Ephesians 4:24-32
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Barbara's Breadspot - bulk grain buying
For readers who are in Central or Southern Wisconsin (or neighboring states and don't mind a bit of a drive) I wanted to let you know about a bulk grain buying opportunity.
Barbara Ingraham runs a bulk buying opportunity - usually about twice a year - and is accepting orders for a spring delivery.
Orders are due by Saturday, May 8th and delivery will be on Saturday, June 19th in Waukesha.
You can find her email address at her blog,
Barbara's Breadspot.
We've ordered from her before and can attest to the quality of the grain!
She offers a great variety of organic grains. For instance -
- certified organic yellow corn - $24 for 25lb bag
- certified organic hard white whole wheat berries - $34 for 50lb bag
- certified organic spelt - $53 for 50 lb bag
- certified organic millet - $42 for 50 lb bag
That's just a sampling (can you guess what we're ordering this time?).
She also offers rice, beans, and every grain imaginable.
Check it out if you're looking to add bulk grains, rice, and beans to your food storage.
Barbara Ingraham runs a bulk buying opportunity - usually about twice a year - and is accepting orders for a spring delivery.
Orders are due by Saturday, May 8th and delivery will be on Saturday, June 19th in Waukesha.
You can find her email address at her blog,
Barbara's Breadspot.
We've ordered from her before and can attest to the quality of the grain!
She offers a great variety of organic grains. For instance -
- certified organic yellow corn - $24 for 25lb bag
- certified organic hard white whole wheat berries - $34 for 50lb bag
- certified organic spelt - $53 for 50 lb bag
- certified organic millet - $42 for 50 lb bag
That's just a sampling (can you guess what we're ordering this time?).
She also offers rice, beans, and every grain imaginable.
Check it out if you're looking to add bulk grains, rice, and beans to your food storage.
Finding help in unusual places
Some of my favorite sewing tools are items you'd not normally associate with sewing.
Like binder clips
These are handy for holding together thick fabrics like faux suede or vinyl. I use them as a substitute for pins. These are available in the office supply section of your favorite megastore or office supply store.
Or washers
I use these as a low-cost alternative to pattern weights. Look for them in the hardware section of your local home improvement store. We bought ours at Fleet Farm.
Are there items you've repurposed as sewing tools?
Like binder clips
These are handy for holding together thick fabrics like faux suede or vinyl. I use them as a substitute for pins. These are available in the office supply section of your favorite megastore or office supply store.
Or washers
I use these as a low-cost alternative to pattern weights. Look for them in the hardware section of your local home improvement store. We bought ours at Fleet Farm.
Are there items you've repurposed as sewing tools?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
1 John 2:1-7
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Volcano study link
For those of you interested in following the eruption of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, this site from the Institute of Earth Sciences Nordic Volcanological Center at the University of Iceland has great information. The scientists there are posting daily updates about Eyjafjallajokull's status and its impact on the surrounding area.
I've found it to be a useful tool to keep me and my family informed, but it's also a neat tool for scientific inquiry for homeschooling students.
Oh, and they're also monitoring a neighboring volcano, Katla, for activity.
I've found it to be a useful tool to keep me and my family informed, but it's also a neat tool for scientific inquiry for homeschooling students.
Oh, and they're also monitoring a neighboring volcano, Katla, for activity.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
2 Peter 2:9-22
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Storing beans and rice in mylar bags and 5 gallon buckets
It's no secret to folks who know us that the Hubster and I store food. In fact, as member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we've been advised by our church leaders to be self-reliant in all ways and that advice includes setting aside a supply of food.
There are many reasons we store food. Job loss, inflation, a year without pay raises, and many more economic stresses and strains top the list these days.
Even though the Hubster's job has been pretty secure there are times when unexpected expenses arise and it's nice to be able to pay cash for those emergencies and rely on our food storage instead of buying groceries.
One way to store food and save money is to buy your dry foods locally and then package them for storage yourself. A major portion of the cost of foods ready for long-term storage is the shipping cost. If you can eliminate shipping costs then you can store food at a lower price.
