Blessed

I am still amazed at how God works.  These two couples pictured with Phil and I are originally from the lower part of the state.  I knew them years and years ago.  Unfortunately, life changes and sometimes I don't keep in touch with people like I should.  I did post a few months back about getting back in touch with Veronica (3rd from left).  We have been in touch since then several times.  The couple to the left are becoming dear friends also.  They are in the process of moving to my hometown.  I am still amazed at how things come about.  I would have never thought that anyone would be moving from the Charleston area to a small town I grew up in.  How odd is that?  God is so good. and I know that he is in control.  I feel so blessed to be able to have Christian friends who love the Lord! 

I've never been one to really have many people over to my house.  It's not that I don't want to, but I guess I am just not comfortable cooking for others and having to keep a conversation going.  I'm learning though.  This past weekend we all hung out at our house and it was so relaxing and very enjoyable.  It was nice to be able to share a good meal with friends and have lots of laughter.  I know this is the beginning of a great new season for Phil and I.  God is so good to bless us with good fellowship.  I can not imagine not having friends who have God in the center of their lives to share life with!

3 WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR

We have been schooling for 3 weeks and everything is going very well.  Actually, I think it's going better than any other year.  What's the difference?  Well, I have made it a point in starting school no later than 8:30 every morning.  I also am teaching English to Michael and Madison together.  We also start our day off in prayer.  It's sad, but I don't think I have done this before.  We would say our blessing in years past and pray at night, but never pray about our day in the morning.  The kids are helping a little more with keeping the house clean too.

It does seem that Melanie still has a lot of free time on her hands while I'm teaching the other two.  Yesterday we went to the Dollar Tree and I found some great little prepackaged crafts.  I am going to see how that works for next week.  I know how to come up with our own crafts, but a craft that's already prepackaged is GREAT!

I have even been able to work about 10 hours per week!  I pray this schedule will continue going so smooth!

YES YOU CAN

Have you ever wanted to learn how to do something but put off learning how?  That's exactly what I did with learning how to crochet.  I remember when I was probably around 9 years old and the ladies at our church would meet and crochet.  At that time, mama learned and all I did was learn how to crochet one loooong chain.  The main reason I never learned how to do anything more was because I am left handed.  Do you know how hard it is for a person who is left handed to learn something from a person who is right handed?  Well, it's very hard for me to understand how to do something looking at someone who is doing it the opposite way!  I gave up years ago and didn't pick it back up until  few years ago.  Unfortunately, I do not remember the next learning experience so I am going by what mama told me.  It was during the time I was pregnant (don't know which child but it was possibly Madison) and I wanted to learn to make a blanket.  I gave that up too.  I think mama said she has the piece somewhere that I worked on but I'm not sure.  I must have had a terrible experience with it because I believe I have blocked the whole episode from my confused brain.  I'm sure you have NEVER done anything like that before, right?  Something so ridiculous that you want to forget it and not think about it again in you whole entire life?  That blanket must have been something else!  Anyway, life has been a whirlwind since those days but now I feel it's time to focus again on something I want to do.  A few months ago I really felt the need to do something for someone else.  I wanted to start some kind of ministry that I could do.  I remembered hearing about prayer shawls.  Basically, you crochet a shawl and pray for the person that you will be giving it to while you are making it.  I decided that I would like to try something like that.  I bought a beginner book, needle, and yarn (again).  I did learn a few things from the book but I was still struggling with how to do other stitches.  Mama helped me a bit and also a lady from our church.  I still wasn't satisfied with what I was doing.  It was really hard for me to understand.  I did make a couple of dishcloths and even a couple of hats.  What really helped me "get it" was videos from you tube!  I was able to find many videos that showed exactly how to crochet so many kinds of stitches and things.  The videos were in slow motion also.                                                                                                                      

I finally was able to make a prayer shawl for a lady at church.  I was sooooo happy.  The above picture is the blanket I finally finished  for myself.  I worked on it earlier in the year and then I stopped when it got so hot.  I decided the other week that I wanted to finish the blanket.  It's not perfect and I have still have alot to learn, but I did it!  If you are wanting to learn something new, keep trying and I know there has got to be a way for you to do what you want!  I am sure that you could bless others with what you learn to do also.  What a blessing it is to serve one another!

I know it took me years to be able to learn how to crochet, but I would have learned sooner if I hadn't gave up in the first place.  The girls are learning how to crochet now, but what's funny is that mama is having to show Madison because she is right handed.  I don't have a problem with teaching Melanie because she is left handed just like me.  What a joy to be able to pass along something that seems to be a dying art.   

My Silly Son

We tease the kids at church about how silly they are.  You know the ones, they are the tweens and the teens.  They act all crazy and worry so much about their cell phones,etc.  Michael keeps saying he's NOT going to be that way.  Well, guess what?  He is EXACTLY that way.  He is so silly and can be such a crazy cut up.  He can say the goofiest things sometimes. 

So, we have eased into the preteen years and it hasn't been all that bad.  The only time it gets frustrating is when he decides he is right no matter what!  This happens quite often and he will even argue with facts from a textbook.  I have never been this way, so I can't understand his way of thinking.  He will argue you down if he thinks he is right.  I have to explain to him often that he really needs to know his facts before he starts saying someone or something is wrong.  It doesn't really seem to bother him when he finds out that he is wrong about something.  I've noticed about the only time he will get upset is if he's wrong and Madison is right!

