Give It A Try! (Originally posted as Family is the Most Sustainable Form of Energy )

Everything around us has to be green, recycled or sustainable. What I see expressed in a lot of families is that someone else cooks their food, from fast food, to frozen waffles, to school lunches, to prefab meals eaten in front of the tv. I do not believe this is helpful and it certainly isn't wholesome. Sometimes these fast food meals and even the ever more market driven school meals are marketed as wholesome because they have some fruit in them or some cooked milk or because the packaging is 33% post consumer. I am not saying that the fast food folks and the usda school meals aren't trying to offer more wholesome choices, but they can only go so far as their marketing will work.I am also thankful for our school lunch programs for those kids who do not get food of any kind at home

When I was a kid (admittedly in the last millenium) In our public school we had an amazing soup once per week. It was tomato and cabbage based, cooked slowly all night with meaty soup bones and lots more veggies added. It was served with a hand made roll that had raised all morning on the counters in the kitchen, the aroma of which was the only advertising the lunchroom ladies needed to get us there. We were fairly mutineeing by the time they were done! Because it was the south, there was also buttered cornbread. For desert, we had canned peaches. Now all of those foods have gone out of vogue and most kids would be too cool to eat this in front of their peers. We knew all about cool in my day too, but we came from homes where our moms really cooked. Layered salads, rich soups, stews and casseroles, fruit with whipped cream and milk or at our house, sweet tea to wash it down with. It was good food eaten at the table with our siblings and our parents. It tasted much better some times because the topics of conversation were better. Good report cards, getting the yard cut or the windows trimmed out. There were times when sad things had happened, when there was moral failure, disagreements between parents and kids. These meals were seasoned with blandness and dryness, regardless of how wonderful they'd been moments before the negative announcement.

Today, our families are so fragmented that there seems nothing sustainable about them. Even my home, where we have made the sacrifices to educate our children at home and to limit outside activities to church and one or 2 extracurricullar activities per year. We try very hard to have the bulk of our day sharing education, ideas, debate and agreement as well as wholesome, unprocessed home grown food and herbs. We try to find what we need nearby and not spend a lot of time getting places and buying foods that have travelled thousands of miles to get to us. Even then, with our family being intentionally zealous of our family time and our meal times, it is a rare day that at least one person is not grabbing a sandwich on the run to get to a meeting somewhere.

What about those families who haven't given an intentional thought to sustainable family living? I think they could gradually change. Lets start with the frozen waffles. Rather than go to the store to buy them. The family could buy good freshly ground flour, excellent oils, fresh eggs (or better yet grow your
own) a good whole foods cook book such as Nourishing Traditions. Then, one or two Saturdays per month the family could gather in their jammies for juice and waffles. One team could juice apple, carrot and ginger while the other family made the whole wheat waffles. The waffle team will make enough to have 2 or 3 meals worth, left over. This family is all hands on deck contributing to the health, entertainment and enjoyment of the family and enough forthought has gone into it to freeze waffles to throw in the toaster several times next week. This will provide a number of healthy, minimally packaged, very sustainable meals for this family. It can also save a lot of money if the leftover waffles cause the family to drive past McDonalds without stopping.

Something similar can be figured in for dinner several nights per week with extra meat or veggies going into the pot for lunches later in the week. Prep time, cook time, meal time are all valuable family time. The leftover lunches will have much less msg, fat, and salt than the fast food lunch it most likely replaces.

I hope that someone will try something like this. Turn off the tv. Put away anything that rings, vibrates or requires ear buds. Sit whereever you are comfortable and have a meal. Let people talk. Even little people, even people whose hair is painted a funny color or who do not like to talk. Let everyone have his voice in between the bites of the food that was prepared at home ...with love and care.

Try this for a while and let me know what happens.

