Simple Hobby Homesteading

As many of you know, back in April Kevin (my husband) and I signed up for an amazing trip. It was the kind of trip that you had to train for, raise money for, and go through logistical nightmares to make sure it all came out “just right.” Even with intense training (I can be quoted screaming, “Indiana REALLY does have huge hills!”), amazing donations, and the most well thought out and planned logistics things did not go smoothly. First off, Indiana has speed bumps (well at least southern Indiana)… nothing to compare with the MOUNTAINS, yes I said mountains, we climbed in California. Wait a minute… let me back up one second…

Before you think I am some crazy mountain climber dangling from cliff edges and carrying an oxygen mask to reach a summit let me let you in on our trip… We rode in the 8 day, 525 mile bicycle California Coast Classic to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation. Over 27,000 feet of climbing in all, sleeping in tents on the very hard ground, eight hours on the bike most every day, and leaving our children with relatives for almost two whole weeks!

Ok, now that we are all straight, back to the speed bumps of Indiana. They are short little hills even though some do have quite a steep incline. They are short, sweet, and to the point. At one point in California while climbing the Twin Sisters I was climbing straight up for over 2 hours. Now that’s a hill (mountain)! Not short, not sweet, and certainly not to a quick point!

Logistics, oh my the logistics! How does one get 2 bicycles, camping gear, comfy clothes and cycling clothes and equipment out to California when airlines are charging an arm and a leg for even one checked bag and the reality that they throw luggage (and boxes with bikes in them) on those conveyor belts up into the belly of the plane looms over you as you stare at your expensive bike with thin little spokes, carbon frame, touchy gears, and a chain ring that just begs to be cracked ? One gets creative!

Leading up to Day one of our epic travels (Day one would be the “travel to California” day) we decided to have our bikes disassembled, boxed, and FedExed out to California. People do this all the time, right? This is how bikes get to the bike shops! We were able to get a great discount from Breck’s Bicycle Shop for packing up both bikes ($50 instead of $150) as a donation for the Arthritis Foundation. We took the bikes to be boxed up two weeks before the ride started. They disassembled, boxed them up and I lugged the two boxes to FedEx the next day. We paid $372 to ship both bikes to The Sheraton at Fisherman’s Wharf, Kevin Conway, c/o Arthritis Foundation California Coast Classic. Bikes, done, woohoo! Not having them for training two weeks before the ride was tough. We knew we would be logging many miles and hours on those saddles (seats) and disliked the idea of not being on them to get ourselves used to it every second we could. But, it was $980 to ship them via air (just a 3 day shipping) and our budget did not allow for that.

Camping equipment… tent, sleeping bags, tent stakes, mallet, you know all that stuff one needs to be sure you don’t end up blown into the ocean in the middle of the night or covered in a marine layer of fog upon awaking. Well, all that stuff is hard to fit into an already VERY full hiking pack (we were limiting ourselves to one checked bag each to save cost and for ease of lugging stuff around on the ride). Light bulb moment… buy new sleeping bags and tent from Amazon and have them delivered to the hotel in San Francisco to be packed on the luggage truck without us lugging them around the airports! As far as getting them home? We’d worry about that later. Order made the Tuesday before we left for trip so it would all arrive the day before we got there. I even called the hotel to be sure this was ok (it was) and so they would be expecting it and hold it aside for us when we arrived (they said they would). Pillows are crazy bulky but I was able to stuff mine in with only ripping a few seams towards the top of my bag (it would hold up… right?). Kevin decided to use his sweatshirt for a pillow and said he’d be fine (the man has osteoarthritis in his neck… I’m not sure what definition of “fine” he was clinging to but I figured he’d be “fine” and I’d give him mine if his “fine” didn’t hold up).

Bikes… check. Sleeping accommodations… check. We packaged each set of a day’s cycling gear in a separate gallon Ziploc bag (so we could put the dirty cycling clothes back into that bag while they waited a few days to be washed), threw in some comfy “lounging around camp” clothes which would double as pajamas, plenty of ibuprofen, Excedrin, muscle relaxing creams, Benadryl (liquid and tablet), aspirin, iron supplements, epipen, pepto bismol, and tums. We looked at each other and our “medicine bag” and just laughed. Wow, we were getting old and had some conditions that required a few extra things to be considered.

Soap… what about soap? Lately my life has revolved around soap (making and selling it for fundraising for this ride). I just thought I would get that out in the open so you don’t think I’m a crazy soap person.

Liquid shower gel was a mess waiting to happen and a bar of soap would be a mess after every shower. What to do, what to do? Ooh ooh, I make soap, I can figure this out! I cut a couple of my bars in half or fourths (the ones that would be good at relaxing muscles and/or repelling mosquitoes etc.) and put them in a Ziploc bag. We could each grab a little bar for each day’s shower and just leave it in the shower truck when done or throw it away because we had another little bar for the next day. This idea literally took three days of intense problem solving… what can I say, some things just need the perfect solution and that can’t be hurried. I was quite happy with my solution though I don’t think Kevin lavished as much praise as the idea was worth.

Laundry detergent… we would be able to do laundry at two different points during the 8 day ride which helped one not to pack as many clothes. I poured some powdered detergent in a Ziploc bag, looked at it, thought I would have my bag confiscated for drug or anthrax smuggling and be subsequently arrested, thrown in a California prison, never be able to make soap again, and never ride my bike. So, I labeled it “TIDE LAUNDRY DETERGENT NOT DRUGS.” That seems logical right. After so much effort with the soap dilemma this was the best I could do… a girl only has so many brain cells at optimal firing capacity in a given day and I was not interesting in building new synapses.

The kids… what to do with the kids. While I felt a little guilty about Kevin and me heading out to California without the boys I was relieved to learn our youngest son (10 years old) had no desire to go to California. He said he had seen all he wanted to see of California after living there for four years.  Our fifteen year old would have loved to come but has hit a streak of uber compassion and sweetness lately and said it would be great for dad and me to get off on this trip by ourselves. I’ll take it. Off to Wisconsin they went to spend time with great grandparents, cousins, uncles, great aunts and great uncles and all sorts of other extended family that I have no clue how exactly they are related. Besides, it was the 100^th anniversary of Cheese Days in Monroe… it would be EPIC! They had their laptops, Grandma and Grandpa had WiFi and satellite TV (we have neither here at the homestead), the boys were actually quite excited.

Yes, I know Grandma and Grandpa have a washing machine, yes, I know they know how to go to the grocery store, and yes, I know they’ve raised up three kids of their own but that didn’t stop me from sending a month’s worth of clothes, buying a month’s worth of groceries, and reminding my boys of all the daily things they should be doing (teeth brushing, showering, eating well, helping grandma and grandpa, going to bed the moment grandma mentions she is tired, and being all around the best kids EVER). I think my Grandma may have been concerned that I would never be coming back to get my kids!

Plane tickets… it was time to figure out how we would get there and get back. Kevin had a school (for work) starting in Oklahoma City three days after the ride finished. This would be tricky. We decided to drive the boys to Wisconsin. Stay overnight one night there, leave the next morning to drive to Rockford, Illinois where we would catch a bus that would take us directly to our Virgin America check-in desk. We would fly Virgin America to San Francisco and arrive there Thursday night. Stay overnight at a hotel by the airport that night, go to the Sheraton at the Fisherman’s Wharf Friday. Stay overnight there Friday night with all the other riders and start the ride Saturday morning! Ride the next 8 days and finish in Los Angeles the following Saturday and be met by my aunt and uncle who live there. Stay with them for Saturday and Sunday and then on Monday I fly back to Chicago, take bus to Rockford, pick up van and drive up to Wisconsin to get boys and then drive the eight hours home the next day. Kevin would fly out of Los Angeles Monday morning to Oklahoma City and attend his class for a couple weeks and then fly home. He checked with his boss at work who gave the green light for leaving from L.A. for the class. Tickets bought, PERFECT!

Not so fast. Three days before we were set to leave Kevin finds out his boss was wrong, he can’t leave from any destination for school other than his home destination. We buy a ticket for him to fly from Los Angeles to home on Sunday so he can pack and leave to drive to Oklahoma City Monday morning for a class that starts Tuesday. I try to change my flight to leave on Sunday as well to save my aunt from having to make two trips to LAX and find out it will cost $650 to change flight. I buy a separate one way flight on Spirit America from L.A. to Chicago… much cheaper (Why has no one ever warned me about Spirit America?)! Disaster averted but why oh why were we having to deal with all this when I was trying to get the farm ready for my absence?

