Calming the Child was the first oil I used. Liam had just graduated to adult church at the tender age of 4. I was nervous about how WE would handle it and talk was already going around church about the oils. So I got online and did some research and found this one and ordered it. It had been well over a year since Liam took his last nap but each Sunday that I put this on him he slept through most of the service! You could see it begin to work within 10 minutes of dabbing it on his temples, forehead and having him breath in a drop on his hand.
I am happy to announce that we no longer need to use it. He wiggles a little but he is quiet and fills page after page in his notebook with drawings. The calming oils have worked so good in fact that most of the little class that comes to the sanctuary after Sunday School smell quite herby and the service is really quiet! DoTerra carries two oils - Serenity and Balance. These are the main ones used at my church and many people have seen remarkable results. I didn't experience as good results from them as from Calming the Child. But I think, at my church, I am the only one.
Because I am still struggling with the affects of the flu I decided to make a big pot of chicken soup.
I am happy to announce that we no longer need to use it. He wiggles a little but he is quiet and fills page after page in his notebook with drawings. The calming oils have worked so good in fact that most of the little class that comes to the sanctuary after Sunday School smell quite herby and the service is really quiet! DoTerra carries two oils - Serenity and Balance. These are the main ones used at my church and many people have seen remarkable results. I didn't experience as good results from them as from Calming the Child. But I think, at my church, I am the only one.
Because I am still struggling with the affects of the flu I decided to make a big pot of chicken soup.
I added onion, celery, carrots and rosemary from my garden into the pot with the chicken carcass. I simmered it for several hours to allow all the good stuff to get out of all the good stuff. Then I picked the meat off the bones, added fresh onion, celery, carrots and rosemary from my garden and cooked it until the veggies were tender.
Then I added some wonderful Amish noodles I get from a Mennonite run store in Albany. I know, it would have been healthier and lower carb if I had left the noodles out, and for me alone I would have. But Craig really loves noodles. Last night I pulled another carcass out of the crockpot to make another big pot today. I think though today's might have dumplings. I have never done that but I know I can find recipes online for them. We will see.
Here is our plum tree...almost in full bloom. I am concerned that this will not turn out good. Not only have I seen no bees around it, but we are so early in the season to be having such warm sunny days. Our last freeze date is May 15th I believe. So this is probably not a good thing. But it sure looks pretty and does set your heart to warmer days (if you liked that sort of thing). Notice the pretty red bow on it? Last fall it lost about 1/3 of itself in two wind storms. That strap is holding the split in the trunk together. I suppose one good thing about such a mild winter is that there has been no prolonged freezing weather to split the trunk further. Last time I checked it it seemed to be doing really well. This tree has grown amazingly fast.
I was going to save this picture for the 'truck' post but I wanted to compare trees. The tree that you see to the right of the picture is a pear and was planted the same day as the plum. I am glad we put the plum where we did as it is now big enough to shade the front porch from the scalding afternoon sun! But that pear tree is just taking its own sweet time. Right behind the pear tree to the left of the sign you will see my Honeycrisp apple tree. I got over 60 pounds of apples off it last summer! Amazingly sweet and juicy apples! I sure hope this summer is as good an apple year!
So Tuesday we called the tow truck to take the truck to the mechanic. Craig talked to the mechanic yesterday and they are baffled by some things they have found. Craig probably won't have a friend come over and help him tear apart an engine ever again. At least I am pretty sure of that! Our mechanic is wonderful and trustworthy, so knowing that makes this easier to swallow. But I really am not looking forward to his bill. We just put over $700 into the repairs done in our garage. And we had planned that to be all that was needed.
