So what exactly does a homeschool kid do when the temp. drops?

Let me preface by saying that the temps. here in central Ms. have finally turned cool and we have a cool front blowing in today. It may even frost tonight. So the kids (mainly the boy) wanted to build a fire out in the yard but it was just to0 windy. So what do you do when mom is way too logical?

Well, it all starts with a very overgrown muscadine vine/bush. When we moved here these very old vines had really been neglected and this is the largest one.

Then you add a very ingenious 11 year old boy.

Who recruits his sisters. Even the one who just turned 17 on Saturday. (Oh how I am crazy about these kids)

And then you turn said muscadine vine/bush into a fort of sorts.

They have their sleeping bags under there with pillows and blankets and are all huddled up. It's great.

There are so many things that I love about homeschooling and here is one of them. My girls and boy are not concerned about boys/girls or things of the world like who's wearing or doing what and all that peer pressure stuff. They are able to be 11, 14, and 17 and still play and dream and have fun. It's truly a blessing! We make a lot of sacrifices for me being home but I would not take one minute for it!!!

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On the topic of sacrificing, here is one frugal tip. With all of the fencing, preparing animal homes, and getting hay ready for winter, my husband has just not had time to put up a clothesline. So I hung a small clothesline between two of our small oaks. It is temporary but works. I love the smell of line dried sheets. There is nothing better. I have read that every load of clothes dried in the dryer can cost $.36. Around here that will add up quick. Now don't get me wrong, I do not line dry every load of clothes but I do like to use it as much as possible.

Do you see how that wind is whipping up today? They will be dry in no time!!

I love the idea of this clotheline with a garden trellis on either end. I think it would beautify a plain old clothesline. I would grow morning glories up either side. I doubt mine will be this fancy initially but maybe one day!!

I hope you all have a great week!!!

Thoughts on the days to come...

If there's one prediction I can make from this analysis, it's this: It looks very much to me like there will be a rough few years ahead in the United States, whichever candidate wins.

I took this excerpt from an article found here:http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article4995.html.

Let me preface this post by saying I have several things on my mind and this may be a long post. I don't want to really be political in the sense of Dems. vs. Reps. I do have a side and I will say that I am on the side of life no matter who the candidate is.(killing millions of babies every year is unacceptable) However, I don't think it really matters who is elected this time around, as our nation is in such a pitiful financial shape. I think the economy will be the biggest focus for the next 4 years for whoever wins. I think all other points of interest will be taking a back seat to the coming recession. I don't even really care who's fault it is, although I do think that if it were all the Republicans you would here the other side kicking and screaming that fact. Nevertheless, from what all the "financial powers that be" are saying we are headed for some tough times.

First and foremost let me say, In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid... Psalms 56:11

I want it to be clear that I believe God knows what is about to happen and that if we trust in Him, He will not abandon us. However, I do think that we can prepare for the times ahead. Here are a few things that I am doing. I boiled a chicken this past week and instead of throwing out all that scrumptious broth, I put up 2 qts. of broth. I will be doing that with every chicken I boil for the next few months.

Now this is something I have done for several years now. I grind my own wheat and bake all of our bread, rolls, crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls and anything else you can make out of bread dough. The thing I am doing differently is that I have stocked up on wheat berries. I am just sticking them in the freezer. The price of wheat berries has gone through the roof.
The big gallon size jar is honey. Until we have our own bees, I buy honey in a gallon jug.
This is what I made today, a loaf of bread and rolls. My kids love to eat a sandwich on rolls instead of sliced bread.I think my biggest point is, not only am I trying to save some of my money at the grocery store, I am also trying to stock up on pantry items. I am adding extra bags of rice and nonperishables to my pantry every week. I think it may be a wise thing to do.

Another huge thing for the days ahead is living a life that is debt free. If you are not already I encourage you to work on this this next year. We, Lord willing, hope to be debt free at the first of the year next year. Instead of spending on all of the wonderful things I want for this new house, like landscaping, we are focusing on paying off all debt. I think it will serve us far better in the days to come.


