Been Super Busy..

Sorry I haven't poseted in while...ALOT has been going on around here.

To highlight;

•  I am gearing up for spring (seeding starter plants, ordering extra seed and they like)
• Have been upgrading farm equipment
• We have 3 newborn goats I have been bottle feeding
• My chickens are laying like crazy despite the crazy weather (good girls)
• My husband has been gone since Friday because of storm duty from the horrible tornados that struck Ky, Indiana, ohio and other places.  He is a lineman (my father is also) and they have been working long hours on storm duty and have witnessed horrible things.  Be in prayer for them as well as the victims.  It really puts into perspective how TRULY blessed I am!

...well that added to the day to day life of a mama of 5 and the chores that come with farming posting has been last on my list :-) no offense.  I will probably be on and off until my baby goats quit needing bottles every 4-5 hours but I will try to begin posting regularly again.  My goal is to guide some to know how to sustain yourself. 

If there are any particlaur posts you would like to hear feel free to email me @ maria_slah@live.com or post a comment here. 

**Maria

Check this out...

This is why we shouls ALL grow our own food.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/08/that-isnt-wax-on-your-organic-apple.aspx?e_cid=20120208_DNL_art_1

Raising your own food

I have had soem question s so I thought I would share...When we first started farming it was nearly IMPOSIBLE to get seed that was #1 Heirloom #2 Open pollinated #3 Organic.  We finally found some places that offer what we wanted ...
1.) Patriot Supply
2.) Sustainable Seed Company
3.) Sow True Seed

...and now we save our own seed (for ourselves). 

The scary fact of all of this is this genetically modified food  does not have the same nutrients, and have been linked to ALL types of health issues including cancers, autism and MORE.  I DEFINATELY recommend growing your own food because most of what is available even in farmers markets are GM , just do your research.

Things to realize (and you can google for added info or feel free to ask me ANY questions) that the company MONSANTO are trying to monopolize the food industry.  They are taking seed, changing it genetically toi grow this way or that way and sterilizing it so that the seed will have to be repurchased.  They are suceeding.  The ONLY thing you can do is BOYCOTT anything they are connected with...and it's ALOT because they are buying out the small companies left and right. 

A great website for the health factors in all of this is Dr. Mercolas website.  Just type GMO or monsantoi in the Search on his site. 

More on this later...I just wanted to answer the question I was asked.

Updating a Goodwill special...

THIS WAS THE BEFORE OF ONE OF THE DRAWERS.  IT WAS SAD...SOOOO I WANTED TO USE IT BUT NOT LOOKIN LIKE THAT!


I HAD SOME PAINT LEFT OVER FROM SOME OTHER PROJECTS SO I DECIDED TO UPDATE IT SOME.

FIRST: I SANDED THE ENTIRE PIECE WITH A 60 GRIT SANDPAPER.

SECOND: I PAINTED THE ENTORE PIECE WITH PRIMER.

THIRD: WHILE THE PRIMER WAS DRYING I TOOK THE DRAWER HANDLES WHICH LOOKED LIKE THIS BEFORE...



....AND I SPRAY PAINTED THEM WITH SOME LEFTOVER SPRAY PAINT FROM ANOTHER PROJECT.



FOURTH: AFTER THE PRIMER HAD DRIED I PAINTED THE ENTIRE PIECE AND RUBBED SOME WITH ANOTHER COLOR TO AGE SOME.

WHEN IT WAS FINISHED IT LOOKED LIKE THIS:

AND THE HANDLES LOOKED LIKE THIS:

SPRAY PAINTED BLACK...

SO THERE YA GO...CHEAP AND EASY.

For the Hubby...

I found a really cute idea for your hubby...

and even better the website offers a FREE printable!  What could be easier than that!!!

Check out http://www.skiptomylou.org/2012/02/01/you-hold-the-key-to-my-heart-valentine-printable/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+skiptomyloublog+%28Skip+To+My+Lou%29

**Maria

VALENTINE you make my heart BOUNCE!

I found this GREAT idea at www.thecraftingchicks.com! 

My 6 year old daughter has decided this is going to be her valentines for this year.. Sounds great to me..cheap and candy free :-)  It's a win/win.

I have not made them yet, but I am planning to use  my computer to print out my messages to staple over  small snack size ziploc bags containing the bouncy balls.