OK, so these were some of the things we had to settle before the ride even started. As many of you know, the work leading up to the trip can be more tiring than the trip itself! To save you from reading an insanely long post I will wrap up my pre-trip ramblings here and continue with DAY ONE tomorrow. Nothing  goes as planned, things get interesting, we see Jamaica, and I almost have a melt down… stay tuned!

Water water everywhere… unless you live in California. Wish I could send some rain your way guys and gals. Readers are asking, “How do we collect and use water on The Shepherd Hobby Farm?”

We have an older well which we do not use often because of a high sulfur content (smell is the worst part of it) and a huge cistern which is AWESOME for us. One has not truly felt soft water until you have bathed in rain water. To some that may sound luxurious… to others, downright weird and unsanitary.

What is a cistern? Quite simply it is a vessel used to store water, usually a reserve of rainwater collected from a roof or other catchment area. People have been using them for hundreds of years. Our cistern is a simple cement “vault” type box buried underground about 30 feet from our house. We have buried piping hooked up to all the down spouts from the gutters of our house and garage (working on barn roof).

Why collect and use rain water? Did you know that rain water is known as the “Gold Standard” in water quality? It is more oxygenated, is naturally pH-balanced, and is free of chlorine and additives (EarthSystemsNW.com).  Yup, it’s all those things and best of all, IT’S FREE! No water bill, I love it!

So what about the rain barrel projects that so many people are posting? Those are great starts and certainly worth the effort for things like watering gardens and flower beds. However, they only hold an average of 50-55 gallons of water whereas a roof system with a cistern will catch and hold thousands gallons of water. “Also, rain barrels often run out of water during the summer, when outdoor water usage is highest and rainfall is at its lowest. Cisterns can ensure you have water for outdoor use all summer long. Another benefit of cisterns over rain barrels is that rain barrels are typically used for outdoor water usage only. Cisterns, however, can be used for both indoor and outdoor use and can either significantly supplement indoor water use or completely replace it” (Earth SystemsNW.com). Our cistern is used for everything in our house except cooking and drinking water.

How does a cistern work? They can be either above or below ground and as mentioned before ours is below ground and when filled to the brim holds approximately 12,000 gallons of water.  Cisterns usually collect rainwater from a roof through gutters and downspouts which funnel the water into the cistern (this is how ours works). The water can be drawn out of the cistern through gravity or a pump can be used to provide increased water pressure (we use an electric pump that is housed in our garage). A simple hose bib can be connected to the cistern which allows a common garden hose to draw water directly from the cistern (we do not have this but know of some folks with smaller cisterns who do). The cistern can also be configured to run the rainwater into the house once it has gone through a series of filters (depending on if the water will be used for drinking water or for non-potable uses such as toilets, washing machine, etc.) We have a simple triple screen filter box the water runs through just before it enters the cistern. Once the water leaves the cistern it is pumped through a sediment filter and another cartridge filtration system in the house before it makes it’s way into any pipes destined for our use.  Cisterns have an overflow pipe so that once the cistern is filled, the excess water is properly drained away from the house.

Is there any maintenance? Yes there is. We have monthly filter changes and cleanings which cost about $5 (we buy the cartridges in bulk and manually clean the triple filter screens) per month. We also check the gutter guards each month to ensure they are in place which helps prevent debris going into the downspouts. Once in a while we also choose to sweep off the roof but we know many people who choose to let a stiff wind do that job for them. I just like excuses to climb around on the roof.

About 5 years ago we went through a severe drought and our cistern was emptied by our usage. We used the opportunity to lift the man hold type cover and go down in to clean out the cistern “vault.” I got an up close and personal view of our cistern and it was amazing. It is actually a two room “vault” with a 5 by 3 foot walkway through each “room”. We cleaned some mud from the bottom and sent it up the ladder to the light of the day in buckets. There wasn’t much and it created some amazing dirt for a patch of flowers that grew there in the summer.

Soooooo what if we are in a drought and get NO RAIN? Or perhaps a certain hobby farmer turns the hose on to fill the horse water trough and forgets it is on and drains the entire cistern onto the horse paddock ground overnight?  It’s happened and we still needed water to live comfortably so we chose to have a water delivery service (the folks who fill swimming pools etc) come and delivery 4,400 gallons of water for $140.

Can we drink the water from our cistern? According to Earth Systems NW, “Rainwater can be used to meet all your water needs whether it’s outdoors for your garden or indoors for washing and drinking. Rainwater can be turned into potable, high quality drinking water by using a series of filters.” We have had our water tested and it is safe to drink but the filters needed to give me constant peace of mind often leech chemicals such as chlorine into the water to ensure sanitation. Therefore, we use a filtered 5 gallon water cooler system for drinking and just buy the refillable 5 gallon jugs which provides us with instant ice cold and super hot water at our fingertips (it’s one of the few luxuries we use… another is our Keurig… what can I say, I’m spoiled in some areas).

Ya all have any other questions about cisterns? Ask away J

Lovin’ the rain!

~Jhenna

Hello everyone, I’m Jhenna. I’m not an alcoholic, cutter, anorexic, or compulsive liar. I am quite simply a wife and a mother of two boys who admits that I have been defeated. It’s not a flashy or dramatic story as is the case with many other support group stories but it is mine and that has to count for something. Worn down, stressed out, deflated, depressed, disillusioned, discouraged, tread upon and exhausted.

It has shown vibrantly through my actions, words and overall demeanor in the past. My kids have taken the brunt of it because they are the “blessed” ones who have spent the most time with me. Their “Mommy, mommy, mommy…” answered with a drawn out, exasperated and completely unkind “WHAT?” Their response without skipping a beat, “The sky is blue and you are pretty. Why does the dog’s booty smell icky… can I have an apple with no outside and the red berries?” And me, what was my response “Oh that’s cool, now go play while I finish this email.” This was my life for too many years when my boys were young. No time or patience for their inquisitive and many times frustrated minds.

I would escape to 12 and 24 hour shifts at work (Air Force) just to be free from their constant demands, stories, ramblings, requests for seemingly endless conversations and the neverending bottoms and noses to wipe.

I was active duty military for much my sons’ lives up until my youngest was 5 and oldest 10 years old. They saw me treat everyone I met with a big smile and glad conversation while they got the leftover, tired and worn out mom.

There were always spurts of “fun mom” with trips to the movies, parks, Sea World, East Coast, West Coast and everywhere in between but they never got my consistent best. Nope, that was saved for acquaintances, coworkers, strangers and friends. My husband didn’t even get my best. God surely didn’t get my best. The worst part… I willingly gave everyone who mattered the least in my life my best, and happily even! How screwed up is that? Totally.

What changed? How did my priorities straighten out? How did my life turn into God first, husband second, kids next, and everyone and everything else lining up there after? I was defeated. Spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally I was knocked out and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me and for me.

To be rebuilt… to be reborn… one must be broken down, one must die to self. I didn’t get any seconds or minutes in heaven so don’t look for me to write a book about it (can you sense any sarcasm?). In fact I don’t remember many of the particulars about the time I was steadily broken down but I do remember the loneliness, the shame and being very aware of the utter depravity that is born into all people, myself included. It was all very clear and apparent. I saw how my behavior and demeanor affected my relationship with those I loved most… God, my husband, and my dear children.

I was yelling and God took my voice so I could yell no more. For some time after my stroke my face was numb and I couldn’t speak well. I slurred, stuttered, and became so frustrated that I just didn’t talk when we were out in public unless I had to. However, at home, in the safety and loving arms of my family I kept at that whole talking thing. Practicing, hoping I would regain some feeling in my face, tongue and jaw muscles and finally sound “normal” again. One night I was giving my son a bath and I asked him “D-d-d-d-do you w-w-w-w-a-a-a-nt a w-w-w-w-ashc-c-l-l-o-o-th?” He looked at me and simply asked “Why did you say washcloth 3 times mommy?” I cried. I was so frustrated and did not see why this was happening to me. After I recovered feeling in my face, tongue and jaw muscles I had already seen how my kids responded to a slower speaking mother who uttered fewer words and orders. A mother who took 5 minutes to get out the words “what do you want for breakfast?” but didn’t give up getting that sentence out. They flourished in patience and understanding at the tender ages of 2 and 7 years old. I quit yelling, I patiently listened as they told and asked me things (not all the time, God knows I am not perfect and you all should know the same). I asked follow-up questions and became interested in what they were interested in. I faked it at first but then I became sincerely more interested as their faces lit up when we followed all those rabbit trails together!

