Ready and Waiting... Part 2

A week later, and still waiting... I was feeling pretty discouraged last night and stressed about the timing. But God, in His graciousness, gave me a peace. And not just an unexplainable peace, but also some rationalization, which He knows I need. So I am feeling better, but I still have moments when I think, "I wish this would just happen already!" Then I try to think, "I trust You Lord. Help me to enjoy the time."

For, really, there's no rush. Coach is home a lot, so he helps with Sweet Girl if I need a break (which I do often!). He goes up and down the stairs putting the laundry in the washer or dryer and brings it back up again. He does the dishes. He rubs my feet at night. It's great to spend so much time with him!

And Sweet Girl... it was her birthday yesterday and we celebrated by having some friends over in the morning and going to the park (her favorite) in the evening. So besides trying to enjoy my time with them, here and now, I am trying to just keep going as if I wasn't waiting for something big to happen any moment.

I started another book, Little Women.  I read it in junior high, but I don't remember much of it at all. I didn't start a book for a couple days because I was "sure" I wouldn't have time to finish it. But, obviously, I've had more time than I thought and reading is so relaxing (and distracting!).

I started a year-long "research project". Basically I want to learn more about real food and traditional ways of preparing it. Next I want to plan ways to implement all I learn into our lives. The goal is at the end of the year to have a timeline of changes to slowly make in regards to what food I buy and how I prepare it. I have eleven goals (so far) of things I want to learn or plan during this time. I hope to have this as my sole focus for the short times I get to myself. We'll see how it goes. I was planning on starting a month or two after the baby's born, but since I had extra time on my hands, I went ahead and made my goals and I'll do what I can until then.

Mostly I will do my research online. To organize all the information I find, without writing a ton of notes, I downloaded the program Evernote. I heard about it awhile ago here, but since we were using Coach's work laptop, I didn't want to download it on there. Now we have a new computer (which I love!), so I did it. I think it will be very handy and I'm really excited.

That brings me to thoughts about this blog. I'm not sure what I'll want to do here after the dust settles with the baby. It might be a random, when-I-have-thoughts-blog again. After all, I'm sure I'll have much less time. But maybe I'll want to do something structured again, just not as much. Maybe I will want to share all I'm learning in my research project. I would like some opinion from my few readers (I knew there are a couple out there...). At least so I can give it some consideration. I do enjoy blogging, but it does take time and effort. I may not miss it so much once I'm busier... Just not sure what direction I'll go.

Please keep us in your prayers during this time! It's certainly a trial of patience and trust.

Homemaking Saturday: Review/Preview

On Homemaking Saturday I share something I'm doing or learning to make my home a better place.


I think I will make it a habit to write my Review/Preview on the last Saturday of the month. It's just simpler and it does make sense. I want to update you on a couple things I've written about on Saturdays this month, so it just seemed natural.

Basil

April
I got almost everything accomplished in April that I had hoped to! I did have to slow down before and after Pascha, but lately I haven't needed naps in the afternoon, which I'm so grateful for! I know the days are limited so I'm trying to make the most of them!

Peas

I finally ordered new glasses for myself, Sweet Girl has an appointment for the dentist this Wednesday, and all the photos I have are organized in photo albums. I have pictures waiting to be ordered (when there's a special!). That last one especially feels good to be done. I hadn't bothered to order pictures (except of Sweet Girl) since we've been married! When you move around so much, you don't have a place for photo albums. However, now we do and it feels good to have that set.

Zinnia and Lettuce

I planted seeds the middle week of April and there are sprouts already in most of them. I think I will need to replant a few things or start them indoors like I did with the basil. I'm so excited to see growth, I just hope I don't kill them somehow! It will be so wonderful to have real plants! Sweet Girl is just as excited. She loves to water them and always talks about them when we see them as we leave the house.

Spinach

And those curtains I mentioned last week? I finished them Sunday afternoon. They really make the room darker. I made them out of coat lining material I found at the thrift store. Four yards for $4! It's lightweight, yet non-transparent. It blocks those security lights too, which helps at night. I had to add some fabric at the top as it wasn't quite long enough. It's still not as long as I'd like, but it will do. It's temporary, really, as we won't be in this house much more than another year. I bought a cheap curtain rod at Dollar General. It's stretched to its maximum length and if we tried to open the curtains, it probably would come apart. So we just won't.

May
Here's my list for May:
1. Get more soil as well as tomato and broccoli plants. Plant.
2. Plan gifts and household needs through October and start shopping.
3. Start buying things for the baby.
4. Move Sweet Girl into her big bed and rearrange her room. Decorate it too.
5. Make dish soap.
6. Make a food plan with Coach. (Meals he feels comfortable cooking once in awhile after the baby's here.)
7. Get a curtain for the front door.
8. Make a cardboard kitchen for Sweet Girl.
9. Reorganize areas of the kitchen.
10. Reorganize storage boxes.

