Homemade Lye

Try Something New Friday, my first, is all about making homemade lye this week. When I had my dairy goats (and am anxiously awaiting my new dairy goats) I saved some goats milk for soap making. Lye was easier to buy back then, but it can be hard to find now due to its use in drug making. So in preparation of upcoming soap making days, my husband has been saving all his ashes from the BBQ pit. But how exactly do you make lye - the old-fashioned way?

So I went internet searching! I found many websites on the topic and I wanted to share with you my favorites. The first one I am going to start with explained the process well at Journey to Forever. It didn't have any pictures, but I appreciated its detail. So for pictures check out Steve's Art Stuff. He didn't offer a lot of detail, but it did show each step in pictures!

Now for the nuts and bolts. You have read about the process and seen some pictures, but how do you pull it off . . . and safely? Wiki-How had step-by-step instructions for building a lye making device. It's really simple, but I just need someone to lay out the details for me. And for the visual learners out there I found a cool video on You Tube showing the "old-time" equipment and an authentic character telling the story about how they used to do it. The audio is poor, but listen carefully and you will get it all. And for those of you that like nifty inventions, End Times Report set up a rain water collection system for making lye.

Now for the safety of the matter. Lye can be dangerous, but it can be dealt with safely. I found a website that not only describes each step in detail on how to make a lye solution safely, but also offered a video!

After all that, you decide you would rather buy lye than make it here is a list of online suppliers. Although it is difficult to buy lye in the store, it can be ordered from soap making companies. But what's the fun in that? I dare you to try making your own lye for soap making and then tell me all about it! I will most definitely be posting pictures of our endeavors.

All Things Granola Re-organization

As my business is taking off and I am settled enough to have some fun with it, I am beginning a new life with my ATG blog! So here is the plan:

Each week of the month will have a theme as follows:

Week 1 - Kitchen Fun (everything and anything that would have to do with the kitchen)

Week 2 - Inside or Out (Beautifying your home, inside or out)

Week 3 - Homesteadin' (Animals, farming, gardening, etc)

Week 4 - Mommy-hood (babies, education, etc)

Week 5 - Wild Card (whatever I am in the mood for!)

Then postings will happen on Tuesday and Friday every week. On "Tip Tuesdays" I will offer quick tips and ideas for whichever theme and on "Try Something New Friday" will be my chance to challenge you to try new recipes, crafts, or products.

Stay tuned as things will start rolling this Friday with Homesteadin'. Please feel free to facebook or email me or comment here with ideas of topics that you would like to read about.

Until Friday . . .

Eat from the Pantry Challenge!

Buying groceries is something we must do every month! As mothers, we care for our families by shopping for food and providing healthy meals. But sometimes we wish we had more money to spend or could eat at restaurants more often or have that special dessert. Not that those things are bad, but sometimes we need to change our perspective. Having a grocery store down the street (or in the next town over :)) is a privilege of living in this great country! God has called us to be good stewards of our resources and providing good meals at minimal cost is part of that calling. Cooking from scratch is how I have managed to feed our family of 6 on $200-$300/month. (Of course that is an average, sometimes it is more, sometimes it is less.)

Check out Money Saving Mom for details on her Eat from the Pantry challenge, but read on here to see what All Things Granola will be doing as part of this challenge. I just love this idea!

Since we lived on $100 for the month of Dec, I feel I can meet this challenge in January!

Since I am getting started a little late, I have already done my shopping for January, and since we depleted most of our pantry in Dec, I did a little stocking up, but I know that I won't be shopping again for the remainder of the month!

So here are our family's goals for the Eat From The Pantry Challenge:

1) No more shopping for the month of January. This is our choice because I have no more grocery budget left. I don't recommend this for your family as having fresh produce, milk and eggs is a good thing. :)

2) Create delicious, original meals with what is already in my pantry.

3) Do NOT complain to my husband or children about not having the luxury to run to the grocery store.

4) Teach my kids about families in other countries and how they provide for their families.

Would you like to join us? Please do! You may use the logo above and post on your blog page and share with us in your post about your January Eat from the Pantry Challenge. Then go back to Money Saving Mom and fill in your Mr. Linky so that others can read about your challenge.

It's a new year!

2010 hopefully has a lot great things for All Things Granola!

Over the next two years we are bringing Dad home. This is the goal and hopefully will be attainable. We are following the Lord and will do as He leads. We are very excited about this change as it not only allows us to spend more time with Dad, but will make All Things Granola grow!

We will be adding more homespun and "granola" products and services. Some of the things already in the works are honey, goats milk soaps and lotions, eggs, and homespun yarn. The goal is to have All Things Granola supporting us in two years so that Dad can come home and stay home! I am also currently working on putting my cooking classes into E-books so that those that don't live nearby can enjoy them too!

So please bear with us thru January as we are re-doing the website and blog page, making long-term goals and implementing them, and just getting thru the after-holiday slump!

I apologize for being so hit and miss in the past, but looking forward to a productive new year!

Update on Bradley Training and Midwifery School

Thank you to all who support me!

I am so excited. I leave in 6 days to attend Bradley Childbirth Instructor training in California! This is a long awaited event for me. I am very excited to offer Childbirth Education as part of All Things Granola.

God has opened some "BIG" doors and I am in the process of applying for midwifery college. As soon as the application is processed I will begin school! The birth of my fourth child has changed my life in so many ways. After three hospital births, I decided to have our fourth child at home with a midwife. What a life changing event for our whole family. You can read that story here.

I couldn't have done that without the Lord leading us to Bradley Childbirth Classes. And now I would love to share that with others on their journey of childbirth.

Then the opportunity arrived where I could get financial aid to a midwifery college. Wow what an exciting opportunity! The Lord also put a wonderful Christian midwife in my life just as we had moved to a new state. She has agreed to teach me and do my clinical. I'm so excited!!

And of course this does take money, time and dedication. So please pray for us as we adjust to my new schedule. Pray that I will be able to balance all my duties, especially after my hubby leaves for deployment. Pray that all the finances will be taken care of and our families needs will be met. And thank God for all the blessings he has shown us!

And the winner is:

The winner of our Sleepy Wrap Giveaway is Chelsea from Oklahoma! Thanks to all who entered and helped spread the word about All Things Granola.

Remember to become a fan of All Things Granola on Facebook so you can keep up with all the latest tips, contests, and updates.

Latest update is that I will be offering Bradley Childbirth Classes here in Colorado Springs next year (that's only a month away!). I will also be a certified Bradley Doula should you need my services. And when I am finished with Midwifery College will be able to add that to All Things Granola!

Bradley Childbirth Instructor Training

I'm so excited to announce that I will be attending the Bradley Childbirth Instructor training Dec 10-13 in Anaheim, CA! This is an investment of time and money, as any course of education would be. It takes about 9 months to complete the training. I have a lot of studying and work cut out for me, but I couldn't be more excited about it. When I complete the training I will be a Childbirth Instructor and a Bradley Doula. Both fields are very exciting to me. Sorry if I use that word (excited) repeatedly but it describes my feelings perfectly.

The Lord has provided (again) and has opened this door for me. Praise the Lord! Although I don't have all the funds raised yet, most of them have already been provided for. You can watch the thermometer on the right as I save money for my training.

To learn more about Bradley Childbirth please visit www.bradleybirth.com.

And don't forget you can follow All Things Granola on facebook.

Blanco Lavender Festival

Come check out the fun at the Blanco Lavender Festival this summer.

I will be doing a cooking demonstration 10:00 Saturday morning, June 13 at the Blanco River Lavender Company.

If you are in the area, this is a fun event. There is much to do and see. Come join us.

The New Sleepy Wrap!

I'm so excited to introduce you to the new organic Sleepy Wrap. They are available in Natural and Khaki. So for all those going "all natural" you can enjoy the comforts of an organic Sleepy Wrap!

Check out the assortment of colors here.

History Has Been Made

Over the years, as we homeschool, we come across good resources and great resources for our families. One of those great resources I came across a few years ago was Vision Forum. This year I have partnered with Vision Forum to bring my customers great resources! Watch the side panel for current Specials and Offers.

My church was really pumped up and excited about the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival this year, especially with the release of Fireproof. Due to family changes, we were unable to attend, but we definately felt the excitement. And when all was over and members of our church reported what a great and uplifting time they had, I really felt like we missed out. But, lo and behold, Vision Forum is now offering the event on audio CD: History Has Been Made.

