LiveandLearn Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Hi, all! I'm new here. Just when I told myself I was going to cut down on my internet time and focus on organizing our home, I found this site - how could I resist reading? I also just had to sign up, to thank you all for the wonderful information and experience you are sharing. Reading your stories is inspiring! I am a stay-at-home mom to three, we homeschool. I dragged my poor hubby out here to the country, because I firmly believe we need "fresh air and a far view" to be healthy and happy. I've also always had a leaning toward homesteading, even before I knew what that was; partly because I love learning how to do things, partly because I've always felt we need more of a connection with our own survival, (that connection usually translates as "work". lol), and partly because the mass-produced world I see around us just doesn't feel right. That all sounds well and good, but I'm also easily distracted, lose track of time, and get overwhelmed with trying to do everything at once. I used to say I was lazy, but now I think I'm just scattered. lol In other words, I'm a good Planner; now, if I could just enlist some Doers...I would love to see a day when my family works together, happily, on our place. Guess I need to set the example! ANYway, I am determined that this will be the year of Doing. I've done things here and there in the past, but it's like making dinner, eventually you need to be able to cook more than one thing at a time! So this year, I've got a garden's worth of food, waiting to go in the ground, I've got bees coming at the end of the month, I want to learn to can this year, I may get a few chickens again if we can get the holes in the pen fixed. I've started a Preparedness Binder. I've read enough about what's going on in the economy to know I should have gotten some things organized a LOT sooner...it goes on and on. I'll stop here, and get back to reading threads. Thank you again for creating such a wonderful site - how could I have missed it for all of these years? Link to comment
westbrook Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 hello and welcome! when there is so much to do.... sometimes I walk around with a small pocket size note pad and pen in my apron... I wear aprons for everything!!!!! great sewing project for homeschooling too I might add... make aprons.. I have lots of links to free patterns. sorry, got side tracked.. I walk around and make notes about what needs to be done, what I need to buy, and what I would like to do. when I am on a project... I have my note pad handy so when I think of something I can be sure not to forget because it is written down. Somethings go on my shopping list, some things go on the Honey Do list and somethings I used to make a family project or just a me and kids project... the children are adults and gone now.. so it is just me and my husband. Some things on my list have been there for a year! I keep transferring it from list to list but that is ok, eventually I will get it. I have found that by being overwhelmed with things to do, having a list helps me organize and plan. When the kids were small, I would put things to do on a large calendar so a chore became a planned event. It also helped me do the project and not procrastinate! Repairing the chicken pen is first on your list.. it is a family event for you, the kids and husband. Make it a family event.. go to town, go shopping, have your husband turn it into a building project.. girls and boys and you can sit at the kitchen table and plan it out! My daughter can wrench on a car, do a little plumbing and knows enough about electricity NOT to electrocute herself as does the boys. We would make it a fun and learning at the same time. My sons can cook, sew and know how to clean!<-- because I am a slave driver! just ask them! Glad you are here! jump in anywhere! Link to comment
cookiejar Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Well, your in now! This is a fabulous group of people with lots of good info and friendship to share. Link to comment
LiveandLearn Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks for the welcome! Westbrook, I love that you mentioned aprons. I would love to see patterns. Last year, I collected several that I would love to try, but...can you guess? They are still in a basket by the sewing machine! It will happen, eventually, though. I had to laugh about the lists. I completely agree, the only way out of chaos is a good List! But I have so much fun making them, I sometimes never get to the actual projects! Hmm, a little notepad is a perfect idea. I've been hauling binders around, and keep misplacing them. As for the chickens, I got to thinking about it, and I'd better move any new animals down from the top of the list, until we get this place in better order. I just went outside to dig weeds out of old flowerbeds in front of the porch, that I am starting over with, and realized that the "chicken pen" will have to be started over as well! I'd forgotten that we took out the base to use for the dog (it was really two dog pens attached to each other). So maybe I will wait on the chickens. Our neighbor has some, so we still have access to eggs for the time being. Last night my oldest daughter and I were out trying to get the horses back in their field, they really want that nice spring grass on the other side of the fence, hubby had to go out and fix a spot today. We'd expanded their field last week, but it's still not enough, so, aggh! More projects. I'm beginning to realize that I need to start looking at things in terms of what I can do myself, and not what I can expect the entire family to do. Then I won't set impossible goals, and if they pitch in, it will be more fun! (Or am I wimping out, because no one wants to do anything? lol) I hope you guys don't mind if I ask lots of questions... Link to comment
One Frugal Mom Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Welcome... I am glad you have joined the group. Link to comment
WormGuy Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Good to have you join us. John Link to comment
Jeepers Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 (SNIP) That all sounds well and good, but I'm also easily distracted, lose track of time, and get overwhelmed with trying to do everything at once. I used to say I was lazy, but now I think I'm just scattered. (SNIP) Boy do I relate to that! I just call me ADHD now. It sounds better than lazy. Welcome aboard. Glad you are here! Link to comment
HSmom Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 I have to agree about the lists. If nothing else, they help me to truly prioritize. I, too, have things that have been on my list for a year (or more ), but they're not that important. Link to comment
cootie Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Hi Live and Learn, I have four children who I homeschool as well. You sound like you are right at the same place I am in regards to prepping. I just posted a couple days ago about being deterimined this year to doing all the prepping things I've been meaning to learn how to do. I am going to learn how to can this year, I just bought a bunch of heirloom seeds to start, need to make my lists and print out a bunch of stuff from this site too. Glad you're here! Cootie Link to comment
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