DIY Soil Block Mix

I clicked on a link to go to this page, but it had been taken down! So I looked it up on the archive site and wanted to save it somewhere, so this is not my content! Very useful though, and I hope many can benefit from this information.

 

 

Weekday Themes, part 2

In my previous post I talked about my plans to streamline this blog and my YouTube channel. I've been thinking about this ever since (a few hours), and I *think* I've settled on my daily themes. Subject to change:

SELF-SUFFICIENT SUNDAY - I will discuss an item or a skill or anything else relating to being more self-sufficient.

MIX IT UP MONDAY - This will be my hodge podge day, to talk about whatever I want/need to. It will mostly be topics that don't fit under my other theme days, such as homeschooling, tutorials, family, animals, etc.

TAKE ME BACK TUESDAY - Obviously the throwback day (but not on Thursday....I'm a rebel) where I will repeat a blog post or a video that I feel is worth re-sharing.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY - Anything relating to simple living that is healthy, clean and good for you. Homemade cleaners, healthy foods, gardening, etc.

THRIFTY THURSDAY - Anything money related....ways to save pennies, debt, thrifty finds, etc.

FEATURE FRIDAY - I'll do a shout out to another blog / channel, maybe even a guest post / video!

Before I start this, is there anything I just really need to change? Are any of my ideas bad, like....I really shouldn't go there? I'm tough on myself sometimes and really can't tell if these are great, okay or terrible ideas!

Thanks for your help!

Weekday Themes

I want to blog more. I NEED to blog more. But I don't want my YouTube videos to suffer.

So I've come up with a plan.

I'm going to make the two related, at least most of the time, and I'm going to streamline it with themes each day so it won't be difficult to think of something to write. I may just share that day's video on some days, and other days I may have something to share that isn't necessarily homestead related but I want to blog about it. So if all goes as planned, I should have more blog posts than I do videos.

So here's my ideas for themes that I like so far. Help me pick one for each day!

Sunday

• Service
• Site
• Shout Out
• Survival
• Scholastic

Monday

• Memory
• Money Saving
• Minimalist
• Meaningful
• Motivational
• Mailbox
• Mashup
• Mystery
• Miscellaneous

Tuesday

• Tip
• Tasty
• Take Me Back
• Time Hop
• Tutorial

Wednesday

• Wisdom
• Wildcard
• wish List
• Wellness
• WayBack
• Wildlife

Thursday

• Thoughtful
• Thankful
• Thrifty
• Throwback
• Throw It Out

Friday

• Frugal
• Focus
• Follow
• Feature
• Field Trip

I take a break on Saturdays. I don't create blogs or videos, nor do I publish any on this day. We keep the 7th day of the week as the Sabbath day and just rest. :)

So, help me decide on a theme each day, or make more suggestions! Obviously some of them would have the same idea, such as Memory, Time Hop, WayBack and Throwback. I also want to do shout outs, which I could do on every video, but if I did one each week and made a whole video for them, I've got Shout Out, Focus, Feature and site.

Many of these ideas could cover several topics, so that would be easier to work with. I think I'll start looking over the list and just eliminate them one at a time. Miscellaneous might be a good one to keep, or WildCard.

These are the topics I definitely want to cover though:

• Saving money (Frugal, Thrifty, Money Saving), could include debt topics
• Homeschooling / Educational (can include how-tos)
• Shout Outs
• Memories / Flashbacks
• Health topics, which could include DIY cleaners, healthy foods, etc.
• Some kind of DIY topic, which would include crafts, sewing, building things, etc.
• Animals
• Gardening
• Anything relating to prepping or homesteading!

Interview with each child

I haven't blogged in a while, but I really want to get back to it regularly. I try, but then I forget!

Well, I came across this and wanted to do it with each kid, so here ya go....partly for you to get some giggles and also for my own records. :)

You have to keep in mind as you read these that my younger two boys, Jack and Joe, both have genetic abnormalities with learning disabilities and speech issues. Thankfully nothing serious, but that will help you understand some of their answers a little better.

What is your name? Jack

How old are you? 9

How old is mom? 15

What is your favorite color? Yellow

What are you doing? playing on my tablet

What is your favorite food? cereal

Who is your best friend? Simeon

What is your favorite animal? elephants

What are you scared of? nothing

What is your favorite show? Blue's Clues (first show he ever watched)

What makes you sad? When I get in trouble.

What makes you happy? When someone tickles me.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A balloon guy.

What does love mean? Like in I love my wife when I get older.

What's your favorite drink? Chocolate milk

Where is your favorite place to go eat? Taco Bell because it have burritos.

Where is your favorite place to go to play? Chick-A-Fla  (he says it like this)

What's your favorite movie? Narnia

What's your favorite toy? a little elephant

What's your favorite holiday? Sukkot

Where do you want to go to college? Home

What's your favorite song? Speak Life by TobyMac

What is mommy good at? Singing a song.

What is daddy good at? Cleaning the toilet (I agree!)

What's Mommy's job? Cleaning your room (Ha!)

What's is Daddy's job? Hobby Lobby

What's your favorite season? Winter because you can make snowmen, and you can have a snowball fight.

