Thursday, September 25, 2008

Meme thanks to Mammas Heart And Hearth: Meme on Thursday

Feel free to do as well!

Aprons–y/n If y, what does your fave look like? Yes, my fav is one from the UK that has pictures, names and the verse of all the plants mentioned in the Bible
Baking–Bread, yummy warm bread! um and scones
Clothes line? Supposed to be putting one in, in the spring
Donuts–never made them, the frying part scares me!
Everyday–One homemaking thing you do every day? dishes & laundry
Freezer–Do you have a separate deep freeze?yep, got it for $10! so instead of canning we freeze everything
Garbage Disposer?No
Handbook–What is your favorite homemaking resource? my grandmother and mother in law
Ironing–Love it or Hate it? Hate it!!
Junk Drawer–y/n? Where is it?This is embarresing....2 in the kitchen, 1 in the study, 4 in the dining room...oh my!
Kitchen–color and decorating scheme.chocolate brown oak cupboards, a basket, a fruit bowl, sorta plain
Love–what is your favorite part of homemaking?Being at home with the Goons. Baking, Cooking, Gardening!
Mop–y/n?nope, we get down on our hands and knees with the scrub brush!
Nylons, machine or hand wash?refruse to wear them, even in the bitter cold of winter!
Oven–do you use the window or open the oven to check?Open, and usually therefore forget that it is yorkshire puddings or something simular and they all sink!
Pizza–What do you put on yours?whatever is in the fridge
Quiet–What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?okay, you have obviously never been in my home! sometimes I get a cuppa, that is nice!
Recipe Card Box–y/n? What does it look like?i was given books, don't like them and am trying to find a nice plain box
Style of house–What style is your house?simple country, with pictures of Israel all over the walls, sorta an odd combination but I think it works
Tablecloths or Placemats? Tableclothe on Sunday usually or a special dinner, placemats for everyday
Under the kitchen sink–organized or toxic wasteland? Used to be Organized, now toxic dump
Vacuum–How many times per week? 2, once on Monday and once friday
Wash–How many loads of laundry do you do per week?5, 1 per weekday
Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off? yes, though it doesn't all get done
Yard–y/n? Who does what?yep, I do the veggie patch & flower beds, Hubby mows (I mow when he is away though)
ZZZ’s–what is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed? tidy up the kitchen

Friday, September 19, 2008

Ike Rains

Well yesterday we finally got out to do a proper inspection of the damage done as Ike travelled up here and dumped nearly 20 cm of rain in 2 days. The corn was just forming lovely full ears, but Ike desided he didn't like corn and so pushed it down to the ground. As of yesterday the corn has picked itself up a bit and we are "hoping" that it can still grow in this sorry shape. This has never happened to us before so do any of you know what it'll do? It was 6 ft high before!

Our tomatoes have been ripped off of their support poles but are still turning red so today they will be re-tied.

In happier news the Monarchs are migrating and yesterday we had at least a dozen in our front flower beds. Probiblly more, but they were not willing to sit still to be counted! The Goons and I chased them from flower to flower to take pictures! Hope you enjoy them!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Fall is Here

Hip Hip Horray!

But my what a busy time it is! Missy and I have been busy this morning shelling beans

Hubby had been away for nearly a week (coming home for the weekend) so the children and I made apple sauce thanks to a wonderful recipe from a very dear friend! Of course I forgot to turn the stove down before hopping into the shower and came out the the heady aroma of burnt sauce! The bottom of the pot was thick with a layer of burnt on stuff and I thought it ruined but throwing in a great deal of baking powder and letting it sit for a week has done wonders in lifting it all off and it saved our pot!


Mum B has an amazing contraption from England she calls a "mully" and it helped in the completion of the entire bushel of apples.

You cook the apples WITH the skins on

Then with some turns of the crank the sauce is separated from the skins

and voila yummy apple sauce!

Oh how I adore Fall!

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Wow, it seems like yesterday I was holding a wee one in my hands and now he is grown up and off to school today. Poor Missy was lost without Magoo to follow after, and Mummy missed him too!
Tired Mummy is off to bed so here are some pictures instead:






Friday, August 29, 2008

Hello again to the 2 of you who sometimes stop by!

First off Jenna do come for a visit you are desparetly missed...and have no fears a certain someone is now in Mississauga.