What has helped me understand this phase of life is a book by Dennis and Barbara Rainey.  The name of it is:  Parenting Today's Adolescent.  It is very helpful and I'm sure I will be reading over and over again in the next few years.  If you are needing some heads up about the tween years, you may want to check it out!

First Week!

We did it!  We made it through our first week of "schooling"!  It's been a great week.  Not only did we learn about the first explorers of America, but we still had summer fun and I was able to work 12 hours.

What has really helped us this week is getting up no later than 7:30 and we have been schooling usually by 8:00.  Another biggie is that we are all beginning our day with prayer.  I have a devotion before the kids get up and then we all pray together at the table.  I admit that this isn't something I have made a habit of doing.  We always pray with the kids at night, but I tend to get busy in the mornings and neglect to start the day off with the Lord.  No matter how busy you are, how much you think you are lacking in your home school, or life, PLEASE do not leave Christ out of the beginning of your day.  It really does make a difference.  I also like to listen to praise and worship music to get me going in the mornings. 

Next week I am adding English and Spelling into the mix of things so it will be a little more hectic, but I know we will be ok!

Have you ever had a trial and it seemed to last forever?  I just went through something for the past few weeks and didn't realize how bad I was until my trial ended.  It wasn't a trial that I could really put my finger on.  My trial was a mental thing and I believe it started when our dog kennel was stolen from our yard.  At times I was happy and everything seemed alright, but other times I was just going through the motions of living.  I didn't like where I was, but I wasn't able to overcome my situation either.  What was I struggling with?  I had thoughts that I wasn't a good wife, mom, teacher, women's leader, and song leader.  I also would get upset real easily.  I got tired of doing things and being so busy.  At other times I just didn't want to do anything, but when I wasn't doing anything I wasn't happy with that either.  Crazy, huh?  A lady at church said she could feel a dark cloud beginning to come over me (could it have been oppression?).  I didn't like that thought but I couldn't get away from it either.  I do feel like that cloud was heavier at times than other times and maybe some days I didn't have it at all.  It continued to be near and would come visit me often.  So how was I delivered? 

I set my sights on a need from a sister in the Lord.  I became burdened for this sweet girl because she was going through something herself.  I began to pray for her and as I was giving her words of encouragement from the Lord I began to feel a peace that I haven't felt in awhile.  My cloud was lifted last Saturday as the Lord was ministering through me to someone in need.  I was obeying my heavenly Father.  I felt the Lord's strength so strong that I was able to give words from the Lord to several other people last weekend.  I feel that I am not a very opinionated person.  I do not offer my thoughts to people unless they ask for my opinion, however I felt so strong last week that God was wanting me to talk to certain dear friends that are going through things of their own.  I'm not telling this for any other reason but to let you know that God delivers in amazing ways.  I shouldn't be surprised, but I am.  When we take our focus off ourselves and begin to carry a burden for others, that's when we are blessed.  I love the saying, "it's not about me."  It really isn't about us at all.  Life is about God and what he wants to do through us.  It's so easy to start thinking about ourselves, especially when we are going through a trial of our own. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Is there a special person in your life today that needs your help in seeking the Lord on their behalf?  If so, I urge you to go to them and give them encouraging words from the Lord.  If you step out in faith, the Lord will guide your tongue and give you the words that the person you encounter needs to hear.  Not only will that certain person be uplifted, but you will receive a blessing that you weren't even expecting!

On Your Mark

Get set, GO!  Another school year under way already?  Where did the summer go?  The summer began with celebrating Phillip's 40th birthday by having an awesome surprise party for him.  Then our summer was busy with the pool, waterpark, VBS, Charleston, Six Flags, museums, kayaking, nights spent with grandparents, friends spending nights with us, church camp, scout camp, 4th of July celebrations, family reunion, and much more!

What a blessing to be able to do so many things with friends and family, but alas, all good things must resume to some kind of normalcy around here.  I miss my schedule, teaching the kids, projects, etc.  What's in store for our 7th year of schooling?

We will be using My Father's World unit study once again.  I know that the Lord has ordained this himself and I have no questions of using it.  We are in the 4th year of the cycle and therefore will be learning about Exploration to 1850.  I remember the first time I heard about MFW.  I was at a mom's night out and we all were suppose to share what we were using.  I heard about lots of good curriculum that night, but MFW stood out from all the rest.  I like it because it's Bible based.  The Hazel's focus on the Lord being at the head of homeschooling and it shows in the curriculum.  I am also assured that when I purchase my curriculum from them that part of the funds go to Bible translation.  Another great feature is that the planning has been done for me.  I just need to read what I need to do and make sure I have the materials.  Unit studies are great to use for moms with many children because most ages can benefit from the same lesson.

We don't do English and Math that MFW recommends.  For English we use Rod and Staff and for Math we use Horizons.  This will be the last year Michael uses Horizons because it only goes up to 6th grade.  I'm considering Teaching Textbooks for next year. 