God bless you!


our fruit bowl with labels still on

Bungee cords and Baling Twine

Sometimes I worry a little that my children will grow up feeling that they were deprived during their childhoods. Ask me in about twenty years and I will perhaps know what effect our frugal and humble lifestyle has on people when they grow up. I am not sure how they will remember the years of wearing only hand me down and thrift store clothing, working to earn money for anything above food and shelter, wildcrafting, Farmer's Marketing and generally making do with what is at hand. I didn't design it to be this way. The life I envisioned had just a little more money for discretionary spending. It would have included a small allowance, a few more new clothes, a little more exposure to the inside of a restaurant and a little more travel.

In reality; however, life is what it is. I was brought up in a similar fashion, though my parents didn't do any entrepreneurial stuff. We ate simple foods, wore inexpensive and hand me down clothing and tried to keep both ends together in the middle. I remember well  when my dad wasn't able to work for various reasons. I remember things being tight. What I don't remember is feeling poor. We were spiritually rich. We loved each other and we welcomed others in our home and family. I hope my children will recall feeling the same way.

I see eveidence that my children are benefitting from not being able to run to the store for everything though. When we are out of one ingredient for a recipe, that almost never thwarts my clever kids. Applesauce will replace oil in baked goods, mayo can sub for eggs or shortening in many baked items as well. They all know how to use powdered milk for anything requiring liquid milk. It is nice to know that we can all put something passably edble together in spite of missing ingredients.

I am most entertained by my family's use of baling twine, Bungee cords, tarps, duct tape and glue! At this very moment, we have a kennel built out of recycled chain link panels. It has Bungee cord hinges and some of the broken brackets have been replaced by zip ties. Our vacuum cleaner maintains suction due to a duct tape repair. Our pigs are shaded and protected from the heat by a tarp and zip ties. Parts of some of our cars have been repaired with tape, glue and (sorry honey, I had to share it) dental floss!

I think we might get kicked out of some neighborhoods, but thankfully most members of our neighborhood get around on hooves or paws and don't concern themselves much with countryside renovations. Our human neighbors too are kind and forgiving of an area of dereliction here or there. I am thankful for the experiences we are having . Sometimes I wish my chldren had it a little easier, but it will be interesting to see how they turn out and whether they carry on the family dental-floss-holding -in-the headlight where mom hit the deer with the van legacy.

Enjoy yourselves!

P.S. Go here http://www.cowboypoetry.com/stephaniedavis.htm#Baling to read the lyrics to one of my favorite songs.

Lawana

Bits and Pieces

Here are some things you may not know, or care to know, but I need to share. Our oldest son is a helicopter pilot. He is a decorated hero. He has a wonderful wife and his children are beautiful. We pray for him every day. They have a Chiweenie just as we do. They NEED our prayers if their chiweenie is anything like ours!

Our second son is also a decorated hero. He is now working in the defense industry as a civilian. His wife is a gift and his boys are way too sweet. There is another baby on the way. We are very proud of them all and pray for them every day, even though they do not have a chiweenie. They do, however, have Spud, the talking, "Woody" impersonating cat. Amazing!

Our third son is on a boat in Bristol bay trying to catch all the sockeye salmon in the ocean. He left his precious wife here to hold down the fort. We pray for them though they neither have a chiweenie, nor a Woody impersonating cat. They do have a very sweet marriage and lots of cute names for the adorable children they will have some day. Oh and this daughter-in-law tries to alienate the affections of my new kitten, Strongbad, whom she calls Kevin!

Our 4th son is bearing down on his 18th birthday and hoping to transition to supported independent living. He now owns a rice maker, two Tupperware containers with lids,and  an electric teapot. I am pretty sure visions of sugarplums are dancing in his head. We pray for him daily, though he owns no Chiweenie, no Woody impersonating cat nor does he rename and try to steal my kitten Strongbad!

Our 16 year old son is driving, a lot, everywhere, every day. He would drive to the bathroom if we would let him. I think he drives in his sleep! He has suddenly become blind to the dents and faded paint of the decades old Chevy Cavalier we let him use. It has an engine...and wheels...it starts...and runs...it is therefore a thing of beauty. We pray for him every day for obvious reasons!