***

What is your name? Jessi

How old are you? 6 (she's 4, lol)

How old is mom? BIG!

What is your favorite color? Rainbow (I can see she's my rebel)

What are you doing? Playing on my tablet (we have a problem)

What is your favorite food? Beef stew

Who is your best friend? Jayla

What is your favorite animal? A goat! (too much Goat simulator)

What are you scared of? the dark

What is your favorite show? Paw Patrol

What makes you sad? an onion (ROFL!)

What makes you happy? Rain

What do you want to be when you grow up? a mama!

What does love mean? Heart

What's your favorite drink? Water

Where is your favorite place to go eat? THIS PLACE!

Where is your favorite place to go to play? Chick-A-Fla (she copies Jack)

What's your favorite movie? I only like Paw Patrol.

What's your favorite toy? A giraffe

What's your favorite holiday? Sukkot

Where do you want to go to college? At the sun. <giggle>

What's your favorite song? Jump song!

What is mommy good at? the bathtub (taking baths)

What is daddy good at? work

What's Mommy's job? Watching a movie (rarely do that)

What's is Daddy's job? work

What's your favorite season? Winter

***

Jacob - 12

What is your name? Sneaky Squeaky Cheeks

How old are you? 5

How old is mom? 0

What is your favorite color? Blue

What are you doing? sitting here

What is your favorite food? (evil sounding voice) Spinach pizza from Cici's

Who is your best friend? Daisy (the goat)

What is your favorite animal? Daisy

What are you scared of? nothing

What is your favorite show? Person of Interest

What makes you sad? Saying good-bye to someone I won't see again for a very long time. (Wow.)

What makes you happy? A lot of things.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A pilot and welder.

What does love mean? It means you can fart around someone and not feel embarrassed.

What's your favorite drink? Water

Where is your favorite place to go eat? Cici's

Where is your favorite place to go to play? Sukkot

What's your favorite movie? Jurassic World

What's your favorite toy? My tablet.

What's your favorite holiday? Sukkot

Where do you want to go to college? Home

What's your favorite song? Speak Life

What is mommy good at? sleeping

What is daddy good at? working the remote control

What's Mommy's job? Making meals

What's is Daddy's job? Hobby Lobby

What's your favorite season? All the same.

***

What is your name? Joe

How old are you? Um, I don't know. (Counted Jayla's fingers...) Yeah, 6!

How old is mom? I don't know.

What is your favorite color? Orange

What are you doing? I want to play on Jack's tablet.

What is your favorite food? cereal

Who is your best friend? Jack and Jessi

What is your favorite animal? Giraffe

What are you scared of? When Jacob acts like he's going to get me, and the dark.

What is your favorite show? Uncle Gadget (Inspector Gadget)

What makes you sad? Taking the tablet away from me.

What makes you happy? Someone give the tablet back to me.

What do you want to be when you grow up? to play on a new tablet that you can get me.

What does love mean? loving

What's your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper

Where is your favorite place to go eat? Taco Bell

Where is your favorite place to go to play? Chick-A-Fla

What's your favorite movie? Paw Patrol

What's your favorite toy? A toy house.

What's your favorite holiday? Sukkot

Where do you want to go to college? At Taco Bell.

What's your favorite song? Paw Patrol theme song

What is mommy good at? working

What is daddy good at? I don't know, I can't do it this long. (haha!)

What's Mommy's job? This take forever!

What's is Daddy's job? work

What's your favorite season? Winter

***

What is your name? Jayla

How old are you? 14

How old is mom? You don't want to ask me that. lol

What is your favorite color? Purple

What are you doing? sitting

What is your favorite food? Potatoes

Who is your best friend? Sarai and Jessi

What is your favorite animal? horse

What are you scared of? heights

What is your favorite show? Person of Interest

What makes you sad? Emotional things. lol

What makes you happy? More emotional things.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A mother.

What does love mean? Um....(laughter)....um......

What's your favorite drink? Apple Mansana

Where is your favorite place to go eat? Chick-fil-A (she says it right, lol)

Where is your favorite place to go to play? My room.

What's your favorite movie? The Parent Trap, new and old.

What's your favorite toy? My tablet and clay.

What's your favorite holiday? Sukkot

Where do you want to go to college? Home

What's your favorite song? Love With Your Life by Hollyn

What is mommy good at? Being the Mama!

What is daddy good at? Driving a forklift.

What's Mommy's job? Being a Mama!

What's is Daddy's job? Driving a forklift.

What's your favorite season? Spring

***
Jonathan - 16
What is your name? Mama, please, no.
How old are you? Please, just let me go.
How old is mom? I can't count that high.
What is your favorite color? I am above such petty things.
What are you doing? Trying to control my anger.
What is your favorite food? Plant life scraped from the top of Lake Thunderbird.

Who is your best friend? Silas and Becca

What is your favorite animal? Hamburger

What are you scared of? I can't even think of anything sarcastic. I'm not scared of anything.

What is your favorite show? Person of Interest

What makes you sad? No tacos.

