Today is my oldest.....

Today is my oldest 18th birthday.  Wow, it is hard to believe that she is at this mile stone in life.  It seems just like yesterday she was just born.  What an experience that was too.  She put me through a lot of bracston hicks. I would be in full blown labor pains and as soon as they think I was ready, it was like she put on the breaks and all of a sudden nope no more labor pains.  My dad who took me to the hospital didn't believe that I was in labor since when this time on this day 18 years ago I wasn't in pain like before.  I was relaxed and didn't have a care in the world.  My mom said it is real since her water broke.  He was like I'm not taking her since she's done this before.  Needles to say we went and a few hours later, life happened.  During the labor process I got hungry and asked for a hamburger and he brought me a tuna fish sandwich. I yelled at him and told him to get it out, I was about to puke.  But at 11:02 p.m. arrived my most beautiful daughter that God could have ever blessed me with.  She was perfect and a blessing in my life.  I had gone through the worst divorce ever and was afraid for both her life and mine.  She was my little angle on earth.  After she was born not even 2 minutes old she picked herself up looked at me and rolled towards me and the nurses had to catch her and couldn't believe that a baby 2 minutes old could do what she had done.  I could!
My little baby girl has been strong ever since.  She is my butterfly, I have always said that since she was born, she is blooming and getting ready to face the world and the world will see her as I do beautiful. 




Now I have told you about my oldest daughter but God not only blessed me with on beautiful daughter and blessed me again with another beautiful daughter who is now 15.  My girls were born exactly almost to the minutes 2 years and 10 months apart.  As their mom I am blessed.

Alot has been happening.....

Along with everyone one else we have been having our ups and downs. Our computer hasn't been working correctly for off and on.  Sometimes more off then on.  I've tried to post a few times but nope, it wouldn't work so, sorry for not being able to post for several weeks.  My husband is now on days after 11 years on 3rd praise God for that.  Not only is it good for the family but it is good for his health.  Most of you don't know that he had cancer (thyroid) which it effects a lot with your body and drains your energy and being on third even more so.  The doctor had been concerned with his heart beating to slow for his comfort but he had went to the visit straight from work so we felt it was just that.  He has felt fine after that and now being on first he is slowly trying to catch up on sleep. 

With all that is going on in this world just like everyone else we have been struggling financially and so I am looking to go back to school and possibly pick up a different job.  I work 8 hours a week taking care of one of our church members.  Doing this is so rewarding words could never explain how much I enjoy being with her.  God has blessed me in so many ways as being part of this family but also just having her in my life.  I learn so much from her and she is truly a friend that I cherish. So I am hoping that how ever it works out that I will be able to still work it out to be with her. 
Our oldest will be turning 18 this Thursday, it is so hard to believe that my 1st born baby will be an legal adult.  WOW!  What a blessing my/our daughter is to me/us.  I have always called her my baby doll but also my butterfly.  She is a shy, yet timid young lady and can be tough when she needs to be, she is also a very compassionate person.  My mom has always said she has an old soul.  Which I can see that too.  God has blessed me truly with not one beautiful daughter but two. 

I mowed our yard for the first time yesterday, my goodness was it ever tall.  Where was a goat when I needed it. :)  My husband and I planted over 100 onion plants.  I am needing to plant some radishes and lettuce hopefully today. But it didn't get done  but that is okay.  My husband was working on his work car and needed to replace a part.  Then we got a call from a friend who had some leftovers from one of their church's fundraiser for their up coming mission trips and asked if we could use any or knew someone who could.  So yes my mind went to work and was able to assist in that task.  Made a couple famlies happy.  It is such a great feeling to see such happiness in peoples faces when you can help them in such a small way.  I am so happy that I was able to help them in God's work.  :)  Thanks!

I have to work on my resume this week for my meeting this coming Thursday, please pray that I can perform this task because it is so hard for me to remember dates on a personal level.  I can remember if it don't relate to me personally.  Strange I know but it goes with my past from a car accident.

Well for now I am going to let you go and wish you all many blessings until we get to visit again.

Blessings,

Sherry

Plans for the homestead....

Hubby and I went to our local Home Depot Store and got some items to refurbish one of my husbands old rabbit pins and to add on it to move our two dutch rabbits from in the home to outside.  I love our rabbits but this past year they raised havoc on my walls even with plastic on them and they have torn down every spay panel we've put up.  So out they go with more room to run.  We will build safety precautions of course.  With one of his larger old rabbit pins we will utilize it too into taking my grandpa's old trailer that isn't good for much will change them into a chicken coop.  We will hopefully have fresh eggs and some peace back in the home. 

