Thursday, May 27, 2010

Purple Flip Flops

Yesterday while shopping at WalMart, we went to the shoe department.  There were racks and racks of  brightly colored flip flops and for only $2 a pair!  What fun!  I told the younger three boys they could pick out a pair for their summer play shoes.  Tim picked out a bright blue pair, Addan a dark green pair.  I held up a pair of royal blue ones and said, "How about these, Titus?"

  
Titus has a very strong personality.  He knows WHAT he likes and doesn't like!  He said, "No, I like those!" and pointed to a bright purple pair.  Oh great,,how to deal with this one :)    "Purple?"  I asked.    "Yes, Mom, it's my favorite color!"  he said.    I asked, "Isn't it a girl's color?"    With a cute grin and knowing look,  Titus said, "No!  It's MY favorite color!"   Guess he thought since it's HIS favorite color and he's NOT a girl,, it can't be a girl color!    So we compromised.  I said, "I'll buy you those purple ones to wear and play around the house but these blue ones you have to wear out in public."   


He just looked at me like I was weird and said, "Ok."  Guess he thought it was great to get two pairs out of the deal :)


This is how he left the table this morning,,, so cute! 



Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Allergies

Sneeze, sneeze, sniff, sneeze!  This explains the last month!  It's been awful,, my sneezes aren't the most graceful either! :)
Two nights ago, after waking up in the middle of the night with my nose running like a faucet, I grabbed a sock out of my dresser and used it as my tissue.  "This is it!  I'm buying some drugs this week when I go to WalMart!"  I don't usually buy "drugs" but thought there is just no other way to get me through this pollen time.  
As the Lord would so kindly work it out, I grabbed a Beeyoutiful catalog the night before and set it by my bed to read in the morning. Yesterday morning,  after I did my Bible reading, I picked it up and began reading it.  I just love when they come in the mail, so much good information.  I was reading it and there was just one line in one of the articles about allergies.  It said to take three things for allergies.  Two of them were their products.  This got me thinking.  I really haven't taken anything for these sneezes and sniffs.  Bad girl! 
  
While growing up at Teen Haven, my sister and I would go horse back riding lots (camp had horses the first years there).  It was SOOOOO much fun and such an adrenaline rush!  But I always sneezed and got hives from the horse dander.  My Mom read about taking alfalfa to help with this.  She'd always place a pile of "pills" for me to take before and after we went riding.  This really helped.

When we got a cat this past year, Jordan had the same reaction to the cat as I did to the horses.  He takes alfalfa regularly and I see him often holding the cat with no sneezing or itchy eyes anymore.  Why have I forgotten this and not been taking these wonderful green "pills"?  


The article mentioned taking Bee Immune (which I have sitting in the vitamin cabinet), local honey, and Berry Well.  Berry Well is very similar to the elderberry syrup I make.  So yesterday I made a batch of elderberry syrup (which has raw honey in it) and took Bee Immune and tons of alfalfa.    Because it was so hot yesterday, we had the fan blowing into the room.   I couldn't believe it, this morning I woke up with just a little sniffle!  Even with the pollen blowing in all night, I had just a sniffle!  I didn't even wake up in the night and need to grab a sock to blow my nose in :)
God's so good!  He gave me that article just when I was at my whit's end and going to buy "junk" from the store and He created the herbs we need to keep us going!    Now I just need to stop being so lazy and take my many piles of  green "pills"!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Ruth and Jordan

When I had Jordan, his Aunt Ruthie was 5.  This made for interesting times.  Seemed strange to have his Aunt in school and going through times of training along side him.  But a bond was formed and they became very close.  Ruthie is like Jordan's big sister.  I remember times of playing by the stream at their house together, riding bikes together, games and fun together.





Of course, as time went on, Ruthie began to change and grow into a young lady.  This was a sad time for Jordan but also an exciting time for him.  It was a lesson for Jordan to see how the Lord leads and blesses.  


Once Ruthie found the "man for her", life as it was changed.  Jordan also began to grow up and their interests began to change.  But the bond is still there and a closeness remains.

