the joy…the journey…the job…

Today the last set of chicks for this year arrived!  They are so cute the first couple of weeks and as you can see in the last photo not so cute after that.

Sorry the last picture is hard to see, but the bigger chick was NOT happy.  It did not want to pose for a photo op…

But I wanted to show you just how fast the broilers grow.  The age difference is only 5 weeks.  The bigger chicken is only average in size–it was the easiest to catch.

Smile

When I started this blog my goal was record my family’s journey through life.  Sadly, I have missed most of the summer.  But I had an idea…  I can use the photos from this summer to remind me and maybe capture just a little of the summer of 2009.  Nothing spectacular has happened but life is great here in my little world and I do not want to forget.

We will start with my birthday!  I had forgotten until this picture popped up.

My Birthday Tea

The Princess planned for several days just what was going to happen on my day.  I was turning 31 and the poor children remembered I had not handled 30 very well, so they proceeded to make my day special.  She asked her daddy to bring home Chinese for dinner.  I was instructed to NOT get out of bed in the morning.  As I lay there I could hear (around 6:30 am) breakfast being prepared.  Then it appear.  Eggs, toast, milk, coffee and a small vase of flowers from the yard.

For lunch we had a tea party with the table set and candle light.  During our lovely tea we decided to resurrect our tradition of tea in the afternoon.  We have a lot of lovely memories of tea time. Laughter, books read, storytelling and time shared.

Later that day the Princess made brownies for her chocolate-loving mother.  One thing I had never told her–a small “t” is for teaspoon and not TABLESPOON.  When the brownies were served we all knew something was wrong, but I was not saying a word.  Her oldest brother on the other hand was mad!  He wanted to know why she picked a brownie recipe he HATED because he had wanted brownies too.  Never did is occur to either of them that maybe there was a problem with the amounts added to the bowl!  So in the end, the Princess was happy that her brother thought she was such a good cook she could not have made a mistake, he was happy to know she did not pick a recipe he hated, and I was happy to get a new pan of brownies!

When Luke made it home with dinner, we had dinner and a movie!  I do not remember which movie we watched–something we have seen many times I am sure.  What I do remember is the love my family expressed that day.  Watching all they could accomplish together without prompting was encouraging.  I pray I can make their days just as special.

Smile

I have a problem.  It is a good problem to have, if I have to have a problem.  I have too much food in my freezer!  Maybe you are laughing but it is a problem when you are purchasing a quarter of a VERY large beef.  Some time before the end of August we will be picking up about 200 lbs of beef.  It will have to have home in the freezer, although I am sure dh would be happy to consume the majority of it the first day!  You know just to get it off my hands…

This summer I have put up 3 gallons of tomato juice, lots of small bags of tomato paste, 2 bushel of corn on the cob (mother and brother assisted greatly in that), 8 gallons of blueberries, LOTS of squash, a five gallon bucket of okra, a five gallon bucket of green beans and I think I may be missing something–it is getting late–oh, yes.  Our broilers…I think there are about 14 in here right now.  There was already some other veggies and meat in there.  My freezers are full.

Want to know why I do not have exact count of what is in there???  Why I say 5 gallon bucket instead of quart???  Because I was soooooooooooo tired by the time I was finished I could not count them!!!!  But that is a story for another time…

Eating For the Freezer:

Baking:  Whole Wheat Flat bread and Whole Wheat French bread–first time trying ww french bread

Breakfast–served with fruit smoothie

~Eggs in a basket 2x

~Bread Pudding (bread that needs a use since it did not turn out so well)

~Baked Oatmeal (not from freezer)

~Granola (not from freezer) 2x

~Breakfast casserole (cooked sausage from freezer)

Lunch–served with friut and veggie on side

~One lunch with friend–I am taking whole wheat bread, fruit, Hummus and blackbean hummus (both are from the freezer so I will try them to see if they are good after they defrost–do not know what freezing does to hummus)

~Raw Mediterranean Soup Gazpacho (not from the freezer but using produce I have on hand)

~Mac-A-Roni and Cheese (straight from a box I am ashamed to say but the children are BEGGING and have been for weeks)

~Fried Rice

~Toasted Egg Sandwiches

~Casserole Surprize 2x (in freezer–I think there are two!) 

Dinner: Served with bread and salad

~Beef and Barley Vegetable Soup

~Stir Fry (lots of veggies from the freezer)

~Salisberry Steak, Baked Patotoes, and Fried okra (meat and okra from freezer)

~Italian Veggie Dish (I am going to add some already cooked ground beef from the freezer and call it done!  I have produce on hand.)

Pizza (I will use some of the chopped/frozen peppers I have in freezer for the adult pizza)

Tacos (meat from the freezer)

Chicken and Red Gravy w/ squash casserole (squash from the freezer)

Check out more menus over at the Organizing Junkie.

I am attempting to organize school this weekend.  That is my FOCUS!!!  I have to remind myself of that little fact.  But that is a story for another day….I am focusing….on school and not on blogging or my herbal course or the messy house or…..

So in my focused state I found a couple of link sI thought some of you might find helpful!

Free Notebooking Pages

Chart Jungle (also free)

Now off to water the garden, wash dishes, feed the crew and then back to my focal point of the weekend!!!!!

Smile

Do you remember these chickens???

Well, they FINALLY decided to lay eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have TWO days today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have checked EVERY DAY since they turned 15 weeks and they are 19weeks today.  It was getting rather depressing.  I promised treats, I threatened to make dumplings with them, I fed them lots of yummy produce, I fed them lots of layer feed, I let them out in the yard everyday to get their fill of bugs and grass, but nothing was working!  By the way I am using the term “I” VERY loosely.  The children tend to the chickens I just supervise!  And Luke constructed the coop…

Smile

I have attempted for the last year or so to make improvements in what we consume–more on that later.  Currently I am attempting to incorporate real foods following the guidelines from Naturally Healthy Cuisine by Shonda Parker and Vickilynn Haycraft.   This is a process.  All bread products will be whole wheat (except the macaroni). Everything except the cheese, pepperoni, and pasta are made in my kitchen from scratch so I know what is really in there.  Just so you know I did not raise the meat either!  Here is a quick menu for the upcoming week.

Baking:  Whole wheat bread (will try new recipe from the book), granola, crackers (I will post the recipe when I decide on one) and tortillas.

Breakfast:

Yogurt and Toast (2x)

Eggs w/ Toast and Fruit (2x)

Granola (2x)

Breakfast Casserole

Lunch:

(served with a salad and fruit)

Spicy Cucumber Soup

Sandwiches (Egg or Grilled Cheese) (2x)

Pepperoni Rolls

Quinoa Primavera

Hummus/Salsa/Crackers

Leftovers

Snack:

Most days it will be a fruit smoothie or chocolate shake so I can hide spinach and flax!  Even though they know it is there they do not taste it!!

Crackers and Cheese

Dinner:

(served with a salad and one other vegetable)

Grilled Ribs w/Salad/Sauteed Veggies/Bread

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Pizza

Brown Rice and Chicken

Tacos/Refried Beans/Rice

Leftovers

Check out tons of others menus over at The Organizing Junkie.  Check back later this week–I will be posting some of the recipes, reflections, how the school planning is going and letting you know about the Naturally Healthy course the ladies in my family are taking!

Smile