A Momma's Goal...

...ought to include working ourselves out of a job. Mostly. And I think I'm well on my way! Problem is, I don't know that I feel too happy about that, especially when I consider that I don't necessarily want to be without a job. Today the kitchen was decluttered to an immaculate state, dinner made, a quadruple batch of blueberry muffins made and shared, dirty diapers changed, barn stalls cleaned, barn walls repaired...and perhaps more...

...all while I was out with my very younger sister helping her try on her wedding dress, finalize the menu plans and site arrangements, eat a delicious lunch, and find a very meaningful memento for Little One.

Funny how a  noble goal can leave one feeling...well...not very needed.


I'm going to pull a Scarlet O'Hara and think about that tomorrow. For tonight, I'm just going to enjoy my incredibly clean kitchen :)

Farmhouse Giveaway!

Once you've been diagnosed with infertility and treated as such, it's difficult to view oneself as being a mother of many. In fact, even after four children, I still described myself as "infertile" when retelling the story of God's hand of blessing in our family. Eight children later and menopause looming on the horizon, I guess infertile doesn't really describe me anymore...unprepared is more accurate!

In a never-ending search to be taught how to mother and manage (because God isn't finished with me yet), I have found many practical and helpful tips throughout this book. When it came in the mail, I thought the size was odd. Joshua gently pointed out the "encyclopedia/resource" sort of feel to it..."something you'll want to reference".

"Oh...that is so wise..."

So with a big thanks to Vision Forum, this very useful resource is the next farmhouse giveaway! Entering is easy...
1....just pass on to all my followers an organizing/home management tip that has changed your life! Although only one person can be the winner of the book, we can all benefit from our collective tips.
2....post about this giveaway for an additional five entries! (Make sure to let me know!)

Can't wait to hear from you...the winner will be chosen Sunday night!

Hang In There...Help Is On the Way!

I'm not sure what the actual cause is, perhaps there are multiple reasons (which I believe to be the case), but somewhere over time, I have drifted from the momma to a bystander. Not including the shoulder injury/bursitis that has been plaguing me since early summer, or the recent bout with cellulitis that  sent me to the urgent care, it seems that I am forever "behind the eight ball", so to speak. Sleep can be elusive or too short, mornings are almost impossible to face, which means that chores (which seem to be taking forever in the barn) last forever and breakfast merges into lunch. I did uncover a little bit of information recently: it was revealed that the TWINS are practicing square/ballroom dancing down the length of the barn while faithful Lucy is hooked up to the milker!

With some creative input from the Holy Spirit, I have been purging once again in order to create more bedroom space for the littles. While far from done, I'm trying to plug along and reclaim some order. The math alone is staggering...everything times ten: barn boots, winter boots, dress boots, dress shoes, tennis shoes, sandals, flip-flops, something brown, something black, high-tops, low-tops...see what I mean? And that just covers the shoes.

If this sounds like I'm bordering on hopeless, it's close. But just in time one of my beloved mentors (read Titus2 women) is speaking to my heart. My mealtimes have gone from times of discipleship and training, good manners and engaging conversations~even story time~ to mere survival of chaos. Ugh! Thankfully, Auntie Leila offers straight-to-the-heart, no-nonsense help.

If you're struggling right now, join me while we get some practical help to get back on track!
Here's to a peaceful breakfast!

Kathy

It's So Easy To Make Me Happy...

Look at this beautiful pattern! A few weeks ago I won this from my dear friend Linda at Prairie Flower Farm. Linda has a heart of gold and is such an encouragement to me! On top of everything else sweet about her, she adores her chickens too :)


I cannot wait to make this apron! Look at the way it wraps around back without cinching the poor homemaker around the waist! Comfort all the way...
 
Now all I need is to decide what fabric to use...

Farmhouse Skirt Pattern

I've had a few requests for the pattern number to our favorite farmhouse skirt. It's Simplicity 2609 and if you watch your JoAnn Fabric sale paper, you can find it on sale periodically for $.99. What a deal! At that price and for the number of times we've used the pattern, I've picked up a couple. This is a pattern we don't want to live without!

