separation of the family stinks..big time!    It doesn’t work for us…so since we home school, the kids and I will be going with him.

For me, I’m excited..I’ve always wanted to travel out of our podunk little town..see the world so to speak…

For the kids, they are a little apprehensive…leaving what’s familiar..their friends, etc.  It’s a little rough..but they miss their daddy something terrible..so they are for it…just having a bit of trouble overcoming their anxieties!

Hubby?  He can’t wait..he’s lonely…and doesn’t like doing all the things I do..cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, etc.  LOL!

So, it’s off on a new adventure..with God by our sides..who knows what we will discover!

Looking back over the last few years, I can see places where I stumbled..felt that there was NO way we’d overcome this obstacle..but now, I can see where God lifted us up…and helped us through..so many answered prayers..not always the way we wanted..but answered all the same.

Faith..it’s a wonderful and mystical thing…and I’m blessed by it everyday!  Are you?

So, now, after reading the last article….how clean is your house?  If you still have those toxic cleaning chemicals in your house, then you need to clean house!

Start here:

Your kitchen…the place of germs and bacteria.  Ditch the tile cleaner, the soft scrub stuff, the disinfectant and use this..just TRY it for a week!  You’ll be amazed!

Sinks?  Clean them with a soft paste made with baking soda and warm water…scrub them good with it..got them covered with the paste?  now, give them a good dousing of plain ole white vinegar..watch it bubble and fizz away the stains and germs.  Lemon juice will work just as well as the vinegar.

Rinse clean with warm/hot water.  This works on all sink types.

Tough stains that didn’t come out?  Use one of those white eraser sponges…the cheap ones work fine will make things sparkle!!

Counter tops?  A spray of white vinegar, a few drops of lavender, tea tree oil or orange oil will clean, disinfect and freshen them right up!  Again, tough stains can be tackled with an eraser sponge.

Stoves?  The same paste you used for the sinks..it won’t scratch them and wipes off clean with a damp rag…don’t pour the vinegar on the stove though!  That would be a bit messy!  You can use the eraser sponge there as well.

Murphy’s oil soap is the ONLY cleaning thing I have in the house, next to the dish soap.  I use it on all my floors, vinyl and hardwood.  I don’t have carpet..but if I did, I’d use a good bagless vacumm…yuck..carpet!  Do you know the yuck that’s under yours??    But I digress..another topic altogether!

Your spray you made works for any of your other kitchen surfaces…just spray and wipe!  Clean, disinfected(naturally) and you and your family will breathe easier!

Next time…the bathroom!!! 

Do you bleach your whites and buy fabric softener to make your towels cuddly and soft?

Do you buy the new dish soap with bleach so that your dishes are extra clean?

Antibacterial soap?

Disinfectants?

Germ-Killing Power?

Streak-free shines?

Hand sanitizer?  Do you carry some with you at all times?

Air fresheners and air “sanitizers”?

Answer yes to any of these?  Then your house may not be as “clean” as you think!

Consider this:  Would you live next to a toxic waste dump?  Would you believe people who told you that no harm will come to you from said toxic waste?  Would you live next to a landfill?  I figure you would answer “NO!” to these questions.

But if you’d answer NO to the above questions, then why would you answer YES to the ones above that?  The average homes air is more polluted than the air outside.  The reasons?  Newer, “air tight”, “energy-efficient” homes, our obsession with killing germs and fear of whatever cold or flu that’s going around..the never ending desire to be and have “CLEAN”.

Well?  What’s a person to do?  Change some habits for one..instead of running the air conditioning all the time…open the windows..let some fresh air in…can’t do it because of severe allergies?  Change your air filters more often..and buy good ones!  Read the labels!  Get your duct work and the coils in your unit cleaned..don’t smoke in the house and DITCH THE CLEANERS!!!

WHAT??  Ditch the CLEANERS??  But..they make things CLEAN!!!  Oh the HORRORS!!

Um..yeah, ditch them..and your home will be cleaner for it!  What to use?  Natural products…most of which are food safe (but not all). Here’s a list of the ones most commonly used.

White Distilled Vinegar

Baking Soda

Borax (20 Mule Team)

Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not detergent,..just washing soda)

Salt

Water

Essential oils (do your research here..lots to choose from!)

Lemon Juice

Peroxide

Sunshine!  Yep..it works wonders..invest in a clothesline..saves you energy and the sun is a GREAT disinfectant!

Did you know that vinegar (white distilled vinegar) is a wonderful disinfectant?  So are the essential oils like Tea Tree, Lemon, and Eucalyptus.