Spiritually… well, truth be told I thought I was too busy for God. I had places to be, things to do, and plenty of other self-help books to read besides the Bible. Besides, I could handle everything on my own, with my own power. I was a good person and I didn’t really care what happened after I died because that was so far off in the future. I was smart, educated and had a great family and job so obviously God was smiling on me and blessing me to the max. In all actuality I was and still am a wretched sinner in need of a savior as I cannot do all for the glory of God without the Holy Spirit working in me and through me. Yup, non believers do good things but their motives are just off. For too many years my motives were selfish. A stroke is something that puts your “I got this life thing all under control” mentality to the test.  I was shown how much I needed the strength of the Holy Spirit when I felt an absolute emptiness in my heart and began to be open to the truth of scripture.

As I was filled I wanted to know more… and more… and more. I now learn from so many knowledgeable people in my life but always fall back on the truth of the Bible. That is my help book now… not self help but rather help despite myself.

I want my boys to know the truth and love of Christ and so I teach them… I surround them with people who want to raise them up in the love and judgment of God and saving works of Christ. I model behavior, words, and thoughts that show how we give all glory to God and how when he fills us up we overflow spiritual blessing and fruits onto and for others. I love, cherish, support, discipline and teach my boys through the strength of the Holy Spirit. I strive to be more Christlike each day and when I interact with or around my kids I am consistently thinking how I can be more like Christ to show them my hunger and thirst after glorifying God.

Practically this comes across as me taking time for my family, providing for them,sharing with others, doing for others, reading my Bible, telling others about the great news of the gospel, being compassionate to others, not gossiping, praying, thanking God, showing appreciation to others and being patient when my blood wants to boil over.

I always went 150 miles per hour burning the candle at both ends… I would burn out, get grouchy, blame others and crash. Then I would pick myself back up by my own bootstraps and go right back at it with the same consequences… I don’t seem like I was too smart eh! I was physically stopped in my tracks when I had my stroke. Left side paralysis left me stuck in physical therapy for almost two years. Seriously, I was putting little golf tees into holes for more hours than I care to remember. Ever try to pick up a coin off a flat surface when your hand just won’t do what you want it to do and then when the therapist looks away for a moment you slide it off the table quick and into your hand…ummmmm, nope, me neither. Picking little itty bitty microscopic safety pins out of a bin of rice isn’t as fun when you get nauseated with the intensity of concentration needed for such a task as is usually all sort of giggles and fun at every baby shower across the country. Ooh and then the physical therapist suggests you race your 2 year old son with stacking blocks and you have to report back the next week that he beat you every time and you were serioulsy TRYING TO WIN! Yup, that deflates the ego a bit. Not just deflates it but literally pops it and then makes you sit there and watch a two year old tap dance on it. Nice. I’m not bitter at all.

Guess what though, my kids were so patient with these exercises and they learned that I had physical limitations for a while. Boys that were accustomed to wrestling, tackling, and having a blast using me as their personal jungle gym learned how to be gentle, cuddle, and just be still while I recovered. We went back to wrestling around after I had recovered enough but those lessons still resound with me and my boys. They are able to take stock of the person, situation and environment and act accordingly. I learned then that sometimes I can’t fix their problems or issues but I can just be there with them and for them. Calmly and gently letting them know that I’m here.

Just the other day my 15 year old son had a cold. He hadn’t had one since last year or maybe even longer so I lunged at the opportunity to baby him a bit with honey tea, chicken noodle soup and wiping his forehead with a cool washcloth as he drifted off to sleep. Being comfortable in these gentle moments was learned by both of us when I was being broken down. I died to pleasing and doing for myself and others and worked at doing for God first, husband second, kids third and then others.

It glorifies God for a mother to care for her children and teach them about Him. God entrusted these boys to us. I’m going to do the best I can and I know I can do better if I don’t ever try to do it in my own strength. Always say goodnight to your kids each night. It doesn’t matter how old they are, always do this. If you are away a telephone call will work just fine. Tell them they are loved, appreciated, and valued. They are made in God’s image and entrusted in your care, don’t ever forget that. Slow down, put away the phone, iPad, or laptop and take the time to listen to them. Your “sure, let me see/hear” should be much more frequent than your “hold on, mommy is busy.”

I’ve got some quirks, I’ll admit that. In fact, my whole family has quirks… sometimes they drive us nuts and sometimes we all share the same quirk so we think it’s completely normal and sane. Don’t try to hide it… you have quirks too!

Three out of the four of us are full fledged germaphobes. Not the “ewwww all germs are gross” kind of germaphobes but rather “not a fan of people germs.” When giving a tour of our hobby farm I will grab up a goat berry (for those of you non-goaty people, goat poo is called “berries”) with my bare hands to show kids what they look like up close and how they differ from a rabbit pellets (rabbit poo is called “pellets”). OK, with that being said you can probably easily guess what the first quirk is…

1.  Be a germaphobe… you don’t have to be rude about it or make a big deal. It is as simple as not sharing drinks (is it really that hard to make sure everyone has their own bottle of water?), ice cream cones, and anything else that another person has put their mouth directly on or manhandled with unwashed hands.

My husband is not as much of a germaphobe as I know he’d drink and probably eat after any one of us in the family but he does like a good handwashing and never really liked public pools and buffets due to the suspected germ content.

How does this help with staying healthy? Well, just think about it. Often times we are ill before we really show many (if any) signs and symptoms and when we directly share food and drinks we are also sharing that bacteria, virus, and any other unmentionable bug that is just waiting to make us sick.

Our boys like to point out that I will not share a drink with Kevin but yet will give or receive a kiss in a heartbeat… what can I say, for a kiss from my love of 17 years I’ll throw all caution to the wind and I bet they will too when they get married!

2.  Wash your hands… Remember when I said I pick up goat poo… and rabbit poo… and… well you get the picture. Well, I am also a big fan of handwashing and make sure I wash my hands after such crazy behavior before I touch anything that will be touched by others or later by me (i.e doorknobs, animal feed bowls etc.). I also like to wear the thin surgical gloves when I’m working with particularly messy jobs (fecal tests etc.) and work gloves when cleaning horse and goat stalls, paddocks, and enclosures. I still always wash my hands whenever I come into the house from being out working around the farm. A vinegar and tea tree solution is used to wipe down door handles and faucets every other day or so.

My quirk in this area is the simple fact that I have taught our boys to wash their hands as soon as they come home from being out and about as well. Public places have some germy door handles and our woods have lots of poison ivy. Never hurts to give those hands a good ol’ washing! I do the same. The first thing I do when I walk into my house is go and wash my hands.

How does this keep you healthy? Washing away the germs brought in from the “outside world” **go ahead and shudder** significantly helps cut down your risk of common colds, viruses, and all sorts of other little illness causing buggers.

3.  Sanitize your dish rag… I know some folks who use a new dishrag every time they wash the dishes. My quirk isn’t that I don’t like doing laundry much but rather I found a way to use the same dish rag for a whole week! And it’s not even ewwwww! I just sanitize my dish rag before each use by wetting it down (if it’s not already wet) and popping it in the microwave. From what I’ve read you only need it in there for 30 seconds but I decided two minutes would make SURE all those nasty germs were dead so that’s what I do. Make sure the dishrag is wet when you put it in and watch out, it will be hot when you take it out. I use the same dish rag in this fashion for about a week, just keep resanitizing.

How does this keep us healthy? Kitchen towels and dish rags are total breeding grounds for bacteria due to moist damp conditions. Those nasty buggers transfer to your skin and dishes and before long they will make their way into your mouth or nose without you even thinking about it. Just think how often your hands go up around your mouth and it seems little kids can’t keep their hands OUT of their mouths to save their lives!

4.  Practice good hygiene…OK, this seems so darn basic and not even quirk worthy but seriously, some folks need the reminder abut how integral good hygiene is to keeping our bodies healthy. Our youngest son (10 yeasr old) is in the “I don’t want to take a shower” stage and it drives me bonkers on the inside. I am a shower every day kind of person and when our cistern is super full I’ll take a couple showers! My quirk is only a quirk because in this day and age I really don’t hear parents ensuring their kids are washing well. Well, I do…

Before my kids get in the shower I give a loving reminder to make sure they shampoo, wash their face, behind their ears, in between their fingers and toes, bottom of their feet and all the private places on their body. I get the “ok, sounds good mom” with a subtle undertone of “you tell us the same speal EVERY day, I think we know by now” that never gets verbalized (good thing for them… something like that would be considered disrespectful and earn some pushups in our home). When they hop out of the shower I have no issues doing a quick fingernail or behind the ear check and have been known to make them get back in the shower and “try again.” Yes, I do random spot checks on teeth after they brush and I often have them do a quick check on each other’s teeth and will have them rebrush or refloss if needed.

