Blogs I follow and why

So, I'm putting this down more for myself than for anyone else (since I have SO many followers) *eye roll*

I follow eleven different blogs and enjoy each one for a specific reason.

An Abiding Place: My friend from college (who I remember as Miss McSherry) puts down thoughts kind of like my own blog.  I follow it mostly to keep up with what is going on in her life.  Some of her ideas, I steal, but since that is more of a personal blog, I won't add a link.

Heavenly Homemakers:  Ms. Laura is a kindred spirit, and I enjoy reading everything she puts down.  From recipies (which I have stolen for use in my home) to friendly advice, to more natural eating, to homeschooling FOUR little boys.  I can't tell you how valuable I find her information.  I read everything she puts out, every morning.  Some articles I have favorited, and return to them often.  Her site is: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/

Keeper of the Home: She has really good tips for gardening and I enjoy her upbeat, positive attitude.  Her husband has cancer, if I'm reading it right, and yet she still takes the time to pass on information.  Her site is: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/

Keeping of Time:  She has three little girls, about the same ages as my three little boys, and I enjoy hearing their adventures (living vicariously, I guess) and I also enjoy looking at her art projects and aquiring the ideas.  Her site is: http://keepingoftime.blogspot.com/

New Life on a Homestead:  This is one of my favorites.  She and her husband just started a homestead that utilizes less electricity and does more things from scratch.  I enjoy reading the "mishaps" and trials and tribulations that I would no doubt do the exact same way.  She is hilarious!!  Her site is: http://newlifeonahomestead.com/

Passionate Homemaking:  I love this one because she deals with everything home-making related.  Everything from cooking naturally to good appliances, to husband-wife relationships, to ideas for children.  Her site is:  http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/

Preschoolers and Peace:  She usually has good ideas to use with Aaron, and for now, her daughter is in the hospital, pretty messed up.  So, for now, it tells me what to pray about.  Her site is: http://www.preschoolersandpeace.com/

River Rock Cottage:  Just found her site, but I'm enjoying her things about home-school.  Her four girls are older than my boys, but with her experience, I'm learning some valuable lessons about home-school.  Her site is: http://riverrockcottage.blogspot.com/.  However, she just recently moved to http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/ and is doing a give-away until noon on Saturday, Feb 13th.  I'm really enjoying the information she is sharing on the new site.

The Royalty Review:  It's the blog of a friend from college.  Her's is a private blog.  I follow it for everything from pictures of her kiddos, to info on what she's up to nowadays, to thoughts from the Bible, to funny quotes.  She's just fun to follow.  Sorry, no link. 

So, there you have it.  Blogs that I follow... why I follow them.

Swagbucks

OK, so I've heard about these from two different people, and I was wondering if anyone else has heard anything.  I'll also post this on Facebook.

Swagbucks is a toolbar that you use as a search engine, and from what I've heard, the more people you tell about them, the more you get in return.  I'm utterly confused right now, since I have the same three swagbucks I received when I signed up.  Don't know how else to get them.  I learned some about them here:

http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2010/01/have-you-signed-up-for-swagbucks-yet/

and here:

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/using-swagbucks-and-amazon-cards-for-organic-groceries

and here:

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/another-happy-swagbucks-promotion

I don't know quite what to think, and was wondering if anyone could help me out.  Thanks.

Baking Bread

SO, you ever get to the end of your breadmaking and it DIDN'T turn out right AT ALL?????

I did, all the time.  It was frustrating.  My husband said that he liked my bread, but I hated that it turned out so heavy and flat, instead of the nice fluffy loaves I saw everyone else being able to make.  It's something that frustrated me often, especially when one loaf would rise all nice and beautiful, and the other would remain almost as flat as when I started.

Nine years later, my wonderful husband still brags on my bread, but it frustrates me beyond belief that I can't get the results I'm looking for.  SO, I went on a search at one of my favorite blogs, and I found this:

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/how-to-make-whole-wheat-bread-tutorial

Found out that the whole time I was making bread, I was adding water that was too hot (killing some of the yeast I was putting in) and that I wasn't kneading the bread enough (hence, the reason that only one of the loaves of bread would rise).  Now, I made a new batch today, and LOOK HOW IT TURNED OUT!!!!