Did you know that baking soda and vinegar will clean almost anything in your house?  You can use things like vinegar and a few drops of regular dish soap in a spray bottle to get crystal clear glass?

Did you know that using essential oils in place of “antibacterial” products will help prevent disease resistant or “super bugs”?

Did you know that making these changes can help with respiratory issues like asthma?

Did you know that 5-8 drops of Eucalyptus oil in about 8-20 oz of water will kill dust mites?

Did you know that Vinegar in your fabric softener dispenser will work just as well as those high-priced softeners?

Did you know that you can make your own laundry soap?

Do some research and find out for yourself!  I’ll write more on it later, but think on this..

I changed from “chemical” cleaners to all natural ones and have been able to get a hold on and control, if not almost eliminate almost all my families allergy and asthma symptoms.  We are healthier and breathe much easier since we made these changes, and we don’t catch everything that goes around…

There is more to this, and I will get to it, but I wanted to get you to thinking..do some research on your own..you can start here..it’s a good jumping off point!

http://www.vintageremedies.com/home/

http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/green-cleaning-spring-cleaning-460303

http://www.natural-healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com/natural_home_cleaning_recipes.htm

http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/165/

Sometimes, I sit at my computer and listen to my family in the background..no, I’m not ignoring them..just have things to do.  But the point is, I listen to them.

It’s during these times that I am overcome with pride and joy at the young adults my children are becoming and the wonderful man that my husband is!  I hear them talking about everything from the next day’s activities (that are on my calendar right in front of me) to the latest current event, or whether or not our son thinks the Mythbusters can prove the myth they are working on.

Our kids have grown into such vocal and independent thinkers..they are aware of the world around them and fully prepared to take it on ..head on..when the time comes.  They have political and religious opinions..not always the same as mine…sometimes, more in-depth!

They are my family and I love them!

It’s times like these that reaffirm that homeschooling, for us, is a good thing!  It has prepared them for the “real world”.  It has made them secure in the knowledge that families really do function with 2 parents and that they are safe and loved.  They know that God loves them, that we love them.

I think about the children that don’t have what our kids do, they don’t hear “I love you” from their parents every night, they don’t have a secure and loving environmnet..and it breaks my heart.

We are going through some hard times right now, we don’t have a lot, but we do have each other, and each and every person in this family knows that the rest of the family loves them completely and unconditionally!  Have you told your family that you love them lately?  Make a habit to do it..every day…every chance you can…because you may not get another..tomorrow may not come.

Cherish your children, cherish your spouse…live life to the fullest!

The American people..you and I..your neighbor, all of us, need to stand in the streets and say..ENOUGH!!!  Take back our government..clean house of all the crooked and immoral politicians that are sucking our country dry.

Speak up people!  Tell the government to back off..go back to the constitution, and the Bible..stop letting all the special interest groups and the Large corporations run this country.  Stop the insane lawsuits, the ambulance chasers, the scumbags of the government!

Tell President OBAMA that he has this all WRONG!  This is NOT the CHANGE we need!  Stop moving our jobs overseas!  Stop killing our Economy!  Get out there and really LISTEN (yeah I know Mr. President, you don’t listen well) to the American People!  You know, those that pave your roads, wash your clothes, teach your children, run the restaurants and daycares.  The nurses and doctors that are so over burdened with malpractice insurance, because of frivolous lawsuits, the average parents that scrimp and save to take care of their children..only to see the prices of food skyrocket, the price of fuel skyrocket…the cost of living skyrocket..to the point they can’t keep up!

The cost of college tuition is going up, and yet, we sit and watch while you sick the FDA on people like the AMISH for selling (gasp) RAW MILK!!  To people who WANT to drink it???  You force drugs into our water, but we can’t drink whole, raw milk?  REALLY???

There is a drug for everything nowdays..did you know that?  Can’t sleep?  Take a pill!  Kid misbehaving in school?  Take a pill!  Mr. President..is there a pill for your STUPIDITY?  Will it cure your pompous assumptions that we LIKE your CHANGE??

Here’s my pill!  Stop denying that there is an economic crisis…STOP denying that there are problems in THIS country..STOP trying to fix the World’s problems, while you ignore the ones right here!

JUST STOP!  Get out of your precious bubble and come down to our level…try living like the majority of us do…on the income we get from working hard..and still barely getting by.  Try buying groceries without the taxpayer paying for it..live on beans and cornbread, homegrown veggies, real, honest food instead of fancy stuff prepared by chef’s!  Sit down at our tables and LISTEN to us…

You know, cause if you don’t listen..here’s what’s going to happen!  Come the election..the American people are going to say “YOU’RE FIRED” and vote for someone else!