My daughter has also decided she wants to add glitter to the bags for some sparkle...sounds messy for the gift receiver, but I have not yet been able to convince her of that fact.

Cute Class Valentine for a Boy

This is a SUPER cute SUPER thrifty idea for a class valentine for a boy!!

The EASY instructions:

1.) Purchase the pack of little army men (I found these for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree).
2.) Cut out a heart from red card stock (you can use construction paper but card stock works better).
3.) With a hole puncher, punch a hole in the top right corner of the heart.
4.)  On the heart write the desired message. "Love is a Battlefield!" works gerat.
5.) Attach the heart to the army man with ribbon.

TA DA !!  Very FAST!  Kids will LOVE helping!! 

When the going gets tough..

Sometimes....well...alot of times...life throws curve balls at us.  It could be BIG or small but either way it can knock us off course. 

I have been there too many times to count...unfortunately...

In the past little things would lead me into feeling worthless. Whether it was a goal not reached...an unkind word spoken..anything.

I still get a tad sensitive on things, but one thing I have learned is that I was relying so much on what others thought of me that it was affecting my ENTIRE life.  I have learned that if I am living in a way pleasing to God that is good enough.

So no matter what you are facing...Belive in Yourself..and let God lead the way.

Confessions..and more on me...

A little more tidbits about the world of me...the good and the bad...

• I love my family, and my husband SO much...
• I secretly sneak looks at adoption websites even though we have 5 kiddos already...I know...I am a sucker.
• I LOVE my church, everything about it.  Everyone there is ...REAL...which is hard to find. 
• I struggle EVERYDAY with feeling inadequate...like most women.
• I have a hard time saying  "NO"  which is why I end up with a workload of a small office.
• As a Christian I KNOW my duty to witness...and yet alot of times...most in fact...I find it easier to tell my self they wouldn't listen anyway...and I am not "good enough" to tell them what they should do.(which I know is not the truth)
• I boycott facebook..so not on the cool LIKE list...and I am okay with that.
• I LOVE to read..but rarely have time to.
• I fear I will not be adequate as a mother/wife even though I try.
• Media makes me uncomfortable..especially the way sexuality is pressed into EVERYTHING.  I mean why do we need half naked women to sell a cup of coffee or a T-shirt.

Oh...SO much more...but that's enough on ABOUT me. :-)  Now onto more topics...you get the jest of my craziness I am sure.

A litttle more...

A little more basics about me.....

• I used to work as a Personal Trainer and Nutritional Wellness Coach.
• I used to work for a Marketing Company.
• I am all for ORGANIC.
• I have a real BIG problem with Monsanto and GMO foods.
• I sometimes wish it were 1912 instead of 2012.
• I have two major things on the burner right now other than raising my family: writing a book on Nutrition and the dangers of GMO foods, and considering opening up a small organic store because in my neck of the woods.....  they don't exist.

There are a little more tidbits into my world. That is barely breaking the ice on crazy 'ol me ...but... I will share over time a little at a time specifics on those and more into my world. 

Feel free to ask questions on anything :-)

*Maria*

Introductions...

Hi all- just wanted to do some introductions... like my "about" page says I have 5 kiddos.  Jayelyn is 13, Alyssa is 11, Brent is 9, Kyla is 6 and Cade is 2. 

Jayelyn actually JUST turned 13 on Jan. 11th...so I am new to the mama of a teen game (although not so new to the my daughter has a mouth like a teen game).

We live on a small farm and try to homestead as much as possible....we grow organic and buy organic of whatever we don't grow/raise(except for what my well meaning mother in law brings in our home..ugh).

I LOVE LOVE LOVE anything crafty or DIY(well most of it)!!  We actually are fixing to DIY our own home addition (yikes).  My hubby is the original scrooge and we are one income except for whatever trickles in via my freelance jobs....soooo needless to say we try to watch our money and anything that gets done ...we get to do the doin:-)

I love gardening...canning...decorating....scrapbooking...etc.

We love our church...and we are doing our best to raise our kids knowing and having a relationship with God.  Which is super scary...and a blessing...to know that we are responsible for that...gulp.

I LOVE to sing, and participate in the kids programs at church...

I am a big ol' goof ball ..most of the time...unless I am in one of my MAMA moods...then watch out.

well...that will get ya started on the basics of crazy ol' me...until next time ;-)


Maria