Hope Chest ~ Preparing Your Kids for Independent Life

I was asked to explain our daughter's Hope Chest.  I do not have an actual "chest" in which items go into, but they go into storage bins.

A Hope Chest simply refers to preparing your child for independent life.  To us, it doesn't mean simply "marriage" but independent life, and have a good start for it.

(not my photo)

There is actually a book written about the Hope Chest, and suggestions.  I used to own this book, but passed it on to a friend years ago.

We don't want our kids going broke, when it's time to leave the "nest" so I try to add to their stash quite often.  The first three to move out even had boxes of homemade Christmas ornaments for their own, first Christmas trees away from home.

(Made with scraps of cotton year leftover from knitting dishcloths and other items).

I recently added a scrap rug to our youngest's daughter's "Hope Chest" along with a few Christmas ornaments.  I also added a set of coffee cup coasters with a hand embroidered kitchen towel, and a new kitchen utensil.  

It's not limited to what you put in a child's hope chest, but most importantly useful and needed items.  I just add a few items to keep it fun and real, like the ornaments or other items.

Just for example (but not limited, let your mind be creative), here is a list of ideas to stock up and prepare your child for independent life:

-Bedding, handmade quilt, hand crocheted afghan

-Handmade washcloths and face scrubbies (I crochet)

-Handmade hot pads, dish towels (embroidered etc).  I hand crochet hot pads, XL pt holders.

-Handmade dishcloths, hand crocheted dish scrubbies (I knit and crochet them)

-kitchen items: salt/pepper shaker, butter dish, utensils, set of dishes, canister set

-basic bakeware/cookware

-handmade doilies, dresser and night stand covers

-handmade tablecloths

-recipe box, locally made or handmade

-cookbook with family recipes, including homemade cleaner recipes like homemade laundry soap, foaming hand soap, grout cleaner, and homemade "lysol" wipes.  Our youngest is the only one to have a "family" cookbook, but I get messages from the older ones for family recipes often.  Include easier recipes for homemade dry mixes like taco mix, italian, seasoned salt, homemade hot cocoa, homemade butters (honey-cinnamon, cranberry etc.,) Recipes for herb infused cooking oils, spreadable butter etc.

-books on growing indoor/outdoor herbs, veggies etc.


When they get older gift them a dehydrator with a recipe book, and homemade useful, frugal recipes.


Our daughter already has quite a bit, aside from the bedding.  She has entire set of 7 hand embroidered "cat" kitchen towels and many other items.  

I often look for unique items while out at the thrift stores, but more-so at antique stores (butter dishes, measuring cups, measuring spoons, spoon rest, etc.).

Store items in a chest (thrift stores often have them), or storage bins.  A hope chest is not limited to your own children either.  It could be a grand child, God child etc.

I hope you enjoyed my post today.  I just try to add a personal touch to most of what we put in Youngest Daughter's Hope chest.

I remember when our oldest daughter set up in her first apt. by herself.  She sent me photos of everything I had made, and was so proud of her new "home."  Even the smallest item can make a difference.

Hay Day and Other Tidbits

Hubby spent most of the day wrestling with the mower.  He did have to order a part, which should arrive in a week or so.  I continue to wrestle the weeds in the garden.

Random Tidbits

One of our kids actually made a sandwich using my homemade sweet potato butter and peanut butter.  She said it was pretty good.  I love it on toast at breakfast, but have yet to try it on a pancake or waffle.  This is not canned with a water bath method.  It is stored in the freezer, so I am making sure we continue to use it, as well as our pumpkin butter.

Random Tidbits

My hens were treated with a tray of over ripe fruit.  I'll be honest, I have never fed citrus to my hens and rooster.  Those scraps always went to the goats.

I wasn't sure if they would be interested, but they ate the entire tray.   I repurposed a tray used to bake a giant coolie with.  Cleaning has it's advantage.

They absolutely love rotten bananas.  So if I don't feel like whipping up banana muffins or bread it goes to them.

Meanwhile. . . .

. . . in the rose bed

I'm still weeding it.  It looks small in that photo, but it's the entire length of the kitchen wall. 

 I managed to spend an hour and pull out the 7 foot thistle though.  We are enamored in sweat bees this year, and I can only stand being out there so long, especially in the heat.  Nothing works to keep the bees off me - not homemade bug spray, nor water with peppermint essential oil.  They are horrible, and I cannot even enjoy the front porch now.  They are driving us all insane.  I will try setting a citronella candle out there later if I remember to do it. So far the winning numbers are, flyswatter-4,000, spider webs - 4.  

As for the vegetable garden.  I give up.  The weeds will come out when the plants come out and that's all the time I'm putting into it. I put out a plea for anyone's extra zucchini, yellow squash (we got zero from those plants that looked so good weeks and weeks ago), and hot banana peppers.  I'll be posting about what happened to our potatoes soon too.  Yeah, a really, really stinky, unsuccessful garden year.  