You want to implement change?  Call on GOD to guide you and make POSITIVE change in this country!  Get rid of Unions!  Get corporations back into this country..create jobs for all..not just the “college educated in tech” jobs.  Eliminate the waste jobs…eliminate these government pensions for the worthless politicians..

Lift all these ridiculous rules on foods…raw milk..home grown foods, put the restrictions on the stuff that’s coming in contaminated..would you eat food from CHINA or MEXICO??  Would you feed it to your children?

Then why should we?  Give people their freedoms back!  Let them live their lives as they see fit..but don’t shove it down everyone else’s throat.  I will never teach my children that “alternative” lifestyles are “ok or acceptable” ..because they are NOT in our religious views.  Get rid of these “special Interest” groups..they are nothing but a drain on society..corrupting our moral fiber..

Clean our country up..fix our roads, let our teachers do their jobs, give farmers the respect they deserve, give parents the freedom to raise their children, eliminate the ambulance chasing, money hungry lawyers and their draining lawsuits.  Clean it UP  Mr. President!  or come election time..YOU’RE FIRED!!!

Our car is safe!  The bank agreed to roll our note on it into a payment plan..we have a monthly payment on it that we can afford (if I can keep selling my handmade items) ! 

We are taking one day at a time and enjoying each day as we can..today the kids colored Easter Eggs.  No, they are too old for all the commercial bit of the “Easter Bunny” and candy..but we eat deviled eggs and boiled eggs anyway..and they love expressing their creativity once a year on these eggs…and they take it very seriously!  LOL!  Here’s some pictures!

I plan for this ahead of time!  Each year AFTER Easter, we (the kids and I) take a trip to the store and buy several different “cool” kits at bargain prices (usually 25 cents) and put them up for the next year.  I have a tote for each holiday..so that we can buy stuff like this on clearance for the next year.  This allows them to create “outside the box” and use multiple items from multiple sets to create those oh, so perfect designs! 

Next year, we are also talking about experimenting with some natural dying processes as well..we’ll see how those turn out! 

My family and I..we want to wish each and every one of you a most BLESSED Easter!  May the Joy of Christ be with you always! 

Here’s our story.

For those of you who follow this blog, you know that on April 9, 2009 our hometown was hit by a F-3 tornado.  Our home was destroyed and we lost 90% of what we had.  So many things happened that night that have had such long reaching effects that it’s mind-boggling.  We have tried twice to start over and failed both times..we are now looking at starting over again..

This is not a pity trip or a plea for handouts..I don’t do that..It’s a simple statement of fact and a harsh reality of the world we live in.

We bought the house next door to our original house, remodeled, repaired, tried to make it our new home..but sadly..hard as we tried, our heart was still with our cozy little house that we had lost…our oldest learned to walk there, our youngest was raised up there..it was the only home they had known..it was a HOME..tiny, cramped and our HOME..not just a house, but a Home..we were happy there..

The new house is bigger, nicer, lots more room, features I had always dreamed about..but still ..it was the neighbors house..to this day, it still doesn’t feel like home…

We moved..rented this house out..found us a little farmhouse in the country to rent (from a friend..really cheap) ..started a restaurant…and a new life..but the economy, the overhead..we just couldn’t sustain it…we banked everything we had on this venture and just couldn’t make it…

So we were left with only 1 option..move back to Mena..back to the house..try to finish what we started..but there was no work..DH looked, applied, begged..6 months we were without work, living in a camper in our backyard, since renters wouldn’t leave (family thing..long story).  Finally he found a job, that he took with a lot of misgivings ..determined to make it work, but it didn’t.

My husband and I have been married for 19 yrs (20 in Nov)..we have always had work of some sort…never drawn unemployment and only applied for food stamps 1 time..when our youngest was a baby.  We only used them for a few months and dropped it…

We have always made our own way..yeah, sometimes we only ate beans and hamburger..but we’ve always made it on our OWN.

Now, we find ourselves in a position that we can’t keep up..he’s out of work again..the cost of living is so high that we simply cannot make ends meet.

I am trying to ramp up my home-based business..this is our sole income right now.  We have planted a garden.  We live a very simple life..I make my own laundry soap, we use fans instead of air conditioning , we walk if it’s not pouring rain or freezing cold, I hang my laundry out to dry, I make all of our meals from scratch..including our bread…I make or repurpose a lot of our clothing.  We use what we sell..I use clothes pin aprons, regular aprons, cloth menstrual pads, reusable shopping bags.

We have a compost pile, a worm bed, are getting chickens, butchered a hog,.

