Dirty boys!

Homestead Binder...

Do YOU have a Homestead Binder?

Can I see it?

I just did a blog entry at homeschool blogger with pics of my Homestead Binder..wanna see.. here it is....

Homestead- OUTSIDE monthly to do list

I have a few inside spring cleaning and monthly "to do" lists...  but I was wondering if anyone had an OUTSIDE monthly TO DO LIST.   Things you try to do each January, February, etc...

If so would you please share?

Thanks

I'm here..but not here...

I just wanted to post a quick entry and say...

I read here ALL the time...however I cannot keep up 2 blogs...

So my active blog is here:

Crock pot and Cloth diaper questions....

Looking for some feedback....Please...

It's still only May??  I am so hot!!!  I mean HOT!!!    So at dinner this evening I thought maybe next month could be a large amount of crock pot dinners.  They are so easy and fast (and finished by breakfast) plus they don't heat up the kitchen.   However, when I think of crockpot dinners, I think of the winter things, chili, stew, etc.   So does anyone know of any really good summer/spring LITE crock pot meals.    Or maybe just some FAST easy low cooking meals for the summer.  It's going to be a long HOT few weeks till baby comes!!!!  (9/4)

Okay.. .one other question... I have my diapers picked out and being made (see previous entry)....however I am still VERY unsure of the covers.  All I can find in a store are Gerber size 24 Months!  I have also heard that they wear out QUICKLY.  So what is my best bet?

Also, I am REALLY leaning heavily towards a diaper BAG...not a diaper pail.  So I can wash it GOOD every other day with the diapers.  IT seems to be a good choice, but maybe I'm not considering something.  Does anyone have any advice on these bags OR these bags???

Frugal Fannies

I had a few questions about what type of diaper they are and how thick.

Here is all the information on Frugal Fannies.  (I DO NOT MAKE THEM...these are just the ones I ordered).

Wanna see....

My frugal fannies???

I am getting so excited...  These are my starter cloth diapers (the ones under Denise, a few more have to yet be made).

  I have NEVER cloth diapered but am so excited to start!!

Just had to share...

The good, the bad and the ugly.. weekend report....

That pretty much describes our weekend...

I was so excited, we had finally invited a family over from church for dinner.  (for some reason this church doesn't do much outside fellowship??) anway, this family is pretty new and I was really excited to have them over.  So Friday afternoon we were getting things around for their 6pm arrival and dinner of steak on the grill!!   Well I was outside talking to another friend on the phone when ds (4) comes running up with blood FLOWING out of his hand!!!   So we get it cleand up a bit and dh says "ummm...this is going to need stiches".   So I called and canceled our dinner plans and moved them to Saturday lunch plans.  Off we were then for the hospital.  TO which we SAT in the waiting room until 9:50pm!!!    They finally saw us and stiched him up... he was exhasuted (normal 8:30 bedtime).   Shewwww... he was a real trooper.  I have NEVER had stiches (or any broken bones) so this was all new to me...and when they began giving him the SHOTSSSSSSSS  to numb his hand I'll admit I was looking for a place to sit down...and was feeling a bit light headed!!!  But he did great...and doesn't even think about his hand now!!

So it was a late night Friday, but we were up and out of the house EARLY Saturday morning, and dh even took us out for breakfast...then we hit a HUGE yardsale in our old, old development (5 years ago).  They have a 1x a year very large yardsale...and we went... and I spent (my allowance ALL on books!!)  The deal of the day...was I picked up a Sing, Spell Read and Write WHOLE program for $10.  (everything is there, i have checked)  WOW!!  I was just gettting ready to make a purchase of Rod and Staff's Reading/Phonics for ds(6) because what we have now just isn't working... but I think this maybe a REAL answer to prayer...I would've NEVER really purchased this new ($200) but now that I have it...I am so thankful..and we will start using it ASAP and put the workbooks away (Explode the Code and ALpha phonics) for another time....this will be a nice break for him!!  SO excited!!

Then dh willingly spent his allowance on a $10 changing table.  I have NEVER used a changing table before, but I have heard that when using cloth diapers it may be easier to have a "chaning station" so we took the plunge.

