Savoring Summer ~ Outdoors

I am inspired by Renee' over at FIMBY's summer time challenge. That got me to thinking about what I am savoring the most. That would be the outdoors.

Hiking up the side of a mountain to see what the Grey Fox saw

Seems like there is little time to write and blog these days. With two little boys my days are filled with outdoor adventures, growing and preserving the taste of summer, and keeping up with everyday life too. It has been a little quiet here for the past few weeks...mostly because life is not quiet on the front lines.

Swimming at the Lake

I have tried a few new recipes that I love ( I am pretty sure I will never buy chocolate syrup every again), and planned a few parties that are coming up. I can't wait to share them but the details are still swirling yet. I am sure of one things though. I am taking as many quiet moments to savor the season. The season of mothering a pre-schooler and baby. The warmth of the season outdoors. The green growth of the season. It is refreshing and strengthening.

Caring for the baby cows after our Appalachian Train hike

Enjoying the cool river current

Making My House A Home

As a wife and mother my priorities surround making my house a home for my husband and children.

When we bought our first (and current) home I was so excited. I knew it was built in the 1950's and thought surely it would have all sorts of flowers and herbs on the property just waiting for a loving touch. That was such a naive notion! Ha!! There was not a single bulb, bush or flower anywhere. It turns out the home was built by a gentlemen who lived there with his two sons. Apparently he did not have much time to garden.

Our new property was a completely beautiful blank slate. 

We didn't do much the first year as we moved in mid summer but the second year we added a vegetable garden, and some bushes to the front flower beds.

The following year I began my circle garden  with a Butterfly bush (a lovely gift from my cousin) knowing I planned to add to it when I could.

Our first year garden

Last summer my husband bought me fruit trees and Daffodil bulbs. What a joy they were this Spring!

Slowly our property is becoming home outside too. This summer I am planning to put much effort into a few other gardens around our home.  I have been working hard preparing our expanded vegetable garden but I am so ready to start making things pretty too! Last night as I was weeding a large section of my vegetable garden I prioritize my projects for the next few months.

My top three are:

1. I am planning to expand my circle garden. This may be an indefinite ongoing project.

2. My friend Stephanie has kindly offered me some transplants to get my herb garden started. I think I will put it in a semi-shaded area at the corner of my vegetable garden.

3. A small Marian Garden as a place where I can go for a few quite moments for reflection and prayer. I just saw a really wonderful post over at Catholic Icing about this today that was perfect timing and good inspiration.

Energized and Inspired

There is something about getting out of my normal element that makes me long for home and renews my energy to work on my list of domestic "want-to-do-list" rather than just a "to-do list" I look to the things that I know will keep home a healthy and interesting place. This week I spent time in nature, with people who motivate me to be a better homekeeper and with time to read inspiring materials that give me more projects for my list. When I pull out that list while on hometime hiatus I also have a chance to review the priorities and refresh my list.

So I look forward to making two new batches of soap, try out some delicious new recipes, and move forward with a few home and garden projects. I hope to share them as I go.

What I realize most is the re-affirmation of my most important calling to make my house a warm, loving, effcient and FUN home! Can't wait to get going on my "Want-to-do-list"!

What is on you "Want to do list"?

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a reminder of just how blessed I am as a daughter to have a godly loving Mother who taught me to love Christ and others. She would (and does) gladly give all she has to others. She is at the very core a Proverbs 31 woman who I aspire to be like. Her calling in life is truly Motherhood.

I also have a Mother-in-law who from the day our families joined eachother (10 years ago! Holy moly) has treated me as her own daughter. We quickly found common loves of crafts, gardening and other things. Even from far away she has always been there when I (our family) needed her. She also raised my husband to be the wonderful man he is today. She is also a loving person who tirelessly works to promote social justice and for others in need. I am blessed to have 2 mothers in my life that I love and respect!


Mother's Day also reminds me of the miracles in my life as 5 years ago it was fairly certain I was unable to have children. This morning my two baby boy were gleefully up at 6:00AM with smiles and hugs! These children have taught me so much, but above all else I have learned what true unconditional love is. I have learned sleep is over-rated haha! I love being a mother and now more than ever appreciate the love, kindness, sacrifices my mothers have made for me. I hope to be half of what these ladies are some.

One of my favorite poems

Luke's second day of life

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my RooLook!
Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

My Lovely Lips Are Lovin' Me!