At Ruthie's wedding, when Jordan went through the receiving line, he cried and cried saying "goodbye" to his Aunt, knowing the future would be different.  No more roller coaster rides together at Knoebels, canoeing at Shiloh,  Thanksgiving meals together, rides to camp and basketball games there, etc.  But what an exciting time as well, to see what the Lord has planned for Jordan.  I'm so thankful for the loving, sensitive man Jordan is!  Makes this Mom's heart proud :)

Monday, May 24, 2010

Ruthie's Wedding Week

The boys and I went down to my parent's for the big wedding!  Ruth's my sister.  She was born when I was almost 18.  My other sister Tonya and I have totally different childhood memories than  Ruthie does.  My parents weren't saved when we were younger so Tonya and I remember drinking, partying and worldly lives.  When I was around 8, my Mom got saved and a few years later my Dad got saved.  There were big changes in their lives and our memories began to change.  In 1985,  my parents sold their house in CT and moved to PA to work at a camp for inner city teens.  This was a very huge thing for them to do.  They gave up a very "comfortable" life and moved into a very gross house and left all their family in CT.  But the Lord blessed their move.  One huge blessing was a little daughter in 1988. 


Ruth Maria was added to our family and she has become a close, dear friend to my parents as she has gotten older.  Ruthie's childhood was so different from mine.  She was born in PA and only has memories of PA, she never saw the yucky affects the world can have on a home (alcohol, smoking, etc) by your parents,  she is very open and talkative with my parents (I wasn't as a child, I was more into school and activities).  
Two years ago, Ruth went to Ambassador Bible College and met the man of her dreams!  They were engaged and waited a year to get married, while Rey finished his last year of school.  The day finally was upon us!  
Thursday before the wedding, the boys, my sister Tonya, Mom, dear friends Linda and Erin and I started setting up for the wedding day!  Such fun together as we put up tuelle, lights, flowers, arbors, tables, etc.  Friday morning was the rehearsal.  We flew through that and went back to camp and had a fun meal together.  So much fun meeting Rey's family and friends.  His family are missionaries in Mexico.  Steve, Maria and Melinda are his siblings and what fun meeting another group of young people that are striving to do right.  Many games of volleyball and basketball together made for some great laughs and fun memories!  That night we went to the last revival meeting at church (they had revival meetings with Ron Comfort all week!).  The highlight for me, Mark showed up during the meeting and I got to give him a huge hug after church (he couldn't come with us due to work).  We set up the auditorium and went back to our cabin at camp.  We were all so tired and went to bed early (11:30, the night before we started playing volleyball at 11:30!  Man, I was wiped out,, getting way too old for such late nights!!! but was so fun.  Alot of the groomsmen were from Ambassador so they had tons of young energy!)  


Saturday morning!  The big day is here!  I had breakfast with Mark in the kitchen and went to the girl's cabin (Rey's sisters, his aunt, and Ruthie's college friends were all staying there) and one girl did my hair.  It was SO fun being with all the girls.  Rey's Mom was there too getting her make up done.  What fun times!  I kept thinking of what it would be like to have daughters to do these fun things with!  Maybe grand daughters :)  I simply loved how the girl Molly did my hair,,, I was jumping all over with excited thanks!  (I think I may have overwhelmed her a bit!)   Luke and I then went over to church for early pictures.  


Ruthie was in one of the rooms getting ready.  She looked so beautiful!  She was so excited!  "I'm going to kiss him today!" she kept saying!  Ruthie had never kissed before so this was VERY looked forward to.  She made that commitment to have her wedding kiss be her first and did very good keeping that!  
We took our pictures and went back to her room to wait for things to start.  I could see different guests arriving.  How fun!  Dad's siblings were all there,, I ran out and greeted them all!  Mom's siblings started too, so lots more kisses and hugs to give out!  Such a fun occasion to see family again!


One o'clock !  It's time,, we lined up and started going down the aisle.  So fun!  We were all up front and soon Ruthie was coming down to see her man!  I tried SO hard not to cry but when Dad lifted her veil and said sweet things to her with tears streaming down his cheeks,  I couldn't help but bawl!  The vows were said, rings exchanged and now the big kiss was allowed, "Rey you may kiss your bride!"  Rey stood there admiring Ruth and kissed her.  It was so sweet and innocent!  Of course, Tonya and I were crying again!  Such a great wedding!!! 
 






