Christmas-y December happenings

We all know December is a busy, BUSY month! Thus the reason for my quickly adding unedited pictures to my blog.

Amidst the busyness, Michael and I are trying not to overschedule so that we can actually keep the real reason for the season in our hearts and spend quality time at home with the boys. I am also trying to spend time doing home-made gifts and baking with my kiddos which I did not do as much in the past. We have allowed time for a few things, but on the other hand we have missed some of the things that have been scheduled. We are trying to take the time to smell the... cookies. :-D


Here are some things we have done this month (not necessarily in order... the dates are on the bottom of the pictures).
Cindy (Michael's sweet cousin and my dear friend) directed Stone City Christian Academy's Christmas play. She is the one directing the angel choir.

Everything was beautiful!

Baking and decorating gingerbread cookies with the boys (sorry for the red eye... I just do not have time to edit)

Home-made non-edible Christmas cookie ornaments on another day...

Town Christmas parade: VERY cold, icy, and windy... so we brought blankets! The pictures weren't the greatest (maybe because I was freezing and shaking!)

One of the floats (sorry so dark!)

Warming up in the van and eating the peppermint candy that the parade participants threw at us. We did not stay for the whole thing. It was just too cold!

Last but not least, each morning after devotions I have started our day with a fun, Christmas book. Here are some fun books I am reading (or have read) to the boys:

Bud's Prairietown Holiday by Callie Smith

Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Nobel

Winter on the Farm by Laura Ingalls Wilder

First Snow

Well, we have finally had our first snow of the year! (well besides a couple of non-sticking flurries).
Yes, it's pretty cold out there too! It's in the 20's now, but should get up into the thirties.

The boys have had a blast today. They are now inside trying to warm up as I am warming them some cocoa.

But I wanted to get these on here quickly so my Alabama family could see them.

Here are some pictures!

I thought it about time I post a good, clear picture of myself onto my blog... hee hee ;-D

Ryan having fun with the dogs. I think poor Dixie got some snowballs thrown at her (the reason Ryan is grinning so big)

I promise he had lunch!!!

It's hard to tell, but Justin is sledding on his snow saucer down the little slope in the back yard.

Cuban Bread

This is just about the easiest bread recipe I have ever found ( book- Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn).
It only takes about an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish! And almost an hour of that time is IN THE OVEN!
No butter or oils needed!

I love the way it looks & smells when it comes out of the oven. It is a big hit with my family.

Texture:
It has a firm crust and chewy middle.

Note:
I replaced one cup of the flour with 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 1/2 cup of ground flax. I used ground flaxseed on the top.

Cuban Bread
5-6 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. dry yeast (yes, that's 2 tablespoons.  Really.)
2 T. sugar  (I doubled this for extra flavor)
1 T. salt
2 c. hot water (not boiling, just from the tap)
1 T. sesame or poppy seeds or oats (I used ground flaxseed)

Mix 4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt.  Pour in hot water
and beat 100 strokes, or 3 minutes with a mixer.  Stir in the remaining
flour until the dough is no longer sticky.  Knead 8 minutes.  Place the
dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel.  Let rise 15 minutes.
Punch down.  Divide into 2 pieces, shape into 2 round loaves and place on
baking sheet.  Cut an X 1/2 inch deep on top with sharp knife.  Brush with
water and sprinkle with seeds or oats.  Place on the middle shelf of a cold
oven.  Place a cake pan of hot water on the lowest shelf.  Heat the oven to
400 degrees.  Bake 40-50 minutes until deep golden brown.

Yay! Pictures again! - Ryan's birthday

I spent HOURS online with the Kodak tech support Saturday, and- praise the Lord- my camera will transfer pictures now! So I will be posting them again. I may be bombarding my blog for awhile with pictures... so brace yourself!

I don't have time for editing so please excuse red eye, off centered, etc...

Ryan turned four back on August 27th. He wanted us to take him to Mr. Gatti's pizza for lunch. They have a game room in the back and ,of course, the boys love that (and as you can tell their daddy does too!). We also celebrated at Papa & Grammy's house with cake & balloons, but I forgot my camera. He had chosen a black forest cherry topped birthday cake (I was very pleased with his decision....YUM).

Here are pictures in random order from his birthday:

I Love the picture below! You can barely see Ryan, but I love how little he looks holding that toy gun, but being a "big boy" like his brothers.

Justin

Jonathan
Dinosaur slayers

Michael took Ryan squirrel hunting for the first time the week of his birthday. As you can tell he was beyond excited!

