All Business, Some of the Time

Happy Wednesday! If you are near my location then it is a rainy, cold day with a slight chance of snow tomorrow. Unusual for Georgia but it boosts the business at the grocery stores because everyone makes a mad dash to buy milk and bread. Kind of funny. As for me, I hit Costco for hot chocolate mix and bananas.

 As I sit upstairs with Bumpit, she loves watching the kids play outside in the rain, I am trying to get down to business.

Business entails paying bills, compiling a meal list for the next month and also writing out a list of what areas need to be de-cluttered and organized next.
I have so far held to my goal of going through a room or area a week to get the mess out and organize. Over the weekend I decided my studio needed to be organized. It is an area where I sew and quilt and keep some of my fabrics and current projects at hand. I also put Indiana's new sewing machine in there so I could be close to her while she created projects.
It took me a long time to find the best spot for my studio, but I finally found a place close to the kitchen where all of the chaos majority of the days' happenings occur.
Studio sounds grand doesn't it?

Meet my studio, aka the laundry room!!!! (This is my keepin' it real photo of the day!)

 Here it was before I tackled it. I know, I know it's a small room with my laundry equipment, but when you have 7 kids you take whatever space you can manage to find.

 Goodness, sewing is a total mess sometimes, and I really let this space go because I have been so busy with home schooling and sewing little foxes and bunnies.

 It didn't take long to clean the junk out and straighten up the rest.

I got a bit smaller table for Indiana's machine so that there is a little more wiggle room. This week I might tackle my bathroom closet or one of the kids' rooms. It's an ongoing project that is constantly being perfected and tweaked. If I had no children or maybe just a couple of kids I would be able to de-clutter and keep things fairly neat throughout the majority of the house. 7 kids makes it more difficult because kids are constantly growing out of clothes and toys or , like my kids, collecting things such as rocks and sticks. You would be amazed at the number of "shiny rocks" we have in this house!

**************
Another business essential for us with so many kids is my meal planning. I try and keep my grocery budget in check, although some days I find myself at Costco on an empty stomach and the budget suffers:-)
I have tried many different ways to keep meals going and easy such as once a month cooking, Emealz, and couponing. Our needs change sometimes month to month depending on if I am pregnant (and consumed with morning sickness) or caring for a newborn. The last year or so I have resorted to the old fashioned method of making out a menu and planning shopping trips accordingly.

My husband is paid once a month, so I make a menu for the entire month at a time. I write the dates down and put  a star by the days Devin will be working. I do this because he does not eat meals with us on those days (he works 12 hour shifts) so I sometimes choose my smaller, more simple meals on those days such as pancakes. I also try and not repeat a meal within the month. This can be challenging sometimes. I actually typed up a list of meals I make so that I can refer to it when I get "stuck" thinking of a meal. I also change meals sometimes during the month if there is a deal at the grocery store for things such as roast or chicken.

 Speaking of menus and recipes, I have a stash of recipes scribbled down on papers that I need to type up and place in my recipe binder. It is a notebook with most of the recipes I use typed up and in page protectors. This keeps me from having to flip through cookbooks to find recipes we use often. It was a big project to tackle but has been worth it.

Do you see this recipe? Fried pickles are so, so good and I bought everything to make these this weekend. I will let ya'll know how they turn out!
That's business at my house! How do you plan your meals?

Hope your mid week is as good as fried pickles!

Bumpit

Santa doesn't bring pets. At least that is what the rule was until about 2 years ago when he brought Indiana a dumbo rat.
Santa doesn't bring BIG pets. At least until this past Christmas when he brought Bumpit.

Well, Santa happens to be a huge lover all things animal, so he found Bumpit and gave her to Quinn.

 Bumpit was living at the County Animal Shelter, had been there for a few months. Her litter mates had long since been adopted, but nobody wanted Bumpit....yet.

 We suspect it was the fact that she had only one eye (no eye developed in utero) that perhaps grossed people out.

 I kind of think she's winking at me:-) We were drawn to her immediately because she was very fluffy and sweet. She was also spayed and micro-chipped and ready to go!

 She is now the resident quilt tester. When I finish quilt tops, she rolls around on them and tests them out.

She also has a favorite afghan on the back of the sofa where she really enjoys naps.

 The younger girls love her as well and Willow made a tiny sculpture of Bumpit yesterday with sculpey clay.

The staff at the Humane Society shelter were super nice and we wanted to let them know that Bumpit is doing great and has blended in with the family well. She is an indoor kitty, so she is extra spoiled. The farm has gained yet another critter thanks to Santa. If your Santa did not bring you a pet but you are interested in adopting a fabulous critter like Bumpit, call your local shelter. If you are in the Chattanooga area, you can find Bumpit's friends and caretakers HERE!  There are hundreds of fantastic pets waiting for a home!



In case you wondered.....Santa does NOT bring milking cows:-)

Wednesday we are all business with organizing, de-cluttering and menu planning for a large family!

Have a rockin' week!

Friday Happy Dance

Oh my it has been a week! It was freezing cold, but today it was sunny and 63!

 It was a perfect afternoon to shed the heavy winter clothes and run outside for some good old fashion vitamin D!

                                                 *Hello, wrinkles! Where did ya'll come from?*

 Fletcher, like most of his siblings, loves it outside and thought the slide was a ton of fun.