I explain my quirk like this… God gave us these bodies to care for in the best way we are able. We have been blessed with clean water in which to wash, great smelling soap to help enjoy the experience, and all the toothpaste and toothbrushes we could ever want to ensure our teeth remain in good working order. To do things “just good enough” or “half way” is saying that we don’t consider what God has given as important and worthy of our best care. It is our job while our boys are under our roof and our instruction to teach them how to do this well and the importance of it.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Make it habitual now so they will continue and hopefully teach their kids the same.

5.  Eat healthy and eat often… So, what’s my quirk with this one? I eat constantly. I really love to eat. I love great healthy food and I love great unhealthy food. Yes, my kids and I eat donuts (those yummy little powdered kind and the white iced with sprinkles and many others), Doritoes, and many other “off limts, they are going to slowly kill you” foods. However, we also eat a ton of really good for you foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. My kids devour homemade pancakes (made with majority whole wheat flour), turkey bacon, fruits and vegetables galore.

When cooking supper I usually put out a plate of fruits and veggies and the boys eat a ton while their taste buds start to tingle from a yummy supper cooking. At that moment they are “starving” and will try just about anything I put in front of them… I choose fruits, vegetables and cheeses for them to fill their tummies. Sure, sometimes they aren’t as hungry for dinner but I’m not complaining that they filled up on vitamin and mineral packed fruits and vegetables!

We also eat often at The Shepherd Hobby Farm. While we are working outside in the summer and fall we often stop for breaks and check out the garden or berry bushes for a snack. I just love munching on freshly picked sugar snap peas, black raspberries, and slicing up a cucumber while watching the horses play in the paddock! While inside, we graze on mostly healthy fare though we do love some of those “horrible foods” as well and find balance is the key.

Stay hydrated… we do this by drinking a lot of water and limiting sugary drinks. Our youngest son tried soda (Sprite if I remember right) once when he was at a friend’s house and has never wanted to try it again. However, he does love Minute Maid lemonade in the can. Our oldest son (15 years old) likes pop but drinks mostly water. They are each allowed 1 soda (or lemonade for our youngest son) per day. The rest is water.

How does this help keep us healthy? Our energy is kept at even levels because of the foods we eat as well as how often we eat. Plenty of water ensures our bodies are able to function at the best of their ability and keeps things “regular” in the system. Both of my boys get headaches easily if dehydrated so that that is something we always need to watch. If the boys are sitting still they know to always have a glass of water close by to drink!

6.  Exercise… I really love to exercise. However, I love it even more when I trick my body into thinking it’s day to day living and not a concerted effort to “exercise”. Carrying five gallon buckets of water to animal enclosures, chopping and stacking firewood, spreading mulch, cleaning out stalls, paddocks and enclosures, housework, exercises with the kids… I try to think of it all as either a game or a way to go about daily living.

The boys and I like to do family exercises together and usually end up in a heap laughing towards the middle. Who am I kidding… I can never get past a couple sit-ups without the boys laughing hysterically at my complete inability to do very many sit ups. I’ve never been good at sit ups and I really don’t care to get any better. I’m a push up kind of lady. Then there’s jumping jacks… seriously? I’m horrible and my youngest son isn’t the best either so we are always begging my oldest son to let us in on his secret to expert jumping jacks. He’s not telling. Lunges down the hallways… yup we are pushing, shoving and racing to see who can do it the fastest but still keep perfect form… yup, kinda a quirk… have to keep perfect form or it doesn’t count.

We have TVs for movie watching only (no cables, satellite etc.) so there’s no wasting hours upon hours on the couch mindlessly tuned into the latest and greatest show about a dysfunctional family or reality star wedding.

How does this keep us healthy? It keeps us moving and continously maintaining these amazing bodies God created. An active balanced lifestyle helps the immune system fight off any intruders much more effectively. Do I make our sons play organized sports? Nope. Do I offer? Yup. Do they take me up on it and play organized sports? Some seasons they do and some they don’t. We balance our activity with plenty of rest which brings me to my next quirk…

7.  Rest… I don’t need much sleep but the rest of my family certainly does! My body does really well and I am most comfortable with about 6 to 7 hours of sleep. My husband functions best on 8 to 9 and both of our boys need at least 12 hours of sleep to be at their best… physically, mentally and emotionally. The summer usually affords more opportunity for kids to rest and there’s absolutely no shame in bringing back the good ol’ rest time in the middle of the day! Everyone gets a book, settles down and even closes their eyes for an hour or two sometime during the day (parents, I know this may not be possible with work but what about the weekends?). Don’t get so busy busy busy that you don’t give your body time to rest and recharge.

What’s the quirk here? I guess the fact that I don’t need much sleep but perhaps also that I absolutely love to go to bed. When I hit my “wall”, that point where I can’t take another step because I am physically too tired, I seriously get excited to go to bed, it’s my favorite time of the day! I guess I should say night.

Because we eclectically unschool (type of homeschooling) our boys do not have bedtimes. They are able to stay up as late as they want. Our oldest (15) goes to bed pretty early, usually about 10pm, shortly after we do, while our youngest (10) is a total night owl. He loves to stay up late and sleep til’ noon or 1pm. I don’t mind as long as he is rested. If we have somewhere to go the next day I will let them know what time we have to leave and both boys are actually really good about kowing how much sleep they need and will get to bed accordingly. When they were younger we cetrainly had bedtimes as they were not mature enough yet to understand their own needs in regards to sleep.

8.  Lots of animals…I know many aren’t able to have lots of animals and I do not recommend lots of animals if you already are allergic to them. However, if you are allergy free try to get your kids around animals. All types… barnyard, typical pets, etc. Our kids have gorwn up with cats and dogs their whole life and for the past five years have had quite a few more animals to call their own. Not a single allergy of any kind with these boys. I have a mammal meat allergy but that is from a freak of nature lone star tick and his nasty alphagels!

Research shows that raising kids around animals leads to less allergies of all types later in life. The American Medical Association has released numerous studies on the subject supporting this fact in the Journal of American Medical Association (http://www.ama-assn.org/ama). WebMD agrees… http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20070101/pets-may-protect-children-allergies

If WebMD says it then it has to be true, right?

So, every time I get another goat that they have get to help take care of I simply tell my kids, “it’s for your own good, you’ll thank me later when you don’t have any allergies.”

9.  Laugh, dont’ be so serious, stress less, give more… Play out in the rain, splash in puddles, go catch lightning bugs, everyone help with dinner, read a book together each day complete with funny voices for each character, go play with cats and puppies at the humane society, share cute jokes with each other and then make up your own, put the phone down, get away from the computer, pretend there’s no electricity for a day, make a scavenger hunt for each other, and the list goes on and on. Just relax, enjoy your family and chill out.

Stress in our bodies leads to a less effective immune system. Worry and stress are a vicious cycle that leaves no room for contentment and a servant’s heart. To want something or a situation that is out of your control to be a cetrain way is a slippery slope to idolatry and self-focused living. It leads to a hardened heart.

I hate to quote “Frozen” but “Let it go!” Don’t try to control others or uncontrollable situations. Guide your kids instead of controlling them. I’m not saying to “let go and let God” as many try to say… we still have responsibilities. However, if you are providing for those around you as best you can, being a partner to your spouse in a biblical manner, being present in each moment for your family and friends, working on your own right relationship with God full of repentence and dieing to one’s self then certainly LET IT GO (stress, worry, etc.)!

Let the pressure of work and people go, let the past mistakes go as you turn away from them and ask for forgiveness, let the money worries melt away as you look around and see you have life and all you truly need in Christ. Your time on this earth is going to be just a blink compared to your eternal life. Where will you spend that eternal life? Here’s probably my biggest quirk… I want you all to know what I know and I’m not ashamed to shout it from the rooftops! I’m a sinner (that’s not the quirk, we all are sinners), I need a savior, there is only one and we are told quite clearly it is Christ.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me

 

Healthy living here on earth… I care to a point but know it’s not going to make or break my salvation. A healthy and right relationship with God, that’s what it’s ALL about.

 

You can drink green smoothies every day, exercise, always wear sunblock, wash your hands, and have the best job and family in the world but it’s not going to matter. You’re still a sinner, just as I am. Without a savior,Jesus Christ, you won’t be enjoying an eternal and everlasting life with Christ. Weeping, gnashing of teeth… Does that sound better to you? No thanks, not for me. That will be the lot for some and even the best physical body today isn’t going to help them one bit when that comes to unbelievers.

So, my quirks that keep me healthy and happy… yup I’ll keep at em’ but I’m not putting all my eggs in that basket. All of my eggs are going into my basket with my relationship with God because that’s the only one that really matters. As I grow and am filled with his love, compassion and caring Spirit I can pour out love, compassion, and caring to so many others. It is through that power that I am able to do anything and everything in my life with such unashamed vigor and zeal!

