Inspiration

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Ever had a time when you feel little to no inspiration? That is how I am feeling lately.. I think it is the weather (which sadly affects me more than I like!).. One rainy gloomy cold day after another can get to me.  On the bright side of this all the weather is improving!  And that helps. I also find during these times that it is so important for me to start my day in the Word and with prayer.  That helps so much. 



 

My inspiration is lacking big time in the meal planning department. I have been having a problem with just coming up with interesting meals. So I pulled out a few cookbooks and spent some time surfing the web for some inspiration on this. I am slowly coming up with some new things to play around with in the kitchen. 

 

However, for now here is what my menu looks like for the next few days.. 

 

Friday

Crockpot Italian Chicken

~ I don’t have an official recipe for this I just toss in the crockpot: chicken breasts, a little olive oil, sliced onions, diced tomatoes, Italian seasonings and let it simmer on low all day~ Served over brown rice or pasta

Spinach salad

Dinner rolls

 

Saturday


Salad

Tortilla chips and homemade salsa

 

Sunday

Kielbasa and Potato Stew (just like beef stew but I have some kielbasa to use up)

Dinner rolls

Salad

 

Monday

Leftovers (that is easy!)

 

Tuesday

Homemade pizza

Salad

 

 

Wednesday


Tortilla chips and homemade salsa

Salad

 

Thursday


Whole grain crackers

Salad

 

Not as exciting as I would like but it is a start and that usually gets the ball rolling for me.



 

Another thing I have been doing to help is spring cleaning. Seems like when I clean out stuff and organize my home it always improves my outlook. I have taken several boxes and bags of clothes and books to the Good Will. I cleaned out my music room/family room as it tends to be where all the kids gather and they leave their mark on it after a winter’s use! 

 

Now I need to tackle the upstairs where all the kids’ bedrooms are. I know we have more stuff to go through and give away.   

 

Something about a clean and organized home that just makes me feel so much better! 

 

 

On the topic of cleaning .. I gave Sierra the job of keeping up with and making our homemade general household cleaner. I posted the recipe in my pantry/laundry room and all of the ingredients are easily accessible. It can be tempting when life is busy and hectic (or lacking in motivation) to want to buy cleaners. But they are expensive not to mention so toxic and simple homemade cleaners are so easy to make and frugal and non-toxic that it does not make sense not to do this!  Here is my basic recipe…

 

My Homemade Cleaner

Crystal Miller 

 

In a clean, empty gallon milk jug put: 

 

2 Tablespoons ammonia

1 teaspoon dish detergent

1 pint (2 cups) rubbing alcohol

4 drops food coloring – optional

a few drops of your favorite essential oil for a nice fresh scent

Fill the rest of the gallon jug with hot water.  Pour into spray container to use.

 

Lately we have been scenting it with lemon essential oil and a drop or two of yellow food coloring.. looks pretty and smells great!!

 

 

I also find that plain old vinegar and water makes a great floor cleaner. If my floor is really bad (mud and dirt .. which seem to be a constant with all the rain) I like to use ammonia and water.. it does a good job with the tough stuff. 

 

I have other homemade cleaner recipes on my site: http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/homemadehouseholdcleaners.htm   

 

Well I don’t know if anyone else is feeling low on inspiration lately.. or if I posted anything that would help LOL.. but I figured it just might help give me some more inspiration to chat about it! haa.. haa.. 

 

Have a great Friday on your Homestead! 

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 17, 2009 at 8:03 AM

    Hi, Crystal! Love your blog. I've been reading it for awhile now. I was wondering if your homemade cleaners are safe for pets. My two Boston Terriers are my babies and I am never sure about what is toxic in the floor cleaners (ammonia, alcohol, etc.). I have wood and tile floors and also didn't know if ammonia and all that could be used on hard wood. I have been using Murphy's oil diluted to clean the hard wood but it gets expensive, and I am also not sure of any toxic ingredients in them. I've heard horror stories about pets developing liver problems from chemicals absorbed into their paws from walking on the floors so it's starting to make me paranoid. Any advice? Guess I just need to start researching more.


    Thanks for any advice!


    Stephanie

    www.TheFamilyEntrepreneur.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChasApril 17, 2009 at 9:59 AM

    ME TOO!!! I have been feeling the SAME way, you can tell from my blog... I have nothing I want to write about or anything. Ugh!

    I feel better today than I have, so I am scurring around cleaning and being productive... I LOVE IT!

    Hopefully I am coming out of this drought. :)

    haa

    Have a great weekend.

    Love,

    Chas

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 17, 2009 at 10:54 AM

    Crystal,

    You are always an inspiration for me. I love reading your posts, trying your yummy recipes and being filled with a new energy to be a better wife, mother and homemaker.

    Thank you! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 17, 2009 at 3:28 PM

    Love your site.

    I too have been doing some spring cleaning on these gloomy chilly rainy days. It is scarying my husband-he thinks I am nesting.....

    http://countrysidechristianacademy.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  5. a1healthApril 18, 2009 at 8:14 AM

    I totally understand how you feel. Over the winter I really did not want to do any meal planning or even cook which I normally love. Since the sun is out more and I"m getting tons of vitamin D I have been more lively! Hopefully you will as well real soon.

    Blessings,

    ~Farrah

    ReplyDelete
  6. triciaApril 19, 2009 at 1:23 PM

    What are cane juice crystals and where do you get it? This bread looks great. I would love to try and make it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AmyApril 19, 2009 at 2:06 PM

    I use wintergreen alcohol. It's a little more expensive, but smells great and saves on the essential oil.


    Hang in there! Summer will be here soon!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Crystal G.April 25, 2009 at 1:40 PM

    Crystal, Your website www.familyhomestead.com has been such a blessing to me. It is what directed me when I first decided to raise my own food and homeschool. I have used your site for about 3years and your blog for about 1year. Please, don't ever leave the blogging world. I have wanted to cook more from the Nourishing Triditions, by sally fallon. But have needed a more real world type person to lead me through it. So I am glad you are trying some of this. By the way, how did the sourcrout turn out?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Crystal G.April 25, 2009 at 1:44 PM

    I just realized how many spelling errors I made in that last post sorry! It must be late I mean come on sourcrout? should be "sauerkraut"

    ReplyDelete

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