Sunday, May 31, 2015

My Garden 2015

 
 I planted my garden several weeks ago and most of it is coming up. We had frost 2 weeks ago, before my garden had sprouted so it only effected the tomato plants and some bedding plants...which I had covered!  We also had a touch of frost a few nights ago, but only a few of the beans took a hit. My garden is about double it's normal size due to this fantastic seeder!  I love this thing!  It literally cut the seeding time in half!
 
 
 

 
The kids wanted their to plant their own gardens as well, so with that I have about 6000 square feet of garden...and my rows are not far apart (other than for things like pumpkin and cukes)   And yes, the kids promised to care for their garden patches all on their own...here's to that actually happening!
 
 



 
I can't help but look at these pictures and think we really are that odd, homeschooling family that grows everything organic, and lives off the land! Honestly!  Who do you know that still cans or freezes all their garden produce?!? People have given me some pretty odd looks when they realize that all of our dill pickles, relish, spaghetti sauce, salsa, raspberry jam, and many other yummy foods come straight from our garden!   Haha!
 
We also planted 90 strawberry plants!  I'm really hoping they do well this year!  I'm hoping to have so many berries that the kids can pick them and sell whatever they pick.  Perhaps it will be a motivator for them too.
 
As for deciding what to plant...I planted all the usual...potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, beans, onions, lettuce, dill, beets, cukes, pumpkins (ornamental and for canning), zucchini, and radishes.  I also added several varieties of squash, kohlrabi, and a variety of herbs just for fun.  We still have some produce left from last fall...we have some potatoes left, lots of carrots, and some onions.  We finished the last of the corn and peas months ago, and the last of the beans several weeks ago.  So that means I really do need to harvest and can/freeze more produce!
 
Now to find a pea sheller???   I wish!!


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Best Mother's Day Ever!

 
So it's been over a week since Mother's Day, but I simply have to post because it seriously was the BEST MOTHER'S DAY EVER!!!!

It started with Martin taking the kids shopping.  They picked 4 dozen roses!  I LOVE, LOVE roses!  These roses lasted a really long time and every time I looked at them, I couldn't help but smile!



Then we invited Martin's mom over for supper on Saturday.  It was nice to see her enjoy her time away from the Assisted Living Seniors Home she now lives in.  Dad is in the same nursing home, but it wasn't possible to take him out for the evening.  His health has deteriorated too much. 

The kids and I made chocolate dipped flowers for Grandma.
 
 
And a bouquet of coffee filter flowers for Grandma.


 
Sunday morning the kids (and Martin) made me breakfast.  I had to sneak back into bed so I could officially be served breakfast in bed!  :)  I got my favourites...strawberries, toast, and mocha!  Just the way I like it!
 




Morgun and Martin made this need pallet wood herb box for me. I love it!!  In fact I've asked Morgun to build me a few more!
 
Alex went all out and bought me my favourite chips, chocolate bar and a $15 Starbucks card!  I was honestly blown away!  Alex has a job and is saving for a car and college.  To spend such a huge amount on me...well, it melted my heart and made me grin from ear to ear...cause we've worked hard to teach our kids to be generous!  I tried to tell him that he had spent way too much.  His reply..."No Mom, you deserve it!"  and then with a grin on his face, "after all, you gave birth to me!!!"
 
 


 


So, as I said it really was the very best Mother's Day Ever!   Not only because I got some spectacular gifts, but more so because my kids were literally glowing and excited to let me know how much they love and appreciate me!  Now that may sound sort of self centered, but it really isn't, cause my joy came more from how my kids are becoming more and more giving, loving, thoughtful, and generous!  There really is not greater joy than knowing that my kids are walking in HIS truth!


Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Maple Syrup the Old Fashioned Way



I've been meaning to post this for the last month, but it slipped my mind due to being sick back in April.
 
Anyhow, the experience of collecting sap from our own maple trees was far too neat to not post.  It is something we will always remember and something we will be doing again next year.
 
It started when I noticed sap dripping from the trees one day while going for a bike ride.  It didn't take a lot of prompting, for the boys to go out and start drilling holes, putting in spouts and hanging pails.  Each day they went out, (sometimes several times a day cause it really was that much fun!) to collect the sap.  They gathered about 12 gallons!


 
We should have started collecting sap about 2 weeks earlier and we would have easily collected double that amount.  Hopefully we'll start earlier next year.

 
The making of maple syrup takes forever.  Lots of slowly cooking off all the water.  The sap is about 98% water!  We cooked the sap outside because it would have increased the humidity in the house too much.

