Friday, May 30, 2014

I Get to Teach!

     Wow! It's been forever since my last post! But you know, when summer rolls around there are so many things that need to be done. Our garden has been planted, landscaping finished, lavender/blackberry/raspberry plants/bushes have been pruned back, and our mamma goats sure are getting big. Just about one month and we'll have goat kids running around and the milking will begin again!! I've been looking forward to that for awhile now. Oh, how I love summer! 

     Ok, so to get to what this post is ACTUALLY about! I get to teach this summer! Yayy! I've wanted to do this for a long time, but just waiting for the right opportunity to come along. Well, it has finally came. I'll be teaching two different classes this summer at The Colorful Cupboard! One being for younger kids...Ages 6-11.
      They will be learning how to sew there own finger puppets! This class will be on June 14th, from 10-12. Each child will get to choose two puppets they would like to make. I'm really excited for this class! I love working with younger children! 

      The second class will be 'Weave your own headband!' 

      And as funny as it may seem, they will learn to do it on a dowel rod! This class being more for ages 12-17. I'll be offering this one on June 18th, from 4-6. 

      But don't worry, if you can't make those dates I'll be teaching again in July and August! 

       I'm so excited I finally get to do something I've wanted to do for awhile now! Although, I am a little nervous about this whole new experience, it's going to be great! Life is all about new experiences - Changing things up - Pulling you out of your comfort zone - Trying new things! Besides, you only live once - Why not live everyday to the fullest? Trying new things and loving everyday you have here on this earth. I'm so thankful the opportunity has finally come my way! I'll keep you all updated on how the classes go. 

 Have an AmAzInG Friday!!!  

Source


Monday, May 12, 2014

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

 


  I want to wish all the wonderful mothers out there a VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S Day!!! 
  
  Not only today, but everyday, be thankful for the wonderful mother of yours who chose beautiful life. Who chose to carry you 9 months in her womb. Who chose to give part of her life to raise you. Who put you first, before herself. Who chose to love you no matter what. Who chose you, to forever hold a special place in her heart. 

  Motherhood is a beautiful thing...Something that no woman could ever regret. It's giving a life to another innocent human being. Being there to feel their child form in their womb, see them breathe their first breath, hear them make their first cry, watch their minds develop as they learn new things and continue to grow... Be there as they become the man or woman they had always prayed and dreamed about, and be there for them as they start their own family... A mother is always their for her child. She'll always have those days when she wants to pick everything up and leave. But she'll always come back..Not a day would go by that she wouldn't miss out on the upcoming of her child for anything. She loves you unconditionally...Through the best days of your life, while also through some of the worst days. She's always there for you.... 

Happy Mother's Day to ALL moms out there!  


  

Friday, May 9, 2014

A Choice You will Never Regret

Source: 

     With Mother's Day in just a couple of days, I thought I'd share another post on how precious life truly is. And how a decision can become a lifetime regret. Something that will haunt you for the rest of your life. Wishing you could take it back - do it all over again - And that precious, innocent life - A beautiful child, with a reflection of YOU every time you look into those gleaming eyes, bring great joy as you see their radiant smile form through there innocent lips, and how you will forever hold them close to your heart. So, PLEASE! Always choose that beautiful LIFE....

