bringing blunt-edged babes to finely-sharpened arrows
Sep 30, 2009
Beginnings
There are bits of cucumber and tomato that never quite make it into the salad. The kitchen floor is lightly dusted with flour. She's asked about a million times if she can lick the spoon and I'm pretty sure she did when I wasn't looking. She is four and she is standing on a stool next to me, eager to do the very things I tire of doing day in and day out.
You see, the kitchen is a difficult place for me. I've even gone so far as to call it the "bane of my existence." It is a needy, never-ending mess of pots and pans and last night's dinner. In fact, I'd rather be anywhere other than my kitchen.
Yet, despite its blatant lack of counter space and 50 year old appliances that won't break so I can get new ones, it holds a certain charm to my little daughter. She is a M.I.T. (Mommy In Training) and she knows the kitchen is Mommy's domain.
So how is it the one room in the house that is almost entirely mine happens to be the one room I dislike the most?
I've toyed with the idea of sprucing it up with paint and pictures, adding touches of fancy to make it more pleasing to the eye, but deep down I know aesthetics aren't the issue. It's attitude. Mine, to be exact.
When I look at the kitchen I see messes to be cleaned. When my daughter looks at the kitchen she sees an amazing place where individual foods become an entire meal right before her eyes.
I see the end, she sees the beginning.
It would do me good to adopt her view of things. Instead of seeing a scummy blender, I should see the blessing of not having to bother with cleaning it before making smoothies in the morning. Instead of seeing a dirty skillet, I should see the potential of a clean skillet for browning meat for tomorrow's lunch. Instead of seeing a cluttered countertop, I should see a stunning (albeit small) workspace for rolling out a pie for company this weekend. I should see the beginnings rather than the ends.
In fact, I should see a wonderful beginning when my daughter crawls up next to me on that little kitchen stool. What she learns from me is the beginning of her journey to womanhood. Every time she stirs the batter, shreds the lettuce, or salts the meat, she is learning. She is also learning when she sees me sigh at the mess before me or when I slam a cabinet door in frustration or when I am short with her because I just don't have the time to play a round of 20 Questions. Is that the beginning I want for her?
The only thing I have with my children are beginnings. What is sown today will take years to bring to fruition. In fact, I may never know the full impact of the beginnings I share with my children.
So, what matters here and now is that I take my life's calling as wife and mother seriously; that I set about diligently to be someone worth emulating; that I remember all my daily tasks are to be done as unto the Lord. I have to stop fussing and fretting over the ends of things and start preparing for the beginnings. And when my little daughter slides that stool across the floor and climbs up next to me, I should see things from her perspective...a beautiful beginning.
Many moons ago, I was introduced to the concept of an If/Then Chart. Many of you have probably seen or heard about the one from Doorposts or the one from Titus 2 Ministries. More obscure, but popular just the same in homeschooling circles, is the Wise Words for Moms by Ginger Plowman.
In case you aren't familiar with If/Then Charts, let me give you a brief explanation...
They are often used for discipline and training of children. IF the child does such-and-such, THEN the child is disciplined in this manner. Ginger Plowman's chart not only gives the what-not-to-do's, but also the what-to-do's. The ones I've listed are Scripture based and give parents a quick-glance tool for instructing children.
Often you are given the ability to write in your own method of discipline, but for someone like me, that is just too much slack in the reins.
Enter my favorite If/Then Chart (and it's free to boot!)
I wish I could find the site I got this from years ago, but even after an extensive search of the internet, I could not turn up the site. If ever you run across it on the net, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. (1/14/10 - Guess what?! Today, I found the author...or rather, the author found me! The site no longer exists, but you can find her blogging at Homestead Momma.)
(Click on the pictures to see a bigger view. To print it, simply right click and select print, or save the picture to your own computer. A reader also informed me that there is an error in the "wastefulness" line. The Scripture reference should be Luke 15:13-14)
Here's how the chart works: Basically, you have a list of behaviors (the "IF" side), a center section with Scripture that speaks to that behavior, and a consequence of said behavior on the far right (the "THEN" side). The punishment fits the crime and I don't have to think too much about how to discipline certain behaviors. Now, that's the kind of efficiency I need! (A quick note on the "Penalties" section at the bottom of the second page: the amount of time I "isolate" depends on the age of the child. A 3 year old is not going to be isolated as long as an older child for obvious reasons.)