Another quirk… I’m really not a fan of top 10 lists (though I know I’ve made a couple) so I’ll leave you with 9 quirks that keep us healthy and happy here on The Shepherd Hobby Farm.

Happy handwashing to you all!

~Jhenna

 

 

 

Guess what… THIS Sunday is Father’s Day…June 15^th, 2014. Are you ready to party? Hold it right there… should we throw a big party on these “Hallmark holidays”?

If you were looking for a blog to get you out of any type of work, thoughtfulness, or kind words for your husband or father on Father’s Day then you have come to the wrong blog. I am all about taking the opportunity, every opportunity, to tell and show my father how much he means to me and my husband how incredible I think he is as a father. I just think that every day should have a bit of “Father’s Day” sentiment and that we shouldn’t save it all up for that one day in June.

With that being said it’s never too late to start some fun traditions. In our home we have a very simple tradition on days that celebrate a specific member of the family (birthdays, mother’s day, father’s day etc.). We make cards. Yes we get out the cardstock, construction paper, markers, crayons, stickers and anything else that we find around and we make cards. It’s fun to see my normally anti-crafty boys channel this side of their brains and oh how I long for at last one kid who wants to create scrapbook pages, quilts, cards, and the other multitudes of crafty items that my boys personally think are “the most boring and tedious projects in the world.” Boring… really? Apparently they’ve never watched paint dry.

*Note to self, have boys watch paint dry so there is something more boring than crafting in their opinion.

Ok, back to fathers and the Day of Fathers.  My husband’s opinion on the whole thing is that it is a Hallmark holiday and there is no need for celebration. He goes a step further to point out that he is not my father so there is no need for any type of celebration, gift giving, extra kindness, etc. from me… I should direct all of that to my father, who is actually my father and the natural recipient of MY Father’s Day wonderfulness. He’s got the same sentiments about Mother’s Day (I am not his mother so there should be no wonderfulness, other than normal day to day wonderfulness coming from him… it’s all on our sons)…  I’m still coming to grips with that (not sure I ever will, I am a selfish person… especially on Mother’s Day.)

I’ve met our sons… in fact I know them really well. They are not all about celebrations and meaningful remembrances of love and appreciation. At fifteen and ten they are usually looking for the easiest way out of, into, and around anything. Expert easy road finders, they won’t touch celebrations with a ten foot pole.  Celebrations=work and usually plenty of it. Couple that with the fact that they know their parents aren’t fans of extravagant purchasing and gift giving and what’s left is the horrible world of craftiness and creativity.

This year I’m forcing it on them though. They will be helping me make dad (by dad I mean my husband, their father… I refuse to buckle to his thoughts of what I should and shouldn’t do in loving wonderfulness for him on Father’s Day) a big breakfast (unless we go out to eat after church which I am sure my boys will suggest if I tell them of this plan ahead of time… so I’m not telling them) and then we will ask Kevin (aka “dad”) what he wants to do for the day. I’m guessing he will want to go on a bike ride (he and I do that every Sunday and he likes routine… oh and we need to train for a 535 mile ride), play a few board games (the boys and I love that, seriously, no sarcasm, we’re a gaming family), eat a big brunch (homemade, he’s not a big fan of restaurants), grill something for dinner, have a clean house (this would be the ultimate gift for him), family devotions in the evening, and see some cute cards made by his sons.

Now think about this folks… what looks different here from a normal day in our home? Not a whole lot. If my sons made him cards any other day you wouldn’t be able to tell this day from a normal day in our home (except for the brunch… Kevin would be at work). That’s the point. We try to live every day as it is a celebration of each other not because we are the most important things in life or on this earth but because we are filled with grace, humbled exuberance, and awe of what God has blessed us with, each other. God could have seen fit to never give Kevin and I children and Father’s Day would have been just for our own fathers. However, he gave us two amazing boys to raise up in His Word and teachings. This is why God made fathers, to protect and provide for the family and raise up and guide children to praise and glorify God!

This is what we strive for. Appreciating each other every day of our lives and finding ways to tell and show each other how blessed we are to have one another. There are so many people out there who have never known their fathers, had them pass away, or distanced themselves from their dad’s for one reason or another. Don’t use a Hallmark holiday as your one day to show dad (husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend…you know who fits that bill for you) how much you love and appreciate him. At the same time use Father’s Day as a fun day to celebrate a little extra how much you love and appreciate him.  Make him a card 🙂

Since I mentioned gaming I have to throw out a few games that you may consider purchasing for dad this Father’s Day to start a gaming tradition in your home.

I have to tell you nights and afternoons of gaming are so much better than sitting in front of the TV! Our family favorites are as follows…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Castle Panic (our favorite lately)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tobago

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Legend of DrizzT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Battlestar Glactica (yes, from the television series… we are that nerdy)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Age of Empires III

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wings of War (Kevin and the boys love it, I’m ok with it… they always beat me)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gulo Gulo (Kevin and I can never seem to beat the boys at this one… great for ages 4 and up… not even kidding adults are usually worse at it than kids)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carcassone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Settlers of Catan (gotta love the ore, wheat, sheep combo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agricola (you get to make a farm folks… seriously! And Kevin actually likes this one…. Score!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Jet (a Simply Fun game and a god one)

 

 

 

 

 

These games can be found at Hobby Town USA in Evansville, Barnes & Noble, and of course online (Amazon etc.). We try to get a new board game every Christmas, birthdays, and sometimes Father’s Day. Start a collection folks, it turns into a collection of great memories!

 

 

Ever have one of those mornings where all you want to do is sit? I look around and see the kitchen table scattered with books, Wal Mart bags of groceries still needing to put away (hey, props for getting the cold stuff in the fridge right away), various soaps to smell and wrap for sale, papers galore (mostly soap recipes and “to do” lists that never got checked off because a newer better list was made when they got lost), and various cups and bowls (why we can’t each use our own same cup for the whole day traces its roots back to germaphobe tendencies).

But…the windows are all wide open and the rain is steadily falling and creating a rhythmic song that dulls my sense of sight and heightens my sense of hearing.

Disengaging my eyes, my ears take over and set my head against a lose fist with elbow propped up on one small open spot on the table I cleared just seconds ago.

Notebook and pen…check.

Cup of coffee…check

Engage coffee break… check! What am I taking a break from you ask? I don’t know… it was tough coming down those bedroom stairs and I gave the dog a bone. That totally deserves a break.

Axel bellows a few deep man dog barks (he’s only 6 months old, how can he do that?) to break me out of my rain induced trance to which I respond, “Axel stop it.” I don’t even know what he’s barking at because I don’t want to get up (go go gadget lazy legs). It’s probably the cat. The cat who was supposed to head outside last week to join the Mouse patrol but was given extra time in the house due to stormy weather and the thought that she may get too scared. Ummmm… the storms haven’t let up in 5 days! Is this cat controlling the weather?

Bah, I’m out of coffee… that does require one to get up and do something… get another cup… I’ll be right back.

I’m back… Epic doggy mommy fail. Axel was calmly sitting by the door waiting to go out. Now I feel bad that I told him to be quiet as he was doing just what we had trained him to do when he has to go potty. See, even professional dog trainers fail on occasion. Luckily he can hold it longer than 5 seconds nowadays and I was instantly forgiven with a pat on the head and opening of the door. He saw it was raining, looked at me, looked back at rain and was quite surprised when I shoved his big butt out the door. Quickest potty ever and he was back in.

I like to make lists so I begin another “to do” list when I sit back down… ugh all that moving was exhausting on a morning such as this… rain do you somehow steal every ounce of energy I stored up over the night? I don’t care, I’m good with that (perhaps that is the lack of energy talking?). Boys are still sleeping (in the living room… who knows how late they stayed up as they are both in really good books right now which they refuse to put down). Our youngest is reading a book full of Minecraft stories and our oldest  is launched into another World of Warcraft novel. They crashed in the living room last night so I get to watch a sweet Axel lay and “guard” them while they sleep… cute.

My “to do” list is done and just for fun I put a few things on there that I did yesterday so I can have a few things already checked off…it gets some momentum started (no, it’s not cheating… ok yes it is, I don’t care, the rain made me do it.)

Next up, I have to brave the weather and head out to tend to the animals. The goats are probably happily munching hay in the barn, horses are probably standing in the middle of the rain because they refuse to go into the barn during inclement weather, dogs are in the entryway because we think they don’t like to be wet (unless they are swimming), cats are all hiding for the same reason, I bet rabbits are doing what rabbits do (eat, drink and poop) and the chickens are probably waiting to be let out to pick through the treasures they find in the woods. Ooh, we have a new member of the farm! We started our guinea pig colony yesterday with a beautiful white long haired female guinea pig named Zelda! She’s super shy but sweet as can be and loves garden fresh lettuce!

