Slaters' Funny Farm

2013 has been a year that has brought happiness, tears, smiles and fears to my family and many others across the United States. It has been a year that we have seen many good things happen on our little piece of the world, but we have also seen many things that have brought sadness and tears to the hearts of many. The year has not brought world peace and happiness to others, but I am hoping that 2014 will be a year where we will see more peace and prosperity than we have in many years.  While we seen things like the Boston Marathon bombing and the Sandy Hook elementary shootings that left many of us with wondering thoughts of what possesses people to do the things that the rest of us see as just unimaginable. Those injured and the families of those who suffered at the Boston Marathon were true victims of a monster and yet. as horrible as we all felt that was, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school was so much worse in my eyes. Innocent children taken by a lone gunman who ha...

Twas' the day before Christmas and all through the house, I am the only creature stirring except for the little dog. Actually, I am sitting here sending Christmas wishes to my friends and family while I am enjoy the lights from the tree and decorations before I go to work. Whether you work today, finish your shopping today, wrap gifts, or visit with family and friends today, try to slow down just a little and enjoy the Christmas spirit.  The holiday season seems to be filled with rushing around and so many people missing loved ones and being caught up in the shopping that I believe it would be nice if stores would close Christmas eve just so there were less choices in where we could be. Unfortunately, I have to work today and although, my children are older I still feel that I should be home with my family. I am looking forward to coming home early, getting my prep for tomorrow done and enjoying an evening with my husband and my daughter. I am looking forward to seeing my son tom...

"Duck Dynasty" is not one of my favorite shows, but I do feel that suspending Phil Robertson from the show is going to cause network A&E some major issues. Fans of the show are outraged with this decision and I can understand why. As a Christian, I can understand his point of view and as an American I believe that he is entitled to his freedom of speech.  He did not state his feelings about homosexuality on the television show, it was in an interview with GQ magazine and the interviewer asked for it. Why is it wrong for him to state his belief on it when it is not wrong for millions of homosexuals to march the streets of Washington DC and other places to ask for equal rights to marry their partners. As a country, it seems that we have double standards that we need to take a serious look at.  It is well known that Phil and the entire cast of "Duck Dynasty" are devout Christians so the question in general is almost ridiculous to ask. I am sure that the intervi...

Courtney slowly pulled into the log drive that leads to her family farm. Regretting her decision to return to the small town that she swore she would never return to, she opens the rusty truck door and looks around. The farm looks the same from the dilapidated barns to the old fences which used to hold the horses she loved so much. Since graduation, she had been on the road- new cities, new rodeos and shows, new adventures each week. Now, after a fall from her beloved quarter horse, Tyson, that left her unable to ride at the moment she was returning to the only home she had ever had. Not one that held fabulous memories, but the place that she knew as home. She wondered who was left in town. She wondered if anyone would recognize her. She wondered what life would be like her with her sister since her parents had passed. She had not returned for the funerals as she was out on the circuit and found no time to return. The show must go on, that was the truth,wasn't it? Her dad had alw...

 As many of you know, we are a home schooling family with a child that struggles with school. She is very intelligent but she struggles a great deal with math and reading. This has bothered me for a long time as I felt that I might not be doing my own job. However, I have decided that she learns things easily as long as she doesn't have to read the material on her own. It is easy to adjust to her learning style but it makes more work for me. I don't mind, but time gets away so easily. This year I wanted to try something new and we decided that science was the one subject that I don't like teaching, so finding an online science program was what I needed.  After asking several friends and home school parents for ideas, we discovered a great free site online that teaches many subjects and has complete programs online. It is known as  Easy Peasy Homeschool . This  site offers many high school subjects as well and you can go there from the link on the Easy Peasy site or...

This is not my usual farm blog post, but something that I feel parents need to be aware of  in any home - rural or suburban- even inner city. Parents need to know that if their child is speaking of "Molly" , they are not talking about the girl next door. "Molly", also known as MDMN or ectasy is the new drug of choice among many teens and college students. " Molly" is actually a purer form of ecstasy. "Molly" is a crystal or powder form of the drug, not the pill form. This drug was originally very popular in night clubs or 'raves', but many more cases of abuse of this drug are being seen all over the country. "Molly" or MDMA is a stimulant drug which can cause the heart to race and the blood pressure to rise. It depletes the brain of serotonin and can cause confusion, depression, sleep deprivation, drug cravings, and anxiety.Depleting this chemical can also cause the users body to not be able to regulate body temperature causin...

Cooking is one of my passions, but I don't seem to ever find the time to try new recipes or have time to make some of the homemade items that I would like to make. I am a huge fan of  The Pioneer Woman and I am always looking at recipes that she has done that my family might enjoy. Several weeks ago, I copied down a recipe for individual key lime pies that I was wanting to try. Being that yesterday was a little slower day than most, I decided that I would try to make the pies. I also decided that I would attempt to make homemade yeast rolls and I would also make venison steaks in the crock pot. So I put the steaks in and let them cook with brown gravy and beef bouillon on them. I started making the rolls and the pies. The dough for the rolls had to rise and the curd for the pies had to set for a couple of hours, but I managed to make the crust and whipped cream for the pies while I was waiting. The pies were easy to make but required several steps, but I enjoyed them and the f...

Good Sunday morning! As I sit here with my coconut coffee thinking about what the week has been like, I must say that God has blessed, even through some trials. My daughter and I went to a southern gospel sing last night and I must say that it was a true blessing! We heard three groups- The Naile Family, The Parsons, and The Talley's. Anyone who has ever seen the Talley's perform know what a blessing they are. However, I must say that last night they totally were the blessing that Columbus, Indiana needed. The entire church seemed touched by their music and I was brought to tears when Mrs. Talley told a story about being in a Walmart parking lot and seeing a young lady holding a sign asking for money. She started to ignore her but the Lord would not let her. As she spoke to the young woman she found out that the lady was without a job and had two small children at home, she was embarrassed to be there but her rent was due and she didn't know what else to do. ( In the area...

Summer is winding down with each weekend that we see go by and that is sad, but here it means that we are beginning to see harvesting done and that plants are ready to be picked and fresh vegetables are in abundance. My husband planted tomatoes, cucumbers,green onions, and green peppers. We have enjoyed several peppers and onions, but the tomatoes are not doing so well. It seems that the chickens like them as much as we do. A neighbor has given us more cucumbers and banana peppers that we could probably ever consume, but I am always looking for ways to use them. I greatly enjoy cucumbers sliced and dipped in ranch dressing. Friends are always nice to have when you are speaking of sharing the garden abundance. Yesterday, I purchased some corn from another friend and so tonight that is what is cooking in the kitchen. We prefer to freeze our corn for winter and I usually leave some on the cob and some off the cob and that is what I am doing at the moment. To prepare it to freeze eithe...

As in many other states in the United States, Indiana does participate in the Powerball lottery game. I usually don't buy tickets as I see it as a waste of money, but at times when the jackpot is extremely large, I will buy. Luckily, last nights' game, I did not buy a ticket for and I am thankful that I didn't . As I watch television this morning, I learn that the 448 million dollars was won by three different tickets in New Jersey and Minnesota. The winning numbers are 5,25,30,58,59 and Powerball number of 32.If you bought a ticket in either of those states, go check your numbers now. The chances of winning were one in over 700 million and I knew that my chances were very slim and I knew that I might as well spend the money on ice cream than on a ticket. Yes, it would be nice to win that type of money, but I am thankful for what I have and although we all dream what we could do with that type of money, I am also aware of the troubles that can come with this type of money...

Many people debate for hours on whether children should attend public school or be home schooled and there could be pros to each side of it, but I have not debated it any year since I started home schooling my daughters. This year as public schools are starting earlier than ever before, I am thankful that this debate is over for us. Our neighbors' kids all go to school today and while they are sitting in a classroom, my daughter and I will be able to do fun stuff together. Her dad is taking her fishing while I work and then we will possibly ride our horses after I return home. The temps are supposed to increase along with the humidity tomorrow and that will mean that we are not as active outside during the day, but it also means that once the sun starts going down ( usually after 8:30 p.m.) that she will be able to be outside while the other kids are going to be in order to attend school tomorrow. I have been working on school plans and I am excited to begin our new school year...

Paula Deen is in the news right now, but not for her cooking. She is being sued by a former employee and her show is being dropped by the Food Network at the end of June due to her admission of using derogatory language in the past. Paula has admitted in an interview to using the "N" word when commenting on a black man who had robbed her when she was a bank teller.  She has apologized, but I am sure that the media will just completely destroy her and her family with this news.  I personally don't understand why something that happened in the 80's is just now being brought up and I feel that she should not be dropped from the network just because of something that happened before her show was on the air. The public needs to remember that she was born and raised in southern Georgia and I am sure that she grew up hearing words like that daily. It is not an excuse, but I am sure that we have all said and done things that we should not have at some time in our lives.  As...

As I sit and watch the news this morning, I am thankful for the grace that God gave this city as that tornado roared through it. The massive tornado that Mother Nature had created could have easily taken hundreds of  lives, but it did not manage to do that in Moore, OK. A town that is home to country music superstar, Toby Keith, may be destroyed, but the people there will rebuild and will be stronger than ever. They have recovered once from a huge tornado and will this time as well. Although, the worst of the loss is with the families of the children lost in the storm while at school families will unite and this community will find a way to deal with the loss and move ahead from it. The spirit that I have seen with the interviews that have been on the many news stations is astounding! I personally have collected money, clothes, and I will be buying gloves today to take there or send with a dear friend. I know that there are many, many months of recovery and rebuilding and I am ...

I have a dear friend who has family and friends near Moore, OK and they have lost everything and I am so devastated as I sit and watch television this morning. Just knowing the loss that these people have suffered in just a matter of a few minutes is terrifying to me. I am a home school mom as many of you know and my daughter is asking that we do something to help. I am currently asking for donations from many sites so that I will have gas money to get there and back. We are collecting supplies (food, diapers, water, etc.) to make a delivery there. I am willing to do whatever they are needing to be done. I live in the country so the mud and dirt do not bother me. People, I know that we are all strapped for cash and I know that times are hard for many of us, but please give to some kind of aid for these families. Imagine if you were to go to work and come home to nothing. Many families unfortunately are also waking up to the realization that this storm took their most important and pr...

I treated my daughters to a Brad Paisley concert last night, as my youngest is a HUGE fan of his. They were both excited about going and although the weather was not perfect and the seats were only lawn seats at Klipsch Music Center, it turned out to be a fun and surprising night.The rain held out and they ended up with front row lawn seats.  The concert started with a performance by a family that the girls aren't sure of their names followed by acts by Chris Young and Lee Brice before Brad took the stage. After performing several of his big hits, the girls were surprised when Brad performed on a mini stage that was set up near the lawn seats. This allowed them a more up close and personal look at the singer. However, the biggest surprise of the night  was when he began to sing his hit song " Remind Me" and the one and only Carrie Underwood joined him on stage. Well, as my girls have grown up with American Idol and country music, this was a true surprise and a shocking ...

Well, a few days ago the calendar said that it was the first day of spring, but I believe someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. A rare heavy wet snow has blanketed the middle of our state. As I was sitting at the kitchen table this morning doing my daily devotions, I was reminded that "to every thing there is a season". It seems that only God knows when spring weather will arrive. The birds were out in force this morning at the bird feeder and I was wondering as I watched them if they were wondering if they should have stayed in the south a little longer. We have about 5 inches of snow on the ground and it is still snowing a little, which is more like a wet rain/sleet mix. We can be amazed at the works of the Lord or we can complain about the weather when things like this happen. I have decided that I will rejoice in the beauty that the snowfall has made as it hangs on the trees and I will not complain about the cold and the danger that the snow brings. I am sure that the...

Early mornings are my favorite time of the day. I woke up to go to work, but just sitting here in the quiet morning , reading my Bible and thanking God that I am able to do so without worrying that my Bible or life could be taken for doing so. We are lucky to have the freedom of religion in this country!  I am sure that mothers can relate to the beauty of a quiet morning! The few precious moments that it provides before the hustle and bustle of the day begins. I personally have many errands to run today and I also am meeting a friend today for coffee, which will be an added treat. May your day be peaceful and productive- That is my prayer for you today.

Today is a snow day for me! I am sitting here in my warm fuzzy snowman shirt and my stretch pants having hot tea and enjoying the sights that this wet, heavy snowfall has created. No, I truly can't say that I enjoy snow, but it is certainly nice to be off at both employers today and for the roads to be just cruddy enough that I can say I am not going anywhere. Yesterday my plan for today included lots of housework and cleaning while trying to do some school with my daughter and staying busy. However, today my plan seems to have changed. I have decided that most of the school work and house work can wait a day or two and we will enjoy the beauty that God created last night. I also have decided that so many of my online projects have been on hold way to long due to work and that this might just be God's way of saying that I needed a day to focus on other tasks. I really didn't give this blog much attention the past couple of months and that drives me crazy because I reall...

I enjoy watching football, but I always enjoy the commercials during the Super Bowl game almost as much as the game. At New Orleans game last night, the Super Bowl commercials were about as good and bad as I thought the game was. There were great commercials, okay commercials, and then some that lacked the luster and grandeur that should come with a Super Bowl ad. Budweiser usually does a great job with the commercials and once again, they have my vote for the best ad. The commercial that showed a rancher raising a colt and then sending it to Budweiser really brought tears to my eyes as he was later reunited with the horse. The horse was beautiful as most Clydesdale's are.If you missed it, you can see an extended version of the ad at YouTube . Once you get to the site, look for the video of the Budweiser Super Bowl commercial. Another winner in my opinion was the Dodge Ram truck. Being that the voice of Paul Harvey is well known, I feel that he was the perfect "announcer...

As promised earlier, I am using this blog to keep me organized and accountable as to the changes I need to make in my life and household. One of the main problems that I have had recently is trying to make meals that everyone likes and that I have the ingredients out of  the freezer and pantry that I need for the meal that I want to make. I find that my meal planning is not the best and so I find many evenings that I am rushing to find a meal that I can fix because I have not gotten anything out of the freezer to thaw to cook. Being that we live in a rural area and that we raise much of our own meat, I always have plenty of food in the freezer and so it is usually just a matter of being unprepared. I have decided that meals were easier when I used a meal plan or menu. I usually only make one to two weeks at a time, but I like to ask for ideas as well when I am planning. Tonight 's meal was not planned to be Pepper Steaks but as I was cleaning the freezer out I found some steaks t...

We find meatloaf to be a comfort food, especially in the winter, in our little farm home. I have finally found a new way of adding another veggie ( which is usually don't hard to get our family to eat- we love veggies) to our table- cabbage. A friend of mine suggested that I make meatloaf and add cabbage and potatoes to the pan. At first, I thought how odd, but was considering giving it a try. To make this delicious dish, make your favorite meatloaf recipe and dice potatoes and lay along side of the meatloaf in the roaster. Cut cabbage into wedges and lay on the potatoes along side the meatloaf and make sure that some of it can get some of the grease from the meat on it. Add just a little water into the pan and bake for the length of time that you normally bake your favorite meatloaf. If anyone tries this, I would be excited to hear how you and your family reacted to it. Mine loved it! BASIC MEATLOAF RECIPE 1 - 1 1\2 pounds ground chuck 2 eggs 1\2 cup diced onions 1 sm...

Well, here it is mid January and I am trying to finally organize myself a little more and I am trying to hold myself a little more accountable for what I do and do not do in a day's time. First of all, I am working two jobs now and still doing the animal chores, the housework, home schooling my daughter, and keeping up with 4-H and all other scheduled activities. I really don't mind and my husband works just as hard as I do so I don't feel right complaining so this isn't a complaining session. I am actually going to make this blog be a part of my daily life this year and I intend to hold myself accountable on here and see where I can make some changes to make things easier and I am looking at ways to cut costs anywhere I can. I don't normally use coupons because I don't see that they save much unless you buy a lot of name brand items and sometimes items that we normally do not buy. I don't know of any store near us that doubles coupons so as I've seen ...