I've been thinking the past few days about how I should probably have a sort of checklist going for things I've learned and need to learn for when we obtain our homestead and mini farm.  Of course the art of homesteading is an ever learning process and I don't believe one can know ALL there is to know.  But I'm referring to the basics... There are certain skills that cannot be attained just by reading articles and books and need more of a hands on approach such as learning about raising chickens and alpacas, so although I will continue to read about raising farm animals, there will come a time when my family and I will seek out farms to volunteer at to get hands on experience.  For now though, I want to focus on things I can do right here in my rental home.

I came across a DVD collection named Homestead Blessings.  Each DVD teaches you about different skills necessary to have a sustainable homestead.  The DVD's I currently have on hold at my local library are; The Art of Bread Making, The Art of Canning, The Art of Gardening, The Art of Candle Making and The Art of Herbs.  I think these are great subjects for me to study and learn right now so I won't be completely clueless when our front porch dreams come true.  I also have to be as frugal as possible while learning these trades so canning, and candle making may be a bit postponed till I can find some great deals on necessary equipment. 

So the following is my Homesteading 101 checklist... listed in no particular order:

• Bread making
• Gardening/Herbs
• Sewing
• Canning
• Candle making
• Soap making 
• Dairy (making yogurts, cheeses, and butters)
• Spinning                                                                                                                                    (Sewing, Soap Making and Dairy are also DVD's included in the Homestead Blessings series.)

I want to mention that although I talk about learning these things so I can be prepared for when we buy our homestead and mini farm, I'm also choosing to learn these things now so that my family and I can begin benefiting from them now as well.  One doesn't need acres and farmland to acquire the above listed skills in order to be self sustainable.

~ Be Magical! 

My husband and I had a serious conversation this past weekend discussing my feelings and how I felt a bit overwhelmed at times.  He asked me to be specific in what I was feeling so I communicated to him how I was having a difficult time with our son in regards to putting him down for bed and how that was resulting in other things such as my mood, neck pain, etc.  Our son is getting a bit older and has stopped nursing so bedtime is quite a bit more of a challenge than it ever was in his first 16 months of life.  We as parents do not choose to do CIO (cry it out) so getting our boy to bed involves singing, patting, back rubs etc. and has recently been taking me more than an hour to accomplish.  I told my husband how draining this is on me, especially after a typical homemaker's day and how taking my frustrations out on our little man was not fair to him because really.... what toddler doesn't make a fuss at bedtime.

After I was done expressing my feelings my husband asked me how he could help.  We decided together that my husband would take over the bedtime ritual... together we would bathe our boy like we always do and then mama would massage baby which winds him down considerably.  After that I say goodnight and leave as daddy reads him a couple of books and then puts him to sleep.  We are on day three of this and all I can say is... HALLELUJAH! I am getting incredible ME time when daddy is handling bedtime and frankly... he's better at it!  He gets our son down in half the time it was taking me.

This has made such a huge difference in my stress level and my mood... I am amazed.  And the precious thing is... Daddy and baby have irreplaceable bonding time that they both enjoy.  Tonight after putting our son down my husband came down and said how glad he was that he is able to do this and that after 18 months of him not being able to really help because we were still nursing he finally feels useful.  I graciously thanked him and he responded with... "It's the least I can do".  I love my husband... I had something to say and he listened and even after I reluctantly told him that I couldn't "do it all" he still claims that I do. 

If you need help... ask for it.  If you need to talk... talk.  Whether it's with your husband, a friend, your sister or mother.  It's alright to share how you feel... even if that feeling is you need a hand.  You are NOT claiming defeat.  This is the hardest job a woman can have... and if you have a good support system they will understand.  If you don't have a support system... take comfort in the fact that you are not alone and no matter what you believe... God or no God, Christian or not... you are never presented with something you cannot handle. 

~ Be Magical!