Plans gone awry

I submitted my "Happy Thanksgiving" post yesterday with a smile. The music was so joyful. The Norman Rockwell picture was a mirror of my mood.

I had read a Thanksgiving story to the boys as they snuggled around me. I breathed a deep sigh of contentment as I thought about my plans for a perfect Thanksgiving Eve.

With a smile, I told the boys to pick up the scattered toys on the living room floor and then we would decorate the pilgrim hat cookies.

"But I wanted to go outside", one of the boys said. (Deep Sigh) "But we are going to DECORATE COOKIES", I almost snapped.

"Ok, Mom" he yielded.

I got the YELLOW icing and started piping cute buckles and hat bands.

"But mom, I want to do blue","I want green","I want red", they all chimed.
"But the buckle and hat band are SUPPOSED TO BE yellow" I retorted.

Suddenly I thought, "What am I DOING"?
As I surrendered,I remembered that this was for fun!

Later while making rolls, Ryan put his spoon in the mixer. Flour was everywhere....
Big mess.

We didn't start reading Mary of Plymouth as planned. No time for that!

Later, one of the boys accidentally threw a "Go Fish" card in the toilet. I snapped at him as I made him fish it out LOL (no pun intended!).

I had to apologize profusely for my ungodly tone of voice and horrible expression (I saw in the mirror).

Despite my frustrations,

1. The boys still got to go outside
2. The Pilgrim hats were still cute
3. The flour was easy to clean up
4. We can still read Mary of Plymouth
5. Dirty hands can be washed!
6. Yes, God is good.
7. I am so blessed!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Count your blessings, create some memories with your family, read some good stories to your kids! Take time for extra hugs.


We are spending time together today in preparation for Thanksgiving.

Cooking and baking? Yes, but also a couple more things.

We read this book earlier:

Runaway Thanksgiving
by Louise Mandrell & Ace Collins

In 1787 in Kentucky, eleven-year-old Reba runs into the forest with her pet turkey Moses to protect him from being killed and cooked for Thanksgiving, but surprises and danger await her in the wilderness. (little note: Daniel Boone and an Indian named Red Wolf take part in the story) . Great story!


We will be making these today (thanks Vonnie for the new inspiration!)........

Recipe here

And I downloaded Mary of Plymouth by James Otis (1848-1912). I have really been wanting to read this book and several others by this author to my boys (this one gives a lot of detail about life back then and just goes with the season!)

(click here if you are interested in it too).

I wish I had started reading it to them earlier, but I am planning on starting it this afternoon.
I was very excited to find this book for free. Our library doesn't have it.

To find it free like this was awesome and Google offers a great service... check it out!

http://books.google.com/books

MAKE SURE YOU PAUSE THE PLAYLIST (to the left) BEFORE HITTING THE PLAY BUTTON BELOW:

May your week be truly blessed.

The secularization of the English language

Do you want to see how much our modern English language has been secularized?

Jasmine shared this link on her blog and I couldn't help but share it here too (Thank you so much Jasmine!).

The following are a couple of definitions that have been "re-defined" over time:

from Webster's 1828 dictionary (make sure you bookmark the link to this valuable resource! I will be using it personally as vocabulary curriculum for my boys):

MAR'RIAGE, n. [L.mas, maris.] The act of uniting a man and woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and woman for life. Marriage is a contract both civil and religious, by which the parties engage to live together in mutual affection and fidelity, till death shall separate them. Marriage was instituted by God himself for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity,and for securing the maintenance and education of children.

Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled. Heb.13.

1. A feast made on the occasion of a marriage.

The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage for his son. Matt.22.

2. In a scriptural sense, the union between Christ and his church by the covenant of grace. Rev.19.

EDUCA'TION, n. [L. educatio.] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

TRUTH,

1. Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. The truth of history constitutes its whole value. We rely on the truth of the scriptural prophecies.

My mouth shall speak truth. Prov.8.

Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. John. 17.

2. True state of facts or things. The duty of a court of justice is to discover the truth. Witnesses are sworn to declare the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

3. Conformity of words to thoughts, which is called moral truth.

Shall truth fail to keep her word?

4. Veracity; purity from falsehood; practice of speaking truth; habitual disposition to speak truth; as when we say, a man is a man of truth.

5. Correct opinion.

6. Fidelity; constancy.

The thoughts of past pleasure and truth.

7. Honesty; virtue.

It must appear

That malice bears down truth.

