A simpler life?

about five years ago I came to a realization. It started with my oldest child passing out in Walmart on Christmas eve 2009'. She had skipped breakfast and started feeling sick while we were doing some last minute Christmas shopping. I told her to find a bench to sit on and I would pay for our things. She was just a little ways from me when she stumbled and fell.
My girl was extremely anemic and during my research for better food for her, I realized my entire family needed a change.
I added more vegetables into our diet. Things we had never eaten like Kale and squash. We started eating real meat, cutting out processed foods like chicken nuggets and fish sticks. I took out alot of sugar as well. I mean alot! I went from baking several times a week and using 5 lbs of sugar every other week to using an 8 lb bag every two months. Did the kids like this? Nope. They complained about all the diet changes. They wanted their junk back. They said they didn't care what was in it as long as it tasted good. But, I kept at it.
 Because of all my research I came across other things. Growing my own food, raising chickens. Being more self reliant in general. I learned how to cut out alot of chemicals as well by making laundry soap and household cleaners. Mopping with vinegar and water instead of harsh chemicals.
In 2012 I got my first little flock of chickens. Well, 2 day old chicks. They were adorable and fun to raise. By the time they hit 5 months they were laying eggs. My garden was growing like crazy, I had my own source of eggs.
We moved two months ago, I already have my gardens in and a new larger flock of chickens. All I need is some milking goats or a cow. Or stumble into the cow pasture behind my house (just kidding)
What started as a research project for my daughter's health turned into a lifestyle change for my entire family. We are healthier, my daughter is no longer anemic and my kids have stopped complaining (most of the time)because my "healthy food" has gotten better. Do we ever eat junk food? Yes, just not as much.
I have also found something I really enjoy doing. I love growing my own food. It is amazing to me that you can plant one little seed and get a whole bunch of food out of it. I also like the feeling I get when I serve my family food that I grew. I love going out to the chicken coop and finding eggs, they are like little treasures.
If I could get away with doing more things like using less electricity and having a gray water system I would, buuut, the kids might revolt


 

I have a job

I am often asked what my job is. What do I do outside of my home, what is my career?
I have alot of jobs actually. My job title is Mom. People often assume because I stay home with my kids I am unemployed. In the eyes of many people, I have no skills, that I get a break during the day while the kids are at school (funny). Now, it is true I don't have a degree. I went to college for a short time but my job as Mom is very demanding and at the time, too demanding for me to finish college.
 Fret not! I have been training in my home for 19 years and have many, many skills. I am a care giver, cook, baker, dietitian, chauffeur, personal shopper, activity coordinator and director, referee, housekeeper, gardener, tutor, etc., etc., etc.  None of these are glamorous. None of them really require a degree. I don't get a paycheck, heck, I don't get a whole lot of appreciation. I don't get a day off, I can't leave when my day is over because my day is never truly over, I just eventually fall into bed when I can actually get there.
 Let me tell you something. Kids are exhausting. They never seem to run out of energy, they always want things like food and rides. If they are bored they want you to entertain them, take them shopping, make them more food.
Once upon a time I worked outside of my home. I never had to know so many things. Noone cared that I couldn't cook, that my biscuits were rock hard instead of fluffy. (don't worry,they are fluffy now thanks to Alton) Once upon a time if someone told me I didn't have any skills, I would have agreed with them.
I have learned my skills through me and my little ones laughing while spitting out terrible casseroles and through big smiles when I took them to the pumpkin patch. through their tears when they fell and scraped their knee, holding their hand and comforting them while preparing for surgery. making songs up for spelling words they struggled with, spending long hours teaching them to read, making them apologize to each other for arguing, shopping for prom dresses and athletic gear.
 Helping them through every step of their childhood has taught me my skills.

 So to anyone who asks,
Yes, I have a job. My job is Mom

Precious May, a tribute to my first born

 This is me and my oldest child. She is 19. I call her May. She has become a beautiful young woman. She has a beautiful face and more importantly, a beautiful heart.  She recently moved back home after being gone for a month. She called me and said she wanted to come home, but was really sick and didn't think she could make the long drive. So, what does a mother do? She goes and gets her!
 I know, a month doesn't seem very long but this is my first born!There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't feel like a piece of me was missing. I know it was equally hard on her.
It is not that she is my favorite. I have six so that really isn't allowed. No, she was the first. I can't explain what that means because each of my children have an equal slice of my heart. But, each of my children are different. I love them all because they are mine but I love them each individually for different things that are specifically them.
 My oldest and I have a very special bond. She was born at a very difficult time in my life. Her presence helped me change for the better. I wanted her to have a good life with a good example, a mother she could be proud of, that she would look up to. I have spent her entire life doing my best to make that happen.
Now she is 19 going on 20!
We just celebrated Mother's day and she spent hours in her room the day before making me a present. All my children know I love anything homemade and so this  meant a lot to me.  She is still a mama's girl. She still calls me if she thinks I am taking too long at the store. ( which, I often do!)She hates when I go out of town without her and when I am on my way home from being out of town, she calls me to see how close I am. I think when she gets married, we will have to build her a house next door!
Our special bond has been forged over her 19 years and still continues. She is as precious to me now as she was when I first held her. No matter how old she gets, that will never change.

