Home church today

Today my husband and I decided to home church. We listened to a sermon online and I sang sang a hymn. We enjoyed listening to http://www.goodfieldacchurch.org/. We like this anabaptist group of churches and have visited a few times.

Basic Prenatal Care Checklist

Here are some items I have been checking every so often. If you are choosing to do your own prenatal care feel free to copy and paste this list and adjust to your own needs. Occasionally I may skip some of the lab work for the following reasons: it is not available in home test kit form or private lab setting, is not really necessary, I have records of previous lab tests or symptoms can easily be resolved/prevented with therapies and treatments.

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PRENATAL CARE

Basic Equipment

-Fetoscope

-BP Cuff

-Stethoscope

-Watch with seconds

-Speculum

-Strips for testing protein or glucose in urine

-Sterile Gloves

-Lubricant

-Tape Measure

-Antiseptic soap

-Scales

1^st Checkup: Date: ________________

History

LMP ___________________ Due Date __________________

Symptoms checklist:

1. Visual Disturbances Y/N/Slight 12. Breast Changes Y/N/S

2. Headaches Y/N/S 13. Abdominal Pain Y/N/S

3. Fevers Y/N/S 14. Heart Burn Y/N/S

4. Fatigue Y/N/S 15. Variation in heart Rhythm Y/N/S

5. Nausea Y/N/S 16. Constipation Y/N/S

6. Vomiting Y/N/S 17. Leg Cramps Y/N/S

7. Dizziness Y/N/S 18. Backache Y/N/S

8. Shortness of Breath Y/N/S 19. Edema Y/N/S

9. Back Pain Y/N/S 20. Infections Y/N/S

10. Pain when Urinating Y/N/S 21. Varicosities Y/N/S

11. Vaginal Discharge Y/N/S 22. Date Baby’s Movements 1^st felt Y/N/S

If Yes describe:

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

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Previous Pregnancies:

Date: Conditions:

Previous Medical History:

Allergies:

Nutritional Deficiencies:

Cancers, diabetes etc:

Family History:

Blood Pressure:_____________

Present Weight:______________

Protein in Urine: Y/N

Glucose in Urine: Y/N

Taking Prenatal Vitamins: Y/N/Sometimes

Edema in Feet Legs Vagina: Y/N/Slight

Thyroid Gland: Good/Bad

Pelvic Exam:

4-5 Weeks: (Hegar’s Sign) Soft cervix (like lips not nose): Y/N

5-6 Weeks: Paper Thin Junction between cervix and uterus: Y/N

6 Weeks: Larger than Normal: Y/N

6 Weeks: Cyanosis (Chadwick’s Sign - Blue color of birth canal): Y/N

10 Weeks: Size of a Tennis Ball: Y/N

I use the twelve week checkup as a pattern for other weeks I give my self a checkup. The symptoms checklist are matched and located in the 1st checkup.

Twelve Weeks Date: ___________________

Symptoms Checklist

1. Y/N/S 12. Y/N/S
2. Y/N/S 13. Y/N/S
3. Y/N/S 14. Y/N/S
4. Y/N/S 15. Y/N/S
5. Y/N/S 16. Y/N/S
6. Y/N/S 17. Y/N/S
7. Y/N/S 18. Y/N/S
8. Y/N/S 19. Y/N/S
9. Y/N/S 20. Y/N/S
10. Y/N/S 21. Y/N/S
11. Y/N/S 22. Y/N/S

If Yes describe:

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Blood Pressure: __________________

Weight: ______________

Fundal Height: ________________

Fetal Heart Rate: __________________

Lab Work:

CBC: ___________

HCT: ____________ (35)

Hemoglobin Blood Type: ______________ (about 11.0)

Coombs Test: __________

Rubella Titre: _______________

RPR: ______________

VDRL: ________________

Hepatitis B: __________________

Rh antibodies: ________________

I will continue on the twelve week pattern until 24 weeks, not including the lab work

At 28 weeks I will get the following lab work.

Lab work:

HCT: __________________

Hemoglobin: _______________

Glucose Screening: ________________

RH Anti-Body Test: __________________

At 32 weeks I will add the following to the twelve week pattern.

