The Cottage on the Hill

I tried my homemade cottage cheese today. I used it in a ziti dish. It's rather like ricotta rather than cottage cheese. Hubby liked it. I thought it was good, too. Here's the recipe: Cottage cheese:1 gallon 2%,1% or skim milk1/2 c. vinegar directions: Heat milk until ALMOST boiling, turn off heat. Add Vinegar, then cool a bit. Pour through a cheese cloth lined strainer, and set until the whey drains off. Great in lasagna, with pasta, with fruit, or plain. You can add salt if you want to. I used whole milk, but am going to try it with skim. ladyscott

Yesterday, I replaced the spring mattress on hubby and I's bed with our air mattress. I topped it with a memory foam mattress pad and fixed the bed up really nice. Well, I can honestly say I slept better last night. I could lay still and comfortably. I was warm enough. I didn't feel all stiff and achy in the morning. I didn't feel dizzy and sick during the night. It is now the afternoon and I don't feel like I need a nap. Hubby says he'll let me know later if the air mattress gave him a better sleep. If we do decide to stick with the air mattress, it will be rather funny having to re-inflate the bed every morning or two as part of redressing the bed. Still, it is so worth it to finally feel like I had a decent night's sleep. I even had good dreams!

I really like the AIO diaper I got from www.gracefulbabies.com . At only $9.00, I consider that a steal (and it comes with a doubler!). I have 3 fitted diapers that need vinyl covers over them, and 2 of my own homemade diapers that also need vinyl covers. I also have a goodly supply of chinese prefolds of varying qualities. It was hot yesterday, so Bubby drank a lot of water. Consequently, after 3 hours, his fitted diaper was soaked. He could feel it and was doing this cute little dance....pull on the vinyl and then dip into squats. Of course, I changed him. I do prefer the AIOs at this point. I also part time washable wipe Bubby. For poos, I use disposable wipes. For urine only, I use soft cotton washcloths. I've saved money there. Rather than using nearly an entire $8.00 bulk box of wipes a month, I use only 2 packages of that box of 6. As winter comes upon us, I'll probably use less because I'll be traveling less and thus not using so many disposable wipes a...

I have a couple of new initial phrases....you know how stay at home mom is SAHM. Well, my new phrases are PTCD and FTCD (part time cloth diapering, and full time cloth diapering). I am offically a PTCD SAHM! I'm cloth diapering while home, but for trips and overnight, I'm still using disposables. I still have to build up my cloth diaper bounty. Now, do any of you other cloth diapering moms, when you first started cloth diapering, feel better about what your child had on their tushy and feel a sense of at-home pride or satisfaction (you know, the feeling you get when your homemade bread is baking or you hang homemade curtains on your windows)?

Ok, I'm hooked! Cheese curds are soooo good! Too bad they're rather expensive. I wonder if I could make them myself? I'll have to look at up. I'm also looking into making my own cottage cheese. I made a cheater version the other day out of nearly boiling milk and vinegar, but I haven't had the guts to try it yet. It looks like it would work best in lazagna or stuffed shells rather than eating it plain. Regular readers of my blog will notice I've taken down my weight loss meter. That's because I hit a plateau and thought I was happy with myself. Well, my legs are in great shape. My arms, shoulders, back, etc are in great shape. But my abs....well....they could use a little work. I'm not sure if it is weight loss I'm seeking or just a great ab-blasting workout. Regardless, I'm watching my carb intake more and I'm looking into some videos that'll knock my abs into shape. Any ideas?

There's a small, but growing movement in my local area called becoming a localtarian. It means doing your best to buy your food and products from local growers and suppliers. If you want a bookcase, instead of picking one up from Walmart or JC Penneys, go to a local furniture maker. If you want pears, go to a local orchard. Of course, this means following the seasons as well. I've taken to the idea myself since I save a bunch of money going to a particular local farm for produce. The orchard's prices are comparable or a little more expensive than the grocery store, but the flavor and quality is so much better. It is so nice to eat a fresh peach and not a hard, tasteless one from the grocery store. I can get local grains, herbs, honey, maple syrup, eggs, milk, cheeses, and even peanut butter! Buying this way is not only healthier, but I don't have to worry about impulse buying of processed foods. Also, Bubby likes it better because he gets to go to farms instead...

Home and Garden magazines are dangerous. I received my latest issue of Cottage Living in the mail yesterday and after thumbing through it, I rearranged part of the house! It was a chain reaction that was bound to happen anyway. When I got the hutch for the kitchen, I moved the smaller hutch to the porch and the bookcase on the porch went down into hubby's man cave. Since Autumn is upon us, I moved some of my herbs indoors and put them on the sun porch. They needed a perch, so I moved the small hutch to the window and placed the herbs on it. So, I had an open spot in the porch. I dislike electronics in the bedroom, so I pulled out a wood folding table and placed it in the porch and moved the computer out there. Now that it's cooler weather, a computer can safely live out there and it makes a nice little office for me and a play area for Bubby. Also, if I get pregnant and suffer my usual insomnia, I can wile away the wee hours online without bothering hubby. So, I moved th...

