PROVERBS IN 31 DAYS

Tuesday is already the first day of November. I am going to be joining in on the Proverbs in 31 days with Amy over at momstoolbox.  We will be reading through Proverbs for the month of November. I am looking forward to spending the next 31 days reading in the book of Proverbs and reflecting on what I am learning.

I will be blogging my 31 days as I take this journey in becoming better acquainted with my Maker and His Guide Book.

I hope you will join in.

PREPARING FOR WINTER

photo source

Winter is about to set in here. It was 31* this morning, the coldest is had been at our house this year.  We even had snow flurries.  I am not ready for snow yet. It is almost the end of October.

My husband cut up some wood that was left by the previous renters. I split is all and my boys stacked in all on the porch. What great helpers they are. We will still need to get more wood to last the rest of the winter.

We are also hunters, so it is important to make time to go hunting, as this is our main source of meat. We are planning to can a bunch of wild game this year since we don't have enough freezer room.

We cube the meat into bite size pieces and I pressure can it. I use it for enchaladas, bar-b-que sandwiches, and I mix it with mayo like tuna fish sandwiches for hubbys lunch.

What are you doing to prepare for the winter months ahead??

HOMEMADE FABRIC SOFTENER

I make my own fabric softener as well as laundry soap.

It is super easy and I like it.

You will need:

• 3 cups white vinegar
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups hair conditioner (I use Suave or VO5 the cheap stuff)
• I don't even measure it, I just buy the 15 oz. bottle and dump the whole thing in.
• an old fabric softener bottle

Pour all the ingredients into the bottle and shake. Use 1/4 cup or half a cap full. I shake it before every pour.

For more link ups visit Women Living Well

PROJECTS

Last week my husband brought home a bunch of garden goodies he got from the people he is currently working for. We got a couple heads of cabbage and small zucchini, a hand full of peppers (they are spicy but we are not sure what kind, I think I am going to make some salsa later in the week), and a large zucchini.

My mom had given me a zucchini from her neighbor as well. Saturday morning, I grated both of the large zucchinis and bagged them in 2 cup portions.  I got 11 bags, this will be great for lots of zucchini bread. I also chopped a bunch of onions to toss in the freezer.

I am always looking for opportunities to teach my children to work hard at what they do. Saturday and Sunday, the family got all dressed up in our warn work clothes (rain doesn't seem to make working more fun). We loaded and hauled some firewood for some friends of our.

And boy was I impressed with how hard our boys (almost 9, 7 and almost 5) worked. I don't think I have ever seen them work as hard as they did those two days. It pays off to be consistant. I am looking forward to continue to teach my children to have a good work ethic.

GETTING THINGS DONE

Yesterday, my husband didn't go to work. We called off school and had a cleanup day, haven't done that in a while. We had a clean up the yard and burn day.

 I don't think I have ever messed with so many pine needles. Not something we had at our old residence, (we have only lived here for 11 months). It will make spring clean up so much easier.

We got a lot done yesterday and it gives me the motivation (thanks to my husband, he is such a motivator if I would just listen to him more often) to clean the inside of my house things I don't clean on a regular basis (windows, baseboards, etc.)

I know having a clean and organized home is a step to a less stressful life and a much happier mommy.

Just little ways to get it together.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE CHANGE MAKES

The weekend seemed to fly by. On Saturday I ran my first 5K. It was something I definitely want to do again.

For the past six days I have decided to make a big change that was worth making. I have been getting out of bed in the morning between 5:00 and 5:45. I know I am crazy, that is a bit early. Well that change has done wonders for my attitude as well as my spirit.

Giving myself that little bit of quiet time before the kids wake up in the morning is so refreshing.   I was having a hard time getting motivated in the morning when I woke up at the same time as the kids as well as rushed and over anxious.

What a great reward. I now look forward to getting up in the morning. I can workout without the kids trying to talk to me the whole time. We can start and finish school earlier. And have the afternoon to just hang out and have fun.

What changes are you making to Get it Together?

MAKING GINGER BEER

 

According to wikipedia Ginger beer is a carbonated drink that is flavored primarily with ginger and sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Basically it is a ginger flavored soda.

We love Ginger Beer and would like to share our recipe we received from a friend with you.

Ginger Beer

TO START PLANT:
   Mix together in a screw top jar:
            2 cups water
            juice 1 lemon
            2 tspns lemon pulp
           4 tspns sugar
           2 tspns ground ginger or 4 tspns fresh ginger
           8 sultanas (raisins)

 Leave 2-3 days until it starts to ferment.

THEN FOR ONE WEEK:

     Each day add:

         4 tspns sugar

         2 tspns ground ginger or 4 tspns fresh ginger

TO MAKE UP:

  Dissolve:

           4 cups sugar

   in     4 cups water

   

   Add (not while hot):

             juice of 4 lemons

             liquid from plant strained through muslin (handkerchief okay, cheesecloth)

            28 cups of water

   TO CONTINUE:

        Put half the plant residue from the muslin back in the screw top jar with 2 cups water (throw the rest  

        away or give to a friend)

       Add each day for a week (as before):

                      4 tspns sugar

                      2 tspns ground ginger or 4 tspns fresh ginger

ETC.

It is easier to make with out the extra water (unless you have a very large bucket!)  Set out the bottles (they need to be  able to withstand the pressure from the carbonation) required for the quantity being made, and pour the proportionate amount of (strong) solutions into each bottle. Top with water and seal.

Don't screw the plant jar lid too tightly - especially in hot weather. (It has been known for the plant to 'blow up'.)

(makes 9 litres - 12   750 ml bottles)

(halve quantities for 4 1/2 litres)

This is what it will look like after it has set for over a week.

My water and sugar mixture dissolving.

Juicing my lemons.

I put my cheesecloth into a fine strainer and on a bowl. I then strained the lemon juice,

I  poured the plant from the jar through the cheesecloth and squeezed out all of the liquid.

While strained the juice and plant, my little helper measured the water and added it to the sugar/water.

I divided my plant in two, place half back in the jar and threw the rest away.

I poured all the strained liquid into the pot of sugar water.

Then poured it into my bottles and dropped a raisin in each bottle before sealing them tightly. This will take out some of the yeasty flavor.

It is better if you let them pressurize at room temp, it will happen faster. 

Over time the taste will get better, there is a point where it starts to go flat.

The yeast from the fermentaion feeds off the sugar, so as time goes on the so does the sugar but not the flavor of being sweetened with sugar.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

HOMEMADE HUMMUS

So a couple of months ago, we had a friend visiting who introduced my children to hummus. Much to my surprise they loved it. I love that my kiddos are so willing to try new things.

I tried making it with just garbanzo beans, olive oil and garlic. My husband added salt, pepper and Tabasco to take away the blandness, (he loves spicy foods).

I found this recipe for Italian Hummus.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly, I added more garlic and used a little lime juice instead of lemon juice and a little water to get the consistency that I liked.

The Tahiti definitely made is difference in the taste. We added that to our dinner menu and enjoyed it with crackers and green pepper strips.

(For some reason I am having problems trying to get the pictures to load, lol, must be my dial-up.)

I am looking forward to trying other flavors as well.

What are you up today?

HOW DID MY LIFE GET THIS WAY!!!

Ok, so I am reading this for the first time today. It couldn't have come at a more perfect time, being as unorganized as I am. Amy of Amy's Finer Things is doing a Get it Together series. That means I am already 3 days behind. Can I possible catch up and make this stick? There is only one way to find out. AAHHH! Here we go!

Welcome!!

Let my start off by saying Welcome, I'm glad you could join me. My name is Sara, I live in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. I have three very handsome boys and a little princess to boot. I am a homeschool stay-at-home mom. My husband owns his own masonry business and is a gifted jack of all trades.