I still have flower beds to weed, pull giant weeds by my barns, mailbox and other various places.  You should see my chicken run, ha ha!  It must appear to the chickens as a jungle.  At least they have shade, ha ha!

It rained, so Thursday I woke up confused.  I had zero produce or fruit laying around my kitchen awaiting work.  I had my kitchen spotless.  Front room spotless.  Front porch unbearable.  So I decided to start back in my utility room/new craft storage area.  I have narrowed the extreme clean list down to: utility room, bedroom, bedroom closet and garage. I actually got a little done in each room too.  I have a few touch ups to do in the kitchen bathroom.  

I mended a hole in one of my favorite shirts, un-buried a bunch of empty 1/2 pint and 4 oz. canning jars, discovered more small balls of yarn....I am starting to see the floor of my closet.  Almost.

I refilled my homemade dry taco mix.  I use my homegrown, minced and dehydrated garlic for this recipe, as well as others.

My car still has a flat tire.  Hubby has had one excuse after another (or it's raining) to remove it and plug it, and it's driving me mad not having a vehicle to get things done.  I asked him to finally make a library pick up for me.  He told everyone that the library was "closed until" I bring them all back, ha ha ha!  

Finishes ~ Monday Madness

Over the weekend we took a car load of stuff and donated it to a thrift store.  Stopped at the hardware store and picked up supplies.  We made a visit to Mom's too, where one of our kid had also stopped in.  I took her one of the spool ornaments and a jar of homemade taco mix. 

Hubby started on his "to-do" list too.  Nothing is completely checked off, but one job is half-done right now.

I finished another UFO (unfinished object, but I think it should be UFP - unfinished project).  Anyway, the scrap yarn rug went to our youngest for her hope chest. 

We also cut, split, loaded, unloaded and stacked wood.  We didn't want to, but we needed to.

Blueberry pancakes made with whole wheat Einkorn flour, sausage, and organic black coffee.  That's what's for breakfast this morning.

I'm working on this UFO - kitchen towel.  It am using various patterns from library books to finish this project.  Hubby laughed when I told him I think I started it back in 2013 or something.

I took this photo on 1-6-18.  Same day as today, but last year.  We have no snow this year. The baby blanket was gifted to our daughter for our grandson Colt. Who knew so much would change?

I was up at 3am this morning.  I had a ton of dishes to wash.  Fire was stoked and it's a day of laundry and more cleaning.

Healthy Popcorn Snack

I'm sharing a recipe I found in a magazine recently. 

From the Homesteading Journal . . .

...canned two batches of Holiday CranberryJam. I was quite pleased with it.  Thank you Candy at Lazy J Bar C Farm for your post on this.


...mixed up more dry, homemade taco mix.

Hot Taco Dip

(So good, I forgot to take a photo until it was almost gone)

1 can organic black refried beans
8 oz. organic cream cheese (or homemade)
8 oz. organic sour cream (or homemade)
2 Tbsp. homemade dry taco seasoning mix.  (or one packet from the store)

Mix all ingredients, spread into a baking dish, top with about 1 1/4 cups of shredded organic cheese of our choice, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. 

Dip organic tortilla chips into the dip and enjoy!  I'll be doubling this next time.  

Barn Siding ~ Getting our Legumes ~ Red lentil burgers ~ Beet Hummus

Sorry if this is a boring post about beans, but I have a few new recipes to share - from "pile to file" keepers.  I've found my voice this month, so watch out for long posts.  I think I have blog-i-tis this October.  I can't blame the weather either.  It's been hot out again.

The only other news, is that while I was sitting on the porch with leg up sipping my hot herbal tea yesterday, a car hit a deer just yards from our north drive.  The driver pulled over (a young girl), and the deer flopped around on the road for a few seconds, then got up and ran off.  The same area a car hit one early morning not long ago.  There is a corn field adjacent and north of our property.  

 Before

We also got some barn siding removed last night.  We are tired folks.  Simply tired.

We've been eating more beans than meat lately.  It helps the budget as well as our health.  These meals were over a period of time.

I soaked a bag of organic black beans for all sorts of meals/snacks.  We love it on a burrito for any meal - add scrambled eggs, any leftover rice/veggie mix, jalapenos or cowboy candy, or yellow squash relish (or radish relish)...more total goodness.  

I'll have a post regarding the yellow squash relish soon. 

(these are broiled)

I have also made red lentil burgers for the first time.

68 Things You Can Make Yourself

Alfredo Sauce 

Angel Food Cake

 

Angel Food Cake, Citrus

Applebutter

Applesauce

Chicken Tacos ~ Homemade Tortillas

I decided to take advantage of all this rain, and throw more flower seeds down.  If there is one thing we'll get this summer, it will be the most colorful flower beds yet.

 With our roasted chicken yesterday, I decided to try a

Mexican Corn Bread

 

I had all the ingredients to make this (for a potluck that I did not make it to), so I did, and sent most of it to work with my husband.  It is not diabetic friendly.  It is very good however.  I saved some for my own lunch (comfort food).  It is "corn bread" however.  There is a layer of bread then meat/veggies then more corn bread on top.  It's more of a side dish for your next Mexican meal night or potluck.