What else will we be doing?  Well, of course we have co-op classes, Michael has drum lessons and scouts.  Madison will continue guitar lessons.  The girls are interested in Girlscouts and as far as anything else we need to be in prayer about it.  There are so many things for the kids to get exposed to.  I never worry about socialization (that will be a different post altogether one day). 

    My Father's World         Rod and Staff

   Horizons

I Said I Wouldn't Do It

It's funny how you end up doing things that you had all intentions of NOT doing!  Michael has a cell phone and even texting now.  How did we get here?

A couple of years ago my mother bought Michael a phone because he walked his dog by himself at the edge of the woods.  I was ok with that.  Well, the other day he was going on a kayaking trip and it had been too long since we had put minutes on that little cell phone, so I ended up buying a Verizon pay as you go.  Was this a big mistake?  I don't know.  Here is what has been happening around our house since then.

Michael enjoys texting family and some of his friends.  If we continue to allow him to have the phone, someone has to pay at least $15.00 per month to keep it active.  I don't want to pay it simply because I do not see a need for it right now.  He is usually with us anyway.  On the other side, I know he enjoys the phone alot.  It makes for a great incentive to "act right."  Then we have other issues to contend with.  Guess who asked how old she has to be to get her own phone?  Oh yes, Madison!  Here we go. More expense and for what? 

I know there is a day coming that he will need a phone.  I thought that day would be when he starts driving but now I'm not so sure. 

We will be praying about this situation for the next few days until it's time to add more minutes to the phone.  Ahhh, the life of a parent. 

7th Year of Homeschooling

I am amazed at how the time has flown since that first day of schooling Michael in 2004.  We have had our ups and downs, our trials, things that worked, and things that didn't.  We have come a long way in our confidence, but by no means do we try to do it on our own.  The first few years are so hard because you are trying to find what fits for YOUR family.  What works for one child may not work for another.  And if you are comparing your family to another, WATCH OUT! 

I've learned that you set yourself up for a big fall if you look at other families.  I know, I've done it.  I have listened to what other families are doing and what kind of projects they have done.  I start second guessing myself and wonder if we should be doing the same thing.  The assurance of what we are doing dwindles and I slowly fall in to a pit of misery.  I start feeling that I am failing my kids somehow.  How do I keep from not feeling this way?  I cling to the hope of knowing God is showing us what's right for our family.  We are all different and we have different needs, wants, talents, desires, and lives.

 I believe a big part of knowing what is right for each child is exposing them to different things.  They are young and can experiment to see what their interests are.  I believe we are getting there with our children.  Believe it or not, Michael is not playing football this year.  He chose scouts because he felt like he would miss important meetings if he was playing football.  It's a little sad for me, but this is the path that he has chosen. 
 
We are blessed to be able to teach our kids at home.  I've said it before, we don't see it as a sacrifice.  What we do is what God wants our family to do.  It's a comfort to be in God's will and know it!  By no means have we perfected what we are doing.  We still struggle from time to time.  There are hard aches.  When people ask me if homeschooling is easy, I tell them the truth.  Of course it's not easy, but it's full filling to know that we are in the center of God's will.

It's exciting to be starting a new year.  A fresh beginning.  New books, school supplies, and new grades to teach.  What a privilege it is to be able to guide our children in to a world of knowledge with the Lord at the forefront of all we do.

I'm back

Yes, it's been awhile, hasn't it?  Having my blog up for invitation only didn't seem to work well, but to be honest I haven't felt like blogging either.  I'm back to it (for now).  I thought I would focus more on HOW we live more than just what is going on in our family.  I feel that I may be able to help someone more if I post about how we live our lives and how God continues to bless us as we do so.

Like a previous co-worker reminded me, it's not the product but the process.  This statement was about crafts, but I believe we can use it for our life also.  The process of our lives.  We learn from our lives, even small things that arise throughout our days that impact us so much (and at the time we do not realize it).  How we deal with everyday issues, what our responses are, and how we allow the Lord to work things out instead of us working it out ourselves.  Isn't that what he said to do? 

Romans 12:1-3


1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT US, IS IT?  :-)

A Distracting Week

We left last Wednesday and went camping for a few days. We had such a relaxing time of riding bikes and playing at the beach. When we came home everything changed drastically. It's amazing how one thing can turn my whole life upside down in a matter of seconds.

I have been so busy with what needs to be done that I don't think I have cooked in about 2 weeks. The house has not been cleaned, and I have definitely let the kids take care of themselves for the most part. In dealing with unexpected issues in life, I have put so many things on the back burner. I'm hoping I can get things straight and get back on track this week. Summer is suppose to be fun!

I don't watch the news much because I let it drag me down and I start dwelling on the bad things in this world. Well, this week the bad things in this world has hit me slap in the face full force. There was no way around this one and my eyes were opened to reality. Yes, you hear things, but when it comes right in to your own yard it's another story. Words can not describe how I feel about the sin that is going on around me. I am amazed at how people will allow Satan to rule their life and also allow him to rule their children's lives. I am shocked in how people live, but at the same time I am comforted in knowing that I serve a mighty God. I am comforted in knowing the battle is already won and that the battle that we fight is not our own.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Madison

Madison had a great time at her dance recital in May. She and the other girls did an awesome job!