I have some planting to do and need to get hubby to TSC to get some fruit trees.  I worked in the fruit garden and got some weeding done got a lot more.  Weeds took it over some last year. 

Kids are hanging out with some of their friends playing in the parks. We're just enjoying this warm weather and trying to get as much done as we can before the rain hits.  We need the rain.  Praise God for all that we have.  Tonight we're having leftovers and just going to enjoy quiet time tonight.

Blessings to all,

Sherry

Hamburger veggie salsa soup...

This is one way to use up your can and freezer items along with some fresh.  I had 2 pounds of hamburger and didn't want to make the same old thing, so I had an idea once I checked out items I had on hand and in the freezer and whamo the idea came to my mind.  This time it was something good.  LOL

2 pounds of ground beef  ( cook and drain)
set aside
In a stock pot add the following:
1/2 fresh onion and about 1/4 cup of dried minced onion
2 stalks of celery diced
4 carrots chopped
small package frozen corn  (ours is in a pt bag)
2 cups of frozen beans
1  can black beans rinsed and drained
1 qt tomatoes and onions (this is some that we canned, can use about two cans store bought if you don't have your own)
2 cups of rice
1 pt salsa
1 T minced garlic
1 T of each oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, parsley
small handful of fresh cilantro
dash of olive oil
couple of dashes of tobassco sauce


cook till tender and low boil.  (Use any spices and herbs you'd like)
Enjoy!

Blessings,

Sherry

Tonight's dinner

Another busy day on our little homestead.  I had doctors appointments today, not very fun.  Then it was late in the afternoon when we got done with that so we had to get lunch and of course it we were out of town.  We ate at Chick Fil-A.  I love that restaurant since it is a Christian company and you can pick healthier options.
Then I had to go to another county so my oldest could drop off an application for a job and mail one off.  Whew!  It is now after 6pm and I left around 11 am.  What a day!  So here is what I am doing for dinner tonight. I have leftover chicken and broth from my roasted chicken last night.  I am making a mock chicken pot pie.

Left over chicken, cut up two potatoes, two carrots, two celery stalks, small amount of lima beans (frozen), small frozen bag of green beans, and corn (this is a small  bag that we put up).  I also used some herbs and a small can of cream of mushroom and a can of flaky biscuits torn in half cover and bake for 1 hour at 350*. I cover with foil and if need to brown uncover and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Blessings,

Sherry

Tonight's dinner

Today I am getting a late start on preparing dinner.  I had to work today and getting home after doing some errands. One thing on getting home late I got to have a nice lunch with my mom.  It isn't often we get to have lunch alone just mother and daughter, so this was a nice treat. Today was a day of mixed emotions of life, a family friend's husband passed away.  I didn't know him however my husband did, I knew his wife barely.  This weekend a friend of our family, a different friend her family had a huge scare from carbonmonxide poisioning.  The good news they all are going to make it and it seems they are doing alright.  It just shows that prayers were answered, Praise God! 

Well, tonight we are having roast chicken, herbed baked sweet potatoes, green beans and fruit salad. 

Fun, busy sunshiny day.......

I'll make today's a short but sweet just to say hello to all of my friends.  Well, first thing this morning my girls and I had to do some running around.  Then we came home and I have my chicken cooking so I can shred it for tomorrow lunch for after church.  We will be having something like chicken enchiladas but with rice lasagna noodles.  I also have two packages of meat mixed up to make jerky (deer). Now I just have to wait till it's ready to go on the dehydrator. I have laundry going and a load of dishes right now.  Whew!  I need to mix up some potatoes for supper I am going to marinate the baked fries with olive oil and other seasoning. I have my music jamming and just having a lot of fun and getting things done.  I need to get some dessert going for supper tonight and I am thinking of making some tapioca, I haven't had that for a very long time.  Well I must cut this short my wonderful husband just got home. 

Blessings,

Sherry

I am lost at blogging.....

I don't know why I am finding this site hard to blog on.  I can't seem to figure it out.  I don't know how to see other blogs unless I see friends on my friends sites.  Now I know it should be easy but not for me.  I am not sure what I am doing wrong.  The other blog site I use to belong too I could search easily.  I don't know if it is cause I may be on dial up which is tough enough but geeze.  I would like to find new friends with similar interest as mine.  I do miss a lot of some of my older friends on the other site but praise the Lord I have a few here.  One of them not only is a friend on here but in real life as well.  God had blessed me with her friendship and with her family.  But, I am learning how to write back to some of the comments that you have left but I just don't know what I am doing on here yet.  So if any of you can explain this site to me it would be appreciated.  Also I am not sure if my computer is to old if that could be a problem. 

