Packing for Seven

 

Throughout the years, I've done my share of packing for family trips---sometimes for only 5 of us, sometimes for as many as 8 of us.  I will say it has gotten easier since no one needs diapers, strollers, high chairs, and pack & plays anymore.  Somehow I managed to not forget too much in my sleep-deprived state back then, but I wouldn't want to do that again.  On those car trips, I spent most of the time sitting beside a toddler or infant in the back of the minivan or SUV singing songs from Barney or reading Goodnight Moon over and over again.  Even so, most of my babies fussed and screamed in their car seats because all they really wanted was to be held and nursed.  Anyway, vacations are now a breeze, relatively speaking.  But I still have to spend most of a day doing laundry, making a list, packing the suitcases, and then getting really creative at making room for everything in the back of the vehicle.  Even with a luggage carrier strapped to the top, we still inevitably end up with backpacks and tote bags in our laps or under our feet.  This summer, our two teenagers went ahead of us and packed for themselves with only a little advice from me.  So the photo above is just stuff for 5 of us for a 6 day trip.  

This is what I've learned to do through the years:

 

First, I make a list of every possible thing I can think of that we will need.  I often make a more general checklist that I give to the older children so they can pack their own stuff and just cross off items as they're put in their bags.  I also have a list of everything I need to take care of in the days leading up to traveling: paying bills, using up food, getting people to take care of our animals, mowing the lawn, and anything else that's important.  I also keep a shorter list on the refrigerator for the morning we leave: take out the trash, make sure toilets are flushed, wash up any dishes, turn things off, lock windows and doors, etc.  I just can't feel at ease without my lists.

 

When I'm ready to start packing, I think of all the places we'll be going over the course of our trip, and I plan for all kinds of weather.  Then I lay out everything on the bed for one person at a time.  I aim for tops and bottoms that can be interchanged because you never know when you're going to have drinks (or worse things) spilled on you.

 

For our most recent trip, I planned for outings to museums, the zoo, the beach, shopping, dinners in restaurants, Church, sporting events, and lots of walking.

 

I've recently begun rolling most of our clothing instead of folding it before placing it in the suitcases.  This really does take up far less space and remains wrinkle-free for the most part.  Other than a blouse and a long sundress, these are all of my clothes that were on our king-sized bed in the photos above.  You can see there is still plenty of room for my husband's belongings with room to spare.  I did pack our shoes in separate bags. 

Once our suitcase was filled, I simply repeated this process with each of our younger children.  Other than fishing gear and some snacks, everything we needed fit in the top photo.  I really prefer using dufflebags or large tote bags instead of suitcases because they are so much more pliable, but since we needed the luggage carrier to fit all the sleeping bags anyway, I used the bulky suitcases.  I can't imagine how it will be someday to only pack for the two of us.  I think we could possibly fit everything in one of my beach bags.

Safe summer travels to you all!

 

Sometimes We Do Have Fun Off the Farm

 

Not all of our time in the summer is spent at the farmhouse making butter and cakes or hiking and hanging with the farm animals.  We do occasionally go elsewhere and have fun, and that's what today's post is about.  It also just occurred to me that this is the third post in a month with pictures of feet in them.  I do love to go barefoot in the summer.

The children and I spent a day this past week at Greenwood Furnace State Park, PA.

 

It is beautiful here with a great fishing area.

 

Our 15 year old son has loved fishing since he was three and got a Spiderman fishing rod.

 

It's easy to just sit back here and relax and wait for a bite...as long as you bring some insect repellant.

Unfortunately, the bugs were biting, but the fish were not.

 

No matter.  The kids had fun burying each other in the sand.

 

And they built sand villages.

 

An added perk to this park (depending on who you are, I suppose) is that there is absolutely no cellphone service, which meant the teenagers had to play with their younger siblings. 

 

It was one of the hottest days of the summer and very humid, but the water here stays freezing cold all the time.

 

It was definitely the coolest place to be on a 90 degree day.

 

There's a beautiful hiking trail around the water which you can see off in the distance.  Most of us forgot our sneakers though, so the swimming counted as our exercise for the day.  Well, I mostly watched from my lounge chair in the sand with some flavored water and a good book.

 

And we all enjoyed a couple gigantic scoops of ice cream as well.  It melted so fast though that we couldn't keep up, and some of us were a sticky mess.

 

We also did the obligatory trip to an amusement park a couple of weeks ago when our diocese had a special Catholic Day at Del Grosso's with discounted tickets.  Amusement parks and shopping malls are probably my husband's and my least favorite places to go, but we do it for the kids once in awhile.  See if you can spot the Preppy Mountain Farmers in each photo.

 

This park is actually quite family-friendly and the day wasn't too bad.

 

Especially since Hubby went on most of the rides with our youngest, and I just took the pictures and held everyone's stuff.

 

Unfortunately, some of these rides were not good for a man with a bad back.  He was not smiling by the end of this ride.