As you may know by past posts Hubby was able to take 7 weeks of paternity leave! but

BIG BUT

you do not get paid during that time. The goverment puts you on some sort of E.I. and lets just say that when all was said and done and it came in it was equivaent to what Hubby would make in a week and a half.

YIKES

we knew this was the case but it was hard to swallow! So I am busy organizing a garage sale to earn some $$$ well hoping for $$ at least.

Today the great organizing begins!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

An airshow is a common North American event. Though-out this province they are held all summer in various locations, frequently small local airports that are struggling to stay afloat with parcel and buisness flights yet not used by compalnies for airtravel needs.

The locals are always excited as all week long the planes practice their lop-d-lops, suicide dives, races and such. All over town the evergreen of front lawns become patchwork quilts of red, blue, brown and all sorta of coloured t-shirts as the houses empty of kids to watch the amazing feats in the sky overhead.

On the day of the airshow the whole town seems to stop for a few hours and everywhere the roads are chuck full of cars illegally parked on the curb, trying to find that "perfect" viewing spot. Neighbours turn on the BBQs and host family picnics, friends from out of town arrive for the afternoon and dinner. the children run in circles straining to catch that first glimpse of the fighters, great fun for all...

But I am petrified.

Most people run out of their houses at the sound of the planes overhead, but as the sonic boom shakes me deep down to my core, it just makes me want to run. When the glass in the windows shake, I quiver. For the sake of the children I must put on a brave face and not run down and hide in the cold storage.

The majority of the population over here has never experienced war first or even second hand. They talk about it "happening over there" freely, never thinking that it could come across the Atlantic, as if there is an invisible wall over the ocean.

Years ago my family lived in Austria, which was the main NATO base during the Bosnian war. Air Raid sirens were a reality, counting the supply helicopters fly over our house (nearly always losing count after we reaced 100) was a reality, feeling the ground shake and learning to cruch up into a little ball "just in case" when the fighters passed over head to their targets was a reality. Listening to the public announcements and freaking out cause we could only speak english and no one would translate and explain the looks of terror on their faces, was a reality.

Having our school, A.I.S., bombed because it was American (and the US had just entered the war), arriving at school and not being able to get to my locker because of the fire, having 6 different types of gaurds and soliders then stationed at the school, seeing army transport trucks, troop carriers, guns in the open, all this was too a reality.

So forgive me if I do not enjoy the airshow, and please ignore the tears that stream down my face at the memories so vivid and fresh that the sounds of the aircraft remind me of.

I pray my children can still enjoy it, and will never have the associations with the jets that I have.

Monday, August 25, 2008

To Teeth or Not to Teeth...

For some unknown reason our wee olive plants seem to get their teeth young. Magoo had his first at 3 months, Missy around 5 mths and now Sprout is teething. For Magoo "Bongela" which Dad would bring back from his trips to the UK did wonders. Missy too found relief. Sprout none!
I am reminded of Hebrews 10:36 "For ye have need of patience" so true! The last five or so days has been spent frantically trying to get the bare minimum done during her naps and happy spells. I would LOVE some advice!

Still we had a lovely weekend together. Simple summer meals of salad sandwiches and grilled veggies. We are blessed to have a famer's stand (called "The Stand"...what else!) within walking distance and so whatever we cannot grow ourselves we are sure to find there. They have a policy that nothing will come from further then 30 kms and hang signs so that you know the farm each veggie or fruit is from and the distance travelled. The lady who runs it is simply delightful and always gives the children a sucker when we leave. I really must write a piece on the joys of living in a small farm village but that will have to wait for another day.

The flowers in our garden are coming to a close, but we are determined to enjoy the few that remain. The black eyed susans, obedience plant, salvia, hosta flowers, roses and snap dragons are still going strong. It is simply delightful to be able to bring some of God's creation into our homes to cheer it up and bring the outdoors in! Wouldn't you agree?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

You know when you have all these great plans.....

Yeah, so, yesterday I desided that I would have
-the Goons (all 3 of them) bathed and clothed ready to go to Lecture
-me looking stunning in a nice outfit for such
-dinner of BBQ chicken and veggie from our garden cooked
-set the table all nice and welcoming
-clean up from the kid chaos so that down stairs looks like adults actually live here

all before Hubby came home.