What makes you happy? Tacos.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Isolated.

What does love mean? Well, when a man and woman love each other very much.....

What's your favorite drink? Water from Lake Thunderbird.

Where is your favorite place to go eat? The Oval Office.

Where is your favorite place to go to play? About 5 feet outside the Oval Office.

What's your favorite movie? Inception

What's your favorite toy? Tickle Me Elmo

What's your favorite holiday? Pi Day

Where do you want to go to college? El Paso

What's your favorite song? Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. (this continued for a while).....Heart of Gold by Johnny Cash

What is mommy good at? Sucking the fun out of everything. (I do my job well then!)

What is daddy good at? Preventing me from fun in the first place.

What's Mommy's job? To let me know when I need a shower.

What's is Daddy's job? Waiting to be told by you to take a shower.

What's your favorite season? Open.

Feast of Tabernacles 2016

Howdy, friends! I was going to post some pictures from Sukkot, but we have over 200 photos and over 20 videos (which I still need to upload), so it'll be easier to just share the >>>link to the album<<<. Enjoy!

Here are a few of my favorites though.....

 Jacob made it to the center, a.k.a. "King", in 9 Square!

 We had to put the rain fly / tophat on....quite amusing.

 Joe broke his arm just 3 days before we left, so we got the cast during camp.

 The girls rode around on this golf cart a lot with their friends.

Alex was amazingly patient when teaching chess to some of the children and teens!

 It's nice to only have a few dishes to wash!

 My chocolate cake mix turned into brownies (on purpose, lol) turned out great!

 It was hard to get them all together at once, but this was some of our neighbors. Awesome people! We're going to visit their congregation soon in Tulsa!

 Some other awesome people we met! This is Joey and Krys and their beautiful children.

From the sunglasses on head, left to right.....Annie, Jason, Mark and Reanee. Fun and loving people!

 Jessica is getting so big! She looks 12 here! Okay, maybe not *that* old.

 Jacob turns 12 in 3 more days, and he is now taller than his 14yo sister! He's trying to hide from the camera here.

 

 Jack's favorite color is yellow. :)

 Jonathan actually joined in a dance! 

 And posed for a picture! 

We didn't get many pictures of Jayla because we didn't see her much, so this one and the golf cart are about the only ones. Here she is playing a Minute to Win It type game. lol

I just wanted to post another pic of Joe. This one was actually before camp, right after he broke his arm but before he got his orange cast on. I love his smile! He doesn't look like he's in pain at all, does he? lol

That's all for pictures, but please click on the link above and take a look at all of them! I'll write more about Sukkot later and share the videos. It was a very blessed time.

Update on Snakebite Wound!

I'll tell ya right now, if you don't wanna see any photos of the really nasty wound, scroll down slowly so you'll know where to stop. I'll post a warning. lol

It's been a full week since Jonathan was bitten by a copperhead. I'm sad to say, it has gotten a little worse and there is a *small chance* he could still lose the end of his finger, but the surgeon is hopeful. He goes back sometime Monday for the surgery (they'll call me), and we'll find out for sure when it's done! The surgeon is supposed to just clean it out really well and cut out the dead part, then he'll probably go back -- I assume several times -- for some skin grafting. That's assuming his finger will remain 100% intact. The surgeon just doesn't know how deep it goes, so he can't really say for sure just yet.

Jonathan is still having some pain, mainly because he cannot swallow pills very easily, so he tends to just refuse them completely, but it's not too bad. At the worst times he rates it around a 3-4, so not any fun, but tolerable. My c-section pain was more than that before I took something (I HATED the hydrocodone, which is what he was prescribed as well), but guys are just wimps when it comes to pain, right? What's up with that?! Haha!

***WARNING -- NASTY PHOTOS BELOW***

Okay, picture time. Here is the progression of his bite wound. I got 1 or 2 pictures for each day so far. Hmmm....I'm not sure I got one for day 6, but I'm sure you can use your imagination!

Here you can see a blister forming below the dead part.

And here you can see where the surgeon broke the blister to get a better look!

He had left the wound open for a couple of days and said it was less painful when it dried out completely, but the nurse covered it again after the blister was open, of course. You can also see the profile of his finger in this picture and how the edge of his finger is now missing! EWWWW!!!!

That's it for now. I'll update again after his surgery. In the meantime, I hope he's learned his lesson and stays away from snakes! He's so tired of us asking him if he has a question (because he's always holding his hand up in the air), and is really annoyed with the doctors and nurses asking him if he was sure it was a copperhead. He's told them many times that it was a BROADBAND COPPERHEAD. Haha! Yep, he knows snakes!

Copperhead bite update

Jonathan got to go home the next day and didn't need a 2nd dose of anti-venom, although we're thinking about taking him back for one more because it's still swelling. His whole arm is sore now, like a bad bruise. The blister at the location of the bite broke before we left the hospital (around 21 hours or so after the bite). I won't go into detail.....it was pretty gross.....but here's a pic! This was about a day and a half after the incident, and now that it's almost been a full 3 days, I need to get another picture! He still has feeling on his whole finger, so you can imagine how painful this must be.