Homestead Barn Hop & AFG Weekend Adventures

Hey Everyone!  I'm back!  Sorry, I haven't posted for a few days, I left on Thursday morning to go to a TI (Texas Instruments) International Conference in San Antonio!  Here are a few pictures I snapped of the Alamo, and the River Walk!  It was a great trip!  If you have older kids taking science or math, and you have some moola to spare . . .  the new TI Nspire will be coming out the end of March!  It's really cool, and does a great job incorporating science with math!  Truly, these calculators are so much more than the calculators that you and I are used to.  Even if you have used the T83 or T84, I would most definitely check these new ones out . . . or better yet, let your student check them out, as sometimes they know more about technology than we do! :)  If your student goes to a private or public school these would be excellent as well!  In fact there is a Navigator program available that links the teacher's computer up with a classroom set of calculators, and the possibilites are almost limitless!  Data Collection, Graphing, Simulations, etc!  Get excited about Math and Science! . . . Yes, this is coming from a Science teacher, but remember . . . I went to school to be a history teacher.  I really think had I grown up learning the connection between math and science a little more, I would have enjoyed it as I do now!   Either way, check out Texas Instruments and see what all they have to offer your student whether homeschooled, public or private schooled.

And now for the Homestead Barn Hop!  Link up, and let us know what is going on around your homestead!

Hosted by:

Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Amy @ Homestead Revival

Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead

and

Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead (that's me!)



A Word From the Wise: A Visit with Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Photo Credit:  J Len Photography on The Prairie Homestead

I am excited to introduce you to Jill from The Prairie Homestead!  Jill is a beautiful woman of God who is passionate about homesteading, natural living, homemaking, and of course being a wife and a mamma.  She has much to wisdom to share; so let's get this interview started:


Tell us a little about your life before homesteading? 

I didn't grow up on a homestead, in fact, I grew up in regular ol' neighborhood. But even as a little girl, my heart literally ached for land and country life. I also was obsessed with horses from a very young age, so I left home at 18 to move to Wyoming so I could immerse myself in horses. I went to college, earned 2 Equine Studies degrees, and then went on to apprentice under various horse trainers. After I met my husband, I became a Veterinary Technician, but quit in the fall of 2009 to stay home when I became pregnant with our little girl. 
  
When did you decide to begin homesteading, and why?

I like to say that it all started with a compost pile. When we purchased our home and land, we didn't even know the modern-day homesteading movement existed. But, I knew we were going to need some way to dispose of our ample supply of horse manure, so I began researching methods of composting. The more research I did, the more aware and excited I became over the ideas of self-sufficiency and sustainability. And the rest is history!
 
 What resources have you found to be most helpful in your homesteading endeavors?

The blogging world has literally been a life-saver for me. I really don't know any other full-fledged homesteaders locally, so the information and support I have gleaned from other bloggers has been incredibly valuable.
Over the last year I also have come to greatly enjoy talking to the older generation. I have had several great conversations with my grandfather who grew up on an actual homestead during The Great Depression. His stories of gardening, preserving, milking, and butchering fascinate me, especially when I realize that our family truly has come full circle, and my current lifestyle closely shadows his as a young boy.

 What kind of animals do you have on your homestead?

Photo Credit:  The Prairie Homestead

We have horses, dairy goats, chickens, dogs, and cats. We also plan on getting 1 or 2 calves this spring to raise for beef.

You have a nice homestead with a rich heritage!  What was your favorite thing about the piece of property when you bought it?

Thanks! One of my most favorite things about our property is the history. Our homestead lies in a historically rich part of Wyoming. The old Cheyenne-Deadwood stageline runs along our property and we are surrounded by sprawling ranches. Several years ago, we were also thrilled to meet a member of the original family who homesteaded our property. It was a treat to hear their stories. Our house might not have the sprawling architecture of modern-style homes, but I love knowing that it has stood over this part of the prairie for nearly 100 years. 

 

Photo Credit: The Prairie Homestead

What is your favorite part about homesteading?

There are so many things that I love about it! But, if I had to pick just one, if would have to be the wonderful sense of freedom that comes with learning to be more self-sufficient. It is so empowering! 

 
What do you feel is your area of expertise?

I don't know if I really have any one area of expertise- I think of myself as a "Jack of all Trades, Master of None"!