Baby Position ________________

I may or may not take the following lab test at 36 weeks. Heart and Hands has a simple recipe for antiseptic treatment.

Lab work:

Group B Strep Test:___________________

At 38 weeks and the following weeks I will add the following to the twelve week pattern.

Cervix condition:___________________

I will get a checkup on the following weeks:
1st (4-10 weeks), 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 20 weeks, 24 weeks, 28 weeks, 32 weeks, 36 weeks, 38 weeks, 39 weeks, 40 weeks.....birth!

Garden and Canning

Here is a picture of our garden. There are several flowers in our garden which are volunteer flowers that I let grow.
Nearly 200 onions are under the tarp drying and getting ready for storage. The tomatoes have not made an appearance yet.

I canned some zucchini pickles. I also canned 10 jars of zucchini relish. We have so much zucchini this year I am out of ideas for recipes to use the zucchini.

Supply List

Supply List

Below are the supplies that a Pioneer family traveling west might take on their five-month journey by covered wagon. Pretend you are a pioneer and about to make a long journey to the frontier. Make a list of what you would take on the journey, keeping in mind that the wagon will carry 2,000 pounds. Compare your list with a friends.

TOOLS POUNDS

ax	15
shovel	12
hatchet	9
hammer	7
hoe	3
anvil	150
grinding stone	75
animal trap	15
rope	4

Personal Items Pounds

doll	2
jump rope	1
marbles	1
family Bible	2
books	2
hunting knife	1
bag of clothes	40
fiddle	2
snowshoes	8
rifle	10
pistol	7
first aid kit	3

Food Pounds

flour	150
tea	10
salt	50
sugar	50
coffee	100
bacon	40
dried fruit	100
dried beans	100
cornmeal	10
spit peas	100
oatmeal	8
vinegar	25
pickles	50
dried beef	25
salt pork	5
assorted spices	5
barrel of water	350
vegetables	5

Household Goods Pounds

coffee grinder	5
rug	40
bedding	20
mirror	40
dutch oven	70
butter churn	40
table and 4 chairs	200
piano	900
organ	2000
baby cradle	75
wooden bucket	10
bedpan	2
butter mold	1
rocking chair	50
pitcher and bowl	5
cooking stove	700
cooling utensils	2
stool	10
spinning wheel	80
lantern	4
clock	1
10 candles	1
set of dishes	40

Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness

I have compiled a list of things that help a mother-to-be deal with the ever threatening morning sickness. Although it is difficult to do everyday tasks while nausea and vomiting are ever threatening, it is possible to help alleviate the symptoms. I have placed a star next to the items I have tried and I have placed two stars next to the remedies that work really well.

Tips to relieve symptoms:

• Rest in warm tub 20-30 minutes* (don't let water get too hot)
• Coconut water
• Supplements like vit. B6, Iron, vit. C
• Legumes
• Lemon Water (Fresh Lemon in glass of cold water)**
• Raw Fruits and Vegetables (some fruits are acidic and cause sickness)*
• Cold Showers*
• Foot Massage
• Don't eat Sugar (eliminate cookies, candy, cakes, juice etc)**
• Lemon Wedges to suck on**
• Extra Rest**
• Sea Bands or Acupressure on wrists **
• Power Recipe (1 t brewer's yeast, 1 t-T Blackstrap molasses, 1 raw farm egg, Glass of milk) take twice a day
• Always keep food in stomach**
• Good Attitude and Medication on the word**
• Progesterone Cream**
• Eliminate White Flour and Sugar from Diet

Other Tips to make things easier:

• Make 10-20 Frozen meals
• Crock pot meals
• Packaged foods
• Allow little ones to play house
• Books on Tape for homeschooling
• Prepare little snack bags for toddlers
• Paper Plates and Utensils

Cleaning while exhausted!

I have been away from actually writing in the blog for quite some time. It was great to share with you a wonderful old fashioned home economics book. It is so interesting to know that many of the recipes that were shared in the past are less than familiar today.

Anyway, in case you haven't noticed the bottom of the blog we are expecting again! It was hard to let go back in March of a pregnancy that did not come to full term. This time I am experiencing the pregnancy symptoms fully so I hope and pray for a healthy full term baby. Once again I am doing the prenatals on my own.

