Over Population or Under Population?

Woman's Hands Holding World Globe

This subject seems to be coming up alot on my mind latley. What is the truth? Can we find the REAL truth about where our mother earth is headed?

My Answer: I am not sure as every site I get to links to different scenarios from we are so populated here in the US that it is said we should limit child bearing only to one or two children, to we are making our way for an already underpopulated country. So what is the truth I ask?

My views on this is that I don't think the problem lies with bearing too many children. I feel the problem is what we are making of it. If we would gear ourselves more towards home life, more towards are family and not worry about the Jones's so much maybe we would consume less, drive less, waste less. Right as we speak everything has to be bigger, better, and newer.

A family with many children can clearly waste less, or learn to waste less then say, a single couple or a family with only one or two children. There are so many factors in why we have global warming and maybe that should be a very high priority in this next president's agenda. I say to officials if you want to talk the talk then step up to the plate and walk the walk.

I bet these officials that make their claims putting down larger families for our diminishing world are driving around in gas guzzling vehicles just like many other people. I also bet they use all the everyday conveniences like a lot of us that attributes to global warming as well, just like many of us.

There should be more companies providing communities with Eco-friendly adjustments into their daily lives while providing services with incentives. Showing people let's finally make a change, and stop blaming people for bearing children, but maybe blame people for what they are causing with their choices.

Where is this subject headed? What are your views?

Very curious Renee!

Laundry

Laundry on a clothesline


Monday tips:

If you dry clothes in the dryer and you use either liquid fabric softener, or dryer sheets make sure once a week that you take out your lint trap, wash it in warm soapy water and let air dry before starting a load. All the softeners leave a film and not as much lint, hair, and particles stick to it. To test: Run your lint trap under water before you clean it and see how the water beads right off instead of going through the screen. Let's wash the lint traps!

Monday at Home

This week I am going through every one's clothing on each laundry day and assessing what are our needs for clothing now and for Summer. My 2 yr. old daughter went through a recent growth spurt and is 3T dresses, 3T shirts. She will also need shoes too. The other kids I have an idea of what needs to go in their closet and drawers but some things I know off the top of my head what they need.

Sometimes I wonder with only buying from thrift stores which is usually the Salvation Army, whether or not at times I am really saving money when the children need certain items. I hold out to purchase at a regular store because I am thrift and I am so use to buying used at used prices.

Today's agenda:

- Master bedroom including bedding (ideas on making my bedroom a haven)
- Master bath
- Our laundry
- Our walk in closet (which I have already 2 garbage bags of clothing and nonsense going that is clutter)
- Rachel's laundry

Breakfast: Egg salad sandwitches on toasted bread (made this for dh for his lunch today for work)
Lunch: Leftover Hamburgers, Hotdogs and Salad
Dinner: Tacos, Rice, and steamed veggies- mini cheescakes for dessert (all four children will be helping make these) Mint ice tea to drink

Renee

Contentment

While the thoughts have been really on my mind lately, I am sad to say I struggle from time to time with being content. Being content in my eyes is being OK with your means in life. Your house, car, clothing, education, partner, children, and family, etc.

I sometimes feel like my mind wanders in a new direction wanting more, or wondering what would change if I had this or did something different. But then as I read blogs, stories of tragedy, and of loss I get back to my grounded self, and realize my life is wealthy with everything that I have. I have it all really, a roof over my head, food to eat, income coming in, and so many other things that we sometimes forget about. For example a dishwasher, electricity, a bathroom, running clean water.

Learning after others is the only key for me to realize that I can strive better but in a different way. Learning to be content and accessing wants over needs. A list of things off the top of my head that I will write down or I will forget with this mama brain of mine.

- Try to only make one trip a week for groceries, and other needed items. (Gas prices are going up)

- Reuse items that I have instead of buying all the time.

- Making each day of the week a special and fun day with our children. Every week switching the exciting fun for everyone to look forward to together as a family. Staying home can have perks that you don't need a car to get to.

Picnic day (inside or outside) Make your own Sundae day, Craft Day, Book Day (read to your children, and let them read to you under a kids tent made by them) Pick a toy or game day- ( Each kid pick a a toy, or game that the parents plays with each child for a certain amount of time) Movie night with all the fixing's... buttered popcorn and favorite drinks. Root Beer Float night- can we say more?

More later!
Renee :)

Irish Chicken Stew (Crockpot)

Cut about 3 chicken breasts into 1-1/2" to 2" chunks. Dredge chicken in a combination of 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder; Saute till lightly in butter (not margarine). Add in crock pot 2 cups of chicken broth (homemade is best!). Add a sliced onion, sliced carrots, and diced potatoes. Cook in crock pot on low for 8 hrs. or until done. This very good over rice. I also like to have a salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Yummy, and pretty easy!

Renee :)

Grandma's Red Potato Salad

Here is my grandmom Helen's red potato recipe. She passed away from cancer when I was in 2nd grade. So making this makes me think of her. I could eat this all the time but with everything this girl needs moderation!

Red Potato Salad

Cook approx. 5 lbs. red skin potato's (halve or quarter with skin on) for approx. 35 min. in boiling salted water. Test for doneness (should be cooked not mushy) Cool; Peel off skin. Add chopped onion, and 2 hard boiled eggs. Combine 2 cups of Hellman's mayo full fat kind with some sugar and about 2 tablespoons of Gulden's brown mustard, add a little celery seed to your liking. It should taste a little sweet. Toss mixture with potato's, egg, and onion. Add crisp bacon to the mixture. Mix well. Put in fridge for at least 4 hours.

Yummy! This is great for bbq's.The mixture of mayo, sugar and gulden's mustard is also the same mixture I use for egg salad, and deviled eggs minus the celery seed and other things.

I Love Binders!

I have really enjoyed the benefits of keeping binders in my homemaking journey. Currently as we speak I have 3 binders.

- Coupons:

I have a take along to take with me that fits in my purse.

- Ideas:

* I clip pictures of decorating ideas, products, and articles and put them in clear sleeves for future reading.

- Home Management:

* Weekly cleaning schedule- Keeps me straight but I have been known to come off of this when sick, or something unexpectedly happens in the day. But I always know where to get back on track.
* House paint list- Keeps track of what paint we used in each room so no guessing.
* Menu lists- Broken into breakfast,lunch, dinner, snacks & sides.
* My husband's packing lists- For our tree service which I hand out also to our employees for reference if they need it. This I made up so when they have a short notice of a few hours before they leave for hurricane, and storm cleanup they can think of one less thing.
* Children's clothing lists- Keeps track of clothing so we don't have too much, or too little.

Goodbye Winter! Hello Spring!

Winter weather this year brought fun snow days, slick ice that homebounded us, and great family time together. Our most memorable highlight of winter was our family trip on our mountain to cut a tree for Christmas.

The kids and I sat in our utility cart that was pulled by my husbands ATV. It was like a hayride but better! We even brought our two great dane doggies Dutchess, and Shane. I realize now that with the passing of our sweetie Dutchess that she had spent great family time with us in her last months.


Renee (Nay)