Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Every Mother Has Been There

I was reading this post:  "When You Feel Like Screaming" - Lessons from Ivy.  http://www.lessonsfromivy.com/2012/08/when-you-feel-like-screaming.html


Every mother has been in a situation like this.  Believe it or not...raising kids can be "hazardous to your health."    I'm not really joking - tell that to a mama bear. 

In reading Ivy's post, it reminded me of this one day with my girls.  I quit my job to stay home.  I was doing craft sales to earn extra money.  One of the fabric stores was having a huge sale - like 90% off stuff.  I really wanted to get some deals.  So I set out with my 2 girls both under the age of 3 and went to the sale.  I had Anna on my hip and holding Justine's hand.  Before we even got into the store, Justine's fingers were pinched in the door.  She was crying, Anna was heavy and the store was packed!  I was stupid to even try to do this.  I was simply overwhelmed.  Women were staring at me, even giving me dirty looks.  I went down an isle, sat right on the floor and said out loud  "Jesus, please help me..."  in tears myself.   I managed to find a few "deals" (not really worth all of this) and proceeded to wait in a very long line.  Thankfully, some older woman let me go first, cut right to the front of the line.  Jesus did answer my prayer for help. 


I want to encourage the young mothers out there;  "this too will pass."  Believe me, you will miss these days!  Crazy, crying, hectic, biting, fighting, fevers and even the snotty noses - will be missed. 

I would advise that you enjoy the stage your kids are in while they are in it.  Embrace it in fact.  Relax, pace yourself and them.  Don't get wrapped up in comparing your parenting style or kids with others.  This is a HUGE mistake.  God created each of us with different talents and gifts - it is your job to help your children figure out what they are.  Try to remember that when a "well meaning" friend says:  "well, my children were doing this or that at that age..."  In one ear...out the other... 

It is our job as mothers, to understand that these little gifts from God are His, He has entrusted them to us.  His will in their lives will prevail - even if we think we can't live through it. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.



Growing Home

Friday, August 10, 2012

Grand Champion


I know there is a fine line in 'braggin' and 'sayin'....just 'sayin' ---Anna won Grand Champion lamb in carcass contest.  Her boyfriend, Jon, won Reserve Grand Champion.  We had our most successful year showing sheep. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Asian Inspired Beef Short Ribs & Zucchini Slaw


I've been trying to clean out the freezer, as we have a lamb and hog to make room for.  I'm not fond of beef short ribs because they are so fatty.  I found several packages and decided to make something Asian inspired.  This is what I did.


I filled my nesco with frozen ribs.  Cooked on slow/cook for 2 hours.  Keep in mind this is for a nesco full of meat, you could cut this back.  I then added 2C soy sauce, 1/2 C red wine vinegar and 4 C water.  This was enough to braise the meat.  Let that simmer away along with a mixture of the spices.  6 cloves of minced garlic, 1 diced onion, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/8 C honey, 1/8 C molasses (both in 1/4 C), 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 C diced dried plums (prunes) and 1/2 C orange juice - pour over meat.


Continue cooking on low for several hours.  Then I took the ribs out and ran the juice through a strainer.  I skimmed off the fat and added 1 tsp. spicy black bean sauce and 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce.  Return ribs to nesco on low.




Reduce the sauce and pour back over the ribs in the nesco.  It is basically ready.  Serve on a bed of rice.

I also made a zucchini slaw.  I shredded a head of cabbage, zucchini and apples together.  I added the poppy seed dressing, raisins and sesame seeds. 



It was nice not only to clean out part of the freezer, but the garden as well. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Paul Harvey - "If I Were the Devil"

Someone sent this to me.  I just thought I would share this with my followers.  Amost 50 years ago...wow, sadly true to today!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/H3Az0okaHig?rel=0


Blessings from Wisconsin

August Interesting Facts


August:

birthstone:  peridot
flower:  gladiolas

Admit you're happy month
National Peach Month
Family Fun Month
National Picnic Month

Week 1:  Simplify your life week
Week 2:  Smile week
Week 3:  Friendship week
Week 4:  Be kind to humankind week

1st:  Raspberry Cream Pie
2nd: Icecream Sandwich Day
3rd:  Watermelon Day
4th:  Mustard Day
5th:  U.S. Coast Guard Day
6th:  Wiggle Your Toes Day
7th:  Lighthouse Day
8th:  Sneak Zucchini to your neighbor day
9th:  Book Lover's Day
10th:  Lazy Day
11th:  Son & Daughter Day
12th:  Middle Child Day
13th:  Left Hander's Day
14th:  Creamsickle Day
15th:  Relaxation Day
16th:  Tell a Joke Day
17th:  Thriftshop Day
18th:  Bad Poetry Day
19th:  Aviation Day
20th:  Radio Day
21st:  Senior Citizen Day
22nd:  Be an Angel Day
23rd:  Daughter's Day
24th:  Vesuvius Day (largest volcanic explosion)
25th:  Kiss & Make Up Day
26th:  Dog Day
27th:  Just Because Day
28th:  Race Your Mouse Day
29th:  More Herbs, Less Salt Day
30th:  Toasted Marshmallow Day
31st:  Trail Mix Day


"Fairest of the months!  Ripe Summer's Queen.  The hey-day of the year with robes that gleam with sunny sheen.  Sweet August doth appear."  R. Combe Miller

"Whilst August yet wears her golden crown, ripening fields lush-bright with promise.  Summer waxes long then wanes quietly passing her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn."  Michelle L. Thieme

"How sociable the garden was.  We ate talked in given light.  The children put their toys to grass all the warm wakeful August night."  Thomas Gunn


Blessings from Wisconsin.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Wisconsin Valley Fair - Part 2

We had a great fair this year.  Part 1 was progects and this post is mostly about the sheep.  In showmanship, Anna took 2nd blue!  Pretty exciting for such a large class of kids.  The judge had the top 2 give demonstrations to the younger classes. 



Dottie won Grand Champion Female in the Suffolk class.  We plan to breed her after the WLBA (Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Association) Summer Spectacular Show.  Anna is lucky to be like my husband's side of the family - petite.  Dottie is bigger than her....


Big Ben was her market lamb.  He was in the 140# weight class - (where the Grand Champion was in).  He was a red ribbon winner.  She sold him at the auction for $7/#.  She was so happy.  Our girls have been in this market animal project for 8 years and all the money they made went in their college fund.


Now for other things:  our club finally received a blue ribbon for our fair booth, Al and some of "my" 4-H kids did the fun run (this was the first year; it was one of the projects Anna did as the Vista 4-H intern) and Anna did some sheep demonstrations with the summer club kids.







Blessings from Wisconsin.
Photobucket

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Wisconsin Valley Fair - Day 1 & 2

As most of my followers know, we are a 4-H family.  Our county fair is this week.  Here are some of the high points so far....

Our youngest daughter is working this summer as a Vista intern at the 4-H office.  The team she works with organizes summer 4-H clubs for kids who don't know about 4-H or are not able to join the whole year.  The 4-H office asked me to be one of the judges for their projects.  I LOVED it! 


My niece, Christal had her 3 boys join our 4-H club last year.  Here they are with some of their projects.




(notice the needle felting...)

Some of the kids in our 4-H club



There was an animal exhibit this year with tigers and parakeets....not together...  I LOVED it.  In fact, I'm going back to go in the cage again.



Anna received a merit with her rye bread


I received a Best of Show for my chicken collection display.  My taxidermy chicken did it...too unusual.


Having a lot of fun so far....

Blessings from Wisconsin Valley Fair - Marathon County.