Down on Rogers' farm

Down on Rogers' farm there are 5 sqwaking hens and we couldn't be more excited.  One family's move out of state is our fortune, it would seem.  The girls & their coop, run & supplies were delivered this morning.  We won't win any prizes for best looking coop but I love to look outside and see the chickens pecking at the ground!

Drew & I went to feed them some leftover cornbread at lunchtime and we were so surprised to find two eggs; we weren't expecting them to lay until they settled down a bit.

Between the hens & eggs, making 7 loaves of pumpkin bread out of the pumpkin I pureed and putting our homemade applesauce into the dehydrator for fruit leather I felt like I was a modern Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Fun day!

Callie's gone curly

 Before

After

Callie got an appointment for a real perm for Christmas.  Now her whole head matches what just the front has been doing for years.  It looks fantastic on her.  We love our curly Callie!

72-hour emergency kits

I am in the middle of revamping our 72 hour emergency kits.  It's simplified when you wait for your baby to be as old as your 3 year old was the last time you did it -- all the clothes, activities, diapers, etc. transfer right over.  Not that I recommend that since you have to trash all the food.

Just in case anyone else struggles with this aspect of preparedness like I do, I thought I'd post my meal list.  I try to keep it simple & nourishing enough for a few days, and keep something a little familiar to the kids in it.  I also try to do this without breaking the budget so I pick a date as far out in the future (usually 18 months) as I can get foods before they expire.  Then I only have to rotate right before then, let the kids eat the food, and we don't waste anything, right?  Except I've learned that granola bars don't have a long shelf-life, so those I will be rotating more frequently (in theory).

Day 1

Breakfast:  granola bar & fruit cup

Lunch: Vienna sausages & raisins

Dinner: MRE & applesauce

Snack: Snickers bar

Day 2

Breakfast: granola bar & ½ can fruit (share w/family member)

Lunch: ½ bag jerky, pudding cup & juice

Dinner: MRE & applesauce

Snack: peanut m&m’s or raisins

Day 3

Breakfast: granola bar & 1 piece of jerky

Lunch: tuna package & juice

Dinner: MRE & fruit cup

Snack: rest of jerky & fruit snacks

*Also included:

1 package of gum

3 utensils – 1 per day

I print off my meal list and stick it in the bag or #10 can in which I put all the food.


If anyone else out there has some great tips for me, I'd love to hear them.