So I'm slogging away at folding and putting away Mt. WASHington and realize it it 5:45 and Hubby hasn't called so I phone him to see if he is on his way home to time dinner....Goons are thrown in to the bath (opps, I mean gently placed..) I frantically put Sprout into a cute lil dress. No answer so I asssume Hubby is out of range only to hear "I'm home"

Panic

Dinner isn't even started, let alone is the table set. Wife looks like, well um, not stunning.

So in the end Hubby finished washing the Goons while I cooked, we ate dinner and then i tore around trying to find the skirt I was going to wear (still not back to pre-preggy size yet) and decided to wear a nice hat....

hat is rather wild and so was wishing I had a different headcovering...oh well.

lesson learned.

We laughed while doing up carseats at my unrealistic goals.
Maybe next time I can actually have dinner on the table!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008


Hubby went back to work this week after seven weeks of paternity leave! So thankful for that! But now we are all trying to get back into the groove of regular smegular life. Coffee in the morning is now esential to my well-being!


Reading a funny but good book called "The American Frugal Housewife" Full of some good ideas on keeping down the waste in our homes and using everything. Some stuff though you can tell is from the 1830's when it was written!


Speaking of waste.....our lil town is having a town-wide garage sale sometime this month so I am going to start filling boxes with stuff from each room to get rid of. I can't wait for this giant clean out to begin! so what am i doing on the computer??? The girls are asleep and I don't want to wake them!


oh, and I am a famous procrastinator!!


Here are some pics of our garden, thought you may enjoy them...

Tuesday, August 19, 2008



What an amazing storm we experienced last night. Horizontal rain, sheet lightning that never stopped, hail...


no tornado though!


I have never before seen such amazing sights in the sky. you could actually see the forks of lightning going from one cloud to the other and then the sheets lightning. It was a blessing it wasn't forked lightning as it would have done a lot of damage down here.


First thing this morning the Goons and I made a little walk to see how the veggie patch had faired, and other then the corn being blown over it did preety good. The brussel sprouts are fine which surprised me.


Before growing some of our food for the summer months storms never really bothered me. However in the past month we've had hail three times, thankfully not damaging enough yet.


Our bean crop is nearly finished and the carrots haven't done well at all since the beans did too well and blocked out the sunlight from reaching them!


Today the Goons and I will finish finding and harvesting the last of the beans and planting some more letuce to gather in a couple weeks.


Monday, August 18, 2008

Sorry I have been missing for the summer. Hubby was able to take some paternity leave and just went back to work today ;-(

So I've desided to try and update at least twice a week, just on daily hum drum of life here in our little community with 3 Goons to make life interessting.

Mr. Magoo starts scool in 2 weeks, Sprout is teething and thankfully Missy is taking life all in stride.

So starting tomorrow expect some proper updates including pics and recipes if i can get my brain around all the computer stuff.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Hello All
I've been reading up about how oil prices are going up and that therefore prices of everything is and will continue too. I had to buy flour yesterday and the whole wheat was up to $16! from $9....but it is still cheaper to bake good bread then to buy the good healthy stuff!
I was reading a good article on how we need to make our household more self sufficient. So I think it is time for me to look into making more of the foods that we eat and buy less pre-made.
I only wish we could have chickens! we go through 18 eggs a week!
any other ideas?

Saturday, May 17, 2008

My Husband is Brilliant!

I hate making lists. It isn't the list that drives me insane it is the fact that after making said list one of the following always happens:

1) I leave it at home on the kitchen counter
2) A very important ingredient is left off of said list and therefore I don't get it
3) I put the list down somewhere in the grocery store and cannot find it for ther est of the shop

Oiy! So D has made me a list on the computer of the basic items that we usually need. All I have to do is print it and cross out the items we do not need and voila! a list done in a couple minutes!

And....since it is printed on a regualr piece of paper #1 & 3 usually don't happen anymore.

On another note: we (the 3 Goons and I) went to pick up our veggie plants that we'd like to grow this summer. To our utter dismay the 3 usual places (Farmer's market & 2 local farms) only had peas, tomatoes, the wrong kind of letuce and cucumbers!