Ain't they BEAUTIFUL?!?!?!?!?!?  The loaf in the front (at the bottom) is a Chocolate Swirl loaf.  I learned that recipie from the same website here:

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/chocolate-swirl-bread-oh-yes-i-did-just-say-chocolate

Hope you get to enjoy her recipies. If not, you are SO missing out!!  And Ms. Laura, if you actually read this, THANKS!!

Homestead Blessings Giveaway

I am posting a link to one of my favorite blogs. 

She is doing a give-away, and I would love to get one of these movies as well. I've already been to their website, and would LOVE to get ahold of anything they have.   You can check out things about Homestead Blessings at http://www.homestead-blessings.com/  or about the give-away at http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2010/01/homestead-blessings-dvd-super-giveaway/comment-page-7/#comment-8682 

Both are really interesting websites.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

I'm Thankful for....

WOW!!  What a statement.

Just making that statement changes your mood.  Everyone has a "bad day" here and there.  Just finding something to be thankful for in the midst of it changes your entire mood.

So, I'm thankful for... my sons.  Trials and tribulations they may bring, but without  them my life would be worse than boring.  With them, I have more fun than most "business people" have in a lifetime of work parties.

I'm thankful for... the opportunity to stay home with my sons.  The opportunity to be the GREATEST female influence in their lives.  Hopefully that means I'll like my daughters-in-law as much as I love my mother-in-law. :p    I'm thankful that I get to put my 3 years of college training in education to use in my sons lives.  I'm thankful that my husband allows me to stay home.

I'm thankful for... the talents God gave me to make my home beautiful. 

Curtains sewn:

Blankets made:

Painting:

Baking with my boys:

Home-made Cute Costumes:

I'm thankful for... The wonderful husband God gave me. Without his understanding and love, I would never make it through the muddle I make of myself and my marriage every day. He is the best man I have ever known. The best of the best. The best combination of all the attributes of all the men that I've ever admired. And did I mention how patient he is with my faults?
I'm thankful for... A loving God who cares for me every day. Who picks me up when I fall (often), Who points me in the right direction when I stray, Who loves me when I make mistakes, Who wants the very best for me, Who cares about my hurts, Who wants the best for my boys and their lives, Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow and prepares me for it today.
I'm thankful for... the opportunity to change my attitude by looking at the good side, rather than the bad side.

House Rules (Stolen)

I found these rules and couldn't help but re-posting them.  I hope she doesn't mind.  They made me laugh and feel normal again. Since she put it WAY more interestingly then I ever could, I'll leave them in her words.

House Rules
1. When Mom naps, we play the "we are petrified pieces of wood" game. 600 square feet leaves no room for noise when Mom is trying to take a nap.

2. One person talks at the dinner table at a time. We do not believe in speaking in tongues, nor interpreting them.

3. Saying "I don't like this" gets you an extra helping of whatever does not catch your fancy.

4. Telling the truth will get you out of many a pickle, and might get you elected to Congress.

5. What Dad says, Mom says, and vice versa. If we catch you tryin the ole' switch-er-oo, your name is mud man, mud.

6. We do not describe Mom using any animal characteristics.

7. We read "Mom's are Marvelous" every time we find it. Finding it is as follows: We find the book, gather and sit no matter where we are or WHAT we are doing, and read it completely through with no interruptions. So what if Mother's Day is months away.

8. Fun comes after chores. I tried the Mary Poppins adage, "In every element of fun there is a job that must be done.." and yeah that didn't work. So chores aren't fun. Do them then have fun.

9. We do not explain what kind of bugs the pitcher plant eats to help our existence at any time of the day.......nausea is instantaneous.

10. By 3 1/2 you are on your own in the restroom. Toilet paper is cheap. Find it and do whatever works for ya.

11. The questions, "Are we there yet?" "What are we having for dinner?" and "Why do I have to do this?" are tolerable the first 3 times...... after that we take 5 cents from your inheritance each repetition. AND when Mom is getting dressed and putting make-up on after noon, the question "Where are we going, Mom?" can make you disinherited all together.

12. When you hear "So-and-so-is-here!" assume emergency stations. Mom will be tripping on her robe as she flies to her room to dress, while you are left to shove as many things as you can under the couch.....dishes included.

13. You are allowed one or two good hearty laughs at an unexpected bodily function, whether yours or not. After that it is just poor manners.

14. You can hide wherever you like so long as you can unwedge yourself when you need to exit.

15. Every outfit without visible food on it is wearable for a two day stretch, then washed.

16. Laugh often, love much and munch much. Wonderful motto.