Bringing Life

Tag: writing

  • Trust And Obey

    Trust And Obey

    Lately, God has been talking to me on the theme of trust. Trust is something that doesn’t come easily for me, so this is lesson I need to learn. I’m not sure where God is leading next, but I do know I want to keep my hand in His and simply follow.

    When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word
    What a glory He sheds on our way!
    While we do His good will, He abides with us still
    And with all who will trust and obey

    Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
    To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

    Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies
    But His smile quickly drives it away
    Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear
    Can abide while we trust and obey

    Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
    To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

    Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet
    Or we’ll walk by His side in the way
    What He says we will do, where He sends we will go
    Never fear, only trust and obey

    Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
    To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

  • Homemade Laundry Detergent

    For Pennies A Load!

    Like maybe some of you, I used to enjoy meandering down the candle aisle in Walmart and smelling every one that sounded interesting. And I’d check every single bottle of soap or shampoo to make sure I bought the one I liked the best.

    Now, I find myself preferring, by far, natural scents over commercial ones. In fact, just one sniff of one candle or bottle of soap is often enough to bring on a headache.

    Add to that kids who break out from harsh chemicals in most laundry detergents, and we aren’t the easiest people to buy laundry soap for.

    So, the other day, I thought, why buy it?

    I started checking and soon found a recipe for laundry detergent powder with only 4 clean natural ingredients, one of them being fragrance of my choice. It sounded great to me and we even had most of the ingredients on hand.

    • Borax for odor control, stain removal, and general whitening. I used 20 Mule Team brand.
    • Fels-Naptha for cleaning and stain removal. I used Purex brand
    • Washing Soda for more cleaning power and odor control. I used Arm and Hammer brand.
    • Essential Oils for a great natural smell. I used one of Plant Therapy laundry blends.

    I didn’t have Borax or Washing soda, but a quick trip to our little local store provided Borax and we found a way to make our own Washing soda.

    It turns out, if you put regular baking soda on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for an hour, you have Washing Soda!

    A box of Borax, a bar of Fels-Naptha, a box of essential oils, a bowl of washing soda, and a jar of laundry detergent powder.

    Homemade Laundry Detergent

    1 cup Borax Powder

    1 cup Washing Soda

    1 cup Fels-Naptha, grated (about 1 bar)

    15-20 drops of essential oil, your choice

    If you have Washing Soda, put it and the Borax in a jar or container. You will want to use a mask or something to cover your face to keep you from breathing in the fine powders. If you don’t have Washing Soda, you can make your own by putting a cup of baking soda on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for an hour. This changes the chemical formula and makes Washing Soda.

    Take the bar of Fels-Naptha and grate it. You can use the fine side of a cheese grater or your food processor shredder disc on the small side. Again, the powder is very fine and not something you want to breathe so wear something over your mouth and nose. Let it settle before you open the food processor.

    Put all three dry ingredients in a container or jar. I used a jar so I could just put a lid on and shake it to mix it.

    Let the mixture settle and then open and add 15-20 drops of essential oils for scent.

    Shake to mix in the oils and let sit overnight.

    Use 2 tablespoons for a regular load and 3 tablespoons for a heavy load.

    I also have a video showing the process on YouTube at Bringing Life Homestead.

  • Welcome Back!

    Welcome Back!

    This week started out much like normal. Tim has his photography and devotional walks every while I get the kids up and start on breakfast.

    Then, the scramble to get breakfast cleaned up, dishes done, and kids sat down to school.

    This year we have four in school. Micah and Alayna are in fifth grade and Kaitlynn and Harold have started first grade. They’re enjoying learning how to read. Soon they won’t have to ask anyone else to read to them. 🙂

    In the course of the day, the garden gets checked. Cucumbers and peppers are still growing, okra has started, and tomatoes are ripening.

    There’s laundry to do, floors to sweep, weeds to pull, and naps to take.

    Judah is growing as fast as he can and loves smiling and kicking for his siblings. And sleeping. He definitely enjoys sleeping.

    Even with trying to get the homestead side of things going better, we can’t ignore the business that pays the bills. We try to list to eBay every week day and there’s usually shipping to keep up with. These are a few of the molds we’ve listed recently.

    A frog on a garden trowel.
    A large rose and cross candleholder.
    These “people watchers” are always comical.

    And as you can see, we still have a ways to go.

    This is just a portion of what’s left to list.

    But, this is where God has lead us and we are extremely grateful for all He’s done. We know He’s going to continue to guide and there’s no place we’d rather be than right in His Will.