Isn't it beautiful!?  A farmhouse sink... My most recent discovery...  This is definitely going on my farmhouse wish list.  I think I need to start cataloging all my different ideas that I'm discovering so I won't forget anything when the time actually comes for us to buy our home.  Maybe I'll even add a page here so everyone can enjoy!

Oh! Oh! Oh! And we can't forget the touch faucet!

Do you ever check out your local community college and what they have to offer as far as continuing education?  Since we are new to the area I checked ours out and I'm so excited that they offer classes in gardening and sewing!  I unfortunately missed the spring classes that were available but I'll definitely be looking out for them in the fall. 

I think this will be the perfect opportunity for me to learn tricks of the trade to help me gain more knowledge of the homesteading life, not to mention it will be a great way to get some me time.  And the great thing is that it's not heavy on the pocketbook!  The handful of classes that I saw were only $12 each... I'm so excited!

Remember to always make some time for yourself... whether it's taking a one day class at your local community college or a two hour class at the craft or music shop down the street.  These are simple, inexpensive ways to get out by yourself while hubby takes care of the little one's and you can tell him that he'll benefit from it too!  Whether it's finally being able to sew on that button, making your husband a delicious gourmet meal, or learning how to make your home beautiful... these are all things your family can enjoy.  If it's homesteading you're interested in like I am, also check out your local extension office... you can usually find these through the state's college or your town's government website. 

Learning doesn't have to stop when we graduate high school or college... nor does it have to stop just because we're 30, 40 or 50 something.  If you've always wanted to know how to play the piano... get out there and take a lesson.  You'll feel good that you did. 

~ Be Magical!

In my "About Me" page I briefly mention our dream of wanting the perfect homestead... I thought I'd go into a bit more detail about what my husband and I are working towards and what we hope to have one day.  My dream, ever since I was a little girl, was to have a little bit of land with a beautiful country home and a wrap around porch.  Most people who knew me knew of my dream and in my senior yearbook my mother even wrote a dedication in the back which read... "Good luck finding that BCH of yours", which stood for Big Country Home.  Why she put it in secret code I'll never know.

When my husband and I got together we discovered we had the same dream and decided it would be something we would work towards together.  However we had grown up and lived in Arizona... and as a wonderful as a place the desert is and though we will always call it home, there aren't a whole lot of wrap around porches and green acres there.  So it was dream we kept in the back of our minds, but we had both come to terms with the fact that our dream would probably have to be a bit modified... but as long as we were together we were good with that.  However, only a few years later... Fate placed us in the heart of the country. 

We are now surrounded by green pastures, country homes, and of course wrap around porches... We haven't gotten our hands on one yet but we are still overcoming a few unavoidable obstacles and we have a very specific three to five year plan.  That may seem like a long time but one thing I do know... we will have been together six years this June and married for four years this October and those years went by in a blink of an eye.  So we see it as the PERFECT opportunity to learn all we need to learn and prepare for our little farm and homestead. 

We of course want to start small because I truly believe that is the secret to success.  We would like to raise some chickens to have our own eggs and of course grow our own vegetable garden... but after getting settled in, our biggest goal is to own Alpacas!  We've already begun researching how to raise them and we think we've even found an opportunity to volunteer at a nearby Alpaca farm!  As of now this is nothing we plan on making a profit on.  We just can't wait for the pure enjoyment of having a mini farm, two to five acres, consisting of a couple of Alpacas, which we will keep as pets and for their fibers, some chickens, a few dogs and cats, and our little family harvesting the seasons vegetables.  We also discovered quite a few organizations who rescue lost or abused farm animals... so with us being big time animal lovers, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up adopting one or two additional farm animals here and there.

This is our dream... and every day we are inching closer to it.  We never take life for granted and we know anything could happen that would end up changing our path, but as of now there's nothing stopping us.  I hope to continue to take you on this journey with us and share all the obstacles we overcome and all the challenges we face in getting there.  For nothing can be appreciated unless it is the result of hard work.

~ Dream Big... and Be Magical!