 
After hours of cooking and using way too much propane, this was the end result!  It is so incredibly yummy and sweet! 

 
Although this was certainly not a money safer, it was well worth the effort!  The boys loved the serenity of being out in the trees gathering sap first thing in the morning.  It's so incredibly peaceful! The experience itself made the effort well worth it! 


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Jackson's 4th Birthday!!

 
 Jackson turned 4 this past weekend!  I can not believe that my baby is 4!  It really is true that time flies!  I'm hanging on for dear life trying to soak up as much as I can!

Jackson once again wanted a race car cake.  I was happy to oblige!  It was a simple cake.  Well, sort of!  I decided to use my "grass" decorating tip.  It worked well for the first while, until my icing made of whipping cream and a bit of icing sugar, began to melt!  It really didn't matter to Jackson!  He sat and stared at the cake for ages!  Mostly with a grin on his face!
 
 
We kept the celebration a simple affair and only invited one other couple to join us.  Jackson does not like being the center of attention and he became rather sad and nervous...




...and started picking at his fingers.  He's always been shy, but not to this point.  I hope it's simply a short phase he's going through!
 

 
Jackson wakes up every morning singing.  Usually he's singing, "Bless the Lord oh my soul, Oh, my soul." He is convinced that the song actually belongs to him!
 
Jackson loves his scooter, bike, cars, jumping, climbing and being outside.  Every day he begs and begs to go outside.  He would spend all day outside if he could! 
He loves watching the boys play racing games. He admires his big brothers greatly.  They are his heros!
 
Jackson enjoys coloring and has recently begun to show interest in writing letters.  Especially the letter "J".  He knows how to write several letters, although I'm not too sure that he actually knows the name of each.  It's more of copying what Raina does.  So lots of "R"s and "a's.
 
Jackson loves to cuddle and prefers to be around his family.  He loves to be near me and has recently begun to come to me and lean in, with his huge, dimpled grin.  Melts my heart every single time!! 
 
Jackson's favourite word is "Mama"! It is repeated, repeated, repeated, repeated, repeated, repeated, and...well you get the picture!  lol!  He loves to talk.  It makes him feel important and part of our conversation.  So, he's known to be a bit of an interrupter!  We're working on that!
 
Jackson is once again sleeping better at night.  We began doubling up his sleeper, and put a heater into his room, leaving it on for an hour or two to warm up the room seeing as the heat is rarely on now a days so the house can get a bit chilly.  I have no idea what's up with all of this, but I have a feeling that being cold brings back some bad memories.  And having mama come tuck him in at night is perhaps just the reassurance he needs.
 
I can't help but smile when I think of my sweet little baby!


Saturday, May 9, 2015

Birth Mom's Day-2015

 
 
It's Birth Mom's Day today and once again I can't help but feel a mixture of tears welling up from the depths of my heart at the pain another woman feels because of her loss, and an incredible joy mixed with unbelief that I have this amazing privilege of parenting not one, but 3 treasures brought into this world by another woman.
 
This quote from Jody Landers resonates with me.
 
"A child born to another woman calls me mommy.  The MAGNITUDE of that tragedy and the DEPTH of that privilege are not lost on me."
 
 
Although my words of gratitude will never fully encompass my thoughts, feelings and emotions...I will try to express my thankfulness to the 3 woman (and all the other woman out there who chose life and adoption) who so sacrificially and graciously put their child's needs first.
 
I know you made the most heart wrenching choice. I know that you loved your child so much, that the place you choose to place your child was a place were your child would soon be given all the necessary attention.   I know you continue to grieve that loss.
 
May God in all His amazing omniscient and omnipresent power, let you know that your child is loved, well cared for, happy, thriving, and doing amazingly well.  May you also know that we speak of you with great honor.  That our kids miss you even though they are well adjusted and happy.  May you know that we pray that some day we will meet you, even if it's not on this side of heaven.  May you know that we look forward to seeing both your face, and the face of our child as you finally see each other again!
 
So today, my heart is heavy, tears flow as I write this...cause although I know you grieve...I can not even begin to imagine your pain.  But do know this...that I cry with you.  That I pray you will be filled with an amazing peace and joy in knowing that "all things work together for good to those that love God." 
 
The gift that you have given us is a gift where no "Thank You!" or monetary gift could ever express our gratitude.  So because this is all we can do, we say a great big, heartfelt...
Thank You!!!