My challange for myself.....

I had read an article in one of the woman's magazines called the Paleo diet.  I think that is how it is spelled.  It is about going back to the basics of early man.  It's kindof like the Atkins diet but not as much.  You drink of course lots of water, eat mostly meat, then veggies, a little bit of fruit, then whole grains, some fats and a bit of herbs.  The main idea I got out of it cut out sugar except from fruits and white flour.  Hardly any breads.  The other thing is dairy is the other no, no.  They said the reason for this is they didn't have it except from your mother back then.  I am trying it the hardest thing for me is dairy. I have cut back on my dairy but it is still hard.  I have a glass sometimes during dinner and eat my yoghurt with breakfast.  I can't see throwing away my ceral so I am eating that with breakfast while working.  So I have just started and tring to make changes with our family is a slow process but getting their.  

Blessings,

Sherry

This has been a tough week....

This week it seems that I have had a test in my faith, God knows I call upon him but it seems that faith breakers have been trying me.  One of my long time acquaintance's gave me a little saying that I hope to always to remember.  "When Satan tries to remind you of your past, remind him of his future."    When he said this to me today I just about fell to my knees and cried.  It was like the music to my ears that I needed to hear for quit some time in my life.  Maybe I've heard it but my focus was never their in the right direction.   Without my faith I am nothing.  


I have been tested in so many ways this week that it has drained my energy.  I have had a co-worker question my every move and what seems like my existance.  I have had family members beat me down.  My mom and her friend Marcia went to see Marcia's 95 year old mother-in-law and when I needed my mom and just the simple hug of my  mom I couldn't even go to her.  I missed my mom.  I can't even fathom not having my mom their.  As we age I know our days are getting shorter and her health isn't the greatest.  
My father is still living but we no longer  have a relationship due to his doings.  We don't have a healthy relationship and I will leave it as that.  Maybe sometime I will expain more but now is not the time.

On the other hand a few days ago I cut and trimmed some bushes and possibly some of them had some posin ivy on it and I now have a bad case of it.  Today I had to get a shot and some pills which knocks me out.  I dont' like being this tired.  UGH!

I had toaked to some wonderful friends of mine and my families and we were talking about gardening and I can't wait to get started.  I have an asparagus plant that I can't wait to get into the ground.  I am wanting to get my potatoes planted and other veggies.  Do any of you have your gardens started.  Here in the upper tri-state area it is to cold.  It was the other day in 60's and today we didn't even make it out of the 30's, which realy stinks since I have spring fever really bad.

I am hoping since I don't have to work tomorrow I will be able to bake some bread.  I had hoped to a few weeks ago but do to schedules and life getting in the way I haven't had the chance.  When I  cleaned out my freezer I have found that I have several fruit items and veggies that need to be made into items.  My husband God bless him isn't very adventures for trying new things hasn't liked some of the veggie items that I made.  But he is a trooper and ate it even though it wasn't his favorite.  One item was Spinish and smoked sausage with mashed potatoes.  This was a meal that my mom made a lot when I was a kid.  You cook it all day in your slow cooker and boy oh boy does it ever taste good.  I did it with green beans that I had frozen from our garden that I need to cook and cooked it with it and it wasn't bad, I added some herbs to flavor it some more.

One thing I am thinking of today is trying to think of onething I am thankful for and the best thing that comes to my mind besides my family is: freedom of being able to worship God without being persucuited.

Blessings to you all and may you have a blessed week,

Sherry

Today....

Today my girls modeled at Fashion Bug.  A month or so the girls were asked if they would model, so I agreed to it.  It was hectic trying to get everyone around and keeping in a good mood.  Today my oldest  teenager tested the water several times.  It is very hard to try to keep a smile on my face today.  The girls got their hair fixed by the local hair salon by the store for free to model it looked very cute.  They were so happy.  My husband was able to go and see them model.  It was fun to watch all the girls and one little girl got to model with her momma.  She was so cute, she was only 2 or 3 years old and boy oh boy did she ever enjoy herself showing off her little purse that she got to model.  All the girls seem to enjoy themselves and it was a good life lesson.  My oldest who has some self esteem issues smiled ear to ear.  I was happy for her.  Both girls enjoyed themselves and had a good time and made a couple of new friends while there. Their dad and I just enjoyed watching them grow into their own person. 



Tonight it has sure cooled down and quit quickly to say the least.  I will be looking in after one of our ladies from church who had some surgery and needs someone to stay with her.  I said I would so her family can attend church.  I am going to take my bible and read a little to her and to myself.  I am thinking of making some apple muffins for tomorrow for breakfast and take her one. 

