{ Prepping for the week }

You go grocery shopping, bring it all home and start putting it away, fully intent on using everything before it goes bad.  

 

How many times have we done that?  I used to do it all the time, but it never quite worked out the way I envisioned it in my head.  The parsley and cilantro would go bad a few days after shopping, fruit would go bad, my lettuce would wilt.

 

Then we would run out of bread some weeks and I had to run out and buy more.  

 

But over the years, I have learned that if I just take some time, some effort and some organization, I actually save a lot of money.  It's all about having the right attitude.

 

A few days ago, I took two hours to get everything sorted in the fridge. Did I feel like it? Not particularly but I knew that I had to do it, and couldn't put it off any longer.

The first on the list was a gallon of milk that had expired days prior, and I really didn't want to waste it.  so I decided to use it to make some cheese.  I used 2 quarts for Ricotta Cheese and there was about a liter left which I used to make cream cheese.

To make the ricotta cheese, I used the recipe from Attainable Sustainable.  I didn't have cheesecloth but thankfully had some muslin cotton that I used, I would have preferred the cheesecloth, but I just made do.  However, I have made a note to buy some soon.

The cream cheese recipe is on my food blog, and you can find it here.  Homemade Cream Cheese.

The only downside to any of this, is that it doesn't make a lot of cheese.  You would need a ton of milk to get a sizable amount of either cream cheese or ricotta cheese, but at least the milk didn't go to waste.

 

Here is the finished Ricotta Cheese.....

 

And here is the finished cream cheese....

While the cheese was making, I quickly got some bread loaves made, as we were out of sandwich bread.

It took no time to get the dough done and rising.  In no time I had four loaves of delicious sandwich bread for the rest of the week and the freezer. 

The last thing on my list was taking care of the two bags of lettuce I had bought.

 

We eat a lot of salad, but there's still times that my lettuce goes bad quicker than we eat it. With just a little preparation, it stays in the fridge longer and crispier. 

 

Pulled all the leaves apart, washed them all well, and let them dry on the counter.  Once they were dry, I placed them between paper towels in a big tupperware container.  

 

And just like that, in about 2 hours, I was very productive, and got everything done that I needed doing. 

It's crazy the amount of  money I have saved over the years.

The Lord has been working within me for a long time.  He has taught me so many things, even and especially about my job as a wife, mother and homemaker.  The minute I invited Him into my life, in every area, and submitted to His plans, it all fell into place.

Could not be the homemaker I am today, without Him!!!

{ At Night by Margaret Peot - TLC Book Tour }

32 pages

Ages 4-8

 

The woods are busy at night while we sleep. Who is awake? And what are they up to?

What animals forage by night and sleep by day? This children’s picture book describes the nocturnal lives of nine common animals: foxes, porcupines, raccoons, skunks, opossums, bobcats, owls, mice, and rabbits. Join the animal parents guiding their children through the forest during the dark of night. The book includes information on the common names of the animal’s offspring (for example, a young fox is called a kit).

 

Amazon |   Barnes and Noble |  Indiebound 

Margaret Peot is an artist, writer, teacher and paints costumes for Broadway theater, as well as dance, ice shows and arena shows. She is the author/artist of twelve other books, including Inkblot: Drip, Splat and Squish Your Way to Creativity, which was awarded the Eureka! silver Medal for non-fiction children’s books. 

  

 

MY THOUGHTS:

What an absolutely wonderful little book for your kids.  I have to say, I love kid books, and still reach for them even at 47 years old.  

 

The illustrations are just adorable and it is written in a way that your little one can easily understand, matter of fact it is the perfect first reader book.

 

It focuses on the animals that we don't see much of during the day, and tells us what they do at night.  At the end of the book is a two page spread with the different animals featured, and some more information about them, like:

 

A baby fox, a baby skunk and a baby raccoon are all called kits.  I didn't even know that LOL

 

It also tells us what groups of these animals are called, so a group of bobcats are called a clowder, a group of porcupines are called a prickle, and a group of oppossums are called a passel.  

 

It is the sweetest read aloud bedtime story, or for any time of the day read.  Your kids are sure to love them.  I'll be passing mine along to my great niece Eva who is 3 and half years old.

