up and place it on an ungreased baking sheet.



Repeat until all of your hot dogs have been rolled up.



Then put them into a preheated 425F oven and bake for 17-19 minutes.

They'll look something like this when you take them out of the oven.



Let them cool off for about 5-10 minutes. They are *really* hot when they come out and you don't want to burn the children's mouths.

Then enjoy!

Garbage Island

This post ties in nicely (unfortunately) to the previous post about BPA and phthalates.

It seems that there is a floating mass of garbage in the Pacific Ocean that measures about the size of the state of Texas. Non-biodegradeable bits of plastic comprise most of the island.

Read more about on CNN - TOXIC: Garbage Island.


You can see the video documentary here.

Great ideas for organizing kids' books

You know we're big readers here. Heck with a PhD and an MA in the house you *know* we love learning - especially since I don't even profit from my degrees at this point! ;)

One of our greatest challenges has been organizing our books.

I have a pretty good system for my personal books - I categorize them by topic and try to keep them in the room they're likely to be used. I've purged most fiction from my personal collection and now keep mostly non-fiction and reference books on hand.

The kids' books, on the other hand, have been a nightmare for me to keep organized.

Today I read a fabulous article by Susan on PBSParents. Go on on and read her post, A Children's Librarian at Home, to see her shelves and read about her organizational methods.

BPA & Phthalates alert or what we can do to reduce our exposure

My klean kanteen stainless steel water bottle

I know many of my readers are already aware of the potential risks/dangers of BPA. BPA is Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical found in plastics and also in the linings of cans and on the lids of glass jars. It's even found in Tupperware.

Phthalates are esters of phthalic acid. They're add to plastics to make the plastics more flexible and more durable. They're what makes a plastic soft instead of rigid. It's phthalates that make that rubber duckie flexible. It's phthalates that make your Ziploc bags soft and flexible.

But for those of you unaware of the risks here is some reading material for you:

How to Avoid Bisphenol A and Phthalates

How to Avoid Phthalates

European Information Centre on Bisphenol A

Our Stolen Future

Health Risk Assessment of Bisphenol A from Food Packaging Applications - from Health Canada

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences response to BPA questions

And the one that has me REALLY concerned because I know when the FDA finally gets around to reducing the presence of a toxin in our food it's DEFINITELY a hazard:

FDA's Update on Bisphenol A for Use in Food Contact Applications: January 2010


A very unpolished silver baby cup - good replacement for children's plastic drinking cups

For several years now our family has been eliminating the use of plastics in our household. We have slowly replaced plastic food storage with glass food storage. We don't reheat foods in plastic dishes - EVER. We replaced plastic water bottles with stainless steel water bottles (without any chemical linings). We don't use baby bottles so have no concerns over possible BPA presence there. We used primarily wooden teething toys with the baby girl.

Some very inexpensive alternatives for food storage are glass canning jars. We're often able to receive jars via Freecycle. We also use stainless steel bowls and glass dishes (Pyrex). If you use plastic lids, keep an air space between the food and the lid to minimize risk.

Vintage glass refrigerator dishes are available at relatively low cost in many areas of the country - check your antique shops and flea markets.

Anchor Hocking is producing new glass refrigerator dishes. (disclosure: this is an Amazon Associates link)

Whenever possible we opt for natural materials in our household items and natural fibers in our bedding and clothing.

In our modern world it is extremely challenging to rid our environments completely of toxins but we believe that every small step we take will result in increased health for our family.

So, if you're just reading about this today what can you do to reduce the risks of exposure for your family?

1. Stop using plastic dishes to serve hot foods and stop using plastic dishes to reheat foods.

2. If you must use baby bottles, use glass bottles. Whenever possible nurse your baby directly at your breast.

3. Use fresh or frozen foods instead of commercially canned foods.

4. Stop using bottled water - especially avoid plastic containers labeled a #7 plastic.

5. As you are purging your collection of plastic food storage containers remember this: plastics with the recycling code 1, 2 or 5 are less hazardous than plastics with the recycling codes 3 and 7. Plastics with the recycling codes of 3 and 7 are more likely to contain Bisphenol A or phthalates.

