Anatolian Shepherds Page

Monday, March 30, 2009

The Almquist Family - "Forever Wild"

Last night EMHE was about a family in Phelan, CA that helps out a lot of abandoned and abused exotic animals through their exotic animal sanctuary, "Forever Wild." Kind of like our local "Cat Tales." These are animals that someone decided was a cute and cuddly baby, but then didn't want any more when that baby grew up to be an unpredictable wild animal. Some of the large cats had been de-clawed, and it sounds like that is not very successful in big cats, because it seems that many of them had to have surgeries to correct serious problems from the original de-clawing. So sad. My heart goes out to any animal that is placed in a home and then abandoned. These animals can never be introduced into the wild, because they've been taken care of all their lives. The only thing that will happen is that they will go looking for someone to take care of them.

In addition to large cats, there were tortoises, horses, dogs, pigs, goats, a deer, a parrot of some kind, and many varieties of (poisonous) snakes.

The Almquist Family was running this learning facility to care for the animals, but their house was falling apart, and infested with mice. They were spending their own money to provide meat for the animals, and preparing it in their own kitchen. The Dad (Joel) had been recently laid off from his job.

EMHE built them a new home plus a really impressive new learning center, with a specialty kitchen for the animal food preparation, and housing for the animals, complete with play yard. They provided solar panels to offset 70% of the electricity needed to operate the facility. They were given 4-year college educations for their four children. A brand new Ford F150 truck that had a computer and printer built into it (That's so cool!)

EMHE sent them to Costa Rica on vacation (glorious warmth!), and the family was given the opportunity to work at another facility there helping build a bridge so that monkeys wouldn't get electrocuted on power lines or ran over by cars crossing the busy streets.

What an interesting family, and what an impressive build. It held my attention for two hours!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Number of Families served 2008/2009... so far!

I just got through crunching numbers from "A Hope and A Future's Donation Station." Guess what? We've had the opportunity to serve 1835 people involved in foster and adoptive care since our season began September 2008!


Whoo Hoo! No wonder we're tired!


UPDATE: The EMHE application has been sent!

Yesterday (March 10, 2009), I sent our application package off to ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. It should arrive around 12:00 Noon today (originally, March 11, 209.)

I sent them:
- 4 mini DVD's full:
- Of our home
- A Hope and A Future's "Donation Station"
- Interview's with wonderful people that help support Donation Station
- Interview's with wonderful people that use Donation Station
- Interview with my beautiful 93-year old grandmother
- My interview

In addition I sent:
- Approximately 100 pictures
- The nearly 20 pages of application
- Oh, and a nice copy of our property via Google Earth (their newest was from 2003).

Boy I hope I got everything! I have fretted and fussed for over 4 weeks trying to coordinate everything. Gather the information. Wake up in the middle of the night, thinking of things I'd like to include, without telling them what to do. I have such complete confidence in this process. They are fully capable of asking us, if they need the information. The past 1-1/2 weeks was pretty intense!

It was hard work, but I am happy to do it. I was even happier to have it done. Now, I have to let it go. I still find myself, thinking of stuff I could have given them to make them want to PICK ME!

If we are chosen, at some point I won't be allowed to update this. It's against the rules, and makes it impossible to surprise you all. So don't expect that we can tell you "insider" information. If chosen, I'll be as quiet as a mouse.


What you can expect, if you know us, is that if we are chosen... just as soon as we are approved to, you'll be invited over to fully enjoy the blessing we will have been given. 


Update From US Post Office:
Label/Receipt Number: EB99 5241 560U S
Associated Label/Receipt:
Detailed Results:

Delivered, March 11, 2009, 3:23 pm, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Notice Left, March 11, 2009, 10:29 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, March 11, 2009, 10:25 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, March 11, 2009, 10:12 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Unit, March 11, 2009, 7:18 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90009
Processed, March 10, 2009, 5:10 pm, SPOKANE, WA 99224
Acceptance, March 10, 2009, 4:00 pm, SPOKANE, WA 99205

Extreme Makeover Home Edition!



I can't help thinking: Wouldn't it be awesome to have Ty Pennington, and The Design Team show up at my house yelling through a megaphone: “Good Morning, Grytdal Family! Glenn, Carla, Kolina, Parker, Ben and Molly! Wake up and come out here!” I can see myself and my family running out the front door, laughing, and crying. I’d hug each one of them. So glad to see them, so thankful they were here!