But still we needed help..so I asked my friend Dianna K. Winters for some ideas.  She’s a WHIZ at graphics and marketing!  She knocked me over with ideas and I love her for all of them! 

With a little brainstorming we have come up with this:http://helpthedavisfamily.blogspot.com and she has helped me promote this:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/hillbillycreations as well as our Facebook page:  Hillbilly Creations
This girl is an amazing person, and an even more amazing friend.  She has her own struggles and battles that she has to deal with and still gives so much of herself and her professional time to others. 

So please, check out what she’s set up for us.  It’s not a “please give me money site..but rather..you donate and get something in return site.  She has some amazing artwork she’s donated and I have all my fabulous handmade items.  Our daughter is even making some beautiful jewelry to put up for donations. 

Normally, I wouldn’t do this kind of thing, but we are facing foreclosure, and repossession of both vehicles..we are trying desperately to raise enough money to save one vehicle, as my MIL also depends on us for transportation. 

Thank you for all you do and if nothing else, keep us in your prayers…those are as meaningful as anything.

I’ve had the privilege of reading many posts on this topic.  As a work at home mom and as a self-employed family, this is a topic of concern.  I must also point out that I am NOT a doomsday believer..usually I’m pretty laid back and unconcerned about things..I don’t stress over much and worry even less.  I like my life the way it is..but …

Before I go farther though, let me explain a few things…I was brought up and influenced by grandparents..they all still have a great impact on my life.  I’ve learned so much from them and one of the most important things I’ve learned is to never take anything for granted and never waste!

We live in small town, USA…it’s really like Mayberry..most of the time!    Our economy is always a bit on the slow side…as is the pace of life and the cost of living is low as well..especially in relation to other areas.  However, our town is struggling.  I see it more so every day..our families are moving away in hopes of better, higher paying jobs..yet, some are coming back.  Our retired folks are struggling to pay for groceries and utilities.  Our teens are leaving as soon as they get out of high school.  WHY?

Our families come back because the cost of living is still cheaper here..they can get by with less..even if it means living with less.  They have family and friends to help them, a network to support them.  Our senior citizens are really getting the raw end of the deal..more on that later.

We live in Small town, USA and here…we’ve been in a RECESSION for years…

But now, I see the country…a country I used to be so proud of, turning a blind eye to what’s happening right under their noses.  I’ve heard it all…

“No, we aren’t in a recession..just an economic downturn or slowdown”

“We may be seeing the beginning signs of a recession, but the economy will pick up”

“The economic stimulus package is working” (yeah, for who??)

“We could NEVER have another depression..we are too technologically advanced for that to happen”…  hmmm…

” The economy is going strong..it’s just a housing slump”

“The problems are just for those that failed to manage their money right..or those that mortgaged more than they could pay for”  (who encouraged all those mortgages 4-5 yrs ago??)

“People are still spending money…how can things be bad?”  (yeah, but now they are spending that money on necessities and gas..not luxury items)

“I just can’t see it!  The media is making it look worse than what it really is!”  (Blah, Blah, Blah..normally I’d agree on the media issue…but not this time)

Ok, the list could go on, but here are my observations and take them as you will (meaning ..if you don’t like it fine..no skin off my back..but don’t flame my blog because you are too blind to see the nose on your face)

The media has long been know to skew the views…but this time, they are hiding more than they are telling..you have to learn to read between the lines.  The government doesn’t want people to panic..they don’t want you to pull your money from your bank or to stock your pantry..that would be a sign of panic and lack of faith in our beloved government….

Our country is struggling..everyday it’s something new…farmers are out of work, families are starving..right here in the good ole US OF A! Health care is rising, food costs are rising..making it even harder for families to feed their children…So, even if your area isn’t showing obvious signs yet..don’t be so quick to say everything is alright…because it’s not!

History repeats it’s self…as humans we are sooo predictable!  Check your history books if you wish..it’s true!

If history repeats..then what hasn’t been repeated?  We’ve had a civil war, 2 world wars, Vietnam, Korea, the depression…oh wait..there’s that “D” word again…that can never happen…right? The Gulf War, Iraq…Kuwait..these are just an overview…it’s really time we took a good hard look at our views on the rest of the world and ourselves.

Think about this..what would happen if the stocks crashed tomorrow..what would happen if the foreign oil was cut off from us (our refining capabilities at this time won’t keep up), what would happen if our major financial institutions collapsed?  Feds can’t bail them out forever.  What would happen if our dollar was not longer any good anywhere in the world (is that so far fetched?) What about worse things?  So far our war is over on foreign soil…will it stay there?