What new skill are you still hoping to acquire?

We would like to become more skilled in home butchering in the future. We know the very basic cuts of meat, but I would definitely like to go farther with this knowlege and also learn how to make our own bacon and hams.

 

Photo Credit:  The Prairie Homestead

   You are very interested in natural cuisine and traditionally prepared foods.  What advice would you give a girl just starting out, who is intimidated at the idea of trying to eat more natural, homecooked, homegrown, fermented, cultured, and sprouted recipes?

One step at a time! We didn't start eating this way overnight, and there are still things that we compromise on... Pick one recipe or item to try and go for it!
I was intimidated at first as well, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that most of the things that we perceive as impossible in the kitchen are really quite easy.

Photo Credit:  The Prairie Homestead

You have a little prairie baby on your homestead now!  Tell us about your little one!  What benefits do you think your children will receive by growing up on a homestead?

Baby is 10 months old and such a joy to us. She absolutely loves being outside and has developed quite the affinity for the dogs and horses. We've packed her along on all of our adventures since the beginning, and I really think it has made her a more content and happy baby overall.

There are so many things I am looking forward to as our kids grow older: teaching them responsibility while caring for animals, sharing the wonder of starting seeds and growing food, watching the miracle of birth. I can't think of a more perfect enviroment in which to raise children! 

What advice would you give to a family wanting to start a homestead?

Just do it! Of course, reading books and researching definitely help, but many aspects of homesteading simply require hands-on experience and trial and error. Also, if you have local friends who homestead, even better. Spend time with them to learn the ropes and share in their knowledge.



Photo Credit:  The Prairie Homestead

  

 

Make Yourself at Home: The Family Room

Some of my dear friends have asked if I have any pictures of our little country house here on the AFG Homestead. I thought you all might like to see some pictures too, so I have decided to post them here!  Keeping a home that is warm, cozy, and full of love is one of the most important parts of homesteading.  Of course, there will be lots to do outside with the garden and animals, but never underestimate the treasure hidden inside the home! 

We purchased our home in 2009! It was a forclosed home, and there was alot of work that needed to be done, but to us it was a dream house from God.  Most the homes were looking at in our price range were small rental houses located in town. When we first walked in the home, we saw potential in all the small things.  It was as if God remembered all those little details we mentioned when talking about what we would like in a house someday . . . a big front porch, wood beams, a fireplace, an upstairs, a home with character, some land, a shop . . . the list could go on and on!  So I am going to take you through our home room by room.  Some rooms have before pictures, and some do not.  Some rooms are more or less finished, while others still have some work to do.

Here is the Family Room:

BEFORE

AFTER



Homestead Barn Hop & AFG Weekend Adventures!

We love weekends here on the AFG Homestead!  Since my husband and I are both currently teaching public school, we get excited about the weekend because that means we can play around and work with our homesteading projects!  This weekend was no exception!

Saturday we picked up some pallets to organize our compost better (Discovered this idea on the Homestead Blessings DVDs)!  We also picked up some hand-me-down tools (pitch fork, hoe, cultivator, and a spade-shovel) from my husbands grandparents.  Even though a couple of the tools were broken, my husband was able to save us money by purchasing the handles and fixin' up the old tools rather than buying brand new ones!  Finally, we went to Lowes and bought our organic seed (we decided not to buy our seed through a catalogue this year so we would have more time to do our research before purchasing).  It was fun sitting there in the isles of Lowes, with our research in hand, trying to decide which seeds to get!

 Sunday we had an amazing time at church, and although we try to relax and enjoy a Sabbath on Sundays, we still like to play around the homestead.  If it is feels more like fun and less like work, then we do it!  I did some organizing around the house, and cleaned a little (yes, sometimes I actually consider this fun!).  Meanwhile, Skyler fixed up our grape plants outside!  Finally, after going to Bible Study, we came home and started our tomato, cauliflower, broccoli, and spinach plants!

Hi! (It's pretty fun taking pictures when it's dark outside!) . . .

 We will start our seed here in this bay window,

because supposedly they do not need direct sun until they sprout

 . . .  I went ahead and tried to do a little resourceful decorating also!