If your family has been using plastics please don't kick yourself over it! Most of us have. Remember, with all toxins greater exposure means greater risk. Any steps you take now to remove the toxins from your household will ultimately benefit your family.

(thanks to TopHat for reminding me that this information needs to be shared)

Car seats lower oxygen levels of infants

peaceful parenting has a discussion of the study, "A Comparison of Respiratory Patterns in Healthy Term Infants Placed in Car Safety Seats and Beds," published in the September 2009 issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The study compared oxygen levels in 200 newborns while stretched out on a safe sleeping surface, positioned in a car bed, or sitting in a car seat. The mean oxygen saturation level was significantly lower in the car seat (95.7 percent) and the car bed (96.3 percent) compared to lying on a safe sleeping surface (97.9 percent).

The study authors suggest these safety devices be used only for protection during travel, and not as replacement for safe sleeping practices or babywearing means.

In other words: leave the car seat in the car.

Read the full discussion over at peaceful parenting.

Read the article abstract here.

Scripture verses of the day

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Buying locally

There are many reasons we try to buy locally:

- local businesses are more likely to provide jobs and tax revenue over several generations
- local businesses are less likely to shut down and create a ghost town where a thriving community once was
- local businesses are less likely to hold a community hostage and demand tax breaks and change local ordinances to enhance the business' profits at the expense of the citizens
- local businesses tend to use local suppliers and that creates additional tax revenue for your community and also ensures those local businesses remain solvent
- buying from local businesses creates less of a carbon footprint than buying goods shipped in from a distance

These are all good and even noble reasons to buy locally, but in the end it's also financially prudent for our family to buy locally.

I've found that in many cases I get the highest quality goods at the lowest prices by buying locally.

I've written already about how we now buy most of our meat locally. I absolutely cannot find pastured beef at a price less than $3.25 per pound or organic pork at less than $3.47 per pound at any of the chain grocery stores or even the warehouse style membership stores.

And while the big box hardware stores might have lower prices than my locally owned hardware and general store the quality of the goods is much much higher at the small hardware store. Over time I've found that higher quality goods are a much better value than lower quality goods. I might invest a bit more at the front end but my overall cost is far lower in the end.

When we cannot find the goods we need at local businesses we next look to regional chains. Fleet Farm and Shopko are two regional chain stores that we shop on a regular basis. They are both based in the Midwest and Fleet Farm in particular carries unique goods and high quality goods that are harder to find elsewhere.

I also like the community building that is accomplished when we buy locally, too. I enjoy walking into the hardware store and being served by a neighbor. I like knowing the families that raise the animals that become our dinners.




What are your favorite local stores or businesses? What makes you keep working with those businesses?

Depression during pregnancy might be linked to violent behavior in children

Interesting article that seems to link mothers' depression during pregnancy to violence in children.



Quote from the article:
"In a new study published in the Feb. 5 issue of the journal Child Development, researchers found that children born to women who were depressed during pregnancy were four times as likely to be arrested for violent crimes by age 16 as children of nondepressed mothers. The study involved 120 randomly chosen women from South London, who were interviewed when they were pregnant and after they gave birth. Researchers also interviewed the participants' children when they were 4, 11 and 16 years old. Further, the authors accounted for other stresses in the mother's life that could contribute to a child's antisocial or violent behavior — such as smoking, alcohol use, relationship problems and poverty. "It's depression during pregnancy that seems to set the child on taking a violent path," says Dale Hay, a professor of psychology at Cardiff University in the U.K. and the lead author of the paper."

Read more: Postpartum Depression: Signaled During Pregnancy?

Scripture verse of the day

Matthew 6:19-21

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Yet another great barter

I had a very pleasant surprise on Friday night. The Hubster scored another great barter.