 

If you want some neat activities to go along with the book, go on over to the author's website, and you can even print out some masks for a bobcat, great orned howl and raccoon.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Muddy Boots for the review copy.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 02/07/2022 }

 

Good morning and a very happy Monday to you all!!!

 

I hope this post finds you well, and ready for a new week ahead.  I have to say, I love Mondays, and most people will probably disagree with me and call me crazy, but I just love the start of a new week.  

 

I feel like there's nothing quite as satisfying, as knowing you have a brand new week ahead, with endless possibilities and opportunities.  So, I want to start by wishing you all a very blessed week, for you and your family.  Thank you for stopping by and joining in with our Happy Homemaker Monday, it's been years since I started it, and it's wonderful that it's still going strong and still seems to be one of the favorite posts here on the blog.  

 

I have the next 3 days at home, which I am very much looking forward to, there are projects I want to get going with, also want to plan my garden so that I can start seedlings as soon as possible, and of I've also been very much enjoying sharing more homemaking posts with you all.  I hope you've enjoyed them too, because I plan on a few more this week.

 

I decided to add them to my Homemaker Series posts, so if you're looking for them all, or want some motivation as a homemaker, be sure to check those out by clicking on the tab above in the menu.

 

Right, I think that is is, let's get right on with our HHM!!!

 

 

:::: The Weather ::::

 

It's 33 at the moment, although the real feel is 22, but I have to be honest, I have my bedroom window open and I am not feeling the cold at all.  The snow has been slowly melting over the past 2 days, but there is still quite a bit around, hopefully that goes as the temperatures rise.

Looks like we've got a week of cool temperatures.  I am good with that, I don't like too cold or too hot, so this is just fine.   

 

Monday - Sunny, 57

Tuesday - Sunny, 69

Wednesday - Sunny, 67

Thursday - Partly cloudy, 63

Friday - Sunny, 71

Saturday - Partly cloudy, 57

Sunday - Sunny, 62

 

 

:::: How I am feeling this morning ::::

 

I'm doing well, not going to lie, still seem to be dealing with lots of sinus issues, post nasal drip and all that nonsense, which is affecting my stomach (as it always does).  But, that's just part of getting over a bad flu, and the sinus stuff is something I've dealt with my whole life, so it's ok.  We are not going to let any of this get us down, we push through and rebuke it all, right?    

 

 

 

:::: On the breakfast plate ::::

 

I just had a cup of coffee, and some Cream of Wheat for breakfast.  It's funny, I love cream of wheat but half the time I forget I have it, so I don't have it.  I specifically left it out last night, by the water kettle, so that I could remember to have it this morning. 

 

 

 

:::: On my reading pile :::: 

 

Finished March, which I didn't really enjoy, but that's ok.  I am halfway through the next one, which so happens to be another Geraldine Brooks book called Year of Wonders, and this one, I am loving.  It's so strange how the same author can have a book I don't like (didn't enjoy her writing at all in March), but then feel like I'm reading a new author in the next book.  

 

I have a really cute review coming up today, a book that I think your little ones will enjoy.  It is called At Night by Margaret Peot.

:::: On my TV ::::

 

On Youtube, I have been catching up with one of my favorite channels, The Indie Projects.  Bea and Theo have been living in a van for the past 7 years, they've traveled the world and shared it all.  About a year and a half ago, they bought 5 acres in central Portugal, and have since been renovating an old barn into a livable home for them both. 

 

I have just loved following their progress along, they are absolutely fantastic, and so hardworking.  They've done it all on their own, just the two of them which is crazy, but the barn is almost ready to be lived in and it looks gorgeous.  

 

On tv, I watched the new movie on Netflix called "My best friend Anne Frank".  It was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.  Well worth a watch, if you have a moment.

:::: On the menu this week ::::

 

I'm starting to work on the new menu, because Friday is grocery day, but in the meantime, these are the meals for the rest of the week. 

