"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Christmas Joys ~ Splitting Wood Day

We are already getting excited about the upcoming holidays! Last year we could not find enough blue lights to wrap around our large evergreen tree. Hopefully this year we will. Blue seems to be people's favorite, or maybe the stores are not stocking that color as much. The kids are already asking to put up the artificial tree, but I am standing my ground on that one - no trees until after Thanksgiving. We put the tree up too early one year and it didn't have good results. We actually have 2 trees. I found one at Goodwill for $4.00 during the off season and it's a good size tree.

This year I would like us to visit a tree farm and cut a fresh tree. I'd like to support locally owned businesses and we can mulch our tree after the holidays. I haven't had a "real" tree in a long time. Actually, I have never purchased a real tree since I moved out of my parents and was out on my own. Every year we looked forward to the fragrant evergreen smell coming from our fresh cut tree.

With 2 six month old kittens in the house this holiday, it could be very interesting. I can remember when the kids were very young. I'd have to put my artificial tree into a play pen to keep them out of it. It worked great.

Today, as a family, we are splitting wood in preparation for the up coming cold winter. So far we have not turned on any heat or used the wood stove. It's cold here today too.

We are singing Christmas songs and drawing and writing about the holidays. I am so excited we are planning a traditional holiday, with as much of it as homemade as possible, and keeping the focus on the real meaning.

Jump and sing today! Enjoy your family today!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Afternoon Dancing

"Honey you didn't throw a hip out did you?" asked my husband.

With my beat red face, and harbored breathing I plopped onto the bed to recuperate.

The kids and I have certain times of the day, usually after everyone is home from school, where we turn up the music and just dance like wild people in the kitchen.

I think I am still suffering from hip swinging yet this morning. Have you turned up your music and danced today?

I'm surprised the police didn't show up yesterday, when my 15 year old and I were dancing in our porch chairs during "tea time" (our time of the day to rejuvenate) with headphones plugged in our ears. The farmers across the road probably thought we were on drugs, as we bobbed our heads up and down for all to see.

My lifetime motto is "Dare to be Different".