But isn't that how things go? That is one of the 'resolutions' I am going to share with you. I am not good with money. Craig is not good with money. There have been a couple ladies in my life from years gone by who really worked with me on finances. Now, I will redeem myself a little here by saying I never went shopping before paying bills and rent. But I did get out of control with credit cards. And though I went through a period where I saved money in an account each month, it seemed by the end of the month I would be taking nearly all of it out to cover something. I have learned, and continue to learn, to say no to myself. And without acting like I am trying to control him, I try to help Craig say no as well. It is also important to get a grip, especially now, because I do not want Liam to have the same damaging relationship I have with money. So in January we only ate out once and that was at Costco. A pizza to be exact. $10. Not bad considering that easily twice a week we were either eating out or Craig was bringing something home after work. I know....horrible for the budget and horrible for the health! That saved us $200!! Amazing! I had no idea! But it sure put some wind in my sail and I am excited each new month to see what I am able to NOT spend money on. It feels good. I love to read the frugal blogs. But up until January I had no idea how 'unfrugal' I was really being. And its exciting to think of where this could take us....a family at my church with 4 children paid off their house on January 1st!!! They bought it 12 years ago!!! I was jealous....then realized that my foolishness had prevented us from doing the same thing. I have learned one thing...send Craig to the grocery store if the list is not long. He will go in, get the things on the list, and leave. He rarely even puts a package of cookies in the cart for himself. Me on the other hand, I will see that bag of garlic and think how nice it will be to put some of that in dinner...then it rots in the fridge. We could really enjoy this and this and this and they will sit in the pantry, forgotten. Yep...me and grocery stores are not a good combination. And boy do I love me a thrift store! But even then I get into trouble. I haven't been in one since our trip to Auntie Pam's. Though I could use a pair of church shoes....but I have only once found a pair of shoes in a thrift store....they are falling apart now and desperately need to be replaced. Anyway....that is one of my resolutions. Just less spending, more saving. So far I am doing good.
I will leave you with a Liamism from last October: You see, I am running dry or Liam is running dry on Liamisms. A package had arrived in the mail from his half sister Grace. It was still a couple days until his birthday so I told him he needed to wait. Be patient. "But I'm going to meltdown Mommy!" Another cute little thing that Liam loves is when daddy pulls a quarter out of his ear. That is until we are in a store with no quarter available and Liam wants something. "Daddy, just pull a quarter out of my ear!" Oops!
So Tuesday we called the tow truck to take the truck to the mechanic. Craig talked to the mechanic yesterday and they are baffled by some things they have found. Craig probably won't have a friend come over and help him tear apart an engine ever again. At least I am pretty sure of that! Our mechanic is wonderful and trustworthy, so knowing that makes this easier to swallow. But I really am not looking forward to his bill. We just put over $700 into the repairs done in our garage. And we had planned that to be all that was needed.
But isn't that how things go? That is one of the 'resolutions' I am going to share with you. I am not good with money. Craig is not good with money. There have been a couple ladies in my life from years gone by who really worked with me on finances. Now, I will redeem myself a little here by saying I never went shopping before paying bills and rent. But I did get out of control with credit cards. And though I went through a period where I saved money in an account each month, it seemed by the end of the month I would be taking nearly all of it out to cover something. I have learned, and continue to learn, to say no to myself. And without acting like I am trying to control him, I try to help Craig say no as well. It is also important to get a grip, especially now, because I do not want Liam to have the same damaging relationship I have with money. So in January we only ate out once and that was at Costco. A pizza to be exact. $10. Not bad considering that easily twice a week we were either eating out or Craig was bringing something home after work. I know....horrible for the budget and horrible for the health! That saved us $200!! Amazing! I had no idea! But it sure put some wind in my sail and I am excited each new month to see what I am able to NOT spend money on. It feels good. I love to read the frugal blogs. But up until January I had no idea how 'unfrugal' I was really being. And its exciting to think of where this could take us....a family at my church with 4 children paid off their house on January 1st!!! They bought it 12 years ago!!! I was jealous....then realized that my foolishness had prevented us from doing the same thing. I have learned one thing...send Craig to the grocery store if the list is not long. He will go in, get the things on the list, and leave. He rarely even puts a package of cookies in the cart for himself. Me on the other hand, I will see that bag of garlic and think how nice it will be to put some of that in dinner...then it rots in the fridge. We could really enjoy this and this and this and they will sit in the pantry, forgotten. Yep...me and grocery stores are not a good combination. And boy do I love me a thrift store! But even then I get into trouble. I haven't been in one since our trip to Auntie Pam's. Though I could use a pair of church shoes....but I have only once found a pair of shoes in a thrift store....they are falling apart now and desperately need to be replaced. Anyway....that is one of my resolutions. Just less spending, more saving. So far I am doing good.
I will leave you with a Liamism from last October: You see, I am running dry or Liam is running dry on Liamisms. A package had arrived in the mail from his half sister Grace. It was still a couple days until his birthday so I told him he needed to wait. Be patient. "But I'm going to meltdown Mommy!" Another cute little thing that Liam loves is when daddy pulls a quarter out of his ear. That is until we are in a store with no quarter available and Liam wants something. "Daddy, just pull a quarter out of my ear!" Oops!