Day trip

We went just around the corner to a church called De Santurario Chimayo, it was built in 1814.  It was pretty cool, Z loved just running around and around and around....

I am not Catholic, but it was a very cool place to see.

There is this healing sand in one of the rooms, there is a hole in the room and people come from all over to get some of this sand.  They bring in bottles to put it in and they scoop it up. 

They say that they never fill it up, it just stays full.  All I can say is that the sand was the softest sand I have ever felt.

Life is Good

Second Birthday coming

Here he was almost a year ago, his very first birthday.  How do you top that one, I am at a loss for words, somedays I can't beleive he is even here.  He came into my life when no one ever thought it would happen, he had a rough start but we prevailed.  His first birthday was at the zoo, he loved it all the animals and the cutest monkey cup cakes..

As this second birthday comes closer and closer ok a month and a half away I just keep thinking Wow times fly.  Now what do I do, he is already into that terrible twos and somedays I just want to pull my hair out (does that make me awful...?)  I have one of those pull my hair out and run away screaming kind of days almost once a week dow a days.   Motherhood doesn't get easier, it seems to get harder as you go. 

So back to the birthday, I really want it to be fun, no too much I am always telling all those that love him so, that he doesn't need the latest toy trend, or everything they see on tv....but does that stop them......NO, you should see his room..   People come over and think I have 5 boys not just one.  Then I always get the hey aren't you going to try for another one, you can't just want one.  What is that, you can't just have one child? sorry everyone but they are not chips he is a boy and yeah he is probally my one and only.....see I have this age thing and its just getting worse.   I mean he is a miracle, after 40 they say your chances are like what 5 percent and it gets less each year.   So yeah one.

Ok sorry ranting again.......So here is what I would love to do

But with a Car's and Buzz lightyear theme if there is one.....lol   So I will keep you posted, it will be my first two year old birthday cake, but it looks doable right......

Easiest Bread EVER

Ok, I love to bake well I did love to bake, with Zane being so Active and me having less and less time for even myself, baking it just something I don't get to do much.

I came across this recipe in Mother Earth News while looking for re-using ideas for his 1/2 gallon a day milk containers.....

Its simple 3 cups lukewarm water, 1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 6 1/2 cups flour.  Put water and yeast and salt in the kitchen aid, ok if you don't have one you can do it by hand too.  Then add flour using your dough beater (I don't know what they are called the attachment ohhhh that's what they are called) dough attachment.  Turn on low until you have a dough ball, and then let it rise.  You don't need to remove it just let it sit for about 2 hours.....

Great thing about this dough is after it rises, you can put it in the fridge, or bake it at 425 for 30 mins.  But you can keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks and take it out when you want.  Just take out let sit for around 45 mins or longer, then bake.   Simple....really if I can do it you can do it....

Want more then just remember 6 3 3 13 impress your friends....lol

Trash into treasure

So I got this old farmhouse sold wood table for $10.00 dollars, I had some chairs that would work perfectly all I needed was a little paint.   Yep, one afternoon and some paint and here is the result..

NEVER say Never, anyone can do it.....it was the best $10.00 bucks spent ever........

Garden here I come

First spot ready

So we all know the easiest, well not quite the easiest way to save money on food is to grow your own. 

I have gardened before, but not quite in this capacity.  I have this little space out back about 5 feet by 15 feet and its for my herbs.

I have a size about 3 times that for the veggys and my lettuce is going in the shoe rack bags...

Well, thats the plan, any more bright ideas anyone.......now I just need to get those plants started..... I want a little bit of everything...lol

Is...that asking too much???

4.6 lbs a day of GARBAGE

So I was reading and they say we on average make 4.6 pounds of garbage every day... That's about 122 pounds a month and about 1464 pounds a year. 

Wow, thats a lot of garbage for one person really.   Recycle, Reuse, and Reinvent yourself......

Garbage, garbage and more garbage

Ohh my I have a lot of garbage, do you ever stop to think about all the garbage in your home.   With my new found thinking about zero waste, all I see is garbage, how am I going to get rid of the garbage.  How do I reuse that, or this, and look my garbage bag for the week is full all ready and its Wednesday.  

I have however, thought of ways to reuse my son's Milk Cartons, I will cut them and use them to start our garden plants.  I have seen bird feeders being made out of them too, so we can do that. 

But, seriously at first this seems very over whelming.......

Recycle Dryer Lint....yep

I was just looking around the interent to see what things people are doing with reuseing.  I found what things you could do with simple dryer lint.  Yep, dryer lint and hey I made some dryer lint fire eggs.  And wow do they work well.  Since living in the dessert, and only having a stove for heat sometimes starting a fire is hard work.....But let me tell you, one or two of these little guys and your set, they burn fast and burn hot.

Easy to make, use a card board egg carton, collect your lint and stuff the egg slots full.  Then melt a candle and pour some wax over them.   I didn't totally fill them up, just enough to get them to stick together.  You need to put a small hole in the egg to pour the wax then let them set up.   I just cut them up so you all of the carton and the wax-lint.  

Such a simple and great way to reuse somthing I don't think most of us think about at all.......LOVE IT

How to garden in the Desert

Ok, so I love to garden and I really really want to have fresh veggys this summer.  But living in the desert has its disadvantages.......the soil for one, and watering.  But I am giong to give it a good old try, if anyone has anything to add to make it easier please do. 

I also found this idea of using a shoe rack to plant a vertical garden I love this idea for lettuces and some herbs here is a photo.  

I will post photos as I start the planting....wish me luck

Living an hours drive away from civilization

Hi my name is Tina and I am a over 40 first time mommy to a 2 year old little boy, and we just moved to a small town in New Mexico about an hours drive to civilization. (In which I mean, shopping not Walmart, and resturants not the golden arches)

Now why am I blogging, well we moved from a large city to a very small town and now I am a stay at home mommy. And frankly I am not sure where to begin... I have worked for over 20 years and of course I love being a mom, and I love my son. This is what I wanted, however living in the middle of nowhere kind of makes a person feel a little isolated, and with family about 600 miles away, a little lonely.

I love to make and create things, so my blog is going to be just about that.....how to keep busy, and making our desert home feel like a country cottage. Learning how to cook using our home grown veggys and like I have always wanted making our own bread. Learning how to reuse, recycle and becoming more eco freindly by living with less trash (I read an article about zero trash and I am pretty excited)

So I welcome comments.....everyone out there in the same situation. Give me your advice and I will give you mine.