Here we're going to show you how to prepare dried beans for long-term storage. Dried beans properly packaged can be stored for up to 30 years. Now I personally don't want to keep my beans for 30 years because we rotate our food and use the foods that we store. I'd hate to shock my digestive system by suddenly eating a lot of foods that I hadn't previously eaten!
The system that we use for most of our dried food storage is to first seal the food in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber sealed inside. The mylar bag is also placed inside a 5 gallon food grade plastic bucket and the bucket is sealed with a lid.
The first step in the process is to assemble your food, tools, and equipment.
Here you see the dried beans and some brown rice in the 5 gallon buckets. The afternoon we took these pictures were were sealing up pinto beans, navy beans, and brown rice. As you can see from the picture these beans were just purchased at a grocery store. We checked unit prices to see which sized bags were the best value. For the pinto beans we found that 8 pound bags were the best value. For the navy beans the one pound bags were the best value.
These are the lids for the 5 gallon buckets. Make sure you're using new lids so you get a good seal.
These are mylar bags. They provide an oxygen barrier when properly sealed. Without oxygen the beans will stay fresh much longer. We buy our bags online from Sorbent Systems.
Here are the oxygen absorbers. We also buy these from Sorbent Systems. When we're not actively using the absorbers we keep them sealed in a vacuum sealed bag.
Here you see the rubber mallet, metal level, and iron. The mallet is used to pound down the lid onto the bucket. The metal level is used to heat the mylar bag and create a seal. And the iron provides the heat to create a seal for the mylar bag. They sell machines to seal bags, but we find that using these inexpensive tools does the job quite nicely at a lower cost. Oh, and don't use your good iron for this job! Pick up a used iron at a thrift store or garage sale that is set aside for sealing bags.
The second step is to place an empty mylar bag inside a 5 gallon food grade bucket. We purchased these buckets at a home improvement store. I wouldn't use these particular buckets for storing food that would touch the plastic sides of the bucket, but since we're sealing the food in mylar bags I consider them safe. For food that we store directly in the buckets (like rice and flour that we use daily), we order food grade buckets with gamma seal lids.
Next you'll open up a bag of beans and pour them into the mylar bag you placed in the bucket. You'll continue to do this until your bag is nearly full. We find that about 33 pounds of dried beans will fit in a mylar bag placed inside a 5 gallon bucket and still leave room to seal the bucket.
Here you see five buckets filled with food. We filled four buckets with beans (2 of navy beans and 2 of pinto beans) and one bucket with brown rice. That's a total of 132 pounds of dried beans and 33 pounds of brown rice.
Once you have your food into the bags (inside the buckets) you'll want to heat up your iron. Set it at the cotton or linen setting as you'll need a very hot iron for the sealing.
Before you begin to seal the bag you'll want to drop in your oxygen absorbers. When working with 5 gallon buckets we use two oxygen absorbers per bag.
Then you'll fold down one side of the top of your mylar bag and straighten it out.
Next you'll place your metal level underneath the folded over edge of the mylar bag.
Then you'll fold that top piece down over the level and hold it tightly against the level.
You could use any flat surface to iron your bags on, but we chose the metal level for two reasons. First, it also heats up a bit and the added heat helps to create a good seal. Second, this level has two surfaces and that allows us to make two seals at once. That gives just a little extra insurance that the bags are well sealed and airtight.
Then you'll iron across the top of the level along the edge of the bag. Be sure to remember to leave a small (maybe 3-4 inches) area UNSEALED so you can squeeze out the last bit of air in the bag before the final sealing.
Here you can see where the seal ends and the edge of the bag without a seal.
The next step is to push down on the top of the bag and squeeze out the last bit of air inside.
Then you'll bring up the corner of the bag where you have the unsealed portion.
And once again you'll use the metal level and iron and you'll seal off the unsealed part of the bag.
Next you'll use your rubber mallet to securely attach the lid to the bucket.
Here you can see the rubber gasket inside a lid. When your lid is pounded down tightly onto the bucket this gasket helps to form an airtight seal.
The final step is labeling your bucket. We write the name of product sealed inside and the date we sealed it on the top of our lids.