Have a great day folks and thanks for reading my rainy day morning ramblings.

Jhenna

I’ve lived on this earth longer than my own mother did and I’m only 35 (at least I think I’m 35… right around there at least. After 20 I really stopped keeping track…born in 1978, you do the math.) I had 9 years with her and that’s longer than some have with their mothers but still seems not long enough for me. With each day the memories fade, her face is the one I see in the pictures I have and she’s changed… no longer the tired, hurried, stressed out single mother of two but rather an epic superwoman who never raised her voice, made amazing well balanced suppers, gorgeous hair and perfect makeup and whisked us away to fantastic summer vacations.

Truth be told I only remember one vacation with my mother (with our whole maternal side of the family in fact) and on that vacation she let us watch “Elephant Man” and she chased a bat around our cabin with a tennis racket screaming that we may all die from rabies. I had nightmares for years!

Perhaps the fading memories have always given me the opportunity to wonder… I do an awful lot of wondering and have ever since the day she suddenly died.

I wonder if I’ll ever see her again in heaven, knowing that I won’t care as I’m enveloped by the awesomeness of God which will sustain me completely… I still wonder.

I wonder if she knows that I only searched the crowds for her face for 20 years instead of a lifetime and if she’s disappointed about that.

I wonder if she’s mad that I haven’t cared enough to visit her grave more than once in my life and that I didn’t take any flowers…

I wonder if she knows that I found out what her favorite flower was only a year ago…

I wonder if she knows that in her death she created a bond between father and daughter that never would have come to be without her leaving…

I wondered for so many years what I did wrong to make her go away…

I wondered for too many years why God was so mean to take a little girl’s mamma…now I thank God for taking her.

I wonder if I’m wiser than she now that I have lived more years… I highly doubt it.

I wonder if she knew that I noticed how kind she was to people but at the same time how she could be one heck of a sarcastic little stinker…

I wonder why she never talked about Jesus to us and why I never saw her reading a Bible.

I wonder what her touch felt like because now I forget… her arms around me… a snuggle in the bed we shared for so many years because I didn’t want to sleep alone…

I wonder if she watched and heard from above as my brother looked at some kids playing and simply said, “I wonder if they know how lucky they are to have a mom”… good to know I wasn’t the only one wondering. I wondered the same thing but never would have said it out loud.

I wonder if my mom knows that I have horses and it was those years hanging out at the stable while she rehabilitated abused horses that sparked my intense and deep love for these animals. I wonder if she sees how free I am when I ride… free of sadness, free of missing her, free of guilt and totally connected with her very essence. I wonder if she would bury her face in the neck of a horse and breathe deeply, thinking there’s no scent so amazing and intoxicating. Yup, I do that.

I wonder if she knows I still vividly remember sitting on the floor in front of her while she rocked in an old wicker rocking chair and read my brother and me snippits of her diary. We always begged for more but she would never disclose the personal stuff… I wonder if that diary (reached novel proportions) will ever show up. I wonder if that sparked my love for writing…

I wonder if she thought I was silly when I stood on the stairs leading up to my bedroom the day we left to go to my dad’s for the weekend (we usually spent it at my grandparents with dad visiting us there) begging her not to make me go… it was the last day I saw her.

I wonder if in her death she knew that she created a bond between a brother and sister that few siblings will ever know.

I wonder why in the world she ever let me pack my own suitcase for the weekend trips to my dad’s house and why she ever bought me red tights and pink dresses (I seemed to love that combo together, ugh!).

I wonder if she knows that through her divorce she taught me to hold on to my own marriage tighter than anything else in life. I will never get divorced, about that I do not wonder.

I wonder what she loved so much about Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and why I love it too.

I wonder why she never got me past the very first piano lesson book when she was always an amazingly talented piano player (the word pianist still always makes me giggle).

I wonder if she knows how many times I have listened to the recording made of her playing piano and singing in my grandpa’s church, just goofing around and having a good time with me, her sister, and her mother…

I wonder what kind of a grandmother she would be to my own two sons… would she insist we visit Wisconsin more often… would she come spend weeks in Indiana with us? I wonder if they would realize that I got me scatterbrained antics directly from her…

I wonder if she knows that the thought of her watching me from above kept me from doing a lot of stupid things growing up… now I simply wonder if she is in heaven…

I wonder if she knows that I have no idea the date she died, no recollection of her funeral, and I was coaxed out of grieving under a bed by a simple roll of pennies…

I wonder if she cares that I don’t celebrate her birthday with a big cryfest and some years don’t even really think of her on May 10th. She will always be woven into the very fabric of my life and being but I sentementality is not one of my strong points…

I wonder if she knew that I always respected her for working 2 and sometimes 3 jobs to support my brother and me. She’d take us with her to the laundrymat she worked at in the evenings and we’d do our homework, eat junk out of the vending machines and have races in the laundry carts. Those were actually really fun times!

I wonder if God shared my prayers with her…

Wow, I cetainly seem to wonder a lot. Mother’s Day is hard and glorious at the same time for me. I celebrate my own motherhood with two amazing sons but wish I could wrap my arms around the woman who gave me life and hear the story from her lips one more time about the day she welcomed me into the world and the crazy amount of hair I had. Hold your mothers close if they are still on this earth 🙂

 

 

OK, so this has been on my heart for weeks as I have watched my youngest son dread, complain about, and try to weasel his way out of getting braces. He’s 9 (10 tomorrow… double digits buddy, buck up and move on about the whole braces thing!). Should I expect joyful obedience from my sons in matters which they do not agree, like, or feel happy about? In this case our youngest son is very close to disobedience and I can tell you right now that’s not tolerated in our household.

Apparently I (mom) am ruining his life and I really think he should be an equal opportunity blamer… son, dad is ruining your life too, we agreed on this whole braces thing. He got the braces on late last week but showed no signs of joyful obedience. He wore all black, got black rubber bands and picked out a black sweatshirt, t-shirt, and bag from the orthodontist office. Apparently braces= mourning  death. He’s been wearing a lot of black ever since.

He readily admitted several times that day and for the days to follow that he was glad he got it over with and that it wasn’t so bad but still feels he was completely justified for his “drama” leading up to it. So not only does he recognize that he was not joyfully obeying his parents he actually feels justified in his behavior and attitude… this, my friends, infuriates me.

Isn’t it amazing how our kids seem to find the particular things that drive us completely crazy? Like we expect them to know better, do better, and think better than we did at that age. If you’ve ever uttered the words, “I can’t believe he/she did that” then you sit in the same boat as me as an imperfect parent and an imperfect person (sorry to burst your “I’m really super close to perfect” bubble). Why can’t we believe it? Is it really worse than the things we did as kids or even adults?

So, why do I expect my son to joyfully obey me when I demand he do something that I know is in his best interest but that he REALLY does not want to do? Ummmmm… because I know better and it’s way more pleasant and comfortable for me to see joyful obedience than it is complaining, arguing, and downright disobedience. I don’t enjoy dealing with the tough aspects of life and parenting so if everyone could just joyfully obey me that would be great (want a ticket to my dream world show?).

Now that I sound like a control freak and mother with extremely high expectations let me explain why I do in fact expect joyful obedience from my sons. It comes down to the fact that they are commanded by a power much higher than me to joyfully obey. First and foremost they are to joyfully obey God’s commands. Guess what, one of those commands is to obey their parents. Score for parents! I also expect joyful obedience because I know they are capable of it and when it becomes the standard it pushes selfishness and the “world revolves around me” mentality out of their heart.

With that being said, parents we need to be outstanding role models for what joyful obedience is. Do you begrudgingly do the dishes, complaining the entire time and threaten to switch your family to styrofoam dinnerware? How about cooking dinner and the million other areas you provide for your family and upkeep your home? Heading to church or Bible study? Heading to work or working late? Is it a chore or do you joyfully obey God’s commands to worship with fellow believers and learn His word? God doesn’t just expect  obedience from children, he expects it from us! If I see my own sons straying from joyful obedience I need to first look at what kind of role model I am being for them.

All right, so now I’ve gone on and on and complained about my son’s lack of joyful obedience but what can be done to turn things around? Well, what was done was done and there’s not much to be gained from lamenting and dwelling on past sins. We learn and we move on. Let’s concentrate on the present and the future. My husband and I need to take a look at how we are parenting… we need to realize and teach our sons that Biblical obedience is complete, immediate and clearly displays joy. Kevin and I taught our sons from the very beginning that obedience was all the way and right away (have I mentioned Kevin is a Marine?) but we left out a very important aspect and part… “with a joyful heart.”