Then on the way home I saw this AWESOME bookshelf...it is like the kind you see in book stores with the tiered shelves with all the books facing forward!!!  It has 8 shelves like this and has plenty of room!!  LOVE IT. So dh also spent HIS allowance on this bookshelf.  I just love it!!  Love dh more for making these purchases with HIS allowance!! 

So the yardsaling was a sucess!!  We then came home and prepared for our lunch visitors.  It was a great visit.  Her husband wasn't able to make it at the last minute, and I was disappointed for my dh..as that would've been nice for him to be able to visit.  The mom and I had a great time sitting and talking and sharing with each other.  We found out we have a good bit alike in our views on child raising and things..which is actually a rareity around here... (?).  So that was a nice afternoon.

Then my mom came (2 hours away) to watch the boys for the evening so dh and I could have a date night..as our 9 year anniversary was on Wednesday!!  So we went out to eat and had a great time!!

Sunday mom came to church with us and then departed around 4pm.    Poor ds(4) he cried when my mom left...he was so heartbroken.  We used to live in the same town as both grandparents (which had its advantages and disadvantages) however we could not remain there as the job market is very bad...and dh was laid off  3x in 1 year.  So we had to move back to this area in PA..where he is able to have a nice job and have some job security.  There are days (like yesterday) I wish the boys lived closer to their grandparents...but for our family's well being this is where we need to be right now.

So it was really a great weekend, even though it started out pretty rough and ugly!!

I (- I mean WE) did it

Yes, today we had our normal lessons in the morning and then went out for lunch and hit the grocery store(s) again.   But it is done...finished... I have (HOPEFULLY) all my groceries for the next MONTH!!!   yeaaa           Well I did go over budget.... but if this works and we don't run out of food and we DON"T GO OUT TO EAT then we will much futher ahead in the long run.

If this works out (and I think it will) this will be so nice..   A day (or two) of WORK (shopping, and unpacking) and the rest of the month to enjoy my homestead!!!! 

So now it is almost 6pm and its time for dinner..... the house is so full..I need to find something now for dinner!! 

Any tips from any of you experienced 1x a month shoppers?????

Once a month shopping... or so I thought....

I am so exhausted.  

I had a plan today, really I did.  I don't like to "run errands" every day...I like to "ruin" one day and do all my errands if possible.  So since today was our last "real" co-op I thought today would be our errand day.  So we went to co-op this morning.   Of course then we went to McDonalds for lunch...  then I had to stop by the local outlets and look for a certain mothers day gift for mil..(they didn't have it, but they had other things in her kitchen pattern for 70% off) so I called her on my way home to tell her... and long story short...I went back there this evening and bought a few things.  In between the 2 trips to the outlets we had to go pick up dh's paycheck (because they forgot to set up his direct deposit) and then we went out to eat before he had to RUSH to work. 

Then...originally before all my trips to the outlet my BIG plan was to try the 1x a month grocery shopping......   So it is 6pm (we've been running since 9am) and I have to decide...go home...or finish my errands on this BUSY day. (and "relax" tomorrow).  I talked myself into going shopping.  Well I got about 1/2 my list done and my cart was OVER FLOWING!!  So being pregnant, tired and having 2 tired boys...we checked out....  I spent 1/2 my budget and was able to purchase 1/2 my list...so that is good...the bad news----  I have to go back tomorrow and finish!!!!  Arggg..   Now I know I've seen some super moms do double cart duty.. and it crossed my mind... but I was tired, my kids were tired and we had to lug and unpack all these groceries ourselves....so the vote was go home!!  I'm glad we did because it is 9pm and I JUST finished only minutes ago!     Now when I get this 1x a month shopping more down pat... I will learn the art of 2 carts (ds pushing one probably).   I just can't wait to NOT have to grocery shop until next month!  I've been doing every 2 weeks...and that has been nice...and now 1x a month!!  I can't wait!

So that is my day...I'm exhausted and I must have lulled baby to sleep all day with our business because he is letting me know he is awake NOW!!  (love those flutters!!!)