 Three of the barefooters decided that playing in a the dirt pile was more fun. More dirt=more fun, especially barefoot!

The nice weather always makes you feel better and it gives you a sense of relief, like you are almost over that hump of dreary winter days. The sun makes you feel more productive, more ambitious...even if it's just enough ambition  to get off the couch and outside.
The dandelions are actually blooming some and that is great news for my honey bees, which are somewhat struggling despite the mild weather. I lost a hive to CCD and a few others to who knows what. Bee keeping is becoming difficult with all of the pests that invade and the chemicals that poison.

 But today was a day to forget about the struggles and just enjoy the moment.

 Have you ever felt like flying?

 Even the animals were out playing, pouncing, chasing and having fun.

Of course I was productive earlier this week. I assisted my new sewing girl make an apron.

Okay, so it was an apron kit from Halloween, but she made it and loves it and it fits her one of a kind personality.
Remember that closet I wanted to organize?

 DONE! I actually had a garbage sack full of trash in there and few items that needed to be stored in the basement. Next week I will tackle another space. I figure that it is possible to get the house done by March....

Of course, keeping it all neat and tidy is another issue all together with the little helper I have walking around:-)


Mr. Fox has some new friends too!

The Bunny family is finished and they all enjoyed the nice weather today too!

I introduced him to the family and I do believe they will all get along just fine.

Now what to make? Some mice? A swan? Maybe a couple of hedgehogs? I will have to consult my younger group of children and see what they think.

 I hope you are enjoying your week, wherever you are, and that you get a chance like we did to venture out and soak up some sunshine.

 This weekend is full of promise that we can relax, play, and maybe even start another crafty project. Lots in store. Monday I will introduce ya'll to Bumpit!

Have a fantastic, awesome weekend!

Phone dump!

He's a Fox

Guess who is living on the farm now?

I finished the fox from my new book! He was not too difficult and we really like him.

 He ventured outside this afternoon to see if the hens wanted to play. The hens can be a bit "click-ish" so it will take time for him to find his niche amongst the birds, besides there are many tales about the sly fox trying to get the goose, or hen. Therefore they might be a bit shy of him.

For that reason, I went to another thrift store and bought more wool sweaters for a steal (.50 each) and they are felting in the wash machine now. I am now crafting a bunny family for fox. I hope to finish sometime Friday.
**********

Now for the not so exciting fun part of my day, aka reality!
This house of mine is a decent size and we should have ample room for the "stuff" that gathers. I actually think after assessing some of our "collection" areas that I just need to purge and organize. Each week I plan to work on one room or area. I decided just this very moment as I was walking out my room and upstairs to the computer that I would clean out this space first.

This happens to be a little closet off my kitchen where I keep light bulbs, table linens, diapers, cleaners and everything else that I gather from other areas and do not know where to put it. Well, this week I tackle it and it will be purged and organized. My plan is to have the entire house done by March 1st.......I am feeling ambitious today:-)

Hey, I have this little guy here to help, right?

Hope your mid-week is groovy!

Happy New Beginnings!

Wow, I had a nice holiday break and today is the start of a new year for us! Welcome 2012!

I usually picture my house in order and the children dressed and ready for a fabulous school day, but the reality is that we are all upstairs, kids in pjs (most of the kids), and I have been paying bills and now updating ya'll, my friends. It's is a good thing that I realize the picture perfect images in my head are always quite contrasted to the reality that dwells in my house.

I suppose that the new year also brings resolutions, attempts to do life differently or to set a high goal to reach for,but I have never been the make a list and try to stick with it for a year kind of gal. I get too distracted with the seven humans who rely on me for food, education, companionship and love. I tend to make up a year long theme in which to encompass my entire being throughout the year. This year I choose joy. JOY!

As much as some people like to trash social networking and internet use in general, I am so thankful for all of the people that I have "met" or reconnected with through my computer. There are some amazingly wonderful people out there who I would have otherwise never crossed paths. Yesterday a childhood friend posted this on her face book status: 

You know, I think we spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched, issues to be resolved, maybe this year to balance the list, we should try walking through the rooms of our lives, not looking for the flaws, but for the potential we all have hidden deep inside. 

Perhaps that should be the theme for all of us this year.  Although the word potential never was a "good" word in my book because it meant that I was capable of doing something. I would always rather be doing something, not sitting and capable. This year I will keep the joy and lose the potential:-)

Enough reflection. This year I have started work on a few projects. One is the Little Birdie Stitches quilt.

 I started block number 5 last night. This will be a favorite quilt for me, I know already. I have plans to get it finished and to my quilter in February.

 

Next, I learned to crochet granny squares over the break.

They are far from perfect, but I intend to make a ton with yarn that I have in my stash. They are dainty and pretty and will one day make a pretty baby afghan.

Finally, I received as a gift the most wonderful book by Amy Adams.

That meant only one thing: time to hit the thrift stores for wool sweaters. I did and they are felted and ready to be cut and sewn into a collection of lovely softies.

It must be the child in me that is so excited to sew and collect these delightful creatures. I will be sure and post my progress!

Here's to a wonderful beginning for you all! I will close with my 2011 recap video of My Barefoot Farm! (and because I am a true Psych fan, there is a pineapple in there. can you find it?)




Have a fantastic week!