The thing that I like best about If/Then Charts is that you are not randomly scrambling around trying to find an appropriate punishment for undesirable behaviors. You have a handy little chart all made up for you explaining the why and the how for both you and the child to plainly see. Consistency, which more often than not is the name of the game, is easy to be had with the help of an If/Then Chart.
I feel as though I am forever on a quest to simplify my life. I will simplify for a time and then life will get cluttered until I hit a crisis point and simplify once again. Those who know me best, know my favorite pastime is dreaming up ways to simplify life, so here is a post on some of the ways I've found to trim the excess from my life and streamline my household.
1. Find the problems areas. What areas in your life cause the most stress? The itsy-bitsy kitchen? The cluttered school room? The too-full schedule? Start there. You can't think in generalities or else it will be like conquering the forest, rather than dealing with the individual trees.
2. Think outside the box. Take a no-holds-barred approach to rethinking the problem area. Always be thinking how could this space/schedule/method be better handled. Recently, I found something as simple as moving the spice rack freed up a huge amount of precious counter space in my tiny kitchen. Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference.
3. Never be too old, young, strong-willed, pig-headed {fill in the blank} to learn. Blogs, forums, front porch and back patio chit chats, and conversations at the park are just a few of the places where we ladies can learn something new. Don't be too shy to ask or too stubborn to accept a new concept from another mom (even if she's younger than you!) Simplifying your life is often a matter of finding efficient solutions to everyday problems and there is almost always someone out there with a workable solution for you.
4. Just do it. Close your eyes and pitch, reorganize, regroup, give away, or whatever it is you have to do change things. Don't be afraid of things not working out quite right. If you don't try it, you'll never know. If it doesn't work, start over. No harm, no foul.
5. Learn to let go. Toys, books (ack! did I just say books?), clothing, papers, grudges, irritations...let them go. Things are just things and festering feelings eventually eat you alive. You can Paperback Swap the books and garage sale or Craigslist the things if you have time and energy; otherwise, give it away! In fact, many thrift stores are happy to come get your stuff if you call them. As for the emotions, go to the Scriptures. What does God have to say about what you are feeling? Work through the emotions and let them go.
6. Pray about purchases. Even the small ones! Recently, I decided I would like to have a bell to ring to call the children to me when they are scattered about the house. I saw how wonderfully it worked in another homeschool mom-of-many's home and was eager to get my own. So eager, in fact, I nearly purchased one that was much too heavy for me and made a less-than-pleasant ring. I was being impatient and almost brought into my home one more thing that was going to end up unused and taking up precious space. However, I practiced self-control and began to pray for the perfect bell. As we went from antique mall to antique mall, I prayed that if the Lord had my bell there I would find it and know it was perfect. Sure enough, at the last antique mall we visited I heard a bell ringing! Next thing I knew my daughter was at my side with the perfect old school bell! MY BELL!
The Lord is faithful to provide and if we are prayerful about our purchases, we will be more in tune with what it is the Lord wants to provide us rather than just buying and hording useless, meaningless junk that only serves to complicate our lives.
7. Be on the lookout for ideas. Annie has a gorgeous school room, Beth's kitchen is always spotless, Lois never forgets a birthday...what are their secrets? Perhaps Annie has a great organizational tip for your school supplies. Maybe Beth has an awesome cleaning schedule and Lois has a to-die-for household journal. You ask the questions and I guarantee they'll have answers. Not all of it will be something workable for you household, but something they say may trigger something else or help you to rethink things for yourself.
8. Rid your home of (or at least learn to keep a tight reign on) distractions. All too often what makes life complicated is the clutter of things that distract us. What constitutes a distraction?
dis·tract
(d-strkt)
tr.v.dis·tract·ed, dis·tract·ing, dis·tracts
1. To cause to turn away from the original focus of attention or interest; divert.
2. To pull in conflicting emotional directions; unsettle.
To know your distractions you need to know what your focus is and then pinpoint the things that divert you from that purpose and/or cause you to feel unsettled.
Ultimately our focus is Christ. The things that distract us from a closer relationship with Him and the focus of doing His will and following after Him are things that should be kept at a distance. This is truly a personal thing, but you have to be honest with yourself. People naturally think distractions come in the form of technology like computers and television, but distractions can also come in the form of taking on too many projects, having unrealistic expectations, or spending too much time in personal pursuits. All of these things have the potential to cause us to lose our focus and feel unsettled. Once you identify what your distractions are, you can begin erasing them from your life.