Now take those what if’s and ask yourself..what would you do to protect you and your family?  Can you live off grid? do you have land to grow a garden?  Do you know how to filter your drinking water? cook without electricity? live without air conditioning?  transportation without fuel?  Generators take gas or diesel….

Where would you go, what would you do?

These are all hypothetical thoughts..but we’ve learned from history that you can never be too prepared and that ANYTHING can happen..usually when we least expect it. 

I hope that by some miracle our economy does turn around, oil prices drop, food prices drop, inflation recedes..but I’m not holding my breath! 

So, keep your “ear to the ground” watch the signs..do a little something to prepare for hard times…because those hard times “They are a ‘coming!”

Ok, so it’s Lent for us. I know that the majority of my friends and family are NOT Catholic and many do not understand our customs or traditions..but hear me out on this one!

Lent is a time of sacrifice, self-reflection, and a time to get closer to God, to improve our relationship with him. It’s a time of dying and being reborn..a time to change something for the better.

I’ve thought a lot about Lent this year…months before it started, I was thinking about it. Why?? Because in years past, I’ve done what everyone else has done..given up something like chocolate, sweets or caffeine.

To be perfectly honest..giving these things up did not and has not brought me closer to God…and I have spent months now searching my soul for the reason why. What did I come up with? Really?? I realized that even though these could be considered a “sacrifice” because it was something I liked…it wasn’t something that was hard to give up past the first couple of days…and then I gave it no more thought..and it ceased to be a sacrifice!

With that revelation in my heart, I began talking with David and we started examining our life and our lifestyles…and realized that there were things we could give up and they would be a sacrifice..but that they would also make a difference in the world around us, and in our lives and in the process, bring us closer to God.

I started with plastic bags..yeah, I know, but think about this..how much of the time will you forget to take those nifty reusable bags with you to the store? How easy is it to just bring your groceries home in a plastic bag? The reasons are endless..but here are a top few reasons:

1. It’s too much trouble to remember the reusable bags

2. I don’t want to draw attention to myself!

3. It’s too hard to get the clerks to use them.

4. My life is too busy/easier to just use the plastic bags.

Ok…think about these 4 reasons..there are more..these seemed to be the prevalent ones in my conversations with others and with myself. ….drive down the highway and count the number of plastic bags that you see along the roadside and in the trees. Think about how long it would take you to stop and pick each one of those up..or how you would feel if your dog/cat/goat/horse/cow/bird/etc. got tangled up/swallowed/strangled in one of them…. Then, think about the birds and other wildlife that DO get tangled up in them, that ingest pieces of them, strangle in them..how polluted your streams get with them…

Now, does it seem like too much trouble? Is the attention a bad thing when it’s a change for the good of not just yourself, but mankind? The clerks learn quickly and it only takes a moment to explain what they are for. Your house is uncluttered by the fact that you do not have as many plastic bags in it.

I have gotten quite the chuckle out of poor cashiers that have turned my bags inside out and upside down, looking for a tag to scan..and the look on their face is priceless when I explain what they are and how to use them. They are uncertain of stuffing them full the first time, but over time, they get used to it.. and it’s teaching them something in the process..even if they don’t realize it.

Yes, sometimes we reuse the plastic bags..for cleaning the litter box..but right now, we have enough that we can clean the litter box everyday for months and not run out.

Another change in our life is to start being conscious of what we throw away..what can be composted, recycled, reused (like glass or plastic jars)…

We are also planting a garden and simplifying our lives and our belongings…taking things down to a manageable and functional level. Stepping away from the materialism of society and creating peace and tranquility….stopping the insanity of the “American Dream”

These are the things we are doing for Lent…and it has brought us closer to God..because now, everyday, we think of this wonderful world God granted us..to take care of and use carefully and we are aware of the damage we, as a society, are doing to it. Everyday, we strive to repair some little bit of damage and are thankful to God for what we have.

So yes,we home school, we use cloth shopping bags, I use cloth personal products,we strive to eat healthy, whole foods, we drive when necessary,we don’t use chemicals in my house, I don’t even use shampoo and I use homemade soap… We will do our best to do things to be good and grateful stewards of this earth and to keep materialism out of our relationship with God. We will strive to keep HIM at the top of the list..not an afterthought for when we have “time”. We will strive to be more aware of the world around us..a world HE created…and take care of it the best we know how.

And yes, I can hear it now..I’m a nut, I’m crazy, blah, blah, blah…and you know what? I think outside the box..constantly try to escape the box …..this is our choice..our family and you don’t have to do it, but know at least you have to think about it..because you read it and it’s on your mind!

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