 Here are a few of the skirts we've made, not all mind you, and not including the fabric waiting to be made into yet another beautiful skirt! Grace's red skirt is an experiment using fabric originally destined for a jumper, but converted into the non-tiered skirt on the same pattern. The yoke is the same, but much less cutting, gathering, etc. While it's not our favorite, it is a great pattern to learn on and have instant success.


Don't forget: when extended family is asking about gift ideas for birthdays and Christmas, a fabric store gift card is always a good idea!

Friday on the Farm, Budgeting and A Farmhouse Recipe

Just for a few minutes I'm going to ignore the pressing needs around here! With kidding season, our mess takes on a whole new dimension, which requires supernatural patience on my part! I can tell what my pre-meno emotions are doing just by how I handle the mess and clutter. Most of it just can't be avoided...and the excitement of kidding carries us through much of the chaos, but today, it is CLEANING day, and the sun is shining brightly!!! WOO HOO! At this time of year, every ray of sunshine brings a feeling of hope, and today I'm feeling it.The door was left open and a lovely freshness was in the air...





One thing I am aiming to do is organize my life into a not-so-glamorous-binder-of-sorts. A friend showed me her version, and if I can get it together, it will go with me everywhere. Included will be a section for meals and groceries, and I'm going to make a huge effort to budget. I would define myself as consciencious and careful with spending already, but I'd like to keep track and take it to a new level. I feel so blessed to be able to stay at home to raise our children, but there are days when I feel that I am doing NOTHING to contribute to the financial needs of the home. My sweet husband reminds me that staying home and caring for the children, educating them, making wise and careful purchases, repurposing and reusing...all the these things DO contribute and help relieve him greatly. So, with that in mind, I'd like to improve in whatever way I can.




Making my own laundry soap this past year has been a step in the right direction, hanging my laundry is a beauty all it's own that saves over time, and making our own food reaps nutritional and financial benefits. We've received multiple bags of rolled oats which we use for home-made granola. My kiddos are loving it, (I'm always encouraged when they like something I make!) so I'm passing on another farmhouse favorite. It's inexpensive, easy, and has no preservatives.

Farmhouse Granola

1 c. butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. honey

Melt in a large pan in the oven at 350. Add:

2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

Stir together, then add:

12 c. oats

1 1/2 c. coconut

1 1/2 c. almonds (or any nut of your choice)

1-2 c. graham cracker crumbs

(a new secret ingredient that isn't necessary, but is good)

Stir well, then bake 15-20 minutes, depending on how brown you like it. I stir it every 5-7 minutes, and we don't let it get too brown. Enjoy!

The Famous Cinnamon Rolls!

If you've ever been at the farm for a Saturday morning, you may have been treated to the Famous Cinnamon Rolls .

For those of you that may never make it here, I'm sharing the recipe for you to enjoy with your family. It's more work than Pillsbury, but there is no comparison to that "down on the farm" taste...and the satisfaction of being able to bake something so delicious...well, I think it's a dying art! So have fun~your family will be so glad you did!

Regan Family Farm's Famous Cinnamon Rolls

Mix together in mixing bowl:
2 1/2 c. flour

1 T. yeast

Heat gently to 115-120 degrees:

1 c. milk

1/3 c. butter

1/3 c. sugar

1 t. salt

Add to flour mixture. Blend. then add:

3 slightly beaten farm fresh eggs

Mix well.

Add an additional 2 c. flour to make sticky but manageable dough. Mix for 6-7 minutes. Let rise until doubled.

While rising, mix the following:

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter

1 peeled and finely chopped apple

When dough is finished rising, roll out on lightly floured surface into large rectangle. Spread with brown sugar mixture and sprinkle with apple.

Raisins and nuts are optional, though we never use them!

Roll the dough starting with the long edge, then cut into 12 or 16 pieces, depending on personal preference. Place in a greased 9x13" pan. Here is a trick for the greedy ones that always want the center: after cutting into pieces, take the end slices and place in the center two spots in the pan. I work my way out from there...no need to punish the people who end up with the corner rolls, as they get the most goo!

Cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours. Uncover, and let sit for 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, and I'm sorry to say, I go by sight and smell here. Just don't overbake! Rolls can be inverted after out of the oven for a minute or so, or served from the pan.

We make a buttercream frosting and spread when warm. Enjoy!



For all my dear friends who commented on my previous post, THANK YOU for your kind and helpful comments. Though my progress was interrupted due to another back injury, as of tonight I have given away four large bags of children's clothing and thrown a couple of unnecessary items out. More is on it's way!

Kindred Homemakers Needed...

The days following Christmas invigorate me. There is a fresh enthusiasm for purging, cleaning, organizing, and eliminating (treats, of course) and an overall feeling of starting anew. With a certain excitement I began decluttering today, which inevitably led to twirling. Does anyone else twirl when they clean? I found myself bouncing from one area to another, from one pile to another pile. Frustration quickly grew and the excitement escalated to irritation.

My parents were born post-depression and with that came a gift of...collecting...or saving...or hoarding...or just plain PACKRAT-like behavior. I know that during the 1960's in the early years of their marriage, it probably kept them alive. In the 1970's recession, it kept us clothed and fed with a roof over our heads, and by the 1980's we had absorbed two additional households due to inheritance, and though we didn't need to continue to save for the inevitable-yet-unforseen (ever) future need, by then it was an inescapable habit.

Fast forward to my life as a homemaker, and I face a dilemna: what is responsible frugality? Though I swore against it, I confess, with shame, that I have accumulated and held on to far more than I ought to own. There is one source of my frustation. I have gadgits and widgits and chotchkies that I look at, decide I don't need or haven't touched/used in "forever", then in that split second of hesitation, I default to "Kath, the frugal homemaker...trying to be fiscally responsible and help with the finances". I begin to imagine that I could be saving money if someday I need this particular item. IF seems to be key, but it feels almost like a sickness...some disease gone crazy! Truth is, I apparently don't need much, because I save at a faster rate than I seem to use!I hate the indecision of accumulating clutter because I just can't decide what to get rid of, or if I should save for a potential need.

I need help! I'm looking for other kindred homemakers given to the ideas of frugality, repurposing, reusing, etc., who also have an understanding of simplicity and orderliness to help free me from the bondage of over-accumulation. I love the idea of making our home lovely and welcoming without filling it with clutter (besides, I'm living in a farmhouse with no storage space). So I'm looking for ideas to bring balance...beauty without bondage...simplicity without surplus.

Be brutally honest with me...I can handle it.

Late For This Year Or Early For Next?

A truism for every day around the farm...Give Thanks

While bustling around the kitchen with family and friends Thanksgiving Day, I set to "work" two daughters and two creative sisters. This is a classic for me...I get an idea (usually plagerized; but isn't that what Martha Stewart encourages?), gather the supplies, and then it never quite comes to fruition.

So in the midst of our chaos, why not try to complete that craft project???

It began with felt squares of various "earthy" colors, and a selection of natural do-dads for the letters and embellishments. Some were purchased for convenience and cleanliness (I didn't feel right about using chicken feathers), and the rest were gathered from the farm.


A casing was created by hot-gluing the top over approximately two inches, squares arranged in preferred color order, and the creativity began to emerge! The letters are beautiful and homey and original. One of my favorite touches...the letters are strung with baler twine scavenged from the barn. Credit goes to my dear sister for making the twine into a piece of art.



The real beauty, however, is the message:



GIVE THANKS

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

Psalm 106:1

A Farmhouse Entry Transformed...

After five years, the girls (my sisters and mom) came up and helped me conquer the entry to our farmhouse. Scraping paint, pulling up awful indoor/outdoor carpet, staining the cement floor, and a new coat of paint all around has made a world of difference.

This is me, one chilly day, putting the finishing touches around the floor. A friend found me, and made himself comfortable.

I didn't expect to like black, but I actually love it!

Isn't this awful??? Amazing what a little clean-up can do to encourage the soul!

Rice Bags!

When I posted on meaningful tasks and making a rice bag, I completely neglected to describe what we were doing, and what exactly a rice bag is used for. Farmgirlcyn asked for more information, so here it is.
The rice bag is used in the same way Laura Ingalls used a hot iron or potato. In our cold farmhouse, we heat the rice bag before going to bed, and it does an amazing job of chasing the cold out of the bed (at least down by our feet!). It can also be used for sore, aching muscles, or on the abdomen for cramps. Every time I go to the hospital to have a baby, my rice bag goes along! It is great for a laboring momma...
There is no science here. Just cut a square or rectangle of fabric (cotton) the size desired, sew it along 3 1/2 sides, then fill with rice. Keep in mind the weight of rice when determining the size. I added a couple drops of lavender essential oil on the tines of a fork and mixed it around in the rice. Stitch the opening, and enjoy!
These make great gifts...simple, inexpensive, and useful.
Over time we notice that the rice loses it's ability to retain heat, so replacement is necessary after many, many uses.

On Hay and Applesauce...

We're off to a rainy start for October, and chilly enough to have a fire in the wood stove, though we won't do that for another couple of weeks. Hopefully we'll be stacking wood this weekend in preparation for the winter. We weren't really grasshoppers this summer, but I do feel behind with our wood. On the positive side, we (Okay, the children and Uncle Patrick) unloaded our final wagon of hay into the barn today, so that is one job DONE for the year. I was also blessed with a visit from two of my sisters, and making applesauce was top of the list...so that is done too!

I know I'm not the only one that enjoys a delicious apple pie in this autumn weather, so after a long day of making sauce, we indulged in a family favorite~

Picture courtesy of google :)

Dutch Apple Pie

2/3 c. sugar

2T. flour

1/8 t. salt

1-2 t. lemon juice

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. cinnamon

6-7 c. apples

Mix ingredients in bowl, pour into pie crust. This can be used as a two crust pie, or make the crumb topping:

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. plus 2T. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

dash of salt

1/2 c. butter

Mix; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of pie, bake at 425 F for 40-50 minutes, or at 375 F for 50 minutes.

The recipe is easy! Gather the children and have fun making memories, learning the art of pie-making, and enjoying the work of your hands!

Laundry Soap - Take 2

I've modified my laundry soap recipe. There are many to choose from online, but this one is so simple to make, and very inexpensive.

4c. hot water

1 bar of soap (goats' milk, or Kirk's castille-coconut based)

1c. washing soda (I used Arm & Hammer)

1/2c. Borax

Grate bar of soap into pan with 4c. water. Stir on low/medium heat until soap melts. Fill a five gallon bucket 1/2 full with water. Add melted soap, soda and Borax, stirring until all is dissolved. Fill bucket to the top with more hot water, stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken. Add essential oil to the cooled gel. I used one teaspoon of lavender.

The original recipe: After the gel cools, fill a used laundry dispenser 1/2 full with the liquid soap the fill the rest with more water. I think that is too much water. By not diluting the gel again, I know I reduce the total savings, but I really didn't think I was cleaning the clothes well enough.

Inspired

I'm not sure if visiting other blogs tonight was an encouragement, or a disaster. In my mind I live in a delightfully charming, vintage farmhouse that is welcoming to friends and restful for family. There is an imagined peacefulness and serenity within the walls ~ autumn decor is even gracing the rooms and gardens are weed-free! Reality is...more than I can seem to manage. Truth is, I am overwhelmed with toys, clothes, stuff, papers, books, and on the list goes. So while I'm tempted to despair, I'm going to pray for creative ideas, extra energy, and decisiveness in eliminating. I function better in an organized space so that remains my goal, especially as our days will be more focused now, and less "summertime free". Meanwhile, thankfulness is my focus, making memories for a lifetime is priority, and delighting in my children is...well, it's just plain good..

How did I forget?