9. Become a minimalist and work from there. Sometimes you just need to start over. For us, a trip to our rustic lake cabin is a good starting over point. There we must make do with only the bare bones. We come away from our time spent there knowing all the extras we have in our "real life" are truly just extras and not needed. In fact, they do more to clutter our day (see #8) than help at times. So, box a few things up (your kitchen is an easy place to start) and "get by" on less stuff. You'll be amazed at how very little you need and how much simpler everything seems.
10. Smile more. My husband recently read that Americans are setting their jaws more than ever. We are tense and we are not enjoying life abundantly. Something as simple as smiling more often (even if it feels fake at first) can bring such joy and peace to our lives.
Really that's what we're really looking for, isn't it? Our quest for a simpler life is really a quest for peace and joy. If we become peaceful and joyful right where we are at, we won't find ourselves so discontent when we can't start our own homestead, or when daddy can't work from home, or when getting out of debt feels impossible. Attitude is important.
So that's my list of things of I do to simplify. It is not a list of specifics because no two households are the same and my specifics could end up complicating your life rather than simplifying it. But the general idea is the same and absolutely doable.
Perhaps you think it odd I have a sign reading LOVE as part of my Fall decor? Did I forget this is September and not February? Or maybe my THANKFUL sign is misplaced and I'm using LOVE until I find it?
Nope.
I purposely put LOVE amongst the decorations this year. With good reason.
God has been showing me some amazing things lately. Things I thought I had a handle on. Things I thought I understood. Things I thought I practiced. But He's showing me that I have been little more than a "clanging symbol" because there was no LOVE backing them up.
You see, it is very easy for me to be critical. It is amazing I can see past the plank in my own eye, yet, there I am...
picking specks.
This has lead to bitterness and a holier-than-thou attitude more times than I care to count. Just when I think I have a handle on it, I turn around to find I've alienated one of the children or I've mercilessly squashed my husband's dreams.
Recently, I've found my eyes opened to the kind of love that Christ exemplified...the kind of love I often lack.
EVERYTHING Jesus did and said was out of LOVE.
My life should be bursting at the seams with love for others. Everyone from my children to the grouchy lady in the checkout line should be able to see the love of God in me.
In addition to this, I've been meditating a lot on the fruits of the Spirit. We are called to be set apart...different. What makes us different? The fruit in our lives. How many people do you know are characterized by patience? self-control? joy? Oh sure, I can point my finger and pontificate about how everyone should do this and no one should do that but what truly matters is the fruit in my own life. My words (even if they are only spoken in my head as I walk by someone who doesn't look or act or dress quite "right") are not what convicts. The Holy Spirit convicts...the Lord judges...and my faith-filled, fruit-bearing life speaks louder than anything I ever say.
And the greatest fruit in my life should be LOVE.
My life should be oozing love. My words and deeds should be wrapped in love. And not the kind of love that talks down to others or only loves those just like me, but the kind of love that is so passionate and pure it nearly brings you to tears.
I am seeing things in a brand new way.
I am seeing where I've stayed holed up in my own little world trying hard to keep from accidentally touching one of those pagan people (boy does that smack of Pharisee!)
I am seeing where my voice doesn't always need to be heard.
I am seeing that where there is wrongdoing and sin, a life lived for Christ and a few simple, loving words can open doors no soapbox lecture ever could.
I am seeing where if my children graduate 2 years early, get a PhD and go on to work for NASA, yet do not have memories of a home filled to the brim with love, then I have failed miserably.
When we look at people, we should be seeing them through a lense of love, and our lives should be the testimony, not our words. I think about the verse that exhorts to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us. That, to me, suggests that when people see your life, they will ask questions. There will be no need for you to go around with both guns blazing all the time. There is absolutely no need for me to run around crying Quiverfull or Homeschooler or Family-Integrated Churcher or whatever other platform I might be thinking I need to yap about. If I am living a loving, giving, Christ-exemplifying life right there in front of them, they'll notice something different.
So, yes, LOVE is right there in the center of this season because that is what I am thankful for.
This is my absolute FAVORITE autumn recipe! And you'll never guess where I got it...
An Aldi egg carton!
