We've been having lots of rain lately. I've been collecting it for a couple sensitive plants that I have. I wish we had a rain collection system, we'd have a ton saved up right now.
Well, I'm planning to either grow or purchase in-season fruits and vegetables and can or freeze them this summer. We have plenty of meat in our freezer, but I'd feel much better having other stuff handy. I'm going to hit the Berry Farm with McKenna in June to get a bunch of strawberries and raspberries. I'll probably do jam and also freeze some for later use. We have some peaches from last year that I froze in a light syrup that still taste really yummy. Only 2 bags left, so I think I planned it pretty well. We have a cherry tree in our front yard that's more ornamental but the cherries it puts out are very nice. Good enough for a pie and to can some. I'm tempted to buy some cornish X chicks to raise but I doubt I'd get away with it in our subdivision. A friend of mine raised about 30 and then had them butchered at the requisite time and had a whole freezer packed with them. You may think I'm weird but I want to learn how to butcher a chicken on my own. In a way, I wish I'd been raised on my grandparents farm in Interlaken, NY. I would have gotten a good education on milking cows and raising chickens.
Anyway, my dream is still to end up on a nice large piece of property where we can at least have some chickens, maybe rabbits too - and have a well and be much more self-sufficient than we are now. It would be a good education for my kids. One possibility that I'm looking into is a CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You purchase a share of a farm, and then receive a portion of what is grown on that farm every week throughout the growing season. Some of these farms require volunteer work and some don't but will discount you 50% if you come and help out! That's probably where I'd end up getting that education for my kids. Only thing is the shares are about $500. per growing season. Some take payment arrangements, so I'll have to look into it and see if it's feasible. Maybe next year. This year, we're working on baby and NY vacation.
Enough for now - I'm planning on freezing a whole bunch of strawberries that Noel brought home from the store. There's no way we'll eat them all up before they go bad!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Happy Mother's Day!
Noel and the girls took me out to The Melting Pot in Boise. It's a fondue restaurant. We had an excellent time and it was so expensive we probably won't eat out for the rest of the month! LOL
They took a picture of us which should be up on facebook in a couple of days, they said. I'll keep an eye out and maybe post it here.
Kids are doing fabulous. Madelaine is talking more... lots more understandable words and she understands almost everything you say to her. Loves snuggles, especially from Daddy and is really turning into a Daddy's Girl! She likes to hang out in the garage with him when he's working on his car. It's pretty cute. McKenna would much rather hang out with me, usually - except when he gets home from work and then they both won't leave him alone for tickles!
Noel got my bike in working order, and with the bike trailer and the bike he purchased for himself off of craigslist, we've been taking bike rides as a family. McKenna keeps up really well and Madelaine is in the trailer since she's not pedaling her bike yet. Only steering it when I decide to push her. For Mothers Day yesterday we rode through our subdivision and into the next one, which connects to a lovely bike path. There are 4 geocaches in that area and we found two of them. On one Noel had to walk out over a big canal on some old metal beams that stretched across, get down on his belly and feel underneath. He came up with a film canister - we signed the log and replaced it. On the fourth geocache, which was in a nasty thorny bush we found some cheap toys, so I traded out some double AA batteries and the girls each took a small toy. I can see us doing this kind of thing more often now that the weather is turning nice.
Babe inside me is doing well. I'm due in a little over two months and have only gained 13 pounds, which is the total I gained with McKenna. I've been trying to eat plenty and good stuff, but it's hard when I have a pretty small appetite. Next appointment at the birthing center is next week Monday I believe. I'll probably meet the 3rd senior midwife at the facility since I've already met the first two.
At the park in the last couple of weeks, I've met some ladies with kids near my kids age and have had great conversations. They live really close, one lady I can see her house from our front door. She has 3 boys and McKenna enjoyed playing with them. The other lady has an 8 month old boy and a 3 year old girl. I'm glad I'm meeting people who live really close by. It's nice not having to jump in a car every time you want to visit someone!
Well, the morning Curious George show is almost over so I'm going to go and clean house/entertain kids!
Noel and the girls took me out to The Melting Pot in Boise. It's a fondue restaurant. We had an excellent time and it was so expensive we probably won't eat out for the rest of the month! LOL
They took a picture of us which should be up on facebook in a couple of days, they said. I'll keep an eye out and maybe post it here.
Kids are doing fabulous. Madelaine is talking more... lots more understandable words and she understands almost everything you say to her. Loves snuggles, especially from Daddy and is really turning into a Daddy's Girl! She likes to hang out in the garage with him when he's working on his car. It's pretty cute. McKenna would much rather hang out with me, usually - except when he gets home from work and then they both won't leave him alone for tickles!
Noel got my bike in working order, and with the bike trailer and the bike he purchased for himself off of craigslist, we've been taking bike rides as a family. McKenna keeps up really well and Madelaine is in the trailer since she's not pedaling her bike yet. Only steering it when I decide to push her. For Mothers Day yesterday we rode through our subdivision and into the next one, which connects to a lovely bike path. There are 4 geocaches in that area and we found two of them. On one Noel had to walk out over a big canal on some old metal beams that stretched across, get down on his belly and feel underneath. He came up with a film canister - we signed the log and replaced it. On the fourth geocache, which was in a nasty thorny bush we found some cheap toys, so I traded out some double AA batteries and the girls each took a small toy. I can see us doing this kind of thing more often now that the weather is turning nice.
Babe inside me is doing well. I'm due in a little over two months and have only gained 13 pounds, which is the total I gained with McKenna. I've been trying to eat plenty and good stuff, but it's hard when I have a pretty small appetite. Next appointment at the birthing center is next week Monday I believe. I'll probably meet the 3rd senior midwife at the facility since I've already met the first two.
At the park in the last couple of weeks, I've met some ladies with kids near my kids age and have had great conversations. They live really close, one lady I can see her house from our front door. She has 3 boys and McKenna enjoyed playing with them. The other lady has an 8 month old boy and a 3 year old girl. I'm glad I'm meeting people who live really close by. It's nice not having to jump in a car every time you want to visit someone!
Well, the morning Curious George show is almost over so I'm going to go and clean house/entertain kids!
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