Susan's Homespun Life

Affording Kids- MamaBaig On The Air

2011-03-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

I started my own internet radio show called "MamaBaig On The Air." Today I interviewed Cindy, mother of 11 children.

Listen to internet radio with Susan FierroXBaig on Blog Talk Radio

A Bit of Politics

2011-02-05T02:18:00.000-08:00

I got into a discussion on Facebook about Hannity. Most of my friends like him. I can't stand him. Here's some of what I said:

It's more than not liking his persona. There are so many words that I can use to describe him and one is redundant. And yes, he's rude, talks over people, but more than that I just don't see any depth to him. I feel like he is all fake and just spinning, spewing.

And I just don't like many of his views/ politics. Of course, I don't agree with all of Obama's either.

Susannah, I am glad you stopped listening to Rush (because of the way he talks about the poor!) I wish that you would get annoyed by Hannity's way of calling everyone who agrees with him a good American and all those who disagree are dubbed unpatriotic.

I have expressed to you how I hate politics. There isn't any politician that I agree enough with to say that I really like anyone right now. But I do know the people that I DON'T like. I searched the web to try to find others who shared my thoughts about Hannity because I stopped listening to him long ago and couldn't really think of the exact things that he has said that I disagree with or specific instances.

The following viewpoint is one that expresses some of the conclusions I have about Hannity:
http://www.therationalradical.com/talk_shows/sean-hannity.htm

I found the following article that I pretty well agree with (I even agree with the point about Gingrich):

http://blog.nj.com/njv_robert_a_hayzer/2008/10/sean_hannity_metroarea_conserv.html

I think I would like to try listening to Michael Medved and see how much I can agree with him.

It amazes me that I disagree strongly with my dearest friends. I wonder how this can be? I am also stumped by couples like Shriver and Shwartzeneger or Carville and Matalin. How can they manage? I mean how you can love someone and not love their politics/values/beliefs? I REALLY don't like most republican politicians. Yet, I don't completely agree with Dems, maybe I just seem to agree with them more? Maybe I should actually tally which side I agree with the most? Maybe I disagree with both equally?

It's interesting to me that if you take Fox and CNN I wouldn't say that I completely agree with either, but I definitely feel more comfortable with CNN.

I read an article about a Dem. woman who started dating a Rep. man. I thought this was funny: "What's preferable—someone who is a complete ass or someone who votes for a complete ass?"

I took this quiz http://politicalquiz.net/ It said I am a social moderate, moderate capatilist, and a pacifist.

I like this explanation of a moderate:
http://www.moderate-america.com/?p=6

And this is really good too (I like #2 most):
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=moderate

Roger Ebert's Defining Words

2011-01-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

I read this Esquire article about Roger Ebert and was touched to the core. I was so moved by the rawness of life and once again reminded how every moment here on earth is to be treasured despite all the crap, unfairness, pain, suffering, harsh realities. There were a few lines that Ebert said that really touched me. First of all he spoke about not being afraid to die. It really hit me because I am afraid to die.

I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear, he writes in a journal entry titled "Go Gently into That Good Night." I hope to be spared as much pain as possible on the approach path. I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state. What I am grateful for is the gift of intelligence, and for life, love, wonder, and laughter. You can't say it wasn't interesting. My lifetime's memories are what I have brought home from the trip.

I am afraid to die. I wish I could just absorb Ebert's thoughts deep into every cell and alter my DNA permanently so I'd never forget it and always live it.

I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.

I resolve to try harder to contribute joy to the world.

My Thoughts on the Proposed Lower Manhattan Mosque

2010-08-17T01:17:00.000-07:00

For years I have sat in church and listened to many lessons on forgiveness. During nearly every lesson each teacher has illustrated their lesson by recounting the story of the forgiving Amish community whose children were shot to death by an "English," or non-Amish, gunman.

Indeed, the prompt forgiveness extended to the man who murdered the innocent Amish children has been set as an exemplar for other Christians to follow. A book and movie have even been made in order for all to learn more of their capacity to forgive.

This week in the news there has been much discussion about the proposed establishment of a Muslim mosque in Lower Manhattan near the cite of the Twin Tower bombings. Many people have spoken in outrage and disgust over this. One woman stated in an interview that she spat on the ground in the location of the proposed Mosque. Many politicians have said they oppose it, while in the same breath embracing the 14th amendment which guarantees Americans the right to religious freedom.

I was disappointed that even Mike Huckabee, whose viewpoint I often agree with, spoke out harshly against the mosque.

Listening to the news broadcasts today brought the example of forgiveness that the Amish have set to my mind. You see, what has been lauded most about their story is that the extent of their forgiveness enabled their community to not only not hate the man who shot their children, but to reach out to his family, taking his widow food, hugs and gifts. They even went so far as to contribute to a fund for the shooters family.

One writer shared his thoughts in the article entitled, Why the Amish Forgive So Quickly. He stated:

In mainstream society, retribution is a taken-for-granted right. Around the world, names of deities are often invoked to fuel cycles of revenge generation after generation.

In refreshing contrast, rather than using religion to bless and legitimize revenge, the Amish believe that God smiles on acts of grace that open doors for reconciliation.

I wondered today just how many Christians, whom admire the Amish for their willingness to forgive, may find the capacity within themselves to forgive Muslims for the Twin Tower bombings?

It seems to me, by the hostile reactions to this proposed mosque, that forgiveness has not been extended to all of the Muslims in our country and around the world who had nothing to due with the terrorist attack. Rather, there is much hate, anger and retaliation being aimed at those of their faith.

If Christian Americans were to follow the example of the Amish, they would reach out to their fellow Muslim citizens and extend an olive branch, and offerings that would breach the painful act of terror and reconcile two communities.

With this spirit, Lower Manhattan could become a place where Americans of different faiths could come together to learn about tolerance, forgiveness, grace, and charity, instead of it becoming a symbol and site of religious retribution.

2010-08-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

My baby is now 2 1/2 and potty trained! My husband oversaw the training. He was so eager to save money by not having to buy diapers that he spent a whole day sitting next to the toilet with our son.

The next day I went out and bought him some Spiderman underwear. I was disappointed that I couldn't find any training pants, the old fashioned kind of underwear that are padded. I guess these days they have been replaced with "Pullups."

Personally, I detest Pullups and have never used them on my 7 children. I believe that they defeat the purpose, and it seems to me that most toddlers would rather soil their Pullup than spend the effort to go on the toilet.

And boy does potty training take effort on the part of parents, siblings, and the child! I am so glad that our toddler caught on quickly and he now takes his underwear off himself, gets on the toilet, or stands at the toilet, flushes it, gets dressed and even washes his hands on his own (most of the time!!)

He did have some accidents at first, however. And he also went through some emotional or psychological mourning over losing his diaper and departing with his waste. The first two days wearing underwear were great for him. By the third day he wanted his diaper back. He didn't soil it, he just wanted to wear it. He even undid the velcro fasteners when it was time to go to the bathroom. Fortunately, he is back in the underwear during the day and just to be safe, I put a diaper on him at bed time.

Now if he'd just stop messing with his wee most of the day things would be perfect! I guess in underwear he is more aware of a certain part of his body than when he is wearing a diaper. I guess in time this too shall pass ;)

A Plea to All of My Freedom Loving Republican Friends

2010-08-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

Just when we were nearly convinced that all Republicans are either racist, blinded by fear (just like the citizens baited by Hitler,) or very short-sighted, Connie Mack gives us a ray of hope:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/13/AR2010051304351.html

For months I have sat back and listened to my friends, who all happen to be white Republicans, speak out against Obamacare and the attack on our constitution. I've heard them say how we need to fight the tide of socialism, fight for our country's freedom.

All the while I have watched the news footage of Tea Party members carrying monkeys and holding up signs telling Obama to go back to Kenya. I've listened to stories of racism: a mural of a Latino child that Republicans wanted "whitenized;" a story of a Latino man who served his country in the armed forces and when he went to a Tea Party rally he was told to "go home."

(His country is America, by-the-way.)

I watched the footage of Shirley Sherrod and nearly cried as I listened to her story and the racism perpetuated against her, her family and her people 45 years ago. I was saddened to think of such suffering in the past, long ago when things were different than today, in modern America, 2010.

But then it hit me, maybe things aren't so different. Maybe the pendulum is swinging back and the types of atrocities that happened in Shirley Sherrod's day will happen again. Maybe even the types of things that happened to the Japanese after World War II or the types of things that happened when Hitler ruled Germany.

For months I have been arguing with myself, in defense of the Republican party. After all, almost all of my friends are Republicans. I have argued that my friends couldn't be racist since they are my friends. If they aren't racist, then how can they be so zealous about the Arizona Law? The Arizona law allows police to arrest people that they suspect aren't citizens.

I keep hearing those in favor of the law say that the law won't cause racial profiling. Well, I wonder how that is so? I mean the law was instigated by Mexicans crossing the border illegally and supposedly overtaking American's jobs and it was instigated by the fear that jihadist Muslims are infiltrating the country via the Mexican border. So tell me, please, who are the police going to suspect aren't citizens? My guess is they will suspect people who look like me.

The Arizona Law scares me. It doesn't scare any of my Republican friends. But then again, they are all white and I am not. My children are brown and look "foreign." Their children are white and look "American."

Now, how did that happen? Weren't the original Americans brown-skinned and the immigrants from other countries all white? Boy times have changed haven't they?

So all of my dear friends don't have to be concerned for their freedoms or their children's freedom when it comes to the Arizona law. But what about mine? If they were truly my friends, and truly not biased when it comes to race, then wouldn't their fight for the constitution include the fight against the Arizona law?

I have to wonder why when it comes to Obamacare they sure get heated up about our freedom but when it comes to the Arizona Law they are all for it! Maybe my friends, whom I've always considered deep thinkers, are being duped by the propagandists just as surely many of the 60% of Americans who support the law are.

I watched my kids walking down the street a couple of months ago. They were walking with some other Hispanic teen age boys. As I watched this group of 5 brown-skinned boys walking down the street laughing, carrying no proof of citizenship, it hit me that if they were in Arizona a police officer could ask for their papers and if they didn't have any on them they could be arrested. If Republicans have their way every state may end up with the same law.

That scares me!

Over the months I have reasoned on behalf of my friends and my fellow citizens that not all white Republicans are racist. Many white folks fought for people of color's rights during the Civil Rights movement. Many fought against slavery.

But there were many who stood by and did nothing. Who were satisfied that they had their freedom. Who turned a blind eye and lived quite contentedly.

Indeed, I recall that many people were convinced by Hitler that the Jews needed to be eradicated because they were a threat to the Germans. Fear caused the average German citizen to elect Hitler and stand by while their neighbors were given stars to wear on their arms to signify that they were of a different race.

No, our government isn't passing out stars... yet.

I thought this sign was a relic of the past. I hope it is not a symbol of the future.

As hate mongers like Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Bill O'reilly, Sean Hannity and the rest of them, are spewing their propaganda and laws like the Arizona Law are being passed, racists are feeling emboldened and crimes against Hispanics are on the rise.

Not only are crimes on the rise against Hispanics, disdain is, too. These types of things are drawing the ire of one race against all others. As I have protested on behalf of my Republican friends, I have experienced that ire and disdain.

My husband and I have a baking business. We take our baked goods to several stores. Every delivery includes different goods based on what I feel like baking. A few months ago I decided to make one of my personal favorite treats, Mexican Sweet Bread. My husband warned me not to as we live in middle America, where it is predominantly white. I assured him that the people in this area were tolerant people who appreciated diversity.

Imagine my surprise when one of the stores requested that we not bring the Mexican Sweet Bread again. It wasn't because they had tried and didn't like it. None of the breads that I took to that store were bought.

Would they have protested Irish bread, or Swedish bread, or Amish bread? I doubt it. Their refusal to sell Mexican Sweet Bread was based on the political correctness of racism pervading America, today, in 2010.

How depressing that Republicans are allowing this to happen. And they are allowing it. Let me give you an example. When Connie Crowley interviewed Republican Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnel, she asked him if the posters at the Tea Party rallies made him uncomfortable.

His response floored me. He chuckled! He chuckled and said that all sorts of things make him uncomfortable on the right and the left. He didn't take a stand and condemn the behavior that a supposed "minority" of Tea Party members exhibited. He didn't take the opportunity to stand up against this kind of race based b.s.

Thankfully, just as my husband and I were really feeling saddened by the current status of race relations in America, Connie Mack made our day! Finally, a Republican who searched his heart and is willing to speak out and state what is plainly evident:

The latest issue freedom-loving conservatives should be concerned about is the Arizona immigration law.

This law clearly challenges citizens' freedoms, and it does so by putting some Americans at risk of losing their freedoms while others stand little or no chance of being affected.

To all of my Republican friends I plead you to apply all your zeal for freedom and protecting the constitution to the fight against the Arizona law and others like it that are being passed across America. Please help preserve my rights, my husband's rights, my children's rights, and all of the other brown-skinned citizens, who like us, love America.

My husband has warned me that I shouldn't post this. He's afraid I'll lose my friends. I tell him that I'm confident my friends can handle hearing my opinion. I guess we'll see if he's right or not.

Migrant Mother Photos by Dorthea Lange

2009-08-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Anytime I start to get down about our house not being finished or by all the work I need to do in caring for my seven children, I just need to recall this photo of a migrant farm working mother taken by Dorthea Lange.

I found this photo while looking through Lange's photos available online. What a blessing to have these images at our fingertips. I was amazed to realize that Lange took one of her most famous photos (pictured below) in Nipomo, California, which is a town in the area where I grew up. It is especially meaningful as my family were migrant farm workers also.

Though there are many photos of Lange's that I love, I think this one of this mother nursing her baby is my favorite. Isn't is amazing?

To see more of Lange's photos, google her name or follow this link.

Chiggers

2009-07-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

We moved to Missouri in the winter. It was a mild winter and we were pleased with it. Then spring came and I was in love with the countryside and couldn't be happier. Even early summer was wonderful as we didn't find the humidity all that daunting as we were warned we would. But then, around mid-July everything changed as the chiggers came out of dormancy. I learned then that the chiggers are what puts the Misery in Missouri.

Photo: Unscratched chigger bite. It is different than other bites because it can be blister like.

Never heard of a chigger? Well I can tell you about them. They are so small that you can't even see them. Whenever you go outside you'll like pick some up. They crawl on you, unbeknownst to you of course, and usually make their way to areas that the sun don't shine on. They generally like to burrow and lay their eggs in your skin under anything that is tight fitting like socks, underwear, your bra, or watch. But not always. They'll deposit their little babies just about anywhere they can on your body. And they itch like crazy for days until the little larvae hatch and exit your skin. LOVELY!

Chiggers and ticks have made it so I don't want to garden late summer. And that's one of the main reasons we moved to the country!

The frustrating thing about them is that even people who douse themselves with bug spray containing Deet claim that chiggers aren't always repelled. Since I prefer not to use such chemicals I've been trying to use Avon's Skin-So-Soft. It seems to be helping but maybe it's just been luck since my daughter lathered herself with some before going out to plant flowers and she ended up with many bites all over her tummy.

In order to try to combat the little buggers we've been trying to make it a habit to shower after returning from the outdoors. This does seem to help. Unfortunately, for my 1 year old son (after one of his outdoor excursions) I put him in the tub and washed his whole body except his face. I just didn't think of the chiggers biting him there and that's what ended up happening. Three new chigger bites on his cheek!

The worst off this summer has been our 14 year old son who is earning money by doing yard work. His feet have been assaulted by irritating chigger bites!

There are soo many bugs here in the countryside that frogs plant themselves on our windows at night in order to hunt. In my opinion the chiggers, which frogs and chickens don't help with, are the worst!

Dealing With A Mite Infestation

2009-07-25T07:34:00.001-07:00

One of the downsides of country living is the multitudes of bugs. As if dealing with ticks, chiggers, a wide variety of spiders, gnats, flies, horse flies, mosquitos, flying cockroaches, Asian beetles, wasps, cicadas, stink bugs, and more isn't enough, we recently dealt with an infestation of mites in the girls' room.

Since we were remodeling our bedroom, and since we practice co-sleeping, the baby and I had been sleeping in the girls' room. Our eldest daughter sleeps on a queen size bed and the baby and I were sharing it with her. We also had all three girls clothes, as well as mine and the babies in that room.

For months there had been birds nesting in the wall by the window. I had informed my husband about it and he wasn't in a rush to try to get the birds out. Besides being annoying every morning we thought they were pretty harmless. Although I was concerned about their droppings accumulating and attracting bugs.

One night as my daughter and I were preparing to go to sleep, I thought I felt a bug crawlign on my face. I asked my daughter if I had a tick or something and she said she didn't see anything. So we went to sleep. I had a fitful sleep that night as it was blazing hot and I felt like I had bugs crawling on me. I thought it was my imagination!

Finally, I thought there is no way I am imagining. So I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror and saw nothing on my face even though I felt something crawling. I wiped my face and a minute later I felt it again. I was wondering if I was going nuts for a second. Then I thought to lean real close to the mirror and look closer. Sure enough there was the tiniest critter crawling across my forehead!

I freaked out and ran to investigate the bed. Sure enough the pillows, sheets and wall by the window was crawling with thousands of tiny mites! I immediately woke all three girls, grabbed the baby, and awoke the boys in the room across from them. I had everyone bathe and put on clean clothes. Fortunately, there were plenty of clean clothes in the laundry area for all of us to change into.

I went back up stairs to investigate some more and I saw that they were heavily concentrated on the window trim and only covering the wall by the window and the beds that butt up to that side, as well the desk, book case and toys. They weren't on the other walls though, nor in the hall or boys room. (Thank heavens!)

Then I got on the internet to try to figure out what they were. I was shocked to learn that birds nests located on roofs, in gutters, attics, etc. can cause mite infestations. When the birds leave the nest the mites do too in order to find a new host. Bird mites can bite humans but we did not get any bites at all so we aren't sure if they were bird mites. When my husband went outside the next day to investigate he found that the tree outside the girls room, which brushed against the wall and window, was full of birds and mites. So we aren't sure whether we had bird mites or tree mites.

Upon going to Home Depot to get a mite fogger my husband learned that many people were dealing the same issue as the small foggers were sold out and there was only large packs available. This was confirmed by one of the employees who said that all the moisture we've been having is causing infestations.

After fogging the room a laundry saga began. After a month and a half I FINALLY got all caught up with the laundry generated by our mite fiasco. It took me weeks of multiple (like 3,4,5!) loads of laundry every day to wash every blanket, pillow, piece of clothing from drawers and the closet as well as stuffed animals, and even back packs, in addition to our regular laundry!

Thank god the leaking washer held up even though the laundry room constantly had standing water!!

The one good thing that came out of it all was an opportunity to look at every piece of clothing and ask myself and my eldest daughter, "Do you love it?" We got rid of a lot of clothes!

It took me about as long to do the laundry as it did for my husband to complete most of the remodeling of our room! Happily the house is now back in order. Until he takes the drop kitchen ceiling apart and replaces it with drywall that is!

Making Pizza With Summer Squash

2009-07-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

One of the neat things about living out in the country is that in addition to growing your own produce other people may generously bestow you with some of their own bounty from either their garden or the local produce auction.

The other day this happened to me. An acquaintance brought me cases of cucumbers, summer squash and some onions that she bought at auction. She said she got a really good deal on the price and the quantity was far too much for her.

Of course the children devoured the cucumbers. I gave away some bunches of onions and squash to friends. This left me with a couple of onion bunches and boxes of squash which I didn't know what to do with. With the heat and no room in the fridge for all of them many went bad. I gave these to our chickens and they loved them.

I had used a few squash in stir fries, but then I was out of ideas on how to prepare the squash. When I was down to having only enough to fill the produce compartment of my fridge I figured out a great way to use up a large quantity: On Pizza! (The next time I get a ton of squash I think I'll blanche it and freeze for pizza topping!)

I was recently given a recipe for pizza crust and I had been eager to try it. My husband asked me to make a vegetable pizza and I thought I'd try the squash as a topping. It turned out deliciously beyond our expectations. Both the pizza crust and the veggies really pleased us! So I'd like to share them with you.