That's right...8 years ago, I started making Pumpkin Crumble all because of a little ole egg carton. Now it's your turn to make Pumpkin Crumble all because of a little ole blog. ;o)
Pumpkin Crumble
1 box yellow cake mix 1 can (15 oz) solid pumpkin 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk 3 large eggs 1 1/2 c. sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 c. chopped pecans 1 c. butter whipped topping (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of a 9x13" pan. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Pour into 9x13" pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Top with pecans. Drizzle melted butter over pecans. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until golden.
Cool...chill...and serve chilled. Add a dollop whipped topping as garnish if desired (but it so doesn't need it!)
The year is 2005. As I lay on the couch moaning from a horrendous case of morning sickness, I catch a glimpse of the sweet gum trees outside our picture window. Their wide leaves are turning beautiful shades in the autumn breeze. It was at that very moment the trees in my front yard went from
pain-in-the-feet to
beautiful.
I managed to roll off the couch and exert enough energy to open a window.
Ahhhhh...breathe deep...smile...
It was almost as if I could breathe in the color of those leaves. It was a balm to my body and my soul.
Opening the windows is not so much a tradition as it is a necessity. By the time Autumn rolls around, I feel cagey. I despise the heat of summer and try to avoid it at all costs (as my electric bill will tell you).
Autumn brings to me the fresh air flowing through my home I've been longing for. Even living in the city, just being able to hear and see and smell the outside makes me function so much better.
And the cool...oh, the cool! How inviting it is! It speaks of candles and baked goods, of sweaters and slippers. It begs me to brew hot cider and snuggle the children. It tells me to slow down and enjoy the splendor of the season. And I obey.
Today's Fall Festival topic is Fall Traditions. You can join in and/or read more at today's host blog: Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.
There have been many, many times I have lamented the fact that someone out there decided to do away with the barter system. How cool would it be to share our abundance in order to get something we truly NEED.
But NOOOOO....
now we NEED money and there is abundance everywhere. Stinks, doesn't it?
But every now and then you find bartering alive and well. And it just so happens I've found someone to offer my abundance to in exchange for her craftiness!
What's my abundance you might ask???
Wool Sweaters!
Surprising? Probably not to any of you cloth diaper addicts! ;o) You know what I'm hording all these wool sweaters for, don'tcha?
Yep, that's right...Someday I am going to make longies. (For those of you still scratching your heads, click HERE).
However, the longer these wool sweaters reside in my sewing room, the less is my desire to start cranking them out. When I walked into my long-neglected sewing room last night, my eyes landed on that pile of sweaters and I knew I had to do something.
But, if you are like me, it is sooooo hard to let go of a great deal no matter how burdensome it might be. That's when I got the idea to try bartering with someone. On a favorite forum of mine I offered up my sweaters in exchange for 3 of them being made into longies for me. And guess what?! Someone bit! Woo Hoo!
Angie R of Angie's Essentials is my bartering buddy! She gets 6 great wool sweaters and Micah gets 3 longies (yes, I had 9 of these things laying around!) How cool is that?!
I sent them off today, so when I get the longies back, I'll post pics!
*****************
And don't forget...the Fall Festival is all this week!
Today's topic is Fall Family Fun hosted by Daily Dwelling. My post is a repost of last year's found HERE. Click on over to Daily Dwelling to find more!
All this week (Lord willing...cuz I've got sickies in the house!), I'll be participating in the Fall Festival hosted by Life As Mom. Today's entries on Feathering your Nest for Fall are hosted at Hoosier Homemade. Why not join me?!
Ever since I declared September 1 the beginning of Autumn, I've been putting out little festive fall touches all over the house. I have my favorites, like the scarecrow above, that always receive the same place of honor, but there is one aspect of my autumn decor that changes every year...
The Centerpiece.
Having a large family means table space is a precious commodity, but I've found that having a centerpiece of some kind is one of those frivolous things I'd rather not do without. A centerpiece makes a table inviting and festive. (Plus, it's incentive to keep the table cleared of clutter so you can see the thing!)
I change the centerpiece out every season, but my favorite season to create a centerpiece for is Fall! The burnt browns, luscious reds, and brilliant golds make for stunning decor no matter how simple or extravagant the design.
My centerpieces are of the simple persuasion. I don't have endless amounts of money and hours and space with which to create some monument to the season, but I do have a few bucks, a couple of minutes, and about a square foot in the center of the table that I can spare.
