Homemade Butter

 

HERE is a link to the Healthy Home Economist for making butter.  It turned out wonderful.  It took roughly 10 mins. of beating before I got to the butter stage.

 

 

 

The yummy cream from I skimmed off my raw milk the other day.

It roughly doubles when you whip it.  This is the whipped cream stage.

Its starting to separate.

That is the buttermilk drained on the left now I add some salt and wash it.

All done.

The top one I mixed with coconut oil and the other 2 are just straight yummy butter.

 

A Visit to the Beekeeper

Yesterday the younger ones and I went to the Beekeeper and came home with some wonderful honey, candles, and wax to make our own candles. We got spring and wildflower honeys. They are so good.
Manny loves to blow out the candle after we say our prayers and we usually sit pretty patiently for that privilege so I was excited to get them. Plus they smell so good.

                           Marlee and I read the book, The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons

  Wednesday night before we went. It's a really good and informative little book. Did you know bee larva spun a cocoon? They are feed beemilk and beebread too. They typically only live 2 months except for the queen. Bees are very interesting.

Some of Yesterdays Bounty

Missing are 2 gallons of fresh pressed apple cider, 1 Sand Hill Berries mixed berry pie and some Pie Shop doughnuts, oh and maple candy.
Included in the picture are-
Kettle corn
Queen Annes Lace Jelly
Wildflower Honey
Apple Butter
Fresh churned butter
Wine-2 bottles
Cork remover and stopper- we're new to wine!
Carmel candies
Maple cream
Maple sugar
Beeswax candle
Honeycomb
Wooden ladle
Dried apple-can't think of the name
Jewelweed soap-great for itchy skin

Hurrying to get it done...

While the children are still asleep I'm trying to hurrry to finish copying and making my Book Of Hours found here at Evlogia.  I love her blog.  She has wonderful homeschooling information there and here at Ages of Grace.
Mason just informed me my times up as he and Manny are now awake!

Just in Time

A Little Way of Homeschooling-
Thirteen families Discover Catholic Unschooling
By Suzie Andres...Forward by Mike Aquilina



Are you blessed with one of those friends who just seems to know when your gonna need a little pick me up? I'm blessed with a few of them and one of them I think of as sort of like a mentor of sorts... someone who is a few years a head of me on this journey of motherhood and who is just so darn inspiring. She seems to understand most of what I'm going through and has been there and done that. Well, she blessed me the other day with this book and just seemed to know that I was going to be needing the inspiration and affirmation.

I'm doing the best I can here and I'm going to be always trying to do better but I do have a set of core beliefs that just aren't going to change no matter how some may feel about them. They aren't going to stand before God in judgement for my decisions.... I am. I do not believe in birth control.... the Church teaches its wrong...each and every child is a blessing.

 I practice NFP and I do my best. Am I activity trying to conceive right now..no. And if I was I probably would be. I am blessed with fertility not cursed! Why is it that at times others make me feel like it is a curse. Am I ever going to feel anything but fear and apprehension when it comes time to tell family members if God does choose to bless us again with another life...no and thats so sad but so true. Wont be any different than its been for years.
Okay, there is sooo much more I would like to say but I think I'm just going to hold my tongue and pray about it.... I dont want to go to Divine Liturgy this morning feeling like this....angry, sad, and disappointed. Man, now I feel like I need to go to confession for all the thoughts that have been swirling around in my head!
Blessed St. Anne pray for me and all mothers for peace, gentleness of spirit and acceptance.  In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit....Amen.

Madison's Learning to Cook

Madison cooked them after Malree and I mixed up the batter.

Marlee helped me set the table

Yummy...

Manny sat and ate for about 30 seconds in his highchair before he climbed in my lap....needless to say we both needed a bath when we were done.

More Signs of Spring

One of the best parts of homeschooling is being able to fully enjoy every season and take our classroom outside. Our children love to identify the birds and the emerging spring bulbs.

Crocus and tulips

I'm so happy to see buds on my raspberry canes.

Finally Manny standing still and Mason is the blur.

Madison and the boys enjoying the raindrops.

Some Books Are In

Pictures of God....A Child's Guide to Understanding Icons
by John Kosmas Skinas

Beautiful, helpful for adults too!

Saint Brigid, Abbess of Kildare
by Jane G Meyer
Great Saint for March to add to Saint Patrick

Kontakion of Saint Brigid

The holy virgin Brigid full of divine wisdom,
went with joy along the way of evangelical childhood,
and with the grace of God
attained in this way the summit of virtue.
Wherefore she now bestows blessings
upon those who come to her with faith.
O holy Virgin, intercede with Christ our God
that He may have mercy on our souls.

She is a patron of travels, healers and midwives, and the protector of flocks and herds and newborn babies. Some of my favorite things!

My New Books Have Shipped!!!

I'm so excited my new books have shipped. I cant wait to get them.

Here's a list of whats coming from The Orthodox Marketplace-

Children's Bible Reader
Divine Liturgy Illustrated
For to Us a Child is Born - Christmas Magazine
Heaven on Earth: The Divine Liturgy
Journey Through Holy Week - Children's Guide
The Bible For Young People
The Saturday Service of Great Vespers [CD]

And from Amazon-

The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare
Pictures of God, a Childs Guide to Understanding Icons
How to Pray with Icons

Nature Study

This is an awesome site I found-

http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/2008/02/green-hour-challenge-1-lets-get-started.html

Cant wait to start it.