We went to the dinner after, made lots of memories and Rey and Ruth were off!  Off to start their adventure of life as a married couple!  What a great wedding!!!  It was so romantic and God-honoring!





Monday, May 17, 2010

Laundry Soap

It all started on a camping trip.  We were camping at our favorite site at Lake St George in Maine.  A family came to spend the day with us (I didn't know this family too well then, but Mark went to high school with both of them).  I was pregnant for Silas at the time, so we had three young children and I think the other couple also had three young children.   Their son had a broken arm.  So as the visit went on, we started talking about the boy's broken arm.  The mother made the comment that this was his first visit to the doctor.  That totally stumped me.  How can you have a child and he's never been to the doctor?  What?  I started asking her tons of questions!  She was very gracious in answering all my many questions and suggested I listen to a series of tapes on health.
When we returned home, she began sending me tapes.  I'd listen to one, mail it back and the next one would be sent.  Some of them just totally shocked me and made such an impact on me!  I remember I would iron as I listened to them (Mark had to wear a dress shirt each day at that job,,YUCK!!).  I remember rewinding some and listening again and again!  This probably was the beginning of the "journey" into healthy living for us.
The one tape I remember the most and think about still was on all the toxins in the air and what we put into the air and breathe.  When we spray our pans with Pam type sprays,, all that spray in the cans stay in the air and tend to go down, right into the air our smaller children breathe.  I try and spray them outside.  
All the chemicals we put into our clothes to make them smell pretty and then we breathe them in all day as they're right up against us (not to mention how it's going into our skin too!).  This tape lesson was such an eye opener to me!  I did so much junk to our bodies and didn't even realize it! 
I make our own laundry soap.  This saves us money and I also know what's in the soap.This soap doesn't leave a strong, chemical, perfume type odor on the clothes, so if you like that, this won't be for you.


Here's what I use:  Borax soap, Fels-Naptha soap and Baking Soda (not the baking kind but the washing kind).  I also add essential oil for scent or make my own scent with the herbs.


This last batch I made 3 weeks ago and we had the woodstove still going.  I "melt" the Fels-Naptha soap in a pot of water on the stove.  I also put a pot of water with some lavender in it for some scent.   Once the soap is dissolved, I pour it into a 5 gallon bucket.  Then I add about a cup each of the baking soda and Borax and stir it up til I see it's dissolved.  Then I add water til the bucket is filled to the top and let it sit over night.  It thickens and separates so I give it alittle stir each time before I use it.  



I know what's in our soap and it saves us money and is a little better for our air.  If our clothes need a little more freshening up (like our towels and dish rags), I add white vinegar to the spot  in the washing machine where the fabric softener would go.  You can't smell the vinegar and it gets the smell out of the rags and towels.  No nasty chemicals being breathed in all day by the boys as their clothes are on them.   

(Note:  this was a bit of an eye-opener to see how much we go through.  I made this 3 weeks ago and it's almost gone,, so roughly 5 gallons of soap in a month!  Yikes!!)

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Heart Strings

As the boys grow older, I'm finding conversation is beyond my understanding.  Sports people, sports plays, window washing talk, singing group songs, etc.  Mark has much more to discuss with them or at least talk and understand what they're talking about :)    The boys are also more open with Mark about their feelings and interests (especially about females).  It's also starting to dawn on me how quickly time is flying.  When I stand among Jordan, Brendan and Mark,, I feel rather small.  So as Jordan and Brendan, especially, start to spread their wings and gain more and more independence, I've decided to keep close to my younger fellas.  They're the ones that will be with me as the older ones leave.  (This isn't meant to be sad but just a fact of life, this is why we have our boys, to train to be godly men and then launch them out to hit  their mark in the world for Him.)


Titus is a  cute fella.  He's a little chatter-box and is VERY smart.  Sometimes he's way to smart for his little body.  When he's done eating breakfast, he tends to just sit there and chatter away to me about his little world.  I'll be washing the dishes and counters down as he shares with me his thoughts.  Such a cute fella.  I'm also trying to build heart strings that as he grows older, he'll be secure and open with us.  Our boys do tend to transition to being more open with me as young boys  and then to their father as they become men.  What a true blessing our fellas are to our lives!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Work Shirts

In 2003 we began a new chapter in our lives.  We sold our house in ME, packed up and moved to a house we found on the internet.  Mark also found a job in the same area of the house through an internet add.  (It was all the Lord's leading!)  The "job" was teaching at a Christian school.  He would be just teaching Bible.  Of course, the salary wouldn't be enough to support our growing family.  A friend in ME suggested cleaning windows.

 
Mark did research on the internet, bought a video on cleaning windows and took the plunge and invested in the equipment.  We wanted a family business that the boys could help with as they got older.  
Next began the hard part, getting the jobs.  I so admire Mark!  He would go business to business asking if they wanted their windows done.  At first, it was real discouraging!  No, no, no was all he heard.  I remember at one point, Mark was discouraged about it, and prayed, "Lord, if this is what you want me to do, show me."  That day he got his first job!  The owner of that shop has become a good friend to Mark and regular business.  Then Mark began to get bigger jobs (WalMart, grocery stores, etc).  We began to see the Lord bless his hard work.   Jordan and Brendan started to go to work with Mark, learning the way to make a window sparkle.  When they started, they could barely reach a window and now they're able to do them all by themselves!  The goal is once Jordan has his license, he can get his own jobs and work under Mark. 





Right now, Mark's problem is finding time to keep up with both school and windows!  A very good problem and once school is done, he'll be able to catch up.    We're so thankful for the Lord's leading and taking care of us!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Rows

We had a very warm early spring.  The temperature has been real cold lately (light snowflakes on Mother's Day morning).  So the seeds and bulbs got a big start and have slowed down.  The sun was sparkling brightly this morning on all the rain covered plants.  So beautiful!




Rows of chives beside the side of the garden fence.


Rows of garlic growing taller


Rows of lettuce ready to take off once it gets warmer!  I'm sure it'll all be bursting with growth once the sun begins to warm up their roots!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

King of the Bed



This picture about sums it up...... notice how big a spot Jordan gets,  bear gets and then how much Titus gets!

Egg Article

 Since we have chickens( close to 50 of them), I find information about them very interesting.  We have chickens that lay white eggs (this was triggered by a neighbor who ate  only  white eggs so we got white egg laying hens.  Hunter has the white egg layers and is glad because his brothers can't sell his eggs as they're so easy to tell apart.), we've have the pastel egg layers (didn't lay very long so don't have any interest in them again) and good ole brown layers!   They are a  big part of our family menu and I'm so thankful we live in a place where we can have them!  

Mark took a  course on having chickens this fall.  The information he brought back was very interesting.  Do you know that the "store" eggs have been washed (sometimes with a strong cleaning agent,, like bleach)?  The shells have pours that absorb those yucky chemicals!  (Of course, city water is loaded with that poison too!)    When you begin to really see what's done to our food before it's even in our care,  you see over and over that the best way to go is to grow/raise it yourself!  Alot of work but so rewarding to KNOW what's being put into your body!

(Taken from Yahoo News)

Four myths about eggs

eggs
(Photo: Getty Images)

Choosing eggs is not nearly as simple as it should be. After all, the average egg weighs about 2 ounces. How many decisions can you possibly have to make for something so small and seemingly simple? Well, let’s see: Brown or white? Large or small? Organic or not?
And those decisions are just the tip of the iceberg. Egg cartons can be stamped with any number of labels, some meaningful, others not so much.
It's not always easy to separate fact from fiction when it comes to eggs. Below are some of the most common misperceptions. 

Myth: Brown eggs are different than white.
Fact: The only difference between a brown and white egg is the color of the shell, which is merely a reflection of the breed of the hen. In general, but not always, hens with white feathers and earlobes lay white eggs and those with dark feathers and red earlobes lay brown eggs.
One isn’t healthier, more “natural,” or more eco-friendly than the other.  There aren’t any differences in nutritional quality, flavor, or cooking characteristics.

Myth: Free-range eggs come from hens that roam freely outdoors.
Fact: The claims are not regulated for eggs, according to Consumer Reports. So there is no guarantee that the hen that laid the eggs ever saw the light of day. Of course, it may have spent time outdoors, but the “free range” label doesn’t mean anything. The following labels are also meaningless when it comes to eggs: “free roaming,” “hormone free,” and “raised without antibiotics.”