2 WEEKS LEFT!

I'm sure I'm the only one who is ready for summer, right? The countdown is on and I have plans for MY summer. Yes, I said MY MY MY summer. I enjoy my kids and doing things with them, however I am going to take time for me and hopefully "let loose" a little. I don't really know how to describe it, but I'm ready for some F U N. I think I have forgotten how to really enjoy life unless it's about the kids. Now don't get me wrong, I love my life, but there are things that I have put on the back burner and I'm ready to pick them up again. For some reason fellowship (notice I stated fellowship, not partying) with dear friends is one thing I want to concentrate more on. I don't know if it's the fact that 40 years is nipping at my heels or what. There are precious people that have been in my life for years that I haven't really talked to and I miss them. Another thing I have in mind is to organize those pictures and put them in photo albums. I have been saying this for at least 2 years now and unfortunately very little progress has been made. I did so well years ago when I didn't scrapbook. I took up scrapbooking and left those precious memories in envelopes to be worked with, however I found out I scrapbook slower than I take pictures. I don't scrapbook much at all anymore, but I love it when I do. I am really really going to try and put the pictures in albums and when I can scrapbook them I will take them out.

Other than taking a couple of mini vacations this year, and hopefully hanging by the pool, I think that's about all I have in mind for MYSELF at least. What's your plans?

Frugal Disney

Ahhh Disney. Every little child's dream. We have been waiting to go to Disney so that Melanie would be tall enough to ride most attractions. This is THE year. Of course, this is a big trip to us and we know that a Disney vacation CAN BE expensive. I feel that we can do better than most people. I have read a few blogs on the subject of saving money at Disney and I have a little knowledge myself on how to have a great vacation without breaking the bank. Here's how we are getting to go.

Phillip makes a little money each month by updating a website. We do not count this money as expected income. The company was nice enough to pay him for the whole year and I quickly found a condo in Orlando. The condo has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, dining room, fully equipped kitchen, and there's a pool on-site also. 7 glorious nights for a total of $462..00! Phillip's pay was enough to cover this and more!

We are going to get our tickets through a home school group, so we will be paying a group rate. The kids will also get to be involved with educational classes because of this. We will end up paying a total of $990.00 for (5) 5day park hopper passes. How cool is that? The total for tickets and the condo is $1452.00. Just how are we paying for these tickets? Well, Phillip gets paid 26 times in a year now instead of 24 at his new job. We were used to living by him getting 24 checks, so the other 2 checks are free money to us (except living expenses). We are going to use some of that money to pay for the tickets.

So what expenses are left? We know we will need money for gas, food, and a few souvenirs. We are saving here and there for it. We already have about $100.00 saved up from rebates, and just dollars here and there that we have put back. This does not include the $35.00 that I have made using swagbucks. I will also have $100.00 in gift cards to the Fred's store because of prescriptions and I will get necessities there for our trip. The main thing I'm counting on is recycling cans. Call me crazy, but if that's how we can have spending money and not be on a tight budget when we get to Florida, so be it! We also will be gone a whole week, so the money that we normally have budgeted for a week of living expenses will be used for vacation also. So, how much cash do I think we will need? I'm really not sure, so I guess that will be another post for another day.

What Have I Been Doing?

It would be nice if I could say I have been taking it easy but that's really not the case. I guess I have been taking it easy with getting deals though. I have not gotten a deal in several days. I've just been too busy with life. I have learned that I can take a break from saving money and nothing major happens (like my wallet exploding or something). Life goes on and it's ok to live without using a coupon! Now don't get me wrong, it's better on me mentally if I do use one. It still irritates me if I have to buy something and I know I could get a better deal elsewhere if I had planned accordingly. Maybe this week will be better. Things have slowed down just a tad.
Maybe I'll actually cook supper a few nights this week. On busy days, I just thank the Lord for dollar menus. Sometimes you do whatcha gotta do!

Frugal Friday

Cut down on the water bill by using less water.

1. Install low-flow shower heads. You can also adjust the flow yourself.

2. Take more showers and fewer baths.

3. If you are boiling water (for eggs,etc.) save the water and use for your plants.

4. Don't leave the water running while brushing your teeth, shaving, washing dishes, washing hands, etc.

5. Mulch your beds outside so that they retain moisture and will require less water.


Ever heard of placing a brick in your toilet to save on water? Well, they now say to fill a water bottle with a little sand or pebbles and then the rest of the way with water. It's to help you not use so much water when flushing!

Enquiring Minds

Well, maybe somebody out there is curious to know how much I spent on groceries for the month of March. The total spent was around $400.00, so we did alot better than last month. I have plenty in the house that will probably last until next Friday. I will only have to pick up a few things.

Books Books and More Books

Our whole family loves books. We utilize the library as much as possible, but sometimes there's just times where we need to buy our own copy of a great book. We do not like to pay full price for books so what do we do? We find the used books stores and there are also other solutions to the problem.