And then you're done! Find a cool, dark, dry, temperature controlled space to store the buckets and your food will keep nicely for many years. Most families find that basement space is the most convenient location.
You can use this method for sealing any dried food. We've used it for beans, rice, sugar, and flour so far.
When we are ready to use a food we just cut open the bag and then replace the bucket lid with a gamma seal lid for easy opening and closing. You can find gamma seal lids at many online retailers.
What are some of the ways you store food? Do you have a favorite online retailer of dried foods or food storage equipment?
Edited 8/24/2012 -
Lots of folks have inquired about the mylar bags. The size is 20"x30" and they're a 5 mil food grade bag. The product number from Sorbent Systems is 20VF4C30. The case quantity is 150, but they allow purchases in amounts as low as 10. Of course, the price per bag goes down as your order amount increases. If you can, it's a good idea to make a bulk purchase with friends.
There are many reasons we store food. Job loss, inflation, a year without pay raises, and many more economic stresses and strains top the list these days.
Even though the Hubster's job has been pretty secure there are times when unexpected expenses arise and it's nice to be able to pay cash for those emergencies and rely on our food storage instead of buying groceries.
One way to store food and save money is to buy your dry foods locally and then package them for storage yourself. A major portion of the cost of foods ready for long-term storage is the shipping cost. If you can eliminate shipping costs then you can store food at a lower price.
Here we're going to show you how to prepare dried beans for long-term storage. Dried beans properly packaged can be stored for up to 30 years. Now I personally don't want to keep my beans for 30 years because we rotate our food and use the foods that we store. I'd hate to shock my digestive system by suddenly eating a lot of foods that I hadn't previously eaten!
The system that we use for most of our dried food storage is to first seal the food in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber sealed inside. The mylar bag is also placed inside a 5 gallon food grade plastic bucket and the bucket is sealed with a lid.
The first step in the process is to assemble your food, tools, and equipment.
Here you see the dried beans and some brown rice in the 5 gallon buckets. The afternoon we took these pictures were were sealing up pinto beans, navy beans, and brown rice. As you can see from the picture these beans were just purchased at a grocery store. We checked unit prices to see which sized bags were the best value. For the pinto beans we found that 8 pound bags were the best value. For the navy beans the one pound bags were the best value.
These are the lids for the 5 gallon buckets. Make sure you're using new lids so you get a good seal.
These are mylar bags. They provide an oxygen barrier when properly sealed. Without oxygen the beans will stay fresh much longer. We buy our bags online from Sorbent Systems.
Here are the oxygen absorbers. We also buy these from Sorbent Systems. When we're not actively using the absorbers we keep them sealed in a vacuum sealed bag.
Here you see the rubber mallet, metal level, and iron. The mallet is used to pound down the lid onto the bucket. The metal level is used to heat the mylar bag and create a seal. And the iron provides the heat to create a seal for the mylar bag. They sell machines to seal bags, but we find that using these inexpensive tools does the job quite nicely at a lower cost. Oh, and don't use your good iron for this job! Pick up a used iron at a thrift store or garage sale that is set aside for sealing bags.
The second step is to place an empty mylar bag inside a 5 gallon food grade bucket. We purchased these buckets at a home improvement store. I wouldn't use these particular buckets for storing food that would touch the plastic sides of the bucket, but since we're sealing the food in mylar bags I consider them safe. For food that we store directly in the buckets (like rice and flour that we use daily), we order food grade buckets with gamma seal lids.
Next you'll open up a bag of beans and pour them into the mylar bag you placed in the bucket. You'll continue to do this until your bag is nearly full. We find that about 33 pounds of dried beans will fit in a mylar bag placed inside a 5 gallon bucket and still leave room to seal the bucket.
Here you see five buckets filled with food. We filled four buckets with beans (2 of navy beans and 2 of pinto beans) and one bucket with brown rice. That's a total of 132 pounds of dried beans and 33 pounds of brown rice.
Once you have your food into the bags (inside the buckets) you'll want to heat up your iron. Set it at the cotton or linen setting as you'll need a very hot iron for the sealing.
