Babies

Looks like we'll be having another one of these guys on October 15!!! This is the big reason that nothing interesting has been cooking over here lately. I've been working on a bun in my oven. During the first trimester of my pregnancies, I can barely stand the smell of my own cooking. I'm ready to get back in the swing of things. Eating out all the time is expensive!!!

Seed Update

My windowsill is crowded, but these little seeds are growing! It won't be too much longer before I can plant them & start more seeds outdoors.

There Are Just Some Days...

There are just some days when the kids wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Why is this? I can't figure it out. Those are the days when they can NOT leave the house without the backpack filled with cars, and a huge basket full of random goodies to tote around on all your errands. And THOSE are the days when you have so much to do. Is this God's design for personal growth in the discipline of patience? I think I'll ask Him someday.

This is Parenthood.

Advice? How to Display This?

When we got married, we received this beautiful crocheted (thing?) with our name on it. I'm so sad that I don't remember who made it for us, because I truly love gifts made by hand. I have never done anything with it, however, because I cannot figure out how to frame it in a way that reflects my style. SO, dear people...Do you have any ideas? I would love to figure out a way to frame it, without going in a Traditional Southern or country direction. I like simple, clean, classic...

Ideas? Anyone? Anyone?

Winter CSA, Week 9

This week we received apple butter, apple jam, linguini, stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, cornmeal, sorghum, blueberry jelly & saurkraut. My favorite thing to do with apple butter is to make these morning glory muffins. I made them on Monday, and we've already made & consumed the entire batch! Now if I could only figure out what to do with that saurkraut...

Dying Easter Eggs

Dying Easter Eggs was always one of my very most favorite holiday traditions of all. But as a parent of a child allergic to eggs, it was a tradition that I thought my kids might never get to experience. But now that we've kicked that egg allergy to the curb, we can finally join in the fun! Since we are buying most of our eggs directly from farmers, we have a majority of brown eggs. I wasn't sure how they would turn out. But they are beautiful! I absolutely love the colors. I know the tradition is bright, vibrant colors, but these colors look so beautiful and rustic. Maybe I'll do this all year round! (I hid the stickers that came with the eggs. They ruin a pretty, simple, dyed egg. Don't you think?!)

Reevaluating CSA's

As the local growing season begins, and CSAs begin to start again, I am reevaluating my CSA. I cannot imagine not doing the CSA this year, or even the thought of switching to a different CSA. However, we are planning to do a major garden this year. And a person can only eat so many vegetables. Plus, we have been with the same CSA for 3 years. I fully endorse and highly recommend them. But when we began, there were 3 CSAs that I knew of. Now, there are billions. So I picked up a CSA list in a recent Local Table publication, and am reviewing them all. The process is giving me a major headache, but so far, I'm happy to say that nothing looks better than our CSA, Avalon Acres. I'm still in the midst of my research, so I'm sure you will know when I decide!

The Local Table includes CSA's all over TN, so I definitely recommend you pick one up if you are interested in a CSA. You can also look for one in your area on LocalHarvest.org.

If you are researching CSAs, I recommend you find out the following information:
1) What is the price (and package size, and length of season)
2) Where is the dropoff or pickup location?
3) An idea of the variety of their deliveries

What about you guys? Any of you going to give it a go this year?

Looking Like Spring!

It looks like Spring all around our yard! Bring it!!

Mini Carrots?

Somehow I think this one slipped through the cracks. Does that look like a mini carrot to you?

Update

True, I have been behind on my posts. I've been busy working in the yard, consignment sale shopping, traveling, working on a variety of committees, and other miscellany, but none interesting enough for a blog post. I did sew this cute little number though. However, it is HUGE on my little bit of a child. (It's actually supposed to be a shirt for a 12 month old). I'm working on a redo, but this time I'm trying to make my own changes to the pattern. Wish me luck with that. It will probably end up crooked, but I'll do my best. I know it's not much of a post, but I wanted to let you friends know that I am STILL HERE.

Oh...Here's news...I'm wearing my hair curly these days. See? NOT INTERESTING. I'll be quiet now until I come up with something better to say.

Winter CSA, Week 8

This week, we received: cornmeal, corn, popping corn, chow chow, saurkraut, tomato juice, stewed tomatoes, and kudzu jelly.

