Kids Eat Free (And so does everyone else)

How to File, Clip, and Store Your Coupons

2011-01-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a great video for just getting started with couponing and how to organize them.

Hen-and-Chicks

2010-12-23T18:54:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can use Hen-and-Chicks for burns? The leaves contain tannins and mucilage that are soothing to skin. You can also use them skin wounds and infections. I didn't know this until just recently. I love this because I don't always have aloe around, but we have Hen and Chicks everywhere it seems.

Here is a page that shows all the different kinds, and boy are they pretty. Click here.....

These are one of my favorites, I love this plant. They are hardy and so great to pass down to your kids.

Okay, here we go again....LOL

2010-12-16T14:08:00.000-08:00

It has been almost a year again.....where does time go.....and for that matter why does my shift key not work..... There is a new year coming up and I have a lot I want to talk about and to teach everyone. This may be a hard year for us and if I can get through it, it will be a grand year. I am still into gardening, couponing, homeschooling, staying at home with my children, saving money, preparing for the unknown and lots more....the lots more part is mainly stuff I need to work on in my life. God is so great and we love him so much. Hope you all can bare with me, my husband leaves for another deployment in Feb. and he will be gone for a year. Our kids are older now, they all will understand more about what he is going through while he is gone. Our son will miss his daddy so much, as will the girls. Please just pray for everyone, Feb. will come before we know it.

COUPONS, COUPONS, COUPONS

2010-04-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, it is Saturday night and tomorrow the Sunday paper will be out. This weeks paper has 2 books of coupons in it! One SmartSourse and one Redplum. They do have some nice coupons in them. If you are just starting out with couponing, then I would sugest buy 1 to 5 papers. (I will post on how to sort them in a later post.) Here are some different ways you can get coupons.........

1) Buy the Sunday paper.
2) Ask friends, relatives and co-workers for their extra coupon inserts. (not everyone wants to keep coupons, a lot of people just get rid of them)
3) Trade Coupons
4) Join Coupon Trains
5) Dumpster Dive, almost all towns have recycle bins
6) Pick up coupons at the store, store coupons
7) Print coupons off line (I will add a list of places to print coupons from as soon as I can)
8) Write, Call, and Ask for coupons (I have a list, I will find it for you, a lot of places mail out coupons, all you have to do is ask)

LOL

2010-04-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, here we go again, it has been about a year, but I am going to start this up again and see how I can do with keeping up on it again. Please be patient, I do have 4 kids and we try to stay busy!

Squash Update!

2009-06-02T18:00:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of what happens with newspaper as a mulch! Worms, lol, they come and eat and brake it down. Makes it nice for next year!!!!

Here is the bug standing in my garden!

Pretty Yellow Neck Squash!

They are all small but producing really well! The sun was gone for so long, it rained for 2 or 3 weeks and it really stopped the growth of all my plants!

My zucchini!

Isn't it so pretty!

5 Loads A Day!

2009-06-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I just put the 5th load in the washer. Yep, I do five loads a day or at least try too.

1st load: the kids and my clothes
2nd load: Jason's clothes
3rd load: Towels or Blankets
4th load: anything that I am behind on
5th load: stuff we brought to sell (sometimes more than one load)

I know that sounds like a lot, (I have 4 kids that play hard and a husband that gets really dirty, lol) but sometimes I only get 2 loads done and sometimes (most of the time) I am behind. What is your laundry like at your house?

Sorry

2009-06-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry to all my readers. I am back now with lots to blog about~
mandie

Turnip Greens, Beets, and Radishes, oh my....

2009-04-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

This is my turnip patch. They are growing so fast and I have even gotten to use them for a salad, they were good!

These are may radishes and yes, I know I need to thin them out. I got to use these guys for my salad as well. And the kids love them!

These are my beets, the need thinned out too. Boy these guys are slooooooowwwwwwwww coming up and growing.

Squash and Egg Plants

2009-04-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my squash, I have about 30 little guys that I have just started and won't be moving outside for a little while. I love squash! Again, mulched with shredded newspaper!

One of the little guys here, this is a straight neck yellow squash..

These are my Eggplants, this is the first year since I was child that I have grown these. I hope they make it. I have 2 green eggplants, I didn't even know there was such a thing. The others are all purple.

My Onions......

2009-04-15T21:41:00.001-07:00

My Onions are growing so fast, I love it! I love onions and onion greens.

Here are my older onions, I don't know if you would call them onions, winter onions or just onions for seeds, lol.

My favorite, isn't that a pretty picture!!!! (Thanks Cindy for letting me borrow her camera while she was doing some errands. Mine was stolen a month or so ago.) Look at all my Onion seeds, it is pretty! Everyone needs some of these for there garden, it adds some color!

Tomatoes and Peppers

2009-04-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my pepper plants, we mulch with shredded newspaper. After it is wet, it makes a great mat! And stays were you put it, even with out Oklahoma wind! We also like to cage the peppers as well...These guys are growing so fast and so good. We have sweet banana, jalapeno, 4 different colors of bell (yellow, red, green and orange). And, as you can see we planted all of them in 5 gallon pots!

Here are some of my tomatoes. They need to grow a bit more. But, I know by the end of May, first of June, I will be eating some of them! I can't wait!

Here are some I haven't gotten into place yet, more peppers and some tomatoes. I do believe these are couple of Yellow
Boys and Cherokee Purples.

My Peas and Mint.....

2009-04-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

My Peas are taken off and finding the fence! They are about a foot tall! I can't wait to eat some, that is if the heat doesn't take that away from me, I should have planted them earlier.

My mint is so pretty and so smelly! But, I love that smell! My kids just run over there and grab a leaf and eat it, we love it.

We love mint so much, I went out and bought 5 new kinds for us to start growing! I will blog more about them later.

LONG PASTED DUE! Update on my garden.....My Seedlings....

2009-04-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

These are my little guys. I have Tomatoes and peppers growing. They have been planted for about 3 weeks and are growing so well. I got most of my seeds from Heirloom Vegetables on ebay! Every seed has come up, well, I am still waiting on some pepper seeds to come up, but they are being slow, but they are coming up....They have been a great place to buy seeds and I love them. I will be buying more seeds from them!

These are my Spacemaster Cucumbers, which I can't wait to try!!!!

LOL, aren't my babies cute!

I can't wait to be able to set these guys out and by mid June, I will be getting a lot of Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers!