Check out a wonderful post by my cousin, Olivia!
Hey there. I know it may be tough what you are going through. Maybe you’re scared? Confused? Just need someone to turn to.
Maybe you are considering your options? Abortion or giving birth. Both equally huge decisions. One; giving u the freedom and no responsibility. Two; letting you know the LOVE a mother has in her for her child. To watch that child play every night. Watching his/her surroundings. Laughing at everything imaginable. To hold that soft innocent child, and letting them fall asleep feeling safe and at home in your arms. To kiss their nose goodnight. Watch them as they grow up. Watch as they become like you!
You are their role model. They depend on you before birth and after. They depend on you forever. Maybe in different ways throughout their life, but they will ALWAYS depend on you to be there for them. Be their mother. Love them, cherish them, support them.
Please do not ask yourself; “What do I have to offer? I am no role model. I am a mess and disaster. This baby diserves better than this” Because that is NOT and could NEVER be true!
You, are amazing. And i am telling you the honest, whole heartedly truth.
Yes, people make mistakes. Yes, no ones perfect. But the baby- they didnt do anything wrong.
You are a beautiful, talented, loving, supportive woman- and any child would be LUCKY to have you as a mom!
Always remember that abortion may seem like a key to everything; but its really only putting a lock on a treasure!
Dont let that treasure go. Dont throw it away to never get it back. That treasure has a love in its heart so strong and deep for you; and that doesnt change. They LOVE you mom. They need you to support them, support their life!
Some may think, abortion is giving my child a better life, and myself a new start. A second chance.
But thats not true.
God is giving you a second chance, here and now, to raise your child! To prove to HIM and your son/daughter; that you are a great mother! A fantastic mother! The best mother to her kids. Hes giving you a chance to prove your love, and to make the right decision.
A mothers duty is to support her child through thick and thin, but is abortion supporting them? No! It is putting them down, not giving them a chance, a hope, a future.
And you may feel all alone in this. But you’re not. You have us, you have millions like you, you have God! And importantly, you have your precious child. They are there with you every step of the way!
They trust you. Love you. Dont take away that trust. Dont take away that love.
You guys will have a special bond that no other Mother and child could have! One that is special, unique, fun, and amazing!
One that you cant explain in words, but you can feel in your heart.
At one point, I told myself I didnt want kids. They are too much work, and I want to live my life free; doing what I want. But is living free, without ur precious child- truly living?
This mindset quickly changed when I had a very magnificent dream!
And I know, deep inside me; I had this dream for a reason.
I was inside a house, in front of a fire place. My husband (at which is a mystery) was somewhere inside, but I was not supposed to meet him yet in my dream. I picked up with both hands, the most Adorable! Precious! Cutest! Sweetest! Lovliest little baby I have ever seen. Just thinking about this moment truly makes me want to cry. Not cry because I am scared, or afraid. But cry because of what I felt in my dream. The baby had blond hair, a small round face, green eyes, and the cutest little ears that stuck out. And he was laughing, just laughing his beautiful heart out. He looked at me, in the eyes. The most soft, precious, innocent look you will ever see.
I smiled back at my baby. MY baby. Because I knew he was mine.
The thing that makes me want to cry is; honestly- unexplainable. Unimaginable. No words can describe.
The LOVE I felt for my son; was so much, its nothing you will have ever felt. I can promise you this!
Its a deer yearning for their protection, safety. To see them smile, to hear them laugh. To never want to let that precious child out of your arms.
The love in undying. It is forever. And it is so overwhelming- even I can not understand its power.
Its a love of another universe. Not earth. It is something much greater then that! Something only God and the Heavens could possibly understand.
My love for that child was unconditional. Was forever.
And that being said, there is no doubt in my mind- i am HAVING my child!
Because I may not know my husband yet, and I may have only met my child in a dream. But I know I have to have my child one day.
I know I am meant to be a mother!
I know what that love feels like.
And I know I will have him in my arms one day.
And you will have your beautiful baby in your arms as well.
And you will get to experience that Love! That feeling! A love so strong it hurts because there is so much, and its so powerful. You would do anything to feel this love. And you can have it!
All it takes is the right decision.
We will be there for you before and after! We will be there for you always! If you need to talk or vent please email: olivetree1998@gmail.com
And I promise to listen to everything! :)
You are beautiful! Dont forget that.
Have a great day~
Olivia  

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Is Motherhood the End of Beauty?


           
     Being Mother's Day in just a few days, I thought this was a great post from Girl Talk Home about motherhood NOT being the end of beauty. 

     Motherhood is one of the most beautiful God-given gifts a woman could ever have. The love between a mother and her child, is said to be something know one will ever understand. A love that only she can feel...The love of the most precious, innocent human being, that flourished in her womb....