A little trick to do if you don't have butter milk and don't want to buy any add a little lemon juice to your milk and you will see it curdle a bit.  For like a cup of milk add about a tablespoon. 

Many blessings to you all,

Sherry



Tonight after publishing this we decided to have a bon fire it was a nice end to a long day. Listening to the laughter of my children and listening to the sounds of spring with the bullfrogs and all sounds of nature.  To top it off a clear sky with a big orange moon coming up over the trees.  God has blessed us with all of his beauty and reminders that he has us in the safty of his arms.  Have a blessed night everyone!

Hello again....

It has been such a long time it seems.  Life is funny when you loose your computer, it makes you remember what is life was like before computers.  I felt lost and unconnected with friends and family.  It is funny how now we seem to communicate more with computers of all sorts.  It use to be that we would pick up a phone or sit down and write a letter.  Now it seems that most of us now pick up a pen and paper less and less or not at all.  Writing letters seems to be a lost art.  Everythings seems to be going more and more virtual.  

Today has been such a beautiful day, my girls and I were able to get out and trim up some bushes.  Boy did they ever need a hair cut.  This week has been a life changing experience, for the first time in 11 years my husband is now on days.  It is such a blessing.  We now get to act more like most normal families.  It has been only seeing my husband a few hours a day, to several hours a day. 

I just want to tell everyone that I hope that you have a blessed Saint Patricks Day. 

I have been doing a lot of planning for our little homestead.  We are studing plans on raising chickens.  We don't know a lot about them or building a chicken coop but we are learning.  If anyone raises them and has advice please let me know.  What are the best layers and friendliest.  I have learned that you don't need a rooster unless you want to bread.  I know that  you just need to feed them oyster shell to make the eggs hard. 

I am planning on planting more fruit trees and make my garden larger.  I am so excited but need to build up my dirt.  We don't have the best dirt.  Where our garden is use to be a building, we keep finding glass and other items.  So I am planning on puting possible sand, compost and some sort of fertilizer on it.  Our dirt is not clay but kindof hard.  I am just excited to get it going but we have to wait another month in a half. 

We are also wanting to build up a few patio's around our house.  I know that we have a lot of irons in the fire and know we may not get it all done but it is good to set goals.  Well I don't have any other exciting news in my neighborhood to share with you. 

So I wish you a blessed day and week,
Blessings,

Sherry

Helpful cooking trick.....

The other day when I was making my chicken flavored noodles from a chicken base.  It didn't give me a good idea on measurement so I had to punt and hope for the best.  It turned out a bit to salty for my family.  So I called my mom and she remembered hearing years ago to add a potato to it.  It turns out the starch from the potato draws out the salt.  Take a regular size white potato and cut it into at least 4 chunk sizes and drop it into the pot and let it cook with whatever your cooking and it will draw out the salt.  It turned out perfect once I did that.  If ever you run into a problem like that try cutting a potato next time and see if it works for you!

Blessing,

Sherry

Todays thoughts and dollar stretching.....

Today is a beautiful day sun has been out and birds are chirping.  God is showing us such great beauty. Today I've gotten a load of dishes going and some laundry going.  My wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters are spending the afternoon together.  My husband got a free pass to go tobogganing, so they went to do that today since this is the last day to do it and the weather is pretty good.  I stayed home and decided to get a few things done before we have to go to our nephews birthday party.  He turns 16 today and so the family is getting together to celebrate it with him.  While I've been enjoying my quiet time here at home, I've got a lot on my mind on how to fix up a bigger garden spot and make the ground more fertile.  Our ground is not the best ground to grow on. We've always had a pretty good crop but the drainage isn't that good.  So, I've been thinking to add some sand, manure, and straw.  Where we have our garden their must have been a building their at one time.  We are always digging up all kinds of tools and glass and pottery. I planted inside in a pot a couple of weeks ago some cilantro and it is growing up into a nice plant.  This just excites me to start planning my garden.  I have two spots and one is for vegetables and the other is mainly fruit and flowers.  I have got to do better on my weeding this year.  I don't fair well in the heat and humidity.