Monday - Skillet Lasagna, Salad

Tuesday - Chicken with Broccoli and Cauliflower, Rice, Sauteed Squash

Wednesday - Beef short ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli

Thursday - Grilled Salmon, Butter Rice, Salad

Friday - Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken, Cheesy Ranch Instant Pot Potatoes, Mixed Veggies

 

 

 

:::: From the camera ::::

 

I love Beatrix Potter, and have for a long time been wanting to build my collection, of The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Books.  So far I have 4 books, the ones that I could get my hands on through Paperbackswap, but I'm keeping an eye out to grab the others.

 

By the way, I think it was Carol that asked me about Paperbackswap, I've talked about it many times here on the blog, where I explain what it is, how I use it and how long I've used it for.  

 

A little homemaking, and a lot of books

Around here - a look at this past weekend

 

 

 

 

:::: Looking around the house ::::

 

One of the kids left an open soda can on the dining table, and of course, Elliott got to it and knocked it off.   I woke up to a knocked over can and soda seeping into my carpet, so today is a carpet cleaning day.  Not my fave, but that's ok.

 

The sun is so bright this morning, and as it reflects off the snow outside, it seems to send these blinding rays into the living rooms.  It does look pretty thought.

 

 

::::  To do List ::::

 

♥ Kitchen - unload dishwasher, wash the few dishes in the sink, it's just a bowl, two mugs and a plate.

♥ Put up the book review

♥ Take out meat for dinner

♥ Carpet clean

♥ Start planning the garden

♥ Change bed linens

 

:::: Today's devotional :::: 

 

As always, today's devotional is from the New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp, devotional.

Are you experiencing anxiety because you've forgotten who you are, and what you've been given?  Are you experiencing the fear that results from trying to know what you'll never know?  He knows, he cares, and he will complete the job he's begun.

 

For further study and encouragement:  Romans 8:18-39

{ How I find motivation to take care of my home }

Lately, I have felt the Holy Spirit, impress upon me, the importance of taking care of my home, but also the importance of putting those words down to share with others.  It's almost like this feeling of needing to get through, to remind those of us who are discouraged, that what we do is deserving of recognition and praise.

 

As homemakers, we should be supportive of one another, not judgemental.  Don't assume that just because you do things one way, that is the right and only way to do it.  Be kind, understand that we all live different lives and what I find easy for me to do, may not seem that easy for others.  Maybe I have shortcuts that work for my family, but that would not work for other families.  In other words, do what is right for your own home.

 

With that said, I felt that I needed to sit down and talk a bit about finding the motivation to take care of our homes.  There are going to be times when you will feel that nothing brings you joy, that you could easily sit on the couch, or lay on the bed for hours at a time, without wanting to do another dish, cook another meal, or pick up another sock off the floor.

 

First, I want you to know that, it's normal, and we will all have those days.  As homemakers we are on call 24/7.  We don't get to leave our jobs and go home at the end of the day to relax and have a meal waiting for us.  We push through, sick or healthy, happy or sad, willing or unwilling.....and God knows there are days that seem almost impossible to conquer, but yet we do.

When I got sick beginning of January, I tried to push through, and usually I would, but this time, I was so sick, that I found myself on my bed.  Blanket pulled up tight around my neck, shivering uncontrollably, and feeling the worst body aches I had ever felt.

I remember one specific day, I was in the kitchen trying to fix dinner, feeling so sick, so sore and with a raging headache, that I had to double over and will my body to please, just keep going until the meal was done.

Tears ran down my face, and my sweet boy came out of his bedroom and asked me what was wrong.  All I could say was "I don't feel well.".  

 

He hugged me tight and told me to just leave it all and go to bed, but I felt so guilty for doing that, knowing my husband would be home from work soon, hungry.  Not that he would say anything, I am blessed in having a wonderful husband who has at many times told me to leave dinner alone, and will pick something up for the family.

 

But I just pushed through, got dinner made, hardly ate myself, and quickly took a shower and headed to bed.  That specific incident was out of my hands, I was sick, my body screaming for me to be still.

Yet, other times the motivation is just not there.  Maybe I'm feeling sad, or dealing with a certain battle in my life that seems to be all consuming.  It's those moments that can derail you completely, and if you give in to them, you will quickly find yourself spending more and more time laying around, not wanting to do anything.

So how do I find motivation to do it all?  And how do I find contentment when taking care of my home?