Every Sunday, for the past four years we’ve made sure we are ready precisely at 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Pacific Time) I sit in my chair, lately with a quilt on cause it’s so cold outside. Sometimes with a six year old on my lap, because he can sense that mom might need to snuggle one of her children before the show’s done.

I can remember the stage, where Ben wanted me to make his hair “spicey, just like Ty’s!” I can’t tell you how many time’s I’ve cried pools of tears because the families were so wonderful, and so deserving. I have cried because the house was so perfect for the site and so perfect for the family. I’ve cried because some child would have a better life, because if it.

I can envision us showing our 1067 square foot home to
Ty. Telling him the problems with our house, and why it doesn’t work for us, any more. I’d tell him why my fourteen year old daughter has no place to go to read at night, because her three year old sister will wake up if she goes in their bedroom to read. They share a 10'X10' room. The same situation is true of my thirteen and six year old sons. The older two have both been known to go outside to our mini van to read in peace. That's a lot more comfortable in the summer than it is right now!


I’d show him our small kitchen, which isn't big enough for a dinner table. There isn't a dining room. I'd explain that I love to invite people over, but I haven't had a place to put them for many years. I'd explain that my youngest son has a food allergy, and that I cook most of our food at home, because it is healthier for all of us, and much better for him. I love to provide locally grown food for my family.

I’d show him the mold on the bathroom ceiling, because the fan can’t keep up with six people showering/bathing. I'd show him the second bath tub, which we can't use because it has a crack in the bottom, and we can't afford to remove and replace it. The bathroom is so small, we'd have to replace the tub/shower with a shower stall, only. It's been storage for our extra stuff for at least four years.

I’d show him the places in our kitchen and our living room where the decorative molding is separating from the wall/ceiling due to settling of our house. I'd show him the sink in the kitchen, and how the facing is separating from the wall. And I’d show him how the house is set up on cinder blocks for a foundation.

How there are no sidewalks and no mud room, and why that is a bad thing with four children.

I would tell him why we had to give up our Washington State Foster Care license last September after six years, because there wasn’t any more bedrooms to put foster children in. How two of our four children were adopted from the Child Welfare System, and why I am so proud of them.

The Design Team would each choose one of my children to “get to know them” so they can design the perfect room for them. How do they do that? They get it right every time!

I’d love to tell them about the non-profit organization: “A Hope and A Future” which I am the (volunteer) Executive Director of, and which helps foster and adoptive families. I am one of three founders of this organization.

Foster and Adoptive families are some of the most giving people in our society. They give their time. They give their money. They give their homes, wisdom, and families. And they give their hearts.

A Hope and A Future is the only service organization in our area, available to encourage and help retain the entire foster and adoptive family in a tangible way. We provide new and gently-used clothing and household goods. We serve an average of between 55 and 75 families each month (over 300 people.) And we serve the entire family (biological, adoptive and foster.)

Right now we don’t have a building, or office of our own. My living room and bedroom are the office and file room. A well-used laptop (Mac PowerBook G4) was donated to us, and it has been an magnificent help for the past two years. An incredible donation of a brand new printer last year, was so helpful. The Five-Mile Prairie Grange is very generously allowing us the use of their facilities. At this time, and for the past five years, we have needed to transport all of our donated goods by U-Haul; set up; host “Donation Station;” and then tear down; and transport back to our rented storage unit; and store. All within approximately six hours. It takes about 25-30 volunteers to host "Donation Station" each month, and we are getting tired.

We could set up our free “store” permanently. Organizing the clothing by size, on hanging racks. We've gathered hanging racks, over the past several years and they are on the North side of our shop. The household goods could be organized on display racks and tables. We'd love to be able to serve foster and adoptive families better and more often. We could help out on an emergency basis, when a child shows up at a foster home at 2:00 a.m. without any clothes. When the police close down the meth house they live in, all their clothes and toys have to be destroyed. Some times all they have is the blanket they were given after the hazardous incident “shower.” D.C.F.S. simply does not have the storage available to provide the necessary clothing for all the children they help. We could provide pajamas, a clean stuffed animal, a few toys, and clothing for the next day. And then they could come back and we could provide them with more! We can always use new and gently-used pajamas, diapers, and clothing of all sizes, for all ages.

