Menu

This was supposed to posted yesterday, but alas.....

Everyone at sometime or another begins to look or take a second look at their diet. I do the same. I evaluate how much we are spending, how healthy we are eating, reading the list and checking it twice. I am constantly attempting to judge how much organic/natural foods we purchase. These items are not cheap and with a large family on an almost non existent budget it can become quite a juggling act to include these items in menu planning. I generally believe in the "hype" of an organic mostly vegetable (if not raw) lifestyle. I also know that Jesus stated did not want us to worry undully about tomorrow, and we were to sick the will of the Father first and foremost. Matthew 6:33-34. This allows me to have a fairly balance and open view of eating. I don't beat myself too much if I have to grab that sack of white flour off the shelf instead of my preferred unbromated unbleached flour.

I had noticed, probably due to my mood, that I was not fixing dinners. The kids had become accustomed to grazing. Eight kids eating all day is not a good thing. Of course all this last meeting eating also led to packaged foods, sweets, etc. So I had to check myself. We also have been watching those documentaries. You know Food Inc., Food Matters, Tapped and the like. Of course I walk away going I need to make some changes. I tweaked our menu. I have created a 5 week menu this way I don't need to worry about creating a new menu each week, which sometimes can be a task. Anyway in most families, certain items become favorites and most of us shuffle through several dozen recipes. I decided to cut down on some of our meat consumption. So we are going down to meat two days a week, this probably does not include our homemade pizza nights. I want to make our plates more colorful, making sure we partake of fruits and vegetables at each meal not just grains. Lastly I would like our morning and afternoon meals to composed of mostly raw fruits or vegetables.

Here is what I came up with:
5 Week Menu Plan


I love reading about cooking and attempting new recipes. I absolutely love my Cooking Light magazine. So you'll find the bottom non-colored row is what we are currently doing. I'll think I will use my menu as a jumping off point. I will adjust taking advantage of seasonal items, sales and recipes we want to try.

Moving Away From Consumerisum

Image via WikipediaThis is a post and hopefully a series of post directed by bloggy friend over at Simple Single Mom she is most definitely an inspiration. The idea is to be conscious of what we buy and why we buy, to live within our means, and even more to consciously purchase.

The week of April 3rd:

Purchase of $11.99 Tea Tree Oil, we make most of our own cleaning supplies. So this item is indeed a house item, a consumable. I don't tend buy organic simply because of price. The same size bottle organic would cost $29.99. Now that I think of it we make ALL of our cleaning supplies except laundry and cloth diapering soaps.

Image via WikipediaPurchaesd of $53.46 for Legos. This were individual blocks purchased either through Lego directly or through ebay. These are for a Lego Club through Currclick. This month's class will be about building simply machines.

Purchase of $31.45 for math books. We school all year round and main subject items are purchased as needed.

While the last two items are necessary for the learning at home family. I still want to create a budget for these items. I want to have the money actually on hand, a line item budget item. I am not there yet but I hope to be by June.

I'll need to check with our dear leader in this matter as to if we should post all things we purchase or just the extras...hmm

A little sadness

I was reading this postBeautopotamus: I'm having a crisis and I started to thing of how I was feeling about age, growing older, wider , lol.

The last week or so I have been blue. I thought it could be winter, dragging on, it's enough to drive anyone insane, especially with bouts of sunshine and 60 degree only to see clouds and 20 the next. I also thought maybe it is the onset of one of my episodes, I do have clinical depression. Trickle, trickle, a weird feeling came over me, went to the bathroom, oh, oh it's y period. Explains it right.

Don't think I am too loopy, I have not had a period in maybe 3 years or more, I have breastfed my last 4 children, continually until another bump began showing. So I forgot what changes and mood swings my body goes through.

This time around the sadness is a little deeper. This monthly flow, and maybe every monthly flow afterward is a remainder that I will never carry a baby in my belly, as the youngest kids say, again. My DH and I decided that eight was enough. I am filled with a sadness and a slight empty feeling hard to explain.

I don't WANT another baby. I am more than happy with our wonderful family. I guess it is just a woman thing. I enjoy being a mom, I enjoy carrying life, I enjoy nourishing life. I also enjoy nurturing life.

I there also is a renewed desire to cherish the babies around me. Never again will I have a 9 month old, a 2 year old, 4 year old, 6 year old, 9 year old, 11 year old, 14 year old and a 17 year old. I will enjoy their smiles and laughter a bit more. I want to kiss each bruise and fall with new vigor. I want to be fully present for them.