Hello Again! :)  HaHa . . . Anyway, I didn't realize how much I would love this window when we bought the house, but we will move our seed-starting-tray here once those 'lil babies start sprouting!

 They will get more sun here, and the window will act as a greenhouse!

*****

Now the moment you've all been waiting for . . . Drumroll, please . . .
The Homestead Barn Hop!

Hosted by:

Jill @ A Prairie Homestead
Amy @ Homestead Revival
Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead
Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead (that's me!)


Add your link, so we can come visit your homestead!  You can also grab a Homestead Barn Hop button to add to your blog!  Just go to my sidebar, and click the button - it'll take you to the code! 

Thanks everyone!  I look forward to visiting you all!

Sunday Sweetness For Your Soul

Show me your ways, LORD,
   teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long.

~Psalm 25:1-5

Visit A Fragrant Aroma for more Sunday Sweetness For Your Soul!

Today's Post:  A Savior

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February Garden Work

Oh my!  As I write this post, I am sitting upstairs in our office with my husband sorting through all our gardening books, and trying to figure out what we are supposed to be doing!  If you are planning to start your garden you probably know that February is the time to get things rollin' - finish up the planning, get your seed, and start those little babies your planning to transplant!  Spring is coming soon, so we gotta get started!!

We have been working on our plan since December.  Since we are new to gardening, we had alot of research to do.  Just in case you haven't done this yet I am going to include it for "February Garden Work".

Make sure you have decided what crops you are going to plant according to what you currently eat.  You don't want a bunch of lima beans if you don't even like lima beans!

Once you have a general idea of what you want to plant, think long term for a little bit, and discuss how you will rotate your plants, and how you will set up your garden.  Keep in mind it is usually better to plant North/South, and to plant your smaller plants on the Southern end.  However, we have noticed that crop rotation could throw this off a little.  Be sure to draw up your plan.  We made a grid system of how many feet we wanted to plant each section.  Then we went through some books to find out how much spacing each crop needs between seedlings.  After doing this, we were able to figure our yield.  This will allow you to make changes to your plan, if you have too much or not enough.

Once we got our basic plan, we researched when to plant each crop.  We looked at each plants temperment concerning wheather, and made a list dividing them into categories. Then we divided the crops into sections based on how they would be planted in our garden and how we would rotate them in the future.  There was much to consider with this . . .  Finally, we noted the plants we would need to transplant.  Now that we got that figured out . . . it's time to get going! February is the big month for starting seed around here (I realize some locations can not start in February), so if you haven't gotten started, it's probably time to get the ball rolling!

Here is what we are going to plant, and how we divided our sections:

LF= Last Frost     VH -Very Hardy       FT- Frost Tolerant     T=Tender     H=Hot Weather   

Section A -

Cauliflower - 18 in apart, VH , start seeds 8 weeks before LF, transplant 2 weeks before LF
Brocolli - 12 in apart, VH, start 8 weeks before LF, transplant 3 weeks before LF
Cabbage - 12 in apart, VH, sow directly 4-6 weeks before LF
Raddish - 3 in apart, FT, sow directly 2-3 weeks before LF

Section B -

Corn - 9 in apart, T, sow on date of LF
Beans (including green beans) - 6 in apart, T, sow on date of LF (grown on pole or bush form)
Peas - 1 in apart, VH, sow directly 4-6 weeks before LF
Lettuce - 12 in apart, VH, sow directly 4-6 weeks before LF
Spinach - 12 in apart, VH, sow directly 4-6 weeks before LF

Section C -

Okra - 12 in apart, H, sow after LF
Potatoes - 12 in apart, VH, sow directly 2-3 weeks before LF
Peppers - 10 in apart, H, start 2 weeks before LF, transplant well after LF (beginning of June usually)
Onions - 3 in apart, VH, sow sets or stick outs directly in soil 4-6 weeks before LF
Carrots - 2 in apart, FT, sow directly 2-3 weeks before LF
Tomatoes - 3 ft apart, T, start indoors 4-6 weeks before LF, transplant after LF

We will also be planting squash, cucumber, and melons, as well as an herb garden.

Obviously, we are new to this, and I almost feel silly for even trying to give information on gardening.  I hope this has been helpful for some of you!  If you have any other suggestions, or advice, please fell free to share it!  We are trying to prepare for a successful garden, but I humbly admit that we are beginners and need all the help we can get!