Delivery day... nesting....and just a bit of an update..

It's been awhile...but it has been so beautiful we have been outside most of the day!!  Enjoying the lovely creation God has provided us.

Today was a great day, though...

Yes...today was the day we received our BIG Alpha Omega order!!!   Love seeing that Big Brown Truck pull in with 2 Big boxes!!!   So of course that is what I did this afternoon, took the Weaver items and put them in the binders with the proper file tabs etc.  Looked thru the Horizon Math books and reviewed the Explode the Code (not Alpha Omega) books for next year.  It is going to be a Good, yet busy year!  (with a new baby too!!)

Speaking of the new baby...I can't possibly be nesting yet, can I?   You're not going to beleive this but we have everything now we "NEED".  We found a nice crib at a childrens consignment shop last week.  We also bought our stroller/carseat combo last week.  My Frugal Fannies have been ordered and paid for...and should come sometime in the near future.  I went thru all the boys old clothes and we are SET for that (not washed, but we have plenty of blue...until about 12-18 months (and by then we'll have another yard sale season to go through).  

 I have been doing a lot of reading on breastfeeding, as I failed horribly with both boys last time.  Zachary I was in labor with an epidurl for 25+ hours and we tried for about 3 weeks...(with a medla pump) and HE nor I never got the hang of it.  Joshua...well I tried while int he hospital and then gave up because I didn't want to spend my first 3 weeks with him crying like I did with Zachary out of frusturation.  Plus I had an 18 month old to run after at that point.  However, NOW I am VERY VERY VERY VERY serious.  I want to really do this... it is to be natrual...So I am doing a bit of reading, and you know what is interesting...it sounds like babies and mommas w/o pain medication during delviery do VERY well!!!  (I always went for the epidural)  So...hmmmmm...... Need to do a bit more praying about that...what a step of faith!!  (I have LARGE babies and LONG induced pitocin labors!!)  So anyway.. I was walking thru the babies room (to get to our room) and thought "wow...we are really ready" except to do some decorating (with the ol' Noah's Ark theme things we have already) and do some washing (clothes).... this can't be nesting can it?  It is WAY to early!

We have been spending a GREAT deal of time outside enjoying the beautiful weather lately...and the boys come in COVERED head to toe in DIRT!!!  It is amazing how dirty they get!!  But it is all good...they have such a great time outside playing together!!   We may have a bike rider this year... last year Zachary cried and threw some fits about his bike (even with training wheels) well this year, Jason pulled it out of the shed (to get the mower out) and Zachary hopped on it and rode away!!  (with training wheels) however we just saw that the one training wheel is completely bent UP and is not at all touching the ground (ever)...so I think they'll be coming off soon!!  WOW!!  Josh will probably have NO FEAR....and just get on and ride away!!  that is the difference between them both.

Lastly, I have to share, how blessed I was this morning.  Jason led our devotions (usually he is sleeping, due to night shift work) however he decided to do a study on different boys/men of the Bible.  So today they read Daniel 1.  It was really great...and to hear them discuss the traits of the 4 "boys"...and how God wants those traits in THEM.  It was a great time this morning.. Gotta love those time!! (I know the boys do).

Well I should go...just wanted to check in!!

Extra Extra...

News updates:

Yes... Vision Forum has released some new CD's comming out and right now they are 50% off!!!   They look really good, I know a few of them have made it on my "to purchase" list!!!

Okay.... really I have MORE good news.   The baby looks GREAT.....very good, healthy, happy and moving around (sucking HIS thumb a lot).....  So we are very excited!!   We were able to get a few pictures.   So even though I am 21 weeks and really not feeling very much AT ALL...the HE is moving a good bit!!  (My placenta is right in front acting as a barrier to my feeling those nice kicks).  So all is well...and I feel like I can REALLY relax and enjoy these last 19-20 weeks!!!

What a wonderful day...