8. Exactness; conformity to rule.

Plows, to go true, depend much on the truth of the iron work. [Not in use.]

9. Real fact of just principle; real state of things. There are innumerable truths with which we are not acquainted.

10. Sincerity.

God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4.

11. The truth of God, is his veracity and faithfulness. Ps.71.

Or his revealed will.

I have walked in thy truth. Ps.26.

12. Jesus Christ is called the truth. John 14.

13. It is sometimes used by way of concession.

She said, truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crums-- Matt 15.

That is, it is a truth; what you have said, I admit to be true.

In truth, in reality; in fact.

Of a truth, in reality; certainly.

To do truth, is to practice what God commands. John 3.

Evening Family Fun

I am "big" on doing fun things together in the evenings. No, we don't play high activity games every night (especially when we are exhausted) , but I found a couple of really cute & fun games that we all enjoyed playing recently.

They are great for cold, fall nights.

Even though they are simple, my boys think they are a blast!

Leaf, Leaf, Whose Got the Leaf?

1. One person is "it"
2. "It" sits on the floor, closes his eyes, and holds a leaf, acorn, or anything with a fun seasonal theme behind his back.
3. The rest of the family stands behind him and someone sneaks up behind "It" and takes the leaf from his hand.
   
4. "It" has to guess who it was.
   

Ryan was hysterical because he kept laughing on his way to steal the leaf from whoever was it. He would laugh in a funny wheez, but he didn't realize anyone could hear him. Once when Michael was it, Ryan stole the leaf. Michael said, "I wonder who THAT WAS???"

Hot Potato

You play this just like musical chairs, but you use a potato. I played a CD and wouldn't look and would just hit "pause" randomly while they passed the potato. Of course whoever has the potato is "out".
They loved it.

The next day Ryan and Jonathan combined both games into one.
Ryan had a potato behind his back and Jonathan was stealing it. Since it was only the two of them playing, they had no difficulty guessing ;-D

I got my ideas from a library book, but www.familyfun.com also has a lot of great ideas too!

Persecution & Peer Pressure

I've been thinking lately about persecution & peer pressure.

When we were teenagers, we all went through certain types of peer pressure. Some good. Some bad.

A lot of young people struggle with pleasing their peers. Adults do it too; it's just more subtle.

It really can go both ways. "I better not wear that because ...what would my preacher think?" Not a bad thought, but it's really wrong motivation isn't it?

or......

"If I dress too modestly, they will laugh at my clothes". Not good either.

Modesty really has nothing to do with what I'm talking about, but it's just the first example too pop into my head.

A couple of weeks ago Michael and I watched a documentary called "Return With Honor". It was a moving story of American prisoners of war in North Vietnam.

While watching it, I kept wondering over and over, "Could I endure that type of torture?"
One of the men in the documentary said that everyone had their limit. They would endure so much, and then either lie to the Vietnamese or they would tell just a little information, or they would just die. I kept thinking "what if that were me?"

What if someone threatened to murder my family if I didn't deny Christ? I know that sounds horrible!!! And I told the Lord recently that if I were to ever face such a thing, to please help me to NEVER EVER compromise my faith in Him. After all, I'd rather die with my family and see Jesus "in a few minutes" than live with the shame that I had turned my back on Him.

Back to peer pressure. The thought occurred to me the other day that if I couldn't deal with silly, petty,normal, peer- pressure, then how could I ever deal with true persecution? Would I bend? Would I compromise? Would I deny Him?

It really concerns mes to even think that way but I "fear" that with the current shift of American values towards "tolerance", that we must prepare , if not ourselves, our CHILDREN for such a time. Yes, persecution in other countries is a reality even now and it is a possibility for us eventually. But if it doesn't happen in my life-time, what about my children? What then? Will I be able to challenge my children enough through their lives to do hard things? Even when they are the only ones? I hope so!!!!

Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord,
For cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word,
And make me pure within.
Fill me with fire
Where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire
To magnify Thy Name.

Lord, take my life,
And make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart
With Thy great love divine.
Take all my will,
My passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord
In me abide.

O Holy Ghost,
Revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival,
Start the work in me.
Thy Word declares
Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now,
O Lord, I humbly plead.

Words by: J. Edwin Orr 1936

Christians, You are being watched!

I apologize that the following post will not be "eloquent". I am tired and my brain needs rest but I couldn't help but post my thoughts tonight. I hope I make sense.


Recently, I was reading a blog post by a friend. The basic topic was about knowing whether there is a God.

I made following statement:
"I believe that humans deny God because they do not want to be accountable for their actions."

I got this reply from someone:
"Isn't that funny? As an Agnostic, I believe that humans insist there IS a God for the same reasons. :)"


Wow, that statement really made me think and I was thankful for the answer from the agnostic.

I had a previous conversation earlier this week with an old friend. She was talking about how Christians (she was talking about Christians she works with) can say some of the most hateful things sometimes. (I am not sure what she claims to believe).

I don't know who all reads my blog, but I feel profoundly that we should not live like the world.

If one claims Christ, but is no different in words, actions, and attitudes than his unsaved neighbor then.... please.... do not tell anyone you are a Christian!

I found this excerpt about Gandhi by using google:

"Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most respected leaders of modern history. A Hindu, Ghandi nevertheless admired Jesus and often quoted from the Sermon on the Mount. Once when the missionary E. Stanley Jones met with Ghandi he asked him, "Mr. Ghandi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?"

Ghandi replied, "Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Wow... take note Christians, you are being watched. How many souls will be lost because we didn't choose the path of holiness (not our own holiness, but Christ's living in us)? May it radiate!!!

I am "preaching" to myself too. May I be so filled with Him that there is no room for sin!

You Are My Hiding Place....

I did an internet search a couple of weeks ago for verses about God appointing rulers. I know I have shared them with a couple of people, but for anyone who feels discouraged and may have forgotten that God is Sovereign.....


Daniel 2:21 He (God) changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities , for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities ; all things were created by him and for him.

John 19:11 (speaking to Pilate) Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above . Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

Daniel 4:17 "`The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'

Daniel 5:21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.

Visit this blog for a beautiful song about God's Sovereignty.

Frugal tips: Household cleaning items & Home-made convenience foods

I like to do a lot of things home-made because usually you come out a mile ahead in the saving$$ department.

For example, with the home-made laundry detergent I make (<---click), the last time I checked I was only spending 35 cents a gallon (as opposed to over $3 for the cheapest brand!).

You ask why I do this? Well, the simple answer is that I am choosing to pick my battles. I would much rather spend the time than the money. It balances out. I can either go to work or work at home.



Here is a site with almost an overwhelming amount of household recipes!

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/house/house.html


Personally, I like to keep it simple. I have three main cleaning products in my home:
1. vinegar 2. baking soda & 3. bleach

I do buy furniture polish. I haven't found a recipe that doesn't produce oily tabletops.

For mopping linoleum I use a couple cups of vinegar, a squirt of dish detergent, and 25 drops of essential oil (my favorite is lemongrass which acts as a disinfectant).

Simple. Cheap. This same recipe can be poured into a labelled spray bottle to use
for counter-tops too.

The main question I ask myself before buying anything is this: Can I make this cheaper?

Also, I keep paper products minimized. I am learning to make cloth napkins (although I still use paper),
I use cloth diapers to clean (works great for mirrors and windows and they last forever so the initial investment is worth it!). I hardly ever buy paper towels.

Here is a link for home-made convenience foods: Take special note of the chocolate & maple syrups. Big savings!

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemadeconveniencefoods.htm

Picture from summer

I know that I have been really "bad" about not posting pictures lately but I do have a good reason. My camera will not transfer pictures to my computer. I "think" the problem is not with the camera, but with the software. My plan is to SOON delete the software and re-install new software. But first, I have to transfer all of my pictures to my Walmart.com account (which will take some time) and then get a new picture card for my camera. So... that is why. Here is a picture I found from summer that I never posted.
We had gone to Spring Mill State park to eat and celebrate Aunt Janet and Great Aunt Marj's birthdays. We had already eaten (thus the spill on Jonathan's shirt) and this picture was taken outside. Yes, silly faces. But cute silly faces.

Paper people

Remember the paper people we used to cut out as kids? You fold paper several times, cut out a shape of a person, and then when you unfold it you have several people holding hands.

My boys had a lot of fun decorating paper men today.

Before you think my children are "disturbed", look at Justin's from a scientific perspective. This is a man, and you are viewing different aspects of his anatomy. I had to chuckle when Justin said "here is his cochlea, hammer, anvil, and stirrup" (we recently studied the ear for school).
(Click any of the pictures to see a close-up.)

Jonathan decorated his men as Ninjas. At least they are smiling! :-)

Ryan's men are very colorful!

Menu Planning: More practical ideas

Sometimes while planning menus, I get really inspired and it is quick and easy. Other times I am stumped.

But one thing that has helped is to categorize each meal by type in my mind.

1. Chicken
2. Beef/Venison
3. Seafood or Fish
4. Vegetarian (I try to do 2 per week)
5. Pork
6. Turkey
the list could go on....

Or you can categorize this way:
1. American/ Home-style
2. Mexican
3. Oriental
4. Italian
or any other style/type of dish

You don't want to leave out the fact that you need: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, & Drinks.

Thinking in these categories when I start to plan always gets my brain rolling. If I can't think, I usually go to the internet and type, for example, "oriental recipes".
Or you could type "oriental vegetarian" to be more specific, or even go further than that and type "frugal oriental vegetarian recipes". The possibilities are endless.

Another idea is to flip through cookbooks or magazines. One thing I have done in the past and still do sometimes is to get a new cookbook from the library each time I go. I love getting vegetarian cookbooks. Vegetarian isn't as hard or weird as it seems. This seems like a "no-brainer", but you easily turn just about any recipe into a vegetarian meal by just leaving out the meat. I did that very thing with the recipe mentioned below. Michael and the kids love it!

You can categorize this one : "Meatless Mexican" (by the way... Mexican is easy to do meatless! Think... bean burritos, etc). It is good either way but I almost always leave out the hb meat.

Click below to go to the recipe:
Tortilla Chip Pie


She has a lot of great recipes.

I always keep the spices mentioned in her recipe stocked in my cabinets. So usually all I have to buy for this is cheese, beans, tomato sauce and chips. I try to cook all the dry beans asap after grocery day and freeze them into portions so that I can fix these types of dishes quickly.

P.S. I hardly ever add ham hocks or meat to my beans. They just don't require it. Most of the time, I only add 1/4 cup each of dry garlic, onion, and a couple tbsp of salt or bullion cubes and they are always good.

Frugal Living: Practical Ideas for Menu Planning

Menu planning is a big deal to me. In the past, I would just go to the grocery store clue-less. I would spend too much money and leave without knowing if I had everything I needed. Yes, I would usually do some kind of list but it still really didn't help me as much as I needed.

Without menu planning, I would buy convenience foods because if you don't plan what you are going to eat, you don't know what goes into those recipes.

As forgetful as I am, that is not a good thing. Even these days with all the preparation that I take before going to the grocery store, I still occasionally forget to write something down or didn't see it on my list.

I'll give an example of what happened a couple of weeks ago. I did not take my own advice to check my pantry and refrigerator before menu & list planning. I just made my menu and list and went to the store. When I came home, I had realized that I had purchased at least 2 items that we already had! I could have kicked myself! One of them is something we only buy once a year! Grrr... oh well, next year we will have it huh. I told Michael I could take it back but it wasn't really expensive or worth wasting the gas.I am all for buying in bulk, but I don't like buying something unless we need it. I guess that's why I am not a big coupon user.

Coupons are usually for convenience items that I can make way cheaper from scratch, or get an even cheaper generic brand. Therefore I am not really saving money using them. Some people play coupon games and enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that; it's just not me.

Another thing I do just to stay organized and make sure I am getting everything on my list is to write my grocery list by the aisle. I use Aldi which has very few aisles so it is very easy to remember where things are. I get a piece of regular notebook paper and divide it into sections the way the store is laid out. As I am writing out my actual menu, I write what I need for each meal onto my list in the actual location it is at the store. I used to write the approximate cost beside the item as I listed it (and sometimes still do if I'm not sure), and then added it up at the end of my planning to make sure I stayed in budget. Then as I would be shopping, I would write it again as I was buying my groceries (because they raise and lower prices!).

Here is a rough drawing of a grocery list sample by the aisle. I just added a few items to the list and where they are approximately located. I made this in excel, so when I copied it to this blog the lines disappeared so I apologize for that, but I think it gives you a general idea.

			ALDI
	3 blks cheese	pkg salad	1 box of butter	2 ct eggs, 1 sour cream	4 gallons milk	{dairy} {case}
	aisle 5	aisle 4	aisle 3	aisle 2	aisle 1
1 loaf oat bread		2 bags apples 1 bag bananas 1 bag potatoes
				5 cans of diced tomatoes	cereal
		1pkg broccoli 2 pkg carrotts		4 cans green beans	1 pkg choc chips
					peanut butter
				1 bag dry rice	oats
				1 bag dry beans	1 ea brown sugar. plain sugar
				5 cans mushrooms
					salsa
					tortilla chips
1 bag frozen peas					corn chips
					salsa

If you don't have an ALDI and you use another grocery store, you could write your list for the first time in the best order you know. Then as you are checking off the items on your list you could write the aisle number and price. Keep that used list, so that next time you will have a better layout of the store. There are probably other better ways but that was what popped into my head. :-)

I hope these ideas help and I will hopefully add some menu ideas soon!

Adjusting Our lifestyle: Living Frugally

With all of the hype going on in the news about the financial crisis, I am admitting it that I am one of those "weird" people who goes a little further than most to find little ways to be frugal. I have not always been this way and I am not a huge authority, but I feel like the Lord has helped me a lot in the past couple of years to use these ideas to keep our family from going into debt.

I have gone from feelings of panic to peace.

I know I have posted about this a little bit before, but in light of the economic situation I have decided to revisit this topic a little more in-depth.

I have read most of these ideas somewhere else, but I could not tell you where since I have "studied" this subject for quite awhile. If you are interested, keep tuning in because I plan to start adding frugal tips to my blog.

Some of them may seem like "no-brainers", or something you have heard before. Yet I have been surprised by my own and others' lack of wisdom in these areas. We know what we should do, but a lot of times we just don't care, feel like it, or we don't think. Then when it comes time to pay bills, we wonder where the rest of the money went. We "nickel and dime" ourselves to death (or debt!).

My first set of frugal tips. I hope they can help someone:

*** Menu Planning & Grocery shopping***

1. Plan your menus BEFORE going grocery shopping. Here is a good menu template you can print or write out on notebook paper.
2. Look in your pantry/refrigerator and plan around what is already there and build on it. Do not waste (Use things up!). How many times have we forgotten about something only to have it go bad and then we have to throw it away. We could avoid this problem by just keeping an eye on what we have! If you have a carton of sour cream sitting on the refrigerator shelf, don't let it go bad! Make a casserole or something else to use it up. You can find lots of recipes online these days!
3. Buy in bulk. A couple of examples: I hardly ever buy canned beans and I never buy minute rice (I can hear my church friends chuckling right now.. maybe that's why they run late.. ha!). I always get the huge bags of rice and dry beans and store in a tea pitcher.
4. Start out by planning at least 2 weeks of menus and shop for at least two weeks instead of every week. You will not only save on groceries but on gas too! Work up to longer times between shopping trips. (If your kids are like mine, hide the extra stuff until time to eat it or they will try to eat it all the first week. You could even separate stuff into portion sizes baggies or containers!)
5. Try to make a couple of vegetarian meals a week. It's not that hard once you get started. You could start out with one meal and then add 2 the next time.
6. Use less meat in casseroles, soups, stir-fry, etc. Think of meat as a side dish instead of the main course. (Or go huntin' or fishin'!!!!! Woo hoo!)
7. Budget and use cash. This gives you a set amount/limit and helps cut out the impulse spending. If you have money left over, open a savings account or place it in an envelope for the next week.
6. Cook in bulk and freeze leftovers. I don't do the once-a-month cooking, but I do try to cook extra every evening so that I can have left-overs for lunches or the freezer for something quick in a pinch. Maybe one of these days I'll get brave enough to cook a month's worth of meals. I do cook bulk breakfasts and freeze though. This is a big benefit for me since I am not a morning person!

I am not "the queen" in these areas, but they are areas I am working on.

Let me know if you can add anything to the list!

Teaching Hymns to Our Children - different site

In reference to my previous post about teaching hymns to our children, I have found a new and better website. According to the host, the site I mentioned in my earlier post will be shut down at the end of this month.

I found a better hymn site today.

http://www.hymnsite.com/

Instructions:
Click the hymn index button on the left side of the page. Choose the hymn you would like to play. Go to the bottom of the page and choose which instrument you would like to hear. (You may have to click it twice). When your Windows Media page opens, double click the play button.

It not only plays the hymns with a more accurate timing; it also offers the words. You are able to play using the hymn with piano, organ, or bells. You must have Windows Media Player to play the hymns on this site.

Book giveaway link

If you want some free books about home management, go to the following site:

http://valuesdrivenfamily.blogspot.com/2008/10/we-are-having-huge-yard-sale-this.html

FREE Printable Reading list

I created this cute printable reading list in Excel to keep up with all the library books my boys have read. Anyone is welcome to print copies for personal use :-)
Just click the picture below and you should be able to print from that view.

Chicken pancakes????

I had to laugh this morning when Justin asked me if the oatmeal buttermilk pancakes were "chicken"! I knew a lot of stuff tastes like chicken, but I've never heard of chicken pancakes!

How to Have "Hands On Boys"

I got my title and excerpts (in purple italics) from an article I read from "No Greater Joy" ... see the whole article here.

It is interesting because I had just recently read the same idea in another book about teaching sons and had started giving my boys those opportunities. It's only natural.

I know this is shameless bragging, but I will do it anyway. And no, I am not claiming that anyone listed below is perfect or hasn't ever had growing to do in their lives, but I see them all as pretty good examples of what I am talking about! ( the first one mentioned is about as near perfect as you can get*wink*, and the others are pretty high on my list of great fellas!)


Michael's parents allowed him to spend a lot of time out doors and discover things for himself. Some of his fondest memories have to do with creating snares for the vermin in their barn :-)
He is now very good at fixing anything we need fixed around the house, is able to earn side job income, and receives excellent reviews from his boss. We also are not at the mercy of the repairman, and I am so thankful for that!

Michael's brother Steve was interested in computers, his parents allowed him to pursue his interests, and now he gets reviews by his boss as being top designer for the publishing company he works for.

I have some great memories of my brother Josh and my cousins Allen and Stephen who used to take EVERYTHING apart when we were kids (back then I thought they were crazy!).

All three of them are very capable now of fixing anything and everything. Josh can fix or build anything, Allen builds motorcycles from start to finish as a hobby, and Stephen became a master electrician, and now is a pilot/business owner.

The basic idea is that if you want your sons to learn how to work,to learn to fix things, and to be "hands- on" young men, you have to give them those types of opportunities when they are young.

Boys have a natural inclination to want to investigate, discover, and build. Every parent, including single moms, can answer this call by providing for their son some junk…yep, you read it correctly…junk.
Allow your boys time and space to build things out of cardboard boxes, discarded wood, nails, hinges, wheels, rope, gears, motors, bikes etc. “Junk” is several steps up from Legos, Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, and similar prefabricated learning toys. It’s more like real life, where it doesn’t all fit together so perfectly and you have to use your imagination to improvise. And it never gets boring. Real stuff has to be cut and drilled, sanded and fitted, carved and shaped, glued and clamped, torn down, tied together, rebuilt and bolted in, cleaned up and soldered, welded, sanded and painted. And the great thing about boys creating something out of junk is that they are allowed to make a wrong cut, or some sort of “oops”, without wasting what would otherwise be expensive and important material. There is no condemnation in failure.

I love that!

Messing with junk is an inexpensive way to allow them to develop confidence and creative imagination. Furthermore, when a boy is consumed with his latest project, he will not be wanting to watch television or play some electronic game. He will be highly motivated from daylight to dark, rising early to “get back to work.”

This is so true! I had to practically wrench the "treasures" away from my boys and tell them to put them in a box, so that they wouldn't want to sleep with them!!!!

Our boys think this is just the greatest thing... ever. We have made several visits to the Salvation Army here in town. You can find so many things to take apart in that place for a dime, nickel, or quarter.

It's like a boys' paradise! They have taken apart all types of things. Most recently an old clock and a fax machine. The fax machine wasn't very old, so it was really fun. I think Michael had just as much fun taking it apart as the boys. They found all types of fun things inside. Magnets, copper wires, etc.

Of course with the allowance of dismantling things, you have to set boundaries on your good stuff. It comes with the territory, but also giving them these things to take apart also gives them an outlet.

If you see the value of raising “hands-on boys”, then be a “hands-on dad”[and mom..inserted by me]. When a parent allows their child’s course to be set by the wind of chance, the current of the Nile, or the vapor of mere academics, they’re either praying for an unlikely miracle or are guilty of neglect. So, train up your boys in the way they should go, and a few positive experiences can lead to a few thousand more. Watch over them. Teach them to be safe. Help give them what they need to succeed, and let their appetite for manhood begin!

Shared post: What a Mother Must Sacrifice

I couldn't have said it any better....Please read this.

Can God Meet My Needs?

Michael and I are reading a book called Preparing Sons to Provide for a Single Income Family by Steven Maxwell (a man whose 2 oldest sons who were able to pay cash for their first homes).

It is actually geared toward the dad and his example to his boy/s, but has been beneficial to both of us. It goes way beyond the common "start saving up now for college" statement and delves into the spiritual, heart issues.

I came across this quote under a section titled "Contentment" that I thought was worth sharing:

"Your attitude regarding your income is far more important than how much money you actually make. Are you trusting God to meet your needs? If we can't trust God to meet our needs, how can we ever trust Him to save us from hell? Which one is more difficult for Him?"

We have seen this first-hand in our own lives (over and over!).
God has always met our needs and a lot of our wants. He is so faithful!!!!

Back to School Breakfast ideas- Granola Bars & Breakfast Burritos!

Since it is back to school season, I know there are a lot of moms out there trying to think of good things to feed your families... Especially for hurried mornings.
Those of us *ahem* who tend to run late, need to plan ahead. ;-) I am working on this... really ;-)

For those who may be reading this and do not know yet; we are home-schooling. HOWEVER, it means this Mom here has to plan ahead and be MORE prepared/organized!

I, personally, am a big fan of granola bars! Below is a recipe that I used tonight. After the pan had cooled, I cut it into bars and wrapped them up individually for breakfasts or snacks! Because I doubled the recipe, it made a BUNCH! So... if you are planning to make these and wrap them up, make sure you have a lot of freezer bags or plastic wrap before you bake them.

We really like it. If you want to double the recipe like I did, an over-sized cookie sheet is perfect.
*************************************************************************************

Extra Chew Granola Bars

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup of butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups mini choc chips OR raisins, dried fruit, nuts, and coconut (whatever your little heart desires!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9 x 13 pan. In a large mixing bowl
combine everything. Lightly press into the prepared pan. Bake 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and then cut into bars. I cooled mine in the freezer for 10 minutes
Completely cool before removing and serving.

Another idea is:
**************************************************************************************
Frozen Breakfast Burritos
Michael really likes having these on hand... they only take a minute or two to heat up!

You need:
18 eggs
favorite vegetables:Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms (whatever you want)
favorite meat: either bacon, sausage, or ham
large pkg shredded cheese
Lg Pkg Tortilla shells 10-12?
Plastic Wrap or freezer bags

Cook meat & drain. Set aside. Stir Fry vegetables. Add eggs and drained meat pieces and scramble with the eggs. Add cheese when eggs are done and stir

Spoon by Tablespoon onto tortilla and wrap individually. I have actually had eggs left over, and when this happens I just freeze them in a freezer bag. You can make a sandwich with them, put them on a bagel or English muffin, or just eat them like they are.

*Frugal tip*
P.S. To save money, I use plastic baggies (I always buy the more expensive kind since they are durable) and re-wash them (except for raw meat). They last a long, long time!
"A Penny Saved, is a Penny Earned" ;-)

Forest Adventures - Part I

On Saturday we decided that we would take the boys to our favorite place ( a friend's farm and woods) . In this post- part I-are pictures on the farmland. Part II are pictures of the woods.

There were butterflies EVERYWHERE. They seemed to love this flowery bush.Here are the boys on top of a hay-roll.

Ryan picked me a piece of clover. He is so cute... he always hides flowers behind his back before he gives them to me. :-)

Ryan walking through the rows of corn

I can't believe I got them all to smile and look at me at the same time! RARE photo moment! :-D
Right before we got to the woods, Michael asked the boys if they would like to "explore the secret valley". I think it is so funny because he said it in this hilarious, quiet, mysterious voice. Of course, the boys were very excited and kept asking when we'd get to the "secret valley".
The "Secret Valley" is actually a place deep in the woods that Michael visits often while hunting. It's really nice with a creek and lots of neat things to see. Pictures below in Part II.

Forest Adventures - part II

Here is Michael and Ryan entering the forest

The boys conquered the climbing of a big rock on the side of the hill.

Justin found a newt.Unfortunately since the picture was fuzzy, black and white was the best way for it to show up. It was a dark color (black) with light spots.

Jonathan was "beside himself" because he wanted one too, but of course there was only one there. He made sure to go on a mission to find one. I was hoping Jonathan would find one, but I felt kind of doubtful .
Thankfully I was wrong; he found a cute little brown salamander a little bit later.
Look closely.. it was tiny. Thankfully the boys are learning that the best thing for these critters is to let them go so they won't die.

Ryan loved this wall of slate. He told me he was making a puzzle out of the pieces. I could hardly get him away from it.

This was a great hollow tree with a neat-looking mushroom growing inside. Here are the boys looking in.....

Here is the mushroom. It almost looked fossilized, but it was wet.

My favorite fellas..... I am so blessed!

This tree was at the end of the woods. It had knots from the very bottom all the way to the top. I thought it was really weird!