Berry Breakfast Smoothie

My husband and I have committed to kicking it up a notch in the area of healthy eating!  I must admit, we have been slacking quite a bit lately!  Sweets are most definitely a downfall for me, and I think my husband would agree he enjoys them as well!  I have found that the more I indulge in food that is not-so-healthy, the more I want to eat the junk!  However, the good news is . . .the more I eat healthy food, the more I want the food that satisfies!  Therefore, after having strayed away some over these winter months, we are ready to get back into the habit of eating healthy, nutrious, real food!  Don't be fooled, eating healthy does not mean you have to forfeit taste!  It may mean you have to plan a little in advanced, but I promise the benefits will be well worth it! 

For Breakfast, my husband and I usually have eggs of some sort (since our ladies are really popping 'em out despite the winter weather!) , but every now and then it is nice to "mix it up!"

 Here is a recipe we used the other day to make berry smoothies:

10 oz plain yogurt (I actually used Stoneyfield French Vanilla, because we had it on hand)
1-2 cups berries of choice (we buy fruit, and freeze it for such a time as smoothies!)
1 T Coconut Oil
1 T Flaxseed Oil
1 T Honey
3 eggs (optional - we don't actually do this, just because the smoothie is incredibly hearty without them)

Mix all ingredients in a blender, and ENJOY!!! These smoothies are so yummy and healthy! 

If your like me, it's easy to get into the bad habit of eating quick, easy, unhealthy meals.  A quick pass through a drive-through, a yummy treat for home, even a homemade meal that lacks nutritional value . . . they're ok once in a while, but as I mentioned before it seems the more I eat these things the more I want.  I have found planning in advanced, and taking an extra 5-10 minutes in morning helps me prepare a healthy breakfast, and lunch.  My plan for dinner is to utilize the Crockpot more, and begin looking for other tasty recipes that are truly satisfying to our bodies!

As I get back to seeking out great real food recipes, I will try to post some of my favorites on here!  Feel free to share some of yours as well!

Honey . . . Ah, Sugar Sugar

I couldn't resist the song lyrics, but we're really just talking about "honey"!  Although, I suppose I could go into how honey is a great natural sweetner and could be used instead of "sugar"!

 "Tart words make no friends; a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar."

~ Benjamin Franklin

Honey is such a gift from God, and it is mentioned many times in the Bible!  The picture above is the honey we purchased from a local beekeeper!  We simply cut part of the comb, and mash the honey out! Yum!

*****

So far I have used honey for:

Baking whole wheat bread.  It makes the bread really moist, it adds a nice flavor, and it allows the bread to stay fresh longer!

As a sweetner for tea!  Not only is it a natural sweetner, but it is also really good for sore throats!

I tried an natural cough syrup that included boiling honey, onions, and ginger, straining the mixture, and then keeping it cool in the refridgerator.

I make a sugar scrub about once a week that includes brown sugar, honey, and water.

Of course honey and peanut butter toast is a nice treat for breakfast!

*****

Here are a few more ideas I would like to try using honey for:

Since honey is an antiseptic, and antifungal it can be applied to wounds to promote healing and stimulate tissue regeneration!

There are a few recipes where honey is used as a hair conditioner!  Although, I probably wouldn't use it all the time . . . it could be a good monthly hair treatment!

Apparently honey can also be used for mild acne.  Mix one half cup of warm water with one-fourth teaspoon of salt. Use a cotton ball to apply this mixture directly to the blemish. Keep pressing with the cotton call for several minutes. This process will soften the blemish. Then, using a cotton swab, dab some honey on the blemish and leave it on for 10 minutes. Then rinse and pat dry.
Honey can be used to take the sting out of sunburns.

I would like to try to make soap, lip balm, and lotion with honey.

Honey is supposed to be pretty good at removing laundry stains . . . especially ones caused by fruit!

*****

The possibilities for honey are endless!  As I mentioned to begin with, God created such a lovely gift when He gave us this natural sweetner!  If you have only been using it on your toast, I suggest you look up some other uses for this wonderful stuff! 

If you are already aware of how great honey can be, I would love to hear what you have been using it for around your homestead!