Now, this post is supposed to be tongue in cheek, but at the same time a little thought-provoking. At-home moms are worth an estimated $136,000 a year. Now, what if "domestic engineer" really was a paid career (rather than a rewarding life)? Would you hear Donald Trump say, "You're Fired!"? Lets look at some ways a professional needs to be...well....professional to be a success in their career. Do we wives measure up in our own career? Or would we be fired? Appearance: Who says looks don't count? To be bluntly honest, they do. I've never seen a lawyer appear in court wearing sweats. Now, there is something to wearing clothes appropriate to the job, but are sweats and frump necessary? We at-home wives should be dressed for success! Besides, getting dressed and ready for the day helps the day move along better and we feel better about ourselves! Education: We all know that without that college degree, it's really hard to get a good paying jo...

I've given myself the evening off. My ears have been ringing loudly all day and that usually means I'm headed for one of my "grand mal" dizzy spells. I can usually avoid it if I rest and keep my fluid intake up. I feel a little bad because I wanted to put up tomatoes and pickles this evening. However, it's better for me to add a couple hours of work onto tomorrow than go ahead and can tonight and possibly be incapacitated for 10 hours tomorrow. Besides, hubby mentioned today for me to be careful physically. He's afraid I'm going to get myself sick. So, that confirms it. Tonight, I'm resting. Right now, I'm blog-surfing. Later, I'll spend a little time primping myself, and then I'll settle in bed with a book. Sounds good. :)

Here are three ways I'm eliminating plastics in my home: 1. Use freezer/butcher paper to freeze products. 2. Use wax paper to wrap sandwiches for lunches 3. Use mason jars to store foods and leftovers in the fridge and pantry

Last week, I went to a farm to purchase 50lbs of potatoes and 1/2 gallon of maple syrup and met the farmer's wife. She's a sweet lady who's very down to earth and a conservative Christian. We chatted a bit about Nourishing Traditions and healthy living. During our conversation, she mentioned that it would be best for me to put the maple syrup into glass jars when I got home. Plastic gets into our food and alters the flavor. I remembered a friend of hubby and I's who nearly died from cancer suspected to be caused by an over-exposure to plastic. While he was going through chemo, he learned about the dangers of plastic, particularly in our foods. So, today I had a crazy idea. I wonder if I could successfully eliminate as much plastic as possible in my home. Can you imagine how difficult that can be? I mean the computer alone, the fridge, Bubby's toys, even parts of my garments...plastic. Still, I might give it a go and see what I can eliminate. The picnic was...

Yesterday, after getting lost twice, I finally found a local farm that sells peaches for a reasonable price! I bought 1/2 a bushel. I'm going to freeze some, can some and can some pie filling, too. Bubby loves peaches and is very good at eating it like adults do. Well, today is Saturday. I have a family picnic to attend, but I'm also going to do my best to keep up on my desire to have a clean house over the weekend. I'm a bit behind because yesterday evening was a mad dash to beat the rain and the dark to drain the pond and get the fish in to the aquarium in our dining room. One fish was dead, so we tossed it, but the biggest fish had 3 babies. All surviving fish are doing very well. Bubby discovered the full tank this morning and has been enthralled with it. Well, gotta go bake a pie or cobbler and make a squash dish for the picnic.

Ok, I've pretty much got the organizing and tidying down pat. Now, I'm ready for the simplifying. I really just want to have what I need to live the lifestyle I enjoy and attain to. That means tossing out gels and lotions I never use, hair goodies I never use, clothes I rarely or never wear, shoes I don't need, etc. I'm also thinking of going through my books and getting rid of any fiction that isn't classic. Libraries are great for getting fiction books out, should I want to read them. I don't need to keep a supply for myself (except for a couple favorites I just can't part with). Classics, I'll keep for homeschooling. I want to purge my cleaning supplies and only keep the things I need and use. I want to dump my cabinets and toss anything old and no longer a part of our diet. I want to know exactly what I have and what I need. Well, I'm talking the talk. Let's see how I walk the walk.

A bleary-eyed ladyscott is checking in. Last night, Bubby was all congested and had a hard time breathing. Every time his nose plugged up, he'd wake up crying, coughing and trying to de-booger. I put the humidifier in his room, but it didn't help much. I wanted to keep an eye on him and be able to quickly soothe him every time he woke up, so I ended up sleeping on sofa cusions on his floor. Oh, what very little sleep I got. He's doing much better this morning and is relaxing in his crib right now. I want him to get plenty of rest this morning....and I could use some, too. Yesterday was pretty productive. I got my finances taken care of for the week. Bubby and I picked through the garden. I got two loads of laundry done. I baked yeasted buttermilk bread. Vacuumed, tidied, "homeschooled," exercised and even relaxed for 3 minutes with an old Victoria magazine. Lastly, I put up 2 quarts of ratattouille, 3 quarts of potatoes, 3 pints of beets and 2 quarts...

