About Owlhaven
I am Mary Ostyn. I’ve been married for 25 years to the guy I met in math class at age 17. We have kids in college, high school, junior high, grade school, and preschool, 10 altogether. Six girls. Four boys. Six of our children arrived via adoption, 2 from Korea and 4 from Ethiopia. Our ‘baby’ is 7. Our oldest two daughters are married, and both are expecting babies in 2012.
I homeschool and garden and cook and budget-stretch and fix up our home and take pictures obsessively. Also I write. My 200-recipe cookbook/ shopping guide Family Feasts for $75 a Week came out in September, 2009, and is available at amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Borders, CBD, and Costco. I also wrote A Sane Woman’s Guide to Raising a Large Family which came out in March, 2009 and is available at Amazon.
If I had to describe this blog in one sentence, I’d say it is about making the most of your resources so that you can have the greatest impact possible on the world around you, beginning, of course, with family.
If you are considering adoption, check out the archives of my Ethiopia adoption blog where I wrote from 2006-2008. The archives there are filled with answers to almost any question you might have about adopting a child from Ethiopia. You can also find recipes from me at Myrecipes.com.
You can email me at mary.owlhaven at gmail.com
Oh, and the name Owlhaven? It came because our home sits on a rocky hillside where burrowing owls nest.
[...] lest anyone thinks I am clever enough to come up with this on my own, I have to credit Rachel and Mary for the inspiration. If anyone out there decides to embark on a no-spend project, please let me [...]
Hi Mary,
We are currently in the process of adopting an Ethiopian child with 8 other families at our church. This year we had the opportunity as a church to rescue children that were ‘mingi’ (cursed) children. They are in an orphanage and we are now going through homestudy. I read about your blog from Levi who is currently living at the orphanage with his family and preparing to adopt a child. Thank you for taking time to write about your experience. It will help us in this new venture. It is uncharted waters for all of the 8 families! Thank you for your blog!
I look forward to reading about your adoption process and your homeschool stuff too
Hi Mary!
I saw your book on the crockpot lady’s website and went to Borders to get it last nite:) I recently became a single mom with 2 boys, and I hope this will help us stay in budget. So far, we’ve gone way over in the grocery column every week. Looking forward to some useful tips:)
Just ordered your “Sane Woman’s Guide….” Can’t wait to read it! I just had my 5th child and would love my sanity to stay intact
I just picked up your book Family Feast for $75 per week. I love the recipes and the ideas in the book. I am pleased to see that many of the ideas that I have already been doing are in your book. I have gotten many new ideas from there as well. Thank you very much for writing it.
Just finished reading your book Family Feast for $75 per week. Wow:). I knew some of the things in your book but got a lot of new ideas. FYI my so would rather eat at home. YEAH!!!! Thanks for putting in the homemade pantry section. My son has ADHD and it makes it a lot easier to make sure he is not getting stuff that causes his behavior to get out of control for him. I love reading adoption blogs. Our son we adopted at birth. We still have contact with his birth mother. Several of our friends think we are crazy for having contact with her. I simple state he is our blessing from God and we will always be tied to her because of our son. I also say she made the hardest and most loving choice for “our son”. May God Bless you and your family.
I am reading your book “Family Feast for $75 per Week” and I just tried the Baked Brown Rice which is so simple to make and so delicious. I don’t know how you come up with these recipes but I love them. Thank you very much.
hi – just wanted to let you know that I LOVE “Family Feast for $75 per Week.” I have just one child, but we both work in demanding positions, so the book is helping me keep us on track for spending/home cooked meals. Also love the ethnic food recipes — not bland, like other cookbooks offer on a budget. Looking forward to the blog.
I love your Baked brown rice recipe but my oven just went out so I followed the recipe except I cooked it in a crockpot and it still turned out very well. My copy of “Family Feast for $75 per Week” is getting dogeared from passing it around. Love it!
Just finished reading your book Family Feast for $75 per week. Wow:). I knew some of the things in your book but got a lot of new ideas. FYI my so would rather eat at home. YEAH!!!! Thanks for putting in the homemade pantry section. My son has ADHD and it makes it a lot easier to make sure he is not getting stuff that causes his behavior to get out of control for him. I love reading adoption blogs. Our son we adopted at birth. We still have contact with his birth mother. Several of our friends think we are crazy for having contact with her. I simple state he is our blessing from God and we will always be tied to her because of our son. I also say she made the hardest and most loving choice for “our son”. May God Bless you and your family.
+1
I am James McDermott. My wife Cindy and I have been blessed by God with 13 children. We also homeschool and above all, we are Christians. We recently started a website called Christian family meeting place (www.christianfamilymeetingplace.com). Many who hold our views are isolated and are looking for online fellowship, personal fellowship, churches, and even spouses. I am inviting you to register. It is free. If you’re not interested, that is perfectly fine. May God bless you in all you do for Him. – In the Vine, Jim for Cindy and the rest
P.S. We also publish SALT Magazine. If you would like to check us out go to http://www.saltmagazine.com
Greetings,
If you’re interested in homeschooling, courtship, quiverfull issues, child-raising, politics, and spiritual inspiration, try a free, no obligation issue of SALT Magazine. If you haven’t tried SALT yet, all we need is a name and mailing address to send you a free issue. Or, you can check out our website (saltmagazine.com) and sign up for a free issue online.
– In the Vine, Jim & Cindy
[...] is the blog of Mary Ostyn. Ostyn is the mom to 10 children, six of whom were adopted. She has children ranging in age from [...]
Hi Mary,
Thanks so much for putting together your testimonies and thoughts in the Sane Woman’s Guide…I read it over a weekend and smiled so frequently as I related and understood and considered. I do not spend as much time on the internet so when I venture into the “blogs” I get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of reading and idea exchanges which are out here, I am a lay low sort of lady when it comes to the web. We are eagerly expecting our ninth child this summer, eight boys and one girl in the mix, and currently live in Seoul South Korea on a two year Army assignment. There is no need to reply to this note, it is just my thanks to you for openning the door of your life to encourage and direct those of us who are looking for a good way to live this life. May you all experience the blessing of Christ’s riches in the day to day details of life. God Bless you all. Cymberly
I bought a copy of “Family Feasts” this summer, while awaiting the birth of our 6th child. Finding wholesome and interesting meals that appeal to a range of tastes can be a challenge, but I will say “thank you” for dozens of recipes that are easy to prepare and ALL of us like! Your book has had a permanent home on my cookbook stand for the past month. Thank you!
hi!,I really like your writing so much! percentage we communicate extra about your post on AOL? I require a specialist on this area to unravel my problem. May be that is you! Having a look ahead to see you.