Feburary at the ranch 2009

Our hay we bought locally for sheep/goats small pic sorry

Quote for the day:

"We are all cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." -Ray Bradbury

Well its dry here on our ranch, so dry the grass is dying whats left of it, there is no leaves on the trees either so its pretty depressing. Tom and I had a chance recently to maybe by a 21 acre piece of land near us it was beautiful coastal land near the canal but we turned it down.

Greedly we have always wanted more land but when it comes down to it we are only 60,000 left on our own property our payments are only around $650.00 a month and its worth $250 thousand if not more in the future when the realesate goes back up so do we want to add more on to our debt?

Recently we read a book called, "Ten acres is enough" and we got really inspired on what he did on his little 10 acres and we thought, "hey we got 5 more acres then he does plus a pecan orchard we can do the same thing"

So instead we decided on trying to focus on building up our land here instead which I think is a good plan who needs to get more in debt especially right now. We were blessed this year to get a bonus and a 2% raise for my husband. I was just happy that he has a job now with so many around us losing them we were tickled to get it.

Recently I have heard of two people that I know that may be losing their houses, both didnt make wise choices the last few years in their financial life and they know this..., I feel so guilty that we are doing so well now and that in May we are planning a real vacation something we really havent done in years.

I feel like the ant and the grasshopper, while this May we are going to go off on a week vacation up to disney world with the kids and fly up there, they may be losing their houses. In the past three years we have scraped and sacrifised to get where we are now. I am so blessed that we heard about Dave Ramsey back then so we wont be hurting so bad now with our budget. I feel so guilty I dont even like telling them about our plans about our happiness about finally able to do this with my family.

This is the first time in years that we are getting a bonus from his work and our income tax return that we can use it on ourselfs instead of putting it towards our debt. We plan not only to go to Disney world, but also to get a new fridge and a new bed for our aching backs. The rest goes to fixing up our farm and adding to our emergency fund of 6/9 months worth of savings.

Of course we are doing this as frugal as possible even though we dont have too old habits stick with us. We are going to compare shop for our items (bed/fridge) and we are looking for the best airline tickets up there to Orlando which I found for $99 one way what a deal! Of course Disneys is offering a great deal buy 4 nights up there and get three for free!

I guess this is the best time to get discounts and buy things because of the economy sales are good for us at least. The craig listing is wonderful right now so many things for sale that people are getting rid of right now to get some extra cash. We picked up a huge chest freezer usually around $400-$500 for $130.00 it was brand new still it just stunk hehe we cleaned out with bleach smells good now.

We recently bought some beef (half a cow) for $1.99 a lb how good is that and it was pastured raised too. Right now our freezer is full of turkey, lamb and beef. Getting a generator is another thing on our list to do for the ranch.

I feel so happy I want to shout to family and friends of our accomplishments but I keep quiet because most our hurting really badly right now I really pray things would get better for everyone.

Water Water and More Water

Great article "Healing with water" http://www.naturalnews.com/003202.html I actually have one of the books he mentions. Its a hard read but lots of interesting points. I ordered one more of his so I hope its an easier read.

If I drink juice I only drink like 8 oz same for milk. I have been drining a lot of water. If I go out I ask for half/half sweet tea. Hopefully someday i will cut out the sweet part. The first week I couldnt stop going to the bathroom lol but now its a lot better the girls from walkertracker said it would get better they were not wrong.

Makes a lot of sense the water study. I am two days into my week three since I have started to do my new life style of losing weight by eating better and exercising by walking more. Week three is when I start to slow down get tired of it all, but so far so good I feel great, I feel like I lost tons but in reality if you count during Thanksgiving when I started following Pauls Advice I have lost a total of 9 lbs.

I sure don't look like it but I do see the puffiness in my face gone and my clothes do seem to fit a lot better. My two sisters on the other hand who are following the weight watchers plan the first week one loses a lot like 8 lbs the other like 6 lbs. I am happy for them I wish I could lose more then the little 2 lbs I lost the first week and 1 lb the next but its a good progress and I am not really counting points just eating normal. As I told the nurse who runs my walking program, "its not the quality of food I eat it was the quantity of food I eat"

For over a year now since I started writing my ebook I have switched to better foods for my family. Wheat products, more veggies and fruits in our diet. I keep track of what I eat seeing what the calories are at "Sparks page" but I am not too worried about the calories as long as I eat slow and chew and enjoy.