Just a quick note on something a 2 year old said.....

2009-04-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

My mom brought in some cattails tonight to try, she fixed them up (didn't cook them, but fixed them like a green onion) and she told me (while sitting in the living room) that she had cut up all the cattails. My son who is 2 years old set on the sofa and said,"You cut them Allllllll Off?" It was so cute and sad the way he asked. He thought that my mom had cut real cat tails off, lol. I had to let him know they were really from kitty cats, but from a plant, lol!

By the way, these were very chewy, almost like paper. They had a great taste, but man they were very chewy or tough. Maybe there would be different if they were cooked. I will get back to you on that.

I promise......

2009-04-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

that I am still here, we have just had a busy last week.....but, I have a lot of post's planned! I will get to them really soon, hopefully tonight!!!! Thanks for visiting!

Many Uses!!!! Buckets

2009-04-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, here we go....... Buckets!

Store food in them....

Use them as watering containers for animals....

Plant tomatoes and peppers in....

Use it to set on.....

Use it to stand on....

Make a Shower out of it....

Use it as a suitcase.....

Make a potty out of it.....

Animal Cage....

Making Home made wine / beer.....

Okay, there are 10! Now, let me hear how you guys use your buckets! There are hundreds of ways to use a bucket!

Many Uses!!!!! Duck Tape (lol, duct tape)

2009-03-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Duck Tape!!!!

(I have cheated, I cute and paisted this from here.... , some of them are a little far fetched) I think I will go out and buy a case of duck tape, lol! (yep, I know it is duct tape, but grew up calling it duck tape, lol)

Hanging posters.
Decorative book cover.
Fix broken tail light on vehicle.
Twist a long piece into rope (thousands more uses).
Tape wires down on floor or out of the way.
Tape wires back together after splicing (much wider than electricians' tape).
Reattach rear view mirror.
Repair cracked windshield/window.
Patch ripped clothing.
Hide unsightly wallpaper seams.
Repair broken hoses.
Repair broken fan belt.
Use as art medium.
Fix broken book binding.
Band-Aid for really big cuts.
Attach leg splint to broken leg.
Wallpaper your house (may be slightly expensive, but well worth it for the resulting sophisticated look).
Reinforce pages in 3 ring binder.
Cover up empty drive bays.
Fold in half and use as bookmark.
Disk labels.
Rappelling harness.
Toilet paper.
Hinge on cabinet door.
Repairing leak in tire/inner tube.
Taping annoying people to walls, floor, ceiling, or bed.
Holding together computer cases.
Hold up exhaust pipe (doesn't last very long).
Repair upholstery.
Make lawn furniture.
Make lawn decorations.
Fix racquetball racquets.
Roll into a ball for hockey practice.
Mark lines on a sporting event field.
Clothing � all sorts.
Can be use to wrap duct work, but doesn't seal or hold up ducts very well.
Use to pull unsightly hair.
Keeps pledges in their place (also applies to siblings).
Patches holes in vinyl siding.
An entire roll can be used in place of a bedroom door to keep someone in for hours.
Twisted correctly, can be used as a billy-club.
Wrapped around newspaper to make a dog chew toy.
Holding on book covers.
Reflective lettering.
Mute function for humans.
Contraceptive device.
Climbing rope.
Earrings.
Cover old pocket folders -- lasts forever!
Shoe designs.
Girdle.
Sealing envelopes (in case you hate the taste of envelope glue).
Replacement for airplane glue.
For store owners: great way to keep the wigs on mannequins.
Seat belts that'll REALLY keep the kids still.
Closing chip bags.
Make the stapler obsolete!
Putting up Christmas lights (easy removal).
Why bother with waxing...
Add several layers to your car's bumpers for a much safer ride.
Fix vacuum cleaner hose.
Tape ski boot to your ski when the binding breaks.
Repair seams of ski gloves.
Wrap around your waist when your zipper splits in a one piece ski suit.
Lift and separate when you don't want to wear a bra or can't have straps showing.
Hold temple onto eye glasses.
Fix printer.
Make a wallet out of it.
Hold car hood shut.
Patch hole in canoe.
Fixing sets for the school play.
Making props look more realistic.
Make letter for letter jacket.
Hold your letter to your letter jacket.
Re-enforce the phone cord.
Hold batteries in remote control.
Play a CD (reflect a laser beam onto a CD to play it).
Stick pictures up in your locker.
Fix holes in your Airwalks.
Use instead of nail polish.
Hold pens together.
Belt.
Wrap your ankle for sports.
Can be used in place of handcuffs.
Rings.
Hold file cabinet together.
Hold shoe laces together.
Can replace shoe laces.
Can be used in place of Velcro.
Write term paper on it.
Graduation present.
Can be used to put back together a shredded term paper.
Stop your jeans from fraying.
Hair ties.
Hold spikes to your cleats.
Make a book shelf.
Necklace.
Note cards.
Remove lint from clothes.
Makes great bumper stickers with a sharpie!
Cook a baked potato in it.
Hold car door shut.
Tape plastic over broken rear window in car.
Tape down ripped carpet.
Tape sole of ratty sneaker to body of sneaker.
Hold speaker wire to the back of speaker.
Use it as a Biore strip.
Practical joke toilet paper replacement.
Makes a good bib.
Put it on your lawn and paint it green. Say good-bye to mowing.
Mouse trap.
Fly paper.
Tape your little brothers' mouths shut.
Use as vinyl flooring.
Cover rust holes in your car.
Ashtray.
Roofing shingles.
Make a clothes line.
Window coverings.
Use a roof rack on your car for carrying luggage and other items.
Fix a broken plate.
Patch a hole in your swimming pool.
Make a swing for your kids.
Make a tent for camping.
For the annoying mother-in-law.
Lock people into their house, school, office, etc.
Hold your car's bumper in place.
Seat covers in your car.
Fix holes in your sock.
Fix the hole in your favorite coffee cup.
Make a coffee cup.
Retread your tennis shoes.
Earmuffs.
Repair work gloves.
Make work gloves.
Home security system - tape up doors and windows.
Watch band.
CD case.
Wrap a soda can or bottle in duct tape to keep it cold.
Makes stylish notebook decorations.
Use it to fix old instruments.
Use it as a dog/cat/rabbit/frog/lizard/etc. leash.
Hold on toupees.
Duct tape annoying, rambunctious students to their seats.
Reupholster the roof on a '83 Mustang convertible (or any vehicle for that matter).
Attach it to the end of a yard stick (sticky side out) as a way to get pennies out from behind the couch.
Surgical bandage.
Fix a cigarette that is broken at the filter.
A clothesline when you're out in the middle of nowhere. (Peace Corps favorite.)
Use it as a substitute for Bondo.
Makes excellent streamers for bicycle handlebars.
Toilet seat cover.
Reflectors.
Replace broken screen in your screen doors to create an excellent storm door for those cold winter nights.
Makes great posters with the aid of magic markers.
Make a sheet for your bed.
Wrap freshmen up in it.
Use to make the lines in the middle of the road.
Make a space suit out of it so you can walk on the moon.
Use as a musical instrument.
Make a hat.
Make a wallet chain out of it.
Stare at it and try to find new uses for it.
Make a boat out of it.
Throw it at people.
Write on it and stick to someone's back.
Put a few rolls on their side and roll them to have a duct tape race!
Tape a hedge trimmer or chain saw to a long pole in order to trim or cut tall trees.
Use it as hockey tape.
Tape Tupperware containers together in a way that you can stack them on top of each other for more storage space.
Use to keep the cover of an old ice cream maker securely attached.
Cut a hole in a piece of cardboard, wrap duct tape around it and get a really inexpensive original looking picture frame.
Tape Nerf basketball hoop to the back of a door because they just don't stay on their own.
Make a pouch and attach it to a door so you can hold stuff.
Repair smashed pumpkin.
Waterproof sun screen for bald men.
Snowmobile/motorcycle seat cover.
Hold broken U-joints together on truck so you can make it home.
Makes a good replacement for chrome.
Patch holes in convertibles or soft top jeeps.
Resurface your trampoline.
Artificial lighting.
Use it to tape 10 year olds with sugar highs to trees during boyscout trips.
Can be made to fashion weapons in a pinch.
Emergency limb replacements.
Prosthetics.
Make fantastic puppets and other toys.
Can be used to clean the floor when no vacuum is available.
S & M.
Make a ball.
Repair trim on cars.
Patch up fish tank.
Halloween costume.
Waterproof footwear.
Make a makeup case.
Repair leak in pilot gas line.
Gagging device.
Pin striping.
Wrapping Christmas presents.
Patch seams in carpeting.
Patch a hole in a tent.
No need for lunch box - just tape all your food together!
Use to keep President Clinton's pants up.
Cute plant holder.
Keep hair in place.
Make a tie out of it.
Chastity belt.
Blister repair.
Censor speech on softball uniforms.
Repair pantyhose.
Roll it over a pool and make a trampoline.
Keeping guitar strap on your guitar.
Taping mic to mic stand (or a hockey stick).
Taping mic stand to amp.
Hold a float together.
Fix mini blinds.
Get rid of plantars warts.
Hold telephone together.
Hold computer mouse together.
Write on vehicles.
Muzzle.
Make a Halloween mask.
Decorate guard rifles.
Make really cool underwear.
Make a mummy costume for Halloween.
When you get in a really boring conversation pull it out and ask the other person if they can name 101 uses for it (plus or minus 70 or 80).
Attach underwater flashlight to underwater strobe for night dives.
Hold a car battery in.
Headbands.
Jewelry.
Attach glow-in-the-dark bugs to people's houses.
Fixing the toilet seat.
Torture.
Window shade.
Hair extensions.
Seat covering for a 1963 Vespa GS 160 (or any other vehicle for that matter).
Wrap around cardboard tube to make fake swords for the kids.
Waterproof apron.
Beverage holders.
Cooler.
Pet rain gear.
Toilet paper roll cover.
Cell phone holder.
Tool belt.
Shower curtain.
Repair speaker cones.
Poor man's Viagra - two Popsicle sticks and duct tape.
Hold the plastic (or Mylar) on your car where the window should be.
Wrap a "365 Uses For Duct Tape" calendar for Christmas.
Hold up worn out socks.
Suspenders.
Tape keys to bottom of car so you never lose them.