His latest coup is a barter he contracted with B, a librarian at the college the Hubster works at. The Hubster gave B some venison sausage from this deer and B gave us these:

organically grown red, yellow, and white onions




organically grown potatoes (we actually had 4 more but I used them in last night's dinner)




So now the Hubster can hunt and barter the meat for organically grown veggies! :)

(You might wonder why we don't just grow our own onions and potatoes, since we are all into gardening and whatnot. We've successfully grown potatoes before but decided to end that venture and instead planted strawberries in the space previously used for potato growing. Organic strawberries are far more expensive here than potatoes. And onions, well, we've never quite mastered the onion growing.)

Dinner Menus - Feb 15th thru Feb 21st

Monday, February 15th - Meatless meal
Pasta e Fagioli, broccoli


Tuesday, February 16th - Pork
Goulash (made with ground pork), green beans


Wednesday, February 17th - Soup
Hamburger Rice Soup (made with ground pork), breadsticks


Thursday, February 18th - Poultry
Chicken stir-fry, rice


Friday, February 19th - Pizza
Pizza (one cheese-less, one with cheese)


Saturday, February 20th- Pantry Ready to Eat
Chicken tacos, celery & carrot sticks


Sunday, February 21st - Pork or Beef
Pork roast, potatoes, carrots

Scripture verse of the day

Psalms 81:7-10

7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

A Mother's Love

One of my favorite blogs, peaceful parenting, posted this poem by Helen Steiner Rice today.

Go check it out!

I'm a Reader

You might have noticed that I keep a list of books I'm reading over in the left sidebar.

You might have noticed that I'll often mention books and learning in my posts.

You might have noticed that our family homeschools/unschools.

You might have noticed that I review books for Thomas Nelson Publishers and now I've recently been approved to review new books and AV materials for Tyndale House Publishers. Both publishing houses publish primarily Christian books and I'm really looking forward to working with them. :)

Baby Soft Shoe Giveaway Winners!

First, I want to thank all of my followers. This giveaway was a thank you for stopping by and reading and discussing.

To select winners I numbered the comments in the order they were left. Each comment received one number. Then I used random.org and entered 1-11 as the options and pressed the button until a comment number came up that matched the category (boy, girl, gn).

And now for the winners:

Boy Set

Comment #2 navalgazingbajan


Girl Set

Comment #6 Fruitful Harvest


Gender Neutral Set

Comment #8 mamashawn


Please send me a message at kari at retroragswi dot com with your shipping address so I can get your shoes off to you! :)

Scripture verses of the day

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)



Today's verses are taken from The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians, Chapter 5


28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

and also

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Last day to enter the baby soft shoe giveaway

Remember to post your comments and enter the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries close at midnight CST tonight!

Right now the odds are VERY much in favor of the current posters since we almost have enough shoes for every commentor to get a set! :)

On a random note this will probably be the extent of the content available here today.

I have a busy morning of cooking and baking on the agenda with a toddler nap in the rocking chair with the mama for the afternoon. The evening is filled with a REAL DATE with the Hubster!!! We're heading over to the ward meetinghouse (congregation's church building for non-Mo's) for a potluck and dance.

Hope you all have a fabuloso day and I'll be back Saturday morning with the announcement of the giveaway winners. :)

How Do I Love Thee? Printable Valentine's Day Cards

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)



On Tuesday the big girl and I worked on making some Valentine's Day cards.



We found lots of free Valentines available for download.



Maybe you'd like to print some off, too?


Printable Vintage Valentine Cards and Envelopes from Ruffled (this is the one the big girl selected)

Victorian Valentines with Cherubs

Romantic Couples Valentines

Contemporary Kids Valentines

Vintage Angels and Cherubs (clip art)

Vintage Victorian Valentines with Cherubs

Vintage Roses (clip art)

Valentine's Day Love Coupons

Vintage Valentines Flowers (clip art)

Vintage Valentines (clip art)

Vintage Kids Valentines

Victorian Valentines with Hearts and Flowers

Contemporary Hearts (clip art)

Jan Brett Cards and Envelopes for Valentine's Day

More Contemporary Valentines

Contemporary Scrapbook Style Valentines

Printable Valentine Cards and Scrapbook Designs



Do you like to make your own Valentines? What are some of your favorite projects?

Scripture verse of the day

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)


It's actually a chapter today.