Before you begin to seal the bag you'll want to drop in your oxygen absorbers. When working with 5 gallon buckets we use two oxygen absorbers per bag.
Then you'll fold down one side of the top of your mylar bag and straighten it out.
Next you'll place your metal level underneath the folded over edge of the mylar bag.
Then you'll fold that top piece down over the level and hold it tightly against the level.
You could use any flat surface to iron your bags on, but we chose the metal level for two reasons. First, it also heats up a bit and the added heat helps to create a good seal. Second, this level has two surfaces and that allows us to make two seals at once. That gives just a little extra insurance that the bags are well sealed and airtight.
Then you'll iron across the top of the level along the edge of the bag. Be sure to remember to leave a small (maybe 3-4 inches) area UNSEALED so you can squeeze out the last bit of air in the bag before the final sealing.
Here you can see where the seal ends and the edge of the bag without a seal.
The next step is to push down on the top of the bag and squeeze out the last bit of air inside.
Then you'll bring up the corner of the bag where you have the unsealed portion.
And once again you'll use the metal level and iron and you'll seal off the unsealed part of the bag.
Next you'll use your rubber mallet to securely attach the lid to the bucket.
Here you can see the rubber gasket inside a lid. When your lid is pounded down tightly onto the bucket this gasket helps to form an airtight seal.
The final step is labeling your bucket. We write the name of product sealed inside and the date we sealed it on the top of our lids.
And then you're done! Find a cool, dark, dry, temperature controlled space to store the buckets and your food will keep nicely for many years. Most families find that basement space is the most convenient location.
You can use this method for sealing any dried food. We've used it for beans, rice, sugar, and flour so far.
When we are ready to use a food we just cut open the bag and then replace the bucket lid with a gamma seal lid for easy opening and closing. You can find gamma seal lids at many online retailers.
What are some of the ways you store food? Do you have a favorite online retailer of dried foods or food storage equipment?
Edited 8/24/2012 -
Lots of folks have inquired about the mylar bags. The size is 20"x30" and they're a 5 mil food grade bag. The product number from Sorbent Systems is 20VF4C30. The case quantity is 150, but they allow purchases in amounts as low as 10. Of course, the price per bag goes down as your order amount increases. If you can, it's a good idea to make a bulk purchase with friends.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Ant and the Grasshopper
Æsop. (Sixth century B.C.) Fables.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
IN a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”
“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”
“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; “we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food, and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.
Then the Grasshopper knew:
“IT IS BEST TO PREPARE FOR THE DAYS OF NECESSITY.”
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
IN a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”
“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”
“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; “we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food, and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.
Then the Grasshopper knew:
“IT IS BEST TO PREPARE FOR THE DAYS OF NECESSITY.”
Scripture verses of the day
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Frugal food storage
Or how to get food storage buckets on the cheap.
Food grade storage buckets are a critical part of most food storage plans. We use them to store dry beans, rice, flour, sugar, pasta, and wheat. They can be used to store any food, though.
We have a variety of different buckets in our storage, but these are by far the least expensive we've found:
That's because they were absolutely free!
Check with your local bakeries - whether those are independent businesses or bakeries located within larger supermarkets. Most buy their frostings and icings in bulk and then dispose of the buckets afterward.
We'll need to buy lids for them because the original lids won't provide a good seal any longer, but that's a minimal expense and most are just slightly higher than a dollar each.
Do you have any frugal food storage tips? Are there frugal containers that use for your food storage?
Food grade storage buckets are a critical part of most food storage plans. We use them to store dry beans, rice, flour, sugar, pasta, and wheat. They can be used to store any food, though.
We have a variety of different buckets in our storage, but these are by far the least expensive we've found:
That's because they were absolutely free!
Check with your local bakeries - whether those are independent businesses or bakeries located within larger supermarkets. Most buy their frostings and icings in bulk and then dispose of the buckets afterward.
We'll need to buy lids for them because the original lids won't provide a good seal any longer, but that's a minimal expense and most are just slightly higher than a dollar each.
Do you have any frugal food storage tips? Are there frugal containers that use for your food storage?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The first verse I'm pondering today is taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew.