There was this girl I knew in Jr. High... we were good friends but didn't really hang out much outside of school.  There was only one time when I went to her house and I remember it specifically.  Her mother was either single or recently married to someone new and had another daughter quite a bit younger than my friend.  When we got to her house the little girl came running up to my friend and they embraced as though they hadn't seen each other in weeks.  My friend was so excited and had a huge smile on her face and continued to interact with her little sister the whole time I was there... This was very unlike most teenager's usual reaction to little siblings while friends were over, and extremely different from how my older sister treated me.  At first I thought maybe they didn't live together and the little sister was just there for her "weekend" or however divorced parent's systems works... but that wasn't the case.  I was amazed at how motherly my friend was being toward her little sister and at how she never showed any annoyance toward her.

I lost contact with this friend over the years but she's never left my mind.  There are mother's that I meet who seem to always laugh instead of get annoyed and who discipline with a smile instead of yelling.  I imagine this is the type of mother my friend is today if she has children.  I, unfortunately, am not that type of mother.  I get angry, I get annoyed, and sometimes those things get the best of me and I yell.  My mother was this way and my sister is this way so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I am this way too.  I know I can't be this perfectly happy mommy and wife 100% of the time and I'm pretty sure those mothers I meet are not like that 100% of the time either.  Although it wouldn't surprise me if my friend was.  I admire that kind of patience and calmness in people.  I'm not really one of those women who have a list of things they would change about themselves... I believe there is a reason and purpose for which you were born the way you were.  But I do wish I could be a bit more in control of my emotions while presented with something that makes me angry or irritated.

So I am far from perfect... but the simple fact that I recognize my imperfections I think is a therapy within itself.  It makes me aware of the next time something might happen that could arouse those feelings in me and I am able to anticipate and be better prepared for those moments.  So take a moment and confess to yourself what your imperfections are.  Fessing up to these truths may not only help you better understand yourself... but may help you better understand others as well.      

~ Be Magical!

I find it funny that one of the toughest decisions I have to make on a day to day basis as a homemaker is what to do during nap time.  Do I clean, eat, relax, blog, or nap as well?  I usually take the opportunity to do things I can't usually do with my son awake and that is sit back and relax and maybe surf the internet with the tv on.  

So today as I was perusing through other blogs during nap time I came across one named Time-Warp Wife.  It's a religious based blog written by Darlene Schacht.  Now my family and I are more of a spiritual family than we are a religious one, so although I may not agree with or believe a lot of what she posts, she has great information regarding homemaking, being a housewife and being a mother.  She offers some links to these topics which I posted below.  So no matter what you believe, if you love being a homemaker, which I'm assuming you do if you are here :)...  Then check out these links and maybe you'll be able to take a little more from it as well, if you so choose. 

"All religions must be tolerated... For every man must get to heaven in his own way" ~Epictetus

~ Be Magical!  

I truly hope all of you are enjoying my blog.  I love hearing from you about anything at all so make sure to leave comments whenever you'd like!  I'm quite new to blogging but I'm loving it and I'm perfecting my blog as I go so thanks for sticking with me through all my little modifications.  I'm liking the layout I have now and what's great is there's always room for me to add as my magick apron inspires me!  

I've changed my Made From Scratch page into a blog format so recipes can be easier for me to post and easier for you to find... and I also added a few more recipes!  I removed My Magick Menu and replaced it with Magick From the Farm since I've now discovered that my menu will be changing weekly depending on what I receive in my CSA delivery each Monday.  There you will find what I got in my delivery, any ideas and tips I have regarding specific vegetables and herbs, and my weekly menu.  I'll soon be adding more pictures to My Kitchen Garden Page so you can watch my garden grow!

I truly love what I am doing and each and every one of you inspire me to continue to make this blog a warm and welcoming place where you'll love to come and sit a spell.  

~ Be Magical!

What a wonderful weekend this was... and it being Mother's Day on Sunday just topped it off.  Friday night we started out wonderfully when we served my son some homemade spinach pizza and he was so happy and excited he said for the very first time "PEEEPAH!" which was his version of pizza!  My husband and I could not stop laughing every time he said it.  Oh and the pizza was delicious as well!  We finished off our spinach with a most scrumptious Strawberry Spinach Salad that was unforgettable!  We are really hoping we get another bag of spinach with our CSA delivery tomorrow just so we can continue having both our peeepah and salad! 

Saturday morning mama woke up and went and got herself a facial while daddy and son stayed home and played.  It was so incredibly relaxing and I couldn't have asked for more... but more is what I got!  When I came home my husband and son had Swedish Pancakes and freshly cut strawberries waiting for me.  So sweet!  Then came Sunday which was the sweetest of all... I made and Orzo pasta salad and homemade Focaccia Bread and we took that to the park where we sat, ate and laughed watching our baby boy run around on the grass.  It was heaven.  After the park we went driving around looking at different houses and land dreaming of our future soon to come.

When we got home we felt a little adventurous so we decided to make homemade laundry detergent!  It wasn't so much us feeling adventurous but more so due to the fact that we had run out of laundry detergent and truly didn't have it in the budget to go buy some.  But we did have all necessary ingredients!  It was actually quite easy... I got the recipe off of Tipnut.com and all I needed was a bar of soap grated and melted, 2 cups of baking soda and 2 gallons of hot water.  So far I've done three loads and things are coming out pretty clean... and I have enough to last me weeks!!

It was a wonderful weekend and I can't wait until next.  I hope you had an equally fabulous weekend with your family!

~ Be Magical!

To know more about me and more about what I blog about you have to know my husband's and my love story.  It is a unique one... and one that I believe defines true love.  I hope that after reading our story, you find yourself with a new appreciation for friendship, love, and life. 

Every time my husband and I talk about the beginning of our relationship we always have to stop ourselves from saying the phrase... "when we first met" and change it to, "when we first started dating.  We have to do this because long before we started dating, we had known each other from Jr. high school.  My husband and I were in 7th grade math class together with Mr. Holp.  We had many mutual friends and I remember him being one of the nicest boys out of all the one's I knew.  When we got to high school we ended up hanging out in the same group of friends and most of my memories from that time he shares as well, although he has a much better memory than I.  We must have recognized the potential between us because around our junior year we decided to go out on a few dates.  We agreed (or he would say that I decided) that we were better off as friends and continued our friendship without letting the few dates we had get in the way or make things uncomfortable.  Senior year along with prom and graduation came and went as did our goodbye.  

We both went to the same college and I remember seeing him one time on campus.  I was sitting on the mall lawn reading and people watching when I looked in a certain direction and saw a guy coming my way with a very familiar walk and it ended up being him.  By the way, most of his friends will agree that with his walk you could point him out a mile away.  He stopped and we talked for a short time just catching up and then we were both on our way.  After that we saw each other once at a bar that most college students frequented and chatted for a bit there, but after that we pretty much both fell off each other's maps.

Many years went by as did a few relationships for the both of us.  He crossed my mind any time I drove by the street where he lived but no contact had ever been made between the two of us.  Until one afternoon... I was checking my email and to my surprise I had an email from him.  In disbelief I opened the email and read on to find out that he had found my email on Classmates.com... He had enlisted in the United States Army and had already served one tour in Iraq.  This was post 9/11.  I replied to his email asking him how he was and letting him know what I had been up to over the recent years.  A few more emails were exchanged and he told me that he was going to be home on leave for a short time and was having a bonfire party at his parents house and invited me and a mutual friend to go.  When I attended the party we both had our significant others with us... The moment I saw him with this girl I knew it wasn't right and that he deserved someone much more appreciative of what he had to offer.  We did some catching up, the party ended, and we again said our goodbyes unsure of when we would see each other again.  He was on his way back to Iraq for his second tour and I wished him a safe return.  