We could add so many additional services to area foster and adoptive families, if we could just have a place where we can set up permanently. I envision a lounge area for foster and adoptive parents to enjoy while waiting for children to finish visitations, physical therapies, psychological therapies, etc. “Coffee, Tea, or Soda?” A safe comfortable place, with a play room, and reading room to enjoy with their other children, not participating in court ordered services. I have a dream of a professional choir made up of foster children. One that tours to places they can only dream of, in order to raise awareness of America’s invisible children, of all races/ethnicities. Also office space.

Sunday night is the only night that Ben is allowed to stay up past bedtime. He loves the show so much, how could we prevent him from seeing people gathering together from all over America, giving of their time. Giving of their money; giving because it is the right thing to do for others; giving because it is truly better than receiving. Brought together by the awesome personalities of Ty Pennington, Michael Maloney, Paige Hemmis, Ed Sanders, Paul DiMeo, Tracy Hutson, Tanya McQueen, Rib Hillis, John Littlefield, Didiayer Snyder, and Eduardo Xol.

Remember the episode where Ed Sanders got his hand severely injured by a saw while building a unique (and extremely beautiful) piece of furniture for the bedroom he was working on? It was miserable weather, and they were way behind. Everyone was so tired, and he made a mistake, and it hurt him, badly. I was truly worried about him, and was so glad when he recovered and was able to return to the show! I love his british accent, and how he pesters “Pauli” (Paul DeMeo.) And Pauli... he’s such a hoot! I love Paige Hemmis. She is so intelligent and talented, and is such an incredible role model for women. I would love it if my daughter’s would use their intelligence and learn to be handy, like that! And Michael Maloney... how can you not just fall in love with his perpetually cheery personality, and phenomenal smile?

We are always impressed with the "Green" builds. We love the idea of solar and wind power. My husband is particularly interested in that part of the show, since he is a Stationary Engineer and an HVAC Technician by trade.

He has the illustrious distinction of being Spokane County's budget cut, not just once... but twice! You know the drill. Last one hired; first one laid off. Now the wonderful news is that he has always been employed. We are a single income family, and I think he would work for a fast food restaurant, if he had too, in order to provide. But we have lost a lot of our personal income, to their budget cuts. 'Nuf said!

So what am I doing? Why, I’ll tell you! I am gathering together the information to send in to ABC. I am completing my application package (I'm making a list, and checking it twice!) And if you know my family, and you feel inspired to do so, I am providing you all the links to nominate our family. But only if you want to.

I long to hear the words: “Bus driver, move that bus!" and “Welcome home, Grytdal family, Welcome home!”



Glitter Text Generator
Extreme Makeover Home Edition Applications - Click here if you or someone you know can be helped by the Extreme Makeover Home Edition team. (Off KXLY’s website)

Today’s “Home Brew”- Secret to great iced coffee without great expense


Thank you Southern Plate! I got some of this on my counter "brewing" for tomorrow, right now!

Create Seed Starting Pots From Newspaper

Here's another Seed Starting Newspaper Pot idea! Thanks Grocery Cart Challenge!


How to Create Seed-Starting Pots From Newspapers Powered by eHow.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Make Your Own Cleaners

This is a great article for Spring Cleaning time!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009


Go Green Upside Down Hanging Planters - More DIY How To Projects

Topsy-turvy Tomatoes

Topsy-turvy Tomatoes

Tomato plants love the sun, so even if you plant them upside down, they'll find their way to the light. For a fun family project, give it a try and see for yourself. You can buy hanging planters from garden suppliers (such as gardeners.com) or make your own. Here's how.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Sturdy bucket with a metal handle and cover
Drill with large bit
Sphagnum moss
Tomato seedling
Dirt and compost

Time needed: About 2 to 3 Hours
1. Thoroughly clean out the bucket. Drill and cut a hole about 2 to 3 inches in diameter in the bottom of the bucket (a parent's job). Put some moss in the bottom of the bucket all around the hole to keep the tomato plant from falling out when you first hang the bucket.

2. Gently thread the upper 2 to 3 inches of the seedling through the hole, keeping the roots inside the bucket. While you hold the plant in place, have your child loosely pack dirt around the stem up to the root-ball. Then you can let go and add enough soil to cover the roots by about 2 inches.