Matthew 7:6
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
And the second series of verses is also taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew.
Matthew 13:9-17
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
This IS the word of the Lord!
Matthew 7:6
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
And the second series of verses is also taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew.
Matthew 13:9-17
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
This IS the word of the Lord!
Cheese in your food storage
While the Hubster and I were grocery shopping this week I found the most amazing and wonderful food. Okay, maybe it's not so amazing and not so wonderful to you, but to me it is.
For some time I've been wanting to add cheese to our food storage, but I'm not a fan of unnatural or overly processed foods so the "cheese" powders that are typically included in food storage just didn't make it into ours.
But now I found real cheese in a jar! It's shelf stable and easily stored.
One jar has been added to our food storage and soon he'll have lots of companions. :)
For some time I've been wanting to add cheese to our food storage, but I'm not a fan of unnatural or overly processed foods so the "cheese" powders that are typically included in food storage just didn't make it into ours.
But now I found real cheese in a jar! It's shelf stable and easily stored.
One jar has been added to our food storage and soon he'll have lots of companions. :)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
This week in the blogosphere
I know, I know - I said this was going to be a Saturday event and here I am a day late. I'm sorry - well, no I'm not really sorry. I have a life and it required my active participation and the blog took a back seat. I guess you'll just have to understand. :)
But here are this week's picks. These are the top ten articles that enlightened, educated, inspired, or just made me happy this week.
1. Homegrown Evolution - Pallet Mania - see a chicken coop built out of pallets.
2. Down to Earth - The genuine article
3. Mama Birth - Burning books
4. The OTTOBRE design blog - Sulo Letters Applique
5. It's all about the hat - Keepin' on
6. Build-it-solar blog - Test of 2 Thermosyphon Solar Water Heating Systems Using Homemade Collectors
7. Crunchy Chicken - Urban homesteading on the rise
8. Fierce Mamas - How Every Mother Can Improve the U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate
9. Heritage Homestead Ramblings - Wild Violet Jelly
10. If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head - Witty comebacks for replying to breastfeeding harassment
11. itty bitty love - Busy hands
12. Living Simply - Creamy Lotion
13. Living with Lindsay - Estimating the Fabric Yardage on a Bolt
14. Mama Birth - Dump the Jerk - Changing Care Providers Before It Is Too Late
15. Mom's Frugal - Have you tried homemade raisin bread?
16. Pink and Green Mama - Displaying Children's Artwork at Home
Okay, so more than 10 were notable. Get over it! Life is not a formula. ;)
But here are this week's picks. These are the top ten articles that enlightened, educated, inspired, or just made me happy this week.
1. Homegrown Evolution - Pallet Mania - see a chicken coop built out of pallets.
2. Down to Earth - The genuine article
3. Mama Birth - Burning books
4. The OTTOBRE design blog - Sulo Letters Applique
5. It's all about the hat - Keepin' on
6. Build-it-solar blog - Test of 2 Thermosyphon Solar Water Heating Systems Using Homemade Collectors
7. Crunchy Chicken - Urban homesteading on the rise
8. Fierce Mamas - How Every Mother Can Improve the U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate
9. Heritage Homestead Ramblings - Wild Violet Jelly
10. If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head - Witty comebacks for replying to breastfeeding harassment
11. itty bitty love - Busy hands
12. Living Simply - Creamy Lotion
13. Living with Lindsay - Estimating the Fabric Yardage on a Bolt
14. Mama Birth - Dump the Jerk - Changing Care Providers Before It Is Too Late
15. Mom's Frugal - Have you tried homemade raisin bread?
16. Pink and Green Mama - Displaying Children's Artwork at Home
Okay, so more than 10 were notable. Get over it! Life is not a formula. ;)
Friday, April 23, 2010
More decluttering accomplished!
Yesterday and the day before I sorted through the books on the bookshelves that are "mine" and came away with three boxes to donate.
I'm slowly but surely making my way through the house and downsizing. This last effort makes a total of eight large boxes of "stuff" that has left our house and went off to local charity thrift stores. Amazing how much we have that we don't need.