Psalms 100:1-5

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Growing your own food

Haralson apple tree planted in Spring 2009 - picture shows the tree with fruit in early September 2009 - several of our raised garden beds shown in the background


(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)




One way we've significantly reduced our grocery budget is by growing our own food.

This hasn't been a quick response, but over the past five years we've managed to build up 382 square feet of raised garden beds and have also added in an herb garden, blueberry bushes, apple trees, rhubarb, and a raspberry patch.

We eat fruits and vegetables as they mature and also preserve the excess through canning and dehydrating.

In the 2009 growing season, for instance, we managed to preserve the following:

- 33 quarts canned tomatoes
- 22 pints of bread and butter pickles
- 14 pints of dilly beans
- 19 pints of pickled peppers
- 32 quarts of canned green beans
- 30 eight oz. jars of raspberry preserves
- 25 quarts of stewed tomatoes

With the exception of some spices and onions all of the above produce came from our garden. Remember, this was the excess. We also consumed much of the yield as it was produced.

Many people seem to think that gardening is expensive, but it certainly doesn't have to be. We chose to invest some capital up front in buying lumber, peat moss, coarse vermiculite, and compost to build our raised beds, but I also know people who were able to use Craig's List or Freecycle to obtain concrete block or lumber to build their raised beds. And many people will move soil from other parts of their property into the raised beds and not create a soil mix like we did.

Seed prices will also vary greatly. In our early years of gardening we bought our seed locally and spent no more than $1.79 per packet. This year we decided we wanted to use more heirloom varieties and ordered our seeds from Seed Savers. To learn more about this year's garden visit our Time to plant the garden post.

We also used to buy all of our transplants from a local nursery and would easily spend upwards of $50 per season on transplants.

We've since learned to use grow lights and grow our own transplants from seed. In fact, we'll begin those within the next week or two in order to have them ready for a May planting schedule.

When we talk about our garden production with most people they imagine that we have a lot of space. That's hardly the case! We have a very small city lot but chose to use nearly our entire backyard for food production. We left a very small area for some outdoor toys for the girls and have space for a few chairs. In addition to our garden beds we also have three large compost bin areas in the backyard.

This drawing shows our backyard raised beds, etc. (remember if you click on the photos they will enlarge - just use the back button on your browser to return to this post)



We're working with a space that's roughly 70' x 30' in the backyard with an L that wraps behind the garage that measures about 22' x 32'.

In this picture you can see the small amount of space we have between the last raised bed and the back of our house:



We have absolutely maximized our available acreage and squeezed in plantings whereever we could.

In 2009 we added two raised beds along the side of our driveaway as shown in this drawing:



Here you can see the raised beds along the side of the driveway:



We have our blueberry bushes planted along the south side of the house and our herb garden runs along the southern and eastern sides of the house. The raspberries and rhubarb are planted along the western side of the house in the backyard and the apple trees are planted between the backyard raised beds and the house. We even squeezed some rhubarb in along the northern side of the house in an area we call the alley because it receives very little sunshine tucked between our neighbor's high fence and our house.

Here's "the alley" early in the season last year (and also in desperate need of some weeding):



Even if you don't have a yard as spacious as ours you can grow a garden using container gardening.



We attempted some container gardening last year using 5 gallon buckets. We drilled holes in the bottom to allow good drainage and filled the buckets with compost. The tomatoes we planted in the buckets thrived. For a while the acorn squash and pumpkins thrived as well. Then July hit and I forgot that container gardens need more water than our raised beds and the poor squash survived but did not thrive.

If you absolutely do not have space outside - no balconey, no deck, no yard, etc. You can still try some small scale gardening inside.

We use our southern facing windows to grow herbs and greens. We installed some shelves high on the windows and place our pots there.



And if you have deep windowsills like we do on this window you can set narrow plants right on the sill:



And then there's also an indoor greenhouse system like my friend Susan uses.

So even if you don't have five acres you can begin the journey toward self-sufficiency using the means available to you.

What are some of your favorite methods to grow your own food?