Edible Weeds Series~Cattails #4

2009-03-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Cattails are found pretty much anywhere in the world where there is full sun and areas of lakes, streams, canals, rivers, and brackish water.

The young tender shoots are edible raw or cooked. The rhizome is often very tough but is a rich source of starch. Pound the rhizome to remove the starch and use as a flour. The pollen is also an exceptional source of starch. When the cattail is immature and still green, you can boil the female portion and eat it like corn on the cob.

Other Uses: The dried leaves are an excellent source of weaving material you can use to make floats and rafts. The cottony seeds make good pillow stuffing and insulation. The fluff makes excellent tinder. Dried cattails are effective insect repellents when burned.

Website here has some different ways to eat...I haven't tried cattail yet, but I will soon!

Edible Weed Series, well, not Weed, but Tree Seed....Sugar Maple Tree Seeds

2009-03-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sugar Maple Trees

Edible Uses: The seeds when hulled and boiled are edible. In the spring, these trees are tapped for their sap, which is boiled into syrup and sugar. For the seeds you can try so many different flavors using, salt, pepper, crushed pepper, even soaking them in soy sauce, steak seasoning, and frying them in bacon grease (yeah BACON!!!!) for different flavors.

Medicinal Uses: Pure sap may be drank as a spring tonic. Spring sap syrup is also taken as a liver tonic, a kidney cleanser and a cough syrup. Teas of the inner bark are drank for a cough or diarrhea and were thought to be useful as a diuretic, an expectorant and a "blood purifier.

Many Uses!!!! Dental Floss

2009-03-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dental Floss

Hang things: like picture frames and wind chimes

Clothes Line

Cut food into thin slices or pieces

Sewing: patch holes, sew buttons

Separate photographs : Slide the dental floss underneath the corner of a photograph that is stuck to another photograph or the page of an album and work through across the surfaces to separate them without damaging the photographs.

Lift off food from baking tray

Tie up Things

Fishing line

Remove tight ring from finger : Wrap waxed dental floss from the tip of your finger until you reach the ring. Slide the ring over the waxed floss and you will be able to remove it easily.

Tie up climbing plants

Cooking aid : Unwaxed dental floss can also be used to truss poultry or to tie up rolled pieces of meat or bacon in cooking.

