The Cottage on the Hill

Over the years the rise of bigger and better birthday parties for our children has some parents reeling. Their child comes home from these parties sugared and artificial colored up, and carrying a bag of more sugar and colorings or cheap plastic party favor toys. Some mothers take it in stride. It's all part of the fun of birthday parties. Others aren't so happy, and they are beginning to speak up. Junior is messed up for a week from all the artificial colors. The toys get lost or broken quickly and wind up taking up space in a land fill. I, personally, don't want parents or guardians to feel obligated to give my child anything for coming to the party.  We're just happy we got invited to celebrate!  We don't need tokens or gifts of our own. But, some parents feel it is necessary or just want to give back. So, here are some ideas of how to "favor up" a child without the cheap candies and toys: 1.  PHOTO BOOTH:  You can either hire one or set one up you...

I'm a real estate junkie. Every weekend I look for open houses to visit. I'm very judicious, though.  I personally think it is poor form to bother realtors every weekend just to look at houses.  I'm sure they'd catch on and get a bit miffed or weirded out that this lady keeps showing up but never buying. But, if a gorgeous vintage cape cod or bungalow shows up on the market, or a pretty farm house, or colonial with many originals still intact, you bet I'm going to be there! This past weekend, my neighbor's house had their open house. The house is a 40 year old small ranch that fell into sad disrepair since the elderly who lived there couldn't keep up with it, were sort of hoarders, and had dogs that kind of did what they wanted where they wanted. A real estate company bought it, gutted it, and fixed it up and I just HAD to see the transformation. It was quite the treat to walk in, smell the fresh paint, and see everything brand new and professional done. No...

One of my favorite shows to watch is BBC's Victorian Farm . I was able to acquire the companion book for it as well. In the series, Ruth Goodman explains how nothing went to waste on a Victorian Farm.  It wasn't a matter of environmental concerns so much as it was a moral economic duty to not be wasteful. It really challenged me to consider what I haphazardly toss away on a daily basis. I'm pretty frugal and environmentally careful, but there is always room for improvement. For example, I tend to use tea bags twice.  I'll make hubby's mug of tea for breakfast and then make myself a cup of tea with the same bag.  I don't require it as strong as hubby does, so it works out that I get the weaker tea.  Now, normally, I am pleased with the frugality and practicality of getting two teas out of one teabag before tossing it, but I learned through Ruth Goodman that I can save the tea leaves for another use.  Damp tea leaves sprinkled on the floors prevent du...

Watching British Historic Realty TV is my new hobby.  Programming such as Coal House, Turn Back Time: The Family, Back In Time for Dinner, Wartime Kitchen and Garden, and the Farm Series' with Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn, and Alex Langlands are some of my favorites.  What intrigues me most about these shows isn't just the rose-colored romantic history, but the glimpse into the austerity of the working class and wartimes throughout history. Austerity is a word the British use quite frequently to describe the war years and post war rationing years.  In context, I had a general idea of what austerity meant, but decided to look it up in Webster's Dictionary for a more intimate understanding of the word.  a simple and plain quality : an austere quality :  a situation in which there is not much money and it is spent only on things that are necessary austerities  : things that are done to live in a simple and plain way Watching these programs, I...

Last night, as I was tucking in my children, my mind was racing with all the stuff that was pouring through my newsfeed and in comments I read on Facebook. I sighed and muttered to my 3 year old, "I'm such a busybody." Immediately 2 Thes. 3:11 came to mind. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Then, there's 1 Timothy 5. While those verses refer to widows young and old, it does discuss how the young widows left to their own passions become idle and busybodies, gossips. Now, I think Facebook is great.  It helps me stay on contact with friends and family over great distances.  It's an easy source to get a hold of someone, schedule events, make plans, and it's great for small businesses and cottage industries. The problem is with me, and ease of sinfulness in the media age. It is so easy to scroll through my newsfeed and see what everyone is up to.  I don't check in on my friends, I just see what they p...

The ingredients list on commercial mayonnaise jars is enough to send any health-conscious person running. For me, it was more than that.  I avoided mayo because my gastronomy became my enemy. Mayonnaise can seem daunting to make, and it is most costly to make homemade mayo than it is to buy commercial mayo, but the benefits are big, especially if you are on a GAPS/SCD, Whole30, Paleo, or other low-carb diet. Utilizing ingredients from Aldi can help keep costs down. Homemade Mayonnaise Put in a blender: 1 whole egg 1 egg yolk  (for eggs, I recommend not buying the Aldi egg, but spending the money on local, high quality eggs to reduce risk of contamination from using raw eggs.  Wash the eggs before cracking.) 1 1/2 tsp. fresh squeeze lemon juice (You can buy lemons at Aldi, usually, or use their bottled lemon juice.  The fresh lemons are better for you, though.) 1 tsp spicy brown mustard (Or dijon mustard.  You can buy both at Aldi.  I ...