For two days, we finally got much needed rain. I'm thankful, but I'm also thankful for today's sunshine and more autumn-like temperatures. I look forward to wearing a cardigan and throwing open the windows! It is imparative that I go through the garden this morning. Today, I'm putting up as much produce as I can. Yesterday was my sewing day. I put together a diaper for Bubby and worked on some Bubby Hats. I came up with a new design for little girls that's really cute. I'll get a picture up as soon as I can. I also made yogurt, set dough out for bread today and made mayonnaise yesterday. That was time consuming and rather cost prohibitive. A 12 ounce jar of mayo needs 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. I think I'll just keep on buying it from the store. I found a lady who makes AIO cloth diapers for only $9.00! www.gracefulbabies.com

I like having a compost heap. I hate throwing away food, even if it's gone bad, because I know what a waste it is. However, having a compost heap, I don't feel so wasteful. At least my discarded food is being put to good use turning into organic matter for my garden and not rotting away in a plastic bag in our landfills. I made a batch of yogurt the other day but my culture died so the yogurt was terrible. (There's not enough enzyme and good bacterias in pasteurized milk to carry the culture for many batches of yogurt.) I tried eating it anyway, but ended up with an upset stomach. 4 altoids later, I decided to throw it away. It'll make a great addition to my compost heap! I have a new batch "cooking" in the crockpot right now. I'll use a new batch of storebought yogurt to culture it. Barbara asked how I changed the look of my blog. I clicked on the template tab and looked for the fonts and colors tab. Click on that and you can change away. I be...

I can guess that one of the biggest fears women have with having children is losing their figures. It's impossible to ignore, even on a simple trip to Walmart, the number of women who've "let themselves go" and have a child or children with them. Even my own OB/GYN was very thankful and elated that I stayed in shape and didn't "let myself go." He bemoaned the number of women who do end up overweight and obese after having a child. Frankly, I can't figure out why. I've never been so active in my life! I can't imagine having the extra pounds to lug around and not being fit enough to keep up with my son or the housework. Now, I'm going to admit a few things. First, I have good genes. I come from a long line of petite women. That helps....a little, but only a little. Secondly, my post pregnancy weight may seem low to you, it was high for me. We shouldn't attain to overall numbers, but to the BMI and state of health that's be...

www.allposters.com I learned today that: If a child comes to the Lord, there's a 21% chance that the rest of the family will be saved as well. If a mother comes to the Lord, there's a 37% chance that the rest of the family will be saved as well. BUT, if a father comes to the Lord, there's a 96% chance that the rest of the family will be saved as well. No wonder why Satan is attacking fathers and fatherhood in the world today.

I slept in until 6:30 am. It was nice to get up before the rest of the family and take a relaxing, peaceful shower. Once out of the bathroom, I read my Daily Bread and two chapters in Matthew. Then, it was time to start breakfast and Bubby was up. I made french toast with my homemade buttermilk yeast bread. Bubby got watermelon and milk with his toast and I had a small bowl of homemade yogurt with raisins and water with my toast. Hubby had his usual coffee and drove off to work. Then, I got Bubby changed and dressed for the day and started laundry, did dishes (Bubby helped wash his dishes), tidied the house, put out the bathroom garbage, sent mail out, did a little homeschooling with Bubby, more laundry, cleaned the bathroom, went through mail, served lunch (leftovers) and put Bubby down for his nap. With Bubby down, it was my opportunity to pressure can ratatouille and potatoes. By the time I finished that and more laundry, Bubby was up. We went outside so I could scrub out hi...

Yesterday, I started a more official informal school year for Bubby. The purpose, as I've mentioned before is to help both of us develope a habit for learning and schooling before actually having to make a record of it. My state can be rather strict on homeschoolers, so I feel I need ducks in a row before actually diving into the pond. It was fun! With Bubby being a year and a half and being a child with a rather short attention span ("Sure Mom, I'll sit still and play with my tractors while you cook din...oh look, a squirrel!") the lessons weren't very long. However, I have discovered that with sticking to a little lesson plan I drew up, I could continually teach him throughout the day without the need for a sit still session. Although, I'm still doing sit-still lessons so he can learn to sit still and listen. Yesterday, we worked on age 1 week 25 in Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready. We also worked on counting. Added lessons include picking up toys and mes...

Now that summer is unoffically over where I live in the great Nor' East, there is much to do in preparation for wintertime. I'm most eager in gathering inthe harvest and cleaning and purging the house from top to bottom before buttoning my family up in it. I have this urge to just simplify and make cozy without feeling cluttered. Today, my main task is to put up produce. Still, I'd like to go through drawers and closets. We'll see how timely I can be.

We went to the fair twice this weekend. Bubby just loved the goats and horses, especially the goats. He went to nearly every goat and some sheep pens and stuck his face between the bars and said, "hellooooo!" It was so adorable. He marched around the draft horse barn like he owned it and checked on all the horses. The bigger the horse, the better. Harvest is really coming in and some stuff is winding down. Very shortly, apples will be the big harvest. I'm hoping to hit an orchard and get a few bushels to put up. Tomorrow, I have a fair amount of goods to put up.