 

All in all, it was a fun day for most of us, and we don't have to do it again for another year.  Oh, and this time no one got a migraine or threw up, so that's definitely an improvement.

Our next outings will be more to the likings of the middle-aged couple that we are: a variety of museums.  Stay tuned...

 

Independence Day @ Our Preppy Mountain Farm

Like many of you in the Northeast, our actual 4th of July was rather cool, cloudy, and then rainy.  But the rest of our weekend was great, with the exception that Hubby was on call.  Our Teen Baker made these yummy patriotic cupcakes to take to our eldest son's house Sunday for a cookout.  I'm not sure how other bloggers get some of their shots, but my best ones were taken with me standing on top of our picnic table, straddling the cupcakes.  Looks like it's time for another pedicure.

 

While the children took turns on this gigantic rope swing, I got the pleasure of touring a 250 year old stone farmhouse with its many huge fireplaces, beautiful wide plank floors, and original doors and narrow colonial staircases.  It was like going back in time to colonial America...just as good as our trip to Williamsburg last summer.

 

On Saturday we took care of some things on our little farm.  A lot of our herbs are ready for use, including the chamomile above...

 

...and my lavender.  We snipped a bunch, along with some lemon mint, to dry for tea in the future.

 

Last year our black cat took his afternoon naps on my rosemary plant and killed it.  This one has taken to sleeping in this wooden barrel on our patio filled with chickens and hens.  I'm not sure this is their real name; it's what my great grandmother always called them, and these were her favorite plants.

 

My husband was busy finishing construction on our fourth chicken tractor, having to be creative and make something out of materials on hand because I refuse to invest much more into the farm.  This one is light enough to pull around, unlike our first chicken tractor.  It's also too heavy to flip over during a storm like tractor #2 did.  I think this resembles a Conestoga wagon, so I guess our chicks are now pioneer poultry.  Maybe some day we'll have one of those beautiful French chalets for our hens, but for now they will have to settle for a mobile home.

 

I think they're happy to be in their new home; although, they looked a bit culture shocked at first.  After spending their first month in a trough in our dining room, and the next 6 weeks in our garage, this is their first time outside in the grass, fresh air, and sunlight.  We're hoping they make a dent in the Japanese beetle and tick population, which are way too large this summer.

 

We also spent some time hanging out with our goats and sheep.  There's no question that this doe is very pregnant.  We'll have another batch of little ones soon.

 

We didn't make it to any fireworks this year, much to my children's disappointment, but we did have the most spectacular sunset Saturday night.  It was just as beautiful as any explosives, and way more quiet. 

I'd love to hear how you all spent your Independence Day.  Any recipes you care to share?  I'm in need of some new picnic dishes to try.

 

Summer Sweets

 

With an abundance of goats' milk, fresh summer fruits, and more uninterrupted time at home, we have been indulging in a number of homemade sweets this summer.  With all the summer birthdays, holidays, and visits from extended family, we have all kinds of excuses to make dessert.  This is some of what we've made and consumed during the month of June:

 

Cinnamon Rolls

On the morning of my birthday, my dear husband got up extra early and made these delicious cinnamon rolls from scratch before he left for work.  These are truly the best I've ever had.  Alas, he didn't supply me with the recipe, and I'm not sure he'd find it again on the Internet.  My hubby is not one for actually measuring ingredients or following a recipe closely, so I doubt I could pass along his secret formula anyway.  Every time he makes something, it's never exactly the same as the time before. 

 

 Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

After my birthday dinner, our daughter presented me with this lemon cake with homemade cream cheese frosting.  What a light, summer treat!  I think she was going for preppy colors with the pink frosting and lime and kelly green sprinkles.  This is the frosting recipe she used from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book:

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together 6 ounces of cream cheese, 1/2 cup softened butter, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla till light and fluffy.  Gradually add 3-4 cups of powdered sugar, beating until smooth.  This recipe is doubled to generously cover a double layer cake.  

 

Wild Black Raspberries

Of course, the best summer sweets of all are the ones that come naturally with no work involved.  The black raspberries ripened this week on our mountain and in our yard, and the children have been picking and eating them daily.  I love it when we can easily forage for food in the woods or just walk outside and find fresh, organic, healthy foods.

 

Black Raspberry Goats' Milk Ice Cream

Since the raspberries are plentiful, we've been eating them plain, on cereal, in waffles, and in our weekly batches of hand-churned ice cream.  I'll share our easy recipe with you again:

Homemade Ice Cream

Cook 1 cup of milk/cream to scalding, but not boiling.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon and salt.  Chill in refrigerator all day.  When you're ready to make the ice cream, pour the cooked milk into the ice cream canister, and add 3 more cups of fresh milk or cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, and as many raspberries as you like.  Prepare the churn with ice and rock salt, and churn for about 45 minutes.

Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

A week or so ago when the strawberries were for sale everywhere, our teen baker made another double layer cake with homemade chocolate frosting.  She took a large strawberry and cut it into the shape of a rose and used our chocolate mint leaves to adorn the top of the cake.  She and I are trying to experiment with some of our Pinterest pins this summer, and the strawberry rose was pinned to one of her boards.  This was so popular in our family that our youngest son requested the exact same cake be made for his upcoming birthday in a few weeks.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Beat 6 tablespoons butter till light and fluffy.  Gradually add about 2 cups powdered sugar and beat well.  Melt 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, and cool a bit.  Add to the frosting along with 1/4 cup milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.  Gradually beat in another 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and additional milk if necessary.

Here's another view.  It tasted as good as it looks.

 

I am a happy camper and am enjoying every aspect of summer, especially the desserts.  Still trying to limit myself to only one per day, as hard as that is sometimes.  Running with my kiddos and Tippy up and down the mountain most every day is enabling me to eat these sweet treats without packing on any more pounds.  Unfortunately, I'm not losing any either. 

Wishing all of you a weekend filled with sweet summer treats of some kind.

Our Life Through the Eyes of My Children

 

One of my birthday gifts this year was a poem written by our 14 year-old daughter about her life---our life.  This has become one of my most cherished possessions.

Where I'm From

I am from homemade bread and scalding hot chili.

From sweet smelling Dawn dish soap and almost empty cans of Lysol.

I am from long, screaming games of Zilch and hours of poker.

From green Irish signs on the wall and small Celtic crosses.

I am from piles of shoes in the kitchen and cats on the couches.  

From the blasting of Bon Jovi and endless Michael Jackson videos.

I am from sheep in the backyard and baby goats climbing over tires. 

From red and brown hair and golden eyes.

I am from the tattered books

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

and Love You Forever.

From wiffle ball and chocolate chip cookie bars.

I am from photos, paintings, and sharpie pictures on the walls.

From long walks in the forest and wading in the creek.

I am from the fallen willow tree and escaping animals.

From gigantic pine trees and sticky sap you could only get off with peanut butter.

I am from homeschooling and field trips to Asher's Chocolates.

From prayers in the evening

and soft songs and Bible readings throughout the day.

And on the crowded bookshelf in my living room,

I find lost memories and grins.

I am from these recollections,

These memories make me, me.

On the days when our life seems too messy, too noisy, rather chaotic, and I ask myself why we're living so far away from everything and should I return to work full-time so money isn't so tight, I look at this poem on our refrigerator, and I know all is as it should be.

And I thank our dear daughter for giving me a glimpse into our life through her eyes.

Make Your Own Yogurt

 

I warned you I'd be writing lots of posts on what to do with goats' milk.  Last weekend I made homemade yogurt for the first time in a couple of years.  If you don't have a yogurt maker, this does take a little time and attention.  I've found that if I'm short on either, the yogurt still turns out OK, and if the consistency isn't quite what I'd like, I stick it in the freezer and make frozen yogurt.  Here's the recipe I follow to some extent.  Much of my yogurt making experience has been trial and error though.

 

Yogurt

First, you need to scald 4 cups of milk.  I've only ever used our fresh goats' milk, so I'm not sure how pasteurized, homogenized milk from the supermarket works.  Watch and stir this often so it doesn't burn and stick to the bottom of the pan.  Once scalded, cool it to a temperature of 95-115 degrees.  I use a dairy thermometer to keep track of the temperature.  You'll be using this all day if you don't have a yogurt maker.

 

Once the milk is the desired temperature, pour into a Pyrex dish, and add 1 cup dry milk powder, 4 Tablespoons of plain yogurt with active cultures (I use Stoneyfield plain organic yogurt,) and 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin that has been softened in 1/4 cup cold water.  Mix well.  The gelatin is optional.  I use it to make the yogurt more firm.  Place the lid on the dish and put in a warm oven with the oven light kept on.  I usually warm the oven to 170 degrees, and then turn it off.

Every couple of hours, you'll need to take the lid off and make sure the temperature of the yogurt remains between 95-115 degrees.  If it's getting low, turn the oven back on to a low setting for a few minutes, and then turn off again.  I have also tried placing dishtowels around the Pyrex plate to maintain warmth.  That's also why you keep the oven light on.  Incubate for 3-9 hours.  There's just no way of knowing when you start, how long it will take until your yogurt is the consistency you desire.  Mine usually takes most of the day.

Once it is finished incubating, I add ingredients for flavor: fresh fruit or vanilla and honey.  This time I added raspberry syrup.

 

If you like, you can place the entire container in your freezer for frozen yogurt.  Mine was still a little too watery for my family's taste, so I froze it.  Even with over 1/3 of a bottle of syrup, most of my children didn't think it tasted sweet enough---which goes to show how much sugar is put in the commercial brands that my kids love.  My children did like this frozen though---after I let them add some sprinkles or chocolate syrup.  I really prefer using fresh fruit and vanilla, with just a little bit of honey.   

Natural yogurt with live, active cultures is one of the best foods you can give your digestive system.  Give it a try this weekend.