String Garlands

Clean in between crevices in furniture, tools and so

Shoe lace

Tie hair

Make a small

To hold a hat on

So, do you guys have any other uses for dental floss????

New Series!!!! Many Uses!!!!

2009-03-29T12:24:00.001-07:00

I am going to try to take one new thing a day and talk about its many uses!!!! Like Duck Tape, buckets, rope, and lol, so many more things!!!! Then, when you comment you can add your uses to it!!!

More On Dandelions!!!!

2009-03-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

Emergency Preparedness Youth Activities

2009-03-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

(Yep, I copied and pasted this from this wonderful little website......here)
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS YOUTH ACTIVITIES

Talking about emergencies with children can be difficult because no one wants to create unnecessary fear and no
one wants to think that an emergency could happen to them. However, the reality is that emergencies can strike
anyone at any time, and the best defense is preparation. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
created a list of activities for children to help them learn about emergency preparedness. These could be used at
youth retreats, youth group meetings, or religious classes. Activities are listed below, separated by age group.

Elementary Age
• Conduct scavenger hunts for items that would be included in an emergency kit, such as a flashlight,
batteries, battery-operated radio, canned or dried food, water, first aid kit, medicines (for the scavenger
hunt, empty medicine bottles will do), toilet paper, and rain gear.
• Discuss different places that emergencies could happen, such as at school, at home, or at church and
what you should do to prepare for those different types of situations. Have children write and illustrate
a storybook to tell how to prepare for one of those emergency situations.
• Brainstorm words that relate to emergency preparedness, such as tornado, flashlight, plan, first aid, and
create and illustrate flash cards to quiz others about the definitions of those words, and discuss how
they relate to emergency preparedness.
• Design artwork to decorate the outside of an emergency kit.
• Play a role-playing game where the adult acts as the child and the child acts as the adult. Children
should be able to answer your questions about how to prepare for an emergency. You can ask questions
such as: What do we do when a tornado comes? What is an emergency plan? Where is our emergency
kit? What do we put into an emergency kit?
• Make a kit. Arrange a large number of items on a table along with several larger containers. Items
should include things needed to make an emergency kit − a blanket, flashlight, batteries, water, and
toilet paper. Also have items that you would include in a car emergency kit. Ask children to pick
between items they would put into a home emergency kit and items they would include in a car
emergency kit. Discuss why they chose each item for each kit.

Middle School Age
• Have children conduct a scavenger hunt for relevant passages in spiritual texts that discuss emergency
preparedness and/or safety. There are several stories in many different texts that tell stories of how
people have been faced with emergencies and disasters and show how they’ve prepared for them.
• Adopt a needy family and put together an emergency kit for them to use. Make sure to have enough
food and water for each member of the family and pets, if they have them.
Ready in 3 is an emergency-preparedness program for Missouri. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services sponsors the
program. Ready in 3 aims to help residents and communities prepare for many types of emergencies from tornadoes to terrorism. For more
information, visit www.dhss.mo.gov. Youth Activities - 07-05
• Conduct scavenger hunts for items that would be included in an emergency kit such as a flashlight,
batteries, battery-operated radio, canned or dried food, water, first aid kit, medicines (for the
scavenger hunt, empty medicine bottles will do), toilet paper, and rain gear.
• Write and perform a skit for the congregation on emergency preparedness during worship services.
The skit should have a problem (for example, someone isn’t sure how to prepare for an emergency)
and a solution (a friend tells them about the Ready in 3 program and where they can go for
information).
• Hold a poster contest with the theme − “Helping others prepare for emergencies”. Have parents or
group leaders judge the contest.
• Hold a video contest where children create a commercial or television show telling the audience
how to prepare for an emergency. Have a viewing party to watch the videos.
• Tour a fire department, or other emergency service providers.

High School Age
• Adopt a needy family and put together an emergency kit for them to use, including all appropriate
items. Make sure to have enough food and water for each member of the family and pets, if they
have them.
• Create an emergency kit for their car.
• Volunteer to spend time with an older member of the congregation/community and help them
prepare an emergency plan and emergency kit that takes their needs into account. They may have
trouble moving quickly or have special medical needs, so be sure to take these into account when
discussing how to prepare.
• Volunteer with local shelters to help put emergency kits together. In order to assemble kits for a
larger group of people, it may also be feasible for the congregation to sponsor a drive for
emergency kit items, supplying a list of needed items to members of the congregation.
• Students could write stories for their high school newspapers on emergency preparedness. One
particular item to highlight would be the necessity of an emergency kit for the car as most students
are beginning to drive. Stories could also include interviews with other teens about their stories
with emergencies and the importance of being prepared.
• Brainstorm a community service project that involves working with a local disaster relief
organization to help others become prepared for an emergency and put it into action.
• Create content for the church’s web site telling members of the congregation how to prepare for an
emergency and provide them with other resources. This could direct others to www.dhss.mo.gov.
Resources
There are several resources available for children to learn about emergencies. For example,
http://ready.mo.gov/ has several links for kids that give information and provide workbook activities for them
to measure what they’ve learned. Additionally, the Family Safety Guide, created by the Missouri Department
of Health and Senior Services can help children learn how to establish a family plan, create an emergency kit,
and teach them what information to listen for during an actual emergency. Additional information can be
found by visiting www.dhss.mo.gov, click on the Ready in 3 logo.

PREPARING YOUR FAMILY EMERGENCY KIT

2009-03-27T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a great web site to help you while preparing your family emergency kit!

Click Here

Ten Suggestions when preparing for an Emergency

2009-03-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Ten (10) Suggestions when preparing for an emergency:
1. At least a 3 day supply of water (1 gallon per person per day)
2. A 3-5 day supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food and non electric can opener and plastic utensils.
3. Rain gear, sturdy shoes and a change of clothes, underwear and hygiene products.
4. Blankets, bedding or sleeping bags.
5. A first aid kit and prescription medications.
6. A list of family physicians and important medical information.
7. Special items for infants, pets, the elderly, the infirmed and family members with disabilities.
8. A battery –powered radio, flashlight and plenty of batteries; tools duct tape pen and paper and household bleach.
9. Identification, credit cards, cash and photocopies of important family documents including insurance information.

10. And an extra set of car and house keys.

100 Things that Disappear in an Emergency....

2009-03-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

100 Items to Disappear First

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)

2. Water Filters/Purifiers

3. Portable Toilets

4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.