When I made my first "homemade product" over a year ago. I was such a consumer. It wasn't quality if I didn't buy it right? I was just looking to be frugal. Wrong! Instead of frugal, I am making high quality products for pennies compared to store bought

Recently the make-my-own bug has bitten me. Renee over at FIMBY has been motivating me for several months now...and so after loving my laundry soap, then deodorant (will never buy Secret again), followed by my homemade soap which is curing right now awaiting my Mother's Day. I have yet again made something I will never go back to buying! My lips are in L.O.V.E.

I must give Renee the credit for the recipe. I am still learning, but the more I make my own, the more I am branching out to create my own.

I think the hardest part of making my own products is actually gathering the supplies. In this case most of my ingredients came from my local organic health store. Once I have them on hand, it takes no time at all to be reaping the benefits of my own goods.

A few of you have asked where I got my supplies, so I noted it for you. I am sure you could get it online too.

Ingredients

• 1/2 oz. (approx. 3 tsp.) grated or roughly chopped beeswax (local organic Co-operative)
• 1 oz. (approx. 6 tsp.) coconut oil (local organic Co-operative)
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. lanolin (Left over from Breast feeding my babes)
  
• 3/4 tsp. vitamin E (I had capsules in my cabinet and poked holes in them to add up)
  
• 2 tsp. hard honey (local organic Co-operative)
• 3/4 tsp. peppermint essential oil (local organic Co-operative)

Assemble what you need:
This actually takes the longest, the making is a breeze!

Grate the beeswax and melt with the coconut oil, Lanolin, and Vitamin E. It was the consistency of vegetable oil when melted completely.

Second add the Peppermint extract and Raw honey (some know it as hard honey). If you are buying it new for this purpose I would scrape the top and use for something else. Particles don't break down well.








Mixing the peppermint extract and Peppermint was tricky to incorporate. You have to be really fast. I started with a wooden dowel but quickly moved to a rubber spatula which worked so much better for me.

I did have to reheat some to pour it in. I do not prefer the tubes, as much as the round containers. It goes on so smooth and the peppermint is yummy and tingly.

The best part of making my own, is there is always plenty to share with others. I love being able to pass some on to family and friends to enjoy as well.

Try it for yourself and let me know how you like the recipe. If I can do this you you definitely can do this!

A Love of Learning ~ Science

Do you really have to teach a child to love learning new things, or is it more like preserving their love of learning?

This is something I have been pondering lately. I love to learn and as I consider homeschooling my children, I want them to love to learn too. I always have enjoyed learning new things. I remember my mother who has been homeschooling her children for 27 years teaching us "how to to learn something" but did she really teach us to love learning? I don't think so.

I remember asking where silk came from as a young girl. My mother took me to the library (there was no internet in those days, YES, there was electricity) and showed me the card catalog and how to find what I was looking for. Still the desire to soak in new knowledge and understanding is something that comes from much deeper.

This weekend we ended up in the most awesome science center geared towards elementary and middle school age learning. So much to absorb and enjoy. They had microscopes that children could use, and live animals.

I.had.a.blast! (the kids did too)

While there they had a special project going where they dropped an egg that you had to design a protective cover for. Ours made it!

(getting ready to drop the egg)

(YAY! It made it, it sure did make a loud cracking sound as it hit)

This is what I want for my two boys. When I watch them learning something new, I realize I am preserving their love of learning not teaching them to love it. By providing opportunities for them to grow and excel as they walk through life they will continue to learn and love doing it.

Getting off to a great start for Fall

What is your favorite season? My absolute favorite is Fall. September is my favorite month. It is so full of possibilities. In some ways it is better than January for me. The heat of Summer begins to fade, and the harsh cold of the North East is still a long way off.

I find myself pulling close to home, organizing and spending time in the kitchen. This year brings an added dimension as my first child enters pre-school, so I add educational planning to this season as well.

One very awesome thing I note as I begin this new season is I have stuck with my January resolutions. I have turned my thoughts and efforts to a more frugal and simple way of life. This has taken shape in many ways as I cut and trim my commitments and budget. I have continued to focus on what brings my home and family the most joy.

As fall comes I am looking forward to continuing this focus and blogging about it more. Tee hee haven't been very good about that necessarily.

Life with a touch of Whimsy

whimsical |ˈ(h)wimzikəl|adjective1 playfully quaint or fanciful, esp. in an appealing and amusing way : a whimsical sense of humor.2 acting or behaving in a capricious manner.
So many times I find my life get into ruts. It is easy to only see the next meal to fix or the next load of laundry to be done. But what I really want my home environment to be is a simple blend of comfort, efficiency, love, and warmth. Where my family and friends always know dropping by will find something new, and interesting going on. I want life never to be boring.
This is why I love the word whimsical! Appealing, and fanciful to me are great adjectives of a place to raise children, invite friends in, and daily love my husband.