Shelling Butter Beans and Peas (Work along side of your children)

When I was a child, we grew a garden a few years, and my grandmother gave us produce for many years. 

During the summer, when I was about 9-10,  I had to sit in the kitchen alone, in a hard chair, staring at the sink, no TV, no radio, no company, and was threatened time and time again not to make a mess. It was oppressive, and I felt like I was being punished.

I HATED it! 

I told my best friend at the time. She did it along side of her mom, and they watched TV together. She felt sorry for me and told me to throw some good ones in with the hulls to get finished earlier. I thought that was a great idea! 

Yep, I got caught and received a harsh scolding, a whipping with the belt, and a shunning for hours. "Stay out of my sight! I don't want to lay eyes on you!" 

Then I was reminded of my transgression every time we were given more produce.

However, I was never forced to do it again, so.. 

Smile!

More importantly, I learned from that experience! I learned to...

to work alongside of my children, 

have them all work together regardless of ages (even a two year old can pick things up and put things away) 

to make it fun not oppressive

and to give praise and encouragement. 

My children and I get a little messy throwing veggie scraps at each other and take a little longer than necessary because we might dance with songs on the radio, but we laugh and make happy memories that bond us closer. 

Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house...

Review of the movie Show Dogs

Review of the movie Show Dogs

"Frank, along with a former show champion work to get him ready for the final round of the competition.  Since the inspection of the private parts will happen in the finals, Frank touches Max’s private parts to get him use to it.  Of course, Max doesn’t like it and snaps at Frank for him to stop.  Max is then told by the former champion, who has been through the process before, that he needs to go to his “zen place” while it happens so he can get through it.  More attempts are made by Frank to touch Max’s private parts, but Max is still having trouble letting it happen and keeps snapping at him.

The day of the finals come and if Max doesn’t let his private parts be touched, he may lose the competition and any hope of finding the kidnapped panda.  It all rests on his ability to let someone touch his private parts.  The judge’s hands slowly reach behind Max and he goes to his “zen place”.  He’s flying through the sky, dancing with his partner, there are fireworks and flowers-everything is great-all while someone is touching his private parts.

During the movie, I kept thinking, “This is wrong, it doesn’t need to be in a kids movie. Everything else in the movie is good fun except for this.” 

Read the rest of this review here.

This is not a movie our family was going to watch, but I am thankful to the reviewer for making us aware of this issue. The author handled the issue just like I would have...by bringing the topic out into the open and discussing it with her children. 

Economical Calcium HypochloritePool Chlorine

I love playing in our 23,000 gallon pool with my family, but I do not like paying full price for the chemicals. This is the best price I have seen chlorine for pools (my affiliate link). If you have a more economical source, please share. Email address in the header of this page.

Happy Mother's Day 2018

Happy Mother's Day to everyone with a loving mother's heart no matter if you have many children or none. This includes those who conceived and lost, those whose child grew and left for Heaven, teachers and social workers who see the hurting child and respond, and fathers who step up to fill both roles. I hope you know your love and concern matters in a child's life, and you are worth your weight in gold!

A Better Look at the Cooking Set Up

I was asked for a better picture of the set up I am using for outdoor cooking at a place we have that currently does not have power. In the top image, you can see how the bricks are placed on the wood stove I am using to make it easier on my back. 

The pieces of wood you see on and in between the bricks are in the process of drying out from the heat of the fire after a rain we had. This helps them catch fire quicker and helps eliminate some of the smoke the moisture creates. Bath water is heating in the picture.

I pass a stick through the bricks to poke holes in the ash to help the flow of oxygen. This helps it burn better. 

I am very pleased with my set up. I have made a big pots of soup, rice meals, eggs, toast, pancakes, sausage, ham, etc. It works better for me than any other set up I have used in over 40 years of camping. 

Caleb Surgery #3

Caleb had to have an appendectomy a few years ago. Then, his "permanent" orthodontics appliance broke off while he was eating and was accidentally swallowed. This necessitated an emergency surgery. Then, much to his dismay, he had an inguinal hernia that needed to be repaired a couple of weeks ago. He's back on his feet and on light duty until the middle of May, but he's doing good!

On a Roof

When I was a toddler, I walked through framed walls, carried hammers and tape measures, and played with chalk lines. I played with the chalk lines so much I got in trouble for it, but that's a story for another day. My daddy would set nails in a scrap board and let me beat them in with the hammer. 

When I was 3-4 years old, he carried me up a ladder, sat me on a roof, and told me "You sit right there, and do not move. I'll be right back." He went down the ladder and carried up bundles of shingles on his back and I watched him shingle a roof that day. I even got to help snap that wonderful chalk line! When I was 9, he taught me to read a tape measure down to a 1/32 of an inch. 

When I was 10, I volunteered to help a teacher fix a curtain bracket that needed a nail hammered only to have a male classmate (who worked with his dad on houses) yell, "Wendy, you don't know how to swing a hammer!" Then I showed that classmate with the rhythm I had learned beside my daddy! I still smile about the look on his face! When I was 14, I loved the smell of lumber and realized my father made people's dreams come true because he built their custom homes. 

When I was 16, I started dating a guy he later put to work part time with him. Clint picked up things from him he still uses today. 

Little by little, Clint and I have handed all of those experiences to our own children. 

Emily and Hannah enjoyed their time on a roof with Clint last week!