Pizza Toppings:

I cut the onions and squash then sauteed them in butter until soft. I spiced them with black pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, salt, and Italian seasoning. I didn't measure but this is how I season my food. I sprinkle enough of each spice until the top layer is pretty well covered. Not heavily covered though! We like to use crushed pineapple for a final topping on our pizzas.

Cost: $7.00 for two 16 oz. blocks of cheese. $2 for Ragu Spaghetti sauce. $1.33 x 3= $3.99 for crushed pineapple. This was enough to make this recipe 3 times. I would estimate that for 3 pizzas it probably cost $3 in additional ingredients of flour, yeast, etc. and the electricity to make the pizzas. This equals $16 for all 3 pizzas. Compare that to a large Dominos Veggie pizza that costs $12.99 x3 = $38.97! Cha-ching!

Pizza Crust:

1 1/2 c. warm H2O
1 1/2 pkg yeast or roughly 3 1/4 tsp.
1 1/2 T sugar

Let stand for 5 minutes in a lg. bowl.

Add:
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. white flour
1 c. wheat flour

Knead lightly.
Press into pizza pan. (I rolled the dough out onto a cookie sheet [since I don't have a pizza pan] using an empty salsa jar which is my favorite roller.)
Let raise 10-30 minutes depending on how thick you want the crust.
Then once it has risen add the sauce.

I used a jar of Ragu Spaghetti sauce, but here are ingredients for a sauce.

Sauce:
Tomato sauce, oregano, It. seasoning, Parmesean and garlic paste

Assembling the Pizza:

After the dough was done rising for 1/2 hour I spread the spaghetti sauce over the dough. Then I took the 2squash and 2 onions that I had sauteed and spread them over the top of the dough evenly. The veggies were covered with Mozarrella cheese and also some Colby Jack cheese. (The next night I made another pizza with only Mozarella cheese. After spreading the cheese I covered the whole pizza with crushed pineapple.) I like to sprinkle hot red peppers on my pizza, btw.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is very melted. As I said we were very pleased with the results. However next time I am going to try not spreading the sauce or toppings all the way to the edge in order to let the outer edge of the crust harden.

My husband and I are so excited to be able to make our own pizza. Just think of all the money we have wasted over the years buying pizzas! This pizza is fresh, healthy, wholesome, nutritious and filling!!

Enjoy! I would love to see photos of your final product from this recipe.

Take A Stand Against The Fat Reduction Ads On Yahoo!

2009-06-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have had enough. For months now I have been frustrated by the new fad of ads depicting people's fat being reduced. You must have seen them by now. There is a photo of someone's flabby stomach, butt or thighs, obviously computer enhanced to the extreme. Then the fat starts to disappear and shows a trimmer, improved shape.

The whole concept is lame. First of all, do advertisers really think that the public wants to be subjected to this and that we will just sit by and allow ourselves to see such ugliness every time we get on the Internet. Second of all, are people clicking on the ads to find out how they can make their flabby skin just go away like magic. Are people really that gullible???

So I've been getting more and more irritated by these ridiculous ads, but now I am MAD. They've just gone too far. The other day I went to check my email and there was a huge, up close photo of some chicks butt and the ad said something about dimples. Excuse me? They want me to check out some woman's behind and see if she has dimples? Please! Spare me and my family and the whole public. We have NO desire to be bombarded by such tacky ads.

Can't we expect a modecum of decency on the Internet? Can't advertisers, or at least the companies that run the ads, have some decency and refrain from continuously running ads that rely on sexual innuendo, dancing women, fat bodies, or anti-aging gimmicks?

If you are equally disgusted by Yahoo! running smutty ads, please join this FaceBook group:
People Who Are Sick Of Seeing Fat Reduction Ads On Yahoo!

Michael Jackson: An Icon of Internalized Racism

2009-06-27T22:56:00.001-07:00

Tributes to Michael Jackson abound in the wake of his untimely death, at age 50. Friends of mine have expressed their sadness over it. My husband shared with me his own sadness, stemming from the fact that he recalls as a child watching Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 performing on television.

Indeed, it is very sad about his death and his "haunted" life as reporters have called it. The fact that he couldn't accept himself and was driven to alter his features soo much so that he'd be "Whitenized" is especially saddening to me.

Although he denied it, it is obvious that he had many plastic surgeries altering his broad, African features into narrower, more Caucasian ones. His story is a sad consequence of slavery, racism, prejudice, segregation, and Jim Crow. As I mentioned in a previous post about Shirley Temple and Racism, he is a product of internalized racism and conforming to a western standard of beauty.

He was the King of Pop. In my mind he is more than a Pop icon, he is an icon representing our country's racist heritage. Born in 1958, he was born shortly after my own mother, and during a time when America was still segregated and shamelessly racist.

When my mother was a child she saw a sign (similar to the one pictured below) in a store that said No dogs, No shoes, No Mexicans. When I was a child my grandmother would often tell me that, "brown is beautiful" as a means of countering the sentiments of the times.

It is interesting that Michael Jackson has passed away during the same year that we have our first Black president in office. Although having a black president gives us hope about race relations in America, racism still thrives.

May we all remember MJ's contributions to music and may we all remember that everyone is a child of God. May we each work to recognize and crush racist stereotypes and propaganda and those that make their living disseminating such. May we all pledge to Heal Racism.

Definition of Internalized Racism from Real Definitions:
INTERNALIZED RACISM: (1) The poison of racism seeping into the psyches of people of color, until people of color believe about themselves what whites believe about them -- that they are inferior to whites; (2) The behavior of one person of color toward another that stems from this psychic poisoning. Often called "inter-racial hostility;" and (3) The acceptance by persons of color of Eurocentric values. (See Harris and Ordoira, op. cit. pp. 304-3 16.)

Similar articles:
* Black or White :The Deracination of Michael Jackson
*Micheal Jackson: Another Victim of Fame
* Michael (On the Resist Racism site)

For more information about Internalized Racism, please read the following:
*Internalized Racism and Oppression
*A Working Definition of Racism
*Dynamic Beauty: Cultural Influences and Changing Perceptions
*For Indian People, Education Has Been A Weapon Used Against Them For Several Generations

Information on How to Overcome Internalized Racism:
*Reasons For Hope
*Racial Reconciliation
*Healing From the Effects of Internalized Opression

*Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-Recovery (South End Press Classics Series)

Book Review: Egg Gravy

2009-06-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

The book Egg Gravy
is one three books from the Butter In The Well series, which chronicles a Scandanavian woman's homesteading days on the prairie. Egg Gravy is a record of the recipes some of the author's ancestors utilized in their everyday lives.

There are recipes in Egg Gravy that I do not plan to ever use, like Baked Coon, Baked Possum and Fried or Scrambled (Pig) Brains. But I have spent some time today transcribing several recipes that I am eager to try like Oatmeal Bread, Sunshine Cake, Pumpkin Cookies, Graham Bread and Mamma's Bread. These recipes, and many more, seem sure to please.

This book is not intended to be a precise cook book however (so I'll see if the recipes mentioned above actually turn out okay!) It is intended to "portray the everyday life of the women who homesteaded the prairie." Therefore, many of the recipes are missing basic instructions since the women didn't feel the need to write things down that were common knowledge. Which is why the recipe for Cinnamon Rolls does not even mention cinnamon! (What a bummer since I am searching for a spectacular Cinnamon Roll recipe!)

There are some other interesting recipes in this book, like How To Make Your Own Vinegar, Cake Flour, Household Cleansers and Kitchen Floor Paint. Also included are Laundry Hints, and Household Repair tips.

More than recipes and home remedies, this book begins each page with an entry from the diary of Kajsa Svensson Runeberg, whose life is the main character in the Butter In the Well series. Egg Gravy also includes historical photos.

I have read Butter in the Well and it is very interesting, too. If you read this series I'd be interested in your thoughts!

Doggy Poop

2009-06-23T22:45:00.000-07:00

I figure I need to write more about the little things in life. About the new experiences that we've had since moving to the country that might seem mundane and insignificant at first, but I think others might find some of them interesting.

Take dog poop for instance. Since we always lived in the city our dogs never had much space for running around. We'd open the door and the dog would go out side and poop in the yard because we trained them to go outside. Or, as we've seen plenty of times, if the dog lives outside in the yard, it will poop all over their living area.

It wasn't until we had acreage that we learned that dogs DO NOT like pooping in their living area. They will hold it if they are chained until they are released and then they will go far away to the edges of their territory to do their thing. Of course with puppies this is not the case. They are clueless and will poop all over. But with grown dogs you will find that there is rarely any poop to clean up if they have acres to roam.

We don't like to chain up our dogs, but we've had to chain up some of them during the day so they don't chase cars. It is usually the case that there is no mess to clean up in their area because they will wait until they are off the chain to relieve themselves.

It makes me very sad for dogs who are always chained or live in small areas and their owners don't clean up after them. I think it must make them miserable to sit so close to their own mess.

We have three dogs and unless we have puppies we don't have to worry about stepping in doggy doo, (unless we are traipsing about the property I guess.) And this makes dog ownership much more enjoyable for me. By the way, cats on-the-other-hand will poop anywhere, even right by your front porch! (Which is a major reason why I can't stand cats. I'll have to go into the other reasons why I can't stand them in the future.)

These are examples of some of the things I've learned since being in the country. What tidbits have you learned?

Rattlesnakes In The Country: Good Watch Dogs Keep Them At Bay

2009-06-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

Snakes are common out here in our area of the country. There are many non-poisonous snakes but their are dangerous ones, too. Timber rattlers to be exact.

When we bought the house we didn't realize that this was the case. Before we moved into our house, when we were working on it and some floor boards were torn up, my husband walked in on a 4+ ft. long rattler in the burn room. Shortly after this we began noticing snake skins in the trees, the well, and in the yard. The farmer who we asked to hay our field tried to warn us but we informed him that it was too late. We already knew about them.

My husband sealed the floor boards up quick. We flipped out a bit and wondered if we should pack our bags and get out of Dodge. But then my husband remembered that he had encountered a rattler by the outdoor spigot of a very posh home in Colorado and he'd heard of people in places like Arizona having to deal with snakes, too. We figured that snakes weren't a reason to move away so we began studying how to prevent snakes from coming on our property.

We learned that keeping the grass low and keeping mice to a minimum by containing garbage and having cats were vital. We also learned that chickens eat baby snakes. Doing all of these things has helped make it so that we don't see snake skins often anymore.

But the most important way that we have prevented this, I think, is by having good watch dogs as well as a horse that is contained by our pond and the grassy land by it. The horse is great at keeping grass that we wouldn't be able to mow low. I feel confident that the horse would alert us if a snake was in her area and the grass being low means that we will all be able to see where we are walking when we go to the pond. The dogs marking the property and also hunting all over it keeps the snakes away. But the best thing about the dogs is that they are willing to risk their lives to protect us from harm.

One of our dogs came home with two bites on his snout one day. My husband noticed the marks and announced that the dog had probably been bit by a rattler. We told the kids to beware as it was surely on the loose.

The next day the dog's snout and throat were all bloated and HUGE! He was drooling all over the place due to the swelling. We were worried about him, but more worried about he snake lurking about.

The vet said that by that point either the dog would make it or he wouldn't so we didn't take him in. By the next day the swelling reduced.

That night while the children and I were away my dh heard the 3 dogs baying across the street on the side of the house on the neighboring field. It was the rattler. He coaxed the snake onto the road and then proceeded to run it over.

The dogs continued to bark like crazy even after it was dead. But the mama dog knew best and wouldn't get near it. We could see why her grown son had gotten bit! He was dumb enough to go right up to it!

Thank God for good dogs that put their lives on the line to protect their masters and their property from harm!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11304433@N00/484186958/

My Cousin Is A "Comedic Genius"/Chicken of The Sea Commercial Winner

2009-05-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Apparently my cousin, Benjamin Hernandez, is a comedic genius, as one youtube viewer describes him. Benny, as we called him when we were kids, entered his video in the Chicken of the Sea commercial contest and won! He is hilarious! I am so happy for him and pray this opens up lots of opportunities for him.

Baby Jamming On A Drum!

2009-05-05T02:29:00.000-07:00

This is a video I made of our son. Enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Shirley Temple, Racism And Black Americana

2009-04-28T00:04:00.000-07:00

I allowed the kids to order the Shirley Temple movie Dimples from Netflix without reading any reviews of it since we've enjoyed several Temple films. We were all surprised by the extreme racism present in this production.

At first I thought maybe the film had dared to be progressive by having two harmonica playing black boys dance along side Shirley Temple, appearing to be her peers. In a few short minutes this notion was erased as it became clear that this movie was depicting Southern life with black servants and white masters. The movie progressively got worse as Stepin Fetchit's role as a stammering fool is introduced followed by black-faced white actors.

After watching the movie I searched for reviews of it. One review stated that as a viewer, " You basically have two choices: ignore the racism and enjoy the picture in spite of it, or spend the eighty minutes in an apoplectic fit of seething rage."

Though the children and I watched the entire movie, I wouldn't say that we were able to ignore the racism nor enjoy the picture. I think the main reaction we all had to the movie was shock. My husband on the other hand didn't spend eighty minutes seething through the movie. Instead he couldn't stand it and went straight to bed. Maybe I should have had us all do the same.

Another reviewer summed up the movie pretty well:

The real problem is found in the movie's handling of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (and as a feel-good musical at that!). For the finale, we get a parade of white cast members... in jaw-droppingly tasteless blackface. We also get Topsy, a dimwitted blackfaced child who clowns around on stage for a minute, getting a big laugh from the theater audience for eating a flower; it's a moment that would even make Buckwheat groan. Cap it off with a rousing sing-along to "Dixie-Anna" that contrasts the sheer innocence of Temple with the vulgarity of a choir of blackfaced men, and you've got the makings of one long talk with your kids.

Indeed I had a long talk with our kids after this movie. Boy was there a lot to explain. We reviewed slavery, segregation, the civil rights movement and what a mark of change it is that we now have a black president and how blacks, browns, and whites helped bring this about. I shared with my children the slogan of the 60's and 70's "Black is Beautiful" and how my Mexican-American grandma used to tell me that "Brown is Beautiful."

Before watching the movie I had been on the computer and I had read some news headlines. One story about a boy who recently killed himself due to bullying prompted me to blog about it (since this is one reason why we home school our children.) As I wrote I found myself sharing my own experiences with being bullied and my husband's, too. It is interesting that most of the teasing we endured as children were due to race and having ethnic features.

After watching the movie, while googling information about racism and Dimples I came across an article entitled "The Color Bar Of Beauty." It's an interesting article that discusses how people of color often experience internalized racism due to Western standards of beauty. The author Angela Aujila writes:

Western society's fascination with blue-eyed blonds (Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, Lady Di, Barbie et al) certainly does not help foster self-esteem regarding beauty among women of colour who may not have other role models to turn to.

I've experienced the Color Bar of Beauty, witnessing how dark skin is considered less beautiful than light skin. We've all witnessed this through the fame of "light-skinned black women with European-looking features. For example Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Halle Barry, and Whitney Houston, " according to Aujila.

Aujila shares in her article how one girl was affected by Western standards of beauty.

In Wayson Choy's book, The Jade Peony, a little girl says, "I looked again into the hall mirror, seeking Shirley Temple with her dimpled smile and perfect white-skin features. Bluntly reflected back at me was a broad sallow moon with slit dark eyes, topped by a helmet of black hair.... Something cold clutched at my stomach, made me swallow."

Although I felt that the movie Dimples was worth watching since it is more than a vehicle of entertainment it is also a vault of history, a window into this country's racist past that should never be forgotten. But maybe I was mistaken for allowing my children to be exposed to it as they may internalize the racism and idealization of Shirley Temple and the other white actors as icons of beauty and success and loathe themselves on some subconscious level.

I am left to wonder what movies exist that provide my children role models that will bolster their self-esteem? What movies will help them to see themselves as successful and perpetuate a love of self as dark skinned, dark eyed, dark haired children with ethnic features?

It is interesting that last week I saw two photos of Michael Jackson in a magazine. I showed it to two of my eldest children. The photos were of him as a child and as an adult after undergoing drastic facial surgeries and skin whitening. My children wondered why anyone would do such a thing to themselves.

I think the movie Dimples is a good explanation. The blacks in this film were portrayed as stupid, evil, lazy, ugly, grotesque, silly, and animalistic. It should be no surprise that people of color would want to change their looks so as to not be included in such stereotypes. Michael Jackson is a byproduct of the racism perpetuated by movies like Dimples as well as Black Americana memorabilia.

I made sure to point out to my children that having a black president is a sign of the people in this country changing their views and being more accepting of blacks and other races. However, they know that racism still exists as they have experienced it themselves. Living in rural America for the past 3 years, where only 1% of the population is Hispanic, one of our children was called "Wetback," and when another of our children was up at bat during a baseball game the catcher sang "La Cuca Rocha."

Yes, despite our the advances in race relations that our country has made, racism and prejudice
still exist. How could they be completely eliminated when segregation and the civil rights movement occurred only fifty short years ago?

To help educate the public about racism and to help preserve Black Americana images I launched a new blog last week. It is a virtual museum called Black Americana Museum. If you are unfamiliar with this type of memorabilia please visit the museum. Also, watch this video produced by the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University.

Related Link:
Blacks In the Media

Bullying: A Good Reason To Homeschool

2009-04-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

We allowed our eldest child to attend Kindergarten. For first grade she attended the public school part-time. Then we moved from Colorado to California. Our new school district did not allow part-time enrollment. We decided to home school her full-time.

When she had gone to school in Colorado she only attended until lunch time. For one month she stayed two full days so that she could be involved in a play. At the end of the month the teacher (whom I think considered us over protective and our daughter shy) thought that we'd all want to continue that schedule once the month was over. However our daughter did not want to. She had several reasons but her main one was that one of the girls at her table bugged her all the time. She preferred to only deal with public school for two hours a day.

In California our second child asked to attend Kindergarten. In Colorado he had attended a private preschool that a woman from our church ran in her home. He had enjoyed it so much that he wanted to go to school. We were in L.A. and had reservations but decided to let him try.

Having previously lived in predominately White areas, where we had been concerned about the possibility of our children experiencing racism, we had no such fears in L.A. For the first time in our marriage we were not living in a city where we were in the racial minority. Yet after 5 days our son decided he didn't want to go back to school.

I recall him crying before school. I tried to coax and reassure him but as we got closer to the school he became more upset. Later, when we asked him why he didn't want to go to school anymore since he had seemed to enjoy it he said that one of the boys was making fun of him, calling him fat. (Which is ridiculous because he wasn't fat at all. Just a big, thick kid. At age 14 he is now 6'1" feet tall and weighs 190 lbs.)

We didn't make him continue. In our opinion bullying is a good enough reason to home school. This is one of the many reasons why we have made the sacrifice to school our 7 kids at home. Yes, sometimes I loathe home school, it is so challenging. But overall I am glad that we have kept them out of public school. Because of this they are not self-conscious and generally have great self-esteems. They are good, honest kids who are creative, modest, friendly, thoughtful, imaginative and loyal.

Had our children attended public school they would have been ridiculed regularly. Most public school kids are no matter what they look like. I was teased all the time for being skinny, dark, and having ethnic features. I was called "big lips," "burnt toast," "skinny-bones-Jones" and more. My husband was also teased regularly, taunted by the names "nigger lips," "Brillo pad" etc.

Since our children are friends with public schooled children they have had their features made fun of occasionally. But because they are not in school all day without any supervision this has been kept to a minimum. Had our children gone to school we are certain they would have been teased. One of our sons has big ears, a daughter is skinny and has hair on her arms, a son was a late reader, another daughter wears glasses, one child has a lisp, some of our children have gap-teeth, and of course they are all dark skinned. Any bit of difference is poked fun of in school. The slightest variances from "normal" are cause for bullying.

Bullying is being cited as the reason a 5th grade boy recently committed suicide.