We are planning on planting corn, bush beans, carrots, leaks, brussel sprouts (a whole row!), tomatoes and the usual array of herbs.

As of writing this we only have the tomatoe and brussel sprout plants. So we still need to find a bunch of leak plants. All this cause Sprout #3 was about to arrive and therefore I was giving myself a break in not starting them inside....I've learn't my lesson!

Pics to follow soon!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Sprout the Third has finally arrived!

being weighed by the midwife...7'13

Mintues after being born at home she gets dressed!
Thankfully the labour was only 3 hrs, and the last bit went so fast the second midwife never arrived in time! It was sorta funny!










Tuesday, April 15, 2008

We Are Ready!

The bassinet is made up
All the clothes washed, dryed and folded
2 batches of bread are bagged up and in the freezer
Kitchen cupboards have been scrubed
Dinners premade and frozen
Goons overnight box packed up
Hospital bag still empty...

Baby is NOT ready to come.....AHHHHHHHHH.......so frustrating!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Better late then Never! Here are some photos from our Purim dinner. As you can see Missy wanted to be Hadassah (before she was Queen) and Magoo was of course King David! We had a lot of fun, though our guests didn't dress up! and ate to our full of yummy food!










Sorry have no idea how to rotate it!) Here they are eating the first course, pita & humus, olives & mini cucumber like they grow in Israel (the huge preggy lady took the pic) It was R & L's first ever Purim, we were so glad that they could come!

(Our center piece was brilliant I thought and the kids got a kick out of it!
After roast lamb, potaotes & broc/cauliflower we tucked in to the traditional dessert. Fruit and Haman's nose cookies with chocolate coins....no there are none left, so sorry!

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

I'm sorry to have been missing for a while now.



35 weeks preggy, Sinus Infection AND Broncitious.....



no more explination needed!



In a couple days I will post about my Hope Chest, inspired by Anna's Musings comments on them.



Hugs to all

Monday, January 28, 2008

The Joy of Busy Hands
My wonderful sister taught me a couple years ago now how to make bread. Having broken 2 bread makers, I was not going to buy yet another replacement!
Bread making to me was intimidating. All that kneading, and timing, and oh dear me what if it didn't work! See I detest trying things that I don't think will work or that I won't do well, a fault of my flesh.
She had me over a couple times on her bread making days, and patiently showing me how and what and when to do everything. Now every second Monday is our bread making day at home. The Goons love digging their hands into the oey-goey dough and "helping" Mummy.
Bread making always reminds me of those mothers who have gone before us. Providing for their households and passing on the Truth to their little olive plants.
Jochebed would have ground grain and kneading the dough in her kneading trough while trying to hide her precious baby boy. Would it have been a time of prayer for Hannah, as she longed to have a child to stick his hand in and make a mess.
Actually going back to bread makers, I find doing 3-6 loafs at a time much less work then the little loaf that the machine spits out. Measurements don't have to be exact, and This way I only have to make the bread twice in a month, unless we give some away.
As an aside, a fresh loaf of bread, some homemade jam and a box of tea make the perfect "just because" gift.
So grab your big bowl, and get ready to get your hands dirty!
"I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread." Ps 132:15

Monday, January 21, 2008

Nesting My Mind

As you are all well aware, I'm sure, I am in the major nesting stage. Linen closet has been tackled and finished. Flammables have been gathered up and placed in the coldstorage. Kitchen reorganized and cupboards all washed and scrubed clean.

Yesterday got me thinking....(scary I know, I know)

I'm doing all this preparation for the "Olive Plant" arriving (in less then 11 weeks!) and focusing on the house when I should really be focusing on my mind.

It's really just like a house, there is more then too much clutter, areas that need a good scrubing, and reorganizing our priorities.

So on that note I've decided to make some changes. Instead of just reading "good & clean" books (mainly Christian Fiction, but a warning not all in that section are good!) I'm going to read a section in Eureka for every book I rush through.

I need to reorganize our week too. We are ramdonly getting jobs done and preschool lessons thrown in here and there but I need to sit down and figure out a way to work our week.

I'll keep you posted, right now it is time for breakfast!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Debbie, thanks for the comment! It really made my day! do you have your own email? send it via email to us, then we could "chat".

Anna and Debbie, God bless and have a blast in Israel! Miss you lots and God Bless!