In the end this is why we chose to stop, so we could completely embrace the ones that are here. I will have time and energy for each of their requests, antics, and needs. I love them. I love being their mommy. This was our choice, not influenced by family, society, religion. Just a mom and a dad trying to figure out what is best. While I miss what could have been, what has passed, I am grateful for a husband who worked with me. I am grateful for children who embraced each and every new gift. I am grateful for the few friends that did not judge or scoff. I will feel and embrace this sadness, but use that emotion to love the ones that are right here.

Basic Chateuse Recycled Wool Slippers, sz 1824m

Basic Chateuse Recycled Wool Slippers, sz 1824m:

I have quietly mentioned trying to get a handle on clothing purchases. We don't spend a lot of money on clothes. We shop thrift, hand-me downs, and sales. I am looking to try and get away from that hurried someone needs something and they need it right now, kind of thing we have going on right now. I want to can create a budget and remain within it. I also want to begin to plan for the season ahead, not the current one. We have four definite seasons and we have to dress for each one. Buy scouring sales I hope by the end of this summer to be fully prepared for the fall, maybe even the winter.

So on this journey, I wanted to purchase good quality soft sole shoes for DS4. Purchasing quality items = good green choice + longevity. Now either may not always hold true, but I'm making an effort to purchase quality in less quanity. Trying to have a minimalist thinking. If good pair of shoes is better than four lesser quality ones better for your feet, last longer so maybe less money in the long run. I'm trying to figure that out.

Enter Woolly Bottoms. While learning about cloth diapering, I discovered the wonders of wool. I noticed her slippers and liked them. I bought a pair for DS3 and they are great quality, warm, easy to care for and she makes them herself. I wanted to purchase a pair for DS4, after that everyone would have their inside shoes and I could focus on summer shoes. But with their slippers you have to grab them quick. It took 3 months.

Finally I nabbed them. I had to wait around, keep my trigger finger ready and than type like a mad woman.
-"notice the sold out sign, is because of me :)

Baby Boy has his slippers, now we are all set.

What!? DS1 just showed me his slippers, they have a hole, a huge hole on the bottom of the sole! Okay, now I'm saving my pennies for some Smartwool sippers for the one who believes he can't pick up his feet but drags them. Or maybe I'll just purchase some quick drying cement.

Excuse me while I cry in defeat.

Yesterday was better

than today.


Our dryer has gone out. Broken fan. This is not good in anyone's home. Of course we just compound the problem by cloth diapering 2 kiddos and have 10 beings running around here. Laundry piles up easily and very quickly. I hate seeing dirty laundry. Maybe because it is a never ending task. Don't worry there will be three loads to greet you in the morning, regardless of what you get done the night before.

I just quit a part time job. I did find something to replace with it. But of course the chaos I was attempting to leave is still nipping at my heels. The silly company has not paid me my last paycheck. Of course I get the proverbial "the checks in the mail".

The other parts of my day went well. I had the energy to smile and engage with the kids. Teeth brushed, hair combed, dressed and the little ones were off. The older children were great helpers to me. Toward the evening I was just wiped out.

My former midwife, soon to be preceptor stopped by for a chat. It was great talking with her. I am such a hermit I may go literally months without talking to a girlfriend "really talking" and than when I finally get to sit and chat I feel like I missed it.

Hubby made it through 2 jobs today. I was able to see him briefly in between. I hope he is able to sleep well tonight. I hope I am as I have a double myself to look forward to.

So it Begins

This may be some sort of beginning. It may some sort of end. It could be really good. I know there will be some bad.

My husband will embark on a quest to work 80 hours a week for a sustained period. I already work about 55 hours each week. My dear dear hubby has many aspirations, purchasing a home, a reliable car, emergency fund. Nothing too extravagant but things that, after almost a year of unemployment is not so quickly attained. He has finally, with much input from me, come to see that no amount of quick fast cash or dreams will remedy his cravings. One thing and one thing alone will get him to his goals, his finish line...hard work.



I will assist my wonderful partner in the many ways I can, and you dear reader will be able to laugh as I fall, become annoyed, complete a challenge and scrap the whole darn thing and start over again. See, we have 8 children, yes 8. So this has to be a well oiled machine. Uh, and I am not well at anything. But if nothing else has this is a push, a kick to get back to full time home cooked meals, regular cleaning schedule, lesson planning, family study and game nights.

So this is how it goes.