Reading about this tragedy makes me grateful for all of the times that I have wanted to throw in the towel on home schooling and my husband has always encouraged me by reminding me of all the reasons why we home school. At the top of his list is that our children have special personality qualities because they have been kept away from the peer pressure. The next reason on his list is always the fact that they have not had to suffer through bullying. Thank God.

Rating Children Books: Protecting Our Children From Objectionable And Age Inappropriate Content

2009-04-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a friend of mine shared with me her anger that has arisen due to award winning author Gary Paulsen's book, The Car, containing content that is offensive to her.

Having read the book, The Hatchet, with her fifth grade son, and being pleased with it, she had encouraged him to check out more of Paulsen's books from the library. She was astonished when upon reading The Car, (which she happened to read herself before her son had the opportunity,) she discovered that there is a nude scene in the book. She is outraged to find such a topic in a book that is targeted at middle school children.

Being a protective and proactive mother she decided to inform the author and his publisher by mail of her decision to never read anymore of Paulsen's books. In the letter she asked why Paulsen would want to conjure up images of naked women in the minds of children and she encouraged the author and publisher to take the moral high-road.

Random house
Children's Publishing
1745 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10019

I wasn't surprised by her finding as I had been disappointed by Paulsen last year when I read How Angel Peterson Got His Name. In it Paulsen wrote about a teenage boy having pin up posters. It had looked like a cool book that I thought my teen and preteen boys would enjoy. After proof-reading it I decided to ban the book instead.

Unfortunately, even though I felt that Paulsen had broken my trust which had been built by the many good books he has written, I didn't think to write the author or publisher about my dissatisfaction. Nor did I think to warn my friends and fellow home schooling mothers about Paulsen's choice to write as if he were reliving his glory days with a bunch of college mates or grown men shooting the breeze in a barber shop.

My friend's decision to take a stand has inspired me and motivated me to follow her lead. I will be writing to Paulsen and his publisher and I encourage you to do the same when you come across books with objectionable content. I also encourage you to join the Facebook group I created, Parents That Want Books To Be Rated.

A rating system for books would be so helpful! If movies, cd's and video games are rated, why not books?

Until there is a rating system established, we must protect our children from inappropriate material by reading their books ourselves and/or research. Although I never knew it before today, the American Library website hosts lists of challenged and banned books. The following excerpt from the website explains the difference between the two:

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials.

Unbeknownst to me, Gary Paulsen is listed as one of the most challenged authors of 2001 and 2004. Such lists can alert parents to red flag authors and books so they can make informed choices.

A great tool for concerned parents is FactsOnFiction.org. Like the site, Kids-In-Mind.com which reviews movies, FactOnFiction.org does not provide ratings or recommendations. Check out their detailed reviews and sign up for email updates. If you'd like you can even become a book reviewer!

Water and Country Living

2009-04-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Sasha, author of Seeking Simplicity, recently shared her victory in getting running water on her place via a jimmy-rigged system. I am so happy for her. I left the following comment in response to her news:

Awesome. One of my friends ( who had to haul thousands of gallons for months to fill their cisterns 'cause their well was dry and they hadn't the $10,000 necessary to get rural water) once jokingly said, "I thought we were moving to the country... Not a third world country!"

Yeah! You did it. You proved you could do it. But oh, isn't it nice to not have to deal with that!?!?!

Out here there are "stations" where you can go and with this huge hose fill up large tanks of water. Farmers do it all the time for the cattle and I have found that some people have to do this when they have problems with wells, or if they only have only cisterns. Many people around here have huge underground tanks that they fill up and that is their water system. It gets pumped into the house and runs through the plumbing.

We have a well that is electrically pumped. We'd like to figure out a hand pumping system that does not rely on electricity. Or also get solar power so we have an option.

It's interesting that we also have an old rock-lined cistern that is partially under the back of the house. It must have been here before they added on that part. It is quite deep and always full of water. We'd like to figure out how to utilize it.

The amazing thing about Missouri is you really never have to irrigate. Coming from the west coast I was utterly amazed that no farms here irrigate.

Well, I am happy for you! We went a year and a half hauling water (14 months to be exact) and though we did it, I have to tell you I shed some tears over it. Without all the kids it would have been much less stressful.

I came to understand why the Amish women send their kids to their schools. It is so difficult home schooling, hauling water, wood, cooking from scratch, hanging the clothes out on the line, choring for the animals... etc.

Thank goodness I didn't have my last baby until after the drought ended!

Interestingly, though it's been a financial burden, my husband being short on work was a blessing as he was home much of the time to help me with the schooling and choring.

I don't think most people fully appreciate water nor consider the bleak predictions that scientists make for our future in regards to the availability of this vital element.

Some Antique Quilts

2009-04-17T00:16:00.001-07:00

We home school. The eldest children take public Internet classes. Therefore, they had to go out of town this week in order to take the yearly state assessment test, MAP. They were busy with testing from 9:30 a.m. until about 2 p.m. I busied myself by perusing the town and photographing everything that interested me. Surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed myself.

I thought I would have nothing to do but read. Instead I read only a few pages the entire time! One of the things that I enjoyed was looking at all the neat quilts in the antique shops and the museum. I decided to photograph them more for my online friend Judy Brenemen of Womenfolk.com than for myself. I hope you all enjoy these beauties as much as I enjoyed finding and photographing them!

Btw, I enjoyed much more than the quilts and will be blogging about the other things that I found interesting soon!

Bread & Tortillas Are Integral To Homemaking & Self-Reliance

2009-04-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

Making sourdough bread and tortillas has changed my life. Not only are we saving about $140 a month, I have begun earning money selling and bartering them.

Here in my county you don't really need a commercial license to sell food. They'd like you to have one, but there are no laws insisting on it. So I am baking out of my kitchen and selling tortillas, bread and sweet breads. I have also decided to offer a sheet of enchiladas.

Not only are we saving money, eating healthier and making money off of these goods, I have taken my "wifehood" to a new level.

You see, for the past 16 years I have not made it a habit to prepare my hard-working-husband lunch. It is shameful, I know. I should have been supporting him all this time by making him hearty meals. But with bearing, nursing, schooling and caring for a passle of kids I always felt like if I wasn't around he'd have to make his own lunch, so he ought to make it now because I am busy!

Well, I have seen the error of my ways. I am repentant and have decided to help my husband and show my love for him by preparing his lunch. He is MOST appreciative as he used to buy expensive fast food, or he would often go hungry all day not eating until he got home.

Making these staple foods has really given me an increased sense of self-worth and a feeling of freedom. I was always running out of these foods and now I have them in plenty. I can make so many more burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas then I ever could because I save $2.50 on every 10 tortillas I make!

Long ago I had read Martha Ballard's diary. She was a midwife in the 1700's. Two things really struck me. 1) The women all came together around the birth of the baby. After the baby was born the mothers returned home and their teenage daughters took turns staying with the family and taking the mother's place. 2) The women had their own industry!!! They were capable of earning income and contributing to the family income because they had eggs to sell or barter as well as items like wool, produce, syrup, honey, meat, etc....

I realized what a sense of self-worth this gives a woman! What can you sell in the city that doesn't cost an arm and leg to buy in the first place? It is so much easier to harvest something from your land, from your kitchen, than it is in the city. This was one of the reasons that I wanted to move to the country and I am so glad that I have finally begun to tap into that ability to contribute to the family that women had long ago. It feels so good.

Ticks & Lymes Makes Self-Sufficiency Challenging

2009-04-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

I have a story to tell. It's funny.... in a twisted sort of way.

We moved to Missouri, where land is cheap and you never have to water your garden, in order to homestead and become self-sufficient.

Last year, while working in the yard late in August I picked up a tick and got Lyme’s. I ended up with half my face paralyzed. After doing some natural stuff I decided to take amoxycillan which is okay with breastfeeding.

(Photo: 7 months after the right side of my face being paralyzed. Still a little droopy.)

I stayed inside the rest of that fall as I wasn’t feeling well and was pretty down on being in the yard. The garden became over grown with weeds. We never did get out there to clean it all up even. (Now I am not too eager to deal with ticks or chiggers for that matter.)

There I was, recuperating and only going from my house to the car and the week after I finished the antibiotic I picked up another tick. I sent it off to a lab for testing (since that is cheaper than a blood test.) It came back positive.

Since I’d just taken amoxycillan, I didn’t want to take it again. And since I was nursing my 6 month old I didn’t want to take something stronger.

So as of this week I am experiencing arthritis in my elbow. Now I have to decide what to do. Do I stop nursing and take stronger meds?

This isn’t so easy a decision even though my babe is just over a year. t I truly believe that nursing him could save his life. He was only very sick once this winter (though he did experience several one night fevers as my kids often have.) At those times I am always so grateful that I am nursing. If he had been on formula or drinking milk he most likely would have been even sicker with various illnesses that breastfeeding prevents.Nursing my babies has always given me confidence that they would overcome their illnesses without needing medications or becoming dehydrated.

Besides, nursing is so cheap and in any kind of emergency situation it is VITAL. (Normally I would nurse the baby until age two-three.)

So we have no insurance and after having myself treated for Lyme’s and 6 of our children (except the baby) tested for Lymes we owe about $1200 now since we are self-employed and can’t afford insurance.

To make things even worse, a few months ago in the dead of winter during a cold spell I went a few days without bathing the baby and only changing his outer clothes not his undershirt. When I went to bathe him on a warmer day I found a huge tick on him and I just about cried. How in the dead of winter do we have to deal with this!?!?!? (Likely a tick came in with the dogs that we’d feed in the house.)

So we came out here to free ourselves and we’ve gained debt and now we’re ill and not looking forward to gardening at all.

It is very frustrating as 2 of my children tested positive and despite taking antibiotics (which I have rarely ever given any of them before) they still have Lyme’s symptoms.

I wonder if I should douse our place with bug killer and forget the chicken eggs? I know we need to get guinea hens but I haven’t been able to handle the difficulty of raising them yet. We have chickens which do help with the ticks, but we have sooo many here it is crazy.

When we first moved here, before we moved in, I went to the trash cans and the can was COVERED with ticks, similar to when a trash can is covered with ants. The chickens have helped incredibly, but there are still plenty of the incidious cridders.

I just don’t know if the country is synonymous with them?

The Ultimate Gift: A Movie With A Vital Message

2009-04-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

I think one of the greatest lessons in life (one that is easily forgotten,) is that love is the most important thing in life. Not money, not things, not positions, or possessions, titles nor accomplishments. It's the people you love, your family, children and spouse. I should know this more than most as my father died when I was four and my brother died when I was 12. I know what it is like to lose someone you love.

My mom just sent me a paper to edit that she is submitting for publishing. In it she wrote about my brother's death. I hadn't heard her describe what she experienced when he died so it was surprising for me to read her thoughts. She had warned me that what she wrote might be emotional for me, but since she's had a hard life she could have been referring to many things. This is what she wrote:

That night, I awoke to my son’s gasps for air. I grabbed him and held him close, screaming at the top of my lungs for help. The nurses came charging in and pulled me away. I didn’t know where to run; all I wanted to do was run and keep running! Instead, I sat in the hall, curled up in a corner like a frightened mouse being chased by a cat with nowhere to go. Without being told I knew my son was dying. Soon, I learned he died of a virus, Coxsackie B, which caused a massive heart attack. Now when asked how many children I have, I often find myself saying, “I never thought I would outlive my child.”

Life is so precious and I've learned that the hard way. Yet despite the terrible losses I've experienced, I can get caught up in the stress to earn a buck, the desire to accomplish something more tangible or more "important" than raising children, keeping my house clean and cooking wholesome food.

So I am grateful for movies like The Ultimate Gift that remind us that even if we had nothing, not a dime, no home, no job, and no prestige, the most important thing we'd need is love.

I watched this movie tonight only because my 16 year old daughter insisted I stop what I was doing and watch a movie with her. I told her to start it without me because I had too much to do and that she could watch it by herself as the kitchen is right off the living room in plain view. She persisted, so I ended up relenting.

I am so grateful for her persistence. I can't believe that there are only two years left before she becomes an adult and could possibly move away. I am so glad that I spent a couple of hours with her watching this movie. And I am also glad that I french braided her hair yesterday when she asked me to even though I didn't want to at first and it made me run behind schedule.

I hope next time she doesn't have to put so much effort into coaxing me to be involved with her. I am going to try to be more excited when she wants my attention in the future. I love her and my whole family so much.

May we all treasure our families and be more willing and eager to put our own interests and work aside and share our fleeting time with them. May we also make healthy choices so that we can live as long as possible that we may enjoy our children, grandchildren and even our great-grandchildren!

Bartering & Self-Reliance

2009-04-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

The author of Seeking Simplicity shared about her plans to rent her acreage to Amish farmers in trade for a portion of the wheat that they will grow. I left the following comment:

We barter here, too. A farmer comes and hays our field. In return he gives us 8 rounds of hay which we use to feed our horse. Unfortunately, he was pressed for time last fall, trying to get it done between rains, and much of the hay has mildewed, which is terrible for horses.

We really need to build a structure to protect the hay. We want to get a cow and so we will need to make sure that the hay doesn't go bad so we can use it all.

We've been wanting a cow so badly, but can't quite afford it, even though we're feeling nearly desperate for one. Last week I noticed a cow on my friend's place with the hugest udder! I inquired about it, and she said that another of our friends who lives in town, had purchased the cow and that they were keeping her on their property and would do the milking. This way they were bartering.

Another friend announced to me that she and a friend went in on a cow together and would split the milk.

I am hopeful that maybe we'll find someone to have such an arrangement with also.

It's been almost two months I think since I've bought a loaf of store bought bread or tortillas. This has really given us a sense of self-reliance. Wouldn't it be wonderful to grow our own wheat! Seeing how we are going through 50 lbs every 10 days we'd sure need to grow a lot! I wonder how many pounds of wheat an acre would yield?

Funny how things work. All of a sudden this week, without expecting it, I have started a bakery from home! When some friends found out that I am making my own tortillas they wanted to buy some. Some other friends requested sourdough bread. This week I sold 3 dozen tortillas, 2 loaves sourdough bread and 1 loaf pumpkin chocolate chip!

I also put up a website and have kicked off a business that the children can help me with, as they are very creative: http://amazingphototransformations.webs.com

If we can get some work from home it would sure help when my husband's business slows in the winter and maybe he wouldn't be soo pressed to drive 2 hours to the city for work.

We have this land and I sure hope we can figure out how to utilize it to the maximum.

Country Bathing: Cleaning Up With Two Gallons Of Water!

2009-03-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

When we first moved to the country we moved into a small cabin with no running water and limited electricity. We had no internet connection so although I had started this blog several months before moving away from the city, I had to suspend posting to it for about a year and a half. This made it so I didn't blog about our experiences and how we handled the situation.

I recently found a blog called Seeking Simplicity. The author is a mother of 5 children who is living similar to the way we lived in our cabin for 8 months. Reading her posts has allowed me the opportunity to write about our own experiences. Yesterday she posted The Shower Experience. The following is my response.

It is great reading your blog, knowing that we are not the only ones who've decided to live this way! Your story is so similar to ours.

When we were living at our cabin, and even once we moved into our house two years ago and the well ran dry, we had to figure out how to deal with baths. Fortunately, we live in an area where truckers come through, so we were able to have the 'luxury' of going to the truck stop for a hot soothing shower a couple of times a month.

It was actually very nice to be able to go there, as there was a tv and booths to sit on. There were also washing machines which was great.

But this wasn't always something that we could rely on as it was very time consuming (taking 21/2 - 4 hours for our large family.) The weather was also prohibitive. And as you can imagine, shlepping 6 kids and the clothes and toiletries was quite a chore!

Besides, cleaning up only once a week isn't a great idea! So we had to bathe at home as often as we could. Since we only had one teenager, most of the family was young enough to not have to worry about bathing to prevent smelling.

It is interesting that without running water you realize quickly how much water we all take for granted. Hand washing and bathing become chores.

Being very fastidious hand washers all our lives didn't change when we moved to the country. Even our young children have been taught to wash hands after going to the bathroom or before eating.

Only bathing 2-3 times a week wasn't a terrible shock for us as it might be for some, as we had long believed that bathing everyday is bad for your skin and a waste of water. Being environmentally conscious had brought us to not using deodorant and not bathing 2 times a day, like most people do.

We found that bottles of Gold Bond powder were about as valuable to us as gold! This helps with sweating, chaffing (for men where their legs rub against their jeans) and for soothing bug bites. We use this powder instead of deodorant.

With a year and a half of not having running water under our belt, we became pros at bathing with only 2-3 gallons of water.

Like you we used a solar shower bag (purchased from WalMart) some of the time, but mostly we just filled up milk gallons or the plastic garden watering can.

We are so familiar with cleaning up in cold tubs or in rubbermaid containers in front of the wood stove!

In the summer I set up a bathtub that our neighbor gave us, along side the far side of the cabin. It was in a private location and that is where we bathed late spring through early fall. I loved bathing outside! (We're considering setting up a solar shower here at our house.)

Now we don't have to haul water anymore. Our state has been drought free for 2 years and so our well is very full. Even so, we still have learned to appreciate water and we all take short showers and monitor our usage.

I am so grateful for the experiences we've had, despite the challenges and the sacrifices we've had. The main reason is that we all have a great deal of empathy and compassion that we, particularly the children, may not have otherwise had.

This winter our pipes froze and the well had electrical problems so we were out of water for a couple of weeks around Christmas. Some friends of ours who have a bed and breakfast offered us the use of their shower. I was reminded once again what a luxury a hot shower is and I literally cried for all the people in the world who have never even experienced it.

The other night I watched Larry King Live. A couple of singers, Joel and Benji Madden were on the show discussing their recent trip to Africa and their involvement with the UNICEF Tap Project which is working to bring clean water to children around the world.

Larry mentioned how the brothers were very poor when they were kids. Their response was that since going to Africa they realize that they weren't poor at all because they at least had clean water to drink.

Thank God for all of these experiences we've had, Sasha. Just think of the compassion and also the skills that our children will have accumulated because of the choices we've made.

How To Apply Butterfly Stitches

2009-03-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

Most weekends our children's best friends stay the night. Their friends are all from one family and they have become like family to us. Tonight one of the youngest, just 4 years old, was sitting at the table (as were all of the children.) My husband was clowning around making all the kids laugh. This little girl laughed so hard that she fell off her chair, face first onto the floor. The poor girl ended up with a fairly deep, bleeding gash that was compounded by a swelling knot on her forehead.

Her mother was called and she came bearing a first aid kit. (Which is a testament of the fact that we must compile our own kit!) My husband and the mother discussed the wound and decided the best thing for it was for him to apply a butterfly stitch. (The little girl's father wasn't present as he is in the military stationed out-of-state.)

They decided this because it wasn't bleeding profusely. It was a straight, clean cut that was not too severe. It appeared as though it would heal nicely without stitches (which are costly, traumatic, and time consuming.) My husband has cut the butterfly out of regular band-aids before, but tonight he used medical tape to close the wound, then he applied a band-aid over the top of that to protect it.

Before closing the wound, it is best to clean it with soap and water, and/or hydrogen peroxide. Burns are typically treated with Silver sulphadiazine as this solution contains silver, which has antibacterial/antimicrobial properties. Silver nitrate was commonly used in babies eyes after birth as protection from infection. Therefore, Collodial silver, or even better, The New Silver Solution can be used to disinfect wounds.

Directions for applying butterfly (from en0talone.com)
Always put strips across a cut rather than lengthways.

Use adhesive tape, cut notches into the tape in the middle, two on each side about 15mm apart. Fold the two rectangles inwards to produce a piece of tape with a non-sticky centre. This part will be over the cut.

Place on end of the tape over the skin next to the cut. Then pull the other end to close the wound tightly.

Apply clean dressings at least once a day.

Butterfly should remain for 5-7 days.

It is very important information to know how to handle wounds and other injuries, especially out in the country when you are far from a hospital and there are plenty of ways to get hurt. After this episode I decided to google "butterfly stitches" and I found some helpful information. I'd like to share those links with you.