My walking is doing good I'am keeping with my goal of 10,000 steps a day. If you can see by my walker tracker blog on the side of this page my average is actually 11,000 a day. At 10,000 thats five miles a day. I have gone to the work out class in our nearby town where they work as a group to a video Monday and Thursday. Its fun but the last time I went no one was there but the nurse teacher. Today I didnt go time flew by but I did work out with my daughter. Its good muscle class I think daughter wants to do it more often so I just might.

Sisters want me to switch to weight watchers they keep asking me about it. I know they are excited about it. Perhaps they think I should lose more then what I am losing but its fine really. I am feeding not only myself but my family as well, this is a perm change for all of us. I can't be eating lean cruisine like they are for ever. No they don't eat this all the time I note this because they might yell at me if they read this blog hahaha. Its just that I have others I have to feed and I need to do it right. Besides its great for my future ebook.

My scale sort of broke the other day it got stuck I was wondering why it wasnt moving lol. Of course I got a nice new digital one and it put me 5 lbs more then I thought. Of course with hubby he is excited it put him slimmer then he thought.

It was a shock to me my 5 extra pounds but its not like I gained it when I started this life style change its just that I didnt take an accurate reading in the first place. So this Sunday when I weight myself I might have lost more then 1 lb but who knows. I will have at least an accurate reading next Sunday plus I measured my self too.

Farm Life:

3 born new lambs. One lost so it would have been 4
Cold
Kids registration for co-op this coming Monday
Walking 5 miles 10,000 steps a day still

Reality check on Winter

Some people really love winter the coolness, the leaves all fallen down, the grey puffy clouds laying on the sofa near a cozy fire, curled up in a blanket drinking hot cocoa :)

I am not one of them. The coolness makes me shiver and I hate putting on extra clothes to stay warm and I dont have enough time to get used to it not that I ever would I don't think.... I lived in Germany for almost 3 years and I didnt get used to it.

I remember shivering so hard my back ached. As for the puffy grey clouds its just really gloomy to me, my sun is gone. My sun that gives me energy when I face it letting it warm my face and my whole body. I miss my sun.

And as far as laying curled up in a blanket, reality check is I have to go out in the cold to check on the animals, I have to walk I don't have time to curl up and drink cocoa and I dont have a fire place. Down around here you want airconditioning to survive :)

I am sure there is many that thrive in the winter coolness more power to you thats why you live there and I live here :) People not used to the heat that live here sort of melt like the witch in the wizard of oz "I am melting!!!!! hehe

Update on Homelife:

Hubby back to work he was really sick this Christmas with a cold congestion and cough. Kids and I started to get it but we fought it off with rest and garlic tablets!

Kids are starting up their homework today again.

My house is still in shambles. I have Christmas boxes waiting to be put back in shed but its too fricken cold to do that yet so it stays in my hallway

Animals need more hay

Need to decide on what to do for Randy and Toms birthday coming up in Feb. I have an idea it just needs some research.

New baby lamb born new years day-Its a girl!

1st week of walking is going good. I lost 2 lbs for weigh in Sunday

Happy New Years 2009

Another year is coming soon where has time gone? I feel soooo old. Weather has been gloomy lately I am hoping for a bit of a sprinkle to stop the fireworks from catching fire like last year. Poor volunteer fire department had to put out so many fires last year because of stupid people. We saw at least 4 fires in our area and I mean from my back porch. A friend of mine from Coop said they were outside trying to stop their place from catching fire caused by neighbors fireworks.

As always we dont go anywhere for the New year. Hubby and I have never really gone to any partys in the 20yrs we have been married. We don't really drink, we are not looking to look for someone else so what else is there? Be with friends family? hmm we just like to stay home with the kids do a few sparkles and relax from the Christmas season. We just had a party!

My house is still a mess from it sigh...We have a saying where if you dont have your house clean for the new year your house will be that way for the rest of the year. So all my family try to clean before the new year. We also have a tradition of opening the front and back door just before the new year to let any negative vibes out of the house.

Of course we have the other tradition where we eat black eye peas. The more you eat the richer your suppose to be :P

Well if you didnt notice already on the side of my blog is a new tracker. Its a walking tracker I got from http://www.walkertracker.com tonight I will be tracking steps. I am also hopefully joining a walking club locally I need to call them.

Two of my sisters are all in plan to lose weight and get healthy too. I am also reading and following the advice of "I can make you thin" Paul McKenna. I saw his program a few months ago and when I actually start to follow his advice I lose weight.