I'm slowly but surely making my way through the house and downsizing. This last effort makes a total of eight large boxes of "stuff" that has left our house and went off to local charity thrift stores. Amazing how much we have that we don't need.
Kids Learn Math Easily When They Control Their Own Learning
That's the title of an article by Peter Gray on the blog Freedom to Learn.
It's a fabulous article discussing how children learn mathematics independently and includes contributions from unschooling parents and educators from the Sudbury Valley School.
My favorite part is probably his closing remarks:
"And so, dear parents, please stop worrying about your kids' learning of math. If they are free to play, they are likely to play with math and learn to enjoy its patterns. If they live real lives that involve calculations, they will learn, in their own unique ways, precisely the calculations that they need to live those lives. If they choose to go to college, they can learn quickly--from a test preparation book, program, or tutorial--the specific math tricks necessary to do well enough on college admissions math. If they choose some career that involves math, they will eagerly find ways to learn the specific kinds of math that they need for that career. Your worry is only a hindrance.
And so, dear educators, please step out of your boxes and take a look at these remarkable educational movements--the unschooling and Sudbury movements--and study them to see, from a different point of view, how education can work in such a painless and joyful manner when kids are free and in charge of their own learning. Nobody, at least no student, benefits from the thousands of hours of forced math "study" that we put kids through in our schools. The same amount can be learned in a small fraction of that time by kids who are free."
I know from my own experience with my children who are unschooling that mathematics knowledge comes almost unknowingly.
The baby girl - who is not yet 25 months old - counts to 10 on a regular basis. I doubt she has an idea of the concepts behind mathematics yet, but she loves the repetition and role playing (modeling the big girl's number play).
The big girl, who's about 5 1/2 now walks about the house spouting out addition equations. It's pretty common to hear her say, "Mom, I know what 4 plus 3 equals. It's 7!" or some such similar statement. No one has ever sat down with her and "taught" her how to add numbers. She sees us using addition all throughout our daily lives and she inquired what we were doing. Then she used some educational games we have to further explore the concept of addition. Now she's decided that she wants to explore it through equations.
The boy was traditionally schooled in the public school system through the first semester of ninth grade. He did not attempt any further mathematics study when he came home to learn. He did do some remedial study when the time for taking the ACT was approaching and he realized he needed to meet his goal of college admission. His mathematics score was low, but not significantly lower than the state average. His overall ACT score was high enough to qualify him for application to the college's honor program.
Trust that our children educate themselves. Trust that our Heavenly Father designed us with the intention that we learn and grow and that learning comes from within. Yes, as parents we have a responsibility to provide our children with the tools and experiences they need in order to learn, but it's not necessary for us to force learning on them. In fact, it's likely they'll learn less when not self-motivated.
It's a fabulous article discussing how children learn mathematics independently and includes contributions from unschooling parents and educators from the Sudbury Valley School.
My favorite part is probably his closing remarks:
"And so, dear parents, please stop worrying about your kids' learning of math. If they are free to play, they are likely to play with math and learn to enjoy its patterns. If they live real lives that involve calculations, they will learn, in their own unique ways, precisely the calculations that they need to live those lives. If they choose to go to college, they can learn quickly--from a test preparation book, program, or tutorial--the specific math tricks necessary to do well enough on college admissions math. If they choose some career that involves math, they will eagerly find ways to learn the specific kinds of math that they need for that career. Your worry is only a hindrance.
And so, dear educators, please step out of your boxes and take a look at these remarkable educational movements--the unschooling and Sudbury movements--and study them to see, from a different point of view, how education can work in such a painless and joyful manner when kids are free and in charge of their own learning. Nobody, at least no student, benefits from the thousands of hours of forced math "study" that we put kids through in our schools. The same amount can be learned in a small fraction of that time by kids who are free."
I know from my own experience with my children who are unschooling that mathematics knowledge comes almost unknowingly.
The baby girl - who is not yet 25 months old - counts to 10 on a regular basis. I doubt she has an idea of the concepts behind mathematics yet, but she loves the repetition and role playing (modeling the big girl's number play).
