Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 50

If Cats Could Talk

Being a crabby cat, Nova?

Sleep On, Little Bees

Honeybees need a refreshing drink now and then.We're in the dead of winter, with freezing temperatures, dreary, gray skies, and snow but only a few days ago, it was almost springlike. We all took advantage of the beautiful weather, including the bees, who came out to quench their thirst and to see if the good weather was here to stay. Since we've had a few people ask how our beekeeping's been going, so here's an overview of how the year went.
Ahh! Bees! Oh, wait. No. They're flies that look&nb...

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is one of my favorite dips that always happens to be made at family gatherings. Though I didn't like it much until my taste buds matured a bit (a.k.a. not all kids are going to like it...except Henry. He'll eat anything), I now enjoy something that, while perhaps not entirely healthy, has some nutritional value in the spinach found within. I do love how versatile it is as a spread or dip--it's delicious on artisan breads, scooped up with tortilla chips or spread over crackers.

I...

Goats on the Run

Evelyn received a surprise package from Church headquarters.Way back when we lived in Iowa, we had an interesting, faith-building experience with a naughty pair of dwarf Nigerian goats, who though small, could leap like a deer on the run. It was memorable enough for Evelyn to want to write to The Friend magazine, our church's publication for children. It was about three years ago that Evelyn and I sat down at the computer and she dictated what she remembered of the experience.
Guess who got a...

The Rehomesteaders' 2017 Goals

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.  ~Ralph Waldo EmersonWhile I know a lot of people grumble about New Year's resolutions, setting and reviewing goals is one of my favorite things to do on January 1st. For goals to be effective, there has to be a time frame, so why not the beginning of the year? Though I know my list is hefty (I've been told a time or two that I'm trying to do too much), I like to write things down to remind and inspire myself to work hard...

New Year's Eve 2016

The last day of 2016 was a lot like any other Saturday. We cleaned, took care of the animals, worked on a few projects, and lazed around a bit. Around dinnertime, though, we started our traditional New Year's Eve party.
First, we went wild and crazy, setting up our new family-sized tent we'd received for Christmas. That thing is at least twice as spacious as our old tent and already, we're looking forward to using it (although Henry was kind of freaked out that we willing crawled into somethin...

Swimming with Dolphins

Dolphin spotting in the early morning.Way back when we took our trip to Florida, one of the things I was hoping to do was to swim with dolphins. While there's an aquarium nearby that offers it, it was an-arm-and-a-leg expensive and wasn't quite the experience I was looking for. So, I resigned myself to spotting dolphins from the beach early in the morning waaaaay out in the gulf. About mid-week, the whole family took a ferry out to Shell Island, where we walked along the beach, picking up...

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

Merry Christmas!The Christmas weekend was a whirlwind of festivities that always passes a little too quickly. While there are always glitches in the celebration--tears, fights, illness (mercifully we had our turn with the stomach bug before our Nebraska pilgrimage), meltdowns, hurt feelings, and on and on--for the most part, we really were able to enjoy ourselves.
 There was cookie decorating...  ...and treat making.  A few friendly duels of vintage video games. Plenty of...

You're So Lucky!

You're So Lucky!
I'm not sure if I'm lucky because I'm still pregnant or unlucky because I already have kids... ;) Either way, this clip always makes me laugh (along with Mother Power).

DIY Kid's Christmas Star Ornament

Here's a fun craft you can make with your kids to help decorate your Christmas tree or hand out to friends. They take less than five minutes to assemble and though simple, are adorable.
You'll Need:

Foam Craft Sheets
Pipe Cleaner
Fleece Scraps
Straw (or other dried grass)
Scissors
Hot Glue
1. Trace the desired size star onto the foam craft sheet. Cut out.
2. Glue pipe cleaner on the back of the star.
3. Glue straw onto the front of the star.
4. Trace coin onto the foam craft sheet. Cut out.
5....