Family!

Here is a photo of a few family members at our local festival. My mom, nephews, grandmother, sister, I, and 5 of my children pose outside a local sandwich joint. We were quite a troup!

Sis, I miss you already, and it was so nice to have you visit us! Now I shall recover the sleep lost to our late-night/early morning chats (grin).

I apologize to all of you readers for neglecting the blog the past few weeks. There are a few works in progress at this point that may be of interest to you, so keep checking back!

Blessings,

Camy

**Please leave your comments HERE

I Thought I Was Perfect

At 40 years old, it seemed to me that my person was the perfect anatomical specimen. Talk about delusional thinking!

Since my miscarriage in June 2007, I have felt tired and worn. It seemed to me that my age and numerous daily duties would be a likely explanation for this state of physical condition. After all, don't we get tired as we get older, and those of us homeschoolers with many children of different ages push it even further?

Well, last week it made sense to me to get my hemoglobin checked in order to evaluate the thought that I could still be anemic from the miscarriage. The doctor also decided that I needed the range of "Congratulations your 40 and now we need to check other things, too" gamut of tests.

It surprised the doctor (and me) when the tests showed that I was very anemic (groan) and hypothyroid! All I could think was "What???!!" No, not me, the super achiever (wannabe..grin)! Sigh.

However, these tests did reassure me somewhat. I have been tired and other physical system issues were put into perspective. So, I am in the midst of figuring these things out and seeking out my family physician's expertise. Those of you w/ either hypothyroid or anemia, please don't hesitate to give comment on your experiences.

I also had my first mammogram (warning: those of you who hate to hear about these things, exit now. Do not read the rest of the story :o). It occurred to me that I should be very thankful for this technology...*and* for the beautiful facility which did the examination (very "spa" like).

I sat in the gorgeous waiting room w/ my pretty gown on, while watching the news on a large, flat-screen television. As I sipped on ice-cold mineral water, the technician called my name. My number was up.

After having numerous children, my modesty and sense of privacy has been given a new definition. Many things that compromise those areas pale in comparison to childbirth (grin). The mammogram seemed like a walk in the park, but it was a bit humorous to me.

I realized a few things during the examination:

1. Mammogram technicians are great at giving instructions on what to do during the process (i.e. "You may stick to the plate, so be careful as you step back after the x-ray is taken" LOL).
2. The particular part of the female anatomy that is being x-rayed, cannot move itself like a limb, and it must be moved and put into proper position (thank you, attendant..grin).
3. The exclusive part of the female anatomy being referred to is very flexible and subject to various contortionist positions...LOL).
4. I need to get my rear in gear and keep up w/ different diagnostic testing as I get older.

I can now say that I have graduated from "now you're a real woman" school of physcial experiences and diagnostic tests. Oh, I take that back...can you say "colonoscopy?" That may be next.....

Blessings,

Camy

Please send your comments or suggestions by clicking here.

Specifically Summer Part 2

Hello, everyone! Hope the summer is going well so far for you.
I have been having a blast! My younger sister (17 years younger than I!!) is visiting from Taiwan. It has been so wonderful to have her home. She and I get along very well and laugh a lot. Each evening we are up until past midnight, talking and giggling. She'll be here for a few more weeks. Here is a photo of her and her boyfriend (who also lives in Taiwan).


That is why entries have been limited (grin).



Now that summer is in full-swing, we are in the throes of different activities and oddly-scheduled days. The calendar and planner are important items for me at this time especially. You can print free planners from all over the Internet (try Google). Also, Donna Young has some great planners (see sidebar for link).



To keep our house in decent (or semi-decent) order, we continue to use a morning and evening routine. Morning is for making beds, collecting dirty laundry, straightening rooms, putting clean clothes away, and reading our Bibles. Our children have morning & afternoon jobs in addition to the morning routine as follows:

• Malcom (14) puts away clean dishes in kitchen. Sets table and assists breakfast prep. Makes coffee. Cleans upstairs bathroom after breakfast.


• Noah (14) and Greyson (11) collect trash from all receptacles in the house and then get it to the outside dumpster. Dump dehumidifier water. Feed and water chickens. Noah cleans downstairs bathroom after breakfast. Greyson washes dishes.


• Elijah (9) puts away clean silverware. Helps set table. Wipes table after breakfast.


• Rachel (7) Helps set table for breakfast. Takes care of Sam and makes sure he stays out of trouble. Sweeps after breakfast.


• John (5) helps momma make her bed and tidy living and dining rooms. Helps clear table after breakfast.


• Sam (2) does the same as John.