The big girl, who's about 5 1/2 now walks about the house spouting out addition equations. It's pretty common to hear her say, "Mom, I know what 4 plus 3 equals. It's 7!" or some such similar statement. No one has ever sat down with her and "taught" her how to add numbers. She sees us using addition all throughout our daily lives and she inquired what we were doing. Then she used some educational games we have to further explore the concept of addition. Now she's decided that she wants to explore it through equations.
The boy was traditionally schooled in the public school system through the first semester of ninth grade. He did not attempt any further mathematics study when he came home to learn. He did do some remedial study when the time for taking the ACT was approaching and he realized he needed to meet his goal of college admission. His mathematics score was low, but not significantly lower than the state average. His overall ACT score was high enough to qualify him for application to the college's honor program.
Trust that our children educate themselves. Trust that our Heavenly Father designed us with the intention that we learn and grow and that learning comes from within. Yes, as parents we have a responsibility to provide our children with the tools and experiences they need in order to learn, but it's not necessary for us to force learning on them. In fact, it's likely they'll learn less when not self-motivated.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Earth Day Sale at Retro Rags Wisconsin
Retro Rags Wisconsin - cloth pads for your moon cycle
In celebration of Earth Day I'm running a sale over at Retro Rags Wisconsin. Come see our reusable cloth menstrual pads. We have mini pads (great for use with a Diva cup or Keeper), daytime pads, overnight pads, and postpartum pads. Some folks even write to tell me that the postpartum pads work well as incontinence pads.
If you'd like a size that we don't routinely stock we can also design a custom pad for you!
You can take 20% off of your purchases by using coupon code WU20 at checkout.
Also, all orders $75 and over can have free shipping with coupon code FreeShip75 (and yes, you can combine the two offers!)
6" mini pad - great for very low flow days or as a back-up with your Diva cup or Keeper - sells for $5.00
10" pad - great for daytime use on medium to light flow days - sells for $7.00
12" pad - great for heavy flow days or overnight use on light days - sells for $7.00
14" pad - great for heavy flow overnight use, postpartum use, or incontinence use - sells for $8.00
Scripture verses of the day
Philippians 4:12-13
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Food, Inc. showing tonight on PBS
Check your local listings for times!
It will also be available for viewing on the PBS website April 22-29.
If you're homeschooling (or an educator) you can find a Food, Inc. discussion guide at the Center for Ecoliteracy.
There are also have a Food, Inc. movie poster and a Food, Inc. postcard available for download.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
As most of you readers know the big girl has a dairy protein allergy and much of our cooking is dairy-free. Over the past 5 1/2 years I've learned to adapt many conventional recipes into dairy-free recipes.
This Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe is one of those.
Topping:
1/2 cup shortening or coconut oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 - 15oz. can of sliced pineapple
Batter:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening or coconut oil
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
the juice from the can of sliced pineapple (should equal 1 cup)
Melt shortening or coconut oil over low heat in the 9" x 13" baking pan. Add brown sugar and stir until well blended. Arrange pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar mixture. Chill in refrigerator while preparing batter.
Combine batter ingredients in mixer bowl. Beginning on low speed and gradually increase speed until mixing on high.
Spread the batter over the top of prepared pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert pan onto a serving platter and serve warm.
I'd love to be able to show you a picture of the cake all finished and on a platter, but we don't have one large enough so we always just serve the cake straight out of the pan!
Scripture verse of the day
1 John 3:22-24
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
More Beautiful You
I'm on a search for cultural messages that reinforce the message that real women (and real girls) are beautiful. Messages that show us that extreme measures are not needed for us to be beautiful.
Here is a music video by Jonny Diaz
Here is a music video by Jonny Diaz
Monday, April 19, 2010
Spring cleaning - Decluttering Take I
Today was the beginning of The Great Spring Decluttering.
I began with my closet. To be fair in the nearly 9 years we've been in the house it has transitioned from being my closet to being a closet I share with the baby girl, the big girl, and general household storage.
But I managed to get a lot done in less than 2 hours. I moved some of the baby girl's baby stuff into large clear bags and into the attic for storage for the next baby.