3. Add a couple of cups of compost and more soil so the bucket is filled to just an inch or two below the rim.


4. Hang the bucket by its handle and water the plant thoroughly, until water starts running out of the hole. Water the tomato plant regularly, adding more soil and fertilizer if the level in the bucket falls. Keeping the bucket covered will help retain some moisture. As the plant grows out of the bottom of the bucket, its leaves will curl up toward the sun in search of the light until the tomato fruit appears and weighs them down.

Carla's Notes: There are some great buckets to use at Home Depot for about $2.38 each (in our area.) A serious savings over the original of this product. Also, remember that these are significantly heavier than a normal hanging planter, especially with water in it. Make sure you hang it in a VERY sturdy spot.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Lend a Hand

Lend a hand to one another,
In the daily toils of life;
When we meet a weaker brother,
Let us help him in the strife.
There is none so rich but may,
In his turn, be forced to borrow;
And the poor man’s lot to-day
May become our own to-morrow.

Lend a hand to one another:
When malicious tongues have thrown;
Dark suspicion on your brother,
Be not prompt to cast a stone.
There is none so good that may,
Run adrift in shame and sorrow,
And the good man of to-day.
May become the bad to-morrow.

Lend a hand to one another;
In the race for Honor’s crown;
Should it fall upon your brother,
Let not envy tear it down.
Lend a hand to all, we pray,
In their sunshine or their sorrow:
And the prize they’ve won to-day
May become our own to-morrow.


  • Out of the McGuffey Readers
  • EMHE - The Bell Family


    14 year old Lizzie Bell, from Tuscon, AZ, has a rare blood decease that requires her to receive blood transfusions. There are only about 750 people in the whole world who have this decease. She is dedicated to inspire people to give blood. What a noble cause! This story will help so many people.

    Although I am unable to give blood, do to a childhood illness, Glenn is a member of the "Gallon Club" at our local blood bank. He is one of only 7% of all people that have O negative blood. This is the type of blood that is the most universal in the ability to give to others. It means that in a pinch, if there is not enough blood of a specific type, they can transfuse O negative blood. Unfortunately, that also means that he is only able to receive O negative blood. But thankfully, he has never needed a blood transfusion.

    The design team gave the Bell Family a beautiful "green" home, complete with solar power, and tube skylighting. There was a wonderful outdoor kitchen for entertaining in the Arizona outdoors.

    Ty made Lizzies room his "special project." She loves the color yellow and designing clothes. Ty made her room an incredible and bright shade of yellow, and took one of her designs and had it make up into the first of her own line of clothing "A Positive" How special is that? It was really cute, by the way... I think she has talent!

    One of the things that Lizzie said is: "If you give blood only one time a year, you are saving a persons life. It might be an accident victim, or it might be someone, like me." WOW! Make's it worth it, that little pin prick. It sure makes it worth it.

    Good job, Lizzie.

    Cinnamon Apple Rice

    4 Eggs + 1 Egg's Egg Whites
    2 Cups Of Apples Chopped Well
    1 1/2 Cups Cooked White Rice
    1/2 Cup Dates
    1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
    3/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
    2 Tablespoon Butter Or Margarine
    1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla
    1 Teaspoon Nutmeg [optional]

    In a large mixing bowl combine 4 eggs, apples, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, rice, dates and sugar, blend together gently. In another small mixing bowl add the egg whites and whisk until you create stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into the other mixing bowl. Add all into a large baking dish and sprinkle the cinnamon on top the dish. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and bake the dish in a water bath for 1 hour. Garnish with apple wedges. Serve hot or cold. Refrigerate left overs. For water bath just place baking dish into another baking pan that has 1 inch of water in it.

    Spanish Rice

    Spanish Rice

    6 Bacon Slices
    1 Medium Onion Chopped Well
    1 Small Green Pepper Finally Chopped
    1 Can Cut Tomato's, 28oz
    1 Cup Cold Water
    3/4 Cup Long Grain Rice
    1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
    1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
    1 Teaspoon Salt + 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
    1 Pinch Fresh Ground Pepper
    5 Drops Hot Sauce

    In a large skillet cook bacon to a crisp. Lay bacon on paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon and set aside for later use. Save 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings and add finally chopped onion and finally chopped green pepper until tender but still crispy. Stir in can of tomatoes will juice, cold water, long grain rice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, chili powder, pepper and drops of hot sauce, cover and simmer 30 minutes until rice is done. Top with bacon.