You can read a bit more about it from the link, but basically, it's a pedastal, a candle, some potpourri, a vine, some leftover leaves and gourds I picked up alongside the road.
This year I decided on something simpler and more mobile.
Simply a cornucopia my mother-in-law didn't want anymore and several $.99 picks from Hobby Lobby. Could it get any easier than that?
Yep, it sure could...
How about a wreath and a candle? Wreaths make for easy and elegant candle rings. This wreath I bought at a thrift store, spruced it up with some new ribbon and now it hangs in my kitchen, but it has often served as a candle ring as shown here.
Speaking of thrift stores, keep your eyes peeled for decorating treasures. This ceramic leaf came from Goodwill for a mere $2!
It can stand alone or add apples or gourds or whatever else you have lying around and turn it into this.
Baskets are one of my favorite fall decorating items! A basket can make anything look nice and they come in such an interesting variety. Once again, think thrift store. You might have to dig through a whole huge bin of baskets, but they are bound to have a treasure at just the right price!
This basket, like the wreath, currently resides in the kitchen, but it could easily grace the table as a centerpiece. It's stuffed with raffia and then has one leaf garland cascading out of it. Simple!
And finally, what could be simpler than a canning jar (this is a half gallon wide mouth I use for raw milk) filled with sticks from my yard?! I had some eucalyptus laying around that I added to it, but really all you'd need are a bundle of sticks the kids gathered from the yard tied up with baling wire or raffia or ribbon, throw them a jar and call them a centerpiece!
This little number has a place on my piano where I can enjoy it from my living room rocker. It never ceases to amaze me how such simple things can make me smile.
It's for that reason exactly that I have a centerpiece. It is such a simple, yet enjoyable bit of decor. The little bit of space it takes up is well worth the amount of joy and homeyness it creates.
(the little boy who lives in the linen closet--a battle not worth fighting)
A few weeks ago I was sitting talking with a friend when her 4 year old daughter came bursting into the room fussing over an almost non-existent scrape on her leg. The little girl thought for sure it needed a glossy cartoon bandaid in order to heal properly. The mom began to answer with a, "No, you don't need one," only to stop herself and say, "Oh yeah, I forgot, I don't care."
You see, she and her husband had decided that penny-a-piece bandaids just weren't that big of a deal.
That one little scene made quite an impression on me.
A lot of people hear the words "Choose Your Battles" and they immediately envision incredibly permissive parents who are too tired or lazy to discipline naughty children. (oh wait, am I the only one who thought that?!)
But, of course, we all do it...we all choose, from time to time, not to discipline a particular behavior or event for one reason or another. And yep, sometimes it is because we are too tired or too lazy!
But what if Choosing Your Battles was something we didn't just do on-the-fly? What if we had some forethought about it? Or what if we took the time to really consider all the angles of a certain childish behavior before blurting out, "No."
Suppose Mozart's father had said, "Quit banging on that harpsichord!"? What if Michelangelo's mama hadn't wanted to deal with the playdough mess? How about if Monet wasn't ever allowed to get out the paints?
Now I'm not saying that this little girl with an affinity for bandaids is destined to become a doctor any more than I am suggesting my little guy in the linen closet is training to become a towel. I'm saying that just because something isn't neat and tidy and logical doesn't mean it deserves an automatic No.
When my big kids were little kids, we visited a family with parents of the No persuasion. I bet I heard the son ask to get out 10 different toys to share with his new friends, all of which were met with the answer, "No." By the end of it all, my kids were thoroughly bored and the son was looking for all sorts of mischief to get into. Needless to say, my children begged us to never visit there again (or at least not bring them along if we did!)
I've blogged before about how quick we are to mow our children down, but this post is more about the fun (and yes, often childish) things in life that we as parents mow down. My son hanging out in the linen closet really isn't that big of a deal. It's just good, clean fun! (no pun intended)
There are defintely battles that must be fought, but I imagine if we take a long, hard look at the things we say No to there would be quite a few that just don't matter.
So what if my 5 year old wants to wear her "chicken dress" with a hot pink shirt and a pair of jeans under it? Who really cares if my 8 year old wants to sleep with every single stuffed animal she owns? What's the big deal if my son wants to stay up a half hour extra to help plan our vacation? And what is it really going to hurt for my 3 year old to climb up into the linen closet and take a snooze?
You know what? I'm not Choosing My Battles...I'm CHOOSING not to care! He'll only fit in that linen closet so long...why not let him enjoy it while he can!