1. HALF.COM

2. EBAY

3. AMAZON

4. PAPERBACK SWAP - I have never used this company, but I do know people who have. The idea is to list books to swap and then you can get books from other people. If I buy a book, I tend to want to keep it so that's why I have never done this. I do have an account.
5. YARD SALES

Now to sweeten the deal, just sign up for swagbucks to the right of my blog (this will give me credit) and you can get free gift cards to amazon. Swagbucks is a search engine and the more you search the more swagbucks you accumulate. Eventually you redeem swagbucks that you have earned for things in their store (not just amazon). I have redeemed enough for 7 gift cards. It's a great thing!

Easter Plans

I absolutely enjoy Easter. I love everything about it, so of course I try to make it special for the kids. I woke up early this morning quite by accident and couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to start my research on what we will be doing this coming up week (better late than never I suppose). I had an idea so I knew where to look on-line. I would like to share a few things and maybe you will enjoy doing them with your kiddies too. I am NOT superwoman so sometimes we do not do all the things I have planned. I tend to OVER plan a times!

Planned crafts

1. Clay pot Jesus- This is adorable and I love the fact that it has nothing to do with the Easter bunny. Check it out HERE.
2. Yarn Eggs- I hope to get to try this with the girls. It seems really neat. We have lots of yarn around here since the females in the house has gotten in to crochet. Check it out HERE
3. Sock Hop- This cute little craft was done in one of the classes at our co-op and they turned out so cute! Check it out HERE

Planned lessons

1. I like to explain the Jewish holiday of Passover and will use information from the book, Celebrating Biblical Feasts. This book came with our curriculum last year. You can look at what we used HERE if you would like. There's tons of information on the Internet of course, but I liked the information on Kaboose also. Click HERE to see if it's something you would be interested in using. We will also make a couple of jewish recipes from the same site.

2. I will read from the Bible and we will also make resurrection cookies. You make the cookies the night before. Click HERE I'm thinking we made these about 5 years ago. I can not believe it's been that long! If you have not done this with your children, I highly recommend it. Michael and Madison still talk about making these. You talk about each ingredient that is added and I believe because of this, they remember! If you don't have time to do anything else, you need to do this. You and your kids will not forget it.

3. There's something else you can do and I do not remember the name of it. It represents Jesus not being in the tomb after 3 days. You take a marshmallow and wrap a crescent roll around it. Bake it and the marshmallow is G O N E. My kids enjoy this activity too, especially getting to eat the rolls!

Frugal Friday

I'm going to try and post a frugal tip each Friday. We will see how it goes. I would love for my tips to be something I have tried, but at times it may be something I have just read about. Today's topic is frugal fun! I'll list a few ideas. Maybe you have done a few of these already, maybe you know more of what to do, but the ideas are endless.

1. Have an Easter egg hunt at night. I bought 16 glow in the dark eggs the other day for this activity. I can hardly wait to do this with the kids.

2. Fly a kite. Melanie has a kite that was bought for $1.00 and all the kids have been flying it.

3. Do something special for others. This is the perfect time to make a little Easter basket of goodies and give it to someone special. Someone who may need a visit. We visited an elderly couple just yesterday. We did not even bring anything, just ourselves, and everyone had a wonderful time!

4. Begin a family journal with pictures of what you do this spring/summer.

5. Look at old photo albums and talk about past events together.

Fever, Spring Fever!

Have you noticed that it's S P R I N G!? As Fred Flintstone would say, YABBA DABBA DOOOO!! We all have that wonderful fever around here. We don't want to "do school" or stay inside either. Let's get out and get in the sun! It really is hard for the kids to stay focused and ya know, their teacher isn't any better at getting school started on a sunny day. I could say we school outside, but most of the time that doesn't work for us because none of us can concentrate. So what do we do?

We find field trips to count for school and instead of homeschooling we do van schooling from time to time. Those little minds are clicking right along and my thoughts are running wild thinking, "Hurry up, understand this so we can get D O N E!" Have you ever been there, done that? I'm sure you have. Last week we went to the zoo with great friends and this week we are going to a rock climbing place. We also have field day tomorrow with our home school group. This is my favorite time of year. I am on top of the world! The long winter is behind us and warm weather is here (for the most part) and we only have a few more days of school (hoping to be done by May 15). I love summer break. Some home schoolers school in the summer, but not us. We love the pool, hanging out with friends, and finding those frugal fun things to do outside. There's so much to do that is free or CHEAP! At my kids ages, they aren't picky about what to do and they still enjoy being with their family.

So, go find some time and go outside, it's going to be a beautiful day!

Doll Outfits

Does your daughter have an American Girl doll or other 18 inch doll that she adores? If you do, then you know that the outfits can be a little expensive. I noticed yesterday that AC Moore has cute little outfits and shoes for those dolls! I also know that there are often coupons for 40-50% off a regular priced item in the papers and on their website. Maybe Michaels and maybe even Hobby Lobby carries these outfits as well. I'm pleasantly surprised at this new found treasure! I know my girls will enjoy these outfits for their dolls.

Go Get Your Coupon On!