Teenagers and the power of the cell phone!

While I was thinking of recipes to post I got a phone call from my mom. She has been teen sitting this week because me and my husband are out of town. Then I got some text messages from a few of my teens. There is some minor upheaval at home (this often happens when mom is out of town) that needed mom intervention, so of course I had to brain storm. I do this often. As you know kids don't come with manuals. That would be too easy. And although I find the more I live with my teenagers that they are in a lot of ways, universally the same, they are different. What works with one doesn't always work with another one. But, I have found a weak spot in them all. The cell phone! This little device has magic like powers. It is what my kids consider their life line and without it they can't go on. This is how they communicate with their friends and even when in the presence of their friends, they use their cell phones to talk to other friends. Now, we have days like Sunday that they aren't allowed to use it. This is family time and family time should be uninterrupted time. I often picture us walking hand in hand at the park. Or sitting at the table playing board games, laughing and having a good time. Now I need that noise when you drag the arm of a record player across the record because that isn't really how Sundays work. But a well meaning mother can dream.
The removal of mom in our home such as when I go out of town with their dad/my husband,  seems to create a sense of  chaotic independence (not the good kind) in my teens. Forgetting all the while that I am but a phone call away. they seem to think that our house rules have been abolished and the well organized, stable home life is no more. As if the queen has been dethroned. And though she is pretty good at keeping down the fort, Grandma is overwhelmed with the six to one scenario and at times will reluctantly call mom.
Of course, don't get me wrong. I love all these teenagers as much as I did when they were born. But life has changed drastically since they were in diapers. Even since elementary school. They are on their way to adulthood and yet still children. They want to be on their own yet still dependent on a stable, organized family life. They are still learning that independence doesn't mean doing whatever you want regardless of consequences. They are also still learning that trying to overthrow the adult in charge is an automatic loss of cell phone. Once that happens, order is restored and we live in harmony once more.........for a little while

Homemade Honey Granola

One of my favorite homemade foods is granola. Several years ago I decided I was not feeding my family boxed cereal anymore. Not only was it expensive, the ingredients list was way too long for my taste. I like to know what is in my food, I like to know what I am feeding my kids and I like to be able to pronounce the ingredients. So I gave up on store bought cereal and bought a very large bag of rolled oats. 

After 4 years and several requests and complaints from the kids I came up with a very easy recipe that is cost effective and tasty.

 Honey Granola
4 cups rolled oats
1/2-3/4 cup honey
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cup Almonds
3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 cup water
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together except the craisins. Spread the mix  evenly onto cookie sheets
bake at 300 for 20 minutes. take out and stir. place back in oven and check every 10 minutes until granola is golden brown. I usually bake a total of 45 minutes.

Feeding teens on a budget

Let's face it. Feeding a family on a budget when children are young is a lot easier than feeding a family full of teenagers on a budget. When my kids were young we spent $200-$250 a month and ate great. Of course I have been very lucky to only have one child with a food sensitivity and I understand diet restrictions can really put a strain on your budget.
In my home, we have 9 people. That includes, 4 teenagers, 2 preteens, a grandmother, mom and dad. It can be quite a challenge to feed everyone healthy food and not blow our budget out of the water.
When my kids were little, they ate like little people. They would also go through stages where they didn't want to eat much. Now if they say they aren't hungry, don't get your hopes up. This does not mean you will save some money. What this means is they will become hungry at a later time in the day and then they are REALLY hungry because they skipped a snack or a meal. Then they will try and eat you out of house and home. Some of my kids still think they should be offered several snacks a day and they don't actually mean snack as in here have some carrot sticks or a banana, they want a full meal.
So what does a mom on a budget do? Well, I am always looking for ideas because honestly, I am still learning. But, here are some things I do in my home.
Our budget has recently increased from $500 to $700. This amount is alot to me and has given me more wiggle room but I still have to be careful
I shop at Costco, Aldi, regular grocery stores, farm stands/stores when they are open.
I make most things by scratch including most meals, pancake mix and pancake syrup ( you can control the sweetener that goes into it), baked goods, granola, and snack foods like hummus and granola bars
We rarely buy prepackaged foods
We eat several vegetarian dishes each week
I make school lunches and my husband's work lunch
We eat leftovers
We drink water
I freeze and dehydrate produce when it is in season and cheap
I grow a garden and have recently expanded it
We rarely eat out
We go to church potlucks (I only have to make a dessert or side dish to share :D

We have an 80/20 rule. That means, we eat 80% decently healthy and the other 20% is the maybe not so healthy food the kids are allowed to have so they don't revolt. I have tried to go full, 100% healthy but in our house it is impossible. I can't monitor what my kids eat 24/7. I have also learned, they are more likely to eat the healthy stuff if I throw in a treat now and again. So, we compromise.