5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)

6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.

7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.

8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.

9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar

10. Rice - Beans - Wheat

11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)

12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)

13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.

14. and 15. I don't know what happened to them.....

16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.

17. Survival Guide Book.

18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)

19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.

20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)

21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)

22. Vitamins

23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item) 24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.

25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)

26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)

27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)

28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)

29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).

30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels

31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)

32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)

33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)

34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit

35. Tuna Fish (in oil)

36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)

37. First aid kits

38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)

39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies

40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)

41. Flour, yeast & salt

42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first

43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators

44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)

45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts

46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns

47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)

48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)

49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc

50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)

51. Fishing supplies/tools

52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams

53. Duct Tape

54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes

55. Candles

56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)

57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags

58. Garden tools & supplies

59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies

60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.

61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)

62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax) 6

3. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel

64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc

65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats

66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)

67. Board Games, Cards, Dice

68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer

69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets

70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)

71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)

72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.

73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)

74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)

75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase

76. Reading glasses

77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)

78. "Survival-in-a-Can"

79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens

80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog

81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)

82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky

83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts

84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)

85. Lumber (all types)

86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)

87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's 88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.

89. Lantern Hangers

90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts

91. Teas

92. Coffee

93. Cigarettes

94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)

95. Paraffin wax

96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.

97. Chewing gum/candies

98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)

99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs

100. Goats/chickens

This list is from the internet, I just thought it was interesting.

Only In Oklahoma~Weather Maps

2009-03-27T11:33:00.001-07:00

These maps are at the same time! We have Tornado watches in the South East part of the state and we have Blizzard warnings in the North West part of the state. It is loud and very rainy here, lol, it is pouring! We are supposed to get a lot of snow. LOL, lots of thunder (I love thunder), but we are getting some hail too (I don't like hail, at least I have a car port).

A Fun Giveaway!

2009-03-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun giveaway for you guys to enter! Stop over here at in other words..... and enter to win!

Weather Forecast! Hope he is wrong like usual!

2009-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Well, lookie here, lol, the Saturday forecast (over night) went from 50 to 38....That means all 9 of my tomatoes and all 18 of my peppers that I planted early will have to be gently taken out of the dirt and put in a box to keep them from nice and warm. I know that seems like a lot of trouble, but I didn't plant them in the ground, I planted them in 5 gallon pots. And, I just planted them, so they will be okay with me transplanting them. This way, I don't have to cover them with a foot of blankets or buckets, or straw that will mess up my yard. Maybe after this weekend, I won't have to worry about it. I love it, going from Severe weather on Friday to Snow on Saturday. I hope my beets, snow peas, turnips, onions, and radishes will be okay...they should be. (By the way, my snow peas look so pretty! I will get a picture of them up.)

One Less Thing to Worry About...This weeks Meal Plan...LOL

2009-03-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Monday.....Roast (in the crock pot, cooked in Italian Dressing), Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Broccoli and Cheese

Tuesday......Hot dogs and Chips

Wednesday.....Tacos, re fried beans, Chips and Dip and all the toppings (onions, tomatoes, cheese)

Thursday.....Baked Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Corn

Friday....not sure, maybe Hamburgers or Spaghetti or LOL, I don't know, I will get back to you on this, we may have steak

Refrigerator Homemade Grow Boxes/Earthboxes....

2009-03-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we are trying something new this year. We are trying out to old Refrigerators for a grow box or raised bed. I know they don't look very pretty, but they were free and I am going to put some kind of wood around it to make it look better. Now these pictures show them far from done. We (my mom and I) gutted the refrigerators and moved them to were we wanted them moved. My mom put holes in the bottom of them (one of the pictures shows this). Now, we will add shredded paper to the bottom and my soil (I will take pictures), it could take a couple of weeks to get this done!

My baby Radishes and Turnips

2009-03-21T21:51:00.001-07:00

LOL, they are coming up!!!! These are the Radishes!These are the Turnups! (My beats are not coming up yet)

Kids eating Dandilions!

2009-03-21T21:42:00.001-07:00

First, I just want to say....please over look the dirty faces, they had been playing outside all evening! Elizabeth likes them, but likes them better with salt! (Funny picture of her)

Rebekah, well she didn't like them!

Lillian was actually the first to try it, surprised me really, she is a picky little thing. She likes them! (you can see why we sometimes call her pig pen, dirty face, lol)

Josh, lol, I don't know if he likes them or not, or just wanted to take a picture! He is silly!

Raw Cow and Goat Milk....

2009-03-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

.....did you know that you can live on raw milk from cows and goats alone??? I mean eat nothing else, only milk! To me this seems unbelievable, but fascinating!!!! Only in America do we prohibit the sale of fresh milk, cheese and butter, while promoting the sale of nutrient less eggs and factory farmed, corn fed beef, pork and chicken. Goat's milk is the most digestible dairy product because of its molecular size and similar composition to Mother's milk. Here is a wonderful Web site that is going through a small series on Raw Cow Milk..... Cedar Cove Farm....this is a wonderful blog!!! I wish that I had a cow or a nanny goat! Growing up we always had fresh milk from both! My grandma had a few milk cows and we raised goats when I was a teenager. I hope to get anther goat or even a cow someday!

Here is a wonderful website on Raw Cow Milk!!!!.....raw-milk-facts.com

"Few people are aware that clean, raw milk from grass-fed cows was actually used as a medicine in the early part of the last century. That's right. Milk straight from the udder, a sort of "stem cell" of foods, was used as medicine to treat, and frequently cure some serious chronic diseases. From the time of Hippocrates to until just after World War II, this "white blood" nourished and healed uncounted millions.

Clean raw milk from pastured cows is a complete and properly balanced food. You could live on it exclusively if you had to. Indeed, published accounts exist of people who have done just that. What's in it that makes it so great? Let's look at the ingredients to see what makes it such a powerful food."

LOL, this is for Nicole! Pictures of my Garden

2009-03-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

This is my Snow Peas sticking their little heads up!

Here are my onions! There is at least 160 planted here, so in another week, it will be so green. I can't wait!
Here is one of my Broccoli, I plan on planing a lot more. I need to get it done before it starts getting to warm. I have 9 planted, but I don't think 2 of them are going to make it.