    Cajun Fried Rice

    Cajun Fried Rice

    1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
    1 Teaspoon Cooking Sherry
    1 Teaspoon Sugar Water
    2 Medium Garlic Clove Minced + 1 Teaspoon Gingerroot Minced
    2 Teaspoons Hot Sauce
    3 Large Eggs
    1 Teaspoon Table Salt
    2 Tablespoon Pure Peanut Oil + 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
    1 Medium Onion Chopped + 1/2 Cup Bean Sprouts
    3 Cups Cold Cooked Rice

    In small mixing bowl, add soy sauce, half sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce blend well and set aside. In another small mixing bowl, mix 1/2 table salt, the rest of the sesame oil and hot sauce and mix well. set aside. In a large Wok or skillet add 1 Tablespoons peanut oil, once hot add onions and stir try till tender but still crisp and set aside. Heat the rest of the peanut oil, once hot add egg mix and stir fry till cooked. Add cooked cold rice to the stir fry for 3 minutes, add onions sprouts and salt cook 2 more minutes.

    Friday, March 20, 2009

    IT'S SPRING!

    Thursday, March 19, 2009

    2009 Garden Plan


    It's the day before Spring arrives! And our garden plan is finished! Well, not likely! But that's the beauty of a "plan." You don't have to follow it! I am always tweaking, and changing, and adding and subtracting. This is for our 2009 garden, and I had so much fun using my children's paint, colored pencils, and markers. 

    It is based on the sad fact that we still do not have one greenhouse, much less the two I'm plotting for. So I am limited to what I can't pre-start, again. Most of the garden will not need pre-starting, I will direct sow. I am thinking of moving my living room around to try to squeeze in a rack to start tomatoes. We'll see what we come up with in the creativity area for our too small living room. I would really like to pre-start enough veggies and flowers, that we can have enough for our own use, and I could sell starts from our property.

    Are you planting a vegetable garden this year?


    Needing? A Greenhouse














    It happens to me every year. I get to this point in the season, and I wish, desire, NEED a greenhouse (or two.) But we also have too many things working against us. Too many "needs." Now I put the word need in parenthesis because I truly do not have any needs. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and clothing to wear. I AM thankful for what I have. God IS taking care of me. So is it truly a need? Well, no. And, I understand that.

    But I keep thinking about what I could do with a greenhouse that would really be a blessing to others, as well as myself and my family:

    - Have enough starts to grow extra food and flowers on our property, for needy families to gleen. (Beautiful flowers are important to the needy, too!)
    - Have enough starts to sell extras to local families at reasonable prices.
    - Have enough starts that our garden is more affordable.
    - Each year the greenhouse would help pay for itself (amortization.)

    Anyway, that is some of the ways I can justify my desire (not need) of a greenhouse (or two.)

    I desire the biggest that Ziggy's can deliver on-site (8' X 16'). We need the extra stability because of the spring winds.

    Wednesday, March 18, 2009

    "Car Picnics"-How to Eat on the Go: The GOOD

    This is a great article from Big Red Kitchen Blog. A great reminder for the coming months.

    Tuesday, March 17, 2009

    "Car Picnics"-How to Eat on the Go: The Plea

    This series from Big Red Kitchen is a great reminder for this time of year. Be sure to read the comments after. I learn so much from them as well. I love the one about hot brats in a thermos. I've done that before, but it's been a long time, so it was stuck in the cob webby part of my brain.

    Monday, March 9, 2009

    Ice Cream Trough


    What a unique idea! This might be Kolina's birthday treat in July! Or Molly's in May (I'm not sure I want to wait until July!)















    Here's another idea for an Ice Cream Gutter:

    Potatoes - Home Canned

    This is a great article for Home Canning Potatoes, plus ideas for using them.

    Saturday, March 7, 2009

    Garden Update: 'maters and 'taters'

    I know it's early... but these people are in Tennessee, and their planting right now. She's posted a great article on planting potatoes in tires. I won't be able to find it if I wait, I'll forget who it was and where it was, so we're getting it now!

    Monday, March 2, 2009

    Farm Chicks Giveaway!


    If you go to the Farm Chicks webpage, you'll find they are having a giveaway! In true Farm Chick style, I'm confident it'll be wonderful, and I'm confident you'll (or I'll) absolutely love it! You can always put them on RSS feed. (Hey, you could do that with my blog as well! That's a great idea! Glad you thought of it!)