Ahhh yes, coupons. What kind of world would it be without those lovely little beauties found lying on the floor, across my dash, or inside a pocket? Yes, it's true, my coupons end up everywhere, but somehow I manage to find them again to be able to use and cause me great joy at the cash register each time I hand them over to the cashier. I get all giddy (almost like when Phil and I were dating) and want to laugh as I carry my treasures across the parking lot to my awaiting van eager to be filled up with things that I definitely got on the.........CHEAP!!!!!

If you aren't using coupons, can I have yours? Nah, just kidding. If you aren't using coupons, you should try at least once. I have many sites listed on my blog where you can just click and they already have the items matched up for you. I also have a list of some sites where you can print coupons from your computer. Let me tell you a few things you can get FREE this week by using your coupons.

Bilo
Dial handsoap
Gum

CVS
Colgate toothpaste
Crest Rinse
Bayer Contour Glucose Monitoring System

Now with CVS, you get Extra Care Bucks back on the items I listed. If you use the coupons, you MAKE money by purchasing these items.

Like I said, I have sites posted for all the deals and with the coupons matched up. There's soooo many things you can get free or cheap at many stores. Couponing to Disney even lists Walmart and Target items that you can get free or under $1.00. Now how cool is that?

One more site that I love to go to is SOUTHERNSAVERS Awesome site and you can check a box on the items you are going to buy and print it off. No writing down your list anymore! So, go ahead, go get your coupon on and use the money you saved for something you need or want. Us, we are headed to Disney and I can't wait to tell you how we are doing it without using any money budgeted for something else.

A Night to Remember

Our home school group has a daddy daughter banquet each year and this year the Batac's were able to attend. This night was fun for all with lots of dancing for sure. The girls made scrapbook pages, and jewelry. They also had a scrumptious dinner to go along with the fun they had. It's awesome to be able to see Madison and Melanie blossom in to beautiful young ladies with their daddy by their side.

A Great Blog

I am a blog reader fanatic and somehow I stumbled across a blog about couponing to Disney. Even if you aren't saving to go to Disney ( like we are), this lady has some great information on how to save and make extra money. Go take a look, it's a really neat blog and I tip my hat to her!

COUPONING TO DISNEY

My Big Boyscout

Well, Michael's first adventure being a boyscout was getting to fly an airplane. Now you know that's an awesome thing to get to do and I have to brag about it. What 11 year old gets to fly a plane? How many people get to, no matter what age they are? This was one happy boy who has been on top of the world for two days now. It's all he can talk about (even in church). He loves being a boyscout and we are loving the fact that he does!

Doing Better!

I was able not to spend any money on groceries for 1 whole week. That is a huge improvement from last month. We spent $64.00 for this week, so hopefully we will not spend any more money until this Friday. So far, we have spent aproximately $184.00 for the month. I hope to keep a goal of spending less than $400.00 for March. I will tell you this, it takes a lot more planning on my part and dedication to keep with what we have in the kitchen. I will definitely agree with most experts, cash money is the way to go to keep yourself on a budget. Leave the debit card at home!

Spending update

Well, I felt sick when I checked out at Aldi Friday. It was $85.00 and I was going to only spend $50.00...ha! I did subtract things that were not part of our grocery bill but for things at church. It ended up being $62.00 I think. It was higher because I had forgotten that we needed dog food, tin foil, and zip lock bags. The good thing is that I haven't spent anymore money on groceries since Friday. I probably will go shopping Saturday with the girls while we are out. Michael has a boyscout activity so I will take the girls to Michaels craft store to participate in the free beading class. If you haven't took your kids to one of the classes, you should. It's fun and alot of the time it's free too. You know me, I LOVE FREE!!!!!

TGIF!!

Most Fridays seem like any other day to me, but lately I'm so glad when this wonderful day gets here! We are so busy with schooling, and like some students and teachers this time of year, we are tired and ready for summer! So being tired of school, makes it hard to teach for the teacher and makes it hard for the student to learn. Even so, we keep trudging along and Fridays are wonderful days because we have the weekend to look forward to. At least our history and science are fun and with it getting warmer we will head outside when we can.

What have we been up to? Well, besides the usual happenings, Phillip is trying to teach us to play poker and it's a blast! He has 4 students and we are slooooow learners. Our van has been in the hospital for several things in the past several weeks, so we have also been dealing with that. It's still not fixed completely.

Michael is taking drum lessons and Madison is taking guitar lessons. Hopefully soon Melanie will be taking horseback riding lessons. Phillip is working hard at his new job. All of us will be getting out soon to ride our bikes. If you know us, you know Phillip loves cycling. I'm teaching myself to crochet. It's been difficult because I'm left handed, but I'm getting the hang of it. I've actually made 2 hats that are wearable!!

We got our fireplace fixed and it's been so nice having a fire at night. We have always wanted a fireplace that uses wood.

Last, but not least, our finances. Can I just say, UGH! I was way off on what we spend each month on groceries and deals. We spent at least $500.00 in the month of Feb. That is definitely not good. Now that was the only thing I wanted to know for Feb. was how much we spend. For the month of March I'm going to see if I can get this amount down a bit. I'm trying to cook healthier and have more vegetables and fruits in the house, so this can cause the grocery bill to go up. I still think we can do better. So far we have spent $58.00 for the month of March but you should have seen what all I was able to get at Publix. Phillip also did a Bilo run. I don't have my receipt right in front of me, but maybe I can remember most of it.

13 bags of Green Giant Steamers
7 cans Green Giant veggies
2 bags Doritos
4 Right Guard Deodorant
12 cans Hunts tomato sauce
1 (2liter) drink
4 laundry detergents
6 boxes of pasta
Gallon milk
Bag of wood

I know there was more, but just cant remember. I'm hoping to be able to spend no more than $50.00 for the next week. This should take us through next Friday. Wish me luck!

Michael

Five years ago Michael started out as a cubscout and last Monday he "crossed over" and became a boyscout. I can still remember the day my friend, Jennifer, asked me if I would like to sign Michael up for cubscouts. I had not thought anything about it, but I am so glad we started down that road. He has had so much fun and learned so much. He also earned the highest honor in cubscouting (Arrow of Light). He has the goal of becoming an Eagle Scout just like his dad. Michael will begin a new Troop tonight. It's a little sad for me to know he will not be going to Greenwood anymore, but I know new and fun memories are ahead for him here. Michael, we wish you good luck and are behind you all the way!

Can you get any cheaper?

There were 2 birthdays in this house this week, so we celebrated in style and cheaply! Phillip took me to Red Lobster and to the movies. The total bill for the food was $1.04 because we had gift cards. Michael wanted to take me out also, so last night we headed to Greenville. We had 2 coupons for Red Robbin and 2 coupons for Cold Stone Creamery. Anyone can get these for your birthday through your email. The only thing we had to pay for was the tip. How great is that? I was definitely on a coupon high and Michael was pretty excited too.

Fire House Subs also will give you a free sub on your birthday and it's well worth it! So, what you are waiting for? Go sign up!

Madison is taking guitar lessons and needs a new guitar. I thought I would cash in the mypoints that I have and can get a gift card for Wal-Mart. I should be able to get one of those first act guitars pretty cheap. I love a deal!

Another Challange

I thought I would try and keep up with what we spend on groceries for the month of February. I always guess about how much we spend on food and I would like to believe it's between $350.00-$400.00. This amount includes what I buy to put in our stock pile. I will not count eating out last night, that amount comes out of what we budgeted for birthdays. Wish me luck.

Looks Yummy Was Yummy

I couldn't find a neat place to put the cake when I took the picture, but isn't this a great looking cake? Phillip helped a little with it. My goal is to make 1 new dessert each month for our ladies meetings. We didn't get to have the meeting Sunday, so we nibbled on it...ok ate huge delicious pieces of it with milk. Sometimes you just have to do those things when you are cooped up in the house during a storm. We will have a ladies meeting this Sunday, so I think I will try my hand with a layer cake.

Michael Turns 11!

Michael has always been a little ham and you can tell it by the pictures below. He still can be funny, but he has grown so much physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We are really proud of him. He is so loving and seems to have a good set of values. He wants to do what's right. Happy Birthday Michael, you are a great son!Easter '02
Kelsy and Michael's date to the movies..lol

Michael and Madison

Michael early this morning with his new bike

Slow Going

It's been over a month since I have really changed the way I had been cooking. I'm making progress! We have tried several new recipes and I still have a couple to post on here. There's a sweet and sour pork dish that is really good. For the most part, we have went to all brown rice, whole wheat bread, wheat pasta, wheat tortillas, bagels, and English muffins. I am not making many things with creamed soups and most of our cheese is 2%. Since these changes, I have lost 5 pounds! I do not feel like I have deprived myself of anything. I have ate a few things that weren't very healthy, but we have made significant changes in our diets. Since I have it in my mind that I am helping the family be healthier, it's been easier to change our habits.

I am going to try something else though and it's NOT healthy by no means. Our ladies ministry meets once per month and of course we eat at those meetings. I thought I would make a dessert that I have never made before each time. I have a picture of the chocolate nut pound cake that I made for tomorrow. I will post it later. The recipes will come out of an old southern heritage book that I love. I can hardly wait to try some layer cakes! Hope I can keep my fingers off the desserts!!

Where has the time gone?

This week I visited a few old friends in Ladson. This is Veronica pictured with me. I met her in 1989 and became close friends quickly. I would visit her and a few other friends once or twice a month back in 1990. We would laugh like crazy and just act dumb. I can really let my hair down with her and can tell her anything. She always would confide in me also. Well, as life would have it, things happened and I lost touch with Veronica and a few others. Through the years I would send a card and every so often I would call. I even saw her in 2004 when she celebrated her life (she had a kidney transplant and her husband was the donor). I can't believe it's been 20 years since I have just hung out with her. 20 years is wayyyy to long. This past Christmas I also got in touch with a long lost friend who was in my wedding. I guess this is the year for searching out those that have meant a lot to me through the years and getting back in touch with them. I must say, I am so blessed to have long term friends and time has not erased the special bond between us. When I walked in her door, it's like I had never been gone. I love Veronica and her family very much. She has a great husband, great children (grown), and wonderful friends. Veronica has had a lot of health problems, but that has not changed her sense of humor. I think it's only made her stronger and a better person. I hope I do a better job with keeping in touch the next 20 years!!