These are my volunteer potatoes from last year. Not sure what I am going to do with them. I think I will move them into buckets or growing bags and see if they make.

I have a huge bed of Mint! I love mint....we also pot a lot of this and sell it.

Goings On in my Garden.....

2009-03-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

I walked out to my garden today and my onions and snow peas were all popping their little heads out. It is truly amazing how God works and how he makes everything work. I love to watch a garden grow. Things coming out of the ground, growing, making fruit and vegetables. I can't wait to plant more and I really can't wait till we get to start eating and canning the stuff that comes out of my garden. Yesterday I planted some beets, radishes, turnips (for greens) and I planted some dandelions. I am excited to see what will come up first.

Walgreens 3/15/09-3/21/09

2009-03-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

Also made my way to Walgreen's. They have a deal right now, this week. If you buy 3 Reach or Listerine products that are listed for 3 for 9 dollars, you get 6 dollars Register Rewards for your next purchase. Well, in last Sundays SmartSourse coupons, there was a 3 dollars off 3. But, the coupon does state you have to buy one each of the Reach Floss, Reach Toothbrush and Listerine. It says the items cannot be Duplicated. So, buy one of each and spend 6.70 (with tax) and get a 6 dollar Register Reward back. So, pretty much free. If you need the coupon, let me know and I will get some to you.

Target 3/17/09

2009-03-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Went to Target today and used my 5 dollars off any Gentle Care Diaper Product coupon that I printed from here. This bag of Baby Wipes is 5.99 there, so I only paid 1.99 for these wipes!!!! My sister printed me out some more of these at her job and had all the girls there do the same, so I have 8 more coming and I am happy about that. You can only print out 2 per computer. LOL, so if any of you guys want to print me out some and send them my way, that would be wonderful! LOL

Okay Oklahoma Send in those Reports!

2009-03-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a site to help the Oklahoma Geological Survey people out, lol..... If you felt the Earthquake go and feel this out and push send!

http://www.okgeosurvey1.gov/report.html

3 Earthquakes already today!!!

2009-03-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Geological Survey says a preliminary magnitude 2.7 quake struck at 12:24 p.m. and a preliminary magnitude 2.5 quake was recorded 17 minutes later. We didn't feel either of these, but my friends and neighbors did........

But, we did feel the one we just had...I don't know how big it was or anything, but it shook the house and then it was a boom. Felt like something hit our house again. I will share more when I find out about how big it was. Again, all were in the Del City Area! Here is a cool website I found, and it seems to be pretty fast about putting things up.....http://www.space.gs/weather/earthquakes.html

Preparing for the Future, ???

2009-03-16T03:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as I was talking to some friends about the Bible and being prepared for the future and what ever comes our way. One lady said, well, I am not stocking up..we buy what we need that week and we go on. She said the Bible teaches us that God will provide for us. Then she said, and if my family is starving, I would just come and take it from people like you. People that are stocking up. Even though I didn't say anything, I thought....Well, you will find a gun or one angry momma that won't let you......(Besides that, I would share, you don't have to take anything from me, I will share if I have it)....I got home and I continued thinking about what she said...And, she is right...People would do that. I would do that, if my 4 babies were starving. I would ask, beg, and if have to steal to keep my children alive and going and not suffering. But, and this is a BIG BUT, I don't have too. Because God has given me the resources and the know how on how to prepare for my family. And, how to prepare for what ever comes our way. I am not hoarding, I only keep what I think will get us through a hard time. I would love to have enough to get us through a year. I don't have it, but I am working towards it. But, at the same time, if someone came to me and was hungry, I am going to feed them and take care of them. If a friend has fallen on hard times and has no food, or clothes, or even seeds for a garden, I will be here sharing what God has let me collect just for that purpose. The purpose of taking care of others, whether that be a stranger of my children. I have wanted to write a blog about this for so long, I didn't know what to say or rather how to say it. Because I do know how I feel and I do know that what I am doing is not wrong. I prayed really hard last night, asked God to let me know what to say or how to say it. And, believe me I still have a lot to say. But, this has helped me start telling you and has helped me get it off my chest a bit.
Okay, I am preparing for our future, we never know what is going to happen. Heck, my husband could loose his job tomorrow. But, I AM PREPARED! My family will have food and will be able to make it. There should be a balance between hoarding and living in the moment while preparing the future, and I do believe I have it.

I have to go and plant some stuff in my garden...but, I wanted to leave you with this (and, yes I am cutting and pasting this from a website my friend sent me. I have so much more to say and I will say it.) This came from this web page....PAGE

V. Is Any of This Really Necessary? What Are The Chances….?

1. Bible history tells us to prepare

2. Church history tells us to prepare

3. Recent history tells us to prepare- Frontier churches, Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW1 and WW2

4. Current history tells us to prepare- Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, etc.; California earthquakes and wild fires; Los Angeles riots; oppression of the church in various other countries.

5. World political and economic situation tells us to prepare.

6. Common sense tells us to prepare

He has lots to say, maybe check it out.

Now, I am going....I will continue to pray about this. Off to plants some beets, radishes, dandelions and turnip greens.

Edible Weed Series #3 Dandelions

2009-03-12T14:54:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to a wonderful video about Dandelions (plus, this guy just makes me smile, his name is Doug Elliott)....Sorry, guys, it wouldn't let me embed it on here. But here is the link.....//http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1911416491/bctid1772111697

All parts of the dandelion are edible and have medicinal and culinary uses. It has long been used as a liver tonic and diuretic. Dandelion roots can be harvested during any frost-free period of the year and eaten raw, steamed, or even dried, roasted and ground into a coffee substitute. The flowers are best known for their use in dandelion wine, but they also can be added to a salad, made into jellies or dipped in batter to make dandelion fritters.

The are very nutritious having antioxidant properties and being high in vitamins A, C, Iron and calcium. It is used to treat water retention, indigestion and heartburn. It is said to alleviate postpartum symptoms and other pregnancy issues. In addition, the roots contain a starch like substances that may help balance blood sugar, as well as bitter taraxacin, which stimulates digestion.It is also able to treat the liver, gall bladder, kidney and joint problems. Well known as a blood purifier, it is also reputed to help with eczema, stimulate digestion and work as a mild laxative.

I like this video, but man I want my dandelions to get that big....be on the look out, I have already been finding some of these guys in my yard and I ordered the seeds for them. Oh, one more thing about the video, he shows us how to make a drink, so want to try it!!!! In fact, I can't wait to try it all!!!!

