If you can't milk it,hunt it,gather it or grow it........

don't eat it......:)

That is one of the main "principles" of the "Schwarzbein Principle."

It is  what I am doing as far as getting healthy/weight loss.Well,I actually don't consider what I am doing  the "Schwarzbein Principle" but I did learn ALOT from this book! Things that I always believed to be healthy are really explained WHY they are healthy in this book! I consider this the way that the Lord *intended* we should eat.I don't agree with everything the lady says of course but that is the way it is with almost everything isn't it? :)

I am not going to do it 100% .My family is still going to continue to have a "sugar" dessert once a week and on special occasions.

I am in my child bearing years and I *have* to keep myself healthy for myself and my family.I am not unhealthy *yet* .I have always been extremely healthy and I feel GREAT except for..........

I am starting to have teeth problems that I never had.

I also need to lose weight.

My dh has teeth problems.

My children have alot of cavities in their baby teeth.

I want to turn this around and I believe it CAN be turned around.......

This is very interesting.I have this book and again,I don't agree with everything he says and don't plan on DOING everything he says....(like eating bone marrow lol) but I do agree with most of it.

It goes right along with Nourishing Traditions.

The actually ALL go together and agree with each other.

Nourishing Traditions
The Schwarzbein Principle and
Curing Tooth Decay

There is a wealth of information in these books.It is exactly the opposite of what we have been taught but thats no surprise is it?

I will be posting my menu sometime soon!

Bringing Home The Bacon PART 3

Here are a few pictures of the meat getting ground,bacon being cut and the sausage.We had a total of 11 children helping and there was a job for everyone except the babies! lol We ended up getting 130 pounds of meat! :) 50 lbs sausage,20 lbs bacon and 60 lbs of ham/loin/chops etc.We fried some sausage up right away to make sure the seasoning was right.It is soooooooooooooo good!!! We want to smoke our own hams/bacon but that will have to come later.We are thrilled to have some good,hormone free pork!!!!

Home Butchering PART 2

                           Finishing the skinning and then the meat brought into the house to start cutting.

Bringing Home The Bacon PART 1

 
We butchered our first hog!! We have 3 hogs......two of them are for us and one is for our neighbor.We only butchered one of ours because we had never done a pig before.We've done a steer,chickens,rabbits,ducks,turkeys,deer etc. but never a hog! :) It went great and was no different than the steer.We will be doing our other one next weekend probably.We had friends here to help who had never butchered a hog before and so that was really fun!!! They were alot of help!

So these first 4 pictures are before butchering and then skinning........

Cinnamon Chip Scones

This is NOT healthy lol.Just warning ya....:)

My girls and I had these for our tea party yesterday and I am hooked.Not necessarily on Cinnamon Chip Scones but just on SCONES in general.I have made them before but the recipe must have not been a very good one because they did not have the unbelievable tenderness that these do.SO,this recipe is for cinnamon chip scones but you could leave the chips out (although they *are* delicious) and add just all sorts of stuff! You could also make healthier scones but I think that we will probably just save them for special occasions and use white flour.


3- 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 pkg cinnamon chips
2 TB melted butter and sugar to sprinkle

Combine flour,sugar,baking powder,baking soda and salt.Cut in butter.Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.Fold in chips.Turn outonto floured surface and knead for a minute....just until dough is no longer sticky.Divide in half and pat each half into a 7 inch circle.Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.Cut each circle into 6 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet.Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!! These literally melt in your mouth and I think they are so beautiful and fancy looking! In the picture above they look smaller because for our tea party I cut one circle into 12 wedges istead of 6 but they are much prettier cut into 6 wedges.:)

Lessons from gates.....

I thought I would share a lesson I have learned recently.....

My dh is a very hard worker and when he does something he is a very serious believer of doing it RIGHT and doing it FAST .He doesn't mess around and just takes his jobs seriously.I love that about him! Well,he tends to be in a hurry alot of the time because of this which I am *not* complaining about! I would NOT change him! :):)

Anyhow,we have two gates in our driveway (because of cattle) that we have to go in and out of every time we leave our house.When dh gets the gate he RUNS :). I am ashamed to admit that I am guilty of being irritated with him now and then for always being in such a hurry.I am even MORE ashamed to admit that when I have gotten the gates in the past I have thought to myself that "I am *not* running".Just because*he* is always in a hurry, does not mean that *I* have to be. (insert embarrassed emoticon)

Well,it never crossed my mind that it was disrespectful to think like that.I mean, he never *told* me to run and get the gates and he *wouldn't* ever tell me something like that....and just because *he* does something it does not mean that *I* have to right? I knew that it irritated him for someone to just walk regularly (he looks at it as rude to everyone else waiting) but even though I never really *thought* the thoughts in my head,looking back,it was almost as if I had the attitude of "I know you don't like it but you are just going to have to put up with it because I don't *have* to do it like that."

I have recently come to believe that I can, and *should* do things that my dh likes,or don't do the things he doesn't like, while he is around just out of respect for him.I don't have to feel that running to get the gates is necessary but I can do it for him just out of respect for him.My previous attitude was a rebellious one and I didn't even realize it.I didn't have the attitude to please my husband but to please myself.

In the mornings I have been riding up with my husband in his big truck(he drives truck) when he leaves for work.I can get his gates (It is a hassle for him to get out of the big truck,pull through the gate,get out again and shut the gate,get back it the truck etc.) and we can also pray together in peace and quiet....:) (Our children get up early) So lately,I kiss him good-bye,get out and RUN to get his gate and give him a big smile and a wave as he leaves......It feels so much better than my previous attitude and I know he appreciates it.(although we haven't even discussed it....I am curious to see if he notices it.....)

Anyhow,just thought I would share with you ladies incase you have the same problem as I did.....:)

Easy French Bread

This is especially  for my dear friend Laurie.....:)

This is PERFECT French Bread!

I thought alot of you might be able to use it.It is the bread I make when I am in a hurry.My Mom found the recipe years ago and it has been a life saver for me alot of times! :) I love to make it with all white flour but usually don't.:)

In a small bowl mix 4.5 tsp of yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and set aside.

In a large bowl place two tsp salt and 2-4 TB butter.Add one cup of boiling water and stir until butter is melted then add 1 cup cold water.Making sure that your mixture is not to hot,(it should be just right) add your yeast mixture and 5-6 cups of flour.Stir until combined....It should be dough but still sticky.Cover and let sit for 45 minutes,stirring down every 15 minutes.NO KNEAD.:)

After 45 minutes,shape into 2 loaves of french bread (or dinner rolls,cinnamon rolls or *anything*) and place on greased cookie sheet.You can cut some fancy slits in the top of the loaves with a knife or scissors.Let rise until doubled and brush with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 2 TB milk.Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes!