MONICA'S COFFEE BREAK...................... reverting to simple living

it's still here

2010-08-10T13:01:00.003-05:00

Look at that. I still have a blog! How time is slipping away. I did even know I had followers...well probably not anymore since I don't post. We moved this last spring so that has kept me busy for two months or so. I still love to knit and make things every chance I get. I am starting to work on creating my own patterns. I am torn between making things to sell and making things for myself. I have also started doing a little crocheting, but I'm not as interested in crochet as knitting.

present time

2010-01-02T17:33:00.003-06:00

We really enjoyed Christmas this year. It was simple and the kids appreciated what they received. The knitted fingerless gloves were a hit with Makayla.

oh...christmas tree

2010-01-02T17:09:00.003-06:00

This is why we did NOT have a Christmas tree in our living room this year. I can remember from the about the ages 7-14 I wanted a cat so bad. Now I definitely don't, but my kids do.

christmas presents

2010-01-02T15:38:00.010-06:00

I knitted hats for my nieces and nephews for Christmas this year. I do not have pictures of them wearing their hats, but Ruben was more than happy to model them for me before I wrapped them.

Denham's hat. He likes the Cardinals. I am not skilled enough to knit the logo so he only got the colors.

One of Holli's hats. I made her another hat that has a cut out for her pony tail.

Adam's hat. The colors just seem to fit him. He is in Scouts so he will get a lot of use out of this hat.

Collin's hat. This is one of my favorites and his also - so it seemed when he opened it.

Mason's hat. "Not a toy" is what he said after opening it. So I didn't seem to please everyone.

Isaac's hat. Waves with flaps. How much cooler could you get?

Hat for Princess Sophia. Yes, she really thinks she's a princess.

Jack's hat. I really wanted to make him an ivy golfer's cap, but couldn't find a good pattern for him.

Noah's hat. His mom likes this hat.

Chloe's pants. I made her a hat when she was born so I thought I'd make her a little something different.

turning 30

2009-10-22T13:59:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, my father-in-law asked me how old I am turning. I reponded 30. Immediately, Makayla said "You're going to start shrinking!" I didn't have a problem with turning 30 until then.

(It's said that people start shrinking in height at age 30. Real or Myth? I don't know. You tell me.)

what do we have to offer?

2009-08-30T17:19:00.003-05:00

"When Jesus was born, the wise men sought Him out and brought gifts in worship. Today we wait for God to find us and then wait to see what gifts God will give to us."

I heard this quote in church this morning.

knitted head scarf

2009-04-11T19:47:00.004-05:00

This knitted head scarf is very beautiful, but it was too wide for me. I think it would look best with either shorter hair or big hair like dreadlocks. I found the pattern at Knitty.com.

day trip

2009-04-11T19:28:00.005-05:00

Tim and the kids took a trip down to southeast Missouri one day. Tim really likes this area. Unfortunately, I had to work that day.

recent photos

2009-04-11T19:13:00.007-05:00

Oli...I mean Holli, look at this picture I found.

Cheryl , stop texting and get your homework done!
(Ignore the mess in the background. I have kids.)

Holli, I've tried to teach you how to knit but it seems hopeless. You better stick to scrapbooking.

knitted pillow cover

2009-04-11T18:49:00.003-05:00

I have decided to make something for myself, well at least for my house. That way I can see it everyday. I have had two of the same pillow forms for quite some time. I have completed one pillow and hope to complete another one later this year. I added buttons to the top to make it easy to pull the pillow form out and wash the knitted cover if necessary - which will be because I have kids. The buttons were not holding the pillow cover in place so I stitched matching ribbon yarn that I found on sale to hold the top. The buttons still add a nice touch. You can find the pattern at How Stuff Works.

updated homemade laundry detergent

2009-04-01T12:52:00.003-05:00

I have updated the recipe of my homemade laundry detergent. I'm sure the breakdown cost no longer reflects what it would cost today, but I'm sure it's not more than $3 to make 2 gallons.

cross eyed

2009-03-07T20:33:00.003-06:00

I didn't know she could do that!

about me - april 2007

2009-03-07T19:06:00.003-06:00

I am about to update my "about me" section. I have created this post so that I can keep a log of my journey God it taking me through.

A dramatic change in my life has inspired me to create this blog. While pregnant with my second child, Tim (my husband) and I discussed whether I should stay home or continue working. I figured our income and decided that if I could find a way to make a certain amount of money from home, then I could become a stay-at-home mom. I knew that I needed to trust God on this and he would somehow take care of us like he always has. I got my hands on some Dave Ramsey (a christian financial advisor) materials. This changed how we spend and track our money. I then heard about the "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" book by Amy Dacyczyn. This book presents how to be frugal and save money in all kinds of ways, which opened my mind to a lot of new ideas I never conceived before. God has revealed to me that instead of trying to make extra money, I will learn how to survive on the income we have by spending less money. Now I not only consider myself a "stay-at-home mom", but also a "homemaker". Well, to sum it up you never know what you'll find on my blog...recipes, pictures, useful links, thoughts, etc. - April 2007

low-cost, easy curtains

2009-01-04T17:24:00.007-06:00

I wanted to cover my windows with heavy curtains for the winter to help keep the cold out and save on my electric bill. The cheapest curtain I could find was just over $15 for one panel (half window) at Walmart. Instead, I purchased over-sized fleece blankets for just under $4. I folded down one short end at 3" and sewed across twice. I slipped them on the curtains rods leaving a ripple at the top. That's it! And the blankets came with a velcro ribbon so I have tie for each window. I covered 7 windows for under $35, and saved at least $190.

felted purse pattern

2009-01-04T16:44:00.003-06:00

In my last post, I wrote that I would post the link to the knitted Felted Purse pattern. I made this purse before, but I never got around to posting it.

knitted christmas gifts

2009-01-02T13:14:00.006-06:00

This year I knitted Tim and my parents their Christmas gifts. Let's start with my favorite:

This purse is my mom's. I knitted this pattern before, but this time I put a little extra design in it with the contract stripe color. My mom had mention that she liked the colors my cousin is planning for his wedding - teal and brown. I had some brown on hand to use up so I went with it. I so glad it turned out well. I can't find the web site for this pattern right now so I will post it later.

This wool hat is my dad's. I altered my ear flap patterns and threw in a few stripes. Although I don't wear hats, this one was hard to let go of. If anyone is interested, let me know and I will post the pattern.

This basket purse is my mother-in-law's. I used a felted yarn and purchase some bamboo handles.

I also knitted a ear-flap hat for my father-in-law which I could not post because the picture came out too dark, and pillow for my step-mom which I chose not to post because it did not turn out well.

the bridge

2008-12-02T12:43:00.003-06:00

This video was shown to us during church service Sunday evening. It is a parallel of the awesome love God has for us. It shows how God sacrificed his son Jesus for the rest of the world.

homemade breads

2008-10-27T12:35:00.005-05:00

Last weekend, I got inspired to try some homemade breads. I have yet to accomplish the loaf bread and it always goes bad before we eat it all. I decided to make Sweet Rolls and English Muffins from my Fannie Farmer cookbook. I love that cookbook! I was very successful. You don't bake English Muffins but fry them on a griddle. I don't have a griddle so I used the iron skillet Tim picked up at a garage sale for less than a $1. I love that skillet, too! We are looking for more skillets and a dutch oven. It did take me all Saturday morning of mixing and baking and washing, but it was worth it. We are trying to get away from the sandwich bread with preservatives, and at least buying bakery bread when we don't have the time to make our own.

Godly leader

2008-10-03T12:06:00.002-05:00

I may be risking unwanted comments with this post, but I it's on my heart to share. Last night I watched part of the debate between the vice presidential candidates. I am so confident that McCain will win. Sara Palen really appears to have Godly wisdom. She stays calm, answers questions wisely and doesn't demeanor her opponent like most politicians. For example, she made a sincere comment to her opponent that she was very happy that they both had a concern for Israel. Her background also shows a trustworthy report. God puts people in high positions to accomplish his work. Look at King David or Queen Esther. God doesn't lift people up to important positions to set them up for failure. I believe God is hearing our prayers for our nation and has his hand on the situation.

bike riding

2008-09-29T12:52:00.004-05:00

I came home from work Friday to learn that Makayla has learned to ride her bike. That fast? Finally! About two months ago Tim took her training wheels off, and since then her bike has been in the shed. I don't know why she decided to learn Friday, but it only took her between the time she got out of school and the time I got home. I was starting to worry about her because she's 7 years old. Would my child be normal if she never learned to ride a bike?
Sunday, we went for a family bike ride around town. It was great! I had been waiting for this for a while now. I have been wanting to go bike riding, but Makayla has been the hold up. As we were riding, my pedal started coming off so I stopped to see if I could fix it. I was in awe, when a complete stranger offer to fix it. He went back to his shed and brought back a wrench. I am not used to such friendliness. It is so awesome to know that there are still people like that out there. This has been also been a great reminder that I need to get back into my exercise routine. I was very hot and tired after the bike ride, but it gave me lots of energy later in the evening.

short-time visitor

2008-09-17T12:24:00.005-05:00

This spider made is home on our deck during the month of August. At nights, he made a large web to catch his meals. By the mornings, the spider and his web was gone. I don't know where he has gone, but I'm glad he stopped by for a while to eat all our pesty bugs.

9-11 changed my life's path

2008-09-11T20:32:00.004-05:00

As I drove to work this morning, the radio was talking about how 9-11 effected peoples lives. For me it was a new life. I remember being at work that morning. My supervisor told me what happened. I never tuned into the news. My first thought was that a small plane lost control and flew into the tall building in New York I had never heard of before. As the day went on I learned more and more about what was happening. The event of the day was really messing with me. That evening I went home and pondered why people would do this. I came to the conclusion that it was an evil thing and that I wanted nothing to do with it. Previously, the Lord had been tugging at my heart. But at that point, the evening of September 11, 2001, I made a decision to live my life following Jesus...I am saved! Never again will I be the same person.

financially blessed

2008-09-10T13:15:00.005-05:00

I have come to notice here lately that God is really taking care of us. We thought it would be a struggle to live on a one-person income, but truthfully is has been a blessing. We are not struggling at all! As I drive to work in the mornings and park in the lot, I notice that pretty much everybody has a newer vehicle. I am proud to say that both of our vehicles are paid for. Not necessarily all, but a lot of other people are still paying for their newer vehicles. There are lots of other things that we don't have which helps us focus on God. We do have basic TV and phone, but we do not pay for extras. I use a calling card to call long distance when necessary. Yes, it's a pain, but it saves me money. I am very suprised that I am living so easily without the internet. I do have access to it at work, but I realized that I could live without it if I had to. In actuallality, we would end up wasting too much precious time on the interenet. Most libraries have internet access if one really needed it. Also, since we live in a rural community, we have found things like a strawberry/blackberry farm and an Amish community. It's so exciting to find those things! We can enjoy the little things including a financial-stress-free life. By following God's direction for us to live simple, He has really blessed us!

dining table & chairs

2008-09-10T12:37:00.006-05:00

Shortly after we settled into our new home, we purchased this table and chairs. My mom and sister knew of someone who was updating their set and sold this one to us at a very frugal price. I had been wanting a new dining set for a while, and I'm glad I held off from purchasing one from the store.

knitted diaper wrap

2008-08-29T12:40:00.004-05:00

I made this for my nephew, Noah. I had given Lori (his mom) enough time to post this picture on her blog, but since she hasn't I will have to. She's had it 3-4 months now, I thought maybe I would have seen a picture of Noah wearing it by now :) (Elizabeth, don't take this as a jab at you.) I was going to make one of my regular soakers, but when I saw the wrap it was just Lori. She's just a "wrap" kind of person if you know what I mean. I was not thrilled with the outcome of this pattern found at www.warmheartwoolies.com, but you'll have to ask Lori how it worked out for her because I didn't actual use the wrap.

back to your basics cookbook

2008-08-23T17:16:00.003-05:00

I purchased a used copy of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. I read about it in my favorite book The Complete Tightwad Gazette. The author Amy Dacyczyn wrote that it was her favorite cookbook. Now that Tim is doing a lot of the cooking, he is wanting something that shows him the basics of cooking with every day ingredients. I have been looking for a cookbook like this for along time. Amy seemed like the basics type of person, being frugal and all, so I thought I would take a chance and purchase her recommended cookbook. At first, I wasn't so sure, but the more I read through the cookbook the more I like it! It shows pictures of all the cooking tools, tells it's name and identifies what it can be used for. It explains what each spice is and the best way to use them. It shows how to cut and cook different meats. The book has simple basic recipes for about everything you can think of. If you're already an experienced cook...say your mom or grandma taught you well growing up, then this may not be the book for you. I think it would make an awesome gift for someone learning how to cook or who just got married.

pillow case

2008-08-22T12:24:00.005-05:00

Somehow time is slipping by so quickly. I found some pictures from some time ago that I never got around to posting. Today I will share my unknown sewing talent. I needed a pillow for my chair at work for back support so I mimicked an old pillow case of my mother-in-law's. I found some fabric that I had on hand so it didn't cost me a thing other than a couple of hours of my time. The pillow didn't work out for my chair, but I am using it on my couch at home.

BEFORE

...AND...

AFTER

answer to last post...

2008-07-29T12:24:00.005-05:00

Tim figured from her reaction that the cashier lady thought that he is not Ruben's biological father.

I have been noticing lately that Ruben has all same interested of Tim. His favorite toys are cars & trucks (his favorite Cars toy is Mater) and tools. He loves to put objects inside of other things and drag things out of my cabinets. Maybe we should have named him Timmy Jr...

Makayla has been spending as much time as possible playing with her new neighborhood friends. We found that one girl plays mean. A neighbor lady told us one day. Tim told Makayla to fight back, then maybe the girl would back down. Makayla came home this weekend upset after finding the other girl doesn't back down. We haven't seen her since Tim met her at the front door and told her that Makayla is not coming out to play with her because she is being mean.

where does he get that red hair from?

2008-07-22T16:19:00.002-05:00

Tim walked Ruben up to the local convenience store today to pick something up. The lady at the counter awed over Ruben's red hair. She then proceeded to ask if his mom had red hair. After Tim responded with no, she looked down with an "oh" look on her face.

What do you perceive this means? I will tell you what Tim thought after I hear your response.

to my committed readers...

2008-07-15T12:40:00.003-05:00

To all of those to who await my new posts, I greatly apologize. Many new changes have come about in my life within the last few months. I started working full time again. I have been quite busy with settling into our new home and community. Not to mention, I don't even know when I will have internet service in my home again. The internet is a very useful tool, but it's not a necessity right now. I haven't found the time to knit or do my favorite things other than just enjoy my new space with my family. On the other hand, I have been using the gym at work, and eating much better...sometimes frugal life and priorities make you do that :) Occasionally, I may get the chance to post on my lunch break at work. But not to worry, this is not the end of my blog. I will try to continue to post. I am still all about being frugal and learning new things, but I think a lot of that has switched over to Tim for now since I am away from home all week.

9 years of marriage

2008-07-03T12:19:00.003-05:00

Nine years ago today, Tim and I stood in the middle of a pretty flower garden in the sweltering heat committing the rest of our lives together. We didn't even notice that if the pastor took one step back, he would have fallen into the water fountain. Thinking back through the last 9 years, we have been through a lot together. We have many more years to go, but it seems to get easier each year. Marriage really teaches you to humble yourself and become less self-centered. If we had never allowed God in our relationship, it never would have became so easy.

long journey

2008-06-16T07:29:00.004-05:00

We have been on a long journey. I have often compared to myself to the Israelites wondering in the dessert for 40 years before making it into the promise land. I can't say that we are to that "promise land" yet, but we are going onto a bigger step. Three years ago we sold our house, and move in with Tim's parents. Our goal was to stay here a short time while searching for a smaller community to settle in. Many changes have gone through our lives in the last years that were definitely not easy, but for the good. Ruben came into our lives, and I had the opportunity to stay home for a little over a year. God has shown me how to slow down, be patient, build relationships with my children and submit to my husband. Many people think that submitting to your husband means doing everything on his command, but that's incorrect. Submitting to your husband means trusting his decisions and respecting his judgement.
Tim left his job 10 months ago in search for another in a smaller community. It may have not been the best idea, but it has really given our family an opportunity to build relationships, sit back and see what our true desires are and most importantly learning to submit to God. We have had many insults and nasty comments from others around us, since we have lodged in my in-law's house, but only we truly knew...and only tid-bit pieces at a time...what God was leading us to do. It wasn't always easy and there were many times we wanted to leave, but we also knew it wouldn't be wise without God's will. But if you really get down to it...only in America is it unacceptable to continue living with your parents in adulthood.
I have recently accepted a full time job back where I worked before Ruben was born. It was a very hard decision for me to make since God had just spend the last year preparing my heart to be a frugal homemaker. But since then, God has shown me that he is going to use me as his instrument while I am at work. I am so excited! And I am so excited for Tim because God is continuing to work in him while he is at home. Removing yourself from everyday work life and continued interaction with the world can really do a change in you. Since I stayed home for a while, I have more confidence in myself. Tim is learning to trust God and doesn't have the day to day peer pressure. Now I'm NOT saying to become a hermit. I am saying that sometimes it takes removing yourself from the world for a short period to see things from a different perspective. And sometimes God puts you in situations to make you trust Him to stay sane. Since going back to work, I have struggled with insecurities, but this time it's different. I have learned to be strong in prayer and to not let the devil overtake my mind.
This weekend we are finally moving to our own space...an RV in the driveway! Just kidding. We are moving to a smaller, local community. We are purchasing a home that we can pay off in a few years. It's funny, we traveled all over the state trying to figure out where to move, but we ended up just a short drive from where we are already living. But we did get to see a lot of beautiful places we never would have gone. We now have a different perspective on life. Screw the American Dream! We can survive with less space and items. We don't need shiny new cars or the big fancy house. Those things would just put us into debt. We have learned the value of our family, and how to survive without relying on worldly things. And most importantly, we are trusting in God, following His will and allowing him to work in our lives.

knitted butterfly wash cloth

2008-05-14T07:23:00.003-05:00

I knitted this butterfly wash cloth for my mom for Mother's Day. My sister and I made a lasagna dinner for her, and Makayla even picked a cute "grandma" Mother's Day card out for her. BUT I forgot to give her the wash cloth. I found it in my knitting drawer a couple of days ago. I got the pattern from Wicket Stich. My mom recently bought herself butterfly decor for her bathroom so I though this would be a great surprise for her.

P.S. When I gave my sister her knitted lighthouse wash cloth for her birthday, my mom thought it was for her and attempted to take it home with her so, of course, I had to knit one for my mom. By the way, here is the pattern for the lighthouse wash cloth. I didn't post a picture because I used a mulit-color yarn which made it hard to see the design.

low-budget eating

2008-05-01T08:57:00.006-05:00

I want to share the article "Feeding a Family for $300 a Month" through the Pioneer Thinking newsletter that I received through email. With the price of groceries and everything going up, this article gives great tips on shopping and feeding your family frugally. Many people are already familiar with this procedure, but it's still refreshing to read and just may give you a few more ideas.

james cash penney

2008-04-26T21:48:00.004-05:00

James Cash Penney (a.k.a J.C. Penney) is the article of the month in our Electric Coop Extra. He is the founder of J.C. Penney department stores. He led his life as a devout Christian. His father, a Baptist minister, taught him to live by the Golden Rule...

"Do undo others as you would have do unto them..." (Matt 7:12)

His hometown is where I lived the first five years of my life - Hamilton, MO. Reflecting back, I can remember going to the J.C. Penney Museum adjacent to the library countless times. They moved his boyhood house into the center of town. I also remember going to the J.C. Penney department store downtown before it closed. I used to beg my mom for a penny so I could have a gumball out of the shiny red globe stand. I can still visualize the chairs in the back of the store where people would sit to have their feet measured, and someone would assist them in trying on shoes. They even sold fabric by the yard.

It's said that James C. Penney did not practice selling items to customers using credit, but ironically today J.C. Penney department stores have their own line of credit that they provide to their customers to which they make most of their money.

my first knitted pair of socks

2008-04-25T21:32:00.005-05:00

My goal in learning how to knit has been to make socks. I finally took a step toward that goal. I intended for these to be mine, but they ended up as Makayla's. I looked for a pattern specifically for short socks, and came up with this One Skein Sockettes pattern which I found on the Knitting Pattern Central web site. While making the second sock, I realized that I did not knit the correct number of rows for the heel flap on the first one which is why they became Makayla's socks. This pattern was not written for a beginner, but with the help of the tutorials at KnittingHelp.com I at least accomplished a pair of wearable socks even though they don't look that nice.

human video

2008-04-18T20:07:00.003-05:00

Mary sent the human video below to me. The youth at her church preformed it. By the end of the video, I was very moved by the message. It truely shows how God takes care of us.

...I can't get the video to embed into my post so you'll have to go here to see it.

God's will for change

2008-04-15T19:36:00.005-05:00

I am weighed down with making a major decision in our family life. This is a change that I was not expecting to come so soon, and was quite unwilling to accept. Tim and I talked about it Sunday night as we ran to town to do some errands. I was feeling very heavy that I needed to pray about it so when we got home I went into my bedroom alone and prayed.

Did I pray that God would give me what I wanted? No. I prayed for God's will, and that he would close the door for this opportunity if it wasn't His will. While praying, God reminded me that my doubt for this change was not of Him, but from Satan. I felt that I could not make this change because I was inadequate or not up to par for it. Only Satan would put those thoughts in our head to keep us from accomplishing something God wanted. God would give a warning or simply close the door for the opportunity. God does not tear us down or make us feel unworthy.

The next day, I was listening to Charles Stanley on the radio. He was talking about people acting on their feelings rather than waiting on God. It was then that I realized that my reasons for not wanting to make this change was mostly selfish reasons.

missouri river

2008-04-07T08:10:00.004-05:00

Makayla, my little photographer,

took a great landscape picture one day when her and Tim went exploring.

Tim is facinated with rivers and large bodies of water,

Makayla could play in water for hours,

And I...well...I find water useful.

easter beagle knitted cloth

2008-03-21T21:47:00.003-05:00

I knitted my first wash cloth for Makayla for Easter. It's hard to see because I used a multi-color yarn, but if you look closely, you will see it looks like Snoopy. Makayla has a stuffed Snoopy that she calls "Easter Beagle". I guess because she saw the Charlie Brown Easter show one year. Anyhow it seems fitting to make for her for Easter. I got this "beagle dishcloth" pattern from Knitwits-Heaven.com.

right to homeschool

2008-03-13T11:32:00.003-05:00

Recently there has been some issues in California whether homeschool educators (such as parents) should be require to have a degree to homeschool. Gov. Schwarzenegger supports homeschooling as it is now. I am asking that we continue to pray for homeschooler's rights, and that God continues to have a hand on this situation. I feel that once one state passes the law that parents are required to have a degree, it will eventually become that way all across the US. We don't need a degree to understand our child's learning style, or how to work with them. We've done it every day since they were born. As parents, God put us as our child's number one instructor. It is our duty to make sure that our children are raised under God's instruction.

HSLDA update

where I've been lately

2008-03-13T11:10:00.006-05:00

I am seriously back to doing Weight Watchers. I have hit a weight that I have not been at in years (not including my last pregnancy), and I have to make a commitment NOW. I am finding that coffee with cream and sugar is one of my biggest crutches. Also, I don't get enough exercise. Lori told me that strength exercises (not necessarily cardio) are suppose to boost your metabolism. Tim and I are in a competition to see who can loose 25 lbs. first. The winner gets $50 to spend however they choose. All Tim has to do is quite drinking Mountain Dew, but that's not going to happen so I may have a chance.

I am now working temporarily back where I worked before Ruben was born. I am filling in for a lady on maternity leave for 6 weeks. It's good to be back in a familiar place...even though it's a new building and at least half the faces are new. Anyhow, 5 hours a day takes up a lot of time from home so I haven't had much time to make new posts.

I will have an Easter present that I knitted for my daughter coming soon.

2 more diaper soakers

2008-03-13T10:57:00.012-05:00

I purchased new prefold diapers and snappi fastners. It took me a few days, but I got the hang of putting the diapers on Ruben. The first day Ruben peed right through his diaper all over Tim. So I sewed some flannel inserts, and we have no problems. Now he rarely pees through his diapers.

I have completed two more diaper soakers.

Soaker 2

I knitted a lower waist line on the second soaker, but it sits too low with the new diapers.

Soaker 3

The third saoker was knitted in the round so it doesn't have a seam. It feels softer and looser. This one is my favorite.

oil free hair method

2008-02-14T13:20:00.007-06:00

I have a friend (I'm not going to mention her name because I don't know if she wants to be known on the web) who asked me if I had come up with a homemade shampoo yet. Well, that one is tricky. Some things are just cheaper to purchase at the store. I don't buy the cheapest shampoo because I am particular with my hair type, but I don't buy salon shampoo. I start from the cheapest work my way up until I find one that works for me. I'm sure there are natural/organic (without added chemicals) shampoos available, but I'm not familiar with them.

My friend went on to tell me that she has very oily hair to the point that she doesn't even use conditioner. I have read in the past that you can do a quick dry wash shampoo with baking soda if you are pressed for time. You sprinkle baking soda on your hair, leave it in a minutes or two and comb it out. I gave it a try recently. It made my naturally dry hair feel even dryer. Not to mention, that it was also very difficult to run a comb through my curly hair. So in my theory this method would work very well for my friend and anyone else who has very oily hair. If you try this, please leave a comment and let me and others know how it works for you.

knitted diaper soaker

2008-02-03T14:58:00.001-06:00

I completed my first diaper soaker! I used a pattern from fernandfaerie.com. I followed the pattern for the "cover knitted flat" version (toddler size). I have to fold down the waist because it's too high. The pattern called for 3" ribbing, but I will stitch a 1 1/2" ribbing on my next soaker.

Wool yarn repells water so the wetness stays on the inside of the soaker. Before the soaker can be worn and during each wash, it needs to be *lanolized (water proofed). Wash your soaker when soiled or still smells bad when dry.

(*I used the tube of Lanolin that I got from the hospital to use for soreness when nursing.)

Next I am going to purchase some new prefold diapers and Snappi Fastners. Bye, bye old falling part altered diapers and vinyal covers!

Thanks to Elizabeth for giving me this idea from a post on her blog last spring.

23 questions

2008-01-25T08:43:00.000-06:00

I get these emails occasionally. Nobody likes to return them back to me, but I love to answer the questions so I will share with you here.

1. What is your occupation?
homemaker/stay-at-home mom; temporary, part-time telephone interviewer (I do not do phone sales or politics)

2. What color are your socks right now?
not wearing any

3. What are you listening to right now?
Dragon Tales

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Kroger's Cinnamon Swirls in bowl of 1% milk

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
not really, haven't tried in several years

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
That's hard because it depends what you are coloring...

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
some unknown person at work

8. How old are you today?
28

9. What is your favorite drink ?
I am successfully lowering my soda intake so I will say: Diet Dr. Pepper occasionally; hot or cold flavored coffee

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
I don't like watching sports, but if I had to I would probably choose baseball

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
yes, but not for a few years

12. Pets?
Harley - dog

13. Favorite food?
sweets; well, if I had to choose from the four food groups I would say breads and dairy

14. What was the last movie you watched?
The last I remember...Makayla and I went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks over Christmas break

15. Favorite holiday of the year?
Christmas

16. What do you do to vent anger?
talk to my husband; pray

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Cabbage Patch (made by my grandma); Sunshine Care Bear (made by my aunt); Rainbow Bright; other stuffed animals

18. What is your favorite, fall or summer?
Fall

19. Hugs or kisses?
hugs

20. Cherries or Blueberries?
blueberries if they're baked in something like muffins; I don't like their thick skin

21. Do you want your friends to answer these questions on their blog?
yes

22. Who is most likely to respond?
I hate this question

23. What did you do last night?
worked; knitted

Maybe someday I will make my own list of questions that makes people give more interesting answers that people really like to read.

testing a daily schedule

2008-01-06T19:10:00.000-06:00

I decided that my family would function better on a daily schedule. Makayla's school hours may be extended, and I will be starting a temporary, part-time job in the evenings. In Excel, I created half hour increments for each day. Each day contains a column for me and one for the kids. I started with me getting up at 7:30 and taking a shower, then getting the kids dressed and breakfast. I even set aside time for walking, cleaning and free time for myself. I will test my schedule this week to see how it works. This means we will have to follow bed times, and wake up at with an alarm. Ruben sleeps through the night now so this shouldn't be too much of a problem. I wish I could share my schedule, but I cannot upload Excel files to my blog. Once I test my schedule and adjust it to what works for us, I may post an outline of one of may days.

beginner knitter

2007-12-28T13:06:00.000-06:00

For some reason, I have been thinking a lot lately about learning to knit. Maybe I saw a knitting blog. I purchased a pair of needing kniddles...uh, I mean knitting needles (it's like a tongue twister), and practiced watching online tutorials. I gave up quickly. I turned my back on knitting, and purchased a crochet hook. I like the finished look of knitting better, but decided that crocheting must be easier. I practiced crocheting for a few days and planned to stick with it until...I received a knitting kit as a Christmas present from Lori, my sister-in-law. I didn't get it directly.

We played a gift exchange game while reading the Christmas story. Everyone brought an inexpensive or homemade gift for their gender and drew a word that was in the Christmas story. When a person's word was read they were able to open a gift from the pile or trade with some else. It was Angie's, my sister-in-law, great idea to play this game. My gift was a plastic storage tub. Tim thought it would be too practical, but it was a big hit. I just bought something I could use myself.

Back to knitting. The next day, I went to my sister's house for Christmas. After talking with my brother-in-law and watching him knit a little (he's making a beautiful queen size blanket for his bed), I was ready to get going on knitting again. Sometimes, I think it takes seeing someone do something a particular way and it clicks. He made it look easier than the tutorials. I then spent the next day and a half working on a pocket purse for Makayla.

I am now practicing on a sunglasses case from my kit. I have a request list growing. Maybe I will post pictures as I complete the projects. My goal to knit socks. Well, I will be off to the library to look for patterns.

christmas cookies

2007-12-19T14:16:00.000-06:00

Makayla and I spent yesterday afternoon making these cookies. Thanks to my mother-in-law for buying me a cookie press that's a few decades old from a garage sale a few years back. I may have used it once before, but I intend to use it a lot more often now. It will be fun experimenting with food coloring next time. As for those of you not coming to my house for Christmas this year the recipe I used is below.

Almond Butter Cookies

1 c. (2 sticks) butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. almond extract

1 1/2 - 2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

Cream together butter, sugar and almond extract. Mix in flour and salt. Form balls and roll in sugar (or use your cookie press if you have one). Place cookies on cookie sheet and press with fork in two directions. (I like to use parchment paper so my cookies don't burn.) Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

recycled jeans

2007-12-11T20:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my niece's (Holli) 12th birthday. I made the purse below for her a few months ago. It's made from a pair of her favorite jeans that she outgrew.

1st grade reading list

2007-12-09T18:02:00.000-06:00

Makayla and I have completed her 1st semester curriculum. It was great! She is really picking up on her reading. I was reintroduced to the variety of books you can check out from the library from a list that was provided for me from the teacher's manual. In January, we will be moving on to a more advanced curriculum, but while they encourage reading daily they do not provide a list of books to read. The library can be overwhelming if you don't have a plan and know where to begin.

Can anyone help me come up with a list of books?

Can you think of some favorite books from your childhood?

bbq meatballs

2007-12-07T00:25:00.000-06:00

I made my infamous meatballs for my in-laws' anniversary dinner, and had several requests for the recipe.

Meat:
3 lbs. ground chuck or turkey
1 can evaporated milk
2 c. oatmeal
2 eggs
1 c. chopped onion or onion flakes
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Sauce:
3 c. ketchup
2 c. brown sugar
3 T. liquid smoke
1/2 c. onion flakes

Shape meat mixture in small (spoonful) balls. Bake @ 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Mix sauce and pour over meatballs. (I sometimes make extra sauce.) Keep warm in crock pot. Best refrigerated overnight. They freeze well.

40th wedding anniversary...surprise!

2007-12-06T21:36:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday we surprised my in-laws a few weeks early for their 40th anniversary. It came together wonderfully. We all pretended that we were meeting to get a family portrait taken, but secretly we were setting up for the party.

Jack & Helen had no clue!

Tim's cousin, Yvonne, has made all (excluding Michael whose not married yet) our wedding cakes including this one. She does a beautiful job.

Makayla and the chocolate fountain...need I say more?

Tim & Katie

(she's not as old as she looks)

Katie & sweet little Noah

(this picture was too good to leave out)

This is my family...

Makayla (front), Ruben, Myself, Tim, Katie

(I don't have very many family pictures. Partly because I don't like pictures of myself and partly because Tim doesn't like posing for pictures as you may have noticed.)

Most of the in-laws...

Front: Collin, Makayla, Mason, Isaac

Middle: Katie, Ruben, Helen, Sophia, Jack, Lori, Jack

Back: Adam, Steve, Angie, Tim, Myself, Jason, Michael, Brian, Noah

* I stole most of my pictures from Steve.

zero to one

2007-12-06T20:12:00.000-06:00

I can't believe the first year of Ruben's life has already gone by. He is starting to walk and babble. His birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day this year. With our house full of family, I didn't get to just stop and enjoy his special day. We did find some time in the evening to open presents, but we were so full of pie that we skipped the cake. I saved the cake for a little get together at my sister's on Saturday.

Thanks to Aunt Angie for the Sesame Street Doctor toy set.

I haven't tired of the Cookie Monster stethoscope.

I've been a beginner cake decorating for over a year now...

I don't get in much practice.

natural homemade cleaning products

2007-11-16T13:25:00.000-06:00

"The topic for my Women's Meeting at church this month was on educating women that they can save money around the house without spending a lot of extra time doing it. Renee spoke about ways to save money and time on your groceries by making menus, a shopping list, freezing bulk and sale items and using the same meat for several meals such as a roast. She asked me to share ideas on homemade cleaning products, and, of course, I shared my laundry detergent recipe and brought some in to show everyone. It was a big hit! I never thought so many people would take to it."

We can clean our entire house using natural cleaning products that are non-toxic and a lot friendlier to our budget. Several solutions can be premixed within a couple of minutes, and stored safely in our cabinets. The options of products we may choose to use are endless.

Basic Cleaning Products:
Baking Soda: An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics.

Borax: A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap.

Cornstarch: Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease.

Essential or Scented Oils: For disinfecting and fragrance.

Hydrogen Peroxide: Disinfects and bleaches.

Lemon Juice: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing. A bleach alternative.

Mild Dish Soap: Removes oil-base stains.

Olive Oil: Picks up dirt and polishes wood.

Rubbing Alcohol: Disinfects.

Salt: An abrasive.

Toothpaste: A mild abrasive.

Vegetable Oil Based Soaps: Cleans everything.

Vinegar: Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.

Washing Soda: Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power of soap.

Cleaning Solutions:
"Honestly, I have not yet tried most of these so please leave reviews of how the solutions work for you in my comments for myself and others. I did try the Linoleum/Vinyl Floor Mixture and the Pet Stain/Vomit Remover once when my daughter got sick and was quite happy with both. I also use baking soda to clean all the time, especially for soap scum in the bath tub."

All-Purpose Cleaners/Disinfectants
Borax Mixture:
~ ½ c. borax (*1/8 c.)
~ 1 gal. hot water (*1 qt.)
Mix in pail until borax is completely dissolved. Wipe clean with rag. (*Quantity to prepare for spray bottle use.)

Borax/Lemon Juice Mixture:
~ 2 T. borax
~ ¼ c. lemon juice
~ 2 c. hot water
Mix together in spray bottle; wipe with clean rag.

Vinegar/Borax Mixture:
~ 2 T. vinegar
~ 1 t. borax
~ hot water
~ few drops dish soap
~ few drops scented oil (optional)
In a 16 oz. spray bottle swoosh around vinegar, borax and hot water until borax has dissolved. Add dish soap and fill the rest of the bottle with water. Add scented oil if desired.

Bathroom
Baking Soda Paste:
~ baking soda
~ water
Sprinkle baking soda directly on surface and scrub with wet rag. This works really well on soap scum.

Sink/Tub Mixture:
~ ½ lemon
~ borax
Dip the face of the lemon half in borax to create a hand-held scrubber. Rinse and dry the surface afterwards.

Toilet Bowl:
~ baking soda
~ white vinegar
Sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda. Add white vinegar and scrub with a toilet brush.

Carpets/Upholstery
Deodorizer/ Freshener:
Sprinkle baking soda over carpet or furniture and let set for 5 minutes. Vacuum.

General Stain Remover:
Soak spot with club soda immediately, then blot until stain is gone.

Grease Spot Remover:
Absorb spot with towel. Sprinkle corn starch over spot and leave overnight. Vacuum.

Pet Stain/Vomit Remover:
~ liquid dish soap
~ ½ c. vinegar
~ 1 qt. warm water
Soak up spot with towels. Spot with dish soap. Rinse spot with vinegar diluted in warm water. Absorb access moisture with towel. Leave towel over spot for 4-6 hours. Vacuum.

Vinyl Cleaner:
~ ½ t. – ¼ c. washing soda
~ 1 c. boiling water
Dissolve washing soda in boiling water. Apply with rag and wipe off with damp cloth.

Drains
Clog-free Method:
~ 1 c. baking soda
~ 1 c. vinegar
~ boiling water
Pour down drain in order: baking soda, vinegar, hot water.

Floors
Linoleum/Vinyl Floor Mixture:
~ 1 c. white vinegar
~ 1 gal. water
Mix in bucket and scrub floor.

Wood Floor Mixture:
~ ¼ - ½ c. white vinegar
~ 1 gal. water
Mix in bucket and scrub floor.

Furniture Polish
Vinegar/Olive Oil Mixture:
~ ½ c. white vinegar
~ 1 t. olive oil
Mix and apply with a clean rag. Reduce amount of olive oil if wood looks too oily.

Kitchen
Refrigerator:
~ 2 T. Baking soda
~ 1 qt. warm water
Dissolve baking soda in water and wipe down fridge.

Stove top/Oven Degreaser:
~ ½ t. washing soda
~ ¼ t. liquid soap
~ 2 c. hot water
Mix washing soda, soap and hot water in spray bottle.

Oven Cleaner:
~ baking soda
~ water
Sprinkle baking soda on surface, spray with water and soap several hours or overnight. Rinse with water.

Windows
Vinegar/Dish Soap Mixture:
~ 3 T. vinegar
~ ½ t. mild dish soap
~ 2 c. water
Put ingredients in a spray bottle, shake and use.

guard your peace

2007-11-15T06:26:00.000-06:00

Wednesday night services at my church includes interaction from the congregation. My pastor starts with a topic and notes, but we are able to add our point of view. It's similar to a bible study. Last night the topic was "trust". Learning to trust God is something Tim and I have been dealing with for the past couple of years or so, especially now more than ever. We are in a time when we are letting God dramatically change our lives and lead us elsewhere. Most people, even Christians, don't understand why we are doing what we are doing. In the beginning, I didn't even understand, but God has given me more direction since then. Even though we loose focus a lot, we know to keep trusting God for he puts the desires in our hearts and then fills those desires in his timing (not ours).

While in service, one lady raised her hand and asked "Pastor, shouldn't we guard our peace?"

Guard our peace? What's that mean?!

Our pastor answered "Yes". He went on to say that you can loose you peace by getting anxious, worried or fret. Since then, I found the following verse.

Philippians 4:6-8
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Last night's service pertained so closely to what we are going through right now. It gives me strength and encouragement to keep going.

pie crust

2007-11-13T13:22:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago, Makayla asked me if we could make an apple pie. I was tired, but I was excited about the fact that Makayla is interested in baking. We just so happened to have some apples sitting on the table. We had just read The Little Red Hen in school so throughout the process I was able to reinforce putting out effort to get good things...especially the parts she didn't want to do.
I found a pie crust recipe in my cook book from church. The recipe is from the same lady as the "White House" Chocolate Chip Cookies. I had never made a pie crust before because I thought it would be hard and a lot more time consuming. This recipe has a nice flaky crust. I think it's just as good as Pillsbury's crust.

4 c. flour
2 c. Crisco (I used store brand)
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
6 T. iced water

Cut Crisco into flour, salt and baking powder with pastry blender. In separate bowl, add vinegar and sugar to egg. Stir until dissolved. Add iced water. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir together with a fork. Divide dough into 4 equal parts for 9" inch crust or 3 parts for 10" crust. Add pie filling and bake according pie directions...usually 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

guilt free

2007-11-13T13:22:00.001-06:00

I know. It's been a while since I've last posted. I feel so busy. My number one priority is homeschooling. I can't seem to keep up with myself lately and it's not even the holidays that's causing it. Actually, in my first year of being frugal, I feel the least stressed about the holidays. I have no guilt about not spending money on presents. My goal is to enjoy this time of year, and give as my heart tells my to. Maybe I will make a little something for everyone. Maybe I will sit down with Makayla and help her make a homemade gift for all of her cousins and friends. Maybe we will be too busy with every day family things to do any of these things. I don't know what will transpire, but I know I will have no guilt, no anxiety and no debt!

spreading frugality

2007-10-16T09:22:00.000-05:00

My sister, Cheryl, asked me to show her how to make my homemade laundry detergent so she could save money. I have been giving some to my mom to use, but I wanted her to learn how to make it herself. Cheryl mention that we should get together more often with Mom so we planned a Saturday to get together and make laundry detergent.
While in the shower (my thinking zone) the next day, I decided to created a monthly mother and daughter's day. I named it "Creative Mother and Daughter's Day". I put together a sheet of rules and a motto to follow by like an official meeting. Each month we will take turns planning the 1st Saturday of the month. For October, I planned a frugal day. We took a trip to the Amish store and made laundry detergent. For lunch we went to Becky's Burger's and Cones in Pilot Grove. It's very good and inexpensive. I highly recommend this restaurant to any passersby. It's worth the 5-10 minute drive off I-70 or it's not far off the Katy Trail.
While we were preparing to make our laundry detergent, Cheryl's friend stopped by to cut Holli's hair. Cheryl told me a week later that her friend asked how our detergent turned out. Cheryl offered to make some for her and she accepted. How exciting! You never know who may be interested so share, share, share. It may not be realistic, but I dream that if a large percentage of people turned to frugality, then prices would have to come down on products. I was buying toilet paper the other day and thought how ridiculous it was to pay so much for a necessity.

picture @ the park

2007-10-10T17:11:00.000-05:00

Makayla (6) & Ruben (10 months)

frugal weight watcher's

2007-10-08T09:13:00.000-05:00

After discovering that I have gained 10 lbs. instead of losing it, I have decided to start counting Weight Watcher's points again. It's such a great program and it works as long as one has "will power". Oh, those dreaded phrases.."will power" and "self control"...the opposite of giving into temptation. Why does it have to be so hard? It's just food, right? Tim has agreed to support me by eating the food I make as long as it's not labeled "fat free". I am at the end of my second day and I feel great! I am so afraid of eating too much that I have points left over at the end of the day. Now I have the challenge of figuring out how to eat healthier and being frugal about it. Dieting or eating healthier can be more expensive.
I also get support from Dottie's Weight Loss Zone. There I can get points for restaurants, recipes, chat with other's and more. I heard about 3 Fat Chicks in a WW meeting a long time ago, but just now visited the web site so I don't know a lot about it. I notice that it provides recipes using mostly natural ingredients instead of fat free or substitute sugars. It also provides calorie charts for food, nutrition charts for fast food and metric conversions. Also, there is a section that explains different diet fads and how they work, and fitness articles and programs (including a walking calculator). Wow, I should have look this site up a couple of years ago instead of while typing this post. Uh, I think I will be going now. I have a new web site to check out ;)

vacation

2007-09-28T13:36:00.001-05:00

This week we took a vacation. The first time in 8 years of marriage that we could say we were taking a family vacation without it involving moving a certain family member across the States. But this time we didn't travel that far. Tim has a fascination with southern Missouri hills so we took off. I was even able to incorporate some learning field trip time for school. Monday evening we rented a cabin on Table Rock Lake. The view is beautiful and the water is clear unlike our muddy river and lakes. I really enjoy landscape photos so I took pictures with my camera hoping to they would be good enough to hang on my wall.

The evening we arrive at our cabin we went walked down to the lake to take pictures and so Tim and Makayla could get some fishing time in.

The next morning, Ruben woke us up at 5:30 so we drove down to the lake for another view, but I forgot my camera. The fog sat very thick on top the lake and made it very beautiful.

Tim or I capture this picture about 8 am as we were leaving the cabin for our next destination. You can't see the beauty of the fog in this picture as well.

Our first stop for the day was the Conservation trout fishery by the dam that dumps water from Table Rock Lake into Lake Taneycomo in Branson. Here Makayla learned about different turtles, birds and snakes aside from feeding trout as part of her field trip.

Lake Taneycomo just before all the fog lifted. Again I forgot my camera and missed the heavier fog.

Then we moved on down to the Branson strip. I didn't take any pictures. Honestly, Branson nothing more the a blown up version of the strip at the Lake. There were I few things I would have gone to if planned like the Dick Clark Museum and the Oakridge Boys because they were comfort things from my childhood. From there we headed west towards West Plains. I felt sick almost all day from driving in the hills. We took a rest at Bull Shoals Lake just outside of Theodosia. There was a nice resort and camping area there right off the lake. We didn't stay more than an hour, but I would recommend it for a weekend.

Tim and Makayla down by the shore at Bull Shoals.

This is one of my favorite pictures. The clouds may look a little scary because of the sepia, but the skies were blue and the clouds were white and fluffy.

We came upon this rainbow somewhere in the hills between Gainesville and West Plains just before entering into rain.

This trip gave me an opportunity to review rainbows, fogs and clouds with Makayla. We stopped in West Plains for the night and continued back north on Wednesday. Eventually we found ourselves eating lunch at Ha Ha Tonka state park outside of Camdenton. Here Tim was able to teach Makayla about caves, springs and sink holes.

Tim and Makayla fishing the Lake of the Ozarks at Ha Ha Tonka.

Natural cave spring at Ha Ha Tonka.

From there we ventured home traveling the back side of the Lake of the Ozarks, and discovered some Amish country.

A thought came to me while traveling. I don't like to journal so I may not put my thoughts into practice, but it's an idea for others. I recall listening to my parents talk with other relatives about vacations and not being able to remember who all was present. I was thinking that creating a timeline would be helpful for my children. I could record the dates, places and events that we venture to with our children so when they get older they will know where they've been, and it may even help them keep their memories of where they went if we review the timeline every so often.

oops...still practicing

2007-09-14T21:36:00.000-05:00

This time I gave Makayla a new haircut style instead of just a trim. It looks nothing like I was going for, but it still looks nice. Makayla really likes it because her hair is off her neck. I think it is good because she is getting old enough to start learning how manage and take care of her own hair, and short is simple. Maybe by next Spring it will grow out enough for me to try the cut I actually wanted.

beautiful missouri day

2007-09-11T15:10:00.001-05:00

Genesis 1

11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree

that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the

tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was

good.

13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.

Today is the first beautiful day we have had in some time. It was only about 50 degrees outside at 8 am. Our widows are open and we are enjoying the fresh air. This weather energizes me to clean and organize. I am getting a lot done inside while Tim is outside cutting down limbs and playing with fire...men like to do that for some reason.

Summer is coming to an end, and fall is moving in. I didn't used to think much about fall because I get cold easily, but as an adult you seem to look at things from a very different perspective. The cool breeze, the pretty leaves, apple cider, fall festivals... I could go on and on. The downside is that the sun goes down earlier. The sunlight makes me happy. Without it, I get depressed easily...and I'm afraid of the dark.

Also, Makayla's homeschool material, My Father's World, uses a different topic for each lesson (i.e. sun, leaf, apple) These all fall right in the season so we can go outside and explore these topics.

help for new homeschoolers

2007-08-25T08:31:00.000-05:00

It is hard for new homeschoolers to get started. I have had some great help from others, and feel it's important to share with others.

Your state web site should have guidelines, but mine weren't explanatory enough for me.
I attended a homeschooling conference about 2 months ago. See my post on homschooling. Even though it was still somewhat confusing when I left, I came home with more information about curriculum than I ever needed, and I had a lot more confidence.
I have been asking a lot of questions from those who have been homeschooling for a few years or so. These people are the walking knowledge homeschooling. There is no better place to find out how to get started, and they love to help because they are passionate about homeschooling. The following are some links I have acquired from them.

The Home School Legal Defense Association is packed with information. I found a useful article about contacting your school system here. Take a look, especially Elizabeth...this site falls under your research analysis. http://www.hslda.org/ads.asp
Vegsource.com is where I bought my first used cirriculum: http://vegsource.com/homeschool/
DonnaYoung.org provides you with useful forms such as calendars, logging, lessons plans, etc. http://www.donnayoung.org/

socialized homeschooling

2007-08-23T16:41:00.000-05:00

While starting my first weeks in homeschooling Makayla and trying to figure it out, I fear that I will not be able to teach Makayla her reading and math well enough. I was driving by the school parking lot Monday evening while all the families were at Back to School Night. I felt numb. Am I doing the right thing? Then I remember we don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. Romans 12:2 reads “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. God has put it in our hearts to homeschool. Acts 5:29 reads …”we ought to obey God rather than man.” My life has flourished so much since I started obeying God, but that’s for another post.

Surprisingly, the only negative thing people can seem to say about it is “socialization”. Let’s start with me for example. I spent all my schooling in public or private schools outside the home. At age 20, my socialization skills were very low. School outside the home did nothing for me. I could not concentrate and many times was not interested in the teaching because I was too busy dealing with peer pressure from other students and the teacher…yes, the teacher. Teacher’s can be quite harsh and single out the students they favor leaving the other’s unnoticed or picking on the student’s they don’t like. I spent so much time worrying about being picked on or wanting to fit in, it was ridiculous.

Why do we want to send our kids to a place where we have to work backwards to teach our children morals, values and truth? Kids pick up so much from other kids and teachers. The main learning source should start in the home and then taken out from there. How can I expect my children to follow my lead if they are spending most of their time in the school without me? I am still battling with Makayla that Santa Clause is not real because her teacher, babysitter and other kids say he exists.

Socialization starts in the home. Over the summer, my relationship with Makayla has grown tremendously. Even though I was home during the later part of her school year, we still dealt with misbehaving issues. I felt like I was working on someone else’s time clock...getting her to school, picking her up and trying to stay tuned in what was going on in her life while she was away. Makayla now listens to me well. We communicate, she does what she’s told, and we have quality time together all because she is not off to school everyday where she picks up bad habits from others and bring their attitudes home. Now my children will pick up MY attitude. So now it all relies on my shoulders to be the good example for my children’s socialization skills. Children pick up things from the one’s they are around the most.

According to Wikipedia.org, the term socialization is used by sociologists, social psychologists and educationalists to refer to the process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it. For the individual it provides the resources necessary for acting and participating within their society. For the society, inducting all individual members into its moral norms, attitudes, values, motives, social roles, language and symbols is the ‘means by which social and cultural continuity are attained’ (Clausen 1968: 5).

Culture starts in the home, which are attained in everyday activities and errands. I take my children with me to the store, church, family outings, extended family gathers, etc. My children get plenty of outside contact with other’s. It’s the immediate family who should be putting the most influence on kids.

I hope I have encouraged other’s out there like me, who are new to homeschooling and wonder sometimes if they are doing the right thing. As Christians, we may be “in the world” but we are not “of the world”.

LewRockwell.com has a good article on "Homeschooling and the Myth of Socialization".

I will post more updates on homeschooling later. This topic on homeschooling has been weighing on my mind lately.

quilt my grandma made us

2007-08-22T08:14:00.001-05:00

bargains & quilts

2007-08-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

Saturday, we went to visit my sister. We took the long way and stopped by the Amish store. I love that place! You can get almost everything you need there, and the price is right. I have been putting off buying orange peel from Walmart because it cost over $5. I got more quantity from the Dutch Bakery than I would have at Walmart for a much lower price. I also purchased lemon peel, dry mustard, white and yellow powdered cheese sauce, and wheat germ. Tim found some good knifes he can use for his wood carving, and Makayla chose some chocolate covered raisins for her treat. Something for everyone :) If we were settled in our own place, I could have used so many things from there for my frugal cooking and baking. In another direction from where we live, there is an Amish community that I have never been to before. There is supposed to be several stores with food, quilts, furniture, etc. I hope to venture that way next.

Speaking of quilts, I broke out my old quilt my grandma made for us when we first got married. It's still in perfect condition since I didn't use it very long before we converted to a king size bed. Tim and I were tired of waking up with very stiff backs so we decided to purchase a new bed Sunday. I have been wanting a new look on my bed, but not willing to fork out the funds for it. Since we downsized to a queen I am able to get that new look again. My grandma originally made the quilt for a full size bed, but it fits my new queen perfectly. On the downside, the main color is hunter green, which is the color I chose 8 years ago when it was "the color". I don't care for hunter green, but the quilt really gives a new look aside from the old comforter. Maybe I will post a picture soon. It almost inspires me to make my own quilt. I pieced together the top layer of a lap blanket 4 years ago. It's on my "finish projects" list once we get settled.

frugal birthday present

2007-08-15T15:15:00.000-05:00

I think I have a new hobby...making bags, purses, etc. out of outgrown, damaged and unwanted clothing. The picture below is a hand bag made from Makayla's old shirt for Sophia. It's not pink and frilly, but I think she likes it.

This shirt tied around the neck. I turned the shirt inside out and sewed along the bottom to close it up. I tied knots in the strings because they were coming unraveled, and it actually gave it an extra design. I then sewed the straps along the top of the back of the shirt to create handles.

pretzels

2007-08-15T15:03:00.000-05:00

Holli complained to me that her mom never uses her bread machine so this morning I asked her if she wanted to make cinnamon rolls or pretzels. I never made pretzels before, but we gave it a try. Although I was thinking of traditional pretzel twist, the girls had other creative pretzels in mind. The pretzels came out a little hard. I have been wondering how to make breads with a soft outer crust. It came to me today that maybe if I lower my oven temperature and bake longer the outside of my bread will be softer. Does anyone know if this is correct?

traveling food

2007-08-15T11:51:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, I stepped on my scale this morning to find that I have gained 5 pounds! Tim and I have been traveling lately trying to find that perfect little town for us to move to. We are ready for our move, but we are waiting for God to open that door. Anyhow, as a result we have been eating a lot of fast food. Somehow, I believe that I can start eat whatever and nothing changes...WRONG. I tend to eat more when I am traveling. I guess I will have to downsize to kids meals and pack healthy snacks like: carrots, cheese sticks and fruit. Not to mention, Holli brought a big container of no bake cookies to my house this week.

latest happenings

2007-08-02T14:47:00.002-05:00

Makayla's Electric Co-op...you know the thing that sends energy to make your TV work.

Makayla recently discovered that she can pick up her little brother.

My favorite...I'm not sure dad's ready for this.

"White House" chocolate chip cookies

2007-08-02T14:47:00.001-05:00

These are the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had. I found them in my church cookbook. I told the lady from church who submitted the recipe that they were the best cookies. She told me that she obtained the recipe from an article. This recipe was used by the chef of the White House. It was said that President Bush would go down and have milk and cookies during the night when he was stressing over an issue. Because the cookies are made with molasses, they can be left out on a plate for a few days and keep their flavor without going stale.

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. molasses
2 eggs, beatened
1 T. vanilla
3 c. & 3 T. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. (12 oz. bag) chocolate chips
1 c. nuts

Cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar and molasses in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined. Mix in dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt). Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by heaping tablespoonful on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.

I used salted butter and omitted the salt. I also did not use nuts since they are expensive. The original recipe read to bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes, but my cookies burned on the bottom at this temperature. I put these in baggies in the freezer by twos and throw into Tim's lunch box every morning, but I seem to be eating them faster than he is.

blue ribbon frame

2007-08-02T14:47:00.000-05:00

Holli made this frame with Ruben's newborn picture as her 4-H project for the county fair.

She received a blue ribbon.

soccer and Makayla

2007-07-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

Last week our church held a Mega Sports Camp for kids. Makayla and her cousin, Holli, chose soccer. Each night they had coaches that taught them how to play the game, and they had lessons about Jesus in between.
The first night I had to encourage Makayla to go with her soccer group. Tuesday, she couldn't wait to get to the field. By the end of the night Tuesday, she didn't want to go back. They played their first game that night, and she got attacked by the ball. I made her stick with it through the end of the week. Her coaches told me that she made the most goals at practice, and could do the "pivot" move really well. Soccer just might me for her...well, after we purchase some shin guards. At the end of the week, everyone received an award certificate with their picture on it which their coach had signed. It looks good enough to frame.

Makayla posing for mom

Makayla making a goal

Holli making a goal

laundry detergent revisited

2007-07-19T12:52:00.000-05:00

I had a request for a picture of the Borax and Washing Soda boxes used in my Liquid Laundry Detergent recipe post.

one's trash is another's treasure

2007-07-04T08:05:00.000-05:00

Last week I sent out an email looking for used games to used in Makayla's home school curriculum. A friend sent me back the web site: freecycle.org. This site is used for people to offer things they don't want sitting around their house any longer or ask for wanted things that other people may have laying around their house. The purpose is to keep down on waste and help others in need.
First you will need to sign up for a yahoo email address if you don't have one already. When you get to the site, you will need to find the area you are in and register with the web master. It's takes some time to get approved. Once you are in, you can have emails of offers/wants sent directly to your email.
I just replied to an offer for a weed whacker. I hope we get it. I was too slow on the last offer Sunday.

actions speak louder than words

2007-06-25T07:56:00.000-05:00

As I was getting ready for church yesterday, I was watching Dr. Kennedy on TV talking about preparing our children before sending them out into the secular world. It is our job to teach our children Godly values all through the years before they leave our home. What stood out to me the most is "patterns". Our children take on our patterns. Our children see and hear what we do, a lot of times unknowingly taking those actions on themselves. He used many parent and child examples in the bible...Eve and Cain, Rebekah and Jacob, and Moses and his mother. I can see how this is so true, but I love to see examples pulled from the bible. Also, a parent telling their child to do one thing, but is doing the opposite themselves doesn't work. The child will eventually notice that the parent(s) does not practice what they preach. Actions speak louder than words.
I would like to think that I am not too much like my family sometimes, but surely I have taken on a few traits. Tim said that he noticed a pattern that happens - that either a child is very much like their parent(s) or different because they consciously made a decision not to take on their ways which were not good in their eyes.

getting snippy

2007-06-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

I cut even more off Makayla's hair. Now that school is out, I could try a drastic cut and not embarrass her if I messed up. Having long hair in the summer is a pain to wear and take care of so I went quite a bit shorter, but still long enough to pull up. I wanted to do a more difficult style, but I decided I better keep it simple until I get the hang of cutting hair.

Lori asked me to cut her hair also, but she wouldn't let me post her picture. I'll just say that it looks similar to Makayla's only thinner and straighter.

homeschooling

2007-06-19T08:14:00.000-05:00

Lately, God has been laying homeschooling on my heart. I'm not sure how this came about for us. Tim and I started talking about it one day. We want our kids to be raised with morals and Godly values. I am very nervous and excited at the same time. I talked to Makayla about it and she is very receptive.
I talked to a lady at my church who is homeschooling her boys. She is going to connect me with other homeschooling mom's who have children around Makayla's age, and send me some links of the local homeschool co-op. I also went to my state's web site to find out their guidelines and rules for homeschooling.
In the mean time, I am staying with Lori (my sister-in-law) for a few days so we could go to the big homeshooling convention in our area. Last night we went to the book fair. Wow! So much to take in. There is curriculum for all the different teaching and learning styles. You can follow an outlined schedule on a day to day basis from a teacher's manual, come up with your own lesson plans or anywhere in between by combining text book lessons and your own lessons. I found that Makayla is a little behind 1st grade homeschool material so I am going to work with her on reading and math this summer and start 1st grade lessons in the fall. I purchased "Scaredy Cat" materials. This teaches your child to read through making up stories for the letters of the alphabet and catchy sayings in different situations they are used. I like this because I think my children will actually learn to read better than just memorizing words. I am going to use workbooks from Walmart for her math this summer. Makayla looked through her new workbook when we got home last night and she is excited to get started. I think this program is reasonably priced. Go to http://www.joyceherzog.com/scaredy.html to get all the details.
If you are planning to homeschool or even already started, I would highly recommend go to a conference to help you along your way. The vendors will help you to understand their curriculum or what level your child should be at. I would still be lost if we didn't go. Go to Homeschool Convention 2007 to find a convention near you.

kindergarten graduate

2007-06-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Makayla's last day of Kindergarten. Who would of thought this would make me sad. Not because she's getting older, but because she made some really good friends that she may never see again. We will most likely move to a smaller community this summer. Even if we stayed she would not have her friends in the same class. It's kind of ironic because I cried her first day of Kindergarten because I didn't want her to go to school and deal with all the emotional issues and not fitting in like I had. But of course, she enjoyed it a whole lot more than I did.
Lately homeschooling Makayla has been on my heart. The more I learn about it the more excited I get. I plan to try it out this summer to see how well Makayla and I work together. She loves arts and crafts so I figure the more I incorporate that into our lessons, the better Makayla will learn.

a verse in my heart

2007-06-01T08:24:00.002-05:00

By the Power of Your Love is a new song on the radio. Well actually I found out it's been around for a while, but it's new to me. The first part of the week I had the verse "...and as I wait, I will rise up like the eagle..." stuck in my head. Wednesday evening we sang it at church. Then I woke up in the middle of the night with these same words in my head as clear as if I had been singing them...actually I think I was almost singing them in my head. After that I decided that God was putting this song in my heart for a reason. The next day I asked Helen (my mother-in-law) about the verse. She recognized it and looked it up in her trusty bible. Turns out the verse comes from Isaiah 40:31...

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

I had to ponder what this verse means for me. Even though we have been waiting for a long time, I know that during this time God is strengthening us. Looking back two years ago, God has spiritually matured us and prepared us for our future.

Last night I was praying and thanking God for the blessings he has given me. It had occurred to me that God didn't just save me from the dark life I was living for myself. When I called out to him for help one day, he knew that I would follow through as his shepherd. He knew that I would let Him use me to bring others to Him. It's all for God's glory, not mine! Yes, we all benefit from obeying the Lord, but it's not for us but for Him. He is our creator and we must obey him, as we expect our own children to obey us.

homemade baby wipes ~ revisited

2007-05-30T15:29:00.002-05:00

I found that my wipes were too soapy. Only 1 tablespoon of baby shampoo is needed. My original recipe for homemade baby wipes calls for 2 tablespoons. Also, 2 1/2 cups of water is need. I have been using wash cloths for wets only so I am even saving on my homemade wipes. I didn't have enough wash cloths set aside to last between each wash so I cut up an old towel. This helps me distinguish the butt cloths from my other wash cloths.

snip snip

2007-05-25T15:23:00.000-05:00

I succeeded in trimming Makayla's hair last night! I checked a book out from the library titled Cutting Your Family's Hair. The steps are very basic and don't give much detail. I am going to purchase Haircutting for Dummies. It has so much information. Makayla has thick hair so I need to know the correct way to thin it with thinning scissors. I am going to wait until she is done with school in case I screw it up. I have trimmed Ruben's hair twice now since he was born...yes he has that much hair. I didn't think to take before pictures, but here are the afters.

where have the last 6 months gone?

2007-05-25T15:12:00.001-05:00

follow-up...no time to lose

2007-05-21T08:36:00.000-05:00

I went to my future sister-in-law's wedding shower this past weekend. It was very nice, but I think I under dressed a little. My family does things pretty casual, but it seems that hers likes to dress up a little. I saw her sister for the first time since high school (9 years ago). She looked great. It made me feel a little sloppy. I take care of myself a lot better than I did in high school, but I need to add a little more effort.
As a result, I am going to crack down on eating healthier. I don't eat much meat just because it's not to my liking. I eat too much bread and carbohydrates. I would like to find recipes that incorporate more veggies to eat for my lunches. Maybe I could find casseroles that include simple veggies. Please add to my comments your favorite recipes, web sites or books that would help me.
This is not the end. After worrying for a day, my mother-in-law reassured me that everyone has their own style. I should be who I am (which I am comfortable with for the most part except for the added weight), but use this as a motivation to keep up with my goals. She's right! My goal is to get close to my high school weight...has been for 5 years now. One phrase I remember is "You thought you were fat in high school, but looking back you weren't near as fat as you thought you were."

natural foods...for me?

2007-05-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

I grew up on the shelve peanut butter with sugar and preservatives in it and I like it just fine. I bought a jar of Smucker's peanut butter because of the unspoken pressure of Lori (sister-by-law) and Helen (mother-by-law). Helen had bought Kroger's natural peanut butter before, but if I had to go on that I would have stuck with my old ways. Now that I've eaten 3/4 of the jar I think I can live with it. The crunchy version tastes a lot like peanuts so all I have to do is convince my mind that the sugar is not necessary.
While I was grocery shopping yesterday, I looked up flax seed that's mentioned to make healthier recipes. I couldn't find the wheat germ, but I found wheat gluten which is not suppose to be quite the same. I guess I will check out other stores for wheat germ.
I can't believe I am even looking for these foreign cooking items. I never would have thought I would go this far. Either frugal life secretly changes ones habits or Lori and Elizabeth have some kind of unspoken influence on me. I'm not converted yet, but this could be the beginning.

under estimating ourselves

2007-05-10T09:59:00.000-05:00

As a stay-at-home-mom, I have days that I get lonely and feel useless, uninspired and non-efficient. I'm sure everyone else has been there also from time to time. Even though we are surrounded by our kids, we need adult conversation. Some nights Tim just wants to come home and unwind and doesn't say much or finds a project to do. Then I really feel alone. At these times Satan has us exactly where he wants us.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Many times we allow the devil to devour us. We may feel in despair because we feel like our lives are "stuck in a rut". A little over two years ago, God told me to trust him on selling our house and leaving the town we live in. We have been wondering nomads for the last two years...unsettled and waiting. Even though I know in my heart that God has us here for a reason, lately I have let the devil convince me that we are "losers". By that I mean, it feels like we can't get it together. But truly, I know that God has taught me many lessons and saved us from many turmoils during these last two years. The Israelites wonder in the desert for 40 years so I've got nothing on them. We do have victory over Satan in Jesus!

Then the seventy [disciples] returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He [Jesus] said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Revelations 1:18

The above verse gives me comfort every time a hear it.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren (Satan), who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Revelations 12:10

Satan only has the power that God has allowed him to have. It is up to us to look to God when we enter into these stressful times and not let Satan take over. A good friend once told me that the devil hates it when we raise our hand to the heavens and praise God. Yes, the more we press into Jesus, Satan will come back and try to convince us that we are not worthy, we are alone, and I have even had instances where the devil will attach the people around me to make me life harder. He messes with my mind all the time. But we must press on and continue to praise God and thank him every day for the blessings that he has given us.

I am also guilty of not utilizing my time for prayer. I get so caught up in my daily tasks and forget that there are others in need. I don't forget about God during my day, but I really should make more time for him.

You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows. Job 22:27

“When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers. 2 Chronicles 6:28-31

Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:12-14

When we seek God he chooses to live in us. He makes our hearts and bodies his dwelling place or "house of sacrifice". So we must keep on and know that we are not alone in this spiritual battle, and remember stay in prayer with God every day so that the devil cannot wallow in victory over us!

getting organized

2007-05-09T12:22:00.000-05:00

Today I am organizing Makayla and Ruben's room. I still haven't gotten around to picking it up from last weekend's family visit. I find some amazing things in that room that the little ones drag in from the kitchen. I finally found a floor plan that "fits" in the small room and allows some floor space. I want to make it so that I can change Ruben in his bed instead of ours. I'm tired of washing my king size bedding every time Ruben leaks or spits, and now I need to find new storage for my cloth diapers. I believe I'll clean out the toys while Makayla is away at school. In our old house, I had all her toys organized in Rubbermaid containers and stacked on shelves. Oh how I miss that! I can't seem to stay organized here. Hmmm.......

baking soda is a friend of mine

2007-05-06T19:33:00.000-05:00

I have been reading about all the uses of baking soda. In fact my mom loaned me a book with over 500 uses for baking soda called Baking Soda by Vicki Lansky. I am amazed what this product can do. I have tried a few things with baking soda. I sprinkle it on wet cloth diapers to absorb the odor until I wash them. Friday I cleaned the bath room with baking soda and water. If you create a paste by adding a small amount of water it easily rubs off soap scum and doesn't leave a scratchy residue like Commet. In the past I have scrubbed and scrubbed the bath tub with harsh chemicals wondering how anyone ever gets that sparkling bath tub. Tim used to give me a hard time about using the harsh chemical cleaners, but all I knew to tell him was "I have to clean the bathroom." I still use my disinfecting wipes to clean the toilet. This product is a very cheap life saver, but I would not recommend using it to brush your teeth on a daily basis because it made my gums very sore.

prefold alterations

2007-05-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

I had successfully sewn a diaper from Lori's pattern. They are great diapers, but it takes too long to make them. I need to start using cloth now so I can save $$$. I can't stand pinning cloth and I don't like the bulkiness so I decided to alter my prefolds. Today I completed my first dozen. Ruben has not had a big poop in them yet so they are still under testing stages.

I sewed on velcro and four layers of material (that I had on hand) in the middle to front for extra absorbency. I then folded in the the middle edges that fit around the inner leg and sewed them in place. This takes away the bulkiness and helps trap leaks.

mystery bag

2007-05-03T09:31:00.000-05:00

Every Thursday Makayla has "mystery bag" at school. It's similar to show-and-tell with learning involved. Her classmates bring an item from around their house in a bag and give clues for the class to guess what's in their bag. Today Makayla chose a small Gideon's bible. At first I was hesitant, not knowing how the school will react to this. Later it came to me that if the school can teach our kids about the Theory of Evolution or require that they read Harry Potter books, then my daughter can tell her teacher and class about the book of Jesus. There goes my little evangelist!

my mom's baptism

2007-04-30T07:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we attended my mom's baptism. I was very happy for her, and it meant a lot for me to be there (especially since no one else in my family wanted to take this event seriously enough to attend). Before her pastor dunked her, he asked her "Claudia, why are you getting baptised today?" When she responded "I accepted Christ in my heart...", my eyes teared up. At that moment I became overwhelmed with those words that I never imagined I would hear from my mom. I became so overjoyed that I just can't explain it.
Afterwards, Tim and I were talking about the event. My mom seems to...let's say...not do things so smoothly. When my mom's pastor asked the girl who got baptised before my mom why she is getting baptised, Tim though "Oh, no. Whatever she says is not going to come out right". I just hoped she wouldn't slip down the stairs as she was going in or out of the baptistery. But everything went perfectly! Everyone I talked to told me how nice or sweet my mom is. It just has to be God.

pasta casserole

2007-04-27T06:57:00.000-05:00

I threw this together last night and it came out tasting pretty good. It's quick and easy for a last minute meal.

1 lb. turkey burger (or any ground meat you like)
3 c. Rotini (spiral pasta...or any small pasta you have on hand)
1 lg. can diced tomatoes
about 3-4 green onions, chopped
Velveeta cheese

Cook meat and drain. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Throw everything together in a 9x13 baking dish. Put however much cheese you like on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

almost no time to lose

2007-04-24T18:37:00.000-05:00

My brother is getting married in 2 months. It came to my realization that since the bride-to-be is from the same town I went to high school, I could possibly see others that I have not seen (and been avoiding) for years. Ah, I have to shed these last 10 lbs. to make it back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Ok, I have two months...actually less than 1 month before the shower. I can do this. This morning I made a vow that I will no longer eat any nasty, stale, donuts; honey buns; or other store-bought junk that comes in this house. I have followed Weight Watcher's in the past so I know that changing my eating habits is the most sure way to lose weight the quickest.

homemade laundry detergent

2007-04-22T07:04:00.009-05:00

I washed the same load of laundry in the following homemade detergent and Tide (my favorite store bought). Both loads washed out the same so I believe the recipe below works just as good as store bought detergent.

Items you will need:
~ Water
~ 2 gallon bucket
~ 2/3 Fels Naptha soap, grated (or any bath bar soap, beauty bar or deodorant soap can be substituted)
~ 1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (do not use Baking Soda)
~ 1 cup Borax (laundry detergent)

Notes:
~ Fels Naptha soap and Washing Soda can be found in the laundry detergent isle. I had to go to my local grocery stores to find these. My Walmart and Target do not carry them.
~ Also, I use a 5 gallon bucket because I could not find a 2 gallon bucket. I measured and marked the inside of the bucket to 2 gallons (about 6.5 inches down from the top) with a permanent marker so I knew where to fill the water to.
~ I use a cheese grater to grate the soap. Tim likes to chop the soap finely with a knife on a cutting board which melts better.

Directions:
~ Mix 2/3 grated bar of Fels Naptha soap in pan with 12 cups (6 pints) water.
~ Heat low on stovetop until dissolved.
~ Stir in Washing Soda and Borax.
~ After mixture thickens, remove from heat.
~ Add 8 cups (1 quart) of hot water to the bucket.
~ Add soap mixture and mix well.
~ Add hot water to fill up the bucket (or to the 2 gallon mark on your 5 gallon bucket).
~ Set aside for 24 hours for mixture to thicken.

Yields: 2 gallons or 64 loads

Use:
~ 1/2 cup per load (stir before each use)

Note: You can cut the ingredient measurements in half and pure the soap into a 1 gallon jug. Shake the jug before using.

laundry detergent breakdown cost

2007-04-22T07:04:00.008-05:00

The following is a breakdown of the cost for Homemade Laundry Detergent compared to store bought.

Fels Naptha soap
*Cost: $1.00
*Amount in package: 1 bar
*Amount needed for recipe: 1/3 bar
*Equation uses per package: 1 / 1/3 = 3
*Equation cost: $1.00/3 = $0.33
Washing Soda
*Cost: $2.36
*Amount in package: 55 oz.
*Amount needed for recipe: 1/2 cup (4 oz.)
*Equation uses per package: 55 oz./4 oz. = 13.75
*Equation cost: $2.36/13 = $0.18
Borax
*Cost: $2.81
*Amount in package: 76 oz.
*Amount needed for recipe: 1/2 cup (4 oz.)
*Equation uses per package: 76 oz./4 oz. = 19
*Equation cost: $2.81/19 = $0.15
Water
*Cost: $0.01 (per 2 gallons)
*Amount needed for recipe: 2 gallons
*Equation cost: $0.01/1 = $0.01
Sun Oxygen Cleaner
*Cost: $2.03
*Amount in package: 30 oz.
*Amount needed per load: 1 scoop (1 oz.)
*Equation uses per package: 30 oz./1 oz. = 30
*Equation cost: $2.03/30 = $0.07

Homemade Laundry Detergent (64 loads per bucket):
$0.74 ($0.01 per load)

Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent (64 load per jug):
$13.48 ($0.21 per load)

homemade antibacterial wipes

2007-04-22T07:04:00.005-05:00

Supplies:
1 roll Paper towels with smaller sections
1/2 cups Mr. Clean Antibacterial cleaner
2 1/2 cups Water
1 container with lid (old baby wipes or Rubbermaid container works well)

Note:
Use good quality paper towels like Bounty or they will fall apart...I know from experience when I tried to use Viva brand.

Directions:
~ Pull half (about 77) of the paper towel sections off individually (one roll of paper towels will make two containers of wipes).
~ Fold each paper towel section into a tri-fold like an accordian or whatever fold works best for the container you are using.
~ Place the towels in the container.
~ Bring water to boil on stovetop.
~ Add Mr. Clean to water.
~ Pour the water over the towels and let set for a little while.
~ Then flip the container over so the water can absorb evenly.
~ Add more water if neccessary, but do not add more Mr. Clean.

Note: If you think pulling each towel sheet individually is too tidious, you can cut the paper towel roll in half with a very sharp knife. Pour the water mixture over the towels and then pull the soggy card board roll out of the middle. When I tried cutting the roll, I made a huge mess. It's easier for me to pull and fold the towels individually when I am talking on the phone or watching TV.

Cost Breakdown:
Paper towels
*Cost: $1.96
*Amount in package: 154
*Amount needed for recipe: 77
*Equation uses per package: 154 /77 = 2
*Equation cost: $1.96/2 = $0.98
Mr. Clean Antibacterial cleaner
*Cost: $2.27
*Amount in package: 40 oz.
*Amount needed for recipe: 1/2 cups (4 oz.)
*Equation uses per package: 40 oz. /4 oz. = 10
*Equation cost: $2.27/10 = $0.23
Water
*Cost: not enough to be a cost factor

Homemade antibacterial wipes (container of 77):
$1.21 ($0.02 per wipe)

Clorox antibacerial wipes (container of 35):
$2.58 ($0.07 per wipe)

homemade baby wipes

2007-04-22T07:04:00.003-05:00

Supplies:
1 roll Paper towels with smaller sections
1 T. Baby oil
2 T. Baby shampoo or baby bath
2 - 2 1/2 cups Water
1 container with lid (old baby wipes or Rubbermaid container works well)

Note:
Use good quality paper towels like Bounty or they will fall apart...I know from experience when I tried to use Viva brand.

Directions:
~ Bring water to boil on stovetop and let cool to room temperature.
~ Pull half (about 77) of the paper towel sections off individually (one roll of paper towels will make two containers of wipes).
~ Fold each paper towel section into a tri-fold like an accordian or whatever fold works best for the container you are using.
~ Place the towels in the container.
~ Once the water reaches room temperature, stir in the baby shampoo and baby oil.
~ Pour the water over the towels and let set for a little while.
~ Then flip the container over so the water can absorb evenly.
~ Add more water if neccessary, but do not add more shampoo or oil. This would make the wipes to soapy...which I also learned the hard way.

Note:
If you think pulling each towel sheet individually is too tidious, you can cut the paper towel roll in half with a very sharp knife. Pour the water mixture over the towels and then pull the soggy card board roll out of the middle. When I tried cutting the roll, I made a huge mess. It's easier for me to pull and fold the towels individually when I am talking on the phone or watching TV.

Yeilds: about 77 wipes in a container

Cost Breakdown:
Paper towels
*Cost: $1.96
*Amount in package: 154
*Amount needed for recipe: 77
*Equation uses per package: 154 /77 = 2
*Equation cost: $1.96/2 = $0.98
Baby oil
*Cost: $1.77
*Amount in package: 20 oz.
*Amount needed for recipe: 1 T. (0.5 oz.)
*Equation uses per package: 20 oz. /0.5 oz. = 40
*Equation cost: $1.77/40 = $0.04
Baby Shampoo
*Cost: $1.52
*Amount in package: 20 oz.
*Amount needed for recipe: 2 T. (1 oz.)
*Equation uses per package: 20 oz. /1 oz. = 20
*Equation cost: $1.52/20 = $0.08
Water
*Cost: not enough to be a cost factor

Homemade baby wipes (container of 77):
$1.10 ($0.01 per wipe)

Parent’s Choice newborn wipes (container of 77):
$2.17 ($0.03 per wipe)

explosion of ideas

2007-04-22T07:04:00.000-05:00

After I started reading "The Tightwad Gazette", my mind started to explode with ideas of what I could make at home to save money instead of buying at the store. New ideas pop up in my head all the time. I'll be doing things around the house, and I will spot something and think "Can I make that myself?" Well, I have researched how to make and tested a few items so far and want to share them with you. Along with the recipes, I will break down my cost to make the product so that others can see how it really is cheaper. Calculations will vary according to the area people live in (cost to buy products), but in the long run all recipes should be cheaper to make at home.