Even though it is great to know that the pregnancy is going well as I am experiencing the nausea, morning sickness and extreme fatigue, it is next to impossible for me to keep up with the house work in our small two bedroom apartment. My day seems to start after noon. I am lucky if I have the opportunity to get out in the garden each day. Although a schedule seems appealing and would help me keep up.....my body simply won't let me keep a fast pace. I wish on some days that I had a very early morning 4:30 am schedule established so that after about 7:00 in the morning I would feel fine and ready to face the day. But because I complete work at the local nursing home at 11:00 pm, an early morning schedule will not work. I need at least 10 hours of sleep each day.

If you too are struggling to complete every day tasks and wish you had a handy merry maid to help you along the way...there is hope.

Whether you have a young baby, are recovering from being sick, trying to catch up after having guests, or you are just behind on your cleaning, sometimes you may just look around and not know what to do, or where to start first.

First off, you're tired. Yet, you know that you can't leave the house as it is, or unwelcome pests will come in. You can almost hear the lines of ants just scrambling to get into your messy house and crawl on everything. Ugh... And, the thought is in the back of your head: what if you get an unexpected guest? The way the house is right now would be embarrassing!

You look in your kitchen, and mourn over the fact that you can't find your sink or your counter. They are covered in dirty dishes and dirty napkins. Your table still has dirty plates on it from that special dinner you hosted the night before. When you walk across the floor, you hear the yucky sticking sounds, as you unstick your feet from some invisible film of unidentifiable gunk that seemed to somehow find its way there.

Next, you look in the living room. What color was your carpet? It is covered in toys, books, papers, cookie crumbs, and yes,- even stuff that should be in the trash.

What happened?! Just a few days ago your house was clean and in order, but now it looks as if you never clean - at all. Oh the work to get everything back to normal again!

Where do you start? What should you do first? Do you have the energy? You're awfully tired...

Introducing your battle plan:

OPERATION CASTLE CLEAN (you are the queen of your castle/home. It's time to take control, and make your castle more inviting and homey.)

1. Gather all of your dirty laundry together and put it into baskets and line them up along a wall by your washing machine, and then start your first load, right away.

2. Go to the kitchen, and pile your dirty dishes on the counter. Put all dirty plates in one pile, and dirty bowls in another; stack the cups, and set the silverware in a pile, etc. Empty your sink as well. ALL dirty dishes get stacked and grouped on the counter by the sink.

3. Put your stack of dirty plates in your empty sink first, then, if there's room, put some or all of the bowls on top of the plates. Put the silverware on the sides, around the plates and bowls.

4. Either fill your sink with hot soapy water and hand wash the dishes, or start running hot water on them, and prewash them and stick them into the dishwasher. Once your sink is empty, add more dirty dishes to it from the counter, if there are still some to do. Get all of them done and out of the way.

NOTE: Did you notice that once you sorted and organized the dirty dishes, they fit in the sink better, and didn't look like as much work? Admit it - washing dishes didn't take as long as you thought it would, did it? ;-)

5. You may not believe me, but you're almost done already! Once you finish the dishes, go see if your laundry needs rebooting, and get the next load ready if it's time.

6. Moving on... Start at one end of your house, and go from room to room, changing trashes and putting things away. Work your way to the other end of the house.

NOTE: The hardest parts are over! The next few steps are quick and easy...

7. Reboot laundry if needed, and empty dishwasher if applicable.

8. Put toilet bowl cleaner in your toilets, and let it sit for a while.

9. Grab a wet wash rag, and run it over your kitchen table and counters and sink, then over the bathroom counters and sinks. Make sure you do bathrooms after the kitchen, not before. Once you are done, throw the washcloth into the laundry, then grab your toilet scrubber and scrub the toilets and flush them.

10. Do a quick sweeping of the kitchen and bathrooms. Don't worry about moving chairs and such, just sweep around them. This is just a quick sweep, not a major floor sweepage.

11. Grab your mop, and run some hot water over it. Mop over the sticky and visible dirty spots on your kitchen floor. Do this in the bathrooms next, if they look like they need it.