Afternoon Jobs

• Malcom cleans and tidies the entryway (he uses a list that splits up jobs for the week: Mon: wash door fingerprints Tues: Dust wainscot trim and baseboards Wed: Tidies closet. Thurs: Mops the floor.
• Noah cleans and straightens the downstairs family room. Jobs are spread through the week just as Malcom's are.
• Greyson maintains the living room w/ the same concept as the jobs above.
• Elijah and Rachel set the dinner table and make sure the condiments are put on.
• John helps a big brother with his jobs.
• Sam helps a big brother as well.

That much will help things stay sane in the house. It is even better to have an evening routine, which we do, yet at times the long summer days will prevent us from adhering to our plans. We do our best.

A few summer raw foods and other staples in our house are the following:

• plenty of fresh fruit and veggies
• fresh salsa, not canned (homemade or Sam's Club fresh salsa). Dice up a tomato and 1/4 of an onion. Chop 1/2 of a jalapeno (or use canned for convenience). Add a dash of salt, some freshly chopped cilantro, and stir. This is delicious! I use salsa to top rice, burritos, salads, etc. This will last a few days in the refrigerator. If you add a tablespoon of lemon juice, it will last a week.
• frozen fruit. We have picked and frozen almost 10 gallons of local strawberries so far. These are great for homemade smoothies and sorbets! We try to get in-season fruits into the freezer as much as possible.
• Hot dogs & browned, ground beef. (for meal-prep ease). Browned ground beef can be turned into sloppy joes, tacos, burritos, spaghetti sauce, potpies, stews, etc.
• Tortilla chips and tortillas (for quick wraps or burritos).
• Yogurt by the gallon ( see homemade recipe blog entry. Quadruple it to get one gallon). Use the fruit recipe from previous posts to create flavor for the yogurt.
• Styrofoam cooler (kept in our van at all times). I use this and a freezer pack for keeping a gallon jug of water or other perishable items when we are out and about. This is also used for take-along snacks. The cooler will stay in the van all summer.
• Paper cups and paper plates. These are great for summer convenience. I like to keep some of these in the van as well along w/ plastic eating utensils. Don't forget the paper towels.
• Cooked brown and white rice. Great for wraps. You can also blend cooked rice w/ a bit of water to make rice porridge for breakfast (our favorite!). After blending the rice, put in a pan and add more water until porridge is your preferred consistency.
• Carrot sticks
• Baby wipes for easy clean up.

Here is a recipe for the mashed beans that we put in our tortillas:

• 4 cups cooked pinto or black beans
• 3 tablespoons oil of your choice
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

I throw all of this into a food processor and whiz until a paste forms. We then place about 1/2 of paste in tortillas and wrap them up. If you don't have a food processor, just use your potato masher. You may have to add a bit of water to ease the mashing. It is nice to do a bunch of these and keep them in the refrigerator for quick or portable meals. Try warming them in a covered casserole w/ the oven set at 375 for about 1/2 hour. Serve w/ cheese, salsa, and other toppings. Rice makes a great side dish for the burritos. Yummy.

We have a busy weekend ahead, including our local festival's airshow. The Blue Angels are here this year! They are our favorite. More berry picking may be in store as well.

Enjoy the days!

Blessings,

Camy

Specifically Summer Part 1

Summer appears to have officially arrived in Michigan...I'm fairly positive. It has been consistently warm here for one week. That is my criteria for judging Michigan summers.

So, I'd like to greet this great season with a series of "Specifically Summer" articles.

I'm thankful for Michigan's four seasons. It gives one an appreciation for spring, fall, winter, & summer, respectively. Things always seem to be changing as the seasons trade places. I like that.

One thing I know that is particular to summer, is food preparation. In our household, we consume less food. Our meals are also lighter and more convenient.

Heating up the house by baking and cooking can be a pain in the summer, but is part of my life at least once per week. My children eat lots of homemade bread and yogurt, so we have to keep that stocked. I also bake gluten-free items for one of my children. Nevertheless, I try to keep the baking heat to one day per week in summer. I try to be positive and think of it as the "sauna" effect. I love saunas.

A brilliant idea came to me a few years ago on an online forum of moms of many children. One participant mentioned that she uses her crock pot often in the summer, but puts it either outside or in her garage, plugged into an exterior outlet. An extension cord can also be used if an outside power source is not available. This helps to cut down on the heat inside!

It is also important to have those seasonal fresh fruits and veggies available. We will be picking many pounds of strawberries very soon so we can freeze them. I still have lots of peaches in the freezer from last summer. I cut and peeled peaches for hours while viewing Rick Steves' travel videos (smile). The children and I went to the Alps as well as Croatia via Rick Steves. These videos are both educational and transporting!