Well it started with the phone ringing at 5:50am!!!   Yes, "Mrs. _________  your chicks have arrived".   So we got up and dressed and headed for the post office.  There they were and they look VERY healthy...28 (hopefully ALL HENS).  We are doing it a bit differently.  We are not so "new" at this that we are taking a bit more 'liberty'.  So they are starting out in the chicken house (vs. the basement, like last year which brought in a VERY LARGE BLACK SNAKE).   We blocked off 3/4 of the chicken house so they can't go too far and they have the heat lamp out there (when needed, today has been beautiful and with the sun shinning in they have not needed the light).  So we are very excited to have our "girls" back!!

Then we doubled up on some school work today, as yesterday it didn't get accomplished, the boys stayed outside with daddy all day and worked.  Then tomorrow is our BIG Ultra Sound and also an OB appointment so I doubt we get much accomplished tomorrow either.  So we doubled up and the boys did fine.

Then I hung out 2 loads of laundry, I do love this... it is a joy to stand out there and hang the laundry and listen and see the Creation God made.

Then I attempted to mow a bit of the yard, however I ran out of gas, so I'll wait until we run to town to get the gas can filled.  (must have been used yesterday on the tiller.)

Right now I have dinner in the oven, Chicken Cacciatore...yummy.  The boys are outside playing together and I can hear them singing "Deep and Wide".  Lovely hearing them sing LOUDLY...to the Lord. 

I am going to join them in few minutes and work on getting together our next unit of Weaver.  (Plants and Trees)  Have a blessed day!

What is that I hear outside my window???

Ah yes, it is the sound of my husband tilling up our garden.  It is a beautiful sound!! 

I must admit that this weekend I was considering skipping the BIG garden...it scares me a bit this year.  With coming to the end of this pregnancy right at the peak harvest time, I'm not sure I can give the garden 100%!!  However dh assured me we wouldn' do the WHOLE gardent his year, only 1/2 or 1/4.  Definitly a few tomato plants (we eat these as fast as we pick them!!).  So I am going to take it as it comes...and pray I can keep up.

We did order our 25 baby chicks this weekend they should arrive tomorrow morning.  That is exciting. I miss having chickens roaming throughout the yard.  They were so enjoyable, not even counting the many delcious meals their eggs brought our family!!

Wednesday is our BIG dr. day.  At 10am I have my BIG 21 week ultra sound.  Will we find out the gender??   We still don't know.  We had thought we would not find out...but every now and then one of us says "wouldn't it be nice to know"...but we've never said "Lets find out!"  With ds1 we didn't find out (it didn't matter, we were so new at this...either way it was going to be a learning lesson!!  With ds2  being so close I wanted to know so I could slowly get PINK if we needed it...alas we didn't need pink.   Will we need pink this time???  Who knows...but we are really almost starting over (as we have moved 4x and gave away most of our baby items).  So who knows...I'll let you know Thursday!!

Oh and Friday we went to a homeschool convention in MD.  Since I cannot attend CHAP this year, a member of our co-op told me about a hs fair in MD (only 40 minutes away)...so we went and I am so glad we did.  We were so prepared (since we FINALLY decided what we were getting) that we walked in made our "big" purchase at Alpha Omega's table and saved 34%!!!!   (20% off during April and Free shipping at the convention of 14%!!)  So that was great and we were done with in 10 minutes.  Of course we still roamed around and I found the Explode the Code books i wanted, they were only .50 cents cheaper than on line, but I also saved on shipping for those.  I also made 2 other small purchases..but I am just so glad that we will be able to take our time on our last 3 units of Weaver Vol 1 (which will take us until Late July early August) and then the baby will be soon due, and we will be ready in September to roll with Weaver Vol 2.

So all in all it was a great weekend.  We relaxed and enjoyed each other.  Oh we even had a campfire on Saturday evening.  That was nice, the boys loved it!

Enjoy your day!

Laines Letters anyone?

For those of you who love her letters of encouragment as much as I do, I just received her updates (via email today)

Here are the links:

http://www.lainesletters.com/inmyhome/imhapr2007.html

http://www.lainesletters.com/letters/RRandR.html

Enjoy!!

Is there anything better....