I am passing the Frugal Gardening Award on too:

2009-03-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

So far I am passing my Frugal Gardening Award on too:

Cindy
Nicole
Leagh
Building My Ark

Frugal Gardening Award

2009-03-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Hello, and welcome to my blog!!!! Just pass it on to 3 or more of your friends or favorite blogs and copy the code to your blog, so it gets linked back to here. Have fun with the Frugal Gardening Award! Please leave me a comment if you want and tell me about what you are planning for your garden this year!

Frugal Gardening Award

<center>Frugal Gardening Award</center><a href="http://mandieskidseatfree.blogspot.com/2009/03/frugal-gardening-award.html" target="_blank"></a>

My garden plan for 2009: I have already gotten 160 onions in the ground and about that many garlic. I have a hand full of elephant ear garlic planted as well. I have 9 broccoli plants and some red lettuce planted as well. I also a roll of snow peas planted (and some are coming up). I am going to plant more snow peas as soon as I get the area ready (if it doesn't get to warm first). I am planting about 40 tomato plants and about 30 different pepper plants. I will be planting them in buckets. Then I have numerous squash, okra, and beans to plant. (I will take lots of pictures.) Thanks so much for stopping by!!!!

One more side note on the Earthboxes....

2009-03-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

My mom and I have grown (several times) Tomatoes in Buckets. We fill a bucket with soil and put a tomato in it. We put a tomato cage in the bucket and we water it, lol. The bucket has one hole in the bottom of it and that is all, actually the hole is in the side near the bottom. We always had tomatoes out the bootie. We have done Peppers this way too. I know a place were we can buy lots of buckets and cheap too. They are only around 1.25 and 1.45 (with lids). Let me know if anyone wants to try this and I will lead you to the buckets. I promise it works, and you don't have to spend a lot of time drilling holes and so on. Dang, wish I had a picture.

Homemade Earthboxes

2009-03-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

My friend Cindy found a website on how to make homemade Earthboxes. I am thinking of trying at least one of these. But, I have to straw bales to try too. So, we will see. I need to get to tilling more of my garden. And, I need to get more snow peas in the ground. Oh so much to do and not enough time.......

*I wish the site would have shown a end picture with plants growing out of it. LOL

Adding to this post...found one with pics of plants growing, lol....earthbox with plants....

Straw Bale Gardening, I am really thinking of doing this!!!!

2009-03-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

I am so thinking of doing this!!!! I also know so many people that this would work great for toooooooo!

Planting a hay bale garden

http://organic-vegetable-gardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/organic_straw_bale_gardening

http://www.outdoorblogging.com/the-hay-bale-gardening-experiment-is-a-success/

http://www.marthaseviltwin.com/files/WinterGarden2008.php

http://www.co.clay.mn.us/Depts/Extensio/ExAPHydr.htm

http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/strawbales.htm

http://www.hvtd.com/?q=node/565

This Video has Neat ideas on container gardening...

2009-03-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

Cute Video for kids on planting onions in pots....

2009-03-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

Meal Plan for this Week (just because I am bored)

2009-03-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Monday: Chicken in the Crock Pot, covered in Mushroom Soup, mashed potatoes, and green beans (This was really good, but I started it an hour to late and we ended up eating supper at 8 instead of 7....But, it was good. Now, I can take the left over Chicken and all the juice (cream of mushroom soup) and put noodles in it and we can have chicken and noodles for lunch tomorrow. I love that too....)

Tuesday: Hamburger with Macaroni and Cheese in it (Jason's Favorite), Green Beans and Carrots

Wednesday: Steak, Ranch Style Beans, Broccoli and Cheese, and maybe Peas

Thursday: Hot Dogs with Chili, Cheese, Onions, and Chips

Friday: Haven't decided yet, may make fried chicken (skinless, batter less, and in canola oil), green beans, and okra

We eat more green beans because we love them. Josh asks for them just about every meal. They have always been my favorite.

Earthquake, our alarm clock.....

2009-03-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

This morning we were awoken by an earthquake. I thought something had fallen on my house. I heard a loud noise and the walls kind of moved. I yelled at the kids and made sure they were okay (because I didn't know if something had fallen on them, didn't know what it was). And, Elizabeth came in and asked about the noise. I went to the front door and opened it, all my neighbors were outside, looking for reason. I asked one of them and they thought it may have been an explosion. Well, since I was still trying to wake up, I went inside and just told Elizabeth to turn on the news. Sure enough it was an earthquake. Not a big one, but sure noticeable. Heck, it woke my kids up, lol. My second earthquake that I felt and the kids first one. Kind of neat, but scary. It was a good chance to learn about earthquakes. This one happened at 8:06 a.m., and the epicenter (the point of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake) was 3.1 miles below ground level near SE 15 and S Bryant Avenue, according to a report on the USGS Web site (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/us2009dyaq.php). I was reading that there is usually fewer than 5 earthquakes felt by us in Oklahoma a year. This is March and we have already had at least 5 that were felt......(interesting and scary to think about, well kind of).

Inkheart

2009-03-07T18:35:00.000-08:00

I took the kids to the movies tonight, we met Grandma Vicki there and we all watched Inkheart....We all loved it!!! Lillian said....."I really liked that movie, except for the bad guy part." LOL, she is so cute.

I cut and pasted this for you guys...I got it from entertainmentkaboose.com, I wanted you to know what was in the movie. We really did like it!

"Plot Synopsis: A father, Mo, and his daughter, Meggie travel the European countryside in their beat up van from one antique book vendor to the next. In one such village bookshop, after Mo discovers a copy of the book Inkheart on its shelves, a mysterious man with an otter appears who tries to warn Meggie and Mo that he’s willing to reveal their location to the evil Capricorn.

Meggie’s Dad then tells her he has the ability to read characters out of books, but when he does, someone else must return to the book instead, often with dire consequences.

Sex/Nudity: When Mo and his wife Resa are reunited, they embrace. A flirtation seems to be developing between Meggie and Farid at the end of the film.
Violence/Gore: Capricorn threatens mayhem and destruction, from throwing characters into his dungeon to executing them. He also gets Meggie to release the Inkheart villain the Shadow from the book, that could destroy everyone. Dustfinger discovers from the author Fenoglio that he dies at the end of the book. All the book characters fight back against Capricorn and his henchmen. Dustfinger and Farid light Capricorn’s castle on fire.
Profanity: Some of the characters turn author’s names and literary allusions into naughty sounding exclamations like “Chaucer’s beard,” and they also use big vocabulary words such as “barbaric” and “solipsistic” in their elaborate insults."

