Well, summer was quite the ride around here. Not just all farm happenings either. There were blessings and some big challenges.
God was with us, guiding us and holding our hands all along the way through it all. Seriously, I rarely had time to sit down and blog. I didn’t have time to sit down and eat a lot of the time. I ate in the van, while holding a bottle for a bucket calf, while directing chores, and while holding gates. I sure am glad for protein smoothies!! I learned to make them a fairly well rounded meal. Mainly out of necessity.
One of my favorite smoothies:
- 1 scoop Jay Robb Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1.25 cups raw milk or coconut milk~Prefer the raw milk
- Fresh Cilantro to taste
- Pure Cacao to taste
- handful or two of fresh greens—I normally use spinach
Toss in my Ninja single serve cup, blend until smooth and drink it down! It works great for breakfast lunch and dinner. However, I don’t recommend trying to solely survive on it. (BTW, I LOVE this blender, been using it 2-3 times a day for six months and no issues)
I found this smoothie idea from the book Trim Healthy Mama. I don’t use everything from this book, nor do I follow a diet plan from it, but I have taken some recipes, and ideas and am using them. It is definitely worth the read to understand the science behind how our bodies work. This has worked for me to make sure I am not eating junk food when on the run.
Now, why I have I been on the run?
We have had doctor appointments:
- Our five year old has had strep or another throat infection six times since April 1. Finally in August we were able to be seen by the ENT, and he had his tonsils out on Sept. 6. His recovery has been a challenge and he ended up back in the ER on Sunday with a medication reaction, throat swelling and dehydration.
- Heidi, our child with the vision challenges, finally qualified for vision therapy. She goes to a town forty five minutes away twice a week for that.
- Hannah has been getting chiropractic and physical therapy treatments for her tight heel cords and femoral ante torsion (hope I spelled that right). She has graduated out of her night foot brace and is able to just wear toe braces when I can get her to, and continue with the other treatments on a weekly basis nearly two hours from home.
- So, that adds up to three planned appointments away from home a week, plus several sick visits during all this.
- For some odd reason my husbands farm equipment has had an unusual amount of break downs over the last month. I have been running for parts an hour away from home on some mornings and then therapy appointments in the afternoons.
- I try to coincide our grocery runs with our therapy appointments, but that means each trip we add a grocery run to takes an extra hour or two.
So, at least three days away from home, plus Sundays, means when I have been home, I have been quite busy. In August we took over the care of our neighbor’s garden, as they are on a mission trip. So, add canning to my list of things that have kept me busy.
We have tried not to lose family time during all this, so that has added a bit of crazy too.
I also went to North Carolina to visit my grandparents in August for their 87th Surprise Birthday Party. I took Hannah with me. We enjoyed our time there and are hoping to drive out for a long field trip later next spring.
What were some of your summer highlights?
Please note, affiliate links are used on this blog. If you click on a link in a post, it may be an affiliate link. If it is, I will earn a small commission, if you purchase some through the link. Thank you for helping to support our homeschool. See my full disclosure policy for more information.
mother, christian, wife, woman, child of God. It is about my life as a farmer’s wife, as a cook, a baker, a nurse, a teacher, a woodworker, a housekeeper, a farmer (yep, I drive tractors, pick up hay bales, and other farm duties), a gardener. So, what you read here, is me, as a transparent sometimes hot headed, passionate, and opinionated person.