Myth: Organic eggs are healthier.  
Fact: They certainly can be, but it all depends on the chicken’s diet. Organic eggs come from hens that are fed a 100-percent organic diet. However, what really matters when it comes to nutrition is whether the hens were raised on pasture. Studies, such as those conducted at Penn State University and by Mother Earth News, found that eggs from chickens that ate grass and insects contained higher levels of omega-3 fat, and vitamins E, A, and in some cases D.
If you want eggs from hens that are raised on pasture or spend a lot of time outdoors, then you’ll have to find a farmer you trust at your local farmers’ market.

Myth: Egg substitutes are simply eggs (or egg whites) without the shells.
Fact:  Most products have added stabilizers, thickeners, vitamins, carotenes, and, sometimes, spices, according to Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat. She also points out that they cost about twice as much as real eggs. (A pound of egg substitutes weighs slightly less than a dozen small eggs.)  
Of course, if you can’t eat egg yolks for health reasons or have no use for them, egg substitutes are a good option, and most products only have a tiny percentage of additives. Just read the labels before buying.


Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Burgers for Supper


Half the burgers cooking!  Yummy supper for us all :)  A favorite warm weather meal.  This is deer so it's nice and lean and "free range". 

Monday, May 10, 2010

Monday Routine

Monday is the day of getting back to routine.  The weekends are time to let loose and leave the "normal" housework til later and enjoy our time together.  

This past weekend was a very different weekend.  It was Mother's Day so lots of special memories were made.  Saturday was VERY windy and cold.  The boys had a double-header in softball.  I didn't go.  They said they were shivering out in the field and the wind made catches quite a challenge.  I stayed home because dear friends were stopping in for the night as they were traveling through.  What a day!  Tears were cried together, laughter was shared and memories were made.  True friends-- what treasures they are in this life!

So today is back to "normal" life in our home.  School, laundry, bread baking, chores, etc.  Just going back to my "normal" day brings so much contentment and peace.  Our lives have times of "soaring" but the normal  life is just "plodding" along.  Funny how just going outside, hanging a load of laundry, coming inside and hearing the piano being practiced, seeing science experiments being done, and math questions being solved brings so much contentment. 




Of course, it's lunch time right now, so it sounds like a heard of ravenous lions just entered the kitchen!  :)

Friday, May 7, 2010

Bags, Bags

I have to admit, I have a fetish with bags!  I love to make them, love having fun bags and love to look at them.  The patterns are exciting to me, the fabrics and fun styles out there! (and there are LOTS of them!!!)

I've been making them while doing school with the boys.  Keeps me busy while listening to reading and in between checking math problems and reading questions.  All in hopes, of selling them at a craft fair in the fall.  





Yesterday I got a magazine in the mail.  It had an article about a lady who makes,, what else,, bags!!  Fun,, I looked at that article first and went to her Esty shop!  I couldn't believe it!  Her bags sell for $60 each!  Nothing too much fancier than mine.  But her "claim to fame" is that her bags are recycled fabric .  She gets table clothes and napkins from thrift stores and turns them into bags.  Man, if I get some used fabric and call them recycled, I could double my prices.  Guess it's all in the name  :)  Sure got my head spinning and making my wheels want to spin to a thrift shop and THEN GET THE SEWING MACHINE SPINNING!  



The bottom, patchwork bag I finished is kind of recycled.  A friend from church who always gives me craft supplies,  gave me this fabric.  It was the sample book of different fabrics to choose from for furniture. I cut them up and turned them into a bag.  :)  Guess if I make fancy  tags explaining the importance of going green and reusing the fabric, it'll sell quicker :)  It's all in the name.... "Recycled furniture fabric swatch bag"  or "From swatch to bag in a few stitches" ...... let the fun begin!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Casting our Cares

Some days this plant just describes my heart.  When you get involved with people, it can cause so much joy but it can also cause so much pain.  This week has been one of those weeks, each day filled with more sad news.  What a peace, knowing I can cast my care on HIM because He cares for me!  Better yet, He also cares for the people in each case and knows better than I do what plan He has for them!   Such great reminders even found in His creation!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Safe Guard of Husbands