In my mind, it's really getting down the wire. I'm getting big. I'm going to be tired. I don't want to have a lot on my plate after this month. My list for June is small and I hope to keep it that way!

Homemaking Saturday: Gardening

On Homemaking Saturday, I share something I'm doing or learning to make my home a better place to live.

I have never gardened before unless you count when I was a child and weeding was a chore that I despised. Now that I see the value in growing your own produce, and I am finally in a position to, I am going to attempt it this spring and summer.

I am going to do container gardening since this is not our property. Around February we started composting in a container. I don't know how it's doing except things are rotting. Again, a new venture in which I don't know what I'm doing. So, I may or may not end up using some. I really need to look into it.

For containers I will be using the bottoms of milk and juice jugs (for herbs, flowers, and smaller plants) and five gallon buckets (for bigger plants). Glamorous, I know... My goal this year is not to make a pretty garden, but to grow produce.

I ordered seeds from Fedco, a company my former-CSA-farmer brother recommended. They should come some time next week. I will buy some seedlings next month.

For April I hope to start:

• lettuce
• peas
• parsley
• chives
• cilantro
• basil
• dill
• zucchini
• yellow squash
• flowers

In May I'll get tomato plants and start green beans and cucumber as well.

I have sort of a giddy, but anxious, excitement about this venture. I feel like a child, excited about the possibility and adventure, in awe of growth. But my rational adult side feels fear and dread at utter and total failure. Because, friends, I really don't have a clue what I'm doing! I've compiled information from books and my brother, but I'm getting the sense that this is something one must learn on one's own and only by experience. Kind of like having a baby.

So we shall see. Fortunately, I haven't spent that much money so if nothing works out, it wasn't a huge investment to begin with. And no matter what amount of produce I get, I hope to can at least learn and have some value from that. 

Are you planning on gardening this year? Any tips for newbies? Happy growing!

Homemaking Saturday: My Homemade Bag

On "Homemaking Saturday" I share something I'm doing, have done or am learning to make my home a better place.

The birthday present to myself and from my husband was this homemade bag. He bought the fabric (that I picked out) and I made it. I could not find a bag that I liked in the stores, so I made one! I spent a lot of time looking for an online tutorial for a bag that fit my ideal and one I could understand being a sewing novice. Finally, I combined and modified these two: A Simple Six-Pocket Bag and this Market Tote.

I searched for fabric at Joann.com and found the floral fabric, which had to be ordered online. Once I got that, we went to Joann's and I picked out the other materials to go with it. It has twelve pockets, six on the outside and six on the inside. I wanted a pocket for everything so I didn't have to dig, dig, dig around for something.

I also made a wristlet to go with it so that I can have my cards, keys, and phone on me if I just need to run in somewhere.

It's definitely not perfect, but it was fun, it's purposeful and hopefully it'll last a while!

November Projects: Recipes, jars and more

Although I feel behind and a tad overwhelmed at the moment, I have actually accomplished a lot this month so far. It being the 9th day and all. Here's a look:

I bought the big, half gallon jars and my mom gave me all the quart and smaller jars. It feels so organized and looks nice too! The top shelf has grains, second baking goods, and the bottom shelf has the gluten free flours, as well as whole wheat. I wish I had room in my kitchen, but it's better we keep them in the "mud room" because it's cooler. They say you should refrigerate gluten free flours, but I just don't have room in my fridge.

I cleaned out my recipe box leaving only those recipes I still want to try. I organized all my tried and true favorites into a book my mother-in-law gave me a few Christmases ago, and made a master menu planning list of all the dishes and side dishes we love. I have to say I was pretty giddy at the completion of my "Family Favs" book - all those wonderful food ideas in one place!

I made this cute pencil roll for my niece who turned six last week. Her party is tomorrow so hopefully she'll like it! I admit, it is far, far from perfect, but maybe she won't notice... being six and all. I complimented the gift with a notepad for her to doodle or write in. The party is ballerina themed so I have an excuse to put Sweet Girl in a super fun, ruffled skirt! Yay!

No pictures, but I'm happy to say I made gluten free yeast bread and gluten free noodles for the first time this week! AND they both turned out pretty good! Especially the noodles. (And they were easy-wow!)

Now I'm working on Christmas shopping and drowning, er, swimming in doubt about what is best, when to buy, etc., etc., etc. Good thing I have over a month still!

What are you working on?