I'll be honest, it's not always easy, it can actually be pretty hard at times, especially when we feel overwhelmed with life in general.  But there is someone we can turn to, and someone who knows exactly what we feel, what our thoughts are and what our struggles are too.  Someone who we only need to reach out to, and ask for strength and the courage and motivation to keep going.

In Hebrews 4:16 it says "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive and find grace to help us in our time of need."

I find that the best way to beat that discouragement, especially when we are faced with a chaotic house that needs our touch, is to just get up and start.  I know, I know, it's hard.  The struggle is real, right? 

But nothing will change until we make the first step and get up, and start tackling something.

You don't have to start with huge tasks, take your time, do a little thing here and a little thing there. You will find that suddenly you start feeling renewed energy, and things start to flow.

God's mercies and grace are new every morning, but they're also always available, all we have to do is ask for them.  The minute you start feeling unmotivated and down, pray, pray immediately, ask God to cover you in the blood of the lamb, and to give you the help to conquer that day.

 

I used to have days, where I would stack the dinner dishes in the washer and start it, but if there was dishes that didn't fit, I would just rinse them, place them in soapy water and leave them overnight.  I didn't want to deal with washing them by hand, I didn't want to deal with cleaning the kitchen, I didn't have the energy, or the joy.

But right after I got sick, and I started feeling the need to just lay around and do nothing, I had a serious heart to heart with God. I asked Him to please remove all negative thoughts and emotions connected with our home, I asked Him for grace to tackle each day, and I asked Him to please instill in my heart the love for homemaking that I once had.

The very next day, I cooked dinner with extra care, taking the time to let the food simmer the time it needed, to season it properly, to not rush the meal just to put it on the table.  My family thanked me and noticed the difference, and so did I.  

It's not that I had been making food that wasn't edible, it is that I was rushing to just get it done, so I could retreat back to my bedroom.

I also loaded the dishwasher as always, but then hand washed every dish left in the sink, wiped down all the counters, turned the candle warmer on, swept the floor and walked out feeling so accomplished.

Walking into my kitchen the next morning reiterated for me, the need to take joy in everything that I do.  To really feel content in my home and to go the extra mile, so that I don't have to wake up to a dirty, messy kitchen.

I didn't just stop there. The very next day I felt so much better, it was like I could feel this cloud of negativy lifting away, bringing me back to my old self. 

 

All of a sudden I wanted to do it all again, I started organizing, decluttering and cleaning everything in sight. My home no longer felt a burden. 

 

With each passing day, the love for my home grew again.  Now I am back to loving what I do, and being grateful for my home and for these daily tasks that keep me busy, from morning to night.

Be thankful, it is so easy to fall into a pit of despair, but we need to be thankful for each moment.  

I now look at a sink of dishes waiting to be washed, or listen to one of my kids complaining about their day, or my eye catches the basket full of laundry needing attention, and all I can do is thank God, thank Him that I am blessed.

My children complaining or talking loudly and excitedly to one another, means that I am a mother.

The dishes in the sink mean that I was able to feed my family and that no one has gone hungry.

The laundry waiting to be thrown in the washer, means we have clothes to keep us warm.

Everything and I mean everything we do, in our homes, is a blessing.  

{ Taking care of the home and lots of snow }

 

The home is the heart of the family!

Have you ever met anyone who does not appreciate a well kept, tidy, comfy and warm home to retreat to at the end of a hard day?

Homemaking and homemakers are often met with a bit of judgement.  There are those who will never understand why there are so many of us homemakers, who love being home, who have chosen this job over an outside career.  Yes, there are also many women who have to work outside the home, and would love to be able to stay home instead.  I'm not talking about those women, I'm talking about how homemaking in general tends to be looked down on.

I'm not going to go much deeper into that, because I've talked about it many times before, here on the blog.

Today, I want to focus rather, on the importance of caring for our homes, or the importance to ME at least, of caring for my own.

So come on in, and sit with me a little, let's have a chat.

Your family comes home from work and school at the end of the day, and they have a warm home cooked meal waiting for them.

They take their showers, open their dresser drawers and find neatly folded clothes.  Those things didn't appear out of thin air, behind them is a wife, a mom, a homemaker who spent her day making sure her family has everything they need.