Leaving out the “with a joyful heart” when teaching your kids gives them liberty to whine, complain, and have a negative attitude while obeying. Obedience with a negative attitude is not what God wants nor is it pleasing to parents (or those around our kids). So are we up a creek without a paddle or can this be fixed?

Can we fix it? Well, follow Bob the Builder’s cue and just shout, “Yes we can!” Is Bob the Builder still around? He was our younger son’s favorite if I remember right… might have been oldest son. Anyone remember Bear in the Big Blue House? That was most surely oldest son’s favorite and he had a Bear that he would carry around, rub the silky tag on the bottom, and completely rub off all the hair of poor Bear’s bum while sucking his thumb at the same time (hello braces for oldest son due to that!).

How do we fix it?

Step 1: Expect Biblical obedience. None of this wishy washy, “do you want to…”, “how about we…” “wouldn’t it be fun to…” Wishy washy parenting leads to wishy washy kids who have a hard time determining when to and when not to submit to authority. Determine your own “family rules” and establish a strong family identity in Christ by expecting your children to obey authority (you, teachers, daycare providers, etc.). Set them up for success and expect them to obey (check out step 2 when things don’t go as expected)…

Step 2: Consequences. Yup, there are always going to be consequences to our actions. When kids disobey it is our duty to administer consequences in a faithful and consistent manner. When a child’s disobedience is met with consequences children learn the law of the harvest. God has built the principle of sowing and reaping into this world we live in and it is important for kids to see that picture and get that principle throughout use of consequences, teaching, and guidance.

I’m never a fan of administering consequences to our kids but I am to be obedient to the commands God has laid before me. I am blessed to know that God understands how I feel and provides encouragement…“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11 ESV). I can’t ignore His commands just as I can’t let it slide when my kids ignore His commands.

Step 3: Watch out for who your kids keep company with. I am far from the “helicopter parent” but I do scrutinize my boys’ friends closely. Your kids’ minds are still developing and habits are being laid every day. If the majority (or even 1 or 2 close buddies) of the kids they hang out with have troubles obeying parents and other authority figures your child will most likely follow suit. Wouldn’t it be nice if your kid was the one who stood up and helped those kids learn to obey authority? Probably not gonna happen… that’s a lot of expectation and pressure for a kid of any age. Most kids prefer to follow what everyone else is doing so help your kids surround themselves with a good group of friends who respect authority and have a heart for joyful obedience!

“Train up a child up in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV).

 

I don’t know about you but I have some work to do so I’m off to train up some kids… joyfully!

Jhenna

Diatomaceous  Earth (DE), what is it good for, absolutely everything! Well, maybe not everything… I don’t think I will be using it to clean anything anytime soon as it creates more dust than a whirling dervish (I’m just assuming they kick up some dust).

I recently received a message from a friend asking, “Wanted to know if you have every used Diatomaceous Earth or knew anything about it?” Yup, I do know about DE as we have been using it here on the farm for several years.

This wonderful substance that we lovingly refer to as DE (because few, including me, can pronounce it’s full name consistently correctly) is widely used all over the world for a multitude of things. Here on The Shepherd Hobby Farm we use it as an animal feed additive, garden pest control, carpet duster and external parasite control (a lot like a topical flea/mite powder).

DE comes from fossilized diatoms (algae) that have calcified and layered as sedimentary rock. In the United States, it is now mined from old lake beds which are mainly in Colorado and Nevada. It feels like a very light powder because each diatom is so porous, but they each have jagged edges. These properties are key to its functions (according to Mother Earth News).

I’ve heard people give two different explanations of how DE works. Many say it works in both of these ways.

One is that on a microscopic level, the diatomaceous earth particles are very sharp looking. These particles stick to an insect and get stuck between its exoskeleton joints. As the insect moves, it gets physically cut up.

The other explanation is that diatomaceous earth sticks to the insect and somehow causes them to dry out. I think this approach involves scratching the insects waxy layer which then allows precious moisture within the insect to get out. So their teeny tiny bug-innards turn into teeny tiny bug-innards-jerky.

Unless you’re buying filters for a swimming pool,  the DE you want must be “food grade.” This won’t be contaminated with anything toxic and won’t be dangerous to breathe or handle. You can buy the food grade DE at your local feed store, some nurseries and online. One brand for smaller quantities is called “Pure-Earth.” Our 50# bags are called, “Perma-Guard.”

Below I will list all the ways I know of that it can be used and the pluses and minuses of each use.

1. Worming medicine: We have goats, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, chickens, guineas, and rabbits here on The Shepherd Hobby Farm. Most of those animals (except for dogs, cats, and rabbits) are notorious for carrying worm loads on an ordinary day to day basis. We do fecal counts often to ensure our animals are within healthy ranges and keep them this way with the use of some chemical wormers when the need arises. However, our preventative program including herbs, minerals, and DE has provided us with a program in which our animals stay extrememly healthy using these natural ingredients. We mix DE into the horse, sheep, chicken, and goat feed each morning and evening. The concept behind this is that the DE travels through the animals system and the sharp edges of the DE do nothing to the animal (because they are so small) but wedge into the exoskeletons of the parasites and kill them.
2. Fly control. If you have horses (or cows, llamas, alpacas… hooved creatures that poop a lot) then you understand when I say I really dislike flies. The concept here is, “what goes in must come out.” The DE goes in through them eating their feed and also comes out when they poo. It’s there in it’s ever wonderful glory when flies come sand lay their eggs in the piles of poo. When the eggs hatch out in to little maggots the DE once again wedges itself in and around, tears them all up, and dehydrates them. This has drastically reduced our fly population the last few years. Sometimes I also sprinkle some DE on fresh piles I see flies swarming around just in case.
3. Insecticide in the garden: We do not use any chemical pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides here at the farm. At one point our chickens were loose to free range the entire property (including our front pirch which is why we have changed things a bit as far as chickens go) and therefore we chose not to use any chemicals that may make its wasy into our chickens and eggs. DE is thought to work externally on crawling insects by scratching the exoskeleton,  absorbing protective lipids and causing them to dehydrate. Studies show that it is not harful to bees or earthworms (though I am a little dubious as I don’t know how it would affect maggots in a horse manure pile but not an earthworm… something seems a little off. I use DE sparingly in the garden and only when the infestation of unwanted critters is more than I can handle with handpicking and other pest control practices.
4. Carpet duster. We have four dogs and ten cats. Three of the four dogs are inside the majority of the time and many of the cats try to sneak in he house at every given opportunity. Therefore, even though they are all on flea and tick preventative it doesn’t mean some of these little icky pest won’t hitchike in on one of them to try to make a meal out of one of use. Therefore, once a week I dust my carpets with a mixture of baking soda, DE, and cedarwood essential oil. I let sit for a few hours (sometime sovernight) and vacuum up. This not only kills any pests in my carpets but also freshens and deodorizes it!
5. Pest control on the skin of animals: As I mentioned before, all ou dogs and cats are on a chemical flea prevention but we choose a more organic and natural route for tick and mites (chickens). We comb through our dogs and cats each day for ticks and dust the goats, sheep, and chickens with DE once a week. I sprinkle it onto their coats and rub it in while making them completely happy with a little rub down. They LOVE this one on one time!
6. Hydroponic: DE is like perlite or vermiculite and retains water and nutrients in the  soil. Its porosity means that the soil will also drain well. This makes it great  for potted plants.
7.  Feed bags: With some of the animal’s feed bags that are particularly susceptible to insects and pests I put a cup of DE in and mix it all up so they die, die, die and stop eating my anima’s feed!
8. Human detox: I have not done this but have heard about it being done… Many people eat a quarter cup of food grade diatomaceous earth every day. They mix it into juice. I have visited with several people that are keen on living past 100 years that believe that eating lots diatomaceous earth every day will help them with that goal. I have found references where it is cited for colon cleansing, parasite control and detox. Not really interested myself, but just thought I’d throw that out there.

Earthworks Health has an interesting list of uses and claims for DE (human use). Check it out if you are interested in seeing what all DE could do for your body.

Well folks, that’s what I’ve got for DE. Thanks for the questio Karis and feel free to ask any follow-up questions or let me know what your plans ar with DE. Anyone else have ideas for DE?

Happy Day All!

Jhenna

 

All righty, I am supposed to be working on several different blog posts right now… Uses for Diamesteacous Earth, Gardening… When Can I FINALLY Get Dirty?, Unschooling a High Schooler, What’s For Dinner?, and the list goes on for quite a ways.