Not certain that I have any pull with this blogger I hope you all have time to enter this giveaway! How could I forget to post about my own daughter sharing this fantastic gift???

Grace in the Kitchen!

One of my simple joys is helping Grace learn home-making skills, especially in the kitchen. This is easy-to-follow, and delicious!

Peaches and Cream Pie

Graham cracker crust

1/3 c graham cracker crumbs ~ 1/4c melted margarine ~ 1/4t nutmeg ~

Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Cool.

Line with fresh sliced peaches

Filling -

Cream together 8oz cream cheese ~ 1 can sweetened cond. milk ~ beat until smooth ~ Add 1/3c lemon juice ~ and 1t vanilla ~ Cover with more sliced peaches ~ Chill until firm ~

Hamburger or Helper?

I've been MIA for a bit now, and with reason. But for the moment, our good news is that we are expecting! Finally, just before she was converted to hamburger, Lucy our Jersey cow, is with calf...and not a month too soon. I was starting to plan my meals...

On gardening, we've finally begun to cheer things up around here with flowers! Last week's blessing was finding cutting geraniums for $1 each...a significant savings :) So, on a beautiful day, out we went to create some lovely areas, which were much needed. Isn't it encouraging and fun to see the little ones so excited about work?

Courtesy...

"...it is through the many small tendernesses that are a consequence of good manners that we demonstrate our respect and esteem to others." Karen Andreola

I love good manners! As a child, we were taught to chew with our mouths closed...my dad always held the door for the women of the family (and anyone else)...we were taught to anticipate a need even before there was mention of it...the table was set properly...respect was shown to elders...preference was shown to guests...we learned to take care of eachother's things...girls went first...I even remember the boy cousins STANDING when my sister's and I entered the room! So where have I gone wrong?? It often seems it's all I can do to get through a meal, never mind reminding the guys to hold the chairs for the girls...to wait for the women to be seated...to be moderate in our portions...to offer to others first...to ask to be excused...to take the plates of others. Instead I'm serving, answering, directing, correcting, feeding the baby, disciplining the toddler, reminding the child, rebuking the teen...all at the same time! Did I mention reading another chapter of our read-aloud? Oh, and the Bible stories that we are now sketching...

I'm not quitting though...etiquette is important, and a caring home atmosphere WILL influence our children to be more servant-minded, and more like our Savior.

On Communication...

...does my home provide an atmosphere in which opinions are freely shared and discussion is open? Do I listen patiently and attentively, giving gentle encouragement? From Hints on Child Training by Henry Clay Trumble (p.152):

A parent loses his opportunity for good to his child, if he fails to have sympathy with this child in that child's weakness and follies and misdoings. It is in every child's nature to long for sympathy at the point where he needs it most; and when he has done wrong, or has indulged evil thoughts, or is feeling the force of temptation, he is glad to turn to some one stronger and better than himself, and make confession of his faults and failures. If as he comes to his parents at such a time, he is met with manifest sympathy, he is drawn to his parents with new confidence and new trust.

My nature is such that I forget the tender ages and needs of my children, and for the sake of time and efficiency (my selfish motives) I really just need everyone to fall in line. Over the years, having been introduced to the writings of Mr. Trumble, I have so appreciated the reminder to have this tender sympathy for my children, and also to encourage them to have that tender sympathy for eachother.

More on Atmosphere...

Continuing the post on the atmosphere of the home, there is something (or someone) who must be present in the home in order to insure that children are properly inspired. That person is mother. She is that loving someone who makes a house a home, that irreplaceable foundation. Much has been said to elevate the position of career-minded, materialistic women (and men who support them), but thankfully there are many taking a stand in defense of the role of mother in the home to nurture, support, and teach. What an encouragement to be part of this counter-culture return to young women learning and embracing the ways of homemaking, mothers pouring their lives into their children, fathers sacrificing in order to keep mothers home, even young men esteeming young ladies who have their hearts fixed on preparing a home for their future husband and children. Don't underestimate the lasting effect of a mother in the home to provide that life-supporting atmosphere.