Ranuculus & Peonies

Getting your favorite flowers might sometimes be worth the argument. :)

Seed Starting

The seeds I have started in my Jiffy Seed Starting Kit (purchased at Wal-Mart) are looking fantastic! There are 2 varieties of heirloom tomatoes that I saved last year, plus heirloom seeds that I purchased (tomato, basil, red pepper), so I am excited to see green sprouts! My garden-advisor Karina recommends planting 2 seeds in each pod, and then trimming off one of the shoots when they reach about 2 inches. Although it is not necessary, this it to ensure that you have at least one seed in each pod. When the plants grow a second set of leaves, they are ready to move into another pot to continue indoor growth.

In addition, Lance has been working hard out in the yard, tilling up additional ground for the garden. I can't wait to get these in the dirt. Our garden is coming along well so far!

Bat Houses

Did you know that a single brown bat can catch hundreds of mosquito-sized insects an hour? We're thinking about getting a bat house. Any of you friends know anything about this? I must admit, I do not want to ever see a bat, but the idea of no mosquitoes sounds pretty great. They don't bother me too much, but they love the boys in this household.

Added Note: I have since learned that our neighbor just put up a bat house. However they said it usually takes a few years for the bats to find it. Hopefully they find it soon, and we can benefit from their mosquito-eating skills!

"Gringo Nightmare"

I can't believe it has been 2 years since Eric Volz was released from Nicaragua. Since his return, he has become a closer friend to Lance, and we've enjoyed hearing his journey. He has finally finished his account about the murder of his former girlfriend, his imprisonment, and the political climate which made his situation an emotional firestorm in Nicaragua. Although his book, Gringo Nightmare, will not be released until April, you can preorder it on his website. Lance read an early copy, and says it's amazing.

A Cool Story

Last week, Lance went climbing. It was a new location to him, so he called to ask permission from the landowner. It was an elderly woman whose husband had passed away a couple of years ago. "Would it be weird if I brought her flowers?" Lance asked me. I told him I thought it would be a nice gesture. The next morning, he was unsure if he would do it as he left for his climbing outing. He decided to do it, and as he left her with the flowers, she smiled and said, "Today is my anniversary."

I thought this was great reminder that you never know how God uses you in someone else's life. It's like her husband still got to send her some anniversary flowers, regardless of whether he was here or not. Cool, huh?

Seeds

Our seeds came in from Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit that preserves heirloom seeds. Although E usually avoids the camera like the plague, he insisted on hopping in front of this picture.
Finally I got a picture. We ordered the following heirloom seeds: Scarlet Nantes Carrots, Detroit Dark Red Beets, Arugula, Cilantro, Pride of Wisconsin Melon, Sweet Genovese Basil, Napolean Sweet Pepper, Dragon Carrot, and German Pink Tomato. Last year, I also saved some seeds myself, which I have no idea how they will turn out, but I thought it was worth a shot. They are: Cherokee Purple Tomatoes (which Karina introduced me too, and they are DELICIOUS), white eggplant, some yellow heirloom tomatoes, and lemon cucumbers. Yesterday, I started my tomato, basil, and red pepper seeds indoors. I'm ready for Spring!

Jesus Loves Me

Katie Belle singing, 19 months.

Homemade Chicken Stock

I know I have a few vegetarian/vegan friends who read. Hope the following post doesn't gross you out. But to you I say that if there was a way to eat meat, this is the way...I've been buying whole chickens directly from a farmer who lets them roam free, and processes them herself. The meat is delicious and I love knowing that these chickens had a good life. Anyway, I don't know why I haven't done this sooner, but recently I made my own chicken broth for the first time. I roasted a few chickens, and threw the bones in the freezer. Then, I later pulled the bones out and made a broth from the bones. It was so much better than storebought broth/stock. I've been roasting chickens for a while now, and have always thrown the bones in the trash. What a waste! I loosely went by this recipe. What about you guys? Do you make your own broth?

Winter CSA, Week 7

This week our Preserved Goods package included: Canned corn (2 sizes), popping corn, homemade pasta, canned tomato juice, peach preserves, apple butter & green beans.