What I "Love" About Homesteading

Photo Credit:  Picu @ Stock.xchng

1) I love living closer to the land God created!
2) I love being creative with projects, recipes, crafts, etc.!
3) I love the challenge of being a beginner!
4) I love learning and discovering a whole new way of life!
5) I love finding hidden pleasures in house work!
6) I love working with my husband on something meaningful for both of us!
7) I love knowing where my food is coming from!
8) I love thinking about my future children growing up on a homestead!
9) I love blogging about my adventures, and inspiring others!
10) I love watching my chickens, and collecting their eggs!
11) I love being a good steward of what God has blessed us with!
12) I love giving away the fruits of our land!
13) I love feeling empowered as a women who is managing her home well.
14) I love getting to know other homesteaders, and sharing insight and encouragement!

What do you love about homesteading?  Feel free to leave a comment below!

 AND . . . 

 if your like me and enjoy meeting up with other homesteaders,

boy do I have something you're gonna "LOVE"!

A Blossoming Homestead is teaming up with three lovely ladies:
Jill @ http://theprairiehomestead.blogspot.com/
Amy @ http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/
and Kendra @ http://newlifeonahomestead.com/

Beginning next Monday we will be hosting a Homestead Barn Hop!

This will give us all a chance to meet up, and find other homesteading friends!

Start thinking about what homesteading adventure you would like to share,

 and be sure to come back Monday to link up!

Sunday Sweetness for Your Soul

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
         Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

~Psalm 119:103

Photo Credit: Blinc @ Stock.xchng

The Wonders of A Crockpot!



Crockpots are highly underrated!  Think about it; you can pop in food, be gone all day or busy around the house, and come dinner time . . .WA LA it's all ready!  As a friend of mine has said "a machine that cooks for you, genius!"  The best part is you can still cook health/homemade food and use this wonderful piece of technology at the same time!  I should definitely utilize my crockpot more often!

Here is the two recipes I have used in our crock pot (and I don't know if they would even qualify as "recipes":

Pot Roast:

Put the roast in the crockpot.
Fill the pot with water until the water is barely covering the roast.
Add onions (even if you don't like 'em, they really bring out the flavor of the meat!), and chopped carrots.
A couple hours before you are to eat, add chopped potatoes.
Or instead of the potatoes you could cook some noodles on the stove, and then after you have pulled the roast apart, mix the noodles with the broth, roast, and carrots . . . Mmm Mmm good!

Pulled Chicken:

Basically we just put a chicken in the crockpot, cover it with water, and once it is done we pull the meat off.
Once that is done, you can use the chicken for whatever you want . . . chicken noodle soup, bar-b-q chicken sandwiches, chicken enchiladas, you name it!

Sooooo obviously if these are the only things I have ever cooked in the crockpot (well, I did try some brocolli/potato cheese soup once, but it was not a success!), I am not utilizing it to its fullest potential!

My goal is to find some more recipes for my crockpot, and try 'em out! If you have a favorite recipe, and wouldn't mind sharing that would be so great!  Just leave a comment below with the recipe, or a link to your recipe!   I am sure everyone could enjoy getting a few more meals out of their crockpot!

What About the Boys?

The other day, I gave a couple great sites for Mothers with Daughters. 

Well, I don't want to leave out Mothers with Boys! 

"Do you ever find yourself wondering:

• If boys REALLY act this way all the time?
• If not, does that mean yours are abnormal…doomed?
• Are boys REALLY all that different from girls? Why?
• Will that stain on your carpet EVER come out?
• Will your hearing be damaged forever, or will it eventually come back?
• Could you ever look into those eyes and not see all the potential in the world?
• Will you melt EVERY time he asks you to marry him?
• Are fist fights ok between brothers?
• What do you do when he demands to see your privates because he has realized you’re different “down there?”
• Will his cheeks be that soft and his eyes that innocent forever?
• Will you always look at him and see the baby you fell in love with?
• Will you give him condoms for protection…or teach him to be a protector?
• How in the world are you supposed to train up this little man to love the Lord?
• Will you be able to find what you need to give Him Godly wisdom?
• Will you be able to protect him?
• Are there moms out there who feel the same way you do?"

Then Check out The MOB Society! They talk about a lot of these questions over at their community and they are all about "reaching the hearts of boys for the Gospel & preparing a generation of men to love the Lord"  You are sure to find lots of great insight and encouragement here!  Enjoy!