Than having dinner finished by 7:30 am??  There can't be!!  I love my crock pot dinner nights!  I love it!  (in the crockpot are cabbage rolls)

Today is homeschool co-op and afterwards is a pizza lunch and planning meeting for next year...so I won't have to worry about lunch either!!   (Breakfast I made "My Favorite Coffee Cake"  but dh brought home a "treat" for the boys..so the Coffee cake will be for tomorrow!!)

Tomorrow will be our BIG 2-3 week grocery shopping trip.  I am very much enjoying NOT shopping every week.  (except for our milk, at the farm).  The only draw back is making a menu for that many days...I have been having a brain freeze on menu planning.???

Well I should get ready to go... have a blessed day!!

decisons have been made..whewwww

Whewww doesn't that always feel like a load being LIFTED!   Yesterday afternoon dh and I sat down and I explained to him our "options" and just talking it out to him...helped me "see the light".   

My first decision was next years homeschool items.  Thank goodness we LOVE Weaver so I only had to decide on a Math and Phonics!!   I also do love our Horizon Math so I knew with ds(6) we'd do Horizon 1.  However we are now adding in ds(who will be 5 in July) and it is a bit different because they are different learners, I can tell already!!   Well we decided to go ahead and try Horizon K with ds(5) because I already have the teachers manual and will only need to order 2 student books.

Then there was the phonics to decide..................................................   I was waivering between the Explode the Code / Alpha Phonics (which we have been using this year), Rod and Staff 1, or Horizon 1 for Phonics.   After sitting down with dh and looking it all over we are going to go ahead adn continue with the next Explode th Code (1 1/2 and 2) for ds(6) and Explode the Code 1 for ds (stb 5).

I couldn't imagine having to pick out all the extras (ss, sci, health, etc)....COULDN"T Imagine!  I just LOVE Weaver and we will be moving on to Vol 2!!   We do Weaver very relaxed right now...we do it a lot like the Charlotte Mason kind of way... we do MOST of our learning by reading LIVING BOOKS on our current subject.   We do field trips, but I'm not one on a lot of "projects /crafts" nor will I start next year with a new baby. 

Then...dh an I sat down and talked cloth diapers and we are going to go with the Frugal Fannie diapers...they are so cute and so AFFORDABLE!!!   So I contacted the maker and we are on our way!!

The reason a lot of these decisions needed to be made was because the BIG Homeschool Convention in PA is next month and I wanted to have my ducks in a row.   Although we just found out dh works BOTH days of the convention so we'll not be going....but that is okay because now I KNOW what I want I can buy it on line (hopefully used for Weaver) and if I went to the convention my attention would be EVERYWHERE and I'd spend more $$... so it all worked out.

Also dh is getting a nice size check from his last employer probably Friday and we'd like to buy our curriculum and diapers with that $$. 

So now we are just plugging along...and I'm just happy the decisions have been made.  After all if its not broken why fix it, right?

A post on the weather...

Well today started very dreary and 'raw' (per the news forecaster).    This type of morning is just so difficult for me to get "GOING".  It also made it a bit harder because hubby was home...we usually break from our schedule when he is home.  Well I woke up and felt dreary myself (especailly after looking outside).  Well then I got myself together and we began 'school'.   We started with our Bible Lesson (Weaver, incorporates the Bible with the other lessons, ss,sci, health etc).  Well we are just starting a unit on the Water Cycle.  So don't you know todays topic was RAIN...and what a blessing it is from the Lord!!  We read and talked for quite awhile about the blessing God gives us with rain....and I of course repented (in front of the boys and dh) for my low attitude because of the rain, and I would strive to see it as the blessing it was designed to be!!  OUCH...that definitly was perfect timing...and I thank the Lord for giving me those words today and help me "salvage" the rest of the day.

Well then the Lord was very generous..as this afternoon (after 3pm) the sun came out SHINNING brightly...and the boys were able to go out and enjoy the afternoon/evening.   It was a blessing...and they enjoyed it so much they had to strip down and get a bath as soon as they entered the house!!  They even got in a few pitches with dad before he left for work this evening.