12. Vacuum the living room and hallway next.

DONE! Your house is presentable, and it didn't take very long, did it? Now make a list of your major cleaning chores, and divide those tasks up for each day of the week, (take the weekends OFF) and go for it. Your palace will be sparkling again in no time. :-)

-cleaning list provided by Candy at myblessedhome.blogspot.com

Household hints and list of utensils required for succesful working

SOFT SOAP.

All mutton and ham fat should be melted and strained into a large stone pot. The practice of throwing lumps of fat into a pot, and waiting till there are several pounds before trying them out, is a disgusting one, as often such a receptacle is alive with maggots. Try out the fat, and strain as carefully as you would lard or beef drippings, and it is then always ready for use. If concentrated lye or potash, which comes in little tins, is used, directions will be found on the tins. Otherwise allow a pound of stone potash to every pound of grease. Twelve pounds of each will make a barrel of soft soap.

Crack the potash in small pieces. Put in a large kettle with two gallons of water, and boil till dissolved. Then add the grease, and, when melted, pour all into a tight barrel. Fill it up with boiling water, and for a week, stir daily for five or ten minutes. It will gradually become like jelly.

TO PURIFY SINKS AND DRAINS.

To one pound of common copperas add one gallon of boiling water, and use when dissolved. The copperas is poison, and must never be left unmarked.

FURNITURE POLISH.

Mix two tablespoonfuls of sweet or linseed oil with a tablespoonful of turpentine, and rub on with a piece of flannel, polishing with a dry piece.

TO KEEP EGGS.

Be sure that the eggs are fresh. Place them points down in a stone jar or tight firkin, and pour over them the following brine, which is enough for a hundred and fifty:—

One pint of slacked lime, one pint of salt, two ounces of cream of tartar, and four gallons of water. Boil all together for ten minutes; skim, and, when cold, pour it over the eggs. They can also be kept in salt tightly packed, but not as well.

TO MAKE HARD WATER SOFT.

Dissolve in one gallon of boiling water a pound and a quarter of washing soda, and a quarter of a pound of borax. In washing clothes allow quarter of a cup of this to every gallon of water.

TO TAKE OUT FRUIT-STAINS.

Stretch the stained part tightly over a bowl, and pour on boiling water till it is free from spot.

TO TAKE OUT INK-SPOTS.

Ink spilled upon carpets or on woolen table-covers can be taken out, if washed at once in cold water. Change the water often, and continue till the stain is gone.

MIXED SPICES.

Three heaping tablespoonfuls of ground cinnamon, one heaping one each of clove and mace, and one even one of allspice. Mix thoroughly, and use for dark cakes and for puddings.

SPICE SALT.

Four ounces of salt; one of black pepper; one each of thyme, sweet marjoram, and summer savory; half an ounce each of clove, allspice, and mace; quarter of an ounce of cayenne pepper; one ounce of celery salt. Mix all together; sift three times, and keep closely covered. Half an ounce will flavor a stuffing for roast meat; and a tablespoonful is nice in many soups and stews.

TO WASH GREASY TIN AND IRON.

Pour a few drops of ammonia into every greasy roasting-pan, first half-filling with warm water. A bottle of ammonia should always stand near the sink for such uses. Never allow dirty pots or pans to stand and dry; for it doubles the labor of washing. Pour in water, and use ammonia, and the work is half done.

TO CLEAN BRASS AND COPPER.

Scrape a little rotten-stone fine, and make into a paste with sweet oil. Rub on with a piece of flannel; let it dry, and polish with a chamois-skin. Copper is cleaned either with vinegar and salt mixed in equal parts, or with oxalic acid. The latter is a deadly poison, and must be treated accordingly.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

As many families have no scales for weighing, a table of measures is given which can be used instead. Weighing is always best, but not always convenient. The cup used is the ordinary coffee or kitchen cup, holding half a pint. A set of tin measures, from a gill up to a quart, is very useful in all cooking operations.

One quart of sifted flour is one pound.

One pint of granulated sugar is one pound.

Two cups of butter packed are one pound.

Ten eggs are one pound.