Butterfly stitch photo using strip adhesive (Steristrip)
StanfordWellsphere.com instructions for How to apply butterfly stitches
Post-OilSurvival.com first aid instructions with drawings
First aid for self injury
First Aid Only brand butterfly bandages
About.com Do I need Stitches?

Wonder Puppy Climbs Ladder

2009-03-27T01:01:00.001-07:00

Every homestead has to have a good dog (or more!) This is one of our puppies showing off his amazing feat of climbing a ladder. Our 12 year old son helped him with this trick.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Double Rainbow Over Our House

2009-03-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

My husband captured this double rainbow over our house on Feb. 2, 2006. He was so excited that he filmed it with his cell phone since he had never seen a full rainbow, nor a double rainbow. He thought it was a good omen to have such an occurrence over our new house. (Well, it's an old house that is new to us!) Have you seen both ends of a rainbow?

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Homestead After Rain

2009-03-26T00:33:00.000-07:00

I took some photos a few days ago of our homestead after a heavy rain. The grass turned greener by the minute that day. I thought it would be a good idea to take some before photos. Hopefully, the house, yard, and chicken coop will look even better as time goes on. There is so much more to do, like finish painting the chicken coop for one thing. And many more flowers to plant.

Short On Time: Kids Can Make Tortillas!

2009-03-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

So many busy moms lament that they don't have time to make tortillas. This happened to me last me night. Since my 8 year old had helped me make them before and had done such a marvelous job, I asked her if she'd like to make them for me all by herself. She gleefully said, "Yes!"

I have been trying to give her more household duties as she enjoys them and it keeps her from being bored. And she feels useful! She did a fabulous job helping to make dinner last night. We praised her efforts and told her that she had just saved us from spending $5 at the store! We explained how valuable all the kids' work is to the family.

If you want to see more photos, view this slide show!

Beginning To Garden

2009-03-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went out to tackle the garden. It needed to be cleaned up from last year. I didn't do it in the fall like I should have. I neglected it because I got Lyme's disease from a tick I picked up while doing yard work.

The Lyme's disease triggered Bell's Palsy, which left half of my face paralyzed for a couple of months. My face is much recovered, but not completely. You can tell when I smile, laugh or make funny faces that it is not symmetrical.

So the girls went out with Mom and Dad to work on the garden. It was a grey, blustery day, yet very pleasant. It felt so good to be outside with the wind blowing my hair. It wasn't cold, but not quite warm either.

Since we don't own a tiller yet, my husband turned the ground with a shovel. There's a lot of grass in parts that's going to need to be removed. The strawberries are really grassy. Lots of work to do. You can see in this photo the huge heap of plant remains that we gathered. Much of this is cosmo and zinnia plants that I like to plant along the edges of the garden.

I'd like to expand this spot as well as turn over a new one. For two years I have been trying to get my husband to put together some pallets for composting. But after long days drywalling and texturing, he hasn't expended much energy on the garden. He says he has a fire lit under him this year and he is looking forward to participating with the garden, so we'll see if some of my plans come true with his help!

A Sign of Spring: A Ground Hog In Our Engine

2009-03-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found a ground hog in your engine? Probably not. We found one last week.

Boy, it made our four dogs upset! At first we thought it was a rattle snake as it must have tattled it's teeth. Then we dared to peek in the engine and we saw its furry body. Look closely at the bottom of this photo and you'll see it's snout and teeth.

I called the Dept. of Conservation and asked if they'd come get the creature. They recommended spraying amonia around the engine. The officer said it is like spraying mace, they can't stand it.

With some dog food, and a little coaxing we were able to persuade the ground hog to leave its hiding spot.

Our dogs proceeded to give it what-for for intruding upon their territory. The little creature was vicious and you can see that one of the dogs got bit on the leg. The kids chased the ground hog up the road and it ran away. About an hour later the dogs decided to go hunt for it. They found it in the barn up our road. We were all outside playing baseball in our backyard when we hear a big fight ensue. Then all of a sudden all was quiet. The boys went to have a looksie and the dogs had ganged up on the critter and killed it.

Is Your Child 'Sexting?'

2009-03-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of the term 'Sexting' before reading this article that an eighteen year old wrote for SFGate. In it she states the reasons why she thinks criminalizing this new craze is a mistake.

Though she is a good writer and I am grateful that her article brought this issue to my attention, her view-point reflects her age. I don't think, at least I hope, that most adults wouldn't consider sexting as "not that serious."

If you are an adult like me, however, you may not even be familiar with the term. It refers to teens taking "racy," nude, or partially nude photos of themselves, sending the images over the cell phone, via email, or posting them to their FB, MySpace or other personal profile page.

The author, Ahmina James, cites, "that 1 in 5 teens admits to sending out digital nudes or semi-nudes of themselves." Apparently, some teens have been arrested and charged with disseminating and possessing pornography.

James believes that awareness campaigns are a better way to handle the new fad than charging teens with a crime that can have ramifications into their adult years, like registering as a sex offender.

Certainly teens and parents need to be made aware of such dangerous activity. Teens generally consider themselves invincible and don't usually consider the consequences of their actions. Parents need to discuss this with their children and closely monitor their Internet and cell phone activities. Establishing rules and consequences is paramount.

Remember, parents should always have the passwords to their children's Interenet sites. Computers should be in the main rooms of the house, not in children's bedrooms. It is a good practice to read your children's emails and phone messages. Also, if your child is on Facebook, MySpace or any other type of profile site, make sure that you are too and that you become one of your teens 'friends' so that you will be privy to any messages they receive.

Many parents believe that children should be trusted and that checking in on their children's activities breaks the parent-child trust. I disagree. I believe that monitoring a child's activities is not about trust. It's about temptation. Everyone is tempted in life and children, which includes teens, need to have their older, wiser parent's protection. That is our job. Parents are not intended to be their child's 'friend.' Parents are a child's guardian. Besides, if you are afraid of losing your child's friendship, just remember that a true friend protects you from harm and keeps no secrets.

Guard your child's innocence, reputation, and their record. Don't allow sexting.

Simple Living Creates New Luxuries

2009-03-21T00:44:00.000-07:00

I want to introduce you to my newest favorite blog, Seeking Simplicity, (whose author is a woman named Sasha,) I wrote the following in response to Sasha's post, A World of Luxury.

Even though my father was killed by a drunk driver when I was 4 and this caused my mother much hardship in providing for my brother and I, we were always well cared for and never really went without anything. Indeed we received most everything we wanted until I became a teenager, my mother went back to school and became a single parent of my younger siblings.

As my husband and I have tried to raise our large family, both coming from financially stressed families, we began to see about 5 years ago that we needed to do something drastic in order to buy our own home and better provide for our children.

Living on the brink due to paying exorbitant rents in California ($1500 a month) then moving across state into a small cabin without running water and electricity has surely made us all very grateful for so many basic things. Luxuries have changed for us.

I have thought of this often. Like when I watched an edition of Extreme Makeover this fall. It is a show that I enjoy watching occasionally, not because of the luxuriousness, but because people's lives are so drastically changed. For instance, during this one episode this mother of 5 walked into her new kitchen and looking at the dishes in the cupboards brought tears to her eyes. She grabbed a frying pan and held it to her and just sobbed.

I wondered how many people have experienced that kind of gratitude for something so basic. How many people truly appreciate running water, a warm house, wholesome food in their belly, basic cooking ware in their cupboards?

We've thought about people around the world living in impoverished countries and realized that although their lives are difficult we don't believe that American's lives are truly happier or more fulfilling.

Though life in the country has been an adjustment and been very stressful at times, we feel an overall heightened sense of appreciation for our lives, for our family and our blessings. We have cultivated the enjoyment of simple pleasures like fresh produce, long walks and a good book. Simplicity is a good thing.

First Day of Spring...Thank God!

2009-03-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

It has finally arrived! Not a package in the mail. Not a Netflix movie. Nope. What we've been waiting for, for months, is Spring!

Maybe this will give you an idea how excited we are about the arrival of this season. My eight year old daughter has been counting down the days on her calendar for several weeks. My 10 year old son woke up early this morning and ran outside just to be able to say that he was the first one to greet Spring!

I have been saying all winter that since my life seems to be governed by Murphy's law much of the time, our baby (who is a year old now) wouldn't walk until the first day of Spring. I just knew that he wouldn't walk when the floors were cold and I was worried that he'd get sick. Nope. Instead he preferred to crawl around on hands and knees. He's had no desire to even try with 6 siblings toting him around to keep him from freezing on the floor. Although he didn't actually start walking today, this week he has begun to take an interest in standing alone. That's a beginning!

It's kind of funny, (a little annoying too,) that the day before the first day of Spring the weather was warm and sunny! Of course, now that Spring is officially here, we had grey skies and for the first time all week we needed to start a fire. So the first day of Spring was actually more like Winter!

Like I said, the baby isn't going to walk until the chill has gone and the weather is warm. We won't have to wait too much longer for either I am sure!

Amish Photos

2009-03-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I took a drive through the neighboring Amish town. I took some photos while I was driving (literally in most cases.) Surprisingly, they turned out fairly good and I managed to not drive anyone off the road while shooting them!

Click here to view the album and copy the photos which have an attribution/share alike cc license.

Here's two of my favorites:

Spring: Time To Burn The Winter Fat!

2009-03-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's finally Spring! My favorite season. Now it's time for deep cleaning, gardening and burning up the chub that we've accumulated over the cold winter. Yes, I have to admit that I have a few pounds to shed. To be exact, I need to get rid of a spare tire and some love handles!

Of course gardening and yard work will help, but I have also started using a gizmo called the ab lounge which we have placed in the middle of the living room so that there are no excuses for not using it! Since we love sports, I'll also be outside playing ball, which should help. Batting and throwing are good for the gut!

After reading late last night that being overweight reduces your lifespan, I am extra motivated to lose the extra 5-10 lbs before I gain more. I have enough bad habits that may take years off my life, like not getting enough sleep and having a hot temper, I don't need anything else chiseling away at my life.

I'll let you know how it goes!

(Btw, that little itty-bitty person in the skirt in this picture is me playing ball with my husband and some of our children.)

HappySlip....This Woman Is Hilarious!

2009-03-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

In my last post I mentioned youtube and keeping our house cool in the summer. Speaking of these things brought to mind my newest favorite comedianne, HappySlip! She is a funny!

I love watching her because I can relate to her so well. She jokes about real life stuff that so applies to me sometimes. This is in part because she is female and because she is Filipino-American. I'm not Filipino, rather I'm Mexican American. Still she makes me think of my own childhood and family. I'd love to do my own monologue on some of the race or culturally related comedic situations I have experienced.

For instance my uncle called me an "Oreo" once. He said that I am brown on the outside and white on the inside. So watching Happy Slip made me think about that. When I was a kid this kinda bugged me. But now I figure it'd be funny to do a video discussing things in my life that are examples of me being an "Oreo."

Like when I recently went with a group of my "white" girlfriends to learn how to make tortillas. My mom got all upset and said I should be teaching them how to make tortillas. I told her that if she had taught me how then I would have been able to do so! The Mexican in me came out though when we were rolling out the tortillas. I had an easier time getting my tortillas round than my friends did.... 'cause I'm an "Oreo!"

Comedy... could I pull it off? I wonder....

Here's a video that we can totally relate to since we moved to the country into our old drafty farm house.

Ever Thought About Solar Cooking??

2009-03-13T23:18:00.000-07:00

So I am thinking that baking bread everyday this summer is going to be a killer! Our electric bill gets high enough trying to keep our house tolerable. Imagine having the stove going for bread and tortillas!

So I've decided to research solar cooking. I am soo glad that I got the idea! This came about because my husband has been investigating all kinds of wind and solar power ideas on youtube. He really wants to start making us energy independent.

Anyway, I found this really neat lady on youtube who loves solar cooking and she shares how to make ovens and all kinds of tips that she has garnered from cooking outside all the time. Here's one of her videos. Check out her channel. She has lots of ideas. She also recommends going to http://solarcooking.org for more information. I'm going to check that out,too.

BTW, if you go to my youtube channel you can see all the videos that I have favorited.

Have A Safe St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-13T02:20:00.000-07:00

This poster was created by DUI Victim's Voice in conjunction with the following Flickr.com photographers:

1. No Survivors, 2. Luck is..., 3. St. Patrick himself, 4. Kiss Me!!!!!, 5. happy st patty's day, 6. St Patrick's Day, 7. St. Patty's Day 2007, the gang, 8. Schuuulz, 9. Four Leaf Clover 068, 10. How one celebrates St Patrick's Day, Part 1, 11. Go Irish! Go Green!, 12. Green Beer Goggles, 13. St Patrick's Day (5)

Photos of Sourdough Bread: The Staff of Life

2009-03-09T17:10:00.001-07:00

Mini Pizza Rounds

Save Money With Delicious Homemade Sourdough Bread

2009-03-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

I am in love with sourdough bread.

It is healthy, economical and delicious. Homemade sourdough is nutritious because it only uses a handful of ingredients and the leavening process assists with digestion. Using freshly ground flour makes it even more healthful. For more information on the nutritional benefits of sourdough watch the video below or read Facts About Naturally Leveaned Bread.

Homemade sourdough is economical because it doesn't require the purchase of yeast, lecithin, or gluten as some yeast recipes call for. You only need flour, salt, water, honey (or sugar,) oil and sourdough starter! Talk about cheap! Buying your ingredients in bulk renders your bread even more economical.

Search for a source where you can purchase 50 lb. bags of ground flour, or wheat berries that you can grind yourself. I can buy white and ground wheat flour in the next town over from an Amish store. I can also purchase 50 lb ground white flour and hard winter white or hard winter red wheat berries from my church cannery. You can contact members of the Church of Jesus Christ to purchase such items and many more (like sugar, rolled oats, beans.)

In addition to purchasing these items in bulk from the church cannery, you may also use the church's dry pack canning equipment at no charge and with no strings attached. This allows you to buy items in bulk and store what you won't consume right away.

In addition to having a healthy, economical and delicious food for your family, you will also minimize your impact on the environment by eliminating waste from plastic bags and fossil fuels that are used in transporting store bought bread.

Eating Healthy with Sourdough Bread -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

I Haven't Bought A Loaf of Bread In Two Weeks!

2009-03-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

Sourdough Bread Loaves Rising

It's been two weeks and I haven't bought one loaf of bread nor a pack of tortillas. I figure that since we go through about two loaves of bread a day, plus two packs of tortillas at a time 3-4 nights a week, we have saved at least $70. More than that, we have gone from eating the cheapest, additive filled, lightweight bread, to eating hearty, healthy, fresh gourmet.

My husband feels like a king being served fresh bread and hand made tortillas. The kids love it, too. (With only minor complaining and longing for "real" bread from the pickiest of our children. I hope that in time they will learn what is truly the real deal and prefer home made bread to store bought.) With seven out of nine of us loving Mom's goods, I think it's unlikely that I'll ever buy a loaf of bread or a pack of tortillas again!

Yes, I have been spending more time in the kitchen. But surprisingly not that much more, and I feel really good about it. I don't think there is anything better I could be doing with my time than making healthy food for my family. In addition I feel like I am earning $140 a month! Finally, someone is paying me for my work!!!

Once I got going on the bread making I realized that it is all a matter of habit and mind over matter. I've gotten into a routine and I feel like a gold medal mother with every loaf and burrito I make.

Daily I am making 1-2 loaves of bread (in the $10 bread machine I bought at a yard sale this summer,) as well as two loaves of sourdough bread. In the morning I "feed" my jar of sourdough starter with one cup of water, one cup of flour and one teaspoon honey. Then I leave the jar out all day. In the evening I mix more water, salt, oil and sugar in a bowl with one cup of the starter then mix it with a wooden spoon. Once it is mixed I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it out in a warm place. The next morning I separate the dough into two loaves and let it rise for about 2-3 hours before baking the loaves for 30 minutes.

As for the bread machine, that is even simpler. In the morning I put the ingredients in the bucket, push a button and the machine works it's wonder. An hour and twenty minutes I push another button. Three hours later, voila! A loaf of bread!

One benefit that I hadn't thought of before making all of our bread and tortillas is that the money that I am saving on these staples has allowed me to purchase more cheese, fruit, veggies, milk and meat so we are more full than when we were really feeling stretched with our food budget. Moreover, the bread itself is simply more filling.

The other day while in line at the checkout counter the lady in front of me was buying a loaf of sourdough bread for $3.57. I was tickled to think that my family had two fresh loaves waiting at home that cost less than a $1 to make! I was never a fan of sourdough bread before as it is too sour for me. But freshly baked sourdough bread is lightly sour and very delicious. As it ages it gets more sour.

So the moral of this story is that you can have better bread and more food while spending less "dough."

Singing Lullabies is Easy!

2009-03-04T02:58:00.000-08:00

I just made this video for my other blog SingYourFavoriteLullaby. If you want to learn new lullabies and old favorites, click here.

Singing lullabies is very important, beginning with pregnancy. For more info, read this.

Greatly Reduce Your Grocery Bill While Improving Your Diet

2009-02-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

For years I have been trying to figure out how to reduce our food bill. Every once in a while I would mull over our food costs. I'd even ask around trying to find out the secret to lowering my food bill. But I always ended up stymied.

I figured out that many people save money by buying cheap convenience foods, like Ramen noodles or boxed mac 'n cheese (items that I never cook for my family because the are lacking nutrition.) Since I cook many basic meals and never buy sodas (except for celebrations,) I thought I was doing the best I could. (In addition to not buying sodas I also infrequently buy items like cold cereal, chips and other snack/convenience foods.)

Well, I have finally unlocked the secrets to reducing our food bill!

As a full-time mother of 7 I have long understood that the way that I "earn" my family money is by saving my husband's hard earned wages at the checkout line. Every penny I work to save equals my monetary contribution to the family.

I am so excited by the amount of money that I am saving (while increasing our nutrition) that I want to share the details with you.

* Make your own bread! Eliminate the need to purchase costly loaves of bread that are filled with additives. Buy a bread maker cheap on ebay, at your local thrift shop, or at a yard sale. Sourdough bread is delicious and cheaper than yeast bread! Homemade bread is wholesome and more filling than store bought.

* Buy items like flour and yeast in bulk. Buying in bulk saves time, gas money, wear-and-tear on your vehicle, and grocery money.

* Make your own tortillas! This isn't as hard as it seems. It is just about time management and making a new habit. Not only will you save money, you will prefer the taste.

* Enjoy air popped corn. Forget microwave popcorn, which may cause cancer anyway and is much more expensive than buying popping corn kernals.

* Drink more water and avoid soda and juice. Soda is fattening, void of any nutrition and believe it or not, juice is very sweet and may contribute to obesity and even stunt children's growth.

* Eliminate sandwich meats which are expensive and full of nitrates. Instead bake whole chickens and stew beef. Store in freezer bags.

* Cook more soups and stews. With just a little bit of meat you can cook a healthful, filling, nutritious and cheap meal! For just $2.95 worth of chicken thighs, a $1 pack of egg noodles, some carrots, potatoes and broccoli (all totaling about $6-7) I am able to feed my family of 9 chicken soup for dinner and have left overs for lunch!

* If there are no city ordinances against it, get some chickens!!! Their eggs are healthful and cheap. Chickens are easy to raise and I love seeing them in my yard. Everytime I drive home the sight of chickens pecking about warms my heart. You might think that chickens are noisy, but they aren't really. It's roosters that are loud, chickens are pretty quiet most of the time.

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging in more detail about some of the suggestions I have just made. Subscribe to this blog or "follow" this blog and you will be notified when I do.

Amazing Photo Transformations

2009-02-20T00:27:00.000-08:00

My children are very artistic and enjoy transforming photos. Let them "transform" your photos!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

O, My Little Ones, A Lullaby by Susana Sung by Daniela

2009-02-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

This cool, young chic from youtube sang one of my songs for me!!! Yay! I am so thrilled, she did an awesome job and I am so grateful. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!

BTW, This is one of my songs that I dream of recording on a cd for moms.