Frozen fruit is one of our favorite treats. Just the other night I made a delectable strawberry sorbet in my food processor. Strawberries, lemon juice, a bit of sugar, and water to ease blending. I then put the processor bowl in the freezer. After a time, the bowl can be put back on the base to blend the mixture again. The children loved it! My husband added it to his glass of red wine, a sort of wine smoothy. This idea would work with any frozen fruit, or a combination of the different fruits.

If you are trying to get a bit more fiber in your diet, you could add ground flax seed or ground psyllium seed to your fruit sorbet. This is great for children or adults who need it. If an irritated digestive tract is a culprit, you could add aloe vera gel or juice to the sorbet instead of water. If you cut an aloe leaf lengthwise, and then scrape out the gel inside, you get a wonderful, soothing pure aloe vera. Be careful not to use to much or it will cause diarrhea. For convenience sake, capsules or packaged juices and gels can be purchased in a healthfood stores.

Hope you are all staying comfortable in the summer heat. I'll try to get to some raw food stuff in the next entry (my summer favorite!).

Blessings,

Camy

Transitioning into summer has its challenges for me. My husband was wonderful enough to head up the seasonal clothing duty as well as organizing and reducing the storehouse of those items. It takes a focused and organized mind to do that task.

As we were working, I was listening for the smaller children, and making sure they were staying out of trouble. Hubby was sorting and piling, and I was helping, yet many times I had to leave and check on the little ones. This coming and going made me realize why I don't get many planned tasks accomplished (grin).

My newest undertaking is to use up the stored foods we have and organize the kitchen and pantry. If this sounds like something you would like to do, here is an inexpensive e-book that would be a helpful guide: Organize Your Kitchen and Pantry in a Weekend. It costs less than $10 for the e-book.

Personally, I will be making myown pantry list. I would love to print out the e-book, but printer ink is a rare commodity in our house. My pantry categories are:

1. Fruits and juice
2. Grains and starches
3. Baking supplies
4. Condiments
5. Herbs and spices
6. Meats
7. Dairy
8. Legumes
9. Vegetables
10. Beverages

I and a helper (the youngest child capable of writing) will go through the freezer, refrigerator/freezer, and cupboards to take inventory of our food stores. Each food (and the amount) will be written under the appropriate heading listed above.

I will then develop a menu plan to use up those foods on the list. If my brain is working efficiently, a trip to the grocery store will not be required for at least a week. This is a great way to save some pennies while making use of those stored foods before they are past their prime.

Today is baking day as well. I have to bake our regular whole wheat bread, gluten-free bread, hot dog and hamburger buns, and gluten-free buns. I want to have this all done so I won't have to bake too much this-coming week.

It will be a busy and, hopefully, fruitful day.

Have a great day,

Camy

Thank you for your kind comments and encouragments. I love to hear them! Click here to add a comment or suggestion. If you have any questions or blog ideas, don't hesitate to send them my way.

Information Junkie

I am a total junkie when it comes to finding new ideas for making life easier and richer. That's why nonfiction reading is my preference and many of my favorite blogs and websites feature practical information for daily life.

I love an idea recently posted at Homeliving Helper. The author speaks of how to start your day off thinking, with pen and paper in hand. She mentions that when you sit down to have your morning beverage, begin writing down a list of things to accomplish that day. It sounds so simple, and it is, yet it is brilliant! I have been doing this and it puts me in a more logical frame of mind, planning out the daily activities (and who will be doing them).

When our days begin, I do poorly when weariness and fatigue set in. It is always nicer to have a sheet of paper with a list on it. I delegate jobs first to the youngest child that is able to do them, and then gradually hand out additional jobs sequentially to the older children.

I find it helpful to split the page into two sections: contacts (persons needed to be telephoned, emailed, or written to) and to-do's. You can carry this idea further by breaking up your list into morning, afternoon, and evening. I like to use a simple, yellow legal pad.

Another great idea I got from somewhere else (that slips my memory!), is to organize your daily web reading. To do this, you create folders in your favorites (in Internet Explorer which is my search engine). There are many possible labels for these folders. You can name each folder a day of the week and then put websites under each heading according to when you'd like to read them. You could read news sites one day, blogs another, and informational sites on another, etc.

I hope these ideas are helpful!