Be sure to let us know if there are other great sites outs there you visit for inspiration on being a momma to boys!

A Fragrant Aroma

You might have noticed the new page I added up at the top; "A Fragrant Aroma" . . . well this is the new blog, "sister blog" -if you will, to "A Blossoming Homestead."  Like I mentioned a few posts ago, Christ is my passion!  I enjoy homesteading and homemaking and everything that goes with it, but my #1 is Jesus!  I have been working on starting this blog, dedicated to sharing the good news, for about a month now.  I believe it is all up and ready to go finally, and I am excited to share it with you! 

The mission of A Fragrant Aroma is to encourage the beautiful women of God to live victorious lives by their faith in Jesus Christ, to teach the truth and grace of our Savior by diving into His Word, and to be a sweet aroma to God as we share the fragrance of His good news!

Check it out and let me know what you think!  I got a couple posts up now, but there is more to come! :)

Mothers & Daughters

A couple weekends ago (before all this crazy snow!) my parents came down.  While my husband and dad played around outside with their guns and bows, mom and I had fun in the kitchen!  Now, don't get me wrong, I usually prefer to be outside with the boys shootin' and playin' around with the best of 'em.  However, there is something so precious about a mother and daughter embracing the art of keeping a home! 

This is my mom!  Isn't she beautiful!?  I love watching my mom work,  she is so meticulous and everything she does is to perfection.  It was fun to watch her this day, as she made bread ever so gracefully.  I am now a woman with my own home, and yet I found myself learning from my momma!  Mothers, never underestimate the influence you have on your daughters!  We hang onto every word and every gesture.  We are looking to you for inspiration as we grow up to be wives and mothers ourselves.

Here are a couple sites I have found, while perusing this wonderful web world, that speak to the hearts of mothers raising daughters:

Raising Homemakers

"RaisingHomemakers.com is dedicated to inspiring, teaching and blessing mothers who have an interest in raising their daughter in godliness and preparing them in the arts of homemaking to the glory of God." 

MOD Squad

"The MODsquad Blog exists to encourage and inspire moms to raise daughters with purity, character, and hearts for God.  We hope to do this through engaging posts that speak to your heart, by sharing resources we find to help you as a mom raising daughters, praying together for our girls, and connecting as a community."



Check out these sites, and let me know what you think!  Have you found any other great Christian sites out there for mothers raising daughters?  As a mother, what things have you found most rewarding in raising your daughter(s)?  As a daughter, what has been the most helpful lesson your mother taught you?
 

BC: The Rest of the Story

It's official!  My husband and I have gone off the BC (birth control)!  I wrote a post awhile back about our contemplations with staying on birth control.  Not long after that post we decided that, unless God moved us otherwise, we would go off in the Summer.  This would be much sooner than what we had planned initially, and yet still give us a little bit of a cushion financially.  I would be able to teach one more year if I were to get pregnant.  I realized then that we were still trying to control things ourselves, but to be honest Skyler and I were both being driven by a spirit of fear and not one of power! 

This past Sunday, God really spoke to both us . . . but it started the day before, so let me back up a bit!  Saturday, I went to get a refill on my prescription.  Now, I knew I would be needing to make an appointment with my ob/gyn soon, but last year she told me she would give me a couple extra months worth of refills in case I didn't make it back for my yearly in exactly a year.  I tend to put stuff like that off (hence why I was going in at the last minute to get the bc).  Well, when I talked to the lady at the pharmacy, she told me it was kinda weird . . . I had more refills, but my prescription had expired.  I would have to wait until the following week, after they had gotten a hold of my doctor, to see if I could go ahead and get the refill.  I joked with my husband saying "maybe this is a sign, and we should go off now!"

Little did I know, that joking statement would become a reality!  Sunday night, healing school met back up (still need to give you all some more info on this. . . ).  It was amazing!  God has really been showing Skyler and I his power, and love.  We talked about the verse from Deuteronomy 30:19; "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;"!  What a great verse!  God allows us to choose blessings or curses and He encourages us and desires that we would choose blessings!