Children's Night Terrors Due to Fever and Thoughts About Sexual Innuendo on the Internet

2009-02-17T23:17:00.000-08:00

This post covers two topics. 1) Night terrors caused by fever. 2) My irritation with sexual innuendo displayed in advertising on the internet.

Today several of our children have been sick with fevers. Two of them had been napping together in the middle of the day. The came down stairs together, but one of them (aged 8,) was in a stupor and with terror asked where Daddy was. I said he was at work. Then the child began shouting about giants and her face was contorted and she was walking about in a panic. The other children and I initially began to laugh, but quickly we noticed that she was not joking around, but rather something serious was taking place. The children then left the room while I proceeded to try to calm her down.

I immediately realized that she was having a fever induced night terror or delirium and that she was not fully conscious. I soothed her and held her and quickly took off her socks and pants to cool her, leaving her sleeveless dress on.

(Btw, when a child is feverish you generally shouldn't remove all of their clothing. They should at least wear an undershirt or tank top as you don't want their body to feel the need to further heat itself. The goal is to not have them be overheated, without causing them to get chilled.)

She began kicking and thrashing and continued crying and screaming. I called for the children to bring me a cup of water and a warmly moistened towel. I spoke reassuringly to her and gave her a drink then I put the towel on her head and settled her down on the couch. By now she was more coherent and calming down. By the time I was brought a light blanket for her and I had brushed her hair, she was awake and had no memory of what had just occurred.

The child that had been napping with her told me that before the terror began she had muttered that she was hot. I think that their napping together, under heavy blankets with socks on must have elevated her temperature and triggered the terror. This was the first time this child ever had a terror, but two of my other children have had them with fevers so I wasn't overly concerned, other than knowing that I needed to cool her off.

I did go to the internet, out of curiosity, to search for information on fever induced night terrors. My google search led me to thelaboroflove.com. This website hosts a page entitled What Causes Night Terrors?

I found some good information, but I was miffed by the ads displayed on the page. I thought, "Ugh. More innuendo! What is it with the world and this crud! It's all over the 'net!" I was really peeved so I looked for the contact info and sent an email explaining my disgust with their advertisement and encouraged them to post ads suited for families.

I am pleased to share with you the reply I received:

Thank you for pointing the offensive ads out to me. The ads in question were placed by IVillage and I have contacted them about it and fully expect that they will take care it of tomorrow.

Yay! Once more I have proved that being proactive is a good thing and brings about results. I feel determined that I will inform every website that I visit that displays distasteful ads of my disgust. I wonder why people don't realize that the public doesn't to want to visit websites that have gross ads. Maybe webmasters are clueless and this needs to be pointed out to them.

I encourage you to help clean up the internet by complaining to webmasters about ads that rely on sexual innuendo. Please encourage others to do the same!

Just Like Grandma's Tortillas a Manos (Handmade Tortillas)

2009-02-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

Because beans and rice are cheap, nutritious and meatless, we eat burritos several times a week. In my mother's day beans and tortillas were an everyday staple. So eating these foods are "in my blood." My husband thought that by marrying me he would get lots of homemade Mexican food.

After being married for 16 years I finally figured out how to make a GOOD tortilla. I recall trying my hand at it many years ago, but I didn't have very good results, so I quit. (I should have asked my grandma for her recipe before she passed away!) Well, I finally found a good recipe that is almost just like Grandma's (just a bit healthier since it uses oil.) This recipe was recommended to me by a friend. It is from the cookbook Whole Foods from the Whole World. (Of course you can use all white flour if you want.)

Whole Wheat Tortillas

1 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. HOT water
1 1/2 T. vegetable oil

Mix dough until most of the dough is moistened. Then by the handful knead it until it forms a smooth ball. Wrap it in plastic. (Or put in a baggie.) Let stand for 15 minutes.

Pinch off little balls of dough. Dust it with flour. Pat flat in your hands. Roll out on lightly floured surface. (I roll the flattened balls out on the counter then do a final roll out on my skillet as the heat makes them more pliable and I am able to get them a little bigger and thinner easily.)

The thinner the better some people say. We prefer them thicker.

The skillet must be hot. When the tortilla bubbles slightly and is a little brown (should be about 1-2 min.) turn over. (You can put a tea towel over the tortilla while it cooks on one side. Then remove the tea towel while it cooks on the other side, says the instructions.) I just put each one in between a towel once it cooks so the moisture from the steam keeps them soft.

While it cooks, roll out the next one.

Enjoy! (Please let me know if you like this recipe or recommend another!)

Here's a video that uses a similar recipe. (This cook puts a pan on her tortilla while it cooks. I have never seen anyone do this.)

This is another instructional video, although the recipe uses lard. This reminds me of my grandma cooking tortillas!

Here is a video for making corn tortillas.

Haggling Is In

2009-02-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

Have you ever haggled?? Well if you haven't ever done it before, now's the time to try. Apparently, more businesses are willing to accept some wheeling and dealing.

I'll share with you our experiences with haggling.

Some years ago when we wanted to buy a quality dining table, large enough for our family of 6, my husband said for the kids and I to pick out the one we liked and he'd make the salesman an offer. I scoffed at my husband and told him that I thought he was wasting his time, furniture businesses don't haggle. Haggling is for swap-meets and yard sales. He said, "I have cash. Cash talks." He pointed out that furniture stores especially like cash because so many people buy on credit.

So once we picked out the table we wanted, my husband informed the salesman that we would be paying with cash and that he wanted to make the man a deal. The salesman offered to bring the price down by $200 dollars. My husband said that he also didn't want to pay taxes on the table. The salesman balked at that. When my husband insisted, he said he would speak to the manager. He returned and though his grin wasn't like the Cheshire cat's, we bought our dining table, which came with four chairs, a bench, and a butterfly leaf for $900 instead of $1200.

I haggled successfully two Christmases ago. It was Christmas Eve and I had wanted to buy my daughter a hope chest. I looked at several stores to no avail. Finally I found one. It was at a nearby store. I remembered that I had seen their advertisement when they had received the shipment of chests several months before the holiday. I did not think they would still have any left. Fortunately there was one still in stock. When I inquired as to the price, I found out that it was on sale.

Unfortunately, after shopping for 5 other children, I wasn't left with enough to pay the asking price. I called my husband to tell him I had found the chest, but that I needed more money. He encouraged me to offer the manager what we had. I said I couldn't, that she would not accept it! He told me he knew that she would. Cash talks! So I mustered up my courage and made my offer to the manager. Imagine my surprise when she said yes, she'd be glad to bring down the price and I ended up saving 40%.

So if you've never haggled before, or if you thought haggling was only acceptable at certain places, remember that cash talks and right now everyone needs money so something is better than nothing!

( I burned my daughter's name and this decoration onto the hope chest. Then my youngest daughter made her first drawing of a girl on it. Now Camille doesn't want the green girl erased!)

SaraihBella's Youngest Fans

2009-02-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

We listen to Sarah's music most everyday. Today I turned on Wiser Than Me and walked away. I came back into the room and my 4 year old had gotten one of our guitars, sat herself down in front of the computer and started singing along to the music.

She often sits, (or stands) at the computer and uses the mouse to click on SairahBella's different songs. She is Sarah's youngest fan!

P.S Danielle knows that "Fun In A Bottle" is a song about her grandfather.

Turn up your volume!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Short Prom Dresses All The Rage In 2009

2009-02-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

Apparently, girls in California are wearing prom "dresses" similar to the ones in these photos. I am surprised they can even be considered to be "gowns" or "formals" at all. I wonder if little under panties, like the kind a toddler wears, come with the "dresses?" How could a girl bend over or sit in one of these get-ups?

If this is all the rage now out in California, this style will be coming to the Midwest in a couple of years. If my son brought a girl home in one of these so called "Homecoming Dresses," she sure would be going home. I just can't believe that parents, teachers and school boards would even allow girls to wear such to a school sponsored event. There should be some rules prohibiting this kind of "attire."

Of course, few LDS girls would dare or even want to wear a "dress" this short. However, this style can still influence our girls if they try to rationalize that since other girls are wearing such short dresses, it's okay for them to wear skirts above the knee.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated in his address entitled To Young Women:

For you to fully claim Heavenly Father’s blessings and protection, we ask you to stay true to the standards of the gospel of Jesus Christ and not slavishly follow the whims of fads and fashions. The Church will never deny your moral agency regarding what you should wear and exactly how you should look. But the Church will always declare standards and will always teach principles. As Sister Susan Tanner taught this morning, one of those principles is modesty. In the gospel of Jesus Christ, modesty in appearance is always in fashion. Our standards are not socially negotiable.

The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet is very clear in its call for young women to avoid clothing that is too tight, too short, or improperly revealing in any manner, including bare midriffs. 6 Parents, please review this booklet with your children. Second only to your love, they need your limits. Young women, choose your clothing the way you would choose your friends—in both cases choose that which improves you and would give you confidence standing in the presence of God. 7 Good friends would never embarrass you, demean you, or exploit you. Neither should your clothing.

Check out this link to learn how to help teens attend prom by donating formals.

Photos of Short Prom dresses from http://www.simplydresses.com/dresses/short-dresses
Check out my daughter's formal.

This poster was created by DUI Victims Voice , in conjunction with the following photographers on Flickr.com:

1. Don't Drink & Drive! When Will They Ever Learn??, 2. Prom Hair, 3. drawnwod, 4. Prom Toes, 5. Dinner at Ankeny's, 6. Cynthia and Derek, 7. Verbum Dei Prom 2007 3, 8. www.flickr.com/photos/jcasimir/2200912203/, 9. www.flickr.com/photos/jcasimir/2201713834/, 10. www.flickr.com/photos/jcasimir/2201716804/, 11. Courtney Driving, 12. www.flickr.com/photos/jcasimir/2201701650/, 13. My sister, Taylor Klein, age 15

Prom and Graduation Time Increase Alcohol Fatalities

More than one-third of youth under the age of 21 killed in alcohol-related fatalities in 2001 died during the months of April, May and June - prom and graduation season - according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2001 alone, 2,950 children under 21 died in alcohol-related traffic fatalities - 1,012 died during the months of April, May and June.

Amish Buggy Photograph

2009-02-02T17:27:00.001-08:00

This photo was taken by Sarah Christensen - age 13. Sarah is a home schooled girl from our area who has Asberger's. The took the photo all by herself with no help. Pretty nice photo!

When we drive to the neighboring Amish town, we see these buggies coming down the road. We love to hear the clop, clop of the horses hooves and wave to the man, woman or child driving the buggy. Although we think it'd be fun to travel in one during spring, summer and fall, winters make us grateful for our car!

Some Things My Husband Has Done Right As A Father

2009-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

I'd be the first to admit that I don't praise my husband as much as I probably should. Okay, honestly, I'd be the second one to admit it. My husband would be the first! (Yes, this is just ONE of my weaknesses as a wife, sigh.) I am praising his fathering right now with the following list:

1. My husband has always supported me in my mothering. He has worked hard so that I can stay home with the children. When times were tough and I felt like I should work outside of the home, he has always discouraged this.

2. He has always encouraged me. Through all of the breastfeeding, co-sleeping and bonding he has never gotten jealous or expected me to keep the house up (even though I do!) Instead he has always lifted my spirits and praised me when I am feeling low, worn out, or defeated. He always been focused on what the priorities in life are and he anchors me.

3. Through all of our struggles he has been a faithful example that God provides.

4. When one of the children start to act up more than usual he has always considered this his que to spend more time with that child.

5. He has shared with the children his love of music and instruments, and his natural talent too.

6. His family has always come before friends, work or anything else.

7. Even after a hard day at work, he spends time with the kids. When he is really worn out, he has this habit of spending a few minutes in the car to wind down and prepare before entering the house when all the kids yell, "Daddy's home!" and he is bombarded at the door. Recently, after weeks of working without a day off, he took one day to take the little ones to the zoo. That's a great dad!

8. Though he doesn't attend with us, he supports me in taking the children to church every Sunday.

9. He has always been pro-home school and when I feel I can't handle it, he encourages me and helps figure out ways to make things better.

10. Let me give you an example of this point: After a days work, at night, on a bucket, in the yard, in freezing temperatures, with snow on the ground, wearing a catcher's mask and a baseball glove. His dedication to the kids' sports is awesome.

11. He has taught them to love animals in a way that I couldn't.

12. Tickle time, playing chase, monster, and goofing off at the table! Yes, dad is always good for a laugh!

Read my post: Some Of The Things I've Done Right As A Mother

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Some Things I've Done Right As A Mother

2009-01-24T15:52:00.001-08:00

I know all my weaknesses and mistakes, and I readily rake myself for them. Today I am going to make a list of the things I have done right in raising my 7 kids. These are a few things I can pat myself on the back for ;)

(Of course my husband is part of this list, but I am specifically mentioning my part in these things. I could make up a list of the things he's done right... I guess I will make that the topic of my next post!)

1. I have never bought my kids candy while in line at the Supermarket. Therefore, they have never threw a tantrum over it. Yeah, score one point for me!

2. I have always tried to read and sing to my children at night.

3. I have taught them to thank God for their blessings.

4. We have diligently monitored the amount and the content on TV. (We have especially worked to teach the children to skip all commercials as they usually worse than the programs.) Therefore, the kids can play for hours without the boob-tube.

5. I have nurtured all of the children, (which has prevented behavioral problems) but one in particular has been saved lots of trouble because I never allowed him to spend much time playing video games.

6. All of our children LOVE to read. I think this is directly related to the fact that I have spent hours reading to them as well as listening to them read.

7. As a family we have always spent quality time together. We have not spent time being entertained, like going to the movies, but rather we enjoy walks on the beach, making sand castles, playing hockey in the street, bike riding, or baseball out back. Inside we play games, make things together, and listen to and make music. Where ever we've lived we have always done what we could to enjoy the outdoors and one another's company.

8. Our kids love to draw and readily spend hours making creations. I think seeing me work on my own art has encouraged this.

9. They can appreciate a good bargain! All the times we've scoured thrift shops, auctions, and yard sales has helped them to understand the value of things and get the most for their money.

10. Though we've always had to work within our budget, where ever we've lived, I have always tried to introduce them to new foods. In Colorado we would go to the organic market and order a little of this and that and then we'd dine with the flat irons in view. In California I took them to try Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Peruvian food. Not only has this helped them to try new foods, it has introduced them to new cultures.

11. I have always taken part in their interests. If they are studying piano, I try it too. If they are drawing, I'll draw with them. If they are writing, I will proof read it. If they are doing sports, my husband and I will practice with them. We've even coached their teams. Once when we were one of our son's coaches, and our van broke down, I even went the extra mile by lugging the kids and all their gear on the bus. Then I carried the gear and walked with 4 kids and a baby for about a mile while my husband was at work. Yeah, I've sacrificed for them!!!

12. I give myself 100% to our babies. I nurse them and co-sleep and keep them in arms. I am great with babies. When they are around 2 and they can say "No," that's when I say, "Go to your father!" ;)

Over the years I feel that I have given so much of myself and spent so much time being involved with the children in one activity or the other. I once lamented to my husband that the children won't remember all of the things that I have done with them (I guess this is one good reason to write a journal!) Thinking of this made me sad. He encouraged me by pointing out that although they may not remember every moment, or even most of the things we've done together, it is part of the fabric of their being. All of the time spent with them makes up the core of who they are. I hope he is right!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Motherhood and Childrearing: Enduring to the End

2009-01-20T08:23:00.000-08:00

Enduring to the end. It is an interesting topic, one that I have discussed with several friends. It seems many parents of large families go through the same thing: When the eldest children become teens, we still have little ones to teach, care for, provide for and dote on. This seems to become difficult to do as there is a part of us that wants to move on, to achieve some personal goals, to do new things. But alas, we still have years of parenting left.

So what are we to do?? The right thing is to focus on the task at hand, which is giving as much of ourselves to our little ones as we did the eldest. Of course, in large families the elder children can help with the rearing of their siblings, but nothing replaces one-on-one time with Mom and Dad.

Yes, God wants us to continue sacrificing on behalf of our children and put off the desires we have for fame, fortune and freedom.

I recently had to deal with this burnout and had to put myself in check. After some angst over it, I have found peace. What helped me find peace? Counting my blessings and realizing just how much I am needed by this family and each and every child that I have. Remembering that there is no success greater than that achieved at home.

So I am working on giving more of myself to the little ones doing all those things I did with the eldest: reading, singing and teaching them. There is nothing God wants more from me than to have these moments with my kids and overcome the opposition that beckons me to give up prematurely on my parenting duties and seek my own gratification. God wants me to enjoy the simple, soul touching moments of motherhood, which provide my soul with the light of Christ (joy) and not things that are fake replacements that so many women are enticed by like shopping, self-adorning, gaining recognition and other materialistic pursuits.

Does this mean that I can have no interests? I don't think so. It just means that I have to temper my zeal to make an impact on the world at large. I think it also means having interests that can involve my children, like playing the guitar, art, gardening, etc.

What are your thoughts?

A Movie and Book Warning: Marley & Me and Wicked

2009-01-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

Personally, I don't buy into the rating system that says 13 year old kids are ready for Hollywood's crud. Therefore, I don't even let my 16 year old watch rated pg 13, unless I have approved it or given instructions for skipping scenes. (I'd really like to try the Clear Play filtering equipment someday.) Although I had heard of it before, I plan on utilizing Kids In Mind and hopefully it will become a habit to check out their ratings.

I was emailed the following review of the movie Marley & Me. The review below was written by a mother of two young children who was upset by the PG movie rating and its being considered a comedy.

Before you read the forwarded email message I received about Marley & Me, I would like to offer my own warning to you about the book Wicked. Please DO NOT allow your children/daughters to read Wicked (the book about the Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz.)
This is the most heinous book!! I am SOOOOO forever glad that I pre-read it and my daughter didn't get that awful, disgusting, twisted junk in her head. And just because the play and the cd are "clean" I still will not buy either and thankfully my daughter has no interest either. The only reason this book was being considered as reading material for my daughter is that it was given to her as a gift. I across the board stay away from witch and vampire stories.

Here is just one review about Wicked from Amazon.com:

It did provide me with the information I desired, but I had to sift through a lot of "sludge" to get it. This book should be rated "R". It's descriptive talk of the various sex scenes is disgusting.... Though the book as a whole is not like that, there are several chapters that are just written pornography. I don't recommend this book to anyone; especially minors.

This is the review of Marley & Me:

I took my kids to see this yesterday for my 6 year olds birthday per her request. The previews show it as a comedy – light hearted story about a dog that is out of control – adorable dog – looks like a family movie
released on Christmas Day – rated PG – I never read the book so all I knew about it was what I had seen on the commercials – shame on me – I usually check these things out – We are the "geek" parents who don't let our kids watch PG 13 movies till they are just shy of 13 – so I let my guard down and was reminded I can't do that or my kids will suffer. My 9 year old wanted to leave about a third into the movie – we should have – I should have demanded my money back for false advertising – but we stuck to watching it because I figured it had to get better. It didn't.

Marley & Me should have been rated PG 13 due to its language, violence and sexual content not to mention the heavy emotional stories that it depicted. So if you haven't seen it yet, and you never read the book or reviews here are the 4 major parts that were disturbing for my kids (and me) in addition to the language and sexual content.

The characters Jenny & John decide to try to have a baby – Jenny gets pregnant and then they show a scene where she & John is at her OB's office for her checkup – the tech is checking the heartbeat but can't find it and says that the baby is probably turned a certain way and she'll detect it on the ultrasound instead. Then the tech does the ultrasound and pauses and goes to get the doctor. The doctor comes in and checks the ultrasound and asks how far along she is – almost 10 weeks and relays to Jenny & John sorry but there is nothing there - she miscarried and can try again in a few months. It was at this point that my 9 year old asked to go home.

Jenny & John get pregnant again and have a healthy baby boy – in order to parlay a reason to move to a more safe neighborhood there is a scene where a teenage girl next door screams – John & Marley run out of the house to her at her car – clutching her side – she states that he said he wouldn't stab me if I didn't scream but I screamed and he stabbed me so then John is helping her keep pressure on her wound till the ambulance arrives.