I'm so thankful to have a husband who takes his leadership seriously (although at times it "rubs me the wrong way").   I know,, bad girl!!!  There are so many things in life that I can just hand over to his role and let him handle it.
An example came to mind again this week.  A person called from a  pro-life organization  asking for a pledge donation.  Of course, they asked if I was for pro-life.  I couldn't help but  say, "I sure think so, we have 8 children!"  After listening to the long speech, they wanted to know if I'd commit to a money donation.  My answer to all these kinds of questions,, "Send the info and I'll let my husband decide, he's in charge of the finances."  Man, they don't like that!  They want an answer..... I finally just tell them to put whatever amount they want but I can't commit to it until my husband sees it.  Some times they don't send it, some times they do.  But this has saved so much headache with decisions.  
I know women can be emotional and want to help others out,, especially other Moms in need!  I'm so thankful to have a husband who makes these decisions for me.  Whether  it is babysitting, giving time or money, he guards me with these decisions.  At times, it can be real hard for me.  I love to serve and help others but he kindly reminds me my first place I need to serve is at home!  At times I know it's hard for him to say this to me because he knows I ENJOY serving but just can't do everything right now.  He always says,,, someday you'll have more time! 
He also guards how we give.  When Mark was a pastor, he saw how some times the Lord did things to people to teach them through the "school of hard knocks".  It didn't help the person at all when they were "bailed out" from the lessons needed to be learned (alot with rebellious children, as hard as it is!).  You'll notice most prayer requests are for physical healing instead of the spiritual lesson to be learned through the physical difficulty.    
I'm so thankful for wisdom of the ones over my life!  I pray I'd just be more receptive to it at times and not be so stubborn to receive it :)

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Breakfast Blessing



This is our regular breakfast!  Such yumminess!  The vintage coffee pot makes the BEST coffee there is!  I won't even drink coffee at restaurants (yucky bitter tasting nastiness!) after being so spoiled by it.  Cozy breakfasts at home beat all else,, especially shared with my fellas!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Mayonnaise



I read an article about soy this weekend.  I shared it with Mark and the boys have over heard us talking about it.  (We heard in the past, by Dr Streeter while speaking our church, the negative affects soy can have on boys-- causing them to become feminine.  We've tried to avoid it but have become lazy in our efforts!)  So this article recently read, opened our eyes yet again to the harm of soy.  So the boys began reading labels of the foods in our home.  They began pulling bottles and products out of the frig and off the shelves (hamburger buns, pretzels, mayonnaise, salad dressings, etc) .  Almost every one had soy!  Shame on me!!!  The boys LOVE condiments on almost all their foods and they all almost all had soy!

For lunch yesterday, we had one of our favorites!  Hamburgers (venison meat though)!!!  Yummy!  The boys, of course, love mayonnaise on them.  I've known how bad it was just didn't want yet another thing to add to the lunch routine but having just read the article, I tried it.  I pulled out the Sally Fallon book,  Bosch mixer and got the blender attachment put on.   We grabbed some eggs from the coop and went to town,  of course, with an audience.  It was so simple and tasted so good!  I hope to never buy anymore junk mayonnaise!  



Mayonnaise
 Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 whole egg, at room temperature
1 egg  yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard (I didn't have any so used regular yellow mustard)
1 1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs whey, optional (I didn't have whey so used 1 tbs kombucha)
3/4-1 C olive oil
generous pinch sea salt

Homemade mayonnaise imparts valuable enzymes, particularly lipase, to many dishes and is very easy to make in the food processor.  The addition of whey will help your mayo last longer, adds enzymes and increases nutrient content.  Homemade mayo will be slightly more liquid than store-bought versions.
In your food processor, place egg yolk, egg, mustard, salt, and lemon juice and optional whey.  Process until well blended, about 30 seconds (just the amount of time to grab the o. oil and pour into a measuring cup).  Using the attachment that allows you to add liquids drop by drop (I didn't know I had this, Brendan pointed it out to me!), add o.oil with the motor running. (slowly drizzle it in)   Blend for about 30-45 seconds.  Taste and check seasoning.  You may want to add more salt or lemon juice.  If you added whey, let the mayo sit at room temp, well covered, for 7 hours before refrigerating.   With the whey added, mayo will keep several months and will become firmer with time.  Without whey, the mayo will keep for about 2 weeks.  
(taken from Nourishing Traditions)