Melanie happenings

So much has been happening with Melanie in the past few weeks. She got her ears pierced for Christmas, lost her first tooth (and then another), got her hair cut really short and read The Little Red Hen all by herself! I am so proud of Melanie for reading so well. She is doing a great job in school. Keep it up girlfriend!

Madison loves her books

Madison loves to read and for Christmas she got some Amish books for kids. Today she made a shoo fly pie all by herself from a recipe that was in one of the books. She informed us that the name of the pie is from when the Amish would put the pies outside to cool and they would have to shoo the flies away. Great job Madison!

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

This soup is really tasty. It didn't take long at all to fix and of course inexpensive too. I served this with salad (2 bags from Aldi spinach and garden mix $2.98) bread (low fat grain with flax seed $1.69). I did buy a garlic bread also ($1.69). This served 7 people and we also had enough for leftovers.

1/2 cups miched onion
16 oz frozen broccoli (2 bunches fresh $3.58 at Aldi)
29 oz canned fat free chicken broth (2 containers $3.58 at Aldi)
4 oz Velveeta light reduced fat cheese (already had but I think Aldi has their brand for about $3.00)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch

Boil onion and fresh broccoli in a little water drain, then add the chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, add cheese and stir until it melts. Stir in milk and garlic powder. Whisk together water and cornstarch. Add mixture to pan and simmer 2 minutes until thick. Serve hot.
Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

I think next time I won't add milk.

Three Bean and Pork Slow Cooker Chili 20 servings for just $7.03

Ok, here's a big ol' bowl of the chili. It was a hit with the family and seems to tastes better the next day! Below is the recipe and the cost. This is definitely a do over.

1 medium onion chopped ( used 2 $.50)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (used 4$.25)

1 cup carrots, chopped (2 cups $.75)

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 pounds lean pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch chunks ($2.58)

15 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed (2 cans $1.18)

15 oz canned kidney beans, drainined and rinsed (2 cans $1.18)

15 oz cannded pinto beans, drained and rinsed (1 can $.59 plus had a container in freezer)

1 cup canned tomato puree (already had free from Publix)

29 oz canned diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onion, undrained (4 cans of tomatoes$1.96)

6 oz canned tomato paste (already had)

Combine onion, garlic, carrots, chili powder, oregano, jalapeno, salt and pepper in a 5qt or larger slow cooker; stir. Add remaining ingredients; stir again.

Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 6-8 hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

This is a weight watchers recipe and the points for it is: 1 cup=5 points

I paid about $7.03 for a huge pot of chili (I doubled the recipe). I had bought the pork from Food Lion for $.86 pound and the rest came from Alidi. The only thing I would do different is buy dry beans, cook them, and have them in the freezer. I left out the jalapeno, but added crushed red pepper. I used about 3 pounds of boston butt instead of tenderoin.

The kids enjoyed this with 2% cheese, light sour cream, and baked tostidos. I did eat a few chips one night with it. We had this 2 different nights and Phillip was also able to take some for lunch.

Something New

Well, I fell off the frugal train the month of December and seem to have not been able to get back on it yet. I have looked at the sales at different stores, but I really haven't seen anything that I have wanted to make the effort to get. Well, today is a new day and I am going to go grocery shopping and get what we NEED at Aldi. I was able to get a Boston Butt from Food Lion that was $.86lb and a chicken that was reduced for quick sale. I will get several meals from the pork and 2 from the chicken. I have 1 pound of hamburger and a pound of sausage that I will make meals out of.

My real challenge is making wonderful tasting HEALTHY and low calorie meals on the cheap. I really do think this will be a challenge, but I'm up to the task. I thought I would post 1 or 2 new recipes each week that we actually made and how much it costs us. I will also post if we liked it or if it was YUCK! I am hoping I will have about a month's worth of new healthy recipes to use again and again. Check back soon for the recipe and review of Three Bean and Pork Slow Cooker Chili. :-)

Heaven's Gain

I usually don't watch the news and I only read the newspaper about once a week. It gets me down listening and reading about all the sadness in the world. Sometimes though, sadness hits you right in the face and you have to deal with it. There's no way around it, but with Christ you can find peace, love, hope, and joy in the midst of a trial. I have seen people being comforted by the Lord more this year (2009) than any other. I was blessed to be able to go caroling during Christmas. Many of these people we visited are dying, even knowing this, they have a peace that I can not describe. A peace one only can find in the Lord. The families of these people also have a peace about them. They know what is looming before them, but with Christ it makes it bearable. We visited one home when we went caroling and on Jan. 2 this young man went on the be with the Lord. He had been battling cancer for almost 5 years. In my worldly eyes, I only see a family losing a husband, father, friend, and son. How difficult that must be. But knowing the Lord, I see a person who is completely healed now and heaven has gained one more child of God that is free of pain. It's been amazing to see family and friends that have rallied around him and his family. Most of these family and friends know God as their personal Savior. They have prayed and supported him and supported each other with the strength of the Lord. What a difference it makes to know the Lord in the midst of trouble. You can go to Him and cast your burdens. He will carry you when it feels like you can't take another step. I'm so glad I know my Heavenly Father. He will always be there to help, bringing the comfort that I need.

John 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.