Once they move to the new house and have the second child – there is lots of arguing and family scenes that go on and on with the kids crying and John & Jenny losing complete control of their emotions – there is follow up discussion with John's friend Sebastian where Sebastian jumps right to the topic of divorce.

Then the final thing is that Marley dies in the end – they have him run off to "die" scene and then John finds him and takes him to the vet – the vet is able to fix his stomach for a short time frame but warns he doesn't have much time.. Marley returns home to his family and then again has the natural digression of getting older – can't go upstairs anymore so John lays with him by the fire. Then the next day he isn't moving so John takes him again to the vet – this time there is nothing they can do for him – so he is put to sleep – they show Marley being put to sleep.

My 9 year old came over to my seat and cried uncontrollably in my lap and my 6 year old stood there crying next to me saying can we go home now?

So – you may be thinking that what's the big deal – it's real life, you shouldn't shelter your kids from real life – we don't shelter our kids from real life – aside from the stabbing our family has experienced the other events and haven't hidden it from our children – but we wouldn't want to relive those moments – wouldn't want to pay money to see these moments on the big screen as a movie touted as a family comedy.

So why am I sending this email? I thought this is the best way to save someone else from making the mistake I made – save you from having to apologize to your child for making a wrong choice. At first I was going
to send letters out to Disney, the movie rating organization, etc – then I decided it would be better to email to people I know and let them know this experience – feel free to pass this email along to others you know
particularly ones with kids – there is one good thing that came out of seeing this movie – my kids will have a frame of reference when we decide they shouldn't see a particular movie – they will have an understanding that we are protecting them.

Before putting them to bed, I apologized again for making the mistake of taking them to Marley & Me. My 6 year old responded "Yeah we should have gone to see Bolt"

I'll be looking up the reviews for that.

More Marley & Me Reviews

Here's a link for reviews about the movie Despereaux.

Thoughts on Racism in 2008/ Book Review "A Summer of Kings"

2008-12-08T01:53:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read a book and just cried once you've put it down because you feel engulfed by the character's pain? I have many times. Tonight I put down the book, A Summer of Kings by Han Nolan and I just felt so full of sorrow, not only for the character King-Roy, but for all the people he represents.

A Summer of Kings is a book written for tweens/young adults. Since I like to pre-read many of the books my children read, even my teenagers, I read this one. I was surprised by its depth.

It is a coming of age story and the main characters are a rich white girl and a southern black boy whose lives intertwine during the summer of 1963. Esther's New York family takes King-Roy in for several months after he is falsely accused for murdering a white man in Alabama. While reading this story you walk with Esther on her path to understanding herself and the world around her while also walking with King-Roy who faces the dilemma of supporting a violent or non-violent revolution.

This novel is informative, touching, and timely. It is timely because, forty-five years later, our nation has just elected its first black president. Which is truly amazing. It is just mind boggling that as recently as forty-five years ago, only a few years before I was born, blacks were fighting for basic civil rights and many, many whites were vehemently, even lethally opposed to it.

I have always been the kind of person to give the benefit of doubt to another, to trust people. I would rather not believe in racism than to believe in it. But reading this book reminds me that only forty-five years ago blacks were being treated brutally just because they wanted to vote, ride on a bus, go to the same schools, drink from the same fountain, receive equal pay and live on the same streets as whites. Though it is not mentioned in the book, not long before the American civil rights movement, Hitler and the Nazis were able to kill millions of Jews because of their hatred for another race of people.

Now, in just the past couple of months a Latino man was murdered because of prejudice. Hate crimes against Latinos are on the rise.

Although our country has come a long way, as evidenced by our president-elect, Barak Obama, we cannot and should not deny that racism still does exist and that we must all march together hand in hand, arm in arm, to fight those who would like to drive hatred and fear into our hearts about those who are different from us. May we be like Esther and King-Roy and see the good in one another and offer our hearts and hands in friendship.

I encourage you to read the book and decide whether or not it is appropriate for your child.

Guitar Lessons for FREE: Great for Home Schoolers!

2008-11-29T00:41:00.000-08:00

Our twelve year old son loves playing the guitar. Ever since my mom bought him a student acoustic guitar when he was eight, his dad has been teaching him what he knows.

He learned quite a bit from my husband, but about six to eight months ago our son began getting a little bored and needed some outside instruction. I gave him a guitar book that offered instruction on reading tabs. That helped a bit because he could play a few songs in the book like "Yankee Doodle," and "When the Saints Come Marching In."

He was excited, but that didn't last long. He needed more music to learn. In order to help excite him we gave him an electric guitar for his birthday last month. But that didn't solve the problem of not having music, even though the electric guitar livened up what he already new.

Fortunately, we figured out that there are pieces of music in tab form, as well as in chords, available for free on the Internet. He began printing some of those off. He was able to learn some songs that way, but that wasn't always easy. Then he recently figured out that there are many instructional videos on YouTube! Boy that has been so exciting! Just in the past couple of days he has spent hours studying how to play many of his favorite Beatles songs.

It is great watching his enthusiasm as he studies, then practices, then performs. His performances consist of playing for his family first, then picking up the phone and calling his best buddy to see if he could figure out what was being played.

My son thinks it's awesome that he can learn how to play his guitar for FREE. That there are people out there willing to share their talents. He says that you can learn just about anything on YouTube, even how to tie your shoe. If you or your child want to learn how to play lots of rock songs, and even get basic guitar playing instructions check out http://www.justinguitar.com

Justin offers free instruction without any strings or schemes. He is a really down-to-earth guy who operates on the honor system. If you can afford to donate great! If not, that's great, too! That's why he has his site, he wants to teach anyone who wants to learn. Justin is a very good teacher and he also is a very caring, respectable person who does a lot of charity work and wants to raise awareness about suffering around the world.

Another fellow offers ten free instructional videos on YouTube. He is very good and my son really likes what a great teacher he is. He was able to learn some of the songs taught in just 15 minutes or less. This teacher also has a website called Guitar-in-a-nut-shell where he offers instruction for $14.99.

When my son only new a few songs he was bored and wanted to give up playing the guitar, even though he loves that instrument. Learning new songs has ignited a real fire in him that is great to see. It's even tempting me to start learning too!

Preparing Deer Meat

2008-11-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

I have a top 10 list of ways you know that you are not in the city, you're in the country. I keep adding things to the list. Today I realized there's one more thing to add to it. Here it is:

You know you're not in the city, you're in the country, when you drive around town and see deer hanging from the trees.

You see, out here it's deer hunting season. Not only can you find deer hanging around, but you see lots of men, and some women, dressed up in camouflage and neon orange vests, hats, beanies, etc.

Three men dressed like this pulled up to our house on Sunday. One of them is the telephone service technician who set us up with our Internet last fall. He'd asked if we'd be interested in a deer last year. He finally was able to bring us two buck. They were older, with antler big enough that they cut the heads off so that they could have them taxidermied.

They showed up unannounced and my husband wasn't home. So they hung the younger one in a tree for me and the other one I decided the best place for it was out back so the dogs could eat it.

Now that is kind of funny because when we first moved here I saw several carcasses lying about some neighbor's yard (by their dog's house) and I thought that to be the oddest thing. (I'm surprised I didn't include that on my original top 10 list of ways you know you're in the country!) So now, a few years later we'll have some carcasses around our yard too. Ha! Ha!

Apparently, buck meat isn't as tender as a doe, and it's more "gamey." So the hunters didn't want the meat as they can pick and choose. They said the oldest buck wouldn't make very good eating so I figured our dogs, especially our mama dog who just delivered 10 pups, could use some protein to fatten them up. We are certainly grateful to save on dog food which costs us about $3 every two days.

Now, these were the first deer given to us since we've been here. Last winter some friends gave us some young doe meet which was the most savory meat I ever have eaten. It was just delicious. But a whole deer we'd never had before. So another friend happened to call me Sunday night to see if I wanted a deer. She ended up loaning us her son today and he came over and showed us how to skin it and what the best meat was.

His family processes deer quite often and I wish I had attended the demonstration that his mother put on last week at church. I guess she can make some delicious deer jerky and fried tenderloin. She cans deer meat, too.

So I brought our meat in and I washed it, cut it in strips and ground most of it. I took the loins, dipped it in egg with soy sauce,
then coated 'em with flour (spiced with garlic salt, onion powder,
salt and pepper) then fried it for about 20 minutes. It turned out scrumptious and all of my family devoured it!

Parents Must Protect Their Children From Viewing Sexual Innuendo

2008-11-10T22:46:00.000-08:00

In our house our children are not allowed to watch any TV show unless it has met certain criteria. First of all, they can only watch shows that have been prerecorded on the DVR. This enables them to skip the commercials, which are often worse in sexual innuendo than the shows they are watching.

Second, they cannot watch anything that my husband and I do not approve of. Most of the time this means that we have previewed it (yes, I take the time to preview about 98% of everything they watch.) Although we are most concerned about innuendo, we are also concerned about violence, potty humor, bad language, dark themes, and other things.

Third, each show may have certain instructions to go with it. Take Spiderman 1 for instance. They are allowed to watch it only if they skip the scenes where the father is berating Mary Jane. Also the most violent scenes must be skipped.

Even shows that are rated G must be previewed by me. Many G rated movies are totally inappropriate. For instance, Barnyard is about the stupidest movie on the planet. This show depicts male cows (which are supposed to be bulls) having udders. Now, we only recently moved to the country, but I have yet to see such a cow. Females have udders, not males. When I saw this show I was beyond blown away. You know how sometimes things in life are so bad that you're beyond crying, so you have to laugh? Well, with this movie I was beyond blown away. I don't know what you'd call that though.

Tell, me why would Hollywood produce a movie with male cows walking upright with udders dangling between their legs?

It shouldn't be a surprise that this movie is banned from our home.

As I have stated on many occasions, home schooling keeps kids innocent. We have worked hard to protect our children from violence and sexual innuendo that is portrayed on TV as well as in books, and home schooling facilitates this. In addition to previewing movies I also have spent many hours prereading books. And although some of our children's schooled friends have occasionally spoken of things that are inappropriate, we are generally in close proximity and involved with our children when they have company.

I know a mother who believes that it is important to show your children that you trust them. She believes that allowing them freedom to be with their friends unsupervised, as well as use the computer and watch TV unsupervised is acceptable and a healthy display of your trust in them and that this will keep them from making bad choices.

I totally disagree. I think it is our job as parents to protect our kids and to help them avoid tempting situations and violent or sexually charged content, no matter how socially unacceptable it may be to do so.

On November 10, 2008, Townhall.com ran an article entitled, Sexual content on television linked to teen pregnancy .

I was flabbergasted by the following fact:

...we know there's a sexual scene in content every 10 minutes...

Every 10 minutes TV producers are trying to indoctrinate our children, robbing them of their innocence and tempting them to lust!!! How maddening! The study proves that sitcoms are the worst, (which we figured out long ago.) This is the reason that our family does not watch sitcoms, The Cosby show being the exception. And even though this sitcom is generally wholesome, there are many Cosby episodes that I have deleted after previewing or after simply reading the episode's description.

The following statement was not surprising:

Teenagers who have a high level of exposure to sexual content on television are twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy compared to those teens who have limited exposure to such content...

Though Hollywood is guilty of purposefully creating shows and commercials that expose our children to a variety of worldy values, we can limit our children's exposure to such through our diligent efforts and example.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, made a statement in the article cited above that supports our beliefs. He said:

"While it's easy to become enraged with Hollywood, the burden of protecting our children falls on us," ....."We cannot be complacent about what our kids are watching and expect them to take our values seriously.

I encourage you to be involved with your kids, view what they watch, and even if it means you are peculiar, don't be afraid to avoid what's popular (like watching High school musical.) Instead nurture character and values in your children by watch something meaningful like the movies Radio, or Duma.

Free Public School Internet Classes are Available for Homeschooled Kids

2008-11-07T07:05:00.001-08:00

Last year we found out that our state had launched a Virtual Instruction Program. These are public school classes that are provided for free to those who sign up before a certain number of students is reached.

We decided to enter our eldest daughter, who would have been a freshman. The internet program provides some flexibility for home schoolers that want to be involved on a limited basis with public schools. This program made it a possibility for our daughter to have taken just a couple of classes at the high school, while taking the rest of her classes at home, in order to earn a diploma.

This has also made it possible for her to be involved in extra-curricular activities like sports. Although we have not yet involved her with the campus, she has taken the Internet classes with great success. (She may take a class or two at the high school next year despite not being eligible to earn a diploma because she would not have sufficient credits since she was not enrolled on campus last year.)

Though she will not be earning a diploma from our local high school (she will earn a diploma through Penn Foster, a correspondence school,) she is taking the public school Internet classes in order to amend her education. I did not feel like I was able to provide her challenging enough work without great expense and much effort, so the free Internet classes have really been a boon to her education. She is able to work on her own most of the time, with little contribution from me. She has teachers available via phone, email, IM and class live sessions.

She has been able to take Algebra as well as Spanish, Science, and English. Despite my concerns that she would be have difficulty in Math and English, she has maintained scores of 90%+. Since she has done so well, and the classes have been educational and fun for her, we decided to enroll our 6th and 8th grade sons in the program also. They are taking Math and Composition classes as well as Science. Because we want our boys to be involved in sports our plan is that they will be partially home schooled throughout high school, while attending the campus also.

We found out about the program through the high school counselor. I considered enrolling my younger elementary age children for Internet classes, but the enrollment process was overwhelming, requiring pages and pages of paperwork and accountability to the school. With the middle and high school Internet classes I have simply had to fax proof of birth and residency (via a utility bill) and sign a vaccination waiver. There has been no other paper work or tests required.

Internet

2008-11-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

Harvesting Flower Seeds: Marigolds, Zinnias, Cosmos

2008-11-04T06:44:00.001-08:00

It's November now, and my cosmos, zinnias and marigolds have just died off due to the frost. They really hung in there though, giving color all through October.

This photo on the left shows bright marigolds at the bottom, then zinnias in the center (a bit dulled this time of year) and cosmos, (most of which were spent and nearly ready to pick the heads for seeds.)

This photo on the right is of cosmos growing in another spot, by the front of our house, seemingly oblivious to the season, they are just as bright as can be.

The following photos are very poor in quality (I should have taken the pictures outside so as to eliminate glare.) But maybe they will help you in the future to gather the heads of these flowers and save their seeds.

This photo is of a zinnia bloom and two dried out heads.
If you look deep into the heads you will find the seeds. They
are very thin, flat, a bit curved, oval shaped and tan colored. In the head of zinnias there are also lots of bits of non-seed material. You have to sift through it to find the seeds.

The photo below shows a cosmos flower in bloom as well as three heads. You'll notice that two of the dead heads are closed and full of green seeds.

Once the seeds have darkened and dried up enough, the head will open and the seeds will be splayed, ready for the wind to carry them away. Cosmos seeds are much easier to find than zinnias.

This last photo shows marigold blooms and several dead heads. Marigold seeds are sooo easy to locate. Just pull the dried up flower petals away from the seed pod. Behind the petals you'll find the straight, black, seeds waiting for you. There will be about 20 seeds all side by side.

Once the seeds are gathered, put them in baggies or envelopes with labels and store in a cool, dry place.

Helpful links:
"Seed Harvesting" from the Garden Grapevine
"Harvesting Flower Seeds" Zinnias, from Prairie Thistle
"Harvesting Seeds from Your Garden," from the Garden Path
"Cosmos" from Swapseeds
"Growing Cosmos"

Another Reason to Breastfeed

2008-10-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here's one more reason to breastfeed:

Scientists: Plastic Bottles May Pose Health Risk WJZ 13 Baltimore - Wed Oct 29, 6:04 PM ET

Many mothers are returning to glass baby bottles due to BPA concerns. Suzanne Collins reports.

Some interesting News Videos

2008-10-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of news videos from around the country that interested me. If you're anything like me, you might be interested too. I think I will regularly share videos that interest me on this blog. Let me know what you think. (notice my thoughts in italics)

Cheap Easy Halloween Costumes

Best Sites For Last Minute Costume Ideas

Bunny Commits Suicide Library Book (Make sure you don't check this book out unkowingly)

Woman Borrows from 401(k) to buy homes (Maybe it's a great time to invest if you have the $$)

Get Ready for Cold Weather Gardening (I need to get myself out there and prep for winter!)

Children's Health Symposium (It'll be interesting to see the results.)

Bartering Goods, Services To Get By In Tough Times (This is something we should do more of)

As Economy Sours, More Giving Up their Pets (A sign of economic woes)

Find Out Where Cold Viruses Lurk At Home (Washing hands is good, but I avoid sanitizingl soaps)

Entertaining your kids for free (We have always done this. I prefer spending time with my kids, not entertaining them!)

Yo-yo phenom at 13

Plucky pooch saves kittens from fire

Whirligig Man

Homeschooled Kids Are Less Vain, Materialistic and Fickle, IMO

2008-10-27T01:26:00.000-07:00

These photos are of our eldest daughter with her horse. She is such a wonderful help to me. She has been a mami to all my children, helping me care for each of them.

She's growing up soo fast, soon she'll be able to drive and date. However, she will do so with restrictions. No night driving and no dating w/out being in a group or having one of her brothers along with her. She thought my husband and I were silly for wanting to enforce the last rule, but then she talked to an elder friend of mine who shared that her husband's family (he's Hawaiian) had the same rule of no dating without siblings tagging along.

You know, this sweet daughter of ours, (and our boys) have really proven to us what amazing benefits come from homeschooling. This child is so innocent and not fickle or vain. She has not had to deal with peer pressure so she is not materialistic, she does not try to act older than her age, nor does she have to be all dolled up to feel good about herself.

I see soo many girls who attend public school suffering with self-esteem issues. Though homeschool is not a panacea, I truly believe that homeschooling our children has kept them wholesome and bolstered them up instead of them being torn down by vicious little kids who lash out to make themselves feel better. One of the other things I notice about our homeschooled kids is that they are all very true and loyal friends.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Strong Willed Child (one of them anyway!)

2008-10-27T00:50:00.000-07:00

This is our third child. The one who made me realize that I was just lucky that my first two children ate their vegetables! He's a character alright. He's also very sweet, loving and caring. He's always told me that I am the best mother in the world. I tell him, "that's not true, but thanks for telling me anyway." Kids love us unconditionally don't they!?!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

An Impromptu Photo Shoot of Yours Truly

2008-10-26T23:47:00.001-07:00

These are photos that my daughter took of me in our front yard. It was a chilly, blustery evening. I hadn't intended on being photographed but I am glad that Camille suggested.

You can barely tell that I am recuperating from Bell's Palsy, which is facial paralysis. Two months ago the right side of my face became paralyzed. I am slowly on the mend. We'll see just how much I recover.

Notice that in the photo of me looking at the Cosmos there is a lone bumblebee! Imagine a bee in late October.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our Gentle Giant

2008-10-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

This is our eldest son. He is a big helper, a gentle giant, a nice boy.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

In the grass

2008-10-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of our sons with one of our dogs and one of the cats. If I'd taken these photos a month or so ago he could have been holding a frog as we have lots of them around here.

The pictures were taken on a bright and blustery day so he is a bit squinty!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Quick Photography Lesson

2008-10-26T00:36:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd offer a quick photography "lesson" to help you take better photos.

Tonight my daughter wanted me to take pictures of her. She stood there and I took a couple. They weren't turning out so good. She was smiling too hard, as many children (and some adults) often do. I tried to get her to soften up her smile, but it wasn't working out very well.

So even though it was late, I decided to get up and get into it. Since I have to return my friend's camera tomorrow I figured I better not let this opportunity pass by.

I got the idea to grab a vase of flowers from the kitchen, since they are lovely to look at, and have her "model" with them. It is so much better to take photos of people doing something other than just standing there posing akwardly.

One thing my family chides me about is my obsession for making sure the background is clear when I take photos. I always look into my view finder and move or arrange anything that looks sloppy. I also take care to take my photos at an angle that best captures the subject as well as the background.

Here is a video montage of the photos I took of our third youngest child. Although I took note of the background (moving some plates and things off the table, and was careful not to capture an unfinished wall) I should have moved the chairs away from the table too. If you look carefully you'll notice that I cropped the photos in this montage to eliminate the chairs and other items whenever possible.

I think the photos are just adorable. Not bad for a late night, spur of the moment photo shoot!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When taking photos:

1) Make sure the background is neat so as not to detract from the subject.

2) Look through the view finder and observe background.

3) Avoid having your subjects pose akwardly.

4) Give your subject something to do or hold.

5) Photograph your subject from different angles, not just smiling directly.

6) Have your subject "wear" different faces, not always smiling. Other poses are looking thoughtful, relaxed, looking away, down, up, sideways.

7) Crop photos to eliminate distracting backgrounds.

Apple Season

2008-10-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

Fall is apple season. We have two fruit trees that the children have been eating fresh apples from for at least two months. Imagine the money savings! Each bag costs about $4 at the supermarket and my children can go through a bag a day or more! We thoroughly enjoy growing apples... they're delicious and FREE!

Though I plan to do some canning next year, this year it was not something I wanted to tackle. I did however have my family pick apples from two neighbors trees (in addition to our own two trees.) With all of those apples we were able to gift many people in our community with bags of red and yellow apples. This was an especially great way to say thanks to those people who have done nice things for us throughout the year as well as a way to give to people who like us, have a large family and tight budget.

In addition, I was able to share loads of apples with a few friends who were willing to use half of the apples I gave them for canning. I kept some of the final product given to me and some of it I gave to my neighbors whose trees we picked from. This way they got something in return, besides knowing that their apples didn't fall to the ground and go to waste.

As for our own trees, the children picked them clean and just devoured them all. Only a few fell to the floor and those did not go to waste as our horse, chickens and dogs love apples, too!

I was also able to put 100 apples in a plastic tub in our cellar as an experiment of sorts to see how well they last. I hope they will last at least a month.

The montage below is of one of our children enjoying a very ripe, nutritious, juicy apple.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Check out Cedar Farms Blog for a yummy apple canning recipe.

One Idea for Altering a Prom or Formal Gown

2008-10-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

My sweet daughter and I were thrift shopping when she spotted this blue floral print formal gown. She loved it and wanted to buy it even though she had no immediate plans for wearing it. At just $2 the price was right!

The length seemed perfect, but when she tried it on, the zipper only went up about 1/4 of the way and the rest of the back was left open. There was enough material to come together at the top, (probably because she is not very busty) so I thought maybe we could figure out something to do with it so that she could wear it.

She was recently invited to attend a birthday party for her best-friend's young niece. The party has a princess theme and the attendees are wearing tiaras and gowns. Camille was excited to finally have an opportunity to wear her blue dress!

After a brainstorming session with my friend Susannah, (who is an awesome seamstress... she made this yellow dress to wear to her sis-in-laws wedding) and also speaking with another friend who has made at least six of her daughters' wedding dresses, I figured out how to alter the dress with minimal effort and practically for free.

Two things were needed to be fixed in order for her to wear the dress. 1) the back needed to be able to be held closed 2) sleeves needed to be added for modesty.

My daughter decided that she would wear a white shirt under the dress in order to take care of the sleeves and part of the back.

I decided that I would remove the zipper from the upper back of the dress. This meant that I needed to sew stops in the zipper to keep it from falling off where I cut it. Then I sewed several loops with cording on both sides of the upper back. I also sewed in a metal clasp at the very top that held the uppermost loop. Finally I laced cording back and forth through the loops and tied it into a bow.

These are photos taken during the alteration process. Her hair is not done, and she is wearing a dark blue shirt, (instead of white) but she still looks lovely, doesn't she?

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Helpful links:
Check out this link to learn how to help teens attend prom by donating formals.

Get a Beautiful Prom Dress on a Budget
To find a great, but inexpensive prom dress you can purchase one at a number of discount clearance stores, personalize it, and embellish it so that it is one of a kind.
View more »

Where to shop online for a prom dress

Preparing for Economic Depression: Simple Living

2008-10-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

I read an MSNBC article today entitled, In hard times, some flirting with survivalism.

It is quite a lengthy article that discusses the fact that many different kinds of people are reacting to our economic troubles by storing food, investing in gold and silver and building underground shelters.

An internet survivalist blogger named Rob was interviewed for film and print and he shared his thoughts about his family's preparations. It is awesome to see this man leading his family with such sound principles. How refreshing when most men are more interested in their toys and image than in preparing for the possibility for future disasters.

Rob is encouraging preparedness but more than that he is teaching about a change in lifestyle, not just storing food and water and living the American norm of spending, charging, and amassing materialistic goods. The following is an excerpt from the article.

In the last three or four years, he has led his clan away from what he calls their former “yuppyish lifestyle.” They no longer eat out, cook most meals from scratch, and rarely drive their one car. They also are all learning practical skills — such as sewing, nursing and wielding a gun for self-defense.

“One thing I’m adamant about is that each of the kids needs real skills; they can’t just be a pencil pusher,” says Hagmahani of 19-year-old Hans, Sofia, 14, and Erik, 12. “You might get lucky and get a cushy job, but you might not. You need high-tech skills and low-tech skills for dealing with a systemic breakdown.”

There is wisdom in living simply, or homespun. We are trying to do these things as well, which is why we homeschool, homebirth, garden, make things by hand and live within our means.

Planting Flowers to Relieve Stress

2008-10-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

I LOVE flowers. You've heard of Johnny Appleseed. I'm a lot like him, except I prefer casting flower seeds (especially since apple trees are so difficult to sprout!) My favorite seeds to sow are bachelors buttons, cosmos, marigold, zinnias and alyssum. They are soo easy to plant and they give soo much color for soo long!!!

I love to plant them all over, in view from every window that I can. I do this because I will go to the windows several times a day (when I am not outside) and look out at all the pretty plants. I just stand there and soak up the colors and it makes me happier.

This might sound kind of strange, and I wondered if maybe this was a sign of my being a bit nutty, but then I remembered a study I read years ago about the benefits of viewing nature. The following are several exerpts from articles that I googled that discuss the benefits of viewing nature:

UW study reaffirms nature's stress relieving powers
In a study that reaffirms the restorative powers of nature, researchers at the University of Washington report that for stress relief, looking outside trumps toiling away in a windowless room or viewing a digital version of that outdoor scene.

The increasing evidence base for health benefits of outdoor recreation and access to nature
Just visually experiencing a natural setting can be shown to reduce stress.

Body-Mind Benefits of "Green Exercise"
A growing body of research shows that interacting with nature can positively impact our health and well-being; relieve stress; and promote concentration and clear thinking.

Indeed the landscape and the beautiful array of flowers that I grow outside several of my kitchen, living room, and bedroom windows brightens my days. Whether I am sad, tired, frustrated, washing the dishes, or even when I am happy, I take the time to observe the outdoors several times a day.

These photos show some of the views that I enjoy from my windows. These were taken in June when many of the flowers were not fully mature and just starting to bloom. It is now October and I am still enjoying their colorful blooms.

If you'd like to enjoy colorful flowers from your windows I'll share my cheap and easy method of planting annuals.

1) Find a sunny area that you want to fill with a rainbow of color.
2) Cover with plywood or carpet from fall until spring.
3) Uncover in the early to late spring, whenever you get the chance.
4) Use a tiller or shovel to loosen the soil.
5) Rake the soil evenly leaving a small mound of soil to lightly cover the seeds with.
6) Pour cosmos seeds (which will be the tallest flowers) in the palm of your hand, then by pinches, throw seeds around the center of the area (if your spot is in the open like under a tree), or at the back (if your bed is in front of a wall.)
7) Do the same thing with zinnia seeds, around the cosmos seeds but closer to the edge than the cosmos.
8) Do the same thing with marigolds, then the alyssum, but nearer to the front or outer edge.
9) Now you'll want to pick up a handful of dirt then rub your hands together over the seeds. Repeat until you have disbursed the dirt evenly and the seeds are lightly covered.
10) Water immediately (unless it is going to rain that day.) Keep your seeds moist. If you plant them early enough in the spring it may be rainy enough that you won't have to water them.
11) Once your seeds have sprouted and your flowers are growing a bit you can thin them a little. All of these flowers get very full when they are mature and they will give color for months.
12) Once the blooms have died, pick the heads and save them in a baggy. You will not have to buy seeds the next spring. Cosmos (and sometimes marigolds) will usually reseed themselves, but I usually cast more anyway. Pull the dead flower petals off and you will see the seeds in the little "cup thingy" that the petals grow out of.

Enjoy!!!

Neat Gift Ideas

2008-10-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year again for us. From now until January we'll celebrate 6 birthdays (plus my sister's and nephew's birthdays) as well as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Talk about our "wallet" saying Ouch!!

Since one of our sons wanted an electric guitar for his birthday, I called about 15 pawn shops to see if I could find a left-handed one. It seemed like there was none to be found! The last on my list was called "Lucky" pawn shop. It lived up to its name as there were 2 of them there!

So I told my son we had to run an errand. He had no idea what we were doing. We walked into the pawn shop and I told the man that I had called earlier about the guitar and that we were here to pick it up for my son, for his birthday. He handed it to my son and you should've seen his face!!!! He was shocked. It is a really neat guitar. My son said today was the best day of his life, declaring that all his desires were "fulfilled." (Yes, he can be very dramatic.)

The guitar was selling for $100. Since my husband and I have learned that most store owners will negotiate the price when you are paying with cash, I offered the man $80. He said he'd take $90, since it hadn't been in the shop long. We were pleased as this was a 6 string guitar with 4 pickups. Much better than this reasonably priced student guitar that only has 3 pickups.

After returning home my eldest daughter had an epiphany. She realized that it would be awesome for her to order the little ones some marrionettes for Christmas with some of the money she has earned as a mother's helper. (She helps a woman from church with her triplets!) I thought it was a brilliant idea as this is something they would never think of themselves, but I know they would love since they have always enjoyed making up plays and shows that they present to us all! (And it turns out that marionettes are fairly cheap!)

We found lots of neat marrionettes and a couple of really cool doorway puppet theatres. I had never heard of a doorway theatre and I think I'll try to make one for Christmas! It would be much easier to store than a free standing theatre. Here's some links we found:

Cowboy, Princess and Snow White marrionettes
Hispanic Girl and Hispanic Boy and children
Baby animals and other baby animals (plus lots of neat puppets)

Doorway theatre #1
Doorway theatre #2

My Latest Quilt

2008-10-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished making this quilt, which I gave to a friend in barter for a ping pong table. My husband has always wanted a ping pong table, so he was thrilled. But seeing how we don't really have the room, and I personally hardly have time for games anyway, in my opinion Dee got the better end of the bargain! (Of course my dh and children wouldn't agree!)

Dee chose the color scheme and some of the material (which is all second-hand clothing consisting of wool, linen, denim, flannel, and cotton.) Initially some of the patterns seemed uncomplimentary, but she picked them so I was going to use them and I chose other colors/patterns to compliment them. Turns outI LOVE the quilt's colors, patterns and texture and I am so glad for the direction Dee sent me in.

I was really excited about my creation, until I looked on line to learn how to tie the quilt. Then I got discouraged. Seeing all the lovely quilts with their intricate designs compared to my simple, utilitarian quilt was depressing! I thought about how I'll never have the time to make a masterpiece like those that are made by so many creative women since this simple quilt took me about two months to make!

Fortunately, I came across Judy Brenemen's The Art of Quilting site and was intrigued by the many articles about the history of quilting. I was especially pleased when Judy directed me to the article, Mexican American Quilts: Unfettered Color and Pattern. In part she writes:

In her book, Surviving the Winter, Dorothy Zoff reports on her extensive study of quilts in New Mexico. She traveled throughout New Mexico interviewing quilters and examining their quilts....

Zoff found that Mexican-American quilts were more often tied than quilted. She points out that the Mexican love of pattern and color results in cheerful quilts that would almost obliterate fine quilting. Dark and light contrasts were popular. Some of these quilts were made of squares and rectangles in informal arrangements... Because most quilts were tied the weight of the fabric could be more varied. Old denim jeans made hardy work quilts. The quilts were filled with cotton, wool or even rags instead of manufactured batting.

This was exciting for me to read as it sounds alot like my quilt! This allowed me to love my quilt again! I looked at my quilt in a different way and I felt a connection with women of my heritage who quilted with what they had on hand and for warmth, rather than for beauty and decoration.

Someday, or rather, some YEAR I will try to create an artistic masterpiece, but for now I need to finish making heavy, warm quilts for several of my children. I also plan to make some for friends, and I'd really like to get to the point where I can donate blankets for those who need them.

I love this photo of a Hispanic woman carding wool which accompanied Judy Brenemen's article. It brings back memories of my grandma in her kitchen, making tortillas. I can envision her even younger, back when her and her children worked as migrant farm workers. They lived in tents, had dirt floors, no running water and a make-shift kitchen.

My grandmother never made a quilt (to my knowledge) but she did crochet many blankets and she enjoyed embrodery also. I sure miss her, the woman I was named for.

As for the quilt I made, if you look closely only one of the edges are finished in the photo above. My dear friend Suzanna took the photo for me before I had completely finished it! Also, if you look very closely you'll notice that there are two pockets at the top. My kids were envious that my friend Dee's son, (who I made the quilt for) has pockets in his quilt. They all want one just like it.

Photos of my Grandma.

Nana and sister Lisa My Nana, Dad and me

Two Hands by Sarah: A song praising hardworking parents

2008-10-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

I love this new song by Sarah, my favorite YouTube artist. Her lyrics are always so meaningful. She just posted this song that praises hardworking parents. I love it, even though I suggested that she change the following line ...

'A pacifier and a bottle of milk/Its 3am and she hasn't fed herself'

to something more supportive of breastfeeding, (which God created to be best for babies AND moms) like...

A crying baby (or son/daughter) wants her milk
It's 3 am and she hasn't fed herself

Two Hands
copyright 2008 Sairah Bella

He doesnt own a suit
Never wears shiny shoes
Ripped jeans and a torn up shirt
Greasy hands and a back that hurts
Oh you'll never see him quit
He deserves every penny that he gets
He works with his two hands
He does the best he can
What more can you ask of a man

She doesnt own a dress
sneakers when shes dressed her best
A diaper bag as her designer purse
she dont complain when her arms hurt
A pacifier and a bottle of milk
Its 3am and she hasnt fed herself

She works with her two hands
She does the best she can
What more can you ask of a woman

He comes home late at night
Dinners served now its bedtime
Read stories till the kids unwind
Then he whispers to his wife
Darling how do you do all you do
And she says baby Ive been wondering the same about you

They work with their two hands
As gently as they can
until they both understand
that its worth it
every bruise mends
with this love they built
With their Two Hands

October FREE Give Away: I Am a Mother

2008-10-06T11:31:00.001-07:00

I have decided to give away one of my copies of I Am a Mother. All it takes to WIN your free copy (which makes a great gift if you've already read it) is to write on your blog, your thoughts about Motherhood: NO pay, big rewards. You must include a link to this post. You must also leave your own link in the comment section below so that I can read YOUR post. On November 1, 2008 I will pick my favorite post and notify the winner!

1) Blog your thoughts

2) Include a link to http://susanshomespunlife.blogspot.com/2008/10/october-free-give-away-i-am-mother.html

3) Leave the link to your blog post in my comment section below.

4) The deadline is October 31, 2008 at 12 midnight.

Simple! I look forward to reading your thoughts.

If you are not interested in this give away, subscribe to Susan's Homespun life to be notified of future give aways!

Susana

Motherhood: NO pay big rewards

2008-10-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

I just read an article entitled On Motherhood: I am rich. It is refreshing to read this mother's thoughts. She writes that due to the birth of her daughter, she has lost her income, (and the material goods that come with it.) Despite this, she is rich.

She writes very eloquently that the monetary loss has been replaced with emotional rewards, which is a secure investment:

Sure, the losses have been major, but the dividends of my intangible investments are bigger, higher than I could have ever imagined. The dividends that pay out in the form of spontaneous hugs and kisses...

Indeed, those who choose a career in motherhood must make worldly sacrifices in order to reap emotional and spiritual rewards. Former co-host of the CBS The Early Show, Jane Clayson Johnson writes about her experiences going from a full-time career woman to a stay-at-home mother in her book I Am a Mother .

Last year many of the ladies from church read I Am a Mother. I didn't attend their book club meeting, but several of them gifted me with the book. I donated one copy to our local public library.

I Am a Mother is a great book. It is always refreshing hearing in a woman's own words how motherhood is transforming and how love is so compelling a force that we are willing to make sacrifices for it.

I only had one somewhat negative thought after reading this book. You see the jacket of the book states:

"What do you do?"

It's a loaded question for many women, especially Latter-day Saint women, who recognize the sacred calling of motherhood but sometimes feel overwhelmed- and undervalued- in their roles as mothers.

Although I did enjoy this woman's perspective and I was inspired, I still marveled at how much easier it would be for a woman who has the occasional opportunity to land a free-lance job and make big money to feel a sense of worth, than the mother who has no such opportunity and struggles financially.

Most of my struggles with motherhood have to do with feeling like I have not made my mark and also wishing that I could earn my own money to pay for things that I want without having to be given the money from my husband.

I think that these are common struggles for women. It is hard for many women to be dependant on their husband entirely, to have no means of contributing to the household income. And with all of the brainwashing since at least the '70's it is equally hard to deal with being JUST a mom.

So for me, although I appreciate and benefited from Jane's viewpoint, her book did not reach and assuage the depths of my struggles. In part I know that no one's words truly can, this will only come from my spiritual connection with God and my emotional wounds can only be truly healed by the balm of Gilead and the Word of God.

But for me Jane's message would be more believable if I could relate more with the author's experiences and I felt like she had really lost something by staying at home. In a way she is able, (through her ability to have opportunities in her chosen profession) to have her cake and eat it too. Yeah, I'd like some cake.

Win a FREE copy of I Am a Mother by clicking here.

Live Frugally: It's wise and satisfying

2008-10-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

What an exciting day! What an exciting time for us, period. After our cross-country move two years ago, when we left most of what we owned behind, we have slowly begun the process of accumulating household goods. Of course, since we don't rely on credit, we have to use cash.

With our house requiring so much money for remodeling and my husband building up his construction business from scratch, making our house into a home that reflects our interests and serves our needs, has been slow going. We have certainly made do without many things. Although difficult at times, for the most part knowing that this was temporary made it tolerable .
As I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband recently had the opportunity to trade work for a leather interior, luxurious mini-van, hardly used living room furniture, 2 sets of dining chairs, two rocking chairs, a king-size headboard and bedding, a tv, a large rectangular galvanized wash basin with flowers in it, an antique desk lamp, a pool table, garden tools, and more. This windfall of important furniture and the minivan has really helped our comfort level.

Let me tell you, living this way, instead of using credit cards or loans to instantly satisfy your wants and even your needs, sure makes you grateful when you finally secure whatever it is that you were lacking. Not only is there a sense of appreciation for the object itself, there is a sense of pride in knowing that you did not waste money or go into debt for it. There is also the added benefit of the satisfaction that comes with owning something outright.

Today I was able to purchase more of the items on my wish list. Our city had a city-wide garage sale and the children and I spent several hours treasure hunting. I was able to buy a VCR with remote for $10, a bread machine for $5, a vaccum for $10, a lovely, large picture frame with a print (that I plan to get a new matte for and replace the print with a portrait of my grandmother) for $5. I also bought some candles, two bags of baby & kids toys, clothes, and a clock. I spent just $40. My husband estimates that the bag of nearly new toys that I bought for a dollar would have cost at least $40 new! (Earlier this week I priced a VCR at the local department store and the cheapest one cost $79!)