How to leave a comment on a blog

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)




I've heard from some folks who follow my blog but don't comment that they'd like to but since I eliminated anonymous posting they can't quite figure out HOW to leave a comment.

Well...hopefully this will help you out a bit. ;)

The first thing you need to do is create a profile. There are lots of options open to you and the good news is once you create a profile you can use that same profile to leave comments on blogs all OVER the web. :)

The options that are open right now are accounts with:

- Google
- LiveJournal
- WordPress
- TypePad
- AIM
- OpenID

I made each of those words a link out to a page that will explain how to set up an account for each of the types. All you need to do is click and then go read.

I know you can do that because you come here to read! ;)

*gentle nudge* Go on, it's easy! Really :)

And remember, you only need ONE account with ONE of the above listed providers.

Onion Glazed Pork

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)




Last Tuesday we prepared Onion Glazed Pork for dinner.

This dish is one of our favorites and we've been cooking it now for well over nine years!

The recipe originates from the Better Homes and Gardens New Diabetic Cookbook (the Hubster has Type II diabetes). Since the Hubster's diagnosis back in 2000 I've learned a lot about glycemic indexes and the importance of combining protein with carbs.

This recipe originally used a pork tenderloin, but you can substitute any pork chops.

Because of our family size we generally use five pork chops.

The other ingredients are:

olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced and separated into rings
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

If your pork chops have visible fat, just cook them in a preheated skillet for about 3-4 minutes. If they are very lean then pour a bit of olive oil into the preheated skillet and cook them. Remember to turn them about halfway through and cook them until the juices run clear.

Remove them from the pan and keep them warm. We like to put them in a pie tin and cover with aluminum foil and put them in the oven.

Next you'll add some more olive oil to the skillet. Add the onions and cook them until the onions are tender. Stir in the brown sugar and continue cooking until the onions are golden brown.

Then combine the water, vinegar, cornstarch, and seasonings in a small bowl. Mix well. Pour into the onion mixture in the skillet. Cook it, stirring well, until the mixture is thickened.

If necessary return the pork to the skillet to warm. If you've kept it warm, then plate it up and serve with onion mixture on top.

We served the pork with egg noodles and green beans.

Scripture verse of the day

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)



8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8

Dinner Menus - Feb 8th thru Feb 14th

(Click HERE for the baby soft shoe giveaway. Entries accepted through midnight on February 12th)



Monday, February 8th - Meatless meal
Meatless Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots


Tuesday, February 9th - Pork
Pork chops, rice, gravy, broccoli


Wednesday, February 10th - Soup
Ham and bean soup, bread


Thursday, February 11th - Poultry
Arroz con Pollo


Friday, February 12th - Pizza night
Pizza - one cheese-less for the big girl


Saturday, February 13th- Pantry Ready to Eat
Tuna noodle salad, carrot sticks


Sunday, February 14th - Pork or Beef
Beef roast, potatoes, squash

Baby Soft Shoe Giveaway - Now Closed

In celebration of reaching 25 blog followers I'm giving away three sets of soft baby shoes.

These shoes were constructed using faux suede I received via Freecycle. Most of the trims are vintage (with the exception of the pair with car buttons) and were purchased at thrift stores, rummage sales, and estate sales. I used Misty Marquardt's soft-sole leather shoe pattern in sizes 2, 4, and 6. These shoes are great for babies with wide feet!

Entries will be accepted from 5:25pm CST on February 7th through 12 midnight on February 12th.

To enter the giveaway leave a comment telling me how you first found Moo said the mama and which set you'd prefer (gender neutral, boy, or girl). Followers get two entries, so please let me know if you follow. If you write a blog post about the giveaway you can enter a third time.

Winners will be selected at random using random.org.

Just to recap:

1. To enter leave a comment on this post telling me how you first found Moo said the mama and let me know which set of soft baby shoes you'd prefer (boy, girl, gender neutral).

2. For a second entry leave a comment letting me know you're a follower of Moo said the mama.

3. For a third entry, write up a blog post about the giveaway and leave a comment here with a link to your blog post about the giveaway.


Here is the boy set:









Here is the girl set:









Here is the gender neutral set: