I moved from town to the country, five years ago. I leased a small farm until my house in town sold and I could buy my own place. At the time I was leasing, I was a single woman that left a beautiful home in town, everyone thought I had lost my mind, but it was a wonderful time for me and my kids. There is something very special about growing up in the country. I could never get it out of my blood and wanted my kids to learn how to take care of themselves by growing our own food and living a simpler life. My house in town sold, I married a wonderful man and now live on 10 acres that is paid for. The first year we cleared land, burned brush, trimmed trees. The second, started fencing 4 acres for my horses with a rail fence, burned more stump piles, put in raised beds for a small garden, drilled another well (the first was basically a dry hole), started landscaping with lasagna gardening, planted tons of dry land pasture mix, hauled tons of compost material home for future gardens, put up a 12 by 24 greenhouse, built two sheds for horses and hay. This year, we tore down a 1913 barn to reuse the timbers for our future home, timberframe style, built a 36 by 48 new pole building for storing the old barn wood and future barn for horses, setting up a new garden area, fenced with a cedar fence that I tore down for free, hauling tons more compost material home and planning a dual purpose building for chickens and rabbits to raise starting in the spring. Its alot of work to move out and get set up in the country and don't kid yourself, lots of money. I went to part time work and my hubby works lots of overtime at the moment, but everything is paid for. I wanted my animals set up before we started building our home (we bought a 95 single wide that we moved), and the property fenced. I couldn't have it all, so opted to do the animals first. Its going to take us five years to get there, but for me its worth it not to be in debt. I have had lots of people interested in a plant sale that I hope to put on this next spring. I have been working on this all year, gathering pots, making compost and having people stop by to look at the gardens. I don't know if this will work, but from most tell me that they can't wait till I get going. I also planted lots of extras so that I could give a pot of basil or whatever to those that stopped by. They have told me that its the best plants they have ever got, compost rules! By putting in lasagna gardens, which most have never heard of in this area, I am doing something different that people want to see. When they see plants that are so healthy, they compare them to plants in the stores and will want a start of yours. One lady seen my experimental garden, made with raised beds out of straw bales and was so excited that she might be able to garden again without the maintenance of a regular garden. She is 80! Its also a very good material that holds water in drought conditions that we all seem to have. Do something different that gets attention, we are all bored with the same old gardens! This does not happen overnight, but you can start to plan, set your goals and reach them.

I have two in Antrhacite, and two 11 yos and a 17 mo. So far we've not broken anything in the sink, though it's only been a couple of months. The older two clear the table and put dishes in the sink (will train them to load the DW as soon as I've figured out the best system). I've not had a stainless sink but my mom has previously and now has Silgranit. She's not had any problems with it, and the Silgranit is much easier to keep looking clean than the SS. Here are my suggestions (it's not too early to start any of these): 1. Train them NOT to clear their dishes and put them in the sink but to leave them on the table. But if they can learn that, they can learn the next two: 2. Train them to clear their dishes and put them in the sink carefully. OR 3. Train them to put breakable things beside the sink. In addition, keep a dishpan of soapy water on one side instead of in the sink itself. That will free up some space in the sink and provide a little cushion, as long as they are not literally tossing a glass in on top of another glass.

Good ideas, Talley_Sue. I'd like for her to be able to make these choices and feel positive about it. Elbow room is one of those things I'm just learning to appreciate in a whole new way, and hopefully she will acquire that if I can pare down more and more and set that good example. She has been good about putting some things away- outgrown books, we've packed away. We had some toys that we boxed for storage overhead, and that seemed like a big step, but at the last minute she changed her mind and wanted them back in her room. For now, she fits fairly well in her room, providing things are in their place, but her closet is a feat in organization. This morning as we were heading out the door, I commented to her that I had gotten another couple of boxes of my stuff together and needed to arrange for another thrift store pick-up. She said, "Great! More room for me!" Um, no.... I think that is one of my biggest fears- that as I minimize my belongings, DH and DD's stuff will just filter into the elbow-room spaces and it will be as though the house only belongs to them :( So far, I've done well keeping open spaces open, but who knows what will happen in the future- stuff has a way of taking over if it's not wrangled.

oh to have them all that young again...the 16 yo want's some fancy eyeshadow with chocolate..OMG the darn thing is her entire $50...are you kidding me?? worse is her sister wanted a $150 fitbit...well that isn't happening! with 9 kids to buy for I have to keep a strict budget...now the littlest one 3, wanted a glitter hair Barbie (another omg) but at least I had enough left for her safety helmet for her trike...her brother wanted a sta rwars art kit...had a coupon for that...kind of made me mad though...had generic one at Costco that was huge...but as dh said star wars is on the hot list...ds1 wh just got divorced this year hasn't sent me a list for his 2...as much as dh hates them, they love money...(and have a LOT less to spend these days, sigh)