Praise God more of our needs have been met without having to spend a small fortune. We have indeed had a great month, and a nice day. We came home and plugged in the VCR. The children were able to unwind to an old Muppet's movie while my eldest daughter and I began making a loaf of bread with the new bread maker. Four hours later, without any energy spent on our part, we enjoyed a warm, additive and preservative free, yummy loaf of white bread.

Photo credits:
Snap n Post Bend Automatice Bread and Dough Make, Model 41026
Frugal Momma's Test Kitchen: Light Oat Bread

Mexican Star Quilt

2008-10-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

Stars for Lisa by Judy Breneman

South Wind Quilts sells quilt patterns. They have a whole series of beautiful patterns that are inspired from many different cultures, like Spanish Tiles, Persian Myst, Asian Lily, Chinese Lanterns. The pattern, Mexican Stars, was purchased then created by Judy, of Womenfolk: The Art of Quilts. Judy made her version, which she calls, Stars for Lisa, in honor of Lisa, a woman battling cancer. (Read her story here.)

Judy donated this gorgeous quilt to Quilt for a Cause, an organization that "auctions and sells handmade quilts donated by quilters to support breast and gynecologic cancer research."

This is a lovely quilt and I am so glad that Judy introduced it to me!

Thoughts on Education

2008-10-03T08:04:00.001-07:00

A woman namedCharlene left some eloquent thoughts on her blog about education. These are some of her thoughts from her post Edumacation:

In the 2006 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s international assesment of student performance, PISA, the United States' students barely made a blip on the map. Were we in the top 20 at least? Oh no. The United States repeatedly performed in the bottom third in literacy, science, problem solving and math. We weren't even average. Who were the top countries? Finland, Hong Kong, South Korea, oh and Canada. Finland is an interesting case for me because here is a country where students rarely have more than a half an hour of homework a night, there are no honor societies, children don't start school until age 7, the same curriculum is taught nationwide and college is free. We seem to do so many of the opposite things.

MADD Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

2008-10-01T11:14:00.001-07:00

September 15 through October 15 is designated as Hispanic Heritage Month – a time to celebrate Hispanic traditions and culture and to honor the outstanding achievements and contributions Hispanic-Americans have made to our nation. Drunk driving knows no race. Despite our cultural differences, we all share a common risk on the roadways.

Learn more...

Why I am likely voting for Obama

2008-10-01T06:09:00.001-07:00

Rixa, of True Face of Birth, decided to light-heartedly discuss politics. This whetted my palette and prompted me to share my political thoughts. This is what I wrote:
********************************
I too have trepidations about airing my thoughts on politics. I am not a politics buff, I actually hate politics 'cause I think most politicians are liars and I always feel like I am voting for the best of two bad choices. In the last presidential election I was so disappointed that I chose to only vote on local issues.

I don't feel an allegiance to either party, I take sides with different parts of both of their agendas. But this time I am leaning towards the Dems. There are so many issues, like health reform, the environment, & economy, but as a woman of Mexican descent, I just feel like the Dems. are more in touch with social issues.
I was appalled by the lack of color at the Rep. convention.

When Sarah Palin gave her line about how with her, parents of children with disabilities will have an advocate in the White House, I immediately thought how with Obama, people of color will have an advocate in the White House and how long over-due that is.

I think it would send a message to the whole world, not just our country of immigrants, that in America it doesn't matter who you are, you have the ability to not just be a citizen, but lead our country too.

If there truly are caucasian folks in this country who cant' bring themselves to vote for a black man (as the pundits insist is the case) my thoughts are that people of color in this country have always voted for white folks without batting an eye and they ought to be able to do likewise.

I was so relieved to learn that Penns. has a governor (he gave a speech during the convention) who is a pro-life Dem.

Watching the debate between McCain (who my husband and I were leaning toward in the Rep. primary race) and Obama, it came through to me that McCain seems very short fused and Obama much better able to handle contention.

We think that Obama handled Palin's speech (where she made fun of him left and right) quite well and think it is indeed funny that she is now the one being made fun of and for good reason.

We believe, that although she won't mean it, (and it should have been her primary concern from the beginning,) she will use her families' needs as reason for bowing out of the race.

My husband has maintained since the first week of her nomination, that she will be replaced by Romney because of his economics experience.

If this does happen, we will still be voting Dem. Romney's stance on immigration and his healthcare plan (where families are penalized for not having healthcare coverage) is ridiculous.

Furthermore, we just simply feel that Obama has a unique quality to bring people together and that he will be able to unite our country and to forge better relations with foreign countries. We feel our country needs a different kind of leader, one who can light a fire under people. Though we don't think Obama completely satisfies our political interests, he will likely garner our vote. At this point, if we don't go with Obama, we will likely not vote at all.

Molestation: Another reason to homeschool

2008-09-30T04:42:00.000-07:00

I came across an article about molestation. The point of the article was to clarify Obama's stance on McCain's claim that Obama supports children "learning about sex before learning to read."

I agree with the author and Obama that children should be informed about "inappropriate touching" and I would agree that this should be taught in schools. I can see how informing children in any group setting that we should all keep our hands to ourselves and not touch people's bodies, especially our private parts, is important, but beyond that it is up to parents to discuss sex with their kids. The following statement left in the above mentioned article's comment section expresses my own thoughts:

The education should not be for the children who may be molested, but for the offenders and potential offenders about what will happen to them if they choose this type of behavior.
Don't try and make Sex Education out to be a cure for petafilia. We all know that Sex Education is designed by the political left to make having sex "okay" and to teach kids how to "cover up" the natural consequences associated with this behavior....Protect our children by making them aware that they shouldn't be touched there by anyone except maybe a doctor with a parent/guardian present when getting a physical. This protection doesn't have to be a lengthy Sex Ed class about condoms, abortion, STI prevention, etc...

Another reader made the following statement about molestation:

Lots of parents have their children cared for by others and the risk is raised for these children.

This was not taken kindly by some readers cite that children are molested most often by family members. The following was offered in explanation:

I agree that it's more prevalent with family members. My intention was to point out that the more a child is not in the supervision of... say their mother they are more likely to be abused. Every single abuse that happened to me was when I was not being supervised by my mother. She left me alone with my step-dad. I was playing outside and the neighbors coaxed me indoors. My siblings and I were allowed to go alone with extended male family members. I was walking home alone from school alone, etc.

I know what all the statistics are, I am a statistic...I happened to have been abused by my step-father, uncles, 3 different neighbors at three different homes, indecently exposed to twice walking home from school, and then some. I also don't trust any adults with my children. Kids aren't safe anywhere. As far as denial goes, I do think parents are in denial about the risks their children face from predators and they need to do everything within their power to help empower their children.

This statement, and statements cited in the body of the article, give me one more reason to add to my list of homeschool pro's. By homeschooling our children we are reducing their risk of being molested.

I certainly believe that parents and children need to be informed about molestation. I think that mothers generally are the best protectors of their children and that they should be the primary care givers.

We as mothers need to realize that children should be well supervised and informed. Children need to know that it is not okay for anyone to touch their private areas, nor is it okay for them to touch anyone else's privates. I think many parents don't realize that children often molest other children.

Thoughts on Credit & the US Financial Crisis

2008-09-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

I have been watching the news, CNN to be specific. I keep hearing the word 'credit.' The President stated in his address that the current financial crisis could effect people's ability to get the credit they need to "manage their daily lives." A day before that I heard one pundit state that Americans are living on too much credit. CNN's Roland Martin, who underwent bankruptcy due to medical bills, encouraged his viewers to avoid buying on credit and purchasing only what they have money for.

Fortune Magazing rectnly published an article entitled, The next credit crunch: Our easy access to plastic is about to dry up- and with it our ability to fake living the good life.

In it Geoff Colvin writes how we've been through the Internet bubble and real estate bubble and are "approaching the end of the most worrisome bubble of all: the standard-of-living bubble."

For years I have thought about how people live way above their means and how this is encouraged and respected by society. It is so nice to finally hear the media encouraging people to quit buying on credit and save their money.

As for ourselves, we have chosen to be a family with seven children and with only one bread winner. We have chosen for me to stay home and homeschool our children. We could have been enjoying a much higher standard of living had we limited our family size or had I worked all these years outside of the home.

Years ago we met with a Primerica representative and disucussed our financial planning. The rep. pointed something out to us that has always helped me to feel better when I see families living with so much more. It seems to me that unless these people's incomes are augmented by their parents, inheritances or investments, they have to be living on credit. What the Primerica guy pointed out is that because our total debt was under $20,000 and only about $3000 of that was credit card debt, we were actually better off financially than the majority of people he counseled.

At that time we weren't purchasing a home. I drove an old yellow volkswagon wagon (which I loved, btw). I shopped at thrift stores (and still do.) We obviously didn't "have" alot. The Primerica rep. described a couple who were refinancing the mortgage on their large home to help them pay for their two new cars and $80,000 of credit card debt they had built up. From the outside they sure looked good. I remember him saying that this couple would never pay off their credit card debt if they continued to only pay the minimum.

A few months ago I watched the Super Nanny. The nanny went to help a couple with 3 children. Both parents worked, the father did blue-collar work and the mother was a cashier. Their home was very spacious and filled with new furniture and electronics. One of my kids asked, "Mom, how could they afford that big house and all that stuff with those kind of jobs?" (Yes, our children have learned that stuff costs money and that money is not easily come by.)

I had the opportunity and obligation, of explaining that all of their possessions were most likely acquired through credit and debt. I explained that this couple, like so many other Americans, were able to look and live like they made alot of money, when in fact they probably didn't. I further explained what a detriment being so heavily in debt is. It requires parents to work more and spend less time with their families, and it also puts families in jeopardy of financial ruin and bankruptcy, which in turns affects our economy.

Yes, it sure feels good to finally see people being encouraged to live wisely. Lest my children think their parents are off-base, I think I'll share with them the following quote from Fortune magazine:

It may be that the standard-of-living bubble finally has to deflate. Sustainable increases in living standards have to be earned, not borrowed, and that means performing ever higher value work that can't be outsourced.

The result may feel like deprivation, but I don't see it that way. Who knows - we might even find that living within our means and saving a little money actually isn't so bad.

Fun in A Bottle, written by Susana Fierro-Baig, Sung by Sarah

2008-09-20T21:04:00.001-07:00

Most of you know that I wrote a song about my father's death called Fun In a Bottle. Brooke White sang it for me once, but couldn't permit me to share it over the internet. I recently asked a singer name Sarah to record her rendition of my song for YouTube and she did!

I thought you might enjoy hearing it.

My ultimate goal is to have the song recorded professionally recorded on a cd and used in anti-drunk driving presentations in schools.

Please help me promote this video by taking a moment to DIGG this video if you are on Digg. You can also visit my new blog as well as the new store that I just set up. At the DUI Victims Voice store I am selling t-shirts at cost so that people can share the anti-drunk driving message.

http://cafepress.com/duivictimsvoice

Advice For A Happy Marriage

2008-09-11T23:06:00.000-07:00

I have been married 16 years and we have 7 kids.

Photo of our family after a day of play and work outside.

We have had our share of ups and downs. Fortunately, our relationship has really improved over the years. This is because my husband and I have learned a few things. (I'll have to ask him what advice he would share.) My advice:

*Lower your expectations

*Forgive

*Focus on Your own Weaknesses

*Have Faith

*The Grass Only Seems Greener On The Other Side

For example, I always thought the men took out the trash. That was the first expectation I had to let go of! My husband has his own construction business and does hard physical labor. Since I am home while he is out working a physically demanding job, that chore was left to me. At first I made it a point of contention. Then I realized that God would not want me to argue about it. God would want me to serve my husband and to forgive him.

I had to learn to forgive my dh for not meeting my expectation in this area. Forgiveness can be difficult. The only way that I have been able to learn this is through the help of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the Judge. He is the Mediator. He is the Atoning One who died for my sins. If He could die for me and forgive me of my sins, then I can forgive others.

In order to avoid contention and have happiness in my marriage, I had to realize that it was only MY weaknesses that I can change. This does not mean that I don't communicate things that bother me about my husband. I do so when necessary. But I forgive him and love him even if he doesn't change them. Wow! That can be hard to do. The amazing thing is that when I do this he usually wants to change in order to please me.

Lastly I have had to learn (am still learning) to have faith (especially with financial issues), to know that God will provide and that I must have patience and a still and quiet soul instead of anxious and complaining, which allows me to love and support my dh instead of resenting and nag him!

Our relationship is not perfect, but I am so glad that we have stuck it out through the really tough times and are committed to making our marriage work. We both realize that every other man or woman out there has flaws, thus there would be problems in any relationship. We believe that in the long run we (and our children and grandchildren) will be much healthier and happier with an intact family and this motivates us to never give up!

What suggestions do you have for creating a happy marriage?

Wiser Than Me, Original Song by Sairah

2008-09-08T22:34:00.000-07:00

This lady is an incredible singer/songwriter so I am sharing her talent with you. Now you share it too!

Reunion

2008-09-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

Susan at Graduation/ Susan & Kymberly Metz/ Susan 2005/ Susan's Kids

I have been married for 16 years to Robert Baig. We have 7 children ages 15-6 months. We recently bought a four bedroom farm house on 10 acres in Missouri. I am a homeschooling mother and homebirth advocate who has given birth to 5 of our children at home. I enjoy writing, blogging, quilting, and gardening.

One of my passions in life is to help prevent drunk driving. I have recently established a website and blog in honor of my father who was killed by a drunk driver in front of my great-grandmother's house in Oceano when I was four. I create anti-drunk driving posters for my site and I have also written a song (with some assistance from recent Americal Idol finalist Brooke White) about my father's death that I hope to have professionally recorded some day.

I would really appreciate it if you could send my regards to all the AGHS alumni and give my email to in particular to Grace DeGuzman, Stacey Eckman, Stephanie Steeber & Andrew Jennings. I didn't see Tamera Anderson's name on the registration list, but I would love to get in contact with her again too. Maybe someone knows how?

Susan Fierro-Baig
mamabaig at yahoo dot com

http://duivictimsvoice.webs.com/

http://duivictimsvoice.blogspot.com/

Spending Less With Cash Instead of Credit

2008-08-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

We operate on CASH, not credit. If we can't afford it, we don't buy it.

For instance, we moved across country two years ago. Paying for a moving truck large enough to haul ALL of our furniture would have cost us too much, so we only brought with us what we could fit in two vehicles, an RV, and a trailer.

This meant that we only brought my husband's tools, our clothes, photos, dining room table, TV, books, trophies and some other special items. Once we arrived here we began the process of acquiring the necessary furniture to operate a home like refrigerator, washer/dryer, beds, dressers etc...

Because we pay as we go, we have gone without and made-do. In example, for a while we stored our clothes by using plastic containers instead of dressers and until last week, we have only had one small couch instead of buying new couches or a sectional like we would have liked.

This hasn't been easy, as we have 7 children. But we know that saving our money and buying with cash is superior to going in debt for instant gratification.

We have found over the years that God always provides for our needs. It always takes an amount of patience and lots of hard work on our part, but when we have made our way, working toward a goal, God always drops what we need in our laps.

So it was not surprising to us that last week, (just two days after my husband lamented that he couldn't take it anymore without having living room furniture to accommodate our needs,) that my husband was contracted to finish a basement for a couple who were selling living room furniture.

He was able to pay cash and to trade work in exchange for an almost new sofa, loveseat and recliner, as well as antique end tables. Now we have all the furniture that we need and we did not have to go into debt for it, nor did we even have to spend more than $60.

We know that by avoiding instant gratification and practicing patience and frugality we are better-off financially. As was recently reported on Yahoo, a young family who was challenged to only use cash instead of credit for one month, just learned this concept. In just one month they saved $1800!!!!

Watch this video: Paper or Plastic: One family swaps credit cards for cash and saves thousands

My Daughter's Haircut: Donating to Locks of Love

2008-08-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sarah's Environmental/Green Living Post

2008-07-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Sarah, over at Walk Slowly Live Wildly recently shared a list of interesting statistics related to Americans addiction to clutter, throwing away shoes, using plastic grocery bags, and our recycling efforts. Check out the list.

Donating Hair To Locks Of Love

2008-07-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

My teenage daughter decided to donate 10+ inches of her hair to Locks of Love. I decided that everybody who can ought to donate their hair at least once in their life, so I followed suit. We both ended up losing about 12 inches after all was said and done. And we both had a crying spell over the loss of our tresses. Here we were crying that we have shoulder length hair, when there are girls and women in the world who have none. Shame on us.

After a day of getting used to our new "do's" we both have accepted our new look. For me the cutting was timely as my 5 month old keeps grabbing my hair. Before he would get tangled up in all those long strands, now his chubby fingers slip through easily.

I would encourage you to consider donating your own hair. Visit the Locks of Love website to understand the need for such donations. For me, I had extra motivation as a friend of my mother has a daughter who was badly burned in a fire when she was an infant. A portable heater caught fire to her crib blanket and half of her hair was lost. I knew that she was able to get wigs made from real hair for free when she was a child. It must have been Locks of Love that provided the wigs.

I will be posting before and after photos of my daughter soon!

Living Within Your Means Requires Patience, and Ingenuity

2008-07-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have learned over the years that living within our means definitely requires patience and some ingenuity at times. For example, I love flowers. But buying them is very costly, particularly when buying perennials, which return year after year.

I would very much like to have flowers planted all over the yard as well as to decorate the porch with hanging baskets. Of course, my natural inclination is to accomplish this in one season. Alas, patience is required.

Assisting me in my goal of flowers galore, last year a friend gifted me with 4 empty hanging baskets. I was very pleased and filled them with inexpensive annuals. (White alyssum and petunias cascade beautifully from baskets once they mature.) I felt very satisfied that I was able to beautify our porch for less than $5 vs. buying the baskets new for $17 a piece at the local store. Unfortunately, (thanks to the children) each of the baskets met their doom one way or the other by the time fall rolled around so I was left with no baskets to hang this year.

This spring while driving about I admired the bright blankets of perennial phlox in bloom and many a hanging basket and I longed for some of my own. I could have went out and spent the money to buy some phlox and more baskets (or used the credit card) but I restrained myself as such things are a want not a need. (Since we recently moved and are establishing a new business we are focused on necessities.). Though it is a little late in the season, I was recently blessed with both.

First, at the local thrift shop I found two baskets that were in poor shape. This is where ingenuity came to play. I took home the baskets and asked my son to scrape the old white chipped paint, then spray paint them black. (I picked up a can of spray paint for $1.) I then filled them with dirt and sand (which I had recently gotten free*) as well as with annuals that I bought on clearance for thirty-eight cents.

A week later the local store marked down their flowers, including hanging baskets, even more! The price was just 5 cents! Yahoo! I filled a cart full of 2 hanging baskets, 2 other containers and many perennials and annual geraniums (which can winter over in doors) for a total of maybe $3.

Now I have about 15 perennials to plant as well as an equal amount of annuals, many of which I will bring in doors in the fall. Additionally, while I was buying the flowers for 5 cents, I struck up a conversation with an elder woman. When I mentioned that we are fixing up our old farmhouse, she stated that she needs to thin many plants from her garden in the spring, (including black berries) and that she would like to share them with me!

So next year I will call her when the time comes and I will also wait patiently for the summer clearance once again. Soon I will have beautiful blooming flowers all over the yard and all it will have cost me is some change, ingenuity, elbow grease and patience.

Money saving principles discussed in this post:

* Have patience and wait for sales.

* Be on the look out for items that can be brought back to life with a coat of paint.

* Buy perennials whenever possible as they return year after year.

* Practice long term gratification vs. instant gratification by looking ahead to the bigger picture and don't focus on the here and now.

* Don't be afraid to speak to strangers, especially those who share your interests. You may make a new friend. And since most gardeners enjoy sharing their plants with others you may be able to benefit someone with starter plants or you may be the beneficiary.

My Write-Away Contest Submission

2008-06-18T23:36:00.000-07:00

Today I stumbled upon a site that has a writing contest every so often. I just barely avoided missing the deadline!!!! Yeah!!!. I submitted my post, In My Youth, to June Write-Away Contest “Going Places” at Scribbit. Wish me good fortune!