  • Bluegill Supper

    Some of y’all might disagree, but nothing tastes quite like fried bluegill that you caught yourself. Especially when it’s pan fried so nicely and combined with foraged Train Wrecker mushrooms and sautéed green beans.

    Tim brought in most of the fish, but Micah managed to land one too.

    I cleaned them the night we caught them while Tim made the marinade for them.

    Once all 10 were ready to go, Tim placed them in the marinade and we put them in the fridge overnight.

    Then, the next afternoon I went looking for mushrooms. We had seen a cluster of them, so I knew where to go.

    Train Wreckers, or Neolentinus lepideus, earned the name by their ability to grow on highly treated railroad ties. If they’re ignored, the tie would eventually disintegrate and could cause a train wreck. Thankfully for us, these mushrooms were growing on a pine root which meant they were safe to eat.

    They do have some look-alikes, some of which are poisonous, so a positive ID is essential before they go in the skillet.

    Fresh green beans were in the fridge just waiting to be used. And so the meal came together.

    The results were delicious and filling. We’re already planning our next fish meal. 😊

  • A Day In My Life

    A Day In My Life

    Welcome back, friends!

    If you’ve ever wondered what a typical day looks like on our not-quite-finished, not-quite-animal-stocked, not-quite-quiet homestead… well, buckle up. You’re about to get a peek behind the curtain—and spoiler alert: there’s laundry, compost, and coffee remembered about three times.

    Notice: the following depiction may have been slightly exaggerated for comedic purposes.

    Mornings around here start early(ish), usually with me waving Tim off on his morning walk and photoshoot while I head upstairs to get breakfast started for his dad and sister. Somewhere in that blur, the kids start waking up—some happily, some like grumpy little trolls—and I herd them into clothes and conversation while eggs sizzle and the baby kicks me in the ribs.

    By the time our own breakfast is ready, it’s usually 9:30. We gather around the table for food and family devotions before diving into the day. That’s when I:

    • Make the bed (if I remember)
    • Start the first of several loads of laundry
    • Empty the composting toilets (yay homestead life!)
    • Make Pinterest pins
    • Scribble out a to-do list that may or may not survive contact with reality
    • And get the youngest three down for naps (on good days)

    Then comes the rapid-fire rhythm of more laundry, snacks for hungry monsters… I mean, kids, and checking in on the garden. Right now, we’ve got tomatoes, peas, peppers, cucumbers, melons, and okra growing—but so far, only the peas are ready to pick. There’s watering to do and never-ending weeds to fight.

    The afternoons are a whirlwind of:

    • Cleaning and organizing, aka moving it somewhere else
    • Discussing house ideas with Tim
    • Remembering to get supper prep started
    • Project planning
    • More laundry (because of course)

    Then it’s supper for ten people, followed by handing out chores, circling back to make sure those chores were done properly, blog work, finally getting the bed made, and helping Tim list eBay items. Somewhere in there, we wrangle kids into pajamas and try to end the day with everyone clean(ish) and in their beds.

    After that? Tim and I usually sink into our chairs for a bit of breathing room, chat about the day, and maybe split a snack before he heads out for his evening photo walk. Then it’s finally, finally, my bedtime.

    And we do it all again tomorrow.

    It’s a season full of noise, motion, hope, and chaos. The garden’s growing (slowly), the peaches are ripening, the house is still half-finished, and the baby is… well, overdue.

    But somehow, this wild in-between is where life is happening. Right here, in the waiting and the working and the wrangling, the dream is already unfolding.

    Thanks for walking through a day with me. 💛

    Homestead Hilarity

    “Mommy doesn’t really work, Daddy does” –Multiple kids, multiple times

    (Clearly all the compost-emptying, meal-making, chore-wrangling, and laundry-mountain-slaying doesn’t count. 😅)

    Disclaimer: This only shows the day from my point of view. Tim could write his own post, or three, about what gets included in his days.

    Disclaimer 2: At the beginning of the post I mentioned that this is what a “typical” day looks like. Currently, Tim has even more to add to his days as he has stepped in to take over multiple parts of my responsibilities until the baby comes.

  • Meeting The Family

    Hello, dear readers and new friends!

    Welcome to my blog—a little part of my life where I’ll be sharing everything from funny stories and family adventures to the lessons we’re learning along the way. Along with my husband and our ever-growing crew of six kids (soon to be seven come July!), we’ve got lots to share! I’ve always loved storytelling. As our family grows and we embrace homesteading, I felt called to document our journey—not just for us, but for anyone who might find encouragement, inspiration, or even just a good laugh along the way.