Another thing, I did want to give instructions on how to germinate lentils (re: the Black Bean Salad recipe posted in the previous entry). Just soak 1 cup of lentils in about 1 quart of water for about 4-6 hours. They are ready when they crunch like a bean sprout. Drain the water from them and either put them in a jar for further sprouting. Don't forget to put the jar in a dark place and rinse & drain the lentils a few times per day. I put my soaked and drained lentils in a glass quart jar topped with a square of nylon net secured w/ the jar band. This makes rinsing and draining very easy, you just run water into the jar (without removing the lid) and then pour the water out through the netting. Sprouted or germinated lentils can be served t on a salad or as a salad main course. Yummy and so simple! You could top them with salsa, serve them over rice w/ plenty of veggies, mix them with a dressing and vegetables and wrap them in a flatbread, etc. Germinated lentils are a great raw food, full of enzymes!

Have a great day!

Blessings,

Camy

****Please contribute your comments and suggestions by clicking here

Thanks for Listening

Through the years of raising a large family in the homeschooling lifestyle, the lessons of life have come one by one without ceasing. Sometimes they are painful, humbling and weary months (usually when I'm pregnant or caring for a small baby). I call those times the "barely keeping my nose above the waterline" times). Other times those learning moments are satifying and welcoming as the blessings that come from suffering and difficulty manifest themselves before my eyes..

God has really called me to task in my life. Many of you are familiar with the story of how God prunes the vine in order to make it more fruitful. I'm one of those vines who has tried to fight the pruner, attempting to grow out of control in my own direction. It is such a blessing to know that my God is a determined gardener with infinite power to do as He chooses...for my own good. It is like the child who is taught his/her boundaries for their own safety.

He has not left me on this journey alone, but provided strength, peace, joy, and wonderful friends and family. I would not call my life stagnant at all....it is full of surprises and changes that keep me hopping.

Currently my husband and I are in the stage of having many children of different ages. One moment a toddler needs his bathroom mess cleaned up. Another instance a 7 year old needs training, correction, and hugs (all at the same time). Pre-adolescents need chore training for quality control and teenagers may need my our time for chatting and talking about the things of life. Needless to say, they all need meals and clean clothes...and plenty of both!!! (I always think if they didn't nees these things that my life would be a lot simpler!)

Though the work never stops (and I mean *never*), though I rarely get time by myself for things I want to do(*rarely* is an understatement), I can say that happiness is beyond measure for me. My heart just overflows with joy when I step back and look at my life so far. So far! I just know God has more blessings to come.

Blessings do not come without hardship, this I have seen. I am thankful that God says He "will never leave me or forsake me" and that He is a "pleasant help in time of trouble" and that "the joy of the Lord is my strength." The Bible, His Word, is living and breathing. The mere reading of it will produce an effect and it will not return void. It cuts through bones and marrow, right to the heart of the matter.

This may all sound so sentimental and mushy, but it is my desire to communicate God's message and love to you, dear reader. Perhaps it doesn't make sense to you and has not in the past. Maybe your life seems like daily drudgery and you just "suck it up" to make it through every day. Perhaps the joy has left your marriage and relationship with your child (or others) and it leaves you in despair or feeling cheated by what you thought would be something different.

So, I have a challenge for you today. Put your life in His hands and be prepared for "extreme living." Talk to Him & read His Word daily (see the online read though the Bible plans). Don't stop being who you are, because He takes us just as we are and uses it for His satisfaction and glory. "You" were born for a purpose!

This doesn't mean that you won't mistakes. You won't be perfect. But you will see your purpose for living and experience the joy God intended for our lives.

I'd like to close with 5 questions for you. I got this idea from my dear friend Donna at Quiet Life (a daily read of mine). Her "Friday Five" is one of my favorite things to do each week. I guess I just like questionnaires about various topics. Here is my own version of the Friday Five...

1) Have you ever thought about if everything was taken from you (material possessions, loved ones, health)?
2) What has been the most significant loss in your life?
3) What has been the most joyous time or occasion (I guess this could be singular or plural!)?
4) Do you know Jesus as a personal friend and not a religion (see "not religion" for more explanation).
5) If you were to define your life so far, what statement would you use?

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

Blessings,

Camy

One more thing...HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY JOHN ELDON!!! My dear little son who hates to wear clothes and is never without a gun tucked into his underwear. He wants to marry me and loves to give me kisses to make Daddy jealous. He has the most heart-warming "belly laugh" that you could ever hear. I love you, dear son.

Leave your comments and answers to the Friday Five questions by clicking here.

Here's a salad recipe I'm making for our yearly homeschool support network picnic:

Black Bean Salad

1 cup of black beans (I will used lentils soaked for 6 hours...they do not have to be cooked if you soak them a long time)
1 tomato, diced
the juice of one lime
1/2 onion, diced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I will use 1 tsp. of garlic powder)
1 cup of coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon dried cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil of your choice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine and mix all of the ingredients and let sit for a few hours to let the flavors combine. Yummy!

*****If you are a subscriber click here to access sidebar features and updates.