However… I have a toothache. Not just any toothache… I have a pounding, jackhammer in my jaw, head and neck hurting kind of toothache. About a month ago I cracked a tooth or a filling (not sure which) and lost a big chunk of something (tooth, filling, who knows… just a gaping spot that needed fixing… hand me the spackle!). Went to dentist, he fixed me up with a huge silver looking filling (no gold 🙁 ) and sent me on my way.

Well, Wednesday night (3 days ago) I started getting this bad toothache. I looked and sure enough there’s a crack on the big silver filling part. Called my dentist first thing Thursday morning and the soonest I could get in is next Wednesday. I’m really not a complainer but this sucker hurts!

I called back about 3 hours later that day and asked to be put on the cancellation waiting list… I promised I could be there in 5 minutes (virtually impossible as we live 15 minutes away from dentist but I was willing to promise anything at that point) if someone canceled. I was given a pain med presciption for Hydrocodon with Acetaminophen (Tylenol) after I kept calling the dentist office every hour to check if anyone had canceled (I totally was not offended when every time the receptionist said “Don’t worry Jhenna, we will call you. You do not need to call us, we will call you.”) I scaled back to every 2 hours just in case. I promise I am not usually this neurotic but did I mention my tooth really hurt?

I lamented to my husband via text and he suggested I look around to see if I could get in somewhere else. I did, I couldn’t. All dentists were conspiring against me most assuredly. Had the receptionist called everyone and told them I was crazy? Possibly, but the tooth WAS making me crazy.

So then the research started. What can be done at home for a toothache? Amazingly enough, doomsday preppers offered the best insight and advice! The following is a list that Kevin and I came up with and the success rate of each (or why I didn’t try them).

Ummmm do I have to say “I am not a doctor and this is not to be considere medical advice?” OK, I am not a doctor and this is not considered medical advice. I just tried some stuff and wrote down what happened (or didn’t happen). Feel free to try these at home but don’t blame me if your kids laugh at you, you develop a drinking problem, you become obsessed with essential oils, or your tooth explodes.

1. Orajel or Ambesol: A benzocaine topical ointment meant to numb the area. I was told by my dentist and most “preppers” agreed, DON’T USE THIS. It can cause abscesses to rupture which can easily lead to infection.

2. Over the counter pain relief meds: Ibuprofen can work for some but should not be taken in conjunction with Tylenol. Tylenol works well but can be rough on your organs. Aspirin is another good option (can be rough on tummy) and can be used in conjunction with the Tylenol. I have been taking the prescription Tylenol with Hydrocodon every 4 hours and the aspirin every 3 hours to offset when the Tylenol starts to wear off. Seriously, this tooth hurts that bad.

3. Warm salt water: Yes! This is one that has helped a lot but only gives temporary relief (about 20 minutes). Warm water with as much salt as you can stand. Swish it around in your mouth, especially the affected area, as often as needed. I am doing this about every 2 hours and after I eat or drink anything.

4. Whiskey: OK, seriously, whiskey? Yup! Kevin brought home a bottle of whiskey and sure enough it works (though only very short term for me). The first time I tried it was yesterday. Kevin had just gotten home with Bayer aspirin, whiskey, and clove oil. Took some Bayer aspirin right away and decided to try whiskey next because my tooth really hurt.

I asked, “Will this hurt?” Kevin replied, “Nah, it’s just whiskey.” I poured a little in a glass, hesitated for a second and then filled up my mouth and immediately swished it over to the upper right side of my mouth… OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, yup that hurt. Like a bolt of electricity shot through my upper right jaw and needless to say I screamed and spit it out.

My oldest son came in, curious as to what was going on. No worries, dad is just trying to kill mom with whiskey, carry on son. Apparently this was entertaining because he stayed to watch and our youngest son even found his way in for the show.

I decided to try again as maybe it was just the pressure of shooting the liquid directly at my tooth that made it hurt like that. Or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment… either way my tooth still hurt.

I poured another glass, filled my mouth, and slowly tilted my head to the right and let the whiskey ease it’s way over my tooth area. It burned (like burned my whole mouth, how do people drink this stuff?) but I just kept my head tilted and let the whiskey sit on and in my tooth area. I was then able to swish, swish, swish gently without pain. The toothache even went away while I was swishing and it was surrounded by it’s warm whiskey blanket.

I spit out the whiskey and my mouth burned for a short time but the toothache stayed away for all of 5 minutes! Woohoo! On to the next thing…

5. Clove oil: I had never heard of this but apparently doomsday preppers love this one! Clove essential oil is an amazing topical pain reliever. Kevin had found “Red Cross Toothache” at CVS which contained pure clove oil with sunflower oil (a carrier oil is a must to prevent skin burning). It even came with itty bitty cotton balls and cute little tweezers to grab the cotton balls, stick them in the oil, and then place on the tooth (not the gums, directly on the tooth).

I was dubious, but prepared to try anything especially with two sons expecting me to try the whole arsenal of tooth care products found by dad. Yeah, mom is an awesome guinea pig. Besides, those itty bitty cotton balls are adorable!

So I got a cotton ball, dipped it in the clove oil, placed it up against my tooth with one finger and held it there for the required 1 minute (Kevin was keeping track with the boys encouraging me the entire time… tooth care is a family affair at The Shepherd Hobby Farm!) I had brushed the cotton ball against my lips and cheek by accident on the way to my upper right tooth and noticed a tingling burning sensation in every area the clove oil had touched. As the seconds ticked by the burning increased.

I tried to ask Kevin if the burning was normal (hindsight… why in the world would he know?) but I had my massive farmworking hands shoved in my mouth holding the itty bitty cottonball up against my tooth so it was a little difficult to get my question undestood. The boys were laughing because apaprently this was all very funny. My oldest son offered up, “I think she says it’s burning” as I emphatically shook my head yes. Kevin’s reply, “Ok, only about 20 seconds left.”

Minute done, cotton ball came out and surprisingly there was no tooth pain. In fact, my whole rights side of my mouth is numb. Nice, I’ll take it! So the clove oil is effective for about 30 to 45 minutes which is awesome and I have repeated it several times since then.

6. Ice packs: If there is an abscess (or not I guess) and there’s swelling an ice pack held up to the outside of the affcted area relieves some pain. Yes, this worked for me but became uncomfortable after a while and it’s annoying to walk around with an ice pack taped to the side of your head (I will not confirm nor deny that I did that).

7. Vanilla Extract: Saturate a cotton ball with vanilla and hold in place. Can also use a cotton swab dipped in extract. I tried this with imitation vanilla extract and it did nothing. Not going all the way to store for pure vanilla extract. Anyone try this and have it work? Just curious.

8. Almond Extract: Same method of treatment as with Vanilla (above). I did have pure almond extract and it did nothing to help.

9. Peppermint Extract: Same as with Vanilla (above). Didn’t have it, not going to store to get it.

10. Lemon Extract: Same as with Vanilla (above). Didn’t have it, not going to store to get it.

11. Tea tree oil: Saturate a cotton ball with oil and hold in place. Can also use a cotton swab dipped in oil. Tried this (yeah for lotion and soap making supplies!!) and the tea tree oil tasted so nasty I did not hold it on long enough for it to be effective. Nasty tasting stuff!

12. Apple Cider Vinegar: Soak a cotton ball with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and hold it in place. Can also try regular household vinegar. I tried both of these. It stung like crazy and actually made it hurt worse 🙁 Bad vinegar, very bad.

13: Baking Soda: Take a cotton swab and moisten it with a bit of water, dip it in baking soda (coat the swab really well with baking soda) then apply. You can also make a mouth rinse by mixing a heaping spoonful of baking soda in a small glass of lukewarm to warm water, dissolve the soda then swish the mixture in your mouth. Tried it, offered no relief.

14. Warm or hot compress against outside of affected area. I was told by my dentist to never ever use anything warm or hot on the cheek because it will help to breed the infection (if there is one) and make it worse.

15. Potato: Cut a fresh piece of potato (raw, skin off) and hold in place. Can also pound a piece of raw potato, mix in a bit of salt and use the mash. Seriously? This one was a little weird and not nearly as fun as whiskey but probably a lot less likely to hurt so I gave it a shot. It did nothing to help 🙁

 

Ok, so there you have it? Any other toothache cures that you all hae? I’d love to hear them because it’s Saturday and I still don’t head to the dentist until Wednesday (unless someone cancels… please someone cancel!!) and I only have 4 of my prescription pills left (which work THE BEST!!) to last me until Monday. Sorry for kinda sounding like an addict right there… it’s the tooth talking! UGH! Ain’t nobody got time for this.