    Here, you can expect a blend of heartwarming recipes, honest reflections on biblically raising a big family, and stories from our day-to-day journey. Some posts will be lighthearted and fun, while others might get a little deeper. But my hope is that something here will resonate with you—whether it sparks a smile, inspires you to try something new, or simply makes you feel a little more connected to the crazy, beautiful journey we’re all on.

    I’m so honored to have you along for the trip. Let’s dive into life’s joys, challenges, and flavors together!

    I’d love for you to meet the people who make this homestead feel like home. I’m not sure if there’s a correct or best way to do this, so I’ll just start.

    Tim

    At the head of the family is Tim. He’s 29 years old and runs an eBay business from his basement office. What started as a fun side hobby quickly became our family’s livelihood when sickness suddenly changed everything.

    In a matter of days, Tim went from being completely independent to needing a wheelchair, unable to button his shirts or cut his food. The shift was overwhelming, but in the middle of it all, we watched God move in miraculous ways to provide for us. What started as a side project on eBay was soon our only source of income. We are incredibly thankful for his complete healing last February.

    Now, his shop focuses on ceramic slip molds, keeping him busy all week (and sometimes even on Saturdays!).

    Tim enjoys reading, gardening, researching things that spark his curiosity, cooking, working with his hands, and teaching the older children. He may seem like the quiet, serious type at first, but don’t be fooled—his sense of humor keeps the kids rolling their eyes as they try to hide their smiles.

    Rachel (Me!)

    Older than Tim by nine months, I like to think of myself as the voice of maturity in the family. Or not.

    I’m the second of four girls and somehow ended up with a slightly sarcastic personality that thrives on making people laugh. A born storyteller, my imagination has a mind of its own, which isn’t always helpful when you’re a full-time stay-at-home mom. Let your mind wander for too long, and—boom!—chaos unfolds in a blink!

    According to my family, I have a knack for cooking and baking, and judging by the lack of leftovers, I’d say they’re right.

    I’m also passionate about foraging and using herbs for natural remedies. There’s still so much to learn, but I get a thrill every time I can use “weeds” from the yard or essential oils to care for our physical ailments instead of relying on medicine. It’s incredible to discover all the healing plants God has provided for us!

    My next big adventure? Helping Tim get our homestead off the ground.

    Micah (9 years old)

    Micah’s mind and mouth rarely stop running, and he devours books the way some kids do candy. He loves helping and working with Tim, is fascinated by taking things apart, and—thankfully—is learning how to put them back together, too! It’s hard to pin down Micah’s exact interests because he wants to learn about everything. His zest for life is both inspiring to watch and exhausting to keep up with.

    Alayna (8 years old)

    Our blue-eyed bundle of energy, Alayna, has a warm, bubbly personality and is always looking for ways to help—whether in the kitchen or with her younger siblings. Her love for gardening runs deep, and she jumps at any chance to tend to the plants. She also seems to have inherited her daddy’s quick wit and she’s learning to dish it back just as well as she gets it!

    Micah and Alayna seem to be locked in a never-ending contest to see who can read the most. At this point, there’s no clear winner!

    Kaitlynn (6 years old)

    Kaitlynn is our go-getter with a face full of freckles and a giggle always at the ready. She does her best to keep up with the older two and is determined to be big, taking on tasks that often require a little ingenuity to finish. If I need something cleaned, Kaitlynn is the first to roll up her sleeves and dive in—no hesitation, just pure enthusiasm. She has a huge love for animals and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of our rabbits, ducks, and chickens.

    Harold (5 years old)

    Harold could hardly wait for March when he could turn that “measly” 4 into a great big 5. As the self-proclaimed clown of the family, Harold keeps life interesting! Lately, he’s been testing the waters with some bigger-kid jobs, like helping with dishes and hauling wood. Though he may not move as fast as Micah, Harold is his own person through and through, always holding his own opinions. He is far more likely to do his own thing rather than simply follow the crowd.

    Elsie (3 years old)

    Elsie proudly announces to everyone that she’s “free” now (she means three). With a head full of bouncy blonde curls, she throws herself enthusiastically into everything—including eating and teaming up with Harold to make plenty of noise. She loves snuggling, coloring, and “helping” the others with their chores. She’s also working on learning her letters and numbers and already enjoys “reading” alongside her older siblings.

    Niel (2 years old)

    For now, Niel is the baby of the family—at least until July! He’s a happy little guy, always eager for new adventures. With his growing vocabulary and deep love for playing with his siblings, he’s quickly finding his place in our lively family dynamic.

    Thank you for taking the time to meet our family! I hope you stick around as we share more about our homesteading journey, the projects we take on, and the lessons we learn along the way. If you’d like, drop a comment and introduce yourself—I’d love to hear from you!