Five cupfuls of sifted flour are one pound.

A wine-glassful is half a gill.

Eight even tablespoonfuls are a gill.

Four even saltspoonfuls make a teaspoonful.

A saltspoonful is a good measure of salt for all custards, puddings, blancmanges, &c.

One teaspoonful of soda to a quart of flour.

Two teaspoonfuls of soda to one of cream of tartar.

The teaspoonful given in all these receipts is just rounded full, not heaped.

Two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder to one quart of flour.

One cup of sweet or sour milk as wetting for one quart of flour.

TIME TABLE FOR ROASTED MEATS.

Beef, from six to eight pounds, one hour and a half, or twelve minutes to the pound.

Mutton, ten minutes to the pound for rare; fifteen for well-done.

Lamb, a very little less according to age and size of roast.

Veal, twenty minutes to a pound.

Pork, half an hour to a pound.

Turkey of eight or ten pounds weight, not less than three hours.

Goose of seven or eight pounds, two hours.

Chickens, from an hour to an hour and a half.

Tame ducks, one hour.

Game duck, from thirty to forty minutes.

Partridges, grouse, &c., half an hour.

Pigeons, half an hour.

Small birds, twenty minutes.

TIME TABLE FOR BOILED MEATS.

Beef à la mode, eight pounds, four hours.

Corned beef, eight pounds, four hours.

Corned or smoked tongue, eight pounds, four hours.

Ham, eight or ten pounds, five hours.

Mutton, twenty minutes to a pound.

Veal, half an hour to a pound.

Turkey, ten pounds, three hours.

Chickens, one hour and a half.

Old fowls, two or three hours.

TIME TABLE FOR FISH.

Halibut and salmon, fifteen minutes to a pound.

Blue-fish, bass, &c., ten minutes to a pound.

Fresh cod, six minutes to a pound.

Baked halibut, twelve minutes to a pound.

Baked blue-fish, &c., ten minutes to a pound.

Trout, pickerel, &c., eight minutes to a pound.

TIME TABLE FOR VEGETABLES.

Half an hour,—Pease, potatoes, asparagus, rice, corn, summer squash, canned tomatoes, macaroni.

Three-quarters of an hour,—Young beets, young turnips, young carrots and parsnips, baked potatoes (sweet and Irish), boiled sweet potatoes, onions, canned corn, tomatoes.

One hour,—New cabbage, shelled and string beans, spinach and greens, cauliflower, oyster-plant, and winter squash.

Two hours,—Winter carrots, parsnips, turnips, cabbage, and onions.

Three to eight hours,—Old beets.

TIME TABLE FOR BREAD, CAKES, ETC.

Bread,—large loaves, an hour; small loaves, from half to three-quarters of an hour.

Biscuits and rolls, in from fifteen to twenty minutes.

Brown bread, steamed, three hours.

Loaves of sponge cake, forty-five minutes; if thin, about thirty.

Loaves of richer cake, from forty-five minutes to an hour.

Fruit cake, about two hours, if in two or three pound loaves.

Small thin cakes and cookies, from ten to fifteen minutes. Watch carefully.

Baked puddings, rice, &c., one hour.

Boiled puddings, three hours.

Custards to be watched and tested after the first fifteen minutes.

Batter puddings baked, forty-five minutes.

Pie-crust, about half an hour.

DEVILED HAM.

For this purpose, use either the knuckle or any odds and ends remaining. Cut off all dark or hard bits, and see that at least a quarter of the amount is fat. Chop as finely as possible, reducing it almost to a paste. For a pint-bowl of this, make a dressing as follows:—

One even tablespoonful of sugar; one even teaspoonful of ground mustard; one saltspoonful of Cayenne pepper; one teacupful of good vinegar. Mix the sugar, mustard, and pepper thoroughly, and add the vinegar little by little. Stir it into the chopped ham, and pack it in small molds, if it is to be served as a lunch or supper relish, turning out upon a small platter and garnishing with parsley.

For sandwiches, cut the bread very thin; butter lightly, and spread with about a teaspoonful of the deviled ham. The root of a boiled tongue can be prepared in the same way. If it is to be kept some time, pack in little jars, and pour melted butter over the top.

This receipt should have had place under "Meats," but was overlooked.

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LIST OF UTENSILS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL WORKING.

TIN WARE.

One boiler for clothes, holding eight or ten gallons.—Two dish-pans,—one large, one medium-sized.—One two-quart covered tin pail.—One four-quart covered tin pail.—Two thick tin four-quart saucepans.—Two two-quart saucepans.—Four measures, from one gill to a quart, and broad and low, rather than high.—Three tin scoops of different sizes for flour, sugar, &c.—Two pint and two half-pint molds for jellies.—Two quart molds.—One skimmer with long handle.—One large and one small dipper.—Four bread-pans, 10x4x4.—Three jelly-cake tins.—Six pie-plates.—Two long biscuit-tins.—One coffee-pot.—One colander.—One large grater.—One nutmeg-grater.—Two wire sieves; one ten inches across, the other four, and with tin sides.—One flour-sifter.—One fine jelly-strainer.—One frying-basket.—One Dover egg-beater.—One wire egg-beater.—One apple-corer.—One pancake-turner.—One set of spice-boxes, or a spice-caster.—One pepper-box.—One flour-dredger.—One sugar-dredger.—One biscuit-cutter.—One potato-cutter.—A dozen muffin-rings.—Small tins for little cakes.—One muffin-pan.—One double milk-boiler, the inside boiler holding two quarts.—One fish-boiler, which can also be used for hams.—One deep bread-pan; a dish-pan is good, but must be kept for this.—One steamer.—One pudding-boiler.—One cake-box.—Six teaspoons.

WOODEN WARE.

One bread-board.—One rolling-pin.—One meat-board.—One wash-board.—One lemon-squeezer.—One potato-masher.—Two large spoons.—One small one.—Nest of wooden boxes for rice, tapioca, &c.—Wooden pails for graham and corn meal.—Chopping-tray.—Water-pail.—Scrubbing-pail.—Wooden cover for flour-barrel.—One board for cutting bread.—One partitioned knife-box.

IRON WARE.

One pair of scales.—One two-gallon pot with steamer to fit.—One three-gallon soup-pot with close-fitting cover.—One three-gallon porcelain-lined kettle, to be kept only for preserving.—One four or six quart one, for apple sauce, &c.—One tea-kettle.—One large and one small frying-pan.—Two Russia or sheet iron dripping-pans; one large enough for a large turkey.—Two gem-pans with deep cups.—Two long-handled spoons.—Two spoons with shorter handles.—One large meat-fork.—One meat-saw.—One cleaver.—One griddle.—One wire broiler.—One toaster.—One waffle-iron.—One can-opener.—Three pairs of common knives and forks.—One small Scotch or frying kettle.—One chopping-knife.—One meat-knife.—One bread-knife.—One set of skewers.—Trussing-needles.

EARTHEN AND STONE WARE.

Two large mixing-bowls, holding eight or ten quarts each.—One eight-quart lip-bowl for cake.—Half a dozen quart bowls.—Half a dozen pint bowls.—Three or four deep plates for putting away cold food.—Six baking-dishes of different sizes, round or oval.—Two quart blancmange-molds.—Two or three pitchers.—Two stone crocks, holding a gallon each.—Two, holding two quarts each.—One bean-pot for baked beans.—One dozen Mason's jars for holding yeast, and many things used in a store closet.—Stone jugs for vinegar and molasses.—Two or three large covered stone jars for pickles.—One deep one for bread.—One earthen teapot.—One dozen pop-over cups.—One dozen custard-cups.—Measuring-cup.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Scrubbing and blacking brushes.—Soap-dish.—Knife-board.—Vegetable-cutters.—Pastry-brush.—Egg-basket. —Market-basket.—Broom.—Brush.—Dust-pan.—Floor and sink cloths.—Whisk-broom.—Four roller-towels.—Twelve dish-towels.—Dishes enough for setting servants' table, heavy stone-china being best.

Taken from:

THE EASIEST WAY IN HOUSEKEEPING AND COOKING.
Adapted to Domestic Use or Study in Classes

BY
HELEN CAMPBELL,
Copyright 1903