For a bunch of college girls, it was a shocking sight. Our friend, and the mother of twins, showed us her stretch marks and we, rather impolitely, stared back in dismay. Did pregnancy really carve such strange designs into a woman’s body?
“You will all look like this some day,” she warned, laughing at our expressions. “Of course, mine are worse, because I had twins, but if you get pregnant, you will get stretch marks.”
I’m glad I didn’t know then that in addition to stretch marks I would also have a c-section scar, plus two more long scars from emergency surgery following the delivery of my first child. My stomach now looks like a crudely drawn road map.
Pregnancy wreaks havoc on a woman’s body. Stretch marks and fat deposits, c-section scars and varicose veins…the list goes on. Then there is motherhood. Sleep deprivation digs dark pits underneath our eyes, bottle washing dries out our hands, our clothes don’t fit anymore and are dotted with spit-up. Our joints are stiff from hours of carpool and our muscles sore from carrying children and baby bags and pack and plays (and don’t forget the stroller!).
Whatever beauty we thought we had before we had children feels like a thing of the past. We worry about whether our husband will still find us attractive. We feel self-conscious and insecure about how we look to others.
But motherhood is not the end of beauty, it is an opportunity to become more beautiful. Moms may not get much time at the spa, but we have the chance to apply the godly woman’s beauty regimen every day, all day long.
What is this beauty regimen? Scripture says that the woman who applies trust in God (“a gentle and quiet spirit” 1 Pet. 3:3-5) with good works (1 Tim. 2:9-10) will not fail to become genuinely beautiful. And who, I ask you, has more opportunities to apply this beauty treatment, than a mother with young children?
Every day she must trust God with the physical safety, the emotional wellbeing, and the state of her children’s souls. Every day she must do endless, repetitive acts of service on behalf of her husband and for the sake of children. And every day, as moms, we have countless opportunities to take our eyes off of ourselves, to serve others, and to look to God for strength and help. This makes us truly beautiful.
So think of it this way: you can make yourself beautiful all day long! Not only when you shower and style your hair, but also when you clean up vomit and wipe dirty bottoms, when you encourage your husband and serve your family with gladness. You are trusting God and doing good works. This will make you beautiful in the eyes of your husband and your children, and precious in the sight of God.
Motherhood is not the end of beauty; instead it can be the beginning of a deeper, more profound beauty, that transforms us from the inside out. So instead of mourning the loss of a smooth, flat, stomach this Mother’s Day, let’s give thanks for the opportunity to pursue a beauty that will never fade (1 Pet. 3:3-5).

Monday, May 5, 2014

Soft Shelled or "Rubber" Eggs - Causes and Prevention




   Here's a great post from Fresh Eggs Daily on why some eggs your hens lay, may come out with a soft shell, while others maybe not even a shell at all - Only just the membrane. 

 The other day when we were in the barn, one of our hens laid an egg without the shell, just the membrane. We thought it was the weirdest thing, but I guess it was just because she wasn't getting enough calcium?  



The longer you raise chickens, the more chance that eventually you'll collect some odd-looking eggs on occasion. Most times, they are nothing to worry about - just a glitch in production. One of the more common 'glitches' is a soft-shelled or 'rubber' egg, basically an egg laid without a shell or with a very soft shell.

Soft-shelled eggs look and feel like water balloons, with the yolk and white covered only by a membrane, not the hard shell. A hen needs calcium to form the shell around each egg, and a diet that consists of good-quality layer feed plus free-choice crushed eggshell or oyster shell normally is sufficient to ensure nice hard shells. So what causes them?

Causes: 

1) Young layers often lay soft-shelled eggs when they are first getting started. This should stop once their reproductive systems mature and fully develop.

2) Stress can cause a hen to lay her egg prematurely without the shell. Being chased by children, or harassed by dogs or other predators can be the cause of great stress and fright.

3) Older hens often lay thin-shelled eggs since the same amount of shell must encompass a much larger amount of yolk/white than when she was younger (eggs generally get larger as a hen ages).

4) A Calcium deficiency can result in soft-shelled eggs, so be sure you provide the added calcium supplement in the form of egg- or oyster shell.

5) A Vitamin D deficiency can also result in eggs with soft shells, so allowing your chickens time outdoors year round is important.

6) Far less common, soft-shelled eggs can be a symptom of such diseases as Newcastle disease or infectious bronchitis. If you are regularly seeing soft-shelled eggs, a vet should be consulted if you have ruled out all other causes.

Prevention:

1) Crushed eggshell or oyster shell should always be made available to your flock on a free-choice basis, not mixed into their feed. This way each hen can eat as much or as little as she needs.  Different hens absorb calcium differently, and depending on how good a layer she is, one hen may just need more than another.

2) Avoid feeding spinach, as well as beet greens, chards and citrus fruits, which can interfere with calcium absorption. If soft-shelled eggs are a problem, try cutting those treats out completely. If you do feed them in the future, add some apple cider vinegar to their water (1 Tablespoon of ACV per gallon of water) which helps increase calcium absorption rates.
3) Add some herbs and other greens rich in calcium to their diet. These include: alfalfa, burdock root, chamomile, chickweed, clover, dandelion greens, horsetail, lambs quarter, mustard greens, nettle, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, rose hips and watercress.

4) In severe cases, some liquid calcium can be added to your flock's water as an added calcium boost.

Sources: www.mountainroseherbs.com as written by Mary Janes Farm magazine Aug-Sept 2013
Your Chickens magazine, January 2014