It was hard. It was hard to see such raw emotion in my children. I was unprepared for what I felt as well. Watching the children grieve this little animal...the things they said...the things they wanted to do in memory of this creature...felt so familiar.
At first, it bothered me that they were grieving this pet the way I grieved my daughter, but then I realized they had cared for Aztec the way I cared for Emmy. Aztec depended on them. They felt like they had maybe done something wrong or could have done something different. They wanted to keep Aztec's body forever. They didn't want to leave Aztec here if we ever moved. They wanted a lock of hair and some pictures.
I let them grieve. I grieved with them. We talked and talked and talked. My 11 year old immediately went to his Bible to find solace. When it came time to decorate a box to put Aztec in, he chose Ecclesiates 3:2 to put on the side of the box. We all contributed to the decorating of the box. Then Daddy and Blake dug a hole, Megan gently placed the box in the hole and all the children helped fill the hole back in.
As I watched them fill the hole, I felt a terror race through my body. I forced myself to stand there and be strong for the children as tears streamed down my face. I kept seeing my own grief. I kept seeing my own pain. What I was feeling had very little to do with poor little Aztec.
My children have never lost a pet, and had this pet died several years ago, it probably wouldn't have held quite the amount of sorrow it held for all of us. I probably would have made some flippant comment about the pig kicking the bucket rather than realizing how painful this truly was for my children. I would have just found some old box, scooped the guinea pig up and buried it wherever I felt was a convenient spot. I never would have left the cage for my son to put away in his own time and I would have probably expected my children to just "get over it" in a neat and tidy time frame.
Instead I am compassionate and much more patient with the healing process.
Here's another yummy autumn recipe I thought you'd enjoy called Apple Pudding Cake.
1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
dash of salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. milk
2 c. chopped apples
1/2 c. dried fruit or nuts or both
Mix butter and sugar well. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased medium-sized pan (9x13 is probably a bit too big, but could be done if you don't mind a thinner cake) Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Dish into bowls, curl up with a blanket and a good book and enjoy bliss by the spoonful!
I also wanted to share a few fun things that go right along with this recipe...
First off are these awesome little silicone grippers from Trudeau. They are fantastic for using with baking stones. But as you can see, they work well with casserole dishes too.
Next is something that has made me feel better about not being able to purchase all organic fruits and veggies...Veggie Wash! I purchased the apples for this recipe from Aldi and boy were they nice and shiny! (LOL) Using the Veggie Wash, I could literally feel the wax coming off the apples! It took two washes to remove the wax fully, but boy did it make me feel better knowing my apples were clean! And finally, a fun little Fall giveaway over at Every Precious Joy! Click HERE to enter to win her handmade, original design dishcloths! She does gorgeous work and you'll love these Autumn themed dishcloths! Tell her I sent you!
I can't say this idea was original, but I can say it makes my heart smile.
This past May at the MOMYS Retreat we noticed some friends with a similar arrangement on the back of their van and knew someday we wanted to tell our story on the back of our own van.
We purchased the window decals from Quiverfull.com (scroll down to find them) and I put them on our back window yesterday morning.
I've been missing Emmy lately. It's nice to see a reminder of her in my rear view mirror and know that others are catching a glimpse of her story as well.
Hopefully I got all the kinks out of the links...they should open automatically for you now! Let me know if they do not. ~Amy
Have you ever ended up somewhere and had no idea how you got there? Well, that's what happened to me and my retreat from Once-A-Month Shopping.
Somehow I went from shopping once a month, to shopping twice a month, to shopping once a week. And with each step backward I took, I saw the grocery bill rise. But, I let it happen and even thought it was no big deal. I told myself it was because we were eating healthier, more organic items (and to an extent that was true), but then I felt the crunch (aka Buying a New Van) and knew that the grocery budget was the first place that needed to be streamlined.
I had been spending between $150-$200 each week on groceries for our family of 7. Last night I spent $355 for the entire month!
Now, this is not the complete total because I will have to purchase eggs, milk, and some fresh fruits and veggies along the way, but WOW! I can hardly believe it! This totally renews my faith in Once-A-Month Shopping!