Garden in the Works

2009-03-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

This will be short, I am tired....LOL, got 160 red onions in the ground and 9 broccoli plants. I planted them all in my onion bed. LOL, maybe we will bet spicy broccoli, lol, just joking. I will get pictures when they all start coming up. Can't wait!!!!!

Started the Garden tonight!

2009-03-05T18:24:00.000-08:00

Yep, got it started now. LOL, got some of the Snow Peas in the ground!!!! It is a start!!!

Hopefully mine will make like these.....I will have a picture of ours growing soon!!!!!

Grow Bag Video

2009-03-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

My friend Cindy emailed me about an upside down grow bucket, which was really cool and looked easy to make. I emailed her back and told her of the ones my mom was going to make out of cloth. I don't have a picture and we haven't made them yet, but as soon as we get them done, I will put a picture on here of them. But, I wanted to share this video I found, it would be cool to do with the kids. And, if you don't have much space, this would work wonders!!!!! A little bit of onions and tomatos, you will have it made!

Just a video for you......about Gardasil

2009-03-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

I have another video about this, I will have to find it. Most people know how I feel about this vaccine, but if you don't.....I will just say one thing, my girls won't be getting it!

Movie Review Time! "Australia"

2009-03-03T20:16:00.000-08:00

Well, tonight we rented a movie (we don't have cable and there wasn't much on TV).....Australia came out today and I have wanted to see it since it went to the theatre last Nov. The movie started out a little cheesy, well not really, I don't know how to explain it. But, by the end of the movie, I was so hooked! I loved it, I give it 2 thumbs up!!!! Now, the movie is rated PG-13, but, I did let my children watch it with us. Elizabeth is the only one that really watched it. I went into this movie thinking it was just another love story, but not only was it a love story between a man and a woman, it was a love story between a child and a mother. (I didn't even know it had a child in it.) Speaking of children, my youngest just came in covered in soap or lotion, so I will cut this short and leave you with a movie clip.

Edible Weed Series #2 Lambs Quarters

2009-03-02T20:34:00.001-08:00

Lambs Quarters is also one of my favorites!!! I remember my mom cooking this in our stir fry and with meat....I loved it!!!!

The plants can get up to 4 feet high with bunches of branches (full of leaves) forming on a central stem. The leaves can have a white, pollen-looking substance on the bottom of the leaves.

There are so many ways to eat lambs Quarters. You can steam or boil the leaves and stems in water until tender. The greens are fast to cook and turn a dark green in color when cooking. The young leaves and smaller stems can also be eaten raw in salads. Or you can experiment by substituting lambs quarter for spinach or chard in some of your favorite recipes. They say you can dry the leaves and grind them into flour (replaces up to half the flour in any recipe). You can dry the seeds and cook them in soups. Leaves can be eaten raw in salad, or any other way you would use spinach. The flavor is mild, and makes a good addition to soups and other dishes with a lot of flavor, with the intention of adding some extra vitamins and minerals. Seeds can be ground up to make a flour, and boiled into gruel. It has no medicinal value to speak of, but is particularly rich in vitamin C, calcium and vitamin A, not so rich in iron or potassium as spinach is.

When you know what lambs quarters looks like, you will see it everywhere. You may surprised just how much you enjoy the taste of this plant that you previously yanked from the garden and discarded.

Medicinally, Lamb's-quarters is said to have sedative and refrigerant properties, and people have used the poulticed leaves to soothe burns.

Many wild birds eat the seeds, as do chipmunks and squirrels, and the plants provide food for butterflies, as well as for other mammals (aside from human ones). Be sure to leave some for everybody.

I want to add something....hope this sounds right, or rather that I am able to get what I want out the way I want it. For a long, long time now we have ate what we were taught to eat. We have lost so much of what people used to eat because it isn't grown commercially now. God, put these herbs, plants, seeds, and so on here for us to eat....I am happy that I am discovering what (in some ways) what was lost. And, I am discovering new ways to feed my family. Things that are good for us and just plain old good!

Edible Weed Series #1 Purslane Herb

2009-03-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Edible Weed is called Purslane. Purslane has a mild sweet/sour flavor and it is chewy, but crisp. Most always the stem has a reddish tent and it creeps along the ground. It blooms in the summer with a small yellow flower. The seeds are no larger than a grain of sand and they are black.

Purslane is known as an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E and the essential amino acids. Reports describe Purslane as a “power food of the future” because of its high nutritive and antioxidant properties. Purslane leaves contain Omega-3 fatty acid which regulate the body’s metabolic activities. Purslane herb is known to have one of the highest known concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acid in any plant.

Purslane can be eaten straight off the ground raw or cooked on the stove. We have cooked it with Squash and we love it. It goes great in stir fry, soups and salad.

This is one of my favorite and I hope that you will try it...I have ordered seeds for this years garden (because it has a small root system, it makes great mulch in your garden). This stuff multiply like crazy, but that is a good thing and if it comes up somewhere that you don't want it, pull it up. I read somewhere that these seeds can last 10 years outside, wow...that really does sound like the food of the future. This stuff comes up everywhere. I don't have any in my yard, but I do remember seeing it the State Fair park last year and it grows down at my moms house. Now, they do say that the wilder it is, the better it is. I can't wait to plant my seeds!

Edible Weeds

2009-03-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

I am going to do a series on Edible Weeds. I am going to do one at a time and it will probably take me a little while. These plants are all around us and they are really good for us. Now, in this age in time I feel that we need to know all about how to survive off the land if needed. But, besides that, these plants are delicious and so good for you. It is so neat to be able to go out in your back yard, or to take a walk in the woods and find these plants and to take them home and make a salad or cook with them. I love sharing this with my children! So, keep an open mind and forget you are eating what most people call a weed. Maybe we can all get together and have a "weed" eating party!!!!!

LOL, OKAY HERE WE GO AGAIN!

2009-03-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

LOL, I am going to take one more shot at this, I am going to set aside a time each day to be able to get on here and blog.....There is so much I have to say and share.........