Taking care of our homes is so much more than just cleaning a house, although that is certainly important, but it is also about providing a safe and cozy space for your family.  About creating memories, traditions, stories that will no doubt be passed on from generation to generation.

 

I sometimes sit and reminisce about my childhood.  I remember watching my great grandma Ema in the kitchen, her apron tied around her waist, and the front pockets filled with random bits and bobs that she would gather throughout the day.  It would hold her handkerchief which she would randomly pull up to her nose, and then quickly stuff back in the pocket, or tuck it into the sleeve of her cardigan.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit
dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22

There is nothing like laughing and smiling, and having a cheerful heart.  Those moments that you spend sitting around the table eating dinner, are moments that will forever be ingrained in your children's hearts.  

Housework never ends.  There is never going to be a time where you look around and say, that's it, all done, won't have to worry about that for at least a week.  Because, there will always be more laundry waiting to be washed, more dishes piled in the sink.

 

 

She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

In this verse, it is clearly talking about the Proverbs 31 woman, and it focuses on how important it is to take care of our homes, and to not be lazy or avoid doing the work.   Sometimes as homemakers we feel that the invisible work we do, has no merit, no impact, no importance.  But that is so far from the truth.

Just as I mentioned last week in a different post, everything we do, even those jobs around the house that we think are trivial or mundane, are to be done with a happy heart and devoted to God.  Worship, remember?  

But housework is not the only job we have at hand, that needs to be taken seriously.  As homemakers it is imperative that we take time to worship, to pray, to spend some time with the Father in conversation.

I used to have a really hard time praying, I couldn't understand why some seemed to have that talent of just opening their mouths and words flowing out smoothly, beautiful words of adoration, and prayers that would leave me wanting to be just like them.   It wasn't easy for me, I seemed to hit a wall the minute I uttered "Father in Heaven".....all of a sudden, there was nothing else I could think of to say.

All these thoughts racing through my mind, things I needed, things I was worried about, or friends and family I wanted to pray for, but the words seemed stuck somewhere within me, not quite able to release themselves into the Lord's hands.

 

Then I realized that it all comes with practice.  The more you speak to God, the more you interact, and spend time in praise and worship, the easier it gets.  Nowadays, I open my mouth and it just comes pouring out, it's a conversation between close friends, but one where the other party knows me intimately and knows everything I need, want, worry or have questions about.  It's a glorious feeling!

And so as a homemaker, my job becomes also about teaching my children the important of prayer and time with the Lord.  They're certainly not going to learn that outside our home.  

 

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.   Impress them on your children. 

Talk about them when you sit at home and 

when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7

Show God's love in everything that you do.  Pray for your home, pray for your husband and children, and show grace when needed and warranted.  Not everything needs to be a battlefield and you don't always have to be right.  Understanding, compassion and second chances go a long way in making a happy family.

Your work as a homemaker is important, for God sees the invisible work we do.

I hope these words remind you to think, about what it means, to keep a home for your family.  

As I sit and type these words, the snow continues falling outside.  Just like much of the country right now, we are under a winter storm, receiving tons of snow and ice.  It is beautiful, but it is cold!

Which means, tons of hiding under soft blankets, not just us but our sweet Elliott too.  Is there anything sweeter than a beautiful cat snuggled under a blanket?

I know most people prefer summer, and can't stand the snow, but I for one love snow.  It's cold but it turns everything into a wonderland, at least in my eyes.  

Everything has practically shut down, Curt is home today and possibly tomorrow too.  The snow keeps falling but the roads are extremely icy, which make driving really dangerous.  And so we stay inside, drink copious amounts of coffee, eat yummy food, stare out the window watching the beautiful scenery and the animals coming by to eat.

 

I'll end this post with some photos of our deer, we have about 23 that come by our yard looking for food every day. 

 

 

And even if it's snowing, we still tend to them, and the other animals in the neighborhood that seek food and shelter on our property. 

Hope you enjoy these photos, I for one love watching them come by, watching them eat. It's the only time I get to be up close and personal with these beautiful animals. 

 

If you're also dealing with this snow and winter storm, stay safe and stay warm. I pray God protects you and your family.