Anyway, you top this with sour cream, or whatever you'd like, and is perfect for a potluck dish for a Mexican food meal.

The actual recipe is online, but we adjusted it with organic ingredients.  Recipe is online with "Bake it with Love."

Did you know you can make homemade "jiffy" mix?

I also make homemade taco seasoning.  I have been doing this for years now.

"Rotel" can be substituted with home canned tomatoes and added organic chilies.

You can add more flavor by adding diced jalapeno to the ground beef mix as well.  So good, but not good for you, ha ha!  Perfect for a Mexican Fiesta!  

I'm making a new recipe tomorrow for a Mexican dinner.  It starts with a chuck roast in my crock pot.  I'll update after we taste it.  My husband requested it.

Do you have a favorite dish for a Mexican meal?

Beautiful Sunrise ~ Fire Powder ~ Thyme

Yesterday's start of the sunrise.  Too beautiful to not take a few photos.  I was taking Romeo out, who was fired up with energy from the frost on the ground.  He wasn't sure what to do about it, ha ha!

First thing I had to do in the morning?  More dishes.  I literally made a mess of them, but after taking down all the laundry off the line, we were all pooped the night prior.  

Our 20 year-old came out for a visit.  I fed her leftover homemade enchiladas, spanish rice and hot taco dip (which she loved).

I finally got the hot peppers ground into fire powder.  I didn't have time the other day with all the other work.  I'm just glad I got my glady bulbs out of the ground, but the potatoes remain.  They may be there all winter depending on our weather. 

Some Christmas presents arrived.  I will thank my husband for buying these for me for an early Christmas present (he he).  Thank you Amazon.😊

Buttermilk waffles and sausage patties are breakfast goodies this week.  Haven't made them in a while.

Homemade Taco Dry Mix was restocked.  Love this stuff.

I sure hope the chimney sweep arrives Saturday, it'll be down to 25°F Friday night and we can't burn 24 hours prior to them coming.  They say we may hit single digits (sigh) next week too.  I'm glad I remember to buy a few new ice scrapers for the vehicles.

( I love my small batch dehydrator.  I filled it to the top)
My indoor thyme plant is doing so well, I snipped some and got it into the dehydrator.  I wish I had some oregano seeds to start an indoor plant for that too.  Both did terrible in the herb garden this year, but happy to stock up on thyme.

Face it.  We all have a cupboard where stuff falls out.  Or you did. 

Before

After (aside from the bowls on the rack on the left of it).  We can now find the lids, ha ha!  I also re-homed the serving trays.  We only use them for get togethers.  Fixed that problem with a set of organizers, under $15.00.  I also re-organized a drawer next to this one.

Update on the hot pepper jelly - Hubby's co-workers raved about it.  It's a keeper recipe and I cannot wait to plant next spring, so the weather Gods better be nice next year.

Hot Peppers ~ Sweet Chili Sauce ~ Hot Pepper Jelly ~ Lemon Seed Fail

 

It's been crazy busy around here.  I cooked a meal and delivered it to a family friend who had foot surgery, and we had to drive 3 hours to go pick up our truck keys.  Just strange all around, but we have the keys.  I just don't have the truck ha ha!

It is still in the body shop getting fixed from the deer hitting it.  I however, have not run out things to do.

Our hot peppers are doing exceptionally well this year.  The bell peppers however are still small and a small harvest.

I canned some sweet chili sauce - new recipe.  I cannot wait to taste it.

Canned hot pepper jelly. 

Taco sauce got canned.

I purchased Meyer lemon seeds from someone on Etsy.  I tried to sprout one all summer.  Every single seed was a dud.  Guess I'm spending a fortune next year on a plant.

It's getting difficult to not only budget other food we need, but to even find what we need.  Daughter E cannot find her cat's cat food anywhere.  I could not either.  She had to try a different brand and mix it with his usual.  Hope he's okay with it.  He's older. 

I needed some shout for the laundry.  I could not find that either.  I had to search around and found a different brand.

Some how, I misplaced my bulk bag of bay leaves.  I think they got lost when we tore out half the kitchen.  Anyway, I asked my husband to bring home a small jar for now.

He paid $12.49 for this!!!

The tomatoes are rolling in daily, so I apologize for blurps in blog posting right now.

Freezer Meals ~ Breakfast Burritos ~ The Weekend

I am experimenting with recipes for freezing breakfast burritos. We have a large supply of peppers, potatoes, and onions from the garden.  We also have a good supply of eggs from our chickens.  

So why not utilize it into freezer meals for breakfast?  Kind of a neat way to stock up differently.

First we made a batch with home grown onions, green peppers, potatoes and home canned salsa.  Then we added some sausage and a bit of cheese. Oh, and the kids opened another jar of home canned taco sauce to top these tasty burritos.