Now for the not so glamorous part of the simple life......
We have intentions, Lord willing, of growing and raising all of our food, eventually. We hope to eventually have a diet that does not contain any antibiotics or growth hormone, just natural free range from our own range.LOL
Well, this morning my honey took care of one of our roosters. He has been aggravating our little ladies unbearably. Earlier in the summer we had to kill a rooster because he chased our middle daughter and pecked her when she went to feed them. We just don't tolerate a mean rooster, especially when they are mean to the hand that feeds them. However, this one was mean to the other chickens which can be very upsetting to the egg production. So needless to say his days were numbered. Here is honey taking him across the yard to the barn for his demise. He is not dead but if you pick them up by there feet it has a sort of tranquilizing effect.

Notice our little Shit-Zhu walking along side. He never left during the whole grizzly process.
Yes, that is an extension cord holding the wings. I didn't say we have the most sophisticated process going.
I left out some of the more gory pictures. Here is the end result. We hope to next spring, get 25-50 meat chickens to raise out for our freezer.

Picket, I think your Burly Boys would be proud. We have quite the deer season around here too.LOL

I would like to point out that while all of this killing and processing is going on, I am in the house. I just cook the stuff.LOL
Again, this way of life, I pray, will benefit us in the coming days.

I don't want to seem all doom and gloom but I do think it will benefit us all to be a little more prepared.

*****If you enjoy my blog, I would love for you to become a follower of it, over in the sidebar**** I hope to work on my list of blogs that I love to follow this week. Have a great week!!!

Beauty in the Simple Things

This is one of the many amazing sunsets that I get the privilege of viewing every evening from our wonderful back porch. God truly knows how to show off all of His splendor.
Exodus 33:18

And here is our main man relaxing in the new hammock. With all the work we have around here you rarely see him relaxing. He works hard for us and in return I hope we serve him well.

This has been the latest funny. The little kitten loves to sleep in the barn shoes we keep outside the door. The kids get a big kick out of this.

This is our middle maiden. I love seeing her and her sister riding through the pasture or in this case the yard. It's the simple things that truly make me smile.

Of course, there is quite a bit of maintenance that go with these little beasts, as well. This is our oldest maiden cleaning hooves and brushing them down.

I also wanted to show my newest little vignette for fall. My husband and son found a man who was wanting and old smoke house torn down on his property. He has gotten older and just could not keep up all of the outbuildings he has. We, having this little mini farm, need all the lumber we can get, so it was a great trade off. So they went and tore it down and brought home all the lumber. This window pane was the goodie that I got to keep. It was painted an awful pinky color but I white washed it and I think it turned out great. I still need to paint that mantel. I have wanted to several times and just can't find the time. Soon!!

Have a wonderful evening.

A great girls afternoon....

This past Friday afternoon, my girls and I went into Jackson to see a movie and do some shopping/looking. This is the movie we went to see.




I know what some are you are thinking, "Why didn't you go with your hubby?". Well, we were but we just couldn't work out a date night and I really wanted to see it and so did my girls. So that's how it went. Anyway, he can see it on DVD in a couple of months.LOL

As for the movie, it was amazing. I had a couple of people at church say that it was not kid friendly. Well, my girls are 16 and 14, and I think it was more than appropriate for them. It really hit on the sin of divorce but that there is redemption. It was great. Kirk Cameron did an amazing job!!! I really encourage those who are married or planning to be, to see this one. I think in America and especially in the Church, marriage has become way to convenient and not thought of as a lifelong covenant before God. This movie really makes that solid!!

The girls and I then hit Hobby Lobby and went over to what we call the "Kitchen Store", Linens and Things. My oldest daughter loves to cook and this store is heavenly to her. I think one of her Christmas gifts this year will be a basket full of kitchen gadgets. I know that may sound lame for Christmas but I would have loved a head start on my homemaking gadgets. I think she will too. We had dinner at Backyard Burger and headed home. It was a great girls night out with my favorite girls.

Have a great week!!