For the past 20 years I have had depressive episodes. I don't say that I have depression (although a doctor would undoubedlty diagnose such a disease if I told him my symptoms). I don't want that to define who I am. I have a few family members with depression and they tell me that people see them differently when they find out. I don't want that for my life.
I think I lean towards depressive episodes rather than a full blown depression. Many years ago I had post natal depression, and since then these episodes rear their ugly heads every so now and then. Today was one of those days!
Out of no-where, thoughts enter my head...thoughts that life is meaningless, that anything I do is meaningless, so what is the point of doing anything. I realise that these thoughts come straight from the devil, but they are so hard to fight! I pray, and read my bible. Then Andrew comes home from work and gives me a hug. He lets me cry and tell him how down I feel, and how much I hate feeling this way. He tells me he loves me, and gradually the fog starts to lift. For me, my husband is my strength at such times. I thank God for giving him to me.
God Bless,
Jenny
Wednesday 25 April 2012
Friday 20 April 2012
Good Things
Well the biscuit tin is full, and so is the cake tin. The house has been cleaned, and the washing is inside. Dinner is organised and the children are quiet. How I love a day where my to-do list gets accomplished :)
Apple Rings
My dehydrator is getting a work out at the moment. I have been drying orange rounds purely for decoration, and apple rings for eating.
My children love eating apple rings by themselves or on cereal in the mornings for breakfast. I love them in my muesli. With the season of Gala apples so short, it is also a great way to preserve them for the rest of the year ( if they last that long!) . My next job is to get my Granny Smiths into jars as apple sauce, and maybe as a chutney or relish.
I am trying to replace our store bought sauces, like tomato, BBQ, and Steak, with homemade relishes and preserves, so I need to find recipes while it is apple season, because apples seem to be a staple ingredient in many homemade sauces. When I was growing up we didn't use many condiments at all, so making them is all very new to me. So my challenge for this autumn is to try out new recipes.
God Bless,
Jenny
My children love eating apple rings by themselves or on cereal in the mornings for breakfast. I love them in my muesli. With the season of Gala apples so short, it is also a great way to preserve them for the rest of the year ( if they last that long!) . My next job is to get my Granny Smiths into jars as apple sauce, and maybe as a chutney or relish.
I am trying to replace our store bought sauces, like tomato, BBQ, and Steak, with homemade relishes and preserves, so I need to find recipes while it is apple season, because apples seem to be a staple ingredient in many homemade sauces. When I was growing up we didn't use many condiments at all, so making them is all very new to me. So my challenge for this autumn is to try out new recipes.
God Bless,
Jenny
Saturday 14 April 2012
I am a career homemaker. I originally studied Nursing, and worked as a nurse for some years at a little country hospital. When I married Andrew, my career changed, and I became a stay at home wife and mum.
I love homemaking, I love the potential that it holds. Potential to develop so many different skills. I sew and knit, make quilts for all our beds, I make candles and soap, but the majority of my time is spent in the kitchen. I want to give my family the best meals that I can, so I cook from scratch using the best ingredients that I can find. Sometimes I go to the local markets and buy locally produced fruit and vegetables. I try to buy organic where I can. I am fortunate that I have access to reasonably priced apples and pears, and seasonal stone fruit, that I buy in bulk and are organic, but on the whole, organic food is expensive food!
In Australia it seems that our grocery prices are climbing higher and higher, and in a large family like my own, my grocery money is often our largest 'bill' in our fortnight. So I am trying to reduce it.
I could easily buy processed foods. They seem to be cheaper than whole foods, but I don't want to give my family all those additives. The next best thing would be to make our vegetable garden more productive.
In summer we have bumper crops of corn and beans, which is wonderful. But as the colder weather approaches, my enthusiasm for gardening decreases. It shouldn't. Our winters are quite mild, and we can grow many things, but the lure of quilting gets me every time. There is nothing like snuggling under a quilt that you're in the process of quilting!
So my goal for this Autumn/winter is to keep our vegie garden going, and to produce as much of our own food as possible. Red and green cabbages, Savoy cabbages ( I always think that those crinkly leaves look so lovely on a plate), beetroot, and maybe parsnips. Peas to eat and sweet peas for flowers because they smell so nice! Probably some winter lettuce, and definitely broccoli and cauliflower. If I can grow all that, I will be pleased.
God Bless,
Jenny
I love homemaking, I love the potential that it holds. Potential to develop so many different skills. I sew and knit, make quilts for all our beds, I make candles and soap, but the majority of my time is spent in the kitchen. I want to give my family the best meals that I can, so I cook from scratch using the best ingredients that I can find. Sometimes I go to the local markets and buy locally produced fruit and vegetables. I try to buy organic where I can. I am fortunate that I have access to reasonably priced apples and pears, and seasonal stone fruit, that I buy in bulk and are organic, but on the whole, organic food is expensive food!
In Australia it seems that our grocery prices are climbing higher and higher, and in a large family like my own, my grocery money is often our largest 'bill' in our fortnight. So I am trying to reduce it.
I could easily buy processed foods. They seem to be cheaper than whole foods, but I don't want to give my family all those additives. The next best thing would be to make our vegetable garden more productive.
In summer we have bumper crops of corn and beans, which is wonderful. But as the colder weather approaches, my enthusiasm for gardening decreases. It shouldn't. Our winters are quite mild, and we can grow many things, but the lure of quilting gets me every time. There is nothing like snuggling under a quilt that you're in the process of quilting!
So my goal for this Autumn/winter is to keep our vegie garden going, and to produce as much of our own food as possible. Red and green cabbages, Savoy cabbages ( I always think that those crinkly leaves look so lovely on a plate), beetroot, and maybe parsnips. Peas to eat and sweet peas for flowers because they smell so nice! Probably some winter lettuce, and definitely broccoli and cauliflower. If I can grow all that, I will be pleased.
God Bless,
Jenny
Tuesday 10 April 2012
Weekend
What a weekend we have had in our busy household. Easter celebrations and a birthday!
I love easter, seeing the excited faces of my little ones as they come out first thing on easter morning and see their chocolate bunny sitting on the table. I love seeing their little bodies wiggle in anticipation of the easter egg hunt. But most of all I love reading the easter story. On Good Friday, reading how Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could go to heaven to live with him, and on Easter Sunday, reading how He came back to life.
This year, as an added extra to our celebrations, the children made easter hats. (Actually, I made the hats, they just decorated them!)
We also had a birthday this weekend. In the middle of all the easter hoohaa Nicholas turned six!
Blowing out the candles!
What a blessed weekend.
God Bless,
Jenny
I love easter, seeing the excited faces of my little ones as they come out first thing on easter morning and see their chocolate bunny sitting on the table. I love seeing their little bodies wiggle in anticipation of the easter egg hunt. But most of all I love reading the easter story. On Good Friday, reading how Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could go to heaven to live with him, and on Easter Sunday, reading how He came back to life.
We also had a birthday this weekend. In the middle of all the easter hoohaa Nicholas turned six!
Blowing out the candles!
What a blessed weekend.
God Bless,
Jenny
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