we are well on our way to a happy, half-empty freezer!
here are the contents:
animal protein-
4 packages of deer hamburger
2 lamb livers
1 package of ground lamb
1 package of deer sausage
1 package of frozen deer meatballs
1 package of lamb ribs
1 package of bacon
1 ham hock
1 package of beef stock bones
1 chopped sirloin
20 15! lb. chicken breast
1 frozen bag of acorn squash & sausage stuffing
4 packages of deer hamburger
2 lamb livers
1 package of ground lamb
1 package of deer sausage
1 package of frozen deer meatballs
1 package of beef stock bones
1 frozen bag of acorn squash & sausage stuffing
meal ready-
freezer bag full of frozen ice cube sized basilfreezer bag full of frozen ice cube sized pesto
freezer bag of swiss chardfrozen tomato soup (serving size 2)
2 bags of hot peppers (for salsa making)
freezer bag of skinned tomatoesbox of morningstar veggie burgers
fruit-2 1! gallons of strawberries
3 ripe bananas
freezer bag of black cherries
dole brand bag full of mango, pineapple and strawberries
2 jars of peach conserve
1 gallon of blueberriessmall tub of homemade cookie dough
many evenings these last two weeks have called for dinners on the grill- burgers, ribs, & fresh vegetables from the garden. we are still enjoying fruit smoothies for breakfast & veggie burgers for lunch. we are continuing to cut our food budget & save for other needs. i continue to stare at our package of lamb liver & wonder how i will ever use them… ideas? share recipes with me, you lamb liver enthusiasts!
love,
natalie
we had one of those weekends that i will remember for a very long time.
my parents moved to the lake late into the summer last year, away from my hometown & the familiar places that i knew so well. i love their new home, though… surrounded by woods & close to the water. we ate outside under their covered porch & grilled fresh vegetables. my dad taught me to fish & i caught a small mouth bass, an impressive first catch i must say! we soaked up the sun for many hours on my grandpa’s boat. we came home exhausted & watched a movie together.
i love seeing my parents grow closer together as they happily adjust to just two once again. going home is even sweeter now.
love,
natalie
 |
it seems as though there is always something to be done in the evenings- a sink full of dirty dishes to wash, a bath tub to scrub, a garden bed to weed & a project to finish. thankfully, we have learned to make these daily tasks part of our evening routine. our evenings look a little like this…
we always take a moment to walk out to the garden & check on our animal first.
simply being outside helps us transition from work life into home life, a transition that is difficult for me to make most days. pulling a few weeds, giving the girls a handful of scratch or munching on a sugar snap always helps me to settle into a calmer rhythm.
a trip to the gym or an evening walk most nights.
we recently joined a gym & it has helped lift our moods tremendously. i like using the elliptical machine & taking the weekly zumba class. luke usually runs around the track & lifts some weights. when we have had an unusually long day, we take an evening walk around the block with our dog, huck.
make dinner together.
our budget doesn’t allow for many dinners out & honestly we prefer dinners at home anyway. our meals are often made with fresh ingredients from our garden & the farmers’ market so with a bit of chopping & a little sauteing, we have a meal in less than an hour. last night we made chinese “take out” fried rice {better than the real thing!} with a side of edamame & watermelon.
clean up.
luke is always responsible for washing dinner dishes & i do other odd jobs. sometimes i vacuum & other times i dust or pick-up. settling in for the evening is always more enjoyable with a clean home & we strive to make that happen every evening.
settle in with a good book or a show.
even if we are exhausted, we try to enjoy some real relaxation before bed. i try to avoid the internet in the evenings because i am online most of the day so a good book is always a great end to my day. right now i am reading the dirty life & luke is enjoying the art of fermentation, a new release from the wonderful katz. we also love watching new girl, the only show we ever really watch.
i miss our evenings spending time with friends at dinner parties & local cafes in our old town, but the rhythm we have found together in our new place is one that i am beginning to embrace.
how do you spend your time in the evenings?
love,
natalie