I put together five boxes of "stuff" to be donated to local charity thrift shops. It was mostly clothing and shoes that I've decided I probably won't wear again, but there were also some stuff like leather portfolios (from my old working days), a tape recorder, a heating pad, a make-up mirror, picture frames, and other odds and ends I just can't see us putting to good use.
I have some old business stuff from my days as a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant (yeah, I know - what on EARTH was I thinking!?) that I'll pop up on Craig's List to see if I can recoup just a bit of what I spent.
I put together a box of haircare/styling products that I probably won't use again and am getting ready to list it on Freecycle.
And then there were the five or six bags of just trash that I cleaned out. After all, do I really need those 8 year old pair of sneakers with paint splatters? :)
And while I was decluttering I came across some vintage aprons that I had forgotten about. I hung a hook up in one of my pantries and hung the aprons on the hook. Maybe I can delay sewing an apron for myself now that I found two I already owned!
I began with my closet. To be fair in the nearly 9 years we've been in the house it has transitioned from being my closet to being a closet I share with the baby girl, the big girl, and general household storage.
But I managed to get a lot done in less than 2 hours. I moved some of the baby girl's baby stuff into large clear bags and into the attic for storage for the next baby.
I put together five boxes of "stuff" to be donated to local charity thrift shops. It was mostly clothing and shoes that I've decided I probably won't wear again, but there were also some stuff like leather portfolios (from my old working days), a tape recorder, a heating pad, a make-up mirror, picture frames, and other odds and ends I just can't see us putting to good use.
I have some old business stuff from my days as a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant (yeah, I know - what on EARTH was I thinking!?) that I'll pop up on Craig's List to see if I can recoup just a bit of what I spent.
I put together a box of haircare/styling products that I probably won't use again and am getting ready to list it on Freecycle.
And then there were the five or six bags of just trash that I cleaned out. After all, do I really need those 8 year old pair of sneakers with paint splatters? :)
And while I was decluttering I came across some vintage aprons that I had forgotten about. I hung a hook up in one of my pantries and hung the aprons on the hook. Maybe I can delay sewing an apron for myself now that I found two I already owned!
Garden update
So spring has sprung outside and our seedlings are, for the most part, pretty good sized little transplants now.
Most of the tomatoes are actually pretty big transplants. They're a bit more spindley than I'd prefer. If any of you have tips on how to prevent that, I'd appreciate the education.
View of the transplants from the left side
View of the transplants from the right side
Chamomile is flowering already
Another view of the chamomile
Tiny leeks - they FINALLY sprouted
Lamb's ear
I'm trying to decide if I want to take a chance and plant some greens and radishes out in one of the beds. I'm leaning toward giving it a go even though I don't have any coldframes yet. If it fails I'm only out some seed, right?
How are your gardens coming along?
Most of the tomatoes are actually pretty big transplants. They're a bit more spindley than I'd prefer. If any of you have tips on how to prevent that, I'd appreciate the education.
View of the transplants from the left side
View of the transplants from the right side
Chamomile is flowering already
Another view of the chamomile
Tiny leeks - they FINALLY sprouted
Lamb's ear
I'm trying to decide if I want to take a chance and plant some greens and radishes out in one of the beds. I'm leaning toward giving it a go even though I don't have any coldframes yet. If it fails I'm only out some seed, right?
How are your gardens coming along?
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About Me
- MooMama
- A 40 something mama meandering through life with an eclectic 21 year old boy-man (the boy), an 8 year old girl (big girl) who is a ball of lightening, and a 4 year old girl (baby girl) who brightens our lives with her smiles. I'm grounded by my 40 something husband and partner (the hubster) whose quirky mannerisms brighten my days.
I've been a single mama, married mama, divorced mama, career mama, SAHM, and WAHM. There was a short time of my life when I wasn't a mama, but that was a LONG time ago!
I hold an AA, BS, and MA and most say I'm wasting them by devoting my intellectual capabilities and energy in the nurture of the wee ones that I've been entrusted to raise, but there is nothing else I'd rather be doing these days. :)
I love hearing from readers, so please share your thoughts and leave comments, too!