Three Unconventional Tools That Make Life Easier

I said unconventional.  So, you know I don't mean a butter knife instead of a screwdriver.  These tools are unconventional because they're not power tools.  They can't be found in the tool section of the big box hardware stores.  Although, nowadays, they can likely be found in the big box hardware store, but in another department.  The three items that I use almost daily to make life a little easier are  my:

1.  Computer

I'm taking some time to homeschool my children this year and to commit to insurance sales.  I've got so many things going on.  In order to keep track of everything, my computer has been instrumental.  I typically have at least six windows open.  Additionally, word documents, powerpoint, or a calculator are also on my start bar.  Most recently, I made a list of every item that we shop for at our club store. By making it into an excel document, I was able to create spaces for price and quantity.  It's on the fridge now so that I can highlight items that we need, like cornstarch.  We're running low on cornstarch.  Everyone has their thing that they need to do on a computer.  Some people like to scroll Facebook or Pinterest.  I do too.  I have a serious addiction to Pinterest.  I try my best to complete the necessary tasks before I get to scrolling.  There are always things to do around the house.  There are ways to interact with my kids.  So scrolling social media, for me, is a guilty pleasure.  This is a tool that requires wisdom and discernment.  Time can be spent using it to argue with strangers about who should be president or current sad events.  Or, time can be used to engage in learning a new thing or working.

2.  Stand Mixer

This was the best gift.  I'm not counting people in that, by the way.  Gift, meaning, it was a surprise that I didn't ask for (Ok, some people can fall into that category).  It's the best "non human/animal" gift.  I didn't know that I needed it until I had it.  I didn't know that I could use it confidently until a YouTube view of The Kneady Homesteader demonstrated how to make a loaf of bread.  Since I've watched it, I've made bread, cakes, and body butter.  I was asked once if I kneaded my bread by hand.  I admitted that I hadn't.  I used my stand mixer.  It does a great job.  I was 100% unsuccessful at baking bread before.  I feel very proud that I was able to make my family fresh bread successfully.  If I didn't knead it myself, they didn't care.  I've also been able to make my natural body butter, pictured above.

3.  Crock Pot

This tool seems like such a fixture that it's not a tool.  It's the busy person's best tool for getting things done without being tied to the kitchen.  I can't even count the amount of times that I've put some meat, veggies, and potatoes into a crock pot and went to work.  I've made applesauce for my kindergarten students.  That was a great science lesson on how heat changes things.  I've made ugly vegetable soup for my second grade students.  Now that's bringing a book, The Ugly Vegetables, to life!  In a crock pot devoted to crafting, I've made hot process soap.  Natural soap that conditions my family's skin and is safe for everyone (including my babies).   I have a crock pot or two that I can spare if you need one.  Lol!  I love crock pots!  They're even easy to clean up.  I'm not going to bother posting a picture of a crock pot.  Go to the thrift store and find a used one.  They work just as well as a new one.  I will, though, share this awesome book.  The Ugly Vegetables, by Grace Lin.  Ironically, we're having soup for dinner.

Enjoy using your tools.  Use them wisely and as often as possible.  Yes, they do require electricity. Tools that don't require electricity is a subject for another post.

To place an order for Natural Soap or Natural Body Butter, send a message through Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fourhornsfarm/ or send us an email to fourhornsfarm@gmail.com.

Three Steps That Will Help You to Achieve Your Goals

I'm in my office today... well it's the formal dining room, but for me, it's my office.  I'm working on what I can do to achieve my goals efficiently.  I have a tendency to be all over the place.  I'm planning, teaching, doing laundry, selling insurance, baking bread, vacuuming.  Just everywhere.  

So I've been mapping my goals.  All of them.  The small ones and the MONUMENTAL ones too. I've been working on feeling... no not just feeling, but actually being effective.  That means achieving the goals that I've set for myself and my family.  I can't do a little bit of everything in a mediocre way.  I want to do what I've planned to do and do it very well.  

I've watched the documentary, The Secret.  This was eye opening for me.  I've always been laid back and quiet.  I've been passive and passive aggressive.  I was being this way about my goals.  Laid back and quiet about how I wanted things to be in my life.  Passive about my goals and passive aggressive when I was unable to speak up.  The Secret taught me the three steps that I can take to achieve my goals.

• The first step is to ask.  Ask for what you want.  Getting my Master's Degree isn't going to fall out of the sky.  I needed to let the universe know that it is what I really want.  My student loans won't just disappear.  I needed to ask the loan company to forgive it.  So I asked.  I put it out there.  And guess what happened?  That's right, I'm in the application process for a Master's Degree.  Yay!  I've wanted to do this for six years.  I could have been done and using my knowledge in the workplace if I had asked and let the universe know that a Master's Degree was what I wanted.  As for my student loan, I've been dutifully paying it on time for thirteen years.  I asked for it to be forgiven.  I was pleasantly surprised by the loan company when they sent me an application for loan forgiveness.  That process is currently underway.  All I needed to do was to ask and to be specific about what I was asking.

• The second step is to believe.  Have unwavering faith and believe that what you want is already yours.  I've been hearing for years that I can't always get what I want.  True.  I can't... but I can.  I can. I can get whatever I want.  No... not with the five finger discount.  I have to believe that I can achieve my goals.  My goals aren't material.  So I'm not talking about sharing pictures of money on Facebook. I don't want that.  I want a way to raise food for my family.  I want to have a self reliant food source. I believe that this can and will happen.  It started with finding local farms and picking the fruit myself.  My daughter and I had fun picking it and we froze and shared some of the fruit  Years later I set out to learn how to water bath can and make jam.  I made jam for the first time in my husband's crab pot.  I still use a crab pot to water bath can.  Now we're growing our own fruit trees.  Mulberries, figs, and mangoes are among the fruits that we've begun to grow.  Someday soon we will have a small farm and we'll not need to visit the grocery store for every food item.  Our small farm is called Five Islands Village Farm.  Why doesn't this blog have that name?  This blog came about before we purchased the land and named the farm.  Maybe we'll rename the blog.  Maybe we'll rename the farm.  No matter what we do, we will have the farm.  I'll be sharing additional blog posts about it.  

• The third and last step is to receive.  You'll feel it.  Something right will happen and you need to be ready.  Get your mind ready for the change.  Get ready.  When you feel the intuitive nudge to get what you want, ACT!  Hesitation and wavering have no place here.  Receive what you want.  Sometimes delays and obstacles get into the way.  They are hurdles that you CAN jump.  You can go around them.  The path may be longer but be ready to receive what you've asked of the universe. Think about it... Why would you go into a restaurant and ask for something to eat but you haven't worked for the money to pay for the food?  Get ready.  Do the work that's needed so that you can be ready to receive what you've asked for.  

Have you ever made a vision board?  I have.  If it seems corny or too much to do to get a trifold science project board, don't worry your beautiful head.  Use Pinterest.  Use whatever you have that helps you to visualize what you want.  I use Pinterest, my graph notebook, and my therapy journal. 

I want to add that whatever you receive, be grateful for it.  Be grateful that you were able to see the fruit of your labor.  Be grateful for the people you've met and who've helped you along the way. Embrace them and everything that you want.  A quote from the movie that has stuck with me is "Energy flows where the attention goes".  Focus your attention on your goals and your energy will lead you to fulfillment.