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July 6, 2010

The Buzz Around Me

Slurping. Folks are munching on watermelon at the table near me. This is the sort of thing you plan before you mop the floor.

Kitchen Happenings

I'm off of meal duty for a few weeks. The kiddos are making all the meals for a while so I have more time to work on extra projects. The Boys have breakfast and lunch duty (think Vitamix for breakfast and leftovers for lunch). The Big Girls (15 and 14) are taking turns making dinners - they cook as well as I do.

In Our Schoolroom

We have decided to take the Summer off of official school work!!!!!!! I am working on lesson plans instead.

The Garden View

I rented out our garden plot to the children. Whatever is growing is completely by their own doing. I am having the benefit of buying from them fresh organic produce, and they are earning back their rent money. All this with no nagging to get help in the garden...what's not to love?

In The Sewing Room

I just learned a groovy new trick for patching jeans! Rip out the outside pants leg seam to patch them, then sew it back up again when the patching is done. The timing is perfect, because Mr. Visionary just gave me some for my mending pile. Sigh. All in due time...

Home-keeping Agenda

I'm using the Summer off school to get things organized again. Closets, clothes, cabinets, nothing is sacred. I feel like I haven't really had decent order since the Twinnage (cute as they are) arrived.

Simple Joys

Mr. Visionary coming home in time for dinner. I had almost forgotten what he looked like in daylight.

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  • header photo courtesy Scott Foy
  • blog design by
  • Thanks Kristi!

    You did a great job ~ I love the blog, and you were such a blessing to work with!

    If you need a website or blog design, I totally recommend Kristi at p*co creative.
  • Twins, Anyone?

    Just wanted to share a couple of fun pictures of twins holding twins. Too bad the age difference is too large to arrange (or encourage) a marriage.

    Winter 2008 058

    Caleb Waller (with the hat) is holding our Sweetie and Josh - his twin, is holding her twin, Honey.

    Winter 2008 057

    The proud future in-laws parents, Mr. Visionary & Me, and Tommy & Sherri Waller and both our sets of twins

    On a side, but related note, if you have ever wondered what could increase your “odds” (otherwise known as the observed past working of Yahweh) of conceiving twins, I think I’m on to something.  For a minor health issue, I had been taking an herb called Chaste Tree Berry  (Vitex agnus-castus) the few weeks before I found out I was expecting. I had asked my midwife for a recommendation, without checking into it myself (very odd for me).

    In a new herb book (Prescription For Herbal Healing by Phyllis A. Balch) that I got during this pregnancy, I recently looked up this herb just out of curiosity, and found this:

    “Women of reproductive age must use vitex with caution, since it has been known to stimulate the release of multiple eggs from the ovary, potentially resulting in multiple births.”

    So now we know. Yahweh still uses means.

    Comments

    Comment from Annette
    Time: November 25, 2008, 7:46 am

    Thanks for sharing the pictures! What a joy to spend time with the Wallers as well.

    (THANKS too for the ‘tip.’ I wonder if I’m the only one planning on making a purchase….BIG HUGE SMILE) :D

    Comment from Kate
    Time: November 25, 2008, 12:22 pm

    Wonderful pictures! I wish I could’ve seen the Wallers and the Hiltons on their way thru here, but alas, it was not to be.
    Oh well. I’m sure I’ll hear all about it at Lori’s tomorrow night.
    I still haven’t seen the twins in person. Agh.

    Comment from Holly
    Time: November 26, 2008, 11:03 am

    What a great picture! :) Thanks, Julie!

    Comment from Sombra
    Time: November 26, 2008, 9:38 pm

    I’ve been on Vitex before conceiving.. for my last three live kids.. unfortunately I forgot about taking vitex during the bulk of 2007 and lost 6 sweet blessings - one was a set of twins. I take it to boost my progesterone and to reduce endometriosis pain.

    love the twin twin pics
    Sombra

    Comment from PlainJane
    Time: November 27, 2008, 9:57 am

    Hi Julie,
    Oh my, I see you have been back to posting again & I am once again behind. I will have to catch up with your news.

    What? Your Sweetie & Honey are betrothed to the Waller boys? lol, I thought our girls were (ages 11 & 14). Just kidding. The world needs a lot more young men like them.

    That’s interesting to know about the Chaste Tree Berry, too bad I’m pushing 50. An interesting name for it - shouldn’t it be a Furtile Tree Berry?

    Blessings to You and Yours.

    Comment from Annette
    Time: November 29, 2008, 2:55 pm

    Do you know if it is ok to take the chaste tree berry extract while nursing?

    I would be glad to volunteer as an experiment on conceiving twins. ;-)
    Blessings~Annette

    Comment from meghan schaefer
    Time: November 29, 2008, 10:17 pm

    Hello to ya Mrs Beautiful, your babies take after you…lol. As i was scrolling through yer blog it was so good to see those pics and remember that day. aaah fond memories to be sure. and maybe YHWH willing, we’ll all be in Israel together next fall… (hoping and praying). You are such an encouragment to me. Remember to always take joy in your children. that full quiver is what the Father wants too. I pray that He will someday let me experience having my own “full quiver” love ya and keep up the good work.

    Comment from Prudent Homemaker
    Time: November 30, 2008, 12:24 am

    I did NOT know that about Chaste tree berry! I have taken it with milk thistle to help me with milk for my babies; usually I take milk thistle alone, though.

    Interesting comments about oils, too.

    Comment from oldpathsfamilyfarm
    Time: December 3, 2008, 10:55 am

    Annette~

    The verdict is kinda iffy about taking it while nursing.

    It *is* a galactagogue (an herb that increases milk supply), and several of my herb books recommend it for this…

    but…

    it also decreases prolactin, the “mothering hormone” that is definitely needed to maintain milk supply, and one of my best herb books contraindicates chaste tree berry during lactation for this reason.

    I haven’t found anything that indicates it is harmful for a nursling, though.

    Comment from Susanna
    Time: February 4, 2009, 5:21 pm

    I heard that Vitex probably won’t affect the milk supply if it is already well established. I’ve been taking it to (hopefully) help my cycles to find their new normal after my last birth 4 months ago, and it hasn’t affected my supply at all. It also hasn’t helped my cycle thus far, as I’ve been bleeding or spotting for about a month now. :-( But I’m going to give it more time and in the meantime I’ll enjoy my happy, chubby baby boy! :-)

    Comment from Jennifer
    Time: October 14, 2009, 11:32 pm

    I’ve been trying to do more research so my family can eat/live healthier. I am so glad to have happened upon your site! Thank you for all the information!
    Also, I’m now curious to try the Chaste Tree Berry and see if we end up with twins…but I’ll probably wait a year…that’s when my 3-mo-old will (maybe) be done breastfeeding.

    Before writing your comment, be sure to read the Fine Print*Here*!