I also went back to shopping more than one store. I stopped doing this at my husband's insistance during my last pregnancy. It was just too much for me to traipse around from store to store trying to save money. He felt my time and energy were more important than what money could be saved. But last night I decided to go to 2 stores: Aldi and SuperTarget (they are in the same vicinity and there is a better selection of organic at Target than there is at WalMart and our local Kroger store). I managed to fill only one cart per store (but I still had my handy dandy 11 year old in tow just in case!)
It had been quite some time since I'd been in Aldi and was pleasantly surprised at just how much of my list could be purchased there. I even got a good buy on some organic cereal that wasn't on my list but that will definitely eventually be used.
At Target I found high fructose corn syrup free bread (I do buy some bread because there are days when bread making just doesn't get done) for $1.49 on closeout and bought all they had (ahhhh, the joy of multiple freezers!) I also had a coupon for the organic chips I like there.
Now the real test begins...
Just how long will all this food last us? Can we make it until October 15th? How much more money will go into replenishing the perishable items?
I was very careful to make sure I had a solid list of repeatable meals for both breakfast and lunch and a nice array of dinner meals with room for eating out approximately once a week. So far I am very pleased with what I came up with and excited to find out if I really will see a difference in the bank account this coming month!
My husband works a job that involves a copious amount of cell phone and internet usage, so during our vacations we shut the phones off and avoid the internet like the plague...thus the reason for only the one post over a week ago (and it was a scheduled post to boot! ;o) ).
So, here is a picture-heavy Vacation Review just for you!
Usually, we head to the mountains for our vacation, but the cabin we stay in wasn't opened up this summer due some water line issues. With amazing providence, some friends got us a place at Big Cedar Lodge outside of Branson, Missouri for a ridiculously low price we couldn't pass up!
Prior to our Labor Day check-in, we met up with Ty's brother's family, his mom, and his granny, for another birthday celebration for little Lia (cake courtesy of Granny!)
We met our friends at the Lodge and found plenty to do there to keep us occupied.
There were trails to hike ... (We were ill-prepared for this hike...dad had to carry baby Micah and I was wearing crocs! We thought we were going on the paved trail--city folk that we are-LOL!)
A round of mini-golf...
(Mini-golfing with 10 children all under the age of 12 was ummmm....interesting! Talk about herding cats!)
Horse-back riding...
(Something Daddy had promised as a special treat to our horse-lovin' 8 year old.)
Boating... (This was not a pleasant experience! Being the only person peddling and trying to maneuver a less than cooperative rudder while holding a squirming baby in a lifejacket makes for a very short boat ride! However, a trip down the lazy river in an innertube made up for it!)
Taking in the "wildlife"...
Cake decorating... (Ty helped Sarah's husband decorate her birthday cake--our boys learned it from their daddies!)
K found time to surf... (Still the stunt-man of the bunch!)
And even time for some naps...
(There were a total of four families staying courtesy of our friends. One night, all four families got together for some fellowshipping in one of the rooms. Between us there were 19 children and two on the way! We dubbed this hideaway couch "The Baby Bed".)
Throughout the week we visited Branson proper for a healthy dose of antiquing (which involved our 3 year old buying a broken $27 bowl...YIKES!). We took in the must-see Noah musical and let our 11 year old ride the long-anticipated 4 story go-cart track...
Our stay at the Lodge ended Friday morning, but vacation was not over yet! We camped with Sarah's family at Table Rock Lake the remainder of the weekend. This was the first time we have camped as a family and only the second time I have camped in my entire life (the first being our one-year anniversary)! Even though my husband is an avid camper, it was nice to have another family there to "hold my hand." We enjoyed s'mores, water-gun fights, and skunks! (Big, fat, we-eat-camp-food-every-night skunks!)
(Our home-away-from-home!)
The end of our vacation came with our annual trip to the State Fair on Dollar Day! (also known as Frugal Family Day, also known as Homeschool Family Day! lol)
We cheered on the pig races, toured building after building, ate more Fair food than any human ought to, watched some sheep shearing...
played...
and played...
and played some more...
And through it all, Micah got the comfiest seat in the house... Our vacation officially ended today when our 3 year old began puking. Rather rude awakening to the real world I'm afraid, but hey, at least he waited until AFTER vacation!
Photographer at DiverseReflections.com and writer at TheGodlyPhotographer.blogspot.com. TeenPacter, Christian, musician, writer, Instagrammer, INFJ, Aspie, fashionista.
-str
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Simply a cornucopia my mother-in-law didn't want anymore and several $.99 picks from 