Being a cottage built in 1950, energy efficiency according to more modern standards wasn't an issue.  Electricity was cheap. I am someone who prefers to reduce my electricity usage. Not only because it is expensive here, but because I enjoy more natural, sustainable ways. I would love to have a Vermont Bun Baker. It would double as a cook stove in the wintertime, pulling double duty as a house heater and cooker. But, the way the house is set up with doors, windows, and rather large radiators under nearly every window, there isn't a lot of space of hook up a wood-fired stove. I would love to utilize the sunshine more. A sunny, cheerful home is a happy home to me. Thankfully, my living room has a big picture window and lets in a lot of light.  But, my kitchen has just one window and the door's window (which faces north, so it doesn't let in a lot of light.) The dining room has just one small window, and even during sunny days I often have to turn on the chandelier so...

(Artist Unknown) It is drilled into our heads, enforced with every commercial, and it is becoming a god, an idol we sacrifice so much for. The Future. We must plan for it, work towards it, and seek the better for it. We must stock our larders, diet to be thin by bikini season, plan for retirement, save for college. We will start that diet tomorrow. We will finish that chore tomorrow. We will call mom tomorrow. Things will be better next year. So, it came as a surprise when after lamenting to my friend (again) about tomorrow, she quoted the passage from The Lord's Prayer and told me to just get through today. Oh, how it stuck with me. And it struck me just how different God's way can be from the world's way. "But God, we HAVE to plan for the future!  It's good to do so.  Ant and Grasshopper and all that." I don't think God argues that point.  He has some sharp words for the sluggard, the busybody, and the infidel of a ma...

(The picture didn't seem blurry when I first took it!) Mr. Moose arrived in our lives adorning a cute pair of infant pajamas that even had antlers on its feet. Once my babies grew out of the moose pajamas, I removed the moose patch and put it on a size 3T t-shirt for my 3rd child.  It was his favorite shirt.  Unfortunately, as children do, he grew out of it and it was set aside. Recently, his favorite pair of jeans developed a hole in the knee. Lo and Behold! Mr. Moose fit over the hole perfectly! Hopefully he'll survive the jeans until my boy grows out of the jeans and Mr. Moose can be moved to another garment.

In a previous post I mentioned how I saved just about everything just in case because we were planning on moving to a larger house.  Since we are now accepting that we are staying in our little cottage, I am working on making it work for us. Project:  Minimize and Simplify is in full swing. Actually, it has been for a year now, but through last year's decluttering and purging, I was able to learn some things to expand into this year. Also, my youngest is out of babyhood, and this year will make his final steps out of toddlerhood. That means the remnants of infancy can move on and move out. Of the large projects, I have already gone through all of my daughter's toys and clothes.  Yesterday, I went through all of my 3 boys' clothes and was able to haul away 2 trash bags full of outgrown and unneeded clothing.  (We have been abundantly blessed with hand-me-downs.) Next will be the boys' toys. Small projects I've tackled so far include:  the art ...

My children, husband, and I have over the past decade sort of developed of hobby of finding different kinds of children's programming for our kiddos to enjoy.  Put off by Barney reruns and SpongeBob, we found TV shows from north of the border and over the pond.  Here are a list of TV shows you might not be familiar with, and some you may know about: Boo! A cute hide n seek show for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, Kipper Kipper has fun, calmly depicted adventures with his friends Tiger, Pig, and little Arnold. Charlie and Lola Charlie is the big brother everyone wants in their family, especially if they have their own little Lola. Theodore Tugboat Done in the model, stop-motion style of early Thomas the Tank Engine shows. Gofrette Great for the little bit older kiddos.  Colorful, fun antics, great theme song. Puffin Rock Our newest find.  Such a cute show! Postman Pat There are 3 of these.  I like the original Postman Pat, though ...

Oh, I've had Bibles before.TI had a Precious Moments NKJV from my youth that fell to pieces. That was the last time I felt like I had my own Bible. There is a garage sale find KJV that I used for many years. And a hand-me-down Good New Bible with a ghastly gold cover and irritating lay-out inside resides in my basement. But neither really felt like MY Bible. Then, my youngest brother gave me a Barnes and Noble gift card for my birthday. I purchased This Victorian Life by Sarah Chrisman  and had money left over.  Therefore, I decided it was high time to purchase my own Bible. I found this pretty little gem, an ESV Bible with a lovely embossed cover and basic lay-out. I am well pleased and feel quite at home with it. (And I am keeping the KJV Bible because I like to cross-reference and it has an awesome Biblical Encyclopedic Index.)

This is my new favorite TV show. I watch it while I do dishes. I love the etiquette, the humor, the intelligence, and the study on cultural and societal norms and behaviors of the time. The careers people have are also very interesting and amusing. I am particularly interested in what the women do for a living. Seeing the celebrities in a more natural state rather than on the silver screen in roles is neat as well. I have yet to try to guess for myself.  I don't think I could.  It's more entertaining watching the panel try to guess.

Yesterday yielded an adorable find, a birdcage! It is a complete little set with two perches, two ceramic bowls, and a metal pull out drawer for cleaning birdie messes. My daughter is begging for a canary now.