His plan is really simple such as just eating what you want when you want just in quanity and be aware of what you eat. Eat slow enjoy the food. I remember the first week I started my jaw actually hurt from chewing so much hahaha

I had tried it for a bit then started getting ready for vacation and put it on hold. This time I bought his book and I found a journal I am going to use. Wish me luck

Sam

Frugal Christmas

With the economy being really bad this year so the experts say a lot of people are not going to have a good Christmas they say because of it. Instead of the 30 plus christmas toys the kids usually get they are only going to get maybe 6 or 7 *gasp* Instead of families going out to partys or having one they actually have to stay home with the kids and think of creative things to do with them *gasp again*

As for my family its no different this year as it was the last few years. We have a budget for each member the kids make a list knowing that they wont get everything on it. We think of creative things to do with the kids that won't cost a lot of money like our annual cookie bake.
We are not tightening our belts but we are not overspending either.

Yes we do have money to have a really have expensive Christmas but is that what we have strived for all these years of getting out of debt? To be able to have an expensive Christmas? To have our credit card maxed out again?

Through our quest through these last few years to be debt free we have learned its not about the toys we can get but the quality time with our family that means the most to us. Last year instead of buying a new tv because ours went out we got it fixed instead imagine that? We make cookies for my husbands office each year and also a few days before our Christmas Eve party (which everyone brings a dish) we give a bag to each family of goodies to take home with them. This means a lot for the families that dont bake a lot and have something for Christmas day to snack on, I make some of my moms oldies including more of my own.

I have a gift for each of my nieces and nephews but they are not that expensive under $10 and I start early buying them. I have a large family and because we are blessed this year I make sure all the kids will have something to open Christmas morning but I remind my family of something...

They have done studys where a kid will open 30 presents one after the other and at first they are excited but it soon dies down as they go as fast as they can to the next one and barily a whisper of thank you anymore. They can become ungrateful their eyes sort of glazed over of not knowing where to start with so many choices kids don't need that many choices. Where if a child has just a few presents to open they will mean more to him and he will take it slower and appreicate it more.

We have cut down a lot the last few years with the presents and the kids didnt really notice it, we dont put the presents there till Christmas Eve because then they will start to count who has more which you know how it is sometimes with sible rival.

One child wants something expensive so you buy that the other wants less expensive so you can buy him 3 things that cost about as much as the first childs present, but does a child know this? No its the number I tell you cost matters not to them.

Besides Christmas Eve all my other family brings gifts to exchange that night and the kids are allowed one gift to open so the other presents would get lost in the mess is our logic :)

Have a good Christmas don't believe what the so called experts say about having a poor Christmas if you say right now as you read this, "Well it is going to be poor" then that is what you are going to have you have just doomed yourself to having a poor, awful Christmas.

Think positive be creative and remember its Christs birthday not your kids.

Have a toy gift exchange with family/friends
Set a budget
Have the kids make a wish list but make sure they know they may not get all of it
Be creative make/bake things instead for family. Did they mention they love your pumpkin bread?
Shop early/Compare prices just dont buy it from one store
Shop at thrift stores clean them up some things still have tags on them.
Find free things going on in your community
A lot of organizations give away toys to families in need

Pikes Place for Kids Seatle

Well we went in Dec to go see Pikes place in Seatle while we waited for our flight we loved it with a few downers if your taking kids.

On the highway strip near the airport there are a lot of hotels that you can rent all of them you will hear the planes just a fact of life people. We stayed at Best Western was really nice and clean make sure not to get near icemachines too loud!

Daves place great place to eat on that strip, had good fish and chips dont eat the steak there they dont know how to make a good steak like Texas can hahaha...also verrazanos http://www.verrazanos.com/ great italian restaurant that had seafood a bit pricy but all italian restaurants can be pricey. It was worth it.

They have restaurant at hotel but we went to IHOP instead less crowded then Dennies down the way and the service was grand!

Hotel was near bus line if you wanted to use bus, word of caution make sure to come back in winter before 4:30pm it gets really dark fast. Rained most the night and morning but luckily by the time we went to Pikes place it had stopped.

We went to space needle..cost for family of 4 over $56 wow..daughter got really sick going up..word of advice if your afraid of heights make sure your not near the glass window going up in elevator it scared both of us.

Husband and son loved it took me awhile to let go of rail near building kept feeling I was tilting towards the other rail awful feeling.