Our 15 year old daughter is away at camp...for the first time...in the far away land of Idaho. She could have driven there. She could probably run the camp. She might be having fun right now without us! We pray for her daily, though she has neither a Chiweenie, nor a talking cat, nor visions of sugarplums, nor the alienated affections of Strongbad/Kevin. She does;  however, own a pig named Ariadne. Hey! Are there boys at that camp?

Our 9 year old son has prayed diligently to get to go to VBS. God has said, "Yes." and has provided a way for him to stay in Missoula with friends. (Thanks R and S!) He will be staying away from us for four days and 3 nights. I am not sure that is allowed. He will probably not even notice we are home alone without him. We pray for him because Vacation Bible School with Brother Larry Hoyle is amazing, challenging and possibly dangerous!

Our 6 year old daughter is amazing. With paralyzed legs, she is taking her world by storm. She is able and impressive. She is visiting with friends this week. She hopes to play in the water with her little friend Eve. We pray for her because she can get into more trouble than  2 Chiweenies, 2 cats, talking and non talking, a driving 16 year old, a helicopter pilot, a commercial fisherman  and a whole summer camp full of kids combined.

My beloved has migraines that mimic strokes, strokes that mimic migraines and sometimes both at the same time. That happened today during church. After 5 hours at the E.R. we determined it was the former. I am so thankful there was no stroke. God is so merciful. The dad to all the amazing young people I mentioned before needs to be in good shape to keep up with them.

In the stress of the hospital visit, I left my purse in the grocery store. Thank you God and whoever the honest person was who took the purse, untouched to the manager.

I thank God for my family. For health, safety and happiness. I hope you are enjoying these blessings too.

Lawana
P.S. We had frost here in my yard this morning! June 27th and frost!

Changing Times

                                                                                    

Thanks Mommy2 for letting me double duty this post from our blog. Thanks again, for getting me started!





Many moms who have a 6 year old do not have an 8 year old grandchild. My husband and I have children that span 3 decades, which Mommy 2 understands. When you have children  of many ages, sometimes it seems that you will be rearing children forever. When you homeschool, it can seem that you will never be done with teaching children phonics and basic math. BUT..these days, I am getting a whiff of a new wind. After decades of being able to spell words in front of the younger children to keep them from knowing what we were saying, we are now having to be careful. My youngest 2 children, ages 9 and 6 can now conquer all but the speediest verbal mazes.

I am now teaching my last child to read. As is my usual, I am of two minds about this. A part of me is rejoicing...for my children's accomplishments and for my own as their teacher. The other part of me is seeing my children grow up so fast. Not too fast. Just SO fast. I have always wanted to work myself out of a job, to bring up my children in such a way that they no longer need any major "mommying" and to reach the point where I can watch and enjoy their adult lives from a mildly involved distance. I am getting my wish.

Our three oldest sons are being good husbands and the two oldest are deep in the ranks of fatherhood. They no longer need us except for prayer support and the occasional bit of advice. They could all teach us as much at this point as we could teach them. My teens are working outside the home, leading extracurricular clubs and participating in ministries. They could all run the house and even educate the younger ones if needed.

Clint and I find ourselves wanting earlier bed times, planning for retirement and being grateful that one of our teens is driving. There are many nights that our family shrinks small enough to fit in a Volkswagen Beetle due to 4-H, Civil Air Patrol and the closing shift at work

I want to adjust gracefully. I don't want to make my children feel badly for growing up and leaving me. I want them to know how excited I am that they can do all that they are able to do. I also want SOMEONE to come home and eat this giant pot of chicken soup I made today! I remember the growing pains as our family got larger. There were times when the amount of food I was accustomed to preparing was no longer enough. Numerous times I had to fill up some growing tummies with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dessert until I learned how much my  family needed at that particular stage in their lives. Well, now I am experiencing previews of how the process will look in reverse. I will soon have to downsize and make smaller meals. For now, though, I am grateful that the teen crew is due to roll in in about an hour to eat my soup.

Enjoy your family in all their stages.

Lawana

P.S. Since this was written, my daughter in law, Becky took over teaching our youngest child to read. She is a wonderful teacher and I can no longer spell ANYTHING at my house. Thanks Becky! I couldn't do it without you. You will be a great mom some day.