The other day I bought a two packs of chicken breast.  Our local grocery store had a good deal on them and so I bought two.  It didn't look like that their was enough for four people so I decided to cook both packages.  When I opened up the first one I sure was surprised to find out that these breast were bigger then I had thought and their was more to the package then it showed.  So, I decided to still cook them all and make them into several meals.  These chicken breast were so large that the four of us were able to split each breast in half and that feed us for several meals.  The first meal I made baked chicken with potatoes and a salad and biscuits.  The second meal I made still baked chicken, chicken flavored noodles and green beans.  I was short on time so I had to make it quickly my husband had a deacons meeting so it was a quick meal.  The next day I took the rest of the noodle and chicken and made chicken noodles and mashed potatoes and corn. I could have made part of it into chicken salad for a lunch but my family was getting tired of eating the chicken, so I went to freeze the rest for meals later on.  If you find a good deal like that is can make your family several meals and in the long run it saves you so much money.  I try to find deals like that to streetch my dollar out and make several different meals out of one meal or meat.  I had spent $5 dollars on 6-7 chicken breast and $3 dollars on the package of noodles. The rest I had at home.  Now you could make your own noodles but I dont'. I am planning on trying to make my own noodles, cause their is nothing better then homemade noodles. So I had three meals on $8 dollars for three days and some was frozen so I actually got more then my moneys worth.  My corn and green beans is what we froze or was already in the freezer.  The potatoes I had already on stock along with the biscuits.  Share your ideas with me.


Blessing,

Sherry

Today's thougts....

As I hunker down preparing for the snow storm that we are to get again, I have thought a lot about my children and getting ready for planting of my garden and planting new trees.  I purchased yesterday a new homesteading book called (The Backyard Homestead) I have only had a chance to glance through it and have not had a chance to dig into studying it.  But it is something I've been wanting to do here but not all of it.  But it does make me think a lot more as the gas prices rise higher and higher.  It is going to come to the point to where I won't be able to afford hardly anything anymore.  With my children it makes me worry what will my husband and I be able to leave our children.  Will it leave us homeless or will we be able to manage to hang on as we slowly seek deeper into a depression. It makes me think with more and more people loosing their homes and jobs what is going to happen this world. As I talked to my dear friend Miki today we both talked about and have thought about for sometime that will we return to the prairie ways of life.  To me it doesn't seem that far fetched.  They had something going for them, a much cleaner world and lived more simply.  I have been trying these past few months tried to be more simplified.  I have a long ways to go but will get their.  We live in a world that I must have it and got to have it no matter what it takes. What is that teaching our children.  Do I think that the modern world is a bad thing, no I don't but the instant gratification I do on the other hand dont' think it is all that is cracked up to be.  My children are less patient and I find myself to be less and less patient as I use to be.  It is funny that my husband and I talk about that we didn't have remotes and our kids looked at us like we lived in the dinosour age.  Now we spend hours on end finding the remote instead of walking to the t.v. to push a button.  Now that is crazy! Their are things I wouldn't mind living without but my computer isn't one of them. I use to pick up a piece of paper or phone a friend but now I keep in touch with friends via e-mail or facebook or even blogging.  Blogging  at least with the old blogg site I use to belong too I made some wonderful friendships with.  I no longer have kept up with them since I can no longer log into it since I forgot my password, I would say it is a age thing but it is due to things in life that kept me from getting on and due to such a long time I no longer remember.  My dear friend had joined this site and due to her, I trust her judgement and know that this is the new place I am to be.  So while I am leaning this new site for me I hope that life leads me to new friendships and simplier ways to keep in touch. 

Blessings to all of you,

Sherry

Hello

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Hello

Just a quick note to say hello.  Since this is my first day on here, let me tell you a little bit about myself.  I am a stay at home mom who has been homeshcooling my girls now for about 8 years.  My family and I have around 2 acres that we garden and can our produce.  I work two days a week taking care of an older lady from my church.  She really gives me a lot of enjoyment of learning about life and friendship.  God has blessed me and my family in so many ways.  About a year ago we had a big scare when my husband was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  You never think that those words would be said to you and your loved ones but when they do they sure do give you different perspective of life.  I thought that day my life was going to end as I knew it.  I was so scared and felt so alone.  Even though my family and my husband was their, I was alone.  I didn't know what I was going to do, how was I going to take care of my girls.  I didn't have a job other then taking care of my older lady from church.  This is only two days a week for a few hours a day.This was not going to provide an income nor keep our home.  All of these thoughts were screaming in my head.  I was never so scared in my life.  I cried myself to sleep several days and was so emotional.  I thought I only have a few years of college with no degree.  Do I go back to college, what do I do.  I never thought about death so much as I did then.  Thank God was God was their with me and reminded me that I was not alone and that he had it in His hands and was in control  Praise God my husband is now cancer free and I no longer have that worry.  Now I must share this with you. My husbands aunt and two cousins from the same mother all had the same cancer. Please dont' let anything go unchecked especially if it is the smallest thing. Life is to short and scary enough. 

Blessings to all,

 

Sherry

 

Just so you all know their are places that can check your genicts out to see if you are a carrier of the cancer gene.