Went to Children museum that was a waste for us kids are too big for it. If you have a kid older then 8yrs they will be really bored worse if you have a teenager. This is for really little kids they will have a blast.

We took monarail that is right near Space needle downtown towards Pikes place, Make sure to put your round trip tickets someplace you can find it later. It was fun.

It dropped us in a really nice mall we went down a few flights and hit the streets. Pikes place was 4 blocks down and I mean down. As soon as we hit the street my mom alert hit full force. You know what I mean the mom alert saying there is too many people, around that you can't vouch for.... that look suspious, the mom alert that makes you grab your kids hands and look where your older kids are at telling them to keep close. The mom alert that makes you stop smiling and put on a If you get near my kids I will bite your head off face expression" :)

Maybe if your from a city you are used to it but coming from a small town and living out in country I felt it full force. So anyways making sure Tommy had my hand and Randy was close to her dad we traveled downwards looking for a fish diner to eat. There was tons everywhere! Just a warning a lot of diners around Wash have bars in it too its just the fact of life down that way I noticed.

I found one couldnt remember the name of it If I find the receit I will write it down they had the best clam chowder I had yet in Wash state very friendly service, great fish! Oh and the deserts! all and every kind of culture you can think of is there at Pikes place, russian, french, american, chinese etc...try something different its a blast to your taste buds I even carried one with me to take on plane :)

The markets were great! The freshiest stuff I have ever seen in a long time, veggies, fruits, fish and even pasta. Even the fish they will pack it for you and put in container to take with you on the plane! Good for two days!

We loved all the shops looking out to the sea

Word of advice with kids you might want to explain to them.

Pikes place is full of homeless people, you can see them and not to be mean here but you sometimes can even smell some of them. This is just a warning so you can explain some facts of life to the kids. DO NOT let them use public bathrooms unless an adult goes with them even then you DONT want to do this. If your eating down there like at Seatles coffee shop or smaller restaurants ask to use their bathrooms instead.

The public bathroom my husband said had homeless people living in the stalls. I didnt check out the females probably the same thing. Some parts of the Pikes place was too scary and no one really down there that got my mom alert up again. I never saw any cops down there just outside on horses watch where you go or you might end up all alone.

On the up side there was a lot of talented homeless people playing guitar for money, playing all kinds of instruments, one man had two cats out on the sidewalk they both had sweaters on he said he was collecting for a cat society but you kind of know better. The cats were sweet he let my kids pet them one had two extra toes on her. We left him some money and had always some to give to the musicians.

Ok we left it was almost getting dark we didnt watch the time bad thing in seatle during winter it gets dark at 4:30pm. We rushed back to parking lot in this car garage was really scary I didnt see guards just female attendent. Make sure to take ticket with you so you can punch it in when you come back walking works different there then here in San Antonio where you pay as you drive out.

Thats about it. The hotel had a shuttle but our Enterprise where we rented was just down the street and they had their own shuttle. By the way we rented a SUV and it had automatic heated seats talk about pleasure in 40' weather hahaha. Look for hotels and car rentals during the day not at night because prices rise at night people are desperate and they know this!

Had a good time will love to go again at Pikes place

Sam

History Links

Here are my favorite History Links

History Links

Growth of a Nation this is a must see for all parents and kids my favorite http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie2.html

Some pay sites: Free trial
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/tvsearch.php?keywords=history&sitesearch=1

History Link.Org http://www.historylink.org/

History Net http://www.historynet.com/

Best History websites http://besthistorysites.net/index.shtml

Civil war for Kids http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/civilwar/cwar.htm

Digital History http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/

Maps of early America http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/ (has an annoying popup)
Eyewitness to History http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/

History Channel http://www.history.com/home.do

Famous Moments in Early American history http://www.earlyamerica.com/series.html

History teacher.net http://www.historyteacher.net/

Audio clips history http://www.thinkport.org/classroom/onlineclips/socialstudiesclips.tp

American Presidents http://www.presidentsusa.net/

President hall http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/

American Time line http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/timeline/index.html

Time line of American Revolution http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle.html

Declaration of Independence http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html

Talking History http://www.talkinghistory.org/

The above are my favorites but if you are looking for something specific like World War, Civil war, Jewish or Black History try the link below its one of my favorites too.

Classroom favorites http://www.internet4classrooms.com/social_history.htm

Please post me a msg if you have a favorite too so I can add it thanks!

Sam