The 14-disc set has beautiful music, dynamic speakers, and exciting moments. The topics covered speak to the Christian family trying to raise their children in an ungodly world. The media is such a strong force in our lives, we need to be on guard and protect our children from its draw. Dr. Voddie Baucham, Kevin Swanson, George Sarris, and Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr. bring important issues to the surface. Charlie Zahm and the Von Trapp children offer beautiful music. And Doug Phillips gives detailed introductions and history throughout the whole event. And as an added bonus a panel discussion with the creators and actors of Fireproof, including Kirk Cameron.

And to really feel like I was there, I bought The Widow's Might, winner of the 2009 San Antonio Christian Film Festival. This was a great movie, well done with a great meaning. My kids were especially excited to see friends from our church as actors! And I own Fireproof and highly recommend owning this film too! Just thought I would mention that.

History Has Been Made is a great set to listen to in the car or for family time. The speakers used examples and thought-provoking questions to encourage us to really evaluate what the television is bringing into our homes. And for the aspiring film entrepreneur, Ted Pittenger and Kevin Swanson touch on specific issues relating to that industry. End the event with the awards and more music!

Bloggy Giveaways!

It is time again for Bloggy Giveaways! We are joining in on all the fun! And also to celebrate the opening of our new business All Things Granola we are giving awaya large bag of homemade granola. That is a $10 value!

Don't forget we are still giving away a free cookbook to one winner of our "granola recipe" contest.

Our granola is all natural and we use no white sugars! It is yummy with milk or yogurt, or sprinkle it over a homemade apple pie!

Hop on over to our new website and leave a comment here telling me what you liked or didn't like about the site. I'm still tweaking it and would love to hear your comments. Please leave a way to contact you (like an email address). You can be entered twice if you post about our contest with a link back here!

I can only ship to the lower 48 United States. You must post your comment by October 31, noon time. I will post a winner that evening.

Slings, wraps, and baby carriers . . .

Have you tried one or several different baby carriers? What did you like?

When I had my older children I tried those front-pack type carriers from Wal-mart. Yuck! I never could get comfortable in that and defaulted to carrying the baby on my hip. But on baby #4 I have discovered something wonderful! It is called the Sleepy Wrap.

What a wonderful piece of material! The stretchiness of this wrap is what makes it so easy and adjustable. I have had my baby in this wrap since she was 1 week old. It was great for cradling her in there and supporting her head. And now at 3 months old she can hold her head up and look around. She loves her view of the world around her! I am hands free, so I like it too. And it doesn't hurt my back!

Unlike slings, I can bend over and she stays close to me and doesn't swing out away from me. When she is sleeping I can tuck her head under the wrap and no bobble head. My picture on the menu is Sprout peeking out from the wrap.

As part of All Things Granola, I am now offering Sleepy Wraps for sale! What a perfect Christmas gift for the new mom or mom-to-be's! And affordable too!

Order a sleepy wrap for only $35 + tax and free shipping until November 15.

From the Sleepy Wrap website:
Comparison Chart
Why a Sleepy Wrap?
Benefits of Baby Wearing

Bartering

For those in the Texas hill country area, I have started a barter group. Please join us as we trade and barter for the things we need.

Do you have eggs, but need your yard mowed? Maybe you love to babysit, but need venison. There are many things we can barter with each other. On the menu you can click to join the Texas Hill Country Barter Yahoo Group.

Also on the side bar is a link for the All Things Granola newsletter. I will only send it out once a month, so sign up now to recieve monthly articles, recipes, dates, and more!

Granola Recipe Contest

I'm going to be brave and host another contest! I am working on an "All Things Granola" cookbook chock full of recipes using a favorite ingredient - my homemade granola. I already have lots of favorite granola recipes, such as granola cheesecake, granola toast, and granola bars, but I am looking for more. Please post a granola recipe or idea to enter my contest for a free cookbook. Do you think granola milkshakes would taste good? What about cranberry granola bars? Just post one recipe or idea using granola and one special winner will recieve a finished cookbook with their recipe or idea included in the book!

I will test each recipe and pick my favorite! There is no deadline on this contest yet as I want as many recipes to try as possible. So tell your friends!!!