Now...on to the rest of the weekend...tomorrow is to be the best day of all (weather wise) however I plan to get a good cleaning of the house in.   Then Sunday is to be RAIN, RAIN, WIND, COLD...maybe snow!!?!   So I will remember the words we read in the Bible...the weather is a blessing and is very much needed.

Hope you had a wonderful day...

Farm fresh delicious and cloth diaper questions....

Well we were able to go to the "farm fresh" store and purchase our first batch of FARM FRESH MILK.  It is delicious!!  It is pasturized...the only REAL difference is they give their cows NO HORMONES and feed them an all vegetarian diet.   So for a family making some baby steps...this is good!!!  We also bought some of their butter.  Tomorrow we will go back for a larger order.  I wasn't prepared (with cash) for the $2.00 glass bottle fee.  It makes sense, but I wasn' t prepared.

Well I am just about half way with this pregnancy and dh has some last minute $$ coming in from his previous job...and I was making a list of some things I'd like to do with the $$ and one of them was to get a nice "beginnning inventory" of cloth diapers.  Now...I do not sew, nor do I have a machine...so making them is not an option (at this pont)... so what do I need for beginners??   Also with traveling (we run errands about 1 day a week...and travel to grandparents about 1x a month) do I want to buy a few All In One's or maybe go disposable for ease...????

Here is what I am REALLY considering for everyday use....Frugal Fannies   I think for ease this will be a bit better than prefolds.   Dh is very leary of prefolds.....   But I was wondering about traveling and things... what do you do?   What do you use for every day use???

Any thoughts or wisdom out there????

Doing the HAPPY DANCE here!!!

I am just on cloud 9 right now!!  I can't take the smile off my face...and it may be silly but it is an answer to prayer!!

I received a 'flier' in the mail today from a local farm (actually a homeschool family) who have opened a REAL business.  They are now selling a full line of natural milk (sold in returnable glass bottles), beef, butter, brown eggs etc....  (their cows are fed an all vegetarian diet and do not receive the rBST hormone)!!!

They have a website with prices and they are REASONABLE!  The milk is REALLY reasonable.. the meat is higher than I pay for (who knows what) at the local grocery store!!

Oh I am just on cloud 9!!   I can't wait until next week to do my first stop and check it out.  I'd stop sooner but tomorrow morning we are heading out of town until LATE Saturday night.

Just had to share my excitement!!  YEAAAAAA!!!!!

Someday I'd love to do this all ourselves, but this is a great help in the current time!!!

Wheww...Days re-cap and Homestead reading

We definitly are not used to 'hard labor' after such a nice relaxing winter.   We were all so exhausted yesterday evening.  My youngest (4) who thinks he doesn't need to nap asked if he could please sleep in the van for a few minutes on our ride to go get pizza for lunch!!  We were all exhausted by 6pm when we called it a day!!  SO exhausted that we went out to eat!    (our goal since we had to get a new van is no eating out...and we failed miserably yesterday!!)  I need to get better at working outside ALL day and still making meals!!

We did get a lot accomplished dh was able to take care of a few LARGE brush piles he had made earlier in the year.   The boys took their first steps in the creek and LOVED it... that is where they spent most of the day in fact!

Today is to be exactly like yesterday 72' or better so we are planning to spend the entire day outside again today.  Then tomorrow it is to begin to RAIN and then become MUCH colder until Sunday!

I must say I know I posted this last year too, it is so enjoyable to work outside together as a family, we enjoy ourselves very much!  I just love it.  We don't "work" inside together quite as well, and that is mostly my fault I have a tendency to think "I can get it done better and faster myself".   I am getting better at that thinking.  I still rather have everyone to have his/her own jobs and work seprately...however outside we just click...and it is great!

I have been doing a little reading for some encouragement and new ideas...some of my favorite reading in the last week has included:

The Farmers Wife Guide to Growing a Great Garden and Eating From It Too.  BY:Barbara Doyan

The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It.  BY: John Seymour

I really like the Farmers wife and will look to purchase this in the furture.  The John Seymour book, well I've checked this book out NUMEROUS times it is just a bit TOO much for me now....but I love reading it and learning little bits and pieces...so much information!!

What are your favorite homesteading type books??