After the Bible study, we were talking with some friends (Kenda and Houston - I have mentioned them before!).  We were encouraging one another sharing the miracles God has been doing in our lives!  Wow!  It is so awesome to see God at work!  Then another friend came up and randomly asked me how long summer vacation was for teachers.  I didn't know, but Houston said "oh, I think this is going to be her permanent vacation," - knowing that I will be staying home when we do have kids.   Houston has been a huge proponent of us going off BC, and he likes to "nudge" us in that direction!  He brought up the verse we had just looked at from Deuteronomy, and asked "aren't children blessings?" Well, this brought up a great conversation with them, and Skyler and I continued to talk about it that night.

I wanted to make sure that I allowed Skyler to lead in this situation.  He needed to be firm in his decision, and honestly I needed that from him - otherwise I would begin doubting myself.  Monday morning, Skyler told me he decided we would go off.  He said, God has been telling us for awhile, but fear and guilt was holding him back.  As the provider he wanted to make sure he took care of us.  He realized that God was the one who had given us all we have already (our home, our jobs, etc.), and it wasn't his doing.  God has been so faithful in the past to provide us with everything we need and more.  Certainly He will not stop now!  We both felt guilty because we had gotten ourselves into debt, and we felt like we should get ourselves out!  However, when we looked at Scripture, and everything God has been showing us about His love, power, and will . . . there just wasn't anything of God backing up our decision to stay on BC.

We made the decision to go off, and although we still intend to wait awhile before trying to have children, we are ultimately leaving it in God's hands!

Now for the best part!  Skyler and I have been praying alot lately for direction, and what God has for us to do.  Going off BC was also a step forward in trusting God to provide whatever he has for us in His perfect timing.  Monday afternoon Skyler went to help out with the baseball team for a local Christian college.  When he initially got asked to help them out, we decided it was a good opportunity for him to get a foot into the baseball arena (he played in college, but currently God has not opened a position for him to coach at the high school where we teach).  That night at practice, the head coach told Skyler he would be resigning after this year, and that he was going to put Skyler's name in as a candidate for his position!  WOW! I wish I could explain how excited we are, and how perfect God's timing is!  It was as if by being obedient and going off birth control God was showing us 1) the direction we had been praying for, and 2) that he can and will provide everything we need at just the right time!

I hope this post has been encouraging to you!  If you have contemplated going off birth control . . . all I can say is seek God and trust Him!  He will show you exactly what He wants for your family!

Recipe: Snow Ice Cream

With all this snow, I was happy to get a recipe for some "natural" ice cream!  It is yummy, and really fun to try! Here it goes:

First, go outside and scoop up some snow.  Make sure the bowl/pot will hold about a gallon!

Next, add one cup of sugar and mix together!

(I said "natural" not "healthy", but a once-in-lifetime blizzard is reason enough to celebrate!)

Now add 1 T of vanilla and stir it up . . .

Add milk, until you get the consistency you desire and. . . WA LA! 

SNOW ICE CREAM!! 

Yummy!

I actually went all out, and added chocolate to mine!

We put the leftover ice cream in smaller containers and stored them in the freezer for later!

Crazy Missouri Weather !?!

Missouri natives always bring up the crazy weather that takes place here in our state!  I'm sure this occurs in other states, but it can literally be 75 degrees one day and -5 degrees in the same week!  Crazy!  Anyway . . . we have had a bit of this lately.  Saturday my husband and I were able to enjoy a cruise on the Steel Horse, and we lounged around outside for most of the day because the weather was absolutely gorgeous!  It left me craving the spring that is just around the corner.

As if I needed a reminder that Spring is not quite here yet . . . today I (along with many others in Missouri) experienced my first ever Blizzard!  Crazy!!  This picture doesn't do it justice, but our house actually has about 14 in of rock around the front porch!  The snow has literally flooded onto the porch now! 

 Crazy as it may seem, I love it!!  We have a wood stove burning, and it's nice and cozy in our home!  School was cancelled, and . . . Oh, how I enjoy snow days at home with my husband!!  We are loaded up on all the necessities like food, water, and toilet paper!  It's kinda nice to be snowed in!  I think it is God's way of forcing us to slow down!

If you or your state experiences/experienced crazy weather, too!  We would love to hear about it!  Feel free to share below!   Plus, be sure to let us know any special ways you prepare for this stuff, or what you do on days when your forced to slow down!