About a week or so after the party I received another email from him asking if he could write me while he was in Iraq.  Having absolutely no expectations I of course said yes... for I was not about to tell a U.S. Soldier who was fighting for our country that he could not write a friend while at war.  I did however know that the relationship I was in at that time was not going so well and I was unsure of what address I would be at by the time he mailed his letter.  So I gave him both the address I was currently living at and my mother's address... where my intuition told me I would soon be.  By the time I received his first letter I was no longer in the relationship I was in and I was in fact living back home with my mother.  I received his first letter on Valentine's Day.

We wrote each other often... with a few emails in between to validate his safety.  Our letters were full of honesty, memories, stories and eventually romance... we truly fell in love with each other through our words alone.  When the time came near for him to come home we couldn't wait to see each other and talk with each other.  He called me shortly after he got state side and before we knew it he was coming back home on leave.  We spent every waking moment together and considered ourselves a couple the moment we saw each other.  Time of course went fast and he was on his way back to Georgia where he was posted.  We continued our letters but added in many phone calls and once he flew me out to spend the weekend with him.  He showed me around the Army post and we went to Savannah creating memories never to be forgotten.  

When it came time for him to be discharged there was no question or doubt about us moving in together, so we did.  The following three months happened very quickly and in flashes.  I'm not quite sure exactly what order the following happened but I'll try and list them in the order I remember.  He got a job working with troubled teens which he ended up being let go from due to him injuring his knee.  He would soon recover from this injury and necessary surgery but they found it to be too much of a liability in the mean time.  He was able to find a job with a bank that found no problem in sitting him at a desk while he recovered.  Things were looking up... and then... they weren't.  I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer at the age of 25.  The doctor who diagnosed me said to us... "If you HAD to have cancer... THIS is the cancer to have".  I guess that was his was of telling me that it wasn't a death sentence.  Well for me... I'd just rather not have cancer.  The next six months weren't pretty... the doctors in our area were just not educated in Thyroid Cancer treatments.  I had a total of three surgeries and when they said they wanted to open me up for a fourth time that's when we said ENOUGH!  I had heard someone mention MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX and how it was the best place to get treatment... so my mother and I boarded a plane and flew to Texas.  

Treatment in Texas was impeccable... they vindicated my hesitation in continuing treatment where I was from and put me on the correct path to healing.  But not before a major surgery.  A surgery that would take seven hours and have doctors digging around in my neck, caring not to damage major nerves, arteries and vocal chords, trying to remove all the infected lymph nodes that the cancer had spread to.  My husband, who was only my boyfriend at the time, felt it necessary that he have a much bigger role during the course of this upcoming surgery, so he proposed a couple of weeks before my scheduled surgery... and I, of course, said yes.  My fiance sat in the waiting room those many hours during my surgery, sat by my bedside during my long recovery, helped me shower, brushed my hair, fed me and did everything and more that husbands do not usually have the burden of doing till they are in their 80's I assume.  The surgery had left me unable to move my head in any direction, without the use of my right arm, and in agonizing pain.  The recovery was brutal and I don't even want to imagine what it would have been like without him by my side.  

Though it took many months, life very slowly began to hint towards normalcy and eventually I was able to begin planning our wedding.  Through all of this I continuously asked my fiance if he was sure he wanted me... damaged goods... unsure of what the future would hold regarding my illness.  Yeah sure it's "the cancer you want if you have to have cancer"... but it's still the "C" word and who knows when it could rear it's ugly head again in the future.  But he assured me that I was what he wanted... "You're my slow motion girl" is what he said to me... referring to those scenes in movies where the guy sees the girl he loves coming around the corner then everything stops and she continues on in slow motion.  That's how much this man loves me, I thought to myself... and I love him right back.  

The rest is not so much history but more like a sequel in the making... my husband has now acquired his dream job and I mine.  We have a beautiful baby boy and maybe a few more will be running around here before we know it.  We take nothing for granted and treasure every second we have together.  Don't get me wrong... things aren't always perfect... but we LOVE the one we're with, we learn from our mistakes, and we KNOW... it's him and me... always and forever. 

~ Be Magical!